Thermal and electric properties of Nd(1.85)Ce(0.15)CuO(4-y) and Pr(1.85)Ce(0.15)CuO(4-y)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lim, Z. S.; Han, K. H.; Lee, Sung-Ik; Jeong, Yoon H.; Song, Y. S.; Park, Y. W.

1990-01-01

Electric resistivity, magnetic susceptibility, thermoelectric power, and Hall coefficient of Nd(1.85)Ce(0.15)CuO(4-y) and Pr(1.85)Ce(0.15)CuO(4-y) whose onset temperature of the superconductivity are 24 K and 23 K were measured. Experimental results show many interesting features. In particular, the Hall coefficients are negative and relatively flat as a function of temperature. However, the temperature dependence of the thermoelectric power (TEP) for these two samples shows the positive sign for both samples in contrast to the previous results. Moreover TEP for both samples remains flat in the normal state below 250 K, but decreases rapidly above 250 K. TEP of only Pr(1.85)Ce(0.15)CuO(4-y) shows a peak near 50 K. Finally onset temperatures of sudden drop of TEP are higher than those of resistance drop. The physical properties of these samples produced at different conditions such as different heat treatment temperatures, atmospheres were also measured. TEP and resistance measurement show that oxygen deficiency is essential to produce better superconducting samples. Correlation between TEP and superconductivity for these different samples will be discussed.

Thermal and electric properties of Nd(1.85)Ce(0.15)CuO(4-y) and Pr(1.85)Ce(0.15)CuO(4-y)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lim, Z. S.; Han, K. H.; Lee, Sung-Ik; Jeong, Yoon H.; Song, Y. S.; Park, Y. W.

1991-01-01

Electric resistivity, magnetic susceptibility, thermoelectric power, and Hall coefficient of Nd(1.85)Ce(0.15)CuO(4-y) and Pr(1.85)Ce(0.15)CuO(4-y) whose onset temperature of the superconductivity are 24 and 23 K were measured. Experimental results show many interesting features. In particular, the Hall coefficients are negative and relatively flat as a function of temperature. However, the temperature dependence of the thermoelectric power (TEP) for these two samples shows the positive sign for both samples in contrast to the previous results. Moreover, TEP for both samples remains flat in the normal state below 250 K, but decreases rapidly above 250 K. TEP of only Pr(1.85)Ce(0.15)CuO(4-y) shows a peak near 50 K. Finally, onset temperatures of sudden drop of TEP are higher than those of resistance drop. The physical properties of these samples produced at different conditions such as different heat treatment temperatures, atmospheres were also measured. TEP and resistance measurement show that oxygen deficiency is essential to produce better superconducting samples. Correlation between TEP and superconductivity for these different samples are discussed.

Development of Dielectric Material with Ceramic Matrix Composite (CMC) Produced from Kaolinite and CaCu{sub 3}Ti{sub 4}O{sub 12} (CCTO)

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

Yin, Wong Swee; Hassan, Jumiah; Hashim, Mansor

Ceramic matrix composites (CMC) combine reinforcing ceramic phases, CaCu{sub 3}Ti{sub 4}O{sub 12} (CCTO) with a ceramic matrix, kaolinite to create materials with new and superior properties. 10% and 20% CCTO were prepared by using a conventional solid state reaction method. CMC samples were pre-sintered at 800 deg. C and sintered at 1000 deg. C. The dielectric properties of samples were measured using HP 4192A LF Impedance Analyzer. Microstructures of the samples were observed using an optical microscope. XRD was used to determine the crystalline structure of the samples. The AFM showed the morphology of the samples. The results showed thatmore » the dielectric constant and dielectric loss factor of both samples are frequency dependent. At 10 Hz, the dielectric constant is 10{sup 11} for both samples. The CMC samples were independent with temperature with low dielectric constant in the frequency range of 10{sup 4}-10{sup 6} Hz. Since the CMC samples consist of different amount of kaolinite, so each sample exhibit different defect mechanism. Different reaction may occur for different composition of material. The effects of processing conditions on the microstructure and electrical properties of CMC are also discussed.« less

Property Relationship in Organosilanes and Nanotubes Filled Polypropylene Hybrid Composites

PubMed Central

Monsiváis-Barrón, Alejandra J.; Bonilla-Rios, Jaime; Sánchez-Fernández, Antonio

2014-01-01

Polypropylene composites with different filler contents were prepared by creating a masterbatch containing 3 wt%. filler. A variety of silanol groups were used to synthetized three compounds in different media trough a sol-gel process with acetic acid, formic acid and ammonium hydroxide as catalysts. Besides, four different nanotubular fillers were also used to analyze their behavior and compare it with the effect caused by the silanol groups. These tubular structures comprise: unmodified halloysite, carbon nanotubes and functionalized halloysite and carbon nanotubes. Morphological characterization in SEM and STEM/TEM showed dispersion in the polypropylene matrix. According to TGA and DSC measurements thermal behavior remain similar for all the composites. Mechanical test in tension demonstrate that modulus of the composites increases for all samples with a major impact for materials containing silanol groups synthetized in formic acid. Rheological measurements show a significantly increment in viscosity for samples containing unmodified and modified carbon nanotubes. No difference was found for samples containing silanol groups and halloysite when compared to neat polypropylene. Finally, the oxygen transmission rate increased for all samples showing high barrier properties only for samples containing natural and functionalized halloysite nanotubes. PMID:28788233

Property Relationship in Organosilanes and Nanotubes Filled Polypropylene Hybrid Composites.

PubMed

Monsiváis-Barrón, Alejandra J; Bonilla-Rios, Jaime; Sánchez-Fernández, Antonio

2014-10-20

Polypropylene composites with different filler contents were prepared by creating a masterbatch containing 3 wt%. filler. A variety of silanol groups were used to synthetized three compounds in different media trough a sol-gel process with acetic acid, formic acid and ammonium hydroxide as catalysts. Besides, four different nanotubular fillers were also used to analyze their behavior and compare it with the effect caused by the silanol groups. These tubular structures comprise: unmodified halloysite, carbon nanotubes and functionalized halloysite and carbon nanotubes. Morphological characterization in SEM and STEM/TEM showed dispersion in the polypropylene matrix. According to TGA and DSC measurements thermal behavior remain similar for all the composites. Mechanical test in tension demonstrate that modulus of the composites increases for all samples with a major impact for materials containing silanol groups synthetized in formic acid. Rheological measurements show a significantly increment in viscosity for samples containing unmodified and modified carbon nanotubes. No difference was found for samples containing silanol groups and halloysite when compared to neat polypropylene. Finally, the oxygen transmission rate increased for all samples showing high barrier properties only for samples containing natural and functionalized halloysite nanotubes.

Genetic Characterization of Serotypes A and Asia-1 Foot-and-mouth Disease Viruses in Balochistan, Pakistan, in 2011.

PubMed

Ullah, A; Jamal, S M; Romey, A; Gorna, K; Kakar, M A; Abbas, F; Ahmad, J; Zientara, S; Bakkali Kassimi, L

2017-10-01

This study reports characterization of foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) in samples collected from Balochistan, Pakistan. FMDV was detected by pan-FMDV real-time RT-PCR in 31 samples (epithelial and oral swabs) collected in 2011 from clinical suspect cases. Of these, 29 samples were serotyped by serotype-specific real-time RT-PCR assays and were confirmed by sequencing the VP1 coding region. Sixteen samples were found positive for serotype A and eight for serotype Asia-1, whereas five samples were found positive for both serotypes A and Asia-1. Two serotype A positive samples were found positive for two different strains of serotype A FMDV each. Phylogenetic analyses of serotype A FMDVs showed circulation of at least three different sublineages within the A-Iran05 lineage. These included two earlier reported sublineages, A-Iran05 HER -10 and A-Iran05 FAR -11 , and a new sublineage, designated here as A-Iran05 BAL -11 . This shows that viruses belonging to the A-Iran05 lineage are continuously evolving in the region. Viruses belonging to the A-Iran05 FAR -11 sublineage showed close identity with the viruses circulating in 2009 in Pakistan and Afghanistan. However, viruses belonging to the A-Iran05 HER -10 detected in Balochistan, Pakistan, showed close identity with the viruses circulating in Kyrgyzstan, Iran and Kazakhstan in 2011 and 2012, showing that viruses responsible for outbreak in these countries have a common origin. Serotype Asia-1 FMDVs reported in this study all belonged to the earlier reported Group-VII (Sindh-08), which is currently a dominant strain in the West Eurasian region. Detection of two different serotypes of FMDV or/and two different strains of the same serotype in one animal/sample shows complexity in occurrence of FMD in the region. © 2016 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Remineralization Property of an Orthodontic Primer Containing a Bioactive Glass with Silver and Zinc

PubMed Central

Lee, Seung-Min; Kim, In-Ryoung; Park, Bong-Soo; Ko, Ching-Chang; Son, Woo-Sung; Kim, Yong-Il

2017-01-01

White spot lesions (WSLs) are irreversible damages in orthodontic treatment due to excessive etching or demineralization by microorganisms. In this study, we conducted a mechanical and cell viability test to examine the antibacterial properties of 0.2% and 1% bioactive glass (BAG) and silver-doped and zinc-doped BAGs in a primer and evaluated their clinical applicability to prevent WSLs. The microhardness statistically significantly increased in the adhesive-containing BAG, while the other samples showed no statistically significant difference compared with the control group. The shear bond strength of all samples increased compared with that of the control group. The cell viability of the control and sample groups was similar within 24 h, but decreased slightly over 48 h. All samples showed antibacterial properties. Regarding remineralization property, the group containing 0.2% of the samples showed remineralization properties compared with the control group, but was not statistically significant; further, the group containing 1% of the samples showed a significant difference compared with the control group. Among them, the orthodontic bonding primer containing 1% silver-doped BAG showed the highest remineralization property. The new orthodontic bonding primer used in this study showed an antimicrobial effect, chemical remineralization effect, and WSL prevention as well as clinically applicable properties, both physically and biologically. PMID:29088092

Structure and Mechanical Properties of the AlSi10Mg Alloy Samples Manufactured by Selective Laser Melting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Xiaodan; Ni, Jiaqiang; Zhu, Qingfeng; Su, Hang; Cui, Jianzhong; Zhang, Yifei; Li, Jianzhong

2017-11-01

The AlSi10Mg alloy samples with the size of 14×14×91mm were produced by the selective laser melting (SLM) method in different building direction. The structures and the properties at -70°C of the sample in different direction were investigated. The results show that the structure in different building direction shows different morphology. The fish scale structures distribute on the side along the building direction, and the oval structures distribute on the side vertical to the building direction. Some pores in with the maximum size of 100 μm exist of the structure. And there is no major influence for the build orientation on the tensile properties. The tensile strength and the elongation of the sample in the building direction are 340 Mpa and 11.2 % respectively. And the tensile strength and the elongation of the sample vertical to building direction are 350 Mpa and 13.4 % respectively

Magnetic measurements on human erythrocytes: Normal, beta thalassemia major, and sickle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sakhnini, Lama

2003-05-01

In this article magnetic measurements were made on human erythrocytes at different hemoglobin states (normal and reduced hemoglobin). Different blood samples: normal, beta thalassemia major, and sickle were studied. Beta thalassemia major and sickle samples were taken from patients receiving lifelong blood transfusion treatment. All samples examined exhibited diamagnetic behavior. Beta thalassemia major and sickle samples showed higher diamagnetic susceptibilities than that for the normal, which was attributed to the increase of membrane to hemoglobin volume ratio of the abnormal cells. Magnetic measurements showed that the erythrocytes in the reduced state showed less diamagnetic response in comparison with erythrocytes in the normal state. Analysis of the paramagnetic component of magnetization curves gave an effective magnetic moment of μeff=7.6 μB per reduced hemoglobin molecule. The same procedure was applied to sickle and beta thalassemia major samples and values for μeff were found to be comparable to that of the normal erythrocytes.

Intratumoral heterogeneity in colorectal carcinoma: trucut sampling for DNA ploidy analysis.

PubMed

Giovagnoli, M R; Giarnieri, E; Midiri, G; Tesoriere, A; Ferraro, S; Vecchione, A

1999-01-01

Solid tumors, such as colorectal carcinomas, consist of cell subpopulations that differ both genetically and in their clinical behavior. Many authors have examined cell kinetics and DNA content in colorectal tumors in correlation to clinical and pathological variables with different results. The interpretation of those results present some difficulties related to tumor heterogeneity that to date are unsolved. Our study is based on a new method of colon cancer sampling for DNA content determination. The aim of this work was to reduce the risk of incorrect DNA evaluation due to tumor heterogeneity. Our study was based on eleven selected cases of T3 colorectal carcinoma. Fresh surgical specimens from the primary tumor site were taken during surgery. For each case at least four samples were taken using a 23 gauge trucut from the outside of the serosa through the tumor to the lumen of the colon. The specimens were stained according to a modified Feulgen method and DNA content was measured by image analysis. Three parameters were evaluated: DNA index, ploidy and proliferation level (considered as the sum of elements corresponding to the S and G2 phases). One of the eleven (9.1%) tumors showed a diploid pattern; four out of eleven (36.4%) cases showed a tetra/polyploid pattern and six out of eleven (54.5%) cases showed an aneuploid pattern. Three tumors were monoclonal (27.3%), one diploid and two aneuploid. Eight were polyclonal (72.7%). Considering the single specimen, seven out of sixty-eight specimens (10.3%) were inadequate because of scanty material. Twenty-five out of the sixty-one adequate specimens (41%) were monoclonal and thirty-six (59%) were polyclonal. Five tumors (three monoclonal and two polyclonal) showed the same cell clones on all the examined samples. The remaining six tumors showed interregional variability. The six of the eight polyclonal cases (75%) multiple stem lines were evident, analyzing only one sample taken close to colon serosa, while in one case (25%) it was necessary to examine two samples in order to see the polyclonality of the lesion. When samples taken close to mucosa where analyzed, however, one sample was not enough to show tumor polyclonality in five of the eight polyclonal examined cases. Proliferation level varied greatly in different parts of the same carcinoma and did not correlate to the site from which the sample was taken. In the present study, we demonstrated that DNA ploidy differences may exist between the superficial and the deep part of the same neoplasia and that tumor samples show a greater variability in the deeper layers. Using trucut samplings, it was possible to point out the majority of aneuploid cell populations close to the serosa. In conclusion, trucut biopsy permits full thickness sampling of the tumoral mass and allows, from few samples, to evaluate the multiple DNA stemlines present in different parts of a colorectal tumor.

Randomised prospective study compares efficacy of five different stomach tubes for rumen fluid sampling in dairy cows.

PubMed

Steiner, S; Neidl, A; Linhart, N; Tichy, A; Gasteiner, J; Gallob, K; Baumgartner, W; Wittek, T

2015-01-10

The objective of the study was to compare the performance of five types of stomach tubes for rumen fluid sampling. Rumen fluid was sampled in rumen fistulated cows assigned to a 5×5 Latin square study design. The pH values of samples taken by stomach tubes and via fistulas were measured; the results were compared with indwelling sensor measurements. The practicability of the stomach tubes for regular use was tested in the field. Rumen fluid samples were obtained rapidly. Volumes for transfaunation could be obtained. The pH-values of samples taken with the four out of the five tubes (Dirksen, Geishauser, tube 4 and a simple water hose used with a gag) did not show significant differences to samples taken via rumen fistulas. Mean differences ranged between -0.02 and +0.09. Samples taken with tube 4 and the water hose showed also no significant differences to pH-sensor measurements. This study demonstrates that stomach tubes are suitable for rumen fluid sampling. Tube 4 seems to be the best probe for work in the field. It was well tolerated by the animals, saliva contamination is negligible. We, therefore, conclude that the evaluation of rumen acid base status in the field is possible. British Veterinary Association.

Zooanthroponotic transmission of rotavirus in Haryana State of Northern India.

PubMed

Choudhary, P; Minakshi, P; Ranjan, K; Basanti, B

Rotaviruses are the major cause of severe gastroenteritis and mortality in young children and animals. Due to segmented nature of dsRNA genome and wide host range, vast genetic and antigenic diversity exists amongst different isolates of rotaviruses. A total of 230 fecal ovine and caprine samples collected from organized farms and villages in Haryana were screened for rotavirus detection. Samples were screened by latex agglutination test and RNA-PAGE followed by RT-PCR and nucleic acid sequencing. The latex agglutination test showed 25 newborn lamb and 4 kid fecal samples positive for rotavirus. However, RNA-PAGE showed only 9 lamb fecal samples positive for rotavirus. All the samples were subjected to RT-PCR employing vp4 and vp7 gene specific primers of group A rotavirus of ovine, bovine and human origin. Only two samples from lamb (Sheep18/Hisar/2013 and Sheep22/Hisar/2013) showed vp4 and vp7 gene specific amplification with human group A rotavirus (GAR) specific primer. However, they did not show any amplification with ovine and bovine rotavirus specific primers. The nucleotide as well as deduced amino acid sequence analysis of vp4 gene of these isolates showed >98/97% and vp7 gene >95/94% nt/aa identity with human GAR from different regions of the world. Based on nucleotide similarity search, Sheep18/Hisar/2013 and Sheep22/Hisar/2013 isolates were genotyped as G1P[8] and G1P[4]. Phylogenetic analysis also confirmed that these isolates were clustered closely with human rotaviruses from different regions of the world. Earlier, higher prevalence of human rotaviruses was reported from the sample collecting area. The amplification of ovine samples with human rotavirus gene specific primers, sequence identity and phylogenetic analysis strongly suggests the zoonotic transmission of human GAR to sheep.

Inorganic profile of some Brazilian medicinal plants obtained from ethanolic extract and ''in natura'' samples

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

Ferreira, M.O.M.; de Sousa, P.T.; Salvador, V.L.R.

The Anadenathera macrocarpa, Schinus molle, Hymenaea courbaril, Cariniana legalis, Solidago microglossa and Stryphnodendron barbatiman, were collected ''in natura'' samples (leaves, flowers, barks and seeds) from different commercial suppliers. The pharmaco-active compounds in ethanolic extracts had been made by the Mato Grosso Federal University (UFMT). The energy-dispersive x-ray fluorescence (ED-XRF) spectrometry was used for the elemental analysis in different parts of the plants and respective ethanolic extracts. The Ca, Cl, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Na, Ni, P, Rb, S, Sr and Zn concentrations were determined by the fundamental parameters method. Some specimens showed a similar inorganic profile for ''in natura''more » and ethanolic extract samples and some ones showed a distinct inorganic profile. For example, the Anadenathera macrocarpa showed a similar concentration in Mg, P, Cu, Zn and Rb elements in ''in natura'' and ethanolic extract samples; however very different concentration in Na, S, Cl, K , Ca, Mn, Fe and Sr was observed in distinctive samples. The Solidago microglossa showed the K, Ca, Cl, S, Mg, P and Fe elements as major constituents in both samples, suggesting that the extraction process did not affect in a considerable way the ''in natura'' inorganic composition. The elemental composition of the different parts of the plants (leaves, flowers, barks and seeds) has been also determined. For example, the Schinus molle specimen showed P, K, Cl and Ca elements as major constituents in the seeds, Mg, K and Sr in the barks and Mg, S, Cl and Mn in the leaves, demonstrating a differentiated elementary distribution. These inorganic profiles will contribute to evaluate the quality control of the Brazilian herbaceous trade and also will assist to identify which parts of the medicinal plants has greater therapeutic effect.« less

Quantifying Uncertainties from Presence Data Sampling Methods for Species Distribution Modeling: Focused on Vegetation.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sung, S.; Kim, H. G.; Lee, D. K.; Park, J. H.; Mo, Y.; Kil, S.; Park, C.

2016-12-01

The impact of climate change has been observed throughout the globe. The ecosystem experiences rapid changes such as vegetation shift, species extinction. In these context, Species Distribution Model (SDM) is one of the popular method to project impact of climate change on the ecosystem. SDM basically based on the niche of certain species with means to run SDM present point data is essential to find biological niche of species. To run SDM for plants, there are certain considerations on the characteristics of vegetation. Normally, to make vegetation data in large area, remote sensing techniques are used. In other words, the exact point of presence data has high uncertainties as we select presence data set from polygons and raster dataset. Thus, sampling methods for modeling vegetation presence data should be carefully selected. In this study, we used three different sampling methods for selection of presence data of vegetation: Random sampling, Stratified sampling and Site index based sampling. We used one of the R package BIOMOD2 to access uncertainty from modeling. At the same time, we included BioCLIM variables and other environmental variables as input data. As a result of this study, despite of differences among the 10 SDMs, the sampling methods showed differences in ROC values, random sampling methods showed the lowest ROC value while site index based sampling methods showed the highest ROC value. As a result of this study the uncertainties from presence data sampling methods and SDM can be quantified.

Furanic compounds and furfural in different coffee products by headspace liquid-phase micro-extraction followed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry: survey and effect of brewing procedures.

PubMed

Chaichi, Maryam; Ghasemzadeh-Mohammadi, Vahid; Hashemi, Maryam; Mohammadi, Abdorreza

2015-01-01

In this study, the levels of furan, 2-methylfuran, 2,5-dimethylfuran, vinyl furan, 2-methoxymethyl-furan and furfural in different coffee products were evaluated. Simultaneous determination of these six furanic compounds was performed by a head space liquid-phase micro-extraction (HS-LPME) method. A total of 67 coffee powder samples were analysed. The effects of boiling and espresso-making procedures on the levels of furanic compounds were investigated. The results showed that different types of coffee samples contained different concentrations of furanic compounds, due to the various processing conditions such as temperature, degree of roasting and fineness of grind. Among the different coffee samples, the highest level of furan (6320 µg kg⁻¹) was detected in ground coffee, while coffee-mix samples showed the lowest furan concentration (10 µg kg⁻¹). Levels in brewed coffees indicated that, except for furfural, brewing by an espresso machine caused significant loss of furanic compounds.

Effect of freezing on the rheological, chemical and colour properties of Serpa cheese.

PubMed

Alvarenga, Nuno; Canada, João; Sousa, Isabel

2011-02-01

The effect of freezing on the properties of a raw ewes'-milk semi-soft cheese (Serpa cheese) was studied using small amplitude oscillatory (SAOS) and texture measurements, colour and chemical parameters. The freezing was introduced at three different stages of the ripening process (28, 35 and 42 days), and the cheeses were maintained frozen for 12 months. Cheeses were submitted to a slow or fast freezing method, and to different storage temperatures: -10 and -20°C (three replicates for each set conditions). Chemical data showed that only the proteolysis indicators exhibited differences between frozen and non-frozen samples; frozen samples showed higher values of NPN than the non-frozen samples, indicating that the freezing process did not prevent the secondary proteolysis of cheese. Frozen samples showed a significantly (P<0·05) stronger structure than the non-frozen, as indicated by hardness. However, the differences between the frozen and non-frozen samples were not significantly for storage modulus (G' 1Hz) and loss tangent (tan δ 1Hz) (P>0·05). Freezing affected mainly colour parameters: frozen samples were more luminous, and more yellow-green. The results allowed us to conclude that the damages caused by freezing to cheese properties could be minimized if this type of storage is introduced at the end of ripening (42 d) using a freezing temperature of -20°C.

Particulate contamination from siliconized rubber closures for freeze drying.

PubMed

Gebhardt, U; Grumbridge, N A; Knoch, A

1996-01-01

It can be shown that siliconized closures for freeze drying may cause the opalescence and turbidity observed in freeze-dried products after reconstitution. Closures of different rubber composition show different intensities of turbidity when treated identically with the same quantity and type of silicone oil. Clear solutions are obtained after reconstitution if ETFE-coated closures are used instead of siliconized closures. Samples stored at 4 degrees C for up to 6 months show no change in the intensity of turbidity, while the turbidity of samples manufactured with siliconized closures and stored at higher temperatures increase with time. Samples with ETFE-coated closures show clear solutions when stored at 25 degrees C and 37 degrees C for up to 6 months and at 45 degrees C for 3 months. After 6 months only a very weak opalescence could be observed in these samples.

The different behaviors of glyphosate and AMPA in compost-amended soil.

PubMed

Erban, Tomas; Stehlik, Martin; Sopko, Bruno; Markovic, Martin; Seifrtova, Marcela; Halesova, Tatana; Kovaricek, Pavel

2018-09-01

The broad-spectrum herbicide glyphosate is one of the most widely used pesticides. Both glyphosate and its major metabolite, aminomethylphosphonic acid (AMPA), persist in waters; thus, their environmental fates are of interest. We investigated the influence of compost dose, sampling depth, moisture and saturated hydraulic conductivity (K s ) on the persistence of these substances. The amounts of AMPA quantified by triple quadrupole liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-QqQ-MS/MS) using isotopically labeled extraction standards were higher than those of glyphosate and differed among the samples. Both glyphosate and AMPA showed gradually decreasing concentrations with soil depth, and bootstrapped ANOVA showed significant differences between the contents of glyphosate and AMPA and their behavior related to different compost dosages and sampling depths. However, the compost dose alone did not cause significant differences among samples. Bayesian statistics revealed that the amounts of glyphosate and AMPA were both dependent on the sampling depth and compost dose, but differences were found when considering the physical factors of K s and moisture. Glyphosate was influenced by moisture but not K s , whereas AMPA was influenced by K s but not moisture. Importantly, we found behavioral differences between glyphosate and its major metabolite, AMPA, related to the physical properties of K s and moisture. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Structure and luminescence properties of MgGa2O4 : Cr3+ with Zn substituted for Mg].

PubMed

Zhang, Wan-Xin; Wang, Yin-Hai; Li, Hai-Ling; Wang, Xian-Sheng; Zhao, Hui

2013-01-01

A series of red long afterglow phosphors with composition Zn(x) Mg(1-2) Ga2 O4 : Cr3+ (x = 0, 0.2, 0.6, 0.8, 1.0) were synthesized by a high temperature solid-state reaction method. The X-ray diffraction studies show that the phase of the phosphors is face-centered cubic structure. Photoluminescence spectra show that the red emission of Cr3+ originated from the transition of 2E-4A2. Due to the large overlap between absorption band of Cr3+ and emission band of the host. Cr3+ could obtain the excitation energy from the host via the effective energy transfer. The afterglow decay characteristics show that the phosphor samples with different Zn contents have different afterglow time and the afterglow time also changes with the value of x. The measurement of thermoluminescence reveals that the trap depth of the phosphor samples with different Zn contents is different. The samples with deeper traps have longer afterglow time.

The Effect of Postmastectomy Radiation Therapy on Breast Implants: Material Analysis on Silicone and Polyurethane Prosthesis.

PubMed

Lo Torto, Federico; Relucenti, Michela; Familiari, Giuseppe; Vaia, Nicola; Casella, Donato; Matassa, Roberto; Miglietta, Selenia; Marinozzi, Franco; Bini, Fabiano; Fratoddi, Ilaria; Sciubba, Fabio; Cassese, Raffaele; Tombolini, Vincenzo; Ribuffo, Diego

2018-05-17

The pathogenic mechanism underlying capsular contracture is still unknown. It is certainly a multifactorial process, resulting from human body reaction, biofilm activation, bacteremic seeding, or silicone exposure. The scope of the present article is to investigate the effect of hypofractionated radiotherapy protocol (2.66 Gy × 16 sessions) both on silicone and polyurethane breast implants. Silicone implants and polyurethane underwent irradiation according to a hypofractionated radiotherapy protocol for the treatment of breast cancer. After irradiation implant shells underwent mechanical, chemical, and microstructural evaluation by means of tensile testing, infrared spectra in attenuated total reflectance mode, nuclear magnetic resonance, and field emission scanning electron microscopy. At superficial analysis, irradiated silicone samples show several visible secondary and tertiary blebs. Polyurethane implants showed an open cell structure, which closely resembles a sponge. Morphological observation of struts from treated polyurethane sample shows a more compact structure, with significantly shorter and thicker struts compared with untreated sample. The infrared spectra in attenuated total reflectance mode spectra of irradiated and control samples were compared either for silicon and polyurethane samples. In the case of silicone-based membranes, treated and control specimens showed similar bands, with little differences in the treated one. Nuclear magnetic resonance spectra on the fraction soluble in CDCl3 support these observations. Tensile tests on silicone samples showed a softer behavior of the treated ones. Tensile tests on Polyurethane samples showed no significant differences. Polyurethane implants seem to be more resistant to radiotherapy damage, whereas silicone prosthesis showed more structural, mechanical, and chemical modifications.

Applying glass ionomer cement to MTA flow™ and biodentine™ and its effects on the interface layer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Savitri, D.; Suprastiwi, E.; Margono, A.

2017-08-01

This study compared the interface layer formation between Glass Ionomer Cement (GIC) with Biodentine™ and between GIC with MTA Flow™. There were 10 samples in each group. Biodentine™ and MTA Flow™ were filled with GIC in plastic molds then incubated at a temperature of 37 °C with 100% humidity for 24 hours. Samples were sectioned vertically with diamond discs and examined using a scanning electron microscope. The statistical analysis was performed using the Mann-Whitney Test. In group 1, 80% of the samples showed a score of 1 and 20% of the samples showed a score of 2. In group 2, 30% of the samples showed a score of 2 and 70% of the samples showed a score of 3. This clinical trial showed that the formation of interface layers in Biodentine™ and MTA Flow™ were significantly different.

Crystallization of hard spheres revisited. II. Thermodynamic modeling, nucleation work, and the surface of tension.

PubMed

Richard, David; Speck, Thomas

2018-06-14

Combining three numerical methods (forward flux sampling, seeding of droplets, and finite-size droplets), we probe the crystallization of hard spheres over the full range from close to coexistence to the spinodal regime. We show that all three methods allow us to sample different regimes and agree perfectly in the ranges where they overlap. By combining the nucleation work calculated from forward flux sampling of small droplets and the nucleation theorem, we show how to compute the nucleation work spanning three orders of magnitude. Using a variation of the nucleation theorem, we show how to extract the pressure difference between the solid droplet and ambient liquid. Moreover, combining the nucleation work with the pressure difference allows us to calculate the interfacial tension of small droplets. Our results demonstrate that employing bulk quantities yields inaccurate results for the nucleation rate.

Colorimetric measurement of carbohydrates in biological wastewater treatment systems: A critical evaluation.

PubMed

Le, Chencheng; Stuckey, David C

2016-05-01

Four laboratory preparations and three commercially available assay kits were tested on the same carbohydrate samples with the addition of 14 different interfering solutes typically found in wastewater treatment plants. This work shows that a wide variety of solutes can interfere with these assays. In addition, a comparative study on the use of these assays with different carbohydrate samples was also carried out, and the metachromatic response was clearly influenced by variation in sample composition. The carbohydrate content in the supernatant of a submerged anaerobic membrane bioreactor (SAMBR) was also measured using these assays, and the amount in the different supernatant samples, with and without a standard addition of glucose to the samples, showed substantial differences. We concluded that the carbohydrates present in wastewater measured using these colorimetric methods could be seriously under- or over-estimated. A new analytical method needs to be developed in order to better understand the biological transformations occurring in anaerobic digestion that leads to the production of soluble microbial products (SMPs) and extracellular polymeric substance (EPS). Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Test Anxiety Prevalence and Gender Differences in a Sample of English Secondary School Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Putwain, Dave; Daly, Anthony L.

2014-01-01

The aim of this study was to estimate the proportion of students who report themselves as highly test anxious in a sample of English secondary schools and whether this proportion differed by gender. Self-report test anxiety data were collected from 2435 secondary school students in 11 schools. Results showed that 16.4% of the sample reported…

Composition and Morphology of Major Particle Types from Airborne Measurements during ICE-T and PRADACS Field Studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Venero, I. M.; Mayol-Bracero, O. L.; Anderson, J. R.

2012-12-01

As part of the Puerto Rican African Dust and Cloud Study (PRADACS) and the Ice in Clouds Experiment - Tropical (ICE-T), we sampled giant airborne particles to study their elemental composition, morphology, and size distributions. Samples were collected in July 2011 during field measurements performed by NCAR's C-130 aircraft based on St Croix, U.S Virgin Island. The results presented here correspond to the measurements done during research flight #8 (RF8). Aerosol particles with Dp > 1 um were sampled with the Giant Nuclei Impactor and particles with Dp < 1 um were collected with the Wyoming Inlet. Collected particles were later analyzed using an automated scanning electron microscope (SEM) and manual observation by field emission SEM. We identified the chemical composition and morphology of major particle types in filter samples collected at different altitudes (e.g., 300 ft, 1000 ft, and 4500ft). Results from the flight upwind of Puerto Rico show that particles in the giant nuclei size range are dominated by sea salt. Samples collected at altitudes 300 ft and 1000 ft showed the highest number of sea salt particles and the samples collected at higher altitudes (> 4000 ft) showed the highest concentrations of clay material. HYSPLIT back trajectories for all samples showed that the low altitude samples initiated in the free troposphere in the Atlantic Ocean, which may account for the high sea salt content and that the source of the high altitude samples was closer to the Saharan - Sahel desert region and, therefore, these samples possibly had the influence of African dust. Size distribution results for quartz and unreacted sea-salt aerosols collected on the Giant Nuclei Impactor showed that sample RF08 - 12:05 UTM (300 ft) had the largest size value (mean = 2.936 μm) than all the other samples. Additional information was also obtained from the Wyoming Inlet present at the C - 130 aircraft which showed that size distribution results for all particles were smaller in size. The different mineral components of the dust have different size distributions so that a fractionation process could occur during transport. Also, the presence of supermicron sea salt at altitude is important for cloud processes.

Understanding and comparisons of different sampling approaches for the Fourier Amplitudes Sensitivity Test (FAST)

PubMed Central

Xu, Chonggang; Gertner, George

2013-01-01

Fourier Amplitude Sensitivity Test (FAST) is one of the most popular uncertainty and sensitivity analysis techniques. It uses a periodic sampling approach and a Fourier transformation to decompose the variance of a model output into partial variances contributed by different model parameters. Until now, the FAST analysis is mainly confined to the estimation of partial variances contributed by the main effects of model parameters, but does not allow for those contributed by specific interactions among parameters. In this paper, we theoretically show that FAST analysis can be used to estimate partial variances contributed by both main effects and interaction effects of model parameters using different sampling approaches (i.e., traditional search-curve based sampling, simple random sampling and random balance design sampling). We also analytically calculate the potential errors and biases in the estimation of partial variances. Hypothesis tests are constructed to reduce the effect of sampling errors on the estimation of partial variances. Our results show that compared to simple random sampling and random balance design sampling, sensitivity indices (ratios of partial variances to variance of a specific model output) estimated by search-curve based sampling generally have higher precision but larger underestimations. Compared to simple random sampling, random balance design sampling generally provides higher estimation precision for partial variances contributed by the main effects of parameters. The theoretical derivation of partial variances contributed by higher-order interactions and the calculation of their corresponding estimation errors in different sampling schemes can help us better understand the FAST method and provide a fundamental basis for FAST applications and further improvements. PMID:24143037

Understanding and comparisons of different sampling approaches for the Fourier Amplitudes Sensitivity Test (FAST).

PubMed

Xu, Chonggang; Gertner, George

2011-01-01

Fourier Amplitude Sensitivity Test (FAST) is one of the most popular uncertainty and sensitivity analysis techniques. It uses a periodic sampling approach and a Fourier transformation to decompose the variance of a model output into partial variances contributed by different model parameters. Until now, the FAST analysis is mainly confined to the estimation of partial variances contributed by the main effects of model parameters, but does not allow for those contributed by specific interactions among parameters. In this paper, we theoretically show that FAST analysis can be used to estimate partial variances contributed by both main effects and interaction effects of model parameters using different sampling approaches (i.e., traditional search-curve based sampling, simple random sampling and random balance design sampling). We also analytically calculate the potential errors and biases in the estimation of partial variances. Hypothesis tests are constructed to reduce the effect of sampling errors on the estimation of partial variances. Our results show that compared to simple random sampling and random balance design sampling, sensitivity indices (ratios of partial variances to variance of a specific model output) estimated by search-curve based sampling generally have higher precision but larger underestimations. Compared to simple random sampling, random balance design sampling generally provides higher estimation precision for partial variances contributed by the main effects of parameters. The theoretical derivation of partial variances contributed by higher-order interactions and the calculation of their corresponding estimation errors in different sampling schemes can help us better understand the FAST method and provide a fundamental basis for FAST applications and further improvements.

Effects of sous-vide method at different temperatures, times and vacuum degrees on the quality, structural, and microbiological properties of pork ham.

PubMed

Jeong, Kiyoung; O, Hyeonbin; Shin, So Yeon; Kim, Young-Soon

2018-04-10

This study evaluated the influence of different factors on pork hams cooked by sous-vide method. The quality and structural and microbiological properties of the treated samples were compared with those of controls. Samples were subjected to treatment at different combinations of temperature (61 °C or 71 °C), time (45 or 90 min), and vacuum degree (98.81% or 96.58%). The control sample was air packaged and boiled for 45 min in boiling water. Temperature and vacuum degree affected quality properties, while the effect of time was limited. Samples cooked at 61 °C showed higher moisture content, redness, and pink color of the meat juice, whereas samples cooked at 71 °C showed higher cooking loss rate, lightness, and volatile basic nitrogen values. Texture analysis indicated tenderer meat for the treatment group than the control. No microbial growth was detected in any treatment groups. Meat cooked at 61 °C and 98.81% vacuum showed more spacious arrangement of meat fiber. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Characterization of Estrogen and Androgen Activity of Food Contact Materials by Different In Vitro Bioassays (YES, YAS, ERα and AR CALUX) and Chromatographic Analysis (GC-MS, HPLC-MS)

PubMed Central

Osorio, Veronica; Grininger, Angelika; Richter, Alexander; Bergmair, Johannes; Pyerin, Michael; Washüttl, Michael; Tacker, Manfred

2014-01-01

Endocrine active substances (EAS) show structural similarities to natural hormones and are suspected to affect the human endocrine system by inducing hormone dependent effects. Recent studies with in vitro tests suggest that EAS can leach from packaging into food and may therefore pose a risk to human health. Sample migrates from food contact materials were tested for estrogen and androgen agonists and antagonists with different commonly used in vitro tests. Additionally, chemical trace analysis by GC-MS and HPLC-MS was used to identify potential hormone active substances in sample migrates. A GC-MS method to screen migrates for 29 known or potential endocrine active substances was established and validated. Samples were migrated according to EC 10/2011, concentrated by solid phase extraction and tested with estrogen and androgen responsive reporter gene assays based on yeast cells (YES and YAS) or human osteoblast cells (ERα and AR CALUX). A high level of agreement between the different bioassays could be observed by screening for estrogen agonists. Four out of 18 samples tested showed an estrogen activity in a similar range in both, YES and ERα CALUX. Two more samples tested positive in ERα CALUX due to the lower limits of detection in this assay. Androgen agonists could not be detected in any of the tested samples, neither with YAS nor with AR CALUX. When testing for antagonists, significant differences between yeast and human cell-based bioassays were noticed. Using YES and YAS many samples showed a strong antagonistic activity which was not observed using human cell-based CALUX assays. By GC-MS, some known or supposed EAS were identified in sample migrates that showed a biological activity in the in vitro tests. However, no firm conclusions about the sources of the observed hormone activity could be obtained from the chemical results. PMID:25000404

Comparative Study of the Effect of Sample Pretreatment and Extraction on the Determination of Flavonoids from Lemon (Citrus limon)

PubMed Central

Ledesma-Escobar, Carlos A.; Priego-Capote, Feliciano; Luque de Castro, María D.

2016-01-01

Background Flavonoids have shown to exert multiple beneficial effects on human health, being also appreciated by both food and pharmaceutical industries. Citrus fruits are a key source of flavonoids, thus promoting studies to obtain them. Characteristics of these studies are the discrepancies among sample pretreatments and among extraction methods, and also the scant number of comparative studies developed so far. Objective Evaluate the effect of both the sample pretreatment and the extraction method on the profile of flavonoids isolated from lemon. Results Extracts from fresh, lyophilized and air-dried samples obtained by shaking extraction (SE), ultrasound-assisted extraction (USAE), microwave-assisted extraction (MAE) and superheated liquid extraction (SHLE) were analyzed by LC–QTOF MS/MS, and 32 flavonoids were tentatively identified using MS/MS information. ANOVA applied to the data from fresh and dehydrated samples and from extraction by the different methods revealed that 26 and 32 flavonoids, respectively, were significant (p≤0.01). The pairwise comparison (Tukey HSD; p≤0.01) showed that lyophilized samples are more different from fresh samples than from air-dried samples; also, principal component analysis (PCA) showed a clear discrimination among sample pretreatment strategies and suggested that such differences are mainly created by the abundance of major flavonoids. On the other hand, pairwise comparison of extraction methods revealed that USAE and MAE provided quite similar extracts, being SHLE extracts different from the other two. In this case, PCA showed a clear discrimination among extraction methods, and their position in the scores plot suggests a lower abundance of flavonoids in the extracts from SHLE. In the two PCA the loadings plots revealed a trend to forming groups according to flavonoid aglycones. Conclusions The present study shows clear discrimination caused by both sample pretreatments and extraction methods. Under the studied conditions, liophilization provides extracts with higher amounts of flavonoids, and USAE is the best method for isolation of these compounds, followed by MAE and SE. On the contrary, the SHLE method was the less favorable to extract flavonoids from citrus owing to degradation. PMID:26807979

Analysis of antique bronze coins by Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy and multivariate analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bachler, M. Orlić; Bišćan, M.; Kregar, Z.; Jelovica Badovinac, I.; Dobrinić, J.; Milošević, S.

2016-09-01

This work presents a feasibility study of applying the Principal Component Analysis (PCA) to data obtained by Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) with the aim of determining correlation between different samples. The samples were antique bronze coins coated in silver (follis) dated in the Roman Empire period and were made during different rulers in different mints. While raw LIBS data revealed that in the period from the year 286 to 383 CE content of silver was constantly decreasing, the PCA showed that the samples can be somewhat grouped together based on their place of origin, which could be a useful hint when analysing unknown samples. It was also found that PCA can help in discriminating spectra corresponding to ablation from the surface and from the bulk. Furthermore, Partial Least Squares method (PLS) was used to obtain, based on a set of samples with known composition, an estimation of relative copper concentration in studied ancient coins. This analysis showed that copper concentration in surface layers ranged from 83% to 90%.

Psychopathology and Thought Suppression: A Quantitative Review

PubMed Central

Magee, Joshua C.; Harden, K. Paige; Teachman, Bethany A.

2012-01-01

Recent theories of psychopathology have suggested that thought suppression intensifies the persistence of intrusive thoughts, and proposed that difficulty with thought suppression may differ between groups with and without psychopathology. The current meta-analytic review evaluates empirical evidence for difficulty with thought suppression as a function of the presence and specific type of psychopathology. Based on theoretical proposals from the psychopathology literature, diagnosed and analogue samples were expected to show greater recurrence of intrusive thoughts during thought suppression attempts than non-clinical samples. However, results showed no overall differences in the recurrence of thoughts due to thought suppression between groups with and without psychopathology. There was, nevertheless, variation in the recurrence of thoughts across different forms of psychopathology, including relatively less recurrence during thought suppression for samples with symptoms of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, compared to non-clinical samples. However, these differences were typically small and provided only mixed support for existing theories. Implications for cognitive theories of intrusive thoughts are discussed, including proposed mechanisms underlying thought suppression. PMID:22388007

Stability of selected serum hormones and lipids after long-term storage in the Janus Serum Bank.

PubMed

Gislefoss, Randi E; Grimsrud, Tom K; Mørkrid, Lars

2015-04-01

The potential value of a biobank depends on the quality of the samples, i.e. how well they reflect the biological or biochemical state of the donors at the time of sampling. Documentation of sample quality has become a particularly important issue for researchers and users of biobank studies. The aim of this study was to investigate the long-term stability of selected components: cholesterol, high density cholesterol (HDLC), low density cholesterol (LDLC), apolipoprotein A1 (apo-A1), apolipoprotein B (apo B), follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), prolactin (PRL), thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) and free thyroxin (FT4). Samples, stored at -25°C, from 520 men aged 40-49 years at blood sampling distributed in equally sized groups (n=130) according to length of storage, 0, 4, 17 and 29 years, respectively, were used in a cross sectional design. The freshly collected serum samples were used as a reference group to calculate storage related changes. The differences between fresh samples and samples stored for 29 years were substantial for apo-A1 (+12%), apo-B (+22.3%), HDLC (-69.2%), LDLC (+31.3%), and PRL (-33.5%), while total cholesterol, FSH, LH, TSH and FT4 did not show any significant difference. The study showed large differences in serum level of the selected components. The lipids and apolipoproteins were all changed except for total cholesterol. Most hormones investigated (FSH, LH, TSH and FT4) proved to be stable after 29 years of storage while PRL showed sign of degradation. The observed differences are probably due to long-term storage effects and/or external factors (i.e. diet and smoking). Copyright © 2014 The Canadian Society of Clinical Chemists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

[Influence of long-term water storage on the physical and chemical properties of four different dental cements].

PubMed

Xu, Xiaodong; Meng, Xiangfeng

2014-11-01

To evaluate and compare the physical and chemical properties of four different dental cements under long-term water storage. A glass-ionomer cement (A:Fuji I), a resin reinforced glass-ionomer (B: Fuji Plus), a self-adhesive resin cement (C:G-Cem), and an etch & rinse resin cement (D: Duolink) were taken as samples. According to ISO 4049, water sorption and solubility of four resin cements under different storage times (1 week, 1, 3, 6 and 12 months) were calculated (n = 5), meanwhile their surface Knoop micro hardness values were measured. Surface cracks were detected on sample B and C after 12 months. Sample A was fragmentized after 6 months. Sample B showed significantly lower surface hardness after 12 months than it did after the first 24 hours of water storage (P < 0.05). Sample D showed significantly lower water sorption than other cements did at all exam time point. The highest water sorption values were observed in Sample D after 1 month [(40.8±2.5) µg/mm(3)], in Sample B after 3 months [(551.3±22.5) µg/mm(3)], in Sample C after 12 months [(147.5±8.3) µg/mm(3)]. The highest solubility values were detected in Sample B after 3 months [(105.3±10.5) µg/mm(3)], in Sample C after 12 months [(79.3 ± 6.2) µg/mm(3)], and in Sample D after 12 months [(23.9 ± 6.9) µg/mm(3)]. Among the four types of cements, the etch & rinse resin cement showed the best stability of physical and chemical properties under long-term water storage.

Microhardness and morphological changes induced by Nd:Yag laser on dental enamel: an in vitro study.

PubMed

Bedini, Rossella; Manzon, Licia; Fratto, Giovanni; Pecci, Raffaella

2010-01-01

The aim of this work was a scanning electron microscopy (SEM) evaluation of the hardness and morphological changes of enamel irradiated by neodymium: yttrium aluminium garnet (Nd:YAG) laser with different energy levels. Twenty-eight human teeth samples were divided into 4 groups: control, where enamel surface was not lased, and 3 test treated with 3 different levels of energy power 0.6, 1.2 and 2.4 Watt, respectively. In each group, 5 samples underwent Vickers micro-hardness test and 2 samples were processed for SEM. No significant differences between treated and non treated samples were found by micro-hardness test. However, by SEM, test samples showed a rougher enamel surface than control. Specifically, the 0.6 Watt treated samples showed vertical scratches and glass-like areas, while in the other 2 groups enamel surface was covered by craters and cracks. These findings suggest that enamel should be lased at a low energy level to preserve its integrity and reduce demineralization, and thus for dental caries prevention purposes; while high energy level creates a retentive surface suitable for sealant or composite anchorage.

A novel sampling method for multiple multiscale targets from scattering amplitudes at a fixed frequency

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Xiaodong

2017-08-01

A sampling method by using scattering amplitude is proposed for shape and location reconstruction in inverse acoustic scattering problems. Only matrix multiplication is involved in the computation, thus the novel sampling method is very easy and simple to implement. With the help of the factorization of the far field operator, we establish an inf-criterion for characterization of underlying scatterers. This result is then used to give a lower bound of the proposed indicator functional for sampling points inside the scatterers. While for the sampling points outside the scatterers, we show that the indicator functional decays like the bessel functions as the sampling point goes away from the boundary of the scatterers. We also show that the proposed indicator functional continuously depends on the scattering amplitude, this further implies that the novel sampling method is extremely stable with respect to errors in the data. Different to the classical sampling method such as the linear sampling method or the factorization method, from the numerical point of view, the novel indicator takes its maximum near the boundary of the underlying target and decays like the bessel functions as the sampling points go away from the boundary. The numerical simulations also show that the proposed sampling method can deal with multiple multiscale case, even the different components are close to each other.

Detecting the sampling rate through observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shoji, Isao

2018-09-01

This paper proposes a method to detect the sampling rate of discrete time series of diffusion processes. Using the maximum likelihood estimates of the parameters of a diffusion process, we establish a criterion based on the Kullback-Leibler divergence and thereby estimate the sampling rate. Simulation studies are conducted to check whether the method can detect the sampling rates from data and their results show a good performance in the detection. In addition, the method is applied to a financial time series sampled on daily basis and shows the detected sampling rate is different from the conventional rates.

[Spatiotemporal variation characteristics of heavy metals pollution in the water, soil and sediments environment of the Lean River-Poyang Lake Wetland].

PubMed

Jian, Min-Fei; Li, Ling-Yu; Xu, Peng-Fei; Chen, Pu-Qing; Xiong, Jian-Qiu; Zhou, Xue-Ling

2014-05-01

Overlying water, sediments, surface soils in the typical wetland areas of Lean River and Poyang Lake which were rich in non-ferrous metal mineral resources on both sides of the river, were chosen for monitoring heavy metals including copper, lead and cadmium of base flow in average season, flood season, and dry season in 2012. Statistical analysis methods were coupled to characterize the spatiotemporal variation of heavy metals pollution and identify the main sources. The results indicated that the concentrations of copper were the highest in all samples of each sampling sites in the Lean River-Poyang Lake wetland. And the content values of copper, lead and cadmium in different samples of different sampling sites also showed that the content values of copper were higher than those of lead, and the content values of lead were also higher than those of cadmium. The results also showed that the heavy metals pollution of copper, lead and cadmium in flood season was the heaviest whereas the heavy metals pollution in dry season was comparatively light. The results of the contents of the three kinds of heavy metals elements in different sampling sites of the watersheds of lean River showed that the contents of copper in the samples from the upstream sampling sites of Lean River were higher than those of other samples from other sites. And the contents of lead in the samples from the downstream sampling sites of Lean River were higher than those of other samples from other sampling sites. The contents of cadmium in the samples from the midstream sampling sites of Lean River were higher than those of other samples from other sites. The first principal component representing copper pollution explained 36. 99% of the total variance of water quality. The second principal component concerning representing lead pollution explained 30. 12% of the total variance. The correlation analysis results showed that there were significant positive correlations among the contents of copper in sediments and the contents of copper in overlying water. And there was also significant positive correlation between the contents of copper in sediments and the contents of copper in the surface soils. And the correlation analysis showed that there were significant positive correlations among the contents of cadmium in sediments and the contents of cadmium in surface soils. The above results reflected that the copper pollution or cadmium sources of water, soil and sediments were consistent, which were mainly from heavy metal acidic waste of mining emissions. The correlations between other components were not very obvious, which reflected the sources of pollutants were different.

Assessment the effect of homogenized soil on soil hydraulic properties and soil water transport

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mohawesh, O.; Janssen, M.; Maaitah, O.; Lennartz, B.

2017-09-01

Soil hydraulic properties play a crucial role in simulating water flow and contaminant transport. Soil hydraulic properties are commonly measured using homogenized soil samples. However, soil structure has a significant effect on the soil ability to retain and to conduct water, particularly in aggregated soils. In order to determine the effect of soil homogenization on soil hydraulic properties and soil water transport, undisturbed soil samples were carefully collected. Five different soil structures were identified: Angular-blocky, Crumble, Angular-blocky (different soil texture), Granular, and subangular-blocky. The soil hydraulic properties were determined for undisturbed and homogenized soil samples for each soil structure. The soil hydraulic properties were used to model soil water transport using HYDRUS-1D.The homogenized soil samples showed a significant increase in wide pores (wCP) and a decrease in narrow pores (nCP). The wCP increased by 95.6, 141.2, 391.6, 3.9, 261.3%, and nCP decreased by 69.5, 10.5, 33.8, 72.7, and 39.3% for homogenized soil samples compared to undisturbed soil samples. The soil water retention curves exhibited a significant decrease in water holding capacity for homogenized soil samples compared with the undisturbed soil samples. The homogenized soil samples showed also a decrease in soil hydraulic conductivity. The simulated results showed that water movement and distribution were affected by soil homogenizing. Moreover, soil homogenizing affected soil hydraulic properties and soil water transport. However, field studies are being needed to find the effect of these differences on water, chemical, and pollutant transport under several scenarios.

Progressive Oxidation of Pyrite in Five Bituminous Coal Samples: An As XANES and 57Fe Mossbauer Spectroscopic Study

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

Kolker,A.; Huggins, F.

2007-01-01

Naturally occurring pyrite commonly contains minor substituted metals and metalloids (As, Se, Hg, Cu, Ni, etc.) that can be released to the environment as a result of its weathering. Arsenic, often the most abundant minor constituent in pyrite, is a sensitive monitor of progressive pyrite oxidation in coal. To test the effect of pyrite composition and environmental parameters on the rate and extent of pyrite oxidation in coal, splits of five bituminous coal samples having differing amounts of pyrite and extents of As substitution in the pyrite, were exposed to a range of simulated weathering conditions over a period ofmore » 17 months. Samples investigated include a Springfield coal from Indiana (whole coal pyritic S = 2.13 wt.%; As in pyrite = detection limit (d.l.) to 0.06 wt.%), two Pittsburgh coal samples from West Virginia (pyritic S = 1.32-1.58 wt.%; As in pyrite = d.l. to 0.34 wt.%), and two samples from the Warrior Basin, Alabama (pyritic S = 0.26-0.27 wt.%; As in pyrite = d.l. to 2.72 wt.%). Samples were collected from active mine faces, and expected differences in the concentration of As in pyrite were confirmed by electron microprobe analysis. Experimental weathering conditions in test chambers were maintained as follows: (1) dry Ar atmosphere; (2) dry O{sub 2} atmosphere; (3) room atmosphere (relative humidity {approx}20-60%); and (4) room atmosphere with samples wetted periodically with double-distilled water. Sample splits were removed after one month, nine months, and 17 months to monitor the extent of As and Fe oxidation using As X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) spectroscopy and {sup 57}Fe Mossbauer spectroscopy, respectively. Arsenic XANES spectroscopy shows progressive oxidation of pyritic As to arsenate, with wetted samples showing the most rapid oxidation. {sup 57}Fe Mossbauer spectroscopy also shows a much greater proportion of Fe{sup 3+} forms (jarosite, Fe{sup 3+} sulfate, FeOOH) for samples stored under wet conditions, but much less difference among samples stored under dry conditions in different atmospheres. The air-wet experiments show evidence of pyrite re-precipitation from soluble ferric sulfates, with As retention in the jarosite phase. Extents of As and Fe oxidation were similar for samples having differing As substitution in pyrite, suggesting that environmental conditions outweigh the composition and amount of pyrite as factors influencing the oxidation rate of Fe sulfides in coal.« less

Variations in the source, metal content and bioreactivity of technogenic aerosols: a case study from Port Talbot, Wales, UK.

PubMed

Moreno, Teresa; Merolla, Luciano; Gibbons, Wes; Greenwell, Leona; Jones, Tim; Richards, Roy

2004-10-15

Atmospheric aerosol samples were collected during different prevailing wind directions from a site located close to a busy motorway, a major steelworks, and the town of Port Talbot (Wales, UK). A high-volume collector was used (1100 l/min), enabling relatively large amounts of particulate matter (PM(10-2.5) and PM(2.5)) samples to be obtained on a polyurethane foam [PUF, H(2)N-C(O)O-CH(2)CH(3)] substrate over periods of 2-7 days. Four samples were chosen to exemplify different particle mixtures: SE- and NE-derived samples for particles moving along and across the motorway, a NW-derived sample from the town, and a mixed SW/SE-derived sample containing a mixture of particles from both steelworks and motorway. The latter sample showed the highest average collection rate (0.9 mg/h, 13 microg/m(3)) and included a prominent pollution episode when rainy winds were blowing from the direction of the steelworks. Both NW and SE samples were collected under dry conditions and show the same collection rate (0.7 mg/h, 10 microg/m(3)), whereas the NE sample was collected during wetter weather and shows the lowest rate (0.3 mg/h, 5 microg/m(3)). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy-dispersive X-ray microanalysis system (EDX) analyses show all samples are dominated by elemental and organic carbon compounds (EOCC) and nitrates, with lesser amounts of sulphates, felsic silicates, chlorides and metals. ICP-MS analyses show the SW/SE sample to be richest in metals, especially Fe, Zn, Ni, and Mn, these being attributed to an origin from the steelworks. The SE sample, blown along the motorway corridor, shows enhanced levels of Pb, V, Ti, As, and Ce, these metals being interpreted as defining a traffic-related chemical fingerprint. The NW sample shows a very low metal content. DNA plasmid assay data on the samples show TM(50) values varying from 66 to 175 microg/ml for the adjusted whole sample and 89 to 203 microg/ml for the soluble fraction. The SW/SE-mixed metalliferous sample is the most bioreactive (both whole and soluble) and the soluble fraction of the metal-depleted NW sample is the least bioreactive. The metal content of the aerosol samples, especially soluble metals such as Zn, is suggested to be the primary component responsible for oxidative damage of the DNA, and therefore most implicated in any health effects arising from the inhalation of these particulate cocktails.

Antiplasmodial potential and quantification of aloin and aloe-emodin in Aloe vera collected from different climatic regions of India.

PubMed

Kumar, Sandeep; Yadav, Manila; Yadav, Amita; Rohilla, Pooja; Yadav, Jaya Parkash

2017-07-17

In this study, Aloe vera samples were collected from different climatic regions of India. Quantitative HPTLC (high performance thin layer chromatography) analysis of important anthraquinones aloin and aloe-emodin and antiplasmodial activity of crude aqueous extracts was done to estimate the effects of these constituents on antiplasmodial potential of the plant. HPTLC system equipped with a sample applicator Linomat V with CAMAG sample syringe, twin rough plate development chamber (20 x 10 cm), TLC Scanner 3 and integration software WINCATS 1.4.8 was used for analysis of aloin and aloe-emodin amount. The antiplasmodial activity of plant extracts was assessed against a chloroquine (CQ) sensitive strain of P. falciparum (MRC-2). Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) of aqueous extracts of selected samples was determined according to the World Health Organization (WHO) recommended method that was based on assessing the inhibition of schizont maturation in a 96-well microtitre plate. EC (effective concentration) values of different samples were observed to predict antiplasmodial potential of the plant in terms of their climatic zones. A maximum quantity of aloin and aloe-emodin i.e. 0.45 and 0.27 mg/g respectively was observed from the 12 samples of Aloe vera. The inhibited parasite growth with EC 50 values ranging from 0.289 to 1056 μg/ml. The antiplasmodial EC 50 value of positive control Chloroquine was observed 0.034 μg/ml and EC 50 values showed by aloin and aloe-emodin was 67 μg/ml and 22 μg/ml respectively. A positive correlation was reported between aloin and aloe-emodin. Antiplasmodial activity was increased with increase in the concentration of aloin and aloe-emodin. The quantity of aloin and aloe-emodin was decreased with rise in temperature hence it was negatively correlated with temperature. The extracts of Aloe vera collected from colder climatic regions showed good antiplasmodial activity and also showed the presence of higher amount of aloin and aloe-emodin in comparison to collected from warmer climatic sites. Study showed significant correlation between quantities of both the anthraquinones used as marker compounds and EC 50 values of the different Aloe vera extracts. Although, both the anthraquinones showed less antiplasmodial potential in comparison to crude extracts of different Aloe vera samples. Diverse climatic factors affect the quantity of tested compounds and antiplasmodial potential of the plant in different Aloe vera samples.

Autonomic Nervous System Reactivity: Children With and Without Sickle Cell Disease

PubMed Central

Treadwell, Marsha J.; Alkon, Abbey; Styles, Lori; Boyce, W. Thomas

2011-01-01

Background Previous studies of healthy children have demonstrated a link between autonomic nervous system (ANS) reactivity and health outcomes, but there is limited research on whether ANS reactivity is similar for children with chronic conditions. Objective To determine if ANS reactivity differs for children with sickle cell disease (SCD) compared to a community sample of children without SCD. Method In two cross-sectional, descriptive studies, 32 public school children without chronic health problems were compared with 33 children with SCD. The children were 5-8 years old and they completed standardized protocols measuring ANS responses (respiratory sinus arrhythmia and pre-ejection period) during rest and challenge conditions in social, cognitive, sensory, and emotion domains. Reactivity was calculated as the difference between challenge response minus rest for each domain and overall. Results There were differences in the distributions of the samples in parent education and child age, so these variables were adjusted for in subsequent analyses. The community sample showed parasympathetic withdrawal (low respiratory sinus arrhythmia scores) and greater parasympathetic reactivity (low respiratory sinus arrhythmia difference scores and percentage of negative scores) compared with the children with SCD in the social (p < .05) and sensory domains (p < .05). The children with SCD showed greater sympathetic reactivity (low preejection period difference scores) compared with the community children in the cognitive domain (p < .05) and a greater percentage of children with SCD versus the community children showed negative pre-ejection period difference scores (sympathetic reactivity) in the social domain (p < .05). The community sample, but not the children with SCD, showed changes in respiratory sinus arrhythmia across domains (p < .05). Discussion Children with SCD may display a different pattern of ANS responses to laboratory challenges compared with children without SCD from the same community. PMID:21532352

Ejaculate fractioning effect on llama sperm head morphometry as assessed by the ISAS(®) CASA system.

PubMed

Soler, C; Sancho, M; García, A; Fuentes, Mc; Núñez, J; Cucho, H

2014-02-01

South American camelid sperm characteristics are poorly known compared with those of other domestic animals. The long-term duration of ejaculation makes difficult to gather all the seminal fluid, implying possible ejaculation portion losses. Thus, the aim of this research was to evaluate the characteristics of the morphology and morphometry of the spermatozoa change during ejaculation. The morphometric characterization was tested on nine specimens of the Lanuda breed, using a special artificial vagina. In five of the animals, a fractioning of the ejaculate was performed by taking samples every 5 min. for a total of 20 min. Air-dried seminal smears were stained with Hemacolor and mounted permanently with Eukitt. Morphometric analysis was carried out with the morphometry module of the ISAS(®) CASA system. Almost 350 cells were analysed per sample, with a total number of 3207 spermatozoa. Mean values were given as follows: length: 5.51 μm; width: 3.38 μm; area: 17.75 μm(2) ; perimeter: 14.8 μm; ellipticity: 0.24; elongation: 0.56; rugosity: 0.87; regularity: 1.07; and shape factor: 1.41. Different animals showed differences in their morphometric values. When we compared the values from different fractions, only two samples showed differences in morphometric parameter values and four samples showed differences in shape parameters. Multivariate analysis allowed the size classification of the cells into three classes and five classes of shapes. The distribution of classes among fractions showed no differences. Despite the individual morphometric differences observed in some fractions, the characteristics of the sperm head morphometry can be considered constant along the ejaculatory period in the llama. © 2013 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Comparative study of 6-APA production by free and agar immobilized bacteria in nutrient broth culture.

PubMed

Dolui, A K; Das, S

2011-04-01

In the present study different bacterial samples were isolated from soil of different places of Dibrugarh and screened for biotransformation ability to produce 6-Aminopenicillanic acid. Among ten isolated bacterial samples, three gram positive bacterial samples designated as AKDD-2, AKDD-4 and AKDD-6 showed the production of 6-APA from penicillin G. Assessment of production of 6-APA after incubation in penicillin G (2 mg/ml) by three different samples separately in free and agar immobilization state was done by HPLC analysis. Reusability of immobilized cells was found successful up to 14 days.

Analysis of Soluble Proteins in Natural Cordyceps sinensis from Different Producing Areas by Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate-Polyacrylamide Gel Electrophoresis and Two-dimensional Electrophoresis

PubMed Central

Li, Chun-Hong; Zuo, Hua-Li; Zhang, Qian; Wang, Feng-Qin; Hu, Yuan-Jia; Qian, Zheng-Ming; Li, Wen-Jia; Xia, Zhi-Ning; Yang, Feng-Qing

2017-01-01

Background: As one of the bioactive components in Cordyceps sinensis (CS), proteins were rarely used as index components to study the correlation between the protein components and producing areas of natural CS. Objective: Protein components of 26 natural CS samples produced in Qinghai, Tibet, and Sichuan provinces were analyzed and compared to investigate the relationship among 26 different producing areas. Materials and Methods: Proteins from 26 different producing areas were extracted by Tris-HCl buffer with Triton X-100, and separated using sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and two-dimensional electrophoresis (2-DE). Results: The SDS-PAGE results indicated that the number of protein bands and optical density curves of proteins in 26 CS samples was a bit different. However, the 2-DE results showed that the numbers and abundance of protein spots in protein profiles of 26 samples were obviously different and showed certain association with producing areas. Conclusions: Based on the expression values of matched protein spots, 26 batches of CS samples can be divided into two main categories (Tibet and Qinghai) by hierarchical cluster analysis. SUMMARY The number of protein bands and optical density curves of proteins in 26 Cordyceps sinensis samples were a bit different on the sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis protein profilesNumbers and abundance of protein spots in protein profiles of 26 samples were obvious different on two-dimensional electrophoresis mapsTwenty-six different producing areas of natural Cordyceps sinensis samples were divided into two main categories (Tibet and Qinghai) by Hierarchical cluster analysis based on the values of matched protein spots. Abbreviations Used: SDS-PAGE: Sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, 2-DE: Two-dimensional electrophoresis, Cordyceps sinensis: CS, TCMs: Traditional Chinese medicines PMID:28250651

Analysis of Soluble Proteins in Natural Cordyceps sinensis from Different Producing Areas by Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate-Polyacrylamide Gel Electrophoresis and Two-dimensional Electrophoresis.

PubMed

Li, Chun-Hong; Zuo, Hua-Li; Zhang, Qian; Wang, Feng-Qin; Hu, Yuan-Jia; Qian, Zheng-Ming; Li, Wen-Jia; Xia, Zhi-Ning; Yang, Feng-Qing

2017-01-01

As one of the bioactive components in Cordyceps sinensis (CS), proteins were rarely used as index components to study the correlation between the protein components and producing areas of natural CS. Protein components of 26 natural CS samples produced in Qinghai, Tibet, and Sichuan provinces were analyzed and compared to investigate the relationship among 26 different producing areas. Proteins from 26 different producing areas were extracted by Tris-HCl buffer with Triton X-100, and separated using sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and two-dimensional electrophoresis (2-DE). The SDS-PAGE results indicated that the number of protein bands and optical density curves of proteins in 26 CS samples was a bit different. However, the 2-DE results showed that the numbers and abundance of protein spots in protein profiles of 26 samples were obviously different and showed certain association with producing areas. Based on the expression values of matched protein spots, 26 batches of CS samples can be divided into two main categories (Tibet and Qinghai) by hierarchical cluster analysis. The number of protein bands and optical density curves of proteins in 26 Cordyceps sinensis samples were a bit different on the sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis protein profilesNumbers and abundance of protein spots in protein profiles of 26 samples were obvious different on two-dimensional electrophoresis mapsTwenty-six different producing areas of natural Cordyceps sinensis samples were divided into two main categories (Tibet and Qinghai) by Hierarchical cluster analysis based on the values of matched protein spots. Abbreviations Used : SDS-PAGE: Sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, 2-DE: Two-dimensional electrophoresis, Cordyceps sinensis : CS, TCMs: Traditional Chinese medicines.

E-nose based rapid prediction of early mouldy grain using probabilistic neural networks

PubMed Central

Ying, Xiaoguo; Liu, Wei; Hui, Guohua; Fu, Jun

2015-01-01

In this paper, early mouldy grain rapid prediction method using probabilistic neural network (PNN) and electronic nose (e-nose) was studied. E-nose responses to rice, red bean, and oat samples with different qualities were measured and recorded. E-nose data was analyzed using principal component analysis (PCA), back propagation (BP) network, and PNN, respectively. Results indicated that PCA and BP network could not clearly discriminate grain samples with different mouldy status and showed poor predicting accuracy. PNN showed satisfying discriminating abilities to grain samples with an accuracy of 93.75%. E-nose combined with PNN is effective for early mouldy grain prediction. PMID:25714125

Mars rover 1988 concepts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pivirotto, Donna Shirley; Penn, Thomas J.; Dias, William C.

1989-01-01

Results of FY88 studies of a sample-collecting Mars rover are presented. A variety of rover concepts are discussed which include different technical approaches to rover functions. The performance of rovers with different levels of automation is described and compared to the science requirement for 20 to 40 km to be traversed on the Martian surface and for 100 rock and soil samples to be collected. The analysis shows that a considerable amount of automation in roving and sampling is required to meet this requirement. Additional performance evaluation shows that advanced RTG's producing 500 W and 350 WHr of battery storage are needed to supply the rover.

Intratumoral histologic heterogeneity of gliomas. A quantitative study.

PubMed

Paulus, W; Peiffer, J

1989-07-15

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

Naturally acquired bovine besnoitiosis: Differential distribution of parasites in the skin of chronically infected cattle.

PubMed

Schares, G; Langenmayer, M C; Majzoub-Altweck, M; Scharr, J C; Gentile, A; Maksimov, A; Schares, S; Conraths, F J; Gollnick, N S

2016-01-30

Bovine besnoitiosis is caused by Besnoitia besnoiti, an apicomplexan parasite closely related to Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum. In the acute stage of besnoitiosis, cattle suffer from pyrexia, swollen lymph nodes, anorexia and subcutaneous edema. In the chronic stage, tissue cysts are formed in a variety of tissues including the skin. Knowledge about the distribution of tissue cysts of different parts of the skin of infected animals is scarce. Four chronically infected cattle were euthanized and skin samples were taken from a total of 77 standardized cutaneous locations per animal. Portions of the dermis were taken, from which DNA was extracted and examined by real-time PCR. Cycle of transition (Ct) values reflecting the amount of parasite DNA in the samples were determined. For statistical analysis, samples were attributed to 11 larger skin regions ('OuterHindlegDistal', 'Rump, ForelegMiddle', 'NoseFrontEars', 'CheekEye', 'SideLowerPart', 'ForelegDistal', 'SideUpperPart', 'LegsInner', 'VentralHeadNeck', 'DorsalNeckWithersBackTail'). While all samples revealed a positive result in three female cattle, only 63.6% (49/77) of the samples of a bull showed positive results. For statistical analysis, a Ct value of 45 was assumed for samples with a negative result. The dams showed median Ct values of 16.1, 17.5 and 19.4, while in skin samples of the bull a median Ct value of 37.6 was observed. To determine the differences in DNA concentrations between different locations of the skin of the animals, a relative Ct (relCt) was determined by subtracting for each animal indv the MedianCtindv from each sample Ct. Analyses of the relCt values showed that the highest relative parasite DNA concentrations were observed in the categories 'OuterHindlegDistal', 'Rump', 'ForelegMiddle' and 'NoseFrontEars'. The relCt values in these categories differed statistically significantly from those determined for the categories 'VentralHeadNeck' and 'DorsalNeckWithersBackTail'. The analysis showed clear differences in the distribution and the detectability of parasite DNA in the skin of cattle infected with B. besnoiti. In all four animals, samples from the 'Rump' region (Regio fermoris) showed high parasite DNA concentrations. Because this region is also easily accessible for veterinarians, this skin location appears to be optimal for taking skin biopsies for detection or isolation of B. besnoiti. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

On incomplete sampling under birth-death models and connections to the sampling-based coalescent.

PubMed

Stadler, Tanja

2009-11-07

The constant rate birth-death process is used as a stochastic model for many biological systems, for example phylogenies or disease transmission. As the biological data are usually not fully available, it is crucial to understand the effect of incomplete sampling. In this paper, we analyze the constant rate birth-death process with incomplete sampling. We derive the density of the bifurcation events for trees on n leaves which evolved under this birth-death-sampling process. This density is used for calculating prior distributions in Bayesian inference programs and for efficiently simulating trees. We show that the birth-death-sampling process can be interpreted as a birth-death process with reduced rates and complete sampling. This shows that joint inference of birth rate, death rate and sampling probability is not possible. The birth-death-sampling process is compared to the sampling-based population genetics model, the coalescent. It is shown that despite many similarities between these two models, the distribution of bifurcation times remains different even in the case of very large population sizes. We illustrate these findings on an Hepatitis C virus dataset from Egypt. We show that the transmission times estimates are significantly different-the widely used Gamma statistic even changes its sign from negative to positive when switching from the coalescent to the birth-death process.

Cultivar difference in physicochemical properties of starches and flours from temperate rice of Indian Himalayas.

PubMed

Mir, Shabir Ahmad; Bosco, Sowriappan John Don

2014-08-15

Starch and flour of seven temperate rice cultivars grown in Himalayan region were evaluated for composition, granule structure, crystallinity, Raman spectrometry, turbidity, swelling power, solubility, pasting properties and textural properties. The rice cultivars showed medium to high amylose content for starch (24.69-32.76%) and flour (17.78-24.86%). SKAU-382 showed the highest amount of amylose (32.76%). Rice starch showed polyhedral granule shapes and differences in their mean granule size (2.3-6.5 μm) were noted among the samples. The starch and flour samples showed type A-pattern with strong reflection at 15, 18, and 23. Pasting profile and textural analysis of rice starch and flour showed that all the cultivars differences, probably due to variation in amylose content. The present study can be used for identifying differences between rice genotypes for starch and flour quality and could provide guidance to possible industries for their end use. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Spatial variability of particle-attached and free-living bacterial diversity in surface waters from the Mackenzie River to the Beaufort Sea (Canadian Arctic)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ortega-Retuerta, E.; Joux, F.; Jeffrey, W. H.; Ghiglione, J. F.

2013-04-01

We explored the patterns of total and active bacterial community structure in a gradient covering surface waters from the Mackenzie River to the coastal Beaufort Sea in the Canadian Arctic Ocean, with a particular focus on free-living (FL) vs. particle-attached (PA) communities. Capillary electrophoresis-single-strand conformation polymorphism (CE-SSCP) showed significant differences when comparing river, coast and open sea bacterial community structures. In contrast to the river and coastal waters, total (16S rDNA-based) and active (16S rRNA-based) communities in the open sea samples were not significantly different, suggesting that most present bacterial groups were equally active in this area. Additionally, we observed significant differences between PA and FL bacterial community structure in the open sea, but similar structure in the two fractions for coastal and river samples. Direct multivariate statistical analyses showed that total community structure was mainly driven by salinity (a proxy of dissolved organic carbon and chromophoric dissolved organic matter), suspended particles, amino acids and chlorophyll a. Pyrosequencing of 16S rRNA genes from selected samples confirmed significant differences between river, coastal and sea samples. The PA fraction was only different (15.7% similarity) from the FL one in the open sea sample. Furthermore, PA samples generally showed higher diversity (Shannon, Simpson and Chao indices) than FL samples. At the class level, Opitutae was most abundant in the PA fraction of the sea sample, followed by Flavobacteria and Gammaproteobacteria, while the FL sea sample was dominated by Alphaproteobacteria. Finally, for the coast and river samples and both PA and FL fractions, Betaproteobacteria, Alphaproteobacteria and Actinobacteria were dominant. These results highlight the coexistence of particle specialists and generalists and the role of particle quality in structuring bacterial communities in the area. These results may also serve as a basis to predict further changes in bacterial communities should climate change lead to further increases in river discharge and related particle loads.

Hydrologic characteristics of surface-mined land reclaimed by sludge irrigation, Fulton County, Illinois

USGS Publications Warehouse

Patterson, G.L.; Fuentes, R.F.; Toler, L.G.

1982-01-01

Analyses of water samples collected at four stream-monitoring stations, in an area surface mined for coal and being reclaimed by sludge irrigation, show the principal metals are sodium, calcium, and magnesium and principal non-metals are chloride, sulfate, and bicarbonate. Comparing yearly mean chemical concentrations shows no changing trends since reclamation began, nor are there differences between stations upstream and downstream from the site. Yearly suspended-sediment loads and discharge relations upstream and downstream from the site also show no differences. Discharge hydrographs of two streams draining the site show a delayed response to precipitation due to the storage capacity of several upstream strip-mine lakes. The water-table surface generally follows the irregular topography. Monthly water-level fluctuations were dependent on the surface material (mined or unmined) and proximity to surface discharge. The largest fluctuations were in unmined land away from discharge while the smallest were in mined land near discharge. The water table is closer to the surface in unmined land. Analyses of water samples from 70 wells within or adjacent to the reclamation site showed no differences in water quality which could be attributed to sludge or supernatant application. Samples from wells in mined land, however, had higher concentrations of dissolved sulfate, calcium, magnesium, chloride, iron, zinc, and manganese than samples from wells in unmined land. (USGS)

Mechanical Twinning and Microstructures in Experimentally Stressed Quartzite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Minor, A.; Sintubin, M.; Wenk, H. R.; Rybacki, E.

2015-12-01

Since Dauphiné twins in quartz have been identified as a stress-related intracrystalline microstructure, several electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) studies revealed that Dauphiné twins are present in naturally deformed quartz-bearing rocks in a wide range of tectono-metamorphic conditions. EBSD studies on experimentally stressed quartzite showed that crystals with particular crystallographic orientations contain many Dauphiné twin boundaries, while neighboring crystals with different orientations are largely free of twin boundaries. To understand the relationship between stress direction and orientation of Dauphiné twinned quartz crystals, a detailed EBSD study was performed on experimentally stressed quartzite samples and compared with an undeformed reference sample. We stressed 4 cylindrical samples in triaxial compression in a Paterson type gas deformation apparatus at GFZ Potsdam. Experimental conditions were 300MPa confining pressure, 500°C temperature and axial stresses of 145MPa, 250MPa and 460MPa for about 30 hours, resulting in a minor strain <0.04%. EBSD scans were obtained with a Zeiss Evo scanning electron microscope and TSL software at UC Berkeley. The EBSD maps show that Dauphiné twinning is present in the starting material as well as in experimentally stressed samples. Pole figures of the bulk orientation of the reference sample compared with stressed samples show a significant difference regarding the distribution for the r and z directions. The reference sample shows an indistinct maximum for r and z, whereas the stressed samples show a maximum for r poles and a minimum for z poles in the axial stress direction. EBSD scans of the reference and stressed samples were further analyzed manually to identify the orientations of single grains, which are free of twin boundaries and those, which contain twin boundaries. This analysis aims to quantify the relationship of crystal orientation and stress magnitude to initiate mechanical twinning.

Universal multiplex PCR and CE for quantification of SMN1/SMN2 genes in spinal muscular atrophy.

PubMed

Wang, Chun-Chi; Chang, Jan-Gowth; Jong, Yuh-Jyh; Wu, Shou-Mei

2009-04-01

We established a universal multiplex PCR and CE to calculate the copy number of survival motor neuron (SMN1 and SMN2) genes for clinical screening of spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). In this study, one universal fluorescent primer was designed and applied for multiplex PCR of SMN1, SMN2 and two internal standards (CYBB and KRIT1). These amplicons were separated by conformation sensitive CE. Mixture of hydroxyethyl cellulose and hydroxypropyl cellulose were used in this CE system. Our method provided the potential to separate two 390-bp PCR products that differ in a single nucleotide. Differentiation and quantification of SMN1 and SMN2 are essential for clinical screening of SMA patients and carriers. The DNA samples included 22 SMA patients, 45 parents of SMA patients (obligatory carriers) and 217 controls. For evaluating accuracy, those 284 samples were blind-analyzed by this method and denaturing high pressure liquid chromatography (DHPLC). Eight of the total samples showed different results. Among them, two samples were diagnosed as having only SMN2 gene by DHPLC, however, they contained both SMN1 and SMN2 by our method. They were further confirmed by DNA sequencing. Our method showed good agreement with the DNA sequencing. The multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification (MLPA) was used for confirming the other five samples, and showed the same results with our CE method. For only one sample, our CE showed different results with MLPA and DNA sequencing. One out of 284 samples (0.35%) belonged to mismatching. Our method provided a better accurate method and convenient method for clinical genotyping of SMA disease.

