Exploiting Elementary Landscapes for TSP, Vehicle Routing and Scheduling

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-09-03

Traveling Salesman Problem (TSP) and Graph Coloring are elementary. Problems such as MAX-kSAT are a superposition of k elementary landscapes. This...search space. Problems such as the Traveling Salesman Problem (TSP), Graph Coloring, the Frequency Assignment Problem , as well as Min-Cut and Max-Cut...echoing our earlier esults on the Traveling Salesman Problem . Using two locally optimal solutions as “parent” solutions, we have developed a

Theoretical Analysis of Local Search and Simple Evolutionary Algorithms for the Generalized Travelling Salesperson Problem.

PubMed

Pourhassan, Mojgan; Neumann, Frank

2018-06-22

The generalized travelling salesperson problem is an important NP-hard combinatorial optimization problem for which meta-heuristics, such as local search and evolutionary algorithms, have been used very successfully. Two hierarchical approaches with different neighbourhood structures, namely a Cluster-Based approach and a Node-Based approach, have been proposed by Hu and Raidl (2008) for solving this problem. In this paper, local search algorithms and simple evolutionary algorithms based on these approaches are investigated from a theoretical perspective. For local search algorithms, we point out the complementary abilities of the two approaches by presenting instances where they mutually outperform each other. Afterwards, we introduce an instance which is hard for both approaches when initialized on a particular point of the search space, but where a variable neighbourhood search combining them finds the optimal solution in polynomial time. Then we turn our attention to analysing the behaviour of simple evolutionary algorithms that use these approaches. We show that the Node-Based approach solves the hard instance of the Cluster-Based approach presented in Corus et al. (2016) in polynomial time. Furthermore, we prove an exponential lower bound on the optimization time of the Node-Based approach for a class of Euclidean instances.

On the Complexity of the Metric TSP under Stability Considerations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mihalák, Matúš; Schöngens, Marcel; Šrámek, Rastislav; Widmayer, Peter

We consider the metric Traveling Salesman Problem (Δ-TSP for short) and study how stability (as defined by Bilu and Linial [3]) influences the complexity of the problem. On an intuitive level, an instance of Δ-TSP is γ-stable (γ> 1), if there is a unique optimum Hamiltonian tour and any perturbation of arbitrary edge weights by at most γ does not change the edge set of the optimal solution (i.e., there is a significant gap between the optimum tour and all other tours). We show that for γ ≥ 1.8 a simple greedy algorithm (resembling Prim's algorithm for constructing a minimum spanning tree) computes the optimum Hamiltonian tour for every γ-stable instance of the Δ-TSP, whereas a simple local search algorithm can fail to find the optimum even if γ is arbitrary. We further show that there are γ-stable instances of Δ-TSP for every 1 < γ< 2. These results provide a different view on the hardness of the Δ-TSP and give rise to a new class of problem instances which are substantially easier to solve than instances of the general Δ-TSP.

Adult Competency Education Kit. Basic Skills in Speaking, Math, and Reading for Employment. Part J. ACE Competency Based Job Descriptions: Sales Core Job Description; #36--Sales, Automotive Parts; #37--Sales, Retail; #38--Salesperson, Garden & Housewares; #39--Salesperson, Women's Garments.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

San Mateo County Office of Education, Redwood City, CA. Career Preparation Centers.

This seventh of fifteen sets of Adult Competency Education (ACE) Competency Based Job Descriptions in the ACE kit contains job descriptions for Salesperson, Automotive Parts; Sales Clerk, Retail; Salesperson, Garden and Housewares; and Salesperson, Women's Garments. Each begins with a fact sheet that includes this information: occupational title,…

Salesperson Ethics: An Interactive Computer Simulation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Castleberry, Stephen

2014-01-01

A new interactive computer simulation designed to teach sales ethics is described. Simulation learner objectives include gaining a better understanding of legal issues in selling; realizing that ethical dilemmas do arise in selling; realizing the need to be honest when selling; seeing that there are conflicting demands from a salesperson's…

The roles of the convex hull and the number of potential intersections in performance on visually presented traveling salesperson problems.

PubMed

Vickers, Douglas; Lee, Michael D; Dry, Matthew; Hughes, Peter

2003-10-01

The planar Euclidean version of the traveling salesperson problem requires finding the shortest tour through a two-dimensional array of points. MacGregor and Ormerod (1996) have suggested that people solve such problems by using a global-to-local perceptual organizing process based on the convex hull of the array. We review evidence for and against this idea, before considering an alternative, local-to-global perceptual process, based on the rapid automatic identification of nearest neighbors. We compare these approaches in an experiment in which the effects of number of convex hull points and number of potential intersections on solution performance are measured. Performance worsened with more points on the convex hull and with fewer potential intersections. A measure of response uncertainty was unaffected by the number of convex hull points but increased with fewer potential intersections. We discuss a possible interpretation of these results in terms of a hierarchical solution process based on linking nearest neighbor clusters.

Using TSP to Improve Performance

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-11-13

Carnegie Mellon University Using TSP to Improve Performance 46 Work - Life Balance People are your most important resource. Finding and retaining good people...is critical to long-term success. Intuit found that TSP improved work - life balance , a key factor in job satisfaction. Source: Intuit © 2008 Carnegie...Mellon University Using TSP to Improve Performance 47 Intuit TSP Survey Results Improved work - life balance with TSP is reflected in job satisfaction

Factor structure of essential social skills to be salespersons in retail market: implications for psychiatric rehabilitation.

PubMed

Cheung, Leo C C; Tsang, Hector W H

2005-12-01

This study continued the effort to apply social skills training to increase vocational outcomes of people with severe mental illness. We planned to identify factor structure of essential social skills necessary for mental health consumers who have a vocational preference to work as salesperson in retail market. Exploratory factor analysis of the results of a 26-item questionnaire survey suggested a five-factor solution: social skills when interacting with customers, problem-solving skills, knowledge and attitudes, flexibility, and skills for conflict prevention, which accounted for 65.1% of the total variance. With the factor solution, we developed a job-specific social skills training program (JSST) to help consumers who want to be salespersons. The structure and session design followed the basic format of a typical social skills training program. The way this JSST is to be used with the work-related social skills training model previously developed by the corresponding author to produce better vocational outcomes of consumers is suggested.

A longitudinal cross-level model of leader and salesperson influences on sales force technology use and performance.

PubMed

Mathieu, John; Ahearne, Michael; Taylor, Scott R

2007-03-01

The authors examined the influence of the introduction of a new suite of technology tools on the performance of 592 salespersons. They hypothesized that the salespersons' work experience would have a negative effect on their technology self-efficacy, which in turn would relate positively to their use of technology. Sales performance was hypothesized to be positively related to both past performance and the use of new technology tools. Further, the authors hypothesized that leaders' commitment to sales technology would enhance salespersons' technology self-efficacy and usage, and leaders' empowering behaviors would influence salespersons' technology self-efficacy and moderate the individual-level relationships. Hierarchical linear modeling analyses confirmed all of the hypothesized individual-level relationships and most of the cross-level relationships stemming from average leader behaviors. In particular, empowering leadership exhibited multiple cross-level interactions, as anticipated. Results are discussed in terms of the importance of social-psychological factors related to the success of sales force technology interventions. (c) 2007 APA, all rights reserved.

Adult Competency Education Kit. Basic Skills in Speaking, Math, and Reading for Employment. Part K. ACE Competency Based Job Descriptions: #40--Salesperson, Automobile; #41--Salesperson, Men's Wear; #42--Waiter/Waitress; #45--Janitor; #46--Porter; #48--Pressing Machine Operator.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

San Mateo County Office of Education, Redwood City, CA. Career Preparation Centers.

This eighth of fifteen sets of Adult Competency Education (ACE) Based Job Descriptions in the ACE kit contains job descriptions for Salesperson, Automotive; Salesperson, Men's Wear; Waiter/Waitress; Janitor; Porter; and Pressing Machine Operator. Each begins with a fact sheet that includes this information: occupational title, D.O.T. code, ACE…

Predicting Salesperson Performance: A Review of the Literature

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-02-01

Review, Journal of Marketing Research , Industrial Marketing Management, Personnel Psychology, Journal of Vocational Behavior, Journal of Applied...Science Quarterly, Academy of Management Journal, Academy of Management Review, Journal of Marketing, Journal of Marketing Research , Industrial...W., & Walker, 0. C., Jr. (1985). The determinants of salesperson performance: A meta- analysis. Journal of Marketing Research , 22, 103-118

An Analysis of Mathematical Models to Improve Counter-Drug Smuggling Operations

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-09-01

users. The target input file for the optimization algorithm has one segment of one target path on each row. Thus, if a target travels along a path...organization TOS time on station TSP Travelling Salesperson Problem USCG United States Coast Guard USN United States Navy UCONN University...of Connecticut UNCLOS United Nations Convention on Law of the Sea xv EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This research is motivated by the ongoing efforts of the

The role of attachment styles in regulating the effects of dopamine on the behavior of salespersons

PubMed Central

Verbeke, Willem; Bagozzi, Richard P.; van den Berg, Wouter E.

2014-01-01

Two classic strategic orientations have been found to pervade the behavior of modern salespersons: a sales orientation (SO) where salespersons use deception or guile to get customers to buy even if they do not need a product, and a customer orientation (CO) where salespersons first attempt to discover the customer's needs and adjust their product and selling approach to meet those needs. Study 1 replicates recent research and finds that the Taq A1 variant of the DRD2 gene is not related to either sales or CO, whereas the 7-repeat variant of the DRD4 gene is related to CO but not SO. Study 2 investigates gene × phenotype explanations of orientation of salespersons, drawing upon recent research in molecular genetics and biological/psychological attachment theory. The findings show that attachment style regulates the effects of DRD2 on CO, such that greater avoidant attachment styles lead to higher CO for persons with the A2/A2 variant but neither the A1/A2 nor A1/A1 variants. Likewise, attachment style regulates the effects of DRD4 on CO, such that greater avoidant attachment styles lead to higher CO for persons with the 7-repeat variant but not other variants. No effects were found on a SO, and secure and anxious attachment styles did not function as moderators. PMID:24550811

Relationship between Machiavellianism scores and performance of real estate salespersons.

PubMed

Aziz, Abdul

2005-02-01

Data from two samples (ns=37 and 35) of real estate agents showed a significant positive correlation of .37 between Machiavellianism (Mach-B scores) and self-reported sales volume. Present findings support earlier results from samples of stockbrokers and automobile salespersons showing Mach-B scores to be positively related to sales performance.

Generating subtour elimination constraints for the TSP from pure integer solutions.

PubMed

Pferschy, Ulrich; Staněk, Rostislav

2017-01-01

The traveling salesman problem ( TSP ) is one of the most prominent combinatorial optimization problems. Given a complete graph [Formula: see text] and non-negative distances d for every edge, the TSP asks for a shortest tour through all vertices with respect to the distances d. The method of choice for solving the TSP to optimality is a branch and cut approach . Usually the integrality constraints are relaxed first and all separation processes to identify violated inequalities are done on fractional solutions . In our approach we try to exploit the impressive performance of current ILP-solvers and work only with integer solutions without ever interfering with fractional solutions. We stick to a very simple ILP-model and relax the subtour elimination constraints only. The resulting problem is solved to integer optimality, violated constraints (which are trivial to find) are added and the process is repeated until a feasible solution is found. In order to speed up the algorithm we pursue several attempts to find as many relevant subtours as possible. These attempts are based on the clustering of vertices with additional insights gained from empirical observations and random graph theory. Computational results are performed on test instances taken from the TSPLIB95 and on random Euclidean graphs .

5 CFR 1640.5 - TSP Fund information.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 5 Administrative Personnel 3 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false TSP Fund information. 1640.5 Section 1640... STATEMENTS § 1640.5 TSP Fund information. The Board will provide to each participant four (4) times each calendar year a statement concerning each of the TSP Funds. This statement will contain the following...

Optimization of the time-dependent traveling salesman problem with Monte Carlo methods.

PubMed

Bentner, J; Bauer, G; Obermair, G M; Morgenstern, I; Schneider, J

2001-09-01

A problem often considered in operations research and computational physics is the traveling salesman problem, in which a traveling salesperson has to find the shortest closed tour between a certain set of cities. This problem has been extended to more realistic scenarios, e.g., the "real" traveling salesperson has to take rush hours into consideration. We will show how this extended problem is treated with physical optimization algorithms. We will present results for a specific instance of Reinelt's library TSPLIB95, in which we define a zone with traffic jams in the afternoon.

[The recent advances of HAM/TSP research].

PubMed

Osame, M

1999-12-01

The ninth international conference on HTLVs and related disorders was held on April 5-9, 1999 at Kagoshima, Japan under the conference chairperson, Dr. Mitsuhiro Osame. In this meeting, world-wide epidemiological data on HTLV-I carriers, ATL patients, and HAM/TSP patients were summarized as shown in the table. The total number of them was supposed to be more than 2.2 millions, 1,200, and 3,000, respectively. To elucidate the localization of HTLV-I proviral DNA directly, double staining using immunohistochemistry and PCR in situ hybridization in the spinal cords of HAM/TSP patients were performed. HTLV-I proviral DNA was localized only to OPD 4-positive cells (Matsuoka et al, 1998). The localization of HTLV-I messenger RNA was the same (Moritoyo et al, 1996). A novel technique to detect HTLV-I tax protein was also developed. In HAM/TSP patients, 0.04-1.16% of the CSF cells and 0.02-0.54% of PBMCs were positive for HTLV-I tax protein (Moritoyo et al, 1999). It was also hypothesized that HLA alleles control HTLV-I proviral load and thus influence susceptibility to HAM/TSP. Two hundred and thirty-two cases of HAM/TSP were compared with 201 randomly selected HTLV-I seropositive asymptomatic blood donors. It was shown that, after infection with HTLV-I, the class I allele HLA-A*02 halves the odds of HAM/TSP (p < 0.0001), preventing 28% of potential cases of HAM/TSP. Furthermore, HLA-A*02 positive healthy HTLV-I carriers have a proviral load one-third that (p = 0.0114) of HLA-A*02 negative HTLV-I carriers. An association of HLA-DRB1*0101 with disease susceptibility was also identified, which doubled the odds of HAM/TSP in the absence of the protective effect of HLA-A*02 (Jeffery and Usuku et al, 1999).

Updating the TSP Quality Plan Using Monte Carlo Simulation

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-08-01

TSP is the attention to quality or, more accurately, the ability to manage product defects. In fact, TSP creator Watts S . Humphrey says: ... defect...teams at Hill AFB recently started using this technique and are still gathering data on its useful- ness.u References 1. Humphrey , Watts S . TSP...Leading a Development Team. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Addison-Wesley, 2006. Page 138. 2. Humphrey , Watts S . TSP – Leading a Development Team. Upper Saddle

Team Software Process (TSP) Coach Mentoring Program Guidebook

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-08-01

SEI TSP Initiative Team. • All training was conducted in English only, and observations were limited to English- speaking coaches and teams. The...Certified TSP Mentor Coach programs also enable the expansion of TSP implementation to non-English- speaking teams and organizations. This pro- gram also...Communication Needs Significant Improvement Could Benefit from Development Capable and Effective Role Model 1. I listen before speaking . 2. I

HAM/TSP and major depression: the role of age.

PubMed

Boa-Sorte, Ney; Galvão-Castro, Ana Verena; Borba, Danilo; Lima, Renan Barbalho Nunes de Castro; Galvão-Castro, Bernardo

2015-01-01

To investigate the role of demographic variables in the relationship between the presence of HAM/TSP and current major depression. It is a cross-sectional study of 108 HTLV-1 infected patients (47 with TSP/HAM) resident of Salvador, Brazil. The Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview, Brazilian Version 5 was used to evaluate the presence of depression. Prevalence ratios were used to describe relationship between HAM/TSP and depression. The HAM/TSP classification was carried out according to the criteria proposed by Castro-Costa et al. Prevalence of depression was 37.96%. No association was observed between presence of HAM/TSP and diagnosis of current major depression in the global analysis of patients (PR: 0.94; CI 95%: 0.57-1.55). In the stratified analysis, however, greater prevalence of depression was observed amongst individuals with HAM/TSP in the 18-39 age group (PR: 2.59; CI 95%: 1.36-4.95). Our findings suggest that age is an effect modifier in the relationship between HAM/TSP and depression, and this aspect should be considered in future studies on the topic. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.

Psychometric properties of the feedback orientation scale among South African salespersons.

PubMed

Lilford, Neil; Caruana, Albert; Pitt, Leyland

2014-02-01

Feedback to employees is an important management tool, and the literature demonstrates that it has a positive effect on learning, motivation, and job performance. This study investigates in a non-U.S. context the psychometric properties of the Feedback Orientation Scale. Data were gathered from a sample of 202 salespersons from a large South African firm within the industrial fuels and lubricants sector. Confirmatory Factor Analysis provided evidence for the intended dimensionality, reliability, and convergent and discriminant validity of the scale.

TSPmap, a tool making use of traveling salesperson problem solvers in the efficient and accurate construction of high-density genetic linkage maps.

PubMed

Monroe, J Grey; Allen, Zachariah A; Tanger, Paul; Mullen, Jack L; Lovell, John T; Moyers, Brook T; Whitley, Darrell; McKay, John K

2017-01-01

Recent advances in nucleic acid sequencing technologies have led to a dramatic increase in the number of markers available to generate genetic linkage maps. This increased marker density can be used to improve genome assemblies as well as add much needed resolution for loci controlling variation in ecologically and agriculturally important traits. However, traditional genetic map construction methods from these large marker datasets can be computationally prohibitive and highly error prone. We present TSPmap , a method which implements both approximate and exact Traveling Salesperson Problem solvers to generate linkage maps. We demonstrate that for datasets with large numbers of genomic markers (e.g. 10,000) and in multiple population types generated from inbred parents, TSPmap can rapidly produce high quality linkage maps with low sensitivity to missing and erroneous genotyping data compared to two other benchmark methods, JoinMap and MSTmap . TSPmap is open source and freely available as an R package. With the advancement of low cost sequencing technologies, the number of markers used in the generation of genetic maps is expected to continue to rise. TSPmap will be a useful tool to handle such large datasets into the future, quickly producing high quality maps using a large number of genomic markers.

Solving standard traveling salesman problem and multiple traveling salesman problem by using branch-and-bound

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saad, Shakila; Wan Jaafar, Wan Nurhadani; Jamil, Siti Jasmida

2013-04-01

The standard Traveling Salesman Problem (TSP) is the classical Traveling Salesman Problem (TSP) while Multiple Traveling Salesman Problem (MTSP) is an extension of TSP when more than one salesman is involved. The objective of MTSP is to find the least costly route that the traveling salesman problem can take if he wishes to visit exactly once each of a list of n cities and then return back to the home city. There are a few methods that can be used to solve MTSP. The objective of this research is to implement an exact method called Branch-and-Bound (B&B) algorithm. Briefly, the idea of B&B algorithm is to start with the associated Assignment Problem (AP). A branching strategy will be applied to the TSP and MTSP which is Breadth-first-Search (BFS). 11 nodes of cities are implemented for both problem and the solutions to the problem are presented.

Modelling human problem solving with data from an online game.

PubMed

Rach, Tim; Kirsch, Alexandra

2016-11-01

Since the beginning of cognitive science, researchers have tried to understand human strategies in order to develop efficient and adequate computational methods. In the domain of problem solving, the travelling salesperson problem has been used for the investigation and modelling of human solutions. We propose to extend this effort with an online game, in which instances of the travelling salesperson problem have to be solved in the context of a game experience. We report on our effort to design and run such a game, present the data contained in the resulting openly available data set and provide an outlook on the use of games in general for cognitive science research. In addition, we present three geometrical models mapping the starting point preferences in the problems presented in the game as the result of an evaluation of the data set.

Establishing the tolerability and performance of tamarind seed polysaccharide (TSP) in treating dry eye syndrome: results of a clinical study.

PubMed

Rolando, Maurizio; Valente, Cristiana

2007-03-29

One of the problems arising from available preparations for dry eye syndrome is the limited residence time of products on the ocular surface. In this paper, we look at an innovative new treatment for dry eye, tamarind seed polysaccharide (TSP). TSP possesses mucomimetic, mucoadhesive and pseudoplastic properties. The 'mucin-like' molecular structure of TSP is similar to corneal and conjunctival mucin 1 (MUC1), a transmembrane glycoprotein thought to play an essential role in protecting and wetting the corneal surface and may explain its increased retention on the eye surface. The activity of TSP and hyaluronic acid (HA) in the treatment of dry eye syndrome was compared in an open-label, randomised, single-centre clinical study. Thirty patients were randomised to receive three or more applications per day of either TSP 0.5%, TSP 1% or HA 0.2% (Hyalistiltrade mark) over a period of 90 days. The primary objective of tolerability was assessed by visual analogue scale (VAS), scoring of specific symptoms and the incidence of adverse events. Secondary objectives included improvement in stability of the precorneal tear film, subjective symptoms and corneal and conjunctival staining. TSP 0.5% and 1% were comparable to HA 0.2% with regard to both primary and secondary objective parameters.TSP 1% showed benefits over HA 0.2% for the subjective symptoms; trouble blinking, ocular burning and foreign body sensation. This study suggests that TSP 0.5% and 1% offer at least equivalent relief to HA 0.2% for dry eye syndrome. All treatments demonstrated optimal tolerability and are suitable for frequent use in the therapy of dry eye.TSP 1% produced promising results in terms of improvements in certain patient symptoms and suggests benefits of the TSP formulation. This study paves the way for a larger study to further establish the performance and safety of TSP compared with HA and highlights the need to expand this therapeutic agent to a wider dry eye population.

Characteristics of the High Performance Real Estate Salesperson. Teachers Instructional Packet, TIP No. 12, Spring 1987.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Texas A and M Univ., College Station. Texas Real Estate Research Center.

Part of a series of classroom aids designed for real estate instructors, this instructional packet was developed to help real estate students understand the characteristics of Texas real estate salespersons based on a 1983 state survey. First, questions for class discussion are presented, followed by a summary presentation on the survey findings,…

Heuristics for Comparing the Lengths of Completed E-TSP Tours: Crossings and Areas

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

MacGregor, James N.

2017-01-01

The article reports three experiments designed to explore heuristics used in comparing the lengths of completed Euclidean Traveling Salesman Problem (E-TSP) tours. The experiments used paired comparisons in which participants judged which of two completed tours of the same point set was shorter. The first experiment manipulated two factors, the…

Single-shot lifetime-based PSP and TSP measurements on turbocharger compressor blades

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peng, Di; Jiao, Lingrui; Yu, Yuelong; Liu, Yingzheng; Oshio, Tetsuya; Kawakubo, Tomoki; Yakushiji, Akimitsu

2017-09-01

Fast-responding pressure-sensitive paint (Fast PSP) and temperature-sensitive paint (TSP) measurements were conducted on two turbocharger compressors using a single-shot lifetime-based technique. The fast PSP and TSP were applied on separate blades of one compressor, and both paints were excited by a pulsed 532 nm Nd:YAG laser. The luminescent decay signals following the laser pulse were recorded by a CCD camera in a double-exposure mode. Instantaneous pressure and temperature fields on compressor blades were obtained simultaneously, for rotation speeds up to 150,000 rpm. The variations in pressure and temperature fields with rotation speed, flow rate and runtime were clearly visualized, showing the advantage of high spatial resolution. Severe image blurring problems and significant temperature-induced errors in the PSP results were found at high rotation speeds. The first issue was addressed by incorporating a deconvolution-based deblurring algorithm to recover the clear image from the blurred image using the combination of luminescent lifetime and rotation speed. The second issue was resolved by applying a pixel-by-pixel temperature correction based on the TSP results. The current technique has shown great capabilities in flow diagnostics of turbomachinery and can serve as a powerful tool for CFD validations and design optimizations.

Let the pigeon drive the bus: pigeons can plan future routes in a room.

PubMed

Gibson, Brett; Wilkinson, Matthew; Kelly, Debbie

2012-05-01

The task of determining an optimal route to several locations is called the traveling salesperson problem (TSP). The TSP has been used recently to examine spatial cognition in humans and non-human animals. It remains unclear whether or not the decision process of animals other than non-human primates utilizes rigid rule-based heuristics, or whether non-human animals are able to flexibly 'plan' future routes/behavior based on their knowledge of multiple locations. We presented pigeons in a One-way and Round-Trip group with TSPs that included two or three destinations (feeders) in a laboratory environment. The pigeons departed a start location, traveled to each feeder once before returning to a final destination. Pigeons weighed the proximity of the next location heavily, but appeared to plan ahead multiple steps when the travel costs for inefficient behavior appeared to increase. The results provide clear and strong evidence that animals other than primates are capable of planning sophisticated travel routes.

A preliminary assessment of PM(10) and TSP concentrations in Tuticorin, India.

PubMed

Sivaramasundaram, K; Muthusubramanian, P

2010-06-01

The respirable particulate matter (RPM; PM(10)) and total suspended particulate matter (TSP) concentrations in ambient air in Tuticorin, India, were preliminarily estimated. Statistical analyses on so-generated database were performed to infer frequency distributions and to identify dominant meteorological factor affecting the pollution levels. Both the RPM and TSP levels were well below the permissible limits set by the US Environmental Protection Agency. As expected, lognormal distribution always fit the data during the study period. However, fit with the normal was also acceptable except for very few seasons. The RPM concentrations ranged between 20.9 and 198.2 mug/m(3), while the TSP concentrations varied from 51.5 to 333.3 mug/m(3) during the study period. There was a better correlation between PM(10-100) and TSP concentrations than that of PM(10) (RPM) and TSP concentrations, but the correlation of RPM fraction was also acceptable. It was found that wind speed was the most important meteorological factor affecting the concentrations of the pollutants of present interest. Significant seasonal variations in the pollutant concentrations of present interest were found at 5% significance level except for TSP concentrations in the year 2006.

Integrating CMMI and TSP/PSP: Using TSP Data to Create Process Performance Models

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-11-01

Humphrey , Watts S . PSP : A Self-Improvement Process for Software Engineers. Addison-Wesley, 2005. http://www.sei.cmu.edu/library/abstracts/ books ...Engineering. Addison-Wesley, 2002. [ Humphrey 00] Humphrey , Watts S . The Personal Software Process ( PSP ) (CMU/SEI-2000-TR-022, ADA387268). Pittsburgh...0321305493.cfm [ Humphrey 06a] Humphrey , W. S . TSP: Leading a Development Team. Addison-Wesley, 2006.

Measuring Human Performance on Clustering Problems: Some Potential Objective Criteria and Experimental Research Opportunities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brusco, Michael J.

2007-01-01

The study of human performance on discrete optimization problems has a considerable history that spans various disciplines. The two most widely studied problems are the Euclidean traveling salesperson problem and the quadratic assignment problem. The purpose of this paper is to outline a program of study for the measurement of human performance on…

A Cost Assessment of the Dayton Public Schools Vehicle Routing Problem

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-03-01

known problems: the Traveling Salesman Problem (TSP) and the Bin Packing Problem ( BPP ) (Ralphs, 2003). The VRP has a plethora of real world...well known problems: the Traveling Salesman Problem (TSP) and the Bin Packing Problem ( BPP ) (Ralphs, 2003). The VRP has a plethora of real world

Annealing Ant Colony Optimization with Mutation Operator for Solving TSP

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

Ant Colony Optimization (ACO) has been successfully applied to solve a wide range of combinatorial optimization problems such as minimum spanning tree, traveling salesman problem, and quadratic assignment problem. Basic ACO has drawbacks of trapping into local minimum and low convergence rate. Simulated annealing (SA) and mutation operator have the jumping ability and global convergence; and local search has the ability to speed up the convergence. Therefore, this paper proposed a hybrid ACO algorithm integrating the advantages of ACO, SA, mutation operator, and local search procedure to solve the traveling salesman problem. The core of algorithm is based on the ACO. SA and mutation operator were used to increase the ants population diversity from time to time and the local search was used to exploit the current search area efficiently. The comparative experiments, using 24 TSP instances from TSPLIB, show that the proposed algorithm outperformed some well-known algorithms in the literature in terms of solution quality. PMID:27999590

Towards a PTAS for the generalized TSP in grid clusters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khachay, Michael; Neznakhina, Katherine

2016-10-01

The Generalized Traveling Salesman Problem (GTSP) is a combinatorial optimization problem, which is to find a minimum cost cycle visiting one point (city) from each cluster exactly. We consider a geometric case of this problem, where n nodes are given inside the integer grid (in the Euclidean plane), each grid cell is a unit square. Clusters are induced by cells `populated' by nodes of the given instance. Even in this special setting, the GTSP remains intractable enclosing the classic Euclidean TSP on the plane. Recently, it was shown that the problem has (1.5+8√2+ɛ)-approximation algorithm with complexity bound depending on n and k polynomially, where k is the number of clusters. In this paper, we propose two approximation algorithms for the Euclidean GTSP on grid clusters. For any fixed k, both algorithms are PTAS. Time complexity of the first one remains polynomial for k = O(log n) while the second one is a PTAS, when k = n - O(log n).

Annealing Ant Colony Optimization with Mutation Operator for Solving TSP.

PubMed

Mohsen, Abdulqader M

2016-01-01

Ant Colony Optimization (ACO) has been successfully applied to solve a wide range of combinatorial optimization problems such as minimum spanning tree, traveling salesman problem, and quadratic assignment problem. Basic ACO has drawbacks of trapping into local minimum and low convergence rate. Simulated annealing (SA) and mutation operator have the jumping ability and global convergence; and local search has the ability to speed up the convergence. Therefore, this paper proposed a hybrid ACO algorithm integrating the advantages of ACO, SA, mutation operator, and local search procedure to solve the traveling salesman problem. The core of algorithm is based on the ACO. SA and mutation operator were used to increase the ants population diversity from time to time and the local search was used to exploit the current search area efficiently. The comparative experiments, using 24 TSP instances from TSPLIB, show that the proposed algorithm outperformed some well-known algorithms in the literature in terms of solution quality.

Team Software Process (TSP) Coach Mentoring Program Guidebook Version 1.1

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-06-01

All training was conducted in English only, and observations were limited to English- speaking coaches and teams. The SEI-Certified TSP Coach...programs also enable the expansion of TSP implementation to non-English- speaking teams and organizations. This expanded capacity for qualifying candidate...Improvement Could Benefit from Development Capable and Effective Role Model 1. I listen before speaking . 2. I demonstrate persuasiveness in

41 CFR 102-118.305 - Must my agency notify the TSP of any adjustment to the TSP's bill?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Property Management Federal Property Management Regulations System (Continued) FEDERAL MANAGEMENT REGULATION TRANSPORTATION 118-TRANSPORTATION PAYMENT AND AUDIT Prepayment Audits of Transportation Services Agency Requirements for Prepayment Audits § 102-118.305 Must my agency notify the TSP of any adjustment...

Hybrid water flow-like algorithm with Tabu search for traveling salesman problem

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bostamam, Jasmin M.; Othman, Zulaiha

2016-08-01

This paper presents a hybrid Water Flow-like Algorithm with Tabu Search for solving travelling salesman problem (WFA-TS-TSP).WFA has been proven its outstanding performances in solving TSP meanwhile TS is a conventional algorithm which has been used since decades to solve various combinatorial optimization problem including TSP. Hybridization between WFA with TS provides a better balance of exploration and exploitation criteria which are the key elements in determining the performance of one metaheuristic. TS use two different local search namely, 2opt and 3opt separately. The proposed WFA-TS-TSP is tested on 23 sets on the well-known benchmarked symmetric TSP instances. The result shows that the proposed WFA-TS-TSP has significant better quality solutions compared to WFA. The result also shows that the WFA-TS-TSP with 3-opt obtained the best quality solution. With the result obtained, it could be concluded that WFA has potential to be further improved by using hybrid technique or using better local search technique.

Role of HTLV-1 Tax and HBZ in the Pathogenesis of HAM/TSP

PubMed Central

Enose-Akahata, Yoshimi; Vellucci, Ashley; Jacobson, Steven

2017-01-01

Human T cell lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) infection can lead to development of adult T cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATL) or HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP) in a subset of infected subjects. Understanding the interaction between host and HTLV-1 and the molecular mechanisms associated with disease pathogenesis is critical for development efficient therapies. Two HTLV-1 genes, tax and HTLV-1 basic leucine zipper factor (HBZ), have been demonstrated to play important roles in HTLV-1 infectivity and the growth and survival of leukemic cells. Increased HTLV-1 Tax expression induces the expression of various cellular genes such as IL-2 and IL-15, which directly contributes to lymphocyte activation and immunopathogenesis in HAM/TSP patients. However, little is known about the molecular and cellular mechanism of HBZ in development of HAM/TSP. It has been reported that HBZ mRNA expression was detected in HAM/TSP patients higher than in asymptomatic carriers and correlated with proviral load and disease severity. Unlike HTLV-1 tax, HBZ escapes efficient anti-viral immune responses and therefore these reactivities are difficult to detect. Thus, it is important to focus on understanding the function and the role of HTLV-1 tax and HBZ in disease development of HAM/TSP and discuss the potential use of these HTLV-1 viral gene products as biomarkers and therapeutic targets for HAM/TSP. PMID:29312243

Lung inflammation promotes metastasis through neutrophil protease-mediated degradation of Tsp-1

PubMed Central

El Rayes, Tina; Catena, Raúl; Lee, Sharrell; Stawowczyk, Marcin; Joshi, Natasha; Fischbach, Claudia; Powell, Charles A.; Dannenberg, Andrew J.; Altorki, Nasser K.; Gao, Dingcheng; Mittal, Vivek

2015-01-01

Inflammation is inextricably associated with primary tumor progression. However, the contribution of inflammation to tumor outgrowth in metastatic organs has remained underexplored. Here, we show that extrinsic inflammation in the lungs leads to the recruitment of bone marrow-derived neutrophils, which degranulate azurophilic granules to release the Ser proteases, elastase and cathepsin G, resulting in the proteolytic destruction of the antitumorigenic factor thrombospondin-1 (Tsp-1). Genetic ablation of these neutrophil proteases protected Tsp-1 from degradation and suppressed lung metastasis. These results provide mechanistic insights into the contribution of inflammatory neutrophils to metastasis and highlight the unique neutrophil protease–Tsp-1 axis as a potential antimetastatic therapeutic target. PMID:26668367

Childhood-onset HAM/TSP with progressive cognitive impairment.

PubMed

Zorzi, Giovanna; Mancuso, Roberta; Nardocci, Nardo; Farina, Laura; Guerini, Franca Rosa; Ferrante, Pasquale

2010-04-01

HTLV-I associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP) is a chronic myelopathy, usually with adult-onset. Very few cases of childhood-onset have been described, most presenting with progressive paraparesis and sphincteric disturbances as in the adult form. Here we report a young male with childhood-onset of HAM/TSP and progressive cognitive and behavioral disturbances. A serological screening revealed HTLV-I infection, confirmed by Western Immunoblotting analysis. Molecular characterization of amplified HTLV-I proviral DNA has been performed both in the patient and his mother by LTR sequence analysis, and HLA genotype inheritance was evaluated. Our case indicates the possibility that cognitive dysfunctions may be one manifestation of HTLV-I infection in childhood.

41 CFR 102-117.285 - What are my choices if a TSP's performance is not satisfactory?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 41 Public Contracts and Property Management 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false What are my choices if a TSP's performance is not satisfactory? 102-117.285 Section 102-117.285 Public Contracts and Property... are my choices if a TSP's performance is not satisfactory? You may choose to place a TSP in temporary...

ITO-based evolutionary algorithm to solve traveling salesman problem

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dong, Wenyong; Sheng, Kang; Yang, Chuanhua; Yi, Yunfei

2014-03-01

In this paper, a ITO algorithm inspired by ITO stochastic process is proposed for Traveling Salesmen Problems (TSP), so far, many meta-heuristic methods have been successfully applied to TSP, however, as a member of them, ITO needs further demonstration for TSP. So starting from designing the key operators, which include the move operator, wave operator, etc, the method based on ITO for TSP is presented, and moreover, the ITO algorithm performance under different parameter sets and the maintenance of population diversity information are also studied.

Stability of Solutions to Classes of Traveling Salesman Problems.

PubMed

Niendorf, Moritz; Kabamba, Pierre T; Girard, Anouck R

2016-04-01

By performing stability analysis on an optimal tour for problems belonging to classes of the traveling salesman problem (TSP), this paper derives margins of optimality for a solution with respect to disturbances in the problem data. Specifically, we consider the asymmetric sequence-dependent TSP, where the sequence dependence is driven by the dynamics of a stack. This is a generalization of the symmetric non sequence-dependent version of the TSP. Furthermore, we also consider the symmetric sequence-dependent variant and the asymmetric non sequence-dependent variant. Amongst others these problems have applications in logistics and unmanned aircraft mission planning. Changing external conditions such as traffic or weather may alter task costs, which can render an initially optimal itinerary suboptimal. Instead of optimizing the itinerary every time task costs change, stability criteria allow for fast evaluation of whether itineraries remain optimal. This paper develops a method to compute stability regions for the best tour in a set of tours for the symmetric TSP and extends the results to the asymmetric problem as well as their sequence-dependent counterparts. As the TSP is NP-hard, heuristic methods are frequently used to solve it. The presented approach is also applicable to analyze stability regions for a tour obtained through application of the k -opt heuristic with respect to the k -neighborhood. A dimensionless criticality metric for edges is proposed, such that a high criticality of an edge indicates that the optimal tour is more susceptible to cost changes in that edge. Multiple examples demonstrate the application of the developed stability computation method as well as the edge criticality measure that facilitates an intuitive assessment of instances of the TSP.

41 CFR 102-117.255 - What actions may I take if the TSP's performance is not satisfactory?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 41 Public Contracts and Property Management 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false What actions may I take if the TSP's performance is not satisfactory? 102-117.255 Section 102-117.255 Public Contracts and... may I take if the TSP's performance is not satisfactory? If the TSP's performance is not satisfactory...

Characteristic of total suspended particulate (TSP) containing Pb and Zn at solid waste landfill

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Budihardjo, M. A.; Noveandra, K.; Samadikun, B. P.

2018-05-01

Activities conducted at municipal solid waste landfills (MSWLs) potentially cause air pollution. Heavy vehicles in MSWLs release various pollutants that can have negative impacts for humans. One noticeable pollutant at MSWLs is airborne total suspended particulate (TSP) which may contain heavy metals such as Pb and Zn and can cause disease when inhaled by humans. In this study, TSP from a landfill in Semarang, Indonesia was collected and characterized to quantify the concentration of Pb and Zn. Meteorological factors (i.e. temperature, humidity and wind velocity) and landfill activities were considered as factors affecting pollutant concentrations. TSP was sampled using dust samplers while the concentrations of heavy metals in TSP were analyzed using an Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer (AAS). Pb concentration ranged from 0.84 to 1.78 µg/m3 while Zn concentration was from 7.87 to 8.76 µg/m3. The levels of Pb were below the threshold specified by the Indonesian Government. Meanwhile, the threshold for Zn has not yet been determined.

Efficient convex-elastic net algorithm to solve the Euclidean traveling salesman problem.

PubMed

Al-Mulhem, M; Al-Maghrabi, T

1998-01-01

This paper describes a hybrid algorithm that combines an adaptive-type neural network algorithm and a nondeterministic iterative algorithm to solve the Euclidean traveling salesman problem (E-TSP). It begins with a brief introduction to the TSP and the E-TSP. Then, it presents the proposed algorithm with its two major components: the convex-elastic net (CEN) algorithm and the nondeterministic iterative improvement (NII) algorithm. These two algorithms are combined into the efficient convex-elastic net (ECEN) algorithm. The CEN algorithm integrates the convex-hull property and elastic net algorithm to generate an initial tour for the E-TSP. The NII algorithm uses two rearrangement operators to improve the initial tour given by the CEN algorithm. The paper presents simulation results for two instances of E-TSP: randomly generated tours and tours for well-known problems in the literature. Experimental results are given to show that the proposed algorithm ran find the nearly optimal solution for the E-TSP that outperform many similar algorithms reported in the literature. The paper concludes with the advantages of the new algorithm and possible extensions.

A Bibliography of the Personal Software Process (PSP) and the Team Software Process (TSP)

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-10-01

Postmortem.‖ Proceedings of the TSP Symposium (September 2007). http://www.sei.cmu.edu/tspsymposium/ Rickets , Chris; Lindeman, Robert; & Hodgins, Brad... Rickets , Chris A. ―A TSP Software Maintenance Life Cycle.‖ CrossTalk (March 2005). Rozanc, I. & Mahnic, V. ―Teaching Software Quality with Emphasis on PSP

5 CFR 1640.5 - TSP Fund information.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... information concerning each investment fund: (a) A summary description of the type of investments made by the... performance history of the type of investments made by the fund, covering the five-year period preceding the... 5 Administrative Personnel 3 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false TSP Fund information. 1640.5 Section 1640...

Improved mapping of the travelling salesman problem for quantum annealing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Troyer, Matthias; Heim, Bettina; Brown, Ethan; Wecker, David

2015-03-01

We consider the quantum adiabatic algorithm as applied to the travelling salesman problem (TSP). We introduce a novel mapping of TSP to an Ising spin glass Hamiltonian and compare it to previous known mappings. Through direct perturbative analysis, unitary evolution, and simulated quantum annealing, we show this new mapping to be significantly superior. We discuss how this advantage can translate to actual physical implementations of TSP on quantum annealers.

Solving Large Problems with a Small Working Memory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pizlo, Zygmunt; Stefanov, Emil

2013-01-01

We describe an important elaboration of our multiscale/multiresolution model for solving the Traveling Salesman Problem (TSP). Our previous model emulated the non-uniform distribution of receptors on the human retina and the shifts of visual attention. This model produced near-optimal solutions of TSP in linear time by performing hierarchical…

Data-Acquisition Software for PSP/TSP Wind-Tunnel Cameras

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Amer, Tahani R.; Goad, William K.

2005-01-01

Wing-Viewer is a computer program for acquisition and reduction of image data acquired by any of five different scientificgrade commercial electronic cameras used at Langley Research center to observe wind-tunnel models coated with pressure or temperature-sensitive paints (PSP/TSP). Wing-Viewer provides full automation of camera operation and acquisition of image data, and has limited data-preprocessing capability for quick viewing of the results of PSP/TSP test images. Wing- Viewer satisfies a requirement for a standard interface between all the cameras and a single personal computer: Written by use of Microsoft Visual C++ and the Microsoft Foundation Class Library as a framework, Wing-Viewer has the ability to communicate with the C/C++ software libraries that run on the controller circuit cards of all five cameras.

Chemical mass balance source apportionment of TSP in a lignite-burning area of Western Macedonia, Greece

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Samara, Constantini

Total suspended particle mass concentrations (TSP) were determined in the Kozani-Ptolemais-Florina basin (western Macedonia, Greece), an area with intensive lignite burning for power generation. The study was conducted over a 1-year period (November 2000-November 2001) at 10 receptor sites located at variable distances from the power plants. Ambient TSP samples were analyzed for 27 major, minor and trace elements. Particulate emissions were also collected from a variety of sources including fly ash, lignite dust, automobile traffic, domestic heating, and open-air burning of agricultural biomass and refuse, and analyzed for the same chemical components. Ambient and source chemical profiles were used for source identification and apportionment of TSP by employing a chemical mass balance (CMB) receptor model. Diesel burning in vehicular traffic and in the power plants for generator start up was found to be the major contributor to ambient TSP levels at all 10 sites. Other sources with significant contributions were domestic coal burning, vegetative burning (wood combustion and agricultural burns) and refuse open-air burning. Fly ash escaping the electrostatic precipitators of the power plants was a minor contributor to ambient TSP.

5 CFR 1620.45 - Suspending TSP loans, restoring post-employment withdrawals, and reversing taxable distributions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA)-Covered Military Service § 1620.45 Suspending TSP loans... nonpay status. If the TSP is notified that an employee entered into a nonpay status to perform military... declared a taxable distribution while the employee is performing military service. (1) Interest will accrue...

Targeting Neutrophil Protease-Mediated Degradation of Tsp-1 to Induce Metastatic Dormancy

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-10-01

have decided to use CRISPR -Cas9 mediated gene knockout as it results in complete depletion of gene products. The sequences for gRNAs (Fig. 1B) have...express Tsp-1 receptor CD36 Fig. 1. (A) Tsp-1 receptor CD36 is expressed by tumor cells. (B) Design of CRISPR -Cas9 gRNAs for generating biallelic...DWLPK peptide solubility were created and optimized. For Aim 1, Subtask 2.1: We have decided to use CRISPR -Cas9 as they are more potent in

Water flow algorithm decision support tool for travelling salesman problem

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kamarudin, Anis Aklima; Othman, Zulaiha Ali; Sarim, Hafiz Mohd

2016-08-01

This paper discuss about the role of Decision Support Tool in Travelling Salesman Problem (TSP) for helping the researchers who doing research in same area will get the better result from the proposed algorithm. A study has been conducted and Rapid Application Development (RAD) model has been use as a methodology which includes requirement planning, user design, construction and cutover. Water Flow Algorithm (WFA) with initialization technique improvement is used as the proposed algorithm in this study for evaluating effectiveness against TSP cases. For DST evaluation will go through usability testing conducted on system use, quality of information, quality of interface and overall satisfaction. Evaluation is needed for determine whether this tool can assists user in making a decision to solve TSP problems with the proposed algorithm or not. Some statistical result shown the ability of this tool in term of helping researchers to conduct the experiments on the WFA with improvements TSP initialization.

The cost-constrained traveling salesman problem

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

Sokkappa, P.R.

1990-10-01

The Cost-Constrained Traveling Salesman Problem (CCTSP) is a variant of the well-known Traveling Salesman Problem (TSP). In the TSP, the goal is to find a tour of a given set of cities such that the total cost of the tour is minimized. In the CCTSP, each city is given a value, and a fixed cost-constraint is specified. The objective is to find a subtour of the cities that achieves maximum value without exceeding the cost-constraint. Thus, unlike the TSP, the CCTSP requires both selection and sequencing. As a consequence, most results for the TSP cannot be extended to the CCTSP.more » We show that the CCTSP is NP-hard and that no K-approximation algorithm or fully polynomial approximation scheme exists, unless P = NP. We also show that several special cases are polynomially solvable. Algorithms for the CCTSP, which outperform previous methods, are developed in three areas: upper bounding methods, exact algorithms, and heuristics. We found that a bounding strategy based on the knapsack problem performs better, both in speed and in the quality of the bounds, than methods based on the assignment problem. Likewise, we found that a branch-and-bound approach using the knapsack bound was superior to a method based on a common branch-and-bound method for the TSP. In our study of heuristic algorithms, we found that, when selecting modes for inclusion in the subtour, it is important to consider the neighborhood'' of the nodes. A node with low value that brings the subtour near many other nodes may be more desirable than an isolated node of high value. We found two types of repetition to be desirable: repetitions based on randomization in the subtour buildings process, and repetitions encouraging the inclusion of different subsets of the nodes. By varying the number and type of repetitions, we can adjust the computation time required by our method to obtain algorithms that outperform previous methods.« less

Patterns of daily exposure to TSP and CO in the Garhwal Himalaya

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saksena, S.; Prasad, R.; Pal, R. C.; Joshi, V.

Daily integrated exposure to TSP and CO was assessed by personal and stationary sampling of air in six microenvironments. Time-budget surveys were conducted to determine how much time four population groups (adult women, children, adult men and youths) spend in these microenvironments. Burning of biofuels in traditional unvented cookstoves is the most important anthropogenic source of pollutants in the study area—a rural and hilly region in the Garhwal Himalaya. Concentrations of pollutants measured at the time of cooking were found to be very high but comparable to those measured in the Indian plains (5.6 mg m -3 and 21 ppm for TSP and CO, respectively). The daily exposure of adult women to TSP and CO was estimated to be 37 mg h m -3 and 110 ppm h, respectively. Daily exposure, within each of the four population groups, was found to be very uniform across individuals for both the pollutants. Patterns of concentrations and daily exposure, as influenced by the time of the day, season and altitude are discussed.

Cytoplasmic Localization of HTLV-1 HBZ Protein: A Biomarker of HTLV-1-Associated Myelopathy/Tropical Spastic Paraparesis (HAM/TSP).

PubMed

Baratella, Marco; Forlani, Greta; Raval, Goutham U; Tedeschi, Alessandra; Gout, Olivier; Gessain, Antoine; Tosi, Giovanna; Accolla, Roberto S

2017-01-01

HTLV-1 is the causative agent of a severe form of adult T cell leukemia/Lymphoma (ATL), and of a chronic progressive neuromyelopathy designated HTLV-1 associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP). Two important HTLV-1-encoded proteins, Tax-1 and HBZ, play crucial roles in the generation and maintenance of the oncogenic process. Less information is instead available on the molecular and cellular mechanisms leading to HAM/TSP. More importantly, no single specific biomarker has been described that unambiguously define the status of HAM/TSP. Here we report for the first time the finding that HBZ, described until now as an exclusive nuclear protein both in chronically infected and in ATL cells, is instead exclusively localized in the cytoplasm of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from patients suffering of HAM/TSP. Interestingly, at the single cell level, HBZ and Tax-1 proteins are never found co-expressed in the same cell, suggesting the existence of mechanisms of expression uncoupling of these two important HTLV-1 viral products in HAM/TSP patients. Cells expressing cytoplasmic HBZ were almost exclusively found in the CD4+ T cell compartment that was not, at least in a representative HAM/TSP patient, expressing the CD25 marker. Less than 1 percent CD8+ T cells were fond positive for HBZ, while B cells and NK cells were found negative for HBZ in HAM/TSP patients. Our results identify the cytoplasmic localization of HBZ in HAM/TSP patient as a possible biomarker of this rather neglected tropical disease, and raise important hypotheses on the role of HBZ in the pathogenesis of the neuromyelopathy associated to HTLV-1 infection.

5 CFR 1605.22 - Claims for correction of Board or TSP record keeper errors; time limitations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... record keeper errors; time limitations. 1605.22 Section 1605.22 Administrative Personnel FEDERAL... § 1605.22 Claims for correction of Board or TSP record keeper errors; time limitations. (a) Filing claims... after that time, the Board or TSP record keeper may use its sound discretion in deciding whether to...

Fast-response underwater TSP investigation of subcritical instabilities of a cylinder in crossflow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Capone, Alessandro; Klein, Christian; Di Felice, Fabio; Beifuss, Uwe; Miozzi, Massimo

2015-10-01

We investigate the classic cylinder in crossflow case to test the effectiveness of a fast-response underwater temperature-sensitive paint coating (TSP) in providing highly resolved spatial and time observations of the action of a flow over a bluff body surface. The flow is investigated at Reynolds number <190 k, before the onset of the drag-crisis state. The obtained TSP image sequences convey an accurate description of the evolution of the main features in the fluid-cylinder interaction, like the separation line position, the pattern of the large coherent structures acting on the cylinder's surface and the small-scale intermittent streamwise arrays of vortices. Ad hoc data management and features extraction techniques are proposed which allow extraction of quantitative data, such as separation line position and vortex-shedding frequency, and results are compared to the literature. Use of TSP for water applications introduces an interesting point of view about the fluid-body interactions by focusing directly on the effect of the flow on the model surface.

Elemental and carbonaceous characterization of TSP and PM10 during Middle Eastern dust (MED) storms in Ahvaz, Southwestern Iran.

PubMed

Shahsavani, Abbas; Yarahmadi, Maryam; Hadei, Mostafa; Sowlat, Mohammad Hossein; Naddafi, Kazem

2017-08-21

Middle Eastern dust (MED) storms carry large amounts of dust particles to the Southern and Western cities of Iran. This study aimed to characterize the elemental and carbonaceous composition of total suspended particles (TSP) and PM 10 in Ahvaz, Iran. TSP and PM 10 samples were collected using two separate high-volume air samplers. The sampling program was performed according to EPA guidelines and resulted in 72 samples. Twenty-eight elements and two carbonaceous components in TSP and PM 10 were measured. Over the entire study period, the mean concentration (SD) of TSP and PM 10 was 1548.72 μg/m 3 (1965.11 μg/m 3 ) and 1152.35 μg/m 3 (1510.34 μg/m 3 ), respectively. The order of concentrations of major species were Si > Al > Ca > OC > Na > B > Zn > Mn > K > Mg and Si > Ca > Al > Na > OC > B > K > Mn > Cu > Mg for TSP and PM 10 , respectively. Almost all elements (except for Cd, Cr, and Cu) and carbonaceous components (except for organic carbon) had dust days/non-dust days (DD/NDD) ratios higher than 1, implying that all components are somehow affected by dust storms. Crustal elements constituted the major portion of particles for both TSP and PM 10 in both DDs and NDDs. The enrichment factor of elements such as Ca, Fe, K, Mg, Na, and Ti was near unity. Species such as Al, Ca, Fe, K, Na, Si, and EC had high correlation coefficients in both TSP and PM 10 (except for EC). In conclusion, Ahvaz is exposed to high concentrations of TSP and PM 10 during the MED period. Immediate actions must be planned to decrease the high concentrations of particulate matter in Ahvaz's ambient air.

Unified heuristics to solve routing problem of reverse logistics in sustainable supply chain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anbuudayasankar, S. P.; Ganesh, K.; Lenny Koh, S. C.; Mohandas, K.

2010-03-01

A reverse logistics problem, motivated by many real-life applications, is examined where bottles/cans in which products are delivered from a processing depot to customers in one period are available for return to the depot in the following period. The picked-up bottles/cans need to be adjusted in the place of delivery load. This problem is termed as simultaneous delivery and pick-up problem with constrained capacity (SDPC). We develop three unified heuristics based on extended branch and bound heuristic, genetic algorithm and simulated annealing to solve SDPC. These heuristics are also designed to solve standard travelling salesman problem (TSP) and TSP with simultaneous delivery and pick-up (TSDP). We tested the heuristics on standard, derived and randomly generated datasets of TSP, TSDP and SDPC and obtained satisfying results with high convergence in reasonable time.

A hybrid genetic algorithm for solving bi-objective traveling salesman problems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ma, Mei; Li, Hecheng

2017-08-01

The traveling salesman problem (TSP) is a typical combinatorial optimization problem, in a traditional TSP only tour distance is taken as a unique objective to be minimized. When more than one optimization objective arises, the problem is known as a multi-objective TSP. In the present paper, a bi-objective traveling salesman problem (BOTSP) is taken into account, where both the distance and the cost are taken as optimization objectives. In order to efficiently solve the problem, a hybrid genetic algorithm is proposed. Firstly, two satisfaction degree indices are provided for each edge by considering the influences of the distance and the cost weight. The first satisfaction degree is used to select edges in a “rough” way, while the second satisfaction degree is executed for a more “refined” choice. Secondly, two satisfaction degrees are also applied to generate new individuals in the iteration process. Finally, based on genetic algorithm framework as well as 2-opt selection strategy, a hybrid genetic algorithm is proposed. The simulation illustrates the efficiency of the proposed algorithm.

Imaging spinal cord atrophy in progressive myelopathies: HTLV-I-associated neurological disease (HAM/TSP) and multiple sclerosis (MS).

PubMed

Azodi, Shila; Nair, Govind; Enose-Akahata, Yoshimi; Charlip, Emily; Vellucci, Ashley; Cortese, Irene; Dwyer, Jenifer; Billioux, B Jeanne; Thomas, Chevaz; Ohayon, Joan; Reich, Daniel S; Jacobson, Steven

2017-11-01

Previous work measures spinal cord thinning in chronic progressive myelopathies, including human T-lymphotropic virus 1 (HTLV-1)-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP) and multiple sclerosis (MS). Quantitative measurements of spinal cord atrophy are important in fully characterizing these and other spinal cord diseases. We aimed to investigate patterns of spinal cord atrophy and correlations with clinical markers. Spinal cord cross-sectional area was measured in individuals (24 healthy controls [HCs], 17 asymptomatic carriers of HTLV-1 (AC), 47 HAM/TSP, 74 relapsing-remitting MS [RRMS], 17 secondary progressive MS [SPMS], and 40 primary progressive MS [PPMS]) from C1 to T10. Clinical disability scores, viral markers, and immunological parameters were obtained for patients and correlated with representative spinal cord cross-sectional area regions at the C2 to C3, C4 to C5, and T4 to T9 levels. In 2 HAM/TSP patients, spinal cord cross-sectional area was measured over 3 years. All spinal cord regions are thinner in HAM/TSP (56 mm 2 [standard deviation, 10], 59 [10], 23 [5]) than in HC (76 [7], 83 [8], 38 [4]) and AC (71 [7], 78 [9], 36 [7]). SPMS (62 [9], 66 [9], 32 [6]) and PPMS (65 [11], 68 [10], 35 [7]) have thinner cervical cords than HC and RRMS (73 [9], 77 [10], 37 [6]). Clinical disability scores (Expanded Disability Status Scale [p = 0.009] and Instituto de Pesquisas de Cananeia [p = 0.03]) and CD8 + T-cell frequency (p = 0.04) correlate with T4 to T9 spinal cord cross-sectional area in HAM/TSP. Higher cerebrospinal fluid HTLV-1 proviral load (p = 0.01) was associated with thinner spinal cord cross-sectional area. Both HAM/TSP patients followed longitudinally showed thoracic thinning followed by cervical thinning. Group average spinal cord cross-sectional area in HAM/TSP and progressive MS show spinal cord atrophy. We further hypothesize in HAM/TSP that is possible that neuroglial loss from a thoracic inflammatory

41 CFR 102-118.45 - How does a transportation service provider (TSP) bill my agency for transportation and...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... provider (TSP) bill my agency for transportation and transportation services? The manner in which your agency orders transportation and transportation services determines the manner in which a TSP bills for service. This is shown in the following table: Transportation Service Provider Billing (a) Ordering method...

Oral chromium picolinate impedes hyperglycemia-induced atherosclerosis and inhibits proatherogenic protein TSP-1 expression in STZ-induced type 1 diabetic ApoE-/- mice.

PubMed

Ganguly, Rituparna; Sahu, Soumyadip; Ohanyan, Vahagn; Haney, Rebecca; Chavez, Ronaldo J; Shah, Shivani; Yalamanchili, Siri; Raman, Priya

2017-03-27

Increasing evidence suggests thrombospondin-1 (TSP-1), a potent proatherogenic matricellular protein, as a putative link between hyperglycemia and atherosclerotic complications in diabetes. We previously reported that the micronutrient chromium picolinate (CrP), with long-standing cardiovascular benefits, inhibits TSP-1 expression in glucose-stimulated human aortic smooth muscle cells in vitro. Here, we investigated the atheroprotective action of orally administered CrP in type 1 diabetic apolipoprotein E-deficient (ApoE -/- ) mice and elucidated the role of TSP-1 in this process. CrP decreased lipid burden and neointimal thickness in aortic root lesions of hyperglycemic ApoE -/- mice; also, smooth muscle cell (SMC), macrophage and leukocyte abundance was prevented coupled with reduced cell proliferation. Attenuated lesion progression was accompanied with inhibition of hyperglycemia-induced TSP-1 expression and reduced protein O-glycosylation following CrP treatment; also, PCNA and vimentin (SMC synthetic marker) expression were reduced while SM-MHC (SMC contractile marker) levels were increased. To confirm a direct role of TSP-1 in diabetic atherosclerosis, hyperglycemic TSP-1 -/- /ApoE -/- double knockout mice were compared with age-matched hyperglycemic ApoE -/- littermates. Lack of TSP-1 prevented lesion formation in hyperglycemic ApoE -/- mice, mimicking the atheroprotective phenotype of CrP-treated mice. These results suggest that therapeutic TSP-1 inhibition may have important atheroprotective potential in diabetic vascular disease.

The BLI-3/TSP-15/DOXA-1 Dual Oxidase Complex Is Required for Iodide Toxicity in Caenorhabditis elegans

PubMed Central

Xu, Zhaofa; Luo, Jintao; Li, Yu; Ma, Long

2014-01-01

Iodine is an essential trace element for life. Iodide deficiency can lead to defective biosynthesis of thyroid hormones and is a major cause of hypothyroidism and mental retardation. Excess iodide intake, however, has been linked to different thyroidal diseases. How excess iodide causes harmful effects is not well understood. Here, we found that the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans exhibits developmental arrest and other pleiotropic defects when exposed to excess iodide. To identify the responsible genes, we performed a forward genetic screen and isolated 12 mutants that can survive in excess iodide. These mutants define at least four genes, two of which we identified as bli-3 and tsp-15. bli-3 encodes the C. elegans ortholog of the mammalian dual oxidase DUOX1 and tsp-15 encodes the tetraspanin protein TSP-15, which was previously shown to interact with BLI-3. The C. elegans dual oxidase maturation factor DOXA-1 is also required for the arresting effect of excess iodide. Finally, we detected a dramatically increased biogenesis of reactive oxygen species in animals treated with excess iodide, and this effect can be partially suppressed by bli-3 and tsp-15 mutations. We propose that the BLI-3/TSP-15/DOXA-1 dual oxidase complex is required for the toxic pleiotropic effects of excess iodide. PMID:25480962

An efficient approach to the travelling salesman problem using self-organizing maps.

PubMed

Vieira, Frederico Carvalho; Dória Neto, Adrião Duarte; Costa, José Alfredo Ferreira

2003-04-01

This paper presents an approach to the well-known Travelling Salesman Problem (TSP) using Self-Organizing Maps (SOM). The SOM algorithm has interesting topological information about its neurons configuration on cartesian space, which can be used to solve optimization problems. Aspects of initialization, parameters adaptation, and complexity analysis of the proposed SOM based algorithm are discussed. The results show an average deviation of 3.7% from the optimal tour length for a set of 12 TSP instances.

Some factors affecting performance of rats in the traveling salesman problem.

PubMed

Bellizzi, C; Goldsteinholm, K; Blaser, R E

2015-11-01

The traveling salesman problem (TSP) is used to measure the efficiency of spatial route selection. Among researchers in cognitive psychology and neuroscience, it has been utilized to examine the mechanisms of decision making, planning, and spatial navigation. While both human and non-human animals produce good solutions to the TSP, the solution strategies engaged by non-human species are not well understood. We conducted two experiments on the TSP using Long-Evans laboratory rats as subjects. The first experiment examined the role of arena walls in route selection. Rats tend to display thigmotaxis in testing conditions comparable to the TSP, which could produce results similar to a convex hull type strategy suggested for humans. The second experiment examined the role of turn angle between targets along the optimal route, to determine whether rats exhibit a preferential turning bias. Our results indicated that both thigmotaxis and preferential turn angles do affect performance in the TSP, but neither is sufficient as a predictor of route choice in this task.

[The rotationally stable screw-anchor with trochanteric stabilizing plate (RoSA/TSP) : First results in unstable trochanteric femur fractures].

