Efficient two-stage dual-beam noncollinear optical parametric amplifier

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cheng, Yu-Hsiang; Gao, Frank Y.; Poulin, Peter R.; Nelson, Keith A.

2018-06-01

We have constructed a noncollinear optical parametric amplifier with two signal beams amplified in the same nonlinear crystal. This dual-beam design is more energy-efficient than operating two amplifiers in parallel. The cross-talk between two beams has been characterized and discussed. We have also added a second amplification stage to enhance the output of one of the arms, which is then frequency-doubled for ultraviolet generation. This single device provides two tunable sources for ultrafast spectroscopy in the ultraviolet and visible region.

Scientific Discovery through Advanced Computing (SciDAC-3) Partnership Project Annual Report

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

Hoffman, Forest M.; Bochev, Pavel B.; Cameron-Smith, Philip J..

The Applying Computationally Efficient Schemes for BioGeochemical Cycles ACES4BGC Project is advancing the predictive capabilities of Earth System Models (ESMs) by reducing two of the largest sources of uncertainty, aerosols and biospheric feedbacks, with a highly efficient computational approach. In particular, this project is implementing and optimizing new computationally efficient tracer advection algorithms for large numbers of tracer species; adding important biogeochemical interactions between the atmosphere, land, and ocean models; and applying uncertainty quanti cation (UQ) techniques to constrain process parameters and evaluate uncertainties in feedbacks between biogeochemical cycles and the climate system.

Global warming potential of material fractions occurring in source-separated organic household waste treated by anaerobic digestion or incineration under different framework conditions.

PubMed

Naroznova, Irina; Møller, Jacob; Scheutz, Charlotte

2016-12-01

This study compared the environmental profiles of anaerobic digestion (AD) and incineration, in relation to global warming potential (GWP), for treating individual material fractions that may occur in source-separated organic household waste (SSOHW). Different framework conditions representative for the European Union member countries were considered. For AD, biogas utilisation with a biogas engine was considered and two potential situations investigated - biogas combustion with (1) combined heat and power production (CHP) and (2) electricity production only. For incineration, four technology options currently available in Europe were covered: (1) an average incinerator with CHP production, (2) an average incinerator with mainly electricity production, (3) an average incinerator with mainly heat production and (4) a state-of-the art incinerator with CHP working at high energy recovery efficiencies. The study was performed using a life cycle assessment in its consequential approach. Furthermore, the role of waste-sorting guidelines (defined by the material fractions allowed for SSOHW) in relation to GWP of treating overall SSOHW with AD was investigated. A case-study of treating 1tonne of SSOHW under framework conditions in Denmark was conducted. Under the given assumptions, vegetable food waste was the only material fraction which was always better for AD compared to incineration. For animal food waste, kitchen tissue, vegetation waste and dirty paper, AD utilisation was better unless it was compared to a highly efficient incinerator. Material fractions such as moulded fibres and dirty cardboard were attractive for AD, albeit only when AD with CHP and incineration with mainly heat production were compared. Animal straw, in contrast, was always better to incinerate. Considering the total amounts of individual material fractions in waste generated within households in Denmark, food waste (both animal and vegetable derived) and kitchen tissue are the main material fractions allowing GWP mitigation with AD when it is compared to incineration. The inclusion of other material fractions in SSOHW sorting guidelines may be considered of less importance. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Thermoelectric power generator with intermediate loop

DOEpatents

Bell, Lon E; Crane, Douglas Todd

2013-05-21

A thermoelectric power generator is disclosed for use to generate electrical power from heat, typically waste heat. An intermediate heat transfer loop forms a part of the system to permit added control and adjustability in the system. This allows the thermoelectric power generator to more effectively and efficiently generate power in the face of dynamically varying temperatures and heat flux conditions, such as where the heat source is the exhaust of an automobile, or any other heat source with dynamic temperature and heat flux conditions.

Thermoelectric power generator with intermediate loop

DOEpatents

Bel,; Lon, E [Altadena, CA; Crane, Douglas Todd [Pasadena, CA

2009-10-27

A thermoelectric power generator is disclosed for use to generate electrical power from heat, typically waste heat. An intermediate heat transfer loop forms a part of the system to permit added control and adjustability in the system. This allows the thermoelectric power generator to more effectively and efficiently generate power in the face of dynamically varying temperatures and heat flux conditions, such as where the heat source is the exhaust of an automobile, or any other heat source with dynamic temperature and heat flux conditions.

Thin Film Solar Cells: Organic, Inorganic and Hybrid

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dankovich, John

2004-01-01

Thin film solar cells are an important developing resource for hundreds of applications including space travel. In addition to being more cost effective than traditional single crystal silicon cells, thin film multi-crystaline cells are plastic and light weight. The plasticity of the cells allows for whole solar panels to be rolled out from reams. Organic layers are being investigated in order to increase the efficiency of the cells to create an organic / inorganic hybrid cell. The main focus of the group is a thin film inorganic cell made with the absorber CuInS2. So far the group has been successful in creating the layer from a single-source precursor. They also use a unique method of film deposition called chemical vapor deposition for this. The general makeup of the cell is a molybdenum back contact with the CuInS2 layer, then CdS, ZnO and aluminum top contacts. While working cells have been produced, the efficiency so far has been low. Along with quantum dot fabrication the side project of this that is currently being studied is adding a polymer layer to increase efficiency. The polymer that we are using is P3OT (Poly(3-octylthiopene-2,5-diyll), retroregular). Before (and if) it is added to the cell, it must be understood in itself. To do this simple diodes are being constructed to begin to look at its behavior. The P3OT is spin coated onto indium tin oxide and silver or aluminum contacts are added. This method is being studied in order to find the optimal thickness of the layer as well as other important considerations that may later affect the composition of the finished solar cell. Because the sun is the most abundant renewable, energy source that we have, it is important to learn how to harness that energy and begin to move away from our other depleted non-renewable energy sources. While traditional silicon cells currently create electricity at relatively high efficiencies, they have drawbacks such as weight and rigidness that make them unattractive especially for space applications. Thin film photovoltaics have the potential to alleviate these problems and create a cheap and efficient way to harness the power of the sun.

Treatability studies with granular activated carbon (GAC) and sequencing batch reactor (SBR) system for textile wastewater containing direct dyes.

PubMed

Sirianuntapiboon, Suntud; Sansak, Jutarat

2008-11-30

The GAC-SBR efficiency was decreased with the increase of dyestuff concentration or the decrease of bio-sludge concentration. The system showed the highest removal efficiency with synthetic textile wastewater (STWW) containing 40 mg/L direct red 23 or direct blue 201 under MLSS of 3,000 mg/L and hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 7.5 days. But, the effluent NO(3)(-) was higher than that of the influent. Direct red 23 was more effective than direct blue 201 to repress the GAC-SBR system efficiency. The dyes removal efficiency of the system with STWW containing direct red 23 was reduced by 30% with the increase of direct red 23 from 40 mg/L to 160 mg/L. The system with raw textile wastewater (TWW) showed quite low BOD(5) TKN and dye removal efficiencies of only 64.7+/-4.9% and 50.2+/-6.9%, respectively. But its' efficiencies could be increased by adding carbon sources (BOD(5)). The dye removal efficiency with TWW was increased by 30% and 20% by adding glucose (TWW+glucose) or Thai rice noodle wastewater (TWW+TRNWW), respectively. SRT of the systems were 28+/-1 days and 31+/-2 days with TWW+glucose and TWW+TRNWW, respectively.

The effect of dietary bacterial organic selenium on growth performance, antioxidant capacity, and Selenoproteins gene expression in broiler chickens.

PubMed

Dalia, A M; Loh, T C; Sazili, A Q; Jahromi, M F; Samsudin, A A

2017-08-18

Selenium (Se) is an essential trace mineral in broilers, which has several important roles in biological processes. Organic forms of Se are more efficient than inorganic forms and can be produced biologically via Se microbial reduction. Hence, the possibility of using Se-enriched bacteria as feed supplement may provide an interesting source of organic Se, and benefit broiler antioxidant system and other biological processes. The objective of this study was to examine the impacts of inorganic Se and different bacterial organic Se sources on the performance, serum and tissues Se status, antioxidant capacity, and liver mRNA expression of selenoproteins in broilers. Results indicated that different Se sources did not significantly (P ≤ 0.05) affect broiler growth performance. However, bacterial organic Se of T5 (basal diet +0.3 mg /kg feed ADS18 Se), T4 (basal diet +0.3 mg /kg feed ADS2 Se), and T3 (basal diet +0.3 mg /kg feed ADS1 Se) exhibited significantly (P ≤ 0.05) highest Se concentration in serum, liver, and kidney respectively. Dietary inorganic Se and bacterial organic Se were observed to significantly affect broiler serum ALT, AST, LDH activities and serum creatinine level. ADS18 supplemented Se of (Stenotrophomonas maltophilia) bacterial strain showed the highest GSH-Px activity with the lowest MDA content in serum, and the highest GSH-Px and catalase activity in the kidney, while bacterial Se of ADS2 (Klebsiella pneumoniae) resulted in a higher level of GSH-Px1 and catalase in liver. Moreover, our study showed that in comparison with sodium selenite, only ADS18 bacterial Se showed a significantly higher mRNA level in GSH-Px1, GSH-Px4, DIO1, and TXNDR1, while both ADS18 and ADS2 showed high level of mRNA of DIO2 compared to sodium selenite. The supplementation of bacterial organic Se in broiler chicken, improved tissue Se deposition, antioxidant status, and selenoproteins gene expression, and can be considered as an effective alternative source of Se in broiler chickens.

Status of Solid State Lighting Product Development and Future Trends for General Illumination.

PubMed

Katona, Thomas M; Pattison, P Morgan; Paolini, Steve

2016-06-07

After decades of research and development on fabrication of efficient light-emitting diodes (LEDs) throughout the visible spectrum, LED-based lighting has reached unparalleled performance with respect to energy efficiency and has become the light source for virtually all new lighting products being designed today. The development of the core light sources and their subsequent integration into lighting systems continue to present unique challenges and opportunities for product designers. We review these systems and the current development status, as well as provide context for the trends in solid state lighting that are leading to the development of value-added lighting solutions that extend the domain of lighting beyond light generation, into fields as diverse as communications, healthcare, and agricultural production.

Efficient Geometric Sound Propagation Using Visibility Culling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chandak, Anish

2011-07-01

Simulating propagation of sound can improve the sense of realism in interactive applications such as video games and can lead to better designs in engineering applications such as architectural acoustics. In this thesis, we present geometric sound propagation techniques which are faster than prior methods and map well to upcoming parallel multi-core CPUs. We model specular reflections by using the image-source method and model finite-edge diffraction by using the well-known Biot-Tolstoy-Medwin (BTM) model. We accelerate the computation of specular reflections by applying novel visibility algorithms, FastV and AD-Frustum, which compute visibility from a point. We accelerate finite-edge diffraction modeling by applying a novel visibility algorithm which computes visibility from a region. Our visibility algorithms are based on frustum tracing and exploit recent advances in fast ray-hierarchy intersections, data-parallel computations, and scalable, multi-core algorithms. The AD-Frustum algorithm adapts its computation to the scene complexity and allows small errors in computing specular reflection paths for higher computational efficiency. FastV and our visibility algorithm from a region are general, object-space, conservative visibility algorithms that together significantly reduce the number of image sources compared to other techniques while preserving the same accuracy. Our geometric propagation algorithms are an order of magnitude faster than prior approaches for modeling specular reflections and two to ten times faster for modeling finite-edge diffraction. Our algorithms are interactive, scale almost linearly on multi-core CPUs, and can handle large, complex, and dynamic scenes. We also compare the accuracy of our sound propagation algorithms with other methods. Once sound propagation is performed, it is desirable to listen to the propagated sound in interactive and engineering applications. We can generate smooth, artifact-free output audio signals by applying efficient audio-processing algorithms. We also present the first efficient audio-processing algorithm for scenarios with simultaneously moving source and moving receiver (MS-MR) which incurs less than 25% overhead compared to static source and moving receiver (SS-MR) or moving source and static receiver (MS-SR) scenario.

Deep Kalman Filter: Simultaneous Multi-Sensor Integration and Modelling; A GNSS/IMU Case Study

PubMed Central

Hosseinyalamdary, Siavash

2018-01-01

Bayes filters, such as the Kalman and particle filters, have been used in sensor fusion to integrate two sources of information and obtain the best estimate of unknowns. The efficient integration of multiple sensors requires deep knowledge of their error sources. Some sensors, such as Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU), have complicated error sources. Therefore, IMU error modelling and the efficient integration of IMU and Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) observations has remained a challenge. In this paper, we developed deep Kalman filter to model and remove IMU errors and, consequently, improve the accuracy of IMU positioning. To achieve this, we added a modelling step to the prediction and update steps of the Kalman filter, so that the IMU error model is learned during integration. The results showed our deep Kalman filter outperformed the conventional Kalman filter and reached a higher level of accuracy. PMID:29695119

Deep Kalman Filter: Simultaneous Multi-Sensor Integration and Modelling; A GNSS/IMU Case Study.

PubMed

Hosseinyalamdary, Siavash

2018-04-24

Bayes filters, such as the Kalman and particle filters, have been used in sensor fusion to integrate two sources of information and obtain the best estimate of unknowns. The efficient integration of multiple sensors requires deep knowledge of their error sources. Some sensors, such as Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU), have complicated error sources. Therefore, IMU error modelling and the efficient integration of IMU and Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) observations has remained a challenge. In this paper, we developed deep Kalman filter to model and remove IMU errors and, consequently, improve the accuracy of IMU positioning. To achieve this, we added a modelling step to the prediction and update steps of the Kalman filter, so that the IMU error model is learned during integration. The results showed our deep Kalman filter outperformed the conventional Kalman filter and reached a higher level of accuracy.

Advanced Doubling Adding Method for Radiative Transfer in Planetary Atmospheres

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Quanhua; Weng, Fuzhong

2006-12-01

The doubling adding method (DA) is one of the most accurate tools for detailed multiple-scattering calculations. The principle of the method goes back to the nineteenth century in a problem dealing with reflection and transmission by glass plates. Since then the doubling adding method has been widely used as a reference tool for other radiative transfer models. The method has never been used in operational applications owing to tremendous demand on computational resources from the model. This study derives an analytical expression replacing the most complicated thermal source terms in the doubling adding method. The new development is called the advanced doubling adding (ADA) method. Thanks also to the efficiency of matrix and vector manipulations in FORTRAN 90/95, the advanced doubling adding method is about 60 times faster than the doubling adding method. The radiance (i.e., forward) computation code of ADA is easily translated into tangent linear and adjoint codes for radiance gradient calculations. The simplicity in forward and Jacobian computation codes is very useful for operational applications and for the consistency between the forward and adjoint calculations in satellite data assimilation.

Increasing fermentation efficiency at high sugar concentrations by supplementing an additional source of nitrogen during the exponential phase of the tequila fermentation process.

PubMed

Arrizon, Javier; Gschaedler, Anne

2002-11-01

In the tequila industry, fermentation is traditionally achieved at sugar concentrations ranging from 50 to 100 g x L(-1). In this work, the behaviour of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast (isolated from the juices of the Agave tequilana Weber blue variety) during the agave juice fermentation is compared at different sugar concentrations to determine if it is feasible for the industry to run fermentation at higher sugar concentrations. Fermentation efficiency is shown to be higher (above 90%) at a high concentration of initial sugar (170 g x L(-1)) when an additional source of nitrogen (a mixture of amino acids and ammonium sulphate, different than a grape must nitrogen composition) is added during the exponential growth phase.

Efficiency and biotechnological aspects of biogas production from microalgal substrates.

PubMed

Klassen, Viktor; Blifernez-Klassen, Olga; Wobbe, Lutz; Schlüter, Andreas; Kruse, Olaf; Mussgnug, Jan H

2016-09-20

Photosynthetic organisms like plants and algae can harvest, convert, and store solar energy and thus represent readily available sources for renewable biofuels production on a domestic or industrial scale. Anaerobic digestion (AD) of the organic biomass yields biogas, containing methane and carbon dioxide as major constituents. Combustion of the biogas or purification of the energy-rich methane fraction can be applied to provide electricity or fuel. AD procedures have been applied for several decades with organic waste, animal products, or higher plants and more recently, utilization of photosynthetic algae as substrates have gained considerable research interest. To provide an overview of recent research efforts made to characterize the AD process of microalgal biomass, we present extended summaries of experimentally determined biochemical methane potentials (BMP), biomass pretreatment options and digestion strategies in this article. We conclude that cultivation options, biomass composition and time of harvesting, application of biomass pretreatment strategies, and parameters of the digestion process are all important factors, which can significantly affect the AD process efficiency. The transition from batch to continuous microalgal biomass digestion trials, accompanied by state-of-the-art analytical techniques, is now in demand to refine the assessments of the overall process feasibility. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Unveiling slim accretion disc in AGN through X-ray and Infrared observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Castelló-Mor, Núria; Kaspi, Shai; Netzer, Hagai; Du, Pu; Hu, Chen; Ho, Luis C.; Bai, Jin-Ming; Bian, Wei-Hao; Yuan, Ye-Fei; Wang, Jian-Min

2017-05-01

In this work, which is a continuation of Castelló-Mor et al., we present new X-ray and infrared (IR) data for a sample of active galactic nuclei (AGN) covering a wide range in Eddington ratio over a small luminosity range. In particular, we rigorously explore the dependence of the optical-to-X-ray spectral index αOX and the IR-to-optical spectral index on the dimensionless accretion rate, \\dot{M} = \\dot{m}/η, where \\dot{m} = LAGN/LEdd and η is the mass-to-radiation conversion efficiency, in low- and high-accretion rate sources. We find that the spectral energy distribution (SED) of the faster accreting sources is surprisingly similar to those from the comparison sample of sources with lower accretion rate. In particular: (I) The optical-to-UV AGN SED of slow and fast accreting AGN can be fitted with thin accretion disc (AD) models. (II) The value of αOX is very similar in slow and fast accreting systems up to a dimensionless accretion rate \\dot{M}c ˜ 10. We only find a correlation between αOX and \\dot{M} for sources with \\dot{M} > \\dot{M}c. In such cases, the faster accreting sources appear to have systematically larger αOX values. (III) We also find that the torus in the faster accreting systems seems to be less efficient in reprocessing the primary AGN radiation having lower IR-to-optical spectral slopes. These findings, failing to recover the predicted differences between the SEDs of slim and thin ADs within the observed spectral window, suggest that additional physical processes or very special geometry act to reduce the extreme-UV radiation in fast accreting AGN. This may be related to photon trapping, strong winds and perhaps other yet unknown physical processes.

Biomass recycle as a means to improve the energy efficiency of CELSS algal culture systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Radmer, R.; Cox, J.; Lieberman, D.; Behrens, P.; Arnett, K.

1987-01-01

Algal cultures can be very rapid and efficient means to generate biomass and regenerate the atmosphere for closed environmental life support systems. However, as in the case of most higher plants, a significant fraction of the biomass produced by most algae cannot be directly converted to a useful food product by standard food technology procedures. This waste biomass will serve as an energy drain on the overall system unless it can be efficiently recycled without a significant loss of its energy content. Experiments are reported in which cultures of the alga Scenedesmus obliquus were grown in the light and at the expense of an added carbon source, which either replaced or supplemented the actinic light. As part of these experiments, hydrolyzed waste biomass from these same algae were tested to determine whether the algae themselves could be made part of the biological recycling process. Results indicate that hydrolyzed algal (and plant) biomass can serve as carbon and energy sources for the growth of these algae, suggesting that the efficiency of the closed system could be significantly improved using this recycling process.

Induced pluripotent stem cells in Alzheimer's disease: applications for disease modeling and cell-replacement therapy.

PubMed

Yang, Juan; Li, Song; He, Xi-Biao; Cheng, Cheng; Le, Weidong

2016-05-17

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common cause of dementia in those over the age of 65. While a numerous of disease-causing genes and risk factors have been identified, the exact etiological mechanisms of AD are not yet completely understood, due to the inability to test theoretical hypotheses on non-postmortem and patient-specific research systems. The use of recently developed and optimized induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) technology may provide a promising platform to create reliable models, not only for better understanding the etiopathological process of AD, but also for efficient anti-AD drugs screening. More importantly, human-sourced iPSCs may also provide a beneficial tool for cell-replacement therapy against AD. Although considerable progress has been achieved, a number of key challenges still require to be addressed in iPSCs research, including the identification of robust disease phenotypes in AD modeling and the clinical availabilities of iPSCs-based cell-replacement therapy in human. In this review, we highlight recent progresses of iPSCs research and discuss the translational challenges of AD patients-derived iPSCs in disease modeling and cell-replacement therapy.

Diffuse-Illumination Systems for Growing Plants

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

May, George; Ryan, Robert

2010-01-01

Agriculture in both terrestrial and space-controlled environments relies heavily on artificial illumination for efficient photosynthesis. Plant-growth illumination systems require high photon flux in the spectral range corresponding with plant photosynthetic active radiation (PAR) (400 700 nm), high spatial uniformity to promote uniform growth, and high energy efficiency to minimize electricity usage. The proposed plant-growth system takes advantage of the highly diffuse reflective surfaces on the interior of a sphere, hemisphere, or other nearly enclosed structure that is coated with highly reflective materials. This type of surface and structure uniformly mixes discrete light sources to produce highly uniform illumination. Multiple reflections from within the domelike structures are exploited to obtain diffuse illumination, which promotes the efficient reuse of photons that have not yet been absorbed by plants. The highly reflective surfaces encourage only the plant tissue (placed inside the sphere or enclosure) to absorb the light. Discrete light sources, such as light emitting diodes (LEDs), are typically used because of their high efficiency, wavelength selection, and electronically dimmable properties. The light sources are arranged to minimize shadowing and to improve uniformity. Different wavelengths of LEDs (typically blue, green, and red) are used for photosynthesis. Wavelengths outside the PAR range can be added for plant diagnostics or for growth regulation

Multi-Source Multi-Target Dictionary Learning for Prediction of Cognitive Decline.

PubMed

Zhang, Jie; Li, Qingyang; Caselli, Richard J; Thompson, Paul M; Ye, Jieping; Wang, Yalin

2017-06-01

Alzheimer's Disease (AD) is the most common type of dementia. Identifying correct biomarkers may determine pre-symptomatic AD subjects and enable early intervention. Recently, Multi-task sparse feature learning has been successfully applied to many computer vision and biomedical informatics researches. It aims to improve the generalization performance by exploiting the shared features among different tasks. However, most of the existing algorithms are formulated as a supervised learning scheme. Its drawback is with either insufficient feature numbers or missing label information. To address these challenges, we formulate an unsupervised framework for multi-task sparse feature learning based on a novel dictionary learning algorithm. To solve the unsupervised learning problem, we propose a two-stage Multi-Source Multi-Target Dictionary Learning (MMDL) algorithm. In stage 1, we propose a multi-source dictionary learning method to utilize the common and individual sparse features in different time slots. In stage 2, supported by a rigorous theoretical analysis, we develop a multi-task learning method to solve the missing label problem. Empirical studies on an N = 3970 longitudinal brain image data set, which involves 2 sources and 5 targets, demonstrate the improved prediction accuracy and speed efficiency of MMDL in comparison with other state-of-the-art algorithms.

Site-specific gene delivery to stented arteries using magnetically guided zinc oleate-based nanoparticles loaded with adenoviral vectors

PubMed Central

Chorny, Michael; Fishbein, Ilia; Tengood, Jillian E.; Adamo, Richard F.; Alferiev, Ivan S.; Levy, Robert J.

2013-01-01

Gene therapeutic strategies have shown promise in treating vascular disease. However, their translation into clinical use requires pharmaceutical carriers enabling effective, site-specific delivery as well as providing sustained transgene expression in blood vessels. While replication-deficient adenovirus (Ad) offers several important advantages as a vector for vascular gene therapy, its clinical applicability is limited by rapid inactivation, suboptimal transduction efficiency in vascular cells, and serious systemic adverse effects. We hypothesized that novel zinc oleate-based magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) loaded with Ad would enable effective arterial cell transduction by shifting vector processing to an alternative pathway, protect Ad from inactivation by neutralizing factors, and allow site-specific gene transfer to arteries treated with stent angioplasty using a 2-source magnetic guidance strategy. Ad-loaded MNPs effectively transduced cultured endothelial and smooth muscle cells under magnetic conditions compared to controls and retained capacity for gene transfer after exposure to neutralizing antibodies and lithium iodide, a lytic agent causing disruption of free Ad. Localized arterial gene expression significantly stronger than in control animal groups was demonstrated after magnetically guided MNP delivery in a rat stenting model 2 and 9 d post-treatment, confirming feasibility of using Ad-loaded MNPs to achieve site-specific transduction in stented blood vessels. In conclusion, Ad-loaded MNPs formed by controlled precipitation of zinc oleate represent a novel delivery system, well-suited for efficient, magnetically targeted vascular gene transfer.—Chorny, M., Fishbein, I., Tengood, J. E., Adamo, R. F., Alferiev, I. S., Levy, R. J. Site-specific gene delivery to stented arteries using magnetically guided zinc oleate-based nanoparticles loaded with adenoviral vectors. PMID:23407712

QUENCH: A software package for the determination of quenching curves in Liquid Scintillation counting.

PubMed

Cassette, Philippe

2016-03-01

In Liquid Scintillation Counting (LSC), the scintillating source is part of the measurement system and its detection efficiency varies with the scintillator used, the vial and the volume and the chemistry of the sample. The detection efficiency is generally determined using a quenching curve, describing, for a specific radionuclide, the relationship between a quenching index given by the counter and the detection efficiency. A quenched set of LS standard sources are prepared by adding a quenching agent and the quenching index and detection efficiency are determined for each source. Then a simple formula is fitted to the experimental points to define the quenching curve function. The paper describes a software package specifically devoted to the determination of quenching curves with uncertainties. The experimental measurements are described by their quenching index and detection efficiency with uncertainties on both quantities. Random Gaussian fluctuations of these experimental measurements are sampled and a polynomial or logarithmic function is fitted on each fluctuation by χ(2) minimization. This Monte Carlo procedure is repeated many times and eventually the arithmetic mean and the experimental standard deviation of each parameter are calculated, together with the covariances between these parameters. Using these parameters, the detection efficiency, corresponding to an arbitrary quenching index within the measured range, can be calculated. The associated uncertainty is calculated with the law of propagation of variances, including the covariance terms. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Gauge invariance, quantization and integration of heavy modes in a gauge Kaluza-Klein theory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Novales-Sánchez, H.

This dissertation examines topics at the intersection of environmental and energy economics. The first two chapters explore how policies can induce more efficient use of the energy sources available for generating electricity. The electricity sector is a major source of a wide variety of harmful pollutants. To mitigate the environmental impacts of electricity production, a variety of policies are being implemented to increase the quantity of generation from clean, renewable energy sources. The first chapter identifies the short-run reductions in emissions caused by generation from a particular renewable technology; wind turbines. Using the estimates of the pollution offset by the renewable production, I explore the efficiency of the incentives created by the current set of renewable energy policies. The second chapter examines the impact adding bulk electricity storage capacity will have on the full social costs of generating electricity. The third chapter explores the impact of various gasoline tax structures on both retail price volatility and state revenue volatility.

Impaired quality and efficiency of sleep impairs cognitive functioning in Addison's disease.

PubMed

Henry, Michelle; Ross, Ian Louis; Wolf, Pedro Sofio Abril; Thomas, Kevin Garth Flusk

2017-04-01

Standard replacement therapy for Addison's disease (AD) does not restore a normal circadian rhythm. Periods of sub- and supra- physiological cortisol levels experienced by patients with AD likely induce disrupted sleep. Given that healthy sleep plays an important role in memory consolidation, the novelty of the current study was to characterise, using objective measures, the relationship between sleep and memory in patients with AD, and to examine the hypothesis that poor sleep is a biological mechanism underlying memory impairment in those patients. We used a within-subjects design. Ten patients with AD and 10 matched healthy controls completed standardised neuropsychological tests assessing declarative memory (Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test) and procedural memory (Finger Tapping Task) before and after a period of actigraphy-measured sleep, and before and after a period of waking. Relative to healthy controls, patients with AD experienced disrupted sleep characterised by poorer sleep efficiency and more time spent awake. Patients also showed impaired verbal learning and memory relative to healthy controls (p=0.007). Furthermore, whereas healthy controls' declarative memory performance benefited from a period of sleep compared to waking (p=0.032), patients with AD derived no such benefit from sleep (p=0.448). Regarding the procedural memory task, analyses detected no significant between-group differences (all p's<0.065), and neither group showed significant sleep-enhanced performance. We demonstrated, using actigraphy and standardized measures of memory performance, an association between sleep disturbances and cognitive deficits in patients with AD. These results suggest that, in patients with AD, the source of memory deficits is, at least to some extent, disrupted sleep patterns that interfere with optimal consolidation of previously-learned declarative information. Hence, treating the sleep disturbances that are frequently experienced by patients with AD may improve their cognitive functioning. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Preparation of modified waterworks sludge particles as adsorbent to enhance coagulation of slightly polluted source water.

PubMed

Chen, Wei; Gao, Xiaohong; Xu, Hang; Wang, Kang; Chen, Taoyuan

2017-08-01

Without treatment, waterworks sludge is ineffective as an adsorbent. In this study, raw waterworks sludge was used as the raw material to prepare modified sludge particles through high-temperature calcination and alkali modification. The feasibility of using a combination of modified particles and polyaluminum chloride (PAC) as a coagulant for treatment of slightly polluted source water was also investigated. The composition, structure, and surface properties of the modified particles were characterized, and their capabilities for removing ammonia nitrogen and turbidity were determined. The results indicate that the optimal preparation conditions for the modified sludge particles were achieved by preparing the particles with a roasting temperature of 483.12 °C, a roasting time of 3.32 h, and a lye concentration of 3.75%. Furthermore, enhanced coagulation is strengthened with the addition of modified sludge particles, which is reflected by reduction of the required PAC dose and enhancement of the removal efficiency of ammonia nitrogen and turbidity by over 80 and 93%, respectively. Additional factors such as pH, temperature, dose, and dosing sequence were also evaluated. The optimum doses of modified particles and PAC were 40 and 15 mg/L, respectively, and adding modified particles at the same time as or prior to adding PAC improves removal efficiency.

Joint Estimation of Source Range and Depth Using a Bottom-Deployed Vertical Line Array in Deep Water

PubMed Central

Li, Hui; Yang, Kunde; Duan, Rui; Lei, Zhixiong

2017-01-01

This paper presents a joint estimation method of source range and depth using a bottom-deployed vertical line array (VLA). The method utilizes the information on the arrival angle of direct (D) path in space domain and the interference characteristic of D and surface-reflected (SR) paths in frequency domain. The former is related to a ray tracing technique to backpropagate the rays and produces an ambiguity surface of source range. The latter utilizes Lloyd’s mirror principle to obtain an ambiguity surface of source depth. The acoustic transmission duct is the well-known reliable acoustic path (RAP). The ambiguity surface of the combined estimation is a dimensionless ad hoc function. Numerical efficiency and experimental verification show that the proposed method is a good candidate for initial coarse estimation of source position. PMID:28590442

High-efficiency microchip laser with self-injection seeding.

PubMed

Wang, Sha; Wang, Yan-biao; Yang, Xian-heng; Feng, Guo-ying; Zhou, Shou-huan

2015-12-10

In this paper, we use a small bandwidth 808 nm cw Ti:sapphire laser as a pump source to pump a picosecond microchip laser. Different focal length pump focus lenses have been tested to improve laser efficiency. A maximum slope efficiency of around 20% is obtained by a 30 mm focal length lens. The pump threshold is only 13 mW. In order to reduce the timing jitter, we explored the self-injection seeding method by adding a seeding cavity to the microchip laser. A reduction factor in the timing jitter of up to a factor of 23 relative to the unseeded laser is obtained. From the experiments, we also found that higher seeding pulse energy will help to reduce the jitter more.

Hybrid bioinorganic approach to solar-to-chemical conversion.

PubMed

Nichols, Eva M; Gallagher, Joseph J; Liu, Chong; Su, Yude; Resasco, Joaquin; Yu, Yi; Sun, Yujie; Yang, Peidong; Chang, Michelle C Y; Chang, Christopher J

2015-09-15

Natural photosynthesis harnesses solar energy to convert CO2 and water to value-added chemical products for sustaining life. We present a hybrid bioinorganic approach to solar-to-chemical conversion in which sustainable electrical and/or solar input drives production of hydrogen from water splitting using biocompatible inorganic catalysts. The hydrogen is then used by living cells as a source of reducing equivalents for conversion of CO2 to the value-added chemical product methane. Using platinum or an earth-abundant substitute, α-NiS, as biocompatible hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) electrocatalysts and Methanosarcina barkeri as a biocatalyst for CO2 fixation, we demonstrate robust and efficient electrochemical CO2 to CH4 conversion at up to 86% overall Faradaic efficiency for ≥ 7 d. Introduction of indium phosphide photocathodes and titanium dioxide photoanodes affords a fully solar-driven system for methane generation from water and CO2, establishing that compatible inorganic and biological components can synergistically couple light-harvesting and catalytic functions for solar-to-chemical conversion.

Hybrid bioinorganic approach to solar-to-chemical conversion

PubMed Central

Nichols, Eva M.; Gallagher, Joseph J.; Liu, Chong; Su, Yude; Resasco, Joaquin; Yu, Yi; Sun, Yujie; Yang, Peidong; Chang, Michelle C. Y.; Chang, Christopher J.

2015-01-01

Natural photosynthesis harnesses solar energy to convert CO2 and water to value-added chemical products for sustaining life. We present a hybrid bioinorganic approach to solar-to-chemical conversion in which sustainable electrical and/or solar input drives production of hydrogen from water splitting using biocompatible inorganic catalysts. The hydrogen is then used by living cells as a source of reducing equivalents for conversion of CO2 to the value-added chemical product methane. Using platinum or an earth-abundant substitute, α-NiS, as biocompatible hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) electrocatalysts and Methanosarcina barkeri as a biocatalyst for CO2 fixation, we demonstrate robust and efficient electrochemical CO2 to CH4 conversion at up to 86% overall Faradaic efficiency for ≥7 d. Introduction of indium phosphide photocathodes and titanium dioxide photoanodes affords a fully solar-driven system for methane generation from water and CO2, establishing that compatible inorganic and biological components can synergistically couple light-harvesting and catalytic functions for solar-to-chemical conversion. PMID:26305947

Characterization of biocarbon-source recovery and microbial community shifts from waste activated sludge by conditioning with cornstover: Assessment of cellulosic compositions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wen, Kaili; Zhou, Aijuan; Zhang, Jiaguang; Liu, Zhihong; Wang, Guoying; Liu, Wenzong; Wang, Aijie; Yue, Xiuping

2017-02-01

Most studies on the production of volatile fatty acids (VFAs) from waste activated sludge (WAS) digestion have focused on operating conditions, pretreatments and characteristic adjustments. Conditioning by extra carbon sources (ECS), normally added in a solid form, has been reported to be an efficient approach. However, this has caused considerable waste of monomeric sugars in the hydrolysate. In this study, the effects of two added forms (pretreated straw (S) and hydrolyzed liquid (L)) of cornstover (CS) on WAS acidification were investigated. To obtain different cellulosic compositions of CS, low-thermal or autoclaved assisted alkaline (TA or AA) pretreatments were conducted. The results showed that AA-L test achieved the highest VFAs value (653 mg COD/g VSS), followed by AA-S (613 mg COD/g VSS). These values were 12% and 28% higher, respectively, than that obtained in the TA-L and TA-S tests. Meanwhile, higher percentages of acetic acid were observed after AA pretreatment (~62% versus ~53% in TA). The added forms of CS played an important role in structuring the innate microbial community in the WAS, as shown by high-throughput sequencing and canonical correspondence analysis. The findings obtained in this work may provide a scientific basis for the potential implementation of co-digesting WAS with ECS simultaneously obtaining energy and high value-added products.

Integration of non-Lambertian LED and reflective optical element as efficient street lamp.

PubMed

Pan, Jui-Wen; Tu, Sheng-Han; Sun, Wen-Shing; Wang, Chih-Ming; Chang, Jenq-Yang

2010-06-21

A cost effective, high throughput, and high yield method for the increase of street lamp potency was proposed in this paper. We integrated the imprinting technology and the reflective optical element to obtain a street lamp with high illumination efficiency and without glare effect. The imprinting technique can increase the light extraction efficiency and modulate the intensity distribution in the chip level. The non-Lambertian light source was achieved by using imprinting technique. The compact reflective optical element was added to efficiently suppress the emitting light intensity with small emitting angle for the uniform of illumination intensity and excluded the light with high emitting angle for the prevention of glare. Compared to the conventional street lamp, the novel design has 40% enhancement in illumination intensity, the uniform illumination and the glare effect elimination.

Characterization of adenoviral transduction profile in prostate cancer cells and normal prostate tissue.

PubMed

Ai, Jianzhong; Tai, Phillip W L; Lu, Yi; Li, Jia; Ma, Hong; Su, Qin; Wei, Qiang; Li, Hong; Gao, Guangping

2017-09-01

Prostate diseases are common in males worldwide with high morbidity. Gene therapy is an attractive therapeutic strategy for prostate diseases, however, it is currently underdeveloped. As well known, adeno virus (Ad) is the most widely used gene therapy vector. The aims of this study are to explore transduction efficiency of Ad in prostate cancer cells and normal prostate tissue, thus further providing guidance for future prostate pathophysiological studies and therapeutic development of prostate diseases. We produced Ad expressing enhanced green fluorescence protein (EGFP), and characterized the transduction efficiency of Ad in both human and mouse prostate cancer cell lines in vitro, as well as prostate tumor xenograft, and wild-type mouse prostate tissue in vivo. Ad transduction efficiency was determined by EGFP fluorescence using microscopy and flow cytometry. Cell type-specific transduction was examined by immunofluorescence staining of cell markers. Our data showed that Ad efficiently transduced human and mouse prostate cancer cells in vitro in a dose dependent manner. Following intratumoral and intraprostate injection, Ad could efficiently transduce prostate tumor xenograft and the major prostatic cell types in vivo, respectively. Our findings suggest that Ad can efficiently transduce prostate tumor cells in vitro as well as xenograft and normal prostate tissue in vivo, and further indicate that Ad could be a potentially powerful toolbox for future gene therapy of prostate diseases. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Post-anaerobic digestion thermal hydrolysis of sewage sludge and food waste: Effect on methane yields, dewaterability and solids reduction.

PubMed

Svensson, Kine; Kjørlaug, Oda; Higgins, Matthew J; Linjordet, Roar; Horn, Svein J

2018-04-01

Post-anaerobic digestion (PAD) treatment technologies have been suggested for anaerobic digestion (AD) to improve process efficiency and assure hygenization of organic waste. Because AD reduces the amount of organic waste, PAD can be applied to a much smaller volume of waste compared to pre-digestion treatment, thereby improving efficiency. In this study, dewatered digestate cakes from two different AD plants were thermally hydrolyzed and dewatered, and the liquid fraction was recirculated to a semi-continuous AD reactor. The thermal hydrolysis was more efficient in relation to methane yields and extent of dewaterability for the cake from a plant treating waste activated sludge, than the cake from a plant treating source separated food waste (SSFW). Temperatures above 165 °C yielded the best results. Post-treatment improved volumetric methane yields by 7% and the COD-reduction increased from 68% to 74% in a mesophilic (37 °C) semi-continuous system despite lowering the solid retention time (from 17 to 14 days) compared to a conventional system with pre-treatment of feed substrates at 70 °C. Results from thermogravimetric analysis showed an expected increase in maximum TS content of dewatered digestate cake from 34% up to 46% for the SSFW digestate cake, and from 17% up to 43% in the sludge digestate cake, after the PAD thermal hydrolysis process (PAD-THP). The increased dewatering alone accounts for a reduction in wet mass of cake leaving the plant of 60% in the case of sludge digestate cake. Additionaly, the increased VS-reduction will contribute to further reduce the mass of wet cake. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Analysis of Energy Efficiencies and Source Tradespace in an A2/Ad Seabase-to-Shore Operation With an Asymmetric Threat

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-12-01

i REPORT DOCUMENTATION PAGE Form Approved OMB No. 0704-0188 Public reporting burden for this collection of information is estimated to average 1...Unclassified 20. LIMITATION OF ABSTRACT UU NSN 7540-01-280-5500 Standard Form 298 (Rev. 2-89) Prescribed by ANSI Std. 239-18 ii THIS PAGE...Table 23. Form Factor Ranking Calculations ..........................................................265 Table 24. Cost Ranking Calculation

Photo-oxidation of PAHs with calcium peroxide as a source of the hydroxyl radicals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kozak, Jolanta; Włodarczyk-Makuła, Maria

2018-02-01

The efficiency of the removal of selected PAHs from the pretreated coking wastewater with usage of CaO2, Fenton reagent (FeSO4) and UV rays are presented in this article. The investigations were carried out using coking wastewater originating from biological, industrial wastewater treatment plant. At the beginning of the experiment, the calcium peroxide (CaO2) powder as a source of hydroxyl radicals (OH•) and Fenton reagent were added to the samples of wastewater. Then, the samples were exposed to UV rays for 360 s. The process was carried out at pH 3.5-3.8. After photo-oxidation process a decrease in the PAHs concentration was observed. The removal efficiency of selected hydrocarbons was in the ranged of 89-98%. The effectiveness of PAHs degradation was directly proportional to the calcium peroxide dose.

Mastication and oral health-related quality of life in removable denture wearers with Alzheimer disease.

PubMed

Campos, Camila H; Ribeiro, Giselle R; Rodrigues Garcia, Renata C M

2018-05-01

Alzheimer disease (AD) can affect masticatory function, affecting oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL). Whether oral rehabilitation with conventional removable prostheses can restore masticatory function and improve OHRQoL in these individuals is unknown. The purpose of this clinical study was to evaluate the influence of oral rehabilitation with removable prostheses on masticatory efficiency and OHRQoL in elders with and without AD. Thirty-two elders with mild AD (n=16, mean age=76.7 ±6.3 years) or without AD (n=16, mean age=75.2 ±4.4 years) were recruited. All participants first underwent masticatory efficiency and OHRQoL evaluations, and 2 months after insertion of new removable prostheses, the variables were reassessed. Masticatory efficiency was determined using the sieving method, and OHRQoL was measured by applying the Geriatric Oral Health Assessment Index (GOHAI). The data from the baseline and after insertion of the new removable prostheses were compared by paired t test. Group differences at each time point were assessed by t test (α=.05). After insertion of the new removable prostheses, masticatory efficiency and OHRQoL improved in both the elders with AD and the control. At baseline, elders with AD had lower masticatory efficiency and higher OHRQoL than controls (P<.05). After removable prosthesis insertion, elders with AD continued to show lower masticatory efficiency values than controls, but their OHRQoL was similar. Oral rehabilitation with new removable prostheses improved the masticatory efficiency and OHRQoL of elders with and without AD, although masticatory efficiency did not reach control levels in elders with AD. Copyright © 2017 Editorial Council for the Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Heavy metal removal from synthetic wastewaters in an anaerobic bioreactor using stillage from ethanol distilleries as a carbon source.

PubMed

Gonçalves, M M M; da Costa, A C A; Leite, S G F; Sant'Anna, G L

2007-11-01

This work was conducted to investigate the possibility of using stillage from ethanol distilleries as substrate for sulfate reducing bacteria (SRB) growth and to evaluate the removal efficiency of heavy metals present in wastewaters containing sulfates. The experiments were carried out in a continuous bench-scale Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket reactor (13 l) operated with a hydraulic retention time of 18 h. The bioreactor was inoculated with 7 l of anaerobic sludge. Afterwards, an enrichment procedure to increase SRB numbers was started. After this, cadmium and zinc were added to the synthetic wastewater, and their removal as metal sulfide was evaluated. The synthetic wastewater used represented the drainage from a dam of a metallurgical industry to which a carbon source (stillage) was added. The results showed that high percentages of removal (>99%) of Cd and Zn were attained in the bioreactor, and that the removal as sulfide precipitates was not the only form of metal removal occurring in the bioreactor environment.

Quality of service routing in wireless ad hoc networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sane, Sachin J.; Patcha, Animesh; Mishra, Amitabh

2003-08-01

An efficient routing protocol is essential to guarantee application level quality of service running on wireless ad hoc networks. In this paper we propose a novel routing algorithm that computes a path between a source and a destination by considering several important constraints such as path-life, availability of sufficient energy as well as buffer space in each of the nodes on the path between the source and destination. The algorithm chooses the best path from among the multiples paths that it computes between two endpoints. We consider the use of control packets that run at a priority higher than the data packets in determining the multiple paths. The paper also examines the impact of different schedulers such as weighted fair queuing, and weighted random early detection among others in preserving the QoS level guarantees. Our extensive simulation results indicate that the algorithm improves the overall lifetime of a network, reduces the number of dropped packets, and decreases the end-to-end delay for real-time voice application.

Recruitment techniques for alcohol pharmacotherapy clinical trials: A cost-benefit analysis.

PubMed

Tompkins, D Andrew; Sides, Jessica A; Harrison, Joseph A; Strain, Eric C

2015-12-01

Alcohol use disorders (AUDs) represent a large public health burden with relatively few efficacious pharmacotherapies. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) for new AUD therapies can be hampered by ineffective recruitment, leading to increased trial costs. The current analyses examined the effectiveness of recruitment efforts during two consecutive outpatient RCTs of novel AUD pharmacotherapies conducted between 2009 and 2012. During an initial phone screen, participants identified an ad source for learning about the study. Qualified persons were then scheduled for in-person screens. The present analyses examined demographic differences amongst the eight ad sources utilized. Recruitment effectiveness was determined by dividing the number of persons meeting criteria for an in-person screen by the total number of callers from each ad source. Cost-effectiveness was determined by dividing total ad source cost by number of screens, participants randomized, and completers. 1,813 calls resulted in 1,005 completed phone screens. The most common ad source was TV (34%), followed by print (29%), word-of-mouth (11%), flyer (8%), internet (5%), radio (5%), bus ad (2%), and billboard (1%). Participants reporting bus ads (46%), billboard (44%), or print ads (34%) were significantly more likely than the other sources to meet criteria to be scheduled for in-person screens. The most cost-effective ad source was print ($2,506 per completer), while bus ad was the least cost-effective ($13,376 per completer). Recruitment in AUD RCTs can be successful using diverse advertising methods. The present analyses favored use of print ads as most cost-effective.

Some more earthquakes from medieval Kashmir

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ahmad, Bashir; Shafi, Muzamil

2014-07-01

Kashmir has the peculiarity of having written history of almost 5,000 years. However, the description of earthquakes in the archival contents is patchy prior to 1500 a.d. Moreover, recent search shows that there exist certain time gaps in the catalogs presently in use especially at medieval level (1128-1586 a.d.). The presence of different ruling elites in association with socioeconomic and political conditions has in many ways confused the historical context of the medieval sources. However, by a meticulous review of the Sanskrit sources (between the twelfth and sixteenth century), it has been possible to identify unspecified but fair number (eight seismic events) of earthquakes that do not exist in published catalogs of Kashmir or whose dates are very difficult to establish. Moreover, historical sources reveal that except for events which occurred during Sultan Skinder's rule (1389-1413) and during the reign of King Zain-ul-Abidin (1420-1470), all the rediscovered seismic events went into oblivion, due mainly to the fact that the sources available dedicated their interests to the military events, which often tended to overshadow/superimpose over and even concealed natural events like earthquakes, resulting in fragmentary accounts and rendering them of little value for macroseismic intensity evaluation necessary for more efficient seismic hazard assessment.

Multi-Source Multi-Target Dictionary Learning for Prediction of Cognitive Decline

PubMed Central

Zhang, Jie; Li, Qingyang; Caselli, Richard J.; Thompson, Paul M.; Ye, Jieping; Wang, Yalin

2017-01-01

Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is the most common type of dementia. Identifying correct biomarkers may determine pre-symptomatic AD subjects and enable early intervention. Recently, Multi-task sparse feature learning has been successfully applied to many computer vision and biomedical informatics researches. It aims to improve the generalization performance by exploiting the shared features among different tasks. However, most of the existing algorithms are formulated as a supervised learning scheme. Its drawback is with either insufficient feature numbers or missing label information. To address these challenges, we formulate an unsupervised framework for multi-task sparse feature learning based on a novel dictionary learning algorithm. To solve the unsupervised learning problem, we propose a two-stage Multi-Source Multi-Target Dictionary Learning (MMDL) algorithm. In stage 1, we propose a multi-source dictionary learning method to utilize the common and individual sparse features in different time slots. In stage 2, supported by a rigorous theoretical analysis, we develop a multi-task learning method to solve the missing label problem. Empirical studies on an N = 3970 longitudinal brain image data set, which involves 2 sources and 5 targets, demonstrate the improved prediction accuracy and speed efficiency of MMDL in comparison with other state-of-the-art algorithms. PMID:28943731

The Chandra Source Catalog 2.0: Calibrations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Graessle, Dale E.; Evans, Ian N.; Rots, Arnold H.; Allen, Christopher E.; Anderson, Craig S.; Budynkiewicz, Jamie A.; Burke, Douglas; Chen, Judy C.; Civano, Francesca Maria; D'Abrusco, Raffaele; Doe, Stephen M.; Evans, Janet D.; Fabbiano, Giuseppina; Gibbs, Danny G., II; Glotfelty, Kenny J.; Grier, John D.; Hain, Roger; Hall, Diane M.; Harbo, Peter N.; Houck, John C.; Lauer, Jennifer L.; Laurino, Omar; Lee, Nicholas P.; Martínez-Galarza, Juan Rafael; McCollough, Michael L.; McDowell, Jonathan C.; Miller, Joseph; McLaughlin, Warren; Morgan, Douglas L.; Mossman, Amy E.; Nguyen, Dan T.; Nichols, Joy S.; Nowak, Michael A.; Paxson, Charles; Plummer, David A.; Primini, Francis Anthony; Siemiginowska, Aneta; Sundheim, Beth A.; Tibbetts, Michael; Van Stone, David W.; Zografou, Panagoula

2018-01-01

Among the many enhancements implemented for the release of Chandra Source Catalog (CSC) 2.0 are improvements in the processing calibration database (CalDB). We have included a thorough overhaul of the CalDB software used in the processing. The software system upgrade, called "CalDB version 4," allows for a more rational and consistent specification of flight configurations and calibration boundary conditions. Numerous improvements in the specific calibrations applied have also been added. Chandra's radiometric and detector response calibrations vary considerably with time, detector operating temperature, and position on the detector. The CalDB has been enhanced to provide the best calibrations possible to each observation over the fifteen-year period included in CSC 2.0. Calibration updates include an improved ACIS contamination model, as well as updated time-varying gain (i.e., photon energy) and quantum efficiency maps for ACIS and HRC-I. Additionally, improved corrections for the ACIS quantum efficiency losses due to CCD charge transfer inefficiency (CTI) have been added for each of the ten ACIS detectors. These CTI corrections are now time and temperature-dependent, allowing ACIS to maintain a 0.3% energy calibration accuracy over the 0.5-7.0 keV range for any ACIS source in the catalog. Radiometric calibration (effective area) accuracy is estimated at ~4% over that range. We include a few examples where improvements in the Chandra CalDB allow for improved data reduction and modeling for the new CSC.This work has been supported by NASA under contract NAS 8-03060 to the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory for operation of the Chandra X-ray Center.

Beyond land application: Emerging technologies for the treatment and reuse of anaerobically digested agricultural and food waste.

PubMed

Sheets, Johnathon P; Yang, Liangcheng; Ge, Xumeng; Wang, Zhiwu; Li, Yebo

2015-10-01

Effective treatment and reuse of the massive quantities of agricultural and food wastes generated daily has the potential to improve the sustainability of food production systems. Anaerobic digestion (AD) is used throughout the world as a waste treatment process to convert organic waste into two main products: biogas and nutrient-rich digestate, called AD effluent. Biogas can be used as a source of renewable energy or transportation fuels, while AD effluent is traditionally applied to land as a soil amendment. However, there are economic and environmental concerns that limit widespread land application, which may lead to underutilization of AD for the treatment of agricultural and food wastes. To combat these constraints, existing and novel methods have emerged to treat or reuse AD effluent. The objective of this review is to analyze several emerging methods used for efficient treatment and reuse of AD effluent. Overall, the application of emerging technologies is limited by AD effluent composition, especially the total solid content. Some technologies, such as composting, use the solid fraction of AD effluent, while most other technologies, such as algae culture and struvite crystallization, use the liquid fraction. Therefore, dewatering of AD effluent, reuse of the liquid and solid fractions, and land application could all be combined to sustainably manage the large quantities of AD effluent produced. Issues such as pathogen regrowth and prevalence of emerging organic micro-pollutants are also discussed. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Characterization of new recombinant 3-ketosteroid-Δ1-dehydrogenases for the biotransformation of steroids.

PubMed

Wang, Xiaojun; Feng, Jinhui; Zhang, Dalong; Wu, Qiaqing; Zhu, Dunming; Ma, Yanhe

2017-08-01

3-Ketosteroid-Δ 1 -dehydrogenases (KstDs [EC 1.3.99.4]) catalyze the Δ 1 -dehydrogenation of steroids and are a class of important enzymes for steroid biotransformations. In this study, we cloned 12 putative KstD-encoding (kstd) genes from both fungal and Gram-positive microorganisms and attempted to overproduce the recombinant proteins in E. coli BL21(DE3). Five successful recombinant enzymes catalyzed the Δ 1 -desaturation of a variety of steroidal compounds such as 4-androstene-3,17-dione (AD), 9α-hydroxy-4-androstene-3,17-dione (9-OH-AD), hydrocortisone, cortisone, and cortexolone. However, the substrate specificity and catalytic efficiency of the enzymes differ depending on their sources. The purified KstD from Mycobacterium smegmatis mc 2 155 (MsKstD1) displayed high catalytic efficiency toward hydrocortisone, progesterone, and 9-OH-AD, where it had the highest affinity (K m 36.9 ± 4.6 μM) toward 9-OH-AD. On the other hand, the KstD from Rhodococcus erythropolis WY 1406 (ReKstD) exhibited high catalytic efficiency toward androst-4,9(11)-diene-3,17-dione (Diene), 21-acetoxy-pregna-4,9(11),16-triene-3,20-dione (Triene), and cortexolone, where in all three cases the K m values (12.3 to 17.8 μM) were 2.5-4-fold lower than that toward hydrocortisone (46.3 μM). For both enzymes, AD was a good substrate although ReKstD had a 3-fold higher affinity than MsKstD1. Reaction conditions were optimized for the biotransformation of AD or hydrocortisone in terms of pH, temperature, and effects of hydrogen peroxide, solvent, and electron acceptor. For the biotransformation of hydrocortisone with 20 g/L wet resting E. coli cells harboring MsKstD1 enzyme, the yield of prednisolone was about 90% within 3 h at the substrate concentration of 6 g/L, demonstrating the application potential of the newly cloned KstDs.

Effect of the addition of nitrogen sources to cassava fiber and carbon-to-nitrogen ratios on Agaricus brasiliensis growth.

PubMed

Mantovani, T R D; Linde, G A; Colauto, N B

2007-01-01

The same substratum formulation to grow Agaricus bisporus has been used to grow Agaricus brasiliensis since its culture started in Brazil. Despite being different species, many of the same rules have been used for composting or axenic cultivation when it comes to nitrogen content and source in the substrate. The aim of this study was to verify the mycelial growth of A. brasiliensis in different ammonium sulfate and (or) urea concentrations added to cassava fiber and different carbon-to-nitrogen (C:N) ratios to increase the efficiency of axenic cultivation. Two nitrogen sources (urea and (or) ammonium sulfate) added to cassava fiber were tested for the in vitro mycelial growth in different C:N ratios (ranging from 2.5:l to 50:l) in the dark at 28 degrees C. The radial mycelial growth was measured after 8 days of growth and recorded photographically at the end of the experiment. Nitrogen from urea enhanced fungal growth better than ammonium sulfate or any mixture of nitrogen. The best C:N ratios for fungal growth were from 10:l to 50:l; C:N ratios below 10:l inhibited fungal growth.

[Food value of spiruline algae for growth of the broiler-type chicken].

PubMed

Blum, J C; Calet, C

1975-01-01

Five trials were carried out during the growth (0-8 weeks) of the broiler type chicken. The weight increase was always depressed when spiruline algae replaced traditional protein sources (soybean meal, fish meal, ...) in a complete and well balanced diet (trials 1 and 2). The delay in growth was small and non significant for 5 p. 100 or less of spirulines in the diet. However, for the highest levels of spirulines the delay in growth was more pronounced, especially during the starting period (0-4 weeks): live weight gain was reduced from 16 and 26 per cent for the spirulines levels of 20 and 30 p. 100. Different methods (live weight gain, balance technique, body analysis) were used for the determination of the protein and energy efficiencies. Spirulines were fed at different levels, either added to a protein free diet (trial 3), or included with other protein sources in complete diets (trial 4). Both protein and energy efficiencies were reduced when the spiruline level increased. Thus, the protein efficiency of the spirulines was found to be similar to that of the other traditional protein sources (soybean, fish,...) for a level lower than 10 p. 100. In contrast, it was reduced (--20 p. 100) when more than 20 p. 100 of algae were included in the diet. The average metabolizable energy was 2,487 kcal per kilogram when 20 and 30 p. 100 of algae were added in the protein free diet. In the complete diets, this value was found to be smaller or greater according to the level of spirulines, 30 p. 100 reduced and 5 p. 100 increased the energy value. The poor digestibility of some glucidic fraction in the algae seems responsible for the low energy value and for the reduced growth performance. The addition of a glycolytic enzyme to the diet failed to improve the performance (trial 5).

Recruitment techniques for alcohol pharmacotherapy clinical trials: A cost-benefit analysis

PubMed Central

Tompkins, D. Andrew; Sides, Jessica A.; Harrison, Joseph A.; Strain, Eric C.

2014-01-01

Objectives Alcohol use disorders (AUDs) represent a large public health burden with relatively few efficacious pharmacotherapies. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) for new AUD therapies can be hampered by ineffective recruitment, leading to increased trial costs. The current analyses examined the effectiveness of recruitment efforts during two consecutive outpatient RCTs of novel AUD pharmacotherapies conducted between 2009 and 2012. Methods During an initial phone screen, participants identified an ad source for learning about the study. Qualified persons were then scheduled for in-person screens. The present analyses examined demographic differences amongst the eight ad sources utilized. Recruitment effectiveness was determined by dividing the number of persons meeting criteria for an in-person screen by the total number of callers from each ad source. Cost-effectiveness was determined by dividing total ad source cost by number of screens, participants randomized, and completers. Results 1,813 calls resulted in 1,005 completed phone screens. The most common ad source was TV (34%), followed by print (29%), word-of-mouth (11%), flyer (8%), internet (5%), radio (5%), bus ad (2%), and billboard (1%). Participants reporting bus ads (46%), billboard (44%), or print ads (34%) were significantly more likely than the other sources to meet criteria to be scheduled for in-person screens. The most cost-effective ad source was print ($2,506 per completer), while bus ad was the least cost-effective ($13,376 per completer). Conclusions Recruitment in AUD RCTs can be successful using diverse advertising methods. The present analyses favored use of print ads as most cost-effective. PMID:26752979

Source Memory for Self and Other in Patients With Mild Cognitive Impairment due to Alzheimer’s Disease

PubMed Central

Deason, Rebecca G.; Budson, Andrew E.; Gutchess, Angela H.

2016-01-01

Objectives. The present study examined the role of enactment in source memory in a cognitively impaired population. As seen in healthy older adults, it was predicted that source memory in people with mild cognitive impairment due to Alzheimer’s disease (MCI-AD) would benefit from the self-reference aspect of enactment. Method. Seventeen participants with MCI-AD and 18 controls worked in small groups to pack a picnic basket and suitcase and were later tested for their source memory for each item. Results. For item memory, self-referencing improved corrected recognition scores for both MCI-AD and control participants. The MCI-AD group did not demonstrate the same benefit as controls in correct source memory for self-related items. However, those with MCI-AD were relatively less likely to misattribute new items to the self and more likely to misattribute new items to others when committing errors, compared with controls. Discussion. The enactment effect and self-referencing did not enhance accurate source memory more than other referencing for patients with MCI-AD. However, people with MCI-AD benefited in item memory and source memory, being less likely to falsely claim new items as their own, indicating some self-reference benefit occurs for people with MCI-AD. PMID:24904049

Source Memory for Self and Other in Patients With Mild Cognitive Impairment due to Alzheimer's Disease.

PubMed

Rosa, Nicole M; Deason, Rebecca G; Budson, Andrew E; Gutchess, Angela H

2016-01-01

The present study examined the role of enactment in source memory in a cognitively impaired population. As seen in healthy older adults, it was predicted that source memory in people with mild cognitive impairment due to Alzheimer's disease (MCI-AD) would benefit from the self-reference aspect of enactment. Seventeen participants with MCI-AD and 18 controls worked in small groups to pack a picnic basket and suitcase and were later tested for their source memory for each item. For item memory, self-referencing improved corrected recognition scores for both MCI-AD and control participants. The MCI-AD group did not demonstrate the same benefit as controls in correct source memory for self-related items. However, those with MCI-AD were relatively less likely to misattribute new items to the self and more likely to misattribute new items to others when committing errors, compared with controls. The enactment effect and self-referencing did not enhance accurate source memory more than other referencing for patients with MCI-AD. However, people with MCI-AD benefited in item memory and source memory, being less likely to falsely claim new items as their own, indicating some self-reference benefit occurs for people with MCI-AD. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Gerontological Society of America 2014.

Associations between added sugar (solid vs. liquid) intakes, diet quality, and adiposity indicators in Canadian children.

PubMed

Wang, JiaWei; Shang, Lei; Light, Kelly; O'Loughlin, Jennifer; Paradis, Gilles; Gray-Donald, Katherine

2015-08-01

Little is known about the influence of different forms of added sugar intake on diet quality or their association with obesity among youth. Dietary intake was assessed by three 24-h recalls in 613 Canadian children (aged 8-10 years). Added sugars (mean of 3-day intakes) were categorized according to source (solid or liquid). Dietary intake and the Canadian Healthy Eating Index (« HEI-C ») were compared across tertiles of solid and liquid added sugars separately as were adiposity indicators (body mass index (BMI), fat mass (dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry), and waist circumference). Cross-sectional associations were examined in linear regression models adjusting for age, sex, energy intake, and physical activity (7-day accelerometer). Added sugar contributed 12% of total energy intake (204 kcal) on average, of which 78% was from solid sources. Higher consumption of added sugars from either solid or liquid source was associated with higher total energy, lower intake of micronutrients, vegetables and fruit, and lower HEI-C score. Additionally liquid sources were associated with lower intake of dairy products. A 10-g higher consumption of added sugars from liquid sources was associated with 0.4 serving/day lower of vegetables and fruit, 0.4-kg/m(2) higher BMI, a 0.5-kg higher fat mass, and a 0.9-cm higher waist circumference whereas the associations of added sugars from solid sources and adiposity indicators tended to be negative. In conclusion, higher consumption of added sugar from either solid or liquid sources was associated with lower overall diet quality. Adiposity indicators were only positively associated with added sugars from liquid sources.

Human adenovirus serotypes 4p and 11p are efficiently expressed in cell lines of neural tumour origin.

PubMed

Skog, Johan; Mei, Ya-Fang; Wadell, Göran

2002-06-01

Most currently used adenovirus vectors are based upon adenovirus serotypes 2 and 5 (Ad2 and Ad5), which have limited efficiencies for gene transfer to human neural cells. Both serotypes bind to the known adenovirus receptor, CAR (coxsackievirus and adenovirus receptor), and have restricted cell tropism. The purpose of this study was to find vector candidates that are superior to Ad5 in infecting human neural tumours. Using flow cytometry, the vector candidates Ad4p, Ad11p and Ad17p were compared to the commonly used adenovirus vector Ad5v for their binding capacity to neural cell lines derived from glioblastoma, medulloblastoma and neuroblastoma cell lines. The production of viral structural proteins and the CAR-binding properties of the different serotypes were also assessed in these cells. Computer-based models of the fibre knobs of Ad4p and Ad17 were created based upon the crystallized fibre knob structure of adenoviruses and analysed for putative receptor-interacting regions that differed from the fibre knob of Ad5. The non CAR-binding vector candidate Ad11p showed clearly the best binding capacity to all of the neural cell lines, binding more than 90% of cells of all of the neural cell lines tested, in contrast to 20% or less for the commonly used vector Ad5v. Ad4p and Ad11p were also internalized and produced viral proteins more successfully than Ad5. Ad4p showed a low binding ability but a very efficient capacity for infection in cell culture. Ad17p virions neither bound or efficiently infected any of the neural cell lines studied.

Method of treating waste water

DOEpatents

Deininger, J. Paul; Chatfield, Linda K.

1991-01-01

A process of treating water to remove transuranic elements contained therein by adjusting the pH of a transuranic element-containing water source to within the range of about 6.5 to about 14.0, admixing the water source with an alkali or alkaline earth ferrate in an amount sufficient to form a precipitate within the water source, the amount of ferrate effective to reduce the transuranic element concentration in the water source, permitting the precipitate in the admixture to separate and thereby yield a supernatant liquid having a reduced transuranic element concentration, and separating the supernatant liquid having the reduced transuranic element concentration from the admixture is provided. Additionally, a water soluble salt, e.g., a zirconium salt, can be added with the alkali or alkaline earth ferrate in the process to provide greater removal efficiencies. A composition of matter including an alkali or alkaline earth ferrate and a water soluble salt, e.g., a zirconium salt, is also provided.

FreeSASA: An open source C library for solvent accessible surface area calculations.

PubMed

Mitternacht, Simon

2016-01-01

Calculating solvent accessible surface areas (SASA) is a run-of-the-mill calculation in structural biology. Although there are many programs available for this calculation, there are no free-standing, open-source tools designed for easy tool-chain integration. FreeSASA is an open source C library for SASA calculations that provides both command-line and Python interfaces in addition to its C API. The library implements both Lee and Richards' and Shrake and Rupley's approximations, and is highly configurable to allow the user to control molecular parameters, accuracy and output granularity. It only depends on standard C libraries and should therefore be easy to compile and install on any platform. The library is well-documented, stable and efficient. The command-line interface can easily replace closed source legacy programs, with comparable or better accuracy and speed, and with some added functionality.

Solid-State Laser Source of Tunable Narrow-Bandwidth Ultraviolet Radiation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Goldberg, Lew; Kliner, Dahv A.; Koplow, Jeffrey P.

1998-01-01

A solid-state laser source of tunable and narrow-bandwidth UV light is disclosed. The system relies on light from a diode laser that preferably generates light at infrared frequencies. The light from the seed diode laser is pulse amplified in a light amplifier, and converted into the ultraviolet by frequency tripling, quadrupling, or quintupling the infrared light. The narrow bandwidth, or relatively pure light, of the seed laser is preserved, and the pulse amplifier generates high peak light powers to increase the efficiency of the nonlinear crystals in the frequency conversion stage. Higher output powers may be obtained by adding a fiber amplifier to power amplify the pulsed laser light prior to conversion.

Thermochemical characterization of pigeon pea stalk for its efficient utilization as an energy source

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

Katyal, S.K.; Iyer, P.V.R.

2000-05-01

Pigeon pea stalk is a widely available biomass species in India. In this article the potential use of pigeon pea stalk as a fuel source through thermochemical conversion methods such as combustion, gasification, and pyrolysis has been investigated through experimentation using a thermogravimetric analyzer and pilot-plant-scale equipment. It has been proposed that pigeon pea stalks can be effectively utilized in two ways. The first is to pyrolyze the material to produce value-added products such as char, tar, and fuel gas. The second alternative is to partially pyrolyze the material to remove tar-forming volatiles, followed by gasification of reactive char tomore » generate producer gas.« less

An EPIC Tale of the Quiescent Particle Background

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Snowden, S.L.; Kuntz, K.D.

2017-01-01

Extended Source Analysis Software Use Based Empirical Investigation: (1) Builds quiescent particle background (QPB) spectra and images for observations of extended sources that fill (or mostly fill) the FOV i.e., annular background subtraction won't work. (2) Uses a combination of Filter Wheel Closed (FWC) and corner data to capture the spectral, spatial, and temporal variation of the quiescent particle background. New Work: (1) Improved understanding of the QPB (aided by adding a whole lot of data since 2008). (2) Significantly improved statistics (did I mention a LOT more data?). (3) Better characterization and identification of anomalous states. (4) Builds backgrounds for some anomalous state. (5) New efficient method for non-anomalous states.

Efficiency of fat deposition from non-starch polysaccharides, starch and unsaturated fat in pigs.