Surface sampling techniques for 3D object inspection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shih, Chihhsiong S.; Gerhardt, Lester A.

1995-03-01

While the uniform sampling method is quite popular for pointwise measurement of manufactured parts, this paper proposes three novel sampling strategies which emphasize 3D non-uniform inspection capability. They are: (a) the adaptive sampling, (b) the local adjustment sampling, and (c) the finite element centroid sampling techniques. The adaptive sampling strategy is based on a recursive surface subdivision process. Two different approaches are described for this adaptive sampling strategy. One uses triangle patches while the other uses rectangle patches. Several real world objects were tested using these two algorithms. Preliminary results show that sample points are distributed more closely around edges, corners, and vertices as desired for many classes of objects. Adaptive sampling using triangle patches is shown to generally perform better than both uniform and adaptive sampling using rectangle patches. The local adjustment sampling strategy uses a set of predefined starting points and then finds the local optimum position of each nodal point. This method approximates the object by moving the points toward object edges and corners. In a hybrid approach, uniform points sets and non-uniform points sets, first preprocessed by the adaptive sampling algorithm on a real world object were then tested using the local adjustment sampling method. The results show that the initial point sets when preprocessed by adaptive sampling using triangle patches, are moved the least amount of distance by the subsequently applied local adjustment method, again showing the superiority of this method. The finite element sampling technique samples the centroids of the surface triangle meshes produced from the finite element method. The performance of this algorithm was compared to that of the adaptive sampling using triangular patches. The adaptive sampling with triangular patches was once again shown to be better on different classes of objects.

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

Puls, R.W.; Powell, R.M.

R.S. Kerr Environmental Research Laboratory (RSKERL) personnel have evaluated sampling procedures for the collection of representative, accurate, and reproducible ground water quality samples for metals for the past four years. Intensive sampling research at three different field sites has shown that the method by which samples are collected has a greater impact on sample quality, accuracy, and reproducibility than whether the samples are filtered or not. In particular, sample collection practices that induce artifically high levels of turbidity have been shown to have the greatest negative impacts on sample quality. Results indicated the ineffectiveness of bailer for collection of representativemore » metal samples. Inconsistent operator usage together with excessive purging generally resulted in excessive turbidity and large differences in filtered and unfiltered metal samples. The use of low flow rate purging and sampling consistently produced filtered and unfiltered samples that showed no significant differences in concentrations. Turbidity levels were generally less than 5 NTUs, even in fine-textured glacial till. The authors recommend the use of low flow rates, during both purging and sampling.« less

Limitations in the use of commercial humic acids in water and soil research

USGS Publications Warehouse

Malcolm, R.L.; MacCarthy, P.

1986-01-01

Seven samples of commercial "humic acids", purchased from five different suppliers, were studied, and their characteristics were compared with humic and fulvic acids isolated from streams, soils, peat, leonardite, and a dopplerite sample. Cross-polarization and magic-angle spinning 13C NMR spectroscopy clearly shows pronounced differences between the commercial materials and all other samples. Elemental and infrared spectroscopic data do not show such clear-cut differences but can be used as supportive evidence, with the 13C NMR data, to substantiate the above distinctions. As a result of these differences and due to the general lack of information relating to the source, method of isolation, or other pretreatment of the commercial materials, these commercial products are not considered to be appropriate for use as analogues of true soil and water humic substances, in experiments designed to evaluate the nature and reactivity of humic substances in natural waters and soils.

Prediction of Three-Dimensional Downward Flame Spread Characteristics over Poly(methyl methacrylate) Slabs in Different Pressure Environments.

PubMed

Zhao, Kun; Zhou, Xiao-Dong; Liu, Xue-Qiang; Lu, Lei; Wu, Zhi-Bo; Peng, Fei; Ju, Xiao-Yu; Yang, Li-Zhong

2016-11-22

The present study is aimed at predicting downward flame spread characteristics over poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) with different sample dimensions in different pressure environments. Three-dimensional (3-D) downward flame spread experiments on free PMMA slabs were conducted at five locations with different altitudes, which provide different pressures. Pressure effects on the flame spread rate, profile of pyrolysis front and flame height were analyzed at all altitudes. The flame spread rate in the steady-state stage was calculated based on the balance on the fuel surface and fuel properties. Results show that flame spread rate increases exponentially with pressure, and the exponent of pressure further shows an increasing trend with the thickness of the sample. The angle of the pyrolysis front emerged on sample residue in the width direction, which indicates a steady-burning stage, varies clearly with sample thicknesses and ambient pressures. A global non-dimensional equation was proposed to predict the variation tendency of the angle of the pyrolysis front with pressure and was found to fit well with the measured results. In addition, the dependence of average flame height on mass burning rate, sample dimension and pressure was proposed based on laminar diffusion flame theory. The fitted exponent of experimental data is 1.11, which is close to the theoretical value.

Efficient method of image edge detection based on FSVM

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cai, Aiping; Xiong, Xiaomei

2013-07-01

For efficient object cover edge detection in digital images, this paper studied traditional methods and algorithm based on SVM. It analyzed Canny edge detection algorithm existed some pseudo-edge and poor anti-noise capability. In order to provide a reliable edge extraction method, propose a new detection algorithm based on FSVM. Which contains several steps: first, trains classify sample and gives the different membership function to different samples. Then, a new training sample is formed by increase the punishment some wrong sub-sample, and use the new FSVM classification model for train and test them. Finally the edges are extracted of the object image by using the model. Experimental result shows that good edge detection image will be obtained and adding noise experiments results show that this method has good anti-noise.

Accuracy and sampling error of two age estimation techniques using rib histomorphometry on a modern sample.

PubMed

García-Donas, Julieta G; Dyke, Jeffrey; Paine, Robert R; Nathena, Despoina; Kranioti, Elena F

2016-02-01

Most age estimation methods are proven problematic when applied in highly fragmented skeletal remains. Rib histomorphometry is advantageous in such cases; yet it is vital to test and revise existing techniques particularly when used in legal settings (Crowder and Rosella, 2007). This study tested Stout & Paine (1992) and Stout et al. (1994) histological age estimation methods on a Modern Greek sample using different sampling sites. Six left 4th ribs of known age and sex were selected from a modern skeletal collection. Each rib was cut into three equal segments. Two thin sections were acquired from each segment. A total of 36 thin sections were prepared and analysed. Four variables (cortical area, intact and fragmented osteon density and osteon population density) were calculated for each section and age was estimated according to Stout & Paine (1992) and Stout et al. (1994). The results showed that both methods produced a systemic underestimation of the individuals (to a maximum of 43 years) although a general improvement in accuracy levels was observed when applying the Stout et al. (1994) formula. There is an increase of error rates with increasing age with the oldest individual showing extreme differences between real age and estimated age. Comparison of the different sampling sites showed small differences between the estimated ages suggesting that any fragment of the rib could be used without introducing significant error. Yet, a larger sample should be used to confirm these results. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd and Faculty of Forensic and Legal Medicine. All rights reserved.

Day and night variation in chemical composition and toxicological responses of size segregated urban air PM samples in a high air pollution situation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jalava, P. I.; Wang, Q.; Kuuspalo, K.; Ruusunen, J.; Hao, L.; Fang, D.; Väisänen, O.; Ruuskanen, A.; Sippula, O.; Happo, M. S.; Uski, O.; Kasurinen, S.; Torvela, T.; Koponen, H.; Lehtinen, K. E. J.; Komppula, M.; Gu, C.; Jokiniemi, J.; Hirvonen, M.-R.

2015-11-01

Urban air particulate pollution is a known cause for adverse human health effects worldwide. China has encountered air quality problems in recent years due to rapid industrialization. Toxicological effects induced by particulate air pollution vary with particle sizes and season. However, it is not known how distinctively different photochemical activity and different emission sources during the day and the night affect the chemical composition of the PM size ranges and subsequently how it is reflected to the toxicological properties of the PM exposures. The particulate matter (PM) samples were collected in four different size ranges (PM10-2.5; PM2.5-1; PM1-0.2 and PM0.2) with a high volume cascade impactor. The PM samples were extracted with methanol, dried and thereafter used in the chemical and toxicological analyses. RAW264.7 macrophages were exposed to the particulate samples in four different doses for 24 h. Cytotoxicity, inflammatory parameters, cell cycle and genotoxicity were measured after exposure of the cells to particulate samples. Particles were characterized for their chemical composition, including ions, element and PAH compounds, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) was used to take images of the PM samples. Chemical composition and the induced toxicological responses of the size segregated PM samples showed considerable size dependent differences as well as day to night variation. The PM10-2.5 and the PM0.2 samples had the highest inflammatory potency among the size ranges. Instead, almost all the PM samples were equally cytotoxic and only minor differences were seen in genotoxicity and cell cycle effects. Overall, the PM0.2 samples had the highest toxic potential among the different size ranges in many parameters. PAH compounds in the samples and were generally more abundant during the night than the day, indicating possible photo-oxidation of the PAH compounds due to solar radiation. This was reflected to different toxicity in the PM samples. Some of the day to night difference may have been caused also by differing wind directions transporting air masses from different emission sources during the day and the night. The present findings indicate the important role of the local particle sources and atmospheric processes on the health related toxicological properties of the PM. The varying toxicological responses evoked by the PM samples showed the importance of examining various particle sizes. Especially the detected considerable toxicological activity by PM0.2 size range suggests they're attributable to combustion sources, new particle formation and atmospheric processes.

Spatial variability of particle-attached and free-living bacterial diversity in surface waters from the Mackenzie River to the Beaufort Sea (Canadian Arctic)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ortega-Retuerta, E.; Joux, F.; Jeffrey, W. H.; Ghiglione, J.-F.

2012-12-01

We explored the patterns of total and active bacterial community structure in a gradient covering surface waters from the Mackenzie River to the coastal Beaufort Sea, Canadian Arctic Ocean, with a particular focus on free-living vs. particle-attached communities. Capillary electrophoresis-single strand conformation polymorphism (CE-SSCP) showed significant differences when comparing river, coast and open sea bacterial community structures. In contrast to the river and coastal waters, total (16S rDNA-based) and active (16S rRNA-based) communities in the open sea samples were not significantly different, suggesting that most present bacterial groups were equally active in this area. Additionally, we observed significant differences between particle-attached (PA) and free-living (FL) bacterial communities in the open sea, but similar structure in the two fractions for coastal and river samples. Direct multivariate statistical analyses showed that total community structure was mainly driven by salinity (proxy of DOC and CDOM), suspended particles, amino acids and chlorophyll a. 16S rRNA genes pyrosequencing of selected samples confirmed these significant differences from river to sea and also between PA and FL fractions only in open sea samples, and PA samples generally showed higher diversity (Shannon, Simpson and Chao indices) than FL samples. At the class level, Opitutae was most abundant in the PA fraction of the sea sample, followed by Flavobacteria and Gammaproteobacteria, while the FL sea sample was dominated by Alphaproteobacteria. Finally, the coast and river samples, both PA and FL fractions, were dominated by Betaproteobacteria, Alphaproteobacteria and Actinobacteria. These results highlight the coexistence of particle specialists and generalists and the role of particle quality in structuring bacterial communities in the area. These results may also serve as a~basis to predict further changes in bacterial communities should climate change lead to further increases in river discharge and related particles load.

Generalized sample entropy analysis for traffic signals based on similarity measure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shang, Du; Xu, Mengjia; Shang, Pengjian

2017-05-01

Sample entropy is a prevailing method used to quantify the complexity of a time series. In this paper a modified method of generalized sample entropy and surrogate data analysis is proposed as a new measure to assess the complexity of a complex dynamical system such as traffic signals. The method based on similarity distance presents a different way of signals patterns match showing distinct behaviors of complexity. Simulations are conducted over synthetic data and traffic signals for providing the comparative study, which is provided to show the power of the new method. Compared with previous sample entropy and surrogate data analysis, the new method has two main advantages. The first one is that it overcomes the limitation about the relationship between the dimension parameter and the length of series. The second one is that the modified sample entropy functions can be used to quantitatively distinguish time series from different complex systems by the similar measure.

Survey of aflatoxins in retail samples of whole and ground black and white peppercorns.

PubMed

Adzahan, N; Jalili, M; Jinap, S

2009-01-01

A total of 126 local and imported samples of commercial white and black pepper in Malaysia were analysed for aflatoxins B1, B2, G1 and G2 (AFB1, AFB2, AFG1, AFG2) content using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with a fluorescence detector (FD). An acetonitrile-methanol-water (17 : 29 : 54; v/v) mixture was used as a mobile phase and clean-up was using an immunoaffinity column (IAC). Seventy out of 126 (55.5%) samples were contaminated with total aflatoxins, although only low levels of aflatoxins were found ranging from 0.1 to 4.9 ng g(-1). Aflatoxin B1 showed the highest incidence of contamination and was found in all contaminated samples. There was a significant difference between type of samples and different brands (p < 0.05). The results showed black peppers were more contaminated than white peppers.

Forensic SNP Genotyping with SNaPshot: Development of a Novel In-house SBE Multiplex SNP Assay.

PubMed

Zar, Mian Sahib; Shahid, Ahmad Ali; Shahzad, Muhammad Saqib; Shin, Kyoung-Jin; Lee, Hwan Young; Lee, Sang-Seob; Israr, Muhammad; Wiegand, Peter; Kulstein, Galina

2018-04-10

This study introduces a newly developed in-house SNaPshot single-base extension (SBE) multiplex assay for forensic single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) genotyping of fresh and degraded samples. The assay was validated with fresh blood samples from four different populations. In addition, altogether 24 samples from skeletal remains were analyzed with the multiplex. Full SNP profiles could be obtained from 14 specimens, while ten remains showed partial SNP profiles. Minor allele frequencies (MAF) of bone samples and different populations were compared and used for association of skeletal remains with a certain population. The results reveal that the SNPs of the bone samples are genetically close to the Pathan population. The findings show that the new multiplex system can be utilized for SNP genotyping of degraded and forensic relevant skeletal material, enabling to provide additional investigative leads in criminal cases. © 2018 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Microstructure Evolution During Continuous Cooling in AISI 5140 Steel Processed by Induction Heating Chromizing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hu, Jianjun; Ma, Chaoping; Yang, Xian; Xu, Hongbin; Guo, Ning; Yu, Hongbing

2017-11-01

In this study, induction heating chromizing (IHC) and box-type furnace heating chromizing (BFHC) were conducted on commercial AISI 5140 steels, respectively. Microstructure, microhardness and wear resistance of the chromized samples were characterized. The results show that the IHC samples have thicker Cr coating layer and stronger interface bond due to pre-compressive stress among the packed powders. Three kinds of microstructures including alloyed cementite (AC-layer), fine pearlite zone (FP-zone) and carbon-poor zone (CP-zone) are formed near the interface in the IHC samples. The main reason given for this is that different contents of Cr and C have different effects on pearlite phase and morphology. The IHC sample shows better wear properties due to its stronger interface bonding strength than that of the BFHC sample. The formation mechanism of CP-zone and its influences on microhardness and wear resistance are also discussed.

Properties of Gd{sub 2}O{sub 3} nanoparticles studied by hyperfine interactions and magnetization measurements

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

Correa, E. L., E-mail: eduardo.correa@usp.br; Bosch-Santos, B.; Cavalcante, F. H. M.

2016-05-15

The magnetic behavior of Gd{sub 2}O{sub 3} nanoparticles, produced by thermal decomposition method and subsequently annealed at different temperatures, was investigated by magnetization measurements and, at an atomic level, by perturbed γ − γ angular correlation (PAC) spectroscopy measuring hyperfine interactions at {sup 111}In({sup 111}Cd) probe nuclei. Nanoparticle structure, size and shape were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM). Magnetization measurements were carried out to characterize the paramagnetic behavior of the samples. XRD results show that all samples crystallize in the cubic-C form of the bixbyite structure with space group Ia3. TEM images showed that particlesmore » annealed at 873 K present particles with highly homogeneous sizes in the range from 5 nm to 10 nm and those annealed at 1273 K show particles with quite different sizes from 5 nm to 100 nm, with a wide size distribution. PAC and magnetization results show that samples annealed at 873 and 1273 K are paramagnetic. Magnetization measurements show no indication of blocking temperatures for all samples down to 2 K and the presence of antiferromagnetic correlations.« less

Cyclic polyalcohols: fingerprints to identify the botanical origin of natural woods used in wine aging.

PubMed

Alañón, M Elena; Díaz-Maroto, M Consuelo; Díaz-Maroto, Ignacio J; Vila-Lameiro, Pablo; Pérez-Coello, M Soledad

2011-02-23

Cyclic polyalcohol composition of 80 natural wood samples from different botanical species, with the majority of them used in the oenology industry for aging purposes, has been studied by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) after its conversion into their trimethylsilyloxime derivatives. Each botanical species showed a different and specific cyclic polyalcohol profile. Oak wood samples were characterized by the richness in deoxyinositols, especially proto-quercitol. Meanwhile, other botanical species showed a very low content of cyclic polyalcohols. The qualitative and quantitative study of cyclic polyalcohols was a useful tool to characterize and differentiate woods of different botanical origin to guarantee the authenticity of chips used in the wine-aging process. Monosaccharide composition was also analyzed, showing some quantitative differences among species, but cyclic polyalcohols were the compounds that revealed the main differentiation power.

Effect of erosive challenges on deciduous teeth undergoing restorative procedures with different adhesive protocols - an in vitro study

PubMed Central

Assunção, Cristiane Meira; Goulart, Marcelo; Essvein, Tattiana Enrich; dos Santos, Nicole Marchioro; Erhardt, Maria Carolina Guilherme; Lussi, Adrian; Rodrigues, Jonas de Almeida

2018-01-01

ABSTRACT Objective To evaluate the effect of erosive challenges on the tooth- restoration interface of deciduous teeth treated with different adhesive protocols. Material and Methods Deciduous molars were cut mesiodistally, then embedded, abraded and polished (n=80). Samples were randomly divided according to the adhesive system used into: G1 (Adper Single Bond2®, etch-and-rinse), G2 (Universal Single Bond®, self-etching), G3 (OptibondFL®, etch-and-rinse with Fluoride) and G4 (BondForce®, self-etching with Fluoride). After standardized cavity preparation (2 mm diameter x 2 mm depth), adhesive systems were applied and samples were restored (composite resin Z350®). Half of the samples were exposed to erosive/abrasive cycles (n = 10, each adhesive group), and the other half (control group; n = 10) remained immersed in artificial saliva. For microleakage analysis, samples were submersed in methylene blue and analyzed at 40x magnifications. Cross-sectional microhardness (CSMH) was carried out (50 g/5 s) at 25 μm, 50 μm, and 100 μm from the eroded surface and at 25 μm, 75 μm, and 125 μm from the enamel bond interface. Results Regarding microleakage, 7.5% of the samples showed no dye infiltration, 30% showed dye infiltration only at the enamel interface, and 62.5% showed dye infiltration through the dentin-enamel junction, with no difference between groups (p≥0.05). No significant difference was observed in CSMH at different depths (two-way ANOVA, p≥0.05). Conclusions We did not observe significant changes in microleakage or CSMH after erosive/abrasive challenges in deciduous teeth treated with different adhesive protocols (etch-and-rinse and self-etching adhesives, with and without fluoride). PMID:29364339

Effect of erosive challenges on deciduous teeth undergoing restorative procedures with different adhesive protocols - an in vitro study.

PubMed

Assunção, Cristiane Meira; Goulart, Marcelo; Essvein, Tattiana Enrich; Santos, Nicole Marchioro Dos; Erhardt, Maria Carolina Guilherme; Lussi, Adrian; Rodrigues, Jonas de Almeida

2018-01-18

To evaluate the effect of erosive challenges on the tooth- restoration interface of deciduous teeth treated with different adhesive protocols. Deciduous molars were cut mesiodistally, then embedded, abraded and polished (n=80). Samples were randomly divided according to the adhesive system used into: G1 (Adper Single Bond2®, etch-and-rinse), G2 (Universal Single Bond®, self-etching), G3 (OptibondFL®, etch-and-rinse with Fluoride) and G4 (BondForce®, self-etching with Fluoride). After standardized cavity preparation (2 mm diameter x 2 mm depth), adhesive systems were applied and samples were restored (composite resin Z350®). Half of the samples were exposed to erosive/abrasive cycles (n = 10, each adhesive group), and the other half (control group; n = 10) remained immersed in artificial saliva. For microleakage analysis, samples were submersed in methylene blue and analyzed at 40x magnifications. Cross-sectional microhardness (CSMH) was carried out (50 g/5 s) at 25 μm, 50 μm, and 100 μm from the eroded surface and at 25 μm, 75 μm, and 125 μm from the enamel bond interface. Regarding microleakage, 7.5% of the samples showed no dye infiltration, 30% showed dye infiltration only at the enamel interface, and 62.5% showed dye infiltration through the dentin-enamel junction, with no difference between groups (p≥0.05). No significant difference was observed in CSMH at different depths (two-way ANOVA, p≥0.05). We did not observe significant changes in microleakage or CSMH after erosive/abrasive challenges in deciduous teeth treated with different adhesive protocols (etch-and-rinse and self-etching adhesives, with and without fluoride).

Saffron Samples of Different Origin: An NMR Study of Microwave-Assisted Extracts

PubMed Central

Sobolev, Anatoly P.; Carradori, Simone; Capitani, Donatella; Vista, Silvia; Trella, Agata; Marini, Federico; Mannina, Luisa

2014-01-01

An NMR analytical protocol is proposed to characterize saffron samples of different geographical origin (Greece, Spain, Hungary, Turkey and Italy). A microwave-assisted extraction procedure was developed to obtain a comparable recovery of metabolites with respect to the ISO specifications, reducing the solvent volume and the extraction time needed. Metabolite profiles of geographically different saffron extracts were compared showing significant differences in the content of some metabolites. PMID:28234327

Synthesis and characterization of silicon nanorod on n-type porous silicon.

PubMed

Behzad, Kasra; Mat Yunus, Wan Mahmood; Bahrami, Afarin; Kharazmi, Alireza; Soltani, Nayereh

2016-03-20

This work reports a new method for growing semiconductor nanorods on a porous silicon substrate. After preparation of n-type porous silicon samples, a thin layer of gold was deposited on them. Gold deposited samples were annealed at different temperatures. The structural, thermal, and optical properties of the samples were studied using a field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM), photoacoustic spectroscopy, and photoluminescence spectroscopy, respectively. FESEM analysis revealed that silicon nanorods of different sizes grew on the annealed samples. Thermal behavior of the samples was studied using photoacoustic spectroscopy. Photoluminescence spectroscopy showed that the emission peaks were degraded by gold deposition and attenuated for all samples by annealing.

Properties of lithium aluminate for application as an OSL dosimeter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Twardak, A.; Bilski, P.; Marczewska, B.; Lee, J. I.; Kim, J. L.; Gieszczyk, W.; Mrozik, A.; Sądel, M.; Wróbel, D.

2014-11-01

Several samples of undoped and carbon or copper doped lithium aluminate (LiAlO2) were prepared in an attempt to achieve a material, which can be applicable in optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dosimetry. All investigated samples are highly sensitive to ionizing radiation and show good reproducibility. The undoped and copper doped samples exhibit sensitivity several times higher than that of Al2O3:C, while sensitivity of the carbon doped samples is lower. The studied samples exhibit significant fading, but dynamics of signal loss is different for differently doped samples, what indicates a possibility of improving this characteristic by optimizing dopant composition.

Dynamical properties of the brain tissue under oscillatory shear stresses at large strain range

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boudjema, F.; Khelidj, B.; Lounis, M.

2017-01-01

In this experimental work, we study the viscoelastic behaviour of in vitro brain tissue, particularly the white matter, under oscillatory shear strain. The selective vulnerability of this tissue is the anisotropic mechanical properties of theirs different regions lead to a sensitivity to the angular shear rate and magnitude of strain. For this aim, shear storage modulus (G‧) and loss modulus (G″) were measured over a range of frequencies (1 to 100 Hz), for different levels of strain (1 %, to 50 %). The mechanical responses of the brain matter samples showed a viscoelastic behaviour that depend on the correlated strain level and frequency range and old age sample. The samples have been showed evolution behaviour by increasing then decreasing the strain level. Also, the stiffness anisotropy of brain matter was showed between regions and species.

Physico-chemical properties of instant ogbono (Irvingia gabonensis) mix powder

PubMed Central

Bamidele, Oluwaseun P; Ojedokun, Omotayo S; Fasogbon, Beatrice M

2015-01-01

The main objective of the research is to develop a recipe of instant dry soup mix for easy preparation of ogbono soup. Instant ogbono mix powder was processed using common locally ingredients. Dika kernel powder, dried ugwu leaf, crayfish, stock fish, and a mixture of locust bean, onion, seasoning and Cameroon powder were formulated at different ratios to find the best acceptable ogbono mix powder. The samples were subjected to proximate, functional, vitamin, mineral, and sensory analyses. The formulated sample D with the highest ratio of crayfish and stock fish had the highest value of protein and carbohydrate (24.13 and 35.61%, respectively). The control sample (100% dika kernel powder) was low in moisture content (6.20%) but high in crude fat, other samples followed in this order (control > A > B > C > D) for crude fat. Ash, crude fiber, and carbohydrate showed a significant difference (P < 0.05) in all the samples. The functional properties of the sample showed a significant difference (P < 0.05) in all the samples with the control having the highest value for the water absorption, swelling capacity, and bulk density which may be due to the high crude fiber and low moisture content recorded for the control sample in the proximate analysis. The mineral content of all the samples were higher than the control with phosphorous having the highest value and iron the least value. Vitamin C was the main dominating vitamin in the sample followed by vitamin B2, vitamin A, and vitamin B3. The sensory evaluation revealed that 100% dika kernel powder gave a good attribute of the soup but with less nutritional composition, while some formulated samples showed a similar attribute with higher nutritional value. Sample A with the highest overall acceptability had the best attribute of ogbono soup. Instant ogbono mix powder has higher nutritional value and easy to cook. PMID:26288723

Searching for signatures across microbial communities: Metagenomic analysis of soil samples from mangrove and other ecosystems.

PubMed

Imchen, Madangchanok; Kumavath, Ranjith; Barh, Debmalya; Azevedo, Vasco; Ghosh, Preetam; Viana, Marcus; Wattam, Alice R

2017-08-18

In this study, we categorize the microbial community in mangrove sediment samples from four different locations within a vast mangrove system in Kerala, India. We compared this data to other samples taken from the other known mangrove data, a tropical rainforest, and ocean sediment. An examination of the microbial communities from a large mangrove forest that stretches across southwestern India showed strong similarities across the higher taxonomic levels. When ocean sediment and a single isolate from a tropical rain forest were included in the analysis, a strong pattern emerged with Bacteria from the phylum Proteobacteria being the prominent taxon among the forest samples. The ocean samples were predominantly Archaea, with Euryarchaeota as the dominant phylum. Principal component and functional analyses grouped the samples isolated from forests, including those from disparate mangrove forests and the tropical rain forest, from the ocean. Our findings show similar patterns in samples were isolated from forests, and these were distinct from the ocean sediment isolates. The taxonomic structure was maintained to the level of class, and functional analysis of the genes present also displayed these similarities. Our report for the first time shows the richness of microbial diversity in the Kerala coast and its differences with tropical rain forest and ocean microbiome.

Lead theft--a study of the "uniqueness" of lead from church roofs.

PubMed

Bond, John W; Hainsworth, Sarah V; Lau, Tien L

2013-07-01

In the United Kingdom, theft of lead is common, particularly from churches and other public buildings with lead roofs. To assess the potential to distinguish lead from different sources, 41 samples of lead from 24 church roofs in Northamptonshire, U.K, have been analyzed for relative abundance of trace elements and isotopes of lead using X-ray fluorescence (XRF) and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, respectively. XRF revealed the overall presence of 12 trace elements with the four most abundant, calcium, phosphorus, silicon, and sulfur, showing a large weight percentage standard error of the mean of all samples suggesting variation in the weight percentage of these elements between different church roofs. Multiple samples from the same roofs, but different lead sheets, showed much lower weight percentage standard errors of the mean suggesting similar trace element concentrations. Lead isotope ratios were similar for all samples. Factors likely to affect the occurrence of these trace elements are discussed. © 2013 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Audio-visual interactions in environment assessment.

PubMed

Preis, Anna; Kociński, Jędrzej; Hafke-Dys, Honorata; Wrzosek, Małgorzata

2015-08-01

The aim of the study was to examine how visual and audio information influences audio-visual environment assessment. Original audio-visual recordings were made at seven different places in the city of Poznań. Participants of the psychophysical experiments were asked to rate, on a numerical standardized scale, the degree of comfort they would feel if they were in such an environment. The assessments of audio-visual comfort were carried out in a laboratory in four different conditions: (a) audio samples only, (b) original audio-visual samples, (c) video samples only, and (d) mixed audio-visual samples. The general results of this experiment showed a significant difference between the investigated conditions, but not for all the investigated samples. There was a significant improvement in comfort assessment when visual information was added (in only three out of 7 cases), when conditions (a) and (b) were compared. On the other hand, the results show that the comfort assessment of audio-visual samples could be changed by manipulating the audio rather than the video part of the audio-visual sample. Finally, it seems, that people could differentiate audio-visual representations of a given place in the environment based rather of on the sound sources' compositions than on the sound level. Object identification is responsible for both landscape and soundscape grouping. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Influence of sampling window size and orientation on parafoveal cone packing density

PubMed Central

Lombardo, Marco; Serrao, Sebastiano; Ducoli, Pietro; Lombardo, Giuseppe

2013-01-01

We assessed the agreement between sampling windows of different size and orientation on packing density estimates in images of the parafoveal cone mosaic acquired using a flood-illumination adaptive optics retinal camera. Horizontal and vertical oriented sampling windows of different size (320x160 µm, 160x80 µm and 80x40 µm) were selected in two retinal locations along the horizontal meridian in one eye of ten subjects. At each location, cone density tended to decline with decreasing sampling area. Although the differences in cone density estimates were not statistically significant, Bland-Altman plots showed that the agreement between cone density estimated within the different sampling window conditions was moderate. The percentage of the preferred packing arrangements of cones by Voronoi tiles was slightly affected by window size and orientation. The results illustrated the high importance of specifying the size and orientation of the sampling window used to derive cone metric estimates to facilitate comparison of different studies. PMID:24009995

DOES THE INCLUSION CRITERION OF WOMEN’S AGGRESSION AS OPPOSED TO THEIR VICTIMIZATION RESULT IN SAMPLES THAT DIFFER ON KEY DIMENSIONS OF INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE?

PubMed Central

Sullivan, Tami P.; Titus, Jennifer A.; Holt, Laura J.; Swan, Suzanne C.; Fisher, Bonnie S.; Snow, David L.

2010-01-01

This study is among the first attempts to address a frequently articulated, yet unsubstantiated claim that sample inclusion criterion based on women’s physical aggression or victimization will yield different distributions of severity and type of partner violence and injury. Independent samples of African-American women participated in separate studies based on either inclusion criterion of women’s physical aggression or victimization. Between-groups comparisons showed that samples did not differ in physical, sexual, or psychological aggression; physical, sexual, or psychological victimization; inflicted or sustained injury. Therefore, inclusion criterion based on physical aggression or victimization did not yield unique samples of “aggressors” and “victims.” PMID:19949230

Interlaboratory comparison of extraction efficiency of pesticides from surface and laboratory water using solid-phase extraction disks.

PubMed

Senseman, Scott A; Mueller, Thomas C; Riley, Melissa B; Wauchope, R Don; Clegg, Chris; Young, Roddy W; Southwick, Lloyd M; Moye, H Anson; Dumas, Jose A; Mersie, Wondi; Mattice, John D; Leidy, Ross B

2003-06-18

A continuation of an earlier interlaboratory comparison was conducted (1) to assess solid-phase extraction (SPE) using Empore disks to extract atrazine, bromacil, metolachlor, and chlorpyrifos from various water sources accompanied by different sample shipping and quantitative techniques and (2) to compare quantitative results of individual laboratories with results of one common laboratory. Three replicates of a composite surface water (SW) sample were fortified with the analytes along with three replicates of deionized water (DW). A nonfortified DW sample and a nonfortified SW sample were also extracted. All samples were extracted using Empore C(18) disks. After extraction, part of the samples were eluted and analyzed in-house. Duplicate samples were evaporated in a 2-mL vial, shipped dry to a central laboratory (SDC), redissolved, and analyzed. Overall, samples analyzed in-house had higher recoveries than SDC samples. Laboratory x analysis type and laboratory x water source interactions were significant for all four compounds. Seven laboratories participated in this interlaboratory comparison program. No differences in atrazine recoveries were observed from in-house samples analyzed by laboratories A, B, D, and G compared with the recovery of SDC samples. In-house atrazine recoveries from laboratories C and F were higher when compared with recovery from SDC samples. However, laboratory E had lower recoveries from in-house samples compared with SDC samples. For each laboratory, lower recoveries were observed for chlorpyrifos from the SDC samples compared with samples analyzed in-house. Bromacil recovery was <65% at two of the seven laboratories in the study. Bromacil recoveries for the remaining laboratories were >75%. Three laboratories showed no differences in metolachlor recovery; two laboratories had higher recoveries for samples analyzed in-house, and two other laboratories showed higher metolachlor recovery for SDC samples. Laboratory G had a higher recovery in SW for all four compounds compared with DW. Other laboratories that had significant differences in pesticide recovery between the two water sources showed higher recovery in DW than in the SW regardless of the compound. In comparison to earlier work, recovery of these compounds using SPE disks as a temporary storage matrix may be more effective than shipping dried samples in a vial. Problems with analytes such as chlorpyrifos are unavoidable, and it should not be assumed that an extraction procedure using SPE disks will be adequate for all compounds and transferrable across all chromatographic conditions.

Measurement of process-dependent material properties of pharmaceutical solids by nanoindentation.

PubMed

Liao, Xiangmin; Wiedmann, Timothy Scott

2005-01-01

The purpose of this work was to evaluate nanoindentation as a means to characterize the material properties of pharmaceutical solids. X-ray diffraction of potassium chloride and acetaminophen showed that samples prepared by cooling a melt to a crystalline sample as opposed to slow recrystallization had the same crystal structure. With analysis of the force-displacement curves, the KCl quenched samples had a hardness that was 10 times higher than the recrystallized KCl, while acetaminophen quenched samples were 25% harder than the recrystallized samples. The elastic moduli of the quenched samples were also much greater than that observed for the recrystallized samples. Although the elasticity was independent of load, the hardness increased with load for acetaminophen. With each sample, the flow at constant load increased with applied load. Etching patterns obtained by atomic force microscopy showed that the KCl quenched sample had a higher dislocation density than the recrystallized sample, although there was no evident difference in the acetaminophen samples. Overall, the differences in the observed sample properties may be related to the dislocation density. Thus, nanoindentation has been shown to be a sensitive method for determining a processed-induced change in the hardness, creep, and elasticity of KCl and acetaminophen. (c) 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Adaptive Sampling-Based Information Collection for Wireless Body Area Networks.

PubMed

Xu, Xiaobin; Zhao, Fang; Wang, Wendong; Tian, Hui

2016-08-31

To collect important health information, WBAN applications typically sense data at a high frequency. However, limited by the quality of wireless link, the uploading of sensed data has an upper frequency. To reduce upload frequency, most of the existing WBAN data collection approaches collect data with a tolerable error. These approaches can guarantee precision of the collected data, but they are not able to ensure that the upload frequency is within the upper frequency. Some traditional sampling based approaches can control upload frequency directly, however, they usually have a high loss of information. Since the core task of WBAN applications is to collect health information, this paper aims to collect optimized information under the limitation of upload frequency. The importance of sensed data is defined according to information theory for the first time. Information-aware adaptive sampling is proposed to collect uniformly distributed data. Then we propose Adaptive Sampling-based Information Collection (ASIC) which consists of two algorithms. An adaptive sampling probability algorithm is proposed to compute sampling probabilities of different sensed values. A multiple uniform sampling algorithm provides uniform samplings for values in different intervals. Experiments based on a real dataset show that the proposed approach has higher performance in terms of data coverage and information quantity. The parameter analysis shows the optimized parameter settings and the discussion shows the underlying reason of high performance in the proposed approach.

Adaptive Sampling-Based Information Collection for Wireless Body Area Networks

PubMed Central

Xu, Xiaobin; Zhao, Fang; Wang, Wendong; Tian, Hui

2016-01-01

To collect important health information, WBAN applications typically sense data at a high frequency. However, limited by the quality of wireless link, the uploading of sensed data has an upper frequency. To reduce upload frequency, most of the existing WBAN data collection approaches collect data with a tolerable error. These approaches can guarantee precision of the collected data, but they are not able to ensure that the upload frequency is within the upper frequency. Some traditional sampling based approaches can control upload frequency directly, however, they usually have a high loss of information. Since the core task of WBAN applications is to collect health information, this paper aims to collect optimized information under the limitation of upload frequency. The importance of sensed data is defined according to information theory for the first time. Information-aware adaptive sampling is proposed to collect uniformly distributed data. Then we propose Adaptive Sampling-based Information Collection (ASIC) which consists of two algorithms. An adaptive sampling probability algorithm is proposed to compute sampling probabilities of different sensed values. A multiple uniform sampling algorithm provides uniform samplings for values in different intervals. Experiments based on a real dataset show that the proposed approach has higher performance in terms of data coverage and information quantity. The parameter analysis shows the optimized parameter settings and the discussion shows the underlying reason of high performance in the proposed approach. PMID:27589758

River Flow Impacts Bacterial and Archaeal Community Structure in Surface Sediments in the Northern Gulf of Mexico.

PubMed

Ortmann, Alice C; Brannock, Pamela M; Wang, Lei; Halanych, Kenneth M

2018-04-17

Meiobenthic community structure in the northern Gulf of Mexico has been shown to be driven by geographical differences due to inshore-offshore gradients and location relative to river discharge. Samples collected along three transects spanning Mobile Bay, Alabama, showed significant differences in meiobenthic communities east of the bay compared to those sampled from the west. In contrast, analysis of bacterial and archaeal communities from the same sediment samples shows that the inshore-offshore gradient has minimal impact on their community structure. Significant differences in community structure were observed for Bacteria and Archaea between the east and west samples, but there was no difference in richness or diversity. Grouped by sediment type, higher richness was observed in silty samples compared to sandy samples. Significant differences were also observed among sediment types for community structure with bacteria communities in silty samples having more anaerobic sulfate reducers compared to aerobic heterotrophs, which had higher abundances in sandy sediments. This is likely due to increased organic matter in the silty sediments from the overlying river leading to low oxygen habitats. Most archaeal sequences represented poorly characterized high-level taxa, limiting interpretation of their distributions. Overlap between groups based on transect and sediment characteristics made determining which factor is more important in structuring bacterial and archaeal communities difficult. However, both factors are driven by discharge from the Mobile River. Although inshore-offshore gradients do not affect Bacteria or Archaea to the same extent as the meiobenthic communities, all three groups are strongly affected by sediment characteristics.

A Correlation Study between Two Color-Measuring Spectrophotometers

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-01-01

a color difference pair) were_ measured for short- and long-term repeataoility. Each instrument was found to show a repeatability of 0.12 CIELAB color...for the Green Fabric Samples on the ACS II: Standard Deviation of Tristimulus 26 Values (X,Y,Z) 5. CIELAB Color Differences for Tan Color Difference...value on the ACS I is considerably higher. The largest AE ( CIELAB color difference between the two means) observed was 0.5 CIELAB units. The two-sample

Estimating the encounter rate variance in distance sampling

USGS Publications Warehouse

Fewster, R.M.; Buckland, S.T.; Burnham, K.P.; Borchers, D.L.; Jupp, P.E.; Laake, J.L.; Thomas, L.

2009-01-01

The dominant source of variance in line transect sampling is usually the encounter rate variance. Systematic survey designs are often used to reduce the true variability among different realizations of the design, but estimating the variance is difficult and estimators typically approximate the variance by treating the design as a simple random sample of lines. We explore the properties of different encounter rate variance estimators under random and systematic designs. We show that a design-based variance estimator improves upon the model-based estimator of Buckland et al. (2001, Introduction to Distance Sampling. Oxford: Oxford University Press, p. 79) when transects are positioned at random. However, if populations exhibit strong spatial trends, both estimators can have substantial positive bias under systematic designs. We show that poststratification is effective in reducing this bias. ?? 2008, The International Biometric Society.

Thermoluminescence (TL) dosimeter of dysprosium doped strontium borate glass for different glass modifiers (Na, Li, Ca) subjected from 1 to 9 Gy doses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hamzah, S. A.; Saeed, M. A.; Wagiran, H.; Hashim, I. H.

2017-10-01

This article reports TL response for different glass modifier and doping concentration. Alkali oxides (Na2O and Li2O) and alkali earth oxide (CaO) will be used as a glass modifier for strontium borate based glass. The samples were prepared by melt quenching technique. Dy2O3 concentrations ranging from 0.00 to 0.70 mol% and exposure doses of 1 to 9 Gy will be varied. All glass samples exhibit the prominent peak temperature positioned at 186 oC to 232 oC. From all the samples, one of the samples shows an excellent linearity dose response, higher TL and show good reproducibility after 5 cycles exposure which is sodium strontium borate doped with 0.1 mol% Dy2O3 (optimum concentration).

Iron oxides in human spleen.

PubMed

Kopáni, Martin; Miglierini, Marcel; Lančok, Adriana; Dekan, Július; Čaplovicová, Mária; Jakubovský, Ján; Boča, Roman; Mrazova, Hedviga

2015-10-01

Iron is an essential element for fundamental cell functions and a catalyst for chemical reactions. Three samples extracted from the human spleen were investigated by scanning (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Mössbauer spectrometry (MS), and SQUID magnetometry. The sample with diagnosis of hemosiderosis (H) differs from that referring to hereditary spherocytosis and the reference sample. SEM reveals iron-rich micrometer-sized aggregate of various structures-tiny fibrils in hereditary spherocytosis sample and no fibrils in hemochromatosis. Hematite and magnetite particles from 2 to 6 μm in TEM with diffraction in all samples were shown. The SQUID magnetometry shows different amount of diamagnetic, paramagnetic and ferrimagnetic structures in the tissues. The MS results indicate contribution of ferromagnetically split sextets for all investigated samples. Their occurrence indicates that at least part of the sample is magnetically ordered below the critical temperature. The iron accumulation process is different in hereditary spherocytosis and hemosiderosis. This fact may be the reason of different iron crystallization.

Influence of speech sample on perceptual rating of hypernasality.

PubMed

Medeiros, Maria Natália Leite de; Fukushiro, Ana Paula; Yamashita, Renata Paciello

2016-07-07

To investigate the influence of speech sample of spontaneous conversation or sentences repetition on intra and inter-rater hypernasality reliability. One hundred and twenty audio recorded speech samples (60 containing spontaneous conversation and 60 containing repeated sentences) of individuals with repaired cleft palate±lip, both genders, aged between 6 and 52 years old (mean=21±10) were selected and edited. Three experienced speech and language pathologists rated hypernasality according to their own criteria using 4-point scale: 1=absence of hypernasality, 2=mild hypernasality, 3=moderate hypernasality and 4=severe hypernasality, first in spontaneous speech samples and 30 days after, in sentences repetition samples. Intra- and inter-rater agreements were calculated for both speech samples and were statistically compared by the Z test at a significance level of 5%. Comparison of intra-rater agreements between both speech samples showed an increase of the coefficients obtained in the analysis of sentences repetition compared to those obtained in spontaneous conversation. Comparison between inter-rater agreement showed no significant difference among the three raters for the two speech samples. Sentences repetition improved intra-raters reliability of perceptual judgment of hypernasality. However, the speech sample had no influence on reliability among different raters.

Aerial sampling using drones for measuring trace gases

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chang, Chih-Chung; Wang, Jia-Lin; Chang, Chih-Yuan; Lin, Ming-Ren; Ou-Yang, Chang-Feng; Pan, Xiang-Xu; Lin, Neng-Huei

2017-04-01

Aerial and ground-level samples were simultaneously collected at the northern tip of Taiwan, Cape Fuguei, which is commonly served as a receptor site to receive air parcels from East Asia, Asian continent, the northwest Pacific Ocean and the island of Taiwan itself. Both aerial and surface samples were analyzed for 106 volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and divided into three categories as follows: 1. the total concentrations of 106 VOC (T-VOC) at 300-m height that are lower than the T-VOC level at the surface (Category A), 2. T-VOC concentrations at 300-m that are higher than those at the surface (Category B), and 3. comparable concentrations (Category C). Ten VOCs were exploited as tracers for a variety of emission sources linking to possible sources and transport routes of airborne pollutants. The first two categories A and B showed significant differences in the observed composition and concentrations of tracers between aerial and ground-level samples, implying that the pollutants at different heights may have resulted from different sources and poor air mixing, despite only a 300-m difference in vertical height. In contrast, Category C showed good vertical mixing, as indicated by the comparable concentrations between the aerial and surface measurements. Since the three categories occurred in specific meteorological conditions (between, prior to, and after cold fronts), respectively, it suggests that varied prevailing meteorology controlled the distribution and transport of airborne pollutants. Unlike sampling commonly performed at the surface, this study uses aerial sampling to demonstrate that layered structures under different meteorological conditions. Sampling aloft in lower boundary layer avoids samples being over-influenced by the close-by surface sources such as traffic to reveal signatures of a broader region.

Detection of Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis specific IS900 insertion sequences in bulk-tank milk samples obtained from different regions throughout Switzerland

PubMed Central

Corti, Sabrina; Stephan, Roger

2002-01-01

Background Since Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP) was isolated from intestinal tissue of a human patient suffering Crohn's disease, a controversial discussion exists whether MAP have a role in the etiology of Crohn's disease or not. Raw milk may be a potential vehicle for the transmission of MAP to human population. In a previous paper, we have demonstrated that MAP are found in raw milk samples obtained from a defined region in Switzerland. The aim of this work is to collect data about the prevalence of MAP specific IS900 insertion sequence in bulk-tank milk samples in different regions of Switzerland. Furthermore, we examined eventual correlation between the presence of MAP and the somatic cell counts, the total colony counts and the presence of Enterobacteriaceae. Results 273 (19.7%) of the 1384 examined bulk-tank milk samples tested IS900 PCR-positive. The prevalence, however, in the different regions of Switzerland shows significant differences and ranged from 1.7% to 49.2%. Furthermore, there were no statistically significant (p >> 0.05) differences between the somatic cell counts and the total colony counts of PCR-positive and PCR-negative milk samples. Enterobacteriaceae occur as often in IS900 PCR-positive as in PCR-negative milk samples. Conclusion This is the first study, which investigates the prevalence of MAP in bulk-tank milk samples all over Switzerland and infers the herd-level prevalence of MAP infection in dairy herds. The prevalence of 19.7% IS900 PCR-positive bulk-milk samples shows a wide distribution of subclinical MAP-infections in dairy stock in Switzerland. MAP can therefore often be transmitted to humans by raw milk consumption. PMID:12097144

[Research on Time-frequency Characteristics of Magneto-acoustic Signal of Different Thickness Medium Based on Wave Summing Method].

PubMed

Zhang, Shunqi; Yin, Tao; Ma, Ren; Liu, Zhipeng

2015-08-01

Functional imaging method of biological electrical characteristics based on magneto-acoustic effect gives valuable information of tissue in early tumor diagnosis, therein time and frequency characteristics analysis of magneto-acoustic signal is important in image reconstruction. This paper proposes wave summing method based on Green function solution for acoustic source of magneto-acoustic effect. Simulations and analysis under quasi 1D transmission condition are carried out to time and frequency characteristics of magneto-acoustic signal of models with different thickness. Simulation results of magneto-acoustic signal were verified through experiments. Results of the simulation with different thickness showed that time-frequency characteristics of magneto-acoustic signal reflected thickness of sample. Thin sample, which is less than one wavelength of pulse, and thick sample, which is larger than one wavelength, showed different summed waveform and frequency characteristics, due to difference of summing thickness. Experimental results verified theoretical analysis and simulation results. This research has laid a foundation for acoustic source and conductivity reconstruction to the medium with different thickness in magneto-acoustic imaging.

[Bacteriological quality of traditional, organic and hydroponic cultured lettuce in Costa Rica].

PubMed

Monge, Claudio; Chaves, Carolina; Arias, María Laura

2011-03-01

The main objective of this work was to evaluate the microbiological quality of lettuces commercialized in the Metropolitan Area of San José, Costa Rica, and cultured in different ways, in order to detect differences between the culturing methods and the risk that these products may represent for Public Health. The study was done at the Food Microbiology Laboratory, Universidad de Costa Rica, from March to July, 2010. 30 lettuce samples were analyzed (10 obtained by traditional culture, 10 by organic culture and 10 by hydropony). All samples were obtained from markets where their origin was certified. Total aerobic plate count, total and fecal coliforms count and Escherichia coli were determined to all samples, as well as the presence/abscense of Salmonella spp. and Listeria monocytogenes in 25 g. Results obtained show that there is no statistically significant difference (p < 0.001) between the different types of cultures analyzed for any of the parameters evaluated. An important percentage of the samples presented coliforms, nevertheless, just one E. coli strain was isolated from a traditionally cultured lettuce sample. Four different Salmonella spp. strains were isolated from the samples as well as one Listeria monocytogenes strain. Data obtained show that the consumption of this product, raw or without an adequate hygiene and disinfection may represent a risk for health. Also, from the bacteriological point of view, there is no significant difference between the culturing methods evaluated, suggesting that the specific directions for each type of culture are not followed or that there is an inadequate handling of the products or post harvest contamination.

Is a pre-analytical process for urinalysis required?

PubMed

Petit, Morgane; Beaudeux, Jean-Louis; Majoux, Sandrine; Hennequin, Carole

2017-10-01

For the reliable urinary measurement of calcium, phosphate and uric acid, a pre-analytical process by adding acid or base to urine samples at laboratory is recommended in order to dissolve precipitated solutes. Several studies on different kind of samples and analysers have previously shown that a such pre-analytical treatment is useless. The objective was to study the necessity of pre-analytical treatment of urine on samples collected using the V-Monovette ® (Sarstedt) system and measured on the analyser Architect C16000 (Abbott Diagnostics). Sixty urinary samples of hospitalized patients were selected (n=30 for calcium and phosphate, and n=30 for uric acid). After acidification of urine samples for measurement of calcium and phosphate, and alkalinisation for measurement of uric acid respectively, differences between results before and after the pre-analytical treatment were compared to acceptable limits recommended by the French society of clinical biology (SFBC). No difference in concentration between before and after pre-analytical treatment of urine samples exceeded acceptable limits from SFBC for measurement of calcium and uric acid. For phosphate, only one sample exceeded these acceptable limits, showing a result paradoxically lower after acidification. In conclusion, in agreement with previous study, our results show that acidification or alkalinisation of urine samples from 24 h urines or from urination is not a pre-analytical necessity for measurement of calcium, phosphate and uric acid.

Is there an association between the level of grandiose narcissism severity of psychopathology?

PubMed

Olssøn, Ingrid; Svindseth, Marit F; Dahl, Alv A

2016-01-01

Narcissism is a personality trait associated with both psychological health and resilience as well as with aggression and interpersonal problems. This study compares levels of total narcissism and subscale scores in inpatients, outpatients and a community sample. Inpatients (N = 186) were recruited from consecutively admitted patients to two closed units, and the outpatient group (N = 144) consisted of patients attending a psychiatric outpatient clinic. The patients and a normative community sample (N = 437) all filled in the Narcissistic Personality Inventory questionnaire (NPI-29). The NPI total and subscales scores showed considerable gender differences. Among men only the Uniqueness/Entitlement subscale showed significant group differences, with inpatients showing higher mean score than the two other groups. Among women three factors, Leadership/Power, Superiority/Arrogance, and Uniqueness/ Entitlement, showed significant differences between the different levels of psychopathology. The outpatient female group regularly had the lowest group mean scores. The NPI-29 scores of the normative group showed weak internal consistencies. Our hypothesis of a significant association between mean levels of total narcissism and subscale scores and severity of psychopathology was not supported.

The effect of different chemical agents on human enamel: an atomic force and scanning electron microscopy study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rominu, Roxana O.; Rominu, Mihai; Negrutiu, Meda Lavinia; Sinescu, Cosmin; Pop, Daniela; Petrescu, Emanuela

2010-12-01

PURPOSE: The goal of our study was to investigate the changes in enamel surface roughess induced by the application of different chemical substances by atomic force microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. METHOD: Five sound human first upper premolar teeth were chosen for the study. The buccal surface of each tooth was treated with a different chemical agent as follows: Sample 1 - 38% phosphoric acid etching (30s) , sample 2 - no surface treatment (control sample), 3 - bleaching with 37.5 % hydrogen peroxide (according to the manufacturer's instructions), 4 - conditioning with a self-etching primer (15 s), 5 - 9.6 % hydrofluoric acid etching (30s). All samples were investigated by atomic force microscopy in a non-contact mode and by scanning electron microscopy. Several images were obtained for each sample, showing evident differences regarding enamel surface morphology. The mean surface roughness and the mean square roughness were calculated and compared. RESULTS: All chemical substances led to an increased surface roughness. Phosphoric acid led to the highest roughness while the control sample showed the lowest. Hydrofluoric acid also led to an increase in surface roughness but its effects have yet to be investigated due to its potential toxicity. CONCLUSIONS: By treating the human enamel with the above mentioned chemical compounds a negative microretentive surface is obtained, with a morphology depending on the applied substance.

How beta diversity and the underlying causes vary with sampling scales in the Changbai mountain forests.

PubMed

Tan, Lingzhao; Fan, Chunyu; Zhang, Chunyu; von Gadow, Klaus; Fan, Xiuhua

2017-12-01

This study aims to establish a relationship between the sampling scale and tree species beta diversity temperate forests and to identify the underlying causes of beta diversity at different sampling scales. The data were obtained from three large observational study areas in the Changbai mountain region in northeastern China. All trees with a dbh ≥1 cm were stem-mapped and measured. The beta diversity was calculated for four different grain sizes, and the associated variances were partitioned into components explained by environmental and spatial variables to determine the contributions of environmental filtering and dispersal limitation to beta diversity. The results showed that both beta diversity and the causes of beta diversity were dependent on the sampling scale. Beta diversity decreased with increasing scales. The best-explained beta diversity variation was up to about 60% which was discovered in the secondary conifer and broad-leaved mixed forest (CBF) study area at the 40 × 40 m scale. The variation partitioning result indicated that environmental filtering showed greater effects at bigger grain sizes, while dispersal limitation was found to be more important at smaller grain sizes. What is more, the result showed an increasing explanatory ability of environmental effects with increasing sampling grains but no clearly trend of spatial effects. The study emphasized that the underlying causes of beta diversity variation may be quite different within the same region depending on varying sampling scales. Therefore, scale effects should be taken into account in future studies on beta diversity, which is critical in identifying different relative importance of spatial and environmental drivers on species composition variation.

[Identification of Dendrobium varieties by infrared spectroscopy].

PubMed

Liu, Fei; Wang, Yuan-Zhong; Yang, Chun-Yan; Jin, Hang

2014-11-01

The difference of Dendrobium varieties were analyzed by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The infrared spectra of 206 stems from 30 Dendrobium varieties were obtained, and showed that polysaccharides, especially fiber, were the main components in Dendrobium plants. FTIR combined with Wilks' Lambda stepwise discriminative analysis was used to identify Dendrobium varieties. The effects of spectral range and number of training samples on the discrimination results were also analysed. Two hundred eighty seven variables in the spectral range of 1 800-1 250 cm(-1) were studied, and showed that the return discrimination is 100% correct when the training samples number of each species was 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6, respectively, whereas for the remaining samples the correct rates of identification were equal to 79.4%, 91.3%, 93.0%, 98.2%, and 100%, respectively. The same discriminative analyses on five different training samples in the spectral range of 1 800-1 500, 1 500-1 250, 1 250-600, 1 250-950 and 950-650 cm(-1) were compared, which showed that the variables in the range of 1 800-1 250, 1 800-1 500 and 950-600 cm(-1) were more suitable for variety identification, and one can obtain the satisfactory result for discriminative analysis when the training sample is more than 3. Our results indicate that FTIR combined with stepwise discriminative analysis is an effective way to distinguish different Dendrobium varieties.

Organic SIMS: the influence of time on the ion yield enhancement by silver and gold deposition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adriaensen, L.; Vangaever, F.; Gijbels, R.

2004-06-01

A series of organic dyes and pharmaceuticals was used to study the secondary ion yield enhancement by metal deposition. The molecules were dissolved in methanol and spincasted on silicon substrates. Subsequently, silver or gold was evaporated on the samples to produce a very thin coating. The coated samples, when measured with TOF-SIMS, showed a considerable increase in characteristic secondary ion intensity. Gold-evaporated samples appear to exhibit the highest signal enhancement. These observations apply to organic samples in general, an advantage that allows to use the technique of metal deposition on real-world samples. However, the observed signal increase does not occur at any given moment. The time between metal deposition on the sample surface and the measuring of the sample with TOF-SIMS appears to have an important influence on the enhancement of the secondary ion intensities. In consideration of these observations several experiments were carried out, in which the spincasted samples were measured at different times after sample preparation, i.e., after gold or silver was deposited on the sample surface. The results show that, depending on the sample and the metal deposited, the secondary ion signals reach their maximum at different times. Further study will be necessary to detect the mechanism responsible for the observed enhancement effect.

Effect of different pH solvents on micro-hardness and surface topography of dental nano-composite: An in vitro analysis

PubMed Central

Khan, Aftab Ahmed; Siddiqui, Adel Zia; Al-Kheraif, Abdulaziz A; Zahid, Ambreen; Divakar, Darshan Devang

2015-01-01

Objective: Erosion of tooth surface is attributed to recent shift in diet pattern and frequent use of beverages. The aim of this research was to evaluate the effects of different beverages on surface topography and hardness of nano-filled composite material. Methods: Sixty flat disc shaped resin composite samples were fabricated and placed in distilled water for 24 hours. After 24 hours test samples were dried and divided into 4 groups. Group A (n=15) specimens were placed in tight amber bottle comprising 25 ml of artificial saliva. Similarly Group B, C and D were stored in equal amounts of orange juice, milk and coca cola drink respectively. Samples were checked for hardness and surface changes were evaluated with scanning electron microscopy. Results: There were strong significant difference observed in samples immersed in orange juice and artificial saliva. A strong significant difference was seen between Group D and Group A. Group A and Group C showed no significant difference. The micro-hardness test showed reduced values among all samples. Conclusion: Beverages consumed daily have a negative influence on hardness and surface degradation of nano-filled dental composite. Comparatively, nano-filled composites possess higher surface area to volume ratio of their fillers particle size may lead to higher surface roughness than other resin based dental biomaterials. PMID:26430417

Difference in drug resistance patterns between minor HIV-1 populations in cerebrospinal fluid and plasma.

PubMed

Bergroth, T; Ekici, H; Gisslén, M; Hagberg, L; Sönnerborg, A

2009-02-01

The aim of the study was to determine to what extent unique drug resistance patterns appear in minor and major HIV-1 quasispecies in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) as compared with blood. Forty-four plasma and CSF samples from 13 multi-treatment-experienced patients, seven of whom provided longitudinal samples, were included in the study. The subjects had failed antiretroviral therapy including lamivudine. The reverse transcriptase (RT) gene was examined by selective real-time polymerase chain reaction (SPCR), which can detect M184I/V mutants down to 0.2% of the viral population. SPCR revealed differences at amino acid position 184 in the plasma/CSF populations in 12 paired samples from eight patients. One plasma sample was positive by SPCR where direct sequencing showed wild-type M184. The other 11 paired samples showed quantitative differences in the mixed populations of the mutant or wild-type M184 quasispecies. Differences in other resistance-associated mutations between plasma and CSF viruses were also found by direct sequencing. In multi-treatment-experienced patients with therapy failure, differences in drug resistance patterns were found frequently between plasma and CSF in both minor and major viral populations. To what extent this was a true biological phenomenon remains to be established, and the clinical relevance of these findings is yet to be determined.

Molecular and structural characteristics in toxic algae cultures of Ostreopsis ovata and Ostreopsis spp. evidenced by FTIR and FTNIR spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mecozzi, Mauro; Pietroletti, Marco; Tornambè, Andrea

2011-05-01

In this article we investigated the compositional and structural characteristics of the principal biomolecules such as carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, nucleic acids and chlorophyll pigments present in biofilm cultures of Ostreopsis spp. and in batch cultures of Ostreopsis ovata. Our approach based on the use of infrared (FTIR) and near infrared (FTNIR) spectroscopy showed the marked differences existing between biofilm cultures and batch cultures. FTIR spectroscopy showed the higher contents of polysaccharides and chlorophyll pigments in O. ovata from batch cultures with respect to Ostreopsis spp. Second derivative FTIR spectroscopy showed different features concerning the secondary structure of proteins because in O. ovata samples the beta sheet and beta turn structures were observed whereas in Ostreopsis spp. samples the alpha helix structure was the most evident. FTNIR spectroscopy showed other structural differences observed existing between O. ovata and Ostreopsis spp. mainly related to hydrogen bond interactions determining more packed structures in the nucleus of O. ovata. In addition, the interpretation of FTIR and FTNIR spectral information was also supported by the application of two statistical methods, the independent component analysis (ICA) and the spectral cross correlation analysis (SCCA). ICA was used as spectral deconvolution technique to separate the effects of the interference bicarbonate ion from algal FTIR spectra so to verify the high similar qualitative composition of the three biofilm samples of Ostreopsis spp. At last, SCCA applied to FTIR and FTNIR spectra was useful to evidence some structural differences involving -CH and CH 2 groups of aliphatic chains in O. ovata and Ostreopsis spp. samples. Though preliminary, these results agree with some previous studies suggesting that the presence of different ecophysiological characteristics in O. ovata and Ostreopsis spp. depending on the parameters related to the condition growth.

Surface passivation and aging of InGaAs/InP heterojunction phototransistors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Park, Min-Su; Razaei, Mohsen; Barnhart, Katie; Tan, Chee Leong; Mohseni, Hooman

2017-06-01

We report the effect of different surface treatment and passivation techniques on the stability of InGaAs/InP heterojunction phototransistors (HPTs). An In0.53Ga0.47As surface passivated with aqueous ammonium sulfide ((NH4)2S), aluminum oxide (Al2O3) grown by atomic layer deposition (ALD), and their combination is evaluated by using Raman spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). All samples were kept in the air ambient, and their performances were periodically measured to investigate their long-term stability. Raman spectroscopy revealed that the peak intensity of the GaAs-like longitudinal optical phonon of all passivated samples is decreased compared with that of the control sample. This is attributable to the diminution of the carriers near the passivated surfaces, which was proven by extracted surface potential (Vs). The Vs of all passivated samples was decreased to less than half of that for the control sample. XPS evaluation of As3d spectra showed that arsenic oxides (As2O3 and As2O5) on the surfaces of the samples can be removed by passivation. However, both Raman and XPS spectra show that the (NH4)2S passivated sample reverts back over time and will resemble the untreated control sample. When capped with ALD-grown Al2O3, passivated samples irrespective of the pretreatment show no degradation over the measured time of 4 weeks. Similar conclusions are made from our experimental measurement of the performance of differently passivated HPTs. The ALD-grown Al2O3 passivated devices show an improved optical gain at low optical powers and long-term stability.

Estimating the circuit delay of FPGA with a transfer learning method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cui, Xiuhai; Liu, Datong; Peng, Yu; Peng, Xiyuan

2017-10-01

With the increase of FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array, FPGA) functionality, FPGA has become an on-chip system platform. Due to increase the complexity of FPGA, estimating the delay of FPGA is a very challenge work. To solve the problems, we propose a transfer learning estimation delay (TLED) method to simplify the delay estimation of different speed grade FPGA. In fact, the same style different speed grade FPGA comes from the same process and layout. The delay has some correlation among different speed grade FPGA. Therefore, one kind of speed grade FPGA is chosen as a basic training sample in this paper. Other training samples of different speed grade can get from the basic training samples through of transfer learning. At the same time, we also select a few target FPGA samples as training samples. A general predictive model is trained by these samples. Thus one kind of estimation model is used to estimate different speed grade FPGA circuit delay. The framework of TRED includes three phases: 1) Building a basic circuit delay library which includes multipliers, adders, shifters, and so on. These circuits are used to train and build the predictive model. 2) By contrasting experiments among different algorithms, the forest random algorithm is selected to train predictive model. 3) The target circuit delay is predicted by the predictive model. The Artix-7, Kintex-7, and Virtex-7 are selected to do experiments. Each of them includes -1, -2, -2l, and -3 different speed grade. The experiments show the delay estimation accuracy score is more than 92% with the TLED method. This result shows that the TLED method is a feasible delay assessment method, especially in the high-level synthesis stage of FPGA tool, which is an efficient and effective delay assessment method.

Variation in Major Depressive Disorder Onset by Place of Origin Among U.S. Latinos.

PubMed

Lee, Sungkyu; Park, Yangjin

2017-09-01

Using a nationally representative sample of 2514 U.S. Latinos, this study examined the extent to which major depressive disorder (MDD) onset differs by place of origin and the factors associated with it. The Kaplan-Meier method estimated the survival and hazard functions for MDD onset by place of origin, and Cox proportional hazards models identified its associative factors. Approximately 13% of the sample had experienced MDD in their lifetimes. Cuban respondents showed the highest survival function, while Puerto Ricans showed the lowest. With the entire sample, the smoothed hazard function showed that the risk of MDD onset peaked in the late 20s and early 80s. Puerto Rican respondents showed the highest risk of MDD during their 20s and 30s, whereas Cuban respondents showed a relatively stable pattern over time. The results from the Cox proportional hazards model indicated that age, sex, and marital status were significantly related to MDD onset (p < .05). In addition, the effect of U.S.-born status on MDD onset was greater among Mexican respondents than among Puerto Ricans. Findings from the present study demonstrate that different Latino subgroups experience different and unique patterns of MDD onset over time. Future research should account for the role of immigration status in examining MDD onset.

Effect of blanching treatments on antioxidant activity of frozen green capsicum (Capsicum annuum L. var bell pepper) using radical scavenging activity (DPPH) assay

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Azizzuddin, Norafida; Abdullah, Aminah

2016-11-01

Blanching treatments are needed to deactivate enzymes in frozen vegetables. Antioxidant activity using DPPH radical scavenging activity assay were evaluated in steaming, boiling water, and microwave blanching at different temperature, time and microwave power level on frozen green capsicum. Green capsicum was chosen for frozen treatment compared to other capsicum with different maturity index because of the firm texture. The objective of this study was to compare the antioxidant activity of frozen green capsicum between conventional and Oxi Count Kit® assay for DPPH radical scavenging activity. Results showed frozen green capsicum blanched using microwave at high level/90 seconds (sample J) contained higher level of DPPH in both conventional method and Oxi Count Kit® compared to other treatments. However, there were no significant differences between sample J and fresh sample (sample A). Overall, the sequences from highest to lowest in blanching treatments for both DPPH conventional method, and DPPH Oxi Count Kit® were J (microwave high level/90 seconds) > A (Fresh) > H (Microwave Medium Level/120 seconds) > D (Boiling Water 80°C/150 seconds) > K (Microwave High Level/120 seconds) > I (Microwave Medium Level/150 seconds) > F (Microwave Low Level/150 seconds)> B (Steam 100°C/150 seconds) > E (Boiling Water 100°C /120 seconds) > G (Microwave Low Level /180 seconds)> C (Steam 100°C/180 seconds). Almost all frozen green capsicum samples showed no significant differences for comparison between test using DPPH conventional method and Oxi Count Kit®. Frozen storage for 0, and 3rd months showed no significant differences which indicate no changes on antioxidant activity during frozen storage at -18°C.

The Study of Fingerprint Characteristics of Dayi Pu-Erh Tea Using a Fully Automatic HS-SPME/GC–MS and Combined Chemometrics Method

PubMed Central

Lv, Shidong; Wu, Yuanshuang; Zhou, Jiangsheng; Lian, Ming; Li, Changwen; Xu, Yongquan; Liu, Shunhang; Wang, Chao; Meng, Qingxiong

2014-01-01

The quality of tea is presently evaluated by the sensory assessment of professional tea tasters, however, this approach is both inconsistent and inaccurate. A more standardized and efficient method is urgently needed to objectively evaluate tea quality. In this study, the chemical fingerprint of 7 different Dayi Pu-erh tea brands and 3 different Ya'an tea brands on the market were analyzed using fully automatic headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) combined with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC–MS). A total of 78 volatiles were separated, among 75 volatiles were identified by GC–MS in seven Dayi Pu-erh teas, and the major chemical components included methoxyphenolic compounds, hydrocarbons, and alcohol compounds, such as 1,2,3-trimethoxybenzene, 1,2,4-trimethoxybenzene, 2,6,10,14-tetramethyl-pentadecane, linalool and its oxides, α-terpineol, and phytol. The overlapping ratio of peaks (ORP) of the chromatogram in the seven Dayi Pu-erh tea samples was greater than 89.55%, whereas the ORP of Ya'an tea samples was less than 79.10%. The similarity and differences of the Dayi Pu-erh tea samples were also characterized using correlation coefficient similarity and principal component analysis (PCA). The results showed that the correlation coefficient of similarity of the seven Dayi Pu-erh tea samples was greater than 0.820 and was gathered in a specific area, which showed that samples from different brands were basically the same, despite have some slightly differences of chemical indexes was found. These results showed that the GC-MS fingerprint combined with the PCA approach can be used as an effective tool for the quality assessment and control of Pu-erh tea. PMID:25551231

Effect of Different Parts (Leaf, Stem and Stalk) and Seasons (Summer and Winter) on the Chemical Compositions and Antioxidant Activity of Moringa oleifera

PubMed Central

Shih, Ming-Chih; Chang, Cheng-Ming; Kang, Sue-Ming; Tsai, Min-Lang

2011-01-01

Moringa oleifera, Lam. (Moringaceae) is grown world-wide in the tropics and sub-tropics of Asia and Africa and contains abundant various nutrients. This study describes the effect of different parts (leaf, stem and stalk) and seasons (summer and winter) on the chemical compositions and antioxidant activity of M. oleifera grown in Taiwan. The results showed that the winter samples of Moringa had higher ash (except the stalk part), calcium and phenolic compounds (except the leaf part) and stronger antioxidative activity than summer samples. The methanolic extract of Moringa showed strong scavenging effect of DPPH radicals and reducing power. The trend of antioxidative activity as a function of the part of Moringa was: leaf > stem > stalk for samples from both seasons investigated. The Moringa extract showed strong hydrogen peroxide scavenging activity and high Superoxide Dismutase (SOD) activity except the stalk part. PMID:22016645

Urine melanin test

MedlinePlus

Thormahlen's test; Melanin - urine ... A clean-catch urine sample is needed. ... this substance that it shows up in the urine. ... Normally, melanin is not present in urine. Normal value ranges may ... measurements or test different samples. Talk to your health ...

OSL technique for studies of jasper samples

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Teixeira, Maria Inês; Caldas, Linda V. E.

2014-02-01

Jasper samples (green, red, brown, ocean and striped) were studied in relation to their optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dosimetric properties, in this work. Since 2000, the radiation metrology group of IPEN has studied different stones as new materials for application in high-dose dosimetry. The jasper samples were exposed to different radiation doses, using the Gamma-cell 220 system (60Co) of IPEN. Calibration curves were obtained for the jasper samples between 50 Gy and 300 kGy. The reproducibility of the OSL response and the lower detection doses were determined. All five types of jasper samples showed their usefulness as irradiation indicators and as high-dose dosimeters, using the OSL technique.

Concentrated ERP Delivered in a Group Setting: A Replication Study.

PubMed

Havnen, Audun; Hansen, Bjarne; Öst, Lars-Göran; Kvale, Gerd

2017-09-01

In a previous effectiveness study (Havnen et al., 2014), 35 obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) patients underwent Concentrated Exposure Treatment (cET), which is a newly developed group treatment format delivered over four consecutive days. The primary aims of the present study were to evaluate the treatment results for a new sample of OCD patients receiving the cET treatment approach and to replicate the effectiveness study described in Havnen et al. (2014). Forty-two OCD patients underwent cET treatment. Treatment was delivered by different therapists than in Havnen et al. (2014), except for two groups led by the developers of the treatment. Assessments of OCD symptom severity, treatment satisfaction, and occupational impairment were included. The results showed a significant reduction in Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale scores from pre-treatment to post-treatment, which was maintained at 6-month follow-up. At post-treatment, 74% of the sample was remitted; at 6-month follow-up, 60% were recovered. The sample showed a very high degree of overall treatment satisfaction. The results from the present study were statistically compared with those obtained in the previous study. The analyses showed that the study samples had comparable demographic data and equal application of treatment. The outcome of the present and original study did not differ significantly on primary and secondary outcome measures. This study shows that cET was successfully replicated in a new patient sample treated by different therapists than the original study. The results indicate that cET is well accepted by the patients, and the potential for dissemination is discussed.

How to Be Proactive About Interference: Lessons From Animal Memory

PubMed Central

Wright, Anthony A.; Katz, Jeffrey S.; Ma, Wei Ji

2015-01-01

Processes of proactive interference were explored using the pigeon as a model system of memory. This study shows that proactive interference extends back in time at least 16 trials (and as many minutes), revealing a continuum of interference and providing a framework for studying memory. Pigeons were tested in a delayed same/different task containing trial-unique pictures. On interference trials, sample pictures from previous trials reappeared as test pictures on different trials. Proactive-interference functions showed greatest interference from the most recent trial and with the longer of two delays (10 s vs. 1 s). These interference functions are accounted for by a time-estimation model based on signal detection theory. The model predicts that accuracy at test is determined solely by the ratio of the elapsed time since the offset of the current-trial sample to the elapsed time since the offset of the interfering sample. Implications for comparing memory of different species and different types of memory (e.g., familiarity vs. recollection) are discussed. PMID:22491142

How to be proactive about interference: lessons from animal memory.

PubMed

Wright, Anthony A; Katz, Jeffrey S; Ma, Wei Ji

2012-05-01

Processes of proactive interference were explored using the pigeon as a model system of memory. This study shows that proactive interference extends back in time at least 16 trials (and as many minutes), revealing a continuum of interference and providing a framework for studying memory. Pigeons were tested in a delayed same/different task containing trial-unique pictures. On interference trials, sample pictures from previous trials reappeared as test pictures on different trials. Proactive-interference functions showed greatest interference from the most recent trial and with the longer of two delays (10 s vs. 1 s). These interference functions are accounted for by a time-estimation model based on signal detection theory. The model predicts that accuracy at test is determined solely by the ratio of the elapsed time since the offset of the current-trial sample to the elapsed time since the offset of the interfering sample. Implications for comparing memory of different species and different types of memory (e.g., familiarity vs. recollection) are discussed.

Influence of Different Aluminum Sources on the NH3 Gas-Sensing Properties of ZnO Thin Films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ozutok, Fatma; Karaduman, Irmak; Demiri, Sani; Acar, Selim

2018-02-01

Herein we report Al-doped ZnO films (AZO) deposited on the ZnO seed layer by chemical bath deposition method. Al powder, Al oxide and Al chloride were used as sources for the deposition process and investigated for their different effects on the NH3 gas-sensing performance. The morphological and microstructural properties were investigated by employing x-ray powder diffraction, scanning electron microscopy analysis and energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy. The characterization studies showed that the AZO thin films are crystalline and exhibit a hexagonal wurtzite structure. Ammonia (NH3) gas-sensing measurements of AZO films were performed at different concentration levels and different operation temperatures from 50°C to 210°C. The sample based on powder-Al source showed a higher response, selectivity and short response/recovery time than the remaining samples. The powder Al sample exhibited 33% response to 10-ppm ammonia gas at 190°C, confirming a strong dependence on the dopant source type.

Impacts of road salts on leaching behavior of lead contaminated soil.

PubMed

Wu, Jingjing; Kim, Hwidong

2017-02-15

Research was conducted to explore the effects of road salts on lead leaching from lead contaminated soil samples that were collected in an old residence area in Erie, PA. The synthetic precipitate leaching procedure (SPLP) test was employed to evaluate lead leaching from one of the lead contaminated soils in the presence of various levels of road salts (5%, 10%, 20%, 30% and 40%). The results of the leaching test showed that lead leaching dramatically increased as the road salt content increased as a result of the formation of lead-chloride complexes, but different lead leaching patterns were observed in the presence of NaCl- and CaCl 2 -based road salts at a high content of road salts (>20%). Additional leaching tests that include 30% road salts and different soil samples showed a variety of leaching patterns by soil samples. The sequential extraction of each soil sample showed that a high fraction of organic matter bound lead was associated with lead contamination. The higher the fraction of organic matter bound lead contained in soil, the greater the effects of calcium on reducing lead leaching, observations showed. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Hyperspectral Imaging and K-Means Classification for Histologic Evaluation of Ductal Carcinoma In Situ.

PubMed

Khouj, Yasser; Dawson, Jeremy; Coad, James; Vona-Davis, Linda

2018-01-01

Hyperspectral imaging (HSI) is a non-invasive optical imaging modality that shows the potential to aid pathologists in breast cancer diagnoses cases. In this study, breast cancer tissues from different patients were imaged by a hyperspectral system to detect spectral differences between normal and breast cancer tissues. Tissue samples mounted on slides were identified from 10 different patients. Samples from each patient included both normal and ductal carcinoma tissue, both stained with hematoxylin and eosin stain and unstained. Slides were imaged using a snapshot HSI system, and the spectral reflectance differences were evaluated. Analysis of the spectral reflectance values indicated that wavelengths near 550 nm showed the best differentiation between tissue types. This information was used to train image processing algorithms using supervised and unsupervised data. The K-means method was applied to the hyperspectral data cubes, and successfully detected spectral tissue differences with sensitivity of 85.45%, and specificity of 94.64% with true negative rate of 95.8%, and false positive rate of 4.2%. These results were verified by ground-truth marking of the tissue samples by a pathologist. In the hyperspectral image analysis, the image processing algorithm, K-means, shows the greatest potential for building a semi-automated system that could identify and sort between normal and ductal carcinoma in situ tissues.

Evaluation of the LIA-ANA-Profile-17S for the detection of autoantibodies to nuclear antigens.

