A Correlation Study between Two Color-Measuring Spectrophotometers

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-01-01

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

Wireless Power Transfer for Space Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ramos, Gabriel Vazquez; Yuan, Jiann-Shiun

2011-01-01

This paper introduces an implementation for magnetic resonance wireless power transfer for space applications. The analysis includes an equivalent impedance study, loop material characterization, source/load resonance coupling technique, and system response behavior due to loads variability. System characterization is accomplished by executing circuit design from analytical equations and simulations using Matlab and SPICE. The theory was validated by a combination of different experiments that includes loop material consideration, resonance coupling circuits considerations, electric loads considerations and a small scale proof-of-concept prototype. Experiment results shows successful wireless power transfer for all the cases studied. The prototype provided about 4.5 W of power to the load at a separation of -5 cm from the source using a power amplifier rated for 7 W.

Hematological reference values of healthy Malaysian population.

PubMed

Roshan, T M; Rosline, H; Ahmed, S A; Rapiaah, M; Wan Zaidah, A; Khattak, M N

2009-10-01

Health and disease can only be distinguished by accurate and reliable reference values of a particular laboratory test. It is now a proven fact that there is considerable variation in hematology reference intervals depending on the demographic and preanalytical variables. There are evidences that values provided by manufacturers do not have appropriate application for all populations. Moreover, reference ranges provided by different laboratory manuals and books also do not solve this problem. We are presenting here normal reference ranges of Malaysian population. These values were determined by using Sysmex XE-2100 and ACL 9000 hematology and coagulation analyzers. Results from this study showed that there were considerable differences in the reference values from manufacturers, western population or laboratory manuals compared with those from the local population.

A survey of gas-side fouling measuring devices

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Marner, W. J.; Henslee, S. P.

1984-01-01

A survey of measuring devices or probes, which were used to investigate gas side fouling, was carried out. Five different types of measuring devices are identified and discussed including: heat flux meters, mass accumulation probes, optical devices, deposition probes, and acid condensation probes. A total of 32 different probes are described in detail and summarized in matrix or tabular form. The important considerations of combustion gas characterization and deposit analysis are also given a significant amount of attention. The results show that considerable work was done in the development of gas side fouling probes. However, it is clear that the design, construction, and testing of a durable, versatile probe - capable of monitoring on-line fouling resistances - remains a formidable task.

Speech Analyses of Four Children with Repaired Cleft Palates.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Powers, Gene R.; And Others

1990-01-01

Spontaneous speech samples were collected from four three-year olds with surgically repaired cleft palates. Analyses showed that subjects were similar to one another with respect to their phonetic inventories but differed considerably in the frequency and types of phonological processes used. (Author/JDD)

Spontaneous Number Representation in Mosquitofish

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dadda, Marco; Piffer, Laura; Agrillo, Christian; Bisazza, Angelo

2009-01-01

While there is convincing evidence that preverbal human infants and non-human primates can spontaneously represent number, considerable debate surrounds the possibility that such capacity is also present in other animals. Fish show a remarkable ability to discriminate between different numbers of social companions. Previous work has demonstrated…

Carbaryl neurotoxicity across the life-span of the Brown-Norway rat

EPA Science Inventory

Demographics show that the proportion of older adults is increasing every year. While there has been considerable attention paid to potential sensitivity of the young to environmental chemicals, there is much less known about the relative vulnerability of the aged. Differences in...

Atlantic salmon show capability for cardiac acclimation to warm temperatures.

PubMed

Anttila, Katja; Couturier, Christine S; Overli, Oyvind; Johnsen, Arild; Marthinsen, Gunnhild; Nilsson, Göran E; Farrell, Anthony P

2014-06-24

Increases in environmental temperature predicted to result from global warming have direct effects on performance of ectotherms. Moreover, cardiac function has been observed to limit the tolerance to high temperatures. Here we show that two wild populations of Atlantic salmon originating from northern and southern extremes of its European distribution have strikingly similar cardiac responses to acute warming when acclimated to common temperatures, despite different local environments. Although cardiac collapse starts at 21-23 °C with a maximum heart rate of ~150 beats per min (bpm) for 12 °C-acclimated fish, acclimation to 20 °C considerably raises this temperature (27.5 °C) and maximum heart rate (~200 bpm). Only minor population differences exist and these are consistent with the warmer habitat of the southern population. We demonstrate that the considerable cardiac plasticity discovered for Atlantic salmon is largely independent of natural habitat, and we propose that observed cardiac plasticity may aid salmon to cope with global warming.

Due Process in the Realm of Higher Education: Considerations for Dealing with Students Rights

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fishner, Jason T.

2006-01-01

Court decisions have laid out expectations of what due process procedures need to be followed in student disciplinary cases and academic dismissal cases due to poor academic performance. This paper will give show where due process comes from and how it found its way into higher education. It will show that there are differences in the ways public…

Retrievals and Comparisons of Various MODIS-Spectrum Inferred Water Cloud Droplet Effective Radii

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fu-Lung, Chang; Minnis, Patrick; Lin, Bin; Sunny, Sun-Mack; Khaiyer, Mandana M.

2007-01-01

Cloud droplet effective radius retrievals from different Aqua MODIS nearinfrared channels (2.1- micrometer, 3.7- micrometer, and 1.6- micrometer) show considerable differences even among most confident QC pixels. Both Collection 004 and Collection 005 MOD06 show smaller mean effective radii at 3.7- micrometer wavelength than at 2.1- micrometer and 1.6- micrometer wavelengths. Differences in effective radius retrievals between Collection 004 and Collection 005 may be affected by cloud top height/temperature differences, which mainly occur for optically thin clouds. Changes in cloud top height and temperature for thin clouds have different impacts on the effective radius retrievals from 2.1- micrometer, 3.7- micrometer, and 1.6- micrometer channels. Independent retrievals (this study) show, on average, more consistency in the three effective radius retrievals. This study is for Aqua MODIS only.

Antibiotic drug advertising in medical journals.

PubMed

Gilad, Jacob; Moran, Lia; Schlaeffer, Francisc; Borer, Abraham

2005-01-01

Advertising is a leading strategy for drug promotion. We analysed 779 advertisements in 24 medical journals, 25% of which featured antibiotics. Antibiotic advertisements showed differences compared to those of other drugs. None addressed the issue of antibiotic resistance. Efforts to prevent antibiotic resistance should take antibiotic advertising into consideration.

Individual Differences in Neural Regions Functionally Related to Real and Imagined Stuttering

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wymbs, Nicholas F.; Ingham, Roger J.; Ingham, Janis C.; Paolini, Katherine E.; Grafton, Scott T.

2013-01-01

Recent brain imaging investigations of developmental stuttering show considerable disagreement regarding which regions are related to stuttering. These divergent findings have been mainly derived from group studies. To investigate functional neurophysiology with improved precision, an individual-participant approach (N = 4) using event-related…

Design of the software development and verification system (SWDVS) for shuttle NASA study task 35

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Drane, L. W.; Mccoy, B. J.; Silver, L. W.

1973-01-01

An overview of the Software Development and Verification System (SWDVS) for the space shuttle is presented. The design considerations, goals, assumptions, and major features of the design are examined. A scenario that shows three persons involved in flight software development using the SWDVS in response to a program change request is developed. The SWDVS is described from the standpoint of different groups of people with different responsibilities in the shuttle program to show the functional requirements that influenced the SWDVS design. The software elements of the SWDVS that satisfy the requirements of the different groups are identified.

Cloud Feedback in Atmospheric General Circulation Models: An Update

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cess, R. D.; Zhang, M. H.; Ingram, W. J.; Potter, G. L.; Alekseev, V.; Barker, H. W.; Cohen-Solal, E.; Colman, R. A.; Dazlich, D. A.; DelGenio, A. D.;

Comparison of storm-time changes of geomagnetic field at ground and at MAGSAT altitudes, part 3

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dejesusparada, N. (Principal Investigator); Kane, R. P.; Trivedi, N. B.

1982-01-01

The latitudinal distributions of delta H, delta X, delta Y, and delta Z were studied for quiet and disturbed periods. For quiet periods, the average patterns showed some variations common to dusk and dawn, thus indicating probable ground anomaly. However, there were significant differences too between dusk and dawn, indicating considerable diurnal variation effects. Particularly in delta Y, these effects were large and were symmetric about the dip equator. For disturbed day passes, the quiet day patterns were considered as base levels and the latter were subtracted from the former. The resulting residual latitudinal patterns were, on the average, symmetric about the geographical equator. However, individual passes showed considerable north-south asymmetries, probably indicating meanderings of the central plane of the magnetospheric ring current.

Multi-trip vehicle routing and scheduling problem with time window in real life

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sze, San-Nah; Chiew, Kang-Leng; Sze, Jeeu-Fong

2012-09-01

This paper studies a manpower scheduling problem with multiple maintenance operations and vehicle routing considerations. Service teams located at a common service centre are required to travel to different customer sites. All customers must be served within given time window, which are known in advance. The scheduling process must take into consideration complex constraints such as a meal break during the team's shift, multiple travelling trips, synchronisation of service teams and working shifts. The main objective of this study is to develop a heuristic that can generate high quality solution in short time for large problem instances. A Two-stage Scheduling Heuristic is developed for different variants of the problem. Empirical results show that the proposed solution performs effectively and efficiently. In addition, our proposed approximation algorithm is very flexible and can be easily adapted to different scheduling environments and operational requirements.

On X-Ray Variability in Seyfert Galaxies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Turner, T. J.; George, I. M.; Nandra, K.; Turcan, D.

1999-01-01

This paper presents a quantification of the X-ray variability amplitude for 79 ASCA observations of 36 Seyfert 1 galaxies. We find that consideration of sources with the narrowest permitted lines in the optical band introduces scatter into the established correlation between X-ray variability and nuclear luminosity. Consideration of the X-ray spectral index and variability properties together shows distinct groupings in parameter space for broad and narrow-line Seyfert 1 galaxies, confirming previous studies. A strong correlation is found between hard X-ray variability and FWHM Hbeta. A range of nuclear mass and accretion rate across the Seyfert population can explain the differences observed in X-ray and optical properties. An attractive alternative model, which does not depend on any systematic difference in central mass, is that the circumnuclear gas of NLSy1s is different to BLSy1s in temperature, optical depth, density or geometry.

Integrating fragmented evidence by network meta-analysis: relative effectiveness of psychological interventions for adults with post-traumatic stress disorder.

PubMed

Gerger, H; Munder, T; Gemperli, A; Nüesch, E; Trelle, S; Jüni, P; Barth, J

2014-11-01

To summarize the available evidence on the effectiveness of psychological interventions for patients with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). We searched bibliographic databases and reference lists of relevant systematic reviews and meta-analyses for randomized controlled trials that compared specific psychological interventions for adults with PTSD symptoms either head-to-head or against control interventions using non-specific intervention components, or against wait-list control. Two investigators independently extracted the data and assessed trial characteristics. The analyses included 4190 patients in 66 trials. An initial network meta-analysis showed large effect sizes (ESs) for all specific psychological interventions (ESs between -1.10 and -1.37) and moderate effects of psychological interventions that were used to control for non-specific intervention effects (ESs -0.58 and -0.62). ES differences between various types of specific psychological interventions were absent to small (ES differences between 0.00 and 0.27). Considerable between-trial heterogeneity occurred (τ²= 0.30). Stratified analyses revealed that trials that adhered to DSM-III/IV criteria for PTSD were associated with larger ESs. However, considerable heterogeneity remained. Heterogeneity was reduced in trials with adequate concealment of allocation and in large-sized trials. We found evidence for small-study bias. Our findings show that patients with a formal diagnosis of PTSD and those with subclinical PTSD symptoms benefit from different psychological interventions. We did not identify any intervention that was consistently superior to other specific psychological interventions. However, the robustness of evidence varies considerably between different psychological interventions for PTSD, with most robust evidence for cognitive behavioral and exposure therapies.

Small round blue cell tumors of the sinonasal tract: a differential diagnosis approach.

PubMed

Thompson, Lester Dr

2017-01-01

One of the most challenging diagnostic categories within tumors of the sinonasal tract is the small round blue cell tumors. Biopsies are usually small and limited, resulting in considerable diagnostic difficulty for practicing surgical pathologists. These tumors share several overlapping histologic and immunophenotypic findings while also showing considerable variation within and between cases. Specific tumor site of origin, imaging findings, and clinical findings must be combined with the histology and pertinent ancillary studies if the correct diagnosis is to be reached. Discrimination between neoplasms is critical as there are significant differences in therapy and overall outcome. It is important to have a well developed differential diagnosis for this category of tumors, where each of the diagnoses is considered, evaluated, and either confirmed or excluded from further consideration. In an undifferentiated tumor, showing a small round blue cell morphology, using the mnemonic 'MR SLEEP' helps to highlight tumors to consider: melanoma, mesenchymal chondrosarcoma, rhabdomyosarcoma, sinonasal undifferentiated carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma (including NUT carcinoma), small cell osteosarcoma, lymphoma, esthesioneuroblastoma (olfactory neuroblastoma), Ewing sarcoma/primitive neuroectodermal tumor, pituitary adenoma, and plasmacytoma. A panel of pertinent immunohistochemistry studies, histochemistries and/or molecular tests should aid in reaching a diagnosis, especially when taking the pattern and intensity of reactions into consideration.

267 Spanish Exomes Reveal Population-Specific Differences in Disease-Related Genetic Variation

PubMed Central

Dopazo, Joaquín; Amadoz, Alicia; Bleda, Marta; Garcia-Alonso, Luz; Alemán, Alejandro; García-García, Francisco; Rodriguez, Juan A.; Daub, Josephine T.; Muntané, Gerard; Rueda, Antonio; Vela-Boza, Alicia; López-Domingo, Francisco J.; Florido, Javier P.; Arce, Pablo; Ruiz-Ferrer, Macarena; Méndez-Vidal, Cristina; Arnold, Todd E.; Spleiss, Olivia; Alvarez-Tejado, Miguel; Navarro, Arcadi; Bhattacharya, Shomi S.; Borrego, Salud; Santoyo-López, Javier; Antiñolo, Guillermo

2016-01-01

Recent results from large-scale genomic projects suggest that allele frequencies, which are highly relevant for medical purposes, differ considerably across different populations. The need for a detailed catalog of local variability motivated the whole-exome sequencing of 267 unrelated individuals, representative of the healthy Spanish population. Like in other studies, a considerable number of rare variants were found (almost one-third of the described variants). There were also relevant differences in allelic frequencies in polymorphic variants, including ∼10,000 polymorphisms private to the Spanish population. The allelic frequencies of variants conferring susceptibility to complex diseases (including cancer, schizophrenia, Alzheimer disease, type 2 diabetes, and other pathologies) were overall similar to those of other populations. However, the trend is the opposite for variants linked to Mendelian and rare diseases (including several retinal degenerative dystrophies and cardiomyopathies) that show marked frequency differences between populations. Interestingly, a correspondence between differences in allelic frequencies and disease prevalence was found, highlighting the relevance of frequency differences in disease risk. These differences are also observed in variants that disrupt known drug binding sites, suggesting an important role for local variability in population-specific drug resistances or adverse effects. We have made the Spanish population variant server web page that contains population frequency information for the complete list of 170,888 variant positions we found publicly available (http://spv.babelomics.org/), We show that it if fundamental to determine population-specific variant frequencies to distinguish real disease associations from population-specific polymorphisms. PMID:26764160

Women in "Male" Careers: The Case of Higher Technicians in France.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Daune-Richard, Anne-Marie

1992-01-01

French statistics show that in the area of training and employment, differences in behavior patterns between men and women have diminished considerably. Nonetheless, sexual segregation remains strong, especially in scientific and technical fields. Distribution among training streams remains uneven. In tertiary and upper-level education and…

Nonword Reading across Orthographies: How Flexible Is the Choice of Reading Units?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goswami, Usha; Ziegler, Johannes C.; Dalton, Louise; Schnieder, Wolfgang

2003-01-01

Used cross-language blocking experiments to test the hypothesis that children learning to read inconsistent orthographies would show considerable flexibility in making use of spelling-sound correspondences at different unit sizes, whereas children learning to read consistent orthographies should mainly employ small-size grapheme-phoneme…

EoC Study Update to Examine the Cost, Schedule and Technical Changes to NASA Projects

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bitten, Bob; Emmons, Debra; Shinn, Stephen; Scolese, Chris

2018-01-01

The original National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Explanation of Change (EoC) study was conducted in 2010 to understand the underlying causes of cost and schedule growth. The first study consisted of 25 missions launched from 2000 to 2010 and looked at the events that led to growth. These events were categorized into different bins that were rolled up to quantify whether the growth was due to internal planning, or internal execution, or from external forces and found that the growth was evenly distributed among those three categories. The result of the study presented nine considerations focused at reducing growth due to project external events and internal planning events. Although no one 'magic bullet' consideration was discovered in the previous work, the nine considerations taken as a whole were postulated to help reduce cost and schedule change in future NASA missions. A recent update was conducted that included investigating 8 missions developed since the previous study to determine if the results were different. Cost, schedule, and mass increases were analyzed from the start of Phase B through Preliminary Design Review and Critical Design Review to Launch. As shown in this paper, the results are better with overall cost and schedule growth being reduced. The paper will show a comparison of the previous results to the updated results to show specific reductions and provide an explanation of which recommendations were followed.

Temporal framing and the decision to take part in type 2 diabetes screening: effects of individual differences in consideration of future consequences on persuasion.

PubMed

Orbell, Sheina; Hagger, Martin

2006-07-01

Reliable individual differences in the extent to which people consider the long- and short-term consequences of their own behaviors are hypothesized to influence the impact of a persuasive communication. In a field experiment, the time frame of occurrence of positive and negative consequences of taking part in a proposed Type 2 diabetes screening program was manipulated in a sample of 210 adults with a mean age of 53 years. Individual differences in consideration of future consequences (CFC; A. Strathman, F. Gleicher, D. S. Boninger, & C. S. Edwards, 1994) moderated (a) the generation of positive and negative thoughts and (b) the persuasive impact of the different communications. Low-CFC individuals were more persuaded when positive consequences were short term and negative consequences were long term. The opposite was true of high-CFC individuals. Path analyses show that net positive thoughts generated mediated the effect of the CFC x Time Frame manipulations on behavioral intentions.

Effects of H2S/HS- on Stress Corrosion Cracking Behavior of X100 Pipeline Steel Under Simulated Sulfate-Reducing Bacteria Metabolite Conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Q.; Li, Z.; Liu, Z. Y.; Li, X. G.; Wang, S. Q.

2017-04-01

The effect of H2S/HS-, which simulates the main metabolites of sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB), on the electrochemical and stress corrosion cracking (SCC) behaviors of X100 steel was investigated in a near-neutral solution. The results showed that different H2S/HS- contents mainly affected the cathodic process of X100 electrochemical corrosion. As the concentration of H2S/HS- increased, the corrosion potential was shifted negatively, the corrosion current density was considerably increased, and the corrosion rate was linearly increased. Different rust layers with shifting structures were formed under different conditions and had different effects on electrochemical behaviors. However, sulfide mainly promoted local corrosion processes. With the synergistic effects of stress and H2S/HS-, SCC susceptibility was considerably enhanced. The accelerated process of hydrogen evolution by sulfide was crucial in enhancing SCC processes. In brief, the trace H2S/HS- generated by SRB metabolites played a positive role in promoting SCC.

Life events and stress: do older men and women in Malaysia cope differently as consumers?

PubMed

Ong, Fon Sim; Phillips, David R; Chai, Sen Tyng

2013-06-01

The study of major life events and their effects on well-being has considerable relevance for scientific disciplines and policy making in understanding the consumer behaviour of older people. There is evidence of differences in reactions to and coping with stress between males and females but relatively little knowledge about such gender differences amongst older people, especially in middle-income countries. This study of older Malaysians looked at both coping strategies and gender differences in reactions to stress when people are confronted with certain life events. Seventeen major life events were used in interviews with 645 respondents aged 50 years or older in five major urban areas in Peninsular Malaysia. The analysis showed older women tended to experience higher levels of chronic stress than older men. They also had more health problems, had lower levels of self-esteem and were less satisfied with life. Whilst the results showed little support for gender differences in coping behaviours, stress had a significant influence on the way older men and women change store preferences. A hypothesis that older women would use more emotion-focused coping strategies was not supported. Knowledge of how older Malaysians cope with life events and stress and especially in this instance with regard to consumption behaviour, is likely to be of considerable academic and policy related interest.

Epidemiology and economic burden of measles, mumps, pertussis, and varicella in Germany: a systematic review.

PubMed

Damm, Oliver; Witte, Julian; Wetzka, Stefanie; Prosser, Christine; Braun, Sebastian; Welte, Robert; Greiner, Wolfgang

2016-09-01

Despite the availability of vaccines and the existence of public vaccination recommendations, outbreaks of vaccine-preventable childhood diseases still cause public health debate. The objective of this systematic review was to provide an overview of the current epidemiology and economic burden of measles, mumps, pertussis, and varicella in Germany. We systematically reviewed studies published since 2000. The literature search was conducted using PubMed and EMBASE. Also, we used German notification data to give an up-to-date overview of the epidemiology of the four diseases under consideration. Thirty-six studies were included in our review. Results suggest that there is still considerable morbidity due to childhood diseases in Germany. Studies providing cost estimates are scarce. Comparative analyses of different data sources (notification data vs. claims data) revealed a potential underestimation of incidence estimates when using notification data. Furthermore, several studies showed regional differences in incidence of some of the diseases under consideration. Our findings underline the need for improved vaccination and communication strategies targeting all susceptible age and risk groups on a national and local level.

Thinking like a scientist: innateness as a case study.

PubMed

Knobe, Joshua; Samuels, Richard

2013-01-01

The concept of innateness appears in systematic research within cognitive science, but it also appears in less systematic modes of thought that long predate the scientific study of the mind. The present studies therefore explore the relationship between the properly scientific uses of this concept and its role in ordinary folk understanding. Studies 1-4 examined the judgments of people with no specific training in cognitive science. Results showed (a) that judgments about whether a trait was innate were not affected by whether or not the trait was learned, but (b) such judgments were impacted by moral considerations. Study 5 looked at the judgments of both non-scientists and scientists, in conditions that encouraged either thinking about individual cases or thinking about certain general principles. In the case-based condition, both non-scientists and scientists showed an impact of moral considerations but little impact of learning. In the principled condition, both non-scientists and scientists showed an impact of learning but little impact of moral considerations. These results suggest that both non-scientists and scientists are drawn to a conception of innateness that differs from the one at work in contemporary scientific research but that they are also both capable of 'filtering out' their initial intuitions and using a more scientific approach. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Aerodynamic design of a rotor blade for minimum noise radiation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Karamcheti, K.; Yu, Y. H.

1974-01-01

An analysis of the aerodynamic design of a hovering rotor blade for obtaining minimum aerodynamic rotor noise has been carried out. In this analysis, which is based on both acoustical and aerodynamic considerations, attention is given only to the rotational noise due to the pressure fluctuations on the blade surfaces. The lift distribution obtained in this analysis has different characteristics from those of the conventional distribution. The present distribution shows negative lift values over a quarter of the span from the blade tip, and a maximum lift at about the midspan. Results are presented to show that the noise field is considerably affected by the shape of the lift distribution along the blade and that noise reduction of about 5 dB may be obtained by designing the rotor blade to yield minimum noise.

Equivalent circuit modeling of the dielectric properties of rubber wood at low frequency

Treesearch

Wan M. Daud; Kaida B. Khalid; Aziz H.A. Sidek

2000-01-01

Dielectric properties of rubber wood were studied at various moisture contents and grain directions at low frequencies from 10-2 to 105 Hz. Results showed that the moisture content of wood affected the dielectric properties considerably. Dielectric data at different anisotropic directions, i.e., longitudinal, radial, and...

Stability over Time of Different Methods of Estimating School Performance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dumay, Xavier; Coe, Rob; Anumendem, Dickson Nkafu

2014-01-01

This paper aims to investigate how stability varies with the approach used in estimating school performance in a large sample of English primary schools. The results show that (a) raw performance is considerably more stable than adjusted performance, which in turn is slightly more stable than growth model estimates; (b) schools' performance…

Whether or Not to Run in the Rain

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bocci, Franco

2012-01-01

The problem of choosing an optimal strategy for moving in the rain has attracted considerable attention among physicists and other scientists. Taking a novel approach, this paper shows, by studying simple shaped bodies, that the answer depends on the shape and orientation of the moving body and on wind direction and intensity. For different body…

Modeling Sensor Reliability in Fault Diagnosis Based on Evidence Theory

PubMed Central

Yuan, Kaijuan; Xiao, Fuyuan; Fei, Liguo; Kang, Bingyi; Deng, Yong

2016-01-01

Sensor data fusion plays an important role in fault diagnosis. Dempster–Shafer (D-R) evidence theory is widely used in fault diagnosis, since it is efficient to combine evidence from different sensors. However, under the situation where the evidence highly conflicts, it may obtain a counterintuitive result. To address the issue, a new method is proposed in this paper. Not only the statistic sensor reliability, but also the dynamic sensor reliability are taken into consideration. The evidence distance function and the belief entropy are combined to obtain the dynamic reliability of each sensor report. A weighted averaging method is adopted to modify the conflict evidence by assigning different weights to evidence according to sensor reliability. The proposed method has better performance in conflict management and fault diagnosis due to the fact that the information volume of each sensor report is taken into consideration. An application in fault diagnosis based on sensor fusion is illustrated to show the efficiency of the proposed method. The results show that the proposed method improves the accuracy of fault diagnosis from 81.19% to 89.48% compared to the existing methods. PMID:26797611

Could intranasal oxytocin be used to enhance relationships? Research imperatives, clinical policy, and ethical considerations.

PubMed

Wudarczyk, Olga A; Earp, Brian D; Guastella, Adam; Savulescu, Julian

2013-09-01

Well-functioning romantic relationships are important for long-term health and well being, but they are often difficult to sustain. This difficulty arises (in part) because of an underlying tension between our psychobiological natures, culture/environment, and modern love and relationship goals. One possible solution to this predicament is to intervene at the level of psychobiology, enhancing partners' interpersonal connection through neurochemical modulation. This article focuses on a single, promising biobehavioral sub-system for such intervention: the attachment system, based largely upon the expression of the neuropeptide oxytocin. Could the exogenous administration of oxytocin - under the right conditions - be used to facilitate relational or marital well being? If so, it would require considerable forethought. Recent research complicates the popular image of oxytocin as a universal social enhancer or 'love hormone' and shows that it may exert a variety of different effects, at different dosages, on different people, under different circumstances. Accordingly, we discuss what is known about oxytocin, including its 'good' and 'bad' effects on human behavior and on higher-order functional processes. Building upon animal-model, human preclinical, and clinical findings, we outline a proposal for the use of oxytocin in the therapeutic neuroenhancement of contemporary romantic relationships. Highlighting key targets for future research along the way, we then conclude by discussing some of the clinical and ethical considerations that would pertain to the implementation of this knowledge in applied settings.

UC/MALDI-MS analysis of HDL; evidence for density-dependent post-translational modifications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Johnson, Jeffery D.; Henriquez, Ronald R.; Tichy, Shane E.; Russell, David H.; McNeal, Catherine J.; Macfarlane, Ronald D.

2007-12-01

The purpose of this study is to determine whether the nature of the post-translational modifications of the major apolipoproteins of HDL is different for density-distinct subclasses. These subclasses were separated by ultracentrifugation using a novel density-forming solute to yield a high-resolution separation. The serum of two subjects, a control with a normolipidemic profile and a subject with diagnosed cardiovascular disease, was studied. Aliquots of three HDL subclasses were analyzed by MALDI and considerable differences were seen when comparing density-distinct subclasses and also when comparing the two subjects. A detailed analysis of the post-translational modification pattern of apoA-1 shows evidence of considerable protease activity, particularly in the more dense fractions. We conclude that part of the heterogeneity of the population of HDL particles is due to density-dependent protease activity.

Express yourself: bold individuals induce enhanced morphological defences

PubMed Central

Hulthén, Kaj; Chapman, Ben B.; Nilsson, P. Anders; Hollander, Johan; Brönmark, Christer

2014-01-01

Organisms display an impressive array of defence strategies in nature. Inducible defences (changes in morphology and/or behaviour within a prey's lifetime) allow prey to decrease vulnerability to predators and avoid unnecessary costs of expression. Many studies report considerable interindividual variation in the degree to which inducible defences are expressed, yet what underlies this variation is poorly understood. Here, we show that individuals differing in a key personality trait also differ in the magnitude of morphological defence expression. Crucian carp showing risky behaviours (bold individuals) expressed a significantly greater morphological defence response when exposed to a natural enemy when compared with shy individuals. Furthermore, we show that fish of different personality types differ in their behavioural plasticity, with shy fish exhibiting greater absolute plasticity than bold fish. Our data suggest that individuals with bold personalities may be able to compensate for their risk-prone behavioural type by expressing enhanced morphological defences. PMID:24335987

267 Spanish Exomes Reveal Population-Specific Differences in Disease-Related Genetic Variation.

PubMed

Dopazo, Joaquín; Amadoz, Alicia; Bleda, Marta; Garcia-Alonso, Luz; Alemán, Alejandro; García-García, Francisco; Rodriguez, Juan A; Daub, Josephine T; Muntané, Gerard; Rueda, Antonio; Vela-Boza, Alicia; López-Domingo, Francisco J; Florido, Javier P; Arce, Pablo; Ruiz-Ferrer, Macarena; Méndez-Vidal, Cristina; Arnold, Todd E; Spleiss, Olivia; Alvarez-Tejado, Miguel; Navarro, Arcadi; Bhattacharya, Shomi S; Borrego, Salud; Santoyo-López, Javier; Antiñolo, Guillermo

2016-05-01

Recent results from large-scale genomic projects suggest that allele frequencies, which are highly relevant for medical purposes, differ considerably across different populations. The need for a detailed catalog of local variability motivated the whole-exome sequencing of 267 unrelated individuals, representative of the healthy Spanish population. Like in other studies, a considerable number of rare variants were found (almost one-third of the described variants). There were also relevant differences in allelic frequencies in polymorphic variants, including ∼10,000 polymorphisms private to the Spanish population. The allelic frequencies of variants conferring susceptibility to complex diseases (including cancer, schizophrenia, Alzheimer disease, type 2 diabetes, and other pathologies) were overall similar to those of other populations. However, the trend is the opposite for variants linked to Mendelian and rare diseases (including several retinal degenerative dystrophies and cardiomyopathies) that show marked frequency differences between populations. Interestingly, a correspondence between differences in allelic frequencies and disease prevalence was found, highlighting the relevance of frequency differences in disease risk. These differences are also observed in variants that disrupt known drug binding sites, suggesting an important role for local variability in population-specific drug resistances or adverse effects. We have made the Spanish population variant server web page that contains population frequency information for the complete list of 170,888 variant positions we found publicly available (http://spv.babelomics.org/), We show that it if fundamental to determine population-specific variant frequencies to distinguish real disease associations from population-specific polymorphisms. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Molecular Biology and Evolution.

Occurrence of different Canine distemper virus lineages in Italian dogs.

PubMed

Balboni, Andrea; De Lorenzo Dandola, Giorgia; Scagliarini, Alessandra; Prosperi, Santino; Battilani, Mara

2014-01-01

This study describes the sequence analysis of the H gene of 7 Canine distemper virus (CDV) strains identified in dogs in Italy between years 2002-2012. The phylogenetic analysis showed that the CDV strains belonged to 2 clusters: 6 viruses were identified as Arctic-like lineage and 1 as Europe 1 lineage. These data show a considerable prevalence of Arctic-like-CDVs in the analysed dogs. The dogs and the 3 viruses more recently identified showed 4 distinctive amino acid mutations compared to all other Arctic CDVs.

Proteolytic and ACE-inhibitory activities of probiotic yogurt containing non-viable bacteria as affected by different levels of fat, inulin and starter culture.

PubMed

Shakerian, Mansour; Razavi, Seyed Hadi; Ziai, Seyed Ali; Khodaiyan, Faramarz; Yarmand, Mohammad Saeid; Moayedi, Ali

2015-04-01

In this study, the effects of fat (0.5 %, 3.2 % and 5.0 %), inulin (0.0 and 1.0 %) and starter culture (0.0 %, 0.5 %, 1.0 % and 1.5 %) on the angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE)-inhibitory activity of probiotic yogurt containing non-viable bacteria were assessed. Proteolytic activities of bacteria were also investigated. Yogurts were prepared either using a sole yogurt commercial culture including Streptococcus thermophilus and Lactobacillus delbrueckii subs. bulgaricus or bifidobacterium animalis BB-12 and Lactobacillus acidophilus La5 in addition to yogurt culture. Relative degrees of proteolysis were found to be considerably higher in yogurt samples than UHT milk as the control. Both regular and probiotic yogurts showed considerable ACE-inhibitory activities. Results showed that degree of proteolysis was not influenced by different fat contents, while was increased by high concentration of starter culture (1.5 % w/w) and reduced by inulin (1 % w/w). ACE-inhibitory activities of yogurt were also negatively affected by the presence of inulin and high levels of fat (5 % w/w). Moreover, yogurt containing probiotic bacteria showed higher inhibitory against ACE in comparison to the yogurt prepared with non-probiotic strains.

Thinking Together: Modeling Clinical Decision-Support as a Sociotechnical System

PubMed Central

Hussain, Mustafa I.; Reynolds, Tera L.; Mousavi, Fatemeh E.; Chen, Yunan; Zheng, Kai

2017-01-01

Computerized clinical decision-support systems are members of larger sociotechnical systems, composed of human and automated actors, who send, receive, and manipulate artifacts. Sociotechnical consideration is rare in the literature. This makes it difficult to comparatively evaluate the success of CDS implementations, and it may also indicate that sociotechnical context receives inadequate consideration in practice. To facilitate sociotechnical consideration, we developed the Thinking Together model, a flexible diagrammatical means of representing CDS systems as sociotechnical systems. To develop this model, we examined the literature with the lens of Distributed Cognition (DCog) theory. We then present two case studies of vastly different CDSSs, one almost fully automated and the other with minimal automation, to illustrate the flexibility of the Thinking Together model. We show that this model, informed by DCog and the CDS literature, are capable of supporting both research, by enabling comparative evaluation, and practice, by facilitating explicit sociotechnical planning and communication. PMID:29854164

Time dependence of composite shrinkage using halogen and LED light curing.

PubMed

Uhl, Alexander; Mills, Robin W; Rzanny, Angelika E; Jandt, Klaus D

2005-03-01

The polymerization shrinkage of light cured dental composites presents the major drawback for these aesthetically adaptable restorative materials. LED based light curing technology has recently become commercially available. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate if there was a statistically significant difference in linear and volumetric composite shrinkage strain if a LED LCU is used for the light curing process rather than a conventional halogen LCU. The volumetric shrinkage strain was determined using the Archimedes buoyancy principle after 5, 10, 20, 40 s of light curing and after 120 s following the 40 s light curing time period. The linear shrinkage strain was determined with a dynamic mechanical analyzer for the composites Z100, Spectrum, Solitaire2 and Definite polymerized with the LCUs Trilight (halogen), Freelight I (LED) and LED63 (LED LCU prototype). The changes in irradiance and spectra of the LCUs were measured after 0, 312 and 360 min of duty time. In general there was no considerable difference in shrinkage of the composites Z100, Spectrum or Solitaire2 when the LED63 was used instead of the Trilight. There was, however, a statistically significant difference in shrinkage strain when the composite Definite was polymerized with the LED63 instead of the Trilight. The spectrum of the Trilight changed during the experiment considerably whereas the LED63 showed an almost constant light output. The Freelight I dropped considerably in irradiance and had to be withdrawn from the study because of technical problems. The composites containing only the photoinitiator camphorquinone showed similar shrinkage strain behaviour when a LED or halogen LCU is used for the polymerization. The irradiance of some LED LCUs can also decrease over time and should therefore be checked on a regular basis.

[Genetic diversity of modern Russian durum wheat cultivars at the gliadin-coding loci].

PubMed

Kudriavtsev, A M; Dedova, L V; Mel'nik, V A; Shishkina, A A; Upelniek, V P; Novosel'skaia-Dragovich, A Iu

2014-05-01

The allelic diversity at four gliadin-coding loci was examined in modern cultivars of the spring and winter durum wheat Triticum durum Desf. Comparative analysis of the allelic diversity showed that the gene pools of these two types of durum wheat, having different life styles, were considerably different. For the modern spring durum wheat cultivars, a certain reduction of the genetic diversity was observed compared to the cultivars bred in the 20th century.

Rights

PubMed Central

Paul, Moli

2007-01-01

This article provides an overview of different types of rights to aid consideration of, and debate about, children and young people's rights in the context of paediatrics and child health. It demonstrates how children's rights may or may not differ from adult rights and the implications for practice. It shows that applying a children's rights framework can be more helpful in pursuing a public child health agenda than in reducing ethical or legal conflicts when interacting with child patients and their families. PMID:17642486

Mars rover 1988 concepts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

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

1989-01-01

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

Are All Judgments Created Equal? An fMRI Study of Semantic and Episodic Metamemory Predictions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reggev, Niv; Zuckerman, Maya; Maril, Anat

2011-01-01

Metamemory refers to the ability of individuals to monitor and control their own memory performance. Although little theoretical consideration of the possible differences between the monitoring of episodic and of semantic knowledge has been published, results from patient and drug studies that used the "feeling of knowing" (FOK) paradigm show a…

Orbitals in Chemical Education. An Analysis through Their Graphical Representations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barradas-Solas, Francisco; Gomez, Pedro J. Sanchez

2014-01-01

Students' understanding of the orbital concept has been subject to considerable research and debate and often found at variance with a quantum mechanical ideal. Could it be the case that orbitals as actually used by practising chemists in teaching and research also differ from that ideal? Our experience shows that this might often be the case.…

Putting Sociology First--Reconsidering the Role of the Social in "Nature of Science" Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zemplen, Gabor A.

2009-01-01

Contrasting two examples from 2005, a creationism-trial and a recent textbook, the article shows two different ways of employing social considerations to demarcate science from non-science. Drawing conclusions from the comparison, and citing some of the leading proponents of science studies, the paper argues for a novel perspective in teaching…

Comparison of AVHRR and SMMR data for monitoring vegetation phenology on a continental scale

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Justice, C. O.; Townshend, J. R. G.; Choudhury, B. J.

1989-01-01

AVHRR normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) data for a one-year period were compared with Scanning Multichannel Microwave Radiometer microwave polarization difference temperature (MPDT) data for the study of vegetation phenology. It is shown that the MPDT response differs considerably from the seasonal NDVI pattern. The results do not support the hypothetical relationship between MPDT and leaf water content. It is found that only vegetation types with a substantial seasonal variation in the areal extent of vegetated cover show strong seasonality in MPDT data.

Microprobe studies of microtomed particles of white druse salts in shergottite EETA 79001

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lindstrom, D. J.

1991-01-01

The white druse material in Antarctic shergottite EETA 79001 has attracted much attention as a possible sample fo Martian aqueous deposits. Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis (INAA) was used to determine trace element analyses of small particles of this material obtained by handpicking of likely grains from broken surfaces of the meteorite. Electron microprobe work was attempted on grain areas as large as 150x120 microns. Backscattered electron images show considerable variations in brightness, and botryoidal structures were observed. Microprobe analyses showed considerable variability both within single particles and between different particles. Microtomed surfaces of small selected particles were shown to be very useful in obtaining information on the texture and composition of rare lithologies like the white druse of EETA 79001. This material is clearly heterogeneous on all distance scales, so a large number of further analyses will be required to characterize it.

Thermodynamic and transport properties of frozen and reacting pH2-oH2 mixtures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Carter, H. G.; Bullock, R. E.

1972-01-01

Application of experimental state data and spectroscopic term values shows that the thermodynamic and transport properties of reacting pH2-oH2 mixtures are considerably different than those of chemically frozen pH2 at temperatures below 300 R. Calculated H-S data also show that radiation-induced pH2-oH2 equilibration at constant enthalpy produces a temperature drop of at least 28 R, corresponding to an ideal shaft work loss of 15% or more for a turbine operating downstream from the point of conversion. Aside from differences in thermodynamic and transport properties, frozen pH2-oH2 mixtures may differ from pure pH2 on a purely hydrodynamical basis.

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

PubMed

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

2016-01-01

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

How digital are the Digital Humanities? An analysis of two scholarly blogging platforms.

PubMed

Puschmann, Cornelius; Bastos, Marco

2015-01-01

In this paper we compare two academic networking platforms, HASTAC and Hypotheses, to show the distinct ways in which they serve specific communities in the Digital Humanities (DH) in different national and disciplinary contexts. After providing background information on both platforms, we apply co-word analysis and topic modeling to show thematic similarities and differences between the two sites, focusing particularly on how they frame DH as a new paradigm in humanities research. We encounter a much higher ratio of posts using humanities-related terms compared to their digital counterparts, suggesting a one-way dependency of digital humanities-related terms on the corresponding unprefixed labels. The results also show that the terms digital archive, digital literacy, and digital pedagogy are relatively independent from the respective unprefixed terms, and that digital publishing, digital libraries, and digital media show considerable cross-pollination between the specialization and the general noun. The topic modeling reproduces these findings and reveals further differences between the two platforms. Our findings also indicate local differences in how the emerging field of DH is conceptualized and show dynamic topical shifts inside these respective contexts.

Indispensable finite time corrections for Fokker-Planck equations from time series data.

PubMed

Ragwitz, M; Kantz, H

2001-12-17

The reconstruction of Fokker-Planck equations from observed time series data suffers strongly from finite sampling rates. We show that previously published results are degraded considerably by such effects. We present correction terms which yield a robust estimation of the diffusion terms, together with a novel method for one-dimensional problems. We apply these methods to time series data of local surface wind velocities, where the dependence of the diffusion constant on the state variable shows a different behavior than previously suggested.

Mutual information based feature selection for medical image retrieval

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhi, Lijia; Zhang, Shaomin; Li, Yan

2018-04-01

In this paper, authors propose a mutual information based method for lung CT image retrieval. This method is designed to adapt to different datasets and different retrieval task. For practical applying consideration, this method avoids using a large amount of training data. Instead, with a well-designed training process and robust fundamental features and measurements, the method in this paper can get promising performance and maintain economic training computation. Experimental results show that the method has potential practical values for clinical routine application.

Use of updated material properties in parametric optimization of spaceborne mirrors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hull, Tony; Westerhoff, Thomas; Weidmann, Guenter; Kirchhoff, Rule

2016-07-01

Spaceborne sensor mirrors need to be both structurally efficient and to maintain figure through thermal transients. Both properties can be represented in a plot showing structural efficiency on one axis and thermal transient resilience on the other. For material selection, engineers have effectively used such charts. However in some cases thermal attributes have improved considerably. Using contemporary values, this comparison chart looks differently. We will discuss how lines of equal merit may be formulated differently depending on the orbit of the mission.

Comparison of automatic control systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Oppelt, W

1941-01-01

This report deals with a reciprocal comparison of an automatic pressure control, an automatic rpm control, an automatic temperature control, and an automatic directional control. It shows the difference between the "faultproof" regulator and the actual regulator which is subject to faults, and develops this difference as far as possible in a parallel manner with regard to the control systems under consideration. Such as analysis affords, particularly in its extension to the faults of the actual regulator, a deep insight into the mechanism of the regulator process.

Individual differences in selective attention predict speech identification at a cocktail party.

PubMed

Oberfeld, Daniel; Klöckner-Nowotny, Felicitas

2016-08-31

Listeners with normal hearing show considerable individual differences in speech understanding when competing speakers are present, as in a crowded restaurant. Here, we show that one source of this variance are individual differences in the ability to focus selective attention on a target stimulus in the presence of distractors. In 50 young normal-hearing listeners, the performance in tasks measuring auditory and visual selective attention was associated with sentence identification in the presence of spatially separated competing speakers. Together, the measures of selective attention explained a similar proportion of variance as the binaural sensitivity for the acoustic temporal fine structure. Working memory span, age, and audiometric thresholds showed no significant association with speech understanding. These results suggest that a reduced ability to focus attention on a target is one reason why some listeners with normal hearing sensitivity have difficulty communicating in situations with background noise.

Influence of dough ingredients on 3-chloropropane-1,2-diol (3-MCPD) formation in toast.

PubMed

Breitling-Utzmann, C M; Hrenn, H; Haase, N U; Unbehend, G M

2005-02-01

The influence of different dough ingredients such as fat, salt, sourdough, emulsifiers, and sugar on the formation of 3-chloropropane-1,2-diol (3-MCPD) during toast preparation under domestic conditions was investigated. In comparison with a fat-free recipe, addition of 1% peanut fat considerably increased 3-MCPD formation, but varying the fat (2-5%) or salt (1.6-2.4%) contents within technological acceptable limits did not show any significant differences. A baking agent, which is usually commercially applied by many toast bakers or industrial toast manufacturers, increased 3-MCPD formation in toasted bread slices. Considerable evidence was found that the baking agent's main component sucrose had the major part in increasing 3-MCPD levels. Emulsifiers containing monoacylglycerols moderately increased 3-MCPD levels, but the addition of lecithin did not have any significant influence. 3-MCPD levels showed a good correlation with the lightness (L* value) of the bread slices; their 3-MCPD content increased exponentially towards dark coloured toasts. The relation between 3-MCPD and 2-MCPD was an average of 3:1 in all samples. Dichloropropanols such as, for example, 1,3-dichloropropanol could not be detected.

Malaria in the United Republic of Tanzania: cultural considerations and health-seeking behaviour.

PubMed Central

Oberländer, L.; Elverdan, B.

2000-01-01

Malaria is one of the biggest health problems in sub-Saharan Africa. Large amounts of resources have been invested to control and treat it. Few studies have recognized that local explanations for the symptoms of malaria may lead to the attribution of different causes for the disease and thus to the seeking of different treatments. This article illustrates the local nosology of Bondei society in the north-eastern part of the United Republic of Tanzania and shows how sociocultural context affects health-seeking behaviour. It shows how in this context therapy is best viewed as a process in which beliefs and actions are continuously debated and evaluated throughout the course of treatment. PMID:11143196

Genetic and environmental contributions to children's prosocial behavior: brief review and new evidence from a reanalysis of experimental twin data.

PubMed

Knafo-Noam, Ariel; Vertsberger, Dana; Israel, Salomon

2018-04-01

Children's prosocial behaviors show considerable variability. Here we discuss the genetic and environmental contributions to individual differences in children's prosocial behavior. Twin research systematically shows, at least from the age of 3 years, a genetic contribution to individual differences in prosocial behavior, both questionnaire-based and observed. This finding is demonstrated across a wide variety of cultures. We discuss the possibility that different prosocial behaviors have different genetic etiologies. A re-analysis of past twin data shows that sharing and comforting are affected by overlapping genetic factors at age 3.5 years. In contrast, the association between helping and comforting is attributed to environmental factors. The few molecular genetic studies of children's prosocial behavior are reviewed, and we point out genome-wide and polygenic methods as a key future direction. Finally, we discuss the interplay of genetic and environmental factors, focusing on both gene×environment interactions and gene-environment correlations. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

HCMM energy budget data as a model input for assessing regions of high potential groundwater pollution

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Moore, D. G. (Principal Investigator); Heilman, J.; Tunheim, J. A.; Baumberger, V.

1978-01-01

The author has identified the following significant results. To investigate the general relationship between surface temperature and soil moisture profiles, a series of model calculations were carried out. Soil temperature profiles were calculated during a complete diurnal cycle for a variety of moisture profiles. Preliminary results indicate the surface temperature difference between two sites measured at about 1400 hours is related to the difference in soil moisture within the diurnal damping depth (about 50 cm). The model shows this temperature difference to vary considerably throughout the diurnal cycle.

Multichannel quench-flow microreactor chip for parallel reaction monitoring.

PubMed

Bula, Wojciech P; Verboom, Willem; Reinhoudt, David N; Gardeniers, Han J G E

2007-12-01

This paper describes a multichannel silicon-glass microreactor which has been utilized to investigate the kinetics of a Knoevenagel condensation reaction under different reaction conditions. The reaction is performed on the chip in four parallel channels under identical conditions but with different residence times. A special topology of the reaction coils overcomes the common problem arising from the difference in pressure drop of parallel channels having different length. The parallelization of reaction coils combined with chemical quenching at specific locations results in a considerable reduction in experimental effort and cost. The system was tested and showed good reproducibility in flow properties and reaction kinetic data generation.

Individual Differences in the Alignment of Structural and Functional Markers of the V5/MT Complex in Primates

PubMed Central

Large, I.; Bridge, H.; Ahmed, B.; Clare, S.; Kolasinski, J.; Lam, W. W.; Miller, K. L.; Dyrby, T. B.; Parker, A. J.; Smith, J. E. T.; Daubney, G.; Sallet, J.; Bell, A. H.; Krug, K.

2016-01-01

Extrastriate visual area V5/MT in primates is defined both structurally by myeloarchitecture and functionally by distinct responses to visual motion. Myelination is directly identifiable from postmortem histology but also indirectly by image contrast with structural magnetic resonance imaging (sMRI). First, we compared the identification of V5/MT using both sMRI and histology in Rhesus macaques. A section-by-section comparison of histological slices with in vivo and postmortem sMRI for the same block of cortical tissue showed precise correspondence in localizing heavy myelination for V5/MT and neighboring MST. Thus, sMRI in macaques accurately locates histologically defined myelin within areas known to be motion selective. Second, we investigated the functionally homologous human motion complex (hMT+) using high-resolution in vivo imaging. Humans showed considerable intersubject variability in hMT+ location, when defined with myelin-weighted sMRI signals to reveal structure. When comparing sMRI markers to functional MRI in response to moving stimuli, a region of high myelin signal was generally located within the hMT+ complex. However, there were considerable differences in the alignment of structural and functional markers between individuals. Our results suggest that variation in area identification for hMT+ based on structural and functional markers reflects individual differences in human regional brain architecture. PMID:27371764

No rationale for 1 variable per 10 events criterion for binary logistic regression analysis.

PubMed

van Smeden, Maarten; de Groot, Joris A H; Moons, Karel G M; Collins, Gary S; Altman, Douglas G; Eijkemans, Marinus J C; Reitsma, Johannes B

2016-11-24

Ten events per variable (EPV) is a widely advocated minimal criterion for sample size considerations in logistic regression analysis. Of three previous simulation studies that examined this minimal EPV criterion only one supports the use of a minimum of 10 EPV. In this paper, we examine the reasons for substantial differences between these extensive simulation studies. The current study uses Monte Carlo simulations to evaluate small sample bias, coverage of confidence intervals and mean square error of logit coefficients. Logistic regression models fitted by maximum likelihood and a modified estimation procedure, known as Firth's correction, are compared. The results show that besides EPV, the problems associated with low EPV depend on other factors such as the total sample size. It is also demonstrated that simulation results can be dominated by even a few simulated data sets for which the prediction of the outcome by the covariates is perfect ('separation'). We reveal that different approaches for identifying and handling separation leads to substantially different simulation results. We further show that Firth's correction can be used to improve the accuracy of regression coefficients and alleviate the problems associated with separation. The current evidence supporting EPV rules for binary logistic regression is weak. Given our findings, there is an urgent need for new research to provide guidance for supporting sample size considerations for binary logistic regression analysis.

Optical arc sensor using energy harvesting power source

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

Choi, Kyoo Nam, E-mail: knchoi@inu.ac.kr; Rho, Hee Hyuk, E-mail: rdoubleh0902@inu.ac.kr

Wireless sensors without external power supply gained considerable attention due to convenience both in installation and operation. Optical arc detecting sensor equipping with self sustaining power supply using energy harvesting method was investigated. Continuous energy harvesting method was attempted using thermoelectric generator to supply standby power in micro ampere scale and operating power in mA scale. Peltier module with heat-sink was used for high efficiency electricity generator. Optical arc detecting sensor with hybrid filter showed insensitivity to fluorescent and incandescent lamps under simulated distribution panel condition. Signal processing using integrating function showed selective arc discharge detection capability to different arcmore » energy levels, with a resolution below 17 J energy difference, unaffected by bursting arc waveform. The sensor showed possibility for application to arc discharge detecting sensor in power distribution panel. Also experiment with proposed continuous energy harvesting method using thermoelectric power showed possibility as a self sustainable power source of remote sensor.« less

Optical arc sensor using energy harvesting power source

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Choi, Kyoo Nam; Rho, Hee Hyuk

2016-06-01

Wireless sensors without external power supply gained considerable attention due to convenience both in installation and operation. Optical arc detecting sensor equipping with self sustaining power supply using energy harvesting method was investigated. Continuous energy harvesting method was attempted using thermoelectric generator to supply standby power in micro ampere scale and operating power in mA scale. Peltier module with heat-sink was used for high efficiency electricity generator. Optical arc detecting sensor with hybrid filter showed insensitivity to fluorescent and incandescent lamps under simulated distribution panel condition. Signal processing using integrating function showed selective arc discharge detection capability to different arc energy levels, with a resolution below 17J energy difference, unaffected by bursting arc waveform. The sensor showed possibility for application to arc discharge detecting sensor in power distribution panel. Also experiment with proposed continuous energy harvesting method using thermoelectric power showed possibility as a self sustainable power source of remote sensor.

The triangle of the urinary bladder in American mink (Mustela vision (Brisson, 1756)).

PubMed

Gościcka, D; Krakowiak, E; Kepczyńska, M

1994-01-01

60 bladders of American minks were dissected according to conventional method. Biometrical analysis with the use of digital image analysis system was applied to the triangles of the bladders. It was found that these triangles differ both in shape (narrow, broad) and symmetry (considerable asymmetry). The ureteral orifices also showed a variety in shape (five types) and number (double orifices).

Effects of Consideration of Future Consequences and Temporal Framing on Acceptance of the HPV Vaccine Among Young Adults.

PubMed

Kim, Jarim; Nan, Xiaoli

2016-09-01

This study examines how individual difference in consideration of future consequences (CFC) and temporal framing (i.e., present- vs. future-oriented message) interact to influence the persuasive outcomes of a health message promoting human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination among young adults. Results of an experiment (N = 416) showed a significant interaction effect of CFC and temporal framing on persuasion. The nature of the interaction suggested that individuals with high CFC generally were more persuaded by the present-oriented messages, compared to the future-oriented messages. On the other hand, those with low CFC responded similarly to the present- and future-oriented messages. Implications of the findings for HPV vaccination messaging are discussed.

Cost-oriented evaluation of ecosystem services under consideration of income risks and risk attitudes of farmers.

PubMed

Dörschner, T; Musshoff, O

2013-09-30

Agri-environmental measures are often not as accepted among farmers as is expected. The present study investigates whether changes in income risks and the individual risk attitudes of farmers may constitute an explanatory approach for the low acceptance of the measures. For this purpose, a normative model is developed that calculates the premia claimed by the farmers for adopting environmental measures under the consideration of income risks and different risk attitudes. We apply this model to environmental measures aiming at an increase of the faunistic diversity of species on grassland and showing that changes in income risks and the decision makers' risk attitudes can significantly influence farmers' minimum compensation claims. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

How Digital Are the Digital Humanities? An Analysis of Two Scholarly Blogging Platforms

PubMed Central

Puschmann, Cornelius; Bastos, Marco

2015-01-01

In this paper we compare two academic networking platforms, HASTAC and Hypotheses, to show the distinct ways in which they serve specific communities in the Digital Humanities (DH) in different national and disciplinary contexts. After providing background information on both platforms, we apply co-word analysis and topic modeling to show thematic similarities and differences between the two sites, focusing particularly on how they frame DH as a new paradigm in humanities research. We encounter a much higher ratio of posts using humanities-related terms compared to their digital counterparts, suggesting a one-way dependency of digital humanities-related terms on the corresponding unprefixed labels. The results also show that the terms digital archive, digital literacy, and digital pedagogy are relatively independent from the respective unprefixed terms, and that digital publishing, digital libraries, and digital media show considerable cross-pollination between the specialization and the general noun. The topic modeling reproduces these findings and reveals further differences between the two platforms. Our findings also indicate local differences in how the emerging field of DH is conceptualized and show dynamic topical shifts inside these respective contexts. PMID:25675441

Significant differences in ion and electron guiding through highly insulating capillaries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stolterfoht, N.; Tanis, J.

2018-04-01

Outstanding phenomena of capillary guiding are discussed in accordance with a recent review in the field. Experiments concerning highly charged ions of a few keV energy guided through insulating nanocapillaries are shown. Studies of the temporal evolution of ion transmission are presented. Attention is focused on oscillatory structures in the ion emission and the independence of the ion guiding on the beam intensity. A few experiments of electron guiding are presented showing a significantly different temporal evolution of the transmitted intensity. The onset of the electron transmission is very sudden accompanied by a considerable energy loss within the capillary. To achieve more insight into the different guiding mechanisms, theoretical aspects of the capillary guiding are analyzed. A scenario is offered to explain the abrupt rise of transmitted electrons. Altogether, these studies show that ion and electron guiding are accomplished through different manifestations of the charge build up that underlies both.

Release of theophylline and carbamazepine from matrix tablets--consequences of HPMC chemical heterogeneity.

PubMed

Viridén, Anna; Abrahmsén-Alami, Susanna; Wittgren, Bengt; Larsson, Anette

2011-08-01

The release of theophylline and carbamazepine from matrix tablets composed of microcrystalline cellulose, lactose and hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) was studied. The aim was to investigate the effect of different substituent heterogeneities of HPMC on the drug release from matrix tablets composed of either 35% or 45% HPMC. The release of the poorly soluble carbamazepine was considerably affected by the HPMC heterogeneity, and the time difference at 80% drug release was more than 12h between the formulations of different HPMC batches. This was explained by slower polymer erosion of the heterogeneous HPMC and the fact that carbamazepine was mainly released by erosion. In addition, results from magnetic resonance imaging showed that the rate of water transport into the tablets was similar. This explained the comparable results of the release of the sparingly soluble theophylline from the two formulations even though the polymer erosion and the swelling of the tablets were considerably different. Thus, it can be concluded that the drug release was highly affected by the substituent heterogeneity, especially in the case of carbamazepine, which was released mainly by erosion. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Genetic variation affecting host-parasite interactions: different genes affect different aspects of sigma virus replication and transmission in Drosophila melanogaster.

PubMed

Bangham, Jenny; Kim, Kang-Wook; Webster, Claire L; Jiggins, Francis M

2008-04-01

In natural populations, genetic variation affects resistance to disease. Knowing how much variation exists, and understanding the genetic architecture of this variation, is important for medicine, for agriculture, and for understanding evolutionary processes. To investigate the extent and nature of genetic variation affecting resistance to pathogens, we are studying a tractable model system: Drosophila melanogaster and its natural pathogen the vertically transmitted sigma virus. We show that considerable genetic variation affects transmission of the virus from parent to offspring. However, maternal and paternal transmission of the virus is affected by different genes. Maternal transmission is a simple Mendelian trait: most of the genetic variation is explained by a polymorphism in ref(2)P, a gene already well known to affect resistance to sigma. In contrast, there is considerable genetic variation in paternal transmission that cannot be explained by ref(2)P and is caused by other loci on chromosome 2. Furthermore, we found no genetic correlation between paternal transmission of the virus and resistance to infection by the sigma virus following injection. This suggests that different loci affect viral replication and paternal transmission.

Variation in reaction norms: Statistical considerations and biological interpretation.

PubMed

Morrissey, Michael B; Liefting, Maartje

2016-09-01

Analysis of reaction norms, the functions by which the phenotype produced by a given genotype depends on the environment, is critical to studying many aspects of phenotypic evolution. Different techniques are available for quantifying different aspects of reaction norm variation. We examine what biological inferences can be drawn from some of the more readily applicable analyses for studying reaction norms. We adopt a strongly biologically motivated view, but draw on statistical theory to highlight strengths and drawbacks of different techniques. In particular, consideration of some formal statistical theory leads to revision of some recently, and forcefully, advocated opinions on reaction norm analysis. We clarify what simple analysis of the slope between mean phenotype in two environments can tell us about reaction norms, explore the conditions under which polynomial regression can provide robust inferences about reaction norm shape, and explore how different existing approaches may be used to draw inferences about variation in reaction norm shape. We show how mixed model-based approaches can provide more robust inferences than more commonly used multistep statistical approaches, and derive new metrics of the relative importance of variation in reaction norm intercepts, slopes, and curvatures. © 2016 The Author(s). Evolution © 2016 The Society for the Study of Evolution.

Focus on the success of others leads to selfish behavior

PubMed Central

van den Berg, Pieter; Molleman, Lucas; Weissing, Franz J.

2015-01-01

It has often been argued that the spectacular cognitive capacities of humans are the result of selection for the ability to gather, process, and use information about other people. Recent studies show that humans strongly and consistently differ in what type of social information they are interested in. Although some individuals mainly attend to what the majority is doing (frequency-based learning), others focus on the success that their peers achieve with their behavior (success-based learning). Here, we show that such differences in social learning have important consequences for the outcome of social interactions. We report on a decision-making experiment in which individuals were first classified as frequency- and success-based learners and subsequently grouped according to their learning strategy. When confronted with a social dilemma situation, groups of frequency-based learners cooperated considerably more than groups of success-based learners. A detailed analysis of the decision-making process reveals that these differences in cooperation are a direct result of the differences in information use. Our results show that individual differences in social learning strategies are crucial for understanding social behavior. PMID:25730855

An exploration of multilevel modeling for estimating access to drinking-water and sanitation.

PubMed

Wolf, Jennyfer; Bonjour, Sophie; Prüss-Ustün, Annette

2013-03-01

Monitoring progress towards the targets for access to safe drinking-water and sanitation under the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) requires reliable estimates and indicators. We analyzed trends and reviewed current indicators used for those targets. We developed continuous time series for 1990 to 2015 for access to improved drinking-water sources and improved sanitation facilities by country using multilevel modeling (MLM). We show that MLM is a reliable and transparent tool with many advantages over alternative approaches to estimate access to facilities. Using current indicators, the MDG target for water would be met, but the target for sanitation missed considerably. The number of people without access to such services is still increasing in certain regions. Striking differences persist between urban and rural areas. Consideration of water quality and different classification of shared sanitation facilities would, however, alter estimates considerably. To achieve improved monitoring we propose: (1) considering the use of MLM as an alternative for estimating access to safe drinking-water and sanitation; (2) completing regular assessments of water quality and supporting the development of national regulatory frameworks as part of capacity development; (3) evaluating health impacts of shared sanitation; (4) using a more equitable presentation of countries' performances in providing improved services.