PubMed

Halas, Veronika; Babinszky, László; Dijkstra, Jan; Verstegen, Martin W A; Gerrits, Walter J J

2010-01-01

The aim was to evaluate under protein-limiting conditions the effect of different supplemental energy sources: fermentable NSP (fNSP), digestible starch (dStarch) and digestible unsaturated fat (dUFA), on marginal efficiency of fat deposition and distribution. A further aim was to determine whether the extra fat deposition from different energy sources, and its distribution in the body, depends on feeding level. A total of fifty-eight individually housed pigs (48 (SD 4) kg) were used in a 3 x 2 factorial design study, with three energy sources (0.2 MJ digestible energy (DE)/kg(0.75) per d of fNSP, dStarch and dUFA added to a control diet) at two feeding levels. Ten pigs were slaughtered at 48 (SD 4) kg body weight and treatment pigs at 106 (SD 3) kg body weight. Bodies were dissected and the chemical composition of each body fraction was determined. The effect of energy sources on fat and protein deposition was expressed relative to the control treatments within both energy intake levels based on a total of thirty-two observations in six treatments, and these marginal differences were subsequently treated as dependent variables. Results showed that preferential deposition of the supplemental energy intake in various fat depots did not depend on the energy source, and the extra fat deposition was similar at each feeding level. The marginal energetic transformation (energy retention; ER) of fNSP, dStarch and dUFA for fat retention (ERfat:DE) was 44, 52 and 49 % (P>0.05), respectively. Feeding level affected fat distribution, but source of energy did not change the relative partitioning of fat deposition. The present results do not support values of energetic efficiencies currently used in net energy-based systems.

Design and Development of Wireless Power Transmission for Unmanned Air Vehicles

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-09-01

ELECTRONIC WARFARE SYSTEMS ENGINEERING and MASTER OF SCIENCE IN ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING from the NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL September 2012...Agilent Advanced Design System (ADS). Tuning elements were added and adjusted in order to optimize the efficiency. A maximum efficiency of 57% was...investigated by a series of simulations using Agilent Advanced Design System (ADS). Tuning elements were added and adjusted

A hybrid computational approach for efficient Alzheimer's disease classification based on heterogeneous data.

PubMed

Ding, Xuemei; Bucholc, Magda; Wang, Haiying; Glass, David H; Wang, Hui; Clarke, Dave H; Bjourson, Anthony John; Dowey, Le Roy C; O'Kane, Maurice; Prasad, Girijesh; Maguire, Liam; Wong-Lin, KongFatt

2018-06-27

There is currently a lack of an efficient, objective and systemic approach towards the classification of Alzheimer's disease (AD), due to its complex etiology and pathogenesis. As AD is inherently dynamic, it is also not clear how the relationships among AD indicators vary over time. To address these issues, we propose a hybrid computational approach for AD classification and evaluate it on the heterogeneous longitudinal AIBL dataset. Specifically, using clinical dementia rating as an index of AD severity, the most important indicators (mini-mental state examination, logical memory recall, grey matter and cerebrospinal volumes from MRI and active voxels from PiB-PET brain scans, ApoE, and age) can be automatically identified from parallel data mining algorithms. In this work, Bayesian network modelling across different time points is used to identify and visualize time-varying relationships among the significant features, and importantly, in an efficient way using only coarse-grained data. Crucially, our approach suggests key data features and their appropriate combinations that are relevant for AD severity classification with high accuracy. Overall, our study provides insights into AD developments and demonstrates the potential of our approach in supporting efficient AD diagnosis.

Mayday - integrative analytics for expression data

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background DNA Microarrays have become the standard method for large scale analyses of gene expression and epigenomics. The increasing complexity and inherent noisiness of the generated data makes visual data exploration ever more important. Fast deployment of new methods as well as a combination of predefined, easy to apply methods with programmer's access to the data are important requirements for any analysis framework. Mayday is an open source platform with emphasis on visual data exploration and analysis. Many built-in methods for clustering, machine learning and classification are provided for dissecting complex datasets. Plugins can easily be written to extend Mayday's functionality in a large number of ways. As Java program, Mayday is platform-independent and can be used as Java WebStart application without any installation. Mayday can import data from several file formats, database connectivity is included for efficient data organization. Numerous interactive visualization tools, including box plots, profile plots, principal component plots and a heatmap are available, can be enhanced with metadata and exported as publication quality vector files. Results We have rewritten large parts of Mayday's core to make it more efficient and ready for future developments. Among the large number of new plugins are an automated processing framework, dynamic filtering, new and efficient clustering methods, a machine learning module and database connectivity. Extensive manual data analysis can be done using an inbuilt R terminal and an integrated SQL querying interface. Our visualization framework has become more powerful, new plot types have been added and existing plots improved. Conclusions We present a major extension of Mayday, a very versatile open-source framework for efficient micro array data analysis designed for biologists and bioinformaticians. Most everyday tasks are already covered. The large number of available plugins as well as the extension possibilities using compiled plugins and ad-hoc scripting allow for the rapid adaption of Mayday also to very specialized data exploration. Mayday is available at http://microarray-analysis.org. PMID:20214778

Evaluation of two spike-and-recovery controls for assessment of extraction efficiency in microbial source tracking studies

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stoeckel, D.M.; Stelzer, E.A.; Dick, L.K.

2009-01-01

Quantitative PCR (qPCR), applied to complex environmental samples such as water, wastewater, and feces, is susceptible to methodological and sample related biases. In this study, we evaluated two exogenous DNA spike-and-recovery controls as proxies for recovery efficiency of Bacteroidales 16S rDNA gene sequences (AllBac and qHF183) that are used for microbial source tracking (MST) in river water. Two controls-(1) the plant pathogen Pantoea stewartii, carrying the chromosomal target gene cpsD, and (2) Escherichia coli, carrying the plasmid-borne target gene DsRed2-were added to raw water samples immediately prior to concentration and DNA extraction for qPCR. When applied to samples processed in replicate, recovery of each control was positively correlated with the observed concentration of each MST marker. Adjustment of MST marker concentrations according to recovery efficiency reduced variability in replicate analyses when consistent processing and extraction methodologies were applied. Although the effects of this procedure on accuracy could not be tested due to uncertainties in control DNA concentrations, the observed reduction in variability should improve the strength of statistical comparisons. These findings suggest that either of the tested spike-and-recovery controls can be useful to measure efficiency of extraction and recovery in routine laboratory processing. ?? 2009 Elsevier Ltd.

The SCUBA-2 Ambitious Sky Survey: a catalogue of beam-sized sources in the Galactic longitude range 120°-140°

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nettke, Will; Scott, Douglas; Gibb, Andy G.; Thompson, Mark; Chrysostomou, Antonio; Evans, A.; Hill, Tracey; Jenness, Tim; Joncas, Gilles; Moore, Toby; Serjeant, Stephen; Urquhart, James; Vaccari, Mattia; Weferling, Bernd; White, Glenn; Zhu, Ming

2017-06-01

The SCUBA-2 Ambitious Sky Survey (SASSy) is composed of shallow 850-μm imaging using the Submillimetre Common-User Bolometer Array 2 (SCUBA-2) on the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope. Here we describe the extraction of a catalogue of beam-sized sources from a roughly 120 deg2 region of the Galactic plane mapped uniformly (to an rms level of about 40 mJy), covering longitude 120° < l < 140° and latitude |b| < 2.9°. We used a matched-filtering approach to increase the signal-to-noise ratio (S/N) in these noisy maps and tested the efficiency of our extraction procedure through estimates of the false discovery rate, as well as by adding artificial sources to the real images. The primary catalogue contains a total of 189 sources at 850 μm, down to an S/N threshold of approximately 4.6. Additionally, we list 136 sources detected down to S/N = 4.3, but recognize that as we go lower in S/N, the reliability of the catalogue rapidly diminishes. We perform follow-up observations of some of our lower significance sources through small targeted SCUBA-2 images and list 265 sources detected in these maps down to S/N = 5. This illustrates the real power of SASSy: inspecting the shallow maps for regions of 850-μm emission and then using deeper targeted images to efficiently find fainter sources. We also perform a comparison of the SASSy sources with the Planck Catalogue of Compact Sources and the IRAS Point Source Catalogue, to determine which sources discovered in this field might be new, and hence potentially cold regions at an early stage of star formation.

ROOT.NET: Using ROOT from .NET languages like C# and F#

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Watts, G.

2012-12-01

ROOT.NET provides an interface between Microsoft's Common Language Runtime (CLR) and .NET technology and the ubiquitous particle physics analysis tool, ROOT. ROOT.NET automatically generates a series of efficient wrappers around the ROOT API. Unlike pyROOT, these wrappers are statically typed and so are highly efficient as compared to the Python wrappers. The connection to .NET means that one gains access to the full series of languages developed for the CLR including functional languages like F# (based on OCaml). Many features that make ROOT objects work well in the .NET world are added (properties, IEnumerable interface, LINQ compatibility, etc.). Dynamic languages based on the CLR can be used as well, of course (Python, for example). Additionally it is now possible to access ROOT objects that are unknown to the translation tool. This poster will describe the techniques used to effect this translation, along with performance comparisons, and examples. All described source code is posted on the open source site CodePlex.

Advanced dc motor controller for battery-powered electric vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Belsterling, C. A.

1981-01-01

A motor generation set is connected to run from the dc source and generate a voltage in the traction motor armature circuit that normally opposes the source voltage. The functional feasibility of the concept is demonstrated with tests on a Proof of Principle System. An analog computer simulation is developed, validated with the results of the tests, applied to predict the performance of a full scale Functional Model dc Controller. The results indicate high efficiencies over wide operating ranges and exceptional recovery of regenerated energy. The new machine integrates both motor and generator on a single two bearing shaft. The control strategy produces a controlled bidirectional plus or minus 48 volts dc output from the generator permitting full control of a 96 volt dc traction motor from a 48 volt battery, was designed to control a 20 hp traction motor. The controller weighs 63.5 kg (140 lb.) and has a peak efficiency of 90% in random driving modes and 96% during the SAE J 227a/D driving cycle.

Iron translocation in Pleurotus ostreatus basidiocarps: production, bioavailability, and antioxidant activity.

PubMed

Yokota, M E; Frison, P S; Marcante, R C; Jorge, L F; Valle, J S; Dragunski, D C; Colauto, N B; Linde, G A

2016-02-22

Translocation of minerals from substrate to mushrooms can change the medicinal characteristics, commercial value, and biological efficiency of mushroom. In the present study, we demonstrated that addition of iron to the substrate reduces the yield of Pleurotus ostreatus mushroom. The biological efficiency of the mushroom varied from 36.53% on the unsupplemented substrate to 2.08% for the substrate with 500 mg/kg iron added. The maximum iron concentration obtained for mushroom was 478.66 mg/kg (dry basis) and the maximum solubility in vitro was 293.70 mg/kg (dry basis). Iron translocation increased the ash and protein content, reduced antioxidant activity, and enhanced the aroma and flavor characteristics of the mushroom. However mushroom has higher amounts of iron than vegetables like collard greens, it is not feasible to use mushrooms as the only dietary source of iron. The study also indicated that because of more bioaccumulation of iron in mycelium than in the mushroom, mycelium and not mushroom, could be a better alternative as a non-animal iron source.

Malbranchea cinnamomea: A thermophilic fungal source of catalytically efficient lignocellulolytic glycosyl hydrolases and metal dependent enzymes.

PubMed

Mahajan, Chhavi; Basotra, Neha; Singh, Surender; Di Falco, Marcos; Tsang, Adrian; Chadha, B S

2016-01-01

This study reports thermophilic fungus Malbranchea cinnamomea as an important source of lignocellulolytic enzymes. The secretome analysis using LC-MS/MS orbitrap showed that fungus produced a spectrum of glycosyl hydrolases (cellulase/hemicellulase), polysaccharide lyases (PL) and carbohydrate esterases (CE) in addition to cellobiose dehydrogenase (CDH) indicating the presence of functional classical and oxidative cellulolytic mechanisms. The protein fractions in the secretome resolved by ion exchange chromatography were analyzed for ability to hydrolyze alkali treated carrot grass (ATCG) in the presence of Mn(2+)/Cu(2+). This strategy in tandem with peptide mass fingerprinting led to identification of metal dependent protein hydrolases with no apparent hydrolytic activity, however, showed 5.7 folds higher saccharification in presence of Mn(2+). Furthermore, adding different protein fractions to commercial cellulase (Novozymes: Cellic CTec2) resulted in enhanced hydrolysis of ATCG ranging between 1.57 and 3.43 folds indicating the enzymes from M. cinnamomea as catalytically efficient. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Helicon Plasma Source Optimization Studies for VASIMR

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Goulding, R. H.; Baity, F. W.; Barber, G. C.; Carter, M. D.; ChangDiaz, F. R.; Pavarin, D.; Sparks, D. O.; Squire J. P.

1999-01-01

A helicon plasma source at Oak Ridge National Laboratory is being used to investigate operating scenarios relevant to the VASIMR (VAriable Specific Impulse Magnetoplasma Rocket). These include operation at high magnetic field (> = 0.4 T), high frequency (<= 30 MHz), high power (< = 3 kW), and with light ions (He+, H+). To date, He plasmas have been produced with n(sub e0) = 1.7 x 10(exp 19)/cu m (measured with an axially movable 4mm microwave interferometer), with Pin = I kW at f = 13.56 MHz and absolute value of B(sub 0) = 0.16 T. In the near future, diagnostics including a mass flow meter and a gridded energy analyzer array will be added to investigate fueling efficiency and the source power balance. The latest results, together with modeling results using the EMIR rf code, will be presented.

Systematic literature searching in policy relevant, inter-disciplinary reviews: an example from culture and sport.

PubMed

Schucan Bird, Karen; Tripney, Janice

2011-09-01

Within the systematic review process, the searching phase is critical to the final synthesis product, its use and value. Yet, relatively little is known about the utility of different search strategies for reviews of complex, inter-disciplinary evidence. This article used a recently completed programme of work on cultural and sporting engagement to conduct an empirical evaluation of a comprehensive search strategy. Ten different types of search source were evaluated, according to three dimensions: (i) effectiveness in identifying relevant studies; (ii) efficiency in identifying studies; and (iii) adding value by locating studies that were not identified by any other sources. The study found that general bibliographic databases and specialist databases ranked the highest on all three dimensions. Overall, websites and journals were the next most valuable types of source. For reviewers, these findings highlight that general and specialist databases should remain a core component of the comprehensive search strategy, supplemented with other types of sources that can efficiently identify unique or grey literature. For policy makers and other research commissioners, this study highlights the value of methodological analysis for improving the understanding of, and practice in, policy relevant, inter-disciplinary systematic reviews. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Effect of milk thistle, Silybium marianum, extract on toxicity, development, nutrition, and enzyme activities of the small white butterfly, Pieris rapae.

PubMed

Hasheminia, Seyedeh M; Sendi, Jalal J; Jahromi, Khalil T; Moharramipour, Saeid

2013-01-01

The methanolic extract of milk thistle, Silybium marianum L. (Asterales: Asteraceae), was investigated for its effects on the mortality, growth, feeding indices, enzymatic activity, and levels of non-enzymatic molecules of the small white butterfly, Pieris rapae L. (Lepidoptera: Pieridae), a pest of cruciferous plants. Feeding indices including approximate digestibility (AD), efficiency of conversion of digested food (ECD), efficiency of conversion of ingested food (ECI), relative growth rate (RGR), and relative consumption rate (RCR) were measured. These indices were variously affected: the RGR, RCR, and AD decreased, but the ECD and ECI increased. The LC50 and LC25 values were estimated as 2.94% and 1.20%, respectively. At the lowest concentration of S. marianum extract (0.625%), the feeding deterrence index was 40.48%. The duration of the pupal stage and the rate of larval growth decreased. These changes may be due to alterations in metabolic activity, such as the increase in alkaline phosphatase activity, which is likely involved in detoxification. Additionally, the activities of alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase, which are key components of amino acid catabolism, decreased. The amount of glucose (an energy source) and uric acid (the excreted end product) increased, while total protein (another energy source) and cholesterol decreased. These results indicate that this plant possesses potential secondary metabolites that may be useful for the future study of the control of insect pests.

WEAMR — A Weighted Energy Aware Multipath Reliable Routing Mechanism for Hotline-Based WSNs

PubMed Central

Tufail, Ali; Qamar, Arslan; Khan, Adil Mehmood; Baig, Waleed Akram; Kim, Ki-Hyung

2013-01-01

Reliable source to sink communication is the most important factor for an efficient routing protocol especially in domains of military, healthcare and disaster recovery applications. We present weighted energy aware multipath reliable routing (WEAMR), a novel energy aware multipath routing protocol which utilizes hotline-assisted routing to meet such requirements for mission critical applications. The protocol reduces the number of average hops from source to destination and provides unmatched reliability as compared to well known reactive ad hoc protocols i.e., AODV and AOMDV. Our protocol makes efficient use of network paths based on weighted cost calculation and intelligently selects the best possible paths for data transmissions. The path cost calculation considers end to end number of hops, latency and minimum energy node value in the path. In case of path failure path recalculation is done efficiently with minimum latency and control packets overhead. Our evaluation shows that our proposal provides better end-to-end delivery with less routing overhead and higher packet delivery success ratio compared to AODV and AOMDV. The use of multipath also increases overall life time of WSN network using optimum energy available paths between sender and receiver in WDNs. PMID:23669714

WEAMR-a weighted energy aware multipath reliable routing mechanism for hotline-based WSNs.

PubMed

Tufail, Ali; Qamar, Arslan; Khan, Adil Mehmood; Baig, Waleed Akram; Kim, Ki-Hyung

2013-05-13

Reliable source to sink communication is the most important factor for an efficient routing protocol especially in domains of military, healthcare and disaster recovery applications. We present weighted energy aware multipath reliable routing (WEAMR), a novel energy aware multipath routing protocol which utilizes hotline-assisted routing to meet such requirements for mission critical applications. The protocol reduces the number of average hops from source to destination and provides unmatched reliability as compared to well known reactive ad hoc protocols i.e., AODV and AOMDV. Our protocol makes efficient use of network paths based on weighted cost calculation and intelligently selects the best possible paths for data transmissions. The path cost calculation considers end to end number of hops, latency and minimum energy node value in the path. In case of path failure path recalculation is done efficiently with minimum latency and control packets overhead. Our evaluation shows that our proposal provides better end-to-end delivery with less routing overhead and higher packet delivery success ratio compared to AODV and AOMDV. The use of multipath also increases overall life time of WSN network using optimum energy available paths between sender and receiver in WDNs.

One-step model of photoemission from single-crystal surfaces

DOE PAGES

Karkare, Siddharth; Wan, Weishi; Feng, Jun; ...

2017-02-28

In our paper, we present a three-dimensional one-step photoemission model that can be used to calculate the quantum efficiency and momentum distributions of electrons photoemitted from ordered single-crystal surfaces close to the photoemission threshold. Using Ag(111) as an example, we also show that the model can not only calculate the quantum efficiency from the surface state accurately without using any ad hoc parameters, but also provides a theoretical quantitative explanation of the vectorial photoelectric effect. This model in conjunction with other band structure and wave function calculation techniques can be effectively used to screen single-crystal photoemitters for use as electronmore » sources for particle accelerator and ultrafast electron diffraction applications.« less

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

None

Assessing the impact of energy efficiency technologies at a district or city scale is of great interest to local governments, real estate developers, utility companies, and policymakers. This paper describes a flexible framework that can be used to create and run district and city scale building energy simulations. The framework is built around the new OpenStudio City Database (CityDB). Building footprints, building height, building type, and other data can be imported from public records or other sources. Missing data can be inferred or assigned from a statistical sampling of other datasets. Once all required data is available, OpenStudio Measures aremore » used to create starting point energy models and to model energy efficiency measures for each building. Together this framework allows a user to pose several scenarios such as 'what if 30% of the commercial retail buildings added rooftop solar' or 'what if all elementary schools converted to ground source heat pumps' and then visualize the impacts at a district or city scale. This paper focuses on modeling existing building stock using public records. However, the framework is capable of supporting the evaluation of new construction, district systems, and the use of proprietary data sources.« less

Enhanced biological nutrients removal using an integrated oxidation ditch with vertical circle from wastewater by adding an anaerobic column.

PubMed

Wang, Shu-mei; Liu, Jun-xin

2005-01-01

Compared to conventional oxidation ditches, an integrated oxidation ditch with vertical circle (IODVC) has the characters of concise configuration, simple operation and maintenance, land saving and automatical sludge returning. By the utilization of vertical circulation, an aerobic zone and an anoxic zone can be unaffectedly formed in the IODVC. Therefore, COD and nitrogen can be efficiently removed. However, the removal efficiency of phosphorus was low in the IODVC. In the experiment described, a laboratory scale system to add an anaerobic column to the IODVC has been tested to investigate the removal of phosphorus from wastewater. The experimental results showed that the removal efficiency of TP with the anaerobic column was increased to 54.0% from 22.3% without the anaerobic column. After the acetic sodium was added into the influent as carbon sources, the mean TP removal efficency of 77.5% was obtained. At the same time, the mean removal efficiencies of COD, TN and NH3-N were 92.2%, 81.6% and 98.1%, respectively, at 12 h of HRT and 21-25 d of SRT. The optimal operational conditions in this study were as follows: recycle rate = 1.5-2.0, COD/TN > 6, COD/TP > 40, COD loading rate = 0.26-0.32 kgCOD/(kgSS x d), TN loading rate = 0.028-0.034 kgTN/(kgSS x d) and TP loading rate = 0.003-0.005 kgTP/(kgSS x d), respectively.

Advanced dynamic statistical parametric mapping with MEG in localizing epileptogenicity of the bottom of sulcus dysplasia.

PubMed

Nakajima, Midori; Wong, Simeon; Widjaja, Elysa; Baba, Shiro; Okanishi, Tohru; Takada, Lynne; Sato, Yosuke; Iwata, Hiroki; Sogabe, Maya; Morooka, Hikaru; Whitney, Robyn; Ueda, Yuki; Ito, Tomoshiro; Yagyu, Kazuyori; Ochi, Ayako; Carter Snead, O; Rutka, James T; Drake, James M; Doesburg, Sam; Takeuchi, Fumiya; Shiraishi, Hideaki; Otsubo, Hiroshi

2018-06-01

To investigate whether advanced dynamic statistical parametric mapping (AdSPM) using magnetoencephalography (MEG) can better localize focal cortical dysplasia at bottom of sulcus (FCDB). We analyzed 15 children with diagnosis of FCDB in surgical specimen and 3 T MRI by using MEG. Using AdSPM, we analyzed a ±50 ms epoch relative to each single moving dipole (SMD) and applied summation technique to estimate the source activity. The most active area in AdSPM was defined as the location of AdSPM spike source. We compared spatial congruence between MRI-visible FCDB and (1) dipole cluster in SMD method; and (2) AdSPM spike source. AdSPM localized FCDB in 12 (80%) of 15 children whereas dipole cluster localized six (40%). AdSPM spike source was concordant within seizure onset zone in nine (82%) of 11 children with intracranial video EEG. Eleven children with resective surgery achieved seizure freedom with follow-up period of 1.9 ± 1.5 years. Ten (91%) of them had an AdSPM spike source in the resection area. AdSPM can noninvasively and neurophysiologically localize epileptogenic FCDB, whether it overlaps with the dipole cluster or not. This is the first study to localize epileptogenic FCDB using MEG. Copyright © 2018 International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Quantitative non-destructive assay of PuBe neutron sources

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lakosi, László; Bagi, János; Nguyen, Cong Tam

2006-02-01

PuBe neutron sources were assayed, using a combination of high resolution γ-spectrometry (HRGS) and neutron correlation technique. In a previous publication [J. Bagi, C. Tam Nguyen, L. Lakosi, Nucl. Instr. and Meth. B 222 (2004) 242] a passive neutron well-counter was reported with 3He tubes embedded in a polyamide (TERRAMID) moderator (lined inside with Cd) surrounding the sources to be measured. Gross and coincidence neutron counting was performed, and the Pu content of the sources was found out from isotope analysis and by adopting specific (α, n) reaction yields of the Pu isotopes and 241Am in Be, based on supplier's information and literature data. The method was further developed and refined. Evaluation algorithm was more precisely worked out. The contribution of secondary (correlated) neutrons to the total neutron output was derived from the coincidence (doubles) count rate and taken into account in assessing the Pu content. A new evaluation of former results was performed. Assay was extended to other PuBe sources, and new results were added. In order to attain higher detection efficiency, a more efficient moderator was also applied, with and without Cd shielding around the assay chamber. Calibration seems possible using neutron measurements only (without γ-spectrometry), based on a correlation between the Pu amount and the coincidence-to-total ratio. It is expected that the method could be used for Pu accountancy and safeguards verification as well as identification and assay of seized, found, or not documented PuBe neutron sources.

Optimizing cardiovascular gene therapy: increased vascular gene transfer with modified adenoviral vectors.

PubMed

Kibbe, M R; Murdock, A; Wickham, T; Lizonova, A; Kovesdi, I; Nie, S; Shears, L; Billiar, T R; Tzeng, E

2000-02-01

Adenovirus is widely used as a vector for gene transfer to the vasculature. However, the efficiency of these vectors can be limited by ineffective viral-target cell interactions. Viral attachment, which largely determines adenoviral tropism, is mediated through binding of the adenoviral fiber coat protein to the Coxsackievirus and adenovirus receptor, while internalization follows binding of the adenoviral RGD motif to alpha(v)-integrin receptors. Modifications of the fiber coat protein sequence have been successful for targeting the adenovirus to more prevalent receptors in the vasculature, including heparan sulfate-containing receptors and alpha(v)-integrin receptors. Modified adenoviral vectors targeted to receptors more prevalent in the vasculature result in an increased transfer efficiency of the virus in vitro and in vivo even in the presence of clinically relevant doses of heparin. We tested 2 modified E1- and E3-deleted Ad5 type adenoviral vectors containing the beta-galactosidase gene. AdZ.F(pK7) contains multiple positively charged lysines in the fiber coat protein that target the adenovirus to heparan sulfate receptors, while AdZ.F(RGD) contains an RGD integrin-binding sequence in the fiber coat protein that allows binding to alpha(v)-integrin receptors. The gene transfer efficiency of these modified viruses was compared in rat aortic smooth muscle cells in vitro and in an in vivo porcine model of balloon-induced arterial injury. Because of the use of heparin during most vascular surgical procedures and the concern that heparin might interfere with the binding of AdZ.F(pK7) to heparan sulfate receptors, the effect of heparin on the in vitro and in vivo transfer efficiency of these 2 modified adenoviruses was evaluated. In vitro infection of rat aortic smooth muscle cells with AdZ.F(pK7) and AdZ.F(RGD) resulted in significantly higher levels of beta-galactosidase expression compared with the unmodified adenovirus (mean +/- SEM, 1766.3 +/- 89.1 and 44.8 +/- 3.4 vs 10.1 +/- 0.7 mU per milligram of protein; P<.001). Following heparin administration, the gene transfer efficiency achieved with AdZ.F(pK7) diminished slightly in a concentration-dependent manner. However, the transfer efficiency was still greater than with the unmodified virus (mean +/- SEM, 1342.3 +/- 101.8 vs 4.8 +/- 0.4 mU per milligram of protein; P<.001). In vivo, following injury to the pig iliac artery with a 4F Fogarty balloon catheter, we found that AdZ.F(pK7) transduced the artery approximately 35-fold more efficiently than AdZ.F and 3-fold more efficiently than AdZ.F(RGD) following the administration of intravenous heparin, 100 U/kg body weight, and heparinized saline irrigation. Modifications of the adenovirus that lead to receptor targeting resulted in significantly improved gene transfer efficiencies. These improvements in transfer efficiencies observed with the modified vectors decreased slightly in the presence of heparin. However, AdZ.F(pK7) was still superior to AdZ.F(RGD) and AdZ.F despite heparin administration. These data demonstrate that modifications of adenoviral vectors that enhance binding to heparan sulfate receptors significantly improve gene transfer efficiency even in the presence of heparin and suggest an approach to optimize gene transfer into blood vessels.

Secure detection in quantum key distribution by real-time calibration of receiver

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marøy, Øystein; Makarov, Vadim; Skaar, Johannes

2017-12-01

The single-photon detectionefficiency of the detector unit is crucial for the security of common quantum key distribution protocols like Bennett-Brassard 1984 (BB84). A low value for the efficiency indicates a possible eavesdropping attack that exploits the photon receiver’s imperfections. We present a method for estimating the detection efficiency, and calculate the corresponding secure key generation rate. The estimation is done by testing gated detectors using a randomly activated photon source inside the receiver unit. This estimate gives a secure rate for any detector with non-unity single-photon detection efficiency, both inherit or due to blinding. By adding extra optical components to the receiver, we make sure that the key is extracted from photon states for which our estimate is valid. The result is a quantum key distribution scheme that is secure against any attack that exploits detector imperfections.

Enhanced water window x-ray emission from in situ formed carbon clusters irradiated by intense ultra-short laser pulses

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

Chakravarty, U.; Rao, B. S.; Arora, V.

Enhanced water window x-ray emission (23–44 Å) from carbon clusters, formed in situ using a pre-pulse, irradiated by intense (I > 10{sup 17} W/cm{sup 2}) ultra-short laser pulse, is demonstrated. An order of magnitude x-ray enhancement over planar graphite target is observed in carbon clusters, formed by a sub-ns pre-pulse, interacting with intense main pulse after a delay. The effect of the delay and the duration of the main pulse is studied for optimizing the x-ray emission in the water window region. This x-ray source has added advantages of being an efficient, high repetition rate, and low debris x-ray source.

The added value of a water footprint approach: Micro- and macroeconomic analysis of cotton production, processing and export in water bound Uzbekistan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rudenko, I.; Bekchanov, M.; Djanibekov, U.; Lamers, J. P. A.

2013-11-01

Since independence from the former Soviet Union in 1991, Uzbekistan is challenged to consolidate its efforts and identify and introduce suitable agricultural policies to ease the threat of advancing land, water and ecosystem deterioration. On the one hand, irrigated cotton production provides income, food and energy sources for a large part of the rural households, which accounts for about 70% of the total population. On the other hand, this sector is considered a major driver of the on-going environmental degradation. Due to this dual nature, an integrated approach is needed that allows the analyses of the cotton sector at different stages and, consequently, deriving comprehensive options for action. The findings of the economic based value chain analysis and ecologically-oriented water footprint analysis on regional level were complemented with the findings of an input-output model on national level. This combination gave an added value for better-informed decision-making to reach land, water and ecosystem sustainability, compared to the individual results of each approach. The synergy of approaches pointed at various options for actions, such as to (i) promote the shift of water use from the high water consuming agricultural sector to a less water consuming cotton processing sector, (ii) increase overall water use efficiency by expanding the highly water productive industrial sectors and concurrently decreasing sectors with inefficient water use, and (iii) reduce agricultural water use by improving irrigation and conveyance efficiencies. The findings showed that increasing water use efficiency, manufacturing products with higher value added and raising water users' awareness of the real value of water are essential for providing water security in Uzbekistan.

Dicer functions as an antiviral system against human adenoviruses via cleavage of adenovirus-encoded noncoding RNA

PubMed Central

Machitani, Mitsuhiro; Sakurai, Fuminori; Wakabayashi, Keisaku; Tomita, Kyoko; Tachibana, Masashi; Mizuguchi, Hiroyuki

2016-01-01

In various organisms, including nematodes and plants, RNA interference (RNAi) is a defense system against virus infection; however, it is unclear whether RNAi functions as an antivirus system in mammalian cells. Rather, a number of DNA viruses, including herpesviruses, utilize post-transcriptional silencing systems for their survival. Here we show that Dicer efficiently suppresses the replication of adenovirus (Ad) via cleavage of Ad-encoding small RNAs (VA-RNAs), which efficiently promote Ad replication via the inhibition of eIF2α phosphorylation, to viral microRNAs (mivaRNAs). The Dicer knockdown significantly increases the copy numbers of VA-RNAs, leading to the efficient inhibition of eIF2α phosphorylation and the subsequent promotion of Ad replication. Conversely, overexpression of Dicer significantly inhibits Ad replication. Transfection with mivaRNA does not affect eIF2α phosphorylation or Ad replication. These results indicate that Dicer-mediated processing of VA-RNAs leads to loss of activity of VA-RNAs for enhancement of Ad replication and that Dicer functions as a defence system against Ad in mammalian cells. PMID:27273616

PedVizApi: a Java API for the interactive, visual analysis of extended pedigrees.

PubMed

Fuchsberger, Christian; Falchi, Mario; Forer, Lukas; Pramstaller, Peter P

2008-01-15

PedVizApi is a Java API (application program interface) for the visual analysis of large and complex pedigrees. It provides all the necessary functionality for the interactive exploration of extended genealogies. While available packages are mostly focused on a static representation or cannot be added to an existing application, PedVizApi is a highly flexible open source library for the efficient construction of visual-based applications for the analysis of family data. An extensive demo application and a R interface is provided. http://www.pedvizapi.org

Information Power Grid (IPG) Tutorial 2003

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Meyers, George

2003-01-01

For NASA and the general community today Grid middleware: a) provides tools to access/use data sources (databases, instruments, ...); b) provides tools to access computing (unique and generic); c) Is an enabler of large scale collaboration. Dynamically responding to needs is a key selling point of a grid. Independent resources can be joined as appropriate to solve a problem. Provide tools to enable the building of a frameworks for application. Provide value added service to the NASA user base for utilizing resources on the grid in new and more efficient ways. Provides tools for development of Frameworks.

Fast, noise-free memory for photon synchronization at room temperature.

PubMed

Finkelstein, Ran; Poem, Eilon; Michel, Ohad; Lahad, Ohr; Firstenberg, Ofer

2018-01-01

Future quantum photonic networks require coherent optical memories for synchronizing quantum sources and gates of probabilistic nature. We demonstrate a fast ladder memory (FLAME) mapping the optical field onto the superposition between electronic orbitals of rubidium vapor. Using a ladder-level system of orbital transitions with nearly degenerate frequencies simultaneously enables high bandwidth, low noise, and long memory lifetime. We store and retrieve 1.7-ns-long pulses, containing 0.5 photons on average, and observe short-time external efficiency of 25%, memory lifetime (1/ e ) of 86 ns, and below 10 -4 added noise photons. Consequently, coupling this memory to a probabilistic source would enhance the on-demand photon generation probability by a factor of 12, the highest number yet reported for a noise-free, room temperature memory. This paves the way toward the controlled production of large quantum states of light from probabilistic photon sources.

Distributed policy based access to networked heterogeneous ISR data sources

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bent, G.; Vyvyan, D.; Wood, David; Zerfos, Petros; Calo, Seraphin

2010-04-01

Within a coalition environment, ad hoc Communities of Interest (CoI's) come together, perhaps for only a short time, with different sensors, sensor platforms, data fusion elements, and networks to conduct a task (or set of tasks) with different coalition members taking different roles. In such a coalition, each organization will have its own inherent restrictions on how it will interact with the others. These are usually stated as a set of policies, including security and privacy policies. The capability that we want to enable for a coalition operation is to provide access to information from any coalition partner in conformance with the policies of all. One of the challenges in supporting such ad-hoc coalition operations is that of providing efficient access to distributed sources of data, where the applications requiring the data do not have knowledge of the location of the data within the network. To address this challenge the International Technology Alliance (ITA) program has been developing the concept of a Dynamic Distributed Federated Database (DDFD), also know as a Gaian Database. This type of database provides a means for accessing data across a network of distributed heterogeneous data sources where access to the information is controlled by a mixture of local and global policies. We describe how a network of disparate ISR elements can be expressed as a DDFD and how this approach enables sensor and other information sources to be discovered autonomously or semi-autonomously and/or combined, fused formally defined local and global policies.

Multipartite entanglement verification resistant against dishonest parties.

PubMed

Pappa, Anna; Chailloux, André; Wehner, Stephanie; Diamanti, Eleni; Kerenidis, Iordanis

2012-06-29

Future quantum information networks will consist of quantum and classical agents, who have the ability to communicate in a variety of ways with trusted and untrusted parties and securely delegate computational tasks to untrusted large-scale quantum computing servers. Multipartite quantum entanglement is a fundamental resource for such a network and, hence, it is imperative to study the possibility of verifying a multipartite entanglement source in a way that is efficient and provides strong guarantees even in the presence of multiple dishonest parties. In this Letter, we show how an agent of a quantum network can perform a distributed verification of a source creating multipartite Greenberger-Horne-Zeilinger (GHZ) states with minimal resources, which is, nevertheless, resistant against any number of dishonest parties. Moreover, we provide a tight tradeoff between the level of security and the distance between the state produced by the source and the ideal GHZ state. Last, by adding the resource of a trusted common random source, we can further provide security guarantees for all honest parties in the quantum network simultaneously.

Scalable graphene production from ethanol decomposition by microwave argon plasma torch

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Melero, C.; Rincón, R.; Muñoz, J.; Zhang, G.; Sun, S.; Perez, A.; Royuela, O.; González-Gago, C.; Calzada, M. D.

2018-01-01

A fast, efficient and simple method is presented for the production of high quality graphene on a large scale by using an atmospheric pressure plasma-based technique. This technique allows to obtain high quality graphene in powder in just one step, without the use of neither metal catalysts and nor specific substrate during the process. Moreover, the cost for graphene production is significantly reduced since the ethanol used as carbon source can be obtained from the fermentation of agricultural industries. The process provides an additional benefit contributing to the revalorization of waste in the production of a high-value added product like graphene. Thus, this work demonstrates the features of plasma technology as a low cost, efficient, clean and environmentally friendly route for production of high-quality graphene.

Release of RANKERN 16A

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bird, Adam; Murphy, Christophe; Dobson, Geoff

2017-09-01

RANKERN 16 is the latest version of the point-kernel gamma radiation transport Monte Carlo code from AMEC Foster Wheeler's ANSWERS Software Service. RANKERN is well established in the UK shielding community for radiation shielding and dosimetry assessments. Many important developments have been made available to users in this latest release of RANKERN. The existing general 3D geometry capability has been extended to include import of CAD files in the IGES format providing efficient full CAD modelling capability without geometric approximation. Import of tetrahedral mesh and polygon surface formats has also been provided. An efficient voxel geometry type has been added suitable for representing CT data. There have been numerous input syntax enhancements and an extended actinide gamma source library. This paper describes some of the new features and compares the performance of the new geometry capabilities.

Consumption of added sugars among US children and adults by food purchase location and food source.

PubMed

Drewnowski, Adam; Rehm, Colin D

2014-09-01

The proposed changes to the Nutrition Facts Label by the US Food and Drug Administration will include information on added sugars for the first time. The objective was to evaluate the sources of added sugars in the diets of a representative sample of US children and adults by food purchase location and food source (eg, food group). This cross-sectional study among 31,035 children, adolescents, and adults aged ≥6 y from the 2003-2004, 2005-2006, 2007-2008, and 2009-2010 NHANES used data from a 24-h dietary recall to evaluate consumption of added sugars. Food locations of origin were identified as stores (supermarket or grocery store), quick-service restaurants/pizza (QSRs), full-service restaurants (FSRs), schools, and others (eg, vending machines or gifts). Added sugars consumption by food purchase location was evaluated by age, family income-to-poverty ratio, and race-ethnicity. Food group sources of added sugars were identified by using the National Cancer Institute food categories. Added sugars accounted for ∼14.1% of total dietary energy. Between 65% and 76% of added sugars came from stores, 6% and 12% from QSRs, and 4% and 6% from FSRs, depending on age. Older adults (aged ≥51 y) obtained a significantly greater proportion of added sugars from stores than did younger adults. Lower-income adults obtained a significantly greater proportion of added sugars from stores than did higher-income adults. Intake of added sugars did not vary by family income among children/adolescents. Soda and energy and sports drinks were the largest food group sources of added sugars (34.4%), followed by grain desserts (12.7%), fruit drinks (8.0%), candy (6.7%), and dairy desserts (5.6%). Most added sugars came from foods obtained from stores. The proposed changes to the Nutrition Facts Label should capture the bulk of added sugars in the US food supply, which suggests that the recommended changes have the potential to reduce added sugars consumption. © 2014 American Society for Nutrition.

Consumption of added sugars among US children and adults by food purchase location and food source123

PubMed Central

Drewnowski, Adam; Rehm, Colin D

2014-01-01

Background: The proposed changes to the Nutrition Facts Label by the US Food and Drug Administration will include information on added sugars for the first time. Objective: The objective was to evaluate the sources of added sugars in the diets of a representative sample of US children and adults by food purchase location and food source (eg, food group). Design: This cross-sectional study among 31,035 children, adolescents, and adults aged ≥6 y from the 2003–2004, 2005–2006, 2007–2008, and 2009–2010 NHANES used data from a 24-h dietary recall to evaluate consumption of added sugars. Food locations of origin were identified as stores (supermarket or grocery store), quick-service restaurants/pizza (QSRs), full-service restaurants (FSRs), schools, and others (eg, vending machines or gifts). Added sugars consumption by food purchase location was evaluated by age, family income-to-poverty ratio, and race-ethnicity. Food group sources of added sugars were identified by using the National Cancer Institute food categories. Results: Added sugars accounted for ∼14.1% of total dietary energy. Between 65% and 76% of added sugars came from stores, 6% and 12% from QSRs, and 4% and 6% from FSRs, depending on age. Older adults (aged ≥51 y) obtained a significantly greater proportion of added sugars from stores than did younger adults. Lower-income adults obtained a significantly greater proportion of added sugars from stores than did higher-income adults. Intake of added sugars did not vary by family income among children/adolescents. Soda and energy and sports drinks were the largest food group sources of added sugars (34.4%), followed by grain desserts (12.7%), fruit drinks (8.0%), candy (6.7%), and dairy desserts (5.6%). Conclusions: Most added sugars came from foods obtained from stores. The proposed changes to the Nutrition Facts Label should capture the bulk of added sugars in the US food supply, which suggests that the recommended changes have the potential to reduce added sugars consumption. PMID:25030785

High efficiency and broadband acoustic diodes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fu, Congyi; Wang, Bohan; Zhao, Tianfei; Chen, C. Q.

2018-01-01

Energy transmission efficiency and working bandwidth are the two major factors limiting the application of current acoustic diodes (ADs). This letter presents a design of high efficiency and broadband acoustic diodes composed of a nonlinear frequency converter and a linear wave filter. The converter consists of two masses connected by a bilinear spring with asymmetric tension and compression stiffness. The wave filter is a linear mass-spring lattice (sonic crystal). Both numerical simulation and experiment show that the energy transmission efficiency of the acoustic diode can be improved by as much as two orders of magnitude, reaching about 61%. Moreover, the primary working band width of the AD is about two times of the cut-off frequency of the sonic crystal filter. The cut-off frequency dependent working band of the AD implies that the developed AD can be scaled up or down from macro-scale to micro- and nano-scale.

Enhanced Weight based DSR for Mobile Ad Hoc Networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Verma, Samant; Jain, Sweta

2011-12-01

Routing in ad hoc network is a great problematic, since a good routing protocol must ensure fast and efficient packet forwarding, which isn't evident in ad hoc networks. In literature there exists lot of routing protocols however they don't include all the aspects of ad hoc networks as mobility, device and medium constraints which make these protocols not efficient for some configuration and categories of ad hoc networks. Thus in this paper we propose an improvement of Weight Based DSR in order to include some of the aspects of ad hoc networks as stability, remaining battery power, load and trust factor and proposing a new approach Enhanced Weight Based DSR.

Thrust and efficiency model for electron-driven magnetic nozzles

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

Little, Justin M.; Choueiri, Edgar Y.

2013-10-15

A performance model is presented for magnetic nozzle plasmas driven by electron thermal expansion to investigate how the thrust coefficient and beam divergence efficiency scale with the incoming plasma flow and magnetic field geometry. Using a transformation from cylindrical to magnetic coordinates, an approximate analytical solution is derived to the axisymmetric two-fluid equations for a collisionless plasma flow along an applied magnetic field. This solution yields an expression for the half-width at half-maximum of the plasma density profile in the far-downstream region, from which simple scaling relations for the thrust coefficient and beam divergence efficiency are derived. It is foundmore » that the beam divergence efficiency is most sensitive to the density profile of the flow into the nozzle throat, with the highest efficiencies occurring for plasmas concentrated along the nozzle axis. Increasing the expansion ratio of the magnetic field leads to efficiency improvements that are more pronounced for incoming plasmas that are not concentrated along the axis. This implies that the additional magnet required to increase the expansion ratio may be worth the added complexity for plasma sources that exhibit poor confinement.« less

Petro-mineralogy and geochemistry as tools of provenance analysis on archaeological pottery: Study of Inka Period ceramics from Paria, Bolivia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Szilágyi, V.; Gyarmati, J.; Tóth, M.; Taubald, H.; Balla, M.; Kasztovszky, Zs.; Szakmány, Gy.

2012-07-01

This paper summarized the results of comprehensive petro-mineralogical and geochemical (archeometrical) investigation of Inka Period ceramics excavated from Inka (A.D. 1438-1535) and Late Intermediate Period (A.D. 1000/1200-1438) sites of the Paria Basin (Dept. Oruro, Bolivia). Applying geological analytical techniques we observed a complex and important archaeological subject of the region and the era, the cultural-economic influence of the conquering Inkas in the provincial region of Paria appearing in the ceramic material. According to our results, continuity and changes of raw material utilization and pottery manufacturing techniques from the Late Intermediate to the Inka Period are characterized by analytical methods. The geological field survey provided efficient basis for the identification of utilized raw material sources. On the one hand, ceramic supply of both eras proved to be based almost entirely on local and near raw material sources. So, imperial handicraft applied local materials but with sophisticated imperial techniques in Paria. On the other hand, Inka Imperial and local-style vessels also show clear differences in their material which suggests that sources and techniques functioned already in the Late Intermediate Period subsisted even after the Inka conquest of the Paria Basin. Based on our geological investigations, pottery supply system of the Paria region proved to be rather complex during the Inka Period.

AdS5 solutions from M5-branes on Riemann surface and D6-branes sources

DOE PAGES

Bah, Ibrahima

2015-09-24

Here, we describe the gravity duals of four-dimensional N = 1 superconformal field theories obtained by wrapping M5-branes on a punctured Riemann surface. The internal geometry, normal to the AdS 5 factor, generically preserves two U(1)s, with generators (J +, J –), that are fibered over the Riemann surface. The metric is governed by a single potential that satisfies a version of the Monge-Ampère equation. The spectrum of N = 1 punctures is given by the set of supersymmetric sources of the potential that are localized on the Riemann surface and lead to regular metrics near a puncture. We usemore » this system to study a class of punctures where the geometry near the sources corresponds to M-theory description of D6-branes. These carry a natural (p, q) label associated to the circle dual to the killing vector pJ + + qJ – which shrinks near the source. In the generic case the world volume of the D6-branes is AdS 5 × S 2 and they locally preserve N = 2 supersymmetry. When p = –q, the shrinking circle is dual to a flavor U(1). The metric in this case is non-degenerate only when there are co-dimension one sources obtained by smearing M5-branes that wrap the AdS 5 factor and the circle dual the superconformal R-symmetry. The D6-branes are extended along the AdS 5 and on cups that end on the co-dimension one branes. In the special case when the shrinking circle is dual to the R-symmetry, the D6-branes are extended along the AdS 5 and wrap an auxiliary Riemann surface with an arbitrary genus. When the Riemann surface is compact with constant curvature, the system is governed by a Monge-Ampère equation.« less

Technologies for network-centric C4ISR

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dunkelberger, Kirk A.

2003-07-01

Three technologies form the heart of any network-centric command, control, communication, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (C4ISR) system: distributed processing, reconfigurable networking, and distributed resource management. Distributed processing, enabled by automated federation, mobile code, intelligent process allocation, dynamic multiprocessing groups, check pointing, and other capabilities creates a virtual peer-to-peer computing network across the force. Reconfigurable networking, consisting of content-based information exchange, dynamic ad-hoc routing, information operations (perception management) and other component technologies forms the interconnect fabric for fault tolerant inter processor and node communication. Distributed resource management, which provides the means for distributed cooperative sensor management, foe sensor utilization, opportunistic collection, symbiotic inductive/deductive reasoning and other applications provides the canonical algorithms for network-centric enterprises and warfare. This paper introduces these three core technologies and briefly discusses a sampling of their component technologies and their individual contributions to network-centric enterprises and warfare. Based on the implied requirements, two new algorithms are defined and characterized which provide critical building blocks for network centricity: distributed asynchronous auctioning and predictive dynamic source routing. The first provides a reliable, efficient, effective approach for near-optimal assignment problems; the algorithm has been demonstrated to be a viable implementation for ad-hoc command and control, object/sensor pairing, and weapon/target assignment. The second is founded on traditional dynamic source routing (from mobile ad-hoc networking), but leverages the results of ad-hoc command and control (from the contributed auctioning algorithm) into significant increases in connection reliability through forward prediction. Emphasis is placed on the advantages gained from the closed-loop interaction of the multiple technologies in the network-centric application environment.

Probabilistic seismic hazard analysis for a nuclear power plant site in southeast Brazil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Almeida, Andréia Abreu Diniz; Assumpção, Marcelo; Bommer, Julian J.; Drouet, Stéphane; Riccomini, Claudio; Prates, Carlos L. M.

2018-05-01

A site-specific probabilistic seismic hazard analysis (PSHA) has been performed for the only nuclear power plant site in Brazil, located 130 km southwest of Rio de Janeiro at Angra dos Reis. Logic trees were developed for both the seismic source characterisation and ground-motion characterisation models, in both cases seeking to capture the appreciable ranges of epistemic uncertainty with relatively few branches. This logic-tree structure allowed the hazard calculations to be performed efficiently while obtaining results that reflect the inevitable uncertainty in long-term seismic hazard assessment in this tectonically stable region. An innovative feature of the study is an additional seismic source zone added to capture the potential contributions of characteristics earthquake associated with geological faults in the region surrounding the coastal site.

Protons are one of the limiting factors in determining sensitivity of nano surface-assisted (+)-mode LDI MS analyses.

PubMed

Cho, Eunji; Ahn, Miri; Kim, Young Hwan; Kim, Jongwon; Kim, Sunghwan

2013-10-01

A proton source employing a nanostructured gold surface for use in (+)-mode laser desorption ionization mass spectrometry (LDI-MS) was evaluated. Analysis of perdeuterated polyaromatic hydrocarbon compound dissolved in regular toluene, perdeuterated toluene, and deuterated methanol all showed that protonated ions were generated irregardless of solvent system. Therefore, it was concluded that residual water on the surface of the LDI plate was the major source of protons. The fact that residual water remaining after vacuum drying was the source of protons suggests that protons may be the limiting reagent in the LDI process and that overall ionization efficiency can be improved by incorporating an additional proton source. When extra proton sources, such as thiolate compounds and/or citric acid, were added to a nanostructured gold surface, the protonated signal abundance increased. These data show that protons are one of the limiting components in (+)-mode LDI MS analyses employing nanostructured gold surfaces. Therefore, it has been suggested that additional efforts are required to identify compounds that can act as proton donors without generating peaks that interfere with mass spectral interpretation.

Solar Thermal Demonstration Project

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

Biesinger, K; Cuppett, D; Dyer, D

2012-01-30

HVAC Retrofit and Energy Efficiency Upgrades at Clark High School, Las Vegas, Nevada The overall objectives of this project are to increase usage of alternative/renewable fuels, create a better and more reliable learning environment for the students, and reduce energy costs. Utilizing the grant resources and local bond revenues, the District proposes to reduce electricity consumption by installing within the existing limited space, one principal energy efficient 100 ton adsorption chiller working in concert with two 500 ton electric chillers. The main heating source will be primarily from low nitrogen oxide (NOX), high efficiency natural gas fired boilers. With themore » use of this type of chiller, the electric power and cost requirements will be greatly reduced. To provide cooling to the information technology centers and equipment rooms of the school during off-peak hours, the District will install water source heat pumps. In another measure to reduce the cooling requirements at Clark High School, the District will replace single pane glass and metal panels with Kalwall building panels. An added feature of the Kalwall system is that it will allow for natural day lighting in the student center. This system will significantly reduce thermal heat/cooling loss and control solar heat gain, thus delivering significant savings in heating ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) costs.« less

Consumption of added sugars from liquid but not solid sources predicts impaired glucose homeostasis and insulin resistance among youth at risk of obesity.

PubMed

Wang, Jiawei; Light, Kelly; Henderson, Mélanie; O'Loughlin, Jennifer; Mathieu, Marie-Eve; Paradis, Gilles; Gray-Donald, Katherine

2014-01-01

Little is known about longitudinal associations between added sugar consumption (solid and liquid sources) and glucose-insulin homeostasis among youth. Caucasian children (8-10 y) with at least one obese biological parent were recruited in the QUébec Adipose and Lifestyle InvesTigation in Youth (QUALITY) cohort (n = 630) and followed-up 2 y later (n = 564). Added sugars were assessed by 3 24-h dietary recalls at baseline. Two-year changes were examined in multivariate linear regression models, adjusting for baseline level, age, sex, Tanner stage, energy intake, fat mass (dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry), and physical activity (7 d accelerometer). Added sugar intake in either liquid or solid sources was not related to changes in adiposity measures (fat mass, body mass index, or waist circumference). However, a higher consumption (10 g/d) of added sugars from liquid sources was associated with 0.04 mmol/L higher fasting glucose, 2.3 pmol/L higher fasting insulin, 0.1 unit higher homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), and 0.4 unit lower Matsuda-insulin sensitivity index (Matsuda-ISI) in all participants (P < 0.01). No associations were observed with consumption of added sugars from solid sources. Overweight/obese children at baseline had greater increases in adiposity indicators, fasting insulin, and HOMA-IR and decreases in Matsuda-ISI during those 2 y than normal-weight children. Consumption of added sugars from liquid or solid sources was not associated with changes in adiposity, but liquid added sugars were a risk factor for the development of impaired glucose homeostasis and insulin resistance over 2 y among youth at risk of obesity.

Facebook Recruitment of Young Adult Smokers for a Cessation Trial: Methods, Metrics, and Lessons Learned

PubMed Central

Ramo, Danielle E.; Rodriguez, Theresa M.S.; Chavez, Kathryn; Sommer, Markus J.; Prochaska, Judith J.

2014-01-01

Further understanding is needed of the functionalities and efficiency of social media for health intervention research recruitment. Facebook was examined as a mechanism to recruit young adults for a smoking cessation intervention. An ad campaign targeting young adult smokers tested specific messaging based on market theory and successful strategies used to recruit smokers in previous clinical trials (i.e. informative, call to action, scarcity, social norms), previously successful ads, and general messaging. Images were selected to target smokers (e.g., lit cigarette), appeal to the target age, vary demographically, and vary graphically (cartoon, photo, logo). Facebook’s Ads Manager was used over 7 weeks (6/10/13 – 7/29/13), targeted by age (18–25), location (U.S.), and language (English), and employed multiple ad types (newsfeed, standard, promoted posts, sponsored stories) and keywords. Ads linked to the online screening survey or study Facebook page. The 36 different ads generated 3,198,373 impressions, 5,895 unique clicks, at an overall cost of $2,024 ($0.34/click). Images of smoking and newsfeed ads had the greatest reach and clicks at the lowest cost. Of 5,895 unique clicks, 586 (10%) were study eligible and 230 (39%) consented. Advertising costs averaged $8.80 per eligible, consented participant. The final study sample (n=79) was largely Caucasian (77%) and male (69%), averaging 11 cigarettes/day (SD=8.3) and 2.7 years smoking (SD=0.7). Facebook is a useful, cost-effective recruitment source for young adult smokers. Ads posted via newsfeed posts were particularly successful, likely because they were viewable via mobile phone. Efforts to engage more ethnic minorities, young women, and smokers motivated to quit are needed. PMID:25045624

Facebook Recruitment of Young Adult Smokers for a Cessation Trial: Methods, Metrics, and Lessons Learned.

PubMed

Ramo, Danielle E; Rodriguez, Theresa M S; Chavez, Kathryn; Sommer, Markus J; Prochaska, Judith J

2014-04-01

Further understanding is needed of the functionalities and efficiency of social media for health intervention research recruitment. Facebook was examined as a mechanism to recruit young adults for a smoking cessation intervention. An ad campaign targeting young adult smokers tested specific messaging based on market theory and successful strategies used to recruit smokers in previous clinical trials (i.e. informative, call to action, scarcity, social norms), previously successful ads, and general messaging. Images were selected to target smokers (e.g., lit cigarette), appeal to the target age, vary demographically, and vary graphically (cartoon, photo, logo). Facebook's Ads Manager was used over 7 weeks (6/10/13 - 7/29/13), targeted by age (18-25), location (U.S.), and language (English), and employed multiple ad types (newsfeed, standard, promoted posts, sponsored stories) and keywords. Ads linked to the online screening survey or study Facebook page. The 36 different ads generated 3,198,373 impressions, 5,895 unique clicks, at an overall cost of $2,024 ($0.34/click). Images of smoking and newsfeed ads had the greatest reach and clicks at the lowest cost. Of 5,895 unique clicks, 586 (10%) were study eligible and 230 (39%) consented. Advertising costs averaged $8.80 per eligible, consented participant. The final study sample (n=79) was largely Caucasian (77%) and male (69%), averaging 11 cigarettes/day (SD=8.3) and 2.7 years smoking (SD=0.7). Facebook is a useful, cost-effective recruitment source for young adult smokers. Ads posted via newsfeed posts were particularly successful, likely because they were viewable via mobile phone. Efforts to engage more ethnic minorities, young women, and smokers motivated to quit are needed.

Hepatoma targeting peptide conjugated bio-reducible polymer complexed with oncolytic adenovirus for cancer gene therapy.

PubMed

Choi, Joung-Woo; Kim, Hyun Ah; Nam, Kihoon; Na, Youjin; Yun, Chae-Ok; Kim, SungWan

2015-12-28

Despite adenovirus (Ad) vector's numerous advantages for cancer gene therapy, such as high ability of endosomal escape, efficient nuclear entry mechanism, and high transduction, and therapeutic efficacy, tumor specific targeting and antiviral immune response still remain as a critical challenge in clinical setting. To overcome these obstacles and achieve cancer-specific targeting, we constructed tumor targeting bioreducible polymer, an arginine grafted bio-reducible polymer (ABP)-PEG-HCBP1, by conjugating PEGylated ABP with HCBP1 peptides which has high affinity and selectivity towards hepatoma. The ABP-PEG-HCBP1-conjugated replication incompetent GFP-expressing ad, (Ad/GFP)-ABP-PEG-HCBP1, showed a hepatoma cancer specific uptake and transduction compared to either naked Ad/GFP or Ad/GFP-ABP. Competition assays demonstrated that Ad/GFP-ABP-PEG-HCBP1-mediated transduction was specifically inhibited by HCBP1 peptide rather than coxsackie and adenovirus receptor specific antibody. In addition, ABP-PEG-HCBP1 can protect biological activity of Ad against serum, and considerably reduced both innate and adaptive immune response against Ad. shMet-expressing oncolytic Ad (oAd; RdB/shMet) complexed with ABP-PEG-HCBP1 delivered oAd efficiently into hepatoma cancer cells. The oAd/ABP-PEG-HCBP1 demonstrated enhanced cancer cell killing efficacy in comparison to oAd/ABP complex. Furthermore, Huh7 and HT1080 cancer cells treated with oAd/shMet-ABP-PEG-HCBP1 complex had significantly decreased Met and VEGF expression in hepatoma cancer, but not in non-hepatoma cancer. In sum, these results suggest that HCBP1-conjugated bioreducible polymer could be used to deliver oncolytic Ad safely and efficiently to treat hepatoma. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Hepatoma targeting peptide conjugated bio-reducible polymer complexed with oncolytic adenovirus for cancer gene therapy

PubMed Central

Choi, Joung-Woo; Kim, Hyun Ah; Nam, Kihoon; Na, Youjin; Yun, Chae-Ok; Kim, SungWan

2015-01-01

Despite adenovirus (Ad) vector’s numerous advantages for cancer gene therapy, such as high ability of endosomal escape, efficient nuclear entry mechanism, and high transduction, and therapeutic efficacy, tumor specific targeting and antiviral immune response still remain as a critical challenge in clinical setting. To overcome these obstacles and achieve cancer-specific targeting, we constructed tumor targeting bioreducible polymer, an arginine grafted bio-reducible polymer (ABP)-PEG-HCBP1, by conjugating PEGylated ABP with HCBP1 peptides which has high affinity and selectivity towards hepatoma. The ABP-PEG-HCBP1-conjugated replication incompetent GFP-expressing ad, (Ad/GFP)-ABP-PEG-HCBP1, showed a hepatoma cancer specific uptake and transduction compared to either naked Ad/GFP or Ad/GFP-ABP. Competition assays demonstrated that Ad/GFP-ABP-PEG-HCBP1-mediated transduction was specifically inhibited by HCBP1 peptide rather than coxsackie and adenovirus receptor specific antibody. In addition, ABP-PEG-HCBP1 can protect biological activity of Ad against serum, and considerably reduced both innate and adaptive immune response against Ad. shMet-expressing oncolytic Ad (oAd; RdB/shMet) complexed with ABP-PEG-HCBP1 delivered oAd efficiently into hepatoma cancer cells. The oAd/ABP-PEG-HCBP1 demonstrated enhanced cancer cell killing efficacy in comparison to oAd/ABP complex. Furthermore, Huh7 and HT1080 cancer cells treated with oAd/shMet-ABP-PEG-HCBP1 complex had significantly decreased Met and VEGF expression in hepatoma cancer, but not in non-hepatoma cancer. In sum, these results suggest that HCBP1-conjugated bioreducible polymer could be used to deliver oncolytic Ad safely and efficiently to treat hepatoma. PMID:26437261

Education & Collection Facility GSHP Demonstration Project

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

Joplin, Jeff

The Denver Museum of Nature & Science (DMNS) designed and implemented an innovative ground source heat pump (GSHP) system for heating and cooling its new Education and Collection Facility (ECF) building addition. The project goal was to successfully design and install an open-loop GSHP system that utilized water circulating within an underground municipal recycled (non-potable) water system as the heat sink/source as a demonstration project. The expected results were to significantly reduce traditional GSHP installation costs while increasing system efficiency, reduce building energy consumption, require significantly less area and capital to install, and be economically implemented wherever access to amore » recycled water system is available. The project added to the understanding of GSHP technology by implementing the first GSHP system in the United States utilizing a municipal recycled water system as a heat sink/source. The use of this fluid through a GSHP system has not been previously documented. This use application presents a new opportunity for local municipalities to develop and expand the use of underground municipal recycled (non-potable) water systems. The installation costs for this type of technology in the building structure would be a cost savings over traditional GSHP costs, provided the local municipal infrastructure was developed. Additionally, the GSHP system functions as a viable method of heat sink/source as the thermal characteristics of the fluid are generally consistent throughout the year and are efficiently exchanged through the GSHP system and its components. The use of the recycled water system reduces the area required for bore or loop fields; therefore, presenting an application for building structures that have little to no available land use or access. This GSHP application demonstrates the viability of underground municipal recycled (non-potable) water systems as technically achievable, environmentally supportive, and an efficient system.« less

Anaerobic digestion of post-hydrothermal liquefaction wastewater for improved energy efficiency of hydrothermal bioenergy processes.

PubMed

Zhou, Yan; Schideman, Lance; Zheng, Mingxia; Martin-Ryals, Ana; Li, Peng; Tommaso, Giovana; Zhang, Yuanhui

2015-01-01

Hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) is a promising process for converting wet biomass and organic wastes into bio-crude oil. It also produces an aqueous product referred to as post-hydrothermal liquefaction wastewater (PHWW) containing up to 40% of the original feedstock carbon, which reduces the overall energy efficiency of the HTL process. This study investigated the feasibility of using anaerobic digestion (AD) to treat PHWW, with the aid of activated carbon. Results showed that successful AD occurred at relatively low concentrations of PHWW (≤ 6.7%), producing a biogas yield of 0.5 ml/mg CODremoved, and ∼53% energy recovery efficiency. Higher concentrations of PHWW (≥13.3%) had an inhibitory effect on the AD process, as indicated by delayed, slower, or no biogas production. Activated carbon was shown to effectively mitigate this inhibitory effect by enhancing biogas production and allowing digestion to proceed at higher PHWW concentrations (up to 33.3%), likely due to sequestering toxic organic compounds. The addition of activated carbon also increased the net energy recovery efficiency of AD with a relatively high concentration of PHWW (33.3%), taking into account the energy for producing activated carbon. These results suggest that AD is a feasible approach to treat PHWW, and to improve the energy efficiency of the HTL processes.

Sugar-Sweetened Beverages Are the Main Sources of Added Sugar Intake in the Mexican Population.

PubMed

Sánchez-Pimienta, Tania G; Batis, Carolina; Lutter, Chessa K; Rivera, Juan A

2016-09-01

Sugar intake has been associated with an increased prevalence of obesity, other noncommunicable diseases, and dental caries. The WHO recommends that free sugars should be <10% of total energy intake (TEI) and that additional health benefits could be obtained with a reduction below 5% of TEI. The objective of this study was to estimate the total, intrinsic, and added sugar intake in the Mexican diet and to identify the food groups that are the main sources of these sugars. We used data from a national probabilistic survey [ENSANUT (National Health and Nutrition Survey) 2012], which represents 3 geographic regions and urban and rural areas. Dietary information was obtained by administering a 24-h recall questionnaire to 10,096 participants. Total sugar intake was estimated by using the National Institute of Public Health (INSP) food-composition table and an established method to estimate added sugars. The mean intakes of total, intrinsic, and added sugars were 365, 127, and 238 kcal/d, respectively. Added sugars contributed 13% of TEI. Sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) were the main source of sugars, contributing 69% of added sugars. Food products high in saturated fat and/or added sugar (HSFAS) were the second main sources of added sugars, contributing 25% of added sugars. The average intake of added sugars in the Mexican diet is higher than WHO recommendations, which may partly explain the high prevalence of obesity and diabetes in Mexico. Because SSBs and HSFAS contribute >94% of total added sugars, strategies to reduce their intake should be strengthened. This includes stronger food labels to warn the consumer about the content of added sugars in foods and beverages. © 2016 American Society for Nutrition.

Use and legacy of mercury in the Andes.

PubMed

Cooke, Colin A; Hintelmann, Holger; Ague, Jay J; Burger, Richard; Biester, Harald; Sachs, Julian P; Engstrom, Daniel R

2013-05-07

Both cinnabar (HgS) and metallic mercury (Hg(0)) were important resources throughout Andean prehistory. Cinnabar was used for millennia to make vermillion, a red pigment that was highly valued in pre-Hispanic Peru; metallic Hg(0) has been used since the mid-16th century to conduct mercury amalgamation, an efficient process of extracting precious metals from ores. However, little is known about which cinnabar deposits were exploited by pre-Hispanic cultures, and the environmental consequences of Hg mining and amalgamation remain enigmatic. Here we use Hg isotopes to source archeological cinnabar and to fingerprint Hg pollution preserved in lake sediment cores from Peru and the Galápagos Islands. Both pre-Inca (pre-1400 AD) and Colonial (1532-1821 AD) archeological artifacts contain cinnabar that matches isotopically with cinnabar ores from Huancavelica, Peru, the largest cinnabar-bearing district in Central and South America. In contrast, the Inca (1400-1532 AD) artifacts sampled are characterized by a unique Hg isotopic composition. In addition, preindustrial (i.e., pre-1900 AD) Hg pollution preserved in lake sediments matches closely the isotopic composition of cinnabar from the Peruvian Andes. Industrial-era Hg pollution, in contrast, is distinct isotopically from preindustrial emissions, suggesting that pre- and postindustrial Hg emissions may be distinguished isotopically in lake sediment cores.

Added sugars: consumption and associated factors among adults and the elderly. São Paulo, Brazil.

PubMed

Bueno, Milena Baptista; Marchioni, Dirce Maria Lobo; César, Chester Luis Galvão; Fisberg, Regina Mara

2012-06-01

To investigate added sugar intake, main dietary sources and factors associated with excessive intake of added sugar. A population-based household survey was carried out in São Paulo, the largest city in Brazil. Cluster sampling was performed and the study sample comprised 689 adults and 622 elderly individuals. Dietary intake was estimated based on a 24-hour food recall. Usual nutrient intake was estimated by correcting for the within-person variance of intake using the Iowa State University (ISU) method. Linear regression analysis was conducted to identify factors associated with added sugar intake. Average of energy intake (EI) from added sugars was 9.1% (95% CI: 8.9%; 9.4%) among adults and 8.4% (95% CI: 8.2%; 8.7%) among the elderly (p < 0.05). Average added sugar intake (% EI) was higher among women than among men (p < 0.05). Soft drink was the main source of added sugar among adults, while table sugar was the main source of added sugar among the elderly. Added sugar intake increased with age among adults. Moreover, higher socioeconomic level was associated with added sugar intake in the same group. Added sugar intake is higher among younger adults of higher socioeconomic level. Soft drink and table sugar accounted for more than 50% of the sugar consumed.

