VizieR Online Data Catalog: SDSS-RM project: peak velocities of QSOs (Shen+, 2016)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shen, Y.; Brandt, W. N.; Richards, G. T.; Denney, K. D.; Greene, J. E.; Grier, C. J.; Ho, L. C.; Peterson, B. M.; Petitjean, P.; Schneider, D. P.; Tao, C.; Trump, J. R.

2017-01-01

The SDSS-RM quasar sample includes 849 broad-line quasars at 0.1

The MICRO-BOSS scheduling system: Current status and future efforts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sadeh, Norman M.

1992-01-01

In this paper, a micro-opportunistic approach to factory scheduling was described that closely monitors the evolution of bottlenecks during the construction of the schedule and continuously redirects search towards the bottleneck that appears to be most critical. This approach differs from earlier opportunistic approaches, as it does not require scheduling large resource subproblems or large job subproblems before revising the current scheduling strategy. This micro-opportunistic approach was implemented in the context of the MICRO-BOSS factory scheduling system. A study comparing MICRO-BOSS against a macro-opportunistic scheduler suggests that the additional flexibility of the micro-opportunistic approach to scheduling generally yields important reductions in both tardiness and inventory. Current research efforts include: adaptation of MICRO-BOSS to deal with sequence-dependent setups and development of micro-opportunistic reactive scheduling techniques that will enable the system to patch the schedule in the presence of contingencies such as machine breakdowns, raw materials arriving late, job cancellations, etc.

The SDSS-IV extended baryon oscillation spectroscopic survey: Luminous red galaxy target selection

DOE PAGES

Prakash, Abhishek; Licquia, Timothy C.; Newman, Jeffrey A.; ...

2016-06-08

Here, we describe the algorithm used to select the luminous red galaxy (LRG) sample for the extended Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (eBOSS) of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey IV (SDSS-IV) using photometric data from both the SDSS and the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer. LRG targets are required to meet a set of color selection criteria and have z-band and i-band MODEL magnitudes z < 19.95 and 19.9 < i < 21.8, respectively. Our algorithm selects roughly 50 LRG targets per square degree, the great majority of which lie in the redshift range 0.6 < z < 1.0 (median redshift 0.71).more » We also demonstrate that our methods are highly effective at eliminating stellar contamination and lower-redshift galaxies. We perform a number of tests using spectroscopic data from SDSS-III/BOSS ancillary programs to determine the redshift reliability of our target selection and its ability to meet the science requirements of eBOSS. The SDSS spectra are of high enough signal-to-noise ratio that at least ~89% of the target sample yields secure redshift measurements. Finally, we present tests of the uniformity and homogeneity of the sample, demonstrating that it should be clean enough for studies of the large-scale structure of the universe at higher redshifts than SDSS-III/BOSS LRGs reached.« less

THE SDSS-IV EXTENDED BARYON OSCILLATION SPECTROSCOPIC SURVEY: LUMINOUS RED GALAXY TARGET SELECTION

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

Prakash, Abhishek; Licquia, Timothy C.; Newman, Jeffrey A.

2016-06-01

We describe the algorithm used to select the luminous red galaxy (LRG) sample for the extended Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (eBOSS) of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey IV (SDSS-IV) using photometric data from both the SDSS and the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer . LRG targets are required to meet a set of color selection criteria and have z -band and i -band MODEL magnitudes z < 19.95 and 19.9 < i < 21.8, respectively. Our algorithm selects roughly 50 LRG targets per square degree, the great majority of which lie in the redshift range 0.6 < z < 1.0 (medianmore » redshift 0.71). We demonstrate that our methods are highly effective at eliminating stellar contamination and lower-redshift galaxies. We perform a number of tests using spectroscopic data from SDSS-III/BOSS ancillary programs to determine the redshift reliability of our target selection and its ability to meet the science requirements of eBOSS. The SDSS spectra are of high enough signal-to-noise ratio that at least ∼89% of the target sample yields secure redshift measurements. We also present tests of the uniformity and homogeneity of the sample, demonstrating that it should be clean enough for studies of the large-scale structure of the universe at higher redshifts than SDSS-III/BOSS LRGs reached.« less

Simulator Study of Helmet-Mounted Symbology System Concepts in Degraded Visual Environments.

PubMed

Cheung, Bob; McKinley, Richard A; Steels, Brad; Sceviour, Robert; Cosman, Vaughn; Holst, Peter

2015-07-01

A sudden loss of external visual cues during critical phases of flight results in spatial disorientation. This is due to undetected horizontal and vertical drift when there is little tolerance for error and correction delay as the helicopter is close to the ground. Three helmet-mounted symbology system concepts were investigated in the simulator as potential solutions for the legacy Griffon helicopters. Thirteen Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) Griffon pilots were exposed to the Helmet Display Tracking System for Degraded Visual Environments (HDTS), the BrownOut Symbology System (BOSS), and the current RCAF AVS7 symbology system. For each symbology system, the pilot performed a two-stage departure and a single-stage approach. The presentation order of the symbology systems was randomized. Objective performance metrics included aircraft speed, altitude, attitude, and distance from the landing point. Subjective measurements included situation awareness, mental effort, perceived performance, perceptual cue rating, and NASA Task Load Index. Repeated measures analysis of variance and subsequent planned comparison for all the objective and subjective measurements were performed between the AVS7, HDTS, and BOSS. Our results demonstrated that HDTS and BOSS showed general improvement over AVS7 in two-stage departure. However, only HDTS performed significantly better in heading error than AVS7. During the single-stage approach, BOSS performed worse than AVS7 in heading root mean square error, and only HDTS performed significantly better in distance to landing point and approach heading than the others. Both the HDTS and BOSS possess their own limitations; however, HDTS is the pilots' preferred flight display.

Recalculating the quasar luminosity function of the extended Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Caditz, David M.

2017-12-01

Aims: The extended Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (eBOSS) of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey provides a uniform sample of over 13 000 variability selected quasi-stellar objects (QSOs) in the redshift range 0.68

Evidence that 50% of BALQSO Outflows Are Situated at Least 100 pc from the Central Source

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arav, Nahum; Liu, Guilin; Xu, Xinfeng; Stidham, James; Benn, Chris; Chamberlain, Carter

2018-04-01

The most robust way for determining the distance of quasar absorption outflows is the use of troughs from ionic excited states. The column density ratio between the excited and resonance states yields the outflow number density. Combined with a knowledge of the outflow’s ionization parameter, a distance from the central source (R) can be determined. Here we report results from two surveys targeting outflows that show troughs from S IV. One survey includes 1091 SDSS and BOSS quasar spectra, and the other includes higher-quality spectra of 13 quasars observed with the Very Large Telescope. Our S IV samples include 38 broad absorption line (BAL) outflows and four mini-BAL outflows. The S IV is formed in the same physical region of the outflow as the canonical outflow-identifying species C IV. Our results show that S IV absorption is only detected in 25% of C IV BAL outflows. The smaller detection fraction is due to the higher total column density (N H) needed to detect S IV absorption. Since R empirically anticorrelates with N H, the results of these surveys can be extrapolated to C IV quasar outflows with lower N H as well. We find that at least 50% of quasar outflows are at distances larger than 100 pc from the central source, and at least 12% are at distances larger than 1000 pc. These results have profound implications for the study of the origin and acceleration mechanism of quasar outflows and their effects on the host galaxy.

The MICRO-BOSS scheduling system: Current status and future efforts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sadeh, Norman M.

1993-01-01

In this paper, a micro-opportunistic approach to factory scheduling was described that closely monitors the evolution of bottlenecks during the construction of the schedule, and continuously redirects search towards the bottleneck that appears to be most critical. This approach differs from earlier opportunistic approaches, as it does not require scheduling large resource subproblems or large job subproblems before revising the current scheduling strategy. This micro-opportunistic approach was implemented in the context of the MICRO-BOSS factory scheduling system. A study comparing MICRO-BOSS against a macro-opportunistic scheduler suggests that the additional flexibility of the micro-opportunistic approach to scheduling generally yields important reductions in both tardiness and inventory.

The 25 parsec local white dwarf population

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Holberg, J. B.; Oswalt, T. D.; Sion, E. M.; McCook, G. P.

2016-11-01

We have extended our detailed survey of the local white dwarf population from 20 to 25 pc, effectively doubling the sample volume, which now includes 232 stars. In the process, new stars within 20 pc have been added, a more uniform set of distance estimates as well as improved spectral and binary classifications are available. The present 25 pc sample is estimated to be about 68 per cent complete (the corresponding 20 pc sample is now 86 per cent complete). The space density of white dwarfs is unchanged at 4.8 ± 0.5 × 10-3 pc-3. This new study includes a white dwarf mass distribution and luminosity function based on the 232 stars in the 25 pc sample. We find a significant excess of single stars over systems containing one or more companions (74 per cent versus 26 per cent). This suggests mechanisms that result in the loss of companions during binary system evolution. In addition, this updated sample exhibits a pronounced deficiency of nearby `Sirius-like' systems. 11 such systems were found within the 20 pc volume versus only one additional system found in the volume between 20 and 25 pc. An estimate of white dwarf birth rates during the last ˜8 Gyr is derived from individual remnant cooling ages. A discussion of likely ways new members of the local sample may be found is provided.

Optical fiber systems for the BigBOSS instrument

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Edelstein, Jerry; Poppett, Claire; Sirk, Martin; Besuner, Robert; Lafever, Robin; Allington-Smith, Jeremy R.; Murray, Graham J.

2012-09-01

We describe the fiber optics systems for use in BigBOSS, a proposed massively parallel multi-object spectrograph for the Kitt Peak Mayall 4-m telescope that will measure baryon acoustic oscillations to explore dark energy. BigBOSS will include 5,000 optical fibers each precisely actuator-positioned to collect an astronomical target’s flux at the telescope prime-focus. The fibers are to be routed 40m through the telescope facility to feed ten visible-band imaging spectrographs. We report on our fiber component development and performance measurement program. Results include the numerical modeling of focal ratio degradation (FRD), observations of actual fibers’ collimated and converging beam FRD, and observations of FRD from different types of fiber terminations, mechanical connectors, and fusion-splice connections.

Block Oriented Simulation System (BOSS)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ratcliffe, Jaimie

1988-01-01

Computer simulation is assuming greater importance as a flexible and expedient approach to modeling system and subsystem behavior. Simulation has played a key role in the growth of complex, multiple access space communications such as those used by the space shuttle and the TRW-built Tracking and Data Relay Satellites (TDRS). A powerful new simulator for use in designing and modeling the communication system of NASA's planned Space Station is being developed. Progress to date on the Block (Diagram) Oriented Simulation System (BOSS) is described.

VizieR Online Data Catalog: C IV BAL troughs properties in quasars (Filiz+, 2014)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Filiz, Ak N.; Brandt, W. N.; Hall, P. B.; Schneider, D. P.; Trump, J. R.; Anderson, S. F.; Hamann, F.; Myers, A. D.; Paris, I.; Petitjean, P.; Ross, N. P.; Shen, Y.; York, D.

2017-03-01

We utilize spectroscopic observations from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey-I/II (hereafter SDSS, York et al. 2000AJ....120.1579Y) and the Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey of SDSS-III (hereafter BOSS; Eisenstein et al. 2011AJ....142...72E; Dawson et al. 2013AJ....145...10D). We select a sample of quasars for this study from these 2005 targets that were observed by SDSS between MJD 51,602 (2000 February 28) and 54,557 (2008 January 4) and by BOSS between MJD 55,176 (2009 December 11) and 56,455 (2013 June 12). Observation start dates correspond to completion of hardware commissioning for both SDSS and BOSS; post-commissioning observations have the most reliable spectral calibration. (7 data files).

Large deflection analysis of a pre-stressed annular plate with a rigid boss under axisymmetric loading

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Su, Y. H.; Chen, K. S.; Roberts, D. C.; Spearing, S. M.

2001-11-01

The large deflection analysis of a pre-stressed annular plate with a central rigid boss subjected to axisymmetric loading is presented. The factors affecting the transition from plate behaviour to membrane behaviour (e.g. thickness, in-plane tension and material properties) are studied. The effect of boss size and pre-tension on the effective stiffness of the plate are investigated. The extent of the bending boundary layers at the edges of the plate are quantified. All results are presented in non-dimensional form. The design implications for microelectromechanical system components are assessed.

SDSS-III Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey data release 12: Galaxy target selection and large-scale structure catalogues

DOE PAGES

Reid, Beth; Ho, Shirley; Padmanabhan, Nikhil; ...

2015-11-17

The Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS), part of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) III project, has provided the largest survey of galaxy redshifts available to date, in terms of both the number of galaxy redshifts measured by a single survey, and the effective cosmological volume covered. Key to analysing the clustering of these data to provide cosmological measurements is understanding the detailed properties of this sample. Potential issues include variations in the target catalogue caused by changes either in the targeting algorithm or properties of the data used, the pattern of spectroscopic observations, the spatial distribution of targets formore » which redshifts were not obtained, and variations in the target sky density due to observational systematics. We document here the target selection algorithms used to create the galaxy samples that comprise BOSS. We also present the algorithms used to create large-scale structure catalogues for the final Data Release (DR12) samples and the associated random catalogues that quantify the survey mask. The algorithms are an evolution of those used by the BOSS team to construct catalogues from earlier data, and have been designed to accurately quantify the galaxy sample. Furthermore, the code used, designated mksample, is released with this paper.« less

Clustering of quasars in SDSS-IV eBOSS: study of potential systematics and bias determination

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

Laurent, Pierre; Goff, Jean-Marc Le; Burtin, Etienne

2017-07-01

We study the first year of the eBOSS quasar sample in the redshift range 0.9< z <2.2 which includes 68,772 homogeneously selected quasars. We show that the main source of systematics in the evaluation of the correlation function arises from inhomogeneities in the quasar target selection, particularly related to the extinction and depth of the imaging data used for targeting. We propose a weighting scheme that mitigates these systematics. We measure the quasar correlation function and provide the most accurate measurement to date of the quasar bias in this redshift range, b {sub Q} = 2.45 ± 0.05 at z-barmore » =1.55, together with its evolution with redshift. We use this information to determine the minimum mass of the halo hosting the quasars and the characteristic halo mass, which we find to be both independent of redshift within statistical error. Using a recently-measured quasar-luminosity-function we also determine the quasar duty cycle. The size of this first year sample is insufficient to detect any luminosity dependence to quasar clustering and this issue should be further studied with the final ∼500,000 eBOSS quasar sample.« less

Clustering of quasars in SDSS-IV eBOSS: study of potential systematics and bias determination

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Laurent, Pierre; Eftekharzadeh, Sarah; Le Goff, Jean-Marc; Myers, Adam; Burtin, Etienne; White, Martin; Ross, Ashley J.; Tinker, Jeremy; Tojeiro, Rita; Bautista, Julian; Brinkmann, Jonathan; Comparat, Johan; Dawson, Kyle; du Mas des Bourboux, Hélion; Kneib, Jean-Paul; McGreer, Ian D.; Palanque-Delabrouille, Nathalie; Percival, Will J.; Prada, Francisco; Rossi, Graziano; Schneider, Donald P.; Weinberg, David; Yèche, Christophe; Zarrouk, Pauline; Zhao, Gong-Bo

2017-07-01

We study the first year of the eBOSS quasar sample in the redshift range 0.9

VizieR Online Data Catalog: BOSS narrow CIV absorption lines. II. zem>2.4 (Chen+, 2014)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Z.-F.; Qin, Y.-P.; Qin, M.; Pan, C.-J.; Pan, D.-S.

2015-01-01

We identify absorption doublets, such as CIVλλ1548,1551 in the quasar spectra of the Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS), which is a part of the SDSS-III (Eisenstein et al. 2011AJ....142...72E). This work continues the analysis of Paper I (Chen+, 2014, J/ApJS/210/7; 2014ApJS..212...17C) by expanding the quasar sample to those quasars with zem>2.4. (1 data file).

Procedural and longer-term outcomes of wire- versus device-based antegrade dissection and re-entry techniques for the percutaneous revascularization of coronary chronic total occlusions.

PubMed

Azzalini, Lorenzo; Dautov, Rustem; Brilakis, Emmanouil S; Ojeda, Soledad; Benincasa, Susanna; Bellini, Barbara; Karatasakis, Aris; Chavarría, Jorge; Rangan, Bavana V; Pan, Manuel; Carlino, Mauro; Colombo, Antonio; Rinfret, Stéphane

2017-03-15

There are few data regarding the procedural and follow-up outcomes of different antegrade dissection/re-entry (ADR) techniques for chronic total occlusion (CTO) percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). We compiled a multicenter registry of consecutive patients undergoing ADR-based CTO PCI at four high-volume specialized institutions. Patients were divided according to the specific ADR technique used: subintimal tracking and re-entry (STAR), limited antegrade subintimal tracking (LAST), or device-based with the CrossBoss/Stingray system (Boston Scientific, Marlborough, MA). Major adverse cardiac events (MACE: cardiac death, target-vessel myocardial infarction and target-vessel revascularization) on follow-up were the main outcome of this study. Independent predictors of MACE were sought with Cox regression analysis. A total of 223 patients were included (STAR n=39, LAST n=68, CrossBoss/Stingray n=116). Baseline characteristics were similar across groups. Technical and procedural success was lower with STAR (59% and 59%), as compared with LAST (96% and 96%) and CrossBoss/Stingray (89% and 87%; p<0.001 for both). At 24-month follow-up, MACE rates were higher in STAR (15.4%) and LAST (17.5%), as compared with device-based ADR with CrossBoss/Stingray (4.3%, p=0.02), driven by TVR (7.7% vs. 15.5% vs. 3.1%, respectively; p=0.02). Multivariable Cox regression analysis identified wire-based ADR (STAR and LAST) and total stent length as independent predictors of MACE. In this multicenter cohort of patients undergoing CTO PCI with ADR techniques, STAR had lower success rates, as compared with the CrossBoss/Stingray system and LAST. The CrossBoss/Stingray system was independently associated with lower risk of MACE on follow-up, as compared with wire-based ADR techniques. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

THE SLOAN DIGITAL SKY SURVEY REVERBERATION MAPPING PROJECT: BIASES IN z  > 1.46 REDSHIFTS DUE TO QUASAR DIVERSITY

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

Denney, K. D.; Peterson, B. M.; Horne, Keith

We use the coadded spectra of 32 epochs of Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) Reverberation Mapping Project observations of 482 quasars with z  > 1.46 to highlight systematic biases in the SDSS- and Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS)-pipeline redshifts due to the natural diversity of quasar properties. We investigate the characteristics of this bias by comparing the BOSS-pipeline redshifts to an estimate from the centroid of He ii λ 1640. He ii has a low equivalent width but is often well-defined in high-S/N spectra, does not suffer from self-absorption, and has a narrow component which, when present (the case for aboutmore » half of our sources), produces a redshift estimate that, on average, is consistent with that determined from [O ii] to within the He ii and [O ii] centroid measurement uncertainties. The large redshift differences of ∼1000 km s{sup −1}, on average, between the BOSS-pipeline and He ii-centroid redshifts, suggest there are significant biases in a portion of BOSS quasar redshift measurements. Adopting the He ii-based redshifts shows that C iv does not exhibit a ubiquitous blueshift for all quasars, given the precision probed by our measurements. Instead, we find a distribution of C iv-centroid blueshifts across our sample, with a dynamic range that (i) is wider than that previously reported for this line, and (ii) spans C iv centroids from those consistent with the systemic redshift to those with significant blueshifts of thousands of kilometers per second. These results have significant implications for measurement and use of high-redshift quasar properties and redshifts, and studies based thereon.« less

Design and Development of Lightweight Composite Tanks for the Mars Ascent Propulsion Technology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Estrada, Hector

1999-01-01

The investigation presented here focuses on the design and development of lightweight composite tanks for the Mars ascent propulsion technology. The proposed tanks are fabricated using the filament winding technique. The tanks will be used in the experimental permeability characterization of composite pressure vessels pressurized using cryogenic and kerosene fluids. We considered the geometry and composite material tailorability in the preliminary design formulation to obtain an isotensoid tank. The design formulation is based on membrane shell analysis. The tanks also include circular openings at the apex of the end caps for the installation of polar bosses. The development of a polar boss system was also investigated, and led to an innovative polar boss system that applies a uniform pressure on the o-ring gaskets. The permeability of these tanks was also considered and recommendations for improvement are presented.

VizieR Online Data Catalog: SDSS/BOSS/TDSS CIV BAL quasars (Grier+, 2016)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grier, C. J.; Brandt, W. N.; Hall, P. B.; Trump, J. R.; Filiz, Ak N.; Anderson, S. F.; Green, P. J.; Schneider, D. P.; Sun, M.; Vivek, M.; Beatty, T. G.; Brownstein, J. R.; Roman-Lopes, A.

2016-08-01

We began with the 2005 targets from the BAL catalog of Gibson et al. (2009, J/ApJ/692/758), which were observed by SDSS and targeted for additional observations with Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS; Eisenstein et al. 2011AJ....142...72E; Dawson et al. 2013AJ....145...10D) and Time Domain Spectroscopic Survey (TDSS; Morganson et al. 2015ApJ...806..244M). We then searched for BOSS and TDSS observations of these targets as of 2015 June 30, identifying 172 targets that were observed by all three surveys. We restricted the redshift range of our sample to 1.5

Quantitative determination of additive Chlorantraniliprole in Abamectin preparation: Investigation of bootstrapping soft shrinkage approach by mid-infrared spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yan, Hong; Song, Xiangzhong; Tian, Kuangda; Chen, Yilin; Xiong, Yanmei; Min, Shungeng

2018-02-01

A novel method, mid-infrared (MIR) spectroscopy, which enables the determination of Chlorantraniliprole in Abamectin within minutes, is proposed. We further evaluate the prediction ability of four wavelength selection methods, including bootstrapping soft shrinkage approach (BOSS), Monte Carlo uninformative variable elimination (MCUVE), genetic algorithm partial least squares (GA-PLS) and competitive adaptive reweighted sampling (CARS) respectively. The results showed that BOSS method obtained the lowest root mean squared error of cross validation (RMSECV) (0.0245) and root mean squared error of prediction (RMSEP) (0.0271), as well as the highest coefficient of determination of cross-validation (Qcv2) (0.9998) and the coefficient of determination of test set (Q2test) (0.9989), which demonstrated that the mid infrared spectroscopy can be used to detect Chlorantraniliprole in Abamectin conveniently. Meanwhile, a suitable wavelength selection method (BOSS) is essential to conducting a component spectral analysis.

High Impulse Gun Airborne Demonstration. GAU-13/A Weapon, Feed System, Gun Drive and Electronic Controls.

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-05-01

made to provide mounting bosses for the closed loop conveyor chute . Ten small round bosses were welded onto the housing to provide this support...became necessary to depart from previous closed loop feeder designs . The original feed system consisted of a series of conveyor elements in a flexible...The flexible chuting has been replaced with rigid chuting forming a loop around the gun housing. This design affords the maximum stiffness and hence

A Chandra Snapshot Survey of Extremely Red Quasars from SDSS BOSS and WISE

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garmire, Gordon

2017-09-01

We propose Chandra snapshot observations of a sample of 15 extremely red and highly luminous quasars at z > 2. These Type 1 objects have recently been discovered via the SDSS BOSS and WISE surveys, and they are among the most-luminous quasars in the Universe. They appear to be part of the missing evolutionary link as merger-induced starburst galaxies transform into typical ultraviolet luminous quasars. Our aim is to efficiently gather X-ray information about a sufficiently large sample of these objects that general conclusions about their basic X-ray properties, especially obscuration level and luminosity, can be drawn reliably. The results will also allow effective targeting of promising objects in longer X-ray spectroscopic observations.

Application of a BOSS-Gaussian interface for QM/MM simulations of Henry and methyl transfer reactions.

PubMed

Vilseck, Jonah Z; Kostal, Jakub; Tirado-Rives, Julian; Jorgensen, William L

2015-10-15

Hybrid quantum mechanics and molecular mechanics (QM/MM) computer simulations have become an indispensable tool for studying chemical and biological phenomena for systems too large to treat with QM alone. For several decades, semiempirical QM methods have been used in QM/MM simulations. However, with increased computational resources, the introduction of ab initio and density function methods into on-the-fly QM/MM simulations is being increasingly preferred. This adaptation can be accomplished with a program interface that tethers independent QM and MM software packages. This report introduces such an interface for the BOSS and Gaussian programs, featuring modification of BOSS to request QM energies and partial atomic charges from Gaussian. A customizable C-shell linker script facilitates the interprogram communication. The BOSS-Gaussian interface also provides convenient access to Charge Model 5 (CM5) partial atomic charges for multiple purposes including QM/MM studies of reactions. In this report, the BOSS-Gaussian interface is applied to a nitroaldol (Henry) reaction and two methyl transfer reactions in aqueous solution. Improved agreement with experiment is found by determining free-energy surfaces with MP2/CM5 QM/MM simulations than previously reported investigations using semiempirical methods. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

REGARDING THE LINE-OF-SIGHT BARYONIC ACOUSTIC FEATURE IN THE SLOAN DIGITAL SKY SURVEY AND BARYON OSCILLATION SPECTROSCOPIC SURVEY LUMINOUS RED GALAXY SAMPLES

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

Kazin, Eyal A.; Blanton, Michael R.; Scoccimarro, Roman

2010-08-20

We analyze the line-of-sight baryonic acoustic feature in the two-point correlation function {xi} of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey luminous red galaxy (LRG) sample (0.16 < z < 0.47). By defining a narrow line-of-sight region, r{sub p} < 5.5 h {sup -1} Mpc, where r{sub p} is the transverse separation component, we measure a strong excess of clustering at {approx}110 h {sup -1} Mpc, as previously reported in the literature. We also test these results in an alternative coordinate system, by defining the line of sight as {theta} < 3{sup 0}, where {theta} is the opening angle. This clustering excessmore » appears much stronger than the feature in the better-measured monopole. A fiducial {Lambda}CDM nonlinear model in redshift space predicts a much weaker signature. We use realistic mock catalogs to model the expected signal and noise. We find that the line-of-sight measurements can be explained well by our mocks as well as by a featureless {xi} = 0. We conclude that there is no convincing evidence that the strong clustering measurement is the line-of-sight baryonic acoustic feature. We also evaluate how detectable such a signal would be in the upcoming Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS) LRG volume. Mock LRG catalogs (z < 0.6) suggest that (1) the narrow line-of-sight cylinder and cone defined above probably will not reveal a detectable acoustic feature in BOSS; (2) a clustering measurement as high as that in the current sample can be ruled out (or confirmed) at a high confidence level using a BOSS-sized data set; (3) an analysis with wider angular cuts, which provide better signal-to-noise ratios, can nevertheless be used to compare line-of-sight and transverse distances, and thereby constrain the expansion rate H(z) and diameter distance D{sub A}(z).« less

Measurement of the pairwise kinematic Sunyaev-Zeldovich effect with Planck and BOSS data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Yi-Chao; Ma, Yin-Zhe; Remazeilles, Mathieu; Moodley, Kavilan

2018-01-01

We present a new measurement of the kinetic Sunyaev-Zeldovich effect (kSZ) using Planck cosmic microwave background (CMB) and Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS) data. Using the "LowZ North/South" galaxy catalogue from BOSS DR12, and the group catalogue from BOSS DR13, we evaluate the mean pairwise kSZ temperature associated with BOSS galaxies. We construct a "Central Galaxies Catalogue" (CGC) which consists of isolated galaxies from the original BOSS data set, and apply the aperture photometry (AP) filter to suppress the primary CMB contribution. By constructing a halo model to fit the pairwise kSZ function, we constrain the mean optical depth to be τ ¯=(0.53 ±0.32 )×10-4(1.65 σ ) for LowZ North CGC, τ ¯ =(0.30 ±0.57 )×10-4(0.53 σ ) for LowZ South CGC, and τ ¯ =(0.43 ±0.28 )×10-4(1.53 σ ) for DR13 Group. In addition, we vary the radius of the AP filter and find that the AP size of 7 arcmin gives the maximum detection for τ ¯. We also investigate the dependence of the signal with halo mass and find τ ¯ =(0.32 ±0.36 )×10-4(0.8 σ ) and τ ¯ =(0.67 ±0.46 )×10-4(1.4 σ ) for DR13 Group with halo mass restricted to, respectively, less and greater than its median halo mass, 1 012 h-1M⊙ . For the LowZ North CGC sample restricted to Mh≳1014 h-1M⊙ there is no detection of the kSZ signal because these high mass halos are associated with the high-redshift galaxies of the LowZ North catalogue, which have limited contribution to the pairwise kSZ signals.

A real-time programming system.

PubMed

Townsend, H R

1979-03-01

The paper describes a Basic Operating and Scheduling System (BOSS) designed for a small computer. User programs are organised as self-contained modular 'processes' and the way in which the scheduler divides the time of the computer equally between them, while arranging for any process which has to respond to an interrupt from a peripheral device to be given the necessary priority, is described in detail. Next the procedures provided by the operating system to organise communication between processes are described, and how they are used to construct dynamically self-modifying real-time systems. Finally, the general philosophy of BOSS and applications to a multi-processor assembly are discussed.

A feasibility study for compressed sensing combined phase contrast MR angiography reconstruction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Dong-Hoon; Hong, Cheol-Pyo; Lee, Man-Woo; Han, Bong-Soo

2012-02-01

Phase contrast magnetic resonance angiography (PC MRA) is a technique for flow velocity measurement and vessels visualization, simultaneously. The PC MRA takes long scan time because each flow encoding gradients which are composed bipolar gradient type need to reconstruct the angiography image. Moreover, it takes more image acquisition time when we use the PC MRA at the low-tesla MRI system. In this study, we studied and evaluation of feasibility for CS MRI reconstruction combined PC MRA which data acquired by low-tesla MRI system. We used non-linear reconstruction algorithm which named Bregman iteration for CS image reconstruction and validate the usefulness of CS combined PC MRA reconstruction technique. The results of CS reconstructed PC MRA images provide similar level of image quality between fully sampled reconstruction data and sparse sampled reconstruction using CS technique. Although our results used half of sampling ratio and do not used specification hardware device or performance which are improving the temporal resolution of MR image acquisition such as parallel imaging reconstruction using phased array coil or non-cartesian trajectory, we think that CS combined PC MRA technique will be helpful to increase the temporal resolution and at low-tesla MRI system.

The clustering of galaxies in the completed SDSS-III Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey: Cosmological implications of the Fourier space wedges of the final sample

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grieb, Jan Niklas; Sánchez, Ariel G.; Salazar-Albornoz, Salvador; Scoccimarro, Román; Crocce, Martín; Dalla Vecchia, Claudio; Montesano, Francesco; Gil-Marín, Héctor; Ross, Ashley J.; Beutler, Florian; Rodríguez-Torres, Sergio; Chuang, Chia-Hsun; Prada, Francisco; Kitaura, Francisco-Shu; Cuesta, Antonio J.; Eisenstein, Daniel J.; Percival, Will J.; Vargas-Magaña, Mariana; Tinker, Jeremy L.; Tojeiro, Rita; Brownstein, Joel R.; Maraston, Claudia; Nichol, Robert C.; Olmstead, Matthew D.; Samushia, Lado; Seo, Hee-Jong; Streblyanska, Alina; Zhao, Gong-bo

2017-05-01

We extract cosmological information from the anisotropic power-spectrum measurements from the recently completed Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS), extending the concept of clustering wedges to Fourier space. Making use of new fast-Fourier-transform-based estimators, we measure the power-spectrum clustering wedges of the BOSS sample by filtering out the information of Legendre multipoles ℓ > 4. Our modelling of these measurements is based on novel approaches to describe non-linear evolution, bias and redshift-space distortions, which we test using synthetic catalogues based on large-volume N-body simulations. We are able to include smaller scales than in previous analyses, resulting in tighter cosmological constraints. Using three overlapping redshift bins, we measure the angular-diameter distance, the Hubble parameter and the cosmic growth rate, and explore the cosmological implications of our full-shape clustering measurements in combination with cosmic microwave background and Type Ia supernova data. Assuming a Λ cold dark matter (ΛCDM) cosmology, we constrain the matter density to Ω M= 0.311_{-0.010}^{+0.009} and the Hubble parameter to H_0 = 67.6_{-0.6}^{+0.7} km s^{-1 Mpc^{-1}}, at a confidence level of 68 per cent. We also allow for non-standard dark energy models and modifications of the growth rate, finding good agreement with the ΛCDM paradigm. For example, we constrain the equation-of-state parameter to w = -1.019_{-0.039}^{+0.048}. This paper is part of a set that analyses the final galaxy-clustering data set from BOSS. The measurements and likelihoods presented here are combined with others in Alam et al. to produce the final cosmological constraints from BOSS.

The triply-ionized carbon forest from eBOSS: cosmological correlations with quasars in SDSS-IV DR14

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blomqvist, Michael; Pieri, Matthew M.; du Mas des Bourboux, Hélion; Busca, Nicolás G.; Slosar, Anže; Bautista, Julian E.; Brinkmann, Jonathan; Brownstein, Joel R.; Dawson, Kyle; de Sainte Agathe, Victoria; Guy, Julien; Percival, Will J.; Pérez-Ràfols, Ignasi; Rich, James; Schneider, Donald P.

2018-05-01

We present measurements of the cross-correlation of the triply-ionized carbon (CIV) forest with quasars using Sloan Digital Sky Survey Data Release 14. The study exploits a large sample of new quasars from the first two years of observations by the Extended Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (eBOSS). The CIV forest is a weaker tracer of large-scale structure than the Lyα forest, but benefits from being accessible at redshifts z<2 where the quasar number density from eBOSS is high. Our data sample consists of 287,651 CIV forest quasars in the redshift range 1.4

Detection of the pairwise kinematic Sunyaev-Zel'dovich effect with BOSS DR11 and the Atacama Cosmology Telescope

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

Bernardis, F. De; Aiola, S.; Vavagiakis, E. M.

Here, we present a new measurement of the kinematic Sunyaev-Zel'dovich effect using data from the Atacama Cosmology Telescope (ACT) and the Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS). Using 600 square degrees of overlapping sky area, we evaluate the mean pairwise baryon momentum associated with the positions of 50,000 bright galaxies in the BOSS DR11 Large Scale Structure catalog. A non-zero signal arises from the large-scale motions of halos containing the sample galaxies. The data fits an analytical signal model well, with the optical depth to microwave photon scattering as a free parameter determining the overall signal amplitude. We estimate the covariancemore » matrix of the mean pairwise momentum as a function of galaxy separation, using microwave sky simulations, jackknife evaluation, and bootstrap estimates. The most conservative simulation-based errors give signal-to-noise estimates between 3.6 and 4.1 for varying galaxy luminosity cuts. We discuss how the other error determinations can lead to higher signal-to-noise values, and consider the impact of several possible systematic errors. Estimates of the optical depth from the average thermal Sunyaev-Zel'dovich signal at the sample galaxy positions are broadly consistent with those obtained from the mean pairwise momentum signal.« less

Detection of the pairwise kinematic Sunyaev-Zel'dovich effect with BOSS DR11 and the Atacama Cosmology Telescope

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

Bernardis, F. De; Vavagiakis, E.M.; Niemack, M.D.

We present a new measurement of the kinematic Sunyaev-Zel'dovich effect using data from the Atacama Cosmology Telescope (ACT) and the Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS). Using 600 square degrees of overlapping sky area, we evaluate the mean pairwise baryon momentum associated with the positions of 50,000 bright galaxies in the BOSS DR11 Large Scale Structure catalog. A non-zero signal arises from the large-scale motions of halos containing the sample galaxies. The data fits an analytical signal model well, with the optical depth to microwave photon scattering as a free parameter determining the overall signal amplitude. We estimate the covariance matrixmore » of the mean pairwise momentum as a function of galaxy separation, using microwave sky simulations, jackknife evaluation, and bootstrap estimates. The most conservative simulation-based errors give signal-to-noise estimates between 3.6 and 4.1 for varying galaxy luminosity cuts. We discuss how the other error determinations can lead to higher signal-to-noise values, and consider the impact of several possible systematic errors. Estimates of the optical depth from the average thermal Sunyaev-Zel'dovich signal at the sample galaxy positions are broadly consistent with those obtained from the mean pairwise momentum signal.« less

Detection of the Pairwise Kinematic Sunyaev-Zel'dovich Effect with BOSS DR11 and the Atacama Cosmology Telescope

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

De Bernardis, F.; Aiola, S.; Vavagiakis, E. M.; Battaglia, N.; Niemack, M. D.; Beall, J.; Becker, D. T.; Bond, J. R.; Calabrese, E.; Cho, H.;

Detection of the pairwise kinematic Sunyaev-Zel'dovich effect with BOSS DR11 and the Atacama Cosmology Telescope

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

De Bernardis, F.; Aiola, S.; Vavagiakis, E. M.; Battaglia, N.; Niemack, M. D.; Beall, J.; Becker, D. T.; Bond, J. R.; Calabrese, E.; Cho, H.; Coughlin, K.; Datta, R.; Devlin, M.; Dunkley, J.; Dunner, R.; Ferraro, S.; Fox, A.; Gallardo, P. A.; Halpern, M.; Hand, N.; Hasselfield, M.; Henderson, S. W.; Hill, J. C.; Hilton, G. C.; Hilton, M.; Hincks, A. D.; Hlozek, R.; Hubmayr, J.; Huffenberger, K.; Hughes, J. P.; Irwin, K. D.; Koopman, B. J.; Kosowsky, A.; Li, D.; Louis, T.; Lungu, M.; Madhavacheril, M. S.; Maurin, L.; McMahon, J.; Moodley, K.; Naess, S.; Nati, F.; Newburgh, L.; Nibarger, J. P.; Page, L. A.; Partridge, B.; Schaan, E.; Schmitt, B. L.; Sehgal, N.; Sievers, J.; Simon, S. M.; Spergel, D. N.; Staggs, S. T.; Stevens, J. R.; Thornton, R. J.; van Engelen, A.; Van Lanen, J.; Wollack, E. J.

2017-03-01

We present a new measurement of the kinematic Sunyaev-Zel'dovich effect using data from the Atacama Cosmology Telescope (ACT) and the Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS). Using 600 square degrees of overlapping sky area, we evaluate the mean pairwise baryon momentum associated with the positions of 50,000 bright galaxies in the BOSS DR11 Large Scale Structure catalog. A non-zero signal arises from the large-scale motions of halos containing the sample galaxies. The data fits an analytical signal model well, with the optical depth to microwave photon scattering as a free parameter determining the overall signal amplitude. We estimate the covariance matrix of the mean pairwise momentum as a function of galaxy separation, using microwave sky simulations, jackknife evaluation, and bootstrap estimates. The most conservative simulation-based errors give signal-to-noise estimates between 3.6 and 4.1 for varying galaxy luminosity cuts. We discuss how the other error determinations can lead to higher signal-to-noise values, and consider the impact of several possible systematic errors. Estimates of the optical depth from the average thermal Sunyaev-Zel'dovich signal at the sample galaxy positions are broadly consistent with those obtained from the mean pairwise momentum signal.

Detection of the pairwise kinematic Sunyaev-Zel'dovich effect with BOSS DR11 and the Atacama Cosmology Telescope

DOE PAGES

Bernardis, F. De; Aiola, S.; Vavagiakis, E. M.; ...

2017-03-07

Here, we present a new measurement of the kinematic Sunyaev-Zel'dovich effect using data from the Atacama Cosmology Telescope (ACT) and the Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS). Using 600 square degrees of overlapping sky area, we evaluate the mean pairwise baryon momentum associated with the positions of 50,000 bright galaxies in the BOSS DR11 Large Scale Structure catalog. A non-zero signal arises from the large-scale motions of halos containing the sample galaxies. The data fits an analytical signal model well, with the optical depth to microwave photon scattering as a free parameter determining the overall signal amplitude. We estimate the covariancemore » matrix of the mean pairwise momentum as a function of galaxy separation, using microwave sky simulations, jackknife evaluation, and bootstrap estimates. The most conservative simulation-based errors give signal-to-noise estimates between 3.6 and 4.1 for varying galaxy luminosity cuts. We discuss how the other error determinations can lead to higher signal-to-noise values, and consider the impact of several possible systematic errors. Estimates of the optical depth from the average thermal Sunyaev-Zel'dovich signal at the sample galaxy positions are broadly consistent with those obtained from the mean pairwise momentum signal.« less

Development of the Low-cost Analog-to-Digital Converter (for nuclear physics experiments) with PC sound card

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sugihara, Kenkoh

2009-10-01

A low-cost ADC (Analogue-to-Digital Converter) with shaping embedded for undergraduate physics laboratory is developed using a home made circuit and a PC sound card. Even though an ADC is needed as an essential part of an experimental set up, commercially available ones are very expensive and are scarce for undergraduate laboratory experiments. The system that is developed from the present work is designed for a gamma-ray spectroscopy laboratory with NaI(Tl) counters, but not limited. For this purpose, the system performance is set to sampling rate of 1-kHz with 10-bit resolution using a typical PC sound card with 41-kHz or higher sampling rate and 16-bit resolution ADC with an addition of a shaping circuit. Details of the system and the status of development will be presented. Ping circuit and PC soundcard as typical PC sound card has 41.1kHz or heiger sampling rate and 16bit resolution ADCs. In the conference details of the system and the status of development will be presented.

ACS sampling system: design, implementation, and performance evaluation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Di Marcantonio, Paolo; Cirami, Roberto; Chiozzi, Gianluca

2004-09-01

By means of ACS (ALMA Common Software) framework we designed and implemented a sampling system which allows sampling of every Characteristic Component Property with a specific, user-defined, sustained frequency limited only by the hardware. Collected data are sent to various clients (one or more Java plotting widgets, a dedicated GUI or a COTS application) using the ACS/CORBA Notification Channel. The data transport is optimized: samples are cached locally and sent in packets with a lower and user-defined frequency to keep network load under control. Simultaneous sampling of the Properties of different Components is also possible. Together with the design and implementation issues we present the performance of the sampling system evaluated on two different platforms: on a VME based system using VxWorks RTOS (currently adopted by ALMA) and on a PC/104+ embedded platform using Red Hat 9 Linux operating system. The PC/104+ solution offers, as an alternative, a low cost PC compatible hardware environment with free and open operating system.

Young and burnt? Italian contribution to the international BurnOut Syndrome Study (BOSS) among residents in psychiatry.

PubMed

Ferrari, Silvia; Cuoghi, Giulia; Mattei, Giorgio; Carra, Elena; Volpe, Umberto; Jovanovic, Nikolina; Beezhold, J; Rigatelli, Marco; Galeazzi, Gian Maria; Pingani, Luca

2015-05-04

The Burnout Syndrome (BS) is a common condition among health care professionals, yet data concerning its prevalence and associated factors among psychiatric residents are lacking. To report the results of the Italian contribution to "BOSS", an international multicentre research project aiming at estimating the burden of BS among residents in psychiatry, and at identifying factors contributing to its development and prevention. Cross-sectional study. The BOSS online questionnaire, which collected socio-demographic data and five psychometric tools (MBI-GS, AWLS, PHQ-9, SIBQ, BFI), was administered electronically to 180 Italian residents in psychiatry. Simple and multiple linear regressions were performed to analyse data. 108 questionnaires provided data for the study (response rate: 60%). Mean age: 30.5 ± 3.7 years. Eighty percent of the sample were female. A moderate level of BS emerged, related to work conditions, absence of major depression, satisfaction with pay or less academic activity. Only 0.9% (N=1) of the sample showed PHQ-9 scores suggestive of major depression, while lifetime suicidal ideation was admitted by 16% of residents. For the three dimensions of the MBI-GS, Italian sample scores were consistent with previously published results concerning pooled data in a French-Croatian sample, reporting moderate levels of BS. Higher workload, symptoms of depression and lower satisfaction predicted higher levels of Emotional Exhaustion and Cynicism. Italian residents in psychiatry showed overall moderate levels of BS, related to workload and work organization. Other alerts of psychic distress were found among participants, namely symptoms of depression, suicidal ideation and use of psychotropic medications.

Seasonal variation in effectiveness of the boar-operated system to deliver baits to wild boar.

PubMed

Ferretti, Francesco; Coats, Julia; Cowan, Dave P; Pietravalle, Stéphane; Massei, Giovanna

2018-02-01

Wild boar and feral pig numbers are growing worldwide and have substantial economic and environmental impacts. Bait-delivered pharmaceuticals such as disease vaccines, toxicants and contraceptives are advocated to mitigate these impacts. Effective campaigns based on these pharmaceuticals rely on optimising the target species' bait uptake, which may differ between seasons. We investigated seasonal differences in the use of Boar-Operated Systems (BOSs) by wild boar and non-target species in an English woodland. In a pre-trial phase (BOS left open), wild boar, wild mammals, birds, livestock and companion animals fed on the peanuts and maize used as bait in the BOS. During the trial (BOS closed), only wild boar consumed the baits. Wild boar visited and fed from a larger number of BOSs in spring than in summer or winter. No aggressive intra-group interactions were recorded when wild boar fed from the BOSs but adult males were observed to monopolise two BOSs. Group size was highest in spring and bait uptake was lowest in winter. The study confirmed the species-specificity of the BOS throughout the year and highlighted that, at least in this area, bait uptake by wild boar for baits delivered through the BOS would be maximised in spring. © 2017 Crown copyright. Pest Management Science © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2017 Crown copyright. Pest Management Science © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

Characterizing Microbial Community and Geochemical Dynamics at Hydrothermal Vents Using Osmotically Driven Continuous Fluid Samplers

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

Robidart, Julie C.; Callister, Stephen J.; Song, Peng F.

2013-05-07

Microbes play a key role in mediating all aquatic biogeochemical cycles, and ongoing efforts are aimed at better understanding the relationships between microbial phylogenetic and physiological diversity, and habitat physical and chemical characteristics. Establishing such relationships is facilitated by sampling and studying microbiology and geochemistry at the appropriate spatial and temporal scales, to access information on the past and current environmental state that contributes to observed microbial abundances and activities. A modest number of sampling systems exist to date, few of which can be used in remote, harsh environments such as hydrothermal vents, where the ephemeral nature of venting underscoresmore » the necessity for higher resolution sampling. We have developed a robust, continuous fluid sampling system for co-registered microbial and biogeochemical analyses. The osmosis-powered bio-osmosampling system (BOSS) use no electricity, collects fluids with daily resolution or better, can be deployed in harsh, inaccessible environments and can sample fluids continuously for up to five years. Here we present a series of tests to examine DNA, RNA and protein stability over time, as well as material compatability, via lab experiments. We also conducted two field deployments at deep-sea hydrothermal vents to assess changes in microbial diversity and protein expression as a function of the physico-chemical environment. Our data reveal significant changes in microbial community composition co-occurring with relatively modest changes in the geochemistry. These data additionally provide new insights into the distribution of an enigmatic sulfur oxidizing symbiont in its free-living state. Data from the second deployment reveal differences in the representation of peptides over time, underscoring the utility of the BOSS in meta-proteomic studies. In concert, these data demonstrate the efficacy of this approach, and illustrate the value of using this method to study microbial and geochemical phenomena.« less

Identifying Evolutionary Patterns of SMBHS Using Characteristic Variables of the Quasar AGNs of eBOSS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martens, Sarah Katherine; Wilcots, Eric M.

2017-01-01

We investigate the redshift distribution and environmental conditions of quasar AGNs. The importance of studying these relationships is to use the evolutionary patterns of QSOs (features with many quantifiable characteristics) to gain insight into the evolutionary paths and environmental dependencies of their host super massive black holes (SMBHs), which are more difficult to study directly. We employ specific redshift bins within Data Release 13 of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey's (SDSS) Extended Baryonic Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (eBOSS) and begin with a sample of 595,025 QSOs. We then incorporate overlapping data sets: The Very Large Array Faint Images of the Radio Sky at Twenty-Centimeters (FIRST) which provides the HI detected QSOs in our sample, along with the galaxy group and cluster sample from Tempel, Tago, Liivamägi 2012 which we cross referenced with our QSO sample to see which of them exist in group environments. The addition of these data sets allows us to create a more holistic view of the processes at work within our sample of QSOs. Understanding the HI presence in different evolutionary phases will allow us to draw conclusions on potential star formation rates or quenching, and by understanding the populations of QSOs in galaxy groups we can determine if QSOs exist overwhelmingly in one particular environment and how environmental conditions effect the other characteristics of QSOs. Overall we provide a multi-faceted analysis of some of the evolutionary patterns and cycles of the eBOSS Data Release 13 QSOs and their implications on the evolutionary paths of SMBHs. This work was supported by the SDSS Research Experience for Undergraduates program, which is funded by a grant from Sloan Foundation to the Astrophysical Research Consortium.

The Incomplete Conditional Stellar Mass Function: Unveiling the Stellar Mass Functions of Galaxies at 0.1 < Z < 0.8 from BOSS Observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guo, Hong; Yang, Xiaohu; Lu, Yi

2018-05-01

We propose a novel method to constrain the missing fraction of galaxies using galaxy clustering measurements in the galaxy conditional stellar mass function (CSMF) framework, which is applicable to surveys that suffer significantly from sample selection effects. The clustering measurements, which are not sensitive to the random sampling (missing fraction) of galaxies, are widely used to constrain the stellar–halo mass relation (SHMR). By incorporating a missing fraction (incompleteness) component into the CSMF model (ICSMF), we use the incomplete stellar mass function and galaxy clustering to simultaneously constrain the missing fractions and the SHMRs. Tests based on mock galaxy catalogs with a few typical missing fraction models show that this method can accurately recover the missing fraction and the galaxy SHMR, hence providing us with reliable measurements of the galaxy stellar mass functions. We then apply it to the Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS) over the redshift range of 0.1 < z < 0.8 for galaxies of M * > 1011 M ⊙. We find that the sample completeness for BOSS is over 80% at z < 0.6 but decreases at higher redshifts to about 30%. After taking these completeness factors into account, we provide accurate measurements of the stellar mass functions for galaxies with {10}11 {M}ȯ < {M}* < {10}12 {M}ȯ , as well as the SHMRs, over the redshift range 0.1 < z < 0.8 in this largest galaxy redshift survey.

The Solar Neighborhood XLIV: RECONS Discoveries within 10 parsecs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Henry, Todd J.; Jao, Wei-Chun; Winters, Jennifer G.; Dieterich, Sergio B.; Finch, Charlie T.; Ianna, Philip A.; Riedel, Adric R.; Silverstein, Michele L.; Subasavage, John P.; Halley Vrijmoet, Eliot

2018-06-01

We describe the 44 systems discovered to be within 10 pc of the Sun by the RECONS team, primarily via the long-term astrometry program at the CTIO/SMARTS 0.9 m that began in 1999. The systems—including 41 with red dwarf primaries, 2 white dwarfs, and 1 brown dwarf—have trigonometric parallaxes greater than 100 mas, with errors of 0.4–2.4 mas in all but one case. We provide updated astrometric, photometric (VRIJHK magnitudes), spectral type, and multiplicity information here. Among these are 14 systems that are new entries to the 10 pc sample, including the first parallaxes for 9 systems and new values for 5 systems that had previous parallaxes with errors greater than 10 mas or values placing them beyond 10 pc. We also provide new data for 22 systems known to lie within 10 pc and 9 systems reported to be closer than that horizon but for which new parallaxes place them further away, bringing the total to 75 systems. The 44 systems added by RECONS comprise one of every 7 systems known within 10 pc. We illustrate the evolution of the 10 pc sample from the 191 systems known when the final Yale Parallax Catalog was published in 1995 to the 317 systems known today. Even so close to the Sun, additional discoveries of white, red, and brown dwarfs are possible, both as primaries and secondaries, although we estimate that at least 90% of the stellar systems closer than 10 pc have now been identified.

THE SDSS-III BARYON OSCILLATION SPECTROSCOPIC SURVEY: QUASAR TARGET SELECTION FOR DATA RELEASE NINE

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

Ross, Nicholas P.; Kirkpatrick, Jessica A.; Carithers, William C.

2012-03-01

The SDSS-III Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS), a five-year spectroscopic survey of 10,000 deg{sup 2}, achieved first light in late 2009. One of the key goals of BOSS is to measure the signature of baryon acoustic oscillations (BAOs) in the distribution of Ly{alpha} absorption from the spectra of a sample of {approx}150,000 z > 2.2 quasars. Along with measuring the angular diameter distance at z Almost-Equal-To 2.5, BOSS will provide the first direct measurement of the expansion rate of the universe at z > 2. One of the biggest challenges in achieving this goal is an efficient target selection algorithmmore » for quasars in the redshift range 2.2 < z < 3.5, where their colors tend to overlap those of the far more numerous stars. During the first year of the BOSS survey, quasar target selection (QTS) methods were developed and tested to meet the requirement of delivering at least 15 quasars deg{sup -2} in this redshift range, with a goal of 20 out of 40 targets deg{sup -2} allocated to the quasar survey. To achieve these surface densities, the magnitude limit of the quasar targets was set at g {<=} 22.0 or r {<=} 21.85. While detection of the BAO signature in the distribution of Ly{alpha} absorption in quasar spectra does not require a uniform target selection algorithm, many other astrophysical studies do. We have therefore defined a uniformly selected subsample of 20 targets deg{sup -2}, for which the selection efficiency is just over 50% ({approx}10 z > 2.20 quasars deg{sup -2}). This 'CORE' subsample will be fixed for Years Two through Five of the survey. For the remaining 20 targets deg{sup -2}, we will continue to develop improved selection techniques, including the use of additional data sets beyond the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) imaging data. In this paper, we describe the evolution and implementation of the BOSS QTS algorithms during the first two years of BOSS operations (through 2011 July), in support of the science investigations based on these data, and we analyze the spectra obtained during the first year. During this year, 11,263 new z > 2.20 quasars were spectroscopically confirmed by BOSS, roughly double the number of previously known quasars with z > 2.20. Our current algorithms select an average of 15 z > 2.20 quasars deg{sup -2} from 40 targets deg{sup -2} using single-epoch SDSS imaging. Multi-epoch optical data and data at other wavelengths can further improve the efficiency and completeness of BOSS QTS.« less

Theoretical and experimental analysis of analyte transport in a fiber-optic, protein C immuno-biosensor.

PubMed

Tang, Liang; Kwon, Hyun J; Kang, Kyung A

2004-12-30

Protein C (PC) is an important anticoagulant in human blood plasma, and early diagnosis of PC deficiency is critical for preventing dangerous thromboembolic complications. A fiber-optic PC immuno-biosensor has been under development in our research group for real-time PC-deficiency diagnosis. The sensor has demonstrated a good sensitivity and specificity for quantifying PC in buffered solutions. However, for plasma samples, with a limited sample reaction time, the sensor produced only 30% of the signal intensity of PC in buffer. The high plasma viscosity (1.9 cP) was speculated as the major reason for signal intensity reduction. In this investigation, the sensing performance of the fiber-optic PC biosensor is systematically characterized in terms of physical and chemical properties of the sample media. Theoretical and experimental analyses indicate that the reduced diffusion rate of PC molecules in viscous samples caused the sensing system to be more mass-transfer-limited. Convective flow of sample/reagent solutions during immunoreactions can increase the rate of the analyte mass transport from the bulk solution to the sensor surface, with reaction kinetics changing from mass-transfer-limited to reaction-limited as flow velocity increases. It was shown that PC sensor performance was significantly improved for plasma samples with convection. The effect of the flow velocity and incubation times for samples and reagents on the sensor performance was also systematically analyzed to optimize the assay protocol for PC sensing. Currently, a 6-cm-long immuno-biosensor is capable of quantifying PC in plasma (1 mL) in the heterozygous PC deficiency range (0.5 to 2.5 microg/mL) within 5 minutes, at an average signal-to-noise ratio of 50. 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Managing, Leading, and Bossing

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-08-01

but who is self satisfied and complacent in their role may be headed towards being a boss. Recommendations for Avoiding the Boss Syndrome Over...based evidence is available to support important decision and processes. Information on hir- ing, leadership, training, rewards, and burnout is

Who's afraid of the boss: cultural differences in social hierarchies modulate self-face recognition in Chinese and Americans.

PubMed

Liew, Sook-Lei; Ma, Yina; Han, Shihui; Aziz-Zadeh, Lisa

2011-02-16

Human adults typically respond faster to their own face than to the faces of others. However, in Chinese participants, this self-face advantage is lost in the presence of one's supervisor, and they respond faster to their supervisor's face than to their own. While this "boss effect" suggests a strong modulation of self-processing in the presence of influential social superiors, the current study examined whether this effect was true across cultures. Given the wealth of literature on cultural differences between collectivist, interdependent versus individualistic, independent self-construals, we hypothesized that the boss effect might be weaker in independent than interdependent cultures. Twenty European American college students were asked to identify orientations of their own face or their supervisors' face. We found that European Americans, unlike Chinese participants, did not show a "boss effect" and maintained the self-face advantage even in the presence of their supervisor's face. Interestingly, however, their self-face advantage decreased as their ratings of their boss's perceived social status increased, suggesting that self-processing in Americans is influenced more by one's social status than by one's hierarchical position as a social superior. In addition, when their boss's face was presented with a labmate's face, American participants responded faster to the boss's face, indicating that the boss may represent general social dominance rather than a direct negative threat to oneself, in more independent cultures. Altogether, these results demonstrate a strong cultural modulation of self-processing in social contexts and suggest that the very concept of social positions, such as a boss, may hold markedly different meanings to the self across Western and East Asian cultures.

Erratum: ``The Internal Energy for Molecular Hydrogen in Gravitationally Unstable Protoplanetary Disks'' (ApJ, 656, L89 [2007])

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boley, Aaron C.; Hartquist, Thomas W.; Durisen, Richard H.; Michael, Scott

2007-05-01

In the above-mentioned Letter, we stated that Boss uses a discontinuous internal energy for H2, where H2 contributes 3kT/4mp to the specific internal energy e for T<=100 K and 5kT/4mp for T>100 K, based on his own citations to A. P. Boss (ApJ, 277, 768 [1984]). It was brought to our attention by A. P. Boss (2007, private communication) that he now uses a quadratic interpolation for e between 100 and 200 K (see Fig. 1, left panel). This change is not mentioned in the literature but is alluded to in A. P. Boss (ApJ, 346, 336 [1989]). According to Boss, the interpolation has been used in all his simulations since Boss (1989). In Figure 1 (right panel), we also illustrate the consequences for Γ1 of Boss's latest e approximation by calculating the specific heat at constant volume cv=de/dT and by relating that to Γ1 (see J. P. Cox & R. T. Giuli, Principles of Stellar Structure [New York: Gordon & Breach, 1968]). This curve is compared with curves for pure para-hydrogen (short-dashed curve), a 3:1 ortho/para-hydrogen mixture (long-dashed curve), where the species are treated as independent, and an equilibrium mixture (solid curve). Because fragmentation becomes more likely as Γ1 is lowered (W. K. M. Rice, G. Lodato, & P. J. Armitage, MNRAS, 364, L56 [2005]), Boss's approximation between 100 and 200 K is likely to make his disks susceptible to fragmentation for that temperature range. We would like to thank A. P. Boss for his discussions and clarification of his code.

Who's Afraid of the Boss: Cultural Differences in Social Hierarchies Modulate Self-Face Recognition in Chinese and Americans

PubMed Central

Liew, Sook-Lei; Ma, Yina; Han, Shihui; Aziz-Zadeh, Lisa

2011-01-01

Human adults typically respond faster to their own face than to the faces of others. However, in Chinese participants, this self-face advantage is lost in the presence of one's supervisor, and they respond faster to their supervisor's face than to their own. While this “boss effect” suggests a strong modulation of self-processing in the presence of influential social superiors, the current study examined whether this effect was true across cultures. Given the wealth of literature on cultural differences between collectivist, interdependent versus individualistic, independent self-construals, we hypothesized that the boss effect might be weaker in independent than interdependent cultures. Twenty European American college students were asked to identify orientations of their own face or their supervisors' face. We found that European Americans, unlike Chinese participants, did not show a “boss effect” and maintained the self-face advantage even in the presence of their supervisor's face. Interestingly, however, their self-face advantage decreased as their ratings of their boss's perceived social status increased, suggesting that self-processing in Americans is influenced more by one's social status than by one's hierarchical position as a social superior. In addition, when their boss's face was presented with a labmate's face, American participants responded faster to the boss's face, indicating that the boss may represent general social dominance rather than a direct negative threat to oneself, in more independent cultures. Altogether, these results demonstrate a strong cultural modulation of self-processing in social contexts and suggest that the very concept of social positions, such as a boss, may hold markedly different meanings to the self across Western and East Asian cultures. PMID:21359209

VizieR Online Data Catalog: BOSS narrow CIV absorption lines. I. zem<=2.4 (Chen+, 2014)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Z.-F.; Qin, Y.-P.; Pan, C.-J.; Huang, W.-R.; Qin, M.; Wu, H.-N.

2014-01-01

We identify absorption doublets, such as CIVλλ1548,1551 in the quasar spectra of the Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS), which is a part of the SDSS-III (Eisenstein et al. 2011AJ....142...72E). BOSS aims to obtain over 150000 quasar spectra with zem>2.15 using the same 2.5m telescope as the SDSS did. The spectra of BOSS span a wavelength range of 3600-10400Å at a resolution of 1300

IGM CONSTRAINTS FROM THE SDSS-III/BOSS DR9 Lyα FOREST TRANSMISSION PROBABILITY DISTRIBUTION FUNCTION

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

Lee, Khee-Gan; Hennawi, Joseph F.; Spergel, David N.

2015-02-01

The Lyα forest transmission probability distribution function (PDF) is an established probe of the intergalactic medium (IGM) astrophysics, especially the temperature-density relationship of the IGM. We measure the transmission PDF from 3393 Baryon Oscillations Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS) quasars from Sloan Digital Sky Survey Data Release 9, and compare with mock spectra that include careful modeling of the noise, continuum, and astrophysical uncertainties. The BOSS transmission PDFs, measured at (z) = [2.3, 2.6, 3.0], are compared with PDFs created from mock spectra drawn from a suite of hydrodynamical simulations that sample the IGM temperature-density relationship, γ, and temperature at mean density,more » T {sub 0}, where T(Δ) = T {sub 0}Δ{sup γ} {sup –} {sup 1}. We find that a significant population of partial Lyman-limit systems (LLSs) with a column-density distribution slope of β{sub pLLS} ∼ – 2 are required to explain the data at the low-transmission end of transmission PDF, while uncertainties in the mean Lyα forest transmission affect the high-transmission end. After modeling the LLSs and marginalizing over mean transmission uncertainties, we find that γ = 1.6 best describes the data over our entire redshift range, although constraints on T {sub 0} are affected by systematic uncertainties. Within our model framework, isothermal or inverted temperature-density relationships (γ ≤ 1) are disfavored at a significance of over 4σ, although this could be somewhat weakened by cosmological and astrophysical uncertainties that we did not model.« less

The solar neighborhood, 1: Standard spectral types (K5-M8) for northern dwarfs within eight parsecs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Henry, Todd J.; Kirkpatrick, J. Davy; Simons, Douglas A.

1994-01-01

Spectral types on a standard system are presented for late-type dwarfs within 8 pc. All known main-sequence stars north of -25 deg and with M(sub V) greater than or = 8.00 have been observed, resulting in 92 spectra. Based upon the stellar system density to 5 pc, we estimate that approximately 35 systems in the 8 pc sample are 'missing.' In an effort to reveal these systems, we use an empirical spectral type-M(sub V) relation to estimate distances to additional stars that may lie within 8 pc.

XPS analysis of Al/EPDM bondlines from IUS SRM-1 polar bosses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hemminger, Carol S.; Marquez, Nicholas

1993-03-01

A temperature-stress rupture method using partial immersion in liquid nitrogen was developed for the aluminum/EPDM rubber insulation bondline of the IUS SRM-1 polar bosses in order to investigate a corrosion problem. Subsequent XPS analysis of the ruptured bondline followed changes in the locus of failure as corrosion progressed. Samples from the forward polar bosses had a predominantly noncorroded appearance on the ruptured surfaces. The locus of failure was predominantly through the primer layer, which is distinguished by a high concentration of chlorinated hydrocarbon. The aft polar boss segments analyzed were characterized by the presence of corrosion over the entire mid-section of the ruptured aluminum to insulation bondline. The predominant corrosion product detected was aluminum oxide/hydroxide. The corroded bondline sections had significantly higher concentrations of aluminum oxide/hydroxide than the noncorroded areas, and lower concentrations of primer material. The temperature-stress rupture appeared to progress most readily through areas of thickened aluminum oxide/hydroxide infiltrated into the primer layer. In general there was a very good correlation between the calculated Cl:Al atomic % ratio, and the visual characterization of the extent of corrosion. The Cl:Al ratio, which represents the primer to corrosion product ratio at the locus of failure, varied from 0.4 to 47. With only a few exceptions, surfaces with a predominantly noncorroded appearance had Cl:Al ratios greater than 2, and surfaces with a heavily corroded appearance had Cl:Al ratios less than 1.

VizieR Online Data Catalog: A cosmic void catalog of SDSS DR12 BOSS galaxies (Mao+, 2017)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mao, Q.; Berlind, A. A.; Scherrer, R. J.; Neyrinck, M. C.; Scoccimarro, R.; Tinker, J. L.; McBride, C. K.; Schneider, D. P.; Pan, K.; Bizyaev, D.; Malanushenko, E.; Malanushenko, V.

2017-08-01

We present a cosmic void catalog using the large-scale structure galaxy catalog from the Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS). This galaxy catalog is part of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) Data Release 12 and is the final catalog of SDSS-III. We take into account the survey boundaries, masks, and angular and radial selection functions, and apply the ZOBOV (Neyrinck 2008MNRAS.386.2101N) void finding algorithm to the Galaxy catalog. We identify a total of 10643 voids. After making quality cuts to ensure that the voids represent real underdense regions, we obtain 1228 voids with effective radii spanning the range 20-100h-1Mpc and with central densities that are, on average, 30% of the mean sample density. We release versions of the catalogs both with and without quality cuts. We discuss the basic statistics of voids, such as their size and redshift distributions, and measure the radial density profile of the voids via a stacking technique. In addition, we construct mock void catalogs from 1000 mock galaxy catalogs, and find that the properties of BOSS voids are in good agreement with those in the mock catalogs. We compare the stellar mass distribution of galaxies living inside and outside of the voids, and find no large difference. These BOSS and mock void catalogs are useful for a number of cosmological and galaxy environment studies. (1 data file).

Dream Catchers: "Margin Call," "Boss," and Climbing the Beanstalk

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beck, Bernard

2012-01-01

Two recent popular entertainments, "Margin Call" (Barnum, Dodson, Jenckes, Moosa, Quinto & Chandor, 2011) and "Boss" (Safinia, 2011), depict powerful and successful groups of bosses confronting sudden, extreme threats. They are forced to react quickly and sacrifice important values to achieve survival of their organizations. In these emergencies,…

Spectroscopic identification of type 2 quasars at z < 1 in SDSS-III/BOSS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yuan, Sihan; Strauss, Michael A.; Zakamska, Nadia L.

2016-10-01

The physics and demographics of type 2 quasars remain poorly understood, and new samples of such objects selected in a variety of ways can give insight into their physical properties, evolution, and relationship to their host galaxies. We present a sample of 2758 type 2 quasars at z ≲ 1 from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey-III (SDSS-III)/Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS) spectroscopic data base, selected on the basis of their emission-line properties. We probe the luminous end of the population by requiring the rest-frame equivalent width of [O III] to be >100 Å. We distinguish our objects from star-forming galaxies and type 1 quasars using line widths, standard emission line ratio diagnostic diagrams at z < 0.52 and detection of [Ne V]λ3426 Å at z > 0.52. The majority of our objects have [O III] luminosities in the range 1.2 × 1042-3.8 × 1043 erg s-1 and redshifts between 0.4 and 0.65. Our sample includes over 400 type 2 quasars with incorrectly measured redshifts in the BOSS data base; such objects often show kinematic substructure or outflows in the [O III] line. The majority of the sample has counterparts in the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer survey, with median infrared luminosity νLν[12 μm] = 4.2 × 1044 erg s- 1. Only 34 per cent of the newly identified type 2 quasars would be selected by infrared colour cuts designed to identify obscured active nuclei, highlighting the difficulty of identifying complete samples of type 2 quasars. We make public the multi-Gaussian decompositions of all [O III] profiles for the new sample and for 568 type 2 quasars from SDSS I/II, together with non-parametric measures of the [O III] line profile shapes. We also identify over 600 candidate double-peaked [O III] profiles.

Bank of Standardized Stimuli (BOSS) phase II: 930 new normative photos.

PubMed

Brodeur, Mathieu B; Guérard, Katherine; Bouras, Maria

2014-01-01

Researchers have only recently started to take advantage of the developments in technology and communication for sharing data and documents. However, the exchange of experimental material has not taken advantage of this progress yet. In order to facilitate access to experimental material, the Bank of Standardized Stimuli (BOSS) project was created as a free standardized set of visual stimuli accessible to all researchers, through a normative database. The BOSS is currently the largest existing photo bank providing norms for more than 15 dimensions (e.g. familiarity, visual complexity, manipulability, etc.), making the BOSS an extremely useful research tool and a mean to homogenize scientific data worldwide. The first phase of the BOSS was completed in 2010, and contained 538 normative photos. The second phase of the BOSS project presented in this article, builds on the previous phase by adding 930 new normative photo stimuli. New categories of concepts were introduced, including animals, building infrastructures, body parts, and vehicles and the number of photos in other categories was increased. All new photos of the BOSS were normalized relative to their name, familiarity, visual complexity, object agreement, viewpoint agreement, and manipulability. The availability of these norms is a precious asset that should be considered for characterizing the stimuli as a function of the requirements of research and for controlling for potential confounding effects.

Redshift evolution of the dynamical properties of massive galaxies from SDSS-III/BOSS

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

Beifiori, Alessandra; Saglia, Roberto P.; Bender, Ralf

2014-07-10

We study the redshift evolution of the dynamical properties of ∼180, 000 massive galaxies from SDSS-III/BOSS combined with a local early-type galaxy sample from SDSS-II in the redshift range 0.1 ≤ z ≤ 0.6. The typical stellar mass of this sample is M{sub *} ∼2 × 10{sup 11} M{sub ☉}. We analyze the evolution of the galaxy parameters effective radius, stellar velocity dispersion, and the dynamical to stellar mass ratio with redshift. As the effective radii of BOSS galaxies at these redshifts are not well resolved in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) imaging we calibrate the SDSS size measurementsmore » with Hubble Space Telescope/COSMOS photometry for a sub-sample of galaxies. We further apply a correction for progenitor bias to build a sample which consists of a coeval, passively evolving population. Systematic errors due to size correction and the calculation of dynamical mass are assessed through Monte Carlo simulations. At fixed stellar or dynamical mass, we find moderate evolution in galaxy size and stellar velocity dispersion, in agreement with previous studies. We show that this results in a decrease of the dynamical to stellar mass ratio with redshift at >2σ significance. By combining our sample with high-redshift literature data, we find that this evolution of the dynamical to stellar mass ratio continues beyond z ∼ 0.7 up to z > 2 as M{sub dyn}/M{sub *} ∼(1 + z){sup –0.30±0.12}, further strengthening the evidence for an increase of M{sub dyn}/M{sub *} with cosmic time. This result is in line with recent predictions from galaxy formation simulations based on minor merger driven mass growth, in which the dark matter fraction within the half-light radius increases with cosmic time.« less

Actuator operated microvalves

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Okojie, Robert S. (Inventor)

2008-01-01

An actuator operated microvalve and the method of making same is disclosed and claimed. The microvalve comprises a SiC housing which includes a first lower portion and a second upper portion. The lower portion of the SiC housing includes a passageway therethrough, a microvalve seat, and a moveable SiC diaphragm. The SiC diaphragm includes a centrally located boss and radially extending corrugations which may be sinusoidally shaped. The boss of the SiC diaphragm moves and modulates in a range of positions between a closed position wherein the boss interengages said microvalve seat prohibiting communication of fluid through the passageway and a fully open position when the boss is spaced apart from the seat at its maximum permitting communication of fluid through said passageway. The actuator includes a SiC top plate affixed to the boss of the diaphragm and a first electrode and the second upper portion of the SiC housing further includes a second electrode.

General job performance of first-line supervisors: the role of conscientiousness in determining its effects on subordinate exhaustion.

PubMed

Perry, Sara Jansen; Rubino, Cristina; Witt, L A

2011-04-01

In an integrated test of the job demands-resources model and trait activation theory, we predicted that the general job performance of employees who also hold supervisory roles may act as a demand to subordinates, depending on levels of subordinate conscientiousness. In a sample of 313 customer service call centre employees, we found that high-conscientiousness individuals were more likely to experience emotional exhaustion, and low-conscientiousness individuals were less likely as the general job performance of their supervisor improved. The results were curvilinear, such that high-conscientiousness individuals' exhaustion levelled off with very high supervisor performance (two standard deviations above the mean), and low-conscientiousness individuals' exhaustion levelled off as supervisor performance improved from moderate to high. These findings suggest high-conscientiousness employees may efficiently handle demands presented by a low-performing coworker who is their boss, but when performance expectations are high (i.e. high-performing boss), these achievement-oriented employees may direct their resources (i.e. energy and time) towards performance-related efforts at the expense of their well-being. Conversely, low-conscientiousness employees suffer when paired with a low-performing boss, but benefit from a supervisor who demonstrates at least moderate job performance.

The clustering of the SDSS-IV extended Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey DR14 quasar sample: measurement of the growth rate of structure from the anisotropic correlation function between redshift 0.8 and 2.2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zarrouk, Pauline; Burtin, Etienne; Gil-Marín, Héctor; Ross, Ashley J.; Tojeiro, Rita; Pâris, Isabelle; Dawson, Kyle S.; Myers, Adam D.; Percival, Will J.; Chuang, Chia-Hsun; Zhao, Gong-Bo; Bautista, Julian; Comparat, Johan; González-Pérez, Violeta; Habib, Salman; Heitmann, Katrin; Hou, Jiamin; Laurent, Pierre; Le Goff, Jean-Marc; Prada, Francisco; Rodríguez-Torres, Sergio A.; Rossi, Graziano; Ruggeri, Rossana; Sánchez, Ariel G.; Schneider, Donald P.; Tinker, Jeremy L.; Wang, Yuting; Yèche, Christophe; Baumgarten, Falk; Brownstein, Joel R.; de la Torre, Sylvain; du Mas des Bourboux, Hélion; Kneib, Jean-Paul; Mariappan, Vivek; Palanque-Delabrouille, Nathalie; Peacock, John; Petitjean, Patrick; Seo, Hee-Jong; Zhao, Cheng

2018-06-01

We present the clustering measurements of quasars in configuration space based on the Data Release 14 (DR14) of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey IV extended Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (eBOSS). This data set includes 148 659 quasars spread over the redshift range 0.8 ≤ z ≤ 2.2 and spanning 2112.9 deg2. We use the Convolution Lagrangian Perturbation Theory approach with a Gaussian Streaming model for the redshift space distortions of the correlation function and demonstrate its applicability for dark matter haloes hosting eBOSS quasar tracers. At the effective redshift zeff = 1.52, we measure the linear growth rate of structure fσ8(zeff) = 0.426 ± 0.077, the expansion rate H(z_eff)= 159^{+12}_{-13}(rs^fid/r_s) {{}km s}^{-1} Mpc^{-1}, and the angular diameter distance DA(z_eff)=1850^{+90}_{-115} (r_s/rs^fid) {}Mpc, where rs is the sound horizon at the end of the baryon drag epoch and rs^fid is its value in the fiducial cosmology. The quoted uncertainties include both systematic and statistical contributions. The results on the evolution of distances are consistent with the predictions of flat Λ-cold dark matter cosmology with Planck parameters, and the measurement of fσ8 extends the validity of General Relativity to higher redshifts (z > 1). This paper is released with companion papers using the same sample. The results on the cosmological parameters of the studies are found to be in very good agreement, providing clear evidence of the complementarity and of the robustness of the first full-shape clustering measurements with the eBOSS DR14 quasar sample.

Novel sleep management method in a toddler displaying fear and trauma: the Boss of My Sleep Book.

PubMed

Blunden, Sarah

2017-01-06

Sleep problems in toddlers occur in ∼40% of children and increase the likelihood of postnatal depression. Most sleep training in toddlers requires contact with a trained professional, and requires a parent to ignore their child's cries, causing distress to many children and parents, increasing attrition and leaving families untreated and at risk. This case study reports success in significantly ameliorating sleep reluctance and bedtime fears in a sleep disturbed toddler with a history of trauma. It uses a novel use of bedtime behaviour management with some positive reinforcement techniques, called the Boss of My Sleep book: a non-cry, online (thus readily and cheaply available without a trained professional) sleep intervention. The system was successful immediately and was sustained after 6 months. The Boss of My Sleep book shows promise as a sleep intervention in toddlers, particularly for those parents who do not want to use cry intensive methods. 2017 BMJ Publishing Group Ltd.

VARIATIONS OF ABSORPTION TROUGHS IN THE QUASAR SDSS J125216.58+052737.7

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

Chen, Zhi-Fu; Qin, Yi-Ping, E-mail: zhichenfu@126.com

2015-01-20

In this work, we analyze the spectra of quasar J125216.58+052737.7 (z {sub em} = 1.9035) which was observed by SDSS-I/II on 2003 January 30 and by BOSS on 2011 April 2. Both the continuum and the absorption spectra of this quasar show obvious variations between the two epochs. In the SDSS-I/II spectrum, we detect 8 C IV λλ1548,1551 absorption systems, which are detected at z {sub abs} = 1.9098, 1.8948, 1.8841, 1.8770, 1.8732, 1.8635, 1.8154, and 1.7359, respectively, and one Mg II λλ2796,2803 absorption system at z {sub abs} = 0.9912. Among these absorption systems, two C IV λλ1548,1551 absorptionmore » systems at z {sub abs} = 1.9098 and 1.7359 and the Mg II λλ2796,2803 absorption system are imprinted on the BOSS spectrum as well, and have similar absorption strengths when compared to those measured from the SDSS-I/II spectrum. Three C IV λλ1548,1551 absorption systems at z {sub abs} = 1.8948, 1.8841, and 1.8770 are also detected in the BOSS spectrum, while their absorption strengths are much weaker than those measured from the SDSS-I/II spectrum; three systems at z {sub abs} = 1.8732, 1.8635, and 1.8154 disappeared from the BOSS spectrum. Based on the variability analysis, the absorption systems that disappeared and weakened are likely to be intrinsic to the quasar. If these intrinsic absorption gases are blown away from the central region of the quasar, with respect to the quasar system, the absorption systems that disappeared would have separation velocities of 3147 kms{sup –1}, 4161 km s{sup –1}, and 9241 km s{sup –1}, while the absorption systems that weakened would have separation velocities of 900 km s{sup –1}, 2011 km s{sup –1}, and 2751 km s{sup –1}. Well-coordinated variations of the six C IV λλ1548,1551 absorption systems that disappeared and weakened, occurring on a timescale of 1026.7 days at the quasar rest frame, can be interpreted as a result of global changes in the ionization state of the absorbing gas.« less

Stochastic model search with binary outcomes for genome-wide association studies.

PubMed

Russu, Alberto; Malovini, Alberto; Puca, Annibale A; Bellazzi, Riccardo

2012-06-01

The spread of case-control genome-wide association studies (GWASs) has stimulated the development of new variable selection methods and predictive models. We introduce a novel Bayesian model search algorithm, Binary Outcome Stochastic Search (BOSS), which addresses the model selection problem when the number of predictors far exceeds the number of binary responses. Our method is based on a latent variable model that links the observed outcomes to the underlying genetic variables. A Markov Chain Monte Carlo approach is used for model search and to evaluate the posterior probability of each predictor. BOSS is compared with three established methods (stepwise regression, logistic lasso, and elastic net) in a simulated benchmark. Two real case studies are also investigated: a GWAS on the genetic bases of longevity, and the type 2 diabetes study from the Wellcome Trust Case Control Consortium. Simulations show that BOSS achieves higher precisions than the reference methods while preserving good recall rates. In both experimental studies, BOSS successfully detects genetic polymorphisms previously reported to be associated with the analyzed phenotypes. BOSS outperforms the other methods in terms of F-measure on simulated data. In the two real studies, BOSS successfully detects biologically relevant features, some of which are missed by univariate analysis and the three reference techniques. The proposed algorithm is an advance in the methodology for model selection with a large number of features. Our simulated and experimental results showed that BOSS proves effective in detecting relevant markers while providing a parsimonious model.