Children's Avoidance of Interrupting Others' Activities in Requesting Help: Cultural Aspects of Considerateness.

PubMed

Ruvalcaba, Omar; Rogoff, Barbara; López, Angélica; Correa-Chávez, Maricela; Gutiérrez, Kris

2015-01-01

To be able to collaborate skillfully, people need to coordinate well with others, taking into account how their actions fit with those of their partners. This is a key aspect of an approach to learning called Learning by Observing and Pitching In, hypothesized to be common in many Indigenous-heritage communities of the Americas. This chapter considers cultural values that emphasize considerateness and awareness of how one's actions impact others such as the Mexican cultural value of respeto and cultural differences in children's efforts to avoid interrupting others' activity. US Mexican-heritage children showed more evidence of avoiding interrupting the ongoing activity of an adult when they requested help, compared with European American children from families with extensive schooling experience. Most of the Mexican-heritage children's requests for help that gave evidence of avoiding interruption were made nonverbally, which may facilitate unobtrusive requests. There were no significant differences among children from two US Mexican-heritage backgrounds varying in experience with Western schooling and likely experience with Indigenous-American practices, suggesting that the Mexican cultural value of respeto and associated considerateness is widespread even among US Mexican-heritage families with extensive experience with Western schooling and life in the United States. © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Spectroscopic investigation of herpes simplex viruses infected cells and their response to antiviral therapy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Erukhimovitch, Vitaly; Talyshinsky, Marina; Souprun, Yelena; Huleihel, Mahmoud

2006-07-01

In the present study, we used microscopic Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) to evaluate the antiviral activity of known antiviral agents against herpes viruses. The antiviral activity of Caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) (which is an active compound of propolis) against herpes simplex type 1 and 2 was examined in cell culture. The advantage of microscopic FTIR spectroscopy over conventional FTIR spectroscopy is that it facilitates inspection of restricted regions of cell culture or tissue. Our results showed significant spectral differences at early stages of infection between infected and non-infected cells, and between infected cells treated with the used antiviral agent and those not treated. In infected cells, there was a considerable increase in phosphate levels. Our results show that treatment with used antiviral agent considerably abolish the spectral changes induced by the viral infection. In addition, it is possible to track by FTIR microscopy method the deferential effect of various doses of the drug.

Crystallization in Micellar Cores: confinement effects and dynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lund, Reidar; Zinn, Thomas; Willner, Lutz; Department of Chemistry, University of Oslo Team; Forschungszentrum Jülich Collaboration

It is well known that liquids confined to small nanoscopic pores and droplets exhibit thermal behavior very different from bulk samples. Here we demonstrate that n-alkanes forming 2-3 nm small micellar cores are considerably affected by confinement in analogue with hard confined systems. We study micelles form by self-assembly of a series of well-defined n-Alkyl-PEO polymers in aqueous solutions. By using small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), densiometry and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), we show that n-alkane exhibit a first-order phase transition i.e. melting. Correlating the structural and thermodynamic data, we find that a melting depression can be accurately described by the Gibbs-Thomson equation. ∖f1 The effect of core crystallinity on the molecular exchange kinetics is investigated using time-resolved small-angle neutron scattering (TR-SANS). We show that there are considerable entropic and enthalpic contributions from the chain packing that affect the kinetic stability of micelles. ∖pard

Correlation between length and tilt of lipid tails

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kopelevich, Dmitry I.; Nagle, John F.

2015-10-01

It is becoming recognized from simulations, and to a lesser extent from experiment, that the classical Helfrich-Canham membrane continuum mechanics model can be fruitfully enriched by the inclusion of molecular tilt, even in the fluid, chain disordered, biologically relevant phase of lipid bilayers. Enriched continuum theories then add a tilt modulus κθ to accompany the well recognized bending modulus κ. Different enrichment theories largely agree for many properties, but it has been noticed that there is considerable disagreement in one prediction; one theory postulates that the average length of the hydrocarbon chain tails increases strongly with increasing tilt and another predicts no increase. Our analysis of an all-atom simulation favors the latter theory, but it also shows that the overall tail length decreases slightly with increasing tilt. We show that this deviation from continuum theory can be reconciled by consideration of the average shape of the tails, which is a descriptor not obviously includable in continuum theory.

Tunneling calculations for GaAs-Al(x)Ga(1-x) as graded band-gap sawtooth superlattices. Thesis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Forrest, Kathrine A.; Meijer, Paul H. E.

1991-01-01

Quantum mechanical tunneling calculations for sawtooth (linearly graded band-gap) and step-barrier AlGaAs superlattices were performed by means of a transfer matrix method, within the effective mass approximation. The transmission coefficient and tunneling current versus applied voltage were computed for several representative structures. Particular consideration was given to effective mass variations. The tunneling properties of step and sawtooth superlattices show some qualitative similarities. Both structures exhibit resonant tunneling, however, because they deform differently under applied fields, the J-V curves differ.

Taxonomy, genetic organization, and life cycle of Pneumocystis carinii.

PubMed

Cushion, M T

1998-12-01

Pneumocystis carinii was initially misidentified as a protozoan parasite. Recent molecular and biochemical analyses provide unequivocal evidence for placement of P. carinii with the fungi, and that P. carinii is most likely an ascomycete. Genetic investigations further show that P. carinii derived from different mammalian hosts (human, rat, mouse, and ferret) exhibit considerable chromosomal and gene sequence divergence indicating that they are likely of different species. The life cycle of P. carinii has not been definitively established, but available evidence is reviewed in light of classification of this organism as a fungus.

[Effect of high altitude hypoxia on the human EEG].

PubMed

Daniiarov, S B; Vilenskaia, E M

1980-01-01

The paper presents the results of the comparative study of the EEG at alpine altitudes (Tuya -- Ashu pass, 3200 m) and at low altitudes (City of Frunze, 760 m above the sea level). The dynamics of EEG changes at different stages of adaptation to hypoxia is also traced. The obtained data show that the alpine hypoxia produces a considerable intensification of the excitation processes in the cerebral cortex. Different sensitivity to the oxigen shortage has been found in the frontal-temporal parts of the right and the left hemispheres.

CAD/CAM transtibial prosthetic sockets from central fabrication facilities: How accurate are they?

PubMed Central

Sanders, Joan E.; Rogers, Ellen L.; Sorenson, Elizabeth A.; Lee, Gregory S.; Abrahamson, Daniel C.

2014-01-01

This research compares transtibial prosthetic sockets made by central fabrication facilities with their corresponding American Academy of Orthotists and Prosthetists (AAOP) electronic shape files and assesses the central fabrication process. We ordered three different socket shapes from each of 10 manufacturers. Then we digitized the sockets using a very accurate custom mechanical digitizer. Results showed that quality varied considerably among the different manufacturers. Four of the companies consistently made sockets within +/−1.1% volume (approximately 1 sock ply) of the AAOP electronic shape file, while six other companies did not. Six of the companies showed consistent undersizing or oversizing in their sockets, which suggests a consistent calibration or manufacturing error. Other companies showed inconsistent sizing or shape distortion, a difficult problem that represents a most challenging limitation for central fabrication facilities. PMID:18247236

Not Everybody Sees the Ness in the Darkness: Individual Differences in Masked Suffix Priming

PubMed Central

Medeiros, Joyse; Duñabeitia, Jon Andoni

2016-01-01

The present study explores the role of individual differences in polymorphemic word recognition. Participants completed a masked priming lexical decision experiment on suffixed words in which targets could be preceded by suffix-related words (words sharing the same suffix) or by affixed primes with a different suffix. Participants also completed a monomorphemic word lexical decision and were divided in two groups (fast and slow readers) according to their performance in this task. When the suffix priming data were analyzed taking into consideration participants' reading speed as a proxy for their greater reliance on orthography or on semantics, a significant interaction between reading speed and the magnitude of the masked suffix priming effects emerged. Only slow participants showed significant priming effects, whereas faster participants showed negligible masked suffix priming effects. These results demonstrate that different reading profiles modulate the access to morphological information in a qualitatively different manner and that individual differences in reading determine the manner in which polymorphemic words are processed. PMID:27790180

Locality-specific variation in the feeding of Sparus aurata L.: evidence from two Mediterranean lagoon systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tancioni, L.; Mariani, S.; Maccaroni, A.; Mariani, A.; Massa, F.; Scardi, M.; Cataudella, S.

2003-06-01

A large number of juvenile, sub-adult and adult individuals of Sparus aurata were collected in two adjacent Mediterranean coastal lagoons, Lake Fogliano and Lake Caprolace, located on the central Tyrrhenian coast of Italy. A comprehensive analysis of the feeding habits of this species was carried out using both univariate and multivariate statistical methods. The results showed that qualitative and quantitative changes in the diet of this species take place within the first months of development. Considerable feeding differences between sub-adult and adult individuals of two bream populations were found in the different coastal lagoons: specimens from Fogliano showed a significantly less diverse trophic spectrum, whereas specimens from Caprolace tended to feed on a larger variety of prey. The ecological significance of these differences and their implications for ecosystem management and conservation are discussed.

Climate Change and Morality: Students' perspectives on the individual and society

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sternäng, Li; Lundholm, Cecilia

2011-05-01

There is a growing interest in addressing moral aspects in the research and education of socio-scientific issues. This paper investigates students' interpretations of climate change from a moral perspective. The students were 14 years old, studying at Green Schools in the Beijing area, China. The study was based on semi-structured group interviews and the data were analysed from an intentional perspective, which means that both cognitive and situational aspects were taken into consideration in the analysis. Previous research has revealed a close relation between morality and socio-scientific issues and also advocated the need for addressing ethical aspects in science education. However, empirical studies exploring the question of what students' moral reasoning might look like at the individual level have not yet generated enough attention. In this study this is the core focus of interest. The findings show that the students conceptualise the solutions to mitigating climate change in relation to two different stances. That is, they contextualise the problems and solutions by addressing the individual, where the individual is either 'myself' or 'someone else'. The different notions of the individual become crucial as the students' views and considerations for the environment, as well as society, change according to the different contexts. From a moral point of view, the students seem quite unaware of their varying consideration for others, the environment and society. The paper ends with a discussion of implications for practice and research.

Density functional theory study of atomic and electronic properties of defects in reduced anatase TiO2 nanocrystals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morita, Kazuki; Yasuoka, Kenji

2018-03-01

Anatase TiO2 nanocrystals have received considerable attention owing to their promising applications in photocatalysis, photovoltaics, and fuel cells. Although experimental evidence has shown that the performance of nanocrystals can be significantly improved through reduction, the mechanistic basis of this enhancement remains unclear. To shed a light on the chemistry of reduced anatase TiO2 nanocrystals, density functional theory were used to investigate the properties of defects and excess electrons. We demonstrated that oxygen vacancies are stable both on the surface and at the sub-surface of the nanocrystal, while titanium interstitials prefer sub-surface sites. Different defect locations possessed different excess electron structures, which contributed to deep and shallow states in the band gap of the nanocrystals. Furthermore, valence band tailing was observed, resulting in band gap narrowing. The theoretical results presented here deepen our understanding, and show the potential of defects to considerably change the macroscopic properties of anatase TiO2 nanocrystals.

The Effect of Residing Altitude on Levels of High-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol: A Pilot Study From the Omani Arab Population.

PubMed

Al Riyami, Nafila B; Banerjee, Yajnavalka; Al-Waili, Khalid; Rizvi, Syed G; Al-Yahyaee, Said; Hassan, Mohammed O; Albarwani, Sulayma; Al-Rasadi, Khalid; Bayoumi, Riad A

2015-07-01

Lower mortality rates from coronary heart disease and higher levels of serum high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) have been observed in populations residing at high altitude. However, this effect has not been investigated in Arab populations, which exhibit considerable genetic homogeneity. We assessed the relationship between residing altitude and HDL-C in 2 genetically similar Omani Arab populations residing at different altitudes. The association between the levels of HDL-C and other metabolic parameters was also investigated. The levels of HDL-C were significantly higher in the high-altitude group compared with the low-altitude group. Stepwise regression analysis showed that altitude was the most significant factor affecting HDL-C, followed by gender, serum triglycerides, and finally the 2-hour postprandial plasma glucose. This finding is consistent with previously published studies from other populations and should be taken into consideration when comparing cardiovascular risk factors in populations residing at different altitudes. © The Author(s) 2014.

Promotion orientation explains why future-oriented people exercise and eat healthy: evidence from the two-factor consideration of future consequences-14 scale.

PubMed

Joireman, Jeff; Shaffer, Monte J; Balliet, Daniel; Strathman, Alan

2012-10-01

The authors extended research linking individual differences in consideration of future consequences (CFC) with health behaviors by (a) testing whether individual differences in regulatory focus would mediate that link and (b) highlighting the value of a revised, two-factor CFC-14 scale with subscales assessing concern with future consequences (CFC-Future) and concern with immediate consequences (CFC-Immediate) proper. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses of the revised CFC-14 scale supported the presence of two highly reliable factors (CFC-Future and CFC-Immediate; αs from .80 to .84). Moreover, structural equation modeling showed that those high in CFC-Future engage in exercise and healthy eating because they adopt a promotion orientation. Future use of the two-factor CFC-14 scale is encouraged to shed additional light on how concern with future and concern with immediate consequences (proper) differentially impact the way people resolve a host of intertemporal dilemmas (e.g., health, financial, and environmental behavior).

Acoustic performance of low pressure axial fan rotors with different blade chord length and radial load distribution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carolus, Thomas

The paper examines the acoustic and aerodynamic performance of low-pressure axial fan rotors with a hub/tip ratio of 0.45. Six rotors were designed for the same working point by means of the well-known airfoil theory. The condition of an equilibrium between the static pressure gradient and the centrifugal forces is maintained. All rotors have unequally spaced blades to diminish tonal noise. The rotors are tested in a short cylindrical housing without guide vanes. All rotors show very similar flux-pressure difference characteristics. The peak efficiency and the noise performance is considerably influenced by the chosen blade design. The aerodynamically and acoustically optimal rotor is the one with the reduced load at the hub and increased load in the tip region under satisfied equilibrium conditions. It runs at the highest aerodynamic efficiency, and its noise spectrum is fairly smooth. The overall sound pressure level of this rotor is up to 8 dB (A) lower compared to the other rotors under consideration.

Evaluation of water conservation capacity of loess plateau typical mountain ecosystems based on InVEST model simulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lv, Xizhi; Zuo, Zhongguo; Xiao, Peiqing

2017-06-01

With increasing demand for water resources and frequently a general deterioration of local water resources, water conservation by forests has received considerable attention in recent years. To evaluate water conservation capacities of different forest ecosystems in mountainous areas of Loess Plateau, the landscape of forests was divided into 18 types in Loess Plateau. Under the consideration of the factors such as climate, topography, plant, soil and land use, the water conservation of the forest ecosystems was estimated by means of InVEST model. The result showed that 486417.7 hm2 forests in typical mountain areas were divided into 18 forest types, and the total water conservation quantity was 1.64×1012m3, equaling an average of water conversation quantity of 9.09×1010m3. There is a great difference in average water conversation capacity among various forest types. The water conservation function and its evaluation is crucial and complicated issues in the study of ecological service function in modern times.

Scaling effects in direct shear tests

USGS Publications Warehouse

Orlando, A.D.; Hanes, D.M.; Shen, H.H.

2009-01-01

Laboratory experiments of the direct shear test were performed on spherical particles of different materials and diameters. Results of the bulk friction vs. non-dimensional shear displacement are presented as a function of the non-dimensional particle diameter. Simulations of the direct shear test were performed using the Discrete Element Method (DEM). The simulation results show Considerable differences with the physical experiments. Particle level material properties, such as the coefficients of static friction, restitution and rolling friction need to be known a priori in order to guarantee that the simulation results are an accurate representation of the physical phenomenon. Furthermore, laboratory results show a clear size dependency on the results, with smaller particles having a higher bulk friction than larger ones. ?? 2009 American Institute of Physics.

Effect of heat wave at the initial stage in spark plasma sintering.

PubMed

Zhang, Long; Zhang, Xiaomin; Chu, Zhongxiang; Peng, Song; Yan, Zimin; Liang, Yuan

2016-01-01

Thermal effects are important considerations at the initial stage in spark plasma sintering of non-conductive Al2O3 powders. The generalized thermo-elastic theory is introduced to describe the influence of the heat transport and thermal focusing caused by thermal wave propagation within a constrained space and transient time. Simulations show that low sintering temperature can realize high local temperature because of the superposition effect of heat waves. Thus, vacancy concentration differences between the sink and the cross section of the particles increase relative to that observed during pressure-less and hot-pressure sintering. Results show that vacancy concentration differences are significantly improved during spark plasma sintering, thereby decreasing the time required for sintering.

How do Danish community pharmacies vary in engaging customers in medicine dialogues at the counter - an observational study.

PubMed

Kaae, Susanne; Saleem, Sahdia; Kristiansen, Maria

2014-07-01

Counter counseling is an important part of community pharmacies service delivery. Difficulties arise because customers appear less interested than the staff in discussing their medicine. It is unclear how individual pharmacies differ with regard to overcoming these obstacles. This study explores differences in the communication practices of pharmacies with regard to engaging customers in medicine dialogues. The work of Stevenson et al. describing five types of interaction scenarios at the counter was used for structured overt non-participant observations of 100 encounters in each of five Danish pharmacies. Variation in pharmacies success in engaging customers in medicine dialogues were calculated using descriptive statistics, and the statistical significance of observed differences across pharmacies was analyzed using odds ratios (OR). Considerable differences between the pharmacies were identified. Differences exist in how often pharmacy staff attempts to encourage customers to participate in medication dialogues and how often they succeed. The pharmacies serving the most customers per day were the most successful. A possible link between a low number of refill customers offered counseling and 'success rate' was identified. The pharmacies showed considerable variation in attempts to engage customers in medication dialogues at the counter and success in doing so. The reasons for the identified patterns are unclear.

How do Danish community pharmacies vary in engaging customers in medicine dialogues at the counter – an observational study

PubMed Central

Kaae, Susanne; Saleem, Sahdia; Kristiansen, Maria

2014-01-01

Background Counter counseling is an important part of community pharmacies service delivery. Difficulties arise because customers appear less interested than the staff in discussing their medicine. It is unclear how individual pharmacies differ with regard to overcoming these obstacles. Objective This study explores differences in the communication practices of pharmacies with regard to engaging customers in medicine dialogues. Methods The work of Stevenson et al. describing five types of interaction scenarios at the counter was used for structured overt non-participant observations of 100 encounters in each of five Danish pharmacies. Variation in pharmacies success in engaging customers in medicine dialogues were calculated using descriptive statistics, and the statistical significance of observed differences across pharmacies was analyzed using odds ratios (OR). Results Considerable differences between the pharmacies were identified. Differences exist in how often pharmacy staff attempts to encourage customers to participate in medication dialogues and how often they succeed. The pharmacies serving the most customers per day were the most successful. A possible link between a low number of refill customers offered counseling and ‘success rate’ was identified. Conclusions The pharmacies showed considerable variation in attempts to engage customers in medication dialogues at the counter and success in doing so. The reasons for the identified patterns are unclear. PMID:25243031

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

Park, R.; Hong, Seungkyu K.; Kwon, Hyoung-Ahn

We used a 3-D regional atmospheric chemistry transport model (WRF-Chem) to examine processes that determine O3 in East Asia; in particular, we focused on O3 dry deposition, which is an uncertain research area due to insufficient observation and numerical studies in East Asia. Here, we compare two widely used dry deposition parameterization schemes, Wesely and M3DRY, which are used in the WRF-Chem and CMAQ models, respectively. The O3 dry deposition velocities simulated using the two aforementioned schemes under identical meteorological conditions show considerable differences (a factor of 2) due to surface resistance parameterization discrepancies. The O3 concentration differed by upmore » to 10 ppbv for the monthly mean. The simulated and observed dry deposition velocities were compared, which showed that the Wesely scheme model is consistent with the observations and successfully reproduces the observed diurnal variation. We conduct several sensitivity simulations by changing the land use data, the surface resistance of the water and the model’s spatial resolution to examine the factors that affect O3 concentrations in East Asia. As shown, the model was considerably sensitive to the input parameters, which indicates a high uncertainty for such O3 dry deposition simulations. Observations are necessary to constrain the dry deposition parameterization and input data to improve the East Asia air quality models.« less

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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

2004-06-01

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

Comparison of hospitalization among German coastal and deep sea fishermen.

PubMed

Oldenburg, M; Harth, V; Manuwald, U

2015-08-01

This study aims to compare the hospitalization of German fishermen employed on German-flagged fishing vessels with that of the general German population in consideration of differences between coastal and deep sea fishery. By means of a database from the health insurance company for seafarers, diagnoses of German fishermen treated in German hospitals were determined from January 1997 to December 2007. Compared with the general German population, the fishermen's risk for specific diseases leading to hospitalization was calculated as standardized hospitalization ratio (SHR). Compared with the German reference population, German fishermen showed a considerably high SHR for malignant neoplasms at all sites (SHR 1.46; 95% CI 1.37-1.56), for respiratory cancer, and for non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). Furthermore, they had more often been hospitalized due to diabetes mellitus, diseases of the respiratory and digestive systems as well as due to injury and poisoning. The risk for respiratory cancer and NHL among coastal fishermen exceeded that of deep sea fishermen, whereas the latter displayed a considerably higher SHR for diabetes mellitus, diseases of the respiratory system and metabolic and nutritional disorders. In contrast, the SHR for hypertensive and ischemic heart diseases was decreased among deep sea fishermen. Less qualified deep sea fishermen displayed a considerably higher SHR for malignant neoplasms at all sites than more highly qualified ones. Fishery is still an occupation which poses a high risk for malignant neoplasms and injuries. This is likely due to lifestyle and work-related factors. Further studies are needed to evaluate the different working and living conditions of coastal and deep sea fishermen.

Which form of assessment provides the best information about student performance in chemistry examinations?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hudson, Ross D.; Treagust, David F.

2013-04-01

Background . This study developed from observations of apparent achievement differences between male and female chemistry performances in a state university entrance examination. Male students performed more strongly than female students, especially in higher scores. Apart from the gender of the students, two other important factors that might influence student performance were format of questions (short-answer or multiple-choice) and type of questions (recall or application). Purpose The research question addressed in this study was: Is there a relationship between performance in state university entrance examinations in chemistry and school chemistry examinations and student gender, format of questions - multiple-choice or short-answer, and conceptual level - recall or application? Sample The two sources of data were: (1) secondary analyses of five consecutive years' data published by the examining authority of chemistry examinations, and (2) tests conducted with 192 students which provided information about all aspects of the three variables (question format, question type and gender) under consideration. Design and methods Both sources of data were analysed using ANOVA to compare means for the variables under consideration and the statistical significance of any differences. The data from the tests were also analysed using Rasch analysis to determine differences in gender performance. Results When overall mean data are considered, both male and female students performed better on multiple-choice questions and recall questions than on short-answer questions and application questions, respectively. When overall mean data are considered, male students outperformed female students in both the university entrance and school tests, particularly in the higher scores. When data were analysed with Rasch, there was no statistically significant difference in performance between males and females of equal ability. Conclusions Both male and female students generally perform better on multiple-choice questions than they do on short-answer questions. However, when the questions are matched in terms of difficulty (using Rasch analysis), the differences in performance between multiple-choice and short-answer are quite small. Rasch analysis showed that there was little difference in performance between males and females of equal ability. This study shows that a simple face-value score analysis of relative student performance - in this case, in chemistry - can be deceptive unless the actual abilities of the students concerned, as measured by a tool such as Rasch, are taken into consideration before reaching any conclusion.

Individual differences in selective attention predict speech identification at a cocktail party

PubMed Central

Oberfeld, Daniel; Klöckner-Nowotny, Felicitas

2016-01-01

Listeners with normal hearing show considerable individual differences in speech understanding when competing speakers are present, as in a crowded restaurant. Here, we show that one source of this variance are individual differences in the ability to focus selective attention on a target stimulus in the presence of distractors. In 50 young normal-hearing listeners, the performance in tasks measuring auditory and visual selective attention was associated with sentence identification in the presence of spatially separated competing speakers. Together, the measures of selective attention explained a similar proportion of variance as the binaural sensitivity for the acoustic temporal fine structure. Working memory span, age, and audiometric thresholds showed no significant association with speech understanding. These results suggest that a reduced ability to focus attention on a target is one reason why some listeners with normal hearing sensitivity have difficulty communicating in situations with background noise. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.16747.001 PMID:27580272

Differential Effects of Ocean Acidification on Coral Calcification: Insights from Geochemistry.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Holcomb, M.; Decarlo, T. M.; Venn, A.; Tambutte, E.; Gaetani, G. A.; Tambutte, S.; Allemand, D.; McCulloch, M. T.

2014-12-01

Although ocean acidification is expected to negatively impact calcifying animals due to the formation of CaCO3 becoming less favorable, experimental evidence is mixed. Corals have received considerable attention in this regard; laboratory culture experiments show there to be a wide array of calcification responses to acidification. Here we will show how relationships for the incorporation of various trace elements and boron isotopes into synthetic aragonite can be used to reconstruct carbonate chemistry at the site of calcification. In turn the chemistry at the site of calcification can be determined under different ocean acidification scenarios and differences in the chemistry at the site of calcification linked to different calcification responses to acidification. Importantly we will show that the pH of the calcifying fluid alone is insufficient to estimate calcification responses, thus a multi-proxy approach using multiple trace elements and isotopes is required to understand how the site of calcification is affected by ocean acidification.

Colour spectrum and resin-type determine the concentration and composition of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) in plastic pellets.

PubMed

Fisner, Mara; Majer, Alessandra; Taniguchi, Satie; Bícego, Márcia; Turra, Alexander; Gorman, Daniel

2017-09-15

This study assessed the concentration and composition of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) in plastic pellets, collected from sandy beaches and considered different resin and colour tones. Results showed that polyethylene pellets, while displaying a greater range of total PAH concentrations did not differ significantly from polypropylene pellets. More importantly, both resin types demonstrated predictable increases in total PAH across a spectrum of darkening colour tones. Multivariate comparisons of 36 PAH groups, further showed considerable variability across resin type and colour, with lighter coloured pellets comprising lower molecular weight, while darker pellets contained higher weight PAHs. Overall, we show predictable variation in PAH concentrations and compositions of plastic pellets of different ages and resin types that will directly influence the potential for toxicological effects. Our findings suggest that monitoring programs should take these attributes into account when assessing the environmental risks of microplastic contamination of marine and coastal habitats. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Susceptibility and resistence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa to antimicrobial agents].

PubMed

Gamero Delgado, M C; García-Mayorgas, A D; Rodríguez, F; Ibarra, A; Casal, M

2007-06-01

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic microorganism that is frequently the cause of nosocomial infections. Multiple mechanisms are involved in its natural and acquired resistance to many of the antimicrobial agents commonly used in clinical practice. The objective of this study was to assess the susceptibility and resistance patterns of P. aeruginosa strains isolated in Hospital Reina Sofia between 2000 and 2005, as well as to analyze the differences between intrahospital and extrahospital isolates in 2005 and to compare the results with those obtained in other studies. A total of 3,019 strains of P. aeruginosa from different hospitals and nonhospital settings were evaluated, taking into consideration their degree of sensitivity to different antibiotics. The MICs were determined by means of the Wider I automated system (Soria Melguizo), taking into consideration the criteria of susceptibility and resistance recommended by MENSURA. Results of the analysis showed that P. aeruginosa maintained similar levels of antimicrobial susceptibility during the period 2000-2005, with increased susceptibility to amikacin, gentamicin and tobramycin. There were also important differences in the degree of susceptibility between intrahospital and extrahospital strains, except for imipenem and fosfomycin. The intrahospital difference in susceptibility was also evaluated, emphasizing the importance of periodically studying susceptibility and resistance patterns of P. aeruginosa in each setting in order to evaluate different therapeutic guidelines, as it is not always advisable to extrapolate data from different regions. These differences can be explained by the different use of antibiotics in each center and the geographic variations of the resistance mechanisms of P. aeruginosa.

Blood donor show behaviour after an invitation to donate: The influence of collection site factors.

PubMed

Merz, E-M; Zijlstra, B J H; de Kort, W L A M

2017-10-01

Show behaviour after invitation to donate varies considerably across donors. More insight into this variation is important for blood banks in achieving stable stocks. This study examined individual factors determining intended show behaviour. Most importantly, however, this study is the first study to account for variation in donor behaviour across different collection sites. We applied a multilevel approach to data from Donor InSight, including 11 889 donors from 257 fixed and mobile collection sites in the Netherlands. The aim of the multilevel models was to account for variance at two levels, that is donors and collection sites. We estimated the likelihood of showing after invitation based on individual predictors, including demographics, donation history and attitude. At the collection site level, we included satisfaction with the blood bank aggregated from individual responses by donors who donate at this site, opening hours and collection site type, that is fixed/mobile. Most importantly, show behaviour varied considerably across collection sites and depended on characteristics of these sites. Moreover, women, older and more experienced donors had higher odds of showing after invitation than men, younger and less experienced donors. Donors higher on warm glow, self-efficacy and donor identity more likely showed after an invitation. Higher aggregate satisfaction and donating at fixed collection sites increased the odds of show. In addition to individual factors, collection site characteristics are important in explaining variation in donor show behaviour, thus presenting clues for blood bank policies and interventions to improve donor show. © 2017 International Society of Blood Transfusion.

Increasing rates of contralateral prophylactic mastectomy - a trend made in USA?

PubMed

Güth, U; Myrick, M E; Viehl, C T; Weber, W P; Lardi, A M; Schmid, S M

2012-04-01

Numerous recent studies conducted in the USA reported a considerable rise in the rates of contralateral prophylactic mastectomy (CPM) in early-stage breast cancer (BC). However, this aggressive surgical approach only showed an evidence-based improvement in prognosis for a small subgroup of high-risk BC patients. We present the first European study reporting CPM rates in an unselected cohort of patients with BC. The data of 881 patients (≤ 80 years) who underwent surgery for stage I-III BC from 1995 to 2009 at the University of Basel Breast Center was analyzed. CPM was performed in 23 of 881 patients (2.6%). Of the entire patient population, 37.5% underwent ipsilateral mastectomy and of those, only 7.0% chose to undergo CPM. Importantly, there was no trend over time in the rate of CPM. Women who chose CPM were significantly younger (54 vs. 60 years, p < 0.001), had more often a positive family history (39.1% vs. 24.4%, p = 0.032) and tumors of lobular histology (30.5% vs. 13.9%, p = 0.035). Our analysis of CPM rates in BC patients, conducted at a European University breast center, does not show the considerably rising CPM rates observed in the USA. We hypothesize that different medico-social and cultural factors, which are highlighted by a different public perception of BC and a different attitude toward plastic surgery, determine the varying CPM rates between the USA and Europe. © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The antimicrobial activity of probiotic bacteria Escherichia coli isolated from different natural sources against hemorrhagic E. coli O157:H7.

PubMed

Karimi, Sahar; Azizi, Fatemeh; Nayeb-Aghaee, Mohammad; Mahmoodnia, Leila

2018-03-01

Diarrheal diseases have been seen in all geographical areas throughout the world. Therefore, considering treatment, could be deemed a necessary action. The aim of this study was to determine the antimicrobial effect of probiotic bacterial strains isolated from different natural sources against 2 pathotypes of pathogenic E. coli. This cross-sectional study of Martyr Chamran University of Ahvaz was carried out from December 2013 to July 2014. A total of 13 probiotic colonies isolated from 20 samples of traditional dairy products including (yogurt, cheese, milk) and 20 samples of vegetables including carrots and cabbages (red and white) of which 5 isolates were selected to evaluate the antimicrobial effect against 2 Escherichia coli pathotypes, randomly. Antimicrobial effect was evaluated using two methods: disk diffusion and well diffusion tests and measuring growth inhibition zones of probiotics against 2 pathotypes of pathogenic E. coli. Obtained results showed growth inhibition effects of all 5 probiotic strains against Escherichia coli pathotypes in both used methods. All selected strains showed considerable antimicrobial effect on Escherichia coli O157:H7 strain, but had no inhibitory effect against Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli. This study demonstrated considerable antimicrobial effect against E. coli O157:H7 strain. Due to this, characteristic and similar antimicrobial effects of probiotics bacteria, increasing use of the probiotics as a natural and modern method for prevention of different diseases is recommended.

Consideration of climate change on environmental impact assessment in Spain

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

Enríquez-de-Salamanca, Álvaro, E-mail: aenriquez@draba.org; Martín-Aranda, Rosa M., E-mail: rmartin@ccia.uned.es; Díaz-Sierra, Rubén, E-mail: sierra@dfmf.uned.es

Most of the projects subject to environmental impact assessment (EIA) are closely related to climate change, as they contribute to or are affected by it. The growing certainty about climate change and its impacts makes its consideration an essential part of the EIA process, as well as in strategic environmental assessment (SEA). This paper examines how climate change (CC) has been taken into account in EIA in Spain through the analysis of 1713 environmental records of decision (RODs) of projects submitted for EIA. In 2013 Spain approved one of the most advanced laws in terms of CC consideration in environmentalmore » assessment, although it had not yet accumulated extensive practice on the issue. This contrasts with the situation of countries like Canada or the USA, which have a significant body of experience without specific legal requirements. Only 14% of the RODs analysed included references to CC, and in more than half of the cases it was a mere citation. Thermal power plants, which are subject to specific GHG regulations, show the highest consideration, while transport infrastructures, which are important contributors to CC, show a very low consideration. Almost all the references are related to their contribution to CC, while consideration of the effects of CC is minimal. The increasingly common incorporation of CC into SEA, should not imply its exclusion from EIA, because both processes have different aims and uses. Including the obligation to consider CC in the EIA regulations is highly desirable, but probably not enough without other measures, such as practical guidance, training and motivational programmes for practitioners and evaluators. But even these actions cannot ensure effective and adequate assessments of CC. Probably more resources should be spent on creating greater awareness in all the agents involved in EIA. - Highlights: • We analyse how the climate change is considered in EIA in Spain. • Few projects seriously assess climate change. • Transport infrastructure projects barely consider climate change. • Assessing climate change in SEA should not imply that it is excluded from EIA.« less

Power quality considerations for nuclear spectroscopy applications: Grounding

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

García-Hernández, J. M.; Ramírez-Jiménez, F. J.; Mondragón-Contreras, L.; López-Callejas, R.; Torres-Bribiesca, M. A.; Peña-Eguiluz, R.

2013-11-01

Traditionally the electrical installations are designed for supplying power and to assure the personnel safety. In nuclear analysis laboratories, additional issues about grounding also must be considered for proper operation of high resolution nuclear spectroscopy systems. This paper shows the traditional ways of grounding nuclear spectroscopy systems and through different scenarios, it shows the effects on the more sensitive parameter of these systems: the energy resolution, it also proposes the constant monitoring of a power quality parameter as a way to preserve or to improve the resolution of the systems, avoiding the influence of excessive extrinsic noise.

[South American camelids in Switzerland. II. Reference values for blood parameters].

PubMed

Hengrave Burri, I; Tschudi, P; Martig, J; Liesegang, A; Meylan, M

2005-08-01

In order to establish reference values for blood parameters of South American camelids in Switzerland, 273 blood samples were collected from 141 llamas and 132 alpacas. These animals were classified in three categories (young animals < six months, adult females and males). Forty-one parameters were measured (red blood cell count, white blood cell count, electrolytes, metabolites and enzymes). Significant differences between llamas and alpacas were evident for 26 parameters. This study also showed that differences between young animals, females and males must be taken into consideration. A comparison of blood values with the results of fecal analysis for parasite eggs showed that an infestation with Dicrocoelium dendriticum was associated with elevated activity of two liver enzymes (GLDH and gamma-GT) in the serum. In contrast, no differences were found in the results of blood analyses between animals shedding eggs of gastrointestinal strongyles or not.

Repopulation Kinetics and the Linear-Quadratic Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

O'Rourke, S. F. C.; McAneney, H.; Starrett, C.; O'Sullivan, J. M.

2009-08-01

The standard Linear-Quadratic (LQ) survival model for radiotherapy is used to investigate different schedules of radiation treatment planning for advanced head and neck cancer. We explore how these treament protocols may be affected by different tumour repopulation kinetics between treatments. The laws for tumour cell repopulation include the logistic and Gompertz models and this extends the work of Wheldon et al. [1], which was concerned with the case of exponential repopulation between treatments. Treatment schedules investigated include standarized and accelerated fractionation. Calculations based on the present work show, that even with growth laws scaled to ensure that the repopulation kinetics for advanced head and neck cancer are comparable, considerable variation in the survival fraction to orders of magnitude emerged. Calculations show that application of the Gompertz model results in a significantly poorer prognosis for tumour eradication. Gaps in treatment also highlight the differences in the LQ model with the effect of repopulation kinetics included.

Cell death induced by ozone and various non-thermal plasmas: therapeutic perspectives and limitations

PubMed Central

Lunov, Oleg; Zablotskii, Vitalii; Churpita, Olexander; Chánová, Eliška; Syková, Eva; Dejneka, Alexandr; Kubinová, Šárka

2014-01-01

Non-thermal plasma has been recognized as a promising tool across a vast variety of biomedical applications, with the potential to create novel therapeutic methods. However, the understanding of the molecular mechanisms behind non-thermal plasma cellular effects remains a significant challenge. In this study, we show how two types of different non-thermal plasmas induce cell death in mammalian cell cultures via the formation of multiple intracellular reactive oxygen/nitrogen species. Our results showed a discrepancy in the superoxide accumulation and lysosomal activity in response to air and helium plasma, suggesting that triggered signalling cascades might be grossly different between different plasmas. In addition, the effects of ozone, a considerable component of non-thermal plasma, have been simultaneously evaluated and have revealed much faster and higher cytotoxic effects. Our findings offer novel insight into plasma-induced cellular responses, and provide a basis for better controlled biomedical applications. PMID:25410636

How big are educational and racial fertility differentials in the U.S.?

PubMed

Yang, Yang; Morgan, S Philip

2003-01-01

Using pooled data from the 1980, 1985, 1990 and 1995 CPS and 1988 and 1995 NSFG surveys, we show that shifts in fertility timing have occurred disproportionately for the more educated and for whites (compared to the less educated and to African Americans). Such timing shifts imply that the underlying period quantum of fertility is considerably higher for college-educated women and for whites than suggested by the standard total fertility rate. Applying the Bongaarts-Feeney model (1998), we decompose observed racial and educational differences in age-order-specific fertility rates and TFR into tempo and quantum components. We find that a modest part of educational differences and a substantial part of racial difference in period fertility can be attributed to differential changes in tempo. Analysis by race and education shows a clear interaction: higher fertility among African Americans is confined to the less educated.

Two-Sided Matching in Hierarchical Organizations-An Application for the Assignment of Military Personnel

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-06-01

information overload has been examined in fields such as consumer behavior , it has not previously been examined in relation to assignment decision making...such as accounting, organization science and consumer behavior , and show that there is considerable evidence that humans make poor quality decisions...accuracy in the consumer behavior domain, however his approach was different for two primary reasons. Firstly, he examined the effect of an individual’s

Flexibility in the structure of spiral flowers and its underlying mechanisms.

PubMed

Wang, Peipei; Liao, Hong; Zhang, Wengen; Yu, Xianxian; Zhang, Rui; Shan, Hongyan; Duan, Xiaoshan; Yao, Xu; Kong, Hongzhi

2015-12-07

Spiral flowers usually bear a variable number of organs, suggestive of the flexibility in structure. The mechanisms underlying the flexibility, however, remain unclear. Here we show that in Nigella damascena, a species with spiral flowers, different types of floral organs show different ranges of variation in number. We also show that the total number of organs per flower is largely dependent on the initial size of the floral meristem, whereas the respective numbers of different types of floral organs are determined by the functional domains of corresponding genetic programmes. By conducting extensive expression and functional studies, we further elucidate the genetic programmes that specify the identities of different types of floral organs. Notably, the AGL6-lineage member NdAGL6, rather than the AP1-lineage members NdFL1/2, is an A-function gene, whereas petaloidy of sepals is not controlled by AP3- or PI-lineage members. Moreover, owing to the formation of a regulatory network, some floral organ identity genes also regulate the boundaries between different types of floral organs. On the basis of these results, we propose that the floral organ identity determination programme is highly dynamic and shows considerable flexibility. Transitions from spiral to whorled flowers, therefore, may be explained by evolution of the mechanisms that reduce the flexibility.

Nash Social Welfare in Multiagent Resource Allocation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ramezani, Sara; Endriss, Ulle

We study different aspects of the multiagent resource allocation problem when the objective is to find an allocation that maximizes Nash social welfare, the product of the utilities of the individual agents. The Nash solution is an important welfare criterion that combines efficiency and fairness considerations. We show that the problem of finding an optimal outcome is NP-hard for a number of different languages for representing agent preferences; we establish new results regarding convergence to Nash-optimal outcomes in a distributed negotiation framework; and we design and test algorithms similar to those applied in combinatorial auctions for computing such an outcome directly.

Ethical considerations of worksite health promotion: an exploration of stakeholders' views.

PubMed

van Berkel, Jantien; Meershoek, Agnes; Janssens, Rien M J P A; Boot, Cécile R L; Proper, Karin I; van der Beek, Allard J

2014-05-16

Developing, implementing and evaluating worksite health promotion requires dealing with all stakeholders involved, such as employers, employees, occupational physicians, insurance companies, providers, labour unions and research and knowledge institutes. Although worksite health promotion is becoming more common, empirical research on ethical considerations of worksite health promotion is scarce. We explored the views of stakeholders involved in worksite health promotion in focus group discussions and we described the ethical considerations that result from differences between these views. The focus group discussions were organised per stakeholder group. Data were analysed according to the constant comparison method. Our analyses show that although the definition of occupational health is the same for all stakeholders, namely 'being able to perform your job', there seem to be important differences in the views on what constitutes a risk factor to occupational health. According to the employees, risk factors to occupational health are prevailingly job-related. Labour unions agree with them, but other stakeholders, including the employer, particularly see employee-related issues such as lifestyle behaviour as risk factors to occupational health. The difference in definition of occupational health risk factors translates into the same categorisation of worksite health promotion; employee-related activities and work-related activities. The difference in conceptualisation of occupational health risk factors and worksite health promotion resonates in the way stakeholders understand 'responsibility' for lifestyle behaviour. Even though all stakeholders agree on whose responsibility lifestyle behaviour is, namely that of the employee, the meaning of 'responsibility' differs between employees, and employers. For employees, responsibility means autonomy, while for employers and other stakeholders, responsibility equals duty. This difference may in turn contribute to ambivalent relationships between stakeholders. All stakeholders, including employees, should be given a voice in developing, implementing and evaluating worksite health promotion. Moreover, since stakeholders agree on lifestyle being the responsibility of the employee, but disagree on what this responsibility means (duty versus autonomy), it is of utmost importance to examine the discourse of stakeholders. This way, ambivalence in relationships between stakeholders could be prevented.

Response of a hypersonic boundary layer to freestream pulse acoustic disturbance.

PubMed

Wang, Zhenqing; Tang, Xiaojun; Lv, Hongqing

2014-01-01

The response of hypersonic boundary layer over a blunt wedge to freestream pulse acoustic disturbance was investigated. The stability characteristics of boundary layer for freestream pulse wave and continuous wave were analyzed comparatively. Results show that freestream pulse disturbance changes the thermal conductivity characteristics of boundary layer. For pulse wave, the number of main disturbance clusters decreases and the frequency band narrows along streamwise. There are competition and disturbance energy transfer among different modes in boundary layer. The dominant mode of boundary layer has an inhibitory action on other modes. Under continuous wave, the disturbance modes are mainly distributed near fundamental and harmonic frequencies, while under pulse wave, the disturbance modes are widely distributed in different modes. For both pulse and continuous waves, most of disturbance modes slide into a lower-growth or decay state in downstream, which is tending towards stability. The amplitude of disturbance modes in boundary layer under continuous wave is considerably larger than pulse wave. The growth rate for the former is also considerably larger than the later the disturbance modes with higher growth are mainly distributed near fundamental and harmonic frequencies for the former, while the disturbance modes are widely distributed in different frequencies for the latter.

Response of a Hypersonic Boundary Layer to Freestream Pulse Acoustic Disturbance

PubMed Central

Wang, Zhenqing; Tang, Xiaojun; Lv, Hongqing

2014-01-01

The response of hypersonic boundary layer over a blunt wedge to freestream pulse acoustic disturbance was investigated. The stability characteristics of boundary layer for freestream pulse wave and continuous wave were analyzed comparatively. Results show that freestream pulse disturbance changes the thermal conductivity characteristics of boundary layer. For pulse wave, the number of main disturbance clusters decreases and the frequency band narrows along streamwise. There are competition and disturbance energy transfer among different modes in boundary layer. The dominant mode of boundary layer has an inhibitory action on other modes. Under continuous wave, the disturbance modes are mainly distributed near fundamental and harmonic frequencies, while under pulse wave, the disturbance modes are widely distributed in different modes. For both pulse and continuous waves, most of disturbance modes slide into a lower-growth or decay state in downstream, which is tending towards stability. The amplitude of disturbance modes in boundary layer under continuous wave is considerably larger than pulse wave. The growth rate for the former is also considerably larger than the later the disturbance modes with higher growth are mainly distributed near fundamental and harmonic frequencies for the former, while the disturbance modes are widely distributed in different frequencies for the latter. PMID:24737993

Ecological association between HIV and concurrency point-prevalence in South Africa's ethnic groups.

PubMed

Kenyon, Chris

2013-11-01

HIV prevalence between different ethnic groups within South Africa exhibits considerable variation. Numerous authors believe that elevated sexual partner concurrency rates are important in the spread of HIV. Few studies have, however, investigated if differential concurrency rates could explain differential HIV spread within ethnic groups in South Africa. This ecological analysis, explores how much of the variation in HIV prevalence by ethnic group is explained by differential concurrency rates. Using a nationally representative survey (the South African National HIV Prevalence, HIV Incidence, Behaviour and Communication Survey, 2005) the HIV prevalence in each of eight major ethnic groups was calculated. Linear regression analysis was used to assess the association between an ethnic group's HIV prevalence and the point-prevalence of concurrency. Results showed that HIV prevalence rates varied considerably between South Africa's ethnic groups. This applied to both different racial groups and to different ethnic groups within the black group. The point-prevalence of concurrency by ethnic group was strongly associated with HIV prevalence (R(2) = 0.83; p = 0.001). Tackling the key drivers of high HIV transmission in this population may benefit from more emphasis on partner reduction interventions.

Ecosystem-based fisheries management: Perception on definitions, implementations, and aspirations.

PubMed

Trochta, John T; Pons, Maite; Rudd, Merrill B; Krigbaum, Melissa; Tanz, Alexander; Hilborn, Ray

2018-01-01

Ecosystem-based fisheries management (EBFM) was developed to move beyond single species management by incorporating ecosystem considerations for the sustainable utilization of marine resources. Due to the wide range of fishery characteristics, including different goals of fisheries management across regions and species, theoretical best practices for EBFM vary greatly. Here we highlight the lack of consensus in the interpretation of EBFM amongst professionals in marine science and its implementation. Fisheries policy-makers and managers, stock assessment scientists, conservationists, and ecologists had very different opinions on the degree to which certain management strategies would be considered EBFM. We then assess the variability of the implementation of EBFM, where we created a checklist of characteristics typifying EBFM and scored fisheries across different regions, species, ecosystems, and fishery size and capacity. Our assessments show fisheries are unlikely to meet all the criteria on the EBFM checklist. Consequentially, it is unnecessary for management to practice all the traits of EBFM, as some may be disparate from the ecosystem attributes or fishery goals. Instead, incorporating some ecosystem-based considerations to fisheries management that are context-specific is a more realistic and useful way for EBFM to occur in practice.

Ecosystem-based fisheries management: Perception on definitions, implementations, and aspirations

PubMed Central

Hilborn, Ray

2018-01-01

Ecosystem-based fisheries management (EBFM) was developed to move beyond single species management by incorporating ecosystem considerations for the sustainable utilization of marine resources. Due to the wide range of fishery characteristics, including different goals of fisheries management across regions and species, theoretical best practices for EBFM vary greatly. Here we highlight the lack of consensus in the interpretation of EBFM amongst professionals in marine science and its implementation. Fisheries policy-makers and managers, stock assessment scientists, conservationists, and ecologists had very different opinions on the degree to which certain management strategies would be considered EBFM. We then assess the variability of the implementation of EBFM, where we created a checklist of characteristics typifying EBFM and scored fisheries across different regions, species, ecosystems, and fishery size and capacity. Our assessments show fisheries are unlikely to meet all the criteria on the EBFM checklist. Consequentially, it is unnecessary for management to practice all the traits of EBFM, as some may be disparate from the ecosystem attributes or fishery goals. Instead, incorporating some ecosystem-based considerations to fisheries management that are context-specific is a more realistic and useful way for EBFM to occur in practice. PMID:29381700

[Gender specific differences in coping with colon cancer--empirical findings with special consideration of religious coping].

PubMed

Murken, S; Namini, S; Gross, S; Körber, J

2010-04-01

The present study investigated whether women and men differ with regard to non-religious and religious coping with cancer, here: colon cancer--a question on which only little research has been done so far. 341 patients filled in a questionnaire during inpatient oncological rehabilitation. Statistical analyses showed that women reported higher mental strain than men. They used more bagatellization and wishful thinking, more depressive and less active problem-oriented coping strategies. A higher use of religious coping among women was to a high degree associated with their generally stronger religiosity. Correlations between coping strategies and measures of mental health indicated commonalities and differences. In particular, a positive correlation between active problem-oriented coping and mental health was found for men but not for women. In accordance with women's higher religiosity, the data indicate a stronger correlation between religious coping and adaptation among women than among men. The results suggest that gender differences and religiosity can be relevant in the context of treatment but that their significance must not be overinterpreted. In terms of patient orientation they speak for the necessity to individually assess the need for support, also with regard to the consideration of religiosity in the treatment process. Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart.New York.

Canyons and gorges as potential geotourism destinations in Serbia: comparative analysis from two perspectives - general geotourists' and pure geotourists'

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Božić, Sanja; Tomić, Nemanja

2015-10-01

Serbia represents one of those countries which have not yet differentiated themselves on the world tourism map. However, it has an immense but still unrevealed potential for geotourism development. In this paper we analyzed several remarkable canyons and gorges of great scientific importance and geotourism potential. These sites include the Djerdap Gorge and Lazar River Canyon, located in Eastern Serbia and the Ovcar-Kablar Gorge and Uvac Canyon located in Western Serbia. One of the main goals of this paper was to analyze and compare the current state and tourism potential of these geosites by using the M-GAM model for geosite assessment. However, the principal aim of the paper is to analyze how important is each subindicator in the assessment process for different market segments. In this paper, we also analyzed how giving different importance to subindicators can influence the position of the geosites in the matrix indicating different assessment done by two chosen market segments. The research showed that general geotourists appreciate considerably different values when assessing a geosite in comparison to pure geotourists. The paper can be used as framework for developing the tourism management strategy of geosites taking into consideration the needs and preferences of the target market segments.

Fairness Considerations When I Know More than You Do: Developmental Comparisons

PubMed Central

Overgaauw, Sandy; Güroğlu, Berna; Crone, Eveline A.

2012-01-01

The Ultimatum Game (UG) is a valuable paradigm to study fairness considerations. Here, we tested developmental differences between altruistic and strategic motivations in fairness considerations using a version of the UG with hidden conditions. Participants were proposers and could divide coins between themselves and an anonymous other. Hidden information conditions involved division of coins where some coins were only visible to the participant (e.g., 8/2 condition where, from the total of 10 coins, 8 coins were visible to both players and 2 coins only visible to the proposer). In total, 22 young adults and 79 children between ages 8 and 13 played multiple one-shot versions of the UG with hidden conditions with anonymous others. Overall analyses confirmed validity of the task and showed that participants of all age groups had strategic intentions. Specific task analyses revealed that adults divided the coins equally in the standard UG conditions, but gave less to the second player in the hidden information conditions. The developmental comparisons revealed an age × condition interaction, such that adults and 10- to 12-year-old children differentiated between standard and hidden conditions more than 8- to 9-year-old children. These findings indicate that young children have a basic understanding of different strategic motives, but that behavior of adults and older children is driven more by strategic intentions. PMID:23162494

Optical response of two coupled optomechanical systems in the presence of nonlinear mediums

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Asghari Nejad, A.; Askari, H. R.; Baghshahi, H. R.

2018-01-01

In this paper, we investigate response of a hybrid optomechanical system in different situations. This system is composed of two coupled optomechanical cavities, which one of them is filled with an optical parametric amplifier (OPA) and the other one encompasses a nonlinear Kerr medium. The Hamiltonian of the system is written in a rotating frame. The dynamics of the system is obtained by the quantum Langevin equations of motion in a steady state regime. The results show that the presence of OPA and the Kerr medium in the system can considerably change the behavior of both cavities. For this reason, we show that by choosing different values for the optical parameters of the system, one can switches the behaviors of the cavities between mono-, bi- and tristability. Also, we show that by changing the detunings of the cavities, one can obtain uncommon responses from the system. Furthermore, we show that it is possible to create proper optical multistability regions for both cavities.

The compositional transition of vertebrate genomes: an analysis of the secondary structure of the proteins encoded by human genes.

PubMed

D'Onofrio, Giuseppe; Ghosh, Tapash Chandra

2005-01-17

Fluctuations and increments of both C(3) and G(3) levels along the human coding sequences were investigated comparing two sets of Xenopus/human orthologous genes. The first set of genes shows minor differences of the GC(3) levels, the second shows considerable increments of the GC(3) levels in the human genes. In both data sets, the fluctuations of C(3) and G(3) levels along the coding sequences correlated with the secondary structures of the encoded proteins. The human genes that underwent the compositional transition showed a different increment of the C(3) and G(3) levels within and among the structural units of the proteins. The relative synonymous codon usage (RSCU) of several amino acids were also affected during the compositional transition, showing that there exists a correlation between RSCU and protein secondary structures in human genes. The importance of natural selection for the formation of isochore organization of the human genome has been discussed on the basis of these results.

Evidence that the Na+-K+ leak/pump ratio contributes to the difference in endurance between fast- and slow-twitch muscles.

PubMed

Clausen, T; Overgaard, K; Nielsen, O B

2004-02-01

Muscles containing predominantly fast-twitch (type II) fibres [ext. dig. longus (EDL)] show considerably lower contractile endurance than muscles containing mainly slow-twitch (type I) fibres (soleus). To assess whether differences in Na+-K+ fluxes and excitability might contribute to this phenomenon, we compared excitation-induced Na+-K+ leaks, Na+ channels, Na+-K+ pump capacity, force and compound action potentials (M-waves) in rat EDL and soleus muscles. Isolated muscles were mounted for isometric contractions in Krebs-Ringer bicarbonate buffer and exposed to direct or indirect continuous or intermittent electrical stimulation. The time-course of force decline and concomitant changes in Na+-K+ exchange and M-waves were recorded. During continuous stimulation at 60-120 Hz, EDL showed around fivefold faster rate of force decline than soleus. This was associated with a faster loss of excitability as estimated from the area and amplitude of the M-waves. The net uptake of Na+ and the release of K+ per action potential were respectively 6.5- and 6.6-fold larger in EDL than in soleus, which may in part be due to the larger content of Na+ channels in EDL. During intermittent stimulation with 1 s 60 Hz pulse trains, EDL showed eightfold faster rate of force decline than soleus. The considerably lower contractile endurance of fast-twitch compared with slow-twitch muscles reflects differences in the rate of excitation-induced loss of excitability. This is attributed to the much larger excitation-induced Na+ influx and K+ efflux, leading to a faster rise in [K+]o in fast-twitch muscles. This may only be partly compensated by the concomitant activation of the Na+-K+ pumps, in particular in fibres showing large passive Na+-K+ leaks or reduced content of Na+-K+ pumps. Thus, endurance depends on the leak/pump ratio for Na+ and K+.

SU-G-IeP4-13: PET Image Noise Variability and Its Consequences for Quantifying Tumor Hypoxia

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

Kueng, R; Radiation Medicine Program, Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario; Manser, P

Purpose: The values in a PET image which represent activity concentrations of a radioactive tracer are influenced by a large number of parameters including patient conditions as well as image acquisition and reconstruction. This work investigates noise characteristics in PET images for various image acquisition and image reconstruction parameters. Methods: Different phantoms with homogeneous activity distributions were scanned using several acquisition parameters and reconstructed with numerous sets of reconstruction parameters. Images from six PET scanners from different vendors were analyzed and compared with respect to quantitative noise characteristics. Local noise metrics, which give rise to a threshold value defining themore » metric of hypoxic fraction, as well as global noise measures in terms of noise power spectra (NPS) were computed. In addition to variability due to different reconstruction parameters, spatial variability of activity distribution and its noise metrics were investigated. Patient data from clinical trials were mapped onto phantom scans to explore the impact of the scanner’s intrinsic noise variability on quantitative clinical analysis. Results: Local noise metrics showed substantial variability up to an order of magnitude for different reconstruction parameters. Investigations of corresponding NPS revealed reconstruction dependent structural noise characteristics. For the acquisition parameters, noise metrics were guided by Poisson statistics. Large spatial non-uniformity of the noise was observed in both axial and radial direction of a PET image. In addition, activity concentrations in PET images of homogeneous phantom scans showed intriguing spatial fluctuations for most scanners. The clinical metric of the hypoxic fraction was shown to be considerably influenced by the PET scanner’s spatial noise characteristics. Conclusion: We showed that a hypoxic fraction metric based on noise characteristics requires careful consideration of the various dependencies in order to justify its quantitative validity. This work may result in recommendations for harmonizing QA of PET imaging for multi-institutional clinical trials.« less

Identification of Habitat-Specific Biomes of Aquatic Fungal Communities Using a Comprehensive Nearly Full-Length 18S rRNA Dataset Enriched with Contextual Data

PubMed Central

Panzer, Katrin; Yilmaz, Pelin; Weiß, Michael; Reich, Lothar; Richter, Michael; Wiese, Jutta; Schmaljohann, Rolf; Labes, Antje; Imhoff, Johannes F.; Glöckner, Frank Oliver; Reich, Marlis

2015-01-01

Molecular diversity surveys have demonstrated that aquatic fungi are highly diverse, and that they play fundamental ecological roles in aquatic systems. Unfortunately, comparative studies of aquatic fungal communities are few and far between, due to the scarcity of adequate datasets. We combined all publicly available fungal 18S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene sequences with new sequence data from a marine fungi culture collection. We further enriched this dataset by adding validated contextual data. Specifically, we included data on the habitat type of the samples assigning fungal taxa to ten different habitat categories. This dataset has been created with the intention to serve as a valuable reference dataset for aquatic fungi including a phylogenetic reference tree. The combined data enabled us to infer fungal community patterns in aquatic systems. Pairwise habitat comparisons showed significant phylogenetic differences, indicating that habitat strongly affects fungal community structure. Fungal taxonomic composition differed considerably even on phylum and class level. Freshwater fungal assemblage was most different from all other habitat types and was dominated by basal fungal lineages. For most communities, phylogenetic signals indicated clustering of sequences suggesting that environmental factors were the main drivers of fungal community structure, rather than species competition. Thus, the diversification process of aquatic fungi must be highly clade specific in some cases.The combined data enabled us to infer fungal community patterns in aquatic systems. Pairwise habitat comparisons showed significant phylogenetic differences, indicating that habitat strongly affects fungal community structure. Fungal taxonomic composition differed considerably even on phylum and class level. Freshwater fungal assemblage was most different from all other habitat types and was dominated by basal fungal lineages. For most communities, phylogenetic signals indicated clustering of sequences suggesting that environmental factors were the main drivers of fungal community structure, rather than species competition. Thus, the diversification process of aquatic fungi must be highly clade specific in some cases. PMID:26226014

Secondary-structure matching (SSM), a new tool for fast protein structure alignment in three dimensions.

PubMed

Krissinel, E; Henrick, K

2004-12-01

The present paper describes the SSM algorithm of protein structure comparison in three dimensions, which includes an original procedure of matching graphs built on the protein's secondary-structure elements, followed by an iterative three-dimensional alignment of protein backbone Calpha atoms. The SSM results are compared with those obtained from other protein comparison servers, and the advantages and disadvantages of different scores that are used for structure recognition are discussed. A new score, balancing the r.m.s.d. and alignment length Nalign, is proposed. It is found that different servers agree reasonably well on the new score, while showing considerable differences in r.m.s.d. and Nalign.

Reasoning in Reference Games: Individual- vs. Population-Level Probabilistic Modeling

PubMed Central

Franke, Michael; Degen, Judith

2016-01-01

Recent advances in probabilistic pragmatics have achieved considerable success in modeling speakers’ and listeners’ pragmatic reasoning as probabilistic inference. However, these models are usually applied to population-level data, and so implicitly suggest a homogeneous population without individual differences. Here we investigate potential individual differences in Theory-of-Mind related depth of pragmatic reasoning in so-called reference games that require drawing ad hoc Quantity implicatures of varying complexity. We show by Bayesian model comparison that a model that assumes a heterogenous population is a better predictor of our data, especially for comprehension. We discuss the implications for the treatment of individual differences in probabilistic models of language use. PMID:27149675

Thermal comfort of aeroplane seats: influence of different seat materials and the use of laboratory test methods.

PubMed

Bartels, Volkmar T

2003-07-01

This study determined the influence of different cover and cushion materials on the thermal comfort of aeroplane seats. Different materials as well as ready made seats were investigated by the physiological laboratory test methods Skin Model and seat comfort tester. Additionally, seat trials with human test subjects were performed in a climatic chamber. Results show that a fabric cover produces a considerably higher sweat transport than leather. A three-dimensional knitted spacer fabric turns out to be the better cushion alternative in comparison to a moulded foam pad. Results from the physiological laboratory test methods nicely correspond to the seat trials with human test subjects.

Rehabilitation Outcomes: Ischemic versus Hemorrhagic Strokes.

