SPECS: The Kilometer-baseline Far-IR Interferometer in NASA's Space Science Roadmap Presentation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Abel, Tom; Allen, Ron; Benford, Dominic; Blain, Andrew; Bombardelli, Claudio; Calzetti, Daniela; DiPirro, Michael J.; Ehrenfreund, Pascale; Evans, Neal; Fischer, Jackie

2004-01-01

A viewgraph presentation describing the Submillimeter Probe of the Evolution of Cosmic Structure (SPECS) mission is shown. The topics include: 1) Context: community planning and study status; 2) Science goals; 3) Mission requirements; 4) Mission concepts for SPIRIT and SPECS; and 5) Tethered formation flying, a key enabling technology.

Management of Library Security. SPEC Kit 247 and SPEC Flyer 247.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Soete, George J., Comp.; Zimmerman, Glen, Comp.

This SPEC (Systems and Procedures Exchange Center) Kit and Flyer reports results of a survey conducted in January 1999 that examined how ARL (Association of Research Libraries) member libraries assure the safety and security of persons, library materials, physical facilities, furnishings, computer equipment, etc. Forty-five of the 122 ARL member…

United States Air Force Analysis Extract AFSC 2A6X4 Aircraft Fuel Systems (ANG/AFRC)

DTIC Science & Technology

2001-02-01

8217AFOMS (AETC) Randolph AFB TX’ V0226 Spec tools/equip use/oper - Rollers or Stitchers ...8217 V0226 Spec tools/equip use/oper - Rollers or Stitchers ANG ANG ANG RES RES...8217AFOMS (AETC) Randolph AFB TX’ V0226 Spec tools/equip use/oper - Rollers or Stitchers

Building Use Policies. SPEC Kit 144.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Coyle, Patrick

This Systems and Procedures Exchange Center (SPEC) flyer/kit addresses some of the needs of Association of Research Libraries (ARL) members regarding library building use and the aesthetics and well-being of the materials and people in the building. The kit draws upon documents gathered as part of a 1986 Quick-SPEC survey that dealt with food and…

Web Page Development and Management. SPEC Kit 246 and SPEC Flyer 246.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Liu, Yaping Peter, Comp.

This SPEC (Systems and Procedures Exchange Center) Kit and Flyer reports results of two surveys conducted in 1996 and 1998 that examined ARL (Association of Research Libraries) member libraries' World Wide Web history, development, use, and activities. Fifty-six out of the then 119 ARL member institutions responded to the 1996 survey, and 68 out…

Defining defect specifications to optimize photomask production and requalification

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fiekowsky, Peter

2006-10-01

Reducing defect repairs and accelerating defect analysis is becoming more important as the total cost of defect repairs on advanced masks increases. Photomask defect specs based on printability, as measured on AIMS microscopes has been used for years, but the fundamental defect spec is still the defect size, as measured on the photomask, requiring the repair of many unprintable defects. ADAS, the Automated Defect Analysis System from AVI is now available in most advanced mask shops. It makes the use of pure printability specs, or "Optimal Defect Specs" practical. This software uses advanced algorithms to eliminate false defects caused by approximations in the inspection algorithm, classify each defect, simulate each defect and disposition each defect based on its printability and location. This paper defines "optimal defect specs", explains why they are now practical and economic, gives a method of determining them and provides accuracy data.

Evaluation of ColorPAC Giardia/Cryptosporidium Rapid Assay and ProSpecT Giardia/Cryptosporidium Microplate Assay for Detection of Giardia and Cryptosporidium in Fecal Specimens

PubMed Central

Katanik, M. T.; Schneider, S. K.; Rosenblatt, J. E.; Hall, G. S.; Procop, G. W.

2001-01-01

Detection of Giardia and Cryptosporidium in clinical stool specimens using the ColorPAC and ProSpecT enzyme immunoassays revealed 98.7% agreement for Giardia detection and 98.1% agreement for Cryptosporidium detection. Sensitivities were uniformly 100%. The specificities of the ColorPAC immunoassay for Giardia and Cryptosporidium detection were 100 and 99.5%, respectively, and those for the ProSpecT assay were 98.4 and 98.6%, respectively. The false-positive reactions with the ProSpecT assay occurred with specimens that were grossly bloody. PMID:11724874

Network-based Arbitrated Quantum Signature Scheme with Graph State

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ma, Hongling; Li, Fei; Mao, Ningyi; Wang, Yijun; Guo, Ying

2017-08-01

Implementing an arbitrated quantum signature(QAS) through complex networks is an interesting cryptography technology in the literature. In this paper, we propose an arbitrated quantum signature for the multi-user-involved networks, whose topological structures are established by the encoded graph state. The determinative transmission of the shared keys, is enabled by the appropriate stabilizers performed on the graph state. The implementation of this scheme depends on the deterministic distribution of the multi-user-shared graph state on which the encoded message can be processed in signing and verifying phases. There are four parties involved, the signatory Alice, the verifier Bob, the arbitrator Trent and Dealer who assists the legal participants in the signature generation and verification. The security is guaranteed by the entanglement of the encoded graph state which is cooperatively prepared by legal participants in complex quantum networks.

Discrimination of fungal infections on grape berries via spectral signatures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Molitor, Daniel; Griesser, Michaela; Schütz, Erich; Khuen, Marie-Therese; Schefbeck, Christa; Ronellenfitsch, Franz Kai; Schlerf, Martin; Beyer, Marco; Schoedl-Hummel, Katharina; Anhalt, Ulrike; Forneck, Astrid

2016-04-01

The fungal pathogens Botrytis cinerea and Penicillium expansum are causing economic damages on grapevine worldwide. Especially the simultaneous occurrence of both often results in off-flavours highly threatening wine quality. For the classification of grape quality as well as for the determination of targeted enological treatments, the knowledge of the level of fungal attack is of highest interest. However, visual assessment and pathogen discrimination are cost-intensive. Consequently, a pilot laboratory study aimed at (i) detecting differences in spectral signatures between grape berry lots with different levels of infected berries (B. cinerea and/or P. expansum) and (ii) detecting links between spectral signatures and biochemical as well as quantitative molecular markers for fungal attack. To this end, defined percentages (infection levels) of table grape berries were inoculated with fungal spore suspensions. Spectral measurements were taken using a FieldSpec 3 Max spectroradiometer (ASD Inc., Boulder/Colorado, USA) in regular intervals after inoculation. In addition, fungal attack was determined enzymatically) and quantitatively (real-time PCR). In addition, gluconic acid concentrations (as a potential markers for fungal attack) were determined photometrically. Results indicate that based on spectral signatures, a discrimination of P. expansum and B. cinerea infections as well as of different B. cinerea infection levels is possible. Real-time PCR analyses, detecting DNA levels of both fungi, showed yet a low detection level. Whereas the gluconic acid concentrations turned out to be specific for the two fungi tested (B. cinerea vs. P. expansum) and thus may serve as a differentiating biochemical marker. Correlation analyses between spectral measurements and biological data (gluconic acid concentrations, fungi DNA) as well as further common field and laboratory trials are targeted.

Three new species of Rectiostoma Becker, 1982 (Lepidoptera: Gelechioidea: Depressariidae) from Area de Conservación Guanacaste, northwestern Costa Rica

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

We describe three new species of Rectiostoma Becker, 1982 from Costa Rica: R. annemayae Heikkilä and Metz spec. nov., R. eowilsoni Heikkilä and Metz spec. nov. and R. philipmayi Heikkilä and Metz spec. nov. We used a data set of DNA COI-barcodes accumulated for Lepidoptera collected at Area de Conse...

Quantitative computed tomography applied to interstitial lung diseases.

PubMed

Obert, Martin; Kampschulte, Marian; Limburg, Rebekka; Barańczuk, Stefan; Krombach, Gabriele A

2018-03-01

To evaluate a new image marker that retrieves information from computed tomography (CT) density histograms, with respect to classification properties between different lung parenchyma groups. Furthermore, to conduct a comparison of the new image marker with conventional markers. Density histograms from 220 different subjects (normal = 71; emphysema = 73; fibrotic = 76) were used to compare the conventionally applied emphysema index (EI), 15 th percentile value (PV), mean value (MV), variance (V), skewness (S), kurtosis (K), with a new histogram's functional shape (HFS) method. Multinomial logistic regression (MLR) analyses was performed to calculate predictions of different lung parenchyma group membership using the individual methods, as well as combinations thereof, as covariates. Overall correct assigned subjects (OCA), sensitivity (sens), specificity (spec), and Nagelkerke's pseudo R 2 (NR 2 ) effect size were estimated. NR 2 was used to set up a ranking list of the different methods. MLR indicates the highest classification power (OCA of 92%; sens 0.95; spec 0.89; NR 2 0.95) when all histogram analyses methods were applied together in the MLR. Highest classification power among individually applied methods was found using the HFS concept (OCA 86%; sens 0.93; spec 0.79; NR 2 0.80). Conventional methods achieved lower classification potential on their own: EI (OCA 69%; sens 0.95; spec 0.26; NR 2 0.52); PV (OCA 69%; sens 0.90; spec 0.37; NR 2 0.57); MV (OCA 65%; sens 0.71; spec 0.58; NR 2 0.61); V (OCA 66%; sens 0.72; spec 0.53; NR 2 0.66); S (OCA 65%; sens 0.88; spec 0.26; NR 2 0.55); and K (OCA 63%; sens 0.90; spec 0.16; NR 2 0.48). The HFS method, which was so far applied to a CT bone density curve analysis, is also a remarkable information extraction tool for lung density histograms. Presumably, being a principle mathematical approach, the HFS method can extract valuable health related information also from histograms from complete different areas. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

[Morphological variablility in the chigger mite species Neotrombicula sympatrica (Acariformes: Trombiculidae) from Kyrgyzstan].

PubMed

Kharadov, A V

2002-01-01

Aberrations (quantitative chaetotactic deviations, i.e. decreasing or increasing of setae numbers and variations in arrangement of setae) and anomalies (qualitative chaetotactic deviations, for example, partial reduction of scutum, shortening of a seta more than 1.5-2 times, merging of setae) were recorded for 13 taxonomically important morphological structures in the chigger mite species Neotrombicula sympatrica Stekolnikov, 2001. 3308 specimens were studied as a total. 17.2% of them had various morphological deviations. The most common types of aberrations were observed in the number and positions of genualae I (94 specimens), AM seta (79 spec.) and sternal setae (77 spec.). The aberrations of sternal and coxal setae were usually interrelated: the sternal seta was "transferred" from the sternal area onto the coxa, or the other way round take place. The specimens having aberrations of sternal setae were twice as numerous as the specimens with aberrations of coxal setae (77 against 35). The specimens with aberrations of dorsal setae and mastitarsala were very rare (2 spec. each). Among anomalies, the presence of nude galeal seta (91 spec.) and scutal anomalies (66 spec.) were prevalent. The most frequently one form of deviation only was observed in one specimen of N. sympatrica. Nevertheless, the specimens simultaneously having several aberrations or anomalies were also found. 17 types of such combinations were observed, that counts 20.6% of all specimens with deviations. Symmetric deviations, namely the presence of two nude galeal setae (31 spec.), presence of 2 genualae on both legs I (4 spec.), presence of 2 AM (2 spec.) and symmetric reduction of scutal angles (1 spec.), sometimes cause troubles in diagnostics. The quarter of variance in N. sympatrica and in the species N. monticola Schluger et Davydov, 1967 formerly studied by the author turned out as almost identical. The specimens with deviations counted 14.5% of all studied specimens in the latter species. However, the structures of variance in these species is different. In N. monticola, the aberrations of humeral setae were dominant (71.6%) (Kharadov, Chirov, 2001), while in N. sympatrica, the aberrations of other structures were prevalent: genualae I (24.8%), AM (20.9%) and sternal setae (20.4%).

Usability study of a novel, self-lighted, disposable speculum: military applications.

PubMed

Jones, Christina L; Gruber, Daniel D; Warner, William; Buller, Jerome L

2013-04-01

Data collected from a postutilization questionnaire were used to evaluate the usability of the OfficeSPEC disposable vaginal speculum, specifically the effectiveness, efficiency, and acceptability, in clinical, hospital, and austere environments. Usability data analysis showed the OfficeSPEC speculum had an effectiveness rating of 4.6/5, efficiency rating of 4.5/5, and acceptability rating of 4.6/5; overall usability in deployed environments was favorable. The overall rankings were 3.4 for plastic, 4.2 for metal (p < 0.001), and 4.5 for OfficeSPEC (p < 0.001). Cost analysis of the OfficeSPEC placed the disposable speculum as a reasonable alternative with yearly cost of $129,200, compared to traditional metal ($209,100) and plastic ($319,175). By evaluating the OfficeSPEC speculum within a usability framework, it proved to be practical, viable alternative in all environments, particularly in the forward deployed environment. Reprint & Copyright © 2013 Association of Military Surgeons of the U.S.

Evaluation of Consideration and Incorporation of Green and Sustainable Remediation (GSR) Practices in Army Environmental Remediation. Volume 1

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-08-27

materials Examples: - Cheese whey , molasses, compost, or off-spec food products for inducing anaerobic conditions - Crushed concrete for use as...place of refined chemicals or materials Examples: - Cheese whey , molasses, compost, or off-spec food products for inducing anaerobic conditions... whey , molasses, compost, or off-spec food products for inducing anaerobic conditions - Crushed concrete for use as fill - Concrete from coal

ChinaSpec: a network of SIF observations to bridge flux measurements and remote sensing data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Y.; Wang, S.; Liu, L.; Ju, W.; Zhu, X.

2017-12-01

Accurately quantifying atmosphere-biosphere interactions across multiple scale still remains a challenge. Remote sensing, especially satellite data, has been widely used as a solution to resolve the broad scale estimation of carbon flux by upscaling the point measurements of eddy covariance (EC) technique. However, critical gaps remain between the EC observations and coarse satellite data due to the scale mismatch. In this regard, it is necessary to build a network of in situ optical observations to bridge the scale-mismatch between EC measurements and satellite remote sensing data. Internationally, a few networks have already been established (e.g., SpecNet and EuroSpec), but still at its early stage. ChinaSpec is a network of linking in situ spectral measurements, especially sun-induce chlorophyll fluorescence (SIF), with point EC observations for better understanding the interactions of atmosphere-biosphere. One main focus of ChinsSpec is to conduct continuous field SIF measurements at multiple EC sites across the mainland of China. This will help us better understand the mechanics of SIF and photosynthesis, and resolve the missing gaps between recent SIF retrievals from coarse satellite data and EC observations. In this presentation, we introduce the background, current stage, and the development of ChinaSpec network.

SpecViz: Interactive Spectral Data Analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Earl, Nicholas Michael; STScI

2016-06-01

The astronomical community is about to enter a new generation of scientific enterprise. With next-generation instrumentation and advanced capabilities, the need has arisen to equip astronomers with the necessary tools to deal with large, multi-faceted data. The Space Telescope Science Institute has initiated a data analysis forum for the creation, development, and maintenance of software tools for the interpretation of these new data sets. SpecViz is a spectral 1-D interactive visualization and analysis application built with Python in an open source development environment. A user-friendly GUI allows for a fast, interactive approach to spectral analysis. SpecViz supports handling of unique and instrument-specific data, incorporation of advanced spectral unit handling and conversions in a flexible, high-performance interactive plotting environment. Active spectral feature analysis is possible through interactive measurement and statistical tools. It can be used to build wide-band SEDs, with the capability of combining or overplotting data products from various instruments. SpecViz sports advanced toolsets for filtering and detrending spectral lines; identifying, isolating, and manipulating spectral features; as well as utilizing spectral templates for renormalizing data in an interactive way. SpecViz also includes a flexible model fitting toolset that allows for multi-component models, as well as custom models, to be used with various fitting and decomposition routines. SpecViz also features robust extension via custom data loaders and connection to the central communication system underneath the interface for more advanced control. Incorporation with Jupyter notebooks via connection with the active iPython kernel allows for SpecViz to be used in addition to a user’s normal workflow without demanding the user drastically alter their method of data analysis. In addition, SpecViz allows the interactive analysis of multi-object spectroscopy in the same straight-forward, consistent way. Through the development of such tools, STScI hopes to unify astronomical data analysis software for JWST and other instruments, allowing for efficient, reliable, and consistent scientific results.

What Is Psychosis?

MedlinePlus

... our Questions & Answers page. Share Science News About Schizophrenia Disorders Share Molecular Signatures March 1, 2018 Molecular ... Dish as in Brain August 18, 2017 More Schizophrenia Research Clinical Trials: Current Studies on Schizophrenia PubMed: ...

Point-of-care device to diagnose and monitor neonatal jaundice in low-resource settings

PubMed Central

Keahey, Pelham A.; Simeral, Mathieu L.; Schroder, Kristofer J.; Bond, Meaghan M.; Mtenthaonnga, Prince J.; Miros, Robert H.; Dube, Queen

2017-01-01

Newborns are at increased risk of jaundice, a condition in which excess bilirubin accumulates in blood. Left untreated, jaundice can lead to neurological impairment and death. Jaundice resulting from unconjugated hyperbilirubinemia is easily treated with exposure to blue light, and phototherapy systems have been developed for low-resource settings; however, there are no appropriate solutions to diagnose and monitor jaundice in these settings. To address this need we present BiliSpec, a low-cost reader and disposable lateral flow card designed to measure the concentration of total bilirubin from several drops of blood at the point of care. We evaluated the performance of BiliSpec, using blood from normal volunteers spiked with varying amounts of bilirubin; results measured using BiliSpec correlated well with a reference laboratory bilirubinometer (r = 0.996). We then performed a pilot clinical study using BiliSpec to measure total bilirubin in neonates at risk for jaundice at Queen Elizabeth Central Hospital in Blantyre, Malawi. Concentrations measured using BiliSpec correlated well with those measured using a laboratory reference standard in 94 patient samples ranging from 1.1 mg/dL to 23.0 mg/dL in concentration (r = 0.973). The mean difference between bilirubin levels measured with BiliSpec and the reference standard was 0.3 mg/dL (95% CI: −1.7–2.2 mg/dL). PMID:29203650

Simultaneous Isolation of Lactoferrin and Lactoperoxidase from Bovine Colostrum by SPEC 70 SLS Cation Exchange Resin

PubMed Central

Liang, Yafei; Wang, Xuewan; Wu, Mianbin; Zhu, Wanping

2011-01-01

In this work, simultaneous isolation of lactoferrin (Lf) and lactoperoxidase (Lp) from defatted bovine colostrum by one-step cation exchange chromatography with SPEC 70 SLS ion-exchange resin was investigated. A RP-HPLC method for Lf and Lp determination was developed and optimized as the following conditions: detection wavelength of 220 nm, flow rate of 1 mL/min and acetonitrile concentration from 25% to 75% within 20 min. The adsorption process of Lf on SPEC 70 SLS resin was optimized using Lf standard as substrate. The maximum static binding capacity of SPEC 70 SLS resin was of 22.0 mg/g resin at 15 °C, pH 7.0 and adsorption time 3 h. The Lf adsorption process could be well described by the Langmuir adsorption isotherm model, with a maximum adsorption capacity of 21.73 mg/g resin at 15 °C. In batch fractionation of defatted colostrum, the binding capacities of SPEC 70 SLS resin for adsorbing Lf and Lp simultaneously under the abovementioned conditions were 7.60 and 6.89 mg/g resin, respectively, both of which were superior to those of CM Sepharose F.F. or SP Sepharose F.F. resins under the same conditions. As a result, SPEC 70 SLS resin was considered as a successful candidate for direct and economic purification of Lf and Lp from defatted colostrum. PMID:22016715

Seeing the light: The SpecUP educational spectrophotometer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Forbes, P. B. C.

2016-09-01

Spectrophotometry is a cross-cutting analytical technique, which finds use in disciplines ranging from chemistry to pharmacy, biochemistry, food science and physics. The SpecUP (Spectrophotometer of the University of Pretoria) is an educational spectrophotometer which was developed so that students could build their own instruments from components in a kit, and then utilise it to generate analytically useful results. This initiative allows for institutions to have more spectroscopy equipment available, as the SpecUP costs less than 40 as opposed to 2 000 which is the cost of an entry-level commercial instrument. This is of particular importance in a developing country context, where student numbers are typically high and resources are scarce. In addition, the SpecUP has moving parts and an open design which allows users to understand what is inside the "black box" of commercial instruments and to discover what happens when they adjust components, allowing for active, inquiry-based learning. The SpecUP user network currently spans South Africa, Tunisia, Namibia, Lesotho, Botswana, Kenya, Swaziland, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Ivory Coast, Egypt, Turkey and Italy.

Designing Specification Languages for Process Control Systems: Lessons Learned and Steps to the Future

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Leveson, Nancy G.; Heimdahl, Mats P. E.; Reese, Jon Damon

1999-01-01

Previously, we defined a blackbox formal system modeling language called RSML (Requirements State Machine Language). The language was developed over several years while specifying the system requirements for a collision avoidance system for commercial passenger aircraft. During the language development, we received continual feedback and evaluation by FAA employees and industry representatives, which helped us to produce a specification language that is easily learned and used by application experts. Since the completion of the PSML project, we have continued our research on specification languages. This research is part of a larger effort to investigate the more general problem of providing tools to assist in developing embedded systems. Our latest experimental toolset is called SpecTRM (Specification Tools and Requirements Methodology), and the formal specification language is SpecTRM-RL (SpecTRM Requirements Language). This paper describes what we have learned from our use of RSML and how those lessons were applied to the design of SpecTRM-RL. We discuss our goals for SpecTRM-RL and the design features that support each of these goals.

Design and Performance of A High Resolution Micro-Spec: An Integrated Sub-Millimeter Spectrometer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barrentine, Emily M.; Cataldo, Giuseppe; Brown, Ari D.; Ehsan, Negar; Noroozian, Omid; Stevenson, Thomas R.; U-Yen, Kongpop; Wollack, Edward J.; Moseley, S. Harvey

2016-01-01

Micro-Spec is a compact sub-millimeter (approximately 100 GHz--1:1 THz) spectrometer which uses low loss superconducting microstrip transmission lines and a single-crystal silicon dielectric to integrate all of the components of a diffraction grating spectrometer onto a single chip. We have already successfully evaluated the performance of a prototype Micro-Spec, with spectral resolving power, R=64. Here we present our progress towards developing a higher resolution Micro-Spec, which would enable the first science returns in a balloon flight version of this instrument. We describe modifications to the design in scaling from a R=64 to a R=256 instrument, as well as the ultimate performance limits and design concerns when scaling this instrument to higher resolutions.

Questions and Answers about Psychosis

MedlinePlus

... they received effective services. Share Science News About Schizophrenia Disorders Share Molecular Signatures March 1, 2018 Molecular ... Dish as in Brain August 18, 2017 More Schizophrenia Research Clinical Trials: Current Studies on Schizophrenia PubMed: ...

Engineering and Design. Containment and Disposal of Aqueous Film-Forming Foam Solution

DTIC Science & Technology

1997-05-23

Aqueous Film-Forming Foam (AFFF) concentrate used in DoD facilities must be "MIL-SPEC" foam conforming to MIL - F - 24385 . MIL-SPEC foam is recognized...requirements, the MIL - F - 24385 provides for important chemical and physical properties not specified by other standards. "MIL-SPEC" AFFF concentrate...is the standard by which others are measured. Other commercially available AFFF concentrates are simply not comparable to those conforming to MIL - F - 24385 . 3.2

Design and evaluation of a failure detection and isolation algorithm for restructurable control systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Weiss, Jerold L.; Hsu, John Y.

1986-01-01

The use of a decentralized approach to failure detection and isolation for use in restructurable control systems is examined. This work has produced: (1) A method for evaluating fundamental limits to FDI performance; (2) Application using flight recorded data; (3) A working control element FDI system with maximal sensitivity to critical control element failures; (4) Extensive testing on realistic simulations; and (5) A detailed design methodology involving parameter optimization (with respect to model uncertainties) and sensitivity analyses. This project has concentrated on detection and isolation of generic control element failures since these failures frequently lead to emergency conditions and since knowledge of remaining control authority is essential for control system redesign. The failures are generic in the sense that no temporal failure signature information was assumed. Thus, various forms of functional failures are treated in a unified fashion. Such a treatment results in a robust FDI system (i.e., one that covers all failure modes) but sacrifices some performance when detailed failure signature information is known, useful, and employed properly. It was assumed throughout that all sensors are validated (i.e., contain only in-spec errors) and that only the first failure of a single control element needs to be detected and isolated. The FDI system which has been developed will handle a class of multiple failures.

Reference Proteome Extracts for Mass Spec Instrument Performance Validation and Method Development

PubMed Central

Rosenblatt, Mike; Urh, Marjeta; Saveliev, Sergei

2014-01-01

Biological samples of high complexity are required to test protein mass spec sample preparation procedures and validate mass spec instrument performance. Total cell protein extracts provide the needed sample complexity. However, to be compatible with mass spec applications, such extracts should meet a number of design requirements: compatibility with LC/MS (free of detergents, etc.)high protein integrity (minimal level of protein degradation and non-biological PTMs)compatibility with common sample preparation methods such as proteolysis, PTM enrichment and mass-tag labelingLot-to-lot reproducibility Here we describe total protein extracts from yeast and human cells that meet the above criteria. Two extract formats have been developed: Intact protein extracts with primary use for sample preparation method development and optimizationPre-digested extracts (peptides) with primary use for instrument validation and performance monitoring

Soil Ciliates from Saudi Arabia, Including Descriptions of Two New Genera and Six New Species.

PubMed

Foissner, Wilhelm; Quintela-Alonso, Pablo; Al-Rasheid, Khaled

2008-01-01

Six soil samples from natural and cultivated sites of Saudi Arabia were investigated for ciliate diversity, using the non-flooded Petri dish culture method, live observation, and silver impregnation. We identified 135 species, all new for the fauna of Saudi Arabia, of which seven were undescribed: Spathidium alqasabi nov. spec.; Enchelyodon alqasabi nov. spec.; Metauroleptus arabicus nov. gen., nov. spec.; Pseudohemisincirra arabica nov. gen., nov. spec.; Saudithrix terricola​ Berger, Al-Rasheid and Foissner, 2006; Oxytricha arabica nov. spec.; and Erimophrya monostyla nov. spec. Based on Spathidium alqasabi, S. seppelti foissneri​ Vd'ačný et al., 2006 and S. seppelti etoschense​ Foissner et al., 2002 are raised to species rank; for the latter, a new name is required to avoid homonymy: Spathidium fraterculum nov. nom. The new genus Metauroleptus, which possesses two long and two to three short ventral cirral rows, generates all dorsal kineties intrakinetally and produces caudal cirri exclusively in dorsal kinety 1. Metauroleptus belongs to the hypotrichs, while family classification remains doubtful. The same applies to the new hypotrich genus Pseudohemisincirra, which has frontoventral and transverse cirri, while buccal cirri and caudal cirri are absent. The number of species contained in Saudi Arabian soils, including sand dunes, is in the range reported from other regions of the earth, suggesting that ciliates are well adapted to dry habitats, possibly mainly by their ability to produce very resistant resting cysts, most surviving for a long time due to reduced metazoan predation.

SuperSpec, The On-Chip Spectrometer: Improved NEP and Antenna Performance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wheeler, Jordan; Hailey-Dunsheath, S.; Shirokoff, E.; Barry, P. S.; Bradford, C. M.; Chapman, S.; Che, G.; Doyle, S.; Glenn, J.; Gordon, S.; Hollister, M.; Kovács, A.; LeDuc, H. G.; Mauskopf, P.; McGeehan, R.; McKenney, C.; Reck, T.; Redford, J.; Ross, C.; Shiu, C.; Tucker, C.; Turner, J.; Walker, S.; Zmuidzinas, J.

2018-05-01

SuperSpec is a new technology for mm and sub-mm spectroscopy. It is an on-chip spectrometer being developed for multi-object, moderate-resolution (R˜ 300 ), large bandwidth survey spectroscopy of high-redshift galaxies for the 1 mm atmospheric window. This band accesses the CO ladder in the redshift range of z = 0-4 and the [CII] 158 μm line from redshift z = 5-9. SuperSpec employs a novel architecture in which detectors are coupled to a series of resonant filters along a single microwave feedline instead of using dispersive optics. This construction allows for the creation of a full spectrometer occupying only ˜ 10 cm^2 of silicon, a reduction in size of several orders of magnitude when compared to standard grating spectrometers. This small profile enables the production of future multi-beam spectroscopic instruments envisioned for the millimeter band to measure the redshifts of dusty galaxies efficiently. The SuperSpec collaboration is currently pushing toward the deployment of a SuperSpec demonstration instrument in fall of 2018. The progress with the latest SuperSpec prototype devices is presented; reporting increased responsivity via a reduced inductor volume (2.6 μm^3 ) and the incorporation of a new broadband antenna. A detector NEP of 3-4 × 10^{-18} W/Hz^{0.5} is obtained, sufficient for background-limited observation on mountaintop sites. In addition, beam maps and efficiency measurements of a new wide-band dual bow-tie slot antenna are shown.

Texture analysis at neutron diffractometer STRESS-SPEC

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brokmeier, H.-G.; Gan, W. M.; Randau, C.; Völler, M.; Rebelo-Kornmeier, J.; Hofmann, M.

2011-06-01

In response to the development of new materials and the application of materials and components in advanced technologies, non-destructive measurement methods of textures and residual stresses have gained worldwide significance in recent years. The materials science neutron diffractometer STRESS-SPEC at FRM II (Garching, Germany) is designed to be applied equally to texture and residual stress analyses by virtue of its very flexible configuration. Due to the high penetration capabilities of neutrons and the high neutron flux of STRESS-SPEC it allows a combined analysis of global texture, local texture, strain pole figure and FWHM pole figure in a wide variety of materials including metals, alloys, composites, ceramics and geological materials. Especially, the analysis of texture gradients in bulk materials using neutron diffraction has advantages over laboratory X-rays and EBSD for many scientific cases. Moreover, neutron diffraction is favourable for coarse-grained materials, where bulk information averaged over texture inhomogeneities is needed, and also stands out due to easy sample preparation. In future, the newly developed robot system for STRESS-SPEC will allow much more flexibility than an Eulerian cradle as on standard instruments. Five recent measurements are shown to demonstrate the wide range of possible texture applications at STRESS-SPEC diffractometer.

Studying Star and Planet Formation with the Submillimeter Probe of the Evolution of Cosmic Structure

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rinehart, Stephen A.

2005-01-01

The Submillimeter Probe of the Evolution of Cosmic Structure (SPECS) is a far- infrared/submillimeter (40-640 micrometers) spaceborne interferometry concept, studied through the NASA Vision Missions program. SPECS is envisioned as a 1-km baseline Michelson interferometer with two 4- meter collecting mirrors. To maximize science return, SPECS will have three operational modes: a photometric imaging mode, an intermediate spectral resolution mode (R approximately equal to 1000-3000), and a high spectral resolution mode (R approximately equal to 3 x 10(exp 5)). The first two of these modes will provide information on all sources within a 1 arcminute field-of-view (FOV), while the the third will include sources in a small (approximately equal to 5 arcsec) FOV. With this design, SPECS will have angular resolution comparable to the Hubble Space Telescope (50 mas) and sensitivity more than two orders of magnitude better than Spitzer (5sigma in 10ks of approximately equal to 3 x 10(exp 7) Jy Hz). We present here some of the results of the recently-completed Vision Mission Study for SPECS, and discuss the application of this mission to future studies of star and planet formation.

Second-generation Micro-Spec: a medium-resolution spectrometer-on-a-chip for submillimeter astronomy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cataldo, Giuseppe; Barrentine, Emily M.; Bulcha, Berhanu T.; Ehsan, Negar; Hess, Larry A.; Noroozian, Omid; Stevenson, Thomas R.; U-Yen, Kongpop; Wollack, Edward; Moseley, Samuel Harvey

2018-01-01

This work reports on the design of a second-generation Micro-Spec (µ-Spec), a direct-detection spectrometer which integrates all the components of a diffraction-grating spectrometer onto a ~10-cm2 chip by means of superconducting microstrip transmission lines on a monocrystalline silicon substrate. The second-generation µ-Spec is designed to operate with a resolving power of 512 over the 500-1000 µm (300-600 GHz) wavelength range, a band of interest for several spectroscopic applications in astrophysics and the study of the early (z > 8) Universe. High-altitude balloon missions would provide the first testbed to demonstrate the µ-Spec technology in a space-like environment and would represent an economically viable venue for multiple observation campaigns.A brief overview of each instrument subsystem will be provided. Emphasis will be given to the design of the spectrometer’s two-dimensional diffractive region, through which the light of different wavelengths is focused on the kinetic inductance detectors along the focal plane. An optical design optimized for balloon missions through an optimization process that satisfies specific requirements on spectrometer’s size, operating spectral range and optical performance is presented in terms of geometric layout, spectral purity and efficiency.

Discrete event performance prediction of speculatively parallel temperature-accelerated dynamics

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

Zamora, Richard James; Voter, Arthur F.; Perez, Danny

Due to its unrivaled ability to predict the dynamical evolution of interacting atoms, molecular dynamics (MD) is a widely used computational method in theoretical chemistry, physics, biology, and engineering. Despite its success, MD is only capable of modeling time scales within several orders of magnitude of thermal vibrations, leaving out many important phenomena that occur at slower rates. The Temperature Accelerated Dynamics (TAD) method overcomes this limitation by thermally accelerating the state-to-state evolution captured by MD. Due to the algorithmically complex nature of the serial TAD procedure, implementations have yet to improve performance by parallelizing the concurrent exploration of multiplemore » states. Here we utilize a discrete event-based application simulator to introduce and explore a new Speculatively Parallel TAD (SpecTAD) method. We investigate the SpecTAD algorithm, without a full-scale implementation, by constructing an application simulator proxy (SpecTADSim). Finally, following this method, we discover that a nontrivial relationship exists between the optimal SpecTAD parameter set and the number of CPU cores available at run-time. Furthermore, we find that a majority of the available SpecTAD boost can be achieved within an existing TAD application using relatively simple algorithm modifications.« less

Discrete event performance prediction of speculatively parallel temperature-accelerated dynamics

DOE PAGES

Zamora, Richard James; Voter, Arthur F.; Perez, Danny; ...

2016-12-01

Due to its unrivaled ability to predict the dynamical evolution of interacting atoms, molecular dynamics (MD) is a widely used computational method in theoretical chemistry, physics, biology, and engineering. Despite its success, MD is only capable of modeling time scales within several orders of magnitude of thermal vibrations, leaving out many important phenomena that occur at slower rates. The Temperature Accelerated Dynamics (TAD) method overcomes this limitation by thermally accelerating the state-to-state evolution captured by MD. Due to the algorithmically complex nature of the serial TAD procedure, implementations have yet to improve performance by parallelizing the concurrent exploration of multiplemore » states. Here we utilize a discrete event-based application simulator to introduce and explore a new Speculatively Parallel TAD (SpecTAD) method. We investigate the SpecTAD algorithm, without a full-scale implementation, by constructing an application simulator proxy (SpecTADSim). Finally, following this method, we discover that a nontrivial relationship exists between the optimal SpecTAD parameter set and the number of CPU cores available at run-time. Furthermore, we find that a majority of the available SpecTAD boost can be achieved within an existing TAD application using relatively simple algorithm modifications.« less

Argonne's SpEC Module

ScienceCinema

Harper, Jason

2018-03-02

Jason Harper, an electrical engineer in Argonne National Laboratory's EV-Smart Grid Interoperability Center, discusses his SpEC Module invention that will enable fast charging of electric vehicles in under 15 minutes. The module has been licensed to BTCPower.

Temperature Sensing for Oil, Gas, and Structural Analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2006-01-01

In 1996, Systems and Processes Engineering Corporation (SPEC), of Austin, Texas, undertook a NASA Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contract with Langley Research Center to develop a compact and lightweight digital thermal sensing (DTS) system for monitoring the cryogenic tanks on the X-33 prototype aircraft. That technology, along with a processor developed by SPEC for Goddard Space Flight Center, was space-qualified and integrated into several NASA missions. SPEC formed an ancillary organization, SensorTran, Inc., to continue work developing the DTS technology for a variety of commercial and industrial applications.

Rapid sequential determination of Pu, 90Sr and 241Am nuclides in environmental samples using an anion exchange and Sr-Spec resins.

PubMed

Lee, M H; Ahn, H J; Park, J H; Park, Y J; Song, K

2011-02-01

This paper presents a quantitative and rapid method of sequential separation of Pu, (90)Sr and (241)Am nuclides in environmental soil samples with an anion exchange resin and Sr Spec resin. After the sample solution was passed through an anion exchange column connected to a Sr Spec column, Pu isotopes were purified from the anion exchange column. Strontium-90 was separated from other interfering elements by the Sr Spec column. Americium-241 was purified from lanthanides by the anion exchange resin after oxalate co-precipitation. Measurement of Pu and Am isotopes was carried out using an α-spectrometer. Strontium-90 was measured by a low-level liquid scintillation counter. The radiochemical procedure of Pu, (90)Sr and (241)Am nuclides investigated in this study validated by application to IAEA reference materials and environmental soil samples. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Remotely Controlled Mixers for Light Microscopy Module (LMM) Colloid Samples

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kurk, Michael A. (Andy)

2015-01-01

Developed by NASA Glenn Research Center, the LMM aboard the International Space Station (ISS) is enabling multiple biomedical science experiments. Techshot, Inc., has developed a series of colloid specialty cell systems (C-SPECS) for use in the colloid science experiment module on the LMM. These low-volume mixing devices will enable uniform particle density and remotely controlled repetition of LMM colloid experiments. By automating the experiment process, C-SPECS allow colloid samples to be processed more quickly. In addition, C-SPECS will minimize the time the crew will need to spend on colloid experiments as well as eliminate the need for multiple and costly colloid samples, which are expended after a single examination. This high-throughput capability will lead to more efficient and productive use of the LMM. As commercial launch vehicles begin routine visits to the ISS, C-SPECS could become a significant means to process larger quantities of high-value materials for commercial customers.

Validation of a commercial 1,2-o-dilauryl-rac-glycero glutaric acid-(6'-methylresorufin) ester lipase assay for diagnosis of canine pancreatitis.

PubMed

Goodband, Emily L; Serrano, Gonçalo; Constantino-Casas, Fernando; Archer, Joy; Watson, Penny J; Williams, Tim L

2018-01-01

The objectives of this study were fourfold: technical validation of a commercial canine 1,2-o-dilauryl-rac-glycero glutaric acid-(6'-methylresorufin) ester (DGGR) lipase assay, to calculate a reference interval for DGGR lipase by the indirect a posteriori method, to establish biological validity of the assay, and to assess agreement between DGGR lipase and specific canine pancreatic lipase (Spec cPL) assays. Dogs with histologically confirmed acute pancreatitis (n=3), chronic pancreatitis (n=8) and normal pancreatic tissue (n=7) with stored (-80°C) serum samples were identified. Relevant controls were selected. Precision, reproducibility and linearity of DGGR lipase, and the effect of sample haemolysis and freezing, were assessed. Sensitivity and specificity of DGGR lipase and Spec cPL were determined. Agreement between these two parameters was calculated using Cohen's kappa coefficient (κ). The DGGR lipase assay demonstrated excellent precision, reproducibility and linearity. Sample haemolysis and storage at -80°C for 12 months did not influence the assay. DGGR lipase (>245IU/l) and Spec cPL (>400µg/l) both showed poor sensitivity but excellent specificity for acute pancreatitis, and poor to moderate sensitivity but excellent specificity for chronic pancreatitis. Substantial agreement (κ=0.679) was found between DGGR lipase and Spec cPL. The validated DGGR lipase assay had similar sensitivity and specificity for the diagnosis of acute and chronic pancreatitis to Spec cPL. DGGR lipase is a reliable alternative to Spec cPL for the diagnosis of pancreatitis.

Eclipse Science Results from the Airborne Infrared Spectrometer (AIR-Spec)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Samra, J.; Cheimets, P.; DeLuca, E.; Golub, L.; Judge, P. G.; Lussier, L.; Madsen, C. A.; Marquez, V.; Tomczyk, S.; Vira, A.

2017-12-01

We present the first science results from the commissioning flight of the Airborne Infrared Spectrometer (AIR-Spec), an innovative solar spectrometer that will observe the 2017 solar eclipse from the NSF/NCAR High-Performance Instrumented Airborne Platform for Environmental Research (HIAPER). During the eclipse, AIR-Spec will image five magnetically sensitive coronal emission lines between 1.4 and 4 microns to determine whether they may be useful probes of coronal magnetism. The instrument will measure emission line intensity, FWHM, and Doppler shift from an altitude of over 14 km, above local weather and most of the absorbing water vapor. Instrumentation includes an image stabilization system, feed telescope, grating spectrometer, infrared camera, and visible slit-jaw imager. Results from the 2017 eclipse are presented in the context of the mission's science goals. AIR-Spec will identify line strengths as a function of position in the solar corona and search for the high frequency waves that are candidates for heating and acceleration of the solar wind. The instrument will also identify large scale flows in the corona, particularly in polar coronal holes. Three of the five lines are expected to be strong in coronal hole plasmas because they are excited in part by scattered photospheric light. Line profile analysis will probe the origins of the fast and slow solar wind. Finally, the AIR-Spec measurements will complement ground based eclipse observations to provide detailed plasma diagnostics throughout the corona. AIR-Spec will measure infrared emission of ions observed in the visible from the ground, giving insight into plasma heating and acceleration at radial distances inaccessible to existing or planned spectrometers.

MultiSpec—a tool for multispectral hyperspectral image data analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Biehl, Larry; Landgrebe, David

2002-12-01

MultiSpec is a multispectral image data analysis software application. It is intended to provide a fast, easy-to-use means for analysis of multispectral image data, such as that from the Landsat, SPOT, MODIS or IKONOS series of Earth observational satellites, hyperspectral data such as that from the Airborne Visible-Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (AVIRIS) and EO-1 Hyperion satellite system or the data that will be produced by the next generation of Earth observational sensors. The primary purpose for the system was to make new, otherwise complex analysis tools available to the general Earth science community. It has also found use in displaying and analyzing many other types of non-space related digital imagery, such as medical image data and in K-12 and university level educational activities. MultiSpec has been implemented for both the Apple Macintosh ® and Microsoft Windows ® operating systems (OS). The effort was first begun on the Macintosh OS in 1988. The GLOBE ( http://www.globe.gov) program supported the development of a subset of MultiSpec for the Windows OS in 1995. Since then most (but not all) of the features in the Macintosh OS version have been ported to the Windows OS version. Although copyrighted, MultiSpec with its documentation is distributed without charge. The Macintosh and Windows versions and documentation on its use are available from the World Wide Web at URL: http://dynamo.ecn.purdue.edu/˜biehl/MultiSpec/ MultiSpec is copyrighted (1991-2001) by Purdue Research Foundation, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907.

New SHARE 2010 HSI-LiDAR dataset: re-calibration, detection assessment and delivery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ientilucci, Emmett J.

2016-09-01

This paper revisits hyperspectral data collected from the SpecTIR hyperspectral airborne Rochester Experiment (SHARE) in 2010. It has been determined that there were calibration issues in the SWIR portion of the data. This calibration issue is discussed and has been rectified. Approaches for calibration to radiance and compensation to reflectance are discussed based on in-scene information and radiative transfer codes. In addition to the entire flight line, a much large target detection test and evaluation chip has been created which includes an abundance of potential false alarms. New truth masks are created along with results from target detection algorithms. Co-registered LiDAR data is also presented. Finally, all ground truth information (ground photos, metadata, MODTRAN tape5, ASD ground spectral measurements, target truth masks, etc.), in addition to the HSI flight lines and co-registered LiDAR data, has been organized, packaged and uploaded to the Center for Imaging Science / Digital Imaging and Remote Sensing Lab web server for public use.

SpecTracer: A Python-Based Interactive Solution for Echelle Spectra Reduction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Romero Matamala, Oscar Fernando; Petit, Véronique; Caballero-Nieves, Saida Maria

2018-01-01

SpecTracer is a newly developed interactive solution to reduce cross dispersed echelle spectra. The use of widgets saves the user the steep learning curves of currently available reduction software. SpecTracer uses well established image processing techniques based on IRAF to succesfully extract the stellar spectra. Comparisons with other reduction software, like IRAF, show comparable results, with the added advantages of ease of use, platform independence and portability. This tool can obtain meaningful scientific data and serve also as a training tool, especially for undergraduates doing research, in the procedure for spectroscopic analysis.

A huge diversity of metopids (Ciliophora, Armophorea) in soil from the Murray River floodplain, Australia. I. Description of five new species and redescription of Metopus setosus Kahl, 1927.

PubMed

Vďačný, Peter; Foissner, Wilhelm

2017-04-01

Six metopid ciliates from soil of the Murray River floodplain in Australia were studied using live observation, various silver impregnation methods, scanning electron microscopy, and multivariate statistics. One of the species is affiliated with M. setosus while the others represent new taxa. Metopus filum nov. spec. is distinguished from most congeners by the slender body, the absence of cortical granules, and the low number of ciliary rows and adoral polykinetids. Metopus palaeformides nov. spec. most resembles Heterometopus palaeformis (Kahl, 1927) Foissner, 2016b but they can be distinguished by body size, the number of adoral polykinetids, and the oral area pattern. Metopus murrayensis nov. spec. is outstanding in having a globular macronucleus surrounded by innumerable refractive granules and a conspicuously thick preoral dome. Metopus rex nov. spec. and M. magnus nov. spec. are easily distinguished from most congeners by their large body size and the shape of the macronucleus. Moreover, M. rex displays up to 30μm long endosymbiotic bacteria while the micronucleus of M. magnus is uniquely situated in a small macronuclear concavity. Multivariate statistics corroborates the distinctness of these six metopid populations. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Second-Generation Design of Micro-Spec: A Medium-Resolution, Submillimeter-Wavelength Spectrometer-on-a-Chip

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cataldo, G.; Barrentine, E. M.; Bulcha, B. T.; Ehsan, N.; Hess, L. A.; Noroozian, O.; Stevenson, T. R.; U-Yen, K.; Wollack, E. J.; Moseley, S. H.

2018-04-01

Micro-Spec (µ-Spec) is a direct-detection spectrometer which integrates all the components of a diffraction-grating spectrometer onto a ˜ 10-cm^2 chip through the use of superconducting microstrip transmission lines on a single-crystal silicon substrate. A second-generation µ-Spec is being designed to operate with a spectral resolution of 512 in the submillimeter (500-1000 µm, 300-600 GHz) wavelength range, a band of interest for several spectroscopic applications in astrophysics. High-altitude balloon missions would provide the first test bed to demonstrate the µ-Spec technology in a space-like environment and would be an economically viable venue for multiple observation campaigns. This work reports on the current status of the instrument design and will provide a brief overview of each instrument subsystem. Particular emphasis will be given to the design of the spectrometer's two-dimensional diffractive region, through which the light of different wavelengths is focused on the detectors along the focal plane. An optimization process is employed to generate geometrical configurations of the diffractive region that satisfy specific requirements on spectrometer size, operating spectral range, and performance. An optical design optimized for balloon missions will be presented in terms of geometric layout, spectral purity, and efficiency.

SPECS: the kilometer-baseline far-IR interferometer in NASA's space science roadmap

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leisawitz, David T.; Abel, Tom; Allen, Ronald J.; Benford, Dominic J.; Blain, Andrew; Bombardelli, Claudio; Calzetti, Daniela; DiPirro, Michael J.; Ehrenfreund, Pascale; Evans, Neal J., II; Fischer, Jacqueline; Harwit, Martin; Hyde, Tristram T.; Kuchner, Marc J.; Leitner, Jesse A.; Lorenzini, Enrico C.; Mather, John C.; Menten, Karl M.; Moseley, Samuel H., Jr.; Mundy, Lee G.; Nakagawa, Takao; Neufeld, David A.; Pearson, John C.; Rinehart, Stephen A.; Roman, Juan; Satyapal, Shobita; Silverberg, Robert F.; Stahl, H. Philip; Swain, Mark R.; Swanson, Theodore D.; Traub, Wesley A.; Wright, Edward L.; Yorke, Harold W.

2004-10-01

Ultimately, after the Single Aperture Far-IR (SAFIR) telescope, astrophysicists will need a far-IR observatory that provides angular resolution comparable to that of the Hubble Space Telescope. At such resolution galaxies at high redshift, protostars, and nascent planetary systems will be resolved, and theoretical models for galaxy, star, and planet formation and evolution can be subjected to important observational tests. This paper updates information provided in a 2000 SPIE paper on the scientific motivation and design concepts for interferometric missions SPIRIT (the Space Infrared Interferometric Telescope) and SPECS (the Submillimeter Probe of the Evolution of Cosmic Structure). SPECS is a kilometer baseline far-IR/submillimeter imaging and spectral interferometer that depends on formation flying, and SPIRIT is a highly-capable pathfinder interferometer on a boom with a maximum baseline in the 30 - 50 m range. We describe recent community planning activities, remind readers of the scientific rationale for space-based far-infrared imaging interferometry, present updated design concepts for the SPIRIT and SPECS missions, and describe the main issues currently under study. The engineering and technology requirements for SPIRIT and SPECS, additional design details, recent technology developments, and technology roadmaps are given in a companion paper in the Proceedings of the conference on New Frontiers in Stellar Interferometry.

On the benefit of high resolution and low aberrations for in-die mask registration metrology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beyer, Dirk; Seidel, Dirk; Heisig, Sven; Steinert, Steffen; Töpfer, Susanne; Scherübl, Thomas; Hetzler, Jochen

2014-10-01

With the introduction of complex lithography schemes like double and multi - patterning and new design principles like gridded designs with cut masks the requirements for mask to mask overlay have increased dramatically. Still, there are some good news too for the mask industry since more mask are needed and qualified. Although always confronted with throughput demands, latest writing tool developments are able to keep pace with ever increasing pattern placement specs not only for global signatures but for in-die features within the active area. Placement specs less than 3nm (max. 3 Sigma) are expected and needed in all cases in order to keep the mask contribution to the overall overlay budget at an accepted level. The qualification of these masks relies on high precision metrology tools which have to fulfill stringent metrology as well as resolution constrains at the same time. Furthermore, multi-patterning and gridded designs with pinhole type cut masks are drivers for a paradigm shift in registration metrology from classical registration crosses to in-die registration metrology on production features. These requirements result in several challenges for registration metrology tools. The resolution of the system must be sufficiently high to resolve small production features. At the same time tighter repeatability is required. Furthermore, tool induced shift (TIS) limit the accuracy of in-die measurements. This paper discusses and demonstrates the importance of low illumination wavelength together with low aberrations for best contrast imaging for in-die registration metrology. Typical effects like tool induced shift are analyzed and evaluated using the ZEISS PROVE® registration metrology tool. Additionally, we will address performance gains when going to higher resolution. The direct impact on repeatability for small features by registration measurements will be discussed as well.

Mapping Weathering and Alteration Minerals in the Comstock and Geiger Grade Areas using Visible to Thermal Infrared Airborne Remote Sensing Data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vaughan, Greg R.; Calvin, Wendy M.

2005-01-01

To support research into both precious metal exploration and environmental site characterization a combination of high spatial/spectral resolution airborne visible, near infrared, short wave infrared (VNIR/SWIR) and thermal infrared (TIR) image data were acquired to remotely map hydrothermal alteration minerals around the Geiger Grade and Comstock alteration regions, and map the mineral by-products of weathered mine dumps in Virginia City. Remote sensing data from the Airborne Visible Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (AVIRIS), SpecTIR Corporation's airborne hyperspectral imager (HyperSpecTIR), the MODIS-ASTER airborne simulator (MASTER), and the Spatially Enhanced Broadband Array Spectrograph System (SEBASS) were acquired and processed into mineral maps based on the unique spectral signatures of image pixels. VNIR/SWIR and TIR field spectrometer data were collected for both calibration and validation of the remote data sets, and field sampling, laboratory spectral analyses and XRD analyses were made to corroborate the surface mineralogy identified by spectroscopy. The resulting mineral maps show the spatial distribution of several important alteration minerals around each study area including alunite, quartz, pyrophyllite, kaolinite, montmorillonite/muscovite, and chlorite. In the Comstock region the mineral maps show acid-sulfate alteration, widespread propylitic alteration and extensive faulting that offsets the acid-sulfate areas, in contrast to the larger, dominantly acid-sulfate alteration exposed along Geiger Grade. Also, different mineral zones within the intense acid-sulfate areas were mapped. In the Virginia City historic mining district the important weathering minerals mapped include hematite, goethite, jarosite and hydrous sulfate minerals (hexahydrite, alunogen and gypsum) located on mine dumps. Sulfate minerals indicate acidic water forming in the mine dump environment. While there is not an immediate threat to the community, there are clearly sources of acidic drainage that were identified remotely.

Spec2Harv: Converting Spectrum output to HARVEST input

Treesearch

Eric J. Gustafson; Luke V. Rasmussen; Larry A. Leefers

2003-01-01

Spec2Harv was developed to automate the conversion of harvest schedules generated by the Spectrum model into script files that can be used by the HARVEST simulation model to simulate the implementation of the Spectrum schedules in a spatially explicit way.

Evaluation of spectrophotometric and HPLC methods for shikimic acid determination in plants: models in glyphosate-resistant and -susceptible crops.

PubMed

Zelaya, Ian A; Anderson, Jennifer A H; Owen, Micheal D K; Landes, Reid D

2011-03-23

Endogenous shikimic acid determinations are routinely used to assess the efficacy of glyphosate in plants. Numerous analytical methods exist in the public domain for the detection of shikimic acid, yet the most commonly cited comprise spectrophotometric and high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) methods. This paper compares an HPLC and two spectrophotometric methods (Spec 1 and Spec 2) and assesses the effectiveness in the detection of shikimic acid in the tissues of glyphosate-treated plants. Furthermore, the study evaluates the versatility of two acid-based shikimic acid extraction methods and assesses the longevity of plant extract samples under different storage conditions. Finally, Spec 1 and Spec 2 are further characterized with respect to (1) the capacity to discern between shikimic acid and chemically related alicyclic hydroxy acids, (2) the stability of the chromophore (t1/2), (3) the detection limits, and (4) the cost and simplicity of undertaking the analytical procedure. Overall, spectrophotometric methods were more cost-effective and simpler to execute yet provided a narrower detection limit compared to HPLC. All three methods were specific to shikimic acid and detected the compound in the tissues of glyphosate-susceptible crops, increasing exponentially in concentration within 24 h of glyphosate application and plateauing at approximately 72 h. Spec 1 estimated more shikimic acid in identical plant extract samples compared to Spec 2 and, likewise, HPLC detection was more effective than spectrophotometric determinations. Given the unprecedented global adoption of glyphosate-resistant crops and concomitant use of glyphosate, an effective and accurate assessment of glyphosate efficacy is important. Endogenous shikimic acid determinations are instrumental in corroborating the efficacy of glyphosate and therefore have numerous applications in herbicide research and related areas of science as well as resolving many commercial issues as a consequence of glyphosate utilization.

Spectrophotometric Determination of Carbonate Ion Concentrations: Elimination of Instrument-Dependent Offsets and Calculation of In Situ Saturation States.

PubMed

Sharp, Jonathan D; Byrne, Robert H; Liu, Xuewu; Feely, Richard A; Cuyler, Erin E; Wanninkhof, Rik; Alin, Simone R

2017-08-15

This work describes an improved algorithm for spectrophotometric determinations of seawater carbonate ion concentrations ([CO 3 2- ] spec ) derived from observations of ultraviolet absorbance spectra in lead-enriched seawater. Quality-control assessments of [CO 3 2- ] spec data obtained on two NOAA research cruises (2012 and 2016) revealed a substantial intercruise difference in average Δ[CO 3 2- ] (the difference between a sample's [CO 3 2- ] spec value and the corresponding [CO 3 2- ] value calculated from paired measurements of pH and dissolved inorganic carbon). Follow-up investigation determined that this discordance was due to the use of two different spectrophotometers, even though both had been properly calibrated. Here we present an essential methodological refinement to correct [CO 3 2- ] spec absorbance data for small but significant instrumental differences. After applying the correction (which, notably, is not necessary for pH determinations from sulfonephthalein dye absorbances) to the shipboard absorbance data, we fit the combined-cruise data set to produce empirically updated parameters for use in processing future (and historical) [CO 3 2- ] spec absorbance measurements. With the new procedure, the average Δ[CO 3 2- ] offset between the two aforementioned cruises was reduced from 3.7 μmol kg -1 to 0.7 μmol kg -1 , which is well within the standard deviation of the measurements (1.9 μmol kg -1 ). We also introduce an empirical model to calculate in situ carbonate ion concentrations from [CO 3 2- ] spec . We demonstrate that these in situ values can be used to determine calcium carbonate saturation states that are in good agreement with those determined by more laborious and expensive conventional methods.

School Planning, Evaluation and Communication System (SPECS).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Flocco, Edward C.

A comprehensive school planning tool is available from General Learning Corporation and the Center for the Advanced Study of Educational Administration at the University of Oregon. This School Planning, Evaluation and Communication System (SPECS) provides a deliverable system of training, implementation strategies and materials and technical…

New species in the family Ctenidae Keyserling, 1877 from high altitude habitats in Myanmar, with the first case of penetration of the female's cuticle by a male in the RTA-clade (Arachnida: Araneae: Ctenidae).

PubMed

Jäger, Peter; Minn, Myin Zu

2015-07-31

Specimens of the spider genera Ctenus Walckenaer, 1805 and Anahita Karsch, 1879 from Myanmar were investigated. Three species are described as new to science: Anahita popa spec. nov. (female; Mt Popa), Ctenus natmataung spec. nov. (male, female; Mt Victoria) and C. pingu spec. nov. (male, female; Mt Victoria). The female of C. cladarus Jäger, 2012 is described for the first time. Males of C. natmataung spec. nov. possess an easily breakable tip of their RTA. Two cases are reported where this part was clinging to the epigyne and a pointed appendix had penetrated the female's cuticle. This is the first such case reported within the RTA-clade. All three Ctenus spp. have very similar copulatory organs and are interpreted as a product of relatively recent speciation events. According to their elevational zonation, the driving factor for this speciation could be different climatic conditions at different elevations.

Characterization and calibration of a viscoelastic simplified potential energy clock model for inorganic glasses

DOE PAGES

Chambers, Robert S.; Tandon, Rajan; Stavig, Mark E.

2015-07-07

In this study, to analyze the stresses and strains generated during the solidification of glass-forming materials, stress and volume relaxation must be predicted accurately. Although the modeling attributes required to depict physical aging in organic glassy thermosets strongly resemble the structural relaxation in inorganic glasses, the historical modeling approaches have been distinctly different. To determine whether a common constitutive framework can be applied to both classes of materials, the nonlinear viscoelastic simplified potential energy clock (SPEC) model, developed originally for glassy thermosets, was calibrated for the Schott 8061 inorganic glass and used to analyze a number of tests. A practicalmore » methodology for material characterization and model calibration is discussed, and the structural relaxation mechanism is interpreted in the context of SPEC model constitutive equations. SPEC predictions compared to inorganic glass data collected from thermal strain measurements and creep tests demonstrate the ability to achieve engineering accuracy and make the SPEC model feasible for engineering applications involving a much broader class of glassy materials.« less

Optimization of Micro-Spec, an Ultra-Compact High-Performance Spectrometer for Far-Infrared Astronomy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cataldo, Giuseppe; Moseley, S. H.; Wollack, E.; Hsieh, W.; Huang, W.; Stevenson, T.

2013-06-01

Micro-Spec (µ-Spec) is a high-sensitivity direct-detection spectrometer operating in the far-infrared and submillimeter regime. When combined with a cryogenic telescope, it provides an enabling technology for studying the epoch of reionization and initial galaxy formation. As a direct-detection spectrometer, µ-Spec can provide high sensitivity under the low background conditions provided by cryogenic telescopes such as the space infrared telescope for cosmology and astrophysics SPICA. The µ-Spec modules use low-loss superconducting microstrip transmission lines implemented on a single 4-inch-diameter wafer. Such a dramatic size reduction is enabled by the use of silicon, a material with an index of refraction about three times that of vacuum, which thus allows the microstrip lines to be one third their vacuum length. Using a large number of modules as well as reducing the negative effects of stray light also contributes positively to the enhanced sensitivity of such an instrument. µ-Spec can be compared to a grating spectrometer, in which the phase retardation generated by the reflection from the grating grooves is instead produced by propagation through transmission lines of different length. The µ-Spec optical design is based on the stigmatization and minimization of the light path function in a two-dimensional diffractive region. The power collected through a broadband antenna is progressively divided by binary microstrip power dividers. The position of the radiators is selected to provide zero phase errors at two stigmatic points, and a third stigmatic point is generated by introducing a differential phase shift in each radiator. To optimize the overall efficiency of the instrument, the emitters are directed to the center of the focal surface. A point design was developed for initial demonstration. Because of losses to other diffraction orders, the efficiency of the design presented is about 30%. Design variations on this implementation are illustrated which can lead to near-unit efficiency and will be the basis of future instruments. Measurements are being conducted to validate the designs.

Ectoderm gene activation in sea urchin embryos mediated by the CCAAT-binding factor.