Knowing Our Neighbors: Two In and One Out

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bartlett, Jennifer L.; Lurie, John C.; Ianna, Philip A.; Riedel, Adric R.; Winters, Jennifer G.; Finch, Charlie T.; Jao, Wei-Chun; Subasavage, John P.; Henry, Todd J.

2016-01-01

Obtaining a well-understood, volume-limited (and ultimately volume-complete) sample of nearby stars is necessary for determining a host of interesting astrophysical quantities, including the stellar luminosity and mass functions, the distribution of stellar velocities, and the stellar multiplicity fraction. Furthermore, such a sample provides insight into the local star formation history. Towards that end, the Research Consortium on Nearby Stars (RECONS) team measures trigonometric parallaxes to establish which systems truly lie within the Solar Neighborhood, emphasizing those within 25 pc. Less accurate photometric and spectroscopic estimates previously suggested LP 991-84, LHS 6167AB, and LHS 2880 as possible members of the 10-pc sample, which made them desirable candidates.Recent measurements with the CTIO/SMARTS 0.9-m telescope place LP 991-84 and LHS 6167AB at 8.6 ± 0.1 and 9.68 ± 0.09 pc, respectively, which is consistent with earlier estimates of their distances. However, the final parallax for LHS 2880 places it beyond 25 pc, at a distance of 31 ± 1 pc, despite its previous identification as a member of the 10-pc sample. The proper motions of these systems are 0.2589 ± 0.0004, 0.4394 ± 0.0003, and 0.7113 ± 0.0009 arcsec yr-1, respectively.To characterize these systems more fully, the RECONS team obtained VRI photometry for each; they range from 13.8-14.5 mag. in V. LHS 6167AB also shows signs of long-term variability in V, including a possible flare. In addition, CTIO 1.5-m spectroscopy identifies LP 991-84 and LHS 6167AB as M4.5 V systems.Even as we aspire to identify all the stars within 25 pc, we find that the 10-pc volume still holds some surprises.NSF grants AST 05-07711 and AST 09-08402, NASA-SIM, Georgia State University, the University of Virginia, Hampden-Sydney College, and the Levinson Fund of the Peninsula Community Foundation supported this research. CTIOPI was an NOAO Survey Program and continues as part of the SMARTS Consortium. We thank the SMARTS Consortium and the CTIO staff, who enable the small telescope operations at CTIO.

Interactive Inverse Design Optimization of Fuselage Shape for Low-Boom Supersonic Concepts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Li, Wu; Shields, Elwood; Le, Daniel

2008-01-01

This paper introduces a tool called BOSS (Boom Optimization using Smoothest Shape modifications). BOSS utilizes interactive inverse design optimization to develop a fuselage shape that yields a low-boom aircraft configuration. A fundamental reason for developing BOSS is the need to generate feasible low-boom conceptual designs that are appropriate for further refinement using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) based preliminary design methods. BOSS was not developed to provide a numerical solution to the inverse design problem. Instead, BOSS was intended to help designers find the right configuration among an infinite number of possible configurations that are equally good using any numerical figure of merit. BOSS uses the smoothest shape modification strategy for modifying the fuselage radius distribution at 100 or more longitudinal locations to find a smooth fuselage shape that reduces the discrepancies between the design and target equivalent area distributions over any specified range of effective distance. For any given supersonic concept (with wing, fuselage, nacelles, tails, and/or canards), a designer can examine the differences between the design and target equivalent areas, decide which part of the design equivalent area curve needs to be modified, choose a desirable rate for the reduction of the discrepancies over the specified range, and select a parameter for smoothness control of the fuselage shape. BOSS will then generate a fuselage shape based on the designer's inputs in a matter of seconds. Using BOSS, within a few hours, a designer can either generate a realistic fuselage shape that yields a supersonic configuration with a low-boom ground signature or quickly eliminate any configuration that cannot achieve low-boom characteristics with fuselage shaping alone. A conceptual design case study is documented to demonstrate how BOSS can be used to develop a low-boom supersonic concept from a low-drag supersonic concept. The paper also contains a study on how perturbations in the equivalent area distribution affect the ground signature shape and how new target area distributions for low-boom signatures can be constructed using superposition of equivalent area distributions derived from the Seebass-George-Darden (SGD) theory.

Stochastic model search with binary outcomes for genome-wide association studies

PubMed Central

Malovini, Alberto; Puca, Annibale A; Bellazzi, Riccardo

2012-01-01

Objective The spread of case–control genome-wide association studies (GWASs) has stimulated the development of new variable selection methods and predictive models. We introduce a novel Bayesian model search algorithm, Binary Outcome Stochastic Search (BOSS), which addresses the model selection problem when the number of predictors far exceeds the number of binary responses. Materials and methods Our method is based on a latent variable model that links the observed outcomes to the underlying genetic variables. A Markov Chain Monte Carlo approach is used for model search and to evaluate the posterior probability of each predictor. Results BOSS is compared with three established methods (stepwise regression, logistic lasso, and elastic net) in a simulated benchmark. Two real case studies are also investigated: a GWAS on the genetic bases of longevity, and the type 2 diabetes study from the Wellcome Trust Case Control Consortium. Simulations show that BOSS achieves higher precisions than the reference methods while preserving good recall rates. In both experimental studies, BOSS successfully detects genetic polymorphisms previously reported to be associated with the analyzed phenotypes. Discussion BOSS outperforms the other methods in terms of F-measure on simulated data. In the two real studies, BOSS successfully detects biologically relevant features, some of which are missed by univariate analysis and the three reference techniques. Conclusion The proposed algorithm is an advance in the methodology for model selection with a large number of features. Our simulated and experimental results showed that BOSS proves effective in detecting relevant markers while providing a parsimonious model. PMID:22534080

Extremely red quasars from SDSS, BOSS and WISE: classification of optical spectra

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ross, Nicholas P.; Hamann, Fred; Zakamska, Nadia L.; Richards, Gordon T.; Villforth, Carolin; Strauss, Michael A.; Greene, Jenny E.; Alexandroff, Rachael; Brandt, W. Niel; Liu, Guilin; Myers, Adam D.; Pâris, Isabelle; Schneider, Donald P.

2015-11-01

Quasars with extremely red infrared-to-optical colours are an interesting population that can test ideas about quasar evolution as well as orientation, obscuration and geometric effects in the so-called AGN unified model. To identify such a population, we match the quasar catalogues of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS), the Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS) to the Wide-Field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) to identify quasars with extremely high infrared-to-optical ratios. We identify 65 objects with rAB - W4Vega > 14 mag (i.e. Fν(22 μm)/Fν(r) ≳ 1000). This sample spans a redshift range of 0.28 < z < 4.36 and has a bimodal distribution, with peaks at z ˜ 0.8 and z ˜ 2.5. It includes three z > 2.6 objects that are detected in the W4 band but not W1 or W2 (i.e. `W1W2 dropouts'). The SDSS/BOSS spectra show that the majority of the objects are reddened type 1 quasars, type 2 quasars (both at low and high redshift) or objects with deep low-ionization broad absorption lines (BALs) that suppress the observed r-band flux. In addition, we identify a class of type 1 permitted broad emission-line objects at z ≃ 2-3 which are characterized by emission line rest-frame equivalent widths (REWs) of ≳150 Å, much larger than those of typical quasars. In particular, 55 per cent (45 per cent) of the non-BAL type 1s with measurable C IV in our sample have REW(C IV) > 100 (150) Å, compared to only 5.8 per cent (1.3 per cent) for non-BAL quasars in BOSS. These objects often also have unusual line ratios, such as very high N V/Ly α ratios. These large REWs might be caused by suppressed continuum emission analogous to type 2 quasars; however, there is no obvious mechanism in standard unified models to suppress the continuum without also obscuring the broad emission lines.

The clustering of galaxies in the completed SDSS-III Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey: Double-probe measurements from BOSS galaxy clustering and Planck data – towards an analysis without informative priors

DOE PAGES

Pellejero-Ibanez, Marco; Chuang, Chia -Hsun; Rubino-Martin, J. A.; ...

2016-03-28

Here, we develop a new methodology called double-probe analysis with the aim of minimizing informative priors in the estimation of cosmological parameters. We extract the dark-energy-model-independent cosmological constraints from the joint data sets of Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS) galaxy sample and Planck cosmic microwave background (CMB) measurement. We measure the mean values and covariance matrix of {R, l a, Ω bh 2, n s, log(A s), Ω k, H(z), D A(z), f(z)σ 8(z)}, which give an efficient summary of Planck data and 2-point statistics from BOSS galaxy sample, where R = √Ω mH 2 0, and l a =more » πr(z *)/r s(z *), z * is the redshift at the last scattering surface, and r(z *) and r s(z *) denote our comoving distance to z * and sound horizon at z * respectively. The advantage of this method is that we do not need to put informative priors on the cosmological parameters that galaxy clustering is not able to constrain well, i.e. Ω bh 2 and n s. Using our double-probe results, we obtain Ω m = 0.304 ± 0.009, H 0 = 68.2 ± 0.7, and σ 8 = 0.806 ± 0.014 assuming ΛCDM; and Ω k = 0.002 ± 0.003 and w = –1.00 ± 0.07 assuming owCDM. The results show no tension with the flat ΛCDM cosmological paradigm. By comparing with the full-likelihood analyses with fixed dark energy models, we demonstrate that the double-probe method provides robust cosmological parameter constraints which can be conveniently used to study dark energy models. We extend our study to measure the sum of neutrino mass and obtain Σm ν < 0.10/0.22 (68%/95%) assuming ΛCDM and Σm ν < 0.26/0.52 (68%/95%) assuming wCDM. This paper is part of a set that analyses the final galaxy clustering dataset from BOSS.« less

Buffer-induced swelling and vesicle budding in binary lipid mixtures of dioleoylphosphatidylcholine:dioleoylphosphatidylethanolamine and dioleoylphosphatidylcholine:lysophosphatidylcholine using small-angle X-ray scattering and ³¹P static NMR.

PubMed

Barriga, Hanna M G; Bazin, Richard; Templer, Richard H; Law, Robert V; Ces, Oscar

2015-03-17

A large variety of data exists on lipid phase behavior; however, it is mostly in nonbuffered systems over nonbiological temperature ranges. We present biophysical data on lipid mixtures of dioleoylphosphatidylcholine (DOPC), dioleoylphosphatidylethanolamine (DOPE), and lysophosphatidylcholine (LysoPC) examining their behaviors in excess water and buffer systems over the temperature range 4-34 °C. These mixtures are commonly used to investigate the effects of spontaneous curvature on integral membrane proteins. Using small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and (31)P NMR, we observed lamellar and vesicle phases, with the buffer causing an increase in the layer spacing. Increasing amounts of DOPE in a DOPC bilayer decreased the layer spacing of the mesophase, while the opposite trend was observed for increasing amounts of LysoPC. (31)P static NMR was used to analyze the DOPC:LysoPC samples to investigate the vesicle sizes present, with evidence of vesicle budding observed at LysoPC concentrations above 30 mol %. NMR line shapes were fitted using an adapted program accounting for the distortion of the lipids within the magnetic field. The distortion of the vesicle, because of magnetic susceptibility, varied with LysoPC content, and a discontinuity was found in both the water and buffer samples. Generally, the distortion increased with LysoPC content; however, at a ratio of DOPC:LysoPC 60:40, the sample showed a level of distortion of the vesicle similar to that of pure DOPC. This implies an increased flexibility in the membrane at this point. Commonly, the assumption is that for increasing LysoPC concentration there is a reduction in membrane tension, implying that estimations of membrane tension based on spontaneous curvature assumptions may not be accurate.

Outsourcing the Technology Boss.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Olsen, Florence

2003-01-01

Describes how California's Peralta Community Colleges District decided to hire an outside company to manage its computer networks, but that problems cause it to now want a technology boss on its own staff. (EV)

Nurse executive transformational leadership found in participative organizations.

PubMed

Dunham-Taylor, J

2000-05-01

The study examined a national sample of 396 randomly selected hospital nurse executives to explore transformational leadership, stage of power, and organizational climate. Results from a few nurse executive studies have found nurse executives were transformational leaders. As executives were more transformational, they achieved better staff satisfaction and higher work group effectiveness. This study integrates Bass' transformational leadership model with Hagberg's power stage theory and Likert's organizational climate theory. Nurse executives (396) and staff reporting to them (1,115) rated the nurse executives' leadership style, staff extra effort, staff satisfaction, and work group effectiveness using Bass and Avolio's Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire. Executives' bosses (360) rated executive work group effectiveness. Executives completed Hagberg's Personal Power Profile and ranked their organizational climate using Likert's Profile of Organizational Characteristics. Nurse executives used transformational leadership fairly often; achieved fairly satisfied staff levels; were very effective according to bosses; were most likely at stage 3 (power by achievement) or stage 4 (power by reflection); and rated their hospital as a Likert System 3 Consultative Organization. Staff satisfaction and work group effectiveness decreased as nurse executives were more transactional. Higher transformational scores tended to occur with higher educational degrees and within more participative organizations. Transformational qualities can be enhanced by further education, by achieving higher power stages, and by being within more participative organizations.

Vibration Pattern Imager (VPI): A control and data acquisition system for scanning laser vibrometers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rizzi, Stephen A.; Brown, Donald E.; Shaffer, Thomas A.

1993-01-01

The Vibration Pattern Imager (VPI) system was designed to control and acquire data from scanning laser vibrometer sensors. The PC computer based system uses a digital signal processing (DSP) board and an analog I/O board to control the sensor and to process the data. The VPI system was originally developed for use with the Ometron VPI Sensor, but can be readily adapted to any commercially available sensor which provides an analog output signal and requires analog inputs for control of mirror positioning. The sensor itself is not part of the VPI system. A graphical interface program, which runs on a PC under the MS-DOS operating system, functions in an interactive mode and communicates with the DSP and I/O boards in a user-friendly fashion through the aid of pop-up menus. Two types of data may be acquired with the VPI system: single point or 'full field.' In the single point mode, time series data is sampled by the A/D converter on the I/O board (at a user-defined sampling rate for a selectable number of samples) and is stored by the PC. The position of the measuring point (adjusted by mirrors in the sensor) is controlled via a mouse input. The mouse input is translated to output voltages by the D/A converter on the I/O board to control the mirror servos. In the 'full field' mode, the measurement point is moved over a user-selectable rectangular area. The time series data is sampled by the A/D converter on the I/O board (at a user-defined sampling rate for a selectable number of samples) and converted to a root-mean-square (rms) value by the DSP board. The rms 'full field' velocity distribution is then uploaded for display and storage on the PC.

Plasmon-enhanced photocurrent generation from self-assembled monolayers of phthalocyanine by using gold nanoparticle films.

PubMed

Sugawa, Kosuke; Akiyama, Tsuyoshi; Kawazumi, Hirofumi; Yamada, Sunao

2009-04-09

The effect of localized electric fields on the photocurrent responses of phthalocyanine that was self-assembled on a gold nanoparticle film was investigated by comparing the conventional and the total internal reflection (TIR) experimental systems. In the case of photocurrent measurements, self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) of a thiol derivative of palladium phthalocyanine (PdPc) were prepared on the surface of gold-nanoparticle film that was fixed on the surface of indium-tin-oxide (ITO) substrate via a polyion (PdPc/AuP/polyion/ITO) or on the ITO surface (PdPc/ITO). Photocurrent action spectra from the two samples were compared by using the conventional spectrometer, and were found that PdPc/AuP/polyion/ITO gave considerably larger photocurrent signals than PdPc/ITO under the identical concentration of PdPc. In the case of the TIR experiments for the PdPc/AuP/polyion/ITO and the PdPc/AuP/Glass systems, incident-angle profiles of photocurrent and emission signals were correlated with each other, and they were different from that of the PdPc/ITO system. Accordingly, it was demonstrated that the photocurrent signals were certainly enhanced by the localized electric fields of the gold-nanoparticle film.

Cranial Bosses of Choerosaurus dejageri (Therapsida, Therocephalia): Earliest Evidence of Cranial Display Structures in Eutheriodonts

PubMed Central

Benoit, Julien; Manger, Paul R.; Fernandez, Vincent; Rubidge, Bruce S.

2016-01-01

Choerosaurus dejageri, a non-mammalian eutheriodont therapsid from the South African late Permian (~259 Ma), has conspicuous hemispheric cranial bosses on the maxilla and the mandible. These bosses, the earliest of this nature in a eutheriodont, potentially make C. dejageri a key species for understanding the evolutionary origins of sexually selective behaviours (intraspecific competition, ritualized sexual and intimidation displays) associated with cranial outgrowths at the root of the clade that eventually led to extant mammals. Comparison with the tapinocephalid dinocephalian Moschops capensis, a therapsid in which head butting is strongly supported, shows that the delicate structure of the cranial bosses and the gracile structure of the skull of Choerosaurus would be more suitable for display and low energy combat than vigorous head butting. Thus, despite the fact that Choerosaurus is represented by only one skull (which makes it impossible to address the question of sexual dimorphism), its cranial bosses are better interpreted as structures involved in intraspecific selection, i.e. low-energy fighting or display. Display structures, such as enlarged canines and cranial bosses, are widespread among basal therapsid clades and are also present in the putative basal therapsid Tetraceratops insignis. This suggests that sexual selection may have played a more important role in the distant origin and evolution of mammals earlier than previously thought. Sexual selection may explain the subsequent independent evolution of cranial outgrowths and pachyostosis in different therapsid lineages (Biarmosuchia, Dinocephalia, Gorgonopsia and Dicynodontia). PMID:27548428

Cranial Bosses of Choerosaurus dejageri (Therapsida, Therocephalia): Earliest Evidence of Cranial Display Structures in Eutheriodonts.

PubMed

Benoit, Julien; Manger, Paul R; Fernandez, Vincent; Rubidge, Bruce S

2016-01-01

Choerosaurus dejageri, a non-mammalian eutheriodont therapsid from the South African late Permian (~259 Ma), has conspicuous hemispheric cranial bosses on the maxilla and the mandible. These bosses, the earliest of this nature in a eutheriodont, potentially make C. dejageri a key species for understanding the evolutionary origins of sexually selective behaviours (intraspecific competition, ritualized sexual and intimidation displays) associated with cranial outgrowths at the root of the clade that eventually led to extant mammals. Comparison with the tapinocephalid dinocephalian Moschops capensis, a therapsid in which head butting is strongly supported, shows that the delicate structure of the cranial bosses and the gracile structure of the skull of Choerosaurus would be more suitable for display and low energy combat than vigorous head butting. Thus, despite the fact that Choerosaurus is represented by only one skull (which makes it impossible to address the question of sexual dimorphism), its cranial bosses are better interpreted as structures involved in intraspecific selection, i.e. low-energy fighting or display. Display structures, such as enlarged canines and cranial bosses, are widespread among basal therapsid clades and are also present in the putative basal therapsid Tetraceratops insignis. This suggests that sexual selection may have played a more important role in the distant origin and evolution of mammals earlier than previously thought. Sexual selection may explain the subsequent independent evolution of cranial outgrowths and pachyostosis in different therapsid lineages (Biarmosuchia, Dinocephalia, Gorgonopsia and Dicynodontia).

Occlusion assessment of intracranial aneurysms treated with the WEB device.

PubMed

Caroff, Jildaz; Mihalea, Cristian; Tuilier, Titien; Barreau, Xavier; Cognard, Christophe; Desal, Hubert; Pierot, Laurent; Arnoux, Armelle; Moret, Jacques; Spelle, Laurent

2016-09-01

The Woven EndoBridge (WEB) system is an innovative device under evaluation for its capacity to treat wide-neck bifurcation intracranial aneurysms. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the use of the different occlusion scales available in clinical practice. Seven WEB-experienced neurointerventionalists were provided with 30 angiographic follow-up data sets and asked to grade each evaluation point according to the Bicêtre Occlusion Scale Score (BOSS), firstly based on DSA images only then using additional C-Arm VasoCT analysis. This BOSS evaluation was then converted into the WEB Occlusion Scale (WOS) and into a dichotomized scale (complete occlusion or not). To estimate the inter-rater agreement among the seven raters, an overall kappa coefficient [1] and its standard error (SE) were computed. Using the five-grade BOSS, raters showed "moderate" agreement (kappa = 0.56). Using the three-grade WOS, agreement appeared slightly better (kappa = 0.59). Strongest inter-rater agreement was observed with a dichotomized version of the scale (complete occlusion or not), which enabled an "almost perfect" agreement (kappa = 0.88). VasoCT consistently enhanced the agreement particularly with regards depicting intra-WEB residual filling. The WOS is a consistent means to angiographically evaluate the WEB device efficiency. But the five-grade BOSS scale allows to identify aneurysm subgroups with differing risks of recurrence and/or rehemorrhage, which needs to be separated especially at the initial phase of evaluation of this innovative device. The additional use of VasoCT allows better inter-rater agreement in evaluating occlusion and specially in depicting intra-WEB persistent filling.

Taxa-area relationship of aquatic fungi on deciduous leaves.

PubMed

Duarte, Sofia; Cássio, Fernanda; Pascoal, Cláudia; Bärlocher, Felix

2017-01-01

One of the fundamental patterns in macroecology is the increase in the number of observed taxa with size of sampled area. For microbes, the shape of this relationship remains less clear. The current study assessed the diversity of aquatic fungi, by the traditional approach based on conidial morphology (captures reproducing aquatic hyphomycetes) and next generation sequencing (NGS; captures other fungi as well), on graded sizes of alder leaves (0.6 to 13.6 cm2). Leaves were submerged in two streams in geographically distant locations: the Oliveira Stream in Portugal and the Boss Brook in Canada. Decay rates of alder leaves and fungal sporulation rates did not differ between streams. Fungal biomass was higher in Boss Brook than in Oliveira Stream, and in both streams almost 100% of the reads belonged to active fungal taxa. In general, larger leaf areas tended to harbour more fungi, but these findings were not consistent between techniques. Morphospecies-based diversity increased with leaf area in Boss Brook, but not in Oliveira Stream; metabarcoding data showed an opposite trend. The higher resolution of metabarcoding resulted in steeper taxa-accumulation curves than morphospecies-based assessments (fungal conidia morphology). Fungal communities assessed by metabarcoding were spatially structured by leaf area in both streams. Metabarcoding promises greater resolution to assess biodiversity patterns in aquatic fungi and may be more accurate for assessing taxa-area relationships and local to global diversity ratios.

New Low-mass Stars in the 25 Orionis Stellar Group and Orion OB1a Sub-association from SDSS-III/BOSS Spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suárez, Genaro; Downes, Juan José; Román-Zúñiga, Carlos; Covey, Kevin R.; Tapia, Mauricio; Hernández, Jesús; Petr-Gotzens, Monika G.; Stassun, Keivan G.; Briceño, César

2017-07-01

The Orion OB1a sub-association is a rich low-mass star (LMS) region. Previous spectroscopic studies have confirmed 160 LMSs in the 25 Orionis stellar group (25 Ori), which is the most prominent overdensity of Orion OB1a. Nonetheless, the current census of the 25 Ori members is estimated to be lower than 50% complete, leaving a large number of members to be still confirmed. We retrieved 172 low-resolution stellar spectra in Orion OB1a observed as ancillary science in the SDSS-III/BOSS survey, for which we classified their spectral types and determined physical parameters. To determine memberships, we analyzed the {{{H}}}α emission, Li I λ6708 absorption, and Na I λλ8183, 8195 absorption as youth indicators in stars classified as M type. We report 50 new LMSs spread across the 25 Orionis, ASCC 18, and ASCC 20 stellar groups with spectral types from M0 to M6, corresponding to a mass range of 0.10≤slant m/{M}⊙ ≤slant 0.58. This represents an increase of 50% in the number of known LMSs in the area and a net increase of 20% in the number of 25 Ori members in this mass range. Using parallax values from the Gaia DR1 catalog, we estimated the distances to these three stellar groups and found that they are all co-distant, at 338 ± 66 pc. We analyzed the spectral energy distributions of these LMSs and classified their disks into evolutionary classes. Using H-R diagrams, we found a suggestion that 25 Ori could be slightly older than the other two observed groups in Orion OB1a.

PIC microcontroller-based RF wireless ECG monitoring system.

PubMed

Oweis, R J; Barhoum, A

2007-01-01

This paper presents a radio-telemetry system that provides the possibility of ECG signal transmission from a patient detection circuit via an RF data link. A PC then receives the signal through the National Instrument data acquisition card (NIDAQ). The PC is equipped with software allowing the received ECG signals to be saved, analysed, and sent by email to another part of the world. The proposed telemetry system consists of a patient unit and a PC unit. The amplified and filtered ECG signal is sampled 360 times per second, and the A/D conversion is performed by a PIC16f877 microcontroller. The major contribution of the final proposed system is that it detects, processes and sends patients ECG data over a wireless RF link to a maximum distance of 200 m. Transmitted ECG data with different numbers of samples were received, decoded by means of another PIC microcontroller, and displayed using MATLAB program. The designed software is presented in a graphical user interface utility.

Development of 1-m primary mirror for a spaceborne camera

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kihm, Hagyong; Yang, Ho-Soon; Rhee, Hyug-Gyo; Lee, Yun-Woo

2015-09-01

We present the development of a 1-m lightweight mirror system for a spaceborne electro-optical camera. The mirror design was optimized to satisfy the performance requirements under launch loads and space environment. The mirror made of Zerodur® has pockets at the back surface and three square bosses at the rim. Metallic bipod flexures support the mirror at the bosses and adjust the mirror's surface distortion due to gravity. We also show an analytical formulation of the bipod flexure, where compliance and stiffness matrices of the bipod flexure are derived to estimate theoretical performance and to make initial design guidelines. Optomechanical performances such as surface distortions due to gravity is explained. Environmental verification of the mirror is achieved by vibration tests.

Characteristics of an Organizational Environment Which Stimulate and Inhibit Creativity.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alencar, Eunice M. L. Soriano de; Bruno-Faria, Maria de Fatima

1997-01-01

Analysis of interviews with 25 Brazilian workers concerning characteristics of a work environment that promote or inhibit creativity identified stimulants (such as organization support, support from bosses, and support from colleagues) and obstacles (such as organization structure, boss characteristics, and personal relationships). (DB)

76 FR 1402 - Notice of allocation of Tariff Rate Quotas (TRQ) on the Import of Certain Worsted Wool Fabrics...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-01-10

... Receiving Allocation Adrian Jules LTD--Rochester, NY, HMX, LLC-- New York, NY, Hugo Boss Cleveland, Inc... York, NY, HMX, LLC--New York, NY, Hugo Boss Cleveland, Inc.--Brooklyn, OH, JA Apparel Corp.--New York...

Comparing modelling techniques when designing VPH gratings for BigBOSS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Poppett, Claire; Edelstein, Jerry; Lampton, Michael; Jelinsky, Patrick; Arns, James

2012-09-01

BigBOSS is a Stage IV Dark Energy instrument based on the Baryon Acoustic Oscillations (BAO) and Red Shift Distortions (RSD) techniques using spectroscopic data of 20 million ELG and LRG galaxies at 0.5<=z<=1.6 in addition to several hundred thousand QSOs at 0.5<=z<=3.5. When designing BigBOSS instrumentation, it is imperative to maximize throughput whilst maintaining a resolving power of between R=1500 and 4000 over a wavelength range of 360-980 nm. Volume phase Holographic (VPH) gratings have been identified as a key technology which will enable the efficiency requirement to be met, however it is important to be able to accurately predict their performance. In this paper we quantitatively compare different modelling techniques in order to assess the parameter space over which they are more capable of accurately predicting measured performance. Finally we present baseline parameters for grating designs that are most suitable for the BigBOSS instrument.

Electrical wiring box with structure for fast device mounting

DOEpatents

Johnston, Earl S.

1991-01-08

An electrical wiring box of molded insulating material is provided with bosses having screw holes for receiving a mounting screw that include two colinear portions of which a first portion proximate the front surface has an internal configuration, such as molded threads, that engage the mounting screw while permitting the mounting screw to be manually inserted therethrough without turning because of flexibility built into the boss structure. A second portion of the screw hole is of greater restriction for securely engaging the screw such as by self tapping. The flexibility of the boss is provided by a first center slot that extends from the screw hole to the boss exterior over a length substantially equal to the first portion of the screw hole. Second and third slots are located respectively on each side of the screw hole and provide projections respectively between the first and second slots and the first and third slots that flex to allow easy screw insertion through the first portion of the screw hole.

Meet the New Boss…Same as the Old Boss? Female Supervisors and Subordinate Career Prospects*

PubMed Central

Maume, David J.

2010-01-01

Whereas prior research has focused on women’s access to managerial authority, an equally important question is the effect on subordinates’ careers when they report to a female boss. One line of thought suggests that female bosses act as change agents by fostering the careers of female subordinates, whereas the cog in the machine perspective suggests that female bosses either willingly or are constrained to promote men’s careers. Using data from the 2002 National Study of the Changing Workforce, analytic models of subordinates’ perceived job-related support from supervisors and advancement prospects were developed. Results were consistent with the cog in the machine perspective in that in contrast to women, men received more job-related support and were more optimistic about their careers when they reported to a female supervisor. Yet, given the paucity of research on this topic, more research (especially longitudinal studies) is needed to fully understand how supervisors affect subordinates’ careers. PMID:21180397

The role of syllabic structure in French visual word recognition.

PubMed

Rouibah, A; Taft, M

2001-03-01

Two experiments are reported in which the processing units involved in the reading of French polysyllabic words are examined. A comparison was made between units following the maximal onset principle (i.e., the spoken syllable) and units following the maximal coda principle (i.e., the basic orthographic syllabic structure [BOSS]). In the first experiment, it took longer to recognize that a syllable was the beginning of a word (e.g., the FOE of FOETUS) than to make the same judgment of a BOSS (e.g., FOET). The fact that a BOSS plus one letter (e.g., FOETU) also took longer to judge than the BOSS indicated that the maximal coda principle applies to the units of processing in French. The second experiment confirmed this, using a lexical decision task with the different units being demarcated on the basis of color. It was concluded that the syllabic structure that is so clearly manifested in the spoken form of French is not involved in visual word recognition.

Pyrometer mount for a closed-circuit thermal medium cooled gas turbine

DOEpatents

Jones, Raymond Joseph; Kirkpatrick, Francis Lawrence; Burns, James Lee; Fulton, John Robert

2002-01-01

A steam-cooled second-stage nozzle segment has an outer band and an outer cover defining a plenum therebetween for receiving cooling steam for flow through the nozzles to the inner band and cover therefor and return flow through the nozzles. To measure the temperature of the buckets of the stage forwardly of the nozzle stage, a pyrometer boss is electron beam-welded in an opening through the outer band and TIG-welded to the outer cover plate. By machining a hole through the boss and seating a linearly extending tube in the boss, a line of sight between a pyrometer mounted on the turbine frame and the buckets is provided whereby the temperature of the buckets can be ascertained. The welding of the boss to the outer band and outer cover enables steam flow through the plenum without leakage, while providing a line of sight through the outer cover and outer band to measure bucket temperature.

The Solar Neighborhood. XXXIX. Parallax Results from the CTIOPI and NOFS Programs: 50 New Members of the 25 parsec White Dwarf Sample

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Subasavage, John P.; Jao, Wei-Chun; Henry, Todd J.; Harris, Hugh C.; Dahn, Conard C.; Bergeron, P.; Dufour, P.; Dunlap, Bart H.; Barlow, Brad N.; Ianna, Philip A.; Lépine, Sébastien; Margheim, Steven J.

2017-07-01

We present 114 trigonometric parallaxes for 107 nearby white dwarf (WD) systems from both the Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory Parallax Investigation (CTIOPI) and the U. S. Naval Observatory Flagstaff Station (NOFS) parallax programs. Of these, 76 parallaxes for 69 systems were measured by the CTIOPI program and 38 parallaxes for as many systems were measured by the NOFS program. A total of 50 systems are confirmed to be within the 25-pc horizon of interest. Coupled with a spectroscopic confirmation of a common proper-motion companion to a Hipparcos star within 25 pc as well as confirmation parallax determinations for two WD systems included in the recently released Tycho Gaia Astrometric Solution catalog, we add 53 new systems to the 25-pc WD sample—a 42% increase. Our sample presented here includes four strong candidate halo systems, a new metal-rich DAZ WD, a confirmation of a recently discovered nearby short-period (P = 2.85 hr) double degenerate, a WD with a new astrometric perturbation (long period, unconstrained with our data), and a new triple system where the WD companion main-sequence star has an astrometric perturbation (P ˜ 1.6 year).

VizieR Online Data Catalog: The quasars MMT-BOSS pilot survey (Ross+, 2012)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ross, N. P.; Myers, A. D.; Sheldon, E. S.; Yeche, C.; Strauss, M. A.; Bovy, J.; Kirkpatrick, J. A.; Richards, G. T.; Aubourg, E.; Blanton, M. R.; Brandt, W. N.; Carithers, W. C.; Croft, R. A. C.; da Silva, R.; Dawson, K.; Eisenstein, D. J.; Hennawi, J. F.; Ho, S.; Hogg, D. W.; Lee, K.-G.; Lundgren, B.; McMahon, R. G.; Miralda-Escude, J.; Palanque-Delabrouille, N.; Paris, I.; Petitjean, P.; Pieri, M. M.; Rich, J.; Roe, N. A.; Schiminovich, D.; Schlegel, D. J.; Schneider, D. P.; Slosar, A. Z.; Suzuki, N.; Tinker, J. L.; Weinberg, D. H.; Weyant, A.; White, M.; Wood-Vasey, W. M.

2012-03-01

The Sloan Digital Sky Survey is now in its third phase (SDSS-III; Eisenstein et al. 2011AJ....142...72E) and is carrying out a combination of four interleaved surveys that will continue until the summer of 2014. One of those surveys, the Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS), commenced operations in late 2009 and is using essentially all the dark time for SDSS-III. BOSS uses the same 2.5m Sloan Foundation telescope that was used in SDSS-I/II, but since BOSS will observe fainter targets, the fiber-fed spectrographs have been significantly upgraded. These upgrades include: new CCDs with improved blue and red response; 1000 2" instead of 640 3" optical diameter fibers; higher throughput gratings over a spectral range of 3600-10000Å at a resolution of about 2000, and improved optics. Prior to the commencement of BOSS spectroscopy, we carried out spectroscopy of quasar candidates selected from co-added photometry in SDSS Stripe 82. Observations of these candidates were carried out in queue mode between 2008 September and 2009 January using the Hectospec multi-fiber spectrograph on the 6.5m Multiple Mirror Telescope (MMT). In Tables 14 and 15, we provide positions, PSF photometry (as observed, uncorrected for Galactic extinction), and redshifts for confirmed quasars from the MMT survey. Objects that are not flagged Primary in the CAS are listed separately (table 15). (2 data files).

ksc-84pc-248

NASA Image and Video Library

2013-10-19

KSC-84PC-248 (For release Aug. 27, 1984) --- The Continuous Flow Electrophoresis System (CFES) is being installed in the middeck of the Orbiter Discovery in preparation for the flight of mission STS-41D in June. The CFES, originating from the McDonnell Douglas Astronautics Co. includes a fluid systems module, and experiment control and monitoring module, a sample storage module and a pump/accumulator package along with miscellaneous equipment stored in a middeck locker. Photo credit: NASA

Discovery of a massive supercluster system at z ~ 0.47

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lietzen, H.; Tempel, E.; Liivamägi, L. J.; Montero-Dorta, A.; Einasto, M.; Streblyanska, A.; Maraston, C.; Rubiño-Martín, J. A.; Saar, E.

2016-04-01

Aims: Superclusters are the largest relatively isolated systems in the cosmic web. Using the SDSS BOSS survey, we search for the largest superclusters in the redshift range 0.43 < z < 0.71. Methods: We generate a luminosity-density field smoothed over 8 h-1Mpc to detect the large-scale over-density regions. Each individual over-density region is defined as single supercluster in the survey. We define the superclusters so that they are comparable to the superclusters found in the SDSS main survey. Results: We find a system that we call the BOSS Great Wall (BGW), which consists of two walls with diameters 186 and 173 h-1 Mpc and two other major superclusters with diameters of 64 and 91 h-1 Mpc. As a whole, this system consists of 830 galaxies with the mean redshift 0.47. We estimate the total mass to be approximately 2 × 1017h-1 M⊙. The morphology of the superclusters in the BGW system is similar to the morphology of the superclusters in the Sloan Great Wall region. Conclusions: The BGW is one of the most extended and massive systems of superclusters found so far in the Universe.

Application of a BOSS – Gaussian Interface for QM/MM Simulations of Henry and Methyl Transfer Reactions

PubMed Central

Vilseck, Jonah Z.; Kostal, Jakub; Tirado-Rives, Julian; Jorgensen, William L.

2015-01-01

Hybrid quantum mechanics and molecular mechanics (QM/MM) computer simulations have become an indispensable tool for studying chemical and biological phenomena for systems too large to treat with quantum mechanics alone. For several decades, semi-empirical QM methods have been used in QM/MM simulations. However, with increased computational resources, the introduction of ab initio and density function methods into on-the-fly QM/MM simulations is being increasingly preferred. This adaptation can be accomplished with a program interface that tethers independent QM and MM software packages. This report introduces such an interface for the BOSS and Gaussian programs, featuring modification of BOSS to request QM energies and partial atomic charges from Gaussian. A customizable C-shell linker script facilitates the inter-program communication. The BOSS–Gaussian interface also provides convenient access to Charge Model 5 (CM5) partial atomic charges for multiple purposes including QM/MM studies of reactions. In this report, the BOSS–Gaussian interface is applied to a nitroaldol (Henry) reaction and two methyl transfer reactions in aqueous solution. Improved agreement with experiment is found by determining free-energy surfaces with MP2/CM5 QM/MM simulations than previously reported investigations employing semiempirical methods. PMID:26311531

77 FR 3500 - Hugo Boss Cleveland, Inc., Including Workers Whose Unemployment Insurance (UI) Wages Are Paid...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-01-24

...., Including Workers Whose Unemployment Insurance (UI) Wages Are Paid Through Tjfc Distribution Brooklyn, OH... separate unemployment insurance (UI) tax account under the name TJFC Distribution. Accordingly, the... Hugo Boss Cleveland, Inc., including workers whose unemployment insurance (UI) wages are paid through...

The Solar Neighborhood. XXVII. Discovery of New Proper Motion Stars with μ >= 0farcs18 yr-1 in the Southern Sky with 16.5 < R 59F <= 18.0

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boyd, Mark R.; Henry, Todd J.; Jao, Wei-Chun; Subasavage, John P.; Hambly, Nigel C.

2011-09-01

Here we present 1584 new southern proper motion systems with μ >= 0farcs18 yr-1 and 16.5 > R 59F >= 18.0. This search complements the six previous SuperCOSMOS-RECONS (SCR) proper motion searches of the southern sky for stars within the same proper motion range, but with R 59F <= 16.5. As in previous papers, we present distance estimates for these systems and find that three systems are estimated to be within 25 pc, including one, SCR 1546-5534, possibly within the RECONS 10 pc horizon at 6.7 pc, making it the second nearest discovery of the searches. We find 97 white dwarf candidates with distance estimates between 10 and 120 pc, as well as 557 cool subdwarf candidates. The subdwarfs found in this paper make up nearly half of the subdwarf systems reported from our SCR searches and are significantly redder than those discovered thus far. The SCR searches have now found 155 red dwarfs estimated to be within 25 pc, including 10 within 10 pc. In addition, 143 white dwarf candidates and 1155 cool subdwarf candidates have been discovered. The 1584 systems reported here augment the sample of 4724 systems previously discovered in our SCR searches and imply that additional systems fainter than R 59F = 18.0 are yet to be discovered.

The large-scale three-point correlation function of the SDSS BOSS DR12 CMASS galaxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Slepian, Zachary; Eisenstein, Daniel J.; Beutler, Florian; Chuang, Chia-Hsun; Cuesta, Antonio J.; Ge, Jian; Gil-Marín, Héctor; Ho, Shirley; Kitaura, Francisco-Shu; McBride, Cameron K.; Nichol, Robert C.; Percival, Will J.; Rodríguez-Torres, Sergio; Ross, Ashley J.; Scoccimarro, Román; Seo, Hee-Jong; Tinker, Jeremy; Tojeiro, Rita; Vargas-Magaña, Mariana

2017-06-01

We report a measurement of the large-scale three-point correlation function of galaxies using the largest data set for this purpose to date, 777 202 luminous red galaxies in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Baryon Acoustic Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (SDSS BOSS) DR12 CMASS sample. This work exploits the novel algorithm of Slepian & Eisenstein to compute the multipole moments of the 3PCF in O(N^2) time, with N the number of galaxies. Leading-order perturbation theory models the data well in a compressed basis where one triangle side is integrated out. We also present an accurate and computationally efficient means of estimating the covariance matrix. With these techniques, the redshift-space linear and non-linear bias are measured, with 2.6 per cent precision on the former if σ8 is fixed. The data also indicate a 2.8σ preference for the BAO, confirming the presence of BAO in the three-point function.

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

Bautista, Julian E.; Busca, Nicolas G.; Bailey, Stephen

We describe mock data-sets generated to simulate the high-redshift quasar sample in Data Release 11 (DR11) of the SDSS-III Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS). The mock spectra contain Lyα forest correlations useful for studying the 3D correlation function including Baryon Acoustic Oscillations (BAO). They also include astrophysical effects such as quasar continuum diversity and high-density absorbers, instrumental effects such as noise and spectral resolution, as well as imperfections introduced by the SDSS pipeline treatment of the raw data. The Lyα forest BAO analysis of the BOSS collaboration, described in Delubac et al. 2014, has used these mock data-sets to developmore » and cross-check analysis procedures prior to performing the BAO analysis on real data, and for continued systematic cross checks. Tests presented here show that the simulations reproduce sufficiently well important characteristics of real spectra. These mock data-sets will be made available together with the data at the time of the Data Release 11.« less

Disabling hand injuries in boxing: boxer's knuckle and traumatic carpal boss.

PubMed

Melone, Charles P; Polatsch, Daniel B; Beldner, Steven

2009-10-01

This article describes the treatment of the two most debilitating hand-related boxing injuries: boxer's knuckle and traumatic carpal boss. Recognition of the normal anatomy as well as the predictable pathology facilitates an accurate diagnosis and precision surgery. For boxer's knuckle, direct repair of the disrupted extensor hood, without the need for tendon augmentation, has been consistently employed; for traumatic carpal boss, arthrodesis of the destabilized carpometacarpal joints has been the preferred method of treatment. Precisely executed operative treatment of both injuries has resulted in a favorable outcome, as in the vast majority of cases the boxers have experienced relief of pain, restoration of function, and an unrestricted return to competition.

The School Principal in Sweden: A Boss or a Leader? Implications for the Competence of School Principals.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nytell, Ulf

Management and leadership as a consequence of organizational tasks and structure are discussed in this paper, with a focus on the application of leadership theories from market-oriented organizations to more regulated organizations such as the Swedish school system. The Swedish educational system, according to Berg's (1988) "cross…

The clustering of the SDSS-IV extended Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey DR14 quasar sample: anisotropic Baryon Acoustic Oscillations measurements in Fourier-space with optimal redshift weights

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Dandan; Zhao, Gong-Bo; Wang, Yuting; Percival, Will J.; Ruggeri, Rossana; Zhu, Fangzhou; Tojeiro, Rita; Myers, Adam D.; Chuang, Chia-Hsun; Baumgarten, Falk; Zhao, Cheng; Gil-Marín, Héctor; Ross, Ashley J.; Burtin, Etienne; Zarrouk, Pauline; Bautista, Julian; Brinkmann, Jonathan; Dawson, Kyle; Brownstein, Joel R.; de la Macorra, Axel; Schneider, Donald P.; Shafieloo, Arman

2018-06-01

We present a measurement of the anisotropic and isotropic Baryon Acoustic Oscillations (BAO) from the extended Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey Data Release 14 quasar sample with optimal redshift weights. Applying the redshift weights improves the constraint on the BAO dilation parameter α(zeff) by 17 per cent. We reconstruct the evolution history of the BAO distance indicators in the redshift range of 0.8 < z < 2.2. This paper is part of a set that analyses the eBOSS DR14 quasar sample.

Political Corruption in Japan.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reed, Steven R.; And Others

1996-01-01

Provides an overview of political corruption and its place in Japanese culture and society. Discusses recent scandals and efforts at political reform. These efforts are moving Japan from a "boss-patronage" system to a "civic-culture." Includes a table of post-war Japanese prime ministers and corruption scandals. (MJP)

The clustering of galaxies in the completed SDSS-III Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey: Cosmological implications of the configuration-space clustering wedges

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sánchez, Ariel G.; Scoccimarro, Román; Crocce, Martín; Grieb, Jan Niklas; Salazar-Albornoz, Salvador; Dalla Vecchia, Claudio; Lippich, Martha; Beutler, Florian; Brownstein, Joel R.; Chuang, Chia-Hsun; Eisenstein, Daniel J.; Kitaura, Francisco-Shu; Olmstead, Matthew D.; Percival, Will J.; Prada, Francisco; Rodríguez-Torres, Sergio; Ross, Ashley J.; Samushia, Lado; Seo, Hee-Jong; Tinker, Jeremy; Tojeiro, Rita; Vargas-Magaña, Mariana; Wang, Yuting; Zhao, Gong-Bo

2017-01-01

We explore the cosmological implications of anisotropic clustering measurements in configuration space of the final galaxy samples from Data Release 12 of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey III Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey. We implement a new detailed modelling of the effects of non-linearities, bias and redshift-space distortions that can be used to extract unbiased cosmological information from our measurements for scales s ≳ 20 h-1 Mpc. We combined the information from Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS) with the latest cosmic microwave background (CMB) observations and Type Ia supernovae samples and found no significant evidence for a deviation from the Λ cold dark matter (ΛCDM) cosmological model. In particular, these data sets can constrain the dark energy equation-of-state parameter to wDE = -0.996 ± 0.042 when to be assumed time independent, the curvature of the Universe to Ωk = -0.0007 ± 0.0030 and the sum of the neutrino masses to ∑mν < 0.25 eV at 95 per cent confidence levels. We explore the constraints on the growth rate of cosmic structures assuming f(z) = Ωm(z)γ and obtain γ = 0.609 ± 0.079, in good agreement with the predictions of general relativity of γ = 0.55. We compress the information of our clustering measurements into constraints on the parameter combinations DV(z)/rd, FAP(z) and fσ8(z) at zeff = 0.38, 0.51 and 0.61 with their respective covariance matrices and find good agreement with the predictions for these parameters obtained from the best-fitting ΛCDM model to the CMB data from the Planck satellite. This paper is part of a set that analyses the final galaxy clustering data set from BOSS. The measurements and likelihoods presented here are combined with others by Alam et al. to produce the final cosmological constraints from BOSS.

Erratum: Spectroscopic identification of type 2 quasars at z < 1 in SDSS-III/BOSS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yuan, Sihan; Strauss, Michael A.; Zakamska, Nadia L.

2017-06-01

The paper 'Spectroscopic Identification of Type 2 Quasars at z < 1 in SDSS-III/BOSS' was published in MNRAS, 462, 1603-1615 (2016). The data files in the supporting section are not successfully linked. The actual data files can be found at http://zakamska.johnshopkins.edu/data.htm.

A Quantitative Needs Assessment Technique for Cross-Cultural Work Adjustment Training.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Selmer, Lyn

2000-01-01

A study of 67 Swedish expatriate bosses and 104 local Hong Kong middle managers tested a quantitative needs assessment technique measuring work values. Two-thirds of middle managers' work values were not correctly estimated by their bosses, especially instrumental values (pay, benefits, security, working hours and conditions), indicating a need…

SDSS-IV eBOSS emission-line galaxy pilot survey

DOE PAGES

Comparat, J.; Delubac, T.; Jouvel, S.; ...

2016-08-09

The Sloan Digital Sky Survey IV extended Baryonic Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (SDSS-IV/eBOSS) will observe 195,000 emission-line galaxies (ELGs) to measure the Baryonic Acoustic Oscillation standard ruler (BAO) at redshift 0.9. To test different ELG selection algorithms, 9,000 spectra were observed with the SDSS spectrograph as a pilot survey based on data from several imaging surveys. First, using visual inspection and redshift quality flags, we show that the automated spectroscopic redshifts assigned by the pipeline meet the quality requirements for a reliable BAO measurement. We also show the correlations between sky emission, signal-to-noise ratio in the emission lines, and redshift error.more » Then we provide a detailed description of each target selection algorithm we tested and compare them with the requirements of the eBOSS experiment. As a result, we provide reliable redshift distributions for the different target selection schemes we tested. Lastly, we determine an target selection algorithms that is best suited to be applied on DECam photometry because they fulfill the eBOSS survey efficiency requirements.« less

A study of PC-based ultrasonic goniometer system of surface properties and characterization of materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sani, S.; Saad, M. H. Md; Jamaludin, N.; Ismail, M. P.; Mohd, S.; Mustapha, I.; Masenwat, N. A.; Tengku Amran, T. S.; Megat Ahmad, M. H. A.

2018-01-01

This paper discussed the design and development of a portable PC-based ultrasonic goniometer system that can be used to study material properties using ultrasonic wave. The system utilizes an ultrasonic pulse-receiver card model attached to computer notebook for signal display. A new specific software package (GoNIO) was developed to control the operation of the scanner, displaying the data and analyze characteristics of materials. System testing was carried out using samples with cubic dimension of about 10 mm x 20 mm x 30 mm. This size allows the sample to be fitted into the goniometer specimen holder and immersed in a liquid during measurement. The sample was rotated from incident angle of 0° to 90° during measurement and the amplitude reflected signals were recorded at every one degree of rotation. Immersion transducers were used to generate and receive the ultrasounds that pass through the samples. Longitudinal, shear and Rayleigh wave measurements were performed on the samples to determine the Dynamic Young’s Modulus. Results of measurements are explained and discussed.

The Solar Neighborhood. XXXIX. Parallax Results from the CTIOPI and NOFS Programs: 50 New Members of the 25 parsec White Dwarf Sample

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

Subasavage, John P.; Harris, Hugh C.; Dahn, Conard C.

We present 114 trigonometric parallaxes for 107 nearby white dwarf (WD) systems from both the Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory Parallax Investigation (CTIOPI) and the U. S. Naval Observatory Flagstaff Station (NOFS) parallax programs. Of these, 76 parallaxes for 69 systems were measured by the CTIOPI program and 38 parallaxes for as many systems were measured by the NOFS program. A total of 50 systems are confirmed to be within the 25-pc horizon of interest. Coupled with a spectroscopic confirmation of a common proper-motion companion to a Hipparcos star within 25 pc as well as confirmation parallax determinations for two WD systems included inmore » the recently released Tycho Gaia Astrometric Solution catalog, we add 53 new systems to the 25-pc WD sample—a 42% increase. Our sample presented here includes four strong candidate halo systems, a new metal-rich DAZ WD, a confirmation of a recently discovered nearby short-period ( P  = 2.85 hr) double degenerate, a WD with a new astrometric perturbation (long period, unconstrained with our data), and a new triple system where the WD companion main-sequence star has an astrometric perturbation ( P  ∼ 1.6 year).« less

Analysis of bone marrow plasma cells in patients with solitary bone plasmacytoma.

PubMed

Bhaskar, Archana; Gupta, Ritu; Sharma, Atul; Kumar, Lalit; Jain, Paresh

Local radiotherapy is the treatment of choice for solitary bone plasmacytoma (SBP) and the role of adjuvant systemic chemotherapy in preventing progression to multiple myeloma (MM) is controversial. The purpose of this study was to examine the presence of systemic disease in the form of neoplastic plasma cells (PC) in bone marrow of patients with SBP. Flow cytometric immunophenotyping of PC was carried out on bone marrow aspirate of 7 patients using monoclonal antibodies: CD19 FITC, CD45 FITC, CD20 FITC, CD52 PE, CD117 PE, CD56 PE, CD38 PerCP-Cy5.5, CD138 APC, anti-kappa (κ) FITC and anti-lambda (λ) PE. The neoplastic as well as normal PC were identified in bone marrow aspirate of all the patients at the time of diagnosis; the neoplastic PC ranged from 0.1%to 0.7% of all BM cells and 33.5% to 89.7% of total BMPC. The κ:λ ratio was normal in all the samples ranging from 0.5% to 1.6%. The present work shows the presence of systemic disease in the form of neoplastic PC in bone marrow of patients with SBP. Prospective studies would be required to study if the levels of neoplastic PC in the bone marrow may help us identify patients who are likely to progress to overt MM and benefit from systemic chemotherapy.

Assessment of Uinta Basin Oil and Natural Gas Well Pad ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

In the fall of 2016, a field study was conducted in the Uinta Basin Utah to improve information on oil and natural gas well pad pneumatic controllers (PCs) and emission measurement methods. A total of 80 PC systems at five oil sites (supporting six wells) and three gas sites (supporting 12 wells) were surveyed, and emissions data were produced using a combination of measurements and engineering emission estimates. Ninety-six percent of the PCs surveyed were the low actuation frequency intermittent vent type. The overall whole gas emission rate for the study was estimated at 0.37 scfh with the majority of emissions occurring from three continuous vent PCs (1.0 scfh average) and eleven (14%) malfunctioning intermittent vent PC systems (1.6 scfh average). Oil sites employed, on average 10.3 PC systems per well compared to 1.5 for gas sites. Oil and gas sites had group average PC emission rates of 0.28 scfh and 0.67 scfh, respectively, with this difference due in part to site selection procedures. The PC system types encountered, the engineering emissions estimate approach, and comparisons to measurements are described. Survey methods included identification of malfunctioning PC systems and emission measurements with augmented high volume sampling and installed mass flow meters, each providing a somewhat different picture of emissions that are elucidated through example cases. This paper reports on an oil and natural gas well pad pneumatic controller emissions stud

VizieR Online Data Catalog: SDSS-RM project: velocity dispersions of QSOs (Shen+, 2015)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shen, Y.; Greene, J. E.; Ho, L. C.; Brandt, W. N.; Denney, K. D.; Horne, K.; Jiang, L.; Kochanek, C. S.; McGreer, I. D.; Merloni, A.; Peterson, B. M.; Petitjean, P.; Schneider, D. P.; Schulze, A.; Strauss, M. A.; Tao, C.; Trump, J. R.; Pan, K.; Bizyaev, D.

2015-09-01

The spectra were taken as part of the SDSS-III BOSS survey (Eisenstein et al. 2011AJ....142...72E; Dawson et al. 2013AJ....145...10D) from 2014 January to July. The wavelength coverage of BOSS spectroscopy is 3650-10400Å, with a spectral resolution of R~2000. (2 data files).

Using relative humidity to predict spotfire probability on prescribed burns

Treesearch

John R. Weir

2007-01-01

Spotfires have and always will be a problem that burn bosses and fire crews will have to contend with on prescribed burns. Weather factors (temperature, wind speed and relative humidity) are the main variables burn bosses can use to predict and monitor prescribed fire behavior. At the Oklahoma State University Research Range, prescribed burns are conducted during...

Simulation of a compact analyzer-based imaging system with a regular x-ray source

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Caudevilla, Oriol; Zhou, Wei; Stoupin, Stanislav; Verman, Boris; Brankov, J. G.

2017-03-01

Analyzer-based Imaging (ABI) belongs to a broader family of phase-contrast (PC) X-ray techniques. PC measures X-ray deflection phenomena when interacting with a sample, which is known to provide higher contrast images of soft tissue than other X-ray methods. This is of high interest in the medical field, in particular for mammogram applications. This paper presents a simulation tool for table-top ABI systems using a conventional polychromatic X-ray source.

Exploring cosmic homogeneity with the BOSS DR12 galaxy sample

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ntelis, Pierros; Hamilton, Jean-Christophe; Le Goff, Jean-Marc; Burtin, Etienne; Laurent, Pierre; Rich, James; Guillermo Busca, Nicolas; Tinker, Jeremy; Aubourg, Eric; du Mas des Bourboux, Hélion; Bautista, Julian; Palanque Delabrouille, Nathalie; Delubac, Timothée; Eftekharzadeh, Sarah; Hogg, David W.; Myers, Adam; Vargas-Magaña, Mariana; Pâris, Isabelle; Petitjean, Partick; Rossi, Graziano; Schneider, Donald P.; Tojeiro, Rita; Yeche, Christophe

2017-06-01

In this study, we probe the transition to cosmic homogeneity in the Large Scale Structure (LSS) of the Universe using the CMASS galaxy sample of BOSS spectroscopic survey which covers the largest effective volume to date, 3 h-3 Gpc3 at 0.43 <= z <= 0.7. We study the scaled counts-in-spheres, N(2.97 for r>RH, we find RH = (63.3±0.7) h-1 Mpc, in agreement at the percentage level with the predictions of the ΛCDM model RH=62.0 h-1 Mpc. Thanks to the large cosmic depth of the survey, we investigate the redshift evolution of the transition to homogeneity scale and find agreement with the ΛCDM prediction. Finally, we find that Script D2 is compatible with 3 at scales larger than 300 h-1 Mpc in all redshift bins. These results consolidate the Cosmological Principle and represent a precise consistency test of the ΛCDM model.

Connecting massive galaxies to dark matter haloes in BOSS - I. Is galaxy colour a stochastic process in high-mass haloes?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saito, Shun; Leauthaud, Alexie; Hearin, Andrew P.; Bundy, Kevin; Zentner, Andrew R.; Behroozi, Peter S.; Reid, Beth A.; Sinha, Manodeep; Coupon, Jean; Tinker, Jeremy L.; White, Martin; Schneider, Donald P.

2016-08-01

We use subhalo abundance matching (SHAM) to model the stellar mass function (SMF) and clustering of the Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS) `CMASS' sample at z ˜ 0.5. We introduce a novel method which accounts for the stellar mass incompleteness of CMASS as a function of redshift, and produce CMASS mock catalogues which include selection effects, reproduce the overall SMF, the projected two-point correlation function wp, the CMASS dn/dz, and are made publicly available. We study the effects of assembly bias above collapse mass in the context of `age matching' and show that these effects are markedly different compared to the ones explored by Hearin et al. at lower stellar masses. We construct two models, one in which galaxy colour is stochastic (`AbM' model) as well as a model which contains assembly bias effects (`AgM' model). By confronting the redshift dependent clustering of CMASS with the predictions from our model, we argue that that galaxy colours are not a stochastic process in high-mass haloes. Our results suggest that the colours of galaxies in high-mass haloes are determined by other halo properties besides halo peak velocity and that assembly bias effects play an important role in determining the clustering properties of this sample.

Separation and Detection of Toxic Gases with a Silicon Micromachined Gas Chromatography System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kolesar, Edward S.; Reston, Rocky R.

1995-01-01

A miniature gas chromatography (GC) system was designed and fabricated using silicon micromachining and integrated circuit (IC) processing techniques. The silicon micromachined gas chromatography system (SMGCS) is composed of a miniature sample injector that incorporates a 10 microliter sample loop; a 0.9 meter long, rectangular shaped (300 micrometer width and 10 micrometer height) capillary column coated with a 0.2 micrometer thick copper phthalocyanine (CuPc) stationary phase; and a dual detector scheme based upon a CuPc-coated chemiresistor and a commercially available 125 micrometer diameter thermal conductivity detector (TCD) bead. Silicon micromachining was employed to fabricate the interface between the sample injector and the GC column, the column itself, and the dual detector cavity. A novel IC thin-film processing technique was developed to sublime the CuPc stationary phase coating on the column walls that were micromachined in the host silicon wafer substrate and Pyrex (r) cover plate, which were then electrostatically bonded together. The SMGCS can separate binary gas mixtures composed of parts-per-million (ppm) concentrations of ammonia (NH3) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) when isothermally operated (55-80 degrees C). With a helium carrier gas and nitrogen diluent, a 10 microliter sample volume containing ammonia and nitrogen dioxide injected at 40 psi ((2.8 x 10(exp 5)Pa)) can be separated in less than 30 minutes.

NIR camera and spectrograph SWIMS for TAO 6.5m telescope: array control system and its performance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Terao, Yasunori; Motohara, Kentaro; Konishi, Masahiro; Takahashi, Hidenori; Kato, Natsuko M.; Kitagawa, Yutaro; Kobayakawa, Yutaka; Ohashi, Hirofumi; Tateuchi, Ken; Todo, Soya

2016-08-01

SWIMS (Simultaneous-color Wide-field Infrared Multi-object Spectrograph) is a near-infrared imager and multi-object spectrograph as one of the first generation instruments for the University of Tokyo Atacama Observatory (TAO) 6.5m telescope. In this paper, we describe an array control system of SWIMS and results of detector noise performance evaluation. SWIMS incorporates four (and eight in future) HAWAII-2RG focal plane arrays for detectors, each driven by readout electronics components: a SIDECAR ASIC and a JADE2 Card. The readout components are controlled by a HAWAII-2RG Testing Software running on a virtual Windows machine on a Linux PC called array control PC. All of those array control PCs are then supervised by a SWIMS control PC. We have developed an "array control software system", which runs on the array control PC to control the HAWAII-2RG Testing Software, and consists of a socket client and a dedicated server called device manager. The client runs on the SWIMS control PC, and the device manager runs on the array control PC. An exposure command, issued by the client on the SWIMS control PC, is sent to the multiple device managers on the array control PCs, and then multiple HAWAII-2RGs are driven simultaneously. Using this system, we evaluate readout noise performances of the detectors, both in a test dewar and in a SWIMS main dewar. In the test dewar, we confirm the readout noise to be 4.3 e- r.m.s. by 32 times multiple sampling when we operate only a single HAWAII-2RG, whereas in the case of simultaneous driving of two HAWAII-2RGs, we still obtain sufficiently low readout noise of 10 e- r.m.s. In the SWIMS main dewar, although there are some differences between the detectors, the readout noise is measured to be 4:1-4:6 e- r.m.s. with simultaneous driving by 64 times multiple sampling, which meets the requirement for background-limited observations in J band of 14 e- r.m.s..

VizieR Online Data Catalog: Search for extraterrestrial intelligence (Isaacson+, 2017)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Isaacson, H.; Siemion, A. P. V.; Marcy, G. W.; Lebofsky, M.; Price, D. C.; MacMahon, D.; Croft, S.; Deboer, D.; Hickish, J.; Werthimer, D.; Sheikh, S.; Hellbourg, G.; Enriquez, J. E.

2017-08-01

The stellar sample is defined by two selection criteria. The first is a volume-limited sample of stars within 5pc of the Sun. The second is a spectral class complete sample consisting of stars across the main sequence and some giant branch stars, all within 50pc. We combined the two sub-samples (5pc and 5-50pc) to produce the final set of 1709 target stars that are listed in Table 1. (1 data file).

Protostellar hydrodynamics: Constructing and testing a spacially and temporally second-order accurate method. 2: Cartesian coordinates

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Myhill, Elizabeth A.; Boss, Alan P.

1993-01-01

In Boss & Myhill (1992) we described the derivation and testing of a spherical coordinate-based scheme for solving the hydrodynamic equations governing the gravitational collapse of nonisothermal, nonmagnetic, inviscid, radiative, three-dimensional protostellar clouds. Here we discuss a Cartesian coordinate-based scheme based on the same set of hydrodynamic equations. As with the spherical coorrdinate-based code, the Cartesian coordinate-based scheme employs explicit Eulerian methods which are both spatially and temporally second-order accurate. We begin by describing the hydrodynamic equations in Cartesian coordinates and the numerical methods used in this particular code. Following Finn & Hawley (1989), we pay special attention to the proper implementations of high-order accuracy, finite difference methods. We evaluate the ability of the Cartesian scheme to handle shock propagation problems, and through convergence testing, we show that the code is indeed second-order accurate. To compare the Cartesian scheme discussed here with the spherical coordinate-based scheme discussed in Boss & Myhill (1992), the two codes are used to calculate the standard isothermal collapse test case described by Bodenheimer & Boss (1981). We find that with the improved codes, the intermediate bar-configuration found previously disappears, and the cloud fragments directly into a binary protostellar system. Finally, we present the results from both codes of a new test for nonisothermal protostellar collapse.

Screen-Printed Carbon Electrodes Modified with Cobalt Phthalocyanine for Selective Sulfur Detection in Cosmetic Products

PubMed Central

Chen, Pei-Yen; Luo, Chin-Hsiang; Chen, Mei-Chin; Tsai, Feng-Jie; Chang, Nai-Fang; Shih, Ying

2011-01-01

Cobalt phthalocyanine (CoPc) films were deposited on the surface of a screen-printed carbon electrode using a simple drop coating method. The cyclic voltammogram of the resulting CoPc modified screen-printed electrode (CoPc/SPE) prepared under optimum conditions shows a well-behaved redox couple due to the (CoI/CoII) system. The CoPc/SPE surface demonstrates excellent electrochemical activity towards the oxidation of sulfur in a 0.01 mol·L−1 NaOH. A linear calibration curve with the detection limit (DL, S/N = 3) of 0.325 mg·L−1 was achieved by CoPc/SPE coupled with flow injection analysis of the sulfur concentration ranging from 4 to 1120 mg·L−1. The precision of the system response was evaluated (3.60% and 3.52% RSD for 12 repeated injections), in the range of 64 and 480 mg·L−1 sulfur. The applicability of the method was successfully demonstrated in a real sample analysis of sulfur in anti-acne creams, and good recovery was obtained. The CoPc/SPE displayed several advantages in sulfur determination including easy fabrication, high stability, and low cost. PMID:21747708

The spectra program library: A PC based system for gamma-ray spectra analysis and INAA data reduction

USGS Publications Warehouse

Baedecker, P.A.; Grossman, J.N.

1995-01-01

A PC based system has been developed for the analysis of gamma-ray spectra and for the complete reduction of data from INAA experiments, including software to average the results from mulitple lines and multiple countings and to produce a final report of analysis. Graphics algorithms may be called for the analysis of complex spectral features, to compare the data from alternate photopeaks and to evaluate detector performance during a given counting cycle. A database of results for control samples can be used to prepare quality control charts to evaluate long term precision and to search for systemic variations in data on reference samples as a function of time. The entire software library can be accessed through a user-friendly menu interface with internal help.

High pressure storage vessel

DOEpatents

Liu, Qiang

2013-08-27

Disclosed herein is a composite pressure vessel with a liner having a polar boss and a blind boss a shell is formed around the liner via one or more filament wrappings continuously disposed around at least a substantial portion of the liner assembly combined the liner and filament wrapping have a support profile. To reduce susceptible to rupture a locally disposed filament fiber is added.

The Personal Touch: A Guide to Acquiring Power within a College

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Simplicio, Joseph

2010-01-01

There are two main avenues for acquiring power. The first is rooted in the job position. Being the boss means people have to listen to what you say, or pay the consequences. Unfortunately, becoming the boss can take years of hard work. There is also no guarantee that such hard work will be rewarded with promotions and career advancements. In…

Research into Influence of Gaussian Beam on Terahertz Radar Cross Section of a Semicircular Boss

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Hui-Yu; Li, Qi; She, Jian-Yu; Zhao, Yong-Peng; Chen, De-Ying; Wang, Qi

2013-08-01

In radar cross section (RCS) calculation of a rough surface, the model can be simplified into the scattering of geometrically idealized bosses on a surface. Thus the problem of the RCS calculation of a rough surface is changed to the RCS calculation of the semicircular boss. The RCS measurement of scale model can help save time and money. The utilization of terahertz in RCS is attractive because of its special properties: the wavelength of the terahertz wave can help limit the size of the model in a suitable range in the measurement of the scale model and get more detailed data in the measurement of the real object. However, usually the incident beam of a terahertz source is a Gaussian beam; in the theoretical RCS estimation, usually a plane wave is assumed as the incident beam for sake of simplicity which may lead to an error between the measurement and calculation results. In this paper, the method of images is used to calculate the RCS of a semicircular boss at 2.52 THz and the results are compared to the one calculated when the incident beam is a plane wave.

Sheep Wool δ13C Reveals No Effect of Grazing on the C3/C4 Ratio of Vegetation in the Inner Mongolia–Mongolia Border Region Grasslands

PubMed Central

Auerswald, Karl; Wittmer, Max H.O.M.; Tungalag, Radnaakhand; Bai, Yongfei; Schnyder, Hans

2012-01-01

We tested whether the abundance of C4 vegetation in grasslands of the Mongolian plateau is influenced by grazing conditions. The analysis exploited the politically originated contrast that exists between Mongolia (low stocking rate, transhumant system) and the district of Inner Mongolia, China (high stocking rate, sedentary system). We estimated the proportion of C4 carbon (PC4) in grazed vegetation from the relative carbon isotope ratio (δ13C) of sheep wool sampled from 298 annual shearings originating from 1996 to 2007. Annual stocking rates varying over time and between the districts of both countries were taken from regional statistics. The PC4 pattern within the 0.7 million km2 sampling area was geostatistically analyzed and related to stocking rates and temperature gradients. For similar climatic conditions, PC4 was the same in both countries. Further, a unique relationship was found between PC4 and July temperature on both sides of the border, which explained 71% of the pattern. Stocking rate and grazing system had no significant influences on present-day C3/C4 abundance ratio. This finding suggests that recent changes in the C3/C4 ratio of these grasslands are mainly a consequence of regional warming, not overgrazing. PMID:23029090

A Radial Measurement of the Galaxy Tidal Alignment Magnitude with BOSS Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martens, Daniel; Hirata, Christopher M.; Ross, Ashley J.; Fang, Xiao

2018-05-01

The anisotropy of galaxy clustering in redshift space has long been used to probe the rate of growth of cosmological perturbations. However, if galaxies are aligned by large-scale tidal fields, then a sample with an orientation-dependent selection effect has an additional anisotropy imprinted onto its correlation function. We use the LOWZ and CMASS catalogs of SDSS-III BOSS Data Release 12 to divide galaxies into two sub-samples based on their offset from the Fundamental Plane, which should be correlated with orientation. These sub-samples must trace the same underlying cosmology, but have opposite orientation-dependent selection effects. We measure the clustering parameters of each sub-sample and compare them in order to calculate the dimensionless parameter B, a measure of how strongly galaxies are aligned by gravitational tidal fields. We found that for CMASS (LOWZ), the measured B was -0.024 ± 0.015 (-0.030 ± 0.016). This result can be compared to the theoretical predictions of Hirata (2009), who argued that since galaxy formation physics does not depend on the direction of the "observer," the same intrinsic alignment parameters that describe galaxy-ellipticity correlations should also describe intrinsic alignments in the radial direction. We find that the ratio of observed to theoretical values is 0.51 ± 0.32 (0.77 ± 0.41) for CMASS (LOWZ). We combine the results to obtain a total Obs/Theory = 0.61 ± 0.26. This measurement constitutes evidence (between 2 and 3σ) for radial intrinsic alignments, and is consistent with theoretical expectations (<2σ difference).

Dynamics of trace elements in shallow groundwater of an agricultural land in the northeast of Mexico

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mora, Abrahan; Mahlknecht, Jürgen; Hernández-Antonio, Arturo

2017-04-01

The citrus zone located in northeastern Mexico covers an area of 8000 km2 and produces 10% of the Mexican citrus production. The aquifer system of this zone constitutes the major source of water for drinking and irrigation purposes for local population and provides base flows to surface water supplied to the city of Monterrey ( 4.5 million inhabitants). Although the study area is near the recharge zones, several works have reported nitrate pollution in shallow groundwater of this agricultural area, mainly due to animal manure and human waste produced by infiltration of urban sewers and septic tanks. Thus, the goals of this work were to assess the dynamics of selected trace elements in this aquifer system and determine if the trace element content in groundwater poses a threat to the population living in the area. Thirty-nine shallow water wells were sampled in 2010. These water samples were filtered through 0,45 µm pore size membranes and preserved with nitric acid for storage. The concentrations of Cd, Cs, Cu, Mo, Pb, Rb, Si, Ti, U, Y, and Zn were measured by ICP-MS. Also, sulfate concentrations were measured by ion chromatography in unacidified samples. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) performed in the data set show five principal components (PC). PC1 includes elements derived from silicate weathering, such as Si and Ti. The relationship found between Mo and U with sulfates in PC2 indicates that both elements show a high mobility in groundwater. Indeed, the concentrations of sulfate, Mo and U are increased as groundwater moves eastward. PC3 includes the alkali trace elements (Rb and Cs), indicating that both elements could be derived from the same source of origin. PC4 represents the heavy trace elements (Cd and Pb) whereas PC5 includes divalent trace elements such as Zn and Cu. None of the water samples showed trace element concentrations higher than the guideline values for drinking water proposed by the World Health Organization, which indicates that the analyzed trace elements in groundwater do not pose any significant threat to the population living in this area.

Magnetic properties in polycrystalline and single crystal Ca-doped LaCoO3

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zeng, R.; Debnath, J. C.; Chen, D. P.; Shamba, P.; Wang, J. L.; Kennedy, S. J.; Campbell, S. J.; Silver, T.; Dou, S. X.

2011-04-01

Polycrystalline (PC) and single crystalline (SC) Ca-doped LaCoO3 (LCCO) samples with the perovskite structure were synthesized by conventional solid-state reaction and the floating-zone growth method. We present the results of a comprehensive investigation of the magnetic properties of the LCCO system. Systematic measurements have been conducted on dc magnetization, ac susceptibility, exchange-bias, and the magnetocaloric effect. These findings suggest that complex structural phases, ferromagnetic (FM), and spin-glass/cluster-spin-glass (CSG), and their transitions exist in PC samples, while there is a much simpler magnetic phase in SC samples. It was also of interest to discover that the CSG induced a magnetic field memory effect and an exchange-bias-like effect, and that a large inverse irreversible magnetocaloric effect exists in this system.

Structural Analysis of Helios Filament-Wound Tanks Subjected to Internal Pressure and Cooling

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ko, William L

2005-01-01

A finite-element stress analysis is performed on Helios filament-wound hydrogen tanks to examine the stress field and effect of end dome geometry on the stress field. Each tank is composed of a central circular cylindrical section with either geodesic or hemispherical end domes, which have metallic polar bosses. The tanks are subjected to combined and separate internal pressure and temperature loading conditions, and the stress contributions of each loading component are examined. The tank-wall-polar-boss interfacial meridional tensile stress in the hemispherical dome is found to be approximately 27 percent lower than that in the geodesic dome. The effects of both material anisotropy and the aluminum lining on the intensities of tensile meridional stress at the tank-wall-polar-boss bonding interface are examined.

Systems and methods of manufacturing microchannel arrays

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

Paul, Brian K.; Brannon, Samuel T.

The present application relates to apparatus and methods of reducing the cost of microchannel array production and operation. In a representative embodiment, a microchannel array can comprise a first lamina having one or more flanges and a plurality of elongated bosses. The one or more flanges can extend along a perimeter of the first lamina, the plurality of elongated bosses can at least partially define a plurality of first flow paths, and the first lamina can define at least one opening. The microchannel array can also comprise a second lamina having a plurality of second flow paths, and can definemore » at least one opening. The second lamina can be disposed above the first lamina such that the second lamina encloses the first flow paths of the first lamina and the at least one opening of the first lamina is coaxial with the at least one opening of the second lamina.« less

Developing a palliative care service model for Muslim Middle Eastern countries.

PubMed

Al-Awamer, Ahmed; Downar, James

2014-12-01

Palliative Care (PC) was first introduced to Muslim Middle Eastern (MME) countries in 1992, but growth of PC has been slow and access to PC is still limited in the region. While most PC models have been developed in Western countries, MME societies have different cultural and religious values that are not incorporated in Western models. We conducted a qualitative study to look at these differences, in order to inform a culturally acceptable model of PC that meets the needs of MME patients and their families. We conducted semi-structured interviews of PC physicians and nurses with experience in both Western and MME countries. Participants were identified by snowball sampling. Interviews were transcribed and analyzed using a modified grounded-theory approach. We achieved conceptual saturation after 13 interviews. Participants identified four differences between PC practice in Western and MME countries including: cultural differences, legal and policy differences, stances on PC philosophy, and the availability of resources and support for PC. Participants identified five barriers to advancing PC in the MME: shortage of resources, unclear laws and policies, healthcare system barriers, unfamiliarity with the role and benefits of PC, and cultural barriers. Respondents suggested many facilitators at the institutional, regional, and societal levels. We identified a number of important differences in PC practice, as well as common barriers and facilitators for developing PC services in MME countries. This information can help clinicians who are developing PC services in a MME country.

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

Chew, K. W.; Chen, S. S.; Pang, W. L.

The effects of Lithium triflate salt (LiCF{sub 3}SO{sub 3}), on the poly (methyl methacrylate)(PMMA)-based solid polymer electrolytes plasticized with propylene carbonate (PC) solvated in Tetrahydrofuran (THF) have been studied through a.c impedance spectroscopy and infrared spectroscopy. Lithium triflate was incorporated into the predetermined PMMA/PC system that has the highest value of ionic conductivity. In current investigations, four combination systems: Pure PMMA, (PMMA+PC) systems, (PMMA+LiCF{sub 3}SO{sub 3}) and (PMMA+PC+LiCF{sub 3}SO{sub 3}) systems were prepared using the solution cast method. Solutions were stirred for numerous hours to obtain a homogenous solution before it is poured into the petri dishes under ambient temperaturemore » to form the solid electrolyte thin film. The films were then removed from petri discs and transferred into the dessicator for further drying prior to the different tests. From the characterization done through the a.c impedance spectroscopy, the highest room temperature ionic conductivity in the pure PMMA sample, (PMMA+PC) system and (PMMA+LiCF{sub 3}SO{sub 3}) system is 2.83x10{sup -12} Scm{sup -1}, 4.39x10{sup -11} Scm{sup -1} and 3.93x10{sup -6} Scm{sup -1} respectively. The conductivity for (PMMA+PC+LiCF{sub 3}SO{sub 3}) system was obtained with the 30 wt% of lithium triflate, which is 2.48x10{sup -5} Scm{sup -1}. Infrared spectroscopy shows that complexation occurred between the polymer and the plasticizer, and the polymer and plasticizer and salt. The interactions have been studied in the C=O band, C-O-C band and the O-CH{sub 3} band.« less

The clustering of galaxies in the SDSS-III Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey: BAO measurement from the LOS-dependent power spectrum of DR12 BOSS galaxies

DOE PAGES

Gil-Marin, Hector; Percival, Will J.; Cuesta, Antonio J.; ...