PubMed

Maier, K-J; Bücking, B; Horst, K; Andruszkow, H; Hildebrand, F; Knobe, M

2017-12-01

In unstable trochanteric fractures, the extramedullary rotationally stable screw-anchor (RoSA) combines the benefits of the load and rotational stability of the blade with the advantages of the screw (pull-out resistance, compression capability) in a single load carrier, and was designed to prevent femoral neck shortening by using an additional locked trochanteric stabilizing plate (TSP). The aim of the current prospective cohort study was the clinical evaluation of the RoSA/TSP system regarding the mechanical re-operation rate and the amount of postoperative femoral neck shortening. From September 2011 to January 2014 80 patients with unstable trochanteric fractures underwent internal extramedullary fixation with the RoSA/TSP (Königsee Implantate GmbH, Allendorf, Germany). Due to fracture stability and after induction of compression, additional long locked antitelescoping screws (AT, n = 1-4) were placed reaching the femoral head. Radiological (femoral neck shortening) and clinical re-examination of patients (n = 61) was performed 6-10 weeks and 6-10 months later. In the 61 re-examined patients (76 %) femoral neck shortening was very low with 2 mm 6-10 months after operation. Re-operations occurred in 8 % (n = 6) and in 4 % (n = 3) as prophylactic surgical intervention. Whereas one-third (4 %) of re-operations occurred due to iatrogenic surgical problems from the first operation two-thirds of patients (8 %) had a re-operation due to delay of bone union (3× nonunion, 3 planned removals of AT-screws to improve healing). The in-hospital mortality was 3 % (n = 2). The fixation of unstable trochanteric femur fractures using the RoSA/TSP in a first clinical setting led to a great primary stability, with significant advantages with regard to limited femoral neck shortening. However, the rigidity of the construct with its consequences regarding bone healing can be challenging for the surgeon. Nevertheless, in some cases of revision it could be beneficial

Analysis of the Effectiveness of the Retire Tool When Deciding Between High 36 Retirement and Blended TSP Retirement

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-12-01

based on life expectancy and the TSP account selected. The TSP Growth and Annuity Element also estimates how taxes will increase at the time the service...the BRS. 14. SUBJECT TERMS military retirement, blended retirement, HIGH-36, thrift savings plan, investment risk, retirement taxes , net present...20 2. Tax Impacts

Characterization, source identification and apportionment of selected metals in TSP in an urban atmosphere.

PubMed

Shah, Munir H; Shaheen, N; Jaffar, M

2006-03-01

To understand the metal distribution characteristics in the atmosphere of urban Islamabad, total suspended particulate (TSP) samples were collected on daily 12 h basis, at Quaid-i-Azam University campus, using high volume sampler. The TSP samples were treated with HNO(3)/HClO(4) based wet digestion method for the quantification of eight selected metals; Fe, Zn, Pb, Mn, Cr, Co, Ni and Cd by FAAS method. The monitoring period ran from June 2001 to January 2002, with a total of 194 samples collected on cellulose filters. Effects of different meteorological conditions such as temperature, relative humidity, wind speed and wind direction on selected metal levels were interpreted by means of multivariate statistical approach. Enhanced metal levels for Fe (930 ng/m(3)), Zn (542 ng/m(3)) and Pb (210 ng/m(3)) were found on the mean scale while Mn, Cr, Co and Ni emerged as minor contributors. Statistical correlation study was also conducted and a strong correlation was observed between Pb-Cr (r=0.611). The relative humidity showed some significant influence on atmospheric metal distribution while other meteorological parameters showed weak relationship with TSP metal levels. Regarding the origin of sources of heavy metals in TSP, the statistical procedure identified three source profiles; automobile emissions, industrial/metallurgical units, and natural soil dust. The metal levels were also compared with those reported for other parts of the world which showed that the metal levels in urban atmosphere of Islamabad are in exceedence than those of European industrial and urban sites while comparable with some Asian sites.

Comparison of HTLV-I Proviral Load in Adult T Cell Leukemia/Lymphoma (ATL), HTLV-I-Associated Myelopathy (HAM-TSP) and Healthy Carriers.

PubMed

Akbarin, Mohammad Mehdi; Rahimi, Hossein; Hassannia, Tahereh; Shoja Razavi, Ghazaleh; Sabet, Faezeh; Shirdel, Abbas

2013-03-01

Human T Lymphocyte Virus Type one (HTLV-I) is a retrovirus that infects about 10-20 million people worldwide. Khorasan province in Iran is an endemic area. The majority of HTLV-I-infected individuals sustain healthy carriers but small proportion of infected population developed two progressive diseases: HAM/TSP and ATL. The proviral load could be a virological marker for disease monitoring, therefore in the present study HTLV-I proviral load has been evaluated in ATL and compared to HAM/TSP and healthy carriers. In this case series study, 47 HTLV-I infected individuals including 13 ATL, 23 HAM/TSP and 11 asymptomatic subjects were studied. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were investigated for presence of HTLV-I DNA provirus by PCR using LTR and Tax fragments. Then in infected subjects, HTLV-I proviral load was measured using real time PCR TaqMan method. The average age of patients in ATL was 52±8, in HAM/TSP 45.52±15.17 and in carrier's 38.65±14.9 years which differences were not statistically significant. The analysis of data showed a significant difference in mean WBC among study groups (ATL vs HAM/TSP and carriers P=0.0001). Moreover, mean HTLV-I proviral load was 11967.2 ± 5078, 409 ± 71.3 and 373.6 ± 143.3 in ATL, HAM/TSP and Healthy Carriers, respectively. The highest HTLV-I proviral load was measured in ATL group that had a significant correlation with WBC count (R=0.495, P=0.001). The proviral load variations between study groups was strongly significant (ATL vs carrier P=0.0001; ATL vs HAM/TSP P= 0.0001 and HAM/TSP vs carriers P< 0.05). Conclusion : The present study demonstrated that HTLV-I proviral load was higher in ATL group in comparison with HAM/TSP and healthy carriers. Therefore, HTLV-I proviral load is a prognostic factor for development of HTLV-I associated diseases and can be used as a monitoring marker for the efficiency of therapeutic regime.

5 CFR 1645.4 - Administrative expenses attributable to each TSP Fund.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... each TSP Fund. 1645.4 Section 1645.4 Administrative Personnel FEDERAL RETIREMENT THRIFT INVESTMENT... forfeitures and accrued earnings on forfeitures, abandoned accounts, and unapplied deposits; (b) Investment management fees and other accrued administrative expenses attributable only to a particular fund will be...

Oral chromium picolinate impedes hyperglycemia-induced atherosclerosis and inhibits proatherogenic protein TSP-1 expression in STZ-induced type 1 diabetic ApoE−/− mice

PubMed Central

Ganguly, Rituparna; Sahu, Soumyadip; Ohanyan, Vahagn; Haney, Rebecca; Chavez, Ronaldo J.; Shah, Shivani; Yalamanchili, Siri; Raman, Priya

2017-01-01

Increasing evidence suggests thrombospondin-1 (TSP-1), a potent proatherogenic matricellular protein, as a putative link between hyperglycemia and atherosclerotic complications in diabetes. We previously reported that the micronutrient chromium picolinate (CrP), with long-standing cardiovascular benefits, inhibits TSP-1 expression in glucose-stimulated human aortic smooth muscle cells in vitro. Here, we investigated the atheroprotective action of orally administered CrP in type 1 diabetic apolipoprotein E-deficient (ApoE−/−) mice and elucidated the role of TSP-1 in this process. CrP decreased lipid burden and neointimal thickness in aortic root lesions of hyperglycemic ApoE−/− mice; also, smooth muscle cell (SMC), macrophage and leukocyte abundance was prevented coupled with reduced cell proliferation. Attenuated lesion progression was accompanied with inhibition of hyperglycemia-induced TSP-1 expression and reduced protein O-glycosylation following CrP treatment; also, PCNA and vimentin (SMC synthetic marker) expression were reduced while SM-MHC (SMC contractile marker) levels were increased. To confirm a direct role of TSP-1 in diabetic atherosclerosis, hyperglycemic TSP-1−/−/ApoE−/− double knockout mice were compared with age-matched hyperglycemic ApoE−/− littermates. Lack of TSP-1 prevented lesion formation in hyperglycemic ApoE−/− mice, mimicking the atheroprotective phenotype of CrP-treated mice. These results suggest that therapeutic TSP-1 inhibition may have important atheroprotective potential in diabetic vascular disease. PMID:28345659

Human performance on the traveling salesman problem.

PubMed

MacGregor, J N; Ormerod, T

1996-05-01

Two experiments on performance on the traveling salesman problem (TSP) are reported. The TSP consists of finding the shortest path through a set of points, returning to the origin. It appears to be an intransigent mathematical problem, and heuristics have been developed to find approximate solutions. The first experiment used 10-point, the second, 20-point problems. The experiments tested the hypothesis that complexity of TSPs is a function of number of nonboundary points, not total number of points. Both experiments supported the hypothesis. The experiments provided information on the quality of subjects' solutions. Their solutions clustered close to the best known solutions, were an order of magnitude better than solutions produced by three well-known heuristics, and on average fell beyond the 99.9th percentile in the distribution of random solutions. The solution process appeared to be perceptually based.

Development of an Active Topical Skin Protectant (aTSP)

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-02-01

therapeutic compounds was clearly needed. Euthymic hairless guinea pigs [Crl:IAF/HA(hr/hr)Br] were selected for development at the USAMRICD. Vapor HD...hairless guinea pig offered several advantages over haired guinea pigs as a cutaneous vesicant animal model. These advantages included greater...the hairless guinea pig model. Many TSP formulations were evaluated and rank ordered. The supply of hairless guinea pigs , however, was interrupted

An efficient self-organizing map designed by genetic algorithms for the traveling salesman problem.

PubMed

Jin, Hui-Dong; Leung, Kwong-Sak; Wong, Man-Leung; Xu, Z B

2003-01-01

As a typical combinatorial optimization problem, the traveling salesman problem (TSP) has attracted extensive research interest. In this paper, we develop a self-organizing map (SOM) with a novel learning rule. It is called the integrated SOM (ISOM) since its learning rule integrates the three learning mechanisms in the SOM literature. Within a single learning step, the excited neuron is first dragged toward the input city, then pushed to the convex hull of the TSP, and finally drawn toward the middle point of its two neighboring neurons. A genetic algorithm is successfully specified to determine the elaborate coordination among the three learning mechanisms as well as the suitable parameter setting. The evolved ISOM (eISOM) is examined on three sets of TSP to demonstrate its power and efficiency. The computation complexity of the eISOM is quadratic, which is comparable to other SOM-like neural networks. Moreover, the eISOM can generate more accurate solutions than several typical approaches for TSP including the SOM developed by Budinich, the expanding SOM, the convex elastic net, and the FLEXMAP algorithm. Though its solution accuracy is not yet comparable to some sophisticated heuristics, the eISOM is one of the most accurate neural networks for the TSP.

Socioeconomic Differences in Exposure to Tobacco Smoke Pollution (TSP) in Bangladeshi Households with Children: Findings from the International Tobacco Control (ITC) Bangladesh Survey

PubMed Central

Abdullah, Abu S.; Hitchman, Sara C.; Driezen, Pete; Nargis, Nigar; Quah, Anne C.K.; Fong, Geoffrey T.

2011-01-01

This study assessed the pattern of exposure to tobacco smoke pollution (TSP; also known as, secondhand smoke) in Bangladeshi households with children and examined the variations in household smoking restrictions and perception of risk for children’s exposure to TSP by socioeconomic status. We interviewed 1,947 respondents from Bangladeshi households with children from the first wave (2009) of the International Tobacco Control (ITC) Bangladesh Survey. 43.5% of the respondents had complete smoking restrictions at home and 39.7% were very or extremely concerned about TSP risk to children’s health. Participants with lower level of education were significantly less likely to be concerned about the risk of TSP exposure to children’s health and less likely to adopt complete smoking restrictions at home. Logistic regression revealed that the predictors of concern for TSP exposure risk were educational attainment of 1 to 8 years (OR = 1.94) or 9 years or more (OR = 4.07) and being a smoker (OR = 0.24). The predictors of having complete household smoking restrictions were: urban residence (OR = 1.64), attaining education of 9 years or more (OR = 1.94), being a smoker (OR = 0.40) and being concerned about TSP exposure risk to children (OR = 3.25). The findings show that a high proportion of adults with children at home smoke tobacco at home and their perceptions of risk about TSP exposure to children’s health were low. These behaviours were more prevalent among rural smokers who were illiterate. There is a need for targeted intervention, customized for low educated public, on TSP risk to children’s health and tobacco control policy with specific focus on smoke-free home. PMID:21556182

Evaluation of HTLV-1 activity in HAM/TSP patients using proviral load and Tax mRNA expression after In Vitro lymphocyte activation.

PubMed

Yari, Atefeh; Rezaee, Seyyed Abdolrahim; Valizadeh, Narges; Rajaee, Taraneh; Jazayeri, Seyyed Mohammad; Soltani, Mojdeh; Norouzi, Mehdi

2014-07-01

HTLV-1 is the first human retrovirus that has been recognized and is associated with HAM/TSP and ATLL. Studies have shown that less than five percent of HTLV-1 infected carriers develop HAM/TSP or ATLL and about ninety-five percent remain asymptomatic. Therefore, the proviral load with Tax may affect cellular genes such as cytokines and oncogenes, as well as involve in pathogenicity. Thirty HAM/TSP patients, thirty HTLV-1 healthy carriers, and MT-2 cell line were evaluated for HTLV-1 activity. PBMCs were isolated and activated using PMA and ionomycine. Real-time PCR and TaqMan methods were performed using specific primers and fluorescence probes for Tax expression and proviral load assessment. B2microglobulin (β2m) and albumin were used as controls in Tax expression and in proviral load, respectively. An insignificant increase in Tax expression was observed in rest PBMCs of HAM/TSP patients compared to healthy carriers. However, after lymphocyte activation there was a significant increase in Tax expression in HAM/TSP patients (P=0.042). The Proviral load in patients was significantly higher than in carriers. Moreover, there was a significant correlation between Tax mRNA expression in activated PBMCs and proviral load (R=0.37, P=0.012). Although proviral load had been addressed as a valuable index for monitoring HTLV-1 infected subjects, the results of this study demonstrated that Tax expression in activated PBMCs along with proviral load assessment in HAM/TSP patients are a more reliable factor for determining the prognosis and monitoring healthy carriers and HAM/TSP patients.

41 CFR 102-118.260 - Must my agency send all quotations, tenders, or contracts with a TSP to GSA?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... quotations, tenders, or contracts with a TSP to GSA? 102-118.260 Section 102-118.260 Public Contracts and... REGULATION TRANSPORTATION 118-TRANSPORTATION PAYMENT AND AUDIT Use of Government Billing Documents Quotations, Tenders Or Contracts § 102-118.260 Must my agency send all quotations, tenders, or contracts with a TSP to...

Combinatorial optimization problem solution based on improved genetic algorithm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Peng

2017-08-01

Traveling salesman problem (TSP) is a classic combinatorial optimization problem. It is a simplified form of many complex problems. In the process of study and research, it is understood that the parameters that affect the performance of genetic algorithm mainly include the quality of initial population, the population size, and crossover probability and mutation probability values. As a result, an improved genetic algorithm for solving TSP problems is put forward. The population is graded according to individual similarity, and different operations are performed to different levels of individuals. In addition, elitist retention strategy is adopted at each level, and the crossover operator and mutation operator are improved. Several experiments are designed to verify the feasibility of the algorithm. Through the experimental results analysis, it is proved that the improved algorithm can improve the accuracy and efficiency of the solution.

Path planning and energy management of solar-powered unmanned ground vehicles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaplan, Adam

Many of the applications pertinent to unmanned vehicles, such as environmental research and analysis, communications, and information-surveillance and reconnaissance, benefit from prolonged vehicle operation time. Conventional efforts to increase the operational time of electric-powered unmanned vehicles have traditionally focused on the design of energy-efficient components and the identification of energy efficient search patterns, while little attention has been paid to the vehicle's mission-level path plan and power management. This thesis explores the formulation and generation of integrated motion-plans and power-schedules for solar-panel equipped mobile robots operating under strict energy constraints, which cannot be effectively addressed through conventional motion planning algorithms. Transit problems are considered to design time-optimal paths using both Balkcom-Mason and Pseudo-Dubins curves. Additionally, a more complicated problem to generate mission plans for vehicles which must persistently travel between certain locations, similar to the traveling salesperson problem (TSP), is presented. A comparison between one of the common motion-planning algorithms and experimental results of the prescribed algorithms, made possible by use of a test environment and mobile robot designed and developed specifically for this research, are presented and discussed.

47 CFR Appendix A to Part 64 - Telecommunications Service Priority (TSP) System for National Security Emergency Preparedness (NSEP)

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

...,” “4,” and “5,” for provisioning and “1,” “2,” “3,” “4,” and “5,” for restoration. j. Priority level..., emission, or reception of signals, signs, writing, images, sounds, or intelligence of any nature, by wire... and abuse of the NSEP TSP System. (j) Establishing and assisting a TSP System Oversight Committee to...

5 CFR 1600.32 - Methods for transferring eligible rollover distribution to TSP.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 5 Administrative Personnel 3 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Methods for transferring eligible... INVESTMENT BOARD EMPLOYEE CONTRIBUTION ELECTIONS AND CONTRIBUTION ALLOCATIONS Transfers From Other Qualified Retirement Plans § 1600.32 Methods for transferring eligible rollover distribution to TSP. (a) Trustee-to...

Development of the PEBLebl Traveling Salesman Problem Computerized Testbed

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mueller, Shane T.; Perelman, Brandon S.; Tan, Yin Yin; Thanasuan, Kejkaew

2015-01-01

The traveling salesman problem (TSP) is a combinatorial optimization problem that requires finding the shortest path through a set of points ("cities") that returns to the starting point. Because humans provide heuristic near-optimal solutions to Euclidean versions of the problem, it has sometimes been used to investigate human visual…

41 CFR 102-118.545 - What information must a TSP claim include?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 41 Public Contracts and Property Management 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false What information must a TSP claim include? 102-118.545 Section 102-118.545 Public Contracts and Property Management Federal Property Management Regulations System (Continued) FEDERAL MANAGEMENT REGULATION TRANSPORTATION 118...

41 CFR 102-117.50 - What are the advantages and disadvantages of contracting directly with a TSP under the FAR?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... and disadvantages of contracting directly with a TSP under the FAR? 102-117.50 Section 102-117.50... Related Services § 102-117.50 What are the advantages and disadvantages of contracting directly with a TSP... office is able to handle the requirement. (b) The FAR may be a disadvantage when you: (1) Cannot prepare...

Fault-tolerance of a neural network solving the traveling salesman problem

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Protzel, P.; Palumbo, D.; Arras, M.

1989-01-01

This study presents the results of a fault-injection experiment that stimulates a neural network solving the Traveling Salesman Problem (TSP). The network is based on a modified version of Hopfield's and Tank's original method. We define a performance characteristic for the TSP that allows an overall assessment of the solution quality for different city-distributions and problem sizes. Five different 10-, 20-, and 30- city cases are sued for the injection of up to 13 simultaneous stuck-at-0 and stuck-at-1 faults. The results of more than 4000 simulation-runs show the extreme fault-tolerance of the network, especially with respect to stuck-at-0 faults. One possible explanation for the overall surprising result is the redundancy of the problem representation.

5 CFR 1645.3 - Calculation of total net earnings for each TSP Fund.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... BOARD CALCULATION OF SHARE PRICES § 1645.3 Calculation of total net earnings for each TSP Fund. (a) Each... be used to calculate the share price for that business day. [70 FR 32214, June 1, 2005] ...

High production of RANTES and MIP-1alpha in the tropical spastic paraparesis/HTLV-1-associated myelopathy (TSP/HAM).

PubMed

Montanheiro, Patricia; Vergara, Maria Paulina Posada; Smid, Jerusa; da Silva Duarte, Alberto José; de Oliveira, Augusto César Penalva; Casseb, Jorge

2007-08-01

Human T cell lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) infection is associated with progressive neurological disorders and tropical spastic paraparesis/HTLV-1-associated myelopathy (TSP/HAM). The pathogenesis of TSP/HAM is considered as immune mediated, involving cytotoxic T cell (CTL) responses to a number of viral proteins and notably the regulation protein Tax. T CD8+ cells produce beta-chemokines, which are important in the anti-viral response. In the present study, we have analyzed the CC chemokines (RANTES, MIP-1beta and MIP-1alpha) production in retrovirus-infected subjects. A total of 191 subjects were studied: 52 healthy controls, 72 asymptomatic HTLV-1-infected carriers and 67 TSP/HAM patients. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were maintained in the presence or absence of PHA, and supernatant fluids were assayed using EIA. MIP-1beta concentration was not significantly different across groups, but RANTES and MIP-1alpha concentrations showed significant differences when the three groups were compared. In TSP/HAM patients, the increase in the production of chemokines may lead to a recruitment of pro-inflammatory factors, contributing to the membrane's myelin damage.

Implementation of an effective hybrid GA for large-scale traveling salesman problems.

PubMed

Nguyen, Hung Dinh; Yoshihara, Ikuo; Yamamori, Kunihito; Yasunaga, Moritoshi

2007-02-01

This correspondence describes a hybrid genetic algorithm (GA) to find high-quality solutions for the traveling salesman problem (TSP). The proposed method is based on a parallel implementation of a multipopulation steady-state GA involving local search heuristics. It uses a variant of the maximal preservative crossover and the double-bridge move mutation. An effective implementation of the Lin-Kernighan heuristic (LK) is incorporated into the method to compensate for the GA's lack of local search ability. The method is validated by comparing it with the LK-Helsgaun method (LKH), which is one of the most effective methods for the TSP. Experimental results with benchmarks having up to 316228 cities show that the proposed method works more effectively and efficiently than LKH when solving large-scale problems. Finally, the method is used together with the implementation of the iterated LK to find a new best tour (as of June 2, 2003) for a 1904711-city TSP challenge.

Traveling salesman problems with PageRank Distance on complex networks reveal community structure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jiang, Zhongzhou; Liu, Jing; Wang, Shuai

2016-12-01

In this paper, we propose a new algorithm for community detection problems (CDPs) based on traveling salesman problems (TSPs), labeled as TSP-CDA. Since TSPs need to find a tour with minimum cost, cities close to each other are usually clustered in the tour. This inspired us to model CDPs as TSPs by taking each vertex as a city. Then, in the final tour, the vertices in the same community tend to cluster together, and the community structure can be obtained by cutting the tour into a couple of paths. There are two challenges. The first is to define a suitable distance between each pair of vertices which can reflect the probability that they belong to the same community. The second is to design a suitable strategy to cut the final tour into paths which can form communities. In TSP-CDA, we deal with these two challenges by defining a PageRank Distance and an automatic threshold-based cutting strategy. The PageRank Distance is designed with the intrinsic properties of CDPs in mind, and can be calculated efficiently. In the experiments, benchmark networks with 1000-10,000 nodes and varying structures are used to test the performance of TSP-CDA. A comparison is also made between TSP-CDA and two well-established community detection algorithms. The results show that TSP-CDA can find accurate community structure efficiently and outperforms the two existing algorithms.

The traveling salesman problem: a hierarchical model.

PubMed

Graham, S M; Joshi, A; Pizlo, Z

2000-10-01

Our review of prior literature on spatial information processing in perception, attention, and memory indicates that these cognitive functions involve similar mechanisms based on a hierarchical architecture. The present study extends the application of hierarchical models to the area of problem solving. First, we report results of an experiment in which human subjects were tested on a Euclidean traveling salesman problem (TSP) with 6 to 30 cities. The subject's solutions were either optimal or near-optimal in length and were produced in a time that was, on average, a linear function of the number of cities. Next, the performance of the subjects is compared with that of five representative artificial intelligence and operations research algorithms, that produce approximate solutions for Euclidean problems. None of these algorithms was found to be an adequate psychological model. Finally, we present a new algorithm for solving the TSP, which is based on a hierarchical pyramid architecture. The performance of this new algorithm is quite similar to the performance of the subjects.

Structural and electrical characterization of tamarind seed polysaccharide (TSP) doped with NH4HCO2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Premalatha, M.; Mathavan, T.; Selvasekarapandian, S.; Selvalakshmi, S.

2018-04-01

In the modern era, development of electrochemical energy devices such as batteries, fuel cells and supercapacitors gain attention due to the deficiency of renewable energy resources. More specifically, proton conducting materials create prime interest in the development of electrochemical devices. In this regards, a novel proton conducting biopolymer electrolyte based on Tamarind Seed Polysaccharide (TSP) was synthesized with different concentration of ammonium formate (NH4HCO2). The amorphous nature of the polymer electrolytes has been identified by XRD technique. The observed ionic conductivity values reveal that the biopolymer containing 1 g TSP: 0.4 g NH4HCO2 has highest ionic conductivity 1.23×10-3 S cm-1.

Hierarchical Solution of the Traveling Salesman Problem with Random Dyadic Tilings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kalmár-Nagy, Tamás; Bak, Bendegúz Dezső

We propose a hierarchical heuristic approach for solving the Traveling Salesman Problem (TSP) in the unit square. The points are partitioned with a random dyadic tiling and clusters are formed by the points located in the same tile. Each cluster is represented by its geometrical barycenter and a “coarse” TSP solution is calculated for these barycenters. Midpoints are placed at the middle of each edge in the coarse solution. Near-optimal (or optimal) minimum tours are computed for each cluster. The tours are concatenated using the midpoints yielding a solution for the original TSP. The method is tested on random TSPs (independent, identically distributed points in the unit square) up to 10,000 points as well as on a popular benchmark problem (att532 — coordinates of 532 American cities). Our solutions are 8-13% longer than the optimal ones. We also present an optimization algorithm for the partitioning to improve our solutions. This algorithm further reduces the solution errors (by several percent using 1000 iteration steps). The numerical experiments demonstrate the viability of the approach.

The role of oxygen as a regulator of stem cell fate during fracture repair in TSP2-null mice.

PubMed

Burke, Darren; Dishowitz, Michael; Sweetwyne, Mariya; Miedel, Emily; Hankenson, Kurt D; Kelly, Daniel J

2013-10-01

It is often difficult to decouple the relative importance of different factors in regulating MSC differentiation. Genetically modified mice provide model systems whereby some variables can be manipulated while others are kept constant. Fracture repair in thrombospondin-2 (TSP2)-null mice is characterized by reduced endochondral ossification and enhanced intramembranous bone formation. The proposed mechanism for this shift in MSC fate is that increased vascular density and hence oxygen availability in TSP2-null mice regulates differentiation. However, TSP2 is multifunctional and regulates other aspects of the regenerative cascade, such as MSC proliferation. The objective of this study is to use a previously developed computational model of tissue differentiation, in which substrate stiffness and oxygen tension regulate stem cell differentiation, to simulate potential mechanisms which may drive alterations in MSC fate in TSP2-null mice. Four models (increased cell proliferation, increased numbers of MSCs in the marrow decreased cellular oxygen consumption, and an initially stiffer callus) were not predictive of experimental observations in TSP2-null mice. In contrast, increasing the rate of angiogenic progression led to a prediction of greater intramembranous ossification, diminished endochondral ossification, and a reduced region of hypoxia in the fracture callus similar to that quantified experimentally by the immunohistochemical detection of pimonidazole adducts that develop with hypoxia. This study therefore provides further support for the hypothesis that oxygen availability during early fracture healing is a key regulator of MSC bipotential differentiation, and furthermore, it highlights the advantages of integrating computational models with genetically modified mouse studies for further elucidating mechanisms regulating stem cell fate. Copyright © 2013 Orthopaedic Research Society.

Characterization of TSP-bound n-alkanes and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons at rural and urban sites of Tianjin, China.

PubMed

Wu, Shui-Ping; Tao, Shu; Zhang, Zhi-Huan; Lan, Tian; Zuo, Qian

2007-05-01

Total suspended particle (TSP) was collected and analyzed at rural and urban sites in Tianjin, China during the domestic heating season (from 15 November to 15 March) of 2003/4 for n-alkanes and 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). The normalized distribution of n-alkanes with the peak at C22, C23, C24 or C25 suggested that fossil fuel utilization was the major source of particulate n-alkanes at both sites. PAHs normalized distribution for each sample was similar and the higher molecular weight PAH dominated the profile (around 90%) indicating a stronger combustion source at both sites. Precipitation and wind were the most important meteorological factors influencing TSP and PAHs atmospheric concentrations. In the urban area the emission height had significant influence on PAHs levels at different heights under the relative stable atmospheric conditions. Coal combustion was the major source for TSP-bound PAHs at both sites based on some diagnostic ratios.

Role of IL-21 in HTLV-1 infections with emphasis on HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP).

PubMed

Rajaei, Taraneh; Farajifard, Hamid; Rafatpanah, Houshang; Bustani, Reza; Valizadeh, Narges; Rajaei, Bahareh; Rezaee, Seyed Abdolrahim

2017-06-01

Interleukin-21 (IL-21) enhances the survival and cytotoxic properties of cytotoxic T cells (CTLs) and exhibits essential roles in controlling chronic viral infections. HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP) is a chronic progressive inflammatory disease of the nervous system. The main determinant of disease progression is efficiency of the CTL response to Human T lymphotropic virus types I (HTLV-1). In this study, the expression of host IL-21 and HTLV-I Tax and proviral load (PVL) was evaluated to understand the role and mechanism of IL-21 in HTLV-1 infections and the subsequent development of HAM/TSP. A cross-sectional study was carried out on 20 HAM/TSP patients, 20 asymptomatic HTLV-1 carriers (ACs) and 20 healthy controls (HCs) to evaluate the expression of IL-21 and Tax and PVL in non-activated and phorbol myristate acetate (PMA)-ionomycin-activated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). The mean mRNA expression of IL-21 in the non-activated and activated PBMCs was higher (by 5-13 times) in the HAM/TSP patients than in ACs and HCs (p < 0.05); however, there was no significant difference between ACs and HCs. In contrast to the IL-21 mRNA expression, the serum level of the IL-21 protein was significantly lower in the HAM/TSP patients than in ACs and HCs (p < 0.05). Furthermore, higher expression of Tax and PVL was observed in the HAM/TSP subjects than ACs (p < 0.05). In addition, Tax gene expression was positively correlated with PVL (R = 0.595, p = 0.000) and IL-21 gene expression (R = 0.395, p = 0.021) in the HTLV-1-infected subjects. In conclusion, the increase in IL-21 mRNA expression may reflect the attempt of infected T cells to induce an appropriate antiviral response, and the decrease in IL-21 protein expression may reflect the inhibition of IL-21 mRNA translation by viral factors in favour of virus evasion and dissemination.

41 CFR 102-117.280 - What aspects of the TSP's performance are important to measure?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... (accidents, losses, damages or misdirected shipments) as a percentage of all shipments; (i) TSP's driving record (accidents, traffic tickets and driving complaints) as a percentage of shipments; and (j...

Human Performance on the Traveling Salesman and Related Problems: A Review

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

MacGregor, James N.; Chu, Yun

2011-01-01

The article provides a review of recent research on human performance on the traveling salesman problem (TSP) and related combinatorial optimization problems. We discuss what combinatorial optimization problems are, why they are important, and why they may be of interest to cognitive scientists. We next describe the main characteristics of human…

Case Study: Accelerating Process Improvement by Integrating the TSP and CMMI

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-06-01

Could software development teams and indi- viduals apply similar principles to improve their work? Watts S . Humphrey , a founder of the process...was an authorized PSP instructor. At Schwalb’s urging, Watts Humphrey briefed the SLT on the PSP and TSP, and after the briefing, the team... Humphrey 96] Humphrey , Watts S . Introduction to the Personal Software Process. Boston, MA: Addison- Wesley Publishing Company, Inc., 1996 (ISBN

5 CFR 1645.3 - Calculation of total net earnings for each TSP Fund.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... each TSP Fund. 1645.3 Section 1645.3 Administrative Personnel FEDERAL RETIREMENT THRIFT INVESTMENT...) Interest on money of that fund which is invested in the Government Securities Investment Fund; (ii) Interest on other short-term investments of the fund; (iii) Other income (such as dividends, interest, or...

Evaluation of tunnel seismic prediction (TSP) result using the Japanese highway rock mass classification system for Pahang-Selangor Raw Water Transfer Tunnel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Von, W. C.; Ismail, M. A. M.

2017-10-01

The knowing of geological profile ahead of tunnel face is significant to minimize the risk in tunnel excavation work and cost control in preventative measure. Due to mountainous area, site investigation with vertical boring is not recommended to obtain the geological profile for Pahang-Selangor Raw Water Transfer project. Hence, tunnel seismic prediction (TSP) method is adopted to predict the geological profile ahead of tunnel face. In order to evaluate the TSP results, IBM SPSS Statistic 22 is used to run artificial neural network (ANN) analysis to back calculate the predicted Rock Grade Points (JH) from actual Rock Grade Points (JH) using Vp, Vs and Vp/Vs from TSP. The results show good correlation between predicted Rock Grade points and actual Rock Grade Points (JH). In other words, TSP can provide geological profile prediction ahead of tunnel face significantly while allowing continuously TBM excavation works. Identifying weak zones or faults ahead of tunnel face is crucial for preventative measures to be carried out in advance for a safer tunnel excavation works.

A 3/2-Approximation Algorithm for Multiple Depot Multiple Traveling Salesman Problem

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Zhou; Rodrigues, Brian

As an important extension of the classical traveling salesman problem (TSP), the multiple depot multiple traveling salesman problem (MDMTSP) is to minimize the total length of a collection of tours for multiple vehicles to serve all the customers, where each vehicle must start or stay at its distinct depot. Due to the gap between the existing best approximation ratios for the TSP and for the MDMTSP in literature, which are 3/2 and 2, respectively, it is an open question whether or not a 3/2-approximation algorithm exists for the MDMTSP. We have partially addressed this question by developing a 3/2-approximation algorithm, which runs in polynomial time when the number of depots is a constant.

List-Based Simulated Annealing Algorithm for Traveling Salesman Problem

PubMed Central

Zhan, Shi-hua; Lin, Juan; Zhang, Ze-jun

2016-01-01

Simulated annealing (SA) algorithm is a popular intelligent optimization algorithm which has been successfully applied in many fields. Parameters' setting is a key factor for its performance, but it is also a tedious work. To simplify parameters setting, we present a list-based simulated annealing (LBSA) algorithm to solve traveling salesman problem (TSP). LBSA algorithm uses a novel list-based cooling schedule to control the decrease of temperature. Specifically, a list of temperatures is created first, and then the maximum temperature in list is used by Metropolis acceptance criterion to decide whether to accept a candidate solution. The temperature list is adapted iteratively according to the topology of the solution space of the problem. The effectiveness and the parameter sensitivity of the list-based cooling schedule are illustrated through benchmark TSP problems. The LBSA algorithm, whose performance is robust on a wide range of parameter values, shows competitive performance compared with some other state-of-the-art algorithms. PMID:27034650

List-Based Simulated Annealing Algorithm for Traveling Salesman Problem.

PubMed

Zhan, Shi-hua; Lin, Juan; Zhang, Ze-jun; Zhong, Yi-wen

2016-01-01

Simulated annealing (SA) algorithm is a popular intelligent optimization algorithm which has been successfully applied in many fields. Parameters' setting is a key factor for its performance, but it is also a tedious work. To simplify parameters setting, we present a list-based simulated annealing (LBSA) algorithm to solve traveling salesman problem (TSP). LBSA algorithm uses a novel list-based cooling schedule to control the decrease of temperature. Specifically, a list of temperatures is created first, and then the maximum temperature in list is used by Metropolis acceptance criterion to decide whether to accept a candidate solution. The temperature list is adapted iteratively according to the topology of the solution space of the problem. The effectiveness and the parameter sensitivity of the list-based cooling schedule are illustrated through benchmark TSP problems. The LBSA algorithm, whose performance is robust on a wide range of parameter values, shows competitive performance compared with some other state-of-the-art algorithms.

40 CFR Table C-3 to Subpart C of... - Test Specifications for Pb in TSP and Pb in PM 10 Methods

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 6 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Test Specifications for Pb in TSP and Pb in PM 10 Methods C Table C-3 to Subpart C of Part 53 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL..., Subpt. C, Table C-3 Table C-3 to Subpart C of Part 53—Test Specifications for Pb in TSP and Pb in PM 10...

40 CFR Table C-3 to Subpart C of... - Test Specifications for Pb in TSP and Pb in PM 10 Methods

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 6 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Test Specifications for Pb in TSP and Pb in PM 10 Methods C Table C-3 to Subpart C of Part 53 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL..., Subpt. C, Table C-3 Table C-3 to Subpart C of Part 53—Test Specifications for Pb in TSP and Pb in PM 10...

40 CFR Table C-3 to Subpart C of... - Test Specifications for Pb in TSP and Pb in PM10 Methods

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 6 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Test Specifications for Pb in TSP and Pb in PM10 Methods C Table C-3 to Subpart C of Part 53 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL..., Subpt. C, Table C-3 Table C-3 to Subpart C of Part 53—Test Specifications for Pb in TSP and Pb in PM10...

A Kohonen-like decomposition method for the Euclidean traveling salesman problem-KNIES/spl I.bar/DECOMPOSE.

PubMed

Aras, N; Altinel, I K; Oommen, J

2003-01-01

In addition to the classical heuristic algorithms of operations research, there have also been several approaches based on artificial neural networks for solving the traveling salesman problem. Their efficiency, however, decreases as the problem size (number of cities) increases. A technique to reduce the complexity of a large-scale traveling salesman problem (TSP) instance is to decompose or partition it into smaller subproblems. We introduce an all-neural decomposition heuristic that is based on a recent self-organizing map called KNIES, which has been successfully implemented for solving both the Euclidean traveling salesman problem and the Euclidean Hamiltonian path problem. Our solution for the Euclidean TSP proceeds by solving the Euclidean HPP for the subproblems, and then patching these solutions together. No such all-neural solution has ever been reported.

Case Study: Accelerating Process Improvement by Integrating the TSP and CMMI

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-12-01

improve their work? Watts S . Humphrey , a founder of the process improvement initiative at the SEI, de- cided to apply SW-CMM principles to the...authorized PSP instructor. At Schwalb’s urging, Watts Humphrey briefed the SLT on the PSP and TSP, and after the briefing, the team understood...hefley.html. [ Humphrey 96] Humphrey , Watts S . Introduction to the Personal Software Process. Boston, MA: Addison-Wesley Publishing Company, Inc., 1996

Using traveling salesman problem algorithms for evolutionary tree construction.

PubMed

Korostensky, C; Gonnet, G H

2000-07-01

The construction of evolutionary trees is one of the major problems in computational biology, mainly due to its complexity. We present a new tree construction method that constructs a tree with minimum score for a given set of sequences, where the score is the amount of evolution measured in PAM distances. To do this, the problem of tree construction is reduced to the Traveling Salesman Problem (TSP). The input for the TSP algorithm are the pairwise distances of the sequences and the output is a circular tour through the optimal, unknown tree plus the minimum score of the tree. The circular order and the score can be used to construct the topology of the optimal tree. Our method can be used for any scoring function that correlates to the amount of changes along the branches of an evolutionary tree, for instance it could also be used for parsimony scores, but it cannot be used for least squares fit of distances. A TSP solution reduces the space of all possible trees to 2n. Using this order, we can guarantee that we reconstruct a correct evolutionary tree if the absolute value of the error for each distance measurement is smaller than f2.gif" BORDER="0">, where f3.gif" BORDER="0">is the length of the shortest edge in the tree. For data sets with large errors, a dynamic programming approach is used to reconstruct the tree. Finally simulations and experiments with real data are shown.

The traveling salesrat: insights into the dynamics of efficient spatial navigation in the rodent

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Watkins de Jong, Laurel; Gereke, Brian; Martin, Gerard M.; Fellous, Jean-Marc

2011-10-01

Rodent spatial navigation requires the dynamic evaluation of multiple sources of information, including visual cues, self-motion signals and reward signals. The nature of the evaluation, its dynamics and the relative weighting of the multiple information streams are largely unknown and have generated many hypotheses in the field of robotics. We use the framework of the traveling salesperson problem (TSP) to study how this evaluation may be achieved. The TSP is a classical artificial intelligence NP-hard problem that requires an agent to visit a fixed set of locations once, minimizing the total distance traveled. We show that after a few trials, rats converge on a short route between rewarded food cups. We propose that this route emerges from a series of local decisions that are derived from weighing information embedded in the context of the task. We study the relative weighting of spatial and reward information and establish that, in the conditions of this experiment, when the contingencies are not in conflict, rats choose the spatial or reward optimal solution. There was a trend toward a preference for space when the contingencies were in conflict. We also show that the spatial decision about which cup to go to next is biased by the orientation of the animal. Reward contingencies are also shown to significantly and dynamically modulate the decision-making process. This paradigm will allow for further neurophysiological studies aimed at understanding the synergistic role of brain areas involved in planning, reward processing and spatial navigation. These insights will in turn suggest new neural-like architectures for the control of mobile autonomous robots.

40 CFR Table C-3 to Subpart C of... - Test Specifications for Pb in TSP and Pb in PM10 Methods

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... Pb in PM10 Methods C Table C-3 to Subpart C of Part 53 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL..., Subpt. C, Table C-3 Table C-3 to Subpart C of Part 53—Test Specifications for Pb in TSP and Pb in PM10 Methods Table C-3 to Subpart C of Part 53—Test Specifications for Pb in TSP and Pb in PM10 Methods...

40 CFR Table C-3 to Subpart C of... - Test Specifications for Pb in TSP and Pb in PM10 Methods

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Pb in PM10 Methods C Table C-3 to Subpart C of Part 53 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL..., Subpt. C, Table C-3 Table C-3 to Subpart C of Part 53—Test Specifications for Pb in TSP and Pb in PM10 Methods Table C-3 to Subpart C of Part 53—Test Specifications for Pb in TSP and Pb in PM10 Methods...

41 CFR 102-118.480 - How does my agency settle disputes with a TSP?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 41 Public Contracts and Property Management 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false How does my agency settle disputes with a TSP? 102-118.480 Section 102-118.480 Public Contracts and Property Management Federal Property Management Regulations System (Continued) FEDERAL MANAGEMENT REGULATION TRANSPORTATION...

The traveling salesman problem as a new screening test in early Alzheimer's disease: an exploratory study. Visual problem-solving in AD.

PubMed

De Vreese, Luc Pieter; Pradelli, Samantha; Massini, Giulia; Buscema, Massimo; Savarè, Rita; Grossi, Enzo

2005-12-01

In the clinical setting, brief general mental status tests tend to detect early-stage Alzheimer's disease (AD) less well than more specific cognitive tests. Some preliminary information was collected on the diagnostic accuracy of the Traveling Salesman Problem (TSP) compared with the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) in recognizing early AD from normal aging. Fifteen AD outpatients (mean +/- SD MMSE: 24.45 +/- 2.61) and 30 age- and education-matched controls were submitted in a single blind protocol to a paper-and-pencil visually-presented version of the TSP, containing a random array of 30 points (TSP30). The task consisted of drawing the shortest continuous path, passing through each point once and only once, and returning to the starting point. Path lengths for subjects' solutions were computed and compared with the optimal solution given by a specific evolutionary algorithm called GenD. TP30 discriminated significantly better between AD subjects and controls (ROC curve AUC = 0.976; 95% CI 0.94-1.01) compared with the MMSE corrected for age and education (ROC curve AUC = 0.877; 95% CI 0.74-1.005). A path length of 478.2354, taken as "cut-off point", classified correctly subjects with a sensitivity of 93.3% and a specificity of 99.3%, whereas a score corrected for age and education of 25.85 on the MMSE had a sensitivity of 73.3% and a specificity of 96.7%. The TSP seems to be particularly sensitive to early AD and independent of patient's age and educational level. The high diagnostic ability, simplicity, and independence of age and education make the TSP promising as a screening test for early AD.

Simulated annealing with probabilistic analysis for solving traveling salesman problems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hong, Pei-Yee; Lim, Yai-Fung; Ramli, Razamin; Khalid, Ruzelan

2013-09-01

Simulated Annealing (SA) is a widely used meta-heuristic that was inspired from the annealing process of recrystallization of metals. Therefore, the efficiency of SA is highly affected by the annealing schedule. As a result, in this paper, we presented an empirical work to provide a comparable annealing schedule to solve symmetric traveling salesman problems (TSP). Randomized complete block design is also used in this study. The results show that different parameters do affect the efficiency of SA and thus, we propose the best found annealing schedule based on the Post Hoc test. SA was tested on seven selected benchmarked problems of symmetric TSP with the proposed annealing schedule. The performance of SA was evaluated empirically alongside with benchmark solutions and simple analysis to validate the quality of solutions. Computational results show that the proposed annealing schedule provides a good quality of solution.

Atmospheric levels and cytotoxicity of PAHs and heavy metals in TSP and PM 2.5 at an electronic waste recycling site in southeast China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deng, W. J.; Louie, P. K. K.; Liu, W. K.; Bi, X. H.; Fu, J. M.; Wong, M. H.

Twenty-nine air samples of total suspended particles (TSP, particles less than 30-60 μm) and thirty samples of particles with aerodynamic diameter smaller than 2.5 μm (PM 2.5) were collected at Guiyu, an electronic waste (e-waste) recycling site in southeast China from 16 August 2004 to 17 September 2004. The results showed that mass concentrations contained in TSP and PM 2.5 were 124±44.1 and 62.12±20.5 μg m -3, respectively. The total sum of 16 USEPA priority polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) associated with TSP and PM 2.5 ranged from 40.0 to 347 and 22.7 to 263 ng m -3, respectively. Five-ring and six-ring PAHs accounted for 73% of total PAHs. The average concentration of benzo(a) pyrene was 2-6 times higher than in other Asian cities. Concentrations of Cr, Cu and Zn in PM 2.5 of Guiyu were 4-33 times higher than in other Asian countries. In general, there were significant correlations between concentrations of individual contaminants in TSP with PM 2.5 (i.e. PAHs, Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb, Zn, Mn except Ni and As). The high concentrations of both PAHs and heavy metals in air of Guiyu may impose a serious environmental and health concern. Cytotoxicity of the extract of TSP and PM 2.5 of ten 24 h samples collected against human promonocytic leukemia cell line U937 (ATCC 1593.2) was determined by the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide cytotoxicity assay. The results showed that under the same concentrations of extract, PM 2.5 cytotoxicity was 2-4 times higher than TSP.

Extending Team Software Process (TSP) to Systems Engineering: A NAVAIR Experience Report

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-03-01

instrumental in formulating the concepts and approaches presented in this report: Dan Burton, Anita Carleton, Timothy Chick, Mike Fehring, Watts Humphrey ...Senate,” GAO-04-393, Defense Acquisitions, 2004. http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d04393.pdf [ Humphrey 06] W. S . Humphrey , TSP: Leading a Development... Humphrey 08] W. S . Humphrey , “The Process Revolution,” CrossTalk The Journal of Defense Software Engineering, August 2008, Volume 28 Number 8

The Total Synthesis Problem of linear multivariable control. II - Unity feedback and the design morphism

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sain, M. K.; Antsaklis, P. J.; Gejji, R. R.; Wyman, B. F.; Peczkowski, J. L.

1981-01-01

Zames (1981) has observed that there is, in general, no 'separation principle' to guarantee optimality of a division between control law design and filtering of plant uncertainty. Peczkowski and Sain (1978) have solved a model matching problem using transfer functions. Taking into consideration this investigation, Peczkowski et al. (1979) proposed the Total Synthesis Problem (TSP), wherein both the command/output-response and command/control-response are to be synthesized, subject to the plant constraint. The TSP concept can be subdivided into a Nominal Design Problem (NDP), which is not dependent upon specific controller structures, and a Feedback Synthesis Problem (FSP), which is. Gejji (1980) found that NDP was characterized in terms of the plant structural matrices and a single, 'good' transfer function matrix. Sain et al. (1981) have extended this NDP work. The present investigation is concerned with a study of FSP for the unity feedback case. NDP, together with feedback synthesis, is understood as a Total Synthesis Problem.

41 CFR 102-118.450 - Can a TSP file a transportation claim against my agency?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 41 Public Contracts and Property Management 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Can a TSP file a transportation claim against my agency? 102-118.450 Section 102-118.450 Public Contracts and Property Management Federal Property Management Regulations System (Continued) FEDERAL MANAGEMENT REGULATION TRANSPORTATION...

41 CFR 102-118.535 - Are there principles governing my agency's TSP debt collection procedures?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 41 Public Contracts and Property Management 3 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Are there principles governing my agency's TSP debt collection procedures? 102-118.535 Section 102-118.535 Public Contracts and... REGULATION TRANSPORTATION 118-TRANSPORTATION PAYMENT AND AUDIT Claims and Appeal Procedures General Agency...

Saharan dust contributions to PM10 and TSP levels in Southern and Eastern Spain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rodríguez, S.; Querol, X.; Alastuey, A.; Kallos, G.; Kakaliagou, O.

The analysis of PM10 and TSP levels recorded in rural areas from Southern and Eastern Spain (1996-1999) shows that most of the PM10 and TSP peak events are simultaneously recorded at monitoring stations up to 1000 km apart. The study of the atmospheric dynamics by back-trajectory analysis and simulations with the SKIRON Forecast System show that these high PM10 and TSP events occur when high-dust Saharan air masses are transported over the Iberian Peninsula. In the January-June period, this dust transport is mainly caused by cyclonic activity over the West or South of Portugal, whereas in the summer period this is induced by anticyclonic activity over the East or Southeast Iberian Peninsula. Most of the Saharan intrusions which exert a major influence on the particulate levels occur from May to September (63%) and in January and October. In rural areas in Northeast Spain, where the PM10 annual mean is around 18 μg PM10 m -3, the Saharan dust accounts for 4-7 annual daily exceedances of the forthcoming PM10-EU limit value (50 μg PM10 m -3 daily mean). Higher PM10 background levels are recorded in Southern Spain (30 μg PM10 m -3 as annual mean for rural areas) and very similar values are recorded in industrial and urban areas. In rural areas in Southern Spain, the Saharan dust events accounts for 10-23 annual daily exceedances of the PM10 limit value, a high number when compared with the forthcoming EU standard, which states that the limit value cannot be exceeded more than 7 days per year. The proportion of Sahara-induced exceedances with respect to the total annual exceedances is discussed for rural, urban and industrial sites in Southern Spain.

Thrombospondin-1 (TSP-1) Analogs ABT-510 and ABT-898 Inhibit Prolactinoma Growth and Recover Active Pituitary Transforming Growth Factor-β1 (TGF-β1)

PubMed Central

Recouvreux, M. Victoria; Camilletti, M. Andrea; Rifkin, Daniel B.; Becu-Villalobos, Damasia

2012-01-01

Prolactinomas are the most prevalent type of secreting pituitary tumors in humans and generally respond well to a medical therapy with dopamine agonists. However, for patients exhibiting resistance to dopaminergic drugs, alternative treatments are desired. Antiangiogenic strategies might represent a potential therapy for these tumors. Thrombospondin 1 (TSP-1) is a large multifunctional glycoprotein involved in multiple biological processes including angiogenesis, apoptosis, and activation of TGF-β1. Because tumors that overexpress TSP-1 grow more slowly, have fewer metastases, and have decreased angiogenesis, TSP-1 provides a novel target for cancer treatment. ABT-510 and ABT-898 are TSP-1 synthetic analogs that mimic its antiangiogenic action. In the present study, we explored the potential effect of ABT-510 and ABT-898 on experimental prolactinomas induced by chronic diethylstilbestrol (DES) treatment in female rats. We demonstrated that a 2-wk treatment with ABT-510 and ABT-898 counteracted the increase in pituitary size and serum prolactin levels as well as the pituitary proliferation rate induced by DES. These inhibitory effects on tumor growth could be mediated by the antiangiogenic properties of the drugs. We also demonstrated that ABT-510 and ABT-898, in addition to their described antiangiogenic effects, increased active TGF-β1 level in the tumors. We postulate that the recovery of the local cytokine activation participates in the inhibition of lactotrope function. These results place these synthetic TSP-1 analogs as potential alternative or complementary treatments in dopamine agonist-resistant prolactinomas. PMID:22700773

Thrombospondin-1 (TSP-1) analogs ABT-510 and ABT-898 inhibit prolactinoma growth and recover active pituitary transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1).

PubMed

Recouvreux, M Victoria; Camilletti, M Andrea; Rifkin, Daniel B; Becu-Villalobos, Damasia; Díaz-Torga, Graciela

2012-08-01

Prolactinomas are the most prevalent type of secreting pituitary tumors in humans and generally respond well to a medical therapy with dopamine agonists. However, for patients exhibiting resistance to dopaminergic drugs, alternative treatments are desired. Antiangiogenic strategies might represent a potential therapy for these tumors. Thrombospondin 1 (TSP-1) is a large multifunctional glycoprotein involved in multiple biological processes including angiogenesis, apoptosis, and activation of TGF-β1. Because tumors that overexpress TSP-1 grow more slowly, have fewer metastases, and have decreased angiogenesis, TSP-1 provides a novel target for cancer treatment. ABT-510 and ABT-898 are TSP-1 synthetic analogs that mimic its antiangiogenic action. In the present study, we explored the potential effect of ABT-510 and ABT-898 on experimental prolactinomas induced by chronic diethylstilbestrol (DES) treatment in female rats. We demonstrated that a 2-wk treatment with ABT-510 and ABT-898 counteracted the increase in pituitary size and serum prolactin levels as well as the pituitary proliferation rate induced by DES. These inhibitory effects on tumor growth could be mediated by the antiangiogenic properties of the drugs. We also demonstrated that ABT-510 and ABT-898, in addition to their described antiangiogenic effects, increased active TGF-β1 level in the tumors. We postulate that the recovery of the local cytokine activation participates in the inhibition of lactotrope function. These results place these synthetic TSP-1 analogs as potential alternative or complementary treatments in dopamine agonist-resistant prolactinomas.

Individual Differences in Optimization Problem Solving: Reconciling Conflicting Results

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chronicle, Edward P.; MacGregor, James N.; Lee, Michael; Ormerod, Thomas C.; Hughes, Peter

2008-01-01

Results on human performance on the Traveling Salesman Problem (TSP) from different laboratories show high consistency. However, one exception is in the area of individual differences. While one research group has consistently failed to find systematic individual differences across instances of TSPs (Chronicle, MacGregor and Ormerod), another…

DNA Vaccine Encoding the Chimeric Form of Schistosoma mansoni Sm-TSP2 and Sm29 Confers Partial Protection against Challenge Infection

PubMed Central

Gonçalves de Assis, Natan Raimundo; Batistoni de Morais, Suellen; Figueiredo, Bárbara Castro Pimentel; Ricci, Natasha Delaqua; de Almeida, Leonardo Augusto; da Silva Pinheiro, Carina; Martins, Vicente de Paulo; Oliveira, Sergio Costa

2015-01-01

Schistosomiasis is an important parasitic disease worldwide that affects more than 207 million people in 76 countries and causes approximately 250,000 deaths per year. The best long-term strategy to control schistosomiasis is through immunization combined with drug treatment. Due to the ability of DNA vaccines to generate humoral and cellular immune responses, such vaccines are considered a promising approach against schistosomiasis. Sm29 and tetraspanin-2 (Sm-TSP2) are two proteins that are located in the S. mansoni tegument of adult worms and schistosomula and induce high levels of protection through recombinant protein immunization. In this study, we transfected BHK-21 cells with plasmids encoding Sm29, Sm-TSP2 or a chimera containing both genes. Using RT-PCR analysis and western blot, we confirmed that the DNA vaccine constructs were transcribed and translated, respectively, in BHK-21 cells. After immunization of mice, we evaluated the reduction in worm burden. We observed worm burden reductions of 17-22%, 22%, 31-32% and 24-32% in animals immunized with the pUMVC3/Sm29, pUMVC3/SmTSP-2, pUMVC3/Chimera and pUMVC3/Sm29 + pUMVC3/SmTSP-2 plasmids, respectively. We evaluated the humoral response elicited by DNA vaccines, and animals immunized with pUMVC3/Sm29 and pUMVC3/Sm29 + pUMVC3/SmTSP-2 showed higher titers of anti-Sm29 antibodies. The cytokine profile produced by the spleen cells of immunized mice was then evaluated. We observed higher production of Th1 cytokines, such as TNF-α and IFN-γ, in vaccinated mice and no significant production of IL-4 and IL-5. The DNA vaccines tested in this study showed the ability to generate a protective immune response against schistosomiasis, probably through the production of Th1 cytokines. However, future strategies aiming to optimize the protective response induced by a chimeric DNA construct need to be developed. PMID:25942636

Global and local skin friction diagnostics from TSP surface patterns on an underwater cylinder in crossflow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miozzi, Massimo; Capone, Alessandro; Di Felice, Fabio; Klein, Christian; Liu, Tianshu

2016-12-01

A systematical method is formulated for extracting skin-friction fields from Temperature Sensitive Paint (TSP) images in the sense of time-averaging and phase-averaging. The method is applied to an underwater cylinder in crossflow at two subcritical regimes (Re = 72 000 and 144 000). TSP maps are decomposed in a time-averaged, a phase-averaged, and a random component. The asymptotic form of the energy equation at the wall provides an Euler-Lagrange equation set that is solved numerically to gain the relative skin friction time- and phase-averaged fields from the TSP surface temperature maps. The comparison of the time averaged relative skin-friction profiles with the literature data shows an excellent agreement on the whole laminar boundary layer up to the laminar separation line. Downstream of separation, time averaged results identify the secondary reattachment/separation events, which are lost in the available literature data. The periodic behavior of the skin-friction is taken, describing how the laminar separation bubble evolves by providing the time history of the laminar separation line and of the secondary reattachment/separation over the entire vortex shedding period. Instantaneous skin friction maps reveal the existence of coherent structures by capturing their footprint on the cylinder's surface. An array of Π-shaped traces marks the existence of counter-rotating, streamwise-oriented vortices just before the laminar separation line. Their interaction with the laminar boundary layer and with the separation line is briefly described. An example of the intermittent excerpt of their influence through the laminar separation line is reported.

HTLV-1 subgroups associated with the risk of HAM/TSP are related to viral and host gene expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells, independent of the transactivation functions of the viral factors.

PubMed

Yasuma, Keiko; Matsuzaki, Toshio; Yamano, Yoshihisa; Takashima, Hiroshi; Matsuoka, Masao; Saito, Mineki

2016-08-01

Among human T cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1)-infected individuals, the risk of developing HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP) across lifetime differs between ethnic groups. There is an association between HTLV-1 tax gene subgroups (subgroup-A or subgroup-B) and the risk of HAM/TSP in the Japanese population. In this study, we investigated the full-length proviral genome sequences of various HTLV-1-infected cell lines and patient samples. The functional differences in the viral transcriptional regulators Tax and HTLV-1 bZIP factor (HBZ) between each subgroup and the relationships between subgroups and the clinical and laboratory characteristics of HAM/TSP patients were evaluated. The results of these analyses indicated the following: (1) distinct nucleotide substitutions corresponding to each subgroup were associated with nucleotide substitutions in viral structural, regulatory, and accessory genes; (2) the HBZ messenger RNA (mRNA) expression in HTLV-1-infected cells was significantly higher in HAM/TSP patients with subgroup-B than in those with subgroup-A; (3) a positive correlation was observed between the expression of HBZ mRNA and its target Foxp3 mRNA in HAM/TSP patients with subgroup-B, but not in patients with subgroup-A; (4) no clear differences were noted in clinical and laboratory characteristics between HAM/TSP patients with subgroup-A and subgroup-B; and (5) no functional differences were observed in Tax and HBZ between each subgroup based on reporter gene assays. Our results indicate that although different HTLV-1 subgroups are characterized by different patterns of viral and host gene expression in HAM/TSP patients via independent mechanisms of direct transcriptional regulation, these differences do not significantly affect the clinical and laboratory characteristics of HAM/TSP patients.

Modified reactive tabu search for the symmetric traveling salesman problems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lim, Yai-Fung; Hong, Pei-Yee; Ramli, Razamin; Khalid, Ruzelan

2013-09-01

Reactive tabu search (RTS) is an improved method of tabu search (TS) and it dynamically adjusts tabu list size based on how the search is performed. RTS can avoid disadvantage of TS which is in the parameter tuning in tabu list size. In this paper, we proposed a modified RTS approach for solving symmetric traveling salesman problems (TSP). The tabu list size of the proposed algorithm depends on the number of iterations when the solutions do not override the aspiration level to achieve a good balance between diversification and intensification. The proposed algorithm was tested on seven chosen benchmarked problems of symmetric TSP. The performance of the proposed algorithm is compared with that of the TS by using empirical testing, benchmark solution and simple probabilistic analysis in order to validate the quality of solution. The computational results and comparisons show that the proposed algorithm provides a better quality solution than that of the TS.

Exploring Heuristics for the Vehicle Routing Problem with Split Deliveries and Time Windows

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-09-18

a traveling 2 salesman problem (TSP). Therefore in the remainder of this document, the VRP refers to a capacitated VRP. 1.3 Military...specifically investigated the SDVRPTW. Stutzle [63] investigates the effects of several LS operators on the traveling salesman problem , the quadratic...34 Traveling salesman -type combinatorial problems and their relation to the logistics of regional blood banking," Northwestern University, Evanston, IL

Route selection by rats and humans in a navigational traveling salesman problem.

PubMed

Blaser, Rachel E; Ginchansky, Rachel R

2012-03-01

Spatial cognition is typically examined in non-human animals from the perspective of learning and memory. For this reason, spatial tasks are often constrained by the time necessary for training or the capacity of the animal's short-term memory. A spatial task with limited learning and memory demands could allow for more efficient study of some aspects of spatial cognition. The traveling salesman problem (TSP), used to study human visuospatial problem solving, is a simple task with modifiable learning and memory requirements. In the current study, humans and rats were characterized in a navigational version of the TSP. Subjects visited each of 10 baited targets in any sequence from a set starting location. Unlike similar experiments, the roles of learning and memory were purposely minimized; all targets were perceptually available, no distracters were used, and each configuration was tested only once. The task yielded a variety of behavioral measures, including target revisits and omissions, route length, and frequency of transitions between each pair of targets. Both humans and rats consistently chose routes that were more efficient than chance, but less efficient than optimal, and generally less efficient than routes produced by the nearest-neighbor strategy. We conclude that the TSP is a useful and flexible task for the study of spatial cognition in human and non-human animals.

Mathematical improvement of the Hopfield model for feasible solutions to the traveling salesman problem by a synapse dynamical system.

PubMed

Takahashi, Y

1998-01-01

It is well known that the Hopfield Model (HM) for neural networks to solve the Traveling Salesman Problem (TSP) suffers from three major drawbacks. (1) It can converge on nonoptimal locally minimum solutions. (2) It can converge on infeasible solutions. (3) Results are very sensitive to the careful tuning of its parameters. A number of methods have been proposed to overcome (a) well. In contrast, work on (b) and (c) has not been sufficient; techniques have not been generalized to more general optimization problems. Thus this paper mathematically resolves (b) and (c) to such an extent that the resolution can be applied to solving with some general network continuous optimization problems including the Hopfield version of the TSP. It first constructs an Extended HM (E-HM) that overcomes both (b) and (c). Fundamental techniques of the E-HM lie in the addition of a synapse dynamical system cooperated with the current HM unit dynamical system. It is this synapse dynamical system that makes the TSP constraint hold at any final states for whatever choices of the IIM parameters and an initial state. The paper then generalizes the E-HM further to a network that can solve a class of continuous optimization problems with a constraint equation where both of the objective function and the constraint function are nonnegative and continuously differentiable.