PubMed

Yi, Ahram; Lee, Chang-Hoon; Moon, Hee-Won; Kim, Hanah; Hur, Mina; Yun, Yeo-Min

2018-05-01

The diagnostic tests for autoimmune disease include screening for autoantibodies for nuclear antigens (ANA) and antibodies against extractable nuclear antigens (ENA). Using the line immunoassay (LIA) method, various kinds of ENA antibodies can be detected simultaneously. We evaluated the performance of the newly launched LIA-ANA-Profile-17S (Shenzhen YHLO Biotech, Shenzhen, China) as compared to a conventional LIA kit. Residual samples were collected from 200 patients who had been tested for ANA using indirect immunofluorescence. The LIA-ANA-Profile-17S was compared to the EuroLine ANA (Euroimmun, Oberlausitz, Germany) for the analysis of 17 different autoantibodies. The concordance rate and agreement between assays were determined. Samples showing discrepancies between the LIA-ANA-Profile-17S and EuroLine tests were further examined through additional analysis. The overall agreement was moderate (kappa = 0.759, 95% CI = 0.712-0.805). Agreement between assays ranged from weak to almost perfect, except for those tests targeting nucleosomes, histones, and PM-Scl. Of the 57 disparate results between LIA-ANA-Profile-17S and EuroLine, 38 (66.7%) samples tested positive under an additional assay, showing variable patterns between types of autoantibodies. The positive rate of each autoantibody between LIA-ANA-Profile-17S and EuroLine did not differ significantly, except for anti-nucleosome and anti-histone assays in samples from patients diagnosed with systemic lupus erythematosus (P = 0.004 and 0.001, respectively). Compared to those from the conventional EuroLine assay, the LIA-ANA-Profile-17S results showed variable agreement in samples showing different prevalence of each autoantibody. The most frequently detected antibodies showed almost perfect agreement. The LIA-ANA-Profile-17S could play a role in the diagnosis of systemic autoimmune disease in ANA-positive samples. Copyright © 2018 The Canadian Society of Clinical Chemists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Photometric properties of Mars soils analogs

USGS Publications Warehouse

Pommerol, A.; Thomas, N.; Jost, B.; Beck, P.; Okubo, C.; McEwen, A.S.

2013-01-01

We have measured the bidirectional reflectance of analogs of dry, wet, and frozen Martian soils over a wide range of phase angles in the visible spectral range. All samples were produced from two geologic samples: the standard JSC Mars-1 soil simulant and Hawaiian basaltic sand. In a first step, experiments were conducted with the dry samples to investigate the effects of surface texture. Comparisons with results independently obtained by different teams with similar samples showed a satisfying reproducibility of the photometric measurements as well as a noticeable influence of surface textures resulting from different sample preparation procedures. In a second step, water was introduced to produce wet and frozen samples and their photometry investigated. Optical microscope images of the samples provided information about their microtexture. Liquid water, even in relatively low amount, resulted in the disappearance of the backscattering peak and the appearance of a forward-scattering peak whose intensity increases with the amount of water. Specular reflections only appeared when water was present in an amount large enough to allow water to form a film at the surface of the sample. Icy samples showed a wide variability of photometric properties depending on the physical properties of the water ice. We discuss the implications of these measurements in terms of the expected photometric behavior of the Martian surface, from equatorial to circum-polar regions. In particular, we propose some simple photometric criteria to improve the identification of wet and/or icy soils from multiple observations under different geometries.

Effect of method of crystallization on the IV-III and IV-II polymorphic transitions of ammonium nitrate.

PubMed

Vargeese, Anuj A; Joshi, Satyawati S; Krishnamurthy, V N

2009-01-15

A study has been undertaken on the effect of crystallization method on the IV<-->III transition of ammonium nitrate (AN). AN is crystallized in three different ways, viz. recrystallization, evaporative crystallization and melt crystallization. When the samples were crystallized from saturated aqueous solution, ideal crystals were formed, which behaved differently from the crystals formed from the other methods. The DTA examination of the crystals showed that the crystals have different transition behaviour. The moisture uptake of the samples determined were found to have influenced by the mode of crystallization. The samples were further analyzed by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The present study showed that the parameters like thermal history, number of previous transformations and moisture content have a very negligible influence on the IV<-->III transition of AN as compared to the method of crystallization.

A doping dependent study of interplay between magnetic and superconducting properties in BaFe2-x Co x As2 single crystals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bag, Biplab; Shaw, Gorky; Banerjee, S. S.; Vinod, K.; Bharathi, A.

2018-03-01

We show strong interplay between magnetic and superconducting order in three BaFe2-xCoxAs2 single crystals with different x. Our study reveals the presence of magnetic fluctuations with superconducting order in our samples and the strength of the magnetic fluctuations as well as the pinning properties are found to be the strongest for the optimally doped sample and weakest for the overdoped sample. Using local magnetization measurements, we show that application of an external magnetic field in our samples suppresses the magnetic fluctuations and enhances the diamagnetic response. Further, we show presence of unusual superconducting fluctuations above T c in our samples which we find strongly depends on the strength of the magnetic fluctuations. We believe that our data suggest the possible role of magnetic fluctuations in mediating superconducting fluctuations above Tc in our samples.

Soil microbial abundance, activity and diversity response in two different altitude-adapted plant communities affected by wildfire in Sierra Nevada National Park (Granada, Spain)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bárcenas-Moreno, Gema; Zavala, Lorena; Jordan, Antonio; Bååth, Erland; Mataix-Beneyto, Jorge

2013-04-01

Plant communities can play an important role in fire severity and post-fire ecosystem recovery due to their role as combustible and different plant-soil microorganisms interactions. Possible differences induced by plant and microorganisms response after fire could affect the general ecosystem short and long-term response and its sustainability. The main objective of this work was the evaluation of the effect of wildfire on soil microbial abundance, activity and diversity in two different plant communities associated to different altitudes in Sierra Nevada National Park (Granada, Spain). Samples were collected in two areas located on the Sierra Nevada Mountain between 1700 and 2000 m above sea level which were affected by a large wildfire in 2005. Two samplings were carried out 8 and 20 months after fire and samples were collected in both burned and unburned (control) zones in each plant community area. Area A is located at 1700m and it is formed by Quercus rotundifolia forest while area B is located at 2000 m altitude and is composed of alpine vegetation formed by creeping bearing shrubs. Microbial biomass measured by Fumigation-Extraction method followed the same trend in both areas showing slight and no significant differences between burned and unburned area during the study period while viable and cultivable bacteria abundance were markedly higher in fire affected samples than in the control ones in both samplings. Viable and cultivable filamentous fungi had different behavior depending of plant vegetation community studied showing no differences between burned and unburned area in area A while was significantly higher in burned samples than in the control ones in area B. Microbial activity monitoring with soil microbial respiration appears to had been affected immediately after fire since microbial respiration was lower in burned samples from area A than in unburned one only 8 months after fire and no significant differences were observed between burned and unburned samples in area B. Soil microbial community composition studied by Principal Component Analyses (PCA) of the PLFA pattern revealed both fire and seasonal effects. General overview of the results could lead to think in a slight negative or even positive effect of fire on soil microbial parameters studied, mainly in zone B. Nevertheless if we calculate the ratio between C-biomass and organic-C we find lower ratio in fire-affected samples than in the control ones in both areas, showing the most marked effect on area B which remain with this tendency 20 months after fire. Acknowledgements: This research was supported by the CICYT co-financed FEDER project CGL2006-11107-C02-01/BOS. We are grateful for the Sierra Nevada National Park support during the study.

Polyfluorinated and perfluorinated chemicals in precipitation and runoff from cities across eastern and central China.

PubMed

Zhao, Lijie; Zhou, Meng; Zhang, Tao; Sun, Hongwen

2013-02-01

Twenty-three polychlorinated and perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) were investigated in water phase and particulate matters of 19 precipitation samples (18 snow samples and 1 rain sample) from different cities across eastern and central China collected in February 2010. The PFCs in samples of 9e precipitation events during more than half a year at 1 site in Tianjin and 6 successive samples during 1 precipitation event were measured to elucidate the change of PFC in precipitation. In addition, PFCs in 3 runoffs at different kinds of sites in Tianjin were compared with those in the corresponding precipitation. The results showed that the particulate matters separated from the precipitation contained undetectable PFCs. The total PFC concentration ranged between 4.7 and 152 ng L(-1) in water phase of the precipitation samples, with perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) being detected at all of the sampling sites and the dominant PFC at most of the sampling sites. Some potential precursors of environmentally concerned PFCs and their degradation intermediates were measured simultaneously, among which 6:2 fluorotelomer unsaturated carboxylic acid (6:2 FTUCA), 8:2 FTUCA, and  × (3, 4, 5, 7):3 acid [F(CF(2))xCH(2)CH(2)COOH] were measured for the first time in Chinese precipitations; however, their concentrations were all lower than the limits of detection except that 6:2 FTUCA and 8:2 FTUCA could be detected in 3 and 8 precipitation samples, respectively. No clear seasonal variation in PFC concentrations in precipitation was observed during half a year; however, a relatively greater average concentration of total PFCs was observed during winter and summer compared with spring. The concentration of individual PFCs showed an obvious descending trend in the successive samples of the precipitation event. PFOA and perfluorononanoic acid in runoffs collected from different sites showed the following similar pattern-gas station > highway > university campus-whereas the other detected PFCs had no concurrent trend.

Carbon Nanostructure of Diesel Soot Particles Emitted from 2 and 4 Stroke Marine Engines Burning Different Fuels.

PubMed

Lee, Won-Ju; Park, Seul-Hyun; Jang, Se-Hyun; Kim, Hwajin; Choi, Sung Kuk; Cho, Kwon-Hae; Cho, Ik-Soon; Lee, Sang-Min; Choi, Jae-Hyuk

2018-03-01

Diesel soot particles were sampled from 2-stroke and 4-stroke engines that burned two different fuels (Bunker A and C, respectively), and the effects of the engine and fuel types on the structural characteristics of the soot particle were analyzed. The carbon nanostructures of the sampled particles were characterized using various techniques. The results showed that the soot sample collected from the 4-stroke engine, which burned Bunker C, has a higher degree of order of the carbon nanostructure than the sample collected from the 2-stroke engine, which burned Bunker A. Furthermore, the difference in the exhaust gas temperatures originating from the different engine and fuel types can affect the nanostructure of the soot emitted from marine diesel engines.

Interaction of glycophorin A with lectins as measured by surface plasmon resonance (SPR).

PubMed

Krotkiewska, Bozena; Pasek, Marta; Krotkiewski, Hubert

2002-01-01

Glycophorin A (GPA), the major sialoglycoprotein of the human erythrocyte membrane, was isolated from erythrocytes of healthy individuals of blood groups A, B and O using phenol-water extraction of erythrocyte membranes. Interaction of individual GPA samples with three lectins (Psathyrella velutina lectin, PVL; Triticum vulgaris lectin, WGA and Sambucus nigra I agglutinin SNA-I) was analyzed using a BIAcore biosensor equipped with a surface plasmon resonance (SPR) detector. The experiments showed no substantial differences in the interaction between native and desialylated GPA samples originating from erythrocytes of either blood group and each of the lectins. Desialylated samples reacted weaker than the native ones with all three lectins. PVL reacted about 50-fold more strongly than WGA which, similar to PVL, recognizes GlcNAc and Neu5Ac residues. SNA-I lectin, recognizing alpha2-6 linked Neu5Ac residues, showed relatively weak reaction with native and only residual reaction with desialylated GPA samples. The data obtained show that SPR is a valuable method to determine interaction of glycoproteins with lectins, which potentially can be used to detect differences in the carbohydrate moiety of individual glycoprotein samples.

Accuracy of two osmometers on standard samples: electrical impedance technique and freezing point depression technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

García-Resúa, Carlos; Pena-Verdeal, Hugo; Miñones, Mercedes; Gilino, Jorge; Giraldez, Maria J.; Yebra-Pimentel, Eva

2013-11-01

High tear fluid osmolarity is a feature common to all types of dry eye. This study was designed to establish the accuracy of two osmometers, a freezing point depression osmometer (Fiske 110) and an electrical impedance osmometer (TearLab™) by using standard samples. To assess the accuracy of the measurements provided by the two instruments we used 5 solutions of known osmolarity/osmolality; 50, 290 and 850 mOsm/kg and 292 and 338 mOsm/L. Fiske 110 is designed to be used in samples of 20 μl, so measurements were made on 1:9, 1:4, 1:1 and 1:0 dilutions of the standards. Tear Lab is addressed to be used in tear film and only a sample of 0.05 μl is required, so no dilutions were employed. Due to the smaller measurement range of the TearLab, the 50 and 850 mOsm/kg standards were not included. 20 measurements per standard sample were used and differences with the reference value was analysed by one sample t-test. Fiske 110 showed that osmolarity measurements differed statistically from standard values except those recorded for 290 mOsm/kg standard diluted 1:1 (p = 0.309), the 292 mOsm/L H2O sample (1:1) and 338 mOsm/L H2O standard (1:4). The more diluted the sample, the higher the error rate. For the TearLab measurements, one-sample t-test indicated that all determinations differed from the theoretical values (p = 0.001), though differences were always small. For undiluted solutions, Fiske 110 shows similar performance than TearLab. However, for the diluted standards, Fiske 110 worsens.

Demographic characteristics, social competence, and behavior problems in children with gender identity disorder: a cross-national, cross-clinic comparative analysis.

PubMed

Cohen-Kettenis, Peggy T; Owen, Allison; Kaijser, Vanessa G; Bradley, Susan J; Zucker, Kenneth J

2003-02-01

This study examined demographic characteristics, social competence, and behavior problems in clinic-referred children with gender identity problems in Toronto, Canada (N = 358), and Utrecht, The Netherlands (N = 130). The Toronto sample was, on average, about a year younger than the Utrecht sample at referral, had a higher percentage of boys, had a higher mean IQ, and was less likely to be living with both parents. On the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL), both groups showed, on average, clinical range scores in both social competence and behavior problems. A CBCL-derived measure of poor peer relations showed that boys in both clinics had worse ratings than did the girls. A multiple regression analysis showed that poor peer relations were the strongest predictor of behavior problems in both samples. This study-the first cross-national, cross-clinic comparative analysis of children with gender identity disorder-found far more similarities than differences in both social competence and behavior problems. The most salient demographic difference was age at referral. Cross-national differences in factors that might influence referral patterns are discussed.

Regional HLA Differences in Poland and Their Effect on Stem Cell Donor Registry Planning

PubMed Central

Schmidt, Alexander H.; Solloch, Ute V.; Pingel, Julia; Sauter, Jürgen; Böhme, Irina; Cereb, Nezih; Dubicka, Kinga; Schumacher, Stephan; Wachowiak, Jacek; Ehninger, Gerhard

2013-01-01

Regional HLA frequency differences are of potential relevance for the optimization of stem cell donor recruitment. We analyzed a very large sample (n = 123,749) of registered Polish stem cell donors. Donor figures by 1-digit postal code regions ranged from n = 5,243 (region 9) to n = 19,661 (region 8). Simulations based on region-specific haplotype frequencies showed that donor recruitment in regions 0, 2, 3 and 4 (mainly located in the south-eastern part of Poland) resulted in an above-average increase of matching probabilities for Polish patients. Regions 1, 7, 8, 9 (mainly located in the northern part of Poland) showed an opposite behavior. However, HLA frequency differences between regions were generally small. A strong indication for regionally focused donor recruitment efforts can, therefore, not be derived from our analyses. Results of haplotype frequency estimations showed sample size effects even for sizes between n≈5,000 and n≈20,000. This observation deserves further attention as most published haplotype frequency estimations are based on much smaller samples. PMID:24069237

Got Milk? Breastfeeding and Milk Analysis of a Mother on Chronic Hemodialysis

PubMed Central

Balzer, Michael S.; Gross, Mechthild M.; Lichtinghagen, Ralf; Haller, Hermann; Schmitt, Roland

2015-01-01

Purpose Women on dialysis rarely become pregnant. However, the overall rate of successful pregnancies is increasing in this patient population and breastfeeding becomes an option for mothers on dialysis. In this study we performed a systematic breast milk composition analysis of a mother on chronic hemodialysis (HD). Methods Specimens of breast milk and blood were collected in regular intervals before and after HD from a 39-year old woman starting on day 10 postpartum. Samples were analyzed for electrolytes, retention solutes, nutrients and other laboratory measurements. Breast milk samples from low-risk mothers matched for postpartum age were used as controls. Results Significantly higher levels of creatinine and urea were found in pre-HD breast milk when compared to post-HD. A similar post-dialytic decrease was only found for uric acid but not for any other investigated parameter. Conversely, sodium and chloride were significantly increased in post-HD samples. Compared to controls creatinine and urea were significantly higher in pre-HD samples while the difference remained only significant for post-HD creatinine. Phosphate was significantly lower in pre- and post-HD breast milk when compared to controls, whereas calcium showed no significant differences. In terms of nutrient components glucose levels showed a strong trend for a decrease, whereas protein, triglycerides and cholesterol did not differ. Similarly, no significant differences were found in iron, potassium and magnesium content. Conclusion To the best of our knowledge this is the first report on a breastfeeding mother on chronic dialysis. Although we found differences in creatinine, urea, sodium, chloride and phosphate, our general analysis showed high similarity of our patient’s breast milk to samples from low-risk control mothers. Significant variations in breast milk composition between pre- and post-HD samples suggest that breastfeeding might be preferably performed after dialysis treatment. In summary, our findings indicate that breastfeeding can be considered a viable option for newborns of mothers on dialysis. PMID:26571490

Radioactive analysis and radiological hazards in different types of Egyptian cement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shousha, Hany A.

Studies of the natural γ-emitting radionuclides in different types of cements manufactured by different companies in Egypt (e.g. Iron (HI), Karnak (HK), and Super fine (HSu) products from Helwan Ltd.) have been done to determine their natural levels of radioactivity using a high-purity germanium detector (HPGe). Knowledge of radioactivity present in cement materials enables one to assess any possible radiological risks to human health. The results show that the highest mean values of 226Ra and 232Th activity are 234.01±20.12 and 46.56±4.65 Bq kg-1, respectively, measured in cement sample `Iron' from Helwan company (HI). The corresponding value of 40K is 333.53±26.68 Bq kg-1 measured in cement sample `Karnak' from Helwan company (HK). For 137Cs, this value is 3.27±0.31 Bq kg-1 measured in cement sample (HI). The average concentrations of measured radionuclides in the different cement samples are 72.21±6.39, 24.98±2.24, 134.49±10.45, and 0.58±0.08 Bq kg-1 for 226Ra, 232Th, 40K, and 137Cs, respectively. The measured activity concentrations for these radionuclides were compared with the reported data of other countries. Radium equivalent (Raeq) activities and different hazard indices were calculated to assess the radiation hazard. Iron HI cement sample shows a higher Raeq activity of 311.91±31.10 Bq kg-1. Calculations of absorbed doses in nGy h-1 show that the Iron (HI), Karnak (HK), and Super fine (HSu) products from Helwan company have higher activities than the permissible level (80 nGy h-1). On the basis of the external hazard index (Hex), Raeq activities, and annual effective dose rates for organs (Horgan), the natural radioactivity of cement samples is not greater than the recommended values in the established standards and hence safe for use in building constructions and therefore for inhabitants.

Mossbauer Study of Low Temperature Magnetic and magnetooptic Properties of Amorphous Tb/Fe Multilayers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chowdhury, Ataur

Magnetic and magnetooptic properties of multilayers critically depend on detailed magnetic and structural ordering of the interface. To study these properties in Tb/Fe multilayers, samples with varying layer thicknesses were fabricated by planar magnetic sputtering on polyester substrates. Mossbauer effect spectra were recorded at different temperatures ranging between 20 K and 300 K. The results show that perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA) increases as temperature decreases for samples that show parallel anisotropy at room temperature, and for samples that show strong PMA at room temperature, no significant change in PMA is observed at low temperature (<100 K). Hyperfine field of samples that display parallel anisotropy at room temperature shows oscillatory behavior, reminiscent of RKKY oscillations, at low temperatures (<100 K). Plausible causes of these properties will be discussed in the paper.

The development of a novel cooking method (alternate roasting with its own fat) for chicken to improve nutritional value.

PubMed

Kim, J H; Park, H G; Kim, J H; Jung, H; Kim, J K; Oh, S S; Shin, D H; Lim, E J; Kim, Y J

2008-05-01

The goal of this study was to develop a novel cooking method for fried meat products, to improve their nutritional value, and to provide superior taste and texture. We used the fat derived from each individual meat source during radiant heat roasting (alternate roasting with its own fat: AROF) without deep-fat frying (DFF), first without any air flow and subsequently with an exposure to air flow. We then compared these roasted chicken samples to breaded fried chicken samples that were deep-fat fried in 3 types of fat: soybean oil (SB), partially hydrogenated soybean oil (PSB), and lard. The final fat contents of both the skin and lean parts of the AROF samples of chicken were less than half of those of the DFF groups. The total trans-fatty acids (TFA) contents were significantly lower in the AROF samples compared to the DFF samples. The cholesterol levels of the samples did not show any significant differences among the tested groups, except for the sample fried in lard, which was significantly higher. Moreover, the sensory evaluation results showed that the crispy texture of the AROF samples was not significantly different from that of the DFF samples (P < 0.05); the AROF samples had higher scores for the characteristic fried flavor and for overall acceptability (P < 0.05). This study shows the potential value of products prepared by AROF, which can successfully replace DFF methods used for chicken and other meat products and improve their nutritional value.

[Effect of sampling effort on taxa richness of aquatic macroinvertebrates and the BMWP/Atitlán index].

PubMed

Reyes-Morales, Fátima; Springer, Monika

2014-04-01

Aquatic macroinvertebrates are the group of organisms most commonly used to determine ecosystem health in water quality studies and freshwater biomonitoring. Nevertheless, the methods and collecting time of biomonitoring have not yet been sufficiently adapted and tested in tropical aquatic environments. Twelve rivers in the Lago de Atitlán watershed in Guatemala were assessed with different collecting times, during the dry season. The method involved the collection of organic and inorganic material including benthic organisms, from different microhabitats, for a pre-established time period (5, 10, 15 min) with a D-frame net. Samples were preserved with 95% ethanol in the field, and sorted in the laboratory. As expected, the analysis showed that the abundance and taxonomic richness was higher with increasing sampling effort. The water quality categories obtained from the newly proposed BMWP/Atitlán index varied among sampling times. However, the Kruskal-Wallis test showed no significant differences between the categories obtained with the index and the number of taxa collected at 10 and 15 min. Therefore, we recommend a reduction of sample time, but maintaining the tree subsamples in order to include most variety of microhabitats and assure a representative sample of the aquatic macroinvertebrates.

Effects of Holder pasteurization on the protein profile of human milk.

PubMed

Peila, Chiara; Coscia, Alessandra; Bertino, Enrico; Cavaletto, Maria; Spertino, Stefano; Icardi, Sara; Tortone, Claudia; Visser, Gerard H A; Gazzolo, Diego

2016-04-07

The most widespread method for the treatment of donor milk is the Holder pasteurization (HoP). The available literature data show that HoP may cause degradation of some bioactive components. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of HoP on the protein profile of human milk (HM) using a GeLC-MS method, a proteomic approach and a promising technique able to offer a qualitative HM protein profile. HM samples were collected by standardized methods from 20 mothers carrying both preterm and term newborns. A aliquot of each sample was immediately frozen at -80 °C, whilst another one was Holder pasteurized and then frozen. All samples were then analyzed by GeLC-MS. The protein bands of interest were excised from the gel, digested with trypsin and identified by nano-HPLC-MS/MS analysis. The protein profile before and after HoP showed qualitative differences only in 6 samples out of 20, while in the remaining 14 no detectable differences were found. The differences interested only colostrums and transitional milk samples and regarded the decrease of the electrophoretic bands corresponding to alpha and beta-casein, tenascin, lactoferrin and immunoglobulin. In the majority of samples, HoP did not cause any modification, thereby preserving the biological activity of HM proteins.

The effects of transport by car on coagulation tests.

PubMed

Ergin, Merve; Erdogan, Serpil; Akturk, Onur; Erel, Ozcan

2017-10-26

This research investigated the effects of the transport of blood samples between centers/laboratories by car on coagulation tests. Five tubes of blood samples were taken from 20 healthy volunteers. The samples consisted of a baseline (control) group, centrifuged and noncentrifuged transported samples; centrifuged and noncentrifuged untransported samples. The groups of centrifuged and noncentrifuged samples were transported by car for 2 h. The centrifuged and noncentrifuged untransported samples were incubated in the laboratory until the transported samples arrived. Prothrombin time (PT) and activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT) tests were conducted for all samples. Significant differences between the baseline group and the centrifuged and noncentrifuged transported samples and the noncentrifuged untransported samples were found for APTT levels (p<0.05, for all). In addition, significant mean percentage differences in PT values were found between the baseline group and the noncentrifuged transported samples (p<0.001) and the noncentrifuged untransported samples (p=0.005). The mean level of PT in the noncentrifuged transported samples was outside the upper limit of the clinical decision level. Noncentrifuged transported samples showed clinically significant differences in PT test results that may have stemmed from mechanical agitation during transportation. Therefore, we recommend not transporting noncentrifuged specimens for PT testing by car.

Initiation and propagation of mixed mode fractures in granite and sandstone

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rück, Marc; Rahner, Roman; Sone, Hiroki; Dresen, Georg

2017-10-01

We investigate mixed mode fracture initiation and propagation in experimentally deformed granite and sandstone. We performed a series of asymmetric loading tests to induce fractures in cylindrical specimens at confining pressures up to 20 MPa. Loading was controlled using acoustic emission (AE) feedback control, which allows studying quasi-static fracture propagation for several hours. Location of acoustic emissions reveals distinct differences in spatial-temporal fracture evolution between granite and sandstone samples. Before reaching peak stress in experiments performed on granite, axial fractures initiate first at the edge of the indenter and then propagate through the entire sample. Secondary inclined fractures develop during softening of the sample. In sandstone, inclined shear fractures nucleate at peak stress and propagate through the specimen. AE source type analysis shows complex fracturing in both materials with pore collapse contributing significantly to fracture growth in sandstone samples. We compare the experimental results with numerical models to analyze stress distribution and energy release rate per unit crack surface area in the samples at different stages during fracture growth. We thereby show that for both rock types the energy release rate increases approximately linearly during fracture propagation. The study illuminates how different material properties modify fracture initiation direction under similar loading conditions.

Comparative Evaluation of Effect of Water Absorption on the Surface Properties of Heat Cure Acrylic: An in vitro Study

PubMed Central

Chandu, G S; Asnani, Pooja; Gupta, Siddarth; Faisal Khan, Mohd.

2015-01-01

Background: Use of alkaline peroxide denture cleanser with different temperature of water could cause a change in surface hardness of the acrylic denture and also has a bleaching effect. The purpose of the study was to determine the effect of increased water content during thermal cycling of hot water-treated acrylic on the surface hardness of acrylic denture base when compared to warm water treated acrylic. And to compare the bleaching effect of alkaline peroxide solution on the acrylic denture base on hot water and warm water treated acrylic. Materials and Methods: Forty samples (10 mm × 10 mm × 2.5 mm) were prepared. After the calculation of the initial hardness 40 samples, each was randomly assigned to two groups. Group A: 20 samples were immersed in 250 ml of warm distilled water at 40°C with alkaline peroxide tablet. Group B: 20 samples were immersed in 250 ml of hot distilled water at 100°C with alkaline peroxide tablet. The surface hardness of each test sample was obtained using the digital hardness testing machine recording the Rockwell hardness number before the beginning of the soaking cycles and after completion of 30 soak cycles and compared. Values were analyzed using paired t-test. Five samples from the Group A and five samples from Group B were put side by side and photographed using a Nikon D 40 digital SLR Camera and the photographs were examined visually to assess the change in color. Results: Acrylic samples immersed in hot water showed a statistically significant decrease of 5.8% in surface hardness. And those immersed in warm water showed a statistically insignificant increase of 0.67% in surface hardness. Samples from the two groups showed clinically insignificant difference in color when compared to each other on examination of the photographs. Conclusion: Thermocycling of the acrylic resin at different water bath temperature at 40°C and 100°C showed significant changes in the surface hardness. PMID:25954074

Biocompatibility of metal injection molded versus wrought ASTM F562 (MP35N) and ASTM F1537 (CCM) cobalt alloys.

PubMed

Chen, Hao; Sago, Alan; West, Shari; Farina, Jeff; Eckert, John; Broadley, Mark

2011-01-01

We present a comparative analysis between biocompatibility test results of wrought and Metal Injection Molded (MIM) ASTM F562-02 UNS R30035 (MP35N) and F1537 UNS R31538 (CCM) alloy samples that have undergone the same generic orthopedic implant's mechanical, chemical surface pre-treatment, and a designed pre-testing sample preparation method. Because the biocompatibility properties resulting from this new MIM cobalt alloy process are not well understood, we conducted tests to evaluate cytotoxicity (in vitro), hemolysis (in vitro), toxicity effects (in vivo), tissue irritation level (in vivo), and pyrogenicity count (in vitro) on such samples. We show that our developed MIM MP35N and CCM materials and treatment processes are biocompatible, and that both the MIM and wrought samples, although somewhat different in microstructure and surface, do not show significant differences in biocompatibility.

Urease activity in different soils of Egypt.

PubMed

el-Shinnawi, M M

1978-01-01

Samples from two depths (0--15 and 15--30 cm) of five Egyptian soils: sandy, calcareous, fertile alluvial, saline alluvial, and alkali alluvial were tested for urease activity. Samples were treated with farmyard manure at rates of 0 and 0.5% C, and moisture at levels of 50, 65, and 80% of the water holding capacity. The studied Egyptian soils showed different activities of urease. Decreases in the values were shown by depth of sampling and varied in their intensities according to soil type, except for saline soil which revealed an opposite trend by the higher activity of its sub-surface layer. Order of activity was the following: fertile, saline, alkali, calcareous, and sandy soil. Farmyard manure slightly increased the activity of the enzyme. Incubation of moistened samples revealed that the optimum moisture content was 50% of W.H.C. for the tested soils, except for saline which showed best results at 65% of W.H.C.

[Comparison of sulfur fumigation processing and direct hot air heating technology on puerarin contents and efficacy of Puerariae Thomsonii Radix].

PubMed

Yu, Hong-Li; Zhang, Qian; Jin, Yang-Ping; Wang, Kui-Long; Lu, Tu-Lin; Li, Lin

2016-07-01

In order to compare the effect of sulfur fumigation processing and direct hot air heating technology on puerarin contents and efficacy of Puerariae Thomsonii Radix, the fresh roots of Pueraria thomsonii were cut into small pieces and prepared into direct sunshine drying samples, direct hot air drying samples, and sulfur fumigation-hot air drying samples. Moisture contents of the samples were then determined. The puerarin contents of different samples were compared by HPLC method. Moreover, the models of drunkenness mice were established, and then with superoxide dismutase (SOD) content as the index, aqueous decoction extracts of Puerariae Thomsonii Radix samples with sulfur fumigation processing and non-sulfur fumigation processing methods were administrated by ig; the effects of sulfur fumigation on contents of SOD in mice liver and serum were determined, and the sulfur fumigation samples and non-sulfur fumigation samples were investigated for moth and mildew under different packaging and storage conditions. Results showed that the sulfur fumigation samples significantly changed the puerarin content from Puerariae Thomsonii Radix. The content of puerarin was decreased gradually when increasing the times of sulfur fumigation and amount of sulfur. SOD content in drunken mice liver and serum was significantly decreased when increasing the times of sulfur fumigation, showing significant difference with both direct sunshine drying group and direct hot air drying group. Moth and mildew were not found in the sulfur fumigation samples and direct hot air drying samples whose moisture contents were lower than the limit in Pharmacopoeia. Research showed that sulfur fumigation can significantly reduce the content of main active ingredients and reduce the efficacy of Puerariae Thomsonii Radix, indicating that the quality of Puerariae Thomsonii Radix was significantly decreased after sulfur fumigation. However, the contents of the main active ingredients, efficacy and storage results of the direct hot air drying samples were similar to those in direct sunshine drying samples, so the hot air drying process was a nice drying technology which could be promoted for use. Copyright© by the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association.

Cognitive and Reading Profiles of Two Samples of Canadian First Nations Children: Comparing Two Models for Identifying Reading Disability

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Janzen, Troy M.; Saklofske, Donald H.; Das, J. P.

2013-01-01

Two Canadian First Nations samples of Grades 3 and 4 children were assessed for cognitive processing, word reading, and phonological awareness skills. Both groups were from Plains Cree rural reservations in different provinces. The two groups showed significant differences on several key cognitive variables although there were more similarities…

Secondary school teachers and mental health competence: Italy-United Kingdom comparison.

PubMed

Monducci, Elena; Battaglia, Claudia; Forte, Alberto; Masillo, Alice; Telesforo, Ludovica; Carlotto, Alessandra; Piazzi, Gioia; Patanè, Martina; De Angelis, Giulia; Romano, Antonio; Fagioli, Francesca; Girardi, Paolo; Cocchi, Angelo; Meneghelli, Anna; Alpi, Andrea; Pafumi, Nicoletta; Moreno Granados, Noelia; Preti, Antonio; Masolo, Francesca; Benzoni, Stefano; Cavenaghi, Sonia; Molteni, Ilaria; Salvadori, Lavinia; Solbiati, Sara; Costantino, Antonella; Di Lauro, Rosalba; Piccinini, Annachiara; Collins Eade, Amanda; Holmshaw, Janet; Fiori Nastro, Paolo

2018-06-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the differences between teachers' knowledge about early psychosis among three different Italian cities and a UK sample. The sample consisted of 556 secondary school teachers from three different cities in Italy (Milan, Rome and Lamezia Terme) and London (UK). The research was based on the Knowledge and Experience of Social Emotional Difficulties Among Young People Questionnaire. The Italian version of the questionnaire was used in Italy. Overall, 67.6% of English teachers, 58.5% of Milan's teachers, 41.8% of Rome's teachers and 33.3% of Lamezia Terme's teachers were able to recognize psychotic symptoms from a case vignette. Logistic regression analysis showed that 'city' was the only independent variable significantly related to the correct/wrong answer about diagnosis. We found statistically significant differences between the three Italian samples and the UK sample regarding teachers' knowledge about first signs of psychosis. English teachers showed a better knowledge than Italian teachers in general. Teachers from Milan, where a specific early detection program was established in 2000, seemed to be more familiar with early signs of psychosis than teachers in the other two Italian towns. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

Relationship of children's salivary microbiota with their caries status: a pyrosequencing study.

PubMed

Gomar-Vercher, S; Cabrera-Rubio, R; Mira, A; Montiel-Company, J M; Almerich-Silla, J M

2014-12-01

Different dental caries status could be related with alterations in oral microbiota. Previous studies have collected saliva as a representative medium of the oral ecosystem. The purpose of this study was to assess the composition of oral microbiota and its relation to the presence of dental caries at different degrees of severity. One hundred ten saliva samples from 12-year-old children were taken and divided into six groups defined in strict accordance with their dental caries prevalence according to the International Caries Detection and Assessment System II criteria. These samples were studied by pyrosequencing PCR products of the 16S ribosomal RNA gene. The results showed statistically significant intergroup differences at the class and genus taxonomic levels. Streptococcus is the most frequent genus in all groups; although it did not show intergroup statistical differences. In patients with cavities, Porphyromonas and Prevotella showed an increasing percentage compared to healthy individuals. Bacterial diversity diminished as the severity of the disease increased, so those patients with more advanced stages of caries presented less bacterial diversity than healthy subjects. Although microbial composition tended to be different, the intragroup variation is large, as evidenced by the lack of clear intragroup clustering in principal component analyses. Thus, no clear differences were found, indicating that using bacterial composition as the sole source of biomarkers for dental caries may not be reliable in the unstimulated saliva samples used in the current study.

Analysis of Tank 38H (HTF-38-17-52, -53) and Tank 43H (HTF-43-17-54, -55) Samples for Support of the Enrichment Control and Corrosion Control Programs

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

Hay, M.; Coleman, C.; Diprete, D.

SRNL analyzed samples from Tank 38H and Tank 43H to support ECP and CCP. The total uranium in the Tank 38H surface sample was 41.3 mg/L while the sub-surface sample was 43.5 mg/L. The Tank 43H samples contained total uranium concentrations of 28.5 mg/L in the surface sample and 28.1 mg/L in the sub-surface sample. The U-235 percentage ranged from 0.62% to 0.63% for the Tank 38H samples and Tank 43H samples. The total uranium and percent U-235 results in the table appear slightly lower than recent Tank 38H and Tank 43H uranium measurements. The plutonium results in the tablemore » show a large difference between the surface and sub-surface sample concentrations for Tank 38H. The Tank 43H plutonium results closely match the range of values measured on previous samples. The Cs-137 results for the Tank 38H surface and sub-surface samples show similar concentrations slightly higher than the concentrations measured in recent samples. The Cs-137 results for the two Tank 43H samples also show similar concentrations within the range of values measured on previous samples. The four samples show silicon concentrations somewhat lower than the previous samples with values ranging from 124 to 168 mg/L.« less

Electron spectroscopy imaging and surface defect configuration of zinc oxide nanostructures under different annealing ambient

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ann, Ling Chuo; Mahmud, Shahrom; Bakhori, Siti Khadijah Mohd

2013-01-01

In this study, electron spectroscopy imaging was used to visualize the elemental distribution of zinc oxide nanopowder. Surface modification in zinc oxide was done through annealing treatment and type of surface defect was also inferred from the electron spectroscopy imaging investigation. The micrographs revealed the non-stoichiometric distribution of the elements in the unannealed samples. Annealing the samples in nitrogen and oxygen ambient at 700 °C would alter the density of the elements in the samples as a result of removal or absorption of oxygen. The electrical measurement showed that nitrogen annealing treatment improved surface electrical conductivity, whereas oxygen treatment showed an adverse effect. Observed change in the photoluminescence green emission suggested that oxygen vacancies play a significant role as surface defects. Structural investigation carried out through X-ray diffraction revealed the polycrystalline nature of both zinc oxide samples with hexagonal phase whereby annealing process increased the crystallinity of both zinc oxide specimens. Due to the different morphologies of the two types of zinc oxide nanopowders, X-ray diffraction results showed different stress levels in their structures and the annealing treatment give significant effect to the structural stress. Electron spectroscopy imaging was a useful technique to identify the elemental distribution as well as oxygen defect in zinc oxide nanopowder.

Trifunctional Epoxy Resin Composites Modified by Soluble Electrospun Veils: Effect on the Viscoelastic and Morphological Properties

PubMed Central

Ognibene, Giulia; Mannino, Salvatore

2018-01-01

Electrospun veils from copolyethersulfones (coPES) were prepared as soluble interlaminar veils for carbon fiber/epoxy composites. Neat, resin samples were impregnated into coPES veils with unmodified resin, while dry carbon fabrics were covered with electrospun veils and then infused with the unmodified epoxy resin to prepare reinforced laminates. The thermoplastic content varied from 10 wt% to 20 wt%. TGAP epoxy monomer showed improved and fast dissolution for all the temperatures tested. The unreinforced samples were cured first at 180 °C for 2 h and then were post-cured at 220 °C for 3 h. These sample showed a high dependence on the curing cycle. Carbon reinforced samples showed significant differences compared to the neat resin samples in terms of both viscoelastic and morphological properties. PMID:29522444

An improved SRC method based on virtual samples for face recognition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fu, Lijun; Chen, Deyun; Lin, Kezheng; Li, Ao

2018-07-01

The sparse representation classifier (SRC) performs classification by evaluating which class leads to the minimum representation error. However, in real world, the number of available training samples is limited due to noise interference, training samples cannot accurately represent the test sample linearly. Therefore, in this paper, we first produce virtual samples by exploiting original training samples at the aim of increasing the number of training samples. Then, we take the intra-class difference as data representation of partial noise, and utilize the intra-class differences and training samples simultaneously to represent the test sample in a linear way according to the theory of SRC algorithm. Using weighted score level fusion, the respective representation scores of the virtual samples and the original training samples are fused together to obtain the final classification results. The experimental results on multiple face databases show that our proposed method has a very satisfactory classification performance.

Reaction Dynamics of Proton-Coupled Electron Transfer from Reduced ZnO Nanocrystals.

PubMed

Braten, Miles N; Gamelin, Daniel R; Mayer, James M

2015-10-27

The creation of systems that efficiently interconvert chemical and electrical energies will be aided by understanding proton-coupled electron transfers at solution-semiconductor interfaces. Steps in developing that understanding are described here through kinetic studies of reactions of photoreduced colloidal zinc oxide (ZnO) nanocrystals (NCs) with the nitroxyl radical TEMPO. These reactions proceed by proton-coupled electron transfer (PCET) to give the hydroxylamine TEMPOH. They occur on the submillisecond to seconds time scale, as monitored by stopped-flow optical spectroscopy. Under conditions of excess TEMPO, the reactions are multiexponential in character. One of the contributors to this multiexponential kinetics may be a distribution of reactive proton sites. A graphical overlay method shows the reaction to be first order in [TEMPO]. Different electron concentrations in otherwise identical NC samples were achieved by three different methods: differing photolysis times, premixing with an unphotolyzed sample, or prereaction with TEMPO. The reaction velocities were consistently higher for NCs with higher numbers of electrons. For instance, NCs with an average of 2.6 e(-)/NC reacted faster than otherwise identical samples containing ≤1 e(-)/NC. Surprisingly, NC samples with the same average number of electrons but prepared in different ways often had different reaction profiles. These results show that properties beyond electron content determine PCET reactivity of the particles.

Influence of plant species and environmental conditions on epiphytic and endophytic pink-pigmented facultative methylotrophic bacterial populations associated with field-grown rice cultivars.

PubMed

Madhaiyan, Munusamy; Poonguzhali, Selvaraj; Sa, Tongmin

2007-10-01

The total methylotrophic population associated with rice plants from different cultivars was enumerated at three different stages: vegetative, flowering, and harvesting. The bacterial population in the leaf, rhizosphere soil, endophytic in the stem and roots, and epiphytic in the florets and grains were determined from four rice cultivars, Il-mi, Nam-pyeoung, O-dae, and Dong-jin, sampled from three different field sites. The methylotrophic bacteria isolated on AMS media containing 0.5% methanol as the sole carbon source uniformly showed three distinct morphologies, which were recorded as separate groups and their distribution among the various samples was determined using the ecophysiological index. The growth stage at the time of sampling had a more significant effect on the methylotrophic population and their distribution than the field site or cultivar. A similar effect was also observed for the PPFMs, where their population in different plant parts increased from V10 to R4 and then decreased towards stage R9. A canonical discriminant analysis of the PPFM population from different parts of rice showed clear variations among the cultivars, sampled sites, and growth stages, although the variations were more prominent among the growth stages.

Suicidal tendency in a sample of adolescent outpatients with adjustment disorder: gender differences.

PubMed

Ferrer, Laia; Kirchner, Teresa

2014-08-01

Although Adjustment Disorder (AD) is a prevalent diagnosis in adolescent mental health services and linked to suicidal tendency in adolescence, little research exists examining prevalence and gender differences of suicidal symptoms among AD patients using standardized instruments. The present study aims to assess the presence of suicidal tendency in a clinical sample of Spanish adolescents with AD analyzing gender differences. Ninety-seven adolescents with AD were recruited at a public mental health center and included in the AD sample; they were administered the Inventario de Riesgo Suicida para Adolescentes (Suicide Risk Inventory for Adolescents-IRIS) and the Millon Adolescent Clinical Inventory (MACI). Ninety-nine community adolescents were recruited and administered the IRIS inventory. The community sample works as a contrast group. Girls with AD show higher levels of suicidal symptoms than boys on both the IRIS Suicidal Ideation and Intention scale (t=8.15, p<.001) and the MACI Suicidal Tendency scale (t=6.6, p<.001). Girls with AD scored significantly higher than girls from the community contrast group sample in the IRIS Suicidal Ideation and Intention scale, but boys with AD presented no differences with regard to boys form the community contrast group sample. Compared with normative clinical samples of the MACI, no differences in the Suicidal Tendency scale scores were found between AD and normative girls, but AD boys showed significantly lower mean scores than normative boys. Suicidal symptoms were presented by 27% of girls and 18% of boys, although only 6% of the girls and none of the boys presented clear suicidal tendencies. Considering suicidal tendencies in adolescents with Adjustment Disorder is important-especially in girls, who present high suicidal tendencies in relation both to boys and to community peers and the normative clinical population. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Characterization of Qatar's surface carbonates for CO2 capture and thermochemical energy storage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kakosimos, Konstantinos E.; Al-Haddad, Ghadeer; Sakellariou, Kyriaki G.; Pagkoura, Chrysa; Konstandopoulos, Athanasios G.

2017-06-01

Samples of surface carbonates were collected from three different areas of the Qatar peninsula. We employed material characterization techniques to examine the morphology and composition of the samples, while their CO2 capture capacity was assessed via multiple successive calcination-carbonation cycles. Our samples were mainly calcite and dolomite based. Calcite samples showed higher initial capacity of around 11 mmol CO2 g-1 which decayed rapidly to less than 2 mmol CO2 g-1. On the other hand, dolomite samples showed an excellent stability (˜15 cycles) with a capacity of 6 mmol CO2 g-1. The performance of the dolomite samples is better compared to other similar natural samples, from literature. A promising result for future studies towards improving their performance by physical and chemical modification.

[Research on fast classification based on LIBS technology and principle component analyses].

PubMed

Yu, Qi; Ma, Xiao-Hong; Wang, Rui; Zhao, Hua-Feng

2014-11-01

Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) and the principle component analysis (PCA) were combined to study aluminum alloy classification in the present article. Classification experiments were done on thirteen different kinds of standard samples of aluminum alloy which belong to 4 different types, and the results suggested that the LIBS-PCA method can be used to aluminum alloy fast classification. PCA was used to analyze the spectrum data from LIBS experiments, three principle components were figured out that contribute the most, the principle component scores of the spectrums were calculated, and the scores of the spectrums data in three-dimensional coordinates were plotted. It was found that the spectrum sample points show clear convergence phenomenon according to the type of aluminum alloy they belong to. This result ensured the three principle components and the preliminary aluminum alloy type zoning. In order to verify its accuracy, 20 different aluminum alloy samples were used to do the same experiments to verify the aluminum alloy type zoning. The experimental result showed that the spectrum sample points all located in their corresponding area of the aluminum alloy type, and this proved the correctness of the earlier aluminum alloy standard sample type zoning method. Based on this, the identification of unknown type of aluminum alloy can be done. All the experimental results showed that the accuracy of principle component analyses method based on laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy is more than 97.14%, and it can classify the different type effectively. Compared to commonly used chemical methods, laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy can do the detection of the sample in situ and fast with little sample preparation, therefore, using the method of the combination of LIBS and PCA in the areas such as quality testing and on-line industrial controlling can save a lot of time and cost, and improve the efficiency of detection greatly.

Impact of asymmetrical flow field-flow fractionation on protein aggregates stability.

PubMed

Bria, Carmen R M; Williams, S Kim Ratanathanawongs

2016-09-23

The impact of asymmetrical flow field-flow fractionation (AF4) on protein aggregate species is investigated with the aid of multiangle light scattering (MALS) and dynamic light scattering (DLS). The experimental parameters probed in this study include aggregate stability in different carrier liquids, shear stress (related to sample injection), sample concentration (during AF4 focusing), and sample dilution (during separation). Two anti-streptavidin (anti-SA) IgG1 samples composed of low and high molar mass (M) aggregates are subjected to different AF4 conditions. Aggregates suspended and separated in phosphate buffer are observed to dissociate almost entirely to monomer. However, aggregates in citric acid buffer are partially stable with dissociation to 25% and 5% monomer for the low and high M samples, respectively. These results demonstrate that different carrier liquids change the aggregate stability and low M aggregates can behave differently than their larger counterparts. Increasing the duration of the AF4 focusing step showed no significant changes in the percent monomer, percent aggregates, or the average Ms in either sample. Syringe-induced shear related to sample injection resulted in an increase in hydrodynamic diameter (dh) as measured by batch mode DLS. Finally, calculations showed that dilution during AF4 separation is significantly lower than in size exclusion chromatography with dilution occurring mainly at the AF4 channel outlet and not during the separation. This has important ramifications when analyzing aggregates that rapidly dissociate (<∼2s) upon dilution as the size calculated by AF4 theory may be more accurate than that measured by online DLS. Experimentally, the dhs determined by online DLS generally agreed with AF4 theory except for the more well retained larger aggregates for which DLS showed smaller sizes. These results highlight the importance of using AF4 retention theory to understand the impacts of dilution on analytes. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Thermoluminscence of irradiated herbs and spices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mamoon, A.; Abdul-Fattah, A. A.; Abulfaraj, W. H.

1994-07-01

Several types of herbs and spices from the local market were irradiated with different doses of γ radiations. Doses varied from a few kilograys to 10 kilograys. Thermoluminescence of the irradiated samples and their controls was investigated. For the same type of herb or spice glow curves of different magnitudes, corresponding somewhat to the doses given, were obtained from the irradiated samples. Most control samples gave little or insignificant glow. Glow curves from different herbs and spices irradiated with the same doses were not similar in the strength of the glow signal given. Samples of the black pepper obtained from different packages sometimes give glow curves of very different intensities. Samples from irradiated black pepper were found to show little fading of their glow curves even at 9 months postirradiation. All irradiations were done under the same experimental conditions and at a dose rate of approximately 1 kGy h-1. The glow curves were obtained using a heating rate of about 9°C s-1 and a constant nitrogen flow rate.

Alginate coating as carrier of oligofructose and inulin and to maintain the quality of fresh-cut apples.

PubMed

Rössle, Christian; Brunton, Nigel; Gormley, Ronan T; Wouters, Rudy; Butler, Francis

2011-01-01

The aim of this study was to apply an edible coating containing prebiotics such as oligofructose and inulin to fresh-cut apple wedges. An assessment of the quality, sensory, polyphenol, and volatile attributes of coated and uncoated fresh-cut apple wedges was also undertaken. Fructan analysis showed that all prebiotics remained stable over the 14-d storage period and an intake of 100 g of apple supplies 1 to 3 g of prebiotics. Browning index, firmness, acidity remained stable throughout the 14 d compared to the control while applying prebiotic coatings resulted in an increase in soluble solids. Sensory and visual assessment indicated acceptable quality of apple wedges coated with prebiotics. HPLC analysis showed that levels of polyphenolic compounds were more stable in coated apple wedges (without prebiotic inclusions) than in uncoated control apples. No difference was found between O(2) and CO(2) headspace concentration of coated and uncoated samples. Significant differences (P < 0.001) were found for headspace volatile production between the samples. Most coated samples showed lower volatile production in the headspace than uncoated samples.

Effects of L-ascorbic acid on physicochemical characteristics of wheat starch.

PubMed

Majzoobi, Mahsa; Radi, Mohsen; Farahnaky, Asgar; Tongdang, Tawee

2012-03-01

The main objective of this study was to determine the effects of l-ascorbic acid, as a permitted additive in bakery products, on characteristics of wheat starch. Suspensions of wheat starch (30%, w/w) in water containing 140 mg/kg ascorbic acid before and after gelatinization were prepared and studied using different techniques. The results of scanning electron microscopy showed that some spots appeared on the surface of the starch granules as a result of the addition of ascorbic acid. However, no changes in the starch crystalline pattern and its degree of crystallinity were observed by X-ray diffraction technique. For ungelatinized samples, no difference in the pasting properties of the samples was determined by the rapid visco analyzer, whereas for the gelatinized samples, peak and final viscosities decreased for the samples contained ascorbic acid. Determination of the intrinsic viscosities of the samples showed that addition of ascorbic acid to the gelatinized samples reduced the intrinsic viscosity. In general, it was found that ascorbic acid had some degradation effects on wheat starch molecules particularly after gelatinization. © 2012 Institute of Food Technologists®

Reducing representativeness and sampling errors in radio occultation-radiosonde comparisons

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gilpin, Shay; Rieckh, Therese; Anthes, Richard

2018-05-01

Radio occultation (RO) and radiosonde (RS) comparisons provide a means of analyzing errors associated with both observational systems. Since RO and RS observations are not taken at the exact same time or location, temporal and spatial sampling errors resulting from atmospheric variability can be significant and inhibit error analysis of the observational systems. In addition, the vertical resolutions of RO and RS profiles vary and vertical representativeness errors may also affect the comparison. In RO-RS comparisons, RO observations are co-located with RS profiles within a fixed time window and distance, i.e. within 3-6 h and circles of radii ranging between 100 and 500 km. In this study, we first show that vertical filtering of RO and RS profiles to a common vertical resolution reduces representativeness errors. We then test two methods of reducing horizontal sampling errors during RO-RS comparisons: restricting co-location pairs to within ellipses oriented along the direction of wind flow rather than circles and applying a spatial-temporal sampling correction based on model data. Using data from 2011 to 2014, we compare RO and RS differences at four GCOS Reference Upper-Air Network (GRUAN) RS stations in different climatic locations, in which co-location pairs were constrained to a large circle ( ˜ 666 km radius), small circle ( ˜ 300 km radius), and ellipse parallel to the wind direction ( ˜ 666 km semi-major axis, ˜ 133 km semi-minor axis). We also apply a spatial-temporal sampling correction using European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts Interim Reanalysis (ERA-Interim) gridded data. Restricting co-locations to within the ellipse reduces root mean square (RMS) refractivity, temperature, and water vapor pressure differences relative to RMS differences within the large circle and produces differences that are comparable to or less than the RMS differences within circles of similar area. Applying the sampling correction shows the most significant reduction in RMS differences, such that RMS differences are nearly identical to the sampling correction regardless of the geometric constraints. We conclude that implementing the spatial-temporal sampling correction using a reliable model will most effectively reduce sampling errors during RO-RS comparisons; however, if a reliable model is not available, restricting spatial comparisons to within an ellipse parallel to the wind flow will reduce sampling errors caused by horizontal atmospheric variability.

Analysis of Tank 38H (HTF-38-16-26, 27) and Tank 43H (HTF-43-16-28, 29) Samples for Support of the Enrichment Control and Corrosion Control Programs

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

Hay, M. S.

Savannah River National Laboratory analyzed samples from Tank 38H and Tank 43H to support Enrichment Control Program and Corrosion Control Program. The total uranium in the Tank 38H samples ranged from 20.5 to 34.0 mg/L while the Tank 43H samples ranged from 47.6 to 50.6 mg/L. The U-235 percentage ranged from 0.62% to 0.64% over the four samples. The total uranium and percent U-235 results appear consistent with previous Tank 38H and Tank 43H uranium measurements. The Tank 38H plutonium results show a large difference between the surface and sub-surface sample concentrations and a somewhat higher concentration than previous sub-surfacemore » samples. The two Tank 43H samples show similar plutonium concentrations and are within the range of values measured on previous samples. The plutonium results may be biased high due to the presence of plutonium contamination in the blank samples from the cell sample preparations. The four samples analyzed show silicon concentrations ranging from 47.9 to 105 mg/L.« less

Standardization of proton-induced x-ray emission technique for analysis of thick samples

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ali, Shad; Zeb, Johar; Ahad, Abdul; Ahmad, Ishfaq; Haneef, M.; Akbar, Jehan

2015-09-01

This paper describes the standardization of the proton-induced x-ray emission (PIXE) technique for finding the elemental composition of thick samples. For the standardization, three different samples of standard reference materials (SRMs) were analyzed using this technique and the data were compared with the already known data of these certified SRMs. These samples were selected in order to cover the maximum range of elements in the periodic table. Each sample was irradiated for three different values of collected beam charges at three different times. A proton beam of 2.57 MeV obtained using 5UDH-II Pelletron accelerator was used for excitation of x-rays from the sample. The acquired experimental data were analyzed using the GUPIXWIN software. The results show that the SRM data and the data obtained using the PIXE technique are in good agreement.

[Primary effects on Isatis indigotica after spaceflight].

PubMed

Chen, Xiang-dong; Lan, Jin; Wang, Xiao-guang

2007-04-01

Isatis indigotica carried by the Chinese first spaceship "Shenzhou" was studied in order to find the mutation after spaceflight. TLC differentiation experiments showed no distinct discrepancy among the samples of spaceflight and non-space-flight, and the same color spot appeared corresponding to the location of the arginine. Isoenzymes of esterase and peroxidase were studied with PAGE. Isoenzymes of esterase were difference among the samples. To peroxidases, little difference was found with them. The ratio of dry weight and extract contents showed out the mutation has emerged after spaceflight, but some characters were unstable. It is necessary for further study.

School Progress Among Children of Same-Sex Couples.

PubMed

Watkins, Caleb S

2018-06-01

This study uses logit regressions on a pooled sample of children from the 2012, 2013, and 2014 American Community Survey to perform a nationally representative analysis of school progress for a large sample of 4,430 children who reside with same-sex couples. Odds ratios from regressions that compare children between different-sex married couples and same-sex couples fail to show significant differences in normal school progress between households across a variety of sample compositions. Likewise, marginal effects from regressions that compare children with similar family dynamics between different-sex married couples and same-sex couples fail to predict significantly higher probabilities of grade retention for children of same-sex couples. Significantly lower grade retention rates are sometimes predicted for children of same-sex couples than for different-sex married couples, but these differences are sensitive to sample exclusions and do not indicate causal benefits to same-sex parenting.

Anomalies in Trace Metal and Rare-Earth Loads below a Waste-Water Treatment Plant

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Antweiler, R.; Writer, J. H.; Murphy, S.

2013-12-01

The changes in chemical loads were examined for 54 inorganic elements and compounds in a 5.4-km reach of Boulder Creek, Colorado downstream of a waste water treatment plant (WWTP) outfall. Elements were partitioned into three categories: those showing a decrease in loading downstream, those showing an increase, and those which were conservative, at least over the length of the study reach. Dissolved loads which declined - generally indicative of in-stream loss via precipitation or sorption - were typically rapid (occurring largely before the first sampling site, 2.3 km downstream); elements showing this behavior were Bi, Cr, Cs, Ga, Ge, Hg, Se and Sn. These results were as expected before the experiment was performed. However, a large group (28 elements, including all the rare-earth elements, REE, except Gd) exhibited dissolved load increases indicating in-stream gains. These gains may be due to particulate matter dissolving or disaggregating, or that desorption is occurring below the WWTP. As with the in-stream loss group, the processes tended to be rapid, typically occurring before the first sampling site. Whole-water samples collected concurrently also had a large group of elements which showed an increase in load downstream of the WWTP. Among these were most of the group which had increases in the dissolved load, including all the REE (except Gd). Because whole-water samples include both dissolved and suspended particulates within them, increases in loads cannot be accounted for by invoking desorption or disaggregation mechanisms; thus, the only source for these increases is from the bed load of the stream. Further, the difference between the whole-water and dissolved loads is a measure of the particulate load, and calculations show that not only did the dissolved and whole-water loads increase, but so did the particulate loads. This implies that at the time of sampling the bed sediment was supplying a significant contribution to the suspended load. In general, it seems untenable as a hypothesis to suppose that the stream bed material can permanently supply the source of the in-stream load increases of a large group of inorganic elements. We propose that the anomalous increase in loads was more a function of the time of sampling (both diurnally and seasonally) and that sampling at different times of day or different seasons during the year would give contradictory results to those seen here. If this is so, inorganic loading studies must include multiple sampling both over the course of a day and during different seasons and flow regimes.

Performance Evaluation of Particle Sampling Probes for Emission Measurements of Aircraft Jet Engines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lee, Poshin; Chen, Da-Ren; Sanders, Terry (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

Considerable attention has been recently received on the impact of aircraft-produced aerosols upon the global climate. Sampling particles directly from jet engines has been performed by different research groups in the U.S. and Europe. However, a large variation has been observed among published data on the conversion efficiency and emission indexes of jet engines. The variation results surely from the differences in test engine types, engine operation conditions, and environmental conditions. The other factor that could result in the observed variation is the performance of sampling probes used. Unfortunately, it is often neglected in the jet engine community. Particle losses during the sampling, transport, and dilution processes are often not discussed/considered in literatures. To address this issue, we evaluated the performance of one sampling probe by challenging it with monodisperse particles. A significant performance difference was observed on the sampling probe evaluated under different temperature conditions. Thermophoretic effect, nonisokinetic sampling and turbulence loss contribute to the loss of particles in sampling probes. The results of this study show that particle loss can be dramatic if the sampling probe is not well designed. Further, the result allows ones to recover the actual size distributions emitted from jet engines.

[Effect of near infrared spectrum on the precision of PLS model for oil yield from oil shale].

PubMed

Wang, Zhi-Hong; Liu, Jie; Chen, Xiao-Chao; Sun, Yu-Yang; Yu, Yang; Lin, Jun

2012-10-01

It is impossible to use present measurement methods for the oil yield of oil shale to realize in-situ detection and these methods unable to meet the requirements of the oil shale resources exploration and exploitation. But in-situ oil yield analysis of oil shale can be achieved by the portable near infrared spectroscopy technique. There are different correlativities of NIR spectrum data formats and contents of sample components, and the different absorption specialities of sample components shows in different NIR spectral regions. So with the proportioning samples, the PLS modeling experiments were done by 3 formats (reflectance, absorbance and K-M function) and 4 regions of modeling spectrum, and the effect of NIR spectral format and region to the precision of PLS model for oil yield from oil shale was studied. The results show that the best data format is reflectance and the best modeling region is combination spectral range by PLS model method and proportioning samples. Therefore, the appropriate data format and the proper characteristic spectral region can increase the precision of PLS model for oil yield form oil shale.

Assessment of two different types of sample for the early detection and isolation of thermophilic Campylobacter in broiler farms.

PubMed

Urdaneta, Saulo; Dolz, Roser; Cerdà-Cuéllar, Marta

2015-01-01

In order to assess the optimal method for the early detection and isolation of thermophilic Campylobacter in broilers at farm level, two types of samples were compared: caecal contents obtained by necropsy and cloacal swabs transported in charcoal Amies medium. The study was conducted in five batches of broilers from five different farms, where weekly samples (caecal contents and cloacal swabs) from 30 birds were obtained. Samples were plated onto selective agar (modified charcoal cefoperazone desoxycholate agar, mCCDA) for Campylobacter isolation. Four out of five batches were positive for Campylobacter. No marked differences in sensitivity of both sample types were observed. However, a higher percentage of positive birds were detected when cloacal swabs were used. The results show that cloacal swab samples are adequate, and in some cases even better than caecal samples for the early detection of Campylobacter in broiler flocks at farm level. Also, this sample avoids sacrificing birds to test Campylobacter, which not only allows saving time in sample collection, transportation and processing at the laboratory, but also improves bird welfare and cost of sampling.

Personality disorders among patients with panic disorder and individuals with high anxiety sensitivity.

PubMed

Osma, Jorge; García-Palacios, Azucena; Botella, Cristina; Barrada, Juan Ramón

2014-05-01

No studies have been found that compared the psychopathology features, including personality disorders, of Panic Disorder (PD) and Panic Disorder with Agoraphobia (PDA), and a nonclinical sample with anxiety vulnerability. The total sample included 152 participants, 52 in the PD/PDA, 45 in the high anxiety sensitivity (AS) sample, and 55 in the nonclinical sample. The participants in PD/PDA sample were evaluated with the structured interview ADIS-IV. The Brief Symptom Inventory and the MCMI-III were used in all three samples. Statistically significant differences were found between the PD/PDA and the nonclinical sample in all MCMI-III scales except for antisocial and compulsive. No significant differences were found between PD/PDA and the sample with high scores in AS. Phobic Anxiety and Paranoid Ideation were the only scales where there were significant differences between the PD/PDA sample and the high AS sample. Our findings showed that people who scored high on AS, despite not having a diagnosis of PD/PDA, were similar in regard to psychopathology features and personality to individuals with PD/PDA.

The Molecular Weight Distribution of Polymer Samples

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Horta, Arturo; Pastoriza, M. Alejandra

2007-01-01

Various methods for the determination of the molecular weight distribution (MWD) of different polymer samples are presented. The study shows that the molecular weight averages and distribution of a polymerization completely depend on the characteristics of the reaction itself.

Investigation of mineral transformations and ash deposition during staged combustion. Quarterly technical progress report, April 1, 1997--June 30, 1997

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

Harb, J.N.

This report describes work performed in the fifteenth quarter of a fundamental study to examine the effect of staged combustion on ash formation and deposition. Efforts this quarter included addition of a new cyclone for improved particle sampling and modification of the existing sampling probe. Particulate samples were collected under a variety of experimental conditions for both coals under investigation. Deposits formed from the Black Thunder coal were also collected. Particle size and composition from the Pittsburgh No. 8 ash samples support previously reported results. In addition, the authors ability to distinguish char/ash associations has been refined and applied tomore » a variety of ash samples from this coal. The results show a clear difference between the behavior of included and excluded pyrite, and provide insight into the extent of pyrite oxidation. Ash samples from the Black Thunder coal have also been collected and analyzed. Results indicate a significant difference in the particle size of {open_quotes}unclassifiable{close_quotes} particles for ash formed during staged combustion. A difference in composition also appears to be present and is currently under investigation. Finally, deposits were collected under staged conditions for the Black Thunder coal. Specifically, two deposits were formed under similar conditions and allowed to mature under either reducing or oxidizing conditions in natural gas. Differences between the samples due to curing were noted. In addition, both deposits showed skeletal ash structures which resulted from in-situ burnout of the char after deposition.« less

Enhanced bacterial affinity of PVDF membrane: its application as improved sea water sampling tool for environmental monitoring.

PubMed

Kumar, Sweta Binod; Sharnagat, Preeti; Manna, Paramita; Bhattacharya, Amit; Haldar, Soumya

2017-02-01

Isolation of diversified bacteria from seawater is a major challenge in the field of environmental microbiology. In the present study, an attempt has been made to select specific membrane with improved property of attaching diversified bacteria. Initially, different concentrations (15, 18, and 20% W/W) of polysulfone (PSF) were used to check their affinity for the attachment of selected gram-positive (Bacillus subtilis) and gram-negative (Escherichia coli) bacteria. Among these, 20% W/W PSF showed maximum attachment. Therefore, membrane prepared with other materials such as polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) and polyether sulfone (PES) were used with the same concentration (20% W/W) to check their improved bacterial attachment property. Comparative study of bacterial attachment on three different membranes revealed that PVDF possessed the highest affinity towards both the groups of bacteria. This property was confirmed by different analytical methods viz. contact angle, atomic force microscopy, zeta potential, and flux study and further validated with seawater samples collected from seven sites of western coast and Lakshadweep island of India, using Biolog EcoPlate™. All the samples showed that bacterial richness and diversity was high in PVDF membrane in comparison to surrounding seawater samples. Interestingly, affinity for more diversified bacteria was reported to be higher in water sample with less turbidity and low bacteria load. This finding can facilitate the development of PVDF (20% W/W) membrane as a simple, cheap, and less labor intensive environmental sampling tool for the isolation of diversified bacteria from seawater sample wih different physiochemical properties. Graphical abstract ᅟ.

[The spectral study of the surface modified medical rubber].

PubMed

Luo, C; Liu, Y; Yang, J; Weng, J

1999-08-01

In this article ,the drug-resistance of two kinds of medical rubber whose surfaces have been modified were investigated by ATR-FTIR and XPS. The experimental results show that the compositions of the two samples'surface and body are different. The surface is fluorinated rubber although the body is butyl rubber. The ratio of fluorine to carbon atom in sample Ii -1 is higher than that in sample I -1. The principal join between F and C is the form--CF2--in sample II -1,but in sample I -1 it is the form--CF2-- and--CHF--. The change for F/C of the different depth in sample II- 1 was relatively less than that in sample I -1 when they were etched by argon ion bundle in the same conditions.

Cultural inter-population differences do not reflect biological distances: an example of interdisciplinary analysis of populations from Eastern Adriatic coast.

PubMed

Bašić, Željana; Fox, Ayano R; Anterić, Ivana; Jerković, Ivan; Polašek, Ozren; Anđelinović, Šimun; Holland, Mitchell M; Primorac, Dragan

2015-06-01

To compare the population group from the Šopot graveyard with population groups from traditional Croatian medieval graveyards by using anthropological, craniometrics, and mitochondrial (mtDNA) analysis and to examine if the cultural differences between population groups reflect biological differences. We determined sex, age at death, pathological, and traumatic changes of skeletal remains from the Šopot graveyard and compared them with a cumulative medieval sample from the same region. We also performed principal component analysis to compare skeletal remains from Šopot with those from Ostrovica and other Central European samples according to 8 cranial measurements. Finally, we compared 46 skeletons from Šopot with medieval (Ostrovica) and contemporary populations using mDNA haplogroup profiling. The remains from Šopot were similar to the cumulative sample in lifestyle and quality of life markers. Principal component analysis showed that they were closely related to Eastern Adriatic coast sites (including Ostrovica and Šopot) in terms of cranial morphology, indicating similar biological makeup. According to mDNA testing, Šopot population showed no significant differences in the haplogroup prevalence from either medieval or contemporary populations. This study shows that the Šopot population does not significantly differ from other medieval populations from this area. Besides similar quality of life markers, these populations also had similar biological markers. Substantial archeological differences can therefore be attributed to apparent cultural influences, which in this case do not reflect biological differences.

Cultural inter-population differences do not reflect biological distances: an example of interdisciplinary analysis of populations from Eastern Adriatic coast

PubMed Central

Bašić, Željana; Fox, Ayano R; Anterić, Ivana; Jerković, Ivan; Polašek, Ozren; Anđelinović, Šimun; Holland, Mitchell M; Primorac, Dragan

2015-01-01

Aim To compare the population group from the Šopot graveyard with population groups from traditional Croatian medieval graveyards by using anthropological, craniometrics, and mitochondrial (mtDNA) analysis and to examine if the cultural differences between population groups reflect biological differences. Methods We determined sex, age at death, pathological, and traumatic changes of skeletal remains from the Šopot graveyard and compared them with a cumulative medieval sample from the same region. We also performed principal component analysis to compare skeletal remains from Šopot with those from Ostrovica and other Central European samples according to 8 cranial measurements. Finally, we compared 46 skeletons from Šopot with medieval (Ostrovica) and contemporary populations using mDNA haplogroup profiling. Results The remains from Šopot were similar to the cumulative sample in lifestyle and quality of life markers. Principal component analysis showed that they were closely related to Eastern Adriatic coast sites (including Ostrovica and Šopot) in terms of cranial morphology, indicating similar biological makeup. According to mDNA testing, Šopot population showed no significant differences in the haplogroup prevalence from either medieval or contemporary populations. Conclusion This study shows that the Šopot population does not significantly differ from other medieval populations from this area. Besides similar quality of life markers, these populations also had similar biological markers. Substantial archeological differences can therefore be attributed to apparent cultural influences, which in this case do not reflect biological differences. PMID:26088847

Arcobacter butzleri in sheep ricotta cheese at retail and related sources of contamination in an industrial dairy plant.

PubMed

Scarano, Christian; Giacometti, Federica; Manfreda, Gerardo; Lucchi, Alex; Pes, Emanuela; Spanu, Carlo; De Santis, Enrico Pietro Luigi; Serraino, Andrea

2014-11-01

This study aimed to evaluate Arcobacter species contamination of industrial sheep ricotta cheese purchased at retail and to establish if the dairy plant environment may represent a source of contamination. A total of 32 sheep ricotta cheeses (1.5 kg/pack) packed in a modified atmosphere were purchased at retail, and 30 samples were collected in two sampling sessions performed in the cheese factory from surfaces in contact with food and from surfaces not in contact with food. Seven out of 32 samples (21.9%) of ricotta cheese collected at retail tested positive for Arcobacter butzleri at cultural examination; all positive samples were collected during the same sampling and belonged to the same batch. Ten surface samples (33.3%) collected in the dairy plant were positive for A. butzleri. Cluster analysis identified 32 pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) patterns. The same PFGE pattern was isolated from more than one ricotta cheese sample, indicating a common source of contamination, while more PFGE patterns could be isolated in single samples, indicating different sources of contamination. The results of the environmental sampling showed that A. butzleri may be commonly isolated from the dairy processing plant investigated and may survive over time, as confirmed by the isolation of the same PFGE pattern in different industrial plant surface samples. Floor contamination may represent a source of A. butzleri spread to different areas of the dairy plant, as demonstrated by isolation of the same PFGE pattern in different production areas. Isolation of the same PFGE pattern from surface samples in the dairy plant and from ricotta cheese purchased at retail showed that plant surfaces may represent a source of A. butzleri postprocessing contamination in cheeses produced in industrial dairy plants. Copyright © 2014, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

A similarity based learning framework for interim analysis of outcome prediction of acupuncture for neck pain.

PubMed

Zhang, Gang; Liang, Zhaohui; Yin, Jian; Fu, Wenbin; Li, Guo-Zheng

2013-01-01

Chronic neck pain is a common morbid disorder in modern society. Acupuncture has been administered for treating chronic pain as an alternative therapy for a long time, with its effectiveness supported by the latest clinical evidence. However, the potential effective difference in different syndrome types is questioned due to the limits of sample size and statistical methods. We applied machine learning methods in an attempt to solve this problem. Through a multi-objective sorting of subjective measurements, outstanding samples are selected to form the base of our kernel-oriented model. With calculation of similarities between the concerned sample and base samples, we are able to make full use of information contained in the known samples, which is especially effective in the case of a small sample set. To tackle the parameters selection problem in similarity learning, we propose an ensemble version of slightly different parameter setting to obtain stronger learning. The experimental result on a real data set shows that compared to some previous well-known methods, the proposed algorithm is capable of discovering the underlying difference among different syndrome types and is feasible for predicting the effective tendency in clinical trials of large samples.

Legionella species and serogroups in Malaysian water cooling towers: identification by latex agglutination and PCR-DNA sequencing of isolates.

PubMed

Yong, Stacey Foong Yee; Goh, Fen-Ning; Ngeow, Yun Fong

2010-03-01

In this study, we investigated the distribution of Legionella species in water cooling towers located in different parts of Malaysia to obtain information that may inform public health policies for the prevention of legionellosis. A total of 20 water samples were collected from 11 cooling towers located in three different states in east, west and south Malaysia. The samples were concentrated by filtration and treated with an acid buffer before plating on to BCYE agar. Legionella viable counts in these samples ranged from 100 to 2,000 CFU ml(-1); 28 isolates from the 24 samples were examined by latex agglutination as well as 16S rRNA and rpoB PCR-DNA sequencing. These isolates were identified as Legionella pneumophila serogroup 1 (35.7%), L. pneumophila serogroup 2-14 (39%), L. pneumophila non-groupable (10.7%), L. busanensis, L. gormanii, L. anisa and L. gresilensis. L. pneumophila was clearly the predominant species at all sampling sites. Repeat sampling from the same cooling tower and testing different colonies from the same water sample showed concurrent colonization by different serogroups and different species of Legionella in some of the cooling towers.

Violence and crime among male inpatients with severe mental illness: attempting to explain ethnic differences.

PubMed

Bruce, Matt; Cobb, Deborah; Clisby, Holly; Ndegwa, David; Hodgins, Sheilagh

2014-04-01

Studies report that in the U.K., among men with severe mental illness (SMI), those of black Caribbean ethnicity display increased risk of aggressive behaviour, criminal convictions, and schizophrenia. The study aimed to compare aggressive behaviour and criminal convictions among men with SMI of white British, black Caribbean and black African ethnicity, and to explore factors associated with differences across ethnicities. Sample 1 included 1,104 male inpatients with SMI. Sample 2 included a representative sub-sample of 165 who completed interviews, and authorized access to medical and criminal files. Ethnicity was self-ascribed. Staff-rated violence prior to admission, self-reported aggressive behaviour, and convictions for non-violent and violent crimes differed among men with SMI of different ethnicities. Relative to men with SMI of white British ethnicity, those of black African ethnicity showed decreased risk of aggressive behaviour, and those of black Caribbean ethnicity showed elevated risk of convictions for non-violent, and marginally, for violent crimes. Relative to men with SMI of black African ethnicity, those of black Caribbean ethnicity showed elevated risk of aggressive behaviour and criminal convictions. Proportionately more of the men of both black African and black Caribbean ethnicity, than those of white British ethnicity, presented schizophrenia spectrum disorders. Multivariate analyses failed to identify factors that would explain differences in aggressive behaviour, and criminal convictions across ethnic groups. Differences in four different measures of aggressive and antisocial behaviour among men with SMI of different ethnicities were observed but factors associated with these differences were not found.

Individual Differences in the Relationship between Satisfaction with Job Rewards and Job Satisfaction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hofmans, Joeri; De Gieter, Sara; Pepermans, Roland

2013-01-01

Although previous research often showed a positive relationship between pay satisfaction and job satisfaction, we dispute the universality of this finding. Cluster-wise regression analyses on three samples consistently show that two types of individuals can be distinguished, each with a different job reward-job satisfaction relationship. For the…

Monitoring of organochlorine pesticide residue levels in adipose tissue of Veracruz, Mexico inhabitants.

PubMed

Waliszewski, Stefan M; Caba, M; Herrero-Mercado, M; Saldariaga-Noreña, H; Meza, E; Zepeda, R; Martínez-Valenzuela, C; Infanzon, R; Hernández-Chalate, F

2011-11-01

The objective of the present study was to monitor the levels of organochlorine pesticides HCB, α-β-γ-HCH, pp'DDE, op'DDT and pp'DDT in 150 adipose tissue samples of Veracruz, Mexico inhabitants. In analyzed samples, the following pesticides were detected: p,p'-DDE in 100% of the samples at mean 1.643 mg/kg; p,p'-DDT in 99.3.% of the samples at mean 0.227 mg/kg; β-HCH in 97.3% of the samples at mean 0.063 mg/kg; and op'DDT in 93.3% of the samples at mean 0.022 mg/kg. Comparing mean, median and geometric mean concentrations of organochlorine pesticides shows a decrease in values from mean to median and to geometric mean which points out a prevalence of lower concentrations among the total samples and the existence of occasional cases of extreme exposure expressed in range values. The pooled samples divided according to sex, showed only significant differences of pp'DDE median concentrations between sexes. The other organochlorine pesticides indicated no statistical differences between sexes, including the pp'DDE/pp'DDT ratio. The samples grouped according to age, showed that the third tertile was more contaminated for both sexes, indicating age as a positively associated factor with organochlorine pesticide levels in adipose tissue of Veracruz inhabitants. Comparing organochlorine pesticide levels between 2008 and 2010 years, a decreased tendency for β-HCH, pp'DDE, Σ-DDT and pp'DDE/pp'DDT ratio levels was observed.

The influence of collection zone on glucosinolates, polyphenols and flavonoids contents and biological profiles of Capparis sicula ssp. sicula.

PubMed

Conforti, F; Marcotullio, M C; Menichini, F; Statti, G A; Vannutelli, L; Burini, G; Menichini, F; Curini, M

2011-04-01

This study aimed to evaluate the influence of collection zone on total phenol, flavonoid and glucosinolate contents and antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities of caper (Capparis sicula ssp. sicula). This species has been characterized through the detection, isolation and quantitative evaluation of chemical markers (polyphenols, flavonoids and glucosinolates). The chemical investigation showed a different composition between the two collection zones. While the total amounts of phenolics and flavonoids of the two samples were quite the same, their high-performance liquid chromatography profiles were very different. In both samples, the most abundant aglycone was quercetin which accounted for 60% of total flavonoids. Nuclear magnetic resonance data analysis allowed the identification of two compounds: 3,5-dicaffeoylquinic and 4,5-dicaffeoylquinic acids which represented 6.67% and 15.94%, respectively, of the total amount of flavonoids in sample 1. In sample 2, these two acids were still present, but their percentages were much less (2.20% and 1.71%, respectively). As far as we know, this is the first report about the presence of dicaffeoylquinic acids in Capparis. With regard to glucosinolate content, sample 1 showed a higher content of glucosinolates. In both samples, glucocapparin was the most abundant compound. Antioxidant activity of the methanolic C. sicula extracts using diphenyl picrylhydrazyl, β-carotene bleaching test and oxygen radical absorbance capacity showed that the sample 2 was more active than 1. As regards the inhibition of NO production, the extracts from sample 2 were more active than those from sample 1.

Comparison of Butyric acid concentrations in ordinary and probiotic yogurt samples in Iran.