2016-05-30

Here, we present an anisotropic analysis of the baryon acoustic oscillation (BAO) scale in the twelfth and final data release of the Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS). We independently analyse the LOWZ and CMASS galaxy samples: the LOWZ sample contains 361 762 galaxies with an effective redshift of zLOWZ = 0.32; the CMASS sample consists of 777 202 galaxies with an effective redshift of zCMASS = 0.57. We extract the BAO peak position from the monopole power-spectrum moment, α0, and from the μ 2 moment, α2, where μ is the cosine of the angle to the line of sight. Themore » μ 2-moment provides equivalent information to that available in the quadrupole but is simpler to analyse. After applying a reconstruction algorithm to reduce the BAO suppression by bulk motions, we measure the BAO peak position in the monopole and μ 2-moment, which are related to radial and angular shifts in scale. We report H(zLOWZ)r s(zd) = (11.60 ± 0.60) × 10 3 km s -1 and D A(zLOWZ)/r s(zd) = 6.66 ± 0.16 with a cross-correlation coefficient of rHD A = 0.41, for the LOWZ sample; and H(zCMASS)r s(zd) = (14.56 ± 0.37) × 10 3 km s -1 and D A(zCMASS)/r s(z d) = 9.42 ± 0.13 with a cross-correlation coefficient of rHD A = 0.47, for the CMASS sample.« less

Constraints from Ly-α forests on non-thermal dark matter including resonantly-produced sterile neutrinos

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baur, Julien; Palanque-Delabrouille, Nathalie; Yèche, Christophe; Boyarsky, Alexey; Ruchayskiy, Oleg; Armengaud, Éric; Lesgourgues, Julien

2017-12-01

We use the large BOSS DR9 sample of quasar spectra to constrain two cases of non-thermal dark matter models: cold-plus-warm dark matter (C+WDM) where the warm component is a thermal relic, and sterile neutrinos resonantly produced in the presence of a lepton asymmetry (RPSN). We establish constraints on the thermal relic mass mx and its relative abundance Fwdm=Ωwdm/Ωdm using a suite of cosmological hydrodynamical simulations in 28 C+WDM configurations. We find that the 3σ bounds in the mx - Fwdm parameter space approximately follow Fwdm ~ 0.35 (keV/mx)-1.37 from BOSS data alone. We also establish constraints on sterile neutrino mass and mixing angle by further producing the non-linear flux power spectrum of 8 RPSN models, where the input linear power spectrum is computed directly from the particles distribution functions. We find values of lepton asymmetries for which sterile neutrinos as light as ~ 6.5 keV (resp. 3.5 keV) are consistent with BOSS data at the 2σ (resp. 3σ) level. These limits tighten by close to a factor of 2 for values of lepton asymmetries departing from those yielding the coolest distribution functions. Our Lyman-α forest bounds can be additionally strengthened if we include higher-resolution data from XQ-100, HIRES and MIKE that allow us to probe smaller scales. At these scales, the measured flux power spectrum exhibits a suppression that can be due to Doppler broadening, IGM pressure smoothing or free-streaming of WDM particles. In order to distinguish between these mechanisms, thermal history at redshifts z >= 5 should be determined. In the current work, we show that if one extrapolates temperatures from lower redshifts via broken power laws in T0 and γ, then our 3σ C+WDM {bounds strengthen to Fwdm ~ 0.20 (keV/mx)-1.37, and the lightest resonantly-produced sterile neutrinos consistent with our extended data set have masses of ~ 7.0 keV at the 3σ level. In particular, using dedicated hydrodynamical simulations, we show that} a hypothetical 7 keV sterile neutrino produced in a lepton asymmetry of Script L = | nνe - nbar nue | / s = 8 × 10-6 is consistent at 1.9 σ (resp. 3.1 σ) with BOSS (resp. BOSS + higher-resolution) data, {for the thermal history models tested in this work. More information about the state of the IGM at redshifts 5-6 will allow one to conclude whether the small-scale suppression of the flux power spectrum is due to such sterile neutrino or to thermal effects.

Knowing Our Neighbors: Six Young, Nearby Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bartlett, Jennifer L.; Lurie, John C.; Ianna, Philip A.; Riedel, Adric R.; Winters, Jennifer G.; Finch, Charlie T.; Jao, Wei-Chun; Subasavage, John P.; Henry, Todd J.

2016-06-01

Obtaining a well-understood, volume-limited (and ultimately volume-complete) sample of nearby stars is necessary for determining a host of astrophysical quantities, including the stellar luminosity and mass functions, the stellar velocity distribution, and the stellar multiplicity fraction. Furthermore, such a sample provides insight into the local star formation history. Towards that end, the Research Consortium on Nearby Stars (RECONS) measures trigonometric parallaxes to establish which systems truly lie within the 25-pc radius of the Solar Neighborhood. Recent measurements with the CTIO/SMARTS 0.9-m telescope establish six new systems as members of the Solar Neighborhood and also potential members of young moving groups based on (a) CTIOPI astrometry and (b) radial velocities from the literature, where available: ● G 75-35 at a distance of 11.8±0.2 pc and G 161-71 at 13.5±0.3 pc are possible members of the Argus Association● LP 888-18 at a distance of 12.5±0.2 pc is a member of the AB Doradus Moving Group, while LP 834-32 at 17.3±0.6 pc and LP 870-65 at 18.2±0.5 pc are possible group members● LHS 6167AB at a distance of 9.68±0.09 pc is a possible member of the Hercules-Lyra Moving Group. To characterize these systems further, RECONS obtained VRI photometry for each, which range from 12.44-18.81 mag. in V. LP 834-32, LHS 6167AB, and G 161-71 demonstrated significant long-term variability in V-band; the first two appear to have flared in 2011 and 2012, respectively. Furthermore, CTIOPI 1.5-m spectroscopy identifies these systems as M3.5-M8.0 dwarfs. G 161-71 displayed strong Hα emission but weak sodium and potassium features.The Solar Neighborhood contains both young and old stars that can be observed more easily than their more distant counterparts, which allows their characteristics to be studied in greater detail.NSF grants AST 05-07711 and AST 09-08402, NASA-SIM, Georgia State University, the University of Virginia, Hampden-Sydney College, and the Levinson Fund of the Peninsula Community Foundation supported this research. CTIOPI was an NOAO Survey Program and continues as part of the SMARTS Consortium. We thank the SMARTS Consortium and the CTIO staff, who enable the small telescope operations at CTIO.

An Analysis of the Effectiveness of Air Force Information Management Officer Training Based on the Perceived Needs of Current Information Management Officers

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-12-01

proper perspective. Finally, I wish to thank my thesis advisors , Lt Col John Huguley Jr. and Dr Ben Williams. Together they made a most supportive and...Microcomputer System Implementation in Small Businesses," Journal of Systems Management 41:7-9 (June 1990). 35. Schrage, Michael. "Meet the Robo -Boss

Reconstruction of real-space linear matter power spectrum from multipoles of BOSS DR12 results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Seokcheon

2018-02-01

Recently, the power spectrum (PS) multipoles using the Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS) Data Release 12 (DR12) sample are analyzed [1]. The based model for the analysis is the so-called TNS quasi-linear model and the analysis provides the multipoles up to the hexadecapole [2]. Thus, one might be able to recover the real-space linear matter PS by using the combinations of multipoles to investigate the cosmology [3]. We provide the analytic form of the ratio of quadrupole (hexadecapole) to monopole moments of the quasi-linear PS including the Fingers-of-God (FoG) effect to recover the real-space PS in the linear regime. One expects that observed values of the ratios of multipoles should be consistent with those of the linear theory at large scales. Thus, we compare the ratios of multipoles of the linear theory, including the FoG effect with the measured values. From these, we recover the linear matter power spectra in real-space. These recovered power spectra are consistent with the linear matter power spectra.

Traditional Japanese Management: Upside Down and Inside Out.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fox, William M.

Traditional Japanese are bred with a strong sense of dependency and presumption on the benevolence of family, boss, work group, and nation. Ideally, one should blend selfessly into a system of "other directedness." One must give indiscriminate devotion to his colleagues, for it is immature and divisive to like certain group members more…

Successful ingredients in the SMILE study: resident, staff, and management factors influence the effects of humor therapy in residential aged care.

PubMed

Brodaty, Henry; Low, Lee-Fay; Liu, Zhixin; Fletcher, Jennifer; Roast, Joel; Goodenough, Belinda; Chenoweth, Lynn

2014-12-01

To test the hypothesis that individual and institutional-level factors influence the effects of a humor therapy intervention on aged care residents. Data were from the humor therapy group of the Sydney Multisite Intervention of LaughterBosses and ElderClowns, or SMILE, study, a single-blind cluster randomized controlled trial of humor therapy conducted over 12 weeks; assessments were performed at baseline, week 13, and week 26. One hundred eighty-nine individuals from 17 Sydney residential aged care facilities were randomly allocated to the humor therapy intervention. Professional performers called "ElderClowns" provided 9-12 weekly humor therapy 2-hour sessions, augmented by trained staff, called "LaughterBosses." Outcome measures were as follows: Cornell Scale for Depression in Dementia, Cohen-Mansfield Agitation Inventory, Neuropsychiatric Inventory, the withdrawal subscale of Multidimensional Observation Scale for Elderly Subjects, and proxy-rated quality of life in dementia population scale. Facility-level measures were as follows: support of the management for the intervention, commitment levels of LaughterBosses, Environmental Audit Tool scores, and facility level of care provided (high/low). Resident-level measures were engagement, functional ability, disease severity, and time-in-care. Multilevel path analyses simultaneously modeled resident engagement at the individual level (repeated measures) and the effects of management support and staff commitment to humor therapy at the cluster level. Models indicated flow-on effects, whereby management support had positive effects on LaughterBoss commitment, and LaughterBoss commitment increased resident engagement. Higher resident engagement was associated with reduced depression, agitation, and neuropsychiatric scores. Effectiveness of psychosocial programs in residential aged care can be enhanced by management support, staff commitment, and active resident engagement. Copyright © 2014 American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The 13th Data Release of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey: First Spectroscopic Data from the SDSS-IV Survey Mapping Nearby Galaxies at Apache Point Observatory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Albareti, Franco D.; Allende Prieto, Carlos; Almeida, Andres; Anders, Friedrich; Anderson, Scott; Andrews, Brett H.; Aragón-Salamanca, Alfonso; Argudo-Fernández, Maria; Armengaud, Eric; Aubourg, Eric; Avila-Reese, Vladimir; Badenes, Carles; Bailey, Stephen; Barbuy, Beatriz; Barger, Kat; Barrera-Ballesteros, Jorge; Bartosz, Curtis; Basu, Sarbani; Bates, Dominic; Battaglia, Giuseppina; Baumgarten, Falk; Baur, Julien; Bautista, Julian; Beers, Timothy C.; Belfiore, Francesco; Bershady, Matthew; Bertran de Lis, Sara; Bird, Jonathan C.; Bizyaev, Dmitry; Blanc, Guillermo A.; Blanton, Michael; Blomqvist, Michael; Bolton, Adam S.; Borissova, J.; Bovy, Jo; Nielsen Brandt, William; Brinkmann, Jonathan; Brownstein, Joel R.; Bundy, Kevin; Burtin, Etienne; Busca, Nicolás G.; Orlando Camacho Chavez, Hugo; Cano Díaz, M.; Cappellari, Michele; Carrera, Ricardo; Chen, Yanping; Cherinka, Brian; Cheung, Edmond; Chiappini, Cristina; Chojnowski, Drew; Chuang, Chia-Hsun; Chung, Haeun; Cirolini, Rafael Fernando; Clerc, Nicolas; Cohen, Roger E.; Comerford, Julia M.; Comparat, Johan; Correa do Nascimento, Janaina; Cousinou, Marie-Claude; Covey, Kevin; Crane, Jeffrey D.; Croft, Rupert; Cunha, Katia; Darling, Jeremy; Davidson, James W., Jr.; Dawson, Kyle; Da Costa, Luiz; Da Silva Ilha, Gabriele; Deconto Machado, Alice; Delubac, Timothée; De Lee, Nathan; De la Macorra, Axel; De la Torre, Sylvain; Diamond-Stanic, Aleksandar M.; Donor, John; Downes, Juan Jose; Drory, Niv; Du, Cheng; Du Mas des Bourboux, Hélion; Dwelly, Tom; Ebelke, Garrett; Eigenbrot, Arthur; Eisenstein, Daniel J.; Elsworth, Yvonne P.; Emsellem, Eric; Eracleous, Michael; Escoffier, Stephanie; Evans, Michael L.; Falcón-Barroso, Jesús; Fan, Xiaohui; Favole, Ginevra; Fernandez-Alvar, Emma; Fernandez-Trincado, J. G.; Feuillet, Diane; Fleming, Scott W.; Font-Ribera, Andreu; Freischlad, Gordon; Frinchaboy, Peter; Fu, Hai; Gao, Yang; Garcia, Rafael A.; Garcia-Dias, R.; Garcia-Hernández, D. A.; Garcia Pérez, Ana E.; Gaulme, Patrick; Ge, Junqiang; Geisler, Douglas; Gillespie, Bruce; Gil Marin, Hector; Girardi, Léo; Goddard, Daniel; Gomez Maqueo Chew, Yilen; Gonzalez-Perez, Violeta; Grabowski, Kathleen; Green, Paul; Grier, Catherine J.; Grier, Thomas; Guo, Hong; Guy, Julien; Hagen, Alex; Hall, Matt; Harding, Paul; Harley, R. E.; Hasselquist, Sten; Hawley, Suzanne; Hayes, Christian R.; Hearty, Fred; Hekker, Saskia; Hernandez Toledo, Hector; Ho, Shirley; Hogg, David W.; Holley-Bockelmann, Kelly; Holtzman, Jon A.; Holzer, Parker H.; Hu, Jian; Huber, Daniel; Hutchinson, Timothy Alan; Hwang, Ho Seong; Ibarra-Medel, Héctor J.; Ivans, Inese I.; Ivory, KeShawn; Jaehnig, Kurt; Jensen, Trey W.; Johnson, Jennifer A.; Jones, Amy; Jullo, Eric; Kallinger, T.; Kinemuchi, Karen; Kirkby, David; Klaene, Mark; Kneib, Jean-Paul; Kollmeier, Juna A.; Lacerna, Ivan; Lane, Richard R.; Lang, Dustin; Laurent, Pierre; Law, David R.; Leauthaud, Alexie; Le Goff, Jean-Marc; Li, Chen; Li, Cheng; Li, Niu; Li, Ran; Liang, Fu-Heng; Liang, Yu; Lima, Marcos; Lin, Lihwai; Lin, Lin; Lin, Yen-Ting; Liu, Chao; Long, Dan; Lucatello, Sara; MacDonald, Nicholas; MacLeod, Chelsea L.; Mackereth, J. Ted; Mahadevan, Suvrath; Geimba Maia, Marcio Antonio; Maiolino, Roberto; Majewski, Steven R.; Malanushenko, Olena; Malanushenko, Viktor; Dullius Mallmann, Nícolas; Manchado, Arturo; Maraston, Claudia; Marques-Chaves, Rui; Martinez Valpuesta, Inma; Masters, Karen L.; Mathur, Savita; McGreer, Ian D.; Merloni, Andrea; Merrifield, Michael R.; Meszáros, Szabolcs; Meza, Andres; Miglio, Andrea; Minchev, Ivan; Molaverdikhani, Karan; Montero-Dorta, Antonio D.; Mosser, Benoit; Muna, Demitri; Myers, Adam; Nair, Preethi; Nandra, Kirpal; Ness, Melissa; Newman, Jeffrey A.; Nichol, Robert C.; Nidever, David L.; Nitschelm, Christian; O’Connell, Julia; Oravetz, Audrey; Oravetz, Daniel J.; Pace, Zachary; Padilla, Nelson; Palanque-Delabrouille, Nathalie; Pan, Kaike; Parejko, John; Paris, Isabelle; Park, Changbom; Peacock, John A.; Peirani, Sebastien; Pellejero-Ibanez, Marcos; Penny, Samantha; Percival, Will J.; Percival, Jeffrey W.; Perez-Fournon, Ismael; Petitjean, Patrick; Pieri, Matthew; Pinsonneault, Marc H.; Pisani, Alice; Prada, Francisco; Prakash, Abhishek; Price-Jones, Natalie; Raddick, M. Jordan; Rahman, Mubdi; Raichoor, Anand; Barboza Rembold, Sandro; Reyna, A. M.; Rich, James; Richstein, Hannah; Ridl, Jethro; Riffel, Rogemar A.; Riffel, Rogério; Rix, Hans-Walter; Robin, Annie C.; Rockosi, Constance M.; Rodríguez-Torres, Sergio; Rodrigues, Thaíse S.; Roe, Natalie; Lopes, A. Roman; Román-Zúñiga, Carlos; Ross, Ashley J.; Rossi, Graziano; Ruan, John; Ruggeri, Rossana; Runnoe, Jessie C.; Salazar-Albornoz, Salvador; Salvato, Mara; Sanchez, Sebastian F.; Sanchez, Ariel G.; Sanchez-Gallego, José R.; Santiago, Basílio Xavier; Schiavon, Ricardo; Schimoia, Jaderson S.; Schlafly, Eddie; Schlegel, David J.; Schneider, Donald P.; Schönrich, Ralph; Schultheis, Mathias; Schwope, Axel; Seo, Hee-Jong; Serenelli, Aldo; Sesar, Branimir; Shao, Zhengyi; Shetrone, Matthew; Shull, Michael; Silva Aguirre, Victor; Skrutskie, M. F.; Slosar, Anže; Smith, Michael; Smith, Verne V.; Sobeck, Jennifer; Somers, Garrett; Souto, Diogo; Stark, David V.; Stassun, Keivan G.; Steinmetz, Matthias; Stello, Dennis; Storchi Bergmann, Thaisa; Strauss, Michael A.; Streblyanska, Alina; Stringfellow, Guy S.; Suarez, Genaro; Sun, Jing; Taghizadeh-Popp, Manuchehr; Tang, Baitian; Tao, Charling; Tayar, Jamie; Tembe, Mita; Thomas, Daniel; Tinker, Jeremy; Tojeiro, Rita; Tremonti, Christy; Troup, Nicholas; Trump, Jonathan R.; Unda-Sanzana, Eduardo; Valenzuela, O.; Van den Bosch, Remco; Vargas-Magaña, Mariana; Vazquez, Jose Alberto; Villanova, Sandro; Vivek, M.; Vogt, Nicole; Wake, David; Walterbos, Rene; Wang, Yuting; Wang, Enci; Weaver, Benjamin Alan; Weijmans, Anne-Marie; Weinberg, David H.; Westfall, Kyle B.; Whelan, David G.; Wilcots, Eric; Wild, Vivienne; Williams, Rob A.; Wilson, John; Wood-Vasey, W. M.; Wylezalek, Dominika; Xiao, Ting; Yan, Renbin; Yang, Meng; Ybarra, Jason E.; Yeche, Christophe; Yuan, Fang-Ting; Zakamska, Nadia; Zamora, Olga; Zasowski, Gail; Zhang, Kai; Zhao, Cheng; Zhao, Gong-Bo; Zheng, Zheng; Zheng, Zheng; Zhou, Zhi-Min; Zhu, Guangtun; Zinn, Joel C.; Zou, Hu

2017-12-01

The fourth generation of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS-IV) began observations in 2014 July. It pursues three core programs: the Apache Point Observatory Galactic Evolution Experiment 2 (APOGEE-2), Mapping Nearby Galaxies at APO (MaNGA), and the Extended Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (eBOSS). As well as its core program, eBOSS contains two major subprograms: the Time Domain Spectroscopic Survey (TDSS) and the SPectroscopic IDentification of ERosita Sources (SPIDERS). This paper describes the first data release from SDSS-IV, Data Release 13 (DR13). DR13 makes publicly available the first 1390 spatially resolved integral field unit observations of nearby galaxies from MaNGA. It includes new observations from eBOSS, completing the Sloan Extended QUasar, Emission-line galaxy, Luminous red galaxy Survey (SEQUELS), which also targeted variability-selected objects and X-ray-selected objects. DR13 includes new reductions of the SDSS-III BOSS data, improving the spectrophotometric calibration and redshift classification, and new reductions of the SDSS-III APOGEE-1 data, improving stellar parameters for dwarf stars and cooler stars. DR13 provides more robust and precise photometric calibrations. Value-added target catalogs relevant for eBOSS, TDSS, and SPIDERS and an updated red-clump catalog for APOGEE are also available. This paper describes the location and format of the data and provides references to important technical papers. The SDSS web site, http://www.sdss.org, provides links to the data, tutorials, examples of data access, and extensive documentation of the reduction and analysis procedures. DR13 is the first of a scheduled set that will contain new data and analyses from the planned ∼6 yr operations of SDSS-IV.

THE MULTI-OBJECT, FIBER-FED SPECTROGRAPHS FOR THE SLOAN DIGITAL SKY SURVEY AND THE BARYON OSCILLATION SPECTROSCOPIC SURVEY

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

Smee, Stephen A.; Gunn, James E.; Uomoto, Alan

2013-07-12

We present the design and performance of the multi-object fiber spectrographs for the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) and their upgrade for the Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS). Originally commissioned in Fall 1999 on the 2.5-m aperture Sloan Telescope at Apache Point Observatory, the spectrographs produced more than 1.5 million spectra for the SDSS and SDSS-II surveys, enabling a wide variety of Galactic and extra-galactic science including the first observation of baryon acoustic oscillations in 2005. The spectrographs were upgraded in 2009 and are currently in use for BOSS, the flagship survey of the third-generation SDSS-III project. BOSS will measuremore » redshifts of 1.35 million massive galaxies to redshift 0.7 and Lyman-alpha absorption of 160,000 high redshift quasars over 10,000 square degrees of sky, making percent level measurements of the absolute cosmic distance scale of the Universe and placing tight constraints on the equation of state of dark energy. The twin multi-object fiber spectrographs utilize a simple optical layout with reflective collimators, gratings, all-refractive cameras, and state-of-the-art CCD detectors to produce hundreds of spectra simultaneously in two channels over a bandpass covering the near ultraviolet to the near infrared, with a resolving power R = \\lambda/FWHM ~ 2000. Building on proven heritage, the spectrographs were upgraded for BOSS with volume-phase holographic gratings and modern CCD detectors, improving the peak throughput by nearly a factor of two, extending the bandpass to cover 360 < \\lambda < 1000 nm, and increasing the number of fibers from 640 to 1000 per exposure. In this paper we describe the original SDSS spectrograph design and the upgrades implemented for BOSS, and document the predicted and measured performances.« less

Extremely red quasars in BOSS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hamann, Fred; Zakamska, Nadia L.; Ross, Nicholas; Paris, Isabelle; Alexandroff, Rachael M.; Villforth, Carolin; Richards, Gordon T.; Herbst, Hanna; Brandt, W. Niel; Cook, Ben; Denney, Kelly D.; Greene, Jenny E.; Schneider, Donald P.; Strauss, Michael A.

2017-01-01

Red quasars are candidate young objects in an early transition stage of massive galaxy evolution. Our team recently discovered a population of extremely red quasars (ERQs) in the Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS) that has a suite of peculiar emission-line properties including large rest equivalent widths (REWs), unusual `wingless' line profiles, large N V/Lyα, N V/C IV, Si IV/C IV and other flux ratios, and very broad and blueshifted [O III] λ5007. Here we present a new catalogue of C IV and N V emission-line data for 216 188 BOSS quasars to characterize the ERQ line properties further. We show that they depend sharply on UV-to-mid-IR colour, secondarily on REW(C IV), and not at all on luminosity or the Baldwin Effect. We identify a `core' sample of 97 ERQs with nearly uniform peculiar properties selected via I-W3 ≥ 4.6 (AB) and REW(C IV) ≥ 100 Å at redshifts 2.0-3.4. A broader search finds 235 more red quasars with similar unusual characteristics. The core ERQs have median luminosity ˜ 47.1, sky density 0.010 deg-2, surprisingly flat/blue UV spectra given their red UV-to-mid-IR colours, and common outflow signatures including BALs or BAL-like features and large C IV emission-line blueshifts. Their SEDs and line properties are inconsistent with normal quasars behind a dust reddening screen. We argue that the core ERQs are a unique obscured quasar population with extreme physical conditions related to powerful outflows across the line-forming regions. Patchy obscuration by small dusty clouds could produce the observed UV extinctions without substantial UV reddening.

Becoming a Chaosmeister

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-05-01

Your relationship and communication with your boss Defense AT&L: May–June 2015 10 is absolutely essential to effective “chaosmeistering.” A strong...Your boss can then create additional “top cover” by keeping the chain of command informed and involved. Finally, real-time communication with your...In the mid-1990s, the DoD was wed firmly to Weapons C3I (command, control, communications and intelligence) programs that shared several basic

VizieR Online Data Catalog: Quasars narrow absorption lines from SDSS (Chen+, 2015)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Z.-F.; Gu, Q.-S.; Chen, Y.-M.; Cao, Y.

2017-11-01

The Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS: Eisenstein et al. 2011AJ....142...72E; Paris et al. 2012, Cat. VII/269) is the main dark-time legacy survey of the third stage of the SDSS, which used the same 2.5-m telescope (Gunn et al. 2006AJ....131.2332G; Ross et al. 2012, J/ApJS/199/3) as the first and second stages of the SDSS (hereafter SDSS-I/II). SDSS-I/II spectra have a wavelength coverage from 3800-9200Å with a spectral resolution of 1800-2200 (e.g. York et al. 2000AJ....120.1579Y). BOSS spectra span a range from 3600-10500Å at a resolution of 1300-2500 (Paris et al. 2012, Cat. VII/269). During the first two years, BOSS detected 87822 quasars over an area of 3275 deg2, including 7932 quasars that were observed by SDSS-I/II as well. Quasars observed by both SDSS-I/II and BOSS provide a remarkable chance to study the variabilities of absorption lines in a large population. Throughout this work, we take the quasar emission redshifts provided by Hewett & Wild (2010, J/MNRAS/405/2302, http://das.sdss.org/va/HewettWilddr7qso_newz/) directly. (2 data files).

The New Age of Bullying and Violence in Health Care: Part 3: Managing the Bullying Boss and Leadership.

PubMed

Fink-Samnick, Ellen

PRIMARY PRACTICE SETTING(S):: Applicable to all health care sections where case management is practiced. This article is the third of a 4-part series on the topic of bullying in the health care workplace. Part 3 addresses the dimensions of the bullying boss and leadership, posing major implications for patient safety plus the mental health of staff members. The complex constructs and dynamics broached by the bullying boss and department leadership are explored. These include the underlying forces at play such as power, gender, leadership styles, plus weaves in assessment models. Strategic and proactive management of bullying by leadership is vital to workforce retention and well-being. The increasing incidence and impact of bullying across all sectors have made it a major workforce performance management challenge. Health care settings are especially tense environments, often making it difficult for individuals to distinguish between bullying behavior and high expectations for staff. Bullying impacts both direct targets and bystanders who witness the assaultive behaviors, with ethical implications as well.Case management is poised to promote a safe health care workplace for patients and practitioners alike amid these intricate circumstances. Understanding types of bullying bosses and leadership styles is integral to a case manager's success in the workplace.

Multiplex detection of pancreatic cancer biomarkers using a SERS-based immunoassay

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Banaei, Nariman; Foley, Anne; Houghton, Jean Marie; Sun, Yubing; Kim, Byung

2017-11-01

Early diagnosis of pancreatic cancer (PC) is critical to reduce the mortality rate of this disease. Current biological analysis approaches cannot robustly detect several low abundance PC biomarkers in sera, limiting the clinical application of these biomarkers. Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay and radioimmunoassay are two common platforms for detection of biomarkers; however, they suffer from some limitation. This study demonstrates a novel system for multiplex detection of pancreatic biomarkers CA19-9, MMP7 and MUC4 in sera samples with high sensitivity using surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy. Measuring the levels of these biomarkers in PC patients, pancreatitis patients, and healthy individuals reveals the unique expression pattern of these markers in PC patients, suggesting the great potential of using this approach for early diagnostics of PCs.

Exploring cosmic homogeneity with the BOSS DR12 galaxy sample

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

Ntelis, Pierros; Hamilton, Jean-Christophe; Busca, Nicolas Guillermo

2017-06-01

In this study, we probe the transition to cosmic homogeneity in the Large Scale Structure (LSS) of the Universe using the CMASS galaxy sample of BOSS spectroscopic survey which covers the largest effective volume to date, 3 h {sup −3} Gpc{sup 3} at 0.43 ≤ z ≤ 0.7. We study the scaled counts-in-spheres, N(< r ), and the fractal correlation dimension, D{sub 2}( r ), to assess the homogeneity scale of the universe using a Landy and Szalay inspired estimator. Defining the scale of transition to homogeneity as the scale at which D{sub 2}( r ) reaches 3 within 1%,more » i.e. D{sub 2}( r )>2.97 for r >R {sub H} , we find R {sub H} = (63.3±0.7) h {sup −1} Mpc, in agreement at the percentage level with the predictions of the ΛCDM model R {sub H} =62.0 h {sup −1} Mpc. Thanks to the large cosmic depth of the survey, we investigate the redshift evolution of the transition to homogeneity scale and find agreement with the ΛCDM prediction. Finally, we find that D{sub 2} is compatible with 3 at scales larger than 300 h {sup −1} Mpc in all redshift bins. These results consolidate the Cosmological Principle and represent a precise consistency test of the ΛCDM model.« less

Modeling the response of a monopulse radar to impulsive jamming signals using the Block Oriented System Simulator (BOSS)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Long, Jeffrey K.

1989-09-01

This theses developed computer models of two types of amplitude comparison monopulse processors using the Block Oriented System Simulation (BOSS) software package and to determine the response to these models to impulsive input signals. This study was an effort to determine the susceptibility of monopulse tracking radars to impulsing jamming signals. Two types of amplitude comparison monopulse receivers were modeled, one using logarithmic amplifiers and the other using automatic gain control for signal normalization. Simulations of both types of systems were run under various conditions of gain or frequency imbalance between the two receiver channels. The resulting errors from the imbalanced simulations were compared to the outputs of similar, baseline simulations which had no electrical imbalances. The accuracy of both types of processors was directly affected by gain or frequency imbalances in their receiver channels. In most cases, it was possible to generate both positive and negative angular errors, dependent upon the type and degree of mismatch between the channels. The system most susceptible to induced errors was a frequency imbalanced processor which used AGC circuitry. Any errors introduced will be a function of the degree of mismatch between the channels and therefore would be difficult to exploit reliably.

Evidence of Nb-Ta mobility in high temperature F-rich fluids evidenced by the La Bosse quartz-Nb-ferberite stockwork (Echassières, French Massif Central).

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marignac, C.; Cuney, M.

2012-04-01

In the Echassières district (northern French Massif Central), the 310 Ma Beauvoir granite (a P-rich peraluminous RMG) overprints a quartz-ferberite stockwork. The 900 m-deep GPF1 scientific hole shows that the stockwork is split into two parts by the gently dipping Beauvoir intrusion: the upper section (~ 100m thick) occurs in the La Bosse quarry, , and the lower section (≥ 60 m thick) below the granite floor. The root of the stockwork (hypothetic La Bosse granite) has not been reached. The stockwork comprises flat-lying quartz veins (≤ 0.6 m thick) concordant to the regional schistosity of surrounding micaschists, and steep N10-N50°E quartz veins (≤ 0.2 m thick). The two sets result from hydraulic fracturing, and consistently display crack seal features. A family of aplites and aplo-pegmatites dikes follow the same set of fractures, being either later (with partial dissolution of pre-existing quartz veins) or earlier, than the quartz veins. There is no alteration, nor associated mineral other than ferberite, at the La Bosse quarry, whereas micaceous selvages are observed in the lower section. Ferberite display a trend of ferberite enrichment with increasing depth (0.71 to 0.95 Fb mole%). In the La Bosse quarry, three ferberite habitus are present: acicular, lanceolate and prismatic. Acicular crystals are typically nicely zoned, with alternating Nb-rich (4.95±0.94 % Nb2O5) and Nb-poor (1.57±0.38 % Nb2O5) growth bands. Ta (up to 0.30 Ta2O5), Ti and Sn are also enriched in the Nb-rich bands. Nb and Ta incorporation into the ferberite is in the form of columbite, as either true solid solution or nanoinclusions. Lanceolate crystals have a similarly zoned acicular core and a Nb-poor rim (1.08±0.66 % Nb2O5). Prismatic crystals are unzoned and Nb-poor (0.67±0.20 % Nb2O5). In the lower part of the stockwork, the Nb contents are lower (2.17 % Nb2O5 in the Nb-rich bands, 1.36 % in the Nb-poor bands, 0.08 % in the unzoned cortex, 0.15 % in the unzoned prisms). Thus the unusual Nb content of the La Bosse ferberites is correlated to the apparently very distal setting of this quartz system relatively to the parent granite, in contrast with most quartz-W systems in the French Massif Central (Aïssa et al. 1987). When invaded by aplites or aplopegmatites, the ferberite-bearing quartz veins are dissolved, but the ferberites remain apparently unaffected - they are not dissolved by the granite melt. Yet, the acicular and lanceolate crystals have lost their Nb-zoning and display uniform homogenised Nb content. The emplacement of the Beauvoir granite was associated with late magmatic exsolution of an Al- and F-rich, silica undersaturated, hydrothermal fluid that percolated upwards in the surrounding schists (Cuney et al. 1992). When interacting with the quartz veins of the La Bosse stockwork, this fluid precipitated topazites. Again, included ferberites remain apparently unaffected. However, they display microscopic vuggy cavities, successively filled by a Nb-rich ferberite (up to 8.91% Nb2O5) with significant Ta content (up to 0.35 % Ta2O5), a wolframo-ixiolite and a Ta-rich columbite. Later Li-phengite was precipitated from the same magmatic fluid, and was associated with hubnerite enrichment of pre-existing ferberites along Li-phengite-bearing microcracks (down to 0.20 mole % Fb). Ta and Nb are known for their poor solubility in hydrothermal fluids, but the Nb and Ta enrichments observed in the wolframite of La Bosse stockwork show that they can be transported to some extent by F-rich fluids. Aïssa, M., Marignac, C., Weisbrod, A. (1987). Le stockwerk à ferbérite d'Echassières : évolution spatiale et temporelle; cristallochimie des ferbérites. In : Cuney, M., Autran, A. (eds), Echassières : le forage scientifique d'Echassières (Allier). Une clé pour la compréhension des mécanismes magmatiques et hydrothermaux associés aux granites à métaux rares. Mém. GPF, tome 1, 311-334. M Cuney, C Marignac, A Weisbrod (1992). The Beauvoir topaz-lepidolite albitic granite (Massif Central, France). A highly specialized granite with disseminated Sn-Li-Ta-Nb-Be mineralization of magmatic origin. Economic Geology 87, 1776-1794.

What systemic factors contribute to collaboration between primary care and public health sectors? An interpretive descriptive study.

PubMed

Wong, Sabrina T; MacDonald, Marjorie; Martin-Misener, Ruth; Meagher-Stewart, Donna; O'Mara, Linda; Valaitis, Ruta K

2017-12-01

Purposefully building stronger collaborations between primary care (PC) and public health (PH) is one approach to strengthening primary health care. The purpose of this paper is to report: 1) what systemic factors influence collaborations between PC and PH; and 2) how systemic factors interact and could influence collaboration. This interpretive descriptive study used purposive and snowball sampling to recruit and conduct interviews with PC and PH key informants in British Columbia (n = 20), Ontario (n = 19), and Nova Scotia (n = 21), Canada. Other participants (n = 14) were knowledgeable about collaborations and were located in various Canadian provinces or working at a national level. Data were organized into codes and thematic analysis was completed using NVivo. The frequency of "sources" (individual transcripts), "references" (quotes), and matrix queries were used to identify potential relationships between factors. We conducted a total of 70 in-depth interviews with 74 participants working in either PC (n = 33) or PH (n = 32), both PC and PH (n = 7), or neither sector (n = 2). Participant roles included direct service providers (n = 17), senior program managers (n = 14), executive officers (n = 11), and middle managers (n = 10). Seven systemic factors for collaboration were identified: 1) health service structures that promote collaboration; 2) funding models and financial incentives supporting collaboration; 3) governmental and regulatory policies and mandates for collaboration; 4) power relations; 5) harmonized information and communication infrastructure; 6) targeted professional education; and 7) formal systems leaders as collaborative champions. Most themes were discussed with equal frequency between PC and PH. An assessment of the system level context (i.e., provincial and regional organization and funding of PC and PH, history of government in successful implementation of health care reform, etc) along with these seven system level factors could assist other jurisdictions in moving towards increased PC and PH collaboration. There was some variation in the importance of the themes across provinces. British Columbia participants more frequently discussed system structures that could promote collaboration, power relations, harmonized information and communication structures, formal systems leaders as collaboration champions and targeted professional education. Ontario participants most frequently discussed governmental and regulatory policies and mandates for collaboration.

Alterations in gene expression of proprotein convertases in human lung cancer have a limited number of scenarios.

PubMed

Demidyuk, Ilya V; Shubin, Andrey V; Gasanov, Eugene V; Kurinov, Alexander M; Demkin, Vladimir V; Vinogradova, Tatyana V; Zinovyeva, Marina V; Sass, Alexander V; Zborovskaya, Irina B; Kostrov, Sergey V

2013-01-01

Proprotein convertases (PCs) is a protein family which includes nine highly specific subtilisin-like serine endopeptidases in mammals. The system of PCs is involved in carcinogenesis and levels of PC mRNAs alter in cancer, which suggests expression status of PCs as a possible marker for cancer typing and prognosis. The goal of this work was to assess the information value of expression profiling of PC genes. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction was used for the first time to analyze mRNA levels of all PC genes as well as matrix metalloproteinase genes MMP2 and MMP14, which are substrates of PCs, in 30 matched pairs of samples of human lung cancer tumor and adjacent tissues without pathology. Significant changes in the expression of PCs have been revealed in tumor tissues: increased FURIN mRNA level (p<0.00005) and decreased mRNA levels of PCSK2 (p<0.007), PCSK5 (p<0.0002), PCSK7 (p<0.002), PCSK9 (p<0.00008), and MBTPS1 (p<0.00004) as well as a tendency to increase in the level of PCSK1 mRNA. Four distinct groups of samples have been identified by cluster analysis of the expression patterns of PC genes in tumor vs. normal tissue. Three of these groups covering 80% of samples feature a strong elevation in the expression of a single gene in cancer: FURIN, PCSK1, or PCSK6. Thus, the changes in the expression of PC genes have a limited number of scenarios, which may reflect different pathways of tumor development and cryptic features of tumors. This finding allows to consider the mRNAs of PC genes as potentially important tumor markers.

VizieR Online Data Catalog: Model SDSS colors for halo stars (Allende Prieto+, 2014)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Allende Prieto, C.; Fernandez-Alvar, E.; Schlesinger, K. J.; Lee, Y. S.; Morrison, H. L.; Schneider, D. P.; Beers, T. C.; Bizyaev, D.; Ebelke, G.; Malanushenko, E.; Oravetz, D.; Pan, K.; Simmons, A.; Simmerer, J.; Sobeck, J.; Robin, A. C.

2014-06-01

We analyze a sample of tens of thousands of spectra of halo turnoff stars, obtained with the optical spectrographs of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS), to characterize the stellar halo population "in situ" out to a distance of a few tens of kpc from the Sun. In this paper we describe the derivation of atmospheric parameters. We also derive the overall stellar metallicity distribution based on F-type stars observed as flux calibrators for the Baryonic Oscillations Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS). Our analysis is based on an automated method that determines the set of parameters of a model atmosphere that best reproduces each observed spectrum. We use an optimization algorithm and evaluate model fluxes by means of interpolation in a pre-computed grid. In our analysis, we account for the spectrograph's varying resolution as a function of fiber and wavelength. Our results for early SDSS (pre-BOSS upgrade) data compare well with those from the SEGUE Stellar Parameter Pipeline (SSPP), except for stars at logg (cgs units) lower than 2.5. An analysis of stars in the globular cluster M13 reveals a dependence of the inferred metallicity on surface gravity for stars with logg<2.5, confirming the systematics identified in the comparison with the SSPP. We find that our metallicity estimates are significantly more precise than the SSPP results. We also find excellent agreement with several independent analyses. We show that the SDSS color criteria for selecting F-type halo turnoff stars as flux calibrators efficiently excludes stars with high metallicities, but does not significantly distort the shape of the metallicity distribution at low metallicity. We obtain a halo metallicity distribution that is narrower and more asymmetric than in previous studies. The lowest gravity stars in our sample, at tens of kpc from the Sun, indicate a shift of the metallicity distribution to lower abundances, consistent with that expected from a dual halo system in the Milky Way. (1 data file).

49 CFR 229.61 - Draft system.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... D&E couplers. (2) A crack or break in the side wall or pin bearing bosses outside of the shaded... or draft gears that exceeds one-half inches. (5) A broken or cracked coupler carrier. (6) A broken or cracked yoke. (7) A broken draft gear. (b) A device shall be provided under the lower end of all drawbar...

49 CFR 229.61 - Draft system.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... D&E couplers. (2) A crack or break in the side wall or pin bearing bosses outside of the shaded... or draft gears that exceeds one-half inches. (5) A broken or cracked coupler carrier. (6) A broken or cracked yoke. (7) A broken draft gear. (b) A device shall be provided under the lower end of all drawbar...

The BigBOSS spectrograph

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jelinsky, Patrick; Bebek, Chris; Besuner, Robert; Carton, Pierre-Henri; Edelstein, Jerry; Lampton, Michael; Levi, Michael E.; Poppett, Claire; Prieto, Eric; Schlegel, David; Sholl, Michael

2012-09-01

BigBOSS is a proposed ground-based dark energy experiment to study baryon acoustic oscillations (BAO) and the growth of structure with a 14,000 square degree galaxy and quasi-stellar object redshift survey. It consists of a 5,000- fiber-positioner focal plane feeding the spectrographs. The optical fibers are separated into ten 500 fiber slit heads at the entrance of ten identical spectrographs in a thermally insulated room. Each of the ten spectrographs has a spectral resolution (λ/Δλ) between 1500 and 4000 over a wavelength range from 360 - 980 nm. Each spectrograph uses two dichroic beam splitters to separate the spectrograph into three arms. It uses volume phase holographic (VPH) gratings for high efficiency and compactness. Each arm uses a 4096x4096 15 μm pixel charge coupled device (CCD) for the detector. We describe the requirements and current design of the BigBOSS spectrograph. Design trades (e.g. refractive versus reflective) and manufacturability are also discussed.

Acoustic emission testing of composite vessels under sustained loading

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lark, R. F.; Moorhead, P. E.

1978-01-01

Acoustic emissions (AE) generated from Kevlar 49/epoxy composite pressure vessels subjected to sustained load-to-failure tests were studied. Data from two different transducer locations on the vessels were compared. It was found that AE from vessel wall-mounted transducers showed a wide variance from those for identical vessels subjected to the same pressure loading. Emissions from boss-mounted transducers did, however, yield values that were relatively consistent. It appears that the signals from the boss-mounted transducers represent an integrated average of the emissions generated by fibers fracturing during the vessel tests. The AE from boss-mounted transducers were also independent of time for vessel failure. This suggests that a similar number of fiber fractures must occur prior to initiation of vessel failure. These studies indicate a potential for developing an AE test procedure for predicting the residual service life or integrity of composite vessels.

Selection of Polynomial Chaos Bases via Bayesian Model Uncertainty Methods with Applications to Sparse Approximation of PDEs with Stochastic Inputs

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

Karagiannis, Georgios; Lin, Guang

2014-02-15

Generalized polynomial chaos (gPC) expansions allow the representation of the solution of a stochastic system as a series of polynomial terms. The number of gPC terms increases dramatically with the dimension of the random input variables. When the number of the gPC terms is larger than that of the available samples, a scenario that often occurs if the evaluations of the system are expensive, the evaluation of the gPC expansion can be inaccurate due to over-fitting. We propose a fully Bayesian approach that allows for global recovery of the stochastic solution, both in spacial and random domains, by coupling Bayesianmore » model uncertainty and regularization regression methods. It allows the evaluation of the PC coefficients on a grid of spacial points via (1) Bayesian model average or (2) medial probability model, and their construction as functions on the spacial domain via spline interpolation. The former accounts the model uncertainty and provides Bayes-optimal predictions; while the latter, additionally, provides a sparse representation of the solution by evaluating the expansion on a subset of dominating gPC bases when represented as a gPC expansion. Moreover, the method quantifies the importance of the gPC bases through inclusion probabilities. We design an MCMC sampler that evaluates all the unknown quantities without the need of ad-hoc techniques. The proposed method is suitable for, but not restricted to, problems whose stochastic solution is sparse at the stochastic level with respect to the gPC bases while the deterministic solver involved is expensive. We demonstrate the good performance of the proposed method and make comparisons with others on 1D, 14D and 40D in random space elliptic stochastic partial differential equations.« less

The clustering of the SDSS-IV extended Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey DR14 quasar sample: First measurement of Baryon Acoustic Oscillations between redshift 0.8 and 2.2

DOE PAGES

Ata, Metin

2017-06-20

Here, we present measurements of the Baryon Acoustic Oscillation (BAO) scale in redshift-space using the clustering of quasars. We consider a sample of 147,000 quasars from the extended Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (eBOSS) distributed over 2044 square degrees with redshifts 0.8 < z < 2.2 and measure their spherically-averaged clustering in both configuration and Fourier space. Our observational dataset and the 1400 simulated realizations of the dataset allow us to detect a preference for BAO that is greater than 2.5σ . We determine the spherically averaged BAO distance to z = 1.52 to 4.4 per cent precision: D V (zmore » = 1:52) = 3855 170 (r d/r d,fid) Mpc. This is the first time the location of the BAO feature has been measured between redshifts 1 and 2. Our result is fully consistent with the prediction obtained by extrapolating the Planck flat CDM best-fit cosmology. All of our results are consistent with basic large-scale structure (LSS) theory, confirming quasars to be a reliable tracer of LSS, and provide a starting point for numerous cosmological tests to be performed with eBOSS quasar samples. We combine our result with previous, independent, BAO distance measurements to construct an updated BAO distance-ladder. Bu using these BAO data alone and marginalizing over the length of the standard ruler, we find Ω Λ > 0 at 6.5σ significance when testing a CDM model with free curvature.« less

The clustering of the SDSS-IV extended Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey DR14 quasar sample: First measurement of Baryon Acoustic Oscillations between redshift 0.8 and 2.2

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

Ata, Metin

Here, we present measurements of the Baryon Acoustic Oscillation (BAO) scale in redshift-space using the clustering of quasars. We consider a sample of 147,000 quasars from the extended Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (eBOSS) distributed over 2044 square degrees with redshifts 0.8 < z < 2.2 and measure their spherically-averaged clustering in both configuration and Fourier space. Our observational dataset and the 1400 simulated realizations of the dataset allow us to detect a preference for BAO that is greater than 2.5σ . We determine the spherically averaged BAO distance to z = 1.52 to 4.4 per cent precision: D V (zmore » = 1:52) = 3855 170 (r d/r d,fid) Mpc. This is the first time the location of the BAO feature has been measured between redshifts 1 and 2. Our result is fully consistent with the prediction obtained by extrapolating the Planck flat CDM best-fit cosmology. All of our results are consistent with basic large-scale structure (LSS) theory, confirming quasars to be a reliable tracer of LSS, and provide a starting point for numerous cosmological tests to be performed with eBOSS quasar samples. We combine our result with previous, independent, BAO distance measurements to construct an updated BAO distance-ladder. Bu using these BAO data alone and marginalizing over the length of the standard ruler, we find Ω Λ > 0 at 6.5σ significance when testing a CDM model with free curvature.« less

The clustering of the SDSS-IV extended Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey DR14 quasar sample: first measurement of baryon acoustic oscillations between redshift 0.8 and 2.2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ata, Metin; Baumgarten, Falk; Bautista, Julian; Beutler, Florian; Bizyaev, Dmitry; Blanton, Michael R.; Blazek, Jonathan A.; Bolton, Adam S.; Brinkmann, Jonathan; Brownstein, Joel R.; Burtin, Etienne; Chuang, Chia-Hsun; Comparat, Johan; Dawson, Kyle S.; de la Macorra, Axel; Du, Wei; du Mas des Bourboux, Hélion; Eisenstein, Daniel J.; Gil-Marín, Héctor; Grabowski, Katie; Guy, Julien; Hand, Nick; Ho, Shirley; Hutchinson, Timothy A.; Ivanov, Mikhail M.; Kitaura, Francisco-Shu; Kneib, Jean-Paul; Laurent, Pierre; Le Goff, Jean-Marc; McEwen, Joseph E.; Mueller, Eva-Maria; Myers, Adam D.; Newman, Jeffrey A.; Palanque-Delabrouille, Nathalie; Pan, Kaike; Pâris, Isabelle; Pellejero-Ibanez, Marcos; Percival, Will J.; Petitjean, Patrick; Prada, Francisco; Prakash, Abhishek; Rodríguez-Torres, Sergio A.; Ross, Ashley J.; Rossi, Graziano; Ruggeri, Rossana; Sánchez, Ariel G.; Satpathy, Siddharth; Schlegel, David J.; Schneider, Donald P.; Seo, Hee-Jong; Slosar, Anže; Streblyanska, Alina; Tinker, Jeremy L.; Tojeiro, Rita; Vargas Magaña, Mariana; Vivek, M.; Wang, Yuting; Yèche, Christophe; Yu, Liang; Zarrouk, Pauline; Zhao, Cheng; Zhao, Gong-Bo; Zhu, Fangzhou

2018-02-01

We present measurements of the Baryon Acoustic Oscillation (BAO) scale in redshift-space using the clustering of quasars. We consider a sample of 147 000 quasars from the extended Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (eBOSS) distributed over 2044 square degrees with redshifts 0.8 < z < 2.2 and measure their spherically averaged clustering in both configuration and Fourier space. Our observational data set and the 1400 simulated realizations of the data set allow us to detect a preference for BAO that is greater than 2.8σ. We determine the spherically averaged BAO distance to z = 1.52 to 3.8 per cent precision: DV(z = 1.52) = 3843 ± 147(rd/rd, fid)Mpc. This is the first time the location of the BAO feature has been measured between redshifts 1 and 2. Our result is fully consistent with the prediction obtained by extrapolating the Planck flat ΛCDM best-fitting cosmology. All of our results are consistent with basic large-scale structure (LSS) theory, confirming quasars to be a reliable tracer of LSS, and provide a starting point for numerous cosmological tests to be performed with eBOSS quasar samples. We combine our result with previous, independent, BAO distance measurements to construct an updated BAO distance-ladder. Using these BAO data alone and marginalizing over the length of the standard ruler, we find ΩΛ > 0 at 6.6σ significance when testing a ΛCDM model with free curvature.

VREPAR 2: VR in eating disorders.

PubMed

Riva, G; Bacchetta, M; Baruffi, M; Defrance, C; Gatti, F; Galimberti, C; Nugues, P; Ferretti, G S; Tonci, A

1999-01-01

Virtual Reality Environments for Psychoneurophysiological Assessment and Rehabilitation (VREPAR) are two European Community funded projects (Telematics for health-HC 1053/HC 1055-http://www.psicologia.net) whose aim is (a) to develop a PC based virtual reality system (PC-VRS) for the medical market that can be marketed at a price that is accessible to its possible endusers (hospitals, universities, and research centres) and that would have the modular, connectability and interoperability characteristics that the existing systems lack; and (b) to develop three hardware/software modules for the application of the PC-VRS in psychoneurophysiological assessment and rehabilitation. The chosen development areas are eating disorders (bulimia, anorexia, and obesity), movement disorders (Parkinson's disease and torsion dystonia), and stroke disorders (unilateral neglect and hemiparesis). In particular, the VREPAR 2 project is now testing the eating disorders module on a clinical sample.

The WAIS Melt Monitor: An automated ice core melting system for meltwater sample handling and the collection of high resolution microparticle size distribution data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Breton, D. J.; Koffman, B. G.; Kreutz, K. J.; Hamilton, G. S.

2010-12-01

Paleoclimate data are often extracted from ice cores by careful geochemical analysis of meltwater samples. The analysis of the microparticles found in ice cores can also yield unique clues about atmospheric dust loading and transport, dust provenance and past environmental conditions. Determination of microparticle concentration, size distribution and chemical makeup as a function of depth is especially difficult because the particle size measurement either consumes or contaminates the meltwater, preventing further geochemical analysis. Here we describe a microcontroller-based ice core melting system which allows the collection of separate microparticle and chemistry samples from the same depth intervals in the ice core, while logging and accurately depth-tagging real-time electrical conductivity and particle size distribution data. This system was designed specifically to support microparticle analysis of the WAIS Divide WDC06A deep ice core, but many of the subsystems are applicable to more general ice core melting operations. Major system components include: a rotary encoder to measure ice core melt displacement with 0.1 millimeter accuracy, a meltwater tracking system to assign core depths to conductivity, particle and sample vial data, an optical debubbler level control system to protect the Abakus laser particle counter from damage due to air bubbles, a Rabbit 3700 microcontroller which communicates with a host PC, collects encoder and optical sensor data and autonomously operates Gilson peristaltic pumps and fraction collectors to provide automatic sample handling, melt monitor control software operating on a standard PC allowing the user to control and view the status of the system, data logging software operating on the same PC to collect data from the melting, electrical conductivity and microparticle measurement systems. Because microparticle samples can easily be contaminated, we use optical air bubble sensors and high resolution ice core density profiles to guide the melting process. The combination of these data allow us to analyze melt head performance, minimize outer-to-inner fraction contamination and avoid melt head flooding. The WAIS Melt Monitor system allows the collection of real-time, sub-annual microparticle and electrical conductivity data while producing and storing enough sample for traditional Coulter-Counter particle measurements as well long term acid leaching of bioactive metals (e.g., Fe, Co, Cd, Cu, Zn) prior to chemical analysis.

Assessment of Li/SOCL2 Battery Technology; Reserve, Thin-Cell Design. Volume 3

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-06-01

power density and efficiency of an operating electrochemical system . The method is general - the examples to illustrate the selected points pertain to... System : Design, Manufacturing and QC Considerations), S. Szpak, P. A. Mosier-Boss, and J. J. Smith, 34th International Power Sources Symposium, Cherry...I) the computer time required to evaluate the integral in Eqn. Ill, and (iii the lack of generality in the attainable lineshapes. However, since this

The Very Small Scale Clustering of SDSS-II and SDSS-III Galaxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Piscionere, Jennifer

2015-01-01

We measure the angular clustering of galaxies from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Data Release 7 in order to probe the spatial distribution of satellite galaxies within their dark matter halos. Specifically, we measure the angular correlation function on very small scales (7 - 320‧‧) in a range of luminosity threshold samples (absolute r-band magnitudes of -18 up to -21) that are constructed from the subset of SDSS that has been spectroscopically observed more than once (the so-called plate overlap region). We choose to measure angular clustering in this reduced survey footprint in order to minimize the effects of fiber collision incompleteness, which are otherwise substantial on these small scales. We model our clustering measurements using a fully numerical halo model that populates dark matter halos in N-body simulations to create realistic mock galaxy catalogs. The model has free parameters that specify both the number and spatial distribution of galaxies within their host halos. We adopt a flexible density profile for the spatial distribution of satellite galaxies that is similar to the dark matter Navarro-Frenk-White (NFW) profile, except that the inner slope is allowed to vary. We find that the angular clustering of our most luminous samples (Mr < -20 and -21) suggests that luminous satellite galaxies have substantially steeper inner density profiles than NFW. Lower luminosity samples are less constraining, however, and are consistent with satellite galaxies having shallow density profiles. Our results confirm the findings of Watson et al. (2012) while using different clustering measurements and modeling methodology. With the new SDSS-III Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS; Dawson et al., 2013), we can measure how the same class of galaxy evolves over time. The BOSS CMASS sample is of roughly constant stellar mass and number density out to z ˜ 0.6. The clustering of these samples appears to evolve very little with redshift, and each of the samples exhibit flattening of wp at roughly the same comoving distance of 100kpc.

Plasma Sprayed Bondable Stainless Surface (BOSS) Coatings for Corrosion Protection and Adhesion Treatments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Davis, G. D.; Groff, G. B.; Rooney, M.; Cooke, A. V.; Boothe, R.

1995-01-01

Plasma-sprayed Bondable Stainless Surface (BOSS) coatings are being developed under the Solid Propulsion Integrity Program's (SPIP) Bondlines Package. These coatings are designed as a steel case preparation treatment prior to insulation lay-up. Other uses include the exterior of steel cases and bonding surfaces of nozzle components. They provide excellent bondability - rubber insulation and epoxy bonds fail cohesively within the polymer - for both fresh surfaces and surfaces having undergone natural and accelerated environmental aging. They have passed the MSFC requirements for protection of inland and sea coast environment. Because BOSS coatings are inherently corrosion resistant, they do not require preservation by greases or oils. The reduction/elimination of greases and oils, known bondline degraders, can increase SRM reliability, decrease costs by reducing the number of process steps, and decrease environmental pollution by reducing the amount of methyl chloroform used for degreasing and thus reduce release of the ozone-depleting chemical in accordance with the Clean Air Act and the Montreal Protocol. The coatings can potential extend the life of RSRM case segments and nozzle components by eliminating erosion due to multiple grit blasting during each use cycle and corrosion damage during marine recovery. Concurrent work for the Air Force show that other BOSS coatings give excellent bondline strength and durability for high-performance structures of aluminum and titanium.

Halo-free phase contrast microscopy (Conference Presentation)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nguyen, Tan H.; Kandel, Mikhail E.; Shakir, Haadi M.; Best, Catherine; Do, Minh N.; Popescu, Gabriel

2017-02-01

The phase contrast (PC) method is one of the most impactful developments in the four-century long history of microscopy. It allows for intrinsic, nondestructive contrast of transparent specimens, such as live cells. However, PC is plagued by the halo artifact, a result of insufficient spatial coherence in the illumination field, which limits its applicability. We present a new approach for retrieving halo-free phase contrast microscopy (hfPC) images by upgrading the conventional PC microscope with an external interferometric module, which generates sufficient data for reversing the halo artifact. Measuring four independent intensity images, our approach first measures haloed phase maps of the sample. We solve for the halo-free sample transmission function by using a physical model of the image formation under partial spatial coherence. Using this halo-free sample transmission, we can numerically generate artifact-free PC images. Furthermore, this transmission can be further used to obtain quantitative information about the sample, e.g., the thickness with known refractive indices, dry mass of live cells during their cycles. We tested our hfPC method on various control samples, e.g., beads, pillars and validated its potential for biological investigation by imaging live HeLa cells, red blood cells, and neurons.

Immunohistochemical panel to characterize canine prostate carcinomas according to aberrant p63 expression.

PubMed

Fonseca-Alves, Carlos Eduardo; Kobayashi, Priscila Emiko; Rivera Calderón, Luis Gabriel; Felisbino, Sérgio Luis; Rinaldi, Jaqueline de Carvalho; Drigo, Sandra Aparecida; Rogatto, Silvia Regina; Laufer-Amorim, Renée

2018-01-01

An unusual variant of prostate adenocarcinoma (PC) expressing nuclear p63 in secretory cells instead of the typical basal expression has been reported in men. Nevertheless, the biological behavior and clinical significance of this phenomenon is unknown. In dogs, this unusual PC subtype has not been described. In this study, p63 immunoexpression was investigated in 90 canine PCs and 20 normal prostate tissues (NT). The p63 expression pattern in luminal or basal cells was confirmed in a selected group of 26 PCs and 20 NT by immunohistochemistry and/or Western blotting assays. Eleven canine PC samples aberrantly expressing p63 (p63+) in secretory cells were compared with 15 p63 negative (p63-) cases in the context of several molecular markers (high molecular weight cytokeratin-HMWC, CK8/18, CK5, AR, PSA, chromogranin, NKX3.1, PTEN, AKT and C-MYC). P63+ samples were positive for CK5, HMWC and CK8/18 and negative for PSA, NKX3.1, PTEN and chromogranin. Five p63+ PCs were negative for AR, and the remaining six samples had low AR expression. In contrast, p63- PC showed AR and PSA positive expression in all 15 samples. Only five p63- PCs were positive for CK5. Both p63+ and p63- PC samples showed higher cytoplasmic AKT expression and nuclear C-MYC staining in comparison with normal tissues. Metastatic (N = 12) and non-metastatic (N = 14) PCs showed similar immunoexpression for all markers tested. In contrast to human PC, canine PC aberrantly expressing p63 showed higher expression levels of HMWC and CK5 and lower levels of NKX3.1. Canine p63+ PC is a very rare PC group showing a distinct phenotype compared to typical canine PC, including AR and PSA negative expression. Although in a limited number of cases, p63 expression was not associated with metastasis in canine PC, and cytoplasmic p63 expression was observed in animals with shorter survival time, similar to human PC cases.

Integration of targeted metabolomics and transcriptomics identifies deregulation of phosphatidylcholine metabolism in Huntington's disease peripheral blood samples.

PubMed

Mastrokolias, Anastasios; Pool, Rene; Mina, Eleni; Hettne, Kristina M; van Duijn, Erik; van der Mast, Roos C; van Ommen, GertJan; 't Hoen, Peter A C; Prehn, Cornelia; Adamski, Jerzy; van Roon-Mom, Willeke

Metabolic changes have been frequently associated with Huntington's disease (HD). At the same time peripheral blood represents a minimally invasive sampling avenue with little distress to Huntington's disease patients especially when brain or other tissue samples are difficult to collect. We investigated the levels of 163 metabolites in HD patient and control serum samples in order to identify disease related changes. Additionally, we integrated the metabolomics data with our previously published next generation sequencing-based gene expression data from the same patients in order to interconnect the metabolomics changes with transcriptional alterations. This analysis was performed using targeted metabolomics and flow injection electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry in 133 serum samples from 97 Huntington's disease patients (29 pre-symptomatic and 68 symptomatic) and 36 controls. By comparing HD mutation carriers with controls we identified 3 metabolites significantly changed in HD (serine and threonine and one phosphatidylcholine-PC ae C36:0) and an additional 8 phosphatidylcholines (PC aa C38:6, PC aa C36:0, PC ae C38:0, PC aa C38:0, PC ae C38:6, PC ae C42:0, PC aa C36:5 and PC ae C36:0) that exhibited a significant association with disease severity. Using workflow based exploitation of pathway databases and by integrating our metabolomics data with our gene expression data from the same patients we identified 4 deregulated phosphatidylcholine metabolism related genes ( ALDH1B1 , MBOAT1 , MTRR and PLB1 ) that showed significant association with the changes in metabolite concentrations. Our results support the notion that phosphatidylcholine metabolism is deregulated in HD blood and that these metabolite alterations are associated with specific gene expression changes.

A TinyOS-enabled MICA2-based wireless neural interface.

PubMed

Farshchi, Shahin; Nuyujukian, Paul H; Pesterev, Aleksey; Mody, Istvan; Judy, Jack W

2006-07-01

Existing approaches used to develop compact low-power multichannel wireless neural recording systems range from creating custom-integrated circuits to assembling commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) PC-based components. Custom-integrated-circuit designs yield extremely compact and low-power devices at the expense of high development and upgrade costs and turn-around times, while assembling COTS-PC-technology yields high performance at the expense of large system size and increased power consumption. To achieve a balance between implementing an ultra-compact custom-fabricated neural transceiver and assembling COTS-PC-technology, an overlay of a neural interface upon the TinyOS-based MICA2 platform is described. The system amplifies, digitally encodes, and transmits neural signals real-time at a rate of 9.6 kbps, while consuming less than 66 mW of power. The neural signals are received and forwarded to a client PC over a serial connection. This data rate can be divided for recording on up to 6 channels, with a resolution of 8 bits/sample. This work demonstrates the strengths and limitations of the TinyOS-based sensor technology as a foundation for chronic remote biological monitoring applications and, thus, provides an opportunity to create a system that can leverage from the frequent networking and communications advancements being made by the global TinyOS-development community.

Impact of ambient environment on the electronic structure of CuPc/Au sample

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sinha, Sumona; Mukherjee, M.

2018-02-01

The performances of organic devices are crucially connected with their stability in the ambient environment. The impact of 24 h. Ambient environment exposure to the electronic structures of about 12 nm thick CuPc thin film on clean Au substrate have been studied employing UV photoemission spectroscopy technique. X-ray photoemission spectroscopy (XPS) was used to find out the origin of the change of the electronic structures in the sample with the exposure. The XPS study suggests that the oxidation occurs at the CuPc thin film. Due to the adsorption of oxygen in the CuPc film from the ambient air, charge carriers are formed within the CuPc film. Moreover, the XPS results imply that the CuPc film is sufficiently thinner for diffusing oxygen molecules through it and gets physically absorbed on Au substrate during the ambient exposure. Consequently, the hole injection barrier height of pristine CuPc film, grown on Au substrate, is reduced by about 0.50 eV and work-function of the pristine CuPc sample is enhanced by around 0.25 eV in the exposure. The findings will help to understand the mechanism that governs the degradation of performance of CuPc based devices in ambient environment.

Optical sensors based on the NiPc-CoPc composite films deposited by drop casting and under the action of centrifugal force

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fatima, Noshin; Ahmed, Muhammad M.; Karimov, Khasan S.; Ahmad, Zubair; Fariq Muhammad, Fahmi

2017-06-01

In this study, solution processed composite films of nickel phthalocyanine (NiPc) and cobalt phthalocyanine (CoPc) are deposited by drop casting and under centrifugal force. The films are deposited on surface-type inter-digitated silver electrodes on ceramic alumina substrates. The effects of illumination on the impedance and capacitance of the NiPc-CoPc composite samples are investigated. The samples deposited under centrifugal force show better conductivity than the samples deposited by drop casting technique. In terms of impedance and capacitance sensitivities the samples fabricated under centrifugal force are more sensitive than the drop casting samples. The values of impedance sensitivity ({S}z) are equal to (-1.83) {{M}}{{Ω }}\\cdot {{cm}}2/{mW} and (-5.365){{M}}{{Ω }}\\cdot {{cm}}2/{mW} for the samples fabricated using drop casting and under centrifugal force, respectively. Similarly, the values of capacitance sensitivity ({S}{{c}}) are equal to 0.083 {pF}\\cdot {{cm}}2/{mW} and 0.185 {pF}\\cdot {{cm}}2/{mW} for the samples fabricated by drop casting and under centrifugal force. The films deposited using the different procedures could potentially be viable for different operational modes (i.e., conductive or capacitive) of the optical sensors. Both experimental and simulated results are discussed. Project supported by the Center for Advanced Materials (CAM), Qatar University, Qatar.

Gorlin syndrome.

PubMed

Devi, Basanti; Behera, Binodini; Patro, Sibasish; Pattnaik, Subhransu S; Puhan, Manas R

2013-05-01

Gorlin Syndrome, a rare genodermatosis, otherwise known as Nevoid basal cell carcinoma syndrome (NBCCS) is a multisystem disease affecting skin, nervous system, eyes, endocrine glands, and bones. It is characterized by multiple basal cell carcinomas, palmoplantar pits, jaw cysts, and bony deformities like kyphoscoliosis and frontal bossing. We would like to report a case of Gorlin syndrome with classical features, as this is a rare genodermatosis.

The thirteenth data release of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey: First spectroscopic data from the SDSS-IV survey mapping nearby galaxies at Apache Point Observatory

DOE PAGES

Franco D. Albareti

2017-12-08

The fourth generation of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS-IV) began observations in July 2014. It pursues three core programs: APOGEE-2, MaNGA, and eBOSS. In addition, eBOSS contains two major subprograms: TDSS and SPIDERS. This paper describes the first data release from SDSS-IV, Data Release 13 (DR13), which contains new data, reanalysis of existing data sets and, like all SDSS data releases, is inclusive of previously released data. DR13 makes publicly available 1390 spatially resolved integral field unit observations of nearby galaxies from MaNGA, the first data released from this survey. It includes new observations from eBOSS, completing SEQUELS. Inmore » addition to targeting galaxies and quasars, SEQUELS also targeted variability-selected objects from TDSS and X-ray selected objects from SPIDERS. DR13 includes new reductions of the SDSS-III BOSS data, improving the spectrophotometric calibration and redshift classification. DR13 releases new reductions of the APOGEE-1 data from SDSS-III, with abundances of elements not previously included and improved stellar parameters for dwarf stars and cooler stars. For the SDSS imaging data, DR13 provides new, more robust and precise photometric calibrations. Several value-added catalogs are being released in tandem with DR13, in particular target catalogs relevant for eBOSS, TDSS, and SPIDERS, and an updated red-clump catalog for APOGEE. This paper describes the location and format of the data now publicly available, as well as providing references to the important technical papers that describe the targeting, observing, and data reduction. In conclusion, the SDSS website, this http URL, provides links to the data, tutorials and examples of data access, and extensive documentation of the reduction and analysis procedures. DR13 is the first of a scheduled set that will contain new data and analyses from the planned ~6-year operations of SDSS-IV.« less

The thirteenth data release of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey: First spectroscopic data from the SDSS-IV survey mapping nearby galaxies at Apache Point Observatory

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

Franco D. Albareti

The fourth generation of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS-IV) began observations in July 2014. It pursues three core programs: APOGEE-2, MaNGA, and eBOSS. In addition, eBOSS contains two major subprograms: TDSS and SPIDERS. This paper describes the first data release from SDSS-IV, Data Release 13 (DR13), which contains new data, reanalysis of existing data sets and, like all SDSS data releases, is inclusive of previously released data. DR13 makes publicly available 1390 spatially resolved integral field unit observations of nearby galaxies from MaNGA, the first data released from this survey. It includes new observations from eBOSS, completing SEQUELS. Inmore » addition to targeting galaxies and quasars, SEQUELS also targeted variability-selected objects from TDSS and X-ray selected objects from SPIDERS. DR13 includes new reductions of the SDSS-III BOSS data, improving the spectrophotometric calibration and redshift classification. DR13 releases new reductions of the APOGEE-1 data from SDSS-III, with abundances of elements not previously included and improved stellar parameters for dwarf stars and cooler stars. For the SDSS imaging data, DR13 provides new, more robust and precise photometric calibrations. Several value-added catalogs are being released in tandem with DR13, in particular target catalogs relevant for eBOSS, TDSS, and SPIDERS, and an updated red-clump catalog for APOGEE. This paper describes the location and format of the data now publicly available, as well as providing references to the important technical papers that describe the targeting, observing, and data reduction. In conclusion, the SDSS website, this http URL, provides links to the data, tutorials and examples of data access, and extensive documentation of the reduction and analysis procedures. DR13 is the first of a scheduled set that will contain new data and analyses from the planned ~6-year operations of SDSS-IV.« less

Fear of feedback.

PubMed

Jackman, Jay M; Strober, Myra H

2003-04-01

Nobody likes performance reviews. Subordinates are terrified they'll hear nothing but criticism. Bosses think their direct reports will respond to even the mildest criticism with anger or tears. The result? Everyone keeps quiet. That's unfortunate, because most people need help figuring out how to improve their performance and advance their careers. This fear of feedback doesn't come into play just during annual reviews. At least half the executives with whom the authors have worked never ask for feedback. Many expect the worst: heated arguments, even threats of dismissal. So rather than seek feedback, people try to guess what their bosses are thinking. Fears and assumptions about feedback often manifest themselves in psychologically maladaptive behaviors such as procrastination, denial, brooding, jealousy, and self-sabotage. But there's hope, say the authors. Those who learn adaptive techniques can free themselves from destructive responses. They'll be able to deal with feedback better if they acknowledge negative emotions, reframe fear and criticism constructively, develop realistic goals, create support systems, and reward themselves for achievements along the way. Once you've begun to alter your maladaptive behaviors, you can begin seeking regular feedback from your boss. The authors take you through four steps for doing just that: self-assessment, external assessment, absorbing the feedback, and taking action toward change. Organizations profit when employees ask for feedback and deal well with criticism. Once people begin to know how they are doing relative to management's priorities, their work becomes better aligned with organizational goals. What's more, they begin to transform a feedback-averse environment into a more honest and open one, in turn improving performance throughout the organization.

Identification of Biomarkers for PKD1 Using Urinary Exosomes

PubMed Central

Hogan, Marie C.; Bakeberg, Jason L.; Gainullin, Vladimir G.; Irazabal, Maria V.; Harmon, Amber J.; Lieske, John C.; Charlesworth, M. Cristine; Johnson, Kenneth L.; Madden, Benjamin J.; Zenka, Roman M.; McCormick, Daniel J.; Sundsbak, Jamie L.; Heyer, Christina M.; Torres, Vicente E.; Harris, Peter C.

2015-01-01

Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) is a common cause of ESRD. Affected individuals inherit a defective copy of either PKD1 or PKD2, which encode polycystin-1 (PC1) or polycystin-2 (PC2), respectively. PC1 and PC2 are secreted on urinary exosome-like vesicles (ELVs) (100-nm diameter vesicles), in which PC1 is present in a cleaved form and may be complexed with PC2. Here, label-free quantitative proteomic studies of urine ELVs in an initial discovery cohort (13 individuals with PKD1 mutations and 18 normal controls) revealed that of 2008 ELV proteins, 9 (0.32%) were expressed at significantly different levels in samples from individuals with PKD1 mutations compared to controls (P<0.03). In samples from individuals with PKD1 mutations, levels of PC1 and PC2 were reduced to 54% (P<0.02) and 53% (P<0.001), respectively. Transmembrane protein 2 (TMEM2), a protein with homology to fibrocystin, was 2.1-fold higher in individuals with PKD1 mutations (P<0.03). The PC1/TMEM2 ratio correlated inversely with height-adjusted total kidney volume in the discovery cohort, and the ratio of PC1/TMEM2 or PC2/TMEM2 could be used to distinguish individuals with PKD1 mutations from controls in a confirmation cohort. In summary, results of this study suggest that a test measuring the urine exosomal PC1/TMEM2 or PC2/TMEM2 ratio may have utility in diagnosis and monitoring of polycystic kidney disease. Future studies will focus on increasing sample size and confirming these studies. The data were deposited in the ProteomeXchange (identifier PXD001075). PMID:25475747

Soldiers Amidst the Rubble: The United States Army and the San Francisco Earthquake of 1906

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-06-06

Ruef, lhowever, gradually lost his idealism and was drawn into machine politics. 25 Bruce Bliven, "The Roodling Boss and the Musical Mayor," American ...ARTICLES Bliven, Bruce. "The Boodling Boss and The Musical Mayor," American Heritage Magazine, 11, No. 1 (December 1959), 8-11; 100-104. Devol, Carroll A... American soldiers and civilians alike may quite j stly oe proud Oecause that-contrioution was made in the O.est spirit of the American tradition of

The Impact of Agency Audits on the Buy Our Spares Smart (BOSS) Program

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-06-01

MULTILOCATION DOD-WODE FOLLOW- UP AUDIT OF SPARE’ PARTS PROCUREMENT NAVY T 48185 13 53 TABLE III (PAGE 2 OF 3) AUDITS AND RECOMMENDATIONS CLASSIFICATION S... Audit agency/number: GAO/NSIAD 85-119 111 7. Multilocation DOD-wide Follow-up Audit of Spare Parts Procurement. Date completed: 19 November 1985 Audit ...SFILE NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL 0_ Monterey, California DTIC AUG 3 0 1988 DCO THESIS UIMPA T OF AGMY AUDITS BJY OUR SPARES S6AR (BOSS) PRGRAM by

A continuous analyzer for soluble anionic constituents and ammonium in atmospheric particulate matter.

PubMed

Al-Horr, Rida; Samanta, Gautam; Dasgupta, Purnendu K

2003-12-15

A new continuous soluble particle collector (PC) that does not use steam is described. Preceded by a denuder and interfaced with an ion chromatograph, this compact collector (3 in. o.d., approximately 5 in. total height) permits collection and continuous extraction of soluble components in atmospheric particulate matter. The PC is mounted atop a parallel plate wetted denuder for removal of soluble gases. The soluble gas denuded air enters the PC through an inlet. One version of the PC contained an integral cyclone-like inlet. For this device, penetration of particles as a function of size was characterized. In the simpler design, the sampled air enters the PC through a nozzle, and deionized water flows through a capillary tube placed close to the exit side of the nozzle by Venturi action or is forcibly pumped. Some growth of the aerosol occurs in the highly humid mist-chamber environment, but the dominant aerosol capture mechanism involves capture by the water film that forms on the hydrophobic PTFE membrane filter that constitutes the top of the PC and the airflow exit. Water drops coalesce on the filter and fall below into a purpose-machined cavity equipped with a liquid sensor. The water and the dissolved constituents are aspirated by a pump onto serial cation and anion preconcentrator columns. NH4+ captured by the cation preconcentrator is eluted with NaOH and is passed across an asymmetric membrane device. NH3 diffuses from the alkaline donor stream into a deionized water flowing countercurrent; the conductivity of the latter provides a measure of ammonium. The anions on the anion preconcentrator column are eluted and measured by a fully automated ion chromatography system. The total system thus provides automated semicontinuous measurement of soluble anions and ammonium. With a 15 min analytical cycle and a sampling rate of 5 L/min, the limit of detection (LOD) for ammonium is 8 ng/m3 and those for sulfate, nitrate, and oxalate are < or = 0.1 ng/m3. The system has been extensively field tested.

A survey of the state-of-the-art and focused research in range systems, task 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Omura, J. K.

1986-01-01

This final report presents the latest research activity in voice compression. We have designed a non-real time simulation system that is implemented around the IBM-PC where the IBM-PC is used as a speech work station for data acquisition and analysis of voice samples. A real-time implementation is also proposed. This real-time Voice Compression Board (VCB) is built around the Texas Instruments TMS-3220. The voice compression algorithm investigated here was described in an earlier report titled, Low Cost Voice Compression for Mobile Digital Radios, by the author. We will assume the reader is familiar with the voice compression algorithm discussed in this report. The VCB compresses speech waveforms at data rates ranging from 4.8 K bps to 16 K bps. This board interfaces to the IBM-PC 8-bit bus, and plugs into a single expansion slot on the mother board.

Application of ZigBee sensor network to data acquisition and monitoring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Terada, Mitsugu

2009-01-01

A ZigBee sensor network for data acquisition and monitoring is presented in this paper. It is configured using a commercially available ZigBee solution. A ZigBee module is connected via a USB interface to a Microsoft Windows PC, which works as a base station in the sensor network. Data collected by remote devices are sent to the base station PC, which is set as a data sink. Each remote device is built of a commercially available ZigBee module product and a sensor. The sensor is a thermocouple connected to a cold junction compensator amplifier. The signal from the amplifier is input to an AD converter port on the ZigBee module. Temperature data are transmitted according to the ZigBee protocol from the remote device to the data sink PC. The data sampling rate is one sampling per second; the highest possible rate is four samplings per second. The data are recorded in the hexadecimal number format by device control software, and the data file is stored in text format on the data sink PC. Time-dependent data changes can be monitored using the macro function of spreadsheet software. The system is considered a useful tool in the field of education, based on the results of trial use for measurement in an undergraduate laboratory class at a university.

Facile synthesis of ZnPc nanocubes: An electron emitting material for field emission display devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Samanta, M.; Ghorai, U. K.; Mukherjee, M.; Howli, P.; Chattopadhyay, K. K.

2017-05-01

A simple low temperature water chemical route for synthesizing Zinc Phthalocyanine (ZnPc) nanostructures were reported here. The as-prepared samples were well analysed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM) technique. The plausible formation mechanism of cube like nanostructures was also explained here. Cold cathode emission properties of ZnPc nanocubes were studied by using an indigenously designed high vacuum system at anode to cathode distance 130 µm. The turn on field and enhancement factor is found to be 5.0 V/μm @ 1µA/cm2 and 1757 respectively. Cold cathode emission properties were further investigated theoretically by finite element method using ANSYS Maxwell simulation package. The obtained results strongly professed that ZnPc nanocubes can act as potential candidate for electron emitter for field emission display devices and many more.

Constraints on neutrino masses from Lyman-alpha forest power spectrum with BOSS and XQ-100

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

Yèche, Christophe; Palanque-Delabrouille, Nathalie; Baur, Julien

We present constraints on masses of active and sterile neutrinos in the context of the ΛCDMν and ΛWDM models, respectively. We use the one-dimensional Lyα-forest power spectrum from the Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS) of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS-III) measured by Palanque-Delabrouille et al. [1], and from the VLT/XSHOOTER legacy survey (XQ-100). In this paper, we present our own measurement of the publicly released XQ-100 quasar spectra, focusing in particular on an improved determination of the spectrograph resolution that allows us to push to smaller scales than the public release and reach k -modes of 0.070 s km{supmore » −1}. We compare the obtained 1D Lyα flux power spectrum to the one measured by Irsic et al. [2] to k -modes of 0.057 s km{sup −1}. Fitting Lyα data alone leads to cosmological parameters in excellent agreement with the values derived independently from Planck 2015 Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) data. Combining BOSS and XQ-100 Lyα power spectra, we constrain the sum of neutrino masses to ∑ m {sub ν} < 0.8 eV (95% C.L.) including all identified sources of systematic uncertainties. With the addition of CMB data, this bound is tightened to ∑ m {sub ν} < 0.14 eV (95% C.L.). With their sensitivity to small scales, Lyα data are ideal to constrain ΛWDM models. Using XQ-100 alone, we issue lower bounds on pure dark matter particles: m {sub X} ∼> 2.08 : keV (95% C.L.) for early decoupled thermal relics, and m {sub s} ∼> 10.2 : keV (95% C.L.) for non-resonantly produced right-handed neutrinos. Combining the 1D Lyα-forest power spectrum measured by BOSS and XQ-100, we improve the two bounds to m {sub X} ∼> 4.17 : keV and m {sub s} ∼> 25.0 : keV (95% C.L.), slightly more constraining than what was achieved in Baur et al. 2015 [3] with BOSS data alone. The 3 σ bound shows a more significant improvement, increasing from m {sub X} ∼> 2.74 : keV for BOSS alone to m {sub X} ∼> 3.10 : keV for the combined BOSS+XQ-100 data set. Finally, we include in our analysis the first two redshift bins ( z = 4.2 and z = 4.6) of the power spectrum measured by Viel et al. 2013 [4] with the high-resolution HIRES/MIKE spectrographs. The addition of HIRES/MIKE power spectrum allows us to further improve the two limits to m {sub X} ∼> 4.65 : keV and m {sub s} ∼> 28.8 : keV (95% C.L.).« less

Skin transport of PEGylated poly(ε-caprolactone) nanoparticles assisted by (2-hydroxypropyl)-β-cyclodextrin.