Semi-passive in-situ pilot scale bioreactor successfully removed sulfate and metals from mine impacted water under subarctic climatic conditions.

PubMed

Nielsen, Guillaume; Hatam, Ido; Abuan, Karl A; Janin, Amelie; Coudert, Lucie; Blais, Jean Francois; Mercier, Guy; Baldwin, Susan A

2018-04-23

Mine drainage contaminated with metals is a major environmental threat since it is a source of water pollution with devastating effects on aquatic ecosystems. Conventional active treatment technologies are prohibitively expensive and so there is increasing demand to develop reliable, cost-effective and sustainable passive or semi-passive treatment. These are promising alternatives since they leverage the metabolism of microorganisms native to the disturbed site at in situ or close to in situ conditions. Since this is a biological approach, it is not clear if semi-passive treatment would be effective in remote locations with extremely cold weather such as at mines in the subarctic. In this study we tested the hypothesis that sulfate-reducing bacteria, which are microorganisms that promote metal precipitation, exist in subarctic mine environments and their activity can be stimulated by adding a readily available carbon source. An experiment was setup at a closed mine in the Yukon Territory, Canada, where leaching of Zn and Cd occurs. To test if semi-passive treatment could precipitate these metals and prevent further leaching from waste rock, molasses as a carbon source was added to anaerobic bioreactors mimicking the belowground in-situ conditions. Microbial community analysis confirmed that sulfate-reducing bacteria became enriched in the bioreactors upon addition of molasses. The population composition remained fairly stable over the 14 month operating period despite temperature shifts from 17 to 5 °C. Sulfate reduction functionality was confirmed by quantification of the gene for dissimilatory sulfite reductase. Metals were removed from underground mine drainage fed into the bioreactors with Zn removal efficiency varying between 20.9% in winter and 89.3% in summer, and Cd removal efficiency between 39% in winter and 90.5% in summer. This study demonstrated that stimulation of native SRB in MIW was possible and that in situ semi-passive treatment can be effective in removing metals despite the cold climate. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Assessing the TARES as an ethical model for antismoking ads.

PubMed

Lee, Seow Ting; Cheng, I-Huei

2010-01-01

This study examines the ethical dimensions of public health communication, with a focus on antismoking public service announcements (PSAs). The content analysis of 826 television ads from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Media Campaign Resource Center is an empirical testing of Baker and Martinson's (2001) TARES Test that directly examines persuasive messages for truthfulness, authenticity, respect, equity, and social responsibility. In general, the antismoking ads score highly on ethicality. There are significant relationships between ethicality and message attributes (thematic frame, emotion appeal, source, and target audience). Ads that portrayed smoking as damaging to health and socially unacceptable score lower in ethicality than ads that focus on tobacco industry manipulation, addiction, dangers of secondhand smoke, and cessation. Emotion appeals of anger and sadness are associated with higher ethicality than shame and humor appeals. Ads targeting teen/youth audiences score lower on ethicality than ads targeting adult and general audiences. There are significant differences in ethicality based on source; ads produced by the CDC rate higher in ethicality than other sources. Theoretical implications and practical recommendations are discussed.

Testing flight software on the ground: Introducing the hardware-in-the-loop simulation method to the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer on the International Space Station

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Wenhao; Cai, Xudong; Meng, Qiao

2016-04-01

Complex automatic protection functions are being added to the onboard software of the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer. A hardware-in-the-loop simulation method has been introduced to overcome the difficulties of ground testing that are brought by hardware and environmental limitations. We invented a time-saving approach by reusing the flight data as the data source of the simulation system instead of mathematical models. This is easy to implement and it works efficiently. This paper presents the system framework, implementation details and some application examples.

Anaerobic digestion of food waste: A review focusing on process stability.

PubMed

Li, Lei; Peng, Xuya; Wang, Xiaoming; Wu, Di

2018-01-01

Food waste (FW) is rich in biomass energy, and increasing numbers of national programs are being established to recover energy from FW using anaerobic digestion (AD). However process instability is a common operational issue for AD of FW. Process monitoring and control as well as microbial management can be used to control instability and increase the energy conversion efficiency of anaerobic digesters. Here, we review research progress related to these methods and identify existing limitations to efficient AD; recommendations for future research are also discussed. Process monitoring and control are suitable for evaluating the current operational status of digesters, whereas microbial management can facilitate early diagnosis and process optimization. Optimizing and combining these two methods are necessary to improve AD efficiency. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Sensitivities of Greenland ice sheet volume inferred from an ice sheet adjoint model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heimbach, P.; Bugnion, V.

2009-04-01

We present a new and original approach to understanding the sensitivity of the Greenland ice sheet to key model parameters and environmental conditions. At the heart of this approach is the use of an adjoint ice sheet model. Since its introduction by MacAyeal (1992), the adjoint method has become widespread to fit ice stream models to the increasing number and diversity of satellite observations, and to estimate uncertain model parameters such as basal conditions. However, no attempt has been made to extend this method to comprehensive ice sheet models. As a first step toward the use of adjoints of comprehensive three-dimensional ice sheet models we have generated an adjoint of the ice sheet model SICOPOLIS of Greve (1997). The adjoint was generated by means of the automatic differentiation (AD) tool TAF. The AD tool generates exact source code representing the tangent linear and adjoint model of the nonlinear parent model provided. Model sensitivities are given by the partial derivatives of a scalar-valued model diagnostic with respect to the controls, and can be efficiently calculated via the adjoint. By way of example, we determine the sensitivity of the total Greenland ice volume to various control variables, such as spatial fields of basal flow parameters, surface and basal forcings, and initial conditions. Reliability of the adjoint was tested through finite-difference perturbation calculations for various control variables and perturbation regions. Besides confirming qualitative aspects of ice sheet sensitivities, such as expected regional variations, we detect regions where model sensitivities are seemingly unexpected or counter-intuitive, albeit ``real'' in the sense of actual model behavior. An example is inferred regions where sensitivities of ice sheet volume to basal sliding coefficient are positive, i.e. where a local increase in basal sliding parameter increases the ice sheet volume. Similarly, positive ice temperature sensitivities in certain parts of the ice sheet are found (in most regions it is negativ, i.e. an increase in temperature decreases ice sheet volume), the detection of which seems highly unlikely if only conventional perturbation experiments had been used. An effort to generate an efficient adjoint with the newly developed open-source AD tool OpenAD is also under way. Available adjoint code generation tools now open up a variety of novel model applications, notably with regard to sensitivity and uncertainty analyses and ice sheet state estimation or data assimilation.

Utilization of squid pen for the efficient production of chitosanase and antioxidants through prolonged autoclave treatment.

PubMed

Wang, San-Lang; Wu, Pei-Chen; Liang, Tzu-Wen

2009-05-26

We have developed a culture system for efficient production of chitosanase by Bacillus sp. TKU004. TKU004 was cultivated by using squid pen powder as the sole carbon/nitrogen source. The effects of autoclave treatments of the medium on the production of chitosanase were investigated. Autoclave treatment of squid pen powder for 45 min remarkably promoted enzyme productivity. When the culture medium containing an initial squid pen powder concentration of 3% was autoclaved for 45 min, the chitosanase activity was optimal and reached 0.14-0.16 U/mL. In addition, extracellular surfactant-stable chitosanase was purified from the TKU004 culture supernatant. The antioxidant activity of TKU004 culture supernatant was determined through the scavenging ability of DPPH, with 70% per mL. With this method, we have shown that marine wastes can be utilized efficiently through prolonged autoclave treatments to generate a high value-added product, and have revealed its hidden potential in the production of functional foods.

GPU-accelerated algorithms for compressed signals recovery with application to astronomical imagery deblurring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fiandrotti, Attilio; Fosson, Sophie M.; Ravazzi, Chiara; Magli, Enrico

2018-04-01

Compressive sensing promises to enable bandwidth-efficient on-board compression of astronomical data by lifting the encoding complexity from the source to the receiver. The signal is recovered off-line, exploiting GPUs parallel computation capabilities to speedup the reconstruction process. However, inherent GPU hardware constraints limit the size of the recoverable signal and the speedup practically achievable. In this work, we design parallel algorithms that exploit the properties of circulant matrices for efficient GPU-accelerated sparse signals recovery. Our approach reduces the memory requirements, allowing us to recover very large signals with limited memory. In addition, it achieves a tenfold signal recovery speedup thanks to ad-hoc parallelization of matrix-vector multiplications and matrix inversions. Finally, we practically demonstrate our algorithms in a typical application of circulant matrices: deblurring a sparse astronomical image in the compressed domain.

Active control of thermoacoustic amplification in a thermo-acousto-electric engine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Olivier, Come; Penelet, Guillaume; Poignand, Gaelle; Lotton, Pierrick

2014-05-01

In this paper, a new approach is proposed to control the operation of a thermoacoustic Stirling electricity generator. This control basically consists in adding an additional acoustic source to the device, connected through a feedback loop to a reference microphone, a phase-shifter, and an audio amplifier. Experiments are performed to characterize the impact of the feedback loop (and especially that of the controlled phase-shift) on the overall efficiency of the thermal to electric energy conversion performed by the engine. It is demonstrated that this external forcing of thermoacoustic self-sustained oscillations strongly impacts the performance of the engine, and that it is possible under some circumstances to improve the efficiency of the thermo-electric transduction, compared to the one reached without active control. Applicability and further directions of investigation are also discussed.

The NASA Astrophysics Data System: Overview

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kurtz, Michael J.; Eichhorn, Guenther; Accomazzi, Alberto; Grant, Carolyn S.; Murray, Stephen S.; Watson, Joyce M.

2000-04-01

The NASA Astrophysics Data System Abstract Service has become a key component of astronomical research. It provides bibliographic information daily, or near daily, to a majority of astronomical researchers worldwide. We describe the history of the development of the system and its current status. Urania (Boyce 1996), and the ADS role in the emerging electronic astronomical data environment are discussed. Astronomy is unique in that it already has a fully functional data resource, where several of the most important data sources exist on-line and inter-operate nearly seamlessly. The ADS and the Strasbourg Data Center (CDS; Genova et~al. 2000) form the core of this resource. We show several examples of how to use the ADS, and we show how ADS use has increased as a function of time. Currently it is still increasing exponentially, with a doubling time for number of queries of 17 months. Using the ADS logs we make the first detailed model of how scientific journals are read as a function of time since publication. We find four distinct components. We directly compare the readership rate with the citation rate for scientific articles as a function of age. Citations generally follow reads, but there are some differences. The main journals of astronomy have differences in the ways they are read and cited. We discuss these from a number of different aspects. The impact of the ADS on astronomy can be calculated after making some simple assumptions. We find that the ADS increases the efficiency of astronomical research by 333 Full Time Equivalent (2000 hour) research years per year, and that the value of the early development of the ADS for astronomy, compared with waiting for mature technologies to be adopted, is 2332 FTE research years. A full technical description of the ADS is in three companion articles: \\cite{gei}, \\cite{aa}, and \\cite{csg}. The ADS is available at http://adsabs.harvard.edu/.

Interactive Exploration for Continuously Expanding Neuron Databases.

PubMed

Li, Zhongyu; Metaxas, Dimitris N; Lu, Aidong; Zhang, Shaoting

2017-02-15

This paper proposes a novel framework to help biologists explore and analyze neurons based on retrieval of data from neuron morphological databases. In recent years, the continuously expanding neuron databases provide a rich source of information to associate neuronal morphologies with their functional properties. We design a coarse-to-fine framework for efficient and effective data retrieval from large-scale neuron databases. In the coarse-level, for efficiency in large-scale, we employ a binary coding method to compress morphological features into binary codes of tens of bits. Short binary codes allow for real-time similarity searching in Hamming space. Because the neuron databases are continuously expanding, it is inefficient to re-train the binary coding model from scratch when adding new neurons. To solve this problem, we extend binary coding with online updating schemes, which only considers the newly added neurons and update the model on-the-fly, without accessing the whole neuron databases. In the fine-grained level, we introduce domain experts/users in the framework, which can give relevance feedback for the binary coding based retrieval results. This interactive strategy can improve the retrieval performance through re-ranking the above coarse results, where we design a new similarity measure and take the feedback into account. Our framework is validated on more than 17,000 neuron cells, showing promising retrieval accuracy and efficiency. Moreover, we demonstrate its use case in assisting biologists to identify and explore unknown neurons. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Aging, Memory Efficiency and the Strategic Control of Attention at Encoding: Impairments of Value-Directed Remembering in Alzheimer's Disease

PubMed Central

Castel, Alan D.; Balota, David A.; McCabe, David P.

2009-01-01

Selecting what is important to remember, attending to this information, and then later recalling it can be thought of in terms of the strategic control of attention and the efficient use of memory. In order to examine whether aging and Alzheimer's disease (AD) influenced this ability, the present study used a selectivity task, where studied items were worth various point values and participants were asked to maximize the value of the items they recalled. Relative to younger adults (N=35) and healthy older adults (N=109), individuals with very mild AD (N=41) and mild AD (N=13) showed impairments in the strategic and efficient encoding and recall of high value items. Although individuals with AD recalled more high value items than low value items, they did not efficiently maximize memory performance (as measured by a selectivity index) relative to healthy older adults. Performance on complex working memory span tasks was related to the recall of the high value items but not low value items. This pattern suggests that relative to healthy aging, AD leads to impairments in strategic control at encoding and value-directed remembering. PMID:19413444

High-output LED-based light engine for profile lighting fixtures with high color uniformity using freeform reflectors.

PubMed

Gadegaard, Jesper; Jensen, Thøger Kari; Jørgensen, Dennis Thykjær; Kristensen, Peter Kjær; Søndergaard, Thomas; Pedersen, Thomas Garm; Pedersen, Kjeld

2016-02-20

In the stage lighting and entertainment market, light engines (LEs) for lighting fixtures are often based on high-intensity discharge (HID) bulbs. Switching to LED-based light engines gives possibilities for fast switching, additive color mixing, a longer lifetime, and potentially, more energy-efficient systems. The lumen output of a single LED is still not sufficient to replace an HID source in high-output profile fixtures, but combining multiple LEDs can create an LE with a similar output, but with added complexity. This paper presents the results of modeling and testing such a light engine. Custom ray-tracing software was used to design a high-output red, green and blue LED-based light engine with twelve CBT-90 LEDs using a dual-reflector principle. The simulated optical system efficiency was 0.626 with a perfect (R=1) reflector coating for light delivered on a target surface through the entire optical system. A profile lighting fixture prototype was created, and provided an output of 6744 lumen and an efficiency of 0.412. The lower efficiency was mainly due to a non-optimal reflector coating, and the optimized design is expected to reach a significantly higher efficiency.

Emission Spectroscopy of the 4X Source Discharge With and Without N 2 Gas

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

Smith, Horace Vernon

2016-01-14

This tech note summarizes the December, 1988 emission spectroscopy measurements made on the 4X source discharge with and without N₂ gas added to the H + Cs discharge. This study is motivated by the desire to understand why small amounts of N₂ gas added to the source discharge results in a reduction in the H⁻ beam noise. The beneficial effect of N₂ gas on H⁻ beam noise was first discovered by Bill Ingalls and Stu Orbesen on the ATS SAS source. For the 4X source the observed effect is that when N2 gas is added to the discharge the H⁻more » beam noise is reduced about a factor of 2.« less

Recloned dogs derived from adipose stem cells of a transgenic cloned beagle.

PubMed

Oh, Hyun Ju; Park, Jung Eun; Kim, Min Jung; Hong, So Gun; Ra, Jeong Chan; Jo, Jung Youn; Kang, Sung Keun; Jang, Goo; Lee, Byeong Chun

2011-04-15

A number of studies have postulated that efficiency in mammalian cloning is inversely correlated with donor cell differentiation status and may be increased by using undifferentiated cells as nuclear donors. Here, we attempted the recloning of dogs by nuclear transfer of canine adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells (cAd-MSCs) from a transgenic cloned beagle to determine if cAd-MSCs can be a suitable donor cell type. In order to isolate cAd-MSCs, adipose tissues were collected from a transgenic cloned beagle produced by somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) of canine fetal fibroblasts modified genetically with a red fluorescent protein (RFP) gene. The cAd-MSCs expressed the RFP gene and cell-surface marker characteristics of MSCs including CD29, CD44 and thy1.1. Furthermore, cAd-MSCs underwent osteogenic, adipogenic, myogenic, neurogenic and chondrogenic differentiation when exposed to specific differentiation-inducing conditions. In order to investigate the developmental potential of cAd-MSCs, we carried out SCNT. Fused-couplets (82/109, 75.2%) were chemically activated and transferred into the uterine tube of five naturally estrus-synchronized surrogates. One of them (20%) maintained pregnancy and subsequently gave birth to two healthy cloned pups. The present study demonstrated for the first time the successful production of cloned beagles by nuclear transfer of cAd-MSCs. Another important outcome of the present study is the successful recloning of RFP-expressing transgenic cloned beagle pups by nuclear transfer of cells derived from a transgenic cloned beagle. In conclusion, the present study demonstrates that adipose stem cells can be a good nuclear donor source for dog cloning. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Controlling Continuous-Variable Quantum Key Distribution with Entanglement in the Middle Using Tunable Linear Optics Cloning Machines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Xiao Dong; Chen, Feng; Wu, Xiang Hua; Guo, Ying

2017-02-01

Continuous-variable quantum key distribution (CVQKD) can provide detection efficiency, as compared to discrete-variable quantum key distribution (DVQKD). In this paper, we demonstrate a controllable CVQKD with the entangled source in the middle, contrast to the traditional point-to-point CVQKD where the entanglement source is usually created by one honest party and the Gaussian noise added on the reference partner of the reconciliation is uncontrollable. In order to harmonize the additive noise that originates in the middle to resist the effect of malicious eavesdropper, we propose a controllable CVQKD protocol by performing a tunable linear optics cloning machine (LOCM) at one participant's side, say Alice. Simulation results show that we can achieve the optimal secret key rates by selecting the parameters of the tuned LOCM in the derived regions.

openBIS ELN-LIMS: an open-source database for academic laboratories.

PubMed

Barillari, Caterina; Ottoz, Diana S M; Fuentes-Serna, Juan Mariano; Ramakrishnan, Chandrasekhar; Rinn, Bernd; Rudolf, Fabian

2016-02-15

The open-source platform openBIS (open Biology Information System) offers an Electronic Laboratory Notebook and a Laboratory Information Management System (ELN-LIMS) solution suitable for the academic life science laboratories. openBIS ELN-LIMS allows researchers to efficiently document their work, to describe materials and methods and to collect raw and analyzed data. The system comes with a user-friendly web interface where data can be added, edited, browsed and searched. The openBIS software, a user guide and a demo instance are available at https://openbis-eln-lims.ethz.ch. The demo instance contains some data from our laboratory as an example to demonstrate the possibilities of the ELN-LIMS (Ottoz et al., 2014). For rapid local testing, a VirtualBox image of the ELN-LIMS is also available. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press.

Effect of calcium oxide on the efficiency of ferrous ion oxidation and total iron precipitation during ferrous ion oxidation in simulated acid mine drainage treatment with inoculation of Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans.

PubMed

Liu, Fenwu; Zhou, Jun; Jin, Tongjun; Zhang, Shasha; Liu, Lanlan

2016-01-01

Calcium oxide was added into ferrous ion oxidation system in the presence of Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans at concentrations of 0-4.00 g/L. The pH, ferrous ion oxidation efficiency, total iron precipitation efficiency, and phase of the solid minerals harvested from different treatments were investigated during the ferrous ion oxidation process. In control check (CK) system, pH of the solution decreased from 2.81 to 2.25 when ferrous ions achieved complete oxidation after 72 h of Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans incubation without the addition of calcium oxide, and total iron precipitation efficiency reached 20.2%. Efficiency of ferrous ion oxidation and total iron precipitation was significantly improved when the amount of calcium oxide added was ≤1.33 g/L, and the minerals harvested from systems were mainly a mixture of jarosite and schwertmannite. For example, the ferrous ion oxidation efficiency reached 100% at 60 h and total iron precipitation efficiency was increased to 32.1% at 72 h when 1.33 g/L of calcium oxide was added. However, ferrous ion oxidation and total iron precipitation for jarosite and schwertmannite formation were inhibited if the amount of calcium oxide added was above 2.67 g/L, and large amounts of calcium sulfate dihydrate were generated in systems.

Comparative study of DL-selenomethionine vs sodium selenite and seleno-yeast on antioxidant activity and selenium status in laying hens.

PubMed

Jing, C L; Dong, X F; Wang, Z M; Liu, S; Tong, J M

2015-05-01

The aim of this study was to compare the effect of DL-selenomethionine (SM) with 2 routinely used Se sources, sodium selenite (SS) and seleno-yeast (SY), on relative bioavailability based on antioxidant activity and tissue Se content. Six hundred thirty 131-day-old brown laying hens were randomly assigned to 7 treatments for 168 d (24 wks) with 6 replicates of 15 hens per replicate. The SS and SY animals were supplemented a cornmeal and soybean diet that supplied a total Se 0.3 mg/kg whereas SM was added at 4 different levels to the total Se at 0.1, 0.3, 0.5 and 0.7 mg/kg. All hens fed the Se-supplemented diet showed higher glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activity (P < 0.01), higher superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity (P < 0.05), lower malondialdehyde (MDA) content (P < 0.05) in plasma, and greater Se contents in egg yolks, albumen, leg muscle, breast muscle, liver, and plasma compared with those fed the control diet (P < 0.01). The organic sources (SY and SM) exhibited a greater ability to increase the GSH-Px activity (P < 0.01) and Se content in albumen (P < 0.01), leg, and breast muscles (P = 0.0099 and P = 0.0014, respectively) than the SS that was added at 0.3 mg Se/kg. The higher SM added levels increased the GSH-Px activity until the dose of 0.5mg Se/kg (P < 0.01).The greater Se concentrations in albumen, muscle and liver appeared in the higher SM-added level, as well as above the dose of 0.1 mg Se/kg (P < 0.01). In addition, hens fed the diet with SM accumulated more Se in albumen, leg, and breast muscle than those fed diets with SY (P < 0.05). These results confirmed the higher ability of organic Se sources to increase the antioxidant activity and Se deposition in egg albumen, leg, and breast muscles compared with SS, and demonstrated a significantly better efficiency of SM compared with SY for albumen and muscle Se enrichment. © 2015 Poultry Science Association Inc.

alpha-Galactosylceramide-loaded, antigen-expressing B cells prime a wide spectrum of antitumor immunity.

PubMed

Kim, Yeon-Jeong; Ko, Hyun-Jeong; Kim, Yun-Sun; Kim, Dong-Hyeon; Kang, Seock; Kim, Jong-Mook; Chung, Yeonseok; Kang, Chang-Yuil

2008-06-15

Most of the current tumor vaccines successfully elicit strong protection against tumor but offer little therapeutic effect against existing tumors, highlighting the need for a more effective vaccine strategy. Vaccination with tumor antigen-presenting cells can induce antitumor immune responses. We have previously shown that NKT-licensed B cells prime cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) with epitope peptide and generate prophylactic/therapeutic antitumor effects. To extend our B cell vaccine approach to the whole antigen, and to overcome the MHC restriction, we used a nonreplicating adenovirus to transduce B cells with antigenic gene. Primary B cells transduced with an adenovirus-encoding truncated Her-2/neu (AdHM) efficiently expressed Her-2/neu. Compared with the moderate antitumor activity induced by vaccination with adenovirus-transduced B cells (B/AdHM), vaccination with alpha-galactosylceramide-loaded B/AdHM (B/AdHM/alpha GalCer) induced significantly stronger antitumor immunity, especially in the tumor-bearing mice. The depletion study showed that CD4(+), CD8(+) and NK cells were all necessary for the therapeutic immunity. Confirming the results of the depletion study, B/AdHM/alpha GalCer vaccination induced cytotoxic NK cell responses but B/AdHM did not. Vaccination with B/AdHM/alpha GalCer generated Her-2/neu-specific antibodies more efficiently than B/AdHM immunization. More importantly, B/AdHM/alpha GalCer could prime Her-2/neu-specific cytotoxic T cells more efficiently and durably than B/AdHM. CD4(+) cells appeared to be necessary for the induction of antibody and CTL responses. Our results demonstrate that, with the help of NKT cells, antigen-transduced B cells efficiently induce innate immunity as well as a wide range of adaptive immunity against the tumor, suggesting that they could be used to develop a novel cellular vaccine. (c) 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

An integrated anaerobic digestion and UV photocatalytic treatment of distillery wastewater.

PubMed

Apollo, Seth; Onyango, Maurice S; Ochieng, Aoyi

2013-10-15

Anaerobic up-flow fixed bed reactor and annular photocatalytic reactor were used to study the efficiency of integrated anaerobic digestion (AD) and ultraviolet (UV) photodegradation of real distillery effluent and raw molasses wastewater (MWW). It was found that UV photodegradation as a stand-alone technique achieved colour removal of 54% and 69% for the distillery and MWW, respectively, with a COD reduction of <20% and a negligible BOD reduction. On the other hand, AD as a single treatment technique was found to be effective in COD and BOD reduction with efficiencies of above 75% and 85%, respectively, for both wastewater samples. However, the AD achieved low colour removal efficiency, with an increase in colour intensity of 13% recorded when treating MWW while a colour removal of 51% was achieved for the distillery effluent. The application of UV photodegradation as a pre-treatment method to the AD process reduced the COD removal and biogas production efficiency. However, an integration in which UV photodegradation was employed as a post-treatment to the AD process achieved high COD removal of above 85% for both wastewater samples, and colour removal of 88% for the distillery effluent. Thus, photodegradation can be employed as a post-treatment technique to an AD system treating distillery effluent for complete removal of the biorecalcitrant and colour imparting compounds. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Resource assessment in Western Australia using a geographic information system

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

Jackson, A.

1991-03-01

Three study areas in Western Australia covering from 77,000 to 425,000 mi{sup 2} were examined for oil and gas potential using a geographic information system (GIS). A data base of source rock thickness, source richness, maturity, and expulsion efficiency was created for each interval. The GIS (Arc/Info) was used to create, manage, and analyze data for each interval in each study area. Source rock thickness and source richness data were added to the data base from digitized data. Maturity information was generated with Arc/Info by combining geochemical and depth to structure data. Expulsion efficiency data was created by a systemmore » level Arc/Info program. After the data base for each interval was built, the GIS was used to analyze the geologic data. The analysis consisted of converting each data layer into a lattice (grid) and using the lattice operation in Arc/Infor (addition, multiplication, division, and subtraction) to combine the data layers. Additional techniques for combining and selecting data were developed using Arc/Info system level programs. The procedure for performing the analyses was written as macros in Arc/Info's macro programming language (AML). The results of the analysis were estimates of oil and gas volumes for each interval. The resultant volumes were produced in tabular form for reports and cartographic form for presentation. The geographic information system provided several clear advantages over traditional methods of resource assessment including simplified management, updating, and editing of geologic data.« less

Faba beans and peas in poultry feed: economic assessment.

PubMed

Proskina, Liga; Cerina, Sallija

2017-10-01

Broiler diets mainly consist of cereals and protein-rich feed sources; in the EU-27, poultry farming consumes 24% of the total amount of protein-rich feedstuffs. Since the EU produces only 30% of the total quantity of protein crops used for feed, it is necessary to promote the use of traditional European protein crops (beans, peas) for feed in livestock farming. The research aim is to identify economic gains from the production of broiler chicken meat, replacing soybean meal with domestic faba beans and field peas in broiler chicken diets. Adding field peas and faba beans to the broiler feed ration resulted in a significant live weight increase (5.74-11.95%) at the selling age, a decrease in the feed conversion ratio by 0.61-6.06%, and decrease in the product unit cost (15.34-37.06%) as well as an increase in the production efficiency factor (8.70-48.54), compared with the control group. The optimum kind of legume species used in the broiler diet was peas, which were added in the amount of 200 g kg -1 , resulting in live weight gain, a decrease in the feed conversion ratio and an increase in the production efficiency factor. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

Azolla-Anabaena's behaviour in urban wastewater and artificial media--influence of combined nitrogen.

PubMed

Costa, M L; Santos, M C R; Carrapiço, F; Pereira, A L

2009-08-01

The results of using the nitrogen fixing symbiotic system Azolla-Anabaena to improve the quality of treated urban wastewater, particularly on what concerns phosphorus removal efficiencies (40-65%), obtained in continuous assays performed during the past few years and presented earlier, were very promising. Nevertheless, the presence of combined nitrogen in some wastewaters can compromise the treatment efficiency. The main goal of this work was to compare plants behaviour in wastewater and in mineral media with and without added nitrogen. Azolla filiculoides's specific growth rates in wastewater and in mineral media without added nitrogen or with low nitrate concentration were very similar (0.122 d(-1)-0.126 d(-1)), but decreased in the presence of ammonium (0.100 d(-1)). The orthophosphate removal rate coefficients were similar in all the growth media (0.210 d(-1)-0.232 d(-1)), but ammonium removal rate coefficient in wastewater was higher (0.117 d(-1)) than in mineral medium using that source of nitrogen (0.077 d(-1)). The ammonium present in wastewater, despite its high concentration (34 mg NL(-1)), didn't seem to inhibit growth and nitrogen fixation, however, in mineral media, ammonium (40 mg NL(-1)) was found to induce, respectively, 18% and 46% of inhibition.

Salinity-gradient energy driven microbial electrosynthesis of value-added chemicals from CO2 reduction.

PubMed

Li, Xiaohu; Angelidaki, Irini; Zhang, Yifeng

2018-06-14

Biological conversion of CO 2 to value-added chemicals and biofuels has emerged as an attractive strategy to address the energy and environmental concerns caused by the over-reliance on fossil fuels. In this study, an innovative microbial reverse-electrodialysis electrolysis cell (MREC), which combines the strengths of reverse electrodialysis (RED) and microbial electrosynthesis technology platforms, was developed to achieve efficient CO 2 -to-value chemicals bioconversion by using the salinity gradient energy as driven energy sources. In the MREC, maximum acetate and ethanol concentrations of 477.5 ± 33.2 and 46.2 ± 8.2 mg L -1 were obtained at the cathode, catalyzed by Sporomusa ovata with production rates of 165.79 ± 11.52 and 25.11 ± 4.46 mmol m -2 d -1 , respectively. Electron balance analysis indicates that 94.4 ± 3.9% of the electrons derived from wastewater and salinity gradient were recovered in acetate and ethanol. This work for the first time proved the potential of innovative MREC configuration has the potential as an efficient technology platform for simultaneous CO 2 capture and electrosynthesis of valuable chemicals. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A medium-chain fatty acid as an alternative energy source in mouse preimplantation development.

PubMed

Yamada, Mitsutoshi; Takanashi, Kazumi; Hamatani, Toshio; Hirayama, Akiyoshi; Akutsu, Hidenori; Fukunaga, Tomoko; Ogawa, Seiji; Sugawara, Kana; Shinoda, Kosaku; Soga, Tomoyoshi; Umezawa, Akihiro; Kuji, Naoaki; Yoshimura, Yasunori; Tomita, Masaru

2012-01-01

To further optimize the culturing of preimplantation embryos, we undertook metabolomic analysis of relevant culture media using capillary electrophoresis time-of-flight mass spectrometry (CE-TOFMS). We detected 28 metabolites: 23 embryo-excreted metabolites including 16 amino acids and 5 media-derived metabolites (e.g., octanoate, a medium-chain fatty acid (MCFA)). Due to the lack of information on MCFAs in mammalian preimplantation development, this study examined octanoate as a potential alternative energy source for preimplantation embryo cultures. No embryos survived in culture media lacking FAs, pyruvate, and glucose, but supplementation of octanoate rescued the embryonic development. Immunoblotting showed significant expression of acyl-CoA dehydrogenase and hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenase, important enzymes for ß-oxidation of MCFAs, in preimplantation embryo. Furthermore, CE-TOFMS traced [1-(13)C(8)] octanoate added to the culture media into intermediate metabolites of the TCA cycle via ß-oxidation in mitochondria. These results are the first demonstration that octanoate could provide an efficient alternative energy source throughout preimplantation development.

Remote measurement methods for 3-D modeling purposes using BAE Systems' Software

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Walker, Stewart; Pietrzak, Arleta

2015-06-01

Efficient, accurate data collection from imagery is the key to an economical generation of useful geospatial products. Incremental developments of traditional geospatial data collection and the arrival of new image data sources cause new software packages to be created and existing ones to be adjusted to enable such data to be processed. In the past, BAE Systems' digital photogrammetric workstation, SOCET SET®, met fin de siècle expectations in data processing and feature extraction. Its successor, SOCET GXP®, addresses today's photogrammetric requirements and new data sources. SOCET GXP is an advanced workstation for mapping and photogrammetric tasks, with automated functionality for triangulation, Digital Elevation Model (DEM) extraction, orthorectification and mosaicking, feature extraction and creation of 3-D models with texturing. BAE Systems continues to add sensor models to accommodate new image sources, in response to customer demand. New capabilities added in the latest version of SOCET GXP facilitate modeling, visualization and analysis of 3-D features.

Influence of reactive gas admixture on transition metal cluster nucleation in a gas aggregation cluster source

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peter, Tilo; Polonskyi, Oleksandr; Gojdka, Björn; Mohammad Ahadi, Amir; Strunskus, Thomas; Zaporojtchenko, Vladimir; Biederman, Hynek; Faupel, Franz

2012-12-01

We quantitatively assessed the influence of reactive gases on the formation processes of transition metal clusters in a gas aggregation cluster source. A cluster source based on a 2 in. magnetron is used to study the production rate of titanium and cobalt clusters. Argon served as working gas for the DC magnetron discharge, and a small amount of reactive gas (oxygen and nitrogen) is added to promote reactive cluster formation. We found that the cluster production rate depends strongly on the reactive gas concentration for very small amounts of reactive gas (less than 0.1% of total working gas), and no cluster formation takes place in the absence of reactive species. The influence of discharge power, reactive gas concentration, and working gas pressure are investigated using a quartz micro balance in a time resolved manner. The strong influence of reactive gas is explained by a more efficient formation of nucleation seeds for metal-oxide or nitride than for pure metal.

adLIMS: a customized open source software that allows bridging clinical and basic molecular research studies.

PubMed

Calabria, Andrea; Spinozzi, Giulio; Benedicenti, Fabrizio; Tenderini, Erika; Montini, Eugenio

2015-01-01

Many biological laboratories that deal with genomic samples are facing the problem of sample tracking, both for pure laboratory management and for efficiency. Our laboratory exploits PCR techniques and Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) methods to perform high-throughput integration site monitoring in different clinical trials and scientific projects. Because of the huge amount of samples that we process every year, which result in hundreds of millions of sequencing reads, we need to standardize data management and tracking systems, building up a scalable and flexible structure with web-based interfaces, which are usually called Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS). We started collecting end-users' requirements, composed of desired functionalities of the system and Graphical User Interfaces (GUI), and then we evaluated available tools that could address our requirements, spanning from pure LIMS to Content Management Systems (CMS) up to enterprise information systems. Our analysis identified ADempiere ERP, an open source Enterprise Resource Planning written in Java J2EE, as the best software that also natively implements some highly desirable technological advances, such as the high usability and modularity that grants high use-case flexibility and software scalability for custom solutions. We extended and customized ADempiere ERP to fulfil LIMS requirements and we developed adLIMS. It has been validated by our end-users verifying functionalities and GUIs through test cases for PCRs samples and pre-sequencing data and it is currently in use in our laboratories. adLIMS implements authorization and authentication policies, allowing multiple users management and roles definition that enables specific permissions, operations and data views to each user. For example, adLIMS allows creating sample sheets from stored data using available exporting operations. This simplicity and process standardization may avoid manual errors and information backtracking, features that are not granted using track recording on files or spreadsheets. adLIMS aims to combine sample tracking and data reporting features with higher accessibility and usability of GUIs, thus allowing time to be saved on doing repetitive laboratory tasks, and reducing errors with respect to manual data collection methods. Moreover, adLIMS implements automated data entry, exploiting sample data multiplexing and parallel/transactional processing. adLIMS is natively extensible to cope with laboratory automation through platform-dependent API interfaces, and could be extended to genomic facilities due to the ERP functionalities.

Availability of added sugars in Brazil: distribution, food sources and time trends.

PubMed

Levy, Renata Bertazzi; Claro, Rafael Moreira; Bandoni, Daniel Henrique; Mondini, Lenise; Monteiro, Carlos Augusto

2012-03-01

To describe the regional and socio-economic distribution of consumption of added sugar in Brazil in 2002/03, particularly products, sources of sugar and trends in the past 15 years. The study used data from Household Budget Surveys since the 1980s about the type and quantity of food and beverages bought by Brazilian families. Different indicators were analyzed: % of sugar calories over the total diet energy and caloric % of table sugar fractions and sugar added to processed food/ sugar calories of diet. In 2002/03, of the total energy available for consumption, 16.7% came from added sugar in all regional and socio-economic strata. The table sugar/ sugar added to processed food ratio was inversely proportional to increase in income. Although this proportion fell in the past 15 years, sugar added to processed food doubled, especially in terms of consumption of soft drinks and cookies. Brazilians consume more sugar than the recommended levels determined by the WHO and the sources of consumption of sugar have changed significantly.

AdDroid: Privilege Separation for Applications and Advertisers in Android

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-05-14

integrates these three components into the Android Open Source Project, version 2.3.3 (Ginger- bread ). 4.1 AdDroid Library API The AdDroid userspace...AdPropert ies IAB MRECT public stat ic int NO REFRESH stat ic enum AdPropert ies . Al ign BOTTOM TOP UNSET Class AdRequest public AdRequest ( ) public

Adaptation of Methanogenic Inocula to Anaerobic Digestion of Maize Silage

PubMed Central

Wojcieszak, Martyna; Pyzik, Adam; Poszytek, Krzysztof; Krawczyk, Pawel S.; Sobczak, Adam; Lipinski, Leszek; Roubinek, Otton; Palige, Jacek; Sklodowska, Aleksandra; Drewniak, Lukasz

2017-01-01

A well-balanced microbial consortium is crucial for efficient biogas production. In turn, one of a major factor that influence on the structure of anaerobic digestion (AD) consortium is a source of microorganisms which are used as an inoculum. This study evaluated the influence of inoculum sources (with various origin) on adaptation of a biogas community and the efficiency of the biomethanization of maize silage. As initial inocula for AD of maize silage the samples from: (i) an agricultural biogas plant (ABP) which utilizes maize silage as a main substrate, (ii) cattle slurry (CS), which contain elevated levels of lignocelluloses materials, and (iii) raw sewage sludge (RSS) with low content of plant origin materials were used. The adaptation of methanogenic consortia was monitored during a series of passages, and the functionality of the adapted consortia was verified through start-up operation of AD in two-stage reactors. During the first stages of the adaptation phase, methanogenic consortia occurred very slowly, and only after several passages did the microbial community adapts to allow production of biogas with high methane content. The ABP consortium revealed highest biogas production in the adaptation and in the start-up process. The biodiversity dynamics monitored during adaptation and start-up process showed that community profile changed in a similar direction in three studied consortia. Native communities were very distinct to each other, while at the end of the Phase II of the start-up process microbial diversity profile was similar in all consortia. All adopted bacterial communities were dominated by representatives of Porphyromonadaceae, Rikenellaceae, Ruminococcaceae, and Synergistaceae. A shift from low acetate-preferring acetoclastic Methanosaetaceae (ABP and RSS) and/or hydrogenotrophic Archaea, e.g., Methanomicrobiaceae (CS) prevailing in the inoculum samples to larger populations of high acetate-preferring acetoclastic Methanosarcinaceae was observed by the end of the experiment. As a result, three independent, functional communities that syntrophically produced methane from acetate (primarily) and H2/CO2, methanol and methylamines were adapted. This study provides new insights into the specific process by which different inocula sampled from typical methanogenic environments that are commonly used to initiate industrial installations gradually adapted to allow biogas production from maize silage. PMID:29033919

Selling Health to the Distracted: Consumer Responses to Source Credibility and Ad Appeal Type in a Direct-to-Consumer Advertisement.

PubMed

Lemanski, Jennifer L; Villegas, Jorge

2015-01-01

Since 1997, when the U.S. Food and Drug Administration first allowed prescription drug companies to release ads directly targeting the public, direct-to-consumer (DTC) advertising has become an integral part of the pharmaceutical industry marketing toolkit, reaching over $4 billion in 2005. In an experiment where cognitive load, a task that requires the investment of a subject's memory in an unrelated task; source credibility; and advertising appeal type (affective or cognitive) were manipulated, attitude toward the ad was measured for a print DTC meningitis vaccine ad. Main effect results for source credibility and advertising appeal type on attitude toward the ad were found, and interactions between manipulated variables were apparent when the individual difference variables related to a specific illness (vaccination history, living in a dorm, family members or friends who had suffered the illness) were taken into account.

Modeling of Dual Gate Material Hetero-dielectric Strained PNPN TFET for Improved ON Current

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumari, Tripty; Saha, Priyanka; Dash, Dinesh Kumar; Sarkar, Subir Kumar

2018-01-01

The tunnel field effect transistor (TFET) is considered to be a promising alternative device for future low-power VLSI circuits due to its steep subthreshold slope, low leakage current and its efficient performance at low supply voltage. However, the main challenging issue associated with realizing TFET for wide scale applications is its low ON current. To overcome this, a dual gate material with the concept of dielectric engineering has been incorporated into conventional TFET structure to tune the tunneling width at source-channel interface allowing significant flow of carriers. In addition to this, N+ pocket is implanted at source-channel junction of the proposed structure and the effect of strain is added for exploring the performance of the model in nanoscale regime. All these added features upgrade the device characteristics leading to higher ON current, low leakage and low threshold voltage. The present work derives the surface potential, electric field expression and drain current by solving 2D Poisson's equation at different boundary conditions. A comparative analysis of proposed model with conventional TFET has been done to establish the superiority of the proposed structure. All analytical results have been compared with the results obtained in SILVACO ATLAS device simulator to establish the accuracy of the derived analytical model.

Effects of Feedstock Sources on Inoculant Acclimatization: Start-up Strategies and Reactor Performance.

PubMed

Yang, Qian; Wei, Liang-Huan; Li, Wei-Zun; Chen, Yu; Ju, Mei-Ting

2017-11-01

Different inoculum sources and acclimatization methods result in different substrate adaptation and biodegradability. To increase straw degradation rate, shorten the digester start-up time, and enhance the biogas production, we domesticated anaerobic sludge by adding microcrystalline cellulose (MCC). During acclimatization, the start-up strategies and reactor performance were investigated to analyze changes in feedstock adaption, biodegradability, and methanogen activity. The effect of the domesticated inoculum was evaluated by testing batch un-pretreated corn stover with a dewatered sludge (DS)-domesticated inoculum as a control. The results showed that (1) using MCC as a substrate rapidly improved microorganism biodegradability and adaptation. (2) MCC as domesticated substrate has relatively stable system and high mass conversion, but with low buffer capacity. (3) Macro- and micronutrients should be added for improving the activity of methanogenic and system's buffer capacity. (4) Using the domesticated inoculums and batch tests to anaerobically digest untreated corn stover yielded rapid biogas production of 292 mL, with an early peak value on the first day. The results indicated that cultivating directional inoculum can efficiently and quickly start-up digester. These investigated results to promote anaerobic digestion of straw for producing biogas speed up the transformation of achievements of biomass solid waste utilization have a positive promoting significance.

Estimations of daily energy and nutrient availability based on nationally representative household budget survey data. The Data Food Networking (DAFNE) project.

PubMed

Naska, A; Oikonomou, E; Trichopoulou, A; Wagner, K; Gedrich, K

2007-12-01

To describe a cost-efficient method for estimating energy and nutrient availability using household budget survey (HBS) data. Four different approaches were tested and the results were compared with published nutrient intake data. The selected method was exemplarily applied in German and Greek data. Germany, 1998; Greece, 1998/99. Nationally representative HBSs. Comparisons showed that HBS-based estimates were generally close to intake data when results were presented as contributions to daily energy intake. Daily energy and protein availabilities were similar in Germany and Greece. Differences were observed in the availability of carbohydrates (German households reported a 5 percentage points higher contribution to daily energy availability) and lipids (Greek households recorded higher values for total fat, but lower values for saturated fat). Meat, added lipids and potatoes were important energy suppliers in Germany, whereas in Greece the first three energy suppliers were added lipids, cereals and meat. In both countries, meat, cereals, milk and cheese were important protein sources and cereals, potatoes, fruits and nuts contributed more than 60% of the daily carbohydrate availability. Added lipids were the major source of fat in the daily diet of both countries, but their contribution amounted to less than one-third in Germany and two-thirds in Greece. National HBS data can be used for monitoring and comparing nutrient availability among representative population samples of different countries. The ground is set for the development of a harmonised food composition table to be applied to HBS food data at international level.

OCCIPITAL SOURCES OF RESTING STATE ALPHA RHYTHMS ARE RELATED TO LOCAL GRAY MATTER DENSITY IN SUBJECTS WITH AMNESIC MILD COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT AND ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE

PubMed Central

Claudio, Babiloni; Claudio, Del Percio; Marina, Boccardi; Roberta, Lizio; Susanna, Lopez; Filippo, Carducci; Nicola, Marzano; Andrea, Soricelli; Raffaele, Ferri; Ivano, Triggiani Antonio; Annapaola, Prestia; Serenella, Salinari; Rasser Paul, E; Erol, Basar; Francesco, Famà; Flavio, Nobili; Görsev, Yener; Durusu, Emek-Savaş Derya; Gesualdo, Loreto; Ciro, Mundi; Thompson Paul, M; Rossini Paolo, M.; Frisoni Giovanni, B

2014-01-01

Occipital sources of resting state electroencephalographic (EEG) alpha rhythms are abnormal, at the group level, in patients with amnesic mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Here we evaluated the hypothesis that amplitude of these occipital sources is related to neurodegeneration in occipital lobe as measured by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Resting-state eyes-closed EEG rhythms were recorded in 45 healthy elderly (Nold), 100 MCI, and 90 AD subjects. Neurodegeneration of occipital lobe was indexed by weighted averages of gray matter density (GMD), estimated from structural MRIs. EEG rhythms of interest were alpha 1 (8–10.5 Hz) and alpha 2 (10.5–13 Hz). EEG cortical sources were estimated by low resolution brain electromagnetic tomography (LORETA). Results showed a positive correlation between occipital GMD and amplitude of occipital alpha 1 sources in Nold, MCI and AD subjects as a whole group (r=0.3, p=0.000004, N=235). Furthermore, there was a positive correlation between amplitude of occipital alpha 1 sources and cognitive status as revealed by Mini Mental State Evaluation (MMSE) score across all subjects (r=0.38, p=0.000001, N=235). Finally, amplitude of occipital alpha 1 sources allowed a moderate classification of individual Nold and AD subjects (sensitivity: 87.8%; specificity: 66.7%; area under the Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve: 0.81). These results suggest that the amplitude of occipital sources of resting state alpha rhythms is related to AD neurodegeneration in occipital lobe along pathological aging. PMID:25442118

Effects of distinctive encoding on source-based false recognition: further examination of recall-to-reject processes in aging and Alzheimer disease.

PubMed

Pierce, Benton H; Waring, Jill D; Schacter, Daniel L; Budson, Andrew E

2008-09-01

To examine the use of distinctive materials at encoding on recall-to-reject monitoring processes in aging and Alzheimer disease (AD). AD patients, and to a lesser extent older adults, have shown an impaired ability to use recollection-based monitoring processes (eg, recall-to-reject) to avoid various types of false memories, such as source-based false recognition. Younger adults, healthy older adults, and AD patients engaged in an incidental learning task, in which critical category exemplars were either accompanied by a distinctive picture or were presented as only words. Later, participants studied a series of categorized lists in which several typical exemplars were omitted and were then given a source memory test. Both older and younger adults made more accurate source attributions after picture encoding compared with word-only encoding, whereas AD patients did not exhibit this distinctiveness effect. These results extend those of previous studies showing that monitoring in older adults can be enhanced with distinctive encoding, and suggest that such monitoring processes in AD patients many be insensitive to distinctiveness.

Batch conversion of methane to methanol using Methylosinus trichosporium OB3b as biocatalyst.

PubMed

Hwang, In Yeub; Hur, Dong Hoon; Lee, Jae Hoon; Park, Chang-Ho; Chang, In Seop; Lee, Jin Won; Lee, Eun Yeol

2015-03-01

Recently, methane has attracted much attention as an alternative carbon feedstock since it is the major component of abundant shale and natural gas. In this work, we produced methanol from methane using whole cells of Methylosinus trichosporium OB3b as the biocatalyst. M. trichosporium OB3b was cultured on NMS medium with a supply of 7:3 air/methane ratio at 30°C. The optimal concentrations of various methanol dehydrogenase inhibitors such as potassium phosphate and EDTA were determined to be 100 and 0.5 mM, respectively, for an efficient production of methanol. Sodium formate (40 mM) as a reducing power source was added to enhance the conversion efficiency. A productivity of 49.0 mg/l·h, titer of 0.393 g methanol/l, and conversion of 73.8% (mol methanol/mol methane) were obtained under the optimized batch condition.

Tin-Doped Inorganic Amorphous Films for Use as Transparent Monolithic Phosphors.

PubMed

Masai, Hirokazu; Miyata, Hiroki; Yamada, Yasuhiro; Okumura, Shun; Yanagida, Takayuki; Kanemitsu, Yoshihiko

2015-06-10

Although inorganic crystalline phosphors can exhibit high quantum efficiency, their use in phosphor films has been limited by a reliance on organic binders that have poor durability when exposed to high-power and/or high excitation energy light sources. To address this problem, Sn(2+)-doped transparent phosphate films measuring several micrometers in thickness have been successfully prepared through heat treatment and a subsequent single dip-coating process. The resulting monolithic inorganic amorphous film exhibited an internal quantum efficiency of over 60% and can potentially utilize transmitted light. Analysis of the film's emissivity revealed that its color can be tuned by changing the amount of Mn and Sn added to influence the energy transfer from Sn(2+) to Mn(2+). It is therefore concluded that amorphous films containing such emission centers can provide a novel and viable alternative to conventional amorphous films containing crystalline phosphors in light-emitting devices.

Leanergy(TM): how lean manufacturing can improve energy efficiency.

PubMed

Riche, Jean-Pierre

2013-01-01

Energy efficiency has become a competitive issue for industrial companies. The evolution of energy prices and regulation will make this issue even more important in the future. For several years, the energy-intensive chemical industry has been implementing corrective actions. Helped by the absorption of base load energy consumption by larger production volumes, specific energy consumption (KWh per production unit) has been significantly reduced in recent years. However, most plants have reached the end of their first action plan based on improving the utilities performance. The Leanergy(TM) method developed by the consultancy company Okavango-energy, is a structured approach based on lean manufacturing which widens the scope of saving sources to process and operations. Starting from the analysis of actual production requirements, Okavango is able to adjust consumption to minimum requirements and so remove any energy consumption that does not contribute to the added value creation.

Tin-Doped Inorganic Amorphous Films for Use as Transparent Monolithic Phosphors

PubMed Central

Masai, Hirokazu; Miyata, Hiroki; Yamada, Yasuhiro; Okumura, Shun; Yanagida, Takayuki; Kanemitsu, Yoshihiko

2015-01-01

Although inorganic crystalline phosphors can exhibit high quantum efficiency, their use in phosphor films has been limited by a reliance on organic binders that have poor durability when exposed to high-power and/or high excitation energy light sources. To address this problem, Sn2+ -doped transparent phosphate films measuring several micrometers in thickness have been successfully prepared through heat treatment and a subsequent single dip-coating process. The resulting monolithic inorganic amorphous film exhibited an internal quantum efficiency of over 60% and can potentially utilize transmitted light. Analysis of the film’s emissivity revealed that its color can be tuned by changing the amount of Mn and Sn added to influence the energy transfer from Sn2+ to Mn2+. It is therefore concluded that amorphous films containing such emission centers can provide a novel and viable alternative to conventional amorphous films containing crystalline phosphors in light-emitting devices. PMID:26061744

Methods of Phase and Power Control in Magnetron Transmitters for Superconducting Accelerators

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

Kazadevich, G.; Johnson, R.; Neubauer, M.

Various methods of phase and power control in magnetron RF sources of superconducting accelerators intended for ADS-class projects were recently developed and studied with conventional 2.45 GHz, 1 kW, CW magnetrons operating in pulsed and CW regimes. Magnetron transmitters excited by a resonant (injection-locking) phasemodulated signal can provide phase and power control with the rates required for precise stabilization of phase and amplitude of the accelerating field in Superconducting RF (SRF) cavities of the intensity-frontier accelerators. An innovative technique that can significantly increase the magnetron transmitter efficiency at the widerange power control required for superconducting accelerators was developed and verifiedmore » with the 2.45 GHz magnetrons operating in CW and pulsed regimes. High efficiency magnetron transmitters of this type can significantly reduce the capital and operation costs of the ADSclass accelerator projects.« less

Wastewater: A Potential Bioenergy Resource.

PubMed

Prakash, Jyotsana; Sharma, Rakesh; Ray, Subhasree; Koul, Shikha; Kalia, Vipin Chandra

2018-06-01

Wastewaters are a rich source of nutrients for microorganisms. However, if left unattended the biodegradation may lead to severe environmental hazards. The wastewaters can thus be utilized for the production of various value added products including bioenergy (H 2 and CH 4 ). A number of studies have reported utilization of various wastewaters for energy production. Depending on the nature of the wastewater, different reactor configurations, wastewater and inoculum pretreatments, co-substrate utilizations along with other process parameters have been studied for efficient product formation. Only a few studies have reported sequential utilization of wastewaters for H 2 and CH 4 production despite its huge potential for complete waste degradation.

Parmeterization of spectra

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cornish, C. R.

1983-01-01

Following reception and analog to digital conversion (A/D) conversion, atmospheric radar backscatter echoes need to be processed so as to obtain desired information about atmospheric processes and to eliminate or minimize contaminating contributions from other sources. Various signal processing techniques have been implemented at mesosphere-stratosphere-troposphere (MST) radar facilities to estimate parameters of interest from received spectra. Such estimation techniques need to be both accurate and sufficiently efficient to be within the capabilities of the particular data-processing system. The various techniques used to parameterize the spectra of received signals are reviewed herein. Noise estimation, electromagnetic interference, data smoothing, correlation, and the Doppler effect are among the specific points addressed.

Highly efficient gene inactivation by adenoviral CRISPR/Cas9 in human primary cells

PubMed Central

Tielen, Frans; Elstak, Edo; Benschop, Julian; Grimbergen, Max; Stallen, Jan; Janssen, Richard; van Marle, Andre; Essrich, Christian

2017-01-01

Phenotypic assays using human primary cells are highly valuable tools for target discovery and validation in drug discovery. Expression knockdown (KD) of such targets in these assays allows the investigation of their role in models of disease processes. Therefore, efficient and fast modes of protein KD in phenotypic assays are required. The CRISPR/Cas9 system has been shown to be a versatile and efficient means of gene inactivation in immortalized cell lines. Here we describe the use of adenoviral (AdV) CRISPR/Cas9 vectors for efficient gene inactivation in two human primary cell types, normal human lung fibroblasts and human bronchial epithelial cells. The effects of gene inactivation were studied in the TGF-β-induced fibroblast to myofibroblast transition assay (FMT) and the epithelial to mesenchymal transition assay (EMT), which are SMAD3 dependent and reflect pathogenic mechanisms observed in fibrosis. Co-transduction (co-TD) of AdV Cas9 with SMAD3-targeting guide RNAs (gRNAs) resulted in fast and efficient genome editing judged by insertion/deletion (indel) formation, as well as significant reduction of SMAD3 protein expression and nuclear translocation. This led to phenotypic changes downstream of SMAD3 inhibition, including substantially decreased alpha smooth muscle actin and fibronectin 1 expression, which are markers for FMT and EMT, respectively. A direct comparison between co-TD of separate Cas9 and gRNA AdV, versus TD with a single “all-in-one” Cas9/gRNA AdV, revealed that both methods achieve similar levels of indel formation. These data demonstrate that AdV CRISPR/Cas9 is a useful and efficient tool for protein KD in human primary cell phenotypic assays. The use of AdV CRISPR/Cas9 may offer significant advantages over the current existing tools and should enhance target discovery and validation opportunities. PMID:28800587

Concentrations of putrescine, spermidine, and spermine in duodenum and pancreas as affected by the ratio of arginine to lysine and source of methionine in broilers under heat stress.

PubMed

Gonzalez-Esquerra, R; Leeson, S

2006-08-01

An experiment was designed to investigate the effect of Arg, Lys, Met, and environmental temperature on broiler performance and associated changes in duodenal and pancreatic polyamines. Two groups of 26-d-old Ross male broilers raised under thermoneutral (TN) conditions were reallocated to 4 rooms kept at heat stress (HS) or TN. Birds were fed equimolar amounts of 2-hydroxy-4-(methylthio) butanoic acid (HMB) or DL-Met (DLM) at requirement levels with Arg:Lys at 0.95 or 1.40. Twelve replicates of 4 birds were offered each diet ad libitum. Body weight gain, efficiency of dietary CP accretion (CPE), feed intake, and feed conversion ratio were ascertained from 26 to 33 d and from 34 to 47 d of age. One bird per cage was killed at 33 and 47 d, and samples of duodenum and pancreas were assayed for putrescine, spermidine, and spermine (Spm), together with estimates of duodenal villus height. From 26 to 33 d, birds fed HMB performed better than those fed DLM, but only at TN conditions. From 34 to 47 d, feeding HMB tended to optimize CPE when added to diets high in Arg. However, lower CPE was obtained when HMB was added to low-Arg diets, whereas birds fed DLM were unaffected by these treatments (P < 0.10). Methionine source, Arg:Lys, or both affected the concentrations of duodenal and pancreatic polyamines, with some changes correlating with performance variables during HS (P > 0.05). It was found that HS caused lower tissue spermidine (P < 0.001) and higher pancreatic Spm (P = 0.08) from 34 to 47 d. Putrescine concentrations were affected by diet and HS, depending on tissue and experimental period. Pancreatic Spm correlated negatively with changes in CPE influenced by Arg:Lys by Met source interaction in chronically heat-stressed birds. The possible association between polyamine metabolism and some of the effects of the Arg:Lys by Met source interaction observed in chronically stressed birds deserves further investigation.

Spectral Range Optimization to Enhance the Effectiveness of Phototherapy for Neonatal Hyperbilirubinemia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Plavskii, V. Yu.; Mikulich, A. V.; Leusenko, I. A.; Tretyakova, A. I.; Plavskaya, L. G.; Serdyuchenko, N. S.; Gao, J.; Xiong, D.; Wu, X.

2017-03-01

The effectiveness of phototherapy for hyperbilirubinemia of newborns using narrowband LED sources was found to depend not only on the position of the LED emission spectrum peak within the absorption band of bilirubin but also on the width of the incident radiation spectrum. Extension of the spectral range of radiation by adding a green component with λmax ≈ 505 nm to the blue light band with λmax ≈ 462 nm (provided equal integrated power density) gives a more efficient decrease in the total bilirubin level in the blood of newborns. This effect was attributed to heterogeneity of the spectral characteristics of bilirubin in different microenvironments as well as dependence of the optimal wavelength for photoisomerization of the pigment on the depth of the blood vessels where the bilirubin phototransformation reactions occur. Moreover, extension of the spectral range of the incident radiation by adding a green component increases the irradiated volumes of blood where the photoisomerization reactions with a high lumirubin quantum yield underlying this phototherapy are initiated.

Nanostructured Photocatalysts and Their Applications in the Photocatalytic Transformation of Lignocellulosic Biomass: An Overview

PubMed Central

Colmenares, Juan Carlos; Luque, Rafael; Campelo, Juan Manuel; Colmenares, Fernando; Karpiński, Zbigniew; Romero, Antonio Angel

2009-01-01

Heterogeneous photocatalysis offer many possibilities for finding appropiate environmentally friendly solutions for many of the the problems affecting our society (i.e., energy issues). Researchers are still looking for novel routes to prepare solid photocatalysts able to transform solar into chemical energy more efficiently. In many developing countries, biomass is a major energy source, but currently such countries lack of the technology to sustainably obtain chemicals and/or fuels from it. The Roadmap for Biomass Technologies, authored by 26 leading experts from academia, industry, and government agencies, has predicted a gradual shift back to a carbohydrate-based economy. Biomass and biofuels appear to hold the key to satisfy the basic needs of our societies for the sustainable production of liquid fuels and high value-added chemicals without compromising the scenario of future generations. In this review, we aim to discuss various design routes for nanostructured photocatalytic solid materials in view of their applications in the selective transformation of lignocellulosic biomass to high value-added chemicals.

The Space Station Module Power Management and Distribution automation test bed

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lollar, Louis F.

1991-01-01

The Space Station Module Power Management And Distribution (SSM/PMAD) automation test bed project was begun at NASA/Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) in the mid-1980s to develop an autonomous, user-supportive power management and distribution test bed simulating the Space Station Freedom Hab/Lab modules. As the test bed has matured, many new technologies and projects have been added. The author focuses on three primary areas. The first area is the overall accomplishments of the test bed itself. These include a much-improved user interface, a more efficient expert system scheduler, improved communication among the three expert systems, and initial work on adding intermediate levels of autonomy. The second area is the addition of a more realistic power source to the SSM/PMAD test bed; this project is called the Large Autonomous Spacecraft Electrical Power System (LASEPS). The third area is the completion of a virtual link between the SSM/PMAD test bed at MSFC and the Autonomous Power Expert at Lewis Research Center.

Value-added lipid production from brown seaweed biomass by two-stage fermentation using acetic acid bacterium and thraustochytrid.

PubMed

Arafiles, Kim Hazel V; Iwasaka, Hiroaki; Eramoto, Yuri; Okamura, Yoshiko; Tajima, Takahisa; Matsumura, Yukihiko; Nakashimada, Yutaka; Aki, Tsunehiro

2014-11-01

Thraustochytrid production of polyunsaturated fatty acids and xanthophylls have been generally sourced from crop-derived substrates, making the exploration of alternative feedstocks attractive since they promise increased sustainability and lower production costs. In this study, a distinct two-stage fermentation system was conceptualized for the first time, using the brown seaweed sugar mannitol as substrate for the intermediary biocatalyst Gluconobacter oxydans, an acetic acid bacterium, along with the marine thraustochytrid Aurantiochytrium sp. to produce the value-added lipids and xanthophylls. Jar fermenter culture resulted in seaweed mannitol conversion to fructose with an efficiency of 83 % by G. oxydans and, after bacteriostasis with sea salts, production of astaxanthin and docosahexaenoic acid by Aurantiochytrium sp. KH105. Astaxanthin productivity was high at 3.60 mg/L/day. This new system, therefore, widens possibilities of obtaining more varieties of industrially valuable products including foods, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and biofuel precursor lipids from seaweed fermentation upon the use of suitable thraustochytrid strains.

Enhanced degradation of 1-naphthol in landfill leachate using Arthrobacter sp.

PubMed

Hu, Wenyong; Min, Xiaobo; Li, Xinyu; Liu, Jingyi; Yu, Haibin; Yang, Yuan; Zhang, Jiachao; Luo, Lin; Chai, Liyuan; Zhou, Yaoyu

2017-12-06

Arthrobacter sp. named as JY5-1 isolated from contaminated soil of a coking plant can degrade 1-naphthol as the sole carbon source. Through identification of species, analysis of the optimal degradation condition and kinetic equation, the degradation characteristic of Arthrobacter sp. JY5-1 was obtained. Later, the acclimated strain was added into the bio-reactor to observe treatment performance of landfill leachate. The results showed that the optimal conditions for strain JY5-1 biodegradation in the study were pH 7.0 and 30 o C. The bio-reactor operation experiment declared that Arthrobacter sp. JY5-1 had a strengthened effect on COD removal of landfill leachate. Moreover, the efficiency of COD removal could be high and stable when JY5-1 was accumulated as a biofilm together with active sludge. These results demonstrate that adding 1-naphthol-degrading strain JY5-1 is a feasible technique for the enhanced treatment of sanitary landfill leachate, providing theoretical support for engineering utilization.

Converting citrus wastes into value-added products: Economic and environmently friendly approaches.

PubMed

Sharma, Kavita; Mahato, Neelima; Cho, Moo Hwan; Lee, Yong Rok

2017-02-01

Citrus fruits, including oranges, grapefruits, lemons, limes, tangerines, and mandarins, are among the most widely cultivated fruits around the globe. Its production is increasing every year due to rising consumer demand. Citrus-processing industries generate huge amounts of wastes every year, and citrus peel waste alone accounts for almost 50% of the wet fruit mass. Citrus waste is of immense economic value as it contains an abundance of various flavonoids, carotenoids, dietary fiber, sugars, polyphenols, essential oils, and ascorbic acid, as well as considerable amounts of some trace elements. Citrus waste also contains high levels of sugars suitable for fermentation for bioethanol production. However, compounds such as D-limonene must be removed for efficient bioethanol production. The aim of the present article was to review the latest advances in various popular methods of extraction for obtaining value-added products from citrus waste/byproducts and their potential utility as a source of various functional compounds. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Fuel change possibilities in small heat source

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Durčanský, Peter; Kapjor, Andrej; Jandačka, Jozef

2017-09-01

Rural areas are characterized by a larger number of older family houses with higher fuel consumption for heating. Some areas are not gasified, which means that the fuel base for heating the buildings is very limited. Heating is mainly covered by solid fuels with high emissions and low efficiency. But at the same time, the amount of energy in the form of biowaste can be evaluated and used further. We will explore the possibilities to convert biogas to heat of using a gas burner in a small heat source. However, the heat produced can be used other than for heating or hot water production. The added value for heat generation can be the production of electricity, in the use of heat energy through cogeneration unit with unconventional heat engine. The proposed solution could economically benefit the entire system, because electricity is a noble form of energy and its use is versatile.

Packaging and distributing ecological data from multisite studies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Olson, R. J.; Voorhees, L. D.; Field, J. M.; Gentry, M. J.

1996-01-01

Studies of global change and other regional issues depend on ecological data collected at multiple study areas or sites. An information system model is proposed for compiling diverse data from dispersed sources so that the data are consistent, complete, and readily available. The model includes investigators who collect and analyze field measurements, science teams that synthesize data, a project information system that collates data, a data archive center that distributes data to secondary users, and a master data directory that provides broader searching opportunities. Special attention to format consistency is required, such as units of measure, spatial coordinates, dates, and notation for missing values. Often data may need to be enhanced by estimating missing values, aggregating to common temporal units, or adding other related data such as climatic and soils data. Full documentation, an efficient data distribution mechanism, and an equitable way to acknowledge the original source of data are also required.

Activation and evaluation of GaN photocathodes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qian, Yunsheng; Chang, Benkang; Qiao, Jiangliang; Zhang, Yijun; Fu, Rongguo; Qiu, Yafeng

2009-09-01

Gallium Nitride (GaN) photocathodes are potentially attractive as UV detective materials and electron sources. Based on the activation and evaluation system for GaAs photocathode, which consists of ultra-high vacuum (UHV) activation chamber, multi-information measurement system, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and ultraviolet ray photoelectron spectroscopy (UPS), the control and measurement system for the activation of UV photocathodes was developed. The developed system, which consists of Xenon lamp, monochromator with scanner, signal-processing module, power control unit of Cs and O source, A/D adapter, digital I/O card, computer and software, can control the activation of GaN photocathodes and measure on-line the spectral response curves of GaN photocathodes. GaN materials on sapphire substrate were grown by Metal-Organic Chemical Vapor Deposition (MOCVD) with p-type Mg doping. The GaN materials were activated by Cs-O. The spectral response and quantum efficiency (QE) were measured and calculated. The experiment results are discussed.

The Simple Video Coder: A free tool for efficiently coding social video data.

PubMed

Barto, Daniel; Bird, Clark W; Hamilton, Derek A; Fink, Brandi C

2017-08-01

Videotaping of experimental sessions is a common practice across many disciplines of psychology, ranging from clinical therapy, to developmental science, to animal research. Audio-visual data are a rich source of information that can be easily recorded; however, analysis of the recordings presents a major obstacle to project completion. Coding behavior is time-consuming and often requires ad-hoc training of a student coder. In addition, existing software is either prohibitively expensive or cumbersome, which leaves researchers with inadequate tools to quickly process video data. We offer the Simple Video Coder-free, open-source software for behavior coding that is flexible in accommodating different experimental designs, is intuitive for students to use, and produces outcome measures of event timing, frequency, and duration. Finally, the software also offers extraction tools to splice video into coded segments suitable for training future human coders or for use as input for pattern classification algorithms.

Intake of added sugar in Malaysia: a review.