PubMed

Perna, Robert; Temple, Jessica

2015-01-01

Background. Ischemic and hemorrhagic strokes have different pathophysiologies and possibly different long-term cerebral and functional implications. Hemorrhagic strokes expose the brain to irritating effects of blood and ischemic strokes reflect localized or diffuse cerebral vascular pathology. Methods. Participants were individuals who suffered either an ischemic (n = 172) or hemorrhagic stroke (n = 112) within the past six months and were involved in a postacute neurorehabilitation program. Participants completed three months of postacute neurorehabilitation and the Mayo Portland Adaptability Inventory-4 (MPAI-4) at admission and discharge. Admission MPAI-4 scores and level of functioning were comparable. Results. Group ANOVA comparisons show no significant group differences at admission or discharge or difference in change scores. Both groups showed considerably reduced levels of productivity/employment after discharge as compared to preinjury levels. Conclusions. Though the pathophysiology of these types of strokes is different, both ultimately result in ischemic injuries, possibly accounting for lack of findings of differences between groups. In the present study, participants in both groups experienced similar functional levels across all three MPAI-4 domains both at admission and discharge. Limitations of this study include a highly educated sample and few outcome measures.

The Current SI Seen From the Perspective of the Proposed New SI

PubMed Central

Taylor, Barry N.

2011-01-01

A revised International System of Units (SI) proposed by the International Committee for Weights and Measures is under consideration by the General Conference on Weights and Measures for eventual adoption. Widely recognized as a significant advance for both metrology and science, it is defined via statements that explicitly fix the numerical values of a selected set of seven reference constants when the values of these constants are expressed in certain specified units. At first sight this approach to defining a system of units appears to be quite different from that used to define the current SI. However, by showing how the definitions of the seven base units of the current SI also fix the numerical values of a set of seven reference constants (broadly interpreted) when the values of these constants are expressed in their coherent SI units, and how the definition of the current SI can be recast into the same form as that of the revised SI under consideration, we show that the revision is not as radical a departure from the current SI as it might initially seem. PMID:26989600

[Illustrations of of alchemy vessels in a manuscript of Pseudo-Geber].

PubMed

Kurzmann, Peter

2011-01-01

Manuscript ric. 933 "Geber de investigatione perfectionis magisterii", kept in the Libreria Riccardiana in Florence, is a 13th century Latin version of the "Book of the Secret of the Secrets" ("kitab sirr al-asrar") by the Arabian alchemist al-Razi (865-925). The manuscript shows on page 25r a series of drawings of alchemistic vessels and apparatus which do not figure in the Arabian original but which are of particular interest as they date from as early as the 13th century and are numbered amongst the earliest drawings of this kind which we possess. The publication of the manuscript by Julius Ruska in 1935 shows only copied drawings with his interpretations of the legends. There was considerable interest in the publication of the original page 25r and in the course of further study it became clear that these interpretations had to be revised. These new interpretations presented in detail in this paper are justified and put into an alchemistic context. In some cases they give a new understanding and differ considerably from Ruska's versions.

Considerations for the Use of Remote Gaze Tracking to Assess Behavior in Flight Simulators

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kalar, Donald J.; Liston, Dorion; Mulligan, Jeffrey B.; Beutter, Brent; Feary, Michael

2016-01-01

Complex user interfaces (such as those found in an aircraft cockpit) may be designed from first principles, but inevitably must be evaluated with real users. User gaze data can provide valuable information that can help to interpret other actions that change the state of the system. However, care must be taken to ensure that any conclusions drawn from gaze data are well supported. Through a combination of empirical and simulated data, we identify several considerations and potential pitfalls when measuring gaze behavior in high-fidelity simulators. We show that physical layout, behavioral differences, and noise levels can all substantially alter the quality of fit for algorithms that segment gaze measurements into individual fixations. We provide guidelines to help investigators ensure that conclusions drawn from gaze tracking data are not artifactual consequences of data quality or analysis techniques.

An evaluation of authentication methods for smartphone based on users’ preferences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sari, P. K.; Ratnasari, G. S.; Prasetio, A.

2016-04-01

This study discusses about smartphone screen lock preferences using some types of authentication methods. The purpose is to determine the user behaviours based on the perceived security and convenience, as well as the preferences for different types of authentication methods. Variables used are the considerations for locking the screens and the types of authentication methods. The population consists of the smartphone users with the total samples of 400 respondents within a nonprobability sampling method. Data analysis method used is the descriptive analysis. The results showed that the convenience factor is still the major consideration for locking the smartphone screens. Majority of the users chose the pattern unlock as the most convenient method to use. Meanwhile, fingerprint unlock becomes the most secure method in the users’ perceptions and as the method chosen to be used in the future.

Child mortality in new industrial localities and opportunities for change: a survey in an Indian steel town.

PubMed

Crook, N; Malaker, C R

1992-10-01

As Asia becomes increasingly urbanized the effect of new industrial development on child mortality becomes of increasing interest. In India, considerable investment has been made in the social infrastructure of industrial new towns. This survey of Durgapur steel town in West Bengal shows that although the average level of child mortality in the working class population is favourable in comparison with other Indian cities, considerable differentials, that can be related to social, economic and environmental differences within the population, have arisen since the creation of the city in the late 1950s. The paper argues that the undertaking of selective sanitary interventions to improve access to drinking water (in particular) would be administratively feasible in these industrial new towns, of immediate impact, and indeed necessary if the differentials in mortality are to be eliminated.

Quantifying Uncertainties in Land Surface Microwave Emissivity Retrievals

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tian, Yudong; Peters-Lidard, Christa D.; Harrison, Kenneth W.; Prigent, Catherine; Norouzi, Hamidreza; Aires, Filipe; Boukabara, Sid-Ahmed; Furuzawa, Fumie A.; Masunaga, Hirohiko

2012-01-01

Uncertainties in the retrievals of microwave land surface emissivities were quantified over two types of land surfaces: desert and tropical rainforest. Retrievals from satellite-based microwave imagers, including SSM/I, TMI and AMSR-E, were studied. Our results show that there are considerable differences between the retrievals from different sensors and from different groups over these two land surface types. In addition, the mean emissivity values show different spectral behavior across the frequencies. With the true emissivity assumed largely constant over both of the two sites throughout the study period, the differences are largely attributed to the systematic and random errors in the retrievals. Generally these retrievals tend to agree better at lower frequencies than at higher ones, with systematic differences ranging 14% (312 K) over desert and 17% (320 K) over rainforest. The random errors within each retrieval dataset are in the range of 0.52% (26 K). In particular, at 85.0/89.0 GHz, there are very large differences between the different retrieval datasets, and within each retrieval dataset itself. Further investigation reveals that these differences are mostly likely caused by rain/cloud contamination, which can lead to random errors up to 1017 K under the most severe conditions.

All Good Readers Are the Same, but Every Low-Skilled Reader Is Different: An Eye-Tracking Study Using PISA Data

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Krstic, Ksenija; Šoškic, Andela; Kovic, Vanja; Holmqvist, Kenneth

2018-01-01

PISA results show that a considerable number of 15-year-old pupils after 8 to 10 years of schooling have a low level of functional reading literacy, as defined in the PISA framework. While PISA results help identify the level of reading competency, they do not reveal what might be the reasons why some students fail to solve the tasks. One way to…

Identification of the Radiative and Nonradiative Parts of a Wave Field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hoenders, B. J.; Ferwerda, H. A.

2001-08-01

We present a method for decomposing a wave field, described by a second-order ordinary differential equation, into a radiative component and a nonradiative one, using a biorthonormal system related to the problem under consideration. We show that it is possible to select a special system such that the wave field is purely radiating. We discuss the differences and analogies with approaches which, unlike our approach, start from the corresponding sources of the field.

Electromagnetic Design of a Radiofrequency Cavity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Montoya Soto, G. R.; Duarte Galvan, Carlos; Monzon, Ildefonso Leon; Podesta Lerma, Pedro Luis manuel; Valerio-Lizarraga, C. A.

2017-10-01

Electromagnetic and mechanical studies have been performed with the aim of build a RF cavity in the S-Band (2998 MHz), the design takes into consideration the relativistic change in the electron velocity through the acceleration cavity. Four cavity cases were considered at different input energies, 50 KeV, 100 KeV, 150 KeV, with output energies of 350 KeV, the designs show good acceleration efficiency and beam coherence comparable to the one created in the cathode.

A new gender-specific model for skin autofluorescence risk stratification

PubMed Central

Ahmad, Muhammad S.; Damanhouri, Zoheir A.; Kimhofer, Torben; Mosli, Hala H.; Holmes, Elaine

2015-01-01

Advanced glycation endproducts (AGEs) are believed to play a significant role in the pathophysiology of a variety of diseases including diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. Non-invasive skin autofluorescence (SAF) measurement serves as a proxy for tissue accumulation of AGEs. We assessed reference SAF and skin reflectance (SR) values in a Saudi population (n = 1,999) and evaluated the existing risk stratification scale. The mean SAF of the study cohort was 2.06 (SD = 0.57) arbitrary units (AU), which is considerably higher than the values reported for other populations. We show a previously unreported and significant difference in SAF values between men and women, with median (range) values of 1.77 AU (0.79–4.84 AU) and 2.20 AU (0.75–4.59 AU) respectively (p-value « 0.01). Age, presence of diabetes and BMI were the most influential variables in determining SAF values in men, whilst in female participants, SR was also highly correlated with SAF. Diabetes, hypertension and obesity all showed strong association with SAF, particularly when gender differences were taken into account. We propose an adjusted, gender-specific disease risk stratification scheme for Middle Eastern populations. SAF is a potentially valuable clinical screening tool for cardiovascular risk assessment but risk scores should take gender and ethnicity into consideration for accurate diagnosis. PMID:25974028

Flow sensing by pinniped whiskers

PubMed Central

Miersch, L.; Hanke, W.; Wieskotten, S.; Hanke, F. D.; Oeffner, J.; Leder, A.; Brede, M.; Witte, M.; Dehnhardt, G.

2011-01-01

Beside their haptic function, vibrissae of harbour seals (Phocidae) and California sea lions (Otariidae) both represent highly sensitive hydrodynamic receptor systems, although their vibrissal hair shafts differ considerably in structure. To quantify the sensory performance of both hair types, isolated single whiskers were used to measure vortex shedding frequencies produced in the wake of a cylinder immersed in a rotational flow tank. These measurements revealed that both whisker types were able to detect the vortex shedding frequency but differed considerably with respect to the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). While the signal detected by sea lion whiskers was substantially corrupted by noise, harbour seal whiskers showed a higher SNR with largely reduced noise. However, further analysis revealed that in sea lion whiskers, each noise signal contained a dominant frequency suggested to function as a characteristic carrier signal. While in harbour seal whiskers the unique surface structure explains its high sensitivity, this more or less steady fundamental frequency might represent the mechanism underlying hydrodynamic reception in the fast swimming sea lion by being modulated in response to hydrodynamic stimuli impinging on the hair. PMID:21969689

Why are men interested in cosmetic surgery procedures? Examining the role of different forms of peer influence, social comparison, internalization, and body dissatisfaction.

PubMed

Matera, Camilla; Nerini, Amanda; Stefanile, Cristina

2018-06-16

The present research examined the roles of different forms of peer influence, internalization, social comparison, and body dissatisfaction in men's interest in cosmetic surgery. Participants were 204 Italian men (M age  = 34.02, SD = 11.21). Regression analyses showed that appearance conversations with friends and peer attribution were associated with consideration of cosmetic surgery for social reasons, while teasing on muscularity (but not teasing on general body and shape) was linked to interest in cosmetic surgery for intrapersonal motives. Social comparison was significantly and positively associated with men's interest in cosmetic surgery, while internalization was not. Dissatisfaction with body fat was linked to men's consideration of cosmetic surgery for social motivations, while muscularity and height dissatisfaction did not emerge as significant correlates of cosmetic surgery attitudes. These findings highlight the importance of psychosocial factors, such as peer influence, body fat dissatisfaction, and social comparison in men's interest in cosmetic procedures. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Comparative Genome and Proteome Analysis of Anopheles gambiae and Drosophila melanogaster

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zdobnov, Evgeny M.; von Mering, Christian; Letunic, Ivica; Torrents, David; Suyama, Mikita; Copley, Richard R.; Christophides, George K.; Thomasova, Dana; Holt, Robert A.; Subramanian, G. Mani; Mueller, Hans-Michael; Dimopoulos, George; Law, John H.; Wells, Michael A.; Birney, Ewan; Charlab, Rosane; Halpern, Aaron L.; Kokoza, Elena; Kraft, Cheryl L.; Lai, Zhongwu; Lewis, Suzanna; Louis, Christos; Barillas-Mury, Carolina; Nusskern, Deborah; Rubin, Gerald M.; Salzberg, Steven L.; Sutton, Granger G.; Topalis, Pantelis; Wides, Ron; Wincker, Patrick; Yandell, Mark; Collins, Frank H.; Ribeiro, Jose; Gelbart, William M.; Kafatos, Fotis C.; Bork, Peer

2002-10-01

Comparison of the genomes and proteomes of the two diptera Anopheles gambiae and Drosophila melanogaster, which diverged about 250 million years ago, reveals considerable similarities. However, numerous differences are also observed; some of these must reflect the selection and subsequent adaptation associated with different ecologies and life strategies. Almost half of the genes in both genomes are interpreted as orthologs and show an average sequence identity of about 56%, which is slightly lower than that observed between the orthologs of the pufferfish and human (diverged about 450 million years ago). This indicates that these two insects diverged considerably faster than vertebrates. Aligned sequences reveal that orthologous genes have retained only half of their intron/exon structure, indicating that intron gains or losses have occurred at a rate of about one per gene per 125 million years. Chromosomal arms exhibit significant remnants of homology between the two species, although only 34% of the genes colocalize in small ``microsyntenic'' clusters, and major interarm transfers as well as intra-arm shuffling of gene order are detected.

Scleroderma and the temporomandibular joint: reconstruction in 2 variants.

PubMed

MacIntosh, Robert Bruce; Shivapuja, Prasanna-Kumar; Naqvi, Rabia

2015-06-01

This article reviews the pathophysiology of scleroderma (systemic sclerosis [SSc]) and its destructive effects on the mandible in general and the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) in particular. It discusses the considerations of operating on patients with devastating chronic disease and presents 2 cases of TMJ reconstruction in patients with the diagnosis. Two patients with different degrees of SSc involvement underwent TMJ reconstruction with costochondral grafts. The patients represent the surgical considerations pertinent to this disease and different outcomes as determined by the variance in severity of their afflictions. The 2 patients tolerated the surgeries well and exhibited improvement in function in the long-term. One patient thrives and continues to do well despite her SSc approximately 10 years postoperatively; the second patient died of her disease approximately 9 years after her initial surgical care. The experience with these 2 cases showed that patients with SSc can safely undergo TMJ reconstruction with anticipated good results, but that the overall severity of the disease remains paramount in determining the feasibility of corrective surgery under this diagnosis. Copyright © 2015 American Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Where Does the Irrigation Water Go? An Estimate of the Contribution of Irrigation to Precipitation Using MERRA

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wei, Jiangfeng; Dirmeyer, Paul A.; Wisser, Dominik; Bosilovich, Michael G.; Mocko, David M.

2013-01-01

Irrigation is an important human activity that may impact local and regional climate, but current climate model simulations and data assimilation systems generally do not explicitly include it. The European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) Interim Re-Analysis (ERA-Interim) shows more irrigation signal in surface evapotranspiration (ET) than the Modern-Era Retrospective Analysis for Research and Applications (MERRA) because ERA-Interim adjusts soil moisture according to the observed surface temperature and humidity while MERRA has no explicit consideration of irrigation at the surface. But, when compared with the results from a hydrological model with detailed considerations of agriculture, the ET from both reanalyses show large deficiencies in capturing the impact of irrigation. Here, a back-trajectory method is used to estimate the contribution of irrigation to precipitation over local and surrounding regions, using MERRA with observation-based corrections and added irrigation-caused ET increase from the hydrological model. Results show substantial contributions of irrigation to precipitation over heavily irrigated regions in Asia, but the precipitation increase is much less than the ET increase over most areas, indicating that irrigation could lead to water deficits over these regions. For the same increase in ET, precipitation increases are larger over wetter areas where convection is more easily triggered, but the percentage increase in precipitation is similar for different areas. There are substantial regional differences in the patterns of irrigation impact, but, for all the studied regions, the highest percentage contribution to precipitation is over local land.

Different developmental trajectories across feature types support a dynamic field model of visual working memory development

PubMed Central

Simmering, Vanessa R.; Miller, Hilary E.; Bohache, Kevin

2015-01-01

Research on visual working memory has focused on characterizing the nature of capacity limits as “slots” or “resources” based almost exclusively on adults’ performance with little consideration for developmental change. Here we argue that understanding how visual working memory develops can shed new light onto the nature of representations. We present an alternative model, the Dynamic Field Theory (DFT), which can capture effects that have been previously attributed either to “slot” or “resource” explanations. The DFT includes a specific developmental mechanism to account for improvements in both resolution and capacity of visual working memory throughout childhood. Here we show how development in the DFT can account for different capacity estimates across feature types (i.e., color and shape). The current paper tests this account by comparing children’s (3, 5, and 7 years of age) performance across different feature types. Results showed that capacity for colors increased faster over development than capacity for shapes. A second experiment confirmed this difference across feature types within subjects, but also showed that the difference can be attenuated by testing memory for less-familiar colors. Model simulations demonstrate how developmental changes in connectivity within the model—purportedly arising through experience—can capture differences across feature types. PMID:25737253

Different developmental trajectories across feature types support a dynamic field model of visual working memory development.

PubMed

Simmering, Vanessa R; Miller, Hilary E; Bohache, Kevin

2015-05-01

Research on visual working memory has focused on characterizing the nature of capacity limits as "slots" or "resources" based almost exclusively on adults' performance with little consideration for developmental change. Here we argue that understanding how visual working memory develops can shed new light onto the nature of representations. We present an alternative model, the Dynamic Field Theory (DFT), which can capture effects that have been previously attributed either to "slot" or "resource" explanations. The DFT includes a specific developmental mechanism to account for improvements in both resolution and capacity of visual working memory throughout childhood. Here we show how development in the DFT can account for different capacity estimates across feature types (i.e., color and shape). The current paper tests this account by comparing children's (3, 5, and 7 years of age) performance across different feature types. Results showed that capacity for colors increased faster over development than capacity for shapes. A second experiment confirmed this difference across feature types within subjects, but also showed that the difference can be attenuated by testing memory for less familiar colors. Model simulations demonstrate how developmental changes in connectivity within the model-purportedly arising through experience-can capture differences across feature types.

How to choose methods for lake greenhouse gas flux measurements?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bastviken, David

2017-04-01

Lake greenhouse gas (GHG) fluxes are increasingly recognized as important for lake ecosystems as well as for large scale carbon and GHG budgets. However, many of our flux estimates are uncertain and it can be discussed if the presently available data is representative for the systems studied or not. Data are also very limited for some important flux pathways. Hence, many ongoing efforts try to better constrain fluxes and understand flux regulation. A fundamental challenge towards improved knowledge and when starting new studies is what methods to choose. A variety of approaches to measure aquatic GHG exchange is used and data from different methods and methodological approaches have often been treated as equally valid to create large datasets for extrapolations and syntheses. However, data from different approaches may cover different flux pathways or spatio-temporal domains and are thus not always comparable. Method inter-comparisons and critical method evaluations addressing these issues are rare. Emerging efforts to organize systematic multi-lake monitoring networks for GHG fluxes leads to method choices that may set the foundation for decades of data generation and therefore require fundamental evaluation of different approaches. The method choices do not only regard the equipment but also for example consideration of overall measurement design and field approaches, relevant spatial and temporal resolution for different flux components, and accessory variables to measure. In addition, consideration of how to design monitoring approaches being affordable, suitable for widespread (global) use, and comparable across regions is needed. Inspired by discussions with Prof. Dr. Cristian Blodau during the EGU General Assembly 2016, this presentation aims to (1) illustrate fundamental pros and cons for a number of common methods, (2) show how common methodological approaches originally adapted for other environments can be improved for lake flux measurements, (3) suggest how consideration of spatio-temporal dimensions of flux variability can lead to more optimized approaches, and (4) highlight possibilities of efficient ways forward including low-cost technologies that has potential for world-wide use.

Operational Considerations in the Organization of Indian Business Enterprises.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brudevold, Daniel L.; And Others

1982-01-01

To provide Tribal Councils and enterprises with fundamental guidelines to organize and administer enterprises as profit-seeking businesses, the paper is presented in four sections: differences in basic purposes (business vs. government); organizational considerations; fiscal management considerations; and guidelines for organizing and establishing…

Acoustical study of classical Peking Opera singing.

PubMed

Sundberg, Johan; Gu, Lide; Huang, Qiang; Huang, Ping

2012-03-01

Acoustic characteristics of classical opera singing differ considerably between the Western and the Chinese cultures. Singers in the classical Peking opera tradition specialize on one out of a limited number of standard roles. Audio and electroglottograph signals were recorded for four performers of the Old Man role and three performers of the Colorful Face role. Recordings were made of the singers' speech and when they sang recitatives and songs from their roles. Sound pressure level, fundamental frequency, and spectrum characteristics were analyzed. Histograms showing the distribution of fundamental frequency showed marked peaks for the songs, suggesting a scale tone structure. Some of the intervals between these peaks were similar to those used in Western music. Vibrato rate was about 3.5Hz, that is, considerably slower than in Western classical singing. Spectra of vibrato-free tones contained unbroken series of harmonic partials sometimes reaching up to 17 000Hz. Long-term-average spectrum (LTAS) curves showed no trace of a singer's formant cluster. However, the Colorful Face role singers' LTAS showed a marked peak near 3300Hz, somewhat similar to that found in Western pop music singers. The mean LTAS spectrum slope between 700 and 6000Hz decreased by about 0.2dB/octave per dB of equivalent sound level. Copyright © 2012 The Voice Foundation. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

A photometric study of the Orion OB 1 association. 3: Subgroup analyses

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Warren, W. H., Jr.; Hesser, J. E.

1977-01-01

The four principal subgroups of the association were examined in detail using individual distances and reddening values determined for their B type members. Subgroup 1a appeared not to show a spread in age nor did it show a systematic distance increase with right ascension when fainter members were considered. An eastwardly increase in distance was found for subgroup 1b but the reddening law for the east Belt appeared normal. Small subclusterings in the vicinity of the Orion Nebula appeared not to differ in the evolutionary state but their ages were considerably greater than those of stars in the nebulae and its associated cluster.

Modeling thermal performance of exterior walls retrofitted from insulation and modified laterite based bricks materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wati, Elvis; Meukam, Pierre; Damfeu, Jean Claude

2017-12-01

Uninsulated concrete block walls commonly found in tropical region have to be retrofitted to save energy. The thickness of insulation layer used can be reduced with the help of modified laterite based bricks layer (with the considerably lower thermal conductivity than that of concrete block layer) during the retrofit building fabrics. The aim of this study is to determine the optimum location and distribution of different materials. The investigation is carried out under steady periodic conditions under the climatic conditions of Garoua in Cameroon using a Simulink model constructed from H-Tools (the library of Simulink models). Results showed that for the continuous air-conditioned space, the best wall configuration from the maximum time lag, minimum decrement factor and peak cooling transmission load perspective, is dividing the insulation layer into two layers and placing one at the exterior surface and the other layer between the two different massive layers with the modified laterite based bricks layer at the interior surface. For intermittent cooling space, the best wall configuration from the minimum energy consumption depends on total insulation thickness. For the total insulation thickness less than 8 cm approximately, the best wall configuration is placing the half layer of insulation material at the interior surface and the other half between the two different massive layers with the modified earthen material at the exterior surface. Results also showed that, the optimum insulation thickness calculated from the yearly cooling transmission (estimated only during the occupied period) and some economic considerations slightly depends on the location of that insulation.

Performance test of different 3.5 mm drill bits and consequences for orthopaedic surgery.

PubMed

Clement, Hans; Zopf, Christoph; Brandner, Markus; Tesch, Norbert P; Vallant, Rudolf; Puchwein, Paul

2015-12-01

Drilling of bones in orthopaedic and trauma surgery is a common procedure. There are yet no recommendations about which drill bits/coating should be preferred and when to change a used drill bit. In preliminary studies typical "drilling patterns" of surgeons concerning used spindle speed and feeding force were recorded. Different feeding forces were tested and abrasion was analysed using magnification and a scanning electron microscope (SEM). Acquired data were used for programming a friction stir welding machine (FSWM). Four drill bits (a default AISI 440A, a HSS, an AISI 440B and a Zirconium-oxide drill bit) were analysed for abrasive wear after 20/40/60 machine-guided and hand-driven drilled holes. Additionally different drill coatings [diamond-like carbon/grafitic (DLC), titanium nitride/carbide (Ti-N)] were tested. The mean applied feeding force by surgeons was 45 ± 15.6 Newton (N). HSS bits were still usable after 51 drill holes. Both coated AISI 440A bits showed considerable breakouts of the main cutting edge after 20 hand-driven drilled holes. The coated HSS bit showed very low abrasive wear. The non-coated AISI 440B bit had a similar durability to the HSS bits. The ZrO2 dental drill bit excelled its competitors (no considerable abrasive wear at >100 holes). If the default AISI 440A drill bit cannot be checked by 20-30× magnification after surgery, it should be replaced after 20 hand-driven drilled holes. Low price coated HSS bits could be a powerful alternative.

Mast cell distribution in normal adult skin.

PubMed

Janssens, A S; Heide, R; den Hollander, J C; Mulder, P G M; Tank, B; Oranje, A P

2005-03-01

To investigate mast cell distribution in normal adult skin to provide a reference range for comparison with mastocytosis. Mast cells (MCs) were counted in uninvolved skin adjacent to basal cell carcinomas and other dermatological disorders in adults. There was an uneven distribution of MCs in different body sites using the anti-tryptase monoclonal antibody technique. Numbers of MCs on the trunk, upper arm, and upper leg were similar, but were significantly different from those found on the lower leg and forearm. Two distinct groups were formed--proximal and distal. There were 77.0 MCs/mm2 at proximal body sites and 108.2 MCs/mm2 at distal sites. Adjusted for the adjacent diagnosis and age, this difference was consistent. The numbers of MCs in uninvolved skin adjacent to basal cell carcinomas and other dermatological disorders were not different from those in the control group. Differences in the numbers of MCs between the distal and the proximal body sites must be considered when MCs are counted for a reliable diagnosis of mastocytosis. A pilot study in patients with mastocytosis underlined the variation in the numbers of MCs in mastocytosis and normal skin, but showed a considerable overlap. The observed numbers of MCs in adults cannot be extrapolated to children. MC numbers varied significantly between proximal and distal body sites and these differences must be considered when MCs are counted for a reliable diagnosis of mastocytosis. There was a considerable overlap between the numbers of MCs in mastocytosis and normal skin.

The Relationships between Tropical Pacific and Atlantic SST and Northeast Brazil Monthly Precipitation.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bertacchi Uvo, Cintia; Repelli, Carlos A.; Zebiak, Stephen E.; Kushnir, Yochanan

1998-04-01

The monthly patterns of northeast Brazil (NEB) precipitation are analyzed in relation to sea surface temperature (SST) in the tropical Pacific and Atlantic Oceans, using singular value decomposition. It is found that the relationships between precipitation and SST in both basins vary considerably throughout the rainy season (February-May). In January, equatorial Pacific SST is weakly correlated with precipitation in small areas of southern NEB, but Atlantic SST shows no significant correlation with regional precipitation. In February, Pacific SST is not well related to precipitation, but south equatorial Atlantic SST is positively correlated with precipitation over the northern Nordeste, the latter most likely reflecting an anomalously early (or late) southward migration of the ITCZ precipitation zone. During March, equatorial Pacific SST is negatively correlated with Nordeste precipitation, but no consistent relationship between precipitation and Atlantic SST is found. Atlantic SST-precipitation correlations for April and May are the strongest found among all months or either ocean. Precipitation in the Nordeste is positively correlated with SST in the south tropical Atlantic and negatively correlated with SST in the north tropical Atlantic. These relationships are strong enough to determine the structure of the seasonal mean SST-precipitation correlations, even though the corresponding patterns for the earlier months of the season are quite different. Pacific SST-precipitation correlations for April and May are similar to those for March. Extreme wet (dry) years for the Nordeste occur when both Pacific and Atlantic SST patterns for April and May occur simultaneously. A separate analysis reinforces previous findings in showing that SST in the tropical Pacific and the northern tropical Atlantic are positively correlated and that tropical Pacific-south Atlantic correlations are negligible.Time-lagged analyses show the potential for forecasting either seasonal mean or monthly precipitation patterns with some degree of skill. In some instances, individual monthly mean SST versus seasonal mean (February-May) precipitation relationships differ considerably from the corresponding monthly SST versus monthly precipitation relationships. It is argued that the seasonal mean relationships result from the relatively strong monthly relationships toward the end of the season, combined with the considerable persistence of SST in both oceans.

Force wave transmission through the human locomotor system.

PubMed

Voloshin, A; Wosk, J; Brull, M

1981-02-01

A method to measure the capability of the human shock absorber system to attenuate input dynamic loading during the gait is presented. The experiments were carried out with two groups: healthy subjects and subjects with various pathological conditions. The results of the experiments show a considerable difference in the capability of each group's shock absorbers to attenuate force transmitted through the locomotor system. Comparison shows that healthy subjects definitely possess a more efficient shock-absorbing capacity than do those subjects with joint disorders. Presented results show that degenerative changes in joints reduce their shock absorbing capacity, which leads to overloading of the next shock absorber in the locomotor system. So, the development of osteoarthritis may be expected to result from overloading of a shock absorber's functional capacity.

Earth Observations taken by the Expedition 13 crew

NASA Image and Video Library

2006-05-28

ISS013-E-27870 (28 May 2006) --- Considerable sunglint emphasizes features on Lake Erie in this image photographed by an Expedition 13 crewmember on the International Space Station. This detailed, south-looking image shows features on the surface of Lake Erie, about 30 miles west of Cleveland, Ohio. This view shows tight-V-shaped wakes of small craft. It also shows broad patterns of larger craft, probably large freighters carrying cargo that displace and disturb more water during passage. These larger wakes are aligned with the direct course between Detroit (out of frame) and Cleveland (out of frame). Some of the broad, ill-defined swaths of light and dark are streaks of wind-roughened water, which reflect the Sun differently.

Cone Beam CT vs. Fan Beam CT: A Comparison of Image Quality and Dose Delivered Between Two Differing CT Imaging Modalities.

PubMed

Lechuga, Lawrence; Weidlich, Georg A

2016-09-12

A comparison of image quality and dose delivered between two differing computed tomography (CT) imaging modalities-fan beam and cone beam-was performed. A literature review of quantitative analyses for various image quality aspects such as uniformity, signal-to-noise ratio, artifact presence, spatial resolution, modulation transfer function (MTF), and low contrast resolution was generated. With these aspects quantified, cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) shows a superior spatial resolution to that of fan beam, while fan beam shows a greater ability to produce clear and anatomically correct images with better soft tissue differentiation. The results indicate that fan beam CT produces superior images to that of on-board imaging (OBI) cone beam CT systems, while providing a considerably less dose to the patient.

Synthesis and spectroscopic characterization of gallic acid and some of its azo complexes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Masoud, Mamdouh S.; Hagagg, Sawsan S.; Ali, Alaa E.; Nasr, Nessma M.

2012-04-01

A series of gallic acid and azo gallic acid complexes were prepared and characterized by elemental analysis, IR, electronic spectra and magnetic susceptibility. The complexes were of different geometries: Octahedral, Tetrahedral and Square Planar. ESR was studied for copper complexes. All of the prepared complexes were of isotropic nature. The thermal analyses of the complexes were studied by DTA and DSC techniques. The thermodynamic parameters and the thermal transitions, such as glass transitions, crystallization and melting temperatures for some ligands and their complexes were evaluated and discussed. The entropy change values, ΔS#, showed that the transition states are more ordered than the reacting complexes. The biological activities of some ligands and their complexes are tested against Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria. The results showed that some complexes have a well considerable activity against different organisms.

Spectral reflectance and photometric properties of selected rocks

USGS Publications Warehouse

Watson, Robert D.

1971-01-01

Studies of the spectral reflectance and photometric properties of selected rocks at the USGS Mill Creek, Oklahoma, remote sensing test site demonstrate that discrimination of rock types is possible through reflection measurements, but that the discrimination is complicated by surface conditions, such as weathering and lichen growth. Comparisons between fresh-broken, weathered, and lichen-covered granite show that whereas both degree of weathering and amount of lichen cover change the reflectance quality of the granite, lichen cover also considerably changes the photometric properties of the granite. Measurements of the spectral reflectance normal to the surface of both limestone and dolomite show limestone to be more reflective than dolomite in the wavelength range from 380 to 1550 nanometers. The reflectance difference decreases at view angles greater than 40° owing to the difference in the photometric properties of dolomite and limestone.

Cone Beam CT vs. Fan Beam CT: A Comparison of Image Quality and Dose Delivered Between Two Differing CT Imaging Modalities

PubMed Central

Weidlich, Georg A.

2016-01-01

A comparison of image quality and dose delivered between two differing computed tomography (CT) imaging modalities—fan beam and cone beam—was performed. A literature review of quantitative analyses for various image quality aspects such as uniformity, signal-to-noise ratio, artifact presence, spatial resolution, modulation transfer function (MTF), and low contrast resolution was generated. With these aspects quantified, cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) shows a superior spatial resolution to that of fan beam, while fan beam shows a greater ability to produce clear and anatomically correct images with better soft tissue differentiation. The results indicate that fan beam CT produces superior images to that of on-board imaging (OBI) cone beam CT systems, while providing a considerably less dose to the patient. PMID:27752404

The effect of the inspiratory muscle training on functional ability in stroke patients.

PubMed

Jung, Nam-Jin; Na, Sang-Su; Kim, Seung-Kyu; Hwangbo, Gak

2017-11-01

[Purpose] This study was to find out an inspiratory muscle training (IMT) program therapeutic effects on stroke patients' functional ability. [Subjects and Methods] Twenty stroke patients were assigned to one of two groups: inspiratory muscle training (n=10), and control (n=10), randomization. The inspiratory muscle training participants undertook an exercise program for 30 minute per times, 5 times a week for 6 weeks. The investigator measured the patients' trunk impairment scale (TIS) and 6 minute walking test (6MW) for functional ability before and after IMT. [Results] The TIS appeared some significant differences in both groups before and after the training. The 6MW test showed some significant differences in the inspiratory muscle training group, but didn't show any significant difference in the control group. And the differences in both groups after depending the inspiratory muscle training were significantly found in the tests of TIS and 6MW test [Conclusion] The results showed that the inspiratory muscle training in stroke patients are correlated with the trunk stability and locomotion ability, suggesting that physical therapist must take into consideration the inspiratory muscle training, as well as functional training to improve physical function in stroke patients.

Special Consideration in Post-Secondary Institutions: Trends at a Canadian University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zimmermann, Joelle; Kamenetsky, Stuart B.; Pongracic, Syb

2015-01-01

This study examined trends in the practice of granting special consideration for missed tests and late papers in colleges and universities. We analyzed a database of 4,183 special consideration requests at a large Canadian university between 1998 and 2008. Results show a growing rate of requests per enrolment between 2001 and 2007. Although…

Gendered career considerations consolidate from the start of medical education.

PubMed

Alers, Margret; Verdonk, Petra; Bor, Hans; Hamberg, Katarina; Lagro-Janssen, Antoine

2014-09-13

To explore changes in specialty preferences and work-related topics during the theoretical phase of Dutch medical education and the role of gender. A cohort of medical students at Radboudumc, the Netherlands, was surveyed at start (N=612, 69.1% female) and after three years (N=519, 69.2% female), on specialty preferences, full-time or part-time work, motivational factors, and work-life issues. Chi square tests were performed to analyze gender-differences, and logistic regression to explore the influence of gender on considerations. A total of 214 female and 78 male students completed both surveys. After three years, the male students remained highly interested in surgery, but the female students increasingly preferred gynecology. These initial preferences were predictive. Four out of five male students versus three out of five female students continued to show a full-time preference. Women increasingly preferred part-time work. After three years, the combination of work, care, and patient contact motivated female students more, whereas salary remained more important to male students. Female students indicated that their future careers would influence their family life; male students assumed having a family would only affect their partners' careers. Against an international background of the feminization of medicine, our study shows that career considerations are reinforced early in medical studies. Women prefer to work fewer hours and anticipate care tasks more often. Students' preferences reflect Dutch cultural norms about working men and women. Therefore, guidance in choice-making much earlier in medical education can create opportunities.

Modeling of unit operating considerations in generating-capacity reliability evaluation. Volume 1. Mathematical models, computing methods, and results. Final report. [GENESIS, OPCON and OPPLAN

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

Patton, A.D.; Ayoub, A.K.; Singh, C.

1982-07-01

Existing methods for generating capacity reliability evaluation do not explicitly recognize a number of operating considerations which may have important effects in system reliability performance. Thus, current methods may yield estimates of system reliability which differ appreciably from actual observed reliability. Further, current methods offer no means of accurately studying or evaluating alternatives which may differ in one or more operating considerations. Operating considerations which are considered to be important in generating capacity reliability evaluation include: unit duty cycles as influenced by load cycle shape, reliability performance of other units, unit commitment policy, and operating reserve policy; unit start-up failuresmore » distinct from unit running failures; unit start-up times; and unit outage postponability and the management of postponable outages. A detailed Monte Carlo simulation computer model called GENESIS and two analytical models called OPCON and OPPLAN have been developed which are capable of incorporating the effects of many operating considerations including those noted above. These computer models have been used to study a variety of actual and synthetic systems and are available from EPRI. The new models are shown to produce system reliability indices which differ appreciably from index values computed using traditional models which do not recognize operating considerations.« less

[Communication behavior between parents and their adolescent children and correlation with indicators of self concept].

PubMed

Kreppner, K

1996-01-01

Formats of communication within families are believed to be relevant contexts for children's development. Cultural values, norms, and interpretation patterns are transferred from parents to children within the family's specific communication framework. By the same token, skills to maintain the balance of living together or to realize one's own wishes are acquired within the scope of extant formats of exchange among family members. Puberty is a period, where a child strives for more autonomy and tends to dispute present parent-child relationships. The focus of the study is on links between formats of communication within the family and adolescents' estimations of the relationships with their parents and also adolescents' judgments about their self-esteem. 67 families with an adolescent child (between 11 and 12 years old at the beginning of data collection) participated in a longitudinal study, in which adolescents judged the quality of their relationship with parents as well as their self-esteem every six months over a period of three and a half years (8 waves). In addition, concrete communication behavior between parents and adolescents was observed and recorded during the first, fourth, sixth, and eight wave of data collection. Results point to considerable differences among adolescents' judgments concerning their quality of relationship with the parents and their self-esteem. Groups could be formed according to these differences. Data also show that adolescents show a high degree of constancy in their estimations over time. However, communication behaviors in parent-adolescent dyads showed divergent patterns of communication across the different groups on the one hand, and different degrees of variation of communication formats within groups over time on the other, dependent on whether adolescents belonged to the group of high quality relationship and self-esteem (considerable variation over time) or to the group of low quality relationship and self-esteem (less variation over time). Results are discussed under the perspective of adolescents' different experiences in family communication, and implications of possible links between development of self-esteem and adaptive or nonadaptive variations in family communication are considered.

Using discrete choice experiments within a cost-benefit analysis framework: some considerations.

PubMed

McIntosh, Emma

2006-01-01

A great advantage of the stated preference discrete choice experiment (SPDCE) approach to economic evaluation methodology is its immense flexibility within applied cost-benefit analyses (CBAs). However, while the use of SPDCEs in healthcare has increased markedly in recent years there has been a distinct lack of equivalent CBAs in healthcare using such SPDCE-derived valuations. This article outlines specific issues and some practical suggestions for consideration relevant to the development of CBAs using SPDCE-derived benefits. The article shows that SPDCE-derived CBA can adopt recent developments in cost-effectiveness methodology including the cost-effectiveness plane, appropriate consideration of uncertainty, the net-benefit framework and probabilistic sensitivity analysis methods, while maintaining the theoretical advantage of the SPDCE approach. The concept of a cost-benefit plane is no different in principle to the cost-effectiveness plane and can be a useful tool for reporting and presenting the results of CBAs.However, there are many challenging issues to address for the advancement of CBA methodology using SPCDEs within healthcare. Particular areas for development include the importance of accounting for uncertainty in SPDCE-derived willingness-to-pay values, the methodology of SPDCEs in clinical trial settings and economic models, measurement issues pertinent to using SPDCEs specifically in healthcare, and the importance of issues such as consideration of the dynamic nature of healthcare and the resulting impact this has on the validity of attribute definitions and context.

Recovering from Hallucinations: A Qualitative Study of Coping with Voices Hearing of People with Schizophrenia in Hong Kong

PubMed Central

Ng, Petrus; Chun, Ricky W. K.; Tsun, Angela

2012-01-01

Auditory hallucination is a positive symptom of schizophrenia and has significant impacts on the lives of individuals. People with auditory hallucination require considerable assistance from mental health professionals. Apart from medications, they may apply different lay methods to cope with their voice hearing. Results from qualitative interviews showed that people with schizophrenia in the Chinese sociocultural context of Hong Kong were coping with auditory hallucination in different ways, including (a) changing social contacts, (b) manipulating the voices, and (c) changing perception and meaning towards the voices. Implications for recovery from psychiatric illness of individuals with auditory hallucinations are discussed. PMID:23304082

[The characteristics of mine-blast wounds in shoals].

PubMed

Rukhliada, N V; Minnullin, I P; Chernysh, A V; Kuz'min, V P; Khomchuk, I A

1998-01-01

The data obtained in experiments on shoal using plastic charges of 100-50-25 g of equivalent power of antipersonnel mines showed that injuring action on shoal was four times greater than that on land and resulted in considerably graver skeletal traumas and distant injuries. Of special significance in pathogenesis of mine-explosive wounds on shoal is pneumonia followed by arterial air embolism and encephalopathy. Although the undermining on land and on shoal have many common etiopathogenetic features, there are substantial differences first of all due to different mechanisms of their appearance. It must be taken into account while performing evacuatory, diagnostic and medical measures in such patients.

On the tumbling toast problem

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Borghi, Riccardo

2012-09-01

A didactical revisitation of the so-called tumbling toast problem is presented here. The numerical solution of the related Newton's equations has been found in the space domain, without resorting to the complete time-based law of motion, with a considerable reduction of the mathematical complexity of the problem. This could allow the effect of the different physical mechanisms ruling the overall dynamics to be appreciated in a more transparent way, even by undergraduates. Moreover, the availability from the literature of experimental investigations carried out on tumbling toast allows us to propose different theoretical models of growing complexity in order to show the corresponding improvement of the agreement between theory and observation.

Social and attentional aspects of echolalia in highly echolalic mentally retarded persons.

PubMed

Campbell, B; Grieve, R

1978-01-01

Echolalia was examined in a sample of highly echolalic mentally retarded individuals. When presented with a standard set of questions, under conditions differing in appropriateness for exchange of discourse (e.g., questions presented with examiner and patient face-to-face vs. questions presented with the examiner's face averted vs. questions addressed towards another person sitting silently beside the patient), subjects' frequency of echolalia varied. Besides showing considerable sensitivity to aspects of discourse exchange, subjects exhibited some limited capacity for processing linguistic information.

Influence of multidroplet size distribution on icing collection efficiency

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chang, H.-P.; Kimble, K. R.; Frost, W.; Shaw, R. J.

1983-01-01

Calculation of collection efficiencies of two-dimensional airfoils for a monodispersed droplet icing cloud and a multidispersed droplet is carried out. Comparison is made with the experimental results reported in the NACA Technical Note series. The results of the study show considerably improved agreement with experiment when multidroplet size distributions are employed. The study then investigates the effect of collection efficiency on airborne particle droplet size sampling instruments. The biased effect introduced due to sampling from different collection volumes is predicted.

Should I Perform Genetic Testing? A Qualitative Look into the Decision Making Considerations of Religious Israeli Undergraduate Students.

PubMed

Siani, Merav; Assaraf, Orit Ben-Zvi

2016-10-01

The aim of this study is to draw a picture of the concerns that guide the decision making of Israeli religious undergraduate students and the complex considerations they take into account while facing the need to have genetic testing or to attend a genetic counseling session. We examined how the religious affiliation of the students influences their perceptions toward genetics and how these are expressed. Qualitative data were collected from 51 semi-structured interviews with students, in which recurring themes were identified using 'thematic analysis.' The codes from the thematic analysis were obtained according to 'grounded theory'. Our results show that religious undergraduate students' decision making in these issues is influenced by factors that fall under three main categories: knowledge and perceptions, values, and norms. In order to include all the components of influence, we created the Triple C model: "Culture influences Choices towards genetic Counseling" which aims to generalize the complex decision making considerations that we detected. Our model places religion, as part of culture, as its central point of influence that impacts all three of the main categories we detected. It also traces the bidirectional influences that each of these main categories have on one another. Using this model may help identify the sociocultural differences between different types of patients, helping genetic counselors to better assist them in addressing their genetic status by tailoring the counseling more specifically to the patient's cultural uniqueness.

Noise Reduction Design of the Volute for a Centrifugal Compressor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Song, Zhen; Wen, Huabing; Hong, Liangxing; Jin, Yudong

2017-08-01

In order to effectively control the aerodynamic noise of a compressor, this paper takes into consideration a marine exhaust turbocharger compressor as a research object. According to the different design concept of volute section, tongue and exit cone, six different volute models were established. The finite volume method is used to calculate the flow field, whiles the finite element method is used for the acoustic calculation. Comparison and analysis of different structure designs from three aspects: noise level, isentropic efficiency and Static pressure recovery coefficient. The results showed that under the concept of volute section model 1 yielded the best result, under the concept of tongue analysis model 3 yielded the best result and finally under exit cone analysis model 6 yielded the best results.

Studies of velocity fluctuations in the lower atmosphere using the MU radar. I - Azimuthal anisotropy. II - Momentum fluxes and energy densities

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vanzandt, T. E.; Smith, S. A.; Tsuda, T.; Sato, T.; Fritts, D. C.

1990-01-01

Results are presented from a six-day campaign to observe velocity fluctuations in the lower atmosphere using the MU radar (Fukao et al., 1985) in Shigaraki, Japan in March, 1986. Consideration is given to the azimuthal anisotropy, the frequency spectra, the vertical profiles of energy density, and the momentum flux of the motion field. It is found that all of the observed azimuthal variations are probably caused by a gravity wave field whose parameters vary with time. The results show significant differences between the mean zonal and meridional frequency spectra and different profiles of mean energy density with height for different frequency bands and for zonal and meridional components.

Large eddy simulation applications in gas turbines.

PubMed

Menzies, Kevin

2009-07-28

The gas turbine presents significant challenges to any computational fluid dynamics techniques. The combination of a wide range of flow phenomena with complex geometry is difficult to model in the context of Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) solvers. We review the potential for large eddy simulation (LES) in modelling the flow in the different components of the gas turbine during a practical engineering design cycle. We show that while LES has demonstrated considerable promise for reliable prediction of many flows in the engine that are difficult for RANS it is not a panacea and considerable application challenges remain. However, for many flows, especially those dominated by shear layer mixing such as in combustion chambers and exhausts, LES has demonstrated a clear superiority over RANS for moderately complex geometries although at significantly higher cost which will remain an issue in making the calculations relevant within the design cycle.

Improving the Stability of Astaxanthin by Microencapsulation in Calcium Alginate Beads.

PubMed

Lin, Shen-Fu; Chen, Ying-Chen; Chen, Ray-Neng; Chen, Ling-Chun; Ho, Hsiu-O; Tsung, Yu-Han; Sheu, Ming-Thau; Liu, Der-Zen

2016-01-01

There has been considerable interest in the biological functions of astaxanthin and its potential applications in the nutraceutical, cosmetics, food, and feed industries in recent years. However, the unstable structure of astaxanthin considerably limits its application. Therefore, this study reports the encapsulation of astaxanthin in calcium alginate beads using the extrusion method to improve its stability. This study also evaluates the stability of the encapsulated astaxanthin under different storage conditions. The evaluation of astaxanthin stability under various environmental factors reveals that temperature is the most influential environmental factor in astaxanthin degradation. Stability analysis shows that, regardless of the formulation used, the content of astaxanthin encapsulated in alginate beads remains above 90% of the original amount after 21 days of storage at 25°C. These results suggest that the proposed technique is a promising way to enhance the stability of other sensitive compounds.

Improving the Stability of Astaxanthin by Microencapsulation in Calcium Alginate Beads

PubMed Central

Lin, Shen-Fu; Chen, Ying-Chen; Chen, Ray-Neng; Chen, Ling-Chun; Ho, Hsiu-O; Tsung, Yu-Han; Sheu, Ming-Thau; Liu, Der-Zen

2016-01-01

There has been considerable interest in the biological functions of astaxanthin and its potential applications in the nutraceutical, cosmetics, food, and feed industries in recent years. However, the unstable structure of astaxanthin considerably limits its application. Therefore, this study reports the encapsulation of astaxanthin in calcium alginate beads using the extrusion method to improve its stability. This study also evaluates the stability of the encapsulated astaxanthin under different storage conditions. The evaluation of astaxanthin stability under various environmental factors reveals that temperature is the most influential environmental factor in astaxanthin degradation. Stability analysis shows that, regardless of the formulation used, the content of astaxanthin encapsulated in alginate beads remains above 90% of the original amount after 21 days of storage at 25°C. These results suggest that the proposed technique is a promising way to enhance the stability of other sensitive compounds. PMID:27093175

Medical use of cannabis: Italian and European legislation.

PubMed

Zaami, S; Di Luca, A; Di Luca, N M; Montanari Vergallo, G

2018-02-01

This review illustrates some brief considerations of the medical use of cannabis recently issued in Italy. History and uses of cannabis throughout centuries and different countries are illustrated together with a description of botany and active phytocannabinoids. Then, medical use of cannabis anti-pain treatment for patients resistant to conventional therapies is described in case of chronic neuropathic pain, spasticity, for anticinetosic and antiemetic effect in nausea and vomiting caused by chemotherapy, for appetite stimulating effect in cachexia, anorexia, loss of appetite in cancer patients or patients with AIDS and in anorexia nervosa, hypotensive effect in glaucoma resistant to conventional therapies and for reduction of involuntary body and facial movements in Gilles de la Tourette syndrome. Italian most recent legislation on medical cannabis is detailed with some law proposals, also showing the inconsistent legislation within European Union. Some final considerations of future studies are also reported.

Theory of Raman scattering in coupled electron-phonon systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Itai, K.

1992-01-01

The Raman spectrum is calculated for a coupled conduction-electron-phonon system in the zero-momentum-transfer limit. The Raman scattering is due to electron-hole excitations and phonons as well. The phonons of those branches that contribute to the electron self-energy and the correction of the electron-phonon vertex are assumed to have flat energy dispersion (the Einstein phonons). The effect of electron-impurity scattering is also incorporated. Both the electron-phonon interaction and the electron-impurity interaction cause the fluctuation of the electron distribution between different parts of the Fermi surface, which results in overdamped zero-sound modes of various symmetries. The scattering cross section is obtained by solving the Bethe-Salpeter equation. The spectrum shows a lower threshold at the smallest Einstein phonon energy when only the electron-phonon interaction is taken into consideration. When impurities are also taken into consideration, the threshold disappears.

Versioning of printed products

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tuijn, Chris

2005-01-01

During the definition of a printed product in an MIS system, a lot of attention is paid to the production process. The MIS systems typically gather all process-related parameters at such a level of detail that they can determine what the exact cost will be to make a specific product. This information can then be used to make a quote for the customer. Considerably less attention is paid to the content of the products since this does not have an immediate impact on the production costs (assuming that the number of inks or plates is known in advance). The content management is typically carried out either by the prepress systems themselves or by dedicated workflow servers uniting all people that contribute to the manufacturing of a printed product. Special care must be taken when considering versioned products. With versioned products we here mean distinct products that have a number of pages or page layers in common. Typical examples are comic books that have to be printed in different languages. In this case, the color plates can be shared over the different versions and the black plate will be different. Other examples are nation-wide magazines or newspapers that have an area with regional pages or advertising leaflets in different languages or currencies. When considering versioned products, the content will become an important cost factor. First of all, the content management (and associated proofing and approval cycles) becomes much more complex and, therefore, the risk that mistakes will be made increases considerably. Secondly, the real production costs are very much content-dependent because the content will determine whether plates can be shared across different versions or not and how many press runs will be needed. In this paper, we will present a way to manage different versions of a printed product. First, we will introduce a data model for version management. Next, we will show how the content of the different versions can be supplied by the customer/content provider and point out how soft proofing can be used to eliminate errors as much as possible. In the second part of the paper, we will show how the supplied information can be used to determine an optimal process plan that shows the number of plates to be generated and the press plans indicating plate changes and press runs.

Versioning of printed products

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tuijn, Chris

2004-12-01

During the definition of a printed product in an MIS system, a lot of attention is paid to the production process. The MIS systems typically gather all process-related parameters at such a level of detail that they can determine what the exact cost will be to make a specific product. This information can then be used to make a quote for the customer. Considerably less attention is paid to the content of the products since this does not have an immediate impact on the production costs (assuming that the number of inks or plates is known in advance). The content management is typically carried out either by the prepress systems themselves or by dedicated workflow servers uniting all people that contribute to the manufacturing of a printed product. Special care must be taken when considering versioned products. With versioned products we here mean distinct products that have a number of pages or page layers in common. Typical examples are comic books that have to be printed in different languages. In this case, the color plates can be shared over the different versions and the black plate will be different. Other examples are nation-wide magazines or newspapers that have an area with regional pages or advertising leaflets in different languages or currencies. When considering versioned products, the content will become an important cost factor. First of all, the content management (and associated proofing and approval cycles) becomes much more complex and, therefore, the risk that mistakes will be made increases considerably. Secondly, the real production costs are very much content-dependent because the content will determine whether plates can be shared across different versions or not and how many press runs will be needed. In this paper, we will present a way to manage different versions of a printed product. First, we will introduce a data model for version management. Next, we will show how the content of the different versions can be supplied by the customer/content provider and point out how soft proofing can be used to eliminate errors as much as possible. In the second part of the paper, we will show how the supplied information can be used to determine an optimal process plan that shows the number of plates to be generated and the press plans indicating plate changes and press runs.

Adaptation of the Emotional Contagion Scale (ECS) and gender differences within the Greek cultural context.

PubMed

Kevrekidis, Pantelis; Skapinakis, Petros; Damigos, Dimitris; Mavreas, Venetsanos

2008-08-21

The Emotional Contagion Scale (ECS) is a self-report scale used to measure individual differences in susceptibility to converge towards the emotions expressed by others. The main aim of the present paper was to examine the psychometric properties of the Greek translation of the scale. The Greek ECS was completed by 691 undergraduate students (312 males and 379 females). To investigate the factor structure of the ECS, principal components analysis (PCA) was used. The results showed that a four-factor model was tenable. Regarding homogeneity, the Greek ECS version showed acceptable results for the full scale (alpha = 0.74) but not for all subscales. Gender differences were also identified concerning the susceptibility to emotional contagion between men and women. Women score significantly higher than men for all the different emotions described by the ECS (love, happiness, sadness) except the anger emotion, where there was no significant difference. The Greek version of the ECS showed good psychometric properties. It can be used to assess susceptibility to emotional contagion in correlation with psychopathological processes, mood and anxiety disorders primarily. The usefulness of the ECS in the fields of group psychotherapy and health psychology is also under consideration. Further investigation is needed in all these areas.

Sex differences in the fetal heart rate variability indices of twins.

PubMed

Tendais, Iva; Figueiredo, Bárbara; Gonçalves, Hernâni; Bernardes, João; Ayres-de-Campos, Diogo; Montenegro, Nuno

2015-03-01

To evaluate the differences in linear and complex heart rate dynamics in twin pairs according to fetal sex combination [male-female (MF), male-male (MM), and female-female (FF)]. Fourteen twin pairs (6 MF, 3 MM, and 5 FF) were monitored between 31 and 36.4 weeks of gestation. Twenty-six fetal heart rate (FHR) recordings of both twins were simultaneously acquired and analyzed with a system for computerized analysis of cardiotocograms. Linear and nonlinear FHR indices were calculated. Overall, MM twins presented higher intrapair average in linear indices than the other pairs, whereas FF twins showed higher sympathetic-vagal balance. MF twins exhibited higher intrapair average in entropy indices and MM twins presented lower entropy values than FF twins considering the (automatically selected) threshold rLu. MM twin pairs showed higher intrapair differences in linear heart rate indices than MF and FF twins, whereas FF twins exhibited lower intrapair differences in entropy indices. The results of this exploratory study suggest that twins have sex-specific differences in linear and nonlinear indices of FHR. MM twins expressed signs of a more active autonomic nervous system and MF twins showed the most active complexity control system. These results suggest that fetal sex combination should be taken into consideration when performing detailed evaluation of the FHR in twins.

Using in vitro/in silico data for consumer safety assessment of feed flavoring additives--A feasibility study using piperine.

PubMed

Thiel, A; Etheve, S; Fabian, E; Leeman, W R; Plautz, J R

2015-10-01

Consumer health risk assessment for feed additives is based on the estimated human exposure to the additive that may occur in livestock edible tissues compared to its hazard. We present an approach using alternative methods for consumer health risk assessment. The aim was to use the fewest possible number of animals to estimate its hazard and human exposure without jeopardizing the safety upon use. As an example we selected the feed flavoring substance piperine and applied in silico modeling for residue estimation, results from literature surveys, and Read-Across to assess metabolism in different species. Results were compared to experimental in vitro metabolism data in rat and chicken, and to quantitative analysis of residues' levels from the in vivo situation in livestock. In silico residue modeling showed to be a worst case: the modeled residual levels were considerably higher than the measured residual levels. The in vitro evaluation of livestock versus rodent metabolism revealed no major differences in metabolism between the species. We successfully performed a consumer health risk assessment without performing additional animal experiments. As shown, the use and combination of different alternative methods supports animal welfare consideration and provides future perspective to reducing the number of animals. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Cultural Adaptation of a Neurobiologically Informed Intervention in Local and International Contexts.

PubMed

Pakulak, Eric; Hampton Wray, Amanda; Longoria, Zayra; Garcia Isaza, Alejandra; Stevens, Courtney; Bell, Theodore; Burlingame, Sarah; Klein, Scott; Berlinski, Samuel; Attanasio, Orazio; Neville, Helen

2017-12-01

The relationship between early adversity and numerous negative outcomes across the lifespan is evident in a wide range of societies and cultures (e.g., Pakulak, Stevens, & Neville, 2018). Among the most affected neural systems are those supporting attention, self-regulation, and stress regulation. As such, these systems represent targets for neurobiologically informed interventions addressing early adversity. In prior work with monolingual native English-speaking families, we showed that a two-generation intervention targeting these systems in families improves outcomes across multiple domains including child brain function for selective attention (for detail, see Neville et al., 2013). Here, we discuss the translation and cultural adaptation (CA) of this intervention in local and international contexts, which required systematic consideration of cultural differences that could affect program acceptability. First, we conducted a translation and CA of our program to serve Latino families in the United States using the Cultural Adaptation Process (CAP), a model that works closely with stakeholders in a systematic, iterative process. Second, to implement the adapted program in Medellín, Colombia, we conducted a subsequent adaptation for Colombian culture using the same CAP. Our experience underscores the importance of consideration of cultural differences and a systematic approach to adaptation before assessing the efficacy of neurobiologically informed interventions in different cultural contexts. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Comparison of degradation between indigenous and spiked bisphenol A and triclosan in a biosolids amended soil.

PubMed

Langdon, Kate A; Warne, Michael Stj; Smernik, Ronald J; Shareef, Ali; Kookana, Rai S

2013-03-01

This study compared the degradation of indigenous bisphenol A (BPA) and triclosan (TCS) in a biosolids-amended soil, to the degradation of spiked labelled surrogates of the same compounds (BPA-d16 and TCS-(13)C12). The aim was to determine if spiking experiments accurately predict the degradation of compounds in biosolids-amended soils using two different types of biosolids, a centrifuge dried biosolids (CDB) and a lagoon dried biosolids (LDB). The rate of degradation of the compounds was examined and the results indicated that there were considerable differences between the indigenous and spiked compounds. These differences were more marked for BPA, for which the indigenous compound was detectable throughout the study, whereas the spiked compound decreased to below the detection limit prior to the study completion. The rate of degradation for the indigenous BPA was approximately 5-times slower than that of the spiked BPA-d16. The indigenous and spiked TCS were both detectable throughout the study, however, the shape of the degradation curves varied considerably, particularly in the CDB treatment. These findings show that spiking experiments may not be suitable to predict the degradation and persistence of organic compounds following land application of biosolids. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Implementation Considerations, Not Topological Differences, Are the Main Determinants of Noise Suppression Properties in Feedback and Incoherent Feedforward Circuits

PubMed Central

Buzi, Gentian; Khammash, Mustafa

2016-01-01

Biological systems use a variety of mechanisms to deal with the uncertain nature of their external and internal environments. Two of the most common motifs employed for this purpose are the incoherent feedforward (IFF) and feedback (FB) topologies. Many theoretical and experimental studies suggest that these circuits play very different roles in providing robustness to uncertainty in the cellular environment. Here, we use a control theoretic approach to analyze two common FB and IFF architectures that make use of an intermediary species to achieve regulation. We show the equivalence of both circuits topologies in suppressing static cell-to-cell variations. While both circuits can suppress variations due to input noise, they are ineffective in suppressing inherent chemical reaction stochasticity. Indeed, these circuits realize comparable improvements limited to a modest 25% variance reduction in best case scenarios. Such limitations are attributed to the use of intermediary species in regulation, and as such, they persist even for circuit architectures that combine both IFF and FB features. Intriguingly, while the FB circuits are better suited in dealing with dynamic input variability, the most significant difference between the two topologies lies not in the structural features of the circuits, but in their practical implementation considerations. PMID:27257684

Implementation Considerations, Not Topological Differences, Are the Main Determinants of Noise Suppression Properties in Feedback and Incoherent Feedforward Circuits.