PubMed

Conte, Claudia; Costabile, Gabriella; d'Angelo, Ivana; Pannico, Marianna; Musto, Pellegrino; Grassia, Gianluca; Ialenti, Armando; Tirino, Pasquale; Miro, Agnese; Ungaro, Francesca; Quaglia, Fabiana

2015-09-15

The aim of this work was to investigate the potential of small nanoparticles (NPs) made of a poly(ethylene glycol)-poly(ε-caprolactone)-amphiphilic diblock copolymer (PEG-b-PCL, PEG=2kDa and PCL=4.2kDa) as drug carrier system through the skin. Zinc(II) phthalocyanine (ZnPc), selected as lipophilic and fluorescent model molecule, was loaded inside NPs by a melting/sonication procedure. Loaded NPs with a hydrodynamic diameter around 60nm, a slightly negative zeta potential and a ZnPc entrapment dependent on polymer/ZnPc ratio were obtained. Spectroscopic investigations evidenced that ZnPc was entrapped in monomeric form maintaining its emission properties. The transport of ZnPc through porcine ear skin was evaluated on Franz-type diffusion cells after treatment with different vehicles (water or PEG 0.4kDa) containing free ZnPc or ZnPc-loaded NPs without and with (2-hydroxypropyl)-β-cyclodextrin (HPβCD) as permeation enhancer. Independently of the sample tested, ZnPc was transported in the skin without reaching receptor compartment. On the other hand, ZnPc was found in the skin in large amount and also in the viable epidermis when delivered through NPs associated with HPβCD, especially in conditions limiting water evaporation. Fluorescence images of skin samples after 24h of permeation were in line with ZnPc dosage in the skin and demonstrated the ability of NPs covalently tagged with rhodamine to penetrate the skin and to locate in the intercellular spaces. Insight into skin chemical properties upon application of NPs by confocal Raman spectroscopy demonstrated that HPβCD caused an alteration of water profile in the skin, highly reducing the degree of hydration at stratum corneum/viable epidermis interface which can promote NP transport. Taken together, these results highlight PEG-b-PCL NPs coupled with HPβCD as a novel vehicle for the skin delivery of highly lipophilic compounds paving the way to several applications. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Clustering properties of g -selected galaxies at z ~ 0.8

DOE PAGES

Favole, Ginevra; Comparat, Johan; Prada, Francisco; ...

2016-06-21

In current and future large redshift surveys, as the Sloan Digital Sky Survey IV extended Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (SDSS-IV/eBOSS) or the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI), we will use emission-line galaxies (ELGs) to probe cosmological models by mapping the large-scale structure of the Universe in the redshift range 0.6 < z < 1.7. We explore the halo-galaxy connection, with current data and by measuring three clustering properties of g-selected ELGs as matter tracers in the redshift range 0.6 < z < 1: (i) the redshift-space two-point correlation function using spectroscopic redshifts from the BOSS ELG sample and VIPERS; (ii)more » the angular two-point correlation function on the footprint of the CFHT-LS; (iii) the galaxy-galaxy lensing signal around the ELGs using the CFHTLenS. Furthermore, we interpret these observations by mapping them on to the latest high-resolution MultiDark Planck N-body simulation, using a novel (Sub)Halo-Abundance Matching technique that accounts for the ELG incompleteness. ELGs at z ~ 0.8 live in haloes of (1 ± 0.5) × 10 12 h -1 M⊙ and 22.5 ± 2.5 per cent of them are satellites belonging to a larger halo. The halo occupation distribution of ELGs indicates that we are sampling the galaxies in which stars form in the most efficient way, according to their stellar-to-halo mass ratio.« less

Detection of Baryon Acoustic Oscillation features in the large-scale 3-point correlation function of SDSS BOSS DR12 CMASS galaxies

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

Slepian, Zachary; Slosar, Anze; Eisenstein, Daniel J.

We present the large-scale 3-point correlation function (3PCF) of the SDSS DR12 CMASS sample of 777,202 Luminous Red Galaxies, the largest-ever sample used for a 3PCF or bispectrum measurement. We make the first high-significance (4.5σ) detection of Baryon Acoustic Oscillations (BAO) in the 3PCF. Using these acoustic features in the 3PCF as a standard ruler, we measure the distance to z=0.57 to 1.7% precision (statistical plus systematic). We find D V = 2024 ± 29Mpc (stat) ± 20Mpc(sys) for our fiducial cosmology (consistent with Planck 2015) and bias model. This measurement extends the use of the BAO technique from themore » 2-point correlation function (2PCF) and power spectrum to the 3PCF and opens an avenue for deriving additional cosmological distance information from future large-scale structure redshift surveys such as DESI. Our measured distance scale from the 3PCF is fairly independent from that derived from the pre-reconstruction 2PCF and is equivalent to increasing the length of BOSS by roughly 10%; reconstruction appears to lower the independence of the distance measurements. In conclusion, fitting a model including tidal tensor bias yields a moderate significance (2.6σ) detection of this bias with a value in agreement with the prediction from local Lagrangian biasing.« less

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

Ata, Metin; Baumgarten, Falk; Bautista, Julian

We present measurements of the Baryon Acoustic Oscillation (BAO) scale in redshift-space using the clustering of quasars. We consider a sample of 147,000 quasars from the extended Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (eBOSS) distributed over 2044 square degrees with redshiftsmore » $0.8 < z < 2.2$ and measure their spherically-averaged clustering in both configuration and Fourier space. Our observational dataset and the 1400 simulated realizations of the dataset allow us to detect a preference for BAO that is greater than 2.5$$\\sigma$$. We determine the spherically averaged BAO distance to $z = 1.52$ to 4.4 per cent precision: $$D_V(z=1.52)=3855\\pm170 \\left(r_{\\rm d}/r_{\\rm d, fid}\\right)\\ $$Mpc. This is the first time the location of the BAO feature has been measured between redshifts 1 and 2. Our result is fully consistent with the prediction obtained by extrapolating the Planck flat $$\\Lambda$$CDM best-fit cosmology. All of our results are consistent with basic large-scale structure (LSS) theory, confirming quasars to be a reliable tracer of LSS, and provide a starting point for numerous cosmological tests to be performed with eBOSS quasar samples. We combine our result with previous, independent, BAO distance measurements to construct an updated BAO distance-ladder. Using these BAO data alone and marginalizing over the length of the standard ruler, we find $$\\Omega_{\\Lambda} > 0$$ at 6.5$$\\sigma$$ significance when testing a $$\\Lambda$$CDM model with free curvature.« less

Detection of baryon acoustic oscillation features in the large-scale three-point correlation function of SDSS BOSS DR12 CMASS galaxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Slepian, Zachary; Eisenstein, Daniel J.; Brownstein, Joel R.; Chuang, Chia-Hsun; Gil-Marín, Héctor; Ho, Shirley; Kitaura, Francisco-Shu; Percival, Will J.; Ross, Ashley J.; Rossi, Graziano; Seo, Hee-Jong; Slosar, Anže; Vargas-Magaña, Mariana

2017-08-01

We present the large-scale three-point correlation function (3PCF) of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey DR12 Constant stellar Mass (CMASS) sample of 777 202 Luminous Red Galaxies, the largest-ever sample used for a 3PCF or bispectrum measurement. We make the first high-significance (4.5σ) detection of baryon acoustic oscillations (BAO) in the 3PCF. Using these acoustic features in the 3PCF as a standard ruler, we measure the distance to z = 0.57 to 1.7 per cent precision (statistical plus systematic). We find DV = 2024 ± 29 Mpc (stat) ± 20 Mpc (sys) for our fiducial cosmology (consistent with Planck 2015) and bias model. This measurement extends the use of the BAO technique from the two-point correlation function (2PCF) and power spectrum to the 3PCF and opens an avenue for deriving additional cosmological distance information from future large-scale structure redshift surveys such as DESI. Our measured distance scale from the 3PCF is fairly independent from that derived from the pre-reconstruction 2PCF and is equivalent to increasing the length of BOSS by roughly 10 per cent; reconstruction appears to lower the independence of the distance measurements. Fitting a model including tidal tensor bias yields a moderate-significance (2.6σ) detection of this bias with a value in agreement with the prediction from local Lagrangian biasing.

Detection of Baryon Acoustic Oscillation features in the large-scale 3-point correlation function of SDSS BOSS DR12 CMASS galaxies

DOE PAGES

Slepian, Zachary; Slosar, Anze; Eisenstein, Daniel J.; ...

2017-03-01

We present the large-scale 3-point correlation function (3PCF) of the SDSS DR12 CMASS sample of 777,202 Luminous Red Galaxies, the largest-ever sample used for a 3PCF or bispectrum measurement. We make the first high-significance (4.5σ) detection of Baryon Acoustic Oscillations (BAO) in the 3PCF. Using these acoustic features in the 3PCF as a standard ruler, we measure the distance to z=0.57 to 1.7% precision (statistical plus systematic). We find D V = 2024 ± 29Mpc (stat) ± 20Mpc(sys) for our fiducial cosmology (consistent with Planck 2015) and bias model. This measurement extends the use of the BAO technique from themore » 2-point correlation function (2PCF) and power spectrum to the 3PCF and opens an avenue for deriving additional cosmological distance information from future large-scale structure redshift surveys such as DESI. Our measured distance scale from the 3PCF is fairly independent from that derived from the pre-reconstruction 2PCF and is equivalent to increasing the length of BOSS by roughly 10%; reconstruction appears to lower the independence of the distance measurements. In conclusion, fitting a model including tidal tensor bias yields a moderate significance (2.6σ) detection of this bias with a value in agreement with the prediction from local Lagrangian biasing.« less

Looking for earths : the race to find new solar systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boss, Alan

1998-09-01

The ultimate insider's account of astronomy's fantastic voyage in search of brave new worlds in faraway galaxies "Highly recommended." -Science and Technology "Full of humor, heartbreak, and a deep understanding of the ardor and luck that compose years of research. . . . The reader becomes not merely a receiver of Boss's vision, but a fellow explorer." -Astronomy "A rewarding account." -Scientific American Are we alone in the universe . . . or are there other planets generating and sustaining life? The question may be as old as civilization, but in the twilight of a century marked by countless frustrated quests to find other solar systems, several teams of pioneering astronomers have at last discovered a rich crop of mammoth, Jupiter-sized gas planets -the first compelling evidence that there may indeed be life in other galaxies. In Looking for Earths, a prominent planetary scientist takes us along on this thrilling hunt for new life, revealing the behind-the-scenes stories of scientific determination, frustration, and triumph. Ushering us to the mountaintop observatories that house the world's most powerful telescopes, and into the tension-filled scientific meetings where new results are announced and old results overturned, Alan Boss brings the process of exploration vividly alive. Experience the roller-coaster ride as intricate observations of minuscule stellar wobbles raise hopes that at last a true planet has been found, only to be almost immediately shattered by more powerful observations. Boss also introduces the principal players whose dreams defied all odds and made the first major discovery possible. Like no other book, Looking for Earths captures the lively tension between theory and observation that defines cutting-edge astronomical discovery, along with the heated battles that will determine the direction of big-ticket American astronomy for years to come. "You will find no better introduction to one of the truly revolutionary developments in modern astronomy."-Natural History

Encapsulation of antioxidant phenolic compounds extracted from spent coffee grounds by freeze-drying and spray-drying using different coating materials.

PubMed

Ballesteros, Lina F; Ramirez, Monica J; Orrego, Carlos E; Teixeira, José A; Mussatto, Solange I

2017-12-15

Freeze-drying and spray-drying techniques were evaluated for encapsulation of phenolic compounds (PC) extracted from spent coffee grounds. Additionally, the use of maltodextrin, gum arabic and a mixture of these components (ratio 1:1) as wall material to retain the PC and preserve their antioxidant activity was also assessed. The contents of PC and flavonoids (FLA), as well as the antioxidant activity of the encapsulated samples were determined in order to verify the efficiency of each studied condition. Additional analyses for characterization of the samples were also performed. Both the technique and the coating material greatly influenced the encapsulation of antioxidant PC. The best results were achieved when PC were encapsulated by freeze-drying using maltodextrin as wall material. Under these conditions, the amount of PC and FLA retained in the encapsulated sample corresponded to 62% and 73%, respectively, and 73-86% of the antioxidant activity present in the original extract was preserved. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Biomarkers of oxidative stress study V: ozone exposure of rats and its effect on lipids, proteins, and DNA in plasma and urine.

PubMed

Kadiiska, Maria B; Basu, Samar; Brot, Nathan; Cooper, Christopher; Saari Csallany, A; Davies, Michael J; George, Magdalene M; Murray, Dennis M; Jackson Roberts, L; Shigenaga, Mark K; Sohal, Rajindar S; Stocker, Roland; Van Thiel, David H; Wiswedel, Ingrid; Hatch, Gary E; Mason, Ronald P

2013-08-01

Ozone exposure effect on free radical-catalyzed oxidation products of lipids, proteins, and DNA in the plasma and urine of rats was studied as a continuation of the international Biomarker of Oxidative Stress Study (BOSS) sponsored by NIEHS/NIH. The goal was to identify a biomarker for ozone-induced oxidative stress and to assess whether inconsistent results often reported in the literature might be due to the limitations of the available methods for measuring the various types of oxidative products. The time- and dose-dependent effects of ozone exposure on rat plasma lipid hydroperoxides, malondialdehyde, F2-isoprostanes, protein carbonyls, methionine oxidation, and tyrosine- and phenylalanine oxidation products, as well as urinary malondialdehyde and F2-isoprostanes were investigated with various techniques. The criterion used to recognize a marker in the model of ozone exposure was that a significant effect could be identified and measured in a biological fluid seen at both doses at more than one time point. No statistically significant differences between the experimental and the control groups at either ozone dose and time point studied could be identified in this study. Tissue samples were not included. Despite all the work accomplished in the BOSS study of ozone, no available product of oxidation in biological fluid has yet met the required criteria of being a biomarker. The current negative findings as a consequence of ozone exposure are of great importance, because they document that in complex systems, as the present in vivo experiment, the assays used may not provide meaningful data of ozone oxidation, especially in human studies. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Biomarkers of Oxidative Stress Study V: Ozone exposure of rats and its effect on lipids, proteins and DNA in plasma and urine

PubMed Central

Kadiiska, Maria B.; Basu, Samar; Brot, Nathan; Cooper, Christopher; Csallany, A. Saari; Davies, Michael J.; George, Magdalene M.; Murray, Dennis M.; Roberts, L. Jackson; Shigenaga, Mark K.; Sohal, Rajindar S.; Stocker, Roland; Van Thiel, David H.; Wiswedel, Ingrid; Hatch, Gary E.; Mason, Ronald P.

2014-01-01

Ozone exposure effect on free radical-catalyzed oxidation products of lipids, proteins and DNA in the plasma and urine of rats was studied as a continuation of the international Biomarker of Oxidative Stress Study (BOSS) sponsored by NIEHS/NIH. The goal was to identify a biomarker for ozone-induced oxidative stress and to assess whether inconsistent results often reported in the literature might be due to the limitations of the available methods for measuring the various types of oxidative products. The time and dose-dependent effects of ozone exposure on rat plasma lipid hydroperoxides, malondialdehyde, F2-isoprostanes, protein carbonyls, methionine oxidation, tyrosine- and phenylalanine oxidation products, as well as urinary malondialdehyde and F2-isoprostanes were investigated with various techniques. The criterion used to recognize a marker in the model of ozone exposure was that a significant effect could be identified and measured in a biological fluid seen at both doses at more than one time point. No statistically significant differences between the experimental and control groups at either ozone dose and time point studied could be identified in this study. Tissue samples were not included. Despite all the work accomplished in the BOSS study of ozone, no available product of oxidation in biological fluid has yet met the required criteria of being a biomarker. The current negative findings as a consequence of ozone exposure are of great importance, because they document that in complex systems, as the present in vivo experiment, the assays used may not provide meaningful data of ozone oxidation, especially in human studies. PMID:23608465

Principal Component Noise Filtering for NAST-I Radiometric Calibration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tian, Jialin; Smith, William L., Sr.

2011-01-01

The National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System (NPOESS) Airborne Sounder Testbed- Interferometer (NAST-I) instrument is a high-resolution scanning interferometer that measures emitted thermal radiation between 3.3 and 18 microns. The NAST-I radiometric calibration is achieved using internal blackbody calibration references at ambient and hot temperatures. In this paper, we introduce a refined calibration technique that utilizes a principal component (PC) noise filter to compensate for instrument distortions and artifacts, therefore, further improve the absolute radiometric calibration accuracy. To test the procedure and estimate the PC filter noise performance, we form dependent and independent test samples using odd and even sets of blackbody spectra. To determine the optimal number of eigenvectors, the PC filter algorithm is applied to both dependent and independent blackbody spectra with a varying number of eigenvectors. The optimal number of PCs is selected so that the total root-mean-square (RMS) error is minimized. To estimate the filter noise performance, we examine four different scenarios: apply PC filtering to both dependent and independent datasets, apply PC filtering to dependent calibration data only, apply PC filtering to independent data only, and no PC filters. The independent blackbody radiances are predicted for each case and comparisons are made. The results show significant reduction in noise in the final calibrated radiances with the implementation of the PC filtering algorithm.

Composite Spectra of Broad Absorption Line Quasars in SDSS-III BOSS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Herbst, Hanna; Hamann, Fred; Paris, Isabelle; Capellupo, Daniel M.

2017-01-01

We present preliminary results from a study of broad absorption line (BAL) quasars in the SDSS-III BOSS survey. We’re particularly interested in BALs because they arise from quasar outflows, which may be a source of feedback to the host galaxy. We analyze median composite spectra for BOSS QSOs in the redshift range 2.1 to 3.4 sorted by the strength of the BAL absorption troughs, parameterized by the Balnicity Index (BI), to study trends in the emission and absorption properties of BAL quasars. The wavelength coverage and high number of quasars observed in the BOSS survey allow us to examine BALs in the Lyman forest. Our main preliminary results when sorting the quasars by BI are 1) doublet absorption lines such as P V 1128A show a 1:1 ratio across all BI, indicating large column densities at all BI. This suggests that weaker BAL troughs result from smaller covering fractions rather than lower column densities. 2) The He II emission line, which is a measure of the far-UV/near-UV hardness of the ionizing continuum, is weaker in the larger BI composite spectra, indicating a far-UV spectral softening correlated with BI. This is consistent with the radiatively-driven BAL outflows being helped by intrinsically weaker ionizing continuum shapes (e.g., Baskin, Laor, and Hamann 2013). We also find a trend for slightly redder continuum slopes in the larger BI composite spectra, suggesting that the slope differences in the near-UV are also intrinsic.

IBM PC/IX operating system evaluation plan

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dominick, Wayne D. (Editor); Granier, Martin; Hall, Philip P.; Triantafyllopoulos, Spiros

1984-01-01

An evaluation plan for the IBM PC/IX Operating System designed for IBM PC/XT computers is discussed. The evaluation plan covers the areas of performance measurement and evaluation, software facilities available, man-machine interface considerations, networking, and the suitability of PC/IX as a development environment within the University of Southwestern Louisiana NASA PC Research and Development project. In order to compare and evaluate the PC/IX system, comparisons with other available UNIX-based systems are also included.

Integrating an embedded system in a microwave moisture meter

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The conversion of a PC- or laptop-controlled microwave moisture meter to a stand-alone meter hosting its own embedded system is discussed. The moisture meter measures the attenuation and phase shift of low power microwaves traversing the sample, from which the dielectric properties are calculated. T...

Integrating an Embedded System within a Microwave Moisture Meter

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

In this paper, the conversion of a PC or laptop-controlled microwave moisture meter to a stand-alone meter hosting its own embedded system is discussed. The moisture meter uses low-power microwaves to measure the attenuation and phase shift of the sample, from which the dielectric properties are cal...

The clustering of the SDSS-IV extended Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey DR14 quasar sample: First measurement of Baryon Acoustic Oscillations between redshift 0.8 and 2.2

DOE PAGES

Ata, Metin; Baumgarten, Falk; Bautista, Julian; ...

2017-10-11

We present measurements of the Baryon Acoustic Oscillation (BAO) scale in redshift-space using the clustering of quasars. We consider a sample of 147,000 quasars from the extended Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (eBOSS) distributed over 2044 square degrees with redshiftsmore » $0.8 < z < 2.2$ and measure their spherically-averaged clustering in both configuration and Fourier space. Our observational dataset and the 1400 simulated realizations of the dataset allow us to detect a preference for BAO that is greater than 2.5$$\\sigma$$. We determine the spherically averaged BAO distance to $z = 1.52$ to 4.4 per cent precision: $$D_V(z=1.52)=3855\\pm170 \\left(r_{\\rm d}/r_{\\rm d, fid}\\right)\\ $$Mpc. This is the first time the location of the BAO feature has been measured between redshifts 1 and 2. Our result is fully consistent with the prediction obtained by extrapolating the Planck flat $$\\Lambda$$CDM best-fit cosmology. All of our results are consistent with basic large-scale structure (LSS) theory, confirming quasars to be a reliable tracer of LSS, and provide a starting point for numerous cosmological tests to be performed with eBOSS quasar samples. We combine our result with previous, independent, BAO distance measurements to construct an updated BAO distance-ladder. Using these BAO data alone and marginalizing over the length of the standard ruler, we find $$\\Omega_{\\Lambda} > 0$$ at 6.5$$\\sigma$$ significance when testing a $$\\Lambda$$CDM model with free curvature.« less

Local Prediction Models on Mid-Atlantic Ridge MORB by Principal Component Regression

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ling, X.; Snow, J. E.; Chin, W.

2017-12-01

The isotopic compositions of the daughter isotopes of long-lived radioactive systems (Sr, Nd, Hf and Pb ) can be used to map the scale and history of mantle heterogeneities beneath mid-ocean ridges. Our goal is to relate the multidimensional structure in the existing isotopic dataset with an underlying physical reality of mantle sources. The numerical technique of Principal Component Analysis is useful to reduce the linear dependence of the data to a minimum set of orthogonal eigenvectors encapsulating the information contained (cf Agranier et al 2005). The dataset used for this study covers almost all the MORBs along mid-Atlantic Ridge (MAR), from 54oS to 77oN and 8.8oW to -46.7oW, including replicating the dataset of Agranier et al., 2005 published plus 53 basalt samples dredged and analyzed since then (data from PetDB). The principal components PC1 and PC2 account for 61.56% and 29.21%, respectively, of the total isotope ratios variability. The samples with similar compositions to HIMU and EM and DM are identified to better understand the PCs. PC1 and PC2 are accountable for HIMU and EM whereas PC2 has limited control over the DM source. PC3 is more strongly controlled by the depleted mantle source than PC2. What this means is that all three principal components have a high degree of significance relevant to the established mantle sources. We also tested the relationship between mantle heterogeneity and sample locality. K-means clustering algorithm is a type of unsupervised learning to find groups in the data based on feature similarity. The PC factor scores of each sample are clustered into three groups. Cluster one and three are alternating on the north and south MAR. Cluster two exhibits on 45.18oN to 0.79oN and -27.9oW to -30.40oW alternating with cluster one. The ridge has been preliminarily divided into 16 sections considering both the clusters and ridge segments. The principal component regression models the section based on 6 isotope ratios and PCs. The prediction residual is about 1-2km. It means that the combined 5 isotopes are a strong predictor of geographic location along the ridge, a slightly surprising result. PCR is a robust and powerful method for both visualizing and manipulating the multidimensional representation of isotope data.

Why the Interdisciplinary Team Approach Works: Insights from Complexity Science.

PubMed

Ciemins, Elizabeth L; Brant, Jeannine; Kersten, Diane; Mullette, Elizabeth; Dickerson, Dustin

2016-07-01

Although an interdisciplinary approach is considered best practice for caring for patients at the end of life, or in need of palliative care (PC) services, there is growing tension between healthcare organizations' need to contain costs and the provision of this beneficial, yet resource-intensive service. To support the interdisciplinary team (IDT) approach by recognizing organizations, teams, patients, and families as complex adaptive systems, illustrated by a qualitative study of the experiences, roles, and attributes of healthcare professionals (HCPs) who work with patients in need of PC services. In-depth, semi-structured interviews of PC health professionals were conducted, transcribed, and independently reviewed using grounded theory methodology and preliminary interpretations. A combined deductive and inductive iterative qualitative approach was used to identify recurring themes. The study was conducted in a physician-led, not-for-profit, multispecialty integrated health system serving three large, Western, rural states. A purposive sample of 10 HCPs who regularly provide PC services were interviewed. A positive team/patient experience was related to individual attributes, including self-awareness, spirit of inquiry, humility, and comfort with dying. IDT attributes included shared purpose, relational coordination, holistic thinking, trust, and respect for patient autonomy. Professional and personal motivations also contributed to a positive team/patient experience. Interdisciplinary PC teams have the potential to significantly impact patient and team experiences when caring for seriously ill patients. Findings from this study support interventions that focus on relationship building and application of a complex systems theory approach to team development.

Halo-free Phase Contrast Microscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nguyen, Tan H.; Kandel, Mikhail; Shakir, Haadi M.; Best-Popescu, Catherine; Arikkath, Jyothi; Do, Minh N.; Popescu, Gabriel

2017-03-01

We present a new approach for retrieving halo-free phase contrast microscopy (hfPC) images by upgrading the conventional PC microscope with an external interferometric module, which generates sufficient data for reversing the halo artifact. Acquiring four independent intensity images, our approach first measures haloed phase maps of the sample. We solve for the halo-free sample transmission function by using a physical model of the image formation under partial spatial coherence. Using this halo-free sample transmission, we can numerically generate artifact-free PC images. Furthermore, this transmission can be further used to obtain quantitative information about the sample, e.g., the thickness with known refractive indices, dry mass of live cells during their cycles. We tested our hfPC method on various control samples, e.g., beads, pillars and validated its potential for biological investigation by imaging live HeLa cells, red blood cells, and neurons.

PCI/iRMX-Based Front-End Data Acquisition for the HT-7U Experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shu, Yantai; Luo, Jiarong; Yan, Jianbing; Zhao, Feng; Zhang, Liang

2004-06-01

A PCI/iRMX-based front-end system is being designed to serve as data acquisition (DAQ) subsystem for the HT-7U superconducting tokamak. The diagnostic instruments are connected to four analog-to-digital converter (ADC) boards that are directly plugged into the peripheral component interconnect (PCI) bus of a personal computer (PC) running the iRMX real-time operating system. Each ADC board has eight channels. The sampling rate of each channel can be up to 125 K samples per second. The acquired data are directly transferred from the ADC board into the memory of the PC, and then transferred to servers through the network. As a testbed, one PCI/iRMX subsystem has been built and has acquired data from the existing HT-7 tokamak. The DAQ can easily support a wide range of pulse lengths, even matching extremely long pulse and steady-state operation. This paper describes the system design and performance evaluation in detail.

Study on the behavior and mechanism of polycarbonate with hot-water aging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kong, L. P.; Zhao, Y. X.; Zhou, C. H.; Huang, Y. H.; Tang, M.; Gao, J. G.

2016-07-01

The present work was concerned with hot-water aging behavior and mechanism of Bisphenol A polycarbonate (PC) used as food and packaging materials. It indicated that with the aging time prolonged, PC sample had internal defects and the mechanical properties of PC materials changed not too much, molecular weight decreased, thermal stability declined. Phenolic hydroxyl absorption intensity enhanced in IR spectra and the maximum absorption wavelength red shift of benzene in UV-Vis spectra, the level of BPA increased. The color change of PC sample was not apparent.

The Marine Corps Needs a Targeting, Sensors, and Surveillance Systems Operational Integration and Support Team

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-03-02

triggerman is probably still close ; lately all IEDs in the area have been initiated via command-wire. The squad leader sets a cordon, ensures an IED 9...Operational Surveillance System (G-BOSS) with a Class IIIb laser pointer. This class of laser requires users to receive a laser safety class...2) The Keyhole kit of surveillance equipment. Designed to provide “snipers with an increased capability to visually detect the enemy emplacing IEDs

Enhancement of the photoprotection and nanomechanical properties of polycarbonate by deposition of thin ceramic coatings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mailhot, B.; Rivaton, A.; Gardette, J.-L.; Moustaghfir, A.; Tomasella, E.; Jacquet, M.; Ma, X.-G.; Komvopoulos, K.

2006-05-01

The chemical reactions resulting from ultraviolet radiation produce discoloration and significant changes in the surface properties of polycarbonate (PC). To prevent photon absorption from irradiation and oxygen diffusion and to enhance the surface nanomechanical properties of PC, thin ceramic coatings of ZnO and Al2O3 (both single- and multi-layer) were deposited on bulk PC by radio-frequency magnetron sputtering. The samples were irradiated at wavelengths greater than 300 nm, representative of outdoor conditions. Despite the effectiveness of ZnO to protect PC from irradiation damage, photocatalytic oxidation at the PC/ZnO interface was the limiting factor. To overcome this deficiency, a thin Al2O3 coating was used both as intermediate and top layer because of its higher hardness and wear resistance than ZnO. Therefore, PC/Al2O3/ZnO, PC/ZnO/Al2O3, and PC/Al2O3/ZnO/Al2O3 layered media were fabricated and their photodegradation properties were examined by infrared and ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy. It was found that the photocatalytic activity at the PC/ZnO interface was reduced in the presence of the intermediate Al2O3 layer that limited the oxygen permeability. Nanomechanical experiments performed with a surface force apparatus revealed that the previous coating systems enhanced both the surface nanohardness and the elastic modulus and reduced the coefficient of friction in the order of ZnO, Al2O3, and Al2O3/ZnO/Al2O3. Although irradiation increased the nanohardness and the elastic modulus of PC, the irradiation effect on the surface mechanical properties of ceramic-coated PC was secondary.

Measurements of the pairwise kinematic Sunyaev-Zel'dovich effect with the Atacama Cosmology Telescope and future surveys

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vavagiakis, Eve Marie; De Bernardis, Francesco; Aiola, Simone; Battaglia, Nicholas; Niemack, Michael D.; ACTPol Collaboration

2017-06-01

We have made improved measurements of the kinematic Sunyaev-Zel’dovich (kSZ) effect using data from the Atacama Cosmology Telescope (ACT) and the Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS). We used a map of the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) from two seasons of observations each by ACT and the Atacama Cosmology Telescope Polarimeter (ACTPol) receiver. We evaluated the mean pairwise baryon momentum associated with the positions of 50,000 bright galaxies in the BOSS DR11 Large Scale Structure catalog via 600 square degrees of overlapping sky area. The measurement of the kSZ signal arising from the large-scale motions of clusters was made by fitting data to an analytical model. The free parameter of the fit determined the optical depth to microwave photon scattering for the cluster sample. We estimated the covariance matrix of the mean pairwise momentum as a function of galaxy separation using CMB simulations, jackknife evaluation, and bootstrap estimates. The most conservative simulation-based uncertainties gave signal-to-noise estimates between 3.6 and 4.1 for various luminosity cuts. Additionally, we explored a novel approach to estimating cluster optical depths from the average thermal Sunyaev-Zel’dovich (tSZ) signal at the BOSS DR11 catalog positions. Our results were broadly consistent with those obtained from the kSZ signal. In the future, the tSZ signal may provide a valuable probe of cluster optical depths, enabling the extraction of velocities from the kSZ sourced mean pairwise momenta. New CMB maps from three seasons of ACTPol observations with multi-frequency coverage overlap with nearly four times as many DR11 sources and promise to improve statistics and systematics for SZ measurements. With these and other upcoming data, the pairwise kSZ signal is poised to become a powerful new cosmological tool, able to probe large physical scales to inform neutrino physics and test models of modified gravity and dark energy.

Primary Care–Mental Health Integration Programs in the Veterans Affairs Health System Serve a Different Patient Population Than Specialty Mental Health Clinics

PubMed Central

Szymanski, Benjamin R.; Zivin, Kara; McCarthy, John F.; Valenstein, Marcia; Pfeiffer, Paul N.

2012-01-01

Objective: To assess whether Primary Care–Mental Health Integration (PC-MHI) programs within the Veterans Affairs (VA) health system provide services to patient subgroups that may be underrepresented in specialty mental health care, including older patients and women, and to explore whether PC-MHI served individuals with less severe mental health disorders compared to specialty mental health clinics. Method: Data were obtained from the VA National Patient Care Database for a random sample of VA patients, and primary care patients with an ICD-9-CM mental health diagnosis (N = 243,806) in 2009 were identified. Demographic and clinical characteristics between patients who received mental health treatment exclusively in a specialty mental health clinic (n = 128,248) or exclusively in a PC-MHI setting (n = 8,485) were then compared. Characteristics of patients who used both types of services were also explored. Results: Compared to patients treated in specialty mental health clinics, PC-MHI service users were more likely to be aged 65 years or older (26.4% vs 17.9%, P < .001) and female (8.6% vs 7.7%, P = .003). PC-MHI patients were more likely than specialty mental health clinic patients to be diagnosed with a depressive disorder other than major depression, an unspecified anxiety disorder, or an adjustment disorder (P < .001) and less likely to be diagnosed with more severe disorders, including bipolar disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder, psychotic disorders, and alcohol or substance dependence (P < .001). Conclusions: Primary Care–Mental Health Integration within the VA health system reaches demographic subgroups that are traditionally less likely to use specialty mental health care. By treating patients with less severe mental health disorders, PC-MHI appears to expand upon, rather than duplicate, specialty care services. PMID:23106026

The properties of the disk system of globular clusters

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Armandroff, Taft E.

1989-01-01

A large refined data sample is used to study the properties and origin of the disk system of globular clusters. A scale height for the disk cluster system of 800-1500 pc is found which is consistent with scale-height determinations for samples of field stars identified with the Galactic thick disk. A rotational velocity of 193 + or - 29 km/s and a line-of-sight velocity dispersion of 59 + or - 14 km/s have been found for the metal-rich clusters.

VizieR Online Data Catalog: BOSS narrow CIV absorption lines. III. (Chen+, 2016)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Z.-F.; Gu, Q.-S.; Zhou, L.; Chen, Y.-M.

2018-03-01

In this paper, we extend our previous search of CIV NALs released in Papers I (Chen et al., 2014, Cat. J/ApJS/210/7) and II (Chen et al., 2014, Cat. J/ApJS/215/12) to spectral data redwards of CIV 1549 emission lines. Therefore, the quasar sample and selection criteria are the combination of Papers I (Chen et al., 2014, Cat. J/ApJS/210/7) and II (Chen et al., 2014, Cat. J/ApJS/215/12). (1 data file).

High Speed PC Based Data Acquisition and Instrumentation for Measurement of Simulated Low Earth Orbit Thermally Induced Disturbances

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sills, Joel W., Jr.; Griffin, Thomas J. (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

The Hubble Space Telescope (HST) Disturbance Verification Test (DVT) was conducted to characterize responses of the Observatory's new set of rigid solar array's (SA3) to thermally induced 'creak' or stiction releases. The data acquired in the DVT were used in verification of the HST Pointing Control System on-orbit performance, post-Servicing Mission 3B (SM3B). The test simulated the on-orbit environment on a deployed SA3 flight wing. Instrumentation for this test required pretest simulations in order to select the correct sensitivities. Vacuum compatible, highly accurate accelerometers and force gages were used for this test. The complexity of the test, as well as a short planning schedule, required a data acquisition system that was easy to configure, highly flexible, and extremely robust. A PC Windows oriented data acquisition system meets these requirements, allowing the test engineers to minimize the time required to plan and perform complex environmental test. The SA3 DVT provided a direct practical and complex demonstration of the versatility that PC based data acquisition systems provide. Two PC based data acquisition systems were assembled to acquire, process, distribute, and provide real time processing for several types of transducers used in the SA3 DVT. A high sample rate digital tape recorder was used to archive the sensor signals. The two systems provided multi-channel hardware and software architecture and were selected based on the test requirements. How these systems acquire and processes multiple data rates from different transducer types is discussed, along with the system hardware and software architecture.

The white dwarfs within 25 pc of the Sun: Kinematics and spectroscopic subtypes

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

Sion, Edward M.; McCook, George P.; Wasatonic, Richard

2014-06-01

We present the fractional distribution of spectroscopic subtypes, range and distribution of surface temperatures, and kinematical properties of the white dwarfs (WDs) within 25 pc of the Sun. There is no convincing evidence of halo WDs in the total 25 pc sample of 224 WDs. There is also little to suggest the presence of genuine thick disk subcomponent members within 25 pc. It appears that the entire 25 pc sample likely belongs to the thin disk. We also find no significant kinematic differences with respect to spectroscopic subtypes. The total DA to non-DA ratio of the 25 pc sample ismore » 1.8, a manifestation of deepening envelope convection, which transforms DA stars with sufficiently thin H surface layers into non-DAs. We compare this ratio with the results of other studies. We find that at least 11% of the WDs within 25 pc of the Sun (the DAZ and DZ stars) have photospheric metals that likely originate from accretion of circumstellar material (debris disks) around them. If this interpretation is correct, then it suggests the possibility that a similar percentage have planets, asteroid-like bodies, or debris disks orbiting them. Our volume-limited sample reveals a pileup of DC WDs at the well-known cutoff in DQ WDs at T {sub eff} ∼ 6000 K. Mindful of small number statistics, we speculate on its possible evolutionary significance. We find that the incidence of magnetic WDs in the 25 pc sample is at least 8% in our volume-limited sample, dominated by cool WDs. We derive approximate formation rates of DB and DQ degenerates and present a preliminary test of the evolutionary scenario that all cooling DB stars become DQ WDs via helium convective dredge-up with the diffusion tail of carbon extending upward from their cores.« less

Cosmological constraints from X-ray all sky surveys, from CODEX to eROSITA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Finoguenov, A.

2017-10-01

Large area cluster cosmology has long become a multiwavelength discipline. Understanding the effect of various selections is currently the main path to improving on the validity of cluster cosmological results. Many of these results are based on the large area sample derived from RASS data. We perform wavelet detection of X-ray sources and make extensive simulations of the detection of clusters in the RASS data. We assign an optical richness to each of the 25,000 detected X-ray sources in the 10,000 square degrees of SDSS BOSS area. We show that there is no obvious separation of sources on galaxy clusters and AGN, based on distribution of systems on their richness. We conclude that previous catalogs, such as MACS, REFLEX are all subject to a complex optical selection function, in addition to an X-ray selection. We provide a complete model of identification of cluster counts are galaxy clusters, which includes chance identification, effect of AGN halo occupation distribution and the thermal emission of ICM. Finally we present the cosmological results obtained using this sample.

A novel ultrasonic phased array inspection system to NDT for offshore platform structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Hua; Shan, Baohua; Wang, Xin; Ou, Jinping

2007-01-01

A novel ultrasonic phased array detection system is developed for nondestructive testing (NDT). The purpose of the system is to make acquisition of data in real-time from 64-element ultrasonic phased array transducer, and to enable real- time processing of the acquired data. The system is composed of five main parts: master unit, main board, eight transmit/receive units, a 64-element transducer and an external PC. The system can be used with 64 element transducers, excite 32 elements, receive and sample echo signals form 32 elements simultaneously at 62.5MHz with 8 bit precision. The external PC is used as the user interface showing the real time images and controls overall operation of the system through USB serial link. The use of Universal Serial Bus (USB) improves the transform speed and reduces hardware interface complexity. The program of the system is written in Visual C++.NET and is platform independent.

Herd characteristics and management practices associated with bulk tank milk quality of dairy herds in southeastern Brazil.

PubMed

Cortinhas, Cristina Simões; Botaro, Bruno Garcia; de Macedo, Susana Nori; Dos Santos, Marcos Veiga

2018-04-30

This study identified the association of management practices and herd characteristics with milk quality of bulk tanks in southeastern, Brazil. Milk samples were collected weekly during 8 weeks from 63 dairy herds. Bulk tanks were evaluated for total bacteria (TBC), preliminary incubation (PIC), pasteurization (PC), coliform (CC), and somatic cell counts (SCC). Associations found were type of milking system utilized in the farm with TBC, PIC, and SCC; the use of gloves for milking with TBC and PIC; sanitation of milking equipment prior to milking with PC and CC; strip cup testing of cows with PC; teat washing prior to milking with SCC; pre-milking teat disinfection with TBC and CC; post-dipping with TBC and SCC; and the alkaline-acid washing procedure of milking equipment with PIC and PC. The regression analysis explained the variation of bulk tank PC (- 0.47 log cfu/mL) due to the adoption of strip cup test (P = 0.036) and, by 0.366 log cfu/mL due to alkaline and acid washing of milking equipment (P = 0.036). Herringbone milking systems adopted on farms represented a change of - 0.11 log cfu/mL on the log SCC (P = 0.048). Findings may provide a guideline to prioritize efforts aimed at improving milk quality at the farm level in Brazil.

Demonstration of disinfection procedure for the development of accurate blood glucose meters in accordance with ISO 15197:2013

PubMed Central

Lin, Wen-Ye; Chang, Jung-Tzu; Chu, Chun-Feng

2017-01-01

Despite measures to reduce disease transmission, a risk can occur when blood glucose meters (BGMs) are used on multiple individuals or by caregivers assisting a patient. The laboratory and in-clinic performance of a BGM system before and after disinfection should be demonstrated to guarantee accurate readings and reliable control of blood glucose (BG) for patients. In this study, an effective disinfection procedure, conducting wiping 10 times to assure a one minute contact time of the disinfectant on contaminated surface, was first demonstrated using test samples of the meter housing materials, including acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), and polycarbonate (PC), in accordance with ISO 15197:2013. After bench studies comprising 10,000 disinfection cycles, the elemental compositions of the disinfected ABS, PMMA, and PC samples were almost the same as in the original samples, as indicated by electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis. Subsequently, the validated disinfection procedure was then directly applied to disinfect 5 commercial BGM systems composed of ABS, PMMA, or PC to observe the effect of the validated disinfection procedure on meter accuracy. The results of HBsAg values after treatment with HBV sera and disinfectant wipes for each material were less than the LoD of each material of 0.020 IU/mL. Before and after the multiple disinfection cycles, 900 of 900 samples (100%) were within the system accuracy requirements of ISO 15197:2013. All of the systems showed high performance before and after the series of disinfection cycles and met the ISO 15197:2013 requirements. In addition, our results demonstrated multiple cleaning and disinfection cycles that represented normal use over the lifetime of a meter of 3–5 years. Our validated cleaning and disinfection procedure can be directly applied to other registered disinfectants for cleaning commercial BGM products in the future. PMID:28683148

Demonstration of disinfection procedure for the development of accurate blood glucose meters in accordance with ISO 15197:2013.

PubMed

Lin, Shu-Ping; Lin, Wen-Ye; Chang, Jung-Tzu; Chu, Chun-Feng

2017-01-01

Despite measures to reduce disease transmission, a risk can occur when blood glucose meters (BGMs) are used on multiple individuals or by caregivers assisting a patient. The laboratory and in-clinic performance of a BGM system before and after disinfection should be demonstrated to guarantee accurate readings and reliable control of blood glucose (BG) for patients. In this study, an effective disinfection procedure, conducting wiping 10 times to assure a one minute contact time of the disinfectant on contaminated surface, was first demonstrated using test samples of the meter housing materials, including acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), and polycarbonate (PC), in accordance with ISO 15197:2013. After bench studies comprising 10,000 disinfection cycles, the elemental compositions of the disinfected ABS, PMMA, and PC samples were almost the same as in the original samples, as indicated by electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis. Subsequently, the validated disinfection procedure was then directly applied to disinfect 5 commercial BGM systems composed of ABS, PMMA, or PC to observe the effect of the validated disinfection procedure on meter accuracy. The results of HBsAg values after treatment with HBV sera and disinfectant wipes for each material were less than the LoD of each material of 0.020 IU/mL. Before and after the multiple disinfection cycles, 900 of 900 samples (100%) were within the system accuracy requirements of ISO 15197:2013. All of the systems showed high performance before and after the series of disinfection cycles and met the ISO 15197:2013 requirements. In addition, our results demonstrated multiple cleaning and disinfection cycles that represented normal use over the lifetime of a meter of 3-5 years. Our validated cleaning and disinfection procedure can be directly applied to other registered disinfectants for cleaning commercial BGM products in the future.

CARA Status and Upcoming Enhancements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnson, Megan

2017-01-01

CAS 8.4.3 was deployed to operations on 13 June 2017. Discrepancies Between 3D Pc Estimates and advanced Monte Carlo Equinoctial-Sampling Pc Estimates discovered and discussed at 23 May 2017 Useras (Registered Trademark) Forum. The patch created the Reporting Pc, which is the greater value between the calculated 2D and 3D Pc values This changed the Pc reported in the CDMs to the Reporting Pc This changed the Pc reported on the Summary Report to the Reporting Pc This changed the Pc reported on Maneuver Screening Analysis (MSA) Report to the Reporting Pc. Both the 2D and 3D Pc added to the Summary Report details section The patch also updated the 3D Pc algorithm to eliminate velocity covariance from the Pc calculation This will bring 2D and 3D Pc into close alignment for vast majority of events, particularly for the events in which the 2D/3D discrepancy was found.

Enlightening discriminative network functional modules behind Principal Component Analysis separation in differential-omic science studies

PubMed Central

Ciucci, Sara; Ge, Yan; Durán, Claudio; Palladini, Alessandra; Jiménez-Jiménez, Víctor; Martínez-Sánchez, Luisa María; Wang, Yuting; Sales, Susanne; Shevchenko, Andrej; Poser, Steven W.; Herbig, Maik; Otto, Oliver; Androutsellis-Theotokis, Andreas; Guck, Jochen; Gerl, Mathias J.; Cannistraci, Carlo Vittorio

2017-01-01

Omic science is rapidly growing and one of the most employed techniques to explore differential patterns in omic datasets is principal component analysis (PCA). However, a method to enlighten the network of omic features that mostly contribute to the sample separation obtained by PCA is missing. An alternative is to build correlation networks between univariately-selected significant omic features, but this neglects the multivariate unsupervised feature compression responsible for the PCA sample segregation. Biologists and medical researchers often prefer effective methods that offer an immediate interpretation to complicated algorithms that in principle promise an improvement but in practice are difficult to be applied and interpreted. Here we present PC-corr: a simple algorithm that associates to any PCA segregation a discriminative network of features. Such network can be inspected in search of functional modules useful in the definition of combinatorial and multiscale biomarkers from multifaceted omic data in systems and precision biomedicine. We offer proofs of PC-corr efficacy on lipidomic, metagenomic, developmental genomic, population genetic, cancer promoteromic and cancer stem-cell mechanomic data. Finally, PC-corr is a general functional network inference approach that can be easily adopted for big data exploration in computer science and analysis of complex systems in physics. PMID:28287094

Hiding in plain sight

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Riedel, Adric Richard

2012-05-01

Since the first successful measurements of stellar trigonometric parallax in the 1830s, the study of nearby stars has focused on the highest proper motion stars (micro > 0.18″ yr-1). Those high proper motion stars have formed the backbone of the last 150 years of study of the Solar Neighborhood and the composition of the Galaxy. Statistically speaking, though, there is a population of stars that will have low proper motions when their space motions have been projected onto the sky. At the same time, over the last twenty years, populations of relatively young stars (less than ˜ 100 Myr), most of them with low proper motions, have been revealed near (< 100 pc) the Sun. This dissertation is the result of two related projects: A photometric search for nearby (< 25pc) southern-hemisphere M dwarf stars with low proper motions (micro < 0.18″ yr-1), and a search for nearby (< 100 pc) pre-main-sequence (< 125 Myr old) M dwarf systems. The projects rely on a variety of photometric, spectroscopic, and astrometric analyses (including parallaxes from our program) using data from telescopes at CTIO via the SMARTS Consortium and at Lowell Observatory. Within this dissertation, I describe the identification and confirmation of 23 new nearby low proper motion M dwarf systems within 25 pc, 8 of which are within 15 pc (50% of the anticipated low-proper-motion 15 pc sample). I also report photometric, spectroscopic, and astrometric parameters and identifications for a selection of 25 known and new candidate nearby young M dwarfs, including new low-mass members of the TW Hydra, beta Pictoris, Tucana-Horologium, Argus, and AB Doradus associations, following the methods of my Riedel et al. (2011) paper and its discovery of AP Col, the closest pre-main-sequence star to the Solar System. These low proper motion and nearby star discoveries are put into the context of the Solar Neighborhood as a whole by means of the new RECONS 25 pc Database, to which I have now added (including my Riedel et al. (2010) paper) 81 star systems (4% of the total). INDEX WORDS: Astronomy, Astrometry, Photometry, Spectroscopy, Kinematics, Proper motion, Parallax, Nearby stars, Low-mass stars, Young stars, Pre-main-sequence stars.

Compressive sampling of polynomial chaos expansions: Convergence analysis and sampling strategies

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

Hampton, Jerrad; Doostan, Alireza, E-mail: alireza.doostan@colorado.edu

2015-01-01

Sampling orthogonal polynomial bases via Monte Carlo is of interest for uncertainty quantification of models with random inputs, using Polynomial Chaos (PC) expansions. It is known that bounding a probabilistic parameter, referred to as coherence, yields a bound on the number of samples necessary to identify coefficients in a sparse PC expansion via solution to an ℓ{sub 1}-minimization problem. Utilizing results for orthogonal polynomials, we bound the coherence parameter for polynomials of Hermite and Legendre type under their respective natural sampling distribution. In both polynomial bases we identify an importance sampling distribution which yields a bound with weaker dependence onmore » the order of the approximation. For more general orthonormal bases, we propose the coherence-optimal sampling: a Markov Chain Monte Carlo sampling, which directly uses the basis functions under consideration to achieve a statistical optimality among all sampling schemes with identical support. We demonstrate these different sampling strategies numerically in both high-order and high-dimensional, manufactured PC expansions. In addition, the quality of each sampling method is compared in the identification of solutions to two differential equations, one with a high-dimensional random input and the other with a high-order PC expansion. In both cases, the coherence-optimal sampling scheme leads to similar or considerably improved accuracy.« less

Consistency of the nonflat Λ CDM model with the new result from BOSS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumar, Suresh

2015-11-01

Using 137,562 quasars in the redshift range 2.1 ≤z ≤3.5 from the data release 11 (DR11) of the baryon oscillation spectroscopic survey (BOSS) of Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS)-III, the BOSS-SDSS collaboration estimated the expansion rate H (z =2.34 )=222 ±7 km /s /Mpc of the Universe, and reported that this value is in tension with the predictions of flat Λ CDM model at around a 2.5 σ level. In this paper, we briefly describe some attempts made in the literature to relieve the tension, and show that the tension can naturally be alleviated in a nonflat Λ CDM model with positive curvature. We also perform the observational consistency check by considering the constraints on the nonflat Λ CDM model from Planck, WP and BAO data. We find that the nonflat Λ CDM model constrained with Planck+WP data fits better to the line of sight measurement H (z =2.34 )=222 ±7 km /s /Mpc , but only at the expense of still having a poor fit to the BAO transverse measurements.

Calculation of Weibull strength parameters, Batdorf flaw density constants and related statistical quantities using PC-CARES

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Szatmary, Steven A.; Gyekenyesi, John P.; Nemeth, Noel N.

1990-01-01

This manual describes the operation and theory of the PC-CARES (Personal Computer-Ceramic Analysis and Reliability Evaluation of Structures) computer program for the IBM PC and compatibles running PC-DOS/MS-DOR OR IBM/MS-OS/2 (version 1.1 or higher) operating systems. The primary purpose of this code is to estimate Weibull material strength parameters, the Batdorf crack density coefficient, and other related statistical quantities. Included in the manual is the description of the calculation of shape and scale parameters of the two-parameter Weibull distribution using the least-squares analysis and maximum likelihood methods for volume- and surface-flaw-induced fracture in ceramics with complete and censored samples. The methods for detecting outliers and for calculating the Kolmogorov-Smirnov and the Anderson-Darling goodness-of-fit statistics and 90 percent confidence bands about the Weibull line, as well as the techniques for calculating the Batdorf flaw-density constants are also described.

Principal component and clustering analysis on molecular dynamics data of the ribosomal L11·23S subdomain.

PubMed

Wolf, Antje; Kirschner, Karl N

2013-02-01

With improvements in computer speed and algorithm efficiency, MD simulations are sampling larger amounts of molecular and biomolecular conformations. Being able to qualitatively and quantitatively sift these conformations into meaningful groups is a difficult and important task, especially when considering the structure-activity paradigm. Here we present a study that combines two popular techniques, principal component (PC) analysis and clustering, for revealing major conformational changes that occur in molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. Specifically, we explored how clustering different PC subspaces effects the resulting clusters versus clustering the complete trajectory data. As a case example, we used the trajectory data from an explicitly solvated simulation of a bacteria's L11·23S ribosomal subdomain, which is a target of thiopeptide antibiotics. Clustering was performed, using K-means and average-linkage algorithms, on data involving the first two to the first five PC subspace dimensions. For the average-linkage algorithm we found that data-point membership, cluster shape, and cluster size depended on the selected PC subspace data. In contrast, K-means provided very consistent results regardless of the selected subspace. Since we present results on a single model system, generalization concerning the clustering of different PC subspaces of other molecular systems is currently premature. However, our hope is that this study illustrates a) the complexities in selecting the appropriate clustering algorithm, b) the complexities in interpreting and validating their results, and c) by combining PC analysis with subsequent clustering valuable dynamic and conformational information can be obtained.

Gene Expression Profiling in Pachyonychia Congenita Skin

PubMed Central

Cao, Yu-An; Hickerson, Robyn P.; Seegmiller, Brandon L.; Grapov, Dmitry; Gross, Maren M.; Bessette, Marc R.; Phinney, Brett S.; Flores, Manuel A.; Speaker, Tycho J.; Vermeulen, Annaleen; Bravo, Albert A.; Bruckner, Anna L.; Milstone, Leonard M.; Schwartz, Mary E.; Rice, Robert H.; Kaspar, Roger L.

2015-01-01

Background Pachyonychia congenita (PC) is a skin disorder resulting from mutations in keratin (K) proteins including K6a, K6b, K16, and K17. One of the major symptoms is painful plantar keratoderma. The pathogenic sequelae resulting from the keratin mutations remain unclear. Objective To better understand PC pathogenesis. Methods RNA profiling was performed on biopsies taken from PC-involved and uninvolved plantar skin of seven genotyped PC patients (two K6a, one K6b, three K16, and one K17) as well as from control volunteers. Protein profiling was generated from tape-stripping samples. Results A comparison of PC-involved skin biopsies to adjacent uninvolved plantar skin identified 112 differentially-expressed mRNAs common to patient groups harboring K6 (i.e., both K6a and K6b) and K16 mutations. Among these mRNAs, 25 encode structural proteins including keratins, small proline-rich and late cornified envelope proteins, 20 are related to metabolism and 16 encode proteases, peptidases, and their inhibitors including kallikrein-related peptidases (KLKs), and serine protease inhibitors (SERPINs). mRNAs were also identified to be differentially expressed only in K6 (81) or K16 (141) patient samples. Furthermore, 13 mRNAs were identified that may be involved in pain including nociception and neuropathy. Protein profiling, comparing three K6a plantar tape-stripping samples to non-PC controls, showed changes in the PC corneocytes similar, but not identical, to the mRNA analysis. Conclusion Many differentially-expressed genes identified in PC-involved skin encode components critical for skin barrier homeostasis including keratinocyte proliferation, differentiation, cornification, and desquamation. The profiling data provide a foundation for unraveling the pathogenesis of PC and identifying targets for developing effective PC therapeutics. PMID:25656049

Testing Viable f(T) Models with Current Observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Bing; Yu, Hongwei; Wu, Puxun

2018-03-01

We perform observational tests on the f(T) gravity with the BAO data (including the BOSS DR 12 galaxy sample, the DR12 Lyα-Forests measurement, the new eBOSS DR14 quasar sample, the 6dFGS, and the SDSS), the CMB distance priors from the Planck 2015, the SNIa data from the joint light-curve analysis, the latest H(z) data, and the local value of the Hubble constant. Six different f(T) models are investigated. Furthermore, the ΛCDM is also considered. All models are compared by using the Akaike information criteria (AIC) and the Bayesian information criteria (BIC). Our results show that the ΛCDM remains to be the most favored model by current observations. However, there are also the Hubble constant tension between the Planck measurements and the local Universe observations and the tension between the CMB data and the H(z) data in the ΛCDM. For f(T) models considered in this paper, half, which can reduce to the ΛCDM, have values of {{χ }2}\\min smaller than that of the ΛCDM and can relieve the tensions existing in the ΛCDM. However, they are punished slightly by the BIC due to one extra parameter. Two of six f(T) models, in which the crossing of the phantom divide line can be realized for the equation of state of the effective dark energy and this crossing is shown in this paper to be favored by current observations, are punished by the information criteria. In addition, we find that the logarithmic f(T) model is excluded by cosmological observations.

A microchip-based flow injection-amperometry system with mercaptopropionic acid modified electroless gold microelectrode for the selective determination of dopamine.

PubMed

Wang, Yi; Luo, Jie; Chen, Hengwu; He, Qiaohong; Gan, Nin; Li, Tianhua

2008-09-12

A novel chip-based flow injection analysis (FIA) system has been developed for automatic, rapid and selective determination of dopamine (DA) in the presence of ascorbic acid (AA). The system is composed of a polycarbonate (PC) microfluidic chip with an electrochemical detector (ED), a gravity pump, and an automatic sample loading and injection unit. The selectivity of the ED was improved by modification of the gold working microelectrode, which was fabricated on the PC chip by UV-directed electroless gold plating, with a self-assembled monolayer (SAM) of 3-mercaptopropionic acid (MPA). Postplating treatment methods for cleaning the surface of electroless gold microelectrodes were investigated to ensure the formation of high quality SAMs. The effects of detection potential, flow rate, and sampling volume on the performance of the chip-based FIA system were studied. Under optimum conditions, a detection limit of 74 nmol L(-1) for DA was achieved at the sample throughput rate of 180 h(-1). A RSD of 0.9% for peak heights was observed for 19 runs of a 100 micromol L(-1) DA solution. Interference-free determination of DA could be conducted if the concentration ratio of AA-DA was no more than 10.

Knowing Our Neighbors: Four New Nearby High Proper Motion Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bartlett, Jennifer L.; Lurie, John C.; Ianna, Philip A.; Riedel, Adric R.; Finch, Charlie T.; Winters, Jennifer G.; Jao, Wei-Chun; Subasavage, John P.; Henry, Todd J.

2017-01-01

Obtaining a well-understood, volume-limited (and ultimately volume-complete) sample of stellar systems within 25 pc is essential for determining the stellar luminosity function, the mass-luminosity relationship, the stellar velocity distribution, and the stellar multiplicity fraction. Such a sample also provides insight into the local star formation history. Towards that end, the Research Consortium On Nearby Stars (RECONS) team measures trigonometric parallaxes to establish which systems truly lie within the 25-pc radius of the Solar Neighborhood. Recent astrometric measurements with the CTIO/SMARTS 0.9-m telescope establish three high proper motion systems as members (2MASS J02511490-0352459, 2MASS J15345704-1418486, and 2MASS J09211410-2104446) and confirm a fourth (2MASS J23062928-0502285). All four proper motions exceed 0.9”/yr. 2MA0251 travels 2.1497±0.0009”/yr in 149.20±0.05° at a distance of 11.0±0.4 pc. 2M2306 moves 1.0344±0.0007”/yr in 118.50±0.08° at a distance of 12.7±0.2 pc. 2MA1534 goes 0.9726±0.0004”/yr in 251.50 ±0.05° at a distance of 10.93±0.10 pc. 2MA0921 shifts 0.9489±0.0003”/yr in 164.70±0.04° at a distance of 12.3±0.2 pc. The corresponding tangential velocities are 112.4, 62.4, 50.4, and 55.5 km/s whereas the median for parallaxes previously published by RECONS is 53 km/s. With radial velocities in the literature of -75.5 to 80.53 km/s, none of these is a candidate member of any young moving groups.To characterize these late M-early L systems more fully, RECONS obtained VRI photometry; their I -band magnitudes range from 14.10 to 16.55. Over their astrometric baselines of 7.75 to 8.99 years, these demonstrated long-term I-band variability of 0.0135 mag. or less, indicating they may be older systems.With each new confirmation, we come closer to completing the census of the Solar Neighborhood.NSF grants AST 05-07711 and AST 09-08402, NASA-SIM, Georgia State University, the University of Virginia, Hampden-Sydney College, and the Levinson Fund of the Peninsula Community Foundation supported this research. CTIOPI was an NOAO Survey Program and continues as part of the SMARTS Consortium. We thank the SMARTS Consortium and the CTIO staff, who enable the small telescope operations at CTIO.

39 CFR 501.16 - PC postage payment methodology.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... DISTRIBUTE POSTAGE EVIDENCING SYSTEMS § 501.16 PC postage payment methodology. (a) The PC Postage customer is... issues a refund to a customer for any unused postage in a Postage Evidencing System. After verification... Service approval to continue to operate PC Postage systems, the provider must submit to a periodic audit...

Auto-antibodies in prostate cancer: humoral immune response to antigenic determinants coded by the differentially expressed transcripts FLJ23438 and VAMP3.

PubMed

Pontes, E R; Matos, L C; da Silva, E A; Xavier, L S; Diaz, B L; Small, I A; Reis, E M; Verjovski-Almeida, S; Barcinski, M A; Gimba, E R P

2006-10-01

Here we evaluate auto-antibody response against two potential antigenic determinants of genes highly expressed in low Gleason Score prostate cancer (PC) tumor samples, namely FLJ23438 and VAMP3. RT-PCR assays were used to analyze mRNA expression profiles of FLJ23438 and VAMP3 transcripts. The auto-antibody response against FLJ23438 and VAMP3 recombinant proteins was tested by immunoblot assays using PC, benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH), healthy donors (HD), and other human cancers plasma samples. Our data showed that 37% (10/27) and 7.4% (2/27) of PC plasma samples presented auto-antibodies against FLJ23438 and VAMP3, respectively. Only 8.3% (1/12) of BPH plasma samples were reactive for both auto-antibodies, while none (0/12) of HD plasma samples tested were reactive. The prevalence of 37% of positive PC plasma samples for anti-FLJ23438 antibodies suggests that humoral immune response against this antigenic determinant could be a potential serum marker for this cancer. (c) 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Self-healing of drying shrinkage cracks in cement-based materials incorporating reactive MgO

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qureshi, T. S.; Al-Tabbaa, A.

2016-08-01

Excessive drying shrinkage is one of the major issues of concern for longevity and reduced strength performance of concrete structures. It can cause the formation of cracks in the concrete. This research aims to improve the autogenous self-healing capacity of traditional Portland cement (PC) systems, adding expansive minerals such as reactive magnesium oxide (MgO) in terms of drying shrinkage crack healing. Two different reactive grades (high ‘N50’and moderately high ‘92-200’) of MgO were added with PC. Cracks were induced in the samples with restraining end prisms through natural drying shrinkage over 28 days after casting. Samples were then cured under water for 28 and 56 days, and self-healing capacity was investigated in terms of mechanical strength recovery, crack sealing efficiency and improvement in durability. Finally, microstructures of the healing materials were investigated using FT-IR, XRD, and SEM-EDX. Overall N50 mixes show higher expansion and drying shrinkage compared to 92-200 mixes. Autogenous self-healing performance of the MgO containing samples were much higher compared to control (only PC) mixes. Cracks up to 500 μm were sealed in most MgO containing samples after 28 days. In the microstructural investigations, highly expansive Mg-rich hydro-carbonate bridges were found along with traditional calcium-based, self-healing compounds (calcite, portlandite, calcium silicate hydrates and ettringite).

The Solar Neighborhood. XXXX. Parallax Results from the CTIOPI 0.9 m Program: New Young Stars Near the Sun

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bartlett, Jennifer L.; Lurie, John C.; Riedel, Adric; Ianna, Philip A.; Jao, Wei-Chun; Henry, Todd J.; Winters, Jennifer G.; Finch, Charlie T.; Subasavage, John P.

2017-10-01

As a step toward completing and characterizing the census of the solar neighborhood, we present astrometric, photometric, and spectroscopic observations of 32 systems observed with the Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory 0.9 m and 1.5 m telescopes. Astrometry from the 0.9 m indicates that among the 17 systems that had no previous published trigonometric parallaxes, 14 are within 25 pc. In the full sample, nine systems have proper motions larger than 0.″5 yr-1, including 2MASS J02511490-0352459, which exceeds 2.″0 yr-1. VRI photometry from the 0.9 m and optical spectra from the 1.5 m indicate that the targets have V = 11-22 mag and spectral types M3.0V-L3.0V. For 2MASS J23062928-0502285 (TRAPPIST-1), we present updated astrometry and photometric variability based on over 12 years of observations. Of the nine binaries in the sample, two promise mass determinations in the next decade: LHS 6167AB, an M4.5V system for which we present an accurate parallax placing the binary at 9.7 pc, and 2MASS J23515048-2537367AB, an M8.5V system at 21.1 pc for which we present the first evidence of an unseen, low-mass companion. Most importantly, Na I and K I gravity indicators, Hα measurements, long-term photometric variability, locations on the H-R diagram, and kinematic assessments indicate that as many as 13 of the systems are young, including candidate members of young moving groups, with ages less than ˜120 Myr.

The Solar Neighborhood. XXXX. Parallax Results from the CTIOPI 0.9 m Program: New Young Stars Near the Sun

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

Bartlett, Jennifer L.; Finch, Charlie T.; Lurie, John C.

As a step toward completing and characterizing the census of the solar neighborhood, we present astrometric, photometric, and spectroscopic observations of 32 systems observed with the Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory 0.9 m and 1.5 m telescopes. Astrometry from the 0.9 m indicates that among the 17 systems that had no previous published trigonometric parallaxes, 14 are within 25 pc. In the full sample, nine systems have proper motions larger than 0.″5 yr{sup −1}, including 2MASS J02511490-0352459, which exceeds 2.″0 yr{sup −1}. VRI photometry from the 0.9 m and optical spectra from the 1.5 m indicate that the targets have Vmore »  = 11–22 mag and spectral types M3.0V–L3.0V. For 2MASS J23062928-0502285 (TRAPPIST-1), we present updated astrometry and photometric variability based on over 12 years of observations. Of the nine binaries in the sample, two promise mass determinations in the next decade: LHS 6167AB, an M4.5V system for which we present an accurate parallax placing the binary at 9.7 pc, and 2MASS J23515048-2537367AB, an M8.5V system at 21.1 pc for which we present the first evidence of an unseen, low-mass companion. Most importantly, Na i and K i gravity indicators, H α measurements, long-term photometric variability, locations on the H-R diagram, and kinematic assessments indicate that as many as 13 of the systems are young, including candidate members of young moving groups, with ages less than ∼120 Myr.« less

Random spot urine protein to creatinine ratio is a reliable measure of proteinuria in lupus nephritis in Koreans.

PubMed

Choi, In Ah; Park, Jin Kyun; Lee, Eun Young; Song, Yeong Wook; Lee, Eun Bong

2013-01-01

The accurate assessment of proteinuria is critical for the management of lupus nephritis. Measuring the protein to creatinine (P/C) ratio in random spot urine (RSU) samples has been introduced as an alternative to the 24-hour (24h) urine collection method. However, it remains unclear as to whether the RSU P/C ratio is reliable for assessing lupus nephritis (LN) in routine clinical practice. In total, 275 pairs of 24h urine and RSU samples from 102 patients with biopsy-proven LN were analysed. The correlation and concordance between the P/C ratios in the two sample types were assessed by Pearson or Spearman correlation and intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) using mixed models for repeated measurements, respectively. The mean 24h urine P/C ratio was 3.2 ± 4.9. Overall, RSU P/C ratio correlated strongly with the 24h urine P/C ratio (r=0.944, p<0.001) with an excellent agreement (ICC=0.949, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.69-1.00). Subgroup analyses revealed that the correlation remained high in class II, III, IV, and V LN (rho=0.868, p<0.001; rho=0.649, p=0.007; r=0.945, p<0.001; and rho=0.900, p=0.001, respectively). The correlation between the 24h urine and RSU P/C ratio in the range of 0.5 to 3 was good (r=0.720, p<0.001) with ICC of 0.659 (95%CI 0.554-0.812). RSU P/C ratio ≥0.5 could predict 24h PCR ≥0.5 with 91.7% sensitivity and 70.2% specificity, whereas RSU P/C ratio ≥1.0 increased specificity up to 94.7%. The RSU P/C ratio is an excellent alternative to the 24 hour P/C ratio for assessing the presence of clinically significant proteinuria in LN. RSU P/C ratio >1.0 may prompt directly to a renal biopsy, whereas RSU P/C ratio between 0.5-1.0 should be followed by a confirmatory 24h urine collection.

Effect of polymer blend types and gamma radiation on the physico-chemical properties of polycarbonate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nouh, S. A.; Magida, M. M.; Al-Shekify, L. S.; Bashter, I. I.

2016-12-01

Samples from polycarbonate (PC) were classified into two main groups. The first group was blended with Abietic acid (Rosin) with different compositions, while the second group was blended with ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) copolymer with almost the same composition. A comparative study of the effect of both Rosin and EVA concentration on the thermal stability of PC has been investigated using thermogravimetric analysis. The results show that blending with Rosin causes the dominance of degradation. Samples from PC with 20% Rosin blend were irradiated with gamma at the dose of range 20-300 kGy. The resultant effect of gamma radiation on the structural properties of the 20% Rosin/ 80%PC blend has been investigated using Fourier Transform Infrared FTIR spectroscopy. The results indicate that degradation of the polymer blend dominates, thus increases the creation of hot free radicals that leads to the formation of color centers in PC. In addition, the transmission of the 20% Rosin/80%PC samples as well as color changes was studied. The color intensity ΔE was greatly increased with increasing the gamma dose up to 300 kGy, accompanied by a significant increase in the blue color component.

An HPLC-ICP-MS technique for determination of cadmium-phytochelatins in genetically modified Arabidopsis thaliana.

PubMed

Sadi, Baki B M; Vonderheide, Anne P; Gong, Ji-Ming; Schroeder, Julian I; Shann, Jodi R; Caruso, Joseph A

2008-01-01

A reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatographic technique was developed to separate cadmium-phytochelatin complexes (Cd-PC2, Cd-PC3, and Cd-PC4) of interest in the plant Arapidopsis thaliana. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was coupled to an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometric (ICP-MS) system with some modification to the interface. This was done in order to sustain the plasma with optimum sensitivity for cadmium detection in the presence of the high methanol loads used in the gradient elution of the reversed-phase separation. The detection limits were found to be 91.8 ngl(-1), 77.2 ngl(-1) and 49.2 ngl(-1) for Cd-PC2, Cd-PC3, and Cd-PC4 respectively. The regression coefficients (r2) for Cd-PC2 to Cd-PC4 detection ranged from 0.998 to 0.999. The method was then used to investigate the occurrence and effect of cadmium-phytochelatin complexes in wild-type Arabidopsis and a phytochelatin-deficient mutant cad1-3 that had been genetically modified to ectopically express the wheat TaPCS1 phytochelatin synthase enzyme. The primary complex found in both wild-type and transgenic plants was Cd-PC2. In both lines, higher levels of Cd-PC2 were found in shoots than in roots, showing that phytochelatin synthases contribute to the accumulation of cadmium in shoots, in the Cd-PC2 form. Genetic modification did, however, impact the overall accumulation of Cd. Transgenic plants contained almost two times more cadmium in the form of Cd-PC2 in their roots than did the corresponding wild-type plants. Similarly, the shoot samples of the modified species also contained more (by 1.6 times) cadmium in the form of Cd-PC2 than the wild type. The enhanced role of PC2 in the transgenic Arabidopsis correlates with data showing long-distance transport of Cd in transgenic plants. Targeted transgenic expression of non-native phytochelatin synthases may contribute to improving the efficiency of plants for phytoremediation.

Preliminary results of human PrPC protein studied by spectroscopic techniques

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nowakowski, Michał; Czapla-Masztafiak, Joanna; Kozak, Maciej; Zhukov, Igor; Zhukova, Lilia; Szlachetko, Jakub; Kwiatek, Wojciech M.

2017-11-01

Neurodegenerative diseases are one of the malfunctions of human nervous system, being a class of complex and prominent pathologies. The human prion Protease Resistant Protein (PrP) is protein regulating copper metabolism in mammalian cells through binding of Cu(II) ions to specific fragments. Nowadays misfolding of this protein is associated with development of prion diseases. Therefore, it is crucial to obtain structural information about coordination of Cu(II) by PrP protein. Herein, we report X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) measurements, carried out on SuperXAS beamline (SLS, PSI Villigen) on PrPC-Cu(II) complexes. Obtained results were compared with theoretical predictions done by FEFF 9.6 software. Complementary to XAS data, Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) measurements were conducted to obtain low resolution structural information about prepared sample that allow to develop protocol of fixing PrPC molecules on solid substrate used for further experiments. It has been established that folded C-terminal domain of PrPC protein has around 5 nm in diameter. Presented results showed that both XAS and AFM methods are useful tools in detailed examination of complexes of human PrPC either with Cu(II) or with other divalent metal ions.

Solid-phase classical complement activation by C-reactive protein (CRP) is inhibited by fluid-phase CRP-C1q interaction

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

Sjoewall, Christopher; Wetteroe, Jonas; Bengtsson, Torbjoern

2007-01-05

C-reactive protein (CRP) interacts with phosphorylcholine (PC), Fc{gamma} receptors, complement factor C1q and cell nuclear constituents, yet its biological roles are insufficiently understood. The aim was to characterize CRP-induced complement activation by ellipsometry. PC conjugated with keyhole limpet hemocyanin (PC-KLH) was immobilized to cross-linked fibrinogen. A low-CRP serum with different amounts of added CRP was exposed to the PC-surfaces. The total serum protein deposition was quantified and deposition of IgG, C1q, C3c, C4, factor H, and CRP detected with polyclonal antibodies. The binding of serum CRP to PC-KLH dose-dependently triggered activation of the classical pathway. Unexpectedly, the activation was efficientlymore » down-regulated at CRP levels >150 mg/L. Using radial immunodiffusion, CRP-C1q interaction was observed in serum samples with high CRP concentrations. We propose that the underlying mechanism depends on fluid-phase interaction between C1q and CRP. This might constitute another level of complement regulation, which has implications for systemic lupus erythematosus where CRP is often low despite flare-ups.« less

A Study of Air Force Company Grade Officer Value Systems in Selected Career Fields and Their Correlation with Career Intentions.

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-09-01

Groups of People Employee Welfare Government High Productivity Nanagers Organizational Efficiency Ne ny Boss Personal Goals of Individuals Ideas...34, . . there is general agreement that the satisfaction or thwarting of expectations has pronounced effects on employee motivation" (19:27). He states...that factors other than job satisfaction, such as environmental affects, contribute to employee retention (19:35). In conclusion Nadia states that

An innovative method for the solidification/stabilization of PAHs-contaminated soil using sulfonated oil.

PubMed

Ma, Fujun; Wu, Bin; Zhang, Qian; Cui, Deshan; Liu, Qingbing; Peng, Changsheng; Li, Fasheng; Gu, Qingbao

2018-02-15

Stabilization/solidification (S/S) has been successfully employed in many superfund sites contaminated with organic materials. However, this method's long-term effectiveness has not been fully evaluated and the increase in soil volume following treatment is unfavorable to follow-up disposal. The present study developed a novel method for the S/S of PAHs-contaminated soil with the facilitation of sulfonated oil (SO). Adding SO significantly improved the unconfined compressive strength (UCS) values of Portland cement and activated carbon (PC-AC) treated soil samples, and the UCS values of the soil sample treated with 0.02% of SO were up to 2.3 times higher than without SO addition. When the soil was treated with PC-AC-SO, the PAHs leaching concentrations were 14%-25% of that in leachates of the control soil, and high molecular weight PAHs including benzo(a)pyrene were rarely leached. Freeze/thaw durability tests reveal that the leachability of PAHs was not influenced by freeze-thaw cycles. The UCS values of PC-AC-SO treated soil samples were 2.2-3.4 times greater than those of PC-AC treated soil samples after 12 freeze-thaw cycles. The PC-AC-SO treated soils resist disintegration better when compared to the PC-AC treated soils. The SEM micrographs reveal that the soils' compactness was significantly improved when treated with SO. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Establishment of a dog primary prostate cancer organoid using the urine cancer stem cells.

PubMed

Usui, Tatsuya; Sakurai, Masashi; Nishikawa, Shimpei; Umata, Koji; Nemoto, Yuki; Haraguchi, Tomoya; Itamoto, Kazuhito; Mizuno, Takuya; Noguchi, Shunsuke; Mori, Takashi; Iwai, Satomi; Nakagawa, Takayuki; Yamawaki, Hideyuki; Ohama, Takashi; Sato, Koichi

2017-12-01

Dog spontaneously develop prostate cancer (PC) like humans. Because most dogs with PC have a poor prognosis, they could be used as a translational model for advanced PC in humans. Stem cell-derived 3-D organoid culture could recapitulate organ structures and physiology. Using patient tissues, a human PC organoid culture system was established. Recent study has shown that urine cells also possess the characteristic of stem cells. However, urine cell-derived PC organoids have never been produced. Therefore, we generated PC organoids using the dog urine samples. Urine organoids were successfully generated from each dog with PC. Each organoid showed cystic structures and resembled the epithelial structures of original tissues. Expression of an epithelial cell marker, E-cadherin, and a myofibloblast marker, α-SMA, was observed in the urine organoids. The organoids also expressed a basal cell marker, CK5, and a luminal cell marker, CK8. CD49f-sorted basal cell organoids rapidly grew compared with CD24-sorted luminal cell organoids. The population of CD44-positive cells was the highest in both organoids and the original urine cells. Tumors were successfully formed with the injection of the organoids into immunodeficient mice. Treatment with a microtubule inhibitor, docetaxel, but not a cyclooxygenase inhibitor, piroxicam, and an mTOR inhibitor, rapamycin, decreased the cell viability of organoids. Treatment with a Hedgehog signal inhibitor, GANT61, increased the radiosensitivity in the organoids. These findings revealed that PC organoids using urine might become a useful tool for investigating the mechanisms of the pathogenesis and treatment of PC in dogs. © 2017 The Authors. Cancer Science published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of Japanese Cancer Association.

A simple and sensitive method to measure timing accuracy.

PubMed

De Clercq, Armand; Crombez, Geert; Buysse, Ann; Roeyers, Herbert

2003-02-01

Timing accuracy in presenting experimental stimuli (visual information on a PC or on a TV) and responding (keyboard presses and mouse signals) is of importance in several experimental paradigms. In this article, a simple system for measuring timing accuracy is described. The system uses two PCs (at least Pentium II, 200 MHz), a photocell, and an amplifier. No additional boards and timing hardware are needed. The first PC, a SlavePC, monitors the keyboard presses or mouse signals from the PC under test and uses a photocell that is placed in front of the screen to detect the appearance of visual stimuli on the display. The software consists of a small program running on the SlavePC. The SlavePC is connected through a serial line with a second PC. This MasterPC controls the SlavePC through an ActiveX control, which is used in a Visual Basic program. The accuracy of our system was investigated by using a similar setup of a SlavePC and a MasterPC to generate pulses and by using a pulse generator card. These tests revealed that our system has a 0.01-msec accuracy. As an illustration, the reaction time accuracy of INQUISIT for a few applications was tested using our system. It was found that in those applications that we investigated, INQUISIT measures reaction times from keyboard presses with millisecond accuracy.

A better way to deliver bad news.