PubMed

Amarra, Maria Sofia V; Khor, Geok Lin; Chan, Pauline

2016-01-01

The term 'added sugars' refers to sugars and syrup added to foods during processing or preparation, and sugars and syrups added at the table. Calls to limit the daily intakes of added sugars and its sources arose from evidence analysed by WHO, the American Heart Association and other organizations. The present review examined the best available evidence regarding levels of added sugar consumption among different age and sex groups in Malaysia and sources of added sugars. Information was extracted from food balance sheets, household expenditure surveys, nutrition surveys and published studies. Varying results emerged, as nationwide information on intake of sugar and foods with added sugar were obtained at different times and used different assessment methods. Data from the 2003 Malaysian Adult Nutrition Survey (MANS) using food frequency questionnaires suggested that on average, Malaysian adults consumed 30 grams of sweetened condensed milk (equivalent to 16 grams sugar) and 21 grams of table sugar per day, which together are below the WHO recommendation of 50 grams sugar for every 2000 kcal/day to reduce risk of chronic disease. Published studies suggested that, for both adults and the elderly, frequently consumed sweetened foods were beverages (tea or coffee) with sweetened condensed milk and added sugar. More accurate data should be obtained by conducting population-wide studies using biomarkers of sugar intake (e.g. 24-hour urinary sucrose and fructose excretion or serum abundance of the stable isotope 13C) to determine intake levels, and multiple 24 hour recalls to identify major food sources of added sugar.

Comparison of various microbial inocula for the efficient anaerobic digestion of Laminaria hyperborea.

PubMed

Sutherland, Alastair D; Varela, Joao C

2014-01-23

The hydrolysis of seaweed polysaccharides is the rate limiting step in anaerobic digestion (AD) of seaweeds. Seven different microbial inocula and a mixture of these (inoculum 8) were therefore compared in triplicate, each grown over four weeks in static culture for the ability to degrade Laminaria hyperborea seaweed and produce methane through AD. All the inocula could degrade L. hyperborea and produce methane to some extent. However, an inoculum of slurry from a human sewage anaerobic digester, one of rumen contents from seaweed-eating North Ronaldsay sheep and inoculum 8 used most seaweed volatile solids (VS) (means ranged between 59 and 68% used), suggesting that these each had efficient seaweed polysaccharide digesting bacteria. The human sewage inoculum, an inoculum of anaerobic marine mud mixed with rotting seaweed and inoculum 8 all developed to give higher volumes of methane (means between 41 and 62.5 ml g-1 of seaweed VS by week four) ,compared to other inocula (means between 3.5 and 27.5 ml g-1 VS). Inoculum 8 also gave the highest acetate production (6.5 mmol g-1 VS) in a single-stage fermenter AD system and produced most methane (8.4 mL mmol acetate-1) in phase II of a two-stage AD system. Overall inoculum 8 was found to be the most efficient inoculum for AD of seaweed. The study therefore showed that selection and inclusion of efficient polysaccharide hydrolysing bacteria and methanogenic archaea in an inoculum offer increased methane productivity in AD of L. hyperborea. This inoculum will now being tested in larger scale (10L) continuously stirred reactors optimised for feed rate and retention time to determine maximum methane production under single-stage and two-stage AD systems.

Comparison of various microbial inocula for the efficient anaerobic digestion of Laminaria hyperborea

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background The hydrolysis of seaweed polysaccharides is the rate limiting step in anaerobic digestion (AD) of seaweeds. Seven different microbial inocula and a mixture of these (inoculum 8) were therefore compared in triplicate, each grown over four weeks in static culture for the ability to degrade Laminaria hyperborea seaweed and produce methane through AD. Results All the inocula could degrade L. hyperborea and produce methane to some extent. However, an inoculum of slurry from a human sewage anaerobic digester, one of rumen contents from seaweed-eating North Ronaldsay sheep and inoculum 8 used most seaweed volatile solids (VS) (means ranged between 59 and 68% used), suggesting that these each had efficient seaweed polysaccharide digesting bacteria. The human sewage inoculum, an inoculum of anaerobic marine mud mixed with rotting seaweed and inoculum 8 all developed to give higher volumes of methane (means between 41 and 62.5 ml g-1 of seaweed VS by week four) ,compared to other inocula (means between 3.5 and 27.5 ml g-1 VS). Inoculum 8 also gave the highest acetate production (6.5 mmol g-1 VS) in a single-stage fermenter AD system and produced most methane (8.4 mL mmol acetate-1) in phase II of a two-stage AD system. Conclusions Overall inoculum 8 was found to be the most efficient inoculum for AD of seaweed. The study therefore showed that selection and inclusion of efficient polysaccharide hydrolysing bacteria and methanogenic archaea in an inoculum offer increased methane productivity in AD of L. hyperborea. This inoculum will now being tested in larger scale (10L) continuously stirred reactors optimised for feed rate and retention time to determine maximum methane production under single-stage and two-stage AD systems. PMID:24456825

A review of total & added sugar intakes and dietary sources in Europe.

PubMed

Azaïs-Braesco, Véronique; Sluik, Diewertje; Maillot, Matthieu; Kok, Frans; Moreno, Luis A

2017-01-21

Public health policies, including in Europe, are considering measures and recommendations to limit the intake of added or free sugars. For such policies to be efficient and monitored, a precise knowledge of the current situation regarding sugar intake in Europe is needed. This review summarizes published or re-analyzed data from 11 representative surveys in Belgium, France, Denmark, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Norway, The Netherlands, Spain and the UK. Relative intakes were higher in children than in adults: total sugars ranged between 15 and 21% of energy intake in adults and between 16 and 26% in children. Added sugars (or non-milk extrinsic sugars (NMES), in the UK) contributed 7 to 11% of total energy intake in adults and represented a higher proportion of children's energy intake (11 to 17%). Educational level did not significantly affect intakes of total or added sugars in France and the Netherlands. Sweet products (e.g. confectionery, chocolates, cakes and biscuits, sugar, and jam) were major contributors to total sugars intake in all countries, genders and age groups, followed by fruits, beverages and dairy products. Fruits contributed more and beverages contributed less to adults' total sugars intakes than to children's. Added sugars were provided mostly by sweet products (36 to 61% in adults and 40 to 50% in children), followed by beverages (12 to 31% in adults and 20 to 34% in children, fruit juices excluded), then by dairy products (4 to 15% in adults and 6 to 18% in children). Caution is needed, however, as survey methodologies differ on important items such as dietary data collection, food composition tables or estimation of added sugars. Cross-country comparisons are thus not meaningful and overall information might thus not be robust enough to provide a solid basis for implementation of policy measures. Data nevertheless confirm that intakes of total and added sugars are high in the European countries considered, especially in children, and point to sweet products and beverages as the major contributors to added sugar intakes.

Modeling stochastic frontier based on vine copulas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Constantino, Michel; Candido, Osvaldo; Tabak, Benjamin M.; da Costa, Reginaldo Brito

2017-11-01

This article models a production function and analyzes the technical efficiency of listed companies in the United States, Germany and England between 2005 and 2012 based on the vine copula approach. Traditional estimates of the stochastic frontier assume that data is multivariate normally distributed and there is no source of asymmetry. The proposed method based on vine copulas allow us to explore different types of asymmetry and multivariate distribution. Using data on product, capital and labor, we measure the relative efficiency of the vine production function and estimate the coefficient used in the stochastic frontier literature for comparison purposes. This production vine copula predicts the value added by firms with given capital and labor in a probabilistic way. It thereby stands in sharp contrast to the production function, where the output of firms is completely deterministic. The results show that, on average, S&P500 companies are more efficient than companies listed in England and Germany, which presented similar average efficiency coefficients. For comparative purposes, the traditional stochastic frontier was estimated and the results showed discrepancies between the coefficients obtained by the application of the two methods, traditional and frontier-vine, opening new paths of non-linear research.

Energy Efficient and QoS sensitive Routing Protocol for Ad Hoc Networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saeed Tanoli, Tariq; Khalid Khan, Muhammad

2013-12-01

Efficient routing is an important part of wireless ad hoc networks. Since in ad hoc networks we have limited resources, there are many limitations like bandwidth, battery consumption, and processing cycle etc. Reliability is also necessary since there is no allowance for invalid or incomplete information (and expired data is useless). There are various protocols that perform routing by considering one parameter but ignoring other parameters. In this paper we present a protocol that finds route on the basis of bandwidth, energy and mobility of the nodes participating in the communication.

Somatosensory responses in normal aging, mild cognitive impairment, and Alzheimer's disease.

PubMed

Stephen, Julia M; Montaño, Rebecca; Donahue, Christopher H; Adair, John C; Knoefel, Janice; Qualls, Clifford; Hart, Blaine; Ranken, Doug; Aine, Cheryl J

2010-02-01

As a part of a larger study of normal aging and Alzheimer's disease (AD), which included patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), we investigated the response to median nerve stimulation in primary and secondary somatosensory areas. We hypothesized that the somatosensory response would be relatively spared given the reported late involvement of sensory areas in the progression of AD. We applied brief pulses of electric current to left and right median nerves to test the somatosensory response in normal elderly (NE), MCI, and AD. MEG responses were measured and were analyzed with a semi-automated source localization algorithm to characterize source locations and timecourses. We found an overall difference in the amplitude of the response of the primary somatosensory source (SI) based on diagnosis. Across the first three peaks of the SI response, the MCI patients exhibited a larger amplitude response than the NE and AD groups (P < 0.03). Additional relationships between neuropsychological measures and SI amplitude were also determined. There was no significant difference in amplitude for the contralateral secondary somatosensory source across diagnostic category. These results suggest that somatosensory cortex is affected early in the progression of AD and may have some consequence on behavioral and functional measures.

Lipid production in association of filamentous fungi with genetically modified cyanobacterial cells.

PubMed

Miranda, Ana F; Taha, Mohamed; Wrede, Digby; Morrison, Paul; Ball, Andrew S; Stevenson, Trevor; Mouradov, Aidyn

2015-01-01

Numerous strategies have evolved recently for the generation of genetically modified or synthetic microalgae and cyanobacteria designed for production of ethanol, biodiesel and other fuels. In spite of their obvious attractiveness there are still a number of challenges that can affect their economic viability: the high costs associated with (1) harvesting, which can account for up to 50 % of the total biofuel's cost, (2) nutrients supply and (3) oil extraction. Fungal-assisted bio-flocculation of microalgae is gaining increasing attention due to its high efficiency, no need for added chemicals and low energy inputs. The implementation of renewable alternative carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus sources from agricultural wastes and wastewaters for growing algae and fungi makes this strategy economically attractive. This work demonstrates that the filamentous fungi, Aspergillus fumigatus can efficiently flocculate the unicellular cyanobacteria Synechocystis PCC 6803 and its genetically modified derivatives that have been altered to enable secretion of free fatty acids into growth media. Secreted free fatty acids are potentially used by fungal cells as a carbon source for growth and ex-novo production of lipids. For most of genetically modified strains the total lipid yields extracted from the fungal-cyanobacterial pellets were found to be higher than additive yields of lipids and total free fatty acids produced by fungal and Synechocystis components when grown in mono-cultures. The synergistic effect observed in fungal-Synechocystis associations was also found in bioremediation rates when animal husbandry wastewater was used an alternative source of nitrogen and phosphorus. Fungal assisted flocculation can complement and assist in large scale biofuel production from wild-type and genetically modified Synechocystis PCC 6803 strains by (1) efficient harvesting of cyanobacterial cells and (2) producing of high yields of lipids accumulated in fungal-cyanobacterial pellets.

Application of biogenic carbon dioxide produced by yeast with different carbon sources for attraction of mosquitoes towards adult mosquito traps.

PubMed

Sukumaran, D; Ponmariappan, S; Sharma, Atul K; Jha, Hemendra K; Wasu, Yogesh H; Sharma, Ajay K

2016-04-01

Surveillance is a prime requisite for controlling arthropod vectors like mosquitoes that transmit diseases such as malaria, dengue and chikungunya. Carbon dioxide (CO2) is one of the main cues from vertebrate breath that attracts mosquitoes towards the host. Hence, CO2 is used as an attractant during surveillance of mosquitoes either from commercial cylinders or dry ice for mosquito traps. In the present study, the biogenic carbon dioxide production was optimized with different carbon sources such as glucose, simple sugar and jaggery with and without yeast peptone dextrose (YPD) media using commercial baker's yeast. The results showed that yeast produced more biogenic CO2 with simple sugar as compared to other carbon sources. Further substrate concentration was optimized for the continuous production of biogenic CO2 for a minimum of 12 h by using 10 g of baker's yeast with 50 g of simple sugar added to 1.5 l distilled water (without YPD media) in a 2-l plastic bottle. This setup was applied in field condition along with two different mosquito traps namely Mosquito Killing System (MKS) and Biogents Sentinel (BGS) trap. Biogenic CO2 from this setup has increased the trapping efficiency of MKS by 6.48-fold for Culex quinquefasciatus, 2.62-fold for Aedes albopictus and 1.5-fold for Anopheles stephensi. In the case of BGS, the efficiency was found to be increased by 3.54-fold for Ae. albopictus, 4.33-fold for An. stephensi and 1.3-fold for Armigeres subalbatus mosquitoes. On the whole, plastic bottle setup releasing biogenic CO2 from sugar and yeast has increased the efficiency of MKS traps by 6.38-fold and 2.74-fold for BGS traps as compared to traps without biogenic CO2. The present study reveals that, among different carbon sources used, simple sugar as a substance (which is economical and readily available across the world) yielded maximum biogenic CO2 with yeast. This setup can be used as an alternative to CO2 cylinder and dry ice in any adult mosquito traps to enhance their trapping efficiency of a mosquito surveillance programme.

A fully Bayesian method for jointly fitting instrumental calibration and X-ray spectral models

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

Xu, Jin; Yu, Yaming; Van Dyk, David A.

2014-10-20

Owing to a lack of robust principled methods, systematic instrumental uncertainties have generally been ignored in astrophysical data analysis despite wide recognition of the importance of including them. Ignoring calibration uncertainty can cause bias in the estimation of source model parameters and can lead to underestimation of the variance of these estimates. We previously introduced a pragmatic Bayesian method to address this problem. The method is 'pragmatic' in that it introduced an ad hoc technique that simplified computation by neglecting the potential information in the data for narrowing the uncertainty for the calibration product. Following that work, we use amore » principal component analysis to efficiently represent the uncertainty of the effective area of an X-ray (or γ-ray) telescope. Here, however, we leverage this representation to enable a principled, fully Bayesian method that coherently accounts for the calibration uncertainty in high-energy spectral analysis. In this setting, the method is compared with standard analysis techniques and the pragmatic Bayesian method. The advantage of the fully Bayesian method is that it allows the data to provide information not only for estimation of the source parameters but also for the calibration product—here the effective area, conditional on the adopted spectral model. In this way, it can yield more accurate and efficient estimates of the source parameters along with valid estimates of their uncertainty. Provided that the source spectrum can be accurately described by a parameterized model, this method allows rigorous inference about the effective area by quantifying which possible curves are most consistent with the data.« less

A lightweight electronically commutated dc motor for electric passenger vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Echolds, E. F.; Walla, P. S.

1982-01-01

A functional model breadboard converter and a rare-earth-cobalt, permanent magnet motor; as well as an engineering model converter and PM motor suitable for vehicle installations were developed and tested. The converter and motor achieved an 88% peak efficiency, a maximum output of 26 kW at 26,000 rpm, and a continuous rating of 15 kW. The system also generated power to the source during braking, with a demonstrated peak power available at the converter terminals of approximately 26 kW at 88% efficiency. Major conclusions include: (1) the SAE J227a(D) driving cycle efficiency for the converter/motor is 86% to 88% when energy available for recovery at the converter terminals is included; (2) the converter initial cost is approximately five times that of the permanent magnet motor, but can be reduced by means of LSI logic and integrated liquid cooled semiconductor packages; and (3) an electronically commutated motor with a liquid cooled converter will operate reliably without service or maintenance for the life of a passenger vehicle.

A lightweight electronically commutated dc motor for electric passenger vehicles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Echolds, E. F.; Walla, P. S.

1982-09-01

A functional model breadboard converter and a rare-earth-cobalt, permanent magnet motor; as well as an engineering model converter and PM motor suitable for vehicle installations were developed and tested. The converter and motor achieved an 88% peak efficiency, a maximum output of 26 kW at 26,000 rpm, and a continuous rating of 15 kW. The system also generated power to the source during braking, with a demonstrated peak power available at the converter terminals of approximately 26 kW at 88% efficiency. Major conclusions include: (1) the SAE J227a(D) driving cycle efficiency for the converter/motor is 86% to 88% when energy available for recovery at the converter terminals is included; (2) the converter initial cost is approximately five times that of the permanent magnet motor, but can be reduced by means of LSI logic and integrated liquid cooled semiconductor packages; and (3) an electronically commutated motor with a liquid cooled converter will operate reliably without service or maintenance for the life of a passenger vehicle.

Efficient resource recycling from liquid digestate by microalgae-yeast mixed culture and the assessment of key gene transcription related to nitrogen assimilation in microalgae.

PubMed

Qin, Lei; Liu, Lu; Wang, Zhongming; Chen, Weining; Wei, Dong

2018-05-18

To determine the feasibility of microalgae-yeast mixed culture using the liquid digestate of dairy wastewater (LDDW) for biofuels and single cell protein (SCP) production, the cell growth, nutrient removal and outputs evaluation of the mono and mixed culture of Chlorella vulgaris and Yarrowia lipolytica in LDDW were investigated by adding glycerol as carbon source. The results showed that the mixed culture could enhance the biological utilization efficiency of nitrogen and phosphorus, and obtain higher yield of biomass (1.62 g/L), lipid (0.31 g/L), protein (0.51 g/L), and higher heating value (34.06 KJ/L). Compared with the mono culture of C. vulgaris, a decline of the transcription level in nitrate reductase and glutamine synthetase II genes in C. vulgaris was observed in the mixed culture when ammonia was sufficient. The results suggest the possibility of using the mixed culture for the efficient treatment of LDDW and resources recycling. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Design Guidelines for High-Performance Particle-Based Photoanodes for Water Splitting: Lanthanum Titanium Oxynitride as a Model.

PubMed

Landsmann, Steve; Maegli, Alexandra E; Trottmann, Matthias; Battaglia, Corsin; Weidenkaff, Anke; Pokrant, Simone

2015-10-26

Semiconductor powders are perfectly suited for the scalable fabrication of particle-based photoelectrodes, which can be used to split water using the sun as a renewable energy source. This systematic study is focused on variation of the electrode design using LaTiO2 N as a model system. We present the influence of particle morphology on charge separation and transport properties combined with post-treatment procedures, such as necking and size-dependent co-catalyst loading. Five rules are proposed to guide the design of high-performance particle-based photoanodes by adding or varying several process steps. We also specify how much efficiency improvement can be achieved using each of the steps. For example, implementation of a connectivity network and surface area enhancement leads to thirty times improvement in efficiency and co-catalyst loading achieves an improvement in efficiency by a factor of seven. Some of these guidelines can be adapted to non-particle-based photoelectrodes. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Scenario Tools For Efficient Eutrophication Management

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arheimer, B.; Vastra SP3 Team

Several possible measures are available to reduce diffuse (non-point source) nutri- ent load to surface water and thereby reduce eutrophication. Such measures include changed arable practices and constructions of wetlands and buffer zones in the land- scape, as well as managing lake ecosystems. In some cases, such as for wetlands, there is an intense debate regarding the efficiency of their nutrient reducing capability. In ad- dition, the combined effect of several measures in a catchment is not necessarily equal to their sum. It is therefore important to apply a holistic and integrated catchment approach when applying and evaluating different management strategies. To facili- tate such catchment analyses, the Swedish water management research programme (VASTRA) develop modelling tools addressing both phosphorus (P) and nitrogen (N) dynamics in catchments. During the last three years decision support tools for N man- agement in rivers and lakes have been developed (e.g., HBV-N, BIOLA) and applied in scenarios to demonstrate the effect of various reducing measures. At present, similar tools for P are under development. This presentation will demonstrate the VASTRA tool-box and its applications for efficient eutrophication management.

A Fault Diagnosis Methodology for Gear Pump Based on EEMD and Bayesian Network

PubMed Central

Liu, Zengkai; Liu, Yonghong; Shan, Hongkai; Cai, Baoping; Huang, Qing

2015-01-01

This paper proposes a fault diagnosis methodology for a gear pump based on the ensemble empirical mode decomposition (EEMD) method and the Bayesian network. Essentially, the presented scheme is a multi-source information fusion based methodology. Compared with the conventional fault diagnosis with only EEMD, the proposed method is able to take advantage of all useful information besides sensor signals. The presented diagnostic Bayesian network consists of a fault layer, a fault feature layer and a multi-source information layer. Vibration signals from sensor measurement are decomposed by the EEMD method and the energy of intrinsic mode functions (IMFs) are calculated as fault features. These features are added into the fault feature layer in the Bayesian network. The other sources of useful information are added to the information layer. The generalized three-layer Bayesian network can be developed by fully incorporating faults and fault symptoms as well as other useful information such as naked eye inspection and maintenance records. Therefore, diagnostic accuracy and capacity can be improved. The proposed methodology is applied to the fault diagnosis of a gear pump and the structure and parameters of the Bayesian network is established. Compared with artificial neural network and support vector machine classification algorithms, the proposed model has the best diagnostic performance when sensor data is used only. A case study has demonstrated that some information from human observation or system repair records is very helpful to the fault diagnosis. It is effective and efficient in diagnosing faults based on uncertain, incomplete information. PMID:25938760

A Fault Diagnosis Methodology for Gear Pump Based on EEMD and Bayesian Network.

PubMed

Liu, Zengkai; Liu, Yonghong; Shan, Hongkai; Cai, Baoping; Huang, Qing

2015-01-01

This paper proposes a fault diagnosis methodology for a gear pump based on the ensemble empirical mode decomposition (EEMD) method and the Bayesian network. Essentially, the presented scheme is a multi-source information fusion based methodology. Compared with the conventional fault diagnosis with only EEMD, the proposed method is able to take advantage of all useful information besides sensor signals. The presented diagnostic Bayesian network consists of a fault layer, a fault feature layer and a multi-source information layer. Vibration signals from sensor measurement are decomposed by the EEMD method and the energy of intrinsic mode functions (IMFs) are calculated as fault features. These features are added into the fault feature layer in the Bayesian network. The other sources of useful information are added to the information layer. The generalized three-layer Bayesian network can be developed by fully incorporating faults and fault symptoms as well as other useful information such as naked eye inspection and maintenance records. Therefore, diagnostic accuracy and capacity can be improved. The proposed methodology is applied to the fault diagnosis of a gear pump and the structure and parameters of the Bayesian network is established. Compared with artificial neural network and support vector machine classification algorithms, the proposed model has the best diagnostic performance when sensor data is used only. A case study has demonstrated that some information from human observation or system repair records is very helpful to the fault diagnosis. It is effective and efficient in diagnosing faults based on uncertain, incomplete information.

Development of Octyl Methoxy Cinnamates (OMC)/Silicon Dioxide (SiO₂) Nanoparticles by Sol-Gel Emulsion Method.

PubMed

Wu, Pey-Shiuan; Lee, Yi-Ching; Kuo, Yi-Ching; Lin, Chih-Chien

2017-12-07

Although octyl methoxy cinnamates (OMC) is the most used Ultraviolet B (UVB) filter in sunscreen, it has poor light stability in emulsion system. In this study, OMC/SiO₂ nanoparticles were prepared via sol-gel emulsion method. Tetraethoxy silane (TEOS) was used as the silica source to encapsulate OMC. Modification of experimental parameters such as stirring speed of condensation reaction and emulsion condition, pH value of acid-catalyzed, surfactant and different percentage of TEOS and OMC, adding of OMC and surfactant to different phase may affect the particle size, and yield and entrapment efficiency in preparation process of OMC/SiO₂ nanoparticles. Concluding all the parameter, we found that when condensation reaction and emulsion conditions are at 1000 rpm, pH 1.5, Span 80/Tween 20, TEOS/OMC ratios 1:1, OMC and surfactants added in oil phase, resulting in smaller particle sizes 476.5 nm, higher yield 95.8%, and higher entrapment efficiency 61.09%. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) analysis demonstrated that OMC/SiO₂ nanoparticles were successfully prepared. In vitro release profile supposed that OMC/SiO₂ nanoparticles can delay OMC releasing and had 60.83% decreasing of cumulative amount. Therefore, the OMC/SiO₂ nanoparticles have the potential to develop as new sunscreen materials in the use for cosmetics field in the future.

Experimental quantification of the true efficiency of carbon nanotube thin-film thermophones.

PubMed

Bouman, Troy M; Barnard, Andrew R; Asgarisabet, Mahsa

2016-03-01

Carbon nanotube thermophones can create acoustic waves from 1 Hz to 100 kHz. The thermoacoustic effect that allows for this non-vibrating sound source is naturally inefficient. Prior efforts have not explored their true efficiency (i.e., the ratio of the total acoustic power to the electrical input power). All previous works have used the ratio of sound pressure to input electrical power. A method for true power efficiency measurement is shown using a fully anechoic technique. True efficiency data are presented for three different drive signal processing techniques: standard alternating current (AC), direct current added to alternating current (DCAC), and amplitude modulation of an alternating current (AMAC) signal. These signal processing techniques are needed to limit the frequency doubling non-linear effects inherent to carbon nanotube thermophones. Each type of processing affects the true efficiency differently. Using a 72 W(rms) input signal, the measured efficiency ranges were 4.3 × 10(-6) - 319 × 10(-6), 1.7 × 10(-6) - 308 × 10(-6), and 1.2 × 10(-6) - 228 × 10(-6)% for AC, DCAC, and AMAC, respectively. These data were measured in the frequency range of 100 Hz to 10 kHz. In addition, the effects of these processing techniques relative to sound quality are presented in terms of total harmonic distortion.

Costs and benefits of biogas recovery from communal anaerobic digesters treating domestic wastewater: Evidence from peri-urban Zambia.

PubMed

Laramee, Jeannette; Tilmans, Sebastien; Davis, Jennifer

2018-03-15

Communal anaerobic digesters (ADs) have been promoted as a waste-to-energy strategy that can provide sanitation and clean energy co-benefits. However, little empirical evidence is available regarding the performance of such systems in field conditions. This study assesses the wastewater treatment efficiency, energy production, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and financial costs and benefits of communal ADs used for domestic wastewater treatment in Zambia. Primary data on the technical performance of 15 ADs were collected over a 6-month period and in-person interviews were conducted with heads of 120 households. Findings from this study suggest that ADs offer comparable wastewater treatment efficiencies and greater GHG emission reduction benefits relative to conventional septic tanks (STs), with the greatest benefits in settings with reliable access to water, use of low efficiency solid fuels and with sufficient demand for biogas in proximity to supply. However, absent a mechanism to monetize additional benefits from biogas recovery, ADs in this context will not be a financially attractive investment relative to STs. Our financial analysis suggests that, under the conditions in this study, a carbon price of US$9 to $28 per tCO 2 e is necessary for positive investment in ADs relative to STs. Findings from this study contribute empirical evidence on ADs as a sanitation and clean energy strategy, identify conditions under which the greatest benefits are likely to accrue and inform international climate efforts on the carbon price required to attract investment in emissions reduction projects such as ADs. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Generalized reference fields and source interpolation for the difference formulation of radiation transport

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luu, Thomas; Brooks, Eugene D.; Szőke, Abraham

2010-03-01

In the difference formulation for the transport of thermally emitted photons the photon intensity is defined relative to a reference field, the black body at the local material temperature. This choice of reference field combines the separate emission and absorption terms that nearly cancel, thereby removing the dominant cause of noise in the Monte Carlo solution of thick systems, but introduces time and space derivative source terms that cannot be determined until the end of the time step. The space derivative source term can also lead to noise induced crashes under certain conditions where the real physical photon intensity differs strongly from a black body at the local material temperature. In this paper, we consider a difference formulation relative to the material temperature at the beginning of the time step, or in cases where an alternative temperature better describes the radiation field, that temperature. The result is a method where iterative solution of the material energy equation is efficient and noise induced crashes are avoided. We couple our generalized reference field scheme with an ad hoc interpolation of the space derivative source, resulting in an algorithm that produces the correct flux between zones as the physical system approaches the thick limit.

Consumption of added sugar among U.S. children and adolescents, 2005-2008.

PubMed

Ervin, R Bethene; Kit, Brian K; Carroll, Margaret D; Ogden, Cynthia L

2012-03-01

Approximately 16% of children and adolescents’ total caloric intakes came from added sugars. Boys consumed more added sugars than girls. Preschool-aged children consumed the fewest calories from added sugars. Although girls consumed a smaller absolute amount of calories from added sugars than boys, their intakes were not that different from boys when the amounts are expressed as a percentage of total caloric intakes. Non-Hispanic white children and adolescents consumed a larger percentage of their calories from added sugars than Mexican-American children and adolescents. Also, Non-Hispanic black girls consumed a larger percentage of their calories from added sugars than Mexican-American girls. There was very little difference in added sugar consumption based on PIR. More of the added sugars calories came from foods as opposed to beverages. Previous research has demonstrated that sodas are the single leading food source of added sugars intakes among children, adolescents, and adults (2,4). Our results showed a little more than 40% of calories from added sugars came from beverages. Poti and Popkin (5) have suggested that eating location impacts daily energy intake in children and adolescents and that foods prepared away from home, are contributing to their increased total energy intake. Our results showed that more of the added sugars calories were consumed at home rather than away from home. A substantial percentage of calories in the diets of children and adolescents between 2005 and 2008 came from added sugars. According to the 2010 Dietary Guidelines "reducing the consumption of these sources of added sugars will lower the caloric content of the diet, without compromising its nutrient adequacy (3)." This strategy could play an important role in reducing the high prevalence of obesity in the United States (6) without compromising adequate nutrition. All material appearing in this report is in the public domain and may be reproduced or copied without permission; citation as to source, however, is appreciated.

Examination of a New Desorption Method for Solid Adsorption Method of Working Environment Measurement －Attempt to Improve Desorption Efficiency of Organic Solvents from a Coconut-Shell-Activated Carbon Using Surfactant Solutions－.

PubMed

Hinoue, Mitsuo; Hori, Hajime

2017-01-01

For a new desorption method development for working environment measurement, desorption efficiency of organic solvent vapors from an activated carbon was examined using desorption solutions that consisted of anionic and nonionic surfactants. Ten μl of an aqueous solution of isopropyl alcohol or methyl ethyl ketone diluted with distilled water was spiked into a 10 ml vial with a coconut-shell-activated carbon (100 mg). The vial was left for 24 h, and 5 ml a desorption solution was added. Afterwards, the vial was put into an incubator at 60°C and left for 24 h, then the desorption efficiency was determined by analyzing the headspace gas in the vial with a gas chromatograph equipped with flame ionization detector. By adding one or four kinds of nonionic surfactants to the aqueous solution containing two kinds of anionic surfactants, the effect adding nonionic surfactant to the desorption efficiency was investigated, but improvement of desorption efficiency was not observed. On the other hand, desorption efficiency varied depending on the production lot of the coconut-shell-activated carbon tube used as the adsorbent.

Arsenic removal in conjunction with lime softening

DOEpatents

Khandaker, Nadim R.; Brady, Patrick V.; Teter, David M.; Krumhansl, James L.

2004-10-12

A method for removing dissolved arsenic from an aqueous medium comprising adding lime to the aqueous medium, and adding one or more sources of divalent metal ions other than calcium and magnesium to the aqueous medium, whereby dissolved arsenic in the aqueous medium is reduced to a lower level than possible if only the step of adding lime were performed. Also a composition of matter for removing dissolved arsenic from an aqueous medium comprising lime and one or more sources of divalent copper and/or zinc metal ions.

Efficient synthesis of 3-O-thia-cPA and preliminary analysis of its biological activity toward autotaxin.

PubMed

Tanaka, Ryo; Kato, Masaru; Suzuki, Takahiro; Nakazaki, Atsuo; Nozaki, Emi; Gotoh, Mari; Murakami-Murofushi, Kimiko; Kobayashi, Susumu

2011-07-15

The efficient synthesis of 3-O-thia-cPAs (4a-d), sulfur analogues of cyclic phosphatidic acid (cPA), has been achieved. The key step of the synthesis is an intramolecular Arbuzov reaction to construct the cyclic thiophosphate moiety. The present synthetic route enables the synthesis of 4a-d in only four steps from the commercially available glycidol. Preliminary biological experiments showed that 4a-d exhibited a similar inhibitory effect on autotaxin (ATX) as original cPA. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Biological denitrification from mature landfill leachate using a food-waste-derived carbon source.

PubMed

Yan, Feng; Jiang, Jianguo; Zhang, Haowei; Liu, Nuo; Zou, Quan

2018-05-15

The mature landfill leachate containing high ammonia concentration (>1000 mg/L) is a serious threat to environment; however, the low COD to TN ratio (C/N, <3) strongly inhibits the denitrification process and poses a severe obstacle for efficient treatment. Herein, two kinds of acidogenic liquids, fermented from oil-removed food waste and oil-added food waste, were first applied as external carbon sources for the biological nitrogen removal from mature landfill leachate in an aerobic/anoxic membrane bioreactor. "Acidogenic liquid b" served quite better than commercial sodium acetate, considering the higher denitrification efficiency and the slightly rapider denitrification rate. The effect of C/N and temperature were investigated under hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 7 d, which showed that C/N ≥ 7 (25 °C) was enough to meet the general discharge standards of NH 4 + -N, TN and COD in China. Even for some special areas of China, the more stringent discharge standards (NH 4 + -N ≤ 8 mg/L, TN ≤ 20 mg/L) could also be achieved under longer HRT of 14 d and C/N ≥ 6. Notably, the COD concentration in effluent could also be well reduced to 50-55 mg/L, without further physical-chemical treatment. This proposed strategy, involving the high-value utilization of food waste, is thus promising for efficient nitrogen removal from mature landfill leachate. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effects of psychrophilic storage on manures as substrate for anaerobic digestion.

PubMed

Bergland, Wenche; Dinamarca, Carlos; Bakke, Rune

2014-01-01

The idea that storage can enhance manure quality as substrate for anaerobic digestion (AD) to recover more methane is evaluated by studying storage time and temperature effects on manure composition. Volatile fatty acids (VFA) and total dissolved organics (CODs) were measured in full scale pig manure storage for a year and in multiple flasks at fixed temperatures, mainly relevant for colder climates. The CODs generation, influenced by the source of the pig manure, was highest initially (0.3 g COD L(-1)d(-1)) gradually dropping for 3 months towards a level of COD loss by methane production at 15°C. Methane emission was low (<0.01 g COD L(-1)d(-1)) after a brief initial peak. Significant CODs generation was obtained during the warmer season (T > 10°C) in the full scale storage and almost no generation at lower temperatures (4-6°C). CODs consisted mainly of VFA, especially acetate. All VFAs were present at almost constant ratios. The naturally separated manure middle layer without sediment and coarser particles is suitable for sludge bed AD and improved further during an optimal storage time of 1-3 month(s). This implies that high rate AD can be integrated with regular manure slurry handling systems to obtain efficient biogas generation.

Effects of Psychrophilic Storage on Manures as Substrate for Anaerobic Digestion

PubMed Central

Bergland, Wenche; Dinamarca, Carlos

2014-01-01

The idea that storage can enhance manure quality as substrate for anaerobic digestion (AD) to recover more methane is evaluated by studying storage time and temperature effects on manure composition. Volatile fatty acids (VFA) and total dissolved organics (CODs) were measured in full scale pig manure storage for a year and in multiple flasks at fixed temperatures, mainly relevant for colder climates. The CODs generation, influenced by the source of the pig manure, was highest initially (0.3 g COD L−1d−1) gradually dropping for 3 months towards a level of COD loss by methane production at 15°C. Methane emission was low (<0.01 g COD L−1d−1) after a brief initial peak. Significant CODs generation was obtained during the warmer season (T > 10°C) in the full scale storage and almost no generation at lower temperatures (4–6°C). CODs consisted mainly of VFA, especially acetate. All VFAs were present at almost constant ratios. The naturally separated manure middle layer without sediment and coarser particles is suitable for sludge bed AD and improved further during an optimal storage time of 1–3 month(s). This implies that high rate AD can be integrated with regular manure slurry handling systems to obtain efficient biogas generation. PMID:25165712

Modular expert system for the diagnosis of operating conditions of industrial anaerobic digestion plants.

PubMed

Lardon, L; Puñal, A; Martinez, J A; Steyer, J P

2005-01-01

Anaerobic digestion (AD) plants are highly efficient wastewater treatment processes with possible energetic valorisation. Despite these advantages, many industries are still reluctant to use them because of their instability in the face of changes in operating conditions. To the face this drawback and to enhance the industrial use of anaerobic digestion, one solution is to develop and to implement knowledge base (KB) systems that are able to detect and to assess in real-time the quality of operating conditions of the processes. Case-based techniques and heuristic approaches have been already tested and validated on AD processes but two major properties were lacking: modularity of the system (the knowledge base system should be easily tuned on a new process and should still work if one or more sensors are added or removed) and uncertainty management (the assessment of the KB system should remain relevant even in the case of too poor or conflicting information sources). This paper addresses these two points and presents a modular KB system where an uncertain reasoning formalism is used to combine partial and complementary fuzzy diagnosis modules. Demonstration of the interest of the approach is provided from real-life experiments performed on an industrial 2,000 m3 CSTR anaerobic digester.

Insect-based protein: future promising protein source for fish cultured

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nugroho, R. A.; Nur, F. M.

2018-04-01

As one of the vital component feed used in fisheries, fishmeal (FM) is generally added to the fish diet to enhance fish growth, digestive performance and absorption of nutrients. This addition contributes significantly to the variable production cost in the aquaculture industry. Expanded production of carnivorous species requiring high protein, high-energy feeds will further tax global fish meal. Thus, research based on the low-cost budget for feed operating cost should be strategized to assist aquaculturists in enhancing fish productivity. Moreover, suitable alternative feed ingredients will have to be utilized to provide the essential nutrients and energy needed to fuel the growth of aquaculture production. To this effect, the use of insect-based protein sources to replace FM that often scarce, expensive, limited availability, and leads to high fish production costs is alternative ways and has been gaining momentum. Currently, Insects have been proposed as one of the potential future protein sources of protein because of the production of insects is highly sustainable. Farming insects is characterized by higher food conversion efficiencies, lower environmental impact, and higher potential to be grown on waste streams.

An Enhanced Backbone-Assisted Reliable Framework for Wireless Sensor Networks

PubMed Central

Tufail, Ali; Khayam, Syed Ali; Raza, Muhammad Taqi; Ali, Amna; Kim, Ki-Hyung

2010-01-01

An extremely reliable source to sink communication is required for most of the contemporary WSN applications especially pertaining to military, healthcare and disaster-recovery. However, due to their intrinsic energy, bandwidth and computational constraints, Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) encounter several challenges in reliable source to sink communication. In this paper, we present a novel reliable topology that uses reliable hotlines between sensor gateways to boost the reliability of end-to-end transmissions. This reliable and efficient routing alternative reduces the number of average hops from source to the sink. We prove, with the help of analytical evaluation, that communication using hotlines is considerably more reliable than traditional WSN routing. We use reliability theory to analyze the cost and benefit of adding gateway nodes to a backbone-assisted WSN. However, in hotline assisted routing some scenarios where source and the sink are just a couple of hops away might bring more latency, therefore, we present a Signature Based Routing (SBR) scheme. SBR enables the gateways to make intelligent routing decisions, based upon the derived signature, hence providing lesser end-to-end delay between source to the sink communication. Finally, we evaluate our proposed hotline based topology with the help of a simulation tool and show that the proposed topology provides manifold increase in end-to-end reliability. PMID:22294890

Solar cells utilizing pulsed-energy crystallized microcrystalline/polycrystalline silicon

DOEpatents

Kaschmitter, J.L.; Sigmon, T.W.

1995-10-10

A process for producing multi-terminal devices such as solar cells wherein a pulsed high energy source is used to melt and crystallize amorphous silicon deposited on a substrate which is intolerant to high processing temperatures, whereby the amorphous silicon is converted into a microcrystalline/polycrystalline phase. Dopant and hydrogenation can be added during the fabrication process which provides for fabrication of extremely planar, ultra shallow contacts which results in reduction of non-current collecting contact volume. The use of the pulsed energy beams results in the ability to fabricate high efficiency microcrystalline/polycrystalline solar cells on the so-called low-temperature, inexpensive plastic substrates which are intolerant to high processing temperatures.

Solar cells utilizing pulsed-energy crystallized microcrystalline/polycrystalline silicon

DOEpatents

Kaschmitter, James L.; Sigmon, Thomas W.

1995-01-01

A process for producing multi-terminal devices such as solar cells wherein a pulsed high energy source is used to melt and crystallize amorphous silicon deposited on a substrate which is intolerant to high processing temperatures, whereby to amorphous silicon is converted into a microcrystalline/polycrystalline phase. Dopant and hydrogenization can be added during the fabrication process which provides for fabrication of extremely planar, ultra shallow contacts which results in reduction of non-current collecting contact volume. The use of the pulsed energy beams results in the ability to fabricate high efficiency microcrystalline/polycrystalline solar cells on the so-called low-temperature, inexpensive plastic substrates which are intolerant to high processing temperatures.

Supramolecular Approaches to Nanoscale Morphological Control in Organic Solar Cells

PubMed Central

Haruk, Alexander M.; Mativetsky, Jeffrey M.

2015-01-01

Having recently surpassed 10% efficiency, solar cells based on organic molecules are poised to become a viable low-cost clean energy source with the added advantages of mechanical flexibility and light weight. The best-performing organic solar cells rely on a nanostructured active layer morphology consisting of a complex organization of electron donating and electron accepting molecules. Although much progress has been made in designing new donor and acceptor molecules, rational control over active layer morphology remains a central challenge. Long-term device stability is another important consideration that needs to be addressed. This review highlights supramolecular strategies for generating highly stable nanostructured organic photovoltaic active materials by design. PMID:26110382

Somatosensory responses in normal aging, mild cognitive impairment, and Alzheimer’s disease

PubMed Central

Montaño, Rebecca; Donahue, Christopher H.; Adair, John C.; Knoefel, Janice; Qualls, Clifford; Hart, Blaine; Ranken, Doug; Aine, Cheryl J.

2010-01-01

As a part of a larger study of normal aging and Alzheimer’s disease (AD), which included patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), we investigated the response to median nerve stimulation in primary and secondary somatosensory areas. We hypothesized that the somatosensory response would be relatively spared given the reported late involvement of sensory areas in the progression of AD. We applied brief pulses of electric current to left and right median nerves to test the somato-sensory response in normal elderly (NE), MCI, and AD. MEG responses were measured and were analyzed with a semi-automated source localization algorithm to characterize source locations and timecourses. We found an overall difference in the amplitude of the response of the primary somatosensory source (SI) based on diagnosis. Across the first three peaks of the SI response, the MCI patients exhibited a larger amplitude response than the NE and AD groups (P < 0.03). Additional relationships between neuropsychological measures and SI amplitude were also determined. There was no significant difference in amplitude for the contralateral secondary somatosensory source across diagnostic category. These results suggest that somatosensory cortex is affected early in the progression of AD and may have some consequence on behavioral and functional measures. PMID:20013008

An Optimal CDS Construction Algorithm with Activity Scheduling in Ad Hoc Networks

PubMed Central

Penumalli, Chakradhar; Palanichamy, Yogesh

2015-01-01

A new energy efficient optimal Connected Dominating Set (CDS) algorithm with activity scheduling for mobile ad hoc networks (MANETs) is proposed. This algorithm achieves energy efficiency by minimizing the Broadcast Storm Problem [BSP] and at the same time considering the node's remaining energy. The Connected Dominating Set is widely used as a virtual backbone or spine in mobile ad hoc networks [MANETs] or Wireless Sensor Networks [WSN]. The CDS of a graph representing a network has a significant impact on an efficient design of routing protocol in wireless networks. Here the CDS is a distributed algorithm with activity scheduling based on unit disk graph [UDG]. The node's mobility and residual energy (RE) are considered as parameters in the construction of stable optimal energy efficient CDS. The performance is evaluated at various node densities, various transmission ranges, and mobility rates. The theoretical analysis and simulation results of this algorithm are also presented which yield better results. PMID:26221627

Impact of Alzheimer's-Type Dementia and Information Source on the Assessment of Depression.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gilley, David W.; And Others

1995-01-01

The level of agreement between the patient and a collateral source with regard to depressive symptomatology was compared for 185 patients with Alzheimer's-type dementia (AD), 57 patients with Parkinson's disease, and 54 nondemented geriatric referrals. Findings highlight the potential insensitivity of patient report in AD. (SLD)

Effects of alkalinity sources on the stability of anaerobic digestion from food waste.

PubMed

Chen, Shujun; Zhang, Jishi; Wang, Xikui

2015-11-01

This study investigated the effects of some alkalinity sources on the stability of anaerobic digestion (AD) from food waste (FW). Four alkalinity sources, namely lime mud from papermaking (LMP), waste eggshell (WES), CaCO3 and NaHCO3, were applied as buffer materials and their stability effects were evaluated in batch AD. The results showed that LMP and CaCO3 had more remarkable effects than NaHCO3 and WES on FW stabilization. The methane yields were 120.2, 197.0, 156.2, 251.0 and 194.8 ml g(-1) VS for the control and synergistic digestions of CaCO3, NaHCO3, LMP and WES added into FW, respectively. The corresponding final alkalinity reached 5906, 7307, 9504, 7820 and 6782 mg l(-1), while the final acidities were determined to be 501, 200, 50, 350 and 250 mg l(-1), respectively. This indicated that the synergism between alkalinity and inorganic micronutrients from different alkalinity sources played an important role in the process stability of AD from FW. © The Author(s) 2015.

Effect of dietary carbohydrate source on the development of obesity in agouti transgenic mice.

PubMed

Morris, Kristin L; Zemel, Michael B

2005-01-01

Our objective was to evaluate the effects of a qualitative change in dietary carbohydrate source on body weight and adiposity in a rodent model of diet-induced obesity. We evaluated the effects of high-fat diets (basal) varying in carbohydrate source in aP2-agouti transgenic mice. In the ad libitum study, animals were given free access to the basal diet or one of four test diets for 6 weeks. In two of the diets, dietary carbohydrate was derived from a single source: mung bean noodles (MUNG) or rolled oats (ROLL). The remaining diets were designed to mimic commercially available instant oatmeal with added sugar (IO-S) or flavored instant oatmeal (IO-F). In the energy-restricted study, animals were given ad libitum access to the basal diet for 6 weeks. Subsequently, animals were assigned to one of six treatment groups for 6 weeks. One group was continued on the basal diet ad libitum. The remaining groups were maintained with energy restriction (70% ad libitum) on either the basal, MUNG, ROLL, IO-S, or IO-F diet. Subcutaneous fat pad mass was significantly higher (p<0.05) in the energy-restricted basal and IO-S groups compared with the energy-restricted ROLL diet. Similarly, visceral fat pad mass was significantly lower with ROLL and MUNG diets (p<0.05 for both) compared with basal and IO-S diets, and the insulin:glucose ratio was reduced (by 23% to 34%, p<0.05) in these two diets compared with all others. In ad libitum-fed animals, liver fatty acid synthase expression was 43% to 62% lower (p<0.05) with ROLL and MUNG diets compared with all others. These data suggest that a qualitative change in dietary carbohydrate source modulates body weight and adiposity.

Enhancement of mercury capture by the simultaneous addition of hydrogen bromide (HBr) and fly ashes in a slipstream facility.

PubMed

Cao, Yan; Wang, Quan-Hai; Li, Jun; Cheng, Jen-Chieh; Chan, Chia-Chun; Cohron, Marten; Pan, Wei-Ping

2009-04-15

Low halogen content in tested Powder River Basin (PRB) coals and low loss of ignition content (LOI) in PRB-derived fly ash were likely responsible for higher elemental mercury content (averaging about 75%) in the flue gas and also lower mercury capture efficiency by electrostatic precipitator (ESP) and wet-FGD. To develop a cost-effective approach to mercury capture in a full-scale coal-fired utility boiler burning PRB coal, experiments were conducted adding hydrogen bromide (HBr) or simultaneously adding HBr and selected fly ashes in a slipstream reactor (0.152 x 0.152 m) under real flue gas conditions. The residence time of the flue gas inside the reactorwas about 1.4 s. The average temperature of the slipstream reactor was controlled at about 155 degrees C. Tests were organized into two phases. In Phase 1, only HBr was added to the slipstream reactor, and in Phase 2, HBr and selected fly ash were added simultaneously. HBr injection was effective (>90%) for mercury oxidation at a low temperature (155 degrees C) with an HBr addition concentration of about 4 ppm in the flue gas. Additionally, injected HBr enhanced mercury capture by PRB fly ash in the low-temperature range. The mercury capture efficiency, attesting conditions of the slipstream reactor, reached about 50% at an HBr injection concentration of 4 ppm in the flue gas. Compared to only the addition of HBr, simultaneously adding bituminous-derived fly ash in a minimum amount (30 lb/MMacf), together with HBr injection at 4 ppm, could increase mercury capture efficiency by 30%. Injection of lignite-derived fly ash at 30 lb/MMacf could achieve even higher mercury removal efficiency (an additional 35% mercury capture efficiency compared to HBr addition alone).

Natural products as a rich source of tau-targeting drugs for Alzheimer’s disease

PubMed Central

Calcul, Laurent; Zhang, Bo; Jinwal, Umesh K; Dickey, Chad A; Baker, Bill J

2013-01-01

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder and the most common form of dementia, affecting more than 5.4 million people in the USA. Although the cause of AD is not well understood, the cholinergic, amyloid and tau hypotheses were proposed to explain its development. Drug discovery for AD based on the cholinergic and amyloid theories have not been effective. In this article we summarize tau-based natural products as AD therapeutics from a variety of biological sources, including the anti-amyloid agent curcumin, isolated from turmeric, the microtubule stabilizer paclitaxel, from the Pacific Yew Taxus brevifolia, and the Streptomyces-derived Hsp90 inhibitor, geldanamycin. The overlooked approach of clearing tau aggregation will most likely be the next objective for AD drug discovery. PMID:22924511

The African disability scooter: efficiency testing in paediatric amputees in Malawi

PubMed Central

Beckles, Verona; McCahill, Jennifer L.; Stebbins, Julie; Mkandawire, Nyengo; Church, John C. T.; Lavy, Chris

2016-01-01

Abstract Purpose: The African Disability Scooter (ADS) was developed for lower limb amputees, to improve mobility and provide access to different terrains. The aim of this study was to test the efficiency of the ADS in Africa over different terrains. Method: Eight subjects with a mean age of 12 years participated. Energy expenditure and speed were calculated over different terrains using the ADS, a prosthetic limb, and crutches. Repeated testing was completed on different days to assess learning effect. Results: Speed was significantly faster with the ADS on a level surface compared to crutch walking. This difference was maintained when using the scooter on rough terrain. Oxygen cost was halved with the scooter on level ground compared to crutch walking. There were no significant differences in oxygen consumption or heart rate. There were significant differences in oxygen cost and speed between days using the scooter over level ground, suggesting the presence of a learning effect. Conclusions: This study demonstrates that the ADS is faster and more energy efficient than crutch walking in young individuals with amputations, and should be considered as an alternative to a prosthesis where this is not available. The presence of a learning effect suggests supervision and training is required when the scooter is first issued.Implications for RehabilitationThe African Disability Scooter:is faster than crutch walking in amputees;is more energy efficient than walking with crutches;supervised use is needed when learning to use the device;is a good alternative/adjunct for mobility. PMID:25316033

Sex-dependent Association of a Common Low Density Lipoprotein Receptor Polymorphism with RNA Splicing Efficiency in the Brain and Alzheimers Disease

PubMed Central

Zou, Fanggeng; Gopalraj, Rangaraj K.; Lok, Johann; Zhu, Haiyan; Ling, I-Fang; Simpson, James F.; Tucker, H. Michael; Kelly, Jeremiah F.; Younkin, Samuel G.; Dickson, Dennis W.; Petersen, Ronald C; Graff-Radford, Neill R.; Bennett, David A.; Crook, Julia E.; G.Younkin, Steven; Estus, Steven

2008-01-01

Since apoE allele status is the predominant Alzheimers disease (AD) genetic risk factor, functional single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP)s in brain apoE receptors represent excellent candidates for association with AD. Recently, we identified a SNP, rs688, as modulating the splicing efficiency of low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR) exon 12 in the female human liver and in minigene transfected HepG2 cells. Moreover, the rs688T minor allele associated with significantly higher LDL and total cholesterol in women in the Framingham Offspring Study. Since LDLR is a major apoE receptor in the brain, we hypothesized that rs688 modulates LDLR splicing in neural tissues and associates with AD. To evaluate this hypothesis, we first transfected LDLR minigenes into SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells and found that rs688T reduces exon 12 inclusion in this neural model. We then evaluated rs688 association with exon 12 splicing efficiency in vivo by quantifying LDLR splicing in human anterior cingulate tissue obtained at autopsy; the rs688T allele associated with decreased LDLR exon 12 splicing efficiency in aged men but not women. Lastly, we evaluated whether rs688 associates with AD by genotyping DNA from 1,457 men and 2,055 women drawn from three case-control series. The rs688T/T genotype was associated with increased AD odds in males (recessive model, odds ratio (OR) of 1.49, 95% confidence interval (CI) of 1.13−1.97, uncorrected p=0.005), but not in females. In summary, these studies identify a functional apoE receptor SNP that is associated with AD in a sex-dependent fashion. PMID:18065781

Efficient Moment-Based Inference of Admixture Parameters and Sources of Gene Flow

PubMed Central

Levin, Alex; Reich, David; Patterson, Nick; Berger, Bonnie

2013-01-01

The recent explosion in available genetic data has led to significant advances in understanding the demographic histories of and relationships among human populations. It is still a challenge, however, to infer reliable parameter values for complicated models involving many populations. Here, we present MixMapper, an efficient, interactive method for constructing phylogenetic trees including admixture events using single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) genotype data. MixMapper implements a novel two-phase approach to admixture inference using moment statistics, first building an unadmixed scaffold tree and then adding admixed populations by solving systems of equations that express allele frequency divergences in terms of mixture parameters. Importantly, all features of the model, including topology, sources of gene flow, branch lengths, and mixture proportions, are optimized automatically from the data and include estimates of statistical uncertainty. MixMapper also uses a new method to express branch lengths in easily interpretable drift units. We apply MixMapper to recently published data for Human Genome Diversity Cell Line Panel individuals genotyped on a SNP array designed especially for use in population genetics studies, obtaining confident results for 30 populations, 20 of them admixed. Notably, we confirm a signal of ancient admixture in European populations—including previously undetected admixture in Sardinians and Basques—involving a proportion of 20–40% ancient northern Eurasian ancestry. PMID:23709261

Method for improving dissolution efficiency in gas-absorption and liquid extraction processes. [Patent application

DOEpatents

Kanak, B.E.; Stephenson, M.J.

1980-01-11

A method is described for improving dissolution efficiency in processes in which a feed fluid is introduced to a zone where it is contacted with a liquid solvent for preferentially removing a component of the feed and where part of the solvent so contacted undergoes transfer into the feed fluid to saturate the same. It has been found that such transfer significantly impairs dissolution efficiency. In accordance with the invention, an amount of the above-mentioned solvent is added to the feed fluid being introduced to the contact zone, the solvent being added in an amount sufficient to effect reduction or elimination of the above-mentioned transfer. Preferably, the solvent is added to the feed fluid in an amount saturating or supersaturating the feed fluid under the conditions prevailing in the contact zone.

Method for improving dissolution efficiency in gas-absorption and liquid extraction processes

DOEpatents

Kanak, Brant E.; Stephenson, Michael J.

1981-01-01

This invention is a method for improving dissolution efficiency in processes in which a feed fluid is introduced to a zone where it is contacted with a liquid solvent for preferentially removing a component of the feed and where part of the solvent so contacted undergoes transfer into the feed fluid to saturate the same. It has been found that such transfer significantly impairs dissolution efficiency. In accordance with the invention, an amount of the above-mentioned solvent is added to the feed fluid being introduced to the contact zone, the solvent being added in an amount sufficient to effect reduction or elimination of the above-mentioned transfer. Preferably, the solvent is added to the feed fluid in an amount saturating or supersaturating the feed fluid under the conditions prevailing in the contact zone.

The influence of increased distal loading on metabolic cost, efficiency, and kinematics of roller ski skating.

PubMed

Bolger, Conor M; Bessone, Veronica; Federolf, Peter; Ettema, Gertjan; Sandbakk, Øyvind

2018-01-01

The purpose of the present study was to examine the influence of increased loading of the roller ski on metabolic cost, gross efficiency, and kinematics of roller ski skating in steep and moderate terrain, while employing two incline-specific techniques. Ten nationally ranked male cross-country skiers were subjected to four 7-minute submaximal intervals, with 0, 0.5, 1.0, and 1.5 kg added beneath the roller-ski in a randomized order. This was done on two separate days, with the G2 skating at 12% incline and 7 km/h speed and G3 skating at 5% incline and 14 km/h speed, respectively. At 12% incline, there was a significant increase in metabolic rate and a decrease in gross efficiency with added weight (P<0.001 and P = 0.002). At 5% incline, no change in metabolic rate or gross efficiency was found (P = 0.89 and P = 0.11). Rating of perceived exertion (RPE) increased gradually with added weight at both inclines (P>0.05). No changes in cycle characteristics were observed between the different ski loadings at either incline, although the lateral and vertical displacements of the foot/skis were slightly altered at 12% incline with added weight. In conclusion, the present study demonstrates that increased loading of the ski increases the metabolic cost and reduces gross efficiency during steep uphill roller skiing in G2 skating, whereas no significant effect was revealed when skating on relatively flat terrain in G3. Cycle characteristics remained unchanged across conditions at both inclines, whereas small adjustments in the displacement of the foot coincided with the efficiency changes in uphill terrain. The increased RPE values with added ski-weight at both inclines indicates that other factors than those measured here could have influenced effort and/or fatigue when lifting a heavier ski.

Low cost high efficiency GaAs monolithic RF module for SARSAT distress beacons

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Petersen, W. C.; Siu, D. P.; Cook, H. F.

1991-01-01

Low cost high performance (5 Watts output) 406 MHz beacons are urgently needed to realize the maximum utilization of the Search and Rescue Satellite-Aided Tracking (SARSAT) system spearheaded in the U.S. by NASA. Although current technology can produce beacons meeting the output power requirement, power consumption is high due to the low efficiency of available transmitters. Field performance is currently unsatisfactory due to the lack of safe and reliable high density batteries capable of operation at -40 C. Low cost production is also a crucial but elusive requirement for the ultimate wide scale utilization of this system. Microwave Monolithics Incorporated (MMInc.) has proposed to make both the technical and cost goals for the SARSAT beacon attainable by developing a monolithic GaAs chip set for the RF module. This chip set consists of a high efficiency power amplifier and a bi-phase modulator. In addition to implementing the RF module in Monolithic Microwave Integrated Circuit (MMIC) form to minimize ultimate production costs, the power amplifier has a power-added efficiency nearly twice that attained with current commercial technology. A distress beacon built using this RF module chip set will be significantly smaller in size and lighter in weight due to a smaller battery requirement, since the 406 MHz signal source and the digital controller have far lower power consumption compared to the 5 watt power amplifier. All the program tasks have been successfully completed. The GaAs MMIC RF module chip set has been designed to be compatible with the present 406 MHz signal source and digital controller. A complete high performance low cost SARSAT beacon can be realized with only additional minor iteration and systems integration.

Electrical performance analysis and economic evaluation of combined biomass cook stove thermoelectric (BITE) generator.

PubMed

Lertsatitthanakorn, C

2007-05-01

The use of biomass cook stoves is widespread in the domestic sector of developing countries, but the stoves are not efficient. To advance the versatility of the cook stove, we investigated the feasibility of adding a commercial thermoelectric (TE) module made of bismuth-telluride based materials to the stove's side wall, thereby creating a thermoelectric generator system that utilizes a proportion of the stove's waste heat. The system, a biomass cook stove thermoelectric generator (BITE), consists of a commercial TE module (Taihuaxing model TEP1-1264-3.4), a metal sheet wall which acts as one side of the stove's structure and serves as the hot side of the TE module, and a rectangular fin heat sink at the cold side of the TE module. An experimental set-up was built to evaluate the conversion efficiency at various temperature ranges. The experimental set-up revealed that the electrical power output and the conversion efficiency depended on the temperature difference between the cold and hot sides of the TE module. At a temperature difference of approximately 150 degrees C, the unit achieved a power output of 2.4W. The conversion efficiency of 3.2% was enough to drive a low power incandescent light bulb or a small portable radio. A theoretical model approximated the power output at low temperature ranges. An economic analysis indicated that the payback period tends to be very short when compared with the cost of the same power supplied by batteries. Therefore, the generator design formulated here could be used in the domestic sector. The system is not intended to compete with primary power sources but serves adequately as an emergency or backup source of power.

Bi-level Multi-Source Learning for Heterogeneous Block-wise Missing Data

PubMed Central

Xiang, Shuo; Yuan, Lei; Fan, Wei; Wang, Yalin; Thompson, Paul M.; Ye, Jieping

2013-01-01

Bio-imaging technologies allow scientists to collect large amounts of high-dimensional data from multiple heterogeneous sources for many biomedical applications. In the study of Alzheimer's Disease (AD), neuroimaging data, gene/protein expression data, etc., are often analyzed together to improve predictive power. Joint learning from multiple complementary data sources is advantageous, but feature-pruning and data source selection are critical to learn interpretable models from high-dimensional data. Often, the data collected has block-wise missing entries. In the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI), most subjects have MRI and genetic information, but only half have cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) measures, a different half has FDG-PET; only some have proteomic data. Here we propose how to effectively integrate information from multiple heterogeneous data sources when data is block-wise missing. We present a unified “bi-level” learning model for complete multi-source data, and extend it to incomplete data. Our major contributions are: (1) our proposed models unify feature-level and source-level analysis, including several existing feature learning approaches as special cases; (2) the model for incomplete data avoids imputing missing data and offers superior performance; it generalizes to other applications with block-wise missing data sources; (3) we present efficient optimization algorithms for modeling complete and incomplete data. We comprehensively evaluate the proposed models including all ADNI subjects with at least one of four data types at baseline: MRI, FDG-PET, CSF and proteomics. Our proposed models compare favorably with existing approaches. PMID:23988272

Bi-level multi-source learning for heterogeneous block-wise missing data.

PubMed

Xiang, Shuo; Yuan, Lei; Fan, Wei; Wang, Yalin; Thompson, Paul M; Ye, Jieping

2014-11-15

Bio-imaging technologies allow scientists to collect large amounts of high-dimensional data from multiple heterogeneous sources for many biomedical applications. In the study of Alzheimer's Disease (AD), neuroimaging data, gene/protein expression data, etc., are often analyzed together to improve predictive power. Joint learning from multiple complementary data sources is advantageous, but feature-pruning and data source selection are critical to learn interpretable models from high-dimensional data. Often, the data collected has block-wise missing entries. In the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI), most subjects have MRI and genetic information, but only half have cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) measures, a different half has FDG-PET; only some have proteomic data. Here we propose how to effectively integrate information from multiple heterogeneous data sources when data is block-wise missing. We present a unified "bi-level" learning model for complete multi-source data, and extend it to incomplete data. Our major contributions are: (1) our proposed models unify feature-level and source-level analysis, including several existing feature learning approaches as special cases; (2) the model for incomplete data avoids imputing missing data and offers superior performance; it generalizes to other applications with block-wise missing data sources; (3) we present efficient optimization algorithms for modeling complete and incomplete data. We comprehensively evaluate the proposed models including all ADNI subjects with at least one of four data types at baseline: MRI, FDG-PET, CSF and proteomics. Our proposed models compare favorably with existing approaches. © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Normalizing memory recall in fibromyalgia with rehearsal: a distraction-counteracting effect.

PubMed

Leavitt, Frank; Katz, Robert S

2009-06-15

To examine the impact of distraction on the retention of rehearsed information in patients with fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS). Data refer to the neurocognitive examination of 134 patients (91 with FMS and 43 control subjects) presenting with memory loss. Four neurocognitive measures free of distraction, along with 2 measures with added distraction, were completed. Differences in the retention of rehearsed and unrehearsed information with a source of distraction present were calculated. Patients with FMS showed normal cognitive functioning on verbal memory tests free of distraction. Adding a source of distraction caused unrefreshed information to be lost at a disproportionate rate in patients with FMS. Over 87% of patients with FMS scored in the impaired range on a task of unrehearsed verbal memory. Adding a source of distraction to well-rehearsed information produced a normal rate of recall in FMS. Rehearsal mechanisms are intact in patients with FMS and play beneficial roles in managing interference from a source of distraction. In the absence of rehearsal, a source of distraction added to unrefreshed information signals a remarkable level of cognitive deficit in FMS that goes undetected by conventionally relied-upon neurocognitive measures. We present a theory to promote understanding of the cognitive deficit of people with FMS based on reduced speed of lexical activation and poor recall after distraction.

Continued selenium biofortification of carrots and broccoli grown in soils once amended with Se-enriched S. pinnata

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Selenium (Se) biofortification has been practiced in Se-deficient regions throughout the world primarily by adding inorganic sources of Se to the soil. Adding organic sources of Se could be useful as an alternative Se amendment for the production of Se-biofortified food crops needed in Se-deficient ...

Characterizing the variability of food waste quality: A need for efficient valorisation through anaerobic digestion.

PubMed

Fisgativa, Henry; Tremier, Anne; Dabert, Patrick

2016-04-01

In order to determine the variability of food waste (FW) characteristics and the influence of these variable values on the anaerobic digestion (AD) process, FW characteristics from 70 papers were compiled and analysed statistically. Results indicated that FW characteristics values are effectively very variable and that 24% of these variations may be explained by the geographical origin, the type of collection source and the season of the collection. Considering the whole range of values for physicochemical characteristics (especially volatile solids (VS), chemical oxygen demand (COD) and biomethane potential (BMP)), FW show good potential for AD treatment. However, the high carbohydrates contents (36.4%VS) and the low pH (5.1) might cause inhibitions by the rapid acidification of the digesters. As regards the variation of FW characteristics, FW categories were proposed. Moreover, the adequacy of FW characteristics with AD treatment was discussed. Four FW categories were identified with critical characteristics values for AD performance: (1) the high dry matter (DM) and total ammonia nitrogen (TAN) content of FW collected with green waste, (2) the high cellulose (CEL) content of FW from the organic fraction of municipal solid waste, (3) the low carbon-to-nitrogen (C/N) ratio of FW collected during summer, (4) the high value of TAN and Na of FW from Asia. For these cases, an aerobic pre-treatment or a corrective treatment seems to be advised to avoid instabilities along the digestion. Finally, the results of this review-paper provide a data basis of values for FW characteristics that could be used for AD process design and environmental assessment. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Targeted Gene Editing of Glia Maturation Factor in Microglia: a Novel Alzheimer's Disease Therapeutic Target.

PubMed

Raikwar, Sudhanshu P; Thangavel, Ramasamy; Dubova, Iuliia; Selvakumar, Govindhasamy Pushpavathi; Ahmed, Mohammad Ejaz; Kempuraj, Duraisamy; Zaheer, Smita A; Iyer, Shankar S; Zaheer, Asgar

2018-04-27

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a devastating, progressive neurodegenerative disorder that leads to severe cognitive impairment in elderly patients. Chronic neuroinflammation plays an important role in the AD pathogenesis. Glia maturation factor (GMF), a proinflammatory molecule discovered in our laboratory, is significantly upregulated in various regions of AD brains. We have previously reported that GMF is predominantly expressed in the reactive glial cells surrounding the amyloid plaques (APs) in the mouse and human AD brain. Microglia are the major source of proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines including GMF. Recently clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) based genome editing has been recognized to study the functions of genes that are implicated in various diseases. Here, we investigated if CRISPR-Cas9-mediated GMF gene editing leads to inhibition of GMF expression and suppression of microglial activation. Confocal microscopy of murine BV2 microglial cell line transduced with an adeno-associated virus (AAV) coexpressing Staphylococcus aureus (Sa) Cas9 and a GMF-specific guide RNA (GMF-sgRNA) revealed few cells expressing SaCas9 while lacking GMF expression, thereby confirming successful GMF gene editing. To further improve GMF gene editing efficiency, we developed lentiviral vectors (LVs) expressing either Streptococcus pyogenes (Sp) Cas9 or GMF-sgRNAs. BV2 cells cotransduced with LVs expressing SpCas9 and GMF-sgRNAs revealed reduced GMF expression and the presence of indels in the exons 2 and 3 of the GMF coding sequence. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) treatment of GMF-edited cells led to reduced microglial activation as shown by reduced p38 MAPK phosphorylation. We believe that targeted in vivo GMF gene editing has a significant potential for developing a unique and novel AD therapy.

Supplementation of banana flower powder pellet and plant oil sources on in vitro ruminal fermentation, digestibility, and methane production.