PubMed

Buzi, Gentian; Khammash, Mustafa

2016-06-01

Biological systems use a variety of mechanisms to deal with the uncertain nature of their external and internal environments. Two of the most common motifs employed for this purpose are the incoherent feedforward (IFF) and feedback (FB) topologies. Many theoretical and experimental studies suggest that these circuits play very different roles in providing robustness to uncertainty in the cellular environment. Here, we use a control theoretic approach to analyze two common FB and IFF architectures that make use of an intermediary species to achieve regulation. We show the equivalence of both circuits topologies in suppressing static cell-to-cell variations. While both circuits can suppress variations due to input noise, they are ineffective in suppressing inherent chemical reaction stochasticity. Indeed, these circuits realize comparable improvements limited to a modest 25% variance reduction in best case scenarios. Such limitations are attributed to the use of intermediary species in regulation, and as such, they persist even for circuit architectures that combine both IFF and FB features. Intriguingly, while the FB circuits are better suited in dealing with dynamic input variability, the most significant difference between the two topologies lies not in the structural features of the circuits, but in their practical implementation considerations.

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

PubMed

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

2017-08-01

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

Considerations for multiple hypothesis correlation on tactical platforms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thomas, Alan M.; Turpen, James E.

2013-05-01

Tactical platforms benefit greatly from the fusion of tracks from multiple sources in terms of increased situation awareness. As a necessary precursor to this track fusion, track-to-track association, or correlation, must first be performed. The related measurement-to-track fusion problem has been well studied with multiple hypothesis tracking and multiple frame assignment methods showing the most success. The track-to-track problem differs from this one in that measurements themselves are not available but rather track state update reports from the measuring sensors. Multiple hypothesis, multiple frame correlation systems have previously been considered; however, their practical implementation under the constraints imposed by tactical platforms is daunting. The situation is further exacerbated by the inconvenient nature of reports from legacy sensor systems on bandwidth- limited communications networks. In this paper, consideration is given to the special difficulties encountered when attempting the correlation of tracks from legacy sensors on tactical aircraft. Those difficulties include the following: covariance information from reporting sensors is frequently absent or incomplete; system latencies can create temporal uncertainty in data; and computational processing is severely limited by hardware and architecture. Moreover, consideration is given to practical solutions for dealing with these problems in a multiple hypothesis correlator.

Developing interventions for chronically ill patients: is coping a helpful concept?

PubMed

de Ridder, D; Schreurs, K

2001-03-01

In this review, the role of coping in the development of psychosocial interventions for chronically ill patients is discussed. After summarizing the theoretical issues involved in the translation of the coping concept into an intervention, a review is undertaken of 35 studies concerned with the impact of interventions aimed at improving coping on patients' quality of life. These studies concern seven different chronic disease types (AIDS, asthma, cancer, cardiovascular diseases, chronic pain, diabetes, and rheumatoid arthritis) and show explicit consideration of attempts to manage illness in terms of coping to be rare. Many studies nevertheless address the equivalent of coping, namely behaviors and/or cognitions intended to deal with an illness situation appraised as stressful. The results of these studies are encouraging, although largely limited to the improvement of one or two particular coping strategies and problem-focused strategies in particular. It is argued that in order to expand on these initially positive findings, greater and more explicit consideration should be given to the potential of the coping concept for intervention with the chronically ill. The appraisal of stressful situations, the use of coping resources, and the strategic application of particular coping strategies should, for example, be given more careful consideration.

Gender differences in autobiographical memory for everyday events: retrieval elicited by SenseCam images versus verbal cues.

PubMed

St Jacques, Peggy L; Conway, Martin A; Cabeza, Roberto

2011-10-01

Gender differences are frequently observed in autobiographical memory (AM). However, few studies have investigated the neural basis of potential gender differences in AM. In the present functional MRI (fMRI) study we investigated gender differences in AMs elicited using dynamic visual images vs verbal cues. We used a novel technology called a SenseCam, a wearable device that automatically takes thousands of photographs. SenseCam differs considerably from other prospective methods of generating retrieval cues because it does not disrupt the ongoing experience. This allowed us to control for potential gender differences in emotional processing and elaborative rehearsal, while manipulating how the AMs were elicited. We predicted that males would retrieve more richly experienced AMs elicited by the SenseCam images vs the verbal cues, whereas females would show equal sensitivity to both cues. The behavioural results indicated that there were no gender differences in subjective ratings of reliving, importance, vividness, emotion, and uniqueness, suggesting that gender differences in brain activity were not due to differences in these measures of phenomenological experience. Consistent with our predictions, the fMRI results revealed that males showed a greater difference in functional activity associated with the rich experience of SenseCam vs verbal cues, than did females.

Applying chemical engineering concepts to non-thermal plasma reactors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pedro AFFONSO, NOBREGA; Alain, GAUNAND; Vandad, ROHANI; François, CAUNEAU; Laurent, FULCHERI

2018-06-01

Process scale-up remains a considerable challenge for environmental applications of non-thermal plasmas. Undersanding the impact of reactor hydrodynamics in the performance of the process is a key step to overcome this challenge. In this work, we apply chemical engineering concepts to analyse the impact that different non-thermal plasma reactor configurations and regimes, such as laminar or plug flow, may have on the reactor performance. We do this in the particular context of the removal of pollutants by non-thermal plasmas, for which a simplified model is available. We generalise this model to different reactor configurations and, under certain hypotheses, we show that a reactor in the laminar regime may have a behaviour significantly different from one in the plug flow regime, often assumed in the non-thermal plasma literature. On the other hand, we show that a packed-bed reactor behaves very similarly to one in the plug flow regime. Beyond those results, the reader will find in this work a quick introduction to chemical reaction engineering concepts.

Differences between early-blind, late-blind, and blindfolded-sighted people in haptic spatial-configuration learning and resulting memory traces.

PubMed

Postma, Albert; Zuidhoek, Sander; Noordzij, Matthijs L; Kappers, Astrid M L

2007-01-01

The roles of visual and haptic experience in different aspects of haptic processing of objects in peripersonal space are examined. In three trials, early-blind, late-blind, and blindfolded-sighted individuals had to match ten shapes haptically to the cut-outs in a board as fast as possible. Both blind groups were much faster than the sighted in all three trials. All three groups improved considerably from trial to trial. In particular, the sighted group showed a strong improvement from the first to the second trial. While superiority of the blind remained for speeded matching after rotation of the stimulus frame, coordinate positional-memory scores in a non-speeded free-recall trial showed no significant differences between the groups. Moreover, when assessed with a verbal response, categorical spatial-memory appeared strongest in the late-blind group. The role of haptic and visual experience thus appears to depend on the task aspect tested.

Bayesian inference for psychology, part IV: parameter estimation and Bayes factors.

PubMed

Rouder, Jeffrey N; Haaf, Julia M; Vandekerckhove, Joachim

2018-02-01

In the psychological literature, there are two seemingly different approaches to inference: that from estimation of posterior intervals and that from Bayes factors. We provide an overview of each method and show that a salient difference is the choice of models. The two approaches as commonly practiced can be unified with a certain model specification, now popular in the statistics literature, called spike-and-slab priors. A spike-and-slab prior is a mixture of a null model, the spike, with an effect model, the slab. The estimate of the effect size here is a function of the Bayes factor, showing that estimation and model comparison can be unified. The salient difference is that common Bayes factor approaches provide for privileged consideration of theoretically useful parameter values, such as the value corresponding to the null hypothesis, while estimation approaches do not. Both approaches, either privileging the null or not, are useful depending on the goals of the analyst.

Chemical composition of vegetation along urbanisation gradients in two European cities.

PubMed

Sæbø, A; Hanslin, H M; Torp, T; Lierhagen, S; Gawronska, H; Dzierzanowski, K; Gawronski, S

2015-03-01

Accumulation of particulate matter (PM) and metals on leaves of three deciduous woody species was studied along urbanisation gradients in Stavanger and Warsaw. Differences between rural and urban sites explained most of the observed variation in leaf chemistry, followed by differences between regions. Highest leaf accumulation of elements was found in Warsaw, but also composition of elements differed between the cities. Overall, species showed similar patterns of element accumulation, but differed in accumulation of specific elements. These differences could in part be explained by differences in epicuticular waxes and PM accumulation. Expected source of elements and their chemical characteristics did not explain the observed accumulation patterns. A better differentiation between elements taken up from soil and air would be required for his. Species specific accumulation of elements has to be taken into consideration using leaf samples for biomonitoring. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Consideration of climate change impacts and adaptation in EIA practice — Perspectives of actors in Austria and Germany

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

Jiricka, Alexandra, E-mail: alexandra.jiricka@boku.ac.at; Department of Landscape, Spatial and Infrastructure Sciences, Institute for Landscape Development, Recreation and Conservation Planning, Peter-Jordan-Straße 82, 1190 Vienna; Formayer, Herbert

Current political discussions and developments indicate the importance and urgency of incorporating climate change considerations into EIA processes. The recent revision of the EU Directive 2014/52/EU on Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) requires changes in the EIA practice of the EU member states. This paper investigates the extent to which the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) can contribute to an early consideration of climate change consequences in planning processes. In particular the roles of different actors in order to incorporate climate change impacts and adaptation into project planning subject to EIA at the appropriate levels are a core topic. Semi-structured expert interviewsmore » were carried out with representatives of the main infrastructure companies and institutions responsible in these sectors in Austria, which have to carry out EIA regularly. In a second step expert interviews were conducted with EIA assessors and EIA authorities in Austria and Germany, in order to examine the extent to which climate-based changes are already considered in EIA processes. This paper aims to discuss the different perspectives in the current EIA practice with regard to integrating climate change impacts as well as barriers and solutions identified by the groups of actors involved, namely project developers, environmental competent authorities and consultants (EIA assessors/practitioners). The interviews show that different groups of actors consider the topic to different degrees. Downscaling of climate change scenarios is in this context both, a critical issue with regards to availability of data and costs. Furthermore, assistance for the interpretation of relevant impacts, to be deducted from climate change scenarios, on the specific environmental issues in the area is needed. The main barriers identified by the EIA experts therefore include a lack of data as well as general uncertainty as to how far climate change should be considered in the process without reliable data but in the presence of knowledge about possible consequences at an abstract level. A joint strategy on how to cope with uncertain prognoses about main impacts on environmental issues for areas without reliable data requires a discussion and cooperation between EIA consultants and environmental authorities. - Highlights: • The consideration of climate change impacts in EIA practice in Austria and Germany was analysed through expert interviews. • Barriers as well as possible solutions were indentified by the different groups of actors involved in EIA. • The main challenges regard the investigation of specific entry points. • Limits of feasibility need to be discussed amongst the different groups of actors.« less

Batoid locomotion: effects of speed on pectoral fin deformation in the little skate, Leucoraja erinacea.

PubMed

Di Santo, Valentina; Blevins, Erin L; Lauder, George V

2017-02-15

Most batoids have a unique swimming mode in which thrust is generated by either oscillating or undulating expanded pectoral fins that form a disc. Only one previous study of the freshwater stingray has quantified three-dimensional motions of the wing, and no comparable data are available for marine batoid species that may differ considerably in their mode of locomotion. Here, we investigate three-dimensional kinematics of the pectoral wing of the little skate, Leucoraja erinacea , swimming steadily at two speeds [1 and 2 body lengths (BL) s -1 ]. We measured the motion of nine points in three dimensions during wing oscillation and determined that there are significant differences in movement amplitude among wing locations, as well as significant differences as speed increases in body angle, wing beat frequency and speed of the traveling wave on the wing. In addition, we analyzed differences in wing curvature with swimming speed. At 1 BL s -1 , the pectoral wing is convex in shape during the downstroke along the medio-lateral fin midline, but at 2 BL s -1 the pectoral fin at this location cups into the flow, indicating active curvature control and fin stiffening. Wing kinematics of the little skate differed considerably from previous work on the freshwater stingray, which does not show active cupping of the whole fin on the downstroke. © 2017. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

Presenteeism towards absenteeism: manual work versus sedentary work, private versus governmental--a Croatian review.

PubMed

Lalić, Hrvoje; Hromin, Manuela

2012-03-01

The research objectives were to find out the extent of presenteeism and absenteeism in manual workers and whether it differs in clerks that perform sedentary jobs. For that purpose 121 manual workers of "3.maj" were polled, of whom 61 are employed by the shipyard in state ownership and 60 are sub-contracted workers. Also 120 clerks were interviewed, 60 postal employees of "Telecom" Zadar and 60 of the police administration. The Stanford Presenteeism Scale (SPS-6), the internationally recognized questionnaire for assessing presenteeism was used as well as the Rijeka Presenteeism Scale (RPS-6), the new questionnaire compiled for this research, and also the Rijeka Absenteeism Scale (RAS-6). The results have shown that in our country the RPS-6 test is adequate for assessment of presenteeism with high reliability for this type of testing, Crombach's alpha = 0.757. The RAS-6 test has shown a low level of reliability and so have our questions on absenteeism which therefore cannot be considered an official scale. All four groups of employees have shown high positive presenteeism with no considerable differences, p = 0.3610, p > 0.05. Only when the question referred to one's performing efficient work with maximum care there were considerable differences p = 0.023, p < 0.05. The research has shown that the use of SPS-6 is not suitable in our parts probably because of cross-cultural differences, reasoning and speech differences. The research has also shown that the notion presenteeism as a positive presenteeism has to be distinguished from the "sickness-presenteeism" for which the SPS-6 scale could conditionally be suitable, which showed medium presenteeism in our workers, but that cannot be considered reliable due to low correlations. To conclude, although the workers show good, positive presenteeism the working conditions are to be further enhanced as well as the contact with the company management, to maintain such presenteeism and not to exhaust the worker's positive energy.

Rehabilitation Outcomes: Ischemic versus Hemorrhagic Strokes

PubMed Central

Perna, Robert; Temple, Jessica

2015-01-01

Background. Ischemic and hemorrhagic strokes have different pathophysiologies and possibly different long-term cerebral and functional implications. Hemorrhagic strokes expose the brain to irritating effects of blood and ischemic strokes reflect localized or diffuse cerebral vascular pathology. Methods. Participants were individuals who suffered either an ischemic (n = 172) or hemorrhagic stroke (n = 112) within the past six months and were involved in a postacute neurorehabilitation program. Participants completed three months of postacute neurorehabilitation and the Mayo Portland Adaptability Inventory-4 (MPAI-4) at admission and discharge. Admission MPAI-4 scores and level of functioning were comparable. Results. Group ANOVA comparisons show no significant group differences at admission or discharge or difference in change scores. Both groups showed considerably reduced levels of productivity/employment after discharge as compared to preinjury levels. Conclusions. Though the pathophysiology of these types of strokes is different, both ultimately result in ischemic injuries, possibly accounting for lack of findings of differences between groups. In the present study, participants in both groups experienced similar functional levels across all three MPAI-4 domains both at admission and discharge. Limitations of this study include a highly educated sample and few outcome measures. PMID:26246694

Quantifying Uncertainties in Land-Surface Microwave Emissivity Retrievals

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tian, Yudong; Peters-Lidard, Christa D.; Harrison, Kenneth W.; Prigent, Catherine; Norouzi, Hamidreza; Aires, Filipe; Boukabara, Sid-Ahmed; Furuzawa, Fumie A.; Masunaga, Hirohiko

2013-01-01

Uncertainties in the retrievals of microwaveland-surface emissivities are quantified over two types of land surfaces: desert and tropical rainforest. Retrievals from satellite-based microwave imagers, including the Special Sensor Microwave Imager, the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission Microwave Imager, and the Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer for Earth Observing System, are studied. Our results show that there are considerable differences between the retrievals from different sensors and from different groups over these two land-surface types. In addition, the mean emissivity values show different spectral behavior across the frequencies. With the true emissivity assumed largely constant over both of the two sites throughout the study period, the differences are largely attributed to the systematic and random errors inthe retrievals. Generally, these retrievals tend to agree better at lower frequencies than at higher ones, with systematic differences ranging 1%-4% (3-12 K) over desert and 1%-7% (3-20 K) over rainforest. The random errors within each retrieval dataset are in the range of 0.5%-2% (2-6 K). In particular, at 85.5/89.0 GHz, there are very large differences between the different retrieval datasets, and within each retrieval dataset itself. Further investigation reveals that these differences are most likely caused by rain/cloud contamination, which can lead to random errors up to 10-17 K under the most severe conditions.

Ethical considerations of worksite health promotion: an exploration of stakeholders’ views

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Developing, implementing and evaluating worksite health promotion requires dealing with all stakeholders involved, such as employers, employees, occupational physicians, insurance companies, providers, labour unions and research and knowledge institutes. Although worksite health promotion is becoming more common, empirical research on ethical considerations of worksite health promotion is scarce. Methods We explored the views of stakeholders involved in worksite health promotion in focus group discussions and we described the ethical considerations that result from differences between these views. The focus group discussions were organised per stakeholder group. Data were analysed according to the constant comparison method. Results Our analyses show that although the definition of occupational health is the same for all stakeholders, namely ‘being able to perform your job’, there seem to be important differences in the views on what constitutes a risk factor to occupational health. According to the employees, risk factors to occupational health are prevailingly job-related. Labour unions agree with them, but other stakeholders, including the employer, particularly see employee-related issues such as lifestyle behaviour as risk factors to occupational health. The difference in definition of occupational health risk factors translates into the same categorisation of worksite health promotion; employee-related activities and work-related activities. The difference in conceptualisation of occupational health risk factors and worksite health promotion resonates in the way stakeholders understand ‘responsibility’ for lifestyle behaviour. Even though all stakeholders agree on whose responsibility lifestyle behaviour is, namely that of the employee, the meaning of ‘responsibility’ differs between employees, and employers. For employees, responsibility means autonomy, while for employers and other stakeholders, responsibility equals duty. This difference may in turn contribute to ambivalent relationships between stakeholders. Conclusion All stakeholders, including employees, should be given a voice in developing, implementing and evaluating worksite health promotion. Moreover, since stakeholders agree on lifestyle being the responsibility of the employee, but disagree on what this responsibility means (duty versus autonomy), it is of utmost importance to examine the discourse of stakeholders. This way, ambivalence in relationships between stakeholders could be prevented. PMID:24886339

An anthropometric data bank for the Iranian working population with ethnic diversity.

PubMed

Sadeghi, Fatemeh; Mazloumi, Adel; Kazemi, Zeinab

2015-05-01

This study constructed an anthropometric data bank for the Iranian working population. In total, thirty-seven body dimensions were measured among 3720 Iranian workers with different ethnicities (3000 male and 720 female; aged 20-60 years). Statistical analysis revealed significant differences for most of body dimensions among the ethnical groups. Moreover, the authors compared Iranian anthropometric characteristics with those of four Asian populations: Taiwanese, Chinese, Japanese, and Korean. Overall, 16 body dimensions for the five Asian populations were selected and compared. Accordingly, different morphological characteristics of these five populations were observed. The Iranian population showed wide shoulders and hips and long legs; the Chinese population showed narrow hips and shoulders and a short height relative to the other populations. The Korean sample recorded moderate body size comparing the other populations. The Taiwanese had large hands, relatively wide shoulders and short upper limbs. These differences in population dimensions should be taken into consideration for product and process design when expanding regional markets. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd and The Ergonomics Society. All rights reserved.

The structure of cross-cultural musical diversity.

PubMed

Rzeszutek, Tom; Savage, Patrick E; Brown, Steven

2012-04-22

Human cultural traits, such as languages, musics, rituals and material objects, vary widely across cultures. However, the majority of comparative analyses of human cultural diversity focus on between-culture variation without consideration for within-culture variation. In contrast, biological approaches to genetic diversity, such as the analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) framework, partition genetic diversity into both within- and between-population components. We attempt here for the first time to quantify both components of cultural diversity by applying the AMOVA model to music. By employing this approach with 421 traditional songs from 16 Austronesian-speaking populations, we show that the vast majority of musical variability is due to differences within populations rather than differences between. This demonstrates a striking parallel to the structure of genetic diversity in humans. A neighbour-net analysis of pairwise population musical divergence shows a large amount of reticulation, indicating the pervasive occurrence of borrowing and/or convergent evolution of musical features across populations.

The structure of cross-cultural musical diversity

PubMed Central

Rzeszutek, Tom; Savage, Patrick E.; Brown, Steven

2012-01-01

Human cultural traits, such as languages, musics, rituals and material objects, vary widely across cultures. However, the majority of comparative analyses of human cultural diversity focus on between-culture variation without consideration for within-culture variation. In contrast, biological approaches to genetic diversity, such as the analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) framework, partition genetic diversity into both within- and between-population components. We attempt here for the first time to quantify both components of cultural diversity by applying the AMOVA model to music. By employing this approach with 421 traditional songs from 16 Austronesian-speaking populations, we show that the vast majority of musical variability is due to differences within populations rather than differences between. This demonstrates a striking parallel to the structure of genetic diversity in humans. A neighbour-net analysis of pairwise population musical divergence shows a large amount of reticulation, indicating the pervasive occurrence of borrowing and/or convergent evolution of musical features across populations. PMID:22072606

A Fusion Algorithm for GFP Image and Phase Contrast Image of Arabidopsis Cell Based on SFL-Contourlet Transform

PubMed Central

Feng, Peng; Wang, Jing; Wei, Biao; Mi, Deling

2013-01-01

A hybrid multiscale and multilevel image fusion algorithm for green fluorescent protein (GFP) image and phase contrast image of Arabidopsis cell is proposed in this paper. Combining intensity-hue-saturation (IHS) transform and sharp frequency localization Contourlet transform (SFL-CT), this algorithm uses different fusion strategies for different detailed subbands, which include neighborhood consistency measurement (NCM) that can adaptively find balance between color background and gray structure. Also two kinds of neighborhood classes based on empirical model are taken into consideration. Visual information fidelity (VIF) as an objective criterion is introduced to evaluate the fusion image. The experimental results of 117 groups of Arabidopsis cell image from John Innes Center show that the new algorithm cannot only make the details of original images well preserved but also improve the visibility of the fusion image, which shows the superiority of the novel method to traditional ones. PMID:23476716

Effective Medium Ratio Obeying Wideband Left-Handed Miniaturized Meta-atoms for Multi-band Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hossain, Mohammad Jakir; Faruque, Mohammad Rashed Iqbal; Islam, Mohammad Tariqul

2017-12-01

In this paper, a miniaturized wideband left-handed (LH) meta-atom based on planar modified multiple hexagonal split ring resonators was designed, simulated, fabricated and tested that can maintain a left-handed property. An analysis and comparison of the different array structures were performed that obtained better effective medium ratio (EMR) and wideband (5.54 GHz) for multi band operations in the microwave regime. Finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method based Computer Simulation Technology was implemented to design the meta-atom. The meta-atom showed multi-band response in conjunction with wideband and LH property over the certain frequency bands in the microwave spectra. The EMR was considerably improved compared to previously reported meta-atoms. The measured results showed good agreement with the simulated results. The dimensions, S-parameters and EMR parameters of the proposed miniaturized LH meta-atom are appropriate for L-, S-, C-, X-, and Ku-band applications.

Regulation of Na+ and K+ homeostasis in plants: towards improved salt stress tolerance in crop plants

PubMed Central

Almeida, Diego M.; Oliveira, M. Margarida; Saibo, Nelson J. M.

2017-01-01

Abstract Soil salinity is a major abiotic stress that results in considerable crop yield losses worldwide. However, some plant genotypes show a high tolerance to soil salinity, as they manage to maintain a high K+/Na+ ratio in the cytosol, in contrast to salt stress susceptible genotypes. Although, different plant genotypes show different salt tolerance mechanisms, they all rely on the regulation and function of K+ and Na+ transporters and H+ pumps, which generate the driving force for K+ and Na+ transport. In this review we will introduce salt stress responses in plants and summarize the current knowledge about the most important ion transporters that facilitate intra- and intercellular K+ and Na+ homeostasis in these organisms. We will describe and discuss the regulation and function of the H+-ATPases, H+-PPases, SOS1, HKTs, and NHXs, including the specific tissues where they work and their response to salt stress. PMID:28350038

Effective Medium Ratio Obeying Wideband Left-Handed Miniaturized Meta-atoms for Multi-band Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hossain, Mohammad Jakir; Faruque, Mohammad Rashed Iqbal; Islam, Mohammad Tariqul

2018-03-01

In this paper, a miniaturized wideband left-handed (LH) meta-atom based on planar modified multiple hexagonal split ring resonators was designed, simulated, fabricated and tested that can maintain a left-handed property. An analysis and comparison of the different array structures were performed that obtained better effective medium ratio (EMR) and wideband (5.54 GHz) for multi band operations in the microwave regime. Finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method based Computer Simulation Technology was implemented to design the meta-atom. The meta-atom showed multi-band response in conjunction with wideband and LH property over the certain frequency bands in the microwave spectra. The EMR was considerably improved compared to previously reported meta-atoms. The measured results showed good agreement with the simulated results. The dimensions, S-parameters and EMR parameters of the proposed miniaturized LH meta-atom are appropriate for L-, S-, C-, X-, and Ku-band applications.

Spectrally Selective Mirrors with Combined Optical and Thermal Benefit for Photovoltaic Module Thermal Management

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

Slauch, Ian M.; Deceglie, Michael G.; Silverman, Timothy J.

Waste heat generated during daytime operation of a solar module will raise its temperature and reduce cell efficiency. In addition to thermalization and carrier recombination, one major source of excess heat in modules is the parasitic absorption of light with sub-bandgap energy. Parasitic absorption can be prevented if sub-bandgap radiation is reflected away from the module. We report on the design considerations and projected changes to module energy yield for photonic reflectors capable of reflecting a portion of sub-bandgap radiation while maintaining or improving transmission of light with energy greater than the semiconductor bandgap. Using a previously developed, self-consistent opto-electro-thermalmore » finite-element simulation, we calculate the total additional energy generated by a module, including various photonic reflectors, and decompose these benefits into thermal and optical effects. We show that the greatest total energy yield improvement comes from photonic mirrors designed for the outside of the glass, but that mirrors placed between the glass and the encapsulant can have significant thermal benefit. We then show that optimal photonic mirror design requires consideration of all angles of incidence, despite unequal amounts of radiation arriving at each angle. We find that optimized photonic mirrors will be omnidirectional in the sense that they have beneficial performance, regardless of the angle of incidence of radiation. By fulfilling these criteria, photonic mirrors can be used at different geographic locations or different tilt angles than their original optimization conditions with only marginal changes in performance. We show designs that improve energy output in Golden, Colorado by 3.7% over a full year. This work demonstrates the importance of considering real-world irradiance and weather conditions when designing optical structures for solar applications.« less

Diffusion-controlled interface kinetics-inclusive system-theoretic propagation models for molecular communication systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chude-Okonkwo, Uche A. K.; Malekian, Reza; Maharaj, B. T.

2015-12-01

Inspired by biological systems, molecular communication has been proposed as a new communication paradigm that uses biochemical signals to transfer information from one nano device to another over a short distance. The biochemical nature of the information transfer process implies that for molecular communication purposes, the development of molecular channel models should take into consideration diffusion phenomenon as well as the physical/biochemical kinetic possibilities of the process. The physical and biochemical kinetics arise at the interfaces between the diffusion channel and the transmitter/receiver units. These interfaces are herein termed molecular antennas. In this paper, we present the deterministic propagation model of the molecular communication between an immobilized nanotransmitter and nanoreceiver, where the emission and reception kinetics are taken into consideration. Specifically, we derived closed-form system-theoretic models and expressions for configurations that represent different communication systems based on the type of molecular antennas used. The antennas considered are the nanopores at the transmitter and the surface receptor proteins/enzymes at the receiver. The developed models are simulated to show the influence of parameters such as the receiver radius, surface receptor protein/enzyme concentration, and various reaction rate constants. Results show that the effective receiver surface area and the rate constants are important to the system's output performance. Assuming high rate of catalysis, the analysis of the frequency behavior of the developed propagation channels in the form of transfer functions shows significant difference introduce by the inclusion of the molecular antennas into the diffusion-only model. It is also shown that for t > > 0 and with the information molecules' concentration greater than the Michaelis-Menten kinetic constant of the systems, the inclusion of surface receptors proteins and enzymes in the models makes the system act like a band-stop filter over an infinite frequency range.

Giant Landslides, Mega-Tsunamis, and Paleo-Sea Level in the Hawaiian Islands

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Watts, P.; McMurtry, G. M.; Fryer, G. J.; Smith, J. R.; Imamura, F.

2001-12-01

We show considerable agreement between the ages of the two giant Alika landslides and dating of debris found tens to hundreds of meters above sea level in Hawaii. Despite the size of the landslides, controversy persists as to the ability to generate landslide tsunamis big enough to deposit the debris. We affirm that tsunami deposits are a sufficient explanation of the observed pattern of debris height. We also show that our tsunami simulations can be used to reduce the considerable uncertainty in subsidence history of the different Hawaiian islands, a current obstacle to interpreting the supposed deposits. Finally, we show that the onset of interglacials provides a probable explanation for the timing of these giant landslides over the last five million years. We predict that the greatest tsunami hazard facing the Hawaiian islands are giant landslides and that the current interglacial promotes the generation of mega-tsunamis from catastrophic volcano collapse. Hawaiian giant submarine landslide events have been recognized from detached submarine landslide blocks and fields of smaller debris by offshore surveys. Mega-tsunamis produced by giant landslides were first proposed for Hawaii and have since been implicated globally at other oceanic islands and along the continental margins. While not discounting the possibility of locally-generated tsunamis, some researchers have cast doubt upon the original hypothesis of giant waves impacting Lanai and other Hawaiian islands from flank failures of the nearby Mauna Loa Volcano on Hawaii island. Landslide tsunami simulations have advanced to the point where the tsunamigenic potential of the giant submarine landslides can be affirmed, while the subsidence history of different Hawaiian islands is still subject to debate.

Spectrally Selective Mirrors with Combined Optical and Thermal Benefit for Photovoltaic Module Thermal Management

DOE PAGES

Slauch, Ian M.; Deceglie, Michael G.; Silverman, Timothy J.; ...

2018-03-02

Waste heat generated during daytime operation of a solar module will raise its temperature and reduce cell efficiency. In addition to thermalization and carrier recombination, one major source of excess heat in modules is the parasitic absorption of light with sub-bandgap energy. Parasitic absorption can be prevented if sub-bandgap radiation is reflected away from the module. We report on the design considerations and projected changes to module energy yield for photonic reflectors capable of reflecting a portion of sub-bandgap radiation while maintaining or improving transmission of light with energy greater than the semiconductor bandgap. Using a previously developed, self-consistent opto-electro-thermalmore » finite-element simulation, we calculate the total additional energy generated by a module, including various photonic reflectors, and decompose these benefits into thermal and optical effects. We show that the greatest total energy yield improvement comes from photonic mirrors designed for the outside of the glass, but that mirrors placed between the glass and the encapsulant can have significant thermal benefit. We then show that optimal photonic mirror design requires consideration of all angles of incidence, despite unequal amounts of radiation arriving at each angle. We find that optimized photonic mirrors will be omnidirectional in the sense that they have beneficial performance, regardless of the angle of incidence of radiation. By fulfilling these criteria, photonic mirrors can be used at different geographic locations or different tilt angles than their original optimization conditions with only marginal changes in performance. We show designs that improve energy output in Golden, Colorado by 3.7% over a full year. This work demonstrates the importance of considering real-world irradiance and weather conditions when designing optical structures for solar applications.« less

A mobile asset sharing policy for hospitals with real time locating systems.

PubMed

Demircan-Yıldız, Ece Arzu; Fescioglu-Unver, Nilgun

2016-01-01

Each year, hospitals lose a considerable amount of time and money due to misplaced mobile assets. In addition the assets which remain in departments that frequently use them depreciate early, while other assets of the same type in different departments are rarely used. A real time locating system can prevent these losses when used with appropriate asset sharing policies. This research quantifies the amount of time a medium size hospital saves by using real time locating system and proposes an asset selection rule to eliminate the asset usage imbalance problem. The asset selection rule proposed is based on multi objective optimization techniques. The effectiveness of this rule on asset to patient time and asset utilization rate variance performance measures were tested using discrete event simulation method. Results show that the proposed asset selection rule improved the usage balance significantly. Sensitivity analysis showed that the proposed rule is robust to changes in demand rates and user preferences. Real time locating systems enable saving considerable amount of time in hospitals, and they can still be improved by integrating decision support mechanisms. Combining tracking technology and asset selection rules helps improve healthcare services.

Europe, the final solution and the dynamics of intent.

PubMed

Bloxham, Donald

2010-01-01

The scale and scope of the "final solution" of the "Jewish question" were extreme even in the horrific annals of genocide. Bloxham attempts to shed light on the pattern of mass murder in its expansion and contraction by viewing the Holocaust in a set of temporally and culturally specific contexts. It places the Holocaust into a broader European framework of violent ethnopolitics and geopolitics from the late nineteenth century through the mid-twentieth century. The Holocaust is depicted as an only partially discrete part of a continental process of traumatic flux, and a part, furthermore, that can itself be partially disaggregated into national and regional components. Bloxham moves from a general consideration of patterns of ethnic violence in the period to a closer causal explanation that shows the different valences of Nazi policy towards Jews in the lands directly ruled by Germany and those of Germany's allies respectively. He shows that the peculiarly extensive ambitions of the "final solution" at its most expansive can only be explained when wider geopolitical and strategic contextual terms are factored in along with consideration of Nazi ideology and the internal dynamics of some of the key institutions of the perpetrator state.

Knowledge, gender, and resources in small-scale fishing: the case of Honda Bay, Palawan, Philippines.

PubMed

Siar, Susana V

2003-05-01

The coastal zone is a place of intense activity where resources, users, and resource-use practices interact. This case study of small-scale fisheries in Honda Bay, Palawan, Philippines shows that resources, space, and gender are intertwined. The study was conducted between June 1997 and July 1998. The data were gathered using free listing, pile sort, ranking, resource mapping, and key informant interviews. The results showed that women's knowledge about fishery resources and their fishing activities are associated with the intertidal zone whereas men's knowledge is associated with coral reefs. In classifying fishery resources, appearance is the main consideration for women whereas a combination of appearance, habitat, and type of fishing gear is the consideration used by men. Market price is very important because of its dependence on the demand of the export market as well as the local market. Women dominate the buying of fishery products. Many women market their husband's catch, process fish, or gather shells and sea cucumber for sale. Among the fishing households, type of fishing gear provides an indication of socioeconomic standing. This paper concludes that access to resources is shaped by gender and age. The differences in resource knowledge possessed by men and women lead to differential access to fishery resources. In addition, the differences in socioeconomic status also influence resource access. The socialization of children into fishing reinforces the gender division of labor and space in the coastal zone.

On the Statistical Properties of Cospectra

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huppenkothen, D.; Bachetti, M.

2018-05-01

In recent years, the cross-spectrum has received considerable attention as a means of characterizing the variability of astronomical sources as a function of wavelength. The cospectrum has only recently been understood as a means of mitigating instrumental effects dependent on temporal frequency in astronomical detectors, as well as a method of characterizing the coherent variability in two wavelength ranges on different timescales. In this paper, we lay out the statistical foundations of the cospectrum, starting with the simplest case of detecting a periodic signal in the presence of white noise, under the assumption that the same source is observed simultaneously in independent detectors in the same energy range. This case is especially relevant for detecting faint X-ray pulsars in detectors heavily affected by instrumental effects, including NuSTAR, Astrosat, and IXPE, which allow for even sampling and where the cospectrum can act as an effective way to mitigate dead time. We show that the statistical distributions of both single and averaged cospectra differ considerably from those for standard periodograms. While a single cospectrum follows a Laplace distribution exactly, averaged cospectra are approximated by a Gaussian distribution only for more than ∼30 averaged segments, dependent on the number of trials. We provide an instructive example of a quasi-periodic oscillation in NuSTAR and show that applying standard periodogram statistics leads to underestimated tail probabilities for period detection. We also demonstrate the application of these distributions to a NuSTAR observation of the X-ray pulsar Hercules X-1.

Numerical simulation of multi-directional random wave transformation in a yacht port

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ji, Qiaoling; Dong, Sheng; Zhao, Xizeng; Zhang, Guowei

2012-09-01

This paper extends a prediction model for multi-directional random wave transformation based on an energy balance equation by Mase with the consideration of wave shoaling, refraction, diffraction, reflection and breaking. This numerical model is improved by 1) introducing Wen's frequency spectrum and Mitsuyasu's directional function, which are more suitable to the coastal area of China; 2) considering energy dissipation caused by bottom friction, which ensures more accurate results for large-scale and shallow water areas; 3) taking into account a non-linear dispersion relation. Predictions using the extended wave model are carried out to study the feasibility of constructing the Ai Hua yacht port in Qingdao, China, with a comparison between two port layouts in design. Wave fields inside the port for different incident wave directions, water levels and return periods are simulated, and then two kinds of parameters are calculated to evaluate the wave conditions for the two layouts. Analyses show that Layout I is better than Layout II. Calculation results also show that the harbor will be calm for different wave directions under the design water level. On the contrary, the wave conditions do not wholly meet the requirements of a yacht port for ship berthing under the extreme water level. For safety consideration, the elevation of the breakwater might need to be properly increased to prevent wave overtopping under such water level. The extended numerical simulation model may provide an effective approach to computing wave heights in a harbor.

Liquid–Liquid Mixing Studies in Annular Centrifugal Contactors Comparing Stationary Mixing Vane Options

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

Wardle, Kent E.

2015-11-10

Comparative studies of multiphase operation of annular centrifugal contactors showing the impact of housing stationary mixing vane configuration. A number of experimental results for several different mixing vane options are reported with selected measurements in a lab-scale 5 cm contactor and 12.5 cm engineering-scale unit. Fewer straight vanes give greater mixingzone hold-up compared to curved vanes. Quantitative comparison of droplet size distribution also showed a significant decrease in mean diameter for four straight vanes versus eight curved vanes. This set of measurements gives a compelling case for careful consideration of mixing vane geometry when evaluating hydraulic operation and extraction processmore » efficiency of annular centrifugal contactors.« less

Liquid–liquid mixing studies in annular centrifugal contactors comparing stationary mixing vane options

DOE PAGES

Wardle, Kent E.

2015-09-11

Comparative studies of multiphase operation of an annular centrifugal contactor show the impact of housing stationary mixing vane configuration. A number of experimental results for several different mixing vane options are reported for operation of a 12.5 cm engineering-scale contactor unit. Fewer straight vanes give greater mixing-zone hold-up compared to curved vanes. Quantitative comparison of droplet size distribution also showed a significant decrease in mean diameter for four straight vanes versus eight curved vanes. This set of measurements gives a compelling case for careful consideration of mixing vane geometry when evaluating hydraulic operation and extraction process efficiency of annular centrifugalmore » contactors.« less

On the demand for prescription drugs: heterogeneity in price responses.

PubMed

Skipper, Niels

2013-07-01

This paper estimates the price elasticity of demand for prescription drugs using an exogenous shift in consumer co-payment caused by a reform in the Danish subsidy scheme for the general public. Using purchasing records for the entire Danish population, I show that the average price response for the most commonly used drug yields demand elasticities in the range of -0.36 to -0.5. The reform is shown to affect women, the elderly, and immigrants the most. Furthermore, this paper shows significant heterogeneity in the price response over different types of antibiotics, suggesting that the price elasticity of demand varies considerably even across relatively similar drugs. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Cultural Differences in Opportunity Cost Consideration.

PubMed

Zhang, Ning; Ji, Li-Jun; Li, Ye

2017-01-01

Two studies were conducted to investigate cultural differences in opportunity cost consideration between Chinese and Euro-Canadians. Opportunity cost is defined as the cost of a benefit that must be forgone in order to pursue a better alternative (Becker et al., 1974). In both studies, participants read about hypothetical purchase scenarios, and then decided whether they would buy a certain product. Opportunity cost consideration was measured in two ways: (1) participants' thoughts pertaining to other (nonfocal) products while making decisions; (2) participants' decisions not to buy a focal product (Study 1) or a more expensive product (Study 2). Across both indexes, we found that after controlling for individual difference variables and amount of pocket money, Chinese participants in China considered financial opportunity cost more than Euro-Canadians in Study 1. Similar results were observed in Study 2 when comparing Chinese in Canada with Euro-Canadians However, the cultural effect on opportunity cost consideration was confounded by family income in Study 2. Implications for resource management, limitations of the current research and directions for future research are discussed.

In vitro study of transverse strength of fiber reinforced composites.

PubMed

Mosharraf, R; Hashemi, Z; Torkan, S

2011-01-01

Reinforcement with fiber is an effective method for considerable improvement in flexural properties of indirect composite resin restorations. The aim of this in-vitro study was to compare the transverse strength of composite resin bars reinforced with pre-impregnated and non-impregnated fibers. Thirty six bar type composite resin specimens (3×2×25 mm) were constructed in three groups. The first group was the control group (C) without any fiber reinforcement. The specimens in the second group (P) were reinforced with pre-impregnated fibers and the third group (N) with non-impregnated fibers. These specimens were tested by the three-point bending method to measure primary transverse strength. Data were statistically analyzed with one way ANOVA and Tukey's tests. There was a significant difference among the mean primary transverse strength in the three groups (P<0.001). The post-hoc (Tukey) test showed that there was a significant difference between the pre-impregnated and control groups in their primary transverse strength (P<0.001). Regarding deflection, there was also a significant difference among the three groups (P=0.001). There were significant differences among the mean deflection of the control group and two other groups (P(C&N)<.001 and P(C&P)=.004), but there was no significant difference between the non-and pre-impregnated groups (P(N&P)=.813). Within the limitations of this study, it was concluded that reinforcement with fiber considerably increased the transverse strength of composite resin specimens, but impregnation of the fiber used implemented no significant difference in the transverse strength of composite resin samples.

Photosynthetic productivity and its efficiencies in ISIMIP2a biome models: benchmarking for impact assessment studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ito, Akihiko; Nishina, Kazuya; Reyer, Christopher P. O.; François, Louis; Henrot, Alexandra-Jane; Munhoven, Guy; Jacquemin, Ingrid; Tian, Hanqin; Yang, Jia; Pan, Shufen; Morfopoulos, Catherine; Betts, Richard; Hickler, Thomas; Steinkamp, Jörg; Ostberg, Sebastian; Schaphoff, Sibyll; Ciais, Philippe; Chang, Jinfeng; Rafique, Rashid; Zeng, Ning; Zhao, Fang

2017-08-01

Simulating vegetation photosynthetic productivity (or gross primary production, GPP) is a critical feature of the biome models used for impact assessments of climate change. We conducted a benchmarking of global GPP simulated by eight biome models participating in the second phase of the Inter-Sectoral Impact Model Intercomparison Project (ISIMIP2a) with four meteorological forcing datasets (30 simulations), using independent GPP estimates and recent satellite data of solar-induced chlorophyll fluorescence as a proxy of GPP. The simulated global terrestrial GPP ranged from 98 to 141 Pg C yr-1 (1981-2000 mean); considerable inter-model and inter-data differences were found. Major features of spatial distribution and seasonal change of GPP were captured by each model, showing good agreement with the benchmarking data. All simulations showed incremental trends of annual GPP, seasonal-cycle amplitude, radiation-use efficiency, and water-use efficiency, mainly caused by the CO2 fertilization effect. The incremental slopes were higher than those obtained by remote sensing studies, but comparable with those by recent atmospheric observation. Apparent differences were found in the relationship between GPP and incoming solar radiation, for which forcing data differed considerably. The simulated GPP trends co-varied with a vegetation structural parameter, leaf area index, at model-dependent strengths, implying the importance of constraining canopy properties. In terms of extreme events, GPP anomalies associated with a historical El Niño event and large volcanic eruption were not consistently simulated in the model experiments due to deficiencies in both forcing data and parameterized environmental responsiveness. Although the benchmarking demonstrated the overall advancement of contemporary biome models, further refinements are required, for example, for solar radiation data and vegetation canopy schemes.

Characterizing Heart Failure in the Ventricular Volume Domain

PubMed Central

Kerkhof, Peter LM

2015-01-01

Heart failure (HF) may be accompanied by considerable alterations of left ventricular (LV) volume, depending on the particular phenotype. Two major types of HF have been identified, although heterogeneity within each category may be considerable. All variants of HF show substantially elevated LV filling pressures, which tend to induce changes in LV size and shape. Yet, one type of HF is characterized by near-normal values for LV end-diastolic volume (EDV) and even a smaller end-systolic volume (ESV) than in matched groups of persons without cardiac disease. Furthermore, accumulating evidence indicates that, both in terms of shape and size, in men and women, the heart reacts differently to adaptive stimuli as well as to certain pharmacological interventions. Adjustments of ESV and EDV such as in HF patients are associated with (reverse) remodeling mechanisms. Therefore, it is logical to analyze HF subtypes in a graphical representation that relates ESV to EDV. Following this route, one may expect that the two major phenotypes of HF are identified as distinct entities localized in different areas of the LV volume domain. The precise coordinates of this position imply unique characteristics in terms of the actual operating point for LV volume regulation. Evidently, ejection fraction (EF; equal to 1 minus the ratio of ESV and EDV) carries little information within the LV volume representation. Thus far, classification of HF is based on information regarding EF combined with EDV. Our analysis shows that ESV in the two HF groups follows different patterns in dependency of EDV. This observation suggests that a superior HF classification system should primarily be founded on information embodied by ESV. PMID:25780344

A discussion of differences in preparation, performance and postreflections in participant observations within two grounded theory approaches.

PubMed

Berthelsen, Connie Bøttcher; Lindhardt, Tove; Frederiksen, Kirsten

2017-06-01

This paper presents a discussion of the differences in using participant observation as a data collection method by comparing the classic grounded theory methodology of Barney Glaser with the constructivist grounded theory methodology by Kathy Charmaz. Participant observations allow nursing researchers to experience activities and interactions directly in situ. However, using participant observations as a data collection method can be done in many ways, depending on the chosen grounded theory methodology, and may produce different results. This discussion shows that how the differences between using participant observations in classic and constructivist grounded theory can be considerable and that grounded theory researchers should adhere to the method descriptions of performing participant observations according to the selected grounded theory methodology to enhance the quality of research. © 2016 Nordic College of Caring Science.

Are LOD and LOQ Reliable Parameters for Sensitivity Evaluation of Spectroscopic Methods?

PubMed

Ershadi, Saba; Shayanfar, Ali

2018-03-22

The limit of detection (LOD) and the limit of quantification (LOQ) are common parameters to assess the sensitivity of analytical methods. In this study, the LOD and LOQ of previously reported terbium sensitized analysis methods were calculated by different methods, and the results were compared with sensitivity parameters [lower limit of quantification (LLOQ)] of U.S. Food and Drug Administration guidelines. The details of the calibration curve and standard deviation of blank samples of three different terbium-sensitized luminescence methods for the quantification of mycophenolic acid, enrofloxacin, and silibinin were used for the calculation of LOD and LOQ. A comparison of LOD and LOQ values calculated by various methods and LLOQ shows a considerable difference. The significant difference of the calculated LOD and LOQ with various methods and LLOQ should be considered in the sensitivity evaluation of spectroscopic methods.

Gene and protein nomenclature in public databases

PubMed Central

Fundel, Katrin; Zimmer, Ralf

2006-01-01

Background Frequently, several alternative names are in use for biological objects such as genes and proteins. Applications like manual literature search, automated text-mining, named entity identification, gene/protein annotation, and linking of knowledge from different information sources require the knowledge of all used names referring to a given gene or protein. Various organism-specific or general public databases aim at organizing knowledge about genes and proteins. These databases can be used for deriving gene and protein name dictionaries. So far, little is known about the differences between databases in terms of size, ambiguities and overlap. Results We compiled five gene and protein name dictionaries for each of the five model organisms (yeast, fly, mouse, rat, and human) from different organism-specific and general public databases. We analyzed the degree of ambiguity of gene and protein names within and between dictionaries, to a lexicon of common English words and domain-related non-gene terms, and we compared different data sources in terms of size of extracted dictionaries and overlap of synonyms between those. The study shows that the number of genes/proteins and synonyms covered in individual databases varies significantly for a given organism, and that the degree of ambiguity of synonyms varies significantly between different organisms. Furthermore, it shows that, despite considerable efforts of co-curation, the overlap of synonyms in different data sources is rather moderate and that the degree of ambiguity of gene names with common English words and domain-related non-gene terms varies depending on the considered organism. Conclusion In conclusion, these results indicate that the combination of data contained in different databases allows the generation of gene and protein name dictionaries that contain significantly more used names than dictionaries obtained from individual data sources. Furthermore, curation of combined dictionaries considerably increases size and decreases ambiguity. The entries of the curated synonym dictionary are available for manual querying, editing, and PubMed- or Google-search via the ProThesaurus-wiki. For automated querying via custom software, we offer a web service and an exemplary client application. PMID:16899134

Cost-effectiveness of alternative outpatient pelvic inflammatory disease treatment strategies.

PubMed

Smith, Kenneth J; Ness, Roberta B; Wiesenfeld, Harold C; Roberts, Mark S

2007-12-01

Effectiveness differences between outpatient pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) treatment regimens are uncertain, but significant differences in cost exist. To examine the influence of antibiotic costs on PID therapy cost-effectiveness. The authors used a Markov decision model to estimate the cost-effectiveness of recommended antibiotic regimens for PID and performed a value of information analysis to guide future research. Antibiotic costs vary between USD 43 and USD188. Pairwise comparisons, assuming a hypothetical 1% relative risk reduction in PID complications with the more expensive regimen, showed economically reasonable cost-effectiveness ratios. Value of information and sample size considerations support further investigation to detect 10% PID complication rate differences between regimens with >or=USD 50 cost differences. Within the cost range of recommended regimens, use of more expensive antibiotics would be economically reasonable if relatively small decreases in PID complication rates exist. Further investigation of effectiveness differences between regimens is needed.

Sex differences in same-sex direct aggression and sociosexuality: the role of risky impulsivity.

PubMed

Cross, Catharine P

2010-12-23

Sex differences in same-sex direct aggression and sociosexuality are among the most robust in the literature. The present article evaluated the hypothesis that both can be explained by a sex difference in the willingness to take impulsive risks. Self-report data were gathered from 3,775 respondents (1,514 female) on same-sex aggression, sociosexuality, and risky impulsivity. Risky impulsivity was higher for men than for women (d = .34) and path analysis showed it to be a common cause of same-sex aggression and sociosexuality for both sexes. However, it did not completely mediate the sex differences in same-sex aggression and sociosexuality. The results suggest that same-sex aggression and sociosexual behavior share a common psychological mechanism, but that fully explaining sex differences in aggression requires a more sensitive assay of impulsive risk and a consideration of dyadic processes.

Oribatid communities and heavy metal bioaccumulation in selected species associated with lichens in a heavily contaminated habitat.

PubMed

Skubała, Piotr; Rola, Kaja; Osyczka, Piotr

2016-05-01

The study examines oribatid communities and heavy metal bioaccumulation in selected species associated with different microhabitats of a post-smelting dump, i.e. three lichen species of Cladonia with various growth forms and the slag substrate. The abundance of oribatids collected from the substrate was significantly lower than observed in lichen thalli. The morphology and chemical properties of lichens, and to some extent varying concentrations of heavy metals in thalli, are probably responsible for significant differences in oribatid communities inhabiting different Cladonia species. Some oribatids demonstrate the ability to accumulate zinc and cadmium with unusual efficiency, whereas lead is the most effectively regulated element by all species. A positive correlation was found between Zn content in all studied oribatids and their microhabitats. Oribatids exploring different food resources, i.e. fungivorous and non-fungivorous grazers, show considerable differences in bioconcentrations of certain elements.

Market uptake of new antiviral drugs for the treatment of hepatitis C.

PubMed

Lettmeier, Beate; Mühlberger, Nikolai; Schwarzer, Ruth; Sroczynski, Gaby; Wright, Davene; Zeuzem, Stefan; Siebert, Uwe

2008-10-01

Peginterferon plus ribavirin is the state-of-the-art antiviral therapy for prevention of serious complications of hepatitis C. Our aim was to compare market uptake of and access to these drugs across Europe. We collected launch and sales data for peginterferons for 21 countries in the WHO European region and compared country-specific sales rates. Additionally, we converted sales figures into patient numbers and related those to country-specific hepatitis C prevalence, taking into account genotype distribution, patient characteristics and practice patterns. Peginterferon sales rates differed considerably across countries. The earliest, most rapid and highest adoption rates were in EU founder states, followed by EU members that joined after foundation, and EU non-member states. Most new member states showed a marked increase in sales. By the end of 2005, approximately 308,000 patients had been treated with peginterferons in the 21 countries evaluated. The number of patients ever treated ranged from 16% of prevalent cases in France to less than 1% of cases in Romania, Poland, Greece and Russia. Peginterferon market uptake and access differed considerably across Europe, suggesting unequal access to optimised therapy. Besides budget restrictions, national surveillance and treatment policies should be considered as reasons for market access variation.

What Does a Swiss Franc Mortgage Cost? The Tale of Polish Trust for Foreign Currency Denominated Mortgages: Implications for Well-Being and Health.

PubMed

Białowolski, Piotr; Węziak-Białowolska, Dorota

2017-01-01

It is commonly agreed that excessive household financial debts are detrimental to psychological and physical health. Research also demonstrates that housing instability, mortgage indebtedness and mortgage foreclosure negatively influence subjective well-being. In Poland at the beginning of 2015, homeowners with Swiss franc denominated mortgages suffered from an abrupt swing in the Swiss franc/Polish zloty (CHF/PLN) exchange rate, which resulted in considerable increase in the local currency value of their mortgages. These adverse financial circumstances were hypothesised to affect not only household finance but also negatively affect the psychological well-being and physical health of peoples. The 2013 and 2015 waves of the Polish representative household panel 'Social Diagnosis' were used to examine impact of the abrupt change in the CHF/PLN exchange rate in Jan. 2015 on well-being and health. Causal inference was investigated using a difference-in-differences matching estimator. Results showed that although impact of Swiss franc appreciation on the mortgage related financial burden was considerable, it did not affect well-being or health outcomes. Any manifestation of adverse effects was absent in the short term, which does not however preclude their long term existence.

Image motion environments: background noise for movement-based animal signals.

PubMed

Peters, Richard; Hemmi, Jan; Zeil, Jochen

2008-05-01

Understanding the evolution of animal signals has to include consideration of the structure of signal and noise, and the sensory mechanisms that detect the signals. Considerable progress has been made in understanding sounds and colour signals, however, the degree to which movement-based signals are constrained by the particular patterns of environmental image motion is poorly understood. Here we have quantified the image motion generated by wind-blown plants at 12 sites in the coastal habitat of the Australian lizard Amphibolurus muricatus. Sampling across different plant communities and meteorological conditions revealed distinct image motion environments. At all locations, image motion became more directional and apparent speed increased as wind speeds increased. The magnitude of these changes and the spatial distribution of image motion, however, varied between locations probably as a function of plant structure and the topographic location. In addition, we show that the background motion noise depends strongly on the particular depth-structure of the environment and argue that such micro-habitat differences suggest specific strategies to preserve signal efficacy. Movement-based signals and motion processing mechanisms, therefore, may reveal the same type of habitat specific structural variation that we see for signals from other modalities.

Lane-changing model with dynamic consideration of driver's propensity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Xiaoyuan; Wang, Jianqiang; Zhang, Jinglei; Ban, Xuegang Jeff

2015-07-01

Lane-changing is the driver's selection result of the satisfaction degree in different lane driving conditions. There are many different factors influencing lane-changing behavior, such as diversity, randomicity and difficulty of measurement. So it is hard to accurately reflect the uncertainty of drivers' lane-changing behavior. As a result, the research of lane-changing models is behind that of car-following models. Driver's propensity is her/his emotion state or the corresponding preference of a decision or action toward the real objective traffic situations under the influence of various dynamic factors. It represents the psychological characteristics of the driver in the process of vehicle operation and movement. It is an important factor to influence lane-changing. In this paper, dynamic recognition of driver's propensity is considered during simulation based on its time-varying discipline and the analysis of the driver's psycho-physic characteristics. The Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) method is used to quantify the hierarchy of driver's dynamic lane-changing decision-making process, especially the influence of the propensity. The model is validated using real data. Test results show that the developed lane-changing model with the dynamic consideration of a driver's time-varying propensity and the AHP method are feasible and with improved accuracy.

Allele-specific HLA-DR typing by mass spectrometry: an alternative to hybridization-based typing methods.

PubMed

Worrall, T A; Schmeckpeper, B J; Corvera, J S; Cotter, R J

2000-11-01

The primer oligomer base extension (PROBE) reaction, combined with matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry, is used to characterize HLA-DR2 polymorphism. Alleles are distinguished rapidly and accurately by measuring the mass of primer extension products at every known variable region of HLA-DR2 alleles. Since differentiation of alleles by PROBE relies on measuring differences in extension product mass rather than differences in hybridization properties, mistyped alleles resulting from nonspecific hybridization are absent. The method shows considerable potential for high-throughput screening of HLA-DR polymorphism in a chip-based format, including rapid tissue typing of unrelated volunteer donors.

Noninteractive macroscopic reliability model for whisker-reinforced ceramic composites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Duffy, Stephen F.; Arnold, Steven M.

1990-01-01

Considerable research is underway in the field of material science focusing on incorporating silicon carbide whiskers into silicon nitride and alumina matrices. These composites show the requisite thermal stability and thermal shock resistance necessary for use as components in advanced gas turbines and heat exchangers. This paper presents a macroscopic noninteractive reliability model for whisker-reinforced ceramic composites. The theory is multiaxial and is applicable to composites that can be characterized as transversely isotropic. Enough processing data exists to suggest this idealization encompasses a significantly large class of fabricated components. A qualitative assessment of the model is made by presenting reliability surfaces in several different stress spaces and for different values of model parameters.

Energy-level repulsion by spin-orbit coupling in two-dimensional Rydberg excitons

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stephanovich, V. A.; Sherman, E. Ya.; Zinner, N. T.; Marchukov, O. V.

2018-05-01

We study the effects of Rashba spin-orbit coupling on two-dimensional Rydberg exciton systems. Using analytical and numerical arguments we demonstrate that this coupling considerably modifies the wave functions and leads to a level repulsion that results in a deviation from the Poissonian statistics of the adjacent level distance distribution. This signifies the crossover to nonintegrability of the system and hints at the possibility of quantum chaos emerging. Such behavior strongly differs from the classical realization, where spin-orbit coupling produces highly entangled, chaotic electron trajectories in an exciton. We also calculate the oscillator strengths and show that randomization appears in the transitions between states with different total momenta.

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

Subedi, P.; Matthaeus, W. H.; Chuychai, P.

The investigation of the diffusive transport of charged particles in a turbulent magnetic field remains a subject of considerable interest. Research has most frequently concentrated on determining the diffusion coefficient in the presence of a mean magnetic field. Here we consider the diffusion of charged particles in fully three-dimensional isotropic turbulent magnetic fields with no mean field, which may be pertinent to many astrophysical situations. We identify different ranges of particle energy depending upon the ratio of Larmor radius to the characteristic outer length scale of turbulence. Two different theoretical models are proposed to calculate the diffusion coefficient, each applicablemore » to a distinct range of particle energies. The theoretical results are compared to those from computer simulations, showing good agreement.« less

Increasing the statistical significance of entanglement detection in experiments.

PubMed

Jungnitsch, Bastian; Niekamp, Sönke; Kleinmann, Matthias; Gühne, Otfried; Lu, He; Gao, Wei-Bo; Chen, Yu-Ao; Chen, Zeng-Bing; Pan, Jian-Wei

2010-05-28

Entanglement is often verified by a violation of an inequality like a Bell inequality or an entanglement witness. Considerable effort has been devoted to the optimization of such inequalities in order to obtain a high violation. We demonstrate theoretically and experimentally that such an optimization does not necessarily lead to a better entanglement test, if the statistical error is taken into account. Theoretically, we show for different error models that reducing the violation of an inequality can improve the significance. Experimentally, we observe this phenomenon in a four-photon experiment, testing the Mermin and Ardehali inequality for different levels of noise. Furthermore, we provide a way to develop entanglement tests with high statistical significance.

Equity trees and graphs via information theory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harré, M.; Bossomaier, T.

2010-01-01

We investigate the similarities and differences between two measures of the relationship between equities traded in financial markets. Our measures are the correlation coefficients and the mutual information. In the context of financial markets correlation coefficients are well established whereas mutual information has not previously been as well studied despite its theoretically appealing properties. We show that asset trees which are derived from either the correlation coefficients or the mutual information have a mixture of both similarities and differences at the individual equity level and at the macroscopic level. We then extend our consideration from trees to graphs using the "genus 0" condition recently introduced in order to study the networks of equities.

Fractography of cast gypsum.

PubMed

Mori, T; Yamane, M

1982-02-01

A fractographical study of dental cast gypsum was made in order to correlate the mechanical properties with the microstructure. Wet specimens fractured under tensile stress showed intercrystalline fracture and the tensile strength depended on the porosity present. Thus, it was assumed that tensile strength was dependent on the contact area between individual gypsum crystals and changes in porosity approximated to changes in contact area. Strength differences among specimens of a given W/P ratio, therefore, can be related to differences in intercrystalline contact areas. These theoretical considerations suggest that the classification of dental die stone and dental stone into high and low strength types based on strength properties only would be more practical and less confusing than at present.

On-chip optical diode based on silicon photonic crystal heterojunctions.

PubMed

Wang, Chen; Zhou, Chang-Zhu; Li, Zhi-Yuan

2011-12-19

Optical isolation is a long pursued object with fundamental difficulty in integrated photonics. As a step towards this goal, we demonstrate the design, fabrication, and characterization of on-chip wavelength-scale optical diodes that are made from the heterojunction between two different silicon two-dimensional square-lattice photonic crystal slabs with directional bandgap mismatch and different mode transitions. The measured transmission spectra show considerable unidirectional transmission behavior, in good agreement with numerical simulations. The experimental realization of on-chip optical diodes with wavelength-scale size using all-dielectric, passive, and linear silicon photonic crystal structures may help to construct on-chip optical logical devices without nonlinearity or magnetism, and would open up a road towards photonic computers.

The global perspective on neurology training: the World Federation of Neurology survey.