PubMed

Li, Xiaotao; Bhattacharya, Chitralekha; Dayal, Sandeep; Maity, Sankar; Klein, William H

2002-05-01

Transcriptional enhancers are short stretches of DNA that function to achieve highly specific patterns of gene expression. To identify the mechanisms by which enhancers achieve their specificity, we made use of an enhancer from the aboral ectoderm-specific spec2a gene of the sea urchin Strongylocentrotus purpuratus. The spec2a enhancer contains five cis-regulatory elements within 78 base pairs that interact with five distinct DNA-binding proteins to confer aboral ectoderm expression. Here, we present an analysis of the sea urchin CCAAT binding factor (CBF), which binds to a CCAAT motif within the spec2a enhancer. S. purpuratus CBF and SpOtx, a ubiquitously expressed factor, act together at closely placed cis-regulatory elements to mediate spec2a transcription in the ectoderm. SpCBF was the sole factor that bound to the spec2a CCAAT element, and two of the three subunits that make up the CBF holoprotein were cloned and shown to have high sequence conservation with their vertebrate orthologs. Based on its involvement in the regulation of several other sea urchin genes, SpCBF appears to be a major transcription factor in the sea urchin embryo for positive regulation of ectoderm gene expression. In addition to its role in vertebrate cell growth and proliferation, our results indicate that CBF also functions at the early stages of germ layer formation, namely ectoderm differentiation.

Qualitative Collection Analysis: The Conspectus Methodology. SPEC Kit 151.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jakubs, Deborah

The introduction to this Systems and Procedures Exchange Center (SPEC) kit explains the Conspectus method, which was developed in 1980 by the Research Libraries Group (RLG) as a means of systematically and qualitatively evaluating large library collections. The discussion considers advantages and disadvantages of this tool, which evaluates past…

Serials Control and Deselection Projects. SPEC Kit 147.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Association of Research Libraries, Washington, DC. Office of Management Studies.

This Systems and Procedures Exchange Center (SPEC) Kit on serials control and deselection projects provides a timely review of the efforts of research libraries to control the increasing costs of serial subscriptions. This kit contains documents from 13 libraries: University of California at Los Angeles and Riverside; Universities of Florida,…

Electronic Reference Service. SPEC Kit 251.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goetsch, Lori, Comp.

1999-01-01

The goals of this SPEC Kit were to report on the extent to which ARL (Association of Research Libraries) libraries provide electronic reference services and to offer a snapshot of the types of users reached, questions received, policies established, data-gathering techniques utilized, and innovations implemented. The first section of the kit…

Numeric Data Products and Services. SPEC Kit.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cook, Michael N., Comp.; Hernandez, John J., Comp.; Nicholson, Shawn, Comp.

2001-01-01

This SPEC (Systems and Procedures Exchange Center) Kit presents the results of a survey of Association of Research Libraries (ARL) member libraries. The survey addressed the following questions about numeric data (i.e., any information resource, print or non-print, with considerable numeric content) in academic libraries: (1) What relationships…

Planning Systems. SPEC Kit 13.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Association of Research Libraries, Washington, DC. Office of Management Studies.

This kit on planning systems updates a 1974 Management Studies Office Systems and Procedures Exchange Center (SPEC) kit in which developments in planning activities among Association of Research Libraries (ARL) were reviewed. At the time of the original study, in 1972, planning techniques and systems were a subject of much interest because rising…

Managing Corporate Annual Reports. SPEC Kit 258.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Connor, Lisa, Comp.

2000-01-01

The purpose of the survey for this SPEC (Systems and Procedures Exchange Center) Kit was to assess the current print corporate annual report collection practices of ARL (Association of Research Libraries) libraries, describe the effects of these collections, and recommend best practices for preserving these significant historical documents. The…

SPECS 2. Component Two: Program Budgeting and Cost Accounting.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DuVall, Lloyd A.

The School Planning, Evaluation, and Communication System (SPECS) is an overall design for districtwide program assessment and development. It is both a way of interrelating planning and evaluation of individual programs and a way of comparing the outcomes of all district programs with the district's community-defined educational goals. Component…

Scholarly Information Centers in ARL Libraries. SPEC Kit 175.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Allen, Nancy, Comp.; Godden, Irene, Comp.

Noting that the rapid evolution of telecommunications technology, the relentless advancement of computing capabilities, and the seemingly endless proliferation of electronic data have had a profound impact on research libraries, this Systems and Procedures Exchange Center (SPEC) kit explores the extent to which these technologies have come…

Library Reorganization & Restructuring. SPEC Kit 215.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eustis, Joanne D., Comp.; Kenney, Donald J. Comp.

As the entity traditionally responsible for serving the information needs of the university, research libraries have little choice but to change dramatically in the next 25 years. This SPEC Survey on library reorganization seeks to understand how librarians have sought to meet this challenge through the redesigning of their organization.…

Networked Information Resources. SPEC Kit 253.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bleiler, Richard, Comp.; Plum, Terry, Comp.

1999-01-01

This SPEC Kit, published six times per year, examines how Association of Research Libraries (ARL) libraries have structured themselves to identify networked information resources in the market, to evaluate them for purchase, to make purchasing decisions, to publicize them, and to assess their continued utility. In the summer of 1999, the survey…

Role of Libraries in Distance Education. SPEC Kit 216.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Snyder, Carolyn A., Comp.; And Others

The Systems and Procedures Exchange Center (SPEC) surveyed 119 Association of Research Libraries (ARL) members to gather information about current distance education and distance learning initiatives in ARL libraries. The objectives of the survey were to: (1) identify libraries involved in distance education activities and determine the extent or…

Signature Pedagogies in Doctoral Education: Are They Adaptable for the Preparation of Education Researchers?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Golde, Chris M.

2007-01-01

This article describes two practices that can be considered signature pedagogies of doctoral education, one in neuroscience (the journal club) and one in English studies (the list). The practices are routinely found in these and neighboring disciplines but are not found in other fields. The journal club and the list share the goal of acquainting…

Joint Networking Command and Control (C2) Communications Among Distributed Operations, JCAS, and Joint Fires

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-06-01

fasteners. Enviromental Spec Storage Temperature: -26 to 160 °F, Operating Temperature: -22 to 160 °F, Operating Humidity Range: 5% to 100% Non...Accessories Double 90° tongue and groove case design, with anti-tamper fasteners. Enviromental Spec Storage Temperature: -26 to 160 °F, Operating

Nonbibliographic Machine-Readable Data Bases in ARL Libraries. SPEC Kit 105.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Westerman, Mel

This document is one of ten kits distributed annually by the Systems and Procedures Exchange Center (SPEC), a clearinghouse operated by the Association of Research Libraries, Office of Management Studies (ARL/OMS) that provides a central source of timely information and materials on the management and operations of large academic and research…

"FluSpec": A Simulated Experiment in Fluorescence Spectroscopy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bigger, Stephen W.; Bigger, Andrew S.; Ghiggino, Kenneth P.

2014-01-01

The "FluSpec" educational software package is a fully contained tutorial on the technique of fluorescence spectroscopy as well as a simulator on which experiments can be performed. The procedure for each of the experiments is also contained within the package along with example analyses of results that are obtained using the software.

Evolution & Status of Approval Plans. SPEC Kit 221.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Flood, Susan, Comp.

This report documents the results of a survey on the current use and management of approval plans, and compares them with similar studies published in SPEC kits in 1982 and 1988. Overall, Association of Research Libraries (ARL) institutions still consider approval plans to be efficient and cost effective. Survey results include: (1) the percentage…

STS-60 crew walkout from O&C

NASA Image and Video Library

1994-02-03

STS-60 pilot Ken Reightler (front left) and Mission Commander Charlie Bolden (front right) lead the way from the O&C bldg. enroute to Discovery at Pad 39A. Behidn are (from felt) Mission Specs Sega adn Krikalev: Payload Commander Chang-Diaz: and Misssion Spec Davis. (Op. No. D6022)(Item D-112C)

Interlibrary Loan Trends: Staffing and Organization. SPEC Kit #187.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dearie, Tammie Nickelson, Comp.; Steel, Virginia, Comp.

Topics related to research library interlibrary loan staffing and organizational structures were explored through a survey conducted by the Systems and Procedures Exchange Center (SPEC) of the Association of Research Libraries. Data gathered from 82 libraries show a very small increase in the number of full-time equivalents in loan units between…

Library Systems Office Organization. SPEC Kit and SPEC Flyer 211.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Muir, Scott P., Comp.

The roles and responsibilities of the library systems officer continues to change as libraries move beyond the automation of library functions to offering resources in electronic formats and electronic access to information about collections beyond the walls of the home institution. This survey was designed to collect data and document some of the…

Collection Development Organization and Committees. SPEC Kit 11.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Association of Research Libraries, Washington, DC. Office of Management Studies.

This kit focuses on information that is useful for starting a collection development program. It contains 7 position descriptions, 10 documents on the role of committees, 4 organization charts, 5 documents on the organization of functions, and an analysis of a Systems and Procedures Exchange Center (SPEC) collection development survey. The survey,…

DFT algorithms for bit-serial GaAs array processor architectures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mcmillan, Gary B.

1988-01-01

Systems and Processes Engineering Corporation (SPEC) has developed an innovative array processor architecture for computing Fourier transforms and other commonly used signal processing algorithms. This architecture is designed to extract the highest possible array performance from state-of-the-art GaAs technology. SPEC's architectural design includes a high performance RISC processor implemented in GaAs, along with a Floating Point Coprocessor and a unique Array Communications Coprocessor, also implemented in GaAs technology. Together, these data processors represent the latest in technology, both from an architectural and implementation viewpoint. SPEC has examined numerous algorithms and parallel processing architectures to determine the optimum array processor architecture. SPEC has developed an array processor architecture with integral communications ability to provide maximum node connectivity. The Array Communications Coprocessor embeds communications operations directly in the core of the processor architecture. A Floating Point Coprocessor architecture has been defined that utilizes Bit-Serial arithmetic units, operating at very high frequency, to perform floating point operations. These Bit-Serial devices reduce the device integration level and complexity to a level compatible with state-of-the-art GaAs device technology.

Evaluating pictogram prediction in a location-aware augmentative and alternative communication system.

PubMed

Garcia, Luís Filipe; de Oliveira, Luís Caldas; de Matos, David Martins

2016-01-01

This study compared the performance of two statistical location-aware pictogram prediction mechanisms, with an all-purpose (All) pictogram prediction mechanism, having no location knowledge. The All approach had a unique language model under all locations. One of the location-aware alternatives, the location-specific (Spec) approach, made use of specific language models for pictogram prediction in each location of interest. The other location-aware approach resulted from combining the Spec and the All approaches, and was designated the mixed approach (Mix). In this approach, the language models acquired knowledge from all locations, but a higher relevance was assigned to the vocabulary from the associated location. Results from simulations showed that the Mix and Spec approaches could only outperform the baseline in a statistically significant way if pictogram users reuse more than 50% and 75% of their sentences, respectively. Under low sentence reuse conditions there were no statistically significant differences between the location-aware approaches and the All approach. Under these conditions, the Mix approach performed better than the Spec approach in a statistically significant way.

A Semi-Supervised Approach for Refining Transcriptional Signatures of Drug Response and Repositioning Predictions

PubMed Central

Iorio, Francesco; Shrestha, Roshan L.; Levin, Nicolas; Boilot, Viviane; Garnett, Mathew J.; Saez-Rodriguez, Julio; Draviam, Viji M.

2015-01-01

We present a novel strategy to identify drug-repositioning opportunities. The starting point of our method is the generation of a signature summarising the consensual transcriptional response of multiple human cell lines to a compound of interest (namely the seed compound). This signature can be derived from data in existing databases, such as the connectivity-map, and it is used at first instance to query a network interlinking all the connectivity-map compounds, based on the similarity of their transcriptional responses. This provides a drug neighbourhood, composed of compounds predicted to share some effects with the seed one. The original signature is then refined by systematically reducing its overlap with the transcriptional responses induced by drugs in this neighbourhood that are known to share a secondary effect with the seed compound. Finally, the drug network is queried again with the resulting refined signatures and the whole process is carried on for a number of iterations. Drugs in the final refined neighbourhood are then predicted to exert the principal mode of action of the seed compound. We illustrate our approach using paclitaxel (a microtubule stabilising agent) as seed compound. Our method predicts that glipizide and splitomicin perturb microtubule function in human cells: a result that could not be obtained through standard signature matching methods. In agreement, we find that glipizide and splitomicin reduce interphase microtubule growth rates and transiently increase the percentage of mitotic cells–consistent with our prediction. Finally, we validated the refined signatures of paclitaxel response by mining a large drug screening dataset, showing that human cancer cell lines whose basal transcriptional profile is anti-correlated to them are significantly more sensitive to paclitaxel and docetaxel. PMID:26452147

Speech-driven environmental control systems--a qualitative analysis of users' perceptions.

PubMed

Judge, Simon; Robertson, Zoë; Hawley, Mark; Enderby, Pam

2009-05-01

To explore users' experiences and perceptions of speech-driven environmental control systems (SPECS) as part of a larger project aiming to develop a new SPECS. The motivation for this part of the project was to add to the evidence base for the use of SPECS and to determine the key design specifications for a new speech-driven system from a user's perspective. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 users of SPECS from around the United Kingdom. These interviews were transcribed and analysed using a qualitative method based on framework analysis. Reliability is the main influence on the use of SPECS. All the participants gave examples of occasions when their speech-driven system was unreliable; in some instances, this unreliability was reported as not being a problem (e.g., for changing television channels); however, it was perceived as a problem for more safety critical functions (e.g., opening a door). Reliability was cited by participants as the reason for using a switch-operated system as back up. Benefits of speech-driven systems focused on speech operation enabling access when other methods were not possible; quicker operation and better aesthetic considerations. Overall, there was a perception of increased independence from the use of speech-driven environmental control. In general, speech was considered a useful method of operating environmental controls by the participants interviewed; however, their perceptions regarding reliability often influenced their decision to have backup or alternative systems for certain functions.

Real-time evaluation of tissue vitality by monitoring of microcirculatory blood flow, HbO2, and mitochondrial NADH redox state

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deutsch, Assaf; Pevzner, Eliyahu; Jaronkin, Alex; Mayevsky, Avraham

2004-06-01

Monitoring of tissue vitality (oxygen supply/demand) in real time is very rare in clinical practice although its use as an early warning alarming system, for clinical care medicine, is very practical. In our previous communication (SPIE 2003) we described the Tissue Spectroscope - TiSpec02, by which tissue microcirculatory blood flow (TBF) and mitochondrial NADH fluorescence were measured using a single light source (390nm). In order to improve the measurement capabilities as well as to decrease dramatically the size and cost of this clinical device, we have changed the TiSpec02 into a multi-wavelength illumination system in the new TiSpec03. In order to measure microcirculatory blood flow by laser Doppler flowmetry we used a 785nm laser diode. For mitochondrial NADH fluorescence measurement we adopted the 370nm LED. For the determination of the oxygenation level of hemoglobin (HbO2) we used the 2-wavelength reflectance technique. This new monitored parameter that was added to the TiSpec03 increases the accuracy of the diagnosis of tissue vitality. The bundle of optical fibers used to connect the tissue to the TiSpec03, was integrated into a special anchoring methodology depending on the monitored tissue or organ. In order to test the performance of the improved TiSpec we have used it in experimental animals brain models exposed to various pathophysiological conditions. Rats and gerbils were anesthetized and the fiber optic probe was located epidurally used dental acrylic cement. During anoxia and ischemia the lack of O2 led to a clear decrease in TBF and HbO2 while NADH shows a large elevation. When brain activation was induced by cortical spreading depression (SD), the elevated O2 consumption was recorded as a large oxidation (decrease) of mitochondrial NADH while TBF increase dramatically. Blood HbO2 was not affected significantly by the SD wave.

Morphology and small-subunit rRNA gene sequences of two novel marine ciliates, Metanophrys orientalis spec. nov. and Uronemella sinensis spec. nov. (Protista, Ciliophora, Scuticociliatia), with an improved diagnosis of the genus Uronemella.

PubMed

Pan, Xuming; Zhu, Mingzhuang; Ma, Honggang; Al-Rasheid, Khaled A S; Hu, Xiaozhong

2013-09-01

The morphology and infraciliature of two novel marine scuticociliates, Metanophrys orientalis spec. nov. and Uronemella sinensis spec. nov., collected from sandy beaches at Qingdao, China, were investigated using live observation and protargol-staining methods. Metanophrys orientalis spec. nov. is distinguished by the following characteristics: marine habitat and a slender to elongate oval body with pointed anterior end and rounded caudal end, in vivo about 25-50 µm long; buccal field about a quarter to a third of body length; nine or ten somatic kineties with dikinetids approximately in anterior half of body, monokinetids in posterior half; membranelles 1 and 2 almost equal in length and composed of two and three longitudinal rows of kinetids respectively; paroral membrane with zigzag structure extending anteriorly to middle portion of membranelle 2; contractile vacuole pore located at posterior end of somatic kinety 1. The genus Uronemella is redefined as follows: marine form with an elongate-elliptical or inverted pear-shaped body; apical plate conspicuous; buccal field about two-thirds of body length, cytostome subequatorially located; oral apparatus Uronema-like; somatic kineties comprising a mixture of dikinetids and monokinetids. Uronemella sinensis spec. nov. is recognized by having an elongate-elliptical body with truncated apical frontal plate, size in vivo about 25-35 × 15-20 µm, nine or ten somatic kineties, membranelle 1 consisting of two or three basal bodies, contractile vacuole pore at posterior end of somatic kinety 1. This study also compared the small-subunit rRNA gene sequences of these two species with other closely related species to show the sequence divergence, which ranged from 3.53 to 9.60%. Phylogenetic analyses support the contention that the genus Uronemella is monophyletic, while Metanophrys is non-monophyletic.

Response evaluation after primary systemic therapy of Her2 positive breast cancer – an observational cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Tőkés, Tímea; Szentmártoni, Gyöngyvér; Torgyík, László; Kajáry, Kornélia; Lengyel, Zsolt; Györke, Tamás; Molnár, Béla Á; Tőkés, Anna-Mária; Kulka, Janina; Dank, Magdolna

2015-04-01

To evaluate (I) trastuzumab-containing primary systemic therapy (PST) in human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (Her2) overexpressing breast carcinomas.; (II) compare the patients who achieved and those who did not achieve pathological complete remission (pCR), and (III) analyze the accuracy of different clinical-imaging modalities in tumor response monitoring. 188 patients who received PST between 2008 and 2014 were reviewed and 43 Her2 overexpressing breast cancer patients (28 Luminal B/Her2-positive and 15 Her2-positive) were enrolled. 26 patients received mostly taxane-based PST without trastuzumab (Group 1) and 17 patients received trastuzumab-containing PST (Group 2). We compared the concordance between pCR and complete remission (CR) defined by breast-ultrasound, CR defined by standard 18F-fluoro-deoxy-glucose positron emission tomography and computerized tomography (FDG-PET/CT) criteria (Method 1) and CR defined by a novel, breast cancer specific FDG-PET/CT criteria (Method 2). Sensitivity (sens), specificity (spec), and positive (PPV) and negative predictive values (NPV) were calculated. Ten patients (38.5%) in Group 1 and eight (47%) in Group 2 achieved pCR. pCR was significantly more frequent in Her2-positive than in Luminal B/Her2-positive tumors in both Group 1: (P=0.043) and Group 2: (P=0.029). PET/CT evaluated by the breast cancer specific criteria (Method 2) differentiated pCR from non-pCR more accurately in both groups (Group 1: sens=77.8%, spec=%, PPV=100%, NPV=71.4%; Group 2: sens=87.5%, spec=62.5%, PPV=70%, NPV=83.3%) than standard PET/CT criteria (Method 1) (Group 1: sens=22.2% spec=100% PPV=100% NPV=41.7%; in Group 2: sens=37.5%, spec=87.5%, PPV=75% NPV=58.3%) or breast ultrasound (Group 1, sens=83.3% spec=25% PPV=62.5% NPV=50%; Group 2, sens=100% spec=12.5% PPV=41.6% NPV=100%). The benefit of targeted treatment with trastuzumab-containing PST in Her2 overexpressing breast cancer was defined in terms of pCR rate. Luminal B/Her2-positive subtype needs further subdivision to identify patients who would benefit from PST. Combined evaluation of tumor response by our novel, breast cancer specific FDG-PET/CT criteria accurately differentiated pCR from non-pCR patients.

Alternative methods of refraction: a comparison of three techniques.

PubMed

Smith, Kyla; Weissberg, Erik; Travison, Thomas G

2010-03-01

In the developing world, refractive error is a common untreated cause of visual impairment. Lay people may use portable tools to overcome this issue. This study compares three methods of measuring spherical refractive error (SE) performed by a lay technician to a subjective refraction (SR) in a controlled clinical setting and a field trial. Fifty subjects from Boston, MA (mean age, 24.3 y ± 1.5) and 50 from Nicaragua (mean age, 40 y ± 13.7) were recruited. Measures (performed on right eye only) included (1) AdSpecs, adjustable spectacles; (2) Focometer, focusable telescope; (3) Predetermined Lens Refraction (PLR), prescripted lens choices; (4) SR. Examiners were masked and techniques randomized. Student t-test compared mean SE determined by each method (95% confidence intervals). AdSpecs repeatability was evaluated by repeating measures of SE and visual acuity (VA). Mean (SD) SE for Boston subjects determined by SR was -2.46 D (3.2). Mean (SD) SE for AdSpecs, Focometer -2.41 D (2.69), -2.80 D (2.82). Among the 30 Boston subjects considered in analyses of PLR data (see Methods), PLR and SR obtained mean (SD) values of -0.65 D (1.36) and -0.41 D (1.67), respectively, a statistically significant difference of -0.24 D (p = 0.046, t = 2.09). Mean PLR SE had greatest deviation from SR, 0.67 D. 20/20 VA was achieved by SR, AdSpecs, Focometer, and PLR in 98, 88, 84, 96% of subjects. Mean (SD) SE for Nicaragua subjects determined by SR was +0.51 D (0.71). Mean (SD) SE for AdSpecs, Focometer, and PLR was +0.68 D (0.83), +0.42 D (1.13), +0.27 D (0.79). Mean PLR SE had the greatest deviation from the SR by 0.24 D, which was a statistically significant difference. 20/20 VA was achieved by SR, AdSpecs, Focometer, and PLR in 78, 66, 66, 88% of subjects. Repeated measures by AdSpecs were highly correlated. Although the mean value obtained by each technique may be similar to that obtained by SR, substantial and clinically meaningful differences may exist in some individuals; however, where SR is unavailable they could be a feasible alternative.

Noninvasive Tests Do Not Accurately Differentiate Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis From Simple Steatosis: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

PubMed

Verhaegh, Pauline; Bavalia, Roisin; Winkens, Bjorn; Masclee, Ad; Jonkers, Daisy; Koek, Ger

2018-06-01

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease is a rapidly increasing health problem. Liver biopsy analysis is the most sensitive test to differentiate between nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and simple steatosis (SS), but noninvasive methods are needed. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of noninvasive tests for differentiating NASH from SS, focusing on blood markers. We performed a systematic search of the PubMed, Medline and Embase (1990-2016) databases using defined keywords, limited to full-text papers in English and human adults, and identified 2608 articles. Two independent reviewers screened the articles and identified 122 eligible articles that used liver biopsy as reference standard. If at least 2 studies were available, pooled sensitivity (sens p ) and specificity (spec p ) values were determined using the Meta-Analysis Package for R (metafor). In the 122 studies analyzed, 219 different blood markers (107 single markers and 112 scoring systems) were identified to differentiate NASH from simple steatosis, and 22 other diagnostic tests were studied. Markers identified related to several pathophysiological mechanisms. The markers analyzed in the largest proportions of studies were alanine aminotransferase (sens p , 63.5% and spec p , 74.4%) within routine biochemical tests, adiponectin (sensp, 72.0% and spec p , 75.7%) within inflammatory markers, CK18-M30 (sens p , 68.4% and spec p , 74.2%) within markers of cell death or proliferation and homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (sens p , 69.0% and spec p , 72.7%) within the metabolic markers. Two scoring systems could also be pooled: the NASH test (differentiated NASH from borderline NASH plus simple steatosis with 22.9% sens p and 95.3% spec p ) and the GlycoNASH test (67.1% sens p and 63.8% spec p ). In the meta-analysis, we found no test to differentiate NASH from SS with a high level of pooled sensitivity and specificity (≥80%). However, some blood markers, when included in scoring systems in single studies, identified patients with NASH with ≥80% sensitivity and specificity. Replication studies and more standardized study designs are urgently needed. At present, no marker or scoring system can be recommended for use in clinical practice to differentiate NASH from simple steatosis. Copyright © 2018 AGA Institute. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Z-Spec: A broadband spectrometer for millimeter-wave astrophysics---Instrument development and results of a molecular line survey of nearby star-forming galaxy NGC 253

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Earle, Lieko

We have built Z-Spec, a broadband spectrometer for millimeter-wave astrophysics. The instrument's instantaneous bandwidth of 185-305 GHz covers the entire 1 millimeter atmospheric transmission window with a moderate resolving power ( R = n/Dn) of 250-350. The spectrometer employs a novel architecture called WaFIRS (Waveguide Far-Infrared Spectrometer) which confines the light propagation for a curved diffraction grating within a parallel-plate waveguide, resulting in a minimum mechanical envelope. An array of 160 silicon- nitride micromesh bolometers is cooled to 60 mK via an adiabatic demagnetization refrigerator (ADR) backed by a closed-cycle 3 He- 4 He sorption pump refrigerator. Z-Spec's compact design serves as a concept demonstration for a future far-infrared spectrometer aboard a cold telescope in space. Routine observations with Z-Spec from the Caltech Submillimeter Observatory on Mauna Kea have been conducted since April 2006, and the instrument currently achieves good sensitivities that are within a factor of two of the photon background limit set by the atmosphere and telescope. Z-Spec's primary science objectives are to determine the redshifts of faint submillimeter galaxies using the 12 CO rotational ladder, and to conduct systematic line surveys of local galaxies. The millimeter waveband hosts low- to mid- J rotational transitions for several molecular species which trace the dense interstellar gas associated with active star formation. Z-Spec's bandwidth offers a unique advantage over the traditional single-dish heterodyne approach: the spectral lines and the corresponding continua are all observed simultaneously, greatly reducing relative uncertainties in flux calibration and line-to-continuum ratios. The starburst galaxy NGC 253 was observed with Z-Spec in November 2006, for a total integration of 3.49 hours over two nights. NGC 253 is one of the brightest neighbors outside the Local Group of galaxies and its compact nuclear region is a site of prodigious star-formation. Twenty-one transitions in 13 species were detected at greater than 3s, including the well-known density tracers HCO + , HCN, HNC, and three transitions of CS. The results are compared with large-velocity-gradient (LVG) radiative-transfer simulations and the implications for the physical conditions of the gas in the starburst core are discussed.

Distinguishing between biochemical and cellular function: Are there peptide signatures for cellular function of proteins?

PubMed

Jain, Shruti; Bhattacharyya, Kausik; Bakshi, Rachit; Narang, Ankita; Brahmachari, Vani

2017-04-01

The genome annotation and identification of gene function depends on conserved biochemical activity. However, in the cell, proteins with the same biochemical function can participate in different cellular pathways and cannot complement one another. Similarly, two proteins of very different biochemical functions are put in the same class of cellular function; for example, the classification of a gene as an oncogene or a tumour suppressor gene is not related to its biochemical function, but is related to its cellular function. We have taken an approach to identify peptide signatures for cellular function in proteins with known biochemical function. ATPases as a test case, we classified ATPases (2360 proteins) and kinases (517 proteins) from the human genome into different cellular function categories such as transcriptional, replicative, and chromatin remodelling proteins. Using publicly available tool, MEME, we identify peptide signatures shared among the members of a given category but not between cellular functional categories; for example, no motif sharing is seen between chromatin remodelling and transporter ATPases, similarly between receptor Serine/Threonine Kinase and Receptor Tyrosine Kinase. There are motifs shared within each category with significant E value and high occurrence. This concept of signature for cellular function was applied to developmental regulators, the polycomb and trithorax proteins which led to the prediction of the role of INO80, a chromatin remodelling protein, in development. This has been experimentally validated earlier for its role in homeotic gene regulation and its interaction with regulatory complexes like the Polycomb and Trithorax complex. Proteins 2017; 85:682-693. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Technical Services Cost Studies in ARL Libraries. SPEC Kit 125.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hoerman, Heidi Lee

Based on a survey of Association of Research Libraries (ARL) member libraries in February 1986, this kit is designed to illustrate a wide range of alternative approaches to analyzing the costs of technical services. The kit consists of the following unedited primary-source documents: (1) SPEC Technical Services Costs Survey (Three-Year Update)…

United States Air Force Analysis Extract AFSC 2A6X4 Aircraft Fuel Systems (Active Duty)

DTIC Science & Technology

2001-02-01

8217AFOMS (AETC) Randolph AFB TX’ V0226 Spec tools/equip use/oper - Rollers or Stitchers ACTIVE...8217AFOMS (AETC) Randolph AFB TX’ V0226 Spec tools/equip use/oper - Rollers or Stitchers ...equip use/oper - Rollers or Stitchers USAFE AETC PACAF AFSOC ACC AMC AFMC

Preparation and Presentation of the Library Budget. SPEC Kit 32.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Association of Research Libraries, Washington, DC. Office of Management Studies.

This kit on the preparation and presentation of the library budget in Association of Research Libraries (ARL) institutions contains a concise summary of the results of a 1977 member survey on budget preparation and eight related primary source documents. The summary of the Systems and Procedures Exchange Center (SPEC) survey focuses on types of…

Organization Charts in ARL Libraries. SPEC Kit #170.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Association of Research Libraries, Washington, DC. Office of Management Studies.

This kit is based on a review of the organization charts of 71 member libraries of the Association of Research Libraries (ARL) gathered in January 1991, compared with an earlier SPEC Kit published in 1986, and contains charts of 29 of the libraries. A summary of the chart analyses presents information about the titles of library directors,…

Evaluation of the Alexon-Trend ProSpecT Campylobacter Microplate Assay

PubMed Central

Tolcin, Rita; LaSalvia, Margaret M.; Kirkley, Barbara A.; Vetter, Emily A.; Cockerill, Franklin R.; Procop, Gary W.

2000-01-01

We evaluated stool specimens known to contain or be free of Campylobacter by traditional culture, using the ProSpecT Campylobacter microplate assay (Alexon-Trend, Ramsey, Minn.). This rapid enzyme immunoassay for the detection of Campylobacter-specific antigens demonstrated 96% sensitivity and 99% specificity and is an acceptable alternative method of Campylobacter detection. PMID:11015419

Access Services: Organization and Management. SPEC Kit #179.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Steel, Virginia, Comp.

This Systems and Exchange Center (SPEC) kit begins with a summary by Virginia Steel of the findings of a survey of Association of Research Libraries (ARL) member libraries that was conducted in 1991 to determine the prevalence of the organizational model of access services--i.e., a department or division responsible for the services and operations…

Improved sample manipulation at the STRESS-SPEC neutron diffractometer using an industrial 6-axis robot for texture and strain analyses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Randau, C.; Brokmeier, H. G.; Gan, W. M.; Hofmann, M.; Voeller, M.; Tekouo, W.; Al-hamdany, N.; Seidl, G.; Schreyer, A.

2015-09-01

The materials science neutron diffractometer STRESS-SPEC located at FRM II is a dedicated instrument for strain and pole figure measurements. Both methods make complementary demands on sample handling. On one hand pole figure measurements need a high degree of freedom to orient small samples and on the other hand in strain investigations it is often necessary to handle large and heavy components. Therefore a robot based sample positioning system was developed, which has the capability to provide both possibilities. Based on this new robot system further developments like a full automated sample changer system for texture measurements were accomplished. Moreover this system opens the door for combined strain and texture analysis at STRESS-SPEC.

Measurement of the 235U Induced Fission Gamma-ray Spectrum as an Active Non-destructive Assay of Fresh Nucleear Fuel

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

Sarnoski, Sarah E.; Fast, James E.; Fulsom, Bryan G.

2017-07-17

Non-destructive assay is a powerful tool the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) employs to verify adherence to safeguards agreements. Current IAEA veri- cation techniques for fresh nuclear fuel include passive gamma-ray spectroscopy to determine fuel enrichment. This technique suers from self-shielding and lakes the percision to detect diversion of central fuel rods. The aim of this research is to develop a new, more capable non-destructive analysis technique using active neutron interroga- tion of fuel assemblies and determining the yields of short-lived ssion products from high-resolution gamma-ray spectroscopy using high-purity germanium (HPGe). This paper reports results from irradiation of a onemore » meter tall mock fresh fuel assembly with low enriched uranium (LEU) or depleted uranium (DU) rods using a down-scattered deuterium-tritium (D-T) neutron source. Both prompt and delayed gamma-ray spec- tra were collected as time-stamped list-mode data in a coax detector and without list mode data in a planar strip detector. No dierentiating signatures were observed in the prompt spectra in either detector; however, both detectors observed several short-lived ssion product signatures in LEU and not DU fuel, indicating that this technique has potential for determination of enrichment of fresh fuel assemblies. There were eight unique ssion products observed in the LEU spectra with the coax detector spectra, and three ssion products were observed in the LEU spectra with the strip detector.« less

Design and Performance of Micro-Spec, an Ultra Compact High-Sensitivity Far-Infrared Spectrometer for SPICA

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cataldo, Giuseppe; Moseley, S. H.; Hsieh, W.-T.; Huang, W,-C,; Stevenson, T. R.; Wollak, E. J.

2012-01-01

Micro-Spec (u-Spec) is a high-performance spectrometer working in the 250-700-micrometer wavelength range, whose modules use low-loss superconducting microstrip transmission lines on a single 4-inch-diameter silicon wafer. Creating the required phase delays in transmission lines rather than free space allows such an instrument to have, in principle, the performance of a meter-scale grating spectrometer. Such a dramatic size reduction enables classes of instruments for space that would be impossible with conventional technologies. This technology can dramatically enhance the long-wavelength capability of the space infrared telescope for cosmology and astrophysics SPICA. u-Spec is analogous to a grating spectrometer. The phase retardation generated by the reflection from the grating grooves is instead produced by propagation through a transmission line. The power received by a broadband antenna is progressively divided by binary microstrip power dividers, and the required phase delays are generated by different lengths of microstrip transmission lines. by arranging these outputs along a circular focal surface, the analog of a Rowland spectrometer can he created. The procedure to optimize the Micro-Spec design is based on the stigmatization and minimization of the light path function in a two-dimensional hounded region, which results in an optimized geometry arrangement with three stigmatic points. In addition, in order to optimize the overall efficiency of the instrument, the emitters are directed to the center of the focal surface. The electric field amplitude and phase as well as the power transmitted and absorbed throughout the region are analyzed. Measurements are planned in late summer to validate the designs.

Verifiable Task Assignment and Scheduling Controller

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-07-01

15 Figure 8. Summary of results for NASA -TLX overall workload and individual...using the NASA Task Load Index ( NASA -TLX; Hart & Staveland, 1988), which was completed using a computerized version of the questionnaire. The...filled out the NASA -TLX. Then prior to the second trial, participants were trained on how to use SPEC. SPEC training consisted of: an explanation of the

Transforming Libraries: Issues and Innovations in Preserving Digital Information. SPEC Kit 228 and SPEC Flyer 228. Issue Number 5.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Soete, George J.

The problem of preserving digital information and the strategies that are and might be employed to address it are the focus of this fifth issue of "Transforming Libraries." Twenty-one individuals involved at the technical or policy level in developing strategies for preserving digital information were interviewed. There is consensus on a…

Rotational Analysis of FTIR Spectra from Cigarette Smoke: An Application of Chem Spec II Software in the Undergraduate Laboratory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ford, Alan R.; Burns, William A.; Reeve, Scott W.

2004-01-01

A version of the classic gas phase infrared experiment was developed for students at Arkansas State University based on the shortcomings of the rotationally resolved infrared experiment. Chem Spec II is a noncommercial Windows-based software package developed to aid in the potentially complicated problem of assigning quantum numbers to observed…

30 CFR 250.806 - Safety and pollution prevention equipment quality assurance requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... Gas Operations (as incorporated by reference in § 250.198); and (ii) API Spec Q1, Specification for... in § 250.198). (3) All SSV's and USV's must meet the technical specifications of API Spec 6A and 6AV1. All SSSVs must meet the technical specifications of API Specification 14A (as incorporated by...

30 CFR 250.806 - Safety and pollution prevention equipment quality assurance requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... Gas Operations (as incorporated by reference in § 250.198); and (ii) API Spec Q1, Specification for... in § 250.198). (3) All SSV's and USV's must meet the technical specifications of API Spec 6A and 6AV1. All SSSVs must meet the technical specifications of API Specification 14A (as incorporated by...

30 CFR 250.806 - Safety and pollution prevention equipment quality assurance requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... Gas Operations (as incorporated by reference in § 250.198); and (ii) API Spec Q1, Specification for... in § 250.198). (3) All SSV's and USV's must meet the technical specifications of API Spec 6A and 6AV1. All SSSVs must meet the technical specifications of API Specification 14A (as incorporated by...

Building Safer Systems With SpecTRM

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2003-01-01

System safety, an integral component in software development, often poses a challenge to engineers designing computer-based systems. While the relaxed constraints on software design allow for increased power and flexibility, this flexibility introduces more possibilities for error. As a result, system engineers must identify the design constraints necessary to maintain safety and ensure that the system and software design enforces them. Safeware Engineering Corporation, of Seattle, Washington, provides the information, tools, and techniques to accomplish this task with its Specification Tools and Requirements Methodology (SpecTRM). NASA assisted in developing this engineering toolset by awarding the company several Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contracts with Ames Research Center and Langley Research Center. The technology benefits NASA through its applications for Space Station rendezvous and docking. SpecTRM aids system and software engineers in developing specifications for large, complex safety critical systems. The product enables engineers to find errors early in development so that they can be fixed with the lowest cost and impact on the system design. SpecTRM traces both the requirements and design rationale (including safety constraints) throughout the system design and documentation, allowing engineers to build required system properties into the design from the beginning, rather than emphasizing assessment at the end of the development process when changes are limited and costly.System safety, an integral component in software development, often poses a challenge to engineers designing computer-based systems. While the relaxed constraints on software design allow for increased power and flexibility, this flexibility introduces more possibilities for error. As a result, system engineers must identify the design constraints necessary to maintain safety and ensure that the system and software design enforces them. Safeware Engineering Corporation, of Seattle, Washington, provides the information, tools, and techniques to accomplish this task with its Specification Tools and Requirements Methodology (SpecTRM). NASA assisted in developing this engineering toolset by awarding the company several Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contracts with Ames Research Center and Langley Research Center. The technology benefits NASA through its applications for Space Station rendezvous and docking. SpecTRM aids system and software engineers in developing specifications for large, complex safety critical systems. The product enables engineers to find errors early in development so that they can be fixed with the lowest cost and impact on the system design. SpecTRM traces both the requirements and design rationale (including safety constraints) throughout the system design and documentation, allowing engineers to build required system properties into the design from the beginning, rather than emphasizing assessment at the end of the development process when changes are limited and costly.

U.S. Army Research Laboratory (ARL) multimodal signatures database

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bennett, Kelly

2008-04-01

The U.S. Army Research Laboratory (ARL) Multimodal Signatures Database (MMSDB) is a centralized collection of sensor data of various modalities that are co-located and co-registered. The signatures include ground and air vehicles, personnel, mortar, artillery, small arms gunfire from potential sniper weapons, explosives, and many other high value targets. This data is made available to Department of Defense (DoD) and DoD contractors, Intel agencies, other government agencies (OGA), and academia for use in developing target detection, tracking, and classification algorithms and systems to protect our Soldiers. A platform independent Web interface disseminates the signatures to researchers and engineers within the scientific community. Hierarchical Data Format 5 (HDF5) signature models provide an excellent solution for the sharing of complex multimodal signature data for algorithmic development and database requirements. Many open source tools for viewing and plotting HDF5 signatures are available over the Web. Seamless integration of HDF5 signatures is possible in both proprietary computational environments, such as MATLAB, and Free and Open Source Software (FOSS) computational environments, such as Octave and Python, for performing signal processing, analysis, and algorithm development. Future developments include extending the Web interface into a portal system for accessing ARL algorithms and signatures, High Performance Computing (HPC) resources, and integrating existing database and signature architectures into sensor networking environments.

A Supplement to the Component Four Implementation Booklet. Broad Goal Definition in Emerald School District. SPECS: School Planning, Evaluation, and Communication System.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nagle, John M.; Walker, Harold E.

The School Planning, Evaluation, and Communication System (SPECS) is an overall design for districtwide program assessment and development. It is both a way of interrelating planning and evaluation of individual programs and a way of comparing the outcomes of all district programs with the district's community-defined educational goals. This…

Vis- and NIR-based instruments for detection of black-tip damaged wheat kernels: A comparative study

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Black-tip (BT) present in wheat kernels is a non-mycotoxic fungus that attacks the kernels wherein any of a number of molds forms a dark brown or black sooty mold at the tip of the wheat kernel. Three spectrometers covering the spectral ranges 950-1636nm (Spec1), 600-1045nm (Spec2), and 380-780nm (S...

Micro-Spec: an Integrated, Direct-Detection Spectrometer for Far-Infrared and Sub-Millimeter Astronomy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cataldo, Giuseppe; Moseley, S. H.; Hsieh, W.; Huang, W.; Stevenson, T.; Wollack, E.

2014-01-01

Many space-based observatories, such as Spitzer and Herschel, have opened the far-infrared (IR) window to the universe, revealing rich line and continuum spectra from objects ranging from interplanetary dust particles to galactic mergers and young galaxies in the early universe. Micro-Spec (µ-Spec) is proposed as a novel technology concept to enable new discoveries in the far-IR spectral range. µ-Spec will be a high-sensitivity, direct-detection spectrometer operating in the 450-1000 µm regime. It will have two antenna arrays, one for transmitting and one for receiving, and superconducting microstrip transmission lines for power division and phase delay. Using superconducting materials reduces losses at a minimum, thereby providing background-limited sensitivity (noise equivalent power, NEP, less than 3x10^-21 W/√Hz) at a resolution 1200, potentially making µ-Spec four orders of magnitude more sensitive than its most capable predecessors. Materials being investigated for the development of the instrument transmission line and detectors include niobium and niobium-titanium nitride for the former, and molybdenum nitride for the latter. In addition, the instrument will be integrated on a four-inch-diameter silicon chip. Such a dramatic size reduction is made possible by the fact that silicon has a refraction index three times that of vacuum, thereby allowing the transmission lines to be shorter than in vacuum by a factor of three. For all these reasons, µ-Spec can become an important capability under the low background conditions provided by space telescopes such as the space infrared telescope for cosmology and astrophysics SPICA, possible Explorers and cryogenically-cooled balloons. The discussion will illustrate a point design developed for initial demonstration with a 30% efficiency due to losses to other diffraction orders. Design variations on this implementation will be shown that lead to near-unity efficiency and will be the basis of future instruments. Models to analyze the properties of the superconductors will also be described along with transmission data used to test and validate the models.

Evaluation of a technology-enhanced integrated care model for frail older persons: protocol of the SPEC study, a stepped-wedge cluster randomized trial in nursing homes.

PubMed

Kim, Hongsoo; Park, Yeon-Hwan; Jung, Young-Il; Choi, Hyoungshim; Lee, Seyune; Kim, Gi-Soo; Yang, Dong-Wook; Paik, Myunghee Cho; Lee, Tae-Jin

2017-04-18

Limited evidence exists on the effectiveness of the chronic care model for people with multimorbidity. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of an information and communication technology- (ICT-)enhanced integrated care model, called Systems for Person-centered Elder Care (SPEC), for frail older adults at nursing homes. SPEC is a prospective stepped-wedge cluster randomized trial conducted at 10 nursing homes in South Korea. Residents aged 65 or older meeting the inclusion/exclusion criteria in all the homes are eligible to participate. The multifaceted SPEC intervention, a geriatric care model guided by the chronic care model, consists of five components: comprehensive geriatric assessment for need/risk profiling, individual need-based care planning, interdisciplinary case conferences, person-centered care coordination, and a cloud-based information and communications technology (ICT) tool supporting the intervention process. The primary outcome is quality of care for older residents using a composite measure of quality indicators from the interRAI LTCF assessment system. Outcome assessors and data analysts will be blinded to group assignment. Secondary outcomes include quality of life, healthcare utilization, and cost. Process evaluation will be also conducted. This study is expected to provide important new evidence on the effectiveness, cost-effectiveness, and implementation process of an ICT-supported chronic care model for older persons with multiple chronic illnesses. The SPEC intervention is also unique as the first registered trial implementing an integrated care model using technology to promote person-centered care for frail older nursing home residents in South Korea, where formal LTC was recently introduced. ISRCTN11972147.

[Prevalence of Cardiovascular Risk Factors at The Population Level: A Comparison of Ambulatory Physician-Coded Claims Data With Clinical Data From A Population-Based Study].

PubMed

Angelow, Aniela; Reber, Katrin Christiane; Schmidt, Carsten Oliver; Baumeister, Sebastian Edgar; Chenot, Jean-Francois

2018-06-04

The study assesses the validity of ICD-10 coded cardiovascular risk factors in claims data using gold-standard measurements from a population-based study for arterial hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia, smoking and obesity as a reference. Data of 1941 participants (46 % male, mean age 58±13 years) of the Study of Health in Pomerania (SHIP) were linked to electronic medical records from the regional association of statutory health insurance physicians from 2008 to 2012 used for billing purposes. Clinical data from SHIP was used as a gold standard to assess the agreement with claims data for ICD-10 codes I10.- (arterial hypertension), E10.- to E14.- (diabetes mellitus), E78.- (dyslipidemia), F17.- (smoking) and E65.- to E68.- (obesity). A higher agreement between ICD-coded and clinical diagnosis was found for diabetes (sensitivity (sens) 84%, specificity (spec) 95%, positive predictive value (ppv) 80%) and hypertension (sens 72%, spec 93%, ppv 97%) and a low level of agreement for smoking (sens 18%, spec 99%, ppv 89%), obesity (sens 22%, spec 99%, ppv 99%) and dyslipidemia (sens 40%, spec 60%, ppv 70%). Depending on the investigated cardiovascular risk factor, medication, documented additional cardiovascular co-morbidities, age, sex and clinical severity were associated with the ICD-coded cardiovascular risk factor. The quality of ICD-coding in ambulatory care is highly variable for different cardiovascular risk factors and outcomes. Diagnoses were generally undercoded, but those relevant for billing were coded more frequently. Our results can be used to quantify errors in population-based estimates of prevalence based on claims data for the investigated cardiovascular risk factors. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Cooling Effects of Wearer-Controlled Vaporization for Extravehicular Activity.

PubMed

Tanaka, Kunihiko; Nagao, Daiki; Okada, Kosuke; Nakamura, Koji

2017-04-01

The extravehicular activity suit currently used by the United States in space includes a liquid cooling and ventilation garment (LCVG) that controls thermal conditions. Previously, we demonstrated that self-perspiration for evaporative cooling (SPEC) garment effectively lowers skin temperature without raising humidity in the garment. However, the cooling effect is delayed until a sufficient dose of water permeates and evaporates. In the present study, we hypothesized that wearer-controlled vaporization improves the cooling effect. Six healthy subjects rode a cycle ergometer under loads of 30, 60, 90, and 120 W for durations of 3 min each. Skin temperature and humidity on the back were measured continuously. Subjects wore and tested three garments: 1) a spandex garment without any cooling device (Normal); 2) a simulated LCVG (s-LCVG) or spandex garment knitted with a vinyl tube for flowing and permeating water; and 3) a garment that allowed wearer-controlled vaporization (SPEC-W). The use of s-LCVG reduced skin temperature by 1.57 ± 0.14°C during 12 min of cooling. Wearer-controlled vaporization of the SPEC-W effectively and significantly lowered skin temperature from the start to the end of cycle exercise. This decrease was significantly larger than that achieved using s-LCVG. Humidity in the SPEC-W was significantly lower than that in s-LCVG. This preliminary study suggests that SPEC-W is effective in lowering skin temperature without raising humidity in the garment. The authors think it would be useful in improving the design of a cooling system for extravehicular activity.Tanaka K, Nagao D, Okada K, Nakamura K. Cooling effects of wearer-controlled vaporization for extravehicular activity. Aerosp Med Hum Perform. 2017; 88(4):418-422.

Prevalence of increased canine pancreas-specific lipase concentrations in young dogs with parvovirus enteritis.

PubMed

Kalli, Irida V; Adamama-Moraitou, Katerina K; Patsika, Michael N; Pardali, Dimitra; Steiner, Jörg M; Suchodolski, Jan S; Menexes, George; Brellou, Georgia D; Rallis, Timoleon S

2017-03-01

Pancreatic abnormalities during canine parvovirus (CPV) enteritis have not been studied prospectively. The objective of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic significance of canine serum pancreas-specific lipase (Spec cPL) concentration in dogs with CPV enteritis for the presence of acute pancreatitis (AP). Puppies with naturally occurring CPV enteritis were recruited and prospectively allocated into 2 groups according to normal or increased serum Spec cPL concentration. Clinical signs, laboratory findings, and pancreas-associated variables were compared between groups, and the impact of possible AP on disease course, duration of hospitalization, and outcome was assessed. Serum Spec cPL concentration in 35 puppies was above the upper limit of the RI in 17/35 (48.6%) dogs (Group A) and within the RI in 18 dogs (Group B). An increased serum lipase activity was present in 29/35 (82.9%) dogs, and Group A dogs had a higher serum lipase activity than Group B (P = .006). Serum Spec cPL in Group A dogs was positively correlated with serum lipase activity at the day of presentation (r = .667; P = .003) and day of discharge (r = .628; P = .007). No statistically significant difference was found between groups (P = .233) for the presence of systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) (6/17 or 35.3% dogs Group A, and 8/18 or 44.4% dogs Group B), the disease course, duration of hospitalization, or outcome between groups. Increased serum Spec cPL is relatively common in dogs with CPV enteritis. However, such increases do not seem to correlate with the outcome of disease. © 2017 American Society for Veterinary Clinical Pathology.

An Airborne Infrared Spectrometer for Solar Eclipse Observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Samra, Jenna; DeLuca, Edward E.; Golub, Leon; Cheimets, Peter; Philip, Judge

2016-05-01

The airborne infrared spectrometer (AIR-Spec) is an innovative solar spectrometer that will observe the 2017 solar eclipse from the NSF/NCAR High-Performance Instrumented Airborne Platform for Environmental Research (HIAPER). AIR-Spec will image five infrared coronal emission lines to determine whether they may be useful probes of coronal magnetism.The solar magnetic field provides the free energy that controls coronal heating, structure, and dynamics. Energy stored in coronal magnetic fields is released in flares and coronal mass ejections and ultimately drives space weather. Therefore, direct coronal field measurements have significant potential to enhance understanding of coronal dynamics and improve solar forecasting models. Of particular interest are observations of field lines in the transitional region between closed and open flux systems, providing important information on the origin of the slow solar wind.While current instruments routinely observe only the photospheric and chromospheric magnetic fields, AIR-Spec will take a step toward the direct observation of coronal fields by measuring plasma emission in the infrared at high spatial and spectral resolution. During the total solar eclipse of 2017, AIR-Spec will observe five magnetically sensitive coronal emission lines between 1.4 and 4 µm from the HIAPER Gulfstream V at an altitude above 14.9 km. The instrument will measure emission line intensity, width, and Doppler shift, map the spatial distribution of infrared emitting plasma, and search for waves in the emission line velocities.AIR-Spec consists of an optical system (feed telescope, grating spectrometer, and infrared detector) and an image stabilization system, which uses a fast steering mirror to correct the line-of-sight for platform perturbations. To ensure that the instrument meets its research goals, both systems are undergoing extensive performance modeling and testing. These results are shown with reference to the science requirements.

Millimeter-wave Spectroscopy of NGC1068 With Z-Spec

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kamenetzky, Julia; Aguirre, J. E.; Bock, J. J.; Bradford, M.; Earle, L.; Glenn, J.; Maloney, P.; Matsuhara, H.; Naylor, B.; Nguyen, H. T.; Zmuidzinas, J.

2009-05-01

NGC1068 is commonly cited as the prototypical Seyfert 2 galaxy. Both the central and extended regions have been studied extensively across the electromagnetic spectrum, revealing many different astrophysical phenomena, such as a bright central region, radio jet knots, and a conical narrow-line region. Significantly, evidence has been found that the active galactic nucleus is shrouded by a dusty molecular disk, which could support the theory that viewing angle will unify Seyfert 1 and 2 galaxies. We observed NGC1068 with Z-Spec, a broadband (185-305 GHz) millimeter-wave grating spectrometer, at the Caltech Submillimeter Observatory. Its large bandwidth allows us to simultaneously observe multiple molecular rotational transitions along with the underlying continuum. The detector array is composed of 160 silicon-nitride micromesh bolometers cooled to 60 mK by an adiabatic demagnetization refrigerator (ADR) and a closed-cycle 3He refrigerator. Z-Spec's compact design is achieved via a WaFIRS (Waveguide Far IR Spectrometer) design utilizing a parallel-plate waveguide and curved diffraction grating. Z-Spec's spectral resolution is approximately 900 MHz at the band center. We obtained a high signal-to-noise ratio spectrum of NGC1068 in late January 2007. Key observable transitions in Z-Spec's bandpass include CO , 13CO, and C18O (J = 2 - 1), HCN, HNC, and HCO+ (J = 3 - 2), and multiple CS transitions. We are modeling the NGC1068 spectrum using these data and other transitions of these molecules from the literature to probe the physical characteristics of its interstellar medium, such as temperature, density, dense gas fraction, and the extent of the AGN's contribution to the molecular gas excitation. We will present preliminary results of the analysis.

ASPIRE - Airborne Spectro-Polarization InfraRed Experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

DeLuca, E.; Cheimets, P.; Golub, L.; Madsen, C. A.; Marquez, V.; Bryans, P.; Judge, P. G.; Lussier, L.; McIntosh, S. W.; Tomczyk, S.

2017-12-01

Direct measurements of coronal magnetic fields are critical for taking the next step in active region and solar wind modeling and for building the next generation of physics-based space-weather models. We are proposing a new airborne instrument to make these key observations. Building on the successful Airborne InfraRed Spectrograph (AIR-Spec) experiment for the 2017 eclipse, we will design and build a spectro-polarimeter to measure coronal magnetic field during the 2019 South Pacific eclipse. The new instrument will use the AIR-Spec optical bench and the proven pointing, tracking, and stabilization optics. A new cryogenic spectro-polarimeter will be built focusing on the strongest emission lines observed during the eclipse. The AIR-Spec IR camera, slit jaw camera and data acquisition system will all be reused. The poster will outline the optical design and the science goals for ASPIRE.

Ada Compiler Validation Summary Report: Certificate Number: 890804S1. 10142 Loral/Rolm Mil-Spec Computers ADE, Revision 3.01 MV 10000 Host and HAWK/32 Target

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-08-04

Date Owners Declaration I, the undersigned, representing agree that as part of the joint Marketing Agreement between Roim Mil-Spec and Data General for...possible. Format pragma NLINE (name (, namei): Where: name Specfies the subprogram or neric unit you want inLined at each calL The subprogam or

Ada Compiler Validation Summary Report: Certificate Number: 890804S1.10141 Loral/Rolm Mil-Spec Computers ADE, Revision 3.01 MV 10000 Host and HAWK/32 Target

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-08-04

undersigned, representing /-- /Wz agree that as part of the joint Marketing Agreement between Rolm Mil-Spec and Data General for the Ada Development...the assembly (e wkhout the pragma. Source Code in the folowing emaple, prama NLINE applie to all tb calls to SQUARE in WrrH INLINF. procedure WITH

SpecOMS: A Full Open Modification Search Method Performing All-to-All Spectra Comparisons within Minutes.

PubMed

David, Matthieu; Fertin, Guillaume; Rogniaux, Hélène; Tessier, Dominique

2017-08-04

The analysis of discovery proteomics experiments relies on algorithms that identify peptides from their tandem mass spectra. The almost exhaustive interpretation of these spectra remains an unresolved issue. At present, an important number of missing interpretations is probably due to peptides displaying post-translational modifications and variants that yield spectra that are particularly difficult to interpret. However, the emergence of a new generation of mass spectrometers that provide high fragment ion accuracy has paved the way for more efficient algorithms. We present a new software, SpecOMS, that can handle the computational complexity of pairwise comparisons of spectra in the context of large volumes. SpecOMS can compare a whole set of experimental spectra generated by a discovery proteomics experiment to a whole set of theoretical spectra deduced from a protein database in a few minutes on a standard workstation. SpecOMS can ingeniously exploit those capabilities to improve the peptide identification process, allowing strong competition between all possible peptides for spectrum interpretation. Remarkably, this software resolves the drawbacks (i.e., efficiency problems and decreased sensitivity) that usually accompany open modification searches. We highlight this promising approach using results obtained from the analysis of a public human data set downloaded from the PRIDE (PRoteomics IDEntification) database.

What is Health Level 7?

PubMed

Kabachinski, Jeff

2006-01-01

HL7 is a huge undertaking and continues to grow. We talked about certain main themes of the spec that I've found interesting and thought you might too. You can always find additional information-especially from the HL7 website itself at www.hl7.org or www.altisinc.com/ IE/hl7.html. The main thing to remember is that HL7 is a specification for describing, formatting, encoding, and sharing of clinical and administrative data in healthcare. An easy way to remember that is that the 7 in HL7 refers to the Application layer in the OSI model. The next time someone talks about their HL7 software or application, you'll know that they really mean their HL7 compliant software or application. Then be sure to ask them how many composites are in their OBX segments!

Spec Rekindled-A Simple Torque Correction Mechanics for Transposed Teeth in Conjunction with Pre-adjusted Edgewise Appliance System.

PubMed

Singh, Harpreet; Maurya, Raj Kumar; Thakkar, Surbhi

2016-12-01

Complete transposition of teeth is a rather rare phenomenon. After correction of transposed and malaligned lateral incisor and canine, attainment of appropriate individual antagonistic tooth torque is indispensable, which many orthodontists consider to be a herculean task. Here, a novel method is proposed which demonstrates the use of Spec reverse torquing auxillary as an effective adjunctive aid in conjunction with pre-adjusted edgewise brackets.

The potential pyrophoricity of BMI-SPEC and aluminum plate spent fuels retrieved from underwater storage

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

Ebner, M.A.

1996-08-01

Physical/chemical factors in U metal and hydride combustion, particularly pyrophoricity in ambient environment, were evaluated for BMI-SPEC and UAl{sub x} plate fuels. Some metal fuels may be highly reactive (spontaneously igniting in air) due to high specific surface area, high decay heat, or a high U hydride content from corrosion during underwater storage. However, for the BMI-SPEC and the aluminum plate fuels, this reactivity is too low to present a realistic threat of uncontrolled spontaneous combustion at ambient conditions. While residual U hydride is expected in these corroded fuels, the hydride levels are expected to be too low and themore » configuration too unfavorable to ignite the fuel meat when the fuels are retrieved from the basin and dried. Furthermore the composition and microstructure of the UAl{sub x} fuels further mitigate that risk.« less

GPU-accelerated simulations of isolated black holes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lewis, Adam G. M.; Pfeiffer, Harald P.

2018-05-01

We present a port of the numerical relativity code SpEC which is capable of running on NVIDIA GPUs. Since this code must be maintained in parallel with SpEC itself, a primary design consideration is to perform as few explicit code changes as possible. We therefore rely on a hierarchy of automated porting strategies. At the highest level we use TLoops, a C++ library of our design, to automatically emit CUDA code equivalent to tensorial expressions written into C++ source using a syntax similar to analytic calculation. Next, we trace out and cache explicit matrix representations of the numerous linear transformations in the SpEC code, which allows these to be performed on the GPU using pre-existing matrix-multiplication libraries. We port the few remaining important modules by hand. In this paper we detail the specifics of our port, and present benchmarks of it simulating isolated black hole spacetimes on several generations of NVIDIA GPU.

Improving the accuracy of synovial fluid analysis in the diagnosis of prosthetic joint infection with simple and inexpensive biomarkers: C-reactive protein and adenosine deaminase.

PubMed

Sousa, R; Serrano, P; Gomes Dias, J; Oliveira, J C; Oliveira, A

2017-03-01

The aims of this study were to increase the diagnostic accuracy of the analysis of synovial fluid in the differentiation of prosthetic joint infection (PJI) by the addition of inexpensive biomarkers such as the levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), adenosine deaminase (ADA), alpha-2-macrogloblulin (α2M) and procalcitonin. Between January 2013 and December 2015, synovial fluid and removed implants were requested from 143 revision total joint arthroplasties. A total of 55 patients met inclusion criteria of the receipt of sufficient synovial fluid, tissue samples and removed implants for analysis. The diagnosis of PJI followed the definition from a recent International Consensus Meeting to create two groups of patients; septic and aseptic. Using receiver operating characteristic curves we determined the cutoff values and diagnostic accuracy for each marker. There were 23 PJIs and 32 patients with aseptic loosening. The levels of total leucocyte count, proportion of polymorphonuclear leucocytes (PMNs), CRP, ADA and α2M in the synovial fluid were all significantly higher in those with a PJI than in those with aseptic loosening. The levels of procalcitonin were comparable in the two groups. Cutoff values for the optimal performance in the diagnosis of infection were: total leucocyte count > 1463 cells/μL (sensitivity (Sens) 100%, specificity (Spec) 71.9%, positive predictive value (PPV) 71.9%, negative predictive value (NPV) 100%); proportion of PMNs > 81% (Sens 78.3%, Spec 75.0%, PPV 69.2%, NPV 82.8%); CRP > 6.7mg/L (Sens 78.3%, Spec 93.8%, PPV 90.0%, NPV 85.7%); ADA > 61U/L (Sens 78.3%, Spec 96.9%, PPV 94.7%, NPV 86.1%) and α2M > 958 mg/L (Sens 47.8%, Spec 96.9%, PPV 91.7%, NPV 72.1%). The addition of a raised level of CRP or ADA to the total leukocyte count increased the specificity: total leukocyte count > 1463 cells/μL and CRP > 6.7mg/L (Sens 78.3%, Spec 100%, PPV 100%, NPV 86.5%) or with ADA > 61U/L (Sens 78.3%, Spec 96.9%, PPV 94.7%, NPV 86.1%). The total leucocyte count in the synovial fluid offers great negative predictive value in the diagnosis of PJI and the addition of more specific markers such as CRP and ADA improves the positive predictive value. Thus the addition of simple and inexpensive markers to the measurement of the leucocyte count in the synovial fluid may reduce the number of equivocal results which demand more expensive investigation. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2017;99-B:351-7. ©2017 The British Editorial Society of Bone & Joint Surgery.