PubMed

Kang, Sungchhang; Wanapat, Metha; Viennasay, Bounnaxay

2016-12-01

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of banana flower power pellet (BAFLOP-pellet) and plant oil source on in vitro gas production, fermentation efficiency, and methane (CH 4 ) production. Rumen fluid was collected from two rumen-fistulated dairy steers fed on rice straw-based diet with concentrate supplement to maintain normal rumen ecology. All supplemented feed were added to respective treatments in the 30:70 roughage to concentrate-based substrate. The treatments were arranged according to a 3 × 3 factorial arrangement in a completely randomized design. First factor was different levels of BAFLOP-pellet supplementation (0, 30, and 60 g/kg of dietary substrate) and second factor was plant oil source supplementation [non-supplemented, 20 g/kg krabok seed oil (KSO), and 20 g/kg coconut oil (CO) of dietary substrate, respectively]. Under this investigation, BAFLOP-pellet supplementation increased gas production kinetics and in vitro digestibility (P < 0.05). Ruminal pH was dropped post incubation time in the non-supplemented group but was enhanced in BAFLOP-pellet-supplemented treatments. On the other hand, supplementation of KSO and CO depressed gas production and digestibility, but did not influence ruminal pH. In addition, protozoal population and CH 4 production were decreased by BAFLOP-pellet and plant oil addition (P < 0.05). Based on this study, it could be concluded that supplementation of BAFLOP-pellet and plant oil source could enhance the in vitro fermentation efficiency while reduced protozoal population and CH 4 production. It is suggested that BAFLOP-pellet (60 g/kg of dietary substrate) and KSO/CO (20 g/kg of dietary substrate) could be used to manipulate rumen fermentation characteristics fed on high-concentrate diet.

Use of Encapsulated Zinc Particles in a Eutectic Chloride Salt to Enhance Thermal Energy Storage Capacity for Concentrated Solar Power

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

Cingarapu, Sreeram; Singh, Dileep; Timofeeva, Elena V.

2015-08-01

Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) is considered as a viable large-scale renewable energy source to produce electricity. However, current costs to produce electricity from CSP are not cost competitive as compared to the traditional energy generation technologies based on fossil fuels and nuclear. It is envisioned that development of high efficiency and high heat capacity thermal storage fluids will increase system efficiency, reduce structural storage volume, and hence, contribute to reducing costs. Particularly, with respect to CSP, current high temperature energy storage fluids, such as molten salts, are relatively limited in terms of their thermal energy storage capacity and thermal conductivity.more » The current work explores possibility of boosting the thermal storage capacity of molten salts through latent heat of added phase change materials. We studied the advantage Of adding coated Zn micron-sized particles to alkali chloride salt eutectic for enhanced thermal energy storage. Zinc particles (0.6 mu m and 5 mu m) obtained from commercial source were coated with an organo-phosphorus shell to improve chemical stability and to prevent individual particles from coalescing with one another during melt/freeze cycles. Thermal cycling tests (200 melt/freeze cycles) showed that coated Zn particles have good thermal stability and are chemically inert to alkali chloride salt eutectic in both N-2 and in air atmospheres. Elemental mapping of the cross-sectional view of coated Zn particles from the composite after thermal cycles showed no signs of oxidation, agglomeration or other type of particle degradation. The measured enhancement in volumetric thermal storage capacity of the composite with just similar to 10 vol% of coated Zn particles over the base chloride salt eutectic varies from 15% to 34% depending on cycling temperature range (Delta T = 50 degrees C -100 degrees C. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.« less

Biodegradation of textile wastewater: enhancement of biodegradability via the addition of co-substrates followed by phytotoxicity analysis of the effluent.

PubMed

Ceretta, María Belén; Durruty, Ignacio; Orozco, Ana Micaela Ferro; González, Jorge Froilán; Wolski, Erika Alejandra

2018-05-01

This work reports on the biodegradation of textile wastewater by three alternative microbial treatments. A bacterial consortium, isolated from a dyeing factory, showed significant efficacy in decolourizing wastewater (77.6 ± 3.0%); the decolourization rate was 5.80 ± 0.31 mg of azo dye·L -1 ·h -1 , without the addition of an ancillary carbon source (W). The degradation was 52% (measured as COD removal) and the products of the treatment showed low biodegradability (COD/BOD 5 = 4.2). When glucose was added to the wastewater, (W + G): the decolourization efficiency increased to 87.24 ± 2.5% and the decolourization rate significantly improved (25.67 ± 3.62 mg·L -1 ·h -1 ), although the COD removal efficiency was only 44%. Finally, the addition of starch (W + S) showed both a similar decolourization rate and efficiency to the W treatment, but a higher COD removal efficiency (72%). In addition, the biodegradability of the treated wastewater was considerably improved (COD/BOD 5 = 1.2) when starch was present. The toxicity of the degradation products was tested on Lactuca sativa seeds. In all treatments, toxicity was reduced with respect to the untreated wastewater. The W + S treatment gave the best performance.

Nitrogen-doped microporous carbon: An efficient oxygen reduction catalyst for Zn-air batteries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Li-Yuan; Wang, Meng-Ran; Lai, Yan-Qing; Li, Xiao-Yan

2017-08-01

N-doped microporous carbon as an exceptional metal-free catalyst from waste biomass (banana peel as representative) was obtained via fast catalysis carbonization, followed by N-doping modification. The method achieves a relatively high C conversion efficiency of ∼41.9%. The final carbon materials are doped by N (∼3 at.%) and possess high surface area (∼1097 m2 g-1) and abundant micropores. Compared to commercial Pt/C materials, the as-prepared carbon catalyst exhibits a comparable electrocatalytic activity and much better stability. Furthermore, the metal-free catalyst loaded Zn-air battery possesses higher discharge voltage and power density as compared with that of commercial Pt/C. This novel technique can also be readily applied to produce metal-free carbon catalysts from other typical waste biomass (e.g., orange peel, leaves) as the carbon sources. The method can be developed as a potentially general and effective industrial route to transform waste biomass into high value-added microporous carbon with superior functionalities.

Optimising the neutron environment of Radiation Portal Monitors: A computational study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gilbert, Mark R.; Ghani, Zamir; McMillan, John E.; Packer, Lee W.

2015-09-01

Efficient and reliable detection of radiological or nuclear threats is a crucial part of national and international efforts to prevent terrorist activities. Radiation Portal Monitors (RPMs), which are deployed worldwide, are intended to interdict smuggled fissile material by detecting emissions of neutrons and gamma rays. However, considering the range and variety of threat sources, vehicular and shielding scenarios, and that only a small signature is present, it is important that the design of the RPMs allows these signatures to be accurately differentiated from the environmental background. Using Monte-Carlo neutron-transport simulations of a model 3He detector system we have conducted a parameter study to identify the optimum combination of detector shielding, moderation, and collimation that maximises the sensitivity of neutron-sensitive RPMs. These structures, which could be simply and cost-effectively added to existing RPMs, can improve the detector response by more than a factor of two relative to an unmodified, bare design. Furthermore, optimisation of the air gap surrounding the helium tubes also improves detector efficiency.

Production of Mushroom Mycelium as a Protein and Fat Source in Submerged Culture in Medium of Vinasse

PubMed Central

Falanghe, H.

1962-01-01

Of ten mushroom cultures investigated, only Agaricus campestris, Boletus indecisus, and Tricholoma nudum were capable of growing in submerged culture in medium of vinasse with added salts. Higher fermentative efficiencies were found under these conditions than in medium containing molasses or waste sulfite liquor. A. campestris showed a better capacity to produce protein but, since B. indecisus is capable of developing greater mycelium weight, its fermentative efficiencies are comparable. Both microorganisms could be grown in medium of vinasse with greatly varied amounts, producing higher mycelial weight in media with greater vinasse. The capacity of B. indecisus and A. campestris to utilize the noncarbohydrate fraction in total solids, instead of the total carbohydrates when they are in smaller amount, was observed in medium containing vinasse. B. indecisus and A. campestris were easily separated by filtration from the medium, although T. nudum was difficult to separate by this procedure. In experiments with A. campestris, the adaptative capacity of the organism to vinasse was demonstrated. PMID:13962715

The Failure of Eco-Efficiency to Guarantee Sustainability: Future Challenges for Industrial Ecology

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

Huesemann, Michael H.

Western industrialized societies are inherently unsustainable in their present form because they depend almost exclusively on a finite supply of non-renewable minerals and fossil fuels. In addition, the resulting wastes cause various environmental problems ranging from widespread ecosystem disruptions to global warming. The most common response to these problems has been to promote technological improvements in eco-efficiency, which may be defined as ''adding maximum value with minimum resource use and minimum pollution'' (Welford 1997). While constructive, improvements in eco-efficiency alone will not guarantee sustainability of industrialized societies because the limited supplies of non-renewable minerals cannot be extended indefinitely via recyclingmore » and substitution, and a transition to renewable and nuclear energy sources would result in significant negative environmental impacts, particularly if deployed on a large scale. In addition, according to the second law of thermodynamics, industrial production technologies have inherently unavoidable environmental impacts. Finally, any hard won improvements in eco-efficiency will soon be negated if growth in population and consumption is allowed to continue. Consequently, long-term industrial sustainability can only be achieved through a transition to a steady-state economy where the total throughput of matter-energy is kept at a constant and sustainable level. This requires not only improvements in eco-efficiency but also a reassessment of fundamental societal values that erroneously equate material consumption and economic growth with well-being and happiness.« less

Improving the Efficiency of DASC by Adding CeO2/CuO Hybrid Nanoparticles in Water

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Midhun Mohan, V.; Sajeeb, A. M.

Solar energy is the abundantly available source of renewable energy with least impact on environment. Direct absorption solar collector (DASC) is the commonly used device to absorb heat directly from sun and make use of it for different heating applications. In the past, many experiments have been done to increase the efficiency of DASC using nanofluids. In this paper, an examination of solar collector efficiency for hybrid CeO2/CuO-water (0.1% by volume) nanofluid under various flow rates and proportions of CeO2/CuO nanoparticles is investigated. The experiments were conducted at flow rates spanning from 20cc/min to 100cc/min and with CeO2/CuO nanoparticles proportions of 1:0, 1:0.5, 1:1, 0.5:1 and 0:1. The efficiency increases from 16.5% to 51.6% when the flow rate is increased from 20cc/min to 100cc/min for hybrid CeO2/CuO (1:1)-water nanofluid. The results also showed an increase in efficiency of 13.8%, 18.1%, 24.3%, 24.9% and 26.1% with hybrid combination of CeO2/CuO at ratios 1:0, 1:0.5, 1:1, 0.5:1 and 0:1, respectively, in comparison with water at a flow rate of 100cc/min.

Improving the desulfurization performance of CaCO3 with sodium humate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Feng, Run; Sun, Zhiguo; Zhang, Wenqing; Huang, Hao; Hu, Haihang; Zhang, Li; Xie, Hongyong

2018-02-01

The influence of these factors on desulphurization efficiency was studied by changing the amount of calcium carbonate, the concentration of sulfur dioxide, the liquid flow rate of absorbent and the air flow rate, the optimum working condition was determined by the research of limestone-gypsum desulphurization process commonly used in industry. By changing the amount of calcium carbonate, we conclude that the volume of water in the desulfurization efficiency does not increase with the adding amount of calcium carbonate. The optimum conditions were determined : at the condicion of the concentration of 500ppm of sulfur dioxide, 10g calcium carbonate, 150L/h liquid flow and the minimum air flow rate of 6.75m3/h, the highest desulfurization efficiency was close to 100% when sodium humate was not added, but the holding time was only about 5 minutes. After adding 3g of humic acid, the desulfurization efficiency was improved obviously, and the instantaneous efficiency of 100% lasting for about 40 minutes. It can be seen that, calcium carbonate in the addition of humic acid sodium can significantly improve the absorption of calcium carbonate performance of SO2.

Western hardwoods : value-added research and demonstration program

Treesearch

D. W. Green; W. W. Von Segen; S. A. Willits

1995-01-01

Research results from the value-added research and demonstration program for western hardwoods are summarized in this report. The intent of the program was to enhance the economy of the Pacific Northwest by helping local communities and forest industries produce wood products more efficiently. Emphasis was given to value-added products and barriers to increased...

Biotransformation of lignocellulosic materials into value-added products-A review.

PubMed

Bilal, Muhammad; Asgher, Muhammad; Iqbal, Hafiz M N; Hu, Hongbo; Zhang, Xuehong

2017-05-01

In the past decade, with the key biotechnological advancements, lignocellulosic materials have gained a particular importance. In serious consideration of global economic, environmental and energy issues, research scientists have been re-directing their interests in (re)-valorizing naturally occurring lignocellulosic-based materials. In this context, lignin-modifying enzymes (LMEs) have gained considerable attention in numerous industrial and biotechnological processes. However, their lower catalytic efficiencies and operational stabilities limit their practical and multipurpose applications in various sectors. Therefore, to expand the range of natural industrial biocatalysts e.g. LMEs, significant progress related to the enzyme biotechnology has appeared. Owing to the abundant lignocellulose availability along with LMEs in combination with the scientific advances in the biotechnological era, solid-phase biocatalysts can be economically tailored on a large scale. This review article outlines first briefly on the lignocellulose materials as a potential source for biotransformation into value-added products including composites, fine chemicals, nutraceutical, delignification, and enzymes. Comprehensive information is also given on the purification and characterization of LMEs to present their potential for the industrial and biotechnological sector. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

An Engineered Virus Library as a Resource for the Spectrum-wide Exploration of Virus and Vector Diversity.

PubMed

Zhang, Wenli; Fu, Jun; Liu, Jing; Wang, Hailong; Schiwon, Maren; Janz, Sebastian; Schaffarczyk, Lukas; von der Goltz, Lukas; Ehrke-Schulz, Eric; Dörner, Johannes; Solanki, Manish; Boehme, Philip; Bergmann, Thorsten; Lieber, Andre; Lauber, Chris; Dahl, Andreas; Petzold, Andreas; Zhang, Youming; Stewart, A Francis; Ehrhardt, Anja

2017-05-23

Adenoviruses (Ads) are large human-pathogenic double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) viruses presenting an enormous natural diversity associated with a broad variety of diseases. However, only a small fraction of adenoviruses has been explored in basic virology and biomedical research, highlighting the need to develop robust and adaptable methodologies and resources. We developed a method for high-throughput direct cloning and engineering of adenoviral genomes from different sources utilizing advanced linear-linear homologous recombination (LLHR) and linear-circular homologous recombination (LCHR). We describe 34 cloned adenoviral genomes originating from clinical samples, which were characterized by next-generation sequencing (NGS). We anticipate that this recombineering strategy and the engineered adenovirus library will provide an approach to study basic and clinical virology. High-throughput screening (HTS) of the reporter-tagged Ad library in a panel of cell lines including osteosarcoma disease-specific cell lines revealed alternative virus types with enhanced transduction and oncolysis efficiencies. This highlights the usefulness of this resource. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Open Source GIS based integrated watershed management

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Byrne, J. M.; Lindsay, J.; Berg, A. A.

2013-12-01

Optimal land and water management to address future and current resource stresses and allocation challenges requires the development of state-of-the-art geomatics and hydrological modelling tools. Future hydrological modelling tools should be of high resolution, process based with real-time capability to assess changing resource issues critical to short, medium and long-term enviromental management. The objective here is to merge two renowned, well published resource modeling programs to create an source toolbox for integrated land and water management applications. This work will facilitate a much increased efficiency in land and water resource security, management and planning. Following an 'open-source' philosophy, the tools will be computer platform independent with source code freely available, maximizing knowledge transfer and the global value of the proposed research. The envisioned set of water resource management tools will be housed within 'Whitebox Geospatial Analysis Tools'. Whitebox, is an open-source geographical information system (GIS) developed by Dr. John Lindsay at the University of Guelph. The emphasis of the Whitebox project has been to develop a user-friendly interface for advanced spatial analysis in environmental applications. The plugin architecture of the software is ideal for the tight-integration of spatially distributed models and spatial analysis algorithms such as those contained within the GENESYS suite. Open-source development extends knowledge and technology transfer to a broad range of end-users and builds Canadian capability to address complex resource management problems with better tools and expertise for managers in Canada and around the world. GENESYS (Generate Earth Systems Science input) is an innovative, efficient, high-resolution hydro- and agro-meteorological model for complex terrain watersheds developed under the direction of Dr. James Byrne. GENESYS is an outstanding research and applications tool to address challenging resource management issues in industry, government and nongovernmental agencies. Current research and analysis tools were developed to manage meteorological, climatological, and land and water resource data efficiently at high resolution in space and time. The deliverable for this work is a Whitebox-GENESYS open-source resource management capacity with routines for GIS based watershed management including water in agriculture and food production. We are adding urban water management routines through GENESYS in 2013-15 with an engineering PhD candidate. Both Whitebox-GAT and GENESYS are already well-established tools. The proposed research will combine these products to create an open-source geomatics based water resource management tool that is revolutionary in both capacity and availability to a wide array of Canadian and global users

A model to evaluate 100-year energy mix scenarios to facilitate deep decarbonization in the southeastern United States

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

Adkisson, Mary A.; Qualls, A. L.

The Southeast United States consumes approximately one billion megawatt-hours of electricity annually; roughly two-thirds from carbon dioxide (CO 2) emitting sources. The balance is produced by non-CO 2 emitting sources: nuclear power, hydroelectric power, and other renewables. Approximately 40% of the total CO 2 emissions come from the electric grid. The CO 2 emitting sources, coal, natural gas, and petroleum, produce approximately 372 million metric tons of CO 2 annually. The rest is divided between the transportation sector (36%), the industrial sector (20%), the residential sector (3%), and the commercial sector (2%). An Energy Mix Modeling Analysis (EMMA) tool wasmore » developed to evaluate 100-year energy mix strategies to reduce CO 2 emissions in the southeast. Current energy sector data was gathered and used to establish a 2016 reference baseline. The spreadsheet-based calculation runs 100-year scenarios based on current nuclear plant expiration dates, assumed electrical demand changes from the grid, assumed renewable power increases and efficiency gains, and assumed rates of reducing coal generation and deployment of new nuclear reactors. Within the model, natural gas electrical generation is calculated to meet any demand not met by other sources. Thus, natural gas is viewed as a transitional energy source that produces less CO 2 than coal until non-CO 2 emitting sources can be brought online. The annual production of CO 2 and spent nuclear fuel and the natural gas consumed are calculated and summed. A progression of eight preliminary scenarios show that nuclear power can substantially reduce or eliminate demand for natural gas within 100 years if it is added at a rate of only 1000 MWe per year. Any increases in renewable energy or efficiency gains can offset the need for nuclear power. However, using nuclear power to reduce CO 2 will result in significantly more spent fuel. More efficient advanced reactors can only marginally reduce the amount of spent fuel generated in the next 100 years if they are assumed to be available beginning around 2040. Thus closing the nuclear fuel cycle to reduce nuclear spent fuel inventories should be considered. Future work includes the incorporation of economic features into the model and the extension of the evaluation to the industrial sector. It will also be necessary to identify suitable sites for additional reactors.« less

A new approach for developing adjoint models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Farrell, P. E.; Funke, S. W.

2011-12-01

Many data assimilation algorithms rely on the availability of gradients of misfit functionals, which can be efficiently computed with adjoint models. However, the development of an adjoint model for a complex geophysical code is generally very difficult. Algorithmic differentiation (AD, also called automatic differentiation) offers one strategy for simplifying this task: it takes the abstraction that a model is a sequence of primitive instructions, each of which may be differentiated in turn. While extremely successful, this low-level abstraction runs into time-consuming difficulties when applied to the whole codebase of a model, such as differentiating through linear solves, model I/O, calls to external libraries, language features that are unsupported by the AD tool, and the use of multiple programming languages. While these difficulties can be overcome, it requires a large amount of technical expertise and an intimate familiarity with both the AD tool and the model. An alternative to applying the AD tool to the whole codebase is to assemble the discrete adjoint equations and use these to compute the necessary gradients. With this approach, the AD tool must be applied to the nonlinear assembly operators, which are typically small, self-contained units of the codebase. The disadvantage of this approach is that the assembly of the discrete adjoint equations is still very difficult to perform correctly, especially for complex multiphysics models that perform temporal integration; as it stands, this approach is as difficult and time-consuming as applying AD to the whole model. In this work, we have developed a library which greatly simplifies and automates the alternate approach of assembling the discrete adjoint equations. We propose a complementary, higher-level abstraction to that of AD: that a model is a sequence of linear solves. The developer annotates model source code with library calls that build a 'tape' of the operators involved and their dependencies, and supplies callbacks to compute the action of these operators. The library, called libadjoint, is then capable of symbolically manipulating the forward annotation to automatically assemble the adjoint equations. Libadjoint is open source, and is explicitly designed to be bolted-on to an existing discrete model. It can be applied to any discretisation, steady or time-dependent problems, and both linear and nonlinear systems. Using libadjoint has several advantages. It requires the application of an AD tool only to small pieces of code, making the use of AD far more tractable. As libadjoint derives the adjoint equations, the expertise required to develop an adjoint model is greatly diminished. One major advantage of this approach is that the model developer is freed from implementing complex checkpointing strategies for the adjoint model: libadjoint has sufficient information about the forward model to re-play the entire forward solve when necessary, and thus the checkpointing algorithm can be implemented entirely within the library itself. Examples are shown using the Fluidity/ICOM framework, a complex ocean model under development at Imperial College London.

Efficient detection of human circulating tumor cells without significant production of false-positive cells by a novel conditionally replicating adenovirus

PubMed Central

Sakurai, Fuminori; Narii, Nobuhiro; Tomita, Kyoko; Togo, Shinsaku; Takahashi, Kazuhisa; Machitani, Mitsuhiro; Tachibana, Masashi; Ouchi, Masaaki; Katagiri, Nobuyoshi; Urata, Yasuo; Fujiwara, Toshiyoshi; Mizuguchi, Hiroyuki

2016-01-01

Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are promising biomarkers in several cancers, and thus methods and apparatuses for their detection and quantification in the blood have been actively pursued. A novel CTC detection system using a green fluorescence protein (GFP)–expressing conditionally replicating adenovirus (Ad) (rAd-GFP) was recently developed; however, there is concern about the production of false-positive cells (GFP-positive normal blood cells) when using rAd-GFP, particularly at high titers. In addition, CTCs lacking or expressing low levels of coxsackievirus–adenovirus receptor (CAR) cannot be detected by rAd-GFP, because rAd-GFP is constructed based on Ad serotype 5, which recognizes CAR. In order to suppress the production of false-positive cells, sequences perfectly complementary to blood cell–specific microRNA, miR-142-3p, were incorporated into the 3′-untranslated region of the E1B and GFP genes. In addition, the fiber protein was replaced with that of Ad serotype 35, which recognizes human CD46, creating rAdF35-142T-GFP. rAdF35-142T-GFP efficiently labeled not only CAR-positive tumor cells but also CAR-negative tumor cells with GFP. The numbers of false-positive cells were dramatically lower for rAdF35-142T-GFP than for rAd-GFP. CTCs in the blood of cancer patients were detected by rAdF35-142T-GFP with a large reduction in false-positive cells. PMID:26966699

Origins, seasonality, and fluxes of organic matter in the Congo River

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Spencer, Robert G. M.; Hernes, Peter J.; Dinga, Bienvenu; Wabakanghanzi, Jose N.; Drake, Travis W.; Six, Johan

2016-07-01

The Congo River in central Africa represents a major source of organic matter (OM) to the Atlantic Ocean. This study examined elemental (%OC, %N, and C:N), stable isotopic (δ13C and δ15N), and biomarker composition (lignin phenols) of particulate OM (POM) and dissolved OM (DOM) across the seasonal hydrograph. Even though the Congo exhibits an extremely stable intra-annual discharge regime, seasonal variability in OM composition was evident. DOM appears predominantly derived from vascular plant inputs with greater relative contribution during the rising limb and peak in discharge associated with the major November-December discharge maximum. Generally, POM appears to be sourced from soil-derived mineral-associated OM (low C:N, low Λ8, and higher (Ad:Al)v) but the relative proportion of fresh vascular plant material (higher C:N, higher Λ8, and lower (Ad:Al)v) increases with higher discharge. During the study period (September 2009 to November 2010) the Congo exported 29.21 Tg yr-1 of total suspended sediment (TSS), 1.96 Tg yr-1 of particulate organic carbon (POC), and 12.48 Tg yr-1 of dissolved organic carbon. The Congo exports an order of magnitude lower TSS load in comparison to other major riverine sources of TSS (e.g., Ganges and Brahmaputra), but due to its OM-rich character it actually exports a comparable amount of POC. The Congo is also 2.5 times more efficient at exporting dissolved lignin per unit volume compared to the Amazon. Including Congo dissolved lignin data in residence time calculations for lignin in the Atlantic Ocean results in an approximately 10% reduction from the existing estimate, suggesting that this material is more reactive than previously thought.

The effects of the antibiotics ampicillin, florfenicol, sulfamethazine, and tylosin on biogas production and their degradation efficiency during anaerobic digestion.

PubMed

Mitchell, Shannon M; Ullman, Jeffrey L; Teel, Amy L; Watts, Richard J; Frear, Craig

2013-12-01

The impacts of four common animal husbandry antibiotics (ampicillin, florfenicol, sulfamethazine, and tylosin) on anaerobic digestion (AD) treatment efficiency and the potential for antibiotic degradation during digestion were evaluated. Sulfamethazine and ampicillin exhibited no impact on total biogas production up to 280 and 350 mg/L, respectively, although ampicillin inhibited biogas production rates during early stages of AD. Tylosin reduced biogas production by 10-38% between 130 and 913 mg/L. Florfenicol reduced biogas by ≈ 5%, 40% and 75% at 6.4, 36 and 210 mg/L, respectively. These antibiotic concentrations are higher than commonly seen for mixed feedlot manure, so impacts on full scale AD should be minimal. Antibiotic degradation products were found, confirming AD effectively degraded ampicillin, florfenicol, and tylosin, although some products were persistent throughout the process. Contamination of AD solid and liquid effluents with sulfamethazine and antibiotic transformation products from florfenicol and tylosin could present an environmental concern. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

New roughage source of Pennisetum purpureum cv. Mahasarakham utilization for ruminants feeding under global climate change.

PubMed

Wanapat, Metha; Mapato, Chaowarit

2018-05-31

As the climate changes, it influences ruminant's feed intake, nutrient digestibility, rumen methane production and emission. This experiment aimed to evaluate the effect of feeding Sweet grass (Pennisetum purpureum cv. Mahasarakham) as a new source of good quality forage to improve feed utilization efficiency and to mitigate rumen methane production and emission. Four, growing crossbred of Holstein Friesian heifers, 14 months old, were arranged in a 4 x 4 Latin square design to receive four dietary treatments. Treatment 1 (T1) was rice straw (RS) fed on ad libitum with 1.0 % BW of concentrate (C) supplementation (RS/1.0C). Treatment 2 (T2) and treatment 3 (T3) were Sweet grass (SG), fed on ad libitum with 1.0 and 0.5 %BW of concentrate supplementation, respectively (SG/1.0C and SG/0.5C, respectively). Treatment 4 (T4) was total Sweet grass fed on ad libitum basis with non-concentrate supplementation (TSG). The results revealed that roughage and total feed intake were increased with SG when compared to RS (P<0.01) while TSG was similar to RS/1.0C treatment. Digestibility of nutrients, nutrients intake, total VFAs, rumen microorganisms were the highest and CH4 was the lowest in the heifers received SG/1.0C (P<0.01). Total DM feed intake, digestibility and intake of nutrients, total VFAs, NH3-N, bacterial and fungal population of animals receiving SG/0.5C were higher than those fed on RS/1.0C. Reducing of concentrate supplementation with SG as a roughage source increased NH3-N, acetic acid, and fungal populations, but it decreased propionic acid and protozoal populations (P<0.05). However, ruminal pH and blood urea nitrogen were not affected by the dietary treatments (P>0.05). As the results, Sweet grass could be a good forage to improve rumen fermentation, decrease methane production and reduced the level of concentrate supplementation for growing ruminants in the tropics especially under global climate change.

Microbial enhancement of compost extracts based on cattle rumen content compost - characterisation of a system.

PubMed

Shrestha, Karuna; Shrestha, Pramod; Walsh, Kerry B; Harrower, Keith M; Midmore, David J

2011-09-01

Microbially enhanced compost extracts ('compost tea') are being used in commercial agriculture as a source of nutrients and for their perceived benefit to soil microbiology, including plant disease suppression. Rumen content material is a waste of cattle abattoirs, which can be value-added by conversion to compost and 'compost tea'. A system for compost extraction and microbial enhancement was characterised. Molasses amendment increased bacterial count 10-fold, while amendment based on molasses and 'fish and kelp hydrolysate' increased fungal count 10-fold. Compost extract incubated at 1:10 (w/v) dilution showed the highest microbial load, activity and humic/fulvic acid content compared to other dilutions. Aeration increased the extraction efficiency of soluble metabolites, and microbial growth rate, as did extraction of compost without the use of a constraining bag. A protocol of 1:10 dilution and aerated incubation with kelp and molasses amendments is recommended to optimise microbial load and fungal-to-bacterial ratio for this inoculum source. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Homogeneous Reduction of Carbon Dioxide with Hydrogen.

PubMed

Dong, Kaiwu; Razzaq, Rauf; Hu, Yuya; Ding, Kuiling

2017-04-01

Carbon dioxide (CO 2 ), a key greenhouse gas produced from both anthropogenic and natural sources, has been recently considered to be an important C1 building-block for the synthesis of many industrial fuels and chemicals. Catalytic hydrogenation of CO 2 using a homogeneous system is regarded as an efficient process for CO 2 valorization. This approach leads to the direct products including formic acid (HCOOH), carbon monoxide (CO), methanol (MeOH), and methane (CH 4 ). The hydrogenation of CO 2 to CO followed by alkene carbonylation provides value-added compounds, which also avoids the tedious separation and transportation of toxic CO. Moreover, the reduction of CO 2 with H 2 in the presence of amines is of significance to attain fine chemicals through catalytic formylation and methylation reactions. The synthesis of higher alcohols and dialkoxymethane from CO 2 and H 2 has been demonstrated recently, which opens access to new molecular structures using CO 2 as an important C1 source.

Using millet as substrate for efficient production of monacolin K by solid-state fermentation of Monascus ruber.

PubMed

Zhang, Bo-Bo; Xing, Hong-Bo; Jiang, Bing-Jie; Chen, Lei; Xu, Gan-Rong; Jiang, Yun; Zhang, Da-Yong

2018-03-01

In this study, various grains such as rice, millet, corn, barley and wheat were used as raw materials for monacolin K production by solid-state fermentation of Monascus ruber. Among these substrates, millet was found to be the best one for monacolin K production, by which the yield reached 7.12 mg/g. For enhanced monacolin K production, the effects of fermentation time, charge amount, initial moisture content and inoculum volume were systematically investigated in the solid-state fermentation of M. ruber. Moreover, complementary carbon source and nitrogen source were added for further improving the production of monacolin K. Results showed that the maximum production of monacolin K (19.81 mg/g) could be obtained at the optimal conditions. Compared with the traditional red mold rice, using millet as substrate is promising for high production of monacolin K in the solid-state fermentation of M. ruber. Copyright © 2017 The Society for Biotechnology, Japan. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Urban Renewable Building And Neighborhood Optimization

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

URBANopt is a user interface for creating and running district and city scale building energy simulations. The framework is built around the OpenStudio Urban Measures which are part of the OpenStudio project. Building footprints, building height, building type, and other data can be imported from public records or other sources. Footprints and locations for new buildings and district systems can also be specified. OpenStudio Measures are used to create starting point energy models and to model energy design features and efficiency measures for each building. URBANopt allows a user to pose several scenarios such as “what if 30% of themore » commercial retail buildings added roof top solar” or “what if all elementary schools converted to ground source heat pumps” and then visualize the impacts at a district or city scale. URBANopt is capable of modeling existing buildings, new construction, and district energy systems. URBANopt can be used to explore options for achieving Zero Energy across a collection of buildings (e.g., Zero Energy Districts).« less

Optical reaction cell and light source for ›18F! fluoride radiotracer synthesis

DOEpatents

Ferrieri, Richard A.; Schlyer, David; Becker, Richard J.

1998-09-15

Apparatus for performing organic synthetic reactions, particularly no-carrier-added nucleophilic radiofluorination reactions for PET radiotracer production. The apparatus includes an optical reaction cell and a source of broadband infrared radiant energy, which permits direct coupling of the emitted radiant energy with the reaction medium to heat the reaction medium. Preferably, the apparatus includes means for focusing the emitted radiant energy into the reaction cell, and the reaction cell itself is preferably configured to reflect transmitted radiant energy back into the reaction medium to further improve the efficiency of the apparatus. The apparatus is well suited to the production of high-yield syntheses of 2-›.sup.18 F!fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose. Also provided is a method for performing organic synthetic reactions, including the manufacture of ›.sup.18 F!-labeled compounds useful as PET radiotracers, and particularly for the preparation of 2-›.sup.18 F!fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose in higher yields than previously possible.

Optical reaction cell and light source for [18F] fluoride radiotracer synthesis

DOEpatents

Ferrieri, R.A.; Schlyer, D.; Becker, R.J.

1998-09-15

An apparatus is disclosed for performing organic synthetic reactions, particularly no-carrier-added nucleophilic radiofluorination reactions for PET radiotracer production. The apparatus includes an optical reaction cell and a source of broadband infrared radiant energy, which permits direct coupling of the emitted radiant energy with the reaction medium to heat the reaction medium. Preferably, the apparatus includes means for focusing the emitted radiant energy into the reaction cell, and the reaction cell itself is preferably configured to reflect transmitted radiant energy back into the reaction medium to further improve the efficiency of the apparatus. The apparatus is well suited to the production of high-yield syntheses of 2-[{sup 18}F]fluoro-2-deoxy-Dglucose. Also provided is a method for performing organic synthetic reactions, including the manufacture of [{sup 18}F]-labeled compounds useful as PET radiotracers, and particularly for the preparation of 2-[{sup 18}F]fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose in higher yields than previously possible. 4 figs.

Micropropagation of Asparagus by in vitro shoot culture.

PubMed

Stajner, Nataša

2013-01-01

Asparagus officinalis is most extensively studied species within the genus Asparagus, which is well known as garden asparagus. This species is dioecious with unisexual flowers, which means that generative propagation gives roughly equal number of male and female plants. Male plants are high yielders and preferred commercially over female plants. Tissue culture techniques could efficiently promote vegetative propagation of male plants and pave the way for efficient plant breeding.This chapter describes an efficient micropropagation protocol for developing rapid growing in vitro Asparagus shoot cultures. The source of explants, inoculation, and shoot proliferation, followed by shoot propagation, rooting, and acclimatization is described. The optimal medium for Asparagus micropropagation described in this chapter is composed of MS macro- and microelements and a combination of auxins and cytokinins. Plant growth regulators NAA, kinetin, and BA were used in various concentrations. Three different media representing the whole micropropagation protocol of Asparagus are described; medium for shoot initiation, medium for shoot multiplication, and medium for root formation. By in vitro propagation of Asparagus, root initiation is difficult, but can be promoted by adding growth retardant ancymidol which also greatly promotes shoot development and suppresses callus formation.

Synchrotron emission from nanowire array targets irradiated by ultraintense laser pulses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martinez, B.; d’Humières, E.; Gremillet, L.

2018-07-01

We present a numerical study, based on two-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations, of the synchrotron emission induced during the interaction of femtosecond laser pulses of intensities I = 1021–1023 W cm‑2 with nanowire arrays. Through an extensive parametric scan on the target parameters, we identify and characterize several dominant radiation mechanisms, mainly depending on the transparency or opacity of the plasma produced by the wire expansion. At I = 1022 W m‑2, the emission of high-energy (>10 keV) photons attains a maximum conversion efficiency of ∼10% for 36–50 nm wire widths and 1 μm interspacing. This maximum radiation yield is found to be similar to that achieved in a uniform plasma of same average (sub-solid) density, but nanowire arrays provide efficient radiation sources over a broader parameter range. Moreover, we examine the variations of the photon spectra with the laser intensity and the wire material, and we demonstrate that the radiation efficiency can be further enhanced by adding a plasma mirror at the backside of the nanowire array. Finally, we briefly consider the influence of a finite laser focal spot and oblique incidence angle.

Supplementation of laying-hen feed with annatto tocotrienols and impact of α-tocopherol on tocotrienol transfer to egg yolk.

PubMed

Hansen, Hannah; Wang, Tong; Dolde, David; Xin, Hongwei; Prusa, Kenneth

2015-03-11

Hens can efficiently transfer nutrients from their feed to the eggs. Tocotrienols (T3s) have various health benefits including lowering cholesterol. Annatto is the only known source of T3s without the presence of α-tocopherol; hence it can be used to study T3 transfer without the interference of α-tocopherol. In this study, hens were fed diets for 7 weeks containing annatto at 100, 500, or 2000 ppm (by weight) and also 2000 ppm annatto with 200, 600, or 1000 ppm of added α-tocopherol to study the effect of α-tocopherol on transfer of T3s. No significant differences were found in egg production or properties. Significant differences (p < 0.05) were found in transfer efficiencies of tocopherol and T3s to the yolks. α-Tocopherol was transferred more efficiently (21.19-49.17%) than γ-T3 (0.50-0.96%) or δ-T3 (0.74-0.93%). Addition of 1000 ppm of α-tocopherol decreased the amount of γ-T3 but did not impact the transfer of δ-T3 to the egg. These feeding treatments did not impact the cholesterol content of the eggs.

Energy efficiency public service advertising campaign

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

Gibson-Grant, Amanda

The Advertising Council (“the Ad Council”) and The United States Department of Energy (DOE) created and launched a national public service advertising campaign designed to promote energy efficiency. The objective of the Energy Efficiency campaign was to redefine how consumers approach energy efficiency by showing that saving energy can save homeowners money.

Microbial production of value-added nutraceuticals.

PubMed

Wang, Jian; Guleria, Sanjay; Koffas, Mattheos Ag; Yan, Yajun

2016-02-01

Nutraceuticals are important natural bioactive compounds that confer health-promoting and medical benefits to humans. Globally growing demands for value-added nutraceuticals for prevention and treatment of human diseases have rendered nutraceuticals a multi-billion dollar market. However, supply limitations and extraction difficulties from natural sources such as plants, animals or fungi, restrict the large-scale use of nutraceuticals. Metabolic engineering via microbial production platforms has been advanced as an eco-friendly alternative approach for production of value-added nutraceuticals from simple carbon sources. Microbial platforms like the most widely used Escherichia coli and Saccharomyces cerevisiae have been engineered as versatile cell factories for production of diverse and complex value-added chemicals such as phytochemicals, prebiotics, polysaccaharides and poly amino acids. This review highlights the recent progresses in biological production of value-added nutraceuticals via metabolic engineering approaches. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Poly β-cyclodextrin/TPdye nanomicelle-based two-photon nanoprobe for caspase-3 activation imaging in live cells and tissues.

PubMed

Yan, Huijuan; He, Leiliang; Zhao, Wenjie; Li, Jishan; Xiao, Yue; Yang, Ronghua; Tan, Weihong

2014-11-18

Two-photon excitation (TPE) with near-infrared (NIR) photons as the excitation source has important advantages over conventional one-photon excitation (OPE) in the field of biomedical imaging. β-cyclodextrin polymer (βCDP)-based two-photon absorption (TPA) fluorescent nanomicelle exhibits desirable two-photon-sensitized fluorescence properties, high photostability, high cell-permeability and excellent biocompatibility. By combination of the nanostructured two-photon dye (TPdye)/βCDP nanomicelle with the TPE technique, herein we have designed a TPdye/βCDP nanomicelle-based TPA fluorescent nanoconjugate for enzymatic activity assay in biological fluids, live cells and tissues. This sensing system is composed of a trans-4-[p-(N,N-diethylamino)styryl]-N-methylpyridinium iodide (DEASPI)/βCDP nanomicelle as TPA fluorophore and carrier vehicle for delivery of a specific peptide sequence to live cell through fast endocytosis, and an adamantine (Ad)-GRRRDEVDK-BHQ2 (black hole quencher 2) peptide (denoted as Ad-DEVD-BHQ2) anchored on the DEASPI/βCDP nanomicelle's surface to form TPA DEASPI/βCDP@Ad-DEVD-BHQ2 nanoconjugate by the βCD/Ad host-guest inclusion strategy. Successful in vitro and in vivo enzymatic activities assay of caspase-3 was demonstrated with this sensing strategy. Our results reveal that this DEASPI/βCDP@Ad-DEVD-BHQ2 nanoconjugate not only is a robust, sensitive and selective sensor for quantitative assay of caspase-3 in the complex biological environment but also can be efficiently delivered into live cells as well as tissues and act as a "signal-on" fluorescent biosensor for specific, high-contrast imaging of enzymatic activities. This DEASPI/βCDP@Ad-DEVD-BHQ2 nanoconjugate provides a new opportunity to screen enzyme inhibitors and evaluate the apoptosis-associated disease progression. Moreover, our design also provides a methodology model scheme for development of future TPdye/βCDP nanomicelle-based two-photon fluorescent probes for in vitro or in vivo determination of biological or biologically relevant species.

Geological applications of LANDSAT-1 imagery to the Great Salt Lake area

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Anderson, A. T.; Smith, A. F.

1975-01-01

The ERTS program has been designed as a research and development tool to demonstrate that remote sensing from orbital altitudes is a feasible and practical approach to efficient management of earth resources. From this synoptic view and repetitive coverage provided by ERTS imagery of the Great Salt Lake area, large geological and structural features, trends, and patterns have been identified and mapped. A comparative analysis of lineaments observed in September and December data was conducted, existing mineral locations were plotted, and areas considered prospective for mineralization based on apparent structure-mineralization relationships were defined. The additional information obtained using ERTS data provides an added source of information to aid in the development of more effective mineral exploration programs.

Microalgal Cultivation in Treating Liquid Digestate from Biogas Systems.

PubMed

Xia, Ao; Murphy, Jerry D

2016-04-01

Biogas production via anaerobic digestion (AD) has rapidly developed in recent years. In addition to biogas, digestate is an important byproduct. Liquid digestate is the major fraction of digestate and may contain high levels of ammonia nitrogen. Traditional processing technologies (such as land application) require significant energy inputs and raise environmental risks (such as eutrophication). Alternatively, microalgae can efficiently remove the nutrients from digestate while producing high-value biomass that can be used for the production of biochemicals and biofuels. Both inorganic and organic carbon sources derived from biogas production can significantly improve microalgal production. Land requirement for microalgal cultivation is estimated as 3% of traditional direct land application of digestate. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Direct simulation Monte Carlo method for gas flows in micro-channels with bends with added curvature

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tisovský, Tomáš; Vít, Tomáš

Gas flows in micro-channels are simulated using an open source Direct Simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) code dsmcFOAM for general application to rarefied gas flow written within the framework of the open source C++ toolbox called OpenFOAM. Aim of this paper is to investigate the flow in micro-channel with bend with added curvature. Results are compared with flows in channel without added curvature and equivalent straight channel. Effects of micro-channel bend was already thoroughly investigated by White et al. Geometry proposed by White is also used here for refference.

The Traffic Adaptive Data Dissemination (TrAD) Protocol for both Urban and Highway Scenarios.

PubMed

Tian, Bin; Hou, Kun Mean; Zhou, Haiying

2016-06-21

The worldwide economic cost of road crashes and injuries is estimated to be US$518 billion per year and the annual congestion cost in France is estimated to be €5.9 billion. Vehicular Ad hoc Networks (VANETs) are one solution to improve transport features such as traffic safety, traffic jam and infotainment on wheels, where a great number of event-driven messages need to be disseminated in a timely way in a region of interest. In comparison with traditional wireless networks, VANETs have to consider the highly dynamic network topology and lossy links due to node mobility. Inter-Vehicle Communication (IVC) protocols are the keystone of VANETs. According to our survey, most of the proposed IVC protocols focus on either highway or urban scenarios, but not on both. Furthermore, too few protocols, considering both scenarios, can achieve high performance. In this paper, an infrastructure-less Traffic Adaptive data Dissemination (TrAD) protocol which takes into account road traffic and network traffic status for both highway and urban scenarios will be presented. TrAD has double broadcast suppression techniques and is designed to adapt efficiently to the irregular road topology. The performance of the TrAD protocol was evaluated quantitatively by means of realistic simulations taking into account different real road maps, traffic routes and vehicular densities. The obtained simulation results show that TrAD is more efficient in terms of packet delivery ratio, number of transmissions and delay in comparison with the performance of three well-known reference protocols. Moreover, TrAD can also tolerate a reasonable degree of GPS drift and still achieve efficient data dissemination.

The Traffic Adaptive Data Dissemination (TrAD) Protocol for both Urban and Highway Scenarios

PubMed Central

Tian, Bin; Hou, Kun Mean; Zhou, Haiying

2016-01-01

The worldwide economic cost of road crashes and injuries is estimated to be US$518 billion per year and the annual congestion cost in France is estimated to be €5.9 billion. Vehicular Ad hoc Networks (VANETs) are one solution to improve transport features such as traffic safety, traffic jam and infotainment on wheels, where a great number of event-driven messages need to be disseminated in a timely way in a region of interest. In comparison with traditional wireless networks, VANETs have to consider the highly dynamic network topology and lossy links due to node mobility. Inter-Vehicle Communication (IVC) protocols are the keystone of VANETs. According to our survey, most of the proposed IVC protocols focus on either highway or urban scenarios, but not on both. Furthermore, too few protocols, considering both scenarios, can achieve high performance. In this paper, an infrastructure-less Traffic Adaptive data Dissemination (TrAD) protocol which takes into account road traffic and network traffic status for both highway and urban scenarios will be presented. TrAD has double broadcast suppression techniques and is designed to adapt efficiently to the irregular road topology. The performance of the TrAD protocol was evaluated quantitatively by means of realistic simulations taking into account different real road maps, traffic routes and vehicular densities. The obtained simulation results show that TrAD is more efficient in terms of packet delivery ratio, number of transmissions and delay in comparison with the performance of three well-known reference protocols. Moreover, TrAD can also tolerate a reasonable degree of GPS drift and still achieve efficient data dissemination. PMID:27338393

Low-Coherence light source design for ESPI in-plane displacement measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heikkinen, J. J.; Schajer, G. S.

2018-01-01

The ESPI method for surface deformation measurements requires the use of a light source with high coherence length to accommodate the optical path length differences present in the apparatus. Such high-coherence lasers, however, are typically large, delicate and costly. Laser diodes, on the other hand, are compact, mechanically robust and inexpensive, but unfortunately they have short coherence length. The present work aims to enable the use of a laser diode as an illumination source by equalizing the path lengths within an ESPI interferometer. This is done by using a reflection type diffraction grating to compensate for the path length differences. The high optical power efficiency of such diffraction gratings allows the use of much lower optical power than in previous interferometer designs using transmission gratings. The proposed concept was experimentally investigated by doing in-plane ESPI measurements using a high-coherence single longitudinal mode (SLM) laser, a laser diode and then a laser diode with path length optimization. The results demonstrated the limitations of using an uncompensated laser diode. They then showed the effectiveness of adding a reflection type diffraction grating to equalize the interferometer path lengths. This addition enabled the laser diode to produce high measurement quality across the entire field of view, rivaling although not quite equaling the performance of a high-coherence SLM laser source.

Cortical brain connectivity evaluated by graph theory in dementia: a correlation study between functional and structural data.

PubMed

Vecchio, Fabrizio; Miraglia, Francesca; Curcio, Giuseppe; Altavilla, Riccardo; Scrascia, Federica; Giambattistelli, Federica; Quattrocchi, Carlo Cosimo; Bramanti, Placido; Vernieri, Fabrizio; Rossini, Paolo Maria

2015-01-01

A relatively new approach to brain function in neuroscience is the "functional connectivity", namely the synchrony in time of activity in anatomically-distinct but functionally-collaborating brain regions. On the other hand, diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) is a recently developed magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-based technique with the capability to detect brain structural connection with fractional anisotropy (FA) identification. FA decrease has been observed in the corpus callosum of subjects with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and mild cognitive impairment (MCI, an AD prodromal stage). Corpus callosum splenium DTI abnormalities are thought to be associated with functional disconnections among cortical areas. This study aimed to investigate possible correlations between structural damage, measured by MRI-DTI, and functional abnormalities of brain integration, measured by characteristic path length detected in resting state EEG source activity (40 participants: 9 healthy controls, 10 MCI, 10 mild AD, 11 moderate AD). For each subject, undirected and weighted brain network was built to evaluate graph core measures. eLORETA lagged linear connectivity values were used as weight of the edges of the network. Results showed that callosal FA reduction is associated to a loss of brain interhemispheric functional connectivity characterized by increased delta and decreased alpha path length. These findings suggest that "global" (average network shortest path length representing an index of how efficient is the information transfer between two parts of the network) functional measure can reflect the reduction of fiber connecting the two hemispheres as revealed by DTI analysis and also anticipate in time this structural loss.

The Multi-energy High precision Data Processor Based on AD7606

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Chen; Zhang, Yanchi; Xie, Da

2017-11-01

This paper designs an information collector based on AD7606 to realize the high-precision simultaneous acquisition of multi-source information of multi-energy systems to form the information platform of the energy Internet at Laogang with electricty as its major energy source. Combined with information fusion technologies, this paper analyzes the data to improve the overall energy system scheduling capability and reliability.

Major food sources of calories, added sugars, and saturated fat and their contribution to essential nutrient intakes in the U.S. diet: data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2003-2006).

PubMed

Huth, Peter J; Fulgoni, Victor L; Keast, Debra R; Park, Keigan; Auestad, Nancy

2013-08-08

The risk of chronic disease cannot be predicted simply by the content of a single nutrient in a food or food group in the diet. The contribution of food sources of calories, added sugars and saturated fat (SFA) to intakes of dietary fiber and micronutrients of public health importance is also relevant to understanding the overall dietary impact of these foods. Identify the top food sources of calories, added sugars and SFA in the U.S. diet and quantify their contribution to fiber and micronutrient intakes. Single 24-hour dietary recalls (Day 1) collected from participants ≥2 years (n = 16,822) of the What We Eat in America, National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (WWEIA/NHANES 2003-2006) were analyzed. All analyses included sample weights to account for the survey design. Calorie and nutrient intakes from foods included contributions from disaggregated food mixtures and tabulated by rank order. No one food category contributes more than 7.2% of calories to the overall U.S. diet, but half of the top 10 contribute 10% or more of total dietary fiber and micronutrients. Three of the top 10 sources of calories and SFA (beef, milk and cheese) contribute 46.3% of the calcium, 49.5% of the vitamin D, 42.3% of the vitamin B12 as well as other essential nutrients to the American diet. On the other hand, foods categorized as desserts, snacks, or beverages, contribute 13.6% of total calories, 83% of added sugar intake, and provide little or no nutritional value. Including food components of disaggregated recipes more accurately estimated the contribution of foods like beef, milk or cheese to overall nutrient intake compared to "as consumed" food categorizations. Some food sources of calories, added sugars and SFA make major contributions to American dietary fiber and micronutrient intakes. Dietary modifications targeting reductions in calories, added sugar, or SFA need to take these key micronutrient sources into account so as not to have the unintended consequence of lowering overall dietary quality.

Design of production process main shaft process with lean manufacturing to improve productivity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Siregar, I.; Nasution, A. A.; Andayani, U.; Anizar; Syahputri, K.

2018-02-01

This object research is one of manufacturing companies that produce oil palm machinery parts. In the production process there is delay in the completion of the Main shaft order. Delays in the completion of the order indicate the low productivity of the company in terms of resource utilization. This study aimed to obtain a draft improvement of production processes that can improve productivity by identifying and eliminating activities that do not add value (non-value added activity). One approach that can be used to reduce and eliminate non-value added activity is Lean Manufacturing. This study focuses on the identification of non-value added activity with value stream mapping analysis tools, while the elimination of non-value added activity is done with tools 5 whys and implementation of pull demand system. Based on the research known that non-value added activity on the production process of the main shaft is 9,509.51 minutes of total lead time 10,804.59 minutes. This shows the level of efficiency (Process Cycle Efficiency) in the production process of the main shaft is still very low by 11.89%. Estimation results of improvement showed a decrease in total lead time became 4,355.08 minutes and greater process cycle efficiency that is equal to 29.73%, which indicates that the process was nearing the concept of lean production.

Ingestive Behavior of Ovine Fed with Marandu Grass Silage Added with Naturally Dehydrated Brewery Residue

PubMed Central

Lima de Souza, Alexandre; Divino Ribeiro, Marinaldo; Mattos Negrão, Fagton; Castro, Wanderson José Rodrigues; Valério Geron, Luiz Juliano; de Azevedo Câmara, Larissa Rodrigues

2016-01-01

The objective was to evaluate the ingestive behavior of ovine fed Marandu grass silage with dehydrated brewery residue added. The experiment had a completely randomized design with five treatments and four repetitions, with the treatments levels of inclusion being of 0, 10, 20, 30, and 40% natural matter of naturally dehydrated brewery residue for 36 hours to the marandu grass silage. 20 ovines were used and the experimental period was 21 days, 15 being for adaptation to diets. The use of brewery byproduct promoted quadratic effect (P < 0.05) for the consumption of dry matter with maximum point value estimated at adding 23.25% additive. Ingestion efficiency and rumination efficiency of dry matter (g DM/hour) were significant (P < 0.05), by quadratic behavior, and NDF ingestion and rumination efficiency showed crescent linear behavior. The DM and NDF consumption expressed in kg/meal and in minutes/kg were also significant (P < 0.05), showing quadratic behavior. Rumination activity expressed in g DM and NDF/piece was influenced (P < 0.05) by the adding of brewery residue in marandu grass silage in quadratic way, with maximum value estimated of 1.57 g DM/bolus chewed in inclusion of 24.72% additive in grass silage. The conclusion is that intermediary levels adding of 20 to 25% dehydrated brewery residue affects certain parameters of ingestive behavior. PMID:27547811

Lean manufacturing analysis to reduce waste on production process of fan products

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Siregar, I.; Nasution, A. A.; Andayani, U.; Sari, R. M.; Syahputri, K.; Anizar

2018-02-01

This research is based on case study that being on electrical company. One of the products that will be researched is the fan, which when running the production process there is a time that is not value-added, among others, the removal of material which is not efficient in the raw materials and component molding fan. This study aims to reduce waste or non-value added activities and shorten the total lead time by using the tools Value Stream Mapping. Lean manufacturing methods used to analyze and reduce the non-value added activities, namely the value stream mapping analysis tools, process mapping activity with 5W1H, and tools 5 whys. Based on the research note that no value-added activities in the production process of a fan of 647.94 minutes of total lead time of 725.68 minutes. Process cycle efficiency in the production process indicates that the fan is still very low at 11%. While estimates of the repair showed a decrease in total lead time became 340.9 minutes and the process cycle efficiency is greater by 24%, which indicates that the production process has been better.

Comparison of ozone and thermal hydrolysis combined with anaerobic digestion for municipal and pharmaceutical waste sludge with tetracycline resistance genes.

PubMed

Pei, Jin; Yao, Hong; Wang, Hui; Ren, Jia; Yu, Xiaohua

2016-08-01

Biosolids from wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) are environmental reservoirs of antibiotic resistance genes, which attract great concerns on their efficient treatments. Anaerobic digestion (AD) is widely used for sewage sludge treatment but its effectiveness is limited due to the slow hydrolysis. Ozone and thermal hydrolysis pre-treatment were employed to improve AD efficiency and reduce antibiotic-resistant genes in municipal and pharmaceutical waste sludge (MWS and PWS, respectively) in this study. Sludge solubilization achieved 15.75-25.09% and 14.85-33.92% after ozone and thermal hydrolysis, respectively. Both pre-treatments improved cumulative methane production and the enhancements were greater on PWS than MWS. Five tetracycline-resistant genes (tet(A), tet(G), tet(Q), tet(W), tet(X)) and one mobile element (intI1) were qPCR to assess pre-treatments. AD of pre-treated sludge reduced more tet genes than raw sludge for both ozonation and thermal hydrolysis in PWS and MWS. Thermal hydrolysis pre-treatment was more efficient than ozone for reduction after AD. Results of this study help support management options for reducing the spread of antibiotic resistance from biosolids. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Potential link between excess added sugar intake and ectopic fat: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials

PubMed Central

Ma, Jiantao; Karlsen, Micaela C.; Chung, Mei; Jacques, Paul F.; Saltzman, Edward; Smith, Caren E.; Fox, Caroline S.

2016-01-01

Context: The effect of added sugar intake on ectopic fat accumulation is a subject of debate. Objective: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) was conducted to examine the potential effect of added sugar intake on ectopic fat depots. Data Sources: MEDLINE, CAB Abstracts, CAB Global Health, and EBM (Evidence-Based Medicine) Reviews – Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials databases were searched for studies published from 1973 to September 2014. Data Extraction: RCTs with a minimum of 6 days’ duration of added sugar exposure in the intervention group were selected. The dosage of added sugar intake as a percentage of total energy was extracted or calculated. Means and standard deviations of pre- and post-test measurements or changes in ectopic fat depots were collected. Data Synthesis: Fourteen RCTs were included. Most of the studies had a medium to high risk of bias. Meta-analysis showed that, compared with eucaloric controls, subjects who consumed added sugar under hypercaloric conditions likely increased ectopic fat, particularly in the liver (pooled standardized mean difference = 0.9 [95%CI, 0.6–1.2], n = 6) and muscles (pooled SMD = 0.6 [95%CI, 0.2–1.0], n = 4). No significant difference was observed in liver fat, visceral adipose tissue, or muscle fat when isocaloric intakes of different sources of added sugars were compared. Conclusions: Data from a limited number of RCTs suggest that excess added sugar intake under hypercaloric diet conditions likely increases ectopic fat depots, particularly in the liver and in muscle fat. There are insufficient data to compare the effect of different sources of added sugars on ectopic fat deposition or to compare intake of added sugar with intakes of other macronutrients. Future well-designed RCTs with sufficient power and duration are needed to address the role of sugars on ectopic fat deposition. PMID:26518034

Enhancement of mercury capture by the simultaneous addition of hydrogen bromide (HBr) and fly ashes in a slipstream facility

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

Yan Cao; Quan-Hai Wang; Jun Li

2009-04-15

Low halogen content in tested Powder River Basin (PRB) coals and low loss of ignition content (LOI) in PRB-derived fly ash were likely responsible for higher elemental mercury content (averaging about 75%) in the flue gas and also lower mercury capture efficiency by electrostatic precipitator (ESP) and wet-FGD. To develop a cost-effective approach to mercury capture in a full-scale coal-fired utility boiler burning PRB coal, experiments were conducted adding hydrogen bromide (HBr) or simultaneously adding HBr and selected fly ashes in a slipstream reactor (0.152 x 0.152 m) under real flue gas conditions. The residence time of the flue gasmore » inside the reactor was about 1.4 s. The average temperature of the slipstream reactor was controlled at about 155{sup o}C. Tests were organized into two phases. In Phase 1, only HBr was added to the slipstream reactor, and in Phase 2, HBr and selected fly ash were added simultaneously. HBr injection was effective (>90%) for mercury oxidation at a low temperature (155{sup o}C) with an HBr addition concentration of about 4 ppm in the flue gas. Additionally, injected HBr enhanced mercury capture by PRB fly ash in the low-temperature range. The mercury capture efficiency, at testing conditions of the slipstream reactor, reached about 50% at an HBr injection concentration of 4 ppm in the flue gas. Compared to only the addition of HBr, simultaneously adding bituminous-derived fly ash in a minimum amount (30 lb/MMacf), together with HBr injection at 4 ppm, could increase mercury capture efficiency by 30%. Injection of lignite-derived fly ash at 30 lb/MMacf could achieve even higher mercury removal efficiency (an additional 35% mercury capture efficiency compared to HBR addition alone). 25 refs., 5 figs., 1 tab.« less

7 CFR 220.8 - Meal requirements for breakfasts.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... maximum values). h Discretionary sources of calories (solid fats and added sugars) may be added to the... may be plain or flavored, unsweetened or sweetened. Noncommercial and/or non-standardized yogurt... section. Fruits that are fresh; frozen without added sugar; canned in light syrup, water or fruit juice...

Gene Transduction and Cell Entry Pathway of Fiber-Modified Adenovirus Type 5 Vectors Carrying Novel Endocytic Peptide Ligands Selected on Human Tracheal Glandular Cells

PubMed Central

Gaden, Florence; Franqueville, Laure; Magnusson, Maria K.; Hong, Saw See; Merten, Marc D.; Lindholm, Leif; Boulanger, Pierre

2004-01-01

Monolayers of cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR)-deficient human tracheal glandular cells (CF-KM4) were subjected to phage biopanning, and cell-internalized phages were isolated and sequenced, in order to identify CF-KM4-specific peptide ligands that would confer upon adenovirus type 5 (Ad5) vector a novel cell target specificity and/or higher efficiency of gene delivery into airway cells of patients with cystic fibrosis (CF). Three different ligands, corresponding to prototypes of the most represented families of phagotopes recovered from intracellular phages, were designed and individually inserted into Ad5-green fluorescent protein (GFP) (AdGFP) vectors at the extremities of short fiber shafts (seven repeats [R7]) terminated by scissile knobs. Only one vector, carrying the decapeptide GHPRQMSHVY (abbreviated as QM10), showed an enhanced gene transduction of CF-KM4 cells compared to control nonliganded vector with fibers of the same length (AdGFP-R7-knob). The enhancement in gene transfer efficiency was not specific to CF-KM4 cells but was observed in other mammalian cell lines tested. The QM10-liganded vector was referred to as AdGFP-QM10-knob in its knobbed version and as AdGFP-QM10 in its proteolytically deknobbed version. AdGFP-QM10 was found to transduce cells with a higher efficiency than its knob-bearing version, AdGFP-QM10-knob. Consistent with this, competition experiments indicated that the presence of knob domains was not an absolute requirement for cell attachment of the QM10-liganded vector and that the knobless AdGFP-QM10 used alternative cell-binding domains on its capsid, including penton base capsomer, via a site(s) different from its RGD motifs. The QM10-mediated effect on gene transduction seemed to take place at the step of endocytosis in both quantitative and qualitative manners. Virions of AdGFP-QM10 were endocytosed in higher numbers than virions of the control vector and were directed to a compartment different from the early endosomes targeted by members of species C Ad. AdGFP-QM10 was found to accumulate in late endosomal and low-pH compartments, suggesting that QM10 acted as an endocytic ligand of the lysosomal pathway. These results validated the concept of detargeting and retargeting Ad vectors via our deknobbing system and redirecting Ad vectors to an alternative endocytic pathway via a peptide ligand inserted in the fiber shaft domain. PMID:15194799

Long-term nutrient fertilization and the carbon balance of permanent grassland: any evidence for sustainable intensification?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fornara, Dario A.; Wasson, Elizabeth-Anne; Christie, Peter; Watson, Catherine J.

2016-09-01

Sustainable grassland intensification aims to increase plant yields while maintaining the ability of soil to act as a sink rather than sources of atmospheric CO2. High biomass yields from managed grasslands, however, can be only maintained through long-term nutrient fertilization, which can significantly affect soil carbon (C) storage and cycling. Key questions remain about (1) how long-term inorganic vs. organic fertilization influences soil C stocks, and (2) how soil C gains (or losses) contribute to the long-term C balance of managed grasslands. Using 43 years of data from a permanent grassland experiment, we show that soils not only act as significant C sinks but have not yet reached C saturation. Even unfertilized control soils showed C sequestration rates of 0.35 Mg C ha-1 yr-1 (i.e. 35 g C m-2 yr-1; 0-15 cm depth) between 1970 and 2013. High application rates of liquid manure (i.e. cattle slurry) further increased soil C sequestration to 0.86 Mg C ha-1 yr-1 (i.e. 86 g C m-2 yr-1) and a key cause of this C accrual was greater C inputs from cattle slurry. However, average coefficients of slurry-C retention in soils suggest that 85 % of C added yearly through liquid manure is lost possibly via CO2 fluxes and organic C leaching. Inorganically fertilized soils (i.e. NPK) had the lowest C-gain efficiency (i.e. unit of C gained per unit of N added) and lowest C sequestration (similar to control soils). Soils receiving cattle slurry showed higher C-gain and N-retention efficiencies compared to soils receiving NPK or pig slurry. We estimate that net rates of CO2-sequestration in the top 15 cm of the soil can offset 9-25 % of GHG (greenhouse gas) emissions from intensive management. However, because of multiple GHG sources associated with livestock farming, the net C balance of these grasslands remains positive (9-12 Mg CO2-equivalent ha-1 yr-1), thus contributing to climate change. Further C-gain efficiencies (e.g. reduced enteric fermentation and use of feed concentrates, better nutrient management) are required to make grassland intensification more sustainable.

Hydrolytic and acidogenic fermentation potential of food waste with source segregated feces-without-urine as co-substrate.

PubMed

Rajagopal, Rajinikanth; Ahamed, Ashiq; Wang, Jing-Yuan

2014-09-01

This study explored a new approach to enhance VFA productivity from anaerobic co-digestion of food-waste (FW) with source-segregated brown-water (BW) [feces-without-urine]. Effort was made to separate urine and BW from the source (using no-mix-toilet) mainly to expedite further treatment and resource-recovery. Effect of alkaline-pH [B] and acclimatized acidogenic inoculum [C] on acidification efficiency was investigated and compared with raw FW+BW co-digestion [A]. Batch-assay results indicated that VFA productivity persists for 144-h with about 615%, 522% and 376% increase in VFA-COD, respectively for 3-conditions [A-C]; which accounted for 70%, 49% and 58% of CODs input, respectively. High butyric-acid was observed in [A] and [C], followed by acetic, propionic-acids; whereas, abundant acetic-acid (86% of TVFA) was observed in [B], which are the most favorable-forms for methane production or other value-added-products. For 144-h of acidification, this study validated the feasibility of maximizing VFA-yield by 7-12 times compared to FW or BW as a sole-substrate. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

MultiElec: A MATLAB Based Application for MEA Data Analysis.

PubMed

Georgiadis, Vassilis; Stephanou, Anastasis; Townsend, Paul A; Jackson, Thomas R

2015-01-01

We present MultiElec, an open source MATLAB based application for data analysis of microelectrode array (MEA) recordings. MultiElec displays an extremely user-friendly graphic user interface (GUI) that allows the simultaneous display and analysis of voltage traces for 60 electrodes and includes functions for activation-time determination, the production of activation-time heat maps with activation time and isoline display. Furthermore, local conduction velocities are semi-automatically calculated along with their corresponding vector plots. MultiElec allows ad hoc signal suppression, enabling the user to easily and efficiently handle signal artefacts and for incomplete data sets to be analysed. Voltage traces and heat maps can be simply exported for figure production and presentation. In addition, our platform is able to produce 3D videos of signal progression over all 60 electrodes. Functions are controlled entirely by a single GUI with no need for command line input or any understanding of MATLAB code. MultiElec is open source under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by the Free Software Foundation, version 3. Both the program and source code are available to download from http://www.cancer.manchester.ac.uk/MultiElec/.

What caused terrestrial dust loading and climate downturns between A.D. 533 and 540?

USGS Publications Warehouse

Abbott, Dallas H.; Breger, Dee; Biscaye, Pierre E.; Barron, John A.; Juhl, Robert A.; McCafferty, Patrick

2014-01-01

Sn-rich particles, Ni-rich particles, and cosmic spherules are found together at four discrete stratigraphic levels within the 362-360 m depth interval of the Greenland Ice Sheet Project 2 (GISP2) ice core (72.6°N, 38.5°W, elevation: 3203 m). Using a previously derived calendar-year time scale, these particles span a time of increased dust loading of Earth's atmosphere between A.D. 533 and 540. The Sn-rich and Ni-rich particles contain an average of 10–11 wt% C. Their high C contents coupled with local enrichments in the volatile elements I, Zn, Cu, and Xe suggest a cometary source for the dust. The late spring timing of extraterrestrial input best matches the Eta Aquarid meteor shower associated with comet 1P/Halley. An increased flux of cometary dust might explain a modest climate downturn in A.D. 533. Both cometary dust and volcanic sulfate probably contributed to the profound global dimming during A.D. 536 and 537 but may be insufficient sources of fine aerosols. We found tropical marine microfossils and aerosol-sized CaCO3 particles at the end A.D. 535–start A.D. 536 level that we attribute to a low-latitude explosion in the ocean. This additional source of dust is probably needed to explain the solar dimming during A.D. 536 and 537. Although there has been no extinction documented at A.D. 536, our results are relevant because mass extinctions may also have multiple drivers. Detailed examinations of fine particles at and near extinction horizons can help to determine the relative contributions of cosmic and volcanic drivers to mass extinctions.