PubMed

Steck, Andreas; Struhal, Walter; Sergay, Stephen M; Grisold, Wolfgang

2013-11-15

This World Federation of Neurology (WFN) study aimed to characterize the status quo of post-graduate neurology training throughout the world and enable a better orientation on global training in neurology. Basic data on training curricula and working conditions of neurology residents and neurologists in 39 countries worldwide were evaluated. Our data show considerable differences in manpower and training, but a continuous improvement within the last 10 years of observation. Worldwide a spread of interim evaluations and final examinations of different types are used. Online resources will undoubtedly profoundly change skill and knowledge acquisition and training practices in Neurology in the coming years. © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Orbital-Phase-Resolved Study of OAO 1657-415 in Spin-Up and Spin-Down

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chakrabarty, Deepto

2003-01-01

We observed the 38-s X-ray pulsar OAO 1657-415 in a series of daily snapshots spanning its 10-day binary orbit, on three different occasions corresponding to different accretion torque states. The goal was to see if the previously observed drastic variability in X-ray spectral properties showed a systematic pattern with respect to orbital phase or torque state. Our study failed to identify any systematic patterns, although considerably stochastic variability was observed. Overall, our results were inconclusive. We chose not to prepare a journal paper on this study, although the data were shared with several other groups interested in monitoring the properties of this source.

Architecture for multi-technology real-time location systems.

PubMed

Rodas, Javier; Barral, Valentín; Escudero, Carlos J

2013-02-07

The rising popularity of location-based services has prompted considerable research in the field of indoor location systems. Since there is no single technology to support these systems, it is necessary to consider the fusion of the information coming from heterogeneous sensors. This paper presents a software architecture designed for a hybrid location system where we can merge information from multiple sensor technologies. The architecture was designed to be used by different kinds of actors independently and with mutual transparency: hardware administrators, algorithm developers and user applications. The paper presents the architecture design, work-flow, case study examples and some results to show how different technologies can be exploited to obtain a good estimation of a target position.

Green Power Procurement Considerations

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Green power products are available from a variety of different vendors, including utilities, renewable energy certificate (REC) marketers, on-site system integrators, and non-profit organizations. This page lists considerations to evaluate during selection

The transformation of amorphous calcium carbonate, ACC, to crystalline phases as function of time and temperature.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gies, Hermann; Happel, Marian; Niedermayr, Andrea; Immenhauser, Adrian

2017-04-01

We present results from a structural study of the transformation of freeze dried amorphous calcium carbonate, ACC, in crystalline material using pair distribution function analysis, PDF analysis, of X-ray powder diffraction data, XPD data. PDF analysis allows for the analysis of local order of structural subunit in the range between molecular unit (1. and 2. coordination sphere) and long range periodicity as in crystalline materials. ACC was precipitated from aqueous solutions at 298 K and 278 K using different amounts of Mg cations as stabilizer. The samples were immediately separated from the solution and freeze dried. For the transformation study, the samples were heated and analysed using XPD until they were crystallized. The radial distribution obtained from the XPD data were compared to simulated radial distributions of the calcium carbonate polymorphs and their hydrated phases. An ACC precipitated from a solution with Ca:Mg:CO3 = 1:5:4 at 298 K (ration in mmol, pH = 8.2) and freeze dried right after isolation from the solution revealed a close resemblance with ikaite in its local order. Another ACC with Ca:Mg:CO3 = 1:10:1.4 (T = 298, pH = 8.7) showed distinctly different local order resembling monohydrocalcite. Both ACC, however, still had considerable amounts of water dominating the Ca-coordination sphere. During the transformation to calcite, the structural changes in the sample concerned the hydrate water coordinating Ca which was removed and replaced by the carbonate oxygens. The study shows that ACC obtained from different starting solutions show specific local order. Freeze drying leads to solid ACC powder which still contain considerable amounts of hydrate water. Structural subunits are distinct in ACC and different from the crystalline phase. The study supplements recent reports presented by Konrad et al., Purgstaller et al., and Tobler et al.. F. Konrad et al., Cryst. Growth Des. 16, 6310-6317(2016) B. Purgstaller et al., Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 174, 180-195(2016) DJ. Tobler et al., Cryst. Growth Des. 16, 4500-4508(2016)

What can we learn from Einstein and Arrhenius about the optimal flow of our blood?

PubMed

Schuster, Stefan; Stark, Heiko

2014-01-01

The oxygen flow in humans and other higher animals depends on the erythrocyte-to-blood volume ratio, the hematocrit. Since it is physiologically favourable when the flow of oxygen transport is maximum it can be assumed that this situation has been achieved during evolution. If the hematocrit was too low, too few erythrocytes could transport oxygen. If it was too high, the blood would be very viscous, so that oxygen supply would again be reduced. The theoretical optimal hematocrit can be calculated by considering the dependence of blood viscosity on the hematocrit. Different approaches to expressing this dependence have been proposed in the literature. Here, we discuss early approaches in hydrodynamics proposed by Einstein and Arrhenius and show that especially the Arrhenius equation is very appropriate for this purpose. We show that despite considerable simplifications such as neglecting the deformation, orientation and aggregation of erythrocytes, realistic hematocrit values of about 40% can be derived based on optimality considerations. Also the prediction that the ratio between the viscosities of the blood and blood plasma at high shear rates nearly equals Euler's constant (2.718) is in good agreement with observed values. Finally, we discuss possible extensions of the theory. For example, we derive the theoretical optimal hematocrit for persevering divers among marine mammals to be 65%, in excellent agreement with the values observed in several species. These considerations are very important for human and animal physiology since oxygen transport is an important factor for medicine and physical performance. © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Non-target toxicity of synthetic insecticides on the biological performance and population growth of Bracon hebetor Say.

PubMed

Muslim, Mohammad; Ansari, M Shafiq; Hasan, Fazil

2018-05-24

Bracon hebetor Say (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) is an important biological control agent of various species of order Lepidoptera and extensively used in biological control program worldwide. Present study evaluated the lethal and sublethal effects of insecticides on B. hebetor using demographic and population growth parameters. Doses of all the tested insecticides were within a maximum range of their recommended field dosages and adults were treated using residual glass vials method. For control experiments adults were treated with distilled water. Among the tested insecticides, the survivorship of various stages of B. hebetor was considerably prolonged on cyantraniliprole followed by chlorantraniliprole and shortest on chlorpyrifos and profenofos treated group. Total immature development time was prolonged in chlorpyrifos and profenofos treated group. Population growth parameters like intrinsic rate of natural increase (r m ), net reproductive rate (R 0 ), finite rate of increase (λ) and mean generation time (T c ) were considerably reduced in B. hebetor groups treated with chlorpyrifos and profenofos. However, B. hebetor groups treated with chlorantraniliprole and cyantraniliprole showed a little or no much difference in population growth parameters when compared with untreated group. It was also observed that chlorpyrifos and profenofos modified the sex ratio, thereby female emergence get reduced. On the basis of present findings it can be concluded that all tested insecticides caused considerable ecotoxic effects on B. hebetor compared to control. However, comparisons among the tested insecticides on the basis of IOBC criteria showed that chlorantraniliprol and cyntraniliprol was less toxic as compared to other insecticides tested on this biological control agent.

Gendered career considerations consolidate from the start of medical education

PubMed Central

Alers, Margret; Verdonk, Petra; Bor, Hans; Hamberg, Katarina; Lagro-Janssen, Antoine

2014-01-01

Objectives: To explore changes in specialty preferences and work-related topics during the theoretical phase of Dutch medical education and the role of gender. Methods: A cohort of medical students at Radboudumc, the Netherlands, was surveyed at start (N=612, 69.1% female) and after three years (N=519, 69.2% female), on specialty preferences, full-time or part-time work, motivational factors, and work-life issues. Chi square tests were performed to analyze gender-differences, and logistic regression to explore the influence of gender on considerations. Results: A total of 214 female and 78 male students completed both surveys. After three years, the male students remained highly interested in surgery, but the female students increasingly preferred gynecology. These initial preferences were predictive. Four out of five male students versus three out of five female students continued to show a full-time preference. Women increasingly preferred part-time work. After three years, the combination of work, care, and patient contact motivated female students more, whereas salary remained more important to male students. Female students indicated that their future careers would influence their family life; male students assumed having a family would only affect their partners’ careers. Conclusions: Against an international background of the feminization of medicine, our study shows that career considerations are reinforced early in medical studies. Women prefer to work fewer hours and anticipate care tasks more often. Students’ preferences reflect Dutch cultural norms about working men and women. Therefore, guidance in choice-making much earlier in medical education can create opportunities. PMID:25341228

[Comparative protein analytic studies of various intravenous 7S-immunoglobulin preparations].

PubMed

Fateh-Moghadam, A; Wick, M; Simon, H

1984-02-01

Seven different commercial intravenous 7S-immunoglobulin preparations have been examined by electrophoresis, immunoelectrophoresis, quantitative determination of immunoglobulins and other proteins, gel chromatography and analytical ultracentrifugation. No significant difference concerning IgG and monomeric immunoglobulin concentrations was observed. The content of IgM, dimers and polymers showed slight, that of IgA considerable differences. All immunoglobulin preparations comply with the European Pharmacopoea requirements. The rate of adverse reactions should be equally low due to similar dimer and polymer contents. IgA-free preparations are considered to be more suitable in primary hypogammaglobulinaemia whereas IgA-containing preparations could be of benefit in acquired hypogammaglobulinaemia. While the presence of an intact immunoglobulin molecule is thought to be essential for its full therapeutic efficacy, the influence of the preparation method is still in debate.

NATIONAL INSTITUTIONS AND SUBNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN AFRICA*

PubMed Central

Michalopoulos, Stelios; Papaioannou, Elias

2014-01-01

We investigate the role of national institutions on subnational African development in a novel framework that accounts for both local geography and cultural-genetic traits. We exploit the fact that the political boundaries on the eve of African independence partitioned more than 200 ethnic groups across adjacent countries subjecting similar cultures, residing in homogeneous geographic areas, to different formal institutions. Using both a matching type and a spatial regression discontinuity approach we show that differences in countrywide institutional structures across the national border do not explain within-ethnicity differences in economic performance, as captured by satellite images of light density. The average noneffect of national institutions on ethnic development masks considerable heterogeneity partially driven by the diminishing role of national institutions in areas further from the capital cities. PMID:25802926

Analytical model for the threshold voltage of III-V nanowire transistors including quantum effects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marin, E. G.; Ruiz, F. G.; Tienda-Luna, I. M.; Godoy, A.; Gámiz, F.

2014-02-01

In this work we propose an analytical model for the threshold voltage (VT) of III-V cylindrical nanowires, that takes into consideration the two dimensional quantum confinement of the carriers, the Fermi-Dirac statistics, the wave-function penetration into the gate insulator and the non-parabolicity of the conduction band structure. A simple expression for VT is obtained assuming some suitable approximations. The model results are compared to those of a 2D self consistent Schrödinger-Poisson solver, demonstrating a good fit for different III-V materials, insulator thicknesses and nanowire sizes with diameter down to 5 nm. The VT dependence on the confinement effective mass is discussed. The different contributions to VT are analyzed showing significant variations among different III-V materials.

Sodium chloride stress induced morphological and ultrastructural changes in Aspergillus repens.

PubMed

Kelavkar, U; Rao, K S; Ghhatpar, H S

1993-06-01

Halotolerant fungus, A. repens, showed a considerable difference in its growth rate, morphology, ultrastructural and molecular composition under NaCl stress as compared to control i.e. non-stressed condition. Light microscopic observations revealed significant differences in their mycelial thickness, their branching and septa. Transmission electron microscopic observations of both the conditions depicted significant differences in the qualitative and quantitative changes in mitochondria. Frequent pinocytotic vesiculation (vacuoles) of plasma membrane was observed in fungus under stress but no such vesiculation in control. The multivesiculate structures observed under stress with their origin from the cell membranes and subsequent release into vacuoles have not been reported in fungi under normal physiological conditions. The observations on pinocytosis are discussed in relation to ion compartmentation and salt tolerance in A. repens.

Quantumness and the role of locality on quantum correlations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bellomo, G.; Plastino, A.; Plastino, A. R.

2016-06-01

Quantum correlations in a physical system are usually studied with respect to a unique and fixed decomposition of the system into subsystems, without fully exploiting the rich structure of the state space. Here, we show several examples in which the consideration of different ways to decompose a physical system enhances the quantum resources and accounts for a more flexible definition of quantumness measures. Furthermore, we give a different perspective regarding how to reassess the fact that local operations play a key role in general quantumness measures that go beyond entanglement—as discordlike ones. We propose a family of measures to quantify the maximum quantumness of a given state. For the discord-based case, we present some analytical results for 2 ×d -dimensional states. Applying our definition to low-dimensional bipartite states, we show that different behaviors can be reported for separable and entangled states vis-à-vis those corresponding to the usual measures of quantum correlations. We show that there is a close link between our proposal and the criterion to witness quantum correlations based on the rank of the correlation matrix, proposed by Dakić, Vedral, and Brukner [Phys. Rev. Lett. 105, 190502 (2010), 10.1103/PhysRevLett.105.190502].

Containment and Support: Core and Complexity in Spatial Language Learning.

PubMed

Landau, Barbara; Johannes, Kristen; Skordos, Dimitrios; Papafragou, Anna

2017-04-01

Containment and support have traditionally been assumed to represent universal conceptual foundations for spatial terms. This assumption can be challenged, however: English in and on are applied across a surprisingly broad range of exemplars, and comparable terms in other languages show significant variation in their application. We propose that the broad domains of both containment and support have internal structure that reflects different subtypes, that this structure is reflected in basic spatial term usage across languages, and that it constrains children's spatial term learning. Using a newly developed battery, we asked how adults and 4-year-old children speaking English or Greek distribute basic spatial terms across subtypes of containment and support. We found that containment showed similar distributions of basic terms across subtypes among all groups while support showed such similarity only among adults, with striking differences between children learning English versus Greek. We conclude that the two domains differ considerably in the learning problems they present, and that learning in and on is remarkably complex. Together, our results point to the need for a more nuanced view of spatial term learning. Copyright © 2016 Cognitive Science Society, Inc.

An ensemble framework for identifying essential proteins.

PubMed

Zhang, Xue; Xiao, Wangxin; Acencio, Marcio Luis; Lemke, Ney; Wang, Xujing

2016-08-25

Many centrality measures have been proposed to mine and characterize the correlations between network topological properties and protein essentiality. However, most of them show limited prediction accuracy, and the number of common predicted essential proteins by different methods is very small. In this paper, an ensemble framework is proposed which integrates gene expression data and protein-protein interaction networks (PINs). It aims to improve the prediction accuracy of basic centrality measures. The idea behind this ensemble framework is that different protein-protein interactions (PPIs) may show different contributions to protein essentiality. Five standard centrality measures (degree centrality, betweenness centrality, closeness centrality, eigenvector centrality, and subgraph centrality) are integrated into the ensemble framework respectively. We evaluated the performance of the proposed ensemble framework using yeast PINs and gene expression data. The results show that it can considerably improve the prediction accuracy of the five centrality measures individually. It can also remarkably increase the number of common predicted essential proteins among those predicted by each centrality measure individually and enable each centrality measure to find more low-degree essential proteins. This paper demonstrates that it is valuable to differentiate the contributions of different PPIs for identifying essential proteins based on network topological characteristics. The proposed ensemble framework is a successful paradigm to this end.

Comparison of laser ray-tracing and skiascopic ocular wavefront-sensing devices

PubMed Central

Bartsch, D-UG; Bessho, K; Gomez, L; Freeman, WR

2009-01-01

Purpose To compare two wavefront-sensing devices based on different principles. Methods Thirty-eight healthy eyes of 19 patients were measured five times in the reproducibility study. Twenty eyes of 10 patients were measured in the comparison study. The Tracey Visual Function Analyzer (VFA), based on the ray-tracing principle and the Nidek optical pathway difference (OPD)-Scan, based on the dynamic skiascopy principle were compared. Standard deviation (SD) of root mean square (RMS) errors was compared to verify the reproducibility. We evaluated RMS errors, Zernike terms and conventional refractive indexes (Sph, Cyl, Ax, and spherical equivalent). Results In RMS errors reading, both devices showed similar ratios of SD to the mean measurement value (VFA: 57.5±11.7%, OPD-Scan: 53.9±10.9%). Comparison on the same eye showed that almost all terms were significantly greater using the VFA than using the OPD-Scan. However, certain high spatial frequency aberrations (tetrafoil, pentafoil, and hexafoil) were consistently measured near zero with the OPD-Scan. Conclusion Both devices showed similar level of reproducibility; however, there was considerable difference in the wavefront reading between machines when measuring the same eye. Differences in the number of sample points, centration, and measurement algorithms between the two instruments may explain our results. PMID:17571088

Quantification of locomotor activity in larval zebrafish: considerations for the design of high-throughput behavioral studies.

PubMed

Ingebretson, Justin J; Masino, Mark A

2013-01-01

High-throughput behavioral studies using larval zebrafish often assess locomotor activity to determine the effects of experimental perturbations. However, the results reported by different groups are difficult to compare because there is not a standardized experimental paradigm or measure of locomotor activity. To address this, we investigated the effects that several factors, including the stage of larval development and the physical dimensions (depth and diameter) of the behavioral arena, have on the locomotor activity produced by larval zebrafish. We provide evidence for differences in locomotor activity between larvae at different stages and when recorded in wells of different depths, but not in wells of different diameters. We also show that the variability for most properties of locomotor activity is less for older than younger larvae, which is consistent with previous reports. Finally, we show that conflicting interpretations of activity level can occur when activity is assessed with a single measure of locomotor activity. Thus, we conclude that although a combination of factors should be considered when designing behavioral experiments, the use of older larvae in deep wells will reduce the variability of locomotor activity, and that multiple properties of locomotor activity should be measured to determine activity level.

Sex/gender differences in the brain and cognition in schizophrenia.

PubMed

Mendrek, Adrianna; Mancini-Marïe, Adham

2016-08-01

The early conceptualizations of schizophrenia have noted some sex/gender differences in epidemiology and clinical expression of the disorder. Over the past few decades, the interest in differences between male and female patients has expanded to encompass brain morphology and neurocognitive function. Despite some variability and methodological shortcomings, a few patterns emerge from the available literature. Most studies of gross neuroanatomy show more enlarged ventricles and smaller frontal lobes in men than in women with schizophrenia; finding reflecting normal sexual dimorphism. In comparison, studies of brain asymmetry and specific corticolimbic structures, suggest a disturbance in normal sexual dimorphism. The neurocognitive findings are somewhat consistent with this picture. Studies of cognitive functions mediated by the lateral frontal network tend to show sex differences in patients which are in the same direction as those observed in the general population, whereas studies of processes mediated by the corticolimbic system more frequently reveal reversal of normal sexual dimorphisms. These trends are faint and future research would need to delineate neurocognitive differences between men and women with various subtypes of schizophrenia (e.g., early versus late onset), while taking into consideration hormonal status and gender of tested participants. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Supplier Relationship Management: Models, Considerations and Implications for DOD

DTIC Science & Technology

2003-01-01

AY 2002-2003 SUPPLIER RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT : MODELS, CONSIDERATIONS AND IMPLICATIONS FOR DOD STRATEGIC SUPPLY INDUSTRY STUDY COURSE COLONEL TOM...REPORT TYPE N/A 3. DATES COVERED - 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE Supplier Relationship Management : Models, Considerations and Implications for DOD...nature of the market or industry drive differences in supplier relationships ? This paper begins by defining supplier relationship management (SRM) and why

[Styles of interpersonal conflict in patients with panic disorder, alcoholism, rheumatoid arthritis and healthy controls: a cluster analysis study].

PubMed

Eher, R; Windhaber, J; Rau, H; Schmitt, M; Kellner, E

2000-05-01

Conflict and conflict resolution in intimate relationships are not only among the most important factors influencing relationship satisfaction but are also seen in association with clinical symptoms. Styles of conflict will be assessed in patients suffering from panic disorder with and without agoraphobia, in alcoholics and in patients suffering from rheumatoid arthritis. 176 patients and healthy controls filled out the Styles of Conflict Inventory and questionnaires concerning severity of clinical symptoms. A cluster analysis revealed 5 types of conflict management. Healthy controls showed predominantely assertive and constructive styles, patients with panic disorder showed high levels of cognitive and/or behavioral aggression. Alcoholics showed high levels of repressed aggression, and patients with rheumatoid arthritis often did not exhibit any aggression during conflict. 5 Clusters of conflict pattern have been identified by cluster analysis. Each patient group showed considerable different patterns of conflict management.

Physicochemical/photophysical characterization and angiogenic properties of Curcuma longa essential oil.

PubMed

Araújo, Lilhian A; Araújo, Rafael G M; Gomes, Flávia O; Lemes, Susy R; Almeida, Luciane M; Maia, Lauro J Q; Gonçalves, Pablo J; Mrué, Fátima; Silva-Junior, Nelson J; Melo-Reis, Paulo R DE

2016-01-01

This study analyzed the physicochemical and photophysical properties of essential oil of Curcuma longa and its angiogenic potential. The results showed that curcumin is the main fluorescent component present in the oil, although the amount is relatively small. The experimental chorioallantoic membrane model was used to evaluate angiogenic activity, showing a significant increase in the vascular network of Curcuma longa and positive control groups when compared to the neutral and inhibitor controls (P <0.05), but no significant difference was found between Curcuma longa essential oil and the positive control (P >0.05). Histological analysis showed extensive neovascularization, hyperemia and inflammation in the positive control group and Curcuma longa when compared to other controls (P <0.05), characteristic factors of the angiogenesis process. In conclusion, Curcuma longa oil showed considerable proangiogenic activity and could be a potential compound in medical applications.

Observations of Martian ice clouds by the Mars Global Surveyor Thermal Emission Spectrometer: The first Martian year

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pearl, John C.; Smith, Michael D.; Conrath, Barney J.; Bandfield, Joshua L.; Christensen, Philip R.

2001-06-01

Successful operation of the Mars Global Surveyor spacecraft, beginning in September 1997 (Ls=184°), has permitted extensive observations over more than a Martian year. Initially, thin (normal optical depth <0.06 at 825 cm-1) ice clouds and hazes were widespread, showing a distinct latitudinal gradient. With the onset of a regional dust storm at Ls=224°, ice clouds vanished in the southern hemisphere, to reappear gradually after the decay of the storm. The zonally averaged cloud opacities show little difference between the beginning and end of the first Martian year. A broad low-latitude cloud belt with considerable longitudinal structure was present in early northern summer. Apparently characteristic of the northern summer season, it vanished between Ls=140° and 150°. The latitudinal extent of this feature is apparently controlled by the ascending branch of the Hadley circulation. The most opaque clouds (optical depth ~0.6) were found above the summits of major volcanic features; these showed spatial structure possibly associated with wave activity. Variety among low-lying late morning clouds suggests localized differences in circulation and microclimates. Limb observations showed extensive optically thin (optical depth <0.04) stratiform clouds at altitudes up to 55 km. Considerable latitude and altitude variations were evident in ice clouds in early northern spring (Ls=25°) near 30 km, thin clouds extended from just north of the equator to ~45°N, nearly to the north polar vortex. A water ice haze was present in the north polar night (Ls=30°) at altitudes up to 40 km. Because little dust was present this probably provided heterogeneous nucleation sites for the formation of CO2 clouds and snowfall at altitudes below ~20 km, where atmospheric temperatures dropped to the CO2 condensation point. The relatively invariant spectral shape of the water ice cloud feature over space and time indicates that ice particle radii are generally between 1 and 4 μm.

Validating the operational bias and hypothesis of universal exponent in landslide frequency-area distribution.

PubMed

Huang, Jr-Chuan; Lee, Tsung-Yu; Teng, Tse-Yang; Chen, Yi-Chin; Huang, Cho-Ying; Lee, Cheing-Tung

2014-01-01

The exponent decay in landslide frequency-area distribution is widely used for assessing the consequences of landslides and with some studies arguing that the slope of the exponent decay is universal and independent of mechanisms and environmental settings. However, the documented exponent slopes are diverse and hence data processing is hypothesized for this inconsistency. An elaborated statistical experiment and two actual landslide inventories were used here to demonstrate the influences of the data processing on the determination of the exponent. Seven categories with different landslide numbers were generated from the predefined inverse-gamma distribution and then analyzed by three data processing procedures (logarithmic binning, LB, normalized logarithmic binning, NLB and cumulative distribution function, CDF). Five different bin widths were also considered while applying LB and NLB. Following that, the maximum likelihood estimation was used to estimate the exponent slopes. The results showed that the exponents estimated by CDF were unbiased while LB and NLB performed poorly. Two binning-based methods led to considerable biases that increased with the increase of landslide number and bin width. The standard deviations of the estimated exponents were dependent not just on the landslide number but also on binning method and bin width. Both extremely few and plentiful landslide numbers reduced the confidence of the estimated exponents, which could be attributed to limited landslide numbers and considerable operational bias, respectively. The diverse documented exponents in literature should therefore be adjusted accordingly. Our study strongly suggests that the considerable bias due to data processing and the data quality should be constrained in order to advance the understanding of landslide processes.

Cytotoxicity of TiO{sub 2} nanoparticles towards freshwater sediment microorganisms at low exposure concentrations

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

Kumari, Jyoti; Kumar, Deepak; Mathur, Ankita

2014-11-15

There is a persistent need to assess the effects of TiO{sub 2} nanoparticles on the aquatic ecosystem owing to their increasing usage in consumer products and risk of environmental release. The current study is focused on TiO{sub 2} nanoparticle-induced acute toxicity at sub-ppm level (≤1 ppm) on the three different freshwater sediment bacterial isolates and their consortium under two different irradiation (visible light and dark) conditions. The consortium of the bacterial isolates was found to be less affected by the exposure to the nanoparticles compared to the individual cells. The oxidative stress contributed considerably towards the cytotoxicity under both lightmore » and dark conditions. A statistically significant increase in membrane permeability was noted under the dark conditions as compared to the light conditions. The optical and fluorescence microscopic images showed aggregation and chain formation of the bacterial cells, when exposed to the nanoparticles. The electron microscopic (SEM, TEM) observations suggested considerable damage of cells and bio-uptake of nanoparticles. The exopolysaccrides (EPS) production and biofilm formation were noted to increase in the presence of the nanoparticles, and expression of the key genes involved in biofilm formation was studied by RT-PCR. - Highlights: • Toxicity of NPs towards freshwater sediment bacteria at sub-ppm concentrations. • Decreased toxicity of the nanoparticles in the consortium of microorganisms. • Enhanced bacterial resistance through EPS and biofilm formation in the presence of NPs. • Considerable surface damage of cells and internalization of NPs. • Gene expression analyses related to biofilm formation in the presence of NPs.« less

The effect of high level natural ionizing radiation on expression of PSA, CA19-9 and CEA tumor markers in blood serum of inhabitants of Ramsar, Iran.

PubMed

Heidari, Mohammad Hassan; Porghasem, Mohsen; Mirzaei, Nazanin; Mohseni, Jafar Hesam; Heidari, Matine; Azargashb, Eznollah; Movafagh, Abolfazl; Heidari, Reihane; Molouki, Aidin; Larijani, Leila

2014-02-01

Since several high level natural radiation areas (HLNRAs) exist on our planet, considerable attention has been drawn to health issues that may develop as the result of visiting or living in such places. City of Ramsar in Iran is an HNLRA, and is a tourist attraction mainly due to its hot spas. However, the growing awareness over its natural radiation sources has prompted widespread scientific investigation at national level. In this study, using an ELISA method, the level of expression of three tumor markers known as carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), prostate-specific antigen (PSA) and carcino antigen 19-9 (CA19-9) in blood serum of 40 local men of Ramsar (subject group) was investigated and compared to 40 men from the city of Noshahr (control group). Noshahr was previously identified as a normal level natural radiation area (NLNRA) that is some 85 km far from Ramsar. According to statistical analysis, there was a significant difference in the levels of PSA and CA19-9 markers between the two groups (p < 0.001) with those of Ramsar being considerably higher. CEA level did not show any difference. Although some of the volunteers tested positive to the markers, they were in good health as confirmed by the physician. Moreover, the high number of positive markers in Noshahr was considerable. Therefore, future study is needed to further validate this result and to determine the level of positivity to tumor markers in both cities. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Establishing a link between sex-related differences in the structural connectome and behaviour.

PubMed

Tunç, Birkan; Solmaz, Berkan; Parker, Drew; Satterthwaite, Theodore D; Elliott, Mark A; Calkins, Monica E; Ruparel, Kosha; Gur, Raquel E; Gur, Ruben C; Verma, Ragini

2016-02-19

Recent years have witnessed an increased attention to studies of sex differences, partly because such differences offer important considerations for personalized medicine. While the presence of sex differences in human behaviour is well documented, our knowledge of their anatomical foundations in the brain is still relatively limited. As a natural gateway to fathom the human mind and behaviour, studies concentrating on the human brain network constitute an important segment of the research effort to investigate sex differences. Using a large sample of healthy young individuals, each assessed with diffusion MRI and a computerized neurocognitive battery, we conducted a comprehensive set of experiments examining sex-related differences in the meso-scale structures of the human connectome and elucidated how these differences may relate to sex differences at the level of behaviour. Our results suggest that behavioural sex differences, which indicate complementarity of males and females, are accompanied by related differences in brain structure across development. When using subnetworks that are defined over functional and behavioural domains, we observed increased structural connectivity related to the motor, sensory and executive function subnetworks in males. In females, subnetworks associated with social motivation, attention and memory tasks had higher connectivity. Males showed higher modularity compared to females, with females having higher inter-modular connectivity. Applying multivariate analysis, we showed an increasing separation between males and females in the course of development, not only in behavioural patterns but also in brain structure. We also showed that these behavioural and structural patterns correlate with each other, establishing a reliable link between brain and behaviour. © 2016 The Author(s).

Socioeconomic inequalities in occupational, leisure-time, and transport related physical activity among European adults: A systematic review

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background This study systematically reviewed the evidence pertaining to socioeconomic inequalities in different domains of physical activity (PA) by European region. Methods Studies conducted between January 2000 and December 2010 were identified by a systematic search in Pubmed, Embase, Web of Science, Psychinfo, Sportdiscus, Sociological Abstracts, and Social Service Abstracts. English-language peer-reviewed studies undertaken in the general population of adults (18–65 years) were classified by domain of PA (total, leisure-time including sport, occupational, active transport), indicator of socioeconomic position (education, income, occupation), and European region. Distributions of reported positive, negative, and null associations were evaluated. Results A total of 131 studies met the inclusion criteria. Most studies were conducted in Scandinavia (n = 47). Leisure-time PA was the most frequently studied PA outcome (n = 112). Considerable differences in the direction of inequalities were seen for the different domains of PA. Most studies reported that those with high socioeconomic position were more physically active during leisure-time compared to those with low socioeconomic position (68% positive associations for total leisure-time PA, 76% for vigorous leisure-time PA). Occupational PA was more prevalent among the lower socioeconomic groups (63% negative associations). Socioeconomic differences in total PA and active transport PA did not show a consistent pattern (40% and 38% positive associations respectively). Some inequalities differed by European region or socioeconomic indicator, however these differences were not very pronounced. Conclusions The direction of socioeconomic inequalities in PA in Europe differed considerably by domain of PA. The contradictory results for total PA may partly be explained by contrasting socioeconomic patterns for leisure-time PA and occupational PA. PMID:22992350

Systems integration studies for supersonic cruise aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mascitti, V. R.

1975-01-01

Technical progress in each of the disciplinary research areas affecting the design of supersonic cruise aircraft is discussed. The NASA AST/SCAR Program supported the integration of these technical advances into supersonic cruise aircraft configuration concepts. While the baseline concepts reflect differing design philosophy, all reflect a level of economic performance considerably above the current foreign aircraft as well as the former U.S. SST. Range-payload characteristics of the study configurating show significant improvement, while meeting environmental goals such as takeoff and landing noise and upper atmospheric pollution.

Design of a fast Mars space transfer system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Woo, Henry H.; Glass, James F.; Roy, Claude

1992-02-01

Architecture strategies and concepts for manned missions to Mars are being developed by NASA and industry. This paper addresses the key Mars transfer vehicle (MTV) design requirements which include surface payload mass, MTV mass, propulsion system characteristics, launch vehicle capability, in-space operations, abort considerations, crew exposure to interplanetary environments, and crew reconditioning for planetary entry. Different mission strategies are presented along with their implications. A representative artificial-g MTV using nuclear thermal propulsion is defined to show concepts which minimize extravehicular activity operations for in-space assembly, inspection, and maintenance.

How Internally Coupled Ears Generate Temporal and Amplitude Cues for Sound Localization.

PubMed

Vedurmudi, A P; Goulet, J; Christensen-Dalsgaard, J; Young, B A; Williams, R; van Hemmen, J L

2016-01-15

In internally coupled ears, displacement of one eardrum creates pressure waves that propagate through air-filled passages in the skull and cause displacement of the opposing eardrum, and conversely. By modeling the membrane, passages, and propagating pressure waves, we show that internally coupled ears generate unique amplitude and temporal cues for sound localization. The magnitudes of both these cues are directionally dependent. The tympanic fundamental frequency segregates a low-frequency regime with constant time-difference magnification from a high-frequency domain with considerable amplitude magnification.

Numerical parametric studies of spray combustion instability

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pindera, M. Z.

1993-01-01

A coupled numerical algorithm has been developed for studies of combustion instabilities in spray-driven liquid rocket engines. The model couples gas and liquid phase physics using the method of fractional steps. Also introduced is a novel, efficient methodology for accounting for spray formation through direct solution of liquid phase equations. Preliminary parametric studies show marked sensitivity of spray penetration and geometry to droplet diameter, considerations of liquid core, and acoustic interactions. Less sensitivity was shown to the combustion model type although more rigorous (multi-step) formulations may be needed for the differences to become apparent.

[The pedophilic criminal].

PubMed

Heim, M; Morgner, J

1985-02-01

After a review of the literature dealing with pedophilia, the results of an analysis of 100 forensic psychiatric reports dealing with pedophile criminals are described. They show that, except for a few homosexual pedophiles, pedophilia is a pseudoperversion originating from different developmental conditions and, in individual cases, verifiable personality traits. The authors discuss problems involved in the forensic-psychiatric assessment of these delinquents. Attention is drawn to the necessity of purposeful, coordinated further education in this respect to enable the existing considerable discrepancies between forensic-psychiatric evaluation of these and other sexual deviants to be overcome.

Effects of strain differences and vehicles on results of local lymph node assays.

PubMed

Anzai, Takayuki; Ullmann, Ludwig G; Hayashi, Daisuke; Satoh, Tetsuo; Kumazawa, Takeshi; Sato, Keizo

2010-01-01

The Local Lymph Node Assay (LLNA) is now regarded as the worldwide standard. The analysis of accumulated LLNA data reveals that the animal strains and vehicles employed are likely to affect LLNA results. Here we show that an obvious strain difference in the local lymph node response was observed between DMSO-treated CBA/CaOlaHsd and CBA/CaHsdRcc mice. We also show that a vehicle difference in the response was observed when CBA/CaHsdRcc mice were exposed to 6 vehicles; 4:1 v/v acetone/olive oil (AOO), ethanol/water (70% EtOH), N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF), 2-butanone (BN), propylene glycol (PG), and dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO). The dpm/LN level was lowest in the 70% EtOH group and highest in the DMSO group. When alpha-hexylcinnamaldehyde (HCA) was used as a sensitizer for the LLNA, HCA was a weak sensitizer when AOO or DMSO was used as a vehicle, but a moderate sensitizer when the other 4 vehicles were used. This study showed that there are vehicle differences in the local lymph node response (dpm/LN level) in the LLNA and that the sensitization potency of HCA may be classified in different categories when using different vehicles. This suggests that careful consideration should be exercised in selecting a vehicle for the LLNA. A further comprehensive study will be needed to investigate why vehicle differences are observed in the LLNA.

Characterization of crosstalk in stereoscopic display devices.

PubMed

Zafar, Fahad; Badano, Aldo

2014-12-01

Many different types of stereoscopic display devices are used for commercial and research applications. Stereoscopic displays offer the potential to improve performance in detection tasks for medical imaging diagnostic systems. Due to the variety of stereoscopic display technologies, it remains unclear how these compare with each other for detection and estimation tasks. Different stereo devices have different performance trade-offs due to their display characteristics. Among them, crosstalk is known to affect observer perception of 3D content and might affect detection performance. We measured and report the detailed luminance output and crosstalk characteristics for three different types of stereoscopic display devices. We recorded the effect of other issues on recorded luminance profiles such as viewing angle, use of different eye wear, and screen location. Our results show that the crosstalk signature for viewing 3D content can vary considerably when using different types of 3D glasses for active stereo displays. We also show that significant differences are present in crosstalk signatures when varying the viewing angle from 0 degrees to 20 degrees for a stereo mirror 3D display device. Our detailed characterization can help emulate the effect of crosstalk in conducting computational observer image quality assessment evaluations that minimize costly and time-consuming human reader studies.

Engine design considerations for 2nd generation supersonic transports

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Howlett, R. A.

1975-01-01

The environmental and economic goals projected for advanced supersonic transports will require revolutionary improvements in propulsion systems. Variable cycle engine concepts that incorporate unique components and advanced technologies show promise in meeting these goals. Pratt & Whitney Aircraft is conducting conceptual design studies of variable cycle engine concepts under NASA sponsorship. This paper reviews some of the design considerations for these engine concepts. Emphasis is placed on jet noise abatement, reduction of emissions, performance improvements, installation considerations, hot-section characteristics and control system requirements. Two representative variable cycle engine concepts that incorporate these basic design considerations are described.

National survey of tuberculosis notifications in England and Wales 1978--9. Report from the Medical Research Council Tuberculosis and Chest Diseases Unit.

PubMed Central

1980-01-01

A survey of all tuberculosis notifications in England and Wales for a six-month period showed that 70% of 3732 newly notified, previously untreated patients had respiratory disease only, 23% had non-respiratory disease only, and 7% had both. Fifty-seven per cent of patients were of white and 35% were of Indian subcontinent (Indian, Pakistani, or Bangladeshi) ethnic origin, the latter group contributing over half the cases of non-respiratory disease. The estimated overall annual notification rate per 100 000 population for 1978--9 was 16.4 for England and 13.5 for Wales. The rates differed considerably between the different ethnic groups in England, the highest rates occurring in the Indian and in the Pakistani and Bangladeshi groups and the lowest in the white group; the differences in the non-respiratory rates were the more striking. Nearly a quarter of patients with respiratory disease had large pulmonary lesions, the proportion being higher for the white group than for the Indian subcontinent group. Over half the patients had positive cultures for tubercle bacilli and over a third had positive smears; both proportions were higher for the white group. This survey has identified many of the problems which tuberculosis presents in England and Wales today. These include the substantial number of patients with sputum-positive disease, the considerable variation in the rates in the different ethnic groups, and the not uncommon occurrence of childhood tuberculosis. PMID:7427500

Technological, rheological and sensory characterizations of a yogurt containing an exopolysaccharide extract from Lactobacillus fermentum Lf2, a new food additive.

PubMed

Ale, Elisa C; Perezlindo, Marcos J; Pavón, Yanina; Peralta, Guillermo H; Costa, Silvia; Sabbag, Nora; Bergamini, Carina; Reinheimer, Jorge A; Binetti, Ana G

2016-12-01

Lactobacillus fermentum Lf2, an autochthonous strain isolated as a non starter culture in Cremoso cheese, produces high EPS levels (~1g/L) in optimized conditions (SDM broth, pH6.0, 30°C, 72h). Technological (texture profile and rheological analysis) and sensory properties of non-fat yogurts with 300 and 600mg EPS/L were studied at 3 and 25days after manufacture. Yogurts with different EPS concentrations showed higher hardness values than the control group at both periods of time, being the only significant difference that remained stable during time. The consistency index was also higher for the treated samples at both times evaluated, being significantly different for samples with 300mg/L of EPS extract, while the flow behavior index was lower for EPS-added yogurts. The thixotropic index was lower (P<0.05) for samples with the highest EPS extract concentration at the end of the storage time. Regarding the sensory analysis, those yogurts with 600mg/L of EPS extract presented the highest values of consistency at 3days of storage. No considerable differences for defects (milk powder, acid, bitter and cooked milk flavors) were perceived between treated and control samples at both times evaluated. Syneresis was also studied and samples with 600mg/L of EPS extract presented the lowest syneresis values at 25days of storage, which considerably decreased with the time of storage. In conclusion, the EPS from L. fermentum Lf2, used as an additive, provided yogurt with creamy consistency and increased hardness, without the presence of unwanted defects and improving the water holding capacity of the product. All the analysis done showed the potential of this extract to be used as a technofunctional natural ingredient, and it should be considered its positive impact on health, according to previous studies. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

24 h Accelerometry: impact of sleep-screening methods on estimates of sedentary behaviour and physical activity while awake.

PubMed

Meredith-Jones, Kim; Williams, Sheila; Galland, Barbara; Kennedy, Gavin; Taylor, Rachael

2016-01-01

Although accelerometers can assess sleep and activity over 24 h, sleep data must be removed before physical activity and sedentary time can be examined appropriately. We compared the effect of 6 different sleep-scoring rules on physical activity and sedentary time. Activity and sleep were obtained by accelerometry (ActiGraph GT3X) over 7 days in 291 children (51.3% overweight or obese) aged 4-8.9 years. Three methods removed sleep using individualised time filters and two methods applied standard time filters to remove sleep each day (9 pm-6 am, 12 am-6 am). The final method did not remove sleep but simply defined non-wear as at least 60 min of consecutive zeros over the 24-h period. Different methods of removing sleep from 24-h data markedly affect estimates of sedentary time, yielding values ranging from 556 to 1145 min/day. Estimates of non-wear time (33-193 min), wear time (736-1337 min) and counts per minute (384-658) also showed considerable variation. By contrast, estimates of moderate-to-vigorous activity (MVPA) were similar, varying by less than 1 min/day. Different scoring methods to remove sleep from 24-h accelerometry data do not affect measures of MVPA, whereas estimates of counts per minute and sedentary time depend considerably on which technique is used.

Interactive effects of genotype and food quality on consumer growth rate and elemental content.

PubMed

Prater, Clay; Wagner, Nicole D; Frost, Paul C

2017-05-01

Consumer body stoichiometry is a key trait that links organismal physiology to population and ecosystem-level dynamics. However, as elemental composition has traditionally been considered to be constrained within a species, the ecological and evolutionary factors shaping consumer elemental composition have not been clearly resolved. To this end, we examined the causes and extent of variation in the body phosphorus (P) content and the expression of P-linked traits, mass specific growth rate (MSGR), and P use efficiency (PUE) of the keystone aquatic consumer Daphnia using lake surveys and common garden experiments. While daphnid body %P was relatively constrained in field assemblages sampled across an environmental P gradient, unique genotypes isolated from these lakes showed highly variable phenotypic responses when raised across dietary P gradients in the laboratory. Specifically, we observed substantial inter- and intra-specific variation and differences in daphnid responses within and among our study lakes. While variation in Daphnia body %P was mostly due to plastic phenotypic changes, we documented considerable genetic differences in daphnid MSGR and PUE, and relationships between MSGR and body P content were highly variable among genotypes. Overall, our study found that consumer responses to food quality may differ considerably among genotypes and that relationships between organismal life-history traits and body stoichiometry may be strongly influenced by genetic and environmental variation in natural assemblages. © 2017 by the Ecological Society of America.

Analysis of the balancing of the wind and solar energy resources in Andalusia (Southern Spain)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Santos-Alamillos, F. J.; Pozo-Vazquez, D.; Lara-Fanego, V.; Ruiz-Arias, J. A.; Hernandez-Alvaro, J.; Tova-Pescador, J.

2010-09-01

A higher penetration of the renewable energy in the electric system in the future will be conditioned to a reduction of the uncertainty of the yield. A way to obtain this goal is to analyze the balancing between the productions of different sources of renewable energy, trying to combine these productions. In this work we analyze, from a meteorological point of view, the balancing between wind and solar energy resources in Andalusia (southern Iberian Peninsula). To this end, wind speed and global radiation data corresponding to an one year integration of the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP) model were analyzed. Two method of analysis were used: a point correlation analysis and a Canonical Correlation Analysis (CCA). Results from these analyses allow obtaining, eventually, areas of local and distributed balancing between the wind and solar energy resources. The analysis was carried out separately for the different seasons of the year. Results showed, overall, a considerable balancing effect between the wind and solar resources in the mountain areas of the interior of the region, along the coast of the central part of the region and, specially, in the coastal area near the Gibraltar strait. Nevertheless, considerable differences were found between the seasons of the year, which may lead to compensating effects. Autumn proved to be the season with the most significant results.

Multi-Label Learning via Random Label Selection for Protein Subcellular Multi-Locations Prediction.

PubMed

Wang, Xiao; Li, Guo-Zheng

2013-03-12

Prediction of protein subcellular localization is an important but challenging problem, particularly when proteins may simultaneously exist at, or move between, two or more different subcellular location sites. Most of the existing protein subcellular localization methods are only used to deal with the single-location proteins. In the past few years, only a few methods have been proposed to tackle proteins with multiple locations. However, they only adopt a simple strategy, that is, transforming the multi-location proteins to multiple proteins with single location, which doesn't take correlations among different subcellular locations into account. In this paper, a novel method named RALS (multi-label learning via RAndom Label Selection), is proposed to learn from multi-location proteins in an effective and efficient way. Through five-fold cross validation test on a benchmark dataset, we demonstrate our proposed method with consideration of label correlations obviously outperforms the baseline BR method without consideration of label correlations, indicating correlations among different subcellular locations really exist and contribute to improvement of prediction performance. Experimental results on two benchmark datasets also show that our proposed methods achieve significantly higher performance than some other state-of-the-art methods in predicting subcellular multi-locations of proteins. The prediction web server is available at http://levis.tongji.edu.cn:8080/bioinfo/MLPred-Euk/ for the public usage.

Memantine for Alzheimer's Disease: An Updated Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

PubMed

Kishi, Taro; Matsunaga, Shinji; Oya, Kazuto; Nomura, Ikuo; Ikuta, Toshikazu; Iwata, Nakao

2017-01-01

The clinical benefit of memantine for Alzheimer's disease (AD) remains inconclusive. We performed an updated systematic review and meta-analysis of the efficacy/safety of memantine in AD. We included randomized trials of memantine for AD patients. Cognitive function scores (CF), behavioral disturbances scores (BD), and all-cause discontinuation were used as primary measures. Effect size based on a random-effects model was evaluated in the meta-analyses. Thirty studies (n = 7,567; memantine versus placebo: N = 11, n = 3,298; memantine + cholinesterase inhibitors (M+ChEIs) versus ChEIs: N = 17, n = 4,175) were identified. Memantine showed a significant improvement in CF [standardized mean difference (SMD) = -0.24, 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) = -0.34, -0.15, p < 0.00001, I2 = 35% ] and BD (SMD = -0.16, 95% CIs = -0.29, -0.04, p = 0.01, I2 = 52%) compared with placebo. In the sensitivity analysis including only patients with moderate-severe AD, memantine was superior to the placebo in reducing BD without considerable heterogeneity (SMD = -0.20, 95% CIs = -0.34, -0.07, p = 0.003, I2 = 36%). Compared with ChEIs, M+ChEIs showed a greater reduction in BD (SMD = -0.20, 95% CIs = -0.36, -0.03, p = 0.02, I2 = 77%) and a trend of CF improvement (SMD = -0.11, 95% CIs = -0.22, 0.01, p = 0.06, I2 = 56%). However, in the sensitivity analysis of double-blind, placebo-controlled studies only, M+ChEIs showed a significant reduction in BD compared with ChEIs without considerable heterogeneity (SMD = -0.11, 95% CIs = -0.21, -0.01, p = 0.04, I2 = 40%). When performing the sensitivity analysis of donepezil studies only, M+ChEIs was superior to ChEIs in improving CF without considerable heterogeneity (SMD = -0.18, 95% CIs = -0.31, -0.05, p = 0.006, I2 = 49%). No differences were detected in all-cause discontinuation between the groups. The meta-analyses suggest the credible efficacy and safety of memantine in treating AD when used alone or in combination with ChEIs.

[The relationship between four components of assertiveness and interpersonal behaviors, interpersonal adjustment in high school students' friendship].

PubMed

Watanabe, Asami

2010-04-01

This study examines the relationship between four components of assertiveness ("open expression", "control of emotion", "consideration for others" and "self-direction") and interpersonal behaviors on friends, interpersonal stress events, social anxiety. A questionnaire which included scales to measure the four components of assertiveness, activities with friend, considerate behavior for friends, interpersonal stress events and social anxiety was completed by 177 high school students. The results showed that "self-direction" had curvilinear relations with considerate behavior for friends, interpersonal stress events. An excessively high score for "self-direction" was associated with fewer considerate behavior and interpersonal stress events. An optimum score for "self-direction" was associated with more considerate behavior and interpersonal stress events.

Temporal Stability and Authenticity of Self-Representations in Adulthood

PubMed Central

Diehl, Manfred; Jacobs, Laurie M.; Hastings, Catherine T.

2008-01-01

The temporal stability of role-specific self-representations was examined in a sample of 188 young, middle-aged, and older adults. Considerable stability was observed for all self-representations. Central self-descriptors showed significantly greater temporal stability than peripheral self-descriptors. Temporal stability of self-representations was positively associated with self-concept clarity, self-esteem, and positive affect (PA). Age differences were obtained for three of the five self-representations, with older adults showing significantly lower stabilities for self with family, self with friend, and self with significant other compared to young and middle-aged adults. Assessment of the authenticity of adults’ role-specific self-representations showed that greater authenticity tended to be associated with greater temporal stability. Authenticity and the number of positive daily events were significant positive predictors of the stability of self-representations. PMID:18820732

n-Alkane adsorption to polar silica surfaces.

PubMed

Brindza, Michael R; Ding, Feng; Fourkas, John T; Walker, Robert A

2010-03-21

The structures of medium-length n-alkane species (C(8)-C(11)) adsorbed to a hydrophilic silica/vapor interface were examined using vibrational sum frequency spectroscopy. Experiments sampling out-of-plane orientation show a clear pattern in vibrational band intensities that implies chains having primarily all-trans conformations lying flat along the interface. Further analysis shows that the methylene groups of the alkane chains have their local symmetry axes directed into and away from the surface. Spectra acquired under different polarization conditions interlock to reinforce this picture of interfacial structure and organization. Variation in signal intensities with chain length suggests that correlation between adsorbed monomers weakens with increasing chain length. This result stands in contrast with alkane behavior at neat liquid/vapor interfaces where longer length alkanes show considerably more surface induced ordering than short chain alkanes.

Interpersonal value profiles and analysis of adolescent academic performance and social thinking

PubMed Central

Gázquez, José J.; Sainz, Jorge; Pérez-Fuentes, María del C.; Molero, María del M.; Soler, Francisco J.

2015-01-01

The purposes of this study were to identify interpersonal value profiles and find out whether there were any differences in academic performance and social thinking. The study sample was 885 high school students of whom 49.8% (N = 441) were boys and 50.2% (N = 444) were girls. The results show that students with low Benevolence and Conformity levels showed higher prevalence of failures and repeated the year more often. Furthermore, students with a high level of Recognition and Leadership and low Conformity and Benevolence are socially incompetent students. Intervention programs should to achieve high levels of kindness and consideration, respect for rules and generosity, and diminish the perception of recognition by others and exertion of authority. Thus, this study shows the values that must be worked on to improve students’ Academic Performance and social competence. PMID:25999891

Cultural Differences in Opportunity Cost Consideration

PubMed Central

Zhang, Ning; Ji, Li-Jun; Li, Ye

2017-01-01

Two studies were conducted to investigate cultural differences in opportunity cost consideration between Chinese and Euro-Canadians. Opportunity cost is defined as the cost of a benefit that must be forgone in order to pursue a better alternative (Becker et al., 1974). In both studies, participants read about hypothetical purchase scenarios, and then decided whether they would buy a certain product. Opportunity cost consideration was measured in two ways: (1) participants' thoughts pertaining to other (nonfocal) products while making decisions; (2) participants' decisions not to buy a focal product (Study 1) or a more expensive product (Study 2). Across both indexes, we found that after controlling for individual difference variables and amount of pocket money, Chinese participants in China considered financial opportunity cost more than Euro-Canadians in Study 1. Similar results were observed in Study 2 when comparing Chinese in Canada with Euro-Canadians However, the cultural effect on opportunity cost consideration was confounded by family income in Study 2. Implications for resource management, limitations of the current research and directions for future research are discussed. PMID:28184202

Simple and multiple linear regression: sample size considerations.

PubMed

Hanley, James A

2016-11-01

The suggested "two subjects per variable" (2SPV) rule of thumb in the Austin and Steyerberg article is a chance to bring out some long-established and quite intuitive sample size considerations for both simple and multiple linear regression. This article distinguishes two of the major uses of regression models that imply very different sample size considerations, neither served well by the 2SPV rule. The first is etiological research, which contrasts mean Y levels at differing "exposure" (X) values and thus tends to focus on a single regression coefficient, possibly adjusted for confounders. The second research genre guides clinical practice. It addresses Y levels for individuals with different covariate patterns or "profiles." It focuses on the profile-specific (mean) Y levels themselves, estimating them via linear compounds of regression coefficients and covariates. By drawing on long-established closed-form variance formulae that lie beneath the standard errors in multiple regression, and by rearranging them for heuristic purposes, one arrives at quite intuitive sample size considerations for both research genres. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Words and Pictures as Distinct Encoding Categories in Short-Term Memory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wells, J. Elisabeth

1973-01-01

Results of this experiment show a considerable release from proactive inhibition with a shift from words to pictures or pictures to words, thus adding one more change to the considerable number of category changes which produce the release phenomenon. (Author/CB)

Lunar Module Electrical Power System Design Considerations and Failure Modes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Interbartolo, Michael

2009-01-01

This slide presentation reviews the design and redesign considerations of the Apollo lunar module electrical power system. Included in the work are graphics showing the lunar module power system. It describes the in-flight failures, and the lessons learned from these failures.

Prospective of groundwater overexploitation through participatory approaches: Saiss Plain in Morocco

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ameur, Fatah; Lejars, Caroline; Dionnet, Mathieu; Quarouch, Hassan; Kuper, Marcel

2015-04-01

In the Saiss plain, groundwater overexploitation is often explained by two phenomena. The first one is a natural phenomenon (droughts), which seems therefore uncontrollable; the other one is human as groundwater is largely used by the agricultural sector. The main issue of groundwater governance is to find an acceptable balance in the use of the water resource without compromising the socio-economic development generated by this resource. Our study aims to contribute to understanding the differential contribution of different categories of groundwater users and the socio-economic and agrarian dynamics impacted by the overuse of groundwater. We adopted a participatory approach to explore with the different actors involved in the management and use of groundwater to identify the different viewpoints on the issue of overexploitation and to engage prospective and collective thinking of present situation of groundwater overexploitation. We organized multi-stakeholder workshops and designed a role-playing game to identify and qualify the existing links between the water resource, and the economic and social dynamics in order to better understand the human behavior to economic and environmental crises and the adaptive strategies of farmers confronted with an increasingly scarce groundwater resource. Our results showed considerable differences in the viewpoints of different categories of farmers regarding overexploitation. Agricultural investors who arrived over the past 5 years in the area practicing arboriculture consider themselves modern farmers using precise and water-saving irrigation technologies (drip irrigation, especially) who cannot be blamed for overexploitation of groundwater resources. Lessees practicing horticulture put considerable pressure on water resources, but were not interested in debates on overexploitation and the sustainability of groundwater resources. In fact, they did not turn up for the workshops. Finally, the local small-scale farmers who have very limited access to groundwater due to declining groundwater tables were shown to be the most concerned about groundwater overexploitation, especially the youngsters. These results show that not only different categories of users contribute differently to groundwater overexploitation, but also the direct effects of overexploitation are asymmetrically supported by different categories of users. These results can thus provide the basis for a user-oriented debate on groundwater governance involving the different categories of users and public institutions, by making the differential contribution and impacts of groundwater overexploitation visible. Keywords: Participatory approaches, role-playing game, actors, groundwater, overexploitation, Morocco

Further consideration of the clonal nature of Salmonella typhi: evaluation of molecular and clinical characteristics of strains from Indonesia and Peru.

PubMed Central

Franco, A; Gonzalez, C; Levine, O S; Lagos, R; Hall, R H; Hoffman, S L; Moechtar, M A; Gotuzzo, E; Levine, M M; Hone, D M

1992-01-01

We examined envelope protein profiles, chromosomal restriction endonuclease digest patterns, and immune responses to envelope proteins for collections of Salmonella typhi strains isolated in Peru and Indonesia. Only minor differences in envelope protein patterns were apparent among strains. Strains from 7 of 20 Indonesian patients had a distinct chromosomal digest pattern compared with patterns of Peruvian and other Indonesian strains. Strains with this pattern carried the gene for the j flagellar antigen (H1-j); differences in response to envelope proteins of j and d strains were noted on immunoblot analysis. Our data suggest that there are genotypic and phenotypic differences among S. typhi strains. The clinical importance of these differences remains to be fully evaluated; however, in this study it was not possible to show a clear correlation between strain characteristics and disease severity. Images PMID:1500532

New Dandelion Algorithm Optimizes Extreme Learning Machine for Biomedical Classification Problems

PubMed Central

Li, Xiguang; Zhao, Liang; Gong, Changqing; Liu, Xiaojing

2017-01-01

Inspired by the behavior of dandelion sowing, a new novel swarm intelligence algorithm, namely, dandelion algorithm (DA), is proposed for global optimization of complex functions in this paper. In DA, the dandelion population will be divided into two subpopulations, and different subpopulations will undergo different sowing behaviors. Moreover, another sowing method is designed to jump out of local optimum. In order to demonstrate the validation of DA, we compare the proposed algorithm with other existing algorithms, including bat algorithm, particle swarm optimization, and enhanced fireworks algorithm. Simulations show that the proposed algorithm seems much superior to other algorithms. At the same time, the proposed algorithm can be applied to optimize extreme learning machine (ELM) for biomedical classification problems, and the effect is considerable. At last, we use different fusion methods to form different fusion classifiers, and the fusion classifiers can achieve higher accuracy and better stability to some extent. PMID:29085425

Specification of the utility function in discrete choice experiments.

PubMed

van der Pol, Marjon; Currie, Gillian; Kromm, Seija; Ryan, Mandy

2014-03-01

The specification of the utility function has received limited attention within the discrete choice experiment (DCE) literature. This lack of investigation is surprising given that evidence from the contingent valuation literature suggests that welfare estimates are sensitive to different specifications of the utility function. This study investigates the effect of different specifications of the utility function on results within a DCE. The DCE elicited the public's preferences for waiting time for hip and knee replacement and estimated willingness to wait (WTW). The results showed that the WTW for the different patient profiles varied considerably across the three different specifications of the utility function. Assuming a linear utility function led to much higher estimates of marginal rates of substitution (WTWs) than with nonlinear specifications. The goodness-of-fit measures indicated that nonlinear specifications were superior. Copyright © 2014 International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Proposals for best-quality immunohistochemical staining of paraffin-embedded brain tissue slides in forensics.

PubMed

Trautz, Florian; Dreßler, Jan; Stassart, Ruth; Müller, Wolf; Ondruschka, Benjamin

2018-01-03

Immunohistochemistry (IHC) has become an integral part in forensic histopathology over the last decades. However, the underlying methods for IHC vary greatly depending on the institution, creating a lack of comparability. The aim of this study was to assess the optimal approach for different technical aspects of IHC, in order to improve and standardize this procedure. Therefore, qualitative results from manual and automatic IHC staining of brain samples were compared, as well as potential differences in suitability of common IHC glass slides. Further, possibilities of image digitalization and connected issues were investigated. In our study, automatic staining showed more consistent staining results, compared to manual staining procedures. Digitalization and digital post-processing facilitated direct analysis and analysis for reproducibility considerably. No differences were found for different commercially available microscopic glass slides regarding suitability of IHC brain researches, but a certain rate of tissue loss should be expected during the staining process.

Examination of soil effect upon GPR detectability of landmine with different orientations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ebrahim, Shereen M.; Medhat, N. I.; Mansour, Khamis K.; Gaber, A.

2018-06-01

Landmines represent a serious environmental problem for several countries as it causes severe injured and many victims. In this paper, the response of GPR from different parameters of the landmine targets has been shown and the data is correlated with observed field experiment made in 2012 at Miami Crandon Park test site. The ability of GPR for detecting non-metallic mines with different orientations was revealed and soil effect upon the GPR signal was examined putting into consideration the soil parameters in different locations in Egypt such as in Sinai and El Alamein. The simulation results showed that PMN-2 landmine was detected at 5 cm and 15 cm depths, even at the minimum radar cross section vertical orientation. The B-Scan (2D GPR profiles) of PMN-2 target at 15 cm depth figured out high reflectivity for Wadi deposits due to large contrast between PMN-2 landmine material and soil of sand dunes.

Puckering free energy of pyranoses: A NMR and metadynamics-umbrella sampling investigation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Autieri, E.; Sega, M.; Pederiva, F.; Guella, G.

2010-09-01

We present the results of a combined metadynamics-umbrella sampling investigation of the puckered conformers of pyranoses described using the GROMOS 45a4 force field. The free energy landscape of Cremer-Pople puckering coordinates has been calculated for the whole series of α and β aldohexoses, showing that the current force field parameters fail in reproducing proper puckering free energy differences between chair conformers. We suggest a modification to the GROMOS 45a4 parameter set which improves considerably the agreement of simulation results with theoretical and experimental estimates of puckering free energies. We also report on the experimental measurement of altrose conformer populations by means of NMR spectroscopy, which show good agreement with the predictions of current theoretical models.