2D and 3D Traveling Salesman Problem

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haxhimusa, Yll; Carpenter, Edward; Catrambone, Joseph; Foldes, David; Stefanov, Emil; Arns, Laura; Pizlo, Zygmunt

2011-01-01

When a two-dimensional (2D) traveling salesman problem (TSP) is presented on a computer screen, human subjects can produce near-optimal tours in linear time. In this study we tested human performance on a real and virtual floor, as well as in a three-dimensional (3D) virtual space. Human performance on the real floor is as good as that on a…

Source origin and parameters influencing levels of heavy metals in TSP, in an industrial background area of Southern Italy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ragosta, Maria; Caggiano, Rosa; D'Emilio, Mariagrazia; Macchiato, Maria

In this paper, we investigate the relationships among atmospheric concentration of trace elements and some meteorological parameters. In particular, the effects of different meteorological conditions on heavy metal levels are interpreted by means of a multivariate statistical approach. The analysed variables were measured during a monitoring survey that started in 1997, and this survey was carried out in order to evaluate the atmospheric concentrations of heavy metals in the industrial area of Tito Scalo (Basilicata Region, Southern Italy). Here we present and analyse the data set collected from 1997 to 1999. The data set includes daily concentrations of total suspended particulates (TSP), daily concentrations of eight metals (Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn) in TSP and daily meteoclimatic data (temperature, rainfall, speed and wind directions). Both the concentration level and the occurrence of peak concentration events are consistent with the characteristics of the study area: abundant small and medium industrial plants in a mountainous and unpolluted zone. Regarding the origin of sources of heavy metals in TSP, the statistical procedure allows us to identify three profiles: SP 1 and SP 2 related to industrial sources and SP 3 related to other sources (natural and/or anthropogenic). In particular, taking into account the effect of different meteorological conditions, we are able to distinguish the contribution of different fractions of the same metal in the detected source profiles.

A novel constructive-optimizer neural network for the traveling salesman problem.

PubMed

Saadatmand-Tarzjan, Mahdi; Khademi, Morteza; Akbarzadeh-T, Mohammad-R; Moghaddam, Hamid Abrishami

2007-08-01

In this paper, a novel constructive-optimizer neural network (CONN) is proposed for the traveling salesman problem (TSP). CONN uses a feedback structure similar to Hopfield-type neural networks and a competitive training algorithm similar to the Kohonen-type self-organizing maps (K-SOMs). Consequently, CONN is composed of a constructive part, which grows the tour and an optimizer part to optimize it. In the training algorithm, an initial tour is created first and introduced to CONN. Then, it is trained in the constructive phase for adding a number of cities to the tour. Next, the training algorithm switches to the optimizer phase for optimizing the current tour by displacing the tour cities. After convergence in this phase, the training algorithm switches to the constructive phase anew and is continued until all cities are added to the tour. Furthermore, we investigate a relationship between the number of TSP cities and the number of cities to be added in each constructive phase. CONN was tested on nine sets of benchmark TSPs from TSPLIB to demonstrate its performance and efficiency. It performed better than several typical Neural networks (NNs), including KNIES_TSP_Local, KNIES_TSP_Global, Budinich's SOM, Co-Adaptive Net, and multivalued Hopfield network as wall as computationally comparable variants of the simulated annealing algorithm, in terms of both CPU time and accuracy. Furthermore, CONN converged considerably faster than expanding SOM and evolved integrated SOM and generated shorter tours compared to KNIES_DECOMPOSE. Although CONN is not yet comparable in terms of accuracy with some sophisticated computationally intensive algorithms, it converges significantly faster than they do. Generally speaking, CONN provides the best compromise between CPU time and accuracy among currently reported NNs for TSP.

Deploying TSP on a National Scale: An Experience Report from Pilot Projects in Mexico

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-03-01

the culture of Western businesses. To address this, the Ministry of Economy, in coordination with business organizations, education- al institutions...commercial desk- top client -server applications. The TSP builds on and enables the Personal Software Process. The PSP guides individual soft- ware developers...they do their day-to-day work. Al - though a great deal of data is available to manage the project and to manage individual perfor- mance, engineers

Past primary sex-ratio estimates of 4 populations of Loggerhead sea turtle based on TSP durations.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Monsinjon, Jonathan; Kaska, Yakup; Tucker, Tony; LeBlanc, Anne Marie; Williams, Kristina; Rostal, David; Girondot, Marc

2016-04-01

Ectothermic species are supposed to be strongly affected by climate change and particularly those that exhibit temperature-dependent sex-determination (TSD). Actually, predicting the embryonic response of such organism to incubation-temperature variations in natural conditions remains challenging. In order to assess the vulnerability of sea turtles, primary sex-ratio estimates should be produced at pertinent ecological time and spatial scales. Although information on this important demographic parameter is one of the priorities for conservation purpose, accurate methodology to produce such an estimate is still lacking. The most commonly used method invocates incubation duration as a proxy for sex-ratio. This method is inappropriate because temperature influences incubation duration during all development whereas sex is influenced by temperature during only part of development. The thermosensitive period of development for sex determination (TSP) lies in the middle third of development. A model of embryonic growth must be used to define precisely the position of the TSP at non-constant incubation temperatures. The thermal reaction norm for embryonic growth rate have been estimated for 4 distinct populations of the globally distributed and threatened marine turtle Caretta caretta. A thermal reaction norm describes the pattern of phenotypic expression of a single genotype across a range of temperatures. Moreover, incubation temperatures have been reconstructed for the last 35 years using a multi-correlative model with climate temperature. After development of embryos have been modelled, we estimated the primary sex-ratio based on the duration of the TSP. Our results suggests that Loggerhead sea turtles nesting phenology is linked with the period within which both sexes can be produced in variable proportions. Several hypotheses will be discussed to explain why Caretta caretta could be more resilient to climate change than generally thought for sex determination.

41 CFR 102-118.500 - How does my agency handle a volunary refund submitted by a TSP?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Property Management Federal Property Management Regulations System (Continued) FEDERAL MANAGEMENT... 41 Public Contracts and Property Management 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false How does my agency... Information for All Claims § 102-118.500 How does my agency handle a volunary refund submitted by a TSP? (a...

Million city traveling salesman problem solution by divide and conquer clustering with adaptive resonance neural networks.

PubMed

Mulder, Samuel A; Wunsch, Donald C

2003-01-01

The Traveling Salesman Problem (TSP) is a very hard optimization problem in the field of operations research. It has been shown to be NP-complete, and is an often-used benchmark for new optimization techniques. One of the main challenges with this problem is that standard, non-AI heuristic approaches such as the Lin-Kernighan algorithm (LK) and the chained LK variant are currently very effective and in wide use for the common fully connected, Euclidean variant that is considered here. This paper presents an algorithm that uses adaptive resonance theory (ART) in combination with a variation of the Lin-Kernighan local optimization algorithm to solve very large instances of the TSP. The primary advantage of this algorithm over traditional LK and chained-LK approaches is the increased scalability and parallelism allowed by the divide-and-conquer clustering paradigm. Tours obtained by the algorithm are lower quality, but scaling is much better and there is a high potential for increasing performance using parallel hardware.

Critical transition in the constrained traveling salesman problem.

PubMed

Andrecut, M; Ali, M K

2001-04-01

We investigate the finite size scaling of the mean optimal tour length as a function of density of obstacles in a constrained variant of the traveling salesman problem (TSP). The computational experience pointed out a critical transition (at rho(c) approximately 85%) in the dependence between the excess of the mean optimal tour length over the Held-Karp lower bound and the density of obstacles.

47 CFR Appendix A to Part 64 - Telecommunications Service Priority (TSP) System for National Security Emergency Preparedness (NSEP)

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... service users, or sponsoring Federal government organizations on behalf of service users (e.g., Department of State or Defense on behalf of foreign governments, Federal Emergency Management Agency on behalf... to the FCC and TSP System Oversight Committee a summary report identifying the time and event...

Consumer Behavior in Shopping Streets: The Importance of the Salesperson's Professional Personal Attention.

PubMed

Medrano, Natalia; Olarte-Pascual, Cristina; Pelegrín-Borondo, Jorge; Sierra-Murillo, Yolanda

2016-01-01

Since the early 2010s, the emergence of a new consumer has begun. In this context, consumer behavior represents one of the greatest interests of marketing scholars and business managers due to their need to adapt their companies' strategies to the new frontier. In order to advance understanding of this new consumer, this article focuses on analyzing consumer behavior in shopping streets. Thus, the aim of this research is to know what customers value in terms of salesperson-customer interaction quality nowadays. To achieve this, the authors conducted two studies. The results of the first study show that customers cite personal attention as the primary factor motivating their preference for small retailers in shopping streets. However, this motivation is not as relevant one for those who prefer malls. This result provides a point on which to research service quality incorporating personal attention in a second study. Using the SERVQUAL-P scale, the authors elaborate three lenses through which the quality of service from the customer's point of view can be analyzed: normative expectations, predictive expectations, and the importance of each attribute. The most striking result is that the dimensions of expectations (normative and predictive) are the same; these results demonstrate that customers are coherent in making assessments of their expectations, evaluating service quality and satisfaction with similar criteria. However, these dimensions are different from the dimensions of importance. Our main contribution lies in the finding that personal attention, when assessed using the scale of attribute importance, is split into two dimensions: (1) courteous attention and (2) personal relationship. Courteous attention is always welcome, but personal relationships are less valued and are often even rejected. The article concludes with a discussion of the implications of these findings for marketing practices and research.

A neural-network-based approach to the double traveling salesman problem.

PubMed

Plebe, Alessio; Anile, Angelo Marcello

2002-02-01

The double traveling salesman problem is a variation of the basic traveling salesman problem where targets can be reached by two salespersons operating in parallel. The real problem addressed by this work concerns the optimization of the harvest sequence for the two independent arms of a fruit-harvesting robot. This application poses further constraints, like a collision-avoidance function. The proposed solution is based on a self-organizing map structure, initialized with as many artificial neurons as the number of targets to be reached. One of the key components of the process is the combination of competitive relaxation with a mechanism for deleting and creating artificial neurons. Moreover, in the competitive relaxation process, information about the trajectory connecting the neurons is combined with the distance of neurons from the target. This strategy prevents tangles in the trajectory and collisions between the two tours. Results of tests indicate that the proposed approach is efficient and reliable for harvest sequence planning. Moreover, the enhancements added to the pure self-organizing map concept are of wider importance, as proved by a traveling salesman problem version of the program, simplified from the double version for comparison.

In vivo expression of the HBZ gene of HTLV-1 correlates with proviral load, inflammatory markers and disease severity in HTLV-1 associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP)

PubMed Central

Saito, Mineki; Matsuzaki, Toshio; Satou, Yorifumi; Yasunaga, Jun-ichirou; Saito, Kousuke; Arimura, Kimiyoshi; Matsuoka, Masao; Ohara, Yoshiro

2009-01-01

Background Recently, human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) basic leucine zipper factor (HBZ), encoded from a minus strand mRNA was discovered and was suggested to play an important role in adult T cell leukemia (ATL) development. However, there have been no reports on the role of HBZ in patients with HTLV-1 associated inflammatory diseases. Results We quantified the HBZ and tax mRNA expression levels in peripheral blood from 56 HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP) patients, 10 ATL patients, 38 healthy asymptomatic carriers (HCs) and 20 normal uninfected controls, as well as human leukemic T-cell lines and HTLV-1-infected T-cell lines, and the data were correlated with clinical parameters. The spliced HBZ gene was transcribed in all HTLV-1-infected individuals examined, whereas tax mRNA was not transcribed in significant numbers of subjects in the same groups. Although the amount of HBZ mRNA expression was highest in ATL, medium in HAM/TSP, and lowest in HCs, with statistical significance, neither tax nor the HBZ mRNA expression per HTLV-1-infected cell differed significantly between each clinical group. The HTLV-1 HBZ, but not tax mRNA load, positively correlated with disease severity and with neopterin concentration in the cerebrospinal fluid of HAM/TSP patients. Furthermore, HBZ mRNA expression per HTLV-1-infected cell was decreased after successful immunomodulatory treatment for HAM/TSP. Conclusion These findings suggest that in vivo expression of HBZ plays a role in HAM/TSP pathogenesis. PMID:19228429

The modification of hybrid method of ant colony optimization, particle swarm optimization and 3-OPT algorithm in traveling salesman problem

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hertono, G. F.; Ubadah; Handari, B. D.

2018-03-01

The traveling salesman problem (TSP) is a famous problem in finding the shortest tour to visit every vertex exactly once, except the first vertex, given a set of vertices. This paper discusses three modification methods to solve TSP by combining Ant Colony Optimization (ACO), Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) and 3-Opt Algorithm. The ACO is used to find the solution of TSP, in which the PSO is implemented to find the best value of parameters α and β that are used in ACO.In order to reduce the total of tour length from the feasible solution obtained by ACO, then the 3-Opt will be used. In the first modification, the 3-Opt is used to reduce the total tour length from the feasible solutions obtained at each iteration, meanwhile, as the second modification, 3-Opt is used to reduce the total tour length from the entire solution obtained at every iteration. In the third modification, 3-Opt is used to reduce the total tour length from different solutions obtained at each iteration. Results are tested using 6 benchmark problems taken from TSPLIB by calculating the relative error to the best known solution as well as the running time. Among those modifications, only the second and third modification give satisfactory results except the second one needs more execution time compare to the third modifications.

41 CFR 102-118.465 - Must my agency pay interest on a disputed amount claimed by a TSP?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Property Management Federal Property Management Regulations System (Continued) FEDERAL MANAGEMENT... 41 Public Contracts and Property Management 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Must my agency pay... Information for All Claims § 102-118.465 Must my agency pay interest on a disputed amount claimed by a TSP? No...

41 CFR 102-118.580 - May a TSP appeal a prepayment audit decision of the GSA Audit Division?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 41 Public Contracts and Property Management 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false May a TSP appeal a prepayment audit decision of the GSA Audit Division? 102-118.580 Section 102-118.580 Public Contracts and Property Management Federal Property Management Regulations System (Continued) FEDERAL MANAGEMENT REGULATION TRANSPORTATION 118-TRANSPORTATION...

A Discrete Fruit Fly Optimization Algorithm for the Traveling Salesman Problem.

PubMed

Jiang, Zi-Bin; Yang, Qiong

2016-01-01

The fruit fly optimization algorithm (FOA) is a newly developed bio-inspired algorithm. The continuous variant version of FOA has been proven to be a powerful evolutionary approach to determining the optima of a numerical function on a continuous definition domain. In this study, a discrete FOA (DFOA) is developed and applied to the traveling salesman problem (TSP), a common combinatorial problem. In the DFOA, the TSP tour is represented by an ordering of city indices, and the bio-inspired meta-heuristic search processes are executed with two elaborately designed main procedures: the smelling and tasting processes. In the smelling process, an effective crossover operator is used by the fruit fly group to search for the neighbors of the best-known swarm location. During the tasting process, an edge intersection elimination (EXE) operator is designed to improve the neighbors of the non-optimum food location in order to enhance the exploration performance of the DFOA. In addition, benchmark instances from the TSPLIB are classified in order to test the searching ability of the proposed algorithm. Furthermore, the effectiveness of the proposed DFOA is compared to that of other meta-heuristic algorithms. The results indicate that the proposed DFOA can be effectively used to solve TSPs, especially large-scale problems.

A Discrete Fruit Fly Optimization Algorithm for the Traveling Salesman Problem

PubMed Central

Jiang, Zi-bin; Yang, Qiong

2016-01-01

The fruit fly optimization algorithm (FOA) is a newly developed bio-inspired algorithm. The continuous variant version of FOA has been proven to be a powerful evolutionary approach to determining the optima of a numerical function on a continuous definition domain. In this study, a discrete FOA (DFOA) is developed and applied to the traveling salesman problem (TSP), a common combinatorial problem. In the DFOA, the TSP tour is represented by an ordering of city indices, and the bio-inspired meta-heuristic search processes are executed with two elaborately designed main procedures: the smelling and tasting processes. In the smelling process, an effective crossover operator is used by the fruit fly group to search for the neighbors of the best-known swarm location. During the tasting process, an edge intersection elimination (EXE) operator is designed to improve the neighbors of the non-optimum food location in order to enhance the exploration performance of the DFOA. In addition, benchmark instances from the TSPLIB are classified in order to test the searching ability of the proposed algorithm. Furthermore, the effectiveness of the proposed DFOA is compared to that of other meta-heuristic algorithms. The results indicate that the proposed DFOA can be effectively used to solve TSPs, especially large-scale problems. PMID:27812175

41 CFR 102-118.310 - Must my agency prepayment audit program establish appeal procedures whereby a TSP may appeal any...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... prepayment audit program establish appeal procedures whereby a TSP may appeal any reduction in the amount... Management Regulations System (Continued) FEDERAL MANAGEMENT REGULATION TRANSPORTATION 118-TRANSPORTATION PAYMENT AND AUDIT Prepayment Audits of Transportation Services Agency Requirements for Prepayment Audits...

The ion chemistry, seasonal cycle, and sources of PM 2.5 and TSP aerosol in Shanghai

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Ying; Zhuang, Guoshun; Zhang, Xingying; Huang, Kan; Xu, Chang; Tang, Aohan; Chen, Jianmin; An, Zhisheng

Daily total suspended particulate (TSP), particle size smaller than 100 μm and particle size smaller than 2.5 μm (PM 2.5) aerosol samples were collected at two sites in Shanghai in four seasons from September 2003 to January 2005. Concentrations of the water-soluble ions (SO 42-, NO 3-, Cl -, F -, PO 43-, HCOO -, CH 3COO -, NO 2-, MSA, C 2O 42-, NH 4+, Ca 2+, Na +, K +, Mg 2+) were measured for a total of 202 samples. Daily TSP and PM 2.5 mass concentrations ranged from 66.1 to 666.8 μg m -3 and 17.8 to 217.9 μg m -3, with annual average concentrations of 230.5 and 94.6 μg m -3, respectively. The sum of ions contributed an average of 26% and 32% of TSP and PM 2.5 mass concentrations, respectively. In PM 2.5, the concentration of the major ions followed the order of SO 42->NO 3->NH 4+>Cl ->Ca 2+>K +, while in TSP was SO 42->NO 3->Cl ->Ca 2+>NH 4+>Na +. These major ions were mainly in the form of (NH 4) 2SO 4, Ca(NO 3) 2, CaCl 2, and CaSO 4 in aerosol particles. The aerosol was slightly acidic in the fine particle size range, and alkaline in the coarse mode. Seasonal variation of ion concentrations was significant, with the highest concentrations observed in winter and spring and the lowest in summer and autumn. Three types of air masses, i.e. marine, mixing, and continental, were frequently observed, and their distribution in four seasons might result in the clear seasonal variation. It is Shanghai that has the highest NO 3-/SO 42- value among all of those cities in China, indicating that as the biggest city in China the mobile source of the air pollution becomes more and more predominant. However, stationary emissions were still the dominant source in Shanghai indicated by the NO 3-/SO 42- ratio of lower than 1. The formation of NO 3- was largely from the gas-phase photochemical reaction in the cold season, and from the heterogeneous reaction in the warm season, while the formation of SO 42- might be from the heterogeneous reaction in the entire year round. NH

Serum levels of TSP-1, NF-κB and TGF-β1 in polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) patients in northern China suggest PCOS is associated with chronic inflammation.

PubMed

Liu, Meimei; Gao, Jiayin; Zhang, Yanhua; Li, Peiling; Wang, Hongli; Ren, Xiaopang; Li, Changmin

2015-12-01

The objective of this study was to determine the levels of thrombospondin-1 (TSP-1), transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) and nuclear factor kappaβ (NF-κβ) in polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) patients with and without insulin resistance and after treatment with cyproterone acetate/ethinyloestradiol with or without concomitant metformin. Prospective. Patients with PCOS and healthy women were recruited. Patients were subdivided into obese and nonobese based on body mass index. Patients with PCOS were also grouped according to homoeostasis model assessment-insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) ≥ 2·69 or <2·69, and by PCOS phenotype. Patients with PCOS-IR were treated with a 6-month course of cyproterone acetate/ethinyloestradiol with or without concomitant metformin. Inflammatory markers were examined at baseline, and after 6 months of treatment. A total of 445 women with PCOS (mean age 25·9 ± 2·7 years; 298 obese, 147 nonobese) and 213 normal controls (mean age 24·9 ± 3·0 years) were included. Regardless of obesity status, testosterone, free androgen index (FAI), luteinizing hormone/follicle-stimulating hormone (LH/FSH) ratio, HOMA-IR, TSP-1 and NF-κB in the PCOS groups were significantly higher than in the control group, whereas TSP-1 was lower in the PCOS groups (all, P < 0·05). Patients with PCOS without IR had lower TSP-1 levels than control patients (P < 0·05). Treatment with cyproterone acetate/ethinyloestradiol with addition of metformin reduced the level of NF-κB, TGF-β1 and HOMA-IR and increased the level of TSP-1. These results support the association between PCOS and chronic inflammation. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

A performance evaluation of ACO and SA TSP in a supply chain network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rao, T. Srinivas

2017-07-01

Supply Chain management and E commerce business solutions are one of the prominent areas of active research. In our paper we have modelled a supply chain model which aggregates all the manufacturers requirement and the products are supplied to all the manufacturer through a common vehicle routing algorithm. An appropriate tsp has been constructed for all the manufacturers which determines the shortest route thru which the aggregated material can be supplied in the shortest possible time. In this paper we have solved the shortest route through constructing a Simulated annealing algorithm and Ant colony algorithm and their performance is evaluated.

The expanded invasive weed optimization metaheuristic for solving continuous and discrete optimization problems.

PubMed

Josiński, Henryk; Kostrzewa, Daniel; Michalczuk, Agnieszka; Switoński, Adam

2014-01-01

This paper introduces an expanded version of the Invasive Weed Optimization algorithm (exIWO) distinguished by the hybrid strategy of the search space exploration proposed by the authors. The algorithm is evaluated by solving three well-known optimization problems: minimization of numerical functions, feature selection, and the Mona Lisa TSP Challenge as one of the instances of the traveling salesman problem. The achieved results are compared with analogous outcomes produced by other optimization methods reported in the literature.

Targeted disruption of a novel gene contiguous to both glucocerebrodisidase (GC) and thrombospondin 3 (TSP3), results in an embryonic lethal phenotype in the mouse

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

Bornstein, P.; Shingu, T.; LaMarca, M.E.

1994-09-01

We have identified a new murine gene, termed gene X, that spans the 6 kb interval separating GC from TSP3. Mutations in GC result in Gaucher disease, the most common lysosomal storage disorder. Gene X and GC are transcribed convergently; their major polyadenylation sites are separated by only 431 bp. On the other hand, gene X and TSP3 are transcribed divergently and share a bidirectional promoter. The cDNA for gene X encodes a 317 amino acid protein, without either a signal sequence or N-linked glycosylation. Gene X is expressed ubiquitously in tissues of the young adult mouse, but no closemore » homologues have been found in the DNA or protein data bases. A targeted point mutation was introduced into the GC gene (Asn to Ser in exon 9) by homologous recombination in embryonic stem cells to establish a mouse model for a mild form of Gaucher disease. In the process, a PGK-neomycin gene cassette was inserted in the 3{prime} flanking region of GC as a selectable marker, in a sequence that was subsequently identified as exon 8 of gene X. Mice homozygous for the combined mutation die early in gestation. Since the amino acid mutation in humans is associated with milder type 1 Gaucher disease, we conclude that gene X is essential for embryonic development in mice. The locations of human and murine GC, gene X and TSP3 are similar, but the human genome includes a duplication that has produced GC and gene X pseudogenes. We are currently studying the possible functional interactions of GC, gene X and TSP3 in both mice and humans.« less

Getting Help: Finding an Answer to a Specific Problem is Almost Impossible These Days.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Levy, Steven

1984-01-01

Discusses the very limited information sources currently available to microcomputer users, including computer salespersons, user support groups, and computer books, and suggests that the newly emerging hotline-style computer advisory services may be able to provide the accurate answers and expert advice not easily available elsewhere. (MBR)

The generalized quadratic knapsack problem. A neuronal network approach.

PubMed

Talaván, Pedro M; Yáñez, Javier

2006-05-01

The solution of an optimization problem through the continuous Hopfield network (CHN) is based on some energy or Lyapunov function, which decreases as the system evolves until a local minimum value is attained. A new energy function is proposed in this paper so that any 0-1 linear constrains programming with quadratic objective function can be solved. This problem, denoted as the generalized quadratic knapsack problem (GQKP), includes as particular cases well-known problems such as the traveling salesman problem (TSP) and the quadratic assignment problem (QAP). This new energy function generalizes those proposed by other authors. Through this energy function, any GQKP can be solved with an appropriate parameter setting procedure, which is detailed in this paper. As a particular case, and in order to test this generalized energy function, some computational experiments solving the traveling salesman problem are also included.

Role of TSP-5/COMP in pseudoachondroplasia.

PubMed

Posey, Karen L; Hayes, Elizabeth; Haynes, Richard; Hecht, Jacqueline T

2004-06-01

Pseudoachondroplasia (PSACH) is a well-characterized dwarfing condition associated with disproportionate short stature, abnormal joints and osteoarthritis requiring joint replacement. PSACH is caused by mutations in cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP). COMP, the fifth member of the thrombospondin (TSP) gene family, is a pentameric protein found primarily in the extracellular matrix of musculoskeletal tissues. Functional studies have shown that COMP binds types II and IX collagens but the role of COMP in the extracellular matrix remains to be defined. Mutations in COMP interfere with calcium-binding and protein conformation. PSACH growth plate and growth plate chondrocytes studies indicate that COMP mutations have a dominant negative effect with both COMP and type IX collagen being retained in large rER cisternae. This massive retention causes impaired chondrocyte function with little COMP secreted into the matrix and premature loss of chondrocytes. Deficiency of linear growth results from loss of chondrocytes from the growth plate. Secondarily, the matrix contains minimal COMP, which may be normal and/or mutant, and little type IX collagen. This deficiency results in abnormal joints that are easily eroded and cause painful osteoarthritis. Unlike other misfolded proteins that are targeted for degradation, much of the retained COMP escapes degradation, compromises cell function, and causes cell death. Gene therapy will need to target the reduction of COMP in order to restore normal chondrocyte function and longevity.

An evolutionary strategy based on partial imitation for solving optimization problems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Javarone, Marco Alberto

2016-12-01

In this work we introduce an evolutionary strategy to solve combinatorial optimization tasks, i.e. problems characterized by a discrete search space. In particular, we focus on the Traveling Salesman Problem (TSP), i.e. a famous problem whose search space grows exponentially, increasing the number of cities, up to becoming NP-hard. The solutions of the TSP can be codified by arrays of cities, and can be evaluated by fitness, computed according to a cost function (e.g. the length of a path). Our method is based on the evolution of an agent population by means of an imitative mechanism, we define 'partial imitation'. In particular, agents receive a random solution and then, interacting among themselves, may imitate the solutions of agents with a higher fitness. Since the imitation mechanism is only partial, agents copy only one entry (randomly chosen) of another array (i.e. solution). In doing so, the population converges towards a shared solution, behaving like a spin system undergoing a cooling process, i.e. driven towards an ordered phase. We highlight that the adopted 'partial imitation' mechanism allows the population to generate solutions over time, before reaching the final equilibrium. Results of numerical simulations show that our method is able to find, in a finite time, both optimal and suboptimal solutions, depending on the size of the considered search space.

Long-term follow-up of HTLV-1 proviral load in asymptomatic carriers and in incident cases of HAM/TSP: what is its relevance as a prognostic marker for neurologic disease?

PubMed

Martins, Marina Lobato; Guimarães, Jacqueline Cronemberger; Ribas, João Gabriel; Romanelli, Luiz Cláudio Ferreira; de Freitas Carneiro-Proietti, Anna Bárbara

2017-02-01

HTLV-1 proviral load (pvl) is an important risk marker for HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP), but its value as prognostic marker is not well defined. Long-term prospective cohort studies are necessary to clarify this question. Here, we analyzed HTLV-1 pvl in the peripheral blood of 82 asymptomatic carriers (AC; 351 samples), 12 HAM/TSP patients (HAM; 46 samples), and six incident cases of HAM/TSP (iHAM), with serial samples collected before (n = 10) and after (n = 20) the disease onset. The mean interval of follow-up was 10 years in the AC group and 8 years in HAM and iHAM groups. pvl was not significantly different between the first and last measurements in the three groups, but there was a trend to decrease over time. Coefficient of variation of pvl was significantly lower in the AC group than in HAM (p = 0.015) and iHAM (p = 0.022) patients. AC and HAM individuals showed a significant and strong positive correlation between the first and last measurements of pvl, but not iHAM subjects. All individuals who developed HAM/TSP during the follow-up had high pvl level (>1 %) before the onset of disease, but a typical increase in pvl was not observed in that period. The data suggest that there is a trend to reach an equilibrium plateau of pvl over time, characteristic of each individual. A significant rate of AC keeps high pvl levels for a long time without developing clinical symptoms associated to HTLV-1 infection. Thus, serial quantification of pvl in the peripheral blood does not seem to be a good prognostic marker for HAM/TSP.

A SAT Based Effective Algorithm for the Directed Hamiltonian Cycle Problem

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jäger, Gerold; Zhang, Weixiong

The Hamiltonian cycle problem (HCP) is an important combinatorial problem with applications in many areas. While thorough theoretical and experimental analyses have been made on the HCP in undirected graphs, little is known for the HCP in directed graphs (DHCP). The contribution of this work is an effective algorithm for the DHCP. Our algorithm explores and exploits the close relationship between the DHCP and the Assignment Problem (AP) and utilizes a technique based on Boolean satisfiability (SAT). By combining effective algorithms for the AP and SAT, our algorithm significantly outperforms previous exact DHCP algorithms including an algorithm based on the award-winning Concorde TSP algorithm.

HTLV-1 proviral load in cerebrospinal fluid may not be a good marker to differentiate asymptomatic carriers with high proviral load in blood from HAM/TSP patients.

PubMed

Martins, Marina Lobato; de Freitas Carneiro-Proietti, Anna Bárbara; Nicolato, Rodrigo; de Miranda, Débora Marques; Romanelli, Luiz Cláudio Ferreira

2018-03-27

An elevated human T cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) proviral load (PVL) is an important risk factor for HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP), although there is a considerable frequency of asymptomatic carriers (AC) with high PVL in blood. Our objective was to evaluate whether PVL quantified in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is helpful to distinguish AC from HAM when AC have high PVL in blood (AC H ). AC H (n = 7) were characterized to have high PVL in blood by quantification of samples collected over time (mean 7 years). HAM patients (n = 14) also had analyzed blood samples collected at different times (mean 9 years). Comparing paired CSF and blood samples of each individual, CSF PVL mean was 4.7-fold higher than blood PVL in the AC H group and 10.8-fold in the HAM group. CSF PVL was significantly greater than blood PVL in the HAM group (p = 0.004), but not in the AC H group. Important to highlight, CSF PVL was not significantly different between the AC H and the HAM groups. These results suggested that significantly higher PVL in CSF than in blood is a hallmark of HAM/TSP patients, but this is also true for asymptomatic carriers with high PVL in blood, thus reducing its usefulness as a marker for HAM/TSP. A greater number of AC H should be analyzed, but whether they will eventually develop HAM/TSP or why they have not developed the disease are still questions to be clarified. Longitudinal studies are necessary to answer these questions.

Optimal routing of coordinated aircraft to Identify moving surface contacts

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-06-01

Time TAO Tactical Action Officer TSP Traveling Salesman Problem TSPTW TSP with Time Windows UAV unmanned aerial vehicle VRP Vehicle Routing...Orienteering Problem (OP), while the ORCA TI formulation follows the structure of a time dependent Traveling Salesman Problem (TSP), or a time dependent...Fox, Kenneth R., Bezalel Gavish, and Stephen C. Graves. 1980. “An n- Constraint Formulation of the ( Time Dependent) Traveling Salesman Problem

Concentrations of ambient air particulates (TSP, PM2.5 and PM2.5-10) and ionic species at offshore areas near Taiwan Strait.

PubMed

Fang, Guor-Cheng; Wu, Yuh-Shen; Chen, Jyh-Cherng; Rau, Jui-Yeh; Huang, Shih-Han; Lin, Chi-Kwong

2006-05-20

The concentrations of total suspended particulate (TSP), fine particles PM(2.5) (with aerodynamic diameter <2.5 microm), coarse particles PM(2.5-10) (with aerodynamic diameter 2.5-10 microm,), and water-soluble inorganic ions were studied at two offshore sampling sites, Taichung Harbor (TH) and Wuci Traffic (WT), near Taiwan Strait in central Taiwan during March 2004 to January 2005. Statistical analyses were also carried out to estimate the possible sources of particulate pollution. Experimental results showed that the average mass concentrations of TSP, PM(2.5) and PM(2.5-10) at TH and WT sampling sites were 154.54 +/- 31.45 and 113.59 +/- 31.94 microg m(-3), 54.03 +/- 16.92 and 42.76 +/- 12.52 microg m(-3), and 30.31+/- 9.79 and 24.16 +/- 7.27 microg m(-3), respectively. The dominant inorganic ions at two sampling sites were SO(4)(2-), NO(3)(-), and NH(4)(+) for TSP and PM(2.5), but that were Ca(2+), Cl(-), and Na(+) for PM(2.5-10). The concentrations of most particulates and inorganic ions were higher in winter at both two sampling sites, and were higher at TH than WT sampling site in each season. From statistical analysis, air-slake of crust surface, sea-salt aerosols, agriculture activities, coal combustion, and mobile vehicles were the possible emission sources of particulate pollution at TH and WT sampling sites.

Optimal solution for travelling salesman problem using heuristic shortest path algorithm with imprecise arc length

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bakar, Sumarni Abu; Ibrahim, Milbah

2017-08-01

The shortest path problem is a popular problem in graph theory. It is about finding a path with minimum length between a specified pair of vertices. In any network the weight of each edge is usually represented in a form of crisp real number and subsequently the weight is used in the calculation of shortest path problem using deterministic algorithms. However, due to failure, uncertainty is always encountered in practice whereby the weight of edge of the network is uncertain and imprecise. In this paper, a modified algorithm which utilized heuristic shortest path method and fuzzy approach is proposed for solving a network with imprecise arc length. Here, interval number and triangular fuzzy number in representing arc length of the network are considered. The modified algorithm is then applied to a specific example of the Travelling Salesman Problem (TSP). Total shortest distance obtained from this algorithm is then compared with the total distance obtained from traditional nearest neighbour heuristic algorithm. The result shows that the modified algorithm can provide not only on the sequence of visited cities which shown to be similar with traditional approach but it also provides a good measurement of total shortest distance which is lesser as compared to the total shortest distance calculated using traditional approach. Hence, this research could contribute to the enrichment of methods used in solving TSP.

An application of traveling salesman problem using the improved genetic algorithm on android google maps

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Narwadi, Teguh; Subiyanto

2017-03-01

The Travelling Salesman Problem (TSP) is one of the best known NP-hard problems, which means that no exact algorithm to solve it in polynomial time. This paper present a new variant application genetic algorithm approach with a local search technique has been developed to solve the TSP. For the local search technique, an iterative hill climbing method has been used. The system is implemented on the Android OS because android is now widely used around the world and it is mobile system. It is also integrated with Google API that can to get the geographical location and the distance of the cities, and displays the route. Therefore, we do some experimentation to test the behavior of the application. To test the effectiveness of the application of hybrid genetic algorithm (HGA) is compare with the application of simple GA in 5 sample from the cities in Central Java, Indonesia with different numbers of cities. According to the experiment results obtained that in the average solution HGA shows in 5 tests out of 5 (100%) is better than simple GA. The results have shown that the hybrid genetic algorithm outperforms the genetic algorithm especially in the case with the problem higher complexity.

Vehicle Routing Problem Using Genetic Algorithm with Multi Compartment on Vegetable Distribution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kurnia, Hari; Gustri Wahyuni, Elyza; Cergas Pembrani, Elang; Gardini, Syifa Tri; Kurnia Aditya, Silfa

2018-03-01

The problem that is often gained by the industries of managing and distributing vegetables is how to distribute vegetables so that the quality of the vegetables can be maintained properly. The problems encountered include optimal route selection and little travel time or so-called TSP (Traveling Salesman Problem). These problems can be modeled using the Vehicle Routing Problem (VRP) algorithm with rating ranking, a cross order based crossing, and also order based mutation mutations on selected chromosomes. This study uses limitations using only 20 market points, 2 point warehouse (multi compartment) and 5 vehicles. It is determined that for one distribution, one vehicle can only distribute to 4 market points only from 1 particular warehouse, and also one such vehicle can only accommodate 100 kg capacity.

Changes of respiratory system in mice exposed to PM4.0 or TSP from exhaust gases of combustion of cashew nut shell.

PubMed

Josino, Jeanne Batista; Serra, Daniel Silveira; Gomes, Maria Diana Moreira; Araújo, Rinaldo Santos; de Oliveira, Mona Lisa Moura; Cavalcante, Francisco Sales Ávila

2017-12-01

Air pollution is a topic discussed all over the world and the search for alternatives to reduce it is of great interest to many researchers. The use of alternative energy sources and biofuels seems to be the environmentally safer solution. In this work, the deleterious effects on the respiratory system of mice exposed to PM 4.0 or TSP, present in exhaust gases from the combustion of CNS were investigated, through data from respiratory system mechanics, oxidative stress, histopathology and morphometry of the parenchyma pulmonary. The results show changes in all variables of respiratory system mechanics, in oxidative stress, the histopathological analysis and lung morphometry. The results provide experimental support for epidemiological observations of association between effects on the respiratory system and exposure to PM 4.0 or TSP from CNS combustion exhaust gases, even at acute exposure. It can serve as a basis for regulation or adjustment of environmental laws that control the emissions of these gases. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Graph traversals, genes, and matroids: An efficient case of the travelling salesman problem

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

Gusfield, D.; Stelling, P.; Wang, Lusheng

1996-12-31

In this paper the authors consider graph traversal problems that arise from a particular technology for DNA sequencing - sequencing by hybridization (SBH). They first explain the connection of the graph problems to SBH and then focus on the traversal problems. They describe a practical polynomial time solution to the Travelling Salesman Problem in a rich class of directed graphs (including edge weighted binary de Bruijn graphs), and provide a bounded-error approximation algorithm for the maximum weight TSP in a superset of those directed graphs. The authors also establish the existence of a matroid structure defined on the set ofmore » Euler and Hamilton paths in the restricted class of graphs. 8 refs., 5 figs.« less

Lack of recall response to Tax in ATL and HAM/TSP patients but not in asymptomatic carriers of human T-cell leukemia virus type 1

PubMed Central

Manuel, Sharrón L.; Sehgal, Mohit; Connolly, John; Makedonas, George; Khan, Zafar K.; Gardner, Jay; Goedert, James J.; Betts, Michael R.; Jain, Pooja

2013-01-01

Purpose & methods The immunopathogenic mechanisms responsible for debilitating neurodegenerative and oncologic diseases associated with human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) are not fully understood. In this respect, a patient cohort from HTLV-1 endemic region that included seronegative controls (controls), asymptomatic carriers (ACs), and patients with adult T-cell leukemia (ATL) or HTLV-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP) was analyzed for CD8+ T cells polyfunctionality in response to the viral antigen Tax. Results Compared to ACs, ATL and HAM/TSP patients had lower frequency and polyfunctionality of CTLs in response to Tax suggesting dysfunction of CD8+ T cells in these individuals. As an underlying mechanism, programmed death-1 (PD-1) receptor was found to be highly unregulated in Tax-responsive as well as total CD8+ T cells from ATL and HAM/TSP but not from ACs and directly correlated with the lack of polyfunctionality in these individuals. Further, PD-1 expression showed a direct whereas MIP-1α expression had an indirect correlation with the proviral load providing new insights about the immunopathogenesis of HTLV-associated diseases. Additionally, we identified key cytokine signatures defining the immune activation status of clinical samples by the luminex assay. Conclusions Collectively, our findings suggest that reconstitution of fully functional CTLs, stimulation of MIP-1α expression, and/or blockade of the PD-1 pathway are potential approaches for immunotherapy and therapeutic vaccine against HTLV-mediated diseases. PMID:23888327

Solving large scale traveling salesman problems by chaotic neurodynamics.

PubMed

Hasegawa, Mikio; Ikeguch, Tohru; Aihara, Kazuyuki

2002-03-01

We propose a novel approach for solving large scale traveling salesman problems (TSPs) by chaotic dynamics. First, we realize the tabu search on a neural network, by utilizing the refractory effects as the tabu effects. Then, we extend it to a chaotic neural network version. We propose two types of chaotic searching methods, which are based on two different tabu searches. While the first one requires neurons of the order of n2 for an n-city TSP, the second one requires only n neurons. Moreover, an automatic parameter tuning method of our chaotic neural network is presented for easy application to various problems. Last, we show that our method with n neurons is applicable to large TSPs such as an 85,900-city problem and exhibits better performance than the conventional stochastic searches and the tabu searches.

Lack of recall response to Tax in ATL and HAM/TSP patients but not in asymptomatic carriers of human T-cell leukemia virus type 1.

PubMed

Manuel, Sharrón L; Sehgal, Mohit; Connolly, John; Makedonas, George; Khan, Zafar K; Gardner, Jay; Betts, Michael R; Jain, Pooja

2013-10-01

The immunopathogenic mechanisms responsible for debilitating neurodegenerative and oncologic diseases associated with human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) are not fully understood. Quality of cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) is being increasingly associated with the outcome of persistent HTLV-1 infection. In this respect, a patient cohort (from HTLV-1 endemic region) consisting of seronegative controls (controls), asymptomatic carriers (ACs), and patients with adult T-cell leukemia (ATL) or HTLV-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP) was analyzed for CD8(+) T cells polyfunctionality in response to the viral antigen Tax. Compared to ACs, ATL and HAM/TSP patients had lower frequency and polyfunctionality of CTLs in response to Tax suggesting dysfunction of CD8(+) T cells in these individuals. As an underlying mechanism, programmed death-1 (PD-1) receptor was found to be highly unregulated in Tax-responsive as well as total CD8(+) T cells from ATL and HAM/TSP but not from ACs and directly correlated with the lack of polyfunctionality in these individuals. Further, PD-1 expression showed a direct whereas MIP-1α expression had an indirect correlation with the proviral load providing new insights about the immunopathogenesis of HTLV-associated diseases. Additionally, we identified key cytokine signatures defining the immune activation status of clinical samples by the luminex assay. Collectively, our findings suggest that reconstitution of fully functional CTLs, stimulation of MIP-1α expression, and/or blockade of the PD-1 pathway are potential approaches for immunotherapy / therapeutic vaccine against HTLV-mediated diseases.

Trivalent chromium inhibits TSP-1 expression, proliferation, and O-GlcNAc signaling in vascular smooth muscle cells in response to high glucose in vitro.

PubMed

Ganguly, Rituparna; Sahu, Soumyadip; Chavez, Ronaldo J; Raman, Priya

2015-01-15

Trivalent chromium (Cr(3+)) is a mineral nutrient reported to have beneficial effects in glycemic and cardiovascular health. In vitro and in vivo studies suggest that Cr(3+) supplementation reduces the atherogenic potential and lowers the risk of vascular inflammation in diabetes. However, effects of Cr(3+) in vascular cells under conditions of hyperglycemia, characteristic of diabetes, remain unknown. In the present study we show that a therapeutically relevant concentration of Cr(3+) (100 nM) significantly downregulates a potent proatherogenic matricellular protein, thrombospondin-1 (TSP-1), in human aortic smooth muscle cells (HASMC) stimulated with high glucose in vitro. Promoter-reporter assays reveal that this downregulation of TSP-1 expression by Cr(3+) occurs at the level of transcription. The inhibitory effects of Cr(3+) on TSP-1 were accompanied by significant reductions in O-glycosylation of cytoplasmic and nuclear proteins. Using Western blotting and immunofluorescence studies, we demonstrate that reduced protein O-glycosylation by Cr(3+) is mediated via inhibition of glutamine: fructose 6-phosphate amidotransferase, a rate-limiting enzyme of the hexosamine pathway, and O-linked N-acetylglucosamine (O-GlcNAc) transferase, a distal enzyme in the pathway that controls intracellular protein O-glycosylation. Additionally, we found that Cr(3+) attenuates reactive oxygen species formation in glucose-stimulated HASMC, suggesting an antioxidant effect. Finally, we report an antiproliferative effect of Cr(3+) that is specific for high glucose and conditions triggering elevated protein O-glycosylation. Taken together, these findings provide the first cellular evidence for a novel role of Cr(3+) to modulate aberrant vascular smooth muscle cell function associated with hyperglycemia-induced vascular complications. Copyright © 2015 the American Physiological Society.

Exploring the status of retail private drug shops in Bangladesh and action points for developing an accredited drug shop model: a facility based cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Ahmed, Syed Masud; Naher, Nahitun; Hossain, Tarek; Rawal, Lal Bahadur

2017-01-01

The private retail drug shops market in Bangladesh is largely unregulated and unaccountable, giving rise to irrational use of drugs and high Out-of-pocket expenditure on health. These shops are served by salespersons with meagre or no formal training in dispensing. This facility-based cross-sectional study was undertaken to investigate how the drug shops currently operate vis-a-vis the regulatory regime including dispensing practices of the salespersons, for identifying key action points to develop an accredited model for Bangladesh. About 90 rural and 21 urban retail drug shops from seven divisions were included in the survey. The salespersons were interviewed for relevant information, supplemented by qualitative data on perceptions of the catchment community as well as structured observation of client-provider interactions from a sub-sample. In 76% of the shops, the owner and the salesperson was the same person, and >90% of these were located within 30 min walking distance from a public sector health facility. The licensing process was perceived to be a cumbersome, lengthy, and costly process. Shop visit by drug inspectors were brief, wasn't structured, and not problem solving. Only 9% shops maintained a stock register and 10% a drug sales record. Overall, 65% clients visited drug shops without a prescription. Forty-nine percent of the salespersons had no formal training in dispensing and learned the trade through apprenticeship with fellow drug retailers (42%), relatives (18%), and village doctors (16%) etc. The catchment population of the drug shops mostly did not bother about dispensing training, drug shop licensing and buying drugs without prescription. Observed client-dispenser interactions were found to concentrate mainly on financial transaction, unless, the client pro-actively sought advice regarding the use of the drug. Majority of the drug shops studied are run by salespersons who have informal 'training' through apprenticeship. Visiting drug shops

Ionic composition of TSP and PM 2.5 during dust storms and air pollution episodes at Xi'an, China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shen, Zhenxing; Cao, Junji; Arimoto, Richard; Han, Zhiwei; Zhang, Renjian; Han, Yuemei; Liu, Suixin; Okuda, Tomoaki; Nakao, Shunsuke; Tanaka, Shigeru

TSP and PM 2.5 samples were collected at Xi'an, China during dust storms (DSs) and several types of pollution events, including haze, biomass burning, and firework displays. Aerosol mass concentrations were up to 2 times higher during the particulate matter (PM) events than on normal days (NDs), and all types of PM led to decreased visibility. Water-soluble ions (Na +, NH 4+, K +, Mg 2+, Ca 2+, F -, Cl -, NO 3-, and SO 42-). were major aerosol components during the pollution episodes, but their concentrations were lower during DSs. NH 4+, K +, F -, Cl -, NO 3-, and SO 42- were more abundant in PM 2.5 than TSP but the opposite was true for Mg 2+ and Ca 2+. PM collected on hazy days was enriched with secondary species (NH 4+, NO 3-, and SO 42) while PM from straw combustion showed high K + and Cl -. Firework displays caused increases in K + and also enrichments of NO 3- relative to SO 42-. During DSs, the concentrations of secondary aerosol components were low, but Ca 2+ was abundant. Ion balance calculations indicate that PM from haze and straw combustion was acidic while the DSs samples were alkaline and the fireworks' PM was close to neutral. Ion ratios (SO 42-/K +, NO 3-/SO 42-, and Cl -/K +) proved effective as indicators for different pollution episodes.

Ant colony optimization for solving university facility layout problem

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mohd Jani, Nurul Hafiza; Mohd Radzi, Nor Haizan; Ngadiman, Mohd Salihin

2013-04-01

Quadratic Assignment Problems (QAP) is classified as the NP hard problem. It has been used to model a lot of problem in several areas such as operational research, combinatorial data analysis and also parallel and distributed computing, optimization problem such as graph portioning and Travel Salesman Problem (TSP). In the literature, researcher use exact algorithm, heuristics algorithm and metaheuristic approaches to solve QAP problem. QAP is largely applied in facility layout problem (FLP). In this paper we used QAP to model university facility layout problem. There are 8 facilities that need to be assigned to 8 locations. Hence we have modeled a QAP problem with n ≤ 10 and developed an Ant Colony Optimization (ACO) algorithm to solve the university facility layout problem. The objective is to assign n facilities to n locations such that the minimum product of flows and distances is obtained. Flow is the movement from one to another facility, whereas distance is the distance between one locations of a facility to other facilities locations. The objective of the QAP is to obtain minimum total walking (flow) of lecturers from one destination to another (distance).

People efficiently explore the solution space of the computationally intractable traveling salesman problem to find near-optimal tours.

PubMed

Acuña, Daniel E; Parada, Víctor

2010-07-29

Humans need to solve computationally intractable problems such as visual search, categorization, and simultaneous learning and acting, yet an increasing body of evidence suggests that their solutions to instantiations of these problems are near optimal. Computational complexity advances an explanation to this apparent paradox: (1) only a small portion of instances of such problems are actually hard, and (2) successful heuristics exploit structural properties of the typical instance to selectively improve parts that are likely to be sub-optimal. We hypothesize that these two ideas largely account for the good performance of humans on computationally hard problems. We tested part of this hypothesis by studying the solutions of 28 participants to 28 instances of the Euclidean Traveling Salesman Problem (TSP). Participants were provided feedback on the cost of their solutions and were allowed unlimited solution attempts (trials). We found a significant improvement between the first and last trials and that solutions are significantly different from random tours that follow the convex hull and do not have self-crossings. More importantly, we found that participants modified their current better solutions in such a way that edges belonging to the optimal solution ("good" edges) were significantly more likely to stay than other edges ("bad" edges), a hallmark of structural exploitation. We found, however, that more trials harmed the participants' ability to tell good from bad edges, suggesting that after too many trials the participants "ran out of ideas." In sum, we provide the first demonstration of significant performance improvement on the TSP under repetition and feedback and evidence that human problem-solving may exploit the structure of hard problems paralleling behavior of state-of-the-art heuristics.

Global Container Management Process Improvements

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-06-19

Salesman Problem . Retrieved December 31, 2014, from TSP: http://www.math.uwaterloo.ca/tsp/ Department of Defense. (2002, January 1). MIL-HDBK-138B...6 Problem Statement... Problem Statement SDDC has a fragmented GCM policy caused by horizontal levels of authority, conflicting mission and metrics, incomplete

Observed Racial Socialization and Maternal Positive Emotions in African American Mother-Adolescent Discussions about Racial Discrimination

PubMed Central

Smith-Bynum, Mia A.; Anderson, Riana E.; Davis, BreAnna L.; Franco, Marisa G.; English, Devin

2016-01-01

This study examined patterns of: (1) observed racial socialization messages in dyadic discussions between 111 African American mothers and adolescents (M age = 15.50) and (2) mothers’ positive emotions displayed during the discussion. Mothers displayed more advocacy on behalf of their adolescents in response to discrimination by a White teacher than to discrimination by a White salesperson. Mothers displayed consistent emotional support of adolescents’ problem solving across both dilemmas but lower warmth in response to the salesperson dilemma. Findings illustrate evidence of the transactional nature of racial socialization when presented with adolescents’ racial dilemmas. The role of adolescent gender in mothers’ observed racial socialization responses is also discussed. A framework for a process-oriented approach to racial socialization is presented. PMID:27211821

Improving the Cost Efficiency and Readiness of MC-130 Aircrew Training: A Case Study

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-01-01

51 Jiang, Changbing, "A reliable solver of Euclidean traveling salesman problems with Microsoft excel add-in tools for small-size systems...DisplayPage.aspx?DocType=Reference&ItemId=+++1 343364&Pubabbrev=JAWA 124 Jiang, Changbing, "A Reliable Solver of Euclidean Traveling Salesman Problems with...49 Figure 4.5 Training Resources Locations Traveling Salesperson Problem In order to participate in training, aircrews must fly to the

Large neighborhood search for the double traveling salesman problem with multiple stacks

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

Bent, Russell W; Van Hentenryck, Pascal

This paper considers a complex real-life short-haul/long haul pickup and delivery application. The problem can be modeled as double traveling salesman problem (TSP) in which the pickups and the deliveries happen in the first and second TSPs respectively. Moreover, the application features multiple stacks in which the items must be stored and the pickups and deliveries must take place in reserve (LIFO) order for each stack. The goal is to minimize the total travel time satisfying these constraints. This paper presents a large neighborhood search (LNS) algorithm which improves the best-known results on 65% of the available instances and ismore » always within 2% of the best-known solutions.« less

HTLV-1 Integration into Transcriptionally Active Genomic Regions Is Associated with Proviral Expression and with HAM/TSP

PubMed Central

Meekings, Kiran N.; Leipzig, Jeremy; Bushman, Frederic D.; Taylor, Graham P.; Bangham, Charles R. M.

2008-01-01

Human T-lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) causes leukaemia or chronic inflammatory disease in ∼5% of infected hosts. The level of proviral expression of HTLV-1 differs significantly among infected people, even at the same proviral load (proportion of infected mononuclear cells in the circulation). A high level of expression of the HTLV-1 provirus is associated with a high proviral load and a high risk of the inflammatory disease of the central nervous system known as HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP). But the factors that control the rate of HTLV-1 proviral expression remain unknown. Here we show that proviral integration sites of HTLV-1 in vivo are not randomly distributed within the human genome but are associated with transcriptionally active regions. Comparison of proviral integration sites between individuals with high and low levels of proviral expression, and between provirus-expressing and provirus non-expressing cells from within an individual, demonstrated that frequent integration into transcription units was associated with an increased rate of proviral expression. An increased frequency of integration sites in transcription units in individuals with high proviral expression was also associated with the inflammatory disease HAM/TSP. By comparing the distribution of integration sites in human lymphocytes infected in short-term cell culture with those from persistent infection in vivo, we infer the action of two selective forces that shape the distribution of integration sites in vivo: positive selection for cells containing proviral integration sites in transcriptionally active regions of the genome, and negative selection against cells with proviral integration sites within transcription units. PMID:18369476

People Efficiently Explore the Solution Space of the Computationally Intractable Traveling Salesman Problem to Find Near-Optimal Tours

PubMed Central

Acuña, Daniel E.; Parada, Víctor

2010-01-01

Humans need to solve computationally intractable problems such as visual search, categorization, and simultaneous learning and acting, yet an increasing body of evidence suggests that their solutions to instantiations of these problems are near optimal. Computational complexity advances an explanation to this apparent paradox: (1) only a small portion of instances of such problems are actually hard, and (2) successful heuristics exploit structural properties of the typical instance to selectively improve parts that are likely to be sub-optimal. We hypothesize that these two ideas largely account for the good performance of humans on computationally hard problems. We tested part of this hypothesis by studying the solutions of 28 participants to 28 instances of the Euclidean Traveling Salesman Problem (TSP). Participants were provided feedback on the cost of their solutions and were allowed unlimited solution attempts (trials). We found a significant improvement between the first and last trials and that solutions are significantly different from random tours that follow the convex hull and do not have self-crossings. More importantly, we found that participants modified their current better solutions in such a way that edges belonging to the optimal solution (“good” edges) were significantly more likely to stay than other edges (“bad” edges), a hallmark of structural exploitation. We found, however, that more trials harmed the participants' ability to tell good from bad edges, suggesting that after too many trials the participants “ran out of ideas.” In sum, we provide the first demonstration of significant performance improvement on the TSP under repetition and feedback and evidence that human problem-solving may exploit the structure of hard problems paralleling behavior of state-of-the-art heuristics. PMID:20686597

Receptor modeling of PM2.5, PM10 and TSP in different seasons and long-range transport analysis at a coastal site of Tianjin, China.

PubMed

Kong, Shaofei; Han, Bin; Bai, Zhipeng; Chen, Li; Shi, Jianwu; Xu, Zhun

2010-09-15

Atmospheric particulate matter (PM(2.5), PM(10) and TSP) were sampled synchronously during three monitoring campaigns from June 2007 to February 2008 at a coastal site in TEDA of Tianjin, China. Chemical compositions including 19 elements, 6 water-solubility ions, organic and elemental carbon were determined. principle components analysis (PCA) and chemical mass balance modeling (CMB) were applied to determine the PM sources and their contributions with the assistance of NSS SO(4)(2)(-), the mass ratios of NO(3)(-) to SO(4)(2)(-) and OC to EC. Air mass backward trajectory model was compared with source apportionment results to evaluate the origin of PM. Results showed that NSS SO(4)(2)(-) values for PM(2.5) were 2147.38, 1701.26 and 239.80 ng/m(3) in summer, autumn and winter, reflecting the influence of sources from local emissions. Most of it was below zero in summer for PM(10) indicating the influence of sea salt. The ratios of NO(3)(-) to SO(4)(2)(-) was 0.19 for PM(2.5), 0.18 for PM(10) and 0.19 for TSP in winter indicating high amounts of coal consumed for heating purpose. Higher OC/EC values (mostly larger than 2.5) demonstrated that secondary organic aerosol was abundant at this site. The major sources were construction activities, road dust, vehicle emissions, marine aerosol, metal manufacturing, secondary sulfate aerosols, soil dust, biomass burning, some pharmaceutics industries and fuel-oil combustion according to PCA. Coal combustion, marine aerosol, vehicular emission and soil dust explained 5-31%, 1-13%, 13-44% and 3-46% for PM(2.5), PM(10) and TSP, respectively. Backward trajectory analysis showed air parcels originating from sea accounted for 39% in summer, while in autumn and winter the air parcels were mainly related to continental origin. Copyright 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Solving NP-Hard Problems with Physarum-Based Ant Colony System.

PubMed

Liu, Yuxin; Gao, Chao; Zhang, Zili; Lu, Yuxiao; Chen, Shi; Liang, Mingxin; Tao, Li

2017-01-01

NP-hard problems exist in many real world applications. Ant colony optimization (ACO) algorithms can provide approximate solutions for those NP-hard problems, but the performance of ACO algorithms is significantly reduced due to premature convergence and weak robustness, etc. With these observations in mind, this paper proposes a Physarum-based pheromone matrix optimization strategy in ant colony system (ACS) for solving NP-hard problems such as traveling salesman problem (TSP) and 0/1 knapsack problem (0/1 KP). In the Physarum-inspired mathematical model, one of the unique characteristics is that critical tubes can be reserved in the process of network evolution. The optimized updating strategy employs the unique feature and accelerates the positive feedback process in ACS, which contributes to the quick convergence of the optimal solution. Some experiments were conducted using both benchmark and real datasets. The experimental results show that the optimized ACS outperforms other meta-heuristic algorithms in accuracy and robustness for solving TSPs. Meanwhile, the convergence rate and robustness for solving 0/1 KPs are better than those of classical ACS.

TARCMO: Theory and Algorithms for Robust, Combinatorial, Multicriteria Optimization

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-11-28

objective 9 4.6 On The Recoverable Robust Traveling Salesman Problem . . . . . 11 4.7 A Bicriteria Approach to Robust Optimization...be found. 4.6 On The Recoverable Robust Traveling Salesman Problem The traveling salesman problem (TSP) is a well-known combinatorial optimiza- tion...procedure for the robust traveling salesman problem . While this iterative algorithms results in an optimal solution to the robust TSP, computation

Polynomial Size Formulations for the Distance and Capacity Constrained Vehicle Routing Problem

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kara, Imdat; Derya, Tusan

2011-09-01

The Distance and Capacity Constrained Vehicle Routing Problem (DCVRP) is an extension of the well known Traveling Salesman Problem (TSP). DCVRP arises in distribution and logistics problems. It would be beneficial to construct new formulations, which is the main motivation and contribution of this paper. We focused on two indexed integer programming formulations for DCVRP. One node based and one arc (flow) based formulation for DCVRP are presented. Both formulations have O(n2) binary variables and O(n2) constraints, i.e., the number of the decision variables and constraints grows with a polynomial function of the nodes of the underlying graph. It is shown that proposed arc based formulation produces better lower bound than the existing one (this refers to the Water's formulation in the paper). Finally, various problems from literature are solved with the node based and arc based formulations by using CPLEX 8.0. Preliminary computational analysis shows that, arc based formulation outperforms the node based formulation in terms of linear programming relaxation.

On-Orbit Range Set Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Holzinger, M.; Scheeres, D.

2011-09-01

History and methodology of Δv range set computation is briefly reviewed, followed by a short summary of the Δv optimal spacecraft servicing problem literature. Service vehicle placement is approached from a Δv range set viewpoint, providing a framework under which the analysis becomes quite geometric and intuitive. The optimal servicing tour design problem is shown to be a specific instantiation of the metric- Traveling Salesman Problem (TSP), which in general is an NP-hard problem. The Δv-TSP is argued to be quite similar to the Euclidean-TSP, for which approximate optimal solutions may be found in polynomial time. Applications of range sets are demonstrated using analytical and simulation results.

Defective human T-cell lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I) provirus in seronegative tropical spastic paraparesis/HTLV-I-associated myelopathy (TSP/HAM) patients.

PubMed

Ramirez, E; Fernandez, J; Cartier, L; Villota, C; Rios, M

2003-02-01

Infection with human T-cell lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-I) have been associated with the development of the tropical spastic paraparesis/HTLV-I-associated myelopathy (TSP/HAM). We studied the presence of HTLV-I provirus in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from 72 Chilean patients with progressive spastic paraparesis by polymerase chain reaction: 32 seropositive and 40 seronegative cases. We amplified different genomic regions of HTLV-I using primers of 5' ltr, tax, env/tax, pX, pol and env genes. These genes were detected from all seropositive patients. The seronegative patients were negative with 5' ltr, pol, env, and pX primers. However, amplified product of tax and env/tax genes was detected from 16 and four seronegative patients, respectively. Three of them were positive with both genetic regions. The results of this study show that the complete HTLV-I provirus is found in 100% of seropositive cases. In seronegative cases, clinically very similar of seropositive cases, was found only tax gene in 42.5% (17/40) of patients. These results suggest the presence of a defective HTLV-I provirus in some seronegative patients with progressive spastic paraparesis, and suggest a pathogenic role of this truncate provirus for a group of TSP/HAM.

Accelerating Time-Varying Hardware Volume Rendering Using TSP Trees and Color-Based Error Metrics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ellsworth, David; Chiang, Ling-Jen; Shen, Han-Wei; Kwak, Dochan (Technical Monitor)

2000-01-01

This paper describes a new hardware volume rendering algorithm for time-varying data. The algorithm uses the Time-Space Partitioning (TSP) tree data structure to identify regions within the data that have spatial or temporal coherence. By using this coherence, the rendering algorithm can improve performance when the volume data is larger than the texture memory capacity by decreasing the amount of textures required. This coherence can also allow improved speed by appropriately rendering flat-shaded polygons instead of textured polygons, and by not rendering transparent regions. To reduce the polygonization overhead caused by the use of the hierarchical data structure, we introduce an optimization method using polygon templates. The paper also introduces new color-based error metrics, which more accurately identify coherent regions compared to the earlier scalar-based metrics. By showing experimental results from runs using different data sets and error metrics, we demonstrate that the new methods give substantial improvements in volume rendering performance.

Characterization of a novel gene at the Gaucher disease locus spanning the region between the glucocerebrosidase (GC) pseudogene and thrombospondin (TSP)3

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

Ginns, E.I.; Winfield, S.; Sidransky, E.