Comprehensive Gene expression meta-analysis and integrated bioinformatic approaches reveal shared signatures between thrombosis and myeloproliferative disorders

PubMed Central

Jha, Prabhash Kumar; Vijay, Aatira; Sahu, Anita; Ashraf, Mohammad Zahid

2016-01-01

Thrombosis is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with myeloproliferative disorders (MPDs), particularly polycythemia vera (PV) and essential thrombocythemia (ET). Despite the attempts to establish a link between them, the shared biological mechanisms are yet to be characterized. An integrated gene expression meta-analysis of five independent publicly available microarray data of the three diseases was conducted to identify shared gene expression signatures and overlapping biological processes. Using INMEX bioinformatic tool, based on combined Effect Size (ES) approaches, we identified a total of 1,157 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) (697 overexpressed and 460 underexpressed genes) shared between the three diseases. EnrichR tool’s rich library was used for comprehensive functional enrichment and pathway analysis which revealed “mRNA Splicing” and “SUMO E3 ligases SUMOylate target proteins” among the most enriched terms. Network based meta-analysis identified MYC and FN1 to be the most highly ranked hub genes. Our results reveal that the alterations in biomarkers of the coagulation cascade like F2R, PROS1, SELPLG and ITGB2 were common between the three diseases. Interestingly, the study has generated a novel database of candidate genetic markers, pathways and transcription factors shared between thrombosis and MPDs, which might aid in the development of prognostic therapeutic biomarkers. PMID:27892526

Evaluation of 4 years of continuous δ13C(CO2) data using a moving Keeling plot method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vardag, Sanam Noreen; Hammer, Samuel; Levin, Ingeborg

2016-07-01

Different carbon dioxide (CO2) emitters can be distinguished by their carbon isotope ratios. Therefore measurements of atmospheric δ13C(CO2) and CO2 concentration contain information on the CO2 source mix in the catchment area of an atmospheric measurement site. This information may be illustratively presented as the mean isotopic source signature. Recently an increasing number of continuous measurements of δ13C(CO2) and CO2 have become available, opening the door to the quantification of CO2 shares from different sources at high temporal resolution. Here, we present a method to compute the CO2 source signature (δS) continuously and evaluate our result using model data from the Stochastic Time-Inverted Lagrangian Transport model. Only when we restrict the analysis to situations which fulfill the basic assumptions of the Keeling plot method does our approach provide correct results with minimal biases in δS. On average, this bias is 0.2 ‰ with an interquartile range of about 1.2 ‰ for hourly model data. As a consequence of applying the required strict filter criteria, 85 % of the data points - mainly daytime values - need to be discarded. Applying the method to a 4-year dataset of CO2 and δ13C(CO2) measured in Heidelberg, Germany, yields a distinct seasonal cycle of δS. Disentangling this seasonal source signature into shares of source components is, however, only possible if the isotopic end members of these sources - i.e., the biosphere, δbio, and the fuel mix, δF - are known. From the mean source signature record in 2012, δbio could be reliably estimated only for summer to (-25.0 ± 1.0) ‰ and δF only for winter to (-32.5 ± 2.5) ‰. As the isotopic end members δbio and δF were shown to change over the season, no year-round estimation of the fossil fuel or biosphere share is possible from the measured mean source signature record without additional information from emission inventories or other tracer measurements.

Spectrophotometric calibration procedures to enable calibration-free measurements of seawater calcium carbonate saturation states.

PubMed

Cuyler, Erin E; Byrne, Robert H

2018-08-22

A simple protocol was developed to measure seawater calcium carbonate saturation states (Ω spec ) spectrophotometrically. Saturation states are typically derived from the separate measurement of two other carbon system parameters, with each requiring unique instrumentation and often complex measurement protocols. Using the new protocol, the only required equipment is a thermostatted laboratory spectrophotometer. For each seawater sample, spectrophotometric measurements of pH (visible absorbance) are made in paired optical cells, one with and one without added nitric acid. Ultraviolet absorbance is measured to determine the amount of added acid based on the direct proportionality between nitrate concentration and UV absorbance. Coupled measurements of pH and the alkalinity change that accompanies the nitric acid addition allow calculation of a seawater sample's original carbonate ion concentration and saturation state. These paired absorbance measurements yield Ω spec (and other carbonate system parameters), with each sample requiring about 12 min processing time. Initially, an instrument-specific nitrate molar absorptivity coefficient must be determined (due to small but significant discrepancies in instrumental wavelength calibrations), but thereafter no further calibration is needed. In this work, the 1σ precision of replicate measurements of aragonite saturation state was found to be 0.020, and the average difference between Ω spec and Ω calculated conventionally from measured total alkalinity and pH (Ω calc ) was -0.11% ± 0.96% (a level of accuracy comparable to that obtained from spectrophotometric measurements of carbonate ion concentration). Over the entire range of experimental conditions, 0.97 < Ω < 3.17 (n = 125), all measurements attained the Global Ocean Acidification Observing Network's "weather level" goal for accuracy and 90% attained the more stringent "climate level" goal. When Ω spec was calculated from averages of duplicate samples (n = 56), the precision improved to 0.014 and the average difference between Ω spec and Ω calc improved to -0.11% ± 0.73%. Additionally, 97% of the duplicate-based Ω spec measurements attained the "climate level" accuracy goal. These results indicate that the simple measurement protocol developed in this work should be widely applicable for monitoring fundamental seawater changes associated with ocean acidification. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Peak broadening and peak shift pole figures investigations by STRESS-SPEC diffractometer at FRM II

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gan, W. M.; Randau, C.; Hofmann, M.; Brokmeier, H. G.; Mueller, M.; Schreyer, A.

2012-02-01

This paper studied for the first time peak intensity, peak position and FHWM pole figures with one time measurement at the neutron diffractometer STRESS-SPEC via in-situ tensile deformation on austenitic steel. Fibre distribution with its evolution from central tensile direction to normal direction of these three kinds of pole figures was obtained. Variation of peak position and FWHM can be correlated to the reorientation of the texture component.

Spec Rekindled-A Simple Torque Correction Mechanics for Transposed Teeth in Conjunction with Pre-adjusted Edgewise Appliance System

PubMed Central

Singh, Harpreet; Thakkar, Surbhi

2016-01-01

Complete transposition of teeth is a rather rare phenomenon. After correction of transposed and malaligned lateral incisor and canine, attainment of appropriate individual antagonistic tooth torque is indispensable, which many orthodontists consider to be a herculean task. Here, a novel method is proposed which demonstrates the use of Spec reverse torquing auxillary as an effective adjunctive aid in conjunction with pre-adjusted edgewise brackets. PMID:28209017

Revision of the genus Devadatta Kirby, 1890 in Borneo based on molecular and morphological methods, with descriptions of four new species (Odonata: Zygoptera: Devadattidae).

PubMed

Dow, Rory A; Hämäläinen, Matti; Stokvis, Frank R

2015-10-23

Species of Devadatta from Borneo are studied using both morphological and molecular methods. As well as D. podolestoides Laidlaw, four new species are recognised from the island: D. aran spec. nov. (holotype ♂, from Pulong Tau National Park, Miri division, Sarawak, Malaysia, deposited in RMNH), D. clavicauda spec. nov. (holotype ♂, from Bukit Mina, Bukit Mina Wildlife Corridor, Sarawak Planted Forest Project, Bintulu division, Sarawak, Malaysia, deposited in RMNH), D. somoh spec. nov. (holotype ♂, from the Sungai Kahei area, Ulu Balui, Kapit division, Sarawak, Malaysia, deposited in RMNH) and D. tanduk spec. nov. (holotype ♂, from Poring Hot Springs, Kinabalu National Park, West Coast division, Sabah, Malaysia, deposited in RMNH). The Philippine taxon D. basilanensis Laidlaw is considered a good species rather than a subspecies of D. podolestoides. The Bornean species plus D. basilanensis are provisionally considered to form a species group, the podolestoides-group, within Devadatta. The species of the podolestoides-group are so similar in morphology and colouration that they are close to truly cryptic species. Two species appear to exhibit character displacement where their ranges overlap with other Devadatta species. A molecular analysis using four markers (COI, 16S, ITS and 28S) is presented. This analysis includes specimens of all species from the podolestoides-group and two Devadatta species from mainland Asia.

SpecPad: device-independent NMR data visualization and processing based on the novel DART programming language and Html5 Web technology.

PubMed

Guigas, Bruno

2017-09-01

SpecPad is a new device-independent software program for the visualization and processing of one-dimensional and two-dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) time domain (FID) and frequency domain (spectrum) data. It is the result of a project to investigate whether the novel programming language DART, in combination with Html5 Web technology, forms a suitable base to write an NMR data evaluation software which runs on modern computing devices such as Android, iOS, and Windows tablets as well as on Windows, Linux, and Mac OS X desktop PCs and notebooks. Another topic of interest is whether this technique also effectively supports the required sophisticated graphical and computational algorithms. SpecPad is device-independent because DART's compiled executable code is JavaScript and can, therefore, be run by the browsers of PCs and tablets. Because of Html5 browser cache technology, SpecPad may be operated off-line. Network access is only required during data import or export, e.g. via a Cloud service, or for software updates. A professional and easy to use graphical user interface consistent across all hardware platforms supports touch screen features on mobile devices for zooming and panning and for NMR-related interactive operations such as phasing, integration, peak picking, or atom assignment. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Separation of parallel encoded complex-valued slices (SPECS) from a single complex-valued aliased coil image.

PubMed

Rowe, Daniel B; Bruce, Iain P; Nencka, Andrew S; Hyde, James S; Kociuba, Mary C

2016-04-01

Achieving a reduction in scan time with minimal inter-slice signal leakage is one of the significant obstacles in parallel MR imaging. In fMRI, multiband-imaging techniques accelerate data acquisition by simultaneously magnetizing the spatial frequency spectrum of multiple slices. The SPECS model eliminates the consequential inter-slice signal leakage from the slice unaliasing, while maintaining an optimal reduction in scan time and activation statistics in fMRI studies. When the combined k-space array is inverse Fourier reconstructed, the resulting aliased image is separated into the un-aliased slices through a least squares estimator. Without the additional spatial information from a phased array of receiver coils, slice separation in SPECS is accomplished with acquired aliased images in shifted FOV aliasing pattern, and a bootstrapping approach of incorporating reference calibration images in an orthogonal Hadamard pattern. The aliased slices are effectively separated with minimal expense to the spatial and temporal resolution. Functional activation is observed in the motor cortex, as the number of aliased slices is increased, in a bilateral finger tapping fMRI experiment. The SPECS model incorporates calibration reference images together with coefficients of orthogonal polynomials into an un-aliasing estimator to achieve separated images, with virtually no residual artifacts and functional activation detection in separated images. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Enhanced nasopharyngeal infection and shedding associated with an epidemic lineage of emm3 group A Streptococcus.

PubMed

Afshar, Baharak; Turner, Claire E; Lamagni, Theresa L; Smith, Ken C; Al-Shahib, Ali; Underwood, Anthony; Holden, Matthew T G; Efstratiou, Androulla; Sriskandan, Shiranee

2017-10-03

A group A Streptococcus (GAS) lineage of genotype emm3, sequence type 15 (ST15) was associated with a 6 month upsurge in invasive GAS disease in the UK. The epidemic lineage (Lineage C) had lost 2 typical emm3 prophages, Φ315.1 and Φ315.2 associated with the superantigen ssa, but gained a different prophage (ΦUK-M3.1) associated with a different superantigen, speC and a DNAse spd1. The presence of speC and spd1 in Lineage C ST15 strains enhanced both in vitro mitogenic and DNase activities over non-Lineage C ST15 strains. Invasive disease models in Galleria mellonella and SPEC-sensitive transgenic mice, revealed no difference in overall invasiveness of Lineage C ST15 strains compared with non-Lineage C ST15 strains, consistent with clinical and epidemiological analysis. Lineage C strains did however markedly prolong murine nasal infection with enhanced nasal and airborne shedding compared with non-Lineage C strains. Deletion of speC or spd1 in 2 Lineage C strains identified a possible role for spd1 in airborne shedding from the murine nasopharynx. Nasopharyngeal infection and shedding of Lineage C strains was enhanced compared with non-Lineage C strains and this was, in part, mediated by the gain of the DNase spd1 through prophage acquisition.

The Prostate Tumor Microenvironment Exhibits differentially expressed Genes Useful for Diagnosis — EDRN Public Portal

Cancer.gov

To develop a multi-site prospective clinical validation trial of the multigene diagnostic signature for the diagnosis of prostate cancer from non tumor containing biopsy tissue. Prostate cancer now affects one in five men in the U.S. It is diagnosed by examination of a biopsy sample of the prostate gland by a pathologist and treatment decisions such as the choice of surgery are usually not made without direct visualization of the presence of cancer by a pathologist. There are about one million such biopsy procedures in the U.S. every year. However about 1-200,000 are ambiguous owing to the absence of tumor but the presence of small changes such as atypical small acinar proliferations (ASAP) or proliferations within otherwise normal glands (PIN, prostate intraepithelial neoplasia) that are highly suspicious for cancer. Studies by the UCI/NCI SPECS project on prostate cancer have led to a new way to diagnosis the presence of prostate cancer in these ambiguous changes. Researchers of the UCI/NCI SPECS project observed that the tissue around a tumor called stroma has many altered gene activities that are caused by molecules secreted by the tumor cells. Indeed these studies revealed that 114 genes exhibited altered activity in stroma near tumor compared to normal stroma. These changes can be used as a “signature” to examine new samples to determine the “presence of-tumor”. Such a test has many applications. Currently ambiguous cases are asked to return for a repeat biopsy in 3 to 12 months – an agonizing period for patients during which they receive no guidance and during which any tumor may continue to grow and spread. Thus, the new test would detect tumor 3 to 12 months prior to conventional practice. This will avoid repeated biopsy procedures. Patients who are positive by the new test may consider whether immediate medical treatment or neo adjuvant treatment is appropriate. In addition the ability to detect presence-of-tumor early will avoid the necessity of waiting to have a repeat biopsy procedure. Finally the genes that undergo altered activity reveal fundamental information about how tumors alter the cellular environment. The National Cancer Institute (NCI) program called the Early Detection Research Network (ERDN) has agreed to support the continued development of the 114 gene signature for diagnosis of prostate cancer. Under this program, the 114 gene signature will undergo a series a studies designed to validate the accuracy and reliability. The gene signature will be applied to actual biopsies of consenting patients who have an ambiguous result for the first biopsy. Patients will be drawn from UCI, and the Orange County Urology Associates. All biopsy samples of this prospective clinical trial will analyzed in the UCI CLIA-approved Molecular Genetics Laboratory to determine the presence-of-tumor – a step which will facilitate eventual FDA approval for the test. The accuracy of these results will be compared to the answers determined by a pathologist examination of the repeat biopsy samples gathered from the same patients at 3 to 12 months later. The next step will be to apply the test to formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded biopsy samples. This is the way that patients’ biopsy material across the country is preserved as part of the patients’ medical records. Once successfully validated, the new test can be applied to any patient who has had an “ambiguous” biopsy. The EDRN supported program will allow us to validate a new type of test for prostate cancer that will speed up diagnosis of ambiguous cases by providing early detection, provide guidance for treatment, avoid repeated biopsy procedures, and will reveal new information about the mechanisms involved in the development and growth of prostate cancer.

Characterising private and shared signatures of positive selection in 37 Asian populations.

PubMed

Liu, Xuanyao; Lu, Dongsheng; Saw, Woei-Yuh; Shaw, Philip J; Wangkumhang, Pongsakorn; Ngamphiw, Chumpol; Fucharoen, Suthat; Lert-Itthiporn, Worachart; Chin-Inmanu, Kwanrutai; Chau, Tran Nguyen Bich; Anders, Katie; Kasturiratne, Anuradhani; de Silva, H Janaka; Katsuya, Tomohiro; Kimura, Ryosuke; Nabika, Toru; Ohkubo, Takayoshi; Tabara, Yasuharu; Takeuchi, Fumihiko; Yamamoto, Ken; Yokota, Mitsuhiro; Mamatyusupu, Dolikun; Yang, Wenjun; Chung, Yeun-Jun; Jin, Li; Hoh, Boon-Peng; Wickremasinghe, Ananda R; Ong, RickTwee-Hee; Khor, Chiea-Chuen; Dunstan, Sarah J; Simmons, Cameron; Tongsima, Sissades; Suriyaphol, Prapat; Kato, Norihiro; Xu, Shuhua; Teo, Yik-Ying

2017-04-01

The Asian Diversity Project (ADP) assembled 37 cosmopolitan and ethnic minority populations in Asia that have been densely genotyped across over half a million markers to study patterns of genetic diversity and positive natural selection. We performed population structure analyses of the ADP populations and divided these populations into four major groups based on their genographic information. By applying a highly sensitive algorithm haploPS to locate genomic signatures of positive selection, 140 distinct genomic regions exhibiting evidence of positive selection in at least one population were identified. We examined the extent of signal sharing for regions that were selected in multiple populations and observed that populations clustered in a similar fashion to that of how the ancestry clades were phylogenetically defined. In particular, populations predominantly located in South Asia underwent considerably different adaptation as compared with populations from the other geographical regions. Signatures of positive selection present in multiple geographical regions were predicted to be older and have emerged prior to the separation of the populations in the different regions. In contrast, selection signals present in a single population group tended to be of lower frequencies and thus can be attributed to recent evolutionary events.

Characterising private and shared signatures of positive selection in 37 Asian populations

PubMed Central

Liu, Xuanyao; Lu, Dongsheng; Saw, Woei-Yuh; Shaw, Philip J; Wangkumhang, Pongsakorn; Ngamphiw, Chumpol; Fucharoen, Suthat; Lert-itthiporn, Worachart; Chin-inmanu, Kwanrutai; Chau, Tran Nguyen Bich; Anders, Katie; Kasturiratne, Anuradhani; de Silva, H Janaka; Katsuya, Tomohiro; Kimura, Ryosuke; Nabika, Toru; Ohkubo, Takayoshi; Tabara, Yasuharu; Takeuchi, Fumihiko; Yamamoto, Ken; Yokota, Mitsuhiro; Mamatyusupu, Dolikun; Yang, Wenjun; Chung, Yeun-Jun; Jin, Li; Hoh, Boon-Peng; Wickremasinghe, Ananda R; Ong, RickTwee-Hee; Khor, Chiea-Chuen; Dunstan, Sarah J; Simmons, Cameron; Tongsima, Sissades; Suriyaphol, Prapat; Kato, Norihiro; Xu, Shuhua; Teo, Yik-Ying

2017-01-01

The Asian Diversity Project (ADP) assembled 37 cosmopolitan and ethnic minority populations in Asia that have been densely genotyped across over half a million markers to study patterns of genetic diversity and positive natural selection. We performed population structure analyses of the ADP populations and divided these populations into four major groups based on their genographic information. By applying a highly sensitive algorithm haploPS to locate genomic signatures of positive selection, 140 distinct genomic regions exhibiting evidence of positive selection in at least one population were identified. We examined the extent of signal sharing for regions that were selected in multiple populations and observed that populations clustered in a similar fashion to that of how the ancestry clades were phylogenetically defined. In particular, populations predominantly located in South Asia underwent considerably different adaptation as compared with populations from the other geographical regions. Signatures of positive selection present in multiple geographical regions were predicted to be older and have emerged prior to the separation of the populations in the different regions. In contrast, selection signals present in a single population group tended to be of lower frequencies and thus can be attributed to recent evolutionary events. PMID:28098149

Design And Performance Of Micro-Spec, An Ultra Compact High-sensitivity Far-infrared Spectrometer For SPICA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cataldo, Giuseppe; Moseley, S. H.; Hsieh, W.; Huang, W.; Stevenson, T. R.; Wollack, E. J.

2012-05-01

Micro-Spec (µ-Spec) is a high-performance spectrometer working in the 250-700-µm wavelength range, whose modules use low-loss superconducting microstrip transmission lines on a single 4-inch-diameter silicon wafer. Creating the required phase delays in transmission lines rather than free space allows such an instrument to have, in principle, the performance of a meter-scale grating spectrometer. Such a dramatic size reduction enables classes of instruments for space that would be impossible with conventional technologies. This technology can dramatically enhance the long-wavelength capability of the space infrared telescope for cosmology and astrophysics SPICA. µ-Spec is analogous to a grating spectrometer. The phase retardation generated by the reflection from the grating grooves is instead produced by propagation through a transmission line. The power received by a broadband antenna is progressively divided by binary microstrip power dividers, and the required phase delays are generated by different lengths of microstrip transmission lines. By arranging these outputs along a circular focal surface, the analog of a Rowland spectrometer can be created. The procedure to optimize the Micro-Spec design is based on the stigmatization and minimization of the light path function in a two-dimensional bounded region, which results in an optimized geometry arrangement with three stigmatic points. In addition, in order to optimize the overall efficiency of the instrument, the emitters are directed to the center of the focal surface. The electric field amplitude and phase as well as the power transmitted and absorbed throughout the region are analyzed. Measurements are planned in late summer to validate the designs. This material is based upon work supported by NASA through the ROSES/APRA program. This research was supported by an appointment (Cataldo) at the Goddard Space Flight Center administered by Universities Space Research Association through a contract with NASA.

Enamel Mineral Content Changes After Bleaching With High and Low Hydrogen Peroxide Concentrations: Colorimetric Spectrophotometry and Total Reflection X-ray Fluorescence Analyses.

PubMed

Pinto, Avd; Bridi, E C; Amaral, Flb; França, Fmg; Turssi, C P; Pérez, C A; Martinez, E F; Flório, F M; Basting, R T

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the calcium (Ca) and phosphorous (P) content in enamel bleached with high and low concentrations of hydrogen peroxide (HP) using Total Reflection X-Ray Fluorescence (TXRF) and colorimetric spectrophotometry (SPEC). Forty-eight sound human third molars were used. Their roots were embedded in polystyrene resin and immersed for seven days in an artificial saliva solution. Then they were distributed into six groups to receive the bleaching treatments. The agents of high HP concentration (for in-office use) evaluated were Whiteness HP Maxx/FGM (35% HP), Whiteness HP Blue/FGM (35% HP, 2% calcium gluconate), Pola Office+/SDI (37.5% HP, 5% potassium nitrate), and Opalescence Boost/Ultradent (38% HP, 1.1% ion fluoride, 3% potassium nitrate); these agents were applied to enamel in three sessions. The agents of low HP concentration (for home use) evaluated were Pola Day/SDI (9.5% HP) and White Class 10%/FGM (10% HP, potassium nitrate, calcium, fluoride), and these agents were applied for 14 days. Enamel microbiopsies were evaluated by TXRF and SPEC analysis before the bleaching treatment (baseline), during the treatment, and 14 days after the end of the treatment. For TXRF, the Kruskal-Wallis test showed that Ca and P were not influenced by agent (p>0.05). For SPEC, Pola Office+, Opalescence Boost, Pola Day, and White Class 10% caused a decrease of Ca over time; there was a significant decrease of P over time to Pola Office+ and White Class 10%. The Spearman test showed no correlation between the Ca (p=0.987; r 2 =-0.020) and P (p=0.728, r 2 =0.038) obtained by SPEC and TXRF. For TXRF and SPEC, changes in Ca and P during bleaching occurred independently of the HP concentration used.

Gene Expression Signatures Characterized by Longitudinal Stability and Interindividual Variability Delineate Baseline Phenotypic Groups with Distinct Responses to Immune Stimulation.

PubMed

Scheid, Adam D; Van Keulen, Virginia P; Felts, Sara J; Neier, Steven C; Middha, Sumit; Nair, Asha A; Techentin, Robert W; Gilbert, Barry K; Jen, Jin; Neuhauser, Claudia; Zhang, Yuji; Pease, Larry R

2018-03-01

Human immunity exhibits remarkable heterogeneity among individuals, which engenders variable responses to immune perturbations in human populations. Population studies reveal that, in addition to interindividual heterogeneity, systemic immune signatures display longitudinal stability within individuals, and these signatures may reliably dictate how given individuals respond to immune perturbations. We hypothesize that analyzing relationships among these signatures at the population level may uncover baseline immune phenotypes that correspond with response outcomes to immune stimuli. To test this, we quantified global gene expression in peripheral blood CD4 + cells from healthy individuals at baseline and following CD3/CD28 stimulation at two time points 1 mo apart. Systemic CD4 + cell baseline and poststimulation molecular immune response signatures (MIRS) were defined by identifying genes expressed at levels that were stable between time points within individuals and differential among individuals in each state. Iterative differential gene expression analyses between all possible phenotypic groupings of at least three individuals using the baseline and stimulated MIRS gene sets revealed shared baseline and response phenotypic groupings, indicating the baseline MIRS contained determinants of immune responsiveness. Furthermore, significant numbers of shared phenotype-defining sets of determinants were identified in baseline data across independent healthy cohorts. Combining the cohorts and repeating the analyses resulted in identification of over 6000 baseline immune phenotypic groups, implying that the MIRS concept may be useful in many immune perturbation contexts. These findings demonstrate that patterns in complex gene expression variability can be used to define immune phenotypes and discover determinants of immune responsiveness. Copyright © 2018 by The American Association of Immunologists, Inc.

Searching for Ultra-cool Objects at the Limits of Large-scale Surveys

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pinfield, D. J.; Patel, K.; Zhang, Z.; Gomes, J.; Burningham, B.; Day-Jones, A. C.; Jenkins, J.

2011-12-01

We have made a search (to Y=19.6) of the UKIDSS Large Area Survey (LAS DR7) for objects detected only in the Y-band. We have identified and removed contamination due to solar system objects, dust specs in the WFCAM optical path, persistence in the WFCAM detectors, and other sources of spurious single source Y-detections in the UKIDSS LAS data-base. In addition to our automated selection procedure we have visually inspected the ˜600 automatically selected candidates to provide an additional level of quality filtering. This has resulted in 55 good candidates that await follow-up observations to confirm their nature. Ultra-cool LAS Y-only objects would have blue Y-J colours combined with very red optical-NIR SEDs - characteristics shared by Jupiter, and suggested by an extrapolation of the Y-J colour trend seen for the latest T dwarfs currently known.

Isospectral discrete and quantum graphs with the same flip counts and nodal counts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Juul, Jonas S.; Joyner, Christopher H.

2018-06-01

The existence of non-isomorphic graphs which share the same Laplace spectrum (to be referred to as isospectral graphs) leads naturally to the following question: what additional information is required in order to resolve isospectral graphs? It was suggested by Band, Shapira and Smilansky that this might be achieved by either counting the number of nodal domains or the number of times the eigenfunctions change sign (the so-called flip count) (Band et al 2006 J. Phys. A: Math. Gen. 39 13999–4014 Band and Smilansky 2007 Eur. Phys. J. Spec. Top. 145 171–9). Recent examples of (discrete) isospectral graphs with the same flip count and nodal count have been constructed by Ammann by utilising Godsil–McKay switching (Ammann private communication). Here, we provide a simple alternative mechanism that produces systematic examples of both discrete and quantum isospectral graphs with the same flip and nodal counts.

A Web-based open-source database for the distribution of hyperspectral signatures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ferwerda, J. G.; Jones, S. D.; Du, Pei-Jun

2006-10-01

With the coming of age of field spectroscopy as a non-destructive means to collect information on the physiology of vegetation, there is a need for storage of signatures, and, more importantly, their metadata. Without the proper organisation of metadata, the signatures itself become limited. In order to facilitate re-distribution of data, a database for the storage & distribution of hyperspectral signatures and their metadata was designed. The database was built using open-source software, and can be used by the hyperspectral community to share their data. Data is uploaded through a simple web-based interface. The database recognizes major file-formats by ASD, GER and International Spectronics. The database source code is available for download through the hyperspectral.info web domain, and we happily invite suggestion for additions & modification for the database to be submitted through the online forums on the same website.

A Weak Quantum Blind Signature with Entanglement Permutation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lou, Xiaoping; Chen, Zhigang; Guo, Ying

2015-09-01

Motivated by the permutation encryption algorithm, a weak quantum blind signature (QBS) scheme is proposed. It involves three participants, including the sender Alice, the signatory Bob and the trusted entity Charlie, in four phases, i.e., initializing phase, blinding phase, signing phase and verifying phase. In a small-scale quantum computation network, Alice blinds the message based on a quantum entanglement permutation encryption algorithm that embraces the chaotic position string. Bob signs the blinded message with private parameters shared beforehand while Charlie verifies the signature's validity and recovers the original message. Analysis shows that the proposed scheme achieves the secure blindness for the signer and traceability for the message owner with the aid of the authentic arbitrator who plays a crucial role when a dispute arises. In addition, the signature can neither be forged nor disavowed by the malicious attackers. It has a wide application to E-voting and E-payment system, etc.

Capacitor Test, Evaluation. and Modeling Within NASA Electronic Parts and Packaging (NEPP) Program. "Why Ceramic Capacitors Fracture During Manual Soldering and How to Avoid Failures"

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Teverovsky, Alexander

2011-01-01

Presentation discusses: (1) Why Multi-Layer Ceramic Capacitors(MLCCs) crack during manual soldering? Workmanship and parts issues. (2) Do existing qualification requirements assure crack-free soldering? MIL-spec Thermal Shock (TS) testing. MIL-spec Resistance to Soldering Heat (RSH) test. (3) What test can assure reliable soldering? Mechanical characteristics of ceramics. Comparison of three TS techniques: LND, TSD, and IWT. (4) Simulation of TS conditions.

The stone huntsman spider genus Eusparassus (Araneae: Sparassidae): systematics and zoogeography with revision of the African and Arabian species.

PubMed

Moradmand, Majid

2013-01-01

An overview on the systematics of the stone huntsman spider genus Eusparassus Simon, 1903 and an identification key to the known species are presented. Six species-groups are proposed: the walckenaeri group (3 species, Eastern Mediterranean to Arabia and parts of North-Eastern Africa), dufouri group (8 species, Iberian Peninsula to parts of North-western Africa), vestigator group (3 species, Central to Eastern Africa and an isolated area in India), jaegeri group (4 species, Southern and South-Eastern Africa), tuckeri group (2 species, South-Western Africa) and doriae group (7 species, Middle East to Central and South Asia). Two species, E. pontii Caporiacco, 1935 and E. xerxes (Pocock, 1901) could not be placed in any of the above groups. The species from Africa and Arabia are revised. The following ten species are re-described: Eusparassus barbarus (Lucas, 1846), E. atlanticus Simon, 1909 stat. nov., E. syrticus Simon, 1909, E. oraniensis (Lucas, 1846), E. letourneuxi (Simon, 1874), E. fritschi (Koch, 1873) stat. rev., E. walckenaeri (Audouin, 1826), E. vestigator (Simon, 1897) comb. nov., E. laevatus (Simon, 1897) comb. nov. and E. tuckeri (Lawrence, 1927) comb. nov. The latter three species are transferred from Olios Walckenaer, 1837. Seven new species are described: Eusparassus arabicus spec. nov. (male, female) from Arabian Peninsula, E. educatus spec. nov. (male, female) from Namibia, E. reverentia spec. nov. (male, female) from Burkina Faso and Nigeria, E. jaegeri spec. nov. (male, female) from South Africa and Botswana, E. jocquei spec. nov. (male, female) from Zimbabwe, E. borakalalo spec. nov. (female) from South Africa and E. schoem-anae spec. nov. (male, female) from South Africa and Namibia. Three taxa, E. dufouri maximus Strand, 1906 syn. nov., E. rufobrunneus Caporiacco, 1941 syn. nov. and Olios furcatus Lawrence, 1927 syn. nov. are proposed as junior syn-onyms of E. oraniensis, E. vestigator comb. nov. and E. tuckeri comb. nov. respectively. Males of E. atlanticus stat. nov. and E. fritschi stat. rev. are described for the first time as in the female of E. vestigator comb. nov. Neotypes are desig-nated for E. barbarus, E. oraniensis and E. letourneuxi (all from Algeria). The male and female of Cercetius perezi Simon, 1902, which was known only from the immature holotype, are described here for the first time. This resulted in recogniz-ing the monotypic and little used generic name Cercetius Simon, 1902 as a synonym of the widely used name Eusparas-sus. Nearly all the species are illustrated for the first time. Eusparassus concolor Caporiacco, 1939 is transferred to Olios and the replacement name Olios quesitio is proposed because of secondary homonymy. For the majority of the species, new geographical records are presented. The systematics and zoogeography of the currently known species and species groups are discussed. A brief note on the copulation process of E. walckenaeri is presented.

ADHD-associated dopamine transporter, latrophilin and neurofibromin share a dopamine-related locomotor signature in Drosophila

PubMed Central

van der Voet, M; Harich, B; Franke, B; Schenck, A

2016-01-01

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common, highly heritable neuropsychiatric disorder with hyperactivity as one of the hallmarks. Aberrant dopamine signaling is thought to be a major theme in ADHD, but how this relates to the vast majority of ADHD candidate genes is illusive. Here we report a Drosophila dopamine-related locomotor endophenotype that is shared by pan-neuronal knockdown of orthologs of the ADHD-associated genes Dopamine transporter (DAT1) and Latrophilin (LPHN3), and of a gene causing a monogenic disorder with frequent ADHD comorbidity: Neurofibromin (NF1). The locomotor signature was not found in control models and could be ameliorated by methylphenidate, validating its relevance to symptoms of the disorder. The Drosophila ADHD endophenotype can be further exploited in high throughput to characterize the growing number of candidate genes. It represents an equally useful outcome measure for testing chemical compounds to define novel treatment options. PMID:25962619

Nonspinning numerical relativity waveform surrogates: assessing the model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Field, Scott; Blackman, Jonathan; Galley, Chad; Scheel, Mark; Szilagyi, Bela; Tiglio, Manuel

2015-04-01

Recently, multi-modal gravitational waveform surrogate models have been built directly from data numerically generated by the Spectral Einstein Code (SpEC). I will describe ways in which the surrogate model error can be quantified. This task, in turn, requires (i) characterizing differences between waveforms computed by SpEC with those predicted by the surrogate model and (ii) estimating errors associated with the SpEC waveforms from which the surrogate is built. Both pieces can have numerous sources of numerical and systematic errors. We make an attempt to study the most dominant error sources and, ultimately, the surrogate model's fidelity. These investigations yield information about the surrogate model's uncertainty as a function of time (or frequency) and parameter, and could be useful in parameter estimation studies which seek to incorporate model error. Finally, I will conclude by comparing the numerical relativity surrogate model to other inspiral-merger-ringdown models. A companion talk will cover the building of multi-modal surrogate models.

VizieR Online Data Catalog: Potential exoplanet targets with Palomar/TripleSpec (Zellem+, 2014)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zellem, R. T.; Griffith, C. A.; Deroo, P.; Swain, M. R.; Waldmann, I. P.

2017-05-01

We observed HD 209458b's emission with the 3.0 m NASA IRTF at the Mauna Kea Observatory and SpeX (Rayner et al. 2003PASP..115..362R), a near-IR spectrometer with a wavelength coverage of 2.0-4.2 um (K and L bands) and a resolution of R=2500, and with the 200 inch (5.08 m) Hale Telescope at the Palomar Observatory and TripleSpec, a near-IR spectrometer with a wavelength coverage of 1.0-2.4 um (J, H, and K bands) and a resolution of R=2500-2700. While low-resolution spectroscopic observations are incapable of observing the fine-scale structure of the spectral lines, the SpeX and TripleSpec spectral channels can be binned to increase the signal-to-noise ratio (S/N). We observed HD 209458b's 2011 September 9 (UT) secondary eclipse for ~8 hr, resulting in 1210 exposures of 10 s each in an ABBA nodding sequence. (1 data file).

Photometric classification and redshift estimation of LSST Supernovae

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dai, Mi; Kuhlmann, Steve; Wang, Yun; Kovacs, Eve

2018-07-01

Supernova (SN) classification and redshift estimation using photometric data only have become very important for the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST), given the large number of SNe that LSST will observe and the impossibility of spectroscopically following up all the SNe. We investigate the performance of an SN classifier that uses SN colours to classify LSST SNe with the Random Forest classification algorithm. Our classifier results in an area-under-the-curve of 0.98 which represents excellent classification. We are able to obtain a photometric SN sample containing 99 per cent SNe Ia by choosing a probability threshold. We estimate the photometric redshifts (photo-z) of SNe in our sample by fitting the SN light curves using the SALT2 model with nested sampling. We obtain a mean bias (⟨zphot - zspec⟩) of 0.012 with σ (z_phot-z_spec/1+z_spec) = 0.0294 without using a host-galaxy photo-z prior, and a mean bias (⟨zphot - zspec⟩) of 0.0017 with σ (z_phot-z_spec/1+z_spec) = 0.0116 using a host-galaxy photo-z prior. Assuming a flat ΛCDM model with Ωm = 0.3, we obtain Ωm of 0.305 ± 0.008 (statistical errors only), using the simulated LSST sample of photometric SNe Ia (with intrinsic scatter σint = 0.11) derived using our methodology without using host-galaxy photo-z prior. Our method will help boost the power of SNe from the LSST as cosmological probes.

Nondestructive tissue analysis for ex vivo and in vivo cancer diagnosis using a handheld mass spectrometry system

PubMed Central

Zhang, Jialing; Rector, John; Lin, John Q.; Young, Jonathan H.; Sans, Marta; Katta, Nitesh; Giese, Noah; Yu, Wendong; Nagi, Chandandeep; Suliburk, James; Liu, Jinsong; Bensussan, Alena; DeHoog, Rachel J.; Garza, Kyana Y.; Ludolph, Benjamin; Sorace, Anna G.; Syed, Anum; Zahedivash, Aydin; Milner, Thomas E.; Eberlin, Livia S.

2018-01-01

Conventional methods for histopathologic tissue diagnosis are labor- and time-intensive and can delay decision-making during diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. We report the development of an automated and biocompatible handheld mass spectrometry device for rapid and nondestructive diagnosis of human cancer tissues. The device, named MasSpec Pen, enables controlled and automated delivery of a discrete water droplet to a tissue surface for efficient extraction of biomolecules. We used the MasSpec Pen for ex vivo molecular analysis of 20 human cancer thin tissue sections and 253 human patient tissue samples including normal and cancerous tissues from breast, lung, thyroid, and ovary. The mass spectra obtained presented rich molecular profiles characterized by a variety of potential cancer biomarkers identified as metabolites, lipids, and proteins. Statistical classifiers built from the histologically validated molecular database allowed cancer prediction with high sensitivity (96.4%), specificity (96.2%), and overall accuracy (96.3%), as well as prediction of benign and malignant thyroid tumors and different histologic subtypes of lung cancer. Notably, our classifier allowed accurate diagnosis of cancer in marginal tumor regions presenting mixed histologic composition. Last, we demonstrate that the MasSpec Pen is suited for in vivo cancer diagnosis during surgery performed in tumor-bearing mouse models, without causing any observable tissue harm or stress to the animal. Our results provide evidence that the MasSpec Pen could potentially be used as a clinical and intraoperative technology for ex vivo and in vivo cancer diagnosis. PMID:28878011

Cebrennus Simon, 1880 (Araneae: Sparassidae): a revisionary up-date with the description of four new species and an updated identification key for all species.

PubMed

Jäger, Peter

2014-04-17

The spider genus Cebrennus Simon, 1880 is revised again after thirteen years. Four new species are described: Cebrennus atlas spec. nov. from Morocco (female), C. flagellatus spec. nov. from Afghanistan (male), C. laurae spec. nov. from Canary Islands (male), and C. rechenbergi spec. nov. from Morocco (male and female). Cebrennus clercki (Audouin, 1826) comb. nov. is transferred from Philodromidae to Sparassidae and considered a nomen dubium. The holotype of C. aethiopicus Simon, 1880 is illustrated for the first time. Cebrennus tunetanus Simon, 1885 is re-described by illustrating its copulatory organs and some somatic characters, the internal duct system is shown for the first time supporting its placement in Cebrennus. An updated identification key for all species is provided. New records of Cebrennus species are listed: C. wagae (Simon, 1874) is recorded from Libya and Malta for the first time, the latter representing the first record for the entire genus from Europe. C. kochi (O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1872) is recorded from Syria, C. aethiopicus from Sudan for the first time. Records from the Canary Islands and from Afghanistan extend the known generic distribution range further to the West and East. Behavioural aspects (burrowing, escaping, mating) of C. rechenbergi and partly of C. villosus (Jézéquel & Junqua, 1966) are described. Photographs of this behaviour as well as of the habitus of several species are provided.

Evaluation of Performance and Potential Clinical Impact of ProSpecT Shiga Toxin Escherichia coli Microplate Assay for Detection of Shiga Toxin-Producing E. coli in Stool Samples

PubMed Central

Gavin, Patrick J.; Peterson, Lance R.; Pasquariello, Anna C.; Blackburn, Joanna; Hamming, Mark G.; Kuo, Kuo J.; Thomson, Richard B.

2004-01-01

Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli bacteria (STEC) are emerging pathogens capable of producing sporadic and epidemic diarrhea, hemorrhagic colitis, and potentially life-threatening hemolytic-uremic syndrome. Although the presence of E. coli O157 can be readily detected in stool by sorbitol-MacConkey agar culture (SMAC), STEC non-O157 serotypes cannot. In contrast to culture, testing for the presence of Shiga toxins 1 and 2 in stool detects both O157 and non-O157 STEC serotypes capable of causing disease. Over two consecutive summers, we evaluated the performance of the ProSpecT Shiga toxin E. coli Microplate assay (Alexon-Trend, Ramsey, Minn.), an enzyme immunoassay for the detection of Shiga toxins 1 and 2, on all stools submitted for culture of enteric pathogens, and the potential clinical impact of Shiga toxin detection. Twenty-nine stool specimens were STEC positive by ProSpecT assay. Twenty-seven of 29 STEC-positive isolates were confirmed by SMAC and serotyping or by a second enzyme immunoassay and PCR (positive predictive value, 93%). Thirteen of 27 confirmed Shiga toxin-producing strains were serotype O157. The remaining 14 strains represented 8 other serotypes. The ProSpecT assay was 100% sensitive and specific for detection of E. coli O157 in stool (7 of 7) compared to SMAC. In addition, the ProSpecT assay detected twice as many STEC as SMAC. Fifty-two percent of confirmed STEC-positive stools were nonbloody. Thus, in our population, screening strategies that test only visibly bloody stools for STEC would miss a majority of cases. Eleven (41%) STEC-positive patients were hospitalized, and eight (30%) developed severe disease (two developed hemolytic-uremic syndrome, and six developed hemorrhagic colitis). Prior to detection of STEC infection, seven (26%) and eight patients (30%) underwent unnecessary diagnostic procedures or received potentially deleterious empirical treatment, respectively. We propose that establishing a specific diagnosis of STEC may have prevented these potentially harmful interventions. We conclude that the ProSpecT assay is sensitive and specific for the detection of Shiga toxins 1 and 2 in stool and has potentially significant clinical impact for the individual patient and public health. Shiga toxin assays should be considered for routine use in settings where prevalence of STEC disease warrants testing. PMID:15071021

Nest signature changes throughout colony cycle and after social parasite invasion in social wasps

PubMed Central

Blancato, Giuliano; Picchi, Laura; Lucas, Christophe

2017-01-01

Social insects recognize their nestmates by means of a cuticular hydrocarbon signature shared by colony members, but how nest signature changes across time has been rarely tested in longitudinal studies and in the field. In social wasps, the chemical signature is also deposited on the nest surface, where it is used by newly emerged wasps as a reference to learn their colony odor. Here, we investigate the temporal variations of the chemical signature that wasps have deposited on their nests. We followed the fate of the colonies of the social paper wasp Polistes biglumis in their natural environment from colony foundation to decline. Because some colonies were invaded by the social parasite Polistes atrimandibularis, we also tested the effects of social parasites on the nest signature. We observed that, as the season progresses, the nest signature changed; the overall abundance of hydrocarbons as well as the proportion of longer-chain and branched hydrocarbons increased. Where present, social parasites altered the host-nest signature qualitatively (adding parasite-specific alkenes) and quantitatively (by interfering with the increase in overall hydrocarbon abundance). Our results show that 1) colony odor is highly dynamic both in colonies controlled by legitimate foundresses and in those controlled by social parasites; 2) emerged offspring contribute little to colony signature, if at all, in comparison to foundresses; and 3) social parasites, that later mimic host signature, initially mark host nests with species-specific hydrocarbons. This study implies that important updating of the neural template used in nestmate recognition should occur in social insects. PMID:29261775

Distinct Microbial Signatures Associated With Different Breast Cancer Types

PubMed Central

Banerjee, Sagarika; Tian, Tian; Wei, Zhi; Shih, Natalie; Feldman, Michael D.; Peck, Kristen N.; DeMichele, Angela M.; Alwine, James C.; Robertson, Erle S.

2018-01-01

A dysbiotic microbiome can potentially contribute to the pathogenesis of many different diseases including cancer. Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in women. Thus, we investigated the diversity of the microbiome in the four major types of breast cancer: endocrine receptor (ER) positive, triple positive, Her2 positive and triple negative breast cancers. Using a whole genome and transcriptome amplification and a pan-pathogen microarray (PathoChip) strategy, we detected unique and common viral, bacterial, fungal and parasitic signatures for each of the breast cancer types. These were validated by PCR and Sanger sequencing. Hierarchical cluster analysis of the breast cancer samples, based on their detected microbial signatures, showed distinct patterns for the triple negative and triple positive samples, while the ER positive and Her2 positive samples shared similar microbial signatures. These signatures, unique or common to the different breast cancer types, provide a new line of investigation to gain further insights into prognosis, treatment strategies and clinical outcome, as well as better understanding of the role of the micro-organisms in the development and progression of breast cancer. PMID:29867857

Research Investigation Directed Toward Extending the Useful Range of the Electromagnetic Spectrum.

DTIC Science & Technology

1984-05-31

Rubaszewska, and E. Kirkor-Kaminska, Acta Physica Polonica A 54, 767 (1978). (3) W. Rettig, J. Luminescence 26, 21 (1980). (4) W. Rettig and E. Lippert...J. W. Llnnett, Proc. Roy. Soc. 156A, 108 (1936). (9) A. Terenin and N. Prlleshajewa, Acta Physlcochim. I, 759 (1935). (10) C. John, P. Chandra, and...R. J. Capwell, Spec. Acta 27A, 1113 (1971). (4) F. A. Miller and J. A. Wolanin, Spec. Acta 31A, 1427 (1975). (5) J. M. Preses, R. E. Weston, Jr

Effectiveness of Additives in Improving Fuel Lubricity and Preventing Pump Failure at High Temperature

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-01-01

after pump calibrations , transfer pump blade measurements, injector nozzle tests, pump parts evaluation, and parts conditions photographs are also... Injectors –0 0.53 5,500 0.257 1 2-15293089 DF2 As Purchased 105 (40) 1,000 1,000 Calibration off spec areas–4 Pump Rating–1.04 Failed Injectors –0 0.53...5,500 0.257 2 1-15382732 DF2 As Purchased 135 (57) 1,000 1,000 Calibration off spec areas–4 Pump Rating–1.13 Failed Injectors –0 0.55

Signal Processing Expert Code (SPEC)

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

Ames, H.S.

1985-12-01

The purpose of this paper is to describe a prototype expert system called SPEC which was developed to demonstrate the utility of providing an intelligent interface for users of SIG, a general purpose signal processing code. The expert system is written in NIL, runs on a VAX 11/750 and consists of a backward chaining inference engine and an English-like parser. The inference engine uses knowledge encoded as rules about the formats of SIG commands and about how to perform frequency analyses using SIG. The system demonstrated that expert system can be used to control existing codes.

The Orion Fingers: H2 Temperatures and Excitation in an Explosive Outflow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Youngblood, Allison; France, Kevin; Ginsburg, Adam; Hoadley, Keri; Bally, John

2018-04-01

We measure H2 temperatures and column densities across the Orion Becklin-Neugebauer/Kleinmann-Low (BN/KL) explosive outflow from a set of 13 near-infrared (IR) H2 rovibrational emission lines observed with the TripleSpec spectrograph on Apache Point Observatory’s 3.5 m telescope. We find that most of the region is well characterized by a single temperature (∼2000–2500 K), which may be influenced by the limited range of upper-energy levels (6000–20,000 K) probed by our data set. The H2 column density maps indicate that warm H2 comprises 10‑5–10‑3 of the total H2 column density near the center of the outflow. Combining column density measurements for co-spatial H2 and CO at T = 2500 K, we measure a CO/H2 fractional abundance of 2 × 10‑3 and discuss possible reasons why this value is in excess of the canonical 10‑4 value, including dust attenuation, incorrect assumptions on co-spatiality of the H2 and CO emission, and chemical processing in an extreme environment. We model the radiative transfer of H2 in this region with ultraviolet (UV) pumping models to look for signatures of H2 fluorescence from H I Lyα pumping. Dissociative (J-type) shocks and nebular emission from the foreground Orion H II region are considered as possible Lyα sources. From our radiative transfer models, we predict that signatures of Lyα pumping should be detectable in near-IR line ratios given a sufficiently strong source, but such a source is not present in the BN/KL outflow. The data are consistent with shocks as the H2 heating source.

Molecular signatures that are distinctive characteristics of the vertebrates and chordates and supporting a grouping of vertebrates with the tunicates.

PubMed

Gupta, Radhey S

2016-01-01

Members of the phylum Chordata and the subphylum Vertebrata are presently distinguished solely on the basis of morphological characteristics. The relationship of the vertebrates to the two non-vertebrate chordate subphyla is also a subject of debate. Analyses of protein sequences have identified multiple conserved signature indels (CSIs) that are specific for Chordata or for Vertebrata. Five CSIs in 4 important proteins are specific for the Vertebrata, whereas two other CSIs are uniquely found in all sequenced chordate species including Ciona intestinalis and Oikapleura dioica (Tunicates) as well as Branchiostoma floridae (Cephalochordates). The shared presence of these molecular signatures by all vertebrates/chordate species, but in no other animal taxa, strongly indicates that the genetic changes represented by the identified CSIs diagnose monophyletic groups. Two other discovered CSIs are uniquely shared by different vertebrate species and by either one (Ciona intestinalis) or both tunicate (Ciona and Oikapleura) species, but they are not found in Branchiostoma or other animal species. Specific presence of these CSIs in different vertebrates and either one or both tunicate species provides strong independent evidence that the vertebrate species are more closely related to the urochordates (tunicates) than to the cephalochordates. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

SpecTIR and SEBASS analysis of the National Mining District, Humboldt County, Nevada

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morken, Todd O.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the minerals and materials that could be uniquely identified and mapped from measurements made with airborne hyperspectral SpecTIR VNIR/SWIR and SEBASS TIR sensors over areas in the National Mining District. SpecTIR Corporation and Aerospace Corporation acquired Hyperspectral measurements on June 26, 2008 using their ProSpecTIR and SEBASS sensors respectively. In addition the effects of vegetation, elevation, the atmosphere on spectral measurements were evaluated to determine their impact upon the data analysis and target identification. The National Mining District is located approximately 75 miles northeast of Winnemucca, Nevada at the northern end of the Santa Rosa Mountains. Precious metal mining has been dormant in this area since the 1940's, however with increased metal prices over the last decade economic interest in the region has increased substantially. Buckskin Mountain has a preserved alteration assemblage that is exposed in topographically steep terrain, ideal for exploring what hydrothermal alteration products can be identified and mapped in these datasets. These Visible Near Infrared (VNIR), Short Wave Infrared (SWIR), and Long Wave Infrared (LWIR) hyperspectral datasets were used to identify and map kaolinite, alunite, quartz, opal, and illite/muscovite, all of which are useful exploration target identifiers and can indicate regions of alteration. These mapping results were then combined with and compared to other geospatial data in a geographic information systems (GIS) database. The TIR hyperspectral data provided significant additional information that can benefit geologic exploration and demonstrated its usefulness as an additional tool for geological exploration.

Pregnancy Complications as Markers for Subsequent Maternal Cardiovascular Disease: Validation of a Maternal Recall Questionnaire.

PubMed

Carter, Ebony Boyce; Stuart, Jennifer J; Farland, Leslie V; Rich-Edwards, Janet W; Zera, Chloe A; McElrath, Thomas F; Seely, Ellen W

2015-09-01

We designed and tested the validity of a questionnaire to characterize maternal recall of pregnancy complications associated with increased future cardiovascular disease risk, based on the 2011 American Heart Association (AHA) guidelines. A maternal recall questionnaire of pregnancy history was administered to 971 patients who had participated in a previous cohort study of 1,608 pregnant women. Medical records from the study pregnancy served as the gold standard. Prevalence, sensitivity (sens), specificity (spec), positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), and/or Spearman's correlation coefficients (r) were calculated for each question. A total of 526 (54%) individuals recontacted responded. Respondents were more likely to be older, white, educated, and nulliparous and were less likely to deliver low-birthweight infants in the study pregnancy than were individuals who did not respond. Mean length of recall was 4.35 years (standard deviation [SD] 0.46) postpartum. Maternal recall was most accurate for gestational diabetes (sens: 92%, spec: 98%, PPV: 79%, NPV: 99%), infant birthweight (r=0.95), and gestation length (r=0.85). Maternal recall was modest for preeclampsia (sens: 79%, spec: 97%, PPV: 68%, NPV: 98%) and pregnancy-associated hypertension, including preeclampsia or gestational hypertension (sens: 60%, spec: 95%, PPV: 64%, NPV: 94%). This validation study demonstrated that the majority of women could accurately recall a history of gestational diabetes, infant birthweight, and gestational age at delivery, 4 years postpartum on average. Recall of preeclampsia and pregnancy-associated hypertension overall was modest. Maternal report of these pregnancy conditions may help clinicians identify women at increased risk for cardiovascular disease.

Photometric classification and redshift estimation of LSST Supernovae

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

Dai, Mi; Kuhlmann, Steve; Wang, Yun

Supernova (SN) classification and redshift estimation using photometric data only have become very important for the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST), given the large number of SNe that LSST will observe and the impossibility of spectroscopically following up all the SNe. We investigate the performance of an SN classifier that uses SN colours to classify LSST SNe with the Random Forest classification algorithm. Our classifier results in an area-under-the-curve of 0.98 which represents excellent classification. We are able to obtain a photometric SN sample containing 99 percent SNe Ia by choosing a probability threshold. We estimate the photometric redshifts (photo-z)more » of SNe in our sample by fitting the SN light curves using the SALT2 model with nested sampling. We obtain a mean bias (⟨zphot - zspec⟩) of 0.012 with σ(z phot -z spec 1+z spec )=0.0294 σ(zphot-zspec1+zspec)=0.0294 without using a host-galaxy photo-z prior, and a mean bias (⟨zphot - zspec⟩) of 0.0017 with σ(z phot -z spec 1+z spec )=0.0116 σ(zphot-zspec1+zspec)=0.0116 using a host-galaxy photo-z prior. Assuming a flat ΛCDM model with Ωm = 0.3, we obtain Ωm of 0.305 ± 0.008 (statistical errors only), using the simulated LSST sample of photometric SNe Ia (with intrinsic scatter σint = 0.11) derived using our methodology without using host-galaxy photo-z prior. Our method will help boost the power of SNe from the LSST as cosmological probes.« less

Dynamic transcriptional signatures and network responses for clinical symptoms in influenza-infected human subjects using systems biology approaches.

PubMed

Linel, Patrice; Wu, Shuang; Deng, Nan; Wu, Hulin

2014-10-01

Recent studies demonstrate that human blood transcriptional signatures may be used to support diagnosis and clinical decisions for acute respiratory viral infections such as influenza. In this article, we propose to use a newly developed systems biology approach for time course gene expression data to identify significant dynamically response genes and dynamic gene network responses to viral infection. We illustrate the methodological pipeline by reanalyzing the time course gene expression data from a study with healthy human subjects challenged by live influenza virus. We observed clear differences in the number of significant dynamic response genes (DRGs) between the symptomatic and asymptomatic subjects and also identified DRG signatures for symptomatic subjects with influenza infection. The 505 common DRGs shared by the symptomatic subjects have high consistency with the signature genes for predicting viral infection identified in previous works. The temporal response patterns and network response features were carefully analyzed and investigated.

Phenotypic Robustness and the Assortativity Signature of Human Transcription Factor Networks

PubMed Central

Pechenick, Dov A.; Payne, Joshua L.; Moore, Jason H.

2014-01-01

Many developmental, physiological, and behavioral processes depend on the precise expression of genes in space and time. Such spatiotemporal gene expression phenotypes arise from the binding of sequence-specific transcription factors (TFs) to DNA, and from the regulation of nearby genes that such binding causes. These nearby genes may themselves encode TFs, giving rise to a transcription factor network (TFN), wherein nodes represent TFs and directed edges denote regulatory interactions between TFs. Computational studies have linked several topological properties of TFNs — such as their degree distribution — with the robustness of a TFN's gene expression phenotype to genetic and environmental perturbation. Another important topological property is assortativity, which measures the tendency of nodes with similar numbers of edges to connect. In directed networks, assortativity comprises four distinct components that collectively form an assortativity signature. We know very little about how a TFN's assortativity signature affects the robustness of its gene expression phenotype to perturbation. While recent theoretical results suggest that increasing one specific component of a TFN's assortativity signature leads to increased phenotypic robustness, the biological context of this finding is currently limited because the assortativity signatures of real-world TFNs have not been characterized. It is therefore unclear whether these earlier theoretical findings are biologically relevant. Moreover, it is not known how the other three components of the assortativity signature contribute to the phenotypic robustness of TFNs. Here, we use publicly available DNaseI-seq data to measure the assortativity signatures of genome-wide TFNs in 41 distinct human cell and tissue types. We find that all TFNs share a common assortativity signature and that this signature confers phenotypic robustness to model TFNs. Lastly, we determine the extent to which each of the four components of the assortativity signature contributes to this robustness. PMID:25121490

Linac based photofission inspection system employing novel detection concepts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stevenson, John; Gozani, Tsahi; Elsalim, Mashal; Condron, Cathie; Brown, Craig

2011-10-01

Rapiscan Systems is developing a LINAC based cargo inspection system for detection of special nuclear material (SNM) in cargo containers. The system, called Photofission Based Alarm Resolution (PBAR) is being developed under a DHD/DNDO Advanced Technology Demonstration (ATD) program. The PBAR system is based on the Rapiscan Eagle P9000 X-ray system, which is a portal system with a commercial 9 MeV LINAC X-ray source. For the purposes of the DNDO ATD program, a conveyor system was installed in the portal to allow scanning and precise positioning of 20 ft ISO cargo containers. The system uses a two step inspection process. In the first step, the basic scan, the container is quickly and completely inspected using two independent radiography arrays: the conventional primary array with high spatial resolution and a lower resolution spectroscopic array employing the novel Z-Spec method. The primary array uses cadmium tungstate (CdWO 4) detectors with conventional current mode readouts using photodiodes. The Z-Spec array uses small plastic scintillators capable of performing very fast (up to 10 8 cps) gamma-ray spectroscopy. The two radiography arrays are used to locate high-Z objects in the image such as lead, tungsten, uranium, which could be potential shielding materials as well as SNM itself. In the current system, the Z-Spec works by measuring the energy spectrum of transmitted X-rays. For high-Z materials the higher end of the energy spectrum is more attenuated than for low-Z materials and thus has a lower mean energy and a narrower width than low- and medium-Z materials. The second step in the inspection process is the direct scan or alarm clearing scan. In this step, areas of the container image, which were identified as high Z, are re-inspected. This is done by precisely repositioning the container to the location of the high-Z object and performing a stationary irradiation of the area with X-ray beam. Since there are a large number of photons in the 9 MV Bremsstrahlung spectrum above the photofission "threshold" of about 6 MeV, the X-ray beam induces numerous fissions if nuclear material is present. The PBAR system looks for the two most prolific fission signatures to confirm the presence of special nuclear materials (SNM). These are prompt neutrons and delayed gamma rays. The PBAR system uses arrays of two types of fast and highly efficient gamma ray detectors: plastic and fluorocarbon scintillators. The latter serves as a detector of fission prompt neutrons using the novel threshold activation detector (TAD) concept as well as a very efficient delayed gamma ray detector. The major advantage of TAD for detecting the prompt neutrons is its insensitivity to the intense source related backgrounds. The current status of the system and experimental results will be shown and discussed.

Simulations of inspiraling and merging double neutron stars using the Spectral Einstein Code

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haas, Roland; Ott, Christian D.; Szilagyi, Bela; Kaplan, Jeffrey D.; Lippuner, Jonas; Scheel, Mark A.; Barkett, Kevin; Muhlberger, Curran D.; Dietrich, Tim; Duez, Matthew D.; Foucart, Francois; Pfeiffer, Harald P.; Kidder, Lawrence E.; Teukolsky, Saul A.