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

Gomes, C.; Bertolami, O.; Rosa, J.G., E-mail: claudio.gomes@fc.up.pt, E-mail: joao.rosa@ua.pt, E-mail: orfeu.bertolami@fc.up.pt

We study inflationary scenarios driven by a scalar field in the presence of a non-minimal coupling between matter and curvature. We show that the Friedmann equation can be significantly modified when the energy density during inflation exceeds a critical value determined by the non-minimal coupling, which in turn may considerably modify the spectrum of primordial perturbations and the inflationary dynamics. In particular, we show that these models are characterised by a consistency relation between the tensor-to-scalar ratio and the tensor spectral index that can differ significantly from the predictions of general relativity. We also give examples of observational predictions formore » some of the most commonly considered potentials and use the results of the Planck collaboration to set limits on the scale of the non-minimal coupling.« less

Effect of liquid surface tension on circular and linear hydraulic jumps; theory and experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bhagat, Rajesh Kumar; Jha, Narsing Kumar; Linden, Paul F.; Wilson, David Ian

2017-11-01

The hydraulic jump has attracted considerable attention since Rayleigh published his account in 1914. Watson (1964) proposed the first satisfactory explanation of the circular hydraulic jump by balancing the momentum and hydrostatic pressure across the jump, but this solution did not explain what actually causes the jump to form. Bohr et al. (1992) showed that the hydraulic jump happens close to the point where the local Froude number equals to one, suggesting a balance between inertial and hydrostatic contributions. Bush & Aristoff (2003) subsequently incorporated the effect of surface tension and showed that this is important when the jump radius is small. In this study, we propose a new account to explain the formation and evolution of hydraulic jumps under conditions where the jump radius is strongly influenced by the liquid surface tension. The theory is compared with experiments employing liquids of different surface tension and different viscosity, in circular and linear configurations. The model predictions and the experimental results show excellent agreement. Commonwealth Scholarship Commission, St. John's college, University of Cambridge.

NORMAL HUMAN VARIATION: REFOCUSSING THE ENHANCEMENT DEBATE

PubMed Central

Kahane, Guy; Savulescu, Julian

2015-01-01

This article draws attention to several common mistakes in thinking about biomedical enhancement, mistakes that are made even by some supporters of enhancement. We illustrate these mistakes by examining objections that John Harris has recently raised against the use of pharmacological interventions to directly modulate moral decision-making. We then apply these lessons to other influential figures in the debate about enhancement. One upshot of our argument is that many considerations presented as powerful objections to enhancement are really strong considerations in favour of biomedical enhancement, just in a different direction. Another upshot is that it is unfortunate that much of the current debate focuses on interventions that will radically transform normal human capacities. Such interventions are unlikely to be available in the near future, and may not even be feasible. But our argument shows that the enhancement project can still have a radical impact on human life even if biomedical enhancement operated entirely within the normal human range. PMID:23906367

Archaeal phylogeny: reexamination of the phylogenetic position of Archaeoglobus fulgidus in light of certain composition-induced artifacts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Woese, C. R.; Achenbach, L.; Rouviere, P.; Mandelco, L.

1991-01-01

A major and too little recognized source of artifact in phylogenetic analysis of molecular sequence data is compositional difference among sequences. The problem becomes particularly acute when alignments contain ribosomal RNAs from both mesophilic and thermophilic species. Among prokaryotes the latter are considerably higher in G + C content than the former, which often results in artificial clustering of thermophilic lineages and their being placed artificially deep in phylogenetic trees. In this communication we review archaeal phylogeny in the light of this consideration, focusing in particular on the phylogenetic position of the sulfate reducing species Archaeoglobus fulgidus, using both 16S rRNA and 23S rRNA sequences. The analysis shows clearly that the previously reported deep branching of the A. fulgidus lineage (very near the base of the euryarchaeal side of the archaeal tree) is incorrect, and that the lineage actually groups with a previously recognized unit that comprises the Methanomicrobiales and extreme halophiles.

Autonomous Vehicles Require Socio-Political Acceptance—An Empirical and Philosophical Perspective on the Problem of Moral Decision Making

PubMed Central

Bergmann, Lasse T.; Schlicht, Larissa; Meixner, Carmen; König, Peter; Pipa, Gordon; Boshammer, Susanne; Stephan, Achim

2018-01-01

Autonomous vehicles, though having enormous potential, face a number of challenges. As a computer system interacting with society on a large scale and human beings in particular, they will encounter situations, which require moral assessment. What will count as right behavior in such situations depends on which factors are considered to be both morally justified and socially acceptable. In an empirical study we investigated what factors people recognize as relevant in driving situations. The study put subjects in several “dilemma” situations, which were designed to isolate different and potentially relevant factors. Subjects showed a surprisingly high willingness to sacrifice themselves to save others, took the age of potential victims in a crash into consideration and were willing to swerve onto a sidewalk if this saved more lives. The empirical insights are intended to provide a starting point for a discussion, ultimately yielding societal agreement whereby the empirical insights should be balanced with philosophical considerations. PMID:29541023

Credibilistic multi-period portfolio optimization based on scenario tree

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mohebbi, Negin; Najafi, Amir Abbas

2018-02-01

In this paper, we consider a multi-period fuzzy portfolio optimization model with considering transaction costs and the possibility of risk-free investment. We formulate a bi-objective mean-VaR portfolio selection model based on the integration of fuzzy credibility theory and scenario tree in order to dealing with the markets uncertainty. The scenario tree is also a proper method for modeling multi-period portfolio problems since the length and continuity of their horizon. We take the return and risk as well cardinality, threshold, class, and liquidity constraints into consideration for further compliance of the model with reality. Then, an interactive dynamic programming method, which is based on a two-phase fuzzy interactive approach, is employed to solve the proposed model. In order to verify the proposed model, we present an empirical application in NYSE under different circumstances. The results show that the consideration of data uncertainty and other real-world assumptions lead to more practical and efficient solutions.

On the superposition of strengthening mechanisms in dispersion strengthened alloys and metal-matrix nanocomposites: Considerations of stress and energy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ferguson, J. B.; Schultz, Benjamin F.; Venugopalan, Dev; Lopez, Hugo F.; Rohatgi, Pradeep K.; Cho, Kyu; Kim, Chang-Soo

2014-03-01

Yield strength improvement in dispersion strengthened alloys and nano particle-reinforced composites by well-known strengthening mechanisms such as solid solution, grain refinement, coherent and incoherent dispersed particles, and increased dislocation density resulting from work-hardening can all be described individually. However, there is no agreed upon description of how these mechanisms combine to determine the yield strength. In this work, we propose an analytical yield strength prediction model combining arithmetic and quadratic addition approaches based on the consideration of two types of yielding mechanisms; stress-activated and energy-activated. Using data available in the literature for materials of differing grain sizes, we consider the cases of solid solutions and coherent precipitates to show that they follow stress-activated behavior. Then, we applied our model with some empirical parameters to precipitationhardenable materials of various grain sizes in both coherent and incoherent precipitate conditions, which demonstrated that grain boundary and Orowan-strengthening can be treated as energy-activated mechanisms.

Small-scale societies exhibit fundamental variation in the role of intentions in moral judgment

PubMed Central

Barrett, H. Clark; Bolyanatz, Alexander; Crittenden, Alyssa N.; Fessler, Daniel M. T.; Fitzpatrick, Simon; Gurven, Michael; Henrich, Joseph; Kanovsky, Martin; Kushnick, Geoff; Pisor, Anne; Scelza, Brooke A.; Stich, Stephen; von Rueden, Chris; Zhao, Wanying; Laurence, Stephen

2016-01-01

Intent and mitigating circumstances play a central role in moral and legal assessments in large-scale industrialized societies. Although these features of moral assessment are widely assumed to be universal, to date, they have only been studied in a narrow range of societies. We show that there is substantial cross-cultural variation among eight traditional small-scale societies (ranging from hunter-gatherer to pastoralist to horticulturalist) and two Western societies (one urban, one rural) in the extent to which intent and mitigating circumstances influence moral judgments. Although participants in all societies took such factors into account to some degree, they did so to very different extents, varying in both the types of considerations taken into account and the types of violations to which such considerations were applied. The particular patterns of assessment characteristic of large-scale industrialized societies may thus reflect relatively recently culturally evolved norms rather than inherent features of human moral judgment. PMID:27035959

Autonomous Vehicles Require Socio-Political Acceptance-An Empirical and Philosophical Perspective on the Problem of Moral Decision Making.

PubMed

Bergmann, Lasse T; Schlicht, Larissa; Meixner, Carmen; König, Peter; Pipa, Gordon; Boshammer, Susanne; Stephan, Achim

2018-01-01

Autonomous vehicles, though having enormous potential, face a number of challenges. As a computer system interacting with society on a large scale and human beings in particular, they will encounter situations, which require moral assessment. What will count as right behavior in such situations depends on which factors are considered to be both morally justified and socially acceptable. In an empirical study we investigated what factors people recognize as relevant in driving situations. The study put subjects in several "dilemma" situations, which were designed to isolate different and potentially relevant factors. Subjects showed a surprisingly high willingness to sacrifice themselves to save others, took the age of potential victims in a crash into consideration and were willing to swerve onto a sidewalk if this saved more lives. The empirical insights are intended to provide a starting point for a discussion, ultimately yielding societal agreement whereby the empirical insights should be balanced with philosophical considerations.

Small-scale societies exhibit fundamental variation in the role of intentions in moral judgment.

PubMed

Barrett, H Clark; Bolyanatz, Alexander; Crittenden, Alyssa N; Fessler, Daniel M T; Fitzpatrick, Simon; Gurven, Michael; Henrich, Joseph; Kanovsky, Martin; Kushnick, Geoff; Pisor, Anne; Scelza, Brooke A; Stich, Stephen; von Rueden, Chris; Zhao, Wanying; Laurence, Stephen

2016-04-26

Intent and mitigating circumstances play a central role in moral and legal assessments in large-scale industrialized societies. Although these features of moral assessment are widely assumed to be universal, to date, they have only been studied in a narrow range of societies. We show that there is substantial cross-cultural variation among eight traditional small-scale societies (ranging from hunter-gatherer to pastoralist to horticulturalist) and two Western societies (one urban, one rural) in the extent to which intent and mitigating circumstances influence moral judgments. Although participants in all societies took such factors into account to some degree, they did so to very different extents, varying in both the types of considerations taken into account and the types of violations to which such considerations were applied. The particular patterns of assessment characteristic of large-scale industrialized societies may thus reflect relatively recently culturally evolved norms rather than inherent features of human moral judgment.

Owner perceived differences between mixed-breed and purebred dogs.

PubMed

Turcsán, Borbála; Miklósi, Ádám; Kubinyi, Enikő

2017-01-01

Studies about the behaviours of mixed-breed dogs are rare, although mixed-breeds represent the majority of the world's dog population. We have conducted two surveys to investigate the behavioural, demographic, and dog keeping differences between purebred and mixed-breed companion dogs. Questionnaire data were collected on a large sample of dogs living in Germany (N = 7,700 purebred dogs representing more than 200 breeds, and N = 7,691 mixed-breeds). We found that according to their owners, mixed-breeds were (1) less calm, (2) less sociable toward other dogs, and (3) showed more problematic behaviour than purebreds (p < 0.001 for all). Mixed-breeds and purebreds were similar in trainability and boldness scores. However, twelve out of 20 demographic and dog keeping factors differed between purebred and mixed-breed dogs, and two factors showed considerable (> 10%) differences: neutering was more frequent among mixed-breeds, and they were acquired at older ages than purebreds (p < 0.001 for both), which could result in the observed behaviour differences. After controlling for the distribution of the demographic and dog keeping factors, we found that mixed-breeds were (1) more trainable than purebreds, (2) less calm, and (3) showed more problematic behaviour than purebreds (p < 0.001 for all). We discuss that these differences at least partly might be due to selective forces. Our results suggest that instead of being the "average" dogs, mixed-breeds represent a special group with characteristic behavioural traits.

Owner perceived differences between mixed-breed and purebred dogs

PubMed Central

Turcsán, Borbála; Miklósi, Ádám; Kubinyi, Enikő

2017-01-01

Studies about the behaviours of mixed-breed dogs are rare, although mixed-breeds represent the majority of the world’s dog population. We have conducted two surveys to investigate the behavioural, demographic, and dog keeping differences between purebred and mixed-breed companion dogs. Questionnaire data were collected on a large sample of dogs living in Germany (N = 7,700 purebred dogs representing more than 200 breeds, and N = 7,691 mixed-breeds). We found that according to their owners, mixed-breeds were (1) less calm, (2) less sociable toward other dogs, and (3) showed more problematic behaviour than purebreds (p < 0.001 for all). Mixed-breeds and purebreds were similar in trainability and boldness scores. However, twelve out of 20 demographic and dog keeping factors differed between purebred and mixed-breed dogs, and two factors showed considerable (> 10%) differences: neutering was more frequent among mixed-breeds, and they were acquired at older ages than purebreds (p < 0.001 for both), which could result in the observed behaviour differences. After controlling for the distribution of the demographic and dog keeping factors, we found that mixed-breeds were (1) more trainable than purebreds, (2) less calm, and (3) showed more problematic behaviour than purebreds (p < 0.001 for all). We discuss that these differences at least partly might be due to selective forces. Our results suggest that instead of being the “average” dogs, mixed-breeds represent a special group with characteristic behavioural traits. PMID:28222103

Flexibility in problem solving and tool use of kea and New Caledonian crows in a multi access box paradigm.

PubMed

Auersperg, Alice M I; von Bayern, Auguste M P; Gajdon, Gyula K; Huber, Ludwig; Kacelnik, Alex

2011-01-01

Parrots and corvids show outstanding innovative and flexible behaviour. In particular, kea and New Caledonian crows are often singled out as being exceptionally sophisticated in physical cognition, so that comparing them in this respect is particularly interesting. However, comparing cognitive mechanisms among species requires consideration of non-cognitive behavioural propensities and morphological characteristics evolved from different ancestry and adapted to fit different ecological niches. We used a novel experimental approach based on a Multi-Access-Box (MAB). Food could be extracted by four different techniques, two of them involving tools. Initially all four options were available to the subjects. Once they reached criterion for mastering one option, this task was blocked, until the subjects became proficient in another solution. The exploratory behaviour differed considerably. Only one (of six) kea and one (of five) NCC mastered all four options, including a first report of innovative stick tool use in kea. The crows were more efficient in using the stick tool, the kea the ball tool. The kea were haptically more explorative than the NCC, discovered two or three solutions within the first ten trials (against a mean of 0.75 discoveries by the crows) and switched more quickly to new solutions when the previous one was blocked. Differences in exploration technique, neophobia and object manipulation are likely to explain differential performance across the set of tasks. Our study further underlines the need to use a diversity of tasks when comparing cognitive traits between members of different species. Extension of a similar method to other taxa could help developing a comparative cognition research program.

Flexibility in Problem Solving and Tool Use of Kea and New Caledonian Crows in a Multi Access Box Paradigm

PubMed Central

Auersperg, Alice M. I.; von Bayern, Auguste M. P.; Gajdon, Gyula K.

2011-01-01

Parrots and corvids show outstanding innovative and flexible behaviour. In particular, kea and New Caledonian crows are often singled out as being exceptionally sophisticated in physical cognition, so that comparing them in this respect is particularly interesting. However, comparing cognitive mechanisms among species requires consideration of non-cognitive behavioural propensities and morphological characteristics evolved from different ancestry and adapted to fit different ecological niches. We used a novel experimental approach based on a Multi-Access-Box (MAB). Food could be extracted by four different techniques, two of them involving tools. Initially all four options were available to the subjects. Once they reached criterion for mastering one option, this task was blocked, until the subjects became proficient in another solution. The exploratory behaviour differed considerably. Only one (of six) kea and one (of five) NCC mastered all four options, including a first report of innovative stick tool use in kea. The crows were more efficient in using the stick tool, the kea the ball tool. The kea were haptically more explorative than the NCC, discovered two or three solutions within the first ten trials (against a mean of 0.75 discoveries by the crows) and switched more quickly to new solutions when the previous one was blocked. Differences in exploration technique, neophobia and object manipulation are likely to explain differential performance across the set of tasks. Our study further underlines the need to use a diversity of tasks when comparing cognitive traits between members of different species. Extension of a similar method to other taxa could help developing a comparative cognition research program. PMID:21687666

Physical insight into light scattering by photoreceptor cell nuclei.

PubMed

Kreysing, Moritz; Boyde, Lars; Guck, Jochen; Chalut, Kevin J

2010-08-01

A recent study showed that the rod photoreceptor cell nuclei in the retina of nocturnal and diurnal mammals differ considerably in architecture: the location of euchromatin and heterochromatin in the nucleus is interchanged. This inversion has significant implications for the refractive index distribution and the light scattering properties of the nucleus. Here, we extend previous two-dimensional analysis to three dimensions (3D) by using both a numerical finite-difference time-domain and an analytic Mie theory approach. We find that the specific arrangement of the chromatin phases in the nuclear core-shell models employed have little impact on the far-field scattering cross section. However, scattering in the near field, which is the relevant regime inside the retina, shows a significant difference between the two architectures. The "inverted" photoreceptor cell nuclei of nocturnal mammals act as collection lenses, with the lensing effect being much more pronounced in 3D than in two dimensions. This lensing helps to deliver light efficiently to the light-sensing outer segments of the rod photoreceptor cells and thereby improve night vision.

Effect of packing material on methane activation in a dielectric barrier discharge reactor

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

Jo, Sungkwon; Hoon Lee, Dae; Seok Kang, Woo

2013-12-15

The conversion of methane is measured in a planar-type dielectric barrier discharge reactor using γ-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} (sphere), α-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} (sphere), and γ-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} (16–20 mesh). Investigations on the surface properties and shape of the three packing materials clearly indicate that methane activation is considerably affected by the material used. Capacitances inside the discharge gap are estimated from charge–voltage plots, and a comparison of the generated and transferred charges for different packing conditions show that the difference in surface properties between γ- and α-phase Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} affects the discharge characteristics. Moreover, all packing conditions show different chargemore » characteristics that are related to the electron density. Finally, the packing material's shape affects the local electron temperature, which is strongly related to methane conversion. The combined results indicate that both microscale and macroscale variations in a packing material affect the discharge characteristics, and a packing material should be considered carefully for effective methane activation.« less

Physically active rats lose more weight during calorie restriction.

PubMed

Smyers, Mark E; Bachir, Kailey Z; Britton, Steven L; Koch, Lauren G; Novak, Colleen M

2015-02-01

Daily physical activity shows substantial inter-individual variation, and low physical activity is associated with obesity and weight gain. Elevated physical activity is also associated with high intrinsic aerobic capacity, which confers considerable metabolic health benefits. Rats artificially selected for high intrinsic aerobic capacity (high-capacity runners, HCR) are more physically active than their low-capacity counterparts (low-capacity runners, LCR). To test the hypothesis that physical activity counters metabolic thriftiness, we measured physical activity and weight loss during three weeks of 50% calorie restriction (CR) in the HCR and LCR rat lines. At baseline, HCR ate more and were more active than LCR; this was seen in male rats, where LCR are considerably heavier than HCR, as well as in a set of female rats where body weight did not differ between the lines, demonstrating that this effect is consistent across sex and not secondary to body weight. We show for the first time that HCR lose more weight than LCR relative to baseline. Physical activity levels declined throughout CR, and this was more pronounced in HCR than in LCR, yet some aspects of activity remained elevated in HCR relative to LCR even during CR. This is consistent with the idea that low physical activity contributes to metabolic thriftiness during food restriction, allowing LCR to defend body mass, particularly lean mass. This has implications for physical activity during diet-induced weight loss, the genetic underpinnings of individual differences in weight loss during a diet, and the potential evolutionary opposition between metabolic thriftiness and aerobic capacity. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Physically Active Rats Lose More Weight during Calorie Restriction

PubMed Central

Smyers, Mark E.; Bachir, Kailey Z.; Britton, Steven L.; Koch, Lauren G.; Novak, Colleen M.

2014-01-01

Daily physical activity shows substantial inter-individual variation, and low physical activity is associated with obesity and weight gain. Elevated physical activity is also associated with high intrinsic aerobic capacity, which confers considerable metabolic health benefits. Rats artificially selected for high intrinsic aerobic capacity (high-capacity runners, HCR) are more physically active than their low-capacity counterparts (low-capacity runners, LCR). To test the hypothesis that physical activity counters metabolic thriftiness, we measured physical activity and weight loss during three weeks of 50% calorie restriction (CR) in the HCR and LCR rat lines. At baseline, HCR ate more and were more active than LCR; this was seen in male rats, where LCR are considerably heavier than HCR, as well as in a set of female rats where body weight did not differ between the lines, demonstrating that this effect is consistent across sex and not secondary to body weight. We show for the first time that HCR lose more weight than LCR relative to baseline. Physical activity levels declined throughout CR, and this was more pronounced in HCR than in LCR, yet some aspects of activity remained elevated in HCR relative to LCR even during CR. This is consistent with the idea that low physical activity contributes to metabolic thriftiness during food restriction, allowing LCR to defend body mass, particularly lean mass. This has implications for physical activity during diet-induced weight loss, the genetic underpinnings of individual differences in weight loss during a diet, and the potential evolutionary opposition between metabolic thriftiness and aerobic capacity. PMID:25449411

Brake Fluid Compatibility with Hardware

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-05-19

association or emblem usage considerations. All other legal considerations are the responsibility of the author and his/her/their employer(s...10 Figure 8. Backscatter SEM Image showing Elemental Analysis Scan Locations ....................... 11 Figure 9. Surface Scan jfs9176...Elemental Analysis .................................................................... 12 Figure 10. Particle Scan jfs9177 Elemental Analysis

River Rampage: Navigating Your Off-Site Adventure.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wheat, Ann; Munoz-Weingarten, Sandy

1996-01-01

The City of Phoenix offers a five-day river-based camping experience to at-risk and disabled teens. Describes how professional river outfitters are contracted to run the trips, staffing considerations, liability and safety considerations, and camper orientation. Evaluation showed that participants received lasting measurable benefits, including…

Tactical Miniature Crystal Oscillator.

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-08-01

manufactured by this process are expected to require 30 days to achieve minimum aging rates. (4) FUNDEMENTAL CRYSTAL RETRACE MEASUREMENT. An important crystal...considerable measurement time to detect differences and characterize components. Before investing considerable time in a candidate reactive element, a

Charged Particle Diffusion in Isotropic Random Static Magnetic Fields

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Subedi, P.; Sonsrettee, W.; Matthaeus, W. H.; Ruffolo, D. J.; Wan, M.; Montgomery, D.

2013-12-01

Study of the transport and diffusion of charged particles in a turbulent magnetic field remains a subject of considerable interest. Research has most frequently concentrated on determining the diffusion coefficient in the presence of a mean magnetic field. Here we consider Diffusion of charged particles in fully three dimensional statistically isotropic magnetic field turbulence with no mean field which is pertinent to many astrophysical situations. We classify different regions of particle energy depending upon the ratio of Larmor radius of the charged particle to the characteristic outer length scale of turbulence. We propose three different theoretical models to calculate the diffusion coefficient each applicable to a distinct range of particle energies. The theoretical results are compared with those from computer simulations, showing very good agreement.

Effect of sinusoidal modulated currents and acute hypoxia on corticosterone content and activity of certain dehydrogenases in tissues of different rat organs during hypokinesia

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Melik-Aslanova, L. L.; Frenkel, I. D.

1980-01-01

The state of hypokinesia in rats was reproduced by keeping them for 30 days in special box cages that restricted their mobility in all directions. Results show the resistance to acute hypoxic hypoxia is increased. This is linked to the considerable rise in the reduced level of corticosterone in different organs and the succinate dehydrogenase activity in the liver and brain. The letter indicated the primary oxidation of succinate, which has great importance in the adaptation of the oxidative metabolism to acute oxygen insufficiency. The use of sinusoidal modulated currents in the period of hypokinesia promotes normalization of the indices for resistance of the rats to acute hypoxia.

[The snakes of Senegal: an annotated species list].

PubMed

Trape, J F; Mané, Y

2002-08-01

Between 1990 and 2001, the laboratory of Paludologie of IRD at Dakar collected over 5,500 snakes from all over Senegal. By studying this collection, an entirely new species was discovered for science and eight new species for Senegal. The presence of many specimens of rare species and the great number of localities from which snakes were collected also allowed us to solve several delicate taxonomic problems and better to specify the biogeography of Senegalese snakes. Currently, the presence in Senegal of at least 55 different species has been established with certainty. The data collected simultaneously on the burden of snakebites for public health shows considerable differences according to geographic area, with populations from south-eastern Senegal being more exposed to the risk of death by snakebite.

Architecture for Multi-Technology Real-Time Location Systems

PubMed Central

Rodas, Javier; Barral, Valentín; Escudero, Carlos J.

2013-01-01

The rising popularity of location-based services has prompted considerable research in the field of indoor location systems. Since there is no single technology to support these systems, it is necessary to consider the fusion of the information coming from heterogeneous sensors. This paper presents a software architecture designed for a hybrid location system where we can merge information from multiple sensor technologies. The architecture was designed to be used by different kinds of actors independently and with mutual transparency: hardware administrators, algorithm developers and user applications. The paper presents the architecture design, work-flow, case study examples and some results to show how different technologies can be exploited to obtain a good estimation of a target position. PMID:23435050

A multilevel probabilistic beam search algorithm for the shortest common supersequence problem.

PubMed

Gallardo, José E

2012-01-01

The shortest common supersequence problem is a classical problem with many applications in different fields such as planning, Artificial Intelligence and especially in Bioinformatics. Due to its NP-hardness, we can not expect to efficiently solve this problem using conventional exact techniques. This paper presents a heuristic to tackle this problem based on the use at different levels of a probabilistic variant of a classical heuristic known as Beam Search. The proposed algorithm is empirically analysed and compared to current approaches in the literature. Experiments show that it provides better quality solutions in a reasonable time for medium and large instances of the problem. For very large instances, our heuristic also provides better solutions, but required execution times may increase considerably.

An extended car-following model with consideration of speed guidance at intersections

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Jing; Li, Peng

2016-11-01

The main motivation of this paper is to analyze the influences of speed guidance strategies on the driving behaviors under four different traffic signalized conditions and to investigate an extended car-following model to explore how the speed guidance affects two different vehicle types that are intelligent vehicles and traditional vehicles during the phase-change periods. The numerical results show that the proposed model can qualitatively describe the impacts of the speed guidance strategies on vehicle's movement trail including the acceleration strategy, smooth braking strategy, and deceleration strategy. Moreover, the benefits of the speed guidance could be enhanced by lengthening the guiding space range, expanding permitted guiding speed range, and increasing the percentage of the intelligent vehicles.

Detecting technology of biophotons

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ma, Junfu; Zhu, Zhaohui; Zhu, Yanbin

2002-03-01

A key technique of detecting the ultra-weak photon emission from biological system (UPE) is to change the light signal of an extremely weak level into electric signal of a considerable level when the photo-electric detecting system were be applied. This paper analyzed the difficult for detecting the ultra-weak photon emission from biological system (UPE) mainly is in the absence of high sensitivity detector in UV-visible-infra spectra region. An experimental setup for testing UPE in different spectral region was designed. Using the experimental setup the test data of different several spectral regions from 300 nm to 1060 nm has were tested. The test result show the UPE of living biological system exists in wide spectra region from UV- visible to infrared.

Considerations on methodological challenges for water footprint calculations.

PubMed

Thaler, S; Zessner, M; De Lis, F Bertran; Kreuzinger, N; Fehringer, R

2012-01-01

We have investigated how different approaches for water footprint (WF) calculations lead to different results, taking sugar beet production and sugar refining as examples. To a large extent, results obtained from any WF calculation are reflective of the method used and the assumptions made. Real irrigation data for 59 European sugar beet growing areas showed inadequate estimation of irrigation water when a widely used simple approach was used. The method resulted in an overestimation of blue water and an underestimation of green water usage. Dependent on the chosen (available) water quality standard, the final grey WF can differ up to a factor of 10 and more. We conclude that further development and standardisation of the WF is needed to reach comparable and reliable results. A special focus should be on standardisation of the grey WF methodology based on receiving water quality standards.

Computational models of basal-ganglia pathway functions: focus on functional neuroanatomy

PubMed Central

Schroll, Henning; Hamker, Fred H.

2013-01-01

Over the past 15 years, computational models have had a considerable impact on basal-ganglia research. Most of these models implement multiple distinct basal-ganglia pathways and assume them to fulfill different functions. As there is now a multitude of different models, it has become complex to keep track of their various, sometimes just marginally different assumptions on pathway functions. Moreover, it has become a challenge to oversee to what extent individual assumptions are corroborated or challenged by empirical data. Focusing on computational, but also considering non-computational models, we review influential concepts of pathway functions and show to what extent they are compatible with or contradict each other. Moreover, we outline how empirical evidence favors or challenges specific model assumptions and propose experiments that allow testing assumptions against each other. PMID:24416002

Computational study of small molecule binding for both tethered and free conditions

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Using a calix[4]arene-benzene complex as a test system we compare the potential of mean force for when the calix[4]arene is tethered versus free. When the complex is in vacuum our results show that the difference between tethered and free is primarily due to the entropic contribution to the potential of mean force resulting in a significant binding free energy difference of 6.6 kJ/mol. By contrast, when the complex is in water our results suggest that there is no appreciable difference between tethered and free. This study elucidates the roles of entropy and enthalpy for this small molecule system and emphasizes the point that tethering the receptor has the potential to dramatically impact the binding properties. These findings should be taken into consideration when using calixarene molecules in nanosensor design. PMID:20369865

Inactivation of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis during cooking of hamburger patties.

PubMed

Hammer, Philipp; Walte, Hans-Georg C; Matzen, Sönke; Hensel, Jann; Kiesner, Christian

2013-07-01

The role of Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP) in Crohn's disease in humans has been debated for many years. Milk and milk products have been suggested as possible vectors for transmission since the beginning of this debate, whereas recent publications show that slaughtered cattle and their carcasses, meat, and organs can also serve as reservoirs for MAP transmission. The objective of this study was to generate heat-inactivation data for MAP during the cooking of hamburger patties. Hamburger patties of lean ground beef weighing 70 and 50 g were cooked for 6, 5, 4, 3, and 2 min, which were sterilized by irradiation and spiked with three different MAP strains at levels between 10² and 10⁶ CFU/ml. Single-sided cooking with one flip was applied, and the temperatures within the patties were recorded by seven thermocouples. Counting of the surviving bacteria was performed by direct plating onto Herrold's egg yolk medium and a three-vial most-probable-number method by using modified Dubos medium. There was considerable variability in temperature throughout the patties during frying. In addition, the log reduction in MAP numbers showed strong variations. In patties weighing 70 g, considerable bacterial reduction of 4 log or larger could only be achieved after 6 min of cooking. For all other cooking times, the bacterial reduction was less than 2 log. Patties weighing 50 g showed a 5-log or larger reduction after cooking times of 5 and 6 min. To determine the inactivation kinetics, a log-linear regression model was used, showing a constant decrease of MAP numbers over cooking time.

Study on immobilization of marine oil-degrading bacteria by carrier of algae materials.

PubMed

Zhang, Yiran; Gao, Wei; Lin, Faxiang; Han, Bin; He, Changfei; Li, Qian; Gao, Xiangxing; Cui, Zhisong; Sun, Chengjun; Zheng, Li

2018-05-18

This study investigated the immobilizations with of bacteria two kinds of algal materials, Enteromorpha residue and kelp residue. The lipophilicity of them were compared by diesel absorption rates. The immobilization efficiency of Bacillus sp. E3 was measured to evaluate whether these carriers would satisfy the requirement for biodegradation of oil spills. The bacteria were immobilized through adsorption with the sterilized and non-sterilized carriers to compare the differences between the two treatments. Oil degradation rates were determined using gravimetric and GC-MS methods. Results showed the absorption rates of Enteromorpha residue and kelp residue for diesel were 411 and 273% respectively and remained approximately 105 and 120% after 2 h of erosion in simulated seawater system. After immobilized of Bacillus sp. E3, the oil degradation rates of them were higher than 65% after 21 days biodegradations. GC-MS analysis showed that two immobilizations degraded higher than 70% of the total alkane and the total PAHs, whereas the free bacteria degraded 63% of the total alkane and 66% the total PAHs. And the bacteria immobilized with the carriers degraded more HMW-alkanes and HMW-PAHs than the free bacteria. The bacteria immobilized by non-sterilized kelp residue showed a considerably higher degradation rate than that using sterilized kelp residue. A considerably higher cells absorption rate of immobilization was obtained when using kelp residue, and the preparation of immobilization was low cost and highly efficient. The experiments show the two algae materials, especially the kelp residue, present potential application in bioremediation of marine oil spills.

Diagnostic gap in Bovine viral diarrhea virus serology during the periparturient period in cattle.

PubMed

Bachofen, Claudia; Bollinger, Barbara; Peterhans, Ernst; Stalder, Hanspeter; Schweizer, Matthias

2013-09-01

Detection of antibodies against Bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) in serum and milk by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) is a crucial part of all ongoing national schemes to eradicate this important cattle pathogen. Serum and milk are regarded as equally suited for antibody measurement. However, when retesting a seropositive cow 1 day after calving, the serum was negative in 6 out of 9 different ELISAs. To further investigate this diagnostic gap around parturition, pre- and postcalving serum and milk samples of 5 cows were analyzed by BVDV antibody ELISA and serum neutralization test (SNT). By ELISA, 3 out of the 5 animals showed a diagnostic gap in the serum for up to 12 days around calving but all animals remained positive in SNT. In milk, the ELISA was strongly positive after birth but antibody levels decreased considerably within the next few days. Because of the immunoglobulin G (IgG)1-specific transport of serum antibodies into the mammary gland for colostrum production, the IgG subclass specificity of the total and the BVDV-specific antibodies were determined. Although all 5 animals showed a clear decrease in the total and BVDV-specific IgG1 antibody levels at parturition, the precalving IgG1-to-IgG2 ratios of the BVDV-specific antibodies were considerably lower in animals that showed the diagnostic gap. Results showed that BVDV seropositive cows may become "false" negative in several ELISAs in the periparturient period and suggest that the occurrence of this diagnostic gap is influenced by the BVDV-specific IgG subclass response of the individual animal.

Instream flow assessment and economic valuation: a survey of nonmarket benefits research

USGS Publications Warehouse

Douglas, Aaron J.; Johnson, Richard L.

1993-01-01

Instream flow benefits for United States streams and rivers have recently been investigated by a number of resource economists. These valuation efforts differ in scope, method, and quantitative results. An assessment and review of these valuation efforts is presented. The various sources of differences in non‐market values produced by these studies are explored in some detail. The considerable difficulty of producing estimates of instream flow benefits values that consider all of the pertinent policy and technical issues is delineated in various policy contexts. Evidence is presented that indicates that the considerable policy impact of recent research on this topic is justified despite considerable variation in the magnitude of the estimates.

Meta-Analysis of Fluid Intelligence Tests of Children from the Chinese Mainland with Learning Difficulties

PubMed Central

Tong, Fang; Fu, Tong

2013-01-01

Objective To evaluate the differences in fluid intelligence tests between normal children and children with learning difficulties in China. Method PubMed, MD Consult, and other Chinese Journal Database were searched from their establishment to November 2012. After finding comparative studies of Raven measurements of normal children and children with learning difficulties, full Intelligent Quotation (FIQ) values and the original values of the sub-measurement were extracted. The corresponding effect model was selected based on the results of heterogeneity and parallel sub-group analysis was performed. Results Twelve documents were included in the meta-analysis, and the studies were all performed in mainland of China. Among these, two studies were performed at child health clinics, the other ten sites were schools and control children were schoolmates or classmates. FIQ was evaluated using a random effects model. WMD was −13.18 (95% CI: −16.50–−9.85). Children with learning difficulties showed significantly lower FIQ scores than controls (P<0.00001); Type of learning difficulty and gender differences were evaluated using a fixed-effects model (I2 = 0%). The sites and purposes of the studies evaluated here were taken into account, but the reasons of heterogeneity could not be eliminated; The sum IQ of all the subgroups showed considerable heterogeneity (I2 = 76.5%). The sub-measurement score of document A showed moderate heterogeneity among all documents, and AB, B, and E showed considerable heterogeneity, which was used in a random effect model. Individuals with learning difficulties showed heterogeneity as well. There was a moderate delay in the first three items (−0.5 to −0.9), and a much more pronounced delay in the latter three items (−1.4 to −1.6). Conclusion In the Chinese mainland, the level of fluid intelligence of children with learning difficulties was lower than that of normal children. Delayed development in sub-items of C, D, and E was more obvious. PMID:24236016

Bone histological correlates of soaring and high-frequency flapping flight in the furculae of birds.

PubMed

Mitchell, Jessica; Legendre, Lucas J; Lefèvre, Christine; Cubo, Jorge

2017-06-01

The furcula is a specialized bone in birds involved in flight function. Its morphology has been shown to reflect different flight styles from soaring/gliding birds, subaqueous flight to high-frequency flapping flyers. The strain experienced by furculae can vary depending on flight type. Bone remodeling is a response to damage incurred from different strain magnitudes and types. In this study, we tested whether a bone microstructural feature, namely Haversian bone density, differs in birds with different flight styles, and reassessed previous work using phylogenetic comparative methods that assume an evolutionary model with additional taxa. We show that soaring birds have higher Haversian bone densities than birds with a flapping style of flight. This result is probably linked to the fact that the furculae of soaring birds provide less protraction force and more depression force than furculae of birds showing other kinds of flight. The whole bone area is another explanatory factor, which confirms the fact that size is an important consideration in Haversian bone development. All birds, however, display Haversian bone development in their furculae, and other factors like age could be affecting the response of Haversian bone development. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Genomic composition and dynamics among Methanomicrobiales predict adaptation to contrasting environments.

PubMed

Browne, Patrick; Tamaki, Hideyuki; Kyrpides, Nikos; Woyke, Tanja; Goodwin, Lynne; Imachi, Hiroyuki; Bräuer, Suzanna; Yavitt, Joseph B; Liu, Wen-Tso; Zinder, Stephen; Cadillo-Quiroz, Hinsby

2017-01-01

Members of the order Methanomicrobiales are abundant, and sometimes dominant, hydrogenotrophic (H 2 -CO 2 utilizing) methanoarchaea in a broad range of anoxic habitats. Despite their key roles in greenhouse gas emissions and waste conversion to methane, little is known about the physiological and genomic bases for their widespread distribution and abundance. In this study, we compared the genomes of nine diverse Methanomicrobiales strains, examined their pangenomes, reconstructed gene flow and identified genes putatively mediating their success across different habitats. Most strains slowly increased gene content whereas one, Methanocorpusculum labreanum, evidenced genome downsizing. Peat-dwelling Methanomicrobiales showed adaptations centered on improved transport of scarce inorganic nutrients and likely use H + rather than Na + transmembrane chemiosmotic gradients during energy conservation. In contrast, other Methanomicrobiales show the potential to concurrently use Na + and H + chemiosmotic gradients. Analyses also revealed that the Methanomicrobiales lack a canonical electron bifurcation system (MvhABGD) known to produce low potential electrons in other orders of hydrogenotrophic methanogens. Additional putative differences in anabolic metabolism suggest that the dynamics of interspecies electron transfer from Methanomicrobiales syntrophic partners can also differ considerably. Altogether, these findings suggest profound differences in electron trafficking in the Methanomicrobiales compared with other hydrogenotrophs, and warrant further functional evaluations.

Cultural and language differences in voice quality perception: a preliminary investigation using synthesized signals.

PubMed

Yiu, Edwin M-L; Murdoch, Bruce; Hird, Kathryn; Lau, Polly; Ho, Elaine Mandy

2008-01-01

Perceptual voice evaluation is a common clinical tool. However, to date, there is no consensus yet as to which common quality should be measured. Some available evidence shows that voice quality is a language-specific property which may be different across different languages. The familiarity of a language may affect the perception and reliability in rating voice quality. The present study set out to investigate the effects of listeners' cultural and language backgrounds on the perception of voice qualities. Forty speech pathology students from Australia and Hong Kong were asked to rate the breathy and rough qualities of synthesized voice signals in Cantonese and English. Results showed that the English stimulus sets as a whole were rated less severely than the Cantonese stimuli by both groups of listeners. In addition, the male Cantonese and English breathy stimuli were rated differently by the Australian and Hong Kong listeners. These results provided some evidence to support the claim that cultural and language backgrounds of the listeners would affect the perception for some voice quality types. Thus, the cultural and language backgrounds of judges should be taken into consideration in clinical voice evaluation. 2008 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Poisoning of bubble propelled catalytic micromotors: the chemical environment matters

PubMed Central

Zhao, Guanjia; Sanchez, Samuel; Schmidt, Oliver G.

2013-01-01

Self-propelled catalytic microjets have attracted considerable attention in recent years and these devices have exhibited the ability to move in complex media. The mechanism of propulsion is via the Pt catalysed decomposition of H2O2 and it is understood that the Pt surface is highly susceptible to poisoning by sulphur-containing molecules. Here, we show that important extracellular thiols as well as basic organic molecules can significantly hamper the motion of catalytic microjet engines. This is due to two different mechanisms: (i) molecules such as dimethyl sulfoxide can quench the hydroxyl radicals produced at Pt surfaces and reduce the amount of oxygen gas generated and (ii) molecules containing –SH, –SSR, and –SCH3 moieties can poison the catalytically active platinum surface, inhibiting the motion of the jet engines. It is essential that the presence of such molecules in the environment be taken into consideration for future design and operation of catalytic microjet engines. We show this effect on catalytic micromotors prepared by both rolled-up and electrodeposition approaches, demonstrating that such poisoning is universal for Pt catalyzed micromotors. We believe that our findings will contribute significantly to this field to develop alternative systems or catalysts for self-propulsion when practical applications in the real environment are considered. PMID:23450281

High temperature microstructural stability and recrystallization mechanisms in 14YWT alloys

DOE PAGES

Aydogan, E.; El-Atwani, O.; Takajo, S.; ...

2018-02-09

In-situ neutron diffraction experiments were performed on room temperature compressed 14YWT nanostructured ferritic alloys at 1100°C and 1150°C to understand their thermally activated static recrystallization mechanisms. The existence of high density of Y-Ti-O rich nano-oxides (<5 nm) shift the recrystallization temperature up due to Zener pinning of the grain boundaries, making these materials attractive for high temperature applications. This study serves to quantify the texture evolution in-situ and understand the effect of particles on the recrystallization mechanisms in 14YWT alloys. We have shown, both experimentally and theoretically, that there is considerable recovery in the 20% compressed sample after 6.5 hmore » annealing at 1100°C while recrystallization occurs within an hour of annealing at 1100°C and 1150°C in the 60% compressed samples. Moreover, the 60% compressed samples show {112}<110> and {112}<111> texture components during annealing, in contrast to the conventional recrystallization textures in body centered cubic alloys. Furthermore, nano-oxide size, shape, density and distribution are considerably different in unrecrystallized and abnormally grown grains. Transmission electron microscopy analysis shows that oxide particles having a size between 5 and 30 nm play a critical role for recrystallization mechanisms in 14YWT nanostructured ferritic alloys.« less

High temperature microstructural stability and recrystallization mechanisms in 14YWT alloys

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

Aydogan, E.; El-Atwani, O.; Takajo, S.

In-situ neutron diffraction experiments were performed on room temperature compressed 14YWT nanostructured ferritic alloys at 1100°C and 1150°C to understand their thermally activated static recrystallization mechanisms. The existence of high density of Y-Ti-O rich nano-oxides (<5 nm) shift the recrystallization temperature up due to Zener pinning of the grain boundaries, making these materials attractive for high temperature applications. This study serves to quantify the texture evolution in-situ and understand the effect of particles on the recrystallization mechanisms in 14YWT alloys. We have shown, both experimentally and theoretically, that there is considerable recovery in the 20% compressed sample after 6.5 hmore » annealing at 1100°C while recrystallization occurs within an hour of annealing at 1100°C and 1150°C in the 60% compressed samples. Moreover, the 60% compressed samples show {112}<110> and {112}<111> texture components during annealing, in contrast to the conventional recrystallization textures in body centered cubic alloys. Furthermore, nano-oxide size, shape, density and distribution are considerably different in unrecrystallized and abnormally grown grains. Transmission electron microscopy analysis shows that oxide particles having a size between 5 and 30 nm play a critical role for recrystallization mechanisms in 14YWT nanostructured ferritic alloys.« less

Vaginal microbiota and its role in HIV transmission and infection.

PubMed

Petrova, Mariya I; van den Broek, Marianne; Balzarini, Jan; Vanderleyden, Jos; Lebeer, Sarah

2013-09-01

The urogenital tract appears to be the only niche of the human body that shows clear differences in microbiota between men and women. The female reproductive tract has special features in terms of immunological organization, an epithelial barrier, microbiota, and influence by sex hormones such as estrogen. While the upper genital tract is regarded as free of microorganisms, the vagina is colonized by bacteria dominated by Lactobacillus species, although their numbers vary considerably during life. Bacterial vaginosis is a common pathology characterized by dysbiosis, which increases the susceptibility for HIV infection and transmission. On the other hand, HIV infections are often characterized by a disturbed vaginal microbiota. The endogenous vaginal microbiota may protect against HIV by direct production of antiviral compounds, through blocking of adhesion and transmission by ligands such as lectins, and/or by stimulation of immune responses. The potential role of probiotics in the prevention of HIV infections and associated symptoms, by introducing them to the vaginal and gastrointestinal tract (GIT), is also discussed. Of note, the GIT is a site of considerable HIV replication and CD4(+) T-cell destruction, resulting in both local and systemic inflammation. Finally, genetically engineered lactobacilli show promise as new microbicidal agents against HIV. © 2013 Federation of European Microbiological Societies. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. All rights reserved.

An example of problems in dose reconstruction from doses formed by electromagnetic irradiation by different energy sources.

PubMed

Kirillov, Vladimir; Kuchuro, Joseph; Tolstik, Sergey; Leonova, Tatyana

2010-02-01

Dose reconstruction for citizens of Belarus affected by the Chernobyl accident showed an unexpectedly wide range of doses. Using the EPR tooth enamel dosimetry method, it has been demonstrated that when the tooth enamel dose was formed due to x-rays with effective energy of 34 keV and the additional irradiation of enamel samples was performed by gamma radiation with mean energy of 1,250 keV, it led to a considerable increase in the reconstructed absorbed dose as compared with the applied. In the case when the dose was formed due to gamma radiation and the additional irradiation was performed by x-rays, it led to a considerable decrease in the reconstructed dose as compared with the applied. When the dose formation and the additional irradiation were carried out from external sources of electromagnetic radiation of equal energy, the reconstructed dose value was close to that of the applied. The obtained data show that for adequate reconstruction of individual absorbed doses by the EPR tooth enamel spectra, it is necessary to take into account the contribution from diagnostic x-ray examination of the teeth, jaw, and skull of some individuals who were exposed to a combined effect of the external gamma radiation and x-rays.

Spatio-temporal scaling effects on longshore sediment transport pattern along the nearshore zone

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khorram, Saeed; Ergil, Mustafa

2018-03-01

A measure of uncertainties, entropy has been employed in such different applications as coastal engineering probability inferences. Entropy sediment transport integration theories present novel visions in coastal analyses/modeling the application and development of which are still far-reaching. Effort has been made in the present paper to propose a method that needs an entropy-power index for spatio-temporal patterns analyses. Results have shown that the index is suitable for marine/hydrological ecosystem components analyses based on a beach area case study. The method makes use of six Makran Coastal monthly data (1970-2015) and studies variables such as spatio-temporal patterns, LSTR (long-shore sediment transport rate), wind speed, and wave height all of which are time-dependent and play considerable roles in terrestrial coastal investigations; the mentioned variables show meaningful spatio-temporal variability most of the time, but explanation of their combined performance is not easy. Accordingly, the use of an entropy-power index can show considerable signals that facilitate the evaluation of water resources and will provide an insight regarding hydrological parameters' interactions at scales as large as beach areas. Results have revealed that an STDDPI (entropy based spatio-temporal disorder dynamics power index) can simulate wave, long-shore sediment transport rate, and wind when granulometry, concentration, and flow conditions vary.

Assessment of soil heavy metals for eco-environment and human health in a rapidly urbanization area of the upper Yangtze Basin.

PubMed

Jia, Zhongmin; Li, Siyue; Wang, Li

2018-02-19

Soil pollution with heavy metals (HMs) has been attracting more and more interests, however, assessment of eco-environmental and human risks particularly in a rapidly urbanization area (the upper Yangtze) remains limited. Multiple modern indices were firstly performed for complete risk assessment of eco-environment and human health based on a high-spatial-resolution sampling. Averages of HMs were far below grade II threshold level of the Chinese Environmental Quality standards for soils, whereas Cd, As and Hg considerably exceeded the local background values. EF suggested overall moderate enrichments of Cd and Se, resulting in soils uncontaminated to moderately contaminated with them. Potential ecological risk index showed significant differences among Counties that were characterized by moderate risk. However, several sites were moderately to heavily contaminated with As, Cd and Hg by Igeo, resulting in that these sites were categorized as "considerable risk", or "high risk". Moreover, children were more susceptible to the potential health risk irrespective of the carcinogenic or non - carcinogenic risk. There were no significant carcinogenic and non - carcinogenic risks for adults, children however showed significant non - carcinogenic effect. Our first assessment provided important information for policy making to reduce the potential effects of soil contamination on human and eco-environment.

Fluoride release from fluoride varnishes under acidic conditions.

PubMed

Lippert, F

2014-01-01

The aim was to investigate the in vitro fluoride release from fluoride varnishes under acidic conditions. Poly(methyl methacrylate) blocks (Perspex, n=3 per group) were painted with 80 ± 5 mg fluoride varnish (n=10) and placed into artificial saliva for 30 min. Then, blocks were placed into either 1% citric acid (pH 2.27) or 0.3% citric acid (pH 3.75) solutions (n=3 per solution and varnish) for 30 min with the solutions being replaced every 5 min. Saliva and acid solutions were analyzed for fluoride content. Data were analyzed using three-way ANOVA (varnish, solution, time). The three-way interaction was significant (p>0.0001). Fluoride release and release patterns varied considerably between varnishes. Fluoride release in saliva varied by a factor of more than 10 between varnishes. Some varnishes (CavityShield, Nupro, ProFluorid, Vanish) showed higher fluoride release in saliva than during the first 5 min of acid exposure, whereas other varnishes (Acclean, Enamel-Pro, MI Varnish, Vella) showed the opposite behavior. There was little difference between acidic solutions. Fluoride release from fluoride varnishes varies considerably and also depends on the dissolution medium. Bearing in mind the limitations of laboratory research, the consumption of acidic drinks after fluoride varnish application should be avoided to optimize the benefit/risk ratio.

Rotational response of suspended particles to turbulent flow: laboratory and numerical synthesis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Variano, Evan; Zhao, Lihao; Byron, Margaret; Bellani, Gabriele; Tao, Yiheng; Andersson, Helge

2014-11-01

Using laboratory and DNS measurements, we consider how aspherical and inertial particles suspended in a turbulent flow act to ``filter'' the fluid-phase vorticity. We use three approaches to predict the magnitude and structure of this filter. The first approach is based on Buckingham's Pi theorem, which shows a clear result for the relationship between filter strength and particle aspect ratio. Results are less clear for the dependence of filter strength on Stokes number; we briefly discuss some issues in the proper definition of Stokes number for use in this context. The second approach to predicting filter strength is based on a consideration of vorticity and enstrophy spectra in the fluid phase. This method has a useful feature: it can be used to predict the filter a priori, without need for measurements as input. We compare the results of this approach to measurements as a method of validation. The third and final approach to predicting filter strength is from the consideration of torques experienced by particles, and how the ``angular slip'' or ``spin slip'' evolves in an unsteady flow. We show results from our DNS that indicate different flow conditions in which the spin slip is more or less important in setting the particle rotation dynamics. Collaboration made possible by the Peder Sather Center.

Abnormal emotion processing, but intact fairness and intentionality considerations during social decision-making in schizophrenia.

PubMed

de la Asuncion, Javier; Docx, Lise; Sabbe, Bernard; Morrens, Manuel; de Bruijn, Ellen R A

2015-01-01

Schizophrenia is a severe mental disorder that is highly characterized by social cognitive impairments. Most studies investigating these impairments focus on one specific social domain such as emotion recognition. However, in daily life, processing complex social situations relies on the combination of several social cognitive and affective processes simultaneously rather than one process alone. A modified version of the economically based Ultimatum Game was used to measure the interplay between fairness, intentionality, and emotion considerations during social decision-making. In this task, participants accept or reject fair and unfair monetary offers proposed intentionally or unintentionally by either angry, happy, neutral, or sad proposers. Behavioral data was collected from a group of schizophrenia patients (N = 35) and a group of healthy individuals (N = 30). Like healthy participants, schizophrenia patients differentiated between fair and unfair offers by rejecting unfair offers more compared to fair offers. However, overall patients did reject more fair offers, indicating that their construct of fairness operates within different margins. In both groups, intentional unfair offers were rejected more compared to unintentional ones, indicating a normal integration of intentionality considerations in schizophrenia. Importantly, healthy subjects also differentiated between proposers' emotion when rejecting unfair offers (more rejections from proposers depicting angry faces compared to proposers depicting, happy, neutral, or sad faces). Schizophrenia patients' decision behavior on the other hand, was not affected by the proposers' emotions. The current study thus shows that schizophrenia patients have specific problems with processing and integrating emotional information. Importantly, the finding that patients display normal fairness and intentionality considerations emphasizes preservation of central social cognitive processes in schizophrenia.

Formulary Selection Criteria for Biosimilars: Considerations for US Health-System Pharmacists.

PubMed

Griffith, Niesha; McBride, Ali; Stevenson, James G; Green, Larry

2014-10-01

Pharmacists will play a key role in evaluating biosimilars for formulary inclusion in the United States. As defined by US law, a biosimilar is a biologic that is highly similar to its reference product, notwithstanding minor differences in clinically inactive components, and should not have clinically meaningful differences from its reference product in safety, purity, and potency. We review biosimilars and the current European Union and US regulatory pathways for biosimilars. Furthermore, we propose a checklist of considerations to ensure that US pharmacists thoroughly evaluate future biosimilars for formulary inclusion. Included in the checklist are considerations related to the availability of preapproval and postapproval safety and efficacy data; differences in product characteristics and immunogenicity between the biosimilar and reference product; manufacturer-related parameters that can affect a reliable supply of quality products; health-system and patient perspectives on product packaging, labeling, storage, and administration; costs and insurance coverage; patient education; interchangeability and differences in the range of indications; and evaluation of institutions' information technology systems.

Formulary Selection Criteria for Biosimilars: Considerations for US Health-System Pharmacists

PubMed Central

McBride, Ali; Stevenson, James G.; Green, Larry

2014-01-01

Abstract Pharmacists will play a key role in evaluating biosimilars for formulary inclusion in the United States. As defined by US law, a biosimilar is a biologic that is highly similar to its reference product, notwithstanding minor differences in clinically inactive components, and should not have clinically meaningful differences from its reference product in safety, purity, and potency. We review biosimilars and the current European Union and US regulatory pathways for biosimilars. Furthermore, we propose a checklist of considerations to ensure that US pharmacists thoroughly evaluate future biosimilars for formulary inclusion. Included in the checklist are considerations related to the availability of preapproval and postapproval safety and efficacy data; differences in product characteristics and immunogenicity between the biosimilar and reference product; manufacturer-related parameters that can affect a reliable supply of quality products; health-system and patient perspectives on product packaging, labeling, storage, and administration; costs and insurance coverage; patient education; interchangeability and differences in the range of indications; and evaluation of institutions’ information technology systems. PMID:25477613

The potential of bio-methane as bio-fuel/bio-energy for reducing greenhouse gas emissions: a qualitative assessment for Europe in a life cycle perspective.

PubMed

Tilche, Andrea; Galatola, Michele

2008-01-01

Anaerobic digestion is a well known process that (while still capable of showing new features) has experienced several waves of technological development. It was "born" as a wastewater treatment system, in the 1970s showed promise as an alternative energy source (in particular from animal waste), in the 1980s and later it became a standard for treating organic-matter-rich industrial wastewater, and more recently returned to the market for its energy recovery potential, making use of different biomasses, including energy crops. With the growing concern around global warming, this paper looks at the potential of anaerobic digestion in terms of reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The potential contribution of anaerobic digestion to GHG reduction has been computed for the 27 EU countries on the basis of their 2005 Kyoto declarations and using life cycle data. The theoretical potential contribution of anaerobic digestion to Kyoto and EU post-Kyoto targets has been calculated. Two different possible biogas applications have been considered: electricity production from manure waste, and upgraded methane production for light goods vehicles (from landfill biogas and municipal and industrial wastewater treatment sludges). The useful heat that can be produced as by-product from biogas conversion into electricity has not been taken into consideration, as its real exploitation depends on local conditions. Moreover the amount of biogas already produced via dedicated anaerobic digestion processes has also not been included in the calculations. Therefore the overall gains achievable would be even higher than those reported here. This exercise shows that biogas may considerably contribute to GHG emission reductions in particular if used as a biofuel. Results also show that its use as a biofuel may allow for true negative GHG emissions, showing a net advantage with respect to other biofuels. Considering also energy crops that will become available in the next few years as a result of Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) reform, this study shows that biogas has the potential of covering almost 50% of the 2020 biofuel target of 10% of all automotive transport fuels, without implying a change in land use. Moreover, considering the achievable GHG reductions, a very large carbon emission trading "value" could support the investment needs.However, those results were obtained through a "qualitative" assessment. In order to produce robust data for decision makers, a quantitative sustainability assessment should be carried out, integrating different methodologies within a life cycle framework. The identification of the most appropriate policy for promoting the best set of options is then discussed.

SFC-MS/MS as an orthogonal technique for improved screening of polar analytes in anti-doping control.

PubMed

Parr, Maria Kristina; Wuest, Bernhard; Naegele, Edgar; Joseph, Jan F; Wenzel, Maxi; Schmidt, Alexander H; Stanic, Mijo; de la Torre, Xavier; Botrè, Francesco

2016-09-01

HPLC is considered the method of choice for the separation of various classes of drugs. However, some analytes are still challenging as HPLC shows limited resolution capabilities for highly polar analytes as they interact insufficiently on conventional reversed-phase (RP) columns. Especially in combination with mass spectrometric detection, limitations apply for alterations of stationary phases. Some highly polar sympathomimetic drugs and their metabolites showed almost no retention on different RP columns. Their retention remains poor even on phenylhexyl phases that show different selectivity due to π-π interactions. Supercritical fluid chromatography (SFC) as an orthogonal separation technique to HPLC may help to overcome these issues. Selected polar drugs and metabolites were analyzed utilizing SFC separation. All compounds showed sharp peaks and good retention even for the very polar analytes, such as sulfoconjugates. Retention times and elution orders in SFC are different to both RP and HILIC separations as a result of the orthogonality. Short cycle times could be realized. As temperature and pressure strongly influence the polarity of supercritical fluids, precise regulation of temperature and backpressure is required for the stability of the retention times. As CO2 is the main constituent of the mobile phase in SFC, solvent consumption and solvent waste are considerably reduced. Graphical Abstract SFC-MS/MS vs. LC-MS/MS.

Arctic Intermediate Water in the Nordic Seas, 1991-2009

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jeansson, Emil; Olsen, Are; Jutterström, Sara

2017-10-01

The evolution of the different types of Arctic Intermediate Water (AIW) in the Nordic Seas is evaluated and compared utilising hydro-chemical data from 1991 to 2009. It has been suggested that these waters are important components of the Norwegian Sea Arctic Intermediate Water (NSAIW), and of the dense overflows to the North Atlantic. Thus, it is important to understand how their properties and distribution vary with time. The AIWs from the Greenland and Iceland Seas, show different degrees of variability during the studied period; however, only the Greenland Sea Arctic Intermediate Water (GSAIW) shows an increasing temperature and salinity throughout the 2000s, which considerably changed the properties of this water mass. Optimum multiparameter (OMP) analysis was conducted to assess the sources of the NSAIW. The analysis shows that the Iceland Sea Arctic Intermediate Water (ISAIW) and the GSAIW both contribute to NSAIW, at different densities corresponding to their respective density range. This illustrates that they flow largely isopycnally from their source regions to the Norwegian Sea. The main source of the NSAIW, however, is the upper Polar Deep Water, which explains the lower concentrations of oxygen and chlorofluorocarbons, and higher salinity and nutrient concentrations of the NSAIW layer compared with the ISAIW and GSAIW. This shows how vital it is to include chemical tracers in any water mass analysis to correctly assess the sources of the water mass being studied.

The effects of railway transportation on the enrichment of heavy metals in the artificial soil on railway cut slopes.

PubMed

Chen, Zhaoqiong; Wang, KeXiu; Ai, Ying Wei; Li, Wei; Gao, Hongying; Fang, Chen

2014-02-01

Heavy metal contamination in the artificial soils on the railway cut slopes may have great influence on the revegetation of the cut slopes. The purpose of this study was to assess the variation of heavy metal contamination levels with railway operation time and analyze their possible resources. A total of 100 soil samples from four cut slopes, which were affected by railway transportation for different years, were analyzed for metal pollution (Cd, Pb, Cr, Cu, Zn, Fe). The concentrations of Cd, Pb showed increasing trend with increasing operation time of railways, while such trend was not found in Cr, Cu, Zn, Fe. According to the soil quality standard of China, Cd was considered to have considerable contamination, while Pb has less, but Cr, Cu, Zn, Fe have none. Moreover, cadmium exhibited remarkably higher levels rather than those reported in other studies. Enrichment factors and ecological index showed that Cd and Pb showed a moderate enrichment and a considerable ecological risk in most of the soil samples. The results of descriptive statistic, principal component analysis, cluster analysis and correlation analysis were totally consistent with each other. Their results revealed that Cr, Cu, Zn and Fe had common origins, and they may come from natural resources. While Cd and Pb were significantly influenced by railway transportation, leaked cargos, fuel combustion, the use of lubricate oils and sleeper impregnation oils during railway transportation may be their main resources.

Bifidobacterium longum and Bifidobacterium breve isolates from preterm and full term neonates: comparison of cell surface properties.