PubMed

Manzoni, Jean-François

2002-09-01

In an ideal world, a subordinate would accept critical feedback from a manager with an open mind. He or she would ask a few clarifying questions, promise to work on certain performance areas, and show signs of improvement over time. But things don't always turn out that way. Such conversations can be unpleasant. Emotions can run high; tempers can flare. Fearing that the employee will become angry and defensive, the boss all too often inadvertently sabotages the meeting by preparing for it in a way that stifles honest discussion. This unintentional--indeed, unconscious--stress-induced habit makes it difficult to deliver corrective feedback effectively. Insead professor Jean-François Manzoni says that by changing the mind-set with which they develop and deliver negative feedback, managers can increase their odds of having productive conversations without damaging relationships. Manzoni describes two behavioral phenomena that color the feedback process--the fundamental attribution error and the false consensus effect--and uses real-world examples to demonstrate how bosses' critiques can go astray. Managers tend to frame difficult situations and decisions in a way that is narrow (alternatives aren't considered) and binary (there are only two possible outcomes--win or lose). And during the feedback discussion, managers' framing of the issues often remains frozen, regardless of the direction the conversation takes. Manzoni advises managers not to just settle on the first acceptable explanation for a behavior or situation they've witnessed. Bosses also need to consider an employee's circumstances rather than just attributing weak performance to a person's disposition. In short, delivering more effective feedback requires an open-minded approach, one that will convince employees that the process is fair and that the boss is ready for an honest conversation.

Cosmic distance duality and cosmic transparency

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nair, Remya; Jhingan, Sanjay; Jain, Deepak

2012-12-01

We compare distance measurements obtained from two distance indicators, Supernovae observations (standard candles) and Baryon acoustic oscillation data (standard rulers). The Union2 sample of supernovae with BAO data from SDSS, 6dFGS and the latest BOSS and WiggleZ surveys is used in search for deviations from the distance duality relation. We find that the supernovae are brighter than expected from BAO measurements. The luminosity distances tend to be smaller then expected from angular diameter distance estimates as also found in earlier works on distance duality, but the trend is not statistically significant. This further constrains the cosmic transparency.

SU-E-I-46: Sample-Size Dependence of Model Observers for Estimating Low-Contrast Detection Performance From CT Images

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

Reiser, I; Lu, Z

2014-06-01

Purpose: Recently, task-based assessment of diagnostic CT systems has attracted much attention. Detection task performance can be estimated using human observers, or mathematical observer models. While most models are well established, considerable bias can be introduced when performance is estimated from a limited number of image samples. Thus, the purpose of this work was to assess the effect of sample size on bias and uncertainty of two channelized Hotelling observers and a template-matching observer. Methods: The image data used for this study consisted of 100 signal-present and 100 signal-absent regions-of-interest, which were extracted from CT slices. The experimental conditions includedmore » two signal sizes and five different x-ray beam current settings (mAs). Human observer performance for these images was determined in 2-alternative forced choice experiments. These data were provided by the Mayo clinic in Rochester, MN. Detection performance was estimated from three observer models, including channelized Hotelling observers (CHO) with Gabor or Laguerre-Gauss (LG) channels, and a template-matching observer (TM). Different sample sizes were generated by randomly selecting a subset of image pairs, (N=20,40,60,80). Observer performance was quantified as proportion of correct responses (PC). Bias was quantified as the relative difference of PC for 20 and 80 image pairs. Results: For n=100, all observer models predicted human performance across mAs and signal sizes. Bias was 23% for CHO (Gabor), 7% for CHO (LG), and 3% for TM. The relative standard deviation, σ(PC)/PC at N=20 was highest for the TM observer (11%) and lowest for the CHO (Gabor) observer (5%). Conclusion: In order to make image quality assessment feasible in the clinical practice, a statistically efficient observer model, that can predict performance from few samples, is needed. Our results identified two observer models that may be suited for this task.« less

AMPS/PC - AUTOMATIC MANUFACTURING PROGRAMMING SYSTEM

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schroer, B. J.

1994-01-01

The AMPS/PC system is a simulation tool designed to aid the user in defining the specifications of a manufacturing environment and then automatically writing code for the target simulation language, GPSS/PC. The domain of problems that AMPS/PC can simulate are manufacturing assembly lines with subassembly lines and manufacturing cells. The user defines the problem domain by responding to the questions from the interface program. Based on the responses, the interface program creates an internal problem specification file. This file includes the manufacturing process network flow and the attributes for all stations, cells, and stock points. AMPS then uses the problem specification file as input for the automatic code generator program to produce a simulation program in the target language GPSS. The output of the generator program is the source code of the corresponding GPSS/PC simulation program. The system runs entirely on an IBM PC running PC DOS Version 2.0 or higher and is written in Turbo Pascal Version 4 requiring 640K memory and one 360K disk drive. To execute the GPSS program, the PC must have resident the GPSS/PC System Version 2.0 from Minuteman Software. The AMPS/PC program was developed in 1988.

Discovery of a bright microlensing event with planetary features towards the Taurus region: a super-Earth planet

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nucita, A. A.; Licchelli, D.; De Paolis, F.; Ingrosso, G.; Strafella, F.; Katysheva, N.; Shugarov, S.

2018-05-01

The transient event labelled as TCP J05074264+2447555 recently discovered towards the Taurus region was quickly recognized to be an ongoing microlensing event on a source located at distance of only 700-800 pc from Earth. Here, we show that observations with high sampling rate close to the time of maximum magnification revealed features that imply the presence of a binary lens system with very low-mass ratio components. We present a complete description of the binary lens system, which host an Earth-like planet with most likely mass of 9.2 ± 6.6 M⊕. Furthermore, the source estimated location and detailed Monte Carlo simulations allowed us to classify the event as due to the closest lens system, being at a distance of ≃380 pc and mass ≃0.25 M⊙.

Potato Operation: automatic detection of potato diseases

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lefebvre, Marc; Zimmerman, Thierry; Baur, Charles; Guegerli, Paul; Pun, Thierry

1995-01-01

The Potato Operation is a collaborative, multidisciplinary project in the domain of destructive testing of agricultural products. It aims at automatizing pulp sampling of potatoes in order to detect possible viral diseases. Such viruses can decrease fields productivity by a factor of up to ten. A machine, composed of three conveyor belts, a vision system, a robotic arm and controlled by a PC has been built. Potatoes are brought one by one from a bulk to the vision system, where they are seized by a rotating holding device. The sprouts, where the viral activity is maximum, are then detected by an active vision process operating on multiple views. The 3D coordinates of the sampling point are communicated to the robot arm holding a drill. Some flesh is then sampled by the drill, then deposited into an Elisa plate. After sampling, the robot arm washes the drill in order to prevent any contamination. The PC computer simultaneously controls these processes, the conveying of the potatoes, the vision algorithms and the sampling procedure. The master process, that is the vision procedure, makes use of three methods to achieve the sprouts detection. A profile analysis first locates the sprouts as protuberances. Two frontal analyses, respectively based on fluorescence and local variance, confirm the previous detection and provide the 3D coordinate of the sampling zone. The other two processes work by interruption of the master process.

A CHARACTERIZATION AND EVALUATION OF COAL LIQUEFACTION PROCESS STREAMS

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

G.A. Robbins; R.A. Winschel; S.D. Brandes

This is the first Annual Technical Report of activities under DOE Contract No. DE-AC22-94PC93054. Activities from the first three quarters of the fiscal 1998 year were reported previously as Quarterly Technical Progress Reports (DOE/PC93054-57, DOE/PC93054-61, and DOE/PC93054-66). Activities for the period July 1 through September 30, 1998, are reported here. This report describes CONSOL's characterization of process-derived samples obtained from HTI Run PB-08. These samples were derived from operations with Black Thunder Mine Wyoming subbituminous coal, simulated mixed waste plastics, and pyrolysis oils derived from waste plastics and waste tires. Comparison of characteristics among the PB-08 samples was made tomore » ascertain the effects of feed composition changes. A comparison also was made to samples from a previous test (Run PB-06) made in the same processing unit, with Black Thunder Mine coal, and in one run condition with co-fed mixed plastics.« less

Photo-crystallization in a-Se layer structures: Effects of film-substrate interface-rigidity

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

Lindberg, G. P.; Gross, N.; Weinstein, B. A.

Amorphous selenium (a-Se) films deposited on rigid substrates can undergo photo-induced crystallization (PC) even at temperatures (T) well below the glass transition, T{sub g} ∼ 313 K. Substrate-generated shear strain is known to promote the PC process. In the present work, we explore the influence of different substrates (Si and glass), and different film-layer-substrate combinations, on the PC in a variety of a-Se films and film-structures. The intermediate layers (indium tin oxide and polyimide) are chosen to promote conductivity and/or to be a buffer against interface strain in structures of interest for digital imaging applications. The PC characteristics in these samples are evaluatedmore » and compared using optical microscopy, atomic-force microscopy, Raman mapping, and T-dependent Raman spectroscopy. Both the presence of a soft intermediate layer, and the thermal softening that occurs for T increasing through T{sub g}, inhibit the tendency for the onset of PC. The extensive PC mapping results in the wide range of samples studied here, as well as the suppression of PC near T{sub g} in this array of samples, strongly support the generality of this behavior. As a consequence, one may expect that the stability of a-Se films against PC can be enhanced by decreasing the rigidity of the film-substrate interface. In this regard, advanced film structures that employ flexible substrates, soft intermediate layers, and/or are designed to be operated near T{sub g} should be explored.« less

Multi-element stochastic spectral projection for high quantile estimation

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

Ko, Jordan, E-mail: jordan.ko@mac.com; Garnier, Josselin

2013-06-15

We investigate quantile estimation by multi-element generalized Polynomial Chaos (gPC) metamodel where the exact numerical model is approximated by complementary metamodels in overlapping domains that mimic the model’s exact response. The gPC metamodel is constructed by the non-intrusive stochastic spectral projection approach and function evaluation on the gPC metamodel can be considered as essentially free. Thus, large number of Monte Carlo samples from the metamodel can be used to estimate α-quantile, for moderate values of α. As the gPC metamodel is an expansion about the means of the inputs, its accuracy may worsen away from these mean values where themore » extreme events may occur. By increasing the approximation accuracy of the metamodel, we may eventually improve accuracy of quantile estimation but it is very expensive. A multi-element approach is therefore proposed by combining a global metamodel in the standard normal space with supplementary local metamodels constructed in bounded domains about the design points corresponding to the extreme events. To improve the accuracy and to minimize the sampling cost, sparse-tensor and anisotropic-tensor quadratures are tested in addition to the full-tensor Gauss quadrature in the construction of local metamodels; different bounds of the gPC expansion are also examined. The global and local metamodels are combined in the multi-element gPC (MEgPC) approach and it is shown that MEgPC can be more accurate than Monte Carlo or importance sampling methods for high quantile estimations for input dimensions roughly below N=8, a limit that is very much case- and α-dependent.« less

Morphometry and subpopulation structure of Holstein bull spermatozoa: variations in ejaculates and cryopreservation straws

PubMed Central

Valverde, Anthony; Arenán, Héctor; Sancho, María; Contell, Jesús; Yániz, Jesús; Fernández, Alejandro; Soler, Carles

2016-01-01

Sperm quality is evaluated for the calculation of sperm dosage in artificial reproductive programs. The most common parameter used is motility, but morphology has a higher potential as a predictor of genetic quality. Morphometry calculations from CASA-Morph technology improve morphological evaluation and allow mathematical approaches to the problem. Semen from 28 Holstein bulls was collected by artificial vagina, and several ejaculates were studied. After general evaluation, samples were diluted, packaged in 0.25 ml straws, and stored in liquid nitrogen. Two straws per sample were thawed, and slides were processed and stained with Diff-Quik. Samples were analyzed by a CASA-Morph system for eight morphometric parameters. In addition to the “classical” statistical approach, based on variance analysis (revealing differences between animals, ejaculates, and straws), principal component (PC) analysis showed that the variables were grouped into PC1, related to size, and PC2 to shape. Subpopulation structure analysis showed four groups, namely, big, small, short, and narrow from their dominant characteristics, representing 31.0%, 27.3%, 24.1%, and 17.7% of the total population, respectively. The distributions varied between animals and ejaculates, but between straws, there were no differences in only four animals. This modern approach of considering an ejaculate sperm population as divided into subpopulations reflecting quantifiable parameters generated by CASA-Morph systems technology opens a new view on sperm function. This is the first study applying this approach to evaluate different ejaculates and straws from the same individual. More work must be done to improve seminal dose calculations in assisted reproductive programs. PMID:27678464

Morphometry and subpopulation structure of Holstein bull spermatozoa: variations in ejaculates and cryopreservation straws.

PubMed

Valverde, Anthony; Arenán, Héctor; Sancho, María; Contell, Jesús; Yániz, Jesús; Fernández, Alejandro; Soler, Carles

2016-01-01

Sperm quality is evaluated for the calculation of sperm dosage in artificial reproductive programs. The most common parameter used is motility, but morphology has a higher potential as a predictor of genetic quality. Morphometry calculations from CASA-Morph technology improve morphological evaluation and allow mathematical approaches to the problem. Semen from 28 Holstein bulls was collected by artificial vagina, and several ejaculates were studied. After general evaluation, samples were diluted, packaged in 0.25 ml straws, and stored in liquid nitrogen. Two straws per sample were thawed, and slides were processed and stained with Diff-Quik. Samples were analyzed by a CASA-Morph system for eight morphometric parameters. In addition to the "classical" statistical approach, based on variance analysis (revealing differences between animals, ejaculates, and straws), principal component (PC) analysis showed that the variables were grouped into PC1, related to size, and PC2 to shape. Subpopulation structure analysis showed four groups, namely, big, small, short, and narrow from their dominant characteristics, representing 31.0%, 27.3%, 24.1%, and 17.7% of the total population, respectively. The distributions varied between animals and ejaculates, but between straws, there were no differences in only four animals. This modern approach of considering an ejaculate sperm population as divided into subpopulations reflecting quantifiable parameters generated by CASA-Morph systems technology opens a new view on sperm function. This is the first study applying this approach to evaluate different ejaculates and straws from the same individual. More work must be done to improve seminal dose calculations in assisted reproductive programs.

Kinematics and subpopulations' structure definition of blue fox (Alopex lagopus) sperm motility using the ISAS® V1 CASA system.

PubMed

Soler, C; García, A; Contell, J; Segervall, J; Sancho, M

2014-08-01

Over recent years, technological advances have brought innovation in assisted reproduction to the agriculture. Fox species are of great economical interest in some countries, but their semen characteristics have not been studied enough. To advance the knowledge of function of fox spermatozoa, five samples were obtained by masturbation, in the breeding season. Kinetic analysis was performed using ISAS® v1 system. Usual kinematic parameters (VCL, VSL, VAP, LIN, STR, WOB, ALH and BCF) were considered. To establish the standardization for the analysis of samples, the minimum number of cells to analyse and the minimum number of fields to capture were defined. In the second step, the presence of subpopulations in blue fox semen was analysed. The minimum number of cells to test was 30, because kinematic parameters remained constant along the groups of analysis. Also, the effectiveness of ISAS® D4C20 counting chamber was studied, showing that the first five squares presented equivalent results, while in the squares six and seven, the kinematic parameters showed a reduction in all of them, but not in the concentration or motility percentage. Kinematic variables were grouped into two principal components (PC). A linear movement characterized PC1, while PC2 showed an oscillatory movement. Three subpopulations were found, varying in structure among different animals. © 2014 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

The clustering of galaxies in the completed SDSS-III Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey: combining correlated Gaussian posterior distributions

DOE PAGES

Sánchez, Ariel G.; Grieb, Jan Niklas; Salazar-Albornoz, Salvador; ...

2016-09-30

The cosmological information contained in anisotropic galaxy clustering measurements can often be compressed into a small number of parameters whose posterior distribution is well described by a Gaussian. Here, we present a general methodology to combine these estimates into a single set of consensus constraints that encode the total information of the individual measurements, taking into account the full covariance between the different methods. We also illustrate this technique by applying it to combine the results obtained from different clustering analyses, including measurements of the signature of baryon acoustic oscillations and redshift-space distortions, based on a set of mock cataloguesmore » of the final SDSS-III Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS). Our results show that the region of the parameter space allowed by the consensus constraints is smaller than that of the individual methods, highlighting the importance of performing multiple analyses on galaxy surveys even when the measurements are highly correlated. Our paper is part of a set that analyses the final galaxy clustering data set from BOSS. The methodology presented here is used in Alam et al. to produce the final cosmological constraints from BOSS.« less

The Effect of the Khong Wong Yai Parameters on Sounds by FEM

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bamrungwong, Joompon; Woraratsoontorn, Pattaraweerin

2017-07-01

The Khong Wong Yai is called Gong in English but different in number to tune the sounds, beeswax with not exactly amount is pasted under the bossed. It is a Thai’s percussion instrument usually involves some kind of striking on nipple gong. It is composed of 16 units of Gong as a circle of a rattan frame. The bossed or nipple gong embossed in center of a gong generates one key sound. Player has to percuss the gongs to create the rhythm with two hard rubber mallets or soft padded mallets as beaters and sits in the middle of the circle. The sound of the gong usually involves vibration of its own structure. The aim of this analysis is to study the eigen modes and find out the important parameters to generate sound frequency which are excited on the bossed or nipple gong by finite element analysis. In this paper the inertia relief method is to study the sound frequency of the Gong. The results show that the diameter of the Gong, the thickness of flange and the thickness of cylinder formed the Gong are important parameters which can be optimized to obtain the correct sound key.

Numerical study on the influence of boss cap fins on efficiency of controllable-pitch propeller

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xiong, Ying; Wang, Zhanzhi; Qi, Wanjiang

2013-03-01

Numerical simulation is investigated to disclose how propeller boss cap fins (PBCF) operate utilizing Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) method. In addition, exploration of the influencing mechanism of PBCF on the open water efficiency of one controllable-pitch propeller is analyzed through the open water characteristic curves, blade surface pressure distribution and hub streamline distribution. On this basis, the influence of parameters including airfoil profile, diameter, axial position of installation and circumferential installation angle on the open water efficiency of the controllable-pitch propeller is investigated. Numerical results show: for the controllable-pitch propeller, the thrust generated is at the optimum when the radius of boss cap fins is 1.5 times of propeller hub with an optimal installation position in the axial direction, and its optimal circumferential installation position is the midpoint of the extension line of the front and back ends of two adjacent propeller roots in the front of fin root. Under these optimal parameters, the gain of open water efficiency of the controllable-pitch propeller with different advance velocity coefficients is greater than 0.01, which accounts for approximately an increase of 1%-5% of open water efficiency.

MicroRNA Expression in Formalin-fixed Paraffin-embedded Cancer Tissue: Identifying Reference MicroRNAs and Variability.

PubMed

Boisen, Mogens Karsbøl; Dehlendorff, Christian; Linnemann, Dorte; Schultz, Nicolai Aagaard; Jensen, Benny Vittrup; Høgdall, Estrid Vilma Solyom; Johansen, Julia Sidenius

2015-12-29

Archival formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) cancer tissue samples are a readily available resource for microRNA (miRNA) biomarker identification. No established standard for reference miRNAs in FFPE tissue exists. We sought to identify stable reference miRNAs for normalization of miRNA expression in FFPE tissue samples from patients with colorectal (CRC) and pancreatic (PC) cancer and to quantify the variability associated with sample age and fixation. High-throughput miRNA profiling results from 203 CRC and 256 PC FFPE samples as well as from 37 paired frozen/FFPE samples from nine other CRC tumors (methodological samples) were used. Candidate reference miRNAs were identified by their correlation with global mean expression. The stability of reference genes was analyzed according to published methods. The association between sample age and global mean miRNA expression was tested using linear regression. Variability was described using correlation coefficients and linear mixed effects models. Normalization effects were determined by changes in standard deviation and by hierarchical clustering. We created lists of 20 miRNAs with the best correlation to global mean expression in each cancer type. Nine of these miRNAs were present in both lists, and miR-103a-3p was the most stable reference miRNA for both CRC and PC FFPE tissue. The optimal number of reference miRNAs was 4 in CRC and 10 in PC. Sample age had a significant effect on global miRNA expression in PC (50% reduction over 20 years) but not in CRC. Formalin fixation for 2-6 days decreased miRNA expression 30-65%. Normalization using global mean expression reduced variability for technical and biological replicates while normalization using the expression of the identified reference miRNAs reduced variability only for biological replicates. Normalization only had a minor impact on clustering results. We identified suitable reference miRNAs for future miRNA expression experiments using CRC- and PC FFPE tissue samples. Formalin fixation decreased miRNA expression considerably, while the effect of increasing sample age was estimated to be negligible in a clinical setting.

Simultaneous Determination of Potassium Clavulanate and Amoxicillin Trihydrate in Bulk, Pharmaceutical Formulations and in Human Urine Samples by UV Spectrophotometry

PubMed Central

Gujral, Rajinder Singh; Haque, Sk Manirul

2010-01-01

A simple and sensitive UV spectrophotometric method was developed and validated for the simultaneous determination of Potassium Clavulanate (PC) and Amoxicillin Trihydrate (AT) in bulk, pharmaceutical formulations and in human urine samples. The method was linear in the range of 0.2–8.5 μg/ml for PC and 6.4–33.6 μg/ml for AT. The absorbance was measured at 205 and 271 nm for PC and AT respectively. The method was validated with respect to accuracy, precision, specificity, ruggedness, robustness, limit of detection and limit of quantitation. This method was used successfully for the quality assessment of four PC and AT drug products and in human urine samples with good precision and accuracy. This is found to be simple, specific, precise, accurate, reproducible and low cost UV Spectrophotometric method. PMID:23675211

Structural Acoustic UXO Detection and Identification in Marine Environments

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-05-01

BOSS Buried Object Scanning Sonar DVL Doppler Velocity Log EW East/West IMU Inertial Measurement Unit NRL Naval Research Laboratory NSWC-PCD... Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) to time-delay and coherently sum matched-filtered phase histories from subsurface focal points over a large number of... Measurement Unit (IMU) systems. In our imaging algorithm, the 2D depth image of a target, i.e. one mapped over x and z or y and z, presents the

Mechanical Design Report DARPA BOSS Program

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-03-21

for system mass and length; tolerances for lens spacing, tilt , and diameter; tolerances for lens to lens concentricity and lens perimeter to focus...binding when the lens is compressed, which could otherwise introduce tilt in the lens surface. Part b is the solid stop against which lens 3 (part...Fixed lens angular ( tilt ) accuracy ±3° Lens concentricity ±0.150mm Temperature range 10-45°C Minimum BFL adjustment ±1.5 mm from design focus

Revisiting the JDL Model for Information Exploitation

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-07-01

High-Level Information Fusion Management and Systems Design, Artech House, Norwood, MA, 2012. [10] E. Blasch, D. A. Lambert, P. Valin , M. M. Kokar...Fusion – Fusion2012 Panel Discussion,” Int. Conf. on Info Fusion, 2012. [29] E. P. Blasch, P. Valin , A-L. Jousselme, et al., “Top Ten Trends in High...P. Valin , E. Bosse, M. Nilsson, J. Van Laere, et al., “Implication of Culture: User Roles in Information Fusion for Enhanced Situational

Bypass Mechanisms of the Androgen Receptor Pathway in Therapy-Resistant Prostate Cancer Cell Models

PubMed Central

Marques, Rute B.; Dits, Natasja F.; Erkens-Schulze, Sigrun; van Weerden, Wytske M.; Jenster, Guido

2010-01-01

Background Prostate cancer is initially dependent on androgens for survival and growth, making hormonal therapy the cornerstone treatment for late-stage tumors. However, despite initial remission, the cancer will inevitably recur. The present study was designed to investigate how androgen-dependent prostate cancer cells eventually survive and resume growth under androgen-deprived and antiandrogen supplemented conditions. As model system, we used the androgen-responsive PC346C cell line and its therapy-resistant sublines: PC346DCC, PC346Flu1 and PC346Flu2. Methodology/Principal Findings Microarray technology was used to analyze differences in gene expression between the androgen-responsive and therapy-resistant PC346 cell lines. Microarray analysis revealed 487 transcripts differentially-expressed between the androgen-responsive and the therapy-resistant cell lines. Most of these genes were common to all three therapy-resistant sublines and only a minority (∼5%) was androgen-regulated. Pathway analysis revealed enrichment in functions involving cellular movement, cell growth and cell death, as well as association with cancer and reproductive system disease. PC346DCC expressed residual levels of androgen receptor (AR) and showed significant down-regulation of androgen-regulated genes (p-value = 10−7). Up-regulation of VAV3 and TWIST1 oncogenes and repression of the DKK3 tumor-suppressor was observed in PC346DCC, suggesting a potential AR bypass mechanism. Subsequent validation of these three genes in patient samples confirmed that expression was deregulated during prostate cancer progression. Conclusions/Significance Therapy-resistant growth may result from adaptations in the AR pathway, but androgen-independence may also be achieved by alternative survival mechanisms. Here we identified TWIST1, VAV3 and DKK3 as potential players in the bypassing of the AR pathway, making them good candidates as biomarkers and novel therapeutical targets. PMID:20976069

PV-Diesel Hybrid SCADA Experiment Network Design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kalu, Alex; Durand, S.; Emrich, Carol; Ventre, G.; Wilson, W.; Acosta, R.

1999-01-01

The essential features of an experimental network for renewable power system satellite based supervisory, control and data acquisition (SCADA) are communication links, controllers, diagnostic equipment and a hybrid power system. Required components for implementing the network consist of two satellite ground stations, to satellite modems, two 486 PCs, two telephone receivers, two telephone modems, two analog telephone lines, one digital telephone line, a hybrid-power system equipped with controller and a satellite spacecraft. In the technology verification experiment (TVE) conducted by Savannah State University and Florida Solar Energy Center, the renewable energy hybrid system is the Apex-1000 Mini-Hybrid which is equipped with NGC3188 for user interface and remote control and the NGC2010 for monitoring and basic control tasks. This power system is connected to a satellite modem via a smart interface, RS232. Commands are sent to the power system control unit through a control PC designed as PC1. PC1 is thus connected to a satellite model through RS232. A second PC, designated PC2, the diagnostic PC is connected to both satellite modems via separate analog telephone lines for checking modems'health. PC2 is also connected to PC1 via a telephone line. Due to the unavailability of a second ground station for the ACTS, one ground station is used to serve both the sending and receiving functions in this experiment. Signal is sent from the control PC to the Hybrid system at a frequency f(sub 1), different from f(sub 2), the signal from the hybrid system to the control PC. f(sub l) and f(sub 2) are sufficiently separated to avoid interference.

Political, cultural and economic foundations of primary care in Europe.

PubMed

Kringos, Dionne S; Boerma, Wienke G W; van der Zee, Jouke; Groenewegen, Peter P

2013-12-01

This article explores various contributing factors to explain differences in the strength of the primary care (PC) structure and services delivery across Europe. Data on the strength of primary care in 31 European countries in 2009/10 were used. The results showed that the national political agenda, economy, prevailing values, and type of healthcare system are all important factors that influence the development of strong PC. Wealthier countries are associated with a weaker PC structure and lower PC accessibility, while Eastern European countries seemed to have used their growth in national income to strengthen the accessibility and continuity of PC. Countries governed by left-wing governments are associated with a stronger PC structure, accessibility and coordination of PC. Countries with a social-security based system are associated with a lower accessibility and continuity of PC; the opposite is true for transitional systems. Cultural values seemed to affect all aspects of PC. It can be concluded that strengthening PC means mobilising multiple leverage points, policy options, and political will in line with prevailing values in a country. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A Detection of the Baryon Acoustic Oscillation Features in the SDSS BOSS DR12 Galaxy Bispectrum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pearson, David W.; Samushia, Lado

2018-05-01

We present the first high significance detection (4.1σ) of the Baryon Acoustic Oscillations (BAO) feature in the galaxy bispectrum of the twelfth data release (DR12) of the Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS) CMASS sample (0.43 ≤ z ≤ 0.7). We measured the scale dilation parameter, α, using the power spectrum, bispectrum, and both simultaneously for DR12, plus 2048 MultiDark-PATCHY mocks in the North and South Galactic Caps (NGC and SGC, respectively), and the volume weighted averages of those two samples (N+SGC). The fitting to the mocks validated our analysis pipeline, yielding values consistent with the mock cosmology. By fitting to the power spectrum and bispectrum separately, we tested the robustness of our results, finding consistent values from the NGC, SGC and N+SGC in all cases. We found DV = 2032 ± 24(stat.) ± 15(sys.) Mpc, DV = 2038 ± 55(stat.) ± 15(sys.) Mpc, and DV = 2031 ± 22(stat.) ± 10(sys.) Mpc from the N+SGC power spectrum, bispectrum and simultaneous fitting, respectively. Our bispectrum measurement precision was mainly limited by the size of the covariance matrix. Based on the fits to the mocks, we showed that if a less noisy estimator of the covariance were available, from either a theoretical computation or a larger suite of mocks, the constraints from the bispectrum and simultaneous fits would improve to 1.1 per cent (1.3 per cent with systematics) and 0.7 per cent (0.9 per cent with systematics), respectively, with the latter being slightly more precise than the power spectrum only constraints from the reconstructed field.

Improving Assessments of Chlorophyll Concentration From In Situ Optical Measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nardelli, S.; Twardowski, M.

2016-02-01

Florescence as a chlorophyll proxy has poor accuracy because it is dependent on specific absorption (effective molar absorptivity of packaged chlorophyll in living cells) and fluorescence quantum yield, both of which are highly variable. Absorption is a better proxy, as it is only dependent on specific absorption for packaged chlorophyll, although excepted accuracy in using a nominal specific absorption for all phytoplankton is still about 50%. Bricaud et al. (1995), Ciotti et al. (2002), Mouw et al. (2010), etc. have shown, however, that specific absorption is closely related to the average size of phytoplankton due to the relative packaging effect. Through other methods that have been developed over the years (Morel 1973; Diehl and Haart 1980; Boss et al. 2001; Slade and Boss 2015), it has been shown that measurements of spectral particulate attenuation (i.e., light transmission), and perhaps spectral particulate backscattering, can be used as simple proxies for the average size of the particle field. We therefore test the hypothesis that information on average particle size may be used to better estimate specific absorption for packaged chlorophyll, possibly enabling more accurate retrievals of chlorophyll concentration from optical measurements. The required optical measurements can be made with compact commercial off-the-shelf sensors with high sampling frequency that can be operated from autonomous vehicles; as a result, derived chlorophyll concentration could be resolved at far higher temporal and spatial frequency than is currently possible through extracting chlorophyll from discretely collected samples. This study examines the relationship between specific absorption and the attenuation spectral slope in extensive datasets from Case I and Case II waters found globally in an attempt to assess the link between pigment packaging and phytoplankton size dynamics and the impact on improving the derivation of chlorophyll from in situ optical measurements.

A 14 h-3 Gpc3 study of cosmic homogeneity using BOSS DR12 quasar sample

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Laurent, Pierre; Le Goff, Jean-Marc; Burtin, Etienne; Hamilton, Jean-Christophe; Hogg, David W.; Myers, Adam; Ntelis, Pierros; Pâris, Isabelle; Rich, James; Aubourg, Eric; Bautista, Julian; Delubac, Timothée; du Mas des Bourboux, Hélion; Eftekharzadeh, Sarah; Palanque Delabrouille, Nathalie; Petitjean, Patrick; Rossi, Graziano; Schneider, Donald P.; Yeche, Christophe

2016-11-01

The BOSS quasar sample is used to study cosmic homogeneity with a 3D survey in the redshift range 2.2 < z < 2.8. We measure the count-in-sphere, N(< r), i.e. the average number of objects around a given object, and its logarithmic derivative, the fractal correlation dimension, D2(r). For a homogeneous distribution N(< r) propto r3 and D2(r) = 3. Due to the uncertainty on tracer density evolution, 3D surveys can only probe homogeneity up to a redshift dependence, i.e. they probe so-called ``spatial isotropy". Our data demonstrate spatial isotropy of the quasar distribution in the redshift range 2.2 < z < 2.8 in a model-independent way, independent of any FLRW fiducial cosmology, resulting in 3 - langleD2rangle < 1.7 × 10-3 (2 σ) over the range 250 < r < 1200 h-1 Mpc for the quasar distribution. If we assume that quasars do not have a bias much less than unity, this implies spatial isotropy of the matter distribution on large scales. Then, combining with the Copernican principle, we finally get homogeneity of the matter distribution on large scales. Alternatively, using a flat ΛCDM fiducial cosmology with CMB-derived parameters, and measuring the quasar bias relative to this ΛCDM model, our data provide a consistency check of the model, in terms of how homogeneous the Universe is on different scales. D2(r) is found to be compatible with our ΛCDM model on the whole 10 < r < 1200 h-1 Mpc range. For the matter distribution we obtain 3 - langleD2rangle < 5 × 10-5 (2 σ) over the range 250 < r < 1200 h-1 Mpc, consistent with homogeneity on large scales.

CFHTLenS and RCSLenS: testing photometric redshift distributions using angular cross-correlations with spectroscopic galaxy surveys

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Choi, A.; Heymans, C.; Blake, C.; Hildebrandt, H.; Duncan, C. A. J.; Erben, T.; Nakajima, R.; Van Waerbeke, L.; Viola, M.

2016-12-01

We determine the accuracy of galaxy redshift distributions as estimated from photometric redshift probability distributions p(z). Our method utilizes measurements of the angular cross-correlation between photometric galaxies and an overlapping sample of galaxies with spectroscopic redshifts. We describe the redshift leakage from a galaxy photometric redshift bin j into a spectroscopic redshift bin I using the sum of the p(z) for the galaxies residing in bin j. We can then predict the angular cross-correlation between photometric and spectroscopic galaxies due to intrinsic galaxy clustering when I ≠ j as a function of the measured angular cross-correlation when I = j. We also account for enhanced clustering arising from lensing magnification using a halo model. The comparison of this prediction with the measured signal provides a consistency check on the validity of using the summed p(z) to determine galaxy redshift distributions in cosmological analyses, as advocated by the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope Lensing Survey (CFHTLenS). We present an analysis of the photometric redshifts measured by CFHTLenS, which overlaps the Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS). We also analyse the Red-sequence Cluster Lensing Survey, which overlaps both BOSS and the WiggleZ Dark Energy Survey. We find that the summed p(z) from both surveys are generally biased with respect to the true underlying distributions. If unaccounted for, this bias would lead to errors in cosmological parameter estimation from CFHTLenS by less than ˜4 per cent. For photometric redshift bins which spatially overlap in 3D with our spectroscopic sample, we determine redshift bias corrections which can be used in future cosmological analyses that rely on accurate galaxy redshift distributions.

The clustering of galaxies in the SDSS-III Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey: measuring H(z) and DA(z) at z = 0.57 with clustering wedges

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kazin, Eyal A.; Sánchez, Ariel G.; Cuesta, Antonio J.; Beutler, Florian; Chuang, Chia-Hsun; Eisenstein, Daniel J.; Manera, Marc; Padmanabhan, Nikhil; Percival, Will J.; Prada, Francisco; Ross, Ashley J.; Seo, Hee-Jong; Tinker, Jeremy; Tojeiro, Rita; Xu, Xiaoying; Brinkmann, J.; Joel, Brownstein; Nichol, Robert C.; Schlegel, David J.; Schneider, Donald P.; Thomas, Daniel

2013-10-01

We analyse the 2D correlation function of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey-III Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS) CMASS sample of massive galaxies of the ninth data release to measure cosmic expansion H and the angular diameter distance DA at a mean redshift of = 0.57. We apply, for the first time, a new correlation function technique called clustering wedges ξΔμ(s). Using a physically motivated model, the anisotropic baryonic acoustic feature in the galaxy sample is detected at a significance level of 4.7σ compared to a featureless model. The baryonic acoustic feature is used to obtain model-independent constraints cz/H/rs = 12.28 ± 0.82 (6.7 percent accuracy) and DA/rs = 9.05 ± 0.27 (3.0 per cent) with a correlation coefficient of -0.5, where rs is the sound horizon scale at the end of the baryonic drag era. We conduct thorough tests on the data and 600 simulated realizations, finding robustness of the results regardless of the details of the analysis method. Combining this with rs constraints from the cosmic microwave background, we obtain H(0.57) = 90.8 ± 6.2 km s-1 Mpc-1 and DA(0.57) = 1386 ± 45 Mpc. We use simulations to forecast results of the final BOSS CMASS data set. We apply the reconstruction technique on the simulations demonstrating that the sharpening of the anisotropic baryonic acoustic feature should improve the detection as well as tighten constraints of H and DA by ˜30 per cent on average.

Testing the Large-scale Environments of Cool-core and Non-cool-core Clusters with Clustering Bias

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Medezinski, Elinor; Battaglia, Nicholas; Coupon, Jean; Cen, Renyue; Gaspari, Massimo; Strauss, Michael A.; Spergel, David N.

2017-02-01

There are well-observed differences between cool-core (CC) and non-cool-core (NCC) clusters, but the origin of this distinction is still largely unknown. Competing theories can be divided into internal (inside-out), in which internal physical processes transform or maintain the NCC phase, and external (outside-in), in which the cluster type is determined by its initial conditions, which in turn leads to different formation histories (I.e., assembly bias). We propose a new method that uses the relative assembly bias of CC to NCC clusters, as determined via the two-point cluster-galaxy cross-correlation function (CCF), to test whether formation history plays a role in determining their nature. We apply our method to 48 ACCEPT clusters, which have well resolved central entropies, and cross-correlate with the SDSS-III/BOSS LOWZ galaxy catalog. We find that the relative bias of NCC over CC clusters is b = 1.42 ± 0.35 (1.6σ different from unity). Our measurement is limited by the small number of clusters with core entropy information within the BOSS footprint, 14 CC and 34 NCC clusters. Future compilations of X-ray cluster samples, combined with deep all-sky redshift surveys, will be able to better constrain the relative assembly bias of CC and NCC clusters and determine the origin of the bimodality.

Testing the Large-scale Environments of Cool-core and Non-cool-core Clusters with Clustering Bias

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

Medezinski, Elinor; Battaglia, Nicholas; Cen, Renyue

2017-02-10

There are well-observed differences between cool-core (CC) and non-cool-core (NCC) clusters, but the origin of this distinction is still largely unknown. Competing theories can be divided into internal (inside-out), in which internal physical processes transform or maintain the NCC phase, and external (outside-in), in which the cluster type is determined by its initial conditions, which in turn leads to different formation histories (i.e., assembly bias). We propose a new method that uses the relative assembly bias of CC to NCC clusters, as determined via the two-point cluster-galaxy cross-correlation function (CCF), to test whether formation history plays a role in determiningmore » their nature. We apply our method to 48 ACCEPT clusters, which have well resolved central entropies, and cross-correlate with the SDSS-III/BOSS LOWZ galaxy catalog. We find that the relative bias of NCC over CC clusters is b = 1.42 ± 0.35 (1.6 σ different from unity). Our measurement is limited by the small number of clusters with core entropy information within the BOSS footprint, 14 CC and 34 NCC clusters. Future compilations of X-ray cluster samples, combined with deep all-sky redshift surveys, will be able to better constrain the relative assembly bias of CC and NCC clusters and determine the origin of the bimodality.« less

The bank of standardized stimuli (BOSS): comparison between French and English norms.

PubMed

Brodeur, Mathieu B; Kehayia, Eva; Dion-Lessard, Geneviève; Chauret, Mélissa; Montreuil, Tina; Dionne-Dostie, Emmanuelle; Lepage, Martin

2012-12-01

Throughout the last decades, numerous picture data sets have been developed, such as the Snodgrass and Vanderwart (1980) set, and have been normalized for variables such as name and familiarity; however, due to cultural and linguistic differences, norms can vary from one country to another. The effect due specifically to culture has already been demonstrated by comparing samples from different countries where the same language is spoken. On the other hand, it is still not clear how differences between languages may affect norms. The present study explores this issue by collecting and comparing norms on names and many other features from French Canadian speakers and English Canadian speakers living in Montreal, who thus live in similar cultural environments. Norms were collected for the photos of objects from the Bank of Standardized Stimuli (BOSS) by asking participants to name the objects, to categorize them, and to rate their familiarity, visual complexity, object agreement, viewpoint agreement, and manipulability. Names and ratings from the French speakers are available in Appendix A, available in the supplemental materials. The results show that most of the norms are comparable across linguistic groups and also that the ratings given are correlated across linguistic groups. The only significant group differences were found in viewpoint agreement and visual complexity. Overall, there was good concordance between the norms collected from French and English native speakers living in the same cultural setting.

The design of PC/MISI, a PC-based common user interface to remote information storage and retrieval systems. Presentation visuals. M.S. Thesis Final Report, 1 Jul. 1985 - 31 Dec. 1987

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dominick, Wayne D. (Editor); Hall, Philip P.

1985-01-01

This Working Paper Series entry represents a collection of presentation visuals associated with the companion report entitled, The Design of PC/MISI, a PC-Based Common User Interface to Remote Information Storage and Retrieval Systems, USL/DBMS NASA/RECON Working Paper Series report number DBMS.NASA/RECON-15. The paper discusses the following: problem definition; the PC solution; the goals of system design; the design description; future considerations, the research environment; conclusions.

Multiple-User Microcomputer Technology and Its Application to the Library Environment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McCarthy, Cathleen D.

1987-01-01

Demonstrates the ways in which multiuser and multitasking microcomputer systems can be used for the automation of small- to medium-sized library operations. The possibilities afforded by the IBM-PC AT microcomputer are discussed and a sample configuration with estimated cost projections is provided. (EM)

Analysing baryon acoustic oscillations in sparse spectroscopic samples via cross-correlation with dense photometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Patej, A.; Eisenstein, D. J.

2018-07-01

We develop a formalism for measuring the cosmological distance scale from baryon acoustic oscillations (BAO) using the cross-correlation of a sparse redshift survey with a denser photometric sample. This reduces the shot noise that would otherwise affect the autocorrelation of the sparse spectroscopic map. As a proof of principle, we make the first on-sky application of this method to a sparse sample defined as the z > 0.6 tail of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey's (SDSS) BOSS/CMASS sample of galaxies and a dense photometric sample from SDSS DR9. We find a 2.8σ preference for the BAO peak in the cross-correlation at an effective z = 0.64, from which we measure the angular diameter distance DM(z = 0.64) = (2418 ± 73 Mpc)(rs/rs, fid). Accordingly, we expect that using this method to combine sparse spectroscopy with the deep, high-quality imaging that is just now becoming available will enable higher precision BAO measurements than possible with the spectroscopy alone.

Analyzing Baryon Acoustic Oscillations in Sparse Spectroscopic Samples via Cross-Correlation with Dense Photometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Patej, Anna; Eisenstein, Daniel J.

2018-04-01

We develop a formalism for measuring the cosmological distance scale from baryon acoustic oscillations (BAO) using the cross-correlation of a sparse redshift survey with a denser photometric sample. This reduces the shot noise that would otherwise affect the auto-correlation of the sparse spectroscopic map. As a proof of principle, we make the first on-sky application of this method to a sparse sample defined as the z > 0.6 tail of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey's (SDSS) BOSS/CMASS sample of galaxies and a dense photometric sample from SDSS DR9. We find a 2.8σ preference for the BAO peak in the cross-correlation at an effective z = 0.64, from which we measure the angular diameter distance DM(z = 0.64) = (2418 ± 73 Mpc)(rs/rs, fid). Accordingly, we expect that using this method to combine sparse spectroscopy with the deep, high quality imaging that is just now becoming available will enable higher precision BAO measurements than possible with the spectroscopy alone.

[Study on discrimination of varieties of fire resistive coating for steel structure based on near-infrared spectroscopy].

PubMed

Xue, Gang; Song, Wen-qi; Li, Shu-chao

2015-01-01

In order to achieve the rapid identification of fire resistive coating for steel structure of different brands in circulating, a new method for the fast discrimination of varieties of fire resistive coating for steel structure by means of near infrared spectroscopy was proposed. The raster scanning near infrared spectroscopy instrument and near infrared diffuse reflectance spectroscopy were applied to collect the spectral curve of different brands of fire resistive coating for steel structure and the spectral data were preprocessed with standard normal variate transformation(standard normal variate transformation, SNV) and Norris second derivative. The principal component analysis (principal component analysis, PCA)was used to near infrared spectra for cluster analysis. The analysis results showed that the cumulate reliabilities of PC1 to PC5 were 99. 791%. The 3-dimentional plot was drawn with the scores of PC1, PC2 and PC3 X 10, which appeared to provide the best clustering of the varieties of fire resistive coating for steel structure. A total of 150 fire resistive coating samples were divided into calibration set and validation set randomly, the calibration set had 125 samples with 25 samples of each variety, and the validation set had 25 samples with 5 samples of each variety. According to the principal component scores of unknown samples, Mahalanobis distance values between each variety and unknown samples were calculated to realize the discrimination of different varieties. The qualitative analysis model for external verification of unknown samples is a 10% recognition ration. The results demonstrated that this identification method can be used as a rapid, accurate method to identify the classification of fire resistive coating for steel structure and provide technical reference for market regulation.

Method and apparatus for determination of material residual stress

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chern, Engmin J. (Inventor); Flom, Yury (Inventor)

1993-01-01

A device for the determination of residual stress in a material sample consisting of a sensor coil, adjacent to the material sample, whose resistance varies according to the amount of stress within the material sample, a mechanical push-pull machine for imparting a gradually increasing compressional and tensional force on the material sample, and an impedance gain/phase analyzer and personal computer (PC) for sending an input signal to and receiving an input signal from the sensor coil is presented. The PC will measure and record the change in resistance of the sensor coil and the corresponding amount of strain of the sample. The PC will then determine, from the measurements of change of resistance and corresponding strain of the sample, the point at which the resistance of the sensor coil is at a minimum and the corresponding value and type of strain of the sample at that minimum resistance point, thereby, enabling a calculation of the residual stress in the sample.

ELIPGRID-PC: A PC program for calculating hot spot probabilities

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

Davidson, J.R.

1994-10-01

ELIPGRID-PC, a new personal computer program has been developed to provide easy access to Singer`s 1972 ELIPGRID algorithm for hot-spot detection probabilities. Three features of the program are the ability to determine: (1) the grid size required for specified conditions, (2) the smallest hot spot that can be sampled with a given probability, and (3) the approximate grid size resulting from specified conditions and sampling cost. ELIPGRID-PC also provides probability of hit versus cost data for graphing with spread-sheets or graphics software. The program has been successfully tested using Singer`s published ELIPGRID results. An apparent error in the original ELIPGRIDmore » code has been uncovered and an appropriate modification incorporated into the new program.« less

Shape Analysis of 3D Head Scan Data for U.S. Respirator Users

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhuang, Ziqing; Slice, DennisE; Benson, Stacey; Lynch, Stephanie; Viscusi, DennisJ

2010-12-01

In 2003, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) conducted a head-and-face anthropometric survey of diverse, civilian respirator users. Of the 3,997 subjects measured using traditional anthropometric techniques, surface scans and 26 three-dimensional (3D) landmark locations were collected for 947 subjects. The objective of this study was to report the size and shape variation of the survey participants using the 3D data. Generalized Procrustes Analysis (GPA) was conducted to standardize configurations of landmarks associated with individuals into a common coordinate system. The superimposed coordinates for each individual were used as commensurate variables that describe individual shape and were analyzed using Principal Component Analysis (PCA) to identify population variation. The first four principal components (PC) account for 49% of the total sample variation. The first PC indicates that overall size is an important component of facial variability. The second PC accounts for long and narrow or short and wide faces. Longer narrow orbits versus shorter wider orbits can be described by PC3, and PC4 represents variation in the degree of ortho/prognathism. Geometric Morphometrics provides a detailed and interpretable assessment of morphological variation that may be useful in assessing respirators and devising new test and certification standards.

The efficacy of semi-quantitative urine protein-to-creatinine (P/C) ratio for the detection of significant proteinuria in urine specimens in health screening settings.

PubMed

Chang, Chih-Chun; Su, Ming-Jang; Ho, Jung-Li; Tsai, Yu-Hui; Tsai, Wei-Ting; Lee, Shu-Jene; Yen, Tzung-Hai; Chu, Fang-Yeh

2016-01-01

Urine protein detection could be underestimated using the conventional dipstick method because of variations in urine aliquots. This study aimed to assess the efficacy of the semi-quantitative urine protein-to-creatinine (P/C) ratio compared with other laboratory methods. Random urine samples were requested from patients undergoing chronic kidney disease screening. Significant proteinuria was determined by the quantitative P/C ratio of at least 150 mg protein/g creatinine. The semi-quantitative P/C ratio, dipstick protein and quantitative protein concentrations were compared and analyzed. In the 2932 urine aliquots, 156 (5.3 %) urine samples were considered as diluted and 60 (39.2 %) were found as significant proteinuria. The semi-quantitative P/C ratio testing had the best sensitivity (70.0 %) and specificity (95.9 %) as well as the lowest underestimation rate (0.37 %) when compared to other laboratory methods in the study. In the semi-quantitative P/C ratio test, 19 (12.2 %) had positive, 52 (33.3 %) had diluted, and 85 (54.5 %) had negative results. Of those with positive results, 7 (36.8 %) were positive detected by traditional dipstick urine protein test, and 9 (47.4 %) were positive detected by quantitative urine protein test. Additionally, of those with diluted results, 25 (48.1 %) had significant proteinuria, and all were assigned as no significant proteinuria by both tests. The semi-quantitative urine P/C ratio is clinically applicable based on its better sensitivity and screening ability for significant proteinuria than other laboratory methods, particularly in diluted urine samples. To establish an effective strategy for CKD prevention, urine protein screening with semi-quantitative P/C ratio could be considered.

Bile acids-mediated overexpression of MUC4 via FAK-dependent c-Jun activation in pancreatic cancer.

PubMed

Joshi, Suhasini; Cruz, Eric; Rachagani, Satyanarayana; Guha, Sushovan; Brand, Randall E; Ponnusamy, Moorthy P; Kumar, Sushil; Batra, Surinder K

2016-08-01

The majority of pancreatic cancer (PC) patients are clinically presented with obstructive jaundice with elevated levels of circulatory bilirubin and alkaline phosphatases. In the current study, we examined the implications of bile acids (BA), an important component of bile, on the pathophysiology of PC and investigated their mechanistic association in tumor-promoting functions. Integration of results from PC patient samples and autochthonous mouse models showed an elevated levels of BA (p < 0.05) in serum samples compared to healthy controls. Similarly, an elevated BA levels was observed in pancreatic juice derived from PC patients (p < 0.05) than non-pancreatic non-healthy (NPNH) controls, further establishing the clinical association of BA with the pathogenesis of PC. The tumor-promoting functions of BA were established by observed transcriptional upregulation of oncogenic MUC4 expression. Luciferase reporter assay revealed distal MUC4 promoter as the primary responsive site to BA. In silico analysis recognized two c-Jun binding sites at MUC4 distal promoter, which was biochemically established using ChIP assay. Interestingly, BA treatment led to an increased transcription and activation of c-Jun in a FAK-dependent manner. Additionally, BA receptor, namely FXR, which is also upregulated at transcriptional level in PC patient samples, was demonstrated as an upstream molecule in BA-mediated FAK activation, plausibly by regulating Src activation. Altogether, these results demonstrate that elevated levels of BA increase the tumorigenic potential of PC cells by inducing FXR/FAK/c-Jun axis to upregulate MUC4 expression, which is overexpressed in pancreatic tumors and is known to be associated with progression and metastasis of PC. Published by Elsevier B.V.

[Interobserver agreement on electrocardiographic diagnosis of left ventricular hypertrophy in hypertensive patients in Andalusia. PREHVIA study].

PubMed

Martín-Rioboó, Enrique; López Granados, Amador; Cea Calvo, Luis; Pérula De Torres, Luis Angel; García Criado, Emilio; Anguita Sánchez, Manuel P; García Matarín, Lisardo; Molina Díaz, Rafael; Ureña Fernández, Tomas

2009-05-01

To assess the agreement between Primary Care (PC) doctors and a cardiology specialist in diagnosing left ventricular hypertrophy in the electrocardiograph (LVH-ECG) in hypertensive patients. Cross-sectional, multicentre study. Andalusian Primary Care Centres. A total of 120 PC doctors who using a random sample selected patients of 35 years or more with AHT of at least 6 months of progression. PRIMARY VARIABLES: Demographic data, risk factors and cardiovascular diseases were recorded. The LVH-ECG was evaluated by applying Cornell voltage criteria, Cornell and Sokolow-Lyon product. The PC researchers read the ECG first and the cardiologist made a second reading blind. A total of 570 patients (mean +/- SD of age, 65 +/- 11 years; 54.5% females); the LVH-ECG prevalence was 13.7% (95% CI, 10.8-16.6; 12.6% by Cornell and 1.6% by Sokolow-Lyon). The agreement in the diagnosis between the PC doctors and the cardiologist was 0.378 (95% CI, 0.272-0.486; disagreements in 15.5% of cases). The PC doctors slightly underestimated the LVH-ECG prevalence by Cornell and slightly overestimated it by the Sokolow-Lyon criteria. The agreement was also low for all of them (kappa = 0.367; 95% CI, 0.252-0.482, for Cornell, and kappa = 0.274; 95% CI: 0.093-0.454 for Sokolow-Lyon). The agreement between the diagnosis by the PC doctors and the cardiologist was low. The implications of this study suggest the need to improve the reading of ECG among PC doctors. The use of computerised systems could be a good option.

The Gould’s Belt Distances Survey (GOBELINS). I. Trigonometric Parallax Distances and Depth of the Ophiuchus Complex

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ortiz-León, Gisela N.; Loinard, Laurent; Kounkel, Marina A.; Dzib, Sergio A.; Mioduszewski, Amy J.; Rodríguez, Luis F.; Torres, Rosa M.; González-Lópezlira, Rosa A.; Pech, Gerardo; Rivera, Juana L.; Hartmann, Lee; Boden, Andrew F.; Evans, Neal J., II; Briceño, Cesar; Tobin, John J.; Galli, Phillip A. B.; Gudehus, Donald

2017-01-01

We present the first results of the Gould’s Belt Distances Survey (GOBELINS), a project aimed at measuring the proper motion and trigonometric parallax of a large sample of young stars in nearby regions using multi-epoch Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA) radio observations. Enough VLBA detections have now been obtained for 16 stellar systems in Ophiuchus to derive their parallax and proper motion. This leads to distance determinations for individual stars with an accuracy of 0.3 to a few percent. In addition, the orbits of six multiple systems were modelled by combining absolute positions with VLBA (and, in some cases, near-infrared) angular separations. Twelve stellar systems are located in the dark cloud Lynds 1688 the individual distances for this sample are highly consistent with one another and yield a mean parallax for Lynds 1688 of \\varpi =7.28+/- 0.06 mas, corresponding to a distance d=137.3+/- 1.2 pc. This represents an accuracy greater than 1%. Three systems for which astrometric elements could be measured are located in the eastern streamer (Lynds 1689) and yield an estimate of \\varpi =6.79+/- 0.16 mas, corresponding to a distance d=147.3+/- 3.4 pc. This suggests that the eastern streamer is located about 10 pc farther than the core, but this conclusion needs to be confirmed by observations of additional sources in the eastern streamer (currently being collected). From the measured proper motions, we estimate the one-dimensional velocity dispersion in Lynds 1688 to be 2.8 ± 1.8 and 3.0 ± 2.0 km s-1, in R.A. and decl., respectively; these are larger than, but still consistent within 1σ of, those found in other studies.

A New Precision Measurement of the Small-scale Line-of-sight Power Spectrum of the Lyα Forest

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Walther, Michael; Hennawi, Joseph F.; Hiss, Hector; Oñorbe, Jose; Lee, Khee-Gan; Rorai, Alberto; O’Meara, John

2018-01-01

We present a new measurement of the Lyα forest power spectrum at 1.8 < z < 3.4 using 74 Keck/HIRES and VLT/UVES high-resolution, high-signal-to-noise-ratio quasar spectra. We developed a custom pipeline to measure the power spectrum and its uncertainty, which fully accounts for finite resolution and noise and corrects for the bias induced by masking missing data, damped Lyα absorption systems, and metal absorption lines. Our measurement results in unprecedented precision on the small-scale modes k> 0.02 {{s}} {{km}}-1, inaccessible to previous SDSS/BOSS analyses. It is well known that these high-k modes are highly sensitive to the thermal state of the intergalactic medium, but contamination by narrow metal lines is a significant concern. We quantify the effect of metals on the small-scale power and find a modest effect on modes with k< 0.1 {{s}} {{km}}-1. As a result, by masking metals and restricting to k< 0.1 {{s}} {{km}}-1, their impact is completely mitigated. We present an end-to-end Bayesian forward-modeling framework whereby mock spectra with the same noise, resolution, and masking as our data are generated from Lyα forest simulations. These mock spectra are used to build a custom emulator, enabling us to interpolate between a sparse grid of models and perform Markov chain Monte Carlo fits. Our results agree well with BOSS on scales k< 0.02 {{s}} {{km}}-1, where the measurements overlap. The combination of the percent-level low-k precision of BOSS with our 5%–15% high-k measurements results in a powerful new data set for precisely constraining the thermal history of the intergalactic medium, cosmological parameters, and the nature of dark matter. The power spectra and their covariance matrices are provided as electronic tables.

Buy Our Spares Smart Annual Report, Fiscal Year 1987.

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-01-19

by Mr. J. J. Genovese , serves as the single focal point for This annual report presents a detailed description implementing and guiding Project BOSS...participating commands or making 43 lyl’e ) p I 4COMPETITION CONTACT POINTS COMMAND ADVOCATE TELEPHONE Naval Supply Systems Command Mr. J.J. Genovese A...20) MMI Laredo Bell MM3 Frederick R. Schnieder STGI Michael D. Fleming EW3 David J. Shallo LT Jeffrey J. Grabarek BT2 Marshall L. Vorhies USS KITTY

Interband Photoconductivity of Metamorphic InAs/InGaAs Quantum Dots in the 1.3-1.55-μm Window

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Golovynskyi, Sergii; Datsenko, Oleksandr I.; Seravalli, Luca; Trevisi, Giovanna; Frigeri, Paola; Babichuk, Ivan S.; Golovynska, Iuliia; Qu, Junle

2018-04-01

Photoelectric properties of the metamorphic InAs/In x Ga1 - x As quantum dot (QD) nanostructures were studied at room temperature, employing photoconductivity (PC) and photoluminescence spectroscopies, electrical measurements, and theoretical modeling. Four samples with different stoichiometry of In x Ga1 - x As cladding layer have been grown: indium content x was 0.15, 0.24, 0.28, and 0.31. InAs/In0.15Ga0.85As QD structure was found to be photosensitive in the telecom range at 1.3 μm. As x increases, a redshift was observed for all the samples, the structure with x = 0.31 was found to be sensitive near 1.55 μm, i.e., at the third telecommunication window. Simultaneously, only a slight decrease in the QD PC was recorded for increasing x, thus confirming a good photoresponse comparable with the one of In0.15Ga0.75As structures and of GaAs-based QD nanostructures. Also, the PC reduction correlate with the similar reduction of photoluminescence intensity. By simulating theoretically the quantum energy system and carrier localization in QDs, we gained insight into the PC mechanism and were able to suggest reasons for the photocurrent reduction, by associating them with peculiar behavior of defects in such a type of structures. All this implies that metamorphic QDs with a high x are valid structures for optoelectronic infrared light-sensitive devices.

Multispecies Biofilm Development on Space Station Heat Exhanger Core Material

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pyle, B. H.; Roth, S. R.; Vega, L. M.; Pickering, K. D.; Alvarez, Pedro J. J.; Roman, M. C.

2007-01-01

Investigations of microbial contamination of the cooling system aboard the International Space Station (ISS) suggested that there may be a relationship between heat exchanger (HX) materials and the degree of microbial colonization and biofilm formation. Experiments were undertaken to test the hypothesis that biofilm formation is influenced by the type and previous exposure of HX surfaces. Acidovorax delafieldii, Comamonas acidovorans, Hydrogenophaga pseudoflava, Pseudomonas stutzeri, Sphingomonas paucimobilis, and Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, originally isolated from ISS cooling system fluid, were cultured on R2A agar and suspended separately in fresh filter-sterilized ISS cooling fluid, pH 8.3. Initial numbers in each suspension ranged from 10(exp 6)-10(exp 7) CFU/ml, and a mixture contained greater than 10(exp 7) CFU/ml. Coupons of ISS HX material, previously used on orbit (HXOO) or unused (HXUU), polycarbonate (PC) and 316L polished stainless steel (SS) were autoclaved, covered with multispecies suspension in sterile tubes and incubated in the dark at ambient (22-25 C). Original HX material contained greater than 90% Ni, 4.5% Si, and 3.2% B, with a borate buffer. For approximately 10 weeks, samples of fluid were plated on R2A agar, and surface colonization assessed by SYBR green or BacLight staining and microscopy. Suspension counts for the PC and SC samples remained steady at around 10(exp 7) CFU/ml. HXUU counts declined about 1 log in 21 d then remained steady, and HXOO counts declined 2 logs in 28 d, fluctuated and stabilized about 10(exp 3) CFU/ml from 47-54 d. Predominantly yellow S. paucimobilis predominated on plates from HXOO samples up to 26 d, then white or translucent colonies of other species appeared. All colony types were seen on plates from other samples throughout the trial. Epifluorescence microscopy indicated microbial growth on all surfaces by 21 d, followed by variable colonization. After 54 d, all but the HXOO samples had well-distributed live and dead cells; the HXOO samples had few cells and most were live by BacLight. The results suggest that HX materials themselves are inhibiting microbial growth on the surfaces. The HX exposed on orbit to cooling system fluid inhibited growth of some species originally isolated from the system, whereas the unused HX material had a moderate effect compared to no inhibition with PC or SS controls. It is possible that chemistry or microbiology of the ISS system increased deposition of inhibitory compounds on the HXOO coupon surfaces; these may inhibit inoculated species to differing degrees.

Antiandrogenic activities of diesel exhaust particle extracts in PC3/AR human prostate carcinoma cells.

PubMed

Kizu, Ryoichi; Okamura, Kazumasa; Toriba, Akira; Mizokami, Atsushi; Burnstein, Kerry L; Klinge, Carolyn M; Hayakawa, Kazuichi

2003-12-01

We collected diesel exhaust particles (DEPs) emitted from three diesel-engine vehicles--a car, a bus, and a truck--in daily use, and prepared DEP extracts (DEPEs), designated as EC, EB, or ET, respectively. The androgenic and antiandrogenic effects of the DEPE samples were examined by a luciferase reporter assay in human prostate carcinoma PC3/AR cells transiently transfected with a prostate specific antigen gene promoter-driven luciferase expression vector pGLPSA5.8. PC3/AR is a subline of human prostate carcinoma PC3 transformed to stably express wild-type human androgen receptor (AR). While DEPE samples did not exhibit any androgenic effect, they exerted antiandrogenic effect, inhibiting dihydrotestosterone (10 pM) -induced luciferase activity by 24 to 52% at an extract concentration of 10 microg/ml. The antiandrogenic effect was greater in the following order: ET > EB > EC. Co-treatment of PC3/AR cells with SKF-525A, a nonselective inhibitor of cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzymes, enhanced the antiandrogenic effect, indicating that the antiandrogenic effect is caused by intact species of DEPE constituents. The antiandrogenic effect of DEPE samples was reversed by alpha-naphthoflavone, an aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) antagonist. The antiandrogenic activity of a DEPE sample correlated with its AhR agonist activity assayed in PC3/AR cells transiently transfected with CYP1A1 gene promoter-driven luciferase expression vector pLUC1A1. Equimolar mixtures of ten polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) having four or more rings, structures found in the DEPEs, showed significant antiandrogenic effects and AhR agonist activity at concentrations equivalent to those found in DEPE samples. Further, DEPE samples elicited only antiandrogenic effects in recombinant yeast cells, which express beta-galactosidase in response to androgen. A competitive AR binding assay showed that AR-binding constituents exist in DEPE samples, indicating that greater part of AR-binding constituents in DEPEs are AR antagonists. All these findings show that DEPE samples exhibit significant antiandrogenic effect in cell-based transcription assay and that this effect is due in part to the constituents with AhR agonist activity including PAHs and to the constituents with AR antagonist activity.

Investigation of c-KIT and Ki67 expression in normal, preneoplastic and neoplastic canine prostate.

PubMed

Fonseca-Alves, Carlos Eduardo; Kobayashi, Priscilla Emiko; Palmieri, Chiara; Laufer-Amorim, Renée

2017-12-06

c-KIT expression has been related to bone metastasis in human prostate cancer, but whether c-KIT expression can be similarly classified in canine prostatic tissue is unknown. This study assessed c-KIT and Ki67 expression in canine prostate cancer (PC). c-KIT gene and protein expression and Ki67 expression were evaluated in forty-four canine prostatic tissues by immunohistochemistry, RT-qPCR and western blot. Additionally, we have investigated c-KIT protein expression by immunoblotting in two primary canine prostate cancer cell lines. Eleven normal prostates, 12 proliferative inflammatory atrophy (PIA) prostates, 18 PC, 3 metastatic lesions and two prostate cancer cell cultures (PC1 and PC2) were analysed. The prostatic tissue exhibited varying degrees of membranous, cytoplasmic or membranous/cytoplasmic c-KIT staining. Four normal prostates, 4 PIA and 5 prostatic carcinomas showed positive c-KIT expression. No c-KIT immunoexpression was observed in metastases. Canine prostate cancer and PIA samples contained a higher number of Ki67-positive cells compared to normal samples. The median relative quantification (RQ) for c-KIT expression in normal, PIA and prostate cancer and metastatic samples were 0.6 (0.1-2.5), 0.7 (0.09-2.1), 0.7 (0.09-5.1) and 0.1 (0.07-0.6), respectively. A positive correlation between the number of Ki67-positive cells and c-KIT transcript levels was observed in prostate cancer samples. In the cell line, PC1 was negative for c-KIT protein expression, while PC2 was weakly positive. The present study identified a strong correlation between c-KIT expression and proliferative index, suggesting that c-KIT may influence cell proliferation. Therefore, c-KIT heterogeneous protein expression among the samples (five positive and thirteen negative prostate cancer samples) indicates a personalized approach for canine prostate cancer.

Probing the influence of the center atom coordination structure in iron phthalocyanine multi-walled carbon nanotube-based oxygen reduction reaction catalysts by X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peng, Yingxiang; Li, Zhipan; Xia, Dingguo; Zheng, Lirong; Liao, Yi; Li, Kai; Zuo, Xia

2015-09-01

Three different pentacoordinate iron phthalocyanine (FePc) electrocatalysts with an axial ligand (pyridyl group, Py) anchored to multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) are prepared by a microwave method as high performance composite electrocatalysts (FePc-Py/MWCNTs) for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). For comparison, tetracoordinate FePc electrocatalysts without an axial ligand anchored to MWCNTs (FePc/MWCNTs) are assembled in the same way. Ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometry (UV-Vis), Raman spectroscopy (RS), and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) are used to characterize the obtained electrocatalysts. The electrocatalytic activity of the samples is measured by linear sweep voltammetry (LSV), and the onset potential of all of the FePc-Py/MWCNTs electrocatalysts is found to be more positive than that of their FePc/MWCNTs counterparts. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) spectroscopy are employed to elucidate the relationship between molecular structure and electrocatalytic activity. XPS indicates that higher concentrations of Fe3+ and pyridine-type nitrogen play critical roles in determining the electrocatalytic ORR activity of the samples. XAFS spectroscopy reveals that the FePc-Py/MWCNTs electrocatalysts have a coordination geometry around Fe that is closer to the square pyramidal structure, a higher concentration of Fe3+, and a smaller phthalocyanine ring radius compared with those of FePc/MWCNTs.

PC-based Multiple Information System Interface (PC/MISI) detailed design and implementation plan

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dominick, Wayne D. (Editor); Hall, Philip P.

1985-01-01

The design plan for the personal computer multiple information system interface (PC/MISI) project is discussed. The document is intended to be used as a blueprint for the implementation of the system. Each component is described in the detail necessary to allow programmers to implement the system. A description of the system data flow and system file structures is given.

In vivo synthesis of phosphatidylcholine in rat brain via the phospholipid methylation pathway

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lakher, Michael; Wurtman, Richard J.

1987-01-01

The in vivo synthesis of brain phosphatidylcholine (PC) by the methylation of phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) was examined. (H-3)methyl)methionine was infused i.c.v., by indwelling cannula, and brain samples were taken 0.5-18 h thereafter and assayed for (H-3)PC, as well as for its biosynthetic intermediates (H-3)phosphatidyl monomethylethanolamine ((H-3)PMME) and (H-3)phosphatidyl dimethylethanolamine ((H-3)PDME), and for (H-3)lysophosphatidylcholine ((H-3)LPC) and S-(H-3)adenosylmethionine ((H-3)SAM). Most of the (H-3)PC (79-94 percent) was present ipsilateral to the infusion site; indicating that the radioactivity in the (H-3)PC was primarily of intracerebral origin, and not taken up from the blood. Moreover, only very low levels of (H-3)PC were attained in brains of animals receiving (H-3)methionine i.p. and these levels were symmetrically distributed. (H-3)PMME and (H-3)PDME turned over with apparent half-lives of 2.2 h and 2.4 h. In contrast, the accumulation of brain (H-3)PC was biphasic, suggesting the existence of two pools, the more labile of which turned over rapidly (t(sub 1/2) = 5 h) and was formed for as long as (H-3)PMME and (H-3)PDME are present in the brain, and another, which was distinguishable only at 18 h after the (H-3)methionine infusion. (The latter pool may have been synthesized from (H-3)choline that was released via the hydrolysis of some of the brain (H-3)PC previously formed by the methylation of PE.) Subcellular fractionation of brain tissue obtained after in vivo labelling with (H-3)methionine revealed that mitochondrial PC had the highest specific radioactivity (dpm per micromol total lipid phosphorus), and myelin the least. These observations affirm that rat brain does synthesize PC in vivo by methylating PE, and the technique provides an experimental system which may be useful for examining the physiological regulation of this process.

Laboratory process control using natural language commands from a personal computer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Will, Herbert A.; Mackin, Michael A.

1989-01-01

PC software is described which provides flexible natural language process control capability with an IBM PC or compatible machine. Hardware requirements include the PC, and suitable hardware interfaces to all controlled devices. Software required includes the Microsoft Disk Operating System (MS-DOS) operating system, a PC-based FORTRAN-77 compiler, and user-written device drivers. Instructions for use of the software are given as well as a description of an application of the system.

39 CFR 501.1 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... limited to postage meters and PC Postage systems. (b) A postage meter is a Postal Service-approved Postage... this part refers to a postage meter. (c) PC Postage products are Postal Service-approved Postage Evidencing Systems that use a personal computer as an integral part of the system. PC Postage products may...

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

Yang, Chao

Sparx, a new environment for Cryo-EM image processing; Cryo-EM, Single particle reconstruction, principal component analysis; Hardware Req.: PC, MAC, Supercomputer, Mainframe, Multiplatform, Workstation. Software Req.: operating system is Unix; Compiler C++; type of files: source code, object library, executable modules, compilation instructions; sample problem input data. Location/transmission: http://sparx-em.org; User manual & paper: http://sparx-em.org;

Incorporation of beams into bossed diaphragm for a high sensitivity and overload micro pressure sensor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Zhongliang; Zhao, Yulong; Sun, Lu; Tian, Bian; Jiang, Zhuangde

2013-01-01

The paper presents a piezoresistive absolute micro pressure sensor, which is of great benefits for altitude location. In this investigation, the design, fabrication, and test of the sensor are involved. By analyzing the stress distribution of sensitive elements using finite element method, a novel structure through the introduction of sensitive beams into traditional bossed diaphragm is built up. The proposed configuration presents its advantages in terms of high sensitivity and high overload resistance compared with the conventional bossed diaphragm and flat diaphragm structures. Curve fittings of surface stress and deflection based on ANSYS simulation results are performed to establish the equations about the sensor. Nonlinear optimization by MATLAB is carried out to determine the structure dimensions. The output signals in both static and dynamic environments are evaluated. Silicon bulk micromachining technology is utilized to fabricate the sensor prototype, and the fabrication process is discussed. Experimental results demonstrate the sensor features a high sensitivity of 11.098 μV/V/Pa in the operating range of 500 Pa at room temperature, and a high overload resistance of 200 times overpressure to promise its survival under atmosphere. Due to the excellent performance above, the sensor can be applied in measuring the absolute micro pressure lower than 500 Pa.

The USL NASA PC R and D project: General specifications of objectives

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dominick, Wayne D. (Editor)

1984-01-01

Given here are the general specifications of the objectives of the University of Southwestern Louisiana Data Base Management System (USL/DBMS) NASA PC R and D Project, a project initiated to address future R and D issues related to PC-based processing environments acquired pursuant to the NASA contract work; namely, the IBM PC/XT systems.

Preparation of decellularized vascular matrix by co-crosslinking of procyanidins and glutaraldehyde.

PubMed

Wang, Xiaotong; Ma, Bing; Chang, Jiang

2015-01-01

Vascular extracellular matrices (vECMs) have shown potential for small-diameter blood vessel tissue engineering applications. However, problems such as chemical instability and easy calcification are still remained. Chemical crosslinking using crosslinkers such as glutaraldehyde (GA) can improve mechanical properties and proteolysis resistance of vECMs, but leads to calcification and cytotoxicity. Procyanidins (PC) can crosslink ECMs with anti-calcification property and cytocompatibility, but the mechanical properties and chemical stability are unsatisfactory. A novel co-crosslinking technique using PC and GA was developed, which combines the advantages of both PC and GA for enhancing mechanical properties and stability of vECMs with reduced calcification and cytotoxicity. Fresh carotid were decellularized and then crosslinked by PC and subsequent GA for 6 h respectively. The mechanical properties, dynamic release of PC, enzymatic degradation, calcification and cytotoxicity of crosslinked samples were evaluated. The co-crosslinked vECMs showed enhanced tensile strength, chemical and biological stability, comparable anti-calcification property as compared to pure PC-crosslinked samples. Cytotoxicity assay showed that the co-crosslinked vECMs were cytocompatible for supporting the adhesion and proliferation of HUVECs. Co-crosslinking with PC and GA might be a useful method for preparation of vECM scaffolds with potential applications in small-diameter blood vessel tissue engineering.

Examples of Data Analysis with SPSS/PC+ Studentware.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

MacFarland, Thomas W.

Intended for classroom use only, these unpublished notes contain computer lessons on descriptive statistics with files previously created in WordPerfect 4.2 and Lotus 1-2-3 Version 1.A for the IBM PC+. The statistical measures covered include Student's t-test with two independent samples; Student's t-test with a paired sample; Chi-square analysis;…

Use of laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy for the determination of polycarbonate (PC) and acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) concentrations in PC/ABS plastics from e-waste.

PubMed

Costa, Vinicius Câmara; Aquino, Francisco Wendel Batista; Paranhos, Caio Marcio; Pereira-Filho, Edenir Rodrigues

2017-12-01

Due to the continual increase in waste generated from electronic devices, the management of plastics, which represents between 10 and 30% by weight of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE or e-waste), becomes indispensable in terms of environmental and economic impacts. Considering the importance of acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS), polycarbonate (PC), and their blends in the electronics and other industries, this study presents a new application of laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) for the fast and direct determination of PC and ABS concentrations in blends of these plastics obtained from samples of e-waste. From the LIBS spectra acquired for the PC/ABS blend, multivariate calibration models were built using partial least squares (PLS) regression. In general, it was possible to infer that the relative errors between the theoretical or reference and predicted values for the spiked samples were lower than 10%. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Antegrade Dissection and Reentry as Part of the Hybrid Chronic Total Occlusion Revascularization Strategy: A Subanalysis of the RECHARGE Registry (Registry of CrossBoss and Hybrid Procedures in France, the Netherlands, Belgium and United Kingdom).

PubMed

Maeremans, Joren; Dens, Jo; Spratt, James C; Bagnall, Alan J; Stuijfzand, Wynand; Nap, Alexander; Agostoni, Pierfrancesco; Wilson, William; Hanratty, Colm G; Wilson, Simon; Faurie, Benjamin; Avran, Alexandre; Bressollette, Erwan; Egred, Mohaned; Knaapen, Paul; Walsh, Simon

2017-06-01

Development of the CrossBoss and Stingray devices for antegrade dissection and reentry (ADR) of chronic total occlusions has improved historically suboptimal outcomes. However, the outcomes, safety, and failure modes of the technique have to be studied in a larger patient cohort. This preplanned substudy of the RECHARGE registry (Registry of CrossBoss and Hybrid Procedures in France, the Netherlands, Belgium and United Kingdom) aims to evaluate the value and use of ADR and determine its future position in contemporary chronic total occlusion intervention. Patients were selected if an ADR strategy was applied. Outcomes, safety, and failure modes of the technique were assessed. The ADR technique was used in 23% (n=292/1253) of the RECHARGE registry and was mainly applied for complex lesions (Japanese chronic total occlusion score=2.7±1.1). ADR was the primary strategy in 30% (n=88/292), of which 67% were successful. Bail-out ADR strategies were successful in 63% (n=133/210). The Controlled ADR (ie, combined CrossBoss-Stingray) subtype was applied most frequently (32%; n=93/292) and successfully (81%; n=75/93). Overall per-lesion success rate was 78% (n=229/292), after use of additional bail-out strategies. The inability to reach the distal target zone (n=48/100) or to reenter (n=43/100) most commonly led to failure. ADR-associated major events occurred in 3.4% (n=10/292). Although mostly applied as a bail-out strategy for complex lesions, the frequency, outcomes, and low complication rate of the ADR technique and its subtypes confirm the benefit and value of the technique in hybrid chronic total occlusion percutaneous coronary intervention, especially when antegrade wiring or retrograde approaches are not feasible. URL: http://www.clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT02075372. © 2017 American Heart Association, Inc.

The clustering of galaxies in the completed SDSS-III Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey: Baryon Acoustic Oscillations in Fourier-space

DOE PAGES

Beutler, Florian; Seo, Hee -Jong; Ross, Ashley J.; ...

2016-07-13

Here, we analyse the Baryon Acoustic Oscillation (BAO) signal of the final Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS) data release (DR12). Our analysis is performed in Fourier-space, using the power spectrum monopole and quadrupole. The dataset includes 1 198 006 galaxies over the redshift range 0.2 < z < 0.75. We divide this dataset into three (overlapping) redshift bins with the effective redshifts z eff = 0.38, 0.51 and 0.61. We demonstrate the reliability of our analysis pipeline using N-body simulations as well as 1000 MultiDark-Patchy mock catalogues, which mimic the BOSS-DR12 target selection. We apply density eld reconstruction to enhancemore » the BAO signal-to-noise ratio. By including the power spectrum quadrupole we can sep-arate the line-of-sight and angular modes, which allows us to constrain the angular diameter distance D A(z) and the Hubble parameter H ( z ) separately. We obtain two independent 1 : 6% and 1 : 5% constraints on D A(z) and 2.9% and 2.3% constraints on H(z) for the low (z eff = 0.38) and high (z eff = 0.61) redshift bin, respectively. We obtain two independent 1% and 0.9% constraints on the angular averaged distance D V(z), when ignoring the Alcock-Paczynski e ect. The detection significance of the BAO signal is of the order of 8σ (post-reconstruction) for each of the three redshift bins. Our results are in good agreement with the Planck prediction within CDM. This paper is part of a set that analyses the final galaxy clustering dataset from BOSS. The measurements and likelihoods presented here are combined with others in Alam et al. (2016) to produce the final cosmological constraints from BOSS.« less

The clustering of galaxies in the completed SDSS-III Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey: theoretical systematics and Baryon Acoustic Oscillations in the galaxy correlation function

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vargas-Magaña, Mariana; Ho, Shirley; Cuesta, Antonio J.; O'Connell, Ross; Ross, Ashley J.; Eisenstein, Daniel J.; Percival, Will J.; Grieb, Jan Niklas; Sánchez, Ariel G.; Tinker, Jeremy L.; Tojeiro, Rita; Beutler, Florian; Chuang, Chia-Hsun; Kitaura, Francisco-Shu; Prada, Francisco; Rodríguez-Torres, Sergio A.; Rossi, Graziano; Seo, Hee-Jong; Brownstein, Joel R.; Olmstead, Matthew; Thomas, Daniel

2018-06-01

We investigate the potential sources of theoretical systematics in the anisotropic Baryon Acoustic Oscillation (BAO) distance scale measurements from the clustering of galaxies in configuration space using the final Data Release (DR12) of the Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS). We perform a detailed study of the impact on BAO measurements from choices in the methodology such as fiducial cosmology, clustering estimators, random catalogues, fitting templates, and covariance matrices. The theoretical systematic uncertainties in BAO parameters are found to be 0.002 in the isotropic dilation α and 0.003 in the quadrupolar dilation ɛ. The leading source of systematic uncertainty is related to the reconstruction techniques. Theoretical uncertainties are sub-dominant compared with the statistical uncertainties for BOSS survey, accounting 0.2σstat for α and 0.25σstat for ɛ (σα, stat ˜ 0.010 and σɛ, stat ˜ 0.012, respectively). We also present BAO-only distance scale constraints from the anisotropic analysis of the correlation function. Our constraints on the angular diameter distance DA(z) and the Hubble parameter H(z), including both statistical and theoretical systematic uncertainties, are 1.5 per cent and 2.8 per cent at zeff = 0.38, 1.4 per cent and 2.4 per cent at zeff = 0.51, and 1.7 per cent and 2.6 per cent at zeff = 0.61. This paper is part of a set that analyses the final galaxy clustering data set from BOSS. The measurements and likelihoods presented here are cross-checked with other BAO analysis in Alam et al. The systematic error budget concerning the methodology on post-reconstruction BAO analysis presented here is used in Alam et al. to produce the final cosmological constraints from BOSS.