2016-06-01

We present results on the inspiral, merger, and postmerger evolution of a neutron star-neutron star (NSNS) system. Our results are obtained using the hybrid pseudospectral-finite volume Spectral Einstein Code (SpEC). To test our numerical methods, we evolve an equal-mass system for ≈22 orbits before merger. This waveform is the longest waveform obtained from fully general-relativistic simulations for NSNSs to date. Such long (and accurate) numerical waveforms are required to further improve semianalytical models used in gravitational wave data analysis, for example, the effective one body models. We discuss in detail the improvements to SpEC's ability to simulate NSNS mergers, in particular mesh refined grids to better resolve the merger and postmerger phases. We provide a set of consistency checks and compare our results to NSNS merger simulations with the independent bam code. We find agreement between them, which increases confidence in results obtained with either code. This work paves the way for future studies using long waveforms and more complex microphysical descriptions of neutron star matter in SpEC.

Micro-Spec: An Ultracompact, High-sensitivity Spectrometer for Far-Infrared and Submillimeter Astronomy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cataldo, Giuseppe; Hsieh, Wen-Ting; Huang, Wei-Chung; Moseley, S. Harvey; Stevenson, Thomas R.; Wollack, Edward J.

2014-01-01

High-performance, integrated spectrometers operating in the far-infrared and submillimeter ranges promise to be powerful tools for the exploration of the epochs of reionization and initial galaxy formation. These devices, using high-efficiency superconducting transmission lines, can achieve the performance of a meter-scale grating spectrometer in an instrument implemented on a 4 inch silicon wafer. Such a device, when combined with a cryogenic telescope in space, provides an enabling capability for studies of the early universe. Here, the optical design process for Micro-Spec (micron-Spec) is presented, with particular attention given to its two-dimensional diffractive region, where the light of different wavelengths is focused on the different detectors. The method is based on the stigmatization and minimization of the light path function in this bounded region, which results in an optimized geometrical configuration. A point design with an efficiency of (is) approximately 90% has been developed for initial demonstration and can serve as the basis for future instruments. Design variations on this implementation are also discussed, which can lead to lower efficiencies due to diffractive losses in the multimode region.

Micro-Spec: An Ultra-Compact, High-Sensitivity Spectrometer for Far-Infrared and Sub-Millimeter Astronomy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cataldo, Giuseppe; Hsieh, Wen-Ting; Huang, Wei-Chung; Moseley, S. Harvey; Stevenson, Thomas R.; Wollack, Edward J.

2013-01-01

High-performance, integrated spectrometers operating in the far-infrared and sub-millimeter promise to be powerful tools for the exploration of the epochs of reionization and initial galaxy formation. These devices, using high-efficiency superconducting transmission lines, can achieve the performance of a meter-scale grating spectrometer in an instrument implemented on a four-inch silicon wafer. Such a device, when combined with a cryogenic telescope in space, provides an enabling capability for studies of the early universe. Here, the optical design process for Micro-Spec (mu-Spec) is presented, with particular attention given to its two-dimensional diffractive region, where the light of different wavelengths is focused on the different detectors. The method is based on the stigmatization and minimization of the light path function in this bounded region, which results in an optimized geometrical configuration. A point design with an efficiency of approx. 90% has been developed for initial demonstration, and can serve as the basis for future instruments. Design variations on this implementation are also discussed, which can lead to lower efficiencies due to diffractive losses in the multimode region.

Estimating biophysical properties of coffee (Coffea canephora) plants with above-canopy field measurements, using CropSpec®

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Putra, Bayu T. Widjaja; Soni, Peeyush; Morimoto, Eiji; Pujiyanto, Pujiyanto

2018-04-01

Remote sensing technologies have been applied to many crops, but tree crops like Robusta coffee (Coffea canephora) under shade conditions require additional attention while making above-canopy measurements. The objective of this study was to determine how well chlorophyll and nitrogen status of Robusta coffee plants can be estimated with the laser-based (CropSpec®) active sensor. This study also identified appropriate vegetation indices for estimating Nitrogen content by above-canopy measurement, using near-infra red and red-edge bands. Varying light intensity and different background of the plants were considered in developing the indices. Field experiments were conducted involving different non-destructive tools (CropSpec® and SPAD-502 chlorophyll meter). Subsequently, Kjeldahl laboratory analyses were performed to determine the actual Nitrogen content of the plants with different ages and field conditions used in the non-destructive previous stage. Measurements were undertaken for assessing the biophysical properties of tree plant. The usefulness of near-infrared and red-edge bands from these sensors in measuring critical nitrogen levels of coffee plants by above-canopy measurement are investigated in this study.

Optimization of a multi-channel parabolic guide for the material science diffractometer STRESS-SPEC at FRM II

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rebelo Kornmeier, Joana; Ostermann, Andreas; Hofmann, Michael; Gibmeier, Jens

2014-02-01

Neutron strain diffractometers usually use slits to define a gauge volume within engineering samples. In this study a multi-channel parabolic neutron guide was developed to be used instead of the primary slit to minimise the loss of intensity and vertical definition of the gauge volume when using slits placed far away from the measurement position in bulky components. The major advantage of a focusing guide is that the maximum flux is not at the exit of the guide as for a slit system but at the focal point relatively far away from the exit of the guide. Monte Carlo simulations were used to optimise the multi-channel parabolic guide with respect to the instrument characteristics of the diffractometer STRESS-SPEC at the FRM II neutron source. Also the simulations are in excellent agreement with experimental measurements using the optimised multi-channel parabolic guide at the neutron diffractometer. In addition the performance of the guide was compared to the standard slit setup at STRESS-SPEC using a single bead weld sample used in earlier round robin tests for residual strain measurements.

Advanced Systems Map, Monitor, and Manage Earth's Resources

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2007-01-01

SpecTIR LLC, headquartered in Reno, Nevada, is recognized for innovative sensor design, on-demand hyperspectral data collection, and image-generating products for business, academia, and national and international governments. SpecTIR's current vice president of business development has brought a wealth of NASA-related research experience to the company, as the former principal investigator on a NASA-sponsored hyperspectral crop-imaging project. This project, made possible through a Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) contract with Goddard Space Flight Center, aimed to enhance airborne hyperspectral sensing and ground-truthing means for crop inspection in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. Areas of application for such technology include precision farming and irrigation; oil, gas, and mineral exploration; pollution and contamination monitoring; wetland and forestry characterization; water quality assessment; and submerged aquatic vegetation mapping. Today, SpecTIR maintains its relationship with Goddard through programs at the University of Maryland in College Park, Maryland, and at the U.S. Department of Agriculture campus in Beltsville, Maryland. Additionally, work continues on the integration of hyperspectral data with LIDAR systems and other commercial-off-the-shelf technologies.

Removal of uranium from soil sample digests for ICP-OES analysis of trace metals

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

Foust, R.D. Jr.; Bidabad, M.

1996-10-01

An analytical procedure has been developed to quantitatively remove uranium from soil sample digests, permitting ICP-OES analysis of trace metals. The procedure involves digesting a soil sample with standard procedures (EPA SW-846, Method 3050), and passing the sample digestate through commercially available resin (U/TEVA{sm_bullet}Spec, Eichrom Industries, Inc.) containing diarryl amylphosphonate as the stationary phase. Quantitative removal of uranium was achieved with soil samples containing up to 60% uranium, and percent recoveries averaged better than 85% for 9 of the 10 metals evaluated (Ag, As, Cd. Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, Se and Tl). The U/TEVA{sm_bullet}Spec column was regenerated by washing withmore » 200 mL of a 0.01 M oxalic acid/0.02 M nitric acid solution, permitting re-use of the column. GFAAS analysis of a sample spiked with 56.5% uranium, after treatment of the digestate with a U/TEVA{sm_bullet}Spec resin column, resulted in percent recoveries of 97% or better for all target metals.« less

Micro-Spec: an ultracompact, high-sensitivity spectrometer for far-infrared and submillimeter astronomy.

PubMed

Cataldo, Giuseppe; Hsieh, Wen-Ting; Huang, Wei-Chung; Moseley, S Harvey; Stevenson, Thomas R; Wollack, Edward J

2014-02-20

High-performance, integrated spectrometers operating in the far-infrared and submillimeter ranges promise to be powerful tools for the exploration of the epochs of reionization and initial galaxy formation. These devices, using high-efficiency superconducting transmission lines, can achieve the performance of a meter-scale grating spectrometer in an instrument implemented on a 4 inch silicon wafer. Such a device, when combined with a cryogenic telescope in space, provides an enabling capability for studies of the early universe. Here, the optical design process for Micro-Spec (μ-Spec) is presented, with particular attention given to its two-dimensional diffractive region, where the light of different wavelengths is focused on the different detectors. The method is based on the stigmatization and minimization of the light path function in this bounded region, which results in an optimized geometrical configuration. A point design with an efficiency of ~90% has been developed for initial demonstration and can serve as the basis for future instruments. Design variations on this implementation are also discussed, which can lead to lower efficiencies due to diffractive losses in the multimode region.

Identification of key regulators for the migration and invasion of rheumatoid synoviocytes through a systems approach

PubMed Central

You, Sungyong; Yoo, Seung-Ah; Choi, Susanna; Kim, Ji-Young; Park, Su-Jung; Ji, Jong Dae; Kim, Tae-Hwan; Kim, Ki-Jo; Cho, Chul-Soo; Hwang, Daehee; Kim, Wan-Uk

2014-01-01

Rheumatoid synoviocytes, which consist of fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLSs) and synovial macrophages (SMs), are crucial for the progression of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Particularly, FLSs of RA patients (RA-FLSs) exhibit invasive characteristics reminiscent of cancer cells, destroying cartilage and bone. RA-FLSs and SMs originate differently from mesenchymal and myeloid cells, respectively, but share many pathologic functions. However, the molecular signatures and biological networks representing the distinct and shared features of the two cell types are unknown. We performed global transcriptome profiling of FLSs and SMs obtained from RA and osteoarthritis patients. By comparing the transcriptomes, we identified distinct molecular signatures and cellular processes defining invasiveness of RA-FLSs and proinflammatory properties of RA-SMs, respectively. Interestingly, under the interleukin-1β (IL-1β)–stimulated condition, the RA-FLSs newly acquired proinflammatory signature dominant in RA-SMs without losing invasive properties. We next reconstructed a network model that delineates the shared, RA-FLS–dominant (invasive), and RA-SM–dominant (inflammatory) processes. From the network model, we selected 13 genes, including periostin, osteoblast-specific factor (POSTN) and twist basic helix–loop–helix transcription factor 1 (TWIST1), as key regulator candidates responsible for FLS invasiveness. Of note, POSTN and TWIST1 expressions were elevated in independent RA-FLSs and further instigated by IL-1β. Functional assays demonstrated the requirement of POSTN and TWIST1 for migration and invasion of RA-FLSs stimulated with IL-1β. Together, our systems approach to rheumatoid synovitis provides a basis for identifying key regulators responsible for pathological features of RA-FLSs and -SMs, demonstrating how a certain type of cells acquires functional redundancy under chronic inflammatory conditions. PMID:24374632

Ada Integrated Environment II Computer Program Development Specification. Part 1.

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-12-01

34Programmable" access 3.2.5.5 controls ; provision for privileged 3.2.5.6 user. 3.3.1 3.3.3 4.1.2.11 3.7.1.2 KDBS - 3.2.5.7 Capability to archive data base...CM -1 1 PHASE I SOW REQUIREMENTS A - SPEC B5 -SPEC 4.111. 3.7.2 1Compiler -331 aMAPSE shall include a mechanism for 1 Linker -3.2.5 aautomatic stub...19 3.2.5.5 Process Administrator The Process Administrator controls the executions of logically concurrent MAPSE processes. The KFW Interface Package

An Analysis of C4I Effectiveness Using the RESA Wargame

DTIC Science & Technology

1994-06-01

the Target from Both comunities based on Warfare Specialty. SOURCE DF SS MS F p War Spec 1 1.0 1.0 0.02 0.898 ERROR 22 1372.6 62.4 TOTAL 23 1373.6...requirements. During the post Cold War era, a declining defense budget has forced complicated decisions concerning which systems the military will be...F-14 NFO 24. LT Donald Zwick, USN, EA-6B NFO 69 Appendix B: Basic Experimental Results Coil Col2 Col3 CoW4 Col5 Col6 Co17 War SpeC Level Stk Pack Sup

Design of the opacity spectrometer for opacity measurements at the National Ignition Facility

DOE PAGES

Ross, P. W.; Heeter, R. F.; Ahmed, M. F.; ...

2016-10-03

Recent experiments at the Sandia National Laboratory Z facility have called into question models used in calculating opacity, of importance for modeling stellar interiors. An effort is being made to reproduce these results at the National Ignition Facility (NIF). These experiments require a new X-ray opacity spectrometer (OpSpec) spanning 540 eV–2100 eV with a resolving power E/ΔE > 700. The design of the OpSpec is presented. Photometric calculations based on expected opacity data are also presented in this paper. First use on NIF is expected in September 2016.

Design of the opacity spectrometer for opacity measurements at the National Ignition Facility.

PubMed

Ross, P W; Heeter, R F; Ahmed, M F; Dodd, E; Huffman, E J; Liedahl, D A; King, J A; Opachich, Y P; Schneider, M B; Perry, T S

2016-11-01

Recent experiments at the Sandia National Laboratory Z facility have called into question models used in calculating opacity, of importance for modeling stellar interiors. An effort is being made to reproduce these results at the National Ignition Facility (NIF). These experiments require a new X-ray opacity spectrometer (OpSpec) spanning 540 eV-2100 eV with a resolving power E/ΔE > 700. The design of the OpSpec is presented. Photometric calculations based on expected opacity data are also presented. First use on NIF is expected in September 2016.

Evaluation of three parasite lactate dehydrogenase-based rapid diagnostic tests for the diagnosis of falciparum and vivax malaria

PubMed Central

Ashley, Elizabeth A; Touabi, Malek; Ahrer, Margareta; Hutagalung, Robert; Htun, Khayae; Luchavez, Jennifer; Dureza, Christine; Proux, Stephane; Leimanis, Mara; Lwin, Myo Min; Koscalova, Alena; Comte, Eric; Hamade, Prudence; Page, Anne-Laure; Nosten, François; Guerin, Philippe J

2009-01-01

Background In areas where non-falciparum malaria is common rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) capable of distinguishing malaria species reliably are needed. Such tests are often based on the detection of parasite lactate dehydrogenase (pLDH). Methods In Dawei, southern Myanmar, three pLDH based RDTs (CareStart™ Malaria pLDH (Pan), CareStart™ Malaria pLDH (Pan, Pf) and OptiMAL-IT®)were evaluated in patients presenting with clinically suspected malaria. Each RDT was read independently by two readers. A subset of patients with microscopically confirmed malaria had their RDTs repeated on days 2, 7 and then weekly until negative. At the end of the study, samples of study batches were sent for heat stability testing. Results Between August and November 2007, 1004 patients aged between 1 and 93 years were enrolled in the study. Slide microscopy (the reference standard) diagnosed 213 Plasmodium vivax (Pv) monoinfections, 98 Plasmodium falciparum (Pf) mono-infections and no malaria in 650 cases. The sensitivities (sens) and specificities (spec), of the RDTs for the detection of malaria were- CareStart Malaria™ pLDH (Pan) test: sens 89.1% [CI95 84.2-92.6], spec 97.6% [CI95 96.5-98.4] OptiMal-IT®: Pf+/- other species detection: sens 95.2% [CI95 87.5-98.2], spec 94.7% [CI95 93.3-95.8]; non-Pf detection alone: sens 89.6% [CI95 83.6-93.6], spec 96.5% [CI95 94.8-97.7] CareStart Malaria™ pLDH (Pan, Pf): Pf+/- other species: sens 93.5% [CI9585.4-97.3], spec 97.4% [95.9-98.3]; non-Pf: sens 78.5% [CI9571.1-84.4], spec 97.8% [CI95 96.3-98.7] Inter-observer agreement was excellent for all tests (kappa > 0.9). The median time for the RDTs to become negative was two days for the CareStart™ Malaria tests and seven days for OptiMAL-IT®. Tests were heat stable up to 90 days except for OptiMAL-IT® (Pf specific pLDH stable to day 20 at 35°C). Conclusion None of the pLDH-based RDTs evaluated was able to detect non-falciparum malaria with high sensitivity, particularly at low parasitaemias. OptiMAL-IT® performed best overall and would perform best in an area of high malaria prevalence among screened fever cases. However, heat stability was unacceptable and the number of steps to perform this test is a significant drawback in the field. A reliable, heat-stable, highly sensitive RDT, capable of diagnosing all Plasmodium species has yet to be identified. PMID:19860920

Evaluation of three parasite lactate dehydrogenase-based rapid diagnostic tests for the diagnosis of falciparum and vivax malaria.

PubMed

Ashley, Elizabeth A; Touabi, Malek; Ahrer, Margareta; Hutagalung, Robert; Htun, Khayae; Luchavez, Jennifer; Dureza, Christine; Proux, Stephane; Leimanis, Mara; Lwin, Myo Min; Koscalova, Alena; Comte, Eric; Hamade, Prudence; Page, Anne-Laure; Nosten, François; Guerin, Philippe J

2009-10-27

In areas where non-falciparum malaria is common rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) capable of distinguishing malaria species reliably are needed. Such tests are often based on the detection of parasite lactate dehydrogenase (pLDH). In Dawei, southern Myanmar, three pLDH based RDTs (CareStart Malaria pLDH (Pan), CareStart Malaria pLDH (Pan, Pf) and OptiMAL-IT)were evaluated in patients presenting with clinically suspected malaria. Each RDT was read independently by two readers. A subset of patients with microscopically confirmed malaria had their RDTs repeated on days 2, 7 and then weekly until negative. At the end of the study, samples of study batches were sent for heat stability testing. Between August and November 2007, 1004 patients aged between 1 and 93 years were enrolled in the study. Slide microscopy (the reference standard) diagnosed 213 Plasmodium vivax (Pv) monoinfections, 98 Plasmodium falciparum (Pf) mono-infections and no malaria in 650 cases. The sensitivities (sens) and specificities (spec), of the RDTs for the detection of malaria were- CareStart Malaria pLDH (Pan) test: sens 89.1% [CI95 84.2-92.6], spec 97.6% [CI95 96.5-98.4]. OptiMal-IT: Pf+/- other species detection: sens 95.2% [CI95 87.5-98.2], spec 94.7% [CI95 93.3-95.8]; non-Pf detection alone: sens 89.6% [CI95 83.6-93.6], spec 96.5% [CI95 94.8-97.7]. CareStart Malaria pLDH (Pan, Pf): Pf+/- other species: sens 93.5% [CI95 85.4-97.3], spec 97.4% [95.9-98.3]; non-Pf: sens 78.5% [CI95 71.1-84.4], spec 97.8% [CI95 96.3-98.7]. Inter-observer agreement was excellent for all tests (kappa > 0.9). The median time for the RDTs to become negative was two days for the CareStart Malaria tests and seven days for OptiMAL-IT. Tests were heat stable up to 90 days except for OptiMAL-IT (Pf specific pLDH stable to day 20 at 35 degrees C). None of the pLDH-based RDTs evaluated was able to detect non-falciparum malaria with high sensitivity, particularly at low parasitaemias. OptiMAL-IT performed best overall and would perform best in an area of high malaria prevalence among screened fever cases. However, heat stability was unacceptable and the number of steps to perform this test is a significant drawback in the field. A reliable, heat-stable, highly sensitive RDT, capable of diagnosing all Plasmodium species has yet to be identified.

“Neuropathology of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and its variants”

PubMed Central

Saberi, Shahram; Stauffer, Jennifer E.; Schulte, Derek J.; Ravits, John

2015-01-01

Summary Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a clinical syndrome named for its neuropathological hallmark: degeneration of motor neurons in the spinal anterior horn and motor cortex and loss of axons in the lateral columns of the spinal cord. The signature neuropathological molecular signature common to almost all sporadic ALS and most familial ALS is TDP-43 immunoreactive neuronal cytoplasmic inclusions. The neuropathological and molecular neuropathological features of ALS variants primarly lateral sclerosis and progressive muscular atrophy are less certain, but also appear to share the primary features of ALS. A number of genetic causes including mutations in SOD1, FUS, and C9orf72 comprise a disease spectrum and all demonstrate distinctive molecular and neuropathological signatures. Neuropathology will continue to play to a key role in solving the puzzle of ALS pathogenesis. PMID:26515626

Cool Apps: Productivity at Your Fingertips

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Flaherty, Bill

2013-01-01

In addition to listing apps and their value, this article focuses on ways people can be more productive by adopting certain workflows in several ways. Apps listed herein include those useful in calendaring, printing, photo-editing, image-recognition, image scanning, electronic signatures, and making and sharing lists and notes.

Core Pedagogy: Individual Uncertainty, Shared Practice, Formative Ethos

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dotger, Benjamin H.

2015-01-01

Attention to the core practices of teaching necessitates core pedagogies in teacher preparation. This article outlines the diffusion of one such pedagogy from medical to teacher education. The concept of clinical simulations is outlined through the lens of "signature pedagogies" and their uncertain, engaging, formative qualities.…

MEASUREMENTS OF CO REDSHIFTS WITH Z-SPEC FOR LENSED SUBMILLIMETER GALAXIES DISCOVERED IN THE H-ATLAS SURVEY

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

Lupu, R. E.; Scott, K. S.; Aguirre, J. E.

2012-10-01

We present new observations from Z-Spec, a broadband 185-305 GHz spectrometer, of five submillimeter bright lensed sources selected from the Herschel-Astrophysical Terahertz Large Area Survey science demonstration phase catalog. We construct a redshift-finding algorithm using combinations of the signal to noise of all the lines falling in the Z-Spec bandpass to determine redshifts with high confidence, even in cases where the signal to noise in individual lines is low. We measure the dust continuum in all sources and secure CO redshifts for four out of five (z {approx} 1.5-3). In one source, SDP.17, we tentatively identify two independent redshifts andmore » a water line, confirmed at z = 2.308. Our sources have properties characteristic of dusty starburst galaxies, with magnification-corrected star formation rates of 10{sup 2-3} M{sub Sun} yr{sup -1}. Lower limits for the dust masses ({approx} a few 10{sup 8} M{sub Sun }) and spatial extents ({approx}1 kpc equivalent radius) are derived from the continuum spectral energy distributions, corresponding to dust temperatures between 54 and 69 K. In the local thermodynamic equilibrium (LTE) approximation, we derive relatively low CO excitation temperatures ({approx}< 100 K) and optical depths ({tau} {approx}< 1). Performing a non-LTE excitation analysis using RADEX, we find that the CO lines measured by Z-Spec (from J = 4 {yields} 3 to 10 {yields} 9, depending on the galaxy) localize the best solutions to either a high-temperature/low-density region or a low/temperature/high-density region near the LTE solution, with the optical depth varying accordingly. Observations of additional CO lines, CO(1-0) in particular, are needed to constrain the non-LTE models.« less

Micro-spec: an Integrated Direct-detection Spectrometer for Far-infrared Space Telescopes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cataldo, Giuseppe; Hsieh, Wen-Ting; Huang, Wei-Chung; Moseley, S. Harvey; Stevenson, Thomas R.; Wollack, Edward J.

2014-01-01

The far-infrared and submillimeter portions of the electromagnetic spectrum provide a unique view of the astrophysical processes present in the early universe. Our ability to fully explore this rich spectral region has been limited, however, by the size and cost of the cryogenic spectrometers required to carry out such measurements.Micro-Spec (µ-Spec) is a high-sensitivity, direct-detection spectrometer concept working in the 450-1000 (micrometers) wavelength range which will enable a wide range of flight missions that would otherwise be challenging due tothe large size of current instruments with the required spectral resolution and sensitivity. The spectrometer design utilizes two internal antenna arrays, one for transmitting and one for receiving, superconducting microstrip transmission lines for power division and phase delay, and an array of microwave kinetic inductance detectors (MKIDs) to achieve these goals. The instrument will be integrated on a approximately 10 sq cm silicon chip and can therefore become an important capability under the low background conditions accessible via space and high-altitude borne platforms. In this paper, an optical design methodology for micro-Spec is presented, with particular attention given to its two-dimensional diffractive region, where the light of different wavelengths is focused on the different detectors. The method is based on the maximization of the instrument resolving power and minimization of the RMS phase error on the instrument focal plane. This two-step optimization can generate geometrical configurations given specific requirements on spectrometer size, operating spectral range and performance.Two point designs with resolving power of 260 and 520 and an RMS phase error less than approximately 0.004 radians were developed for initial demonstration and will be the basis of future instruments with resolving power up to about 1200.

NASA's Far-IR/Submillimeter Roadmap Missions SAFIR and SPECS

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Leisawitz, David

2003-01-01

The far-IR is rich with information about star, disk and planet formation because protostars emit predominantly in this spectral range, and the radiation can escape from the inherently dusty stellar birth sites. Spectral lines contain particularly valuable information about the cooling, collapse, and chemistry of molecular cloud cores and protostars. However, the interpretation of line intensities and profiles is model-dependent; ultimately, high angular resolution is needed to break model degeneracy and definitively characterize the source. Processes occurring on scales smaller than 10,000 AU (72 arcsec at 140 pc, where the nearest protostellar objects are found) likely affect the stellar initial mass function and determine the product of cloud collapse (Binary star or planetary system? How many planets, and what kind will they be?) The next-generation far-IR observatories SIRTF, SOFIA, and Herschel will revolutionize star formation studies and leave the community yearning for telescopes that operate in this spectral region but provide many orders of magnitude better angular resolution. NASA's space science roadmap includes the JWST-scale Single Aperture Far-IR (SAFIR) telescope and the 1 km maximum baseline far-IR interferometer, SPECS (the Submillimeter Probe of the Evolution of Cosmic Structure). I will give the scientific motivation for these missions, describe mission concepts and telescope measurement capabilities, and compare these capabilities with those of the next-generation IR telescopes and with the complementary JWST and ALMA. I will also describe the Space Infrared Interferometric Telescope (SPIRIT), a science and technology pathfinder for SPECS, which could be ready to launch in about a decade. At 100 microns, SAFIR will provide 2.5 arcsec resolution (10 times better than SIRTF), SPIRIT will provide 0.25 arcsec resolution, and SPECS will provide 10 milli-arcsec resolution, which is comparable to that of the Hubble Space Telescope.

SpecOp: Optimal Extraction Software for Integral Field Unit Spectrographs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McCarron, Adam; Ciardullo, Robin; Eracleous, Michael

2018-01-01

The Hobby-Eberly Telescope’s new low resolution integral field spectrographs, LRS2-B and LRS2-R, each cover a 12”x6” area on the sky with 280 fibers and generate spectra with resolutions between R=1100 and R=1900. To extract 1-D spectra from the instrument’s 3D data cubes, a program is needed that is flexible enough to work for a wide variety of targets, including continuum point sources, emission line sources, and compact sources embedded in complex backgrounds. We therefore introduce SpecOp, a user-friendly python program for optimally extracting spectra from integral-field unit spectrographs. As input, SpecOp takes a sky-subtracted data cube consisting of images at each wavelength increment set by the instrument’s spectral resolution, and an error file for each count measurement. All of these files are generated by the current LRS2 reduction pipeline. The program then collapses the cube in the image plane using the optimal extraction algorithm detailed by Keith Horne (1986). The various user-selected options include the fraction of the total signal enclosed in a contour-defined region, the wavelength range to analyze, and the precision of the spatial profile calculation. SpecOp can output the weighted counts and errors at each wavelength in various table formats using python’s astropy package. We outline the algorithm used for extraction and explain how the software can be used to easily obtain high-quality 1-D spectra. We demonstrate the utility of the program by applying it to spectra of a variety of quasars and AGNs. In some of these targets, we extract the spectrum of a nuclear point source that is superposed on a spatially extended galaxy.

Diversity of macrofaunal Mollusca of the abyssal Vema Fracture Zone and hadal Puerto Rico Trench, Tropical North Atlantic

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Linse, Katrin; Schwabe, Enrico

2018-02-01

While biodiversity patterns of Atlantic deep-sea bivalves and gastropods have served as model taxa for setting global latitudinal and bathymetric hypotheses, less is known on abyssal, amphi-Atlantic molluscan assemblage compositions. The Vema-TRANSIT expedition sampled 17 stations in the Vema Fracture Zone (VFZ) and the Puerto Rico Trench (PRT) by epibenthic sledge. These samples comprised a total of 1333 specimens and 64 morphospecies of the classes Caudofoveata (7 species), Solenogastres (7 spp.), Bivalvia (22 spp.), Gastropoda (24 spp.), and Scaphopoda (4 spp.) while Cephalopoda, Monoplacophora and Polyplacophora were absent. The majority of species was rare with 21 uniques (32.8% of all species) and 10 duplicates (15.6% of all species) and of these 15 (48% of rare/23.4% of all species) morphospecies were singletons and 8 (25.8% of rare/12.5% of all species) morphospecies were doubletons. Overall bivalves (686 specimens) were most abundant, followed by scaphopods (314 spec.), while solenogastres (180 spec.), caudofoveates (86 spec.) and gastropods (67 spec.) were less abundant. The abyssal macro-molluscan species composition did not vary significantly between the eastern and western Atlantic sides of the VFZ while abundances standardized to 1000 m2 trawled area were higher on the eastern side. The abyssal PRT stations resembled the VFZ ones in species composition and abundances, in the latter the eastern VFZ. The hadal PRT differed in species composition from the abyssal VFZ and PRT and abundances were similarly low like the western VFZ. The Mid-Atlantic Ridge appeared not to be a barrier for the dispersal of the mostly lecitotrophic or plankotrophic larval stages of the reported molluscan species in this study.

Micro-Spec: an Integrated, Direct-Detection Spectrometer for Far-Infrared and Submillimeter Astronomy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cataldo, Giuseppe

2014-01-01

The far-infrared and submillimeter portions of the electromagnetic spectrum provide a unique view of the astrophysical processes present in the early universe. Our ability to fully explore this rich spectral region has been limited, however, by the size and cost of the cryogenic spectrometers required to carry out such measurements. Micro-Spec (u-Spec) is a high-sensitivity, direct-detection spectrometer concept working in the 450-1000 micromillimeter wavelength range which will enable a wide range of flight missions that would otherwise be challenging due to the large size of current instruments with the required spectral resolution and sensitivity. The spectrometer design utilizes two internal antenna arrays, one for transmitting and one for receiving, superconducting microstrip transmission lines for power division and phase delay, and an array of microwave kinetic inductance detectors (MKIDs) to achieve these goals. The instrument will be integrated on a approximately 10 square cm silicon chip and can therefore become an important capability under the low background conditions accessible via space and high-altitude borne platforms. In this paper, an optical design methodology for Micro-Spec is presented, with particular attention given to its twodimensional diffractive region, where the light of different wavelengths is focused on the different detectors. The method is based on the maximization of the instrument resolving power and minimization of the RMS phase error on the instrument focal plane. This two-step optimization can generate geometrical configurations given specific requirements on spectrometer size, operating spectral range and performance. A point design with resolving power of 257, an RMS phase error less than 0.1 radians and four stigmatic points was developed for initial demonstration and will be the basis of future instruments with resolving power up to about 1200.

Red and Far-Red Solar-Induced Chlorophyll Fluorescence Observations in the Tropical Rain Forest of Costa Rica

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stutz, J.; Grossmann, K.; Seibt, U.; Dierick, D.; Magney, T. S.; Frankenberg, C.

2017-12-01

Solar-Induced Chlorophyll Fluorescence (SIF) is a powerful proxy for photosynthetic activity. SIF can be measured using remote sensing from the leaf to the global scale. However, the relationship between SIF, photosynthetic efficiencies, Gross Primary Productivity (GPP), and their response to environmental stress conditions remain poorly constrained. The impact of canopy radiative transfer and viewing geometry at the canopy scale also requires further study. In addition, there is an urgent need for the validation of space-borne SIF measurements, especially above the tropical rain forest where ground observations at the canopy scale are sparse. Here we present observations of SIF in the red and far-red wavelength range, as well various vegetation indices (NDVI, PRI, EVI), made by a novel ground-based spectrometer system, PhotoSpec, at La Selva Biological Station, Costa Rica. Measurements began in March 2017 and have continued ever since. PhotoSpec uses a narrow (0.7 degrees) field-of-view for the simultaneous co-aligned observations of all parameters at a time resolution of 30 seconds. The 2D scanning telescope unit of PhotoSpec was used for regular surveys of around 20 tree species, 2D-raster on canopies of individual trees, as well as elevation survey scans. SIF retrievals were performed using the in-filling of Fraunhofer lines, which allows the accurate observation of SIF under sunny as well as frequent cloudy conditions. The seasonal changes of SIF at La Selva, as well as the red / far-red SIF ratio, for different tree species are presented. 2D-raster scans allow an assessment of the representativeness of narrow field-of-view observations. We will also compare the PhotoSpec data with coincident satellite observations.

SpecDB: The AAVSO’s Public Repository for Spectra of Variable Stars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kafka, Stella; Weaver, John; Silvis, George; Beck, Sara

2018-01-01

SpecDB is the American Association of Variable Star Observers (AAVSO) spectral database. Accessible to any astronomer with the capability to perform spectroscopy, SpecDB provides an unprecedented scientific opportunity for amateur and professional astronomers around the globe. Backed by the Variable Star Index, one of the most utilized variable star catalogs, SpecDB is expected to become one of the world leading databases of its kind. Once verified by a team of expert spectroscopists, an observer can upload spectra of variable stars target easily and efficiently. Uploaded spectra can then be searched for, previewed, and downloaded for inclusion in publications. Close community development and involvement will ensure a user-friendly and versatile database, compatible with the needs of 21st century astrophysics. Observations of 1D spectra are submitted as FITS files. All spectra are required to be preprocessed for wavelength calibration and dark subtraction; Bias and flat are strongly recommended. First time observers are required to submit a spectrum of a standard (non-variable) star to be checked for errors in technique or equipment. Regardless of user validation, FITS headers must include several value cards detailing the observation, as well as information regarding the observer, equipment, and observing site in accordance with existing AAVSO records. This enforces consistency and provides necessary details for follow up analysis. Requirements are provided to users in a comprehensive guidebook and accompanying technical manual. Upon submission, FITS headers are automatically checked for errors and any anomalies are immediately fed back to the user. Successful candidates can then submit at will, including multiple simultaneous submissions. All published observations can be searched and interactively previewed. Community involvement will be enhanced by an associated forum where users can discuss observation techniques and suggest improvements to the database.

Pregnancy Complications as Markers for Subsequent Maternal Cardiovascular Disease: Validation of a Maternal Recall Questionnaire

PubMed Central

Stuart, Jennifer J.; Farland, Leslie V.; Rich-Edwards, Janet W.; Zera, Chloe A.; McElrath, Thomas F.; Seely, Ellen W.

2015-01-01

Abstract Background: We designed and tested the validity of a questionnaire to characterize maternal recall of pregnancy complications associated with increased future cardiovascular disease risk, based on the 2011 American Heart Association (AHA) guidelines. Methods: A maternal recall questionnaire of pregnancy history was administered to 971 patients who had participated in a previous cohort study of 1,608 pregnant women. Medical records from the study pregnancy served as the gold standard. Prevalence, sensitivity (sens), specificity (spec), positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), and/or Spearman's correlation coefficients (r) were calculated for each question. Results: A total of 526 (54%) individuals recontacted responded. Respondents were more likely to be older, white, educated, and nulliparous and were less likely to deliver low-birthweight infants in the study pregnancy than were individuals who did not respond. Mean length of recall was 4.35 years (standard deviation [SD] 0.46) postpartum. Maternal recall was most accurate for gestational diabetes (sens: 92%, spec: 98%, PPV: 79%, NPV: 99%), infant birthweight (r=0.95), and gestation length (r=0.85). Maternal recall was modest for preeclampsia (sens: 79%, spec: 97%, PPV: 68%, NPV: 98%) and pregnancy-associated hypertension, including preeclampsia or gestational hypertension (sens: 60%, spec: 95%, PPV: 64%, NPV: 94%). Conclusions: This validation study demonstrated that the majority of women could accurately recall a history of gestational diabetes, infant birthweight, and gestational age at delivery, 4 years postpartum on average. Recall of preeclampsia and pregnancy-associated hypertension overall was modest. Maternal report of these pregnancy conditions may help clinicians identify women at increased risk for cardiovascular disease. PMID:26061196

Development of the User Interface for AIR-Spec

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cervantes Alcala, E.; Guth, G.; Fedeler, S.; Samra, J.; Cheimets, P.; DeLuca, E.; Golub, L.

2016-12-01

The airborne infrared spectrometer (AIR-Spec) is an imaging spectrometer that will observe the solar corona during the 2017 total solar eclipse. This eclipse will provide a unique opportunity to observe infrared emission lines in the corona. Five spectral lines are of particular interest because they may eventually be used to measure the coronal magnetic field. To avoid infrared absorption from atmospheric water vapor, AIR-Spec will be placed on an NSF Gulfstream aircraft flying above 14.9 km. AIR-Spec must be capable of taking stable images while the plane moves. The instrument includes an image stabilization system, which uses fiber-optic gyroscopes to determine platform rotation, GPS to calculate the ephemeris of the sun, and a voltage-driven mirror to correct the line of sight. An operator monitors a white light image of the eclipse and manually corrects for residual drift. The image stabilization calculation is performed by a programmable automatic controller (PAC), which interfaces with the gyroscopes and mirror controller. The operator interfaces with a separate computer, which acquires images and computes the solar ephemeris. To ensure image stabilization is successful, a human machine interface (HMI) was developed to allow connection between the client and PAC. In order to make control of the instruments user friendly during the short eclipse observation, a graphical user interface (GUI) was also created. The GUI's functionality includes turning image stabilization on and off, allowing the user to input information about the geometric setup, calculating the solar ephemeris, refining estimates of the initial aircraft attitude, and storing data from the PAC on the operator's computer. It also displays time, location, attitude, ephemeris, gyro rates and mirror angles.

Micro-Spec: an integrated direct-detection spectrometer for far-infrared space telescopes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cataldo, Giuseppe; Hseih, Wen-Ting; Huang, Wei-Chung; Moseley, S. H.; Stevenson, Thomas R.; Wollack, Edward J.

2014-08-01

The far-infrared and submillimeter portions of the electromagnetic spectrum provide a unique view of the astrophysical processes present in the early universe. Our ability to fully explore this rich spectral region has been limited, however, by the size and cost of the cryogenic spectrometers required to carry out such measurements. Micro-Spec (μ-Spec) is a high-sensitivity, direct-detection spectrometer concept working in the 450-1000 μm wavelength range which will enable a wide range of flight missions that would otherwise be challenging due to the large size of current instruments with the required spectral resolution and sensitivity. The spectrometer design utilizes two internal antenna arrays, one for transmitting and one for receiving, superconducting microstrip transmission lines for power division and phase delay, and an array of microwave kinetic inductance detectors (MKIDs) to achieve these goals. The instrument will be integrated on a ~10 cm2 silicon chip and can therefore become an important capability under the low background conditions accessible via space and high-altitude borne platforms. In this paper, an optical design methodology for μ-Spec is presented, with particular attention given to its two-dimensional diffractive region, where the light of different wavelengths is focused on the different detectors. The method is based on the maximization of the instrument resolving power and minimization of the RMS phase error on the instrument focal plane. This two-step optimization can generate geometrical configurations given specific requirements on spectrometer size, operating spectral range and performance. Two point designs with resolving power of 260 and 520 and an RMS phase error less than ~0:004 radians were developed for initial demonstration and will be the basis of future instruments with resolving power up to about 1200.

The role of N-terminal PRO-brain natriuretic peptide and echocardiography for screening asymptomatic left ventricular dysfunction in a population at high risk for heart failure. The PROBE-HF study.

PubMed

Betti, Irene; Castelli, Gabriele; Barchielli, Alessandro; Beligni, Cinzia; Boscherini, Vittorio; De Luca, Leonardo; Messeri, Gianni; Gheorghiade, Mihai; Maisel, Alan; Zuppiroli, Alfredo

2009-06-01

Screening for asymptomatic left ventricular dysfunction (ALVD) in subjects at risk for heart failure (HF) can affect clinical management. The aim of the present study is to examine the role of NT-pro BNP in the diagnosis of ALVD in subjects with hypertension and diabetes from primary care. A total of 1012 subjects with hypertension and/or diabetes and no symptoms or signs of HF were assessed by B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) assay and echocardiography. Diastolic dysfunction was present in 368/1012 subjects (36.4%): 327 (32.4%) with mild diastolic dysfunction and 41 (4%) with a moderate-to-severe diastolic dysfunction. Systolic dysfunction was present in 11/1012 (1.1%). NT-proBNP levels were 170 +/- 206 and 859 +/- 661 pg/mL, respectively, in diastolic and systolic dysfunction and 92 +/- 169 in normal subjects (P < .0001). Pooling moderate-to-severe diastolic with systolic dysfunction, a total of 52 subjects (5.1 %) were obtained: best cutoff value of NT-proBNP was 125 pg/mL (males <67 years: sensitivity [Sens] 87.5%, specificity [Spec] 92.7%, negative predictive value [NPV] 99.5%, positive predictive value [PPV] 33.3%; females <67 years: Sens 100%, Spec 84.1%, NPV 100%, PPV 33.3%; males >or=67 years: Sens 100%, Spec 77.1%, NPV 100%, PPV 32.5%; females >or=67 years: Sens 100%, Spec 59.9%, NPV 100%, PPV 23%). The prevalence of ALVD in subjects at risk for HF is 5.1%. Because of its excellent NPV, NT-proBNP can be used by general practitioners to rule out ALVD in hypertensive or diabetic patients.

Identification of the putrescine biosynthetic genes in Pseudomonas aeruginosa and characterization of agmatine deiminase and N-carbamoylputrescine amidohydrolase of the arginine decarboxylase pathway.

PubMed

Nakada, Yuji; Itoh, Yoshifumi

2003-03-01

Putrescine can be synthesized either directly from ornithine by ornithine decarboxylase (ODC; the speC product) or indirectly from arginine via arginine decarboxylase (ADC; the speA product). The authors identified the speA and speC genes in Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1. The activities of the two decarboxylases were similar and each enzyme alone appeared to direct sufficient formation of the polyamine for normal growth. A mutant defective in both speA and speC was a putrescine auxotroph. In this strain, agmatine deiminase (the aguA product) and N-carbamoylputrescine amidohydrolase (the aguB product), which were initially identified as the catabolic enzymes of agmatine, biosynthetically convert agmatine to putrescine in the ADC pathway: a double mutant of aguAB and speC was a putrescine auxotroph. AguA was purified as a homodimer of 43 kDa subunits and AguB as a homohexamer of 33 kDa subunits. AguA specifically deiminated agmatine with K(m) and K(cat) values of 0.6 mM and 4.2 s(-1), respectively. AguB was specific to N-carbamoylputrescine and the K(m) and K(cat) values of the enzyme for the substrate were 0.5 mM and 3.3 s(-1), respectively. Whereas AguA has no structural relationship to any known C-N hydrolases, AguB is a protein of the nitrilase family that performs thiol-assisted catalysis. Inhibition by SH reagents and the conserved cysteine residue in AguA and its homologues suggested that this enzyme is also involved in thiol-mediated catalysis.

VizieR Online Data Catalog: A library of high-S/N optical spectra of FGKM stars (Yee+, 2017)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yee, S. W.; Petigura, E. A.; von Braun, K.

2017-09-01

Classification of stars, by comparing their optical spectra to a few dozen spectral standards, has been a workhorse of observational astronomy for more than a century. Here, we extend this technique by compiling a library of optical spectra of 404 touchstone stars observed with Keck/HIRES by the California Planet Search. The spectra have high resolution (R~60000), high signal-to-noise ratio (S/N~150/pixel), and are registered onto a common wavelength scale. The library stars have properties derived from interferometry, asteroseismology, LTE spectral synthesis, and spectrophotometry. To address a lack of well-characterized late-K dwarfs in the literature, we measure stellar radii and temperatures for 23 nearby K dwarfs, using modeling of the spectral energy distribution and Gaia parallaxes. This library represents a uniform data set spanning the spectral types ~M5-F1 (Teff~3000-7000K, R*~0.1-16R{Sun}). We also present "Empirical SpecMatch" (SpecMatch-Emp), a tool for parameterizing unknown spectra by comparing them against our spectral library. For FGKM stars, SpecMatch-Emp achieves accuracies of 100K in effective temperature (Teff), 15% in stellar radius (R*), and 0.09dex in metallicity ([Fe/H]). Because the code relies on empirical spectra it performs particularly well for stars ~K4 and later, which are challenging to model with existing spectral synthesizers, reaching accuracies of 70K in Teff, 10% in R*, and 0.12dex in [Fe/H]. We also validate the performance of SpecMatch-Emp, finding it to be robust at lower spectral resolution and S/N, enabling the characterization of faint late-type stars. Both the library and stellar characterization code are publicly available. (2 data files).

Precision Stellar Characterization of FGKM Stars using an Empirical Spectral Library

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yee, Samuel W.; Petigura, Erik A.; von Braun, Kaspar

2017-02-01

Classification of stars, by comparing their optical spectra to a few dozen spectral standards, has been a workhorse of observational astronomy for more than a century. Here, we extend this technique by compiling a library of optical spectra of 404 touchstone stars observed with Keck/HIRES by the California Planet Search. The spectra have high resolution (R ≈ 60,000), high signal-to-noise ratio (S/N ≈ 150/pixel), and are registered onto a common wavelength scale. The library stars have properties derived from interferometry, asteroseismology, LTE spectral synthesis, and spectrophotometry. To address a lack of well-characterized late-K dwarfs in the literature, we measure stellar radii and temperatures for 23 nearby K dwarfs, using modeling of the spectral energy distribution and Gaia parallaxes. This library represents a uniform data set spanning the spectral types ˜M5-F1 (T eff ≈ 3000-7000 K, R ⋆ ≈ 0.1-16 R ⊙). We also present “Empirical SpecMatch” (SpecMatch-Emp), a tool for parameterizing unknown spectra by comparing them against our spectral library. For FGKM stars, SpecMatch-Emp achieves accuracies of 100 K in effective temperature (T eff), 15% in stellar radius (R ⋆), and 0.09 dex in metallicity ([Fe/H]). Because the code relies on empirical spectra it performs particularly well for stars ˜K4 and later, which are challenging to model with existing spectral synthesizers, reaching accuracies of 70 K in T eff, 10% in R ⋆, and 0.12 dex in [Fe/H]. We also validate the performance of SpecMatch-Emp, finding it to be robust at lower spectral resolution and S/N, enabling the characterization of faint late-type stars. Both the library and stellar characterization code are publicly available.

Mini-Spec: A Compact, Fiber-Coupled, VPH Grating Spectrograph for Small Observatories

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nations, H. L.; Haynes, P.; Brewer, P.

2003-05-01

We report on the development and testing of what we believe to be the first VPH grating based spectrograph developed primarily for use at telescopes of modest aperture. To date, the most common instrument suite for such observatories is typically that of a CCD camera with attached filter wheel. While there is no doubt that a wide range of interesting and good science has been done with such instrumentation, the addition of a robust and easy to operate spectrograph would greatly increase the utility of such installations. While some commercial spectrographs exist for use on small telescopes, the authors have found them to be, with few exceptions, either inefficient, difficult for inexperienced students or amateurs to use, or not remotely operable. Correcting these deficiencies is thus the primary motivation for Mini-Spec. The design of Mini-Spec has been influenced by previous work the authors have done on a full-sized fiber-coupled spectrograph (Nations and Pierce, 2002). Mini-Spec uses some of those original design features, only reduced drastically in size. This size reduction (the spectrograph fits within a 7 inch cube), along with a much more careful choice of some critical components, has resulted in a dramatic reduction in cost. The spectrograph uses a highly efficient 1200 l/mm, 40 mm diameter vph grating on loan from Richard Rallison. Focus, central wavelength selection, and comparison lamps are all controlled via an RS-232 link and a custom Visual Basic GUI. Sample spectra of stellar and non-stellar targets will be presented along with a discussion of research projects admirably suited for this instrument. Funding for equipment has been provided by a NASA EPSCoR grant to PI Ron Canterna. HLN has been partially funded by a Wyoming Space Grant Faculty Fellowship.

Iron isotope signatures within chondrules from Allende and Chainpur as indicators of thermal history.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mullane, E.; Russell, S. S.; Gounelle, M.; Mason, T. F. D.

2003-04-01

Introduction: We have studied the petrography and Fe-isotope composition of seven chondrules, four from Allende (CV3) and three from Chainpur (LL3.4). A range of textural-chemical chondrule types are represented, allowing us to examine the Fe-isotope signature in material with different thermal histories, with a view to constraing the chondrule forming process and elucidating the nature of chondrule precursor material. Analytical procedures are detailed elsewhere [1,2,3] Fe-isotope Fractionation: The overall variation in δ56Fe is 1.98 ppm and in δ57Fe is 2.87 ppm. EM-1 (non-porphyritic) is most isotopically heavy and EM-3 (porphyritic) is most isotopically light, with all other chondrules falling in a mass fractionation line between these two end-members. This line is defined by the equation δ57Fe = (1.450±0.050)δ56Fe - (0.009±0.016) (R^2 = 0.9995). Discussion: The Fe-fractionation exhibited here is less than would be expected during open system evaporation. This suggests that Rayleigh conditions were not fulfilled during chondrule melting. Chainpur chondrules exhibit less fractionation than Allende chondrules, a total of 0.46 ppm (δ56Fe) in contrast to 1.98 ppm (δ56Fe), respectively, suggesting that Chainpur may be more equilibrated than Allende. Chainpur Fe-isotopes may have been increasingly homogenised by later addition of Fe, either from the nebular reservoir or parent body alteration. Porphyritic and nonporphyritic chondrules have differing thermal histories. The former are a product of incomplete melting, whereas the latter derive from almost total/complete melting of precursor material. However, Fe-isotope fractionation does not appear to vary systematically with texture. We conclude that chondrule Fe-isotopic signatures represent that of the precursor material, with later equilibration of the Chainpur chondrules. Melting history may also influence the Fe-isotopic signature. The isotopically heaviest chondrules (e.g. EM-1 &EC-3) may derive from a melt which attained liquidus temperatures more than once. The precursor to EM-2 (isotopically lightest), may not have been subject to as many aggressive heating events. References: [1] Mullane et al. (2001) LPS XXXII, Abs. #1545. [2] Mullane et al. (2002) In: Plasma Source Mass Spec. Royal Soc. Chem. (in press). [3] Mullane et al. (2002) Met. Plan. Sci. 37, 105 Abs. [4] Alexander C.M.O'D. &Wang J. (2001) Met. Plan. Sci. 36, 419--428.

Co-digestion of wheat and rye bread suspensions with source-sorted municipal biowaste.

PubMed

Li, Chaoran; Mörtelmaier, Christoph; Winter, Josef; Gallert, Claudia

2015-06-01

Acidification of wheat bread (WBS), rye bread (RBS) and fresh biowaste suspensions (FBS), leading to lactate+acetate, lactate+acetate+n-buyrate, and acetate+propionate+n-butyrate, respectively, and biogas production as well as population dynamics were investigated. Co-fermentation of FBS (14 kg m(-3) d(-1) organic loading rate (OLR)) with WBS or RBS was stable up to an OLR of 22 kg m(-3) d(-1) and resulted in up to 3 times as much biogas. During co-fermentation at more than 20 kg m(-3) d(-1) OLR the total population increased more than 2-fold, but the originally low share of propionate-oxidizing bacteria significantly decreased. The proportion of methanogens also decreased. Whereas the proportion of Methanosarcinales to Methanomicrobiales in biowaste and biowaste+WBS remained constant, Methanosarcinales and in particular Methanosaeta spec. in the biowaste+RBS assay almost completely disappeared. Methanomicrobiales increased instead, indicating propionate oxidation via acetate cleavage to CO2 and hydrogen. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Sharing brain mapping statistical results with the neuroimaging data model

PubMed Central

Maumet, Camille; Auer, Tibor; Bowring, Alexander; Chen, Gang; Das, Samir; Flandin, Guillaume; Ghosh, Satrajit; Glatard, Tristan; Gorgolewski, Krzysztof J.; Helmer, Karl G.; Jenkinson, Mark; Keator, David B.; Nichols, B. Nolan; Poline, Jean-Baptiste; Reynolds, Richard; Sochat, Vanessa; Turner, Jessica; Nichols, Thomas E.

2016-01-01

Only a tiny fraction of the data and metadata produced by an fMRI study is finally conveyed to the community. This lack of transparency not only hinders the reproducibility of neuroimaging results but also impairs future meta-analyses. In this work we introduce NIDM-Results, a format specification providing a machine-readable description of neuroimaging statistical results along with key image data summarising the experiment. NIDM-Results provides a unified representation of mass univariate analyses including a level of detail consistent with available best practices. This standardized representation allows authors to relay methods and results in a platform-independent regularized format that is not tied to a particular neuroimaging software package. Tools are available to export NIDM-Result graphs and associated files from the widely used SPM and FSL software packages, and the NeuroVault repository can import NIDM-Results archives. The specification is publically available at: http://nidm.nidash.org/specs/nidm-results.html. PMID:27922621

Comparison of transcriptomic signature of post-Chernobyl and postradiotherapy thyroid tumors.

PubMed

Ory, Catherine; Ugolin, Nicolas; Hofman, Paul; Schlumberger, Martin; Likhtarev, Illya A; Chevillard, Sylvie

2013-11-01

We previously identified two highly discriminating and predictive radiation-induced transcriptomic signatures by comparing series of sporadic and postradiotherapy thyroid tumors (322-gene signature), and by reanalyzing a previously published data set of sporadic and post-Chernobyl thyroid tumors (106-gene signature). The aim of the present work was (i) to compare the two signatures in terms of gene expression deregulations and molecular features/pathways, and (ii) to test the capacity of the postradiotherapy signature in classifying the post-Chernobyl series of tumors and reciprocally of the post-Chernobyl signature in classifying the postradiotherapy-induced tumors. We now explored if postradiotherapy and post-Chernobyl papillary thyroid carcinomas (PTC) display common molecular features by comparing molecular pathways deregulated in the two tumor series, and tested the potential of gene subsets of the postradiotherapy signature to classify the post-Chernobyl series (14 sporadic and 12 post-Chernobyl PTC), and reciprocally of gene subsets of the post-Chernobyl signature to classify the postradiotherapy series (15 sporadic and 12 postradiotherapy PTC), by using conventional principal component analysis. We found that the five genes common to the two signatures classified the learning/training tumors (used to search these signatures) of both the postradiotherapy (seven PTC) and the post-Chernobyl (six PTC) thyroid tumor series as compared with the sporadic tumors (seven sporadic PTC in each series). Importantly, these five genes were also effective for classifying independent series of postradiotherapy (five PTC) and post-Chernobyl (six PTC) tumors compared to independent series of sporadic tumors (eight PTC and six PTC respectively; testing tumors). Moreover, part of each postradiotherapy (32 genes) and post-Chernobyl signature (16 genes) cross-classified the respective series of thyroid tumors. Finally, several molecular pathways deregulated in post-Chernobyl tumors matched those found to be deregulated in postradiotherapy tumors. Overall, our data suggest that thyroid tumors that developed following either external exposure or internal (131)I contamination shared common molecular features, related to DNA repair, oxidative and endoplasmic reticulum stresses, allowing their classification as radiation-induced tumors in comparison with sporadic counterparts, independently of doses and dose rates, which suggests there may be a "general" radiation-induced signature of thyroid tumors.

Shared Focal Plane Investigation for Serial Frame Cameras.

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-03-01

capability will be restored. 41. -.. TrABLE 1-1 SYSTEM LEADING P) ARTICULARS Lens Focal Length (inches) Range (ft) Contrast 12 18 24 Coverage 22.1...can be expected that signature bands will be apparent in the imagery. Such bands are at best distracting and at worst hindrances to image interpretation

Laboratory Measurement of Bidirectional Reflectance of Radiometric Tarps

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Knowlton, Kelly

2006-01-01

Objectives: a) To determine the magnitude of radiometric tarp BRDF; b) To determine whether an ASD FieldSpec Pro spectroradiometer can be used to perform the experiment. Radiometric tarps with nominal reflectance values of 52%, 35%, and 3.5%, deployed for IKONOS. QuickBird, and OrbView-3 overpasses Ground-based spectroradiometric measurements of tarp and Spectralon@ panel taken during overpass using ASD FieldSpec Pro spectroradiometer, and tarp reflectance calculated. Reflectance data used in atmospheric radiative transfer model (MODTRAN) to predict satellite at-sensor radiance for radiometric calibration. Reflectance data also used to validate atmospheric correction of high-spatial-resolution multispectral image products

The new materials science diffractometer STRESS-SPEC at FRM-II

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hofmann, M.; Schneider, R.; Seidl, G. A.; Rebelo-Kornmeier, J.; Wimpory, R. C.; Garbe, U.; Brokmeier, H.-G.

2006-11-01

In response to the development of new materials and the application of materials and components in new technologies the direct measurement, calculation and evaluation of textures and residual stresses has gained worldwide significance in recent years. In order to cater for the development of these analytical techniques the Materials Science Diffractometer STRESS-SPEC at FRM-II is designed to be equally applied to texture or residual stress analysis by virtue of its flexible configuration and the high neutron flux at the sample position. The instrument is now available for routine operation and here we present details of first experiments and instrument performance.

Military specifications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Reynolds, Philip

1987-01-01

The current situation relative to the military specification is that there is not one specific model of turbulence which people are using. Particular disagreement exists on how turbulence levels will vary with qualitative analysis. It does not tie one down to specifics. When it comes to flying quality specifications, many feel that one should stay with the definitions of the Cooper-Harper rating scale but allow the levels to shift depending on the level of turbulence. There is a ride quality specification in the MIL-SPEC having to do with flight control systems design that is related to a turbulence model. This spec (MIL-F8785C) and others are discussed.

Promoting strengths, prevention, empowerment, and community change through organizational development: lessons for research, theory, and practice.

PubMed

Evans, Scotney D; Prilleltensky, Ora; McKenzie, Adrine; Prilleltensky, Isaac; Nogueras, Debbie; Huggins, Corinne; Mescia, Nick

2011-01-01

SPEC Learning and Changing by Doing is a three-year, action research, and organizational change project designed to ultimately promote social justice and well-being in the community. SPEC is an acronym that stands for Strengths, Prevention, Empowerment, and Community Change. The project consists of five organizations tackling internal organizational change in order to better promote justice and well-being in their respective constituencies. In this article we present a formative evaluation of this multicase study of organizational change in human services. This article contributes to the empirical and theoretical literature on organizational change in the nonprofit human service milieu.

Discrete Gust Model for Launch Vehicle Assessments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Leahy, Frank B.

2008-01-01

Analysis of spacecraft vehicle responses to atmospheric wind gusts during flight is important in the establishment of vehicle design structural requirements and operational capability. Typically, wind gust models can be either a spectral type determined by a random process having a wide range of wavelengths, or a discrete type having a single gust of predetermined magnitude and shape. Classical discrete models used by NASA during the Apollo and Space Shuttle Programs included a 9 m/sec quasi-square-wave gust with variable wavelength from 60 to 300 m. A later study derived discrete gust from a military specification (MIL-SPEC) document that used a "1-cosine" shape. The MIL-SPEC document contains a curve of non-dimensional gust magnitude as a function of non-dimensional gust half-wavelength based on the Dryden spectral model, but fails to list the equation necessary to reproduce the curve. Therefore, previous studies could only estimate a value of gust magnitude from the curve, or attempt to fit a function to it. This paper presents the development of the MIL-SPEC curve, and provides the necessary information to calculate discrete gust magnitudes as a function of both gust half-wavelength and the desired probability level of exceeding a specified gust magnitude.

Overview of the Design, Fabrication and Performance Requirements of Micro-Spec, an Integrated Submillimeter Spectrometer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barrentine, Emily M.; Noroozian, Omid; Brown, Ari D.; Cataldo, Giuseppe; Ehsan, Negar; Hsieh, Wen-Ting; Stevenson, Thomas R.; U-Yen, Kongpop; Wollack, Edward J.; Moseley, S. Harvey

2015-01-01

Micro-Spec is a compact submillimeter (350-700 GHz) spectrometer which uses low loss superconducting niobium microstrip transmission lines and a single-crystal silicon dielectric to integrate all of the components of a grating-analog spectrometer onto a single chip. Here we present details of the fabrication and design of a prototype Micro-Spec spectrometer with resolution, R64, where we use a high-yield single-flip wafer bonding process to realize instrument components on a 0.45 m single-crystal silicon dielectric. We discuss some of the electromagnetic design concerns (such as loss, stray-light, cross-talk, and fabrication tolerances) for each of the spectrometer components and their integration into the instrument as a whole. These components include a slot antenna with a silicon lens for optical coupling, a phase delay transmission line network, parallel plate waveguide interference region, and aluminum microstrip transmission line kinetic inductance detectors with extremely low cross-talk and immunity to stray light. We have demonstrated this prototype spectrometer with design resolution of R64. Given the optical performance of this prototype, we will also discuss the extension of this design to higher resolutions suitable for balloon-flight.

Morphology and systematics of two freshwater urostylid ciliates, with description of a new species (Protista, Ciliophora, Hypotrichia).

PubMed

Pan, Xuming; Fan, Yangbo; Gao, Feng; Qiu, Zijian; Al-Farraj, Saleh A; Warren, Alan; Shao, Chen

2016-02-01

The morphology of two freshwater urostylid species, Neourostylopsis flava spec. nov. and Pseudourostyla subtropicaChen et al., 2014, isolated from freshwater ponds in northern and southern China, respectively, was investigated following examination of specimens in vivo and following protargol staining. Neourostylopsis flava spec. nov. is distinguished from its congeners by the following characteristics: body size 150-220 × 50-75 μm in vivo; yellow in colour; bright yellow to yellow-brownish spherical cortical granules densely arranged along marginal cirral rows and in irregular short rows on dorsal side; adoral zone with 40-55 membranelles; six to eight frontal, three or four buccal, two pretransverse ventral and seven to nine transverse cirri; 27-40 midventral pairs extending to about anterior 55% of cell; four or five left and four right marginal rows; freshwater habitat. A redescription of a freshwater population of P. subtropica is also provided. Phylogenetic analyses based on small subunit ribosomal DNA sequences shows that P. subtropica and N. flava spec. nov. group with their congeners and both Neourostylopsis and Pseudourostyla are monophyletic. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Lower limb alactic anaerobic power output assessed with different techniques in morbid obesity.