PubMed

Andriantsoanirina, Valérie; Teolis, Anne-Claire; Xin, Liu Xin; Butel, Marie Jose; Aires, Julio

2014-08-01

We compared autoaggregation, surface hydrophobicity and Caco-2 cells adhesion capabilities of independent Bifidobacterium breve (n = 22) and Bifidobacterium longum (n = 25) strains isolated from preterm (n = 20) and full term neonates (n = 27). Concerning strains properties, a correlation between autoaggregation and surface hydrophobicity was found for B. longum (r = 0.40, p = 0.048), B. breve (r = 0.57, p = 0.005), and all strains independently of the species consideration (r = 0.46, p = 0.001). The absence of difference in adhesion capabilities between preterm and full term neonate strains suggests a strain-dependent property. However, B. longum strains from preterm neonates (n = 10) showed higher autoaggregation ability (p = 0.044). Additionally, independently of species consideration, preterm neonates strains showed lower surface hydrophobicity (p = 0.027). As far as species are considered, preterm neonate B. breve strains (n = 10) showed significantly lower surface hydrophobicity percentages (p = 0.043). Our results suggest the existence of variations in bifidobacteria membrane structure and/or composition that may reflect adaptation of these bacteria to the intestinal environment of either preterm or full term neonates. Such information is of interest when considering the use of bifidobacteria probiotic strains for modulation of preterm neonates gut microbiota. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Crystal Face Distributions and Surface Site Densities of Two Synthetic Goethites: Implications for Adsorption Capacities as a Function of Particle Size.

PubMed

Livi, Kenneth J T; Villalobos, Mario; Leary, Rowan; Varela, Maria; Barnard, Jon; Villacís-García, Milton; Zanella, Rodolfo; Goodridge, Anna; Midgley, Paul

2017-09-12

Two synthetic goethites of varying crystal size distributions were analyzed by BET, conventional TEM, cryo-TEM, atomic resolution STEM and HRTEM, and electron tomography in order to determine the effects of crystal size, shape, and atomic scale surface roughness on their adsorption capacities. The two samples were determined by BET to have very different site densities based on Cr VI adsorption experiments. Model specific surface areas generated from TEM observations showed that, based on size and shape, there should be little difference in their adsorption capacities. Electron tomography revealed that both samples crystallized with an asymmetric {101} tablet habit. STEM and HRTEM images showed a significant increase in atomic-scale surface roughness of the larger goethite. This difference in roughness was quantified based on measurements of relative abundances of crystal faces {101} and {201} for the two goethites, and a reactive surface site density was calculated for each goethite. Singly coordinated sites on face {210} are 2.5 more dense than on face {101}, and the larger goethite showed an average total of 36% {210} as compared to 14% for the smaller goethite. This difference explains the considerably larger adsorption capacitiy of the larger goethite vs the smaller sample and points toward the necessity of knowing the atomic scale surface structure in predicting mineral adsorption processes.

Genetic backgrounds and redox conditions influence morphological characteristics and cell differentiation of osteoclasts in mice.

PubMed

Narahara, Shun; Matsushima, Haruna; Sakai, Eiko; Fukuma, Yutaka; Nishishita, Kazuhisa; Okamoto, Kuniaki; Tsukuba, Takayuki

2012-04-01

Osteoclasts (OCLs) are multinucleated giant cells and are formed by the fusion of mononuclear progenitors of monocyte/macrophage lineage. It is known that macrophages derived from different genetic backgrounds exhibit quite distinct characteristics of immune responses. However, it is unknown whether OCLs from different genetic backgrounds show distinct characteristics. In this study, we showed that bone-marrow macrophages (BMMs) derived from C57BL/6, BALB/c and ddY mice exhibited considerably distinct morphological characteristics and cell differentiation into OCLs. The differentiation of BMMs into OCLs was comparatively quicker in the C57BL/6 and ddY mice, while that of BALB/c mice was rather slow. Morphologically, ddY OCLs showed a giant cell with a round shape, C57BL/6 OCLs were of a moderate size with many protrusions and BALB/c OCLs had the smallest size with fewer nuclei. The intracellular signaling of differentiation and expression levels of marker proteins of OCLs were different in the respective strains. Treatment of BMMs from the three different strains with the reducing agent N-acetylcysteine (NAC) or with the oxidation agent hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)) induced changes in the shape and sizes of the cells and caused distinct patterns of cell differentiation and survival. Thus, genetic backgrounds and redox conditions regulate the morphological characteristics and cell differentiation of OCLs.

Occupation, work environment, and disability pension: a prospective study of construction workers.

PubMed

Stattin, Mikael; Järvholm, Bengt

2005-01-01

This study investigated the importance of occupation and work environment for the risk of disability pension among construction workers in Sweden. The data include around 389,000 construction workers who participated in health examinations from 1971 to 1992. During that period 68,000 participants received disability pension in some form. Between 1985 and 1992 questionnaires were used to collect data regarding hazards in the work environment. Some 87,000 participants answered that questionnaire, and almost 6,000 of these were in receipt of a disability pension. To analyse the risk of disability pension in different occupations, incidence rates (SIR) were calculated according to the person-year method. Logistic regression was used to calculate age-controlled odds ratios according to physical and psychosocial work environment factors. The results show considerable variation in risk for disability pension between different occupations within the construction industry. Furthermore, analysis of work environment factors indicated associations with physical, ergonomic, and psychosocial work environment factors. A considerable variation between occupations indicates that characteristics in the work situation are important when explaining the risk of disability pension. The results from this study indicate that improvements in working conditions are an important area of intervention in order to facilitate and prolong labour market participation among elderly people.

Plant functional diversity affects climate-vegetation interaction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Groner, Vivienne P.; Raddatz, Thomas; Reick, Christian H.; Claussen, Martin

2018-04-01

We present how variations in plant functional diversity affect climate-vegetation interaction towards the end of the African Humid Period (AHP) in coupled land-atmosphere simulations using the Max Planck Institute Earth system model (MPI-ESM). In experiments with AHP boundary conditions, the extent of the green Sahara varies considerably with changes in plant functional diversity. Differences in vegetation cover extent and plant functional type (PFT) composition translate into significantly different land surface parameters, water cycling, and surface energy budgets. These changes have not only regional consequences but considerably alter large-scale atmospheric circulation patterns and the position of the tropical rain belt. Towards the end of the AHP, simulations with the standard PFT set in MPI-ESM depict a gradual decrease of precipitation and vegetation cover over time, while simulations with modified PFT composition show either a sharp decline of both variables or an even slower retreat. Thus, not the quantitative but the qualitative PFT composition determines climate-vegetation interaction and the climate-vegetation system response to external forcing. The sensitivity of simulated system states to changes in PFT composition raises the question how realistically Earth system models can actually represent climate-vegetation interaction, considering the poor representation of plant diversity in the current generation of land surface models.

1001 Ways to run AutoDock Vina for virtual screening

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jaghoori, Mohammad Mahdi; Bleijlevens, Boris; Olabarriaga, Silvia D.

2016-03-01

Large-scale computing technologies have enabled high-throughput virtual screening involving thousands to millions of drug candidates. It is not trivial, however, for biochemical scientists to evaluate the technical alternatives and their implications for running such large experiments. Besides experience with the molecular docking tool itself, the scientist needs to learn how to run it on high-performance computing (HPC) infrastructures, and understand the impact of the choices made. Here, we review such considerations for a specific tool, AutoDock Vina, and use experimental data to illustrate the following points: (1) an additional level of parallelization increases virtual screening throughput on a multi-core machine; (2) capturing of the random seed is not enough (though necessary) for reproducibility on heterogeneous distributed computing systems; (3) the overall time spent on the screening of a ligand library can be improved by analysis of factors affecting execution time per ligand, including number of active torsions, heavy atoms and exhaustiveness. We also illustrate differences among four common HPC infrastructures: grid, Hadoop, small cluster and multi-core (virtual machine on the cloud). Our analysis shows that these platforms are suitable for screening experiments of different sizes. These considerations can guide scientists when choosing the best computing platform and set-up for their future large virtual screening experiments.

1001 Ways to run AutoDock Vina for virtual screening.

PubMed

Jaghoori, Mohammad Mahdi; Bleijlevens, Boris; Olabarriaga, Silvia D

2016-03-01

Large-scale computing technologies have enabled high-throughput virtual screening involving thousands to millions of drug candidates. It is not trivial, however, for biochemical scientists to evaluate the technical alternatives and their implications for running such large experiments. Besides experience with the molecular docking tool itself, the scientist needs to learn how to run it on high-performance computing (HPC) infrastructures, and understand the impact of the choices made. Here, we review such considerations for a specific tool, AutoDock Vina, and use experimental data to illustrate the following points: (1) an additional level of parallelization increases virtual screening throughput on a multi-core machine; (2) capturing of the random seed is not enough (though necessary) for reproducibility on heterogeneous distributed computing systems; (3) the overall time spent on the screening of a ligand library can be improved by analysis of factors affecting execution time per ligand, including number of active torsions, heavy atoms and exhaustiveness. We also illustrate differences among four common HPC infrastructures: grid, Hadoop, small cluster and multi-core (virtual machine on the cloud). Our analysis shows that these platforms are suitable for screening experiments of different sizes. These considerations can guide scientists when choosing the best computing platform and set-up for their future large virtual screening experiments.

Yoga Practice Increases Minimum Muscular Fitness in Children with Visual Impairment.

PubMed

Mohanty, Soubhagyalaxmi; Venkata Ramana Murty, Peri; Pradhan, Balaram; Hankey, Alex

2015-12-01

Muscle strength, a component for balance, gait and functional mobility is vital for children with visual impairment. Yoga has frequently been demonstrated to improve physical and mental fitness in children. This study aimed to assess the effect of 16 weeks yoga training on muscular fitness in children with visual impairment. This was a wait-listed two-armed-matched case-control study. Eighty (41 yoga, 39 control) visual impairment students of both genders aged 9-16 years matched on age, gender and degree of blindness were assessed at pre, mid (after 8 weeks) and post (after 16 weeks) yoga intervention using the Kraus-Weber test. The percentage of students passed in yoga group were 12.2%, 43.9% and 68.3% whereas percentages in the control group were 23.1%, 30.8% and 30.8% in pre, mid, and post tests respectively. McNemar test showed significant differences between pre and mid, mid and post in the yoga group while those parameters were not significantly different in the control group. Yoga therapy seemed to have considerable benefits for the children's muscular fitness. The study suggests that yoga have considerable benefits for improvement of fitness level in children with visual impairment and may be recommended as and effective, alternative, inexpensive low risk training activity option for them.

Some considerations on the vibrational environment of the DSC-DCMIX1 experiment onboard ISS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jurado, R.; Gavaldà, Jna.; Simón, M. J.; Pallarés, J.; Laverón-Simavilla, A.; Ruiz, X.; Shevtsova, V.

2016-12-01

The present work attempts to characterize the accelerometric environment of the DSC-DCMIX1 thermodiffusion experiment carried out in the International Space Station, from November 7th 2011 until January 16th 2012. Quasi-steady and vibrational/transient data coming from MAMS and SAMS2 sensors have been downloaded from the database of the PIMS NASA website. To be as exhaustive as possible, simultaneous digital signals coming from different SAMS2 sensors located in the Destiny and Columbus modules have also been considered. In order to detect orbital adjustments, dockings, undockings, as well as, quiescent periods, when the experiment runs were active, we have used the quasi-steady eight hours averaged (XA, YA and ZA) acceleration functions as well as the eight hours RMS ones. To determine the spectral contents of the different signals the Thomson multitaper and Welch methods have been used. On the other hand, to suppress the high levels of noise always existing in the raw SAMS2 signals, denoising techniques have been preferred for comparative reboostings considerations. Finally, the RMS values for specific 1/3 octave frequency bands showed that the International Space Station vibratory limit requirements have not been totally accomplished during both quiescent periods and strong disturbances, specially in the low frequency range.

Site energies and charge transfer rates near pentacene grain boundaries from first-principles calculations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kobayashi, Hajime; Tokita, Yuichi

2015-03-01

Charge transfer rates near pentacene grain boundaries are derived by calculating the site energies and transfer integrals of 37 pentacene molecules using first-principles calculations. The site energies decrease considerably near the grain boundaries, and electron traps of up to 300 meV and hole barriers of up to 400 meV are generated. The charge transfer rates across the grain boundaries are found to be reduced by three to five orders of magnitude with a grain boundary gap of 4 Å because of the reduction in the transfer integrals. The electron traps and hole barriers also reduce the electron and hole transfer rates by factors of up to 10 and 50, respectively. It is essential to take the site energies into consideration to determine charge transport near the grain boundaries. We show that the complex site energy distributions near the grain boundaries can be represented by an equivalent site energy difference, which is a constant for any charge transfer pass. When equivalent site energy differences are obtained for various grain boundary structures by first-principles calculations, the effects of the grain boundaries on the charge transfer rates are introduced exactly into charge transport simulations, such as the kinetic Monte Carlo method.

Selenium mobility and distribution in irrigated and nonirrigated alluvial soils

USGS Publications Warehouse

Fio, John L.; Fujii, Roger; Deverel, S.J.

1991-01-01

Dissolution and leaching of soil salts by irrigation water is a primary source of Se to shallow groundwater in the western San Joaquin Valley, California. In this study, the mobility and distribution of selenite and selenate in soils with different irrigation and drainage histories was evaluated using sorption experiments and an advection-dispersion model. The sorption studies showed that selenate (15–12400 µg Se L−1) is not adsorbed to soil, whereas selenite (10–5000 µg Se L−1) is rapidly adsorbed. The time lag between adsorption and desorption of selenite is considerable, indicating a dependence of reaction rate on reaction direction (hysteresis). Selenite adsorption and desorption isotherms were different, and both were described with the Freundlich equation. Model results and chemical analyses of extracts from the soil samples showed that selenite is resistant to leaching and therefore can represent a potential long-term source of Se to groundwater. In contrast, selenate behaves as a conservative constituent under alkaline and oxidized conditions and is easily leached from soil.

Integrative taxonomy and preliminary assessment of species limits in the Liolaemus walkeri complex (Squamata, Liolaemidae) with descriptions of three new species from Peru

PubMed Central

Aguilar, César; Wood Jr, Perry L.; Cusi, Juan C.; Guzmán, Alfredo; Huari, Frank; Lundberg, Mikael; Mortensen, Emma; Ramírez, César; Robles, Daniel; Suárez, Juana; Ticona, Andres; Vargas, Víctor J.; Venegas, Pablo J.; Sites Jr, Jack W.

2013-01-01

Abstract Species delimitation studies based on integrative taxonomic approaches have received considerable attention in the last few years, and have provided the strongest hypotheses of species boundaries. We used three lines of evidence (molecular, morphological, and niche envelopes) to test for species boundaries in Peruvian populations of the Liolaemus walkeri complex. Our results show that different lines of evidence and analyses are congruent in different combinations, for unambiguous delimitation of three lineages that were “hidden” within known species, and now deserve species status. Our phylogenetic analysis shows that L. walkeri, L. tacnae and the three new species are strongly separated from other species assigned to the alticolor-bibronii group. Few conventional morphological characters distinguish the new species from closely related taxa and this highlights the need to integrate other sources of data to erect strong hypothesis of species limits. A taxonomic key for known Peruvian species of the subgenus Lioalemus is provided. PMID:24453545

Collectible toys and decisions to share: I will gift you one to expand my set.

PubMed

McAlister, Anna R; Cornwell, T Bettina; Cornain, Emilita Krisanti

2011-03-01

Two studies were used to examine the collecting behaviour of preschool children. Prior studies of collecting have defined the behaviour as exhibited by older children and adults. To understand childhood collecting, existing theoretical perspectives were discussed in terms of how they might apply to children's behaviour as collectors. Results showed that some preschool children are motivated to engage in collecting and possess the developmental capacities required for successful collecting. Individual differences in executive functioning (Study 1, N= 57) and theory of mind (Study 2, N= 46) explained why some preschoolers were more oriented towards collecting than others. Study 2 showed that the motivational pull of collectible toys can be very strong, with some children agreeing to pay the 'cost' of sharing with a confederate child in order to obtain a collectible toy. This research highlights similarities and differences between adult and child collecting. Suggestions are provided for parents and for policy considerations regarding the appropriateness of marketing collectible toys to preschoolers. ©2010 The British Psychological Society.

Gender and migration on the labour market: Additive or interacting disadvantages in Germany?

PubMed

Fleischmann, Fenella; Höhne, Jutta

2013-09-01

Despite substantial differences in labour market attainment according to gender and migration status, gender and ethnic differences in labour market behaviour are most often studied separately. In contrast, this study describes and analyses interactions between gender, ethnic background and immigrant generation with regard to labour market participation, part-time work, and occupational status. The double comparison aims to reveal whether gender gaps in these labour market outcomes among the majority population generalise to ethnic minorities. Moreover, we ask whether variation in gender gaps in labour market behaviour follows the patterns in migrants' origin countries, and whether gender gaps show signs of intergenerational assimilation. Our heterogeneous choice and OLS regressions of 2009 German Microcensus data reveal considerable variation in gender gaps in labour market behaviour between East and West Germany, across ethnic groups and across generations. Intergenerational comparisons show that most ethnic minorities assimilate towards German patterns of gendered labour market attainment. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Probing optical band gaps at the nanoscale in NiFe₂O₄ and CoFe₂O₄ epitaxial films by high resolution electron energy loss spectroscopy

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

Dileep, K.; Loukya, B.; Datta, R., E-mail: ranjan@jncasr.ac.in

2014-09-14

Nanoscale optical band gap variations in epitaxial thin films of two different spinel ferrites, i.e., NiFe₂O₄ (NFO) and CoFe₂O₄ (CFO), have been investigated by spatially resolved high resolution electron energy loss spectroscopy. Experimentally, both NFO and CFO show indirect/direct band gaps around 1.52 eV/2.74 and 2.3 eV, and 1.3 eV/2.31 eV, respectively, for the ideal inverse spinel configuration with considerable standard deviation in the band gap values for CFO due to various levels of deviation from the ideal inverse spinel structure. Direct probing of the regions in both the systems with tetrahedral A site cation vacancy, which is distinct frommore » the ideal inverse spinel configuration, shows significantly smaller band gap values. The experimental results are supported by the density functional theory based modified Becke-Johnson exchange correlation potential calculated band gap values for the different cation configurations.« less

Effects of surface topography on magnetization reversal of magnetic thin films.

PubMed

Girgis, E; Pogossian, S P; Benkhedar, M L

2006-04-01

The influence of the created surface roughness on the coercivity of magnetic thin films has been investigated. The magnetic thin films (CoFe and alternatively NiFe) are sputtered on top of smooth substrates that were previously covered with an array of considerably rougher lines with one of these materials Pt, Cu, CoFe, and NiFe. The lines have been patterned using optical lithography into arrays that are deposited with different thicknesses varying between 5 nm-15 nm. The lines have been designed to have a very rough edge and seated in two different angles relative to the wafer edge (zero and 45 degrees). Magneto-optic Kerr effect (MOKE) measurements showed two distinct switching fields in the hysteresis loops that are due to magnetic domain wall trapping created by the surface roughness. The magnetization reversal showed a strong dependence on the height, the orientation angle, and the material's type of the created surface roughness (the lines).

Assessing the accuracy of different simplified frictional rolling contact algorithms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vollebregt, E. A. H.; Iwnicki, S. D.; Xie, G.; Shackleton, P.

2012-01-01

This paper presents an approach for assessing the accuracy of different frictional rolling contact theories. The main characteristic of the approach is that it takes a statistically oriented view. This yields a better insight into the behaviour of the methods in diverse circumstances (varying contact patch ellipticities, mixed longitudinal, lateral and spin creepages) than is obtained when only a small number of (basic) circumstances are used in the comparison. The range of contact parameters that occur for realistic vehicles and tracks are assessed using simulations with the Vampire vehicle system dynamics (VSD) package. This shows that larger values for the spin creepage occur rather frequently. Based on this, our approach is applied to typical cases for which railway VSD packages are used. The results show that particularly the USETAB approach but also FASTSIM give considerably better results than the linear theory, Vermeulen-Johnson, Shen-Hedrick-Elkins and Polach methods, when compared with the 'complete theory' of the CONTACT program.

Consideration of some factors affecting low-frequency fuselage noise transmission for propeller aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mixson, J. S.; Roussos, L. A.

1986-01-01

Possible reasons for disagreement between measured and predicted trends of sidewall noise transmission at low frequency are investigated using simplified analysis methods. An analytical model combining incident plane acoustic waves with an infinite flat panel is used to study the effects of sound incidence angle, plate structural properties, frequency, absorption, and the difference between noise reduction and transmission loss. Analysis shows that these factors have significant effects on noise transmission but they do not account for the differences between measured and predicted trends at low frequencies. An analytical model combining an infinite flat plate with a normally incident acoustic wave having exponentially decaying magnitude along one coordinate is used to study the effect of a localized source distribution such as is associated with propeller noise. Results show that the localization brings the predicted low-frequency trend of noise transmission into better agreement with measured propeller results. This effect is independent of low-frequency stiffness effects that have been previously reported to be associated with boundary conditions.

Surface crystallization of supercooled water in clouds

PubMed Central

Tabazadeh, A.; Djikaev, Y. S.; Reiss, H.

2002-01-01

The process by which liquid cloud droplets homogeneously crystallize into ice is still not well understood. The ice nucleation process based on the standard and classical theory of homogeneous freezing initiates within the interior volume of a cloud droplet. Current experimental data on homogeneous freezing rates of ice in droplets of supercooled water, both in air and emulsion oil samples, show considerable scatter. For example, at −33°C, the reported volume-based freezing rates of ice in supercooled water vary by as many as 5 orders of magnitude, which is well outside the range of measurement uncertainties. Here, we show that the process of ice nucleus formation at the air (or oil)-liquid water interface may help to explain why experimental results on ice nucleation rates yield different results in different ambient phases. Our results also suggest that surface crystallization of ice in cloud droplets can explain why low amounts of supercooled water have been observed in the atmosphere near −40°C. PMID:12456877

Phenotypic variability in unicellular organisms: from calcium signalling to social behaviour

PubMed Central

Vogel, David; Nicolis, Stamatios C.; Perez-Escudero, Alfonso; Nanjundiah, Vidyanand; Sumpter, David J. T.; Dussutour, Audrey

2015-01-01

Historically, research has focused on the mean and often neglected the variance. However, variability in nature is observable at all scales: among cells within an individual, among individuals within a population and among populations within a species. A fundamental quest in biology now is to find the mechanisms that underlie variability. Here, we investigated behavioural variability in a unique unicellular organism, Physarum polycephalum. We combined experiments and models to show that variability in cell signalling contributes to major differences in behaviour underpinning some aspects of social interactions. First, following thousands of cells under various contexts, we identified distinct behavioural phenotypes: ‘slow–regular–social’, ‘fast–regular–social’ and ‘fast–irregular–asocial’. Second, coupling chemical analysis and behavioural assays we found that calcium signalling is responsible for these behavioural phenotypes. Finally, we show that differences in signalling and behaviour led to alternative social strategies. Our results have considerable implications for our understanding of the emergence of variability in living organisms. PMID:26609088

Phenotypic variability in unicellular organisms: from calcium signalling to social behaviour.

PubMed

Vogel, David; Nicolis, Stamatios C; Perez-Escudero, Alfonso; Nanjundiah, Vidyanand; Sumpter, David J T; Dussutour, Audrey

2015-11-22

Historically, research has focused on the mean and often neglected the variance. However, variability in nature is observable at all scales: among cells within an individual, among individuals within a population and among populations within a species. A fundamental quest in biology now is to find the mechanisms that underlie variability. Here, we investigated behavioural variability in a unique unicellular organism, Physarum polycephalum. We combined experiments and models to show that variability in cell signalling contributes to major differences in behaviour underpinning some aspects of social interactions. First, following thousands of cells under various contexts, we identified distinct behavioural phenotypes: 'slow-regular-social', 'fast-regular-social' and 'fast-irregular-asocial'. Second, coupling chemical analysis and behavioural assays we found that calcium signalling is responsible for these behavioural phenotypes. Finally, we show that differences in signalling and behaviour led to alternative social strategies. Our results have considerable implications for our understanding of the emergence of variability in living organisms. © 2015 The Author(s).

Validating the Operational Bias and Hypothesis of Universal Exponent in Landslide Frequency-Area Distribution

PubMed Central

Huang, Jr-Chuan; Lee, Tsung-Yu; Teng, Tse-Yang; Chen, Yi-Chin; Huang, Cho-Ying; Lee, Cheing-Tung

2014-01-01

The exponent decay in landslide frequency-area distribution is widely used for assessing the consequences of landslides and with some studies arguing that the slope of the exponent decay is universal and independent of mechanisms and environmental settings. However, the documented exponent slopes are diverse and hence data processing is hypothesized for this inconsistency. An elaborated statistical experiment and two actual landslide inventories were used here to demonstrate the influences of the data processing on the determination of the exponent. Seven categories with different landslide numbers were generated from the predefined inverse-gamma distribution and then analyzed by three data processing procedures (logarithmic binning, LB, normalized logarithmic binning, NLB and cumulative distribution function, CDF). Five different bin widths were also considered while applying LB and NLB. Following that, the maximum likelihood estimation was used to estimate the exponent slopes. The results showed that the exponents estimated by CDF were unbiased while LB and NLB performed poorly. Two binning-based methods led to considerable biases that increased with the increase of landslide number and bin width. The standard deviations of the estimated exponents were dependent not just on the landslide number but also on binning method and bin width. Both extremely few and plentiful landslide numbers reduced the confidence of the estimated exponents, which could be attributed to limited landslide numbers and considerable operational bias, respectively. The diverse documented exponents in literature should therefore be adjusted accordingly. Our study strongly suggests that the considerable bias due to data processing and the data quality should be constrained in order to advance the understanding of landslide processes. PMID:24852019

Geospatial Data as a Service: Towards planetary scale real-time analytics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Evans, B. J. K.; Larraondo, P. R.; Antony, J.; Richards, C. J.

2017-12-01

The rapid growth of earth systems, environmental and geophysical datasets poses a challenge to both end-users and infrastructure providers. For infrastructure and data providers, tasks like managing, indexing and storing large collections of geospatial data needs to take into consideration the various use cases by which consumers will want to access and use the data. Considerable investment has been made by the Earth Science community to produce suitable real-time analytics platforms for geospatial data. There are currently different interfaces that have been defined to provide data services. Unfortunately, there is considerable difference on the standards, protocols or data models which have been designed to target specific communities or working groups. The Australian National University's National Computational Infrastructure (NCI) is used for a wide range of activities in the geospatial community. Earth observations, climate and weather forecasting are examples of these communities which generate large amounts of geospatial data. The NCI has been carrying out significant effort to develop a data and services model that enables the cross-disciplinary use of data. Recent developments in cloud and distributed computing provide a publicly accessible platform where new infrastructures can be built. One of the key components these technologies offer is the possibility of having "limitless" compute power next to where the data is stored. This model is rapidly transforming data delivery from centralised monolithic services towards ubiquitous distributed services that scale up and down adapting to fluctuations in the demand. NCI has developed GSKY, a scalable, distributed server which presents a new approach for geospatial data discovery and delivery based on OGC standards. We will present the architecture and motivating use-cases that drove GSKY's collaborative design, development and production deployment. We show our approach offers the community valuable exploratory analysis capabilities, for dealing with petabyte-scale geospatial data collections.

Simulated bone remodeling around two types of osseointegrated implants for direct fixation of upper-leg prostheses.

PubMed

Tomaszewski, P K; Verdonschot, N; Bulstra, S K; Rietman, J S; Verkerke, G J

2012-11-01

Direct attachment of an upper leg prosthesis to the skeletal system by a percutaneous implant is an alternative solution to the traditional socket fixation. In this study, we investigated long-term periprosthetic bone changes around two types of fixation implants using two different initial conditions, namely immediate post-amputation implantation and the conventional implantation after considerable time of socket prosthesis use. We questioned the difference in bone modeling response the implants provoked and if it could lead to premature bone fracture. Generic CT-based finite element models of an intact femoral bone and amputated bone implanted with models of two existing direct-fixation implants, the OPRA system (Integrum AB) and the ISP Endo/Exo prosthesis (ESKA Implants AG) were created for this study. Adaptive bone-remodeling simulations used the heel-strike and toe-off loads from a normal walking cycle. The bone loss caused by prolonged use of socket prosthesis had more severe effects on the ultimate bone quality than adaptation induced by the direct-fixation implants. Both implants showed considerable bone remodeling; the titanium screw implant (OPRA system) provoked more bone loss than the porous coated CoCrMo stem (ISP implant). The chance of the peri-prosthetic bone fracture remained higher for the post-socket case as compared to the direct amputation cases. In conclusion, both direct-fixation implants lead to considerable bone loss and bone loss is more severe after a prolonged period of post-socket use. Hence, from a biomechanical perspective it is better to limit the post-socket time and to re-design direct fixation devices to reduce bone loss and the probability of peri-prosthetic bone fractures. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Sex, race, and consideration of bariatric surgery among primary care patients with moderate to severe obesity.

PubMed

Wee, Christina C; Huskey, Karen W; Bolcic-Jankovic, Dragana; Colten, Mary Ellen; Davis, Roger B; Hamel, Marybeth

2014-01-01

Bariatric surgery is one of few obesity treatments to produce substantial weight loss but only a small proportion of medically-eligible patients, especially men and racial minorities, undergo bariatric surgery. To describe primary care patients' consideration of bariatric surgery, potential variation by sex and race, and factors that underlie any variation. Telephone interview of 337 patients with a body mass index or BMI > 35 kg/m(2) seen at four diverse primary care practices in Greater-Boston. Patients' consideration of bariatric surgery. Of 325 patients who had heard of bariatric surgery, 34 % had seriously considered surgery. Men were less likely than women and African Americans were less likely than Caucasian patients to have considered surgery after adjustment for sociodemographics and BMI. Comorbid conditions did not explain sex and racial differences but racial differences dissipated after adjustment for quality of life (QOL), which tended to be higher among African American than Caucasian patients. Physician recommendation of bariatric surgery was independently associated with serious consideration for surgery [OR 4.95 (95 % CI 2.81-8.70)], but did not explain variation in consideration of surgery across sex and race. However, if recommended by their doctor, men were as willing and African American and Hispanic patients were more willing to consider bariatric surgery than their respective counterparts after adjustment. Nevertheless, only 20 % of patients reported being recommended bariatric surgery by their doctor and African Americans and men were less likely to receive this recommendation; racial differences in being recommended surgery were also largely explained by differences in QOL. High perceived risk to bariatric surgery was the most commonly cited barrier; financial concerns were uncommonly cited. Single geographic region; examined consideration and not who eventually proceeded with bariatric surgery. African Americans and men were less likely to have considered bariatric surgery and were less likely to have been recommended surgery by their doctors. Differences in how obesity affects QOL appear to account for some of these variations. High perceived risk rather than financial barrier was the major deterrent for patients.

A case study on the method-induced difference in the chemical properties and biodegradability of soil water extractable organic carbon of a granitic forest soil.

PubMed

Wu, Yue; Jiang, Ying

2016-09-15

Water extractable organic carbon (WEOC) plays important roles in soil dissolved organic matter (DOM) research. In the present study, we have detected the chemical properties and biodegradability of WEOC obtained from one granitic forest soil with four commonly used or suggested extraction methods, to study the potential methodological influence in soil DOM research. Results showed great difference in both chemical properties and biodegradation of WEOC from various methods. For the chosen soil, compared to that from fresh soil, WEOC from dried soil contained large proportion of HIN, Base fractions and labile O-alkyl components which might be derived from microbial cell lysis, and showed low fluorescence characteristics, exhibiting great biodegradability. Similarly, WEOC extracted under low temperature and short time conditions showed low fluorescence characteristics and exhibited considerable biodegradability. Conversely, WEOC, which might be potentially subjected to decomposition and loss during extraction, contained higher percentages of HOA fractions and aromatic alkyl and aryl components, and showed high fluorescence characteristics, exhibiting low biodegradability. WEOC extracted in moderate time and temperature showed moderate biodegradability. These method-induced differences implied the direct comparison of the results from similar works is difficult, as we considered here a specific forest soil and other authors other soil types and uses. However, the complexity in comparison reminds that the methodological influence be paid more attention in future soil WEOC researches. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The feasibility of a scanner-independent technique to estimate organ dose from MDCT scans: Using CTDI{sub vol} to account for differences between scanners

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

Turner, Adam C.; Zankl, Maria; DeMarco, John J.

2010-04-15

Purpose: Monte Carlo radiation transport techniques have made it possible to accurately estimate the radiation dose to radiosensitive organs in patient models from scans performed with modern multidetector row computed tomography (MDCT) scanners. However, there is considerable variation in organ doses across scanners, even when similar acquisition conditions are used. The purpose of this study was to investigate the feasibility of a technique to estimate organ doses that would be scanner independent. This was accomplished by assessing the ability of CTDI{sub vol} measurements to account for differences in MDCT scanners that lead to organ dose differences. Methods: Monte Carlo simulationsmore » of 64-slice MDCT scanners from each of the four major manufacturers were performed. An adult female patient model from the GSF family of voxelized phantoms was used in which all ICRP Publication 103 radiosensitive organs were identified. A 120 kVp, full-body helical scan with a pitch of 1 was simulated for each scanner using similar scan protocols across scanners. From each simulated scan, the radiation dose to each organ was obtained on a per mA s basis (mGy/mA s). In addition, CTDI{sub vol} values were obtained from each scanner for the selected scan parameters. Then, to demonstrate the feasibility of generating organ dose estimates from scanner-independent coefficients, the simulated organ dose values resulting from each scanner were normalized by the CTDI{sub vol} value for those acquisition conditions. Results: CTDI{sub vol} values across scanners showed considerable variation as the coefficient of variation (CoV) across scanners was 34.1%. The simulated patient scans also demonstrated considerable differences in organ dose values, which varied by up to a factor of approximately 2 between some of the scanners. The CoV across scanners for the simulated organ doses ranged from 26.7% (for the adrenals) to 37.7% (for the thyroid), with a mean CoV of 31.5% across all organs. However, when organ doses are normalized by CTDI{sub vol} values, the differences across scanners become very small. For the CTDI{sub vol}, normalized dose values the CoVs across scanners for different organs ranged from a minimum of 2.4% (for skin tissue) to a maximum of 8.5% (for the adrenals) with a mean of 5.2%. Conclusions: This work has revealed that there is considerable variation among modern MDCT scanners in both CTDI{sub vol} and organ dose values. Because these variations are similar, CTDI{sub vol} can be used as a normalization factor with excellent results. This demonstrates the feasibility of establishing scanner-independent organ dose estimates by using CTDI{sub vol} to account for the differences between scanners.« less

Assessing local stromal alterations in human ovarian cancer subtypes via second harmonic generation microscopy and analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Campbell, Kirby R.; Campagnola, Paul J.

2017-11-01

The collagen architecture in all human ovarian cancers is substantially remodeled, where these alterations are manifested in different fiber widths, fiber patterns, and fibril size and packing. Second harmonic generation (SHG) microscopy has differentiated normal tissues from high-grade serous (HGS) tumors with high accuracy; however, the classification between low-grade serous, endometrioid, and benign tumors was less successful. We postulate this is due to known higher genetic variation in these tissues relative to HGS tumors, which are genetically similar, and this results in more heterogeneous collagen remodeling in the respective matrix. Here, we examine fiber widths and SHG emission intensity and directionality locally within images (e.g., 10×10 microns) and show that normal tissues and HGS tumors are more uniform in fiber properties as well as in fibril size and packing than the other tissues. Moreover, these distributions are in good agreement with phase matching considerations relating SHG emission directionality and intensity. The findings show that in addition to average collagen assembly properties the intrinsic heterogeneity must also be considered as another aspect of characterization. These local analyses showed differences not shown in pure intensity-based image analyses and may provide further insight into disease etiology of the different tumor subtypes.

Relationship among land surface temperature and LUCC, NDVI in typical karst area.

PubMed

Deng, Yuanhong; Wang, Shijie; Bai, Xiaoyong; Tian, Yichao; Wu, Luhua; Xiao, Jianyong; Chen, Fei; Qian, Qinghuan

2018-01-12

Land surface temperature (LST) can reflect the land surface water-heat exchange process comprehensively, which is considerably significant to the study of environmental change. However, research about LST in karst mountain areas with complex topography is scarce. Therefore, we retrieved the LST in a karst mountain area from Landsat 8 data and explored its relationships with LUCC and NDVI. The results showed that LST of the study area was noticeably affected by altitude and underlying surface type. In summer, abnormal high-temperature zones were observed in the study area, perhaps due to karst rocky desertification. LSTs among different land use types significantly differed with the highest in construction land and the lowest in woodland. The spatial distributions of NDVI and LST exhibited opposite patterns. Under the spatial combination of different land use types, the LST-NDVI feature space showed an obtuse-angled triangle shape and showed a negative linear correlation after removing water body data. In summary, the LST can be retrieved well by the atmospheric correction model from Landsat 8 data. Moreover, the LST of the karst mountain area is controlled by altitude, underlying surface type and aspect. This study provides a reference for land use planning, ecological environment restoration in karst areas.

Quantification of locomotor activity in larval zebrafish: considerations for the design of high-throughput behavioral studies

PubMed Central

Ingebretson, Justin J.; Masino, Mark A.

2013-01-01

High-throughput behavioral studies using larval zebrafish often assess locomotor activity to determine the effects of experimental perturbations. However, the results reported by different groups are difficult to compare because there is not a standardized experimental paradigm or measure of locomotor activity. To address this, we investigated the effects that several factors, including the stage of larval development and the physical dimensions (depth and diameter) of the behavioral arena, have on the locomotor activity produced by larval zebrafish. We provide evidence for differences in locomotor activity between larvae at different stages and when recorded in wells of different depths, but not in wells of different diameters. We also show that the variability for most properties of locomotor activity is less for older than younger larvae, which is consistent with previous reports. Finally, we show that conflicting interpretations of activity level can occur when activity is assessed with a single measure of locomotor activity. Thus, we conclude that although a combination of factors should be considered when designing behavioral experiments, the use of older larvae in deep wells will reduce the variability of locomotor activity, and that multiple properties of locomotor activity should be measured to determine activity level. PMID:23772207

What goes on in the resting-state? A qualitative glimpse into resting-state experience in the scanner

PubMed Central

Hurlburt, Russell T.; Alderson-Day, Ben; Fernyhough, Charles; Kühn, Simone

2015-01-01

The brain’s resting-state has attracted considerable interest in recent years, but currently little is known either about typical experience during the resting-state or about whether there are inter-individual differences in resting-state phenomenology. We used descriptive experience sampling (DES) in an attempt to apprehend high fidelity glimpses of the inner experience of five participants in an extended fMRI study. Results showed that the inner experiences and the neural activation patterns (as quantified by amplitude of low frequency fluctuations analysis) of the five participants were largely consistent across time, suggesting that our extended-duration scanner sessions were broadly similar to typical resting-state sessions. However, there were very large individual differences in inner phenomena, suggesting that the resting-state itself may differ substantially from one participant to the next. We describe these individual differences in experiential characteristics and display some typical moments of resting-state experience. We also show that retrospective characterizations of phenomena can often be very different from moment-by-moment reports. We discuss implications for the assessment of inner experience in neuroimaging studies more generally, concluding that it may be possible to use fMRI to investigate neural correlates of phenomena apprehended in high fidelity. PMID:26500590

Neural differences in self-perception during illness and after weight-recovery in anorexia nervosa.

PubMed

McAdams, Carrie J; Jeon-Slaughter, Haekyung; Evans, Siobahn; Lohrenz, Terry; Montague, P Read; Krawczyk, Daniel C

2016-11-01

Anorexia nervosa (AN) is a severe mental illness characterized by problems with self-perception. Whole-brain neural activations in healthy women, women with AN and women in long-term weight recovery following AN were compared using two functional magnetic resonance imaging tasks probing different aspects of self-perception. The Social Identity-V2 task involved consideration about oneself and others using socially descriptive adjectives. Both the ill and weight-recovered women with AN engaged medial prefrontal cortex less than healthy women for self-relevant cognitions, a potential biological trait difference. Weight-recovered women also activated the inferior frontal gyri and dorsal anterior cingulate more for direct self-evaluations than for reflected self-evaluations, unlike both other groups, suggesting that recovery may include compensatory neural changes related to social perspectives. The Faces task compared viewing oneself to a stranger. Participants with AN showed elevated activity in the bilateral fusiform gyri for self-images, unlike the weight-recovered and healthy women, suggesting cognitive distortions about physical appearance are a state rather than trait problem in this disease. Because both ill and recovered women showed neural differences related to social self-perception, but only recovered women differed when considering social perspectives, these neurocognitive targets may be particularly important for treatment. © The Author (2016). Published by Oxford University Press.

Antimicrobial Activity of Terminalia catappa, Manilkara zapota and Piper betel Leaf Extract.

PubMed

Nair, R; Chanda, Sumitra

2008-01-01

Aqueous and methanol extract of the leaves of Terminalia catappa L., Manilkara zapota L. and Piper betel L. were evaluated for antibacterial activity against 10 Gram positive, 12 Gram negative bacteria and one fungal strain, Candida tropicalis. Piperacillin and gentamicin were used as standards for antibacterial assay, while fluconazole was used as standard for antifungal assay. The three plants showed different degree of activity against the microorganisms investigated. The methanolic extract was considerably more effective than aqueous extract in inhibiting the investigated microbial strains. The most active antimicrobial plant was Piper betel.

Compound analysis via graph kernels incorporating chirality.

PubMed

Brown, J B; Urata, Takashi; Tamura, Takeyuki; Arai, Midori A; Kawabata, Takeo; Akutsu, Tatsuya

2010-12-01

High accuracy is paramount when predicting biochemical characteristics using Quantitative Structural-Property Relationships (QSPRs). Although existing graph-theoretic kernel methods combined with machine learning techniques are efficient for QSPR model construction, they cannot distinguish topologically identical chiral compounds which often exhibit different biological characteristics. In this paper, we propose a new method that extends the recently developed tree pattern graph kernel to accommodate stereoisomers. We show that Support Vector Regression (SVR) with a chiral graph kernel is useful for target property prediction by demonstrating its application to a set of human vitamin D receptor ligands currently under consideration for their potential anti-cancer effects.

Elastic Face, An Anatomy-Based Biometrics Beyond Visible Cue

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

Tsap, L V; Zhang, Y; Kundu, S J

2004-03-29

This paper describes a face recognition method that is designed based on the consideration of anatomical and biomechanical characteristics of facial tissues. Elastic strain pattern inferred from face expression can reveal an individual's biometric signature associated with the underlying anatomical structure, and thus has the potential for face recognition. A method based on the continuum mechanics in finite element formulation is employed to compute the strain pattern. Experiments show very promising results. The proposed method is quite different from other face recognition methods and both its advantages and limitations, as well as future research for improvement are discussed.

Trajectories of charged particles in radial electric and uniform axial magnetic fields

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Englert, G. W.

1979-01-01

Trajectories of charged particles were determined over a wide range of parameters characterizing motion in cylindrical low-pressure gas discharges and plasma heating devices which have steady radial electric fields perpendicular to uniform steady magnetic fields. Consideration was given to radial distributions characteristic of fields measured in a modified Penning discharge, in two NASA Lewis burnout-type plasma heating devices, and that estimated for the Ixion device. Numerical calculations of trajectories for such devices showed that differences between cyclotron frequency and qB/m and between azimuthal drift and a guiding center approximation are appreciable.

Pure akinesia: an atypical manifestation of progressive supranuclear palsy.

PubMed Central

Matsuo, H; Takashima, H; Kishikawa, M; Kinoshita, I; Mori, M; Tsujihata, M; Nagataki, S

1991-01-01

Two patients with "pure akinesia" who showed the characteristic changes of progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) at necropsy are described. They had akinesia but no rigidity or tremor, and ophthalmoplegia was not observed during the course of illness. The symptoms of "pure akinesia" was not improved by levodopa therapy but was considerably improved by L-threo-3,4-dihydroxy-phenylserine. At necropsy, pathological findings were not different from those reported for PSP. It is suggested that "pure akinesia" is an atypical manifestation of PSP, and that norepinephrinergic neurons may be involved in some types of PSP. Images PMID:1865200

Role of Information in Consumer Selection of Health Plans

PubMed Central

Sainfort, François; Booske, Bridget C.

1996-01-01

Considerable efforts are underway in the public and private sectors to increase the amount of information available to consumers when making health plan choices. The objective of this study was to examine the role of information in consumer health plan decisionmaking. A computer system was developed which provides different plan descriptions with the option of accessing varying types and levels of information. The system tracked the information search processes and recorded the hypothetical plan choices of 202 subjects. Results are reported showing the relationship between information and problem perception, preference structure, choice of plan, and attitude towards the decision. PMID:10165036

Detection and measurement of total ozone from stellar spectra: Paper 2. Historic data from 1935-1942

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Griffin, R. E. M.

2006-06-01

Atmospheric ozone columns are derived from historic stellar spectra observed between 1935 and 1942 at Mount Wilson Observatory, California. Comparisons with contemporary measurements in the Arosa database show a generally close correspondence, while a similar comparison with more sparse data from Table Mountain reveals a difference of ~15-20%, as has also been found by other researches of the latter data. The results of the analysis indicate that astronomy's archives command considerable potential for investigating the natural levels of ozone and its variability during the decades prior to anthropogenic interference.

The development of a simulation model of the treatment of coronary heart disease.

PubMed

Cooper, Keith; Davies, Ruth; Roderick, Paul; Chase, Debbie; Raftery, James

2002-11-01

A discrete event simulation models the progress of patients who have had a coronary event, through their treatment pathways and subsequent coronary events. The main risk factors in the model are age, sex, history of previous events and the extent of the coronary vessel disease. The model parameters are based on data collected from epidemiological studies of incidence and prognosis, efficacy studies. national surveys and treatment audits. The simulation results were validated against different sources of data. The initial results show that increasing revascularisation has considerable implications for resource use but has little impact on patient mortality.

[A DNA study of rat liver oligonucleosomes enriched by transcriptionally active genes during induction due to the administration of an amino acid mixture].

PubMed

Vardevanian, P O; Davtian, A M; Tiratsuian, S G; Vardevanian, A O

1990-01-01

A highly active fraction of rat liver oligonucleosome DNA has been isolated and studied by means of thermal denaturation after induction by amino acid mixture or hydrocortisone. A considerable redistribution of DNA content has been shown in sucrose gradient fractions during these forms of induction. The changes are revealed in melting temperature, differential melting profile of DNA, isolated from actively transcribed chromatine fractions. Analysis of melting profiles shows changes of GC content of oligonucleosome DNA, suggesting that there are differences in activation during two studied forms of induction.

Comparative metabolism of 2-nitropropane in rats and chimpanzees

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

Mueller, W.F.; Coulston, F.; Korte, F.

1983-01-01

To obtain more information about the metabolic fate of 2-nitropropane (2-NP) in rats and to study the relevance of the findings for man, the authors investigated the metabolism of 2-NP in rats and chimpanzees. The results of this study show that 2-NP is eliminated largely by exhalation, while excretion in urine and feces are only minor pathways. Carbon dioxide, acetone and isopropanol are the major metabolites. Preliminary chromatographic results suggest different conjugates formed by rats and chimpanzees. 2-NP has little potential for accumulation; the lipid tissues, which can absorb it to considerable concentrations, are rapidly depleted.

Processing-property relations in YBa2Cu3O(6+x) superconductors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Safari, A.; Wachtman, J. B., Jr.; Parkhe, V.; Caracciolo, R.; Jeter, D.

Processing of YBa2Cu3O(6+x) superconducting samples by employing different precursor powder preparation techniques such as ball milling, attrition milling, and narrow particle size distribution powder preparation through coprecipitation by spraying will be discussed. CuO coated with oxalates shows the lowest resistance above Tc up to room temperature. The extent of corrosion by water has been studied by employing magnetic susceptibility, XPS, and X-ray diffraction. Superconducting samples are affected to a considerable extent when treated in water at 60 C and the severity of the attack increases with time.

Current status of percutaneous coronary intervention of chronic total occlusion

PubMed Central

Ge, Jun-bo

2012-01-01

This paper describes the current status of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for totally occluded coronary arteries. Chronic total occlusion is associated with 10%–20% of all PCI procedures. Results show that opening an occluded vessel, especially one supplying a considerable area of myocardium, may be beneficial for a patient’s angina relief and heart function. We describe the devices used currently in re-canalization such as new wires, microcatheters (including Tonus and Cosair) and intravascular ultrasound guidance. Different techniques to improve the success rate and reduce complications are discussed in detail. PMID:22843178

Update on ONC's Substellar IMF: A Second Peak in the Brown Dwarf Regime

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Drass, Holger; Bayo, A.; Chini, R.; Haas, M.

2017-06-01

The Orion Nebular Cluster (ONC) has become the prototype cluster for studying the Initial Mass Function (IMF). In a deep JHK survey of the ONC with HAWK-I we detected a large population of 900 Brown Dwarfs and Planetary Mass Object candidates presenting a pronounced second peak in the substellar IMF. One of the most obvious issues of this result is the verification of cluster membership. The analysis so far was mainly based on statistical consideration. In this presentation I will show the results from using different high-resolution extinction map to determine the ONC membership.

Automatic motor activation in the executive control of action

PubMed Central

McBride, Jennifer; Boy, Frédéric; Husain, Masud; Sumner, Petroc

2012-01-01

Although executive control and automatic behavior have often been considered separate and distinct processes, there is strong emerging and convergent evidence that they may in fact be intricately interlinked. In this review, we draw together evidence showing that visual stimuli cause automatic and unconscious motor activation, and how this in turn has implications for executive control. We discuss object affordances, alien limb syndrome, the visual grasp reflex, subliminal priming, and subliminal triggering of attentional orienting. Consideration of these findings suggests automatic motor activation might form an intrinsic part of all behavior, rather than being categorically different from voluntary actions. PMID:22536177

The prevalence, risk factors, and screening measure for prediabetes and diabetes among Emirati overweight/obese children and adolescents.

PubMed

Al Amiri, Elham; Abdullatif, Mona; Abdulle, Abdishakur; Al Bitar, Nibal; Afandi, Elham Zaki; Parish, Monira; Darwiche, Gassan

2015-12-24

The aim of the study was to estimate the prevalence of prediabetes and type 2 diabetes (T2D) among overweight/obese children and adolescents using different diagnostic/screening methods in comparison. We recruited overweight/obese Emirati students; grade 6-12 (age 11-17 years) from 16 government schools in Sharjah (UAE). Anthropometric, demographic, and clinical history data was measured by standard methods. Body mass index (BMI) was categorized according to BMI percentile charts for age and sex - CDC. Capillary fasting blood glucose (FBG) and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) were measured by finger prick test, followed by confirmatory oral glucose tolerance tests (OGTT) and venous HbA1c for students with abnormal capillary FBG and/or HbA1c. Of a total of 1034 participants (45 % females) median age 14.7 years, 443 (43 %) students had abnormal screening results. The prevalence of prediabetes and T2D was 5.4 % and 0.87 %, respectively, based on OGTT (gold standard). HbA1c showed a considerable discrepancy regarding the prevalence of prediabetes (21.9 %), but not diabetes. There was a statistically significant difference in the BMI Z-scores between the three different groups of students showing normal glycemic testing, prediabetes and T2D (p = 0.041). Univariate logistic regression analysis showed that glycemic status was significantly associated with family history of T2D first-degree relatives [OR 1.87: 95 % CI: 1.04-3.36; P = 0.036], parents employment [OR 1.79: 95 % CI: 1.06-3.02; P = 0.029] and levels of triglycerides [OR 2.28: 95 % CI: 1.11-4.68; P = 0.024]. The prevalence of prediabetes and diabetes was high among overweight/obese Emirati children and adolescents. The numbers for prediabetes were considerably higher when using HbA1c as compared to OGTT. Overall adiposity, family history of T2D, employment and high levels of triglycerides were risk factors associated with abnormal glycemic testing.

Biparental incubation patterns in a high-Arctic breeding shorebird: how do pairs divide their duties?

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

In biparental species, parents may be in conflict over how much they invest into their offspring. To understand this conflict, parental care needs to be accurately measured, something rarely done. Here, we quantitatively describe the outcome of parental conflict in terms of quality, amount, and timing of incubation throughout the 21-day incubation period in a population of semipalmated sandpipers (Calidris pusilla) breeding under continuous daylight in the high Arctic. Incubation quality, measured by egg temperature and incubation constancy, showed no marked difference between the sexes. The amount of incubation, measured as length of incubation bouts, was on average 51min longer per bout for females (11.5h) than for males (10.7h), at first glance suggesting that females invested more than males. However, this difference may have been offset by sex differences in the timing of incubation; females were more often off nest during the warmer period of the day, when foraging conditions were presumably better. Overall, the daily timing of incubation shifted over the incubation period (e.g., for female incubation from evening–night to night–morning) and over the season, but varied considerably among pairs. At one extreme, pairs shared the amount of incubation equally, but one parent always incubated during the colder part of the day; at the other extreme, pairs shifted the start of incubation bouts between days so that each parent experienced similar conditions across the incubation period. Our results highlight how the simultaneous consideration of different aspects of care across time allows sex-specific investment to be more accurately quantified. PMID:24347997

Biparental incubation patterns in a high-Arctic breeding shorebird: how do pairs divide their duties?

PubMed

Bulla, Martin; Valcu, Mihai; Rutten, Anne L; Kempenaers, Bart

2014-01-01

In biparental species, parents may be in conflict over how much they invest into their offspring. To understand this conflict, parental care needs to be accurately measured, something rarely done. Here, we quantitatively describe the outcome of parental conflict in terms of quality, amount, and timing of incubation throughout the 21-day incubation period in a population of semipalmated sandpipers ( Calidris pusilla ) breeding under continuous daylight in the high Arctic. Incubation quality, measured by egg temperature and incubation constancy, showed no marked difference between the sexes. The amount of incubation, measured as length of incubation bouts, was on average 51min longer per bout for females (11.5h) than for males (10.7h), at first glance suggesting that females invested more than males. However, this difference may have been offset by sex differences in the timing of incubation; females were more often off nest during the warmer period of the day, when foraging conditions were presumably better. Overall, the daily timing of incubation shifted over the incubation period (e.g., for female incubation from evening-night to night-morning) and over the season, but varied considerably among pairs. At one extreme, pairs shared the amount of incubation equally, but one parent always incubated during the colder part of the day; at the other extreme, pairs shifted the start of incubation bouts between days so that each parent experienced similar conditions across the incubation period. Our results highlight how the simultaneous consideration of different aspects of care across time allows sex-specific investment to be more accurately quantified.

Influence of the cutting edge angle of a titanium instrument on chip formation in the machining of trabecular and cortical bone.

PubMed

von See, Constantin; Stoetzer, Marcus; Ruecker, Martin; Wagner, Max; Schumann, Paul; Gellrich, Nils-Claudius

2014-01-01

The placement of self-tapping implants is associated with microfractures and the formation of bone chips along the cutting flutes. This study was conducted to investigate the effect of different cutting edge angles on chip formation during the machining of trabecular and cortical bone using instruments with a rough titanium surface. Mandibular cortical and trabecular bone specimens were obtained from freshly slaughtered domestic pigs. A predefined thrust force was applied to the specimens. Four specially designed cutting instruments that simulated dental implants and had a rough titanium surface were allowed to complete one full revolution at cutting edge angles of 55, 65, 75, and 85 degrees, respectively. Torque and thrust were measured during the cutting process. Bone chips were measured and weighed under a microscope. Different cutting edge angles did not lead to significant differences in torque. The lowest torque values were measured when the cutting edges were positioned at 65 degrees in trabecular bone and at 85 degrees in cortical bone. Bone chips were significantly larger and heavier at angles of 55 and 65 degrees than at angles of 75 and 85 degrees in trabecular bone. Instruments with a rough titanium surface show considerable angle-dependent differences in chip formation. In addition to bone density, the angle of the cutting edges should be taken into consideration during the placement of dental implants. Good results were obtained when the cutting edges were positioned at an angle of 65 degrees. This angle can have positive effects on osseointegration.

Sensory Characterization of Odors in Used Disposable Absorbent Incontinence Products

PubMed Central

Widén, Heléne; Forsgren-Brusk, Ulla; Hall, Gunnar

2017-01-01

PURPOSE: The objectives of this study were to characterize the odors of used incontinence products by descriptive analysis and to define attributes to be used in the analysis. A further objective was to investigate to what extent the odor profiles of used incontinence products differed from each other and, if possible, to group these profiles into classes. SUBJECTS AND SETTING: Used incontinence products were collected from 14 residents with urinary incontinence living in geriatric nursing homes in the Gothenburg area, Sweden. METHODS: Pieces were cut from the wet area of used incontinence products. They were placed in glass bottles and kept frozen until odor analysis was completed. A trained panel consisting of 8 judges experienced in this area of investigation defined terminology for odor attributes. The intensities of these attributes in the used products were determined by descriptive odor analysis. Data were analyzed both by analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed by the Tukey post hoc test and by principal component analysis and cluster analysis. RESULTS: An odor wheel, with 10 descriptive attributes, was developed. The total odor intensity, and the intensities of the attributes, varied considerably between different, used incontinence products. The typical odors varied from “sweetish” to “urinal,” “ammonia,” and “smoked.” Cluster analysis showed that the used products, based on the quantitative odor data, could be divided into 5 odor classes with different profiles. CONCLUSIONS: The used products varied considerably in odor character and intensity. Findings suggest that odors in used absorptive products are caused by different types of compounds that may vary in concentration. PMID:28328646

Short-term organic carbon migration from polymeric materials in contact with chlorinated drinking water.

PubMed

Mao, Guannan; Wang, Yingying; Hammes, Frederik

2018-02-01

Polymeric materials are widely used in drinking water distribution systems. These materials could release organic carbon that supports bacterial growth. To date, the available migration assays for polymeric materials have not included the potential influence of chlorination on organic carbon migration behavior. Hence, we established a migration and growth potential protocol specifically for analysis of carbon migration from materials in contact with chlorinated drinking water. Four different materials were tested, including ethylene propylene dienemethylene (EPDM), poly-ethylene (PEX b and PEX c) and poly-butylene (PB). Chlorine consumption rates decreased gradually over time for EPDM, PEXc and PB. In contrast, no free chlorine was detected for PEXb at any time during the 7 migration cycles. Total organic carbon (TOC) and assimilable organic carbon (AOC) was evaluated in both chlorinated and non-chlorinated migrations. TOC concentrations for EPDM and PEXb in chlorinated migrations were significantly higher than non-chlorinated migrations. The AOC results showed pronounced differences among tested materials. AOC concentrations from chlorinated migration waters of EPDM and PB were higher compared to non-chlorinated migrations, whereas the opposite trend was observed for PEXb and PEXc. There was also a considerable difference between tested materials with regards to bacterial growth potential. The results revealed that the materials exposed to chlorine-influenced migration still exhibited a strong biofilm formation potential. The overall results suggested that the choice in material would make a considerable difference in chlorine consumption and carbon migration behavior in drinking water distribution systems. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Scoring of nonmetric cranial traits: a methodological approach

PubMed Central

GUALDI-RUSSO, E.; TASCA, M. A.; BRASILI, P.

1999-01-01

The purpose of the present study was to analyse the replicability of the scoring of discontinuous traits. This was assessed on a sample of 100 skulls from the Frassetto collection (Dipartimento di Biologia Evoluzionistica Sperimentale of Bologna University) analysed through intraobserver comparisons: the discontinuous traits were determined on the same skulls and by the same observer on 3 separate occasions. The scoring was also assessed through interobserver comparisons: 3 different observers performed an independent survey on the same skulls. The results show that there were no significant differences in the discontinuous trait frequencies between the 3 different scorings by the same observer, but there were sometimes significant differences between different observers. Caution should thus be taken in applying the frequencies of these traits to population research. After an indispensable control of material conditions (subject age included), consideration must be given to standardisation procedures between observers, otherwise this may be an additional source of variability in cranial discontinuous trait scoring. PMID:10634693

RNA sequencing provides evidence for functional variability between naturally co-existing Alteromonas macleodii lineages.

PubMed

Kimes, Nikole E; López-Pérez, Mario; Ausó, Eva; Ghai, Rohit; Rodriguez-Valera, Francisco

2014-10-26

Alteromonas macleodii is a ubiquitous gammaproteobacterium shown to play a biogeochemical role in marine environments. Two A. macleodii strains (AltDE and AltDE1) isolated from the same sample (i.e., the same place at the same time) show considerable genomic differences. In this study, we investigate the transcriptional response of these two strains to varying growth conditions in order to investigate differences in their ability to adapt to varying environmental parameters. RNA sequencing revealed transcriptional changes between all growth conditions examined (e.g., temperature and medium) as well as differences between the two A. macleodii strains within a given condition. The main inter-strain differences were more marked in the adaptation to grow on minimal medium with glucose and, even more so, under starvation. These differences suggested that AltDE1 may have an advantage over AltDE when glucose is the major carbon source, and co-culture experiments confirmed this advantage. Additional differences were observed between the two strains in the expression of ncRNAs and phage-related genes, as well as motility. This study shows that the genomic diversity observed in closely related strains of A. macleodii from a single environment result in different transcriptional responses to changing environmental parameters. This data provides additional support for the idea that greater diversity at the strain level of a microbial community could enhance the community's ability to adapt to environmental shifts.

D- and L-[123I]-2-I-phenylalanine show a long tumour retention compared with D- and L-[123I]-2-I-tyrosine in R1M rhabdomyosarcoma tumour-bearing Wag/Rij rats.

PubMed

Bauwens, Matthias; Lahoutte, Tony; Kersemans, Ken; Caveliers, Vicky; Bossuyt, Axel; Mertens, John

2007-07-01

The aim of this study was the comparison of the tumour uptake and the long-term retention of [(123)I]-2-I-L-phenylalanine and [(123)I]-2-I-D-phenylalanine with those of [(123)I]-2-I-L-tyrosine and [(123)I]-2-I-D-tyrosine in R1M rhabdomyosarcoma tumour-bearing rats. The biodistribution of the radioactivity as a function of time in R1M tumour-bearing rats was measured by planar gamma camera imaging (dynamic and static). If dissection was applied, the activity in the tumours and tissues of interest was measured by gamma counting. [(123)I]-2-iodo-L-phenylalanine, [(123)I]-2-iodo-D-phenylalaine, [(123)I]-2-I-L-tyrosine showed a considerable tumour uptake reaching a maximum between 10 and 30 min. At 30 min p.i. the differential uptake ratio values of this uptake were, respectively, 2.1, 2.3, 2.5 and 1.7. The activity in the tumour was shown to be related to a tumour cell uptake and not to an increased blood pool activity. All the tracers showed a clearance from the blood to the bladder without renal retention. At longer times both L- and D- [(123)I]-2-I-tyrosine were cleared for a large part from the tumours and the body. [(123)I]-2-I-L-Phe and [(123)I]-2-I-D-Phe showed a considerable and equal retention in the tumours: as compared with 0.5 h, 91% at 24 h and 80% at 48 h. This was related to the longer retention of activity in the blood pool noticed for these compounds (81% at 24 h and 65% at 48 h). The tumour-to-background ratio increased with 25% at those longer times. At short times all the tracers were taken up to a considerable extent in the tumours. In the R1M-bearing Wag/Rij rat model only [(123)I]-2-I-L-phenylalanine and [(123)I]-2-I-D-phenylalanine showed an especially high retention at long times without any significant difference between the enantiomers. Copyright 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Stimulus discriminability in visual search.