Determination of efficiency of an aged HPGe detector for gaseous sources by self absorption correction and point source methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sarangapani, R.; Jose, M. T.; Srinivasan, T. K.; Venkatraman, B.

2017-07-01

Methods for the determination of efficiency of an aged high purity germanium (HPGe) detector for gaseous sources have been presented in the paper. X-ray radiography of the detector has been performed to get detector dimensions for computational purposes. The dead layer thickness of HPGe detector has been ascertained from experiments and Monte Carlo computations. Experimental work with standard point and liquid sources in several cylindrical geometries has been undertaken for obtaining energy dependant efficiency. Monte Carlo simulations have been performed for computing efficiencies for point, liquid and gaseous sources. Self absorption correction factors have been obtained using mathematical equations for volume sources and MCNP simulations. Self-absorption correction and point source methods have been used to estimate the efficiency for gaseous sources. The efficiencies determined from the present work have been used to estimate activity of cover gas sample of a fast reactor.

Optimization approach to LED crop illumination inside a controlled ecological life support system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Avercheva, Olga; Berkovich, Yuliy A.; Bassarskaya, Elizaveta; Zhigalova, Tatiana; Smolyanina, Svetlana O.; Kochetova, Galina; Konovalova, Irina

Artificial lighting sources for growing plants can be efficiently used to control gas exchange and preserve the necessary closure of internal matter turnover in the atmosphere of a controlled ecological life support system (CELSS). However, the lighting sources contribute strongly to the equivalent mass of a CELSS. Thus, the choice of an optimal plant lighting regime largely determines the efficiency of the artificial ecosystem. Lighting systems based on light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are now considered the most promising for space applications (Massa et al., 2006). Many types of LEDs have been developed in recent years. Because of this, the problem of optimizing a lighting source for space vegetation chambers has become more difficult: we need to optimize more parameters (such as emission spectrum, light intensity, frequency of light pulses and the shape of the lighting field inside a vegetation chamber), and in a wider range of values. In this presentation we discuss approaches to optimizing the emission spectrum of a lighting source for the use in space applications, including CELSS. One of the benefits of LEDs is their narrow-band emission spectrum, which allows us to construct a lighting source with an optimal spectrum for plant growth and production. A number of experiments have shown that the reaction of plants to a narrow-band emission spectrum of LEDs is highly species-specific and affects many processes in plants. Adding a small amount of far red light to red and blue quanta increased biomass in radish and lettuce (Tamulaitis et al., 2005). Adding blue and near UV light of different wavelengths to red light decreased total sugar content in lettuce (Urbonavičiūtė et al., 2007) and Chinese cabbage (Avercheva et al., 2009). Supplemental green light improved the nutrition quality of some lettuce varieties: decreased nitrate content and increased ascorbic acid content (Samuoliene et al., 2012). It has also been shown that changes in lighting spectrum can lead to changes in hormone content in plant tissues, and to changes in the ratio of active and inactive forms of hormones (Golovatskaya, 2005; Tamulaitis et al., 2005; Minich et al., 2006). This, in turn, may lead to changes in plant growth and biomass composition. Thus, we should vary the emission spectrum of a lighting source to improve both the productivity (i.e. gas exchange) and nutrition quality of plants growing inside a CELSS. However, it is hard to find a universal spectrum for all plants and all applications. Fundamental studies of the finer effects of narrow-band light on plant growth and metabolism may be beneficial to explain these effects. On the basis of these studies, we may be able to formulate recommendations to optimize lighting sources for different plant species. One optimization approach to LED crop illumination inside CELSS could be use of white LEDs with proper addition of red LEDs. A more difficult approach is to construct lighting sources with a multiband spectrum to adjust it for specific applications experimentally.

A link-adding strategy for transport efficiency of complex networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ma, Jinlong; Han, Weizhan; Guo, Qing; Wang, Zhenyong; Zhang, Shuai

2016-12-01

The transport efficiency is one of the critical parameters to evaluate the performance of a network. In this paper, we propose an improved efficient (IE) strategy to enhance the network transport efficiency of complex networks by adding a fraction of links to an existing network based on the node’s local degree centrality and the shortest path length. Simulation results show that the proposed strategy can bring better traffic capacity and shorter average shortest path length than the low-degree-first (LDF) strategy under the shortest path routing protocol. It is found that the proposed strategy is beneficial to the improvement of overall traffic handling and delivering ability of the network. This study can alleviate the congestion in networks, and is helpful to design and optimize realistic networks.

Protection against oxidation of fish-oil-enriched milk emulsions through addition of rapeseed oil or antioxidants.

PubMed

Let, Mette B; Jacobsen, Charlotte; Pham, Kim A; Meyer, Anne S

2005-06-29

The ability of rapeseed oil and/or different antioxidants (alpha- and gamma-tocopherol mixture, ascorbyl palmitate, and EDTA) to protect fish-oil-enriched milk emulsions against oxidation was investigated. Tocopherol isomers in concentrations similar to those found in natural rapeseed oil were added to rapeseed oil stripped of natural tocopherols. The rapeseed oil with added tocopherols significantly inhibited oxidation in the fish-oil-enriched milk emulsions. In contrast, the emulsions with only fish oil and added alpha- and gamma-tocopherol were less stable than the emulsions with fish oil alone. When added individually, the gamma-tocopherol seemed to inhibit oxidation more efficiently than alpha-tocopherol. Ascorbyl palmitate (AP) almost completely retarded oxidation in the fish-oil-enriched milk emulsions, as determined by PV, volatile oxidation products, and sensory evaluation. AP also prevented the otherwise prooxidant effect of tocopherols added to fish oil before emulsification. No interactions between AP, tocopherols, and EDTA were observed, and EDTA added alone to fish oil did not show antioxidant properties in the milk emulsions. Overall, the results showed that addition of AP or rapeseed oil containing natural tocopherols to fish oil was equally efficient in inhibiting oxidation in the fish-oil-enriched milk emulsions.

A four-dimensional virtual hand brain-machine interface using active dimension selection.

PubMed

Rouse, Adam G

2016-06-01

Brain-machine interfaces (BMI) traditionally rely on a fixed, linear transformation from neural signals to an output state-space. In this study, the assumption that a BMI must control a fixed, orthogonal basis set was challenged and a novel active dimension selection (ADS) decoder was explored. ADS utilizes a two stage decoder by using neural signals to both (i) select an active dimension being controlled and (ii) control the velocity along the selected dimension. ADS decoding was tested in a monkey using 16 single units from premotor and primary motor cortex to successfully control a virtual hand avatar to move to eight different postures. Following training with the ADS decoder to control 2, 3, and then 4 dimensions, each emulating a grasp shape of the hand, performance reached 93% correct with a bit rate of 2.4 bits s(-1) for eight targets. Selection of eight targets using ADS control was more efficient, as measured by bit rate, than either full four-dimensional control or computer assisted one-dimensional control. ADS decoding allows a user to quickly and efficiently select different hand postures. This novel decoding scheme represents a potential method to reduce the complexity of high-dimension BMI control of the hand.

Low rank approach to computing first and higher order derivatives using automatic differentiation

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

Reed, J. A.; Abdel-Khalik, H. S.; Utke, J.

2012-07-01

This manuscript outlines a new approach for increasing the efficiency of applying automatic differentiation (AD) to large scale computational models. By using the principles of the Efficient Subspace Method (ESM), low rank approximations of the derivatives for first and higher orders can be calculated using minimized computational resources. The output obtained from nuclear reactor calculations typically has a much smaller numerical rank compared to the number of inputs and outputs. This rank deficiency can be exploited to reduce the number of derivatives that need to be calculated using AD. The effective rank can be determined according to ESM by computingmore » derivatives with AD at random inputs. Reduced or pseudo variables are then defined and new derivatives are calculated with respect to the pseudo variables. Two different AD packages are used: OpenAD and Rapsodia. OpenAD is used to determine the effective rank and the subspace that contains the derivatives. Rapsodia is then used to calculate derivatives with respect to the pseudo variables for the desired order. The overall approach is applied to two simple problems and to MATWS, a safety code for sodium cooled reactors. (authors)« less

Food sources of sodium, saturated fat and added sugar in the Spanish hypertensive and diabetic population.

PubMed

Guallar-Castillón, Pilar; Muñoz-Pareja, Maritza; Aguilera, Ma Teresa; León-Muñoz, Luz María; Rodríguez-Artalejo, Fernando

2013-07-01

Previous research has shown that the diet of hypertensive and diabetic patients has a low accordance with the main nutritional recommendations, mostly due to the high intake of sodium, saturated fat and added sugars. This is the first study to identify the main food sources of these nutrients in these patients. Cross-sectional study conducted in 2008-2010 in a representative sample of the Spanish adult population, including 2323 patients with hypertension and 635 with diabetes. The habitual diet was assessed using a validated diet history. The intake of sodium, saturated fat and added sugars was estimated with Spanish food composition tables. The hypertensive and diabetic population showed, respectively, an intake of 2.9 and 3.1 g/day of sodium, 26 and 26 g/day of saturated fat, and 33 and 24 g/day of added sugar. In hypertensive and diabetic patients, respectively, most sodium intake came from bread (35%, 34%), raw-cured sausages (15%, 15%), cooked sausages (6%, 7%), and soup (5%, 6%). The main sources of saturated fat were cured cheese (13%, 13%), bakery products (12%, 11%), red meat (10%, 11%), raw-cured sausages (8%, 9%) and whole milk (4%, 4%). The food groups that most contributed to added sugar intake were sugar directly added to coffee and other beverages (27%, 19%), bakery products (15%, 19%), sugary soft drinks (10%, 13%), and whole yogurt (9%, 12%). The main food sources of nutrients were similar in all sex and age groups. In patients with hypertension and diabetes, the intake of sodium, saturated fat and added sugar can be substantially reduced by prioritizing low-salt varieties of bread, reducing the consumption of bakery products and sausages, replacing cured cheese and other whole dairy products by low-fat products, using non-sugary sweeteners, and substituting sugar-free soft drinks, or plain water, for sugary sodas. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

An Indian scenario on renewable and sustainable energy sources with emphasis on algae.

PubMed

Hemaiswarya, S; Raja, Rathinam; Carvalho, Isabel S; Ravikumar, R; Zambare, Vasudeo; Barh, Debmalya

2012-12-01

India is the fifth largest primary energy consumer and fourth largest petroleum consumer after USA, China, and Japan. Despite the global economic crisis, India's economy is expected to grow at 6 to 8 %/year. There is an extreme dependence on petroleum products with considerable risks and environmental issues. Petroleum-derived transport fuels are of limited availability and contribute to global warming, making renewable biofuel as the best alternative. The focus on biogas and biomass-based energy, such as bioethanol and biohydrogen, will enhance cost-effectiveness and provide an opportunity for the rural community. Among all energy sources, microalgae have received, so far, more attention due to their facile adaptability to grow in the photobioreactors or open ponds, high yields, and multiple applications. Microalgae can produce a substantial amount of triacylglycerols as a storage lipid under photooxidative stress or other adverse environmental conditions. In addition to renewable biofuels, they can provide different types of high-value bioproducts added to their advantages, such as higher photosynthetic efficiency, higher biomass production, and faster growth compared to any other energy crops. The viability of first-generation biofuels production is, however, questionable because of the conflict with food supply. In the future, biofuels should ideally create the environmental, economic, and social benefits to the communities and reflect energy efficiency so as to plan a road map for the industry to produce third-generation biofuels.

Dietary sources of energy, solid fats, and added sugars among children and adolescents in the United States.

PubMed

Reedy, Jill; Krebs-Smith, Susan M

2010-10-01

The objective of this research was to identify top dietary sources of energy, solid fats, and added sugars among 2- to 18-year-olds in the United States. Data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, a cross-sectional study, were used to examine food sources (percentage contribution and mean intake with standard errors) of total energy (data from 2005-2006) and energy from solid fats and added sugars (data from 2003-2004). Differences were investigated by age, sex, race/ethnicity, and family income, and the consumption of empty calories-defined as the sum of energy from solid fats and added sugars-was compared with the corresponding discretionary calorie allowance. The top sources of energy for 2- to 18-year-olds were grain desserts (138 kcal/day), pizza (136 kcal/day), and soda (118 kcal/day). Sugar-sweetened beverages (soda and fruit drinks combined) provided 173 kcal/day. Major contributors varied by age, sex, race/ethnicity, and income. Nearly 40% of total energy consumed (798 of 2,027 kcal/day) by 2- to 18-year-olds were in the form of empty calories (433 kcal from solid fat and 365 kcal from added sugars). Consumption of empty calories far exceeded the corresponding discretionary calorie allowance for all sex-age groups (which range from 8% to 20%). Half of empty calories came from six foods: soda, fruit drinks, dairy desserts, grain desserts, pizza, and whole milk. There is an overlap between the major sources of energy and empty calories: soda, grain desserts, pizza, and whole milk. The landscape of choices available to children and adolescents must change to provide fewer unhealthy foods and more healthy foods with less energy. Identifying top sources of energy and empty calories can provide targets for changes in the marketplace and food environment. However, product reformulation alone is not sufficient-the flow of empty calories into the food supply must be reduced.

Dietary Sources of Energy, Solid Fats, and Added Sugars Among Children and Adolescents in the United States

PubMed Central

Reedy, Jill; Krebs-Smith, Susan M.

2010-01-01

Objective The objective of this research was to identify top dietary sources of energy, solid fats, and added sugars among 2–18 year olds in the United States. Methods Data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), a cross-sectional study, were used to examine food sources (percentage contribution and mean intake with standard errors) of total energy (2005–06) and calories from solid fats and added sugars (2003–04). Differences were investigated by age, sex, race/ethnicity, and family income, and the consumption of empty calories—defined as the sum of calories from solid fats and added sugars—was compared with the corresponding discretionary calorie allowance. Results The top sources of energy for 2–18 year olds were grain desserts (138 kcal/day), pizza (136 kcal), and soda (118 kcal). Sugar-sweetened beverages (soda and fruit drinks combined) provided 173 kcal/day. Major contributors varied by age, sex, race/ethnicity, and income. Nearly 40% of total calories consumed (798 kcal/day of 2027 kcal) by 2–18 year olds were in the form of empty calories (433 kcal from solid fat and 365 kcal from added sugars). Consumption of empty calories far exceeded the corresponding discretionary calorie allowance for all sex-age groups (which range from 8–20%). Half of empty calories came from six foods: soda, fruit drinks, dairy desserts, grain desserts, pizza, and whole milk. Conclusion There is an overlap between the major sources of energy and empty calories: soda, grain desserts, pizza, and whole milk. The landscape of choices available to children and adolescents must change to provide fewer unhealthy foods and more healthy foods with fewer calories. Identifying top sources of energy and empty calories can provide targets for changes in the marketplace and food environment. However, product reformulation alone is not sufficient—the flow of empty calories into the food supply must be reduced. PMID:20869486

Adverse Drug Reaction Identification and Extraction in Social Media: A Scoping Review

PubMed Central

Bellet, Florelle; Asfari, Hadyl; Souvignet, Julien; Texier, Nathalie; Jaulent, Marie-Christine; Beyens, Marie-Noëlle; Burgun, Anita; Bousquet, Cédric

2015-01-01

Background The underreporting of adverse drug reactions (ADRs) through traditional reporting channels is a limitation in the efficiency of the current pharmacovigilance system. Patients’ experiences with drugs that they report on social media represent a new source of data that may have some value in postmarketing safety surveillance. Objective A scoping review was undertaken to explore the breadth of evidence about the use of social media as a new source of knowledge for pharmacovigilance. Methods Daubt et al’s recommendations for scoping reviews were followed. The research questions were as follows: How can social media be used as a data source for postmarketing drug surveillance? What are the available methods for extracting data? What are the different ways to use these data? We queried PubMed, Embase, and Google Scholar to extract relevant articles that were published before June 2014 and with no lower date limit. Two pairs of reviewers independently screened the selected studies and proposed two themes of review: manual ADR identification (theme 1) and automated ADR extraction from social media (theme 2). Descriptive characteristics were collected from the publications to create a database for themes 1 and 2. Results Of the 1032 citations from PubMed and Embase, 11 were relevant to the research question. An additional 13 citations were added after further research on the Internet and in reference lists. Themes 1 and 2 explored 11 and 13 articles, respectively. Ways of approaching the use of social media as a pharmacovigilance data source were identified. Conclusions This scoping review noted multiple methods for identifying target data, extracting them, and evaluating the quality of medical information from social media. It also showed some remaining gaps in the field. Studies related to the identification theme usually failed to accurately assess the completeness, quality, and reliability of the data that were analyzed from social media. Regarding extraction, no study proposed a generic approach to easily adding a new site or data source. Additional studies are required to precisely determine the role of social media in the pharmacovigilance system. PMID:26163365

Adverse Drug Reaction Identification and Extraction in Social Media: A Scoping Review.

PubMed

Lardon, Jérémy; Abdellaoui, Redhouane; Bellet, Florelle; Asfari, Hadyl; Souvignet, Julien; Texier, Nathalie; Jaulent, Marie-Christine; Beyens, Marie-Noëlle; Burgun, Anita; Bousquet, Cédric

2015-07-10

The underreporting of adverse drug reactions (ADRs) through traditional reporting channels is a limitation in the efficiency of the current pharmacovigilance system. Patients' experiences with drugs that they report on social media represent a new source of data that may have some value in postmarketing safety surveillance. A scoping review was undertaken to explore the breadth of evidence about the use of social media as a new source of knowledge for pharmacovigilance. Daubt et al's recommendations for scoping reviews were followed. The research questions were as follows: How can social media be used as a data source for postmarketing drug surveillance? What are the available methods for extracting data? What are the different ways to use these data? We queried PubMed, Embase, and Google Scholar to extract relevant articles that were published before June 2014 and with no lower date limit. Two pairs of reviewers independently screened the selected studies and proposed two themes of review: manual ADR identification (theme 1) and automated ADR extraction from social media (theme 2). Descriptive characteristics were collected from the publications to create a database for themes 1 and 2. Of the 1032 citations from PubMed and Embase, 11 were relevant to the research question. An additional 13 citations were added after further research on the Internet and in reference lists. Themes 1 and 2 explored 11 and 13 articles, respectively. Ways of approaching the use of social media as a pharmacovigilance data source were identified. This scoping review noted multiple methods for identifying target data, extracting them, and evaluating the quality of medical information from social media. It also showed some remaining gaps in the field. Studies related to the identification theme usually failed to accurately assess the completeness, quality, and reliability of the data that were analyzed from social media. Regarding extraction, no study proposed a generic approach to easily adding a new site or data source. Additional studies are required to precisely determine the role of social media in the pharmacovigilance system.

Provenance study of ancient Chinese Yaozhou porcelain by neutron activation analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, G. X.; Y Gao, Z.; Li, R. W.; Zhao, W. J.; Xie, J. Z.; Feng, S. L.; Zhuo, Z. X.; Y Fan, D.; Zhang, Y.; Cai, Z. F.; Liu, H.

2003-09-01

This paper reports our study of the provenance of ancient Chinese Yaozhou porcelain. The content of 29 elements in the Yaozhou porcelain samples was measured by neutron activation analysis (NAA). The NAA data were further analysed using fuzzy cluster analysis to obtain the trend fuzzy cluster diagrams. These samples with different glaze colour, ranging over more than 700 years, were fired in different kilns. Our analysis indicates the relatively concentrated distribution of the sources of the raw material for the Yaozhou porcelain body samples. They can be classified into two independent periods, i.e. the Tang (AD 618-907) and the Five Dynasties (AD 907-960) period, and the Song (AD 960-1279) and Jin (AD 1115-1234) period. Our analysis also indicates that the sources of the raw material for the ancient Yaozhou porcelain glaze samples are quite scattered and those for the black glaze in the Tang Dynasty are very concentrated. The sources of the raw material for the celadon glaze and the white glaze in the Tang Dynasty are widely distributed and those for the celadon glaze in the Song Dynasty are close to those of the bluish white glaze in the Jin Dynasty, and they are very concentrated. The sources of the raw material for the porcelain glazes cover those of the porcelain bodies.

Enhancement of Beaconless Location-Based Routing with Signal Strength Assistance for Ad-Hoc Networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Guowei; Itoh, Kenichi; Sato, Takuro

Routing in Ad-hoc networks is unreliable due to the mobility of the nodes. Location-based routing protocols, unlike other protocols which rely on flooding, excel in network scalability. Furthermore, new location-based routing protocols, like, e. g. BLR [1], IGF [2], & CBF [3] have been proposed, with the feature of not requiring beacons in MAC-layer, which improve more in terms of scalability. Such beaconless routing protocols can work efficiently in dense network areas. However, these protocols' algorithms have no ability to avoid from routing into sparse areas. In this article, historical signal strength has been added as a factor into the BLR algorithm, which avoids routing into sparse area, and consequently improves the global routing efficiency.

Multimegawatt cyclotron autoresonance accelerator

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

Hirshfield, J.L.; LaPointe, M.A.; Ganguly, A.K.

1996-05-01

Means are discussed for generation of high-quality multimegawatt gyrating electron beams using rf gyroresonant acceleration. TE{sub 111}-mode cylindrical cavities in a uniform axial magnetic field have been employed for beam acceleration since 1968; such beams have more recently been employed for generation of radiation at harmonics of the gyration frequency. Use of a TE{sub 11}-mode waveguide for acceleration, rather than a cavity, is discussed. It is shown that the applied magnetic field and group velocity axial tapers allow resonance to be maintained along a waveguide, but that this is impractical in a cavity. In consequence, a waveguide cyclotron autoresonance acceleratormore » (CARA) can operate with near-100{percent} efficiency in power transfer from rf source to beam, while cavity accelerators will, in practice, have efficiency values limited to about 40{percent}. CARA experiments are described in which an injected beam of up to 25 A, 95 kV has had up to 7.2 MW of rf power added, with efficiencies of up to 96{percent}. Such levels of efficiency are higher than observed previously in any fast-wave interaction, and are competitive with efficiency values in industrial linear accelerators. Scaling arguments suggest that good quality gyrating megavolt beams with peak and average powers of 100 MW and 100 kW can be produced using an advanced CARA, with applications in the generation of high-power microwaves and for possible remediation of flue gas pollutants. {copyright} {ital 1996 American Institute of Physics.}« less

K-Band Power Enbedded Transmission Line (ETL) MMIC Amplifiers for Satellite Communication Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tserng, Hua-Quen; Ketterson, Andrew; Saunier, Paul; McCarty, Larry; Davis, Steve

1998-01-01

The design, fabrication, and performance of K-band high-efficiency, linear power pHEMT amplifiers implemented in Embedded Transmission Line (ETL) MMIC configuration with unthinned GaAs substrate and topside grounding are reported. A three-stage amplifier achieved a power-added efficiency of 40.5% with 264 mW output at 20.2 GHz. The linear gain is 28.5 dB with 1-dB gain compression output power of 200 mW and 31% power-added efficiency. The carrier-to-third-order intermodulation ratio is approx. 20 dBc at the 1-dB compression point. A RF functional yield of more than 90% has been achieved.

[Treatment of wastewater containing Cr(VI) by LDH synthesizing in situ].

PubMed

Chen, Tian-hu; Feng, You-liang; Xu, Hui-fang; Peng, Shu-chuan; Huang, Chuan-hui; Tang, Shu-pei

2004-03-01

The objective of this work was to investigate the efficiency and factors impacting of removal Cr(VI) from wastewater by layer double hydroxide synthesizing in situ. Principle of the method may be described as follow: Mg2+ and Al3+ hydrolysis and forms Mg/Al-LDH by adding Mg2+, Al3+ and NaOH into wastewater containing Cr(VI), Cr(VI) anions are selectively intercalated into interlayer of LDH to balance positive structural charge. While Mg2+ and Al3+ co-precipitates and forms LDH, the Cr(VI) in wastewater is removal by settle of LDH synthesizing in situ, which are confirmed by analysis of X-ray diffraction on settle and chemical analysis on aqueous. The results indicate that factors of impacting on efficiency of removal Cr(VI) include in amount of adding Mg2+ and Al3+, Mg/Al ratio, pH and concentration of Cr(VI) in wastewater. The maximal removal efficiency of Cr(VI) can be reached when pH values are between 8.5 and 9, and Mg/Al ratios are between 1:1 and 2:1, meanwhile, Mg and Al added can be taken good use of. This technology has present extraordinary efficiency of wastewater treatment.

Renewable and high efficient syngas production from carbon dioxide and water through solar energy assisted electrolysis in eutectic molten salts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Hongjun; Liu, Yue; Ji, Deqiang; Li, Zhida; Yi, Guanlin; Yuan, Dandan; Wang, Baohui; Zhang, Zhonghai; Wang, Peng

2017-09-01

Over-reliance on non-renewable fossil fuel leads to steadily increasing concentration of atmospheric CO2, which has been implicated as a critical factor contributing to global warming. The efficient conversion of CO2 into useful product is highly sought after both in academic and industry. Herein, a novel conversion strategy is proposed to one-step transform CO2/H2O into syngas (CO/H2) in molten salt with electrolysis method. All the energy consumption in this system are contributed from sustainable energy sources: concentrated solar light heats molten salt and solar cell supplies electricity for electrolysis. The eutectic Li0.85Na0.61K0.54CO3/nLiOH molten electrolyte is rationally designed with low melting point (<450 °C). The synthesized syngas contains very desirable content of H2 and CO, with tuneable molar ratios (H2/CO) from 0.6 to 7.8, and with an efficient faradaic efficiency of ∼94.5%. The synthesis of syngas from CO2 with renewable energy at a such low electrolytic temperature not only alleviates heat loss, mitigates system corrosion, and heightens operational safety, but also decreases the generation of methane, thus increases the yield of syngas, which is a remarkable technological breakthrough and this work thus represents a stride in sustainable conversion of CO2 to value-added product.

Visual signal detection in structured backgrounds. II. Effects of contrast gain control, background variations, and white noise

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Eckstein, M. P.; Ahumada, A. J. Jr; Watson, A. B.

1997-01-01

Studies of visual detection of a signal superimposed on one of two identical backgrounds show performance degradation when the background has high contrast and is similar in spatial frequency and/or orientation to the signal. To account for this finding, models include a contrast gain control mechanism that pools activity across spatial frequency, orientation and space to inhibit (divisively) the response of the receptor sensitive to the signal. In tasks in which the observer has to detect a known signal added to one of M different backgrounds grounds due to added visual noise, the main sources of degradation are the stochastic noise in the image and the suboptimal visual processing. We investigate how these two sources of degradation (contrast gain control and variations in the background) interact in a task in which the signal is embedded in one of M locations in a complex spatially varying background (structured background). We use backgrounds extracted from patient digital medical images. To isolate effects of the fixed deterministic background (the contrast gain control) from the effects of the background variations, we conduct detection experiments with three different background conditions: (1) uniform background, (2) a repeated sample of structured background, and (3) different samples of structured background. Results show that human visual detection degrades from the uniform background condition to the repeated background condition and degrades even further in the different backgrounds condition. These results suggest that both the contrast gain control mechanism and the background random variations degrade human performance in detection of a signal in a complex, spatially varying background. A filter model and added white noise are used to generate estimates of sampling efficiencies, an equivalent internal noise, an equivalent contrast-gain-control-induced noise, and an equivalent noise due to the variations in the structured background.

Added Sugar Intake among Pregnant Women in the United States: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2003-2012.

PubMed

Cioffi, Catherine E; Figueroa, Janet; Welsh, Jean A

2018-05-01

Despite associations of dietary added sugar with excess weight gain and chronic disease risk, intake among most Americans exceeds the recommended limits (<10% total energy). Maternal diet plays an important role in pregnancy-related outcomes, but little is known about the extent of added sugar intake during pregnancy. To assess intake and identify the top sources of added sugars in the diets of pregnant vs nonpregnant women in the United States. Cross-sectional analysis of data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), 2003-2004 to 2011-2012. Four thousand one hundred seventy-nine pregnant and nonpregnant women (aged 20 to 39 years) who completed a dietary recall. Survey-weighted analyses were used to estimate means (95% CIs) in total grams and as percentage of total energy for added sugar intake by pregnancy status and by demographic subgroup and to identify leading sources of added sugar. Added sugar intake trended toward being higher in pregnant compared with nonpregnant women in absolute grams, 85.1 g (95% CI: 77.4 to 92.7) vs 76.7 g (95% CI: 73.6 to 79.9), respectively (P=0.06), but was lower among pregnant women when total energy intake was accounted for, 14.8% (95% CI: 13.8 to 15.7) vs 15.9% (95% CI: 15.2 to 16.6) of total energy, respectively (P=0.03). Among pregnant women, added sugar intake was similar among demographic subgroups. However, in multivariable regression, pregnancy status significantly modified the associations of education and income with added sugar intake, whereby less educated and lower-income women who were pregnant had lower added sugar intakes compared with those who were not pregnant, but more educated or higher-income women did not exhibit this pattern. The top five sources of added sugar for all women were sugar-sweetened beverages; cakes, cookies, and pastries; sugars and sweets; juice drinks and smoothies; and milk-based desserts. Although pregnant women had higher energy intakes, this was not attributed to higher intakes of added sugar. Although education and income affected consumption during pregnancy, intake of added sugar among all women, regardless of pregnancy status, exceeded recommendations. Copyright © 2018 Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Impacts of changing atmospheric deposition chemistry on nitrogen and phosphorus loading to Ganga River (India).

PubMed

Pandey, Jitendra; Singh, Anand V; Singh, Ashima; Singh, Rachna

2013-08-01

Investigations on atmospheric deposition (AD) and water chemistry along a 35 km stretch of Ganga River indicated that although N:P stoichiometry of AD did not change, there were over 1.4-2.0 fold increase in AD-NO₃⁻, AD-NH₄⁺ and AD-PO₄³⁻ overtime. Concentration of dissolved inorganic-N (DIN) in river showed significant positive correlations with AD-NO₃⁻ and runoff DIN. Similarly, dissolved reactive-P (DRP) in river showed significant positive correlation with AD-PO₄³⁻ and runoff DRP. The study shows that AD has become an important source of N and P input to Ganga River.

Intakes and sources of total and added sugars among 4 to 13-year-old children in China, Mexico and the United States.

PubMed

Afeiche, M C; Koyratty, B N S; Wang, D; Jacquier, E F; Lê, K-A

2018-04-01

Intakes of dietary sugars is a global concern, and many national and international organizations have set targets to limit consumption. However, it is unclear to what extent intakes of total and added sugars vary between geographies. The aim of this study was to assess the differences in intakes of total and added sugars in 4 to 13-year-old children in China, Mexico and the United States. The secondary aim was to identify main sources of total and added sugars in the diets of these children. Secondary data analysis was conducted using the 2011 China Health and Nutrition Survey, 2012 Mexican National Health and Nutrition Survey, and 2009-2012 US National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys. Total and added sugar intakes were calculated using the US Food Patterns Equivalents Database. Mean intakes of total and added sugars were 26 and 9 g d -1 among Chinese children, 92 and 55 g d -1 among Mexican children, and 124 and 76 g d -1 among US children, respectively. The top food sources of total sugars were fruits among Chinese children, and sugar-sweetened beverages and milk-based beverages among Mexican and US children. These data highlight the heterogeneity of food patterns worldwide and the need for adapted country-specific public health recommendations on sugars. © 2017 The Authors. Pediatric Obesity published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of World Obesity Federation.

Intakes and sources of total and added sugars among 4 to 13‐year‐old children in China, Mexico and the United States

PubMed Central

Afeiche, M. C.; Koyratty, B. N. S.; Wang, D.; Jacquier, E. F.

2017-01-01

Summary Background Intakes of dietary sugars is a global concern, and many national and international organizations have set targets to limit consumption. However, it is unclear to what extent intakes of total and added sugars vary between geographies. Objectives The aim of this study was to assess the differences in intakes of total and added sugars in 4 to 13‐year‐old children in China, Mexico and the United States. The secondary aim was to identify main sources of total and added sugars in the diets of these children. Methods Secondary data analysis was conducted using the 2011 China Health and Nutrition Survey, 2012 Mexican National Health and Nutrition Survey, and 2009–2012 US National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys. Total and added sugar intakes were calculated using the US Food Patterns Equivalents Database. Results Mean intakes of total and added sugars were 26 and 9 g d−1 among Chinese children, 92 and 55 g d−1 among Mexican children, and 124 and 76 g d−1 among US children, respectively. The top food sources of total sugars were fruits among Chinese children, and sugar‐sweetened beverages and milk‐based beverages among Mexican and US children. Conclusions These data highlight the heterogeneity of food patterns worldwide and the need for adapted country‐specific public health recommendations on sugars. PMID:28960843

Advertising Content, Platform Characteristics and the Appeal of Beer Advertising on a Social Networking Site.

PubMed

Noel, Jonathan K; Babor, Thomas F; Grady, James J

2018-03-15

The current study was conducted to investigate how changes in the content of a social media ad, user engagement values associated with the ad and user-generated comments (UGCs) associated with the ad can influence the appeal (i.e. source appeal, informational appeal and emotional appeal) of a social media ad. Facebook beer ads that violated the guidelines of a relevant marketing code were rated as more emotionally appealing compared to Facebook beer ads that did not violated the guidelines. Increased emotional appeal in beer advertising increases the probability that the ad will be remembered and influence future drinking occasions. A 2 (ad regulatory compliance: compliant vs. non-compliant) × 2 (user engagement: low vs. high) × 2 (UGC congruence: pro- vs anti-alcohol) mixed factorial experiment was conducted with 120 young adults, 21-24 years old. Each participant viewed four Facebook beer ads that were previously evaluated for thematic content and regulatory compliance. Participants were randomized to view either high or low user engagement values and either pro- or anti-drinking user-generated comments. After each ad exposure, ad appeal was assessed. Statistical analysis was conducted using hierarchical linear modeling. Models were adjusted for demographics, Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) scores and Facebook involvement. Source appeal (P = 0.034) and informational appeal (P < 0.001) were significantly higher among ads that were compliant with existing advertising regulations. Emotional appeal was significantly higher among ads that were non-compliant (P = 0.004). The effect of user engagement and UGCs were non-significant (p's > 0.05). Additionally, AUDIT scores (p's < 0.01) and Facebook involvement scores (p's < 0.01) were positively associated with all forms of ad appeal. The appeal of Facebook beer ads may be primarily determined by ad content. Increased emotional appeal in advertising caused by non-compliant advertising may increase the probability that the ad will be remembered and influence future drinking occasions.

Agricultural anaerobic digestion power plants in Ireland and Germany: policy and practice.

PubMed

Auer, Agathe; Vande Burgt, Nathan H; Abram, Florence; Barry, Gerald; Fenton, Owen; Markey, Bryan K; Nolan, Stephen; Richards, Karl; Bolton, Declan; De Waal, Theo; Gordon, Stephen V; O'Flaherty, Vincent; Whyte, Paul; Zintl, Annetta

2017-02-01

The process of anaerobic digestion (AD) is valued as a carbon-neutral energy source, while simultaneously treating organic waste, making it safer for disposal or use as a fertilizer on agricultural land. The AD process in many European nations, such as Germany, has grown from use of small, localized digesters to the operation of large-scale treatment facilities, which contribute significantly to national renewable energy quotas. However, these large AD plants are costly to run and demand intensive farming of energy crops for feedstock. Current policy in Germany has transitioned to support funding for smaller digesters, while also limiting the use of energy crops. AD within Ireland, as a new technology, is affected by ambiguous governmental policies concerning waste and energy. A clear governmental strategy supporting on-site AD processing of agricultural waste will significantly reduce Ireland's carbon footprint, improve the safety and bioavailability of agricultural waste, and provide an indigenous renewable energy source. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry.

Role of Medium Chain Triglycerides (Axona®) in the Treatment of Mild to Moderate Alzheimer's Disease.

PubMed

Sharma, Alok; Bemis, Marc; Desilets, Alicia R

2014-08-01

Treatment of Alzheimer's disease (AD) with acetylcholinesterase inhibitors or N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonists provides symptomatic relief but do not prevent its progression. Thus, additional approaches aimed at slowing the progression of the disease have been investigated. Reports detailing reduced brain glucose metabolism in the early stages of AD led to the hypothesis that alternate energy sources aimed at increasing neuronal metabolism may protect neurons and thus benefit patients with AD. Medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs) are metabolized to ketone bodies that serve as an alternative source of energy for neurons. Data from clinical trials suggest that MCTs improve cognition in patients with mild to moderate AD in apolipoprotein E4-negative patients. Adverse events observed were mild and included minor gastrointestinal problems such as diarrhea, dyspepsia, and flatulence. However, since genomic profiles are not routinely conducted in patients with AD in a clinical setting, the role of MCTs in clinical practice seems to be minimal. © The Author(s) 2014.

Tips for Improving Seed Planting Efficiency

Treesearch

R. Kasten Dumroese; David L. Wenny; Susan J. Morrison

2002-01-01

The efficiency of a precision seeder was improved by adding a mirror so employees could monitor seed levels and by marking seeds with brightly colored talc to quickly verify the accuracy of the machine.

Condition on Ramond-Ramond fluxes for factorization of worldsheet scattering in anti-de Sitter space

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wulff, Linus

2017-11-01

Factorization of scattering is the hallmark of integrable 1 +1 dimensional quantum field theories. For factorization of scattering to be possible the set of masses and momenta must be conserved in any two-to-two scattering process. We use this fact to constrain the form of the Ramond-Ramond fluxes for integrable supergravity anti-de Sitter (AdS) backgrounds by analyzing tree-level scattering of two AdS bosons into two fermions on the worldsheet of a Berenstein-Maldacena-Nastase string. We find a condition which can be efficiently used to rule out integrability of AdS strings and therefore of the corresponding AdS/conformal field theory dualities, as we demonstrate for some simple examples.

Efficient routing for safety applications in vehicular networks.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2009-03-01

Vehicular ad hoc networks have received a lot of attention in recent years. This attention is due to two reasons. : First and foremost, there are a number of real-life applications that become possible in the presence of : such an ad-hoc infrastructu...

[The preparation of recombinant adenovirus Ad-Rad50-GFP and detection of the optimal multiplicity of infection in CNE1 transfected hv Ad-Rad50-GFP].

PubMed

Yan, Ruicheng; Huang, Jiancong; Zhu, Ling; Chang, Lihong; Li, Jingjia; Wu, Xifu; Ye, Jin; Zhang, Gehua

2015-12-01

The optimal multiplicity of infection (MOI) of the recombinant adenovirus Ad-Rad50-GFP carrying a mutant Rad50 gene expression region on the cell growth of nasopharyngeal carcinoma and the viral amplification efficiency of CNE1 cell infected by this adenovirus were studied. The biological titer of Ad-Rad50-GFP was measured by end point dilution method. The impact of recombinant adenoviral vector transfection on the growth of CNE1 cells was observed by cell growth curve. Transfection efficacy of recombinant adenoviral vector was observed and calculated through fluorescence microscope. The expression f mutant Rad50 in the Ad-Rad50-GFP transfected CNE1 cells with optimal MOI was detected by Western Blot after transfection. The biological titer of Ad-Rad50-GFP was 1.26 x 10¹¹ pfu/ml. CNE1 cell growth was not influenced significantly as they were transfected by recombinant adenoviral vector with MOI less than 50. Transfection efficacy of recombinant adenoviral vector was most salient at 24 hours after transfection, with the high expression of mutant Rad50, and the efficiency still remained about 70% after 72 hours. Recombinant adenoviral vector Ad-Rad50-GFP could transfect CNE1 cells as well as result in the expression of mutant Rad50 in CNE1 cells effectively. MOI = 50 was the optimal multiplicity of infection of CNE1 cells transfected by recombinant adenoviral vector Ad-Rad50-GFP.

Excitation efficiency of an optical fiber core source

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Egalon, Claudio O.; Rogowski, Robert S.; Tai, Alan C.

1992-01-01

The exact field solution of a step-index profile fiber is used to determine the excitation efficiency of a distribution of sources in the core of an optical fiber. Previous results of a thin-film cladding source distribution to its core source counterpart are used for comparison. The behavior of power efficiency with the fiber parameters is examined and found to be similar to the behavior exhibited by cladding sources. It is also found that a core-source fiber is two orders of magnitude more efficient than a fiber with a bulk distribution of cladding sources. This result agrees qualitatively with previous ones obtained experimentally.

Affirmative action policies promote women and do not harm efficiency in the laboratory.

PubMed

Balafoutas, Loukas; Sutter, Matthias

2012-02-03

Gender differences in choosing to enter competitions are one source of unequal labor market outcomes concerning wages and promotions. Given that studying the effects of policy interventions to support women is difficult with field data because of measurement problems and potential lack of control, we evaluated, in a set of controlled laboratory experiments, four interventions: quotas, where one of two winners of a competition must be female; two variants of preferential treatment, where a fixed increment is added to women's performance; and repetition of the competition, where a second competition takes place if no woman is among the winners. Compared with no intervention, all interventions encourage women to enter competitions more often, and performance is at least equally good, both during and after the competition.

Efficient searching in meshfree methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Olliff, James; Alford, Brad; Simkins, Daniel C.

2018-04-01

Meshfree methods such as the Reproducing Kernel Particle Method and the Element Free Galerkin method have proven to be excellent choices for problems involving complex geometry, evolving topology, and large deformation, owing to their ability to model the problem domain without the constraints imposed on the Finite Element Method (FEM) meshes. However, meshfree methods have an added computational cost over FEM that come from at least two sources: increased cost of shape function evaluation and the determination of adjacency or connectivity. The focus of this paper is to formally address the types of adjacency information that arises in various uses of meshfree methods; a discussion of available techniques for computing the various adjacency graphs; propose a new search algorithm and data structure; and finally compare the memory and run time performance of the methods.

R&D Nuggets

Science.gov Websites

Origin of the Chemical Elements and Their Discoveries [added 1/2007] National Laboratories and Other to the content of DOE R&D Accomplishments. Celebrating Einstein - series of articles about Albert Einstein and his work [added 3/2005] Compact Portable Electric Power Sources [added 1/2007] History of the

Potential link between excess added sugar intake and ectopic fat: a systematic review of randomized controlled trials

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Context: The effect of added sugar intake on ectopic fat accumulation is a subject of debate. Objective: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) was conducted to examine the potential effect of added sugar intake on ectopic fat depots. Data Sources: MEDLINE, CA...

Simultaneous removal of ammonia and N-nitrosamine precursors from high ammonia water by zeolite and powdered activated carbon.

PubMed

Xue, Runmiao; Donovan, Ariel; Zhang, Haiting; Ma, Yinfa; Adams, Craig; Yang, John; Hua, Bin; Inniss, Enos; Eichholz, Todd; Shi, Honglan

2018-02-01

When adding sufficient chlorine to achieve breakpoint chlorination to source water containing high concentration of ammonia during drinking water treatment, high concentrations of disinfection by-products (DBPs) may form. If N-nitrosamine precursors are present, highly toxic N-nitrosamines, primarily N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA), may also form. Removing their precursors before disinfection should be a more effective way to minimize these DBPs formation. In this study, zeolites and activated carbon were examined for ammonia and N-nitrosamine precursor removal when incorporated into drinking water treatment processes. The test results indicate that Mordenite zeolite can remove ammonia and five of seven N-nitrosamine precursors efficiently by single step adsorption test. The practical applicability was evaluated by simulation of typical drinking water treatment processes using six-gang stirring system. The Mordenite zeolite was applied at the steps of lime softening, alum coagulation, and alum coagulation with powdered activated carbon (PAC) sorption. While the lime softening process resulted in poor zeolite performance, alum coagulation did not impact ammonia and N-nitrosamine precursor removal. During alum coagulation, more than 67% ammonia and 70%-100% N-nitrosamine precursors were removed by Mordenite zeolite (except 3-(dimethylaminomethyl)indole (DMAI) and 4-dimethylaminoantipyrine (DMAP)). PAC effectively removed DMAI and DMAP when added during alum coagulation. A combination of the zeolite and PAC selected efficiently removed ammonia and all tested seven N-nitrosamine precursors (dimethylamine (DMA), ethylmethylamine (EMA), diethylamine (DEA), dipropylamine (DPA), trimethylamine (TMA), DMAP, and DMAI) during the alum coagulation process. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Vegemite Beer: yeast extract spreads as nutrient supplements to promote fermentation.

PubMed

Kerr, Edward D; Schulz, Benjamin L

2016-01-01

Vegemite is an iconic Australian food spread made from spent brewers' yeast extract, which has been reported to be used as an ingredient in illegal home brewing. In this study, we tested the utility of Vegemite and the similar spread Marmite in promoting fermentation. We could not culture microorganisms from either Vegemite or Marmite, consistent with these food-grade spreads being essentially sterile. To test if the addition of Vegemite or Marmite could assist in fermentation when additional viable yeast was also present, solutions containing glucose and a range of concentrations of either Vegemite or Marmite were inoculated with brewers' yeast. No fermentation occurred in any condition without addition of extra brewer's yeast. Fermentation did not occur when yeast was inoculated into solutions containing only glucose, but progressed efficiently with when Vegemite or Marmite was also added. Gas Chromatography confirmed that ethanol was present at ∼3% v/v post-fermentation in all samples which contained glucose, Vegemite or Marmite, and brewers' yeast. Trace amounts of methanol were also detected. Mass spectrometry proteomics identified abundant intracellular yeast proteins and barley proteins in Vegemite and Marmite, and abundant secreted yeast proteins from actively growing yeast in those samples to which extra brewers' yeast had been added. We estimate that the real-world cost of home brewed "Vegemite Beer" would be very low. Our results show that Vegemite or other yeast extract spreads could provide cheap and readily available sources of nutrient supplementation to increase the efficiency of fermentation in home brewing or other settings.

A new method for the simultaneous enhancement of methane yield and reduction of hydrogen sulfide production in the anaerobic digestion of waste activated sludge.

PubMed

Dai, Xiaohu; Hu, Chongliang; Zhang, Dong; Chen, Yinguang

2017-11-01

The biogas generated from anaerobic digestion (AD) also includes undesirable by-product such as hydrogen sulfide (H 2 S), which must be removed before the biogas can be used as a clean energy source. Therefore, it is necessary to find an appropriate strategy to simultaneously enhance the methane yield and reduce H 2 S production. An efficient strategy-pretreating sludge at pH 10 for 8d and adjusting the system at neutral pH to produce methane for 20d-is reported for the synchronous enhancement of methane production and reduction of H 2 S production during AD. The experimental results showed that the cumulative methane yield was 861.2±6.1mL/g volatile solids (VS) of sludge pretreated at pH 10 in semi-continuous stirred anaerobic reactors for 84d, an increase of 49.6% over the yield in the control. Meanwhile, the cumulative production of H 2 S was 144.1×10 -4 mL/g VS, 54.2% lower than that in the control. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Harnessing the power of emerging petascale platforms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mellor-Crummey, John

2007-07-01

As part of the US Department of Energy's Scientific Discovery through Advanced Computing (SciDAC-2) program, science teams are tackling problems that require computational simulation and modeling at the petascale. A grand challenge for computer science is to develop software technology that makes it easier to harness the power of these systems to aid scientific discovery. As part of its activities, the SciDAC-2 Center for Scalable Application Development Software (CScADS) is building open source software tools to support efficient scientific computing on the emerging leadership-class platforms. In this paper, we describe two tools for performance analysis and tuning that are being developed as part of CScADS: a tool for analyzing scalability and performance, and a tool for optimizing loop nests for better node performance. We motivate these tools by showing how they apply to S3D, a turbulent combustion code under development at Sandia National Laboratory. For S3D, our node performance analysis tool helped uncover several performance bottlenecks. Using our loop nest optimization tool, we transformed S3D's most costly loop nest to reduce execution time by a factor of 2.94 for a processor working on a 503 domain.

Influence of regional biomass burning on the highly elevated organic carbon concentrations observed at Gosan, South Korea during a strong Asian dust period.

PubMed

Nguyen, Duc Luong; Kim, Jin Young; Ghim, Young Sung; Shim, Shang-Gyoo

2015-03-01

PM2.5 carbonaceous particles were measured at Gosan, South Korea during 29 March-11 April 2002 which includes a pollution period (30 March-01 April) when the highest concentrations of major anthropogenic species (nss-SO4 (2-), NO3 (-), and NH4 (+)) were observed and a strong Asian dust (AD) period (08-10 April) when the highest concentrations of mainly dust-originated trace elements (Al, Ca, Mg, and Fe) were seen. The concentrations of elemental carbon (EC) measured in the pollution period were higher than those measured in the strong AD period, whereas an inverse variation in the concentrations of organic carbon (OC) was observed. Based on the OC/EC ratios, the possible source that mainly contributed to the highly elevated OC concentrations measured in the strong AD period was biomass burning. The influence of the long-range transport of smoke plumes emitted from regional biomass burning sources was evaluated by using MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) satellite data for fire locations and the potential source contribution function analysis. The most potential source regions of biomass burning were the Primorsky and Amur regions in Far Eastern Russia and southeastern and southwestern Siberia, Russia. Further discussion on the source characteristics suggested that the high OC concentrations measured in the strong AD period were significantly affected by the smoldering phase of biomass burning. In addition to biomass burning, secondary OC (SOC) formed during atmospheric long-range transport should be also considered as an important source of OC concentration measured at Gosan. Although this study dealt with the episodic case of the concurrent increase of dust and biomass burning particles, understanding the characteristics of heterogeneous mixing aerosol is essential in assessing the radiative forcing of aerosol.

Comparison of triglycerides and phospholipids as supplemental sources of dietary long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids in piglets.

PubMed

Mathews, Susan A; Oliver, William T; Phillips, Oulayvanh T; Odle, Jack; Diersen-Schade, Deborah A; Harrell, Robert J

2002-10-01

Addition of arachidonic acid (AA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) to infant formula promotes visual and neural development. This study was designed to determine whether the source of dietary long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCPUFA) affected overall animal health and safety. Piglets consumed ad libitum from 1 to 16 d of age a skim milk-based formula with different fat sources added to provide 50% of the metabolizable energy. Treatment groups were as follows: control (CNTL; no added LCPUFA), egg phospholipid (PL), algal/fungal triglyceride (TG) oils, TG plus PL (soy lecithin source) added to match phospholipid treatment (TG + PL) and essential fatty acid deficient (EFAD). Formulas with LCPUFA provided 0.6 and 0.3 g/100 g total fatty acids as AA and DHA, respectively. CNTL piglets had 40% longer ileal villi than PL piglets (P < 0.03), but the TG group was not different from the CNTL group. Gross liver histology did not differ among any of the formula-fed groups (P > 0.1). Apparent dry matter digestibility was 10% greater in CNTL, TG and TG + PL groups compared with PL piglets (P < 0.002). No differences in alanine aminotransferase were detected among treatments, but aspartate aminotransferase was elevated (P < 0.03) in PL piglets compared with TG + PL piglets. Total plasma AA concentration was greater in the TG group compared with CNTL piglets (P < 0.05). Total plasma DHA concentrations were greater in TG piglets compared with PL (P < 0.06) or CNTL (P < 0.02) piglets. These data demonstrate that the algal/fungal TG sources of DHA and AA may be a more appropriate supplement for infant formulas than the egg PL source based on piglet plasma fatty acid profiles and apparent dry matter digestibilities.

Equilibrium sensitivities of the Greenland ice sheet inferred from the adjoint of the three- dimensional thermo-mechanical model SICOPOLIS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heimbach, P.; Bugnion, V.

2008-12-01

We present a new and original approach to understanding the sensitivity of the Greenland ice sheet to key model parameters and environmental conditions. At the heart of this approach is the use of an adjoint ice sheet model. MacAyeal (1992) introduced adjoints in the context of applying control theory to estimate basal sliding parameters (basal shear stress, basal friction) of an ice stream model which minimize a least-squares model vs. observation misfit. Since then, this method has become widespread to fit ice stream models to the increasing number and diversity of satellite observations, and to estimate uncertain model parameters. However, no attempt has been made to extend this method to comprehensive ice sheet models. Here, we present a first step toward moving beyond limiting the use of control theory to ice stream models. We have generated an adjoint of the three-dimensional thermo-mechanical ice sheet model SICOPOLIS of Greve (1997). The adjoint was generated using the automatic differentiation (AD) tool TAF. TAF generates exact source code representing the tangent linear and adjoint model of the parent model provided. Model sensitivities are given by the partial derivatives of a scalar-valued model diagnostic or "cost function" with respect to the controls, and can be efficiently calculated via the adjoint. An effort to generate an efficient adjoint with the newly developed open-source AD tool OpenAD is also under way. To gain insight into the adjoint solutions, we explore various cost functions, such as local and domain-integrated ice temperature, total ice volume or the velocity of ice at the margins of the ice sheet. Elements of our control space include initial cold ice temperatures, surface mass balance, as well as parameters such as appear in Glen's flow law, or in the surface degree-day or basal sliding parameterizations. Sensitivity maps provide a comprehensive view, and allow a quantification of where and to which variables the ice sheet model is most sensitive to. The model used in the present study includes simplifications in the model physics, parameterizations which rely on uncertain empirical constants, and is unable to capture fast ice streams. Nevertheless, as a proof-of-concept, this method can readily be extended to incorporate higher-order physics or parameterizations (or be applied to other models). It also opens the door to ice sheet state estimation: using the model's physics jointly with field and satellite observations to estimate a best estimate of the state of the ice sheets.

Major food sources of calories, added sugars, and saturated fat and their contribution to essential nutrient intakes in the U.S. diet: data from the national health and nutrition examination survey (2003–2006)

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background The risk of chronic disease cannot be predicted simply by the content of a single nutrient in a food or food group in the diet. The contribution of food sources of calories, added sugars and saturated fat (SFA) to intakes of dietary fiber and micronutrients of public health importance is also relevant to understanding the overall dietary impact of these foods. Objective Identify the top food sources of calories, added sugars and SFA in the U.S. diet and quantify their contribution to fiber and micronutrient intakes. Methods Single 24-hour dietary recalls (Day 1) collected from participants ≥2 years (n = 16,822) of the What We Eat in America, National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (WWEIA/NHANES 2003–2006) were analyzed. All analyses included sample weights to account for the survey design. Calorie and nutrient intakes from foods included contributions from disaggregated food mixtures and tabulated by rank order. Results No one food category contributes more than 7.2% of calories to the overall U.S. diet, but half of the top 10 contribute 10% or more of total dietary fiber and micronutrients. Three of the top 10 sources of calories and SFA (beef, milk and cheese) contribute 46.3% of the calcium, 49.5% of the vitamin D, 42.3% of the vitamin B12 as well as other essential nutrients to the American diet. On the other hand, foods categorized as desserts, snacks, or beverages, contribute 13.6% of total calories, 83% of added sugar intake, and provide little or no nutritional value. Including food components of disaggregated recipes more accurately estimated the contribution of foods like beef, milk or cheese to overall nutrient intake compared to “as consumed” food categorizations. Conclusions Some food sources of calories, added sugars and SFA make major contributions to American dietary fiber and micronutrient intakes. Dietary modifications targeting reductions in calories, added sugar, or SFA need to take these key micronutrient sources into account so as not to have the unintended consequence of lowering overall dietary quality. PMID:23927718

Sustainable Life Cycles of Natural-Precursor-Derived Nanocarbons.

PubMed

Bazaka, Kateryna; Jacob, Mohan V; Ostrikov, Kostya Ken

2016-01-13

Sustainable societal and economic development relies on novel nanotechnologies that offer maximum efficiency at minimal environmental cost. Yet, it is very challenging to apply green chemistry approaches across the entire life cycle of nanotech products, from design and nanomaterial synthesis to utilization and disposal. Recently, novel, efficient methods based on nonequilibrium reactive plasma chemistries that minimize the process steps and dramatically reduce the use of expensive and hazardous reagents have been applied to low-cost natural and waste sources to produce value-added nanomaterials with a wide range of applications. This review discusses the distinctive effects of nonequilibrium reactive chemistries and how these effects can aid and advance the integration of sustainable chemistry into each stage of nanotech product life. Examples of the use of enabling plasma-based technologies in sustainable production and degradation of nanotech products are discussed-from selection of precursors derived from natural resources and their conversion into functional building units, to methods for green synthesis of useful naturally degradable carbon-based nanomaterials, to device operation and eventual disintegration into naturally degradable yet potentially reusable byproducts.

Yields of O2(b 1 Sigma g +) from reactions of HO2. [in planetary atmospheres

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Keyser, L. F.; Choo, K. Y.; Leu, M. T.

1985-01-01

The production of O2(b 1 Sigma g +) has been monitored for several reactions of the HO2 radical at 300 K using a discharge-flow apparatus with resonance fluorescence and chemiluminescence detection. In all cases, the resulting quantum efficiencies were found to be less than 0.03. O2(b) was observed when F atoms were added to H2O2 in the gas phase. The signal strengths of O2(b) were proportional to initial concentrations of HO2 formed by the F + H2O2 reaction. Observed /O2(b)/, /HO2/, and /OH/ vs /F/0 were analyzed using a simple three-step mechanism and a more complete computer simulation with 22 reaction steps. The results indicate that the F + HO2 reaction yields O2(b) with an efficiency of (3.6 + or - 1.4) x 10 to the -3rd. Yields from the O + OH2 reaction were less than 0.02, indicating that this reaction cannot be a major source of the O2(b) emission observed in the earth's nightglow.

Enhanced nitrogen removal of low C/N domestic wastewater using a biochar-amended aerated vertical flow constructed wetland.

PubMed

Zhou, Xu; Wang, Xuezhen; Zhang, Hai; Wu, Haiming

2017-10-01

Recently, vertical flow constructed wetlands (VFCWs) with intermittent aeration have been proven as an efficient technology to enhance removal efficiency of organics and nitrogen for wastewater treatment. However, the low denitrification effect in VFCWs was a problem for treating low carbon source wastewater. In this study, intermittent aeration and biochar, produced by biomass pyrolysis, was used to promote the nitrogen removal in VFCWs for low C/N domestic wastewater. Four systems, including non-aerated with non-biochar VFCW, non-aerated with biochar VFCW, aerated with non-biochar VFCW and aerated with biochar VFCW, were conducted for comparing their treatment performances. The results showed that much higher removal of COD (94.9%), NH 4 + -N (99.1%), TN (52.7%) and lower N 2 O emission (60.54μg·m -2 ·h -1 ) was obtained in aerated VFCW with biochar addition. The results suggested that adding biochar to intermittent aerated VFCWs could be an effective and appropriate strategy for low C/N wastewater treatment. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Investigating the strategies for microbial production of trehalose from lignocellulosic sugars.

PubMed

Wu, Yifei; Wang, Jian; Shen, Xiaolin; Wang, Jia; Chen, Zhenya; Sun, Xinxiao; Yuan, Qipeng; Yan, Yajun

2018-03-01

Trehalose, a multi-functional and value-added disaccharide, can be efficiently biosynthesized from glucose by using a synergetic carbon utilization mechanism (SynCar) which coupled phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP) generation from the second carbon source with PEP-dependent phosphotransferase system (PTS) to promote non-catabolic use of glucose. Considering glucose and xylose present in large amounts in lignocellulosic sugars, we explored new strategies for conversion of both sugars into trehalose. Herein, we first attempted trehalose production from xylose directly, based on which, synergetic utilization of glucose, and xylose prompted by SynCar was implemented in engineered Escherichia coli. As the results, the final titer of trehalose reached 5.55 g/L in shake flask experiments. The conversion ratio or utilization efficiency of glucose or xylose to trehalose was around fourfold higher than that of the original strain (YW-3). This work not only demonstrated the possibility of directly converting xylose (C5 sugar) into trehalose (C12 disaccharide), but also suggested a promising strategy for trehalose production from lignocellulosic sugars for the first time. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Efficient generation of 509 nm light by sum-frequency mixing between two tapered diode lasers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tawfieq, Mahmoud; Jensen, Ole Bjarlin; Hansen, Anders Kragh; Sumpf, Bernd; Paschke, Katrin; Andersen, Peter E.

2015-03-01

We demonstrate a concept for visible laser sources based on sum-frequency generation of beam combined tapered diode lasers. In this specific case, a 1.7 W sum-frequency generated green laser at 509 nm is obtained, by frequency adding of 6.17 W from a 978 nm tapered diode laser with 8.06 W from a 1063 nm tapered diode laser, inside a periodically poled MgO doped lithium niobate crystal. This corresponds to an optical to optical conversion efficiency of 12.1%. As an example of potential applications, the generated nearly diffraction-limited green light is used for pumping a Ti:sapphire laser, thus demonstrating good beam quality and power stability. The maximum output powers achieved when pumping the Ti:sapphire laser are 226 mW (CW) and 185 mW (mode-locked) at 1.7 W green pump power. The optical spectrum emitted by the mode-locked Ti:sapphire laser shows a spectral width of about 54 nm (FWHM), indicating less than 20 fs pulse width.

Microporous crystals and synthesis schemes

DOEpatents

Tumas, William; Ott, Kevin C.; McCleskey, T. Mark; Yates, Matthew Z.; Birnbaum, Eva R.

2008-04-22

Novel zeolites are produced by combining a polar solute, a silicon or phosphorous source, and a structure directing agent. Surfactants and a hydrophobic solvent are added to the previously mixed three species and shaken to disperse the surfactants. The reverse microemulsion is stirred overnight, at about room temperature and then iced for five to ten minutes. A metal source is added vigorously shaken for about two minutes. The mixture is then aged for about two hours at about room temperature. A mineralizer is added and the resultant mixture aged for about two hours at about room temperature. The mixture is heated to about 180.degree. C., for a suitable time period. The final novel product is then isolated.

Microporous crystals and synthesis schemes

DOEpatents

Tumas, William; Ott, Kevin C.; McCleskey, T. Mark; Yates, Matthew Z.; Birnbaum, Eva R.

2005-09-27

Novel zeolites are produced by combining a polar solute, a silicon or phosphorous source, and a structure directing agent. Surfactants and a hydrophobic solvent are added to the previously mixed three species and shaken to disperse the surfactants. The reverse microemulsion is stirred overnight, at about room temperature and then iced for five to ten minutes. A metal source is added vigorously shaken for about two minutes. The mixture is then aged for about two hours at about room temperature. A mineralizer is added and the resultant mixture aged for about two hours at about room temperature. The mixture is heated to about 180.degree. C., for a suitable time period. The final novel product is then isolated.

A four-dimensional virtual hand brain-machine interface using active dimension selection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rouse, Adam G.

2016-06-01

Objective. Brain-machine interfaces (BMI) traditionally rely on a fixed, linear transformation from neural signals to an output state-space. In this study, the assumption that a BMI must control a fixed, orthogonal basis set was challenged and a novel active dimension selection (ADS) decoder was explored. Approach. ADS utilizes a two stage decoder by using neural signals to both (i) select an active dimension being controlled and (ii) control the velocity along the selected dimension. ADS decoding was tested in a monkey using 16 single units from premotor and primary motor cortex to successfully control a virtual hand avatar to move to eight different postures. Main results. Following training with the ADS decoder to control 2, 3, and then 4 dimensions, each emulating a grasp shape of the hand, performance reached 93% correct with a bit rate of 2.4 bits s-1 for eight targets. Selection of eight targets using ADS control was more efficient, as measured by bit rate, than either full four-dimensional control or computer assisted one-dimensional control. Significance. ADS decoding allows a user to quickly and efficiently select different hand postures. This novel decoding scheme represents a potential method to reduce the complexity of high-dimension BMI control of the hand.

The effects of anionic and non-ionic surfactant on anaerobic co-digestion of sludge, food wastes and green wastes.

PubMed

Sun, Jian; Zhang, Yuchi; Pan, Xiaofang; Zhu, Gefu

2018-03-05

Surfactants are widely used and discharged into wastewater treatment plants, which might influence the anaerobic digestion (AD) treatment of municipal waste. In this study, the effects of typical anionic surfactants sodium dodecyl benzene6 sulfonate (SDBS) and non-ionic surfactants APG, on mesophilic anaerobic co-digestion of sludge, food waste, and green waste were investigated. Results indicated that at 5 mg/g, the biogas production was inhibited in SDBS supplemented systems while stimulated in APG-added reactors, with the methane yield of 146.58 L/g VS consumed. At 15 mg/g, the biogas production in both SDBS and APG supplemented reactors was both inhibited. It means the negative or positive effect of APG on AD depends on the dose of APG supplementation. The 16S rRNA gene analysis demonstrated the microbial community structure in the digester was changed due to the addition of surfactant. Bacteroidia significantly increased with the addition of APG and SBDS, while the increase of Clostridia only occurred in APG-added system. The variation of microbial Communities' structure in APG and SDBS-added digesters might give an explanation for the different efficiencies in these two systems. Thus, the effects of surfactants on the efficiency of AD should be considered during the disposal of municipal organic waste.

A four-dimensional virtual hand brain-machine interface using active dimension selection

PubMed Central

Rouse, Adam G.

2018-01-01

Objective Brain-machine interfaces (BMI) traditionally rely on a fixed, linear transformation from neural signals to an output state-space. In this study, the assumption that a BMI must control a fixed, orthogonal basis set was challenged and a novel active dimension selection (ADS) decoder was explored. Approach ADS utilizes a two stage decoder by using neural signals to both i) select an active dimension being controlled and ii) control the velocity along the selected dimension. ADS decoding was tested in a monkey using 16 single units from premotor and primary motor cortex to successfully control a virtual hand avatar to move to eight different postures. Main Results Following training with the ADS decoder to control 2, 3, and then 4 dimensions, each emulating a grasp shape of the hand, performance reached 93% correct with a bit rate of 2.4 bits/s for eight targets. Selection of eight targets using ADS control was more efficient, as measured by bit rate, than either full four-dimensional control or computer assisted one-dimensional control. Significance ADS decoding allows a user to quickly and efficiently select different hand postures. This novel decoding scheme represents a potential method to reduce the complexity of high-dimension BMI control of the hand. PMID:27171896

Multilevel Deficiency of White Matter Connectivity Networks in Alzheimer's Disease: A Diffusion MRI Study with DTI and HARDI Models.

PubMed

Wang, Tao; Shi, Feng; Jin, Yan; Yap, Pew-Thian; Wee, Chong-Yaw; Zhang, Jianye; Yang, Cece; Li, Xia; Xiao, Shifu; Shen, Dinggang

2016-01-01

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia in elderly people. It is an irreversible and progressive brain disease. In this paper, we utilized diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) to detect abnormal topological organization of white matter (WM) structural networks. We compared the differences between WM connectivity characteristics at global, regional, and local levels in 26 patients with probable AD and 16 normal control (NC) elderly subjects, using connectivity networks constructed with the diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) model and the high angular resolution diffusion imaging (HARDI) model, respectively. At the global level, we found that the WM structural networks of both AD and NC groups had a small-world topology; however, the AD group showed a significant decrease in both global and local efficiency, but an increase in clustering coefficient and the average shortest path length. We further found that the AD patients had significantly decreased nodal efficiency at the regional level, as well as weaker connections in multiple local cortical and subcortical regions, such as precuneus, temporal lobe, hippocampus, and thalamus. The HARDI model was found to be more advantageous than the DTI model, as it was more sensitive to the deficiencies in AD at all of the three levels.

How Energy Efficiency is Adding Jobs in St. Paul, Minnesota

ScienceCinema

Hannigan, Jim; Coleman, Chris; Oliver, LeAnn; Jambois, Louis

2018-02-07

Saint Paul, Minnesota is using an energy efficiency grant to provide commercial retrofits that will allow a local produce distribution company to dramatically reduce its energy costs and add dozens of new workers.

How Energy Efficiency is Adding Jobs in St. Paul, Minnesota

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

Hannigan, Jim; Coleman, Chris; Oliver, LeAnn

2011-01-01

Saint Paul, Minnesota is using an energy efficiency grant to provide commercial retrofits that will allow a local produce distribution company to dramatically reduce its energy costs and add dozens of new workers.

An Efficiency Comparison of MBA Programs: Top 10 versus Non-Top 10

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hsu, Maxwell K.; James, Marcia L.; Chao, Gary H.