1994-09-01

The human GC locus on chromosome 1q21 encompasses a 7 kb functional gene encoding the enzyme deficient in Gaucher disease, and a highly homologous sequence 16 Kb downstream that has the properties of a pseudogene. A novel gene, gene X, spanning the 6 kb region between the pseudogene and TSP3 has been identified and characterized in the mouse, and appears to be critical for normal embryonic development. As in the mouse, the human gene X is located 5{prime} to the TSP3 gene and two genes are transcribed divergently from a bidirectional promoter; the direction of transcription of gene X andmore » GC is convergent. However, in the human, gene X and GC are separated by gene X and GC pseudogenes that are the consequence of a gene duplication. The gene X pseudogene lacks the first exon and part of the second exon of the functional gene and may not be transcribed. Northern blot analyses indicate that gene X is transcribed in both normal individuals and in patients with Gaucher disease, but the function of this gene is still unknown. The possibility that mutations in gene X could account for some of the diversity of symptoms encountered in individuals with the more atypical presentations of Gaucher disease is under investigation.« less

Enterprise Analysis of Strategic Airlift to Obtain Competitive Advantage Through Fuel Efficiency

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-09-18

Single Dimension Value Function SFC Specific Fuel Consumption TRANSCAP Transportation System Capability TSP Travelling Salesman Problem VFT...the value posed by limiting intermediate nodes and en route stops. According to Flood (1955), the Travelling Salesman Problem (TSP) was first...B. (1954). The Problem of Routing Aircraft, a Mathematical Solution. (No. P-561). RAND CORP SANTA MONICA CALIF. Flood, M. M. (1956). The Traveling

Network Design for Reliability and Resilience to Attack

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-03-01

attacker can destroy n arcs in the network SPNI Shortest-Path Network-Interdiction problem TSP Traveling Salesman Problem UB upper bound UKR Ukraine...elimination from the traveling salesman problem (TSP). Literature calls a walk that does not contain a cycle a path [19]. The objective function in...arc lengths as random variables with known probability distributions. The m-median problem seeks to design a network with minimum average travel cost

The Mice Drawer System Tissue Sharing Program (MDS-TSP)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Biticchi, Roberta; Cancedda, Ranieri; Cilli, Michele; Cotronei, Vittorio; Costa, Delfina; Liu, Yi; Piccardi, Federica; Pignataro, Salvatore; Ruggiu, Alessandra; Tasso, Roberta; Tavella, Sara

obtain from the animals sent to the ISS as much as possible information including also microgravity induced modifications of tissues other than bone, we associated to the MDS experiment several international group from Italian, American, Japanese Universities and from NASA and JAXA labs and we created a Tissue Sharing Program (TSP). In total 17 groups from 6 countries were involved in the program. The MDS payload containing three PTN-transgenic mice (Tg) and three wild type (Wt) mice was launched with the Shuttle STS-128, on August, 28 2009 and the MDS transferred to the ISS for three months. The payload re-entry was with the Shuttle STS-129 on November, 27 2009 in Florida. Unfortunately during this period 3 mice (two Wt and one Tg) died due to a spinal cord lesion probably occurred during the shuttle lift off, a liver pathology and a failure of the food delivery system respectively. All the three dead mice were however frozen for subsequent skeletal analysis. The remaining 3 mice had a normal behavior during the flight and appeared in excellent health conditions at the time of landing. During the MDS stay at the ISS several physical parameters were under daily check. With regard to the animal health status checking, the daily water consumption for each individual mouse revealed to be one of the most important parameter. Immediately after landing the mice were sacrificed, blood parameter were measured and all different tissues were dissected. Samples from almost the entire organism are now under investigation by the TSP team. A ground replica of the flight experiment ("ground control") was performed at the University of Genova from November 2009 to the second week of February 2010. Some of the initial results from the flight and the ground control experiments are presented in the individual abstracts.

A Methodology For Measuring Resilience in a Satellite-Based Communication Network

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-03-27

solving the Travelling Salesman Problem (TSP) (Solnon p. 1). Based upon swarm intelligence, in a travelling salesman problem ants are sent out from...developed for the Travelling Salesman Problem (TSP) in 1992 (Solnon p. 1), this metaheuristic shows its roots in the original formulations. Given v, the...is lost. To tackle this problem , a common LEO orbit type is examined, the polar orbit. Polar LEO satellites travel from the south pole to the

Determination of optimal self-drive tourism route using the orienteering problem method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hashim, Zakiah; Ismail, Wan Rosmanira; Ahmad, Norfaieqah

2013-04-01

This paper was conducted to determine the optimal travel routes for self-drive tourism based on the allocation of time and expense by maximizing the amount of attraction scores assigned to each city involved. Self-drive tourism represents a type of tourism where tourists hire or travel by their own vehicle. It only involves a tourist destination which can be linked with a network of roads. Normally, the traveling salesman problem (TSP) and multiple traveling salesman problems (MTSP) method were used in the minimization problem such as determination the shortest time or distance traveled. This paper involved an alternative approach for maximization method which is maximize the attraction scores and tested on tourism data for ten cities in Kedah. A set of priority scores are used to set the attraction score at each city. The classical approach of the orienteering problem was used to determine the optimal travel route. This approach is extended to the team orienteering problem and the two methods were compared. These two models have been solved by using LINGO12.0 software. The results indicate that the model involving the team orienteering problem provides a more appropriate solution compared to the orienteering problem model.

Neurally and Ocularly Informed Graph-Based Models for Searching 3D Environments

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-06-03

hBCI = hybrid brain–computer interface, TAG = transductive annotation by graph, CV = computer vision, TSP = traveling salesman problem . are navigated...environment that are most likely to contain objects that the subject would like to visit. 2.9. Route planning A traveling salesman problem (TSP) solver...fixations in a visual search task using fixation-related potentials J. Vis. 13 Croes G 1958 A method for solving traveling - salesman problems Oper. Res

Dose-Related Effects of Alcohol on Cognitive Functioning

PubMed Central

Dry, Matthew J.; Burns, Nicholas R.; Nettelbeck, Ted; Farquharson, Aaron L.; White, Jason M.

2012-01-01

We assessed the suitability of six applied tests of cognitive functioning to provide a single marker for dose-related alcohol intoxication. Numerous studies have demonstrated that alcohol has a deleterious effect on specific areas of cognitive processing but few have compared the effects of alcohol across a wide range of different cognitive processes. Adult participants (N = 56, 32 males, 24 females aged 18–45 years) were randomized to control or alcohol treatments within a mixed design experiment involving multiple-dosages at approximately one hour intervals (attained mean blood alcohol concentrations (BACs) of 0.00, 0.048, 0.082 and 0.10%), employing a battery of six psychometric tests; the Useful Field of View test (UFOV; processing speed together with directed attention); the Self-Ordered Pointing Task (SOPT; working memory); Inspection Time (IT; speed of processing independent from motor responding); the Traveling Salesperson Problem (TSP; strategic optimization); the Sustained Attention to Response Task (SART; vigilance, response inhibition and psychomotor function); and the Trail-Making Test (TMT; cognitive flexibility and psychomotor function). Results demonstrated that impairment is not uniform across different domains of cognitive processing and that both the size of the alcohol effect and the magnitude of effect change across different dose levels are quantitatively different for different cognitive processes. Only IT met the criteria for a marker for wide-spread application: reliable dose-related decline in a basic process as a function of rising BAC level and easy to use non-invasive task properties. PMID:23209840

Water soluble ions in aerosols (TSP) : Characteristics, sources and seasonal variation over the central Himalayas, Nepal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tripathee, Lekhendra; Kang, Shichang; Zhang, Qianggong; Rupakheti, Dipesh

2016-04-01

Atmspheric pollutants transported from South Asia could have adverse impact on the Himalayan ecosystems. Investigation of aerosol chemistry in the Himalayan region in Nepal has been limited on a temporal and spatial scale to date. Therefore, the water-soluble ionic composition of aerosol using TSP sampler was investigated for a year period from April 2013 to March 2014 at four sites Bode, Dhunche, Lumbini and Jomsom characterized as an urban, rural, semi-urban and remote sites in Nepal. During the study period, the highest concentration of major cation was Ca2+ with an average concentration of 8.91, 2.17, 7.85 and 6.42 μg m-3 and the highest concentration of major anion was SO42- with an average of 10.96, 4.06, 6.85 and 3.30 μg m-3 at Bode, Dhunche, Lumbini and Jomsom respectively. The soluble ions showed the decrease in concentrations from urban to the rural site. Correlations and PCA analysis suggested that that SO42-, NO3- and NH4+ were derived from the anthropogenic sources where as the Ca2+ and Mg2+ were from crustal sources. Our results also suggest that the largest acid neutralizing agent at our sampling sites in the central Himalayas are Ca2+ followed by NH4+. Seasonal variations of soluble ions in aerosols showed higher concentrations during pre-monsoon and winter (dry-periods) due to limited precipitation amount and lower concentrations during the monsoon which can be explained by the dilution effect, higher the precipitation lower the concentration. K+ which is regarded as the tracer of biomss burning had a significant peaks during pre-monsoon season when the forest fires are active around the regions. In general, the results of this study suggests that the atmospheric chemistry is influenced by natural and anthropogenic sources. Thus, soluble ionic concentrations in aerosols from central Himalayas, Nepal can provide a useful database to assess atmospheric environment and its impacts on human health and ecosystem in the southern side of central

Amoeba-based computing for traveling salesman problem: long-term correlations between spatially separated individual cells of Physarum polycephalum.

PubMed

Zhu, Liping; Aono, Masashi; Kim, Song-Ju; Hara, Masahiko

2013-04-01

A single-celled, multi-nucleated amoeboid organism, a plasmodium of the true slime mold Physarum polycephalum, can perform sophisticated computing by exhibiting complex spatiotemporal oscillatory dynamics while deforming its amorphous body. We previously devised an "amoeba-based computer (ABC)" to quantitatively evaluate the optimization capability of the amoeboid organism in searching for a solution to the traveling salesman problem (TSP) under optical feedback control. In ABC, the organism changes its shape to find a high quality solution (a relatively shorter TSP route) by alternately expanding and contracting its pseudopod-like branches that exhibit local photoavoidance behavior. The quality of the solution serves as a measure of the optimality of which the organism maximizes its global body area (nutrient absorption) while minimizing the risk of being illuminated (exposure to aversive stimuli). ABC found a high quality solution for the 8-city TSP with a high probability. However, it remains unclear whether intracellular communication among the branches of the organism is essential for computing. In this study, we conducted a series of control experiments using two individual cells (two single-celled organisms) to perform parallel searches in the absence of intercellular communication. We found that ABC drastically lost its ability to find a solution when it used two independent individuals. However, interestingly, when two individuals were prepared by dividing one individual, they found a solution for a few tens of minutes. That is, the two divided individuals remained correlated even though they were spatially separated. These results suggest the presence of a long-term memory in the intrinsic dynamics of this organism and its significance in performing sophisticated computing. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

"Countersociopathy": Dealing with Today's Aggressive Telemarketers and Salespeople.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tentoni, Stuart C.

The purpose of this paper is to propose the construct of "countersociopathy" and specific activities consumers can undertake in a variety of sales conditions and situations. These activities are not only designed to passively neutralize the telemarketer's or salesperson's aggressiveness, but can lead to the salesperson wanting to quickly…

On the Miller-Tucker-Zemlin Based Formulations for the Distance Constrained Vehicle Routing Problems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kara, Imdat

2010-11-01

Vehicle Routing Problem (VRP), is an extension of the well known Traveling Salesman Problem (TSP) and has many practical applications in the fields of distribution and logistics. When the VRP consists of distance based constraints it is called Distance Constrained Vehicle Routing Problem (DVRP). However, the literature addressing on the DVRP is scarce. In this paper, existing two-indexed integer programming formulations, having Miller-Tucker-Zemlin based subtour elimination constraints, are reviewed. Existing formulations are simplified and obtained formulation is presented as formulation F1. It is shown that, the distance bounding constraints of the formulation F1, may not generate the distance traveled up to the related node. To do this, we redefine the auxiliary variables of the formulation and propose second formulation F2 with new and easy to use distance bounding constraints. Adaptation of the second formulation to the cases where new restrictions such as minimal distance traveled by each vehicle or other objectives such as minimizing the longest distance traveled is discussed.

Physics-Aware Informative Coverage Planning for Autonomous Vehicles

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-06-01

environment and find the optimal path connecting fixed nodes, which is equivalent to solving the Traveling Salesman Problem (TSP). While TSP is an NP...intended for application to USV harbor patrolling, it is applicable to many different domains. The problem of traveling over an area and gathering...environment. I. INTRODUCTION There are many applications that need persistent monitor- ing of a given area, requiring repeated travel over the area to

Optimal Patrol to Detect Attacks at Dispersed Heterogeneous Locations

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-12-01

path with one revisit SPR2 Shortest path with two revisits SPR3 Shortest path with three revisits TSP Traveling salesman problem UAV Unmanned aerial...path patrol pattern. Finding the shortest-path patrol pattern is an example of solving a traveling salesman problem , as described in Section 16.5 of...use of patrol paths based on the traveling salesman prob- lem (TSP), where patrollers follow the shortest Hamiltonian cycle in a graph in order to

Planning paths to multiple targets: memory involvement and planning heuristics in spatial problem solving.

PubMed

Wiener, J M; Ehbauer, N N; Mallot, H A

2009-09-01

For large numbers of targets, path planning is a complex and computationally expensive task. Humans, however, usually solve such tasks quickly and efficiently. We present experiments studying human path planning performance and the cognitive processes and heuristics involved. Twenty-five places were arranged on a regular grid in a large room. Participants were repeatedly asked to solve traveling salesman problems (TSP), i.e., to find the shortest closed loop connecting a start location with multiple target locations. In Experiment 1, we tested whether humans employed the nearest neighbor (NN) strategy when solving the TSP. Results showed that subjects outperform the NN-strategy, suggesting that it is not sufficient to explain human route planning behavior. As a second possible strategy we tested a hierarchical planning heuristic in Experiment 2, demonstrating that participants first plan a coarse route on the region level that is refined during navigation. To test for the relevance of spatial working memory (SWM) and spatial long-term memory (LTM) for planning performance and the planning heuristics applied, we varied the memory demands between conditions in Experiment 2. In one condition the target locations were directly marked, such that no memory was required; a second condition required participants to memorize the target locations during path planning (SWM); in a third condition, additionally, the locations of targets had to retrieved from LTM (SWM and LTM). Results showed that navigation performance decreased with increasing memory demands while the dependence on the hierarchical planning heuristic increased.

Risk assessment of non-dietary exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) via house PM2.5, TSP and dust and the implications from human hair

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Wei; Huang, Min-juan; Chan, Chuen-Yu; Cheung, Kwai Chung; Wong, Ming Hung

2013-07-01

To evaluate the cancer risk due to non-dietary PAHs exposure in home environment (inhalation and ingestion), exposure to fine particles (PM2.5) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) of PM2.5, total suspend particles (TSP) and dust in homes at two urban centers of Pearl River Delta were assessed. House PM2.5 bound PAHs in Guangzhou (GZ) ranged from 10.0 to 61.9 ng m-3 and 0.72 to 8.15 ng m-3 in Hong Kong (HK). PAH profiles found in PM2.5, TSP and dust were different than that in hair (dominated by Nap and Phe). Pyr and Flu in house dust significantly correlated with that in hair (r = 0.69; 0.55, p < 0.05) but no correlation was found between PAHs in hair and PM2.5. High correlation coefficients (r2 = 0.97/0.95, p < 0.01) were noted between dibenzo(a,h)anthracene (DBA) and Toxicity Equivalent Concentrations (TEQs) of dust and PM2.5. The lung cancer risks based on PM2.5 bound PAHs exposure in houses of GZ (10-5-10-4) were significantly higher than those of HK (10-6-10-5), which were also significantly higher than the cancer risks associated with house dust intake (10-7-10-5) in GZ. PAHs exposure via non-dietary route (PM2.5 and dust) was found to be 1-3 times higher than fish consumption for children and contributed to 52-76% of total PAHs intake for children and 24-50% for adults in GZ.

An Adaptive Pheromone Updation of the Ant-System using LMS Technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Paul, Abhishek; Mukhopadhyay, Sumitra

2010-10-01

We propose a modified model of pheromone updation for Ant-System, entitled as Adaptive Ant System (AAS), using the properties of basic Adaptive Filters. Here, we have exploited the properties of Least Mean Square (LMS) algorithm for the pheromone updation to find out the best minimum tour for the Travelling Salesman Problem (TSP). TSP library has been used for the selection of benchmark problem and the proposed AAS determines the minimum tour length for the problems containing large number of cities. Our algorithm shows effective results and gives least tour length in most of the cases as compared to other existing approaches.

Estimates of ground level TSP, SO sub 2 and HCI for a municipal waste incinerator to be located at Tynes Bay - Bermuda

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

Kent Simmons, J.A.; Knap, A.H.

1991-04-01

The computer model Industrial Source Complex Short Term (ISCST) was used to study the stack emissions from a refuse incinerator proposed for the inland of Bermuda. The model predicts that the highest ground level pollutant concentrations will occur near Prospect, 800 m to 1,000 m due south of the stack. The authors installed a portable laboratory and instruments at Prospect to begin making air quality baseline measurements. By comparing the model's estimates of the incinerator contribution to the background levels measured at the site they predicted that stack emissions would not cause an increase in TSP or SO{sub 2}. Themore » incinerator will be a significant source of HCI to Bermuda air with ambient levels approaching air quality guidelines.« less

Bi-criteria travelling salesman subtour problem with time threshold

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumar Thenepalle, Jayanth; Singamsetty, Purusotham

2018-03-01

This paper deals with the bi-criteria travelling salesman subtour problem with time threshold (BTSSP-T), which comes from the family of the travelling salesman problem (TSP) and is NP-hard in the strong sense. The problem arises in several application domains, mainly in routing and scheduling contexts. Here, the model focuses on two criteria: total travel distance and gains attained. The BTSSP-T aims to determine a subtour that starts and ends at the same city and visits a subset of cities at a minimum travel distance with maximum gains, such that the time spent on the tour does not exceed the predefined time threshold. A zero-one integer-programming problem is adopted to formulate this model with all practical constraints, and it includes a finite set of feasible solutions (one for each tour). Two algorithms, namely, the Lexi-Search Algorithm (LSA) and the Tabu Search (TS) algorithm have been developed to solve the BTSSP-T problem. The proposed LSA implicitly enumerates the feasible patterns and provides an efficient solution with backtracking, whereas the TS, which is metaheuristic, will give the better approximate solution. A numerical example is demonstrated in order to understand the search mechanism of the LSA. Numerical experiments are carried out in the MATLAB environment, on the different benchmark instances available in the TSPLIB domain as well as on randomly generated test instances. The experimental results show that the proposed LSA works better than the TS algorithm in terms of solution quality and, computationally, both LSA and TS are competitive.

Prevalence and associated factors for thoracic spine pain in the adult working population: a literature review.

PubMed

Briggs, Andrew M; Bragge, Peter; Smith, Anne J; Govil, Dhruv; Straker, Leon M

2009-01-01

Spinal pain is a significant occupational health issue. Whilst neck pain and low back pain have received considerable attention, thoracic spinal pain (TSP) has not. The objective of this study was to systematically identify and report the evidence describing the prevalence and correlates of TSP within occupational groups. This literature review systematically searched for reports of TSP prevalence and associated factors for TSP in working adult cohorts using nine electronic databases. Studies were evaluated for level of evidence and epidemiologic data were narratively synthesised. 52 studies were identified describing 65 cohorts covering manual labourers, office workers, health professionals, manufacturing and industrial workers, drivers, military personnel and performing artists. Prevalence varied with occupational group and time period. One year prevalence of TSP ranged from 3.0-55.0%, with most occupational groups having medians around 30%. Significant odds ratios for individual (concurrent musculoskeletal disorders, exercising, pre-menstrual tension and female gender), general work-related (high work load, high work intensity, perceiving ergonomic problems in the workplace, working in some specialised areas, performing boring/tedious work tasks, certain year levels of study, employment duration, driving specialised vehicles, and a high number of flying hours), physical work-related (manual physiotherapy tasks, climbing stairs and high physical stress) and psychosocial work-related (perceived risk of injury and high mental pressure) factors were reported. The high median prevalence rates suggest TSP may be a significant occupational health problem. The multiple domains of associated factors point to the need for prospective research encompassing these domains to inform targeted occupational interventions.

Exact and Approximate Stability of Solutions to Traveling Salesman Problems.

PubMed

Niendorf, Moritz; Girard, Anouck R

2018-02-01

This paper presents the stability analysis of an optimal tour for the symmetric traveling salesman problem (TSP) by obtaining stability regions. The stability region of an optimal tour is the set of all cost changes for which that solution remains optimal and can be understood as the margin of optimality for a solution with respect to perturbations in the problem data. It is known that it is not possible to test in polynomial time whether an optimal tour remains optimal after the cost of an arbitrary set of edges changes. Therefore, this paper develops tractable methods to obtain under and over approximations of stability regions based on neighborhoods and relaxations. The application of the results to the two-neighborhood and the minimum 1 tree (M1T) relaxation are discussed in detail. For Euclidean TSPs, stability regions with respect to vertex location perturbations and the notion of safe radii and location criticalities are introduced. Benefits of this paper include insight into robustness properties of tours, minimum spanning trees, M1Ts, and fast methods to evaluate optimality after perturbations occur. Numerical examples are given to demonstrate the methods and achievable approximation quality.

An improved self-adaptive ant colony algorithm based on genetic strategy for the traveling salesman problem

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Pan; Zhang, Yi; Yan, Dong

2018-05-01

Ant Colony Algorithm (ACA) is a powerful and effective algorithm for solving the combination optimization problem. Moreover, it was successfully used in traveling salesman problem (TSP). But it is easy to prematurely converge to the non-global optimal solution and the calculation time is too long. To overcome those shortcomings, a new method is presented-An improved self-adaptive Ant Colony Algorithm based on genetic strategy. The proposed method adopts adaptive strategy to adjust the parameters dynamically. And new crossover operation and inversion operation in genetic strategy was used in this method. We also make an experiment using the well-known data in TSPLIB. The experiment results show that the performance of the proposed method is better than the basic Ant Colony Algorithm and some improved ACA in both the result and the convergence time. The numerical results obtained also show that the proposed optimization method can achieve results close to the theoretical best known solutions at present.

Better sales networks.

PubMed

Ustüner, Tuba; Godes, David

2006-01-01

Anyone in sales will tell you that social networks are critical. The more contacts you have, the more leads you'll generate, and, ultimately, the more sales you'll make. But that's a vast oversimplification. Different configurations of networks produce different results, and the salesperson who develops a nuanced understanding of social networks will outshine competitors. The salesperson's job changes over the course of the selling process. Different abilities are required in each stage of the sale: identifying prospects, gaining buy-in from potential customers, creating solutions, and closing the deal. Success in the first stage, for instance, depends on the salesperson acquiring precise and timely information about opportunities from contacts in the marketplace. Closing the deal requires the salesperson to mobilize contacts from prior sales to act as references. Managers often view sales networks only in terms of direct contacts. But someone who knows lots of people doesn't necessarily have an effective network because networks often pay off most handsomely through indirect contacts. Moreover, the density of the connections in a network is important. Do a salesperson's contacts know all the same people, or are their associates widely dispersed? Sparse networks are better, for example, at generating unique information. Managers can use three levers--sales force structure, compensation, and skills development--to encourage salespeople to adopt a network-based view and make the best possible use of social webs. For example, the sales force can be restructured to decouple lead generation from other tasks because some people are very good at building diverse ties but not so good at maintaining other kinds of networks. Companies that take steps of this kind to help their sales teams build better networks will reap tremendous advantages.

Solving the Traveling Salesman's Problem Using the African Buffalo Optimization.

PubMed

Odili, Julius Beneoluchi; Mohmad Kahar, Mohd Nizam

2016-01-01

This paper proposes the African Buffalo Optimization (ABO) which is a new metaheuristic algorithm that is derived from careful observation of the African buffalos, a species of wild cows, in the African forests and savannahs. This animal displays uncommon intelligence, strategic organizational skills, and exceptional navigational ingenuity in its traversal of the African landscape in search for food. The African Buffalo Optimization builds a mathematical model from the behavior of this animal and uses the model to solve 33 benchmark symmetric Traveling Salesman's Problem and six difficult asymmetric instances from the TSPLIB. This study shows that buffalos are able to ensure excellent exploration and exploitation of the search space through regular communication, cooperation, and good memory of its previous personal exploits as well as tapping from the herd's collective exploits. The results obtained by using the ABO to solve these TSP cases were benchmarked against the results obtained by using other popular algorithms. The results obtained using the African Buffalo Optimization algorithm are very competitive.

Solving the Traveling Salesman's Problem Using the African Buffalo Optimization

PubMed Central

Odili, Julius Beneoluchi; Mohmad Kahar, Mohd Nizam

2016-01-01

This paper proposes the African Buffalo Optimization (ABO) which is a new metaheuristic algorithm that is derived from careful observation of the African buffalos, a species of wild cows, in the African forests and savannahs. This animal displays uncommon intelligence, strategic organizational skills, and exceptional navigational ingenuity in its traversal of the African landscape in search for food. The African Buffalo Optimization builds a mathematical model from the behavior of this animal and uses the model to solve 33 benchmark symmetric Traveling Salesman's Problem and six difficult asymmetric instances from the TSPLIB. This study shows that buffalos are able to ensure excellent exploration and exploitation of the search space through regular communication, cooperation, and good memory of its previous personal exploits as well as tapping from the herd's collective exploits. The results obtained by using the ABO to solve these TSP cases were benchmarked against the results obtained by using other popular algorithms. The results obtained using the African Buffalo Optimization algorithm are very competitive. PMID:26880872

A Hybrid Symbiotic Organisms Search Algorithm with Variable Neighbourhood Search for Solving Symmetric and Asymmetric Traveling Salesman Problem

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Umam, M. I. H.; Santosa, B.

2018-04-01

Combinatorial optimization has been frequently used to solve both problems in science, engineering, and commercial applications. One combinatorial problems in the field of transportation is to find a shortest travel route that can be taken from the initial point of departure to point of destination, as well as minimizing travel costs and travel time. When the distance from one (initial) node to another (destination) node is the same with the distance to travel back from destination to initial, this problems known to the Traveling Salesman Problem (TSP), otherwise it call as an Asymmetric Traveling Salesman Problem (ATSP). The most recent optimization techniques is Symbiotic Organisms Search (SOS). This paper discuss how to hybrid the SOS algorithm with variable neighborhoods search (SOS-VNS) that can be applied to solve the ATSP problem. The proposed mechanism to add the variable neighborhoods search as a local search is to generate the better initial solution and then we modify the phase of parasites with adapting mechanism of mutation. After modification, the performance of the algorithm SOS-VNS is evaluated with several data sets and then the results is compared with the best known solution and some algorithm such PSO algorithm and SOS original algorithm. The SOS-VNS algorithm shows better results based on convergence, divergence and computing time.

An evolutionary algorithm for large traveling salesman problems.

PubMed

Tsai, Huai-Kuang; Yang, Jinn-Moon; Tsai, Yuan-Fang; Kao, Cheng-Yan

2004-08-01

This work proposes an evolutionary algorithm, called the heterogeneous selection evolutionary algorithm (HeSEA), for solving large traveling salesman problems (TSP). The strengths and limitations of numerous well-known genetic operators are first analyzed, along with local search methods for TSPs from their solution qualities and mechanisms for preserving and adding edges. Based on this analysis, a new approach, HeSEA is proposed which integrates edge assembly crossover (EAX) and Lin-Kernighan (LK) local search, through family competition and heterogeneous pairing selection. This study demonstrates experimentally that EAX and LK can compensate for each other's disadvantages. Family competition and heterogeneous pairing selections are used to maintain the diversity of the population, which is especially useful for evolutionary algorithms in solving large TSPs. The proposed method was evaluated on 16 well-known TSPs in which the numbers of cities range from 318 to 13509. Experimental results indicate that HeSEA performs well and is very competitive with other approaches. The proposed method can determine the optimum path when the number of cities is under 10,000 and the mean solution quality is within 0.0074% above the optimum for each test problem. These findings imply that the proposed method can find tours robustly with a fixed small population and a limited family competition length in reasonable time, when used to solve large TSPs.

Human performance on visually presented Traveling Salesman problems.

PubMed

Vickers, D; Butavicius, M; Lee, M; Medvedev, A

2001-01-01

Little research has been carried out on human performance in optimization problems, such as the Traveling Salesman problem (TSP). Studies by Polivanova (1974, Voprosy Psikhologii, 4, 41-51) and by MacGregor and Ormerod (1996, Perception & Psychophysics, 58, 527-539) suggest that: (1) the complexity of solutions to visually presented TSPs depends on the number of points on the convex hull; and (2) the perception of optimal structure is an innate tendency of the visual system, not subject to individual differences. Results are reported from two experiments. In the first, measures of the total length and completion speed of pathways, and a measure of path uncertainty were compared with optimal solutions produced by an elastic net algorithm and by several heuristic methods. Performance was also compared under instructions to draw the shortest or the most attractive pathway. In the second, various measures of performance were compared with scores on Raven's advanced progressive matrices (APM). The number of points on the convex hull did not determine the relative optimality of solutions, although both this factor and the total number of points influenced solution speed and path uncertainty. Subjects' solutions showed appreciable individual differences, which had a strong correlation with APM scores. The relation between perceptual organization and the process of solving visually presented TSPs is briefly discussed, as is the potential of optimization for providing a conceptual framework for the study of intelligence.

HTRA1, an age-related macular degeneration protease, processes extracellular matrix proteins EFEMP1 and TSP1.

PubMed

Lin, Michael K; Yang, Jin; Hsu, Chun Wei; Gore, Anuradha; Bassuk, Alexander G; Brown, Lewis M; Colligan, Ryan; Sengillo, Jesse D; Mahajan, Vinit B; Tsang, Stephen H

2018-05-05

High-temperature requirement protein A1 (HTRA1) is a serine protease secreted by a number of tissues including retinal pigment epithelium (RPE). A promoter variant of the gene encoding HTRA1 is part of a mutant allele that causes increased HTRA1 expression and contributed to age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in genomewide association studies. AMD is characterized by pathological development of drusen, extracellular deposits of proteins and lipids on the basal side of RPE. The molecular pathogenesis of AMD is not well understood, and understanding dysregulation of the extracellular matrix may be key. We assess the high-risk genotype at 10q26 by proteomic comparison of protein levels of RPE cells with and without the mutation. We show HTRA1 protein level is increased in high-risk RPE cells along with several extracellular matrix proteins, including known HTRA1 cleavage targets LTBP-1 and clusterin. In addition, two novel targets of HTRA1 have been identified: EFEMP1, an extracellular matrix protein mutated in Doyne honeycomb retinal dystrophy, a genetic eye disease similar to AMD, and thrombospondin 1 (TSP1), an inhibitor of angiogenesis. Our data support the role of RPE extracellular deposition with potential effects in compromised barrier to neovascularization in exudative AMD. © 2017 The Authors. Aging Cell published by the Anatomical Society and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

An Ant Colony Optimization algorithm for solving the fixed destination multi-depot multiple traveling salesman problem with non-random parameters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ramadhani, T.; Hertono, G. F.; Handari, B. D.

2017-07-01

The Multiple Traveling Salesman Problem (MTSP) is the extension of the Traveling Salesman Problem (TSP) in which the shortest routes of m salesmen all of which start and finish in a single city (depot) will be determined. If there is more than one depot and salesmen start from and return to the same depot, then the problem is called Fixed Destination Multi-depot Multiple Traveling Salesman Problem (MMTSP). In this paper, MMTSP will be solved using the Ant Colony Optimization (ACO) algorithm. ACO is a metaheuristic optimization algorithm which is derived from the behavior of ants in finding the shortest route(s) from the anthill to a form of nourishment. In solving the MMTSP, the algorithm is observed with respect to different chosen cities as depots and non-randomly three parameters of MMTSP: m, K, L, those represents the number of salesmen, the fewest cities that must be visited by a salesman, and the most number of cities that can be visited by a salesman, respectively. The implementation is observed with four dataset from TSPLIB. The results show that the different chosen cities as depots and the three parameters of MMTSP, in which m is the most important parameter, affect the solution.

Multi-Objective Ant Colony Optimization Based on the Physarum-Inspired Mathematical Model for Bi-Objective Traveling Salesman Problems

PubMed Central

Zhang, Zili; Gao, Chao; Lu, Yuxiao; Liu, Yuxin; Liang, Mingxin

2016-01-01

Bi-objective Traveling Salesman Problem (bTSP) is an important field in the operations research, its solutions can be widely applied in the real world. Many researches of Multi-objective Ant Colony Optimization (MOACOs) have been proposed to solve bTSPs. However, most of MOACOs suffer premature convergence. This paper proposes an optimization strategy for MOACOs by optimizing the initialization of pheromone matrix with the prior knowledge of Physarum-inspired Mathematical Model (PMM). PMM can find the shortest route between two nodes based on the positive feedback mechanism. The optimized algorithms, named as iPM-MOACOs, can enhance the pheromone in the short paths and promote the search ability of ants. A series of experiments are conducted and experimental results show that the proposed strategy can achieve a better compromise solution than the original MOACOs for solving bTSPs. PMID:26751562

Multi-Objective Ant Colony Optimization Based on the Physarum-Inspired Mathematical Model for Bi-Objective Traveling Salesman Problems.

PubMed

Zhang, Zili; Gao, Chao; Lu, Yuxiao; Liu, Yuxin; Liang, Mingxin

2016-01-01

Bi-objective Traveling Salesman Problem (bTSP) is an important field in the operations research, its solutions can be widely applied in the real world. Many researches of Multi-objective Ant Colony Optimization (MOACOs) have been proposed to solve bTSPs. However, most of MOACOs suffer premature convergence. This paper proposes an optimization strategy for MOACOs by optimizing the initialization of pheromone matrix with the prior knowledge of Physarum-inspired Mathematical Model (PMM). PMM can find the shortest route between two nodes based on the positive feedback mechanism. The optimized algorithms, named as iPM-MOACOs, can enhance the pheromone in the short paths and promote the search ability of ants. A series of experiments are conducted and experimental results show that the proposed strategy can achieve a better compromise solution than the original MOACOs for solving bTSPs.

Spatial and temporal variations of chemicals in the TSP aerosols simultaneously collected at three islands in Okinawa, Japan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arakaki, Takemitsu; Azechi, Sotaro; Somada, Yuka; Ijyu, Moriaki; Nakaema, Fumiya; Hitomi, Yuya; Handa, Daishi; Oshiro, Yoshito; Miyagi, Youichi; Tsuhako, Ai; Murayama, Hitomi; Higaonna, Yumi; Tanahara, Akira; Itoh, Akihide; Fukushima, Soko; Higashi, Kazuaki; Henza, Yui; Nishikawa, Rin; Shinjo, Hibiki; Wang, Hongyan

2014-11-01

East Asia's rapid economic growth has led to concerns about the emission of air pollutants. We collected total suspended particle (TSP) aerosol samples simultaneously at three islands in Okinawa, Japan, which are downwind of East Asia, during the Asian dust season, to examine the spatial and temporal variations and chemical transformations of major chemicals in the aerosols. Weekly samples were collected from July 2008 to June 2010, and the concentrations of water-soluble cations, anions, and organic carbon (WSOC) were determined (n = 303). Spatial distribution analysis showed that monthly mean concentrations of non-sea-salt (nss)-SO42- in the spring (Asian dust season) decreased with increasing distance from Asia, while the trend for NO3- was less evident, suggesting that chemical transformation affected the long-range transport of certain chemicals. Temporal variation analysis showed that concentrations of nss-SO42-, NO3-, and WSOC during the spring were about 2.0, 2.4, and 1.8 times those in the summer (cleaner air mass from the Pacific Ocean), respectively. This study demonstrated that air pollutants were transported from the Asian continent to the Okinawa islands and affected the air quality in the region. There may also be impacts on ecosystems, because increased concentrations of particulate NO3- could increase nutrient levels around the Okinawa islands.

Improving Operational Effectiveness of Tactical Long Endurance Unmanned Aerial Systems (TALEUAS) by Utilizing Solar Power

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-06-01

Speed xiii TEK Total Energy Compensated TSP traveling salesman problem UAV unmanned aerial vehicle UDP user datagram protocol UKF unscented...discretized map, and use the map to optimally solve the navigation task. The optimal navigation solution utilizes the well-known “ travelling salesman problem ...2 C. FORMULATION OF THE PROBLEM .................................................. 3 D

Application of ant colony optimization to optimal foragaing theory: comparison of simulation and field results

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Ant Colony Optimization (ACO) refers to the family of algorithms inspired by the behavior of real ants and used to solve combinatorial problems such as the Traveling Salesman Problem (TSP).Optimal Foraging Theory (OFT) is an evolutionary principle wherein foraging organisms or insect parasites seek ...

Optimal Partitioning of a Surveillance Space for Persistent Coverage Using Multiple Autonomous Unmanned Aerial Vehicles: An Integer Programming Approach

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-03-27

asymptotically equal. Carlsson shows that the problem is solved by treating each subregion Ri as a traveling salesman problem (TSP) with a set of points that...terminal state to the goal. If no- travel zones are repre- sented as the union of regions Akx > Bk, the coverage problem can be expressed as an IP [14...3 1.2 Problem Statement

Parallel optimization algorithm for drone inspection in the building industry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Walczyński, Maciej; BoŻejko, Wojciech; Skorupka, Dariusz

2017-07-01

In this paper we present an approach for Vehicle Routing Problem with Drones (VRPD) in case of building inspection from the air. In autonomic inspection process there is a need to determine of the optimal route for inspection drone. This is especially important issue because of the very limited flight time of modern multicopters. The method of determining solutions for Traveling Salesman Problem(TSP), described in this paper bases on Parallel Evolutionary Algorithm (ParEA)with cooperative and independent approach for communication between threads. This method described first by Bożejko and Wodecki [1] bases on the observation that if exists some number of elements on certain positions in a number of permutations which are local minima, then those elements will be in the same position in the optimal solution for TSP problem. Numerical experiments were made on BEM computational cluster with using MPI library.

Kleinberg Complex Networks

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-10-21

linear combinations of paths. This project featured research on two classes of routing problems , namely traveling salesman problems and multicommodity...flows. One highlight of this research was our discovery of a polynomial-time algorithm for the metric traveling salesman s-t path problem whose...metric TSP would resolve one of the most venerable open problems in the theory of approximation algorithms. Our research on traveling salesman

Immaterial and monetary gifts in economic transactions: evidence from the field.

PubMed

Kirchler, Michael; Palan, Stefan

2018-01-01

Reciprocation of monetary gifts is well-understood in economics. In contrast, there is little research on reciprocal behavior following immaterial gifts like compliments. We narrow this gap and investigate how employees reciprocate after receiving immaterial gifts and material gifts over time. We purchase (1) ice cream from fast food restaurants, and (2) durum doner, a common lunch snack, from independent vendors. Prior to the food's preparation, we either compliment or tip the salesperson. We find that salespersons reciprocate compliments with higher product weight than in a control treatment. Importantly, this reciprocal behavior following immaterial gifts grows over repeated transactions. Tips, in contrast, have a stronger level effect which does not change over time.

Embodied Interactions in Human-Machine Decision Making for Situation Awareness Enhancement Systems

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-06-09

characterize differences in spatial navigation strategies in a complex task, the Traveling Salesman Problem (TSP). For the second year, we developed...visual processing, leading to better solutions for spatial optimization problems . I will develop a framework to determine which body expressions best...methods include systematic characterization of gestures during complex problem solving. 15. SUBJECT TERMS Embodied interaction, gestures, one-shot

Thrombospondin expression in aldosterone-producing adenomas.

PubMed

Hatakeyama, Haruhiko; Nishizawa, Makoto; Nakagawa, Atsushi; Nakano, Shigeru; Kigoshi, Toshikazu; Miyamori, Isamu; Uchida, Kenzo

2002-07-01

Thrombospondin (TSP) 1 and 2 are extracellular matrix proteins that appear to play a role in cell adhesion and cell migration. It has been demonstrated that the pattern of TSP expression is shifted from TSP1 to TSP2 under adrenocorticotrophic hormone treatment in bovine adrenocortical cells. We investigated the expression in human adrenal tissues by Northern blot analysis and correlated these data with the expression of the adrenocorticotrophic hormone-receptor (ACTH-R). All adrenal tissues (control adrenals, nonfunctional adenomas and ACTH-dependent aldosterone-producing adenomas (APA)) expressed both TSP1 and TSP2 mRNAs. Compared to control adrenals (TSP1 and TSP2 expression = 100 +/- 12%, respectively), TSP1 expression was negatively (51 +/- 10%, p < 0.01) and TSP2 expression was positively (289 +/- 36%, p < 0.01) regulated in APA. No significant differences in TSP1 and TSP2 expressions were found between control adrenals and nonfunctional adenomas. In APA, TSP1 (r = -0.86, p<0.01) and TSP2 (r = 0.88, p < 0.01) expressions correlated closely with the expression of ACTH-R. These results suggest that ACTH activity plays an important role in regulating the expression of TSPs in human adrenal tissues. We speculate that the shift of expression observed in APA may be associated with the phenotype of the tumors.

Thrombospondin-1, -2 and -5 have differential effects on vascular smooth muscle cell physiology

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

Helkin, Alex; Maier, Kristopher G.; Department of Veterans Affairs VA Healthcare Network Upstate New York at Syracuse, Syracuse, NY

Introduction: The thrombospondins (TSPs) are matricellular proteins that exert multifunctional effects by binding cytokines, cell-surface receptors and other proteins. TSPs play important roles in vascular pathobiology and are all expressed in arterial lesions. The differential effects of TSP-1, -2, and -5 represent a gap in knowledge in vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) physiology. Our objective is to determine if structural differences of the TSPs imparted different effects on VSMC functions critical to the formation of neointimal hyperplasia. We hypothesize that TSP-1 and -2 induce similar patterns of migration, proliferation and gene expression, while the effects of TSP-5 are different. Methods:more » Human aortic VSMC chemotaxis was tested for TSP-2 and TSP-5 (1–40 μg/mL), and compared to TSP-1 and serum-free media (SFM) using a modified Boyden chamber. Next, VSMCs were exposed to TSP-1, TSP-2 or TSP-5 (0.2–40 μg/mL). Proliferation was assessed by MTS assay. Finally, VSMCs were exposed to TSP-1, TSP-2, TSP-5 or SFM for 3, 6 or 24 h. Quantitative real-time PCR was performed on 96 genes using a microfluidic card. Statistical analysis was performed by ANOVA or t-test, with p < 0.05 being significant. Results: TSP-1, TSP-2 and TSP-5 at 20 μg/mL all induce chemotaxis 3.1 fold compared to serum-free media. TSP-1 and TSP-2 induced proliferation 53% and 54% respectively, whereas TSP-5 did not. In the gene analysis, overall, cardiovascular system development and function is the canonical pathway most influenced by TSP treatment, and includes multiple growth factors, cytokines and proteases implicated in cellular migration, proliferation, vasculogenesis, apoptosis and inflammation pathways. Conclusions and relevance: The results of this study indicate TSP-1, -2, and -5 play active roles in VSMC physiology and gene expression. Similarly to TSP-1, VSMC chemotaxis to TSP-2 and -5 is dose-dependent. TSP-1 and -2 induces VSMC proliferation, but TSP-5 does not

Enabling congestion avoidance and reduction in the Michigan-Ohio transportation network to improve supply chain efficiency : freight ATIS.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2010-01-01

We consider dynamic vehicle routing under milk-run tours with time windows in congested : transportation networks for just-in-time (JIT) production. The arc travel times are considered : stochastic and time-dependent. The problem integrates TSP with ...

Quantitative Global Heat Transfer in a Mach-6 Quiet Tunnel

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sullivan, John P.; Schneider, Steven P.; Liu, Tianshu; Rubal, Justin; Ward, Chris; Dussling, Joseph; Rice, Cody; Foley, Ryan; Cai, Zeimin; Wang, Bo;

Analysis and Algorithms for Imperfect Sensor Deployment and Operations

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-05-23

fortification-interdiction-routing games that take place over the traveling salesman problem (TSP) in reference 16. This study reveals that a straightforward...Journal on Optimization. 16. Lozano, L., Smith, J.C., and Kurz, M.E., Solving the Traveling Salesman Problem with Interdiction and Fortification...the Traveling Salesman Problem with Interdiction and Fortification, submitted to Operations Research Letters. Tadayon, B. and Smith, J.C., A Survey of

Optimized Waterspace Management and Scheduling Using Mixed-Integer Linear Programming

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-01-01

Complete [30]. Proposition 4.1 satisfies the first criterion. For the second criterion, we will use the Traveling Salesman Problem (TSP), which has been...A branch and cut algorithm for the symmetric generalized traveling salesman problem , Operations Research 45 (1997) 378–394. [33] J. Silberholz, B...Golden, The generalized traveling salesman problem : A new genetic algorithm ap- proach, Extended Horizons: Advances in Computing, Optimization, and

5 CFR 1690.1 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

...Line means the automated voice response system by which TSP participants may, among other things... Internet location maintained by the Board, which contains information about the TSP and by which TSP participants may, among other things, access their accounts by computer. The TSP Web site address is www.tsp...

Statins and nitric oxide donors affect thrombospondin 1-induced chemotaxis.

PubMed

Seymour, Keri; Stein, Jeffrey; Han, Xuan; Maier, Kristopher G; Gahtan, Vivian

2014-01-01

Thrombospondin 1 (TSP-1) induces vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) migration and intimal hyperplasia. Statins and nitric oxide (NO) donors decrease intimal hyperplasia. We previously showed that statins (long-term exposure) and NO donors inhibit TSP-1-induced VSMC chemotaxis. (1) Pretreatment with short-term statin will inhibit TSP-1-induced VSMC chemotaxis and (2) NO donors will enhance statin inhibition of TSP-1-induced or platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-induced VSMC chemotaxis. We examined these treatment effects on TSP-1-induced VSMC chemotaxis: (1) long-term (20 hours) versus short-term (20 minutes) pravastatin, (2) diethylenetriamine NONOate (DETA/NO) or S-nitroso-N-acetylpenicillamine (SNAP) in combination with pravastatin, and (3) comparison of TSP-1 to PDGF as a chemoattractant. Pravastatin (long term or short term) inhibited TSP-1-induced chemotaxis. Diethylenetriamine NONOate and SNAP impeded statin inhibition of TSP-1-induced chemotaxis. Platelet-derived growth factor and TSP-1 had opposite effects on DETA/NO-pravastatin treatment. Short-term statin pretreatment inhibited TSP-1-induced VSMC chemotaxis, suggesting a pleiotropic effect. High-dose NO reversed statin inhibition of TSP-1-induced chemotaxis, suggesting NO and statin combination therapies warrant further study. © The Author(s) 2014.

5 CFR 1651.4 - How to change or cancel a designation of beneficiary.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... of beneficiary, the participant must submit to the TSP record keeper a new TSP designation of beneficiary form meeting the requirements of § 1651.3 to the TSP record keeper. If the TSP receives more than... the participant. A participant may change a TSP beneficiary at any time, without the knowledge or...

Phage-displayed specific polypeptide antigens induce significant protective immunity against Trichinella spiralis infection in BALB/c mice.

PubMed

Cui, Jing; Ren, Hui Jun; Liu, Ruo Dan; Wang, Li; Zhang, Zi Fang; Wang, Zhong Quan

2013-02-06

Trichinellosis is a public health problem and is considered an emerging/re-emerging disease in various countries. The etiological agent of trichinellosis is the nematode Trichinella, which infects humans, domestic animals and wildlife. A veterinary vaccine could be an option to control the disease in domestic animals. Although several vaccine candidates have shown promising results, a vaccine against trichinellosis remains unavailable to date. Phage particles are especially ideal vaccine delivery vehicles because they do not interfere with the immune response against the displayed peptide antigens, and, if anything, are more likely to efficiently direct antigen expression to professional antigen-presenting cells. In this study, Tsp10 polypeptide, which was encoded by a cDNA fragment of Trichinella spiralis intestinal infective larvae and was found to bind to normal mouse intestinal cells, was displayed on the surface of T7 phage. Anti-Tsp10 antibodies were able to recognize the native Tsp10 protein mainly localized to the stichosome of T. spiralis. Mice immunized with the recombinant phage T7-Tsp10 showed a 62.8% reduction in adult worms and a 78.6% reduction in muscle larvae following challenge with T. spiralis muscle larvae. Our results demonstrate that the vaccination with Tsp10 polypeptide displayed by T7 phage elicits the Th2-predominant immune responses and produces a significant protection against T. spiralis infection in mice. These findings suggest that phage display is a simple, efficient, and promising tool to express candidate vaccine antigens for immunization against T. spiralis. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Thrombospondin-2 Expression During Retinal Vascular Development and Neovascularization.

PubMed

Fei, Ping; Palenski, Tammy L; Wang, Shoujian; Gurel, Zafer; Hankenson, Kurt D; Sorenson, Christine M; Sheibani, Nader

2015-09-01

To determine thrombospondin-2 (TSP2) expression and its impact on postnatal retinal vascular development and retinal neovascularization. The TSP2-deficient (TSP2(-/-)) mice and a line of TSP2 reporter mice were used to assess the expression of TSP2 during postnatal retinal vascular development and neovascularization. The postnatal retinal vascularization was evaluated using immunostaining of wholemount retinas prepared at different postnatal days by collagen IV staining and/or TSP2 promoter driven green fluorescent protein (GFP) expression. The organization of astrocytes was evaluated by glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) staining. Retinal vascular densities were determined using trypsin digestion preparation of wholemount retinas at 3- and 6-weeks of age. Retinal neovascularization was assessed during the oxygen-induced ischemic retinopathy (OIR). Choroidal neovascularization (CNV) was assessed using laser-induced CNV. Using the TSP2-GFP reporter mice, we observed significant expression of TSP2 mRNA in retinas of postnatal day 5 (P5) mice, which increased by P7 and remained high up to P42. Similar results were observed in retinal wholemount preparations, and western blotting for GFP with the highest level of GFP was observed at P21. In contrast to high level of mRNA at P42, the GFP fluorescence or protein level was dramatically downregulated. The primary retinal vasculature developed at a faster rate in TSP2(-/-) mice compared with TSP2(+/+) mice up to P5. However, the developing retinal vasculature in TSP2(+/+) mice caught up with that of TSP2(-/-) mice after P7. No significant differences in retinal vascular density were observed at 3- or 6-weeks of age. TSP2(-/-) mice also exhibited a similar sensitivity to the hyperoxia-mediated vessel obliteration and similar level of neovascularization during OIR as TSP2(+/+) mice. Lack of TSP2 expression minimally affected laser-induced CNV compared with TSP2(+/+) mice. Lack of TSP2 expression was associated with

Analysis of the (Trimethylsilyl)propionic Acid-β(12-28) Peptide Binding Equilibrium with NMR Spectroscopy.

PubMed

Jayawickrama, D A; Larive, C K

1999-06-01

The binding of a small molecule, (trimethylsilyl)propionic acid (TSP), to a 17-residue peptide, β(12-28), is examined using (1)H NMR spectroscopy. β(12-28) (VHHQKLVFFAEDVGSNK) is a central fragment of the 40-42-residue Alzheimer's-associated Aβ peptide. This peptide has been previously shown to form soluble aggregates in low-pH aqueous solution. The TSP resonance is broadened appreciably in solutions containing relatively high concentrations (∼2 mM) of the peptide. The changes in TSP line width measured by titration of a peptide solution with TSP indicate a 1:1 binding stoichiometry. If the concentrations of both the peptide and TSP are reduced by 1 order of magnitude, the resonances of both species are sharp, suggesting that TSP binds predominately to the aggregated peptide. Nuclear Overhauser effect experiments indicate that the TSP interacts predominately with the side chains of the aliphatic peptide residues Leu(17) and Val(18). Pulsed-field gradient NMR measurements of TSP and peptide diffusion coefficients provide a more quantitative picture of the TSP-peptide binding equilibrium. The measured diffusion coefficients were used to calculate the fractions of the free and bound TSP. These results substantiate the conclusion that the stoichiometry of the TSP-peptide binding equilibrium is essentially 1:1 and further indicate anticooperative behavior in solutions containing an excess of TSP resulting in a dissociation of the peptide aggregates.

HIF-1α represses the expression of the angiogenesis inhibitor thrombospondin-2.

PubMed

MacLauchlan, Susan C; Calabro, Nicole E; Huang, Yan; Krishna, Meenakshi; Bancroft, Tara; Sharma, Tanuj; Yu, Jun; Sessa, William C; Giordano, Frank; Kyriakides, Themis R

2018-01-01

Thrombospondin-2 (TSP2) is a potent inhibitor of angiogenesis whose expression is dynamically regulated following injury. In the present study, it is shown that HIF-1α represses TSP2 transcription. Specifically, in vitro studies demonstrate that the prolyl hydroxylase inhibitor DMOG or hypoxia decrease TSP2 expression in fibroblasts. This effect is shown to be via a transcriptional mechanism as hypoxia does not alter TSP2 mRNA stability and this effect requires the TSP2 promoter. In addition, the documented repressive effect of nitric oxide (NO) on TSP2 is shown to be non-canonical and involves stabilization of hypoxia inducible factor-1a (HIF-1α). The regulation of TSP2 by hypoxia is supported by the in vivo observation that TSP2 has spatiotemporal expression distinct from regions of hypoxia in gastrocnemius muscle following murine hindlimb ischemia (HLI). A role for TSP2 regulation by HIF-1α is supported by the dysregulation of TSP2 expression in SM22α-cre HIF-1α KO mice following HLI. Indeed, there is a reduction in blood flow recovery in the SM22a-cre HIF-1α KO mice compared to littermate controls following HLI surgery, associated with impaired recovery and increased TSP2 levels. Moreover, SM22α-cre HIF-1α KO smooth muscle cells mice have increased TSP2 mRNA levels that persist in hypoxia. These findings identify a novel, ischemia-induced pro-angiogenic mechanism involving the transcriptional repression of TSP2 by HIF-1α. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Empty tracks optimization based on Z-Map model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Le; Yan, Guangrong; Wang, Zaijun; Zang, Genao

2017-12-01

For parts with many features, there are more empty tracks during machining. If these tracks are not optimized, the machining efficiency will be seriously affected. In this paper, the characteristics of the empty tracks are studied in detail. Combining with the existing optimization algorithm, a new tracks optimization method based on Z-Map model is proposed. In this method, the tool tracks are divided into the unit processing section, and then the Z-Map model simulation technique is used to analyze the order constraint between the unit segments. The empty stroke optimization problem is transformed into the TSP with sequential constraints, and then through the genetic algorithm solves the established TSP problem. This kind of optimization method can not only optimize the simple structural parts, but also optimize the complex structural parts, so as to effectively plan the empty tracks and greatly improve the processing efficiency.

Structure and dynamics of the peptide strand KRFK from the thrombospondin TSP-1 in water.

PubMed

Taleb Bendiab, W; Benomrane, B; Bounaceur, B; Dauchez, M; Krallafa, A M

2018-02-14

Theoretical investigations of a solute in liquid water at normal temperature and pressure can be performed at different levels of theory. Static quantum calculations as well as classical and ab initio molecular dynamics are used to completely explore the conformational space for large solvated molecular systems. In the classical approach, it is essential to describe all of the interactions of the solute and the solvent in detail. Water molecules are very often described as rigid bodies when the most commonly used interaction potentials, such as the SPCE and the TIP4P models, are employed. Recently, a physical model based upon a cluster of rigid water molecules with a tetrahedral architecture (AB 4 ) was proposed that describes liquid water as a mixture of both TIP4P and SPCE molecular species that occur in the proportions implied by the tetrahedral architecture (one central molecule versus four outer molecules; i.e., 20% TIP4P versus 80% SPCE molecules). In this work, theoretical spectroscopic data for a peptide strand were correlated with the structural properties of the peptide strand solvated in water, based on data calculated using different theoretical approaches and physical models. We focused on a particular peptide strand, KRFK (lysine-arginine-phenylalanine-lysine), found in the thrombospondin TSP-1, due to its interesting properties. As the activity and electronic structure of this system is strongly linked to its structure, we correlated its structure with charge-density maps obtained using different semi-empirical charge Q eq equations. The structural and thermodynamic properties obtained from classical simulations were correlated with ab initio molecular dynamics (AIMD) data. Structural changes in the peptide strand were rationalized in terms of the motions of atoms and groups of atoms. To achieve this, conformational changes were investigated using calculated infrared spectra for the peptide in the gas phase and in water solvent. The calculated AIMD

Decision-making ability of Physarum polycephalum enhanced by its coordinated spatiotemporal oscillatory dynamics.

PubMed

Iwayama, Koji; Zhu, Liping; Hirata, Yoshito; Aono, Masashi; Hara, Masahiko; Aihara, Kazuyuki

2016-04-12

An amoeboid unicellular organism, a plasmodium of the true slime mold Physarum polycephalum, exhibits complex spatiotemporal oscillatory dynamics and sophisticated information processing capabilities while deforming its amorphous body. We previously devised an 'amoeba-based computer (ABC),' that implemented optical feedback control to lead this amoeboid organism to search for a solution to the traveling salesman problem (TSP). In the ABC, the shortest TSP route (the optimal solution) is represented by the shape of the organism in which the body area (nutrient absorption) is maximized while the risk of being exposed to aversive light stimuli is minimized. The shortness of the TSP route found by ABC, therefore, serves as a quantitative measure of the optimality of the decision made by the organism. However, it remains unclear how the decision-making ability of the organism originates from the oscillatory dynamics of the organism. We investigated the number of coexisting traveling waves in the spatiotemporal patterns of the oscillatory dynamics of the organism. We show that a shorter TSP route can be found when the organism exhibits a lower number of traveling waves. The results imply that the oscillatory dynamics are highly coordinated throughout the global body. Based on the results, we discuss the fact that the decision-making ability of the organism can be enhanced not by uncorrelated random fluctuations, but by its highly coordinated oscillatory dynamics.

Evaluation of Efficacy of Radioimmunotherapy with 90Y-Labeled Fully Human Anti-Transferrin Receptor Monoclonal Antibody in Pancreatic Cancer Mouse Models

PubMed Central

Sugyo, Aya; Tsuji, Atsushi B.; Sudo, Hitomi; Okada, Maki; Koizumi, Mitsuru; Satoh, Hirokazu; Kurosawa, Gene; Kurosawa, Yoshikazu; Saga, Tsuneo

2015-01-01

Objective Pancreatic cancer is an aggressive tumor and the prognosis remains poor. Therefore, development of more effective therapy is needed. We previously reported that 89Zr-labeled TSP-A01, an antibody against transferrin receptor (TfR), is highly accumulated in a pancreatic cancer xenograft, but not in major normal organs. In the present study, we evaluated the efficacy of radioimmunotherapy (RIT) with 90Y-TSP-A01 in pancreatic cancer mouse models. Methods TfR expression in pancreatic cancer cell lines (AsPC-1, BxPC-3, MIAPaCa-2) was evaluated by immunofluorescence staining. 111In-labeled anti-TfR antibodies (TSP-A01, TSP-A02) were evaluated in vitro by cell binding assay with the three cell lines and by competitive inhibition assay with MIAPaCa-2. In vivo biodistribution was evaluated in mice bearing BxPC-3 and MIAPaCa-2 xenografts. Tumor volumes of BxPC-3 and MIAPaCa-2 were sequentially measured after 90Y-TSP-A01 injection and histological analysis of tumors was conducted. Results MIAPaCa-2 cells showed the highest TfR expression, followed by AsPC-1 and BxPC-3 cells. 111In-TSP-A01 and 111In-TSP-A02 bound specifically to the three cell lines according to TfR expression. The dissociation constants for TSP-A01, DOTA-TSP-A01, TSP-A02, and DOTA-TSP-A02 were 0.22, 0.28, 0.17, and 0.22 nM, respectively. 111In-TSP-A01 was highly accumulated in tumors, especially in MIAPaCa-2, but this was not true of 111In-TSP-A02. The absorbed dose for 90Y-TSP-A01 was estimated to be 8.3 Gy/MBq to BxPC-3 and 12.4 Gy/MBq to MIAPaCa-2. MIAPaCa-2 tumors treated with 3.7 MBq of 90Y-TSP-A01 had almost completely disappeared around 3 weeks after injection and regrowth was not observed. Growth of BxPC-3 tumors was inhibited by 3.7 MBq of 90Y-TSP-A01, but the tumor size was not reduced. Conclusion 90Y-TSP-A01 treatment achieved an almost complete response in MIAPaCa-2 tumors, whereas it merely inhibited the growth of BxPC-3 tumors. 90Y-TSP-A01 is a promising RIT agent for pancreatic cancer

Function-blocking antithrombospondin-1 monoclonal antibodies

PubMed Central

ANNIS, D. S.; MURPHY-ULLRICH, J. E.; MOSHER, D. F.

2006-01-01

Summary Background Thrombospondin-1 (TSP-1) has been implicated in many different processes based in part on inhibitory activities of anti-TSP-1 monoclonal antibodies (mAbs). Objective To map epitopes of 13 anti-TSP-1 mAbs to individual modules or groups of modules spanning TSP-1 and the closely related TSP-2 homolog. Results The mapping has led to assignment or reassignment of the epitopes of four mAbs, refinement of the epitopes of six mAbs, and confirmation of the epitopes of the remaining three mAbs. ESTs10, P12, and MA-II map to the N-terminal domain; 5G11, TSP127.6, and ESTs12 to the third properdin module; C6.7, HB8432, and P10 to epidermal growth factor (EGF)-like modules 1 and/or 2; and A6.1, mAb133, MA-I, and D4.6 to the calcium-binding wire module. A6.1, which recognizes a region of the wire that is identical in mouse and human TSP-1, reacts with TSP-1 from both species, and also reacts weakly with human TSP-2. Two other mouse antihuman TSP-1 mAbs, A4.1 and D4.6, also react with mouse TSP-1. Conclusions Consideration of previous literature and mapping of epitopes of inhibitory mAbs suggest that biological activities are present throughout TSP-1, including the EGF-like modules that have not been implicated in the past. Because the epitopes for 10 of the antibodies likely are within 18 nm of one another in calcium-replete TSP-1, some of the inhibitory effects may result from steric hindrance. Such seems to be the case for mAb133, which binds the calcium-binding wire but is still able to interfere with the activation of latent TGF-β by the properdin modules. PMID:16420580

Ultrasound-mediated drug delivery using liposomes modified with a thermosensitive polymer.

PubMed

Ninomiya, Kazuaki; Kawabata, Shinya; Tashita, Hiroyuki; Shimizu, Nobuaki

2014-01-01

Ultrasound-mediated drug delivery was established using liposomes that were modified with the thermosensitive polymer (TSP) poly(NIPMAM-co-NIPAM), which sensitized the liposomes to high temperatures. TSP-modified liposomes (TSP liposomes) released encapsulated calcein under 1 MHz ultrasound irradiation at 0.5 W/cm(2) for 120 s as well as the case under incubation at 42 °C for 15 min. In addition, uptake of the drug released from TSP liposomes by cancer cells was enhanced by ultrasound irradiation. In a cell injury assay using doxorubicin (DOX)-loaded TSP liposomes and ultrasound irradiation, cell viability of HepG2 cells at 6 h after ultrasound irradiation (1 MHz, 0.5 W/cm(2) for 30 s) with DOX-loaded TSP liposomes (TSP/lipid ratio=1) was 60%, which was significantly lower than that of the control conditions such as DOX-loaded TSP liposomes alone and DOX-loaded intact liposomes under ultrasound irradiation. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

High concentrations of regional dust from deserts to plains across the central Rocky Mountains, USA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reynolds, R. L.; Munson, S. M.; Fernandez, D. P.; Neff, J. C.