PubMed

Vaseji, N; Mojgani, N; Amirinia, C; Iranmanesh, M

2012-06-01

Butyric acid has many applications in chemical, food and pharmaceutical industries. Applications of butyric acid are as an additive to food, flavorings, varnishes, perfumes, pharmaceuticals and disinfectants. Butyric acid concentrations have positive impact on the quality control of milk, yogurt and other probiotic dairy products. The present investigation was undertaken to determine and compare the concentrations of butyric acid (C4) in the ordinary and probiotic yogurt samples by GC method. Probiotic yogurt samples were prepared under laboratory scale conditions using two different commercial starters ABY1 and 211, while ordinary yogurt samples lacked the probiotic starter cultures. All samples were analyzed in duplicate, for C4 concentrations by gas chromatography after day 1, 2, 10 and 20 of production, during storage at 4°C. The results were analyzed using ANOVA and Duncan test. The level of the mentioned fatty acid in ABY1 yogurt sample was significantly higher (0.2%) than in 211 samples (0.17%). These values were significantly lower in ordinary yogurt samples and only 0.07% was recorded in these samples on first day of storage which decreased gradually during storage. The level of reduction in the yogurt samples tested during different time intervals was not similar in all the examined samples, and some showed enhanced reduction than other samples. Compared to ordinary yogurt samples, probiotic yogurt samples used in study showed higher levels of butyric acid with increased shelf life.

Comparison of Butyric acid concentrations in ordinary and probiotic yogurt samples in Iran

PubMed Central

Vaseji, N; Mojgani, N; Amirinia, C; Iranmanesh, M

2012-01-01

Background and objectives Butyric acid has many applications in chemical, food and pharmaceutical industries. Applications of butyric acid are as an additive to food, flavorings, varnishes, perfumes, pharmaceuticals and disinfectants. Butyric acid concentrations have positive impact on the quality control of milk, yogurt and other probiotic dairy products. The present investigation was undertaken to determine and compare the concentrations of butyric acid (C4) in the ordinary and probiotic yogurt samples by GC method. Materials and Methods Probiotic yogurt samples were prepared under laboratory scale conditions using two different commercial starters ABY1 and 211, while ordinary yogurt samples lacked the probiotic starter cultures. All samples were analyzed in duplicate, for C4 concentrations by gas chromatography after day 1, 2, 10 and 20 of production, during storage at 4°C. The results were analyzed using ANOVA and Duncan test. Results The level of the mentioned fatty acid in ABY1 yogurt sample was significantly higher (0.2%) than in 211 samples (0.17%). These values were significantly lower in ordinary yogurt samples and only 0.07% was recorded in these samples on first day of storage which decreased gradually during storage. The level of reduction in the yogurt samples tested during different time intervals was not similar in all the examined samples, and some showed enhanced reduction than other samples. Conclusions Compared to ordinary yogurt samples, probiotic yogurt samples used in study showed higher levels of butyric acid with increased shelf life. PMID:22973475

Comparison of three sampling instruments, Cytobrush, Curette and OralCDx, for liquid-based cytology of the oral mucosa.

PubMed

Reboiras-López, M D; Pérez-Sayáns, M; Somoza-Martín, J M; Antúnez-López, J R; Gándara-Vila, P; Gayoso-Diz, P; Gándara-Rey, J M; García-García, A

2012-01-01

Exfoliative cytology of the oral cavity is a simple and noninvasive technique that permits the study of epithelial cells. Liquid-based cytology is an auxiliary diagnostic tool for improving the specificity and sensitivity of conventional cytology. The objective of our study was to compare the quality of normal oral mucosa cytology samples obtained using three different instruments, Cytobrush®, dermatological curette and Oral CDx® for liquid-based cytology. One hundred four cytological samples of oral cavity were analyzed. Samples were obtained from healthy volunteer subjects using all three instruments. The clinical and demographic variables were age, sex and smoking habits. We analyzed cellularity, quality of the preparation and types of cells in the samples. All preparations showed appropriate preparation quality. In all smears analyzed, cells were distributed uniformly and showed no mucus, bleeding, inflammatory exudate or artifacts. We found no correlation between the average number of cells and the type of instrument. The samples generally consisted of two types of cells: superficial and intermediate. No differences were found among the cytological preparations of these three instruments. We did not observe basal cells in any of the samples analyzed.

Polyphasic Microbial Analysis of Traditional Korean Jeung-Pyun Sourdough Fermented with Makgeolli.

PubMed

Lim, Sae Bom; Tingirikari, Jagan Mohan Rao; Kwon, Ye Won; Li, Ling; Kim, Grace E; Han, Nam Soo

2017-02-28

Jeung-pyun, a fermented rice cake, is prepared by fermenting rice sourdough using makgeolli, a traditional Korean rice wine, in the presence of yeast and lactic acid bacteria (LAB). The goal of this study was to conduct biochemical and microbial analyses of five different rice sourdoughs, each fermented with a different commercial makgeolli, using culture-dependent and culture-independent approaches. All sourdough samples fermented with different makgeolli for 6.5 h showed different profiles in pH, total titratable acidity, organic acid concentration, and microbial growth. LAB belonging to different genera were identified based on colony morphology on modified MRS and sourdough bacteria agar medium. PCR-denaturinggradient gel electrophoresis analyses of the five sourdoughs showed different bands corresponding to LAB and yeast. 16S/26S rRNA gene sequence analyses of the samples confirmed that the predominant LAB in the five fermented rice doughs was Lactobacillus plantarum , Lb. pentosus , and Lb. brevis . Various other Lactobacillus spp. and Saccharomyces cerevisiae were common in all five fermented samples. This study provides comprehensive and comparative information on the microflora involved in fermentation of rice sourdough and signifies the need to develop effective starters to enrich the quality of jeung-pyun.

Electromechanical properties of polyamide/lycra fabric treated with PEDOT:PSS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tadesse, M. G.; Mengistie, D. A.; Loghin, C.; Chen, Y.; Wang, L.; Catalin, D.; Müller, C.; Nierstrasz, V.

2017-10-01

One of the challenges in smart textiles is to develop suitable multifunctional materials that can address simultaneously several characteristics such as durability, stretchability, lightweight, and conductivity. Conductive polymers which showed success in different technological fields like polymer solar cells and light emitting diodes are promising in many smart textile applications. In this work, we treated a common polyamide/lycra knitted fabric with PEDOT:PSS for stretchable e-textiles. PEDOT:PSS, with DMSO as a conductivity enhancer and different ratios of water-based polyurethane dispersions as a binder, was applied to the fabric with simple immersion and coating applications. The effect of different application methods and binder ratio on the surface resistance of the fabric was monitored with four point probe electrical surface resistance measurement systems. Samples prepared by immersion technique are more uniform and have higher conductivity than those prepared by a coating technique. SEM images showed that PEDOT:PSS is incorporated into the structure in the immersion method while in the coating it is majorly present on the surface of the fabric. The tensile measurement showed that the acidic PEDOT:PSS and polyurethane dispersion coating has no adverse effect on the tensile strength of the fabric. The coated samples can be stretched up to 700% while still reasonably conductive. The resistance increases only by a small amount when samples were stretched cyclically by stretching 100%. Generally, samples prepared by the immersion method maintained better conductivity while stretching than those by a coating method. The washing fastness of the samples was also assessed.

An American termite in Paris: temporal colony dynamics.

PubMed

Baudouin, Guillaume; Dedeine, Franck; Bech, Nicolas; Bankhead-Dronnet, Stéphanie; Dupont, Simon; Bagnères, Anne-Geneviève

2017-12-01

Termites of the genus Reticulitermes are widespread invaders, particularly in urban habitats. Their cryptic and subterranean lifestyle makes them difficult to detect, and we know little about their colony dynamics over time. In this study we examined the persistence of Reticulitermes flavipes (Kollar) colonies in the city of Paris over a period of 15 years. The aim was (1) to define the boundaries of colonies sampled within the same four areas over two sampling periods, (2) to determine whether the colonies identified during the first sampling period persisted to the second sampling period, and (3) to compare the results obtained when colonies were delineated using a standard population genetic approach versus a Bayesian clustering method that combined both spatial and genetic information. Herein, colony delineations were inferred from genetic differences at nine microsatellite loci and one mitochondrial locus. Four of the 18 identified colonies did not show significant differences in their genotype distributions between the two sampling periods. While allelic richness was low, making it hard to reliably distinguish colony family type, most colonies appeared to retain the same breeding structure over time. These large and expansive colonies showed an important ability to fuse (39% were mixed-family colonies), contained hundreds of reproductives and displayed evidence of isolation-by-distance, suggesting budding dispersal. These traits, which favor colony persistence over time, present a challenge for pest control efforts, which apply treatment locally. The other colonies showed significant differences, but we cannot exclude the possibility that their genotype distributions simply changed over time.

Bioelectrographic testing of mineral samples: a comparison of techniques.

PubMed

Vainshelboim, Alex; Momoh, Kenneth S

2005-04-01

This study was initiated to determine the suitability of differing techniques to record optical properties of gemstones under electromagnetic stimulation. Such properties are of interest due to the historical use of gemstones in folkloric remedies, specifically as agents for concentrating, focusing, or otherwise conducting energy flows in the human body. The techniques researched produce a localized corona discharge around the tested material. The simplest technique, Tesla coil Kirlian photography (TCKP), uses a Tesla coil to introduce a strong electric current, and the circuit is completed by a glass electrode. The corona discharge is then photographed. The other technique used in the study is gas discharge visualization (GDV), which uses a pulsed current and a digital camera integral to the coil to produce digital images of the corona discharge. Gemstones were tested both whole and in powdered form. The sample gemstones were amethyst, aquamarine, garnet, golden citrine, pink tourmaline, and yellow topaz. Powdered gemstones were ground to a particle size of 2-5 microns; whole gemstones were roundcut to a diameter of 5 mm. In our tests, TCKP showed divergent effects for differing types of gemstone. The most extreme effects were exhibited by tourmaline, both in powdered and whole form. In addition, TCKP appeared to indicate differing effects for gemstones of the identical type but mined from differing locations. The GDV technique showed differing data among the gemstones for the measured parameters, indicating that a high relative intensity did not correspond to the size of the corona discharge. While both techniques showed promise in distinguishing differences in corona discharge behavior in gemstone samples, further work is necessary to determine the significance of differences in geographical sources or between gemstones of similar crystalline structure. The techniques explored show promise in characterizing the properties of gem materials under electromagnetic stimulation.

Processing study of high temperature superconducting Y-Ba-Cu-O ceramics

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

Safari, A.; Wachtman, J.B. Jr.; Ward, C.

Processing of the YBa{sub 2}Cu{sub 3}O{sub 6+x} superconducting phase by employing different precursor powder preparation techniques (ball milling, attrition milling) and samples formed by different sintering conditions are discussed. The superconducting phase has been identified by powder x-ray diffraction. The effect of different powder processing and pressing conditions on the structure, density, resistivity and a.c. magnetic susceptibility were studied. Though there is no variation in T{sub c} for all the samples, attrition milled samples show a much lower resistance and less temperature dependence compared to ball milled samples above the superconducting transition temperature up to room temperature. Ball milled samplesmore » were loosely packed with more voids compared to attrition milled samples which are more densely packed with a needle-like structure.« less

[Study on Different Parts of Wild and Cultivated Gentiana Rigescens with Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy].

PubMed

Shen, Yun-xia; Zhao, Yan-li; Zhang, Ji; Zuo, Zhi-tian; Wang, Yuan-zhong; Zhang, Qing-zhi

2016-03-01

The application of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and their preparations have a long history. With the deepening of the research, the market demand is increasing. However, wild resources are so limited that it can not meet the needs of the market. The development of wild and cultivated samples and research on accumulation dynamics of chemical component are of great significance. In order to compare composition difference of different parts (root, stem, and leaf) of wild and cultivated G. rigescens, Fourier infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and second derivative spectra were used to analyze and evaluate. The second derivative spectra of 60 samples and the rate of affinity (the match values) were measured automatically using the appropriate software (Omnic 8.0). The results showed that the various parts of wild and cultivated G. rigescens. were high similar the peaks at 1732, 1 643, 1 613, 1 510, 1 417, 1 366, 1 322, 1 070 cm(-1) were the characteristic peak of esters, terpenoids and saccharides, respectively. Moreover, the shape and peak intensity were more distinct in the second derivative spectrum of samples. In the second derivative spectrum range of 1 800-600 cm(-1), the fingerprint characteristic peak of samples and gentiopicroside standards were 1 679, 1 613, 1 466, 1 272, 1 204, 1 103, 1 074, 985, 935 cm(-1). The characteristic peak intensity of gentiopicroside of roots of wild and cultivated samples at 1 613 cm(-1) (C-C) was higher than stems and leaves which indicated the higher content of gentiopicroside in root than in stem and leaves. Stems of wild samples at 1 521, 1 462 and 1 452 cm(-1) are the skeletal vibration peak of benzene ring of lignin, and the stem of cultivated sample have stronger peak than other samples which showed that rich lignin in stems. The iInfrared spectrum of samples were similar with the average spectral of root of wild samples, and significant difference was found for the correlation between second derivative spectrum of samples and average spectral of wild samples root, and the sequence of similarity was root > stem > leaf. Therefore, FTIR combined with second derivative spectra was an express and comprehensive approach to analyze and evaluate in the imperceptible differences among different parts of wild and cultivated of G. rigescens.

Sorption Isotherm of Southern Yellow Pine-High Density Polyethylene Composites.

PubMed

Liu, Feihong; Han, Guangping; Cheng, Wanli; Wu, Qinglin

2015-01-20

Temperature and relative humidity (RH) are two major external factors, which affect equilibrium moisture content (EMC) of wood-plastic composites (WPCs). In this study, the effect of different durability treatments on sorption and desorption isotherms of southern yellow pine (SYP)-high density polyethylene (HDPE) composites was investigated. All samples were equilibriumed at 20 °C and various RHs including 16%, 33%, 45%, 66%, 75%, 85%, 93%, and100%. EMCs obtained from desorption and absorption for different WPC samples were compared with Nelson's sorption isotherm model predictions using the same temperature and humidity conditions. The results indicated that the amount of moisture absorbed increased with the increases in RH at 20 °C. All samples showed sorption hysteresis at a fixed RH. Small difference between EMC data of WPC samples containing different amount of ultraviolet (UV) stabilizers were observed. Similar results were observed among the samples containing different amount of zinc borate (ZB). The experimental data of EMCs at various RHs fit to the Nelson's sorption isotherm model well. The Nelson's model can be used to predicate EMCs of WPCs under different RH environmental conditions.

Sorption Isotherm of Southern Yellow Pine—High Density Polyethylene Composites

PubMed Central

Liu, Feihong; Han, Guangping; Cheng, Wanli; Wu, Qinglin

2015-01-01

Temperature and relative humidity (RH) are two major external factors, which affect equilibrium moisture content (EMC) of wood-plastic composites (WPCs). In this study, the effect of different durability treatments on sorption and desorption isotherms of southern yellow pine (SYP)-high density polyethylene (HDPE) composites was investigated. All samples were equilibriumed at 20 °C and various RHs including 16%, 33%, 45%, 66%, 75%, 85%, 93%, and100%. EMCs obtained from desorption and absorption for different WPC samples were compared with Nelson’s sorption isotherm model predictions using the same temperature and humidity conditions. The results indicated that the amount of moisture absorbed increased with the increases in RH at 20 °C. All samples showed sorption hysteresis at a fixed RH. Small difference between EMC data of WPC samples containing different amount of ultraviolet (UV) stabilizers were observed. Similar results were observed among the samples containing different amount of zinc borate (ZB). The experimental data of EMCs at various RHs fit to the Nelson’s sorption isotherm model well. The Nelson’s model can be used to predicate EMCs of WPCs under different RH environmental conditions. PMID:28787943

Inclusion of seminal plasma in sperm cryopreservation of Iberian pig.

PubMed

Gómez-Fernández, José; Gómez-Izquierdo, Emilio; Tomás, Cristina; González-Bulnes, Antonio; Sánchez-Sánchez, Raúl; de Mercado, Eduardo

2012-01-01

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the inclusion of seminal plasma (SP) in the freezing extender, trying to preserve as much as possible of SP with spermatozoa from Iberian pigs, thus improving the conservation of animal genetic resources of this breed. Experiment 1, evaluated the effect of substituting water with SP as diluent in the freezing media in different proportions (0%, 10%, 25%, 50%, 75% and 100%), over pre-freezing (at 10°C and 5°C) and post-thawing sperm quality. The results showed that over 50% of SP in the extender, significantly decreased sperm quality in comparison to the control sample (0% SP) and the samples with 10% and 25% of SP (P<0.05). No significant differences were found between the control sample and the samples with 10% and 25% SP (P>0.05), but treatment with 25% did not show significant differences between the time of incubation at 37°C after thawing (P>0.05), showing greater sperm quality resistance over time. Experiment 2, evaluated the effect of prolonged incubation period, until 480min (simulating the lifespan of sperm in the female genital tract), of sperm samples with 0%, 10% and 25% of SP. Treatment with 25% of SP maintained better sperm quality over time, compared to control sample. Significant differences were observed especially in the parameters of motility analysis (TMS, total motile spermatozoa; PMS: progressive motility spermatozoa. P<0.05). In Experiment 3, the effect of the presence of SP was evaluated during the thawing process. Although some differences were observed between treatments, these differences were not as clear as the previous experiments. In conclusion, replacement of 25% of the water by SP as diluent in the freezing extender could be considered the maximum percentage of inclusion, without harmful effects to the sperm. In addition, this proportion of SP maintained Iberian sperm quality for longer time when it was present during the freezing and thawing process. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Comparing Ancient DNA Preservation in Petrous Bone and Tooth Cementum

PubMed Central

Margaryan, Ashot; Stenderup, Jesper; Lynnerup, Niels; Willerslev, Eske; Allentoft, Morten E.

2017-01-01

Large-scale genomic analyses of ancient human populations have become feasible partly due to refined sampling methods. The inner part of petrous bones and the cementum layer in teeth roots are currently recognized as the best substrates for such research. We present a comparative analysis of DNA preservation in these two substrates obtained from the same human skulls, across a range of different ages and preservation environments. Both substrates display significantly higher endogenous DNA content (average of 16.4% and 40.0% for teeth and petrous bones, respectively) than parietal skull bone (average of 2.2%). Despite sample-to-sample variation, petrous bone overall performs better than tooth cementum (p = 0.001). This difference, however, is driven largely by a cluster of viking skeletons from one particular locality, showing relatively poor molecular tooth preservation (<10% endogenous DNA). In the remaining skeletons there is no systematic difference between the two substrates. A crude preservation (good/bad) applied to each sample prior to DNA-extraction predicted the above/below 10% endogenous DNA threshold in 80% of the cases. Interestingly, we observe signficantly higher levels of cytosine to thymine deamination damage and lower proportions of mitochondrial/nuclear DNA in petrous bone compared to tooth cementum. Lastly, we show that petrous bones from ancient cremated individuals contain no measurable levels of authentic human DNA. Based on these findings we discuss the pros and cons of sampling the different elements. PMID:28129388

Fabrication of Nanocomposites of SnO2 and MgAl2O4 for Gas Sensing Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nithyavathy, N.; Arunmetha, S.; Vinoth, M.; Sriram, G.; Rajendran, V.

2016-04-01

Simple solid-state and sol-gel routes have been used to synthesize nanocomposites of tin oxide and magnesium aluminate at calcination temperature of 900 K for gas sensing applications. The effects of the surface structure of magnesium aluminate on the gas response for different concentrations of tin oxide addition were investigated for potential use in gas sensors. (SnO2) x doped in small amounts x into magnesium aluminate resulted in three nanocomposite samples MAS0.25, MAS0.50, and MAS0.75 for x = 0.25, 0.50, and 0.75, respectively, plus MgAl2O4 (MA) for x = 0. The response to different pressures of gases such as oxygen (O2), carbon monoxide (CO), and ethanol (C2H5OH) was quantitatively analyzed for all samples at different operating temperatures. The temperature was varied linearly by increasing the supply to a heating pad mounted below the sensor sample, regardless of the gas pressure inside the chamber. All the sample materials showed good response at different gas pressures (1 bar to 2 bar) and operating temperatures (300 K to 600 K). It was noted that the composite samples showed enhanced and fast response to gases, at both lower and higher operating temperatures, with detection of even the smallest change in gas pressure.

Why do different people choose different university degrees? Motivation and the choice of degree

PubMed Central

Skatova, Anya; Ferguson, Eamonn

2014-01-01

Different people choose undergraduate degrees to study at university for different reasons. To date, there have been limited attempts to identify individual differences in motivation that drive undergraduate degree choice. We identified that people choose university degrees for four reasons: career concerns (Career), intrinsic interest in the subject (Interest), an opportunity to help others (Helping) and because they are looking for an easy option to get into higher education (Loafing). We investigated whether these motivations apply to the choice of undergraduate degree in two samples: (1) undergraduate (N = 989) and (2) prospective (N = 896) students. We developed the Motivations Influencing Course Choice (MICC) questionnaire to measure these motivations. Scales of Helping, Career, Loafing, and Interest showed good psychometric properties, showed validity with respect to general life goals and personality traits, and predicted actual and prospective degree choices. We demonstrated that medical degrees were chosen due to a mixture of Helping and Career, while engineering degrees were associated with Career and low Interest in the degree. The choice of arts and humanities degrees was driven by Interest and low concern about future career, accompanied with high Loafing. We also demonstrated gender differences: females were high in Helping (both samples) and Interest (only in the undergraduate sample) motivation, while males scored higher in Career (only in the undergraduate sample) and Loafing (both samples). The findings can feed into both theoretical accounts of proximal motivation as well as provide help to improve degree programmes at universities and support better career advice. PMID:25431561

Study of structural and magnetic properties of melt spun Nd2Fe13.6Zr0.4B ingot and ribbon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amin, Muhammad; Siddiqi, Saadat A.; Ashfaq, Ahmad; Saleem, Murtaza; Ramay, Shahid M.; Mahmood, Asif; Al-Zaghayer, Yousef S.

2015-12-01

Nd2Fe13.6Zr0.4B hard magnetic material were prepared using arc-melting technique on a water-cooled copper hearth kept under argon gas atmosphere. The prepared samples, Nd2Fe13.6Zr0.4B ingot and ribbon are characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) for crystal structure determination and morphological studies, respectively. The magnetic properties of the samples have been explored using vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM). The lattice constants slightly increased due to the difference in the ionic radii of Fe and that of Zr. The bulk density decreased due to smaller molar weight and low density of Zr as compared to that of Fe. Ingot sample shows almost single crystalline phase with larger crystallite sizes whereas ribbon sample shows a mixture of amorphous and crystalline phases with smaller crystallite sizes. The crystallinity of the material was highly affected with high thermal treatments. Magnetic measurements show noticeable variation in magnetic behavior with the change in crystallite size. The sample prepared in ingot type shows soft while ribbon shows hard magnetic behavior.

Al2O3-TiC Composite Prepared by Spark Plasma Sintering Process: Evaluation of Mechanical and Tribological Properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumar, Rohit; Chaubey, A. K.; Bathula, Sivaiah; Prashanth, K. G.; Dhar, Ajay

2018-03-01

Al2O3-10TiC composites were synthesized by spark plasma sintering (SPS) process. Microstructural and mechanical properties of the composite reveal homogeneous distribution of the fine TiC particles in the matrix. The samples were produced with different sintering temperature, and it shows that the hardness and density gradually increases with increasing sintering temperature. Abrasion wear test result reveals that the composite sintered at 1500 °C shows high abrasion resistance (wt. loss 0.016 g) and the lowest abrasion resistance was observed for the composite sample sintered at 1100 °C (wt. loss 1.459 g). The profilometry surface roughness study shows that sample sintered at 1100 °C shows maximum roughness ( R a = 6.53 µm) compared to the sample sintered at 1500 °C ( R a = 0.66 µm) corroborating the abrasion wear test results.

Influence of different temperatures on the thermal fatigue behavior and thermal stability of hot-work tool steel processed by a biomimetic couple laser technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meng, Chao; Zhou, Hong; Zhou, Ying; Gao, Ming; Tong, Xin; Cong, Dalong; Wang, Chuanwei; Chang, Fang; Ren, Luquan

2014-04-01

Three kinds of biomimetic non-smooth shapes (spot-shape, striation-shape and reticulation-shape) were fabricated on the surface of H13 hot-work tool steel by laser. We investigated the thermal fatigue behavior of biomimetic non-smooth samples with three kinds of shapes at different thermal cycle temperature. Moreover, the evolution of microstructure, as well as the variations of hardness of laser affected area and matrix were studied and compared. The results showed that biomimetic non-smooth samples had better thermal fatigue behavior compared to the untreated samples at different thermal cycle temperatures. For a given maximal temperature, the biomimetic non-smooth sample with reticulation-shape had the optimum thermal fatigue behavior, than with striation-shape which was better than that with the spot-shape. The microstructure observations indicated that at different thermal cycle temperatures the coarsening degrees of microstructures of laser affected area were different and the microstructures of laser affected area were still finer than that of the untreated samples. Although the resistance to thermal cycling softening of laser affected area was lower than that of the untreated sample, laser affected area had higher microhardness than the untreated sample at different thermal cycle temperature.

SU-E-I-44: Some Preliminary Analysis of Angular Distribution of X-Ray Scattered On Soft Tissues

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

Ganezer, K; Krmar, M; Cvejic, Z

2015-06-15

Purpose: The angular distribution of x-radiation scattered at small angles (up to 16 degrees) from several different animal soft tissue (skin, fat, muscle, retina, etc) were measured using standard equipment devoted to study of crystal structure which provides excellent geometry conditions of measurements. showed measurable differences for different tissues. In the simplest possible case when measured samples do not differ in structure (different concentration solutions) it can be seen that intensity of scattered radiation is decreasing function of the concentration and the peak of the maximum of scattering distribution depends on the concentration as well. Methods: An x-ray scattering profilemore » usually consists of sharp diffraction peak; however some properties of the spatial profiles of scattered radiation as intensity, the peak position, height, area, FWHM, the ratio of peak heights, etc. Results: The data contained measurable differences for different tissues. In the simplest possible case when measured samples do not differ in structure (different concentration solutions) it can be seen that intensity of scattered radiation is decreasing function of the concentration and the peak of the maximum of scattering distribution depends on the concentration as well. Measurements of different samples in the very preliminary phase showed that simple biological material used in study showed slightly different scattering pattern, especially at higher angles (around 10degrees). Intensity of radiation scattered from same tissue type is very dependent on water content and several more parameters. Conclusion: This preliminary study using animal soft tissues on the angular distributions of scattered x-rays suggests that angular distributions of X-rays scattered off of soft tissues might be useful in distinguishing healthy tissue from malignant soft tissue.« less

Effect of geometric size on mechanical properties of dielectric elastomers based on an improved visco-hyperelastic film model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chang, Mengzhou; Wang, Zhenqing; Tong, Liyong; Liang, Wenyan

2017-03-01

Dielectric polymers show complex mechanical behaviors with different boundary conditions, geometry size and pre-stress. A viscoelastic model suitable for inhomogeneous deformation is presented integrating the Kelvin-Voigt model in a new form in this work. For different types of uniaxial tensile test loading along the length direction of sample, single-step-relaxation tests, loading-unloading tests and tensile-creep-relaxation tests the improved model provides a quite favorable comparison with the experiment results. Moreover, The mechanical properties of test sample with several length-width ratios under different boundary conditions are also invested. The influences of the different boundary conditions are calculated with a stress applied on the boundary point and the result show that the fixed boundary will increase the stress compare with homogeneous deformation. In modeling the effect of pre-stress in the shear test, three pre-stressed mode are discussed. The model validation on the general mechanical behavior shows excellent predictive capability.

[Study of the phase transformation of TiO2 with in-situ XRD in different gas].

PubMed

Ma, Li-Jing; Guo, Lie-Jin

2011-04-01

TiO2 sample was prepared by sol-gel method from chloride titanium. The phase transformation of the prepared TiO2 sample was studied by in-situ XRD and normal XRD in different gas. The experimental results showed that the phase transformation temperatures of TiO2 were different under in-situ or normal XRD in different kinds of gas. The transformation of amorphous TiO2 to anatase was controlled by kinetics before 500 degrees C. In-situ XRD showed that the growth of anatase was inhibited, but the transformation of anatase to rutile was accelerated under inactive nitrogen in contrast to air. Also better crystal was obtained under hydrogen than in argon. These all showed that external oxygen might accelerate the growth of TiO2, but reduced gas might partly counteract the negative influence of lack of external oxygen. The mechanism of phase transformation of TiO2 was studied by in-situ XRD in order to control the structure in situ.

Oral sampling methods are associated with differences in immune marker concentrations.

PubMed

Fakhry, Carole; Qeadan, Fares; Gilman, Robert H; Yori, Pablo; Kosek, Margaret; Patterson, Nicole; Eisele, David W; Gourin, Christine G; Chitguppi, Chandala; Marks, Morgan; Gravitt, Patti

2018-06-01

To determine whether the concentration and distribution of immune markers in paired oral samples were similar. Clinical research. Cross-sectional study. Paired saliva and oral secretions (OS) samples were collected. The concentration of immune markers was estimated using Luminex multiplex assay (Thermo Fisher Scientific, Waltham, MA). For each sample, the concentration of respective immune markers was normalized to total protein present and log-transformed. Median concentrations of immune markers were compared between both types of samples. Intermarker correlation in each sampling method and across sampling methods was evaluated. There were 90 study participants. Concentrations of immune markers in saliva samples were significantly different from concentrations in OS samples. Oral secretions samples showed higher concentrations of immunoregulatory markers, whereas the saliva samples contained proinflammatory markers in higher concentration. The immune marker profile in saliva samples is distinct from the immune marker profile in paired OS samples. 2b. Laryngoscope, 128:E214-E221, 2018. © 2017 The American Laryngological, Rhinological and Otological Society, Inc.

Hot steam transfer through heat protective clothing layers.

PubMed

Rossi, René; Indelicato, Eric; Bolli, Walter

2004-01-01

The aim of this study was to analyse the transfer of steam through different types of textile layers as a function of sample parameters such as thickness and permeability. In order to simulate the human body, a cylinder releasing defined amounts of moisture was also used. The influence of sweating on heat and mass transfer was assessed. The results show that in general impermeable materials offer better protection against hot steam than semi-permeable ones. The transfer of steam depended on the water vapour permeability of the samples, but also on their thermal insulation and their thickness. Increasing the thickness of the samples with a spacer gave a larger increase in protection with the impermeable samples compared to semi-permeable materials. Measurements with pre-wetted samples showed a reduction in steam protection in any case. On the other hand, the measurements with a sweating cylinder showed a beneficial effect of sweating.

How Individual and Contextual Factors Affects Antisocial and Delinquent Behaviors: A Comparison between Young Offenders, Adolescents at Risk of Social Exclusion, and a Community Sample

PubMed Central

Duran-Bonavila, Silvia; Vigil-Colet, Andreu; Cosi, Sandra; Morales-Vives, Fabia

2017-01-01

The problems associated with violence during adolescence have been on the rise in recent decades. Many studies have focused only on environmental causes or individual causes of violence, although a combination of both variables would seem to be the best option for prediction. The current study aims to assess the relevance of individual characteristics (personality traits, intelligence, and historical and clinical factors linked to the risk of violence), contextual risk factors and protective factors in explaining antisocial and delinquent behaviors in adolescence by comparing three different samples: a community sample, a sample at risk of social exclusion, and a sample of juvenile offenders. The results show that the samples at risk of social exclusion and the sample of juvenile offenders have a very similar profile in terms of personality traits and intelligence, although they differ from the community sample. However, these two samples do differ in such contextual variables as peer delinquency, poor parental management, community disorganization, or early caregiver disruption. PMID:29104551

How Individual and Contextual Factors Affects Antisocial and Delinquent Behaviors: A Comparison between Young Offenders, Adolescents at Risk of Social Exclusion, and a Community Sample.

PubMed

Duran-Bonavila, Silvia; Vigil-Colet, Andreu; Cosi, Sandra; Morales-Vives, Fabia

2017-01-01

The problems associated with violence during adolescence have been on the rise in recent decades. Many studies have focused only on environmental causes or individual causes of violence, although a combination of both variables would seem to be the best option for prediction. The current study aims to assess the relevance of individual characteristics (personality traits, intelligence, and historical and clinical factors linked to the risk of violence), contextual risk factors and protective factors in explaining antisocial and delinquent behaviors in adolescence by comparing three different samples: a community sample, a sample at risk of social exclusion, and a sample of juvenile offenders. The results show that the samples at risk of social exclusion and the sample of juvenile offenders have a very similar profile in terms of personality traits and intelligence, although they differ from the community sample. However, these two samples do differ in such contextual variables as peer delinquency, poor parental management, community disorganization, or early caregiver disruption.

Ash leachates from some recent eruptions of Mount Etna (Italy) and Popocatépetl (Mexico) volcanoes and their impact on amphibian living freshwater organisms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

D'Addabbo, M.; Sulpizio, R.; Guidi, M.; Capitani, G.; Mantecca, P.; Zanchetta, G.

2015-12-01

Leaching experiments were carried out on fresh ash samples from Popocatépetl 2012, Etna 2011, and Etna 2012 eruptions, in order to investigate the release of compounds in both double-deionized and lake (Lake Ohrid, FYR of Macedonia) waters. The experiments were carried out using different grain sizes and variable stirring times (from 30 min to 7 days). Results were discussed in the light of changing pH and release of compounds for the different leachates. In particular, Etna samples induced alkalinization, and Popocatépetl samples induced acidification of the corresponding leachates. The release of different elements does not show correlation with the stirring time, with the measured maximum concentrations reached in the first hours of washing. General inverse correlation with grain size was observed only for Na+, K+, Cl-, Ca2+, Mg2+, SO42-, and Mn2+, while the other analysed elements show a complex, scattering relationship with grain size. Geochemical modelling highlights leachates' saturation only for F and Si, with Popocatépetl samples sometimes showing saturation in Fe. The analysed leachates are classified as undrinkable for humans on the basis of European laws, due to excess in F-, Mn2+, Fe, and SO42- (the latter only for Popocatépetl samples). Finally, the Etna 2012 and Popocatépetl leachates were used for toxicity experiments on living biota (Xenopus laevis). They are mildly toxic, and no significant differences exist between the toxic profiles of the two leachates. In particular, no significant embryo mortality was observed; while even at high dilutions, the leachates produced more than 20 % of malformed larvae.

Observation of amorphous to crystalline phase transformation in Te substituted Sn-Sb-Se thin films

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

Chander, Ravi, E-mail: rcohri@yahoo.com

2015-05-15

Thin films of Sn-Sb-Se-Te (8 ≤ x ≤ 14) chalcogenide system were prepared by thermal evaporation technique using melt quenched bulk samples. The as-prepared thin films were found amorphous as evidenced from X-ray diffraction studies. Resistivity measurement showed an exponential decrease with temperature upto critical temperature (transition temperature) beyond which a sharp decrease was observed and with further increase in temperature showed an exponential decrease in resistivity with different activation energy. The transition temperature showed a decreasing trend with tellurium content in the sample. The resistivity measurement during cooling run showed no abrupt change in resistivity. The resistivity measurements ofmore » annealed films did not show any abrupt change revealing the structural transformation occurring in the material. The transition width showed an increase with tellurium content in the sample. The resistivity ratio showed two order of magnitude improvements for sample with higher tellurium content. The observed transition temperature in this system was found quite less than already commercialized Ge-Sb-Te system for optical and electronic memories.« less

Positive body image: inter-ethnic and rural-urban differences among an indigenous sample from Malaysian Borneo.

PubMed

Swami, Viren; Kannan, Kumaraswami; Furnham, Adrian

2012-11-01

Previous studies examining body image from a cross-cultural perspective have tended to neglect samples from different ethnic groups or along a rural-urban continuum. To overcome this limitation, the present study examined positive body image among rural and urban women from three major indigenous ethnic groups in Sabah, Malaysia. A total of 202 women completed the Body Appreciation Scale, as well as measures of media exposure and financial security, and provided their demographic details. s showed that there were significant rural-urban differences in body appreciation, with rural participants having significantly higher body appreciation than urban participants. A comparison with a previous data set of West Malaysian women (Swami & Chamorro-Premuzic, 2008) showed that the current urban sample had significantly lower body appreciation and that the rural group had significantly higher body appreciation. Further results showed that research site (urban vs rural) explained 11.0% of the variance in body appreciation. Participant body mass index and exposure to western forms of media explained an additional 2.0% of the variance. These results suggest that there are differences in body image between rural and urban women. Results are discussed in relation to the promotion of positive body image, particularly in developing societies where health care resources may be limited.

Antibiotic resistance and biofilm formation of some bacteria isolated from sediment, water and fish farms in Malaysia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Faja, Orooba Meteab; Usup, Gires; Ahmad, Asmat

2018-04-01

A total of 90 isolates of bacteria were isolated, from sediment (10) samples, water (10) samples and fish (12) samples (Sea bass, Snapper, Grouper and Tilapia). These include 22 isolates of bacteria from sediment, 28 isolates from water and 40 isolates from fish. All the isolates were tested for sensitivity to 13 antibiotics using disc diffusion method. The isolates showed high resistance to some antibiotics based on samples source. Isolates from sediment showed highest resistance toward novobiocin, kanamycin, ampicillin and streptomycin while isolates from water showed highest resistance against vancomycin, penicillin, streptomycin and tetracycline, in contrast, in fish sample showed highest resistance toward vancomycin, ampicillin, streptomycin and tetracycline. Most of the isolates showed biofilm formation ability with different degrees. Out of 22 bacteria isolates from water, two isolates were weak biofilm formers, six isolates moderate biofilm formers and fourteen isolates strong biofilm formers. While, out of 28 bacteria isolates from water one isolate was weak biofilm former, five isolates moderate biofilm formers and 22 strong biofilm formers Fish isolate showed three isolates (8%) moderate biofilm formers and 27 isolates strong biofilm formers. Biofilm formation was one of the factors that lead to antibiotic resistance of the bacterial isolates from these samples.

Drinking water quality assessment.

PubMed

Aryal, J; Gautam, B; Sapkota, N

2012-09-01

Drinking water quality is the great public health concern because it is a major risk factor for high incidence of diarrheal diseases in Nepal. In the recent years, the prevalence rate of diarrhoea has been found the highest in Myagdi district. This study was carried out to assess the quality of drinking water from different natural sources, reservoirs and collection taps at Arthunge VDC of Myagdi district. A cross-sectional study was carried out using random sampling method in Arthunge VDC of Myagdi district from January to June,2010. 84 water samples representing natural sources, reservoirs and collection taps from the study area were collected. The physico-chemical and microbiological analysis was performed following standards technique set by APHA 1998 and statistical analysis was carried out using SPSS 11.5. The result was also compared with national and WHO guidelines. Out of 84 water samples (from natural source, reservoirs and tap water) analyzed, drinking water quality parameters (except arsenic and total coliform) of all water samples was found to be within the WHO standards and national standards.15.48% of water samples showed pH (13) higher than the WHO permissible guideline values. Similarly, 85.71% of water samples showed higher Arsenic value (72) than WHO value. Further, the statistical analysis showed no significant difference (P<0.05) of physico-chemical parameters and total coliform count of drinking water for collection taps water samples of winter (January, 2010) and summer (June, 2010). The microbiological examination of water samples revealed the presence of total coliform in 86.90% of water samples. The results obtained from physico-chemical analysis of water samples were within national standard and WHO standards except arsenic. The study also found the coliform contamination to be the key problem with drinking water.

Microspectroscopic Analysis Of HpD Fluorescence In Bioptic Samples From Human Pre-Malignant And Malignant Lesions Of The Skin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bottiroli, G.; Dell'Acqua, R.; Jucci, A.; Ricevuti, G.; Sacchi, A. S.

1987-07-01

Microfluorometric analysis was performed on bioptic samples of pre-malignant and malignant cutanous lesions present in the same patients, 48 h after i.v. injection of HpD. Data obtained indicate that actinic keratosis and squamous celle carcinoma show a preferential accumulation if compared to normal skin. The two lesions differ for both intensity and spectral shape of HpD fluorescence. This difference is correlated with a different clinical response to HpD laser phototherapy.

PIXE study on the provenance of Chinese ancient porcelain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, D.; Cheng, H. S.; Lin, J. W.; Yang, F. J.

2006-08-01

This paper reports the PIXE study on the provenance of Chinese ancient porcelain made in 7-10th century. The chemical compositions of Jun celadon samples made at Juntai, Linru and Hunyuan kilns, the white-glazed porcelain samples made at Ding, Huangye and Dangyangyu kilns, and the Ru celadon samples made at Qiangliang Temple were measured by external-beam PIXE, and the factor analysis was applied for identifying their provenances. Experimental results show that the porcelain products made at different kilns can be distinguished according to the compositional differences measured by PIXE.

Psychometric properties of the Spanish version of the Experiencing of Self Scale (EOSS) for assessment in Functional Analytic Psychotherapy.

PubMed

Valero-Aguayo, Luis; Ferro-García, Rafael; López-Bermúdez, Miguel Ángel; Selva-López de Huralde, María de los Ángeles

2014-01-01

The Experiencing of Self Scale (EOSS) was created to evaluate the experience of the personal self, within the field of Functional Analytic Psychotherapy. This paper presents a study of the reliability and validity of the EOSS in a Spanish sample. The study sample, chosen from 24 different centres, comprised 1,040 participants aged between 18-75, of whom 32% were men and 68% women. The clinical sample was made up of 32.7%, whereas 67.3% had no known problem. To obtain evidence of convergent validity, other questionnaires related to the self (EPQ-R, DES, RSES) were used for comparison. The EOSS showed high internal consistency (Cronbach's α = .941) and significantly high correlations with the EPQ-R Neuroticism scale and the DES Dissociation scale, while showing negative correlations with the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES). The EOSS revealed 4 principal factors: a self in close relationships, a self with casual social relationships, a self in general and a positive self-concept. Significant statistical differences were found between the clinical and standard sample, the former showing a higher average. The EOSS had high internal consistency, showing evidence of convergent validity with similar scales and proving useful for the assessment of people with psychological problems related to the self.

The properties of ZnO nanofluids and the role of H2O2 in the disinfection activity against Escherichia coli.

PubMed

Zhang, Lingling; Li, Yu; Liu, Xiaoming; Zhao, Lihua; Ding, Yulong; Povey, Malcolm; Cang, Daqiang

2013-08-01

This work investigates the disinfection property of ZnO nanofluids, focusing on H2O2 production and the disinfection activities of ZnO suspensions with different particles/aggregates. The possible disinfection mechanisms of ZnO suspensions are analysed. In this work, a medium mill was used to produce ZnO suspensions with different sizes of particles/aggregates. During the milling process, five ZnO suspension samples (A-E) were produced. X-ray Diffraction (XRD) and Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) analyses revealed that after milling, the size of ZnO particles/aggregates in the suspensions decreased. Disinfection tests, H2O2 detection assays and fluorescent analyses were used to explore the disinfection activities and mechanism of ZnO suspensions. Disinfection tests results showed that all the produced ZnO suspension exhibited disinfection activity against Escherichia coli. ZnO suspensions with smaller particles/aggregates showed better disinfection activities. The presence of H2O2 in ZnO suspension was analysed. The H2O2 detection assay suggested that there is 1 μM H2O2 in 0.2 g/l ZnO Sample A, while there was no H2O2 present in ZnO Sample E. Though results showed that there was no H2O2 present in ZnO Sample E, Sample E with a size of 93 nm showed the best disinfection activities. Fluorescence tests detected that the interaction between E. coli lipid vesicles and ZnO Sample E was much faster and more efficient. This study firstly demonstrated that ZnO suspensions with different particles/aggregates produced different amount of H2O2. Results suggested that H2O2 is responsible for the disinfection activity of larger ZnO particles/aggregates while the interaction between smaller ZnO particles/aggregates and vesicle lipids is responsible for the disinfection activity of smaller ZnO particles/aggregates. Crown Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Pre and post annealed low cost ZnO nanorods on seeded substrate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nordin, M. N.; Kamil, Wan Maryam Wan Ahmad

2017-05-01

We wish to report the photonic band gap (where light is confined) in low cost ZnO nanorods created by two-step chemical bath deposition (CBD) method where the glass substrates were pre-treated with two different seeding thicknesses, 100 nm (sample a) and 150 nm (sample b), of ZnO using radio frequency magnetron sputtering. Then the samples were annealed at 600°C for 1 hour in air before and after immersed into the chemical solution for CBD process. To observe the presence of photonic band gap on the sample, UV-Visible-NIR spectrophotometer was utilized and showed that sample a and sample b both achieved wide band gap between 240 nm and 380 nm, within the UV range for typical ZnO, however sample b provided a better light confinement that may be attributed by the difference in average nanorods size. Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope (FESEM) of the samples revealed better oriented nanorods uniformly scattered across the surface when substrates were coated with 100 nm of seeding layer whilst the 150 nm seeding sample showed a poor distribution of nanorods probably due to defects in the sample. Finally, the crystal structure of the ZnO crystallite is revealed by employing X-ray diffraction and both samples showed polycrystalline with hexagonal wurtzite structure that matched with JCPDS No. 36-1451. The 100 nm pre-seeded samples was recognized to have bigger average crystallite size, however sample b was suggested as having a higher crystalline quality. In conclusion, the sample b is recognized as a better candidate for future photonic applications due to its more apparent of photonic band gap and this may be contributed by more random distribution of the nanorods as observed in FESEM images as well as higher crystalline quality as suggested from XRD measurements.

Genetic variation in mitochondrial DNA among Enterobius vermicularis in Denmark.

PubMed

Ferrero, Mario Rodrıguez; Röser, Dennis; Nielsen, Henrik Vedel; Olsen, Annette; Nejsum, Peter

2013-01-01

Despite being the most prevalent nematode infections of man in Western Europe and North America, our knowledge of the genetic variability in Enterobius vermicularis is fragmented. We here report on a genetic study of pinworms in Denmark, performed using the cytochrome oxidase I (cox1) gene, with DNA extracted from individual eggs collected from clinical (human) samples. We collected cellophane-tape-test samples positive for pinworm eggs from 14 Departments of Clinical Microbiology in Denmark and surface-sterilized the eggs using a 1% hypochlorite solution before performing conventional PCR. Twenty-two haplotypes were identified from a total of 58 Danish patients. Cluster analysis showed that all Danish worms grouped together with human samples from Germany and Greece and with samples from Japanese chimpanzees designated as 'type B'. Analysis of molecular variance showed no significant difference or trends in geographical distribution of the pinworms in Denmark, and several haplotypes were identical or closely related to samples collected in Germany, Greece and Japan. However, worms from the 4 countries were found to belong to different populations, with Fst values in the range of 0·16 to 0·47. This study shows pinworms in Denmark to be a homogenous population, when analysed using the cox1 mitochondrial gene.

Structural characterization and evaluation of the antioxidant activities of polysaccharides extracted from Qingzhuan brick tea.

PubMed

Yang, Xinhe; Huang, Mingjun; Qin, Caiqin; Lv, Bangyu; Mao, Qingli; Liu, Zhonghua

2017-08-01

The crude tea polysaccharides (CTPS) from Qingzhuan brick tea(QZBT) were extracted and fractionated to afford two fractions, namely TPS-1 and TPS-2. Analyses were conducted concerning the structural characterization and antioxidant activities of these samples. Component analysis revealed that the carbohydrate, uronic acid, protein and polyphenol contents of these samples differed significantly. Fourier transform infrared analysis showed that these samples showed similar characteristic absorption peaks for polysaccharides. Ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, circular dichroism, scanning electron microscopy and thermogravimetric analyses indicated that there were considerable differences in the presence of protein, surface features, conformational characteristics and thermodynamic behaviors. For antioxidant activities in vitro, CTPS, TPS-1 and TPS-2 exhibited concentration-dependent antioxidant activities, with TPS-2 showing significantly higher antioxidant activity than CTPS and TPS-1. These results provide a scientific and strong foundation for the use of tea polysaccharides(TPS) from QZBT and further research towards the relationships between the characteristics and antioxidant activities of TPS. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Multi-scale image segmentation and numerical modeling in carbonate rocks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alves, G. C.; Vanorio, T.

2016-12-01

Numerical methods based on computational simulations can be an important tool in estimating physical properties of rocks. These can complement experimental results, especially when time constraints and sample availability are a problem. However, computational models created at different scales can yield conflicting results with respect to the physical laboratory. This problem is exacerbated in carbonate rocks due to their heterogeneity at all scales. We developed a multi-scale approach performing segmentation of the rock images and numerical modeling across several scales, accounting for those heterogeneities. As a first step, we measured the porosity and the elastic properties of a group of carbonate samples with varying micrite content. Then, samples were imaged by Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) as well as optical microscope at different magnifications. We applied three different image segmentation techniques to create numerical models from the SEM images and performed numerical simulations of the elastic wave-equation. Our results show that a multi-scale approach can efficiently account for micro-porosities in tight micrite-supported samples, yielding acoustic velocities comparable to those obtained experimentally. Nevertheless, in high-porosity samples characterized by larger grain/micrite ratio, results show that SEM scale images tend to overestimate velocities, mostly due to their inability to capture macro- and/or intragranular- porosity. This suggests that, for high-porosity carbonate samples, optical microscope images would be more suited for numerical simulations.

Retentive force and microleakage of stainless steel crowns cemented with three different luting agents.

PubMed

Yilmaz, Yucel; Dalmis, Anya; Gurbuz, Taskin; Simsek, Sera

2004-12-01

The aim of this investigation was to compare the tensile strength, microleakage, and Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) evaluations of SSCs cemented using different adhesive cements on primary molars. Sixty-three extracted primary first molars were used. Tooth preparations were done. Crowns were altered and adapted for investigation purpose, and then cemented using glass ionomer cement (Aqua Meron), resin modified cement (RelyX Luting), and resin cement (Panavia F) on the prepared teeth. Samples were divided into two groups of 30 samples each for tensile strength and microleakage tests. The remaining three samples were used for SEM evaluation. Data were analyzed with one-way ANOVA and Tukey test. The statistical analysis of ANOVA revealed significant differences among the groups for both tensile strength and microleakage tests (p < 0.05). Tukey test showed statistically significant difference between Panavia F and RelyX Luting (p < 0.05), but none between the others (p > 0.05). This study showed that the higher the retentive force a crown possessed, the lower would be the possibility of microleakage.

Plasma and Serum Metabolite Association Networks: Comparability within and between Studies Using NMR and MS Profiling.

PubMed

Suarez-Diez, Maria; Adam, Jonathan; Adamski, Jerzy; Chasapi, Styliani A; Luchinat, Claudio; Peters, Annette; Prehn, Cornelia; Santucci, Claudio; Spyridonidis, Alexandros; Spyroulias, Georgios A; Tenori, Leonardo; Wang-Sattler, Rui; Saccenti, Edoardo

2017-07-07

Blood is one of the most used biofluids in metabolomics studies, and the serum and plasma fractions are routinely used as a proxy for blood itself. Here we investigated the association networks of an array of 29 metabolites identified and quantified via NMR in the plasma and serum samples of two cohorts of ∼1000 healthy blood donors each. A second study of 377 individuals was used to extract plasma and serum samples from the same individual on which a set of 122 metabolites were detected and quantified using FIA-MS/MS. Four different inference algorithms (ARANCE, CLR, CORR, and PCLRC) were used to obtain consensus networks. The plasma and serum networks obtained from different studies showed different topological properties with the serum network being more connected than the plasma network. On a global level, metabolite association networks from plasma and serum fractions obtained from the same blood sample of healthy people show similar topologies, and at a local level, some differences arise like in the case of amino acids.

Plasma and Serum Metabolite Association Networks: Comparability within and between Studies Using NMR and MS Profiling

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Blood is one of the most used biofluids in metabolomics studies, and the serum and plasma fractions are routinely used as a proxy for blood itself. Here we investigated the association networks of an array of 29 metabolites identified and quantified via NMR in the plasma and serum samples of two cohorts of ∼1000 healthy blood donors each. A second study of 377 individuals was used to extract plasma and serum samples from the same individual on which a set of 122 metabolites were detected and quantified using FIA–MS/MS. Four different inference algorithms (ARANCE, CLR, CORR, and PCLRC) were used to obtain consensus networks. The plasma and serum networks obtained from different studies showed different topological properties with the serum network being more connected than the plasma network. On a global level, metabolite association networks from plasma and serum fractions obtained from the same blood sample of healthy people show similar topologies, and at a local level, some differences arise like in the case of amino acids. PMID:28517934

Passion fruit juice with different sweeteners: sensory profile by descriptive analysis and acceptance.

PubMed

Rocha, Izabela Furtado de Oliveira; Bolini, Helena Maria André

2015-03-01

This study evaluated the effect of different sweeteners on the sensory profile, acceptance, and drivers of preference of passion fruit juice samples sweetened with sucrose, aspartame, sucralose, stevia, cyclamate/saccharin blend 2:1, and neotame. Sensory profiling was performed by 12 trained assessors using quantitative descriptive analysis (QDA). Acceptance tests (appearance, aroma, flavor, texture and overall impression) were performed with 124 consumers of tropical fruit juice. Samples with sucrose, aspartame and sucralose showed similar sensory profile (P < 0.05), without bitter taste, bitter aftertaste, and metallic taste, and samples with sucrose and sucralose did not differ from each other for the attribute sweet aftertaste. Passion fruit flavor affected positively and sweet aftertaste affected negatively the acceptance of the samples. Samples sweetened with aspartame, sucralose, and sucrose presented higher acceptance scores for the attributes flavor, texture, and overall impression, with no significant (P < 0.05) differences between them. Aspartame and sucralose can be good substitutes for sucrose in passion fruit juice.

Passion fruit juice with different sweeteners: sensory profile by descriptive analysis and acceptance

PubMed Central

Rocha, Izabela Furtado de Oliveira; Bolini, Helena Maria André

2015-01-01

This study evaluated the effect of different sweeteners on the sensory profile, acceptance, and drivers of preference of passion fruit juice samples sweetened with sucrose, aspartame, sucralose, stevia, cyclamate/saccharin blend 2:1, and neotame. Sensory profiling was performed by 12 trained assessors using quantitative descriptive analysis (QDA). Acceptance tests (appearance, aroma, flavor, texture and overall impression) were performed with 124 consumers of tropical fruit juice. Samples with sucrose, aspartame and sucralose showed similar sensory profile (P < 0.05), without bitter taste, bitter aftertaste, and metallic taste, and samples with sucrose and sucralose did not differ from each other for the attribute sweet aftertaste. Passion fruit flavor affected positively and sweet aftertaste affected negatively the acceptance of the samples. Samples sweetened with aspartame, sucralose, and sucrose presented higher acceptance scores for the attributes flavor, texture, and overall impression, with no significant (P < 0.05) differences between them. Aspartame and sucralose can be good substitutes for sucrose in passion fruit juice. PMID:25838891

A modified approach to estimating sample size for simple logistic regression with one continuous covariate.

PubMed

Novikov, I; Fund, N; Freedman, L S

2010-01-15

Different methods for the calculation of sample size for simple logistic regression (LR) with one normally distributed continuous covariate give different results. Sometimes the difference can be large. Furthermore, some methods require the user to specify the prevalence of cases when the covariate equals its population mean, rather than the more natural population prevalence. We focus on two commonly used methods and show through simulations that the power for a given sample size may differ substantially from the nominal value for one method, especially when the covariate effect is large, while the other method performs poorly if the user provides the population prevalence instead of the required parameter. We propose a modification of the method of Hsieh et al. that requires specification of the population prevalence and that employs Schouten's sample size formula for a t-test with unequal variances and group sizes. This approach appears to increase the accuracy of the sample size estimates for LR with one continuous covariate.

PAEs occurrence and sources in road dust and soil in/around parks in May in Tianjin, China.

PubMed

Zhao, Jie; Ji, Yaqin; Zhu, Zhenyu; Zhang, Wei; Zhang, Lei; Zhao, Jingbo

2018-01-01

This is the first study reporting the presence of six phthalic acid esters (PAEs) in 45 composite soil and road dust samples collected in the urban zone of Tianjin, China. Three sample types (one soil and two road dust) were collected from the city parks. Soil samples (SI) were obtained from inside the park, road dust samples (RDI) were gathered from inside the park roads and the others (RDA) from roads surrounding parks. The range of concentrations of ∑ 6 PAEs in SI, RDI and RDA were 0.07-0.92μgg -1 , 0.42-6.32μgg -1 and 0.40-7.54μgg -1 , respectively. The highest SI ∑ 6 PAEs concentration (0.92μgg -1 in The People's Park) was 13 times higher than that of the lowest content (0.07μgg -1 in XiLiu Park). Furthermore, the spatial distribution of PAEs in RDI showed higher contents in the Nankai and Hexi districts. PAEs concentrations in different types of roads displayed significant differences (P < 0.05). The RDA PAEs distribution expressed decreasing order for different types of roads such as arterial road > sub-arterial road > branch road. The results of nonparametric tests on ∑ 6 PAEs revealed significant differences between every two different sample types (P < 0.05). The analysis of the six PAEs types indicated DnBP and DEHP were the primary contaminating compounds in all sample types. The PCA results showed cosmetics and personal care products were important sources of PAEs in SI, and plasticizers were the key sources of PAEs in RDI and RDA. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Measuring salivary analytes from free-ranging monkeys

PubMed Central

Higham, James P.; Vitale, Alison; Rivera, Adaris Mas; Ayala, James E.; Maestripieri, Dario

2014-01-01

Studies of large free-ranging mammals have been revolutionized by non-invasive methods for assessing physiology, which usually involve the measurement of fecal or urinary biomarkers. However, such techniques are limited by numerous factors. To expand the range of physiological variables measurable non-invasively from free-ranging primates, we developed techniques for sampling monkey saliva by offering monkeys ropes with oral swabs sewn on the ends. We evaluated different attractants for encouraging individuals to offer samples, and proportions of individuals in different age/sex categories willing to give samples. We tested the saliva samples we obtained in three commercially available assays: cortisol, Salivary Alpha Amylase, and Secretory Immunoglobulin A. We show that habituated free-ranging rhesus macaques will give saliva samples voluntarily without training, with 100% of infants, and over 50% of adults willing to chew on collection devices. Our field methods are robust even for analytes that show poor recovery from cotton, and/or that have concentrations dependent on salivary flow rate. We validated the cortisol and SAA assays for use in rhesus macaques by showing aspects of analytical validation, such as that samples dilute linearly and in parallel to assay standards. We also found that values measured correlated with biologically meaningful characteristics of sampled individuals (age and dominance rank). The SIgA assay tested did not react to samples. Given the wide range of analytes measurable in saliva but not in feces or urine, our methods considerably improve our ability to study physiological aspects of the behavior and ecology of free-ranging primates, and are also potentially adaptable to other mammalian taxa. PMID:20837036

[Analysis of prevalence of point mutations in codon 12 of oncogene K-ras from non-cancerous samples of cervical cytology positive for type 16 or 18 PVH].

PubMed

Golijow, C D; Mourón, S A; Gómez, M A; Dulout, F N

1999-12-01

Ninety-one non cancerous samples from genital specimens positives for VPH 16 or 18 and 27 non-infected samples as controls were studied. Mutations at codon 12 in K-ras gene was analyzed using enriched alelic PCR technique. Among the samples studied 17.58% showed mutations in this codon. Significant differences were observed between the control group (negative DNA-HPV) and positives DNA-HPV samples (p < 0.01). No differences were found between both viral types in relation to the mutation frequency. The presence of mutations in the K-ras gene in non cancerous cytological samples point out new questions about the role of mutations in proto-oncogenes and the development of cervical cancer.

Intraoral laser welding: ultrastructural and mechanical analysis to compare laboratory laser and dental laser.

PubMed

Fornaini, Carlo; Passaretti, Francesca; Villa, Elena; Rocca, Jean-Paul; Merigo, Elisabetta; Vescovi, Paolo; Meleti, Marco; Manfredi, Maddalena; Nammour, Samir

2011-07-01

The Nd:YAG laser has been used since 1970 in dental laboratories to weld metals on dental prostheses. Recently in several clinical cases, we have suggested that the Nd:YAG laser device commonly utilized in the dental office could be used to repair broken fixed, removable and orthodontic prostheses and to weld metals directly in the mouth. The aim of this work was to evaluate, using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) and dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), the quality of the weld and its mechanical strength, comparing a device normally used in dental laboratory and a device normally used in the dental office for oral surgery, the same as that described for intraoral welding. Metal plates of a Co-Cr-Mo dental alloy and steel orthodontic wires were subjected to four welding procedures: welding without filler metal using the laboratory laser, welding with filler metal using the laboratory laser, welding without filler metal using the office laser, and welding with filler metal using the office laser. The welded materials were then analysed by SEM, EDS and DMA. SEM analysis did not show significant differences between the samples although the plates welded using the office laser without filler metal showed a greater number of fissures than the other samples. EDS microanalysis of the welding zone showed a homogeneous composition of the metals. Mechanical tests showed similar elastic behaviours of the samples, with minimal differences between the samples welded with the two devices. No wire broke even under the maximum force applied by the analyser. This study seems to demonstrate that the welds produced using the office Nd:YAG laser device and the laboratory Nd:YAG laser device, as analysed by SEM, EDS and DMA, showed minimal and nonsignificant differences, although these findings need to be confirmed using a greater number of samples.

Reduction Behavior of Assmang and Comilog ore in the SiMn Process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Pyunghwa Peace; Holtan, Joakim; Tangstad, Merete

The reduction behavior of raw materials from Assmang and Comilog based charges were experimentally investigated with CO gas up to 1600 °C. Quartz, HC FeMn slag or limestone were added to Assmang or Comilog according to the SiMn production charge, and mass loss results were obtained by using a TGA furnace. The results showed that particle size, type of manganese ore and mixture have close relationship to the reduction behavior of raw materials during MnO and SiO2 reduction. The influence of particle size to mass loss was apparent when Assmang or Comilog was mixed with only coke (FeMn) while it became insignificant when quartz and HC FeMn slag (SiMn) were added. This implied that quartz and HC FeMn slag had favored the incipient slag formation regardless of particle size. This explained the similar mass loss tendencies of SiMn charge samples between 1200-1500 °C, contrary to FeMn charge samples where different particle sizes showed significant difference in mass loss. Also, while FeMn charge samples showed progressive mass loss, SiMn charge samples showed diminutive mass loss until 1500 °C. However, rapid mass losses were observed with SiMn charge samples in this study above 1500 °C, and they have occurred at different temperatures. This implied rapid reduction of MnO and SiO2 and the type of ore and addition of HC FeMn slag have significant influence determining these temperatures. The temperatures observed for the rapid mass loss were approximately 1503 °C (Quartz and HC FeMn slag addition in Assmang), 1543 °C (Quartz addition in Assmang) and 1580-1587 °C (Quartz and limestone addition in Comilog), respectively. These temperatures also showed indications of possible SiMn production at process temperatures lower than 1550 °C.

Mineralogy and instrumental neutron activation analysis of seven National Bureau of Standards and three Instituto de Pesquisas Tecnologicas clay reference samples

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hosterman, John W.; Flanagan, F.J.; Bragg, Anne; Doughten, M.W.; Filby, R.H.; Grimm, Catherine; Mee, J.S.; Potts, P.J.; Rogers, N.W.

1987-01-01

The concentrations of 3 oxides and 29 elements in 7 National Bureau of Standards (NBS) and 3 Instituto de Pesquisas Techno16gicas (IPT) reference clay samples were etermined by instrumental neutron activation analysis. The analytical work was designed to test the homogeneity of constituents in three new NBS reference clays, NBS-97b, NBS-98b, and NBS-679. The analyses of variance of 276 sets of data for these three standards show that the constituents are distributed homogeneously among bottles of samples for 94 percent of the sets of data. Three of the reference samples (NBS-97, NBS-97a, and NBS-97b) are flint clays; four of the samples (NBS-98, NBS-98a, NBS-98b, and IPT-32) are plastic clays, and three of the samples (NBS-679, IPT-28, and IPT-42) are miscellaneous clays (both sedimentary and residual). Seven clays are predominantly kaolinite; the other three clays contain illite and kaolinite in the approximate ratio 3:2. Seven clays contain quartz as the major nonclay mineral. The mineralogy of the flint and plastic clays from Missouri (NBS-97a and NBS-98a) differs markedly from that of the flint and plastic clays from Pennsylvania (NBS-97, NBS-97b, NBS-98, and NBS-98b). The flint clay NBS-97 has higher average chromium, hafnium, lithium, and zirconium contents than its replacement, reference sample NBS-97b. The differences between the plastic clay NBS-98 and its replacement, NBS-98b, are not as pronounced. The trace element contents of the flint and plastic clays from Missouri, NBS-97a and NBS-98a, differ significantly from those of the clays from Pennsylvania, especially the average rare earth element (REE) contents. The trace element contents of clay sample IPT-32 differ from those of the other plastic clays. IPT-28 and IPT-42 have some average trace element contents that differ not only between these two samples but also from all the other clays. IPT-28 has the highest summation of the average REE contents of the 10 samples. The uranium content of NBS-98a, 46 parts per million, is very much higher than that of the other clays. Plots of average REE contents of the flint and plastic clays, normalized to chondritic abundances, show that the clays from Missouri differ from the same types of clay from Pennsylvania. The plot of REE contents for the miscellaneous clays shows that the normalized means for the elements lanthanum through samarium for IPT-28 are much greater than those for the other miscellaneous clays. The means for the elements europium through lutetium are similar for all three miscellaneous clays.

Production and mechanical properties of Ti-5Al-2.5Fe-xCu alloys for biomedical applications.

PubMed

Yamanoglu, Ridvan; Efendi, Erdinc; Kolayli, Fetiye; Uzuner, Huseyin; Daoud, Ismail

2018-01-30

In this study, the mechanical, antibacterial properties and cell toxicity response of Ti-5Al2.5Fe alloy with different copper contents were investigated. The alloys were prepared by high-energy ball milling using elemental Ti, Al, Fe, and Cu powders and consolidated by a uniaxial vacuum hot press. Staphylococcus aureus strain ATCC 29213 and Escherichia coli strain ATCC 25922 were used to determine the antibacterial properties of the sintered alloys. The in vitro cytotoxicity of the samples was evaluated with HeLa (ATTC, CCL-2) cells using thiazolyl blue tetrazolium bromide. The mechanical behavior of the samples was determined as a function of hardness and bending tests and analyzed by scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy, optical microscopy and x-ray diffraction (XRD). The results showed that the Cu content significantly improved the antibacterial properties. Cu addition prevented the formation of E. coli and S. aureus colonies on the surface of the samples. All samples exhibited very good cell biocompatibility. The alloys with different copper contents showed different mechanical properties, and the results were correlated by microstructural and XRD analyses in detail. Our results showed that Cu has a great effect on the Ti5Al2.5Fe alloy and the alloy is suitable for biomedical applications with enhanced antibacterial activity.

Effect of magnetic anisotropy and particle size distribution on temperature dependent magnetic hyperthermia in Fe3O4 ferrofluids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Palihawadana Arachchige, Maheshika; Nemala, Humeshkar; Naik, Vaman; Naik, Ratna

Magnetic hyperthermia (MHT) has a great potential as a non-invasive cancer therapy technique. Specific absorption rate (SAR) which measures the efficiency of heat generation, mainly depends on magnetic properties of nanoparticles such as saturation magnetization (Ms) and magnetic anisotropy (K) which depend on the size and shape. Therefore, MHT applications of magnetic nanoparticles often require a controllable synthesis to achieve desirable magnetic properties. We have synthesized Fe3O4 nanoparticles using two different methods, co-precipitation (CP) and hydrothermal (HT) techniques to produce similar XRD crystallite size of 12 nm, and subsequently coated with dextran to prepare ferrofluids for MHT. However, TEM measurements show average particle sizes of 13.8 +/-3.6 nm and 14.6 +/-3.6 nm for HT and CP samples, implying the existence of an amorphous surface layer for both. The MHT data show the two samples have very different SAR values of 110 W/g (CP) and 40W/g (HT) at room temperature, although they have similar Ms of 70 +/-4 emu/g regardless of their different TEM sizes. We fitted the temperature dependent SAR using linear response theory to explain the observed results. CP sample shows a larger magnetic core with a narrow size distribution and a higher K value compared to that of HT sample.

High-throughput sequencing-based analysis of endogenetic fungal communities inhabiting the Chinese Cordyceps reveals unexpectedly high fungal diversity

PubMed Central

Xia, Fei; Chen, Xin; Guo, Meng-Yuan; Bai, Xiao-Hui; Liu, Yan; Shen, Guang-Rong; Li, Yu-Ling; Lin, Juan; Zhou, Xuan-Wei

2016-01-01

Chinese Cordyceps, known in Chinese as “DongChong XiaCao”, is a parasitic complex of a fungus (Ophiocordyceps sinensis) and a caterpillar. The current study explored the endogenetic fungal communities inhabiting Chinese Cordyceps. Samples were collected from five different geographical regions of Qinghai and Tibet, and the nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer-1 sequences from each sample were obtained using Illumina high-throughput sequencing. The results showed that Ascomycota was the dominant fungal phylum in Chinese Cordyceps and its soil microhabitat from different sampling regions. Among the Ascomycota, 65 genera were identified, and the abundant operational taxonomic units showed the strongest sequence similarity to Ophiocordyceps, Verticillium, Pseudallescheria, Candida and Ilyonectria Not surprisingly, the genus Ophiocordyceps was the largest among the fungal communities identified in the fruiting bodies and external mycelial cortices of Chinese Cordyceps. In addition, fungal communities in the soil microhabitats were clustered separately from the external mycelial cortices and fruiting bodies of Chinese Cordyceps from different sampling regions. There was no significant structural difference in the fungal communities between the fruiting bodies and external mycelial cortices of Chinese Cordyceps. This study revealed an unexpectedly high diversity of fungal communities inhabiting the Chinese Cordyceps and its microhabitats. PMID:27625176

Improvement in the traditional processing method and nutritional quality of traditional extruded cassava-based snack (modified Ajogun).

PubMed

Obadina, Adewale O; Oyewole, Olusola B; Williams, Oluwasolabomi E

2013-07-01

This study was carried out to investigate and improve the traditional processing method and nutritional quality of the traditional cassava snack (Ajogun). Cassava root (Manihot esculenta Crantz L.) of TME 419 variety was processed into mash (40% moisture content). The cassava mash was mixed into different blends to produce fried traditional "Ajogun", fried and baked extrudates (modified Ajogun) as snacks. These products were analyzed to determine the proximate composition including carbohydrate, fat, protein, fiber, ash, and moisture contents and functional properties such as bulk density. The results obtained for the moisture, fat, protein, and ash contents showed significant difference (P < 0.05) between the control sample and the extrudates. However, there was no significant difference (P > 0.05) in the carbohydrate and fiber contents between the three samples. There was no significant difference (P > 0.05) in the bulk density of the snacks. Also, sensory evaluation was carried out on the cassava-based snacks using the 9-point hedonic scale to determine the degree of acceptability. Results obtained showed significant difference (P < 0.05) between the extrudates and control sample in terms of appearance, taste, flavor, color, aroma, texture, and overall acceptability. The highest acceptability level of the product was at 8.04 for the control sample (traditional Ajogun). This study has shown that "Ajogun", which is a lesser known cassava product, is rich in protein and fat.

Liquid chromatography tandem-mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) and dried blood spot sampling applied to pharmacokinetics studies in animals: Correlation of classic and block design.

PubMed

Baldo, Matías N; Angeli, Emmanuel; Gareis, Natalia C; Hunzicker, Gabriel A; Murguía, Marcelo C; Ortega, Hugo H; Hein, Gustavo J

2018-04-01

A relative bioavailability study (RBA) of two phenytoin (PHT) formulations was conducted in rabbits, in order to compare the results obtained from different matrices (plasma and blood from dried blood spot (DBS) sampling) and different experimental designs (classic and block). The method was developed by liquid chromatography tandem-mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) in plasma and blood samples. The different sample preparation techniques, plasma protein precipitation and DBS, were validated according to international requirements. The analytical method was validated with ranges 0.20-50.80 and 0.12-20.32 µg ml -1 , r > 0.999 for plasma and blood, respectively. Accuracy and precision were within acceptance criteria for bioanalytical assay validation (< 15 for bias and CV% and < 20 for limit of quantification (LOQ)). PHT showed long-term stability, both for plasma and blood, and under refrigerated and room temperature conditions. Haematocrit values were measured during the validation process and RBA study. Finally, the pharmacokinetic parameters (C max , T max and AUC 0-t ) obtained from the RBA study were tested. Results were highly comparable for matrices and experimental designs. A matrix correlation higher than 0.975 and a ratio of (PHT blood) = 1.158 (PHT plasma) were obtained. The results obtained herein show that the use of classic experimental design and DBS sampling for animal pharmacokinetic studies should be encouraged as they could help to prevent the use of a large number of animals and also animal euthanasia. Finally, the combination of DBS sampling with LC-MS/MS technology showed to be an excellent tool not only for therapeutic drug monitoring but also for RBA studies.

Field-based Evaluation of a Novel SPME-GC-MS Method for Investigation of Below-ground Interaction between Brassica Roots and Larvae of Cabbage Root Fly, Delia radicum L.

PubMed

Deasy, William; Shepherd, Tom; Alexander, Colin J; Birch, A Nicholas E; Evans, K Andrew

2016-11-01

Collection of volatiles from plant roots poses technical challenges due to difficulties accessing the soil environment without damaging the roots. To validate a new non-invasive method for passive sampling of root volatiles in situ, from plants grown under field conditions, using solid phase micro-extraction (SPME). SPME fibres were inserted into perforated polytetrafluoroethene (PTFE) tubes positioned in the soil next to broccoli plants for collection of root volatiles pre- and post-infestation with Delia radicum larvae. After sample analysis by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), principal component analysis (PCA) was applied to determine differences in the profiles of volatiles between samples. GC-MS analysis revealed that this method can detect temporal changes in root volatiles emitted before and after Delia radicum damage. PCA showed that samples collected pre- and post-infestation were compositionally different due to the presence of root volatiles induced by D. radicum feeding. Sulphur containing compounds, in particular, accounted for the differences observed. Root volatiles emission patterns post-infestation are thought to follow the feeding and developmental progress of larvae. This study shows that volatiles released by broccoli roots can be collected in situ using SPME fibres within perforated PTFE tubes under field conditions. Plants damaged by Delia radicum larvae could be distinguished from plants sampled pre-infestation and soil controls on the basis of larval feeding-induced sulphur-containing volatiles. These results show that this new method is a powerful tool for non-invasive sampling of root volatiles below-ground. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

An indirect method of studying band alignments in nBn photodetectors using off-axis electron holography

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

Shen, Xiao-Meng, E-mail: xiaomeng.shen@asu.edu; Center for Photonics Innovation, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85287; He, Zhao-Yu

2015-09-21

Mid-wave and long-wave infrared nBn photodetectors with absorbers consisting of InAs/InAsSb superlattices and barriers consisting of InAs/AlGaSb(As) superlattices were grown using molecular beam epitaxy. High-resolution X-ray diffraction showing significant differences in Ga composition in the barrier layer, and different dark current behavior at 77 K, suggested the possibility of different types of band alignments between the barrier layer and the absorber for the mid- and long-wave infrared samples. Examination of the barrier layers using off-axis electron holography showed the presence of positive charge with an estimated density of 1.8 × 10{sup 17}/cm{sup 3} in the mid-wave sample as a result of a type-IImore » band alignment, whereas negligible charge was detected in the long-wave sample, consistent with a type-I band alignment.« less

Mental representations of attachment in eating disorders: a pilot study using the Adult Attachment Interview.

PubMed

Barone, Lavinia; Guiducci, Valentina

2009-07-01

Mental representations of attachment in a sample of adults with Eating Disorders (ED) were assessed using the Adult Attachment Interview (AAI). Sixty subjects participated in the study: 30 non-clinical and 30 clinical. The results obtained showed a specific distribution of attachment patterns in the clinical sample: 10% Free/Autonomous (F), 47% Insecure-Dismissing (Ds), 17% Insecure-Entangled/Preoccupied (E) and about 26% disorganized (CC/U). The two samples differed in their attachment pattern distribution and were significantly different on some coding system scales. Further information was obtained by analyzing differences between the three ED subtypes considered (i.e. Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa and Binge Eating Disorder) and by investigating the differential role of the two parental figures in the definition of attachment representations. Results showed potential benefits in using the AAI coding system scales in addition to the main classifications in order to understand better the developmental issues involved in these disorders. Implications for developmental research and clinical nosology are discussed.

Cultured bacterial diversity and human impact on alpine glacier cryoconite.

PubMed

Lee, Yung Mi; Kim, So-Yeon; Jung, Jia; Kim, Eun Hye; Cho, Kyeung Hee; Schinner, Franz; Margesin, Rosa; Hong, Soon Gyu; Lee, Hong Kum

2011-06-01

The anthropogenic effect on the microbial communities in alpine glacier cryoconites was investigated by cultivation and physiological characterization of bacteria from six cryoconite samples taken at sites with different amounts of human impact. Two hundred and forty seven bacterial isolates were included in Actinobacteria (9%, particularly Arthrobacter), Bacteroidetes (14%, particularly Olleya), Firmicutes (0.8%), Alphaproteobacteria (2%), Betaproteobacteria (16%, particularly Janthinobacterium), and Gammaproteobacteria (59%, particularly Pseudomonas). Among them, isolates of Arthrobacter were detected only in samples from sites with no human impact, while isolates affiliated with Enterobacteriaceae were detected only in samples from sites with strong human impact. Bacterial isolates included in Actinobacteria and Bacteroidetes were frequently isolated from pristine sites and showed low maximum growth temperature and enzyme secretion. Bacterial isolates included in Gammaproteobacteria were more frequently isolated from sites with stronger human impact and showed high maximum growth temperature and enzyme secretion. Ecotypic differences were not evident among isolates of Janthinobacterium lividum, Pseudomonas fluorescens, and Pseudomonas veronii, which were frequently isolated from sites with different degrees of anthropogenic effect.

Microbial community structure in fermentation process of Shaoxing rice wine by Illumina-based metagenomic sequencing.

PubMed

Xie, Guangfa; Wang, Lan; Gao, Qikang; Yu, Wenjing; Hong, Xutao; Zhao, Lingyun; Zou, Huijun

2013-09-01

To understand the role of the community structure of microbes in the environment in the fermentation of Shaoxing rice wine, samples collected from a wine factory were subjected to Illumina-based metagenomic sequencing. De novo assembly of the sequencing reads allowed the characterisation of more than 23 thousand microbial genes derived from 1.7 and 1.88 Gbp of sequences from two samples fermented for 5 and 30 days respectively. The microbial community structure at different fermentation times of Shaoxing rice wine was revealed, showing the different roles of the microbiota in the fermentation process of Shaoxing rice wine. The gene function of both samples was also studied in the COG database, with most genes belonging to category S (function unknown), category E (amino acid transport and metabolism) and unclassified group. The results show that both the microbial community structure and gene function composition change greatly at different time points of Shaoxing rice wine fermentation. © 2013 Society of Chemical Industry.

The Canadian Geo-location Endeavour Using Isotopes and Trace Elements in Hair

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chartrand, Michelle M. G.; St-Jean, Gilles; Dalpe, Claude; Wojtyk, James

2010-05-01

The Canadian human hair provenance project has two main objectives: 1) to build a Canadian database of isotopes and trace elements from tap water and hair samples, and 2) to assess the extent of temporal effects on these samples. To address objective 1, a cross-Canada sampling campaign has been started to collect hair and tap water samples. In the past two years, our group has collected samples from the eastern part of Canada (Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Quebec and Ontario). Water samples are divided into three groups - groundwater, surface water and bottled water. The GIS maps show the isotopic distribution of the tap water sources varies with latitude. Hair is analyzed for carbon (C), nitrogen (N) and hydrogen (H) isotopes. The C and N results show that in general, Canadians eat a typical diet showing a small isotopic variation. However, some cases will be presented which may explain why some people have C and N values outlying the collected sample average. In terms of H isotopes in human hair, GIS maps illustrate the distribution of this isotope in the eastern provinces of Canada. In some cases, a large variation in H was observed for the same locality with no significant difference in human activities and/or consumption. However, based on hair collected from across Canada from previous years, H isotopes in hair show a correlation to water collected from the same locality. To address objective 2, hair and tap water samples were collected at 4 month intervals (to represent different seasons in Canada) from several volunteers residing in two cities located in the province of Ontario (i.e. Sudbury and Ottawa) and one city from the province of Quebec (i.e. Montreal). For all isotopes measured, there was little variation observed over the course of the year in any individual from those small to medium-size cities. On-going sampling efforts will address if any variation may occur on a yearly basis.