2009-01-01

The authors compared the cohort group of the top-10 MBA programs in the United States with their lower-ranking counterparts on their value-added efficiency. The findings reveal that the top-10 MBA programs in the United States are associated with statistically higher average "technical and scale efficiency" and "scale efficiency", but not with a…

The Technical Efficiency of Specialised Milk Farms: A Regional View

PubMed Central

Špička, Jindřich; Smutka, Luboš

2014-01-01

The aim of the article is to evaluate production efficiency and its determinants of specialised dairy farming among the EU regions. In the most of European regions, there is a relatively high significance of small specialised farms including dairy farms. The DEAVRS method (data envelopment analysis with variable returns to scale) reveals efficient and inefficient regions including the scale efficiency. In the next step, the two-sample t-test determines differences of economic and structural indicators between efficient and inefficient regions. The research reveals that substitution of labour by capital/contract work explains the variability of the farm net value added per AWU (annual work unit) income indicator by more than 30%. The significant economic determinants of production efficiency in specialised dairy farming are farm size, herd size, crop output per hectare, productivity of energy, and capital (at α = 0.01). Specialised dairy farms in efficient regions have significantly higher farm net value added per AWU than inefficient regions. Agricultural enterprises in inefficient regions have a more extensive structure and produce more noncommodity output (public goods). Specialised dairy farms in efficient regions have a slightly higher milk yield, specific livestock costs of feed, bedding, and veterinary services per livestock unit. PMID:25050408

Performance Analysis of Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) and Breakdown of Anomalies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tabassum, Asma

This thesis work analyzes the performance of Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) data received from Grand Forks International Airport, detects anomalies in the data and quantifies the associated potential risk. This work also assesses severity associated anomalous data in Detect and Avoid (DAA) for Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS). The received data were raw and archived in GDL-90 format. A python module is developed to parse the raw data into readable data in a .csv file. The anomaly detection algorithm is based on Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) ADS-B performance assessment report. An extensive study is carried out on two main types of anomalies, namely dropouts and altitude deviations. A dropout is considered when the update rate exceeds three seconds. Dropouts are of different durations and have a different level of risk depending on how much time ADS-B is unavailable as the surveillance system. Altitude deviation refers to the deviation between barometric and geometric altitude. Deviation ranges from 25 feet to 600 feet have been observed. As of now, barometric altitude has been used for separation and surveillance while geometric altitude can be used in cases where barometric altitude is not available. Many UAS might not have both sensors installed on board due to size and weight constrains. There might be a chance of misinterpretation of vertical separation specially while flying in National Airspace (NAS) if the ownship UAS and intruder manned aircraft use two different altitude sources for separation standard. The characteristics and agreement between two different altitudes is investigated with a regression based approach. Multiple risk matrices are established based on the severity of the DAA well clear. ADS-B is called the Backbone of FAA Next Generation Air Transportation System, NextGen. NextGen is the series of inter-linked programs, systems, and policies that implement advanced technologies and capabilities. ADS-B utilizes the Satellite based Global Positioning System (GPS) technology to provide the pilot and the Air Traffic Control (ATC) with more information which enables an efficient navigation of aircraft in increasingly congested airspace. FAA mandated all aircraft, both manned and unmanned, be equipped with ADS-B out by the year 2020 to fly within most controlled airspace. As a fundamental component of NextGen it is crucial to understand the behavior and potential risk with ADS-B Systems.

Optimizing MRI Logistics: Prospective Analysis of Performance, Efficiency, and Patient Throughput.

PubMed

Beker, Kevin; Garces-Descovich, Alejandro; Mangosing, Jason; Cabral-Goncalves, Ines; Hallett, Donna; Mortele, Koenraad J

2017-10-01

The objective of this study is to optimize MRI logistics through evaluation of MRI workflow and analysis of performance, efficiency, and patient throughput in a tertiary care academic center. For 2 weeks, workflow data from two outpatient MRI scanners were prospectively collected and stratified by value added to the process (i.e., value-added time, business value-added time, or non-value-added time). Two separate time cycles were measured: the actual MRI process cycle as well as the complete length of patient stay in the department. In addition, the impact and frequency of delays across all observations were measured. A total of 305 MRI examinations were evaluated, including body (34.1%), neurologic (28.9%), musculoskeletal (21.0%), and breast examinations (16.1%). The MRI process cycle lasted a mean of 50.97 ± 24.4 (SD) minutes per examination; the mean non-value-added time was 13.21 ± 18.77 minutes (25.87% of the total process cycle time). The mean length-of-stay cycle was 83.51 ± 33.63 minutes; the mean non-value-added time was 24.33 ± 24.84 minutes (29.14% of the total patient stay). The delay with the highest frequency (5.57%) was IV or port placement, which had a mean delay of 22.82 minutes. The delay with the greatest impact on time was MRI arthrography for which joint injection of contrast medium was necessary but was not accounted for in the schedule (mean delay, 42.2 minutes; frequency, 1.64%). Of 305 patients, 34 (11.15%) did not arrive at or before their scheduled time. Non-value-added time represents approximately one-third of the total MRI process cycle and patient length of stay. Identifying specific delays may expedite the application of targeted improvement strategies, potentially increasing revenue, efficiency, and overall patient satisfaction.

Impaired Long Distance Functional Connectivity and Weighted Network Architecture in Alzheimer's Disease

PubMed Central

Liu, Yong; Yu, Chunshui; Zhang, Xinqing; Liu, Jieqiong; Duan, Yunyun; Alexander-Bloch, Aaron F.; Liu, Bing; Jiang, Tianzi; Bullmore, Ed

2014-01-01

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is increasingly recognized as a disconnection syndrome, which leads to cognitive impairment due to the disruption of functional activity across large networks or systems of interconnected brain regions. We explored abnormal functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) resting-state dynamics, functional connectivity, and weighted functional networks, in a sample of patients with severe AD (N = 18) and age-matched healthy volunteers (N = 21). We found that patients had reduced amplitude and regional homogeneity of low-frequency fMRI oscillations, and reduced the strength of functional connectivity, in several regions previously described as components of the default mode network, for example, medial posterior parietal cortex and dorsal medial prefrontal cortex. In patients with severe AD, functional connectivity was particularly attenuated between regions that were separated by a greater physical distance; and loss of long distance connectivity was associated with less efficient global and nodal network topology. This profile of functional abnormality in severe AD was consistent with the results of a comparable analysis of data on 2 additional groups of patients with mild AD (N = 17) and amnestic mild cognitive impairment (MCI; N = 18). A greater degree of cognitive impairment, measured by the mini-mental state examination across all patient groups, was correlated with greater attenuation of functional connectivity, particularly over long connection distances, for example, between anterior and posterior components of the default mode network, and greater reduction of global and nodal network efficiency. These results indicate that neurodegenerative disruption of fMRI oscillations and connectivity in AD affects long-distance connections to hub nodes, with the consequent loss of network efficiency. This profile was evident also to a lesser degree in the patients with less severe cognitive impairment, indicating that the potential of resting-state fMRI measures as biomarkers or predictors of disease progression in AD. PMID:23314940

Efficient Enzymatic Preparation of (13) N-Labelled Amino Acids: Towards Multipurpose Synthetic Systems.

PubMed

da Silva, Eunice S; Gómez-Vallejo, Vanessa; Baz, Zuriñe; Llop, Jordi; López-Gallego, Fernando

2016-09-12

Nitrogen-13 can be efficiently produced in biomedical cyclotrons in different chemical forms, and its stable isotopes are present in the majority of biologically active molecules. Hence, it may constitute a convenient alternative to Fluorine-18 and Carbon-11 for the preparation of positron-emitter-labelled radiotracers; however, its short half-life demands for the development of simple, fast, and efficient synthetic processes. Herein, we report the one-pot, enzymatic and non-carrier-added synthesis of the (13) N-labelled amino acids l-[(13) N]alanine, [(13) N]glycine, and l-[(13) N]serine by using l-alanine dehydrogenase from Bacillus subtilis, an enzyme that catalyses the reductive amination of α-keto acids by using nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) as the redox cofactor and ammonia as the amine source. The integration of both l-alanine dehydrogenase and formate dehydrogenase from Candida boidinii in the same reaction vessel to facilitate the in situ regeneration of NADH during the radiochemical synthesis of the amino acids allowed a 50-fold decrease in the concentration of the cofactor without compromising reaction yields. After optimization of the experimental conditions, radiochemical yields were sufficient to carry out in vivo imaging studies in small rodents. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Low Intensity Low Temperature (LILT) measurements and coefficients on new photovoltaic structures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schelman, David A.; Jenkins, Philip P.; Brinker, David J.; Appelbaum, Joseph

1995-01-01

Past NASA missions to Mars, Jupiter, and the outer planets were powered by radioisotope thermal generators (RTG's). Although these devices proved to be reliable, their high cost and highly toxic radioactive heat source has made them far less desirable for future planetary missions. This has resulted in a renewed search for alternate energy sources, some of them being photovoltaic (PV) and thermophotovoltaic (TPV). Both of these alternate energy sources convert light/thermal energy directly into electricity. In order to create a viable PV and TPV data base for planetary mission planners and cell designers, we have compiled low temperature low intensity (LILT) I-V data on single junction and multi-junction high efficiency solar cells. The cells tested here represent the latest photovoltaic technology. Using this LILT data to calculate dI(sub SC)/dT, dV(sub OC)/dT, dFF/dT, and also as a function of intensity, an accurate prediction of cell performance under the AMO spectrum can be determined. When combined with QUantum efficiency at Low Temperature (QULT) data, one can further enhance the data by adding spectral variations to the measurements. This paper presents an overview of LILT measurements and is only intended to be used as a guideline for material selection and performance predictions. As single junction and multi-junction cell technologies emerge, new test data must be collected. Cell materials included are Si, GaAs/Ge, GainP/GaAs/Ge, InP, InGaAs/InP, InP/InGaAs/InP, and GainP. Temperatures range as low as -175 C and intensities range from 1 sun to .02 suns.

Low Intensity Low Temperature (LILT) Measurements and Coefficients on New Photovoltaic Structures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Scheiman, David A.; Jenkins, Phillip P.; Brinker, David J.; Appelbaum, Joseph

1995-01-01

Past NASA missions to Mars, Jupiter and the outer planets were powered by radioisotope thermal generators (RTGs). Although these devices proved to be reliable, their high cost and highly toxic radioactive heat source has made them far less desirable for future planetary missions. This has resulted in a renewed search for alternate energy sources, some of them being photovoltaics (PV) and thermophotovoltaics (TPV). Both of these alternate energy sources convert light/thermal energy directly into electricity. In order to create a viable PV data base for planetary mission planners and cell designers, we have compiled low intensity low temperature (LILT) I-V data on single junction and multi-junction high efficiency solar cells. The cells tested here represent the latest photovoltaic technology. Using this LILT data to calculate Short Circuit Current (I(sub sc)), Open Circuit Voltage (V(sub os)), and Fill Factor (FF) as a function of temperature and intensity, an accurate prediction of cell performance under the AM0 spectrum can be determined. When combined with QUantum efficiency at Low Temperature (QULT) data, one can further enhance the data by adding spectral variations to the measurements. This paper presents an overview of LILT measurements and is only intended to be used as a guideline for material selection and performance predictions. As single junction and multi-junction cell technologies emerge, new test data must be collected. Cell materials included are Si, GaAs/Ge, GaInP/GaAs/GaAs, InP, InGaAs/InP, InP/InGaAs/InP, and GaInP. Temperatures range down to as low as -180 C and intensities range from 1 sun down to 0.02 suns. The coefficients presented in this paper represent experimental results and are intended to provide the user with approximate numbers.

Identification and production of local carotene-rich foods to combat vitamin A malnutrition.

PubMed

Solomons, N W; Bulux, J

1997-11-01

To address, with respect to improvement of human vitamin A status by dietary approaches, the three theoretical postulates that: 1) the most practical and economical manner to increase the amount of dietary vitamin A available to low-income persons in low-income nations is through plant sources of provitamin A carotenoids; 2) there will be constraints and limitation to the efficiency of a given intervention approach related to behavioural, cultural, biological and botanical considerations; and 3) the nature of these constraints and limitations must be understood, and then overcome where possible, to maximize the impact of such interventions on the vitamin A status of developing country populations. We review how local plant sources of provitamin A that would be acceptable for the at-risk populations and outline six settings and scenarios for the processing of carotene-rich foods: 1) cooking for hygiene; 2) long-term preservation; 3) compacting to reduce volume; 4) formulation for specific consumers; 5) improving bioavailability and bioconversion; and 6) to increase 'value added' in commerce. We describe our experiences in Guatemala (with sweet potato flakes), and those of others in the Caribbean, the African Sahel, and East Africa (with solar-drying for preservation of a variety of plants), and in Sri Lanka (with leaf concentrates) in promoting increased carotene-rich food intake, and the lessons learned from their evaluations. This overall approach to combatting endemic hypovitaminosis A in developing countries is evaluated within the constraints of: 1) the volumes of plant-based foods required to satisfy vitamin A requirements; and 2) the controversy over the true bioconversion efficiency of provitamin A from plant sources into the biologically-available active vitamin.

Digital Quantum Simulation of Minimal AdS /CFT

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

García-Álvarez, L.; Egusquiza, I. L.; Lamata, L.; del Campo, A.; Sonner, J.; Solano, E.

2017-07-01

We propose the digital quantum simulation of a minimal AdS /CFT model in controllable quantum platforms. We consider the Sachdev-Ye-Kitaev model describing interacting Majorana fermions with randomly distributed all-to-all couplings, encoding nonlocal fermionic operators onto qubits to efficiently implement their dynamics via digital techniques. Moreover, we also give a method for probing nonequilibrium dynamics and the scrambling of information. Finally, our approach serves as a protocol for reproducing a simplified low-dimensional model of quantum gravity in advanced quantum platforms as trapped ions and superconducting circuits.

Closed Timelike Curves in (2+1)-AdS Gravity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Valtancoli, P.

We build the (2+1)-AdS gravity generalization of the Gott time machine using a first-order formalism for solving the scattering of point sources. The two-body dynamics is solved by two invariant masses, whose difference is simply related to the total angular momentum of the system. We show how to build a time machine when at least one of the two invariant masses is no more real but acquires an imaginary part.

Sources of Added Sugars in Young Children, Adolescents, and Adults with Low and High Intakes of Added Sugars.

PubMed

Bailey, Regan L; Fulgoni, Victor L; Cowan, Alexandra E; Gaine, P Courtney

2018-01-17

High intake of added sugars is associated with excess energy intake and poorer diet quality. The objective of this cross-sectional study ( n = 16,806) was to estimate usual intakes and the primary food sources of added sugars across the range of intakes (i.e., deciles) among U.S. children (2-8 years), adolescents and teens (9-18 years), and adults (≥19 years) using the National Health and Nutrition Examination (NHANES) data from 2009-2012. The percent energy contributed by added sugars was 14.3 ± 0.2% (2-8 years), 16.2 ± 0.2% (9-18 years), and 13.1 ± 0.2% (≥19 years), suggesting the highest intakes are among adolescents and teens. However, the primary foods/beverages that contribute to added sugars were remarkably consistent across the range of intakes, with the exception of the lowest decile, and include sweetened beverages and sweet bakery products. Interestingly across all age groups, even those in the lowest decile of added sugars exceed the 10% guidelines. Additional foods contributing to high intakes were candy and other desserts (e.g., ice cream) in children and adolescents, and coffee and teas in adults. Tailoring public health messaging to reduce intakes of these identified food groups may be of utility in designing effective strategies to reduce added sugar intake in the U.S.

What drives uncertainty in model diagnoses of carbon dynamics in southern US forests: climate, vegetation, disturbance, or model parameters?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Y.; Gu, H.; Williams, C. A.

2017-12-01

Results from terrestrial carbon cycle models have multiple sources of uncertainty, each with its behavior and range. Their relative importance and how they combine has received little attention. This study investigates how various sources of uncertainty propagate, temporally and spatially, in CASA-Disturbance (CASA-D). CASA-D simulates the impact of climatic forcing and disturbance legacies on forest carbon dynamics with the following steps. Firstly, we infer annual growth and mortality rates from measured biomass stocks (FIA) over time and disturbance (e.g., fire, harvest, bark beetle) to represent annual post-disturbance carbon fluxes trajectories across forest types and site productivity settings. Then, annual carbon fluxes are estimated from these trajectories by using time since disturbance which is inferred from biomass (NBCD 2000) and disturbance maps (NAFD, MTBS and ADS). Finally, we apply monthly climatic scalars derived from default CASA to temporally distribute annual carbon fluxes to each month. This study assesses carbon flux uncertainty from two sources: driving data including climatic and forest biomass inputs, and three most sensitive parameters in CASA-D including maximum light use efficiency, temperature sensitivity of soil respiration (Q10) and optimum temperature identified by using EFAST (Extended Fourier Amplitude Sensitivity Testing). We quantify model uncertainties from each, and report their relative importance in estimating forest carbon sink/source in southeast United States from 2003 to 2010.

The carbon footprint of integrated milk production and renewable energy systems - A case study.

PubMed

Vida, Elisabetta; Tedesco, Doriana Eurosia Angela

2017-12-31

Dairy farms have been widely acknowledged as a source of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The need for a more environmentally friendly milk production system will likely be important going forward. Whereas methane (CH 4 ) enteric emissions can only be reduced to a limited extent, CH 4 manure emissions can be reduced by implementing mitigation strategies, such as the use of an anaerobic digestion (AD). Furthermore, implementing a photovoltaic (PV) electricity generation system could mitigate the fossil fuels used to cover the electrical needs of farms. In the present study to detect the main environmental hotspots of milk production, a Life Cycle Assessment was adopted to build the Life Cycle Inventory according to ISO 14040 and 14044 in a conventional dairy farm (1368 animals) provided by AD and PV systems. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change tiered approach was adopted to associate the level of emission with each item in the life cycle inventory. The functional unit refers to 1kg of fat-and-protein-corrected-milk (FPCM). In addition to milk products, other important co-products need to be considered: meat and renewable energy production from AD and PV systems. A physical allocation was applied to attribute GHG emissions among milk and meat products. Renewable energy production from AD and PV systems was considered, discounting carbon credits due to lower CH 4 manure emissions and to the minor exploitation of fossil energy. The CF of this farm scenario was 1.11kg CO 2 eq/kg FPCM. The inclusion of AD allowed for the reduction of GHG emissions from milk production by 0.26kg CO 2 eq/kg FPCM. The PV system contribution was negligible due to the small dimensions of the technology. The results obtained in this study confirm that integrating milk production with other co-products, originated from more efficient manure management, is a successful strategy to mitigate the environmental impact of dairy production. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Cognitive MMN and P300 in mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease: A high density EEG-3D vector field tomography approach.

PubMed

Papadaniil, Chrysa D; Kosmidou, Vasiliki E; Tsolaki, Anthoula; Tsolaki, Magda; Kompatsiaris, Ioannis Yiannis; Hadjileontiadis, Leontios J

2016-10-01

Precise preclinical detection of dementia for effective treatment and stage monitoring is of great importance. Miscellaneous types of biomarkers, e.g., biochemical, genetic, neuroimaging, and physiological, have been proposed to diagnose Alzheimer's disease (AD), the usual suspect behind manifested cognitive decline, and mild cognitive impairment (MCI), a neuropathology prior to AD that does not affect cognitive functions. Event related potential (ERP) methods constitute a non-invasive, inexpensive means of analysis and have been proposed as sensitive biomarkers of cognitive impairment; besides, various ERP components are strongly linked with working memory, attention, sensory processing and motor responses. In this study, an auditory oddball task is employed, to acquire high density electroencephalograhy recordings from healthy elderly controls, MCI and AD patients. The mismatch negativity (MMN) and P300 ERP components are then extracted and their relationship with neurodegeneration is examined. Then, the neural activation at these components is reconstructed using the 3D vector field tomography (3D-VFT) inverse solution. The results reveal a decline of both ERPs amplitude, and a statistically significant prolongation of their latency as cognitive impairment advances. For the MMN, higher brain activation is usually localized in the inferior frontal and superior temporal gyri in the controls. However, in AD, parietal sites exhibit strong activity. Stronger P300 generators are mostly found in the frontal lobe for the controls, but in AD they often shift to the temporal lobe. Reduction in inferior frontal source strength and the switch of the maximum intensity area to parietal and superior temporal sites suggest that these areas, especially the former, are of particular significance when neurodegenerative disorders are investigated. The modulation of MMN and P300 can serve to produce biomarkers of dementia and its progression, and brain imaging can further contribute to the diagnostic efficiency of ERPs. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Determinants of completion of advance directives: a cross-sectional comparison of 649 outpatients from private practices versus 2158 outpatients from a university clinic

PubMed Central

Pfirstinger, Jochen; Bleyer, Bernhard; Blum, Christian; Rechenmacher, Michael; Wiese, Christoph H; Gruber, Hans

2017-01-01

Objectives To compare outpatients from private practices and outpatients from a university clinic regarding the determinants of completion of advance directives (AD) in order to generalise results of studies from one setting to the other. Five determinants of completion of AD were studied: familiarity with AD, source of information about AD, prior experiences with own life-threatening diseases or family members in need of care and motives in favour and against completion of AD. Design Observational cross-sectional study. Setting Private practices and a university clinic in Germany in 2012. Participants 649 outpatients from private practices and 2158 outpatients from 10 departments of a university clinic. Outcome measures Completion of AD, familiarity with AD, sources of information about AD (consultation), prior experiences (with own life-threatening disease and family members in need of care), motives in favour of or against completion of AD, sociodemographic data. Results Determinants of completion of AD did not differ between outpatients from private practices versus university clinic outpatients. Prior experience with severe disease led to a significantly higher rate of completion of AD (33%/36% with vs 24%/24% without prior experience). Participants with completion of AD had more often received legal than medical consultation before completion, but participants without completion of AD are rather aiming for medical consultation. The motives in favour of or against completion of AD indicated inconsistent patterns. Conclusions Determinants of completion of AD are comparable in outpatients from private practices and outpatients from a university clinic. Generalisations from university clinic samples towards a broader context thus seem to be legitimate. Only one-third of patients with prior experience with own life-threatening diseases or family members in need of care had completed an AD as expression of their autonomous volition. The participants’ motives for or against completion of AD indicate that ADs are considered a kind of ‘negative autonomy’ as instruments to prevent particular forms of therapy. Interactive, repeated and situation-based AD discussions might reach a higher percentage of patients and concurrently enable personal volitions and thereby strengthen individual ‘positive autonomy’. PMID:29273648

Antifoaming effect of chemical compounds in manure biogas reactors.

PubMed

Kougias, P G; Tsapekos, P; Boe, K; Angelidaki, I

2013-10-15

A precise and efficient antifoaming control strategy in bioprocesses is a challenging task as foaming is a very complex phenomenon. Nevertheless, foam control is necessary, as foam is a major operational problem in biogas reactors. In the present study, the effect of 14 chemical compounds on foam reduction was evaluated at concentration of 0.05%, 0.1% and 0.5% v/v(sample), in raw and digested manure. Moreover, two antifoam injection methods were compared for foam reduction efficiency. Natural oils (rapeseed and sunflower oil), fatty acids (oleic, octanoic and derivative of natural fatty acids), siloxanes (polydimethylsiloxane) and ester (tributylphosphate) were found to be the most efficient compounds to suppress foam. The efficiency of antifoamers was dependant on their physicochemical properties and greatly correlated to their chemical characteristics for dissolving foam. The antifoamers were more efficient in reducing foam when added directly into the liquid phase rather than added in the headspace of the reactor. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A study on using fireclay as a biomass carrier in an activated sludge system.

PubMed

Tilaki, Ramazan Ali Dianati

2011-01-01

By adding a biomass carrier to an activated sludge system, the biomass concentration will increase, and subsequently the organic removal efficiency will be enhanced. In this study, the possibility of using excess sludge from ceramic and tile manufacturing plants as a biomass carrier was investigated. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of using fireclay as a biomass carrier on biomass concentration, organic removal and nitrification efficiency in an activated sludge system. Experiments were conducted by using a bench scale activated sludge system operating in batch and continuous modes. Artificial simulated wastewater was made by using recirculated water in a ceramic manufacturing plant. In the continuous mode, hydraulic detention time in the aeration reactor was 8 and 22 h. In the batch mode, aeration time was 8 and 16 h. Fireclay doses were 500, 1,400 and 2,250 mg l(-1), and were added to the reactors in each experiment separately. The reactor with added fireclay was called a Hybrid Biological Reactor (HBR). A reactor without added fireclay was used as a control. Efficiency parameters such as COD, MLVSS and nitrate were measured in the control and HBR reactors according to standard methods. The average concentration of biomass in the HBR reactor was greater than in the control reactor. The total biomass concentration in the HBR reactor (2.25 g l(-1) fireclay) in the continuous mode was 3,000 mg l(-1) and in the batch mode was 2,400 mg l(-1). The attached biomass concentration in the HBR reactor (2.25 g l(-1) fireclay) in the continuous mode was 1,500 mg l(-1) and in the batch mode was 980 mg l(-1). Efficiency for COD removal in the HBR and control reactor was 95 and 55%, respectively. In the HBR reactor, nitrification was enhanced, and the concentration of nitrate was increased by 80%. By increasing the fireclay dose, total and attached biomass was increased. By adding fireclay as a biomass carrier, the efficiency of an activated sludge system to treat wastewater from ceramic manufacturing plants was increased.

Does ascorbic acid supplementation affect iron bioavailability in rats fed micronized dispersible ferric pyrophosphate fortified fruit juice?

PubMed

Haro-Vicente, Juan Francisco; Pérez-Conesa, Darío; Rincón, Francisco; Ros, Gaspar; Martínez-Graciá, Carmen; Vidal, Maria Luisa

2008-12-01

Food iron (Fe) fortification is an adequate approach for preventing Fe-deficiency anemia. Poorly water-soluble Fe compounds have good sensory attributes but low bioavailability. The reduction of the particle size of Fe fortificants and the addition of ascorbic acid might increase the bioavailability of low-soluble compounds. The present work aims to compare the Fe absorption and bioavailability of micronized dispersible ferric pyrophosphate (MDFP) (poorly soluble) to ferrous sufate (FS) (highly soluble) added to a fruit juice in presence or absence of ascorbic acid (AA) by using the hemoglobin repletion assay in rats. After a hemoglobin depletion period, four fruit juices comprised of (1) FS, (2) MDFP, (3) FS + AA, (4) MDFP + AA were produced and administered to a different group of rats (n = 18) over 21 days. During the repletion period, Fe balance, hemoglobin regeneration efficiency (HRE), relative bioavailability (RBV) and Fe tissue content were determined in the short, medium and long term. Fe absorption and bioavailability showed no significant differences between fortifying the fruit juice with FS or MDFP. The addition of AA to the juice enhanced Fe absorption during the long-term balance study within the same Fe source. HRE and Fe utilization increased after AA addition in both FS and MDFP groups in every period. Fe absorption and bioavailability from MDFP were comparable to FS added to a fruit juice in rats. Further, the addition of AA enhanced Fe absorption in the long term, as well as Fe bioavailability throughout the repletion period regardless of the Fe source employed.

Isotope separation by selective charge conversion and field deflection

DOEpatents

Hickman, Robert G.

1978-01-01

A deuterium-tritium separation system wherein a source beam comprised of positively ionized deuterium (D.sup.+) and tritium (T.sup.+) is converted at different charge-exchange cell sections of the system to negatively ionized deuterium (D.sup.-) and tritium (T.sup.-). First, energy is added to the beam to accelerate the D.sup.+ ions to the velocity that is optimum for conversion of the D.sup.+ ions to D.sup.- ions in a charge-exchange cell. The T.sup.+ ions are accelerated at the same time, but not to the optimum velocity since they are heavier than the D.sup.+ ions. The T.sup.+ ions are, therefore, not converted to T.sup.- ions when the D.sup.+ ions are converted to D.sup.- ions. This enables effective separation of the beam by deflection of the isotopes with an electrostatic field, the D.sup.- ions being deflected in one direction and the T.sup.+ ions being deflected in the opposite direction. Next, more energy is added to the deflected beam of T.sup.+ ions to bring the T.sup.+ ions to the optimum velocity for their conversion to T.sup.- ions. In a particular use of the invention, the beams of D.sup.- and T.sup.- ions are separately further accelerated and then converted to energetic neutral particles for injection as fuel into a thermonuclear reactor. The reactor exhaust of D.sup.+ and T.sup.+ and the D.sup.+ and T.sup.+ that was not converted in the respective sections is combined with the source beam and recycled through the system to increase the efficiency of the system.

Oil from transgenic Camelina sativa containing over 25 % n-3 long-chain PUFA as the major lipid source in feed for Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar).

PubMed

Betancor, Mónica B; Li, Keshuai; Bucerzan, Valentin S; Sprague, Matthew; Sayanova, Olga; Usher, Sarah; Han, Lihua; Norambuena, Fernando; Torrissen, Ole; Napier, Johnathan A; Tocher, Douglas R; Olsen, Rolf E

2018-06-01

Facing a bottleneck in the growth of aquaculture, and a gap in the supply and demand of the highly beneficial n-3 long-chain PUFA (LC-PUFA), sustainable alternatives to traditional marine-based feeds are required. Therefore, in the present trial, a novel oil obtained from a genetically engineered oilseed crop, Camelina sativa, that supplied over 25 % n-3 LC-PUFA was tested as a sole dietary-added lipid source in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) feed. Three groups of fish were fed three experimental diets for 12 weeks with the same basal composition and containing 20 % added oil supplied by either a blend of fish oil and rapeseed oil (1:3) (COM) reflecting current commercial formulations, wild-type Camelina oil (WCO) or the novel transgenic Camelina oil (TCO). There were no negative effects on the growth, survival rate or health of the fish. The whole fish and flesh n-3 LC-PUFA levels were highest in fish fed TCO, with levels more than 2-fold higher compared with those of fish fed the COM and WCO diets, respectively. Diet TCO had no negative impacts on the evaluated immune and physiological parameters of head kidney monocytes. The transcriptomic responses of liver and mid-intestine showed only mild effects on metabolism genes. Overall, the results clearly indicated that the oil from transgenic Camelina was highly efficient in supplying n-3 LC-PUFA providing levels double that obtained with a current commercial standard, and similar to those a decade ago before substantial dietary fishmeal and oil replacement.

A wheat embryo cell-free protein synthesis system not requiring an exogenous supply of GTP.

PubMed

Koga, Hirohisa; Misawa, Satoru; Shibui, Tatsuro

2009-01-01

Most in vitro protein synthesis systems require a supply of GTP for the formation of translation initiation complexes, with two GTP molecules per amino acid needed as an energy source for a peptide elongation reaction. In order to optimize protein synthesis reactions in a continuous-flow wheat embryo cell-free system, we have examined the influence of adding GTP and found that the system does not require any supply of GTP. We report here the preparation of a wheat embryo extract from which endogenous GTP was removed by gel filtration, and the influence of adding GTP to the system on protein synthesis reactions. Using Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP) as a reporter, higher levels of production were observed at lower concentrations of GTP, with the optimal level of production obtained with no supply of GTP. A HPLC-based analysis of the extract and the translation mixture containing only ATP as an energy source revealed that GTP was not detectable in the extract, however, 35 microM of GTP was found in the translation mixture. This result suggests that GTP could be generated from other compounds, such as GDP and GMP, using ATP. A similar experiment with a C-terminally truncated form of human protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (hPTP1B(1-320)) gave almost the same result. The wheat embryo cell-free translation system worked most efficiently without exogenous GTP, producing 3.5 mg/mL of translation mixture over a 48-h period at 26 degrees C. 2009 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol.

75 FR 33608 - Privacy Act of 1974; System of Records

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-06-14

...In accordance with the Privacy Act of 1974, as amended (Privacy Act), the Department of Education (Department) publishes this notice proposing to revise the system of records notice for the Investigative Files of the Inspector General (18-10-01), 68 FR 38154 (June 26, 2003). The Department proposes to amend this system of records notice by: (1) Adding a new routine use to allow reporting on the activities of the Inspector General regarding American Recovery and Reinvestment Act funds to the Recovery Accountability and Transparency Board (RATB) as established by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Pub. L. 111-5); (2) adding a new routine use to allow for disclosure of information in connection with response and remedial efforts in the event of a data breach in accordance with Office of Management and Budget (OMB) requirements in M-07-16 (May 22, 2007); (3) revising routine uses ``(12) Disclosure to the President's Council on Integrity and Efficiency'' and ``(13) Disclosure for Qualitative Assessment Reviews'' to allow reporting on the activities of the Inspector General to the Council of Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency (formerly the President's Council on Integrity and Efficiency) as established by the Inspector General Reform Act of 2008 (Pub. L. 110-409); (4) revising the routine use ``(4) Disclosure to Public and Private Sources in Connection with the Higher Education Act of 1965, as Amended (HEA)'' to allow the disclosure of information to an educational institution or a school that is or was a party to an agreement with the Secretary of Education pursuant to the HEA; and (5) updating the system location addresses. This system of records provides essential support for investigative activities of the Office of Inspector General (OIG) relating to the Department's programs and operations, enabling the OIG to secure and maintain the necessary information and to coordinate with other law enforcement agencies as appropriate.

TU-EF-204-08: Dose Efficiency of Added Beam-Shaping Filter with Varied Attenuation Levels in Lung-Cancer Screening CT

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

Ma, C; Yu, L; Vrieze, T

Purpose: Added filtration such as tin filter has the potential to improve dose efficiency of x-ray beam in lung-cancer screening CT. However, dose efficiency with added beam filtration is highly dependent on patient attenuation level. In this phantom study, we evaluated the image quality at different tube voltages with and without added tin filter when attenuation level varies. Methods: A 30 x 20 cm anthropomorphic thorax phantom with three added extension rings were used to simulate small (S), medium (M), large (L), and extra-large (XL) adult patients. These phantoms were scanned on a 192-slice CT scanner (Force, Siemens) at 100more » and 120kV without tin filtration, and 100 and 150 kV with tin filtration (100Sn and 150Sn), at multiple dose levels at each kV. Images were reconstructed using iterative reconstruction (ADMIRE, Siemens). Radiation dose was measured with a 0.6 cc ion chamber in the middle and peripheral areas of the phantom. Image quality was assessed using mean image noise at uniform areas in the central region and lung. Radiation dose that is required for each kV to match the noise in a routine lung-cancer CT screening technique (120kV, 25 quality reference mAs) was calculated. Results: At each of the four phantom sizes, 100Sn had the lowest noise in both soft tissue and lung. Compared with 120 kV, 100Sn saved 39%–60% dose for the same noise, depending on phantom size. For the XL phantom (50 by 40 cm), 150Sn provided images with the least beam-hardening artifact in peripheral region. Conclusion: For thoracic CT, added tin filtration can provide considerable dose reduction compared with 120 kV. 100Sn provides better dose efficiencies for all phantom sizes, while 150Sn provides better image quality in peripheral region for extra-large patients. Drs.Joel G. Fletcher and Cynthia H. McCollough receive research support from Siemens Healthcare.« less

Cognitive Styles, Demographic Attributes, Task Performance and Affective Experiences: An Empirical Investigation into Astrophysics Data System (ADS) Core Users

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tong, Rong

As a primary digital library portal for astrophysics researchers, SAO/NASA ADS (Astrophysics Data System) 2.0 interface features several visualization tools such as Author Network and Metrics. This research study involves 20 ADS long term users who participated in a usability and eye tracking research session. Participants first completed a cognitive test, and then performed five tasks in ADS 2.0 where they explored its multiple visualization tools. Results show that over half of the participants were Imagers and half of the participants were Analytic. Cognitive styles were found to have significant impacts on several efficiency-based measures. Analytic-oriented participants were observed to spent shorter time on web pages and apps, made fewer web page changes than less-Analytic-driving participants in performing common tasks, whereas AI (Analytic-Imagery) participants also completed their five tasks faster than non-AI participants. Meanwhile, self-identified Imagery participants were found to be more efficient in their task completion through multiple measures including total time on task, number of mouse clicks, and number of query revisions made. Imagery scores were negatively associated with frequency of confusion and the observed counts of being surprised. Compared to those who did not claimed to be a visual person, self-identified Imagery participants were observed to have significantly less frequency in frustration and hesitation during their task performance. Both demographic variables and past user experiences were found to correlate with task performance; query revision also correlated with multiple time-based measurements. Considered as an indicator of efficiency, query revisions were found to correlate negatively with the rate of complete with ease, and positively with several time-based efficiency measures, rate of complete with some difficulty, and the frequency of frustration. These results provide rich insights into the cognitive styles of ADS' core users, the impact of such styles and demographic attributes on their task performance their affective and cognitive experiences, and their interaction behaviors while using the visualization component of ADS 2.0, and would subsequently contribute to the design of bibliographic retrieval systems for scientists.

Rediscovering Acetate Metabolism: Its Potential Sources and Utilization for Biobased Transformation into Value-Added Chemicals.

PubMed

Lim, Hyun Gyu; Lee, Ji Hoon; Noh, Myung Hyun; Jung, Gyoo Yeol

2018-04-25

One of the great advantages of microbial fermentation is the capacity to convert various carbon compounds into value-added chemicals. In this regard, there have been many efforts to engineer microorganisms to facilitate utilization of abundant carbon sources. Recently, the potential of acetate as a feedstock has been discovered; efforts have been made to produce various biochemicals from acetate based on understanding of its metabolism. In this review, we discuss the potential sources of acetate and summarized the recent progress to improve acetate utilization with microorganisms. Furthermore, we also describe representative studies that engineered microorganisms for the production of biochemicals from acetate.

Constraints on Smoke Injection Height, Source Strength, and Transports from MISR and MODIS

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kahn, Ralph A.; Petrenko, Mariya; Val Martin, Maria; Chin, Mian

2014-01-01

The AeroCom BB (Biomass Burning) Experiment AOD (Aerosol Optical Depth) motivation: We have a substantial set of satellite wildfire plume AOD snapshots and injection heights to help calibrate model/inventory performance; We are 1) adding more fire source-strength cases 2) using MISR to improve the AOD constrains and 3) adding 2008 global injection heights; We selected GFED3-daily due to good overall source strength performance, but any inventory can be tested; Joint effort to test multiple, global models, to draw robust BB injection height and emission strength conclusions. We provide satellite-based injection height and smoke plume AOD climatologies.

An improved scheme on decoy-state method for measurement-device-independent quantum key distribution.

PubMed

Wang, Dong; Li, Mo; Guo, Guang-Can; Wang, Qin

2015-10-14

Quantum key distribution involving decoy-states is a significant application of quantum information. By using three-intensity decoy-states of single-photon-added coherent sources, we propose a practically realizable scheme on quantum key distribution which approaches very closely the ideal asymptotic case of an infinite number of decoy-states. We make a comparative study between this scheme and two other existing ones, i.e., two-intensity decoy-states with single-photon-added coherent sources, and three-intensity decoy-states with weak coherent sources. Through numerical analysis, we demonstrate the advantages of our scheme in secure transmission distance and the final key generation rate.

Energy-efficient regenerative liquid desiccant drying process

DOEpatents

Ko, Suk M.; Grodzka, Philomena G.; McCormick, Paul O.

1980-01-01

This invention relates to the use of desiccants in conjunction with an open oop drying cycle and a closed loop drying cycle to reclaim the energy expended in vaporizing moisture in harvested crops. In the closed loop cycle, the drying air is brought into contact with a desiccant after it exits the crop drying bin. Water vapor in the moist air is absorbed by the desiccant, thus reducing the relative humidity of the air. The air is then heated by the used desiccant and returned to the crop bin. During the open loop drying cycle the used desiccant is heated (either fossil or solar energy heat sources may be used) and regenerated at high temperature, driving water vapor from the desiccant. This water vapor is condensed and used to preheat the dilute (wet) desiccant before heat is added from the external source (fossil or solar). The latent heat of vaporization of the moisture removed from the desiccant is reclaimed in this manner. The sensible heat of the regenerated desiccant is utilized in the open loop drying cycle. Also, closed cycle operation implies that no net energy is expended in heating drying air.

A discontinuous Galerkin approach for conservative modeling of fully nonlinear and weakly dispersive wave transformations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sharifian, Mohammad Kazem; Kesserwani, Georges; Hassanzadeh, Yousef

2018-05-01

This work extends a robust second-order Runge-Kutta Discontinuous Galerkin (RKDG2) method to solve the fully nonlinear and weakly dispersive flows, within a scope to simultaneously address accuracy, conservativeness, cost-efficiency and practical needs. The mathematical model governing such flows is based on a variant form of the Green-Naghdi (GN) equations decomposed as a hyperbolic shallow water system with an elliptic source term. Practical features of relevance (i.e. conservative modeling over irregular terrain with wetting and drying and local slope limiting) have been restored from an RKDG2 solver to the Nonlinear Shallow Water (NSW) equations, alongside new considerations to integrate elliptic source terms (i.e. via a fourth-order local discretization of the topography) and to enable local capturing of breaking waves (i.e. via adding a detector for switching off the dispersive terms). Numerical results are presented, demonstrating the overall capability of the proposed approach in achieving realistic prediction of nearshore wave processes involving both nonlinearity and dispersion effects within a single model.

Experimental Verification of Bayesian Planet Detection Algorithms with a Shaped Pupil Coronagraph

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Savransky, D.; Groff, T. D.; Kasdin, N. J.

2010-10-01

We evaluate the feasibility of applying Bayesian detection techniques to discovering exoplanets using high contrast laboratory data with simulated planetary signals. Background images are generated at the Princeton High Contrast Imaging Lab (HCIL), with a coronagraphic system utilizing a shaped pupil and two deformable mirrors (DMs) in series. Estimates of the electric field at the science camera are used to correct for quasi-static speckle and produce symmetric high contrast dark regions in the image plane. Planetary signals are added in software, or via a physical star-planet simulator which adds a second off-axis point source before the coronagraph with a beam recombiner, calibrated to a fixed contrast level relative to the source. We produce a variety of images, with varying integration times and simulated planetary brightness. We then apply automated detection algorithms such as matched filtering to attempt to extract the planetary signals. This allows us to evaluate the efficiency of these techniques in detecting planets in a high noise regime and eliminating false positives, as well as to test existing algorithms for calculating the required integration times for these techniques to be applicable.

Highly photostable NV centre ensembles in CVD diamond produced by using N2O as the doping gas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tallaire, A.; Mayer, L.; Brinza, O.; Pinault-Thaury, M. A.; Debuisschert, T.; Achard, J.

2017-10-01

High density Nitrogen-Vacancy (NV) centre ensembles incorporated in plasma assisted chemical vapour deposition (CVD) diamond are crucial to the development of more efficient sensing devices that use the properties of luminescent defects. Achieving high NV doping with N2 as the dopant gas source during diamond growth is, however, plagued by the formation of macroscopic and point defects that quench luminescence. Moreover, such NVs are found to exhibit poor photostability under high laser powers. Although this effect can be harnessed to locally and durably switch off NV luminescence for data storage, it is usually undesirable for most applications. In this work, the use of N2O as an alternative doping source is proposed. Much higher amounts of the doping gas can be added without significantly generating defects, which allows the incorporation of perfectly photostable and higher density NV ensembles. This effect is believed to be related to the lower dissociation energy of the N2O molecule together with the beneficial effect of the presence of a low and controlled amount of oxygen near the growing surface.

A simple strategy for synthesizing highly luminescent carbon nanodots and application as effective down-shifting layers.

PubMed

Han, Xugen; Zhong, Sihua; Pan, Wei; Shen, Wenzhong

2015-02-13

We propose a novel strategy to prepare highly luminescent carbon nanodots (C-dots) by employing a hydrothermal method with citric acid as the carbon source and ethylenediamine as the nitrogen source, together with adding moderate ammonia water (AW) to achieve both appropriate inner structure and excellent N passivation. The effect of pH value and AW amount on the luminescence properties has been thoroughly investigated. The photoluminescence quantum yield of the resultant C-dots reaches as high as 84.8%, which is of 10.56% higher than that of the C-dots synthesized in the absence of AW in the reaction precursors. We have further combined the highest luminescent C-dots with polyvinyl alcohol to form luminescent down-shifting layers on silicon nanowire solar cells. An effective enhancement of short-circuit current density has been realized and the contribution of the down-shifting has been extracted quantitatively from the deterioration of surface reflectance and the gain of the optical absorption redistribution by means of a theoretical model on external quantum efficiency analysis.

78 FR 41333 - Energy Efficiency Program for Commercial and Industrial Equipment: Public Meeting and...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-07-10

.... EERE-2013-BT-STD-0022] RIN 1904-AD00 Energy Efficiency Program for Commercial and Industrial Equipment... the Framework Document pertaining to the development of energy conservation standards for refrigerated...

Iron in the Ross Sea: 2. Impact of discrete iron addition strategies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arrigo, Kevin R.; Tagliabue, Alessandro

2005-03-01

Presented are results of a regional-scale numerical investigation into the effectiveness of Fe fertilization as a means to increase the efficiency of the biological pump in Fe-limited waters of the Ross Sea, Antarctica. This investigation was conducted using a modified version of the Coupled Ice And Ocean (CIAO) ecosystem model of the Ross Sea sector of the Southern Ocean. Four sets of experiments were performed, investigating the impacts of differences in (1) timing of fertilization, (2) duration of fertilization, (3) amount of Fe added, and (4) size of the fertilized patch. Results show that the stimulation of air-sea CO2 exchange (FCO2) depends primarily on the timing of fertilization, regardless of the amount of Fe added. When Fe was added at the optimal time of year, FCO2 from the atmosphere into the Ross Sea was increased by 3-22%, depending on fertilization strategy. Increasing patch size produced the largest response, and increasing initial Fe concentration produced the smallest. In all cases, as the intensity of Fe fertilization increased, the fertilization efficiency (increase in CO2 uptake per unit added Fe) dropped. Strategies that maximized the fertilization efficiency resulted in relatively little additional CO2 being drawn out of the atmosphere. To markedly increase oceanic uptake of atmospheric CO2 would require the addition of large amounts of Fe due to the low fertilization efficiencies associated with maximum air-sea CO2 exchange. Our results also show that differences in the fertilization strategy should be kept in mind when comparing the results of different Fe fertilization experiments.

Stroop effects in Alzheimer's disease: selective attention speed of processing, or color-naming? A meta-analysis.

PubMed

Ben-David, Boaz M; Tewari, Anita; Shakuf, Vered; Van Lieshout, Pascal H H M

2014-01-01

Selective attention, an essential part of daily activity, is often impaired in people with Alzheimer's disease (AD). Usually, it is measured by the color-word Stroop test. However, there is no universal agreement whether performance on the Stroop task changes significantly in AD patients; or if so, whether an increase in Stroop effects reflects a decrease in selective attention, a slowing in generalized speed of processing (SOP), or is the result of degraded color-vision. The current study investigated the impact of AD on Stroop performance and its potential sources in a meta-analysis and mathematical modeling of 18 studies, comparing 637 AD patients with 977 healthy age-matched participants. We found a significant increase in Stroop effects for AD patients, across studies. This AD-related change was associated with a slowing in SOP. However, after correcting for a bias in the distribution of latencies, SOP could only explain a moderate portion of the total variance (25%). Moreover, we found strong evidence for an AD-related increase in the latency difference between naming the font-color and reading color-neutral stimuli (r2 = 0.98). This increase in the dimensional imbalance between color-naming and word-reading was found to explain a significant portion of the AD-related increase in Stroop effects (r2 = 0.87), hinting on a possible sensory source. In conclusion, our analysis highlights the importance of controlling for sensory degradation and SOP when testing cognitive performance and, specifically, selective attention in AD patients. We also suggest possible measures and tools to better test for selective attention in AD.

Adequacy of the dietary intake of total and added sugars in the Spanish diet to the recommendations: ANIBES study

PubMed

Ruiz, Enma; Varela-Moreiras, Gregorio

2017-10-15

The WHO published in 2015 its recommendations for added sugars intake: < 10% of the total energy (TE) intake in both adults and children. No updated information is available in Spain. To examine total sugar intake, mainly focused on added, and food and beverage sources. To analize fulfillment with WHO recommendations. The ANIBES Study of a representative sample of the Spanish population (9-75 yr) was used. Food and beverage records were obtained by a three-day dietary record by using a tablet device. The median total sugar intake was 17% Total TE: 7.3% for added, and 9.6% for the intrinsic sugar intake. Differences were observed for added sugar which was much higher in children and adolescents. For the intrinsic sugar, however, a higher contribution to TE was observed in the elderly. A 58.2% of children fullfill WHO recommndations (< 10% TE), lower for the adolescents (52.6%),and higher for adults (76.7%) and the elderly (89,8%). The mayor sources of total sugar were milk and dairy products (23.2%), non-alcoholic beverages (18.6%), fruits (16.8%) and sugars and sweets (15.1%) and grains (12.0%). The major sources of intrinsic sugars were fruits (31.8%), milks (19.6%), juices and nectars (11.1%), vegetables (9.89%), yogurt and fermented milk (7.18%), low-alcohol-content beverages (4.94%), bread (2.91%), and sugar soft drinks (2.24%). As for free sugars, sources were sugars and sweets (34.1%), non-alcoholic beverages (30.8%, mainly as sugar soft drinks, 25.5%) and grains (19.1%, principally as bakery and pastry, 15.2%). The present study demonstrates that only a moderate percentage of the Spanish population adhered to the present recommendations for total and added sugar intake, and urgent efforts are needed to improve diet quality in the youngest populations.

Ginning efficiency in upland cotton - a value-added trait in cotton improvement

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

In the past few years, there has been some consorted effort between cotton geneticists and ginning engineers to understand "ginning efficiency" in upland cotton. Ginning efficiency includes ginning rate (measured in gm lint sec -1) and net gin stand energy (measured in Wh kg -1 lint). Improved ginn...

Trends in intakes and sources of solid fats and added sugars among US children and adolescents: 1994-2010

PubMed Central

Slining, Meghan M.; Popkin, Barry M.

2013-01-01

Objective There are increasing global concerns about improving the dietary intakes of children and adolescents. In the United States (U.S.) the focus is on reducing energy from foods and beverages that provide empty calories from solid fats and added sugars (SoFAS). We examine trends in intakes and sources of solid fat and added sugars among U.S. 2- to 18- year olds from 1994-2010. Methods Data from five nationally representative surveys, the Continuing Survey of Food Intakes by Individuals Surveys (1994-1996) and the What We Eat In America, National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (2003-2004, 2005-2006, 2007-2008 and 2009-2010) were used to examine key food sources and energy from solid fats and added sugars. Sample sizes ranged from 2,594 to 8,259 per survey period, for a total of 17,268 observations across the five surveys. Food files were linked over time to create comparable food groups and nutrient values. Differences were examined by age, race/ethnicity and family income. Results Daily intake of energy from SoFAS among U.S. 2-18 year olds decreased from 1994-2010, with declines primarily detected in the recent time periods. Solid fats accounted for a greater proportion of total energy intake than did added sugars. Conclusions Although the consumption of solid fats and added sugars among children and adolescents in the United States decreased between 1994–1998 and 2009–2010, mean intakes continue to exceed recommended limits. PMID:23554397

Trends in intakes and sources of solid fats and added sugars among U.S. children and adolescents: 1994-2010.

PubMed

Slining, M M; Popkin, B M

2013-08-01

There are increasing global concerns about improving the dietary intakes of children and adolescents. In the United States (U.S.), the focus is on reducing energy from foods and beverages that provide empty calories from solid fats and added sugars (SoFAS). We examine trends in intakes and sources of solid fat and added sugars among U.S. 2-18 year olds from 1994 to 2010. Data from five nationally representative surveys, the Continuing Survey of Food Intakes by Individuals Surveys (1994-1996) and the What We Eat In America, National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (2003-2004, 2005-2006, 2007-2008 and 2009-2010) were used to examine key food sources and energy from solid fats and added sugars. Sample sizes ranged from 2594 to 8259 per survey period, for a total of 17 268 observations across the five surveys. Food files were linked over time to create comparable food groups and nutrient values. Differences were examined by age, race/ethnicity and family income. Daily intake of energy from SoFAS among U.S. 2-18 year olds decreased from 1994 to 2010, with declines primarily detected in the recent time periods. Solid fats accounted for a greater proportion of total energy intake than did added sugars. Although the consumption of solid fats and added sugars among children and adolescents in the U.S. decreased between 1994-1998 and 2009-2010, mean intakes continue to exceed recommended limits. © 2013 The Authors. Pediatric Obesity © 2013 International Association for the Study of Obesity.

Light Sources and Ballast Circuits

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yorifuji, Takashi; Sakai, Makoto; Yasuda, Takeo; Maehara, Akiyoshi; Okada, Atsunori; Gouriki, Takeshi; Mannami, Tomoaki

According to the machinery statistics by Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), the total of domestic light bulb production in 2006 was 1,101 million (88.5% year-on-year). Production for general purpose illumination light bulbs and halogen light bulbs accounted for 122 million (99.2% y/y) and 45 million (96.3% y/y), respectively. The total of fluorescent lamp production was 988 million (114.9%) and the production of general purpose fluorescent lamps excluding backlights accounted for 367 million (101.7% y/y). Further, HID lamp production was 10 million (106.3% y/y). What is noteworthy regarding such lamp production is that, similar to the previous year, the sales volume (amount) of lamps for general illumination exceeded 100% against the previous year, indicating a steady shift to high value added products. Major lighting exhibitions in 2006 included the Light + Building Trade Fair held in Frankfurt in April and the Light Fair International 2006 held in Las Vegas, U.S.A. in May, both of which demonstrated signs of acceleration toward energy saving, high efficiency and resource saving. As for incandescent lamps, products filled with larger atomic weight gases aiming at higher efficiency/longer life are becoming the mainstream. As for new technologies, it was experimentally demonstrated that infrared radiation can be suppressed by processing micro cavities to metal plates made of tungsten, tantalum, etc. For fluorescent lamps, straight and circular fluorescent lamps achieving a longer life/higher luminous flux maintenance factor continued to be widely developed/launched again this year. For compact fluorescent lamps, energy saving/high efficiency products, multifunctional type products combined with LED and new shaped products were launched. As to HID lamps, ceramic metal halide lamps with high efficiency, improved color rendering, longer life and higher luminous flux maintenance factor were commercialized one after another. Numerous studies and analyses, on discharge models were reported. Further, studies on ultra high-pressure mercury lamps as light sources for projectors are becoming the mainstream of HID lamp related researches. For high-pressure sodium lamps, many studies on plant growing and pest control utilizing low insect attracting aspects were also reported in 2006. Additionally, for discharge lamps, the minimum sustaining electric power for arc tubes employed in electrode-less compact fluorescent lamps was investigated. For Hg-free rare-gas fluorescent lamps, a luminance of 10,000cd/m2 was attained by a 1 meter-long external duplex spiral electrode prototype using Xe/Ne barrier discharge. As to startup circuits, the commercialization of energy saving and high value added products mainly associated with fluorescent lamps and HID lamps are becoming common. Further, the miniaturization of startup circuits for self electronic-ballasted lamps has advanced. Speaking of the overall light sources and startup circuits in 2006 and with the enforcement of RoHS in Europe in July, the momentum toward hazardous substance-free and energy saving initiatives has been enhanced from the perspective of protecting the global environment. It is anticipated that similar restrictions will be globally enforced in the future.

Nutritional value of raw soybeans, extruded soybeans, roasted soybeans and tallow as fat sources in early lactating dairy cows.

PubMed

Amanlou, H; Maheri-Sis, N; Bassiri, S; Mirza-Aghazadeh, A; Salamatdust, R; Moosavi, A; Karimi, V

2012-01-01

Thirty multiparous Holstein cows (29.8 ± 4.01days in milk; 671.6 ± 31.47 kg of body weight) were used in a completely randomized design to compare nutritional value of four fat sources including tallow, raw soybeans, extruded soybeans and roasted soybeans for 8 weeks. Experimental diets were a control containing 27.4 % alfalfa silage, 22.5% corn silage, and 50.1% concentrate, and four diets with either tallow, raw soybean, extruded soybean, or roasted soybean added to provide 1.93% supplemental fat. Dry matter and NEL intakes were similar among treatments, while cows fed fat diets had significantly (P<0.05) high NEL intakes when compared to control with no fat. Supplemental fat, whether tallow or full fat soybeans increased milk production (1.89-2.45 kg/d; P<0.01) and FCM production (1.05-2.79; P<0.01). Milk fat yield and percentage of cows fed fat-supplemented diets were significantly (P<0.01 and P<0.05 respectively) higher than control. Between fat-supplemented diets, roasted soybean caused highest milk fat yield and extruded soybean caused lowest milk fat yield. There was no significant effect of supplemental fat on the milk protein and lactose content and yield. Feed efficiency of fat-supplemented diets was significantly (P<0.01) higher than control. Body weight, body weight change and BCS (body condition score) of cows, as well as energy balance and energy efficiency were similar between treatments. In conclusion, while there was no significant effect of fat sources on production response of cows, fat originating from heat-treated soybean help to minimize imported RUP (rumen undegradable protein) sources level as fish meal in comparison with tallow and raw soybean oil. In the Current study, there was no statistical significance among nutritional values of oil from extruded soybeans and roasted soybeans.

An effective method for adenoviral-mediated delivery of small interfering RNA into mesenchymal stem cells.

PubMed

Forte, Amalia; Napolitano, Marco A; Cipollaro, Marilena; Giordano, Antonio; Cascino, Antonino; Galderisi, Umberto

2007-02-01

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) promise as a main actor of cell-based therapeutic strategies, due to their intrinsic ability to differentiate along different mesenchymal cell lineages, able to repair the diseased or injured tissue in which they are localized. The application of MSCs in therapies requires an in depth knowledge of their biology and of the molecular mechanisms leading to MSC multilineage differentiation. The knockdown of target genes through small interfering RNA (siRNA) carried by adenoviruses (Ad) represents a valid tool for the study of the role of specific molecules in cell biology. Unfortunately, MSCs are poorly transfected by conventional Ad serotype 5 (Ad5) vectors. We set up a method to obtain a very efficient transduction of rat MSCs with low doses of unmodified Ad5, carrying the siRNA targeted against the mRNA coding for Rb2/p130 (Ad-siRNA-Rb2), which plays a fundamental role in cell differentiation. This method allowed a 95% transduction rate of Ad-siRNA in MSC, along with a siRNA-mediated 85% decrease of Rb2/p130 mRNA and a 70% decrease of Rb2/p130 protein 48 h after transduction with 50 multiplicities of infection (MOIs) of Ad5. The effect on Rb2/p130 protein persisted 15 days after transduction. Finally, Ad-siRNA did not compromise the viability of transduced MSCs neither induced any cell cycle modification. The effective Ad-siRNA-Rb2 we constructed, together with the efficient method of delivery in MSCs we set up, will allow an in depth analysis of the role of Rb2/p130 in MSC biology and multilineage differentiation.

Mechanistic Analysis of Human Skin Distribution and Follicular Targeting of Adapalene-Loaded Biodegradable Nanospheres With an Insight Into Hydrogel Matrix Influence, In Vitro Skin Irritation, and In Vivo Tolerability.

PubMed

Sallam, Marwa Ahmed; Marín Boscá, María Teresa

2017-10-01

This work aimed at the development of a biocompatible, non-oily nanomedicine for follicular delivery of adapalene (AD) ameliorating its irritation potential for convenient localized topical treatment of acne vulgaris. AD was efficiently incorporated into poly-ε-caprolactone nanospheres (NS) with an encapsulation efficiency of 84.73% ± 1.52%, a particle size of 107.5 ± 8.19 nm, and zeta potential of -13.1 mV demonstrating a sustained-release behavior. The AD-NS were embedded in either hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) or hyaluronate (HA) gel. The ex vivo human skin dermatokinetics of AD from each system was studied. The nanoparticles dispersion showed significantly higher AD retention in the epidermis and dermis than AD suspension. NS-HPMC decreased whereas NS-HA increased AD retained in all the skin layers. The fate of the NS and the role of the hydrogel in modulating skin distribution was evaluated by confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) imaging of fluorescently labeled NS. CLSM illustrated follicular localization of the florescent NS. HPMC gel restricted the presence of NS to the stratum corneum and epidermis. HA gel enhanced the penetration of NS to all the skin layers. In vitro skin irritation using human dermal fibroblasts and in vivo animal tolerability studies were performed. Accordingly, HA gel-dispersed AD-NS presented a nonirritant compromised cosmeceutical formulation suitable for oily acneic skin. Copyright © 2017 American Pharmacists Association®. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Selected Ground-Water Data for Yucca Mountain Region, Southern Nevada and Eastern California, Through December 1999

DTIC Science & Technology

2001-01-01

R, Robison and others (1988); T, Thordarson and others (1967). Contributing units: Saturated lithologic interval yielding water to well: C...13. McKinley and others (1991) describe the contributing units for sites J-11, J-12, MV-1, AD-4a, AD-5, AD-6, AD-8, and AM-4. Thordarson and...COLLECTION SITES 9 Contributing units for springs (fig. 1) indicate sources of water discharged at the sites. Winograd and Thordarson (1975, p

Quality improvement of pyrolysis oil from waste rubber by adding sawdust

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

Wang, Wen-liang; Chang, Jian-min, E-mail: cjianmin@bjfu.edu.cn; Cai, Li-ping

Highlights: • Rubber-pyrolysis oil is difficult to be fuel due to high proportion of PAHs. • The efficiency of pyrolysis was increased as the percentage of sawdust increased. • The adding of sawdust improved pyrolysis oil quality by reducing the PAHs content. • Adding sawdust reduced nitrogen/sulfur in oil and was easier to convert to diesel. - Abstract: This work was aimed at improving the pyrolysis oil quality of waste rubber by adding larch sawdust. Using a 1 kg/h stainless pyrolysis reactor, the contents of sawdust in rubber were gradually increased from 0%, 50%, 100% and 200% (wt%) during themore » pyrolysis process. Using a thermo-gravimetric (TG) analyzer coupled with Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) analysis of evolving products (TG–FTIR), the weight loss characteristics of the heat under different mixtures of sawdust/rubber were observed. Using the pyrolysis–gas chromatography (GC)–mass spectrometry (Py–GC/MS), the vapors from the pyrolysis processes were collected and the compositions of the vapors were examined. During the pyrolysis process, the recovery of the pyrolysis gas and its composition were measured in-situ at a reaction temperature of 450 °C and a retaining time of 1.2 s. The results indicated that the efficiency of pyrolysis was increased and the residual carbon was reduced as the percentage of sawdust increased. The adding of sawdust significantly improved the pyrolysis oil quality by reducing the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and nitrogen and sulfur compounds contents, resulting in an improvement in the combustion efficiency of the pyrolysis oil.« less

Targeted and efficient transfer of multiple value-added genes into wheat varieties

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

With an objective to optimize an approach to transfer multiple value added genes to a wheat variety while maintaining and improving agronomic performance, two alleles with mutations in the acetolactate synthase (ALS) gene located on wheat chromosomes 6B and 6D providing tolerance to imidazolinone (I...

AD HOC Networks for the Autonomous Car

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ron, Davidescu; Negrus, Eugen

2017-10-01

The future of the vehicle is made of cars, roads and infrastructures connected in a two way automated communication in a holistic system. It is a mandatory to use Encryption to maintain Confidentiality, Integrity and Availability in an ad hoc vehicle network. Vehicle to Vehicle communication, requires multichannel interaction between mobile, moving and changing parties to insure the full benefit from data sharing and real time decision making, a network of such users referred as mobile ad hoc network (MANET), however as ad hoc networks were not implemented in such a scale, it is not clear what is the best method and protocol to apply. Furthermore the visibility of secure preferred asymmetric encrypted ad hoc networks in a real time environment of dense moving autonomous vehicles has to be demonstrated, In order to evaluate the performance of Ad Hoc networks in changing conditions a simulation of multiple protocols was performed on large number of mobile nodes. The following common routing protocols were tested, DSDV is a proactive protocol, every mobile station maintains a routing table with all available destinations, DSR is a reactive routing protocol which allows nodes in the MANET to dynamically discover a source route across multiple network hops, AODV is a reactive routing protocol Instead of being proactive. It minimizes the number of broadcasts by creating routes based on demand, SAODV is a secure version of AODV, requires heavyweight asymmetric cryptographic, ARIANDE is a routing protocol that relies on highly efficient symmetric cryptography the concept is primarily based on DSR. A methodical evolution was performed in a various density of transportation, based on known communication bench mark parameters including, Throughput Vs. time, Routing Load per packets and bytes. Out of the none encrypted protocols, It is clear that in terms of performance of throughput and routing load DSR protocol has a clear advantage the high node number mode. The encrypted protocols show lower performance with ARIANDE being superior to SAODV and SRP. Nevertheless all protocol simulation proved it to match required real time performance.

Energy management and control of active distribution systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shariatzadeh, Farshid

Advancements in the communication, control, computation and information technologies have driven the transition to the next generation active power distribution systems. Novel control techniques and management strategies are required to achieve the efficient, economic and reliable grid. The focus of this work is energy management and control of active distribution systems (ADS) with integrated renewable energy sources (RESs) and demand response (DR). Here, ADS mean automated distribution system with remotely operated controllers and distributed energy resources (DERs). DER as active part of the next generation future distribution system includes: distributed generations (DGs), RESs, energy storage system (ESS), plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEV) and DR. Integration of DR and RESs into ADS is critical to realize the vision of sustainability. The objective of this dissertation is the development of management architecture to control and operate ADS in the presence of DR and RES. One of the most challenging issues for operating ADS is the inherent uncertainty of DR and RES as well as conflicting objective of DER and electric utilities. ADS can consist of different layers such as system layer and building layer and coordination between these layers is essential. In order to address these challenges, multi-layer energy management and control architecture is proposed with robust algorithms in this work. First layer of proposed multi-layer architecture have been implemented at the system layer. Developed AC optimal power flow (AC-OPF) generates fair price for all DR and non-DR loads which is used as a control signal for second layer. Second layer controls DR load at buildings using a developed look-ahead robust controller. Load aggregator collects information from all buildings and send aggregated load to the system optimizer. Due to the different time scale at these two management layers, time coordination scheme is developed. Robust and deterministic controllers are developed to maximize the energy usage from rooftop photovoltaic (PV) generation locally and minimize heat-ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) consumption while maintaining inside temperature within comfort zone. The performance of the developed multi-layer architecture has been analyzed using test case studies and results show the robustness of developed controller in the presence of uncertainty.

Unravelling the active microbial community in a thermophilic anaerobic digester-microbial electrolysis cell coupled system under different conditions.

PubMed

Cerrillo, Míriam; Viñas, Marc; Bonmatí, August

2017-03-01

Thermophilic anaerobic digestion (AD) of pig slurry coupled to a microbial electrolysis cell (MEC) with a recirculation loop was studied at lab-scale as a strategy to increase AD stability when submitted to organic and nitrogen overloads. The system performance was studied, with the recirculation loop both connected and disconnected, in terms of AD methane production, chemical oxygen demand removal (COD) and volatile fatty acid (VFA) concentrations. Furthermore, the microbial population was quantitatively and qualitatively assessed through DNA and RNA-based qPCR and high throughput sequencing (MiSeq), respectively to identify the RNA-based active microbial populations from the total DNA-based microbial community composition both in the AD and MEC reactors under different operational conditions. Suppression of the recirculation loop reduced the AD COD removal efficiency (from 40% to 22%) and the methane production (from 0.32 to 0.03 m 3  m -3  d -1 ). Restoring the recirculation loop led to a methane production of 0.55 m 3  m -3  d -1 concomitant with maximum MEC COD and ammonium removal efficiencies of 29% and 34%, respectively. Regarding microbial analysis, the composition of the AD and MEC anode populations differed from really active microorganisms. Desulfuromonadaceae was revealed as the most active family in the MEC (18%-19% of the RNA relative abundance), while hydrogenotrophic methanogens (Methanobacteriaceae) dominated the AD biomass. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A general CPL-AdS methodology for fixing dynamic parameters in dual environments.

PubMed

Huang, De-Shuang; Jiang, Wen

2012-10-01

The algorithm of Continuous Point Location with Adaptive d-ary Search (CPL-AdS) strategy exhibits its efficiency in solving stochastic point location (SPL) problems. However, there is one bottleneck for this CPL-AdS strategy which is that, when the dimension of the feature, or the number of divided subintervals for each iteration, d is large, the decision table for elimination process is almost unavailable. On the other hand, the larger dimension of the features d can generally make this CPL-AdS strategy avoid oscillation and converge faster. This paper presents a generalized universal decision formula to solve this bottleneck problem. As a matter of fact, this decision formula has a wider usage beyond handling out this SPL problems, such as dealing with deterministic point location problems and searching data in Single Instruction Stream-Multiple Data Stream based on Concurrent Read and Exclusive Write parallel computer model. Meanwhile, we generalized the CPL-AdS strategy with an extending formula, which is capable of tracking an unknown dynamic parameter λ in both informative and deceptive environments. Furthermore, we employed different learning automata in the generalized CPL-AdS method to find out if faster learning algorithm will lead to better realization of the generalized CPL-AdS method. All of these aforementioned contributions are vitally important whether in theory or in practical applications. Finally, extensive experiments show that our proposed approaches are efficient and feasible.

Choose beverages and foods to moderate your intake of sugars: the 2000 dietary guidelines for Americans--what's all the fuss about?

PubMed

Johnson, R K; Frary, C

2001-10-01

As part of the 2000 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, the public is advised to choose beverages and foods to moderate their intake of sugars. The term sugars is conventionally used to describe the mono- and disaccharides. However, the Dietary Guidelines for Americans distinguish between added sugars and other sources of carbohydrates. The concept of added sugars provides consumers with useful information, especially if they are trying to limit excessive use of caloric sweeteners. Added sugars are defined as sugars that are eaten separately at the table or used as ingredients in processed or prepared foods. Consumption of added sugars has increased steadily as documented by both food supply data and nationwide food consumption survey data. The largest source of added sugars in the U.S. diet is nondiet soft drinks, accounting for one third of total intake. Diets high in sugars have been associated with various health problems, including dental caries, dyslipidemias, obesity, bone loss and fractures, and poor diet quality. Research gaps are identified.