PubMed

Verghese, P; Nakayama, K

1994-09-01

We measured the probability of detecting the target in a visual search task, as a function of the following parameters: the discriminability of the target from the distractors, the duration of the display, and the number of elements in the display. We examined the relation between these parameters at criterion performance (80% correct) to determine if the parameters traded off according to the predictions of a limited capacity model. For the three dimensions that we studied, orientation, color, and spatial frequency, the observed relationship between the parameters deviates significantly from a limited capacity model. The data relating discriminability to display duration are better than predicted over the entire range of orientation and color differences that we examined, and are consistent with the prediction for only a limited range of spatial frequency differences--from 12 to 23%. The relation between discriminability and number varies considerably across the three dimensions and is better than the limited capacity prediction for two of the three dimensions that we studied. Orientation discrimination shows a strong number effect, color discrimination shows almost no effect, and spatial frequency discrimination shows an intermediate effect. The different trading relationships in each dimension are more consistent with early filtering in that dimension, than with a common limited capacity stage. Our results indicate that higher-level processes that group elements together also play a strong role. Our experiments provide little support for limited capacity mechanisms over the range of stimulus differences that we examined in three different dimensions.

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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

2015-11-01

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

Understanding human activity patterns based on space-time-semantics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Wei; Li, Songnian

2016-11-01

Understanding human activity patterns plays a key role in various applications in an urban environment, such as transportation planning and traffic forecasting, urban planning, public health and safety, and emergency response. Most existing studies in modeling human activity patterns mainly focus on spatiotemporal dimensions, which lacks consideration of underlying semantic context. In fact, what people do and discuss at some places, inferring what is happening at the places, cannot be simple neglected because it is the root of human mobility patterns. We believe that the geo-tagged semantic context, representing what individuals do and discuss at a place and a specific time, drives a formation of specific human activity pattern. In this paper, we aim to model human activity patterns not only based on space and time but also with consideration of associated semantics, and attempt to prove a hypothesis that similar mobility patterns may have different motivations. We develop a spatiotemporal-semantic model to quantitatively express human activity patterns based on topic models, leading to an analysis of space, time and semantics. A case study is conducted using Twitter data in Toronto based on our model. Through computing the similarities between users in terms of spatiotemporal pattern, semantic pattern and spatiotemporal-semantic pattern, we find that only a small number of users (2.72%) have very similar activity patterns, while the majority (87.14%) show different activity patterns (i.e., similar spatiotemporal patterns and different semantic patterns, similar semantic patterns and different spatiotemporal patterns, or different in both). The population of users that has very similar activity patterns is decreased by 56.41% after incorporating semantic information in the corresponding spatiotemporal patterns, which can quantitatively prove the hypothesis.

Bartter and Gitelman syndromes: Spectrum of clinical manifestations caused by different mutations

PubMed Central

Al Shibli, Amar; Narchi, Hassib

2015-01-01

Bartter and Gitelman syndromes (BS and GS) are inherited disorders resulting in defects in renal tubular handling of sodium, potassium and chloride. Previously considered as genotypic and phenotypic heterogeneous diseases, recent evidence suggests that they constitute a spectrum of disease caused by different genetic mutations with the molecular defects of chloride reabsorption originating at different sites of the nephron in each condition. Although they share some characteristic metabolic abnormalities such as hypokalemia, metabolic alkalosis, hyperplasia of the juxtaglomerular apparatus with hyperreninemia, hyperaldosteronism, the clinical and laboratory manifestations may not always allow distinction between them. Diuretics tests, measuring the changes in urinary fractional excretion of chloride from baseline after administration of either hydrochlorothiazide or furosemide show very little change (< 2.3%) in the fractional excretion of chloride from baseline in GS when compared with BS, except when BS is associated with KCNJ1 mutations where a good response to both diuretics exists. The diuretic test is not recommended for infants or young children with suspected BS because of a higher risk of volume depletion in such children. Clinical symptoms and biochemical markers of GS and classic form of BS (type III) may overlap and thus genetic analysis may specify the real cause of symptoms. However, although genetic analysis is available, its use remains limited because of limited availability, large gene dimensions, lack of hot-spot mutations, heavy workup time and costs involved. Furthermore, considerable overlap exists between the different genotypes and phenotypes. Although BS and GS usually have distinct presentations and are associated with specific gene mutations, there remains considerable overlap between their phenotypes and genotypes. Thus, they are better described as a spectrum of clinical manifestations caused by different gene mutations. PMID:26140272

Methodological and Epistemological Considerations in Utilizing Qualitative Inquiry to Develop Interventions.

PubMed

Duggleby, Wendy; Williams, Allison

2016-01-01

The purpose of this article is to discuss methodological and epistemological considerations involved in using qualitative inquiry to develop interventions. These considerations included (a) using diverse methodological approaches and (b) epistemological considerations such as generalization, de-contextualization, and subjective reality. Diverse methodological approaches have the potential to inform different stages of intervention development. Using the development of a psychosocial hope intervention for advanced cancer patients as an example, the authors utilized a thematic study to assess current theories/frameworks and interventions. However, to understand the processes that the intervention needed to target to affect change, grounded theory was used. Epistemological considerations provided a framework to understand and, further, critique the intervention. Using diverse qualitative methodological approaches and examining epistemological considerations were useful in developing an intervention that appears to foster hope in patients with advanced cancer. © The Author(s) 2015.

Estimates of effective elastic thickness at subduction zones

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, An; Fu, Yongtao

2018-06-01

The effective elastic thickness (Te) is an important parameter that characterizes the long-term strength of the lithosphere. Estimates of Te at subduction zones have important tectonic and geodynamic implications, providing constraints for the strength of the oceanic lithosphere at a short-term scale. We estimated Te values in several subduction zones worldwide by using models including both surface and subsurface loads from the analysis of free-air gravity anomaly and bathymetric data, together with a moving window admittance technique (MWAT). Tests with synthetic gravity and bathymetry data show that this method is a reliable way to recover Te of oceanic lithosphere. Our results show that there is a noticeable reduction in the effective elastic thickness of the subducting plate from the outer rise to the trench axis for most studied subduction zones, suggesting plate weakening at the trench-outer rise of the subduction zones. These subduction zones have Te range of 6-60 km, corresponding to a wide range of isotherms from 200 to 800 °C. Different trenches show distinct patterns. The Caribbean, Kuril-Japan, Mariana and Tonga subduction zones show predominantly high Te. By contrast, the Middle America and Java subduction zones have a much lower Te. The Peru-Chile, Aleutian and Philippine subduction zones show considerable scatter. The large variation of the isotherm for different trenches does not show clear relationship with plate weakening at the outer rise.

Study of structural and optical properties of PbS thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Homraruen, T.; Sudswasd, Y.; Sorod, R.; Kayunkid, N.; Yindeesuk, W.

2018-03-01

This research aimed to synthesize lead sulfide (PbS) thin films on glass slides using the successive ion layer absorption and reaction (SILAR) method. We studied the optical properties and structure of PbS thin films by changing the number of dipping cycles and the concentration of precursor solution. The results of this experiment show that different conditions have a considerable influence on the thickness and absorbance of the films. When the number of dipping cycles and the concentration of the solution are increased, film thickness and absorbance tend to become higher. The xrays diffraction pattern showed all the diffraction peaks which confirmed the face center cubic and the structure of PbS had identified. Grain size computation was used to confirm how much these conditions could be affected.

Noise exposure in movie theaters: a preliminary study of sound levels during the showing of 25 films.

PubMed

Warszawa, Anna; Sataloff, Robert T

2010-09-01

The harmful effects of noise exposure during leisure-time activities are beginning to receive some scrutiny. We conducted a preliminary study to investigate the noise levels during the showings of 25 different films. During each screening, various sound measurements were made with a dosimeter. The movies were classified on the basis of both their Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) rating and their genre, and the size of the theater and the size of the audience were taken into consideration in the final analysis. Our findings suggest that the sound levels of many movies might be harmful to hearing, although we can draw no definitive conclusions. We did not discern any relationship between noise levels and either MPAA rating or genre. Further studies are recommended.

Influence of the pressure dependent coefficient of friction on deep drawing springback predictions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gil, Imanol; Galdos, Lander; Mendiguren, Joseba; Mugarra, Endika; Sáenz de Argandoña, Eneko

2016-10-01

This research studies the effect of considering an advanced variable friction coefficient on the springback prediction of stamping processes. Traditional constant coefficient of friction considerations are being replaced by more advanced friction coefficient definitions. The aim of this work is to show the influence of defining a pressure dependent friction coefficient on numerical springback predictions of a DX54D mild steel, a HSLA380 and a DP780 high strength steel. The pressure dependent friction model of each material was fitted to the experimental data obtained by Strip Drawing tests. Then, these friction models were implemented in a numerical simulation of a drawing process of an industrial automotive part. The results showed important differences between defining a pressure dependent friction coefficient or a constant friction coefficient.

An Approach to Economic Dispatch with Multiple Fuels Based on Particle Swarm Optimization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sriyanyong, Pichet

2011-06-01

Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO), a stochastic optimization technique, shows superiority to other evolutionary computation techniques in terms of less computation time, easy implementation with high quality solution, stable convergence characteristic and independent from initialization. For this reason, this paper proposes the application of PSO to the Economic Dispatch (ED) problem, which occurs in the operational planning of power systems. In this study, ED problem can be categorized according to the different characteristics of its cost function that are ED problem with smooth cost function and ED problem with multiple fuels. Taking the multiple fuels into account will make the problem more realistic. The experimental results show that the proposed PSO algorithm is more efficient than previous approaches under consideration as well as highly promising in real world applications.

A toxic cyanobacterial bloom in an urban coastal lake, Rio Grande do Sul state, Southern Brazil

PubMed Central

de Carvalho, Luciana Retz; Pipole, Fernando; Werner, Vera Regina; Laughinghouse IV, Haywood Dail; de Camargo, Antonio Carlos M.; Rangel, Marisa; Konno, Katsuhiro; Sant’ Anna, Célia Leite

2008-01-01

Reports of cyanobacterial blooms developing worldwide have considerably increased, and, in most cases, the predominant toxins are microcystins. The present study reports a cyanobacterial bloom in Lake Violão, Torres, Rio Grande do Sul State, in January 2005. Samples collected on January 13, 2005, were submitted to taxonomical, toxicological, and chemical studies. The taxonomical analysis showed many different species of cyanobacteria, and that Microcystis protocystis and Sphaerocavum cf. brasiliense were dominant. Besides these, Microcystis panniformis, Anabaena oumiana, Cylindrospermopsis raciborskii, and Anabaenopsis elenkinii f. circularis were also present. The toxicity of the bloom was confirmed through intraperitoneal tests in mice, and chemical analyses of bloom extracts showed that the major substance was anabaenopeptin F, followed by anabaenopeptin B, microcystin-LR, and microcystin-RR. PMID:24031304

LED-Absorption-QEPAS Sensor for Biogas Plants

PubMed Central

Köhring, Michael; Böttger, Stefan; Willer, Ulrike; Schade, Wolfgang

2015-01-01

A new sensor for methane and carbon dioxide concentration measurements in biogas plants is presented. LEDs in the mid infrared spectral region are implemented as low cost light source. The combination of quartz-enhanced photoacoustic spectroscopy with an absorption path leads to a sensor setup suitable for the harsh application environment. The sensor system contains an electronics unit and the two gas sensors; it was designed to work as standalone device and was tested in a biogas plant for several weeks. Gas concentration dependent measurements show a precision better than 1% in a range between 40% and 60% target gas concentration for both sensors. Concentration dependent measurements with different background gases show a considerable decrease in cross sensitivity against the major components of biogas in direct comparison to common absorption based sensors. PMID:26007746

Data on the no-load performance analysis of a tomato postharvest storage system.

PubMed

Ayomide, Orhewere B; Ajayi, Oluseyi O; Banjo, Solomon O; Ajayi, Adesola A

2017-08-01

In this present investigation, an original and detailed empirical data on the transfer of heat in a tomato postharvest storage system was presented. No-load tests were performed for a period of 96 h. The heat distribution at different locations, namely the top, middle and bottom of the system was acquired, at a time interval of 30 min for the test period. The humidity inside the system was taken into consideration. Thus, No-load tests with or without introduction of humidity were carried out and data showing the effect of a rise in humidity level, on temperature distribution were acquired. The temperatures at the external mechanical cooling components were acquired and could be used for showing the performance analysis of the storage system.

How to Buy School Seating.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Summerville, D.G.

1966-01-01

An expert tells what kind of furniture you need for the different rooms in your schools. Suggestions are made separately for both elementary and secondary classrooms emphasizing consideration for the student. General considerations are listed regarding durability, floor protection, storage, chair leg finish, wooden vs. fiberglass, size, and…

36 CFR 1236.12 - What other records management and preservation considerations must be incorporated into the...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... exchange of electronic documents between offices using different software or operating systems. ... of electronic information systems? 1236.12 Section 1236.12 Parks, Forests, and Public Property... Management and Preservation Considerations for Designing and Implementing Electronic Information Systems...

36 CFR 1236.12 - What other records management and preservation considerations must be incorporated into the...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... exchange of electronic documents between offices using different software or operating systems. ... of electronic information systems? 1236.12 Section 1236.12 Parks, Forests, and Public Property... Management and Preservation Considerations for Designing and Implementing Electronic Information Systems...

36 CFR 1236.12 - What other records management and preservation considerations must be incorporated into the...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... exchange of electronic documents between offices using different software or operating systems. ... of electronic information systems? 1236.12 Section 1236.12 Parks, Forests, and Public Property... Management and Preservation Considerations for Designing and Implementing Electronic Information Systems...

Technical Considerations for Improvement of USAF Operational Training, Testing and Evaluation (OTT and E)

DTIC Science & Technology

1975-06-30

Needs 24 3-4 Needs 25 3-5 EW Scoring Considerations 28 3-6 Risk vs Benefit - Voluntary & 30 Involuntary Exposure 3-7 Mapping of Dollar Loss to the Air...method? Of this new jammer? Or this new tactic? Or this new airplane?" Can all be answer3d by showing how aircraft losses were lessened, while...30 approach does not present a cost basis to determine the dollar worth of safety improvements. Figure 3-7 shows the average dollar loss of

Considerations for safe glucocorticoid therapy

PubMed

2018-06-01

Synthetic glucocorticoids have innumerable therapeutic applications and are frequently used in medical practice. Changes in the wide variety of synthetic molecules and the different routes of administration cause differences in anti-inflammatory action, therapeutic action and mineralocorticoid effects. Endocrinologists are generally consulted to evaluate the gradual decline in treatment, rather than to indicate it. We present general information and practical advice to the pediatrician to minimize the adverse effects and considerations to be taken into account for the suspension of treatment.

Tracheostomy: pediatric considerations.

PubMed

Deutsch, Ellen S

2010-08-01

Pediatric patients for whom tracheotomy is a consideration have different anatomy, medical conditions, and prognoses than adults; even the tracheotomy tubes are different. Indications for pediatric tracheotomy generally include bypassing airway obstruction, providing access for prolonged mechanical ventilation, and facilitating tracheobronchial toilet. Subglottic stenosis is an important indication for tracheotomy in children; its etiology, prevention, and alternative options for management are presented. Discussion includes the benefits, risks, impact on families, techniques for tracheotomy tube changes, and alternatives to tracheotomy, with illustrative photographs and diagrams.

Considerations in the Use of Nonhuman Primate Models of Ebola Virus and Marburg Virus Infection.

PubMed

Geisbert, Thomas W; Strong, James E; Feldmann, Heinz

2015-10-01

The filoviruses, Ebola virus and Marburg virus, are zoonotic pathogens that cause severe hemorrhagic fever in humans and nonhuman primates (NHPs), with case-fatality rates ranging from 23% to 90%. The current outbreak of Ebola virus infection in West Africa, with >26 000 cases, demonstrates the long-underestimated public health danger that filoviruses pose as natural human pathogens. Currently, there are no vaccines or treatments licensed for human use. Licensure of any medical countermeasure may require demonstration of efficacy in the gold standard cynomolgus or rhesus macaque models of filovirus infection. Substantial progress has been made over the last decade in characterizing the filovirus NHP models. However, there is considerable debate over a variety of experimental conditions, including differences among filovirus isolates used, routes and doses of exposure, and euthanasia criteria, all of which may contribute to variability of results among different laboratories. As an example of the importance of understanding these differences, recent data with Ebola virus shows that an addition of a single uridine residue in the glycoprotein gene at the editing site attenuates the virus. Here, we draw on decades of experience working with filovirus-infected NHPs to provide a perspective on the importance of various experimental conditions. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Infectious Diseases Society of America 2015. This work is written by (a) US Government employee(s) and is in the public domain in the US.

Differential Responses to Woodland Character and Landscape Context by Cryptic Bats in Urban Environments

PubMed Central

Lintott, Paul R.; Bunnefeld, Nils; Minderman, Jeroen; Fuentes-Montemayor, Elisa; Mayhew, Rebekah J.; Olley, Lena; Park, Kirsty J.

2015-01-01

Urbanisation is one of the most dramatic forms of land use change which relatively few species can adapt to. Determining how and why species respond differently to urban habitats is important in predicting future biodiversity loss as urban areas rapidly expand. Understanding how morphological or behavioural traits can influence species adaptability to the built environment may enable us to improve the effectiveness of conservation efforts. Although many bat species are able to exploit human resources, bat species richness generally declines with increasing urbanisation and there is considerable variation in the responses of different bat species to urbanisation. Here, we use acoustic recordings from two cryptic, and largely sympatric European bat species to assess differential responses in their use of fragmented urban woodland and the surrounding urban matrix. There was a high probability of P. pygmaeus activity relative to P. pipistrellus in woodlands with low clutter and understory cover which were surrounded by low levels of built environment. Additionally, the probability of recording P. pygmaeus relative to P. pipistrellus was considerably higher in urban woodland interior or edge habitat in contrast to urban grey or non-wooded green space. These results show differential habitat use occurring between two morphologically similar species; whilst the underlying mechanism for this partitioning is unknown it may be driven by competition avoidance over foraging resources. Their differing response to urbanisation indicates the difficulties involved when attempting to assess how adaptable a species is to urbanisation for conservation purposes. PMID:25978034

Medicalising short children with growth hormone? Ethical considerations of the underlying sociocultural aspects.

PubMed

Murano, Maria Cristina

2018-06-01

In 2003, the Food and Drug Administration approved the use of growth hormone treatment for idiopathic short stature children, i.e. children shorter than average due to an unknown medical cause. Given the absence of any pathological conditions, this decision has been contested as a case of medicalisation. The aim of this paper is to broaden the debate over the reasons for and against the treatment, to include considerations of the sociocultural phenomenon of the medicalisation of short stature, by means of a critical understanding of the concept of medicalisation. After defining my understanding of medicalisation and describing both the treatment and the condition of idiopathic short stature, I will problematise two fundamental issues: the medical/non-medical distinction and the debate about the goals of medicine. I will analyse them, combining perspectives of bioethics, medical sociology, philosophy of medicine and medical literature, and I will suggest that there are different levels of normativity of medicalisation. Ultimately, this study shows that: (1) the definition of idiopathic short stature, focusing only on actual height measurement, does not provide enough information to assess the need for treatment or not; (2) the analysis of the goals of medicine should be broadened to include justifications for the treatment; (3) the use of growth hormone for idiopathic short stature involves strong interests from different stakeholders. While the treatment might be beneficial for some children, it is necessary to be vigilant about possible misconduct at different levels of medicalisation.

Differential responses to woodland character and landscape context by cryptic bats in urban environments.

PubMed

Lintott, Paul R; Bunnefeld, Nils; Minderman, Jeroen; Fuentes-Montemayor, Elisa; Mayhew, Rebekah J; Olley, Lena; Park, Kirsty J

2015-01-01

Urbanisation is one of the most dramatic forms of land use change which relatively few species can adapt to. Determining how and why species respond differently to urban habitats is important in predicting future biodiversity loss as urban areas rapidly expand. Understanding how morphological or behavioural traits can influence species adaptability to the built environment may enable us to improve the effectiveness of conservation efforts. Although many bat species are able to exploit human resources, bat species richness generally declines with increasing urbanisation and there is considerable variation in the responses of different bat species to urbanisation. Here, we use acoustic recordings from two cryptic, and largely sympatric European bat species to assess differential responses in their use of fragmented urban woodland and the surrounding urban matrix. There was a high probability of P. pygmaeus activity relative to P. pipistrellus in woodlands with low clutter and understory cover which were surrounded by low levels of built environment. Additionally, the probability of recording P. pygmaeus relative to P. pipistrellus was considerably higher in urban woodland interior or edge habitat in contrast to urban grey or non-wooded green space. These results show differential habitat use occurring between two morphologically similar species; whilst the underlying mechanism for this partitioning is unknown it may be driven by competition avoidance over foraging resources. Their differing response to urbanisation indicates the difficulties involved when attempting to assess how adaptable a species is to urbanisation for conservation purposes.

[Sports accidents: 1963-1973 statistics].

PubMed

Fasler, S

1976-01-01

Every year, the Swiss Accident Insurance Administration is paying a considerable amount of money for sports accidents. From 1963 to 1973 the number of these accidents has increased more markedly than other types of accidents. Different tendencies can be observed in the different types of sports: skiing accidents have, after a long period of retrogression until 1973, shown a noticeable augmentation again. Football accidents and accidents in other types of sports have on the other hand increased year by year. Mountaineering and aquatic sports often result in fatal accidents. The numerous preventive measures in skiing accidents have obviously been successful. Not only the fractures have decreased, but also the average number of days where sickness benefit was paid. Next to the traffic accidents, the skiing accidents are the most expensive ones. The nature of the healing cost in sports accidents has changed during the period from 1967 to 1972, depending on the different types of sports. In particular, hospital costs have changed considerably. The number of medical consultations per accident has decreased. Payment of sickness benefit has followed the development of the salaries on the one hand and the modifications of the number of lost days on the other. Finally, the costs of the annuities show more or less the same tendency as the ones for sickness benefit. A very gross estimation on the economical losses through sports accidents in Switzerland makes us believe that the direct and indirect costs actually amount to more than one thousand millions of Swiss Francs per year.

The geomorphic evolution of the lunar surface.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ronca, L. B.

1972-01-01

The solution of the function relating craters of the continuous degradation sequence with degree of erosion was defined as the geomorphic index of the area. Studies of the geomorphic index of stratigraphic surfaces show that areas covered by considerable ballistic sediments have a geomorphic index which is not a monotonic function of time. On the other hand, areas covered almost exclusively by mare flooding show an index which is a monotonic function of the age of the flooding. As each mare surface shows a considerable range in indices, it is concluded that maria are covered by surfaces formed through a considerable length of time. By using Apollo 11 and 12 radiometric ages it is suggested that the time of mare flooding lasted on the order of one billion years. The geomorphic index of highland surfaces shows a remarkable degree of order - i.e., the farther an area is inland from the mare shores, the higher will be the index. No explanation is given for this phenomenon, but it is suggested that lunar erosion is not just a localized phenomenon centered on the locus of an impact, but has lateral trends of regional dimensions.

Functional acclimation across microgeographic scales in Dodonaea viscosa

PubMed Central

Baruch, Zdravko; Jones, Alice R; Hill, Kathryn E; McInerney, Francesca A; Blyth, Colette; Caddy-Retalic, Stefan; Christmas, Matthew J; Gellie, Nicholas J C; Lowe, Andrew J; Martin-Fores, Irene; Nielson, Kristine E

2018-01-01

Abstract Intraspecific plant functional trait variation provides mechanistic insight into persistence and can infer population adaptive capacity. However, most studies explore intraspecific trait variation in systems where geographic and environmental distances co-vary. Such a design reduces the certainty of trait–environment associations, and it is imperative for studies that make trait–environment associations be conducted in systems where environmental distance varies independently of geographic distance. Here we explored trait variation in such a system, and aimed to: (i) quantify trait variation of parent and offspring generations, and associate this variation to parental environments; (ii) determine the traits which best explain population differences; (iii) compare parent and offspring trait–trait relationships. We characterized 15 plant functional traits in eight populations of a shrub with a maximum separation ca. 100 km. Populations differed markedly in aridity and elevation, and environmental distance varied independently of geographic distance. We measured traits in parent populations collected in the field, as well as their offspring reared in greenhouse conditions. Parent traits regularly associated with their environment. These associations were largely lost in the offspring generation, indicating considerable phenotypic plasticity. An ordination of parent traits showed clear structure with strong influence of leaf area, specific leaf area, stomatal traits, isotope δ13C and δ15N ratios, and Narea, whereas the offspring ordination was less structured. Parent trait–trait correlations were in line with expectations from the leaf economic spectrum. We show considerable trait plasticity in the woody shrub over microgeographic scales (<100 km), indicating it has the adaptive potential within a generation to functionally acclimate to a range of abiotic conditions. Since our study shrub is commonly used for restoration in southern Australia and local populations do not show strong genetic differentiation in functional traits, the potential risks of transferring seed across the broad environmental conditions are not likely to be a significant issue.

Synesthetic color experiences influence memory.

PubMed

Smilek, Daniel; Dixon, Mike J; Cudahy, Cera; Merikle, Philip M

2002-11-01

We describe the extraordinary memory of C, a 21-year-old student who experiences synesthetic colors (i.e., photisms) when she sees, hears, or thinks of digits. Using three matrices of 50 digits, we tested C and 7 nonsynesthetes to evaluate whether C's synesthetic photisms influence her memory for digits. One matrix consisted of black digits, whereas the other two matrices consisted of digits that were either incongruent or congruent with the colors of C's photisms. C's recall of the incongruently colored digits was considerably poorer than her recall of either the black or the congruently colored digits. The 7 nonsynesthetes did not show such differences in their recall of the matrices. In addition, when immediate recall of the black digits was compared with delayed recall of those digits (48 hr), C showed no decrease in performance, whereas each of the nonsynesthetes showed a significant decrease. These findings both demonstrate C's extraordinary memory and show that her synesthetic photisms can influence her memory for digits.

Investigations of suprathreshold color-difference tolerances with different visual scales and different perceptual correlates using CRT colors.

PubMed

Wang, Zhehong; Xu, Haisong

2008-12-01

In order to investigate the performance of suprathreshold color-difference tolerances with different visual scales and different perceptual correlates, a psychophysical experiment was carried out by the method of constant stimuli using CRT colors. Five hue circles at three lightness (L*=30, 50, and 70) and chroma (C*ab=10, 20, and 30) levels were selected to ensure that the color-difference tolerances did not exceed the color gamut of the CRT display. Twelve color centers distributed evenly every 30 degrees along each hue circle were assessed by a panel of eight observers, and the corresponding color-difference tolerances were obtained. The hue circle with L*=50 and C*ab=20 was assessed with three different visual scales (DeltaV=3.06, 5.92, and 8.87 CIELAB units), which ranged from small to large visual scales, while the remaining hue circles were observed only with the small visual scale. The lightness tolerances had no significant correlation with the hue angles, while chroma and hue tolerances showed considerable hue angle dependences. The color-difference tolerances were linearly proportional to the visual scales but with different slopes. The lightness tolerances with different lightness levels but the same chroma showed the crispening effect to some extent, while the chroma and hue tolerances decreased with the increment of the lightness. For the color-difference tolerances with different chroma levels but the same lightness, there was no correlation between the lightness tolerances and the chroma levels, while the chroma and hue tolerances were nearly linearly proportional to the chroma levels.

A Study of the Oscillation Marks' Characteristics of Continuously Cast Incoloy Alloy 825 Blooms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saleem, Saud; Vynnycky, Michael; Fredriksson, Hasse

2016-08-01

A comprehensive experimental study of oscillation mark (OM) formation and its characteristics during the solidification of Incoloy alloy 825 in the continuous casting of blooms is investigated by plant trials and metallographic study. The experiments involved two heats with the same casting and mold conditions and sampling at different locations across the strand. The metallographic study combined macro/micro-examinations of OMs and segregation analysis of Cr, Mn, Mo, Ni, and Si by microprobe analysis. The results show that OMs have widely different characteristics, such as mark type, depth, segregation, and accompanying microstructure. Furthermore, the mark pitch can vary considerably even for the similar casting conditions, leading to different conditions for the marks' formation in relation to the mold's cyclic movement. Finally, a mechanism for the OM formation is discussed and proposed. Possible solutions for minimizing the observed defects by optimizing the mold conditions are suggested.

[Delusion and Gender in Paranoid Schizophrenia: Results of a Clinical Study].

PubMed

Rössler, V; Richter, R; Walter, M H

2016-11-01

Aim: The aim of the present study was to investigate whether men and women differ in the frequency and phenomenology of delusions. Sample: Medical records of all patients who had been admitted to a psychiatric hospital in Germany between 2008 and 2011 for paranoid schizophrenia were analyzed. The sample consisted of 182 delusional inpatients (90 women, 92 men) with the diagnosis of a paranoid schizophrenia. Results: Men and women did not differ in the frequency of delusional themes. Analysis of delusional content, however, revealed considerable differences between them. Women with delusion of reference felt more often as being under constant surveillance compared to men. Men with delusion of reference showed a tendency to involve unspecified persons in their delusions and more often had the feeling of being talked about. Delusion of grandeur in women was more often built upon significant relationships with others. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Student Misconceptions About Astronomy and the Best Order of Teaching Astronomical Concepts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Favia, Andrej; Comins, N. F.; Thorpe, G.

2013-01-01

My (Andrej Favia) Ph.D. thesis involves quantifying the "difficulty" of unlearning common astronomy misconceptions. I do this by applying factor analysis and Item Response Theory (IRT) to a retrospective inventory of when, or if, college students dispelled the misconceptions under consideration. Our inventory covers 235 misconceptions identified over the span of 10 years of teaching the college astronomy lecture course at the Universe of Maine by NFC. The analysis yields logical groupings of topics (e.g., teach one planet at a time rather than use comparative planetology) and the "order of difficulty" of the associated topics. We have results for about one fourth of the inventory, and our results show that there are concepts of different difficulties, which suggest that they should be presented in different orders. We also find that the order of teaching concepts is sometimes different for high school and college level courses.

Large Strain Behaviour of ZEK100 Magnesium Alloy at Various Strain Rates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lévesque, Julie; Kurukuri, Srihari; Mishra, Raja; Worswick, Michael; Inal, Kaan

A constitutive framework based on a rate-dependent crystal plasticity theory is employed to simulate large strain deformation in hexagonal closed-packed metals that deform by slip and twinning. The model allows the twinned zones and the parent matrix to rotate independently. ZEK100 magnesium alloy sheets which significant texture weakening compared to AZ31 sheets are investigated using the model. There is considerable in-plane anisotropy and tension compression asymmetry in the flow behavior of ZEK100. Simulations of uniaxial tension in different directions at various strain rates and the accompanying texture evolution are performed and they are in very good agreement with experimental measurements. The effect of strain rate on the activation of the various slip systems and twinning show that differences in the strain rate dependence of yield stress and Rvalues in ZEK100 have their origin in the activation of different deformation mechanisms.

Spin transfer driven resonant expulsion of a magnetic vortex core for efficient rf detector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Menshawy, S.; Jenkins, A. S.; Merazzo, K. J.; Vila, L.; Ferreira, R.; Cyrille, M.-C.; Ebels, U.; Bortolotti, P.; Kermorvant, J.; Cros, V.

2017-05-01

Spin transfer magnetization dynamics have led to considerable advances in Spintronics, including opportunities for new nanoscale radiofrequency devices. Among the new functionalities is the radiofrequency (rf) detection using the spin diode rectification effect in spin torque nano-oscillators (STNOs). In this study, we focus on a new phenomenon, the resonant expulsion of a magnetic vortex in STNOs. This effect is observed when the excitation vortex radius, due to spin torques associated to rf currents, becomes larger than the actual radius of the STNO. This vortex expulsion is leading to a sharp variation of the voltage at the resonant frequency. Here we show that the detected frequency can be tuned by different parameters; furthermore, a simultaneous detection of different rf signals can be achieved by real time measurements with several STNOs having different diameters. This result constitutes a first proof-of-principle towards the development of a new kind of nanoscale rf threshold detector.

Usage of the back-propagation method for alphabet recognition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shaila Sree, R. N.; Eswaran, Kumar; Sundararajan, N.

1999-03-01

Artificial Neural Networks play a pivotal role in the branch of Artificial Intelligence. They can be trained efficiently for a variety of tasks using different methods, of which the Back Propagation method is one among them. The paper studies the choosing of various design parameters of a neural network for the Back Propagation method. The study shows that when these parameters are properly assigned, the training task of the net is greatly simplified. The character recognition problem has been chosen as a test case for this study. A sample space of different handwritten characters of the English alphabet was gathered. A Neural net is finally designed taking many the design aspects into consideration and trained for different styles of writing. Experimental results are reported and discussed. It has been found that an appropriate choice of the design parameters of the neural net for the Back Propagation method reduces the training time and improves the performance of the net.

Home advantage in Turkish professional soccer.

PubMed

Seçkin, Aylin; Pollard, Richard

2008-08-01

Home advantage is known to play an important role in the outcome of professional soccer games and to vary considerably worldwide. In the Turkish Super League over the last 12 years, 61.5% of the total points gained have been won by the home team, a figure similar to the worldwide average and to the Premier League in England. It is lower (57.7%) for games played between teams from Istanbul and especially high for games involving teams from cities in the more remote and ethnically distinct parts of Turkey (Van and Diyarbakir). Match performance data show that although home teams in Turkey take 26% more shots at goal than away teams, the success rates for shots do not differ. For fouls and disciplinary cards, home and away teams do not differ significantly in Turkey, a finding that differs from games in England, perhaps due to less referee bias.

Aquatic versus mammalian toxicology: applications of the comparative approach

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

Guarino, A.M.

1987-04-01

The large body of literature and techniques generated by mammalian toxicity studies provides a conceptual and technical framework within which the absorption, fate, and disposition of xenobiotics in aquatic organisms can be studied. This review emphasizes the similarities and differences between mammalian and aquatic systems, e.g., lung vs. gill as site of absorption and toxicity. These must be taken into consideration when designing aquatic toxicity studies. Studies of phenol red in dogfish shark as an example show physiologic-based pharmacokinetic modeling to be a useful tool for investigating and eventually predicting species differences in xenobiotic disposition and drug differences within themore » same species. This discussion demonstrates that both laboratory and modeling procedures are now available to carry out sophisticated studies of xenobiotic fate and disposition in fish. Such studies are needed to pinpoint sites and mechanisms of pollutant toxicity in aquatic organisms.« less

Point mutations which should not be overlooked in Hb H disease.

PubMed

Farashi, Samaneh; Bayat, Nooshin; Vakili, Shadi; Faramarzi Garous, Negin; Ashki, Mehri; Imanian, Hashem; Najmabadi, Hossein; Azarkeivan, Azita

2016-01-01

Hb H disease is an alpha-thalassemia (α-thal) syndrome characterized by chronic hemolytic anemia that occurs when three of total four α-globin genes lost their function due to completely deletions or different kind of mutations. We here described 66 patients who have been diagnosed for Hb H disease during the last five years in our center. The genotypes involving point mutations present more severe phenotype than deletional forms that make them of primary important to health management. Hb H subjects carry different α-globin genotypes including deletional and non-deletional mutations showing heterogenous clinical manifestations. The Hb H patients presenting a wide range of phenotype carried different deletional, non-deletional mutations or compound heterozygosity of them. We emphasize the importance of some point mutations responsible for more severe form of Hb H disease in Iranian population and the necessity for consideration of prenatal diagnosis (PND) in high-risk couples.

Program optimizations: The interplay between power, performance, and energy

DOE PAGES

Leon, Edgar A.; Karlin, Ian; Grant, Ryan E.; ...

2016-05-16

Practical considerations for future supercomputer designs will impose limits on both instantaneous power consumption and total energy consumption. Working within these constraints while providing the maximum possible performance, application developers will need to optimize their code for speed alongside power and energy concerns. This paper analyzes the effectiveness of several code optimizations including loop fusion, data structure transformations, and global allocations. A per component measurement and analysis of different architectures is performed, enabling the examination of code optimizations on different compute subsystems. Using an explicit hydrodynamics proxy application from the U.S. Department of Energy, LULESH, we show how code optimizationsmore » impact different computational phases of the simulation. This provides insight for simulation developers into the best optimizations to use during particular simulation compute phases when optimizing code for future supercomputing platforms. Here, we examine and contrast both x86 and Blue Gene architectures with respect to these optimizations.« less

A climate model projection weighting scheme accounting for performance and interdependence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Knutti, Reto; Sedláček, Jan; Sanderson, Benjamin M.; Lorenz, Ruth; Fischer, Erich M.; Eyring, Veronika

2017-02-01

Uncertainties of climate projections are routinely assessed by considering simulations from different models. Observations are used to evaluate models, yet there is a debate about whether and how to explicitly weight model projections by agreement with observations. Here we present a straightforward weighting scheme that accounts both for the large differences in model performance and for model interdependencies, and we test reliability in a perfect model setup. We provide weighted multimodel projections of Arctic sea ice and temperature as a case study to demonstrate that, for some questions at least, it is meaningless to treat all models equally. The constrained ensemble shows reduced spread and a more rapid sea ice decline than the unweighted ensemble. We argue that the growing number of models with different characteristics and considerable interdependence finally justifies abandoning strict model democracy, and we provide guidance on when and how this can be achieved robustly.

Draft genome sequences of two Bifidobacterium sp. from the honey bee (Apis mellifera).

PubMed

Anderson, Kirk E; Johansson, Andreas; Sheehan, Tim H; Mott, Brendon M; Corby-Harris, Vanessa; Johnstone, Laurel; Sprissler, Ryan; Fitz, William

2013-12-18

Widely considered probiotic organisms, Bifidobacteria are common inhabitants of the alimentary tract of animals including insects. Bifidobacteria identified from the honey bee are found in larval guts and throughout the alimentary tract, but attain their greatest abundance in the adult hind gut. To further understand the role of Bifidobacteria in honey bees, we sequenced two strains of Bifidobacterium cultured from different alimentary tract environments and life stages. Reflecting an oxygen-rich niche, both strains possessed catalase, peroxidase, superoxide-dismutase and respiratory chain enzymes indicative of oxidative metabolism. The strains show markedly different carbohydrate processing capabilities, with one possessing auxiliary and key enzymes of the Entner-Doudoroff pathway. As a result of long term co-evolution, honey bee associated Bifidobacterium may harbor considerable strain diversity reflecting adaptation to a variety of different honey bee microenvironments and hive-mediated vertical transmission between generations.

SEMICONDUCTOR TECHNOLOGY Texturization of mono-crystalline silicon solar cells in TMAH without the addition of surfactant

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weiying, Ou; Yao, Zhang; Hailing, Li; Lei, Zhao; Chunlan, Zhou; Hongwei, Diao; Min, Liu; Weiming, Lu; Jun, Zhang; Wenjing, Wang

2010-10-01

Etching was performed on (100) silicon wafers using silicon-dissolved tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAH) solutions without the addition of surfactant. Experiments were carried out in different TMAH concentrations at different temperatures for different etching times. The surface phenomena, etching rates, surface morphology and surface reflectance were analyzed. Experimental results show that the resulting surface covered with uniform pyramids can be realized with a small change in etching rates during the etching process. The etching mechanism is explained based on the experimental results and the theoretical considerations. It is suggested that all the components in the TMAH solutions play important roles in the etching process. Moreover, TMA+ ions may increase the wettability of the textured surface. A good textured surface can be obtained in conditions where the absorption of OH-/H2O is in equilibrium with that of TMA+/SiO2 (OH)22-.

Interface test series: An in situ study of factors affecting the containment of hydraulic fractures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Warpinski, N. R.; Finley, S. J.; Vollendorf, W. C.; Obrien, M.; Eshom, E.

1982-02-01

In situ experiments, which are accessible for direct observation by mineback, were conducted to determine the effect that material-property interfaces and in situ stress differences have on hydraulic fracture propagation and the resultant overall geometry. These experiments show conclusively that a difference in elastic modulus at a geologic interface has little or no effect on crack growth and, therefore, is not a feature which would promote containment of fractures within a specified reservoir zone. However, differences in the in situ stress between adjacent layers is shown to have a considerable influence on fracture propagation. Experiments were conducted in a low modulus ash-fall tuff which contained two layers of high minimum principal in situ stress and which was overlain by a formation with at least a factor of 5 increase in elastic modulus. Fractures were observed to terminate in regions of high minimum principal in situ stress in nearly every case.

Clinical application of antidepressant pharmacogenetics: considerations for the design of future studies.

PubMed

Fabbri, Chiara; Serretti, Alessandro

2018-06-12

A frustrating inertia has affected the development of clinical applications of antidepressant pharmacogenetics and personalized treatments of depression are still lacking 20 years after the first findings. Candidate gene studies provided replicated findings for some polymorphisms, but each of them shows at best a small effect on antidepressant efficacy and the cumulative effect of different polymorphisms is unclear. Further, no candidate was immune by at least some negative studies. These considerations give rise to some concerns about the clinical benefits of currently available pharmacogenetic tests since they are based on the results of candidate gene studies. Clinical guidelines in fact suggest that only polymorphisms that alter cytochrome 2D6 or 2C19 enzymatic activity probably provide useful clinical indications, while variants in genes involved in antidepressant pharmacodynamics have no recommended clinical applications. The present review discusses possible strategies to facilitate the identification of genetic biomarkers with clinical usefulness in guiding antidepressant treatments. These include analysis methods for the study of the polygenic/omnigenic nature of antidepressant response, the prioritization of polymorphisms on the basis of functional considerations, the incorporation of clinical-demographic predictors in pharmacogenetic studies (e.g. mixed polygenic and clinical risk scores), the application of methodological improvements to the design of future studies in order to maximize the comparability of results and improve power. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Improving the prediction of the final part geometry in high strength steels U drawing by means of advanced material and friction models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Argandoña, Eneko Saenz; Mendiguren, Joseba; Otero, Irune; Mugarra, Endika; Otegi, Nagore; Galdos, Lander

2018-05-01

Steel has been used in vehicles from the automotive industry's inception. Different steel grades are continually being developed in order to satisfy new fuel economy requirements. For example, advanced high strength steel grades (AHSS) are widely used due to their good strength/weight ratio. Because each steel grade has a different microstructure composition and hardness, they show different behaviors when they are subjected to different strain paths. Similarly, the friction behavior when using different contact pressures is considerably altered. In the present paper, four different steel grades, ZSt380, DP600, DP780 and Fortiform 1050 materials are deeply characterized using uniaxial and cyclic tension-compression tests. Coefficient of friction (COF) is also obtained using strip drawing tests. These results have been used to calibrate mixed kinematic-hardening material models as well as pressure dependent friction models. Finally, the geometrical accuracy of the different material and friction models has been evaluated by comparing the numerical predictions with experimental demonstrators obtained using a U-Drawing tester.

Tools for Creating Mobile Applications for Extension

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Drill, Sabrina L.

2012-01-01

Considerations and tools for developing mobile applications for Extension include evaluating the topic, purpose, and audience. Different computing platforms may be used, and apps designed as modified Web pages or implicitly programmed for a particular platform. User privacy is another important consideration, especially for data collection apps.…

Lexically restricted utterances in Russian, german, and english child-directed speech.

PubMed

Stoll, Sabine; Abbot-Smith, Kirsten; Lieven, Elena

2009-01-01

This study investigates the child-directed speech (CDS) of four Russian-, six German, and six English-speaking mothers to their 2-year-old children. Typologically Russian has considerably less restricted word order than either German or English, with German showing more word-order variants than English. This could lead to the prediction that the lexical restrictiveness previously found in the initial strings of English CDS by Cameron-Faulkner, Lieven, and Tomasello (2003) would not be found in Russian or German CDS. However, despite differences between the three corpora that clearly derive from typological differences between the languages, the most significant finding of this study is a high degree of lexical restrictiveness at the beginnings of CDS utterances in all three languages. Copyright © 2009 Cognitive Science Society, Inc.

The use of FAME analyses to discriminate between different strains of Geotrichum klebahnii with different viabilities.

PubMed

Schwarzenauer, Thomas; Lins, Philipp; Reitschuler, Christoph; Illmer, Paul

2012-02-01

A considerable decline in viability of spray dried cells of Geotrichum klebahnii was observed and was attributed to an undefined alteration of the used strain. As common techniques were not able to distinguish the altered from the still viable strains, we used the fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) analysis. On the basis of FAME data we were able to discriminate the three strains under investigation. Especially the ratios of cis/trans fatty acid ratios and of saturated/unsaturated fatty acid were significantly reduced in the less viable strain, pointing to an increased stress level in this strain. These findings clearly show the applicability of the FAME analysis to detect strain alterations and that this method is therefore a suitable, fast and feasible tool for quality assurance.

Improved radial segregation via the destabilizing vertical Bridgman configuration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sonda, Paul; Yeckel, Andrew; Daoutidis, Prodromos; Derby, Jeffrey J.

2004-01-01

We employ a computational model to revisit the classic crystal growth experiments conducted by Kim et al. (J. Electrochem. Soc. 119 (1972) 1218) and Müller et al. (J. Crystal Growth 70 (1984) 78), which were among the first to clearly document the effects of flow transitions on segregation. Analysis of the growth of tellerium-doped indium antimonide within a destabilizing vertical Bridgman configuration reveals the existence of multiple states, each of which can be reached by feasible paths of process operation. Transient growth simulations conducted on the different solution branches reveal striking differences in hydrodynamic and segregation behavior. We show that crystals grown in the destabilizing configuration exhibit considerably better radial segregation than those grown in the stabilizing configuration, a result which challenges conventional wisdom and practice.

Theoretical study on the rectifying performance of organoimido derivatives of hexamolybdates.

PubMed

Wen, Shizheng; Yang, Guochun; Yan, Likai; Li, Haibin; Su, Zhongmin

2013-02-25

We design a new type of molecular diode, based on the organoimido derivatives of hexamolybdates, by exploring the rectifying performances using density functional theory combined with the non-equilibrium Green's function. Asymmetric current-voltage characteristics were obtained for the models with an unexpected large rectification ratio. The rectifying behavior can be understood by the asymmetrical shift of the transmission peak observed under different polarities. It is interesting to find that the preferred electron-transport direction in our studied system is different from that of the organic D-bridge-A system. The results show that the studied organic-inorganic hybrid systems have an intrinsically robust rectifying ratio, which should be taken into consideration in the design of the molecular diodes. Copyright © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

[Etiology of combined inhalational hydrocyanic acid and carbon monoxide poisoning].

PubMed

Sigrist, T; Dirnhofer, R

1979-01-01

A young man was found dead in a kitchen, that was partly burnt. Autopsy revealed, as cause of death, a combined intoxication following inhalation of carbon monoxide and hydrocyanic acid. Own investigations on the pyrolysis of pieces of furniture found in the kitchen (plastic plates containing melamine and plates containing formaldehyde) showed, that hydrocyanic acid was liberated through combustion of such substances and inhaled by the victim. The poisoning picture is discussed, and discussion includes especially considerations on the peculiar sensitivity of the brain toward the action of hydrocyanic acid and the relative insensitivity of the heart muscle. It is thought that the cause of such sensitivity difference lies in the physiological differences of the intracellular energy production. Finally the dangers of combustion gases developing from burning plastic materials are reemphasized.

Sampling capacity underlies individual differences in human associative learning.

PubMed

Byrom, Nicola C; Murphy, Robin A

2014-04-01

Though much work has studied how external factors, such as stimulus properties, influence generalization of associative strength, there has been limited exploration of the influence that internal dispositions may contribute to stimulus processing. Here we report 2 studies using a modified negative patterning discrimination to test the relationship between global processing and generalization. Global processing was associated with stronger negative patterning discrimination, indicative of limited generalization between distinct stimulus compounds and their constituent elements. In Experiment 2, participants pretrained to adopt global processing similarly showed strong negative patterning discrimination. These results demonstrate considerable individual difference in capacity to engage in negative patterning discrimination and suggest that the tendency toward global processing may be one factor explaining this variability. The need for models of learning to account for this variability in learning is discussed.

Microencapsulated Dopamine (DA)-Induced Restitution of Function in 6-OHDA-Denervated Rat Striatum in vivo: Comparison Between Two Microsphere Excipients

PubMed Central

McRae, Amanda; Hjorth, Stephan; Mason, David W.; Dillon, Lynn; Tice, Thomas R.

1991-01-01

Biodegradable controlled-release microsphere systems made with the biocompatible biodegradable polyester excipient poly [DL lactide-co-glycolide] constitute an exciting new technology for drug delivery to the central nervous system (CNS). The present study describes functional observations indicating that implantation of dopamine (DA) microspheres encapsulated within two different polymer excipients into denervated- striatal tissue assures a prolonged release of the transmitter in vivo. Moreover, in this regard, the results show that there were clear cut temporal differences in the effect of the two DA microsphere formulations compared in this study, probably reflecting variations in the actual composition (i.e., lactide to glycolide ratio) of the two copolymer excipients examined. This technology has considerable potential for basic research with possible clinical application. PMID:1782252

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

Andreev, Pavel A., E-mail: andreevpa@physics.msu.ru; Kuz’menkov, L.S., E-mail: lsk@phys.msu.ru

We consider quantum plasmas of electrons and motionless ions. We describe separate evolution of spin-up and spin-down electrons. We present corresponding set of quantum hydrodynamic equations. We assume that plasmas are placed in an uniform external magnetic field. We account different occupation of spin-up and spin-down quantum states in equilibrium degenerate plasmas. This effect is included via equations of state for pressure of each species of electrons. We study oblique propagation of longitudinal waves. We show that instead of two well-known waves (the Langmuir wave and the Trivelpiece–Gould wave), plasmas reveal four wave solutions. New solutions exist due to bothmore » the separate consideration of spin-up and spin-down electrons and different occupation of spin-up and spin-down quantum states in equilibrium state of degenerate plasmas.« less

A knitted glove sensing system with compression strain for finger movements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ryu, Hochung; Park, Sangki; Park, Jong-Jin; Bae, Jihyun

2018-05-01

Development of a fabric structure strain sensor has received considerable attention due to its broad application in healthcare monitoring and human–machine interfaces. In the knitted textile structure, it is critical to understand the surface structural deformation from a different body motion, inducing the electrical signal characteristics. Here, we report the electromechanical properties of the knitted glove sensing system focusing on the compressive strain behavior. Compared with the electrical response of the tensile strain, the compressive strain shows much higher sensitivity, stability, and linearity via different finger motions. Additionally, the sensor exhibits constant electrical properties after repeated cyclic tests and washing processes. The proposed knitted glove sensing system can be readily extended to a scalable and cost-effective production due to the use of a commercialized manufacturing system.

Temperature dependence of autogenous shrinkage of silica fume cement pastes with a very low water–binder ratio

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

Maruyama, I., E-mail: ippei@dali.nuac.nagoya-u.ac.jp; Teramoto, A.

Ultra-high-strength concrete with a large unit cement content undergoes considerable temperature increase inside members due to hydration heat, leading to a higher risk of internal cracking. Hence, the temperature dependence of autogenous shrinkage of cement pastes made with silica fume premixed cement with a water–binder ratio of 0.15 was studied extensively. Development of autogenous shrinkage showed different behaviors before and after the inflection point, and dependence on the temperature after mixing and subsequent temperature histories. The difference in autogenous shrinkage behavior poses problems for winter construction because autogenous shrinkage may increase with decrease in temperature after mixing before the inflectionmore » point and with increase in temperature inside concrete members with large cross sections.« less

Aging properties of Kodak type 101 emulsions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dohne, B.; Feldman, U.; Neupert, W.

1984-01-01

Aging tests for several batches of Kodak type 101 emulsion show that storage conditions significantly influence how well the film will maintain its sensitometric properties, with sensitivity and density increasing to a maximum during this period. Any further aging may result in higher fog levels and sensitivity loss. It is noted that storage in an environment free of photographically active compounds allows film property optimization, and that film batches with different sensitivities age differently. Emulsions with maximum 1700-A sensitivity are 2.5 times faster than those at the low end of the sensitivity scale. These sensitive emulsions exhibit significantly accelerated changes in aging properties. Their use in space applications requires careful consideration of time and temperature profiles, encouraging the use of less sensitive emulsions when the controllability of these factors is limited.

Vocational interests of adolescents: relationships between self-esteem and locus of control.

PubMed

Mullis, A K; Mullis, R L

1997-12-01

The purpose of this study was to examine relationships among scores on vocational interests, self-esteem, and locus of control for high school students. Grade and sex differences were also examined. 1364 high school students ranging in age from 14 to 19 years of age were administered the Coopersmith Self-esteem Inventory, Nowicki-Strickland Locus of Control Scale for Children, and the Strong-Campbell Interest Inventory. High school students with higher scores on self-esteem and showing an orientation toward internal locus of control expressed more interests in a variety of vocational themes than adolescents with lower scores on self-esteem and scores for external locus of control. Sex and grade differences in vocational interests of adolescents were also noted. The findings were discussed in light of theoretical and practical considerations.

The nature of visual self-recognition.

PubMed

Suddendorf, Thomas; Butler, David L

2013-03-01

Visual self-recognition is often controversially cited as an indicator of self-awareness and assessed with the mirror-mark test. Great apes and humans, unlike small apes and monkeys, have repeatedly passed mirror tests, suggesting that the underlying brain processes are homologous and evolved 14-18 million years ago. However, neuroscientific, developmental, and clinical dissociations show that the medium used for self-recognition (mirror vs photograph vs video) significantly alters behavioral and brain responses, likely due to perceptual differences among the different media and prior experience. On the basis of this evidence and evolutionary considerations, we argue that the visual self-recognition skills evident in humans and great apes are a byproduct of a general capacity to collate representations, and need not index other aspects of self-awareness. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Consequences of a Failed Project: Introduction and Management of a Hospitalization-Substituting Treatment Model].

PubMed

Peters, Uwe

2018-01-01

This article is a report on a psychiatric project introducing services that substitute in-patient treatment and a new control and management system. The implementation of the project was a failure. Nevertheless, the project has made a contribution to further development of community-based psychiatry. Design, organization and course of the project are described and analyzed from the point of view of the communal actors involved. Effects going beyond the time course of the project have been taken into consideration. The results show that the contracting authority, project developer and local actors involved had differing ideas on the weight attached to different parts of the project as well as on the project goal and resources for carrying out the project. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Adaptive rehabilitation gaming system: on-line individualization of stroke rehabilitation.

PubMed

Nirme, Jens; Duff, Armin; Verschure, Paul F M J

2011-01-01

The effects of stroke differ considerably in degree and symptoms for different patients. It has been shown that specific, individualized and varied therapy favors recovery. The Rehabilitation Gaming System (RGS) is a Virtual Reality (VR) based rehabilitation system designed following these principles. We have developed two algorithms to control the level of task difficulty that a user of the RGS is exposed to, as well as providing controlled variation in the therapy. In this paper, we compare the two algorithms by running numerical simulations and a study with healthy subjects. We show that both algorithms allow for individualization of the challenge level of the task. Further, the results reveal that the algorithm that iteratively learns a user model for each subject also allows a high variation of the task.

Control banding approaches for nanomaterials.

PubMed

Brouwer, Derk H

2012-07-01

Control banding (CB) has been developed as a pragmatic tool to manage the risk resulting from exposure to a wide variety of potentially hazardous substances in the absence of firm toxicological and exposure information. Currently, the CB approach is applied for emerging risks such as nanoparticles, by the development of various CB-based tools. Six of these are compared. Despite their similarity, i.e. combining hazard and exposure into control or risk bands, the structure, the applicability domains, and the assignment of the hazard and exposure bands, show differences that may affect the consistency of the resulting outcome amongst the various CB tools. The value of the currently available CB tools for nanomaterials can be enhanced by transparently elucidating these differences for user consideration during the selection of a tool for a specific scenario of application.

Experimental study on the thermal hydraulic performance of plate-fin heat exchangers for cryogenic applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jiang, Qingfeng; Zhuang, Ming; Zhang, Qiyong; Zhu, Zhigang; Geng, Maofei; Sheng, Linhai; Zhu, Ping

2018-04-01

Efficient and compact plate-fin heat exchangers are critical for large-scale helium liquefaction/refrigeration systems as they constitute major part in the cold box. This study experimentally explores the heat transfer and pressure drop behaviors of helium gas at low temperature in four types of plate-fin channels, namely offset-strip and perforated fins, with different geometrical parameters. A series of cryogenic experiments at approximately liquid nitrogen temperature are carried out to measure the Colburn j factors and Fanning friction f factors with a wide range of Reynolds number. Besides, to reveal the performance variations under different operating temperatures, comparative experiments respectively conducted at room temperature and liquid nitrogen temperature are implemented. The results show that in comparison with the performance data at room temperature, most of j factors are relatively smaller perhaps because the lower aluminum thermal conductivity and higher Prandtl Number at low temperature. Meanwhile, the f factors corresponding to cryogenic conditions exhibit slightly larger even though the core pressure drops show considerable reductions. In contrast to the calculated results from the frequently-used performance curves (Chen and Shen, 1993), the Root Mean Squared Errors of j and f values are correlated within 8.38% and 6.97% for one perforated fin core, 41.29% and 34.97% for three OSF cores, respectively. For OSFs, further comparisons with the previous empirical correlations from literatures are conducted to verify the accuracy of each correlation. Generally, most of the calculated results predict acceptably within the deviations of ±25% for the j factors, while the predicted results express relatively large deviations for the f factors. Therefore, it may be revealed that most of the existing correlations were not able to accurately predict the experimental data in consideration of the performance differences under realistic cryogenic operating conditions, which could have significant influences during the design process of cryogenic heat exchangers.

A novel synthesis of a new thorium (IV) metal organic framework nanostructure with well controllable procedure through ultrasound assisted reverse micelle method.

PubMed

Sargazi, Ghasem; Afzali, Daryoush; Mostafavi, Ali

2018-03-01

Reverse micelle (RM) and ultrasound assisted reverse micelle (UARM) were applied to the synthesis of novel thorium nanostructures as metal organic frameworks (MOFs). Characterization with different techniques showed that the Th-MOF sample synthesized by UARM method had higher thermal stability (354°C), smaller mean particle size (27nm), and larger surface area (2.02×10 3 m 2 /g). Besides, in this novel approach, the nucleation of crystals was found to carry out in a shorter time. The synthesis parameters of UARM method were designed by 2 k-1 factorial and the process control was systematically studied using analysis of variance (ANOVA) and response surface methodology (RSM). ANOVA showed that various factors, including surfactant content, ultrasound duration, temperature, ultrasound power, and interaction between these factors, considerably affected different properties of the Th-MOF samples. According to the 2 k-1 factorial design, the determination coefficient (R 2 ) of the model is 0.999, with no significant lack of fit. The F value of 5432, implied that the model was highly significant and adequate to represent the relationship between the responses and the independent variables, also the large R-adjusted value indicates a good relationship between the experimental data and the fitted model. RSM predicted that it would be possible to produce Th-MOF samples with the thermal stability of 407°C, mean particle size of 13nm, and surface area of 2.20×10 3 m 2 /g. The mechanism controlling the Th-MOF properties was considerably different from the conventional mechanisms. Moreover, the MOF sample synthesized using UARM exhibited higher capacity for nitrogen adsorption as a result of larger pore sizes. It is believed that the UARM method and systematic studies developed in the present work can be considered as a new strategy for their application in other nanoscale MOF samples. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Genome-Wide Analysis of the NADK Gene Family in Plants

PubMed Central

Li, Wen-Yan; Wang, Xiang; Li, Ri; Li, Wen-Qiang; Chen, Kun-Ming

2014-01-01

Background NAD(H) kinase (NADK) is the key enzyme that catalyzes de novo synthesis of NADP(H) from NAD(H) for NADP(H)-based metabolic pathways. In plants, NADKs form functional subfamilies. Studies of these families in Arabidopsis thaliana indicate that they have undergone considerable evolutionary selection; however, the detailed evolutionary history and functions of the various NADKs in plants are not clearly understood. Principal Findings We performed a comparative genomic analysis that identified 74 NADK gene homologs from 24 species representing the eight major plant lineages within the supergroup Plantae: glaucophytes, rhodophytes, chlorophytes, bryophytes, lycophytes, gymnosperms, monocots and eudicots. Phylogenetic and structural analysis classified these NADK genes into four well-conserved subfamilies with considerable variety in the domain organization and gene structure among subfamily members. In addition to the typical NAD_kinase domain, additional domains, such as adenylate kinase, dual-specificity phosphatase, and protein tyrosine phosphatase catalytic domains, were found in subfamily II. Interestingly, NADKs in subfamily III exhibited low sequence similarity (∼30%) in the kinase domain within the subfamily and with the other subfamilies. These observations suggest that gene fusion and exon shuffling may have occurred after gene duplication, leading to specific domain organization seen in subfamilies II and III, respectively. Further analysis of the exon/intron structures showed that single intron loss and gain had occurred, yielding the diversified gene structures, during the process of structural evolution of NADK family genes. Finally, both available global microarray data analysis and qRT-RCR experiments revealed that the NADK genes in Arabidopsis and Oryza sativa show different expression patterns in different developmental stages and under several different abiotic/biotic stresses and hormone treatments, underscoring the functional diversity and functional divergence of the NADK family in plants. Conclusions These findings will facilitate further studies of the NADK family and provide valuable information for functional validation of this family in plants. PMID:24968225