Dry eye in the beaver dam offspring study: prevalence, risk factors, and health-related quality of life.

PubMed

Paulsen, Adam J; Cruickshanks, Karen J; Fischer, Mary E; Huang, Guan-Hua; Klein, Barbara E K; Klein, Ronald; Dalton, Dayna S

2014-04-01

To estimate dry eye prevalence in the Beaver Dam Offspring Study (BOSS), including a young adult population, and investigate associated risk factors and impact on health-related quality of life. Cohort study. The BOSS (2005-2008) is a study of aging in the adult offspring of the population-based Epidemiology of Hearing Loss Study cohort. Questionnaire data on health history, medication use, risk factors, and quality of life were available for 3275 participants. Dry eye was determined by self-report of frequency of symptoms and the intensity of those symptoms. Associations between dry eye and risk factors were analyzed using logistic regression. The prevalence of dry eye in the BOSS was 14.5%: 17.9% of women and 10.5% of men. In a multivariate model, statistically significant associations were found with female sex (odds ratio [OR], 1.68; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.33-2.11), current contact lens use (OR, 2.01; 95% CI, 1.53-2.64), allergies (OR, 1.59; 95% CI, 1.22-2.08), arthritis (OR, 1.44; 95% CI, 1.12-1.85), thyroid disease (OR, 1.43; 95% CI, 1.02-1.99), antihistamine use (OR, 1.54; 95% CI, 1.18-2.02), and steroid use (OR, 1.54; 95% CI, 1.16-2.06). Dry eye was also associated with lower scores on the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form 36 (β = -3.9, P < .0001) as well as on the National Eye Institute 25-Item Visual Function Questionnaire (NEI VFQ-25) (β = -3.4, P < .0001) when controlling for age, sex, and comorbid conditions. The prevalence of dry eye and its associated risk factors in the BOSS were similar to previous studies. In this study, dry eye was associated with lower quality of life on a health-related quality-of-life instrument and the vision-specific NEI VFQ-25. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The clustering of galaxies in the completed SDSS-III Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey: Baryon Acoustic Oscillations in Fourier-space

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

Beutler, Florian; Seo, Hee -Jong; Ross, Ashley J.

Here, we analyse the Baryon Acoustic Oscillation (BAO) signal of the final Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS) data release (DR12). Our analysis is performed in Fourier-space, using the power spectrum monopole and quadrupole. The dataset includes 1 198 006 galaxies over the redshift range 0.2 < z < 0.75. We divide this dataset into three (overlapping) redshift bins with the effective redshifts z eff = 0.38, 0.51 and 0.61. We demonstrate the reliability of our analysis pipeline using N-body simulations as well as 1000 MultiDark-Patchy mock catalogues, which mimic the BOSS-DR12 target selection. We apply density eld reconstruction to enhancemore » the BAO signal-to-noise ratio. By including the power spectrum quadrupole we can sep-arate the line-of-sight and angular modes, which allows us to constrain the angular diameter distance D A(z) and the Hubble parameter H ( z ) separately. We obtain two independent 1 : 6% and 1 : 5% constraints on D A(z) and 2.9% and 2.3% constraints on H(z) for the low (z eff = 0.38) and high (z eff = 0.61) redshift bin, respectively. We obtain two independent 1% and 0.9% constraints on the angular averaged distance D V(z), when ignoring the Alcock-Paczynski e ect. The detection significance of the BAO signal is of the order of 8σ (post-reconstruction) for each of the three redshift bins. Our results are in good agreement with the Planck prediction within CDM. This paper is part of a set that analyses the final galaxy clustering dataset from BOSS. The measurements and likelihoods presented here are combined with others in Alam et al. (2016) to produce the final cosmological constraints from BOSS.« less

A Novel Method for Characterization of Superconductors: Physical Measurements and Modeling of Thin Films

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kim, B. F.; Moorjani, K.; Phillips, T. E.; Adrian, F. J.; Bohandy, J.; Dolecek, Q. E.

1993-01-01

A method for characterization of granular superconducting thin films has been developed which encompasses both the morphological state of the sample and its fabrication process parameters. The broad scope of this technique is due to the synergism between experimental measurements and their interpretation using numerical simulation. Two novel technologies form the substance of this system: the magnetically modulated resistance method for characterizing superconductors; and a powerful new computer peripheral, the Parallel Information Processor card, which provides enhanced computing capability for PC computers. This enhancement allows PC computers to operate at speeds approaching that of supercomputers. This makes atomic scale simulations possible on low cost machines. The present development of this system involves the integration of these two technologies using mesoscale simulations of thin film growth. A future stage of development will incorporate atomic scale modeling.

PC Software for Artificial Intelligence Applications.

PubMed

Epp, H; Kalin, M; Miller, D

1988-05-06

Our review has emphasized that AI tools are programming languages inspired by some problem-solving paradigm. We want to underscore their status as programming languages; even if an AI tool seems to fit a problem perfectly, its proficient use still requires the training and practice associated with any programming language. The programming manuals for PC-Plus, Smalltalk/ V, and Nexpert Object are all tutorial in nature, and the corresponding software packages come with sample applications. We find the manuals to be uniformly good introductions that try to anticipate the problems of a user who is new to the technology. All three vendors offer free technical support by telephone to licensed users. AI tools are sometimes oversold as a way to make programming easy or to avoid it altogether. The truth is that AI tools demand programming-but programming that allows you to concentrate on the essentials of the problem. If we had to implement a diagnostic system, we would look first to a product such as PC-Plus rather than BASIC or C, because PC-Plus is designed specifically for such a problem, whereas these conventional languages are not. If we had to implement a system that required graphical interfaces and could benefit from inheritance, we would look first to an object-oriented system such as Smalltalk/V that provides built-in mechanisms for both. If we had to implement an expert system that called for some mix of AI and conventional techniques, we would look first to a product such as Nexpert Object that integrates various problem-solving technologies. Finally, we might use FORTRAN if we were concerned primarily with programming a well-defined numerical algorithm. AI tools are a valuable complement to traditional languages.

A PC-based telemetry system for acquiring and reducing data from multiple PCM streams

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Simms, D. A.; Butterfield, C. P.

1991-07-01

The Solar Energy Research Institute's (SERI) Wind Research Program is using Pulse Code Modulation (PCM) Telemetry Data-Acquisition Systems to study horizontal-axis wind turbines. Many PCM systems are combined for use in test installations that require accurate measurements from a variety of different locations. SERI has found them ideal for data-acquisition from multiple wind turbines and meteorological towers in wind parks. A major problem has been in providing the capability to quickly combine and examine incoming data from multiple PCM sources in the field. To solve this problem, SERI has developed a low-cost PC-based PCM Telemetry Data-Reduction System (PC-PCM System) to facilitate quick, in-the-field multiple-channel data analysis. The PC-PCM System consists of two basic components. First, PC-compatible hardware boards are used to decode and combine multiple PCM data streams. Up to four hardware boards can be installed in a single PC, which provides the capability to combine data from four PCM streams directly to PC disk or memory. Each stream can have up to 62 data channels. Second, a software package written for use under DOS was developed to simplify data-acquisition control and management. The software, called the Quick-Look Data Management Program, provides a quick, easy-to-use interface between the PC and multiple PCM data streams. The Quick-Look Data Management Program is a comprehensive menu-driven package used to organize, acquire, process, and display information from incoming PCM data streams. The paper describes both hardware and software aspects of the SERI PC-PCM system, concentrating on features that make it useful in an experiment test environment to quickly examine and verify incoming data from multiple PCM streams. Also discussed are problems and techniques associated with PC-based telemetry data-acquisition, processing, and real-time display.

Quasi-elastic light scattering: Signal storage, correlation, and spectrum analysis under control of an 8-bit microprocessor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Glatter, Otto; Fuchs, Heribert; Jorde, Christian; Eigner, Wolf-Dieter

1987-03-01

The microprocessor of an 8-bit PC system is used as a central control unit for the acquisition and evaluation of data from quasi-elastic light scattering experiments. Data are sampled with a width of 8 bits under control of the CPU. This limits the minimum sample time to 20 μs. Shorter sample times would need a direct memory access channel. The 8-bit CPU can address a 64-kbyte RAM without additional paging. Up to 49 000 sample points can be measured without interruption. After storage, a correlation function or a power spectrum can be calculated from such a primary data set. Furthermore access is provided to the primary data for stability control, statistical tests, and for comparison of different evaluation methods for the same experiment. A detailed analysis of the signal (histogram) and of the effect of overflows is possible and shows that the number of pulses but not the number of overflows determines the error in the result. The correlation function can be computed with reasonable accuracy from data with a mean pulse rate greater than one, the power spectrum needs a three times higher pulse rate for convergence. The statistical accuracy of the results from 49 000 sample points is of the order of a few percent. Additional averages are necessary to improve their quality. The hardware extensions for the PC system are inexpensive. The main disadvantage of the present system is the high minimum sampling time of 20 μs and the fact that the correlogram or the power spectrum cannot be computed on-line as it can be done with hardware correlators or spectrum analyzers. These shortcomings and the storage size restrictions can be removed with a faster 16/32-bit CPU.

PC Tutor. Bericht uber ein PC-gestutzes Tutorensystem = PC Tutor. Report on a Tutoring System with Personal Computer. ZIFF Papiere 75.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fritsch, Helmut

A project was conducted to increase as well as to professionalize communication between tutors and learners in a West German university's distance education program by the use of personal computers. Two tutors worked on the systematic development of a PC-based correcting system. The goal, apart from developing general language skills in English,…

General specifications for the development of a USL/DBMS NASA/PC R and D distributed workstation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dominick, Wayne D. (Editor); Chum, Frank Y.

1984-01-01

The general specifications for the development of a PC-based distributed workstation (PCDWS) for an information storage and retrieval systems environment are defined. This research proposes the development of a PCDWS prototype as part of the University of Southwestern Louisiana Data Base Management System (USL/DBMS) NASA/PC R and D project in the PC-based workstation environment.

Sperm kinematic, head morphometric and kinetic-morphometric subpopulations in the blue fox (Alopex lagopus).

PubMed

Soler, Carles; Contell, Jesús; Bori, Lorena; Sancho, María; García-Molina, Almudena; Valverde, Anthony; Segarvall, Jan

2017-01-01

This work provides information on the blue fox ejaculated sperm quality needed for seminal dose calculations. Twenty semen samples, obtained by masturbation, were analyzed for kinematic and morphometric parameters by using CASA-Mot and CASA-Morph system and principal component (PC) analysis. For motility, eight kinematic parameters were evaluated, which were reduced to PC1, related to linear variables, and PC2, related to oscillatory movement. The whole population was divided into three independent subpopulations: SP1, fast cells with linear movement; SP2, slow cells and nonoscillatory motility; and SP3, medium speed cells and oscillatory movement. In almost all cases, the subpopulation distribution by animal was significantly different. Head morphology analysis generated four size and four shape parameters, which were reduced to PC1, related to size, and PC2, related to shape of the cells. Three morphometric subpopulations existed: SP1: large oval cells; SP2: medium size elongated cells; and SP3: small and short cells. The subpopulation distribution differed between animals. Combining the kinematic and morphometric datasets produced PC1, related to morphometric parameters, and PC2, related to kinematics, which generated four sperm subpopulations - SP1: high oscillatory motility, large and short heads; SP2: medium velocity with small and short heads; SP3: slow motion small and elongated cells; and SP4: high linear speed and large elongated cells. Subpopulation distribution was different in all animals. The establishment of sperm subpopulations from kinematic, morphometric, and combined variables not only improves the well-defined fox semen characteristics and offers a good conceptual basis for fertility and sperm preservation techniques in this species, but also opens the door to use this approach in other species, included humans.

Sperm kinematic, head morphometric and kinetic-morphometric subpopulations in the blue fox (Alopex lagopus)

PubMed Central

Soler, Carles; Contell, Jesús; Bori, Lorena; Sancho, María; García-Molina, Almudena; Valverde, Anthony; Segarvall, Jan

2017-01-01

This work provides information on the blue fox ejaculated sperm quality needed for seminal dose calculations. Twenty semen samples, obtained by masturbation, were analyzed for kinematic and morphometric parameters by using CASA-Mot and CASA-Morph system and principal component (PC) analysis. For motility, eight kinematic parameters were evaluated, which were reduced to PC1, related to linear variables, and PC2, related to oscillatory movement. The whole population was divided into three independent subpopulations: SP1, fast cells with linear movement; SP2, slow cells and nonoscillatory motility; and SP3, medium speed cells and oscillatory movement. In almost all cases, the subpopulation distribution by animal was significantly different. Head morphology analysis generated four size and four shape parameters, which were reduced to PC1, related to size, and PC2, related to shape of the cells. Three morphometric subpopulations existed: SP1: large oval cells; SP2: medium size elongated cells; and SP3: small and short cells. The subpopulation distribution differed between animals. Combining the kinematic and morphometric datasets produced PC1, related to morphometric parameters, and PC2, related to kinematics, which generated four sperm subpopulations – SP1: high oscillatory motility, large and short heads; SP2: medium velocity with small and short heads; SP3: slow motion small and elongated cells; and SP4: high linear speed and large elongated cells. Subpopulation distribution was different in all animals. The establishment of sperm subpopulations from kinematic, morphometric, and combined variables not only improves the well-defined fox semen characteristics and offers a good conceptual basis for fertility and sperm preservation techniques in this species, but also opens the door to use this approach in other species, included humans. PMID:27751987

The RECONS 25 Parsec Database: Who Are the Stars? Where Are the Planets?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Henry, Todd J.; Dieterich, S.; Hosey, A. D.; Ianna, P. A.; Jao, W.; Koerner, D. W.; Riedel, A. R.; Slatten, K. J.; Subasavage, J.; Winters, J. G.; RECONS

2013-01-01

Since 1994, RECONS (www.recons.org, REsearch Consortium On Nearby Stars) has been discovering and characterizing the Sun's neighbors. Nearby stars provide increased fluxes, larger astrometric perturbations, and higher probabilities for eventual resolution and detailed study of planets than similar stars at larger distances. Examination of the nearby stellar sample will reveal the prevalence and structure of solar systems, as well as the balance of Jovian and terrestrial worlds. These are the stars and planets that will ultimately be key in our search for life elsewhere. Here we outline what we know ... and what we don't know ... about the population of the nearest stars. We have expanded the original RECONS 10 pc horizon to 25 pc and are constructing a database that currently includes 2124 systems. By using the CTIO 0.9m telescope --- now operated by RECONS as part of the SMARTS Consortium --- we have published the first accurate parallaxes for 149 systems within 25 pc and currently have an additional 213 unpublished systems to add. Still, we predict that roughly two-thirds of the systems within 25 pc do not yet have accurate distance measurements. In addition to revealing the Sun's stellar neighbors, we have been using astrometric techniques to search for massive planets orbiting roughly 200 of the nearest red dwarfs. Unlike radial velocity searches, our astrometric effort is most sensitive to Jovian planets in Jovian orbits, i.e. those that span decades. We have now been monitoring stars for up to 13 years with positional accuracies of a few milliarcseconds per night. We have detected stellar and brown dwarf companions, as well as enigmatic, unseen secondaries, but have yet to reveal a single super-Jupiter ... a somewhat surprising result. In total, only 3% of stars within 25 pc are known to possess planets. It seems clear that we have a great deal of work to do to map out the stars, planets, and perhaps life in the solar neighborhood. This effort is supported by the NSF through grant AST-0908402 and via observations made possible by the SMARTS Consortium.

Design and Development of a Composite Dome for Experimental Characterization of Material Permeability

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Estrada, Hector; Smeltzer, Stanley S., III

1999-01-01

This paper presents the design and development of a carbon fiber reinforced plastic dome, including a description of the dome fabrication, method for sealing penetrations in the dome, and a summary of the planned test series. This dome will be used for the experimental permeability characterization and leakage validation of composite vessels pressurized using liquid hydrogen and liquid nitrogen at the Cryostat Test Facility at the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC). The preliminary design of the dome was completed using membrane shell analysis. Due to the configuration of the test setup, the dome will experience some flexural stresses and stress concentrations in addition to membrane stresses. Also, a potential buckling condition exists for the dome due to external pressure during the leak testing of the cryostat facility lines. Thus, a finite element analysis was conducted to assess the overall strength and stability of the dome for each required test condition. Based on these results, additional plies of composite reinforcement material were applied to local regions on the dome to alleviate stress concentrations and limit deflections. The dome design includes a circular opening in the center for the installation of a polar boss, which introduces a geometric discontinuity that causes high stresses in the region near the hole. To attenuate these high stresses, a reinforcement system was designed using analytical and finite element analyses. The development of a low leakage polar boss system is also investigated.

Superconducting magnetic energy storage and superconducting self-supplied electromagnetic launcher

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ciceron, Jérémie; Badel, Arnaud; Tixador, Pascal

2017-10-01

Superconductors can be used to build energy storage systems called Superconducting Magnetic Energy Storage (SMES), which are promising as inductive pulse power source and suitable for powering electromagnetic launchers. The second generation of high critical temperature superconductors is called coated conductors or REBCO (Rare Earth Barium Copper Oxide) tapes. Their current carrying capability in high magnetic field and their thermal stability are expanding the SMES application field. The BOSSE (Bobine Supraconductrice pour le Stockage d'Energie) project aims to develop and to master the use of these superconducting tapes through two prototypes. The first one is a SMES with high energy density. Thanks to the performances of REBCO tapes, the volume energy and specific energy of existing SMES systems can be surpassed. A study has been undertaken to make the best use of the REBCO tapes and to determine the most adapted topology in order to reach our objective, which is to beat the world record of mass energy density for a superconducting coil. This objective is conflicting with the classical strategies of superconducting coil protection. A different protection approach is proposed. The second prototype of the BOSSE project is a small-scale demonstrator of a Superconducting Self-Supplied Electromagnetic Launcher (S3EL), in which a SMES is integrated around the launcher which benefits from the generated magnetic field to increase the thrust applied to the projectile. The S3EL principle and its design are presented. Contribution to the topical issue "Electrical Engineering Symposium (SGE 2016)", edited by Adel Razek

Robust inference of population structure for ancestry prediction and correction of stratification in the presence of relatedness.

PubMed

Conomos, Matthew P; Miller, Michael B; Thornton, Timothy A

2015-05-01

Population structure inference with genetic data has been motivated by a variety of applications in population genetics and genetic association studies. Several approaches have been proposed for the identification of genetic ancestry differences in samples where study participants are assumed to be unrelated, including principal components analysis (PCA), multidimensional scaling (MDS), and model-based methods for proportional ancestry estimation. Many genetic studies, however, include individuals with some degree of relatedness, and existing methods for inferring genetic ancestry fail in related samples. We present a method, PC-AiR, for robust population structure inference in the presence of known or cryptic relatedness. PC-AiR utilizes genome-screen data and an efficient algorithm to identify a diverse subset of unrelated individuals that is representative of all ancestries in the sample. The PC-AiR method directly performs PCA on the identified ancestry representative subset and then predicts components of variation for all remaining individuals based on genetic similarities. In simulation studies and in applications to real data from Phase III of the HapMap Project, we demonstrate that PC-AiR provides a substantial improvement over existing approaches for population structure inference in related samples. We also demonstrate significant efficiency gains, where a single axis of variation from PC-AiR provides better prediction of ancestry in a variety of structure settings than using 10 (or more) components of variation from widely used PCA and MDS approaches. Finally, we illustrate that PC-AiR can provide improved population stratification correction over existing methods in genetic association studies with population structure and relatedness. © 2015 WILEY PERIODICALS, INC.

Formation of phosphatidylethanol from endogenous phosphatidylcholines in animal tissues from pig, calf, and goat.

PubMed

Luginbühl, Marc; Willem, Sytske; Schürch, Stefan; Weinmann, Wolfgang

2018-02-01

In the presence of alcohol, phosphatidylcholine (PC) is transformed to the direct alcohol biomarker phosphatidylethanol (PEth). This reaction is catalyzed by the enzyme phospholipase D (PLD) and dependent on substrate availability. As recent methods have solely focused on the determination of PEth, information about the PC composition was generally missing. To address this issue and monitor PC (16:0/18:1 and 16:0/18:2) and PEth (16:0/18:1 and 16:0/18:2) simultaneously, a reversed phase LC-MS/MS method based on a C8 core-shell column, coupled to a Sciex 5500 QTrap instrument was developed. By application of polarity switching, at first, PC was measured in ESI positive SRM mode, while PEth was determined at a later stage in ESI negative SRM mode. The PEth method was validated for human blood samples to show its robustness and subsequently applied for the investigation of systematic in vitro PEth formation in animal tissue samples (brain, kidney, liver, and blood) from a pig, a calf, and a goat. Homogenized tissue was incubated at 37°C with varying ethanol concentrations from 1 to 7g/kg (determined by HS-GC-FID) for 5h, whereby a sample was taken every 30min. For all tissue samples, an increase in PEth was measurable. PEth concentrations formed in blood remained below the LLOQ, in agreement with literature. Data analysis of Michaelis-Menten kinetics and PC within the tissue provided a detailed insight about PEth formation, as the occurrence of PEth species can be linked to the observed PC composition. The results of this study show that PEth formation rates vary from tissue to tissue and among different species. Furthermore, new recommendations for PEth analysis are presented. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Principal component analysis and hydrochemical facies characterization to evaluate groundwater quality in Varahi river basin, Karnataka state, India

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ravikumar, P.; Somashekar, R. K.

2017-05-01

The present study envisages the importance of graphical representations like Piper trilinear diagram and Chadha's plot, respectively to determine variation in hydrochemical facies and understand the evolution of hydrochemical processes in the Varahi river basin. The analytical values obtained from the groundwater samples when plotted on Piper's and Chadha's plots revealed that the alkaline earth metals (Ca2+, Mg2+) are significantly dominant over the alkalis (Na+, K+), and the strong acidic anions (Cl-, SO4 2-) dominant over the weak acidic anions (CO3 2-, HCO3 -). Further, Piper trilinear diagram classified 93.48 % of the samples from the study area under Ca2+-Mg2+-Cl--SO4 2- type and only 6.52 % samples under Ca2+-Mg2+-HCO3 - type. Interestingly, Chadha's plot also demonstrated the dominance of reverse ion exchange water having permanent hardness (viz., Ca-Mg-Cl type) in majority of the samples over recharging water with temporary hardness (i.e., Ca-Mg-HCO3 type). Thus, evaluation of hydrochemical facies from both the plots highlighted the contribution from the reverse ion exchange processes in controlling geochemistry of groundwater in the study area. Further, PCA analysis yielded four principal components (PC1, PC2, PC3 and PC4) with higher eigen values of 1.0 or more, accounting for 65.55, 10.17, 6.88 and 6.52 % of the total variance, respectively. Consequently, majority of the physico-chemical parameters (87.5 %) loaded under PC1 and PC2 were having strong positive loading (>0.75) and these are mainly responsible for regulating the hydrochemistry of groundwater in the study area.

Deep SDSS optical spectroscopy of distant halo stars. I. Atmospheric parameters and stellar metallicity distribution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Allende Prieto, C.; Fernández-Alvar, E.; Schlesinger, K. J.; Lee, Y. S.; Morrison, H. L.; Schneider, D. P.; Beers, T. C.; Bizyaev, D.; Ebelke, G.; Malanushenko, E.; Malanushenko, V.; Oravetz, D.; Pan, K.; Simmons, A.; Simmerer, J.; Sobeck, J.; Robin, A. C.

2014-08-01

Aims: We analyze a sample of tens of thousands of spectra of halo turnoff stars, obtained with the optical spectrographs of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS), to characterize the stellar halo population "in situ" out to a distance of a few tens of kpc from the Sun. In this paper we describe the derivation of atmospheric parameters. We also derive the overall stellar metallicity distribution based on F-type stars observed as flux calibrators for the Baryonic Oscillations Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS). Methods: Our analysis is based on an automated method that determines the set of parameters of a model atmosphere that reproduces each observed spectrum best. We used an optimization algorithm and evaluate model fluxes by means of interpolation in a precomputed grid. In our analysis, we account for the spectrograph's varying resolution as a function of fiber and wavelength. Our results for early SDSS (pre-BOSS upgrade) data compare well with those from the SEGUE Stellar Parameter Pipeline (SSPP), except for stars with log g (cgs units) lower than 2.5. Results: An analysis of stars in the globular cluster M 13 reveals a dependence of the inferred metallicity on surface gravity for stars with log g < 2.5, confirming the systematics identified in the comparison with the SSPP. We find that our metallicity estimates are significantly more precise than the SSPP results. We also find excellent agreement with several independent analyses. We show that the SDSS color criteria for selecting F-type halo turnoff stars as flux calibrators efficiently excludes stars with high metallicities, but does not significantly distort the shape of the metallicity distribution at low metallicity. We obtain a halo metallicity distribution that is narrower and more asymmetric than in previous studies. The lowest gravity stars in our sample, at tens of kpc from the Sun, indicate a shift of the metallicity distribution to lower abundances, consistent with what is expected from a dual halo system in the Milky Way. Full Table 1 is only available at the CDS via anonymous ftp to http://cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (ftp://130.79.128.5) or via http://cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr/viz-bin/qcat?J/A+A/568/A7

Chemometric and multivariate statistical analysis of time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry spectra from complex Cu-Fe sulfides.

PubMed

Kalegowda, Yogesh; Harmer, Sarah L

2012-03-20

Time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (TOF-SIMS) spectra of mineral samples are complex, comprised of large mass ranges and many peaks. Consequently, characterization and classification analysis of these systems is challenging. In this study, different chemometric and statistical data evaluation methods, based on monolayer sensitive TOF-SIMS data, have been tested for the characterization and classification of copper-iron sulfide minerals (chalcopyrite, chalcocite, bornite, and pyrite) at different flotation pulp conditions (feed, conditioned feed, and Eh modified). The complex mass spectral data sets were analyzed using the following chemometric and statistical techniques: principal component analysis (PCA); principal component-discriminant functional analysis (PC-DFA); soft independent modeling of class analogy (SIMCA); and k-Nearest Neighbor (k-NN) classification. PCA was found to be an important first step in multivariate analysis, providing insight into both the relative grouping of samples and the elemental/molecular basis for those groupings. For samples exposed to oxidative conditions (at Eh ~430 mV), each technique (PCA, PC-DFA, SIMCA, and k-NN) was found to produce excellent classification. For samples at reductive conditions (at Eh ~ -200 mV SHE), k-NN and SIMCA produced the most accurate classification. Phase identification of particles that contain the same elements but a different crystal structure in a mixed multimetal mineral system has been achieved.

Metabolic system alterations in pancreatic cancer patient serum: potential for early detection

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background The prognosis of pancreatic cancer (PC) is one of the poorest among all cancers, due largely to the lack of methods for screening and early detection. New biomarkers for identifying high-risk or early-stage subjects could significantly impact PC mortality. The goal of this study was to find metabolic biomarkers associated with PC by using a comprehensive metabolomics technology to compare serum profiles of PC patients to healthy control subjects. Methods A non-targeted metabolomics approach based on high-resolution, flow-injection Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FI-FTICR-MS) was used to generate comprehensive metabolomic profiles containing 2478 accurate mass measurements from the serum of Japanese PC patients (n=40) and disease-free subjects (n=50). Targeted flow-injection tandem mass spectrometry (FI-MS/MS) assays for specific metabolic systems were developed and used to validate the FI-FTICR-MS results. A FI-MS/MS assay for the most discriminating metabolite discovered by FI-FTICR-MS (PC-594) was further validated in two USA Caucasian populations; one comprised 14 PCs, six intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasims (IPMN) and 40 controls, and a second comprised 1000 reference subjects aged 30 to 80, which was used to create a distribution of PC-594 levels among the general population. Results FI-FTICR-MS metabolomic analysis showed significant reductions in the serum levels of metabolites belonging to five systems in PC patients compared to controls (all p<0.000025). The metabolic systems included 36-carbon ultra long-chain fatty acids, multiple choline-related systems including phosphatidylcholines, lysophosphatidylcholines and sphingomyelins, as well as vinyl ether-containing plasmalogen ethanolamines. ROC-AUCs based on FI-MS/MS of selected markers from each system ranged between 0.93 ±0.03 and 0.97 ±0.02. No significant correlations between any of the systems and disease-stage, gender, or treatment were observed. Biomarker PC-594 (an ultra long-chain fatty acid), was further validated using an independently-collected US Caucasian population (blinded analysis, n=60, p=9.9E-14, AUC=0.97 ±0.02). PC-594 levels across 1000 reference subjects showed an inverse correlation with age, resulting in a drop in the AUC from 0.99 ±0.01 to 0.90 ±0.02 for subjects aged 30 to 80, respectively. A PC-594 test positivity rate of 5.0% in low-risk reference subjects resulted in a PC sensitivity of 87% and a significant improvement in net clinical benefit based on decision curve analysis. Conclusions The serum metabolome of PC patients is significantly altered. The utility of serum metabolite biomarkers, particularly PC-594, for identifying subjects with elevated risk of PC should be further investigated. PMID:24024929

Photometric redshifts and clustering of emission line galaxies selected jointly by DES and eBOSS

DOE PAGES

Jouvel, S.; Delubac, T.; Comparat, J.; ...

2017-03-24

We present the results of the first test plates of the extended Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey. This paper focuses on the emission line galaxies (ELG) population targetted from the Dark Energy Survey (DES) photometry. We analyse the success rate, efficiency, redshift distribution, and clustering properties of the targets. From the 9000 spectroscopic redshifts targetted, 4600 have been selected from the DES photometry. The total success rate for redshifts between 0.6 and 1.2 is 71\\% and 68\\% respectively for a bright and faint, on average more distant, samples including redshifts measured from a single strong emission line. We find a meanmore » redshift of 0.8 and 0.87, with 15 and 13\\% of unknown redshifts respectively for the bright and faint samples. In the redshift range 0.6« less

Photometric redshifts and clustering of emission line galaxies selected jointly by DES and eBOSS

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

Jouvel, S.; Delubac, T.; Comparat, J.

We present the results of the first test plates of the extended Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey. This paper focuses on the emission line galaxies (ELG) population targetted from the Dark Energy Survey (DES) photometry. We analyse the success rate, efficiency, redshift distribution, and clustering properties of the targets. From the 9000 spectroscopic redshifts targetted, 4600 have been selected from the DES photometry. The total success rate for redshifts between 0.6 and 1.2 is 71\\% and 68\\% respectively for a bright and faint, on average more distant, samples including redshifts measured from a single strong emission line. We find a meanmore » redshift of 0.8 and 0.87, with 15 and 13\\% of unknown redshifts respectively for the bright and faint samples. In the redshift range 0.6« less

Physical activity staging distribution: establishing a heuristic using multiple studies.

PubMed

Nigg, C; Hellsten, L; Norman, G; Braun, L; Breger, R; Burbank, P; Coday, M; Elliot, D; Garber, C; Greaney, M; Keteyian, S; Lees, F; Matthews, C; Moe, E; Resnick, B; Riebe, D; Rossi, J; Toobert, D; Wang, T; Welk, G; Williams, G

2005-04-01

The purpose of this study was to identify the population prevalence across the stages of change (SoC) for regular physical activity and to establish the prevalence of people at risk. With support from the National Institutes of Health, the American Heart Association, and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, nine Behavior Change Consortium studies with a common physical activity SoC measure agreed to collaborate and share data. The distribution pattern identified in these predominantly reactively recruited studies was Precontemplation (PC) = 5% (+/- 10), Contemplation (C) = 10% (+/- 10), Preparation (P) = 40% (+/- 10), Action = 10% (+/- 10), and Maintenance = 35% (+/- 10). With reactively recruited studies, it can be anticipated that there will be a higher percentage of the sample that is ready to change and a greater percentage of currently active people compared to random representative samples. The at-risk stage distribution (i.e., those not at criteria or PC, C, and P) was approximately 10% PC, 20% C, and 70% P in specific samples and approximately 20% PC, 10% C, and 70% P in the clinical samples. Knowing SoC heuristics can inform public health practitioners and policymakers about the population's motivation for physical activity, help track changes over time, and assist in the allocation of resources.

Study on fast discrimination of varieties of yogurt using Vis/NIR-spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

He, Yong; Feng, Shuijuan; Deng, Xunfei; Li, Xiaoli

2006-09-01

A new approach for discrimination of varieties of yogurt by means of VisINTR-spectroscopy was present in this paper. Firstly, through the principal component analysis (PCA) of spectroscopy curves of 5 typical kinds of yogurt, the clustering of yogurt varieties was processed. The analysis results showed that the cumulate reliabilities of PC1 and PC2 (the first two principle components) were more than 98.956%, and the cumulate reliabilities from PC1 to PC7 (the first seven principle components) was 99.97%. Secondly, a discrimination model of Artificial Neural Network (ANN-BP) was set up. The first seven principles components of the samples were applied as ANN-BP inputs, and the value of type of yogurt were applied as outputs, then the three-layer ANN-BP model was build. In this model, every variety yogurt includes 27 samples, the total number of sample is 135, and the rest 25 samples were used as prediction set. The results showed the distinguishing rate of the five yogurt varieties was 100%. It presented that this model was reliable and practicable. So a new approach for the rapid and lossless discrimination of varieties of yogurt was put forward.

The Bank of Standardized Stimuli (BOSS), a New Set of 480 Normative Photos of Objects to Be Used as Visual Stimuli in Cognitive Research

PubMed Central

Brodeur, Mathieu B.; Dionne-Dostie, Emmanuelle; Montreuil, Tina; Lepage, Martin

2010-01-01

There are currently stimuli with published norms available to study several psychological aspects of language and visual cognitions. Norms represent valuable information that can be used as experimental variables or systematically controlled to limit their potential influence on another experimental manipulation. The present work proposes 480 photo stimuli that have been normalized for name, category, familiarity, visual complexity, object agreement, viewpoint agreement, and manipulability. Stimuli are also available in grayscale, blurred, scrambled, and line-drawn version. This set of objects, the Bank Of Standardized Stimuli (BOSS), was created specifically to meet the needs of scientists in cognition, vision and psycholinguistics who work with photo stimuli. PMID:20532245

The Bank of Standardized Stimuli (BOSS), a new set of 480 normative photos of objects to be used as visual stimuli in cognitive research.

PubMed

Brodeur, Mathieu B; Dionne-Dostie, Emmanuelle; Montreuil, Tina; Lepage, Martin

2010-05-24

There are currently stimuli with published norms available to study several psychological aspects of language and visual cognitions. Norms represent valuable information that can be used as experimental variables or systematically controlled to limit their potential influence on another experimental manipulation. The present work proposes 480 photo stimuli that have been normalized for name, category, familiarity, visual complexity, object agreement, viewpoint agreement, and manipulability. Stimuli are also available in grayscale, blurred, scrambled, and line-drawn version. This set of objects, the Bank Of Standardized Stimuli (BOSS), was created specifically to meet the needs of scientists in cognition, vision and psycholinguistics who work with photo stimuli.

The Solar Neighborhood. XXV. Discovery of New Proper Motion Stars with 0.40 sec/yr > mu > or = 0.18 sec/yr Between Declinations -47 deg and 00 deg

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Boyd, Mark R.; Winters, Jennifer G.; Henry, Todd J.; Jao, Wei-Chun; Finch, Charlie T.; Subasavage, John P.; Hambly, Nigel C.

2011-01-01

We present 2817 new southern proper motion systems with 0.40 sec/yr > mu > or = 0.18 sec/yr and declination between 47 deg and 00 deg. This is a continuation of the SuperCOSMOS-RECONS (SCR) proper motion searches of the southern sky. We use the same photometric relations as previous searches to provide distance estimates based on the assumption that the objects are single main-sequence stars. We find 79 new red dwarf systems predicted to be within 25 pc, including a few new components of previously known systems. Two systems--SCR 1731-2452 at 9.5 pc and SCR 1746-3214 at 9.9 pc--are anticipated to be within 10 pc. We also find 23 new white dwarf (WD) candidates with distance estimates of 15-66 pc, as well as 360 new red subdwarf candidates. With this search, we complete the SCR sweep of the southern sky for stars with mu > or = 0.18 sec/yr and R(sub 59F) < or = 16.5, resulting in a total of 5042 objects in 4724 previously unreported proper motion systems. Here we provide selected comprehensive lists from our SCR proper motion search to date, including 152 red dwarf systems estimated to be within 25 pc (9 within 10 pc), 46 WDs (10 within 25 pc), and 598 subdwarf candidates. The results of this search suggest that there are more nearby systems to be found at fainter magnitudes and lower proper motion limits than those probed so far.

The Solar Neighborhood. XLII. Parallax Results from the CTIOPI 0.9 m Program—Identifying New Nearby Subdwarfs Using Tangential Velocities and Locations on the H–R Diagram

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jao, Wei-Chun; Henry, Todd J.; Winters, Jennifer G.; Subasavage, John P.; Riedel, Adric R.; Silverstein, Michele L.; Ianna, Philip A.

2017-11-01

Parallaxes, proper motions, and optical photometry are presented for 51 systems consisting of 37 cool subdwarf and 14 additional high proper motion systems. Thirty-seven systems have parallaxes reported for the first time, 15 of which have proper motions of at least 1″ yr‑1. The sample includes 22 newly identified cool subdwarfs within 100 pc, of which three are within 25 pc, and an additional five subdwarfs from 100 to 160 pc. Two systems—LSR 1610-0040 AB and LHS 440 AB—are close binaries exhibiting clear astrometric perturbations that will ultimately provide important masses for cool subdwarfs. We use the accurate parallaxes and proper motions provided here, combined with additional data from our program and others, to determine that effectively all nearby stars with tangential velocities greater than 200 km s‑1 are subdwarfs. We compare a sample of 167 confirmed cool subdwarfs to nearby main sequence dwarfs and Pleiades members on an observational Hertzsprung–Russell diagram using M V versus (V ‑ K s ) to map trends of age and metallicity. We find that subdwarfs are clearly separated for spectral types K5–M5, indicating that the low metallicities of subdwarfs set them apart in the H–R diagram for (V ‑ K s ) = 3–6. We then apply the tangential velocity cutoff and the subdwarf region of the H–R diagram to stars with parallaxes from Gaia Data Release 1 and the MEarth Project to identify a total of 29 new nearby subdwarf candidates that fall clearly below the main sequence.

Six years' experience of using the BacT/ALERT system to screen all platelet concentrates, and additional testing of outdated platelet concentrates to estimate the frequency of false-negative results.

PubMed

Larsen, C P; Ezligini, F; Hermansen, N O; Kjeldsen-Kragh, J

2005-02-01

Approximately 1 in every 2000 units of platelets is contaminated with bacteria. The BacT/ALERT automated blood culture system can be used to screen platelet concentrates (PCs) for bacterial contamination. Data were collected from May 1998 until May 2004. The number of PCs tested during this period was 36 896, most of which were produced from pools of four buffy-coats. On the day following blood collection or platelet apheresis, a 5-10 ml sample of the PC was aseptically transferred to a BacT/ALERT culture bottle for detection of aerobic bacteria. The sample was monitored for bacterial growth during the entire storage period of the PC (6.5 days). When a positive signal was generated, the culture bottle, the PC and the erythrocyte concentrates were tested for bacterial growth. In order to determine the frequency of false-negative BacT/ALERT signals, 1061 outdated PCs were tested during the period from May 2002 to May 2004. Eighty-eight positive signals were detected by the BacT/ALERT system, of which 12 were interpreted as truly positive. Fourteen signals were interpreted as truly false positive. Thirty-three signals were interpreted to be probably false positive. Two of 1061 outdated units tested positive, and Bacillus spp. and Staphylococcus epidermidis, respectively, were isolated from these PCs. Between 0.03% and 0.12% of the PCs were contaminated with bacteria. BacT/ALERT is an efficient tool for monitoring PCs for bacterial contamination; however, it is important to realize that false-negative results may occur.

Cost-effectiveness analysis of pharmaceutical care for hypertensive patients from the perspective of the public health system in Brazil.

PubMed

Cazarim, Maurílio de Souza; Pereira, Leonardo Régis Leira

2018-01-01

Only 20% of patients with systemic arterial hypertension (SAH) have blood pressure within recommended parameters. SAH has been the main risk factor for morbidity and mortality of cardiovascular diseases, which affects the burden of the Public Health System (PHS). Some studies have shown the effectiveness of Pharmaceutical Care (PC) in the care of hypertensive patients. To perform a cost-effectiveness analysis to compare SAH treatment with PC management and conventional treatment for hypertensive patients offered by the PHS. A cost-effectiveness study nested to a quasi-experimental study was conducted, in which 104 hypertensive patients were followed up in a PC program. Blood pressure control was considered as the outcome for the economic analysis and the costs were direct and non-direct medical costs. PC was dominant for two years in the post-PC period compared with the pre-PC year. The mean cost effectiveness ratio (CER) for the CERPre-PC, CERPC, and CERPost-PC periods were: US$ 364.65, US$ 415.39, and US$ 231.14 respectively. The incremental cost effectiveness ratio (ICER) analysis presented ICER of US$ 478.41 in the PC period and US$ 42.95 in the post PC period. Monte Carlo sensitivity analysis presented mean ICERPC and ICERPost-PC equal to US$ 605.09 and US$ 128.03, reaching US$ 1,725.00 and US$ 740.00 respectively. Even for the highest ICER, the values were below the cost effectiveness threshold, which means that PC was a cost effective strategy for the care of hypertensive patients in the PHS.

HFE p.C282Y homozygosity predisposes to rapid serum ferritin rise after menopause: A genotype-stratified cohort study of hemochromatosis in Australian women.

PubMed

Warne, Charles D; Zaloumis, Sophie G; Bertalli, Nadine A; Delatycki, Martin B; Nicoll, Amanda J; McLaren, Christine E; Hopper, John L; Giles, Graham G; Anderson, Greg J; Olynyk, John K; Powell, Lawrie W; Allen, Katrina J; Gurrin, Lyle C

2017-04-01

Women who are homozygous for the p.C282Y mutation in the HFE gene are at much lower risk of iron overload-related disease than p.C282Y homozygous men, presumably because of the iron-depleting effects of menstruation and pregnancy. We used data from a population cohort study to model the impact of menstruation cessation at menopause on serum ferritin (SF) levels in female p.C282Y homozygotes, with p.C282Y/p.H63D simple or compound heterozygotes and those with neither p.C282Y nor p.H63D mutations (HFE wild types) as comparison groups. A sample of the Melbourne Collaborative Cohort Study was selected for the "HealthIron" study (n = 1438) including all HFE p.C282Y homozygotes plus a random sample stratified by HFE-genotype (p.C282Y and p.H63D). The relationship between the natural logarithm of SF and time since menopause was examined using linear mixed models incorporating spline smoothing. For p.C282Y homozygotes, SF increased by a factor of 3.6 (95% CI (1.8, 7.0), P < 0.001) during the first 10 years postmenopause, after which SF continued to increase but at less than half the previous rate. In contrast, SF profiles for other HFE genotype groups increase more gradually and did not show a distinction between premenopausal and postmenopausal SF levels. Only p.C282Y homozygotes had predicted SF exceeding 200 μg/L postmenopause, but the projected SF did not increase the risk of iron overload-related disease. These data provide the first documented evidence that physiological blood loss is a major factor in determining the marked gender difference in expression of p.C282Y homozygosity. © 2016 Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology Foundation and John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

Viewpoints about collaboration between primary care and public health in Canada

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Although there is a global movement toward health system integration and collaboration, little is known about values, beliefs, and attitudes towards collaboration between stakeholders in public health (i.e. promotion, protection, and prevention with vulnerable groups and/or at the population level) and primary care (i.e., family practices, nurse-led clinics). The purpose of this study was to explore viewpoints of key stakeholders regarding primary care (PC) and public health (PH) collaboration in Canada. Methods We used Q-methodology to identify common viewpoints held by participants who attended a national meeting in Canada in 2010 to discuss PC and PH collaboration. The study was conducted in two phases. In Phase 1 a Q-sample, a Q-sort table, and a short demographic questionnaire were developed which were used in Phase 2 for data collection. The Q-sorts then were analysed to identify the salient factors and consensus statements. Results In total, 25 multidisciplinary individuals including researchers, policy-makers, directors, managers, and practitioners (e.g., nurses, family physicians, dietitians) participated. Using a by-person factor analysis, three factors (salient viewpoints) emerged. Factors were named based on their distinguishing statements as follows: a) System Driven Collaborators, b) Cautious Collaborators, and c) Competent Isolationists. System Driven Collaborators strongly believed that a clear mandate from the top is needed to enable PH, PC and the rest of the health system to effectively work together and that people in different branches in the Ministry/ Ministries have to strongly believe in collaboration, actively support it, and develop directed policies to foster organizations work together. Cautious Collaborators strongly supported the idea of having better consciousness-raising about what collaborations might be possible and beneficial, and also reflecting on the collaborations already in place. The Competent Isolationists strongly believed that it is necessary for PC and PH sectors to spend time to ensure that both parties clearly understand the differences between their roles. They believe that physicians, nurses, and social workers will not see the value in collaboration because they lack inter-professional educational programs. Conclusions Different viewpoints are held by stakeholders around PC and PH collaboration which have the potential to influence the success of collaborations. Understanding and managing these differences is important to assist change management processes required to build and maintain strong PC and PH collaborations. PMID:23945461

Geometrical contribution to the anomalous Nernst effect in TbFeCo thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ando, Ryo; Komine, Takashi

2018-05-01

The geometrical contribution to the anomalous Nernst effect in magnetic thin films was experimentally investigated by varying the aspect ratios and electrode configurations. The bar-type electrode configuration induces a short-circuit current near both edges of electrodes and decreases the effective Nernst voltage, while the point-contact (PC) electrode exploits the intrinsic Nernst voltage. In a sample with PC electrodes, as the sample width along the transverse direction of the thermal flow increases, the Nernst voltage increases monotonically. Thus, a much wider element with PC electrodes enables us to bring out a larger Nernst voltage by utilizing perpendicularly magnetized thin films.

FPGA-based photon-counting phase-modulation fluorometer and a brief comparison with that operated in a pulsed-excitation mode

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Iwata, Tetsuo; Taga, Takanori; Mizuno, Takahiko

2018-02-01

We have constructed a high-efficiency, photon-counting phase-modulation fluorometer (PC-PMF) using a field-programmable gate array, which is a modified version of the photon-counting fluorometer (PCF) that works in a pulsed-excitation mode (Iwata and Mizuno in Meas Sci Technol 28:075501, 2017). The common working principle for both is the simultaneous detection of the photoelectron pulse train, which covers 64 ns with a 1.0-ns resolution time (1.0 ns/channel). The signal-gathering efficiency was improved more than 100 times over that of conventional time-correlated single-photon-counting at the expense of resolution time depending on the number of channels. The system dead time for building a histogram was eliminated, markedly shortening the measurement time for fluorescent samples with moderately high quantum yields. We describe the PC-PMF and make a brief comparison with the pulsed-excitation PCF in precision, demonstrating the potential advantage of PC-PMF.

Machine vision for real time orbital operations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vinz, Frank L.

1988-01-01

Machine vision for automation and robotic operation of Space Station era systems has the potential for increasing the efficiency of orbital servicing, repair, assembly and docking tasks. A machine vision research project is described in which a TV camera is used for inputing visual data to a computer so that image processing may be achieved for real time control of these orbital operations. A technique has resulted from this research which reduces computer memory requirements and greatly increases typical computational speed such that it has the potential for development into a real time orbital machine vision system. This technique is called AI BOSS (Analysis of Images by Box Scan and Syntax).

Optical system for tablet variety discrimination using visible/near-infrared spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shao, Yongni; He, Yong; Hu, Xingyue

2007-12-01

An optical system based on visible/near-infrared spectroscopy (Vis/NIRS) for variety discrimination of ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba L.) tablets was developed. This system consisted of a light source, beam splitter system, sample chamber, optical detector (diffuse reflection detector), and data collection. The tablet varieties used in the research include Da na kang, Xin bang, Tian bao ning, Yi kang, Hua na xing, Dou le, Lv yuan, Hai wang, and Ji yao. All samples (n=270) were scanned in the Vis/NIR region between 325 and 1075 nm using a spectrograph. The chemometrics method of principal component artificial neural network (PC-ANN) was used to establish discrimination models of them. In PC-ANN models, the scores of the principal components were chosen as the input nodes for the input layer of ANN, and the best discrimination rate of 91.1% was reached. Principal component analysis was also executed to select several optimal wavelengths based on loading values. Wavelengths at 481, 458, 466, 570, 1000, 662, and 400 nm were then used as the input data of stepwise multiple linear regression, the regression equation of ginkgo tablets was obtained, and the discrimination rate was researched 84.4%. The results indicated that this optical system could be applied to discriminating ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba L.) tablets, and it supplied a new method for fast ginkgo tablet variety discrimination.

I Am So Tired… How Fatigue May Exacerbate Stress Reactions to Psychological Contract Breach

PubMed Central

Achnak, Safâa; Griep, Yannick; Vantilborgh, Tim

2018-01-01

Previous research showed that perceptions of psychological contract (PC) breach have undesirable individual and organizational consequences. Surprisingly, the PC literature has paid little to no attention to the relationship between PC breach perceptions and stress. A better understanding of how PC breach may elicit stress seems crucial, given that stress plays a key role in employees' physical and mental well-being. Based on Conservation of Resources Theory, we suggest that PC breach perceptions represent a perceived loss of valued resources, subsequently leading employees to experience higher stress levels resulting from emerging negative emotions. Moreover, we suggest that this mediated relationship is moderated by initial levels of fatigue, due to fatigue lowering the personal resources necessary to cope with breach events. To tests our hypotheses, we analyzed the multilevel data we obtained from two experience sampling designs (Study 1: 51 Belgian employees; Study 2: 53 US employees). Note that the unit of analysis is “observations” rather than “respondents,” resulting in an effective sample size of 730 (Study 1) and 374 (Study 2) observations. In both studies, we found evidence for the mediating role of negative emotions in the PC breach—stress relationship. In the second study, we also found evidence for the moderating role of fatigue in the mediated PC breach—stress relationship. Implications for research and practice are discussed. PMID:29559935

I Am So Tired… How Fatigue May Exacerbate Stress Reactions to Psychological Contract Breach.

PubMed

Achnak, Safâa; Griep, Yannick; Vantilborgh, Tim

2018-01-01

Previous research showed that perceptions of psychological contract (PC) breach have undesirable individual and organizational consequences. Surprisingly, the PC literature has paid little to no attention to the relationship between PC breach perceptions and stress. A better understanding of how PC breach may elicit stress seems crucial, given that stress plays a key role in employees' physical and mental well-being. Based on Conservation of Resources Theory, we suggest that PC breach perceptions represent a perceived loss of valued resources, subsequently leading employees to experience higher stress levels resulting from emerging negative emotions. Moreover, we suggest that this mediated relationship is moderated by initial levels of fatigue, due to fatigue lowering the personal resources necessary to cope with breach events. To tests our hypotheses, we analyzed the multilevel data we obtained from two experience sampling designs (Study 1: 51 Belgian employees; Study 2: 53 US employees). Note that the unit of analysis is "observations" rather than "respondents," resulting in an effective sample size of 730 (Study 1) and 374 (Study 2) observations. In both studies, we found evidence for the mediating role of negative emotions in the PC breach-stress relationship. In the second study, we also found evidence for the moderating role of fatigue in the mediated PC breach-stress relationship. Implications for research and practice are discussed.

Microparticle content of platelet concentrates is predicted by donor microparticles and is altered by production methods and stress.

PubMed

Maurer-Spurej, Elisabeth; Larsen, Rune; Labrie, Audrey; Heaton, Andrew; Chipperfield, Kate

2016-08-01

In circulation, shedding of microparticles from a variety of viable cells can be triggered by pathological activation of inflammatory processes, by activation of coagulation or complement systems, or by physical stress. Elevated microparticle content (MPC) in donor blood might therefore indicate a clinical condition of the donor which, upon transfusion, might affect the recipient. In blood products, elevated MPC might also represent product stress. Surprisingly, the MPC in blood collected from normal blood donors is highly variable, which raises the question whether donor microparticles are present in-vivo and transfer into the final blood component, and how production methods and post-production processing might affect the MPC. We measured MPC using ThromboLUX in (a) platelet-rich plasma (PRP) of 54 apheresis donors and the corresponding apheresis products, (b) 651 apheresis and 646 pooled platelet concentrates (PCs) with plasma and 414 apheresis PCs in platelet additive solution (PAS), and (c) apheresis PCs before and after transportation, gamma irradiation, and pathogen inactivation (N = 8, 7, and 12 respectively). ThromboLUX-measured MPC in donor PRP and their corresponding apheresis PC samples were highly correlated (r = 0.82, P = .001). The average MPC in pooled PC was slightly lower than that in apheresis PC and substantially lower in apheresis PC stored with PAS rather than plasma. Mirasol Pathogen Reduction treatment significantly increased MPC with age. Thus, MPC measured in donor samples might be a useful predictor of product stability, especially if post-production processes are necessary. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

An automated system for creep testing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Spiegel, F. Xavier; Weigman, Bernard J.

1992-01-01

A completely automated data collection system was devised to measure, analyze, and graph creep versus time using a PC, a 16 channel multiplexed analog to digital converter, and low friction potentiometers to measure length. The sampling rate for each experiment can be adjusted in the software to meet the needs of the material tested. Data is collected and stored on a diskette for permanent record and also for later data analysis on a different machine.

Prolonged performance-related neuroendocrine activation and perseverative cognition in low- and high-anxious university music students.

PubMed

Gomez, Patrick; Nielsen, Carole; Studer, Regina K; Hildebrandt, Horst; Klumb, Petra L; Nater, Urs M; Wild, Pascal; Danuser, Brigitta

2018-05-14

Music performances are social-evaluative situations that can elicit marked short-term neuroendocrine activation and anxious thoughts especially in musicians suffering from music performance anxiety (MPA). The temporal patterns of neuroendocrine activity and concert-related worry and rumination (perseverative cognition, PC) days before and after a concert in low- and high-anxious musicians are unknown. The first goal of the present study was to investigate the prolonged effects of a solo music performance and the effects of trait MPA on salivary cortisol (sC), alpha-amylase (sAA), and concert-related PC. The second goal was to investigate whether concert-related PC is associated with neuroendocrine activity and mediates the effects of measurement day and trait MPA on neuroendocrine responses. Seventy-two university music students collected saliva samples and reported their PC for seven consecutive days. On the fifth day, they performed solo. Measurement day and trait MPA were tested as main predictors of the diurnal area under the curve with respect to ground (sC AUCg, sAA AUCg), awakening responses, and PC. SC AUCg, sAA AUCg, and concert-related PC were highest on concert day. SC AUCg decreased only partially on post-concert days. SAA AUCg remained elevated on the first post-concert day among students with moderate to very high trait MPA. Throughout the assessment period, trait MPA was associated with smaller sC AUCg and higher concert-related PC. Concert-related PC showed significant positive associations with sC AUCg and sAA AUCg but did not mediate the effects of measurement day and trait MPA on these measures. These findings suggest that solo music performances have prolonged neuroendocrine effects and that trait MPA is an important factor having specific effects on university music students' hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, autonomic nervous system, and cognitive activity. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Selection of polynomial chaos bases via Bayesian model uncertainty methods with applications to sparse approximation of PDEs with stochastic inputs

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

Karagiannis, Georgios, E-mail: georgios.karagiannis@pnnl.gov; Lin, Guang, E-mail: guang.lin@pnnl.gov

2014-02-15

Generalized polynomial chaos (gPC) expansions allow us to represent the solution of a stochastic system using a series of polynomial chaos basis functions. The number of gPC terms increases dramatically as the dimension of the random input variables increases. When the number of the gPC terms is larger than that of the available samples, a scenario that often occurs when the corresponding deterministic solver is computationally expensive, evaluation of the gPC expansion can be inaccurate due to over-fitting. We propose a fully Bayesian approach that allows for global recovery of the stochastic solutions, in both spatial and random domains, bymore » coupling Bayesian model uncertainty and regularization regression methods. It allows the evaluation of the PC coefficients on a grid of spatial points, via (1) the Bayesian model average (BMA) or (2) the median probability model, and their construction as spatial functions on the spatial domain via spline interpolation. The former accounts for the model uncertainty and provides Bayes-optimal predictions; while the latter provides a sparse representation of the stochastic solutions by evaluating the expansion on a subset of dominating gPC bases. Moreover, the proposed methods quantify the importance of the gPC bases in the probabilistic sense through inclusion probabilities. We design a Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) sampler that evaluates all the unknown quantities without the need of ad-hoc techniques. The proposed methods are suitable for, but not restricted to, problems whose stochastic solutions are sparse in the stochastic space with respect to the gPC bases while the deterministic solver involved is expensive. We demonstrate the accuracy and performance of the proposed methods and make comparisons with other approaches on solving elliptic SPDEs with 1-, 14- and 40-random dimensions.« less

The integrated proactive surveillance system for prostate cancer.

PubMed

Wang, Haibin; Yatawara, Mahendra; Huang, Shao-Chi; Dudley, Kevin; Szekely, Christine; Holden, Stuart; Piantadosi, Steven

2012-01-01

In this paper, we present the design and implementation of the integrated proactive surveillance system for prostate cancer (PASS-PC). The integrated PASS-PC is a multi-institutional web-based system aimed at collecting a variety of data on prostate cancer patients in a standardized and efficient way. The integrated PASS-PC was commissioned by the Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF) and built through the joint of efforts by a group of experts in medical oncology, genetics, pathology, nutrition, and cancer research informatics. Their main goal is facilitating the efficient and uniform collection of critical demographic, lifestyle, nutritional, dietary and clinical information to be used in developing new strategies in diagnosing, preventing and treating prostate cancer.The integrated PASS-PC is designed based on common industry standards - a three tiered architecture and a Service- Oriented Architecture (SOA). It utilizes open source software and programming languages such as HTML, PHP, CSS, JQuery, Drupal and MySQL. We also use a commercial database management system - Oracle 11g. The integrated PASS-PC project uses a "confederation model" that encourages participation of any interested center, irrespective of its size or location. The integrated PASS-PC utilizes a standardized approach to data collection and reporting, and uses extensive validation procedures to prevent entering erroneous data. The integrated PASS-PC controlled vocabulary is harmonized with the National Cancer Institute (NCI) Thesaurus. Currently, two cancer centers in the USA are participating in the integrated PASS-PC project.THE FINAL SYSTEM HAS THREE MAIN COMPONENTS: 1. National Prostate Surveillance Network (NPSN) website; 2. NPSN myConnect portal; 3. Proactive Surveillance System for Prostate Cancer (PASS-PC). PASS-PC is a cancer Biomedical Informatics Grid (caBIG) compatible product. The integrated PASS-PC provides a foundation for collaborative prostate cancer research. It has been built to meet the short term goal of gathering prostate cancer related data, but also with the prerequisites in place for future evolution into a cancer research informatics platform. In the future this will be vital for successful prostate cancer studies, care and treatment.

The Integrated Proactive Surveillance System for Prostate Cancer

PubMed Central

Wang, Haibin; Yatawara, Mahendra; Huang, Shao-Chi; Dudley, Kevin; Szekely, Christine; Holden, Stuart; Piantadosi, Steven

2012-01-01

In this paper, we present the design and implementation of the integrated proactive surveillance system for prostate cancer (PASS-PC). The integrated PASS-PC is a multi-institutional web-based system aimed at collecting a variety of data on prostate cancer patients in a standardized and efficient way. The integrated PASS-PC was commissioned by the Prostate Cancer Foundation (PCF) and built through the joint of efforts by a group of experts in medical oncology, genetics, pathology, nutrition, and cancer research informatics. Their main goal is facilitating the efficient and uniform collection of critical demographic, lifestyle, nutritional, dietary and clinical information to be used in developing new strategies in diagnosing, preventing and treating prostate cancer. The integrated PASS-PC is designed based on common industry standards – a three tiered architecture and a Service- Oriented Architecture (SOA). It utilizes open source software and programming languages such as HTML, PHP, CSS, JQuery, Drupal and MySQL. We also use a commercial database management system – Oracle 11g. The integrated PASS-PC project uses a “confederation model” that encourages participation of any interested center, irrespective of its size or location. The integrated PASS-PC utilizes a standardized approach to data collection and reporting, and uses extensive validation procedures to prevent entering erroneous data. The integrated PASS-PC controlled vocabulary is harmonized with the National Cancer Institute (NCI) Thesaurus. Currently, two cancer centers in the USA are participating in the integrated PASS-PC project. The final system has three main components: 1. National Prostate Surveillance Network (NPSN) website; 2. NPSN myConnect portal; 3. Proactive Surveillance System for Prostate Cancer (PASS-PC). PASS-PC is a cancer Biomedical Informatics Grid (caBIG) compatible product. The integrated PASS-PC provides a foundation for collaborative prostate cancer research. It has been built to meet the short term goal of gathering prostate cancer related data, but also with the prerequisites in place for future evolution into a cancer research informatics platform. In the future this will be vital for successful prostate cancer studies, care and treatment. PMID:22505956

Factor VIII, Protein C and Cardiovascular Disease Risk: The REasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke Study (REGARDS).

PubMed

Zakai, Neil A; Judd, Suzanne E; Kissela, Brett; Howard, George; Safford, Monika M; Cushman, Mary

2018-06-11

 Haemostatic balance represented by low protein C (PC) and elevated factor VIII (FVIII) has been inconsistently associated with stroke and coronary heart disease (CHD) risk.  This article assesses whether an elevated FVIII and a low PC would increase cardiovascular risk more than either individually.  REGARDS recruited 30,239 black and white U.S. participants aged ≥ 45 years between 2003 and 2007. FVIII and PC were measured in a case-cohort sample of 646 stroke, 654 CHD, and a 1,104-person random sample with follow-up for approximately 4.5 years. Hazard ratios (HRs) were estimated using Cox models adjusted for demographic and cardiovascular risk factors.  Elevated FVIII (per standard deviation [SD] increase) was associated with increased risk of both stroke (HR, 1.26; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.08, 1.46) and CHD (HR, 1.52; 95% CI, 1.29, 1.79), while there was no association of PC per SD decrease. For PC, there was a trend towards increased cardiovascular disease risk in the lowest values (bottom 5%). For stroke, there was no interaction between FVIII and low PC ( p interaction  = 0.55). For CHD, the adjusted HR of FVIII per SD increase was significantly greater with PC in the bottom 5% (HR, 3.59; 95% CI, 1.39, 8.29) than PC in the upper 95% (HR, 1.45; 95% CI, 1.23, 1.71; p interaction  = 0.07).  Higher FVIII was associated with both CHD and stroke risk and the risk potentiated by low PC for CHD. Findings demonstrate that risks for cardiovascular diseases conferred by adverse levels of haemostasis biomarkers may be augmented by levels of other biomarkers. Schattauer GmbH Stuttgart.

Pleiotropy between genetic markers of obesity and risk of prostate cancer

PubMed Central

Edwards, Todd L.; Giri, Ayush; Motley, Saundra; Duong, Wynne; Fowke, Jay H.

2013-01-01

Background To address inconsistent findings of obesity and prostate cancer risk, we analyzed the association between prostate cancer (PC) and genetic markers of obesity and metabolism. Methods Analyses included 176,520 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with 23 metabolic traits. We examined the association between SNPs and PC in 871 cases and 906 controls, including 427 high-grade cases with Gleason ≥7. Genetic risk scores (GRSs) for body mass index (BMI) and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) were also created by summing alleles associated with increasing BMI or WHR. Results PC was associated with 5 loci, including cyclin M2, with p-values less than 1×10−4. In addition, the WHR GRS was associated with high-grade PC versus controls (OR: 1.05; 95% CI: 1.00 – 1.11, p-value = 0.048), and high-grade PC versus low-grade PC (OR: 1.07, 95% CI 1.01 – 1.13, p-value = 0.03). None of these findings exceed the threshold for significance after correction for multiple testing. Conclusions Variants in genes known to be associated with metabolism and obesity may be associated with PC. We show evidence for pleiotropy between WHR GRS and PC grade. This finding is consistent with the function of several WHR genes, and previously described relationships with cancer traits. Impact Limitations in standard obesity measures suggest alternative characterizations of obesity may be needed to understand the role of metabolic dysregulation in PC. The underlying genetics of WHR or other Metabochip SNPs, while not statistically significant beyond multiple testing thresholds within our sample size, support the metabolic hypothesis of prostate carcinogenesis and warrant further investigation in independent samples. PMID:23810916

Effects of hypoxia on the closing pressure of the canine systemic arterial circulation.

PubMed

Sylvester, J T; Gilbert, R D; Traystman, R J; Permutt, S

1981-10-01

We studied the relationships among closing pressure (Pc) and indices of systemic arterial resistance (Ra) and compliance (Ca) during hypoxic hypoxia (HH) and carbon monoxide hypoxia (COH) in anesthetized dogs with cardiac bypass and constant ventilation. Closing pressure was measured as the lowest level to which arterial pressure (Pa) fell after inflow to the arterial bed was reduced suddenly to zero. Since the fall of Pa to Pc could be well-described as a single exponential function of time and since Pc was always greater than outflow (venous) pressure. Ra and CA were determined by applying a "vascular waterfall" model to the arterial bed. During HH, Pc increased while Ra and Ca decreased. During COH, Pc and Ra decreased, but Ca did not change. The Pc results indicate that during HH, but not COH, a large portion of the systemic arterial bed experienced a marked increase in vasomotor tone, a qualitative difference that would have been missed if Pc had not been measured. The relationship among Pc, Ra, and Ca during hypoxia suggest these indices may have been determined largely by different portions of the arterial bed in which tone changed independently.

Detection and quantification of unbound phytochelatin 2 in plant extracts of Brassica napus grown with different levels of mercury.

PubMed

Iglesia-Turiño, Santiago; Febrero, Anna; Jauregui, Olga; Caldelas, Cristina; Araus, Jose Luis; Bort, Jordi

2006-10-01

The mercury (Hg) accumulation mechanism was studied in rape (Brassica napus) plants grown under a Hg concentration gradient (0 microm-1,000 microm). Hg mainly accumulated in roots. Therefore, the presence of phytochelatins (PCs) was studied in the roots of the plants. The high stability of the PC-Hg multicomplexes (mPC-nHg) seems to be the main reason for the lack of previous Hg-PC characterization studies. We propose a modification of the method to detect and quantify unbound PC of Hg in plant extracts via high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to electrospray tandem mass spectrometry and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry in parallel. We separated the PC from the Hg by adding the chelating agent sodium 2,3-dimercaptopropanesulfonate monohydrate. We only detected the presence of PC after the addition of the chelating agent. Some multicomplexes mPC-nHg could be formed but, due to their large sizes, could not be detected. In this study, only PC(2) was observed in plant samples. Hg accumulation was correlated with PC(2) concentration (r(2) = 0.98).

Ordered array of CoPc-vacancies filled with single-molecule rotors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xie, Zheng-Bo; Wang, Ya-Li; Tao, Min-Long; Sun, Kai; Tu, Yu-Bing; Yuan, Hong-Kuan; Wang, Jun-Zhong

2018-05-01

We report the highly ordered array of CoPc-vacancies and the single-molecule rotors inside the vacancies. When CoPc molecules are deposited on Cd(0001) at low-temperature, three types of molecular vacancies appeared randomly in the CoPc monolayer. Annealing the sample to higher temperature leads to the spontaneous phase separation and self-organized arrangement of the vacancies. Highly ordered arrays of two-molecule vacancies and single-molecule vacancies have been obtained. In particular, there is a rotating CoPc molecule inside each single-molecule vacancy, which constitutes the array of single-molecule rotors. These results provide a new routine to fabricate the nano-machines on a large scale.

THE SOLAR NEIGHBORHOOD. XXV. DISCOVERY OF NEW PROPER MOTION STARS WITH 0.''40 yr{sup -1} > {mu} {>=} 0.''18 yr{sup -1} BETWEEN DECLINATIONS -47{sup 0} AND 00{sup 0}

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

Boyd, Mark R.; Winters, Jennifer G.; Henry, Todd J.

2011-07-15

We present 2817 new southern proper motion systems with 0.''40 yr{sup -1} > {mu} {>=} 0.''18 yr{sup -1} and declination between -47{sup 0} and 00{sup 0}. This is a continuation of the SuperCOSMOS-RECONS (SCR) proper motion searches of the southern sky. We use the same photometric relations as previous searches to provide distance estimates based on the assumption that the objects are single main-sequence stars. We find 79 new red dwarf systems predicted to be within 25 pc, including a few new components of previously known systems. Two systems-SCR 1731-2452 at 9.5 pc and SCR 1746-3214 at 9.9 pc-are anticipatedmore » to be within 10 pc. We also find 23 new white dwarf (WD) candidates with distance estimates of 15-66 pc, as well as 360 new red subdwarf candidates. With this search, we complete the SCR sweep of the southern sky for stars with {mu} {>=} 0.''18 yr{sup -1} and R{sub 59F} {<=} 16.5, resulting in a total of 5042 objects in 4724 previously unreported proper motion systems. Here we provide selected comprehensive lists from our SCR proper motion search to date, including 152 red dwarf systems estimated to be within 25 pc (9 within 10 pc), 46 WDs (10 within 25 pc), and 598 subdwarf candidates. The results of this search suggest that there are more nearby systems to be found at fainter magnitudes and lower proper motion limits than those probed so far.« less

Analytical Solutions for Radiative Transfer: Implications for Giant Planet Formation by Disk Instability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boss, Alan P.

2009-03-01

The disk instability mechanism for giant planet formation is based on the formation of clumps in a marginally gravitationally unstable protoplanetary disk, which must lose thermal energy through a combination of convection and radiative cooling if they are to survive and contract to become giant protoplanets. While there is good observational support for forming at least some giant planets by disk instability, the mechanism has become theoretically contentious, with different three-dimensional radiative hydrodynamics codes often yielding different results. Rigorous code testing is required to make further progress. Here we present two new analytical solutions for radiative transfer in spherical coordinates, suitable for testing the code employed in all of the Boss disk instability calculations. The testing shows that the Boss code radiative transfer routines do an excellent job of relaxing to and maintaining the analytical results for the radial temperature and radiative flux profiles for a spherical cloud with high or moderate optical depths, including the transition from optically thick to optically thin regions. These radial test results are independent of whether the Eddington approximation, diffusion approximation, or flux-limited diffusion approximation routines are employed. The Boss code does an equally excellent job of relaxing to and maintaining the analytical results for the vertical (θ) temperature and radiative flux profiles for a disk with a height proportional to the radial distance. These tests strongly support the disk instability mechanism for forming giant planets.

The high-mass end of the red sequence at z ~ 0.55 from SDSS-III/BOSS: completeness, bimodality and luminosity function

DOE PAGES

Montero-Dorta, Antonio D.; Bolton, Adam S.; Brownstein, Joel R.; ...

2016-06-09

The history of the expanding universe is encoded in the large-scale distribution of galaxies throughout space. By mapping out the three-dimensional locations of millions of galaxies with powerful telescopes, we can directly measure this expansion history. When interpreted using Einstein's theory of gravity, this expansion history lets us infer the contents of the universe, including the amount and nature of "dark energy", an as-yet unexplained energy density associated with the empty vacuum of space. However, to make these measurements and inferences accurately, we must understand and control for a large number of experimental effects. This paper develops a novel methodmore » for large cosmological galaxy surveys, and applies it to data from the "BOSS" experiment of the Third Sloan Digital Sky Survey. This method enables an accurate statistical characterization of the "completeness" of the BOSS experiment: the probability that a given galaxy at a given place in the universe is actually detected and successfully measured. It also enables the accurate determination of the underlying demographics of the galaxy population being studied by the experiment. These two ingredients can then be used to make a more accurate comparison between the results of the experiment and the theoretical models that predict the observable effects of dark energy.« less

A low-cost PC-based telemetry data-reduction system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Simms, D. A.; Butterfield, C. P.

1990-04-01

The Solar Energy Research Institute's (SERI) Wind Research Branch is using Pulse Code Modulation (PCM) telemetry data-acquisition systems to study horizontal-axis wind turbines. PCM telemetry systems are used in test installations that require accurate multiple-channel measurements taken from a variety of different locations. SERI has found them ideal for use in tests requiring concurrent acquisition of data-reduction system to facilitate quick, in-the-field multiple-channel data analysis. Called the PC-PCM System, it consists of two basic components. First, AT-compatible hardware boards are used for decoding and combining PCM data streams. Up to four hardware boards can be installed in a single PC, which provides the capability to combine data from four PCM streams directly to PC disk or memory. Each stream can have up to 62 data channels. Second, a software package written for the DOS operating system was developed to simplify data-acquisition control and management. The software provides a quick, easy-to-use interface between the PC and PCM data streams. Called the Quick-Look Data Management Program, it is a comprehensive menu-driven package used to organize, acquire, process, and display information from incoming PCM data streams. This paper describes both hardware and software aspects of the SERI PC-PCM system, concentrating on features that make it useful in an experiment test environment to quickly examine and verify incoming data. Also discussed are problems and techniques associated with PC-based telemetry data acquisition, processing, and real-time display.

Composition, distribution, and potential toxicity of organochlorine mixtures in bed sediments of streams

USGS Publications Warehouse

Phillips, Patrick J.; Nowell, Lisa H.; Gilliom, Robert J.; Nakagaki, Naomi; Murray, Karen; VanAlstyne, Carolyn

2010-01-01

Mixtures of organochlorine compounds have the potential for additive or interactive toxicity to organisms exposed in the stream. This study uses a variety of methods to identify mixtures and a modified concentration-addition approach to estimate their potential toxicity at 845 stream sites across the United States sampled between 1992 and 2001 for organochlorine pesticides and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in bed sediment. Principal-component (PC) analysis identified five PCs that account for 77% of the total variance in 14 organochlorine compounds in the original dataset. The five PCs represent: (1) chlordane-related compounds and dieldrin; (2) p,p′-DDT and its degradates; (3) o,p′-DDT and its degradates; (4) the pesticide degradates oxychlordane and heptachlor epoxide; and (5) PCBs. The PC analysis grouped compounds that have similar chemical structure (such as parent compound and degradate), common origin (in the same technical pesticide mixture), and(or) similar relation of concentrations to land use. For example, the highest concentrations of chlordane compounds and dieldrin occurred at urban sites, reflecting past use of parent pesticides for termite control. Two approaches to characterizing mixtures—PC-based mixtures and unique mixtures—were applied to all 299 samples with a detection of two or more organochlorine compounds. PC-based mixtures are defined by the presence (in the sample) of one or more compounds associated with that PC. Unique mixtures are defined as a specific combination of two or more compounds detected in a sample, regardless of how many other compounds were also detected in that sample. The simplest PC-based mixtures (containing compounds from 1 or 2 PCs) commonly occurred in a variety of land use settings. Complex mixtures (containing compounds from 3 or more PCs) were most common in samples from urban and mixed/urban sites, especially in the Northeast, reflecting high concentrations of multiple chlordane, dieldrin, DDT-related compounds, and(or) PCBs. The most commonly occurring unique mixture (p,p′-DDE, p,p′-DDD) occurred in both simple and complex PC-based mixtures, and at both urban and agricultural sites. Mean Probable Effect Concentration Quotients (PEC-Q) values, which estimate the potential toxicity of organochlorine contaminant mixtures, were highest for complex mixtures. Mean PEC-Q values were highest for urban sites in the Northeast, followed by mixed/urban sites in the Northeast and agricultural sites in cotton growing areas. These results demonstrate that the PEC-Q approach can be used in combination with PC-based and unique mixture analyses to relate potential aquatic toxicity of contaminant mixtures to mixture complexity, land use, and other surrogates for contaminant sources.

Diagnostic accuracy of a two-item Drug Abuse Screening Test (DAST-2).

PubMed

Tiet, Quyen Q; Leyva, Yani E; Moos, Rudolf H; Smith, Brandy

2017-11-01

Drug use is prevalent and costly to society, but individuals with drug use disorders (DUDs) are under-diagnosed and under-treated, particularly in primary care (PC) settings. Drug screening instruments have been developed to identify patients with DUDs and facilitate treatment. The Drug Abuse Screening Test (DAST) is one of the most well-known drug screening instruments. However, similar to many such instruments, it is too long for routine use in busy PC settings. This study developed and validated a briefer and more practical DAST for busy PC settings. We recruited 1300 PC patients in two Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) clinics. Participants responded to a structured diagnostic interview. We randomly selected half of the sample to develop and the other half to validate the new instrument. We employed signal detection techniques to select the best DAST items to identify DUDs (based on the MINI) and negative consequences of drug use (measured by the Inventory of Drug Use Consequences). Performance indicators were calculated. The two-item DAST (DAST-2) was 97% sensitive and 91% specific for DUDs in the development sample and 95% sensitive and 89% specific in the validation sample. It was highly sensitive and specific for DUD and negative consequences of drug use in subgroups of patients, including gender, age, race/ethnicity, marital status, educational level, and posttraumatic stress disorder status. The DAST-2 is an appropriate drug screening instrument for routine use in PC settings in the VA and may be applicable in broader range of PC clinics. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Development of a Molecular-Beacon Assay To Detect the G1896A Precore Mutation in Hepatitis B Virus-Infected Individuals

PubMed Central

Waltz, Therese L.; Marras, Salvatore; Rochford, Gemma; Nolan, John; Lee, Eugenia; Melegari, Margherita; Pollack, Henry

2005-01-01

The 1896 precore (PC) mutation is the most frequent cause of hepatitis B virus e-antigen (HBeAg)-negative chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. Detection of the 1896 PC mutation has application in studies monitoring antiviral therapy and the natural history of the disease. Identification of this mutation is usually performed by direct sequencing, which is both costly and laborious. The aim of this study was to develop a rapid, high-throughput assay to detect the 1896 PC mutation using real-time PCR and molecular-beacon technology. The assay was initially standardized on oligonucleotide targets and plasmids containing the wild-type (WT) and PC mutation and then tested on plasma samples from children with HBV DNA of >106 copies/ml. Nine individuals were HBeAg negative and suspected to harbor HBeAg mutations, while 12 children were HBeAg positive and selected as controls. Ninety percent (19 of 21) of plasma samples tested with molecular beacons were in complete agreement with sequencing results. The remaining 10% (2 of 21) of samples were identified as heterogeneous mixtures of WT and mutant virus by molecular beacons, though sequencing found only a homogeneous mutant in both cases. Overall, the 1896 PC mutation was detected by this assay in 55.5% of the children with HBeAg-negative infection. In summary, this assay is a rapid, sensitive, and specific technique that effectively discriminates WT from 1896 PC mutant HBV and may be useful in clinical and epidemiological studies. PMID:15634980

Molecular layers of ZnPc and FePc on Au(111) surface: Charge transfer and chemical interaction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ahmadi, Sareh; Shariati, M. Nina; Yu, Shun; Göthelid, Mats

2012-08-01

We have studied zinc phthalocyanine (ZnPc) and iron phthalocyanine (FePc) thick films and monolayers on Au(111) using photoelectron spectroscopy and x-ray absorption spectroscopy. Both molecules are adsorbed flat on the surface at monolayer. ZnPc keeps this orientation in all investigated coverages, whereas FePc molecules stand up in the thick film. The stronger inter-molecular interaction of FePc molecules leads to change of orientation, as well as higher conductivity in FePc layer in comparison with ZnPc, which is reflected in thickness-dependent differences in core-level shifts. Work function changes indicate that both molecules donate charge to Au; through the π-system. However, the Fe3d derived lowest unoccupied molecular orbital receives charge from the substrate when forming an interface state at the Fermi level. Thus, the central atom plays an important role in mediating the charge, but the charge transfer as a whole is a balance between the two different charge transfer channels; π-system and the central atom.