PubMed

Lafortuna, C L; Fumagalli, E; Vangeli, V; Sartorio, A

2002-02-01

Short-term alactic anaerobic performance in jumping (5 consecutive jumps with maximal effort), sprint running (8 m) and stair climbing (modified Margaria test) were measured in 75 obese subjects (BMI: 40.3+/-5.0 kg/m2) and in 36 lean control subjects (BMI: 22.4+/-3.2 kg/m2) of the same age and gender distribution. The results show that obese subjects attained a significantly lower specific (per unit body mass) power output both in jumping (W(spec,j); p<0.001) and stair climbing (W(spec,s); p<0.001) and run at a significantly lower average velocity (v; p<0.001) during sprinting. In spite of the different motor skillfulness required to accomplish the jumping and climbing tests, W(spec,s) (and hence the vertical velocity in climbing, v(v)) was closely correlated with W(spec,j) (R2=0.427, p<0.001). In jumping, although the average force during the positive work phase was significantly higher in obese subjects (p<0.001), no difference between the 2 groups was detected in absolute power. In stair climbing the absolute power output of obese resulted significantly higher (18%) than that of lean controls (p<0.001). In sprint running, the lower average horizontal velocity attained by obese subjects also entailed a different locomotion pattern with shorter step length (L(s); p<0.001), lower frequency (p<0.001) and longer foot contact time with ground (T(c,r); p<0.001). W(spec,j) seems to be a determinant of the poorer motor performance of obese, being significantly correlated with: I) the vertical displacement of the centre of gravity (R2=0.853, p<0.001) in jumping; II) with v(v) in stair climbing; and III) with T(c,r) (R2=0.492, p<0.001), L(s) (R2=0.266, p<0.001) and v (R2=0.454, p<0.001) in sprinting. The results suggest that obese individuals, although partially hampered in kinetic movements, largely rely on their effective specific power output to perform complex anaerobic tasks, and they suffer from the disproportionate excess of inert mass of fat. Furthermore, in view of the sedentary style of life and the consequent degree of muscle de-conditioning accompanying this condition, it may prove useful to implement rehabilitation programs for obesity with effective power training protocols.

MicroRNA dynamics in the stages of tumorigenesis correlate with hallmark capabilities of cancer.

PubMed

Olson, Peter; Lu, Jun; Zhang, Hao; Shai, Anny; Chun, Matthew G; Wang, Yucheng; Libutti, Steven K; Nakakura, Eric K; Golub, Todd R; Hanahan, Douglas

2009-09-15

While altered expression of microRNAs (miRs) in tumors has been well documented, it remains unclear how the miR transcriptome intersects neoplastic progression. By profiling the miR transcriptome we identified miR expression signatures associated with steps in tumorigenesis and the acquisition of hallmark capabilities in a prototypical mouse model of cancer. Metastases and a rare subset of primary tumors shared a distinct miR signature, implicating a discrete lineage for metastatic tumors. The miR-200 family is strongly down-regulated in metastases and met-like primary tumors, thereby relieving repression of the mesenchymal transcription factor Zeb1, which in turn suppresses E-cadherin. Treatment with a clinically approved angiogenesis inhibitor normalized angiogenic signature miRs in primary tumors, while altering expression of metastatic signature miRs similarly to liver metastases, suggesting their involvement in adaptive resistance to anti-angiogenic therapy via enhanced metastasis. Many of the miR changes associated with specific stages and hallmark capabilities in the mouse model are similarly altered in human tumors, including cognate pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors, implying a generality.

Polycomb repressive complex 2 epigenomic signature defines age-associated hypermethylation and gene expression changes

PubMed Central

Dozmorov, Mikhail G

2015-01-01

Although age-associated gene expression and methylation changes have been reported throughout the literature, the unifying epigenomic principles of aging remain poorly understood. Recent explosion in availability and resolution of functional/regulatory genome annotation data (epigenomic data), such as that provided by the ENCODE and Roadmap Epigenomics projects, provides an opportunity for the identification of epigenomic mechanisms potentially altered by age-associated differentially methylated regions (aDMRs) and regulatory signatures in the promoters of age-associated genes (aGENs). In this study we found that aDMRs and aGENs identified in multiple independent studies share a common Polycomb Repressive Complex 2 signature marked by EZH2, SUZ12, CTCF binding sites, repressive H3K27me3, and activating H3K4me1 histone modification marks, and a “poised promoter” chromatin state. This signature is depleted in RNA Polymerase II-associated transcription factor binding sites, activating H3K79me2, H3K36me3, H3K27ac marks, and an “active promoter” chromatin state. The PRC2 signature was shown to be generally stable across cell types. When considering the directionality of methylation changes, we found the PRC2 signature to be associated with aDMRs hypermethylated with age, while hypomethylated aDMRs were associated with enhancers. In contrast, aGENs were associated with the PRC2 signature independently of the directionality of gene expression changes. In this study we demonstrate that the PRC2 signature is the common epigenomic context of genomic regions associated with hypermethylation and gene expression changes in aging. PMID:25880792

Disaster relief through composite signatures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hawley, Chadwick T.; Hyde, Brian; Carpenter, Tom; Nichols, Steve

2012-06-01

A composite signature is a group of signatures that are related in such a way to more completely or further define a target or operational endeavor at a higher fidelity. This paper builds on previous work developing innovative composite signatures associated with civil disasters, including physical, chemical and pattern/behavioral. For the composite signature approach to be successful it requires effective data fusion and visualization. This plays a key role in both preparedness and the response and recovery which are critical to saving lives. Visualization tools enhance the overall understanding of the crisis by pulling together and analyzing the data, and providing a clear and complete analysis of the information to the organizations/agencies dependant on it for a successful operation. An example of this, Freedom Web, is an easy-to-use data visualization and collaboration solution for use in homeland security, emergency preparedness, situational awareness, and event management. The solution provides a nationwide common operating picture for all levels of government through a web based, map interface. The tool was designed to be utilized by non-geospatial experts and is easily tailored to the specific needs of the users. Consisting of standard COTS and open source databases and a web server, users can view, edit, share, and highlight information easily and quickly through a standard internet browser.

Fruit and Juice Epigenetic Signatures Are Associated with Independent Immunoregulatory Pathways.

PubMed

Nicodemus-Johnson, Jessie; Sinnott, Robert A

2017-07-14

Epidemiological evidence strongly suggests that fruit consumption promotes many health benefits. Despite the general consensus that fruit and juice are nutritionally similar, epidemiological results for juice consumption are conflicting. Our objective was to use DNA methylation marks to characterize fruit and juice epigenetic signatures within PBMCs and identify shared and independent signatures associated with these groups. Genome-wide DNA methylation marks (Illumina Human Methylation 450k chip) for 2,148 individuals that participated in the Framingham Offspring exam 8 were analyzed for correlations between fruit or juice consumption using standard linear regression. CpG sites with low P -values ( P < 0.01) were characterized using Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA), Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA), and epigenetic Functional element Overlap analysis of the Results of Genome Wide Association Study Experiments (eFORGE). Fruit and juice-specific low P -value epigenetic signatures were largely independent. Genes near the fruit-specific epigenetic signature were enriched among pathways associated with antigen presentation and chromosome or telomere maintenance, while the juice-specific epigenetic signature was enriched for proinflammatory pathways. IPA and eFORGE analyses implicate fruit and juice-specific epigenetic signatures in the modulation of macrophage (fruit) and B or T cell (juice) activities. These data suggest a role for epigenetic regulation in fruit and juice-specific health benefits and demonstrate independent associations with distinct immune functions and cell types, suggesting that these groups may not confer the same health benefits. Identification of such differences between foods is the first step toward personalized nutrition and ultimately the improvement of human health and longevity.

Fruit and Juice Epigenetic Signatures Are Associated with Independent Immunoregulatory Pathways

PubMed Central

Nicodemus-Johnson, Jessie; Sinnott, Robert A.

2017-01-01

Epidemiological evidence strongly suggests that fruit consumption promotes many health benefits. Despite the general consensus that fruit and juice are nutritionally similar, epidemiological results for juice consumption are conflicting. Our objective was to use DNA methylation marks to characterize fruit and juice epigenetic signatures within PBMCs and identify shared and independent signatures associated with these groups. Genome-wide DNA methylation marks (Illumina Human Methylation 450k chip) for 2,148 individuals that participated in the Framingham Offspring exam 8 were analyzed for correlations between fruit or juice consumption using standard linear regression. CpG sites with low P-values (P < 0.01) were characterized using Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA), Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA), and epigenetic Functional element Overlap analysis of the Results of Genome Wide Association Study Experiments (eFORGE). Fruit and juice-specific low P-value epigenetic signatures were largely independent. Genes near the fruit-specific epigenetic signature were enriched among pathways associated with antigen presentation and chromosome or telomere maintenance, while the juice-specific epigenetic signature was enriched for proinflammatory pathways. IPA and eFORGE analyses implicate fruit and juice-specific epigenetic signatures in the modulation of macrophage (fruit) and B or T cell (juice) activities. These data suggest a role for epigenetic regulation in fruit and juice-specific health benefits and demonstrate independent associations with distinct immune functions and cell types, suggesting that these groups may not confer the same health benefits. Identification of such differences between foods is the first step toward personalized nutrition and ultimately the improvement of human health and longevity. PMID:28708104

Understanding and Exploring Signature Pedagogies for TESOL Teacher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eaton, Sarah Elaine; Wagner, Santoi; Hirashiki, Jennifer; Ciancio, Julie

2018-01-01

Purpose: The purpose of this report is to elevate the collective understanding of what it means to be and become a TESOL professional and what differentiates "TESOLers" from other teachers. We have intentionally prepared this report as an Open Educational Resource (OER), so it can be freely shared with an international audience. Methods:…

Signature Concepts of Key Researchers in North American Higher Education Teaching and Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kandlbinder, Peter

2015-01-01

Universities in the English-speaking world share a common ancestry that extends back to medieval times. From these beginnings universities quickly developed distinctive qualities as they became integrated within different social and cultural systems of their home societies. A number of comparisons of higher education research have shown major…

DNA Copy Number Signature to Predict Recurrence in Early-Stage Ovarian Cancer

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-08-01

RETURN YOUR FORM TO THE ABOVE ADDRESS. 1. REPORT DATE August 2015 2. REPORT TYPE Annual 3. DATES COVERED 1 August 2014 – 31 July 2015 4. TITLE AND...Partners Translational Core in Cambridge MA, 2) RPCI Genomics Shared Resources at Roswell Park Cancer Institute. Results for the two core

Pilocytic Astrocytoma of the Optic Pathway: A Tumour Deriving from Radial Glia Cells with a Specific Gene Signature

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tchoghandjian, Aurelie; Fernandez, Carla; Colin, Carole; El Ayachi, Ikbale; Voutsinos-Porche, Brigitte; Fina, Frederic; Scavarda, Didier; Piercecchi-Marti, Marie-Dominique; Intagliata, Dominique; Ouafik, L'Houcine; Fraslon-Vanhulle, Caroline; Figarella-Branger, Dominique

2009-01-01

Pilocytic astrocytomas are WHO grade I gliomas that occur predominantly in childhood. They share features of both astroglial and oligodendroglial lineages. These tumours affect preferentially the cerebellum (benign clinical course) and the optic pathway, especially the hypothalamo-chiasmatic region (poor prognosis). Understanding the molecular…

Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values: diagnosing purple mange.

PubMed

Collier, Jill; Huebscher, Roxana

2010-04-01

To shed light on several epidemiological terms for better understanding of diagnostic testing measures by using a mythical condition, "purple mange." Scientific literature related to epidemiology and statistical tests. Nurse practitioners (NPs) use the concepts of sensitivity (SEN), specificity (SPEC), positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) daily in primary care and specialty areas. In addition, PPV and NPV vary with the prevalence of a condition. At times, NPs misunderstand the meaning of these terms. In order to develop appropriate treatment plans, an understanding of the concepts of SEN, SPEC, PPV, and NPV is important for interpreting test results. The authors have used this mythical condition purple mange as a teaching tool for NP students.

Refined separation of combined Fe–Hf from rock matrices for isotope analyses using AG-MP-1M and Ln-Spec chromatographic extraction resins

PubMed Central

Cheng, Ting; Nebel, Oliver; Sossi, Paolo A.; Chen, Fukun

2014-01-01

A combined procedure for separating Fe and Hf from a single rock digestion is presented. In a two-stage chromatographic extraction process, a purified Fe fraction is first quantitatively separated from the rock matrix using AG-MP-1M resin in HCl. Hafnium is subsequently isolated using a modified version of a commonly applied method using Eichrom LN-Spec resin. Our combined method includes:•Purification of Fe from the rock matrix using HCl, ready for mass spectrometric analysis.•Direct loading of the matrix onto the resin that is used for Hf purification.•Collection of a Fe-free Hf fraction. PMID:26150946

The use of the Hurst exponent to investigate the global maximum of the Warsaw Stock Exchange WIG20 index

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Domino, Krzysztof

2012-01-01

The WIG20 index-the index of the 20 biggest companies traded on the Warsaw Stock Exchange-reached the global maximum on 29th October 2007. I have used the local DFA (Detrended Functional Analysis) to obtain the Hurst exponent (diffusion exponent) and investigate the signature of anti-correlation of share price evolution around the maximum. The analysis was applied to the share price evolution for variable DFA parameters. For many values of parameters, the evidence of anti-correlation near the WIG20 maximum was pointed out.

Clinical laboratory sciences data transmission : the NPU coding system

PubMed Central

PONTET, Françoise; PETERSEN, Ulla MAGDAL; FUENTES-ARDERIU, Xavier; NORDIN, Gunnar; BRUUNSHUUS, Ivan; IHALAINEN, Jarkko; KARLSSON, Daniel; FORSUM, Urban; DYBKAER, René; SCHADOW, Gunther; KUELPMANN, Wolf; FÉRARD, Georges; KANG, Dongchon; McDONALD, Clement; HILL, Gilbert

2011-01-01

Introduction In health care services, technology requires that correct information be duly available to professionals, citizens and authorities, worldwide. Thus, clinical laboratory sciences require standardized electronic exchanges for results of laboratory examinations. Methods. The NPU (Nomenclature, Properties and Units) coding system provides a terminology for identification of result values (property values). It is structured according to BIPM, ISO, IUPAC and IFCC recommendations. It uses standard terms for established concepts and structured definitions describing: which part of the universe is examined, which component of relevance in that part, which kind-of-property is relevant. Unit and specifications can be added where relevant [System(spec) Component(spec); kind-of-property(spec) = ? unit]. Results. The English version of this terminology is freely accessible at http://dior.imt.liu.se/cnpu/ and http://www.labterm.dk, directly or through the IFCC and IUPAC websites. It has been nationally used for more than 10 years in Denmark and Sweden and has been translated into 6 other languages. Conclusions. The NPU coding system provides a terminology for dedicated kinds-of-property following the international recommendations. It fits well in the health network and is freely accessible. Clinical laboratory professionals worldwide will find many advantages in using the NPU coding system, notably with regards to an accreditation process. PMID:19745311

Gas-phase ion chemistry and organic chemistry-the story of a hybrid six sector mass spectrometer--the "AutoSpec 6F".

PubMed

Gerbaux, Pascal; Lamote, Luc; Van Haverbeke, Yves; Flammang, Robert; Brown, Jeffrey M

2012-01-01

The AutoSpec 6F mass spectrometer is a large, floor standing instrument comprising a pair of commercial EBE geometry (AutoSpec) mass spectrometers coupled in series to provide an hybrid EBE-EBE configuration, (E and B being respectively electrostatic and magnetic sectors.) It was designed in close collaboration between Professor R. Flammang and VG Analytical in Manchester, UK. It was equipped with five collision cells and allowed the recording of high energy CID (collision induced dissociation), MIKES (mass analyzed ion kinetic energy spectrometry) and NRMS (neutralization re-ionization mass spectrometry) data as well as consecutive MSn analyses. The field-free regions between sectors allowed the study of unimolecular decomposition products from long-lived metastable ions. The mass spectrometer became even more versatile when an RF-only quadrupole collision cell was installed between the second and the third electric sector. This allowed the study of associative ion/molecule reactions in the low kinetic energy regime. Bimolecular chemical reactions were performed inside the quadrupole cell when a neutral reagent was introduced and the reaction products were analyzed by high energy CID in the downstream sectors. This paper tells the history and summarizes the capabilities of this versatile instrument.

Mars Exploration Rovers Landing Dispersion Analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Knocke, Philip C.; Wawrzyniak, Geoffrey G.; Kennedy, Brian M.; Desai, Prasun N.; Parker, TImothy J.; Golombek, Matthew P.; Duxbury, Thomas C.; Kass, David M.

2004-01-01

Landing dispersion estimates for the Mars Exploration Rover missions were key elements in the site targeting process and in the evaluation of landing risk. This paper addresses the process and results of the landing dispersion analyses performed for both Spirit and Opportunity. The several contributors to landing dispersions (navigation and atmospheric uncertainties, spacecraft modeling, winds, and margins) are discussed, as are the analysis tools used. JPL's MarsLS program, a MATLAB-based landing dispersion visualization and statistical analysis tool, was used to calculate the probability of landing within hazardous areas. By convolving this with the probability of landing within flight system limits (in-spec landing) for each hazard area, a single overall measure of landing risk was calculated for each landing ellipse. In-spec probability contours were also generated, allowing a more synoptic view of site risks, illustrating the sensitivity to changes in landing location, and quantifying the possible consequences of anomalies such as incomplete maneuvers. Data and products required to support these analyses are described, including the landing footprints calculated by NASA Langley's POST program and JPL's AEPL program, cartographically registered base maps and hazard maps, and flight system estimates of in-spec landing probabilities for each hazard terrain type. Various factors encountered during operations, including evolving navigation estimates and changing atmospheric models, are discussed and final landing points are compared with approach estimates.

Clinical laboratory sciences data transmission: the NPU coding system.

PubMed

Pontet, Françoise; Magdal Petersen, Ulla; Fuentes-Arderiu, Xavier; Nordin, Gunnar; Bruunshuus, Ivan; Ihalainen, Jarkko; Karlsson, Daniel; Forsum, Urban; Dybkaer, René; Schadow, Gunther; Kuelpmann, Wolf; Férard, Georges; Kang, Dongchon; McDonald, Clement; Hill, Gilbert

2009-01-01

In health care services, technology requires that correct information be duly available to professionals, citizens and authorities, worldwide. Thus, clinical laboratory sciences require standardized electronic exchanges for results of laboratory examinations. The NPU (Nomenclature, Properties and Units) coding system provides a terminology for identification of result values (property values). It is structured according to BIPM, ISO, IUPAC and IFCC recommendations. It uses standard terms for established concepts and structured definitions describing: which part of the universe is examined, which component of relevance in that part, which kind-of-property is relevant. Unit and specifications can be added where relevant [System(spec)-Component(spec); kind-of-property(spec) = ? unit]. The English version of this terminology is freely accessible at http://dior.imt.liu.se/cnpu/ and http://www.labterm.dk, directly or through the IFCC and IUPAC websites. It has been nationally used for more than 10 years in Denmark and Sweden and has been translated into 6 other languages. The NPU coding system provides a terminology for dedicated kinds-of-property following the international recommendations. It fits well in the health network and is freely accessible. Clinical laboratory professionals worldwide will find many advantages in using the NPU coding system, notably with regards to an accreditation process.

Flotation of Magnetite Crystals upon Decompression - A Formation Model for Kiruna-type Iron Oxide-Apatite Deposits

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Knipping, J. L.; Simon, A. C.; Fiege, A.; Webster, J. D.; Reich, M.; Barra, F.; Holtz, F.; Oeser-Rabe, M.

2017-12-01

Trace-element characteristics of magnetite from Kiruna-type iron oxide-apatite deposits indicate a magmatic origin. A possible scenario currently considered for the magmatic formation, apart from melt immiscibility, is related to degassing of volatile-rich magmas. Decompression, e.g., induced by magma ascent, results in volatile exsolution and the formation of a magmatic volatile phase. Volatile bubbles are expected to nucleate preferentially on the surface of oxides like magnetite which is due to a relatively low surface tension of oxide-bubble interfaces [1]. The "bulk" density of these magnetite-bubble pairs is typically lower than the surrounding magma and thus, they are expected to migrate upwards. Considering that magnetite is often the liquidus phase in fluid-saturated, oxidized andesitic arc magmas, this process may lead to the formation of a rising magnetite-bubble suspension [2]. To test this hypothesis, complementary geochemical analyses and high pressure experimental studies are in progress. The core to rim Fe isotopic signature of magnetite grains from the Los Colorados deposit in the Chilean Iron Belt was determined by Laser Ablation-MC-ICP-MS. The δ56Fe data reveal a systematic zonation from isotopically heavy Fe (δ56Fe: 0.25 ±0.07 ‰) in the core of magnetite grains to relatively light Fe (δ56Fe: 0.15 ±0.05 ‰) toward grain rims. This variation indicates crystallization of the magnetite cores at early magmatic stages from a silicate melt and subsequent growth of magnetite rims at late magmatic - hydrothermal stages from a free volatile phase. These signatures agree with the core to rim trace-element signatures of the same magnetite grains. The presence of Cl in the exsolved volatile phase and the formation of FeCl2 complexes is expected to enhance the transport of Fe in fluids and the formation of magmatic-hydrothermal magnetite [3]. First experiments (975 °C, 350 to 100 MPa, 0.025 MPa/s) show certain magnetite accumulation only 15 minutes after decompression in the upper part of the experimental products, indicating that magnetite flotation can be an efficient mechanism to separate and accumulate magnetite. [1] Hurwitz and Navon (1994) Earth Planet. Sci. Lett.122, 267-280 [2] Edmonds et al. (2014) Geol. Soc. London, Spec. Pub. 410. [3] Simon et al. (2004) Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 68, 4905-4914.

GeoChronos: An On-line Collaborative Platform for Earth Observation Scientists

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gamon, J. A.; Kiddle, C.; Curry, R.; Markatchev, N.; Zonta-Pastorello, G., Jr.; Rivard, B.; Sanchez-Azofeifa, G. A.; Simmonds, R.; Tan, T.

2009-12-01

Recent advances in cyberinfrastructure are offering new solutions to the growing challenges of managing and sharing large data volumes. Web 2.0 and social networking technologies, provide the means for scientists to collaborate and share information more effectively. Cloud computing technologies can provide scientists with transparent and on-demand access to applications served over the Internet in a dynamic and scalable manner. Semantic Web technologies allow for data to be linked together in a manner understandable by machines, enabling greater automation. Combining all of these technologies together can enable the creation of very powerful platforms. GeoChronos (http://geochronos.org/), part of a CANARIE Network Enabled Platforms project, is an online collaborative platform that incorporates these technologies to enable members of the earth observation science community to share data and scientific applications and to collaborate more effectively. The GeoChronos portal is built on an open source social networking platform called Elgg. Elgg provides a full set of social networking functionalities similar to Facebook including blogs, tags, media/document sharing, wikis, friends/contacts, groups, discussions, message boards, calendars, status, activity feeds and more. An underlying cloud computing infrastructure enables scientists to access dynamically provisioned applications via the portal for visualizing and analyzing data. Users are able to access and run the applications from any computer that has a Web browser and Internet connectivity and do not need to manage and maintain the applications themselves. Semantic Web Technologies, such as the Resource Description Framework (RDF) are being employed for relating and linking together spectral, satellite, meteorological and other data. Social networking functionality plays an integral part in facilitating the sharing of data and applications. Examples of recent GeoChronos users during the early testing phase have included the IAI International Wireless Sensor Networking Summer School at the University of Alberta, and the IAI Tropi-Dry community. Current GeoChronos activities include the development of a web-based spectral library and related analytical and visualization tools, in collaboration with members of the SpecNet community. The GeoChronos portal will be open to all members of the earth observation science community when the project nears completion at the end of 2010.

Precision Stellar Characterization of FGKM Stars using an Empirical Spectral Library

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

Yee, Samuel W.; Petigura, Erik A.; Von Braun, Kaspar, E-mail: syee@caltech.edu

Classification of stars, by comparing their optical spectra to a few dozen spectral standards, has been a workhorse of observational astronomy for more than a century. Here, we extend this technique by compiling a library of optical spectra of 404 touchstone stars observed with Keck/HIRES by the California Planet Search. The spectra have high resolution ( R ≈ 60,000), high signal-to-noise ratio (S/N ≈ 150/pixel), and are registered onto a common wavelength scale. The library stars have properties derived from interferometry, asteroseismology, LTE spectral synthesis, and spectrophotometry. To address a lack of well-characterized late-K dwarfs in the literature, we measuremore » stellar radii and temperatures for 23 nearby K dwarfs, using modeling of the spectral energy distribution and Gaia parallaxes. This library represents a uniform data set spanning the spectral types ∼M5–F1 ( T {sub eff} ≈ 3000–7000 K, R {sub ⋆} ≈ 0.1–16 R {sub ⊙}). We also present “Empirical SpecMatch” (SpecMatch-Emp), a tool for parameterizing unknown spectra by comparing them against our spectral library. For FGKM stars, SpecMatch-Emp achieves accuracies of 100 K in effective temperature ( T {sub eff}), 15% in stellar radius ( R {sub ⋆}), and 0.09 dex in metallicity ([Fe/H]). Because the code relies on empirical spectra it performs particularly well for stars ∼K4 and later, which are challenging to model with existing spectral synthesizers, reaching accuracies of 70 K in T {sub eff}, 10% in R {sub ⋆}, and 0.12 dex in [Fe/H]. We also validate the performance of SpecMatch-Emp, finding it to be robust at lower spectral resolution and S/N, enabling the characterization of faint late-type stars. Both the library and stellar characterization code are publicly available.« less

Concentration determination of nucleic acids and proteins using the micro-volume BioSpec-nano-spectrophotometer.

PubMed

Sukumaran, Suja

2011-02-17

Nucleic acid quantitation procedures have advanced significantly in the last three decades. More and more, molecular biologists require consistent small-volume analysis of nucleic acid samples for their experiments. The BioSpec-nano provides a potential solution to the problems of inaccurate, non-reproducible results, inherent in current DNA quantitation methods, via specialized optics and a sensitive PDA detector. The BioSpec-nano also has automated functionality such that mounting, measurement, and cleaning are done by the instrument, thereby eliminating tedious, repetitive, and inconsistent placement of the fiber optic element and manual cleaning. In this study, data is presented on the quantification of DNA and protein, as well as on measurement reproducibility and accuracy. Automated sample contact and rapid scanning allows measurement in three seconds, resulting in excellent throughput. Data analysis is carried out using the built-in features of the software. The formula used for calculating DNA concentration is: Sample Concentration = DF · (OD260-OD320)· NACF (1) Where DF = sample dilution factor and NACF = nucleic acid concentration factor. The Nucleic Acid concentration factor is set in accordance with the analyte selected. Protein concentration results can be expressed as μg/mL or as moles/L by entering e280 and molecular weight values respectively. When residue values for Tyr, Trp and Cysteine (S-S bond) are entered in the e280Calc tab, the extinction coefficient values are calculated as e280 = 5500 x (Trp residues) + 1490 x (Tyr residues) + 125 x (cysteine S-S bond). The e280 value is used by the software for concentration calculation. In addition to concentration determination of nucleic acids and protein, the BioSpec-nano can be used as an ultra micro-volume spectrophotometer for many other analytes or as a standard spectrophotometer using 5 mm pathlength cells.

Concentration Determination of Nucleic Acids and Proteins Using the Micro-volume Bio-spec Nano Spectrophotometer

PubMed Central

Sukumaran, Suja

2011-01-01

Nucleic Acid quantitation procedures have advanced significantly in the last three decades. More and more, molecular biologists require consistent small-volume analysis of nucleic acid samples for their experiments. The BioSpec-nano provides a potential solution to the problems of inaccurate, non-reproducible results, inherent in current DNA quantitation methods, via specialized optics and a sensitive PDA detector. The BioSpec-nano also has automated functionality such that mounting, measurement, and cleaning are done by the instrument, thereby eliminating tedious, repetitive, and inconsistent placement of the fiber optic element and manual cleaning. In this study, data is presented on the quantification of DNA and protein, as well as on measurement reproducibility and accuracy. Automated sample contact and rapid scanning allows measurement in three seconds, resulting in excellent throughput. Data analysis is carried out using the built-in features of the software. The formula used for calculating DNA concentration is: Sample Concentration = DF · (OD260-OD320)· NACF (1) Where DF = sample dilution factor and NACF = nucleic acid concentration factor. The Nucleic Acid concentration factor is set in accordance with the analyte selected1. Protein concentration results can be expressed as μg/ mL or as moles/L by entering e280 and molecular weight values respectively. When residue values for Tyr, Trp and Cysteine (S-S bond) are entered in the e280Calc tab, the extinction coefficient values are calculated as e280 = 5500 x (Trp residues) + 1490 x (Tyr residues) + 125 x (cysteine S-S bond). The e280 value is used by the software for concentration calculation. In addition to concentration determination of nucleic acids and protein, the BioSpec-nano can be used as an ultra micro-volume spectrophotometer for many other analytes or as a standard spectrophotometer using 5 mm pathlength cells. PMID:21372788

Hyperspectral analysis for qualitative and quantitative features related to acid mine drainage at a remediated open-pit mine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Davies, G.; Calvin, W. M.

2015-12-01

The exposure of pyrite to oxygen and water in mine waste environments is known to generate acidity and the accumulation of secondary iron minerals. Sulfates and secondary iron minerals associated with acid mine drainage (AMD) exhibit diverse spectral properties in the ultraviolet, visible and near-infrared regions of the electromagnetic spectrum. The use of hyperspectral imagery for identification of AMD mineralogy and contamination has been well studied. Fewer studies have examined the impacts of hydrologic variations on mapping AMD or the unique spectral signatures of mine waters. Open-pit mine lakes are an additional environmental hazard which have not been widely studied using imaging spectroscopy. A better understanding of AMD variation related to climate fluctuations and the spectral signatures of contaminated surface waters will aid future assessments of environmental contamination. This study examined the ability of multi-season airborne hyperspectral data to identify the geochemical evolution of substances and contaminant patterns at the Leviathan Mine Superfund site. The mine is located 24 miles southeast of Lake Tahoe and contains remnant tailings piles and several AMD collection ponds. The objectives were to 1) distinguish temporal changes in mineralogy at a the remediated open-pit sulfur mine, 2) identify the absorption features of mine affected waters, and 3) quantitatively link water spectra to known dissolved iron concentrations. Images from NASA's AVIRIS instrument were collected in the spring, summer, and fall seasons for two consecutive years at Leviathan (HyspIRI campaign). Images had a spatial resolution of 15 meters at nadir. Ground-based surveys using the ASD FieldSpecPro spectrometer and laboratory spectral and chemical analysis complemented the remote sensing data. Temporal changes in surface mineralogy were difficult to distinguish. However, seasonal changes in pond water quality were identified. Dissolved ferric iron and chlorophyll-a concentrations were determined to be the major influences on pond water spectral variation.

11 CFR 100.52 - Gift, subscription, loan, advance or deposit of money.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... loan on which his or her spouse's signature is required when jointly owned assets are used as... campaign if the value of the candidate's share of the property used as collateral equals or exceeds the amount of the loan that is used for the candidate's campaign. (5) If a political committee makes a loan...

Districts Shun Stimulus Bids

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maxwell, Lesli A.

2010-01-01

In the final sprint to polish Race to the Top applications, hundreds of school districts shunned a shot at a share of $4 billion in grants by refusing to sign on to their states' plans for the federal competition. California officials had secured the signatures of 790 local education agencies (leas) late last week, including most of the state's…

Pervasive influence of idiosyncratic associative biases during facial emotion recognition.

PubMed

El Zein, Marwa; Wyart, Valentin; Grèzes, Julie

2018-06-11

Facial morphology has been shown to influence perceptual judgments of emotion in a way that is shared across human observers. Here we demonstrate that these shared associations between facial morphology and emotion coexist with strong variations unique to each human observer. Interestingly, a large part of these idiosyncratic associations does not vary on short time scales, emerging from stable inter-individual differences in the way facial morphological features influence emotion recognition. Computational modelling of decision-making and neural recordings of electrical brain activity revealed that both shared and idiosyncratic face-emotion associations operate through a common biasing mechanism rather than an increased sensitivity to face-associated emotions. Together, these findings emphasize the underestimated influence of idiosyncrasies on core social judgments and identify their neuro-computational signatures.

Memory T and memory B cells share a transcriptional program of self-renewal with long-term hematopoietic stem cells

PubMed Central

Luckey, Chance John; Bhattacharya, Deepta; Goldrath, Ananda W.; Weissman, Irving L.; Benoist, Christophe; Mathis, Diane

2006-01-01

The only cells of the hematopoietic system that undergo self-renewal for the lifetime of the organism are long-term hematopoietic stem cells and memory T and B cells. To determine whether there is a shared transcriptional program among these self-renewing populations, we first compared the gene-expression profiles of naïve, effector and memory CD8+ T cells with those of long-term hematopoietic stem cells, short-term hematopoietic stem cells, and lineage-committed progenitors. Transcripts augmented in memory CD8+ T cells relative to naïve and effector T cells were selectively enriched in long-term hematopoietic stem cells and were progressively lost in their short-term and lineage-committed counterparts. Furthermore, transcripts selectively decreased in memory CD8+ T cells were selectively down-regulated in long-term hematopoietic stem cells and progressively increased with differentiation. To confirm that this pattern was a general property of immunologic memory, we turned to independently generated gene expression profiles of memory, naïve, germinal center, and plasma B cells. Once again, memory-enriched and -depleted transcripts were also appropriately augmented and diminished in long-term hematopoietic stem cells, and their expression correlated with progressive loss of self-renewal function. Thus, there appears to be a common signature of both up- and down-regulated transcripts shared between memory T cells, memory B cells, and long-term hematopoietic stem cells. This signature was not consistently enriched in neural or embryonic stem cell populations and, therefore, appears to be restricted to the hematopoeitic system. These observations provide evidence that the shared phenotype of self-renewal in the hematopoietic system is linked at the molecular level. PMID:16492737

Distance Learning: The Impact of Not Being a Resident Student

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-03-01

63xx 1 Acquisitions Off. 51xx 8 Contracting 64xx 79 Flight Surgeon 2302 1 Avn . Supply Off. 66xx 27 Medical 60xx 1 Finance 65xx 24 JAG 2500 7 Air C&C...21xx 24 Civil Engineering Corps 5100 20 ATC 72xx 10 O.R./Sys Analysis 49/57xx 4 Spec. Duty 88xx 2 Spec. War LDO 6152 1 Avn . Acquisitions 80xx 1...6290 1 Avn . Maint. LDO 6330 6 Air Traffic Control LDO 6390 1 Admin LDO 6410 5 IS LDO 6420 2 Met/Ocean LDO 6460 1 467 294 502 Ground Combat Support 1304

SPECabq v. 2.0

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

Chambers, Robert S.; Neidigk, Matthew A.

Sandia SPECabq is FORTRAN code that defines the user supplied subroutines needed to perform nonlinear viscoelastic analyses in the ABAQUS commercial finite element code based on the Simplified Potential Energy Clock (SPEC) Model. The SPEC model was published in the open literature in 2009. It must be compiled and linked with the ABAQUS libraries under the user supplied subroutine option of the ABAQUS executable script. The subroutine is used to analyze the thermomechanical behavior of isotropic polymers predicting things like how a polymer may undergo stress or volume relaxation under different temperature and loading environments. This subroutine enables the ABAQUSmore » finite element code to be used for analyzing the thermo-mechanical behavior of samples and parts that are made from glassy polymers.« less

Software design specification. Part 2: Orbital Flight Test (OFT) detailed design specification. Volume 3: Applications. Book 2: System management

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1979-01-01

The functions performed by the systems management (SM) application software are described along with the design employed to accomplish these functions. The operational sequences (OPS) control segments and the cyclic processes they control are defined. The SM specialist function control (SPEC) segments and the display controlled 'on-demand' processes that are invoked by either an OPS or SPEC control segment as a direct result of an item entry to a display are included. Each processing element in the SM application is described including an input/output table and a structured control flow diagram. The flow through the module and other information pertinent to that process and its interfaces to other processes are included.

Pathway-GPS and SIGORA: identifying relevant pathways based on the over-representation of their gene-pair signatures

PubMed Central

Foroushani, Amir B.K.; Brinkman, Fiona S.L.

2013-01-01

Motivation. Predominant pathway analysis approaches treat pathways as collections of individual genes and consider all pathway members as equally informative. As a result, at times spurious and misleading pathways are inappropriately identified as statistically significant, solely due to components that they share with the more relevant pathways. Results. We introduce the concept of Pathway Gene-Pair Signatures (Pathway-GPS) as pairs of genes that, as a combination, are specific to a single pathway. We devised and implemented a novel approach to pathway analysis, Signature Over-representation Analysis (SIGORA), which focuses on the statistically significant enrichment of Pathway-GPS in a user-specified gene list of interest. In a comparative evaluation of several published datasets, SIGORA outperformed traditional methods by delivering biologically more plausible and relevant results. Availability. An efficient implementation of SIGORA, as an R package with precompiled GPS data for several human and mouse pathway repositories is available for download from http://sigora.googlecode.com/svn/. PMID:24432194

The Library of Integrated Network-Based Cellular Signatures NIH Program: System-Level Cataloging of Human Cells Response to Perturbations.

PubMed

Keenan, Alexandra B; Jenkins, Sherry L; Jagodnik, Kathleen M; Koplev, Simon; He, Edward; Torre, Denis; Wang, Zichen; Dohlman, Anders B; Silverstein, Moshe C; Lachmann, Alexander; Kuleshov, Maxim V; Ma'ayan, Avi; Stathias, Vasileios; Terryn, Raymond; Cooper, Daniel; Forlin, Michele; Koleti, Amar; Vidovic, Dusica; Chung, Caty; Schürer, Stephan C; Vasiliauskas, Jouzas; Pilarczyk, Marcin; Shamsaei, Behrouz; Fazel, Mehdi; Ren, Yan; Niu, Wen; Clark, Nicholas A; White, Shana; Mahi, Naim; Zhang, Lixia; Kouril, Michal; Reichard, John F; Sivaganesan, Siva; Medvedovic, Mario; Meller, Jaroslaw; Koch, Rick J; Birtwistle, Marc R; Iyengar, Ravi; Sobie, Eric A; Azeloglu, Evren U; Kaye, Julia; Osterloh, Jeannette; Haston, Kelly; Kalra, Jaslin; Finkbiener, Steve; Li, Jonathan; Milani, Pamela; Adam, Miriam; Escalante-Chong, Renan; Sachs, Karen; Lenail, Alex; Ramamoorthy, Divya; Fraenkel, Ernest; Daigle, Gavin; Hussain, Uzma; Coye, Alyssa; Rothstein, Jeffrey; Sareen, Dhruv; Ornelas, Loren; Banuelos, Maria; Mandefro, Berhan; Ho, Ritchie; Svendsen, Clive N; Lim, Ryan G; Stocksdale, Jennifer; Casale, Malcolm S; Thompson, Terri G; Wu, Jie; Thompson, Leslie M; Dardov, Victoria; Venkatraman, Vidya; Matlock, Andrea; Van Eyk, Jennifer E; Jaffe, Jacob D; Papanastasiou, Malvina; Subramanian, Aravind; Golub, Todd R; Erickson, Sean D; Fallahi-Sichani, Mohammad; Hafner, Marc; Gray, Nathanael S; Lin, Jia-Ren; Mills, Caitlin E; Muhlich, Jeremy L; Niepel, Mario; Shamu, Caroline E; Williams, Elizabeth H; Wrobel, David; Sorger, Peter K; Heiser, Laura M; Gray, Joe W; Korkola, James E; Mills, Gordon B; LaBarge, Mark; Feiler, Heidi S; Dane, Mark A; Bucher, Elmar; Nederlof, Michel; Sudar, Damir; Gross, Sean; Kilburn, David F; Smith, Rebecca; Devlin, Kaylyn; Margolis, Ron; Derr, Leslie; Lee, Albert; Pillai, Ajay

2018-01-24

The Library of Integrated Network-Based Cellular Signatures (LINCS) is an NIH Common Fund program that catalogs how human cells globally respond to chemical, genetic, and disease perturbations. Resources generated by LINCS include experimental and computational methods, visualization tools, molecular and imaging data, and signatures. By assembling an integrated picture of the range of responses of human cells exposed to many perturbations, the LINCS program aims to better understand human disease and to advance the development of new therapies. Perturbations under study include drugs, genetic perturbations, tissue micro-environments, antibodies, and disease-causing mutations. Responses to perturbations are measured by transcript profiling, mass spectrometry, cell imaging, and biochemical methods, among other assays. The LINCS program focuses on cellular physiology shared among tissues and cell types relevant to an array of diseases, including cancer, heart disease, and neurodegenerative disorders. This Perspective describes LINCS technologies, datasets, tools, and approaches to data accessibility and reusability. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Comparative Systems Analyses Reveal Molecular Signatures of Clinically tested Vaccine Adjuvants

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Olafsdottir, Thorunn A.; Lindqvist, Madelene; Nookaew, Intawat; Andersen, Peter; Maertzdorf, Jeroen; Persson, Josefine; Christensen, Dennis; Zhang, Yuan; Anderson, Jenna; Khoomrung, Sakda; Sen, Partho; Agger, Else Marie; Coler, Rhea; Carter, Darrick; Meinke, Andreas; Rappuoli, Rino; Kaufmann, Stefan H. E.; Reed, Steven G.; Harandi, Ali M.

2016-12-01

A better understanding of the mechanisms of action of human adjuvants could inform a rational development of next generation vaccines for human use. Here, we exploited a genome wide transcriptomics analysis combined with a systems biology approach to determine the molecular signatures induced by four clinically tested vaccine adjuvants, namely CAF01, IC31, GLA-SE and Alum in mice. We report signature molecules, pathways, gene modules and networks, which are shared by or otherwise exclusive to these clinical-grade adjuvants in whole blood and draining lymph nodes of mice. Intriguingly, co-expression analysis revealed blood gene modules highly enriched for molecules with documented roles in T follicular helper (TFH) and germinal center (GC) responses. We could show that all adjuvants enhanced, although with different magnitude and kinetics, TFH and GC B cell responses in draining lymph nodes. These results represent, to our knowledge, the first comparative systems analysis of clinically tested vaccine adjuvants that may provide new insights into the mechanisms of action of human adjuvants.

SPECS: Secure and Privacy Enhancing Communications Schemes for VANETs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chim, T. W.; Yiu, S. M.; Hui, L. C. K.; Jiang, Zoe L.; Li, Victor O. K.

Vehicular ad hoc network (VANET) is an emerging type of networks which facilitates vehicles on roads to communicate for driving safety. The basic idea is to allow arbitrary vehicles to broadcast ad hoc messages (e.g. traffic accidents) to other vehicles. However, this raises the concern of security and privacy. Messages should be signed and verified before they are trusted while the real identity of vehicles should not be revealed, but traceable by authorized party. Existing solutions either rely heavily on a tamper-proof hardware device, or cannot satisfy the privacy requirement and do not have an effective message verification scheme. In this paper, we provide a software-based solution which makes use of only two shared secrets to satisfy the privacy requirement and gives lower message overhead and at least 45% higher successful rate than previous solutions in the message verification phase using the bloom filter and the binary search techniques. We also provide the first group communication protocol to allow vehicles to authenticate and securely communicate with others in a group of known vehicles.

On the diversity of the SE Indo-Pacific species of Terebellides (Annelida; Trichobranchidae), with the description of a new species

PubMed Central

Parapar, Julio; Moreira, Juan

2016-01-01

The study of material collected during routine monitoring surveys dealing with oil extraction and aquaculture in waters off Myanmar (North Andaman Sea) and in the Gulf of Thailand, respectively, allowed us to analyse the taxonomy and diversity of the polychaete genus Terebellides (Annelida). Three species were found, namely Terebellides cf. woolawa, Terebellides hutchingsae spec. nov. (a new species fully described and illustrated), and Terebellides sp. (likely a new species, but with only one available specimen). The new species is characterised by the combination of some branchial (number, fusion and relative length of lobes and papillation of lamellae), and thoracic (lateral lobes and relative length of notopodia) characters and is compared with all species described or reported in the SW Indo-Pacific area, as well as with those sharing similar morphological characteristics all around the world. The taxonomic relevance of the relative length of branchial lobes and different types of ciliature in branchial lamellae for species discrimination in the genus is discussed. A key to all Terebellides species described in SE Indo-Pacific waters is presented. PMID:27602280

On the diversity of the SE Indo-Pacific species of Terebellides (Annelida; Trichobranchidae), with the description of a new species.

PubMed

Parapar, Julio; Moreira, Juan; Martin, Daniel

2016-01-01

The study of material collected during routine monitoring surveys dealing with oil extraction and aquaculture in waters off Myanmar (North Andaman Sea) and in the Gulf of Thailand, respectively, allowed us to analyse the taxonomy and diversity of the polychaete genus Terebellides (Annelida). Three species were found, namely Terebellides cf. woolawa, Terebellides hutchingsae spec. nov. (a new species fully described and illustrated), and Terebellides sp. (likely a new species, but with only one available specimen). The new species is characterised by the combination of some branchial (number, fusion and relative length of lobes and papillation of lamellae), and thoracic (lateral lobes and relative length of notopodia) characters and is compared with all species described or reported in the SW Indo-Pacific area, as well as with those sharing similar morphological characteristics all around the world. The taxonomic relevance of the relative length of branchial lobes and different types of ciliature in branchial lamellae for species discrimination in the genus is discussed. A key to all Terebellides species described in SE Indo-Pacific waters is presented.

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

Mittal, Sparsh; Zhang, Zhao

With each CMOS technology generation, leakage energy consumption has been dramatically increasing and hence, managing leakage power consumption of large last-level caches (LLCs) has become a critical issue in modern processor design. In this paper, we present EnCache, a novel software-based technique which uses dynamic profiling-based cache reconfiguration for saving cache leakage energy. EnCache uses a simple hardware component called profiling cache, which dynamically predicts energy efficiency of an application for 32 possible cache configurations. Using these estimates, system software reconfigures the cache to the most energy efficient configuration. EnCache uses dynamic cache reconfiguration and hence, it does not requiremore » offline profiling or tuning the parameter for each application. Furthermore, EnCache optimizes directly for the overall memory subsystem (LLC and main memory) energy efficiency instead of the LLC energy efficiency alone. The experiments performed with an x86-64 simulator and workloads from SPEC2006 suite confirm that EnCache provides larger energy saving than a conventional energy saving scheme. For single core and dual-core system configurations, the average savings in memory subsystem energy over a shared baseline configuration are 30.0% and 27.3%, respectively.« less

PhiSiGns: an online tool to identify signature genes in phages and design PCR primers for examining phage diversity.

PubMed

Dwivedi, Bhakti; Schmieder, Robert; Goldsmith, Dawn B; Edwards, Robert A; Breitbart, Mya

2012-03-04

Phages (viruses that infect bacteria) have gained significant attention because of their abundance, diversity and important ecological roles. However, the lack of a universal gene shared by all phages presents a challenge for phage identification and characterization, especially in environmental samples where it is difficult to culture phage-host systems. Homologous conserved genes (or "signature genes") present in groups of closely-related phages can be used to explore phage diversity and define evolutionary relationships amongst these phages. Bioinformatic approaches are needed to identify candidate signature genes and design PCR primers to amplify those genes from environmental samples; however, there is currently no existing computational tool that biologists can use for this purpose. Here we present PhiSiGns, a web-based and standalone application that performs a pairwise comparison of each gene present in user-selected phage genomes, identifies signature genes, generates alignments of these genes, and designs potential PCR primer pairs. PhiSiGns is available at (http://www.phantome.org/phisigns/; http://phisigns.sourceforge.net/) with a link to the source code. Here we describe the specifications of PhiSiGns and demonstrate its application with a case study. PhiSiGns provides phage biologists with a user-friendly tool to identify signature genes and design PCR primers to amplify related genes from uncultured phages in environmental samples. This bioinformatics tool will facilitate the development of novel signature genes for use as molecular markers in studies of phage diversity, phylogeny, and evolution.

PhiSiGns: an online tool to identify signature genes in phages and design PCR primers for examining phage diversity

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Phages (viruses that infect bacteria) have gained significant attention because of their abundance, diversity and important ecological roles. However, the lack of a universal gene shared by all phages presents a challenge for phage identification and characterization, especially in environmental samples where it is difficult to culture phage-host systems. Homologous conserved genes (or "signature genes") present in groups of closely-related phages can be used to explore phage diversity and define evolutionary relationships amongst these phages. Bioinformatic approaches are needed to identify candidate signature genes and design PCR primers to amplify those genes from environmental samples; however, there is currently no existing computational tool that biologists can use for this purpose. Results Here we present PhiSiGns, a web-based and standalone application that performs a pairwise comparison of each gene present in user-selected phage genomes, identifies signature genes, generates alignments of these genes, and designs potential PCR primer pairs. PhiSiGns is available at (http://www.phantome.org/phisigns/; http://phisigns.sourceforge.net/) with a link to the source code. Here we describe the specifications of PhiSiGns and demonstrate its application with a case study. Conclusions PhiSiGns provides phage biologists with a user-friendly tool to identify signature genes and design PCR primers to amplify related genes from uncultured phages in environmental samples. This bioinformatics tool will facilitate the development of novel signature genes for use as molecular markers in studies of phage diversity, phylogeny, and evolution. PMID:22385976

Feasibility for detection of autofluorescent signatures in rat organs using a novel excitation-scanning hyperspectral imaging system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Favreau, Peter F.; Deal, Joshua A.; Weber, David S.; Rich, Thomas C.; Leavesley, Silas J.

2016-04-01

The natural fluorescence (autofluorescence) of tissues has been noted as a biomarker for cancer for several decades. Autofluorescence contrast between tumors and healthy tissues has been of significant interest in endoscopy, leading to development of autofluorescence endoscopes capable of visualizing 2-3 fluorescence emission wavelengths to achieve maximal contrast. However, tumor detection with autofluorescence endoscopes is hindered by low fluorescence signal and limited quantitative information, resulting in prolonged endoscopic procedures, prohibitive acquisition times, and reduced specificity of detection. Our lab has designed a novel excitation-scanning hyperspectral imaging system with high fluorescence signal detection, low acquisition time, and enhanced spectral discrimination. In this study, we surveyed a comprehensive set of excised tissues to assess the feasibility of detecting tissue-specific pathologies using excitation-scanning. Fresh, untreated tissue specimens were imaged from 360 to 550 nm on an inverted fluorescence microscope equipped with a set of thin-film tunable filters (Semrock, A Unit of IDEX). Images were subdivided into training and test sets. Automated endmember extraction (ENVI 5.1, Exelis) with PCA identified endmembers within training images of autofluorescence. A spectral library was created from 9 endmembers. The library was used for identification of endmembers in test images. Our results suggest (1) spectral differentiation of multiple tissue types is possible using excitation scanning; (2) shared spectra between tissue types; and (3) the ability to identify unique morphological features in disparate tissues from shared autofluorescent components. Future work will focus on isolating specific molecular signatures present in tissue spectra, and elucidating the contribution of these signatures in pathologies.

Systematic computation with functional gene-sets among leukemic and hematopoietic stem cells reveals a favorable prognostic signature for acute myeloid leukemia.

PubMed

Yang, Xinan Holly; Li, Meiyi; Wang, Bin; Zhu, Wanqi; Desgardin, Aurelie; Onel, Kenan; de Jong, Jill; Chen, Jianjun; Chen, Luonan; Cunningham, John M

2015-03-24

Genes that regulate stem cell function are suspected to exert adverse effects on prognosis in malignancy. However, diverse cancer stem cell signatures are difficult for physicians to interpret and apply clinically. To connect the transcriptome and stem cell biology, with potential clinical applications, we propose a novel computational "gene-to-function, snapshot-to-dynamics, and biology-to-clinic" framework to uncover core functional gene-sets signatures. This framework incorporates three function-centric gene-set analysis strategies: a meta-analysis of both microarray and RNA-seq data, novel dynamic network mechanism (DNM) identification, and a personalized prognostic indicator analysis. This work uses complex disease acute myeloid leukemia (AML) as a research platform. We introduced an adjustable "soft threshold" to a functional gene-set algorithm and found that two different analysis methods identified distinct gene-set signatures from the same samples. We identified a 30-gene cluster that characterizes leukemic stem cell (LSC)-depleted cells and a 25-gene cluster that characterizes LSC-enriched cells in parallel; both mark favorable-prognosis in AML. Genes within each signature significantly share common biological processes and/or molecular functions (empirical p = 6e-5 and 0.03 respectively). The 25-gene signature reflects the abnormal development of stem cells in AML, such as AURKA over-expression. We subsequently determined that the clinical relevance of both signatures is independent of known clinical risk classifications in 214 patients with cytogenetically normal AML. We successfully validated the prognosis of both signatures in two independent cohorts of 91 and 242 patients respectively (log-rank p < 0.0015 and 0.05; empirical p < 0.015 and 0.08). The proposed algorithms and computational framework will harness systems biology research because they efficiently translate gene-sets (rather than single genes) into biological discoveries about AML and other complex diseases.

Using Perceptual Signatures to Define and Dissociate Condition-Specific Neural Etiology: Autism and Fragile X Syndrome as Model Conditions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bertone, Armando; Hanck, Julie; Kogan, Cary; Chaudhuri, Avi; Cornish, Kim

2010-01-01

The functional link between genetic alteration and behavioral end-state is rarely straightforward and never linear. Cases where neurodevlopmental conditions defined by a distinct genetic etiology share behavioral phenotypes are exemplary, as is the case for autism and Fragile X Syndrome (FXS). In this paper and its companion paper, we propose a…

Potential key bases of ribosomal RNA to kingdom-specific spectra of antibiotic susceptibility and the possible archaeal origin of eukaryotes.

PubMed

Xie, Qiang; Wang, Yanhui; Lin, Jinzhong; Qin, Yan; Wang, Ying; Bu, Wenjun

2012-01-01

In support of the hypothesis of the endosymbiotic origin of eukaryotes, much evidence has been found to support the idea that some organelles of eukaryotic cells originated from bacterial ancestors. Less attention has been paid to the identity of the host cell, although some biochemical and molecular genetic properties shared by archaea and eukaryotes have been documented. Through comparing 507 taxa of 16S-18S rDNA and 347 taxa of 23S-28S rDNA, we found that archaea and eukaryotes share twenty-six nucleotides signatures in ribosomal DNA. These signatures exist in all living eukaryotic organisms, whether protist, green plant, fungus, or animal. This evidence explicitly supports the archaeal origin of eukaryotes. In the ribosomal RNA, besides A2058 in Escherichia coli vs. G2400 in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, there still exist other twenties of sites, in which the bases are kingdom-specific. Some of these sites concentrate in the peptidyl transferase centre (PTC) of the 23S-28S rRNA. The results suggest potential key sites to explain the kingdom-specific spectra of drug resistance of ribosomes.

Catastrophic photometric redshift errors: Weak-lensing survey requirements

DOE PAGES

Bernstein, Gary; Huterer, Dragan

2010-01-11

We study the sensitivity of weak lensing surveys to the effects of catastrophic redshift errors - cases where the true redshift is misestimated by a significant amount. To compute the biases in cosmological parameters, we adopt an efficient linearized analysis where the redshift errors are directly related to shifts in the weak lensing convergence power spectra. We estimate the number N spec of unbiased spectroscopic redshifts needed to determine the catastrophic error rate well enough that biases in cosmological parameters are below statistical errors of weak lensing tomography. While the straightforward estimate of N spec is ~10 6 we findmore » that using only the photometric redshifts with z ≤ 2.5 leads to a drastic reduction in N spec to ~ 30,000 while negligibly increasing statistical errors in dark energy parameters. Therefore, the size of spectroscopic survey needed to control catastrophic errors is similar to that previously deemed necessary to constrain the core of the z s – z p distribution. We also study the efficacy of the recent proposal to measure redshift errors by cross-correlation between the photo-z and spectroscopic samples. We find that this method requires ~ 10% a priori knowledge of the bias and stochasticity of the outlier population, and is also easily confounded by lensing magnification bias. In conclusion, the cross-correlation method is therefore unlikely to supplant the need for a complete spectroscopic redshift survey of the source population.« less

Data-dependence Profiling to Enable Safe Thread Level Speculation

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

Bhattacharyya, Arnamoy; Amaral, José Nelson; Finkel, Hal

Data-dependence profling is a technique that enables a com- piler to judiciously decide when the execution of a loop | which the compiler could not prove to be dependence free | should be speculated through the use of Thread Level Spec- ulation (TLS). The data collected by a data-dependence pro- fler can be used to predict if may dependencies reported by a compiler static analysis are likely to materialize at runtime. A cost analysis can then be used to decide that some loops with a lower probability of dependence should be specula- tively parallelized. This paper addresses the question asmore » to whether a loops' dependence behaviour changes when the in- put to the program changes | a study of 57 different bench- marks indicates that it usually does not change. Then the paper describes SpecEval, an automatic speculative paral- lelization framework that uses single-input data-dependence profles to find speculation candidates in the SPEC2006 and PolyBench/C benchmarks. This paper also presents a per- formance evaluation of TLS implementation in IBM's Blue- Gene/Q supercomputer and shows that the performance of TLS is affected by several factors, including the number of speculated loops, the execution-time coverage of speculated loops, the miss-speculation overhead, the L1 cache miss rate and the effect on dynamic instruction path length.« less

Assessing the Validity of the Simplified Potential Energy Clock Model for Modeling Glass-Ceramics

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

Jamison, Ryan Dale; Grillet, Anne M.; Stavig, Mark E.

Glass-ceramic seals may be the future of hermetic connectors at Sandia National Laboratories. They have been shown capable of surviving higher temperatures and pressures than amorphous glass seals. More advanced finite-element material models are required to enable model-based design and provide evidence that the hermetic connectors can meet design requirements. Glass-ceramics are composite materials with both crystalline and amorphous phases. The latter gives rise to (non-linearly) viscoelastic behavior. Given their complex microstructures, glass-ceramics may be thermorheologically complex, a behavior outside the scope of currently implemented constitutive models at Sandia. However, it was desired to assess if the Simplified Potential Energymore » Clock (SPEC) model is capable of capturing the material response. Available data for SL 16.8 glass-ceramic was used to calibrate the SPEC model. Model accuracy was assessed by comparing model predictions with shear moduli temperature dependence and high temperature 3-point bend creep data. It is shown that the model can predict the temperature dependence of the shear moduli and 3- point bend creep data. Analysis of the results is presented. Suggestions for future experiments and model development are presented. Though further calibration is likely necessary, SPEC has been shown capable of modeling glass-ceramic behavior in the glass transition region but requires further analysis below the transition region.« less

Computer based interpretation of infrared spectra-structure of the knowledge-base, automatic rule generation and interpretation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ehrentreich, F.; Dietze, U.; Meyer, U.; Abbas, S.; Schulz, H.

1995-04-01

It is a main task within the SpecInfo-Project to develop interpretation tools that can handle a great deal more of the complicated, more specific spectrum-structure-correlations. In the first step the empirical knowledge about the assignment of structural groups and their characteristic IR-bands has been collected from literature and represented in a computer readable well-structured form. Vague, verbal rules are managed by introduction of linguistic variables. The next step was the development of automatic rule generating procedures. We had combined and enlarged the IDIOTS algorithm with the algorithm by Blaffert relying on set theory. The procedures were successfully applied to the SpecInfo database. The realization of the preceding items is a prerequisite for the improvement of the computerized structure elucidation procedure.

Remarkable, overlooked and new microfungi in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany.

PubMed

Ale-Agha, N; Feige, G B; Linke, K

2001-01-01

During our investigations of the micro flora in NRW in the years of 1999 and 2000 we were able to collect and identify some new and rare species of micro fungi as parasites and saprophytes on wild and ornamental plants. Some of them are new for Germany: Podosphaera xanthii on Coreopsis verticillata; Cercospora traversiana on Trigonella foenum-graecum; Passalora dubia on Atriplex hortensis; Ophiobolus cirsii on Carduus spec.; Periconia britannica on Polemonium coeruleum; Ascochyta leptospora on Agropyron repens; Apomelasmia urticae on Urtica dioica; Cryptodiaporthe salicina on Salix caprea; Dasyscyphus nidulus on Anemone hupehensis; Rhopographus filicinus on Pteridium aquilinum; Sillia ferruginea on Corylus avellana; Sirococcus spiraeae on Spiraea spec. and Forsythia x intermedia. Examples of these findings are in the Herbarium ESS (Mycotheca Parva, Slg. Feige/Ale-Agha).