210Po secretion from sweat glands.

PubMed

Romańczyk, Grzegorz; Boryło, Alicja

2017-02-01

The results of the research indicated that the 210 Po activity concentration in sweat samples was between 0.22 ± 0.03 to 2.10 ± 0.15 mBq·g -1 d.w. The obtained results of the studies showed that smoking and eating fish led to higher activity concentrations of 210 Po in sweat in comparison to the control group. Statistical analysis of 210 Po activity concentrations in sweat samples showed significant differences between control, smoking, fish eating and age groups, while no significant differences was found for 210 Po between volunteers as far as gender is concerned. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Surface characterization of selected LDEF tray clamps

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cromer, T. F.; Grammer, H. L.; Wightman, J. P.; Young, Philip R.; Slemp, Wayne S.

1993-01-01

The surface characterization of chromic acid anodized 6061-T6 aluminum alloy tray clamps has shown differences in surface chemistry depending upon the position on the Long Duration Exposure Facility (LDEF). Water contact angle results showed no changes in wettability of the tray clamps. The overall surface topography of the control, trailing edge(E3) and leading edge(D9) samples was similar. The thickness of the aluminum oxide layer for all samples determined by Auger depth profiling was less than one micron. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis of the tray clamps showed significant differences in the surface composition. Carbon and silicon containing compounds were the primary contaminants detected.

Novel 16S rDNA primers revealed the diversity and habitats-related community structure of sphingomonads in 10 different niches.

PubMed

Huang, Yili; Feng, Hao; Lu, Hang; Zeng, Yanhua

2017-07-01

It is believed that sphingomonads are ubiquitously distributed in environments. However detailed information about their community structure and their co-relationship with environmental parameters remain unclear. In this study, novel sphingomonads-specific primers based on the 16S rRNA gene were designed to investigate the distribution of sphingomonads in 10 different niches. Both in silico and in-practice tests on pure cultures and environmental samples showed that Sph384f/Sph701r was an efficient primer set. Illumina MiSeq sequencing revealed that community structures of sphingomonads were significantly different among the 10 samples, although 12 sphingomonad genera were present in all samples. Based on RDA analysis and Monte Carlo permutation test, sphingomonad community structure was significantly correlated with limnetic and marine habitat types. Among these niches, the genus Sphingomicrobium showed strong positive correlation with marine habitats, whereas genera Sphingobium, Novosphingobium, Sphingopyxis, and Sphingorhabdus showed strong positive correlation with limnetic habitats. Our study provided direct evidence that sphingomonads are ubiquitously distributed in environments, and revealed for the first time that their community structure can be correlated with habitats.

Intragraft Molecular Pathways Associated with Tolerance Induction in Renal Transplantation.

PubMed

Gallon, Lorenzo; Mathew, James M; Bontha, Sai Vineela; Dumur, Catherine I; Dalal, Pranav; Nadimpalli, Lakshmi; Maluf, Daniel G; Shetty, Aneesha A; Ildstad, Suzanne T; Leventhal, Joseph R; Mas, Valeria R

2018-02-01

The modern immunosuppression regimen has greatly improved short-term allograft outcomes but not long-term allograft survival. Complications associated with immunosuppression, specifically nephrotoxicity and infection risk, significantly affect graft and patient survival. Inducing and understanding pathways underlying clinical tolerance after transplantation are, therefore, necessary. We previously showed full donor chimerism and immunosuppression withdrawal in highly mismatched allograft recipients using a bioengineered stem cell product (FCRx). Here, we evaluated the gene expression and microRNA expression profiles in renal biopsy samples from tolerance-induced FCRx recipients, paired donor organs before implant, and subjects under standard immunosuppression (SIS) without rejection and with acute rejection. Unlike allograft samples showing acute rejection, samples from FCRx recipients did not show upregulation of T cell- and B cell-mediated rejection pathways. Gene expression pathways differed slightly between FCRx samples and the paired preimplantation donor organ samples, but most of the functional gene networks overlapped. Notably, compared with SIS samples, FCRx samples showed upregulation of genes involved in pathways, like B cell receptor signaling. Additionally, prediction analysis showed inhibition of proinflammatory regulators and activation of anti-inflammatory pathways in FCRx samples. Furthermore, integrative analyses (microRNA and gene expression profiling from the same biopsy sample) identified the induction of regulators with demonstrated roles in the downregulation of inflammatory pathways and maintenance of tissue homeostasis in tolerance-induced FCRx samples compared with SIS samples. This pilot study highlights the utility of molecular intragraft evaluation of pathways related to FCRx-induced tolerance and the use of integrative analyses for identifying upstream regulators of the affected downstream molecular pathways. Copyright © 2018 by the American Society of Nephrology.

The Resazurin-Agar Method - a Quick Test to Determine Water Quality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huckfeldt, J.; Westphal, B.; Claußen, L.

2015-12-01

Rezasurin has been used as a smart tracer in stream ecosystems to indicate metabolic activity, specifically aerobic respiration by heterotrophic bacteria. Resazurin is a blue compound which is irreversibly reduced to the pink resorufin in the presence of aerobic bacteria. The degree and speed of colour change from blue to pink is a measure of the degree of oxygen consumption and thus an indirect indication of the concentration of aerobic bacteria in a given medium. A high concentration of bacteria in water indicates a bad water quality. In our work a method was developed using resazurin agar plates to find a quick and easy way for testing water quality and comparing concentrations of bacteria in freshwater and seawater samples. The theory was to concentrate bacteria from a defined volume of water sample onto polycarbonate filters (0.2 μm), which are then placed onto the resazurin agar plate. The presence of aerobic bacteria on the filter will reduce the resazurin in the agar and the compound changes its colour. First tests conducted with different dilutions of a pure culture of yoghurt bacteria showed promising results and confirmed the feasibility of the method. In a further assay, we used water samples from different water layers and different temperatures and were also able to observe differences in the concentration of bacteria, depending on these different environmental conditions.The assay was also successfully used with seawater samples, collected from 2 different stations at 3 different depths in the Baltic Sea (salinity=15). The discolouration of the plates showed good correlation with the oxygen concentrations in the water. The resazurin-agar plate method is economical and fast. Several samples could be investigated at the same time without sacrificing the reliability of the results. Thus it is a good pre-screening test for a quantitative evaluation of bacteria in a water sample.

Establishment of an evaluation model for human milk fat substitutes.

PubMed

Wang, Yong-Hua; Mai, Qing-Yun; Qin, Xiao-Li; Yang, Bo; Wang, Zi-Lian; Chen, Hai-Tian

2010-01-13

Fatty acid composition and distribution of human milk fat (HMF), from mothers over different lactating periods in Guangzhou, China, were analyzed. The universal characteristics were consistent with previously reported results although the fatty acid content was within a different range and dependent on the local population (low saturated fatty acid and high oleic acid for Guangdong mothers' milk fat). Based on the composition of the total and sn-2 fatty acids of mature milk fat, an efficient evaluation model was innovatively established by adopting the "deducting score" principle. The model showed good agreement between the scores and the degree of similarity by assessing 15 samples from different sources including four samples of HMF, eight samples of human milk fat substitutes (HMFSs) and infant formulas, and three samples of fats and oils. This study would allow for the devolvement of individual human milk fat substitutes with different and specific fatty acid compositions for local infants.

Effect of Bamboo Viscose on the Wicking and Moisture Management Properties of Gauze

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Akbar, Abdul R.; Su, Siwei; Amjad, Bilal; Cai, Yingjie; Lin, Lina

2017-12-01

Bamboo viscose or regenerated cellulose fibers were used to check their absorbency properties effect on the wicking and moisture management in gauzes. Bamboo viscose and cotton fibers were spun into five different yarn samples with different fiber proportion by ring spinning. Fifteen different gauze samples were made of these yarn samples. The gauze samples were subjected to wicking test to check the wicking ability. Water vapor transmission test was applied to check the vapor transmission rate. These tests were applied to measure the effectiveness of bamboo viscose, cotton and blended gauze samples in wound healing. Pure bamboo gauzes and gauzes with high content of bamboo fiber, i.e. 75B:25C and 50B:50C, shows better wicking and vapor transmission properties. It makes gauzes with high bamboo viscose suitable for wound care applications because of moisture absorbency.

Precipitation chemistry affected by differences in location of collection sites and storage methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mahendrappa, M. K.

An investigation was carried out to evaluate rigorously the possible differences in measured concentrations of hydrogen, nitrate and sulfate ions in 'bulk' precipitation samples that may be caused by variations in location of rain collectors, and duration and temperature of storage. Storage of precipitation samples, up to 1 month, both in the coldroom and in the field resulted in a significant reduction in the concentration of hydrogen ions. Only field storage caused a statistically significant reduction in the concentration of nitrate in the precipitation samples. Levels of sulfate ions were not found to be significantly affected by storage either in the field or in coldrooms. Samples collected from a rain gage located on a building roof were more acidic than those collected in open spaces in forests. Though all samples showed similar seasonal patterns in the concentrations of sulfate and nitrate, the individual values consistently differed from each other.

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

Zhang Yanxia; Ma He; Peng Nanbo

We apply one of the lazy learning methods, the k-nearest neighbor (kNN) algorithm, to estimate the photometric redshifts of quasars based on various data sets from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS), the UKIRT Infrared Deep Sky Survey (UKIDSS), and the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE; the SDSS sample, the SDSS-UKIDSS sample, the SDSS-WISE sample, and the SDSS-UKIDSS-WISE sample). The influence of the k value and different input patterns on the performance of kNN is discussed. kNN performs best when k is different with a special input pattern for a special data set. The best result belongs to the SDSS-UKIDSS-WISEmore » sample. The experimental results generally show that the more information from more bands, the better performance of photometric redshift estimation with kNN. The results also demonstrate that kNN using multiband data can effectively solve the catastrophic failure of photometric redshift estimation, which is met by many machine learning methods. Compared with the performance of various other methods of estimating the photometric redshifts of quasars, kNN based on KD-Tree shows superiority, exhibiting the best accuracy.« less

Spatial distribution of nematodes in soil cultivated with sugarcane under different uses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cardoso, M. O.; Pedrosa, E. M. R.; Vicente, T. F. S.; Siqueira, G. M.; Montenegro, A. A. A.

2012-04-01

Sugarcane is a crop of major importance within the Brazilian economy, being an activity that generates energy and with high capacity to develop various economic sectors. Currently the greatest challenge is to maximize productivity and minimize environmental impacts. The plant-parasites nematodes have great expression, because influence directly the productive potential of sugarcane crops. Accordingly, little research has been devoted to the study of spatial variability of nematodes. Thus, the purpose of this work is to analyze the spatial distribution of nematodes in a soil cultivated with sugarcane in areas with and without irrigation, with distinct spacing of sampling to determine the differences between the sampling scales. The study area is located in the municipality of Goiana (Pernambuco State, Brazil). The experiment was conducted in two areas with 40 hectares each, being collected 90 samples at different spacing: 18 samples with spacing of 200.00 x 200.00 m, 36 samples with spacing of 20.00 m x 20.00 m and 36 samples with spacing of 2.00 m x 2.00 m. Soil samples were collected at deep of 0.00-0.20 m and nematodes were extracted per 300 cm3 of soil through centrifugal flotation in sucrose being quantified, classified according trophic habit (plant-parasites, fungivores, bacterivores, omnivores and predators) and identified in level of genus or family. In irrigated area the amount of water applied was determined considering the evapotranspiration of culture. The data were analyzed using classical statistics and geostatistics. The results demonstrated that the data showed high values of coefficient of variation in both study areas. All attributes studied showed log normal frequency distribution. The area B (irrigated) has a population of nematodes more stable than the area A (non-irrigated), a fact confirmed by its mean value of the total population of nematodes (282.45 individuals). The use of geostatistics not allowed to assess the spatial distribution of populations of nematodes even with the data being collected at different scales, describing the spatial variability of groups of nematodes present in the areas evaluated is smaller than the smallest spacing used. Even with the data showing pure nugget effect was possible to verify the semivariogram for the groups of nematodes in the area A, where pairs of semivariance showed great dispersion.

Buccal Swabbing as a Noninvasive Method To Determine Bacterial, Archaeal, and Eukaryotic Microbial Community Structures in the Rumen

PubMed Central

Kirk, Michelle R.; Jonker, Arjan; McCulloch, Alan

2015-01-01

Analysis of rumen microbial community structure based on small-subunit rRNA marker genes in metagenomic DNA samples provides important insights into the dominant taxa present in the rumen and allows assessment of community differences between individuals or in response to treatments applied to ruminants. However, natural animal-to-animal variation in rumen microbial community composition can limit the power of a study considerably, especially when only subtle differences are expected between treatment groups. Thus, trials with large numbers of animals may be necessary to overcome this variation. Because ruminants pass large amounts of rumen material to their oral cavities when they chew their cud, oral samples may contain good representations of the rumen microbiota and be useful in lieu of rumen samples to study rumen microbial communities. We compared bacterial, archaeal, and eukaryotic community structures in DNAs extracted from buccal swabs to those in DNAs from samples collected directly from the rumen by use of a stomach tube for sheep on four different diets. After bioinformatic depletion of potential oral taxa from libraries of samples collected via buccal swabs, bacterial communities showed significant clustering by diet (R = 0.37; analysis of similarity [ANOSIM]) rather than by sampling method (R = 0.07). Archaeal, ciliate protozoal, and anaerobic fungal communities also showed significant clustering by diet rather than by sampling method, even without adjustment for potentially orally associated microorganisms. These findings indicate that buccal swabs may in future allow quick and noninvasive sampling for analysis of rumen microbial communities in large numbers of ruminants. PMID:26276109

Surface integrity and fatigue behaviour of electric discharged machined and milled austenitic stainless steel

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

Lundberg, Mattias, E-mail: mattias.lundberg@liu.se

Machining of austenitic stainless steels can result in different surface integrities and different machining process parameters will have a great impact on the component fatigue life. Understanding how machining processes affect the cyclic behaviour and microstructure are of outmost importance in order to improve existing and new life estimation models. Milling and electrical discharge machining (EDM) have been used to manufacture rectangular four-point bend fatigue test samples; subjected to high cycle fatigue. Before fatigue testing, surface integrity characterisation of the two surface conditions was conducted using scanning electron microscopy, surface roughness, residual stress profiles, and hardness profiles. Differences in cyclicmore » behaviour were observed between the two surface conditions by the fatigue testing. The milled samples exhibited a fatigue limit. EDM samples did not show the same behaviour due to ratcheting. Recrystallized nano sized grains were identified at the severely plastically deformed surface of the milled samples. Large amounts of bent mechanical twins were observed ~ 5 μm below the surface. Grain shearing and subsequent grain rotation from milling bent the mechanical twins. EDM samples showed much less plastic deformation at the surface. Surface tensile residual stresses of ~ 500 MPa and ~ 200 MPa for the milled and EDM samples respectively were measured. - Highlights: •Milled samples exhibit fatigue behaviour, but not EDM samples. •Four-point bending is not suitable for materials exhibiting pronounced ratcheting. •LAGB density can be used to quantitatively measure plastic deformation. •Grain shearing and rotation result in bent mechanical twins. •Nano sized grains evolve due to the heat of the operation.« less

Identification of Atherosclerotic Plaques in Carotid Artery by Fluorescence Spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rocha, Rick; Villaverde, Antonio Balbin; Silveira, Landulfo; Costa, Maricília Silva; Alves, Leandro Procópio; Pasqualucci, Carlos Augusto; Brugnera, Aldo

2008-04-01

The aim of this work was to identify the presence of atherosclerotic plaques in carotid artery using the Fluorescence Spectroscopy. The most important pathogeny in the cardiovascular disorders is the atherosclerosis, which may affect even younger individuals. With approximately 1.2 million heart attacks and 750,000 strokes afflicting an aging American population each year, cardiovascular disease remains the number one cause of death. Carotid artery samples were obtained from the Autopsy Service at the University of São Paulo (São Paulo, SP, Brazil) taken from cadavers. After a histopathological analysis the 60 carotid artery samples were divided into two groups: normal (26) and atherosclerotic plaques (34). Samples were irradiated with the wavelength of 488 nm from an Argon laser. A 600 μm core optical fiber, coupled to the Argon laser, was used for excitation of the sample, whereas another 600 optical fiber, coupled to the spectrograph entrance slit, was used for collecting the fluorescence from the sample. Measurements were taken at different points on each sample and then averaged. Fluorescence spectra showed a single broad line centered at 549 nm. The fluorescence intensity for each sample was calculated by subtracting the intensity at the peak (550 nm) and at the bottom (510 nm) and then data were statistically analyzed, looking for differences between both groups of samples. ANOVA statistical test showed a significant difference (p<0,05) between both types of tissues, with regard to the fluorescence peak intensities. Our results indicate that this technique could be used to detect the presence of the atherosclerotic in carotid tissue.

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

Ballachey, B.E.; Kloecker, K.A.

Aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons were analyzed in hair, liver and intestinal samples taken from dead sea otters (Enhydra lutris) collected in spring and summer 1989 from Prince William Sound, the Kenai Peninsula and Kodiak Island, along the path of the Exxon Valdez oil spill. Hair showed significant differences in hydrocarbon concentrations among the three locations, but few significant differences were noted for liver or intestine samples. The highest concentrations of both aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons were measured in hair samples from Prince William Sound. Hydrocarbon concentrations in intestine and liver samples from the three locations were generally similar and low,more » suggesting that uptake into the tissues was limited, or that hydrocarbons within the tissues had been metabolized by the time samples were collected.« less

[Influence of sample surface roughness on mathematical model of NIR quantitative analysis of wood density].

PubMed

Huang, An-Min; Fei, Ben-Hua; Jiang, Ze-Hui; Hse, Chung-Yun

2007-09-01

Near infrared spectroscopy is widely used as a quantitative method, and the main multivariate techniques consist of regression methods used to build prediction models, however, the accuracy of analysis results will be affected by many factors. In the present paper, the influence of different sample roughness on the mathematical model of NIR quantitative analysis of wood density was studied. The result of experiments showed that if the roughness of predicted samples was consistent with that of calibrated samples, the result was good, otherwise the error would be much higher. The roughness-mixed model was more flexible and adaptable to different sample roughness. The prediction ability of the roughness-mixed model was much better than that of the single-roughness model.

Chemical composition and antibacterial activity of propolis collected by three different races of honeybees in the same region.

PubMed

Silici, Sibel; Kutluca, Semiramis

2005-05-13

The chemical analysis and antibacterial activity of three types of propolis collected three different races of Apis mellifera bee in the same apiary were investigated. Propolis samples were investigated by GC/MS, 48 compounds were identified 32 being new for propolis. The compounds identified indicated that the main plant sources of propolis were Populus alba, Populus tremuloides and Salix alba. The antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Candida albicans was evaluated. Ethanolic extracts of propolis samples showed high antibacterial activity against Gram-positive cocci (Staphylococcus aureus), but had a weak activity against Gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa) and yeast (Candida albicans). Propolis sample collected by Apis mellifera caucasica showed a higher antibacterial activity than collected by Apis mellifera anatolica and Apis mellifera carnica.

Amino acid analyses of Apollo 14 samples.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gehrke, C. W.; Zumwalt, R. W.; Kuo, K.; Aue, W. A.; Stalling, D. L.; Kvenvolden, K. A.; Ponnamperuma, C.

1972-01-01

Detection limits were between 300 pg and 1 ng for different amino acids, in an analysis by gas-liquid chromatography of water extracts from Apollo 14 lunar fines in which amino acids were converted to their N-trifluoro-acetyl-n-butyl esters. Initial analyses of water and HCl extracts of sample 14240 and 14298 samples showed no amino acids above background levels.

Geometrical characteristics of sandstone with different sample sizes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cheon, D. S.; Takahashi, M., , Dr

2017-12-01

In many rock engineering projects such as CO2 underground storage, engineering geothermal system, it is important things to understand the fluid flow behavior in the deep geological conditions. This fluid flow is generally affected by the geometrical characteristics of rock, especially porous media. Furthermore, physical properties in rock may depend on the existence of voids space in rock. Total porosity and pore size distribution can be measured by Mercury Intrusion Porosimetry and the other geometrical and spatial information of pores can be obtained through micro-focus X-ray CT. Using the micro-focus X-ray CT, we obtained the extracted void space and transparent image from the original CT voxel images of with different sample sizes like 1 mm, 2 mm, 3 mm cubes. The test samples are Berea sandstone and Otway sandstone. The former is well-known sandstone and it is used for the standard sample to compared to the result from the Otway sandstone. Otway sandstone was obtained from the CO2CRC Otway pilot site for the CO2 geosequestraion project. From the X-ray scan and ExFACT software, we get the informations including effective pore radii, coordination number, tortuosity and effective throat/pore radius ratio etc. The geometrical information analysis showed that for Berea sandstone and Otway sandstone, there is rarely differences with different sample sizes and total value of coordination number show high porosity, the tortuosity of Berea sandstone is higher than the Otway sandstone. In the future, these information will be used for the permeability of the samples.

A study on rate of infestation to Sarcocystis cysts in supplied raw hamburgers.

PubMed

Nematollahia, Ahmad; Khoshkerdar, Afsaneh; Helan, Javad Ashrafi; Shahbazi, Parisa; Hassanzadeh, Parviz

2015-06-01

This study was carried on for determination of presence of Sarcocystis cysts in raw hamburgers in Tabriz North West of Iran. Ninety-six samples of industrial (70 % meat content) and traditional (30 % meat content) hamburgers (80 samples industrial and 16 samples traditional) were obtained from retail fast food stores. The samples were examined by gross examination, and microscopic examination methods consist impression smear and peptic digestion. Macroscopic cysts did not observed in any of the samples in gross examination. Microscopic study showed that from 96 samples 54 (56.25 %) samples were infected by at least one bradyzoites of Sarcocystis. From 54 infected samples, 45 industrial hamburgers and nine traditional hamburgers samples were infected. Statistical analysis showed that there was not significant differences between industrial and traditional hamburgers in infection to Sarcocystis. Infestation of hamburgers to Sarcocystis in summer was higher than other seasons but this difference was not significant. In Iran, beef meat is used for preparation of 70 % of hamburger and infestation of cattle to sarcocystosis was reported in many investigations in Iran. With regard to the high prevalence of Sarcocystis infection in meat products such as hamburgers in this study, it is strongly recommended to avoid eating raw or under-cooked hamburgers or keep them at freezing temperature for at least 3-5 days.

Dosimetry characteristics of HDPE-SWCNT nanocomposite for real time application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Malekie, Shahryar; Ziaie, Farhood; Feizi, Shahzad; Esmaeli, Abdolreza

2016-10-01

In this experimental work, different dosimetric characteristics of high density polyethylene-single wall carbon nanotube nanocomposite were investigated. The nanocomposite samples were prepared with different nanotube contents of 0.22, 0.25, and 0.39 weight percentages which were before, exactly in, and after percolation region of the nanocomposite, respectively. The samples were exposed to 60Co gamma radiation source over the dose rate of 65-214 mGy/min, while the applied bias was 100 V. A linear response achieved for the sample contained 0.25 nanotube wt% verified that the percolation threshold is the optimum point for dosimetric purposes. The current-voltage characteristics curve measured for 0.25 CNT wt% nanocomposite showed that the behavior of this sample was bias polarity independent. Also, the results showed that the response of this nanocomposite was energy-independent. The maximum discrepancy of photocurrent due to angular variation within 0-90° with respect to beam incidence and the reproducibility of the response were measured as 5.4% and 0.8%, respectively. The stability study showed that this material may be suitable for protection dose level control. Therefore, this kind of nanocomposite requiring calibration can be used as a real-time dosimeter.

Validity of Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis to Estimation Fat-Free Mass in the Army Cadets.

PubMed

Langer, Raquel D; Borges, Juliano H; Pascoa, Mauro A; Cirolini, Vagner X; Guerra-Júnior, Gil; Gonçalves, Ezequiel M

2016-03-11

Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA) is a fast, practical, non-invasive, and frequently used method for fat-free mass (FFM) estimation. The aims of this study were to validate predictive equations of BIA to FFM estimation in Army cadets and to develop and validate a specific BIA equation for this population. A total of 396 males, Brazilian Army cadets, aged 17-24 years were included. The study used eight published predictive BIA equations, a specific equation in FFM estimation, and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) as a reference method. Student's t-test (for paired sample), linear regression analysis, and Bland-Altman method were used to test the validity of the BIA equations. Predictive BIA equations showed significant differences in FFM compared to DXA (p < 0.05) and large limits of agreement by Bland-Altman. Predictive BIA equations explained 68% to 88% of FFM variance. Specific BIA equations showed no significant differences in FFM, compared to DXA values. Published BIA predictive equations showed poor accuracy in this sample. The specific BIA equations, developed in this study, demonstrated validity for this sample, although should be used with caution in samples with a large range of FFM.

Contamination of different portions of raw and boiled specimens of Norway lobster by mercury and selenium.

PubMed

Perugini, Monia; Visciano, Pierina; Manera, Maurizio; Abete, Maria Cesarina; Gavinelli, Stefania; Amorena, Michele

2013-11-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate mercury and selenium distribution in different portions (exoskeleton, white meat and brown meat) of Norway lobster (Nephrops norvegicus). Some samples were also analysed as whole specimens. The same portions were also examined after boiling, in order to observe if this cooking practice could affect mercury and selenium concentrations. The highest mercury concentrations were detected in white meat, exceeding in all cases the maximum levels established by European legislation. The brown meat reported the highest selenium concentrations. In all boiled samples, mercury levels showed a statistically significant increase compared to raw portions. On the contrary, selenium concentrations detected in boiled samples of white meat, brown meat and whole specimen showed a statistically significant decrease compared to the corresponding raw samples. These results indicate that boiling modifies mercury and selenium concentrations. The high mercury levels detected represent a possible risk for consumers, and the publication and diffusion of specific advisories concerning seafood consumption is recommended.

Nutritional composition, bioactive compounds and volatile profile of cocoa beans from different regions of Cameroon.

PubMed

Caprioli, Giovanni; Fiorini, Dennis; Maggi, Filippo; Nicoletti, Marcello; Ricciutelli, Massimo; Toniolo, Chiara; Prosper, Biapa; Vittori, Sauro; Sagratini, Gianni

2016-06-01

Analysis of the complex composition of cocoa beans provides fundamental information for evaluating the quality and nutritional aspects of cocoa-based food products, nutraceuticals and supplements. Cameroon, the world's fourth largest producer of cocoa, has been defined as "Africa in miniature" because of the variety it habitats. In order to evaluate the nutritional characteristics of cocoa beans from five different regions of Cameroon, we studied their polyphenolic content, volatile compounds and fatty acids composition. The High Performance Thin Layer Chromatography (HPTLC) analysis showed that the Mbalmayo sample had the highest content of theobromine (11.6 mg/g) and caffeic acid (2.1 mg/g), while the Sanchou sample had the highest level of (-)-epicatechin (142.9 mg/g). Concerning fatty acids, the lowest level of stearic acid was found in the Mbalmayo sample while the Bertoua sample showed the highest content of oleic acid. Thus, we confirmed that geographical origin influences the quality and nutritional characteristics of cocoa from these regions of Cameroon.

Solid-state stability studies of 13-cis-retinoic acid and all-trans-retinoic acid using microcalorimetry and HPLC analysis.

PubMed

Tan, X; Meltzer, N; Lindebaum, S

1992-09-01

The solid-state stabilities of 13-cis-retinoic acid and all-trans-retinoic acid in the presence and absence of oxygen were investigated. The samples were first evaluated using microcalorimetry. The rate laws of different samples under different conditions were deduced from the shapes of the heat flow curves, and the activation energies of the reactions were determined from Arrhenius plots. Under an air atmosphere, the decomposition of 13-cis-retinoic acid is an autocatalytic reaction, while all-trans-retinoic acid undergoes a zero-order process. The degradation of the two compounds at a selected elevated temperature was also determined utilizing HPLC analysis. This technique confirmed the decomposition kinetics. Hence, their half-lives and shelf lives at room temperature could be calculated. Under a nitrogen atmosphere, the microcalorimetric experiment showed a first-order phenomenon for both samples, but HPLC analysis showed no degradation, suggesting that the two samples, in the absence of oxygen, undergo only a physical change.

Bacterial bioluminescence response to long-term exposure to reverse osmosis treated effluents from dye industries.

PubMed

Ravindran, J; Manikandan, B; Shirodkar, P V; Francis, K X; Mani Murali, R; Vethamony, P

2014-10-01

The bacterial bioluminescence assay is one of the novel means for toxicity detection. The bioluminescence response of 2 marine bioluminescent bacteria was tested upon their long-term exposure to 9 different reverse osmosis (RO) rejects with varying chemical composition sampled from various dye industries. Bioluminescent bacteria were cultured in the RO reject samples, at different concentrations, and their growth rate and luminescence was measured for 24 h. The RO reject samples caused sublethal effects upon exposure and retarded the growth of bacteria, confirming their toxic nature. Further, continuation of the exposure showed that the initial luminescence, though reduced, recovered and increased beyond the control cultures irrespective of cell density, and finally decreased once again. The present study emphasizes the need of evolving a long-term exposure assay and shows that the method followed in this study is suitable to evaluate the toxicants that exert delayed toxicity, using lower concentrations of toxicants as well as coloured samples.

Novel nanoliposomal encapsulated omega-3 fatty acids and their applications in food.

PubMed

Rasti, Babak; Erfanian, Arezoo; Selamat, Jinap

2017-09-01

The aim of the present research was to evaluate the application, stability and suitability of ω3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) incorporated nanoliposomes in food enrichment. Nanoliposomal ω3 PUFAs was prepared by Mozafari method, and their application in bread and milk was compared with unencapsulated (fish oil) and microencapsulated ω3 PUFAs. Sensory evaluation was conducted to determine the perceptible sensory difference/similarity between control, unencapsulated, microencapsulated, and nanoliposomal ω3 PUFAs enriched foods. Results showed no significant (p=0.11) detectable difference between control and nanoliposomal ω3 PUFAs enriched samples while, samples enriched with unencapsulated or microencapsulated ω3 PUFAs showed significant (p=0.02) fishy flavor. Moreover, significantly (p<0.01) higher ω3 PUFAs % recovery and lower peroxide and anisidine values were observed in nanoliposomal ω3 PUFAs enriched samples in comparison with other samples. In conclusion, an effective and reproducible method for application of ω3 PUFAs in the food system was developed. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The effect of acidified sample storage time on the determination of trace element concentration in ice cores by ICP-SFMS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Uglietti, C.; Gabrielli, P.; Lutton, A.; Olesik, J.; Thompson, L. G.

2012-12-01

Trace elements in micro-particles entrapped in ice cores are a valuable proxy of past climate and environmental variations. Inductively coupled plasma sector field mass spectrometry (ICP-SFMS) is generally recognized as a sensitive and accurate technique for the quantification of ultra-trace element concentrations in ice cores. Usually, ICP-SFMS analyses of ice core samples are performed by melting and acidifying aliquots. Acidification is important to transfer trace elements from particles into solution by partial and/or complete dissolution. Only elements in solution and in sufficiently small particles will be vaporized and converted to elemental ions in the plasma for detection by ICP-SFMS. However, experimental results indicate that differences in acidified sample storage time at room temperature may lead to the recovery of different trace element fractions. Moreover, different lithologies of the relatively abundant crustal material entrapped in the ice matrix could also influence the fraction of trace elements that are converted into elemental ions in the plasma. These factors might affect the determination of trace elements concentrations in ice core samples and hamper the comparison of results obtained from ice cores from different locations and/or epochs. In order to monitor the transfer of elements from particles into solution in acidified melted ice core samples during storage, a test was performed on sections from nine ice cores retrieved from low latitude drilling sites around the world. When compared to ice cores from polar regions, these samples are characterized by a relative high content of micro-particles that may leach trace elements into solution differently. Of the nine ice cores, five are from the Tibetan Plateau (Dasuopu, Guliya, Naimonanyi, Puruogangri and Dunde), two from the Andes (Quelccaya and Huascaran), one from Africa (Kilimanjaro) and one from the Eastern Alps (Ortles). These samples were decontaminated by triple rinsing, melted and stored in pre-cleaned low-density polyethylene bottles, and kept frozen until acidification (2% v/v ultra-pure HNO3). Determination of twenty trace elements (Ag, Al, As, Bi, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Mo, Pb, Rb, Sb, Sn, Ti, Tl, U, V, and Zn) was repeated at different times after acidification using the same aliquot. Analyses show a mean increase of 40-50% in trace element concentration in all the samples during the first 15 days of storage after acidification, except Al, Fe, V and Cr, which show a larger increase (90-100%). After 15 days the trace element concentrations reach generally stable values (with small increases within measurement uncertainty), except for the Naimonanyi and Kilimanjaro samples which continue to increase. In contrast, Ag concentration decreases after one week, likely due to its low stability in the acidified solution that may depend on the Cl- concentration. We froze the samples 43 days after the acidification. After two weeks the samples were melted and re-analyzed by ICP-SFMS in two different laboratories as an inter-calibration exercise. The results show a good correspondence between the measured concentrations determined by the two instruments and a consistent additional increase of 20-30% of measured trace element concentrations in almost all samples.

Failure to Replicate a Genetic Association May Provide Important Clues About Genetic Architecture

PubMed Central

Greene, Casey S.; Penrod, Nadia M.; Williams, Scott M.; Moore, Jason H.

2009-01-01

Replication has become the gold standard for assessing statistical results from genome-wide association studies. Unfortunately this replication requirement may cause real genetic effects to be missed. A real result can fail to replicate for numerous reasons including inadequate sample size or variability in phenotype definitions across independent samples. In genome-wide association studies the allele frequencies of polymorphisms may differ due to sampling error or population differences. We hypothesize that some statistically significant independent genetic effects may fail to replicate in an independent dataset when allele frequencies differ and the functional polymorphism interacts with one or more other functional polymorphisms. To test this hypothesis, we designed a simulation study in which case-control status was determined by two interacting polymorphisms with heritabilities ranging from 0.025 to 0.4 with replication sample sizes ranging from 400 to 1600 individuals. We show that the power to replicate the statistically significant independent main effect of one polymorphism can drop dramatically with a change of allele frequency of less than 0.1 at a second interacting polymorphism. We also show that differences in allele frequency can result in a reversal of allelic effects where a protective allele becomes a risk factor in replication studies. These results suggest that failure to replicate an independent genetic effect may provide important clues about the complexity of the underlying genetic architecture. We recommend that polymorphisms that fail to replicate be checked for interactions with other polymorphisms, particularly when samples are collected from groups with distinct ethnic backgrounds or different geographic regions. PMID:19503614

Validation of reference genes for RT-qPCR studies of gene expression in banana fruit under different experimental conditions.

PubMed

Chen, Lei; Zhong, Hai-ying; Kuang, Jian-fei; Li, Jian-guo; Lu, Wang-jin; Chen, Jian-ye

2011-08-01

Reverse transcription quantitative real-time PCR (RT-qPCR) is a sensitive technique for quantifying gene expression, but its success depends on the stability of the reference gene(s) used for data normalization. Only a few studies on validation of reference genes have been conducted in fruit trees and none in banana yet. In the present work, 20 candidate reference genes were selected, and their expression stability in 144 banana samples were evaluated and analyzed using two algorithms, geNorm and NormFinder. The samples consisted of eight sample sets collected under different experimental conditions, including various tissues, developmental stages, postharvest ripening, stresses (chilling, high temperature, and pathogen), and hormone treatments. Our results showed that different suitable reference gene(s) or combination of reference genes for normalization should be selected depending on the experimental conditions. The RPS2 and UBQ2 genes were validated as the most suitable reference genes across all tested samples. More importantly, our data further showed that the widely used reference genes, ACT and GAPDH, were not the most suitable reference genes in many banana sample sets. In addition, the expression of MaEBF1, a gene of interest that plays an important role in regulating fruit ripening, under different experimental conditions was used to further confirm the validated reference genes. Taken together, our results provide guidelines for reference gene(s) selection under different experimental conditions and a foundation for more accurate and widespread use of RT-qPCR in banana.

Physical properties and rock physics models of sediment containing natural and laboratory-formed methane gas hydrate

USGS Publications Warehouse

Winters, W.J.; Pecher, I.A.; Waite, W.F.; Mason, D.H.

2004-01-01

This paper presents results of shear strength and acoustic velocity (p-wave) measurements performed on: (1) samples containing natural gas hydrate from the Mallik 2L-38 well, Mackenzie Delta, Northwest Territories; (2) reconstituted Ottawa sand samples containing methane gas hydrate formed in the laboratory; and (3) ice-bearing sands. These measurements show that hydrate increases shear strength and p-wave velocity in natural and reconstituted samples. The proportion of this increase depends on (1) the amount and distribution of hydrate present, (2) differences, in sediment properties, and (3) differences in test conditions. Stress-strain curves from the Mallik samples suggest that natural gas hydrate does not cement sediment grains. However, stress-strain curves from the Ottawa sand (containing laboratory-formed gas hydrate) do imply cementation is present. Acoustically, rock physics modeling shows that gas hydrate does not cement grains of natural Mackenzie Delta sediment. Natural gas hydrates are best modeled as part of the sediment frame. This finding is in contrast with direct observations and results of Ottawa sand containing laboratory-formed hydrate, which was found to cement grains (Waite et al. 2004). It therefore appears that the microscopic distribution of gas hydrates in sediment, and hence the effect of gas hydrate on sediment physical properties, differs between natural deposits and laboratory-formed samples. This difference may possibly be caused by the location of water molecules that are available to form hydrate. Models that use laboratory-derived properties to predict behavior of natural gas hydrate must account for these differences.

Comparative evaluation of the COBAS AmpliPrep/COBAS TaqMan HIV type 1 test (CAP/CTM) and VERSANT HIV type 1 RNA 3.0 assay (bDNA) for quantifying HIV type 1 viral loads in China.

PubMed

Xu, Sihong; Song, Aijing; Nie, Jianhui; Li, Xiuhua; Li, Jingyun; Bao, Zuoyi; Wang, Youchun

2008-11-01

In the present study, 277 clinical samples from untreated and treated HIV-1-infected patients with different clades were used to assess the agreement between the COBAS AmpliPrep/COBAS TaqMan HIV-1 test (CAP/CTM) and VERSANT HIV-1 RNA 3.0 Assay (bDNA). A qualitative comparison of the results of the two assays showed concordance for 255 positive and 15 negative samples (94.95%, kappa = 0.798). However, seven samples with viral loads close to the lower limit of detection for CAP/CTM were negative by bDNA. A significant correlation (r = 0.881, p < 0.001) was observed for 253 samples with viral loads within the dynamic ranges of the two assays, and Bland-Altman analysis showed good agreement (96.05%) between the two assays for these 253 samples [mean (+/-2 SD), 0.389(-0.385, 1.163)]. Furthermore, ART drugs had no impact on the performances of the two assays. For samples with different clades predominant in China, the fitted regression line differed significantly from the line of equality, although significant correlations (r = 0.850-0.891, p < 0.001) and good agreements (92.86-97.25%) were found for the two assays. The mean differences for clade B' and BC samples were significant (p < 0.01). Good precision for clade B' samples was achieved for the CAP/CTM (CV: 20.73%) and bDNA (CV: 12.19%) assays. Furthermore, for clades B', BC, and AE, both assays exhibited good linearities (r = 0.9773-0.9998). Thus, the CAP/CTM and bDNA assays could be useful for quantifying HIV-1 RNA in routine clinical samples and monitoring viral loads in treated and untreated HIV-infected patients in China.

Gender differences in substance use, consequences, motivation to change, and treatment seeking in people with serious mental illness.

PubMed

Drapalski, Amy; Bennett, Melanie; Bellack, Alan

2011-01-01

Gender differences in patterns and consequences of substance use, treatment-seeking, and motivation to change were examined in two samples of people with serious mental illness (SMI) and comorbid substance use disorders (SUDs): a community sample not currently seeking substance abuse treatment (N = 175) and a treatment-seeking sample (N = 137). In both groups, women and men demonstrated more similarities in the pattern and severity of their substance use than differences. However, treatment-seeking women showed greater readiness to change their substance use. Mental health problems and traumatic experiences may prompt people with SMI and SUD to enter substance abuse treatment, regardless of gender.

Gender Differences in Substance Use, Consequences, Motivation to Change, and Treatment Seeking in People With Serious Mental Illness

PubMed Central

Drapalski, Amy; Bennett, Melanie; Bellack, Alan

2013-01-01

Gender differences in patterns and consequences of substance use, treatment-seeking, and motivation to change were examined in two samples of people with serious mental illness (SMI) and comorbid substance use disorders (SUDs): a community sample not currently seeking substance abuse treatment (N = 175) and a treatment-seeking sample (N = 137). In both groups, women and men demonstrated more similarities in the pattern and severity of their substance use than differences. However, treatment-seeking women showed greater readiness to change their substance use. Mental health problems and traumatic experiences may prompt people with SMI and SUD to enter substance abuse treatment, regardless of gender. PMID:21174496

Critical tests for determination of microbiological quality and biological activity in commercial vermicompost samples of different origins.

PubMed

Grantina-Ievina, Lelde; Andersone, Una; Berkolde-Pīre, Dace; Nikolajeva, Vizma; Ievinsh, Gederts

2013-12-01

The aim of the present paper was to show that differences in biological activity among commercially produced vermicompost samples can be found by using a relatively simple test system consisting of microorganism tests on six microbiological media and soilless seedling growth tests with four vegetable crop species. Significant differences in biological properties among analyzed samples were evident both at the level of microbial load as well as plant growth-affecting activity. These differences were mostly manufacturer- and feedstock-associated, but also resulted from storage conditions of vermicompost samples. A mature vermicompost sample that was produced from sewage sludge still contained considerable number of Escherichia coli. Samples from all producers contained several potentially pathogenic fungal species such as Aspergillus fumigatus, Pseudallescheria boidii, Pseudallescheria fimeti, Pseudallescheria minutispora, Scedosporium apiospermum, Scedosporium prolificans, Scopulariopsis brevicaulis, Stachybotrys chartarum, Geotrichum spp., Aphanoascus terreus, and Doratomyces columnaris. In addition, samples from all producers contained plant growth-promoting fungi from the genera Trichoderma and Mortierella. The described system can be useful both for functional studies aiming at understanding of factors affecting quality characteristics of vermicompost preparations and for routine testing of microbiological quality and biological activity of organic waste-derived composts and vermicomposts.

Fog collecting biomimetic surfaces: Influence of microstructure and wettability.

PubMed

Azad, M A K; Ellerbrok, D; Barthlott, W; Koch, K

2015-01-19

We analyzed the fog collection efficiency of three different sets of samples: replica (with and without microstructures), copper wire (smooth and microgrooved) and polyolefin mesh (hydrophilic, superhydrophilic and hydrophobic). The collection efficiency of the samples was compared in each set separately to investigate the influence of microstructures and/or the wettability of the surfaces on fog collection. Based on the controlled experimental conditions chosen here large differences in the efficiency were found. We found that microstructured plant replica samples collected 2-3 times higher amounts of water than that of unstructured (smooth) samples. Copper wire samples showed similar results. Moreover, microgrooved wires had a faster dripping of water droplets than that of smooth wires. The superhydrophilic mesh tested here was proved more efficient than any other mesh samples with different wettability. The amount of collected fog by superhydrophilic mesh was about 5 times higher than that of hydrophilic (untreated) mesh and was about 2 times higher than that of hydrophobic mesh.

2-hydroxyethyl metahcrylate/gelatin based superporous hydrogels for tissue regeneration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tomić, Simonida Lj.; Babić, Marija M.; Vuković, Jovana S.; Perišić, Marija D.; Filipović, Vuk V.; Davidović, Sladjana Z.; Filipović, Jovanka M.

2016-05-01

In this study, superporous hydrogels were synthesized by free radical polymerization of 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate without and in the presence of gelatin. Highly porous hydrogel structures were obtained by two different techniques: using a gas blowing agent, sodium bicarbonate, and a cryogenic treatment followed by freeze-drying. After the gel synthesis, gelatin molecules were covalently immobilised onto PHEMA via glytaraldehyde activation. All samples were characterized for morphological, mechanical, swelling and antibacterial properties. The results obtained show that samples with gelatin show better properties in comparison with PHEMA samples, which make these materials highly attractive for developing hydrogel scaffolds for tissue regeneration.

Monitoring of neonicotinoid pesticides in beekeeping.

PubMed

Cicero, Nicola; Naccari, Clara; Cammilleri, Gaetano; Giangrosso, Giuseppe; Cicero, Antonello; Gervasi, Teresa; Tropea, Alessia; Albergamo, Ambrogina; Ferrantelli, Vincenzo

2017-06-01

The decline of pollinating species is correlated to the extensive use of neonicotinoids against pest insects for crop protection. In this study, the concentrations of neonicotinoid insecticides were determined in honeybees, honeycomb and honey samples, collected in Spring 2015 (blooming period) from different areas in Sicily (IT), to carry out an evaluation of bees products' safety and an overview of neonicotinoid contamination in beekeeping. The results obtained showed only the presence of clothianidin in bee samples and these concentrations don't represent a risk for bees' vitality and safety. The absence of residue in all honey samples, instead, showed the quality of bee products.

Sensitivity of different Trypanosoma vivax specific primers for the diagnosis of livestock trypanosomosis using different DNA extraction methods.

PubMed

Gonzales, J L; Loza, A; Chacon, E

2006-03-15

There are several T. vivax specific primers developed for PCR diagnosis. Most of these primers were validated under different DNA extraction methods and study designs leading to heterogeneity of results. The objective of the present study was to validate PCR as a diagnostic test for T. vivax trypanosomosis by means of determining the test sensitivity of different published specific primers with different sample preparations. Four different DNA extraction methods were used to test the sensitivity of PCR with four different primer sets. DNA was extracted directly from whole blood samples, blood dried on filter papers or blood dried on FTA cards. The results showed that the sensitivity of PCR with each primer set was highly dependant of the sample preparation and DNA extraction method. The highest sensitivities for all the primers tested were determined using DNA extracted from whole blood samples, while the lowest sensitivities were obtained when DNA was extracted from filter paper preparations. To conclude, the obtained results are discussed and a protocol for diagnosis and surveillance for T. vivax trypanosomosis is recommended.

HPLC analysis and standardization of Brahmi vati - An Ayurvedic poly-herbal formulation.

PubMed

Mishra, Amrita; Mishra, Arun K; Tiwari, Om Prakash; Jha, Shivesh

2013-09-01

The aim of the present study was to standardize Brahmi vati (BV) by simultaneous quantitative estimation of Bacoside A3 and Piperine adopting HPLC-UV method. BV very important Ayurvedic polyherbo formulation used to treat epilepsy and mental disorders containing thirty eight ingredients including Bacopa monnieri L. and Piper longum L. An HPLC-UV method was developed for the standardization of BV in light of simultaneous quantitative estimation of Bacoside A3 and Piperine, the major constituents of B. monnieri L. and P. longum L. respectively. The developed method was validated on parameters including linearity, precision, accuracy and robustness. The HPLC analysis showed significant increase in amount of Bacoside A3 and Piperine in the in-house sample of BV when compared with all three different marketed samples of the same. Results showed variations in the amount of Bacoside A3 and Piperine in different samples which indicate non-uniformity in their quality which will lead to difference in their therapeutic effects. The outcome of the present investigation underlines the importance of standardization of Ayurvedic formulations. The developed method may be further used to standardize other samples of BV or other formulations containing Bacoside A3 and Piperine.

Wild, insectivorous bats might be carriers of Campylobacter spp.

PubMed

Hazeleger, Wilma C; Jacobs-Reitsma, Wilma F; Lina, Peter H C; de Boer, Albert G; Bosch, Thijs; van Hoek, Angela H A M; Beumer, Rijkelt R

2018-01-01

The transmission cycles of the foodborne pathogens Campylobacter and Salmonella are not fully elucidated. Knowledge of these cycles may help reduce the transmission of these pathogens to humans. The presence of campylobacters and salmonellas was examined in 631 fresh fecal samples of wild insectivorous bats using a specially developed method for the simultaneous isolation of low numbers of these pathogens in small-sized fecal samples (≤ 0.1 g). Salmonella was not detected in the feces samples, but thermotolerant campylobacters were confirmed in 3% (n = 17) of the bats examined and these pathogens were found in six different bat species, at different sites, in different ecosystems during the whole flying season of bats. Molecular typing of the 17 isolated strains indicated C. jejuni (n = 9), C. coli (n = 7) and C. lari (n = 1), including genotypes also found in humans, wildlife, environmental samples and poultry. Six strains showed unique sequence types. This study shows that insectivorous bats are not only carriers of viral pathogens, but they can also be relevant for the transmission of bacterial pathogens. Bats should be considered as carriers and potential transmitters of Campylobacter and, where possible, contact between bats (bat feces) and food or feed should be avoided.

Greeks, British Greek Cypriots and Londoners: a comparison of morbidity.

PubMed

Mavreas, V G; Bebbington, P E

1988-05-01

This paper reports the results of a comparison of the rates of psychiatric disorder from three general population surveys in which the PSE-ID-CATEGO system was used for case-definition. These surveys were of an English sample in Camberwell, London, and of two Greek samples, the first in Athens, the second of Greek Cypriot immigrants living in Camberwell. The results show that the rates of psychiatric disorders in both Greek samples were somewhat higher than those of the Camberwell population, the differences being accounted for by higher rates of anxiety disorders, especially in women. Comparisons in terms of syndrome profiles showed that Greeks reported more symptoms of generalized anxiety than their English counterparts who, in their turn, reported higher rates of obsessive symptoms, and symptoms of social anxiety. The higher rates in the Greek samples were possibly due to an increased frequency of non-specific neurotic symptoms like worrying and tension. The results of other European community surveys with the PSE suggest that there might be a genuine and general North-South difference in the expression of psychological distress. Cultural differences in terms of personality traits and culturally sanctioned child rearing practices might account for the findings.

What measurements tell us about air composition and emissions in three US oil and gas fields

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Petron, G.; Miller, B. R.; Montzka, S. A.; Dlugokencky, E. J.; Kofler, J.; Sweeney, C.; Karion, A.; Frost, G. J.; Helmig, D.; Hueber, J.; Schnell, R. C.; Conley, S. A.; Tans, P. P.

2013-12-01

In 2012 and 2013, the NOAA Global Monitoring Division and several collaborators conducted intensive airborne and ground campaigns in three US oil and gas plays to study emissions of methane and surface ozone precursors. In this presentation we will focus on the multiple species analysis in discrete air samples collected with the NOAA Mobile Laboratory (ML) and the light aircraft in the Uinta Basin (Utah), Denver Julesburg Basin (Colorado) and Barnett Shale (Texas). Hydrocarbon ratios in samples collected with the ML downwind of specific sources show significantly more variability than the aircraft samples. These surface samples provide some useful information about the composition of various sources in each region. Ratios of the non-methane hydrocarbons on the ground and higher in the boundary layer show some differences between the plays, which could be explained by the different composition of the raw gas being produced or by different mixes of sources contributions. Understanding the speciation of atmospheric emissions is critical to identify emission vectors and to assess their potential air quality and climate impacts. Our measurement results will be compared with data from other studies, including emission inventories.

Longitudinal Study of the Contamination of Air and of Soil Surfaces in the Vicinity of Pig Barns by Livestock-Associated Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus

PubMed Central

Friese, Anika; Klees, Sylvia; Tenhagen, Bernd A.; Fetsch, Alexandra; Rösler, Uwe; Hartung, Jörg

2012-01-01

During 1 year, samples were taken on 4 days, one sample in each season, from pigs, the floor, and the air inside pig barns and from the ambient air and soil at different distances outside six commercial livestock-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (LA-MRSA)-positive pig barns in the north and east of Germany. LA-MRSA was isolated from animals, floor, and air samples in the barn, showing a range of airborne LA-MRSA between 6 and 3,619 CFU/m3 (median, 151 CFU/m3). Downwind of the barns, LA-MRSA was detected in low concentrations (11 to 14 CFU/m3) at distances of 50 and 150 m; all upwind air samples were negative. In contrast, LA-MRSA was found on soil surfaces at distances of 50, 150, and 300 m downwind from all barns, but no statistical differences could be observed between the proportions of positive soil surface samples at the three different distances. Upwind of the barns, positive soil surface samples were found only sporadically. Significantly more positive LA-MRSA samples were found in summer than in the other seasons both in air and soil samples upwind and downwind of the pig barns. spa typing was used to confirm the identity of LA-MRSA types found inside and outside the barns. The results show that there is regular airborne LA-MRSA transmission and deposition, which are strongly influenced by wind direction and season, of up to at least 300 m around positive pig barns. The described boot sampling method seems suitable to characterize the contamination of the vicinity of LA-MRSA-positive pig barns by the airborne route. PMID:22685139

Longitudinal study of the contamination of air and of soil surfaces in the vicinity of pig barns by livestock-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.

PubMed

Schulz, Jochen; Friese, Anika; Klees, Sylvia; Tenhagen, Bernd A; Fetsch, Alexandra; Rösler, Uwe; Hartung, Jörg

2012-08-01

During 1 year, samples were taken on 4 days, one sample in each season, from pigs, the floor, and the air inside pig barns and from the ambient air and soil at different distances outside six commercial livestock-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (LA-MRSA)-positive pig barns in the north and east of Germany. LA-MRSA was isolated from animals, floor, and air samples in the barn, showing a range of airborne LA-MRSA between 6 and 3,619 CFU/m(3) (median, 151 CFU/m(3)). Downwind of the barns, LA-MRSA was detected in low concentrations (11 to 14 CFU/m(3)) at distances of 50 and 150 m; all upwind air samples were negative. In contrast, LA-MRSA was found on soil surfaces at distances of 50, 150, and 300 m downwind from all barns, but no statistical differences could be observed between the proportions of positive soil surface samples at the three different distances. Upwind of the barns, positive soil surface samples were found only sporadically. Significantly more positive LA-MRSA samples were found in summer than in the other seasons both in air and soil samples upwind and downwind of the pig barns. spa typing was used to confirm the identity of LA-MRSA types found inside and outside the barns. The results show that there is regular airborne LA-MRSA transmission and deposition, which are strongly influenced by wind direction and season, of up to at least 300 m around positive pig barns. The described boot sampling method seems suitable to characterize the contamination of the vicinity of LA-MRSA-positive pig barns by the airborne route.

Strength and viscosity effects on perturbed shock front stability in metals

DOE PAGES

Opie, Saul; Loomis, Eric Nicholas; Peralta, Pedro; ...

2017-05-09

Here, computational modeling and experimental measurements on metal samples subject to a laser-driven, ablative Richtmyer-Meshkov instability showed differences between viscosity and strength effects. In particular, numerical and analytical solutions, coupled with measurements of fed-through perturbations, generated by perturbed shock fronts onto initially flat surfaces, show promise as a validation method for models of deviatoric response in the post shocked material. Analysis shows that measurements of shock perturbation amplitudes at low sample thickness-to-wavelength ratios are not enough to differentiate between strength and viscosity effects, but that surface displacement data of the fed-through fed-thru perturbations appears to resolve the ambiguity. Additionally, analyticalmore » and numerical results show shock front perturbation evolution dependence on initial perturbation amplitude and wavelength is significantly different in viscous and materials with strength, suggesting simple experimental geometry changes should provide data supporting one model or the other.« less

Cross-Cultural Differences in Sibling Power Balance and Its Concomitants Across Three Age Periods.

PubMed

Buist, Kirsten L; Metindogan, Aysegül; Coban, Selma; Watve, Sujala; Paranjpe, Analpa; Koot, Hans M; van Lier, Pol; Branje, Susan J T; Meeus, Wim H J

2017-06-01

We examined cross-cultural differences in (1) sibling power balance and (2) the associations between sibling power balance and internalizing and externalizing problems in three separate cross-cultural studies (early childhood, late childhood, and adolescence). The early childhood samples consisted of 123 Turkish and 128 Dutch mothers (mean age for children was 4.9 years). In the late childhood samples, self-report data were collected from 124 Indian and 129 Dutch children (mean age 10.9 years). In the adolescent samples self-report data were collected from 165 ethnic Moroccan and 165 ethnic Dutch adolescents (mean age 15.2 years). In all studies, questionnaire data on sibling power imbalance and internalizing and externalizing problems were collected. Results showed only one significant cross-cultural difference in sibling power imbalance: The Indian sample reported more sibling power imbalance than the Dutch. Links between sibling power imbalance and problem behavior were highly similar between the different cultural samples. The only significant difference was a stronger impact of sibling power imbalance on externalizing problems for the Dutch compared to the Turkish sample. Concluding, few cross-cultural differences were found in sibling power imbalance. Across cultures and age groups, more sibling power imbalance was linked to more internalizing and externalizing problems. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Sensory evaluation and electronic tongue analysis for sweetener recognition in coke drinks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Szöllősi, Dániel; Kovács, Zoltán; Gere, Attila; Sípos, László; Kókai, Zoltán; Fekete, András

2011-09-01

Consumption of beverages with low energy has an increasing role. Furthermore hydrolyzed starch products such as inverted syrup show a wide application in the beverage industry. Therefore the importance of methods which can monitor the usage of natural and artificial sweeteners is increasing. The task was to describe the relevant sensory attributes and to determine the applicability of the electronic tongue to discriminate the coke drink samples with different sweeteners. Furthermore the aim was to find relationship between the taste attributes and measurement results provided by electronic tongue. An Alpha Astree Electronic Tongue and a trained sensory panel were used to evaluate the coke samples. Panelists found significant differences between the samples in 15 cases from the 18 sensory attributes defined previously by the consensus group. Coke drinks containing different kind of sweeteners can be characterized according to these sensory attributes. The samples were definitely distinguished by the electronic tongue. The main difference was found between the samples made with natural and artificial sweeteners. However electronic tongue was able to distinguish samples containing different kind of artificial and different kind of natural sweeteners, as well. Taste attributes of coke drinks determined by sensory panel were predicted by partial least squares regression method based on the results of electronic tongue with close correlation and low prediction error.

Untargeted metabolomics reveals specific withanolides and fatty acyl glycoside as tentative metabolites to differentiate organic and conventional Physalis peruviana fruits.

PubMed

Llano, Sandra M; Muñoz-Jiménez, Ana M; Jiménez-Cartagena, Claudio; Londoño-Londoño, Julián; Medina, Sonia

2018-04-01

The agronomic production systems may affect the levels of food metabolites. Metabolomics approaches have been applied as useful tool for the characterization of fruit metabolome. In this study, metabolomics techniques were used to assess the differences in phytochemical composition between goldenberry samples produced by organic and conventional systems. To verify that the organic samples were free of pesticides, individual pesticides were analyzed. Principal component analysis showed a clear separation of goldenberry samples from two different farming systems. Via targeted metabolomics assays, whereby carotenoids and ascorbic acid were analyzed, not statistical differences between both crops were found. Conversely, untargeted metabolomics allowed us to identify two withanolides and one fatty acyl glycoside as tentative metabolites to differentiate goldenberry fruits, recording organic fruits higher amounts of these compounds than conventional samples. Hence, untargeted metabolomics technology could be suitable to research differences on phytochemicals under different agricultural management practices and to authenticate organic products. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A Genomewide Admixture Mapping Panel for Hispanic/Latino Populations

PubMed Central

Mao, Xianyun ; Bigham, Abigail W. ; Mei, Rui ; Gutierrez, Gerardo ; Weiss, Ken M. ; Brutsaert, Tom D. ; Leon-Velarde, Fabiola ; Moore, Lorna G. ; Vargas, Enrique ; McKeigue, Paul M. ; Shriver, Mark D. ; Parra, Esteban J. 

2007-01-01

Admixture mapping (AM) is a promising method for the identification of genetic risk factors for complex traits and diseases showing prevalence differences among populations. Efficient application of this method requires the use of a genomewide panel of ancestry-informative markers (AIMs) to infer the population of origin of chromosomal regions in admixed individuals. Genomewide AM panels with markers showing high frequency differences between West African and European populations are already available for disease-gene discovery in African Americans. However, no such a map is yet available for Hispanic/Latino populations, which are the result of two-way admixture between Native American and European populations or of three-way admixture of Native American, European, and West African populations. Here, we report a genomewide AM panel with 2,120 AIMs showing high frequency differences between Native American and European populations. The average intermarker genetic distance is ∼1.7 cM. The panel was identified by genotyping, with the Affymetrix GeneChip Human Mapping 500K array, a population sample with European ancestry, a Mesoamerican sample comprising Maya and Nahua from Mexico, and a South American sample comprising Aymara/Quechua from Bolivia and Quechua from Peru. The main criteria for marker selection were both high information content for Native American/European ancestry (measured as the standardized variance of the allele frequencies, also known as “f value”) and small frequency differences between the Mesoamerican and South American samples. This genomewide AM panel will make it possible to apply AM approaches in many admixed populations throughout the Americas. PMID:17503334

Dissolved oxygen as an indicator of bioavailable dissolved organic carbon in groundwater

USGS Publications Warehouse

Chapelle, Francis H.; Bradley, Paul M.; McMahon, Peter B.; Kaiser, Karl; Benner, Ron

2012-01-01

Concentrations of dissolved oxygen (DO) plotted vs. dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in groundwater samples taken from a coastal plain aquifer of South Carolina (SC) showed a statistically significant hyperbolic relationship. In contrast, DO-DOC plots of groundwater samples taken from the eastern San Joaquin Valley of California (CA) showed a random scatter. It was hypothesized that differences in the bioavailability of naturally occurring DOC might contribute to these observations. This hypothesis was examined by comparing nine different biochemical indicators of DOC bioavailability in groundwater sampled from these two systems. Concentrations of DOC, total hydrolysable neutral sugars (THNS), total hydrolysable amino acids (THAA), mole% glycine of THAA, initial bacterial cell counts, bacterial growth rates, and carbon dioxide production/consumption were greater in SC samples relative to CA samples. In contrast, the mole% glucose of THNS and the aromaticity (SUVA254) of DOC was greater in CA samples. Each of these indicator parameters were observed to change with depth in the SC system in a manner consistent with active biodegradation. These results are uniformly consistent with the hypothesis that the bioavailability of DOC is greater in SC relative to CA groundwater samples. This, in turn, suggests that the presence/absence of a hyperbolic DO-DOC relationship may be a qualitative indicator of relative DOC bioavailability in groundwater systems.

Efficacy of different washing solutions and contact times on the microbial quality and safety of fresh-cut paprika.

PubMed

Das, B Kumar; Kim, Ji Gang; Choi, Ji Weon

2011-10-01

The role of different washing solutions and contact times was investigated to determine their use as potential sanitizers for maintaining the microbial quality and food safety of fresh-cut paprika. Samples were cut into small pieces, washed for both 90 and 180 s by different washing solutions: tap water, chlorinated water (100 mg/L and pH 6.5-7), electrolyzed water (pH 7.2) and ozonized water (4 mg/L). Then, samples were packaged in 50 µm polypropylene bags and stored at 5 °C for 12 days, followed by an evaluation of the antimicrobial efficacy of the treatments. Various quality and safety parameters, such as gas composition, color, off-odor, electrical conductivity and microbial numbers, were evaluated during storage. Results revealed insignificant differences in gas composition, and no off-odor was observed in any of the samples during the storage period. However, longer contact time resulted in slightly lower hue angle value than a short one for all washing solutions. Moreover, samples washed with ozone washings showed lower electrolyte leakage than other washing solutions. Samples washed for longer contact time except those washed in ozonized water showed increased microbial numbers during storage. Hence, it has been concluded that longer contact time with ozone has positive effects, whereas the other washing solutions adversely affect the microbial quality and safety aspects of fresh-cut paprika.

The Choice of PCR Primers Has Great Impact on Assessments of Bacterial Community Diversity and Dynamics in a Wastewater Treatment Plant

PubMed Central

Fredriksson, Nils Johan; Hermansson, Malte; Wilén, Britt-Marie

2013-01-01

Assessments of bacterial community diversity and dynamics are fundamental for the understanding of microbial ecology as well as biotechnological applications. We show that the choice of PCR primers has great impact on the results of analyses of diversity and dynamics using gene libraries and DNA fingerprinting. Two universal primer pairs targeting the 16S rRNA gene, 27F&1492R and 63F&M1387R, were compared and evaluated by analyzing the bacterial community in the activated sludge of a large-scale wastewater treatment plant. The two primer pairs targeted distinct parts of the bacterial community, none encompassing the other, both with similar richness. Had only one primer pair been used, very different conclusions had been drawn regarding dominant phylogenetic and putative functional groups. With 27F&1492R, Betaproteobacteria would have been determined to be the dominating taxa while 63F&M1387R would have described Alphaproteobacteria as the most common taxa. Microscopy and fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis showed that both Alphaproteobacteria and Betaproteobacteria were abundant in the activated sludge, confirming that the two primer pairs target two different fractions of the bacterial community. Furthermore, terminal restriction fragment polymorphism analyses of a series of four activated sludge samples showed that the two primer pairs would have resulted in different conclusions about community stability and the factors contributing to changes in community composition. In conclusion, different PCR primer pairs, although considered universal, target different ranges of bacteria and will thus show the diversity and dynamics of different fractions of the bacterial community in the analyzed sample. We also show that while a database search can serve as an indicator of how universal a primer pair is, an experimental assessment is necessary to evaluate the suitability for a specific environmental sample. PMID:24098498

Gender differences in ethical perceptions of business practices: a social role theory perspective.

PubMed

Franke, G R; Crown, D F; Spake, D F

1997-12-01

This study presents a meta-analysis of research on gender differences in perceptions of ethical decision making. Data from more than 20,000 respondents in 66 samples show that women are more likely than men to perceive specific hypothetical business practices as unethical. As suggested by social role theory (A. H. Eagly, 1987), the gender difference observed in precareer (student) samples declines as the work experience of samples increases. Social role theory also accounts for greater gender differences in nonmonetary issues than in monetary issues. T. M. Jones's (1991) issue-contingent model of moral intensity helps explain why gender differences vary across types of behavior. Contrary to expectations, differences are not influenced by the sex of the actor or the target of the behavior and do not depend on whether the behavior involves personal relationships or action vs. inaction.

Vibrational spectroscopic characterization of growth bands in Porites coral from South China Sea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Song, Yinxian; Yu, Kefu; Ayoko, Godwin A.; Frost, Ray L.; Shi, Qi; Feng, Yuexing; Zhao, Jianxin

2013-08-01

A series of samples from different growth bands of Porites coral skeleton were studied using Raman, infrared reflectance methods. The Raman spectra proved that skeleton samples from different growth bands have the same mineral phase as aragonite, but a band at 133 cm-1 for the top layer shows a transition from ˜120 cm-1 for vaterite to ˜141 cm-1 for aragonite. It is inferred that the vaterite should be the precursor of aragonite of coral skeleton. The positional shift in the infrared spectra of the skeleton samples from growth bands correlate significantly to their minor elements (Li, Mg, Sr, Mn, Fe and U) contents. Mg, Sr and U especially have significant negative correlations with the positions of the antisymmetric stretching band ν3 at ˜1469 cm-1. And Li shows a high negative correlation with ν2 band (˜855 cm-1), while Sr and Mn show similar negative correlation with ν4 band (˜712 cm-1). And Mn also shows a negative correlation with ν1 band (˜1082 cm-1). A significantly negative correlation is observed for U with ν1 + ν4 band (˜1786 cm-1). However, Fe shows positive correlation with ν1, ν2, ν3, ν4 and ν1 + ν4 bands shifts, especially a significant correlation with ν1 band (˜1082 cm-1). New insights into the characteristics of coral at different growth bands of skeleton are given in present work.

Understanding the Structure of High-K Gate Oxides - Oral Presentation

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

Miranda, Andre

2015-08-25

Hafnium Oxide (HfO 2) amorphous thin films are being used as gate oxides in transistors because of their high dielectric constant (κ) over Silicon Dioxide. The present study looks to find the atomic structure of HfO 2 thin films which hasn’t been done with the technique of this study. In this study, two HfO 2 samples were studied. One sample was made with thermal atomic layer deposition (ALD) on top of a Chromium and Gold layer on a silicon wafer. The second sample was made with plasma ALD on top of a Chromium and Gold layer on a Silicon wafer.more » Both films were deposited at a thickness of 50nm. To obtain atomic structure information, Grazing Incidence X-ray diffraction (GIXRD) was carried out on the HfO 2 samples. Because of this, absorption, footprint, polarization, and dead time corrections were applied to the scattering intensity data collected. The scattering curves displayed a difference in structure between the ALD processes. The plasma ALD sample showed the broad peak characteristic of an amorphous structure whereas the thermal ALD sample showed an amorphous structure with characteristics of crystalline materials. This appears to suggest that the thermal process results in a mostly amorphous material with crystallites within. Further, the scattering intensity data was used to calculate a pair distribution function (PDF) to show more atomic structure. The PDF showed atom distances in the plasma ALD sample had structure up to 10 Å, while the thermal ALD sample showed the same structure below 10 Å. This structure that shows up below 10 Å matches the bond distances of HfO 2 published in literature. The PDF for the thermal ALD sample also showed peaks up to 20 Å, suggesting repeating atomic spacing outside the HfO 2 molecule in the sample. This appears to suggest that there is some crystalline structure within the thermal ALD sample.« less

Understanding the Structure of Amorphous Thin Film Hafnia - Final Paper

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

Miranda, Andre

2015-08-27

Hafnium Oxide (HfO 2) amorphous thin films are being used as gate oxides in transistors because of their high dielectric constant (κ) over Silicon Dioxide. The present study looks to find the atomic structure of HfO 2 thin films which hasn’t been done with the technique of this study. In this study, two HfO 2 samples were studied. One sample was made with thermal atomic layer deposition (ALD) on top of a Chromium and Gold layer on a silicon wafer. The second sample was made with plasma ALD on top of a Chromium and Gold layer on a Silicon wafer.more » Both films were deposited at a thickness of 50nm. To obtain atomic structure information, Grazing Incidence X-ray diffraction (GIXRD) was carried out on the HfO 2 samples. Because of this, absorption, footprint, polarization, and dead time corrections were applied to the scattering intensity data collected. The scattering curves displayed a difference in structure between the ALD processes. The plasma ALD sample showed the broad peak characteristic of an amorphous structure whereas the thermal ALD sample showed an amorphous structure with characteristics of crystalline materials. This appears to suggest that the thermal process results in a mostly amorphous material with crystallites within. Further, the scattering intensity data was used to calculate a pair distribution function (PDF) to show more atomic structure. The PDF showed atom distances in the plasma ALD sample had structure up to 10 Å, while the thermal ALD sample showed the same structure below 10 Å. This structure that shows up below 10 Å matches the bond distances of HfO 2 published in literature. The PDF for the thermal ALD sample also showed peaks up to 20 Å, suggesting repeating atomic spacing outside the HfO 2 molecule in the sample. This appears to suggest that there is some crystalline structure within the thermal ALD sample.« less

Detection of anti-infliximab antibodies is impacted by antibody titer, infliximab level and IgG4 antibodies: a systematic comparison of three different assays

PubMed Central

Afonso, Joana; Lopes, Susana; Gonçalves, Raquel; Caldeira, Paulo; Lago, Paula; Tavares de Sousa, Helena; Ramos, Jaime; Gonçalves, Ana Rita; Ministro, Paula; Rosa, Isadora; Vieira, Ana Isabel; Coelho, Rosa; Tavares, Patrícia; Soares, João; Sousa, Ana Lúcia; Carvalho, Diana; Sousa, Paula; da Silva, João Pereira; Meira, Tânia; Silva Ferreira, Filipa; Dias, Cláudia Camila; Chowers, Yehuda; Ben-Horin, Shomron; Magro, Fernando

2016-01-01

Background: There is scant information on the accuracy of different assays used to measure anti-infliximab antibodies (ADAs), especially in the presence of detectable infliximab (IFX). We thus aimed to evaluate and compare three different assays for the detection of IFX and ADAs and to clarify the impact of the presence of circulating IFX on the accuracy of the ADA assays. Methods: Blood samples from 79 ulcerative colitis (UC) patients treated with infliximab were assessed for IFX levels and ADAs using three different assays: an in-house assay and two commercial kits, Immundiagnostik and Theradiag. Sera samples with ADAs and undetectable levels of IFX were spiked with exogenous IFX and analyzed for ADAs. Results: The three assays showed 81–96% agreement for the measured IFX level. However, the in-house assay and Immundiagnostik assays detected ADAs in 34 out of 79 samples, whereas Theradiag only detected ADAs in 24 samples. Samples negative for ADAs with Theradiag, but ADA-positive in both the in-house and Immundiagnostik assays, were positive for IFX or IgG4 ADAs. In spiking experiments, a low concentration of exogenous IFX (5 µg/ml) hampered ADA detection with Theradiag in sera samples with ADA levels of between 3 and 10 µg/ml. In the Immundiagnostik assay detection interference was only observed at concentrations of exogenous IFX higher than 30 µg/ml. However, in samples with high levels of ADAs (>25 µg/ml) interference was only observed at IFX concentrations higher than 100 µg/ml in all three assays. Binary (IFX/ADA) stratification of the results showed that IFX+/ADA- and IFX-/ADAs+ were less influenced by the assay results than the double-positive (IFX+/ADAs+) and double-negative (IFX-/ADAs-) combination. Conclusions: All three methodologies are equally suitable for measuring IFX levels. However, erroneous therapeutic decisions may occur when patients show double-negative (IFX-/ADAs-) or double-positive (IFX+/ADAs+) status, since agreement between assays is significantly lower in these circumstances. PMID:27803733

Impact analysis of off-road-vehicle use on vegetation in the Grand Mere dune environment. [Lake Michigan

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schultink, G. (Principal Investigator)

1977-01-01

The author has identified the following significant results. A linear regression between percent nonvegetative land and the time variable was completed for the two sample areas. Sample area no. 1 showed an average vegetation loss of 1.901% per year, while the loss for sample area no. 2 amounted to 5.889% per year. Two basic reasons for the difference were assumed to play a role: the difference in access potential and the amount of already fragmented vegetation complexes in existence during the first year of the comparative analysis - 1970. Sample area no. 2 was located closer to potential access points and was more fragmented initially.

Synthesis Structural and Optical Properties Of (Co, Al) co-doped ZnO Nano Particles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Swapna, P.; Venkatramana Reddy, S.

2018-02-01

We prepared (Co, Al) co-doped ZnO nanostructures using the method chemical co-precipitation successfully, at room temperature using PEG (Poly ethylene glycol) as stabilizing agent. Samples are prepared with different concentrations by keeping aluminium at 5 mol percent constant and varying the concentration of cobalt from 1 to 5 mol percent. After the preparation all the samples are carefully subjected to characterizations such as XRD, SEM with EDS, TEM, PL and UV-VIS-NIR. XRD pattern shows that all the samples possess hexagonal wurtzite crystal structure having no secondary phases pertaining to Al or cobalt, which shows successful dissolution of the dopents. TEM results shows the accurate size of particles and is confirmed the XRD data. SEM images of all the samples shows that particles are in nearly spherical shape, EDS spectrum reveals that incorporation of cobalt and aluminum in host lattice. PL spectrum shows that all the samples containing two prominent peaks centered at 420 nm and 446 nm. UV-VIS-NIR spectra has shown three absorptions peaks in the range of wavelength 550 nm to 700 nm, which are ascribed as typical d-d transitions of cobalt ions.

Thermoluminesence of gamma rays irradiated CaSO4 nanorods doped with different elements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salah, Numan

2015-01-01

Nanorods of calcium sulfate (CaSO4) activated by Ag, Cu, Dy, Eu and Tb were synthesized by the co-precipitation technique. They were irradiated by γ-rays in a wide range of exposures and studied for their thermoluminesence (TL) properties. The as-synthesized samples were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and photoluminescence (PL) emission spectra. SEM images show that the samples doped with rare earths elements (i.e. Dy, Eu and Tb) have thinner nanorods than the other samples, while XRD pattern shows a complete crystalline structures in a monoclinic phase. The TL glow curves of these samples show two components. The first one include low temperature glow peaks at around 125 °C, while the second component shows high temperature peaks in the range 230-270 °C. These glow peaks diver from sample to sample by their TL intensity. The TL results are promising, particularly that of Tb and Eu. Tb doped sample is found to be a highly TL sensitive with a prominent glow peak at around 270 °C, while Eu has created very active, high dense electron traps. The later shows quite linear response in the whole studied exposures i.e. 10 Gy-10 kGy. These results show that Eu or Tb doped CaSO4 nanorods might be proper candidates as dosimeters for high doses of ionizing radiations used in irradiation of foods and seeds.

Effect of Boron Doping on High-Resolution X-Ray Diffraction Metrology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Faheem, M.; Zhang, Y.; Dai, X.

2018-03-01

The effect of boron (B) doping on high-resolution X-ray diffraction (HXRD) metrology has been investigated. Twelve samples of Si1-xGex films were epitaxially grown on Si (100) substrates with different thicknesses, germanium (Ge) concentrations and with/without B dopants. Secondary ion mass spectroscopy (SIMS) and HXRD were employed for measurements of B doping, Ge concentration, strain, and thickness of the layers. The SIMS results show the absence of B in two samples while the rest of the samples have B doping in the range of 8.40 × 1018-8.7 × 1020 atoms/cm3 with Ge concentration of 13.3-55.2 at.%. The HXRD measurements indicate the layers thickness of 7.07-108.13 nm along with Ge concentration of 12.82-49.09 at.%. The difference in the Ge concentration measured by SIMS and HXRD was found to deend on B doping. For the undoped samples, the difference is 0.5 at.% and increases with B doping but with no linear proportionality. The difference in the Ge concentration was 7.11 at.% for the highly B-doped (8.7 × 1020 atoms/cm3) sample. The B doping influences the Si1-xGex structure, causing a change in the lattice parameter and producing tensile strains shifting Si1-xGex peaks towards Si (100) substrate peaks in the HXRD diffraction patterns. As a result, Vegard's law is no longer effective and makes a high impact on the HXRD measurement. The comparison between symmetric (004) and asymmetric (+113, +224) reciprocal space mappings (RSM) showed a slight difference in Ge concentration between the undoped and lower B-doped samples. However, there is a change of 0.21 at.% observed for the highly doped Si1-xGex samples. RSM's (+113) demonstrate the small SiGe peak broadening as B doping increases, which indicates a minor crystal distortion.

Determination of naturally occurring formaldehyde levels in sap and wood tissue of maple trees using gas chromatgraphy/mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Lagacé, Luc; Gaudy, Réjean; Perez-Locas, Carolina; Sadiki, Mustapha

2012-01-01

The occurrence of formaldehyde in sap and wood tissue of treated and untreated maple sugar trees was investigated using GC/MS. Samples were collected at different periods of the 2009 season and at different locations in Quebec, Canada. The natural concentration of formaldehyde found in untreated samples varied according to periods and locations and ranged from below the LOQ to 1.82 mg/kg for sap samples and from 2.39 to 8.92 mg/kg of fresh tissue for wood samples. Late season samples tended to have higher concentrations of formaldehyde. Samples of sap and wood tissue from tapholes treated with solutions of formaldehyde showed increased concentrations of formaldehyde for many days after treatment and were clearly distinct from untreated samples. These results will be useful to elaborate new inspection procedures for sugarbushes to control the illegal use of formaldehyde.