2015-12-01

Regional mineral dust in the American Southwest affects snow-melt rates, biogeochemical cycling, visibility, and public health. We measured total suspended particulates (TSP) across a 500-km-long sampling network of five remote sites in Utah and Colorado, USA, forming a gradient in distance from major dust emitting areas. The two westernmost sites on the Colorado Plateau desert had similar TSP concentrations (2008-2012, daily average=126 μg m-3; max. daily average over a two-week period=700 μg m-3 at Canyonlands National Park, Utah), while the easternmost High Plains site, close to cropped and grazed areas in northeastern Colorado, had an average concentration of 143 μg m-3 in 2011-2012 (max. daily average=656 μg m-3). Such concentrations rank comparably with those of TSP in several African and Asian cities in the paths of frequent dust storms. Dust loadings at the two intervening montane sites decreased from the western slope of the Rocky Mountains (Telluride, daily average=68 μg m-3) to an eastern site (Niwot Ridge, daily average=58 μg m-3). Back-trajectory analyses and satellite retrievals indicated that the three westernmost sites received most dust from large desert-source regions as far as 300 km to their southwest. These sources also sometimes sent dust to the two easternmost sites, which additionally captured dust from sources north and northwest of the central Rocky Mountains as well as locally at the Plains site. The PM10 fraction accounted for <15% of TSP, but most TSP is only slightly larger (typical median size, 15-20 μm) after about 100-800 km transport distances. Correlations between TSP and PM10 values indicate increases in both fractions during regional wind storms, especially related to Pacific frontal systems during late winter to late spring. These measurements and observations indicate that most dust deposition and associated air-quality problems in the interior American West are connected to regional dust sources and not to those in

5 CFR 1690.1 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... which TSP participants may, among other things, access their accounts by telephone. The ThriftLine can... services for the Thrift Savings Plan. TSP Web site means the Internet location maintained by the Board, which contains information about the TSP and by which TSP participants may, among other things, access...

Up-regulation of Thrombospondin-2 in Akt1-null Mice Contributes to Compromised Tissue Repair Due to Abnormalities in Fibroblast Function*

PubMed Central

Bancroft, Tara; Bouaouina, Mohamed; Roberts, Sophia; Lee, Monica; Calderwood, David A.; Schwartz, Martin; Simons, Michael; Sessa, William C.; Kyriakides, Themis R.

2015-01-01

Vascular remodeling is essential for tissue repair and is regulated by multiple factors, including thrombospondin-2 (TSP2) and hypoxia/VEGF-induced activation of Akt. In contrast to TSP2 knock-out (KO) mice, Akt1 KO mice have elevated TSP2 expression and delayed tissue repair. To investigate the contribution of increased TSP2 to Akt1 KO mice phenotypes, we generated Akt1/TSP2 double KO (DKO) mice. Full-thickness excisional wounds in DKO mice healed at an accelerated rate when compared with Akt1 KO mice. Isolated dermal Akt1 KO fibroblasts expressed increased TSP2 and displayed altered morphology and defects in migration and adhesion. These defects were rescued in DKO fibroblasts or after TSP2 knockdown. Conversely, the addition of exogenous TSP2 to WT cells induced cell morphology and migration rates that were similar to those of Akt1 KO cells. Akt1 KO fibroblasts displayed reduced adhesion to fibronectin with manganese stimulation when compared with WT and DKO cells, revealing an Akt1-dependent role for TSP2 in regulating integrin-mediated adhesions; however, this effect was not due to changes in β1 integrin surface expression or activation. Consistent with these results, Akt1 KO fibroblasts displayed reduced Rac1 activation that was dependent upon expression of TSP2 and could be rescued by a constitutively active Rac mutant. Our observations show that repression of TSP2 expression is a critical aspect of Akt1 function in tissue repair. PMID:25389299

Parallel AFSA algorithm accelerating based on MIC architecture

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Junhao; Xiao, Hong; Huang, Yifan; Li, Yongzhao; Xu, Yuanrui

2017-05-01

Analysis AFSA past for solving the traveling salesman problem, the algorithm efficiency is often a big problem, and the algorithm processing method, it does not fully responsive to the characteristics of the traveling salesman problem to deal with, and therefore proposes a parallel join improved AFSA process. The simulation with the current TSP known optimal solutions were analyzed, the results showed that the AFSA iterations improved less, on the MIC cards doubled operating efficiency, efficiency significantly.

Thrombospondin-1 is a novel negative regulator of liver regeneration after partial hepatectomy through transforming growth factor-beta1 activation in mice.

PubMed

Hayashi, Hiromitsu; Sakai, Keiko; Baba, Hideo; Sakai, Takao

2012-05-01

The matricellular protein, thrombospondin-1 (TSP-1), is prominently expressed during tissue repair. TSP-1 binds to matrix components, proteases, cytokines, and growth factors and activates intracellular signals through its multiple domains. TSP-1 converts latent transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-β1) complexes into their biologically active form. TGF-β plays significant roles in cell-cycle regulation, modulation of differentiation, and induction of apoptosis. Although TGF-β1 is a major inhibitor of proliferation in cultured hepatocytes, the functional requirement of TGF-β1 during liver regeneration remains to be defined in vivo. We generated a TSP-1-deficient mouse model of a partial hepatectomy (PH) and explored TSP-1 induction, progression of liver regeneration, and TGF-β-mediated signaling during the repair process after hepatectomy. We show here that TSP-1-mediated TGF-β1 activation plays an important role in suppressing hepatocyte proliferation. TSP-1 expression was induced in endothelial cells (ECs) as an immediate early gene in response to PH. TSP-1 deficiency resulted in significantly reduced TGF-β/Smad signaling and accelerated hepatocyte proliferation through down-regulation of p21 protein expression. TSP-1 induced in ECs by reactive oxygen species (ROS) modulated TGF-β/Smad signaling and proliferation in hepatocytes in vitro, suggesting that the immediately and transiently produced ROS in the regenerating liver were the responsible factor for TSP-1 induction. We have identified TSP-1 as an inhibitory element in regulating liver regeneration by TGF-β1 activation. Our work defines TSP-1 as a novel immediate early gene that could be a potential therapeutic target to accelerate liver regeneration. Copyright © 2011 American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases.

Calcium-induced conformational changes of Thrombospondin-1 signature domain: implications for vascular disease.

PubMed

Gupta, Akanksha; Agarwal, Rahul; Singh, Ashutosh; Bhatnagar, Sonika

2017-06-01

Thrombospondin1 (TSP1) participates in numerous signaling pathways critical for vascular physiology and disease. The conserved signature domain of thrombospondin 1 (TSP1-Sig1) comprises three epidermal growth factor (EGF), 13 calcium-binding type 3 thrombospondin (T3) repeats, and one lectin-like module arranged in a stalk-wire-globe topology. TSP1 is known to be present in both calcium-replete (Holo-) and calcium-depleted (Apo-) state, each with distinct downstream signaling effects. To prepare a homology model of TSP1-Sig1 and investigate the effect of calcium on its dynamic structure and interactions. A homology model of Holo-TSP1-Sig1 was prepared with TSP2 as template in Swissmodel workspace. The Apo-form of the model was obtained by omitting the bound calcium ions from the homology model. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulation studies (100 ns) were performed on the Holo- and Apo- forms of TSP1 using Gromacs4.6.5. After simulation, Holo-TSP1-Sig1 showed significant reorientation at the interface of the EGF1-2 and EGF2-3 modules. The T3 wire is predicted to show the maximum mobility and deviation from the initial model. In Apo-TSP1-Sig1 model, the T3 repeats unfolded and formed coils with predicted increase in flexibility. Apo-TSP1-Sig1model also predicted the exposure of the binding sites for neutrophil elastase, integrin and fibroblast growth factor 2. We present a structural model and hypothesis for the role of TSP1-Sig1 interactions in the development of vascular disorders. The simulated model of the fully calcium-loaded and calcium-depleted TSP1-Sig1 may enable the development of its interactions as a novel therapeutic target for the treatment of vascular diseases.

Thrombospondin-1 controls vascular platelet recruitment and thrombus adherence in mice by protecting (sub)endothelial VWF from cleavage by ADAMTS13

PubMed Central

Bonnefoy, Arnaud; Daenens, Kim; Feys, Hendrik B.; De Vos, Rita; Vandervoort, Petra; Vermylen, Jos; Lawler, Jack; Hoylaerts, Marc F.

2006-01-01

The function of thrombospondin-1 (TSP-1) in hemostasis was investigated in wild-type (WT) and Tsp1-/- mice, via dynamic platelet interaction studies with A23187-stimulated mesenteric endothelium and with photochemically injured cecum subendothelium. Injected calcein-labeled WT platelets tethered or firmly adhered to almost all A23187-stimulated blood vessels of WT mice, but Tsp1-/- platelets tethered to 45% and adhered to 25.8% of stimulated Tsp1-/- vessels only. Stimulation generated temporary endothelium-associated ultralarge von Willebrand factor (VWF) multimers, triggering platelet string formation in 48% of WT versus 20% of Tsp1-/- vessels. Injection of human TSP-1 or thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) patient-derived neutralizing anti-ADAMTS13 antibodies corrected the defective platelet recruitment in Tsp1-/- mice, while having a moderate effect in WT mice. Photochemical injury of intestinal blood vessels induced thrombotic occlusions with longer occlusion times in Tsp1-/- venules (1027 ± 377 seconds) and arterioles (858 ± 289 seconds) than in WT vessels (559 ± 241 seconds, P < .001; 443 ± 413 seconds, P < .003) due to defective thrombus adherence, resulting in embolization of complete thrombi, a defect restored by both human TSP-1 and anti-ADAMTS13 antibodies. We conclude that in a shear field, soluble or local platelet-released TSP-1 can protect unfolded endothelium-bound and subendothelial VWF from degradation by plasma ADAMTS13, thus securing platelet tethering and thrombus adherence to inflamed and injured endothelium, respectively. PMID:16204318

Thrombospondin-2 overexpression in the skin of transgenic mice reduces the susceptibility to chemically induced multistep skin carcinogenesis.

PubMed

Kunstfeld, Rainer; Hawighorst, Thomas; Streit, Michael; Hong, Young-Kwon; Nguyen, Lynh; Brown, Lawrence F; Detmar, Michael

2014-05-01

We have previously reported stromal upregulation of the endogenous angiogenesis inhibitor thrombospondin-2 (TSP-2) during multistep carcinogenesis, and we found accelerated and enhanced skin angiogenesis and carcinogenesis in TSP-2 deficient mice. To investigate whether enhanced levels of TSP-2 might protect from skin cancer development. We established transgenic mice with targeted overexpression of TSP-2 in the skin and subjected hemizygous TSP-2 transgenic mice and their wild-type littermates to a chemical skin carcinogenesis regimen. TSP-2 transgenic mice showed a significantly delayed onset of tumor formation compared to wild-type mice, whereas the ratio of malignant conversion to squamous cell carcinomas was comparable in both genotypes. Computer-assisted morphometric analysis of blood vessels revealed pronounced tumor angiogenesis already in the early stages of carcinogenesis in wild type mice. TSP-2 overexpression significantly reduced tumor blood vessel density in transgenic mice but had no overt effect on LYVE-1 positive lymphatic vessels. The percentage of desmin surrounded, mature tumor-associated blood vessels and the degree of epithelial differentiation remained unaffected. The antiangiogenic effect of transgenic TSP-2 was accompanied by a significantly increased number of apoptotic tumor cells in transgenic mice. Our results demonstrate that enhanced levels of TSP-2 in the skin result in reduced susceptibility to chemically-induced skin carcinogenesis and identify TSP-2 as a new target for the prevention of skin cancer. Copyright © 2014 Japanese Society for Investigative Dermatology. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Incidence of human T cell lymphotropic virus type 1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis in a long-term prospective cohort study of initially asymptomatic individuals in Brazil.

PubMed

Romanelli, Luiz Cláudio Ferreira; Caramelli, Paulo; Martins, Marina Lobato; Gonçalves, Denise Utsch; Proietti, Fernando Augusto; Ribas, João Gabriel Ramos; Araújo, Marcelo Grossi; Carneiro-Proietti, Anna Bárbara de Freitas

2013-09-01

The incidence of human T cell lymphotropic virus type 1 (HLTV-1)-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP) is not well defined in the literature. Several studies have reported different incidence rates, and recent publications suggest a higher incidence and prevalence of HAM/TSP. The interdisciplinary HTLV Research Group (GIPH) is a prospective open cohort study of individuals infected with HTLV-1/2. This study describes the demographic data and HAM/TSP incidence rate observed in 181 HTLV-1-seropositive individuals and compares the results with previous reports in the literature. HAM/TSP was diagnosed on the basis of the World Health Organization diagnostic criteria and De Castro-Costa et al. [Proposal for diagnostic criteria of tropical spastic paraparesis/HTLV-I-associated myelopathy (TSP/HAM). AIDS Res Hum Retroviruses 2006;22:931-935]. Seven HAM/TSP incident cases were observed during the follow-up. The HAM/TSP incidence density was 5.3 cases per 1,000 HTLV-1-seropositive cases per year (95% confidence interval: 2.6-10.9), with a mean follow-up of 7±4 years (range: 1 month to 15 years). HAM/TSP was more frequent in women in their 40s and 50s with probable infection via the sexual route. The HAM/TSP incidence density among HTLV-1-seropositive cases observed in the present study is higher than that in previous studies. HAM/TSP may be underdiagnosed in countries like Brazil where HTLV infection is prevalent. Orientation and prevent transmission of HTLV programs are needed. Currently, preventing HTLV-1 transmission is the most effective way to reduce the impact of HAM/TSP on society.

All About Oils

MedlinePlus

... oz 3 tsp/14 g 120 165 Mixed nuts, dry roasted* 1 oz 3 tsp/15 g 130 170 Cashews, dry roasted* 1 oz 3 tsp/13 g 115 165 Almonds, dry roasted* 1 oz 3 tsp/15 g 130 170 Hazelnuts* 1 ... *Avocados and olives are part of the Vegetable Group; nuts and seeds are part of the Protein Foods ...

A novel methodology for determining low-cost fine particulate matter street sweeping routes.

PubMed

Blazquez, Carola A; Beghelli, Alejandra; Meneses, Veronica P

2012-02-01

This paper addresses the problem of low-cost PM10 (particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter < 10 microm) street sweeping route. In order to do so, only a subset of the streets of the urban area to be swept is selected for sweeping, based on their PM10 emission factor values. Subsequently, a low-cost route that visits each street in the set is computed. Unlike related problems of waste collection where streets must be visited once (Chinese or Rural Postman Problem, respectively), in this case, the sweeping vehicle route must visit each selected street exactly as many times as its number of street sides, since the vehicle can sweep only one street side at a time. Additionally, the route must comply with traffic flow and turn constraints. A novel transformation of the original arc routing problem into a node routing problem is proposed in this paper. This is accomplished by building a graph that represents the area to sweep in such a way that the problem can be solved by applying any known solution to the Traveling Salesman Problem (TSP). As a way of illustration, the proposed method was applied to the northeast area of the Municipality of Santiago (Chile). Results show that the proposed methodology achieved up to 37% savings in kilometers traveled by the sweeping vehicle when compared to the solution obtained by solving the TSP problem with Geographic Information Systems (GIS)--aware tools.

Manufacturing and Merchandising Careers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ryan, Peter J.; And Others

1977-01-01

Anyone with a flair for business, product development, or promotion might consider a manufacturing or merchandising occupation. The music industry offers many career opportunities for administrators, salespersons, marketing specialists--the record industry offers positions from promotion manager to rack jobber. Describes instrument company…

Careers in the Music Industry.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ryan, Peter J.; And Others

1982-01-01

Describes jobs in the music industry, including instrument designer, sales representative, instrument repair-person, retail music sales-person, recording engineer, and careers in the new video music industry. Educational requirements, personal qualifications, and the advantages and disadvantages of each job are discussed. (AM)

Task Lists for Agricultural Occupations, 1988: Cluster Matrices for Agricultural Occupations. Education for Employment Task Lists.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pepple, Jerry

This document contains four publications for agricultural occupations in Illinois. "Task Lists for Agricultural Occupations" provide lists of employability skills for the following: park aide; hand sprayer; gardener/groundskeeper; salesperson, parts, agricultural equipment; and dairy processing equipment operator. Each list contains skills…

Changes in thrombospondin-1 levels in the endothelial cells of the anterior pituitary during estrogen-induced prolactin-secreting pituitary tumors

PubMed Central

Sarkar, Abby J; Chaturvedi, Kirti; Chen, Cui Ping; Sarkar, Dipak K

2010-01-01

Thrombospondin-1 (TSP-1), a multifunctional matrix glycoprotein, has been shown to control tumor growth by inhibiting angiogenesis in various tissues. However, the role of this glycoprotein in pituitary angiogenesis is not well studied. In this report, we determined the changes in the production and action of TSP-1 on endothelial cells in anterior pituitary following estradiol treatment, which is known to increase prolactin-secreting tumor growth and vascularization in this tissue. We showed that TSP-1 immunoreactive protein is distributed in the anterior pituitary, particularly in the endothelial cells. Estradiol treatment for 2 and 4 weeks decreased the total tissue immunoreactive level of TSP-1 as well as the endothelial cell-specific immunoreactive level of this protein in the anterior pituitary. The steroid treatment also decreased the protein levels of TSP-1 in anterior pituitary tissues and in purified pituitary endothelial cells in primary cultures. Determination of the effects of TSP-1 on proliferation and migration of pituitary-derived endothelial cells in primary cultures elucidated an inhibitory action of TSP-1 on these vascular cell functions. These results suggest that locally produced TSP-1 may regulate estrogen angiogenic action on the pituitary. PMID:17283240

Promotion of Bone Morphogenetic Protein Signaling by Tetraspanins and Glycosphingolipids

PubMed Central

Szymczak, Lindsey C.; Aydin, Taner; Yun, Sijung; Constas, Katharine; Schaeffer, Arielle; Ranjan, Sinthu; Kubba, Saad; Alam, Emad; McMahon, Devin E.; He, Jingpeng; Shwartz, Neta; Tian, Chenxi; Plavskin, Yevgeniy; Lindy, Amanda; Dad, Nimra Amir; Sheth, Sunny; Amin, Nirav M.; Zimmerman, Stephanie; Liu, Dennis; Schwarz, Erich M.; Smith, Harold; Krause, Michael W.; Liu, Jun

2015-01-01

Bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) belong to the transforming growth factor β (TGFβ) superfamily of secreted molecules. BMPs play essential roles in multiple developmental and homeostatic processes in metazoans. Malfunction of the BMP pathway can cause a variety of diseases in humans, including cancer, skeletal disorders and cardiovascular diseases. Identification of factors that ensure proper spatiotemporal control of BMP signaling is critical for understanding how this pathway is regulated. We have used a unique and sensitive genetic screen to identify the plasma membrane-localized tetraspanin TSP-21 as a key new factor in the C. elegans BMP-like “Sma/Mab” signaling pathway that controls body size and postembryonic M lineage development. We showed that TSP-21 acts in the signal-receiving cells and genetically functions at the ligand-receptor level. We further showed that TSP-21 can associate with itself and with two additional tetraspanins, TSP-12 and TSP-14, which also promote Sma/Mab signaling. TSP-12 and TSP-14 can also associate with SMA-6, the type I receptor of the Sma/Mab pathway. Finally, we found that glycosphingolipids, major components of the tetraspanin-enriched microdomains, are required for Sma/Mab signaling. Our findings suggest that the tetraspanin-enriched membrane microdomains are important for proper BMP signaling. As tetraspanins have emerged as diagnostic and prognostic markers for tumor progression, and TSP-21, TSP-12 and TSP-14 are all conserved in humans, we speculate that abnormal BMP signaling due to altered expression or function of certain tetraspanins may be a contributing factor to cancer development. PMID:25978409

Thrombospondin 1 and its mimetic peptide ABT-510 decrease angiogenesis and inflammation in a murine model of inflammatory bowel disease.

PubMed

Punekar, Salman; Zak, Samantha; Kalter, Valerie G; Dobransky, Larissa; Punekar, Imran; Lawler, Jack W; Gutierrez, Linda S

2008-01-01

Vascular abnormalities and expression of proangiogenic factors have been repeatedly reported in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Thrombospondin 1 (TSP-1) is a protein well known for its antiangiogenic and anti-inflammatory properties. Using the dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) model, the role of TSP-1 in IBD has been investigated in vivo. TSP-1-deficient mice (TSP-1-/-) and WT mice were treated with DSS for 7 days. Disease activity indices, myeloperoxidase activity (MPO) and histology were analyzed. Microvascular density (MVD) was quantified using immunohistochemistry (IMH) with CD31 antibody. TGF-beta(1), basic FGF, VEGF, TNF-alpha and MMPs protein levels were evaluated by IMH and enzyme-linked immunoabsorbent assay (ELISA). Mice were treated with ABT-510 (Abbott Laboratories), an antiangiogenic TSP peptide, using miniosmotic pumps for 7 days. TSP-1(-/-) mice had a worse clinical outcome and exhibited severe signs of rectal bleeding compared to the WT controls. The TSP-1-/- mice showed a higher level of crypt damage and deeper lesions. The grade of inflammation and the levels of MPO activity were also significantly higher in colons of TSP-1-/- mice. TSP-1-/- mice displayed higher MVD in focal areas of the colon after only 3 days of DSS treatment. Furthermore, clinical severity of the colitis and angiogenesis was significantly diminished when mice was treated with ABT-510. These findings directly link TSP-1 as a protective factor in IBD and suggest antiangiogenesis treatment, including compounds such as ABT-510 as an adjuvant therapy for IBD. (c) 2008 S. Karger AG, Basel

Polymorphisms A387P in thrombospondin-4 and N700S in thrombospondin-1 perturb calcium binding sites.

PubMed

Stenina, Olga I; Ustinov, Valentin; Krukovets, Irene; Marinic, Tina; Topol, Eric J; Plow, Edward F

2005-11-01

Recent genetic studies have associated members of the thrombospondin (TSP) gene family with premature cardiovascular disease. The disease-associated polymorphisms lead to single amino acid changes in TSP-4 (A387P) and TSP-1 (N700S). These substitutions reside in adjacent domains of these highly homologous proteins. Secondary structural predictive programs and the homology of the domains harboring these amino acid substitutions to those in other proteins pointed to potential alterations of putative Ca2+ binding sites that reside in close proximity to the polymorphic amino acids. Since Ca2+ binding is critical for the structure and function of TSP family members, direct evidence for differences in Ca2+ binding by the polymorphic forms was sought. Using synthetic peptides and purified recombinant variant fragments bearing the amino acid substitutions, we measured differences in Tb3+ luminescence as an index of Ca2+ binding. The Tb3+ binding constants placed the TSP-1 region affected by N700S polymorphism among other high-affinity Ca2+ binding sites. The affinity of Ca2+ binding was lower for peptides (3.5-fold) and recombinant fragments (10-fold) containing the S700 vs. the N700 form. In TSP-4, the P387 form acquired an additional Ca2+ binding site absent in the A387 form. The results of our study suggest that both substitutions (A387P in TSP-4 and N700S in TSP-1) alter Ca2+ binding properties. Since these substitutions exert the opposite effects on Ca2+ binding, a decrease in TSP-1 and an increase in TSP-4, the two TSP variants are likely to influence cardiovascular functions in distinct but yet pathogenic ways.

Chicken Stew

MedlinePlus

... 2 tsp salt 1/2 tsp ground black pepper 3 medium tomatoes, chopped 1 tsp chopped parsley ... combine the chicken, water, garlic, onion, salt, black pepper, tomatoes, and parsley. Tightly cover and cook over ...

A Fashi Lymphoproliferative Phenotype Reveals Non-Apoptotic Fas Signaling in HTLV-1-Associated Neuroinflammation.

PubMed

Menezes, Soraya Maria; Leal, Fabio E; Dierckx, Tim; Khouri, Ricardo; Decanine, Daniele; Silva-Santos, Gilvaneia; Schnitman, Saul V; Kruschewsky, Ramon; López, Giovanni; Alvarez, Carolina; Talledo, Michael; Gotuzzo, Eduardo; Nixon, Douglas F; Vercauteren, Jurgen; Brassat, David; Liblau, Roland; Vandamme, Anne Mieke; Galvão-Castro, Bernardo; Van Weyenbergh, Johan

2017-01-01

Human T-cell lymphotropic virus (HTLV)-1 was the first human retrovirus to be associated to cancer, namely adult T-cell leukemia (ATL), but its pathogenesis remains enigmatic, since only a minority of infected individuals develops either ATL or the neuroinflammatory disorder HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP). A functional FAS -670 polymorphism in an interferon (IFN)-regulated STAT1-binding site has been associated to both ATL and HAM/TSP susceptibility. Fas hi T stem cell memory (Tscm) cells have been identified as the hierarchical apex of ATL, but have not been investigated in HAM/TSP. In addition, both FAS and STAT1 have been identified in an IFN-inducible HAM/TSP gene signature, but its pathobiological significance remains unclear. We comprehensively explored Fas expression (protein/mRNA) and function in lymphocyte activation, apoptosis, proliferation, and transcriptome, in PBMC from a total of 47 HAM/TSP patients, 40 asymptomatic HTLV-1-infected individuals (AC), and 58 HTLV-1 -uninfected healthy controls. Fas surface expression followed a two-step increase from HC to AC and from AC to HAM/TSP. In HAM/TSP, Fas levels correlated positively to lymphocyte activation markers, but negatively to age of onset, linking Fas hi cells to earlier, more aggressive disease. Surprisingly, increased lymphocyte Fas expression in HAM/TSP was linked to decreased apoptosis and increased lymphoproliferation upon in vitro culture, but not to proviral load. This Fas hi phenotype is HAM/TSP-specific, since both ex vivo and in vitro Fas expression was increased as compared to multiple sclerosis (MS), another neuroinflammatory disorder. To elucidate the molecular mechanism underlying non-apoptotic Fas signaling in HAM/TSP, we combined transcriptome analysis with functional assays, i.e., blocking vs. triggering Fas receptor in vitro with antagonist and agonist-, anti-Fas mAb, respectively. Treatment with agonist anti-Fas mAb restored apoptosis

A Fashi Lymphoproliferative Phenotype Reveals Non-Apoptotic Fas Signaling in HTLV-1-Associated Neuroinflammation

PubMed Central

Menezes, Soraya Maria; Leal, Fabio E.; Dierckx, Tim; Khouri, Ricardo; Decanine, Daniele; Silva-Santos, Gilvaneia; Schnitman, Saul V.; Kruschewsky, Ramon; López, Giovanni; Alvarez, Carolina; Talledo, Michael; Gotuzzo, Eduardo; Nixon, Douglas F.; Vercauteren, Jurgen; Brassat, David; Liblau, Roland; Vandamme, Anne Mieke; Galvão-Castro, Bernardo; Van Weyenbergh, Johan

2017-01-01

Human T-cell lymphotropic virus (HTLV)-1 was the first human retrovirus to be associated to cancer, namely adult T-cell leukemia (ATL), but its pathogenesis remains enigmatic, since only a minority of infected individuals develops either ATL or the neuroinflammatory disorder HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP). A functional FAS -670 polymorphism in an interferon (IFN)-regulated STAT1-binding site has been associated to both ATL and HAM/TSP susceptibility. Fashi T stem cell memory (Tscm) cells have been identified as the hierarchical apex of ATL, but have not been investigated in HAM/TSP. In addition, both FAS and STAT1 have been identified in an IFN-inducible HAM/TSP gene signature, but its pathobiological significance remains unclear. We comprehensively explored Fas expression (protein/mRNA) and function in lymphocyte activation, apoptosis, proliferation, and transcriptome, in PBMC from a total of 47 HAM/TSP patients, 40 asymptomatic HTLV-1-infected individuals (AC), and 58 HTLV-1 -uninfected healthy controls. Fas surface expression followed a two-step increase from HC to AC and from AC to HAM/TSP. In HAM/TSP, Fas levels correlated positively to lymphocyte activation markers, but negatively to age of onset, linking Fashi cells to earlier, more aggressive disease. Surprisingly, increased lymphocyte Fas expression in HAM/TSP was linked to decreased apoptosis and increased lymphoproliferation upon in vitro culture, but not to proviral load. This Fashi phenotype is HAM/TSP-specific, since both ex vivo and in vitro Fas expression was increased as compared to multiple sclerosis (MS), another neuroinflammatory disorder. To elucidate the molecular mechanism underlying non-apoptotic Fas signaling in HAM/TSP, we combined transcriptome analysis with functional assays, i.e., blocking vs. triggering Fas receptor in vitro with antagonist and agonist-, anti-Fas mAb, respectively. Treatment with agonist anti-Fas mAb restored apoptosis, indicating

5 CFR 1640.6 - Methods of providing information.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... part to participants by making it available on the TSP Web site. A participant can request paper copies of that information from the TSP by calling the ThriftLine, submitting a request through the TSP Web...

5 CFR 1640.6 - Methods of providing information.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... part to participants by making it available on the TSP Web site. A participant can request paper copies of that information from the TSP by calling the ThriftLine, submitting a request through the TSP Web...

5 CFR 1640.6 - Methods of providing information.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... part to participants by making it available on the TSP Web site. A participant can request paper copies of that information from the TSP by calling the ThriftLine, submitting a request through the TSP Web...

Minimal Representation and Decision Making for Networked Autonomous Agents

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-08-27

to a multi-vehicle version of the Travelling Salesman Problem (TSP). We further provided a direct formula for computing the number of robots...the sensor. As a first stab at this, the two-agent rendezvous problem is considered where one agent (the target) is equipped with no sensors and is...by the total distance traveled by all agents. For agents with limited sensing and communication capabilities, we give a formula that computes the

Predictive model of thrombospondin-1 and vascular endothelial growth factor in breast tumor tissue.

PubMed

Rohrs, Jennifer A; Sulistio, Christopher D; Finley, Stacey D

2016-01-01

Angiogenesis, the formation of new blood capillaries from pre-existing vessels, is a hallmark of cancer. Thus far, strategies for reducing tumor angiogenesis have focused on inhibiting pro-angiogenic factors, while less is known about the therapeutic effects of mimicking the actions of angiogenesis inhibitors. Thrombospondin-1 (TSP1) is an important endogenous inhibitor of angiogenesis that has been investigated as an anti-angiogenic agent. TSP1 impedes the growth of new blood vessels in many ways, including crosstalk with pro-angiogenic factors. Due to the complexity of TSP1 signaling, a predictive systems biology model would provide quantitative understanding of the angiogenic balance in tumor tissue. Therefore, we have developed a molecular-detailed, mechanistic model of TSP1 and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), a promoter of angiogenesis, in breast tumor tissue. The model predicts the distribution of the angiogenic factors in tumor tissue, revealing that TSP1 is primarily in an inactive, cleaved form due to the action of proteases, rather than bound to its cellular receptors or to VEGF. The model also predicts the effects of enhancing TSP1's interactions with its receptors and with VEGF. To provide additional predictions that can guide the development of new anti-angiogenic drugs, we simulate administration of exogenous TSP1 mimetics that bind specific targets. The model predicts that the CD47-binding TSP1 mimetic dramatically decreases the ratio of receptor-bound VEGF to receptor-bound TSP1, in favor of anti-angiogenesis. Thus, we have established a model that provides a quantitative framework to study the response to TSP1 mimetics.

Regulation of T-lymphocyte motility, adhesion and de-adhesion by a cell surface mechanism directed by low density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 1 and endogenous thrombospondin-1.

PubMed

Talme, Toomas; Bergdahl, Eva; Sundqvist, Karl-Gösta

2014-06-01

T lymphocytes are highly motile and constantly reposition themselves between a free-floating vascular state, transient adhesion and migration in tissues. The regulation behind this unique dynamic behaviour remains unclear. Here we show that T cells have a cell surface mechanism for integrated regulation of motility and adhesion and that integrin ligands and CXCL12/SDF-1 influence motility and adhesion through this mechanism. Targeting cell surface-expressed low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 1 (LRP1) with an antibody, or blocking transport of LRP1 to the cell surface, perturbed the cell surface distribution of endogenous thrombospondin-1 (TSP-1) while inhibiting motility and potentiating cytoplasmic spreading on intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1) and fibronectin. Integrin ligands and CXCL12 stimulated motility and enhanced cell surface expression of LRP1, intact TSP-1 and a 130,000 MW TSP-1 fragment while preventing formation of a de-adhesion-coupled 110 000 MW TSP-1 fragment. The appearance of the 130 000 MW TSP-1 fragment was inhibited by the antibody that targeted LRP1 expression, inhibited motility and enhanced spreading. The TSP-1 binding site in the LRP1-associated protein, calreticulin, stimulated adhesion to ICAM-1 through intact TSP-1 and CD47. Shear flow enhanced cell surface expression of intact TSP-1. Hence, chemokines and integrin ligands up-regulate a dominant motogenic pathway through LRP1 and TSP-1 cleavage and activate an associated adhesion pathway through the LRP1-calreticulin complex, intact TSP-1 and CD47. This regulation of T-cell motility and adhesion makes pro-adhesive stimuli favour motile responses, which may explain why T cells prioritize movement before permanent adhesion.

Decreased Astrocytic Thrombospondin-1 Secretion After Chronic Ammonia Treatment Reduces the Level of Synaptic Proteins: In Vitro and In Vivo Studies

PubMed Central

Jayakumar, A. R.; Tong, X. Y.; Curtis, K. M.; Ruiz-Cordero, R.; Shamaladevi, N.; Abuzamel, M.; Johnstone, J.; Gaidosh, G.; Rama Rao, K.V.; Norenberg, M. D.

2014-01-01

Chronic hepatic encephalopathy (CHE) is a major complication in patients with severe liver disease. Elevated blood and brain ammonia levels have been implicated in its pathogenesis, and astrocytes are the principal neural cells involved in this disorder. Since defective synthesis and release of astrocytic factors have been shown to impair synaptic integrity in other neurological conditions, we examined whether thrombospondin-1 (TSP-1), an astrocytic factor involved in the maintenance of synaptic integrity, is also altered in CHE. Cultured astrocytes were exposed to ammonia (NH4Cl, 0.5–2.5 mM) for 1–10 days, and TSP-1 content was measured in cell extracts and culture media. Astrocytes exposed to ammonia exhibited a reduction in intra- and extracellular TSP-1 levels. Exposure of cultured neurons to conditioned media (CM) from ammonia-treated astrocytes showed a decrease in synaptophysin, PSD95 and synaptotagmin levels. CM from TSP-1 overexpressing astrocytes that were treated with ammonia, when added to cultured neurons, reversed the decline in synaptic proteins. Recombinant TSP-1 similarly reversed the decrease in synaptic proteins. Metformin, an agent known to increase TSP-1 synthesis in other cell types also reversed the ammonia-induced TSP-1 reduction. Likewise, we found a significant decline in TSP-1 level in cortical astrocytes, as well as a reduction in synaptophysin content in vivo in a rat model of CHE. These findings suggest that TSP-1 may represent an important therapeutic target for CHE. PMID:25040426

Thrombospondin-4 divergently regulates voltage-gated Ca2+ channel subtypes in sensory neurons after nerve injury.

PubMed

Pan, Bin; Guo, Yuan; Wu, Hsiang-En; Park, John; Trinh, Van Nancy; Luo, Z David; Hogan, Quinn H

2016-09-01

Loss of high-voltage-activated (HVA) calcium current (ICa) and gain of low-voltage-activated (LVA) ICa after painful peripheral nerve injury cause elevated excitability in sensory neurons. Nerve injury is also accompanied by increased expression of the extracellular matrix glycoprotein thrombospondin-4 (TSP4), and interruption of TSP4 function can reverse or prevent behavioral hypersensitivity after injury. We therefore investigated TSP4 regulation of ICa in dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons. During depolarization adequate to activate HVA ICa, TSP4 decreases both N- and L-type ICa and the associated intracellular calcium transient. In contrast, TSP4 increases ICa and the intracellular calcium signal after low-voltage depolarization, which we confirmed is due to ICa through T-type channels. These effects are blocked by gabapentin, which ameliorates neuropathic pain by targeting the α2δ1 calcium subunit. Injury-induced changes of HVA and LVA ICa are attenuated in TSP4 knockout mice. In the neuropathic pain model of spinal nerve ligation, TSP4 application did not further regulate ICa of injured DRG neurons. Taken together, these findings suggest that elevated TSP4 after peripheral nerve injury may contribute to hypersensitivity of peripheral sensory systems by decreasing HVA and increasing LVA in DRG neurons by targeting the α2δ1 calcium subunit. Controlling TSP4 overexpression in peripheral sensory neurons may be a target for analgesic drug development for neuropathic pain.

Thrombospondin-4 Promotes Neuronal Differentiation of NG2 Cells via the ERK/MAPK Pathway.

PubMed

Yang, Hai Jie; Ma, Shuang Ping; Ju, Fei; Zhang, Ya Ping; Li, Zhi Chao; Zhang, Bin Bin; Lian, Jun Jiang; Wang, Lei; Cheng, Bin Feng; Wang, Mian; Feng, Zhi Wei

2016-12-01

NG2-expressing neural progenitors can produce neurons in the central nervous system, providing a potential cell resource of therapy for neurological disorders. However, the mechanism underlying neuronal differentiation of NG2 cells remains largely unknown. In this report, we found that a thrombospondin (TSP) family member, TSP4, is involved in the neuronal differentiation of NG2 cells. When TSP4 was overexpressed, NG2 cells underwent spontaneous neuronal differentiation, as demonstrated by the induction of various neuronal differentiation markers such as NeuN, Tuj1, and NF200, at the messenger RNA and protein levels. In contrast, TSP4 silencing had an opposite effect on the expression of neuronal differentiation markers in NG2 cells. Next, the signaling pathway responsible for TSP4-mediated NG2 cell differentiation was investigated. We found that ERK but not p38 and AKT signaling was affected by TSP4 overexpression. Furthermore, when ERK signaling was blocked by the inhibitor U0126, the neuronal marker expression of NG2 cells was substantially increased. Together, these findings suggested that TSP4 promoted neuronal differentiation of NG2 cells by inhibiting ERK/MAPK signaling, revealing a novel role of TSP4 in cell fate specification of NG2 cells.

Growth compensatory role of sulindac sulfide-induced thrombospondin-1 linked with ERK1/2 and RhoA GTPase signaling pathways

PubMed Central

Moon, Yuseok; Kim, Jeung Il; Yang, Hyun; Eling, Thomas E.

2009-01-01

Previously, we reported that non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) suppress cellular invasion which was mediated by thrombospondin-1 (TSP-1). As the extending study of the previous observation, we investigated the effect of NSAID-induced TSP-1 on the cellular growth and its related signaling transduction of the TSP-1 production. Among diverse NSAIDs, sulindac sulfide was most potent of inducing the human TSP-1 protein expression. Functionally, induced TSP-1 expression was associated with the growth-compensatory action of NSAID. TSP-1 expression was also elevated by mitogenic signals of ERK1/2 and RhoA GTPase pathway which had also growth-promotive capability after sulindac sulfide treatment. These findings suggest the possible mechanism through which tumor cells can survive the chemopreventive action of NSAIDs or the normal epithelium can reconstitute after NSAID-mediated ulceration in a compensatory way. PMID:18261746

Vervet monkey (Chlorocebus pygerythrus) behavior in a multi-destination route: Evidence for planning ahead when heuristics fail.

PubMed

Teichroeb, Julie Annette; Smeltzer, Eve Ann

2018-01-01

Animal paths are analogous to intractable mathematical problems like the Traveling Salesman Problem (TSP) and the shortest path problem (SPP). Both the TSP and SPP require an individual to find the shortest path through multiple targets but the TSP demands a return to the start, while the SPP does not. Vervet monkeys are very efficient in solving TSPs but this species is a multiple central place forager that does not always return to the same sleeping site and thus theoretically should be selected to find solutions to SPPs rather than TSPs. We examined path choice by wild vervets in an SPP experimental array where the shortest paths usually differed from those consistent with common heuristic strategies, the nearest-neighbor rule (NNR-go to the closest resource that has not been visited), and the convex hull (put a mental loop around sites, adding inner targets in order of distance from the edge)-an efficient strategy for TSPs but not SPPs. In addition, humans solving SPPs use an initial segment strategy (ISS-choose the straightest path at the beginning, only turning when necessary) and we looked at vervet paths consistent with this strategy. In 615 trials by single foragers, paths usually conformed to the NNR and rarely the slightly more efficient convex hull, supporting that vervets may be selected to solve SPPs. Further, like humans solving SPPs, vervets showed a tendency to use the ISS. Paths consistent with heuristics dropped off sharply, and use of the shortest path increased, when heuristics led to longer paths showing trade-offs in efficiency versus cognitive load. Two individuals out of 17, found the shortest path most often, showing inter-individual variation in path planning. Given support for the NNR and the ISS, we propose a new rule-of-thumb termed the "region heuristic" that vervets may apply in multi-destination routes.

Vervet monkey (Chlorocebus pygerythrus) behavior in a multi-destination route: Evidence for planning ahead when heuristics fail

PubMed Central

Smeltzer, Eve Ann

2018-01-01

Animal paths are analogous to intractable mathematical problems like the Traveling Salesman Problem (TSP) and the shortest path problem (SPP). Both the TSP and SPP require an individual to find the shortest path through multiple targets but the TSP demands a return to the start, while the SPP does not. Vervet monkeys are very efficient in solving TSPs but this species is a multiple central place forager that does not always return to the same sleeping site and thus theoretically should be selected to find solutions to SPPs rather than TSPs. We examined path choice by wild vervets in an SPP experimental array where the shortest paths usually differed from those consistent with common heuristic strategies, the nearest-neighbor rule (NNR–go to the closest resource that has not been visited), and the convex hull (put a mental loop around sites, adding inner targets in order of distance from the edge)–an efficient strategy for TSPs but not SPPs. In addition, humans solving SPPs use an initial segment strategy (ISS–choose the straightest path at the beginning, only turning when necessary) and we looked at vervet paths consistent with this strategy. In 615 trials by single foragers, paths usually conformed to the NNR and rarely the slightly more efficient convex hull, supporting that vervets may be selected to solve SPPs. Further, like humans solving SPPs, vervets showed a tendency to use the ISS. Paths consistent with heuristics dropped off sharply, and use of the shortest path increased, when heuristics led to longer paths showing trade-offs in efficiency versus cognitive load. Two individuals out of 17, found the shortest path most often, showing inter-individual variation in path planning. Given support for the NNR and the ISS, we propose a new rule-of-thumb termed the “region heuristic” that vervets may apply in multi-destination routes. PMID:29813105

Mucosal adjuvanticity of fibronectin-binding peptide (FBP) fused with Echinococcus multilocularis tetraspanin 3: systemic and local antibody responses.

PubMed

Dang, Zhisheng; Feng, Jinchao; Yagi, Kinpei; Sugimoto, Chihiro; Li, Wei; Oku, Yuzaburo

2012-01-01

Studies have shown that a bacterial fibronectin attachment protein (FAP) is able to stimulate strong systemic and mucosal antibody responses when it is used alone or co-administrated with other antigens (Ags). Thus, it has been suggested to be a promising adjuvant candidate for the development of efficient vaccines. However, the co-administered Ags and FAP were cloned, expressed and purified individually to date. In a recent study, we first evaluated the adjuvanticity of a fibronectin-binding peptide (FBP, 24 amino acids) of Mycobacterium avium FAP fused with Echinococcus multilocularis tetraspanin 3 (Em-TSP3) by detecting systemic and local antibody responses in intranasally (i.n.) immunized BALB/c mice. Em-TSP3 and FBP fragments were linked with a GSGGSG linker and expressed as a single fusion protein (Em-TSP3-FBP) using the pBAD/Thio-TOPO expression vector. BALB/c mice were immunized i.n. with recombinant Em-TSP3-FBP (rEm-TSP3-FBP) and rEm-TSP3+CpG and the systemic and local antibody responses were detected by ELISA. The results showed that both rEm-TSP3-FBP and rEm-TSP3+CpG evoked strong serum IgG (p<0.001) and IgG1 responses (p<0.001), whereas only the latter induced a high level IgG2α production (p<0.001), compared to that of rEm-TSP3 alone without any adjuvant. There were no significant differences in IgG and IgG1 production between the groups. Low level of serum IgA and IgM were detected in both groups. The tendency of Th1 and Th2 cell immune responses were assessed via detecting the IgG1/IgG2α ratio after the second and third immunizations. The results indicated that i.n. immunization with rEm-TSP3-FBP resulted in an increased IgG1/IgG2α ratio (a Th2 tendency), while rEm-TSP3+CpG caused a rapid Th1 response that later shifted to a Th2 response. Immunization with rEm-TSP3-FBP provoked significantly stronger IgA antibody responses in intestine (p<0.05), lung (p<0.001) and spleen (p<0.001) compared to those by rEm-TSP3+CpG. Significantly high level Ig

Learning as an Apprentice in Sweden: A Comparative Study on Affordances for Vocational Learning in School and Work Life Apprentice Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fjellström, Magnus; Kristmansson, Per

2016-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to compare, and identify both similarities and differences in, affordances for vocational learning in two contrasting education systems, for construction worker and shop salesperson apprentices, in Swedish contexts. Design/methodology/approach: Data were collected through interviews and observations in two…

Performance Objectives, Task Analysis, Learning Content, Content Limits, and Domain Referenced Tests for the Agricultural Chemicals Catalog. Final Report.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hamilton, William; And Others

This document contains Indiana agricultural chemicals curriculum materials based on the Vocational-Technical Education Consortium of States (VTECS) Agricultural Chemicals Catalog. It is intended to improve preparation of high school and adult students for handling and using agricultural chemicals and for jobs as chemical salespersons or chemical…

Retailing I: A Foundation for Marketing and Distributive Education Curriculum Development.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Kathryn Scruggs

Designed to serve as a foundation for competency-based marketing and distributive education curriculum development, this package consists of task lists, performance objectives, and performance guides for use in planning an introductory level retailing course. Job descriptions are given for receiving clerks, stock clerks, and salespersons/sales…

Study on probability distributions for evolution in modified extremal optimization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zeng, Guo-Qiang; Lu, Yong-Zai; Mao, Wei-Jie; Chu, Jian

2010-05-01

It is widely believed that the power-law is a proper probability distribution being effectively applied for evolution in τ-EO (extremal optimization), a general-purpose stochastic local-search approach inspired by self-organized criticality, and its applications in some NP-hard problems, e.g., graph partitioning, graph coloring, spin glass, etc. In this study, we discover that the exponential distributions or hybrid ones (e.g., power-laws with exponential cutoff) being popularly used in the research of network sciences may replace the original power-laws in a modified τ-EO method called self-organized algorithm (SOA), and provide better performances than other statistical physics oriented methods, such as simulated annealing, τ-EO and SOA etc., from the experimental results on random Euclidean traveling salesman problems (TSP) and non-uniform instances. From the perspective of optimization, our results appear to demonstrate that the power-law is not the only proper probability distribution for evolution in EO-similar methods at least for TSP, the exponential and hybrid distributions may be other choices.

Ant system: optimization by a colony of cooperating agents.

PubMed

Dorigo, M; Maniezzo, V; Colorni, A

1996-01-01

An analogy with the way ant colonies function has suggested the definition of a new computational paradigm, which we call ant system (AS). We propose it as a viable new approach to stochastic combinatorial optimization. The main characteristics of this model are positive feedback, distributed computation, and the use of a constructive greedy heuristic. Positive feedback accounts for rapid discovery of good solutions, distributed computation avoids premature convergence, and the greedy heuristic helps find acceptable solutions in the early stages of the search process. We apply the proposed methodology to the classical traveling salesman problem (TSP), and report simulation results. We also discuss parameter selection and the early setups of the model, and compare it with tabu search and simulated annealing using TSP. To demonstrate the robustness of the approach, we show how the ant system (AS) can be applied to other optimization problems like the asymmetric traveling salesman, the quadratic assignment and the job-shop scheduling. Finally we discuss the salient characteristics-global data structure revision, distributed communication and probabilistic transitions of the AS.

Thick prescriptions: toward an interpretation of pharmaceutical sales practices.

PubMed

Oldani, Michael J

2004-09-01

Anthropologists of medicine and science are increasingly studying all aspects of pharmaceutical industry practices--from research and development to the marketing of prescription drugs. This article ethnographically explores one particular stage in the life cycle of pharmaceuticals: sales and marketing. Drawing on a range of sources-investigative journalism, medical ethics, and autoethnography--the author examines the day-to-day activities of pharmaceutical salespersons, or drug reps, during the 1990s. He describes in detail the pharmaceutical gift cycle, a three-way exchange network between doctors, salespersons, and patients and how this process of exchange is currently in a state of involution. This gift economy exists to generate prescriptions (scripts) and can mask and/or perpetuate risks and side effects for patients. With implications of pharmaceutical industry practices impacting everything from the personal-psychological to the global political economy, medical anthropologists can play a lead role in the emerging scholarly discourse concerned with critical pharmaceutical studies.

Thrombospondin-induced adhesion of human keratinocytes.

PubMed Central

Varani, J; Nickoloff, B J; Riser, B L; Mitra, R S; O'Rourke, K; Dixit, V M

1988-01-01

Human epidermal keratinocytes obtained from normal skin attached and spread on thrombospondin (TSP)-coated plastic dishes but failed to attach and spread on untreated plastic culture dishes or dishes coated with fibronectin or laminin. These cells produced minimal amounts of immunoreactive TSP. Keratinocytes established in culture on MCDB 153 medium and maintained for one to three passages in an undifferentiated state by continued cultivation in this low Ca2+-containing medium attached and spread on plastic dishes as well as on TSP-coated dishes. These cells also secreted significant amounts of TSP into the culture medium. When the keratinocytes were incubated for one day in MCDB 153 medium supplemented with high Ca2+ or in MEM (which also contains high Ca2+), there was decreased secretion of TSP into the culture medium concomitant with a reduction in attachment and spreading on plastic culture dishes. Proteolytic fragments of TSP were examined for stimulation of keratinocyte attachment and spreading. A 140-kd fragment produced by removal of the 25-kd heparin-binding domain had similar activity to the intact molecule while the 25-kd fragment was without effect. Further proteolytic treatment of the 140-kd fragment gave rise to a fragment consisting of 120 kd and 18-D moieties held together in disulphide linkage. This fragment did not support attachment or spreading. This study reveals that normal epidermal keratinocytes grown under conditions that maintain the undifferentiated state are able to produce TSP and utilize it as an attachment factor. When keratinocytes are grown under conditions that promote differentiation, ability to produce and utilize TSP is diminished. Since TSP is present at the dermal-epidermal junction and because TSP promotes keratinocyte attachment and spreading, this molecule may play an important role in maintaining normal growth of the basal cell layer and may also participate in reepithelialization during wound repair. Images PMID:2452837

Organic and elemental carbon bound to particulate matter in the air of printing office and beauty salon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rogula-Kopiec, Patrycja; Pastuszka, Józef S.; Rogula-Kozłowska, Wioletta; Mucha, Walter

2017-11-01

The aim of this study was to determine the role of internal sources of emissions on the concentrations of total suspended particulate matter (TSP) and its sub-fraction, so-called respirable PM (PM4; fraction of particles with particle size ≤ 4 µm) and to estimate to which extent those emissions participate in the formation of PM-bound elemental (EC) and organic (OC) carbon in two facilities - one beauty salon and one printing office located in Bytom (Upper Silesia, Poland). The average concentration of PM in the printing office and beauty salon during the 10-day measurement period was 10 and 4 (PM4) and 8 and 3 (TSP) times greater than the average concentration of PM fractions recorded in the same period in the atmospheric air; it was on average: 204 µg/m3 (PM4) and 319 µg/m3 (TSP) and 93 µg/m3 (PM4) and 136 µg/m3 (TSP), respectively. OC concentrations determined in the printing office were 38 µg/m3 (PM4) and 56 µg/m3 (TSP), and those referring to EC: 1.8 µg/m3 (PM4) and 3.5 µg/m3 (TSP). In the beauty salon the average concentration of OC for PM4 and TSP were 58 and 75 µg/m3, respectively and in case of EC - 3.1 and 4.7 µg/m3, respectively. The concentrations of OC and EC within the those facilities were approximately 1.7 (TSP-bound EC, beauty salon) to 4.7 (TSP-bound OC, printing office) times higher than the average atmospheric concentrations of those compounds measured in both PM fractions at the same time. In both facilities the main source of TSP-and PM4-bound OC in the indoor air were the chemicals - solvents, varnishes, paints, etc.

Particulate matter over a seven year period in urban and rural areas within, proximal and far from mining and power station operations in Greece.

PubMed

Triantafyllou, A G; Zoras, S; Evagelopoulos, V

2006-11-01

Lignite mining operations and lignite-fired power stations result in major particulate pollution (fly ash and fugitive dust) problems in the areas surrounding these activities. The problem is more complicated, especially, for urban areas located not far from these activities, due to additional contribution from the urban pollution sources. Knowledge of the distribution of airborne particulate matter into size fraction has become an increasing area of focus when examining the effects of particulate pollution. On the other hand, airborne particle concentration measurements are useful in order to assess the air pollution levels based on national and international air quality standards. These measurements are also necessary for developing air pollutants control strategies or for evaluating the effectiveness of these strategies, especially, for long periods. In this study an attempt is made in order to investigate the particle size distribution of fly ash and fugitive dust in a heavy industrialized (mining and power stations operations) area with complex terrain in the northwestern part of Greece. Parallel total suspended particulates (TSP) and particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter less than 10 microm (PM10) concentrations are analyzed. These measurements gathered from thirteen monitoring stations located in the greater area of interest. Spatial, temporal variation and trend are analyzed over the last seven years. Furthermore, the geographical variation of PM10 - TSP correlation and PM10/TSP ratio are investigated and compared to those in the literature. The analysis has indicated that a complex system of sources and meteorological conditions modulate the particulate pollution of the examined area.

Mice that lack the angiogenesis inhibitor, thrombospondin 2, mount an altered foreign body reaction characterized by increased vascularity

PubMed Central

Kyriakides, Themis R.; Leach, Kathleen J.; Hoffman, Allan S.; Ratner, Buddy D.; Bornstein, Paul

1999-01-01

Disruption of the thrombospondin 2 gene (Thbs2) in mice results in a complex phenotype characterized chiefly by abnormalities in fibroblasts, connective tissues, and blood vessels. Consideration of this phenotype suggested to us that the foreign body reaction (FBR) might be altered in thrombospondin 2 (TSP2)-null mice. To investigate the participation of TSP2 in the FBR, polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) and oxidized PDMS (ox-PDMS) disks were implanted in TSP2-null and control mice. Growth of TSP2-null and control skin fibroblasts in vitro also was evaluated on both types of disks. Normal fibroblasts grew as a monolayer on both surfaces, but attachment of the cells to ox-PDMS was weak and sensitive to movement. TSP2-null fibroblasts grew as aggregates on both surfaces, and their attachment was further compromised on ox-PDMS. After a 4-week implantation period, both types of PDMS elicited a similar FBR with a collagenous capsule in both TSP2-null and control mice. However, strikingly, the collagenous capsule that formed in TSP2-null mice was highly vascularized and thicker than that formed in normal mice. In addition, abnormally shaped collagen fibers were observed in capsules from mutant mice. These observations indicate that the presence or absence of an extracellular matrix component, TSP2, can influence the nature of the FBR, in particular its vascularity. The expression of TSP2 therefore could represent a molecular target for local inhibitory measures when vascularization of the tissue surrounding an implanted device is desired. PMID:10200282

Thrombospondin-1 deficiency causes a shift from fibroproliferative to inflammatory kidney disease and delays onset of renal failure.

PubMed

Zeisberg, Michael; Tampe, Björn; LeBleu, Valerie; Tampe, Desiree; Zeisberg, Elisabeth M; Kalluri, Raghu

2014-10-01

Thrombospondin-1 (TSP1) is a multifunctional matricellular protein known to promote progression of chronic kidney disease. To gain insight into the underlying mechanisms through which TSP1 accelerates chronic kidney disease, we compared disease progression in Col4a3 knockout (KO) mice, which develop spontaneous kidney failure, with that of Col4a3;Tsp1 double-knockout (DKO) mice. Decline of excretory renal function was significantly delayed in the absence of TSP1. Although Col4a3;Tsp1 DKO mice did progress toward end-stage renal failure, their kidneys exhibited distinct histopathological lesions, compared with creatinine level-matched Col4a3 KO mice. Although kidneys of both Col4a3 KO and Col4a3;Tsp1 DKO mice exhibited a widened tubulointerstitium, predominant lesions in Col4a3 KO kidneys were collagen deposition and fibroblast accumulation, whereas in Col4a3;Tsp1 DKO kidney inflammation was predominant, with less collagen deposition. Altered disease progression correlated with impaired activation of transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) in vivo and in vitro in the absence of TSP1. In summary, our findings suggest that TSP1 contributes to progression of chronic kidney disease by catalyzing activation of latent TGF-β1, resulting in promotion of a fibroproliferative response over an inflammatory response. Furthermore, the findings suggest that fibroproliferative and inflammatory lesions are independent entities, both of which contribute to decline of renal function. Copyright © 2014 American Society for Investigative Pathology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Interatrial septum thickness and difficulty with transseptal puncture during redo catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation.

PubMed

Tomlinson, David R; Sabharwal, Nikant; Bashir, Yaver; Betts, Timothy R

2008-12-01

Patients undergoing catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation (AF) frequently require redo procedures, but there are no data reporting interatrial septum thickness (IAS) and difficulty during repeat transseptal puncture (TSP). Patients undergoing two separate AF ablation procedures had preprocedural fossa ovalis (FO) thickness measured using transesophageal echocardiography (TEE). "Difficult" TSP was defined by two observers as requiring excessive force, or conversion to TEE guidance. The study comprised 42 patients (37 male) with mean+/-SD age 55+/-9 years. Mean FO thickness was significantly greater at the time of redo TSP (2.2+/-1.6 mm vs 2.6+/-1.5 mm at redo, P=0.03); however, this finding was limited to those who underwent initial dual transseptal sheath procedures, FO thickness 2.0+/-1.5 mm and 2.5+/-1.4 mm for TEE 1 and 2, respectively (P=0.048). There was a trend for more frequent difficult redo TSP procedures, 7/42 (17%; 95% confidence interval [CI] 8-31) redo, versus 4/42 (10%; 95% CI 3-23) first TSP. On univariate analysis, FO thickness was not predictive of TSP difficulty; the only predictor of difficult redo TSP was diabetes. IAS thickness at the FO increased following catheter ablation of AF, yet on subgroup analysis this was limited to initial procedures utilizing dual transseptal sheaths. There was a trend toward more frequent difficulty during redo TSP, yet this was not associated with FO thickening. Diabetes may predispose to difficulty during redo TSP; this finding requires confirmation in a larger study population.

Fabrication and characterization of nanoengineered biocompatible n-HA/chitosan-tamarind seed polysaccharide: Bio-inspired nanocomposites for bone tissue engineering.

PubMed

Shakir, Mohammad; Zia, Iram; Rehman, Abdur; Ullah, Rizwan

2018-05-01

In this communication we describe the fabrication of nano-hydroxyapatite/chitosan-tamarind seed polysaccharide (n-HA/CS-TSP) nanocomposite with a weight ratio of 70/20/10, 70/15/15 and 70/10/20, respectively through a co-precipitation method. A comparative assessment of the properties of n-HA/CS-TSP and n-HA/CS nanocomposites was done by FT-IR, SEM-EDX, TEM, TGA/DTA, XRD and mechanical testing. The results suggested strong chemical interactions between the three components, decreased particle size and homogeneous dispersion of n-HA particles in n-HA/CS-TSP as compared to n-HA/CS. The n-HA/CS-TSP (70/10/20) showed the most porous and rough surface, enhanced thermal stability and highest compressive strength (4.0 MPa) and modulus (81 MPa). In addition, n-HA/CS-TSP (70/10/20) exhibited greater swelling character, acceptable degradation and increased biomineralization in simulated body fluid (SBF) as compared to n-HA/CS-TSP (70/20/10, 70/15/15) and n-HA/CS nanocomposites. The superior non-toxic response with MG-63 cells and better haemocompatibility was observed with n-HA/CS-TSP (70/15/15). Thereby, n-HA/CS-TSP nanocomposites could be promising alternative biomaterials in the field of bone tissue engineering compared to the n-HA/CS nanocomposite. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Altered extracellular matrix remodeling and angiogenesis in sponge granulomas of thrombospondin 2-null mice.

PubMed

Kyriakides, T R; Zhu, Y H; Yang, Z; Huynh, G; Bornstein, P

2001-10-01

The matricellular angiogenesis inhibitor, thrombospondin (TSP) 2, has been shown to be an important modulator of wound healing and the foreign body response. Specifically, TSP2-null mice display improved healing with minimal scarring and form well-vascularized foreign body capsules. In this study we performed subcutaneous implantation of sponges and investigated the resulting angiogenic and fibrogenic responses. Histological and immunohistochemical analysis of sponges, excised at 7, 14, and 21 days after implantation, revealed significant differences between TSP2-null and wild-type mice. Most notably, TSP2-null mice exhibited increased angiogenesis and fibrotic encapsulation of the sponge. However, invasion of dense tissue was compromised, even though its overall density was increased. Furthermore, histomorphometry and biochemical assays demonstrated a significant increase in the extracellular distribution of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) 2, but no change in the levels of active transforming growth factor-beta(1). The alterations in neovascularization, dense tissue invasion, and MMP2 in TSP2-null mice coincided with the deposition of TSP2 in the extracellular matrix of wild-type animals. These observations support the proposed role of TSP2 as a modulator of angiogenesis and matrix remodeling during tissue repair. In addition, they provide in vivo evidence for a newly proposed function of TSP2 as a modulator of extracellular MMP2 levels.

Job Attitudes and Performance during Three Career Stages.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Slocum, John W., Jr.; Cron, William L.

1985-01-01

Tested a theory suggesting three distinct career stages between 21 and 60, each with its own career issues, job attitudes, and behavior. Attitudinal and career measures from 675 salespersons supported the theory. Within each stage, different attitudes and behaviors predicted sales performance in accordance with the theory. (Author/NRB)

Fashion Marketing. Florida Vocational Program Guide.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Florida State Univ., Tallahassee. Center for Instructional Development and Services.

This vocational program guide is intended to assist in the organization, operation, and evaluation of a program in fashion marketing in school districts, area vocational centers, and community colleges. The following topics are covered: program content (job duties of wholesale and retail clothing salespersons and curriculum framework and student…

[Impact of atmospheric total suspended particulate pollution on photosynthetic parameters of street mango trees in Xiamen City].

PubMed

Yu, Yu-xian; Chen, Jin-sheng; Ren, Yin; Li, Fang-yi; Cui, Sheng-hui

2010-05-01

With the development of urbanization, total suspended particulate (TSP) pollution is getting serious, and the normal physiological processes of urban vegetation are profoundly affected while adsorbing and purifying the particulates. In this study, four areas were selected, i.e., Tingxi reservoir (clean control area), Xiamen University (cultural and educational area), Xianyue (business area), and Haicang (industrial area), with their atmospheric TSP concentrations and the photosynthetic parameters of street Mango (Mangifera indica) trees monitored in April and May, 2009. The daily average concentration of TSP in Tingxi, Xiamen University, Xianyue, and Haicang was 0.061, 0.113, 0.120 and 0.205 mg x m(-3), respectively, and the impact of TSP stress on M. indica was in the sequence of Haicang > Xianyue > Xiamen University > Tingxi. TSP pollution negatively affected the net photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductance, and transpiration rate of M. indica, and induced intercellular CO2 concentration changed significantly. High TSP concentration could cause the decline of net photosynthetic rate via stomatal limitation.