Graphene-enhanced intermolecular interaction at interface between copper- and cobalt-phthalocyanines

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

Dou, Wei-Dong; Center of Super-Diamond and Advanced Films; Huang, Shu-Ping

2015-10-07

Interfacial electronic structures of copper-phthalocyanine (CuPc), cobalt-phthalocyanine (CoPc), and graphene were investigated experimentally by using photoelectron spectroscopy. While the CuPc/graphene interface shows flat band structure and negligible interfacial dipole indicating quite weak molecule-substrate interaction, the CuPc/CoPc/graphene interface shows a large interfacial dipole and obvious energy level bending. Controlled experiments ruled out possible influences from the change in film structure of CuPc and pure π–π interaction between CoPc and CuPc. Analysis based on X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and density functional theory reveals that the decrease in the work function for the CuPc/CoPc/graphene system is induced by the intermolecular interaction between CuPc andmore » CoPc which is enhanced owning to the peculiar electronic properties at the CoPc-graphene interface.« less

75 FR 53000 - Privacy Act of 1974; Report of an Altered System of Records

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-08-30

..., and PC-18-- Former Peace Corps Volunteers Database. The first revision adds a specific routine use to both PC-17 and PC-18. This specific routine use indicates that the Peace Corps may share Peace Corps... information. The second revision adds another specific routine use to both PC-17 and PC- 18 indicating that...

Electrical and dielectric properties of PVdF-HFP - PMMA - (PC + DEC)- LiClO4 based gel polymer electrolyte

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gohel, Khushbu; Kanchan, D. K.; Maheshwaran, C.

2018-04-01

In the present paper, AC impedance studies have been measured to evaluate ion conduction behavior of (PVdF-HFP - PMMA) + (PC-DEC) + LiClO4 gel polymer electrolyte system prepared by solution casting method. Structural characterization and morphology has been carried out using XRD and SEM respectively. The AC conductivity and dielectric permittivity, electric modulus and relaxation mechanism have been studied. The variation of ac conductivity with frequency obeys Jonscher power law. Maximum value of dielectric constant ɛ' in the lower frequency region has been observed for the gel polymer electrolyte containing 7.5 wt% LiClO4. The highest conducting sample shows the shortest relaxation time.

Population-level preferences for primary care physicians' characteristics in Japan: a structural equation modeling.

PubMed

Takahashi, Osamu; Ohde, Sachiko; Jacobs, Joshua L; Tokuda, Yasuharu; Yanai, Haruo; Okubo, Tomoya; Shimbo, Takuro; Fukuhara, Shunichi; Hinohara, Shigeaki; Fukui, Tsuguya

2010-01-01

Primary care has potential to play a role for improving the patient care in Japanese health care system; however, little information is available about how patients perceive the roles of primary care physicians (PCPs) within the Japanese health care system. We aimed to assess population-level preferences for PCPs and investigated the extent to which preferences vary in relation to different population groups in Japan. Data were extracted from a cross-sectional questionnaire survey in October 2003. An 18-item questionnaire was used to measure the preferences for PCPs. Exploratory factor analysis was performed to identify latent factors, while confirmatory factor analysis was used to evaluate the fit of the structure using structural equation modeling (SEM). Nationally representative sample of the adult Japanese general population was chosen by controlling for age, sex, and the size of cities. A total of 2,453 adults>or=18-years-old were analyzed. SEM provided a 4-factor structural model of the population-level preference for PCPs, such as clinical competence (path coefficient (pc)=0.72), gate-keeping (pc=0.64), communication with patients or specialists (pc=0.49) and high education (pc=0.25) and demonstrated the best goodness-of-fit. Those who were middle aged, have a high family income, and a high level of education, placed more importance on gate-keeping characteristics, and the rural residents emphasized communication rather than clinical competence. Our results indicate that the preferences for PCPs are divided into four main factors and underscore the variation among preferences according to different population groups, such as age, socioeconomic and educational status, and places of living. These variations should be considered to improve the primary care system in Japan.

Enhanced photothermal lens using a photonic crystal surface

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

Zhao, Yunfei; Liu, Longju; Zhao, Xiangwei

2016-08-15

A photonic crystal (PC)-enhanced photothermal lens (PTL) is demonstrated for the detection of optically thin light absorption materials. The PC-enhanced PTL system is based on a pump-probe scheme consisting of a PC surface, pump laser beam, and probe laser beam. Heated by the pump beam, light absorption materials on the PC surface generate the PTL and cause a substantial change to the guided-mode resonance supported by the PC structure. The change of the PC resonance is detected using the probe laser beam by measuring its reflectivity from the PC surface. When applied to analyze dye molecules deposited on the PCmore » substrate, the developed system is capable of enhancing the PTL signal by 10-fold and reducing the lowest distinguishable concentration by 8-fold, in comparison to measuring without utilizing the PC resonance. The PC-enhanced PTL was also used to detect gold nanoparticles on the PC surface and exhibited a 20-fold improvement of the lowest distinguishable concentration. The PC-enhanced PTL technology offers a potential tool to obtain the absorption signatures of thin films in a broad spectral range with high sensitivity and inexpensive instrumentation. As a result, this technology will enable a broad range of applications of photothermal spectroscopy in chemical analysis and biomolecule sensing.« less

How to make the pitch for a part-time workload.

PubMed

Kennedy, M M

2001-01-01

Are you planning on moving from full-time to part-time hours? You'll need a game plan to negotiate what you want, including establishing a timeline and agreeing on productivity expectations. If you can agree on a reasonable timeframe that doesn't inconvenience anyone or endanger important results or relationships, you have a high probability of getting your boss' okay. If you and the boss can't agree on what you must produce, don't consider part-time work unless you thrive on combat. Once you negotiate your new schedule, consider the issue of managing co-worker resentment. Here are the best hints for keeping co-worker envy and resentment at a manageable level: Don't be secretive; keep a low profile; attend all office frolics; and ask for a trial period.

BigBOSS: The Ground-Based Stage IV BAO Experiment

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

Schlegel, David; Bebek, Chris; Heetderks, Henry

2009-04-01

The BigBOSS experiment is a proposed DOE-NSF Stage IV ground-based dark energy experiment to study baryon acoustic oscillations (BAO) and the growth of structure with an all-sky galaxy redshift survey. The project is designed to unlock the mystery of dark energy using existing ground-based facilities operated by NOAO. A new 4000-fiber R=5000 spectrograph covering a 3-degree diameter field will measure BAO and redshift space distortions in the distribution of galaxies and hydrogen gas spanning redshifts from 0.2< z< 3.5. The Dark Energy Task Force figure of merit (DETF FoM) for this experiment is expected to be equal to that ofmore » a JDEM mission for BAO with the lower risk and cost typical of a ground-based experiment.« less

FR Performance of New Fire-off on PET/CO blend fabrics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Atakan, R.; Çelebi, E.; Ozcan, G.; Soydan, N.; Sarac, A. S.

2017-10-01

This paper represents the investigation on flame retardancy performance and durability of polyester/cotton (P/C) fabrics treated with a novel halogen/formaldehyde free, P-N synergetic FR finishing agent called New Fire-off. 100 % Cotton, 100 % Polyester and three different blend P/C fabrics were chosen in this study. Fabric samples were treated with New Fire-off through pad-dry-cure process. Flammability and thermal properties of the treated samples with New Fire-off were tested according to relevant ISO standard and procedures. The obtained results showed that this new finishing formulation is a good char-forming agent. However, further studies are required to achieve washing durability for the P/C blends.

Lifetime and current sexual assault and harassment victimization rates of active-duty United States Air Force women.

PubMed

Bostock, Deborah J; Daley, James G

2007-09-01

From a stratified random sample, 2,018 active-duty United States Air Force women completed a telephone survey dealing with sexual assault and harassment. The lifetime prevalence of rape among Air Force women (28%) was more than twice as high as the prevalence in a national sample (13%). Nearly half of the military sample had been the victims of rape, molestation, or attempted sexual assault. The majority of both initial rapes (75%) and most recent rapes (56%) involved assault by civilians when the victims were civilians. Family members perpetrated 29% of initial rapes and 33% of most recent rapes. Regarding military status of the perpetrator, 14% of first-time victims were raped by a military member, 26% of multiple-time victims were raped by a military member, 31.8% of military women were sexually harassed by a military supervisor or boss, and 26.7% of military women were sexually harassed by a military coworker.

Correlations among Galaxy Properties from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Zhongmu; Mao, Caiyan

2013-07-01

Galaxies are complex systems with many properties. Correlations among galaxy properties can supply important clues for studying the formation and evolution of galaxies. Using principal component analysis and least-squares fitting, this paper investigates the correlations among galactic parameters involving more properties (color, morphology, stellar population, and absolute magnitude) than previous studies. We use a volume-limited sample (whole sample) of 75,423 galaxies that was selected from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey Data Release 2 and divided into two subsamples (blue and red samples) using a critical color of (g - r) = 0.70 mag. In addition to recovering some previous results, we also obtain some new results. First, all separators for dividing galaxies into two groups can be related via good parameter-first principal component (PC1) correlations. A critical PC1 that indicates whether or not stellar age (or the evolution of a stellar population over time) is important can be used to separate galaxies. This suggests that a statistical parameter, PC1, is helpful in understanding the physical separators of galaxies. In addition, stellar age is shown to be unimportant for red galaxies, while both stellar age and mass are dominating parameters of blue galaxies. This suggests that the various numbers of dominating parameters of galaxies may result from the use of different samples. Finally, some parameters are shown to be correlated, and quantitative fits for a few correlations are obtained, e.g., log(t) = 8.57 + 1.65 (g - r) for the age (log t) and color (g - r) of blue galaxies and log (M *) = 4.31 - 0.30 M r for the stellar mass (log M *) and absolute magnitude (M r) of red galaxies. The median relationships between various parameter pairs are also presented for comparison.

Analysis of environmental variation in a Great Plains reservoir using principal components analysis and geographic information systems

USGS Publications Warehouse

Long, J.M.; Fisher, W.L.

2006-01-01

We present a method for spatial interpretation of environmental variation in a reservoir that integrates principal components analysis (PCA) of environmental data with geographic information systems (GIS). To illustrate our method, we used data from a Great Plains reservoir (Skiatook Lake, Oklahoma) with longitudinal variation in physicochemical conditions. We measured 18 physicochemical features, mapped them using GIS, and then calculated and interpreted four principal components. Principal component 1 (PC1) was readily interpreted as longitudinal variation in water chemistry, but the other principal components (PC2-4) were difficult to interpret. Site scores for PC1-4 were calculated in GIS by summing weighted overlays of the 18 measured environmental variables, with the factor loadings from the PCA as the weights. PC1-4 were then ordered into a landscape hierarchy, an emergent property of this technique, which enabled their interpretation. PC1 was interpreted as a reservoir scale change in water chemistry, PC2 was a microhabitat variable of rip-rap substrate, PC3 identified coves/embayments and PC4 consisted of shoreline microhabitats related to slope. The use of GIS improved our ability to interpret the more obscure principal components (PC2-4), which made the spatial variability of the reservoir environment more apparent. This method is applicable to a variety of aquatic systems, can be accomplished using commercially available software programs, and allows for improved interpretation of the geographic environmental variability of a system compared to using typical PCA plots. ?? Copyright by the North American Lake Management Society 2006.

Parallax Results from URAT Epoch Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Finch, Charlie T.; Zacharias, Norbert

2016-06-01

We present 1103 trigonometric parallaxes and proper motions from the United States Naval Observatory Robotic Astrometric Telescope (URAT) observations taken at the Naval Observatory Flagstaff Station (NOFS) over a three-year period from 2012 April to 2015 June covering the entire sky north of about -10^\\circ decl. We selected two samples: previously suspected nearby stars from known photometric distances and stars showing a large, significant parallax signature in URAT epoch data without any prior selection criteria. All systems presented in this paper have an observed parallax ≥40 mas with no previous published trigonometric parallax. The formal errors on these weighted parallax solutions are mostly between 4 and 10 mas. This sample gives a significant (of the order of 50%) increase to the number of known systems having a trigonometric parallax to be within 25 pc of the Sun (without applying Lutz-Kelker bias corrections). A few of these are found to be within 10 pc. Many of these new nearby stars display a total proper motion of less than 200 mas yr-1. URAT parallax results have been verified against Hipparcos and Yale data for stars in common. The publication of all signifigant parallax observations from URAT data is in preparation for CDS.

Evaluation of aluminum phthalocyanine chloride and DNA interactions for the design of an advanced drug delivery system in photodynamic therapy.

PubMed

Jayme, Cristiano Ceron; Calori, Italo Rodrigo; Cunha, Elise Marques Freire; Tedesco, Antonio Claudio

2018-08-05

The aim of this study was to evaluate the interaction of aluminum phthalocyanine chloride (AlClPc) with double-stranded DNA. Absorption and fluorescence spectra, resonance light scattering, and circular dichroism were evaluated in water and water/ethanol mixtures with different concentrations of DNA or AlClPc. AlClPc showed a high ability to bind to DNA in both water and 4/6 water/ethanol mixture (v/v), with a majority of monomeric and aggregated initial forms of AlClPc, respectively. In this interaction, AlClPc bound preferentially to the grooves of DNA. The monomeric/aggregate state of AlClPc in DNA was dependent on the AlClPc/DNA ratio. At low concentrations of AlClPc, the interaction of AlClPc with few DNA sites caused a curvature in the DNA structure that provided a favorable environment for the intercalation of AlClPc aggregates. Increase in AlClPc concentration induced interactions with a high number of binding sites on DNA, which prevented bending and therefore aggregation of AlClPc molecules throughout the double-stranded DNA. These results are relevant to the understanding of the behavior and interaction of AlClPc with double-stranded DNA in the design of novel drug delivery systems for clinical application in photodynamic therapy as a new approach to treat skin or oral cancer, scars, or wound healing. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A database for propagation models

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kantak, Anil V.; Suwitra, Krisjani; Le, Choung

1994-01-01

A database of various propagation phenomena models that can be used by telecommunications systems engineers to obtain parameter values for systems design is presented. This is an easy-to-use tool and is currently available for either a PC using Excel software under Windows environment or a Macintosh using Excel software for Macintosh. All the steps necessary to use the software are easy and many times self-explanatory; however, a sample run of the CCIR rain attenuation model is presented.

Very low-mass stars and brown dwarfs from 2MASS and DENIS.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chester, T.

2MASS (Two Micron All Sky Survey) and DENIS (DEep Near-Infrared survey of the Southern sky) will provide a sample of very low mass stars that is complete to a distance of 50 pc, even for the latest M star currently known. This compares with the current completeness out to 5 - 10 pc. This sample will contain 1,000 to 10,000 times more M stars than currently cataloged. This catalog will be free from proper motion selection effects and will not be limited by the completeness of optical magnitude studies. Evidence from several square degrees of proto-camera data processed and examined to date, shows that roughly 1 source is found in every square degree that has no counterpart on a POSS I plate. The first of these sources was found to be a binary system with component stars of roughly equal brightness having an M6 - M7 combined spectrum. The author discusses the effectiveness of these surveys for detecting brown dwarfs.

Role of training activities for the reduction of pre-analytical errors in laboratory samples from primary care.

PubMed

Romero, Adolfo; Cobos, Andrés; Gómez, Juan; Muñoz, Manuel

2012-01-18

The presence of pre-analytical errors (PE) is a usual contingency in laboratories. The incidence may increase where it is difficult to control that period, as it is the case with samples sent from primary care (PC) to clinical reference laboratory. Detection of a large number of PE in PC samples in our Institution led to the development and implementation of preventive strategies. The first of these has been the realization of a cycle of educational sessions for PC nurses, followed by the evaluation of their impact on PE number. The incidence of PE was assessed in two periods, before (October-November 2007) and after (October-November, 2009) the implementation of educational sessions. Eleven PC centers in the urban area and 17 in the rural area participated. In the urban area, samples were withdrawn by any PC nurse; in the rural area, samples were obtained by the patient's reference nurse. The types of analyzed PE included missed sample (MS), hemolyzed sample (HS), coagulated sample (CS), incorrect sample (ISV) and others (OPE), such as lipemic or icteric serum or plasma. In the former period, we received 52,669 blood samples and 18,852 urine samples, detecting 3885 (7.5%) and 1567 (8.3%) PEs, respectively. After the educational intervention, there were 52,659 and 19,048 samples with 5057 (9.6%) and 1.256 (6.5%) PEs, respectively (p<0.001). According to the type of PE, the incidents compared before and after compared incidences were: MS, 4.8% vs. 3.8%, p<0.001; HS, 1.97% vs. 3.9%, p<0.001; CS, 0.54% vs. 0.25%, p<0.001; ISV, 0.15% vs. 0.19% p=0.08; and OPE, 0.3% vs. 0.42%, p<0.001. Surprisingly the PE incidence increased after the educational intervention, although it should be noted that it was primarily due to the increase of HS, as the other EP incidence decreased (MS and CS) or remained unchanged (ISV). This seems to indicate the need for a comprehensive approach to reduce the incidence of errors in the pre-analytical period, as one stage interventions do not seem to be effective enough. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Tectonic erosion and consequent collapse of the Pacific margin of Costa Rica: Combined implications from ODP leg 170, seismic offshore data, and regional geology of the Nicoya Peninsula

USGS Publications Warehouse

Vannucchi, P.; Scholl, D. W.; Meschede, M.; McDougall-Reid, K.

2001-01-01

The convergent margin off the Pacific coast of the Nicoya Peninsula of Costa Rica exhibits evidence for subduction erosion caused by the underthrusting Cocos plate. Critical evidence for efficacy of this process was recovered at the Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) drilling Site 1042 (Leg 170), positioned ???7 km landward of the Middle America trench axis off the Nicoya Peninsula. The primary drilling objective at this site was to identify the age and origin of a regionally extensive and prominent seismic discontinuity, the so-called base-of-slope sediment (BOSS) horizon or surface. The BOSS horizon, which can be traced landward from near the trench to the Nicoya coastal area and parallel to it for hundreds of kilometers, separates a low-velocity (??? 2.0-2.5 km s-1) sequence of slope sediment, from an underlying sequence of much higher-velocity (> 4-4.5 km s-1) rock. Site 1042 reached the acoustically defined BOSS horizon at a below sea level depth of ??? 3900 m and yielded a carbonate-cemented calcarenitic breccia of early-middle Miocene age. Sedimentological, geochemical, paleontological, and cement paragenesis data document that the breccia accumulated in a shallow water depositional environment. On the basis of coastal exposures, the BOSS horizon, as a margin-wide geologic interface, can be temporally and lithostratigraphically correlated to a regional angular unconformity. This unconformity, known as the Mal Pais unconformity, separates Neogene and younger shelf-to-littoral beds from the underlying mafic units of the Mesozoic Nicoya Complex and Cretaceous and early Tertiary sedimentary sequences. At Site 1042 it is inferred that tectonism caused the vertical subsidence of the early Neogene breccia from a shallow to a deep water setting. The Mal Pais unconformity of the BOSS horizon thus connects the rock fabric of the outermost part of margin to that of coastal Nicoya and implies that in the early Neogene the Nicoya shelf extended seaward to near the present trench axis. This circumstance requires that the early Neogene trench axis was at least 50 km seaward of where it is now located. The long-term effects of subduction erosion, similar to those described for the scientifically drilled Japan, Tonga, and Peru margins, best account for offshore and onshore evidence for a post-Paleogene history of crustal thinning and landward trench migration of Costa Rica's Pacific margin. During the past 16-17 Myr the calculated mass removal and landward migration rates are 34-36 km3 Myr-1 km-1 of margin, and 3 km Myr-1, respectively. These values are similar to those found for other Pacific margins dominated by nonaccretionary subduction zone processes.

Targeting NK-1 Receptors to Prevent and Treat Pancreatic Cancer: A New Therapeutic Approach

PubMed Central

Muñoz, Miguel; Coveñas, Rafael

2015-01-01

Pancreatic cancer (PC) is the fourth leading cause of cancer related-deaths in both men and women, and the 1- and 5-year relative survival rates are 25% and 6%, respectively. It is known that smoking, alcoholism and psychological stress are risk factors that can promote PC and increase PC progression. To date, the prevention of PC is crucial because there is no curative treatment. After binding to the neurokinin-1 (NK-1) receptor (a receptor coupled to the stimulatory G-protein Gαs that activates adenylate cyclase), the peptide substance P (SP)—at high concentrations—is involved in many pathophysiological functions, such as depression, smoking, alcoholism, chronic inflammation and cancer. It is known that PC cells and samples express NK-1 receptors; that the NK-1 receptor is overexpressed in PC cells in comparison with non-tumor cells, and that nanomolar concentrations of SP induce PC cell proliferation. By contrast, NK-1 receptor antagonists exert antidepressive, anxiolytic and anti-inflammatory effects and anti-alcohol addiction. These antagonists also exert an antitumor action since in vitro they inhibit PC cell proliferation (PC cells death by apoptosis), and in a xenograft PC mouse model they exert both antitumor and anti-angiogenic actions. NK-1 receptor antagonists could be used for the treatment of PC and hence the NK-1 receptor could be a new promising therapeutic target in PC. PMID:26154566

Optical+Near-IR Bayesian Classification of Quasars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mehta, Sajjan S.; Richards, G. T.; Myers, A. D.

2011-05-01

We describe the details of an optimal Bayesian classification of quasars with combined optical+near-IR photometry from the SDSS and UKIDSS LAS surveys. Using only deep co-added SDSS photometry from the "Stripe 82" region and requiring full four-band UKIDSS detections, we reliably identify 2665 quasar candidates with a computed efficiency in excess of 99%. Relaxing the data constraints to combinations of two-band detections yields up to 6424 candidates with minimal trade-off in completeness and efficiency. The completeness and efficiency of the sample are investigated with existing spectra from the SDSS, 2SLAQ, and AUS surveys in addition to recent single-slit observations from Palomar Observatory, which revealed 22 quasars from a subsample of 29 high-z candidates. SDSS-III/BOSS observations will allow further exploration of the completeness/efficiency of the sample over 2.2

The Gould's Belt Distances Survey (GOBELINS). IV. Distance, Depth, and Kinematics of the Taurus Star-forming Region

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Galli, Phillip A. B.; Loinard, Laurent; Ortiz-Léon, Gisela N.; Kounkel, Marina; Dzib, Sergio A.; Mioduszewski, Amy J.; Rodríguez, Luis F.; Hartmann, Lee; Teixeira, Ramachrisna; Torres, Rosa M.; Rivera, Juana L.; Boden, Andrew F.; Evans, Neal J., II; Briceño, Cesar; Tobin, John J.; Heyer, Mark

2018-05-01

We present new trigonometric parallaxes and proper motions of young stellar objects in the Taurus molecular cloud complex from observations collected with the Very Long Baseline Array as part of the Gould’s Belt Distances Survey. We detected 26 young stellar objects and derived trigonometric parallaxes for 18 stars with an accuracy of 0.3% to a few percent. We modeled the orbits of six binaries and determined the dynamical masses of the individual components in four of these systems (V1023 Tau, T Tau S, V807 Tau, and V1000 Tau). Our results are consistent with the first trigonometric parallaxes delivered by the Gaia satellite and reveal the existence of significant depth effects. We find that the central portion of the dark cloud Lynds 1495 is located at d =129.5 ± 0.3 pc, while the B216 clump in the filamentary structure connected to it is at d = 158.1 ± 1.2 pc. The closest and remotest stars in our sample are located at d = 126.6 ± 1.7 pc and d = 162.7 ± 0.8 pc, yielding a distance difference of about 36 pc. We also provide a new distance estimate for HL Tau that was recently imaged. Finally, we compute the spatial velocity of the stars with published radial velocity and investigate the kinematic properties of the various clouds and gas structures in this region.

Effects of probiotic bacteria in dogs with food responsive diarrhoea treated with an elimination diet.

PubMed

Sauter, S N; Benyacoub, J; Allenspach, K; Gaschen, F; Ontsouka, E; Reuteler, G; Cavadini, C; Knorr, R; Blum, J W

2006-08-01

We evaluated whether a probiotic supplementation in dogs with food responsive diarrhoea (FRD) has beneficial effects on intestinal cytokine patterns and on microbiota. Twenty-one client-owned dogs with FRD were presented for clinically needed duodeno- and colonoscopy and were enrolled in a prospective placebo (PL)-controlled probiotic trial. Intestinal tissue samples and faeces were collected during endoscopy. Intestinal mRNA abundance of interleukin (IL)-5, -10, -12p40 and -13, tumour necrosis factor-alpha, transforming growth factor-beta1 and interferon (IFN)-gamma were analysed and numbers of Lactobacillus spp., Bifidobacterium spp., Enterococcus spp. and Enterobacteriaceae and supplemented probiotic bacteria were determined in faeces. The Canine Inflammatory Bowel Disease Activity Index, a scoring system comprising general attitude, appetite, faecal consistency, defecation frequency, and vomitus, decreased in all dogs (p < 0.0001). Duodenal IL-10 mRNA levels decreased (p = 0.1) and colonic IFN-gamma mRNA levels increased (p = 0.08) after probiotic treatment. Numbers of Enterobacteriaceae decreased in FRD dogs receiving probiotic cocktail (FRD(PC)) and FRD dogs fed PL (FRD(PL)) during treatment (p < 0.05), numbers of Lactobacillus spp. increased in FRD(PC after) when compared with FRD(PC before) (p < 0.1). One strain of PC was detected in five of eight FRD(PC) dogs after probiotic supplementation. In conclusion, all dogs clinically improved after treatment, but cytokine patterns were not associated with the clinical features irrespective of the dietary supplementation.

An assessment of groundwater potential and vulnerability in the Upper Manyame Sub-Catchment of Zimbabwe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Misi, Alfred; Gumindoga, Webster; Hoko, Zvikomborero

2018-06-01

Severe depletion and pollution of groundwater resources are of rising concern in the Upper Manyame Sub-Catchment (UMSC); Zimbabwe's most urbanised sub-catchment. Despite groundwater playing a pivotal role in the provision of potable water in the sub-catchment, it is under serious threat from anthropogenic stressors which include sewage effluents and leachates from landfills, among others. Inadequate scientific knowledge pertaining to the spatio-temporal variability of groundwater storage and vulnerability in the UMSC is further compromising its sustainability. Therefore, comprehensive assessments of UMSC's Groundwater Potential (GP) and vulnerability are crucial for its effective management. This study assessed GP and vulnerability in the UMSC using Geographic Information Systems and Remote Sensing techniques. Groundwater conditioning factors: geology, slope, land-use, drainage density, topographic index, altitude, recharge and rainfall were used to develop GP zones. Validation of the GP map was done by correlating estimated GP with historical borehole yields. An assessment of groundwater vulnerability was done at micro-catchment level (Marimba) using the GOD model; a three parameter Index Overlay Model. Marimba is the most urbanised and has the second highest borehole density. It also exhibits similar landuse characteristics as the UMSC. Furthermore, groundwater quality in Marimba was assessed from 15 sampling sites. Fifteen drinking water parameters were analysed based on the standard methods for Water and Wastewater Examination. The potability of groundwater was then assessed by comparing the measured water quality parameters with the Standards Association of Zimbabwe (SAZ) drinking water standards and/or WHO guidelines for drinking water. Repeated Measures ANOVA and Principal Component Analysis (PCA) were used to assess the spatio-temporal variations in groundwater quality and to identify key parameters, respectively. About 72% (2725.9 km2) of the UMSC was found to be of moderate GP, while 19% and 9% accounted for high and low GP, respectively. Marimba vulnerability status was dominantly moderate (77.3%). Parameters: EC, pH, coliforms, TDS, total hardness, Fe, NH4+ and turbidity exceeded SAZ and/or WHO drinking water limits on most sampling sites with DO, total and faecal coliforms showing significant variations (p < 0.05). Four Principal Components representing 84% of the cumulative variance were extracted; with PC1, PC2, PC3 and PC4 contributing 38%, 19.1%, 14.3% and 12.85%, respectively. PC1 was characterized by pH, TDS, EC and total hardness. PC2's variance was associated with elevated levels of Cl-, Zn and Cu. PC3 had high loadings of total and faecal coliforms, Fl- and turbidity while PC4 was characterized by high loadings of Pb, Fe, ammonia and turbidity. The variation in the nature of the parameters across PCs explains the complexity of pollutants within the micro-catchment. PC2 and PC4 were largely characterized by metallic compounds, suggesting pollution from mineral dissolution into the aquifers e.g. from industrial areas and dumpsites. PC3 indicate the contribution of domestic waste e.g. faecal waste from waste pipe leakages and poorly constructed pit latrines. The findings of this study are useful decision-making tools on groundwater utilisation and groundwater protection.

Association of Caveolin-1 and -2 Genetic Variants and Post-treatment Serum Caveolin-1 with Prostate Cancer Risk and Outcomes

PubMed Central

Langeberg, Wendy J.; Tahir, Salahaldin A.; Feng, Ziding; Kwon, Erika M.; Ostrander, Elaine A.; Thompson, Timothy C.; Stanford, Janet L.

2010-01-01

Background Caveolin-1 (cav-1) is overexpressed by metastatic prostate cancer (PC) cells. Pre-operative serum cav-1 levels have been shown to be a prognostic marker for PC recurrence. This study evaluated the relationship between post-treatment serum cav-1 levels and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the cav-1 and -2 genes with risk of PC, aggressive PC, PC recurrence or death. Methods Two case-control studies of PC among men in Washington State were combined for this analysis. Cases (n=1,458) were diagnosed in 1993–96 or 2002–05 and identified via a SEER cancer registry. Age-matched controls (n=1,351) were identified via random digit dialing. Logistic regression assessed the relationship between exposures (19 haplotype-tagging SNPs from all subjects and post-treatment serum cav-1 levels from a sample of 202 cases and 226 controls) and PC risk and aggressive PC. Cox proportional hazards regression assessed the relationship between exposures and PC recurrence and death. Results Rs9920 in cav-1 was associated with an increased relative risk of overall PC (ORCT+CC=1.37, 95%CI=1.12, 1.68) and aggressive PC (ORCT+CC=1.57, 95%CI=1.20, 2.06), but not with PC recurrence or death. High post-treatment serum cav-1 levels were not associated with PC risk, aggressive PC, or PC-specific death, but approached a significant inverse association with PC recurrence (hazard ratio=0.69, 95%CI=0.47, 1.00). Conclusions We found modest evidence for an association with a variant in the cav-1 gene and risk of overall PC and aggressive PC, which merits further study. We found no evidence that higher post-treatment serum cav-1 is associated with risk of aggressive PC or adverse PC outcomes. PMID:20209490

Quantification of phytochelatins in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii using ferrocene-based derivatization.

PubMed

Bräutigam, Anja; Bomke, Susanne; Pfeifer, Thorben; Karst, Uwe; Krauss, Gerd-Joachim; Wesenberg, Dirk

2010-08-01

A method for the identification and quantification of canonic and isoforms of phytochelatins (PCs) from Chlamydomonas reinhardtii was developed. After disulfide reduction with tris(2-carboxyethyl)phosphine (TCEP) PCs were derivatized with ferrocenecarboxylic acid (2-maleimidoyl)ethylamide (FMEA) in order to avoid oxidation of the free thiol functions during analysis. Liquid chromatography (LC) coupled to electrospray mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) and inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) was used for rapid and quantitative analysis of the precolumn derivatized PCs. PC(2-4), CysGSH, CysPC(2-4), CysPC(2)desGly, CysPC(2)Glu and CysPC(2)Ala were determined in the algal samples depending on the exposure of the cells to cadmium ions.

A 14 h {sup −3} Gpc{sup 3} study of cosmic homogeneity using BOSS DR12 quasar sample

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

Laurent, Pierre; Goff, Jean-Marc Le; Burtin, Etienne

2016-11-01

The BOSS quasar sample is used to study cosmic homogeneity with a 3D survey in the redshift range 2.2 < z < 2.8. We measure the count-in-sphere, N (< r ), i.e. the average number of objects around a given object, and its logarithmic derivative, the fractal correlation dimension, D {sub 2}( r ). For a homogeneous distribution N (< r ) ∝ r {sup 3} and D {sub 2}( r ) = 3. Due to the uncertainty on tracer density evolution, 3D surveys can only probe homogeneity up to a redshift dependence, i.e. they probe so-called ''spatial isotropy'. Ourmore » data demonstrate spatial isotropy of the quasar distribution in the redshift range 2.2 < z < 2.8 in a model-independent way, independent of any FLRW fiducial cosmology, resulting in 3 − ( D {sub 2}) < 1.7 × 10{sup −3} (2 σ) over the range 250 < r < 1200 h {sup −1} Mpc for the quasar distribution. If we assume that quasars do not have a bias much less than unity, this implies spatial isotropy of the matter distribution on large scales. Then, combining with the Copernican principle, we finally get homogeneity of the matter distribution on large scales. Alternatively, using a flat ΛCDM fiducial cosmology with CMB-derived parameters, and measuring the quasar bias relative to this ΛCDM model, our data provide a consistency check of the model, in terms of how homogeneous the Universe is on different scales. D {sub 2}( r ) is found to be compatible with our ΛCDM model on the whole 10 < r < 1200 h {sup −1} Mpc range. For the matter distribution we obtain 3 − ( D {sub 2}) < 5 × 10{sup −5} (2 σ) over the range 250 < r < 1200 h {sup −1} Mpc, consistent with homogeneity on large scales.« less

SPIDERS: selection of spectroscopic targets using AGN candidates detected in all-sky X-ray surveys

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dwelly, T.; Salvato, M.; Merloni, A.; Brusa, M.; Buchner, J.; Anderson, S. F.; Boller, Th.; Brandt, W. N.; Budavári, T.; Clerc, N.; Coffey, D.; Del Moro, A.; Georgakakis, A.; Green, P. J.; Jin, C.; Menzel, M.-L.; Myers, A. D.; Nandra, K.; Nichol, R. C.; Ridl, J.; Schwope, A. D.; Simm, T.

2017-07-01

SPIDERS (SPectroscopic IDentification of eROSITA Sources) is a Sloan Digital Sky Survey IV (SDSS-IV) survey running in parallel to the Extended Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (eBOSS) cosmology project. SPIDERS will obtain optical spectroscopy for large numbers of X-ray-selected active galactic nuclei (AGN) and galaxy cluster members detected in wide-area eROSITA, XMM-Newton and ROSAT surveys. We describe the methods used to choose spectroscopic targets for two sub-programmes of SPIDERS X-ray selected AGN candidates detected in the ROSAT All Sky and the XMM-Newton Slew surveys. We have exploited a Bayesian cross-matching algorithm, guided by priors based on mid-IR colour-magnitude information from the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer survey, to select the most probable optical counterpart to each X-ray detection. We empirically demonstrate the high fidelity of our counterpart selection method using a reference sample of bright well-localized X-ray sources collated from XMM-Newton, Chandra and Swift-XRT serendipitous catalogues, and also by examining blank-sky locations. We describe the down-selection steps which resulted in the final set of SPIDERS-AGN targets put forward for spectroscopy within the eBOSS/TDSS/SPIDERS survey, and present catalogues of these targets. We also present catalogues of ˜12 000 ROSAT and ˜1500 XMM-Newton Slew survey sources that have existing optical spectroscopy from SDSS-DR12, including the results of our visual inspections. On completion of the SPIDERS programme, we expect to have collected homogeneous spectroscopic redshift information over a footprint of ˜7500 deg2 for >85 per cent of the ROSAT and XMM-Newton Slew survey sources having optical counterparts in the magnitude range 17 < r < 22.5, producing a large and highly complete sample of bright X-ray-selected AGN suitable for statistical studies of AGN evolution and clustering.

Measuring taste impairment in epidemiologic studies: the Beaver Dam Offspring Study.

PubMed

Cruickshanks, K J; Schubert, C R; Snyder, D J; Bartoshuk, L M; Huang, G H; Klein, B E K; Klein, R; Nieto, F J; Pankow, J S; Tweed, T S; Krantz, E M; Moy, G S

2009-07-01

Taste or gustatory function may play an important role in determining diet and nutritional status and therefore indirectly impact health. Yet there have been few attempts to study the spectrum of taste function and dysfunction in human populations. Epidemiologic studies are needed to understand the impact of taste function and dysfunction on public health, to identify modifiable risk factors, and to develop and test strategies to prevent clinically significant dysfunction. However, measuring taste function in epidemiologic studies is challenging and requires repeatable, efficient methods that can measure change over time. Insights gained from translating laboratory-based methods to a population-based study, the Beaver Dam Offspring Study (BOSS) will be shared. In this study, a generalized labeled magnitude scale (gLMS) method was used to measure taste intensity of filter paper disks saturated with salt, sucrose, citric acid, quinine, or 6-n-propylthiouracil, and a gLMS measure of taste preferences was administered. In addition, a portable, inexpensive camera system to capture digital images of fungiform papillae and a masked grading system to measure the density of fungiform papillae were developed. Adult children of participants in the population-based Epidemiology of Hearing Loss Study in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin, are eligible for this ongoing study. The parents were residents of Beaver Dam and 43-84 years of age in 1987-1988; offspring ranged in age from 21-84 years in 2005-2008. Methods will be described in detail and preliminary results about the distributions of taste function in the BOSS cohort will be presented.

Systems biology approaches to pancreatic cancer detection, prevention and treatment.

PubMed

Alian, Osama M; Philip, Philip A; Sarkar, Fazlul H; Azmi, Asfar S

2014-01-01

Pancreatic cancer [PC] is a complex disease harboring multiple genetic alterations. It is now well known that deregulation in the expression and function of oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes contributes to the development and progression of PC. The last 40 years have not seen any major improvements in the dismal overall cure rate for PC where drug resistance is an emerging and recurring obstacle for successful treatment of PC. Additionally, the lack of molecular biomarkers for patient selection limits drug availabilities for tailored therapy for patients diagnosed with PC. The very high failure rate of new drugs in Phase III clinical trials in PC calls for a more robust pre-clinical and clinical testing of new compounds. In order to rationally choose combinations of targeted agents that may improve therapeutic outcome by overcoming drug resistance, one needs to apply newer research tools such as systems and network biology. These newer tools are expected to assist in the design of effective drug combinations for the treatment of PC and are expected to become an important part in any future clinical trials. In this review we will provide background information on the current state of PC research, the reasons for drug failure and how to overcome these issues using systems sciences. We conclude this review with an example on how systems and network methodologies can help in the design efficacious drug combinations for this deadly and by far incurable disease.

How to achieve optimal organization of primary care service delivery at system level: lessons from Europe.

PubMed

Pelone, Ferruccio; Kringos, Dionne S; Spreeuwenberg, Peter; De Belvis, Antonio G; Groenewegen, Peter P

2013-09-01

To measure the relative efficiency of primary care (PC) in turning their structures into services delivery and turning their services delivery into quality outcomes. Cross-sectional study based on the dataset of the Primary Healthcare Activity Monitor for Europe project. Two Data Envelopment models were run to compare the relative technical efficiency. A sensitivity analysis of the resulting efficiency scores was performed. PC systems in 22 European countries in 2009/2010. Model 1 included data on PC governance, workforce development and economic conditions as inputs and access, coordination, continuity and comprehensiveness of care as outputs. Model 2 included the previous process dimensions as inputs and quality indicators as outputs. There is relatively reasonable efficiency in all countries at delivering as many as possible PC processes at a given level of PC structure. It is particularly important to invest in economic conditions to achieve an efficient structure-process balance. Only five countries have fully efficient PC systems in turning their services delivery into high quality outcomes, using a similar combination of access, continuity and comprehensiveness, although they differ on the adoption of coordination of services. There is a large variation in efficiency levels obtained by countries with inefficient PC in turning their services delivery into quality outcomes. Maximizing the individual functions of PC without taking into account the coherence within the health-care system is not sufficient from a policymaker's point of view when aiming to achieve efficiency.

Chemical profiling and quantitation of bioactive compounds in Platycladi Cacumen by UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS and UPLC-DAD.

PubMed

Zhuang, Bo; Bi, Zhi-Ming; Wang, Zi-Yuan; Duan, Li; Lai, Chang-Jiang-Sheng; Liu, E-Hu

2018-05-30

Platycladi Cacumen (PC) is a traditional Chinese medicine used for the treatment of hemorrhages, cough, asthma and hair loss. To get a better understanding of the chemical constituents in PC, ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionization quadrupole time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS) and diagnostic ion filtering strategy were firstly employed for chemical profiling of PC. A total of 43 compounds including organic acids and derivatives, flavonoids as well as phenylpropanolds were unambiguously or reasonably identified. Coumarin and lignan were reported for the first time in PC. Chemical variation of 39 batches of PC from different geographical origins and 10 batches of processed product of PC was subsequently investigated by quantitation of nine major flavonoids. The results determined by UPLC coupled with diode array detection (UPLC-DAD) and hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) indicated that the contents of flavonoids in PC samples differ greatly. This work provides an efficient approach to comprehensively evaluate the quality of PC. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Fast data transmission from serial data acquisition for the GEM detector system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kolasinski, Piotr; Pozniak, Krzysztof T.; Czarski, Tomasz; Byszuk, Adrian; Chernyshova, Maryna; Kasprowicz, Grzegorz; Krawczyk, Rafal D.; Wojenski, Andrzej; Zabolotny, Wojciech

2015-09-01

This article proposes new method of storing data and transferring it to PC in the X-ray GEM detector system. The whole process is performed by FPGA chips (Spartan-6 series from Xilinx). Comparing to previous methods, new approach allows to store much more data in the system. New, improved implementation of the communication algorithm significantly increases transfer rate between system and PC. In PC data is merged and processed by MATLAB. The structure of firmware implemented in the FPGAs is described.

An overview of the evaluation plan for PC/MISI: PC-based Multiple Information System Interface

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dominick, Wayne D. (Editor); Lim, Bee Lee; Hall, Philip P.

1985-01-01

An initial evaluation plan for the personal computer multiple information system interface (PC/MISI) project is discussed. The document is intend to be used as a blueprint for the evaluation of this system. Each objective of the design project is discussed along with the evaluation parameters and methodology to be used in the evaluation of the implementation's achievement of those objectives. The potential of the system for research activities related to more general aspects of information retrieval is also discussed.

Detection and Quantification of Unbound Phytochelatin 2 in Plant Extracts of Brassica napus Grown with Different Levels of Mercury1

PubMed Central

Iglesia-Turiño, Santiago; Febrero, Anna; Jauregui, Olga; Caldelas, Cristina; Araus, Jose Luis; Bort, Jordi

2006-01-01

The mercury (Hg) accumulation mechanism was studied in rape (Brassica napus) plants grown under a Hg concentration gradient (0 μm–1,000 μm). Hg mainly accumulated in roots. Therefore, the presence of phytochelatins (PCs) was studied in the roots of the plants. The high stability of the PC-Hg multicomplexes (mPC-nHg) seems to be the main reason for the lack of previous Hg-PC characterization studies. We propose a modification of the method to detect and quantify unbound PC of Hg in plant extracts via high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to electrospray tandem mass spectrometry and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry in parallel. We separated the PC from the Hg by adding the chelating agent sodium 2,3-dimercaptopropanesulfonate monohydrate. We only detected the presence of PC after the addition of the chelating agent. Some multicomplexes mPC-nHg could be formed but, due to their large sizes, could not be detected. In this study, only PC2 was observed in plant samples. Hg accumulation was correlated with PC2 concentration (r2 = 0.98). PMID:16920879

Locating Materials with Nuclear Quadrupole Moments within Surface Coil Array Area

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-08-11

location and dimension of the material can determined based on the nuclear quadrupole resonance ( NQR ) signal strength from the surface coil in the array...28.1MHz NQR frequency from potassium chlorate (PC) sample at room temperature. The PC sample will be in different locations parallel to the surface...using the experimental results from the dual surface coil array. 15. SUBJECT TERMS NQR , potassium chlorate, surface coil, surface probe, decoupling

Prognostic significance of platelet count changes during hospitalization for community-acquired pneumonia.

PubMed

Gorelik, Oleg; Izhakian, Shimon; Barchel, Dana; Almoznino-Sarafian, Dorit; Tzur, Irma; Swarka, Muhareb; Beberashvili, Ilia; Feldman, Leonid; Cohen, Natan; Shteinshnaider, Miriam

2017-06-01

The prognostic significance of platelet count (PC) changes during hospitalization for community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) has not been investigated. For 976 adults, clinical data during hospitalization for CAP and all-cause mortality following discharge were compared according to ΔPC (PC on discharge minus PC on admission): groups A (declining PC, ΔPC < -50 × 10 9 /l), B (stable PC, ΔPC ± 50 × 10 9 /l), and C (rising PC, ΔPC >50 × 10 9 /l), and according to the presence of thrombocytopenia, normal PC, and thrombocytosis on admission/discharge. Groups A, B, and C comprised 7.9%, 46.5%, and 45.6% of patients, respectively. On hospital admission/discharge, thrombocytopenia, normal PC, and thrombocytosis were observed in 12.8%/6.4%, 84.1%/84.4%, and 3.1%/9.2% of patients, respectively. The respective 90-day, 3-year, and total (median follow-up of 54 months) mortality rates were significantly higher: in group A (40.3%, 63.6%, and 72.7%), compared to groups B (12.3%, 31.5%, and 39.0%) and C (4.9%, 17.3%, and 25.4%), p < 0.001; and in patients with thrombocytopenia at discharge (27.4%, 48.4%, and 51.6%), compared to those with normal PC (10.2%, 26.9%, and 35.4%) and thrombocytosis (8.9%, 17.8%, and 24.4%) at discharge (p < 0.001). Mortality rates were comparable among groups with thrombocytopenia, normal PC, and thrombocytosis at admission (p = 0.6). In the entire sample, each 100 × 10 9 /l increment of ΔPC strongly predicted lower mortality (p < 0.001, relative risk 0.73, 95% confidence interval 0.64-0.83). In conclusion, PC changes are common among CAP inpatients. Rising PC throughout hospitalization is a powerful predictor of better survival, while declining PC predicts poor outcome. Evaluation of PC changes during hospitalization for CAP may provide useful prognostic information.

Maximally asymmetric transbilayer distribution of anionic lipids alters the structure and interaction with lipids of an amyloidogenic protein dimer bound to the membrane surface

PubMed Central

Cheng, Sara Y.; Chou, George; Buie, Creighton; Vaughn, Mark W.; Compton, Campbell; Cheng, Kwan H.

2016-01-01

We used molecular dynamics simulations to explore the effects of asymmetric transbilayer distribution of anionic phosphatidylserine (PS) lipids on the structure of a protein on the membrane surface and subsequent protein–lipid interactions. Our simulation systems consisted of an amyloidogenic, beta-sheet rich dimeric protein (D42) absorbed to the phosphatidylcholine (PC) leaflet, or protein-contact PC leaflet, of two membrane systems: a single-component PC bilayer and double PC/PS bilayers. The latter comprised of a stable but asymmetric transbilayer distribution of PS in the presence of counterions, with a 1-component PC leaflet coupled to a 1-component PS leaflet in each bilayer. The maximally asymmetric PC/PS bilayer had a non-zero transmembrane potential (TMP) difference and higher lipid order packing, whereas the symmetric PC bilayer had a zero TMP difference and lower lipid order packing under physiologically relevant conditions. Analysis of the adsorbed protein structures revealed weaker protein binding, more folding in the N-terminal domain, more aggregation of the N- and C-terminal domains and larger tilt angle of D42 on the PC leaflet surface of the PC/PS bilayer versus the PC bilayer. Also, analysis of protein-induced membrane structural disruption revealed more localized bilayer thinning in the PC/PS versus PC bilayer. Although the electric field profile in the non-protein-contact PS leaflet of the PC/PS bilayer differed significantly from that in the non-protein-contact PC leaflet of the PC bilayer, no significant difference in the electric field profile in the protein-contact PC leaflet of either bilayer was evident. We speculate that lipid packing has a larger effect on the surface adsorbed protein structure than the electric field for a maximally asymmetric PC/PS bilayer. Our results support the mechanism that the higher lipid packing in a lipid leaflet promotes stronger protein–protein but weaker protein–lipid interactions for a dimeric protein on membrane surfaces. PMID:26827904

Electronic absorption band broadening and surface roughening of phthalocyanine double layers by saturated solvent vapor treatment

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

Kim, Jinhyun; Yim, Sanggyu, E-mail: sgyim@kookmin.ac.kr

2012-10-15

Variations in the electronic absorption (EA) and surface morphology of three types of phthalocyanine (Pc) thin film systems, i.e. copper phthalocyanine (CuPc) single layer, zinc phthalocyanine (ZnPc) single layer, and ZnPc on CuPc (CuPc/ZnPc) double layer film, treated with saturated acetone vapor were investigated. For the treated CuPc single layer film, the surface roughness slightly increased and bundles of nanorods were formed, while the EA varied little. In contrast, for the ZnPc single layer film, the relatively high solubility of ZnPc led to a considerable shift in the absorption bands as well as a large increase in the surface roughnessmore » and formation of long and wide nano-beams, indicating a part of the ZnPc molecules dissolved in acetone, which altered their molecular stacking. For the CuPc/ZnPc film, the saturated acetone vapor treatment resulted in morphological changes in mainly the upper ZnPc layer due to the significantly low solubility of the underlying CuPc layer. The treatment also broadened the EA band, which involved a combination of unchanged CuPc and changed ZnPc absorption.« less

Monte Carlo tests of the ELIPGRID-PC algorithm

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

Davidson, J.R.

1995-04-01

The standard tool for calculating the probability of detecting pockets of contamination called hot spots has been the ELIPGRID computer code of Singer and Wickman. The ELIPGRID-PC program has recently made this algorithm available for an IBM{reg_sign} PC. However, no known independent validation of the ELIPGRID algorithm exists. This document describes a Monte Carlo simulation-based validation of a modified version of the ELIPGRID-PC code. The modified ELIPGRID-PC code is shown to match Monte Carlo-calculated hot-spot detection probabilities to within {plus_minus}0.5% for 319 out of 320 test cases. The one exception, a very thin elliptical hot spot located within a rectangularmore » sampling grid, differed from the Monte Carlo-calculated probability by about 1%. These results provide confidence in the ability of the modified ELIPGRID-PC code to accurately predict hot-spot detection probabilities within an acceptable range of error.« less

Frontal bossing

MedlinePlus

... BF, St. Geme JW, Schor NF, eds. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics . 20th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2016: ... and neck. In: Coady AM, Bower S, eds. Twining's Textbook of Fetal Abnormalities . 3rd ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier ...

On Shaft Data Acquisition System (OSDAS)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pedings, Marc; DeHart, Shawn; Formby, Jason; Naumann, Charles

2012-01-01

On Shaft Data Acquisition System (OSDAS) is a rugged, compact, multiple-channel data acquisition computer system that is designed to record data from instrumentation while operating under extreme rotational centrifugal or gravitational acceleration forces. This system, which was developed for the Heritage Fuel Air Turbine Test (HFATT) program, addresses the problem of recording multiple channels of high-sample-rate data on most any rotating test article by mounting the entire acquisition computer onboard with the turbine test article. With the limited availability of slip ring wires for power and communication, OSDAS utilizes its own resources to provide independent power and amplification for each instrument. Since OSDAS utilizes standard PC technology as well as shared code interfaces with the next-generation, real-time health monitoring system (SPARTAA Scalable Parallel Architecture for Real Time Analysis and Acquisition), this system could be expanded beyond its current capabilities, such as providing advanced health monitoring capabilities for the test article. High-conductor-count slip rings are expensive to purchase and maintain, yet only provide a limited number of conductors for routing instrumentation off the article and to a stationary data acquisition system. In addition to being limited to a small number of instruments, slip rings are prone to wear quickly, and introduce noise and other undesirable characteristics to the signal data. This led to the development of a system capable of recording high-density instrumentation, at high sample rates, on the test article itself, all while under extreme rotational stress. OSDAS is a fully functional PC-based system with 48 channels of 24-bit, high-sample-rate input channels, phase synchronized, with an onboard storage capacity of over 1/2-terabyte of solid-state storage. This recording system takes a novel approach to the problem of recording multiple channels of instrumentation, integrated with the test article itself, packaged in a compact/rugged form factor, consuming limited power, all while rotating at high turbine speeds.

PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF THE CURRENT CENSUS OF NORTHERN WHITE DWARFS WITHIN 40 pc OF THE SUN

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

Limoges, M.-M.; Bergeron, P.; Lépine, S., E-mail: limoges@astro.umontreal.ca, E-mail: bergeron@astro.umontreal.ca, E-mail: slepine@chara.gsu.edu

We present a detailed description of the physical properties of our current census of white dwarfs within 40 pc of the Sun, based on an exhaustive spectroscopic survey of northern hemisphere candidates from the SUPERBLINK proper motion database. Our method for selecting white dwarf candidates is based on a combination of theoretical color–magnitude relations and reduced proper motion diagrams. We reported in an earlier publication the discovery of nearly 200 new white dwarfs, and we present here the discovery of an additional 133 new white dwarfs, among which we identify 96 DA, 3 DB, 24 DC, 3 DQ, and 7more » DZ stars. We further identify 178 white dwarfs that lie within 40 pc of the Sun, representing a 40% increase of the current census, which now includes 492 objects. We estimate the completeness of our survey at between 66% and 78%, allowing for uncertainties in the distance estimates. We also perform a homogeneous model atmosphere analysis of this 40 pc sample and find a large fraction of massive white dwarfs, indicating that we are successfully recovering the more massive, and less luminous objects often missed in other surveys. We also show that the 40 pc sample is dominated by cool and old white dwarfs, which populate the faint end of the luminosity function, although trigonometric parallaxes will be needed to shape this part of the luminosity function more accurately. Finally, we identify 4 probable members of the 20 pc sample, 4 suspected double degenerate binaries, and we also report the discovery of two new ZZ Ceti pulsators.« less

Impact of Treatment Subsidies and Cash Payouts on Treatment Choices at the End of Life.

PubMed

Finkelstein, Eric; Malhotra, Chetna; Chay, Junxing; Ozdemir, Semra; Chopra, Akhil; Kanesvaran, Ravindran

To examine the extent to which financial assistance, in the form of subsidies for life-extending treatments (LETs) or cash payouts, distorts the demand for end-of-life treatments. A discrete choice experiment was administered to 290 patients with cancer in Singapore to elicit preferences for LETs and only palliative care (PC). Responses were fitted to a latent class conditional logistic regression model. We also quantified patients' willingness to pay to avoid and willingness to accept a less effective LET or PC-only. We then simulated the effects of various LET subsidy and cash payout policies on treatment choices. We identified three classes of patients according to their preferences. The first class (26.1% of the sample) had a strong preference for PC and were willing to give up life expectancy gains and even pay for receiving only PC. The second class (29.8% of the sample) had a strong preference for LETs and preferred to extend life regardless of cost or quality of life. The final class (44.1% of the sample) preferred LETs to PC, but actively traded off costs and length and quality of life when making end-of-life treatment choices. Policy simulations showed that LET subsidies increase demand for LETs at the expense of demand for PC, but an equivalent cash payout was not shown to distort demand. Patients with cancer have heterogeneous end-of-life preferences. LET subsidies and cash payouts have differing effects on the use of LETs. Policymakers should be mindful of these differences when designing health care financing schemes for patients with life-limiting illnesses. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Diagnosis and management of Pneumocystis jirovecii infection.

PubMed

White, P Lewis; Backx, Matthijs; Barnes, Rosemary A

2017-05-01

Pneumocystis jirovecii is a ubiquitous fungus, which causes pneumonia in humans. Diagnosis was hampered by the inability to culture the organism, and based on microscopic examination of respiratory samples or clinical presentation. New assays can assist in the diagnosis and even aid with the emergence of resistant infections. Areas covered: This manuscript will provide background information on Pneumocystis pneumonia (PcP). Diagnosis, from radiological to non-microbiological (e.g. Lactate dehydrogenase) and microbiological investigations (Microscopy, PCR, β-D-Glucan) will be discussed. Recommendations on prophylactic and therapeutic management will be covered. Expert commentary: PcP diagnosis using microscopy is far from optimal and false negatives will occur. With an incidence of 1% or less, the pre-test probability of not having PcP is 99% and testing is suited to excluding disease. Microscopy provides a high degree of diagnostic confidence but it is not infallible, and its lower sensitivity limits its application. Newer diagnostics (PCR, β-D-Glucan) can aid management and improve performance when testing less invasive specimens, such as upper respiratory samples or blood, alleviating clinical pressure. Combination testing may allow PcP to be both diagnosed and excluded, and molecular testing can assist in the detection of emerging resistant PcP.

Method of mounting a PC board to a hybrid

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

O'Coin, James R. (Inventor)

1999-01-01

A system for mounting a hybrid electronic component to a PC board is disclosed. The system includes a set of brackets for mutually engaging a first surface of the PC board and a cover surface of the hybrid electronic component, wherein the cover surface has an arcuate shape when in a vacuum environment. The brackets are designed with legs having lengths and thicknesses for providing clearance between the cover surface of the hybrid and the first surface of the PC board for use when the hybrid electronic component is in a vacuum environment.

The one-dimensional Ly α forest power spectrum from BOSS

DOE PAGES

Palanque-Delabrouille, Nathalie; Yèche, Christophe; Borde, Arnaud; ...

2013-11-19

For this research, we have developed two independent methods for measuring the one-dimensional power spectrum of the transmitted flux in the Lyman-α forest. The first method is based on a Fourier transform and the second on a maximum-likelihood estimator. The two methods are independent and have different systematic uncertainties. Determination of the noise level in the data spectra was subject to a new treatment, because of its significant impact on the derived power spectrum. We applied the two methods to 13 821 quasar spectra from SDSS-III/BOSS DR9 selected from a larger sample of over 60 000 spectra on the basismore » of their high quality, high signal-to-noise ratio (S/N), and good spectral resolution. The power spectra measured using either approach are in good agreement over all twelve redshift bins from = 2.2 to = 4.4, and scales from 0.001 km s -1 to 0.02 km s -1. We determined the methodological andinstrumental systematic uncertainties of our measurements. We provide a preliminary cosmological interpretation of our measurements using available hydrodynamical simulations. The improvement in precision over previously published results from SDSS is a factor 2–3 for constraints on relevant cosmological parameters. For a ΛCDM model and using a constraint on H 0 that encompasses measurements based on the local distance ladder and on CMB anisotropies, we infer σ 8 = 0.83 ± 0.03 and n s = 0.97 ± 0.02 based on H i absorption in the range 2.1 < z < 3.7.« less

A radial measurement of the galaxy tidal alignment magnitude with BOSS data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martens, Daniel; Hirata, Christopher M.; Ross, Ashley J.; Fang, Xiao

2018-07-01

The anisotropy of galaxy clustering in redshift space has long been used to probe the rate of growth of cosmological perturbations. However, if galaxies are aligned by large-scale tidal fields, then a sample with an orientation-dependent selection effect has an additional anisotropy imprinted on to its correlation function. We use the LOWZ and CMASS catalogues of SDSS-III BOSS Data Release 12 to divide galaxies into two subsamples based on their offset from the Fundamental Plane, which should be correlated with orientation. These subsamples must trace the same underlying cosmology, but have opposite orientation-dependent selection effects. We measure the clustering parameters of each subsample and compare them in order to calculate the dimensionless parameter B, a measure of how strongly galaxies are aligned by gravitational tidal fields. We found that for CMASS (LOWZ), the measured B was -0.024 ± 0.015 (-0.030 ± 0.016). This result can be compared to the theoretical predictions of Hirata, who argued that since galaxy formation physics does not depend on the direction of the `observer,' the same intrinsic alignment parameters that describe galaxy-ellipticity correlations should also describe intrinsic alignments in the radial direction. We find that the ratio of observed to theoretical values is 0.51 ± 0.32 (0.77 ± 0.41) for CMASS (LOWZ). We combine the results to obtain a total Obs/Theory = 0.61 ± 0.26. This measurement constitutes evidence (between 2σand 3σ) for radial intrinsic alignments, and is consistent with theoretical expectations (<2σ difference).

[GSTP1, APC and RASSF1 gene methylation in prostate cancer samples: comparative analysis of MS-HRM method and Infinium HumanMethylation450 BeadChip beadchiparray diagnostic value].

PubMed

Skorodumova, L O; Babalyan, K A; Sultanov, R; Vasiliev, A O; Govorov, A V; Pushkar, D Y; Prilepskaya, E A; Danilenko, S A; Generozov, E V; Larin, A K; Kostryukova, E S; Sharova, E I

2016-11-01

There is a clear need in molecular markers for prostate cancer (PC) risk stratification. Alteration of DNA methylation is one of processes that occur during ÐÑ progression. Methylation-sensitive PCR with high resolution melting curve analysis (MS-HRM) can be used for gene methylation analysis in routine laboratory practice. This method requires very small amounts of DNA for analysis. Numerous results have been accumulated on DNA methylation in PC samples analyzed by the Infinium HumanMethylation450 BeadChip (HM450). However, the consistency of MS-HRM results with chip hybridization results has not been examined yet. The aim of this study was to assess the consistency of results of GSTP1, APC and RASSF1 gene methylation analysis in ÐÑ biopsy samples obtained by MS-HRM and chip hybridization. The methylation levels of each gene determined by MS-HRM were statistically different in the group of PC tissue samples and the samples without signs of tumor growth. Chip hybridization data analysis confirmed the results obtained with the MS-HRM. Differences in methylation levels between tumor tissue and histologically intact tissue of each sample determined by MS-HRM and chip hybridization, were consistent with each other. Thus, we showed that the assessment of GSTP1, APC and RASSF1 gene methylation analysis using MS-HRM is suitable for the design of laboratory assays that will differentiate the PC tissue from the tissue without signs of tumor growth.

Impact of Radiation Hardness and Operating Temperatures of Silicon Carbide Electronics on Space Power System Mass

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Juhasz, Albert J.; Tew, Roy C.; Schwarze, Gene E.

1998-01-01

The effect of silicon carbide (SiC) electronics operating temperatures on Power Management and Distribution (PMAD), or Power Conditioning (PC), subsystem radiator size and mass requirements was evaluated for three power output levels (100 kW(e) , 1 MW(e), and 10 MW(e)) for near term technology ( i.e. 1500 K turbine inlet temperature) Closed Cycle Gas Turbine (CCGT) power systems with a High Temperature Gas Reactor (HTGR) heat source. The study was conducted for assumed PC radiator temperatures ranging from 370 to 845 K and for three scenarios of electrical energy to heat conversion levels which needed to be rejected to space by means of the PC radiator. In addition, during part of the study the radiation hardness of the PC electronics was varied at a fixed separation distance to estimate its effect on the mass of the instrument rated reactor shadow shield. With both the PC radiator and the conical shadow shield representing major components of the overall power system the influence of the above on total power system mass was also determined. As expected, results show that the greatest actual mass savings achieved by the use of SiC electronics occur with high capacity power systems. Moreover, raising the PC radiator temperature above 600 K yields only small additional system mass savings. The effect of increased radiation hardness on total system mass is to reduce system mass by virtue of lowering the shield mass.

Who's the Boss?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bower, Bruce

1986-01-01

There is evidence that the conscious mind selects from among possible acts developed by the unconscious. Even lifting a finger may be subject to this shared mental management. Studies examining this point of view are summarized. (JN)

Optical, structural and thermal properties of bismuth nitrate doped polycarbonate composite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mirji, Rajeshwari; Lobo, Blaise

2018-04-01

Bismuth nitrate (Bi(NO3)3) doped polycarbonate (PC) films were prepared by solution casting method, in the doping range varying from 0.1 wt% to 5 wt %. The prepared samples were characterized using UV-Visible spectroscopy, X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) and Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC). Optical band gap was calculated by analyzing the UV-Visible spectra of pure as well as doped PC. Optical band gap is found to decrease from 4.38 eV to 4.33 eV as the Bi(NO3)3 content within PC increases. XRD patterns showed an increase in the degree of crystallinity of Bi(NO3)3 doped PC, especially at 3.5 wt% and 5 wt%. DSC study showed an increase in the degradation temperature, as the doping level is increased from 0 wt% up to 0.3 wt%. A decrease in Tg is observed as the doping level of these samples increases from 0 wt% up to 5 wt%.

Factual knowledge about AIDS and dating practices among high school students from selected schools.

PubMed

Nyachuru-Sihlangu, R H; Ndlovu, J

1992-06-01

Following various educational strategies by governmental and non-governmental organisations to educate youths and school teachers about HIV infection and prevention, this KABP survey was one attempt to evaluate the results. The study sample of 478 high school students was drawn from four randomly selected schools in Mashonaland and Matabeleland including high and low density, government and mission co-educational schools. The sample was randomly selected and stratified to represent sex and grade level. The KABP self administered questionnaire was used. The paper analyses the relationship between the knowledge and dating patterns. Generally, respondents demonstrated a 50pc to 80pc accuracy of factual knowledge. Of the 66pc Forms I through IV pupils who dated, 30pc preferred only sexually involved relationships and a small number considered the possibility of HIV/AIDS infection. A theoretically based tripartite coalition involving the school, the family health care services for education, guidance and support to promote responsible behaviour throughout childhood was suggested.

The Ninth Data Release of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey: First Spectroscopic Data from the SDSS-III Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey

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

Ahn, Christopher P.; Alexandroff, Rachael; Allende Prieto, Carlos

2012-11-19

The Sloan Digital Sky Survey III (SDSS-III) presents the first spectroscopic data from the Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS). This ninth data release (DR9) of the SDSS project includes 535,995 new galaxy spectra (median z=0.52), 102,100 new quasar spectra (median z=2.32), and 90,897 new stellar spectra, along with the data presented in previous data releases. These spectra were obtained with the new BOSS spectrograph and were taken between 2009 December and 2011 July. In addition, the stellar parameters pipeline, which determines radial velocities, surface temperatures, surface gravities, and metallicities of stars, has been updated and refined with improvements in temperaturemore » estimates for stars with T_eff<5000 K and in metallicity estimates for stars with [Fe/H]>-0.5. DR9 includes new stellar parameters for all stars presented in DR8, including stars from SDSS-I and II, as well as those observed as part of the SDSS-III Sloan Extension for Galactic Understanding and Exploration-2 (SEGUE-2). The astrometry error introduced in the DR8 imaging catalogs has been corrected in the DR9 data products. The next data release for SDSS-III will be in Summer 2013, which will present the first data from the Apache Point Observatory Galactic Evolution Experiment (APOGEE) along with another year of data from BOSS, followed by the final SDSS-III data release in December 2014.« less

Comparison of the mineralogy of the Boss-Bixby, Missouri copper-iron deposit, and the Olympic Dam copper-uranium-gold deposit, South Australia

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

Brandom, R.T.; Hagni, R.D.; Allen, C.R.

1985-01-01

An ore microscopic examination of 80 polished sections prepared from selected drill core specimens from the Boss-Bixby, Missouri copper-iron deposit has shown that its mineral assemblage is similar to that of the Olympic Dam (Roxby Downs) copper-uranium-gold deposit in South Australia. A comparison with the mineralogy reported for Olympic Dam shows that both deposits contain: 1) the principal minerals, magnetite, hematite, chalcopyrite, and bornite, 2) the cobalt-bearing phases, carrollite and cobaltian pyrite, 3) the titanium oxides, rutile and anatase, 4) smaller amounts of martite, covellite, and electrum, 5) fluorite and carbonates, and 6) some alteration minerals. The deposits also aremore » similar with regard to the sequence of mineral deposition: 1) early oxides, 2) then sulfide minerals, and 3) a final oxide generation. The deposits, however, are dissimilar with regard to their host rock lithologies and structural settings. The Boss-Bixby ores occupy breccia zones within a hydrothermally altered basic intrusive and intruded silicic volcanics, whereas the Olympic Dam ores are contained in sedimentary breccias in a graben or trough. Also, some minerals have been found thus far to occur at only one of the deposits. The similarity of mineralogy in these deposits suggests that they were formed from ore fluids that had some similarities in character and that the St. Francois terrane of Missouri is an important region for further exploration for deposits with this mineral assemblage.« less

Bedrock cores from 89° North: Implications for the geologic framework and Neogene paleoceanography of Lomonosov Ridge and a tie to the Barents shelf

USGS Publications Warehouse

Grantz, Arthur; Pease, Victoria L.; Willard, Debra A.; Phillips, R.L.; Clark, David L.

2001-01-01

Two piston cores from the Eurasian flank of Lomonosov Ridge near lat 88.9°N, long 140°E provide the first samples of bedrock from this high-standing trans-Arctic ridge. Core 94-PC27 sampled nonmarine siltstone similar in facies and age to uppermost Triassic to lower Lower Jurassic and mid– Lower Cretaceous beds in the 4 to > 5 km Mesozoic section on Franz Josef Land, on the outer Barents shelf. A ca. 250 Ma peak in the cumulative frequency curve of detrital zircons from the siltstone, dated by U- Th-Pb analysis, suggests a source in the post-tectonic syenites of northern Taymyr and nearby islands in the Kara Sea. Textural trends reported in the literature indicate that the Lower Jurassic nonmarine strata of Franz Josef Land coarsen to the southeast; this suggests the existence of a sedimentary system in which detrital zircons could be transported from the northern Taymyr Peninsula to the outer Barents shelf near the position of core 94-PC27 prior to opening of the Eurasia Basin. Correlation of the coaly siltstone in core 94-PC27 with part of the Mesozoic section on Franz Josef Land is compatible with the strong evidence from seafloor magnetic anomalies and bathymetry that Lomonosov Ridge is a continental fragment rifted from the Barents shelf during the Cenozoic. It also suggests that Lomonosov Ridge near the North Pole is underlain by a substantial section of unmetamorphosed Mesozoic marine and nonmarine sedimentary strata. Core 94-PC29 sampled cyclical deposits containing ice-rafted debris (IRD) overlying weakly consolidated laminated olive-black anoxic Neogene siltstone and mudstone with an average total organic carbon (TOC) of 4.1 wt%. The high TOC content of the mudstone indicates that during the Neogene, prior to the introduction of IRD into the Arctic seas about 3.3 Ma (early late Pliocene), the shallow waters of the central Arctic Ocean supported significant primary photosynthetic organic production near the North Pole. These deposits also contain fine grains of siltstone that resemble the breccia-clast siltstone of core 94-PC27 and reworked Carboniferous, Cretaceous, and Tertiary palynomorphs that may have also originated in the bedrock of Lomonosov Ridge.

Fluid inclusion volatile analysis by gas chromatography with photoionization micro-thermal conductivity detectors: Applications to magmatic MoS 2 and other H 2O-CO 2 and H 2O-CH 4 fluids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bray, C. J.; Spooner, E. T. C.

1992-01-01

Eighteen fluid inclusion volatile peaks have been detected and identified from 1-2 g samples (quartz) by gas chromatography using heated (~105°C) on-line crushing, helium carrier gas, a single porous polymer column (HayeSep R; 10' × 1/8″: 100/120#; Ni alloy tubing), two temperature programme conditions for separate sample aliquots, micro-thermal conductivity (TCD) and photoionization detectors (PID; 11.7 eV lamp), and off-line digital peak processing. In order of retention time these volatile peaks are: N 2, Ar, CO, CH 4, CO 2, C 2H 4, C 2H 6, C 2H 2, COS, C 3H 6, C 3H 8, C 3H 4 (propyne), H 2O (22.7 min at 80°C), SO 2, ± iso- C4H10 ± C4H8 (1-butene) ± CH3SH, C 4H 8 (iso-butylene), (?) C 4H 6 (1,3 butadiene) and ± n- C4H10 ± C4H8 (trans-2-butene) (80 and -70°C temperature programme conditions combined). H 2O is analysed directly. O 2 can be analysed cryogenically between N 2 and Ar, but has not been detected in natural samples to date in this study. H 2S, SO 2, NH 3, HCl, HCN, and H 2 ca nnot be analysed at present. Blanks determined by crushing heat-treated Brazilian quartz (800-900°C/4 h) are zero for 80°C temperature programme conditions, except for a large, unidentified peak at ~64 min, but contain H 2O, CO 2, and some low molecular weight hydrocarbons at -70°C temperature conditions due to cryogenic accumulation from the carrier gas and subsequent elution. TCD detection limits are ~30 ppm molar in inclusions; PID detection limits are ~ 1 ppm molar in inclusions and lower for unsaturated hydrocarbons (e.g., ~0.2 ppm for C 2H 4; ~ 1 ppb for C 2H 2; ~0.3 ppb for C 3H 6). Precisions (1σ) are ~ ±1-2% and ~ ± 13% for H 2O in terms of total moles detected; the latter value is equivalent to ±0.6 mol% at the 95 mol% H 2O level. Major fluid inclusion volatile species have been successfully analysed on a ~50 mg fluid inclusion section chip (~7 mm × ~10 mm × ~100 μm). Initial inclusion volatile analyses of fluids of interpreted magmatic origin from the Cretaceous Boss Mtn. monzogranite stock-related MoS 2 deposit, central British Columbia of ~97 mol% H 2O, ~3% CO 2, ~ 140-150 ppm N 2, and ~16-39 ppm CH 4 (~300-350°C) are reasonable in comparison with high temperature (~400-900°C) volcanic gas analyses from four, active calc-alkaline volcanoes; e.g., the H 2O contents of volcanic gases from the White Island (New Zealand), Mount St. Helens (Washington, USA), Merapi (Bali, Indonesia), and Momotombo (Nicaragua) volcanoes are 88-95%, >90% (often >95%), 88-95% and ~93%, respectively; CO 2 contents are ~3-10%, 1-10%, 3-8%, and ~3.5%. CO 2/N 2 ratios for the Boss Mtn. MoS 2 fluids of ~ 190-220 are in the range for known volcanic gas ratios (e.g., ~ 150- 240; White Island). The ∑S content of the Boss Mtn. MoS 2 fluid prior to S loss by sulphide precipitation may have been ~2 mol% since CO 2/∑S molar ratios of analysed high-temperature volcanic gases are ~ 1.5. This estimate is supported by ∑S contents for White Island, Merapi and Momotombo volcanic gases of ~2%, ~0.5-2.5%, and ~2%. COS has been determined in H 2O-CO 2 fluid inclusions of interpreted magmatic origin from the Boss Mtn. MoS 2 deposit and the Tanco zoned granitic pegmatite, S.E. Manitoba at ~50-100 ppm molar levels, which are consistent with levels in volcanic gases. It appears that low, but significant, concentrations of C 2-C 4 alkanes (~ 1-20 ppm), C 2-C 4 alkenes (~ 1-480 ppb) and alkynes (e.g., C 3H 4) have been detected in magmatically derived fluids (Boss Mtn. MoS 2 deposit; Tanco granitic pegmatite). Significantly higher, low molecular weight hydrocarbon concentrations have been determined in a CH 4-rich (~ 2%), externally derived fluid of possible metamorphic or deep crustal origin trapped as inclusions in metasomatic wall-rock tourmaline adjacent to the Tanco pegmatite (e.g., 300/470 ppm C 2H 6; 50/90 ppm C 3H 8; 3-60 ppm C 2H 4/C 3H 6 n-C 4H 10).

Strategies for Promoting High-Quality Care and Personal Resilience in Palliative Care.

PubMed

Heinze, Katherine E; Holtz, Heidi K; Rushton, Cynda H

2017-06-01

Palliative care (PC) clinicians are faced with ever-expanding pressures, which can make it difficult to fulfill their duties to self and others and lead to moral distress. Understanding the pressures that PC clinicians face and the resources that could be employed to ease their moral distress is crucial to maintaining a healthy PC workforce and to providing necessary PC services to patients. In this paper, we discuss recommendations related to two promising pathways for supporting PC clinicians in providing high-quality PC: (1) improving systemic PC delivery and (2) strategies to promote ethical practice environments and individual resilience. Enacting these recommendations holds promise for sustaining higher-quality and accessible PC and a more engaged PC workforce. © 2017 American Medical Association. All Rights Reserved.

Do We Reap What We Sow? Exploring the Association between the Strength of European Primary Healthcare Systems and Inequity in Unmet Need

PubMed Central

Hanssens, Lise; Vyncke, Veerle; De Maeseneer, Jan; Willems, Sara

2017-01-01

Access to healthcare is inequitably distributed across different socioeconomic groups. Several vulnerable groups experience barriers in accessing healthcare, compared to their more wealthier counterparts. In response to this, many countries use resources to strengthen their primary care (PC) system, because in many European countries PC is the first entry-point to the healthcare system and plays a central role in the coordination of patients through the healthcare system. However it is unclear whether this strengthening of PC leads to less inequity in access to the whole healthcare system. This study investigates the association between strength indicators of PC and inequity in unmet need by merging data from the European Union Statistics on Income and Living Conditions database (2013) and the Primary Healthcare Activity Monitor for Europe (2010). The analyses reveal a significant association between the Gini coefficient for income inequality and inequity in unmet need. When the Gini coefficient of a country is one SD higher, the social inequity in unmet need in that particular country will be 4.960 higher. Furthermore, the accessibility and the workforce development of a country’s PC system is inverse associated with the social inequity of unmet need. More specifically, when the access- and workforce development indicator of a country PC system are one standard deviation higher, the inequity in unmet healthcare needs are respectively 2.200 and 4.951 lower. Therefore, policymakers should focus on reducing income inequality to tackle inequity in access, and strengthen PC (by increasing accessibility and better-developing its workforce) as this can influence inequity in unmet need. PMID:28046051

Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) mutation analysis, gene expression profiling and EGFR protein expression in primary prostate cancer

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Activating mutations of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) confer sensitivity to the tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKi), gefitinib and erlotinib. We analysed EGFR expression, EGFR mutation status and gene expression profiles of prostate cancer (PC) to supply a rationale for EGFR targeted therapies in this disease. Methods Mutational analysis of EGFR TK domain (exons from 18 to 21) and immunohistochemistry for EGFR were performed on tumour tissues derived from radical prostatectomy from 100 PC patients. Gene expression profiling using oligo-microarrays was also carried out in 51 of the PC samples. Results EGFR protein overexpression (EGFRhigh) was found in 36% of the tumour samples, and mutations were found in 13% of samples. Patients with EGFRhigh tumours experienced a significantly increased risk of biochemical relapse (hazard ratio-HR 2.52, p=0.02) compared with patients with tumours expressing low levels of EGFR (EGFRlow). Microarray analysis did not reveal any differences in gene expression between EGFRhigh and EGFRlow tumours. Conversely, in EGFRhigh tumours, we were able to identify a 79 gene signature distinguishing mutated from non-mutated tumours. Additionally, 29 genes were found to be differentially expressed between mutated/EGFRhigh (n=3) and mutated/EGFRlow tumours (n=5). Four of the down-regulated genes, U19/EAF2, ABCC4, KLK3 and ANXA3 and one of the up-regulated genes, FOXC1, are involved in PC progression. Conclusions Based on our findings, we hypothesize that accurate definition of the EGFR status could improve prognostic stratification and we suggest a possible role for EGFR-directed therapies in PC patients. Having been generated in a relatively small sample of patients, our results warrant confirmation in larger series. PMID:21266046

Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) mutation analysis, gene expression profiling and EGFR protein expression in primary prostate cancer.