Authentication of whisky due to its botanical origin and way of production by instrumental analysis and multivariate classification methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wiśniewska, Paulina; Boqué, Ricard; Borràs, Eva; Busto, Olga; Wardencki, Waldemar; Namieśnik, Jacek; Dymerski, Tomasz

2017-02-01

Headspace mass-spectrometry (HS-MS), mid infrared (MIR) and UV-vis spectroscopy were used to authenticate whisky samples from different origins and ways of production ((Irish, Spanish, Bourbon, Tennessee Whisky and Scotch). The collected spectra were processed with partial least-squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) to build the classification models. In all cases the five groups of whiskies were distinguished, but the best results were obtained by HS-MS, which indicates that the biggest differences between different types of whisky are due to their aroma. Differences were also found inside groups, showing that not only raw material is important to discriminate samples but also the way of their production. The methodology is quick, easy and does not require sample preparation.

Intercomparison of fog water samplers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schell, Dieter; Georgii, Hans-Walter; Maser, Rolf; Jaeschke, Wolfgang; Arends, Beate G.; Kos, Gerard P. A.; Winkler, Peter; Schneider, Thomas; Berner, Axel; Kruisz, Christian

1992-11-01

During the Po Valley Fog Experiment 1989, two fogwater collectors were operated simultaneously at the ground and the results were compared to each other. The chemical analyses of the samples as well as the collection efficiencies showed remarkable differences between both collectors. Some differences in the solute concentrations in the samples of both collectors could be expected due to small differences in the 50-percent cut-off diameters. The large differences in the collection efficiencies however cannot be explained by these small variations of d sub 50, because normally only a small fraction of the water mass is concentrated in the size range of 5-7-micron droplets. It is shown that it is not sufficient to characterize a fogwater collector only by its cut-off diameter. The results of several wind tunnel calibration tests show that the collection efficiencies of the fogwater collectors are a function of windspeed and shape of the droplet spectra.

Application of Fourier Transform Infrared Spectra (FTIR) Fingerprint in the Quality Control of Mineral Chinese Medicine Limonitum.

PubMed

Liu, Sheng-jin; Yang, Huan; Wu, De-kang; Xu, Chun-xiang; Lin, Rui-chao; Tian, Jin-gai; Fang, Fang

2015-04-01

In the present paper, the fingerprint of Limonitum (a mineral Chinese medicine) by FTIR was established, and the spectrograms among crude samples, processed one and the adulterant sample were compared. Eighteen batches of Limonitum samples from different production areas were analyzed and the angle cosine value of transmittance (%) of common peaks was calculated to get the similarity of the FTIR fingerprints. The result showed that the similarities and the coefficients of the samples were all more than 0.90. The processed samples revealed significant differences compared with the crude one. This study analyzed the composition characteristics of Limonitum in FTIR fingerprint, and it was simple and fast to distinguish the crude, processed and the counterfeit samples. The FTIR fingerprints provide a new method for evaluating the quality of Limonitum.

Gender Differences in Borderline Personality Disorder: Results From a Multinational, Clinical Trial Sample.

PubMed

Silberschmidt, Amy; Lee, Susanne; Zanarini, Mary; Schulz, S Charles

2015-12-01

This study aims to extend previous research by considering gender differences in borderline personality (BPD) using both dimensional self-reported and clinical measures of symptomatology. Drawing from a cross-cultural, clinical trial sample, the authors compared female and male BPD subjects (N = 770; 211 male) between the ages of 18 and 65 using diagnostic and self-report data. The authors found that women with BPD have greater hostility and relationship disruption than men. Gender differences in eating disorders, particularly bulimia, are more divergent than in the general population. Generally, gender differences in BPD in this sample are consistent with known general population differences. Women show greater overall symptomatology, including depressive, anxious, and somatic symptoms. Men have higher rates of antisocial personality disorder and a trend toward higher rates of narcissistic personality disorder. However, several gender differences consistently found in the general population are not present in this BPD sample. There are no differences in aggression, suicidality, substance abuse, panic disorder, or obsessive-compulsive disorder. Gender differences in major depression and posttraumatic stress disorder are attenuated. These findings support the conclusion that BPD may diminish normal gender differences.

Factor structure and invariance test of the alcohol use disorder identification test (AUDIT): Comparison and further validation in a U.S. and Philippines college student sample.

PubMed

Tuliao, Antover P; Landoy, Bernice Vania N; McChargue, Dennis E

2016-01-01

The Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test's factor structure varies depending on population and culture. Because of this inconsistency, this article examined the factor structure of the test and conducted a factorial invariance test between a U.S. and a Philippines college sample. Confirmatory factor analyses indicated that a three-factor solution outperforms the one- and two-factor solution in both samples. Factorial invariance analyses further supports the confirmatory findings by showing that factor loadings were generally invariant across groups; however, item intercepts show non-invariance. Country differences between factors show that Filipino consumption factor mean scores were significantly lower than their U.S. counterparts.

The Effects of High Temperature on Gessoes with Different Admixtures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Budu, Ana-Maria; Sandu, Ion; Cristache, Raluca Anamaria

2014-11-01

This paper presents the effects of temperature on gessoes that have different substances added, usually used in painting or restoration to enhance the flexibility of the ground layer or to create a suitable gesso for the specific painting technique. Five samples of gesso were made and applied on Balsa wood (a dry, stable wood that is used in restoration for completing the missing elements of the panel). After the thermal treatment, the samples were analyzed optical, by microscopy and colorimetry. The results showed small differences in colour, but no cracks of the gessoes

135Cs/ 137Cs isotopic composition of environmental samples across Europe: Environmental transport and source term emission applications

DOE PAGES

Snow, Mathew S.; Snyder, Darin C.

2015-11-02

135Cs/ 137Cs isotopic analyses represent an important tool for studying the fate and transport of radiocesium in the environment; in this work the 135Cs/ 137Cs isotopic composition in environmental samples taken from across Europe is reported. Surface soil and vegetation samples from western Russia, Ukraine, Austria, and Hungary show consistent aged thermal fission product 135Cs/ 137Cs isotope ratios of 0.58 ± 0.01 (age corrected to 1/1/15), with the exception of one sample of soil-moss from Hungary which shows an elevated 135Cs/ 137Cs ratio of 1.78 ± 0.12. With the exception of the outlier sample from Hungary, surface soil/vegetation data aremore » in quantitative agreement with values previously reported for soils within the Chernobyl exclusion zone, suggesting that radiocesium at these locations is primarily composed of homogenous airborne deposition from Chernobyl. Seawater samples taken from the Irish Sea show 135Cs/ 137Cs isotope ratios of 1.22 ± 0.11 (age corrected to 1/1/15), suggesting aged thermal fission product Cs discharged from Sellafield. Furthermore, the differences in 135Cs/ 137Cs isotope ratios between Sellafield, Chernobyl, and global nuclear weapons testing fallout indicate that 135Cs/ 137Cs isotope ratios can be utilized to discriminate between and track radiocesium transport from different nuclear production source terms, including major emission sources in Europe.« less

Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis profiles of bacteria from the saliva of twenty four different individuals form clusters that showed no relationship to the yeasts present.

PubMed

M Weerasekera, Manjula; H Sissons, Chris; Wong, Lisa; A Anderson, Sally; R Holmes, Ann; D Cannon, Richard

2017-10-01

The aim was to investigate the relationship between groups of bacteria identified by cluster analysis of the DGGE fingerprints and the amounts and diversity of yeast present. Bacterial and yeast populations in saliva samples from 24 adults were analysed using denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) of the bacteria present and by yeast culture. Eubacterial DGGE banding patterns showed considerable variation between individuals. Seventy one different amplicon bands were detected, the band number per saliva sample ranged from 21 to 39 (mean±SD=29.3±4.9). Cluster and principal component analysis of the bacterial DGGE patterns yielded three major clusters containing 20 of the samples. Seventeen of the 24 (71%) saliva samples were yeast positive with concentrations up to 10 3 cfu/mL. Candida albicans was the predominant species in saliva samples although six other yeast species, including Candida dubliniensis, Candida tropicalis, Candida krusei, Candida guilliermondii, Candida rugosa and Saccharomyces cerevisiae, were identified. The presence, concentration, and species of yeast in samples showed no clear relationship to the bacterial clusters. Despite indications of in vitro bacteria-yeast interactions, there was a lack of association between the presence, identity and diversity of yeasts and the bacterial DGGE fingerprint clusters in saliva. This suggests significant ecological individual-specificity of these associations in highly complex in vivo oral biofilm systems under normal oral conditions. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Differences between Internet and community samples of MSM: implications for behavioral surveillance among MSM in China.

PubMed

Zhang, Dapeng; Bi, Peng; Lv, Fan; Zhang, Jie; Hiller, Janet E

2008-10-01

This study compared the difference between two samples of men who have sex with men (MSM) in Harbin, China, using cross-sectional data that were collected via the Internet and through conventional venue-based outreach. All participants in both samples lived in or nearby Harbin in northeast China. Results showed that the Internet sample was significantly younger, more educated and more likely to be students and to self-identify as homosexual than the community sample. After controlling for demographic characteristics, the community sample was more likely to have had sex with females (OR 2.01, CI 1.22-3.30, p=0.006) and to have had > or =6 male partners in the previous six months than the Internet sample (OR 4.88, CI 3.51-6.80, p<0.001). No significant difference was observed in the prevalence of unprotected anal intercourse, exchanging sex for money, exchanging money for sex or illicit drug use between the two samples. For those seeking sex both on the Internet and in traditional gay venues, participants in the community sample were nearly three times more likely to have had > or =6 male partners during the previous six months than those in the Internet sample (p=0.001). In conclusion, the online and offline samples of MSM are significantly different and carry different levels of risk for HIV transmission. Using the Internet as a data collection method may serve as an additional mechanism for the existing gay venue-based behavioral surveillance system in China.

Silica coating on alumina ceramic: comparison of three chairside air-abrasion devices working for different times and distances.

PubMed

Pestana Passos, S; Dias Vanderlei, A; Ozcan, M; Felipe Valandro, L F; Felipe Valandro, L

2011-03-01

This study evaluated, by scanning electron microscope (SEM) and EDS, the effect of different strategies for silica coating (sandblasters, time and distance) of a glass-infiltrated ceramic (In-Ceram Alumina). Forty-one ceramic blocks were produced. For comparison of the three air-abrasion devices, 15 ceramic samples were divided in three groups (N.=5): Bioart, Microetcher and Ronvig (air-abrasion parameters: 20 s at a distance of 10 mm). For evaluation of the time and distance factors, ceramic samples (N.=5) were allocated in groups considering three applied times (5 s, 13 s and 20 s) and two distances (10 mm and 20 mm), using the Ronvig device. In a control sample, no surface treatment was performed. After that, the micro-morphologic analyzes of the ceramic surfaces were made using SEM. EDS analyzes were carried out to detect the % of silica on representative ceramic surface. ANOVA and Tukey tests were used to analyze the results. One-way ANOVA showed the silica deposition was different for different devices (P=0.0054). The Ronvig device promoted the highest silica coating compared to the other devices (Tukey test). Two-way ANOVA showed the distance and time factors did not affect significantly the silica deposition (application time and distance showed no statistical difference). The Ronvig device provided the most effective silica deposition on glass-infiltrated alumina ceramic surface and the studied time and distance for air-abrasion did not affect the silica coating.

Application of IS1311 locus 2 PCR-REA assay for the specific detection of 'Bison type' Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis isolates of Indian origin.

PubMed

Singh, Ajay Vir; Chauhan, Devendra Singh; Singh, Abhinendra; Singh, Pravin Kumar; Sohal, Jagdip Singh; Singh, Shoor Vir

2015-01-01

Of the three major genotypes of Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (MAP), 'Bison type' is most prevalent genotype in the domestic livestock species of the country, and has also been recovered from patients suffering from Crohn's disease. Recently, a new assay based on IS1311 locus 2 PCR- restriction endonuclease analysis (REA) was designed to distinguish between 'Indian Bison type' and non-Indian genotypes. The present study investigated discriminatory potential of this new assay while screening of a panel of MAP isolates of diverse genotypes and from different geographical regions. A total of 53 mycobacterial isolates (41 MAP and 12 mycobacterium other than MAP), three MAP genomic DNA and 36 MAP positive faecal DNA samples from different livestock species (cattle, buffaloes, goat, sheep and bison) and geographical regions (India, Canada, USA, Spain and Portugal) were included in the study. The extracted DNA samples (n=92) were analyzed for the presence of MAP specific sequences (IS900, ISMav 2 and HspX) using PCR. DNA samples were further subjected to genotype differentiation using IS1311 PCR-REA and IS1311 L2 PCR-REA methods. All the DNA samples (except DNA from non-MAP mycobacterial isolates) were positive for all the three MAP specific sequences based PCRs. IS1311 PCR-REA showed that MAP DNA samples of Indian origin belonged to 'Bison type'. Whereas, of the total 19 non-Indian MAP DNA samples, 2, 15 and 2 were genotyped as 'Bison type', 'Cattle type' and 'Sheep type', respectively. IS1311 L2 PCR-REA method showed different restriction profiles of 'Bison type' genotype as compared to non-Indian DNA samples. IS1311 L2 PCR-REA method successfully discriminated 'Indian Bison type' from other non-Indian genotypes and showed potential to be future epidemiological tool and for genotyping of MAP isolates.

A Comparative Analysis of Master Casts Obtained using Different Surface Treatments on Impression Copings for Single Tooth Implant Replacement -An In vitro Study.

PubMed

Abrol, Surbhi; Nagpal, Archana; Kaur, Rupandeep; Verma, Ramit; Katna, Vishal; Gupt, Parikshit

2017-08-01

Minor rotation of impression coping secured in the impression is an avoidable error that needs to be minimized to ensure precise positioning of implant analog in master cast. The aim of the study was to compare the precision in obtaining master casts by improving the stability of impression copings in the impression with the use of tray adhesive along various surface treatments to increase surface area and by mechanical locking. A total of 60 samples were made (15 samples for each group). A total of 15 samples for Group I were prepared with untreated impression copings, 15 samples for Group II with impression copings treated and modified by application of tray adhesive only. Group III includes 15 samples which were fabricated with impression copings modified by making four vertical grooves on surface of impression coping and coated with adhesive. Group IV had 15 samples which were fabricated with impression copings sandblasted with 50 μm aluminum oxide powder and coated with adhesive. Profile projector was used to evaluate the rotational accuracy of the implant analogs by comparing Molar Implant Angle (MIA) and Premolar Implant Angle (PIA) of test samples with reference model. One-way ANOVA and Student t-test were used to analyze the data. One-way ANOVA didn't show any significant differences for both MIA and PIA between the Groups I, II, III and IV. Student's unpaired t-test revealed no significant difference in the mean MIA and mean PIA. Conclusion: Though results were statistically non-significant, all types of surface treatments of the impression copings showed more accurate transfer than those with no treatment. Sandblasted and adhesive coated impression copings showed minimum amount of rotation followed by those with vertical slots and adhesive coated impression copings.

Indices of polarimetric purity for biological tissues inspection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Van Eeckhout, Albert; Lizana, Angel; Garcia-Caurel, Enric; Gil, José J.; Sansa, Adrià; Rodríguez, Carla; Estévez, Irene; González, Emilio; Escalera, Juan C.; Moreno, Ignacio; Campos, Juan

2018-02-01

We highlight the interest of using the Indices of Polarimetric Purity (IPPs) for the biological tissue inspection. These are three polarimetric metrics focused on the study of the depolarizing behaviour of the sample. The IPPs have been recently proposed in the literature and provide different and synthetized information than the commonly used depolarizing indices, as depolarization index (PΔ) or depolarization power (Δ). Compared with the standard polarimetric images of biological samples, IPPs enhance the contrast between different tissues of the sample and show differences between similar tissues which are not observed using the other standard techniques. Moreover, they present further physical information related to the depolarization mechanisms inherent to different tissues. In addition, the algorithm does not require advanced calculations (as in the case of polar decompositions), being the indices of polarimetric purity fast and easy to implement. We also propose a pseudo-coloured image method which encodes the sample information as a function of the different indices weights. These images allow us to customize the visualization of samples and to highlight certain of their constitutive structures. The interest and potential of the IPP approach are experimentally illustrated throughout the manuscript by comparing polarimetric images of different ex-vivo samples obtained with standard polarimetric methods with those obtained from the IPPs analysis. Enhanced contrast and retrieval of new information are experimentally obtained from the different IPP based images.

Correcting for Microbial Blooms in Fecal Samples during Room-Temperature Shipping.

PubMed

Amir, Amnon; McDonald, Daniel; Navas-Molina, Jose A; Debelius, Justine; Morton, James T; Hyde, Embriette; Robbins-Pianka, Adam; Knight, Rob

2017-01-01

The use of sterile swabs is a convenient and common way to collect microbiome samples, and many studies have shown that the effects of room-temperature storage are smaller than physiologically relevant differences between subjects. However, several bacterial taxa, notably members of the class Gammaproteobacteria , grow at room temperature, sometimes confusing microbiome results, particularly when stability is assumed. Although comparative benchmarking has shown that several preservation methods, including the use of 95% ethanol, fecal occult blood test (FOBT) and FTA cards, and Omnigene-GUT kits, reduce changes in taxon abundance during room-temperature storage, these techniques all have drawbacks and cannot be applied retrospectively to samples that have already been collected. Here we performed a meta-analysis using several different microbiome sample storage condition studies, showing consistent trends in which specific bacteria grew (i.e., "bloomed") at room temperature, and introduce a procedure for removing the sequences that most distort analyses. In contrast to similarity-based clustering using operational taxonomic units (OTUs), we use a new technique called "Deblur" to identify the exact sequences corresponding to blooming taxa, greatly reducing false positives and also dramatically decreasing runtime. We show that applying this technique to samples collected for the American Gut Project (AGP), for which participants simply mail samples back without the use of ice packs or other preservatives, yields results consistent with published microbiome studies performed with frozen or otherwise preserved samples. IMPORTANCE In many microbiome studies, the necessity to store samples at room temperature (i.e., remote fieldwork) and the ability to ship samples without hazardous materials that require special handling training, such as ethanol (i.e., citizen science efforts), is paramount. However, although room-temperature storage for a few days has been shown not to obscure physiologically relevant microbiome differences between comparison groups, there are still changes in specific bacterial taxa, notably, in members of the class Gammaproteobacteria , that can make microbiome profiles difficult to interpret. Here we identify the most problematic taxa and show that removing sequences from just a few fast-growing taxa is sufficient to correct microbiome profiles.

Correcting for Microbial Blooms in Fecal Samples during Room-Temperature Shipping

PubMed Central

Amir, Amnon; McDonald, Daniel; Navas-Molina, Jose A.; Debelius, Justine; Morton, James T.; Hyde, Embriette; Robbins-Pianka, Adam

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT The use of sterile swabs is a convenient and common way to collect microbiome samples, and many studies have shown that the effects of room-temperature storage are smaller than physiologically relevant differences between subjects. However, several bacterial taxa, notably members of the class Gammaproteobacteria, grow at room temperature, sometimes confusing microbiome results, particularly when stability is assumed. Although comparative benchmarking has shown that several preservation methods, including the use of 95% ethanol, fecal occult blood test (FOBT) and FTA cards, and Omnigene-GUT kits, reduce changes in taxon abundance during room-temperature storage, these techniques all have drawbacks and cannot be applied retrospectively to samples that have already been collected. Here we performed a meta-analysis using several different microbiome sample storage condition studies, showing consistent trends in which specific bacteria grew (i.e., “bloomed”) at room temperature, and introduce a procedure for removing the sequences that most distort analyses. In contrast to similarity-based clustering using operational taxonomic units (OTUs), we use a new technique called “Deblur” to identify the exact sequences corresponding to blooming taxa, greatly reducing false positives and also dramatically decreasing runtime. We show that applying this technique to samples collected for the American Gut Project (AGP), for which participants simply mail samples back without the use of ice packs or other preservatives, yields results consistent with published microbiome studies performed with frozen or otherwise preserved samples. IMPORTANCE In many microbiome studies, the necessity to store samples at room temperature (i.e., remote fieldwork) and the ability to ship samples without hazardous materials that require special handling training, such as ethanol (i.e., citizen science efforts), is paramount. However, although room-temperature storage for a few days has been shown not to obscure physiologically relevant microbiome differences between comparison groups, there are still changes in specific bacterial taxa, notably, in members of the class Gammaproteobacteria, that can make microbiome profiles difficult to interpret. Here we identify the most problematic taxa and show that removing sequences from just a few fast-growing taxa is sufficient to correct microbiome profiles. PMID:28289733

Career Decision-Making Difficulties of Turkish Adolescents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bacanli, Feride

2016-01-01

The purposes of this study are (1) to adapt the Career Decision-Making Difficulties Questionnaire (CDDQ) to Turkish high school students and (2) to examine gender differences, grade differences, and differences between "decided" and "undecided" students. The sample consisted of 2509 adolescent students. The results showed that…

Crystal Face Distributions and Surface Site Densities of Two Synthetic Goethites: Implications for Adsorption Capacities as a Function of Particle Size.

PubMed

Livi, Kenneth J T; Villalobos, Mario; Leary, Rowan; Varela, Maria; Barnard, Jon; Villacís-García, Milton; Zanella, Rodolfo; Goodridge, Anna; Midgley, Paul

2017-09-12

Two synthetic goethites of varying crystal size distributions were analyzed by BET, conventional TEM, cryo-TEM, atomic resolution STEM and HRTEM, and electron tomography in order to determine the effects of crystal size, shape, and atomic scale surface roughness on their adsorption capacities. The two samples were determined by BET to have very different site densities based on Cr VI adsorption experiments. Model specific surface areas generated from TEM observations showed that, based on size and shape, there should be little difference in their adsorption capacities. Electron tomography revealed that both samples crystallized with an asymmetric {101} tablet habit. STEM and HRTEM images showed a significant increase in atomic-scale surface roughness of the larger goethite. This difference in roughness was quantified based on measurements of relative abundances of crystal faces {101} and {201} for the two goethites, and a reactive surface site density was calculated for each goethite. Singly coordinated sites on face {210} are 2.5 more dense than on face {101}, and the larger goethite showed an average total of 36% {210} as compared to 14% for the smaller goethite. This difference explains the considerably larger adsorption capacitiy of the larger goethite vs the smaller sample and points toward the necessity of knowing the atomic scale surface structure in predicting mineral adsorption processes.

Comparison of Three Different Commercial Kits for the Human Papilloma Virus Genotyping.

PubMed

Lim, Yong Kwan; Choi, Jee-Hye; Park, Serah; Kweon, Oh Joo; Park, Ae Ja

2016-11-01

High-risk type human papilloma virus (HPV) is the most important cause of cervical cancer. Recently, real-time polymerase chain reaction and reverse blot hybridization assay-based HPV DNA genotyping kits are developed. So, we compared the performances of different three HPV genotyping kits using different analytical principles and methods. Two hundred positive and 100 negative cervical swab specimens were used. DNA was extracted and all samples were tested by the MolecuTech REBA HPV-ID, Anyplex II HPV28 Detection, and HPVDNAChip. Direct sequencing was performed as a reference method for confirming high-risk HPV genotypes 16, 18, 45, 52, and 58. Although high-level agreement results were observed in negative samples, three kits showed decreased interassay agreement as screening setting in positive samples. Comparing the genotyping results, three assays showed acceptable sensitivity and specificity for the detection of HPV 16 and 18. Otherwise, various sensitivities showed in the detection of HPV 45, 52, and 58. The three assays had dissimilar performance of HPV screening capacity and exhibited moderate level of concordance in HPV genotyping. These discrepant results were unavoidable due to difference in type-specific analytical sensitivity and lack of standardization; therefore, we suggested that the efforts to standardization of HPV genotyping kits and adjusting analytical sensitivity would be important for the best clinical performance. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Breakdown Characteristic Analysis of Paper- Oil Insulation under AC and DC Voltage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anuar, N. F.; Jamail, N. A. M.; Rahman, R. A.; Kamarudin, M. S.

2017-08-01

This paper presents the study of breakdown characteristic of Kraft paper insulated with two different types of insulating fluid, which are Palm oil and Coconut oil. Palm oil and Coconut oil are chosen as the alternative fluid to the transformer oil because it has high potential and environmentally-friendly. The Segezha Kraft papers with various thicknesses (65.5 gsm, 75 gsm, 85gsm, 90 gsm) have been used in this research. High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC), High Voltage Alternating Current (HVAC) and carbon track and severity analysis is conducted to observe the sample of aging Kraft paper. These samples have been immersed using Palm oil and Coconut oil up to 90 days to observe the absorption rate. All samples started to reach saturation level at 70 days of immersion. HVDC and HVAC breakdown experiments have been done after the samples had reached the saturation level based on normal condition, immersed in Palm oil and immersed in Coconut oil. All samples immersed in liquid show different breakdown voltage reading compared to normal condition. The analysis of carbon track and severity on surface has been done using Analytical Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) Analysis. The results of the experiment show that the sample of Kraft paper immersed in Palm oil was better than Coconut oil immersed sample. Therefore the sample condition was the main factor that determines the value of breakdown voltage test. Introduction

Ecological risk assessment of heavy metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in sediments of rivers Niger and Benue confluence, Lokoja, Central Nigeria.

PubMed

Ekere, Nwachukwu; Yakubu, Newman; Ihedioha, Janefrances

2017-08-01

The concentrations of six heavy metals (HMs) and 16 US EPA priority polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in sediment samples of the confluence of rivers Niger and Benue were investigated. The ecological risk assessment of the contaminants was carried out. The results showed that the sediment samples were heavily polluted with iron and moderately polluted with Cd while other metals posed no pollution problem when compared with USEPA sediment quality guidelines. Only six out of the 16 priority PAHs were detected in the samples, and source apportionment of the PAHs indicated that they are of pyrogenic origin. The ∑PAHs in the samples were lower than many of similar studies and were of no pollution risk. The ecological risk assessment result of the heavy metals showed that the sediments were of considerable risk due majorly to Cd levels. The HM concentration results statistically showed significant difference between seasons at probability value (P < .05). Data analysis by PCA classified the metals into three different components according to sources. The levels of HMS and PAHs detected in the sediments were correlated for source identification, and the correlation showed that the majority of the pollutants were mainly from anthropogenic sources. There is increasing level of anthropogenic activities at the vicinity of the confluence due to urbanization which may call for periodic monitoring of the sediment quality.

Rapid fingerprinting and classification of extra virgin olive oil by microjet sampling and extractive electrospray ionization mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Law, Wai Siang; Chen, Huan Wen; Balabin, Roman; Berchtold, Christian; Meier, Lukas; Zenobi, Renato

2010-04-01

Microjet sampling in combination with extractive electrospray ionization (EESI) mass spectrometry (MS) was applied to the rapid characterization and classification of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) without any sample pretreatment. When modifying the composition of the primary ESI spray solvent, mass spectra of an identical EVOO sample showed differences. This demonstrates the capability of this technique to extract molecules with varying polarities, hence generating rich molecular information of the EVOO. Moreover, with the aid of microjet sampling, compounds of different volatilities (e.g.E-2-hexenal, trans-trans-2,4-heptadienal, tyrosol and caffeic acid) could be sampled simultaneously. EVOO data was also compared with that of other edible oils. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was performed to discriminate EVOO and EVOO adulterated with edible oils. Microjet sampling EESI-MS was found to be a simple, rapid (less than 2 min analysis time per sample) and powerful method to obtain MS fingerprints of EVOO without requiring any complicated sample pretreatment steps.

Sampling in research on interpersonal aggression.

PubMed

Nielsen, Morten Birkeland; Einarsen, Ståle

2008-01-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the usefulness of convenience samples in research on interpersonal aggression among adults. It was hypothesised that convenience sampled targets of aggression differs from targets in general with regards to both demographic characteristics and degree of aggression exposed to. A convenience sample comprising support-seeking targets of workplace bullying was compared with a representative sample of Norwegian targets of bullying. The results showed that the two samples differed significantly on all demographic variables investigated, except gender. A far higher percentage of the convenience sample had blown the whistle on illegal, immoral or illegitimate practice at their workplace, whereas they also reported significantly more frequent and more intense exposure to aggression. The findings confirm that convenience samples have low external validity when generalising to the general population. Such samples should therefore mainly be used to investigate tendencies in, and the phenomenology of, interpersonal aggression, in studies where generalisability is not the principal objective. Copyright 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

The effect of thermal history on crystalline structure and mechanical properties of β-nucleated isotactic polypropylene

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tian, Yefei; Zhou, Jian; Feng, Jiachun

2018-04-01

The effect of thermal history on β-nucleated iPP was systematically investigated by comparing the variance of crystalline microstructures and mechanical property of stepwise crystallized sample and annealed sample, which experienced different thermal history. The mechanical property tests exhibit that that the toughness of stepwise crystallized sample and annealed sample were both decreased compared to control sample, while the tensile strength of the stepwise crystallized sample increased slightly. Structure investigation showed that the α-relaxation peak, which is related to the assignment of chains in rigid amorphous phase, moved to the high temperature region for stepwise crystallized sample, while it moved to the low temperature region for annealed sample. The results indicated the weakening in rigid amorphous fraction (RAF) and the increase in lamellar thickness of β-iPP after stepwise crystallization treatment. For annealed sample, the RAF strengthened and lamellar thickness decreased slightly after thermal treatment. A mechanism of crystalline microstructures evolution of restricted area between the main lamellar under different treatments was proposed.

Amygdala-prefrontal cortical functional connectivity during implicit emotion processing differentiates youth with bipolar spectrum from youth with externalizing disorders.

PubMed

Hafeman, Danella; Bebko, Genna; Bertocci, Michele A; Fournier, Jay C; Chase, Henry W; Bonar, Lisa; Perlman, Susan B; Travis, Michael; Gill, Mary Kay; Diwadkar, Vaibhav A; Sunshine, Jeffrey L; Holland, Scott K; Kowatch, Robert A; Birmaher, Boris; Axelson, David; Horwitz, Sarah M; Arnold, L Eugene; Fristad, Mary A; Frazier, Thomas W; Youngstrom, Eric A; Findling, Robert L; Phillips, Mary L

2017-01-15

Both bipolar spectrum disorders (BPSD) and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) present with emotion-regulation deficits, but require different clinical management. We examined how the neurobiological underpinnings of emotion regulation might differentiate youth with BPSD versus ADHD (and healthy controls, HCs), specifically assessing functional connectivity (FxC) of amygdala-prefrontal circuitry during an implicit emotion processing task. We scanned a subset of the Longitudinal Assessment of Manic Symptoms (LAMS) sample, a clinically recruited cohort with elevated behavioral and emotional dysregulation, and age/sex-ratio matched HCs. Our sample consisted of 22 youth with BPSD, 30 youth with ADHD/no BPSD, and 26 HCs. We used generalized psychophysiological interaction (gPPI) to calculate group differences to emerging emotional faces vs. morphing shapes in FxC between bilateral amygdala and ventral prefrontal cortex/anterior cingulate cortex. FxC between amygdala and left ventrolateral prefrontal cortex (VLPFC) in response to emotions vs. shapes differed by group (p=.05): while BPSD showed positive FxC (emotions>shapes), HC and ADHD showed inverse FxC (emotions

Ecotoxicological and Genotoxic Evaluation of Buenos Aires City (Argentina) Hospital Wastewater

PubMed Central

Juárez, Ángela Beatriz; Dragani, Valeria; Saenz, Magalí Elizabeth; Moretton, Juan

2014-01-01

Hospital wastewater (HWW) constitutes a potential risk to the ecosystems and human health due to the presence of toxic and genotoxic chemical compounds. In the present work we investigated toxicity and genotoxicity of wastewaters from the public hospital of Buenos Aires (Argentina). The effluent from the sewage treatment plant (STP) serving around 10 million inhabitants was also evaluated. The study was carried out between April and September 2012. Toxicity and genotoxicity assessment was performed using the green algae Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata and the Allium cepa test, respectively. Toxicity assay showed that 55% of the samples were toxic to the algae (%I of growth between 23.9 and 54.8). The A. cepa test showed that 40% of the samples were genotoxic. The analysis of chromosome aberrations (CA) and micronucleus (MN) showed no significant differences between days and significant differences between months. The sample from the STP was not genotoxic to A. cepa but toxic to the algae (%I = 41%), showing that sewage treatment was not totally effective. This study highlights the need for environmental control programs and the establishment of advanced and effective effluent treatment plants in the hospitals, which are merely dumping the wastewaters in the municipal sewerage system. PMID:25214834

Seasonal abundance of soil arthropods in relation to meteorological and edaphic factors in the agroecosystems of Faisalabad, Punjab, Pakistan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shakir, Muhammad Mussadiq; Ahmed, Sohail

2015-05-01

Soil arthropods are an important component of agroecosystems, contributing significantly to their biodiversity and functioning. However, seasonal patterns, population dynamics, and significant roles of these soil arthropods in improvement of soil structures and functions are influenced by many factors. The objective of the current study was to investigate soil arthropod abundance in relation to a blend of meteorological and edaphic factors and to find out the difference in abundance among various crops (sugarcane, cotton, wheat, alfalfa fodder, and citrus orchards). The arthropod sampling was done by pitfall traps and Tullgren extractions on fortnightly intervals. Soil temperature and relative humidity were noted on the field sites while analysis for soil pH, organic matter, and soil moisture contents were done in the laboratory. The rainfall data was obtained from an observatory. Results showed that significant differences were found in soil arthropod abundance across different sampling months and crops. Out of total 13,673 soil arthropods sampled, 38 % belonged to Collembola, followed by 15 % Hymenoptera, 15 % Acarina, 11 % Myriapods, 6 % Coleoptera, 5 % Orthoptera, and 5 % Araneae. Mean abundance per sample was highest in summer months as compared to winter. Overall abundance per sample was significantly different between all crops ( p < 0.05). Cluster analysis revealed four categories of soil arthropods according to abundance, i.e., highly abundant (Collembola, Acarina, Myripoda, Hymenoptera), moderately abundant (Orthoptera, Aranae, Coleoptera), least abundant (Dermaptera, Hemiptera, Diptera), and rare (Blattaria, Isoptera, Diplura, Lepidoptera). Soil temperature and soil organic matter showed significant positive correlation with abundance, while relative humidity was significantly negatively correlated. Soil moisture and soil pH showed no significant correlations while no correlation was found with total rainfall. PCA analysis revealed that soil surface arthropods were the major contributors of variation in overall abundance in extreme temperature months while microarthropods in low-temperature months. CCA analysis revealed the occurrence of different arthropod groups in correspondence with different abiotic variables. Results are discussed in view of position of these arthropods as useful indicators under changing environmental conditions impacting agroecosystems in the study area.

Effects of aging time and temperature of Fe-1wt.%Cu on magnetic Barkhausen noise and FORC

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

Saleh, Muad; Cao, Yue; Edwards, Danny J.

Magnetic Barkhausen noise (MBN), hysteresis measurements, first order reversal curves (FORC), Vickers microhardness, and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) analyses were performed on Fe-1wt.%Cu (Fe-Cu) samples isothermally aged at 700°C for 0.5 – 25 hours to obtain samples with different sized Cu precipitates and dislocation structures. Fe-Cu is used to simulate the thermal and irradiation-induced defects in copper-containing nuclear reactor materials such as cooling system pipes and pressure vessel materials. The sample series showed an initial increase followed by a decrease in hardness and coercivity with aging time, which is explained by Cu precipitates formation and growth as observed by TEMmore » measurements. Further, the MBN envelope showed a continuous decrease in its magnitude and the appearance of a second peak with aging. Also, FORC diagrams showed multiple peaks whose intensity and location changed for different aging time. The changes in FORC diagrams are attributed to combined changes of the magnetic behavior due to Cu precipitate characteristics and dislocation structure. A second series of samples aged at 850°C, which is above the solid solution temperature of Fe-Cu, was studied to isolate the effects of dislocations. These samples showed a continuous decrease in MBN amplitude with aging time although the coercivity and hardness did not change significantly. The decrease of MBN amplitude and the appearance of the second MBN envelope peak are attributed to the changes in dislocation density and structure. This study shows that the effect of dislocations on MBN and FORC of Fe-Cu materials can vary significantly and should be considered in interpreting magnetic signatures.« less

Fossil wood from the upper Miocene Mpesida Beds at Cheparain (Baringo District, Kenya): Botanical affinities and palaeoenvironmental implications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

De Franceschi, Dario; Bamford, Marion; Pickford, Martin; Senut, Brigitte

2016-03-01

Seven wood samples from a petrified forest, in situ in ash flow deposits at Cheparain in the Tugen Hills (Kenya) in the Mpesida Beds, were discovered and studied. The age of the Mpesida Formation is estimated to be about 6.3 Ma on the basis of radio-isotope age determinations on the volcanic deposits, which overlie and underlie the sedimentary levels. The wood samples are mineralized with obvious sectors of differential mineralization, and different degrees of silica impregnation. All samples show heteroxylous structures corresponding to angiosperm dicotyledon trees. One sample consists in a half cylinder showing a well preserved mineralized structure of heteroxylous wood and probably corresponds to a fragment of root. This wood, with solitary (or in radial group) vessels, heterocellular multiseriate rays, paratracheal parenchyma in wide bands, and partly storied fusiform cells, clearly shows affinities with the genus Erythrina (Fabaceae). A slightly compressed branch, partly disturbed by injuries and highly mineralized shows solitary (or in short radial group) vessels, the rays uni-(bi) seriate are heterocellular, and the apotracheal parenchyma is in thin tangential bands. The closest affinities are with the genus Spirostachys (Euphorbiaceae). The other structures are poorly preserved (highly mineralized) and precise botanical affinities cannot be accessed. But the growth rings are distinct or diversely marked and the samples show semi-ring porous structures. They exhibit two different patterns. The growth rings reveal the presence of seasonal climate, and numerous injuries, a disturbance of the vegetation by animals and/or strong climatic events. Erythrina and Spirostachys are present in the extant vegetation of the Tana River Valley, in Kenya, which could represent a modern analogue for the vegetation of the Mpesida Beds prior to the major uplift of the Tugen Hills at the end of the Miocene.

Stochastic Sampling in the IMF of Galactic Open Clusters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kay, Christina; Hancock, M.; Canalizo, G.; Smith, B. J.; Giroux, M. L.

2010-01-01

We sought observational evidence of the effects of stochastic sampling of the initial mass function by investigating the integrated colors of a sample of Galactic open clusters. In particular we looked for scatter in the integrated (V-K) color as previous research resulted in little scatter in the (U-B) and (B-V) colors. Combining data from WEBDA and 2MASS we determined three different colors for 287 open clusters. Of these clusters, 39 have minimum uncertainties in age and formed a standard set. A plot of the (V-K) color versus age showed much more scatter than the (U-B) versus age. We also divided the sample into two groups based on a lowest luminosity limit which is a function of age and V magnitude. We expected the group of clusters fainter than this limit to show more scatter than the brighter group. Assuming the published ages, we compared the reddening corrected observed colors to those predicted by Starburst99. The presence of stochastic sampling should increase scatter in the distribution of the differences between observed and model colors of the fainter group relative to the brighter group. However, we found that K-S tests cannot rule out that the distribution of color difference for the brighter and fainter sets come from the same parent distribution. This indistinguishabilty may result from uncertainties in the parameters used to define the groups. This result constrains the size of the effects of stochastic sampling of the initial mass function.

Training set optimization under population structure in genomic selection.

PubMed

Isidro, Julio; Jannink, Jean-Luc; Akdemir, Deniz; Poland, Jesse; Heslot, Nicolas; Sorrells, Mark E

2015-01-01

Population structure must be evaluated before optimization of the training set population. Maximizing the phenotypic variance captured by the training set is important for optimal performance. The optimization of the training set (TRS) in genomic selection has received much interest in both animal and plant breeding, because it is critical to the accuracy of the prediction models. In this study, five different TRS sampling algorithms, stratified sampling, mean of the coefficient of determination (CDmean), mean of predictor error variance (PEVmean), stratified CDmean (StratCDmean) and random sampling, were evaluated for prediction accuracy in the presence of different levels of population structure. In the presence of population structure, the most phenotypic variation captured by a sampling method in the TRS is desirable. The wheat dataset showed mild population structure, and CDmean and stratified CDmean methods showed the highest accuracies for all the traits except for test weight and heading date. The rice dataset had strong population structure and the approach based on stratified sampling showed the highest accuracies for all traits. In general, CDmean minimized the relationship between genotypes in the TRS, maximizing the relationship between TRS and the test set. This makes it suitable as an optimization criterion for long-term selection. Our results indicated that the best selection criterion used to optimize the TRS seems to depend on the interaction of trait architecture and population structure.

Thermal Stability of Otto Fuel Prepolymer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tompa, Albert S.; Sandagger, Karrie H.; Bryant, William F., Jr.; McConnell, William T.; Lacot, Fernando; Carr, Walter A.

2000-01-01

Otto Fuel II contains a nitrate ester, plasticizer, and 2-NDPA as a stabilizer. Otto Fuel with stabilizers from three vendors was investigated by dynamic and isothermal DSC using samples sealed in a glass ampoule and by Isothermal Microcalorimetry (IMC) using 10 gram samples aged at 75 C for 35 days. DSC kinetics did not show differences between the stabilizer; the samples had an activation energy of 36.7 +/- 0.6 kcal/mol. However, IMC analysis was sensitive enough to detect small differences between the stabilizer, namely energy of interaction values of 7 to 14 Joules. DSC controlled cooling and heating at 5 C/min from 30 to -60 to 40 C experiments were similar and showed a crystallization peak at -48 +/- 1 C during cooling, and upon heating there was a glass transition temperature step at approx. -54 +/- 0.5 C and a melting peak at -28 +/- 0.4 C.

Thermal Stability of Otto Fuel Prepolymer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tompa, Albert S.; Sandagger, Karrie H.; Bryant, William F., Jr.; McConnell, William T.; Lacot, Fernando; Carr, Walter A.

2000-01-01

Otto Fuel II contains a nitrate ester, plasticizer, and 2-NPDA as a stabilizer. Otto Fuel with stabilizers from three vendors was investigated by dynamic and isothermal differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) using samples sealed in a glass ampoule and by Isothermal Microcalorimetry (IMC) using 10 gram samples aged at 75 C for 35 days. DSC kinetics did not show differences between the stabilizer; the samples had an activation energy of 36.7 +/- 0.6 kcal/mol. However, IMC analysis was sensitive enough to detect small differences between the stabilizer, namely energy of interaction values of 7 to 14 Joules. DSC controlled cooling and heating at 5 C/min from 30 to -60 to 40 C experiments were similar and showed a crystallization peak at -48 +/- 1 C during cooling, and upon heating there was a glass transition temperature step at approx. -54 +/- 0.5 C and a melting peak at -28 +/- 0.4 C.

Sex Ratio and Abundance Fluctuations of Sarcosaprophagous Calyptratae (Diptera): Field Evaluation of Two Sampling Techniques.

PubMed

Mulieri, P R; Olea, M S; Patitucci, L D; Battán-Horenstein, M

2018-06-07

Abundance of sarcosaprophagous Calyptratae species was monitored by using baited traps and active captures with hand net. Analysis of field data collected in three protected areas in the Valdivian temperate forest of South America (Lanín National Park, Lago Puelo National Park, and Los Alerces National Park) indicated that bottle traps baited with putrescine is a reliable method to estimate local abundance of sarcosaprophagous species by comparison to the active capture method. Also, we describe and compare general patterns of sex bias for four dominant species: Sarconesia magellanica (Le Guillou), Calliphora vicina Robineau-Desvoidy, Microcerella spinigena (Rondani), and Oxysarcodexia varia (Walker). From these analyses, it can be concluded that abundance fluctuations of flies showed significant relationship between the sampling methods. This study showed that besides the expected interspecific differences in trapping efficiency, there are acute intraspecific differences of sex ratios between sampling methods.

[The detection of antibodies against HIV-1 24-kd protein. A clinico-serological correlation].

PubMed

Díaz Torres, H; Silva Cabrera, E; Rodríguez García, O; Bárcenas Moses, J; Lubián Caballero, A L

1996-01-01

The presence of antibodies against the HIV protein of 24 kd was studies by the parallel use of the DAVIH BLOT western blot and of the DAVIH AC P24 ELISA in serum samples from 176 patients at different HIV-1 infection stages. The results were correlated with the clinical classification of the patient at the moment of taking the sample and with the further evolution during 6 months. 57% of the patients with opportunistic minor infections and 96% of AIDS patients had low antibodies titres. Dead patients showed no reactivity or presented very low titres in samples taken before dying. Different titrations were observed in serum groups with an apparently uniform reactivity in the western blot. The results show and adequate clinical and serological correlation. Therefore, the DAVIH AC P24 ELISA could be useful in the clinical follow-up of HIV-1 infected persons.

Identification of Novel Prostate Cancer-Causitive Gene Mutations by Representational Difference Analysis of Microdissected Prostate Cancer

DTIC Science & Technology

2001-03-01

paired samples of microdissected benign and malignant prostate epithelium. The resulting subtraction products were cloned and screened in Southern blots... benign and malignant human prostate cancer. Data is given to show that microdissected tissue samples retain RNA of sufficient quality to perform gene

Metabolomic analysis can detect the composition of pasta enriched with fibre after cooking.

PubMed

Beleggia, Romina; Menga, Valeria; Platani, Cristiano; Nigro, Franca; Fragasso, Mariagiovanna; Fares, Clara

2016-07-01

Several studies have demonstrated that metabolomics has a definite place in food quality, nutritional value, and safety issues. The aim of the present study was to determine and compare the metabolites in different pasta samples with fibre, and to investigate the modifications induced in these different kinds of pasta during cooking, using a gas chromatography-mass spectrometry-based metabolomics approach. Differences were seen for some of the amino acids, which were absent in control pasta, while were present both in the commercially available high-fibre pasta (samples A-C) and the enriched pasta (samples D-F). The highest content in reducing sugars was observed in enriched samples in comparison with high-fibre pasta. The presence of stigmasterol in samples enriched with wheat bran was relevant. Cooking decreased all of the metabolites: the high-fibre pasta (A-C) and Control showed losses of amino acids and tocopherols, while for sugars and organic acids, the decrease depended on the pasta sample. The enriched pasta samples (D-F) showed the same decreases with the exception of phytosterols, and in pasta with barley the decrease of saturated fatty acids was not significant as for tocopherols in pasta with oat. Principal component analysis of the metabolites and the pasta discrimination was effective in differentiating the enriched pasta from the commercial pasta, both uncooked and cooked. The study has established that such metabolomic analyses provide useful tools in the evaluation of the changes in nutritional compounds in high-fibre and enriched pasta, both before and after cooking. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry.

Comparative evaluation of the performance of the Abbott RealTime HIV-1 assay for measurement of HIV-1 plasma viral load on genetically diverse samples from Greece

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background HIV-1 is characterized by increased genetic heterogeneity which tends to hinder the reliability of detection and accuracy of HIV-1 RNA quantitation assays. Methods In this study, the Abbott RealTime HIV-1 (Abbott RealTime) assay was compared to the Roche Cobas TaqMan HIV-1 (Cobas TaqMan) and the Siemens Versant HIV-1 RNA 3.0 (bDNA 3.0) assays, using clinical samples of various viral load levels and subtypes from Greece, where the recent epidemiology of HIV-1 infection has been characterized by increasing genetic diversity and a marked increase in subtype A genetic strains among newly diagnosed infections. Results A high correlation was observed between the quantitative results obtained by the Abbott RealTime and the Cobas TaqMan assays. Viral load values quantified by the Abbott RealTime were on average lower than those obtained by the Cobas TaqMan, with a mean (SD) difference of -0.206 (0.298) log10 copies/ml. The mean differences according to HIV-1 subtypes between the two techniques for samples of subtype A, B, and non-A/non-B were 0.089, -0.262, and -0.298 log10 copies/ml, respectively. Overall, differences were less than 0.5 log10 for 85% of the samples, and >1 log10 in only one subtype B sample. Similarly, Abbott RealTime and bDNA 3.0 assays yielded a very good correlation of quantitative results, whereas viral load values assessed by the Abbott RealTime were on average higher (mean (SD) difference: 0.160 (0.287) log10 copies/ml). The mean differences according to HIV-1 subtypes between the two techniques for subtype A, B and non-A/non-B samples were 0.438, 0.105 and 0.191 log10 copies/ml, respectively. Overall, the majority of samples (86%) differed by less than 0.5 log10, while none of the samples showed a deviation of more than 1.0 log10. Conclusions In an area of changing HIV-1 subtype pattern, the Abbott RealTime assay showed a high correlation and good agreement of results when compared both to the Cobas TaqMan and bDNA 3.0 assays, for all HIV-1 subtypes tested. All three assays could determine viral load from samples of different HIV-1 subtypes adequately. However, assay variation should be taken into account when viral load monitoring of the same individual is assessed by different systems. PMID:21219667

Holographic nondestructive testing in bone growth disturbance studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Silvennoinen, Raimo V. J.; Nygren, Kaarlo

1993-09-01

We used isolated radioulnar bones of subadult European moose collected in various environmental pollution areas of Finland. The bones were radiographed and outer dimensions measured. By using small caudo-cranial bending forces, the bones were tested by using HNDT. For bone mineral studies, samples were taken from the mandibles of the same animals. Results showed, that the bones obtained from the heavily polluted area showed biomechanical response comparable to the bones developed partially without mothers milk. Differences were also seen in morphometrical and radiological studies. The mineral contents studied did not differ significantly from randomly collected samples of the same age category. We therefore conclude that environmental factors may influence the bone matrix development.

Towards Clinical Applications of Blood-Borne miRNA Signatures: The Influence of the Anticoagulant EDTA on miRNA Abundance.

PubMed

Leidinger, Petra; Backes, Christina; Rheinheimer, Stefanie; Keller, Andreas; Meese, Eckart

2015-01-01

Circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) from blood are increasingly recognized as biomarker candidates for human diseases. Clinical routine settings frequently include blood sampling in tubes with EDTA as anticoagulant without considering the influence of phlebotomy on the overall miRNA expression pattern. We collected blood samples from six healthy individuals each in an EDTA blood collection tube. Subsequently, the blood was transferred into PAXgeneTM tubes at three different time points, i.e. directly (0 min), 10 min, and 2 h after phlebotomy. As control blood was also directly collected in PAXgeneTM blood RNA tubes that contain a reagent to directly lyse blood cells and stabilize their content. For all six blood donors at the four conditions (24 samples) we analyzed the abundance of 1,205 miRNAs by human Agilent miRNA V16 microarrays. While we found generally a homogenous pattern of the miRNA abundance in all 24 samples, the duration of the EDTA treatment appears to influence the miRNA abundance of specific miRNAs. The most significant changes are observed after longer EDTA exposition. Overall, the impact of the different blood sample conditions on the miRNA pattern was substantially lower than intra-individual variations. While samples belonging to one of the six individuals mostly cluster together, there was no comparable clustering for any of the four tested blood sampling conditions. The most affected miRNA was miR-769-3p that was not detected in any of the six PAXgene blood samples, but in all EDTA 2h samples. Accordingly, hsa-miR-769-3p was also the only miRNA that showed a significantly different abundance between the 4 blood sample conditions by an ANOVA analysis (Benjamini-Hochberg adjusted p-value of 0.003). Validation by qRT-PCR confirmed this finding. The pattern of blood-borne miRNA abundance is rather homogenous between the four tested blood sample conditions of six blood donors. There was a clustering between the miRNA profiles that belong to a specific blood donor, but not between any of the four tested blood sampling conditions. The results show a limited overall impact of the blood sampling conditions on the miRNA pattern. Notwithstanding, the abundance of single miRNAs can be significantly altered by different blood sampling conditions.

Psychometric properties of the Adolescent Dissociative Experiences Scale in a sample of Italian adolescents.

PubMed

Schimmenti, Adriano

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the psychometric properties of the Italian translation of the Adolescent Dissociative Experiences Scale (A-DES). A sample of 1,806 high-school students between the ages of 13 and 18 years, recruited in 6 Italian cities, completed the A-DES. The A-DES showed high internal consistency, excellent item-to-scale homogeneity, good split-half reliability, and a single-factor structure. The scores of the Italian adolescents were comparable to those found in previous research with the measure. No gender differences were found in mean A-DES scores, but boys and girls showed different patterns of responses on A-DES items. Age differences were also found, with 13- and 18-year-old students scoring higher on the measure than the other participants. A cluster analysis showed that participants could be consistently grouped into 2 clusters of low- and high-dissociative adolescents. This study supports the A-DES as a reliable and valid screening measure for dissociative symptoms in adolescents.

Seasonal variation in imposex intensity of Thais clavigera

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Zhengyan

2005-06-01

Imposex, specifically caused by TBT pollution, refers to the superimposition of male sexual characteristics in gastropod females. Seasonal variation of imposex intensity in Thais clavigera from both slightly and severely contaminated sites in Hong Kong waters was studied from 1988 to 1999. The male penis length showed significant difference between both sites and seasons. It was shortest during late autumn and early winter (October to December) and longest during spring and early summer (February to June). Female penis length also showed significant difference between sites. It did not change seasonally, however. The RPS (Relative Penis Size) index was the highest during autumn and early winter, and the lowest during spring and early summer. The VDS (Vas Deferens Sequence) index remained stable throughout the sampling period. This study showed that VDS index is a better indicator when we compare relative intensity of imposex. The comparison can only be meaningful provided the samples from different locations are taken during the same season.

Overlap between treatment and control distributions as an effect size measure in experiments.

PubMed

Hedges, Larry V; Olkin, Ingram

2016-03-01

The proportion π of treatment group observations that exceed the control group mean has been proposed as an effect size measure for experiments that randomly assign independent units into 2 groups. We give the exact distribution of a simple estimator of π based on the standardized mean difference and use it to study the small sample bias of this estimator. We also give the minimum variance unbiased estimator of π under 2 models, one in which the variance of the mean difference is known and one in which the variance is unknown. We show how to use the relation between the standardized mean difference and the overlap measure to compute confidence intervals for π and show that these results can be used to obtain unbiased estimators, large sample variances, and confidence intervals for 3 related effect size measures based on the overlap. Finally, we show how the effect size π can be used in a meta-analysis. (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Assessment of Different Sampling Methods for Measuring and Representing Macular Cone Density Using Flood-Illuminated Adaptive Optics.

PubMed

Feng, Shu; Gale, Michael J; Fay, Jonathan D; Faridi, Ambar; Titus, Hope E; Garg, Anupam K; Michaels, Keith V; Erker, Laura R; Peters, Dawn; Smith, Travis B; Pennesi, Mark E

2015-09-01

To describe a standardized flood-illuminated adaptive optics (AO) imaging protocol suitable for the clinical setting and to assess sampling methods for measuring cone density. Cone density was calculated following three measurement protocols: 50 × 50-μm sampling window values every 0.5° along the horizontal and vertical meridians (fixed-interval method), the mean density of expanding 0.5°-wide arcuate areas in the nasal, temporal, superior, and inferior quadrants (arcuate mean method), and the peak cone density of a 50 × 50-μm sampling window within expanding arcuate areas near the meridian (peak density method). Repeated imaging was performed in nine subjects to determine intersession repeatability of cone density. Cone density montages could be created for 67 of the 74 subjects. Image quality was determined to be adequate for automated cone counting for 35 (52%) of the 67 subjects. We found that cone density varied with different sampling methods and regions tested. In the nasal and temporal quadrants, peak density most closely resembled histological data, whereas the arcuate mean and fixed-interval methods tended to underestimate the density compared with histological data. However, in the inferior and superior quadrants, arcuate mean and fixed-interval methods most closely matched histological data, whereas the peak density method overestimated cone density compared with histological data. Intersession repeatability testing showed that repeatability was greatest when sampling by arcuate mean and lowest when sampling by fixed interval. We show that different methods of sampling can significantly affect cone density measurements. Therefore, care must be taken when interpreting cone density results, even in a normal population.

Buccal swabbing as a noninvasive method to determine bacterial, archaeal, and eukaryotic microbial community structures in the rumen.

PubMed

Kittelmann, Sandra; Kirk, Michelle R; Jonker, Arjan; McCulloch, Alan; Janssen, Peter H

2015-11-01

Analysis of rumen microbial community structure based on small-subunit rRNA marker genes in metagenomic DNA samples provides important insights into the dominant taxa present in the rumen and allows assessment of community differences between individuals or in response to treatments applied to ruminants. However, natural animal-to-animal variation in rumen microbial community composition can limit the power of a study considerably, especially when only subtle differences are expected between treatment groups. Thus, trials with large numbers of animals may be necessary to overcome this variation. Because ruminants pass large amounts of rumen material to their oral cavities when they chew their cud, oral samples may contain good representations of the rumen microbiota and be useful in lieu of rumen samples to study rumen microbial communities. We compared bacterial, archaeal, and eukaryotic community structures in DNAs extracted from buccal swabs to those in DNAs from samples collected directly from the rumen by use of a stomach tube for sheep on four different diets. After bioinformatic depletion of potential oral taxa from libraries of samples collected via buccal swabs, bacterial communities showed significant clustering by diet (R = 0.37; analysis of similarity [ANOSIM]) rather than by sampling method (R = 0.07). Archaeal, ciliate protozoal, and anaerobic fungal communities also showed significant clustering by diet rather than by sampling method, even without adjustment for potentially orally associated microorganisms. These findings indicate that buccal swabs may in future allow quick and noninvasive sampling for analysis of rumen microbial communities in large numbers of ruminants. Copyright © 2015, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Spectrophotometric photodynamic detection involving extracorporeal treatment with hexaminolevulinate for bladder cancer cells in voided urine.

PubMed

Nakai, Yasushi; Ozawa, Toshiyuki; Mizuno, Fumiko; Onishi, Sayuri; Owari, Takuya; Hori, Syunta; Morizawa, Yosuke; Tatsumi, Yosihiro; Miyake, Makito; Tanaka, Nobumichi; Tsuruta, Daisuke; Fujimoto, Kiyohide

2017-11-01

To evaluate the feasibility of hexaminolevulinate (HAL) for the photodynamic detection of cancer cells in voided urine. This study included 50 patients with bladder cancer that was confirmed histologically after transurethral resection (bladder cancer group) and 50 outpatients without a history of urothelial carcinoma or cancer-related findings (no malignancy group). One third of the voided urine samples were incubated with aminolevulinic acid (ALA-treated samples), one third were incubated with HAL (HAL-treated samples), and the remaining samples were incubated without treatment (untreated samples). For detecting cellular protoporphyrin IX levels, the intensity of the samples at the excitation wavelength of 405 nm was measured using a spectrophotometer. The difference between the intensity of the ALA-treated or HAL-treated samples and the untreated samples at 635 nm was calculated. HAL-induced fluorescence cytology (HFC) showed that the difference was significantly higher in patients with high-grade tumors than in those with low-grade tumors (p = 0.0003) and the difference was significantly higher in patients with low-grade tumors than in those without a history of urothelial carcinoma or cancer-related findings (p = 0.021). The areas under the receiver operating characteristic curves of ALA-induced fluorescence cytology (AFC) and HFC were 0.77 and 0.81, respectively. The AUC of HFC was significantly higher than that of AFC (p < 0.0001). The overall sensitivity values for conventional cytology, AFC, and HFC were 49, 74, and 74%, respectively. The overall specificity values for AFC and HFC were 70 and 94%, respectively. Spectrophotometric photodynamic detection involving extracorporeal treatment with HAL for bladder cancer cells in voided urine showed high accuracy. This bladder cancer detection method is easy and cost-effective, and has the potential for clinical use.

Assessment of Different Sampling Methods for Measuring and Representing Macular Cone Density Using Flood-Illuminated Adaptive Optics

PubMed Central

Feng, Shu; Gale, Michael J.; Fay, Jonathan D.; Faridi, Ambar; Titus, Hope E.; Garg, Anupam K.; Michaels, Keith V.; Erker, Laura R.; Peters, Dawn; Smith, Travis B.; Pennesi, Mark E.

2015-01-01

Purpose To describe a standardized flood-illuminated adaptive optics (AO) imaging protocol suitable for the clinical setting and to assess sampling methods for measuring cone density. Methods Cone density was calculated following three measurement protocols: 50 × 50-μm sampling window values every 0.5° along the horizontal and vertical meridians (fixed-interval method), the mean density of expanding 0.5°-wide arcuate areas in the nasal, temporal, superior, and inferior quadrants (arcuate mean method), and the peak cone density of a 50 × 50-μm sampling window within expanding arcuate areas near the meridian (peak density method). Repeated imaging was performed in nine subjects to determine intersession repeatability of cone density. Results Cone density montages could be created for 67 of the 74 subjects. Image quality was determined to be adequate for automated cone counting for 35 (52%) of the 67 subjects. We found that cone density varied with different sampling methods and regions tested. In the nasal and temporal quadrants, peak density most closely resembled histological data, whereas the arcuate mean and fixed-interval methods tended to underestimate the density compared with histological data. However, in the inferior and superior quadrants, arcuate mean and fixed-interval methods most closely matched histological data, whereas the peak density method overestimated cone density compared with histological data. Intersession repeatability testing showed that repeatability was greatest when sampling by arcuate mean and lowest when sampling by fixed interval. Conclusions We show that different methods of sampling can significantly affect cone density measurements. Therefore, care must be taken when interpreting cone density results, even in a normal population. PMID:26325414

Improvement in the traditional processing method and nutritional quality of traditional extruded cassava-based snack (modified Ajogun)

PubMed Central

Obadina, Adewale O; Oyewole, Olusola B; Williams, Oluwasolabomi E

2013-01-01

This study was carried out to investigate and improve the traditional processing method and nutritional quality of the traditional cassava snack (Ajogun). Cassava root (Manihot esculenta Crantz L.) of TME 419 variety was processed into mash (40% moisture content). The cassava mash was mixed into different blends to produce fried traditional “Ajogun”, fried and baked extrudates (modified Ajogun) as snacks. These products were analyzed to determine the proximate composition including carbohydrate, fat, protein, fiber, ash, and moisture contents and functional properties such as bulk density. The results obtained for the moisture, fat, protein, and ash contents showed significant difference (P < 0.05) between the control sample and the extrudates. However, there was no significant difference (P > 0.05) in the carbohydrate and fiber contents between the three samples. There was no significant difference (P > 0.05) in the bulk density of the snacks. Also, sensory evaluation was carried out on the cassava-based snacks using the 9-point hedonic scale to determine the degree of acceptability. Results obtained showed significant difference (P < 0.05) between the extrudates and control sample in terms of appearance, taste, flavor, color, aroma, texture, and overall acceptability. The highest acceptability level of the product was at 8.04 for the control sample (traditional Ajogun). This study has shown that “Ajogun”, which is a lesser known cassava product, is rich in protein and fat. PMID:24804039

Raman spectroscopic study of leptospiral glycolipoprotein

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bao, PeiDi; Bao, Lang; Huang, TianQuan; Liu, XinMing

1998-04-01

The Raman scattering spectra of two different samples of Leptospiral Glycoipoprotein (GLP-1 and GLP-2) which have different toxic effects have been obtained and investigated. Leptospirosis is one of the most harmful zoonosis. It is a serious public health issue in some area of Sichusan province. The two samples offer different structural informations of GLP molecules, it would be important to find the difference in contents, structures and the amino acid side - chains environment of the molecules between the two samples of GLP for understanding the different toxic effects. The intense Am I at 1651 cm-1 and weak Am III at 1283 cm-1 show that GLP-1 has a predominantly (alpha) -helix secondary structure. The intense Am I at 1674 cm-1 and intense Am III at 1246 cm-1 show that the conformation of GLP-2 has a high content of (Beta) - sheet and a low content of random - coil secondary structure. Strong Raman scattering occurs in the range 920- 980 cm-1, belong to the C-COO vibration and the stretching of the peptide backbone. The molecules of GLP-1 has trans-gauche-trans configuration of the C-S-S-C-C linkage and the molecules of GLP-2 has trans-gauche-gauche configuration of the C-C-S-S-C-C linkage. The intensity ratio of the two tyrosine liens at 830 cm-1 and 850 cm-1 is 1.1 and 1.23, indicate their tyrosine reduces environment respectively. Other side-chain environment in the two samples were discussed.

Microbialites vs detrital micrites: Degree of biogenicity, parameter suitable for Mars analogues

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blanco, Armando; D'Elia, Marcella; Orofino, Vincenzo; Mancarella, Francesca; Fonti, Sergio; Mastandrea, Adelaide; Guido, Adriano; Tosti, Fabio; Russo, Franco

2014-07-01

In upcoming years several space missions will investigate the habitability of Mars and the possibility of extinct or extant life on the planet. In previous laboratory works we have investigated the infrared spectral modifications induced by thermal processing on different carbonate samples, in the form of recent shells and fossils of different ages, whose biogenic origin is indisputable. The goal was to develop a method able to discriminate biogenic carbonate samples from their abiogenic counterparts. The method has been successfully applied to microbialites, i.e. bio-induced microcrystalline carbonate deposits, and particularly to stromatolites, the laminated fabric of microbialites, some of which can be ascribed among the oldest traces of biological activity known on Earth. In this work we show that, by applying our method to different parts of the same carbonate rock, we are able to discriminate the presence, nature and biogenicity of various micrite types (i.e. detrital vs autochthonous) and to distinguish them from the skeletal grains. To test our methodology we preliminarily used the epifluorescence technique to select on polished samples, skeletal grains, autochthonous and allochthonous micrites, each one characterized by different organic matter content. The results on the various components show that, applying the infrared spectral modifications induced by thermal processing, it is possible to determine the degree of biogenicity of the different carbonate samples. The results are of valuable importance since such carbonates are linked to primitive living organisms that can be considered as good analogues for putative Martian life forms.

Sensory evaluation and electronic tongue for sensing flavored mineral water taste attributes.

PubMed

Sipos, László; Gere, Attila; Szöllősi, Dániel; Kovács, Zoltán; Kókai, Zoltán; Fekete, András

2013-10-01

In this article a trained sensory panel evaluated 6 flavored mineral water samples. The samples consisted of 3 different brands, each with 2 flavors (pear-lemon grass and josta berry). The applied sensory method was profile analysis. Our aim was to analyze the sensory profiles and to investigate the similarities between the sensitivity of the trained human panel and an electronic tongue device. Another objective was to demonstrate the possibilities for the prediction of sensory attributes from electronic tongue measurements using a multivariate statistical method (Partial Least Squares regression [PLS]). The results showed that the products manufactured under different brand name but with the same aromas had very similar sensory profiles. The panel performance evaluation showed that it is appropriate (discrimination ability, repeatability, and panel consensus) to compare the panel's results with the results of the electronic tongue. The samples can be discriminated by the electronic tongue and an accurate classification model can be built. Principal Component Analysis BiPlot diagrams showed that Brand A and B were similar because the manufacturers use the same aroma brands for their products. It can be concluded that Brand C was quite different compared to the other samples independently of the aroma content. Based on the electronic tongue results good prediction models can be obtained with high correlation coefficient (r(2) > 0.81) and low prediction error (RMSEP < 13.71 on the scale of the sensory evaluation from 0 to 100). © 2013 Institute of Food Technologists®

Organic solvent desorption from two tegafur polymorphs.

PubMed

Bobrovs, Raitis; Actiņš, Andris

2013-11-30

Desorption behavior of 8 different solvents from α and β tegafur (5-fluoro-1-(tetrahydro-2-furyl)uracil) has been studied in this work. Solvent desorption from samples stored at 95% and 50% relative solvent vapor pressure was studied in isothermal conditions at 30 °C. The results of this study demonstrated that: solvent desorption rate did not differ significantly for both phases; solvent desorption in all cases occurred faster from samples with the largest particle size; and solvent desorption in most cases occurred in two steps. Structure differences and their surface properties were not of great importance on the solvent desorption rates because the main factor affecting desorption rate was sample particle size and sample morphology. Inspection of the structure packing showed that solvent desorption rate and amount of solvent adsorbed were mainly affected by surface molecule arrangement and ability to form short contacts between solvent molecule electron donor groups and freely accessible tegafur tetrahydrofuran group hydrogens, as well as between solvents molecule proton donor groups and fluorouracil ring carbonyl and fluoro groups. Solvent desorption rates of acetone, acetonitrile, ethyl acetate and tetrahydrofuran multilayers from α and β tegafur were approximately 30 times higher than those of solvent monolayers. Scanning electron micrographs showed that sample storage in solvent vapor atmosphere promotes small tegafur particles recrystallization to larger particles. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Influence of light curing and sample thickness on microhardness of a composite resin

PubMed Central

Aguiar, Flávio HB; Andrade, Kelly RM; Leite Lima, Débora AN; Ambrosano, Gláucia MB; Lovadino, José R

2009-01-01

The aim of this in vitro study was to evaluate the influence of light-curing units and different sample thicknesses on the microhardness of a composite resin. Composite resin specimens were randomly prepared and assigned to nine experimental groups (n = 5): considering three light-curing units (conventional quartz tungsten halogen [QTH]: 550 mW/cm2 – 20 s; high irradiance QTH: 1160 mW/cm2 – 10 s; and light-emitting diode [LED]: 360 mW/cm2 – 40 s) and three sample thicknesses (0.5 mm, 1 mm, and 2 mm). All samples were polymerized with the light tip 8 mm away from the specimen. Knoop microhardness was then measured on the top and bottom surfaces of each sample. The top surfaces, with some exceptions, were almost similar; however, in relation to the bottom surfaces, statistical differences were found between curing units and thicknesses. In all experimental groups, the 0.5-mm-thick increments showed microhardness values statistically higher than those observed for 1- and -2-mm increments. The conventional and LED units showed higher hardness mean values and were statistically different from the high irradiance unit. In all experimental groups, microhardness mean values obtained for the top surface were higher than those observed for the bottom surface. In conclusion, higher levels of irradiance or thinner increments would help improve hybrid composite resin polymerization. PMID:23674901

Molecular genotyping of ABO blood groups in some population groups from India.

PubMed

Ray, Sabita; Gorakshakar, Ajit C; Vasantha, K; Nadkarni, Anita; Italia, Yazdi; Ghosh, Kanjaksha

2014-01-01

Indian population is characterized by the presence of various castes and tribal groups. Various genetic polymorphisms have been used to differentiate among these groups. Amongst these, the ABO blood group system has been extensively studied. There is no information on molecular genotyping of ABO blood groups from India. Therefore, the main objective of this study was to characterize the common A, B and O alleles by molecular analysis in some Indian population groups. One hundred samples from the mixed population from Mumbai, 101 samples from the Dhodia tribe and 100 samples from the Parsi community were included in this study. Initially, the samples were phenotyped by standard serologic techniques. PCR followed by single strand conformational polymorphsim (SSCP) was used for molecular ABO genotyping. Samples showing atypical SSCP patterns were further analysed by DNA sequencing to characterize rare alleles. Seven common ABO alleles with 19 different genotypes were found in the mixed population. The Dhodias showed 12 different ABO genotypes and the Parsis revealed 15 different ABO genotypes with six common ABO alleles identified in each of them. Two rare alleles were also identified. This study reports the distribution of molecular genotypes of ABO alleles among some population groups from India. Considering the extremely heterogeneous nature of the Indian population, in terms of various genotype markers like blood groups, red cell enzymes, etc., many more ABO alleles are likely to be encountered.

Heritability of metabolic syndrome traits in a large population-based sample[S

PubMed Central

van Dongen, Jenny; Willemsen, Gonneke; Chen, Wei-Min; de Geus, Eco J. C.; Boomsma, Dorret I.

2013-01-01

Heritability estimates of metabolic syndrome traits vary widely across studies. Some studies have suggested that the contribution of genes may vary with age or sex. We estimated the heritability of 11 metabolic syndrome-related traits and height as a function of age and sex in a large population-based sample of twin families (N = 2,792–27,021, for different traits). A moderate-to-high heritability was found for all traits [from H2 = 0.47 (insulin) to H2 = 0.78 (BMI)]. The broad-sense heritability (H2) showed little variation between age groups in women; it differed somewhat more in men (e.g., for glucose, H2 = 0.61 in young females, H2 = 0.56 in older females, H2 = 0.64 in young males, and H2= 0.27 in older males). While nonadditive genetic effects explained little variation in the younger subjects, nonadditive genetic effects became more important at a greater age. Our findings show that in an unselected sample (age range, ∼18–98 years), the genetic contribution to individual differences in metabolic syndrome traits is moderate to large in both sexes and across age. Although the prevalence of the metabolic syndrome has greatly increased in the past decades due to lifestyle changes, our study indicates that most of the variation in metabolic syndrome traits between individuals is due to genetic differences. PMID:23918046

Genetic and morphological variation in Echinorhynchus gadi Zoega in Müller, 1776 (Acanthocephala: Echinorhynchidae) from Atlantic cod Gadus morhua L.

PubMed

Sobecka, E; Szostakowska, B; MacKenzie, K; Hemmingsen, W; Prajsnar, S; Eydal, M

2012-03-01

Previous studies have shown considerable variability in morphological features and the existence of genetically distinct sibling species in the acanthocephalan Echinorhynchus gadi Zoega in Müller, 1776. The aim of the present study was to follow up and extend those earlier studies by using a combination of DNA analysis and morphometrics to investigate differences between samples of E. gadi from Atlantic cod Gadus morhua L. caught at five fishing grounds in the Baltic Sea and three in different parts of the North Atlantic. Twelve morphological features were measured in 431 specimens of E. gadi, 99 individuals were studied by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphosm (PCR-RFLP), and selected PCR products were sequenced. The molecular analyses showed the nucleotide sequences of E. gadi rDNA from cod caught at all the sampling sites to be identical. The comparative morphological study, in contrast, revealed significant differences between samples of E. gadi from different sampling sites and showed the separation of E. gadi into two groups corresponding approximately to the systematic classification of cod into the two subspecies, Atlantic G. morhua morhua and Baltic G. morhua callarias. The E. gadi infrapopulation size had a significant effect on some of the morphological features. The results are discussed in relation to cod population biology, the hydrography of the study area and the history of the Baltic Sea formation.

[Effects of micro-sprinkling hose length and width on wheat field water condition and flag leaf chlorophyll fluorescence characteristics in different sampling districts].

PubMed

Xu, Ji Kun; Yu, Zhen Wen; Shi, Yu; Zhao, Jun Ye; Wang, Xi Zhi; Wang, Yu Qiu

2017-11-01

A two-year field experiment was conducted in 2014-2015 and 2015-2016 wheat growing seasons to study the effects of micro-sprinkling hose length and width on field water condition, and flag leaf chlorophyll fluorescence characteristics in different sampling districts (D 1 to D 6 along with the hose laying direction). Six micro-sprinkling hose treatments were set: 60 m (T 1 ), 80 m (T 2 ) and 100 m (T 3 ) lengths under 65 mm width; 60 m (T 4 ), 80 m (T 5 ) and 100 m (T 6 ) lengths under 80 mm width. The results showed that after irrigation at jointing, the Christiansen uniformity coefficient (C u ) of T 1 was significantly higher than T 2 and T 3 under 65 mm hose width. Under 80 mm hose width, T 4 and T 5 had the highest C u compared to T 6 . After irrigation at anthesis, the C u showed T 1 >T 2 >T 3 under 65 mm hose width, and T 4 >T 5 >T 6 under 80 mm hose width. Under 65 mm hose width, the average relative soil water content of 0-40 cm soil layers after irrigation at anthesis, flag leaf Φ PSII , NPQ and ETR at 20 and 30 d after anthesis and the grain yield of different sampling district did not differ in T 1 ; T 2 showed the order of D 1 , D 2 >D 3 >D 4 >D 5 ; T 3 showed D 1 , D 2 >D 3 >D 4 >D 5 , D 6 . The average Φ PSII , NPQ and ETR at 20 and 30 d after anthesis, and the average dry matter at maturity of different sampling districts were presented as T 1 >T 2 , T 3 . Under 85 mm hose width, no significant differences were observed in the average relative soil water content of 0-40 cm soil layers after irrigation at ahthesis, flag leaf Φ PSII , NPQ and ETR at 20 and 30 d after anthesis and the grain yield of different sampling districts in T 4 ; in T 5 , the indexes mentioned above in D 1 , D 2 and D 3 sampling districts were significantly higher than those in D 4 and D 5 ; in T 6 , the decreasing order was D 1 , D 2 , D 3 >D 4 >D 5 >T 6 . The average Φ PSII , NPQ and ETR at 20 and 30 d after anthesis, and the average dry matter at maturity of different districts showed the order of T 4 , T 5 >T 6 . The ave-rage grain yield and water use efficiency of T 1 , T 4 and T 5 were significantly higher than those in T 2 , T 3 and T 6 , T 1 and T 4 had a better irrigation benefit than T 5 . Under this experimental condition, T 1 treatment under 65 mm hose width, T 4 treatment under 80 mm hose width were the most recommendable treatments considering high yield and water saving, and T 5 treatment was also recommendable under 80 mm hose width.

Testing portable luminescence reader signals against late Pleistocene to modern OSL ages of coastal and desert dunefield sand in Israel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roskin, Joel; Sivan, Dorit; Bookman, Revital; Porat, Naomi; López, Gloria I.

2017-04-01

Rapid assessment of luminescence signals of poly-mineral samples by a pulsed-photon portable OSL reader (PPSL) is useful for interpreting sedimentary sections during fieldwork, and can assist with targeted field sampling for later full OSL dating and prioritize laboratory work. This study investigates PPSL signal intensities in order to assess its usefulness in obtaining relative OSL ages from linear regressions created by interpolating newly generated PPSL values of samples with existing OSL ages from two extensive Nilotic-sourced dunefields. Eighteen OSL-dated sand samples from two quartz-dominated sand systems in Israel were studied:(1) the Mediterranean littoral-sourced coastal dunefields that formed since the middle Holocene; and (2) the inland north-western Negev desert dunefield that rapidly formed between the Last Glacial Maximum and the Holocene. Samples from three coastal dune profiles were also measured. Results show that the PPSL signals differ by several orders of magnitude between modern and late Pleistocene sediments. The coastal and desert sand have different OSL age - PPSL signal ratios. Coastal sand show better correlations between PPSL values and OSL ages. However, using regression curves for each dunefield to interpolate ages is less useful than expected as samples with different ages exhibit similar PPSL signals. The coastal dune profiles yielded low luminescence signal values depicting a modern profile chronology. This study demonstrates that a rapid assessment of the relative OSL ages across different and extensive dunefields is useful and may be achieved. However, the OSL ages obtained by linear regression are only a very rough age estimate. The reasons for not obtaining more reliable ages need to be better understood, as several variables can affect the PPSL signal such as mineral provenance, intrinsic grain properties, micro-dosimetry and moisture content.

Comparison between five acellular oxidative potential measurement assays performed with detailed chemistry on PM10 samples from the city of Chamonix (France)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Calas, Aude; Uzu, Gaëlle; Kelly, Frank J.; Houdier, Stephan; Martins, Jean M. F.; Thomas, Fabrice; Molton, Florian; Charron, Aurélie; Dunster, Christina; Oliete, Ana; Jacob, Véronique; Besombes, Jean-Luc; Chevrier, Florie; Jaffrezo, Jean-Luc

2018-06-01

Many studies have demonstrated associations between exposure to ambient particulate matter (PM) and adverse health outcomes in humans that can be explained by PM capacity to induce oxidative stress in vivo. Thus, assays have been developed to quantify the oxidative potential (OP) of PM as a more refined exposure metric than PM mass alone. Only a small number of studies have compared different acellular OP measurements for a given set of ambient PM samples. Yet, fewer studies have compared different assays over a year-long period and with detailed chemical characterization of ambient PM. In this study, we report on seasonal variations of the dithiothreitol (DTT), ascorbic acid (AA), electron spin resonance (ESR) and the respiratory tract lining fluid (RTLF, composed of the reduced glutathione (GSH) and ascorbic acid (ASC)) assays over a 1-year period in which 100 samples were analyzed. A detailed PM10 characterization allowed univariate and multivariate regression analyses in order to obtain further insight into groups of chemical species that drive OP measurements. Our results show that most of the OP assays were strongly intercorrelated over the sampling year but also these correlations differed when considering specific sampling periods (cold vs. warm). All acellular assays are correlated with a significant number of chemical species when considering univariate correlations, especially for the DTT assay. Evidence is also presented of a seasonal contrast over the sampling period with significantly higher OP values during winter for the DTT, AA, GSH and ASC assays, which were assigned to biomass burning species by the multiple linear regression models. The ESR assay clearly differs from the other tests as it did not show seasonal dynamics and presented weaker correlations with other assays and chemical species.