75 FR 69026 - Employee Contribution Elections and Contribution Allocations; Uniformed Services Accounts; Death...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-11-10

... Services Accounts; Death Benefits; Thrift Savings Plan AGENCY: Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board... Currently, a spouse beneficiary of a TSP participant must either transfer his or her TSP death benefit... spouse of a deceased participant to retain a lump sum death benefit payment in the TSP, subject to...

5 CFR 1655.13 - Loan approval and issuance.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... by the participant to the TSP record keeper, together with any documentation required to be submitted, the loan will be initially approved or denied by the TSP record keeper based upon the requirements of... required supporting documentation, was received by the TSP record keeper before the expiration date...

The Tobacco Status Project (TSP): Study protocol for a randomized controlled trial of a Facebook smoking cessation intervention for young adults.

PubMed

Ramo, Danielle E; Thrul, Johannes; Delucchi, Kevin L; Ling, Pamela M; Hall, Sharon M; Prochaska, Judith J

2015-09-15

Tobacco use remains the leading cause of premature morbidity and mortality in the United States. Young adults are less successful at quitting, use cessation treatment less often than smokers of other ages, and can be a challenge to retain in treatment. Social media, integrated into the lives of many young adults, represents a promising strategy to deliver evidence-based smoking cessation treatment to a large, diverse audience. The goal of this trial is to test the efficacy of a stage-based smoking cessation intervention on Facebook for young adults age 18 to 25 on smoking abstinence, reduction in cigarettes smoked, and thoughts about smoking abstinence. This is a randomized controlled trial. Young adult smokers throughout the United States are recruited online and randomized to either the 3 month Tobacco Status Project intervention on Facebook or a referral to a smoking cessation website. The intervention consists of assignment to a secret Facebook group tailored to readiness to quit smoking (precontemplation, contemplation, preparation), daily Facebook contacts tailored to readiness to quit smoking, weekly live counseling sessions, and for those in preparation, weekly Cognitive Behavioral Therapy counseling sessions on Facebook. Primary outcome measure is biochemically-verified 7-day point prevalence abstinence from smoking at posttreatment (3 months), 6, and 12 months. Secondary outcome measures are reduction of 50 % or more in cigarettes smoked, 24 h quit attempts, and commitment to abstinence at each time point. A secondary aim is to test, within the TSP condition, the effect of a monetary incentive at increasing engagement in the intervention. This randomized controlled trial is testing a novel Facebook intervention for treating young adults' tobacco use. If efficacious, the social media intervention could be disseminated widely and expanded to address additional health risks. ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02207036 , May 13, 2014.

Inconsistent Protective Efficacy and Marked Polymorphism Limits the Value of Schistosoma japonicum Tetraspanin-2 as a Vaccine Target

PubMed Central

Zhang, Wenbao; Li, Jun; Duke, Mary; Jones, Malcolm K.; Kuang, Ling; Zhang, Jianfeng; Blair, David; Li, Yuesheng; McManus, Donald P.

2011-01-01

Background Schistosoma mansoni tetraspanin 2 (Sm-TSP-2) has been shown to be strongly recognized by IgG1 and IgG3 antibodies from individuals putatively resistant to schistosome infection, but not chronically infected people, and to induce high levels of protection against challenge infection in the murine model of schistosomiasis. Amplification by PCR of homologous sequences from male and female S. japonicum worms showed the presence of 7 different clusters or subclasses of S. japonicum TSP-2. We determined the protective efficacy of one subclass – Sj-TSP-2e. Methodology/Principal Findings Following the alignment of 211 cDNAs, we identified 7 clusters encoding S. japonicum TSP-2 (Sj-TSP-2) based on sequence variation in the large extracellular loop (LEL) region with differing frequency of transcription in male and female worms. Quantitative PCR analysis revealed elevated expression of Sj-TSP-2 in adult worms compared with other life cycle stages. We expressed in E. coli the LEL region of one of the clusters which exhibited a high frequency of transcription in female worms, and showed the purified recombinant protein (Sj-TSP-2e) was recognised by 43.1% of sera obtained from confirmed schistosomiasis japonica patients. Vaccination of mice with the recombinant protein induced high levels of IgG1 and IgG2 antibodies, but no consistent protective efficacy against challenge infection was elicited in three independent trials. Conclusions/Significance The highly polymorphic nature of the Sj-TSP-2 gene at the transcriptional level may limit the value of Sj-TSP-2 as a target for future S. japonicum vaccine development. PMID:21655308

Thrombospondin-2 predicts response to treatment with intravenous immunoglobulin in children with Kawasaki disease.

PubMed

Yang, Shuai; Song, Ruixia; Li, Xiaohui; Zhang, Ting; Fu, Jin; Cui, Xiaodai

2018-01-01

To investigate the predictive value of thrombospondin-2 (TSP-2) in assessing the response to intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) in children with acute Kawasaki disease (KD). This was a cohort study with controls. 71 children with KD were recruited as the case group, including IVIG non-responder (n=17) and IVIG responder (n=54), and healthy children (n=27) and febrile children (n=30) were used as control groups. ELISA was used to measure plasma TSP-2 and TSP-1 levels. The rank-sum test was used to compare groups of non-normally distributed data. Predictive value was evaluated through the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. Compared with the control groups, the plasma TSP-2 levels in acute KD were significantly elevated (TSP-2: 31.00 (24.02, 39.28) vs 21.93 (17.00, 24.73) vs 16.23 (14.00, 19.64) ng/mL, P<0.001). The plasma TSP-2 level in the IVIG non-responder was significantly higher than the responder group (37.58 (31.86, 43.98) vs 27.84 (21.88, 33.48) ng/mL, P=0.002). When using an ROC curve to analyse the predictive effect of TSP-2 on non-responsiveness to IVIG treatment, the area under the curve was 0.752 (0.630, 0.875) (P=0.002). When the cut-off value for TSP-2 was 31.50 ng/mL, the sensitivity was 82.35%, the specificity was 64.81%. The plasma TSP-2 level was elevated in acute KD and it might be a novel predictor for IVIG resistance, which could help guide clinicians to choose individualised initial therapeutic regimens.

Trigeminal nerve injury-induced thrombospondin-4 up-regulation contributes to orofacial neuropathic pain states in a rat model.

PubMed

Li, K-W; Kim, D-S; Zaucke, F; Luo, Z D

2014-04-01

Injury to the trigeminal nerve often results in the development of chronic pain states including tactile allodynia, or hypersensitivity to light touch, in orofacial area, but its underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. Peripheral nerve injury has been shown to cause up-regulation of thrombospondin-4 (TSP4) in dorsal spinal cord that correlates with neuropathic pain development. In this study, we examined whether injury-induced TSP4 is critical in mediating orofacial pain development in a rat model of chronic constriction injury to the infraorbital nerve. Orofacial sensitivity to mechanical stimulation was examined in a unilateral infraorbital nerve ligation rat model. The levels of TSP4 in trigeminal ganglia and associated spinal subnucleus caudalis and C1/C2 spinal cord (Vc/C2) from injured rats were examined at time points correlating with the initiation and peak orofacial hypersensitivity. TSP4 antisense and mismatch oligodeoxynucleotides were intrathecally injected into injured rats to see if antisense oligodeoxynucleotide treatment could reverse injury-induced TSP4 up-regulation and orofacial behavioural hypersensitivity. Our data indicated that trigeminal nerve injury induced TSP4 up-regulation in Vc/C2 at a time point correlated with orofacial tactile allodynia. In addition, intrathecal treatment with TSP4 antisense, but not mismatch, oligodeoxynucleotides blocked both injury-induced TSP4 up-regulation in Vc/C2 and behavioural hypersensitivity. Our data support that infraorbital nerve injury leads to TSP4 up-regulation in trigeminal spinal complex that contributes to orofacial neuropathic pain states. Blocking this pathway may provide an alternative approach in management of orofacial neuropathic pain states. © 2013 European Pain Federation - EFIC®

TSP Redesignation Requests

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This document may be of assistance in applying the New Source Review (NSR) air permitting regulations including the Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD) requirements. This document is part of the NSR Policy and Guidance Database. Some documents in the database are a scanned or retyped version of a paper photocopy of the original. Although we have taken considerable effort to quality assure the documents, some may contain typographical errors. Contact the office that issued the document if you need a copy of the original.

Bee Inspired Novel Optimization Algorithm and Mathematical Model for Effective and Efficient Route Planning in Railway System

PubMed Central

Leong, Kah Huo; Abdul-Rahman, Hamzah; Wang, Chen; Onn, Chiu Chuen

2016-01-01

Railway and metro transport systems (RS) are becoming one of the popular choices of transportation among people, especially those who live in urban cities. Urbanization and increasing population due to rapid development of economy in many cities are leading to a bigger demand for urban rail transit. Despite being a popular variant of Traveling Salesman Problem (TSP), it appears that the universal formula or techniques to solve the problem are yet to be found. This paper aims to develop an optimization algorithm for optimum route selection to multiple destinations in RS before returning to the starting point. Bee foraging behaviour is examined to generate a reliable algorithm in railway TSP. The algorithm is then verified by comparing the results with the exact solutions in 10 test cases, and a numerical case study is designed to demonstrate the application with large size sample. It is tested to be efficient and effective in railway route planning as the tour can be completed within a certain period of time by using minimal resources. The findings further support the reliability of the algorithm and capability to solve the problems with different complexity. This algorithm can be used as a method to assist business practitioners making better decision in route planning. PMID:27930659

Bee Inspired Novel Optimization Algorithm and Mathematical Model for Effective and Efficient Route Planning in Railway System.

PubMed

Leong, Kah Huo; Abdul-Rahman, Hamzah; Wang, Chen; Onn, Chiu Chuen; Loo, Siaw-Chuing

2016-01-01

Railway and metro transport systems (RS) are becoming one of the popular choices of transportation among people, especially those who live in urban cities. Urbanization and increasing population due to rapid development of economy in many cities are leading to a bigger demand for urban rail transit. Despite being a popular variant of Traveling Salesman Problem (TSP), it appears that the universal formula or techniques to solve the problem are yet to be found. This paper aims to develop an optimization algorithm for optimum route selection to multiple destinations in RS before returning to the starting point. Bee foraging behaviour is examined to generate a reliable algorithm in railway TSP. The algorithm is then verified by comparing the results with the exact solutions in 10 test cases, and a numerical case study is designed to demonstrate the application with large size sample. It is tested to be efficient and effective in railway route planning as the tour can be completed within a certain period of time by using minimal resources. The findings further support the reliability of the algorithm and capability to solve the problems with different complexity. This algorithm can be used as a method to assist business practitioners making better decision in route planning.

Determining Competencies for Frontline Sales Managers in For-Profit Organizations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Busch, Tina Killough

2012-01-01

Practice in the sales profession and current competency research indicate salesperson competence is key to organizational competitive advantage. With models of selling evolving to respond to the marketplace, there are changes in the competency requirements and roles people must play for future success, resulting in the emergence of new kinds of…

An Experiential Approach to Intercultural Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reggy-Mamo, Mae Alice

2008-01-01

Beulah Heights University, a predominately African-American institution, specializes in reaching the adult student of average age 38. Most of these students have 9-to-5 jobs as well as family and church responsibilities. Seated in the classroom, there are pastors, teachers, church administrators, health care workers, salespersons, bank tellers,…

The Effect of Nonverbal Signals on Student Role-Play Evaluations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Taute, Harry A.; Heiser, Robert S.; McArthur, David N.

2011-01-01

Although salespeople have long been urged to recognize and adapt to customer needs and wants by observing communications style and other cues or signals by the buyer, nonverbal communications by the salesperson have received much less empirical scrutiny. However, nonverbal communications may be important in this context; research in several…

Technology Trends: Buying a Computer.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Strot, Melody; Benno, Mark

1997-01-01

Provides guidelines for buying computers for parents of gifted children. Steps for making decisions include deciding who will use the computer, deciding its purposes and what software packages will be used, determining current and future needs, setting a budget, and reviewing needs with salespersons and school-based technology specialists. (CR)

Personal Selling at Bournesworth College: A Simulation Exercise. Information Bank Simulation Exercise 2435A-F.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scribbins, Keith

This simulation is designed to train further education college salespersons in making effective sales presentations to firms' training officers. The exercise is divided into the following four parts: preparing for a sales visit (allotted time, 1 hour 15 minutes); carrying out the visit (45 minutes); reflecting on the visit and drafting…

Ornamental Horticulture. Course of Study Outlines. 1975 Edition. Volume XXX.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilson, Aubry

These courses of study in ornamental horticulture for secondary and adult technical education levels are based on a 1972 Rutgers University study and are designed to accomodate occupational needs in the field of ornamental horticulture. Job titles emphasized at the secondary level are caretaker, nurserymen, flower grower, and flower salesperson;…

75 FR 78877 - Employee Contribution Elections and Contribution Allocations; Uniformed Services Accounts...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-12-17

... From the Thrift Savings Plan; Death Benefits; Thrift Savings Plan AGENCY: Federal Retirement Thrift... beneficiary of a TSP participant must either transfer his or her TSP death benefit payment to another eligible... allow a spouse of a deceased participant to retain a lump sum death benefit payment in the TSP. This...

77 FR 6504 - Roth Feature to the Thrift Savings Plan and Miscellaneous Uniformed Services Account Amendments

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-02-08

... one of the following methods: Mail: Office of General Counsel, Attn: Thomas Emswiler, Federal... from, a Roth TSP balance. The tax treatment of a contribution to, or distribution from, a Roth TSP balance is governed by section 402A of the Internal Revenue Code. Types of TSP Accounts and Balances The...

Chemopreventive apigenin controls UVB-induced cutaneous proliferation and angiogenesis through HuR and thrombospondin-1

PubMed Central

Veliceasa, Dorina; Bridgeman, Bryan B.; Fitchev, Philip; Cornwell, Mona L.; Crawford, Susan E.; Pelling, Jill C.; Volpert, Olga V.

2014-01-01

Plant flavonoid apigenin prevents and inhibits UVB-induced carcinogenesis in the skin and has strong anti-proliferative and anti-angiogenic properties. Here we identify mechanisms, by which apigenin controls these oncogenic events. We show that apigenin acts, at least in part, via endogenous angiogenesis inhibitor, thrombospondin-1 (TSP1). TSP1 expression by the epidermal keratinocytes is potently inhibited by UVB. It inhibits cutaneous angiogenesis and UVB-induced carcinogenesis. We show that apigenin restores TSP1 in epidermal keratinocytes subjected to UVB and normalizes proliferation and angiogenesis in UVB-exposed skin. Importantly, reconstituting TSP1 anti-angiogenic function in UVB-irradiated skin with a short bioactive peptide mimetic representing exclusively its anti-angiogenic domain reproduced the anti-proliferative and anti-angiogenic effects of apigenin. Cox-2 and HIF-1α are important mediators of angiogenesis. Both apigenin and TSP1 peptide mimetic attenuated their induction by UVB. Finally we identified the molecular mechanism, whereby apigenin did not affect TSP1 mRNA, but increased de novo protein synthesis. Knockdown studies implicated the RNA-binding protein HuR, which controls mRNA stability and translation. Apigenin increased HuR cytoplasmic localization and physical association with TSP1 mRNA causing de novo TSP1 synthesis. HuR cytoplasmic localization was, in turn, dependent on CHK2 kinase. Together, our data provide a new mechanism, by which apigenin controls UVB-induced carcinogenesis. PMID:25526033

Comparison of home lead dust reduction techniques on hard surfaces: the New Jersey assessment of cleaning techniques trial.

PubMed Central

Rich, David Q; Rhoads, George G; Yiin, Lih-Ming; Zhang, Junfeng; Bai, Zhipeng; Adgate, John L; Ashley, Peter J; Lioy, Paul J

2002-01-01

High efficiency particulate air filter (HEPA) vacuums, which collect particles > 0.3 micro m, and trisodium phosphate (TSP), a detergent claimed to selectively remove lead, have been included in the HUD Guidelines for the Evaluation and Control of Lead Based Paint Hazards in Housing without systematic validation of their effectiveness. At the time the study was initiated, both HEPA vacuums and TSP were relatively expensive, they were not readily found in urban retail centers, and there were environmental concerns about the use and disposal of high-phosphate detergents. A randomized, controlled trial was conducted in urban high-risk homes in northern New Jersey to determine whether a more readily available and less expensive low-phosphate, non-TSP detergent and non-HEPA vacuum could perform as well as TSP and a HEPA vacuum in a cleaning protocol. Homes were randomized to one of three cleaning methods: TSP/HEPA vacuum, TSP/non-HEPA vacuum, or non-TSP/non-HEPA vacuum. Change in log-transformed lead loading was used in mixed models to compare the efficacy of the three cleaning techniques separately for uncarpeted floors, window sills, and window troughs. After we adjusted for baseline lead loading, the non-HEPA vacuum produced larger reductions on hard floors [19%; 95% confidence interval (CI), 3-38%], but the HEPA vacuum produced larger reductions on window sills (22%; 95% CI, 11-32%) and larger reductions on window troughs (16%; 95% CI, -4 to 33%). The non-TSP produced larger reductions on window troughs (21%; 95% CI, -2 to 50%), but TSP produced larger reductions on hard floors (5%; 95% CI, -12 to 19%) and window sills (8%; 95% CI, -5 to 20%). TSP/HEPA produced larger reductions on window sills (28%; 95% CI, 18-37%) and larger reductions on window troughs (2%; 95% CI, -24 to 23%), whereas the non-TSP/non-HEPA method produced larger reductions on hard floors (13%; 95% CI, -5 to 34%). Because neither vacuum nor detergent produced consistent results across surface

Comparison of home lead dust reduction techniques on hard surfaces: the New Jersey assessment of cleaning techniques trial.

PubMed

Rich, David Q; Rhoads, George G; Yiin, Lih-Ming; Zhang, Junfeng; Bai, Zhipeng; Adgate, John L; Ashley, Peter J; Lioy, Paul J

2002-09-01

High efficiency particulate air filter (HEPA) vacuums, which collect particles > 0.3 micro m, and trisodium phosphate (TSP), a detergent claimed to selectively remove lead, have been included in the HUD Guidelines for the Evaluation and Control of Lead Based Paint Hazards in Housing without systematic validation of their effectiveness. At the time the study was initiated, both HEPA vacuums and TSP were relatively expensive, they were not readily found in urban retail centers, and there were environmental concerns about the use and disposal of high-phosphate detergents. A randomized, controlled trial was conducted in urban high-risk homes in northern New Jersey to determine whether a more readily available and less expensive low-phosphate, non-TSP detergent and non-HEPA vacuum could perform as well as TSP and a HEPA vacuum in a cleaning protocol. Homes were randomized to one of three cleaning methods: TSP/HEPA vacuum, TSP/non-HEPA vacuum, or non-TSP/non-HEPA vacuum. Change in log-transformed lead loading was used in mixed models to compare the efficacy of the three cleaning techniques separately for uncarpeted floors, window sills, and window troughs. After we adjusted for baseline lead loading, the non-HEPA vacuum produced larger reductions on hard floors [19%; 95% confidence interval (CI), 3-38%], but the HEPA vacuum produced larger reductions on window sills (22%; 95% CI, 11-32%) and larger reductions on window troughs (16%; 95% CI, -4 to 33%). The non-TSP produced larger reductions on window troughs (21%; 95% CI, -2 to 50%), but TSP produced larger reductions on hard floors (5%; 95% CI, -12 to 19%) and window sills (8%; 95% CI, -5 to 20%). TSP/HEPA produced larger reductions on window sills (28%; 95% CI, 18-37%) and larger reductions on window troughs (2%; 95% CI, -24 to 23%), whereas the non-TSP/non-HEPA method produced larger reductions on hard floors (13%; 95% CI, -5 to 34%). Because neither vacuum nor detergent produced consistent results across surface

Air pollution and daily mortality: A new approach to an old problem

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lipfert, Frederick W.; Murray, Christian J.

2012-08-01

Many time-series studies find associations between acute health effects and ambient air quality under current conditions. However, few such studies link mortality with morbidity to provide rational bases for improving public health. This paper describes a research project that developed and validated a new modeling approach directly addressing changes in life expectancies and the prematurity of deaths associated with transient changes in air quality. We used state-space modeling and Kalman filtering of elderly Philadelphia mortality counts from 1974-88 to estimate the size of the population at highest risk of imminent death. This subpopulation appears stable over time but is sensitive to season and to environmental factors: ambient temperature, ozone, and total suspended particulate matter (TSP), as an index of airborne particles in this demonstration of methodology. This population at extreme risk averages fewer than 0.1% of the elderly. By considering successively longer lags or moving averages of TSP, we find that cumulative short-term effects on entry to the at-risk pool tend to level off and decrease as periods of exposure longer than a few days are considered. These estimated environmental effects on the elderly are consistent with previous analyses using conventional time-series methods. However, this new model suggests that such environmentally linked deaths comprise only about half of the subjects whose frailty is associated with environmental factors. The average life expectancy of persons in the at-risk pool is estimated to be 5-7 days, which may be reduced by less than one day by environmental effects. These results suggest that exposures leading up to severe acute frailty and subsequent risk of imminent death may be more important from a public health perspective than those directly associated with subsequent mortality.

Thrombospondins deployed by thrombopoietic cells determine angiogenic switch and extent of revascularization

PubMed Central

Kopp, Hans-Georg; Hooper, Andrea T.; Broekman, M. Johan; Avecilla, Scott T.; Petit, Isabelle; Luo, Min; Milde, Till; Ramos, Carlos A.; Zhang, Fan; Kopp, Tabitha; Bornstein, Paul; Jin, David K.; Marcus, Aaron J.; Rafii, Shahin

2006-01-01

Thrombopoietic cells may differentially promote or inhibit tissue vascularization by releasing both pro- and antiangiogenic factors. However, the molecular determinants controlling the angiogenic phenotype of thrombopoietic cells remain unknown. Here, we show that expression and release of thrombospondins (TSPs) by megakaryocytes and platelets function as a major antiangiogenic switch. TSPs inhibited thrombopoiesis, diminished bone marrow microvascular reconstruction following myelosuppression, and limited the extent of revascularization in a model of hind limb ischemia. We demonstrate that thrombopoietic recovery following myelosuppression was significantly enhanced in mice deficient in both TSP1 and TSP2 (TSP-DKO mice) in comparison with WT mice. Megakaryocyte and platelet levels in TSP-DKO mice were rapidly restored, thereby accelerating revascularization of myelosuppressed bone marrow and ischemic hind limbs. In addition, thrombopoietic cells derived from TSP-DKO mice were more effective in supporting neoangiogenesis in Matrigel plugs. The proangiogenic activity of TSP-DKO thrombopoietic cells was mediated through activation of MMP-9 and enhanced release of stromal cell–derived factor 1. Thus, TSP-deficient thrombopoietic cells function as proangiogenic agents, accelerating hemangiogenesis within the marrow and revascularization of ischemic hind limbs. As such, interference with the release of cellular stores of TSPs may be clinically effective in augmenting neoangiogenesis. PMID:17143334

On the etiology of tropical spastic paraparesis and human T-cell lymphotropic virus-I-associated myelopathy.

PubMed

Zaninovic, V

1999-01-01

The purpose of this review is to present some concepts on the etiology of tropical spastic paraparesis or human T-cell lymphotropic virus-I (HTLV-I)-associated myelopathy (TSP/HAM). The large number of syndromes that have been associated with HTLV-I (60 to date), the existence of TSP/HAM cases associated with other retroviruses (human immunodeficiency virus-2 [HIV-2], HTLV-II), the existence of many TSPs without HTLV-I, and the evidence of clear epidemiologic contradictions in TSP/HAM indicate that the etiopathogenesis of TSP/HAM is not yet clear. Tropical spastic paraparesis/HAM affects patients of all human ethnic groups, but usually in well localized and relatively isolated geographic regions where HTLV-I has been endemic for a long time. Environmental factors and geographic locations appear to be critical factors. Because the neuropathology of TSP/HAM suggests a toxometabolic, rather than a viral cause, it is proposed that an intoxication similar to neurolathyrism could account for some of TSP/HAM cases, mainly in tropical and subtropical countries. If this were the case, HTLV-I could be a cofactor or act as a bystander. it is possible that co-infection with another agent is necessary to produce TSP/HAM and most of the syndromes associated with HTLV-I.

40 CFR 52.123 - Approval status.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Urban Planning Area for O3. (e) The Administrator finds that the plan does not satisfy all the... pollutants listed in this paragraph. (1) Maricopa County Urban Planning Area for CO and TSP. (2) [Reserved... TSP, the portion of the Tucson TSP Air Planning Area falling both within the area described by...

40 CFR 52.123 - Approval status.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... Urban Planning Area for O3. (e) The Administrator finds that the plan does not satisfy all the... pollutants listed in this paragraph. (1) Maricopa County Urban Planning Area for CO and TSP. (2) [Reserved... TSP, the portion of the Tucson TSP Air Planning Area falling both within the area described by...

Molecular insights into a tetraspanin in the hydatid tapeworm Echinococcus granulosus.

PubMed

Hu, Dandan; Song, Xingju; Xie, Yue; Zhong, Xiuqin; Wang, Ning; Zheng, Yu; Gu, Xiaobin; Wang, Tao; Peng, Xuerong; Yang, Guangyou

2015-06-10

Cystic echinococcosis (hydatid disease), caused by the tapeworm Echinococcus granulosus (class Cestoda; family Taeniidae), is a neglected tropical disease that results in morbidity and mortality in millions of humans, as well as in huge economic losses in the livestock industry globally. Proteins from the tetraspanin family in parasites have recently become regarded as crucial molecules in interaction with hosts in parasitism and are therefore suitable for the development of vaccines and diagnostic agents. However, no information is available to date on E. granulosus tetraspanin. In this study, a uroplakin-I-like tetraspanin (Eg-TSP1) of E. granulosus was cloned and expressed in E. coli. The immunolocalization of Eg-TSP1 in different life stages of E. granulosus was determined using specific polyclonal antibody. The antibody and cytokine profiles of mice that immunized with recombinant Eg-TSP1 (rEg-TSP1) were measured for the immunogenicity analysis of this protein. Additionally, we use RNA interference method to explore the biological function of Eg-TSP1 in larva of E. granulosus. Immunofluorescence analysis showed that endogenous Eg-TSP1 mainly localized in the tegument of larvae and adults. Significantly elevated levels of antibodies IgG1 and IgG2a and of cytokines IFN-γ and IL-12 were observed in the sera of mice after immunization with rEg-TSP1, suggesting a typical T helper (Th)1-mediated immune response elicited by rEg-TSP1. On further probing the role of Eg-TSP1 in E. granulosus by RNA interference, we found that a thinner tegmental distal cytoplasm was induced in protoscoleces treated with siRNA-132 compared to controls. This is the first report characterizing a tetraspanin from the tapeworm E. granulosus. Our results suggest that Eg-TSP1 is associated with biogenesis of the tegument and maintenance of structural integrity of E. granulosus and could therefore be a candidate intervention target for control of hydatid disease.

Testes-specific protease 50 as an independent risk factor for poor prognosis in patients with non-small cell lung cancer.

PubMed

Qiao, Wen-Liang; Shi, Bo-Wen; Han, Yu-Dong; Tang, Hua-Mei; Lin, Jun; Hu, Hai-Yang; Lin, Qiang

2018-06-01

Testes-specific protease 50 (TSP50) is normally expressed in the testes and is overexpressed in various types of human cancers, including breast cancer, colorectal carcinoma and laryngocarcinoma. However, little has been reported on the association between TSP50 and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The present study aimed to detect TSP50 expression in 198 strict follow-up cases of paired NSCLC and 15 cases of normal lung parenchymal specimens using immunohistochemical staining. The expression levels of TSP50 were then correlated with the clinicopathological factors of NSCLC to assess its potential diagnostic and prognostic value. The relationship between TSP50 expression and the clinicopathological parameters of NSCLC was evaluated using χ 2 and Fisher's exact tests. Survival rates for the overall population (n=198) were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method, and univariate and multivariate analyses were performed using the Cox's proportional hazards regression model. P<0.05 was considered to indicate a statistically significant difference. The expression of TSP50 was significantly increased in NSCLC tissue compared with in adjacent non-tumor or normal lung parenchymal tissue (P<0.001). A significant association was revealed between high expression levels of TSP50 and clinicopathological characteristics including tumor differentiation (P=0.012), late tumor status (P=0.004) and late tumor node metastasis stage (P=0.026), as well as a reduced disease free survival (P=0.009) and overall survival rate (P=0.002) in all patients with NSCLC. Multivariate analyses demonstrated that high TSP50 expression in tumor tissues was significantly associated with a shorter disease-free survival rate [hazard ratio (HR) =1.590, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.035-2.441], and with a shorter overall survival rate (HR=1.814; 95% CI: 1.156-2.846). In conclusion, the present data demonstrated that increased TSP50 protein expression may be a potential predictor of early recurrence

Clinical and laboratory features of HTLV-I asymptomatic carriers and patients with HTLV-I-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis from the Brazilian Amazon

PubMed Central

Takatani, Massanobu; Crispim, Myuki Esashika; Fraiji, Nelson; Stefani, Mariane Martins Araujo; Kiesslich, Dagmar

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT Clinical and laboratory parameters including blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) neopterin were investigated in human-T-lymphotropic-virus-type-I associated-myelopathy/tropical-spastic-paraparesis-HAM/TSP and in HTLV-I carriers. HAM/TSP (n = 11, 2 males/9 females, median age = 48 years), recently diagnosed HTLV-I carriers (n = 21, 15 females/6 males, median age = 44 years), healthy individuals (n = 20, 10 males/10 females, median age = 34.6 years) from the Brazilian Amazon (Manaus, Amazonas State) were investigated. Neopterin was measured (IBL ELISA Neopterin, Germany) in serum samples of all the participants, in CSF of 9 HAM/TSP patients as well as in 6 carriers. In HAM/TSP patients, CSF cell counts, protein and glucose were measured, the Osame’s motor-disability-score/OMDS was determined, and brain/spinal cord magnetic-resonance-imaging (MRI) was performed. HAM/TSP patients had normal CSF glucose, leukocyte counts; and normal protein levels predominated. Brain-MRI showed white-matter lesions in 7 out of 11 HAM/TSP patients. OMDS varied from 2-8: 9 were able to walk, 2 were wheel-chair-users. The median serum neopterin concentration in HAM/TSP patients was 6.6 nmol/ L; min. 2.8- max. 12.5 nmol/ L); was lower in carriers (4.3 nmol/L; min. 2.7- max. 7.2 nmol/ L) as well as in healthy participants (4.7 nmol/ L; min. 2.7- max. 8.0 nmol/ L) (p < 0.05). CSF neopterin concentrations in HAM/TSP patients were higher than in serum samples, and higher compared to carriers (p < 0.05). Carriers had similar serum-CSF neopterin concentrations compared to healthy participants. Variable clinical and laboratory profiles were seen in HAM/TSP patients, however our results support the neopterin measurement as a potential biomarker of disease activity. PMID:28380116

5 CFR 1650.41 - How to obtain an age-based withdrawal.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 5 Administrative Personnel 3 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false How to obtain an age-based withdrawal... an age-based withdrawal. To request an age-based withdrawal, a participant must submit to the TSP record keeper a properly completed paper TSP age-based withdrawal request form or use the TSP Web site to...

5 CFR 1650.41 - How to obtain an age-based withdrawal.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... 5 Administrative Personnel 3 2013-01-01 2013-01-01 false How to obtain an age-based withdrawal... an age-based withdrawal. To request an age-based withdrawal, a participant must submit to the TSP record keeper a properly completed paper TSP age-based withdrawal request form or use the TSP Web site to...

5 CFR 1650.41 - How to obtain an age-based withdrawal.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... 5 Administrative Personnel 3 2012-01-01 2012-01-01 false How to obtain an age-based withdrawal... an age-based withdrawal. To request an age-based withdrawal, a participant must submit to the TSP record keeper a properly completed paper TSP age-based withdrawal request form or use the TSP Web site to...

Thrombospondin-1 as a Paradigm for the Development of Antiangiogenic Agents Endowed with Multiple Mechanisms of Action

PubMed Central

Rusnati, Marco; Urbinati, Chiara; Bonifacio, Silvia; Presta, Marco; Taraboletti, Giulia

2010-01-01

Uncontrolled neovascularization occurs in several angiogenesis-dependent diseases, including cancer. Neovascularization is tightly controlled by the balance between angiogenic growth factors and antiangiogenic agents. The various natural angiogenesis inhibitors identified so far affect neovascularization by different mechanisms of action. Thrombospondin-1 (TSP-1) is a matricellular modular glycoprotein that acts as a powerful endogenous inhibitor of angiogenesis. It acts both indirectly, by sequestering angiogenic growth factors and effectors in the extracellular environment, and directly, by inducing an antiangiogenic program in endothelial cells following engagement of specific receptors including CD36, CD47, integrins and proteoglycans (all involved in angiogenesis ). In view of its central, multifaceted role in angiogenesis, TSP-1 has served as a source of antiangiogenic tools, including TSP-1 fragments, synthetic peptides and peptidomimetics, gene therapy strategies, and agents that up-regulate TSP-1 expression. This review discusses TSP-1-based inhibitors of angiogenesis, their mechanisms of action and therapeutic potential, drawing our experience with angiogenic growth factor-interacting TSP-1 peptides, and the possibility of exploiting them to design novel antiangiogenic agents. PMID:27713299

Women, Men and Personal Sales: An Analysis of Sex Differences in Compliance Gaining Strategy Use.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sprowl, John

A study explored the effects of both the sales representative's and the target consumer's biological gender upon the persuasive strategy choice of the salesperson. Data from 204 salespeople responding to a 27-item questionnaire were collected over a 6-week period. The results indicate clear differences between men and women sales representatives…

National Alliance of Business Sales Techniques and Results (STAR).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Golightly, Steven J.

This paper presents an overview of the Sales Techniques and Results (STAR) training program developed by the National Alliance of Business in conjunction with IBM. The STAR training program can be used to help vocational directors, teachers, and counselors to be better salespersons for cooperative education or job placement programs. The paper…

An Analysis of the Automobile Sales Occupation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bohac, Robert D.; Vernon, Robert C.

The general purpose of the occupational analysis is to provide workable, basic information dealing with the many and varied duties performed in the auto sales occupation. The analysis follows the salesperson through the essential everyday performance of the tasks in the occupation. The duties involve the process of obtaining the prospects and…

Chemical and morphological characterization of TSP and PM2.5 by SEM-EDS, XPS and XRD collected in the metropolitan area of Monterrey, Mexico

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

González, Lucy T.; Rodríguez, F. E. Longoria; Sánchez-Domínguez, M.; Leyva-Porras, C.; Silva-Vidaurri, L. G.; Acuna-Askar, Karim; Kharisov, B. I.; Villarreal Chiu, J. F.; Alfaro Barbosa, J. M.

2016-10-01

Total suspended particles (TSP) and particles smaller than 2.5 μm (PM2.5) were collected at four sites in the metropolitan area of Monterrey (MAM) in Mexico. The samples were characterized by X-ray Diffraction (XRD), X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS), and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). In order to determine the possible sources of emissions of atmospheric particulate matter, a principal component analysis (PCA) was performed. The XRD results showed that the major crystalline compounds found in the TPS were CaCO3 and SiO2; while in the PM2.5 CaSO4 was found. The XPS analysis showed that the main elements found on the surface of the particles were C, O, Si, Ca, S, and N. The deconvolution carried out on the high-resolution spectra for C1s, S2p and N1s, showed that the aromatics, sulfates and pyrrolic-amides were the main groups contributing to the signal of these elements, respectively. The C-rich particles presented a spherical morphology, while the Ca- and Si-based particles mostly showed a prismatic shape. The PCA analysis together with the results obtained from the characterization techniques, suggested that the main contributors to the CaCO3 particles collected in the PM were most probably produced and emitted into the atmosphere by local construction industries and exploitation of rich-deposits of calcite. Meanwhile, the SiO2 found in the MAM originated from the suspension of geological material abundant in the region, and the carbon particles were mainly produced by the combustion of fossil fuels.

5 CFR 1651.13 - How to apply for a death benefit.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... a copy of this form and for the current mailing address for death benefit applications. [70 FR 32217....13 How to apply for a death benefit. The TSP has created a paper form that a potential beneficiary must use to apply for a TSP death benefit. The TSP must receive this form before a death benefit can be...

Extending the TSP to Systems Engineering: Early Results from Team Process Integration

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-08-01

within ±10 percent of what was planned, and there were no high-priority problem reports coming out of test. Employee Work / Life Balance TPI helped improve...employee work / life balance . In order to get their job done before implementing TPI, employees rou- tinely worked overtime. With TPI (and in COMING

Curriculum Guide for Fashion Merchandising (Fashion Salesperson).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gregory, Margaret R.

This curriculum guide is designed to help teachers teach a course in fashion merchandising to high school students. The guide contains eight performance-based learning modules, each consisting of one to seven units. Each unit teaches a job-relevant task, and includes performance objectives, performance guides, resources, learning activities,…

Improved Lipid Profile Associated with Daily Consumption of Tri-Sura-Phon in Healthy Overweight Volunteers: An Open-Label, Randomized Controlled Trial

PubMed Central

Kuamsub, Sirigoon; Singthong, Pariyaphat; Chanthasri, Wipawee; Chobngam, Nicharee; Sangkaew, Warissara; Hemdecho, Sasithorn; Kaewmanee, Thammarat

2017-01-01

Tri-Sura-Phon (TSP), a traditional Thai polyherbal formula renowned for its rejuvenating properties, is commonly used as a blood tonic. It comprises Cinnamomum bejolghota, Cinnamomum parthenoxylon, and Aquilaria crassna. The aim of this study is to evaluate the beneficial properties of TSP tea consumption on blood glucose regulation and serum lipid profiles of healthy overweight volunteers. This open-label, randomized controlled trial was conducted in 70 healthy overweight adults. Two groups of 35 subjects took a TSP infusion or a placebo (cornstarch) twice daily for 8 weeks. The blood glucose regulation, serum lipid profiles, BMI, and liver function tests of the subjects were determined at the baseline, 4th week, and endpoint (8th week). Significant decreases in the average fasting levels of total cholesterol (p = 0.013), triglyceride (p = 0.001), and low-density lipoprotein (LDL, p = 0.017) were observed in the TSP group at the 8th week compared to those at the baseline. The average HDL level in the TSP group at the beginning of the study was 65.2 mg/dL, and it increased significantly (p = 0.005) to 72.4 mg/dL after 8 weeks of TSP intake. This study showed that the intake of TSP tea as an antioxidant-rich beverage might be safe and improve lipid profiles in overweight adults. PMID:28484502

You don't always get what you want, and you don't always want what you get: An examination of control-desire for control congruence in transactional relationships.

PubMed

Mullins, Ryan R; Bachrach, Daniel G; Rapp, Adam A; Grewal, Dhruv; Beitelspacher, Lauren Skinner

2015-07-01

In this research we develop a framework to examine the drivers of customers' desire for control over the sales relationship, and consequences of fit between perceived and desired control. Data collected in a lagged field study of 144 retailer manager (customer)-salesperson dyads were modeled using hierarchical linear modeling and response surface modeling techniques. Results from our analysis reveal that salesperson expertise drives retailers' desire for control in these relationships. In addition, while incongruence in perceived-desired control was negatively associated with both satisfaction and objective sales, retailer satisfaction was higher when both desired and perceived control were high. Further, as desired and perceived control over the sales relationship both increase, product sales initially decrease, and then increase, exhibiting a "U-shaped" effect. Implications for both theory and practice are discussed. These include adaptive sales training to identify misalignment between desired and perceived control, optimization of cocreation strategies, incorporation of interorganizational relational constructs, exploration of triadic social network configurations, examination of unmet expectations, and the implications of assimilation-contrast theory. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

Autonomous Data Collection Using a Self-Organizing Map.

PubMed

Faigl, Jan; Hollinger, Geoffrey A

2018-05-01

The self-organizing map (SOM) is an unsupervised learning technique providing a transformation of a high-dimensional input space into a lower dimensional output space. In this paper, we utilize the SOM for the traveling salesman problem (TSP) to develop a solution to autonomous data collection. Autonomous data collection requires gathering data from predeployed sensors by moving within a limited communication radius. We propose a new growing SOM that adapts the number of neurons during learning, which also allows our approach to apply in cases where some sensors can be ignored due to a lower priority. Based on a comparison with available combinatorial heuristic algorithms for relevant variants of the TSP, the proposed approach demonstrates improved results, while also being less computationally demanding. Moreover, the proposed learning procedure can be extended to cases where particular sensors have varying communication radii, and it can also be extended to multivehicle planning.

Testes-specific protease 50 as an independent risk factor for poor prognosis in patients with non-small cell lung cancer

PubMed Central

Qiao, Wen-Liang; Shi, Bo-Wen; Han, Yu-Dong; Tang, Hua-Mei; Lin, Jun; Hu, Hai-Yang; Lin, Qiang

2018-01-01

Testes-specific protease 50 (TSP50) is normally expressed in the testes and is overexpressed in various types of human cancers, including breast cancer, colorectal carcinoma and laryngocarcinoma. However, little has been reported on the association between TSP50 and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The present study aimed to detect TSP50 expression in 198 strict follow-up cases of paired NSCLC and 15 cases of normal lung parenchymal specimens using immunohistochemical staining. The expression levels of TSP50 were then correlated with the clinicopathological factors of NSCLC to assess its potential diagnostic and prognostic value. The relationship between TSP50 expression and the clinicopathological parameters of NSCLC was evaluated using χ2 and Fisher's exact tests. Survival rates for the overall population (n=198) were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method, and univariate and multivariate analyses were performed using the Cox's proportional hazards regression model. P<0.05 was considered to indicate a statistically significant difference. The expression of TSP50 was significantly increased in NSCLC tissue compared with in adjacent non-tumor or normal lung parenchymal tissue (P<0.001). A significant association was revealed between high expression levels of TSP50 and clinicopathological characteristics including tumor differentiation (P=0.012), late tumor status (P=0.004) and late tumor node metastasis stage (P=0.026), as well as a reduced disease free survival (P=0.009) and overall survival rate (P=0.002) in all patients with NSCLC. Multivariate analyses demonstrated that high TSP50 expression in tumor tissues was significantly associated with a shorter disease-free survival rate [hazard ratio (HR) =1.590, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.035–2.441], and with a shorter overall survival rate (HR=1.814; 95% CI: 1.156–2.846). In conclusion, the present data demonstrated that increased TSP50 protein expression may be a potential predictor of early recurrence

Mapping of epitopes for monoclonal antibodies against human platelet thrombospondin with electron microscopy and high sensitivity amino acid sequencing

PubMed Central

1985-01-01

A panel of monoclonal antibodies (Mab's) has been raised against human platelet thrombospondin (TSP). One Mab, designated A2.5, inhibits the hemagglutinating activity of TSP and immunoprecipitates the NH2 terminal 25 kD heparin binding domain of TSP (Dixit, V.M., D. M. Haverstick, K. M. O'Rourke, S. W. Hennessy, G. A. Grant, S. A. Santoro, and W. A. Frazier, 1985, Biochemistry, in press). Another Mab, C6.7, blocks the thrombin-stimulated aggregation of live platelets and immunoprecipitates an 18-kD fragment distinct from the heparin binding domain (Dixit, V. M., D. M. Haverstick, K. M. O'Rourke, S. W. Hennessy, G. A. Grant, S. A. Santoro, and W. A. Frazier, 1985, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 82: 3472-3476). To determine the relative locations of the epitopes for these Mabs in the three-dimensional structure of TSP, we have examined TSP-Mab complexes by electron microscopy of rotary- shadowed proteins. The TSP molecule is composed of three 180-kD subunits, each of which consists of a small globular domain (approximately 8 nm diam) and a larger globular domain (approximately 16 nm diam) connected by a thin, flexible strand. The subunit interaction site is on the thin connecting strands, nearer the small globular domains. Mab A2.5 binds to the cluster of three small domains, indicating that this region contains the heparin binding domain and thus represents the NH2 termini of the TSP peptide chains. Mab C6.7 binds to the large globular domains on the side opposite the point at which the connecting strand enters the domain, essentially the maximum possible distance from the A2.5 epitope. Using high sensitivity automated NH2 terminal sequencing of TSP chymotryptic peptides we have ordered these fragments within the TSP peptide chain and have confirmed that the epitope for C6.7 in fact lies near the extreme COOH terminus of the peptide chain. In combination with other data, we have been able to construct a map of the linear order of the identified domains of TSP that indicates

A Novel Deep Inspiration Maneuver for Difficult Transseptal Puncture.

PubMed

Aksu, Tolga; Guler, Tumer Erdem; Yalin, Kivanc; Golcuk, Sukriye Ebru; Ozcan, Kazim Serhan; Guler, Niyazi

2017-02-01

Transseptal puncture (TSP) may not be possible in cases of an elastic, aneurysmal, or thickened interatrial septum (IAS). During deep inspiration (DI), the chest wall expands and the diaphragm descends. This makes intrapleural pressure to become more negative, which leads to movement of the IAS to the right side. The aim of this study was to verify prospectively the feasibility, safety, and outcome of DI associated with conventional TSP technique in patients with challenging IAS anatomy. From September 2012 to May 2016, 224 patients underwent TSP due to different indications. Patients were divided into 2 groups: 213 patients in whom the left atrium was successfully accessed in 3 attempts were grouped as conventional TSP group and 11 patients in whom left atrium access was failed after 3 conventional attempts were grouped as DI-TSP group. Conventional TSP was successful in 89.6% of patients with the first attempt. Second and third attempts were required in 4.1% and 1.4%, respectively. Septal puncture was achieved at the first attempt in 10 patients within a median of 1 second of DI maneuver (interquartile range, 1 to 3) and without any complications. Challenging IAS anatomy consisting of IAS aneurysm, a thick IAS, and an excessively mobile IAS were more frequent in the DI-TSP group (45% to 8%, 27% to 3%, and 21% to 5%, respectively, p <0.001). In conclusion, TSP by using the DI maneuver may be a reliable and safe method after failed conventional attempts. If there is any doubt about the correct location of the needle, additional imaging modalities have to be used. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Continued Development of a Global Heat Transfer Measurement System at AEDC Hypervelocity Wind Tunnel 9

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kurits, Inna; Lewis, M. J.; Hamner, M. P.; Norris, Joseph D.

2007-01-01

Heat transfer rates are an extremely important consideration in the design of hypersonic vehicles such as atmospheric reentry vehicles. This paper describes the development of a data reduction methodology to evaluate global heat transfer rates using surface temperature-time histories measured with the temperature sensitive paint (TSP) system at AEDC Hypervelocity Wind Tunnel 9. As a part of this development effort, a scale model of the NASA Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV) was painted with TSP and multiple sequences of high resolution images were acquired during a five run test program. Heat transfer calculation from TSP data in Tunnel 9 is challenging due to relatively long run times, high Reynolds number environment and the desire to utilize typical stainless steel wind tunnel models used for force and moment testing. An approach to reduce TSP data into convective heat flux was developed, taking into consideration the conditions listed above. Surface temperatures from high quality quantitative global temperature maps acquired with the TSP system were then used as an input into the algorithm. Preliminary comparison of the heat flux calculated using the TSP surface temperature data with the value calculated using the standard thermocouple data is reported.

Particulate air pollution and daily mortality in Detroit.

PubMed

Schwartz, J

1991-12-01

Particulate air pollution has been associated with increased mortality during episodes of high pollution concentrations. The relationship at lower concentrations has been more controversial, as has the relative role of particles and sulfur dioxide. Replication has been difficult because suspended particle concentrations are usually measured only every sixth day in the U.S. This study used concurrent measurements of total suspended particulates (TSP) and airport visibility from every sixth day sampling for 10 years to fit a predictive model for TSP. Predicted daily TSP concentrations were then correlated with daily mortality counts in Poisson regression models controlling for season, weather, time trends, overdispersion, and serial correlation. A significant correlation (P less than 0.0001) was found between predicted TSP and daily mortality. This correlation was independent of sulfur dioxide, but not vice versa. The magnitude of the effect was very similar to results recently reported from Steubenville, Ohio (using actual TSP measurements), with each 100 micrograms/m3 increase in TSP resulting in a 6% increase in mortality. Graphical analysis indicated a dose-response relationship with no evidence of a threshold down to concentrations below half of the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for particulate matter.

Temperature Distribution Measurement of The Wing Surface under Icing Conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Isokawa, Hiroshi; Miyazaki, Takeshi; Kimura, Shigeo; Sakaue, Hirotaka; Morita, Katsuaki; Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency Collaboration; Univ of Notre Dame Collaboration; Kanagawa Institute of Technology Collaboration; Univ of Electro-(UEC) Team, Comm

2016-11-01

De- or anti-icing system of an aircraft is necessary for a safe flight operation. Icing is a phenomenon which is caused by a collision of supercooled water frozen to an object. For the in-flight icing, it may cause a change in the wing cross section that causes stall, and in the worst case, the aircraft would fall. Therefore it is important to know the surface temperature of the wing for de- or anti-icing system. In aerospace field, temperature-sensitive paint (TSP) has been widely used for obtaining the surface temperature distribution on a testing article. The luminescent image from the TSP can be related to the temperature distribution. (TSP measurement system) In icing wind tunnel, we measured the surface temperature distribution of the wing model using the TSP measurement system. The effect of icing conditions on the TSP measurement system is discussed.

An evaluation of the HM prison service "thinking skills programme" using psychometric assessments.

PubMed

Gobbett, Matthew J; Sellen, Joselyn L

2014-04-01

The most widely implemented offending behaviour programme in the United Kingdom was Enhanced Thinking Skills (ETS), a cognitive-behavioural group intervention that aimed to develop participant's general cognitive skills. A new offending behaviour programme has been developed to replace ETS: the Thinking Skills Programme (TSP). This study reports an evaluation of the effectiveness of TSP using psychometric assessments. Phasing of the two programmes created an opportunity to compare the two programmes consecutively. Forty participants, 20 from each programme, completed a range of psychometric measures to examine cognition, attitudes, and thinking styles. Analysis of pre- and post-programme psychometric results indicated that participants of TSP demonstrated improvements on 14 of the 15 scales, 9 of which were statistically significant. Effect sizes between pre-post results were generally greater for TSP than ETS, demonstrating that TSP had a more positive impact on the thinking styles and attitudes of participants than the ETS programme.

Advanced Selling: A Comprehensive Course Sales Project

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yarrington-Young, Susan; Castleberry, Stephen B.; Coleman, Joshua T.

2016-01-01

A comprehensive project for the Advanced Selling course that has been tested at three universities is introduced. After selecting an industry and a company, students engage in a complete industry analysis, a company sales analysis, a sales-specific SWOT analysis, complete a ride day with a salesperson in that firm, then present their findings in a…

Obtaining Your License: Careers in Real Estate.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lyon, Robert

Two steps are required to obtain a real estate salesperson's license in Texas: (1) selecting a broker to serve as an advisor, and (2) meeting personal requirements (at least 18 years old, a Texas resident, completion of a minimum of 12 semester hours of real estate and related courses, application, acceptable score on state exam, and payment of…

75 FR 20596 - Notice of Debarment; Schools and Libraries Universal Service Support Mechanism

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-04-20

... participation in a scheme to defraud the E-Rate program.\\6\\ You held yourself out as an E-Rate consultant and salesperson and admitted that you and others devised a scheme to defraud school districts and the E-Rate... your companies.\\7\\ You were also ordered to pay $238,609 in restitution for your role in the scheme.\\8...

Suppression of Vascular Growth in Breast Cancer.

DTIC Science & Technology

1995-10-01

Iruela-Arispe CONTRACTING ORGANIZATION: Beth Israel Hospital Boston, Massachusetts 02215 REPORT DATE: October 1995 TYPE OF REPORT: Annual PREPARED...ORGANIZATION NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) Beth Israel Hospital Boston, Massachusetts 02215 8. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION REPORT NUMBER 9. SPONSORING...tsp/tsp") mice by mating of TSP1 knock-out homozygotes with mice carrying the MMTV c-neu transgene 2. Analysis of the vascular bed, as well as

Expansion in CD39+ CD4+ Immunoregulatory T Cells and Rarity of Th17 Cells in HTLV-1 Infected Patients Is Associated with Neurological Complications

PubMed Central

Hasenkrug, Aaron M.; Bruno, Fernanda R.; Carvalho, Karina I.; Wynn-Williams, Harry; Neto, Walter K.; Sanabani, Sabri S.; Segurado, Aluisio C.; Nixon, Douglas F.; Kallas, Esper G.

2013-01-01

HTLV-1 infection is associated with several inflammatory disorders, including the neurodegenerative condition HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP). It is unclear why a minority of infected subjects develops HAM/TSP. CD4+ T cells are the main target of infection and play a pivotal role in regulating immunity to HTLV and are hypothesized to participate in the pathogenesis of HAM/TSP. The CD39 ectonucleotidase receptor is expressed on CD4+ T cells and based on co-expression with CD25, marks T cells with distinct regulatory (CD39+CD25+) and effector (CD39+CD25−) function. Here, we investigated the expression of CD39 on CD4+ T cells from a cohort of HAM/TSP patients, HTLV-1 asymptomatic carriers (AC), and matched uninfected controls. The frequency of CD39+ CD4+ T cells was increased in HTLV-1 infected patients, regardless of clinical status. More importantly, the proportion of the immunostimulatory CD39+CD25− CD4+ T-cell subset was significantly elevated in HAM/TSP patients as compared to AC and phenotypically had lower levels of the immunoinhibitory receptor, PD-1. We saw no difference in the frequency of CD39+CD25+ regulatory (Treg) cells between AC and HAM/TSP patients. However, these cells transition from being anergic to displaying a polyfunctional cytokine response following HTLV-1 infection. CD39−CD25+ T cell subsets predominantly secreted the inflammatory cytokine IL-17. We found that HAM/TSP patients had significantly fewer numbers of IL-17 secreting CD4+ T cells compared to uninfected controls. Taken together, we show that the expression of CD39 is upregulated on CD4+ T cells HAM/TSP patients. This upregulation may play a role in the development of the proinflammatory milieu through pathways both distinct and separate among the different CD39 T cell subsets. CD39 upregulation may therefore serve as a surrogate diagnostic marker of progression and could potentially be a target for interventions to reduce the development of

Determination of trace metal concentration in compost, DAP, and TSP fertilizers by neutron activation analysis (NAA) and insights from density functional theory calculations.

PubMed

Rahman, Md Sajjadur; Hossain, Syed Mohammod; Rahman, Mir Tamzid; Halim, Mohammad A; Ishtiak, Mohammad Niaz; Kabir, Mahbub

2017-11-08

Leaching of toxic metals from fertilizers is a growing concern in an agricultural country like Bangladesh due to the serious consequences in health and food chain. Fertilizers used in farming fields and nurseries (plant sales outlet) in the mid-southern part of Bangladesh were collected for the determination of toxic metals. This study employed the neutron activation method and a relative standardization approach. Three standard/certified reference materials, namely NIST coal fly ash 1633b, IAEA-Soil-7, and IAEA-SL-1 (lake sediment), were considered for elemental quantification. Concentration of As (2.63-16.73 mg/kg), Cr (40.93-261.77 mg/kg), Sb (0.47-63.58 mg/kg), Th (1.44-19.16 mg/kg), and U (1.90-209.41 mg/kg) were determined in fertilizers. High concentrations of Cr, Sb, and U were detected in some compost and phosphate fertilizers (TSP and diammonium phosphate (DAP)) in comparison with the IAEA/European market standard and other studies. Quantum mechanical calculations were performed to understand the molecular level interaction of CrO 3 , Sb 2 O 3 , and AsO 3 , with DAP by employing density functional theory with the B3LYP/SDD level of theory. Our results indicated that CrO 3 and Sb 2 O 3 have strong binding affinity with DAP compared to AsO 3 , which supports the experimental results. These compounds attached to the phosphate group through covalent-like bonding with oxygen. The frontier molecular orbital calculation indicated that HOMO-LUMO gap of the AsO 3 -DAP (5.46 eV) and Sb 2 O 3 -DAP (6.48 eV) complexes are relatively lower than the CrO 3 -DAP, which indicates that As and Sb oxides are chemically more prone to attach with the phosphate group of DAP fertilizer.

Thermally stable diamond brazing

DOEpatents

Radtke, Robert P [Kingwood, TX

2009-02-10

A cutting element and a method for forming a cutting element is described and shown. The cutting element includes a substrate, a TSP diamond layer, a metal interlayer between the substrate and the diamond layer, and a braze joint securing the diamond layer to the substrate. The thickness of the metal interlayer is determined according to a formula. The formula takes into account the thickness and modulus of elasticity of the metal interlayer and the thickness of the TSP diamond. This prevents the use of a too thin or too thick metal interlayer. A metal interlayer that is too thin is not capable of absorbing enough energy to prevent the TSP diamond from fracturing. A metal interlayer that is too thick may allow the TSP diamond to fracture by reason of bending stress. A coating may be provided between the TSP diamond layer and the metal interlayer. This coating serves as a thermal barrier and to control residual thermal stress.

Software Estimation: Developing an Accurate, Reliable Method

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-08-01

Lake, CA ,93555- 6110 8. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION REPORT NUMBER 9. SPONSORING/MONITORING AGENCY NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) 10. SPONSOR/MONITOR’S ACRONYM(S...Activity, the systems engineering team is responsible for system and software requirements. 2 . Process Dashboard is a software planning and tracking tool... CA 93555- 6110 760-939-6989 Brad Hodgins is an interim TSP Mentor Coach, SEI-Authorized TSP Coach, SEI-Certified PSP/TSP Instructor, and SEI

Tax secretion from peripheral blood mononuclear cells and Tax detection in plasma of patients with human T-lymphotropic virus-type 1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis and asymptomatic carriers.

PubMed

Medina, Fernando; Quintremil, Sebastián; Alberti, Carolina; Godoy, Fabián; Pando, María E; Bustamante, Andrés; Barriga, Andrés; Cartier, Luis; Puente, Javier; Tanaka, Yuetsu; Valenzuela, María A; Ramírez, Eugenio

2016-03-01

Human T-lymphotropic virus-type 1 (HTLV-1) is the etiologic agent of the neurologic disease HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP). Tax viral protein plays a critical role in viral pathogenesis. Previous studies suggested that extracellular Tax might involve cytokine-like extracellular effects. We evaluated Tax secretion in 18 h-ex vivo peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) cultures from 15 HAM/TSP patients and 15 asymptomatic carriers. Futhermore, Tax plasma level was evaluated from other 12 HAM/TSP patients and 10 asymptomatic carriers. Proviral load and mRNA encoding Tax were quantified by PCR and real-time RT-PCR, respectively. Intracellular Tax in CD4(+)CD25(+) cells occurred in 100% and 86.7% of HAM/TSP patients and asymptomatic carriers, respectively. Percentage of CD4(+)CD25(+) Tax+, proviral load and mRNA encoding Tax were significantly higher in HAM/TSP patients. Western blot analyses showed higher secretion levels of ubiquitinated Tax in HAM/TSP patients than in asymptomatic carriers. In HTLV-1-infected subjects, Western blot of plasma Tax showed higher levels in HAM/TSP patients than in asymptomatic carriers, whereas no Tax was found in non-infected subjects. Immunoprecipitated plasma Tax resolved on SDS-PAGE gave two major bands of 57 and 48 kDa allowing identification of Tax and Ubiquitin peptides by mass spectrometry. Relative percentage of either CD4(+)CD25(+) Tax+ cells, or Tax protein released from PBMCs, or plasma Tax, correlates neither with tax mRNA nor with proviral load. This fact could be explained by a complex regulation of Tax expression. Tax secreted from PBMCs or present in plasma could potentially become a biomarker to distinguish between HAM/TSP patients and asymptomatic carriers. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Maternal serum thrombospondin-1 is significantly altered in cases with established preeclampsia.

PubMed

Ulu, İpek; Çekmez, Yasemin; Yıldırım Köpük, Şule; Özer, Nida; Yoğurtçuoğlu, Eser Evrim; Anğın, Pınar; Kıran, Gürkan

2018-02-22

The aim of the study was to investigate whether maternal serum TSP-1 level was associated with PE. In our case control study, 84 pregnant women in the third trimester were included. Forty-one of them were healthy and 43 of them were with the diagnosis of PE. The diagnosis was based on the definitions of the National High Blood Pressure Education Program working Group on High Blood Pressure in Pregnancy. Preeclamptic patients were divided into two subgroups as mild and severe. Blood pressure (BP) of pregnant women were obtained in left-side lying position using a mercury sphygmomanometer after at least 10 minutes of rest. Ten milliliters of venous blood was taken from every pregnant women and dispensed into lithium heparin and serum was obtained. Samples were stored at -80 °C until analyzed. Serum TSP-1 level was measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). All tests were two-tailed and p < .05 was considered to be statistically significant. TSP-1 level was significantly lower in PE group than in controls (p = .003). Platelet counts were similar in two groups (p = .26). TSP-1 levels were significantly lower in severe PE than in mild PE cases. According to the subgroup analysis, TSP-1 level was found significantly lower in severe preeclampsia group compared to control group (p = .015). In light of the association between endothelial dysfunction and preeclampsia, we claim that lower levels of TSP-1 which is released mostly from endothelial cells seem to reflect disease severity in PE. Our study reveals that maternal serum TSP-1 levels decrease in pregnant women presenting with PE and TSP-1 may be a new biomarker for the detection of PE and even severity of it. Further studies especially prospective ones with greater numbers of cases are needed.

A case report of HTLV-I associated myelopathy presenting with cerebellar ataxia and nystagmus.

PubMed

Taki, Masakatsu; Nin, Fumiaki; Hasegawa, Tatsuhisa; Sakaguchi, Hirofumi; Suzuki, Toshihiro; Hisa, Yasuo; Azuma, Yumiko; Nakagawa, Masanori

2011-06-01

HTLV-I associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP) is characterized by spastic paraparesis in the lower extremities, and urinary disturbance. HAM/TSP has also been less frequently associated with cerebellar syndromes and nystagmus. We report a case of HAM/TSP presenting with cerebellar ataxia and nystagmus. The patient was a 73-year-old woman who was born in southern Japan. At age 41, she developed pain and spasticity in the bilateral lower limbs and gradually progressive gait disturbance. At age 57, she was diagnosed with HAM/TSP based on spastic paraparesis in the lower limbs, urinary disturbance and positive anti HTLV-I antibody in serum and cerebrospinal fluid. In June 2008, she was referred to our university and hospitalized for rehabilitation. Twenty days later, she experienced rotatory vertigo sensation. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed pontocerebellar atrophy. The patient presented with cerebellar signs in the upper limbs, gaze-evoked nystagmus in the sitting position and right-beating horizontal nystagmus in the supine and head-hanging positions. Electronystagmography (ENG) showed horizontal saccadic overshoot dysmetria and horizontal saccadic pursuit. Nystagmus is rare among the literature on HAM/TSP. ENG is helpful to evaluate and confirm the cerebellar syndromes of HAM/TSP. Copyright © 2010. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.