PubMed

Peraldo-Neia, Caterina; Migliardi, Giorgia; Mello-Grand, Maurizia; Montemurro, Filippo; Segir, Raffaella; Pignochino, Ymera; Cavalloni, Giuliana; Torchio, Bruno; Mosso, Luciano; Chiorino, Giovanna; Aglietta, Massimo

2011-01-25

Activating mutations of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) confer sensitivity to the tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKi), gefitinib and erlotinib. We analysed EGFR expression, EGFR mutation status and gene expression profiles of prostate cancer (PC) to supply a rationale for EGFR targeted therapies in this disease. Mutational analysis of EGFR TK domain (exons from 18 to 21) and immunohistochemistry for EGFR were performed on tumour tissues derived from radical prostatectomy from 100 PC patients. Gene expression profiling using oligo-microarrays was also carried out in 51 of the PC samples. EGFR protein overexpression (EGFRhigh) was found in 36% of the tumour samples, and mutations were found in 13% of samples. Patients with EGFRhigh tumours experienced a significantly increased risk of biochemical relapse (hazard ratio-HR 2.52, p=0.02) compared with patients with tumours expressing low levels of EGFR (EGFRlow). Microarray analysis did not reveal any differences in gene expression between EGFRhigh and EGFRlow tumours. Conversely, in EGFRhigh tumours, we were able to identify a 79 gene signature distinguishing mutated from non-mutated tumours. Additionally, 29 genes were found to be differentially expressed between mutated/EGFRhigh (n=3) and mutated/EGFRlow tumours (n=5). Four of the down-regulated genes, U19/EAF2, ABCC4, KLK3 and ANXA3 and one of the up-regulated genes, FOXC1, are involved in PC progression. Based on our findings, we hypothesize that accurate definition of the EGFR status could improve prognostic stratification and we suggest a possible role for EGFR-directed therapies in PC patients. Having been generated in a relatively small sample of patients, our results warrant confirmation in larger series.

DAQ application of PC oscilloscope for chaos fiber-optic fence system based on LabVIEW

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lu, Manman; Fang, Nian; Wang, Lutang; Huang, Zhaoming; Sun, Xiaofei

2011-12-01

In order to obtain simultaneously high sample rate and large buffer in data acquisition (DAQ) for a chaos fiber-optic fence system, we developed a double-channel high-speed DAQ application of a digital oscilloscope of PicoScope 5203 based on LabVIEW. We accomplished it by creating call library function (CLF) nodes to call the DAQ functions in the two dynamic link libraries (DLLs) of PS5000.dll and PS5000wrap.dll provided by Pico Technology Company. The maximum real-time sample rate of the DAQ application can reach 1GS/s. We can control the resolutions of the application at the sample time and data amplitudes by changing their units in the block diagram, and also control the start and end times of the sampling operations. The experimental results show that the application has enough high sample rate and large buffer to meet the demanding DAQ requirements of the chaos fiber-optic fence system.

Public awareness of palliative care in Sweden.

PubMed

Westerlund, Caroline; Tishelman, Carol; Benkel, Inger; Fürst, Carl Johan; Molander, Ulla; Rasmussen, Birgit H; Sauter, Sylvia; Lindqvist, Olav

2018-06-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the awareness of palliative care (PC) in a general Swedish population. We developed an e-survey based on a similar study conducted in Northern Ireland, consisting of 10 questions. Closed questions were primarily analyzed using descriptive statistics. Open questions were subject to inductive qualitative analysis. The study utilized a population sample of 7684 persons aged 18-66, of which 2020 responded, stratified by gender, age and region. Most participants reported 'no' ( n = 827, 41%) or 'some' ( n = 863, 43%) awareness of PC. Being female or older were associated with higher levels of awareness, as was a university-level education, working in a healthcare setting and having a friend or family member receiving PC. Most common sources of knowledge were the media, close friends and relatives receiving PC, as well as working in a healthcare setting. Aims of PC were most frequently identified as 'care before death', 'pain relief', 'dignity' and a 'peaceful death'. The preferred place of care and death was one's own home. The main barriers to raising awareness about PC were fear, shame and taboo, along with perceived lack of information and/or personal relevance. The term 'palliative care' was said to be unfamiliar by many. A number of strategies to enhance awareness and access to PC were suggested, largely reflecting the previously identified barriers. This survey found limited awareness of palliative care in an adult sample of the Swedish general public ≤ 66 years, and points to a more widespread disempowerment surrounding end-of-life issues.

Diphytanoyl lipids as model systems for studying membrane-active peptides.

PubMed

Kara, Sezgin; Afonin, Sergii; Babii, Oleg; Tkachenko, Anton N; Komarov, Igor V; Ulrich, Anne S

2017-10-01

The branched chains in diphytanoyl lipids provide membranes with unique properties, such as high chemical/physical stability, low water permeability, and no gel-to-fluid phase transition at ambient temperature. Synthetic diphytanoyl phospholipids are often used as model membranes for electrophysiological experiments. To evaluate whether these sturdy lipids are also suitable for solid-state NMR, we have examined their interactions with a typical amphiphilic peptide in comparison with straight-chain lipids. First, their phase properties were monitored using 31 P NMR, and the structural behaviour of the antimicrobial peptide PGLa was studied by 19 F NMR and circular dichroism in oriented membrane samples. Only lipids with choline headgroups (DPhPC) were found to form stable lipid bilayers in oriented samples, while DPhPG, DPhPE and DPhPS display non-lamellar structures. Hence, the experimental temperature and hydration are crucial factors when using supported diphytanoyl lipids, as both parameters must be maintained in an appropriate range to avoid the formation of non-bilayer structures. For the same reason, a high content of other diphytanoyl lipids besides DPhPC in mixed lipid systems is not favourable. Unlike the situation in straight-chain membranes, we found that the α-helical PGLa was not able to insert into the tightly packed fluid bilayer of DPhPC but remained in a surface-bound state even at very high peptide concentration. This behaviour can be explained by the high cohesivity and the negative spontaneous curvature of the diphytanoyl lipids. These characteristic features must therefore be taken into consideration, both, in electrophysiological studies, and when interpreting the structural behaviour of membrane-active peptides in such lipid environment. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Talking about Life

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Impey, Chris

2010-08-01

Preface; Part I. Introduction Timothy Ferris, Iris Fry, Steven Dick, Ann Druyan, Pinky Nelson, Neil Tyson, Steve Benner and William Bains; Part II. Earth Roger Buick, Lynn Rothschild, John Baross, Joe Kirschvink, Andrew Knoll, Simon Conway Morris, Roger Hanlon and Lori Marino; Part III. Solar System Chris McKay, David Grinspoon, Jonathan Lunine, Carolyn Porco, Laurie Leshin, Guy Consolmagno and Peter Smith; Part IV. Exoplanets Alan Boss, Geoff Marcy, Debra Fischer, Sara Seager, David Charbonneau and Vikki Meadows; Part V. Frontiers Jill Tarter, Seth Shostak, Ray Kurzweil, Nick Bostrom, Paul Davies, Martin Rees, Ben Bova and Jennifer Michael Hecht; Reading list; Glossary; Index.

Digital video timing analyzer for the evaluation of PC-based real-time simulation systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jones, Shawn R.; Crosby, Jay L.; Terry, John E., Jr.

2009-05-01

Due to the rapid acceleration in technology and the drop in costs, the use of commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) PC-based hardware and software components for digital and hardware-in-the-loop (HWIL) simulations has increased. However, the increase in PC-based components creates new challenges for HWIL test facilities such as cost-effective hardware and software selection, system configuration and integration, performance testing, and simulation verification/validation. This paper will discuss how the Digital Video Timing Analyzer (DiViTA) installed in the Aviation and Missile Research, Development and Engineering Center (AMRDEC) provides quantitative characterization data for PC-based real-time scene generation systems. An overview of the DiViTA is provided followed by details on measurement techniques, applications, and real-world examples of system benefits.

Negative differential resistance in nickel octabutoxy phthalocyanine and nickel octabutoxy phthalocyanine/graphene oxide ultrathin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sarkar, Arup; Suresh, K. A.

2018-04-01

We find negative differential resistance (NDR) at room temperature in ultrathin films of nickel (II) 1,4,8,11,15,18,22,25-octabutoxy-29H,31H-phthalocyanine [NiPc(OBu)8] deposited on highly ordered pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) substrate [NiPc(OBu)8/HOPG] and NiPc(OBu)8 on graphene oxide (GO) deposited on HOPG [NiPc(OBu)8/GO/HOPG]. For the NiPc(OBu)8/HOPG system, NiPc(OBu)8 was transferred four times onto HOPG by the Langmuir-Blodgett (LB) technique. We have prepared a stable Langmuir monolayer of amphiphilic GO at the air-water interface and transferred it onto HOPG by the LB technique. Further, the monolayer of NiPc(OBu)8 was transferred four times for good coverage on GO to obtain the NiPc(OBu)8/GO/HOPG system. The current-voltage characteristics were carried out using a current sensing atomic force microscope (CSAFM) with a platinum (Pt) tip that forms Pt/NiPc(OBu)8/HOPG and Pt/NiPc(OBu)8/GO/HOPG junctions. The CSAFM, UV-visible spectroscopy, and cyclic voltammetry studies show that the NDR effect occurs due to molecular resonant tunneling. In the Pt/NiPc(OBu)8/GO/HOPG junction, we find that due to the presence of GO, the features of NDR become more prominent. Also, GO causes a shift in NDR voltage towards a lower value in the negative bias direction. We attribute this behavior to the role of GO in injecting holes into the NiPc(OBu)8 film.

[Sensitive Determination of Chondroitin Sulfate by Fluorescence Recovery of an Anionic Aluminum Phthalocyanine-Cationic Surfactant Ion-Association Complex Used as a Fluorescent Probe Emitting at Red Region].

PubMed

Chen, Lin; Huang, Ping; Yang, Hui-qing; Deng, Ya-bin; Guo, Meng-lin; Li, Dong-hui

2015-08-01

Determination of chondroitin sulfate in the biomedical field has an important value. The conventional methods for the assay of chondroitin sulfate are still unsatisfactory in sensitivity, selectivity or simplicity. This work aimed at developing a novel method for sensitive and selective determination of chondroitin sulfate by fluorimetry. We found that some kinds of cationic surfactants have the ability to quench the fluorescence of tetrasulfonated aluminum phthalocyanine (AlS4Pc), a strongly fluorescent compound which emits at red region, with high efficiency. But, the fluorescence of the above-mentioned fluorescence quenching system recovered significantly when chondroitin sulfate (CS) exits. Tetradecyl dimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride(TDBAC) which was screened from all of the candidates of cationic surfactants was chosen as the quencher because it shows the most efficient quenching effect. It was found that the fluorescence of AlS4Pc was extremely quenched by TDBAC because of the formation of association complex between AlS4Pc and TDBAC. Fluorescence of the association complex recovered dramatically after the addition of chondroitin sulfate (CS) due to the ability of chondroitin sulfate to shift the association equilibrium of the association, leading to the release of AlS4Pc, thus resulting in an increase in the fluorescence of the reaction system. Based on this phenomenon, a novel method with simplicity, accuracy and sensitivity was developed for quantitative determination of CS. Factors including the reaction time, influencing factors and the effect of coexisting substances were investigated and discussed. Under optimum conditions the linear range of the calibration curve was 0.20~10.0 μg · mL(-1). The detection limit for CS was 0.070 μg · mL(-1). The method has been applied to the analysis of practical samples with satisfied results. This work expands the applications of AlS4Pc in biomedical area.

First-in-Human Trial of MIV-150 and Zinc Acetate Coformulated in a Carrageenan Gel: Safety, Pharmacokinetics, Acceptability, Adherence, and Pharmacodynamics

PubMed Central

Hoesley, Craig J.; Plagianos, Marlena; Hoskin, Elena; Zhang, Shimin; Teleshova, Natalia; Alami, Mohcine; Novak, Lea; Kleinbeck, Kyle R.; Katzen, Lauren L.; Zydowsky, Thomas M.; Fernández-Romero, José A.; Creasy, George W.

2016-01-01

Objective: To evaluate the safety and pharmacokinetics of MIV-150 and zinc acetate in a carrageenan gel (PC-1005). Acceptability, adherence, and pharmacodynamics were also explored. Design: A 3-day open-label safety run-in (n = 5) preceded a placebo-controlled, double-blind trial in healthy, HIV-negative, abstinent women randomized (4:1) to vaginally apply 4 mL of PC-1005 or placebo once daily for 14 days. Methods: Assessments included physical examinations, safety labs, colposcopy, biopsies, cervicovaginal lavages (CVLs), and behavioral questionnaires. MIV-150 (plasma, CVL, tissue), zinc (plasma, CVL), and carrageenan (CVL) concentrations were determined with LC-MS/MS, ICP-MS, and ELISA, respectively. CVL antiviral activity was measured using cell-based assays. Safety, acceptability, and adherence were analyzed descriptively. Pharmacokinetic parameters were calculated using noncompartmental techniques and actual sampling times. CVL antiviral EC50 values were calculated using a dose–response inhibition analysis. Results: Participants (n = 20) ranged from 19–44 years old; 52% were black or African American. Among those completing the trial (13/17, PC-1005; 3/3, placebo), 11/17 reported liking the gel overall; 7 recommended reducing the volume. Adverse events, which were primarily mild and/or unrelated, were comparable between groups. Low systemic MIV-150 levels were observed, without accumulation. Plasma zinc levels were unchanged from baseline. Seven of seven CVLs collected 4-hour postdose demonstrated antiviral (HIV, human papillomavirus) activity. High baseline CVL anti–herpes-simplex virus type-2 (HSV-2) activity precluded assessment of postdose activity. Conclusions: PC-1005 used vaginally for 14 days was well tolerated. Low systemic levels of MIV-150 were observed. Plasma zinc levels were unchanged. Postdose CVLs had anti-HIV and anti–human papillomavirus activity. These data warrant further development of PC-1005 for HIV and sexually transmitted infection prevention. PMID:27437826

Distributed Processing with a Mainframe-Based Hospital Information System: A Generalized Solution

PubMed Central

Kirby, J. David; Pickett, Michael P.; Boyarsky, M. William; Stead, William W.

1987-01-01

Over the last two years the Medical Center Information Systems Department at Duke University Medical Center has been developing a systematic approach to distributing the processing and data involved in computerized applications at DUMC. The resulting system has been named MAPS- the Micro-ADS Processing System. A key characteristic of MAPS is that it makes it easy to execute any existing mainframe ADS application with a request from a PC. This extends the functionality of the mainframe application set to the PC without compromising the maintainability of the PC or mainframe systems.

The Value of Relationships.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jenkins, Charles W.

1999-01-01

Discusses the importance of positive interpersonal relationships in developing an effective leadership style. It provides recommendations for developing effective relations with subordinates, vendors and suppliers, and bosses. Advice for dealing with low self-esteem concludes the article. (GR)

The large-scale cross-correlation of Damped Lyman alpha systems with the Lyman alpha forest: first measurements from BOSS

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

Font-Ribera, Andreu; Miralda-Escudé, Jordi; Arnau, Eduard

2012-11-01

We present the first measurement of the large-scale cross-correlation of Lyα forest absorption and Damped Lyman α systems (DLA), using the 9th Data Release of the Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS). The cross-correlation is clearly detected on scales up to 40h{sup −1}Mpc and is well fitted by the linear theory prediction of the standard Cold Dark Matter model of structure formation with the expected redshift distortions, confirming its origin in the gravitational evolution of structure. The amplitude of the DLA-Lyα cross-correlation depends on only one free parameter, the bias factor of the DLA systems, once the Lyα forest bias factorsmore » are known from independent Lyα forest correlation measurements. We measure the DLA bias factor to be b{sub D} = (2.17±0.20)β{sub F}{sup 0.22}, where the Lyα forest redshift distortion parameter β{sub F} is expected to be above unity. This bias factor implies a typical host halo mass for DLAs that is much larger than expected in present DLA models, and is reproduced if the DLA cross section scales with halo mass as M{sub h}{sup α}, with α = 1.1±0.1 for β{sub F} = 1. Matching the observed DLA bias factor and rate of incidence requires that atomic gas remains extended in massive halos over larger areas than predicted in present simulations of galaxy formation, with typical DLA proper sizes larger than 20 kpc in host halos of masses ∼ 10{sup 12}M{sub ☉}. We infer that typical galaxies at z ≅ 2 to 3 are surrounded by systems of atomic clouds that are much more extended than the luminous parts of galaxies and contain ∼ 10% of the baryons in the host halo.« less

Colour Doppler and microbubble contrast agent ultrasonography do not improve cancer detection rate in transrectal systematic prostate biopsy sampling.

PubMed

Taverna, Gianluigi; Morandi, Giovanni; Seveso, Mauro; Giusti, Guido; Benetti, Alessio; Colombo, Piergiuseppe; Minuti, Francesco; Grizzi, Fabio; Graziotti, Pierpaolo

2011-12-01

What's known on the subject? and What does the study add? Transrectal gray-scale ultrasonography guided prostate biopsy sampling is the method for diagnosing prostate cancer (PC) in patients with an increased prostate specific antigen level and/or abnormal digital rectal examination. Several imaging strategies have been proposed to optimize the diagnostic value of biopsy sampling, although at the first biopsy nearly 10-30% of PC still remains undiagnosed. This study compares the PC detection rate when employing Colour Doppler ultransongraphy with or without the injection of SonoVue™ microbubble contrast agent, versus the transrectal ultrasongraphy-guided systematic biopsy sampling. The limited accuracy, sensitivity, specificity and the additional cost of using the contrast agent do not justify its routine application in PC detection. • To compare prostate cancer (PC) detection rate employing colour Doppler ultrasonography with or without SonoVue™ contrast agent with transrectal ultrasonography-guided systematic biopsy sampling. • A total of 300 patients with negative digital rectal examination and transrectal grey-scale ultrasonography, with PSA values ranging between 2.5 and 9.9 ng/mL, were randomized into three groups: 100 patients (group A) underwent transrectal ultrasonography-guided systematic bioptic sampling; 100 patients (group B) underwent colour Doppler ultrasonography, and 100 patients (group C) underwent colour Doppler ultrasonography before and during the injection of SonoVue™. • Contrast-enhanced targeted biopsies were sampled into hypervascularized areas of peripheral, transitional, apical or anterior prostate zones. • All the patients included in Groups B and C underwent a further 13 systematic prostate biopsies. The cancer detection rate was calculated for each group. • In 88 (29.3%) patients a histological diagnosis of PC was made, whereas 22 (7.4%) patients were diagnosed with high-grade prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia or atypical small acinar proliferation. • No significant differences were found among the three groups for cancer detection rate (P= 0.329). • Additionally, low sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of colour Doppler with or without SonoVue™ contrast agent were found. • Prostate cancer detection rate does not significantly improve with the use of colour Doppler ultrasonography with or without SonoVue™. • Although no collateral effects have been highlighted, the combined use of colour Doppler ultrasonography and SonoVue™ determines adjunctive costs and increases the mean time for taking a single prostate biopsy. © 2011 THE AUTHORS. BJU INTERNATIONAL © 2011 BJU INTERNATIONAL.

Hydrogen bonds in PC{sub 61}BM solids

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

Sheng, Chun-Qi; Key Laboratory of Organosilicon Chemistry and Material Technology of Ministry of Education, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou 311121; Li, Wen-Jie

2015-09-15

We have studied the hydrogen bonds in PC{sub 61}BM solids. Inter-molecular interaction is analyzed theoretically for the well-defined monoclinic (P2{sub 1}/n) structure. The results indicate that PC{sub 61}BM combines into C–H⋯O{sub d} bonded molecular chains, where O{sub d} denotes the doubly-bonded O atom of PC{sub 61}BM. The molecular chains are linked together by C–H⋯O{sub s} bonds, where O{sub s} denotes the singly-bonded O atom of PC{sub 61}BM. To reveal the consequences of hydrogen bond formation on the structural properties of PC{sub 61}BM solids (not limited to the monoclinic structure), we design and perform some experiments for annealed samples with themore » monoclinic (P2{sub 1}/n) PC{sub 61}BM as starting material. The experiments include differential scanning calorimetry, X-ray diffraction and infrared absorption measurements. Structural phase transitions are observed below the melting point. The C–H⋯O{sub d} bonds seem persisting in the altered structures. The inter-molecular hydrogen bonds can help to understand the phase separation in polymer/PC{sub 61}BM blends and may be responsible for the existence of liquid PC{sub 61}BM.« less

Assessing fears of preschool children with nighttime fears by a parent version of the fear survey schedule for preschool children.

PubMed

Kushnir, Jonathan; Gothelf, Doron; Sadeh, Avi

2015-01-01

Although excessive fears are common in preschool children, validated assessment tools for this age are lacking. Our aim was to modify and provide preliminary evidence of the utility of a preschoolers' fear screening tool, a parent-reported Fear Survey Schedule for Preschool Children (FSS-PC). 109 Israeli preschool children (aged 4-6 years) with chronic night time fears (NF) and 30 healthy children (controls) participated. The FSS-PC analysis included: 1) internal reliability, 2) correlations between FSS-PC scores and Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) measures, 3) differences between NF and a comparison sample of FSS-PC scores, and 4) FSS-PC sensitivity in detecting change in NF following an intervention for NF. There were low-to-medium positive correlations between the FSS-PC scores and several internalizing scales of the CBCL measures. FSS-PC scores in the NF group were significantly higher than the control children's score. FSS-PC scores had adequate internal reliability and were also sensitive for detecting significant changes in fear levels following behavioral interventions. Unique cultural and environmental circumstances and specific study group. This new version of the FSS-PC may provide clinicians with a novel and useful screening tool for early assessment of fear- and anxiety-related phenomena of preschool children.

Relativistic effects on galaxy redshift samples due to target selection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alam, Shadab; Croft, Rupert A. C.; Ho, Shirley; Zhu, Hongyu; Giusarma, Elena

2017-10-01

In a galaxy redshift survey, the objects to be targeted for spectra are selected from a photometrically observed sample. The observed magnitudes and colours of galaxies in this parent sample will be affected by their peculiar velocities, through relativistic Doppler and relativistic beaming effects. In this paper, we compute the resulting expected changes in galaxy photometry. The magnitudes of the relativistic effects are a function of redshift, stellar mass, galaxy velocity and velocity direction. We focus on the CMASS sample from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) and Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS), which is selected on the basis of colour and magnitude. We find that 0.10 per cent of the sample (∼585 galaxies) has been scattered into the targeted region of colour-magnitude space by relativistic effects, and conversely 0.09 per cent of the sample (∼532 galaxies) has been scattered out. Observational consequences of these effects include an asymmetry in clustering statistics, which we explore in a companion paper. Here, we compute a set of weights that can be used to remove the effect of modulations introduced into the density field inferred from a galaxy sample. We conclude by investigating the possible effects of these relativistic modulation on large-scale clustering of the galaxy sample.

Classification of the degenerative grade of lesions of supraspinatus rotator cuff tendons by FT-Raman spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Palma Fogazza, Bianca; da Silva Carvalho, Carolina; Godoy Penteado, Sergio; Meneses, Cláudio S.; Abrahão Martin, Airton; da Silva Martinho, Herculano

2007-02-01

FT-Raman spectroscopy was employed to access the biochemical alterations occurring on the degenerative process of the rotator cuff supraspinatus tendons. The spectral characteristic variations in the 351 spectra of samples of 39 patients were identified with the help of Principal Components Analysis. The main variations occurred in the 840-911; 1022- 1218; 1257; 1270; 1300; 1452; 1663; and 1751 cm -1 regions corresponding to the vibrational bands of proline, hydroxiproline, lipids, nucleic acids, carbohydrates, collagen, and elastin. These alterations are compatible with the pathology alterations reported on the literature. Scattering plots of PC 4 vs PC 2 and PC 3 vs PC 2 contrasted with histopathological analysis has enabled the spectral classification of the data into normal and degenerated groups of tendons. By depicting empiric lines the estimated sensibility and specificity were 39,6 % and 97,8 %, respectively for PC 4 vs PC 2 and 36,0 % and 100 %, respectively for PC 3 vs PC 2. These results indicate that Raman spectroscopy can be used to probe the general tendon quality and could be applied as co adjuvant element in the usual arthroscopy surgery apparatus to guide the procedure and possibly infer about the probability of rerupture.

Development of patient-controlled respiratory gating system based on visual guidance for magnetic-resonance image-guided radiation therapy.

PubMed

Kim, Jung-In; Lee, Hanyoung; Wu, Hong-Gyun; Chie, Eui Kyu; Kang, Hyun-Cheol; Park, Jong Min

2017-09-01

The aim of this study is to develop a visual guidance patient-controlled (VG-PC) respiratory gating system for respiratory-gated magnetic-resonance image-guided radiation therapy (MR-IGRT) and to evaluate the performance of the developed system. The near-real-time cine planar MR image of a patient acquired during treatment was transmitted to a beam projector in the treatment room through an optical fiber cable. The beam projector projected the cine MR images inside the bore of the ViewRay system in order to be visible to a patient during treatment. With this visual information, patients voluntarily controlled their respiration to put the target volume into the gating boundary (gating window). The effect of the presence of the beam projector in the treatment room on the image quality of the MRI was investigated by evaluating the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), uniformity, low-contrast detectability, high-contrast spatial resolution, and spatial integrity with the VG-PC gating system. To evaluate the performance of the developed system, we applied the VG-PC gating system to a total of seven patients; six patients received stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR) and one patient received conventional fractionated radiation therapy. The projected cine MR images were visible even when the room light was on. No image data loss or additional time delay during delivery of image data were observed. Every indicator representing MRI quality, including SNR, uniformity, low-contrast detectability, high-contrast spatial resolution, and spatial integrity exhibited values higher than the tolerance levels of the manufacturer with the VG-PC gating system; therefore, the presence of the VG-PC gating system in the treatment room did not degrade the MR image quality. The average beam-off times due to respiratory gating with and without the VG-PC gating system were 830.3 ± 278.2 s and 1264.2 ± 302.1 s respectively (P = 0.005). Consequently, the total treatment times excluding the time for patient setup with and without the VG-PC gating system were 1453.3 ± 297.3 s and 1887.2 ± 469.6 s, respectively, on average (P = 0.005). The average number of beam-off events during whole treatment session was reduced from 457 ± 154 times to 195 ± 90 times by using the VG-PC gating system (P < 0.001). The developed system could improve treatment efficiency when performing respiratory-gated MR-IGRT. The VG-PC gating system could be applied to any kind of bore-type radiotherapy machine. © 2017 American Association of Physicists in Medicine.

The USL NASA PC R and D development environment standards

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dominick, Wayne D. (Editor); Moreau, Dennis R.

1984-01-01

The development environment standards which have been established in order to control usage of the IBM PC/XT development systems and to prevent interference between projects being currently developed on the PC's are discussed. The standards address the following areas: scheduling PC resources; login/logout procedures; training; file naming conventions; hard disk organization; diskette care; backup procedures; and copying policies.

Correlations between serum trypsinogen-2 and pancreatic cancer.

PubMed

Cao, Jianbiao; Xia, Changhong; Cui, Tingting; Guo, Hanbin; Li, Haoran; Ren, Yongqiang; Wang, Shuai

2015-01-01

To investigate associations be- tween serum trypsinogen-2, pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer (PC) and determine cutoff values for PC diagnosis. We recruited 88 patients from Internal Medicine/Surgical Departments of General Military Hospital of Beijing PLA between 12/2009 and 6/2010. Serum samples were collected preoperatively from 23 PC patients, 30 pancreatitis patients and 35 healthy controls. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to detect trypsinogen-2 semiquantitatively. Serum trypsinogen-2 levels of PC and pancreatitis patients were significantly higher than those of controls (51.2 ± 80.3, 107.7 ± 98.1 vs. 1.0 ± 0.5, p = 0.03, p < 0.001) and significantly higher in pancreatitis vs. PC patients (107.7 ± 98.1 vs. 51.2 ± 80.3, p = 0.01). Higher Balthazar CT grades correlated with higher trypsinogen-2 in pancreatitis group. ROC curves for trypsinogen-2 revealed optimal cutoff value 1.8 as lower PC detection limit with 95.7% sensitivity and 91.4% specificity, and optimal cutoff value 19.9 for upper PC detection limit with 87.0% sensitivity and 97.1% specificity. Trypsinogen-2 levels correlated with pancreatic injury level. An AUC of 0.73 (95% Cl: 0.59-0.84, p = 0.002) distinguished PC from pancreatitis. Serum trypsinogen-2 is associated with PC and pancreatitis. Levels between 1.8 μg/L and 19.9 μg/L strongly suggest PC. Detection of serum trypsinogen-2 may provide simple, sensitive, specific non-invasive initial screening for early PC diagnosis.

Dietary inflammatory index and prostate cancer risk in a case-control study in Mexico.

PubMed

Vázquez-Salas, Ruth A; Shivappa, Nitin; Galván-Portillo, Marcia; López-Carrillo, Lizbeth; Hébert, James R; Torres-Sánchez, Luisa

2016-12-01

Recent evidence suggests that a pro-inflammatory diet could be associated with prostate cancer (PC) risk. To evaluate the association between dietary inflammatory index (DII) and PC risk as well as aggressiveness, we conducted a case-control study in Mexico City. Cases were 394 individuals with incident, histologically confirmed PC, who were matched by age (±5 years) with 794 population controls. Dietary information was obtained through a semi-quantitative FFQ with a 3-year frame of reference before diagnosis, for cases, or interview, for controls. On the basis of twenty-eight food parameters, we estimated the energy-adjusted DII (E-DII). According to the Gleason score at diagnosis, PC cases were categorised as high (≥8), moderate (=7) and low (≤6) PC risk. Independent, unconditional logistic regression models adjusted for potential confounders were used to estimate PC risk and PC aggressiveness. There were no significant associations between overall PC risk and E-DII (OR3rd v. 1st tertile 1·18; 95 % CI 0·85, 1·63; P=0·33) or among men with high-risk PC (Gleason≥8) (OR 1·46; 95 % CI 0·88, 2·42; P=0·14). These results do not support the hypothesis that a pro-inflammatory diet is related to PC risk and PC aggressiveness. However, further studies with larger sample sizes, with sufficient statistical power and of varying designs should be conducted to address this hypothesis.

MaNGA: Target selection and Optimization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wake, David

2015-01-01

The 6-year SDSS-IV MaNGA survey will measure spatially resolved spectroscopy for 10,000 nearby galaxies using the Sloan 2.5m telescope and the BOSS spectrographs with a new fiber arrangement consisting of 17 individually deployable IFUs. We present the simultaneous design of the target selection and IFU size distribution to optimally meet our targeting requirements. The requirements for the main samples were to use simple cuts in redshift and magnitude to produce an approximately flat number density of targets as a function of stellar mass, ranging from 1x109 to 1x1011 M⊙, and radial coverage to either 1.5 (Primary sample) or 2.5 (Secondary sample) effective radii, while maximizing S/N and spatial resolution. In addition we constructed a 'Color-Enhanced' sample where we required 25% of the targets to have an approximately flat number density in the color and mass plane. We show how these requirements are met using simple absolute magnitude (and color) dependent redshift cuts applied to an extended version of the NASA Sloan Atlas (NSA), how this determines the distribution of IFU sizes and the resulting properties of the MaNGA sample.

MaNGA: Target selection and Optimization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wake, David

2016-01-01

The 6-year SDSS-IV MaNGA survey will measure spatially resolved spectroscopy for 10,000 nearby galaxies using the Sloan 2.5m telescope and the BOSS spectrographs with a new fiber arrangement consisting of 17 individually deployable IFUs. We present the simultaneous design of the target selection and IFU size distribution to optimally meet our targeting requirements. The requirements for the main samples were to use simple cuts in redshift and magnitude to produce an approximately flat number density of targets as a function of stellar mass, ranging from 1x109 to 1x1011 M⊙, and radial coverage to either 1.5 (Primary sample) or 2.5 (Secondary sample) effective radii, while maximizing S/N and spatial resolution. In addition we constructed a "Color-Enhanced" sample where we required 25% of the targets to have an approximately flat number density in the color and mass plane. We show how these requirements are met using simple absolute magnitude (and color) dependent redshift cuts applied to an extended version of the NASA Sloan Atlas (NSA), how this determines the distribution of IFU sizes and the resulting properties of the MaNGA sample.

Maximally asymmetric transbilayer distribution of anionic lipids alters the structure and interaction with lipids of an amyloidogenic protein dimer bound to the membrane surface.

PubMed

Cheng, Sara Y; Chou, George; Buie, Creighton; Vaughn, Mark W; Compton, Campbell; Cheng, Kwan H

2016-03-01

We used molecular dynamics simulations to explore the effects of asymmetric transbilayer distribution of anionic phosphatidylserine (PS) lipids on the structure of a protein on the membrane surface and subsequent protein-lipid interactions. Our simulation systems consisted of an amyloidogenic, beta-sheet rich dimeric protein (D42) absorbed to the phosphatidylcholine (PC) leaflet, or protein-contact PC leaflet, of two membrane systems: a single-component PC bilayer and double PC/PS bilayers. The latter comprised of a stable but asymmetric transbilayer distribution of PS in the presence of counterions, with a 1-component PC leaflet coupled to a 1-component PS leaflet in each bilayer. The maximally asymmetric PC/PS bilayer had a non-zero transmembrane potential (TMP) difference and higher lipid order packing, whereas the symmetric PC bilayer had a zero TMP difference and lower lipid order packing under physiologically relevant conditions. Analysis of the adsorbed protein structures revealed weaker protein binding, more folding in the N-terminal domain, more aggregation of the N- and C-terminal domains and larger tilt angle of D42 on the PC leaflet surface of the PC/PS bilayer versus the PC bilayer. Also, analysis of protein-induced membrane structural disruption revealed more localized bilayer thinning in the PC/PS versus PC bilayer. Although the electric field profile in the non-protein-contact PS leaflet of the PC/PS bilayer differed significantly from that in the non-protein-contact PC leaflet of the PC bilayer, no significant difference in the electric field profile in the protein-contact PC leaflet of either bilayer was evident. We speculate that lipid packing has a larger effect on the surface adsorbed protein structure than the electric field for a maximally asymmetric PC/PS bilayer. Our results support the mechanism that the higher lipid packing in a lipid leaflet promotes stronger protein-protein but weaker protein-lipid interactions for a dimeric protein on membrane surfaces. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Long-Lived Triplet Excited States of Bent-Shaped Pentacene Dimers by Intramolecular Singlet Fission.

PubMed

Sakuma, Takao; Sakai, Hayato; Araki, Yasuyuki; Mori, Tadashi; Wada, Takehiko; Tkachenko, Nikolai V; Hasobe, Taku

2016-03-24

Intramolecular singlet fission (ISF) is a promising photophysical process to construct more efficient light energy conversion systems as one excited singlet state converts into two excited triplet states. Herein we synthesized and evaluated bent-shaped pentacene dimers as a prototype of ISF to reveal intrinsic characters of triplet states (e.g., lifetimes of triplet excited states). In this study, meta-phenylene-bridged TIPS-pentacene dimer (PcD-3Ph) and 2,2'-bipheynyl bridged TIPS-pentacene dimer (PcD-Biph) were newly synthesized as bent-shaped dimers. In the steady-state spectroscopy, absorption and emission bands of these dimers were fully characterized, suggesting the appropriate degree of electronic coupling between pentacene moieties in these dimers. In addition, the electrochemical measurements were also performed to check the electronic interaction between two pentacene moieties. Whereas the successive two oxidation peaks owing to the delocalization were observed in a directly linked-pentacene dimer (PcD) by a single bond, the cyclic voltammograms in PcD-Biph and PcD-3Ph implied the weaker interaction compared to that of p-phenylene-bridged TIPS-pentacene dimer (PcD-4Ph) and PcD. The femtosecond and nanosecond transient absorption spectra clearly revealed the slower ISF process in bent-shaped pentacene dimers (PcD-Biph and PcD-3Ph), more notably, the slower relaxation of the excited triplet states in PcD-Biph and PcD-3Ph. Namely, the quantum yields of triplet states (ΦT) by ISF approximately remain constant (ca. 180-200%) in all dimer systems, whereas the lifetimes of the triplet excited states became much longer (up to 360 ns) in PcD-Biph as compared to PcD-4Ph (15 ns). Additionally, the lifetimes of the corresponding triplet states in PcD-Biph and PcD-3Ph were sufficiently affected by solvent viscosity. In particular, the lifetimes of PcD-Biph triplet state in THF/paraffin (1.0 μs) increased up to approximately three times as compared to that in THF (360 ns), whereas those of PcD-4Ph were quite similar in both solvent.

Enhanced performance of photonic crystal GaN light-emitting diodes with graphene transparent electrodes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ge, Hai-Liang; Xu, Chen; Xu, Kun; Xun, Meng; Wang, Jun; Liu, Jie

2015-03-01

The two-dimensional (2D) triangle lattice air hole photonic crystal (PC) GaN-based light-emitting diodes (LED) with double-layer graphene transparent electrodes (DGTE) have been produced. The current spreading effect of the double-layer graphene (GR) on the surface of the PC structure of the LED has been researched. Specially, we found that the part of the graphene suspending over the air hole of the PC structure was of much higher conductivity, which reduced the average sheet resistance of the graphene transparent conducting electrode and improved the current spreading of the PC LED. Therefore, the work voltage of the DGTE-PC LED was obviously decreased, and the output power was greatly enhanced. The COMSOL software was used to simulate the current density distribution of the samples. The results show that the etching of PC structure results in the degradation of the current spreading and that the graphene transparent conducting electrode can offer an uniform current spreading in the DGTE-PC LED. PACS: 85.60.Jb; 68.65.Pq; 42.70.Qs

Phytochelatin 2 accumulates in roots of the seagrass Enhalus acoroides collected from sediment highly contaminated with lead.

PubMed

Nguyen, Xuan-Vy; Le-Ho, Khanh-Hy; Papenbrock, Jutta

2017-04-01

Phytochelatins (PCs), the heavy metal-binding peptides of plants, play a main function in heavy metal detoxification. In this study, Enhalus acoroides samples collected at six distinct seagrass beds from the coast of Khanh Hoa province, Viet Nam, were evaluated for their PCs. The contents of different PCs in each organ including leaf, rhizome, and root were determined by using HPLC analysis. Significant differences of PC 2 contents among specific organs and their relation were tested by ANOVA, Tukey test, and Pearson's correlation. The results showed that higher PC 2 , appearance of PC 3 and a strong correlation between PC 2 and Pb concentration were found in the root organ collected from a Pb contaminated area. We conclude that high Pb in the sediment induce high PC 2 and PC 3 production in the root. This first report on in situ detection of PCs of seagrass encourages future investigation on the ability to use seagrass for phytoremediation and as a bioindicator of heavy metals based on PC contents.

Using resonant x-ray scattering to determine how structure controls the charge generation process in PCPDTBT:PC70BM solar cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pope, Michael; Waldrip, Matthew; Ferron, Thomas; Collins, Brian

Increased solar power conversion efficiencies to 12% in bulk heterojunction organic photovoltaics (OPVs) continue to brighten their prospects as an economically viable source of solar energy. It is known that OPV performance can be enhanced through processing additives that change the nanostructure. We track these critical structure-property relationships in the OPV system PCPDTBT:PC70BM while varying the amount of DIO additive. Resonant Soft X-ray Scattering reveals domain purity, domain size, and molecular orientation to highlight the system's complex dependence on DIO concentration. We will show the effect the resulting structure has on charge generation and recombination via in-situ transient and steady state optoelectronic measurements. By measuring structure, excited state dynamics and device performance all on the same sample enables direct relationships to be measured. We show that the appropriate balance of crystallinity, domain size and domain purity are important for optimized excited state dynamics and device performance.

Multitasking Operating Systems for the IBM PC.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Owen, G. Scott

1985-01-01

The ability of a microcomputer to execute several programs at the same time is called "multitasking." The nature and use of one multitasking operating system Concurrent PC-DOS from Digital Research (the developers of the CP/M operating system) are discussed. (JN)

Sampling-based Bayesian approaches reveal the importance of quasi-bistable behavior in cellular decision processes on the example of the MAPK signaling pathway in PC-12 cell lines.

PubMed

Jensch, Antje; Thomaseth, Caterina; Radde, Nicole E

2017-01-25

Positive and negative feedback loops are ubiquitous motifs in biochemical signaling pathways. The mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway module is part of many distinct signaling networks and comprises several of these motifs, whose functioning depends on the cell line at hand and on the particular context. The maintainance of specificity of the response of the MAPK module to distinct stimuli has become a key paradigm especially in PC-12 cells, where the same module leads to different cell fates, depending on the stimulating growth factor. This cell fate is regulated by differences in the ERK (MAPK) activation profile, which shows a transient response upon stimulation with EGF, while the response is sustained in case of NGF. This behavior was explained by different effective network topologies. It is widely believed that this sustained response requires a bistable system. In this study we present a sampling-based Bayesian model analysis on a dataset, in which PC-12 cells have been stimulated with different growth factors. This is combined with novel analysis methods to investigate the role of feedback interconnections to shape ERK response. Results strongly suggest that, besides bistability, an additional effect called quasi-bistability can contribute to explain the observed responses of the system to different stimuli. Quasi-bistability is the ability of a monostable system to maintain two distinct states over a long time period upon a transient signal, which is also related to positive feedback, but cannot be detected by standard steady state analysis methods. Although applied on a specific example, our framework is generic enough to be also relevant for other regulatory network modeling studies that comprise positive feedback to explain cellular decision making processes. Overall, this study advices to focus not only on steady states, but also to take transient behavior into account in the analysis.

Primary care in Switzerland--no longer attractive for young physicians?

PubMed

Buddeberg-Fischer, Barbara; Klaghofer, Richard; Stamm, Martina; Marty, Franz; Dreiding, Philip; Zoller, Marco; Buddeberg, Claus

2006-07-08

A trend away from primary care (PC) to other specialties has been noted in Switzerland, as well as in the health-care systems of many other Western countries. The objective of the present study was to ascertain how many third-year residents graduating in 2001/02 from medical schools in German-speaking Switzerland wanted to become PC physicians (PCPs), whether this career goal was continuously followed, and how many subjects switched to or away from PC during residency. Data reported are from the third assessment of the longitudinal Swiss physicians' career development study, begun in 2001. In 2005, at the third assessment, 515 residents (53.8% females, 46.2% males) were asked what specialty qualifications and career goals they aspired to. In addition, participants' socio-demographic, personality, and career-related characteristics as well as their life goals were addressed. Of n = 515 (total sample) third-year residents, 81 had not yet decided on the medical field in which they wished to specialise, while 434 had made this decision. Of the latter, only 42 (9.7%) aspired to become PCPs. Twelve of the 42 future PCPs consistently mentioned PC as a career goal from graduation throughout residency. The other 30 subjects only decided on PC during the course of their residencies. A switch away from PC was also noted in the case of 19 subjects who on graduation or after the first year of residency aspired to become PCPs, but abandoned this goal after three years of residency. Future PCPs differ from those pursuing other specialties in terms of personal and career-related characteristics, as well as in their life goals, insofar as they are less career-orientated and regard having more time outside work a priority. There are few gender-based differences between female and male future PCPs. Primary care seems to hold little attraction as a career goal for young physicians. Residency experiences would seem to have more of an effect on choice of specialty than teaching experiences during medical school. The percentage of subjects qualifying in PC is far too low to fill the need for the future generation of PCPs. In addition to efforts to incorporate PC issues into medical school curricula, structured residency programs should be established to promote PC.

Controlling insulin release from reverse hexagonal (HII) liquid crystalline mesophase by enzymatic lipolysis.

PubMed

Mishraki-Berkowitz, Tehila; Cohen, Guy; Aserin, Abraham; Garti, Nissim

2018-01-01

In the present study we aimed to control insulin release from the reverse hexagonal (H II ) mesophase using Thermomyces lanuginosa lipase (TLL) in the environment (outer TLL) or within the H II cylinders (inner TLL). Two insulin-loaded systems differing by the presence (or absence) of phosphatidylcholine (PC) were examined. In general, incorporation of PC into the H II interface (without TLL) increased insulin release, as a more cooperative system was formed. Addition of TLL to the systems' environments resulted in lipolysis of the H II structure. In the absence of PC, the lipolysis was more dominant and led to a significant increase in insulin release (50% after 8h). However, the presence of PC stabilized the interface, hindering the lipolysis, and therefore no impact on the release profile was detected during the first 8h. Entrapment of TLL within the H II cylinders (with and without PC) drastically increased insulin release in both systems up to 100%. In the presence of PC insulin released faster and the structure was more stable. Consequently, the presence of lipases (inner or outer) both enhanced the destruction of the carrier, and provided sustained release of the entrapped insulin. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Propionibacterium acnes lacks the capability to proliferate in platelet concentrates.

PubMed

Störmer, M; Kleesiek, K; Dreier, J

2008-04-01

Propionibacterium acnes is considered to be one of the most frequent contaminants of platelet concentrates (PCs) when anaerobic culture-based detection methods are used. But Propionibacteria are often detected too late when blood products have already been transfused. Therefore, its transfusion relevance is still demanding clarification because studies of the outcome of patients transfused with P. acnes-contaminated PCs are still uncommon. In this study, we monitored clinical effects in patients after transfusion of PCs, which were detected too late in sterility testing. Furthermore, we assessed the bacterial proliferation of Propionibacterium species seeded into PCs to clarify their significance for platelet bacteria screening. In the look-back process, we followed the route of the putative contaminated PC units from storage to transfusion. In the in vitro study, PCs were inoculated with 1-100 colony-forming unit (CFU)/ml of clinical isolates of Propionibacteria (n = 10). Sampling was performed during 10-day aerobic storage at 22 degrees C. The presence of bacteria was assessed by plating culture and automated BacT/Alert culture system. Propionibacterium acnes shows slow or no growth under PC storage conditions. Clinical signs of adverse events after transfusion of potentially contaminated PC units were not reported. Propionibacteria do not proliferate under PC storage conditions and therefore may be missed or detected too late when blood products have already been transfused.

Impaired Intestinal Mucosal Barrier upon Ischemia-Reperfusion: “Patching Holes in the Shield with a Simple Surgical Method”

PubMed Central

Rosero, Olivér; Ónody, Péter; Molnár, Dávid; Lotz, Gábor; Turóczi, Zsolt; Fülöp, András; Garbaisz, Dávid; Harsányi, László; Szijártó, Attila

2014-01-01

Mesenteric ischemia-reperfusion (IR) is associated with impairment of the gut barrier function and the initiation of a proinflammatory cascade with life-threatening results. Therefore methods directed to ameliorate IR injury are of great importance. We aimed at describing the effects of postconditioning (PC) on the alterations of the intestinal mucosal function and the inflammatory response upon mesenteric IR. Methods. Male Wistar rats were gavaged with green fluorescent protein-expressing E. coli suspensions. Animals were randomized into three groups (n = 15), sham-operated, IR-, and PC-groups, and underwent 60 minutes of superior mesenteric artery occlusion, followed by 6 hours of reperfusion. Postconditioning was performed at the onset of reperfusion. Blood and tissue samples were taken at the end of reperfusion, for histological, bacteriological, and plasma examinations. Results. The PC-group presented a more favorable claudin-2, claudin-3, claudin-4, and zonula occludens-1 membrane expression profile, and significantly lower rates of bacterial translocation to distant organs and plasma D-lactate levels compared to the IR-group. Histopathological lesions, plasma I-FABP, IL-6, and TNF-α levels were significantly lower in the PC-group compared to the IR-group. Conclusion. The use of postconditioning improved the integrity of the intestinal mucosal barrier upon mesenteric IR, and thus reduced the incidence of bacterial translocation and development of a systemic inflammatory response. PMID:24955347

Impaired intestinal mucosal barrier upon ischemia-reperfusion: "patching holes in the shield with a simple surgical method".

PubMed

Rosero, Olivér; Ónody, Péter; Kovács, Tibor; Molnár, Dávid; Lotz, Gábor; Tóth, Szilárd; Turóczi, Zsolt; Fülöp, András; Garbaisz, Dávid; Harsányi, László; Szijártó, Attila

2014-01-01

Mesenteric ischemia-reperfusion (IR) is associated with impairment of the gut barrier function and the initiation of a proinflammatory cascade with life-threatening results. Therefore methods directed to ameliorate IR injury are of great importance. We aimed at describing the effects of postconditioning (PC) on the alterations of the intestinal mucosal function and the inflammatory response upon mesenteric IR. Male Wistar rats were gavaged with green fluorescent protein-expressing E. coli suspensions. Animals were randomized into three groups (n = 15), sham-operated, IR-, and PC-groups, and underwent 60 minutes of superior mesenteric artery occlusion, followed by 6 hours of reperfusion. Postconditioning was performed at the onset of reperfusion. Blood and tissue samples were taken at the end of reperfusion, for histological, bacteriological, and plasma examinations. The PC-group presented a more favorable claudin-2, claudin-3, claudin-4, and zonula occludens-1 membrane expression profile, and significantly lower rates of bacterial translocation to distant organs and plasma D-lactate levels compared to the IR-group. Histopathological lesions, plasma I-FABP, IL-6, and TNF- α levels were significantly lower in the PC-group compared to the IR-group. The use of postconditioning improved the integrity of the intestinal mucosal barrier upon mesenteric IR, and thus reduced the incidence of bacterial translocation and development of a systemic inflammatory response.

Acceptance of Internet Banking Systems among Young Managers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ariff, Mohd Shoki Md; M, Yeow S.; Zakuan, Norhayati; Zaidi Bahari, Ahamad

2013-06-01

The aim of this paper is to determine acceptance of internet banking system among potential young users, specifically future young managers. The relationships and the effects of computer self-efficacy (CSE) and extended technology acceptance model (TAM) on the behavioural intention (BI) to use internet banking system were examined. Measurement of CSE, TAM and BI were adapted from previous studies. However construct for TAM has been extended by adding a new variable which is perceived credibility (PC). A survey through questionnaire was conducted to determine the acceptance level of CSE, TAM and BI. Data were obtained from 275 Technology Management students, who are pursuing their undergraduate studies in a Malaysia's public university. The confirmatory factor analysis performed has identified four variables as determinant factors of internet banking acceptance. The first variable is computer self-efficacy (CSE), and another three variables from TAM constructs which are perceived usefulness (PU), perceived ease of use (PE) and perceived credibility (PC). The finding of this study indicated that CSE has a positive effect on PU and PE of the Internet banking systems. Respondents' CSE was positively affecting their PC of the systems, indicating that the higher the ability of one in computer skills, the higher the security and privacy issues of PC will be concerned. The multiple regression analysis indicated that only two construct of TAM; PU and PC were significantly associated with BI. It was found that the future managers' CSE indirectly affects their BI to use the internet banking systems through PU and PC of TAM. TAM was found to have direct effects on respondents' BI to use the systems. Both CSE and the PU and PC of TAM were good predictors in understanding individual responses to information technology. The role of PE of the original TAM to predict the attitude of users towards the use of information technology systems was surprisingly insignificant.

Biological applications of phase-contrast electron microscopy.

PubMed

Nagayama, Kuniaki

2014-01-01

Here, I review the principles and applications of phase-contrast electron microscopy using phase plates. First, I develop the principle of phase contrast based on a minimal model of microscopy, introducing a double Fourier-transform process to mathematically formulate the image formation. Next, I explain four phase-contrast (PC) schemes, defocus PC, Zernike PC, Hilbert differential contrast, and schlieren optics, as image-filtering processes in the context of the minimal model, with particular emphases on the Zernike PC and corresponding Zernike phase plates. Finally, I review applications of Zernike PC cryo-electron microscopy to biological systems such as protein molecules, virus particles, and cells, including single-particle analysis to delineate three-dimensional (3D) structures of protein and virus particles and cryo-electron tomography to reconstruct 3D images of complex protein systems and cells.

Epilepsy - what to ask your doctor - adult

MedlinePlus

What to ask your doctor about epilepsy - adult; Seizures - what to ask your doctor - adult; Seizure - what to ask your doctor ... call to find more information about driving and epilepsy? What should I discuss with my boss at ...

Structural and magnetic characterization of copper sulfonated phthalocyanine grafted onto treated polyethylene

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reznickova, A.; Kolska, Z.; Orendac, M.; Cizmar, E.; Sajdl, P.; Svorcik, V.

2016-08-01

This study focuses on high density polyethylene (HDPE) activated by Ar plasma treatment, subsequently grafted with copper sulfonated phthalocyanine (CuPc) especially pointing out to the surface and magnetic properties of those composites. Properties of pristine PE and their plasma treated counterparts were studied by different experimental techniques: X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), UV-vis spectroscopy, zeta potential and by electron spin resonance (ESR). XPS analysis confirmed the successful grafting of phthalocyanine. The highest absorption was found for the sample grafted with bCuPc for 1 h. Electrokinetic analysis also confirmed the plasma treatment and also subsequent CuPc grafting influence significantly the surface chemistry and charge. These results correspond well with XPS determination. ESR studies confirmed the presence of CuPc grafted on HDPE. It was found, that grafting is mediated by magnetically inactive functional groups, rather than radicals. Magnetic properties of CuPc do not seem to change significantly after grafting CuPc on polyethylene surface.

Change spectroscopic studies and optimization electrical properties of PVP/PEO doped copper phthalocyanines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ragab, H. M.; Ahmad, F.; Radwan, Sh. N.

2016-12-01

Composite films of polyvinyl pyrrolidone and Polyethylene oxide (PVP/PEO) blend doped with 1, 4 and 12 wt% of copper Phthalocyanines (CuPc) were prepared by casting method. The samples were studied using different techniques. The X-ray (XRD) revealed average crystallite size and X-ray intensity decrease at 1 CuPc %; this implies to an increase on the degree of amorphousity, then increase at CuPc >1%. The change in both the intensity and position of some absorption peaks of the blend with CuPc content were observed in Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy suggest the complexation of polymer blend. The UV-Vis spectroscopy revealed that the optical band gap decreases as well as band tail width increases with increasing CuPc concentration. It may be reflect the role of CuPc in modifying the electronic structure of the polymeric matrix. The charge carrier concentration is responsible for conductivity improvement in electrolytes rather than the mobility.

Disease disclosure in individuals with cystic fibrosis: Association with psychosocial and health outcomes.

PubMed

Borschuk, Adrienne P; Everhart, Robin S; Eakin, Michelle N; Rand-Giovannetti, Devin; Borrelli, Belinda; Riekert, Kristin A

2016-09-01

This study aimed to quantify cystic fibrosis (CF) disclosure and examine associations between disclosure and psychosocial and health outcomes. Participants completed measures assessing disease disclosure and psychosocial outcomes. Data from chart reviews and pharmacy records were obtained. Participants (N=128; ages 16-63) were more likely to disclose to romantic partners (97%) and close friends (94%) than to casual friends (79%), bosses (71%), or co-workers (53%). Participants reported more comfort discussing CF with and doing treatments in front of romantic partners and close friends than other groups. Disclosure was associated with higher social support, social functioning, and medication adherence self-efficacy. Lower lung-function was associated with disclosure to bosses and co-workers. Clinicians should consider discussing disclosure with patients, as limited disclosure may have a negative impact on psychosocial outcomes. Copyright © 2016 European Cystic Fibrosis Society. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Ochoterenella esslingeri n. sp. (Nematoda: Onchocercidae: Waltonellinae) from Bokermannohyla luctuosa (Anura: Hylidae) in Minas Gerais, Brazil, with notes on Paraochoterenella Purnomo & Bangs, 1999

PubMed Central

Souza Lima, S.; Marun, B.; Alves, P.V.; Bain, O.

2012-01-01

The waltonelline Ochoterenella esslingeri n. sp., a filarial parasite of the anuran Bokermannohyla luctuosa in Minas Gerais, Brazil is described. Several characters distinguish this new species from the 15 species presently included in the genus: the cuticular ornamentation of the female that is restricted to the posterior region of the body, the irregular arrangement of the small, rounded bosses, the postoesophageal vulva, the short glandular oesophagus, the size and shape of the microfilariae, the long left spicule and high spicular ratio. Irregularly arranged, tiny, rounded bosses are common in the monotypic genus Paraochoterenella from an Indonesian ranid, which is not well defined but likely valid. In the Neotropical Realm, the type hosts of the species of Ochoterenella are Hylidae (O. esslingeri n. sp.), Leptodactylidae (two species) and the remaining 13 species were described from the giant toad Rhinella marina (Bufonidae). PMID:23193518

The effect of interstellar absorption on measurements of the baryon acoustic peak in the Lyman α forest

DOE PAGES

Vadai, Yishay; Poznanski, Dovi; Baron, Dalya; ...

2017-08-14

In recent years, the autocorrelation of the hydrogen Lyman α forest has been used to observe the baryon acoustic peak at redshift 2 < z < 3.5 using tens of thousands of QSO spectra from the BOSS survey. However, the interstellar medium of the Milky Way introduces absorption lines into the spectrum of any extragalactic source. These lines, while weak and undetectable in a single BOSS spectrum, could potentially bias the cosmological signal. In order to examine this, we generate absorption line maps by stacking over a million spectra of galaxies and QSOs. Here, we find that the systematics introducedmore » are too small to affect the current accuracy of the baryon acoustic peak, but might be relevant to future surveys such as the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI). We outline a method to account for this with future data sets.« less

Ceramic distribution members for solid state electrolyte cells and method of producing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Clark, Douglas J. (Inventor); Galica, Leo M. (Inventor); Losey, Robert W. (Inventor); Suitor, Jerry W. (Inventor)

1993-01-01

A solid state electrolyte cells apparatus and method of producing is disclosed. The apparatus can be used for separating oxygen from an oxygen-containing feedstock or as a fuel cell for reacting fluids. Cells can be stacked so that fluids can be introduced and removed from the apparatus through ceramic distribution members having ports designed for distributing the fluids in parallel flow to and from each cell. The distribution members can also serve as electrodes to membranes or as membrane members between electrodes. The distribution member design does not contain any horizontal internal ports which allows the member to be thin. A method of tape casting in combination with an embossing method allows intricate radial ribs and bosses to be formed on each distribution member. The bosses serve as seals for the ports and allow the distribution members to be made without any horizontal internal ports.

Method of producing ceramic distribution members for solid state electrolyte cells

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Clark, Douglas J. (Inventor); Galica, Leo M. (Inventor); Losey, Robert W. (Inventor); Suitor, Jerry W. (Inventor)

1995-01-01

A solid state electrolyte cells apparatus and method of producing is disclosed. The apparatus can be used for separating oxygen from an oxygen-containing feedstock or as a fuel cell for reacting fluids. Cells can be stacked so that fluids can be introduced and removed from the apparatus through ceramic distribution members having ports designed for distributing the fluids in parallel flow to and from each cell. The distribution members can also serve as electrodes to membranes or as membrane members between electrodes, The distribution member design does not contain any horizontal internal ports which allows the member to be thin. A method of tape casting in combination with an embossing method allows intricate radial ribs and bosses to be formed on each distribution member. The bosses serve as seals for the ports and allow the distribution members to be made without any horizontal internal ports.

ANSI/AIAA S-081A, Pressure Vessel Standards Implementation Guidelines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Greene, Nathanael J.

2009-01-01

The stress rupture specification for Composite Overwrapped Pressure Vessels (COPV) is discussed. The composite shell of the COPV shall be designed to meet the design life considering the time it is under sustained load. A Mechcanical Damage Control Plan (MDCP) shall be created and implemented that assures the COPV will not fail due to mechanical damage due to manufacturing, testing, shipping, installation, or flight. Proven processes and procedures for fabrication and repair shall be used to preclude damage or material degradation during material processing, manufacturing operations, and refurbushment.Selected NDI techniques for the liner and/or boss(es) shall be performed before overwrapping with composite. When visual inspection reveals mechanical damage or defects exceeding manufacturing specification levels (and standard repair procedures), the damaged COPV shall be submitted to a material review board (MRB) for disposition. Every COPV shall be subjected to visual and other non-destructive inspection (NDI), per the inspection plan.

The effect of interstellar absorption on measurements of the baryon acoustic peak in the Lyman α forest

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

Vadai, Yishay; Poznanski, Dovi; Baron, Dalya

In recent years, the autocorrelation of the hydrogen Lyman α forest has been used to observe the baryon acoustic peak at redshift 2 < z < 3.5 using tens of thousands of QSO spectra from the BOSS survey. However, the interstellar medium of the Milky Way introduces absorption lines into the spectrum of any extragalactic source. These lines, while weak and undetectable in a single BOSS spectrum, could potentially bias the cosmological signal. In order to examine this, we generate absorption line maps by stacking over a million spectra of galaxies and QSOs. Here, we find that the systematics introducedmore » are too small to affect the current accuracy of the baryon acoustic peak, but might be relevant to future surveys such as the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI). We outline a method to account for this with future data sets.« less

Are unions an anachronism?

PubMed

Schrank, R

1979-01-01

The labor movement in the United States has its roots deep in the soil of worker discontent over grueling working conditions, low pay, and indifference of bosses, who profited from others' sweaty labor. As more and more grubby jobs are replaced by technological innovations, as work becomes more abstract and everyone wears a white shirt, and as managers schooled in motivation theory and humane ideals of participation replace the owner-bosses of yesterday, what role will the unions have left to play? The author of this article, who has been in both the labor force and management, explores what the changes in the labor market will be in the future and what these changes will mean for labor-management relations. He does not conclude that there is no role for unions-only that it will be very different and that to survive unions will have to tackle new issues in the workplace. That adaptation will affect management's stance as well.

Using short vignettes to disentangle perceived capability from motivation: a test using walking and resistance training behaviors.

PubMed

Rhodes, Ryan E; Williams, David M; Mistry, Chetan D

2016-07-01

Self-efficacy is arguably the strongest correlate of physical activity, yet some researchers suggest this is because the construct confounds ability with motivation. We examine a more circumscribed construct, called perceived capability (PC), meant to measure ability but not motivation and propose that the construct will not be related to unskilled physical activities but may be linked to skilled behaviors. The purpose of this paper was to examine whether a PC construct can be stripped of motivation using a vignette approach in both walking and resistance training behaviors. Participants were a random sample of 248 university students, who were then randomly assigned to either answer resistance training or walking behavior questions. Both groups completed a PC measure and reasons for their answer before and after reading a vignette that clarified the phrasing of capability to a literal use of the term. PC was significantly (p < .01) higher post- compared to pre-vignette and the differences were greater (p < .01) for walking than for resistance training. PC had significantly (p < .01) smaller correlations with intention and self-reported behavior post-disambiguation, which resulted in a null relationship with walking but a small correlation with resistance training behavior. When PC was combined with intention to predict behavior, however, there was no significant (p > .05) difference in the amount of variance explained pre- to post-vignette. Thought listing showed that participants did not report capability barriers to walking and over half of the sample construed capability as motivation/other priorities pre-vignette. The findings support use of a vignette approach for researchers who wish to disentangle the assessment of PC from motivation while creating no overall loss in explained variance of physical activity.

Public awareness of palliative care in Sweden

PubMed Central

Westerlund, Caroline; Benkel, Inger; Fürst, Carl Johan; Molander, Ulla; Rasmussen, Birgit H.; Sauter, Sylvia; Lindqvist, Olav

2018-01-01

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the awareness of palliative care (PC) in a general Swedish population. Design: We developed an e-survey based on a similar study conducted in Northern Ireland, consisting of 10 questions. Closed questions were primarily analyzed using descriptive statistics. Open questions were subject to inductive qualitative analysis. Subjects: The study utilized a population sample of 7684 persons aged 18–66, of which 2020 responded, stratified by gender, age and region. Results: Most participants reported ‘no’ (n = 827, 41%) or ‘some’ (n = 863, 43%) awareness of PC. Being female or older were associated with higher levels of awareness, as was a university-level education, working in a healthcare setting and having a friend or family member receiving PC. Most common sources of knowledge were the media, close friends and relatives receiving PC, as well as working in a healthcare setting. Aims of PC were most frequently identified as ‘care before death’, ‘pain relief’, ‘dignity’ and a ‘peaceful death’. The preferred place of care and death was one’s own home. The main barriers to raising awareness about PC were fear, shame and taboo, along with perceived lack of information and/or personal relevance. The term ‘palliative care’ was said to be unfamiliar by many. A number of strategies to enhance awareness and access to PC were suggested, largely reflecting the previously identified barriers. Conclusions: This survey found limited awareness of palliative care in an adult sample of the Swedish general public ≤ 66 years, and points to a more widespread disempowerment surrounding end-of-life issues. PMID:29301481

Promoter methylation of MCAM, ERα and ERβ in serum of early stage prostate cancer patients.

PubMed

Brait, Mariana; Banerjee, Mithu; Maldonado, Leonel; Ooki, Akira; Loyo, Myriam; Guida, Elisa; Izumchenko, Evgeny; Mangold, Leslie; Humphreys, Elizabeth; Rosenbaum, Eli; Partin, Alan; Sidransky, David; Hoque, Mohammad Obaidul

2017-02-28

Prostate cancer (PC) is the second most common cancer among men worldwide. Currently, the most common non-invasive approach for screening and risk assessment of PC is measuring the level of serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA). However, the sensitivity of PSA is 42.8 % and specificity is 41.1%. As a result, the serum PSA test leads to numerous unneeded biopsies. Therefore, a rigorous search for biomarkers for early detection of PC is ongoing. In this study, we aim to assess a panel of epigenetic markers in an intend to develop an early detection test for PC. The sensitivity and specificity of hypermethylation of MCAM was 66% and 73% respectively which is an improvement from the sensitivity and specificity of PSA. Considering a combination marker panel of MCAM, ERα and ERβ increased the sensitivity to 75% and the specificity became 70% for the minimally invasive early detection test of PC. Sixteen primary matched tumor and serum were analyzed by quantitative methylation specific PCR (QMSP) to determine analytical and clinical sensitivity of the genes tested (SSBP2, MCAM, ERα, ERβ, APC, CCND2, MGMT, GSTP1, p16 and RARβ2). Additionally, serum samples from eighty four cases of PC, thirty controls and seven cases diagnosed as high grade Prostatic Intraepithelial Neoplasia (HGPIN) were analyzed. Promoter methylation of MCAM, ERα and ERβ have a potential to be utilized as biomarker for the early detection of prostate PC as their sensitivity and specificity seem to be better than serum PSA in our cohort of samples. After robust validation in a larger prospective cohort, our findings may reduce the numbers of unwarranted prostate biopsies.

CXCR6 is expressed in human prostate cancer in vivo and is involved in the in vitro invasion of PC3 and LNCap cells.

PubMed

Hu, Weidong; Zhen, Xinming; Xiong, Bin; Wang, Bicheng; Zhang, Weibing; Zhou, Wenhui

2008-07-01

In spite of the clinical importance of prostate cancer (PCa) bone metastasis, the precise mechanisms for the directed migration of malignant cells remain unclear. In the present study, the expression of CXCR6 in human PCa and benign prostatic hyperplasia samples, and the expression of CXCL16 in human osseous tissues were determined by immunohistochemistry. It was found that the level of CXCR6 protein expression was elevated in human malignant prostate tumors, and CXCL16 was expressed positively by human osteocytes in vivo. The in vitro experiments further confirmed that the PCa cell lines PC3 and LNCap expressed CXCR6 at both the mRNA and protein levels, and exogenous CXCL16 has the potential to stimulate the invasion of PC3 and LNCap. To further elucidate the role of the CXCL16-CXCR6 axis in PCa progression, we compared the expression of CXCR6 and CXCR4 in human PCa tissues and the effects of CXCL16 and CXCL12 on the in vitro invasion of PC3 and LNCap cells. It was shown that CXCR6 and CXCR4 proteins were coexpressed and elevated in human PCa samples, and CXCL16 and CXCL12 promoted the invasion of PC3 and LNCap via their respective receptors. Furthermore, in contrast to CXCL12, which enhanced the activity of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) 9 and MMP2 in PC3 and LNCap, CXCL16 ligation resulted in stronger MMP9 and MMP2 activity in LNCap but not in PC3. Our results suggest that besides CXCL12/CXCR4, CXCL16/CXCR6 might be another important factor involved in PCa bone metastasis.

Evaluation of milk powder quality by protein oxidative modifications.

PubMed

Scheidegger, Dana; Radici, Paola M; Vergara-Roig, Víctor A; Bosio, Noelia S; Pesce, Silvia F; Pecora, Rolando P; Romano, José C P; Kivatinitz, Silvia C

2013-06-01

The objective of the present research was to evaluate commercially available milk powders according to their protein oxidative modifications and antioxidant capacity, and to evaluate if these characteristics are related to physical quality parameters such as dispersibility or stability during storage. Fifteen commercially processed spray-dried milk powders were evaluated: 6 whole milk powders (WMP), 4 skim milk powders (SMP), and 5 infant formula powders (IFP). Protein oxidative status was measured as protein carbonyl (PC) content, dityrosine content, and extent of protein polymerization. The level of PC was slightly lower in SMP than in WMP, whereas IFP had more than twice as much PC as WMP (2.8 ± 0.4, 2.1 ± 0.2, and 6.5 ± 1.3 nmol/mg of protein for WMP, SMP, and IFP, respectively). No differences were detected in dityrosine accumulation. Although all the possible pairs of parameters were tested for correlations, we found that 4 parameters were linked: PC, whey content, protein aggregate level, and dispersibility. After 9 mo of storage at -20°C or room temperature, all milk samples were analyzed to evaluate changes in protein oxidative status (PC, dityrosine, and protein integrity) and related parameters. Compared with the initial condition, PC increased in all tested samples after 9 mo of storage at -20°C or at room temperature. Stored milk powders had increased PC and decreased dispersibility compared with prestorage levels. Our results highlight the importance of protein oxidative status in milk powder and its relationship to other related quality parameters, such as protein integrity and dispersibility. Our findings suggest that the understanding of such relationships could help in developing quality differentiation for different types of milk powders in the product market. Copyright © 2013 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Comparison of direct and indirect methods of measuring airborne chrysotile fibre concentration.

PubMed

Eypert-Blaison, Celine; Veissiere, Sylvie; Rastoix, Olivier; Kauffer, Edmond

2010-01-01

Transmission electron microscopy observations most frequently form a basis for estimating asbestos fibre concentration in the environment and in buildings with asbestos-containing materials. Sampled fibres can be transferred to microscope grids by applying either a direct [ISO (1995) Draft International ISO/DIS 10312. Ambient air. Determination of asbestos fibres. Direct transfer transmission electron microscopy procedure. Geneva, Switzerland: International Standardization Organization] or an indirect [AFNOR (1996) Détermination de la concentration en fibres d'amiante par microscopie électronique à transmission-Méthode indirecte. Cedex, France: AFNOR, p. 42; ISO (1997) Draft International ISO/DIS 13794. Ambient air. Determination of asbestos fibres. Indirect-transfer transmission electron microscopy procedure. Geneva, Switzerland: International Standardization Organization] method. In the latter case, ISO Standard 13794 recommends filtering calcination residues either on a polycarbonate (PC) filter (PC indirect method) or on a cellulose ester (CE) membrane (CE indirect method). The PC indirect method requires that fibres deposited on a PC filter be covered by a carbon layer, whereas in the CE indirect method, the CE membrane has to be directly processed using a method described in ISO Standard 10312. The purpose of this study was to compare results obtained using, on the one hand, direct preparation methods and, on the other hand, PC indirect or CE indirect methods, for counting asbestos fibres deposited on filters as a result of liquid filtration or air sampling. In direct method-based preparation, we observed that an etching time of 6-14 min does not affect the measured densities, except for fibres <1 microm deposited by liquid filtration. Moreover, in all cases, the direct method gives higher densities than the PC indirect method because of possible fibre disappearance when using the carbon evaporator implemented in the PC indirect method. The CE membrane used for sample preparation in the CE indirect method is collapsed prior to passing it through the carbon evaporator, so the fibres are less likely to disappear at this stage. We then note that the resulting fibre densities for chrysotile-loaded filters prepared using the direct method are close to those obtained with filters prepared using the CE indirect method. Our study therefore shows that, under the implemented experimental conditions, the PC and CE indirect preparation methods described in ISO Standard 13794 are not equivalent.

The Mean Metal-line Absorption Spectrum of Damped Ly α Systems in BOSS

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

Mas-Ribas, Lluís; Miralda-Escudé, Jordi; Pérez-Ràfols, Ignasi

We study the mean absorption spectrum of the Damped Ly α (DLA) population at z ∼ 2.6 by stacking normalized, rest-frame-shifted spectra of ∼27,000 DLA systems from the DR12 of the Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (BOSS)/SDSS-III. We measure the equivalent widths of 50 individual metal absorption lines in five intervals of DLA hydrogen column density, five intervals of DLA redshift, and overall mean equivalent widths for an additional 13 absorption features from groups of strongly blended lines. The mean equivalent width of low-ionization lines increases with N {sub H} {sub i}, whereas for high-ionization lines the increase is much weaker.more » The mean metal line equivalent widths decrease by a factor ∼1.1–1.5 from z ∼ 2.1 to z ∼ 3.5, with small or no differences between low- and high-ionization species. We develop a theoretical model, inspired by the presence of multiple absorption components observed in high-resolution spectra, to infer mean metal column densities from the equivalent widths of partially saturated metal lines. We apply this model to 14 low-ionization species and to Al iii, S iii, Si iii, C iv, Si iv, N v, and O vi. We use an approximate derivation for separating the equivalent width contributions of several lines to blended absorption features, and infer mean equivalent widths and column densities from lines of the additional species N i, Zn ii, C ii*, Fe iii, and S iv. Several of these mean column densities of metal lines in DLAs are obtained for the first time; their values generally agree with measurements of individual DLAs from high-resolution, high signal-to-noise ratio spectra when they are available.« less

Network analysis of ChIP-Seq data reveals key genes in prostate cancer.

PubMed

Zhang, Yu; Huang, Zhen; Zhu, Zhiqiang; Liu, Jianwei; Zheng, Xin; Zhang, Yuhai

2014-09-03

Prostate cancer (PC) is the second most common cancer among men in the United States, and it imposes a considerable threat to human health. A deep understanding of its underlying molecular mechanisms is the premise for developing effective targeted therapies. Recently, deep transcriptional sequencing has been used as an effective genomic assay to obtain insights into diseases and may be helpful in the study of PC. In present study, ChIP-Seq data for PC and normal samples were compared, and differential peaks identified, based upon fold changes (with P-values calculated with t-tests). Annotations of these peaks were performed. Protein-protein interaction (PPI) network analysis was performed with BioGRID and constructed with Cytoscape, following which the highly connected genes were screened. We obtained a total of 5,570 differential peaks, including 3,726 differentially enriched peaks in tumor samples and 1,844 differentially enriched peaks in normal samples. There were eight significant regions of the peaks. The intergenic region possessed the highest score (51%), followed by intronic (31%) and exonic (11%) regions. The analysis revealed the top 35 highly connected genes, which comprised 33 differential genes (such as YWHAQ, tyrosine 3-monooxygenase/tryptophan 5-monooxygenase activation protein and θ polypeptide) from ChIP-Seq data and 2 differential genes retrieved from the PPI network: UBA52 (ubiquitin A-52 residue ribosomal protein fusion product (1) and SUMO2 (SMT3 suppressor of mif two 3 homolog (2) . Our findings regarding potential PC-related genes increase the understanding of PC and provides direction for future research.

Intelligent control system based on ARM for lithography tool

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Changlong; Tang, Xiaoping; Hu, Song; Wang, Nan

2014-08-01

The control system of traditional lithography tool is based on PC and MCU. The PC handles the complex algorithm, human-computer interaction, and communicates with MCU via serial port; The MCU controls motors and electromagnetic valves, etc. This mode has shortcomings like big volume, high power consumption, and wasting of PC resource. In this paper, an embedded intelligent control system of lithography tool, based on ARM, is provided. The control system used S5PV210 as processor, completing the functions of PC in traditional lithography tool, and provided a good human-computer interaction by using LCD and capacitive touch screen. Using Android4.0.3 as operating system, the equipment provided a cool and easy UI which made the control more user-friendly, and implemented remote control and debug, pushing video information of product by network programming. As a result, it's convenient for equipment vendor to provide technical support for users. Finally, compared with traditional lithography tool, this design reduced the PC part, making the hardware resources efficiently used and reducing the cost and volume. Introducing embedded OS and the concepts in "The Internet of things" into the design of lithography tool can be a development trend.

Effect of diode-laser and AC magnetic field of bovine serum albumin nanospheres loaded with phthalocyanine and magnetic particles.

PubMed

Simioni, Andreza Ribeiro; Rodrigues, Marcilene M A; Primo, Fernando L; Morais, Paulo C; Tedesco, Antonio Claudio

2011-04-01

This study reports on the development and characterization of bovine serum albumin (BSA) nanospheres containing Silicon(IV) phthalocyanine (NzPc) and/or maghemite nanoparticles (MNP), the latter introduced via ionic magnetic fluid (MF). The nanosized BSA-loaded samples were designed for synergic application while combining Photodynamic Therapy and Hyperthermia. Incorporation of MNP in the albumin-based template, allowing full control of the magnetic content, was accomplished by adding a highly-stable ionic magnetic fluid sample to the albumin suspension, following heat denaturing. The material's evaluation was performed using Zeta potential measurements and scanning electron microscopy. The samples were characterized by steady-state techniques and time-resolved fluorescence. The in vitro assay, using human fibroblasts, revealed no cytotoxic effect in all samples investigated, demonstrating the potential of the tested system as a synergistic drug delivery system.

Highly efficient photodynamic therapy colloidal system based on chloroaluminum phthalocyanine/pluronic micelles.

PubMed

Py-Daniel, Karen R; Namban, Joy S; de Andrade, Laise R; de Souza, Paulo E N; Paterno, Leonardo G; Azevedo, Ricardo B; Soler, Maria A G

2016-06-01

Phthalocyanine derivatives comprise the second generation of photosensitizer molecules employed in photodynamic therapy (PDT) and have attracted much attention due to their outstanding photosensitizing performance. Most phthalocyanines are hydrophobic compounds that require association to drug delivery systems for clinical use. In this study, formulations of Pluronic F127 micelles incorporated with chloroaluminum phthalocyanine, or else F127/AlClPc, were produced at optimized conditions aiming at efficient and biocompatible PDT colloidal systems. Absorption/emission spectroscopies, as well as dynamic light scattering were performed to evaluate the optimum conditions for the F127 micelle formation and AlClPc incorporation. The micelles formation was attained with F127 concentrations ranging from 50 to 150mgmL(-1). At these conditions, AlClPc photosensitizer molecules were encapsulated into the hydrophobic micelle core and, therefore, readily solubilized in physiological medium (PBS pH 7.2). Encapsulation efficiency of about 90% resulted from different AlClPc concentrations. Identification of singlet oxygen production by irradiated F127/AlClPc formulations indicated good applicability for PDT. In vitro tests conducted with A549 human lung carcinoma cell line incubated with the F127/AlClPc formulations, at different AlClPc loadings, followed by only 18min of light irradiation (660nm LED, fluence of 25.3J/cm(2)), showed a cellular damage as high as 90% for rather low dosages of AlClPc (0.1-5.0μgmL(-1)). Further, no cytotoxicity occurred on non-irradiated cells. These findings suggest those F127/AlClPc formulations are highly promising for PDT applications, since they are easily prepared and the incubation and irradiation times are significantly shortened. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Privacy Impact Assessment for the PC Label System

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The PC Label System collects contact information for individuals with an interest in EPA's Region 1. Learn how this data will be collected in the system, how it will be used, access to the data, the purpose of data collection, and record retention policies

A PDA-based flexible telecommunication system for telemedicine applications.

PubMed

Nazeran, Homer; Setty, Sunil; Haltiwanger, Emily; Gonzalez, Virgilio

2004-01-01

Technology has been used to deliver health care at a distance for many years. Telemedicine is a rapidly growing area and recently there are studies devoted to prehospital care of patients in emergency cases. In this work we have developed a compact, reliable, and low cost PDA-based telecommunication device for telemedicine applications to transmit audio, still images, and vital signs from a remote site to a fixed station such as a clinic or a hospital in real time. This was achieved based on a client-server architecture. A Pocket PC, a miniature camera, and a hands-free microphone were used at the client site and a desktop computer running the Windows XP operating system was used as a server. The server was located at a fixed station. The system was implemented on TCP/IP and HTTP protocol. Field tests have shown that the system can reliably transmit still images, audio, and sample vital signs from a simulated remote site to a fixed station either via a wired or wireless network in real time. The Pocket PC was used at the client site because of its compact size, low cost and processing capabilities.