Listeria monocytogenes in Different Specimens from Healthy Red Deer and Wild Boars.

PubMed

Weindl, Lucia; Frank, Elisabeth; Ullrich, Ulrike; Heurich, Marco; Kleta, Sylvia; Ellerbroek, Lüppo; Gareis, Manfred

2016-07-01

In the past, Listeria monocytogenes has been isolated from game feces and meat. However, less information is available on the occurrence of L. monocytogenes in other specimens originating from game animals. Hence, the aim of this study was to get an overview of the occurrence and distribution of L. monocytogenes in game animals by characterization of isolates from different matrices. For that purpose, samples were collected from red deer (Cervus elaphus), wild boars (Sus scrofa), and feed during the hunting season 2011-2012 in three different regions of Germany and Austria. Six samples from each animal were examined: tonsils, content of the rumen or the stomach, liver, intestinal lymph nodes, cecum content, and feces. Nineteen of 45 red deer and 12 of 49 wild boars were found to be positive for L. monocytogenes as well as 4 of 22 pooled feed samples. L. monocytogenes was isolated most frequently from the rumen of red deer (14 of 19) and the tonsils of wild boars (7 of 12). Serotypes 1/2a, 1/2b, 4a, and 4b were detected in samples of game animals and feed, and serotypes 1/2a and 4b were the most prevalent serotypes. The presence of L. monocytogenes serotype 4a had not yet been described in red deer. This might be due to the fact that it was only isolated from the content of rumen and that no other study has yet examined ruminal content. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis showed a wide variety of strains. Some strains occurred in both species and feed samples, but one strain was dominant in one region. The results show that red deer and wild boars can be carriers of L. monocytogenes in different matrices, although the feces samples can be negative.

Sample entropy applied to the analysis of synthetic time series and tachograms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Muñoz-Diosdado, A.; Gálvez-Coyt, G. G.; Solís-Montufar, E.

2017-01-01

Entropy is a method of non-linear analysis that allows an estimate of the irregularity of a system, however, there are different types of computational entropy that were considered and tested in order to obtain one that would give an index of signals complexity taking into account the data number of the analysed time series, the computational resources demanded by the method, and the accuracy of the calculation. An algorithm for the generation of fractal time-series with a certain value of β was used for the characterization of the different entropy algorithms. We obtained a significant variation for most of the algorithms in terms of the series size, which could result counterproductive for the study of real signals of different lengths. The chosen method was sample entropy, which shows great independence of the series size. With this method, time series of heart interbeat intervals or tachograms of healthy subjects and patients with congestive heart failure were analysed. The calculation of sample entropy was carried out for 24-hour tachograms and time subseries of 6-hours for sleepiness and wakefulness. The comparison between the two populations shows a significant difference that is accentuated when the patient is sleeping.

A Comparison between Characterization and Biological Properties of Brazilian Fresh and Aged Propolis

PubMed Central

Schmidt, Eduardo Morgado; Stock, Daniele; Chada, Fabio José Garcia; Finger, Daiane; Christine Helena Frankland Sawaya, Alexandra; Eberlin, Marcos Nogueira; Felsner, Maria Lurdes; Quináia, Sueli Pércio; Torres, Yohandra Reyes

2014-01-01

Objective. As propolis is a highly valued bee product, we aimed to verify the quality of aged propolis, investigating their phenolic and flavonoid composition, levels of toxic metals, radical scavenging and antimicrobial activities. Material and Methods. Samples of fresh and aged propolis of six different beekeepers, from the same geographical location, were investigated in terms of their phenolic and flavonoid composition and levels of Pb, Cd, and Cr, as well as radical scavenging and antimicrobial activities. Results. The two groups of propolis had similar qualitative composition by HPLC-PDA and ESI(-)-MS. Fresh propolis and aged propolis show no differences when average values of extraction yield, flavonoids, EC50, or MIC were compared and both types of propolis showed good antimicrobial activity at low concentrations. Only levels of phenolic compounds were higher in fresh propolis. Conclusion. The propolis samples considered in this study, aged or fresh, had similar qualitative composition, although they were collected in different periods. Samples only differed in their levels of total phenolic content. Moreover, aged propolis conserves significant radical scavenging and antimicrobial properties. We suggest that aged propolis should not be discarded but explored for alternative applications. PMID:25530958

Sample normalization methods in quantitative metabolomics.

PubMed

Wu, Yiman; Li, Liang

2016-01-22

To reveal metabolomic changes caused by a biological event in quantitative metabolomics, it is critical to use an analytical tool that can perform accurate and precise quantification to examine the true concentration differences of individual metabolites found in different samples. A number of steps are involved in metabolomic analysis including pre-analytical work (e.g., sample collection and storage), analytical work (e.g., sample analysis) and data analysis (e.g., feature extraction and quantification). Each one of them can influence the quantitative results significantly and thus should be performed with great care. Among them, the total sample amount or concentration of metabolites can be significantly different from one sample to another. Thus, it is critical to reduce or eliminate the effect of total sample amount variation on quantification of individual metabolites. In this review, we describe the importance of sample normalization in the analytical workflow with a focus on mass spectrometry (MS)-based platforms, discuss a number of methods recently reported in the literature and comment on their applicability in real world metabolomics applications. Sample normalization has been sometimes ignored in metabolomics, partially due to the lack of a convenient means of performing sample normalization. We show that several methods are now available and sample normalization should be performed in quantitative metabolomics where the analyzed samples have significant variations in total sample amounts. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

BetaNMR Experiments on Liquid Samples

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gottberg, A.; Stachura, M.; Hemmingsen, L.; Macfarlane, W. A.; Bio-Beta-Nmr Collaboration; Collaps Collaboration

2016-09-01

In 2012 betaNMR spectroscopy was successfully applied on liquid samples; an achievement which opens new opportunities in the fields of chemistry and biochemistry. This project was motivated by the need for finding a new experimental approach to directly study biologically highly relevant metal ions, such as Mg(II), Cu(I), Ca(II), and Zn(II), which are silent in most spectroscopic techniques. The resonance spectrum recorded for Mg-31 implanted into an ionic liquid sample showed two resonances which originate from Mg ions occupying two different coordination geometries, illustrating that this technique can discriminate between different structures. This proof-of-principle result lays the foundation for studies of these metal ions at low concentrations and in environments of biological relevance where other methods are silent. The prototype chamber for bio-betaNMR allows for experiments not only on different samples such as: liquids, gels and solids, but also operates at different vacuum environments. In order to exploit the potential of betaNMR on liquid samples, tests with polarized beams of Mg-29 and Mg-31 have recently been performed at the ISAC facility at TRIUMF.

[Corrosion resistant properties of different anodized microtopographies on titanium surfaces].

PubMed

Fangjun, Huo; Li, Xie; Xingye, Tong; Yueting, Wang; Weihua, Guo; Weidong, Tian

2015-12-01

To investigate the corrosion resistant properties of titanium samples prepared by anodic oxidation with different surface morphologies. Pure titanium substrates were treated by anodic oxidation to obtain porous titanium films in micron, submicron, and micron-submicron scales. The surface morphologies, coating cross-sectional morphologies, crystalline structures, and surface roughness of these samples were characterized. Electrochemical technique was used to measure the corrosion potential (Ecorr), current density of corrosion (Icorr), and polarization resistance (Rp) of these samples in a simulated body fluid. Pure titanium could be modified to exhibit different surface morphologies by the anodic oxidation technique. The Tafel curve results showed that the technique can improve the corrosion resistance of pure titanium. Furthermore, the corrosion resistance varied with different surface morphologies. The submicron porous surface sample demonstrated the best corrosion resistance, with maximal Ecorr and Rp and minimal Icorr. Anodic oxidation technology can improve the corrosion resistance of pure titanium in a simulated body fluid. The submicron porous surface sample exhibited the best corrosion resistance because of its small surface area and thick barrier layer.

Effects of storage temperature on tyramine production by Enterococcus faecalis R612Z1 in water-boiled salted ducks.

PubMed

Liu, Fang; Du, Lihui; Wu, Haihong; Wang, Daoying; Zhu, Yongzhi; Geng, Zhiming; Zhang, Muhan; Xu, Weimin

2014-10-01

Tyramine production by Enterococcus faecalis R612Z1 in water-boiled salted ducks was evaluated during storage at different temperatures. The results showed that E. faecalis R612Z1 could produce tyramine in meat samples when the storage temperature was no less than 4°C. The E. faecalis R612Z1 counts of the meat samples reached 10(8) CFU/g on day 7 at 4°C and on day 4 at 10°C. However, the tyramine content of the meat samples stored at 10°C increased to 23.73 μg/g (on day 10), which was greater than the level in the samples stored at 4°C (7.56 μg/g). Reverse transcription quantitative PCR detection of the expression level of the tyrDC gene in E. faecalis R612Z1 in the meat samples revealed no significant changes at different storage temperatures. Thus, the changes in tyramine production of E. faecalis R612Z1 may be due to the different enzymatic activities at different storage temperatures.

Differentiating gold nanorod samples using particle size and shape distributions from transmission electron microscope images

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grulke, Eric A.; Wu, Xiaochun; Ji, Yinglu; Buhr, Egbert; Yamamoto, Kazuhiro; Song, Nam Woong; Stefaniak, Aleksandr B.; Schwegler-Berry, Diane; Burchett, Woodrow W.; Lambert, Joshua; Stromberg, Arnold J.

2018-04-01

Size and shape distributions of gold nanorod samples are critical to their physico-chemical properties, especially their longitudinal surface plasmon resonance. This interlaboratory comparison study developed methods for measuring and evaluating size and shape distributions for gold nanorod samples using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images. The objective was to determine whether two different samples, which had different performance attributes in their application, were different with respect to their size and/or shape descriptor distributions. Touching particles in the captured images were identified using a ruggedness shape descriptor. Nanorods could be distinguished from nanocubes using an elongational shape descriptor. A non-parametric statistical test showed that cumulative distributions of an elongational shape descriptor, that is, the aspect ratio, were statistically different between the two samples for all laboratories. While the scale parameters of size and shape distributions were similar for both samples, the width parameters of size and shape distributions were statistically different. This protocol fulfills an important need for a standardized approach to measure gold nanorod size and shape distributions for applications in which quantitative measurements and comparisons are important. Furthermore, the validated protocol workflow can be automated, thus providing consistent and rapid measurements of nanorod size and shape distributions for researchers, regulatory agencies, and industry.

Glycosyltransferases as marker genes for the quantitative polymerase chain reaction-based detection of circulating tumour cells from blood samples of patients with breast cancer undergoing adjuvant therapy.

PubMed

Kölbl, Alexandra C; Hiller, Roman A; Ilmer, Mathias; Liesche, Friederike; Heublein, Sabine; Schröder, Lennard; Hutter, Stefan; Friese, Klaus; Jeschke, Udo; Andergassen, Ulrich

2015-08-01

Altered glycosylation is a predominant feature of tumour cells; it serves for cell adhesion and detachment, respectively, and facilitates the immune escape of these cells. Therefore changes in the expression of glycosyltransferase genes could help to identify circulating tumour cells (CTCs) in the blood samples of cancer patients using a quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) approach. Blood samples of healthy donors were inoculated with certain numbers of established breast cancer cell line cells, thus creating a model system. These samples were analysed by quantitative PCR for the expression of six different glycosyltransferase genes. The three genes with the best results in the model system were consecutively applied to samples from adjuvant breast cancer patients and of healthy donors. FUT3 and GALNT6 showed the highest increase in relative expression, while GALNT6 and ST3GAL3 were the first to reach statistically significant different ∆CT-values comparing the sample with and without addition of tumour cells. These three genes were applied to patient samples, but did not show any significant results that may suggest the presence of CTCs in the blood. Although the relative expression of some of the glycosyltransferase genes exhibited reasonable results in the model system, their application to breast cancer patient samples will have to be further improved, e.g. by co-analysis of patient blood samples by gold-standard methods.

Effect of different electrolytes on porous GaN using photo-electrochemical etching

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Al-Heuseen, K.; Hashim, M. R.; Ali, N. K.

2011-05-01

This article reports the properties and the behavior of GaN during the photoelectrochemical etching process using four different electrolytes. The measurements show that the porosity strongly depends on the electrolyte and highly affects the surface morphology of etched samples, which has been revealed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images. Peak intensity of the photoluminescence (PL) spectra of the porous GaN samples was observed to be enhanced and strongly depend on the electrolytes. Among the samples, there is a little difference in the peak position indicating that the change of porosity has little influence on the PL peak shift, while it highly affecting the peak intensity. Raman spectra of porous GaN under four different solution exhibit phonon mode E 2 (high), A 1 (LO), A 1 (TO) and E 2 (low). There was a red shift in E 2 (high) in all samples, indicating a relaxation of stress in the porous GaN surface with respect to the underlying single crystalline epitaxial GaN. Raman and PL intensities were high for samples etched in H 2SO 4:H 2O 2 and KOH followed by the samples etched in HF:HNO 3 and in HF:C 2H 5OH.

Effect of dental restorative materials on total antioxidant capacity and calcium concentration of unstimulated saliva.

PubMed

Ramezani, Gholam H; Moghadam, Mona-Momeni; Saghiri, Mohammad-Ali; Garcia-Godoy, Franklin; Asatourian, Armen; Aminsobhani, Mohsen; Scarbecz, Mark; Sheibani, Nader

2017-01-01

To evaluate the effect of dental amalgam and composite restorations on total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and calcium (Ca) ion concentration of unstimulated saliva. Forty-eight children aged 6-10 years selected and divided into three groups of sixteen (8 males, 8 females). In group A and B, samples consisted of two class II dental composite or amalgam restorations, while in group C samples were caries-free (control group). Unstimulated saliva from all samples was collected and TAC was measured by spectrophotometry using an adaptation of 2, 2'-azino-di-(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulphonate) (ABTS) assay. The Ca ion level was estimated by an auto- analyzer. Data were analyzed with one- and two-way ANOVA test, at a p <.05 level of significance. Composite samples showed significantly higher TAC and lower Ca ion levels compared to amalgam and caries-free samples ( p <.05). The TAC values showed only significant difference between groups ( p <.05), while the Ca ion results showed significant differences within and between groups ( p <.05). Dental composite restorations increased TAC and decreased Ca ion levels more than amalgam restorations in saliva. Gender is an effective factor in changes induced in oral cavity as females showed more emphatic reaction to dental filling materials than males. Patients who have dental restorations, especially dental composites, should pay more attention to their dental hygiene, because dental restorations can increase oxidative stress and decrease Ca ion level in saliva, which might jeopardize remineralization process of tooth structures after demineralization. Key words: Amalgam, caries, composite, saliva, total antioxidant capacity.

Design of gefitinib-loaded poly (l-lactic acid) microspheres via a supercritical anti-solvent process for dry powder inhalation.

PubMed

Lin, Qing; Liu, Guijin; Zhao, Ziyi; Wei, Dongwei; Pang, Jiafeng; Jiang, Yanbin

2017-10-30

To develop a safer, more stable and potent formulation of gefitinib (GFB), micro-spheres of GFB encapsulated into poly (l-lactic acid) (PLLA) have been prepared by supercritical anti-solvent (SAS) technology in this study. Operating factors were optimized using a selected OA 16 (4 5 ) orthogonal array design, and the properties of the raw material and SAS processed samples were characterized by different methods The results show that the GFB-loaded PLLA particles prepared were spherical, having a smaller and narrower particle size compared with raw GFB. The optimal GFB-loaded PLLA sample was prepared with less aggregation, highest GFB loading (15.82%) and smaller size (D 50 =2.48μm, which meets the size of dry powder inhalers). The results of XRD and DSC indicate that GFB is encapsulated into PLLA matrix in a polymorphic form different from raw GFB. FT-IR results show that the chemical structure of GFB does not change after the SAS process. The results of in vitro release show that the optimal sample release was slower compared with raw GFB particles. Moreover, the results of in vitro anti-cancer trials show that the optimal sample had a higher cytotoxicity than raw GFB. After blending with sieved lactose, the flowability and aerosolization performance of the optimal sample for DPI were improved, with angle of repose, emitted dose and fine particles fractions from 38.4° to 23°, 63.21% to >90%, 23.37% to >30%, respectively. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The Laboratory Study of Shear Strength of the Overconsolidated and Quasi - Overconsolidated Fine - Grained Soil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Strozyk, Joanna

2017-12-01

The paper presents results of laboratory shear strength test conducted on fine-grained soil samples with different grain size distribution and with different geological age and stress history. The Triaxial Isotopic Consolidation Undrained Tests (TXCIU) were performed under different consolidation stress in normal and overconsolidadion stress state on the samples with natural structure. Soil samples were selected from soil series of different age and geological origins: overconsolidated sensu stricto Miopliocene silty clay (siCl) and quasi overconsolidated Pleistocene clayey silt (clSi). Paper pointed out that overconsolidated sensu stricto and quasi overconsolidated fine-grained soil in same stress and environmental condition could show almost similar behaviour, and in other condition could behave significantly different. The correct evaluation of geotechnical parameters, the possibility of predicting their time-correct ability is only possible with appropriately recognized geological past and past processes that accompanied the soil formation.

Effects of orbital exposure on Halar during the LDEF mission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brower, William E., Jr.; Holla, Harish; Bauer, Robert A.

1992-01-01

Thermomechanical Analysis (TMA), Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), and Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA) were performed on samples of Halar exposed on the LDEF Mission for 6 years in orbit and unexposed Halar control samples. Sections 10-100 microns thick were removed from the exposed surface down to a depth of 1,000 microns through the 3 mm thick samples. The TMA and DSC results, which arise from the entire slice and not just its surface, showed no differences between the LDEF and the control samples. TMA scans were run from ambient to 300 C; results were compared by a tabulation of the glass transition temperatures. DSC scans were run from ambient to 700 C; the enthalpy of melting was compared for the samples as a function of section depth with the sample. The TGA results, which arise from the surface of the sample initially, showed a sharp increase in the topmost 50 micron section (the exposed, discolored side) in the weight loss of 170 C in oxygen. This weight loss dropped to bulk values in the range of depth of 50-200 microns. The control sample showed only a slight increase in weight loss as the top surface was approached. The LDEF Halar sample appears to be mechanically undamaged, with a surface layer which oxidizes faster as a result of orbital exposure.

Effect of Different Lignocellulosic Diets on Bacterial Microbiota and Hydrolytic Enzyme Activities in the Gut of the Cotton Boll Weevil (Anthonomus grandis).

PubMed

Ben Guerrero, Emiliano; Soria, Marcelo; Salvador, Ricardo; Ceja-Navarro, Javier A; Campos, Eleonora; Brodie, Eoin L; Talia, Paola

2016-01-01

Cotton boll weevils, Anthonomus grandis , are omnivorous coleopteran that can feed on diets with different compositions, including recalcitrant lignocellulosic materials. We characterized the changes in the prokaryotic community structure and the hydrolytic activities of A. grandis larvae fed on different lignocellulosic diets. A. grandis larvae were fed on three different artificial diets: cottonseed meal (CM), Napier grass (NG) and corn stover (CS). Total DNA was extracted from the gut samples for amplification and sequencing of the V3-V4 hypervariable region of the 16S rRNA gene. Proteobacteria and Firmicutes dominated the gut microbiota followed by Actinobacteria, Spirochaetes and a small number of unclassified phyla in CM and NG microbiomes. In the CS feeding group, members of Spirochaetes were the most prevalent, followed by Proteobacteria and Firmicutes. Bray-Curtis distances showed that the samples from the CS community were clearly separated from those samples of the CM and NG diets. Gut extracts from all three diets exhibited endoglucanase, xylanase, β-glucosidase and pectinase activities. These activities were significantly affected by pH and temperature across different diets. We observed that the larvae reared on a CM showed significantly higher activities than larvae reared on NG and CS. We demonstrated that the intestinal bacterial community structure varies depending on diet composition. Diets with more variable and complex compositions, such as CS, showed higher bacterial diversity and richness than the two other diets. In spite of the detected changes in composition and diversity, we identified a core microbiome shared between the three different lignocellulosic diets. These results suggest that feeding with diets of different lignocellulosic composition could be a viable strategy to discover variants of hemicellulose and cellulose breakdown systems.

Effect of Different Lignocellulosic Diets on Bacterial Microbiota and Hydrolytic Enzyme Activities in the Gut of the Cotton Boll Weevil (Anthonomus grandis)

PubMed Central

Ben Guerrero, Emiliano; Soria, Marcelo; Salvador, Ricardo; Ceja-Navarro, Javier A.; Campos, Eleonora; Brodie, Eoin L.; Talia, Paola

2016-01-01

Cotton boll weevils, Anthonomus grandis, are omnivorous coleopteran that can feed on diets with different compositions, including recalcitrant lignocellulosic materials. We characterized the changes in the prokaryotic community structure and the hydrolytic activities of A. grandis larvae fed on different lignocellulosic diets. A. grandis larvae were fed on three different artificial diets: cottonseed meal (CM), Napier grass (NG) and corn stover (CS). Total DNA was extracted from the gut samples for amplification and sequencing of the V3-V4 hypervariable region of the 16S rRNA gene. Proteobacteria and Firmicutes dominated the gut microbiota followed by Actinobacteria, Spirochaetes and a small number of unclassified phyla in CM and NG microbiomes. In the CS feeding group, members of Spirochaetes were the most prevalent, followed by Proteobacteria and Firmicutes. Bray–Curtis distances showed that the samples from the CS community were clearly separated from those samples of the CM and NG diets. Gut extracts from all three diets exhibited endoglucanase, xylanase, β-glucosidase and pectinase activities. These activities were significantly affected by pH and temperature across different diets. We observed that the larvae reared on a CM showed significantly higher activities than larvae reared on NG and CS. We demonstrated that the intestinal bacterial community structure varies depending on diet composition. Diets with more variable and complex compositions, such as CS, showed higher bacterial diversity and richness than the two other diets. In spite of the detected changes in composition and diversity, we identified a core microbiome shared between the three different lignocellulosic diets. These results suggest that feeding with diets of different lignocellulosic composition could be a viable strategy to discover variants of hemicellulose and cellulose breakdown systems. PMID:28082962

How many stakes are required to measure the mass balance of a glacier?

USGS Publications Warehouse

Fountain, A.G.; Vecchia, A.

1999-01-01

Glacier mass balance is estimated for South Cascade Glacier and Maclure Glacier using a one-dimensional regression of mass balance with altitude as an alternative to the traditional approach of contouring mass balance values. One attractive feature of regression is that it can be applied to sparse data sets where contouring is not possible and can provide an objective error of the resulting estimate. Regression methods yielded mass balance values equivalent to contouring methods. The effect of the number of mass balance measurements on the final value for the glacier showed that sample sizes as small as five stakes provided reasonable estimates, although the error estimates were greater than for larger sample sizes. Different spatial patterns of measurement locations showed no appreciable influence on the final value as long as different surface altitudes were intermittently sampled over the altitude range of the glacier. Two different regression equations were examined, a quadratic, and a piecewise linear spline, and comparison of results showed little sensitivity to the type of equation. These results point to the dominant effect of the gradient of mass balance with altitude of alpine glaciers compared to transverse variations. The number of mass balance measurements required to determine the glacier balance appears to be scale invariant for small glaciers and five to ten stakes are sufficient.

Anterior dental alignment and smile: perception and sensations in a sample of 8- to 10-year-old children and their parents.

PubMed

Lombardo, Luca; Berveglieri, Chiara; Guarneri, Maria Paola; Siciliani, Giuseppe

2011-01-01

To describe the perception and sensations that dental alignment and smile determine in a sample of 180 children aged between 8 and 10 years, to assess whether there is a general trend in the classification of smiles, and to understand the influence of background attractiveness and sexual traits on the judgment of smile in the sample of children and 150 parents. We employed visual media showing a smile in four different arrangements (ideal incisal occlusion [N], median diastema [D], incisal crowding [A], and protruding incisors [P), in both a dynamic and static way, with and without background attractiveness. Trends were found among responses to the four classes of videos and photographs: The boy's smile gained a higher score than the girl's smile. In both the boy and girl presentations, there was an important preference to the following sequence of smiles: N, D, A, and P. Furthermore, the girl photographs showed no relevant difference between A and D. This study showed that there are no different perceptions and sensations due to the variation of dental alignment. There is a general trend in the classification of smiles according to dental alignment. Background attractiveness and sexual traits influenced the judgment of smile.

Associations among the parent-adolescent relationship, aggression and delinquency in different ethnic groups: a replication across two Dutch samples.

PubMed

Eichelsheim, Veroni I; Buist, Kirsten L; Deković, Maja; Wissink, Inge B; Frijns, Tom; van Lier, Pol A C; Koot, Hans M; Meeus, Wim H J

2010-03-01

The aim of the present study is to examine whether the patterns of association between the quality of the parent-adolescent relationship on the one hand, and aggression and delinquency on the other hand, are the same for boys and girls of Dutch and Moroccan origin living in the Netherlands. Since inconsistent results have been found previously, the present study tests the replicability of the model of associations in two different Dutch samples of adolescents. Study 1 included 288 adolescents (M age = 14.9, range 12-17 years) all attending lower secondary education. Study 2 included 306 adolescents (M age = 13.2, range = 12-15 years) who were part of a larger community sample with oversampling of at risk adolescents. Multigroup structural analyses showed that neither in Study 1 nor in Study 2 ethnic or gender differences were found in the patterns of associations between support, autonomy, disclosure, and negativity in the parent-adolescent relationship and aggression and delinquency. The patterns were largely similar for both studies. Mainly negative quality of the relationship in both studies was found to be strongly related to both aggression and delinquency. Results show that family processes that affect adolescent development, show a large degree of universality across gender and ethnicity.

Influence of pulsed electric field treatments on the volatile compounds of milk in comparison with pasteurized processing.

PubMed

Zhang, Sha; Yang, Ruijin; Zhao, Wei; Hua, Xiao; Zhang, Wenbin; Zhang, Zhong

2011-01-01

Effects of pulsed electric field (PEF) treatments on the volatile profiles of milk were studied and compared with pasteurized treatment of high temperature short time (HTST) (75 °C, 15 s). Volatile compounds were extracted by solid-phase micro-extraction (SPME) and identified by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and gas chromatography-olfactometry (GC-O). A total of 37 volatile compounds were determined by GC-MS, and 19 volatile compounds were considered to be major contributors to the characteristic flavor of milk samples. PEF treatment resulted in an increase in aldehydes. Milk treated with PEF at 30 kV/cm showed the highest content of pentanal, hexanal, and nonanal, while heptanal and decanal contents were lower than in pasteurized milk, but higher than in raw milk. All the methyl ketones detected in PEF milk were lower than in pasteurized milk. No significant differences in acids (acetic acid, butanoic acid, hexanoic acid, octanoic acid, and decanoic acid), lactones, and alcohols were observed between pasteurized and PEF-treated samples; however, 2(5H)-furanone was only detected in PEF-treated milk. Although GC-MS results showed that there were some volatile differences between pasteurized and PEF-treated milk, GC-O data showed no significant difference between the 2 samples.

A preliminary investigation to explore the cognitive resources of physicians experiencing difficulty in training.

PubMed

Patterson, Fiona; Cousans, Fran; Coyne, Iain; Jones, Jo; Macleod, Sheona; Zibarras, Lara

2017-05-15

Treating patients is complex, and research shows that there are differences in cognitive resources between physicians who experience difficulties, and those who do not. It is possible that differences in some cognitive resources could explain the difficulties faced by some physicians. In this study, we explore differences in cognitive resources between different groups of physicians (that is, between native (UK) physicians and International Medical Graduates (IMG); those who continue with training versus those who were subsequently removed from the training programme); and also between physicians experiencing difficulties compared with the general population. A secondary evaluation was conducted on an anonymised dataset provided by the East Midlands Professional Support Unit (PSU). One hundred and twenty one postgraduate trainee physicians took part in an Educational Psychology assessment through PSU. Referrals to the PSU were mainly on the basis of problems with exam progression and difficulties in communication skills, organisation and confidence. Cognitive resources were assessed using the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS-IV). Physicians were categorised into three PSU outcomes: 'Continued in training', 'Removed from training' and 'Active' (currently accessing the PSU). Using a one-sample Z test, we compared the referred physician sample to a UK general population sample on the WAIS-IV and found the referred sample significantly higher in Verbal Comprehension (VCI; z = 8.78) and significantly lower in Working Memory (WMI; z = -4.59). In addition, the native sample were significantly higher in Verbal Comprehension than the UK general population sample (VCI; native physicians: z = 9.95, p < .001, d = 1.25), whilst there was a lesser effect for the difference between the IMG sample and the UK general population (z = 2.13, p = .03, d = 0.29). Findings also showed a significant difference in VCI scores between those physicians who were 'Removed from training' and those who 'Continued in training'. Our results suggest it is important to understand the cognitive resources of physicians to provide a more focussed explanation of those who experience difficulties in training. This will help to implement more targeted interventions to help physicians develop compensatory strategies.

Estimation of transit times in a Karst Aquifer system using environmental tracers: Application on the Jeita Aquifer system-Lebanon.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Doummar, Joanna; Hamdan, Ahmad

2016-04-01

Estimating transit times is essential for the assessment of aquifer vulnerability to contaminants. Groundwater in karst aquifer is assumed to be relatively young due to fast preferential pathways; slow flow components are present in water stored in the fissured matrix. Furthermore, transit times are site specific as they depend on recharge rates, temperatures, elevation, and flow media; saturated and unsaturated zones. These differences create significant variation in the groundwater age in karst systems as the water sampled will be a mix of different water that has been transported through different flow pathways (fissured matrix and conduits). Several methods can be applied to estimate water transit time of an aquifer such as artificial tracers, which provide an estimate for fast flow velocities. In this study, groundwater residence times in the Jeita spring aquifer (Lebanon) were estimated using several environmental tracers such as Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), Sulfur Hexafluoride (SF6), Helium-Tritium (3H, 3H- 3He). Additional stable isotope and major ion analysis was performed to characterize water types. Groundwater samples were collected from six different wells in the Jeita catchment area (Jurassic Kesrouane aquifer) as well as from the spring and cave itself. The results are reproducible for the Tritium-Helium method, unlike for the CFC/SF6 methods that yielded poor results due to sampling problems. Tritium concentrations in all groundwater samples show nearly the same concentration (~2.73 TU) except for one sample with relatively lower tritium concentration (~2.26 TU). Ages ranging from 0.07 ± 0.07 years to 23.59 ± 0.00 years were obtained. The youngest age is attributed to the spring/ cave while the oldest ages were obtained in wells tapping the fissured matrix. Neon in these samples showed considerable variations and high delta Ne in some samples indicating high excess air. Four (4) samples showed extreme excess air (Delta-Ne is greater than 70 %) and the remaining 3 samples have Delta-Ne in the expected range between (10-35%). Moreover Tritium-Helium analysis has showed some radiogenic Helium (4He) in one sample along with lower tritium concentrations signifying a mixture of new groundwater with old groundwater (older than 50 yrs). Furthermore, this study is complemented with published analysis of a series of 26 artificial tracer experiments performed in the Jeita karst system (Doummar, 2012). Transit times calculated from tracer experiments ranged between 3 and 300 hours (12 days). The shortest ones were recorded in the Jeita subsurface conduit. While injections in sinkholes yielded moderate transit times, fissured matrix and unsaturated zone resulted in relatively long ones. In Lebanon this type of spatial groundwater age dating using environmental tracers was not applied to date, to the exception of grab sample analysis. A second round of sampling for Tritium-Helium, CFCs and SF6 analysis will be undertaken under different flow periods in February 2016 to validate the obtained results. References Geyer, T. 2008: Process-based characterization of flow and transport in karst aquifers at catchment scale. Dissertation, Georg-August-Universität Göttingen, 103 S. Geyer, T., and Doummar, J. 2013. Protection of the Jeita Spring: Bestimmung der mittleren Verweilzeit des Grundwassers im Einzugsgebiet der Jeita Quelle-Libanon. Special report. Protection of the Jeita Spring. Applied Geosciences. Georg August University, Göttingen.

Chemistry and potential mutagenicity of humic substances in waters from different watersheds in Britain and Ireland

USGS Publications Warehouse

Watt, B.E.; Malcolm, R.L.; Hayes, M.H.B.; Clark, N.W.E.; Chipman, J.K.

1996-01-01

Humic substances are amorphous organic macromolecules responsible for the hue of natural waters. They are also known to be precursors of mutagens formed on chlorination prior to distribution of drinking water. In this study humic substances from the waters of primary streams, from major rivers, and from reservoirs were isolated and fractionated into humic acids (HA), fulvic acids (FA) and XAD-4 acids using columns of XAD-8 and of XAD-4 resins in tandem, and the fractions from the different sources were chlorinated and assayed for mutagenicity. CPMAS 13C NMR spectroscopy showed marked differences in compositions not only between HA, FA, and XAD-4 acids from the same water samples, but also between the same fractions from water samples from different watersheds. There were found to be strong similarities between the fractions from watersheds which had closely related soil types. Aromaticity was greatest in HAs, and lowest in XAD-4 acids, and carboxyl contents and aliphatic character were greatest in the XAD-4 acids. Carbon content decreased in the order HA > FA > XAD-4 acids, and amino acids and neutral sugars contents decreased in the order HA > XAD-4 > FA. Titration data complemented aspects of the NMR data, demonstrating that carboxyl content decreased in the order XAD-4 acids > FA > HA, and indicated that phenolic character was highest in HAs and lowest in the XAD-4 acids. All samples tested gave rise to bacterial mutagens on chlorination. Although the mutagenicities were of the same order of magnitude for the chlorinated humic samples from the different sources, the samples which showed the greatest number of revertant bacterial colonies were from the Thames and Trent, large rivers with humic materials from diverse environments, and relatively high in amino acid contents.

Frequency domain fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy system for detecting inflammatory cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yahav, Gilad; Gershanov, Sivan; Salmon-Divon, Mali; Ben-Zvi, Haim; Mircus, Gabriel; Goldenberg-Cohen, Nitza; Fixler, Dror

2018-02-01

Characterizing different pathological states in the cellular level with a high throughput diagnostic tool is one of the main interests today. In previously works, we demonstrated how the frequency domain (FD) fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM) technique could be utilized to implement that in variety of examples. Among them was to classify between different chromosomal abnormalities in patients with b-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL) and between metastatic cells and inflammation cells in the cerebral spinal fluid of patients with Medulloblastoma. This research describes the use of FD-FLIM system to differentiate between patients diagnosed without any disease (controls) that showed a normal median FLT (2.65+/-0.11ns) and patients diagnosed with inflammation (viruses and bacteria) that showed a prolong median FLT and a larger distribution (3.18+/-0.44ns in viruses and 3.28+/-0.45ns). The study group of this research included 43 samples divided into 4 groups: 9 samples diagnosed with different types of bacteria, 16 samples diagnosed with different types of viruses, 12 samples diagnosed with no any bacteria or virus and 5 samples diagnosed without any disease that served as controls. Furthermore, we studied a group of patients without detection of inflammation that were sick. We found that this group was divided into two groups; one group had the same median FLT as the controls, and the other group had the same median FLT as the inflammatory patients. As a result, we believe the FD-FLIM system can suggest a faster and more accurate diagnostic technique than the methods used today. The correlations of the FLT distribution pattern with the different groups are presented.

Linear model correction: A method for transferring a near-infrared multivariate calibration model without standard samples.

PubMed

Liu, Yan; Cai, Wensheng; Shao, Xueguang

2016-12-05

Calibration transfer is essential for practical applications of near infrared (NIR) spectroscopy because the measurements of the spectra may be performed on different instruments and the difference between the instruments must be corrected. For most of calibration transfer methods, standard samples are necessary to construct the transfer model using the spectra of the samples measured on two instruments, named as master and slave instrument, respectively. In this work, a method named as linear model correction (LMC) is proposed for calibration transfer without standard samples. The method is based on the fact that, for the samples with similar physical and chemical properties, the spectra measured on different instruments are linearly correlated. The fact makes the coefficients of the linear models constructed by the spectra measured on different instruments are similar in profile. Therefore, by using the constrained optimization method, the coefficients of the master model can be transferred into that of the slave model with a few spectra measured on slave instrument. Two NIR datasets of corn and plant leaf samples measured with different instruments are used to test the performance of the method. The results show that, for both the datasets, the spectra can be correctly predicted using the transferred partial least squares (PLS) models. Because standard samples are not necessary in the method, it may be more useful in practical uses. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Comparative Assessment of a Self-sampling Device and Gynecologist Sampling for Cytology and HPV DNA Detection in a Rural and Low Resource Setting: Malaysian Experience.

PubMed

Latiff, Latiffah A; Ibrahim, Zaidah; Pei, Chong Pei; Rahman, Sabariah Abdul; Akhtari-Zavare, Mehrnoosh

2015-01-01

This study was conducted to assess the agreement and differences between cervical self-sampling with a Kato device (KSSD) and gynecologist sampling for Pap cytology and human papillomavirus DNA (HPV DNA) detection. Women underwent self-sampling followed by gynecologist sampling during screening at two primary health clinics. Pap cytology of cervical specimens was evaluated for specimen adequacy, presence of endocervical cells or transformation zone cells and cytological interpretation for cells abnormalities. Cervical specimens were also extracted and tested for HPV DNA detection. Positive HPV smears underwent gene sequencing and HPV genotyping by referring to the online NCBI gene bank. Results were compared between samplings by Kappa agreement and McNemar test. For Pap specimen adequacy, KSSD showed 100% agreement with gynecologist sampling but had only 32.3% agreement for presence of endocervical cells. Both sampling showed 100% agreement with only 1 case detected HSIL favouring CIN2 for cytology result. HPV DNA detection showed 86.2%agreement (K=0.64, 95% CI 0.524-0.756, p=0.001) between samplings. KSSD and gynaecologist sampling identified high risk HPV in 17.3% and 23.9% respectively (p= 0.014). The self-sampling using Kato device can serve as a tool in Pap cytology and HPV DNA detection in low resource settings in Malaysia. Self-sampling devices such as KSSD can be used as an alternative technique to gynaecologist sampling for cervical cancer screening among rural populations in Malaysia.

Rater Evaluations for Psychiatric Instruments and Cultural Differences: The PANSS in China and United States

PubMed Central

Aggarwal, Neil Krishan; Zhang, Xiang Yang; Stefanovics, Elina; Chen, Da Chun; Xiu, Mei Hong; Xu, Ke; Rosenheck, Robert A.

2013-01-01

This article compares Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) data from Chinese and American inpatients with chronic schizophrenia to show how differences in item ratings may reflect cultural attitudes of raters. The Chinese sample (N=504) came from Beijing Huilongguan Hospital. The American sample came from 268 PANSS assessments of CATIE subjects hospitalized for 15 days or more to optimize equivalence of the samples. Controlling for age and gender, the Chinese sample scored significantly lower for total score by 25% (p<.0001), for the positive sub-scale by 35% (p<.0001), and on the general sub-scale by 32% (p<.0001), but not significantly different on the negative sub-scale score (+0.26%, p=0.76). However, the Chinese sample scored 26% higher on the item on poor rapport (p<.0001), 10.2% higher on passive social withdrawal (p=.003), and most notably 46% higher on the item on lack of judgment and insight (p<.0001). These results remain broadly consistent across gender sub-group analyses. Differences seem to be best explained by both cultural differences in patient clinical presentations as well as varying American and Chinese cultural values affecting rater judgment. PMID:22922237

Characterization of the nasal and oral microbiota of detection dogs.

PubMed

Isaiah, Anitha; Hoffmann, Aline Rodrigues; Kelley, Russ; Mundell, Paul; Steiner, Jörg M; Suchodolski, Jan S

2017-01-01

Little is known about physiological factors that affect the sense of olfaction in dogs. The objectives of this study were to describe the canine nasal and oral microbiota in detection dogs. We sought to determine the bacterial composition of the nasal and oral microbiota of a diverse population of detection canines. Nasal and oral swabs were collected from healthy dogs (n = 81) from four locations-Alabama, Georgia, California, and Texas. Nasal and oral swabs were also collected from a second cohort of detection canines belonging to three different detection job categories: explosive detection dogs (SP-E; n = 22), patrol and narcotics detection dogs (P-NDD; n = 15), and vapor wake dogs (VWD-E; n = 9). To understand if the nasal and oral microbiota of detection canines were variable, sample collection was repeated after 7 weeks in a subset of dogs. DNA was extracted from the swabs and used for 454-pyrosequencing of the16S rRNA genes. Nasal samples had a significantly lower diversity than oral samples (P<0.01). Actinobacteria and Proteobacteria were higher in nasal samples, while Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes, Fusobacteria, and Tenericutes were higher in oral samples. Bacterial diversity was not significantly different based on the detection job. No significant difference in beta diversity was observed in the nasal samples based on the detection job. In oral samples, however, ANOSIM suggested a significant difference in bacterial communities based on job category albeit with a small effect size (R = 0.1079, P = 0.02). Analysis of the composition of bacterial communities using LEfSe showed that within the nasal samples, Cardiobacterium and Riemerella were higher in VWD-E dogs, and Sphingobacterium was higher in the P-NDD group. In the oral samples Enterococcus and Capnocytophaga were higher in the P-NDD group. Gemella and Aggregatibacter were higher in S-PE, and Pigmentiphaga, Chryseobacterium, Parabacteroides amongst others were higher within the VWD-E group. Our initial data also shows that there is a temporal variation in alpha diversity in nasal samples in detection canines.

Characterization of the nasal and oral microbiota of detection dogs

PubMed Central

Hoffmann, Aline Rodrigues; Kelley, Russ; Mundell, Paul; Steiner, Jörg M.

2017-01-01

Little is known about physiological factors that affect the sense of olfaction in dogs. The objectives of this study were to describe the canine nasal and oral microbiota in detection dogs. We sought to determine the bacterial composition of the nasal and oral microbiota of a diverse population of detection canines. Nasal and oral swabs were collected from healthy dogs (n = 81) from four locations—Alabama, Georgia, California, and Texas. Nasal and oral swabs were also collected from a second cohort of detection canines belonging to three different detection job categories: explosive detection dogs (SP-E; n = 22), patrol and narcotics detection dogs (P-NDD; n = 15), and vapor wake dogs (VWD-E; n = 9). To understand if the nasal and oral microbiota of detection canines were variable, sample collection was repeated after 7 weeks in a subset of dogs. DNA was extracted from the swabs and used for 454-pyrosequencing of the16S rRNA genes. Nasal samples had a significantly lower diversity than oral samples (P<0.01). Actinobacteria and Proteobacteria were higher in nasal samples, while Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes, Fusobacteria, and Tenericutes were higher in oral samples. Bacterial diversity was not significantly different based on the detection job. No significant difference in beta diversity was observed in the nasal samples based on the detection job. In oral samples, however, ANOSIM suggested a significant difference in bacterial communities based on job category albeit with a small effect size (R = 0.1079, P = 0.02). Analysis of the composition of bacterial communities using LEfSe showed that within the nasal samples, Cardiobacterium and Riemerella were higher in VWD-E dogs, and Sphingobacterium was higher in the P-NDD group. In the oral samples Enterococcus and Capnocytophaga were higher in the P-NDD group. Gemella and Aggregatibacter were higher in S-PE, and Pigmentiphaga, Chryseobacterium, Parabacteroides amongst others were higher within the VWD-E group. Our initial data also shows that there is a temporal variation in alpha diversity in nasal samples in detection canines. PMID:28934260

Partitioning behavior of heavy metals and persistent organic pollutants among feto-maternal bloods and tissues.

PubMed

Kim, Jun-Tae; Son, Min-Hui; Lee, Duk-Hee; Seong, Won Joon; Han, Seunghee; Chang, Yoon-Seok

2015-06-16

Heavy metals and persistent organic pollutants (POPs), including Pb, Cd, T-Hg, MeHg, PCDD/Fs, PCBs, PBDEs, PCNs, and PBDD/Fs, were analyzed in 20 paired samples of cord blood, maternal blood, maternal urine, and placenta. The samples were collected from pregnant mothers and neonates from South Korea in 2010. The distribution of heavy metals among the samples varied with their physicochemical characteristics. The concentrations of Pb and Hg in the maternal and the cord blood samples were significantly correlated each other, implying efficient transplacental transport (TPT). Cd and Hg were accumulated in the placenta, forming protein conjugates, and T-Hg was higher in the cord blood samples than the maternal blood samples due to the binding affinity of Hg with fetal proteins. POPs generally showed the highest concentrations in the maternal serum samples, and the POPs levels in the cord serum and the placenta samples were dependent on the degree of halogenation. The TPT of POPs was seemingly related to lipoprotein transportation. Some PBDE congeners, however, showed their highest concentrations in the cord serum samples, suggesting an additional TPT mechanism. This is the first study to detect PCNs and PBDD/Fs in the cord serum samples, showing that the PCN levels were comparable to other POPs. According to the principal component analysis (PCA) results of the contaminant levels, POPs and heavy metals showed significantly different characteristics, whereas PBDEs had an intermediate attribute. Despite the limited number of participants, the comprehensive analysis of trace contaminants in the paired sample sets enabled us to infer the distribution and TPT mechanism of various contaminants.

Analysis of the research sample collections of Uppsala biobank.

PubMed

Engelmark, Malin T; Beskow, Anna H

2014-10-01

Uppsala Biobank is the joint and only biobank organization of the two principals, Uppsala University and Uppsala University Hospital. Biobanks are required to have updated registries on sample collection composition and management in order to fulfill legal regulations. We report here the results from the first comprehensive and overall analysis of the 131 research sample collections organized in the biobank. The results show that the median of the number of samples in the collections was 700 and that the number of samples varied from less than 500 to over one million. Blood samples, such as whole blood, serum, and plasma, were included in the vast majority, 84.0%, of the research sample collections. Also, as much as 95.5% of the newly collected samples within healthcare included blood samples, which further supports the concept that blood samples have fundamental importance for medical research. Tissue samples were also commonly used and occurred in 39.7% of the research sample collections, often combined with other types of samples. In total, 96.9% of the 131 sample collections included samples collected for healthcare, showing the importance of healthcare as a research infrastructure. Of the collections that had accessed existing samples from healthcare, as much as 96.3% included tissue samples from the Department of Pathology, which shows the importance of pathology samples as a resource for medical research. Analysis of different research areas shows that the most common of known public health diseases are covered. Collections that had generated the most publications, up to over 300, contained a large number of samples collected systematically and repeatedly over many years. More knowledge about existing biobank materials, together with public registries on sample collections, will support research collaborations, improve transparency, and bring us closer to the goals of biobanks, which is to save and prolong human lives and improve health and quality of life.

Differences in bacterial composition between men's and women's restrooms and other common areas within a public building.

PubMed

Dobbler, Priscila Caroline Thiago; Laureano, Álvaro Macedo; Sarzi, Deise Schroder; Cañón, Ehidy Rocio Peña; Metz, Geferson Fernando; de Freitas, Anderson Santos; Takagaki, Beatriz Midori; D Oliveira, Cristiane Barbosa; Pylro, Victor Satler; Copetti, André Carlos; Victoria, Filipe; Redmile-Gordon, Marc; Morais, Daniel Kumazawa; Roesch, Luiz Fernando Wurdig

2018-04-01

Humans distribute a wide range of microorganisms around building interiors, and some of these are potentially pathogenic. Recent research established that humans are the main drivers of the indoor microbiome and up to now significant literature has been produced about this topic. Here we analyzed differences in bacterial composition between men's and women's restrooms and other common areas within the same public building. Bacterial DNA samples were collected from restrooms and halls of a three-floor building from the Federal University of Pampa, RS, Brazil. The bacterial community was characterized by amplification of the V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene and sequencing. Throughout all samples, the most abundant phylum was Proteobacteria, followed by Actinobacteria, Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes. Beta diversity metrics showed that the structure of the bacterial communities were different among the areas and floors tested, however, only 6-9% of the variation in bacterial communities was explained by the area and floors sampled. A few microorganisms showed significantly differential abundance between men's and women's restrooms, but in general, the bacterial communities from both places were very similar. Finally, significant differences among the microbial community profile from different floors were reported, suggesting that the type of use and occupant demographic within the building may directly influence bacterial dispersion and establishment.

Viscoelasticity and texture of spreadable cheeses with different fat contents at refrigeration and room temperatures.

PubMed

Bayarri, S; Carbonell, I; Costell, E

2012-12-01

The effect of the 2 common consumption temperatures, refrigeration temperature (10°C) and room temperature (22°C), on the viscoelasticity, mechanical properties, and perceived texture of commercial cream cheeses was studied. Two samples with different fat contents, regular and low fat, from each of 4 selected commercial brands were analyzed. The selection criteria were based on identification of brands with different percentages of fat content reduction between the regular- and low-fat samples (35, 50, 84, and 98.5%). The fat content of regular-fat samples ranged from 19.8 to 26.0% (wt/wt), and that of low-fat samples ranged from 0.3 to 13.0% (wt/wt). Viscoelasticity was measured in a controlled-stress rheometer using parallel-plate geometry, and the mechanical characteristics of samples were measured using the spreadability test. Differences in the intensity of thickness, creaminess, and roughness between the regular- and low-fat samples of each commercial brand were evaluated at each of the selected temperatures by using the paired comparisons test. At 10°C, all samples showed higher viscoelastic modulus values, firmness, and stickiness, and lower spreadability than when they were measured at 22°C. Differences in viscoelasticity and mechanical properties between each pair of samples of the same brand were greater at 10°C than at 22°C because of the influence not only of fat content but also of fat state. Ingestion temperature did not modify the sensory differences detected between each pair of samples in terms of creaminess and roughness, but it did modify the differences detected in thickness. The joint consideration of sample composition, fat state, and product behavior during oral processing could explain the differences detected in thickness perceived because of measurement temperatures. Copyright © 2012 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Chemical differences between small subsamples of Apollo 15 olivine-normative basalts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shervais, J. W.; Vetter, S. K.; Lindstrom, M. M.

1990-01-01

Results are presented on the chemical and petrological characterization of nine samples of an Apollo 15 mare basalt suite. The results show that all nine samples are low-silica olivine normative basalts (ONBs) similar to those described earlier for low-silica ONBs from Apollo 15 site. The samples were found to vary in texture and grain size, from fine-grained intergranular or subophitic basalts to coarse-grained granular 'microgabbros'. Several displayed macroscopic heterogeneity. Variation diagrams show that the overall trend of the data is consistent with the fractionation of olivine (plus minor Cr-spinel) from a high-MgO parent magma.

A latitudinal study of oxygen isotopes within horsehair

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thompson, E.; Bronk Ramsey, C.; McConnell, J. R.

2016-12-01

This study aims to explore the hypothesis that 'if oxygen isotope ratios deplete with decreasing temperature then a study of oxygen isotope ratios within horsehair from Oxfordshire to Iceland will show a latitudinal depletion gradient'. By looking at oxygen isotope values at different geographical positions, we can track the relationship with latitude and with different regional climate features. This will provide a firmer understanding of how to compare climate records from different locations. Additionally, a comparison of the horse breeds from this study to those analysed within previous studies will create an even better understanding of the intra-species variation within the δ18O values of horsehair. A total of 24 horses were sampled on the 7th March from Thordale Stud in Shetland, the Icelandic Food And Veterinary Authority in Iceland, the Exmoor Pony Centre in Exmoor and the Pigeon House Equestrian Centre in Oxfordshire. By starting the sampling process from the most recent growth at the follicle, the sampling date becomes a chronological marker, temporally fixing the first sample within a sequential set of data points extending for one year or longer, depending on the length of each individual hair. The samples were analysed for oxygen isotope values using an IRMS coupled within a Sercon HTEA. Preliminary results show a latitudinal gradient is evident on comparison between the locations, consistent with the findings of Darling and Talbot's study of fresh water isotopes in the British Isles (2003). These results support the hypothesis, showing that a study of oxygen isotope ratios within horse hair from Oxfordshire to Iceland showing a latitudinal depletion gradient, consistent with a depletion of oxygen isotope ratios due to decreasing temperatures. Darling, W. and Talbot, J. (2003). The O and H stable isotope composition of freshwaters in the British Isles. 1. Rainfall. Hydrol. Earth System Science, 7(2), pp.163-181.

Design and Field Procedures in the US National Comorbidity Survey Replication Adolescent Supplement (NCS-A)

PubMed Central

Kessler, Ronald C.; Avenevoli, Shelli; Costello, E. Jane; Green, Jennifer Greif; Gruber, Michael J.; Heeringa, Steven; Merikangas, Kathleen R.; Pennell, Beth-Ellen; Sampson, Nancy A.; Zaslavsky, Alan M.

2009-01-01

An overview is presented of the design and field procedures of the US National Comorbidity Survey Replication Adolescent Supplement (NCS-A), a US face-to-face household survey of the prevalence and correlates of DSM-IV mental disorders. The survey was based on a dual-frame design that included 904 adolescent residents of the households that participated in the US National Comorbidity Survey Replication (85.9% response rate) and 9,244 adolescent students selected from a nationally representative sample of 320 schools (74.7% response rate). After expositing the logic of dual-frame designs, comparisons are presented of sample and population distributions on Census socio-demographic variables and, in the school sample, school characteristics. These document only minor differences between the samples and the population. The results of statistical analysis of the bias-efficiency trade-off in weight trimming are then presented. These show that modest trimming meaningfully reduces mean squared error. Analysis of comparative sample efficiency shows that the household sample is more efficient than the school sample, leading to the household sample getting a higher weight relative to its size in the consolidated sample relative to the school sample. Taken together, these results show that the NCS-A is an efficient sample of the target population with good representativeness on a range of socio-demographic and geographic variables. PMID:19507169

Investigation of the copper contents in vineyard soil, grape must and wine and the relationship among them in the Huaizhuo Basin Region, China: A preliminary study.

PubMed

Sun, Xiangyu; Ma, Tingting; Yu, Jing; Huang, Weidong; Fang, Yulin; Zhan, Jicheng

2018-02-15

The copper contents in vineyard soil, grape must and wine and the relationship among them in the Huaizhuo Basin Region, China, were investigated. The results showed that the copper pollution status in vineyard soils, grapes and wines in the investigated area in China is under control, with only 4 surface soil (0-20cm) samples over maximum residue limits (MRL) and no grape or wine samples over MRL. Different vineyards, grape varieties, vine ages, and training systems all significantly influenced the copper contents in the vineyard soils, grape and wines. Additionally, the copper levels in the vineyard soils, grapes and wines all had some correlation. In wine samples, the copper contents ranged from 0.52 to 663μg/L, which is only approximately one percent the level found in grapes and one ten-thousandth that found in soils. Of the wine samples, red wines showed a significantly higher copper content than white wines, while in the red/white grape and soil samples, no significant differences were observed. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Quantifying responses of dung beetles to fire disturbance in tropical forests: the importance of trapping method and seasonality.

PubMed

de Andrade, Rafael Barreto; Barlow, Jos; Louzada, Julio; Vaz-de-Mello, Fernando Zagury; Souza, Mateus; Silveira, Juliana M; Cochrane, Mark A

2011-01-01

Understanding how biodiversity responds to environmental changes is essential to provide the evidence-base that underpins conservation initiatives. The present study provides a standardized comparison between unbaited flight intercept traps (FIT) and baited pitfall traps (BPT) for sampling dung beetles. We examine the effectiveness of the two to assess fire disturbance effects and how trap performance is affected by seasonality. The study was carried out in a transitional forest between Cerrado (Brazilian Savanna) and Amazon Forest. Dung beetles were collected during one wet and one dry sampling season. The two methods sampled different portions of the local beetle assemblage. Both FIT and BPT were sensitive to fire disturbance during the wet season, but only BPT detected community differences during the dry season. Both traps showed similar correlation with environmental factors. Our results indicate that seasonality had a stronger effect than trap type, with BPT more effective and robust under low population numbers, and FIT more sensitive to fine scale heterogeneity patterns. This study shows the strengths and weaknesses of two commonly used methodologies for sampling dung beetles in tropical forests, as well as highlighting the importance of seasonality in shaping the results obtained by both sampling strategies.

Rapid Analysis of Carbohydrates in Bioprocess Samples: An Evaluation of the CarboPac SA10 for HPAE-PAD Analysis by Interlaboratory Comparison

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

Sevcik, R. S.; Hyman, D. A.; Basumallich, L.

2013-01-01

A technique for carbohydrate analysis for bioprocess samples has been developed, providing reduced analysis time compared to current practice in the biofuels R&D community. The Thermofisher CarboPac SA10 anion-exchange column enables isocratic separation of monosaccharides, sucrose and cellobiose in approximately 7 minutes. Additionally, use of a low-volume (0.2 mL) injection valve in combination with a high-volume detection cell minimizes the extent of sample dilution required to bring sugar concentrations into the linear range of the pulsed amperometric detector (PAD). Three laboratories, representing academia, industry, and government, participated in an interlaboratory study which analyzed twenty-one opportunistic samples representing biomass pretreatment, enzymaticmore » saccharification, and fermentation samples. The technique's robustness, linearity, and interlaboratory reproducibility were evaluated and showed excellent-to-acceptable characteristics. Additionally, quantitation by the CarboPac SA10/PAD was compared with the current practice method utilizing a HPX-87P/RID. While these two methods showed good agreement a statistical comparison found significant quantitation difference between them, highlighting the difference between selective and universal detection modes.« less

Effect of Pre-cooking Conditions on the Quality Characteristics of Ready-To-Eat Samgyetang

PubMed Central

2015-01-01

The aim of this study was to examine the effectiveness of pre-cooking conditions on the quality characteristics of ready-to-eat (RTE) Samgyetang. Raw chickens were steamed under the different conditions of 50℃/30 min (T1), 65℃/30 min (T2), 85℃/30 min (T3), and 90℃/10 min (T4) prior to retorting at 120℃ for 65 min. The results showed that pre-cooking conditions in all treated samples could reduce fat contents in breast and leg meats by 8.5-11.7% and 10.0-11.0% compared to the control, even though there were no significant differences among treatments (p>0.05). The L* and b* values of breast and leg meats treated with the higher temperature and longer time conditions were significantly higher than the control (p<0.05), while a* values tended to decrease despite of not to a significant extent (p>0.05). Moreover, apparent viscosity and water soluble protein showed insignificant differences (p>0.05) among the samples as a result of the retorting process, which might have more negative influences on the quality. T2 samples obtained significantly the highest average Quantitative Descriptive Analysis (QDA) score and transmittance value, representing the most clear broth among the samples, compared to the control. On the other hand, T3 showed the highest cooking loss among the treatments and the lowest QDA scores among the samples. In conclusion, pre-cooking treatment prior to retorting in manufacturing Samgyetang is a plausible way to reduce its fat content. A pre-cooking condition at either 65℃ for 30 min, or 90℃ for 10 min are recommended for producing Samgyetang with optimum quality. PMID:26761871

Optimization of microwave digestion for mercury determination in marine biological samples by cold vapour atomic absorption spectrometry.

PubMed

Cardellicchio, Nicola; Di Leo, Antonella; Giandomenico, Santina; Santoro, Stefania

2006-01-01

Optimization of acid digestion method for mercury determination in marine biological samples (dolphin liver, fish and mussel tissues) using a closed vessel microwave sample preparation is presented. Five digestion procedures with different acid mixtures were investigated: the best results were obtained when the microwave-assisted digestion was based on sample dissolution with HNO3-H2SO4-K2Cr2O7 mixture. A comparison between microwave digestion and conventional reflux digestion shows there are considerable losses of mercury in the open digestion system. The microwave digestion method has been tested satisfactorily using two certified reference materials. Analytical results show a good agreement with certified values. The microwave digestion proved to be a reliable and rapid method for decomposition of biological samples in mercury determination.

Variance of discharge estimates sampled using acoustic Doppler current profilers from moving boats

USGS Publications Warehouse

Garcia, Carlos M.; Tarrab, Leticia; Oberg, Kevin; Szupiany, Ricardo; Cantero, Mariano I.

2012-01-01

This paper presents a model for quantifying the random errors (i.e., variance) of acoustic Doppler current profiler (ADCP) discharge measurements from moving boats for different sampling times. The model focuses on the random processes in the sampled flow field and has been developed using statistical methods currently available for uncertainty analysis of velocity time series. Analysis of field data collected using ADCP from moving boats from three natural rivers of varying sizes and flow conditions shows that, even though the estimate of the integral time scale of the actual turbulent flow field is larger than the sampling interval, the integral time scale of the sampled flow field is on the order of the sampling interval. Thus, an equation for computing the variance error in discharge measurements associated with different sampling times, assuming uncorrelated flow fields is appropriate. The approach is used to help define optimal sampling strategies by choosing the exposure time required for ADCPs to accurately measure flow discharge.

Coffee aroma: Chemometric comparison of the chemical information provided by three different samplings combined with GC-MS to describe the sensory properties in cup.

PubMed

Bressanello, Davide; Liberto, Erica; Cordero, Chiara; Rubiolo, Patrizia; Pellegrino, Gloria; Ruosi, Manuela R; Bicchi, Carlo

2017-01-01

This study is part of a wider project aiming to correlate the chemical composition of the coffee volatile fraction to its sensory properties with the end-goal of developing an instrumental analysis approach complementary to human sensory profiling. The proposed investigation strategy compares the chemical information concerning coffee aroma and flavor obtained with HS-SPME of the ground coffee and in-solution SBSE/SPME sampling combined with GC-MS to evaluate their compatibility with the cupping evaluation for quality control purposes. Roasted coffee samples with specific sensory properties were analyzed. The chemical results obtained by the three samplings were compared through multivariate analysis, and related to the samples' sensory attributes. Despite the differences between the three sampling approaches, data processing showed that the three methods provide the same kind of chemical information useful for sample discrimination, and that they could be used interchangeably to sample the coffee aroma and flavor. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Trauma Coping Self-Efficacy: A Context Specific Self-Efficacy Measure for Traumatic Stress

PubMed Central

Benight, Charles C.; Shoji, Kotaro; James, Lori E.; Waldrep, Edward E.; Delahanty, Douglas L.; Cieslak, Roman

2015-01-01

The psychometric properties of a Trauma Coping Self-Efficacy (CSE-T) scale that assesses general trauma-related coping self-efficacy perceptions were assessed. Measurement equivalence was assessed using several different samples: hospitalized trauma patients (n1 = 74, n2 = 69, n3 = 60), three samples of disaster survivors (n1 = 273, n2 = 227, n3 = 138), and trauma exposed college students (N = 242). This is the first multi-sample evaluation of the psychometric properties for a general trauma-related CSE measure. Results showed that a brief and parsimonious 9-item version of the CSE performed well across the samples with a robust factor structure; factor structure and factor loadings were similar across study samples. The 9-item scale CSE-T demonstrated measurement equivalence across samples indicating that the underlying concept of general post-traumatic CSE is organized in a similar manner in the different trauma-exposed groups. These results offer strong support for cross-event construct validity of the CSE-T scale. Associations of the CSE-T with important expected covariates showed significant evidence for convergent validity. Finally, discriminant validity was also supported. Replication of the factor structure, internal reliability, and other evidence for construct validity is a critical next step for future research. PMID:26524542

Catching ghosts with a coarse net: use and abuse of spatial sampling data in detecting synchronization

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Synchronization of population dynamics in different habitats is a frequently observed phenomenon. A common mathematical tool to reveal synchronization is the (cross)correlation coefficient between time courses of values of the population size of a given species where the population size is evaluated from spatial sampling data. The corresponding sampling net or grid is often coarse, i.e. it does not resolve all details of the spatial configuration, and the evaluation error—i.e. the difference between the true value of the population size and its estimated value—can be considerable. We show that this estimation error can make the value of the correlation coefficient very inaccurate or even irrelevant. We consider several population models to show that the value of the correlation coefficient calculated on a coarse sampling grid rarely exceeds 0.5, even if the true value is close to 1, so that the synchronization is effectively lost. We also observe ‘ghost synchronization’ when the correlation coefficient calculated on a coarse sampling grid is close to 1 but in reality the dynamics are not correlated. Finally, we suggest a simple test to check the sampling grid coarseness and hence to distinguish between the true and artifactual values of the correlation coefficient. PMID:28202589

Use of Multiple Displacement Amplification as Pre-polymerase Chain Reaction (Pre-PCR) to amplify genomic DNA of siphonapterids preserved for long periods in scientific collections.

PubMed

Avelar, Daniel M; Linardi, Pedro M

2010-09-15

The recently developed Multiple Displacement Amplification technique (MDA) allows for the production of a large quantity of high quality genomic DNA from low amounts of the original DNA. The goal of this study was to evaluate the performance of the MDA technique to amplify genomic DNA of siphonapterids that have been stored for long periods in 70% ethanol at room temperature. We subjected each DNA sample to two different methodologies: (1) amplification of mitochondrial 16S sequences without MDA; (2) amplification of 16S after MDA. All the samples obtained from these procedures were then sequenced. Only 4 samples (15.4%) subjected to method 1 showed amplification. In contrast, the application of MDA (method 2) improved the performance substantially, with 24 samples (92.3%) showing amplification, with significant difference. Interestingly, one of the samples successfully amplified with this method was originally collected in 1909. All of the sequenced samples displayed satisfactory results in quality evaluations (Phred ≥ 20) and good similarities, as identified with the BLASTn tool. Our results demonstrate that the use of MDA may be an effective tool in molecular studies involving specimens of fleas that have traditionally been considered inadequately preserved for such purposes.

Use of Multiple Displacement Amplification as Pre-polymerase Chain Reaction (Pre-PCR) to amplify genomic DNA of siphonapterids preserved for long periods in scientific collections

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

The recently developed Multiple Displacement Amplification technique (MDA) allows for the production of a large quantity of high quality genomic DNA from low amounts of the original DNA. The goal of this study was to evaluate the performance of the MDA technique to amplify genomic DNA of siphonapterids that have been stored for long periods in 70% ethanol at room temperature. We subjected each DNA sample to two different methodologies: (1) amplification of mitochondrial 16S sequences without MDA; (2) amplification of 16S after MDA. All the samples obtained from these procedures were then sequenced. Only 4 samples (15.4%) subjected to method 1 showed amplification. In contrast, the application of MDA (method 2) improved the performance substantially, with 24 samples (92.3%) showing amplification, with significant difference. Interestingly, one of the samples successfully amplified with this method was originally collected in 1909. All of the sequenced samples displayed satisfactory results in quality evaluations (Phred ≥ 20) and good similarities, as identified with the BLASTn tool. Our results demonstrate that the use of MDA may be an effective tool in molecular studies involving specimens of fleas that have traditionally been considered inadequately preserved for such purposes. PMID:20840790

Studying physical properties of CuInS2 absorber layers grown by spin coating method on different kinds of substrates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amerioun, M. H.; Ghazi, M. E.; Izadifard, M.

2018-03-01

In this work, first the CuInS2 (CIS2) layers are deposited on Aluminum and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) as flexible substrates, and on glass and soda lime glass (SLG) as rigid substrates by the sol-gel method. Then the samples are analyzed by x-ray diffractomery (XRD) and atomic force microscope (AFM) to investigate the crystal structures and surface roughness of the samples. The I-V curve measurements and Seebeck effect setup are used to measure the electrical properties of the samples. The XRD data obtained for the CIS2 layers show that all the prepared samples have a single phase with a preferred orientation that is substrate-dependent. The samples grown on the rigid substrates had higher crystallite sizes. The results obtained for the optical measurements indicate the dependence of the band gap energy on the substrate type. The measured Seebeck coefficient showed that the carriers were of p-type in all the samples. According to the AFM images, the surface roughness also varied in the CIS2 layers with different substrates. In this regard, the type of substrate could be an important parameter for the final performance of the fabricated CIS2 cells.

Effects of Simple Leaching of Crushed and Powdered Materials on High-precision Pb Isotope Analyses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Todd, E.; Stracke, A.

2013-12-01

We present new results of simple leaching experiments on the Pb isotope composition of USGS standard reference material powders and on ocean island basalt whole rock splits and powders. Rock samples were leached with 6N HCl in two steps, first hot and then in an ultrasonic bath, and washed with ultrapure H2O before conventional sample digestion and chromatographic purification of Pb. Pb isotope analyses were determined with Tl-doped MC-ICP-MS. Intra- and inter-session analytical reproducibility of repeated analyses of both synthetic Pb solutions and Pb from single digests of chemically processed natural samples were generally < 100 ppm (2 S.D.). The comparison of leached and unleached samples shows that leaching reliably removes variable amounts of different contaminants for different starting materials. For repeated digests of a single sample, the leached samples reproduce better than the unleached ones, showing that leaching effectively removes heterogeneously distributed extraneous Pb. However, the reproducibility of repeated digests of variably contaminated natural samples is up to an order of magnitude worse than the analytical reproducibility of ca. 100 ppm. More complex leaching methods (e.g., Nobre Silva et al., 2009) yield Pb isotope ratios within error of and with similar reproducibility to our method, showing that the simple leaching method is reliable. The remaining Pb isotope heterogeneity of natural samples, which typically exceeds 100 ppm, is thus attributed to inherent isotopic sample heterogeneity. Tl-doped MC-ICP-MS Pb ratio determination is therefore a sufficiently precise method for Pb isotope analyses in natural rocks. More precise Pb double- or triple-spike methods (e.g., Galer, 1999; Thirlwall, 2000), may exploit their full potential only in cases where natural isotopic sample heterogeneity is demonstrably negligible. References: Galer, S., 1999, Chem. Geol. 157, 255-274. Nobre Silva, et al. 2009, Geochemistry Geophysics Geosystems 10, Q08012. Thirlwall, M.F., 2000, Chem. Geol. 163, 299-322.

Effect of different nickel precursors on capacitive behavior of electrodeposited NiO thin films

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

Kore, R. M.; Ghadge, T. S.; Ambare, R. C.

2016-04-13

In the present study, the effect of nickel precursors containing different anions like nitrate, chloride and sulphate on the morphology and pseudocapacitance behavior of NiO is investigated. The NiO samples were prepared by using a potentiondynamic electrodeposition technique in the three electrode cell. Cyclic voltammetry technique was exploited for potentiodynamic deposition of the films. The obtained samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), etc. The XRD reveals the cubic crystal structure for all samples. The SEM micrograph shows nanoflakelike, up grown nanoflakes and honeycomb like nanostructured morphologies for nitrate, chloride and sulphate precursors respectively. The capacitivemore » behavior of these samples was recorded using cyclic voltammetry (CV), charge-discharge and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) in 1 M KOH electrolyte. The specific capacitance values of NiO samples obtained using CV for nitrate, chloride and sulphate precursors were 136, 214 and 893 Fg{sup −1} respectively, at the scan rate of 5 mVs{sup −1}. The charge discharge study shows high specific energy for the sample obtained from sulphate (23.98 Whkg{sup −1}) as compared to chloride (9.67 Whkg{sup −1}) and nitrate (4.9 Whkg{sup −1}), whereas samples of cholride (13.9 kWkg{sup −1} and nitrate (10.5 kWkg{sup −1}) shows comparatively more specific power than samples obtained from sulphate (7.6 kWkg{sup −1}). The equivalent series resistance of NiO samples observed from EIS study are 1.34, 1.29 and 1.27 Ω respectively for nitrate, chloride and sulphate precursors. These results emphasizes that the samples obtained from sulphate precursors provides very low impedance through honeycomb like nanostructured morphology which supports good capacitive behavior of NiO.« less

Comparison of Relative Bias, Precision, and Efficiency of Sampling Methods for Natural Enemies of Soybean Aphid (Hemiptera: Aphididae).

PubMed

Bannerman, J A; Costamagna, A C; McCornack, B P; Ragsdale, D W

2015-06-01

Generalist natural enemies play an important role in controlling soybean aphid, Aphis glycines (Hemiptera: Aphididae), in North America. Several sampling methods are used to monitor natural enemy populations in soybean, but there has been little work investigating their relative bias, precision, and efficiency. We compare five sampling methods: quadrats, whole-plant counts, sweep-netting, walking transects, and yellow sticky cards to determine the most practical methods for sampling the three most prominent species, which included Harmonia axyridis (Pallas), Coccinella septempunctata L. (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), and Orius insidiosus (Say) (Hemiptera: Anthocoridae). We show an important time by sampling method interaction indicated by diverging community similarities within and between sampling methods as the growing season progressed. Similarly, correlations between sampling methods for the three most abundant species over multiple time periods indicated differences in relative bias between sampling methods and suggests that bias is not consistent throughout the growing season, particularly for sticky cards and whole-plant samples. Furthermore, we show that sticky cards produce strongly biased capture rates relative to the other four sampling methods. Precision and efficiency differed between sampling methods and sticky cards produced the most precise (but highly biased) results for adult natural enemies, while walking transects and whole-plant counts were the most efficient methods for detecting coccinellids and O. insidiosus, respectively. Based on bias, precision, and efficiency considerations, the most practical sampling methods for monitoring in soybean include walking transects for coccinellid detection and whole-plant counts for detection of small predators like O. insidiosus. Sweep-netting and quadrat samples are also useful for some applications, when efficiency is not paramount. © The Authors 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

OSL properties of three commonly available salt brands in India for its use in accident dosimetry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singh, A. K.; Menon, S. N.; Kadam, S. Y.; Koul, D. K.; Datta, D.

2018-03-01

Thermally stimulated luminescence (TL) and Optically Stimulated Luminescence (OSL) characterization of three commonly available salt brands in India were undertaken for their application in accident dosimetry. The investigations showed that the luminescence properties differed to some extent with that reported in literature. Dosimetric properties of these salt samples showed that these can be useful in accident dosimetry. Based on the sensitization and fading behaviour of the samples a Single Aliquot Regenerative (SAR) protocol has been proposed for dose estimation.

Comparative study of biogenic and abiotic iron-containing materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cherkezova-Zheleva, Z.; Shopska, M.; Paneva, D.; Kovacheva, D.; Kadinov, G.; Mitov, I.

2016-12-01

Series of iron-based biogenic materials prepared by cultivation of Leptothrix group of bacteria in different feeding media ( Sphaerotilus-Leptothrix group of bacteria isolation medium, Adler, Lieske and silicon-iron-glucose-peptone) were studied. Control samples were obtained in the same conditions and procedures but the nutrition media were not infected with bacteria, i.e. they were sterile. Room and low temperature Mössbauer spectroscopy, powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), and infrared spectroscopy (IRS) were used to reveal the composition and physicochemical properties of biomass and respective control samples. Comparative analysis showed differences in their composition and dispersity of present phases. Sample composition included different ratio of nanodimensional iron oxyhydroxide and oxide phases. Relaxation phenomena such as superparamagnetism or collective magnetic excitation behaviour were registered for some of them. The experimental data showed that the biogenic materials were enriched in oxyhydroxides of high dispersion. Catalytic behaviour of a selected biomass and abiotic material were studied in the reaction of CO oxidation. In situ diffuse-reflectance (DR) IRS was used to monitor the phase transformations in the biomass and CO conversion.

Identification of a potential toxic hot spot associated with AVS spatial and seasonal variation.

PubMed

Campana, O; Rodríguez, A; Blasco, J

2009-04-01

In risk assessment of aquatic sediments, much attention is paid to the difference between acid-volatile sulfide (AVS) and simultaneously extracted metals (SEMs) as indicators of metal availability. Ten representative sampling sites were selected along the estuary of the Guadalete River. Surficial sediments were sampled in winter and summer to better understand SEM and AVS spatial and seasonal distributions and to establish priority risk areas. Total SEM concentration (SigmaSEM) ranged from 0.3 to 4.7 micromol g(-1). It was not significantly different between seasons, however, it showed a significant difference between sampling stations. AVS concentrations were much more variable, showing significant spatial and temporal variations. The values ranged from 0.8 to 22.4 micromol g(-1). The SEM/AVS ratio was found to be <1 at all except one station located near the mouth of the estuary. The results provided information on a potential pollution source near the mouth of the estuary, probably associated with vessel-related activities carried out in a local harbor area located near the station.

Effect of Thermodiffusion Nitriding on Cytocompatibility of Ti-6Al-4V Titanium Alloy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pohrelyuk, I. M.; Tkachuk, O. V.; Proskurnyak, R. V.; Boiko, N. M.; Kluchivska, O. Yu.; Stoika, R. S.

2016-04-01

The nitrided layer was formed on the surface of Ti-6Al-4V titanium alloy by the thermodiffusion saturation in nitrogen at the atmospheric pressure. The study of the vitality of pseudonormal human embryo kidney cells of the HEK293T line showed that their cultivation in the presence of the untreated alloy sample is accompanied by a statistically significant reduction in the number of living cells compared with the control sample (untreated cells), whereas their cultivation in the presence of the nitrided alloy sample does not change the cell number considerably. In addition, it was shown that cell behavior in the presence of the nitrided sample differs only slightly from the control sample, whereas the growth of cells in the presence of the untreated alloy differed significantly from that in the control sample, demonstrating small groups of cells instead of their big clusters.

FTIR-ATR infrared spectroscopy for the detection of ochratoxin A in dried vine fruit.

PubMed

Galvis-Sánchez, Andrea C; Barros, Antonio; Delgadillo, Ivonne

2007-11-01

A method of screening sultanas for ochratoxin A (OTA) contamination, using mid-infrared spectroscopy/Golden Gate single-reflection ATR (attenuated total reflection), is described. The main spectral characteristics of sultanas from different sources were identified in a preliminary acquisition and spectral analysis study. Principal component analysis (PCA) showed that samples of various origins had different spectral characteristics, especially in water content and the fingerprint region. A lack of reproducibility was observed in the spectra acquired on different days. However, spectral repeatability was greatly improved when water activity of the sample was set at 0.62. A calibration curve of OTA was constructed in the range 10-40 microg OTA kg(-1). Samples with OTA levels higher than 20 microg kg(-1) were separated from samples contaminated with a lower concentration (10 microg OTA kg(-1)) and from uncontaminated samples. The reported methodology is a reliable and simple technique for screening dried vine fruit for OTA.

Overcoming confounded controls in the analysis of gene expression data from microarray experiments.

PubMed

Bhattacharya, Soumyaroop; Long, Dang; Lyons-Weiler, James

2003-01-01

A potential limitation of data from microarray experiments exists when improper control samples are used. In cancer research, comparisons of tumour expression profiles to those from normal samples is challenging due to tissue heterogeneity (mixed cell populations). A specific example exists in a published colon cancer dataset, in which tissue heterogeneity was reported among the normal samples. In this paper, we show how to overcome or avoid the problem of using normal samples that do not derive from the same tissue of origin as the tumour. We advocate an exploratory unsupervised bootstrap analysis that can reveal unexpected and undesired, but strongly supported, clusters of samples that reflect tissue differences instead of tumour versus normal differences. All of the algorithms used in the analysis, including the maximum difference subset algorithm, unsupervised bootstrap analysis, pooled variance t-test for finding differentially expressed genes and the jackknife to reduce false positives, are incorporated into our online Gene Expression Data Analyzer ( http:// bioinformatics.upmc.edu/GE2/GEDA.html ).

Reduction of aflatoxin in rice by different cooking methods.