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

Robert Radtke

The manufacture of thermally stable diamond (TSP) cutters for drill bits used in petroleum drilling requires the brazing of two dissimilar materials--TSP diamond and tungsten carbide. The ENDURUS{trademark} thermally stable diamond cutter developed by Technology International, Inc. exhibits (1) high attachment (shear) strength, exceeding 345 MPa (50,000 psi), (2) TSP diamond impact strength increased by 36%, (3) prevents TSP fracture when drilling hard rock, and (4) maintains a sharp edge when drilling hard and abrasive rock. A novel microwave brazing (MWB) method for joining dissimilar materials has been developed. A conventional braze filler metal is combined with microwave heating whichmore » minimizes thermal residual stress between materials with dissimilar coefficients of thermal expansion. The process results in preferential heating of the lower thermal expansion diamond material, thus providing the ability to match the thermal expansion of the dissimilar material pair. Methods for brazing with both conventional and exothermic braze filler metals have been developed. Finite element modeling (FEM) assisted in the fabrication of TSP cutters controllable thermal residual stress and high shear attachment strength. Further, a unique cutter design for absorbing shock, the densification of otherwise porous TSP diamond for increased mechanical strength, and diamond ion implantation for increased diamond fracture resistance resulted in successful drill bit tests.« less

Scope of Various Random Number Generators in Ant System Approach for TSP

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sen, S. K.; Shaykhian, Gholam Ali

2007-01-01

Experimented on heuristic, based on an ant system approach for traveling Salesman problem, are several quasi and pseudo-random number generators. This experiment is to explore if any particular generator is most desirable. Such an experiment on large samples has the potential to rank the performance of the generators for the foregoing heuristic. This is just to seek an answer to the controversial performance ranking of the generators in probabilistic/statically sense.

Control Circuitry for High Speed VLSI (Very Large Scale Integration) Winograd Fourier Transform Processors.

DTIC Science & Technology

1985-12-01

Office of Scientific Research , and Air Force Space Division are sponsoring research for the development of a high speed DFT processor. This DFT...to the arithmetic circuitry through a master/slave 11-15 %v OPR ONESHOT OUTPUT OUTPUT .., ~ INITIALIZATION COLUMN’ 00 N DONE CUTRPLANE PLAtNE Figure...Since the TSP is an NP-complete problem, many mathematicians, operations researchers , computer scientists and the like have proposed heuristic

Implementation Guidance for the Accelerated Improvement Method (AIM). Software Engineering Process Management: Special Report

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-12-01

PSP and TSP books by Watts Humphrey or in the TSP-MT (multi-team) process extension. A few additional items should be created, e.g., see OPD-2...Institute, Carnegie Mellon University, 2000. www.sei.cmu.edu/library/abstracts/reports/00tr023.cfm [ Humphrey 2005] Humphrey , Watts S . PSP : A Self... Humphrey 2006] Humphrey , Watts S . TSP: Coaching Development Teams. Addison Wesley, 2006 (ISBN 978- 0201731132). www.sei.cmu.edu/library/abstracts/

Increased thrombospondin-4 after nerve injury mediates disruption of intracellular calcium signaling in primary sensory neurons

PubMed Central

Guo, Yuan; Zhang, Zhiyong; Wu, Hsiang-en; Luo, Z. David; Hogan, Quinn H.; Pan, Bin

2017-01-01

Painful nerve injury disrupts Ca2+ signaling in primary sensory neurons by elevating plasma membrane Ca2+-ATPase (PMCA) function and depressing sarco-endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+-ATPase (SERCA) function, which decreases endoplasmic reticulum (ER) Ca2+ stores and stimulates store-operated Ca2+ entry (SOCE). The extracellular matrix glycoprotein thrombospondin-4 (TSP4), which is increased after painful nerve injury, decreases Ca2+ current (ICa) through high-voltage–activated Ca2+ channels and increases ICa through low-voltage–activated Ca2+ channels in dorsal root ganglion neurons, which are events similar to the effect of nerve injury. We therefore examined whether TSP4 plays a critical role in injury-induced disruption of intracellular Ca2+ signaling. We found that TSP4 increases PMCA activity, inhibits SERCA, depletes ER Ca2+ stores, and enhances store-operated Ca2+ influx. Injury-induced changes of SERCA and PMCA function are attenuated in TSP4 knock-out mice. Effects of TSP4 on intracellular Ca2+ signaling are attenuated in voltage-gated Ca2+ channel α2δ1 subunit (Cavα2δ1) conditional knock-out mice and are also Protein Kinase C (PKC) signaling dependent. These findings suggest that TSP4 elevation may contribute to the pathogenesis of chronic pain following nerve injury by disrupting intracellular Ca2+ signaling via interacting with the Cavα2δ1 and the subsequent PKC signaling pathway. Controlling TSP4 mediated intracellular Ca2+ signaling in peripheral sensory neurons may be a target for analgesic drug development for neuropathic pain. PMID:28232180

Sodium Orthovanadate and Trigonella Foenum Graecum Prevents Neuronal Parameters Decline and Impaired Glucose Homeostasis in Alloxan Diabetic Rats.

PubMed

Kumar, Pardeep; Taha, Asia; Kumar, Nitin; Kumar, Vinod; Baquer, Najma Zaheer

2015-01-01

Hyperglycemia is the most important contributor in the onset and progress of diabetic complications mainly by producing oxidative stress. The present study was carried out to observe, the antihyperglycemic effect of sodium orthovanadate (SOV) and Trigonella foenum graecum seed powder (TSP) administration on blood glucose and insulin levels, membrane linked enzymes (monoamine oxidase, acetylcholinesterase, Ca2+ATPase), intracellular calcium (Ca2+) levels, lipid peroxidation, membrane fluidity and neurolipofuscin accumulation in brain of the alloxan induced diabetic rats and to see whether the treatment with SOV and TSP was capable of reversing the diabetic effects. Diabetes was induced by administration of alloxan monohydrate (15 mg/100 g body weight) and rats were treated with 2 IU insulin, 0.6 mg/ml SOV, 5% TSP in the diet and a combination of 0.2 mg/ml SOV and 5% TSP separately for three weeks. Diabetic rats showed hyperglycemia with almost four fold high blood glucose levels. Activities of acetylcholinesterase and Ca2+ATPase decreased in diabetic rat brain. Diabetic rats exhibited an increased level of intracellular Ca2+ levels, lipid peroxidation, neurolipofuscin accumulations and monoamine oxidase activity. Treatment of diabetic rats with insulin, TSP, SOV and a combined therapy of lower dose of SOV with TSP revived normoglycemia and restored the altered level of membrane bound enzymes, lipid peroxidation and neurolipofuscin accumulation. Our results showed that lower doses of SOV (0.2 mg/ml) could be used in combination with TSP in normalization of altered metabolic parameters and membrane linked enzymes without any harmful side effect.

Balance, functional mobility, and fall occurrence in patients with human T-cell lymphotropic virus type-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Fonseca, Erika Pedreira da; Sá, Katia Nunes; Nunes, Rebeca Freitas Reis; Ribeiro Junior, Antônio Carlos; Lira, Síntia Freitas Bastos; Pinto, Elen Beatriz

2018-01-01

Human T-cell lymphotropic virus type-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP) may lead to reduced functional mobility and balance. It is important to establish specific parameters that identify these changes and predict the risk of falls in these patients. The aim was to compare balance, functional mobility, and occurrence of falls among patients with and without HAM/TSP and to suggest values to predict the risk of falls in these patients. A cross-sectional study in patients with and without HAM/TSP involved balance assessments based on the berg balance scale (BBS) and functional mobility evaluation based on the timed up and go (TUG) test. From reports of falls, the sensitivity, specificity, and best cutoff points for the risk of falls assessed by these instruments were established using the receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curve; 5% alpha was considered. We selected 42 participants: 29 with HAM/TSP and 13 without HAM/TSP. There was a statistically significant difference in the occurrence of falls, balance, and functional mobility between the groups (p<0.05). Good accuracy was determined for the BBS (77%) and TUG test (70%) and the cutoff points for the risk of falls were defined as 50 points for the BBS and 12.28 seconds for the TUG test. Patients with HAM/TSP present reduced functional mobility and balance in relation to those without HAM/TSP. The risk of falls increased for these patients can be evaluated by the values ​​of 50 points using the BBS and 12.28 seconds using the TUG test.

Cardiovascular risk profile in patients with myelopathy associated with HTLV-1.

PubMed

Prado, Fabio Luís Silva do; Prado, Renata; Ladeia, Ana Marice Teixeira

HAM/TSP (HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis) is a slowly progressive disease, characterized by a chronic spastic paraparesis. It is not known if the disease carries an independent risk for cardiovascular disease. The objective of this study was to evaluate the cardiovascular risk profile related to HAM/TSP and compare it with the general population. This was a cross-sectional study, with a control group. HAM/TSP patients were evaluated using cardiovascular risk scores (ASCVD RISK, SCORE and Framingham) and inflammatory markers (ultrasensitive CRP and IL-6), and compared with a control group of healthy individuals. We also evaluated the correlation between cardiovascular risk and the functional status of patients with HAM/TSP evaluated by the FIM scale. Eighty percent of patients in this study were females, mean age of 51 years (11.3). The control group showed an increased cardiovascular event risk in 10 years when ASCVD was analyzed (cardiovascular risk ≥7.5% in 10 years seen in 43% of patients in the control group vs. 23% of patients with HAM/TSP; p=0.037). There was no difference in ultrasensitive CRP or IL-6 values between the groups, even when groups were stratified into low and high risk. There was no correlation between the functional status of HAM/TSP patients and the cardiovascular risk. In this study, the cardiovascular risk profile of patients with HAM/TSP was better than the risk of the control group. Copyright © 2017 Sociedade Brasileira de Infectologia. Published by Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.

Two-phase framework for near-optimal multi-target Lambert rendezvous

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bang, Jun; Ahn, Jaemyung

2018-03-01

This paper proposes a two-phase framework to obtain a near-optimal solution of multi-target Lambert rendezvous problem. The objective of the problem is to determine the minimum-cost rendezvous sequence and trajectories to visit a given set of targets within a maximum mission duration. The first phase solves a series of single-target rendezvous problems for all departure-arrival object pairs to generate the elementary solutions, which provides candidate rendezvous trajectories. The second phase formulates a variant of traveling salesman problem (TSP) using the elementary solutions prepared in the first phase and determines the final rendezvous sequence and trajectories of the multi-target rendezvous problem. The validity of the proposed optimization framework is demonstrated through an asteroid exploration case study.

7 CFR 652.4 - Technical service standards.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... must approve all new technologies and innovative practices, including interim standards and specifications, prior to a TSP initiating technical services for those technologies and practices. (c) A TSP must...

Cytometric analysis of retinopathies in retinal trypsin digests

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghanian, Zahra; Staniszewski, Kevin; Sorenson, Christine M.; Sheibani, Nader; Ranji, Mahsa

2014-03-01

The objective of this work was to design an automated image cytometry tool for determination of various retinal vascular parameters including extraction of features that are relevant to postnatal retinal vascular development, and the progression of diabetic retinopathy. To confirm the utility and accuracy of the software, retinal trypsin digest from TSP1-/- and diabetic Akita/+; TSP1-/- mice were analyzed. TSP1 is a critical inhibitor of development of retinopathies and lack of TSP1 exacerbates progression of early diabetic retinopathies. Loss of vascular cells of and gain more acellular capillaries as two major signs of diabetic retinopathies were used to classify a retina as normal or injured. This software allows quantification and high throughput assessment of retinopathy changes associated with diabetes.

Cytokine profile and proviral load among Japanese immigrants and non-Japanese infected with HTLV-1 in a non-endemic area of Brazil.

PubMed

Domingos, João Américo; Soares, Luana Silva; Bandeira, Larissa M; Bonin, Camila Mareti; Vicente, Ana C P; Zanella, Louise; Puga, Marco Antonio Moreira; Tozetti, Inês Aparecida; Motta-Castro, Ana Rita Coimbra; da Cunha, Rivaldo Venâncio

2017-01-01

The lifetime risk of HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP) development differs among ethnic groups. To better understand these differences, this prospective cohort study was conducted to investigate the cytokine profile and the HTLV-1 proviral load (PVL) in Japanese and non-Japanese populations with HAM/TSP and asymptomatic carriers (ACs). The serum IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, IL-17, TNF-α, and IFN-γ levels were quantified using the Cytometric Bead Array in 40 HTLV-1-infected patients (11 HAM/TSP and 29 ACs) and 18 healthy controls (HCs) in Brazil. Among ACs, 15 were Japanese descendants and 14 were non-Japanese. Of 11 patients with HAM/TSP, only one was a Japanese descendant. The HTLV-1 PVL was quantified by real-time PCR. The HTLV-1 PVL was 2.7-fold higher in HAM/TSP patients than ACs. Regardless of the clinical outcome, the PVL was significantly higher in patients younger than 60 years than older patients. The HAM/TSP and ACs had higher IL-10 serum concentrations than that of HCs. The ACs also showed higher IL-6 serum levels than those of HCs. According to age, the IL-10 and IL-6 levels were higher in ACs non-Japanese patients older than 60 years. HAM/TSP patients showed a positive correlation between IL-6 and IL-17 and a negative correlation between the PVL and IL-17 and IFN-γ. In the all ACs, a significant positive correlation was observed between IL-2 and IL-17 and a negative correlation was detected between IL-10 and TNF-α. Only 6.25% of the Japanese patients were symptomatic carriers, compared with 41.67% of the non-Japanese patients. In conclusion, this study showed that high levels of HTLV-1 PVL was intrinsicaly associated with the development of HAM/TSP. A higher HTLV-1 PVL and IL10 levels found in non-Japanese ACs over 60 years old, which compared with the Japanese group depicts that the ethnic background may interfere in the host immune status. More researches also need to be undertaken regarding the host genetic

Cytokine profile and proviral load among Japanese immigrants and non-Japanese infected with HTLV-1 in a non-endemic area of Brazil

PubMed Central

Domingos, João Américo; Soares, Luana Silva; Bandeira, Larissa M.; Bonin, Camila Mareti; Vicente, Ana C. P.; Zanella, Louise; Puga, Marco Antonio Moreira; Tozetti, Inês Aparecida; Motta-Castro, Ana Rita Coimbra; da Cunha, Rivaldo Venâncio

2017-01-01

The lifetime risk of HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP) development differs among ethnic groups. To better understand these differences, this prospective cohort study was conducted to investigate the cytokine profile and the HTLV-1 proviral load (PVL) in Japanese and non-Japanese populations with HAM/TSP and asymptomatic carriers (ACs). The serum IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, IL-17, TNF-α, and IFN-γ levels were quantified using the Cytometric Bead Array in 40 HTLV-1-infected patients (11 HAM/TSP and 29 ACs) and 18 healthy controls (HCs) in Brazil. Among ACs, 15 were Japanese descendants and 14 were non-Japanese. Of 11 patients with HAM/TSP, only one was a Japanese descendant. The HTLV-1 PVL was quantified by real-time PCR. The HTLV-1 PVL was 2.7-fold higher in HAM/TSP patients than ACs. Regardless of the clinical outcome, the PVL was significantly higher in patients younger than 60 years than older patients. The HAM/TSP and ACs had higher IL-10 serum concentrations than that of HCs. The ACs also showed higher IL-6 serum levels than those of HCs. According to age, the IL-10 and IL-6 levels were higher in ACs non-Japanese patients older than 60 years. HAM/TSP patients showed a positive correlation between IL-6 and IL-17 and a negative correlation between the PVL and IL-17 and IFN-γ. In the all ACs, a significant positive correlation was observed between IL-2 and IL-17 and a negative correlation was detected between IL-10 and TNF-α. Only 6.25% of the Japanese patients were symptomatic carriers, compared with 41.67% of the non-Japanese patients. In conclusion, this study showed that high levels of HTLV-1 PVL was intrinsicaly associated with the development of HAM/TSP. A higher HTLV-1 PVL and IL10 levels found in non-Japanese ACs over 60 years old, which compared with the Japanese group depicts that the ethnic background may interfere in the host immune status. More researches also need to be undertaken regarding the host genetic

Weekday/weekend differences in ambient aerosol level and chemical characteristics of water-soluble components in the city centre

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khoder, M. I.; Hassan, S. K.

Weekday and weekend ambient aerosol samples were collected from the city centre of Cairo, namely "Ramsis" during the summer season of the year 2006, and have been analyzed for water-soluble ionic species. The average concentrations of the total suspended particulate matter (TSP) and their water-soluble components were higher during weekdays than on weekends, indicating that the decreased traffic density on weekends leads to a decrease in the levels of the TSP and their water-soluble ionic species. The average concentrations of the TSP were 454 μg m -3 on weekdays and 298 μg m -3 on weekends. The weekday/weekend concentration ratios were 1.52 for TSP, 1.27 for SO 42-, 1.64 for Cl -, 1.54 for NO 3-, 1.17 for NH 4+, 1.67 for Ca 2+, 1.83 for Na +, 1.75 for K + and 1.73 for Mg 2+. City centre of Cairo has high levels of the TSP and their water-soluble ionic species compared with many polluted cities in the world. Among all of the measured water-soluble components, SO 42- was the most abundant species followed by Ca 2+ on weekdays and weekends. The average mass ratios of NO 3-/SO 42- in the TSP were 0.41 on weekdays and 0.34 on weekends, suggesting that the stationary source emissions were more predominant. The NH 4+/SO 42- molar ratios and its relation with the concentrations of TSP and Ca 2+ during the weekdays and weekends indicate that the chemical form of sulfate and ammonium in aerosol particles varies with TSP and Ca 2+ levels. At high TSP and Ca 2+ levels, and NH 4+/SO 42- molar ratios less than one, SO 42- in aerosol particles may be present as CaSO 4 and (NH 4) 2SO 4·CaSO 4·2H 2O, whereas it is expected to be present as (NH 4) 2SO 4, (NH 4) 2SO 4·CaSO 4·2H 2O and CaSO 4 at low levels of TSP and Ca 2+, and NH 4+/SO 42- molar ratios between 1 and 2. The mean pH values of the TSP were 7.65 on weekdays and 6.97 on weekends, indicating that aerosol particles brought a large amount of crustal species, and might alleviate the tendency of acidification. The

Bone marrow-derived Gr1+ cells can generate a metastasis-resistant microenvironment via induced secretion of thrombospondin-1

PubMed Central

Catena, Raúl; Bhattacharya, Nandita; Rayes, Tina El; Wang, Suming; Choi, Hyejin; Gao, Dingcheng; Ryu, Seongho; Joshi, Natasha; Bielenberg, Diane; Lee, Sharrell B.; Haukaas, Svein A.; Gravdal, Karsten; Halvorsen, Ole J.; Akslen, Lars A.; Watnick, Randolph S.; Mittal, Vivek

2013-01-01

Metastatic tumors have been shown to establish permissive microenvironments for metastases via recruitment of bone marrow (BM)- derived cells. Here, we show that metastasis-incompetent tumors are also capable of generating such microenvironments. However, in these situations the otherwise pro-metastatic Gr1+ myeloid cells create a metastasis-refractory microenvironment via the induction of thrombospondin-1 (Tsp-1) by tumor-secreted prosaposin. (BM)-specific genetic deletion of Tsp-1 abolished the inhibition of metastasis, which was restored by BM transplant from Tsp-1+ donors. We also developed a 5-amino acid peptide from prosaposin as a pharmacological inducer of Tsp-1 in Gr1+ BM cells, which dramatically suppresses metastasis. These results provide mechanistic insights into why certain tumors are deficient in metastatic potential and implicate recruited Gr1+ myeloid cells as the main source of Tsp-1. The results underscore the plasticity of Gr1+ cells, which, depending on the context, promote or inhibit metastasis, and suggest that the peptide could be a potential therapeutic agent against metastatic cancer. PMID:23633432

Neurological manifestations in individuals with HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis in the Amazon.

PubMed

Dias, G A S; Yoshikawa, G T; Koyama, R V L; Fujihara, S; Martins, L C S; Medeiros, R; Quaresma, J A S; Fuzii, H T

2016-02-01

A cross-sectional observational study was conducted. The aim was to analyze the clinical-functional profile of patients diagnosed with HTLV-1 (human T-lymphotropic virus type 1)-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP) in the Amazon region. Reference center for HTLV in the city of Belém, state of Pará, Brazil. Muscle strength, muscle tone, balance and the need for gait assistance among patients with HAM/TSP were evaluated. Among the 82 patients infected with HTLV-1, 27 (10 men and 17 women) were diagnosed with HAM/TSP. No statistically significant difference in muscle tone or strength was found between the lower limbs. Muscle weakness and spasticity were predominant in the proximal lower limbs. Patients with HAM/TSP are at a high risk of falls (P=0.03), and predominantly use either a cane or a crutch on one side as a gait-assistance device (P=0.02). Patients with HAM/TSP exhibit a similar clinical pattern of muscle weakness and spasticity, with a high risk of falls, requiring gait-assistance devices.

5 CFR 1650.63 - Executive Director's exception to the spousal notification requirement.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... be submitted to the TSP record keeper on the appropriate TSP paper form, accompanied by the following... spouse, declare the participant's inability to locate the spouse, state the last time the spouse's...

A Proposed Maneuver to Guide Transseptal Puncture Using Real-Time Three-Dimensional Transesophageal Echocardiography: Pilot Study.

PubMed

Mahmoud, Hani M; Al-Ghamdi, Mohammed A; Ghabashi, Abdullah E; Anwar, Ashraf M

2015-01-01

Aim of Study. To assess the feasibility of a new proposed maneuver "RATLe-90" using real-time three-dimensional transesophageal echocardiography (RT-3DTEE) for anatomically oriented visualization of the interatrial septum (IAS) in guiding the transseptal puncture TSP. Methods. The study included 20 patients (mean age, 60.2 ± 6.7 years; 60% males) who underwent TSP for different indications. RT-3DTEE was used to guide TSP. The proposed maneuver RATLe-90 (Rotate-Anticlockwise-Tilt-Left-90) was applied in all cases to have the anatomically oriented en face view of the IAS from the right atrial (RA) aspect. Having this anatomically oriented view, we guided the TSP catheter towards the proper puncture site according to the planned procedure. Results. Using the RATLe-90 maneuver, the anatomically oriented en face view of the IAS from the RA was obtained in all patients. We were able to guide the puncture catheter to the proper puncture site on the IAS. The 3D images obtained were clearly understood by both echocardiographers and interventionists. The RATLe-90 maneuver acquisition time was 19.9 ± 1.6 seconds. The time-to-tent was 64.8 ± 16.3 seconds. Less TEE probe manipulations were needed while guiding the TSP. Conclusions. Application of RT3D-TEE during TSP using RATLe-90 maneuver is feasible with shorter fluoroscopy time and minimizing TEE probe manipulations.

Thrombospondin-1 protects against pathogen-induced lung injury by limiting extracellular matrix proteolysis

PubMed Central

Qu, Yanyan; Olonisakin, Tolani; Bain, William; Zupetic, Jill; Brown, Rebecca; Hulver, Mei; Xiong, Zeyu; Shanks, Robert M.Q.; Bomberger, Jennifer M.; Cooper, Vaughn S.; Zegans, Michael E.; Han, Jongyoon; Pilewski, Joseph; Ray, Anuradha; Ray, Prabir; Lee, Janet S.

2018-01-01

Acute lung injury is characterized by excessive extracellular matrix proteolysis and neutrophilic inflammation. A major risk factor for lung injury is bacterial pneumonia. However, host factors that protect against pathogen-induced and host-sustained proteolytic injury following infection are poorly understood. Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA) is a major cause of nosocomial pneumonia and secretes proteases to amplify tissue injury. We show that thrombospondin-1 (TSP-1), a matricellular glycoprotein released during inflammation, dose-dependently inhibits PA metalloendoprotease LasB, a virulence factor. TSP-1–deficient (Thbs1–/–) mice show reduced survival, impaired host defense, and increased lung permeability with exaggerated neutrophil activation following acute intrapulmonary PA infection. Administration of TSP-1 from platelets corrects the impaired host defense and aberrant injury in Thbs1–/– mice. Although TSP-1 is cleaved into 2 fragments by PA, TSP-1 substantially inhibits Pseudomonas elastolytic activity. Administration of LasB inhibitor, genetic disabling of the PA type II secretion system, or functional deletion of LasB improves host defense and neutrophilic inflammation in mice. Moreover, TSP-1 provides an additional line of defense by directly subduing host-derived proteolysis, with dose-dependent inhibition of neutrophil elastase from airway neutrophils of mechanically ventilated critically ill patients. Thus, a host matricellular protein provides dual levels of protection against pathogen-initiated and host-sustained proteolytic injury following microbial trigger. PMID:29415890

Vervet monkeys use paths consistent with context-specific spatial movement heuristics.

PubMed

Teichroeb, Julie A

2015-10-01

Animal foraging routes are analogous to the computationally demanding "traveling salesman problem" (TSP), where individuals must find the shortest path among several locations before returning to the start. Humans approximate solutions to TSPs using simple heuristics or "rules of thumb," but our knowledge of how other animals solve multidestination routing problems is incomplete. Most nonhuman primate species have shown limited ability to route plan. However, captive vervets were shown to solve a TSP for six sites. These results were consistent with either planning three steps ahead or a risk-avoidance strategy. I investigated how wild vervet monkeys (Chlorocebus pygerythrus) solved a path problem with six, equally rewarding food sites; where site arrangement allowed assessment of whether vervets found the shortest route and/or used paths consistent with one of three simple heuristics to navigate. Single vervets took the shortest possible path in fewer than half of the trials, usually in ways consistent with the most efficient heuristic (the convex hull). When in competition, vervets' paths were consistent with different, more efficient heuristics dependent on their dominance rank (a cluster strategy for dominants and the nearest neighbor rule for subordinates). These results suggest that, like humans, vervets may solve multidestination routing problems by applying simple, adaptive, context-specific "rules of thumb." The heuristics that were consistent with vervet paths in this study are the same as some of those asserted to be used by humans. These spatial movement strategies may have common evolutionary roots and be part of a universal mental navigational toolkit. Alternatively, they may have emerged through convergent evolution as the optimal way to solve multidestination routing problems.

TSP Symposium 2012 Proceedings

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-11-01

and Statistical Model 78 7.3 Analysis and Results 79 7.4 Threats to Validity and Limitations 85 7.5 Conclusions 86 7.6 Acknowledgments 87 7.7...Table 12: Overall Statistics of the Experiment 32 Table 13: Results of Pairwise ANOVA Analysis, Highlighting Statistically Significant Differences...we calculated the percentage of defects injected. The distribution statistics are shown in Table 2. Table 2: Mean Lower, Upper Confidence Interval

TSP Symposium 2013 Proceedings

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-01-01

test and Post - test Results of the Experimental Group Our results show that the experimental group improved on the post - test compared...4.3.4 Design of the Learning Strategy 27 4.4 Results 28 4.4.1 Post - test 28 4.4.2 Analysis of the Results 28 4.4.3 Analysis of the Results from the...Estimation Accuracy) 17 Figure 5: Methodology for the Research 24 Figure 6: Question 1, Time Control for Post - test 28 Figure 7:

Genes Related to Antiviral Activity, Cell Migration, and Lysis Are Differentially Expressed in CD4+ T Cells in Human T Cell Leukemia Virus Type 1-Associated Myelopathy/Tropical Spastic Paraparesis Patients

PubMed Central

Pinto, Mariana Tomazini; Malta, Tathiane Maistro; Rodrigues, Evandra Strazza; Pinheiro, Daniel Guariz; Panepucci, Rodrigo Alexandre; Malmegrim de Farias, Kelen Cristina Ribeiro; Sousa, Alessandra De Paula; Takayanagui, Osvaldo Massaiti; Tanaka, Yuetsu; Covas, Dimas Tadeu

2014-01-01

Abstract Human T cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) preferentially infects CD4+ T cells and these cells play a central role in HTLV-1 infection. In this study, we investigated the global gene expression profile of circulating CD4+ T cells from the distinct clinical status of HTLV-1-infected individuals in regard to TAX expression levels. CD4+ T cells were isolated from asymptomatic HTLV-1 carrier (HAC) and HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP) patients in order to identify genes involved in HAM/TSP development using a microarray technique. Hierarchical clustering analysis showed that healthy control (CT) and HTLV-1-infected samples clustered separately. We also observed that the HAC and HAM/TSP groups clustered separately regardless of TAX expression. The gene expression profile of CD4+ T cells was compared among the CT, HAC, and HAM/TSP groups. The paxillin (Pxn), chemokine (C-X-C motif ) receptor 4 (Cxcr4), interleukin 27 (IL27), and granzyme A (Gzma) genes were differentially expressed between the HAC and HAM/TSP groups, regardless of TAX expression. The perforin 1 (Prf1) and forkhead box P3 (Foxp3) genes were increased in the HAM/TSP group and presented a positive correlation to the expression of TAX and the proviral load (PVL). The frequency of CD4+FOXP3+ regulatory T cells (Treg) was higher in HTLV-1-infected individuals. Foxp3 gene expression was positively correlated with cell lysis-related genes (Gzma, Gzmb, and Prf1). These findings suggest that CD4+ T cell activity is distinct between the HAC and HAM/TSP groups. PMID:24041428

Pain modulatory phenotypes differentiate subgroups with different clinical and experimental pain sensitivity.

PubMed

Vaegter, Henrik B; Graven-Nielsen, Thomas

2016-07-01

Pain biomarkers are warranted for individualized pain management. Based on different pain modulatory phenotypes, the objectives of this study were to explore the existence of subgroups within patients with nonmalignant chronic pain and to investigate differences in clinical pain and pain hypersensitivity between subgroups. Cuff algometry was performed on lower legs in 400 patients with chronic pain to assess pressure pain threshold, pressure pain tolerance, temporal summation of pain (TSP: increase in pain scores to 10 repeated stimulations), and conditioned pain modulation (CPM: increase in cuff pressure pain threshold during cuff pain conditioning on the contralateral leg). Heat detection and heat pain thresholds at clinical painful and nonpainful body areas were assessed. Based on TSP and CPM, 4 distinct groups were formed: group 1 (n = 85) had impaired CPM and facilitated TSP; group 2 (n = 148) had impaired CPM and normal TSP; group 3 (n = 45) had normal CPM and facilitated TSP; and group 4 (n = 122) had normal CPM and normal TSP. Group 1 showed more pain regions than the other 3 groups (P < 0.001), indicating that impaired CPM and facilitated TSP play an important role in widespread pain. Groups 1 and 2 compared with group 4 had lower heat pain threshold at nonpainful areas and lower cuff pressure pain tolerance (P < 0.02), indicating that CPM plays a role for widespread hyperalgesia. Moreover, group 1 demonstrated higher clinical pain scores than group 4 (P < 0.05). Although not different between subgroups, patients were profiled on demographics, disability, pain catastrophizing, and fear of movement. Future research should investigate interventions tailored towards these subgroups.

Mice That Lack Thrombospondin 2 Display Connective Tissue Abnormalities That Are Associated with Disordered Collagen Fibrillogenesis, an Increased Vascular Density, and a Bleeding Diathesis

PubMed Central

Kyriakides, Themis R.; Zhu, Yu-Hong; Smith, Lynne T.; Bain, Steven D.; Yang, Zhantao; Lin, Ming T.; Danielson, Keith G.; Iozzo, Renato V.; LaMarca, Mary; McKinney, Cindy E.; Ginns, Edward I.; Bornstein, Paul

1998-01-01

Thrombospondin (TSP) 2, and its close relative TSP1, are extracellular proteins whose functions are complex, poorly understood, and controversial. In an attempt to determine the function of TSP2, we disrupted the Thbs2 gene by homologous recombination in embryonic stem cells, and generated TSP2-null mice by blastocyst injection and appropriate breeding of mutant animals. Thbs2−/− mice were produced with the expected Mendelian frequency, appeared overtly normal, and were fertile. However, on closer examination, these mice displayed a wide variety of abnormalities. Collagen fiber patterns in skin were disordered, and abnormally large fibrils with irregular contours were observed by electron microscopy in both skin and tendon. As a functional correlate of these findings, the skin was fragile and had reduced tensile strength, and the tail was unusually flexible. Mutant skin fibroblasts were defective in attachment to a substratum. An increase in total density and in cortical thickness of long bones was documented by histology and quantitative computer tomography. Mutant mice also manifested an abnormal bleeding time, and histologic surveys of mouse tissues, stained with an antibody to von Willebrand factor, showed a significant increase in blood vessels. The basis for the unusual phenotype of the TSP2-null mouse could derive from the structural role that TSP2 might play in collagen fibrillogenesis in skin and tendon. However, it seems likely that some of the diverse manifestations of this genetic disorder result from the ability of TSP2 to modulate the cell surface properties of mesenchymal cells, and thus, to affect cell functions such as adhesion and migration. PMID:9442117

Scope of Various Random Number Generators in ant System Approach for TSP

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sen, S. K.; Shaykhian, Gholam Ali

2007-01-01

Experimented on heuristic, based on an ant system approach for traveling salesman problem, are several quasi- and pseudo-random number generators. This experiment is to explore if any particular generator is most desirable. Such an experiment on large samples has the potential to rank the performance of the generators for the foregoing heuristic. This is mainly to seek an answer to the controversial issue "which generator is the best in terms of quality of the result (accuracy) as well as cost of producing the result (time/computational complexity) in a probabilistic/statistical sense."

Instability and Transition on the HIFiRE-5 in a Mach-6 Quiet Tunnel

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-08-01

sensitive paint images were recorded on Tek- tronix oscilloscopes in Hi-Res mode. When an oscilloscope is set to Hi-Res mode, it samples at its highest rate...insulators. The profilometer found root- mean-square surface finishes of 0.17–0.42 µm for the final TSP application on the HIFiRE-5. All TSP images reported...of final TSP application on spray-paint insulator 49 Instead, the decision was made to paint only the aluminum frustum (and its in- serts), leaving

Relationships between postural orientation and self reported function, hop performance and muscle power in subjects with anterior cruciate ligament injury.

PubMed

Trulsson, Anna; Roos, Ewa M; Ageberg, Eva; Garwicz, Martin

2010-07-01

Injury to the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is associated not only with knee instability and impaired neuromuscular control, but also with altered postural orientation manifested as observable "substitution patterns". However, tests currently used to evaluate knee function in subjects with ACL injury are not designed to assess postural orientation. Therefore, we are in the process of developing an observational test set that measures postural orientation in terms of the ability to stabilize body segments in relation to each other and to the environment. The aim of the present study was to characterise correlations between this novel test set, called the Test for Substitution Patterns (TSP) and commonly used tests of knee function. In a blinded set-up, 53 subjects (mean age 30 years, range 20-39, with 2-5 years since ACL injury) were assessed using the TSP, the Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score subscale sport/recreation (KOOS sport/rec), 3 hop tests and 3 muscle power tests. Correlations between the scores of the TSP and the other tests were determined. Moderate correlations were found between TSP scores and KOOS sport/rec (rs = -0.43; p = 0.001) and between TSP scores and hop test results (rs = -0.40 to -0.46; p < or = 0.003), indicating that altered postural orientation was associated with worse self-reported KOOS sport/rec function and worse hop performance. No significant correlations were found between TSP scores and muscle power results. Subjects had higher TSP scores on their injured side than on their uninjured side (median 4 and 1 points; interquartile range 2-6 and 0-1.5, respectively; p < 0.0001). We conclude that the Test for Substitution Patterns is of relevance to the patient and measures a specific aspect of neuromuscular control not quantified by the other tests investigated. We suggest that the TSP may be a valuable complement in the assessment of neuromuscular control in the rehabilitation of subjects with ACL injury.

Treatment of Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis with a sublethal concentration of trisodium phosphate or alkaline pH induces thermotolerance.

PubMed

Sampathkumar, Balamurugan; Khachatourians, George G; Korber, Darren R

2004-08-01

The responses of Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis to a sublethal dose of trisodium phosphate (TSP) and its equivalent alkaline pH made with NaOH were examined. Pretreatment of S. enterica serovar Enteritidis cells with 1.5% TSP or pH 10.0 solutions resulted in a significant increase in thermotolerance, resistance to 2.5% TSP, resistance to high pH, and sensitivity to acid and H(2)O(2). Protein inhibition studies with chloramphenicol revealed that thermotolerance, unlike resistance to high pH, was dependent on de novo protein synthesis. Two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) of total cellular proteins from untreated control cells resolved as many as 232 proteins, of which 22 and 15% were absent in TSP- or alkaline pH-pretreated cells, respectively. More than 50% of the proteins that were either up- or down-regulated by TSP pretreatment were also up- or down-regulated by alkaline pH pretreatment. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-PAGE analysis of detergent-insoluble outer membrane proteins revealed the up-regulation of at least four proteins. Mass spectrometric analysis showed the up-regulated proteins to include those involved in the transport of small hydrophilic molecules across the cytoplasmic membrane and those that act as chaperones and aid in the export of newly synthesized proteins by keeping them in open conformation. Other up-regulated proteins included common housekeeping proteins like those involved in amino acid biosynthesis, nucleotide metabolism, and aminoacyl-tRNA biosynthesis. In addition to the differential expression of proteins following TSP or alkaline pH treatment, changes in membrane fatty acid composition were also observed. Alkaline pH- or TSP-pretreated cells showed a higher saturated and cyclic to unsaturated fatty acid ratio than did the untreated control cells. These results suggest that the cytoplasmic membrane could play a significant role in the induction of thermotolerance and resistance to other stresses following TSP

Trace elements in atmospheric particulate matter over a coal burning power production area of western Macedonia, Greece.

PubMed

Petaloti, Christina; Triantafyllou, Athanasios; Kouimtzis, Themistoklis; Samara, Constantini

2006-12-01

Total suspended particle (TSP) concentrations were determined in the Eordea basin (western Macedonia, Greece), an area with intensive lignite burning for power generation. The study was conducted over a one-year period (November 2000-November 2001) at 10 sites located at variable distances from the power plants. Ambient TSP samples were analyzed for 27 major, minor and trace elements. Annual means of TSP concentrations ranged between 47+/-33 microg m(-3) and 110+/-50 microg m(-3) at 9 out of the 10 sites. Only the site closest to the power stations and the lignite conveyor belts exhibited annual TSP levels (210+/-97 microg m(-3)) exceeding the European standard (150 microg m(-3), 80/779/EEC). Concentrations of TSP and almost all elemental components exhibited significant spatial variations; however, the elemental profiles of TSP were quite similar among all sites suggesting that they are affected by similar source types. At all sites, statistical analysis indicated insignificant (P<0.05) seasonal variation for TSP concentrations. Some elements (Cl, As, Pb, Br, Se, S, Cd) exhibited significantly higher concentrations at certain sites during the cold period suggesting more intense emissions from traffic, domestic heating and other combustion sources. On the contrary, concentrations significantly higher in the warm period were found at other sites mainly for crustal elements (Ti, Mn, K, P, Cr, etc.) suggesting stronger influence from soil resuspension and/or fly ash in the warm months. The most enriched elements against local soil or road dust were S, Cl, Cu, As, Se, Br, Cd and Pb, whereas negligible enrichment was found for Ti, Mn, Mg, Al, Si, P, Cr. At most sites, highest concentrations of TSP and elemental components were associated with low- to moderate-speed winds favoring accumulation of emissions from local sources. Influences from the power generation were likely at those sites located closest to the power plants and mining activities.

A Diabetes-Friendly Meal Everyone Can Enjoy

MedlinePlus

... center) ½ tsp garlic powder ½ tsp black pepper Fat-free cooking spray as needed Instructions: Preheat ... on prepared sheet. Sprinkle with garlic powder and pepper, then spread with the sauce. Bake salmon until ...

Apple Coffee Cake

MedlinePlus

... all-purpose flour 1 and 1/2 tsp baking soda 2 tsp ground cinnamon Directions Preheat oven ... in oil, vanilla, and egg. Sift together flour, baking soda, and cinnamon; stir into apple mixture about ...

Tropical Spastic Paraparesis

MedlinePlus

... rare cases individuals with HAM/TSP also exhibit uveitis (inflammation of the uveal tract of the eye), ... rare cases individuals with HAM/TSP also exhibit uveitis (inflammation of the uveal tract of the eye), ...

5 CFR 1601.13 - Elections.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

...Line, or by completing and filing the appropriate paper TSP form with the TSP record keeper in... elections for different sources of contributions; (3) A participant who elects for the first time to invest...

Comprehensive Antiretroviral Restriction Factor Profiling Reveals the Evolutionary Imprint of the ex Vivo and in Vivo IFN-β Response in HTLV-1-Associated Neuroinflammation.

PubMed

Leal, Fabio E; Menezes, Soraya Maria; Costa, Emanuela A S; Brailey, Phillip M; Gama, Lucio; Segurado, Aluisio C; Kallas, Esper G; Nixon, Douglas F; Dierckx, Tim; Khouri, Ricardo; Vercauteren, Jurgen; Galvão-Castro, Bernardo; Saraiva Raposo, Rui Andre; Van Weyenbergh, Johan

2018-01-01

HTLV-1-Associated Myelopathy (HAM/TSP) is a progressive neuroinflammatory disorder for which no disease-modifying treatment exists. Modest clinical benefit from type I interferons (IFN-α/β) in HAM/TSP contrasts with its recently identified IFN-inducible gene signature. In addition, IFN-α treatment in vivo decreases proviral load and immune activation in HAM/TSP, whereas IFN-β therapy decreases tax mRNA and lymphoproliferation. We hypothesize this "IFN paradox" in HAM/TSP might be explained by both cell type- and gene-specific effects of type I IFN in HTLV-1-associated pathogenesis. Therefore, we analyzed ex vivo transcriptomes of CD4 + T cells, PBMCs and whole blood in healthy controls, HTLV-1-infected individuals, and HAM/TSP patients. First, we used a targeted approach, simultaneously quantifying HTLV-1 mRNA (HBZ, Tax), proviral load and 42 host genes with known antiretroviral (anti-HIV) activity in purified CD4 + T cells. This revealed two major clusters ("antiviral/protective" vs. "proviral/deleterious"), as evidenced by significant negative (TRIM5/TRIM22/BST2) vs. positive correlation (ISG15/PAF1/CDKN1A) with HTLV-1 viral markers and clinical status. Surprisingly, we found a significant inversion of antiretroviral activity of host restriction factors, as evidenced by opposite correlation to in vivo HIV-1 vs. HTLV-1 RNA levels. The anti-HTLV-1 effect of antiviral cluster genes was significantly correlated to their adaptive chimp/human evolution score, for both Tax mRNA and PVL. Six genes of the proposed antiviral cluster underwent lentivirus-driven purifying selection during primate evolution (TRIM5/TRIM22/BST2/APOBEC3F-G-H), underscoring the cross-retroviral evolutionary imprint. Secondly, we examined the genome-wide type I IFN response in HAM/TSP patients, following short-term ex vivo culture of PBMCs with either IFN-α or IFN-β. Microarray analysis evidenced 12 antiretroviral genes (including TRIM5α/TRIM22/BST2) were significantly up-regulated by IFN

Thrombospondin in colorectal disease.

PubMed

Behzad; Abdalla; Gardy; Battrick; Kumar; Haboubi

2000-05-01

To assess the presence of thrombospondin (TSP) in normal and colonic disease and correlate its presence to survival in colorectal cancers. A specific antibody was used to stain paraffin-embedded sections of human colorectal disease (103 carcinomas, 10 inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), 10 diverticulosis and 10 normal). The stained sections were viewed by light microscopy and the degree of staining was quantified using computer-assisted image analysis system. Seventy-three percent of carcinomas, 30% of IBD and 80% of the diverticulosis specimens stained for TSP. None of the 'normal' specimens examined showed any staining. No significant correlation could be detected between TSP expression and survival in colorectal cancer patients. The presence of TSP in the colon is not specific and merely indicates the presence of a disease process.

HiCoDG: a hierarchical data-gathering scheme using cooperative multiple mobile elements.

PubMed

Van Le, Duc; Oh, Hoon; Yoon, Seokhoon

2014-12-17

In this paper, we study mobile element (ME)-based data-gathering schemes in wireless sensor networks. Due to the physical speed limits of mobile elements, the existing data-gathering schemes that use mobile elements can suffer from high data-gathering latency. In order to address this problem, this paper proposes a new hierarchical and cooperative data-gathering (HiCoDG) scheme that enables multiple mobile elements to cooperate with each other to collect and relay data. In HiCoDG, two types of mobile elements are used: the mobile collector (MC) and the mobile relay (MR). MCs collect data from sensors and forward them to the MR, which will deliver them to the sink. In this work, we also formulated an integer linear programming (ILP) optimization problem to find the optimal trajectories for MCs and the MR, such that the traveling distance of MEs is minimized. Two variants of HiCoDG, intermediate station (IS)-based and cooperative movement scheduling (CMS)-based, are proposed to facilitate cooperative data forwarding from MCs to the MR. An analytical model for estimating the average data-gathering latency in HiCoDG was also designed. Simulations were performed to compare the performance of the IS and CMS variants, as well as a multiple traveling salesman problem (mTSP)-based approach. The simulation results show that HiCoDG outperforms mTSP in terms of latency. The results also show that CMS can achieve the lowest latency with low energy consumption.

5 CFR 1655.10 - Loan application process.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... request on the TSP Web site: (1) FERS participants or members of the uniformed services requesting a... described in paragraph (b) of this section may use the TSP Web site to submit a loan application and obtain...

Decreased Serum Thrombospondin-1 Levels in Pancreatic Cancer Patients Up to 24 Months Prior to Clinical Diagnosis: Association with Diabetes Mellitus.

PubMed

Jenkinson, Claire; Elliott, Victoria L; Evans, Anthony; Oldfield, Lucy; Jenkins, Rosalind E; O'Brien, Darragh P; Apostolidou, Sophia; Gentry-Maharaj, Aleksandra; Fourkala, Evangelia-O; Jacobs, Ian J; Menon, Usha; Cox, Trevor; Campbell, Fiona; Pereira, Stephen P; Tuveson, David A; Park, B Kevin; Greenhalf, William; Sutton, Robert; Timms, John F; Neoptolemos, John P; Costello, Eithne

2016-04-01

Identification of serum biomarkers enabling earlier diagnosis of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) could improve outcome. Serum protein profiles in patients with preclinical disease and at diagnosis were investigated. Serum from cases up to 4 years prior to PDAC diagnosis and controls (UKCTOCS,n= 174) were studied, alongside samples from patients diagnosed with PDAC, chronic pancreatitis, benign biliary disease, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and healthy subjects (n= 298). Isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantification (iTRAQ) enabled comparisons of pooled serum from a test set (n= 150). Validation was undertaken using multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) and/or Western blotting in all 472 human samples and samples from a KPC mouse model. iTRAQ identified thrombospondin-1 (TSP-1) as reduced preclinically and in diagnosed samples. MRM confirmed significant reduction in levels of TSP-1 up to 24 months prior to diagnosis. A combination of TSP-1 and CA19-9 gave an AUC of 0.86, significantly outperforming both markers alone (0.69 and 0.77, respectively;P< 0.01). TSP-1 was also decreased in PDAC patients compared with healthy controls (P< 0.05) and patients with benign biliary obstruction (P< 0.01). Low levels of TSP-1 correlated with poorer survival, preclinically (P< 0.05) and at clinical diagnosis (P< 0.02). In PDAC patients, reduced TSP-1 levels were more frequently observed in those with confirmed diabetes mellitus (P< 0.01). Significantly lower levels were also observed in PDAC patients with diabetes compared with individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus (P= 0.01). Circulating TSP-1 levels decrease up to 24 months prior to diagnosis of PDAC and significantly enhance the diagnostic performance of CA19-9. The influence of diabetes mellitus on biomarker behavior should be considered in future studies. ©2015 American Association for Cancer Research.

Temporal similarity perfusion mapping: A standardized and model-free method for detecting perfusion deficits in stroke

PubMed Central

Song, Sunbin; Luby, Marie; Edwardson, Matthew A.; Brown, Tyler; Shah, Shreyansh; Cox, Robert W.; Saad, Ziad S.; Reynolds, Richard C.; Glen, Daniel R.; Cohen, Leonardo G.; Latour, Lawrence L.

2017-01-01

Introduction Interpretation of the extent of perfusion deficits in stroke MRI is highly dependent on the method used for analyzing the perfusion-weighted signal intensity time-series after gadolinium injection. In this study, we introduce a new model-free standardized method of temporal similarity perfusion (TSP) mapping for perfusion deficit detection and test its ability and reliability in acute ischemia. Materials and methods Forty patients with an ischemic stroke or transient ischemic attack were included. Two blinded readers compared real-time generated interactive maps and automatically generated TSP maps to traditional TTP/MTT maps for presence of perfusion deficits. Lesion volumes were compared for volumetric inter-rater reliability, spatial concordance between perfusion deficits and healthy tissue and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR). Results Perfusion deficits were correctly detected in all patients with acute ischemia. Inter-rater reliability was higher for TSP when compared to TTP/MTT maps and there was a high similarity between the lesion volumes depicted on TSP and TTP/MTT (r(18) = 0.73). The Pearson's correlation between lesions calculated on TSP and traditional maps was high (r(18) = 0.73, p<0.0003), however the effective CNR was greater for TSP compared to TTP (352.3 vs 283.5, t(19) = 2.6, p<0.03.) and MTT (228.3, t(19) = 2.8, p<0.03). Discussion TSP maps provide a reliable and robust model-free method for accurate perfusion deficit detection and improve lesion delineation compared to traditional methods. This simple method is also computationally faster and more easily automated than model-based methods. This method can potentially improve the speed and accuracy in perfusion deficit detection for acute stroke treatment and clinical trial inclusion decision-making. PMID:28973000

Role of thrombospondin-1 and nuclear factor-kappa B signaling pathways in anti-angiogenesis of infantile hemangioma.

PubMed

Xu, Weili; Li, Suolin; Yu, Fengxue; Zhang, Yongting; Yang, Xiaofeng; An, Wenting; Wang, Wenbo; Sun, Chi

2018-06-12

Propranolol (PRO) is the first-line drug for infantile hemangioma treatment. However, its mechanism of action remains unclear. Nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) is highly expressed in tumors, directly or indirectly promoting angiogenesis. Thrombospondin-1 (TSP-1) is the most important anti-angiogenesis protein in vivo. These proteins mediate signaling pathways, probably playing an important role in hemangioma treatment. This study explored the synergistic regulation of TSP-1 and NF-κB signaling pathways in the treatment of hemangioma with PRO. The hemangioma-derived endothelial cells (HemECs) were sorted out from the specimens of proliferative hemangioma by flow cytometry. Furthermore, a BALB/c nude mice hemangioma model was established. Viability and proliferation of HemECs, and the role of TSP-1 and NF-κB signaling pathways were observed after PRO administration in vitro and in vivo. The expressions of TSP-1 and its receptor cluster of differentiation 36 (CD36) in HemECs gradually increased with the increase in PRO concentration, while the expressions of NF-κBp65, phosphorylated inhibitor of kappa B alpha (p-IκBα), and phosphorylated inhibitor of NF-κB kinase beta (p-IκKβ) weakened gradually (p < 0.05). In vivo, the tumors shrank gradually after PRO treatment, with increase in TSP-1 and CD36, and decrease in NF-κBp65, p-IκBα, and p-IκKβ (p < 0.05). Glucocorticoid improved the anti-angiogenesis mediated by TSP-1/CD36 and inhibited the angiogenesis mediated by NF-κB/IκB (p < 0.05). Negative regulation occurred between the two signaling pathways. The treatment of infantile hemangioma with PRO is promising to promote TSP-1-mediated anti-angiogenesis and block NF-κB-mediated angiogenesis.

Chloroplast-derived vaccine antigens and biopharmaceuticals: expression, folding, assembly and functionality.

PubMed

Chebolu, S; Daniell, H

2009-01-01

Chloroplast genetic engineering offers several advantages, including high levels of transgene expression, transgene containment via maternal inheritance, and multi-gene expression in a single transformation event. Oral delivery is facilitated by hyperexpression of vaccine antigens against cholera, tetanus, anthrax, plague, or canine parvovirus (4%-31% of total soluble protein, TSP) in transgenic chloroplasts (leaves) or non-green plastids (carrots, tomato) as well as the availability of antibiotic free selectable markers or the ability to excise selectable marker genes. Hyperexpression of several therapeutic proteins, including human serum albumin (11.1% TSP), somatotropin (7% TSP), interferon-alpha (19% TSP), interferon-gamma (6% TSP), and antimicrobial peptide (21.5% TSP), facilitates efficient and economic purification. Also, the presence of chaperones and enzymes in chloroplasts facilitates assembly of complex multisubunit proteins and correct folding of human blood proteins with proper disulfide bonds. Functionality of chloroplast-derived vaccine antigens and therapeutic proteins has been demonstrated by several assays, including the macrophage lysis assay, GM1-ganglioside binding assay, protection of HeLA cells or human lung carcinoma cells against encephalomyocarditis virus, systemic immune response, protection against pathogen challenge, and growth or inhibition of cell cultures. Purification of human proinsulin has been achieved using novel purification strategies (inverse temperature transition property) that do not require expensive column chromatography techniques. Thus, transgenic chloroplasts are ideal bio-reactors for production of functional human and animal therapeutic proteins in an environmentally friendly manner.

Chloroplast-Derived Vaccine Antigens and Biopharmaceuticals: Expression, Folding, Assembly and Functionality

PubMed Central

Chebolu, S.; Daniell, H.

2009-01-01

Chloroplast genetic engineering offers several advantages, including high levels of transgene expression, transgene containment via maternal inheritance, and multi-gene expression in a single transformation event. Oral delivery is facilitated by hyperexpression of vaccine antigens against cholera, tetanus, anthrax, plague, or canine parvovirus (4%–31% of total soluble protein, TSP) in transgenic chloroplasts (leaves) or non-green plastids (carrots, tomato) as well as the availability of antibiotic free selectable markers or the ability to excise selectable marker genes. Hyperexpression of several therapeutic proteins, including human serum albumin (11.1% TSP), somatotropin (7% TSP), interferon-alpha (19% TSP), interferon-gamma (6% TSP), and antimicrobial peptide (21.5% TSP), facilitates efficient and economic purification. Also, the presence of chaperones and enzymes in chloroplasts facilitates assembly of complex multisubunit proteins and correct folding of human blood proteins with proper disulfide bonds. Functionality of chloroplast-derived vaccine antigens and therapeutic proteins has been demonstrated by several assays, including the macrophage lysis assay, GM1-ganglioside binding assay, protection of HeLA cells or human lung carcinoma cells against encephalomyocarditis virus, systemic immune response, protection against pathogen challenge, and growth or inhibition of cell cultures. Purification of human proinsulin has been achieved using novel purification strategies (inverse temperature transition property) that do not require expensive column chromatography techniques. Thus, transgenic chloroplasts are ideal bioreactors for production of functional human and animal therapeutic proteins in an environmentally friendly manner. PMID:19401820

Ambient concentrations of total suspended particulate matter and its elemental constituents at the wider area of the mining facilities of TVX Hellas in Chalkidiki, Greece.

PubMed

Gaidajis, George

2003-01-01

To assess ambient air quality at the wider area of TVX Hellas mining facilities, the Total Suspended Particulate matter (TSP) and its content in characteristic elements, i.e., As, Cd, Cu, Fe, Mn, Pb, Zn are being monitored for more than thirty months as part of the established Environmental Monitoring Program. High Volume air samplers equipped with Tissue Quartz filters were employed for the collection of TSP. Analyses were effected after digestion of the suspended particulate with an HNO3-HCl solution and determination of elemental concentrations with an Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy equipped with graphite furnace. The sampling stations were selected to record representatively the existing ambient air quality in the vicinity of the facilities and at remote sites not affected from industrial activities. Monitoring data indicated that the background TSP concentrations ranged from 5-60 microg/m3. Recorded TSP concentrations at the residential sites close to the facilities ranged between 20-100 microg/m3, indicating only a minimal influence from the mining and milling activities. Similar spatial variation was observed for the TSP constituents and specifically for Pb and Zn. To validate the monitoring procedures, a parallel sampling campaign took place with different High Volume samplers at days where low TSP concentrations were expected. The satisfactory agreement (+/- 11%) at low concentrations (50-100 microg/m3) clearly supported the reproducibility of the techniques employed specifically at the critical range of lower concentrations.

The thrombospondin-1 N700S polymorphism is associated with early myocardial infarction without altering von Willebrand factor multimer size.

PubMed

Zwicker, Jeffrey I; Peyvandi, Flora; Palla, Roberta; Lombardi, Rossana; Canciani, Maria Teresa; Cairo, Andrea; Ardissino, Diego; Bernardinelli, Luisa; Bauer, Kenneth A; Lawler, Jack; Mannucci, Pier

2006-08-15

The N700S polymorphism of thrombospondin-1 (TSP-1) has been identified as a potential genetic risk factor for myocardial infarction (MI). In a large case-control study of 1425 individuals who survived a myocardial infarction prior to age 45, the N700S polymorphism was a significant risk factor for myocardial infarction in both homozygous (odds ratio [OR] 1.9, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.1-3.3, P = .01) and heterozygous carriers of the S700 allele (OR 1.4, 95% CI 1.1-3.3, P = .01). TSP-1 has been shown to reduce von Willebrand factor (VWF) multimer size, and the domain responsible for VWF-reducing activity has been localized to the calcium-binding C-terminal sequence. As the N700S polymorphism was previously shown to alter the function of this domain, we investigated whether the altered VWF-reducing activity of TSP-1 underlies the observed prothrombotic phenotype. The TSP1 N700S polymorphism did not influence VWF multimer size in patients homozygous for either allele nor was there a significant reduction of VWF multimer size following incubation with recombinant N700S fragments or platelet-derived TSP-1.

The thrombospondin-1 N700S polymorphism is associated with early myocardial infarction without altering von Willebrand factor multimer size

PubMed Central

Zwicker, Jeffrey I.; Peyvandi, Flora; Palla, Roberta; Lombardi, Rossana; Canciani, Maria Teresa; Cairo, Andrea; Ardissino, Diego; Bernardinelli, Luisa; Bauer, Kenneth A.; Lawler, Jack; Mannucci, Pier

2006-01-01

The N700S polymorphism of thrombospondin-1 (TSP-1) has been identified as a potential genetic risk factor for myocardial infarction (MI). In a large case-control study of 1425 individuals who survived a myocardial infarction prior to age 45, the N700S polymorphism was a significant risk factor for myocardial infarction in both homozygous (odds ratio [OR] 1.9, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.1-3.3, P = .01) and heterozygous carriers of the S700 allele (OR 1.4, 95% CI 1.1-3.3, P = .01). TSP-1 has been shown to reduce von Willebrand factor (VWF) multimer size, and the domain responsible for VWF-reducing activity has been localized to the calcium-binding C-terminal sequence. As the N700S polymorphism was previously shown to alter the function of this domain, we investigated whether the altered VWF-reducing activity of TSP-1 underlies the observed prothrombotic phenotype. The TSP1 N700S polymorphism did not influence VWF multimer size in patients homozygous for either allele nor was there a significant reduction of VWF multimer size following incubation with recombinant N700S fragments or platelet-derived TSP-1. PMID:16684956

Thrombospondin-1 modified bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) promote neurite outgrowth and functional recovery in rats with spinal cord injury

PubMed Central

Pu, Yujie; Meng, Ke; Gu, Chuanlong; Wang, Linlin; Zhang, Xiaoming

2017-01-01

Stem cell therapies are currently gaining momentum in the treatment of spinal cord injury (SCI). However, unsatisfied intrinsic neurite growth capacity constitutes significant obstacles for injured spinal cord repair and ultimately results in neurological dysfunction. The present study assessed the efficacy of thrombospondin-1 (TSP-1), a neurite outgrowth-promoting molecule, modified bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) on promoting neurite outgrowth in vitro and in vivo of Oxygen–Glucose Deprivation (OGD) treated motor neurons and SCI rat models. The present results demonstrated that the treatment of BMSCs+TSP-1 could promote the neurite length, neuronal survival, and functional recovery after SCI. Additionally, TSP-1 could activate transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) then induced the smad2 phosphorylation, and expedited the expression of GAP-43 to promote neurite outgrowth. The present study for the first time demonstrated that BMSCs+TSP-1 could promote neurite outgrowth and functional recovery after SCI partly through the TGF-β1/p-Samd2 pathway. The study provided a novel encouraging evidence for the potential treatment of BMSCs modification with TSP-1 in patients with SCI. PMID:29221205

Lower numbers of circulating natural killer T (NK T) cells in individuals with human T lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) associated neurological disease

PubMed Central

Ndhlovu, L C; Snyder-Cappione, J E; Carvalho, K I; Leal, F E; Loo, C P; bruno, F R; Jha, A R; Devita, D; Hasenkrug, A M; Barbosa, H M R; Segurado, A C; Nixon, D F; Murphy, E L; Kallas, E G

2009-01-01

Human T lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1) infects 10–20 million people worldwide. The majority of infected individuals are asymptomatic; however, approximately 3% develop the debilitating neurological disease HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP). There is also currently no cure, vaccine or effective therapy for HTLV-1 infection, and the mechanisms for progression to HAM/TSP remain unclear. NK T cells are an immunoregulatory T cell subset whose frequencies and effector functions are associated critically with immunity against infectious diseases. We hypothesized that NK T cells are associated with HAM/TSP progression. We measured NK T cell frequencies and absolute numbers in individuals with HAM/TSP infection from two cohorts on two continents: São Paulo, Brazil and San Francisco, CA, USA, and found significantly lower levels when compared with healthy subjects and/or asymptomatic carriers. Also, the circulating NK T cell compartment in HAM/TSP subjects is comprised of significantly more CD4+ and fewer CD8+ cells than healthy controls. These findings suggest that lower numbers of circulating NK T cells and enrichment of the CD4+ NK T subset are associated with HTLV-1 disease progression. PMID:19778295

Study of the ambient air metallic elements Cr, Cu, Zn, Cd and Pb at HAF sampling sites.

PubMed

Fang, Guor-Cheng; Kuo, Yu-Chen; Zhuang, Yuan-Jie; Tsai, Kai-Hsiang; Huang, Wen-Chuan

2017-08-01

This study characterized diurnal variations in the compositions of total suspended particulates (TSP) and dry deposits of particulates from ambient air, and the metallic elements that are contained in them at harbor, airport and farmland (HAF) sampling sites from August, 2013 to July, 2014. Two-way ANOVA of the amounts of metallic elements in the TSP and dry deposits was carried out in all four seasons at the HAF sampling sites. The metallic elements Cr and Cu originated in local emission sources at the airport. Metallic elements Zn and Pb originated in local emission sources at the harbor. Finally, metallic element Cd originated in local emissions form farmland. The following results were also obtained. (1) The metallic composition of the TSP differed significantly from that of the dry deposits in all four seasons at the harbor and farmland sampling sites, but not at the airport sampling site. (2) High correlations coefficients were found between the amounts of metallic elements Cr and Cu in the TSP and those in the dry deposits at the airport sampling site. (3) Pb was present in the TSP and the dry deposits at the harbor sampling site.