Hyperspectral Analysis of Soil Nitrogen, Carbon, Carbonate, and Organic Matter Using Regression Trees

PubMed Central

Gmur, Stephan; Vogt, Daniel; Zabowski, Darlene; Moskal, L. Monika

2012-01-01

The characterization of soil attributes using hyperspectral sensors has revealed patterns in soil spectra that are known to respond to mineral composition, organic matter, soil moisture and particle size distribution. Soil samples from different soil horizons of replicated soil series from sites located within Washington and Oregon were analyzed with the FieldSpec Spectroradiometer to measure their spectral signatures across the electromagnetic range of 400 to 1,000 nm. Similarity rankings of individual soil samples reveal differences between replicate series as well as samples within the same replicate series. Using classification and regression tree statistical methods, regression trees were fitted to each spectral response using concentrations of nitrogen, carbon, carbonate and organic matter as the response variables. Statistics resulting from fitted trees were: nitrogen R2 0.91 (p < 0.01) at 403, 470, 687, and 846 nm spectral band widths, carbonate R2 0.95 (p < 0.01) at 531 and 898 nm band widths, total carbon R2 0.93 (p < 0.01) at 400, 409, 441 and 907 nm band widths, and organic matter R2 0.98 (p < 0.01) at 300, 400, 441, 832 and 907 nm band widths. Use of the 400 to 1,000 nm electromagnetic range utilizing regression trees provided a powerful, rapid and inexpensive method for assessing nitrogen, carbon, carbonate and organic matter for upper soil horizons in a nondestructive method. PMID:23112620

Linear spectral unmixing to monitor crop growth in typical organic and inorganic amended arid soil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

El Battay, A.; Mahmoudi, H.

2016-06-01

The soils of the GCC countries are dominantly sandy which is typical of arid regions such as the Arabian Peninsula. Such soils are low in nutrients and have a poor water holding capacity associated with a high infiltration rate. Soil amendments may rehabilitate these soils by restoring essential soil properties and hence enable site revegetation and revitalization for crop production, especially in a region where food security is a priority. In this study, two inorganic amendments; AustraHort and Zeoplant pellet, and one organic locally produced compost were tested as soil amendments at the experimental field of the International Center for Biosaline Agriculture in Dubai, UAE. The main objective is to assess the remote sensing ability to monitor crop growth, for instance Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus), having these amendments, as background with the soil. Three biomass spectral vegetation indices were used namely; NDVI, TDVI and SAVI. Pure spectral signatures of the soil and the three amendments were collected, using a field spectroradiometer, in addition to the spectral signatures of Okra in two growing stages (vegetative and flowering) in the field with a mixed F.O.V of the plant and amended soil during March and May 2015. The spectral signatures were all collected using the FieldSpec® HandHeld 2 (HH2) in the spectral range 325 nm - 1075 nm over 12 plots. A set of 4 plots were assigned for each of the three amendments as follow: three replicates of a 1.5 by 1.5 meter plot with 3kg/m2 of each amendment and 54 plants, one plot as control and all plots were given irrigation treatments at 100% based on ETc. Spectra collected over the plots were inversed in the range of 400-900 nm via a Linear Mixture Model using pure soil and amendments spectral signatures as reference. Field pictures were used to determine the vegetation fraction (in term of area of the F.O.V). Hence, the Okra spectral signatures were isolated for all plots with the three types of amendments. The three vegetation indices were then calculated and compared in the vegetation fraction of the entire F.O.V. The key outcome of this analysis was that a considerable bias was induced when using a mixed F.O.V. In fact, the compost as an organic soil amendment containing dead vegetation affects similarly the sensitivity of the three vegetation indices in the vegetative stage of Okra compared to AustraHort and Zeoplant pellet amended plots. However, the TDVI is very sensitive to vegetation presence even with unmixed crop spectra. AustraHort amendment led to better status of Okra both in March and May with values of 0.19 and 0.28 respectively. Bias induced by some soil amendments can be misleading when upscaling spectral information to satellite imagery with low spectral and spatial resolutions. The results obtained are encouraging for further use of spectral information for crop monitoring in soil containing amendments.

Importance of correlation between gene expression levels: application to the type I interferon signature in rheumatoid arthritis.

PubMed

Reynier, Frédéric; Petit, Fabien; Paye, Malick; Turrel-Davin, Fanny; Imbert, Pierre-Emmanuel; Hot, Arnaud; Mougin, Bruno; Miossec, Pierre

2011-01-01

The analysis of gene expression data shows that many genes display similarity in their expression profiles suggesting some co-regulation. Here, we investigated the co-expression patterns in gene expression data and proposed a correlation-based research method to stratify individuals. Using blood from rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients, we investigated the gene expression profiles from whole blood using Affymetrix microarray technology. Co-expressed genes were analyzed by a biclustering method, followed by gene ontology analysis of the relevant biclusters. Taking the type I interferon (IFN) pathway as an example, a classification algorithm was developed from the 102 RA patients and extended to 10 systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients and 100 healthy volunteers to further characterize individuals. We developed a correlation-based algorithm referred to as Classification Algorithm Based on a Biological Signature (CABS), an alternative to other approaches focused specifically on the expression levels. This algorithm applied to the expression of 35 IFN-related genes showed that the IFN signature presented a heterogeneous expression between RA, SLE and healthy controls which could reflect the level of global IFN signature activation. Moreover, the monitoring of the IFN-related genes during the anti-TNF treatment identified changes in type I IFN gene activity induced in RA patients. In conclusion, we have proposed an original method to analyze genes sharing an expression pattern and a biological function showing that the activation levels of a biological signature could be characterized by its overall state of correlation.

Automatic Identification of Application I/O Signatures from Noisy Server-Side Traces

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

Liu, Yang; Gunasekaran, Raghul; Ma, Xiaosong

2014-01-01

Competing workloads on a shared storage system cause I/O resource contention and application performance vagaries. This problem is already evident in today s HPC storage systems and is likely to become acute at exascale. We need more interaction between application I/O requirements and system software tools to help alleviate the I/O bottleneck, moving towards I/O-aware job scheduling. However, this requires rich techniques to capture application I/O characteristics, which remain evasive in production systems. Traditionally, I/O characteristics have been obtained using client-side tracing tools, with drawbacks such as non-trivial instrumentation/development costs, large trace traffic, and inconsistent adoption. We present a novelmore » approach, I/O Signature Identifier (IOSI), to characterize the I/O behavior of data-intensive applications. IOSI extracts signatures from noisy, zero-overhead server-side I/O throughput logs that are already collected on today s supercomputers, without interfering with the compiling/execution of applications. We evaluated IOSI using the Spider storage system at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, the S3D turbulence application (running on 18,000 Titan nodes), and benchmark-based pseudo-applications. Through our ex- periments we confirmed that IOSI effectively extracts an application s I/O signature despite significant server-side noise. Compared to client-side tracing tools, IOSI is transparent, interface-agnostic, and incurs no overhead. Compared to alternative data alignment techniques (e.g., dynamic time warping), it offers higher signature accuracy and shorter processing time.« less

A basal stem cell signature identifies aggressive prostate cancer phenotypes

PubMed Central

Smith, Bryan A.; Sokolov, Artem; Uzunangelov, Vladislav; Baertsch, Robert; Newton, Yulia; Graim, Kiley; Mathis, Colleen; Cheng, Donghui; Stuart, Joshua M.; Witte, Owen N.

2015-01-01

Evidence from numerous cancers suggests that increased aggressiveness is accompanied by up-regulation of signaling pathways and acquisition of properties common to stem cells. It is unclear if different subtypes of late-stage cancer vary in stemness properties and whether or not these subtypes are transcriptionally similar to normal tissue stem cells. We report a gene signature specific for human prostate basal cells that is differentially enriched in various phenotypes of late-stage metastatic prostate cancer. We FACS-purified and transcriptionally profiled basal and luminal epithelial populations from the benign and cancerous regions of primary human prostates. High-throughput RNA sequencing showed the basal population to be defined by genes associated with stem cell signaling programs and invasiveness. Application of a 91-gene basal signature to gene expression datasets from patients with organ-confined or hormone-refractory metastatic prostate cancer revealed that metastatic small cell neuroendocrine carcinoma was molecularly more stem-like than either metastatic adenocarcinoma or organ-confined adenocarcinoma. Bioinformatic analysis of the basal cell and two human small cell gene signatures identified a set of E2F target genes common between prostate small cell neuroendocrine carcinoma and primary prostate basal cells. Taken together, our data suggest that aggressive prostate cancer shares a conserved transcriptional program with normal adult prostate basal stem cells. PMID:26460041

Natural Selection in the Great Apes

PubMed Central

Cagan, Alexander; Theunert, Christoph; Laayouni, Hafid; Santpere, Gabriel; Pybus, Marc; Casals, Ferran; Prüfer, Kay; Navarro, Arcadi; Marques-Bonet, Tomas; Bertranpetit, Jaume; Andrés, Aida M.

2016-01-01

Natural selection is crucial for the adaptation of populations to their environments. Here, we present the first global study of natural selection in the Hominidae (humans and great apes) based on genome-wide information from population samples representing all extant species (including most subspecies). Combining several neutrality tests we create a multi-species map of signatures of natural selection covering all major types of natural selection. We find that the estimated efficiency of both purifying and positive selection varies between species and is significantly correlated with their long-term effective population size. Thus, even the modest differences in population size among the closely related Hominidae lineages have resulted in differences in their ability to remove deleterious alleles and to adapt to changing environments. Most signatures of balancing and positive selection are species-specific, with signatures of balancing selection more often being shared among species. We also identify loci with evidence of positive selection across several lineages. Notably, we detect signatures of positive selection in several genes related to brain function, anatomy, diet and immune processes. Our results contribute to a better understanding of human evolution by putting the evidence of natural selection in humans within its larger evolutionary context. The global map of natural selection in our closest living relatives is available as an interactive browser at http://tinyurl.com/nf8qmzh. PMID:27795229

Immune signatures of protective spleen memory CD8 T cells.

PubMed

Brinza, Lilia; Djebali, Sophia; Tomkowiak, Martine; Mafille, Julien; Loiseau, Céline; Jouve, Pierre-Emmanuel; de Bernard, Simon; Buffat, Laurent; Lina, Bruno; Ottmann, Michèle; Rosa-Calatrava, Manuel; Schicklin, Stéphane; Bonnefoy, Nathalie; Lauvau, Grégoire; Grau, Morgan; Wencker, Mélanie; Arpin, Christophe; Walzer, Thierry; Leverrier, Yann; Marvel, Jacqueline

2016-11-24

Memory CD8 T lymphocyte populations are remarkably heterogeneous and differ in their ability to protect the host. In order to identify the whole range of qualities uniquely associated with protective memory cells we compared the gene expression signatures of two qualities of memory CD8 T cells sharing the same antigenic-specificity: protective (Influenza-induced, Flu-TM) and non-protective (peptide-induced, TIM) spleen memory CD8 T cells. Although Flu-TM and TIM express classical phenotypic memory markers and are polyfunctional, only Flu-TM protects against a lethal viral challenge. Protective memory CD8 T cells express a unique set of genes involved in migration and survival that correlate with their unique capacity to rapidly migrate within the infected lung parenchyma in response to influenza infection. We also enlighten a new set of poised genes expressed by protective cells that is strongly enriched in cytokines and chemokines such as Ccl1, Ccl9 and Gm-csf. CCL1 and GM-CSF genes are also poised in human memory CD8 T cells. These immune signatures are also induced by two other pathogens (vaccinia virus and Listeria monocytogenes). The immune signatures associated with immune protection were identified on circulating cells, i.e. those that are easily accessible for immuno-monitoring and could help predict vaccines efficacy.

Phylogenomic and Molecular Demarcation of the Core Members of the Polyphyletic Pasteurellaceae Genera Actinobacillus, Haemophilus, and Pasteurella

PubMed Central

Naushad, Sohail; Adeolu, Mobolaji; Goel, Nisha; Khadka, Bijendra; Al-Dahwi, Aqeel; Gupta, Radhey S.

2015-01-01

The genera Actinobacillus, Haemophilus, and Pasteurella exhibit extensive polyphyletic branching in phylogenetic trees and do not represent coherent clusters of species. In this study, we have utilized molecular signatures identified through comparative genomic analyses in conjunction with genome based and multilocus sequence based phylogenetic analyses to clarify the phylogenetic and taxonomic boundary of these genera. We have identified large clusters of Actinobacillus, Haemophilus, and Pasteurella species which represent the “sensu stricto” members of these genera. We have identified 3, 7, and 6 conserved signature indels (CSIs), which are specifically shared by sensu stricto members of Actinobacillus, Haemophilus, and Pasteurella, respectively. We have also identified two different sets of CSIs that are unique characteristics of the pathogen containing genera Aggregatibacter and Mannheimia, respectively. It is now possible to demarcate the genera Actinobacillus sensu stricto, Haemophilus sensu stricto, and Pasteurella sensu stricto on the basis of discrete molecular signatures. The other members of the genera Actinobacillus, Haemophilus, and Pasteurella that do not fall within the “sensu stricto” clades and do not contain these molecular signatures should be reclassified as other genera. The CSIs identified here also provide useful diagnostic targets for the identification of current and novel members of the indicated genera. PMID:25821780

Unraveling Molecular Signatures of Immunostimulatory Adjuvants in the Female Genital Tract through Systems Biology

PubMed Central

Brinkenberg, Ingrid; Samuelson, Emma; Thörn, Karolina; Nielsen, Jens; Harandi, Ali M.

2011-01-01

Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) unequivocally represent a major public health concern in both industrialized and developing countries. Previous efforts to develop vaccines for systemic immunization against a large number of STIs in humans have been unsuccessful. There is currently a drive to develop mucosal vaccines and adjuvants for delivery through the genital tract to confer protective immunity against STIs. Identification of molecular signatures that can be used as biomarkers for adjuvant potency can inform rational development of potent mucosal adjuvants. Here, we used systems biology to study global gene expression and signature molecules and pathways in the mouse vagina after treatment with two classes of experimental adjuvants. The Toll-like receptor 9 agonist CpG ODN and the invariant natural killer T cell agonist alpha-galactosylceramide, which we previously identified as equally potent vaginal adjuvants, were selected for this study. Our integrated analysis of genome-wide transcriptome data determined which signature pathways, processes and networks are shared by or otherwise exclusive to these 2 classes of experimental vaginal adjuvants in the mouse vagina. To our knowledge, this is the first integrated genome-wide transcriptome analysis of the effects of immunomodulatory adjuvants on the female genital tract of a mammal. These results could inform rational development of effective mucosal adjuvants for vaccination against STIs. PMID:21666746

National Centers for Environmental Prediction

Science.gov Websites

/NDAS Output Fields (contents, format, grid specs, output frequency, archive): The NWP model The horizontal output grid The vertical grid Access to fields Anonymous FTP Access Permanent Tape Archive

PHOTOMETRIC REDSHIFTS IN THE HAWAII-HUBBLE DEEP FIELD-NORTH (H-HDF-N)

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

Yang, G.; Xue, Y. Q.; Kong, X.

2015-01-01

We derive photometric redshifts (z {sub phot}) for sources in the entire (∼0.4 deg{sup 2}) Hawaii-Hubble Deep Field-North (H-HDF-N) field with the EAzY code, based on point-spread-function-matched photometry of 15 broad bands from the ultraviolet (U band) to mid-infrared (IRAC 4.5 μm). Our catalog consists of a total of 131,678 sources. We evaluate the z {sub phot} quality by comparing z {sub phot} with spectroscopic redshifts (z {sub spec}) when available, and find a value of normalized median absolute deviation σ{sub NMAD} = 0.029 and an outlier fraction of 5.5% (outliers are defined as sources having |z{sub phot} – z{sub spec} |/(1more » + z{sub spec} ) > 0.15) for non-X-ray sources. More specifically, we obtain σ{sub NMAD} = 0.024 with 2.7% outliers for sources brighter than R = 23 mag, σ{sub NMAD} = 0.035 with 7.4% outliers for sources fainter than R = 23 mag, σ{sub NMAD} = 0.026 with 3.9% outliers for sources having z < 1, and σ{sub NMAD} = 0.034 with 9.0% outliers for sources having z > 1. Our z {sub phot} quality shows an overall improvement over an earlier z {sub phot} work that focused only on the central H-HDF-N area. We also classify each object as a star or galaxy through template spectral energy distribution fitting and complementary morphological parameterization, resulting in 4959 stars and 126,719 galaxies. Furthermore, we match our catalog with the 2 Ms Chandra Deep Field-North main X-ray catalog. For the 462 matched non-stellar X-ray sources (281 having z {sub spec}), we improve their z {sub phot} quality by adding three additional active galactic nucleus templates, achieving σ{sub NMAD} = 0.035 and an outlier fraction of 12.5%. We make our catalog publicly available presenting both photometry and z {sub phot}, and provide guidance on how to make use of our catalog.« less

Spatial frequency domain imaging using a snap-shot filter mosaic camera with multi-wavelength sensitive pixels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Strömberg, Tomas; Saager, Rolf B.; Kennedy, Gordon T.; Fredriksson, Ingemar; Salerud, Göran; Durkin, Anthony J.; Larsson, Marcus

2018-02-01

Spatial frequency domain imaging (SFDI) utilizes a digital light processing (DLP) projector for illuminating turbid media with sinusoidal patterns. The tissue absorption (μa) and reduced scattering coefficient (μ,s) are calculated by analyzing the modulation transfer function for at least two spatial frequencies. We evaluated different illumination strategies with a red, green and blue light emitting diodes (LED) in the DLP, while imaging with a filter mosaic camera, XiSpec, with 16 different multi-wavelength sensitive pixels in the 470-630 nm wavelength range. Data were compared to SFDI by a multispectral camera setup (MSI) consisting of four cameras with bandpass filters centered at 475, 560, 580 and 650 nm. A pointwise system for comprehensive microcirculation analysis was used (EPOS) for comparison. A 5-min arterial occlusion and release protocol on the forearm of a Caucasian male with fair skin was analyzed by fitting the absorption spectra of the chromophores HbO2, Hb and melanin to the estimatedμa. The tissue fractions of red blood cells (fRBC), melanin (/mel) and the Hb oxygenation (S02 ) were calculated at baseline, end of occlusion, early after release and late after release. EPOS results showed a decrease in S02 during the occlusion and hyperemia during release (S02 = 40%, 5%, 80% and 51%). The fRBC showed an increase during occlusion and release phases. The best MSI resemblance to the EPOS was for green LED illumination (S02 = 53%, 9%, 82%, 65%). Several illumination and analysis strategies using the XiSpec gave un-physiological results (e.g. negative S02 ). XiSpec with green LED illumination gave the expected change in /RBC , while the dynamics in S02 were less than those for EPOS. These results may be explained by the calculation of modulation using an illumination and detector setup with a broad spectral transmission bandwidth, with considerable variation in μa of included chromophores. Approaches for either reducing the effective bandwidth of the XiSpec filters or by including their characteristic in a light transport model for SFDI modulation, are proposed.

Safety Analysis of FMS/CTAS Interactions During Aircraft Arrivals

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Leveson, Nancy G.

1998-01-01

This grant funded research on human-computer interaction design and analysis techniques, using future ATC environments as a testbed. The basic approach was to model the nominal behavior of both the automated and human procedures and then to apply safety analysis techniques to these models. Our previous modeling language, RSML, had been used to specify the system requirements for TCAS II for the FAA. Using the lessons learned from this experience, we designed a new modeling language that (among other things) incorporates features to assist in designing less error-prone human-computer interactions and interfaces and in detecting potential HCI problems, such as mode confusion. The new language, SpecTRM-RL, uses "intent" abstractions, based on Rasmussen's abstraction hierarchy, and includes both informal (English and graphical) specifications and formal, executable models for specifying various aspects of the system. One of the goals for our language was to highlight the system modes and mode changes to assist in identifying the potential for mode confusion. Three published papers resulted from this research. The first builds on the work of Degani on mode confusion to identify aspects of the system design that could lead to potential hazards. We defined and modeled modes differently than Degani and also defined design criteria for SpecTRM-RL models. Our design criteria include the Degani criteria but extend them to include more potential problems. In a second paper, Leveson and Palmer showed how the criteria for indirect mode transitions could be applied to a mode confusion problem found in several ASRS reports for the MD-88. In addition, we defined a visual task modeling language that can be used by system designers to model human-computer interaction. The visual models can be translated into SpecTRM-RL models, and then the SpecTRM-RL suite of analysis tools can be used to perform formal and informal safety analyses on the task model in isolation or integrated with the rest of the modeled system. We had hoped to be able to apply these modeling languages and analysis tools to a TAP air/ground trajectory negotiation scenario, but the development of the tools took more time than we anticipated.

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

Harper, Jason

Jason Harper, an electrical engineer in Argonne National Laboratory's EV-Smart Grid Interoperability Center, discusses his SpEC Module invention that will enable fast charging of electric vehicles in under 15 minutes. The module has been licensed to BTCPower.

Relative extended haplotype homozygosity signals across breeds reveal dairy and beef specific signatures of selection.

PubMed

Bomba, Lorenzo; Nicolazzi, Ezequiel L; Milanesi, Marco; Negrini, Riccardo; Mancini, Giordano; Biscarini, Filippo; Stella, Alessandra; Valentini, Alessio; Ajmone-Marsan, Paolo

2015-04-02

A number of methods are available to scan a genome for selection signatures by evaluating patterns of diversity within and between breeds. Among these, "extended haplotype homozygosity" (EHH) is a reliable approach to detect genome regions under recent selective pressure. The objective of this study was to use this approach to identify regions that are under recent positive selection and shared by the most representative Italian dairy and beef cattle breeds. A total of 3220 animals from Italian Holstein (2179), Italian Brown (775), Simmental (493), Marchigiana (485) and Piedmontese (379) breeds were genotyped with the Illumina BovineSNP50 BeadChip v.1. After standard quality control procedures, genotypes were phased and core haplotypes were identified. The decay of linkage disequilibrium (LD) for each core haplotype was assessed by measuring the EHH. Since accurate estimates of local recombination rates were not available, relative EHH (rEHH) was calculated for each core haplotype. Genomic regions that carry frequent core haplotypes and with significant rEHH values were considered as candidates for recent positive selection. Candidate regions were aligned across to identify signals shared by dairy or beef cattle breeds. Overall, 82 and 87 common regions were detected among dairy and beef cattle breeds, respectively. Bioinformatic analysis identified 244 and 232 genes in these common genomic regions. Gene annotation and pathway analysis showed that these genes are involved in molecular functions that are biologically related to milk or meat production. Our results suggest that a multi-breed approach can lead to the identification of genomic signatures in breeds of cattle that are selected for the same production goal and thus to the localisation of genomic regions of interest in dairy and beef production.

Foodborne Protozoans

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Identification of the human pathogens Cryptosporidium and Giardia can be grouped into general morphology by microscopy, chemical and immunofluorescent staining methods aiding microscopy, and biochemical and molecular tests. Microscopic observations can be made using brightfield with or without spec...

Seal coat binder performance specifications.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2013-11-01

Need to improve seal coat binder specs: replace empirical tests (penetration, ductility) with : performance-related tests applicable to both : unmodified and modified binders; consider temperatures that cover entire in service : range that are tied t...

Diffraction on heavy samples at STRESS-SPEC using a robot system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Al-Hamdany, N.; Gan, W. M.; Randau, C.; Brokmeier, H.-G.; Hofmann, M.

2015-04-01

The material science diffractometer STRESS-SPEC has high flux and a high flexible monochromator arrangement to optimize the needed wavelength. Many specific sample handling stages and sample environments are available. One of them is a Staubli RX 160 robot with nominal load capacity of 20 kg and more freedom for texture mapping than the Huber 512 Eulerian type cradle. Demonstration experiments of non-destructive pole figures and strain measurements of Cu-tube segments weighing 12 kg weight and 250 mm in length and 140 mm diameter have been carried out. The residual strains measured by the robot and by the XYZ- stage fit quite well, that means the robot is reliable for strain measurements. The texture of the Cu-tube has dominant recrystallization texture components represented by the cube and the rotated cube.

Metal-Arc Welded Ti-6Al-4V, Ti-4Al-4V, and Ti-5Al-2 and 1/2 SN Titanium Alloys

DTIC Science & Technology

1959-05-01

x . 7 8 8 - x 2 . 1 2 i n c h ) V n o t c h Charpy i m p a c t spec imen . MATERIALS COHN* .25 . 2 3 The m a t e r i a l s u s e d d...i e d V n o t c h Charpy i m p a c t spec imen i n a s t a n d a r d i m p a c t machine w i th anvi l s modified so t h a t the center...of percussion of the pendulum coincided with the center of the impact specimen, This FIGURE 3: SUBSIZE T E N S I L E SPECIMEN FIGURE 4

Noise analysis for CCD-based ultraviolet and visible spectrophotometry.

PubMed

Davenport, John J; Hodgkinson, Jane; Saffell, John R; Tatam, Ralph P

2015-09-20

We present the results of a detailed analysis of the noise behavior of two CCD spectrometers in common use, an AvaSpec-3648 CCD UV spectrometer and an Ocean Optics S2000 Vis spectrometer. Light sources used include a deuterium UV/Vis lamp and UV and visible LEDs. Common noise phenomena include source fluctuation noise, photoresponse nonuniformity, dark current noise, fixed pattern noise, and read noise. These were identified and characterized by varying light source, spectrometer settings, or temperature. A number of noise-limiting techniques are proposed, demonstrating a best-case spectroscopic noise equivalent absorbance of 3.5×10(-4)  AU for the AvaSpec-3648 and 5.6×10(-4)  AU for the Ocean Optics S2000 over a 30 s integration period. These techniques can be used on other CCD spectrometers to optimize performance.

Description and phylogeny of a new prostomatid, Metacystis similis nov. spec. (Protista, Ciliophora) from the East China Sea.

PubMed

Zhang, Xiumei; Ji, Daode; Zhang, Qianqian; Li, Chenghua

2015-10-27

The living morphology and infraciliature of a new marine prostomatid, Metacystis similis nov. spec., have been observed and investigated. Based on both morphological and molecular biological data, several closely-related and easily confused taxa were compared. The diagnosis for this new taxon: cylindrical marine Metacystis with a slightly blunt anterior end, in vivo 50-70 x 18-23 μm; body not loricate, uniformly cinctured by 16-18 transverse rings of cilia, which are also arranged in 32-36 longitudinal kineties; oral apparatus consisting of one circumoral dikinety and six girdles of densely packed monokinetids; single spherical macronucleus located in the center of the body; caudal region possessing one transparent, protruding hemicycle terminal vacuole. Information concerning the small-subunit rRNA gene sequence of the new species was also provided.

Assessment of US industry's technology trends and new technology requirements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1984-01-01

The utility and effectiveness of a novel approach (the Applications Development, or AD approach), intended to augment the efficiency of NASA's technology utilization (TU) through dissemination of NASA technologies and joint technology development efforts with U.S. industry is tested. The innovative AD approach consists of the following key elements: selection of NASA technologies appearing to have leading edge attributes; interaction with NASA researchers to assess the characteristics and quality of each selected technology; identification of industry's needs in the selected technology areas; structuring the selected technologies in terms of specifications and standards familiar to industry (industrial Spec. Sheets); identification and assessment of industry's interest in the specific selected NASA technologies, utilizing the greatly facilitated communication made possible by the availability of the industrial Spec. Sheets; and matching selected NASA technologies with the needs of selected industries.

Geostationary Spectrograph (GeoSpec) for Earth and Atmospheric Science Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Janz, Scott J.

2003-01-01

GeoSpec will support several possible future mission concepts in the Atmospheric Sciences and in Land and Ocean Sciences by measurement of both chemically linked atmospheric trace gas concentrations and profiles of important molecules such as OS, N02, CH20 and SO2 and at the same time coastal and ocean pollution events, tidal effects, and the origin and evolution of aerosol plumes. The instrument design concept we will describe is a dual spectrograph covering the WMS wavelength region of 310- 481 nm and the VIS/NIR wavelength region of 500-900 nm. A third channel in the short- wave infrared (SWIR) region between 2.2 p and 2.4 pn for total column measurements of CO, CH4, and N20 will also be described. The goal is to design a system capable of making moderate spatial resolution (750 meters at nadir) hyperspectral measurements (0.2 to 1.2 nm resolution) from a geostationary orbit. This would enable studies of time- varying pollution and coastal change processes with a temporal resolution of 5 minutes on a regional scale to 1 hour on a continental scale. Technological advances in the design and fabrication of convex holographic gratings and large format, high dynamic range PIN/CMOS detectors at the focal plane will be exploited. By simply changing the focal length of the front-end telescope GeoSpec can accommodate different orbital altitudes, including low Earth orbit, the Sun-side Lagrangian point L1, and/or different spatial resolutions.

KiwiSpec - an advanced spectrograph for high resolution spectroscopy: optical design and variations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barnes, Stuart I.; Gibson, Steve; Nield, Kathryn; Cochrane, Dave

2012-09-01

The KiwiSpec R4-100 is an advanced high resolution spectrograph developed by KiwiStar Optics, Industrial Research Ltd, New Zealand. The instrument is based around an R4 echelle grating and a 100mm collimated beam diameter. The optical design employs a highly asymmetric white pupil design, whereby the transfer collimator has a focal length only 1/3 that of the primary collimator. This allows the cross-dispersers (VPH gratings) and camera optics to be small and low cost while also ensuring a very compact instrument. The KiwiSpec instrument will be bre-fed and is designed to be contained in both thermal and/or vacuum enclosures. The instrument concept is highly exible in order to ensure that the same basic design can be used for a wide variety of science cases. Options include the possibility of splitting the wavelength coverage into 2 to 4 separate channels allowing each channel to be highly optimized for maximum eciency. CCDs ranging from smaller than 2K2K to larger than 4K4K can be accommodated. This allows good (3-4 pixel) sampling of resolving powers ranging from below 50,000 to greater than 100,000. Among the specic design options presented here will be a two-channel concept optimized for precision radial velocities, and a four-channel concept developed for the Gemini High- Resolution Optical Spectrograph (GHOST). The design and performance of a single-channel prototype will be presented elsewhere in these proceedings.

3D Equilibrium Effects Due to RMP Application on DIII-D

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

S. Lazerson, E. Lazarus, S. Hudson, N. Pablant and D. Gates

2012-06-20

The mitigation and suppression of edge localized modes (ELMs) through application of resonant magnetic perturbations (RMPs) in Tokamak plasmas is a well documented phenomenon [1]. Vacuum calculations suggest the formation of edge islands and stochastic regions when RMPs are applied to the axisymmetric equilibria. Self-consistent calculations of the plasma equilibrium with the VMEC [2] and SPEC [3] codes have been performed for an up-down symmetric shot (142603) in DIII-D. In these codes, a self-consistent calculation of the plasma response due to the RMP coils is calculated. The VMEC code globally enforces the constraints of ideal MHD; consequently, a continuously nestedmore » family of flux surfaces is enforced throughout the plasma domain. This approach necessarily precludes the observation of islands or field-line chaos. The SPEC code relaxes the constraints of ideal MHD locally, and allows for islands and field line chaos at or near the rational surfaces. Equilibria with finite pressure gradients are approximated by a set of discrete "ideal-interfaces" at the most irrational flux surfaces and where the strongest pressure gradients are observed. Both the VMEC and SPEC calculations are initialized from EFIT reconstructions of the plasma that are consistent with the experimental pressure and current profiles. A 3D reconstruction using the STELLOPT code, which fits VMEC equilibria to experimental measurements, has also been performed. Comparisons between the equilibria generated by the 3D codes and between STELLOPT and EFIT are presented.« less

3D Equilibrium Effects Due to RMP Application on DIII-D

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

Lazerson, S.; Lazarus, E.; Hudson, S.

2012-06-20

The mitigation and suppression of edge localized modes (ELMs) through application of resonant magnetic perturbations (RMPs) in Tokamak plasmas is a well documented phenomenon. Vacuum calculations suggest the formation of edge islands and stochastic regions when RMPs are applied to the axisymmetric equilibria. Self-consistent calculations of the plasma equilibrium with the VMEC and SPEC codes have been performed for an up-down symmetric shot in DIII-D. In these codes, a self-consistent calculation of the plasma response due to the RMP coils is calculated. The VMEC code globally enforces the constraints of ideal MHD; consequently, a continuously nested family of flux surfacesmore » is enforced throughout the plasma domain. This approach necessarily precludes the observation of islands or field-line chaos. The SPEC code relaxes the constraints of ideal MHD locally, and allows for islands and field line chaos at or near the rational surfaces. Equilibria with finite pressure gradients are approximated by a set of discrete "ideal-interfaces" at the most irrational flux surfaces and where the strongest pressure gradients are observed. Both the VMEC and SPEC calculations are initialized from EFIT reconstructions of the plasma that are consistent with the experimental pressure and current profiles. A 3D reconstruction using the STELLOPT code, which fits VMEC equilibria to experimental measurements, has also been performed. Comparisons between the equilibria generated by the 3D codes and between STELLOPT and EFIT are presented.« less

Scarlet fever is caused by a limited number of Streptococcus pyogenes lineages and is associated with the exotoxin genes ssa, speA and speC.

PubMed

Silva-Costa, Catarina; Carriço, Joao A; Ramirez, Mario; Melo-Cristino, Jose

2014-03-01

Several outbreaks of scarlet fever caused by Streptococcus pyogenes were recently reported. Scarlet fever is historically considered a toxin-mediated disease, dependent on the production of the exotoxins SpeA and SpeC, but a strict association between scarlet fever and these exotoxins is not always detected. The aims of this study were to characterize the scarlet fever bacterial isolates recovered from patients in a Lisbon hospital and to identify any distinctive characteristics of such isolates. We characterized a collection of 303 pharyngeal S. pyogenes collected between 2002 and 2008. One-hundred and one were isolated from scarlet fever patients and 202 were associated to a diagnosis of tonsillo-pharyngitis. Isolates were characterized by T and emm typing, pulsed field gel electrophoresis profiling and superantigen gene profiling. The diversity of the scarlet fever isolates was lower than that of the pharyngitis isolates. Specific lineages of emm87, emm4 and emm3 were overrepresented in scarlet fever isolates but only 1 pulsed field gel electrophoresis major lineage was significantly associated with scarlet fever. Multivariate analysis indicated associations of ssa, speA and speC with scarlet fever. In nonoutbreak conditions, scarlet fever is caused by a number of distinct genetic lineages. The lower diversity of these isolates and the association with specific exotoxin genes indicates that some lineages are more prone to cause this presentation than others even in nonoutbreak conditions.

Visible spectroscopy calibration transfer model in determining pH of Sala mangoes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yahaya, O. K. M.; MatJafri, M. Z.; Aziz, A. A.; Omar, A. F.

2015-05-01

The purpose of this study is to compare the efficiency of calibration transfer procedures between three spectrometers involving two Ocean Optics Inc. spectrometers, namely, QE65000 and Jaz, and also, ASD FieldSpec 3 in measuring the pH of Sala mango by visible reflectance spectroscopy. This study evaluates the ability of these spectrometers in measuring the pH of Sala mango by applying similar calibration algorithms through direct calibration transfer. This visible reflectance spectroscopy technique defines a spectrometer as a master instrument and another spectrometer as a slave. The multiple linear regression (MLR) of calibration model generated using the QE65000 spectrometer is transferred to the Jaz spectrometer and vice versa for Set 1. The same technique is applied for Set 2 with QE65000 spectrometer is transferred to the FieldSpec3 spectrometer and vice versa. For Set 1, the result showed that the QE65000 spectrometer established a calibration model with higher accuracy than that of the Jaz spectrometer. In addition, the calibration model developed on Jaz spectrometer successfully predicted the pH of Sala mango, which was measured using QE65000 spectrometer, with a root means square error of prediction RMSEP = 0.092 pH and coefficients of determination R2 = 0.892. Moreover, the best prediction result is obtained for Set 2 when the calibration model developed on QE65000 spectrometer is successfully transferred to FieldSpec 3 with R2 = 0.839 and RMSEP = 0.16 pH.

Where Tori Fear to Tread: Hypermassive Neutron Star Remnants and Absolute Event Horizons or Topics in Computational General Relativity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaplan, Jeffrey Daniel

2014-01-01

Computational general relativity is a field of study which has reached maturity only within the last decade. This thesis details several studies that elucidate phenomena related to the coalescence of compact object binaries. Chapters 2 and 3 recounts work towards developing new analytical tools for visualizing and reasoning about dynamics in strongly curved spacetimes. In both studies, the results employ analogies with the classical theory of electricity and magnetism, first (Ch. 2) in the post-Newtonian approximation to general relativity and then (Ch. 3) in full general relativity though in the absence of matter sources. In Chapter 4, we examine the topological structure of absolute event horizons during binary black hole merger simulations conducted with the SpEC code. Chapter 6 reports on the progress of the SpEC code in simulating the coalescence of neutron star-neutron star binaries, while Chapter 7 tests the effects of various numerical gauge conditions on the robustness of black hole formation from stellar collapse in SpEC. In Chapter 5, we examine the nature of pseudospectral expansions of non-smooth functions motivated by the need to simulate the stellar surface in Chapters 6 and 7. In Chapter 8, we study how thermal effects in the nuclear equation of state effect the equilibria and stability of hypermassive neutron stars. Chapter 9 presents supplements to the work in Chapter 8, including an examination of the stability question raised in Chapter 8 in greater mathematical detail.

Classification of Tree Species in Overstorey Canopy of Subtropical Forest Using QuickBird Images.

PubMed

Lin, Chinsu; Popescu, Sorin C; Thomson, Gavin; Tsogt, Khongor; Chang, Chein-I

2015-01-01

This paper proposes a supervised classification scheme to identify 40 tree species (2 coniferous, 38 broadleaf) belonging to 22 families and 36 genera in high spatial resolution QuickBird multispectral images (HMS). Overall kappa coefficient (OKC) and species conditional kappa coefficients (SCKC) were used to evaluate classification performance in training samples and estimate accuracy and uncertainty in test samples. Baseline classification performance using HMS images and vegetation index (VI) images were evaluated with an OKC value of 0.58 and 0.48 respectively, but performance improved significantly (up to 0.99) when used in combination with an HMS spectral-spatial texture image (SpecTex). One of the 40 species had very high conditional kappa coefficient performance (SCKC ≥ 0.95) using 4-band HMS and 5-band VIs images, but, only five species had lower performance (0.68 ≤ SCKC ≤ 0.94) using the SpecTex images. When SpecTex images were combined with a Visible Atmospherically Resistant Index (VARI), there was a significant improvement in performance in the training samples. The same level of improvement could not be replicated in the test samples indicating that a high degree of uncertainty exists in species classification accuracy which may be due to individual tree crown density, leaf greenness (inter-canopy gaps), and noise in the background environment (intra-canopy gaps). These factors increase uncertainty in the spectral texture features and therefore represent potential problems when using pixel-based classification techniques for multi-species classification.

Comparative Analysis of P450 Signature Motifs EXXR and CXG in the Large and Diverse Kingdom of Fungi: Identification of Evolutionarily Conserved Amino Acid Patterns Characteristic of P450 Family

PubMed Central

Syed, Khajamohiddin; Mashele, Samson Sitheni

2014-01-01

Cytochrome P450 monooxygenases (P450s) are heme-thiolate proteins distributed across the biological kingdoms. P450s are catalytically versatile and play key roles in organisms primary and secondary metabolism. Identification of P450s across the biological kingdoms depends largely on the identification of two P450 signature motifs, EXXR and CXG, in the protein sequence. Once a putative protein has been identified as P450, it will be assigned to a family and subfamily based on the criteria that P450s within a family share more than 40% homology and members of subfamilies share more than 55% homology. However, to date, no evidence has been presented that can distinguish members of a P450 family. Here, for the first time we report the identification of EXXR- and CXG-motifs-based amino acid patterns that are characteristic of the P450 family. Analysis of P450 signature motifs in the under-explored fungal P450s from four different phyla, ascomycota, basidiomycota, zygomycota and chytridiomycota, indicated that the EXXR motif is highly variable and the CXG motif is somewhat variable. The amino acids threonine and leucine are preferred as second and third amino acids in the EXXR motif and proline and glycine are preferred as second and third amino acids in the CXG motif in fungal P450s. Analysis of 67 P450 families from biological kingdoms such as plants, animals, bacteria and fungi showed conservation of a set of amino acid patterns characteristic of a particular P450 family in EXXR and CXG motifs. This suggests that during the divergence of P450 families from a common ancestor these amino acids patterns evolve and are retained in each P450 family as a signature of that family. The role of amino acid patterns characteristic of a P450 family in the structural and/or functional aspects of members of the P450 family is a topic for future research. PMID:24743800

Genome signature analysis of thermal virus metagenomes reveals Archaea and thermophilic signatures

PubMed Central

Pride, David T; Schoenfeld, Thomas

2008-01-01

Background Metagenomic analysis provides a rich source of biological information for otherwise intractable viral communities. However, study of viral metagenomes has been hampered by its nearly complete reliance on BLAST algorithms for identification of DNA sequences. We sought to develop algorithms for examination of viral metagenomes to identify the origin of sequences independent of BLAST algorithms. We chose viral metagenomes obtained from two hot springs, Bear Paw and Octopus, in Yellowstone National Park, as they represent simple microbial populations where comparatively large contigs were obtained. Thermal spring metagenomes have high proportions of sequences without significant Genbank homology, which has hampered identification of viruses and their linkage with hosts. To analyze each metagenome, we developed a method to classify DNA fragments using genome signature-based phylogenetic classification (GSPC), where metagenomic fragments are compared to a database of oligonucleotide signatures for all previously sequenced Bacteria, Archaea, and viruses. Results From both Bear Paw and Octopus hot springs, each assembled contig had more similarity to other metagenome contigs than to any sequenced microbial genome based on GSPC analysis, suggesting a genome signature common to each of these extreme environments. While viral metagenomes from Bear Paw and Octopus share some similarity, the genome signatures from each locale are largely unique. GSPC using a microbial database predicts most of the Octopus metagenome has archaeal signatures, while bacterial signatures predominate in Bear Paw; a finding consistent with those of Genbank BLAST. When using a viral database, the majority of the Octopus metagenome is predicted to belong to archaeal virus Families Globuloviridae and Fuselloviridae, while none of the Bear Paw metagenome is predicted to belong to archaeal viruses. As expected, when microbial and viral databases are combined, each of the Octopus and Bear Paw metagenomic contigs are predicted to belong to viruses rather than to any Bacteria or Archaea, consistent with the apparent viral origin of both metagenomes. Conclusion That BLAST searches identify no significant homologs for most metagenome contigs, while GSPC suggests their origin as archaeal viruses or bacteriophages, indicates GSPC provides a complementary approach in viral metagenomic analysis. PMID:18798991

Genome signature analysis of thermal virus metagenomes reveals Archaea and thermophilic signatures.

PubMed

Pride, David T; Schoenfeld, Thomas

2008-09-17

Metagenomic analysis provides a rich source of biological information for otherwise intractable viral communities. However, study of viral metagenomes has been hampered by its nearly complete reliance on BLAST algorithms for identification of DNA sequences. We sought to develop algorithms for examination of viral metagenomes to identify the origin of sequences independent of BLAST algorithms. We chose viral metagenomes obtained from two hot springs, Bear Paw and Octopus, in Yellowstone National Park, as they represent simple microbial populations where comparatively large contigs were obtained. Thermal spring metagenomes have high proportions of sequences without significant Genbank homology, which has hampered identification of viruses and their linkage with hosts. To analyze each metagenome, we developed a method to classify DNA fragments using genome signature-based phylogenetic classification (GSPC), where metagenomic fragments are compared to a database of oligonucleotide signatures for all previously sequenced Bacteria, Archaea, and viruses. From both Bear Paw and Octopus hot springs, each assembled contig had more similarity to other metagenome contigs than to any sequenced microbial genome based on GSPC analysis, suggesting a genome signature common to each of these extreme environments. While viral metagenomes from Bear Paw and Octopus share some similarity, the genome signatures from each locale are largely unique. GSPC using a microbial database predicts most of the Octopus metagenome has archaeal signatures, while bacterial signatures predominate in Bear Paw; a finding consistent with those of Genbank BLAST. When using a viral database, the majority of the Octopus metagenome is predicted to belong to archaeal virus Families Globuloviridae and Fuselloviridae, while none of the Bear Paw metagenome is predicted to belong to archaeal viruses. As expected, when microbial and viral databases are combined, each of the Octopus and Bear Paw metagenomic contigs are predicted to belong to viruses rather than to any Bacteria or Archaea, consistent with the apparent viral origin of both metagenomes. That BLAST searches identify no significant homologs for most metagenome contigs, while GSPC suggests their origin as archaeal viruses or bacteriophages, indicates GSPC provides a complementary approach in viral metagenomic analysis.

Four alpha ganglion cell types in mouse retina: Function, structure, and molecular signatures

PubMed Central

Sanes, Joshua R.

2017-01-01

The retina communicates with the brain using ≥30 parallel channels, each carried by axons of distinct types of retinal ganglion cells. In every mammalian retina one finds so-called "alpha" ganglion cells (αRGCs), identified by their large cell bodies, stout axons, wide and mono-stratified dendritic fields, and high levels of neurofilament protein. In the mouse, three αRGC types have been described based on responses to light steps: On-sustained, Off-sustained, and Off-transient. Here we employed a transgenic mouse line that labels αRGCs in the live retina, allowing systematic targeted recordings. We characterize the three known types and identify a fourth, with On-transient responses. All four αRGC types share basic aspects of visual signaling, including a large receptive field center, a weak antagonistic surround, and absence of any direction selectivity. They also share a distinctive waveform of the action potential, faster than that of other RGC types. Morphologically, they differ in the level of dendritic stratification within the IPL, which accounts for their response properties. Molecularly, each type has a distinct signature. A comparison across mammals suggests a common theme, in which four large-bodied ganglion cell types split the visual signal into four channels arranged symmetrically with respect to polarity and kinetics. PMID:28753612

Research on key technologies for data-interoperability-based metadata, data compression and encryption, and their application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Xu; Shao, Quanqin; Zhu, Yunhai; Deng, Yuejin; Yang, Haijun

2006-10-01

With the development of informationization and the separation between data management departments and application departments, spatial data sharing becomes one of the most important objectives for the spatial information infrastructure construction, and spatial metadata management system, data transmission security and data compression are the key technologies to realize spatial data sharing. This paper discusses the key technologies for metadata based on data interoperability, deeply researches the data compression algorithms such as adaptive Huffman algorithm, LZ77 and LZ78 algorithm, studies to apply digital signature technique to encrypt spatial data, which can not only identify the transmitter of spatial data, but also find timely whether the spatial data are sophisticated during the course of network transmission, and based on the analysis of symmetric encryption algorithms including 3DES,AES and asymmetric encryption algorithm - RAS, combining with HASH algorithm, presents a improved mix encryption method for spatial data. Digital signature technology and digital watermarking technology are also discussed. Then, a new solution of spatial data network distribution is put forward, which adopts three-layer architecture. Based on the framework, we give a spatial data network distribution system, which is efficient and safe, and also prove the feasibility and validity of the proposed solution.

Cation Exchange Water Softeners

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

WaterSense released a notice of intent to develop a specification for cation exchange water softeners. The program has made the decision not to move forward with a spec at this time, but is making this information available.

A strategic plan for transportation statistics, 2003-2008

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2006-06-01

As one of the federal statistical agencies, BTS maintains a special degree of objectivity and : independence. Our products include reports to Congress and the Secretary of Transportation : along with stakeholders in the transportation community. Spec...

Software Tools for Software Maintenance

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-10-01

Cobol ! ASTEC I --------------- ----. -... . . . ---------. P . .---------- I-.... IBM Main DOS None Spec I CA-Converter I A -------- -------------I...none ASTEC Source: VSM Company: MAINTEC, Inc. Change-Han Phone: (612) 831-2122 Company: SERENA Consulting Function: RF Phone: (800) 621-0851

An e-consent-based shared EHR system architecture for integrated healthcare networks.

PubMed

Bergmann, Joachim; Bott, Oliver J; Pretschner, Dietrich P; Haux, Reinhold

2007-01-01

Virtual integration of distributed patient data promises advantages over a consolidated health record, but raises questions mainly about practicability and authorization concepts. Our work aims on specification and development of a virtual shared health record architecture using a patient-centred integration and authorization model. A literature survey summarizes considerations of current architectural approaches. Complemented by a methodical analysis in two regional settings, a formal architecture model was specified and implemented. Results presented in this paper are a survey of architectural approaches for shared health records and an architecture model for a virtual shared EHR, which combines a patient-centred integration policy with provider-oriented document management. An electronic consent system assures, that access to the shared record remains under control of the patient. A corresponding system prototype has been developed and is currently being introduced and evaluated in a regional setting. The proposed architecture is capable of partly replacing message-based communications. Operating highly available provider repositories for the virtual shared EHR requires advanced technology and probably means additional costs for care providers. Acceptance of the proposed architecture depends on transparently embedding document validation and digital signature into the work processes. The paradigm shift from paper-based messaging to a "pull model" needs further evaluation.

Analysis of Gene Expression Profiles of Multiple Skin Diseases Identifies a Conserved Signature of Disrupted Homeostasis.

PubMed

Mills, Kevin J; Robinson, Michael K; Sherrill, Joseph D; Schnell, Daniel J; Xu, Jun

2018-05-28

Triggers of skin disease pathogenesis vary, but events associated with the elicitation of a lesion share many features in common. Our objective was to examine gene expression patterns in skin disease to develop a molecular signature of disruption of cutaneous homeostasis. Gene expression data from common inflammatory skin diseases (e.g., psoriasis, atopic dermatitis, seborrheic dermatitis and acne), and a novel statistical algorithm were used to define a unifying molecular signature referred to as the "Unhealthy Skin Signature" (USS). Using a pattern matching algorithm, analysis of public data repositories revealed that the USS is found in diverse epithelial diseases. Studies of milder disruptions of epidermal homeostasis have also shown that these conditions converge, to varying degrees, on the USS and that the degree of convergence is related directly to the severity of homeostatic disruption. The USS contains genes that had no prior published association with skin, but that play important roles in many different disease processes, supporting the importance of the USS to homeostasis. Finally, we show through pattern matching that the USS can be used to discover new potential dermatologic therapeutics. The USS provides a new means to further interrogate epithelial homeostasis and potentially develop novel therapeutics with efficacy across a spectrum of skin conditions. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Functional Differentiation of SWI/SNF Remodelers in Transcription and Cell Cycle Control▿ †

PubMed Central

Moshkin, Yuri M.; Mohrmann, Lisette; van Ijcken, Wilfred F. J.; Verrijzer, C. Peter

2007-01-01

Drosophila BAP and PBAP represent two evolutionarily conserved subclasses of SWI/SNF chromatin remodelers. The two complexes share the same core subunits, including the BRM ATPase, but differ in a few signature subunits: OSA defines BAP, whereas Polybromo (PB) and BAP170 specify PBAP. Here, we present a comprehensive structure-function analysis of BAP and PBAP. An RNA interference knockdown survey revealed that the core subunits BRM and MOR are critical for the structural integrity of both complexes. Whole-genome expression profiling suggested that the SWI/SNF core complex is largely dysfunctional in cells. Regulation of the majority of target genes required the signature subunit OSA, PB, or BAP170, suggesting that SWI/SNF remodelers function mostly as holoenzymes. BAP and PBAP execute similar, independent, or antagonistic functions in transcription control and appear to direct mostly distinct biological processes. BAP, but not PBAP, is required for cell cycle progression through mitosis. Because in yeast the PBAP-homologous complex, RSC, controls cell cycle progression, our finding reveals a functional switch during evolution. BAP mediates G2/M transition through direct regulation of string/cdc25. Its signature subunit, OSA, is required for directing BAP to the string/cdc25 promoter. Our results suggest that the core subunits play architectural and enzymatic roles but that the signature subunits determine most of the functional specificity of SWI/SNF holoenzymes in general gene control. PMID:17101803

Selectivity of odorant receptors in insects

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Insect olfactory receptors (ORs) detect chemical signals, shape neuronal physiology and regulate behavior. Although ORs have been categorized as generalists and specialists based on their ligand spectrum, both electrophysiological studies and recent pharmacological investigations show that ORs spec...

78 FR 6829 - Approval of AmSpec Services, LLC, as a Commercial Gauger

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-01-31

..., petroleum products, organic chemicals and vegetable oils for customs purposes for the next three years as of... petroleum, petroleum products, organic chemicals and vegetable oils for customs purposes, in accordance with...

Analysis of computer capabilities of Pacific Northwest paratransit providers

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1996-07-01

The major project objectives are to quantify the computer capabilities and to determine the computerization needs of paratransit operators in the Northwest, and to create a training program to assist paratransit operators in developing realistic spec...

Physiological Information Database (PID)

EPA Science Inventory

EPA has developed a physiological information database (created using Microsoft ACCESS) intended to be used in PBPK modeling. The database contains physiological parameter values for humans from early childhood through senescence as well as similar data for laboratory animal spec...

BIOMARKERS OF VIRAL EXPOSURE

EPA Science Inventory

Viral and protozoan pathogens associated with raw sludge can cause encephalitis, gastroenteritis, hepatitis, myocarditis, and a number of other diseases. Raw sludge that has been treated to reduce these pathogens can be used for land application according to the regulations spec...

Proposal to probe quantum nonlocality of Majorana fermions in tunneling experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sau, Jay D.; Swingle, Brian; Tewari, Sumanta

2015-07-01

Topological Majorana fermion (MF) quasiparticles have been recently suggested to exist in semiconductor quantum wires with proximity induced superconductivity and a Zeeman field. Although the experimentally observed zero bias tunneling peak and a fractional ac-Josephson effect can be taken as necessary signatures of MFs, neither of them constitutes a sufficient "smoking gun" experiment. Since one pair of Majorana fermions share a single conventional fermionic degree of freedom, MFs are in a sense fractionalized excitations. Based on this fractionalization we propose a tunneling experiment that furnishes a nearly unique signature of end state MFs in semiconductor quantum wires. In particular, we show that a "teleportation"-like experiment is not enough to distinguish MFs from pairs of MFs, which are equivalent to conventional zero energy states, but our proposed tunneling experiment, in principle, can make this distinction.

Micro-Spec: A High Performance Compact Spectrometer for Submillimeter Astronomy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hsieh, Wen-Ting; Moseley, Harvey; Stevenson, Thomas; Brown, Ari; Patel, Amil; U-Yen, Kongpop; Ehsan, Negar; Caltado, Giuseppe; Wollock, Edward

2012-01-01

We describe the micro-Spec, an extremely compact high performance spectrometer for the submillimeter and millimeter spectral ranges. We have designed a fully integrated submillimeter spectrometer based on superconducting microstrip technology and fabricated its critical elements. Using low loss transmission lines, we can produce a fully integrated high resolution submillimeter spectrometer on a single four inch Si wafer. A resolution of 500 can readily be achieved with standard fabrication tolerance, higher with phase trimming. All functions of the spectrometer are integrated - light is coupled to the micro strip circuit with a planar antenna, the spectra discrimination is achieved using a synthetic grating, orders are separated using a built-in planar filter, and the light is detected using photon counting Microwave Kinetic Inductance Detectors (MKID). We will discus the design principle of the instrument, describe its technical advantages, and report the progress on the development of the instrument.

Mu-Spec: A High Performance Compact Spectrometer for Submillimeter Astronomy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hsieh, Wen-Ting; Moseley, Harvey; Stevenson, Thomas; Brown, Ari; Patel, Amil; U-yen, Kongpop; Ehsan, Negar; Cataldo, Giuseppe; Wollack, Ed

2012-01-01

We describe the Mu-Spec, an extremely compact high performance spectrometer for the submillimeter and millimeter spectral ranges. We have designed a fully integrated submillimeter spectrometer based on superconducting microstrip technology and fabricated its critical elements. Using low loss transmission lines, we can produce a fully integrated high resolution submillimeter spectrometer on a single four inch Si wafer. A resolution of 500 can readily be achieved with standard fabrication tolerance, higher with phase trimming. All functions of the spectrometer are integrated - light is coupled to the microstrip circuit with a planar antenna, the spectra discrimination is achieved using a synthetic grating, orders are separated using a built-in planar filter, and the light is detected using photon counting Microwave Kinetic Inductance Detectors (MKID). We will discus the design principle of the instrument, describe its technical advantages, and report the progress on the development of the instrument.

Mass Spec Studio for Integrative Structural Biology

PubMed Central

Rey, Martial; Sarpe, Vladimir; Burns, Kyle; Buse, Joshua; Baker, Charles A.H.; van Dijk, Marc; Wordeman, Linda; Bonvin, Alexandre M.J.J.; Schriemer, David C.

2015-01-01

SUMMARY The integration of biophysical data from multiple sources is critical for developing accurate structural models of large multiprotein systems and their regulators. Mass spectrometry (MS) can be used to measure the insertion location for a wide range of topographically sensitive chemical probes, and such insertion data provide a rich, but disparate set of modeling restraints. We have developed a software platform that integrates the analysis of label-based MS data with protein modeling activities (Mass Spec Studio). Analysis packages can mine any labeling data from any mass spectrometer in a proteomics-grade manner, and link labeling methods with data-directed protein interaction modeling using HADDOCK. Support is provided for hydrogen/ deuterium exchange (HX) and covalent labeling chemistries, including novel acquisition strategies such as targeted HX-tandem MS (MS2) and data-independent HX-MS2. The latter permits the modeling of highly complex systems, which we demonstrate by the analysis of microtubule interactions. PMID:25242457

VizieR Online Data Catalog: Cool KOIs. VI. H- and K- band spectra (Muirhead+, 2014)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Muirhead, P. S.; Becker, J.; Feiden, G. A.; Rojas-Ayala, B.; Vanderburg, A.; Price, E. M.; Thorp, R.; Law, N. M.; Riddle, R.; Baranec, C.; Hamren, K.; Schlawin, E.; Covey, K. R.; Johnson, J. A.; Lloyd, J. P.

2014-09-01

We observed the Cool KOIs with the TripleSpec Spectrograph at the Palomar Observatory 200 inch Hale Telescope. TripleSpec is a near-infrared slit spectrograph covering 1.0 to 2.5um simultaneously with a resolving power (λ/Δλ) of 2700. Observations were carried out in 2011 June and August for the KOIs from Borucki et al. (2011, Cat. J/ApJ/736/19), with results published in a previous letter (Muirhead et al. 2012, Cat. J/ApJ/750/L37). In July and August of 2012, we augmented observations to include all of the Cool KOIs selected in Batalha et al. (2013, Cat. J/ApJS/204/24). In 2013 July and August, we observed the remaining Cool KOIs listed on the NASA Exoplanet Archive (NEA) as of the observations. (3 data files).

SPHERES tethered formation flight testbed: advancements in enabling NASA's SPECS mission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chung, Soon-Jo; Adams, Danielle; Saenz-Otero, Alvar; Kong, Edmund; Miller, David W.; Leisawitz, David; Lorenzini, Enrico; Sell, Steve

2006-06-01

This paper reports on efforts to control a tethered formation flight spacecraft array for NASA's SPECS mission using the SPHERES test-bed developed by the MIT Space Systems Laboratory. Specifically, advances in methodology and experimental results realized since the 2005 SPIE paper are emphasized. These include a new test-bed setup with a reaction wheel assembly, a novel relative attitude measurement system using force torque sensors, and modeling of non-ideal tethers to account for tether vibration modes. The nonlinear equations of motion of multi-vehicle tethered spacecraft with elastic flexible tethers are derived from Lagrange's equations. The controllability analysis indicates that both array resizing and spin-up are fully controllable by the reaction wheels and the tether motor, thereby saving thruster fuel consumption. Based upon this analysis, linear and nonlinear controllers have been successfully implemented on the tethered SPHERES testbed, and tested at the NASA MSFC's flat floor facility using two and three SPHERES configurations.

Phylogenomic analyses and molecular signatures for the class Halobacteria and its two major clades: a proposal for division of the class Halobacteria into an emended order Halobacteriales and two new orders, Haloferacales ord. nov. and Natrialbales ord. nov., containing the novel families Haloferacaceae fam. nov. and Natrialbaceae fam. nov.

PubMed

Gupta, Radhey S; Naushad, Sohail; Baker, Sheridan

2015-03-01

The Halobacteria constitute one of the largest groups within the Archaea. The hierarchical relationship among members of this large class, which comprises a single order and a single family, has proven difficult to determine based upon 16S rRNA gene trees and morphological and physiological characteristics. This work reports detailed phylogenetic and comparative genomic studies on >100 halobacterial (haloarchaeal) genomes containing representatives from 30 genera to investigate their evolutionary relationships. In phylogenetic trees reconstructed on the basis of 32 conserved proteins, using both neighbour-joining and maximum-likelihood methods, two major clades (clades A and B) encompassing nearly two-thirds of the sequenced haloarchaeal species were strongly supported. Clades grouping the same species/genera were also supported by the 16S rRNA gene trees and trees for several individual highly conserved proteins (RpoC, EF-Tu, UvrD, GyrA, EF-2/EF-G). In parallel, our comparative analyses of protein sequences from haloarchaeal genomes have identified numerous discrete molecular markers in the form of conserved signature indels (CSI) in protein sequences and conserved signature proteins (CSPs) that are found uniquely in specific groups of haloarchaea. Thirteen CSIs in proteins involved in diverse functions and 68 CSPs that are uniquely present in all or most genome-sequenced haloarchaea provide novel molecular means for distinguishing members of the class Halobacteria from all other prokaryotes. The members of clade A are distinguished from all other haloarchaea by the unique shared presence of two CSIs in the ribose operon protein and small GTP-binding protein and eight CSPs that are found specifically in members of this clade. Likewise, four CSIs in different proteins and five other CSPs are present uniquely in members of clade B and distinguish them from all other haloarchaea. Based upon their specific clustering in phylogenetic trees for different gene/protein sequences and the unique shared presence of large numbers of molecular signatures, members of clades A and B are indicated to be distinct from all other haloarchaea because of their uniquely shared evolutionary histories. Based upon these results, it is proposed that clades A and B be recognized as two new orders, Natrialbales ord. nov. and Haloferacales ord. nov., within the class Halobacteria, containing the novel families Natrialbaceae fam. nov. and Haloferacaceae fam. nov. Other members of the class Halobacteria that are not members of these two orders will remain part of the emended order Halobacteriales in an emended family Halobacteriaceae. © 2015 IUMS.