PubMed

Sani, Ali Mohamadi; Azizi, Eisa Gholampour; Salehi, Esmaeel Ataye; Rahimi, Khadije

2014-07-01

Rice (Oryza sativa Linn) is one of the basic diets in the north of Iran. The aim of present study was to detect total aflatoxin (AFT) in domestic and imported rice in Amol (in the north of Iran) and to evaluate the effect of different cooking methods on the levels of the toxin. For this purpose, 42 rice samples were collected from retail stores. The raw samples were analysed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) technique for toxin assessment and then submitted to two different cooking methods including traditional local method and in rice cooker. After treatment, AFT was determined. Results show that the average concentration of AFT in domestic and imported samples was 1.08 ± 0.02 and 1.89 ± 0.87 ppb, respectively, which is lower than national and European Union standards. The highest AFT reduction (24.8%) was observed when rice samples were cooked by rice cooker but the difference with local method was not statistically significant (p > 0.05). © The Author(s) 2012.

Assessing Adolescents’ Attachment Hierarchies: Differences Across Developmental Periods and Associations With Individual Adaptation

PubMed Central

Rosenthal, Natalie L.; Kobak, Roger

2012-01-01

Adolescents’ attachment hierarchies were assessed in a sample of 212 high school and 198 college students. The Important People Interview (IPI) differentiated attachment bonds from other supportive or affiliative relationships and indicated that adolescents show a hierarchical ordering of preferences for multiple attachment figures. Differences in the composition and structure of adolescents’ attachment hierarchies were found between the early high school (9th and 10th grades), later high school (11th and 12th grades), and college samples. In the college sample, romantic partners were placed in higher positions in adolescents’ hierarchies, fathers were placed in lower positions, and the structure of adolescents’ hierarchies were less differentiated than in the high school samples. Individual differences in the composition of adolescents’ hierarchies were associated with adjustment outcomes. Friends’ placement in higher positions and fathers’ exclusion from or placement in quaternary positions was associated with increased behavior problems. Findings demonstrate that the IPI provides a measure of adolescents’ attachment hierarchies that is sensitive to developmental stage and individual differences. PMID:22545000

Authentication of whisky due to its botanical origin and way of production by instrumental analysis and multivariate classification methods.

PubMed

Wiśniewska, Paulina; Boqué, Ricard; Borràs, Eva; Busto, Olga; Wardencki, Waldemar; Namieśnik, Jacek; Dymerski, Tomasz

2017-02-15

Headspace mass-spectrometry (HS-MS), mid infrared (MIR) and UV-vis spectroscopy were used to authenticate whisky samples from different origins and ways of production ((Irish, Spanish, Bourbon, Tennessee Whisky and Scotch). The collected spectra were processed with partial least-squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) to build the classification models. In all cases the five groups of whiskies were distinguished, but the best results were obtained by HS-MS, which indicates that the biggest differences between different types of whisky are due to their aroma. Differences were also found inside groups, showing that not only raw material is important to discriminate samples but also the way of their production. The methodology is quick, easy and does not require sample preparation. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Characterisation and quantification of phenolic compounds of extra-virgin olive oils according to their geographical origin by a rapid and resolutive LC-ESI-TOF MS method.

PubMed

Ouni, Youssef; Taamalli, Ameni; Gómez-Caravaca, Ana Maria; Segura-Carretero, Antonio; Fernández-Gutiérrez, Alberto; Zarrouk, Mokhtar

2011-08-01

The phenolic compounds present in seven samples of olive fruits were analysed by a rapid and resolutive LC-ESI-TOF MS method. All samples were collected during the normal picking period for olive oil production, in central and south Tunisia, and were obtained from the Oueslati variety cultivated in different olive growing areas. In the Tunisian samples, 22 compounds have been characterised by LC-ESI-TOF MS analysis. Results showed no qualitative differences in the phenolic fractions between virgin olive oils from different geographical region. However, significant quantitative differences were observed in a wide number of phenolic compounds. These results permit to use the phenolic fractions as an indicator of each region. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evaluating Sex and Age Differences in ADI-R and ADOS Scores in a Large European Multi-site Sample of Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

PubMed

Tillmann, J; Ashwood, K; Absoud, M; Bölte, S; Bonnet-Brilhault, F; Buitelaar, J K; Calderoni, S; Calvo, R; Canal-Bedia, R; Canitano, R; De Bildt, A; Gomot, M; Hoekstra, P J; Kaale, A; McConachie, H; Murphy, D G; Narzisi, A; Oosterling, I; Pejovic-Milovancevic, M; Persico, A M; Puig, O; Roeyers, H; Rommelse, N; Sacco, R; Scandurra, V; Stanfield, A C; Zander, E; Charman, T

2018-02-21

Research on sex-related differences in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) has been impeded by small samples. We pooled 28 datasets from 18 sites across nine European countries to examine sex differences in the ASD phenotype on the ADI-R (376 females, 1763 males) and ADOS (233 females, 1187 males). On the ADI-R, early childhood restricted and repetitive behaviours were lower in females than males, alongside comparable levels of social interaction and communication difficulties in females and males. Current ADI-R and ADOS scores showed no sex differences for ASD severity. There were lower socio-communicative symptoms in older compared to younger individuals. This large European ASD sample adds to the literature on sex and age variations of ASD symptomatology.

Does classification of persons with fibromyalgia into Multidimensional Pain Inventory subgroups detect differences in outcome after a standard chronic pain management program?

PubMed Central

Verra, Martin L; Angst, Felix; Brioschi, Roberto; Lehmann, Susanne; Keefe, Francis J; Staal, J Bart; de Bie, Rob A; Aeschlimann, André

2009-01-01

INTRODUCTION: The present study aimed to replicate and validate the empirically derived subgroup classification based on the Multidimensional Pain Inventory (MPI) in a sample of highly disabled fibromyalgia (FM) patients. Second, it examined how the identified subgroups differed in their response to an intensive, interdisciplinary inpatient pain management program. METHODS: Participants were 118 persons with FM who experienced persistent pain and were disabled. Subgroup classification was conducted by cluster analysis using MPI subscale scores at entry to the program. At program entry and discharge, participants completed the MPI, Medical Outcomes Study Short Form-36, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and Coping Strategies Questionnaire. RESULTS: Cluster analysis identified three subgroups in the highly disabled sample that were similar to those described by other studies using less disabled samples of FM. The dysfunctional subgroup (DYS; 36% of the sample) showed the highest level of depression, the interpersonally distressed subgroup (ID; 24%) showed a modest level of depression and the adaptive copers subgroup (AC; 38%) showed the lowest depression scores in the MPI (negative mood), Medical Outcomes Study Short Form-36 (mental health), Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (depression) and Coping Strategies Questionnaire (catastrophizing). Significant differences in treatment outcome were observed among the three subgroups in terms of reduction of pain severity (as assessed using the MPI). The effect sizes were 1.42 for DYS, 1.32 for AC and 0.62 for ID (P=0.004 for pairwise comparison of ID-AC and P=0.018 for ID-DYS). DISCUSSION: These findings underscore the importance of assessing individuals’ differences in how they adjust to FM. PMID:20011715

Intraoral Laser Welding (ILW): ultrastructural and mechanical analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fornaini, Carlo; Passaretti, Francesca; Villa, Elena; Nammour, Samir

2010-05-01

Nd:YAG, currently used since 1970 in dental laboratories to weld metals on dental prostheses has some limits such great dimensions, high costs and fixed delivery system. Recently it was proposed the possibility to use the Nd:YAG laser device commonly utilised in dental office, to repair broken fixed, removable and orthodontic prostheses and to weld metals directly into the mouth. The aim of this work is to value, through SEM (Scanning Electron Microscope), EDS (Energy Dispersive X-Ray Spectroscopy) and DMA (Dynamic Mechanical Analysis), quality and mechanical strength of the welding process comparing a device normally used in dental lab and a device normally used in dental office for oral surgery. Sixteen CoCrMo metal plates and twenty steel orthodontic wires were divided in four groups: one was welded without metal apposition by laboratory laser, one was welded with metal apposition by laboratory laser, one was welded without metal apposition by office laser and one was welded with metal apposition by office laser. The welding process was analysed by SEM, EDS and DMA to compare the differences between the different samples. By SEM analysis it was seen that the plates welded by office laser without apposition metal showed a greater number of fissurations compared with the other samples. By EDS analysis it was seen a homogeneous composition of the metals in all the samples. The mechanical tests showed a similar elastic behaviour of the samples, with minimal differences between the two devices. No wire broke even under the maximum strength by the Analyser. This study seems to demonstrate that the welding process by office Nd:YAG laser device and the welding process by laboratory Nd:YAG laser device, analysed by SEM, EDS and DMA, showed minimal and not significant differences even if these data will be confirmed by a greater number of samples.

Analytical traceability of melon (Cucumis melo var reticulatus): proximate composition, bioactive compounds, and antioxidant capacity in relation to cultivar, plant physiology state, and seasonal variability.

PubMed

Maietti, Annalisa; Tedeschi, Paola; Stagno, Caterina; Bordiga, Matteo; Travaglia, Fabiano; Locatelli, Monica; Arlorio, Marco; Brandolini, Vincenzo

2012-06-01

Two morphologically different cultivars of Italian melons (Baggio and Giusto) were characterized considering samples harvested in different times, at the beginning (BPP) and at the end of the physiological plant production period (EPP). Proximate composition, protein, minerals, pH, phenolic content, antioxidant capacity, ascorbic acid, carotenoids, condensed tannins, and flavonoids were measured, showing a significant decrease in EPP samples (phenolics, antioxidant capacity, condensed tannins, and flavonoids); ascorbic acid decreased in Giusto cv, carotenoids in Baggio cv. Mineral content increased in either the cultivars (EPP samples). Year-to-year difference was significantly highlighted; the plant growing cycle significantly affected the chemotype. Despite these effects, the Principal Component Analysis (PCA) permitted the discrimination of Baggio from Giusto cv, and the discrimination of BPP from EPP samples as well. © 2012 Institute of Food Technologists®

Effect of Salivary pH on Color Stability of Different Flowable Composites - A Prospective In-vitro Study.

PubMed

Batra, Renu; Kataria, Pratik; Kapoor, Sonali

2016-10-01

Scientifically and clinically there has been lot of development in the field of aesthetic dentistry. However, there is limited or restricted information regarding the color stability of flowable composite materials. The aim of this study was to evaluate the spectrophotometric color stability of three different flowable composite materials with respect to three different pH of saliva. The study included 90 different samples. Thirty samples in each composite group; (Group A: G-aenial universal flo; Group B: Z 350 XT flowable; Group C: Esthet x flow). All samples from each group were immersed in distilled water for 24 hours. Total color difference (ΔE) was recorded for each sample. After this 10 samples from each group were respectively immersed in 6.5, 7 and 7.5 pH of artificial saliva. All samples were kept in dark room for seven days and then ΔE for each sample was recorded and was compared to previous recorded ΔE for the same sample. Maximum color change was seen irrespective of material in 6.5 pH of saliva. G-aenial universal flo showed least change irrespective of pH of saliva. Thus, the present study reveals that acidic pH level affects the coloration of composite resins by affecting the surface integrity and as reported in previous studies, various coloring agents in beverages and other dietary components assists the process due to absorption of these coloring substances into the resin matrix.

Numerical methods for comparing fresh and weathered oils by their FTIR spectra.

PubMed

Li, Jianfeng; Hibbert, D Brynn; Fuller, Stephen

2007-08-01

Four comparison statistics ('similarity indices') for the identification of the source of a petroleum oil spill based on the ASTM standard test method D3414 were investigated. Namely, (1) first difference correlation coefficient squared and (2) correlation coefficient squared, (3) first difference Euclidean cosine squared and (4) Euclidean cosine squared. For numerical comparison, an FTIR spectrum is divided into three regions, described as: fingerprint (900-700 cm(-1)), generic (1350-900 cm(-1)) and supplementary (1770-1685 cm(-1)), which are the same as the three major regions recommended by the ASTM standard. For fresh oil samples, each similarity index was able to distinguish between replicate independent spectra of the same sample and between different samples. In general, the two first difference-based indices worked better than their parent indices. To provide samples to reveal relationships between weathered and fresh oils, a simple artificial weathering procedure was carried out. Euclidean cosine and correlation coefficients both worked well to maintain identification of a match in the fingerprint region and the two first difference indices were better in the generic region. Receiver operating characteristic curves (true positive rate versus false positive rate) for decisions on matching using the fingerprint region showed two samples could be matched when the difference in weathering time was up to 7 days. Beyond this time the true positive rate falls and samples cannot be reliably matched. However, artificial weathering of a fresh source sample can aid the matching of a weathered sample to its real source from a pool of very similar candidates.

Analysis of tank 38H (HTF-38-17-18, -19) and tank 43H (HTF-43-17-20, -21) samples for support of the enrichment control and corrosion control programs

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

Hay, M. S.; Coleman, C. J.; Diprete, D. P.

SRNL analyzed samples from Tank 38H and Tank 43H to support ECP and CCP. The total uranium in the Tank 38H samples ranged from 53.7 mg/L for the surface sample to 57.0 mg/L in the sub-surface sample. The Tank 43H samples showed uranium concentrations of 46.2 mg/L for the surface sample and 45.7 mg/L in the sub-surface sample. The U-235 percentage was 0.63% in the Tank 38H samples and 0.62% in the Tank 43H samples. The total uranium and percent U-235 results appear consistent with recent Tank 38H and Tank 43H uranium measurements. The plutonium results for the Tank 38Hmore » surface sample are slightly higher than recent sample results, while the Tank 43H plutonium results are within the range of values measured on previous samples. The Cs-137 results for the Tank 38H surface and subsurface samples are slightly higher than the concentrations measured in recent samples. The Cs-137 results for the two Tank 43H samples are within the range of values measured on previous samples. The comparison of the sum of the cations in each sample versus the sum of the anions shows a difference of 23% for the Tank 38H surface sample and 18% for the Tank 43H surface sample. The four samples show silicon concentrations somewhat lower than the previous samples with values ranging from 80.2 to 105 mg/L.« less

Comparative evaluation of color change between two types of acrylic resin and flexible resin after thermo cycling. An in vitro study.

PubMed

Hatim, Nadira A; Al-Tahho, Omar Zeno

2013-09-01

Evaluation of the effect of different beverages (tea with sugar, coffee with sugar, and Pepsi), and immersion time cycles (2, 4, and 12 weeks) on color change property, and dimensional change of Vertex Dental BV, Netherlands heat cured acrylic resin, recently modified Vertex Dental BV, Netherlands heat cured acrylic resin with additive (20 % banana oil), and Valplast(®) flexible resin (FR) denture base materials by using artificial saliva cycle. The total samples of this study for color, and dimensional changes were 360 samples, divided into three groups according to the type of the material, Vertex Dental BV, Netherlands heat cured acrylic resin, modified heat cured acrylic resin (Vertex with additive 20 % banana oil), and Valplast(®) FR groups, each group contains 120 samples. The thermal cycling used in this study was as follows: The samples were incubated in distilled water at 37 ± 1 °C for 2 days for conditioning. Then, the samples were immersed in beverage solutions for 10 min daily at 50 ± 1 °C temperature for tea, and coffee with sugar, while for Pepsi at 20 ± 1 °C. Then, the samples were immersed in artificial saliva at 37 ± 1 °C for 5 h, and 10 min. This cycle was repeated three times daily, and then the samples were immersed in distilled water at 22 ± 2 °C room temperature for 8 h at night. This cycle was repeated for 2, 4, and 12 weeks. At the end of each time period, the immersed samples were tested to evaluate the color change property. Descriptive statistics, ANOVA, and Duncan's multiple range tests were used to analyze the collected data. The results of this study showed that, in comparison between the materials at different times for colors L*a*b* properties, there were significant differences at P ≤ 0.05 except in color b* at 12 weeks, which showed no significant difference at P > 0.05 between materials. And there was a significant difference in dimensional change at P > 0.05 for different beverages, and times of immersion. The largest color, and dimensional changes were observed in the Valplast(®) FR, whereas tea was found to be the most chromatic agent, and showed unaccepted color change (ΔE ≤ 3.7) in vitro study as compared with coffee, Pepsi, and artificial saliva solutions.

Do Humans Really Prefer Semi-open Natural Landscapes? A Cross-Cultural Reappraisal

PubMed Central

Hägerhäll, Caroline M.; Ode Sang, Åsa; Englund, Jan-Eric; Ahlner, Felix; Rybka, Konrad; Huber, Juliette; Burenhult, Niclas

2018-01-01

There is an assumption in current landscape preference theory of universal consensus in human preferences for moderate to high openness in a natural landscape. This premise is largely based on empirical studies of urban Western populations. Here we examine for the first time landscape preference across a number of geographically, ecologically and culturally diverse indigenous populations. Included in the study were two urban Western samples of university students (from southern Sweden) and five non-Western, indigenous and primarily rural communities: Jahai (Malay Peninsula), Lokono (Suriname), Makalero (Timor), Makasae (Timor), and Wayuu (Colombia). Preference judgements were obtained using pairwise forced choice assessments of digital visualizations of a natural landscape varied systematically on three different levels of topography and vegetation density. The results show differences between the Western and non-Western samples, with interaction effects between topography and vegetation being present for the two Swedish student samples but not for the other five samples. The theoretical claim of human preferences for half-open landscapes was only significantly confirmed for the student sample comprising landscape architects. The five non Western indigenous groups all preferred the highest level of vegetation density. Results show there are internal similarities between the two Western samples on the one hand, and between the five non-Western samples on the other. To some extent this supports the idea of consensus in preference, not universally but within those categories respectively. PMID:29896141

A problem of hospital hygiene: the presence of aspergilli in hospital wards with different air-conditioning features.

PubMed

Perdelli, Fernanda; Sartini, Marina; Spagnolo, Anna Maria; Dallera, Maurizio; Lombardi, Roberto; Cristina, Maria Luisa

2006-06-01

A total of 1,030 microbiological samples were taken in 3 hospital wards with different air-conditioning features: no conditioning system (ward A), a conditioning system equipped with minimum efficiency reporting value (MERV) filters (ward B), and a conditioning system thoroughly maintained and equipped with high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters (absolute) (ward C). The air in each ward was sampled, and the bacterial and fungal concentrations were determined by active and passive methods. The concentration of fungi on surfaces was also determined. Active sampling showed positive samples in wards A and B only, with average values of 0.50 colony-forming units (CFU)/m(3) (95% CI, 0.30 to 0.70) in A and 0.16 CFU/m(3) (95% CI, 0.13 to 0.20) in B. Passive sampling was positive only in ward A (mean, 0.14 CFU/cm(2)/h; 95% CI, 0.13 to 0.15). Aspergillus was found in 27% and 22% of sampled surfaces in wards A and B, respectively, but in no samples from ward C. The most commonly found species was A. fumigatus (76% of cases in A and 34% of cases in B). The results show that the use of air-conditioning systems markedly reduces the concentration of aspergilli in the environment. Proper maintenance of these systems is clearly fundamental if their efficacy is to be ensured.

Sampling methods in archaeomagnetic dating: A comparison using case studies from Wörterberg, Eisenerz and Gams Valley (Austria)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Trapanese, A.; Batt, C. M.; Schnepp, E.

The aim of this research was to review the relative merits of different methods of taking samples for archaeomagnetic dating. To allow different methods to be investigated, two archaeological structures and one modern fireplace were sampled in Austria. On each structure a variety of sampling methods were used: the tube and disc techniques of Clark et al. (Clark, A.J., Tarling, D.H., Noel, M., 1988. Developments in archaeomagnetic dating in Great Britain. Journal of Archaeological Science 15, 645-667), the drill core technique, the mould plastered hand block method of Thellier, and a modification of it. All samples were oriented with a magnetic compass and sun compass, where weather conditions allowed. Approximately 12 discs, tubes, drill cores or plaster hand blocks were collected from each structure, with one mould plaster hand block being collected and cut into specimens. The natural remanent magnetisation (NRM) of the samples was measured and stepwise alternating field (AF) or thermal demagnetisation was applied. Samples were measured either in the UK or in Austria, which allowed the comparison of results between magnetometers with different sensitivity. The tubes and plastered hand block specimens showed good agreement in directional results, and the samples obtained showed good stability. The discs proved to be unreliable as both NRM and the characteristic remanent magnetisation (ChRM) distribution were very scattered. The failure of some methods may be related to the suitability of the material sampled, for example if it was disturbed before sampling, had been insufficiently heated or did not contain appropriate magnetic minerals to retain a remanent magnetisation. Caution is also recommended for laboratory procedures as the cutting of poorly consolidated specimens may disturb the material and therefore the remanent magnetisation. Criteria and guidelines were established to aid researchers in selecting the most appropriate method for a particular archaeological structure.

[In-situ measurement of background atmospheric HCFC-142b using GC-MS and GC-ECD method].

PubMed

Guo, Li-feng; Yao, Bo; Zhou, Ling-xi; Li, Pei-chang; Xu, Lin

2013-05-01

Custom-made GC-MS and GC-ECD in-situ measurement systems were established at the Shangdianzi GAW Regional station. From May 2010 to May 2011, the precisions for GC-MS and GC-ECD systems were 0.23% and 0.88%, respectively, and the HCFC-142b mole fraction during the observation period ranged from 21 x 10(-12) to 355 x 10(-12). The result of the independent-sample T test was P > 0.05, and there was no significant difference in HCFC-142b mole fraction measured by the two systems. The small difference of HCFC-142b mole fraction measured by GC-MS and GC-ECD might be associated with the different sampling time and precision of the two systems. A statistical filter of "robust local regression" was applied to separate HCFC-142b background and pollution data. The mean difference, median difference, 25 and 75 percent difference of background data measured by GC-MS and GC-ECD were all within the precisions. The pollution events captured by the two systems showed similar characters. Results from both systems showed a higher HCFC-142b level in summer and autumn than in winter. The pollution mole fraction of the two systems showed similar seasonal changes.

The Influence of trisomy 21 on facial form and variability.

PubMed

Starbuck, John M; Cole, Theodore M; Reeves, Roger H; Richtsmeier, Joan T

2017-11-01

Triplication of chromosome 21 (trisomy 21) results in Down syndrome (DS), the most common live-born human aneuploidy. Individuals with DS have a unique facial appearance that can include form changes and altered variability. Using 3D photogrammatic images, 3D coordinate locations of 20 anatomical landmarks, and Euclidean Distance Matrix Analysis methods, we quantitatively test the hypothesis that children with DS (n = 55) exhibit facial form and variance differences relative to two different age-matched (4-12 years) control samples of euploid individuals: biological siblings of individuals with DS (n = 55) and euploid individuals without a sibling with DS (n = 55). Approximately 36% of measurements differ significantly between DS and DS-sibling samples, whereas 46% differ significantly between DS and unrelated control samples. Nearly 14% of measurements differ significantly in variance between DS and DS sibling samples, while 18% of measurements differ significantly in variance between DS and unrelated euploid control samples. Of those measures that showed a significant difference in variance, all were relatively increased in the sample of DS individuals. These results indicate that faces of children with DS are quantitatively more similar to their siblings than to unrelated euploid individuals and exhibit consistent, but slightly increased variation with most individuals falling within the range of normal variation established by euploid samples. These observations provide indirect evidence of the strength of the genetic underpinnings of the resemblance between relatives and the resistance of craniofacial development to genetic perturbations caused by trisomy 21, while underscoring the complexity of the genotype-phenotype map. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

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

Hudson, W.G.

Scapteriscus vicinus is the most important pest of turf and pasture grasses in Florida. This study develops a method of correlating sample results with true population density and provides the first quantitative information on spatial distribution and movement patterns of mole crickets. Three basic techniques for sampling mole crickets were compared: soil flushes, soil corer, and pitfall trapping. No statistical difference was found between the soil corer and soil flushing. Soil flushing was shown to be more sensitive to changes in population density than pitfall trapping. No technique was effective for sampling adults. Regression analysis provided a means of adjustingmore » for the effects of soil moisture and showed soil temperature to be unimportant in predicting efficiency of flush sampling. Cesium-137 was used to label females for subsequent location underground. Comparison of mean distance to nearest neighbor with the distance predicted by a random distribution model showed that the observed distance in the spring was significantly greater than hypothesized (Student's T-test, p < 0.05). Fall adult nearest neighbor distance was not different than predicted by the random distribution hypothesis.« less

Analgesic efficacy of lysine clonixinate, paracetamol and dipyrone in lower third molar extraction: a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Noronha, Vladimir-Reimar-Augusto-de Souza; Gurgel, Gladson-de Souza; Alves, Luiz-César-Fonseca; Noman-Ferreira, Luiz-Cláudio; Mendonça, Lisette-Lobato; Aguiar, Evandro-Guimarães de; Abdo, Evandro-Neves

2009-08-01

The purpose of this study is to compare the analgesic effect of lysine clonixinate, paracetamol and dipyrone after lower third molar extraction. The sample consisted of 90 individuals with clinical indication for inferior third molar extraction. The mean age of the sample was 22.3 years (DP +/-2.5). The individuals received the medication in unidentified bottles along with the intake instructions. The postoperative pain parameters were measured according to the Visual Analogical Scale (VAS) and the data was evaluated using the Kruskal-Wallis Test and Friedman Test, with the latter used to test different time intervals for each one of the drugs. The final sample consisted of 64 individuals, including 23 males (45.9%) and 41 females (64.1%) The mean age of the entire sample was 22.3 years (+/-2.5). The average length of the procedures was 33.9 minutes (+/-9.8). The distribution of mean values for this variable showed little variance for the different drugs (p=0.07). Lysine Clonixinate did not show any substantial impact on the postoperative pain control when compared to other drugs.

A simple approach for morphology tailoring of alginate particles by manipulation ionic nature of polyurethanes.

PubMed

Daemi, Hamed; Barikani, Mehdi; Barmar, Mohammad

2014-05-01

A number of different ionic aqueous polyurethane dispersions (PUDs) were synthesized based on NCO-terminated prepolymers. Two different anionic and cationic polyurethane samples were synthesized using dimethylol propionic acid and N-methyldiethanolamine emulsifiers, respectively. Then, proper amounts of PUDs and sodium alginate were mixed to obtain a number of aqueous polyurethane dispersions-sodium alginate (PUD/SA) elastomers. The chemical structure, thermal, morphological, thermo-mechanical and mechanical properties, and hydrophilicity content of the prepared samples were studied by FTIR, EDX, DSC, TGA, SEM, DMTA, tensile testing and contact angle techniques. The cationic polyurethanes and their blends with sodium alginate showed excellent miscibility and highly stretchable properties, while the samples containing anionic polyurethanes and alginate illustrated a poor compatibility and no significant miscibility. The morphology of alginate particles shifted from nanoparticles to microparticles by changing the nature of PUDs from cationic to anionic types. The final cationic elastomers not only showed better mechanical properties but also were formulated easier than anionic samples. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Detection of Hepatic Fibrosis in Ex Vivo Liver Samples Using an Open-Photoacoustic-Cell Method: Feasibility Study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stolik, S.; Fabila, D. A.; de la Rosa, J. M.; Escobedo, G.; Suárez-Álvarez, K.; Tomás, S. A.

2015-09-01

Design of non-invasive and accurate novel methods for liver fibrosis diagnosis has gained growing interest. Different stages of liver fibrosis were induced in Wistar rats by intraperitoneally administering different doses of carbon tetrachloride. The liver fibrosis degree was conventionally determined by means of histological examination. An open-photoacoustic-cell (OPC) technique for the assessment of liver fibrosis was developed and is reported here. The OPC technique is based on the fact that the thermal diffusivity can be accurately measured by photoacoustics taking into consideration the photoacoustic signal amplitude versus the modulation frequency. This technique measures directly the heat generated in a sample, due to non-radiative de-excitation processes, following the absorption of light. The thermal diffusivity was measured with a home-made open-photoacoustic-cell system that was specially designed to perform the measurement from ex vivo liver samples. The human liver tissue showed a significant increase in the thermal diffusivity depending on the fibrosis stage. Specifically, liver samples from rats exhibiting hepatic fibrosis showed a significantly higher value of the thermal diffusivity than for control animals.

Multicenter evaluation of molecular and culture-dependent diagnostics for Shigella species and Entero-invasive Escherichia coli in the Netherlands.

PubMed

van den Beld, Maaike J C; Friedrich, Alexander W; van Zanten, Evert; Reubsaet, Frans A G; Kooistra-Smid, Mirjam A M D; Rossen, John W A

2016-12-01

An inter-laboratory collaborative trial for the evaluation of diagnostics for detection and identification of Shigella species and Entero-invasive Escherichia coli (EIEC) was performed. Sixteen Medical Microbiological Laboratories (MMLs) participated. MMLs were interviewed about their diagnostic methods and a sample panel, consisting of DNA-extracts and spiked stool samples with different concentrations of Shigella flexneri, was provided to each MML. The results of the trial showed an enormous variety in culture-dependent and molecular diagnostic techniques currently used among MMLs. Despite the various molecular procedures, 15 out of 16 MMLs were able to detect Shigella species or EIEC in all the samples provided, showing that the diversity of methods has no effect on the qualitative detection of Shigella flexneri. In contrast to semi quantitative analysis, the minimum and maximum values per sample differed by approximately five threshold cycles (Ct-value) between the MMLs included in the study. This indicates that defining a uniform Ct-value cut-off for notification to health authorities is not advisable. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Co-expression of HoxA9 and bcr-abl genes in chronic myeloid leukemia.

PubMed

Tedeschi, Fabián A; Cardozo, Maria A; Valentini, Rosanna; Zalazar, Fabián E

2010-05-01

We have analyzed the co-expression of the bcr-abl and HoxA9 genes in the follow-up of patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). In the present work we measured the HoxA9 and bcr-abl gene expression in sequential samples. In all patients, bcr-abl and HoxA9 were expressed at detectable levels in every sample. When the results were expressed in relation to abl, two different situations were found: (a) patients clinically stable at second sampling, with low relative risk at diagnosis (low Sokal's score), did not show significant differences in both bcr-abl and HoxA9 levels in the sequential samples analyzed, and (b) patients with poor prognosis (showing intermediate or high Sokal's score at diagnosis) had increased expression of bcr-abl as well as HoxA9 genes (p < 0.05). Since HoxA9 gene expression remains at relatively constant levels throughout adult life, our results could reflect actual changes in the expression rate of this gene associated with bcr-abl during the progression of CML.

HPLC analysis and standardization of Brahmi vati – An Ayurvedic poly-herbal formulation

PubMed Central

Mishra, Amrita; Mishra, Arun K.; Tiwari, Om Prakash; Jha, Shivesh

2013-01-01

Objectives The aim of the present study was to standardize Brahmi vati (BV) by simultaneous quantitative estimation of Bacoside A3 and Piperine adopting HPLC–UV method. BV very important Ayurvedic polyherbo formulation used to treat epilepsy and mental disorders containing thirty eight ingredients including Bacopa monnieri L. and Piper longum L. Materials and methods An HPLC–UV method was developed for the standardization of BV in light of simultaneous quantitative estimation of Bacoside A3 and Piperine, the major constituents of B. monnieri L. and P. longum L. respectively. The developed method was validated on parameters including linearity, precision, accuracy and robustness. Results The HPLC analysis showed significant increase in amount of Bacoside A3 and Piperine in the in-house sample of BV when compared with all three different marketed samples of the same. Results showed variations in the amount of Bacoside A3 and Piperine in different samples which indicate non-uniformity in their quality which will lead to difference in their therapeutic effects. Conclusion The outcome of the present investigation underlines the importance of standardization of Ayurvedic formulations. The developed method may be further used to standardize other samples of BV or other formulations containing Bacoside A3 and Piperine. PMID:24396246

Heavy metals concentration and availability of different soils in Sabzevar area, NE of Iran

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mazhari, Seyed Ali; Sharifiyan Attar, Reza; Haghighi, Faezeh

2017-10-01

Soils developed in the Sabzevar ophiolitic area originate from different bedrocks. All samples display similar physico-chemical properties, but heavy metal concentrations vary extremely in different soil samples. Serpentine soils have the highest total concentration of Cr, Ni and Co; while soils derived from mafic rocks (olivine basalts and hornblende gabbros) show the highest Cu (85.29-109.11 ppm) and Zn (46.88-86.60 ppm). The DTPA-extraction of soil samples indicates that the order of metal bioavailability was Cr3% of total Cr; >12% of total Co and >17% of total Zn). Oxide minerals (such as chromite and magnetite) in Sabzevar soils play as resistant minerals and impede the heavy metal availability; while forsterite, pyroxene, serpentine and talc are more labile and show higher DTPA-extractable of heavy metals.

UHPLC-TQ-MS Coupled with Multivariate Statistical Analysis to Characterize Nucleosides, Nucleobases and Amino Acids in Angelicae Sinensis Radix Obtained by Different Drying Methods.

PubMed

Zhu, Shaoqing; Guo, Sheng; Duan, Jin-Ao; Qian, Dawei; Yan, Hui; Sha, Xiuxiu; Zhu, Zhenhua

2017-06-01

To explore the nutrients in roots of Angelica sinensis (Angelicae Sinensis Radix, ASR), a medicinal and edible plant, and evaluate its nutritional value, a rapid and reliable UHPLC-TQ-MS method was established and used to determine the potential nutritional compounds, including nucleosides, nucleobases and amino acids, in 50 batches of ASR samples obtained using two drying methods. The results showed that ASR is a healthy food rich in nucleosides, nucleobases and amino acids, especially arginine. The total average content of nucleosides and nucleobases in all ASR samples was 3.94 mg/g, while that of amino acids reached as high as 61.79 mg/g. Principle component analysis showed that chemical profile differences exist between the two groups of ASR samples prepared using different drying methods, and the contents of nutritional compounds in samples dried with the tempering-intermittent drying processing method (TIDM) were generally higher than those dried using the traditional solar processing method. The above results suggest that ASR should be considered an ideal healthy food and TIDM could be a suitable drying method for ASR when taking nucleosides, nucleobases and amino acids as the major consideration for their known human health benefits.

Evaluation and mapping of PM2.5 atmospheric aerosols in Arasia region using PIXE and gravimetric measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roumie, M.; Chiari, M.; Srour, A.; Sa'adeh, H.; Reslan, A.; Sultan, M.; Ahmad, M.; Calzolai, G.; Nava, S.; Zubaidi, Th.; Rihawy, M. S.; Hussein, T.; Arafah, D.-E.; Karydas, A. G.; Simon, A.; Nsouli, B.

2016-03-01

The present work is a part of a scientific study conducted among several Arab countries in west Asia, under an International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) regional technical cooperation project for Arasia region. The project aims at producing for the first time a database of particulate matter (PM) elemental concentrations in the region that will help in future air quality studies in order to identify commonalities and differences in the presence and contribution of fingerprint pollution sources among the Arasia Member States. The first regional campaign was launched simultaneously in Lebanon, Iraq, Jordan, Syria and United Arab Emirates, using a harmonized sampling and analysis protocol of PM10 and PM2.5 samples. Different samples, collected between October 2014 and February 2015, from the participating countries, were analyzed by PIXE technique and gravimetric measurements were also carried out. The first results of the study will be discussed in a regional perspective. Our study shows that concentrations of fine aerosol fractions are often exceeding the WHO standard values as well as showing some disparities in the obtained values between the different sampling sites. However, some trend similarities of variations with time could also be observed, suggesting a common influence by trans-boundary or external sources of air pollution.

Factorial experimental design intended for the optimization of the alumina purification conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brahmi, Mounaouer; Ba, Mohamedou; Hidri, Yassine; Hassen, Abdennaceur

2018-04-01

The objective of this study was to determine the optimal conditions by using the experimental design methodology for the removal of some impurities associated with the alumina. So, three alumina qualities of different origins were investigated under the same conditions. The application of full-factorial designs on the samples of different qualities of alumina has followed the removal rates of the sodium oxide. However, a factorial experimental design was developed to describe the elimination of sodium oxide associated with the alumina. The experimental results showed that chemical analyze followed by XRF prior treatment of the samples, provided a primary idea concerning these prevailing impurities. Therefore, it appeared that the sodium oxide constituted the largest amount among all impurities. After the application of experimental design, analysis of the effectors different factors and their interactions showed that to have a better result, we should reduce the alumina quantity investigated and by against increase the stirring time for the first two samples, whereas, it was necessary to increase the alumina quantity in the case of the third sample. To expand and improve this research, we should take into account all existing impurities, since we found during this investigation that the levels of partial impurities increased after the treatment.

Polished sample preparing and backscattered electron imaging and of fly ash-cement paste

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Feng, Shuxia; Li, Yanqi

2018-03-01

In recent decades, the technology of backscattered electron imaging and image analysis was applied in more and more study of mixed cement paste because of its special advantages. Test accuracy of this technology is affected by polished sample preparation and image acquisition. In our work, effects of two factors in polished sample preparing and backscattered electron imaging were investigated. The results showed that increasing smoothing pressure could improve the flatness of polished surface and then help to eliminate interference of morphology on grey level distribution of backscattered electron images; increasing accelerating voltage was beneficial to increase gray difference among different phases in backscattered electron images.

MRI and unilateral NMR study of reindeer skin tanning processes.

PubMed

Zhu, Lizheng; Del Federico, Eleonora; Ilott, Andrew J; Klokkernes, Torunn; Kehlet, Cindie; Jerschow, Alexej

2015-04-07

The study of arctic or subarctic indigenous skin clothing material, known for its design and ability to keep the body warm, provides information about the tanning materials and techniques. The study also provides clues about the culture that created it, since tanning processes are often specific to certain indigenous groups. Untreated skin samples and samples treated with willow (Salix sp) bark extract and cod liver oil are compared in this study using both MRI and unilateral NMR techniques. The two types of samples show different proton spatial distributions and different relaxation times, which may also provide information about the tanning technique and aging behavior.

Influence of disorder on the signature of the pseudogap and multigap superconducting behavior in FeSe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rößler, Sahana; Huang, Chien-Lung; Jiao, Lin; Koz, Cevriye; Schwarz, Ulrich; Wirth, Steffen

2018-03-01

We investigated several FeSe single crystals grown by two different methods by utilizing experimental techniques, namely, resistivity, magnetoresistance, specific heat, scanning tunneling microscopy, and spectroscopy. The residual resistivity ratio (RRR) shows systematic differences between samples grown by chemical vapor transport and flux vapor transport, indicating variance in the amount of scattering centers. Although the superconducting transition temperature Tc is not directly related to RRR, our study evidences subtle differences in the features of an incipient ordering mode related to a depletion of density of states at the Fermi level. For instance, the onset temperature of anisotropic spin fluctuations at T*≈75 K, and the temperature of the opening up of a partial gap in the density of states at T**≈30 K, are not discernible in the samples with lower RRR. Further, we show that the functional dependence of the electronic specific heat below 2 K, which allows us to determine the nodal features as well as the small superconducting gap, differs significantly in crystals grown by these two different methods. Our investigation suggests that some of the controversies about the driving mechanism for the superconducting gap or its structure and symmetry are related to minute differences in the crystals arising due to the growth techniques used and the total amount of scattering centers present in the sample.

Viscosity of alkaline suspensions of ground black and white pepper samples: An indication or an identification of high dose radiation treatment?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schreiber, G. A.; Leffke, A.; Mager, M.; Helle, N.; Bögl, K. W.

1994-11-01

Forty-nine pepper samples were taken from retail food stores of different cities in Germany. Most of the black and all white pepper samples showed high viscosity values after jellification in alkaline solution. After irradiation with a γ-ray dose of 6 kGy, viscosity was largely reduced in each case. Some black pepper samples showed a low viscosity level already before irradiation. However, thermoluminescence analysis did not reveal any sign for irradiation treatment prior to examination. Furthermore, the low viscosity level of these samples could not be correlated with a low starch content. It is concluded that the viscosity levels of irradiated white pepper samples clearly reveal high dose irradiation treatment. In case of black peppers it is judged that the method can be used to screen for irradiated samples since it is fast, easy and cheap. However, a positive result should be confirmed by another technique, e.g. thermoluminescence.

Sample selection via angular distance in the space of the arguments of an artificial neural network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fernández Jaramillo, J. M.; Mayerle, R.

2018-05-01

In the construction of an artificial neural network (ANN) a proper data splitting of the available samples plays a major role in the training process. This selection of subsets for training, testing and validation affects the generalization ability of the neural network. Also the number of samples has an impact in the time required for the design of the ANN and the training. This paper introduces an efficient and simple method for reducing the set of samples used for training a neural network. The method reduces the required time to calculate the network coefficients, while keeping the diversity and avoiding overtraining the ANN due the presence of similar samples. The proposed method is based on the calculation of the angle between two vectors, each one representing one input of the neural network. When the angle formed among samples is smaller than a defined threshold only one input is accepted for the training. The accepted inputs are scattered throughout the sample space. Tidal records are used to demonstrate the proposed method. The results of a cross-validation show that with few inputs the quality of the outputs is not accurate and depends on the selection of the first sample, but as the number of inputs increases the accuracy is improved and differences among the scenarios with a different starting sample have and important reduction. A comparison with the K-means clustering algorithm shows that for this application the proposed method with a smaller number of samples is producing a more accurate network.

Using random telephone sampling to recruit generalizable samples for family violence studies.

PubMed

Slep, Amy M Smith; Heyman, Richard E; Williams, Mathew C; Van Dyke, Cheryl E; O'Leary, Susan G

2006-12-01

Convenience sampling methods predominate in recruiting for laboratory-based studies within clinical and family psychology. The authors used random digit dialing (RDD) to determine whether they could feasibly recruit generalizable samples for 2 studies (a parenting study and an intimate partner violence study). RDD screen response rate was 42-45%; demographics matched those in the 2000 U.S. Census, with small- to medium-sized differences on race, age, and income variables. RDD respondents who qualified for, but did not participate in, the laboratory study of parents showed small differences on income, couple conflicts, and corporal punishment. Time and cost are detailed, suggesting that RDD may be a feasible, effective method by which to recruit more generalizable samples for in-laboratory studies of family violence when those studies have sufficient resources. (c) 2006 APA, all rights reserved.

[Evaluation of Image Quality of Readout Segmented EPI with Readout Partial Fourier Technique].

PubMed

Yoshimura, Yuuki; Suzuki, Daisuke; Miyahara, Kanae

Readout segmented EPI (readout segmentation of long variable echo-trains: RESOLVE) segmented k-space in the readout direction. By using the partial Fourier method in the readout direction, the imaging time was shortened. However, the influence on image quality due to insufficient data sampling is concerned. The setting of the partial Fourier method in the readout direction in each segment was changed. Then, we examined signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR), and distortion ratio for changes in image quality due to differences in data sampling. As the number of sampling segments decreased, SNR and CNR showed a low value. In addition, the distortion ratio did not change. The image quality of minimum sampling segments is greatly different from full data sampling, and caution is required when using it.

Electronic structures of the YBa2Cu3O7-x surface and its modification by sputtering and adatoms of Ti and Cu

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meyer, H. M., III; Hill, D. M.; Wagener, T. J.; Gao, Y.; Weaver, J. H.; Capone, D. W., II; Goretta, K. C.

1988-10-01

We present x-ray and inverse photoemission results for fractured surfaces of YBa2Cu3O6.9 before and after surface modification by Ar ion bombardment and the deposition of adatoms of Ti and Cu. Representative results are compared for samples prepared in three different ways. Two of the sample types exhibit substantial emission from grain-boundary phases because of both intergranular and transgranular fracture; they produce results that are very similar to those presented thus far in the literature. A third type was nearly free of contamination and clearly showed spectral features characteristic of the superconductor. Comparison of these nearly contamination-free valence-band results to those for clean La1.85Sr0.15CuO4 shows remarkably similar x-ray photoemission spectroscopy densities of states, with subtle differences near the Fermi level and at 3 eV. Inverse photoemission results show the top of the Cu-O hybrid orbitals to be 2 eV above EF and the empty states of Y and Ba at higher energy. Comparison with one-electron densities of states shows reasonable agreement, but there are large differences within the set of calculated results, and it is unclear from the valence bands alone how to account for final-state Cu d-d Coulomb correlation effects (satellite features show these effects very clearly). Argon sputtering for both types of samples shows destruction of the superconductor, with differences that can be related to sample surface quality. The deposition of adatoms of Ti and Cu results in reaction associated with oxygen withdrawal from the near-surface region. Studies of the Cu 2p3/2 line shape show that the deposition of as little as ~1 monolayer equivalent of Ti or Cu reduces the formal Cu2+ emission within the probed volume (30-50 Å deep). Core-level analysis shows that this chemical reduction of Cu is accompanied by crystal-structure modifications as well. Studies of Cu adatom interactions reveal the progression from Cu2+ to Cu1+ and ultimately, to Cu metal as the overlayer thickens (Cu 2p2/3 binding energy 932.5 eV for Cu metal, 933.1 eV for Cu1+, and 932.8 eV for the superconductor). Valence-band results during interface formation show the disappearance of emission near the Fermi level, consistent with the loss of Cu2+-O covalent bonds of the superconductor.

Interactions among resource partitioning, sampling effect, and facilitation on the biodiversity effect: a modeling approach.

PubMed

Flombaum, Pedro; Sala, Osvaldo E; Rastetter, Edward B

2014-02-01

Resource partitioning, facilitation, and sampling effect are the three mechanisms behind the biodiversity effect, which is depicted usually as the effect of plant-species richness on aboveground net primary production. These mechanisms operate simultaneously but their relative importance and interactions are difficult to unravel experimentally. Thus, niche differentiation and facilitation have been lumped together and separated from the sampling effect. Here, we propose three hypotheses about interactions among the three mechanisms and test them using a simulation model. The model simulated water movement through soil and vegetation, and net primary production mimicking the Patagonian steppe. Using the model, we created grass and shrub monocultures and mixtures, controlled root overlap and grass water-use efficiency (WUE) to simulate gradients of biodiversity, resource partitioning and facilitation. The presence of shrubs facilitated grass growth by increasing its WUE and in turn increased the sampling effect, whereas root overlap (resource partitioning) had, on average, no effect on sampling effect. Interestingly, resource partitioning and facilitation interacted so the effect of facilitation on sampling effect decreased as resource partitioning increased. Sampling effect was enhanced by the difference between the two functional groups in their efficiency in using resources. Morphological and physiological differences make one group outperform the other; once these differences were established further differences did not enhance the sampling effect. In addition, grass WUE and root overlap positively influence the biodiversity effect but showed no interactions.

Investigations on the detection of irradiated food by measuring the viscosity of suspended spices and dried vegetables

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heide, L.; Nürnberger, E.; Bögl, K. W.

Studies on the viscosity behavior were performed with 20 different spices or dried vegetables. In nine spices (cinnamon, ginger, mustard seed, celery, onions, shallots, lemon peel, black and white pepper) differences between unirradiated and irradiated samples were observed. Further lots were investigated to estimate the variations of viscosity depending on the origin of the samples. Additional storage experiments showed that measuring the viscosity may be a simple method to identify some radiation treated spices even after years.

The effect of preliminary hydrolysis on the properties of ZrO2-7% Y2O3 powders prepared by hydroxide precipitation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhirenkina, Nina V.; Mashkovtsev, Maxim A.; Bereskina, Polina A.; Zakirov, Ilsur F.; Baksheev, Evgenie O.; Bujnachev, Sergey V.; Vereshchagin, Artem O.

2017-09-01

In this study, the effect of preliminary hydrolysis of zirconyl oxysulfate on the properties of ZrO2-7 % Y2O3 powders prepared by hydroxides precipitation at a constant pH of 5 was studied. X-ray diffraction analysis showed the monophasic nature of the samples and the insignificant difference between CSR (coherent scattering regions). Samples differed in particle size distribution, porosity and morphology.

Human and methodological sources of variability in the measurement of urinary 8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-2'-deoxyguanosine.

PubMed

Barregard, Lars; Møller, Peter; Henriksen, Trine; Mistry, Vilas; Koppen, Gudrun; Rossner, Pavel; Sram, Radim J; Weimann, Allan; Poulsen, Henrik E; Nataf, Robert; Andreoli, Roberta; Manini, Paola; Marczylo, Tim; Lam, Patricia; Evans, Mark D; Kasai, Hiroshi; Kawai, Kazuaki; Li, Yun-Shan; Sakai, Kazuo; Singh, Rajinder; Teichert, Friederike; Farmer, Peter B; Rozalski, Rafal; Gackowski, Daniel; Siomek, Agnieszka; Saez, Guillermo T; Cerda, Concha; Broberg, Karin; Lindh, Christian; Hossain, Mohammad Bakhtiar; Haghdoost, Siamak; Hu, Chiung-Wen; Chao, Mu-Rong; Wu, Kuen-Yuh; Orhan, Hilmi; Senduran, Nilufer; Smith, Raymond J; Santella, Regina M; Su, Yali; Cortez, Czarina; Yeh, Susan; Olinski, Ryszard; Loft, Steffen; Cooke, Marcus S

2013-06-20

Urinary 8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-oxodG) is a widely used biomarker of oxidative stress. However, variability between chromatographic and ELISA methods hampers interpretation of data, and this variability may increase should urine composition differ between individuals, leading to assay interference. Furthermore, optimal urine sampling conditions are not well defined. We performed inter-laboratory comparisons of 8-oxodG measurement between mass spectrometric-, electrochemical- and ELISA-based methods, using common within-technique calibrants to analyze 8-oxodG-spiked phosphate-buffered saline and urine samples. We also investigated human subject- and sample collection-related variables, as potential sources of variability. Chromatographic assays showed high agreement across urines from different subjects, whereas ELISAs showed far more inter-laboratory variation and generally overestimated levels, compared to the chromatographic assays. Excretion rates in timed 'spot' samples showed strong correlations with 24 h excretion (the 'gold' standard) of urinary 8-oxodG (rp 0.67-0.90), although the associations were weaker for 8-oxodG adjusted for creatinine or specific gravity (SG). The within-individual excretion of 8-oxodG varied only moderately between days (CV 17% for 24 h excretion and 20% for first void, creatinine-corrected samples). This is the first comprehensive study of both human and methodological factors influencing 8-oxodG measurement, providing key information for future studies with this important biomarker. ELISA variability is greater than chromatographic assay variability, and cannot determine absolute levels of 8-oxodG. Use of standardized calibrants greatly improves intra-technique agreement and, for the chromatographic assays, importantly allows integration of results for pooled analyses. If 24 h samples are not feasible, creatinine- or SG-adjusted first morning samples are recommended.

Microbiological Quality Assessment by PCR and Its Antibiotic Susceptibility in Mangrove Crabs (Ucides cordatus) from Guanabara Bay, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

PubMed

Carvalho, M C N; Jayme, M M; Arenazio, G S; Araújo, F V; Leite, S G F; Del Aguila, E M

2016-01-01

The bacteriological quality of crabs from three different mangroves (Itaóca, Suruí, and Piedade) from Rio de Janeiro state, Brazil, was investigated using conventional and molecular methods. The results revealed high counts for total coliforms in meat and hepatopancreas samples. PCR analyses identified 25 Escherichia coli colonies in the Itaóca, Piedade, and Suruí samples, detecting 13 enterotoxigenic colonies and 9 enteroaggregative colonies. Respectively, 12, 11, and 21 Vibrio parahaemolyticus strains were detected in the Itaóca, Piedade, and Suruí samples. Two V. cholerae strains were detected in the Piedade samples. The E. coli strains isolated in the present study showed resistance to gentamicin. E. coli strains from the Piedade samples showed 33% resistance to chloramphenicol and the strains also showed multiresistance to several antimicrobial agents with a MAR index ranging from 0.12 to 0.31. Vibrio strains from Piedade, Itaóca, and Suruí showed 86%, 78%, and 85% resistance, respectively, to ampicillin. The isolated Vibrio strains showed multiresistance to several antimicrobial agents, with a MAR index ranging from 0.12 to 0.25. The presence of these organisms in crab meat is an indication of microbial contamination, which may pose health risks to consumers when improperly cooked.

Microbiological Quality Assessment by PCR and Its Antibiotic Susceptibility in Mangrove Crabs (Ucides cordatus) from Guanabara Bay, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

PubMed Central

Carvalho, M. C. N.; Jayme, M. M.; Arenazio, G. S.; Araújo, F. V.; Leite, S. G. F.; Del Aguila, E. M.

2016-01-01

The bacteriological quality of crabs from three different mangroves (Itaóca, Suruí, and Piedade) from Rio de Janeiro state, Brazil, was investigated using conventional and molecular methods. The results revealed high counts for total coliforms in meat and hepatopancreas samples. PCR analyses identified 25 Escherichia coli colonies in the Itaóca, Piedade, and Suruí samples, detecting 13 enterotoxigenic colonies and 9 enteroaggregative colonies. Respectively, 12, 11, and 21 Vibrio parahaemolyticus strains were detected in the Itaóca, Piedade, and Suruí samples. Two V. cholerae strains were detected in the Piedade samples. The E. coli strains isolated in the present study showed resistance to gentamicin. E. coli strains from the Piedade samples showed 33% resistance to chloramphenicol and the strains also showed multiresistance to several antimicrobial agents with a MAR index ranging from 0.12 to 0.31. Vibrio strains from Piedade, Itaóca, and Suruí showed 86%, 78%, and 85% resistance, respectively, to ampicillin. The isolated Vibrio strains showed multiresistance to several antimicrobial agents, with a MAR index ranging from 0.12 to 0.25. The presence of these organisms in crab meat is an indication of microbial contamination, which may pose health risks to consumers when improperly cooked. PMID:27065187

Porous calcium polyphosphate bone substitutes: additive manufacturing versus conventional gravity sinter processing-effect on structure and mechanical properties.

PubMed

Hu, Youxin; Shanjani, Yaser; Toyserkani, Ehsan; Grynpas, Marc; Wang, Rizhi; Pilliar, Robert

2014-02-01

Porous calcium polyphosphate (CPP) structures proposed as bone-substitute implants and made by sintering CPP powders to form bending test samples of approximately 35 vol % porosity were machined from preformed blocks made either by additive manufacturing (AM) or conventional gravity sintering (CS) methods and the structure and mechanical characteristics of samples so made were compared. AM-made samples displayed higher bending strengths (≈1.2-1.4 times greater than CS-made samples), whereas elastic constant (i.e., effective elastic modulus of the porous structures) that is determined by material elastic modulus and structural geometry of the samples was ≈1.9-2.3 times greater for AM-made samples. X-ray diffraction analysis showed that samples made by either method displayed the same crystal structure forming β-CPP after sinter annealing. The material elastic modulus, E, determined using nanoindentation tests also showed the same value for both sample types (i.e., E ≈ 64 GPa). Examination of the porous structures indicated that significantly larger sinter necks resulted in the AM-made samples which presumably resulted in the higher mechanical properties. The development of mechanical properties was attributed to the different sinter anneal procedures required to make 35 vol % porous samples by the two methods. A primary objective of the present study, in addition to reporting on bending strength and sample stiffness (elastic constant) characteristics, was to determine why the two processes resulted in the observed mechanical property differences for samples of equivalent volume percentage of porosity. An understanding of the fundamental reason(s) for the observed effect is considered important for developing improved processes for preparation of porous CPP implants as bone substitutes for use in high load-bearing skeletal sites. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

[Studies on HPLC fingerprint chromatogram of Folium Fici Microcarpa].

PubMed

Fang, Zhi-Jian; Dai, Zhen; Li, Shu-Yuan

2008-10-01

To establish a sensitive and specific method for quality control of Folium Fici Microcarpa, HPLC method was applied for studies on the fingerprint chromatogram of Folium Fici Microcarpa. Isovitexin was used as reference substance to evaluate the chromatogram of 10 samples from different regions and 12 samples collected in different months. The result revealed that all the chromatographic peaks were seperated efficiently. There were 17 common peaks showed in the fingerprint chromatogram. The method of fingerprint chromatogram with characteristic and specificity will be used to identify the quality and evaluate different origins and collection period of Folium Fici Microcarpa.

Visually testing the dynamic character of a blazed-angle adjustable grating by digital holographic microscopy.

PubMed

Qin, Chuan; Zhao, Jianlin; Di, Jianglei; Wang, Le; Yu, Yiting; Yuan, Weizheng

2009-02-10

We employed digital holographic microscopy to visually test microoptoelectromechanical systems (MOEMS). The sample is a blazed-angle adjustable grating. Considering the periodic structure of the sample, a local area unwrapping method based on a binary template was adopted to demodulate the fringes obtained by referring to a reference hologram. A series of holograms at different deformation states due to different drive voltages were captured to analyze the dynamic character of the MOEMS, and the uniformity of different microcantilever beams was also inspected. The results show this testing method is effective for a periodic structure.

The Sm-Nd history of KREEP. [in lunar rocks

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lugmair, G. W.; Carlson, R. W.

1978-01-01

Sm-Nd whole rock measurements on a variety of KREEP-rich samples from different landing sites are reported. Despite a variation of Nd and Sm concentrations of almost a factor of 3, the Sm-Nd ratios, as well as the Nd-143/Nd-144 values, show an extremely close grouping. No systematic differences between samples from different landing sites are resolved. These results are taken to be indicative of a moon-wide process having been responsible for the generation of the KREEP source reservoir, 4.36 plus or minus 0.06 AE ago, as estimated from model age calculation.

Switchable Underwater Bubble Wettability on Laser-Induced Titanium Multiscale Micro-/Nanostructures by Vertically Crossed Scanning.

PubMed

Jiao, Yunlong; Li, Chuanzong; Wu, Sizhu; Hu, Yanlei; Li, Jiawen; Yang, Liang; Wu, Dong; Chu, Jiaru

2018-05-16

We present here a kind of novel multiscale TiO 2 square micropillar arrays on titanium sheets through vertically crossed scanning of femtosecond laser. This multiscale micro-/nanostructure is ascribed to the combination of laser ablation/shock compression/debris self-deposition, which shows superaerophobicity in water with a very small sliding angle. The laser-induced sample displays switchable bubble wettability in water via heating in a dark environment and ultraviolet (UV) irradiation in alcohol. After heating in a dark environment (0.5 h), the ablated titanium surface shows superaerophilicity in water with a bubble contact angle (BCA) of ∼4°, which has a great ability of capturing bubbles in water. After UV irradiation in alcohol (1 h), the sample recovered its superaerophobicity in water and the BCA turns into 156°. The mechanism of reversible switching is believed as the chemical conversion between Ti-OH and Ti-O. It is worth noting that our proposed switching strategy is time-saving and the switch wetting cycle costs only 1.5 h. Then we repeat five switching cycles on the reversibility and the method shows excellent reproducibility and stability. Moreover, laser-induced samples with different scanning spacing (50-120 μm) are fabricated and all of them show switchable underwater bubble wettability via the above tunable methods. Finally, we fabricate hybrid-patterned microstructures to show different patterned bubbles in water on the heated samples. We believe the original works will provide some new insights to researchers in bubble manipulation and gas collection fields.

Perception of Filtered Speech by Children with Developmental Dyslexia and Children with Specific Language Impairments

PubMed Central

Goswami, Usha; Cumming, Ruth; Chait, Maria; Huss, Martina; Mead, Natasha; Wilson, Angela M.; Barnes, Lisa; Fosker, Tim

2016-01-01

Here we use two filtered speech tasks to investigate children’s processing of slow (<4 Hz) versus faster (∼33 Hz) temporal modulations in speech. We compare groups of children with either developmental dyslexia (Experiment 1) or speech and language impairments (SLIs, Experiment 2) to groups of typically-developing (TD) children age-matched to each disorder group. Ten nursery rhymes were filtered so that their modulation frequencies were either low-pass filtered (<4 Hz) or band-pass filtered (22 – 40 Hz). Recognition of the filtered nursery rhymes was tested in a picture recognition multiple choice paradigm. Children with dyslexia aged 10 years showed equivalent recognition overall to TD controls for both the low-pass and band-pass filtered stimuli, but showed significantly impaired acoustic learning during the experiment from low-pass filtered targets. Children with oral SLIs aged 9 years showed significantly poorer recognition of band pass filtered targets compared to their TD controls, and showed comparable acoustic learning effects to TD children during the experiment. The SLI samples were also divided into children with and without phonological difficulties. The children with both SLI and phonological difficulties were impaired in recognizing both kinds of filtered speech. These data are suggestive of impaired temporal sampling of the speech signal at different modulation rates by children with different kinds of developmental language disorder. Both SLI and dyslexic samples showed impaired discrimination of amplitude rise times. Implications of these findings for a temporal sampling framework for understanding developmental language disorders are discussed. PMID:27303348

Suppression of prairie grasses due to excess magnesium in a portion of a restored prairie.

PubMed

Franson, Raymond; Krabbe, Stephen; Scholes, Chad

2017-01-02

In June 2002, the Department of Energy (DOE) began establishing the 60 ha Howell Prairie at the DOE Weldon Spring Site (WSS). In one area, the clay base is different from the other soil (subarea 2C). Vegetation sampling was conducted on four permanent plots across the prairie beginning in 2008, and shows that three of the four plots have strong establishment of native prairie species including prairie grasses. The fourth plot (subarea 2C), where the soil is different, shows significantly less native grass cover and stunted vegetation compared to the other three plots. One hundred twenty-five soil samples were taken in 6 different months and in 6 different years across the entire prairie restoration. Across the prairie, potassium (K) and phosphorus (P) were not limiting. The pH, organic matter content (OM), and cation exchange capacity (CEC) did not show trends related to the vegetation issues in subarea 2C. Ordination of the ratio of magnesium (Mg):K shows that Mg is very high in subarea 2C, which has been demonstrated to suppress the growth of prairie grasses. Subarea 2C contains interstratified kaolinite-smectite clay which contributes Mg to soil. It is hypothesized that an inexpensive, nondestructive treatment (addition of K) could be applied to remediate this area.

Genotypes and enterotoxicity of Staphylococcus aureus isolated from the hands and nasal cavities of flight-catering employees.

PubMed

Hatakka, M; Björkroth, K J; Asplund, K; Mäki-Petäys, N; Korkeala, H J

2000-11-01

Hand and nasal samples of flight-catering staff were collected from 1995 to 1997 to find employees carrying Staphylococcus aureus. Altogether 153 hand samples and 136 nose samples were taken. Nasal sampling showed a higher prevalence of S. aureus among food handlers (29%) than hand sampling (9%). A high proportion of the strains (46%) were enterotoxigenic, and a considerable amount of food handlers carried enterotoxigenic S. aureus, 6% and 12% according to hand and nasal sampling, respectively. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis macrorestriction profiles revealed a total of 32 different types associated with the 35 employees carrying S. aureus. In most cases, the same type colonized both the hand and nose of a person. Despite the wide variety of types found, one strain colonized five persons and the second most common strain was associated with four food handlers. The predominant toxin produced was B, which was produced by the most common strain. The results showed that nasal sampling is a good way to detect S. aureus carriers, whereas hand sampling may fail to reveal carriers. The high proportion of enterotoxigenic strains show that a food handler harboring S. aureus must be considered a potential source of enterotoxigenic strains for airline meals.

Characterizations of Pr-doped Yb3Al5O12 single crystals for scintillator applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yoshida, Yasuki; Shinozaki, Kenji; Igashira, Takuya; Kawano, Naoki; Okada, Go; Kawaguchi, Noriaki; Yanagida, Takayuki

2018-04-01

Yb3Al5O12 (YbAG) single crystals doped with different concentrations of Pr were synthesized by the Floating Zone (FZ) method. Then, we evaluated their basic optical and scintillation properties. All the samples showed photoluminescence (PL) with two emission bands appeared approximately 300-500 nm and 550-600 nm due to the charge transfer luminescence of Yb3+ and intrinsic luminescence of the garnet structure, respectively. A PL decay profile of each sample was approximated by a sum of two exponential decay functions, and the obtained decay times were 1 ns and 3-4 ns. In the scintillation spectra, we observed emission peaks in the ranges from 300 to 400 nm and from 450 to 550 nm for all the samples. The origins of these emissions were attributed to charge transfer luminescence of Yb3+ and intrinsic luminescence of the garnet structure, respectively. The scintillation decay times became longer with increasing the Pr concentrations. Among the present samples, the 0.1% Pr-doped sample showed the lowest scintillation afterglow level. In addition, pulse height spectrum of 5.5 MeV α-rays was demonstrated using the Pr-doped YbAG, and we confirmed that all the samples showed a full energy deposited peak. Above all, the 0.1% Pr-doped sample showed the highest light yield with a value of 14 ph/MeV under α-rays excitation.

Distribution of Paenibacillus larvae spores inside honey bee colonies and its relevance for diagnosis.

PubMed

Gillard, M; Charriere, J D; Belloy, L

2008-09-01

One of the most important factors affecting the development of honey bee colonies is infectious diseases such as American foulbrood (AFB) caused by the spore forming Gram-positive bacterium Paenibacillus larvae. Colony inspections for AFB clinical symptoms are time consuming. Moreover, diseased cells in the early stages of the infection may easily be overlooked. In this study, we investigated whether it is possible to determine the sanitary status of a colony based on analyses of different materials collected from the hive. We analysed 237 bee samples and 67 honey samples originating from 71 colonies situated in 13 apiaries with clinical AFB occurrences. We tested whether a difference in spore load among bees inside the whole hive exists and which sample material related to its location inside the hive was the most appropriate for an early AFB diagnosis based on the culture method. Results indicated that diagnostics based on analysis of honey samples and bees collected at the hive entrance are of limited value as only 86% and 83%, respectively, of samples from AFB-symptomatic colonies were positive. Analysis of bee samples collected from the brood nest, honey chamber, and edge frame allowed the detection of all colonies showing AFB clinical symptoms. Microbiological analysis showed that more than one quarter of samples collected from colonies without AFB clinical symptoms were positive for P. larvae. Based on these results, we recommend investigating colonies by testing bee samples from the brood nest, edge frame or honey chamber for P. larvae spores.

Porosity of the Marcellus Shale: A contrast matching small-angle neutron scattering study

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bahadur, Jitendra; Ruppert, Leslie F.; Pipich, Vitaliy; Sakurovs, Richard; Melnichenko, Yuri B.

2018-01-01

Neutron scattering techniques were used to determine the effect of mineral matter on the accessibility of water and toluene to pores in the Devonian Marcellus Shale. Three Marcellus Shale samples, representing quartz-rich, clay-rich, and carbonate-rich facies, were examined using contrast matching small-angle neutron scattering (CM-SANS) at ambient pressure and temperature. Contrast matching compositions of H2O, D2O and toluene, deuterated toluene were used to probe open and closed pores of these three shale samples. Results show that although the mean pore radius was approximately the same for all three samples, the fractal dimension of the quartz-rich sample was higher than for the clay-rich and carbonate-rich samples, indicating different pore size distributions among the samples. The number density of pores was highest in the clay-rich sample and lowest in the quartz-rich sample. Contrast matching with water and toluene mixtures shows that the accessibility of pores to water and toluene also varied among the samples. In general, water accessed approximately 70–80% of the larger pores (>80 nm radius) in all three samples. At smaller pore sizes (~5–80 nm radius), the fraction of accessible pores decreases. The lowest accessibility to both fluids is at pore throat size of ~25 nm radii with the quartz-rich sample exhibiting lower accessibility than the clay- and carbonate-rich samples. The mechanism for this behaviour is unclear, but because the mineralogy of the three samples varies, it is likely that the inaccessible pores in this size range are associated with organics and not a specific mineral within the samples. At even smaller pore sizes (~<2.5 nm radius), in all samples, the fraction of accessible pores to water increases again to approximately 70–80%. Accessibility to toluene generally follows that of water; however, in the smallest pores (~<2.5 nm radius), accessibility to toluene decreases, especially in the clay-rich sample which contains about 30% more closed pores than the quartz- and carbonate-rich samples. Results from this study show that mineralogy of producing intervals within a shale reservoir can affect accessibility of pores to water and toluene and these mineralogic differences may affect hydrocarbon storage and production and hydraulic fracturing characteristics

Microsatellite variation in Donax trunculus from the Iberian Peninsula, with particular attention to Galician estuaries (NW Spain)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nantón, A.; Arias-Pérez, A.; Freire, R.; Fernández-Pérez, J.; Nóvoa, S.; Méndez, J.

2017-10-01

Genetic variation and population structure information is essential for conservation and stock management policies. The wedge clam Donax trunculus is an important fishing resource in the Iberian Peninsula and in some areas, such as the northwestern Spain, wild stocks have decreased greatly. Despite this, information is mainly from the southwestern Atlantic to the northwestern Mediterranean of the Iberian Peninsula. In this study, fifteen microsatellite loci were examined at 17 localities along the Iberian Peninsula to characterize its genetic diversity and population structure. Particular attention was paid to the northwestern Atlantic area, and to test if the pattern previously described for this species is confirmed when localities distributed across the Atlantic coast are included and different microsatellite markers are used. All localities displayed similar allelic richness values and heterozygosity levels but when genetic diversity levels were compared among groups of localities, tests were significant and samples from the northwestern area (Galicia) showed the lowest values. The analysis of population structure indicated that localities from the Atlantic coast are genetically homogeneous although some samples showed significant pairwise Fst values. These values were low and Bayesian analysis of genetic differentiation did not show a consistent structure along the Atlantic coast of the Iberian Peninsula. However, Atlantic samples were genetically different from those located in Mediterranean coast, which may be explained by the existence of the Almeria-Oran front. Moreover, Fuengirola, locality situated in the Alboran Sea between the Strait of Gibraltar and Mediterranean Sea, showed significant differences from all remaining localities included in the study. Overall, the data showed the existence of genetic homogeneity along the Atlantic coast of the Iberian Peninsula and support the three management units (Atlantic Ocean, the Alboran Sea and the northwestern Mediterranean) previously described in this species. Reduced diversity in the northwestern Spain samples could be related to the exploitation of this resource.

Exploring differences in pain beliefs within and between a large nonclinical (workplace) population and a clinical (chronic low back pain) population using the pain beliefs questionnaire.

PubMed

Baird, Andrew J; Haslam, Roger A

2013-12-01

Beliefs, cognitions, and behaviors relating to pain can be associated with a range of negative outcomes. In patients, certain beliefs are associated with increased levels of pain and related disability. There are few data, however, showing the extent to which beliefs of patients differ from those of the general population. This study explored pain beliefs in a large nonclinical population and a chronic low back pain (CLBP) sample using the Pain Beliefs Questionnaire (PBQ) to identify differences in scores and factor structures between and within the samples. This was a cross-sectional study. The samples comprised patients attending a rehabilitation program and respondents to a workplace survey. Pain beliefs were assessed using the PBQ, which incorporates 2 scales: organic and psychological. Exploratory factor analysis was used to explore variations in factor structure within and between samples. The relationship between the 2 scales also was examined. Patients reported higher organic scores and lower psychological scores than the nonclinical sample. Within the nonclinical sample, those who reported frequent pain scored higher on the organic scale than those who did not. Factor analysis showed variations in relation to the presence of pain. The relationship between scales was stronger in those not reporting frequent pain. This was a cross-sectional study; therefore, no causal inferences can be made. Patients experiencing CLBP adopt a more biomedical perspective on pain than nonpatients. The presence of pain is also associated with increased biomedical thinking in a nonclinical sample. However, the impact is not only on the strength of beliefs, but also on the relationship between elements of belief and the underlying belief structure.

The Effect of Sampling and Storage on the Fecal Microbiota Composition in Healthy and Diseased Subjects

PubMed Central

Tedjo, Danyta I.; Jonkers, Daisy M. A. E.; Savelkoul, Paul H.; Masclee, Ad A.; van Best, Niels; Pierik, Marieke J.; Penders, John

2015-01-01

Large-scale cohort studies are currently being designed to investigate the human microbiome in health and disease. Adequate sampling strategies are required to limit bias due to shifts in microbial communities during sampling and storage. Therefore, we examined the impact of different sampling and storage conditions on the stability of fecal microbial communities in healthy and diseased subjects. Fecal samples from 10 healthy controls, 10 irritable bowel syndrome and 8 inflammatory bowel disease patients were collected on site, aliquoted immediately after defecation and stored at -80°C, -20°C for 1 week, at +4°C or room temperature for 24 hours. Fecal transport swabs (FecalSwab, Copan) were collected and stored for 48-72 hours at room temperature. We used pyrosequencing of the 16S gene to investigate the stability of microbial communities. Alpha diversity did not differ between all storage methods and -80°C, except for the fecal swabs. UPGMA clustering and principal coordinate analysis showed significant clustering by test subject (p<0.001) but not by storage method. Bray-Curtis dissimilarity and (un)weighted UniFrac showed a significant higher distance between fecal swabs and -80°C versus the other methods and -80°C samples (p<0.009). The relative abundance of Ruminococcus and Enterobacteriaceae did not differ between the storage methods versus -80°C, but was higher in fecal swabs (p<0.05). Storage up to 24 hours (at +4°C or room temperature) or freezing at -20°C did not significantly alter the fecal microbial community structure compared to direct freezing of samples from healthy subjects and patients with gastrointestinal disorders. PMID:26024217

Differences in fungi present in induced sputum samples from asthma patients and non-atopic controls: a community based case control study

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background There is emerging evidence for the presence of an extensive microbiota in human lungs. It is not known whether variations in the prevalence of species of microbiota in the lungs may have aetiological significance in respiratory conditions such as asthma. The aim of the study was to undertake semi-quantitative analysis of the differences in fungal species in pooled sputum samples from asthma patients and controls. Methods Induced sputum samples were collected in a case control study of asthma patients and control subjects drawn from the community in Wandsworth, London. Samples from both groups were pooled and then tested for eukaryotes. DNA was amplified using standard PCR techniques, followed by pyrosequencing and comparison of reads to databases of known sequences to determine in a semi-quantitative way the percentage of DNA from known species in each of the two pooled samples. Results A total of 136 fungal species were identified in the induced sputum samples, with 90 species more common in asthma patients and 46 species more common in control subjects. Psathyrella candolleana, Malassezia pachydermatis, Termitomyces clypeatus and Grifola sordulenta showed a higher percentage of reads in the sputum of asthma patients and Eremothecium sinecaudum, Systenostrema alba, Cladosporium cladosporioides and Vanderwaltozyma polyspora showed a higher percentage of reads in the sputum of control subjects. A statistically significant difference in the pattern of fungi that were present in the respective samples was demonstrated using the Phylogenetic (P) test (P < 0.0001). Conclusion This study is novel in providing evidence for the widespread nature of fungi in the sputum of healthy and asthmatic individuals. Differences in the pattern of fungi present in asthma patients and controls merit further investigation. Of particular interest was the presence of Malassezia pachydermatis, which is known to be associated with atopic dermatitis. PMID:23384395

Differences in fungi present in induced sputum samples from asthma patients and non-atopic controls: a community based case control study.

PubMed

van Woerden, Hugo Cornelis; Gregory, Clive; Brown, Richard; Marchesi, Julian Roberto; Hoogendoorn, Bastiaan; Matthews, Ian Price

2013-02-05

There is emerging evidence for the presence of an extensive microbiota in human lungs. It is not known whether variations in the prevalence of species of microbiota in the lungs may have aetiological significance in respiratory conditions such as asthma. The aim of the study was to undertake semi-quantitative analysis of the differences in fungal species in pooled sputum samples from asthma patients and controls. Induced sputum samples were collected in a case control study of asthma patients and control subjects drawn from the community in Wandsworth, London. Samples from both groups were pooled and then tested for eukaryotes. DNA was amplified using standard PCR techniques, followed by pyrosequencing and comparison of reads to databases of known sequences to determine in a semi-quantitative way the percentage of DNA from known species in each of the two pooled samples. A total of 136 fungal species were identified in the induced sputum samples, with 90 species more common in asthma patients and 46 species more common in control subjects. Psathyrella candolleana, Malassezia pachydermatis, Termitomyces clypeatus and Grifola sordulenta showed a higher percentage of reads in the sputum of asthma patients and Eremothecium sinecaudum, Systenostrema alba, Cladosporium cladosporioides and Vanderwaltozyma polyspora showed a higher percentage of reads in the sputum of control subjects. A statistically significant difference in the pattern of fungi that were present in the respective samples was demonstrated using the Phylogenetic (P) test (P < 0.0001). This study is novel in providing evidence for the widespread nature of fungi in the sputum of healthy and asthmatic individuals. Differences in the pattern of fungi present in asthma patients and controls merit further investigation. Of particular interest was the presence of Malassezia pachydermatis, which is known to be associated with atopic dermatitis.

Evaluation of AUC(0-4) predictive methods for cyclosporine in kidney transplant patients.

PubMed

Aoyama, Takahiko; Matsumoto, Yoshiaki; Shimizu, Makiko; Fukuoka, Masamichi; Kimura, Toshimi; Kokubun, Hideya; Yoshida, Kazunari; Yago, Kazuo

2005-05-01

Cyclosporine (CyA) is the most commonly used immunosuppressive agent in patients who undergo kidney transplantation. Dosage adjustment of CyA is usually based on trough levels. Recently, trough levels have been replacing the area under the concentration-time curve during the first 4 h after CyA administration (AUC(0-4)). The aim of this study was to compare the predictive values obtained using three different methods of AUC(0-4) monitoring. AUC(0-4) was calculated from 0 to 4 h in early and stable renal transplant patients using the trapezoidal rule. The predicted AUC(0-4) was calculated using three different methods: the multiple regression equation reported by Uchida et al.; Bayesian estimation for modified population pharmacokinetic parameters reported by Yoshida et al.; and modified population pharmacokinetic parameters reported by Cremers et al. The predicted AUC(0-4) was assessed on the basis of predictive bias, precision, and correlation coefficient. The predicted AUC(0-4) values obtained using three methods through measurement of three blood samples showed small differences in predictive bias, precision, and correlation coefficient. In the prediction of AUC(0-4) measurement of one blood sample from stable renal transplant patients, the performance of the regression equation reported by Uchida depended on sampling time. On the other hand, the performance of Bayesian estimation with modified pharmacokinetic parameters reported by Yoshida through measurement of one blood sample, which is not dependent on sampling time, showed a small difference in the correlation coefficient. The prediction of AUC(0-4) using a regression equation required accurate sampling time. In this study, the prediction of AUC(0-4) using Bayesian estimation did not require accurate sampling time in the AUC(0-4) monitoring of CyA. Thus Bayesian estimation is assumed to be clinically useful in the dosage adjustment of CyA.

[Pollution characteristics and ecological risk assessment of heavy metals in surface sediments of Qingshan Reservoir in Lin' an City, Zhejiang Province of East China].

PubMed

Zhang, Fen; Yang, Chang-Ming; Pan, Rui-Jie

2013-09-01

A total of 8 representative surface sediment sampling sites were collected from the Qingshan Reservoir in Lin'an City of Zhejiang Province to investigate the differences in the total concentrations of As, Cr, Cu, Ni, Mn, Pb, and Zn among the sampling sites. The different forms of the heavy metals, i. e., acid soluble, easily reducible, easily oxidizable, and residual, were determined by BCR sequential extraction method, and the pollution degrees and potential ecological risk, of the heavy metals in the surface sediments at different sampling sites of the Reservoir were assessed by using geo-accumulation index (I(geo)) and Hakanson potential ecological risk index. There existed obvious spatial differences in the total concentrations of the heavy metals in the surface sediments of the Reservoir. The sampling sites nearby the estuaries of the tributaries flowing through downtowns and heavy industrial parks to the Reservoir had obviously higher heavy metals concentrations in surface sediments, as compared to the other sampling sites. In the sediments, Mn was mainly in acid extractable form, Cu and Pb were mainly in reducible form, and As was mainly in residual form. The surface sediments at the sampling sites nearby the estuaries of the tributaries flowing through downtowns to the Reservoir had higher proportions of acid extractable and reducibles forms of the heavy metals, which would have definite potential toxic risk to aquatic organisms. Among the 7 heavy metals in the surface sediments, As showed the highest pollution degree, followed by Cu, Ni, Mn, Pb, and Zn, which were at moderate pollution degree, while Cr was at non-pollution degree, with relatively low potential ecological risk. Through the comparison of the sampling sites, it was observed that the surface sediments at the sites nearby the estuaries of Jinxi River and Hengxi River flowing through downtowns and heavy industrial parks to the Reservoir showed obviously higher heavy metals pollution degree and potential ecological risk.