Ex Vivo Analysis of Human T Lymphotropic Virus Type 1–Specific CD4+ Cells by Use of a Major Histocompatibility Complex Class II Tetramer Composed of a Neurological Disease–Susceptibility Allele and Its Immunodominant Peptide

PubMed Central

Nose, Hirohisa; Kubota, Ryuji; Seth, Nilufer P.; Goon, Peter K.; Tanaka, Yuetsu; Izumo, Shuji; Usuku, Koichiro; Ohara, Yoshiro; Wucherpfennig, Kai W.; Bangham, Charles R. M.; Osame, Mitsuhiro; Saito, Mineki

2015-01-01

HLA-DRB1*0101 is associated with susceptibility to human T lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1)–associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP). Here, we used a synthetic tetramer of DRB1*0101 and its epitope peptide to analyze HTLV-1–specific CD4+ T cells ex vivo. The frequency of tetramer+CD4+ T cells was significantly greater in patients with HAM/TSP than in healthy HTLV-1 carriers (HCs) at a given proviral load and correlated with HTLV-1 tax messenger RNA expression in HCs but not in patients with HAM/TSP. These cells displayed an early to intermediate effector memory phenotype and were preferentially infected by HTLV-1. T cell receptor gene analyses of 2 unrelated DRB1*0101-positive patients with HAM/TSP showed similar Vβ repertoires and amino acid motifs in complementarity-determining region 3. Our data suggest that efficient clonal expansion of virus-specific CD4+ T cells in patients with HAM/TSP does not simply reflect higher viral burden but rather reflects a rapid turnover caused by preferential infection and/or in vivo stimulation by major histocompatibility complex–peptide complexes. PMID:18190256

Blanching and antimicrobial mixture (potassium sorbate-sodium benzoate) impact on the stability of a tamarillo (Cyphomandra betacea) sweet product preserved by hurdle technology.

PubMed

Preciado-Iñiga, Grace E; Amador-Espejo, Genaro G; Bárcenas, María E

2018-02-01

In a previous study, a stable tamarillo sweet product (TSP) was obtained by applying hurdle technology (low pH, reduction of water activity, sodium benzoate addition and stored at 4 °C, with oxygen and light protection). In order to improve the TSP shelf life, it was decided to employ a mixture of antimicrobial agents (sodium benzoate and potassium sorbate 50-50%) and fruit blanching. The phenolic compounds content, total monomeric anthocyanins of TSP, antioxidant capacity, microbial growth (aerobic mesophilic bacteria, molds and yeasts) and net color change were evaluated, during 63 days. The results showed that the use of blanched tamarillo and the addition of the antimicrobial mixture increased the TSP stability, in which the microbial counts were maintained below the limits established by the official food safety norms, without effects the antioxidant compounds and color.

Transit signal priority project, phase II : field and simulation evaluation results.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2006-01-01

Transit Signal Priority (TSP) is recognized as an emerging technology that is capable of enhancing traditional transit services. Basic green-extension TSP was implemented on U.S. Route 1 in the Northern Virginia Area (or Washington, DC metropolitan a...

Zesty Tomato Soup

MedlinePlus

... added diced tomatoes 1 cup jarred roasted red peppers, drained (or substitute fresh roasted red peppers) 1 cup fat-free evaporated milk 1 tsp garlic powder 1/4 tsp ground black pepper 2 Tbsp fresh basil, rinsed and chopped (or ...

Comprehensive Antiretroviral Restriction Factor Profiling Reveals the Evolutionary Imprint of the ex Vivo and in Vivo IFN-β Response in HTLV-1-Associated Neuroinflammation

PubMed Central

Leal, Fabio E.; Menezes, Soraya Maria; Costa, Emanuela A. S.; Brailey, Phillip M.; Gama, Lucio; Segurado, Aluisio C.; Kallas, Esper G.; Nixon, Douglas F.; Dierckx, Tim; Khouri, Ricardo; Vercauteren, Jurgen; Galvão-Castro, Bernardo; Saraiva Raposo, Rui Andre; Van Weyenbergh, Johan

2018-01-01

HTLV-1-Associated Myelopathy (HAM/TSP) is a progressive neuroinflammatory disorder for which no disease-modifying treatment exists. Modest clinical benefit from type I interferons (IFN-α/β) in HAM/TSP contrasts with its recently identified IFN-inducible gene signature. In addition, IFN-α treatment in vivo decreases proviral load and immune activation in HAM/TSP, whereas IFN-β therapy decreases tax mRNA and lymphoproliferation. We hypothesize this “IFN paradox” in HAM/TSP might be explained by both cell type- and gene-specific effects of type I IFN in HTLV-1-associated pathogenesis. Therefore, we analyzed ex vivo transcriptomes of CD4+ T cells, PBMCs and whole blood in healthy controls, HTLV-1-infected individuals, and HAM/TSP patients. First, we used a targeted approach, simultaneously quantifying HTLV-1 mRNA (HBZ, Tax), proviral load and 42 host genes with known antiretroviral (anti-HIV) activity in purified CD4+ T cells. This revealed two major clusters (“antiviral/protective” vs. “proviral/deleterious”), as evidenced by significant negative (TRIM5/TRIM22/BST2) vs. positive correlation (ISG15/PAF1/CDKN1A) with HTLV-1 viral markers and clinical status. Surprisingly, we found a significant inversion of antiretroviral activity of host restriction factors, as evidenced by opposite correlation to in vivo HIV-1 vs. HTLV-1 RNA levels. The anti-HTLV-1 effect of antiviral cluster genes was significantly correlated to their adaptive chimp/human evolution score, for both Tax mRNA and PVL. Six genes of the proposed antiviral cluster underwent lentivirus-driven purifying selection during primate evolution (TRIM5/TRIM22/BST2/APOBEC3F-G-H), underscoring the cross-retroviral evolutionary imprint. Secondly, we examined the genome-wide type I IFN response in HAM/TSP patients, following short-term ex vivo culture of PBMCs with either IFN-α or IFN-β. Microarray analysis evidenced 12 antiretroviral genes (including TRIM5α/TRIM22/BST2) were significantly up

Proceedings of the National Forum on Human Resources Planning (2nd) Held in McLean, Virginia on 8-9 May 1986.

DTIC Science & Technology

1986-05-09

obsePrimary contributiOnS oare (1) m- day experience confirms the influence ot con- tingent consequences. For example , busy ex - recognition of the...influence each other. For ex - haviorism. A practical example of Bandura’s ample, at a societal level we are held account- position is the salesperson who...human resources management constitute an example . . . industrial engineering applications to the complex task of annually sizing an international force

Improving the Held and Karp Approach with Constraint Programming

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Benchimol, Pascal; Régin, Jean-Charles; Rousseau, Louis-Martin; Rueher, Michel; van Hoeve, Willem-Jan

Held and Karp have proposed, in the early 1970s, a relaxation for the Traveling Salesman Problem (TSP) as well as a branch-and-bound procedure that can solve small to modest-size instances to optimality [4, 5]. It has been shown that the Held-Karp relaxation produces very tight bounds in practice, and this relaxation is therefore applied in TSP solvers such as Concorde [1]. In this short paper we show that the Held-Karp approach can benefit from well-known techniques in Constraint Programming (CP) such as domain filtering and constraint propagation. Namely, we show that filtering algorithms developed for the weighted spanning tree constraint [3, 8] can be adapted to the context of the Held and Karp procedure. In addition to the adaptation of existing algorithms, we introduce a special-purpose filtering algorithm based on the underlying mechanisms used in Prim's algorithm [7]. Finally, we explored two different branching schemes to close the integrality gap. Our initial experimental results indicate that the addition of the CP techniques to the Held-Karp method can be very effective.

Synthesis and properties of dithymidine phosphate analogues containing 3'-thiothymidine.

PubMed Central

Cosstick, R; Vyle, J S

1990-01-01

Dithymidine-3'-S-phosphorothioate (d(TspT)) has been prepared from a 5'-O-monomethoxytritylthymidine-3'-S-phosphorothioamidite (7) by activation with 5-(p-nitrophenyl)tetrazole in the presence of 3'-O-acetylthymidine. The resulting dinucleoside phosphorothioite is readily oxidised to the corresponding 3'-S-phosphorothioate using either tetrabutylammonium (TBA) periodate or TBA oxone and has been deprotected under standard conditions to yield d(TspT). This dithymidine phosphate analogue is comparatively resistant to hydrolysis by nuclease P1, but the P-S bond is readily cleaved by aqueous solutions of either iodine or silver nitrate. Dithymidine-3'-S-phosphorodithioate (d[Tsp(s)T]) was prepared in an analogous fashion using sulphur to oxidise the intermediate dinucleoside phosphorothioite. Absolute stereochemistry has been assigned to the diastereoisomers of d[Tsp(s)T] by comparing their physical and chemical properties to those of the dinucleoside phosphorothioates. PMID:2315041

Increased plasma cathepsin S and trombospondin-1 in patients with acute ST segment elevation myocardial infarction.

PubMed

Befekadu, Rahel; Christiansen, Kjeld; Larsson, Anders; Grenegård, Magnus

2018-04-03

The role of cathepsins in the pathological progression of atherosclerotic lesions in ischemic heart disease have been defined in detail more than numerous times. This investigation examined the platelet-specific biomarker trombospondin-1 (TSP-1) and platelet function ex vivo, and compared this with cathepsin S (Cat-S; a biomarker unrelated to platelet activation but also associated this with increased mortality risk) in patients with ST segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI). The STEMI patients were divided into two groups depending on the degree of coronary vessel occlusion: those with closed (n = 90) and open culprit vessel (n = 40). Cat-S and TSP-1 were analyzed before, 1-3 days after and 3 months after percutanous coronary intervention (PCI). During acute STEMI, plasma TSP-1 was significantly elevated in patients with closed culprit lesions, but rapidly declined after PCI. In fact, TSP-1 after PCI was significantly lower inpatient samples compared to healthy individuals. In comparison, plasma Cat-S was significantly elevated both before and after PCI. In patients with closed culprit lesions, Cat-S was significantly higher compared to patients with open culprit lesions 3 months after PCI. Although troponin-I were higher (p < 0.01) in patients with closed culprit lesion, there was no correlation with Cat-S and TSP-1. Cat-S but not TSP-1 may be a useful risk biomarker in relation to the severity of STEMI. However, the causality of Cat-S as a predictor for long-term mortality in STEMI remains to be ascertained in future studies.

Bacteriophage Tailspikes and Bacterial O-Antigens as a Model System to Study Weak-Affinity Protein-Polysaccharide Interactions.

PubMed

Kang, Yu; Gohlke, Ulrich; Engström, Olof; Hamark, Christoffer; Scheidt, Tom; Kunstmann, Sonja; Heinemann, Udo; Widmalm, Göran; Santer, Mark; Barbirz, Stefanie

2016-07-27

Understanding interactions of bacterial surface polysaccharides with receptor protein scaffolds is important for the development of antibiotic therapies. The corresponding protein recognition domains frequently form low-affinity complexes with polysaccharides that are difficult to address with experimental techniques due to the conformational flexibility of the polysaccharide. In this work, we studied the tailspike protein (TSP) of the bacteriophage Sf6. Sf6TSP binds and hydrolyzes the high-rhamnose, serotype Y O-antigen polysaccharide of the Gram-negative bacterium Shigella flexneri (S. flexneri) as a first step of bacteriophage infection. Spectroscopic analyses and enzymatic cleavage assays confirmed that Sf6TSP binds long stretches of this polysaccharide. Crystal structure analysis and saturation transfer difference (STD) NMR spectroscopy using an enhanced method to interpret the data permitted the detailed description of affinity contributions and flexibility in an Sf6TSP-octasaccharide complex. Dodecasaccharide fragments corresponding to three repeating units of the O-antigen in complex with Sf6TSP were studied computationally by molecular dynamics simulations. They showed that distortion away from the low-energy solution conformation found in the octasaccharide complex is necessary for ligand binding. This is in agreement with a weak-affinity functional polysaccharide-protein contact that facilitates correct placement and thus hydrolysis of the polysaccharide close to the catalytic residues. Our simulations stress that the flexibility of glycan epitopes together with a small number of specific protein contacts provide the driving force for Sf6TSP-polysaccharide complex formation in an overall weak-affinity interaction system.

Rotational Angiography Based Three-Dimensional Left Atrial Reconstruction: A New Approach for Transseptal Puncture.

PubMed

Koektuerk, Buelent; Yorgun, Hikmet; Koektuerk, Oezlem; Turan, Cem H; Gorr, Eduard; Horlitz, Marc; Turan, Ramazan G

2016-02-01

Rotational angiography is a well-known method for the three-dimensional (3-D) reconstruction of left atrium and pulmonary veins during left-sided atrial arrhythmia ablation procedures. In our study, we aimed to review our experience in transseptal puncture (TSP) using 3-D rotational angiography. We included a total of 271 patients who underwent atrial fibrillation ablation using cryoballoon. Rotational angiography was performed to get the three-dimensional left atrial and pulmonary vein reconstructions using cardiac C-arm computed tomography. The image reconstruction was made using the DynaCT Cardiac software (Siemens, Erlangen, Germany). The mean age of the study population was 61 ± 10 years. The indications for left atrial arrhythmia ablation were paroxysmal AF in 140 patients (52%) and persistent AF patients in 131 (48%) patients. The success rate of TSP using only rotational guidance was (264/271 patients, 97.4%). In the remaining seven patients, transesophageal guidance was used after the initial attempt due to thick interatrial septum in five patients and difficult TSP due to abnormal anatomy and mild pericardial effusion in the remaining two patients. Mean fluoroscopy dosage of the rotational angiography was 4896.4 ± 825.3 μGym(2). The mean time beginning from femoral vein puncture to TSP was 12.3 ± 5.5 min. TSP guided by rotational angiography is a safe and effective method. Our results indicate that integration of rotational angiographic images into the real-time fluoroscopy can guide the TSP during the procedure. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Barefoot Plantar Pressure Indicates Progressive Neurological Damage in Patients with Human T-Cell Lymphotropic Virus Type 1 Infection.

PubMed

Vasconcelos, Beatriz Helena B; Souza, Givago S; Barroso, Tatiana G C P; Silveira, Luiz Carlos L; Sousa, Rita Catarina M; Callegari, Bianca; Xavier, Marília B

2016-01-01

The human T-Cell Lymphotropic Virus Type 1 (HTLV-1) is a retrovirus associated with neurological alterations; individuals with HTLV-1 infection may develop HTLV-1 associated myelopathy / tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP). Frequent neurological complaints include foot numbness and leg weakness. In this study, we compared the distribution of the body weight on different areas of the foot in HTLV-1 patients with HAM/TSP, asymptomatic HTLV-1 patients, and healthy individuals. We studied 36 HTLV-1 infected patients, who were divided in two groups of 18 patients each based on whether or not they had been diagnosed with HAM/TSP, and 17 control subjects. The evaluation included an interview on the patient's clinical history and examinations of the patient's reflexes, foot skin tactile sensitivity, and risk of falling. The pressure distribution on different areas of the foot was measured with baropodometry, using a pressure platform, while the patients had their eyes open or closed. The prevalence of neurological disturbances-altered reflexes and skin tactile sensitivity and increased risk of falling-was higher in HTLV-1 HAM/TSP patients than in HTLV-1 asymptomatic patients. The medium and maximum pressure values were higher in the forefoot than in the midfoot and hindfoot in both HTLV-1 groups. In addition, the pressure on the hindfoot was lower in HAM/TSP patients compared to control subjects. The neurological disturbances associated with HTLV-1 infection gradually worsened from HTLV-1 asymptomatic patients to HAM/TSP patients. Baropodometry is a valuable tool to establish the extent of neurological damage in patients suffering from HTLV-1 infection.

Foodborne hepatitis A outbreak associated with bakery products in northern Germany, 2012.

PubMed

Harries, M; Monazahian, M; Wenzel, J; Jilg, W; Weber, M; Ehlers, J; Dreesman, J; Mertens, E

2014-12-18

In October 2012, a hepatitis A (HA) outbreak with 83 laboratory-confirmed cases occurred in Lower Saxony. We defined primary outbreak cases as people with laboratory-confirmed HA and symptom onset between 8 October and 12 November 2012, residing in or visiting the affected districts. Secondary outbreak cases were persons with symptom onset after 12 November 2012 and close contact with primary cases. We identified 77 primary and six secondary cases. We enrolled 50 primary cases and 52 controls matched for age and sex, and found that 82% of cases and 60% of controls had consumed products from a particular bakery (OR=3.09; 95% CI: 1.15–8.68). Cases were more likely to have eaten sweet pastries (OR=5.74; 95% CI: 1.46–22.42). Viral isolates from five selected cases and three positively tested surfaces in the bakery had identical nucleotide sequences. One additional identical isolate derived from a salesperson of the bakery suffering from a chronic disease that required immunosuppressive treatment. Epidemiological and laboratory findings suggested that the salesperson contaminated products while packing and selling. Future risk assessment should determine whether food handlers with chronic diseases under immunosuppressive treatment could be more at risk of contaminating food and might benefit from HAV immunisation.

HiCoDG: A Hierarchical Data-Gathering Scheme Using Cooperative Multiple Mobile Elements †

PubMed Central

Van Le, Duc; Oh, Hoon; Yoon, Seokhoon

2014-01-01

In this paper, we study mobile element (ME)-based data-gathering schemes in wireless sensor networks. Due to the physical speed limits of mobile elements, the existing data-gathering schemes that use mobile elements can suffer from high data-gathering latency. In order to address this problem, this paper proposes a new hierarchical and cooperative data-gathering (HiCoDG) scheme that enables multiple mobile elements to cooperate with each other to collect and relay data. In HiCoDG, two types of mobile elements are used: the mobile collector (MC) and the mobile relay (MR). MCs collect data from sensors and forward them to the MR, which will deliver them to the sink. In this work, we also formulated an integer linear programming (ILP) optimization problem to find the optimal trajectories for MCs and the MR, such that the traveling distance of MEs is minimized. Two variants of HiCoDG, intermediate station (IS)-based and cooperative movement scheduling (CMS)-based, are proposed to facilitate cooperative data forwarding from MCs to the MR. An analytical model for estimating the average data-gathering latency in HiCoDG was also designed. Simulations were performed to compare the performance of the IS and CMS variants, as well as a multiple traveling salesman problem (mTSP)-based approach. The simulation results show that HiCoDG outperforms mTSP in terms of latency. The results also show that CMS can achieve the lowest latency with low energy consumption. PMID:25526356

Analysis, Evaluation and Improvement of Sequential Single-Item Auctions for the Cooperative Real-Time Allocation of Tasks

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-03-30

Abstract: We study multi-robot routing problems (MR- LDR ) where a team of robots has to visit a set of given targets with linear decreasing rewards over...time, such as required for the delivery of goods to rescue sites after disasters. The objective of MR- LDR is to find an assignment of targets to...We develop a mixed integer program that solves MR- LDR optimally with a flow-type formulation and can be solved faster than the standard TSP-type

5 CFR 1601.40 - Lifecycle Funds.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... 5 Administrative Personnel 3 2011-01-01 2011-01-01 false Lifecycle Funds. 1601.40 Section 1601.40 Administrative Personnel FEDERAL RETIREMENT THRIFT INVESTMENT BOARD PARTICIPANTS' CHOICES OF TSP FUNDS Lifecycle Funds § 1601.40 Lifecycle Funds. The Executive Director will establish TSP Lifecycle Funds, which are...

5 CFR 1601.40 - Lifecycle Funds.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 5 Administrative Personnel 3 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Lifecycle Funds. 1601.40 Section 1601.40 Administrative Personnel FEDERAL RETIREMENT THRIFT INVESTMENT BOARD PARTICIPANTS' CHOICES OF TSP FUNDS Lifecycle Funds § 1601.40 Lifecycle Funds. The Executive Director will establish TSP Lifecycle Funds, which are...

Cloning and high level expression of gene encoding ES antigen from Trichinella spiralis muscle larvae.

PubMed

Yan, Y; Xu, W; Chen, H; Ma, Z; Zhu, Y; Cai, S

1994-01-01

The partial structure gene encoding ES antigen derived from Trichinella spiralis (TSP) muscle larvae was cloned, characterized, and expressed in E. coli. The target DNA (0.7 kb) was directly obtained from the TSP total RNA by using RNA PCR technique. Based on the analysis with the RE digestion, the fragment was cloned into the fusion expression vector pEX31C. It was shown that a kind of 37kDa fusion protein was expressed in E. coli containing the recombinant plasmid by SDS-PAGE electrophoresis. The expressed protein was over 22% of the total cell protein, and it was aggregated in the form of inclusion bodies in E. coli. The purified protein could be recognized in ELISA both by sera from swine-infected with TSP and by the monoclonal antibody against TSP. These findings suggest that the recombinant protein is a potentially valuable antigen both for immunodiagnosis and vaccine development of trichinellosis.

Selective matrix metalloproteinase inhibitor, N-biphenyl sulfonyl phenylalanine hydroxamic acid, inhibits the migration of CD4+ T lymphocytes in patients with HTLV-I-associated myelopathy.

PubMed

Ikegami, Mayumi; Umehara, Fujio; Ikegami, Naohito; Maekawa, Ryuji; Osame, Mitsuhiro

2002-06-01

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) have been reported to be involved in various inflammatory disorders. Previous studies revealed that MMP-2 and MMP-9 might play important roles in the breakdown of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) in the central nervous system (CNS) of patients with HTLV-I-associated myelopathy (HAM)/tropical spastic paraparesis (TSP). N-Biphenyl sulfonyl-phenylalanine hydroxamic acid (BPHA) selectively inhibits MMP-2, -9 and -14, but not MMP-1, -3 and -7. In the present study, we examined whether or not the selective MMP inhibitor BPHA could inhibit the heightened migrating activity of CD4+ T cells in HAM/TSP patients. The migration assay using an invasion chamber showed that migration of CD4+ T cells in HAM/TSP patients was inhibited by 25 microM BPHA. In addition, the inhibitory ratio of migrating CD4+ lymphocytes was higher in HAM patients compared to normal controls. These results suggest that the selective MMP inhibitor BPHA has therapeutic potential for HAM/TSP.

Molecular Mechanistic Insights into the Endothelial Receptor Mediated Cytoadherence of Plasmodium falciparum-Infected Erythrocytes

PubMed Central

Li, Ang; Lim, Tong Seng; Shi, Hui; Yin, Jing; Tan, Swee Jin; Li, Zhengjun; Low, Boon Chuan; Tan, Kevin Shyong Wei; Lim, Chwee Teck

2011-01-01

Cytoadherence or sequestration is essential for the pathogenesis of the most virulent human malaria species, Plasmodium falciparum (P. falciparum). Similar to leukocyte-endothelium interaction in response to inflammation, cytoadherence of P. falciparum infected red blood cells (IRBCs) to endothelium occurs under physiological shear stresses in blood vessels and involves an array of molecule complexes which cooperate to form stable binding. Here, we applied single-molecule force spectroscopy technique to quantify the dynamic force spectra and characterize the intrinsic kinetic parameters for specific ligand-receptor interactions involving two endothelial receptor proteins: thrombospondin (TSP) and CD36. It was shown that CD36 mediated interaction was much more stable than that mediated by TSP at single molecule level, although TSP-IRBC interaction appeared stronger than CD36-IRBC interaction in the high pulling rate regime. This suggests that TSP-mediated interaction may initiate cell adhesion by capturing the fast flowing IRBCs whereas CD36 functions as the ‘holder’ for providing stable binding. PMID:21437286

A 12-year observation of water-soluble ions in TSP aerosols collected at a remote marine location in the western North Pacific: an outflow region of Asian dust

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boreddy, S. K. R.; Kawamura, K.

2015-06-01

In order to characterize the long-term trend of remote marine aerosols, a 12-year observation was conducted for water-soluble ions in TSP (total suspended particulate) aerosols collected from 2001 to 2012 in the Asian outflow region at Chichijima Island in the western North Pacific. We found a clear difference in chemical composition between the continentally affected and marine background air masses over the observation site. Asian continental air masses are delivered from late autumn to spring, whereas marine air masses were dominated in summer. Concentrations of non-sea salt (nss-) SO42-, NO3-, NH4+, nss-K+ and nss-Ca2+ are high in winter and spring and low in summer. On the other hand, MSA- (methanesulfonate) exhibits higher concentrations during spring and winter, probably due to springtime dust bloom or due to the direct continental transport of MSA- to the observation site. We could not find any clear decadal trend for Na+, Cl-, Mg2+ and nss-Ca2+ in all seasons, although there exists a clear seasonal trend. However, concentrations of nss-SO42- continuously decreased from 2007 to 2012, probably due to the decreased SO2 emissions in East Asia especially in China. In contrast, nss-K+ and MSA- concentrations continuously increased from 2001 to 2012 during winter and spring seasons, demonstrating that biomass burning and/or terrestrial biological emissions in East Asia are being increasingly transported from the Asian continent to the western North Pacific. This study also demonstrates that Asian dusts can act as an important source of nutrients for phytoplankton and thus sea-to-air emission of dimethyl sulfide over the western North Pacific.

An investigation of the immediate and storage effects of chemical treatments on Campylobacter and sensory characteristics of poultry meat.

PubMed

Meredith, H; Walsh, D; McDowell, D A; Bolton, D J

2013-09-02

Campylobacteriosis is the most common foodborne bacterial infection in developed countries and many cases are associated with poultry. This study investigated the immediate and storage effect of dipping inoculated poultry skin samples in trisodium phosphate (TSP, 10 & 14%, w/v), lactic acid (LA, 1 & 5%, v/v), citric acid (CA, 1 & 5%, w/v), peroxyacids (POA, 100 & 200 ppm) and acidified sodium chlorite (ASC, 500 & 1200 ppm). Spray application was also tested using the higher concentrations in the laboratory. In a broiler processing plant the efficacy of using TSP (14%) and CA (5%) applied by immersion and spray was investigated using naturally contaminated carcasses and the effect of these treatments on the sensory attributes of a skin-on (drumstick) and skin-off (fillet) raw and cooked product was assessed using descriptive sensory analysis. In the laboratory, immersion in TSP (14%), LA (5%), CA (5%) and ASC (1200 ppm) significantly (P<0.05) reduced the Campylobacter counts and a 2.5 to 3 log10 cfu/cm(2) reduction was observed within the shelf-life (3-5 days) of poultry meat. Spraying was ineffective even after storage. In the broiler processing plant, immersion in TSP (14%) or CA (5%) achieved Campylobacter reductions of 2.49 and 1.44 log10 cfu/cm(2), respectively. There were no significant differences between the treatments for any of the attributes measured in either raw or cooked drumsticks. The 'colour' of raw chicken fillets treated with both TSP (14%, w/v) and CA (5%, w/v) was significantly (P≤0.05) lighter than that of control samples. The 'intensity of chicken odour' and the perception of 'salt' in cooked chicken fillets treated with CA (5%, w/v) were also significantly (P≤0.05) higher than that of either control or TSP (14%, w/v) treated samples. It was concluded that TSP (14%) or CA (5%) could be applied to significantly reduce Campylobacter contamination of broilers without adversely affecting the sensory quality of the product. © 2013.

Increased expression of OX40 is associated with progressive disease in patients with HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background OX40 is a member of the tumor necrosis factor receptor family that is expressed primarily on activated CD4+ T cells and promotes the development of effector and memory T cells. Although OX40 has been reported to be a target gene of human T-cell leukemia virus type-1 (HTLV-1) viral transactivator Tax and is overexpressed in vivo in adult T-cell leukemia (ATL) cells, an association between OX40 and HTLV-1-associated inflammatory disorders, such as HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP), has not yet been established. Moreover, because abrogation of OX40 signals ameliorates chronic inflammation in animal models of autoimmune disease, novel monoclonal antibodies against OX40 may offer a potential treatment for HTLV-1-associated diseases such as ATL and HAM/TSP. Results In this study, we showed that OX40 was specifically expressed in CD4+ T cells naturally infected with HTLV-1 that have the potential to produce pro-inflammatory cytokines along with Tax expression. We also showed that OX40 was overexpressed in spinal cord infiltrating mononuclear cells in a clinically progressive HAM/TSP patient with a short duration of illness. The levels of the soluble form of OX40 (sOX40) in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from chronic progressive HAM/TSP patients or from patients with other inflammatory neurological diseases (OINDs) were not different. In contrast, sOX40 levels in the CSF of rapidly progressing HAM/TSP patients were higher than those in the CSF from patients with OINDs, and these patients showed higher sOX40 levels in the CSF than in the plasma. When our newly produced monoclonal antibody against OX40 was added to peripheral blood mononuclear cells in culture, HTLV-1-infected T cells were specifically removed by a mechanism that depends on antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity. Conclusions Our study identified OX40 as a key molecule and biomarker for rapid progression of HAM/TSP. Furthermore, blocking OX40 may have potential in

Comparison of Successful Spinal Needle Placement Between Crossed-Leg Sitting Position and Traditional Sitting Position in Patients Undergoing Urology Surgery

PubMed Central

Manggala, Sidharta K.; Tantri, Aida R.; Satoto, Darto

2016-01-01

Background The patient’s position during spinal anesthesia administration plays a major role in the success of spinal needle insertion into the subarachnoid space. The traditional sitting position (TSP) is the standard position for spinal anesthesia administration, but the success rate for spinal anesthesia administration in the TSP is still quite low. The crossed-leg sitting position (CLSP) is one of the alternative positions for the administration of spinal anesthesia, which can increase the degree of lumbar flexion. Objectives This study aimed to compare successful spinal needle placement to patients in the CLSP and patients in the TSP prior to undergoing urology surgery. Methods This study was a non-blinded, randomized controlled trial in patients undergoing spinal anesthesia for urologic procedures from March-October, 2015 in the central national hospital Dr. Cipto Mangunkusumo, Indonesia. After obtaining approval from the FMUI – RSCM (Faculty of Medicine Universitas Indonesia – Rumah Sakit Dr. Cipto Mangunkusumo) Ethical Committee and informed consent from patients, 211 subjects were allocated into two groups: the CLSP group (n = 105) and the TSP group (n = 106). The proportion of successful spinal needle placement to the subarachnoid space, ease of landmark palpation, and the number of needle-bone contacts in both groups were then assessed and analyzed. Results The rate of first-time successful spinal needle insertion was not significantly different between the CLSP and TSP groups (62.9% versus 55.7%, P > 0.05). Ease of landmark palpation in the CLSP group was not significantly different from that in the TSP group (86.7% versus 76.4%, P > 0.05). The number of needle-bone contacts in both groups were not significantly different (P > 0.05). The complication rates were similar in both groups. Conclusions The rate of successful spinal needle placement in the CLSP group was not significantly different from that in the TSP group in patients undergoing

Concentrations and elemental composition of particulate matter in the Buenos Aires underground system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Murruni, L. G.; Solanes, V.; Debray, M.; Kreiner, A. J.; Davidson, J.; Davidson, M.; Vázquez, M.; Ozafrán, M.

Total suspended particulate (TSP) samples have been collected at six stations in the C and B lines of the Buenos Aires underground system and, almost simultaneously, at six ground level sites outside and nearby the corresponding underground stations, in the Oct 2005/Oct 2006 period. All these samples were analyzed for mass and elemental Fe, Cu, and Zn concentrations by using the Particle Induced X-ray Emission (PIXE) technique. Mostly, TSP concentrations were found to be between 152 μg m -3 (25% percentile) and 270 μg m -3 (75% percentile) in the platform of the stations, while those in outside ambient air oscillated from 55 μg m -3 (25% percentile) to 137 μg m -3 (75% percentile). Moreover, experimental results indicate that TSP levels are comparable to those measured for other underground systems worldwide. Statistical results demonstrate that subway TSP levels are about 3 times larger on average than those for urban ambient air. The TSP levels inside stations and outdoors are poorly correlated, indicating that TSP levels in the metro system are mainly influenced by internal sources. Regarding metal concentrations, the most enriched element in TSP samples was Fe, the levels of which ranged from 36 (25% percentile) to 86 μg m -3 (75% percentile) in Line C stations, while in Line B ones they varied between 8 μg m -3 (25% percentile) and 46 μg m -3 (75% percentile). As a comparison, Fe concentrations in ambient air oscillated between 0.7 μg m -3 (25% percentile) and 1.2 μg m -3 (75% percentile). Other enriched elements include Cu and Zn. With regard to their sources, Fe and Cu have been related to processes taking place inside the subway system, while Zn has been associated with outdoor vehicular traffic. Additionally, concerns about possible health implications based on comparisons to various indoor air quality limits and available toxicological information are discussed.

Long-range transport of mutagens and other air pollutants from mainland East Asia to western Japan.

PubMed

Coulibaly, Souleymane; Minami, Hiroki; Abe, Maho; Hasei, Tomohiro; Oro, Tadashi; Funasaka, Kunihiro; Asakawa, Daichi; Watanabe, Masanari; Honda, Naoko; Wakabayashi, Keiji; Watanabe, Tetsushi

2015-01-01

Asian dust events, transport of dust particles from arid and semi-arid areas in China and Mongolia to the east by prevailing westerlies, are often observed in Japan in spring. In recent decades, consumption of fossil fuels has markedly increased in mainland East Asia with rapid economic growth, and severe air pollution has occurred. A part of air pollutants including mutagens, such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), generated in mainland East Asia are thought to be transported to Japan by the prevailing westerlies, like Asian dust, and winter monsoon. The objective of this study was to clarify the long-range transport of mutagens and other air pollutants in East Asia. Thus, we collected total suspended particles (TSP) at a rural town in western Japan, namely, Yurihama in Tottori Prefecture, for 1 year (June 2012-May 2013), and investigated their chemical constituents and mutagenicity. Many TSP collected from January to March showed high mutagenicity toward Salmonella typhimurium YG1024 with and without S9 mix, and high levels of lead (Pb) and sulfate ions (SO4 (2-)), which are indicators of transboundary air pollutions from mainland East Asia, were detected in those TSP. A large amount of iron, which is an indicator of sand, was found in highly mutagenic TSP collected in March, but not in TSP collected in January and February. High levels of PAHs were detected in highly mutagenic TSP collected from January to March. The ratios of the concentration of fluoranthene to those of fluoranthene and pyrene suggested that the main source of PAHs in TSP collected in winter and spring was coal and biomass combustion. Backward trajectories of air masses on days when high levels of mutagenicity were found indicated that these air masses had traveled from eastern or northern China to Yurihama. These results suggest that high levels of mutagens were transported from mainland East Asia to western Japan, and this transportation accompanied Asian dust in March, but not in

Increased expression of OX40 is associated with progressive disease in patients with HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis.

PubMed

Saito, Mineki; Tanaka, Reiko; Arishima, Shiho; Matsuzaki, Toshio; Ishihara, Satoshi; Tokashiki, Takashi; Ohya, Yusuke; Takashima, Hiroshi; Umehara, Fujio; Izumo, Shuji; Tanaka, Yuetsu

2013-05-07

OX40 is a member of the tumor necrosis factor receptor family that is expressed primarily on activated CD4+ T cells and promotes the development of effector and memory T cells. Although OX40 has been reported to be a target gene of human T-cell leukemia virus type-1 (HTLV-1) viral transactivator Tax and is overexpressed in vivo in adult T-cell leukemia (ATL) cells, an association between OX40 and HTLV-1-associated inflammatory disorders, such as HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP), has not yet been established. Moreover, because abrogation of OX40 signals ameliorates chronic inflammation in animal models of autoimmune disease, novel monoclonal antibodies against OX40 may offer a potential treatment for HTLV-1-associated diseases such as ATL and HAM/TSP. In this study, we showed that OX40 was specifically expressed in CD4+ T cells naturally infected with HTLV-1 that have the potential to produce pro-inflammatory cytokines along with Tax expression. We also showed that OX40 was overexpressed in spinal cord infiltrating mononuclear cells in a clinically progressive HAM/TSP patient with a short duration of illness. The levels of the soluble form of OX40 (sOX40) in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from chronic progressive HAM/TSP patients or from patients with other inflammatory neurological diseases (OINDs) were not different. In contrast, sOX40 levels in the CSF of rapidly progressing HAM/TSP patients were higher than those in the CSF from patients with OINDs, and these patients showed higher sOX40 levels in the CSF than in the plasma. When our newly produced monoclonal antibody against OX40 was added to peripheral blood mononuclear cells in culture, HTLV-1-infected T cells were specifically removed by a mechanism that depends on antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity. Our study identified OX40 as a key molecule and biomarker for rapid progression of HAM/TSP. Furthermore, blocking OX40 may have potential in therapeutic intervention for

Drivers of Plant-Availability of Phosphorus from Thermally Conditioned Sewage Sludge as Assessed by Isotopic Labeling

PubMed Central

Andriamananjara, Andry; Rabeharisoa, Lilia; Prud’homme, Loïc; Morel, Christian

2016-01-01

Urban sewage sludge is a potential source of phosphorus (P) for agriculture and represents an alternative way to recycle P as fertilizer. However, the use of thermally conditioned sewage sludge (TCSS) required an accurate assessment of its value as P-fertilizer. This work aimed at assessing the plant-availability of P from TCSS. Uptake of P by a mixture of ryegrass and fescue from TCSS and triple super phosphate (TSP) fertilizers was studied using 32P-labeling technique in a greenhouse experiment. Phosphorus was applied at the rate of 50 mg P kg−1.We also conducted incubation experiments considering the same treatments to assess soil microbial respiration. Applications of TCSS and TSP increased plant P uptake that is related to the root P acquisition. The P taken up by plant from soil plant-available P was lower for control compared to TSP or TCSS that was attributed to the increase of root interception of soil P. The contribution of TSP to ryegrass nutrition (Pdff%) was 55% with 22% of the applied P which was taken up by plants (CPU%). The Pdff value for TCSS was 56% with 14% of fertilizer P recovery (CPU%). Shoot biomass and total P uptake from TCSS were lower than those from TSP. As a result, the agronomic effectiveness of TCSS calculated from Pdff value (in comparison with TSP treatment) was 102%, while the AE of TCSS estimated from CPU value (in % TSP) was 64%, which is attributed to microbial activity stimulation inducing P immobilization onto soil constituents and microbial biomass during plant growth. The high C/N ratio of TCSS stimulated soil microbial biomass that competes with plant roots to acquire nutrients, such as P. As a consequence, the P taken up from either native soil or TCSS decreased in similar proportions. The AE value calculated with Pdff% took into account these interactions between soil, plant, and microbial biomass, and is less dependent on operational conditions than the AE value calculated with %Precovery. PMID:27379240

5 CFR 1645.2 - Posting of transactions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... 1645.2 Administrative Personnel FEDERAL RETIREMENT THRIFT INVESTMENT BOARD CALCULATION OF SHARE PRICES..., interfund transfers, and other transactions will be posted in dollars and in shares by source and by TSP Fund to the appropriate individual account by the TSP record keeper, using the share price for the date...

76 FR 15974 - Office of Research and Development; Ambient Air Monitoring Reference and Equivalent Methods...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-03-22

... on a particle filter. Because this new measurement approach is being approved for NAAQS compliance... Lead (Pb) on TSP High-Volume Filters.'' A sample of total suspended particulate matter (TSP) is collected on a glass fiber filter, using the sampler and procedure of the EPA Reference Method for the...

5 CFR 1601.32 - Timing and posting dates.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... heavy transaction volume, and acts of God. These factors also could affect the availability of the TSP... circumstances according to the following rules: (1) A transaction request entered into the TSP record keeping... business day, will ordinarily be posted that business day. A transaction request entered into the system...

Thriving with Social Purpose: An Integrative Approach to the Development of Optimal Human Functioning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ford, Martin E.; Smith, Peyton R.

2007-01-01

This article responds to the need to synthesize theory and research in educational psychology by introducing the Thriving with Social Purpose (TSP) conceptual framework. TSP results when the four components of human motivation--goals, capability beliefs, context beliefs, and emotions--are amplified in dynamic, mutually reinforcing patterns. The…

5 CFR 1604.3 - Contribution elections.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... special pay (including bonuses). However, the service member must elect to contribute to the TSP from basic pay in order to contribute to the TSP from incentive pay and special pay (including bonuses). A service member may elect to contribute from special pay or incentive pay (including bonuses) in...

[Autoimmune syndrome in the tropical spastic paraparesis/myelopathy associated with human T-lymphotropic virus infections].

PubMed

Domínguez, Martha C; Torres, Miyerlandi; Tamayo, Oscar; Criollo, William; Quintana, Milton; Sánchez, Adalberto; García, Felipe

2008-12-01

Previous reports have given evidence that in tropical spastic paraparesis (TSP)/human T-lymphotrophic virus (HTLV-I)-associated myelopathy (HAM), an autoimmune process occurs as part of its pathogenesis. The roles of autoimmunity and the molecular mimicry was evaluated in TSP/HAM patients. Plasma samples were characterized from patients in the Pacific coastal region of Colombia. Thirty-seven were identified as TSP/HAM, 10 were diagnosed with adult T-cell leukemia virus, 22 were asymptomatic carriers but seropositive for HTLV-I and 20 were seronegative and served as negative controls. Plasmatic levels of the following were determined: antinuclear antibody (ANA) levels, anticardiolipine-2 (ACL-2), interferon- (IFN-gamma) and interleukin-4 (IL-4). Using Western blot, the crossreactivity of the seropositive and seronegative samples was evaluated against proteins extracted from several central nervous system components of non infected Wistar rats. The HTLV-I seropositive plasmas were crossreacted with a monoclonal tax (LT4 anti-taxp40) from spinal cord neurons of non infected Wistar rats. Of the TSP/HAM patients, 70.2% were reactive against ANA and 83.8% against ACL-2, in contrast with those ATL and asymptomatic seropositives subjects that were not reactive (P<0.001). Moreover, 70.3% had detectable levels of IFN and 43.2% had detectable IL-4. LT4 anti-taxp40 and plasma of TSP/HAM exhibited cross reactivity with a MW 33-35 kDa protein from the rat spinal cord nuclei. Support was provided for the existence of an autoimmune syndrome mediated by molecular mimicry; the syndrome was responsible for some of the axonal degeneration observed in TSP/HAM patients.

Short communication an interferon-γ ELISPOT assay with two cytotoxic T cell epitopes derived from HTLV-1 tax region 161-233 discriminates HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis patients from asymptomatic HTLV-1 carriers in a Peruvian population.

PubMed

Best, Ivan; López, Giovanni; Talledo, Michael; MacNamara, Aidan; Verdonck, Kristien; González, Elsa; Tipismana, Martín; Asquith, Becca; Gotuzzo, Eduardo; Vanham, Guido; Clark, Daniel

2011-11-01

HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP) is a chronic and progressive disorder caused by the human T-lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1). In HTLV-1 infection, a strong cytotoxic T cell (CTL) response is mounted against the immunodominant protein Tax. Previous studies carried out by our group reported that increased IFN-γ enzyme-linked immunospot (ELISPOT) responses against the region spanning amino acids 161 to 233 of the Tax protein were associated with HAM/TSP and increased HTLV-1 proviral load (PVL). An exploratory study was conducted on 16 subjects with HAM/TSP, 13 asymptomatic carriers (AC), and 10 HTLV-1-seronegative controls (SC) to map the HAM/TSP-associated CTL epitopes within Tax region 161-233. The PVL of the infected subjects was determined and the specific CTL response was evaluated with a 6-h incubation IFN-γ ELISPOT assay using peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) stimulated with 16 individual overlapping peptides covering the Tax region 161-233. Other proinflammatory and Th1/Th2 cytokines were also quantified in the supernatants by a flow cytometry multiplex assay. In addition, a set of human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class I alleles that bind with high affinity to the CTL epitopes of interest was determined using computational tools. Univariate analyses identified an association between ELISPOT responses to two new CTL epitopes, Tax 173-185 and Tax 181-193, and the presence of HAM/TSP as well as an increased PVL. The HLA-A*6801 allele, which is predicted to bind to the Tax 181-193 peptide, was overpresented in the HAM/TSP patients tested.

Analysis of the T-cell receptor repertoire of human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) Tax-specific CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocytes from patients with HTLV-1-associated disease: evidence for oligoclonal expansion.

PubMed

Utz, U; Banks, D; Jacobson, S; Biddison, W E

1996-02-01

Human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1)-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP) is a chronic, progressive neurological disease characterized by marked degeneration of the spinal cord and the presence of antibodies against HTLV-1. Patients with HAM/TSP, but not asymptomatic carriers, show very high precursor frequencies of HTLV-1-specific CD8+ T cells in peripheral blood and cerebrospinal fluid, suggestive of a role of these T cells in the pathogenesis of the disease. In HLA-A2+ HAM/TSP patients, HTLV-1-specific T cells were demonstrated to be directed predominantly against one HTLV-1 epitope, namely, Tax11-19. In the present study, we analyzed HLA-A2-restricted HTLV-1 Tax11-19-specific cytotoxic T cells from three patients with HAM/TSP. An analysis of the T-cell receptor (TCR) repertoire of these cells revealed an absence of restricted variable (V) region usage. Different combinations of TCR V alpha and V beta genes were utilized between, but also within, the individual patients for the recognition of Tax11-19. Sequence analysis of the TCR showed evidence for an oligoclonal expansion of few founder T cells in each patient. Apparent structural motifs were identified for the CDR3 regions of the TCR beta chains. One T-cell clone could be detected within the same patient over a period of 3 years. We suggest that these in vivo clonally expanded T cells might play a role in the pathogenesis of HAM/TSP and provide information on HTLV-1-specific TCR which may elucidate the nature of the T cells that infiltrate the central nervous system in HAM/TSP patients.

Elucidating the impact of temperature variability and extremes on cereal croplands through remote sensing.

PubMed

Duncan, John M A; Dash, Jadunandan; Atkinson, Peter M

2015-04-01

Remote sensing-derived wheat crop yield-climate models were developed to highlight the impact of temperature variation during thermo-sensitive periods (anthesis and grain-filling; TSP) of wheat crop development. Specific questions addressed are: can the impact of temperature variation occurring during the TSP on wheat crop yield be detected using remote sensing data and what is the impact? Do crop critical temperature thresholds during TSP exist in real world cropping landscapes? These questions are tested in one of the world's major wheat breadbaskets of Punjab and Haryana, north-west India. Warming average minimum temperatures during the TSP had a greater negative impact on wheat crop yield than warming maximum temperatures. Warming minimum and maximum temperatures during the TSP explain a greater amount of variation in wheat crop yield than average growing season temperature. In complex real world cereal croplands there was a variable yield response to critical temperature threshold exceedance, specifically a more pronounced negative impact on wheat yield with increased warming events above 35 °C. The negative impact of warming increases with a later start-of-season suggesting earlier sowing can reduce wheat crop exposure harmful temperatures. However, even earlier sown wheat experienced temperature-induced yield losses, which, when viewed in the context of projected warming up to 2100 indicates adaptive responses should focus on increasing wheat tolerance to heat. This study shows it is possible to capture the impacts of temperature variation during the TSP on wheat crop yield in real world cropping landscapes using remote sensing data; this has important implications for monitoring the impact of climate change, variation and heat extremes on wheat croplands. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Managing Problems Before Problems Manage You.

PubMed

Grigsby, Jim

2015-01-01

Every day we face problems, both personal and professional, and our initial reaction determines how well we solve those problems. Whether a problem is minor or major, short-term or lingering, there are techniques we can employ to help manage the problem and the problem-solving process. This article, based on my book Don't Tick Off The Gators! Managing Problems Before Problems Manage You, presents 12 different concepts for managing problems, not "cookie cutter" solutions, but different ideas that you can apply as they fit your circumstances.

The Design and Development of a Regenerative Separatory Column Using Calixarenes as a Polymeric Backbone for the Purification of Water from Urine

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Polk, M.

1999-01-01

The objective of this research project is to design calixarenes, cup-shaped molecules, with the specific binding sites to the sodium chloride and nitrogen containing components of urine, such as urea and uric acid, in urine. The following partition of the research accomplishes this objective: (1) functionalization of calixarene, (2) development of a calixarene based medium for the separatory process, (3) design of the column regeneration protocol. Work was also accomplished in the area of temperature sensitive paint (TSP). Research was undertaken to design a TSP with insulating propertites. An important part of this research project is to discover the thermal conductivity of polymers for TSP.

Technology Requirements and Selection for Securely Partitioning OBSW

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mendham, Peter; Windsor, James; Eckstein, Knut

2010-08-01

The Securely Partitioning Spacecraft Computing Resources project is a current ESA TRP activity investigating the application of secure time and space partitioning (TSP) technologies to enable multi-use missions from a single platform. Secure TSP technologies are used in a number of application areas outside the space domain and an opportunity exists to 'spin-in' a suitable solution. The selection of a technology for use within space the European space industry relies on an understanding of the requirements for the application of secure TSP, of which this paper presents a summary. Further, the paper outlines the selection process taken by the project and highlights promising solutions for use today.

Development of Temperature Sensitive Paints for the Detection of Small Temperature Differences

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Oglesby, Donald M.; Upchurch, Billy T.; Sealey, Bradley S.; Leighty, Bradley D.; Burkett, Cecil G., Jr.; Jalali, Amir

1997-01-01

Temperature sensitive paints (TSP s) have recently been used to detect small temperature differences on aerodynamic model surfaces. These types of applications impose stringent performance requirements on a paint system. The TSP s must operate over a broad temperature range, must be physically robust (cannot chip or peel), must be polishable to at least the smoothness of the model surface, and must have sufficient sensitivity to detect small temperature differences. TSP coatings based on the use of metal complexes in polymer binders were developed at NASA Langley Research Center which meet most of the requirements for detection of small temperature differences under severe environmental conditions.

Uncertainty associated with the gravimetric measurement of particulate matter concentration in ambient air.

PubMed

Lacey, Ronald E; Faulkner, William Brock

2015-07-01

This work applied a propagation of uncertainty method to typical total suspended particulate (TSP) sampling apparatus in order to estimate the overall measurement uncertainty. The objectives of this study were to estimate the uncertainty for three TSP samplers, develop an uncertainty budget, and determine the sensitivity of the total uncertainty to environmental parameters. The samplers evaluated were the TAMU High Volume TSP Sampler at a nominal volumetric flow rate of 1.42 m3 min(-1) (50 CFM), the TAMU Low Volume TSP Sampler at a nominal volumetric flow rate of 17 L min(-1) (0.6 CFM) and the EPA TSP Sampler at the nominal volumetric flow rates of 1.1 and 1.7 m3 min(-1) (39 and 60 CFM). Under nominal operating conditions the overall measurement uncertainty was found to vary from 6.1x10(-6) g m(-3) to 18.0x10(-6) g m(-3), which represented an uncertainty of 1.7% to 5.2% of the measurement. Analysis of the uncertainty budget determined that three of the instrument parameters contributed significantly to the overall uncertainty: the uncertainty in the pressure drop measurement across the orifice meter during both calibration and testing and the uncertainty of the airflow standard used during calibration of the orifice meter. Five environmental parameters occurring during field measurements were considered for their effect on overall uncertainty: ambient TSP concentration, volumetric airflow rate, ambient temperature, ambient pressure, and ambient relative humidity. Of these, only ambient TSP concentration and volumetric airflow rate were found to have a strong effect on the overall uncertainty. The technique described in this paper can be applied to other measurement systems and is especially useful where there are no methods available to generate these values empirically. This work addresses measurement uncertainty of TSP samplers used in ambient conditions. Estimation of uncertainty in gravimetric measurements is of particular interest, since as ambient particulate

Testing the vestibular evoked myogenic potential (VEMP) to identify subclinical neurological alterations in different phases of human T-lymphotropic virus type 1 infection.

PubMed

Felipe, Lilian; Kingma, Herman; Lambertucci, José R; Carneiro-Proietti, Anna B; Gonçalves, Denise U

2013-04-01

The diagnosis of human T-lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1)-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP) is based on clinical signs and the confirmation of HTLV-1 infection in the central nervous system. Electrophysiological tests may facilitate an earlier diagnosis of spinal cord involvement. Vestibular evoked myogenic potential (VEMP) testing evaluates the vestibulospinal tract, which is correlated with the motor tract; the target of damage by HAM/TSP. This study examines the subclinical neurological alterations related to HTLV-1 infection in individuals with asymptomatic HTLV-1 infections, possible HAM/TSP, and confirmed HAM/TSP. Vestibular evoked myogenic potential testing was performed at the beginning of the study and repeated every 6 months for 18 months. Ninety volunteers were selected for the study: 30 were HTLV-1 seronegative (the control group) and 60 were HTLV-1 seropositive (of these, 18 were asymptomatic, 25 had possible HAM/TSP, and 17 had confirmed HAM/TSP). The VEMP response was classified as normal or abnormal (latency prolongation or no response). A change in the VEMP response from normal to abnormal was the event of interest. To perform a survival analysis, the subjects with normal VEMP responses at the first assessment were selected. The results were analyzed blindly. Vestibular evoked myogenic potential was measured using short tone bursts as acoustic stimuli (1 kHz, 118 dBHL, a rise-fall of 1 millisecond, and a plateau of 2 milliseconds). The stimulation rate was 5 Hz, and the analysis time for each response was 60 milliseconds; each trial averaged 200 responses. The mean age of the subjects in the control group was 38 ± 11 years (median 35), and 13 (43%) were men. In the study group, the mean age was 51 ± 12 years (median 53), and 12 (20%) were men. An analysis of the survival curve indicated that the median time for a change in VEMP response from normal to abnormal was 18 months, which is in agreement with the slow

5 CFR 1630.7 - Identification requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... also access the TSP Web site or call the TSP ThriftLine to obtain account information. These systems may require identity and account verification information such as the participant's account number and... the requester. (b) In writing. A participant shall provide his or her name, date of birth, and account...

Systems of Systems: Scaling Up the Development Process

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-08-01

many organizations are using the TSP and growing evidence sup- ports its efficacy [Davis 03, Grojeans 05, McAndrews 00, Pracchia 04, Rickets 05...January 2004. http://www.stsc.hill.af.mil/Crosstalk/2004/01 /0401Pracchia.html. [ Rickets 05] Rickets , Chris A. “A TSP Software Maintenance Life Cycle

Systems of Systems: Scaling up the Development Program

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-08-01

many organizations are using the TSP and growing evidence sup- ports its efficacy [Davis 03, Grojeans 05, McAndrews 00, Pracchia 04, Rickets 05...January 2004. http://www.stsc.hill.af.mil/Crosstalk/2004/01 /0401Pracchia.html. [ Rickets 05] Rickets , Chris A. “A TSP Software Maintenance Life Cycle

A Novel Trust Service Provider for Internet Based Commerce Applications.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Siyal, M. Y.; Barkat, B.

2002-01-01

Presents a framework for enhancing trust in Internet commerce. Shows how trust can be provided through a network of Trust Service Providers (TSp). Identifies a set of services that should be offered by a TSp. Presents a distributed object-oriented implementation of trust services using CORBA, JAVA and XML. (Author/AEF)

Postsecondary Transitions of Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians Tribal Scholarship Program Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carlyle, Gregory A.; Thompson, Nicole L.; Hare, R. Dwight; Miller, Nicole C.; Purvis, Leslie

2011-01-01

The purpose of this study was to explore the postsecondary education transition experiences of graduates of Choctaw Central High School (CCHS) who received support from the tribal scholarship program (TSP), to better understand the barriers to successful postsecondary completion and means of overcoming barriers. A total of 87 TSP-supported…

Comparison of Oogenesis and Sex Steroid Profiles between Twice and Once Annually Spawning of Rainbow Trout Females (Oncorhynchus mykiss)

PubMed Central

Estay, Francisco; Colihueque, Nelson; Araneda, Cristian

2012-01-01

This study compares the gonadosomatic index (GSI), oocyte growth (OG), gonadal histology, and plasma level concentrations of sex hormones (estradiol-17β (E2) and vitellogenin (V)) of twice-spawning (T-SP) and once-spawning (O-SP) females of rainbow trout throughout the additional and the normal reproductive cycle, respectively. In T-SP, the GSI values rapidly increase from May to November, in contrast to O-SP, which showed low and constant GSI values (1.19 to 14.5 and 1.19 to 0.63, resp.). T-SP exhibited a marked increase of OG in the same period, reaching a maximum diameter of 4,900 ± 141.42 μm, in contrast to O-SP, which presented a slow OG. The gonadal histology of T-SP agreed with the general pattern of ovogenesis observed for O-SP (vitellogenesis, ovulation, and recrudescence); however, this process was nonsynchronous between the two breeder groups. Plasma steroid levels showed significant variation during oogenesis, which agreed with the GSI, OG, and gonadal histology patterns. The level of E2 increased to a maximum value of 26.2 ng/mL and 36.0 ng/mL in O-SP and T-SP, respectively, one or two months before the spawning event where vitellogenesis was fully active. The V concentrations followed a pattern similar to those of E2. PMID:23213308

Immunological signature of the different clinical stages of the HTLV-1 infection: establishing serum biomarkers for HTLV-1-associated disease morbidity.

PubMed

Starling, Ana Lúcia Borges; Coelho-Dos-Reis, Jordana Grazziela Alves; Peruhype-Magalhães, Vanessa; Pascoal-Xavier, Marcelo Antônio; Gonçalves, Denise Utsch; Béla, Samantha Ribeiro; Lambertucci, José Roberto; Labanca, Ludimila; Souza Pereira, Silvio Roberto; Teixeira-Carvalho, Andréa; Ribas, João Gabriel; Trindade, Bruno Caetano; Faccioli, Lucia Helena; Carneiro-Proietti, Anna Bárbara Freitas; Martins-Filho, Olindo Assis

2015-01-01

This study aimed at establishing the immunological signature and an algorithm for clinical management of the different clinical stages of the HTLV-1-infection based on serum biomarkers. A panel of serum biomarkers was evaluated by four sets of innovative/non-conventional data analysis approaches in samples from 87 HTLV-1 patients: asymptomatic carriers (AC), putative HTLV-1 associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (pHAM/TSP) and HAM/TSP. The analysis of cumulative curves and molecular signatures pointed out that HAM/TSP presented a pro-inflammatory profile mediated by CXCL10/LTB-4/IL-6/TNF-α/IFN-γ, counterbalanced by IL-4/IL-10. The analysis of biomarker networks showed that AC presented a strongly intertwined pro-inflammatory/regulatory net with IL-4/IL-10 playing a central role, while HAM/TSP exhibited overall immune response toward a predominant pro-inflammatory profile. At last, the classification and regression trees proposed for clinical practice allowed for the construction of an algorithm to discriminate AC, pHAM and HAM/TSP patients with the elected biomarkers: IFN-γ, TNF-α, IL-10, IL-6, IL-4 and CysLT. These findings reveal a complex interaction among chemokine/leukotriene/cytokine in HTLV-1 infection and suggest the use of the selected but combined biomarkers for the follow-up/diagnosis of disease morbidity of HTLV-1-infected individuals.

Determination of trace metals in TSP and PM2.5 materials collected in the Metropolitan Area of Monterrey, Mexico: A characterization study by XPS, ICP-AES and SEM-EDS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

González, Lucy T.; Longoria Rodríguez, F. E.; Sánchez-Domínguez, M.; Cavazos, Aleyda; Leyva-Porras, C.; Silva-Vidaurri, L. G.; Askar, Karim Acuña; Kharissov, B. I.; Villarreal Chiu, J. F.; Alfaro Barbosa, J. M.

2017-11-01

The concentration levels of trace metals of toxicological importance were evaluated in the total suspended particles (TSP) and particulate matter smaller than 2.5 μm (PM2.5) collected in the Metropolitan Area of Monterrey (MAM) in Mexico. Samples were characterized by inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and scanning electron microscopy with an energy-dispersive spectroscopy system (SEM-EDS). In addition, the data were statistically treated by the methodology of Pearson Correlation (PC) and Principal Components Analysis (PCA) to identify the possible emitting sources. Surface analysis of the particulate matter (PM) by XPS revealed that the most abundant elements were Ca, Al, Na, Zn, Cu and Mg. The deconvolution of the Ca2p, Zn2p and Cu2p signals showed that the main contributors were CaCO3, ZnO and Cu/Cu2O, respectively. The bulk analysis of the PM by ICP-AES showed Fe, Cu and Zn as the most abundant elements. Fe-rich particles presented two different morphologies: the prismatic particles were associated with a natural origin, while the spherical particles with anthropogenic sources. The Zn and Cu were predominantly observed in the sampling stations with high vehicular traffic, and the emitting sources were associated with the burning of fuels from automobiles and the wear of the tires and brakes. The highest concentration of Pb was detected in the sampling station located near the industrial zones, and its cause was associated with the ceramic and glass industries, the burning of fuel oil in power plants and the production of lead-based batteries for automobiles.

The Training and Support Programme for Parents of Children with Ataxia: Parents' Perspectives

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Powell, L. A.; Barlow, J. H.

2007-01-01

The aim of the study was to assess the Training and Support Programme (TSP) among parents of children with ataxia. Twenty-seven parents and their children completed the TSP. Data were collected by home record sheets and observation sheets completed by parents and therapists, respectively, and telephone interviews with 10 parents. Benefits reported…

5 CFR 1651.2 - Entitlement to funds in a deceased participant's account.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... BOARD DEATH BENEFITS § 1651.2 Entitlement to funds in a deceased participant's account. (a) Death... participant will be paid as a death benefit to the individual or individuals surviving the participant, in the... the date of the participant's death in accordance with § 1651.9. (b) TSP withdrawals. If the TSP...

5 CFR 1651.2 - Entitlement to funds in a deceased participant's account.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... BOARD DEATH BENEFITS § 1651.2 Entitlement to funds in a deceased participant's account. (a) Death... participant will be paid as a death benefit to the individual or individuals surviving the participant, in the... the date of the participant's death in accordance with § 1651.9. (b) TSP withdrawals. If the TSP...

5 CFR 1651.2 - Entitlement to funds in a deceased participant's account.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... BOARD DEATH BENEFITS § 1651.2 Entitlement to funds in a deceased participant's account. (a) Death... participant will be paid as a death benefit to the individual or individuals surviving the participant, in the... the date of the participant's death in accordance with § 1651.9. (b) TSP withdrawals. If the TSP...

5 CFR 1651.2 - Entitlement to funds in a deceased participant's account.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... BOARD DEATH BENEFITS § 1651.2 Entitlement to funds in a deceased participant's account. (a) Death... participant will be paid as a death benefit to the individual or individuals surviving the participant, in the... the date of the participant's death in accordance with § 1651.9. (b) TSP withdrawals. If the TSP...

5 CFR 1651.2 - Entitlement to funds in a deceased participant's account.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... BOARD DEATH BENEFITS § 1651.2 Entitlement to funds in a deceased participant's account. (a) Death... participant will be paid as a death benefit to the individual or individuals surviving the participant, in the... the date of the participant's death in accordance with § 1651.9. (b) TSP withdrawals. If the TSP...

5 CFR 1630.4 - Request for notification and access.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... obtain information about or gain access to TSP records about you If you want: If you are a participant... personnel or payroll records Call or write to TSP record keeper. To gain access to a record about you Call... record keeper to gain access to loan status and repayments, earnings, contributions allocation elections...

5 CFR 1655.1 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... according to a schedule of payments. Date of application means the day on which the TSP record keeper... issue date means the date on which the TSP record keeper disburses funds from the participant's account for the loan amount. Loan repayment period means the time over which payments that are required to...

Salesperson Communication Style: The Neglected Dimension in Sales Performance.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dion, Paul A.; Notarantonio, Elaine M.

1992-01-01

Reports two studies investigating the relationship between communication style variables and sales performance. Relates findings which indicate that the "precise" dimension of communication is strongly associated with effective sales performance and that different combinations of the "precise" and "friendly"…

Retail Flower Shop Salesperson and Floral Designer. Student's Manual.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

South Carolina State Dept. of Education, Columbia. Office of Vocational Education.

This document consists of the student manual for a course in retail flower shop sales and floral design for use in vocational education courses in high schools in South Carolina. The guide consists of 22 learning modules that incorporate the subject matter needed by workers in these jobs. Each learning module consists of an introduction,…

Ambient Particulate Matter Induces Oxidative Dna Damage in Lung Epithelial Cells.