KiwiSpec - an advanced spectrograph for high resolution spectroscopy: prototype design and performance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gibson, Steve; Barnes, Stuart I.; Hearnshaw, John; Nield, Kathryn; Cochrane, Dave; Grobler, Deon

2012-09-01

A new advanced high resolution spectrograph has been developed by Kiwistar Optics of Industrial Research Ltd., New Zealand. The instrument, KiwiSpec R4-100, is bench-mounted, bre-fed, compact (0.75m by 1.5m footprint), and is well-suited for small to medium-sized telescopes. The instrument makes use of several advanced concepts in high resolution spectrograph design. The basic design follows the classical white pupil concept in an asymmetric implementation and employs an R4 echelle grating illuminated by a 100mm diameter collimated beam for primary dispersion. A volume phase holographic grating (VPH) based grism is used for cross-dispersion. The design also allows for up to four camera and detector channels to allow for extended wavelength coverage at high eciency. A single channel prototype of the instrument has been built and successfully tested with a 1m telescope. Targets included various spectrophotometric standard stars and several radial velocity standard stars to measure the instrument's light throughput and radial velocity capabilities. The prototype uses a 725 lines/mm VPH grism, an off-the-shelf camera objective, and a 2k×2k CCD. As such, it covers the wavelength range from 420nm to 660nm and has a resolving power of R ≍ 40,000. Spectrophotometric and precision radial velocity results from the on-sky testing period will be reported, as well as results of laboratory-based measurements. The optical design of KiwiSpec, and the various multi-channel design options, will be presented elsewhere in these proceedings.

Preliminary results: Root cause investigation of orbital anomalies and failures in NASA standard 50 ampere-hour nickel-cadmium batteries

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Toft, Mark R.

1993-01-01

Two lots of NASA standard 50 A.H. Ni-Cd battery cells, manufactured by Gates Aerospace Batteries and built into batteries by McDonnell Douglas, have experienced significant performance problems. The two lots were used on the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory and the Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite. Both of these satellites are Low Earth Orbital (LEO) satellites containing batteries on a parallel bus charged to NASA standard V/T curves using a NASA standard power regulator. The following preliminary conclusions were reached: (1) several plate and cell parameters have migrated within their spec limits over the years (in some cases, from one extreme to the other); (2) several parametric relationships, not generally monitored and therefore not under specification control, have also migrated over the years; (3) many of these changes appear to have taken place as a natural consequence of changes in GE/GAB materials and processes; (4) several of these factors may be 'conspiring' to aggravate known cell failure mechanisms (factors such as heavier plate, less teflon and/or less-uniform teflon, and less electrolyte) but all are still in spec (where specs exist); (5) the weight of the evidence collected to characterize the anomalies and to characterize the negative electrode itself, strongly suggests that alterations to the structure, composition, uniformity, and efficiency of the negative electrode are at the heart of the battery performance problems currently being experienced; and (6) further investigation at all levels (plate, cell, battery, and system) continues to be warranted.

Geographical and Cultivar Features Differentiate Grape Microbiota in Northern Italy and Spain Vineyards.

PubMed

Mezzasalma, Valerio; Sandionigi, Anna; Guzzetti, Lorenzo; Galimberti, Andrea; Grando, Maria S; Tardaguila, Javier; Labra, Massimo

2018-01-01

Recent studies have highlighted the role of the grapevine microbiome in addressing a wide panel of features, ranging from the signature of field origin to wine quality. Although the influence of cultivar and vineyard environmental conditions in shaping the grape microbiome have already been ascertained, several aspects related to this topic, deserve to be further investigated. In this study, we selected three international diffused grapevine cultivars (Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, and Sauvignon Blanc) at three germplasm collections characterized by different climatic conditions [Northern Italy (NI), Italian Alps (AI), and Northern Spain (NS)]. The soil and grape microbiome was characterized by 16s rRNA High Throughput Sequencing (HTS), and the obtained results showed that all grape samples shared some bacterial taxa, regardless of sampling locality (e.g., Bacillus , Methylobacterium , Sphingomonas , and other genera belonging to Alphaproteobacteria, Gammaproteobacteria, and Actinobacteria). However, some Operational Taxonomic Units (OTUs) could act as geographical signatures and in some cases as cultivar fingerprint. Concerning the origin of the grape microbiome, our study confirms that vineyard soil represents a primary reservoir for grape associated bacteria with almost 60% of genera shared between the soil and grape. At each locality, grapevine cultivars shared a core of bacterial genera belonging to the vineyard soil, as well as from other local biodiversity elements such as arthropods inhabiting or foraging in the vineyard. Finally, a machine learning analysis showed that it was possible to predict the geographical origin and cultivar of grape starting from its microbiome composition with a high accuracy (9 cases out of 12 tested samples). Overall, these findings open new perspectives for the development of more comprehensive and integrated research activities to test which environmental variables have an effective role in shaping the microbiome composition and dynamics of cultivated species over time and space.

Pilot study of proposed revisions to specifications for hydraulic cement concrete.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1985-01-01

This report summarizes the results of a pilot study of the statistical acceptance procedures proposed for adoption by the Virginia Department of Highways and Transportation. The proposed procedures were recommended in the report titled "Improved Spec...

88-Inch Cyclotron Contributions to Space Exploration - 88-Inch Cyclotron

Science.gov Websites

Training BASE - Rad Effects Heavy Ions Protons Neutrons Shipping Ion Sources VENUS AECR ECR Gamma Spec Lab ) *For more information on the early years of radiation effects testing, please see "The Single

A restoration framework to build coastal wetland resiliency

EPA Science Inventory

An increase in the frequency and intensity of storms and flooding events are adversely impacting coastal wetlands. Coastal wetlands provide flood abatement, carbon and nutrient sequestration, water quality maintenance, and habitat for fish, shellfish, and wildlife, including spec...

Synthesis of securement device options and strategies

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2002-03-01

The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) requires that public transit vehicles be equipped with securement location(s) and device(s) that are able to secure common wheelchairs," as defined in the ADA regulations. The definition and size spec...

KiwiSpec: The Design and Performance of a High Resolution Echelle Spectrograph for Astronomy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gibson, Steven Ross

This document describes the design, analysis, construction and testing of KiwiSpec, a fibre-fed, high resolution astronomical spectrograph of an asymmetric white pupil design. The instrument employs an R4, 31.6 groove mm-1 échelle grating for primary dispersion and a 725 lines mm-1 volume phase holographic (VPH) based grism for cross-dispersion. Two versions of the prototype were designed and constructed: an 'in-air' prototype, and a prototype featuring a vacuum chamber (to increase the stability of the instrument). The KiwiSpec optical design is introduced, as well as a description of the theory behind a cross-dispersed échelle spectrograph. The results of tolerancing the optical design are reported for alignment, optical fabrication, and optical surface quality groups of parameters. The optical windows of an iodine cell are also toleranced. The opto-mechanical mounts of both prototypes are described in detail, as is the design of the vacuum chamber system. Given the goal of 1 m/s radial velocity stability, analyses were undertaken to determine the allowable amount of movement of the vacuum windows, and to determine the allowable changes in temperature and pressure within and outside of the vacuum chamber. The spectral efficiency of the instrument was estimated through a predictive model; this was calculated for the as-built instrument and also for an instrument with ideal, high-efficiency coatings. Measurements of the spectral efficiency of various components of the instrument are reported, as well as a description of the measurement system developed to test the efficiency of VPH gratings. On-sky efficiency measurements from use of KiwiSpec on the 1-m McLellan telescope at Mt John University Observatory are reported. Two possible exposure meter locations are explored via an efficiency model, and also through the measurement of the zero-order reflectivity of the échelle grating. Various stability aspects of the design are investigated. These include the stability of the optical mounts with temperature changes, and also the effect of the expansion and contraction of the supporting optical tables. As well, the stability of the in-air prototype was determined through measurement of the movement of thorium-argon emission lines within spectra as the temperature, atmospheric pressure and relative humidity (naturally) varied. Current and planned testing for determining the stability of the vacuum chamber prototype is discussed.

Molecular Pathways: Extracting Medical Knowledge from High Throughput Genomic Data

PubMed Central

Goldstein, Theodore; Paull, Evan O.; Ellis, Matthew J.; Stuart, Joshua M.

2013-01-01

High-throughput genomic data that measures RNA expression, DNA copy number, mutation status and protein levels provide us with insights into the molecular pathway structure of cancer. Genomic lesions (amplifications, deletions, mutations) and epigenetic modifications disrupt biochemical cellular pathways. While the number of possible lesions is vast, different genomic alterations may result in concordant expression and pathway activities, producing common tumor subtypes that share similar phenotypic outcomes. How can these data be translated into medical knowledge that provides prognostic and predictive information? First generation mRNA expression signatures such as Genomic Health's Oncotype DX already provide prognostic information, but do not provide therapeutic guidance beyond the current standard of care – which is often inadequate in high-risk patients. Rather than building molecular signatures based on gene expression levels, evidence is growing that signatures based on higher-level quantities such as from genetic pathways may provide important prognostic and diagnostic cues. We provide examples of how activities for molecular entities can be predicted from pathway analysis and how the composite of all such activities, referred to here as the “activitome,” help connect genomic events to clinical factors in order to predict the drivers of poor outcome. PMID:23430023

An Identity Based Key Exchange Protocol in Cloud Computing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Molli, Venkateswara Rao; Tiwary, Omkar Nath

2012-10-01

Workflow systems often use delegation to enhance the flexibility of authorization; delegation transfers privileges among users across different administrative domains and facilitates information sharing. We present an independently verifiable delegation mechanism, where a delegation credential can be verified without the participation of domain administrators. This protocol, called role-based cascaded delegation (RBCD), supports simple and efficient cross-domain delegation of authority. RBCD enables a role member to create delegations based on the dynamic needs of collaboration; in the meantime, a delegation chain canbe verified by anyone without the participation of role administrators. We also propose the Measurable Risk Adaptive decentralized Role-based Delegation framework to address this problem. Describe an efficient realization of RBCD by using aggregate signatures, where the authentication information for an arbitrarily long role-based delegation chain is captured by one short signature of constant size. RBCD enables a role member to create delegations based on the need of collaboration; in the meantime anyone can verify a delegation chain without the participation of role administrators. The protocol is general and can be realized by any signature scheme. We have described a specific realization with a hierarchical certificate-based encryption scheme that gives delegation compact credentials.

The PAX2-null immunophenotype defines multiple lineages with common expression signatures in benign and neoplastic oviductal epithelium

PubMed Central

Ning, Gang; Bijron, Jonathan G.; Yamamoto, Yusuke; Wang, Xia; Howitt, Brooke E.; Herfs, Michael; Yang, Eric; Hong, Yue; Cornille, Maxence; Wu, Lingyan; Hanamornroongruang, Suchanan; McKeon, Frank D.; Crum, Christopher P.; Xian, Wa

2014-01-01

The oviducts contain high grade serous cancer (HGSC) precursors (serous tubal intraepithelial neoplasia or STINs), which are γ-H2AXp- and TP53 mutation-positive. Although they express wild type p53, secretory cell outgrowths (SCOUTs) are associated with older age and serous cancer; moreover both STINs and SCOUTs share a loss of PAX2 expression (PAX2n). We evaluated PAX2 expression in proliferating adult and embryonic oviductal cells, normal mucosa, SCOUTs, Walthard cell nests (WCNs), STINs and HGSCs, and the expression of genes chosen empirically or from SCOUT expression arrays. Clones generated in vitro from embryonic gynecologic tract and adult fallopian tube were Krt7p/PAX2n/EZH2p and underwent ciliated (PAX2n/EZH2n/FOXJ1p) and basal (Krt7n/EZH2n/Krt5p) differentiation. Similarly non-ciliated cells in normal mucosa were PAX2p but became PAX2n in multilayered epithelium undergoing ciliated or basal (Walthard cell nests or WCN) cell differentiation. PAX2n SCOUTs fell into two groups; Type I were secretory or secretory/ciliated with a “tubal” phenotype and were ALDH1n and β-cateninmem (membraneous only). Type II displayed a columnar to pseudostratified (endometrioid) phenotype, with an EZH2p, ALDH1p, β-cateninnc (nuclear and cytoplasmic), stathminp, LEF1p, RCN1p and RUNX2p expression signature. STINs and HGSCs shared the Type I immunophenotype of PAX2n, ALDH1n, β-cateninmem, but highly expressed EZH2p, LEF1p, RCN1p, and stathminp. This study, for the first time, links PAX2n with proliferating fetal and adult oviductal cells undergoing basal and ciliated differentiation and shows that this expression state is maintained in SCOUTs, STINs and HGSCs. All three entities can demonstrate a consistent perturbation of genes involved in potential tumor suppressor gene silencing (EZH2), transcriptional regulation (LEF1), regulation of differentiation (RUNX2), calcium binding (RCN1) and oncogenesis (stathmin). This shared expression signature between benign and neoplastic entities links normal progenitor cell expansion to abnormal and neoplastic outgrowth in the oviduct and exposes a common pathway that could be a target for early prevention. PMID:25130537

What it means to work here.

PubMed

Erickson, Tamara J; Gratton, Lynda

2007-03-01

What distinguishes a company that has deeply engaged and committed employees from another one that doesn't? It's not a certain compensation scheme or talent-management practice. Instead, it's the ability to express to current and potential employees what makes the organization unique. Companies with highly engaged employees articulate their values and attributes through "signature experiences"--visible, distinctive elements of the work environment that send powerful messages about the organization's aspirations and about the skills, stamina, and commitment employees will need in order to succeed there. Whole Foods Market, for example, uses a team-based hiring and orientation process to convey to new employees the company's emphasis on collaboration and decentralization. At JetBlue, the reservation system is run by agents from their homes, a signature experience that boosts employees' satisfaction and productivity. Companies that successfully create and communicate signature experiences understand that not all workers want the same things. Indeed, employee preferences are an important but often overlooked factor in the war for talent. Firms that have engendered productive and engaged workforces address those preferences by following some general principles: They target potential employees as methodically as they target potential customers; they shape their signature experiences to address business needs; they identify and preserve their histories; they share stories--not just slogans--about life in the firm; they create processes consistent with their signature experiences; and they understand that they shouldn't try to be all things to all people. The best strategy for coming out ahead in the war for talent is not to scoop up everyone in sight but to attract the right people--those who are intrigued and excited by the environment the company offers and who will reward it with their loyalty.

78 FR 6828 - Accreditation and Approval of AmSpec Services, LLC, as a Commercial Gauger and Laboratory

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-01-31

... petroleum products, organic chemicals and vegetable oils for customs purposes for the next three years as of... petroleum products, organic chemicals and vegetable oils for customs purposes, in accordance with the...

78 FR 39001 - Accreditation and Approval of AmSpec Services, LLC, as a Commercial Gauger and Laboratory

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-06-28

... petroleum products, organic chemicals and vegetable oils for customs purposes for the next three years as of... products, organic chemicals and vegetable oils for customs purposes, in accordance with the provisions of...

Responses of a constructed plant community to simulated glyphosate and dicamba drift

EPA Science Inventory

Background/Questions/Methods As part of its regulation of pesticides, the US Environmental Protection Agency must consider environmental risks, including impacts to nontarget plants exposed to pesticide drift. Normally these risk assessments consider impacts to individual spec...

Research note : field control of asphalt concrete paving mixtures.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1995-01-01

The goal of this study was to develop information and evaluate new methods for controlling quality of the AC mixture in the mat. Specifically, this research project evaluated a gyratory compactor in the field laboratory to determine mix quality. Spec...

Collection Assessment. SPEC Kit 41.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Association of Research Libraries, Washington, DC. Office of Management Studies.

This Association of Research Libraries (ARL) kit on collection assessment contains the following documents: (1) "Guidelines for the Evaluation of Library Collections--Draft Copy" (Collection Development Committee, Resource Section, Resources and Technical Services Division, American Library Association); (2) "Guidelines for Collection Assessment"…

Transcriptomic alterations during ageing reflect the shift from cancer to degenerative diseases in the elderly.

PubMed

Aramillo Irizar, Peer; Schäuble, Sascha; Esser, Daniela; Groth, Marco; Frahm, Christiane; Priebe, Steffen; Baumgart, Mario; Hartmann, Nils; Marthandan, Shiva; Menzel, Uwe; Müller, Julia; Schmidt, Silvio; Ast, Volker; Caliebe, Amke; König, Rainer; Krawczak, Michael; Ristow, Michael; Schuster, Stefan; Cellerino, Alessandro; Diekmann, Stephan; Englert, Christoph; Hemmerich, Peter; Sühnel, Jürgen; Guthke, Reinhard; Witte, Otto W; Platzer, Matthias; Ruppin, Eytan; Kaleta, Christoph

2018-01-30

Disease epidemiology during ageing shows a transition from cancer to degenerative chronic disorders as dominant contributors to mortality in the old. Nevertheless, it has remained unclear to what extent molecular signatures of ageing reflect this phenomenon. Here we report on the identification of a conserved transcriptomic signature of ageing based on gene expression data from four vertebrate species across four tissues. We find that ageing-associated transcriptomic changes follow trajectories similar to the transcriptional alterations observed in degenerative ageing diseases but are in opposite direction to the transcriptomic alterations observed in cancer. We confirm the existence of a similar antagonism on the genomic level, where a majority of shared risk alleles which increase the risk of cancer decrease the risk of chronic degenerative disorders and vice versa. These results reveal a fundamental trade-off between cancer and degenerative ageing diseases that sheds light on the pronounced shift in their epidemiology during ageing.

DNA methylation signatures of educational attainment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van Dongen, Jenny; Bonder, Marc Jan; Dekkers, Koen F.; Nivard, Michel G.; van Iterson, Maarten; Willemsen, Gonneke; Beekman, Marian; van der Spek, Ashley; van Meurs, Joyce B. J.; Franke, Lude; Heijmans, Bastiaan T.; van Duijn, Cornelia M.; Slagboom, P. Eline; Boomsma, Dorret I.; BIOS consortium

2018-03-01

Educational attainment is a key behavioural measure in studies of cognitive and physical health, and socioeconomic status. We measured DNA methylation at 410,746 CpGs (N = 4152) and identified 58 CpGs associated with educational attainment at loci characterized by pleiotropic functions shared with neuronal, immune and developmental processes. Associations overlapped with those for smoking behaviour, but remained after accounting for smoking at many CpGs: Effect sizes were on average 28% smaller and genome-wide significant at 11 CpGs after adjusting for smoking and were 62% smaller in never smokers. We examined sources and biological implications of education-related methylation differences, demonstrating correlations with maternal prenatal folate, smoking and air pollution signatures, and associations with gene expression in cis, dynamic methylation in foetal brain, and correlations between blood and brain. Our findings show that the methylome of lower-educated people resembles that of smokers beyond effects of their own smoking behaviour and shows traces of various other exposures.

A combined radar-radiometer with variable polarization

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Martin, D. P.

1972-01-01

An instrument is described that provides both radar and radiometer data at the same time. The antenna and receiver are time shared for the two sensor functions. The antenna polarization can be electronically scanned at rates up to 5000 changes for both the transmit and receive signal paths. This equipment is to investigate target signatures for remote sensing applications. The function of the equipment is described and the results for observations of asphalt, grass, and gravel surfaces are presented.

Decomposing Oncogenic Transcriptional Signatures to Generate Maps of Divergent Cellular States* | Office of Cancer Genomics

Cancer.gov

The systematic sequencing of the cancer genome has led to the identification of numerous genetic alterations in cancer. However, a deeper understanding of the functional consequences of these alterations is necessary to guide appropriate therapeutic strategies. Here, we describe Onco-GPS (OncoGenic Positioning System), a data-driven analysis framework to organize individual tumor samples with shared oncogenic alterations onto a reference map defined by their underlying cellular states.

The genome, transcriptome, and proteome of the nematode Steinernema carpocapsae: evolutionary signatures of a pathogenic lifestyle

PubMed Central

Rougon-Cardoso, Alejandra; Flores-Ponce, Mitzi; Ramos-Aboites, Hilda Eréndira; Martínez-Guerrero, Christian Eduardo; Hao, You-Jin; Cunha, Luis; Rodríguez-Martínez, Jonathan Alejandro; Ovando-Vázquez, Cesaré; Bermúdez-Barrientos, José Roberto; Abreu-Goodger, Cei; Chavarría-Hernández, Norberto; Simões, Nelson; Montiel, Rafael

2016-01-01

The entomopathogenic nematode Steinernema carpocapsae has been widely used for the biological control of insect pests. It shares a symbiotic relationship with the bacterium Xenorhabdus nematophila, and is emerging as a genetic model to study symbiosis and pathogenesis. We obtained a high-quality draft of the nematode’s genome comprising 84,613,633 bp in 347 scaffolds, with an N50 of 1.24 Mb. To improve annotation, we sequenced both short and long RNA and conducted shotgun proteomic analyses. S. carpocapsae shares orthologous genes with other parasitic nematodes that are absent in the free-living nematode C. elegans, it has ncRNA families that are enriched in parasites, and expresses proteins putatively associated with parasitism and pathogenesis, suggesting an active role for the nematode during the pathogenic process. Host and parasites might engage in a co-evolutionary arms-race dynamic with genes participating in their interaction showing signatures of positive selection. Our analyses indicate that the consequence of this arms race is better characterized by positive selection altering specific functions instead of just increasing the number of positively selected genes, adding a new perspective to these co-evolutionary theories. We identified a protein, ATAD-3, that suggests a relevant role for mitochondrial function in the evolution and mechanisms of nematode parasitism. PMID:27876851

Genes involved in convergent evolution of eusociality in bees

PubMed Central

Woodard, S. Hollis; Fischman, Brielle J.; Venkat, Aarti; Hudson, Matt E.; Varala, Kranthi; Cameron, Sydney A.; Clark, Andrew G.; Robinson, Gene E.

2011-01-01

Eusociality has arisen independently at least 11 times in insects. Despite this convergence, there are striking differences among eusocial lifestyles, ranging from species living in small colonies with overt conflict over reproduction to species in which colonies contain hundreds of thousands of highly specialized sterile workers produced by one or a few queens. Although the evolution of eusociality has been intensively studied, the genetic changes involved in the evolution of eusociality are relatively unknown. We examined patterns of molecular evolution across three independent origins of eusociality by sequencing transcriptomes of nine socially diverse bee species and combining these data with genome sequence from the honey bee Apis mellifera to generate orthologous sequence alignments for 3,647 genes. We found a shared set of 212 genes with a molecular signature of accelerated evolution across all eusocial lineages studied, as well as unique sets of 173 and 218 genes with a signature of accelerated evolution specific to either highly or primitively eusocial lineages, respectively. These results demonstrate that convergent evolution can involve a mosaic pattern of molecular changes in both shared and lineage-specific sets of genes. Genes involved in signal transduction, gland development, and carbohydrate metabolism are among the most prominent rapidly evolving genes in eusocial lineages. These findings provide a starting point for linking specific genetic changes to the evolution of eusociality. PMID:21482769

Comprehensive analysis of the functional microRNA–mRNA regulatory network identifies miRNA signatures associated with glioma malignant progression

PubMed Central

Li, Yongsheng; Xu, Juan; Chen, Hong; Bai, Jing; Li, Shengli; Zhao, Zheng; Shao, Tingting; Jiang, Tao; Ren, Huan; Kang, Chunsheng; Li, Xia

2013-01-01

Glioma is the most common and fatal primary brain tumour with poor prognosis; however, the functional roles of miRNAs in glioma malignant progression are insufficiently understood. Here, we used an integrated approach to identify miRNA functional targets during glioma malignant progression by combining the paired expression profiles of miRNAs and mRNAs across 160 Chinese glioma patients, and further constructed the functional miRNA–mRNA regulatory network. As a result, most tumour-suppressive miRNAs in glioma progression were newly discovered, whose functions were widely involved in gliomagenesis. Moreover, three miRNA signatures, with different combinations of hub miRNAs (regulations≥30) were constructed, which could independently predict the survival of patients with all gliomas, high-grade glioma and glioblastoma. Our network-based method increased the ability to identify the prognostic biomarkers, when compared with the traditional method and random conditions. Hsa-miR-524-5p and hsa-miR-628-5p, shared by these three signatures, acted as protective factors and their expression decreased gradually during glioma progression. Functional analysis of these miRNA signatures highlighted their critical roles in cell cycle and cell proliferation in glioblastoma malignant progression, especially hsa-miR-524-5p and hsa-miR-628-5p exhibited dominant regulatory activities. Therefore, network-based biomarkers are expected to be more effective and provide deep insights into the molecular mechanism of glioma malignant progression. PMID:24194606

Novel insights into systemic autoimmune rheumatic diseases using shared molecular signatures and an integrative analysis.

PubMed

Hudson, Marie; Bernatsky, Sasha; Colmegna, Ines; Lora, Maximilien; Pastinen, Tomi; Klein Oros, Kathleen; Greenwood, Celia M T

2017-06-03

We undertook this study to identify DNA methylation signatures of three systemic autoimmune rheumatic diseases (SARDs), namely rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, and systemic sclerosis, compared to healthy controls. Using a careful design to minimize confounding, we restricted our study to subjects with incident disease and performed our analyses on purified CD4 + T cells, key effector cells in SARD. We identified differentially methylated (using the Illumina Infinium HumanMethylation450 BeadChip array) and expressed (using the Illumina TruSeq stranded RNA-seq protocol) sites between cases and controls, and investigated the biological significance of this SARD signature using gene annotation databases. We recruited 13 seropositive rheumatoid arthritis, 19 systemic sclerosis, 12 systemic lupus erythematosus subjects, and 8 healthy controls. We identified 33 genes that were both differentially methylated and expressed (26 over- and 7 under-expressed) in SARD cases versus controls. The most highly overexpressed gene was CD1C (log fold change in expression = 1.85, adjusted P value = 0.009). In functional analysis (Ingenuity Pathway Analysis), the top network identified was lipid metabolism, molecular transport, small molecule biochemistry. The top canonical pathways included the mitochondrial L-carnitine shuttle pathway (P = 5E-03) and PTEN signaling (P = 8E-03). The top upstream regulator was HNF4A (P = 3E-05). This novel SARD signature contributes to ongoing work to further our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying SARD and provides novel targets of interest.

Evaluation of short-duration unscheduled absences among transit operators : TriMet case study

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2009-09-01

This report analyzes factors contributing to short duration (one to three days) unscheduled absences among operators : at TriMet, the transit provider for the Portland, Oregon metropolitan region. The analysis draws on a wide array of : operator-spec...

Vibratory compaction of bituminous concrete -- where does it stand?.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1974-01-01

A questionnaire concerning the specifications on the use of vibratory rollers on bituminous concrete was sent to the 50 state highway agencies. All 50 agencies replied, and many indicated that their specs were in a state of change. The report present...

LRFD software for design and actual ultimate capacity of confined rectangular columns : [technical summary].

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2013-04-01

Columns are considered the most critical elements in structures. The unconfined analysis for columns is well established in the literature. Structural design codes dictate reduction factors for safety. It wasnt until very recently that design spec...

Shopping for Computers.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McFadden, Anna C.; And Others

1991-01-01

To reduce the chance of buying computer lemons, school system purchasing offices should devise and issue their own specifications for prospective vendors. Specs should include both general and specific requirements for microcomputers, drives, and monitors; maintenance and repair services; and delivery and performance testing. A sidebar outlines…

Grievance Procedures. SPEC Kit 23.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Association of Research Libraries, Washington, DC. Office of Management Studies.

This collection of grievance procedures from member libraries of the Association of Research Libraries (ARL) contains: (1) documents on committee approaches to grievances from University of British Columbia, Center for Research Libraries, University of Connecticut, Harvard University, Michigan State University, and University of Nebraska; (2)…

20180318 - Using the US EPA's CompTox Chemistry Dashboard for structure identification and non-targeted analyses (ACS Spring)

EPA Science Inventory

The CompTox Chemistry Dashboard provides access to data for ~760,000 chemicals. High quality curated data and rich metadata facilitates mass spec analysis. “MS-Ready” processed data enables structure identification.

Epsilon-Q: An Automated Analyzer Interface for Mass Spectral Library Search and Label-Free Protein Quantification.

PubMed

Cho, Jin-Young; Lee, Hyoung-Joo; Jeong, Seul-Ki; Paik, Young-Ki

2017-12-01

Mass spectrometry (MS) is a widely used proteome analysis tool for biomedical science. In an MS-based bottom-up proteomic approach to protein identification, sequence database (DB) searching has been routinely used because of its simplicity and convenience. However, searching a sequence DB with multiple variable modification options can increase processing time, false-positive errors in large and complicated MS data sets. Spectral library searching is an alternative solution, avoiding the limitations of sequence DB searching and allowing the detection of more peptides with high sensitivity. Unfortunately, this technique has less proteome coverage, resulting in limitations in the detection of novel and whole peptide sequences in biological samples. To solve these problems, we previously developed the "Combo-Spec Search" method, which uses manually multiple references and simulated spectral library searching to analyze whole proteomes in a biological sample. In this study, we have developed a new analytical interface tool called "Epsilon-Q" to enhance the functions of both the Combo-Spec Search method and label-free protein quantification. Epsilon-Q performs automatically multiple spectral library searching, class-specific false-discovery rate control, and result integration. It has a user-friendly graphical interface and demonstrates good performance in identifying and quantifying proteins by supporting standard MS data formats and spectrum-to-spectrum matching powered by SpectraST. Furthermore, when the Epsilon-Q interface is combined with the Combo-Spec search method, called the Epsilon-Q system, it shows a synergistic function by outperforming other sequence DB search engines for identifying and quantifying low-abundance proteins in biological samples. The Epsilon-Q system can be a versatile tool for comparative proteome analysis based on multiple spectral libraries and label-free quantification.

Effect of mix parameters on longevity of bituminous mixtures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reichle, Clayton Matthew

This study was performed to evaluate the effects of varying aggregate sources, aggregate gradations on the stripping and rutting potential of bituminous based plant mixes specified by the Missouri Department of Transportation. The different aggregate combinations included two different aggregate sources (Potosi Dolomite and Jefferson City Dolomite) including two variations for the Jefferson City Dolomite mix to simulate a marginally in-specification mix and an out-of-specification but in-field tolerance mix. The "field" mix simulated the marginal mix where field tolerance of high dust and low binder content were maximized. All three mixes were evaluated for stripping susceptibility using the Tensile Strength Ratio (TSR) test and the Hamburg Wheel Tracking Device (HWTD). The mix characteristics (unit weight, effective binder content, and air voids) were used for a Level 3 analysis in the Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide (MEPDG) to determine long term pavement distress conditions such as fatigue cracking, rutting, and IRI (smoothness). The Potosi mix exhibited the best resistance to rutting and stripping during both the TSR testing as well as the Hamburg testing. The Jefferson City In-Spec and Out-of-Spec mixes showed less resistance to rutting and stripping in order, respectively. This was expected for the Jefferson City mixes where the aggregate was of lower quality (higher Los Angeles Abrasion, Micro Deval loss, absorption, and deleterious materials). Also, in the case of the Jefferson City Out-of-Spec mix, the binder content was lower. Upon evaluating the mixes using the MEPDG software, it was shown that mix characteristics such as air voids, VMA, and VFA influenced the fatigue cracking, rutting, and IRI predictions to a minor degree.

A software suite for the generation and comparison of peptide arrays from sets of data collected by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Li, Xiao-jun; Yi, Eugene C; Kemp, Christopher J; Zhang, Hui; Aebersold, Ruedi

2005-09-01

There is an increasing interest in the quantitative proteomic measurement of the protein contents of substantially similar biological samples, e.g. for the analysis of cellular response to perturbations over time or for the discovery of protein biomarkers from clinical samples. Technical limitations of current proteomic platforms such as limited reproducibility and low throughput make this a challenging task. A new LC-MS-based platform is able to generate complex peptide patterns from the analysis of proteolyzed protein samples at high throughput and represents a promising approach for quantitative proteomics. A crucial component of the LC-MS approach is the accurate evaluation of the abundance of detected peptides over many samples and the identification of peptide features that can stratify samples with respect to their genetic, physiological, or environmental origins. We present here a new software suite, SpecArray, that generates a peptide versus sample array from a set of LC-MS data. A peptide array stores the relative abundance of thousands of peptide features in many samples and is in a format identical to that of a gene expression microarray. A peptide array can be subjected to an unsupervised clustering analysis to stratify samples or to a discriminant analysis to identify discriminatory peptide features. We applied the SpecArray to analyze two sets of LC-MS data: one was from four repeat LC-MS analyses of the same glycopeptide sample, and another was from LC-MS analysis of serum samples of five male and five female mice. We demonstrate through these two study cases that the SpecArray software suite can serve as an effective software platform in the LC-MS approach for quantitative proteomics.

Characteristics and Energy Use of Volume Servers in the United States

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

Fuchs, H.; Shehabi, A.; Ganeshalingam, M.

Servers’ field energy use remains poorly understood, given heterogeneous computing loads, configurable hardware and software, and operation over a wide range of management practices. This paper explores various characteristics of 1- and 2-socket volume servers that affect energy consumption, and quantifies the difference in power demand between higher-performing SPEC and ENERGY STAR servers and our best understanding of a typical server operating today. We first establish general characteristics of the U.S. installed base of volume servers from existing IDC data and the literature, before presenting information on server hardware configurations from data collection events at a major online retail website.more » We then compare cumulative distribution functions of server idle power across three separate datasets and explain the differences between them via examination of the hardware characteristics to which power draw is most sensitive. We find that idle server power demand is significantly higher than ENERGY STAR benchmarks and the industry-released energy use documented in SPEC, and that SPEC server configurations—and likely the associated power-scaling trends—are atypical of volume servers. Next, we examine recent trends in server power draw among high-performing servers across their full load range to consider how representative these trends are of all volume servers before inputting weighted average idle power load values into a recently published model of national server energy use. Finally, we present results from two surveys of IT managers (n=216) and IT vendors (n=178) that illustrate the prevalence of more-efficient equipment and operational practices in server rooms and closets; these findings highlight opportunities to improve the energy efficiency of the U.S. server stock.« less

Measurement of CIB power spectra with CAM-SPEC from Planck HFI maps

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mak, Suet Ying; Challinor, Anthony; Efstathiou, George; Lagache, Guilaine

2015-08-01

We present new measurements of the cosmic infrared background (CIB) anisotropies and its first likelihood using Planck HFI data at 353, 545, and 857 GHz. The measurements are based on cross-frequency power spectra and likelihood analysis using the CAM-SPEC package, rather than map based template removal of foregrounds as done in previous Planck CIB analysis. We construct the likelihood of the CIB temperature fluctuations, an extension of CAM-SPEC likelihood as used in CMB analysis to higher frequency, and use it to drive the best estimate of the CIB power spectrum over three decades in multiple moment, l, covering 50 ≤ l ≤ 2500. We adopt parametric models of the CIB and foreground contaminants (Galactic cirrus, infrared point sources, and cosmic microwave background anisotropies), and calibrate the dataset uniformly across frequencies with known Planck beam and noise properties in the likelihood construction. We validate our likelihood through simulations and extensive suite of consistency tests, and assess the impact of instrumental and data selection effects on the final CIB power spectrum constraints. Two approaches are developed for interpreting the CIB power spectrum. The first approach is based on simple parametric model which model the cross frequency power using amplitudes, correlation coefficients, and known multipole dependence. The second approach is based on the physical models for galaxy clustering and the evolution of infrared emission of galaxies. The new approaches fit all auto- and cross- power spectra very well, with the best fit of χ2ν = 1.04 (parametric model). Using the best foreground solution, we find that the cleaned CIB power spectra are in good agreement with previous Planck and Herschel measurements.

VIPER project

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kershaw, John

1990-01-01

The VIPER project has so far produced a formal specification of a 32 bit RISC microprocessor, an implementation of that chip in radiation-hard SOS technology, a partial proof of correctness of the implementation which is still being extended, and a large body of supporting software. The time has now come to consider what has been achieved and what directions should be pursued in the future. The most obvious lesson from the VIPER project was the time and effort needed to use formal methods properly. Most of the problems arose in the interfaces between different formalisms, e.g., between the (informal) English description and the HOL spec, between the block-level spec in HOL and the equivalent in ELLA needed by the low-level CAD tools. These interfaces need to be made rigorous or (better) eliminated. VIPER 1A (the latest chip) is designed to operate in pairs, to give protection against breakdowns in service as well as design faults. We have come to regard redundancy and formal design methods as complementary, the one to guard against normal component failures and the other to provide insurance against the risk of the common-cause failures which bedevil reliability predictions. Any future VIPER chips will certainly need improved performance to keep up with increasingly demanding applications. We have a prototype design (not yet specified formally) which includes 32 and 64 bit multiply, instruction pre-fetch, more efficient interface timing, and a new instruction to allow a quick response to peripheral requests. Work is under way to specify this device in MIRANDA, and then to refine the spec into a block-level design by top-down transformations. When the refinement is complete, a relatively simple proof checker should be able to demonstrate its correctness. This paper is presented in viewgraph form.

Spatial and temporal skin blood volume and saturation estimation using a multispectral snapshot imaging camera

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ewerlöf, Maria; Larsson, Marcus; Salerud, E. Göran

2017-02-01

Hyperspectral imaging (HSI) can estimate the spatial distribution of skin blood oxygenation, using visible to near-infrared light. HSI oximeters often use a liquid-crystal tunable filter, an acousto-optic tunable filter or mechanically adjustable filter wheels, which has too long response/switching times to monitor tissue hemodynamics. This work aims to evaluate a multispectral snapshot imaging system to estimate skin blood volume and oxygen saturation with high temporal and spatial resolution. We use a snapshot imager, the xiSpec camera (MQ022HG-IM-SM4X4-VIS, XIMEA), having 16 wavelength-specific Fabry-Perot filters overlaid on the custom CMOS-chip. The spectral distribution of the bands is however substantially overlapping, which needs to be taken into account for an accurate analysis. An inverse Monte Carlo analysis is performed using a two-layered skin tissue model, defined by epidermal thickness, haemoglobin concentration and oxygen saturation, melanin concentration and spectrally dependent reduced-scattering coefficient, all parameters relevant for human skin. The analysis takes into account the spectral detector response of the xiSpec camera. At each spatial location in the field-of-view, we compare the simulated output to the detected diffusively backscattered spectra to find the best fit. The imager is evaluated for spatial and temporal variations during arterial and venous occlusion protocols applied to the forearm. Estimated blood volume changes and oxygenation maps at 512x272 pixels show values that are comparable to reference measurements performed in contact with the skin tissue. We conclude that the snapshot xiSpec camera, paired with an inverse Monte Carlo algorithm, permits us to use this sensor for spatial and temporal measurement of varying physiological parameters, such as skin tissue blood volume and oxygenation.

The alkaloid profiles of Sophora nuttalliana and Sophora stenophylla

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Sophora is a diverse genus in the family Fabaceae, comprised of herbs, shrubs, and trees that occurs throughout the world, primarily in the northern hemisphere. Species of Sophora are known to contain quinolizidine alkaloids that are toxic and potentially teratogenic. Two perennial herbaceous spec...

Telecommunications in ARL Libraries. SPEC Kit 98.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Association of Research Libraries, Washington, DC. Office of Management Studies.

This 11-document kit introduces the current and planned uses of telecommunications facilities in the computerized information systems of several research libraries, public libraries, and library groups contacted in 1983. The first two documents are excerpts from reports on networks: "Telecommunications: An Overview for OCLC," and…

Biologically-Based Lumping Methodology (BBLM) To Investigate Toxicological Interactions of Complex Chemical Mixtures

EPA Science Inventory

Many cases of environmental contamination result in concurrent or sequential exposure to more than one chemical. Limitations of available resources prevent experimental toxicology from providing health risk information about all the possible mixtures to which humans or other spec...

Mapping and Quantifying Terrestrial Vertebrate Biodiversity at a National Scale

EPA Science Inventory

The ability to assess, report, map, and forecast functions of ecosystems is critical to our capacity to make informed decisions to maintain the sustainable nature of our environment. Because of the variability among living organisms and levels of organization (e.g. genetic, spec...

Does pollen "neighborhood" affect yield in lowbush blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium Ait.)?

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Proximally growing individuals of wild, lowbush blueberry vary widely in yield despite being cultivated under similar environmental conditions. We recently established that the relative self-fertility of the bearing plant is a significant predictor of its outcross yield. Further, although the spec...

Examination of Laser Microprobe Vacuum Ultraviolet Ionization Mass Spectrometry with Application to Mapping Mars Returned Samples

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burton, A. S.; Berger, E. L.; Locke, D. R.; Lewis, E. K.; Moore, J. F.

2018-04-01

Laser microprobe of surfaces utilizing a two laser setup whereby the desorption laser threshold is lowered below ionization, and the resulting neutral plume is examined using 157nm Vacuum Ultraviolet laser light for mass spec surface mapping.

User Statistics and Studies. SPEC Kit 25.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Association of Research Libraries, Washington, DC. Office of Management Studies.

A result of the Association of Research Libraries' (ARL) November 1975 Services Survey, this kit presents statistical studies developed from management information sources such as circulation records or generated expressly for a particular study. While academic and research libraries maintain statistical records measuring library efficiency or…

Nanocolloid substrate for surface enhanced Raman scattering sensor for biological applications

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Biopolymer encapsulated with silver nanoparticle (BeSN) substrate was prepared by chemical reduction method with silver nitrate, trisodium citrate in addition to polyvinyl alcohol. Optical properties of BeSN were analyzed with UV/Vis spectroscopy and hyperspectral microscope imaging. UV/Visible spec...

Preparing soft-bodied arthropods for arthropods for microscope examination: Mealybugs (Insects: Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae)

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Proper identification of mealybugs (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) require preparation of the specimen on a microscope slide. This training video provides visual instruction on how to prepare mealybug specimens on microscope slides for examination and identification. Steps ranging from collection, spec...

Tenure Policies. SPEC Kit 9.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Association of Research Libraries, Washington, DC. Office of Management Studies.

This collection of tenure policies in academic and research libraries contains: "Statement of Principles on Academic Freedom and Tenure Adopted by the American Association of University Professors", including the "Model Statement of Criteria and Procedures for Appointment, Promotion in Academic Rank, and Tenure for College and University…

Acquisition Policies. SPEC Kit 12.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Association of Research Libraries, Washington, DC. Office of Management Studies.

This collection of acquisition materials from member libraries of the Association of Research Libraries (ARL) contains: (1) acquisition policies from Brigham Young University, Iowa State University, and the University of Cincinnati; (2) book selection policies from the University of Nebraska Undergraduate Library and Georgetown University; (3) an…

Study of the Imaging Capabilities of SPIRIT/SPECS Concept Interferometers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Allen, Ronald J.

2002-01-01

Several new space science mission concepts under development at NASA-GSFC for astronomy are intended to carry out synthetic imaging using Michelson interferometers or direct (Fizeau) imaging with sparse apertures. Examples of these mission concepts include the Stellar Imager (SI), the Space Infrared Interferometric Telescope (SPIRIT), the Submillimeter Probe of the Evolution of Cosmic Structure (SPECS), and the Fourier-Kelvin Stellar Interferometer (FKSI). We have been developing computer-based simulators for these missions. These simulators are aimed at providing a quantitative evaluation of the imaging capabilities of the mission by modeling the performance on different realistic targets in terms of sensitivity, angular resolution, and dynamic range. Both Fizeau and Michelson modes of operation can be considered. Our work is based on adapting a computer simulator called imSIM which was initially written for the Space Interferometer Mission in order to simulate the imaging mode of new missions such as those listed. This report covers the activities we have undertaken to provide a preliminary version of a simulator for the SPIRIT mission concept.

Speculation and replication in temperature accelerated dynamics

DOE PAGES

Zamora, Richard J.; Perez, Danny; Voter, Arthur F.

2018-02-12

Accelerated Molecular Dynamics (AMD) is a class of MD-based algorithms for the long-time scale simulation of atomistic systems that are characterized by rare-event transitions. Temperature-Accelerated Dynamics (TAD), a traditional AMD approach, hastens state-to-state transitions by performing MD at an elevated temperature. Recently, Speculatively-Parallel TAD (SpecTAD) was introduced, allowing the TAD procedure to exploit parallel computing systems by concurrently executing in a dynamically generated list of speculative future states. Although speculation can be very powerful, it is not always the most efficient use of parallel resources. In this paper, we compare the performance of speculative parallelism with a replica-based technique, similarmore » to the Parallel Replica Dynamics method. A hybrid SpecTAD approach is also presented, in which each speculation process is further accelerated by a local set of replicas. Finally and overall, this work motivates the use of hybrid parallelism whenever possible, as some combination of speculation and replication is typically most efficient.« less

Speculation and replication in temperature accelerated dynamics

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

Zamora, Richard J.; Perez, Danny; Voter, Arthur F.

Accelerated Molecular Dynamics (AMD) is a class of MD-based algorithms for the long-time scale simulation of atomistic systems that are characterized by rare-event transitions. Temperature-Accelerated Dynamics (TAD), a traditional AMD approach, hastens state-to-state transitions by performing MD at an elevated temperature. Recently, Speculatively-Parallel TAD (SpecTAD) was introduced, allowing the TAD procedure to exploit parallel computing systems by concurrently executing in a dynamically generated list of speculative future states. Although speculation can be very powerful, it is not always the most efficient use of parallel resources. In this paper, we compare the performance of speculative parallelism with a replica-based technique, similarmore » to the Parallel Replica Dynamics method. A hybrid SpecTAD approach is also presented, in which each speculation process is further accelerated by a local set of replicas. Finally and overall, this work motivates the use of hybrid parallelism whenever possible, as some combination of speculation and replication is typically most efficient.« less

Low Noise Titanium Nitride KIDs for SuperSpec: A Millimeter-Wave On-Chip Spectrometer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hailey-Dunsheath, S.; Shirokoff, E.; Barry, P. S.; Bradford, C. M.; Chapman, S.; Che, G.; Glenn, J.; Hollister, M.; Kovács, A.; LeDuc, H. G.; Mauskopf, P.; McKenney, C.; O'Brient, R.; Padin, S.; Reck, T.; Shiu, C.; Tucker, C. E.; Wheeler, J.; Williamson, R.; Zmuidzinas, J.

2016-07-01

SuperSpec is a novel on-chip spectrometer we are developing for multi-object, moderate resolution (R = 100-500), large bandwidth ({˜ }1.65:1), submillimeter and millimeter survey spectroscopy of high-redshift galaxies. The spectrometer employs a filter bank architecture, and consists of a series of half-wave resonators formed by lithographically-patterned superconducting transmission lines. The signal power admitted by each resonator is detected by a lumped element titanium nitride (TiN) kinetic inductance detector operating at 100-200 MHz. We have tested a new prototype device that achieves the targeted R=100 resolving power, and has better detector sensitivity and optical efficiency than previous devices. We employ a new method for measuring photon noise using both coherent and thermal sources of radiation to cleanly separate the contributions of shot and wave noise. We report an upper limit to the detector NEP of 1.4× 10^{-17} W Hz^{-1/2}, within 10 % of the photon noise-limited NEP for a ground-based R=100 spectrometer.

CPS1 maintains pyrimidine pools and DNA synthesis in KRAS/LKB1-mutant lung cancer cells. | Office of Cancer Genomics

Cancer.gov

Metabolic reprogramming by oncogenic signals promotes cancer initiation and progression. The oncogene KRAS and tumor suppressor STK11, which encodes the kinase LKB1, regulate metabolism and are frequently mutated in non-small-cell lung cancer(NSCLC). Concurrent occurrence of oncogenic KRAS and loss of LKB1 (KL) in cells specifies aggressive oncological behavior. Here we show that human KL cells and tumors share metabolic signatures of perturbed nitrogen handling.

Classifying Infrastructure in an Urban Battlespace Using Thermal IR Signatures

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-11-01

Huntsville, Alabama for sharing their ATLAS data for Atlanta. REFERENCES Bentz , D . P . (2000). A Computer Model to Predict the Surface Temperature...10: 2 2 xt α Δ Δ ≤ (10) 2.2 Implementing the Model Bentz uses a 1- D finite difference grid with a varying number of nodes. The nodes are equally...and rooftops were modeled as a function of time and environmental conditions using 1- D heat transfer theory. The model was implemented in MATLAB

Technical Services Workstations. SPEC Kit 213.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brugger, Judith M., Comp.; And Others

Technical services workstations (TSWs) are personal computers that have been customized for use in technical services departments. To gather information on their use and prevalence in research libraries, the Program for Cooperative Cataloging Standing Committee on Automation surveyed the 119 members of the Association of Research Libraries (ARL)…

Computerized Online Bibliographic Searching. SPEC Kit #154.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hocker, Susan

For this kit, 106 Association of Research Libraries (ARL) academic libraries were surveyed concerning: (1) current administration/organization; (2) evaluation; (3) patron relations; (4) services; and (5) the impact of online searching on collections. Responses were received from 83 libraries, many of which contributed sample materials. Analyses of…

Improved prediction models for PCC pavement performance-related specifications, volume II : PaveSpec 3.0 user's guide.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2001-12-01

The current performance-related specifications (PRS) methodology has been under development by the Federal : Highway~Administration (FI-IWA) for several years and has now reached a level at which it can be implemented by : State highway agencies. PRS...

Computer Series, 89.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Moore, John W., Ed.

1988-01-01

Describes five computer software packages; four for MS-DOS Systems and one for Apple II. Included are SPEC20, an interactive simulation of a Bausch and Lomb Spectronic-20; a database for laboratory chemicals and programs for visualizing Boltzmann-like distributions, orbital plot for the hydrogen atom and molecular orbital theory. (CW)

Goals & Objectives Statements. SPEC Kit 15.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Association of Research Libraries, Washington, DC. Office of Management Studies.

This collection of statements of goals and objectives from member libraries of the Association of Research Libraries (ARL) contains: (1) sections from management review and analysis program reports from the University of Washington Libraries and the University of Rochester Library; (2) a detailed organization description from the Columbia…

Preservation of Library Materials. SPEC Kit 35.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Association of Research Libraries, Washington, DC. Office of Management Studies.

This Association of Research Libraries (ARL) kit on preservation of library materials contains: (1) descriptions of preservation programs and objectives from Boston University, the University of Michigan, University of Wisconsin, and University of California at Los Angeles; (2) a description of the Library of Congress' National Preservation…

Summary of Comments on Test Methods Amendments Proposed in the Federal Register on August 27, 1997

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

(EPA) proposed amendments to 40 CFR Parts 60, 61, and 63 to reflect miscellaneous editorial changes and technical corrections throughout the parts in sections pertaining to source testing or monitoring of emissions and operations and added Performance Spec

Building phytochemical mass spec identification protocols and database libraries

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

An optimized single LC-MS evaluation that would accurately determine the elemental composition of as many compounds present in an extract would greatly aid in the evaluation of plant tissues. For phytochemicals, we have used accurate mass analysis to quickly characterize the potential chemical formu...

Propulsion System Technology for Military Land Vehicles

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-08-01

torques) to decrease specific weight and volume; and (3) hybrid transmissions using low-torque devices (electrical converters or traction drives) with a... VEICLE SPEC POMWE, bWtu FIGURE 1. Impact of vehicle specific power on weight and manufacturing cost of armored vehicles. 15 [ 𔃺!00, LCV .30 *1

Library Photocopy Operations. SPEC Kit 209.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Almony, Robert A., Jr., Comp.; O'Brien, Francis, Comp.

The kit and flyer examine library photocopy operations, including services, personnel, equipment, and financial management practices by member institutions of the Association of Research Libraries (ARL). To find out about these operations, ARL surveyed its 112 members, and received 93 replies. Forty-nine academic libraries (58%) described their…

Recreational freshwater fishing drives non-native aquatic species richness patterns at a continental scale.

EPA Science Inventory

Aim Mapping the geographic distribution of non-native aquatic species is a critically important precursor to understanding the anthropogenic and environmental factors that drive freshwater biological invasions. Such efforts are often limited to local scales and/or to single spec...

Active Knowledge Structures for Natural Language Processing.

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-01-01

specialist belief: Assume there is a lambda-expression "(LAMBDA L) immed-type-ofL" and Z = ((LAMBDA L) immed-type-of L) ( thalassemia ), we can describe...SPEC) -> ([AVG-PERSON] -> (VAL-FOR) -> CGREEK-PLCE)3 This expresses the various levels of specialized knowledge of thalassemia , depending on

GEOTHERMAL ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT: BEHAVIOR OF SELECTED GEOTHERMAL BRINE CONTAMINANTS IN PLANTS AND SOILS

EPA Science Inventory

The behavior of selected elements found in the Roosevelt Hot Springs KGRA geothermal fluids was investigated in both plant and soil systems. The kinetics of these potential environmental containments were studied by using soil columns and selected cultivated and native plant spec...

Quantitative PCR for Detection and Enumeration of Genetic Markers of Bovine Fecal Pollution

EPA Science Inventory

Accurate assessment of health risks associated with bovine (cattle) fecal pollution requires a reliable host-specific genetic marker and a rapid quantification method. We report the development of quantitative PCR assays for the detection of two recently described cow feces-spec...

Rapid Determination of Mineral Abundance by X-ray Microfluorescence Mapping and Multispectral Image Analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moscati, R. J.; Marshall, B. D.

2005-12-01

X-ray microfluorescence (XRMF) spectrometry is a rapid, accurate technique to map element abundances of rock surfaces (such as thin-section billets, the block remaining when a thin section is prepared). Scanning a specimen with a collimated primary X-ray beam (100 μm diameter) generates characteristic secondary X-rays that yield the relative chemical abundances for the major rock-/mineral-forming analytes (such as Si, Al, K, Ca, and Fe). When Cu-rich epoxy is used to impregnate billets, XRMF also can determine porosity from the Cu abundance. Common billet scan size is 30 x 15 mm and the typical mapping time rarely exceeds 2.5 hrs (much faster than traditional point-counting). No polishing or coating is required for the billets, although removing coarse striations or gross irregularities on billet surfaces should improve the spatial accuracy of the maps. Background counts, spectral artifacts, and diffraction peaks typically are inconsequential for maps of major elements. An operational check is performed after every 10 analyses on a standard that contains precisely measured areas of Mn and Mo. Reproducibility of the calculated area ratio of Mn:Mo is consistently within 5% of the known value. For each billet, the single element maps (TIFF files) generated by XRMF are imported into MultiSpec© (a program developed at Purdue University for analysis of multispectral image data, available from http://dynamo.ecn.purdue.edu/~biehl/MultiSpec/) where mineral phases can be spectrally identified and their relative abundances quantified. The element maps for each billet are layered to produce a multi-element file for mineral classification and statistical processing, including modal estimates of mineral abundance. Although mineral identification is possible even if the mineralogy is unknown, prior petrographic examination of the corresponding thin section yields more accurate maps because the software can be set to identify all similar pixels. Caution is needed when using MultiSpec© to distinguish mineral phases with similar chemistry (for example, opal and quartz) and minerals that occupy very small surface areas (<10 pixels). In either case, careful petrography and informed use of the software will allow rapid use of MultiSpec© to create accurate mineral maps of rock and thin-section billet surfaces. This technique, for example, has allowed quantitative estimates of calcite and silica abundances to be determined on about 200 samples of secondary mineral coatings from the unsaturated zone at Yucca Mountain, Nevada.

The mechanism of oxygen isotopic fractionation during fungal denitrification - A pure culture study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wrage-Moennig, Nicole; Rohe, Lena; Anderson, Traute-Heidi; Braker, Gesche; Flessa, Heinz; Giesemann, Annette; Lewicka-Szczebak, Dominika; Well, Reinhard

2014-05-01

Nitrous oxide (N2O) from soil denitrification originates from bacteria and - to an unknown extent - also from fungi. During fungal denitrification, oxygen (O) exchange takes place between H2O and intermediates of the denitrification process as in bacterial exchange[1,2]. However, information about enzymes involved in fungal O exchanges and the associated fractionation effects is lacking. The objectives of this study were to estimate the O fractionation and O exchange during the fungal denitrifying steps using a conceptual model[2] adapted from concepts for bacterial denitrification[3], implementing controls of O exchange proposed by Aerssens, et al.[4] and using fractionation models by Snider et al.[5] Six different pure fungal cultures (five Hypocreales, one Sordariales) known to be capable of denitrification were incubated under anaerobic conditions, either with nitrite or nitrate. Gas samples were analyzed for N2O concentration and its isotopic signatures (SP, average δ15N, δ18O). To investigate O exchange, both treatments were also established with 18O-labelled water as a tracer in the medium. The Hypocreales strains showed O exchange mainly at NO2- reductase (Nir) with NO2- as electron acceptor and no additional O exchange at NO3- reductase (Nar) with NO3- as electron acceptor. The only Hypocreales species having higher O exchange with NO3- than with NO2- also showed O exchange at Nar. The Sordariales species tested seems capable of O exchange at NO reductase (Nor) additionally to O exchange at Nir with NO2-. The data will help to better interpret stable isotope values of N2O from soils. .[1] D. M. Kool, N. Wrage, O. Oenema, J. Dolfing, J. W. Van Groenigen. Oxygen exchange between (de)nitrification intermediates and H2O and its implications for source determination of NO?3- and N2O: a review. Rapid Commun. Mass Spec. 2007, 21, 3569. [2] L. Rohe, T.-H. Anderson, B. Braker, H. Flessa, A. Giesemann, N. Wrage-Mönnig, R. Well. Fungal Oxygen Exchange between Denitrification Intermediates and Water. Rapid Commun. Mass Spec. 2014, 28, 377. [3] K. L. Casciotti, J. K. Böhlke, M. R. McIlvin, S. J. Mroczkowski, J. E. Hannon. Oxygen Isotopes in Nitrite: Analysis, Calibration, and Equilibration. Anal. Chem. 2007, 79, 2427. [4] E. Aerssens, J. M. Tiedje, B. A. Averill. Isotope Labeling Studies on the Mechanisms of N-bond Formation in Denitrification J. Biol. Chem. 1986, 261, 9652. [5] D. M. Snider, J. J. Venkiteswaran, S. L. Schiff, J. Spoelstra. Deciphering the oxygen isotope composition of nitrous oxide produced by nitrification. Glob. Change Biol. 2012, 18, 356.

Corticosteroid receptors adopt distinct cyclical transcriptional signatures.

PubMed

Le Billan, Florian; Amazit, Larbi; Bleakley, Kevin; Xue, Qiong-Yao; Pussard, Eric; Lhadj, Christophe; Kolkhof, Peter; Viengchareun, Say; Fagart, Jérôme; Lombès, Marc

2018-05-07

Mineralocorticoid receptors (MRs) and glucocorticoid receptors (GRs) are two closely related hormone-activated transcription factors that regulate major pathophysiologic functions. High homology between these receptors accounts for the crossbinding of their corresponding ligands, MR being activated by both aldosterone and cortisol and GR essentially activated by cortisol. Their coexpression and ability to bind similar DNA motifs highlight the need to investigate their respective contributions to overall corticosteroid signaling. Here, we decipher the transcriptional regulatory mechanisms that underlie selective effects of MRs and GRs on shared genomic targets in a human renal cellular model. Kinetic, serial, and sequential chromatin immunoprecipitation approaches were performed on the period circadian protein 1 ( PER1) target gene, providing evidence that both receptors dynamically and cyclically interact at the same target promoter in a specific and distinct transcriptional signature. During this process, both receptors regulate PER1 gene by binding as homo- or heterodimers to the same promoter region. Our results suggest a novel level of MR-GR target gene regulation, which should be considered for a better and integrated understanding of corticosteroid-related pathophysiology.-Le Billan, F., Amazit, L., Bleakley, K., Xue, Q.-Y., Pussard, E., Lhadj, C., Kolkhof, P., Viengchareun, S., Fagart, J., Lombès, M. Corticosteroid receptors adopt distinct cyclical transcriptional signatures.

Microbial communities of three sympatric Australian stingless bee species.

PubMed

Leonhardt, Sara D; Kaltenpoth, Martin

2014-01-01

Bacterial symbionts of insects have received increasing attention due to their prominent role in nutrient acquisition and defense. In social bees, symbiotic bacteria can maintain colony homeostasis and fitness, and the loss or alteration of the bacterial community may be associated with the ongoing bee decline observed worldwide. However, analyses of microbiota associated with bees have been largely confined to the social honeybees (Apis mellifera) and bumblebees (Bombus spec.), revealing--among other taxa--host-specific lactic acid bacteria (LAB, genus Lactobacillus) that are not found in solitary bees. Here, we characterized the microbiota of three Australian stingless bee species (Apidae: Meliponini) of two phylogenetically distant genera (Tetragonula and Austroplebeia). Besides common plant bacteria, we find LAB in all three species, showing that LAB are shared by honeybees, bumblebees and stingless bees across geographical regions. However, while LAB of the honeybee-associated Firm4-5 clusters were present in Tetragonula, they were lacking in Austroplebeia. Instead, we found a novel clade of likely host-specific LAB in all three Australian stingless bee species which forms a sister clade to a large cluster of Halictidae-associated lactobacilli. Our findings indicate both a phylogenetic and geographical signal of host-specific LAB in stingless bees and highlight stingless bees as an interesting group to investigate the evolutionary history of the bee-LAB association.

A Meta-Assembly of Selection Signatures in Cattle

PubMed Central

Randhawa, Imtiaz A. S.; Khatkar, Mehar S.; Thomson, Peter C.; Raadsma, Herman W.

2016-01-01

Since domestication, significant genetic improvement has been achieved for many traits of commercial importance in cattle, including adaptation, appearance and production. In response to such intense selection pressures, the bovine genome has undergone changes at the underlying regions of functional genetic variants, which are termed “selection signatures”. This article reviews 64 recent (2009–2015) investigations testing genomic diversity for departure from neutrality in worldwide cattle populations. In particular, we constructed a meta-assembly of 16,158 selection signatures for individual breeds and their archetype groups (European, African, Zebu and composite) from 56 genome-wide scans representing 70,743 animals of 90 pure and crossbred cattle breeds. Meta-selection-scores (MSS) were computed by combining published results at every given locus, within a sliding window span. MSS were adjusted for common samples across studies and were weighted for significance thresholds across and within studies. Published selection signatures show extensive coverage across the bovine genome, however, the meta-assembly provides a consensus profile of 263 genomic regions of which 141 were unique (113 were breed-specific) and 122 were shared across cattle archetypes. The most prominent peaks of MSS represent regions under selection across multiple populations and harboured genes of known major effects (coat color, polledness and muscle hypertrophy) and genes known to influence polygenic traits (stature, adaptation, feed efficiency, immunity, behaviour, reproduction, beef and dairy production). As the first meta-assembly of selection signatures, it offers novel insights about the hotspots of selective sweeps in the bovine genome, and this method could equally be applied to other species. PMID:27045296

Core epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition interactome gene-expression signature is associated with claudin-low and metaplastic breast cancer subtypes.

PubMed

Taube, Joseph H; Herschkowitz, Jason I; Komurov, Kakajan; Zhou, Alicia Y; Gupta, Supriya; Yang, Jing; Hartwell, Kimberly; Onder, Tamer T; Gupta, Piyush B; Evans, Kurt W; Hollier, Brett G; Ram, Prahlad T; Lander, Eric S; Rosen, Jeffrey M; Weinberg, Robert A; Mani, Sendurai A

2010-08-31

The epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) produces cancer cells that are invasive, migratory, and exhibit stem cell characteristics, hallmarks of cells that have the potential to generate metastases. Inducers of the EMT include several transcription factors (TFs), such as Goosecoid, Snail, and Twist, as well as the secreted TGF-beta1. Each of these factors is capable, on its own, of inducing an EMT in the human mammary epithelial (HMLE) cell line. However, the interactions between these regulators are poorly understood. Overexpression of each of the above EMT inducers up-regulates a subset of other EMT-inducing TFs, with Twist, Zeb1, Zeb2, TGF-beta1, and FOXC2 being commonly induced. Up-regulation of Slug and FOXC2 by either Snail or Twist does not depend on TGF-beta1 signaling. Gene expression signatures (GESs) derived by overexpressing EMT-inducing TFs reveal that the Twist GES and Snail GES are the most similar, although the Goosecoid GES is the least similar to the others. An EMT core signature was derived from the changes in gene expression shared by up-regulation of Gsc, Snail, Twist, and TGF-beta1 and by down-regulation of E-cadherin, loss of which can also trigger an EMT in certain cell types. The EMT core signature associates closely with the claudin-low and metaplastic breast cancer subtypes and correlates negatively with pathological complete response. Additionally, the expression level of FOXC1, another EMT inducer, correlates strongly with poor survival of breast cancer patients.

Core epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition interactome gene-expression signature is associated with claudin-low and metaplastic breast cancer subtypes

PubMed Central

Taube, Joseph H.; Herschkowitz, Jason I.; Komurov, Kakajan; Zhou, Alicia Y.; Gupta, Supriya; Yang, Jing; Hartwell, Kimberly; Onder, Tamer T.; Gupta, Piyush B.; Evans, Kurt W.; Hollier, Brett G.; Ram, Prahlad T.; Lander, Eric S.; Rosen, Jeffrey M.; Weinberg, Robert A.; Mani, Sendurai A.

2010-01-01

The epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) produces cancer cells that are invasive, migratory, and exhibit stem cell characteristics, hallmarks of cells that have the potential to generate metastases. Inducers of the EMT include several transcription factors (TFs), such as Goosecoid, Snail, and Twist, as well as the secreted TGF-β1. Each of these factors is capable, on its own, of inducing an EMT in the human mammary epithelial (HMLE) cell line. However, the interactions between these regulators are poorly understood. Overexpression of each of the above EMT inducers up-regulates a subset of other EMT-inducing TFs, with Twist, Zeb1, Zeb2, TGF-β1, and FOXC2 being commonly induced. Up-regulation of Slug and FOXC2 by either Snail or Twist does not depend on TGF-β1 signaling. Gene expression signatures (GESs) derived by overexpressing EMT-inducing TFs reveal that the Twist GES and Snail GES are the most similar, although the Goosecoid GES is the least similar to the others. An EMT core signature was derived from the changes in gene expression shared by up-regulation of Gsc, Snail, Twist, and TGF-β1 and by down-regulation of E-cadherin, loss of which can also trigger an EMT in certain cell types. The EMT core signature associates closely with the claudin-low and metaplastic breast cancer subtypes and correlates negatively with pathological complete response. Additionally, the expression level of FOXC1, another EMT inducer, correlates strongly with poor survival of breast cancer patients. PMID:20713713

Designing an Advanced Instructional Design Advisor: Possibilities for Automation. Volume 3

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-05-01

system (Spec. Rep. NPRDC- SR-83-13). San Diego, CA: Navy Personnel Research and Development Center. Dawkins , R. (1976). The selfish gene . Oxford...instructional methods that keep the idea alive will change in corresponding ways. (See Dawkins (1976) for a discussion of related ideas.) The implications of

Reconnaissance Marine Geophysical Survey for the Shallow Water Acoustics Program

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-09-30

Swift, D.J.P. (Ed.), Shelf Sand and Sandstone Bodies: Geometry, Facies and Sequence Stratigraphy, Wiley, Hoboken, New Jersey, Spec. Publs. Int. Ass...sequences, their component system tra cts, and bounding surfaces. In Swift, D.J.P. (Ed.), Shelf Sand and Sandstone Bodies: Geometry, Facies and Sequence

76 FR 1037 - Disclosures Regarding Energy Consumption and Water Use of Certain Home Appliances and Other...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-01-06

... accurate energy information because of design changes will violate 16 CFR 305.4. 2. Comparative Information Background: Under EPCA, the Commission may require disclosure of comparative energy consumption information... meet the [ENERGY STAR 3.0] spec.''). Comments: Commenters generally favored including comparative...

Physical Access in ARL Libraries. SPEC Kit 27.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Association of Research Libraries, Washington, DC. Office of Management Studies.

Resulting from the Association of Research Libraries' (ARL) 1975 survey on user services, this kit presents documentation on and discusses developments in physical access services--services which facilitate the actual delivery of information sources to the user--including circulation, interlibrary loan, book delivery, and new media services. As…

System Migration in ARL Libraries. SPEC Kit 185.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pattie, Ling-yuh W.; Lach, Michael

This publication reports results of a survey of 83 ARL (Association of Research Libraries) member libraries that examined the decision making process in migration from one automated library system to another. Data are reported on planning; implementation; workflow redesign; and training, publicity, and evaluation. Supplemental materials include:…

A Survey on the Temporal and Spatial Distribution of Perchlorate in the Potomac River

EPA Science Inventory

Samples of river water and treated drinking water were obtained from eight sites along the Potomac River between western Maryland and Washington DC. Samples were collected each month from October 2007 to September 2008 and analyzed for perchlorate by ion chromatography/mass spec...

iSpec: A Web-Based Activity for Spectroscopy Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vosegaard, Thomas

2018-01-01

Students' skills in structure elucidation of organic molecules are developed by training them to understand advanced spectroscopic measurements and elucidate structures of small organic molecules from mass spectrometry (MS) and infrared (IR), ultraviolet (UV), and [superscript 1]H and [superscript 13]C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR)…

RENO, NV, JANUARY 15, 2004: FACTORS IMPLICATED IN AMPHIBIAN POPULATION DECLINES IN THE UNITED STATES

EPA Science Inventory

Factors known or suspected to be adversely affecting native amphibian populations in the US were identified using information from 267 species accounts written in a standardized format by multiple authors in the forthcoming book, 'Status and Conservation of U.S. Amphibians'. Spec...

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

Kornberg, H.A.; Cline, J.F.

Twenty-four sputum samples were taken from persons working in the vicinity of separation stacks from which radioactive particles are discharged. No evidence of specs'' were sound by radioautography of the sputum plates. Six samples were reset for longer exposure times in an attempt to detect particles of very low activity. Negative results were obtained. 1 tab.

Hemogenic endothelial cell specification requires c-kit, notch signaling, and p27-mediated cell-cycle control

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Delineating the mechanism or mechanisms that regulate the specification of hemogenic endothelial cells from primordial endothelium is critical for optimizing their derivation from human stem cells for clinical therapies. We previously determined that retinoic acid (RA) is required for hemogenic spec...

40 CFR Figure E-1 to Subpart E of... - Designation Testing Checklist

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

...) Field Sampling Procedure (§ 53.30, .31, .34) Design Specification Tests Filter (L-6) Range of... Testing Physical (Design) and Performance Characteristics of Reference Methods and Class I and Class II... Process or of Documented Evidence: Performance, Design or Application Spec. Corresponding to Sections of...

40 CFR Figure E-1 to Subpart E of... - Designation Testing Checklist

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

...) Field Sampling Procedure (§ 53.30, .31, .34) Design Specification Tests Filter (L-6) Range of... Testing Physical (Design) and Performance Characteristics of Reference Methods and Class I and Class II... Process or of Documented Evidence: Performance, Design or Application Spec. Corresponding to Sections of...

40 CFR Figure E-1 to Subpart E of... - Designation Testing Checklist

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

...) Field Sampling Procedure (§ 53.30, .31, .34) Design Specification Tests Filter ( L-6) Range of... Testing Physical (Design) and Performance Characteristics of Reference Methods and Class I and Class II... Process or of Documented Evidence: Performance, Design or Application Spec. Corresponding to Sections of...

Evaluation of an inexpensive instrument to detect insects using multiple sound, vibration, and LED sensors

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Instruments have been available for many years to detect insects using sound, vibration, or LED sensors separately. Most of these instruments are relatively expensive. An instrument was evaluated that incorporates all three types of sensors to improve the reliability of distinguishing different spec...

Determining Indirect Cost Rates in Research Libraries. SPEC Kit 34.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Association of Research Libraries, Washington, DC. Office of Management Studies.

This kit prepared by the Association of Research Libraries (ARL) contains 15 primary source documents on determining indirect cost rates in research libraries. The kit comprises: (1) six library cost studies and surveys, "Allocation of Library Expenditures to Research and Instruction" (University of Pennsylvania), "Sampling of Current Monograph…

Isolation and identification of nematode-antagonistic compounds from the fungus Aspergillus candidus

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

An isolate of the fungus Aspergillus candidus was tested for production of nematicidal compounds. Adults of the nematode Ditylenchus destructor were completely inactive after 24 hr exposure to soy medium in which A. candidus was cultured. Column, thin layer and preparative chromatographies, and spec...

Flexible Work Arrangements in ARL Libraries. SPEC Kit #180.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zabel, Diane, Comp.; And Others

This report presents the results of a survey of Association of Research Libraries (ARL) members about the current climate and practices regarding flexible work arrangements. Data are reported on the availability of schedule flexibility, job exchange, part-time arrangements, and leaves, as well as information about faculty status, tenure,…

Collaborative Collections Management Programs in ARL Libraries. SPEC Kit 235.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Soete, George J., Comp.

1998-01-01

This survey was conducted to discover how extensively ARL (Association of Research Libraries) libraries are involved in formal, active programs of collaboration for collections management. Seventy ARL libraries completed a questionnaire focusing on all collections formats and a number of related collections management activities. Results indicated…

TISSUE DISTRIBUTION OF ARSENIC SPECIES IN MICE CHRONICALLY EXPOSED TO METHYLARSONOUS ACID

EPA Science Inventory

The metabolism of inorganic arsenic (iAs) in humans yields toxic and carcinogenic methyl-As (MAs) and dimethyl-As (DMAs) intermediates. Methylarsonous acid (MAsIII) is the most acutely toxic species of characterized iAs metabolites. Here, we examined the concentrations of As spec...

Adventitious Root Formation of Forest Trees and Horticultural Plants - From Genes to Applications

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Adventitious root formation is a key step in the clonal propagation of forest trees and horticultural crops. Difficulties in forming adventitious roots (ARs) on stem cuttings and plants produced in vitro hinders the propagation of elite trees and efficient production of many horticultural plant spec...

The Integration of Nonprint Media. SPEC Kit 33.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Association of Research Libraries, Washington, DC. Office of Management Studies.

This kit on the integration of nonprint media into Association of Research Libraries (ARL) institutions contains a concise summary of a 1977 phone survey with ARL members, eight descriptions of programs and services, and five acquisition and processing policies. To collect data on practices regarding the acquisition, processing, and use of…

The Systems Function. SPEC Kit 29.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Association of Research Libraries, Washington, DC. Office of Management Studies.

This kit on the systems functions in Association of Research Libraries (ARL) member institutions contains 10 source documents from ARL libraries and a summary of data from a 1976 survey on the organization, staffing, and operation of library systems functions. Source documents include: (1) "Library Systems Office Annual Report, 1974-75"…

The Changing Role of Book Repair in ARL Libraries. SPEC Kit #190.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Silverman, Randy, Comp.; Grandinette, Maria, Comp.

This kit provides 24 essays on book repair: (1) "Conservation at the American Philosophical Society: An Institutional Profile in 1992" (H. Kyle); (2) "The Book Repair Program at Brigham Young University: An Institutional Profile" (R. Silverman); (3) "Book Repair and Conservation: Conservation Center for Art and Historic…

High Stability Metal-Protein Interactions Evaluated by Microcalorimetry

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-04-29

microprocessor -controlled internal vacuum pump runs for a 90 second period, then it evaluates the vacuum pressure attained, and if that value meets spec...and the other with the software. There is a place in the wash module program where the ITC’s microprocessor - controlled internal vacuum pump runs for

Genetics Home Reference: distal hereditary motor neuropathy, type V

MedlinePlus

... PubMed Irobi J, De Jonghe P, Timmerman V. Molecular genetics of distal hereditary motor neuropathies. Hum Mol Genet. 2004 Oct 1;13 Spec No 2:R195-202. Review. Citation on PubMed Ito D, Suzuki N. Molecular pathogenesis of seipin/BSCL2-related motor neuron diseases. ...

Pest status of the brown marmorated stink bug, Halyomorpha halys (Stal) in the USA

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Since its initial discovery in Allentown, PA, USA, the brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB), Halyomorpha halys (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae), has now officially been detected in 37 states and the District of Columbia in the USA. Isolated populations also exist in Switzerland and Canada. This Asian spec...

Building Renovation in ARL Libraries. SPEC Kit 97.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hersberger, Rodney M.

This collection of library documents related to building renovation, by members of the Association of Research Libraries (ARL), contains excerpts from: (1) a plan for upgrading and expanding library facilities at the University of Kansas; (2) a report on storage facilities at Rutgers University; (3) documents presenting the essential remodeling…

Midwater Bioluminescence Assessment in the West Alboran Gyre (Mediterranean Sea)

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-09-01

of bioluminescence.I KEYWORDS I ALBORAN SEA JOHNSON-SEA-LINK BATHYPHOTOMETER MEDUSAE BIOLUMINESCENCE SEWARD JOHNSON I RV CTENOPHORES SIPHONOPHORES ...30 C tenophores................................................................ 32 Siphonophores ...good, however, for ctenophores, salps, siphonophores and medusae. Table 2 Specimen No. Genus, Spec!es Taxon I 1896 12 Sappharina sp. Copepod 1896 32b

The Prioninae (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) of Hispaniola with diagnoses, descriptions of new species, distribution records, and key for identification

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The Prioninae (Cerambycidae) of Hispaniola are reviewed. Tweny-seven species are known from the island, including five new ones and a new genus described herein: Elateropsis dichroma Lingafelter, new species, Elateropsis woodleyi Lingafelter, new species, Solenoptera tomentosa Lingafelter, new spec...

Building Security and Personal Safety. SPEC Kit 150.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bingham, Karen Havill

This report on a survey of Association of Research Libraries (ARL) member libraries on building security and personal safety policies examines three areas in detail: (1) general building security (access to the building, key distribution, patrols or monitors, intrusion prevention, lighting, work environment after dark); (2) problem behavior…

Perioperative Clinical Nurse Specialist Role Delineation: A Systematic Review

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-06-01

care plans for psychosocial nursing diagnoses. Ostomy Wound Manage, 40(3), 18-22, 24-16. Heath, J., Andrews, J., & Balkstra, C. R. Potential reduction...the clinical nurse specialist. Clin Nurse Spec, 17(2), 83-85. O’Malley, P. (2004). New hope for patients with pulmonary hypertension: endothelin

Inventory Control: Construction of a Photoelectric Colorimeter and Application to Students' Experiments.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Matsuo, Tsutomu; And Others

1989-01-01

Presented is a photoelectric colorimeter which can be assembled by the student. Reports that it can do many of the same analyses as the SPEC 20 but at a greatly reduced cost using older technology. Presents several experiments to use with the colorimeter. (MVL)

Detecting and Characterizing Genomic Signatures of Positive Selection in Global Populations

PubMed Central

Liu, Xuanyao; Ong, Rick Twee-Hee; Pillai, Esakimuthu Nisha; Elzein, Abier M.; Small, Kerrin S.; Clark, Taane G.; Kwiatkowski, Dominic P.; Teo, Yik-Ying

2013-01-01

Natural selection is a significant force that shapes the architecture of the human genome and introduces diversity across global populations. The question of whether advantageous mutations have arisen in the human genome as a result of single or multiple mutation events remains unanswered except for the fact that there exist a handful of genes such as those that confer lactase persistence, affect skin pigmentation, or cause sickle cell anemia. We have developed a long-range-haplotype method for identifying genomic signatures of positive selection to complement existing methods, such as the integrated haplotype score (iHS) or cross-population extended haplotype homozygosity (XP-EHH), for locating signals across the entire allele frequency spectrum. Our method also locates the founder haplotypes that carry the advantageous variants and infers their corresponding population frequencies. This presents an opportunity to systematically interrogate the whole human genome whether a selection signal shared across different populations is the consequence of a single mutation process followed subsequently by gene flow between populations or of convergent evolution due to the occurrence of multiple independent mutation events either at the same variant or within the same gene. The application of our method to data from 14 populations across the world revealed that positive-selection events tend to cluster in populations of the same ancestry. Comparing the founder haplotypes for events that are present across different populations revealed that convergent evolution is a rare occurrence and that the majority of shared signals stem from the same evolutionary event. PMID:23731540

Common disease signatures from gene expression analysis in Huntington's disease human blood and brain.

PubMed

Mina, Eleni; van Roon-Mom, Willeke; Hettne, Kristina; van Zwet, Erik; Goeman, Jelle; Neri, Christian; A C 't Hoen, Peter; Mons, Barend; Roos, Marco

2016-08-01

Huntington's disease (HD) is a devastating brain disorder with no effective treatment or cure available. The scarcity of brain tissue makes it hard to study changes in the brain and impossible to perform longitudinal studies. However, peripheral pathology in HD suggests that it is possible to study the disease using peripheral tissue as a monitoring tool for disease progression and/or efficacy of novel therapies. In this study, we investigated if blood can be used to monitor disease severity and progression in brain. Since previous attempts using only gene expression proved unsuccessful, we compared blood and brain Huntington's disease signatures in a functional context. Microarray HD gene expression profiles from three brain regions were compared to the transcriptome of HD blood generated by next generation sequencing. The comparison was performed with a combination of weighted gene co-expression network analysis and literature based functional analysis (Concept Profile Analysis). Uniquely, our comparison of blood and brain datasets was not based on (the very limited) gene overlap but on the similarity between the gene annotations in four different semantic categories: "biological process", "cellular component", "molecular function" and "disease or syndrome". We identified signatures in HD blood reflecting a broad pathophysiological spectrum, including alterations in the immune response, sphingolipid biosynthetic processes, lipid transport, cell signaling, protein modification, spliceosome, RNA splicing, vesicle transport, cell signaling and synaptic transmission. Part of this spectrum was reminiscent of the brain pathology. The HD signatures in caudate nucleus and BA4 exhibited the highest similarity with blood, irrespective of the category of semantic annotations used. BA9 exhibited an intermediate similarity, while cerebellum had the least similarity. We present two signatures that were shared between blood and brain: immune response and spinocerebellar ataxias. Our results demonstrate that HD blood exhibits dysregulation that is similar to brain at a functional level, but not necessarily at the level of individual genes. We report two common signatures that can be used to monitor the pathology in brain of HD patients in a non-invasive manner. Our results are an exemplar of how signals in blood data can be used to represent brain disorders. Our methodology can be used to study disease specific signatures in diseases where heterogeneous tissues are involved in the pathology.

Trace-element record in zircons during exhumation from UHP conditions, North-East Greenland Caledonides

USGS Publications Warehouse

McClelland, W.C.; Gilotti, J.A.; Mazdab, F.K.; Wooden, J.L.

2009-01-01

Coesite-bearing zircon formed at ultrahigh-pressure (UHP) conditions share general characteristics of eclogite-facies zircon with trace-element signatures characterized by depleted heavy rare earth elements (HREE), lack of an Eu anomaly, and low Th/ U ratios. Trace-element signatures of zircons from the Caledonian UHP terrane in North-East Greenland were used to examine the possible changes in signature with age during exhumation. Collection and interpretation of age and trace-element analyses of zircon from three samples of quartzofeldspathic gneiss and two leucocratic intrusions were guided by core vs. rim zoning patterns as imaged by cathodoluminesence. Change from igneous to eclogite-facies metamorphic trace-element signature in protolith zircon is characterized by gradual depletion of HREE, whereas newly formed metamorphic rims have flat HREE patterns and REE concentrations that are distinct from the recrystallized inherited cores. The signature associated with eclogite-facies metamorphic zircon is observed in coesite-bearing zircon formed at 358 ?? 4 Ma, metamorphic rims formed at 348 ?? 5 Ma during the initial stages of exhumation, and metamorphic rims formed at 337 ?? 5 Ma. Zircons from a garnet-bearing granite emplaced in the neck of an eclogite boudin and a leucocratic dike that cross-cuts amphibolite-facies structural fabrics have steeply sloping HREE patterns, variably developed negative Eu anomalies, and low Th/U ratios. The granite records initial decompression melting and exhumation at 347 ?? 2 Ma and later zircon rim growth at 329 ?? 5. The leucocratic dike was likely emplaced at amphibolite-facies conditions at 330 ?? 2 Ma, but records additional growth of compositionally similar zircon at 321 ??2 Ma. The difference between the trace-element signature of metamorphic zircon in the gneisses and in part coeval leucocratic intrusions indicates that the zircon signature varies as a function of lithology and context, thus enhancing its ability to aid in the interpretation of U-Pb data and track the exhumation history of UHP terranes. The differences may reflect variation in elemental availability through breakdown reactions in quartzofeldpathic gneiss vs. availability during melt production and/or crystallization. UHP rocks in North-East Greenland began exhumation by 347 ?? 2 Ma, were still at HP eclogite-facies conditions at 337 ?? 5 Ma and were at amphibolite-facies conditions by 330 ?? 2 Ma. ?? 2009 E. Schweizerbart'sche Verlagsbuchhandlung.

Genetically and Phenotypically Distinct Pseudomonas aeruginosa Cystic Fibrosis Isolates Share a Core Proteomic Signature

PubMed Central

Penesyan, Anahit; Kumar, Sheemal S.; Kamath, Karthik; Shathili, Abdulrahman M.; Venkatakrishnan, Vignesh; Krisp, Christoph; Packer, Nicolle H.; Molloy, Mark P.; Paulsen, Ian T.

2015-01-01

The opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa is among the main colonizers of the lungs of cystic fibrosis (CF) patients. We have isolated and sequenced several P. aeruginosa isolates from the sputum of CF patients and compared them with each other and with the model strain PAO1. Phenotypic analysis of CF isolates showed significant variability in colonization and virulence-related traits suggesting different strategies for adaptation to the CF lung. Genomic analysis indicated these strains shared a large set of core genes with the standard laboratory strain PAO1, and identified the genetic basis for some of the observed phenotypic differences. Proteomics revealed that in a conventional laboratory medium PAO1 expressed 827 proteins that were absent in the CF isolates while the CF isolates shared a distinctive signature set of 703 proteins not detected in PAO1. PAO1 expressed many transporters for the uptake of organic nutrients and relatively few biosynthetic pathways. Conversely, the CF isolates expressed a narrower range of transporters and a broader set of metabolic pathways for the biosynthesis of amino acids, carbohydrates, nucleotides and polyamines. The proteomic data suggests that in a common laboratory medium PAO1 may transport a diverse set of “ready-made” nutrients from the rich medium, whereas the CF isolates may only utilize a limited number of nutrients from the medium relying mainly on their own metabolism for synthesis of essential nutrients. These variations indicate significant differences between the metabolism and physiology of P. aeruginosa CF isolates and PAO1 that cannot be detected at the genome level alone. The widening gap between the increasing genomic data and the lack of phenotypic data means that researchers are increasingly reliant on extrapolating from genomic comparisons using experimentally characterized model organisms such as PAO1. While comparative genomics can provide valuable information, our data suggests that such extrapolations may be fraught with peril. PMID:26431321

Ancient DNA and Population Turnover in Southern Levantine Pigs- Signature of the Sea Peoples Migration?

PubMed Central

Meiri, Meirav; Huchon, Dorothée; Bar-Oz, Guy; Boaretto, Elisabetta; Horwitz, Liora Kolska; Maeir, Aren M.; Sapir-Hen, Lidar; Larson, Greger; Weiner, Steve; Finkelstein, Israel

2013-01-01

Near Eastern wild boars possess a characteristic DNA signature. Unexpectedly, wild boars from Israel have the DNA sequences of European wild boars and domestic pigs. To understand how this anomaly evolved, we sequenced DNA from ancient and modern pigs from Israel. Pigs from Late Bronze Age (until ca. 1150 BCE) in Israel shared haplotypes of modern and ancient Near Eastern pigs. European haplotypes became dominant only during the Iron Age (ca. 900 BCE). This raises the possibility that European pigs were brought to the region by the Sea Peoples who migrated to the Levant at that time. Then, a complete genetic turnover took place, most likely because of repeated admixture between local and introduced European domestic pigs that went feral. Severe population bottlenecks likely accelerated this process. Introductions by humans have strongly affected the phylogeography of wild animals, and interpretations of phylogeography based on modern DNA alone should be taken with caution. PMID:24186332

Proceedings of the signature series event of the international society for cellular therapy: "Advancements in cellular therapies and regenerative medicine in digestive diseases," London, United Kingdom, May 3, 2017.

PubMed

Ciccocioppo, Rachele; Dos Santos, Claudia C; Baumgart, Daniel C; Cangemi, Giuseppina C; Cardinale, Vincenzo; Ciacci, Carolina; De Coppi, Paolo; Haldar, Debashis; Klersy, Catherine; Nostro, M Cristina; Ott, Michael; Piemonti, Lorenzo; Tomei, Alice A; Uygun, Basak; Vetrano, Stefania; Orlando, Giuseppe

2018-03-01

A summary of the First Signature Series Event, "Advancements in Cellular Therapies and Regenerative Medicine for Digestive Diseases," held on May 3, 2017, in London, United Kingdom, is presented. Twelve speakers from three continents covered major topics in the areas of cellular therapy and regenerative medicine applied to liver and gastrointestinal medicine as well as to diabetes mellitus. Highlights from their presentations, together with an overview of the global impact of digestive diseases and a proposal for a shared online collection and data-monitoring platform tool, are included in this proceedings. Although growing evidence demonstrate the feasibility and safety of exploiting cell-based technologies for the treatment of digestive diseases, regulatory and methodological obstacles will need to be overcome before the successful implementation in the clinic of these novel attractive therapeutic strategies. Copyright © 2017 International Society for Cellular Therapy. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Detecting Signatures of Positive Selection along Defined Branches of a Population Tree Using LSD.

PubMed

Librado, Pablo; Orlando, Ludovic

2018-06-01

Identifying the genomic basis underlying local adaptation is paramount to evolutionary biology, and bears many applications in the fields of conservation biology, crop, and animal breeding, as well as personalized medicine. Although many approaches have been developed to detect signatures of positive selection within single populations and population pairs, the increasing wealth of high-throughput sequencing data requires improved methods capable of handling multiple, and ideally large number of, populations in a single analysis. In this study, we introduce LSD (levels of exclusively shared differences), a fast and flexible framework to perform genome-wide selection scans, along the internal and external branches of a given population tree. We use forward simulations to demonstrate that LSD can identify branches targeted by positive selection with remarkable sensitivity and specificity. We illustrate a range of potential applications by analyzing data from the 1000 Genomes Project and uncover a list of adaptive candidates accompanying the expansion of anatomically modern humans out of Africa and their spread to Europe.

Nutrient adequacy and diet quality in low-income Hispanic Children – The VIVA LA FAMILIA Study

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The role of nutrient adequacy and diet quality in the etiology of childhood obesity is poorly understood. Epidemiological studies have suggested that low-cost, energy dense diets high in grains, added sugars, and fat contribute to the development of obesity, especially in low-income groups. The spec...

Identification of Berberis spp. as alternate hosts of Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici in China

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Wheat stripe rust, caused by Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici (Pst), is an important disease on wheat in China because of high virulence diversity. Since the discovery of sexual stage of P. striiformis on Berberis spp., especially B. chinesensis, our interests focused on identifying Berberis spec...

Library Publications Programs. SPEC Kit 145.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Knudsen, Monica L.

Based on a two-phase survey of 118 Association of Research Libraries member libraries which was conducted between November 1987 and January 1988, this report begins with an overview of the responses from 16 respondents who indicated that they had a centralized approach to publishing. Areas studied include the nature of centralized programs,…

Performance Appraisal in Research Libraries. SPEC Kit 140.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Association of Research Libraries, Washington, DC. Office of Management Studies.

This kit and flyer produced by the Systems and Procedures Exchange Center of the Association of Research Libraries provides documents submitted by 14 universities that are used in the performance evaluation of professional library staff. Commentary based on a thorough review of documents submitted by 60 libraries includes an overview of the…

The Structure of Jarai Clauses and Noun Phrases

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jensen, Joshua Martin

2013-01-01

This dissertation provides a syntactic account for the Jarai noun phrase and for the three regions of the Jarai clause: the operator domain, the inflectional domain, and the theta domain. Within the noun phrase, I argue that demonstrative-final word order involves phrasal movement of the demonstrative's complement into Spec,D, where it…

46 CFR 108.601 - Crane design.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... 46 Shipping 4 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Crane design. 108.601 Section 108.601 Shipping COAST... Cranes Cranes § 108.601 Crane design. (a) Each crane and crane foundation on a unit must be designed in accordance with the American Petroleum Institute Specification for Offshore Cranes, API Spec. 2C, Second...

How To Choose an Encyclopedia.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Valenza, Joyce Kasman

1997-01-01

Reviews CD-ROM encyclopedias to guide librarians and teachers in decision making. Encyclopedias are divided into two groups: mass market for ages 9 and up, and academic for ages 14 and above. A table lists products with addresses and Web sites, as well as information on price, minimum specs, number of articles, Internet connection, strengths, and…

Human Resource Blueprints in Irish High-Tech Start-Up Firms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Keating, Mary A.; Olivares, Mariabrisa

2006-01-01

Focusing on Irish high-tech start-ups, this paper reports on the results of an empirical study of organization building by entrepreneurial firms, specifically in relation to human resource practices. The research findings are benchmarked with findings from SPEC, the Stanford Project of Emerging Companies (Baron and Hannan, 2002). Human resources…

USE OF EXPOSURE-RELATED DOSE ESTIMATING MODEL (ERDEM) FOR ASSESSMENT OF AGGREGATE EXPOSURE OF INFANT AND CHILDREN TO N-METHYL CARBAMATE INSECTICIDES

EPA Science Inventory

A physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) model was developed within the Exposure Related Dose Estimating Model (ERDEM) framework to investigate selected exposure inputs related to recognized exposure scenarios of infants and children to N-methyl carbamate pesticides as spec...

Triage and Treatment of Combined Injury in Mass Casualty Situations

DTIC Science & Technology

1996-11-01

but not died yet"? Management of victims following a nuclear disaster has to include the successive complex of surgical and therapeutically treatment...Spec No):63-66, 1995. [2] Kumar P., Jagetia G.C. A review of triage and managements of bums victims following a nuclear disaster [Review]. Bums. 20(5

Managing Food and Drink in ARL Libraries. SPEC Kit 237.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Soete, George J., Comp.

1998-01-01

This survey was conducted to determine to what extent ARL (Association of Research Libraries) libraries permit food and drink to be consumed in library facilities, whether there has been a shift in recent times toward a liberalization of policy and practice, how restrictions are enforced, and whether there are particularly successful strategies…

Photocopy Services in ARL Libraries. SPEC Kit 115.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McCool, Donna L.

To gather information about the nature of photocopy services in academic libraries and issues relating to their management, a survey was mailed to each of the 117 members of the Association for Research Libraries (ARL). The survey focused on two components of photocopy services: the self-service copiers placed at strategic locations within the…

40 CFR 265.15 - General inspection requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... (2) a threat to human health. The owner or operator must conduct these in-spec-tions often enough to identify prob-lems in time to correct them before -they harm human health or the -environment. (b)(1) The... -and sump pumps) that are import-ant to preventing, detecting, or responding -to environmental or human...

40 CFR 265.15 - General inspection requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... (2) a threat to human health. The owner or operator must conduct these in-spec-tions often enough to identify prob-lems in time to correct them before -they harm human health or the -environment. (b)(1) The... of the equipment and the probability of an environmental or human health incident if the...

40 CFR 265.15 - General inspection requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... (2) a threat to human health. The owner or operator must conduct these in-spec-tions often enough to identify prob-lems in time to correct them before -they harm human health or the -environment. (b)(1) The... of the equipment and the probability of an environmental or human health incident if the...

40 CFR 265.15 - General inspection requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... (2) a threat to human health. The owner or operator must conduct these in-spec-tions often enough to identify prob-lems in time to correct them before -they harm human health or the -environment. (b)(1) The... of the equipment and the probability of an environmental or human health incident if the...

Digitizing Technologies for Preservation. SPEC Kit 214.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kellerman, L. Suzanne, Comp.; Wilson, Rebecca, Comp.

The Association of Research Libraries distributed a survey to its 119 member libraries to assess the use of state-of-the-art digital technologies as a preservation method. Libraries were asked to report detailed data on all projects designed specifically to: (1) enhance images of faded or brittle originals, (2) provide access to digital images…

Securing Voice over IP Conferencing with Decentralized Group Encryption

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-09-04

media stream. Call data can then be encrypted and decrypted. Zfone is available as a plug-in for a number of VoIP programs, including Gizmo [13...Terminal. http://www.l- 3com.com/csw/product/specs/Airborne/TCDLAir.asp. [13] The Gizmo Project. http://gizmoproject.com. [14] The OpenSSL

46 CFR 108.601 - Crane design.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 46 Shipping 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Crane design. 108.601 Section 108.601 Shipping COAST... Cranes Cranes § 108.601 Crane design. (a) Each crane and crane foundation on a unit must be designed in accordance with the American Petroleum Institute Specification for Offshore Cranes, API Spec. 2C, Second...

78 FR 66758 - Accreditation and Approval of AMSPEC Services, LLC, as a Commercial Gauger

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-11-06

... approved to gauge petroleum and petroleum products, organic chemicals and vegetable oils for customs... INFORMATION: Notice is hereby given pursuant to 19 CFR 151.13, AmSpec Services, LLC, Chemical Division, 11725 Port Road, Seabrook, TX 77586, has been approved to gauge petroleum and petroleum products, organic...

Operational Environmental Assessment

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-09-01

Chemistry Branch - Physical Chemistry Branch " Analytical Research Division - Analytical Systems Branch - Methodology Research Branch - Spectroscopy Branch...electromagnetic frequency spec- trum and includes radio frequencies, infrared , visible light, ultraviolet, X-rays and gamma rays (in ascending order of...Verruculogen Aflatrem Picrotoxin Ciguatoxin Mycotoxins Simple Tr ichothecenes T-2 Toxin T-2 Tetraol Neosolaniol * Nivalenol Deoxynivalenol Verrucarol B-3 B lank

Development of performance specifications for collision avoidance systems for lane change, merging, and backing. Task 6, Interim report : testbed systems design and associated facilities

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1997-05-01

This report represents the documentation of the design of the testbed. The purposes of the testbed are twofold 1) Establish a foundation for estimating collision avoidance effectiveness and 2) Provide information pertinent to setting performance spec...

Decentralized Single-beacon Acoustic Navigation: Combined Communication and Navigation for Underwater Vehicles

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-06-01

Ascension Island on the southern Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Photo credits: WHOI. with a reported horizontal accuracy of 10 cm [19]. An Applanix POS/MV-320...for Marine Ves- sels), Applanix , Richmond Hill, ON, Canada, Nov. 2008, http://www.applanix.com/media/downloads/products/specs/ posmv datasheet.pdf. [3

15 CFR Supplement No. 1 to Part 748 - BIS-748P, BIS-748P-A; Item Appendix, and BIS-748P-B; End-User Appendix; Multipurpose Application...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... “Tech. Specs.” box with an (X) if you are submitting descriptive literature, brochures, technical... or B. Be specific—vague descriptions such as “research”, “manufacturing”, or “scientific uses” are...

15 CFR Supplement No. 1 to Part 748 - BIS-748P, BIS-748P-A; Item Appendix, and BIS-748P-B; End-User Appendix; Multipurpose Application...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... security reasons. Mark the “Tech. Specs.” box with an (X) if you are submitting descriptive literature... descriptions such as “research”, “manufacturing”, or “scientific uses” are not acceptable. Block 22: For a...

15 CFR Supplement No. 1 to Part 748 - BIS-748P, BIS-748P-A; Item Appendix, and BIS-748P-B; End-User Appendix; Multipurpose Application...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... “Tech. Specs.” box with an (X) if you are submitting descriptive literature, brochures, technical... or B. Be specific—vague descriptions such as “research”, “manufacturing”, or “scientific uses” are...

15 CFR Supplement No. 1 to Part 748 - BIS-748P, BIS-748P-A; Item Appendix, and BIS-748P-B; End-User Appendix; Multipurpose Application...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... “Tech. Specs.” box with an (X) if you are submitting descriptive literature, brochures, technical... or B. Be specific—vague descriptions such as “research”, “manufacturing”, or “scientific uses” are...

15 CFR Supplement No. 1 to Part 748 - BIS-748P, BIS-748P-A; Item Appendix, and BIS-748P-B; End-User Appendix; Multipurpose Application...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... “Tech. Specs.” box with an (X) if you are submitting descriptive literature, brochures, technical... or B. Be specific—vague descriptions such as “research”, “manufacturing”, or “scientific uses” are...

Prediction of energy expenditure from heart rate and accelerometry in children and adolescents using multivariate adaptive regression splines modeling

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Free-living measurements of 24-h total energy expenditure (TEE) and activity energy expenditure (AEE) are required to better understand the metabolic, physiological, behavioral, and environmental factors affecting energy balance and contributing to the global epidemic of childhood obesity. The spec...

Water-level, recharge, discharge, specific-capacity, well-yield, and aquifer-test data for the Edwards aquifer in the San Antonio area, Texas

USGS Publications Warehouse

Maclay, R.W.; Small, T.A.; Rettman, P.L.

1980-01-01

This report presents data and informat ion, and indicates other sources of data, on water level s, recharge, discharge, spec ifi c capacity, well yields, and aquifer tests for the Edwards aquifer in the Sa n Antonio area, Texas.

Marketing and Public Relations in ARL Libraries. SPEC Kit 240.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smykla, Evelyn Ortiz, Comp.

1999-01-01

This survey was conducted to delineate the growing relationship between marketing and public relations and library funding by identifying: (1) the extent to which North American research libraries have developed organized programs in the areas of marketing and public relations; (2) who holds positions in these areas; and (3) the impact these…

Information Technology Policies. SPEC Kit 218.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leung, Shirley; Bisom, Diane

The objectives of this survey were: to gather information on the development of institutional information technology policies and guidelines for responsible computing and use of electronic information; to identify the scope of such policies and guidelines; and to determine the role of the library in the development and/or use of the policies and…

Permanent Visual Change Associated with Punctate Foveal Lesions,

DTIC Science & Technology

1986-03-01

Resources, National Research Council. This material has been reviewed by Letterman Army Institute of Research and there is no objection to its presentation...OrIDist swia SPEC, 4 -Zwick et al .4.D DETECTOR MIRROR I DIFFUSER FRONT SURFACE OSLD ND MIRROR LASER SHUTTER 3 REAM No FILTERr-: SPLIT7ER L3 C

Mosquito vector biology and control in Latin America - A 25th Symposium

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The 25th Annual Latin American Symposium presented by the American Mosquito Control Association (AMCA) was held as part of the 81st Annual Meeting in New Orleans, LA, in March 2015. The principal objective, for the previous 24 symposia, was to promote participation in the AMCA by vector control spec...

A novel approach to biological control with entomopathogenic nematodes: Prophylactic control of the peachtree borer, Synanthedon exitiosa

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The peachtree borer, Synanthedon exitiosa, is a major pest of stone fruits in North America. In this study, we compared the virulence of four entomopathogenic nematode species in the laboratory. The highest virulence was observed in Steinernema carpocapsae followed by the two heterorhabditids spec...

The complete nucleotide sequence and genomic characterization of tropical soda apple mosaic virus

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Tropical soda apple mosaic virus (TSAMV) was first identified in tropical soda apple (Solanum viarum), a noxious weed, in Florida in 2002. This report provides the first full genome sequence of TSAMV. The full genome sequence of this virus will enable research scientists to develop additional spec...

OVERVIEW OF A NEW EPA METHOD: DETERMINATION OF PERCHLORATE IN DRINKING WATER, GROUNDWATER AND HIGH SALINITY WATER BY ION CHROMATOGRAPHY, SUPPRESSED CONDUCTIVITY WITH ELECTROSPRAY IONIZATION MASS SPECTROMETRIC DETECTION

EPA Science Inventory

In this presentation the analytical instrumentation and procedures necessary to qualitatively and quantitatively determine low levels of perchlorate (ClO4-) in drinking waters using ion chromatography with electrolytic conductivity suppression, electrospray ionization mass spec...

Fabrication of a novel transparent SERS substrate comprised of Ag-nanoparticle arrays and its application in rapid detection of ractopamine on meat

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) is an emerging analytical tool that boasts the feature of high detection sensitivity and molecular fingerprint specificity attracting increased attention and showing promise in applications including detecting residues of veterinary drugs. In practice, spec...

Aquatic Toxicity Screening of Fire Fighting Agents

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-09-21

Aqueous Film Forming Foam ( AFFF ), the reference toxicant. The aquatic toxicity...Specification MIL-F-24385F Fire Extinguishing Agent, Aqueous Film Forming Foam ( AFFF ) Liquid Concentrate, For Fresh and Sea Water (MIL SPEC AFFF ). This...extinguish liquid hydrocarbon fuel fires involving aircraft operations. Several types of foam exist including protein, fluoroprotein and aqueous film

Targeting MTA1/HIF-1a signaling by pterostilbene in combination with histone deacetylase inhibitor attenuates prostate cancer progression

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The metastasis-associated protein 1(MTA1)/ histone deacetylase (HDAC) unit is a cancer progression-related epigenetic regulator, which is overexpressed in hormone-refractory and metastatic prostate cancer. In our previous studies, we found a significantly increased MTA1 expression in a prostate-spec...

The economics of air quality regulation: the true costs of increased PM2.5 regulation

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Potential best available control technologies (BACT) are being considered for promulgation by the San Joaquin Valley Air Pollution Control District and other jurisdictions in response to determinations of national ambient air quality standards non-attainment for ozone and PM2.5 by writing dairy-spec...

Raising the Degree of Service-Orientation of a SOA-based Software System: A Case Study

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-12-01

protocols, as well as executable processes that can be compiled into runtime scripts” [2] The Business Process Modeling Notation ( BPMN ) provides a...Notation ( BPMN ) 1.2. Jan. 2009. URL: http://www.omg.org/spec/ BPMN /1.2/ [25] .NET Framework Developer Center. .NET Remoting Overview. 2003. URL: http

Aspergillus and aflatoxin in groundnuts (Arachis hypogaea L.) and groundnut cake in Eastern Ethiopia

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) is an important cash and food crop in eastern Ethiopia. The lack of awareness and data on Aspergillus and aflatoxin contamination of groundnut and groundnut food products in the area are lacking. Therefore, this study was conducted to: i) assess major Aspergillus spec...

Collection Development Policies. SPEC Kit 38.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Association of Research Libraries, Washington, DC. Office of Management Studies.

Responses from 54 libraries to a 1977 survey of Association of Research Libraries (ARL) member institutions and interviews by Office of Management Studies staff members who visited another 15 indicated that 20 of the 69 libraries had and made use of a written collection development policy. Eight others reported that such a policy was being…

Osmiine bees of the genus Haetosmia (Megachilidae, Osmiini): biology, taxonomy and key to species.

PubMed

Müller, Andreas; Griswold, Terry

2017-11-29

Haetosmia is a species-poor genus of osmiine bees (Megachilidae) containing six species, which inhabit deserts and semideserts from the Canary Islands to Central Asia. Formerly considered to be restricted to the southern Palaearctic region, the genus is shown here to occur also in the northern Afrotropical region. The females of all six Haetosmia species collect pollen from the narrow-tubed flowers of Heliotropium (Boraginaceae) with the aid of specialized pollen-harvesting bristles on the proboscis. Current knowledge suggests that Haetosmia species are restricted to sandy habitats, excavate their nests in the ground and use chewed leaves to construct their urn-shaped brood cells, which are placed side by side in an enlarged chamber at the end of the nesting burrow. The taxonomic revision of Haetosmia revealed the existence of two undescribed species, H. ethiopiensis spec. nov. from eastern Africa and H. pakistaniensis spec. nov. from Pakistan. Due to clear morphological gaps and overlapping distribution area with the nominotypical subspecies, H. brachyura altera (Peters 1974) is elevated to species rank. Keys for the identification of the six Haetosmia species are provided.

Invariant Connections in Loop Quantum Gravity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hanusch, Maximilian

2016-04-01

Given a group {G}, and an abelian {C^*}-algebra {A}, the antihomomorphisms {Θ\\colon G→ {Aut}(A)} are in one-to-one with those left actions {Φ\\colon G× {Spec}(A)→ {Spec}(A)} whose translation maps {Φ_g} are continuous; whereby continuities of {Θ} and {Φ} turn out to be equivalent if {A} is unital. In particular, a left action {φ\\colon G × X→ X} can be uniquely extended to the spectrum of a {C^*}-subalgebra {A} of the bounded functions on {X} if {φ_g^*(A)subseteq A} holds for each {gin G}. In the present paper, we apply this to the framework of loop quantum gravity. We show that, on the level of the configuration spaces, quantization and reduction in general do not commute, i.e., that the symmetry-reduced quantum configuration space is (strictly) larger than the quantized configuration space of the reduced classical theory. Here, the quantum-reduced space has the advantage to be completely characterized by a simple algebraic relation, whereby the quantized reduced classical space is usually hard to compute.

SpecBit, DecayBit and PrecisionBit: GAMBIT modules for computing mass spectra, particle decay rates and precision observables

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Athron, Peter; Balázs, Csaba; Dal, Lars A.; Edsjö, Joakim; Farmer, Ben; Gonzalo, Tomás E.; Kvellestad, Anders; McKay, James; Putze, Antje; Rogan, Chris; Scott, Pat; Weniger, Christoph; White, Martin

2018-01-01

We present the GAMBIT modules SpecBit, DecayBit and PrecisionBit. Together they provide a new framework for linking publicly available spectrum generators, decay codes and other precision observable calculations in a physically and statistically consistent manner. This allows users to automatically run various combinations of existing codes as if they are a single package. The modular design allows software packages fulfilling the same role to be exchanged freely at runtime, with the results presented in a common format that can easily be passed to downstream dark matter, collider and flavour codes. These modules constitute an essential part of the broader GAMBIT framework, a major new software package for performing global fits. In this paper we present the observable calculations, data, and likelihood functions implemented in the three modules, as well as the conventions and assumptions used in interfacing them with external codes. We also present 3-BIT-HIT, a command-line utility for computing mass spectra, couplings, decays and precision observables in the MSSM, which shows how the three modules can easily be used independently of GAMBIT.

FIR/THz Space Interferometry: Science Opportunities, Mission Concepts, and Technical Challenges

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Leisawitz, David

2007-01-01

Sensitive far-IR imaging and spectroscopic measurements of astronomical objects on sub-arcsecond angular scales are essential to our understanding of star and planet formation, the formation and evolution of galaxies, and to the detection and characterization of extrasolar planets. Cold single-aperture telescopes in space, such as the Spitzer Space Telescope and the Herschel Space Observatory, are very sensitive, but they lack the necessary angular resolution by two or more orders of magnitude. Far-IR space interferometers will address this need in the coming decades. Several mission concepts have already been studied, including in the US the Space Infrared Interferometric Telescope (SPIRIT) and the more ambitious Submillimeter Probe of the Evolution of Cosmic Structure (SPECS). This talk will describe science goals and summarize alternative concepts for future FIR/THz space interferometry missions. Small arrays of sensitive, fast, direct detectors are a key enabling technology for SPIRIT and SPECS. I will describe the technology requirements for far-IR interferometry, including the detector requirements, and their derivation from the mission science goals and instrument concepts.

Comparison of two Chinese medical herbs, Huangbai and Qianniuzi, on influence of short circuit current across the rat intestinal epithelia.

PubMed

Tsai, Jong-Chang; Tsai, Shuli; Chang, Weng-Cheng

2004-07-01

Huangbai (Phellodendron spec.) and Qianniuzi (Pharbitis spec.) are two traditional Chinese medical herbs used for anti-diarrheal and laxative agents, respectively. Ethanol and water extracts of these two herbs were prepared and effects of the extracts on ion transport of the rat intestinal epithelia were studied. For measuring changes of the short circuit current across the epithelia, the rat intestinal epithelia were mounted in the Ussing chamber and attached with voltage/current clamp. The intestinal epithelia were firstly activated by serosal administration of 5 microM forskolin. As current raised and being stable, extracts of these herbs were added, respectively, and changes in the short circuit current were recorded. Ethanol extract of Huangbai attenuated the current increment; on the contrary, ethanol extract of Qianniuzi augmented the current increment additionally. Water extracts of the two herbs showed minor effects on the current in comparison to ethanol extracts. The results provide evidences to reveal the pharmacological mechanism of the two Chinese medical herbs on the intestinal tissue.

Far-Infrared Spectroscopy of Syn-Vinyl Alcohol

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Raston, Paul; Bunn, Hayley

2016-06-01

Vinyl alcohol has been extensively studied in both the microwave and mid-IR spectral regions, where 9 out of 15 vibrational modes have been identified. Here we present the first far-IR spectrum of vinyl alcohol, collected below 700 wn at the Australian Synchrotron. The high resolution (0.001 wn) spectrum reveals the νb{11} and νb{15} fundamentals of syn-vinyl alcohol at 489 wn and 407 wn, in addition to two hot bands of the νb{15} mode at 369 wn and 323 wn. High J transitions in the R-branch of the νb{15} band were found to be perturbed by an a-axis Coriolis interaction with the nearby νb{11} state. The νb{15} torsional mode of syn-vinyl alcohol was fit using a Watson's A-reduced Hamiltonian to yield rotational, centrifugal distortion, and Coriolis coupling parameters. S. Saito, Chem. Phys. Lett. 42, 3 (1976) M. Rodler et al., J. Am. Chem. Soc. 106, 4029 (1948) Y. Koga et al., J. Mol. Spec. 145, 315 (1991) D-L. Joo et al., J. Mol. Spec. 197, 68 (1999)

Far-Infrared Spectroscopy of Anti-Vinyl Alcohol

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Raston, Paul; Bunn, Hayley

2016-06-01

Vinyl alcohol can exist in two rotameric forms, known as syn- and anti- vinyl alcohol, where syn is the most stable. Both rotamers have been observed in the interstellar medium towards Sagittarius B2(N) making them of particular astrophysical importance. Vinyl alcohol has been subject to various spectroscopic investigations, however, the anti rotamer has only been obsvered in the microwave region. We report the high resolution (0.001 wn) FTIR spectrum of anti-vinyl alcohol collected at the infrared beamline facility of the Australian Synchrotron. Vinyl alcohol was produced via the pyrolysis of 2-chloroethanol at 900°C, and its far infrared spectrum reveals the presence of the strong νb{15} fundamental and hot band of anti-vinyl alcohol. Rotational and centrifugal distortion constants of this higher energy rotamer have since been determined for the νb{15} and 2νb{15} states, and the ground state constants have been refined. B. E. Turner, A. J. Apponi, ApJ 561, 207 (2001) M. Rodler, J. Mol. Spec. 114, 23 (1985) D-L Joo, et al., J. Mol. Spec. 197, 68 (1999)

Cis-regulatory changes in Kit ligand expression and parallel evolution of pigmentation in sticklebacks and humans

PubMed Central

Miller, Craig T.; Beleza, Sandra; Pollen, Alex A.; Schluter, Dolph; Kittles, Rick A.; Shriver, Mark D.; Kingsley, David M.

2010-01-01

SUMMARY Dramatic pigmentation changes have evolved within most vertebrate groups, including fish and humans. Here we use genetic crosses in sticklebacks to investigate the parallel origin of pigmentation changes in natural populations. High-resolution mapping and expression experiments show that light gills and light ventrums map to a divergent regulatory allele of the Kit ligand (Kitlg) gene. The divergent allele reduces expression in gill and skin tissue, and is shared by multiple derived freshwater populations with reduced pigmentation. In humans, Europeans and East Asians also share derived alleles at the KITLG locus. Strong signatures of selection map to regulatory regions surrounding the gene, and admixture mapping shows that the KITLG genomic region has a significant effect on human skin color. These experiments suggest that regulatory changes in Kitlg contribute to natural variation in vertebrate pigmentation, and that similar genetic mechanisms may underlie rapid evolutionary change in fish and humans. PMID:18083106

Comparison of premier CAMPY enzyme immunoassay (EIA), ProSpecT Campylobacter EIA, and ImmunoCard STAT! CAMPY tests with culture for laboratory diagnosis of Campylobacter enteric infections.

PubMed

Granato, Paul A; Chen, Li; Holiday, Iris; Rawling, Russell A; Novak-Weekley, Susan M; Quinlan, Tammy; Musser, Kimberlee A

2010-11-01

Campylobacter enteritis is a food-borne or waterborne illness caused almost exclusively by Campylobacter jejuni and, to a lesser extent, by Campylobacter coli. These organisms produce indistinguishable clinical diseases and together represent the second most common cause of bacterial diarrhea in the United States and the leading cause of enteric infection throughout the world. The conventional approach to the laboratory diagnosis of Campylobacter enteritis is based on the recovery of the organism from a stool specimen, which requires the use of a specialized medium incubated at 42°C for several days in an artificially created microaerophilic environment. Recently, several commercially available enzyme immunoassays (EIAs) have been developed for the direct detection of C. jejuni and C. coli in stool specimens. This study compared conventional culture with three EIA methods, the Premier CAMPY EIA (Meridian Bioscience, Cincinnati, OH), the ProSpecT Campylobacter EIA (Remel, Lenexa, KS), and the ImmunoCard STAT! CAMPY test (Meridian Bioscience, Cincinnati, OH), for the detection of C. jejuni and C. coli in 485 patient stool samples. Discordant results were arbitrated by using an in-house, real-time PCR assay that was developed and validated by a public health reference laboratory. Following analyses of the discrepant specimens by PCR, the sensitivity and specificity of both the Premier CAMPY and ProSpecT Campylobacter EIAs were 99.3% and 98%, respectively, while the ImmunoCard STAT! CAMPY test had a sensitivity of 98.5% and a specificity of 98.2%. By use of the PCR test as the reference standard, culture detected 127 of 135 Campylobacter-positive stool specimens, yielding a sensitivity of 94.1%. These results showed that the three EIAs evaluated in this study provide a rapid and reliable alternative for the laboratory diagnosis of enteric infections with C. jejuni and C. coli and that conventional culture may no longer be recognized as the "gold standard" for diagnosis.

Spectacle and SpecViz: New Spectral Analysis and Visualization Tools

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Earl, Nicholas; Peeples, Molly; JDADF Developers

2018-01-01

A new era of spectroscopic exploration of our universe is being ushered in with advances in instrumentation and next-generation space telescopes. The advent of new spectroscopic instruments has highlighted a pressing need for tools scientists can use to analyze and explore these new data. We have developed Spectacle, a software package for analyzing both synthetic spectra from hydrodynamic simulations as well as real COS data with an aim of characterizing the behavior of the circumgalactic medium. It allows easy reduction of spectral data and analytic line generation capabilities. Currently, the package is focused on automatic determination of absorption regions and line identification with custom line list support, simultaneous line fitting using Voigt profiles via least-squares or MCMC methods, and multi-component modeling of blended features. Non-parametric measurements, such as equivalent widths, delta v90, and full-width half-max are available. Spectacle also provides the ability to compose compound models used to generate synthetic spectra allowing the user to define various LSF kernels, uncertainties, and to specify sampling.We also present updates to the visualization tool SpecViz, developed in conjunction with the JWST data analysis tools development team, to aid in the exploration of spectral data. SpecViz is an open source, Python-based spectral 1-D interactive visualization and analysis application built around high-performance interactive plotting. It supports handling general and instrument-specific data and includes advanced tool-sets for filtering and detrending one-dimensional data, along with the ability to isolate absorption regions using slicing and manipulate spectral features via spectral arithmetic. Multi-component modeling is also possible using a flexible model fitting tool-set that supports custom models to be used with various fitting routines. It also features robust user extensions such as custom data loaders and support for user-created plugins that add new functionality.This work was supported in part by HST AR #13919, HST GO #14268, and HST AR #14560.

Alignment and Calibration of an Airborne Infrared Spectrometer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vira, A.

2017-12-01

The airborne infrared spectrometer (AIR-Spec) will measure the coronal plasma emission lines in the infrared at high spatial and spectral resolution. These results will enhance our understanding of the coronal dynamics and improve solar forecasting models. To measure the infrared coronal emission lines, the airborne system will fly on the NSF/NCAR High-Performance Instrumented Airborne Platform for Environmental Research (HIAPER) during the total solar eclipse in August 2017. The flight path was calculated to maximize the observation time. A detailed analysis of our flight path will be reported. The optical system consists of a fast steering mirror, telescope, grating spectrometer, and slit-jaw imager. Light from the sun is directed into the f/15 telescope by a fast steering mirror. The telescope focuses the light on the slitjaw and the remaining light enters the grating spectrometer through the slit. The poster will include a discussion of the alignment procedures for the telescope and spectrograph. All of the spectrometer optics are cooled to cryogenic temperatures, which complicates the alignment process. After the telescope and spectrometer are aligned independently, the telescope needs to be precisely aligned to the spectrometer. Several alignment methods were used to ensure that the telescope is focused at the slitjaw and normal to the spectrometer. In addition to the optical alignment, there are a few calibrations to complete: 1) flat field, 2) spectral, and 3) radiometric. The flat field gives us a measure of the pixel to pixel variations. The spectral calibration is used to determine the conversion factor between wavelength and pixel. The radiometric calibration is used to map the camera output to radiance. All these calibrations are necessary for processing our data from the solar eclipse. We will report on our methods and results for the optical alignment and calibration for AIR-Spec. AIR-Spec is supported by NSF and Smithsonian Institution through the Major Research Instrumentation program. This work is supported by the NSF-REU solar physics program at SAO, grant number AGS-1560313.

VizieR Online Data Catalog: FADO code (Gomes+, 2017)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gomes, J. M.; Papaderos, P.

2017-03-01

FADO comes from the Latin word "fatum" that means fate or destiny. It is also a well known genre of Portuguese music, and by choosing this acronym for this spectral synthesis tool we would like to pay tribute to Portugal. The main goal of FADO is to explore the star-formation and chemical enrichment history (the "Fado") of galaxies based on two hitherto unique elements in spectral fitting models: a) self-consistency between the best-fitting star formation history (SFH) and the nebular characteristics of a galaxy (e.g., hydrogen Balmer-line luminosities and equivalent widths; shape of the nebular continuum, including the Balmer and Paschen discontinuity) and b) genetic optimization and artificial intelligence algorithms. This document is part of the FADO v.1 distribution package, which contains two different ascii files, ReadMe and Read_F, and one tarball archive FADOv1.tar.gz. FADOv1.tar.gz contains the binary (executable) compiled in both OpenSuSE 13.2 64bit LINUX (FADO) and MAC OS X (FADO_MACOSX). The former is compatible with most LINUX distributions, while the latter was only tested for Yosemite 10.10.3. It contains the configuration files for running FADO: FADO.config and PLOT.config, as well as the "Simple Stellar Population" (SSP) base library with the base file list Base.BC03.L, the FADO v.1 short manual Read_F and this file (in the ReadMe directory) and, for testing purposes, three characteristic de-redshifted spectra from SDSS-DR7 in ascii format, corresponding to a star-forming (spec1.txt), composite (spec2.txt) and LINER (spec3.txt) galaxy. Auxiliary files needed for execution of FADO (.HIfboundem.ascii, .HeIIfbound.ascii, .HeIfboundem.ascii, grfont.dat and grfont.txt) are also included in the tarball. By decompressing the tarball the following six directories are created: input, output, plots, ReadMe, SSPs and tables (see below for a brief explanation). (2 data files).