Photochemical alteration of dissolved organic matter and the subsequent effects on bacterial carbon cycling and diversity.

PubMed

Lønborg, Christian; Nieto-Cid, Mar; Hernando-Morales, Victor; Hernández-Ruiz, Marta; Teira, Eva; Álvarez-Salgado, Xosé Antón

2016-05-01

The impact of solar radiation on dissolved organic matter (DOM) derived from 3 different sources (seawater, eelgrass leaves and river water) and the effect on the bacterial carbon cycling and diversity were investigated. Seawater with DOM from the sources was first either kept in the dark or exposed to sunlight (4 days), after which a bacterial inoculum was added and incubated for 4 additional days. Sunlight exposure reduced the coloured DOM and carbon signals, which was followed by a production of inorganic nutrients. Bacterial carbon cycling was higher in the dark compared with the light treatment in seawater and river samples, while higher levels were found in the sunlight-exposed eelgrass experiment. Sunlight pre-exposure stimulated the bacterial growth efficiency in the seawater experiments, while no impact was found in the other experiments. We suggest that these responses are connected to differences in substrate composition and the production of free radicals. The bacterial community that developed in the dark and sunlight pre-treated samples differed in the seawater and river experiments. Our findings suggest that impact of sunlight exposure on the bacterial carbon transfer and diversity depends on the DOM source and on the sunlight-induced production of inorganic nutrients. © FEMS 2016. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Kinetic studies of amylase and biomass production by Calvatia gigantea

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

Kekos, D.; Macris, B.J.

1987-01-01

Production of alpha-amylase (alpha-4, glucan 4-glucanohydrolase, EC 3.2.1.1) by microorganisms has been practiced for many years in small and large scale operations and the literature on this enzyme is voluminous. Aspergillus niger and Aspergillus oryzae have been reported as the main fungal species used for commercial production of the enzyme. On the other hand, large volumes of low-cost agricultural products such as acorn (the perisperm-free dry seed contains approximately 60% starch) are wasted in many countries and provide a challenge to biotechnology to efficiently utilize these rich sources of starch for the production of high added value products like enzymes.more » C. gigantea is an edible puffball excreting high levels of alpha-amylase when cultivated on different sources of starch containing elevated quantities of toxic tannic compounds. This fungus has been employed for the production of microbial protein from wastes and acorns containing high levels of toxic tannic compounds. The same fungus was also reported to grow on both hydrolyzable and condensed tannins as sole carbon sources. The present work was undertaken to investigate certain kinetic characteristics of alpha-amylase and biomass production by C. gigantea grown on soluble and acorn starch in a lab fermenter. (Refs. 18).« less

Enhancing the Performance of Vanadium Redox Flow Batteries using Quinones

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mulcahy, James W., III

The global dependence on fossil fuels continues to increase while the supply diminishes, causing the proliferation in demand for renewable energy sources. Intermittent renewable energy sources such as wind and solar, require electrochemical storage devices in order to transfer stored energy to the power grid at a constant output. Redox flow batteries (RFB) have been studied extensively due to improvements in scalability, cyclability and efficiency over conventional batteries. Vanadium redox flow batteries (VRFB) provide one of the most comprehensive solutions to energy storage in relation to other RFBs by alleviating the problem of cross-contamination. Quinones are a class of organic compounds that have been extensively used in chemistry, biochemistry and pharmacology due to their catalytic properties, fast proton-coupled electron transfer, good chemical stability and low cost. Anthraquinones are a subcategory of quinones and have been utilized in several battery systems. Anthraquinone-2, 6-disulfonic acid (AQDS) was added to a VRFB in order to study its effects on cyclical performance. This study utilized carbon paper electrodes and a Nafion 117 ion exchange membrane for the membrane-electrode assembly (MEA). The cycling performance was investigated over multiple charge and discharge cycles and the addition of AQDS was found to increase capacity efficiency by an average of 7.6% over the standard VRFB, while decreasing the overall cycle duration by approximately 18%. It is thus reported that the addition of AQDS to a VRFB electrolyte has the potential to increase the activity and capacity with minimal increases in costs.

Adenoviral Vector Immunity: Its Implications and circumvention strategies

PubMed Central

Ahi, Yadvinder S.; Bangari, Dinesh S.; Mittal, Suresh K.

2014-01-01

Adenoviral (Ad) vectors have emerged as a promising gene delivery platform for a variety of therapeutic and vaccine purposes during last two decades. However, the presence of preexisting Ad immunity and the rapid development of Ad vector immunity still pose significant challenges to the clinical use of these vectors. Innate inflammatory response following Ad vector administration may lead to systemic toxicity, drastically limit vector transduction efficiency and significantly abbreviate the duration of transgene expression. Currently, a number of approaches are being extensively pursued to overcome these drawbacks by strategies that target either the host or the Ad vector. In addition, significant progress has been made in the development of novel Ad vectors based on less prevalent human Ad serotypes and nonhuman Ad. This review provides an update on our current understanding of immune responses to Ad vectors and delineates various approaches for eluding Ad vector immunity. Approaches targeting the host and those targeting the vector are discussed in light of their promises and limitations. PMID:21453277

Evaluation of Biodistribution and Safety of Adenovirus Vectors Containing Group B Fibers after Intravenous Injection into Baboons

PubMed Central

NI, SHAOHENG; BERNT, KATHRIN; GAGGAR, ANUJ; LI, ZONG-YI; KIEM, HANS-PETER; LIEBER, ANDRÉ

2005-01-01

Vectors containing group B adenovirus (Ad) fibers are able to efficiently transduce gene therapy targets that are refractory to infection with standard Ad serotype 5 (Ad5) vectors, including malignant tumor cells, hematopoietic stem cells, and dendritic cells. Preliminary studies in mice indicate that, after intravenous injection, B-group fiber-containing Ads do not efficiently transduce most organs and cause less acute toxicity than Ad5 vectors. However, biodistribution and safety studies in mice are of limited value because the mouse analog of the B-group Ad receptor, CD46, is expressed only in the testis, whereas in humans, CD46 is expressed on all nucleated cells. Unlike mice, baboons have CD46 expression patterns and levels that closely mimic those in humans. We conducted a biodistribution and toxicity study of group B Ad fiber-containing vectors in baboons. Animals received phosphate-buffered saline, Ad5-bGal (a first-generation Ad5 vector), or B-group fiber-containing Ads (Ad5/35-bGal and Ad5/11-bGal) at a dose of 2 × 1012 VP/kg, and vector biodistribution and safety was analyzed over 3 days. The amount of Ad5/35-bGal and Ad5/11-bGal vector genomes was in most tissues one to three orders of magnitude below that of Ad5. Significant Ad5/35- and Ad5/11-mediated transgene (β-galactosidase) expression was seen only in the marginal zone of splenic follicles. Compared with the animal that received Ad5-bGal, all animals injected with B-group fiber-containing Ad vectors had lower elevations in serum proinflammatory cytokine levels. Gross and histopathology were normal in animals that received B-group Ad fiber-containing Ads, in contrast to the Ad5-infused animal, which showed widespread endothelial damage and inflammation. In a further study, a chimeric Ad5/35 vector carrying proapoptotic TRAIL and Ad E1A genes under tumor-specific regulation was well tolerated in a 30-day toxicity study. No major clinical, serologic, or pathologic abnormalities were noticed in this animal. OVERVIEW SUMMARY B-group Ad fiber-containing vectors are promising tools for gene therapy, for example, for the treatment of metastatic cancer or cardiovascular diseases, or for vaccination/immunotherapy. However, only a few studies of vectors containing B-group Ad fibers in mice have been conducted so far, and little is known about the mechanisms and effects of B-group Ad vector delivery in vivo. Before these vectors can be considered for clinical application, this knowledge gap must be filled. We performed biodistribution and safety studies after intravenous injection of chimeric Ad5 vectors containing Ad35 and Ad11 fibers into baboons. Our study suggests that Ad vectors possessing B-group Ad fibers have a better safety profile after intravenous injection than do conventional Ad5-based vectors. PMID:15960598

Absorption heat pump system

DOEpatents

Grossman, Gershon; Perez-Blanco, Horacio

1984-01-01

An improvement in an absorption heat pump cycle is obtained by adding adiabatic absorption and desorption steps to the absorber and desorber of the system. The adiabatic processes make it possible to obtain the highest temperature in the absorber before any heat is removed from it and the lowest temperature in the desorber before heat is added to it, allowing for efficient utilization of the thermodynamic availability of the heat supply stream. The improved system can operate with a larger difference between high and low working fluid concentrations, less circulation losses, and more efficient heat exchange than a conventional system.

Absorption-heat-pump system

DOEpatents

Grossman, G.; Perez-Blanco, H.

1983-06-16

An improvement in an absorption heat pump cycle is obtained by adding adiabatic absorption and desorption steps to the absorber and desorber of the system. The adiabatic processes make it possible to obtain the highest temperature in the absorber before any heat is removed from it and the lowest temperature in the desorber before heat is added to it, allowing for efficient utilization of the thermodynamic availability of the heat supply stream. The improved system can operate with a larger difference between high and low working fluid concentrations, less circulation losses, and more efficient heat exchange than a conventional system.

ADS pilot program Plan

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Clauson, J.; Heuser, J.

1981-01-01

The Applications Data Service (ADS) is a system based on an electronic data communications network which will permit scientists to share the data stored in data bases at universities and at government and private installations. It is designed to allow users to readily locate and access high quality, timely data from multiple sources. The ADS Pilot program objectives and the current plans for accomplishing those objectives are described.

14 CFR 91.217 - Data correspondence between automatically reported pressure altitude data and the pilot's...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... with ADS-B Out equipment unless the pressure altitude reported for ADS-B Out and Mode C/S is derived from the same source for aircraft equipped with both a transponder and ADS-B Out. [Docket No. 18334, 54... digitizers in that equipment meet the standards of TSO-C10b and TSO-C88, respectively. (b) No person may...

14 CFR 91.217 - Data correspondence between automatically reported pressure altitude data and the pilot's...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... with ADS-B Out equipment unless the pressure altitude reported for ADS-B Out and Mode C/S is derived from the same source for aircraft equipped with both a transponder and ADS-B Out. [Docket No. 18334, 54... digitizers in that equipment meet the standards of TSO-C10b and TSO-C88, respectively. (b) No person may...

14 CFR 91.217 - Data correspondence between automatically reported pressure altitude data and the pilot's...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... with ADS-B Out equipment unless the pressure altitude reported for ADS-B Out and Mode C/S is derived from the same source for aircraft equipped with both a transponder and ADS-B Out. [Docket No. 18334, 54... digitizers in that equipment meet the standards of TSO-C10b and TSO-C88, respectively. (b) No person may...

Addition of Rye Bran and Pea Fiber to Pork Meatballs Enhances Subjective Satiety in Healthy Men, but Does Not Change Glycemic or Hormonal Responses: A Randomized Crossover Meal Test Study.

PubMed

Kehlet, Ursula; Kofod, Josephine; Holst, Jens J; Ritz, Christian; Aaslyng, Margit D; Raben, Anne

2017-09-01

Background: The development of high-protein, fiber-rich foods targeting appetite control could be an efficient tool in obesity prevention. Objectives: We investigated whether ad libitum energy intake (EI), appetite, and metabolic markers in a meal context were affected by 1 ) fiber addition (rye bran and pea fiber) to pork meatballs, 2 ) the food matrix of the fiber (fiber meatballs compared with fiber bread), or 3 ) the protein source (animal compared with vegetable protein patties). Methods: In a crossover design, 40 healthy men [mean ± SD: body mass index (BMI; in kg/m 2 ), 22.2 ± 1.9; age, 23.3 ± 2.9 y] consumed 4 test meals: a low-fiber meal consisting of pork meatballs plus wheat bread (LF meal); pork meatballs plus fiber bread; fiber meatballs plus wheat bread, and vegetable patties with a natural fiber content plus wheat bread (∼3000 kJ; protein ∼18% of energy, carbohydrate ∼50% of energy, fat ∼30% of energy; 13 g fiber in the fiber meals). Ad libitum EI after 4 h was the primary endpoint. Moreover, appetite sensations and postprandial responses of glucose, insulin, glucagon-like peptide-1, peptide YY 3-36, and plasma amino acids were measured. Results: Ad libitum EI did not differ significantly between the meals. Satiety and fullness increased 11% and 13%, respectively, and hunger and prospective intake decreased 17% and 15%, respectively, after the meal of fiber meatballs plus wheat bread compared with the LF meal ( P < 0.01). Hormonal and metabolic responses did not differ between the meals. In general, plasma amino acid concentrations were higher after the fiber-rich meals than after the LF meal. Conclusions: Meals based on meatballs and bread with differences in the fiber content, food matrix of fiber, and protein source had similar effects on ad libitum EI in healthy men. However, fiber addition to pork meatballs favorably affected appetite sensations but without changes in hormonal and metabolic responses. Moreover, animal- and vegetable-protein-based, fiber-matched meals had similar effects on appetite regulation. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT02521805. © 2017 American Society for Nutrition.

Narrow-band radio flares from red dwarf stars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

White, Stephen M.; Kundu, Mukul R.; Jackson, Peter D.

1986-01-01

VLA observations of narrow-band behavior in 20 cm flares from two red dwarf stars, L726 - 8A and AD Leo, are reported. The flare on L726 - 8A was observed at 1415 and 1515 MHz; the flux and the evolution differed significantly at the two frequencies. The flare on AD Leo lasted for 2 hr at 1415 MHz but did not appear at 1515 MHz. The AD Leo flare appears to rule out a source drifting through the stellar corona and is unlikely to be due to plasma emission. In the cyclotron maser model the narrow-band behavior reflects the range of magnetic fields present within the source. The apparent constancy of this field for 2 hr is difficult to understand if magnetic reconnection is the source of energy for the flare. The consistent polarization exhibited by red dwarf flares at 20 cm may be related to stellar activity cycles, and changes in this polarization will permit measuring the length of these cycles.

Effects of two commercially available feline diets on glucose and insulin concentrations, insulin sensitivity and energetic efficiency of weight gain.

PubMed

Coradini, M; Rand, J S; Morton, J M; Rawlings, J M

2011-10-01

A low-carbohydrate, high-protein (LCHP) diet is often recommended for the prevention and management of diabetes in cats; however, the effect of macronutrient composition on insulin sensitivity and energetic efficiency for weight gain is not known. The present study compared the effect in adult cats (n 32) of feeding a LCHP (23 and 47 % metabolisable energy (ME)) and a high-carbohydrate, low-protein (HCLP) diet (51 and 21 % ME) on fasting and postprandial glucose and insulin concentrations, and on insulin sensitivity. Tests were done in the 4th week of maintenance feeding and after 8 weeks of ad libitum feeding, when weight gain and energetic efficiency of each diet were also measured. When fed at maintenance energy, the HCLP diet resulted in higher postprandial glucose and insulin concentrations. When fed ad libitum, the LCHP diet resulted in greater weight gain (P < 0.01), and was associated with higher energetic efficiency. Overweight cats eating the LCHP diet had similar postprandial glucose concentrations to lean cats eating the HCLP diet. Insulin sensitivity was not different between the diets when cats were lean or overweight, but glucose effectiveness was higher after weight gain in cats fed the HCLP diet. According to the present results, LCHP diets fed at maintenance requirements might benefit cats with multiple risk factors for developing diabetes. However, ad libitum feeding of LCHP diets is not recommended as they have higher energetic efficiency and result in greater weight gain.

Energy Conversion Alternatives Study (ECAS), Westinghouse phase 1. Volume 7: Metal vapor Rankine topping-steam bottoming cycles. [energy conversion efficiency in electric power plants

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Deegan, P. B.

1976-01-01

Adding a metal vapor Rankine topper to a steam cycle was studied as a way to increase the mean temperature at which heat is added to the cycle to raise the efficiency of an electric power plant. Potassium and cesium topping fluids were considered. Pressurized fluidized bed or pressurized (with an integrated low-Btu gasifier) boilers were assumed. Included in the cycles was a pressurizing gas turbine with its associated recuperator, and a gas economizer and feedwater heater. One of the ternary systems studied shows plant efficiency of 42.3% with a plant capitalization of $66.7/kW and a cost of electricity of 8.19 mills/MJ (29.5 mills/kWh).

A Secure and Privacy-Preserving Targeted Ad-System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Androulaki, Elli; Bellovin, Steven M.

Thanks to its low product-promotion cost and its efficiency, targeted online advertising has become very popular. Unfortunately, being profile-based, online advertising methods violate consumers' privacy, which has engendered resistance to the ads. However, protecting privacy through anonymity seems to encourage click-fraud. In this paper, we define consumer's privacy and present a privacy-preserving, targeted ad system (PPOAd) which is resistant towards click fraud. Our scheme is structured to provide financial incentives to all entities involved.

Developing an Energy Performance Modeling Startup Kit

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

none,

2012-10-01

In 2011, the NAHB Research Center began assessing the needs and motivations of residential remodelers regarding energy performance remodeling. This report outlines: the current remodeling industry and the role of energy efficiency; gaps and barriers to adding energy efficiency into remodeling; and support needs of professional remodelers to increase sales and projects involving improving home energy efficiency.

Mass Customization in Schools: Strategies Dutch Secondary Schools Pursue to Cope with the Diversity-Efficiency Dilemma

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Waslander, Sietske

2007-01-01

Faced with the diversity-efficiency dilemma, private companies apply "mass customization" strategies to add diversity without adding costs. As schools are urged to become more "customer oriented" they also face a diversity-efficiency dilemma. This article asks how Dutch secondary schools cope with this dilemma and to what…

Study partners should be required in preclinical Alzheimer's disease trials.

PubMed

Grill, Joshua D; Karlawish, Jason

2017-12-06

In an effort to intervene earlier in Alzheimer's disease (AD), clinical trials are testing promising candidate therapies in preclinical disease. Preclinical AD trial participants are cognitively normal, functionally independent, and autonomous decision-makers. Yet, like AD dementia trials, preclinical trials require dual enrollment of a participant and a knowledgeable informant, or study partner. The requirement of dyadic enrollment is a barrier to recruitment and may present unique ethical challenges. Despite these limitations, the requirement should continue. Study partners may be essential to ensure participant safety and wellbeing, including overcoming distress related to biomarker disclosure and minimizing risk for catastrophic reactions and suicide. The requirement may maximize participant retention and ensure data integrity, including that study partners are the source of data that will ultimately instruct whether a new treatment has a clinical benefit and meaningful impact on the population health burden associated with AD. Finally, study partners are needed to ensure the scientific and clinical value of trials. Preclinical AD will represent a new model of care, in which persons with no symptoms are informed of probable cognitive decline and eventual dementia. The rationale for early diagnosis in symptomatic AD is equally applicable in preclinical AD-to minimize risk, maximize quality of life, and ensure optimal planning and communication. Family members and other sources of support will likely be essential to the goals of this new model of care for preclinical AD patients and trials must instruct this clinical practice.

Sources of Added Sugars in Young Children, Adolescents, and Adults with Low and High Intakes of Added Sugars

PubMed Central

Fulgoni, Victor L.; Cowan, Alexandra E.; Gaine, P. Courtney

2018-01-01

High intake of added sugars is associated with excess energy intake and poorer diet quality. The objective of this cross-sectional study (n = 16,806) was to estimate usual intakes and the primary food sources of added sugars across the range of intakes (i.e., deciles) among U.S. children (2–8 years), adolescents and teens (9–18 years), and adults (≥19 years) using the National Health and Nutrition Examination (NHANES) data from 2009–2012. The percent energy contributed by added sugars was 14.3 ± 0.2% (2–8 years), 16.2 ± 0.2% (9–18 years), and 13.1 ± 0.2% (≥19 years), suggesting the highest intakes are among adolescents and teens. However, the primary foods/beverages that contribute to added sugars were remarkably consistent across the range of intakes, with the exception of the lowest decile, and include sweetened beverages and sweet bakery products. Interestingly across all age groups, even those in the lowest decile of added sugars exceed the 10% guidelines. Additional foods contributing to high intakes were candy and other desserts (e.g., ice cream) in children and adolescents, and coffee and teas in adults. Tailoring public health messaging to reduce intakes of these identified food groups may be of utility in designing effective strategies to reduce added sugar intake in the U.S. PMID:29342109

Effective Role of Magnetic Core-Shell Nanocomposites in Removing Organic and Inorganic Wastes from Water.

PubMed

Shah, Nasrullah; Claessyns, Frederick; Rimmer, Stephen; Arain, Muhammad Balal; Rehan, Touseef; Wazwaz, Aref; Ahmad, Mohammad Wasi; Ul-Islam, Mazhar

2016-01-01

Affordable and efficient water treatment process to produce water free from various contaminants is a big challenge. The presence of toxic heavy metals, dyes, hazardous chemicals and other toxins causes contamination of water sources and our food chain and make them hazardous to living organisms. The current water treatment processes are no longer sustainable due to high cost and low efficiency. Due to advantageous properties, nanotechnology based materials can play a great role in increasing the efficiency of water treatment processes. Magnetic nanocomposites use nano as well as magnetic properties and have the potential to provide a sophisticated system to overcome most of the impurities present in water. There is a diversity of magnetic nanocomposites, however presently we have focussed the core-shell magnetic nanocomposites because they have excellent magnetic and separation properties, stability, and good biocompatibility. We collected systematically the bibliographic data bases for peer-reviewed research literature focusing on the theme of our review. The quality of the included research papers are selected by standard tools. A conceptual frame work is designed to arrange the topics and extracted the interventions and findings of the included studies. The overall study was divided into sections and each section incorporated the most appropriate literature citation. Total one hundred and eight references were included of which 32 references were used for basic description/introduction of core-shell magnetic nanocomposites. One review paper containing the synthesis methods for core shell magnetic nanocomposites is included while majority (76) of the references are included for comprehensive description of applications of the core-shell nanocomposites among which 25 were for dyes removal, 27 for hazardous metals, 07 for hazardous chemicals, 12 for pesticides and biological contaminants removal and five other including patents were added as miscellaneous substances removal from water sources. This review identified the effective role of core-shell magnetic nanocomposites for environmental remediation in terms of removal of various hazardous substances from water resources. The outcome of the present review confirms that the magnetic core-shell nanocomposites provide a cost effective and efficient way for the removal of various toxic substances including dyes, heavy metals, toxic organic chemicals, pesticides and some biological contaminants from water sources.

Co-Cultivation of Fungal and Microalgal Cells as an Efficient System for Harvesting Microalgal Cells, Lipid Production and Wastewater Treatment

PubMed Central

Wrede, Digby; Taha, Mohamed; Miranda, Ana F.; Kadali, Krishna; Stevenson, Trevor; Ball, Andrew S.; Mouradov, Aidyn

2014-01-01

The challenges which the large scale microalgal industry is facing are associated with the high cost of key operations such as harvesting, nutrient supply and oil extraction. The high-energy input for harvesting makes current commercial microalgal biodiesel production economically unfeasible and can account for up to 50% of the total cost of biofuel production. Co-cultivation of fungal and microalgal cells is getting increasing attention because of high efficiency of bio-flocculation of microalgal cells with no requirement for added chemicals and low energy inputs. Moreover, some fungal and microalgal strains are well known for their exceptional ability to purify wastewater, generating biomass that represents a renewable and sustainable feedstock for biofuel production. We have screened the flocculation efficiency of the filamentous fungus A. fumigatus against 11 microalgae representing freshwater, marine, small (5 µm), large (over 300 µm), heterotrophic, photoautotrophic, motile and non-motile strains. Some of the strains are commercially used for biofuel production. Lipid production and composition were analysed in fungal-algal pellets grown on media containing alternative carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus sources contained in wheat straw and swine wastewater, respectively. Co-cultivation of algae and A. fumigatus cells showed additive and synergistic effects on biomass production, lipid yield and wastewater bioremediation efficiency. Analysis of fungal-algal pellet's fatty acids composition suggested that it can be tailored and optimised through co-cultivating different algae and fungi without the need for genetic modification. PMID:25419574

Co-cultivation of fungal and microalgal cells as an efficient system for harvesting microalgal cells, lipid production and wastewater treatment.

PubMed

Wrede, Digby; Taha, Mohamed; Miranda, Ana F; Kadali, Krishna; Stevenson, Trevor; Ball, Andrew S; Mouradov, Aidyn

2014-01-01

The challenges which the large scale microalgal industry is facing are associated with the high cost of key operations such as harvesting, nutrient supply and oil extraction. The high-energy input for harvesting makes current commercial microalgal biodiesel production economically unfeasible and can account for up to 50% of the total cost of biofuel production. Co-cultivation of fungal and microalgal cells is getting increasing attention because of high efficiency of bio-flocculation of microalgal cells with no requirement for added chemicals and low energy inputs. Moreover, some fungal and microalgal strains are well known for their exceptional ability to purify wastewater, generating biomass that represents a renewable and sustainable feedstock for biofuel production. We have screened the flocculation efficiency of the filamentous fungus A. fumigatus against 11 microalgae representing freshwater, marine, small (5 µm), large (over 300 µm), heterotrophic, photoautotrophic, motile and non-motile strains. Some of the strains are commercially used for biofuel production. Lipid production and composition were analysed in fungal-algal pellets grown on media containing alternative carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus sources contained in wheat straw and swine wastewater, respectively. Co-cultivation of algae and A. fumigatus cells showed additive and synergistic effects on biomass production, lipid yield and wastewater bioremediation efficiency. Analysis of fungal-algal pellet's fatty acids composition suggested that it can be tailored and optimised through co-cultivating different algae and fungi without the need for genetic modification.

Active Thrusting Offshore Mount Lebanon: Source of the Tsunamigenic A.D. 551 Beirut-Tripoli Earthquake

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tapponnier, P.; Elias, A.; Singh, S.; King, G.; Briais, A.; Daeron, M.; Carton, H.; Sursock, A.; Jacques, E.; Jomaa, R.; Klinger, Y.

2007-12-01

On July 9, AD 551, a large earthquake, followed by a tsunami destroyed most of the coastal cities of Phoenicia (modern-day Lebanon). This was arguably one of the most devastating historical submarine earthquakes in the eastern Mediterranean. Geophysical data from the Shalimar survey unveils the source of this Mw=7.5 event: rupture of the offshore, hitherto unknown, 100?150 km-long, active, east-dipping Mount Lebanon Thrust (MLT). Deep-towed sonar swaths along the base of prominent bathymetric escarpments reveal fresh, west facing seismic scarps that cut the sediment-smoothed seafloor. The MLT trace comes closest (~ 8 km) to the coast between Beirut and Enfeh, where as 13 radiocarbon-calibrated ages indicate, a shoreline-fringing Vermetid bench suddenly emerged by ~ 80 cm in the 6th century AD. At Tabarja, the regular vertical separation (~ 1 m) of higher fossil benches, suggests uplift by 3 more comparable-size earthquakes since the Holocene sea-level reached a maximum ca. 7-6 ka, implying a 1500?1750 yr recurrence time. Unabated thrusting on the MLT likely orchestrated the growth of Mt. Lebanon since the late Miocene. The newly discovered MLT has been the missing piece in the Dead Sea Transform and eastern Mediterranean tectonic scheme. Identifying the source of the AD 551 event thus ends a complete reassessment of the sources of the major historical earthquakes on the various faults of the Lebanese Restraining Bend of the Levant Fault System (or Dead Sea Transform).

Active Thrusting Offshore Mount Lebanon: Source of the Tsunamigenic A.D. 551 Beirut-Tripoli Earthquake

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tapponnier, P.; Elias, A.; Singh, S.; King, G.; Briais, A.; Daeron, M.; Carton, H.; Sursock, A.; Jacques, E.; Jomaa, R.; Klinger, Y.

2004-12-01

On July 9, AD 551, a large earthquake, followed by a tsunami destroyed most of the coastal cities of Phoenicia (modern-day Lebanon). This was arguably one of the most devastating historical submarine earthquakes in the eastern Mediterranean. Geophysical data from the Shalimar survey unveils the source of this Mw=7.5 event: rupture of the offshore, hitherto unknown, 100?150 km-long, active, east-dipping Mount Lebanon Thrust (MLT). Deep-towed sonar swaths along the base of prominent bathymetric escarpments reveal fresh, west facing seismic scarps that cut the sediment-smoothed seafloor. The MLT trace comes closest (~ 8 km) to the coast between Beirut and Enfeh, where as 13 radiocarbon-calibrated ages indicate, a shoreline-fringing Vermetid bench suddenly emerged by ~ 80 cm in the 6th century AD. At Tabarja, the regular vertical separation (~ 1 m) of higher fossil benches, suggests uplift by 3 more comparable-size earthquakes since the Holocene sea-level reached a maximum ca. 7-6 ka, implying a 1500?1750 yr recurrence time. Unabated thrusting on the MLT likely orchestrated the growth of Mt. Lebanon since the late Miocene. The newly discovered MLT has been the missing piece in the Dead Sea Transform and eastern Mediterranean tectonic scheme. Identifying the source of the AD 551 event thus ends a complete reassessment of the sources of the major historical earthquakes on the various faults of the Lebanese Restraining Bend of the Levant Fault System (or Dead Sea Transform).

Ku-band high efficiency GaAs MMIC power amplifiers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tserng, H. Q.; Witkowski, L. C.; Wurtele, M.; Saunier, Paul

1988-01-01

The development of Ku-band high efficiency GaAs MMIC power amplifiers is examined. Three amplifier modules operating over the 13 to 15 GHz frequency range are to be developed. The first MMIC is a 1 W variable power amplifier (VPA) with 35 percent efficiency. On-chip digital gain control is to be provided. The second MMIC is a medium power amplifier (MPA) with an output power goal of 1 W and 40 percent power-added efficiency. The third MMIC is a high power amplifier (HPA) with 4 W output power goal and 40 percent power-added efficiency. An output power of 0.36 W/mm with 49 percent efficiency was obtained on an ion implanted single gate MESFET at 15 GHz. On a dual gate MESFET, an output power of 0.42 W/mm with 27 percent efficiency was obtained. A mask set was designed that includes single stage, two stage, and three stage single gate amplifiers. A single stage 600 micron amplifier produced 0.4 W/mm output power with 40 percent efficiency at 14 GHz. A four stage dual gate amplifier generated 500 mW of output power with 20 dB gain at 17 GHz. A four-bit digital-to-analog converter was designed and fabricated which has an output swing of -3 V to +/- 1 V.

Efficient management of high level XMM-Newton science data products

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zolotukhin, Ivan

2015-12-01

Like it is the case for many large projects, XMM-Newton data have been used by the community to produce many valuable higher level data products. However, even after 15 years of the successful mission operation, the potential of these data is not yet fully uncovered, mostly due to the logistical and data management issues. We present a web application, http://xmm-catalog.irap.omp.eu, to highlight an idea that existing public high level data collections generate significant added research value when organized and exposed properly. Several application features such as access to the all-time XMM-Newton photon database and online fitting of extracted sources spectra were never available before. In this talk we share best practices we worked out during the development of this website and discuss their potential use for other large projects generating astrophysical data.

Thorium-Free Versus Thoriated Plasma Gun Electrodes: Statistical Evaluation of Coating Properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Colmenares-Angulo, Jose; Molz, Ronald; Hawley, David; Seshadri, Ramachandran Chidambaram

2016-04-01

Industries throughout the world today have an increased awareness of environmental, health, and safety issues. This, together with recent Nuclear Regulatory Commission changes concerning source material (e.g., thorium) has added complexity in the supply chain of thoriated tungsten commonly used in plasma spray gun spares. In the interest of a safer and more sustainable work environment, Oerlikon Metco has developed thorium-free material solutions proven to have longer service life than conventional thoriated spares. This work reports on the effect, if any, caused by tungsten compositional changes and extended service life in coating properties. Microstructure, coating efficiency parameters, hardness, particle state, in situ coating stress, and ex situ modulus are evaluated over the service life duration of the nozzle, comparing coatings with thoriated and non-thoriated nozzles and electrodes with the same spray parameters.

System for adding sulfur to a fuel cell stack system for improved fuel cell stability

DOEpatents

Mukerjee, Subhasish; Haltiner, Jr., Karl J; Weissman, Jeffrey G

2013-08-13

A system for adding sulfur to a reformate stream feeding a fuel cell stack, having a sulfur source for providing sulfur to the reformate stream and a metering device in fluid connection with the sulfur source and the reformate stream. The metering device injects sulfur from the sulfur source to the reformate stream at a predetermined rate, thereby providing a conditioned reformate stream to the fuel cell stack. The system provides a conditioned reformate stream having a predetermined sulfur concentration that gives an acceptable balance of minimal drop in initial power with the desired maximum stability of operation over prolonged periods for the fuel cell stack.

An improved scheme on decoy-state method for measurement-device-independent quantum key distribution

PubMed Central

Wang, Dong; Li, Mo; Guo, Guang-Can; Wang, Qin

2015-01-01

Quantum key distribution involving decoy-states is a significant application of quantum information. By using three-intensity decoy-states of single-photon-added coherent sources, we propose a practically realizable scheme on quantum key distribution which approaches very closely the ideal asymptotic case of an infinite number of decoy-states. We make a comparative study between this scheme and two other existing ones, i.e., two-intensity decoy-states with single-photon-added coherent sources, and three-intensity decoy-states with weak coherent sources. Through numerical analysis, we demonstrate the advantages of our scheme in secure transmission distance and the final key generation rate. PMID:26463580

Deciphering human-climate interactions in an ombrotrophic peat record: REE, Nd and Pb isotope signatures of dust supplies over the last 2500 years (Misten bog, Belgium)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fagel, N.; Allan, M.; Le Roux, G.; Mattielli, N.; Piotrowska, N.; Sikorski, J.

2014-06-01

A high-resolution peat record from Eastern Belgium reveals the chronology of dust deposition for the last 2500 years. REE and lithogenic elements in addition to Nd and Pb isotopes were measured in a 173 cm age-dated peat profile and provide a continuous chronology of dust source and intensity. Calculated dust flux show pronounced increases c. 300 BC, 600 AD, 1000 AD, 1200 AD and from 1700 AD, corresponding to local and regional human activities combined with climate change. The Industrial Revolution samples (1700-1950 AD) are characterised by a significant enrichment in Sc-normalised REE abundance (sum REE/Sc > 25) due to intensive coal combustion. For the pre-Industrial Revolution samples, the Sc-normalised REE abundance (10 < Sum REE/Sc < 25) and the εNd variability (-13 to -9) are interpreted by a mixing between dust particles from local soils and long-range transport of desert particles. Three periods characterised by dominant-distal sources (c. 320 AD, 1000 AD and 1700 AD) are consistent with local wetter-than-average intervals as indicated by a lower degree of peat humification. Local erosion prevails during the drier (higher humification) intervals (100 AD, 600 AD). On a global scale, more distal supplies are driven during colder periods, in particular during the Oort and Maunder minima, suggesting a potential link between dust deposition and global climate. Combining REE abundance, fractionation between Light REE and Heavy REE and Nd isotope data in ombrotrophic peat allows one to distinguish between dust flux changes related to human and climate forcings.

Careers in Online: Want Ads in the Online Industry.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dolan, Donna R.; Hoffman, Laura J.

1984-01-01

Describes sources of job listings in online industry including "New York Times,""Boston Globe,""Washington Post,""Los Angeles Times,""Wall Street Journal,""National Business Employment Weekly," and hints on methods for reading and responding to ads and placing them. Sample advertisements…

Teaching Tips.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Journalism Educator, 1985

1985-01-01

Presents a variety of journalism classroom techniques, including an editing scavenger hunt, a discovery method for compiling news sources, intense instruction in news technology, criteria for evaluating ad copy, a course combining print and broadcast journalism, use of the Teletext, and teaching ad forms for the new media. (HTH)

Source polarization effects in an optical fiber fluorosensor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Egalon, Claudio O.; Rogowski, Robert S.

1992-01-01

The exact field solution of a step-index profile fiber was used to determine the injection efficiency of a thin-film distribution of polarized sources located in the cladding of an optical fiber. Previous results for random source orientation were confirmed. The behavior of the power efficiency, P(eff), of a polarized distribution of sources was found to be similar to the behavior of a fiber with sources with random orientation. However, for sources polarized in either the x or y direction, P(eff) was found to be more efficient.

The Impact of Salient Advertisements on Reading and Attention on Web Pages

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Simola, Jaana; Kuisma, Jarmo; Oorni, Anssi; Uusitalo, Liisa; Hyona, Jukka

2011-01-01

Human vision is sensitive to salient features such as motion. Therefore, animation and onset of advertisements on Websites may attract visual attention and disrupt reading. We conducted three eye tracking experiments with authentic Web pages to assess whether (a) ads are efficiently ignored, (b) ads attract overt visual attention and disrupt…

Applying the Principles of Lean Production to Gastrointestinal Biopsy Handling: From the Factory Floor to the Anatomic Pathology Laboratory.

PubMed

Sugianto, Jessica Z; Stewart, Brian; Ambruzs, Josephine M; Arista, Amanda; Park, Jason Y; Cope-Yokoyama, Sandy; Luu, Hung S

2015-01-01

To implement Lean principles to accommodate expanding volumes of gastrointestinal biopsies and to improve laboratory processes overall. Our continuous improvement (kaizen) project analyzed the current state for gastrointestinal biopsy handling using value-stream mapping for specimens obtained at a 487-bed tertiary care pediatric hospital in Dallas, Texas. We identified non-value-added time within the workflow process, from receipt of the specimen in the histology laboratory to the delivery of slides and paperwork to the pathologist. To eliminate non-value-added steps, we implemented the changes depicted in a revised-state value-stream map. Current-state value-stream mapping identified a total specimen processing time of 507 minutes, of which 358 minutes were non-value-added. This translated to a process cycle efficiency of 29%. Implementation of a revised-state value stream resulted in a total process time reduction to 238 minutes, of which 89 minutes were non-value-added, and an improved process cycle efficiency of 63%. Lean production principles of continuous improvement and waste elimination can be successfully implemented within the clinical laboratory.

Catalytic action of β source on x-ray emission from plasma focus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ahmad, S.; Sadiq, Mehboob; Hussain, S.; Shafiq, M.; Zakaullah, M.; Waheed, A.

2006-01-01

The influence of preionization around the insulator sleeve by a mesh-type β source (Ni6328) for the x-ray emission from a (2.3-3.9 kJ) plasma focus device is investigated. Quantrad Si p-i-n diodes along with suitable filters are employed as time-resolved x-ray detectors and a multipinhole camera with absorption filters is used for time-integrated analysis. X-ray emission in 4π geometry is measured as a function of argon and hydrogen gas filling pressures with and without β source at different charging voltages. It is found that the pressure range for the x-ray emission is broadened, x-ray emission is enhanced, and shot to shot reproducibility is improved with the β source. With argon, the CuKα emission is estimated to be 27.14 J with an efficiency of 0.7% for β source and 21.5 J with an efficiency of 0.55% without β source. The maximum x-ray yield in 4π geometry is found to be about 68.90 J with an efficiency of 1.8% for β source and 54.58 J with an efficiency of 1.4% without β source. With hydrogen, CuKα emission is 11.82 J with an efficiency of 0.32% for β source and 10.07 J with an efficiency of 0.27% without β source. The maximum x-ray yield in 4π geometry is found to be 30.20 J with an efficiency of 0.77% for β source and 25.58 J with an efficiency of 0.6% without β source. The x-ray emission with Pb insert at the anode tip without β source is also investigated and found to be reproducible and significantly high. The maximum x-ray yield is estimated to be 46.6 J in 4π geometry with an efficiency of 1.4% at 23 kV charging voltage. However, degradation of x-ray yield is observed when charging voltage exceeds 23 kV for Pb insert. From pinhole images it is observed that the x-ray emission due to the bombardment of electrons at the anode tip is dominant in both with and without β source.

Determinants of completion of advance directives: a cross-sectional comparison of 649 outpatients from private practices versus 2158 outpatients from a university clinic.

PubMed

Pfirstinger, Jochen; Bleyer, Bernhard; Blum, Christian; Rechenmacher, Michael; Wiese, Christoph H; Gruber, Hans

2017-12-21

To compare outpatients from private practices and outpatients from a university clinic regarding the determinants of completion of advance directives (AD) in order to generalise results of studies from one setting to the other. Five determinants of completion of AD were studied: familiarity with AD, source of information about AD, prior experiences with own life-threatening diseases or family members in need of care and motives in favour and against completion of AD. Observational cross-sectional study. Private practices and a university clinic in Germany in 2012. 649 outpatients from private practices and 2158 outpatients from 10 departments of a university clinic. Completion of AD, familiarity with AD, sources of information about AD (consultation), prior experiences (with own life-threatening disease and family members in need of care), motives in favour of or against completion of AD, sociodemographic data. Determinants of completion of AD did not differ between outpatients from private practices versus university clinic outpatients. Prior experience with severe disease led to a significantly higher rate of completion of AD (33%/36% with vs 24%/24% without prior experience). Participants with completion of AD had more often received legal than medical consultation before completion, but participants without completion of AD are rather aiming for medical consultation. The motives in favour of or against completion of AD indicated inconsistent patterns. Determinants of completion of AD are comparable in outpatients from private practices and outpatients from a university clinic. Generalisations from university clinic samples towards a broader context thus seem to be legitimate. Only one-third of patients with prior experience with own life-threatening diseases or family members in need of care had completed an AD as expression of their autonomous volition. The participants' motives for or against completion of AD indicate that ADs are considered a kind of 'negative autonomy' as instruments to prevent particular forms of therapy. Interactive, repeated and situation-based AD discussions might reach a higher percentage of patients and concurrently enable personal volitions and thereby strengthen individual 'positive autonomy'. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Development and Operation of the Astrophysics Data System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Murray, Stephen S.

1997-01-01

The Astrophysics Data System (ADS) provides access to astronomical bibliographic information, including references, abstracts, and full journal articles, as well as links to other on-line information sources like on-line electronic journals and on-line data. This section will first provide a brief history of the ADS, a general introduction of the current system, and a more detailed description of some of the parts of the ADS.

Energy Efficient Hybrid Vapor Stripping-Vapor Permeation Process for Ethanol Recovery ad Dehydration

EPA Science Inventory

Distillation combined with molecular sieve dehydration is the current state of the art for fuel grade ethanol production from fermentation broths. To improve the sustainability of bioethanol production, energy efficient separation alternatives are needed, particularly for lower f...

Automation: the competitive edge for HMOs and other alternative delivery systems.

PubMed

Prussin, J A

1987-12-01

Until recently, many, if not most, Health Maintenance Organizations (HMO) were not automated. Moreover, HMOs that were automated tended to be automated only on a limited basis. Recently, however, the highly competitive marketplace within which HMOs and other Alternative Delivery Systems (ADS) exist has required that they operate at a maximum effectiveness and efficiency. Given the complex nature of ADSs, the volume of transactions in ADSs, the large number of members served by ADSs, and the numerous providers who are paid at different rates and on different bases by ADSs, it is impossible for an ADS to operate effectively or efficiently, let alone show optimal performance, without a sophisticated, comprehensive automated system. Reliable automated systems designed specifically to address ADS functions such as enrollment and premium billing, finance and accounting, medical information and patient management, and marketing have recently become available at a reasonable cost.

Graphene quantum dots for the inhibition of β amyloid aggregation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Yibiao; Xu, Li-Ping; Dai, Wenhao; Dong, Haifeng; Wen, Yongqiang; Zhang, Xueji

2015-11-01

The aggregation of Aβ peptides is a crucial factor leading to Alzheimer's disease (AD). Inhibiting the Aβ peptide aggregation has become one of the most essential strategies to treat AD. In this work, efficient and low-cytotoxicity inhibitors, graphene quantum dots (GQDs) are reported for their application in inhibiting the aggregation of Aβ peptides. Compared to other carbon materials, the low cytotoxicity and great biocompatibility of GQDs give an advantage to the clinical research for AD. In addition, the GQDs may cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB) because of the small size. It is believed that GQDs may be therapeutic agents against AD. This work provides a novel insight into the development of Alzheimer's drugs.The aggregation of Aβ peptides is a crucial factor leading to Alzheimer's disease (AD). Inhibiting the Aβ peptide aggregation has become one of the most essential strategies to treat AD. In this work, efficient and low-cytotoxicity inhibitors, graphene quantum dots (GQDs) are reported for their application in inhibiting the aggregation of Aβ peptides. Compared to other carbon materials, the low cytotoxicity and great biocompatibility of GQDs give an advantage to the clinical research for AD. In addition, the GQDs may cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB) because of the small size. It is believed that GQDs may be therapeutic agents against AD. This work provides a novel insight into the development of Alzheimer's drugs. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: Dose-dependent inhibition of Aβ1-42 fibrillization by GQDs; the photoluminescence spectra of all five GQDs with different charges in water/ethanol; TEM images of other four GQDs with different charges. See DOI: 10.1039/c5nr06282a

Side-emitting illuminators using LED sources

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Feng; Van Derlofske, John F.

2003-11-01

This study investigates illuminators composed of light emitting diode (LED) array sources and side-emitting light guides to provide efficient general illumination. Specifically, new geometries are explored to increase the efficiency of current systems while maintaining desired light distribution. LED technology is already successfully applied in many illumination applications, such as traffic signals and liquid crystal display (LCD) backlighting. It provides energy-efficient, small-package, long-life, and color-adjustable illumination. However, the use of LEDs in general illumination is still in its early stages. Current side-emitting systems typically use a light guide with light sources at one end, an end-cap surface at the other end, and light releasing sidewalls. This geometry introduces efficiency loss that can be as high as 40%. The illuminators analyzed in this study use LED array sources along the longitude of a light guide to increase the system efficiency. These new geometries also provide the freedom of elongating the system without sacrificing system efficiency. In addition, alternative geometries can be used to create white light with monochromatic LED sources. As concluded by this study, the side-emitting illuminators using LED sources gives the possibility of an efficient, distribution-controllable linear lighting system.

The 20 GHz GaAs monolithic power amplifier module development

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1984-01-01

The development of a 20 GHz GaAs FET monlithic power amplifier module for advanced communication applications is described. Four-way power combing of four 0.6 W amplifier modules is used as the baseline approach. For this purpose, a monolithic four-way traveling-wave power divider/combiner was developed. Over a 20 GHz bandwidth (10 to 30 GHz), an insertion loss of no more than 1.2 dB was measured for a pair of back-to-back connected divider/combiners. Isolation between output ports is better than 20 dB, and VSWRs are better than 21:1. A distributed amplifier with six 300 micron gate width FETs and gate and drain transmission line tapers has been designed, fabricated, and evaluated for use as an 0.6 W module. This amplifier has achieved state-of-the-art results of 0.5 W output power with at least 4 dB gain across the entire 2 to 21 GHz frequency range. An output power of 2 W was achieved at a measurement frequency of 18 GHz when four distributed amplifiers were power-combined using a pair of traveling-wave divider/combiners. Another approach is the direct common-source cascading of three power FET stages. An output power of up to 2W with 12 dB gain and 20% power-added efficiency has been achieved with this approach (at 17 GHz). The linear gain was 14 dB at 1 W output. The first two stages of the three-stage amplifier have achieved an output power of 1.6 W with 9 dB gain and 26% power-added efficiency at 16 GHz.

Historical Y. pestis Genomes Reveal the European Black Death as the Source of Ancient and Modern Plague Pandemics.

PubMed

Spyrou, Maria A; Tukhbatova, Rezeda I; Feldman, Michal; Drath, Joanna; Kacki, Sacha; Beltrán de Heredia, Julia; Arnold, Susanne; Sitdikov, Airat G; Castex, Dominique; Wahl, Joachim; Gazimzyanov, Ilgizar R; Nurgaliev, Danis K; Herbig, Alexander; Bos, Kirsten I; Krause, Johannes

2016-06-08

Ancient DNA analysis has revealed an involvement of the bacterial pathogen Yersinia pestis in several historical pandemics, including the second plague pandemic (Europe, mid-14(th) century Black Death until the mid-18(th) century AD). Here we present reconstructed Y. pestis genomes from plague victims of the Black Death and two subsequent historical outbreaks spanning Europe and its vicinity, namely Barcelona, Spain (1300-1420 cal AD), Bolgar City, Russia (1362-1400 AD), and Ellwangen, Germany (1485-1627 cal AD). Our results provide support for (1) a single entry of Y. pestis in Europe during the Black Death, (2) a wave of plague that traveled toward Asia to later become the source population for contemporary worldwide epidemics, and (3) the presence of an historical European plague focus involved in post-Black Death outbreaks that is now likely extinct. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Life cycle and economic assessment of source-separated MSW collection with regard to greenhouse gas emissions: a case study in China.

PubMed

Dong, Jun; Ni, Mingjiang; Chi, Yong; Zou, Daoan; Fu, Chao

2013-08-01

In China, the continuously increasing amount of municipal solid waste (MSW) has resulted in an urgent need for changing the current municipal solid waste management (MSWM) system based on mixed collection. A pilot program focusing on source-separated MSW collection was thus launched (2010) in Hangzhou, China, to lessen the related environmental loads. And greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions (Kyoto Protocol) are singled out in particular. This paper uses life cycle assessment modeling to evaluate the potential environmental improvement with regard to GHG emissions. The pre-existing MSWM system is assessed as baseline, while the source separation scenario is compared internally. Results show that 23 % GHG emissions can be decreased by source-separated collection compared with the base scenario. In addition, the use of composting and anaerobic digestion (AD) is suggested for further optimizing the management of food waste. 260.79, 82.21, and -86.21 thousand tonnes of GHG emissions are emitted from food waste landfill, composting, and AD, respectively, proving the emission reduction potential brought by advanced food waste treatment technologies. Realizing the fact, a modified MSWM system is proposed by taking AD as food waste substitution option, with additional 44 % GHG emissions saved than current source separation scenario. Moreover, a preliminary economic assessment is implemented. It is demonstrated that both source separation scenarios have a good cost reduction potential than mixed collection, with the proposed new system the most cost-effective one.

Far-red light is needed for efficient photochemistry and photosynthesis.

PubMed

Zhen, Shuyang; van Iersel, Marc W

2017-02-01

The efficiency of monochromatic light to drive photosynthesis drops rapidly at wavelengths longer than 685nm. The photosynthetic efficiency of these longer wavelengths can be improved by adding shorter wavelength light, a phenomenon known as the Emerson enhancement effect. The reverse effect, the enhancement of photosynthesis under shorter wavelength light by longer wavelengths, however, has not been well studied and is often thought to be insignificant. We quantified the effect of adding far-red light (peak at 735nm) to red/blue or warm-white light on the photosynthetic efficiency of lettuce (Lactuca sativa). Adding far-red light immediately increased quantum yield of photosystem II (Φ PSII ) of lettuce by an average of 6.5 and 3.6% under red/blue and warm-white light, respectively. Similar or greater increases in Φ PSII were observed after 20min of exposure to far-red light. This longer-term effect of far-red light on Φ PSII was accompanied by a reduction in non-photochemical quenching of fluorescence (NPQ), indicating that far-red light reduced the dissipation of absorbed light as heat. The increase in Φ PSII and complementary decrease in NPQ is presumably due to preferential excitation of photosystem I (PSI) by far-red light, which leads to faster re-oxidization of the plastoquinone pool. This facilitates reopening of PSII reaction centers, enabling them to use absorbed photons more efficiently. The increase in Φ PSII by far-red light was associated with an increase in net photosynthesis (P n ). The stimulatory effect of far-red light increased asymptotically with increasing amounts of far-red. Overall, our results show that far-red light can increase the photosynthetic efficiency of shorter wavelength light that over-excites PSII. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Re-engineering adenovirus vector systems to enable high-throughput analyses of gene function.

PubMed

Stanton, Richard J; McSharry, Brian P; Armstrong, Melanie; Tomasec, Peter; Wilkinson, Gavin W G

2008-12-01

With the enhanced capacity of bioinformatics to interrogate extensive banks of sequence data, more efficient technologies are needed to test gene function predictions. Replication-deficient recombinant adenovirus (Ad) vectors are widely used in expression analysis since they provide for extremely efficient expression of transgenes in a wide range of cell types. To facilitate rapid, high-throughput generation of recombinant viruses, we have re-engineered an adenovirus vector (designated AdZ) to allow single-step, directional gene insertion using recombineering technology. Recombineering allows for direct insertion into the Ad vector of PCR products, synthesized sequences, or oligonucleotides encoding shRNAs without requirement for a transfer vector Vectors were optimized for high-throughput applications by making them "self-excising" through incorporating the I-SceI homing endonuclease into the vector removing the need to linearize vectors prior to transfection into packaging cells. AdZ vectors allow genes to be expressed in their native form or with strep, V5, or GFP tags. Insertion of tetracycline operators downstream of the human cytomegalovirus major immediate early (HCMV MIE) promoter permits silencing of transgenes in helper cells expressing the tet repressor thus making the vector compatible with the cloning of toxic gene products. The AdZ vector system is robust, straightforward, and suited to both sporadic and high-throughput applications.

Oncolytic adenovirus that overproduces ADP and replicates selectively in tumors due to hTERT promoter-regulated E4 gene expression.

PubMed

Kuppuswamy, M; Spencer, J F; Doronin, K; Tollefson, A E; Wold, W S M; Toth, K

2005-11-01

We have constructed a novel oncolytic adenovirus (Ad) vector, named VRX-011, in which the replication of the vector is targeted to cancer cells by the replacement of the wild-type Ad E4 promoter with the human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) promoter. Genes in the Ad E4 transcription unit are essential for Ad replication; therefore, VRX-011 will grow efficiently only in cells in which the hTERT promoter is active, that is, in a wide range of cancer and immortalized cells but not in most somatic cells. Consistent with these expectations, VRX-011 replicated efficiently in all cancer cell lines examined, while its growth was restricted in various primary and normal cells. VRX-011 overexpresses ADP (also known as E3-11.6K), an Ad protein required for efficient cell lysis and release of virions from cells at late stages of infection. This overexpression enhances cell-to-cell spread and could significantly increase antitumor efficacy. In a xenograft model in nude mice, both intratumoral and intravenous administration of VRX-011 effectively suppressed the growth of subcutaneous Hep3B human liver tumors. Also, intravenous delivery of VRX-011 greatly reduced the number and size of A549 human lung cancer cell nodules in a disseminated lung tumor model in nude mice. Importantly, tail vein administration of different doses of VRX-011 in C57BL/6 mice showed minimal liver toxicity. Considering its broad range of lytic replication in cancer cells, its attenuated phenotype in primary cells, its efficacy in suppressing xenografts, and its low toxicity in mouse liver, VRX-011 is a promising candidate for further evaluation as an anticancer therapeutic.

Dietary sources of five nutrients in ethnic groups represented in the Multiethnic Cohort.

PubMed

Sharma, Sangita; Wilkens, Lynne R; Shen, Lucy; Kolonel, Laurence N

2013-04-28

Data are limited on how dietary sources of energy and nutrient intakes differ among ethnic groups in the USA. The objective of the present study was to characterise dietary sources of energy, total fat, saturated fat, protein, dietary fibre and added sugar for five ethnic groups. A validated quantitative FFQ was used to collect dietary data from 186,916 men and women aged 45-75 years who were living in Hawaii and Los Angeles between 1993 and 1996. Participants represented five ethnic groups: African-American; Japanese-American; Native Hawaiian; Latino; Caucasian. The top ten dietary sources of energy contributed 36·2-49·6% to total energy consumption, with rice and bread contributing the most (11·4-27·8%) across all ethnic-sex groups. Major dietary sources of total fat were chicken/turkey dishes and butter among most groups. Ice cream, ice milk or frozen yogurt contributed 4·6-6·2% to saturated fat intake across all ethnic-sex groups, except Latino-Mexico women. Chicken/turkey and bread were among the top dietary sources of protein (13·9-19·4%). The top two sources of dietary fibre were bread and cereals (18·1-22%) among all groups, except Latino-Mexico men. Regular sodas contributed the most to added sugar consumption. The present study provides, for the first time, data on the major dietary sources of energy, fat, saturated fat, protein, fibre and added sugar for these five ethnic groups in the USA. Such data are valuable for identifying target foods for nutritional intervention programmes and directing public health strategies aimed at reducing dietary risk factors for chronic disease.

Ultra-High Efficiency, High-Concentration PV System Based On Spectral Division Between GaInP/GaInAs/Ge And BPC Silicon Cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Benítez, P.; Mohedano, R.; Buljan, M.; Miñano, J. C.; Sun, Y.; Falicoff, W.; Vilaplana, J.; Chaves, J.; Biot, G.; López, J.

2011-12-01

A novel HCPV nonimaging concentrator concept with high concentration (>500×) is presented. It uses the combination of a commercial concentration GaInP/GaInAs/Ge 3J cell and a concentration Back-Point-Contact (BPC) concentration silicon cell for efficient spectral utilization, and external confinement techniques for recovering the 3J cell's reflection. The primary optical element (POE) is a flat Fresnel lens and the secondary optical element (SOE) is a free-form RXI-type concentrator with a band-pass filter embedded it, both POE and SOE performing Köhler integration to produce light homogenization. The band-pass filter sends the IR photons in the 900-1200 nm band to the silicon cell. Computer simulations predict that four-terminal terminal designs could achieve ˜46% added cell efficiencies using commercial 39% 3J and 26% Si cells. A first proof-of concept receiver prototype has been manufactured using a simpler optical architecture (with a lower concentration, ˜100× and lower simulated added efficiency), and experimental measurements have shown up to 39.8% 4J receiver efficiency using a 3J with peak efficiency of 36.9%.

Ligand-functionalized degradable polyplexes formed by cationic poly(aspartic acid)-grafted chitosan-cyclodextrin conjugates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Song, Hai-Qing; Li, Rui-Quan; Duan, Shun; Yu, Bingran; Zhao, Hong; Chen, Da-Fu; Xu, Fu-Jian

2015-03-01

Polypeptide-based degradable polyplexes attracted considerable attention in drug delivery systems. Polysaccharides including cyclodextrin (CD), dextran, and chitosan (CS) were readily grafted with cationic poly(aspartic acid)s (PAsps). To further enhance the transfection performances of PAsp-based polyplexes, herein, different types of ligand (folic acid, FA)-functionalized degradable polyplexes were proposed based on the PAsp-grafted chitosan-cyclodextrin conjugate (CCPE), where multiple β-CDs were tied on a CS chain. The FA-functionalized CCPE (i.e., CCPE-FA) was obtained via a host-guest interaction between the CD units of CCPE and the adamantane (Ad) species of Ad-modified FA (Ad-FA). The resulting CCPE/pDNA, CCPE-FA/pDNA, and ternary CCPE-FA/CCPE/pDNA (prepared by layer-by-layer assembly) polyplexes were investigated in detail using different cell lines. The CCPE-based polyplexes displayed much higher transfection efficiencies than the CS-based polyplexes reported earlier by us. The ternary polyplexes of CCPE-FA/CCPE/pDNA produced excellent gene transfection abilities in the folate receptor (FR)-positive tumor cells. This work would provide a promising means to produce highly efficient polyplexes for future gene therapy applications.Polypeptide-based degradable polyplexes attracted considerable attention in drug delivery systems. Polysaccharides including cyclodextrin (CD), dextran, and chitosan (CS) were readily grafted with cationic poly(aspartic acid)s (PAsps). To further enhance the transfection performances of PAsp-based polyplexes, herein, different types of ligand (folic acid, FA)-functionalized degradable polyplexes were proposed based on the PAsp-grafted chitosan-cyclodextrin conjugate (CCPE), where multiple β-CDs were tied on a CS chain. The FA-functionalized CCPE (i.e., CCPE-FA) was obtained via a host-guest interaction between the CD units of CCPE and the adamantane (Ad) species of Ad-modified FA (Ad-FA). The resulting CCPE/pDNA, CCPE-FA/pDNA, and ternary CCPE-FA/CCPE/pDNA (prepared by layer-by-layer assembly) polyplexes were investigated in detail using different cell lines. The CCPE-based polyplexes displayed much higher transfection efficiencies than the CS-based polyplexes reported earlier by us. The ternary polyplexes of CCPE-FA/CCPE/pDNA produced excellent gene transfection abilities in the folate receptor (FR)-positive tumor cells. This work would provide a promising means to produce highly efficient polyplexes for future gene therapy applications. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: 1H NMR assay, synthetic route of Ad-FA, AFM images and cellular internalization rate can be found in ESI. See DOI: 10.1039/c4nr07515c

Antarctic climate change: extreme events disrupt plastic phenotypic response in Adélie penguins.

PubMed

Lescroël, Amélie; Ballard, Grant; Grémillet, David; Authier, Matthieu; Ainley, David G

2014-01-01

In the context of predicted alteration of sea ice cover and increased frequency of extreme events, it is especially timely to investigate plasticity within Antarctic species responding to a key environmental aspect of their ecology: sea ice variability. Using 13 years of longitudinal data, we investigated the effect of sea ice concentration (SIC) on the foraging efficiency of Adélie penguins (Pygoscelis adeliae) breeding in the Ross Sea. A 'natural experiment' brought by the exceptional presence of giant icebergs during 5 consecutive years provided unprecedented habitat variation for testing the effects of extreme events on the relationship between SIC and foraging efficiency in this sea-ice dependent species. Significant levels of phenotypic plasticity were evident in response to changes in SIC in normal environmental conditions. Maximum foraging efficiency occurred at relatively low SIC, peaking at 6.1% and decreasing with higher SIC. The 'natural experiment' uncoupled efficiency levels from SIC variations. Our study suggests that lower summer SIC than currently observed would benefit the foraging performance of Adélie penguins in their southernmost breeding area. Importantly, it also provides evidence that extreme climatic events can disrupt response plasticity in a wild seabird population. This questions the predictive power of relationships built on past observations, when not only the average climatic conditions are changing but the frequency of extreme climatic anomalies is also on the rise.

Antarctic Climate Change: Extreme Events Disrupt Plastic Phenotypic Response in Adélie Penguins

PubMed Central

Lescroël, Amélie; Ballard, Grant; Grémillet, David; Authier, Matthieu; Ainley, David G.

2014-01-01

In the context of predicted alteration of sea ice cover and increased frequency of extreme events, it is especially timely to investigate plasticity within Antarctic species responding to a key environmental aspect of their ecology: sea ice variability. Using 13 years of longitudinal data, we investigated the effect of sea ice concentration (SIC) on the foraging efficiency of Adélie penguins (Pygoscelis adeliae) breeding in the Ross Sea. A ‘natural experiment’ brought by the exceptional presence of giant icebergs during 5 consecutive years provided unprecedented habitat variation for testing the effects of extreme events on the relationship between SIC and foraging efficiency in this sea-ice dependent species. Significant levels of phenotypic plasticity were evident in response to changes in SIC in normal environmental conditions. Maximum foraging efficiency occurred at relatively low SIC, peaking at 6.1% and decreasing with higher SIC. The ‘natural experiment’ uncoupled efficiency levels from SIC variations. Our study suggests that lower summer SIC than currently observed would benefit the foraging performance of Adélie penguins in their southernmost breeding area. Importantly, it also provides evidence that extreme climatic events can disrupt response plasticity in a wild seabird population. This questions the predictive power of relationships built on past observations, when not only the average climatic conditions are changing but the frequency of extreme climatic anomalies is also on the rise. PMID:24489657

A six-color four-laser mobile platform for multi-spectral fluorescence imaging endoscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Black, John F.; Tate, Tyler; Keenan, Molly; Swan, Elizabeth; Utzinger, Urs; Barton, Jennifer

2015-03-01

The properties of multi-spectral fluorescence imaging using deep-UV-illumination have recently been explored using a fiber-coupled thermal source at 280 nm. The resulting images show a remarkable level of contrast thought to result from the signal being overwhelmingly generated in the uppermost few cell layers of tissue, making this approach valuable for the study of diseases that originate in the endothelial tissues of the body. With a view to extending the technique with new wavelengths, and improving beam quality for efficient small core fiber coupling we have developed a mobile self-contained tunable solid-state laser source of deep UV light. An alexandrite laser, lasing at around 750 nm is frequency doubled to produce 375 nm and then tripled to produce 250 nm light. An optical deck added to the system allows other laser sources to be incorporated into the UV beam-line and a lens system has been designed to couple these sources into a single delivery fiber with core diameters down to 50 microns. Our system incorporates five wavelengths [250 nm, 375 nm, 442 nm (HeCd), 543 nm (HeNe) and 638 nm (diode laser)] as the illumination source for a small diameter falloposcope designed for the study of the distal Fallopian tube origins of high grade serous ovarian cancer. The tunability of alexandrite offers the potential to generate other wavelengths in the 720-800, 360-400 and 240-265 nm ranges, plus other non-linear optical conversion techniques taking advantage of the high peak powers of the laser.

Faint Object Detection in Multi-Epoch Observations via Catalog Data Fusion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Budavári, Tamás; Szalay, Alexander S.; Loredo, Thomas J.

2017-03-01

Astronomy in the time-domain era faces several new challenges. One of them is the efficient use of observations obtained at multiple epochs. The work presented here addresses faint object detection and describes an incremental strategy for separating real objects from artifacts in ongoing surveys. The idea is to produce low-threshold single-epoch catalogs and to accumulate information across epochs. This is in contrast to more conventional strategies based on co-added or stacked images. We adopt a Bayesian approach, addressing object detection by calculating the marginal likelihoods for hypotheses asserting that there is no object or one object in a small image patch containing at most one cataloged source at each epoch. The object-present hypothesis interprets the sources in a patch at different epochs as arising from a genuine object; the no-object hypothesis interprets candidate sources as spurious, arising from noise peaks. We study the detection probability for constant-flux objects in a Gaussian noise setting, comparing results based on single and stacked exposures to results based on a series of single-epoch catalog summaries. Our procedure amounts to generalized cross-matching: it is the product of a factor accounting for the matching of the estimated fluxes of the candidate sources and a factor accounting for the matching of their estimated directions. We find that probabilistic fusion of multi-epoch catalogs can detect sources with similar sensitivity and selectivity compared to stacking. The probabilistic cross-matching framework underlying our approach plays an important role in maintaining detection sensitivity and points toward generalizations that could accommodate variability and complex object structure.

High voltage MOSFET switching circuit

DOEpatents

McEwan, Thomas E.

1994-01-01

The problem of source lead inductance in a MOSFET switching circuit is compensated for by adding an inductor to the gate circuit. The gate circuit inductor produces an inductive spike which counters the source lead inductive drop to produce a rectangular drive voltage waveform at the internal gate-source terminals of the MOSFET.

Investigating Dielectric and Metamaterial Effects in a Terahertz Traveling-Wave Tube Amplifier

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Starinshak, David P.; Wilson, Jeffrey D.

2008-01-01

Adding material enhancements to a terahertz traveling-wave tube amplifier is investigated. Isotropic dielectrics, negative-index metamaterials, and anisotropic crystals are simulated, and plans to increase the efficiency of the device are discussed. Early results indicate that adding dielectric to the curved sections of the serpentine-shaped slow-wave circuit produce optimal changes in the cold-test characteristics of the device and a minimal drop in operating frequency. Additional results suggest that materials with simultaneously small relative permittivities and electrical conductivities are best suited for increasing the efficiency of the device. More research is required on the subject, and recommendations are given to determine the direction.

Chapter 2: Commercial and Industrial Lighting Evaluation Protocol. The Uniform Methods Project: Methods for Determining Energy Efficiency Savings for Specific Measures

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

Kurnik, Charles W; Gowans, Dakers; Telarico, Chad

The Commercial and Industrial Lighting Evaluation Protocol (the protocol) describes methods to account for gross energy savings resulting from the programmatic installation of efficient lighting equipment in large populations of commercial, industrial, and other nonresidential facilities. This protocol does not address savings resulting from changes in codes and standards, or from education and training activities. A separate Uniform Methods Project (UMP) protocol, Chapter 3: Commercial and Industrial Lighting Controls Evaluation Protocol, addresses methods for evaluating savings resulting from lighting control measures such as adding time clocks, tuning energy management system commands, and adding occupancy sensors.

Characterization of basic amino acids-conjugated PAMAM dendrimers as gene carriers for human adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells.

PubMed

Bae, Yoonhee; Lee, Sunray; Green, Eric S; Park, Jung Hyun; Ko, Kyung Soo; Han, Jin; Choi, Joon Sig

2016-03-30

Since mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) can self-renew and differentiate into multiple cell types, the delivery of genes to this type of cell can be an important tool in the emerging field of tissue regeneration and engineering. However, development of more efficient and safe nonviral vectors for gene delivery to stem cells in particular still remains a great challenge. In this study, we describe a group of nonviral gene delivery vectors, conjugated PAMAM derivatives (PAMAM-H-R, PAMAM-H-K, and PAMAM-H-O), displaying affinity toward human adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (AD-MSCs). Transfection efficiency using pDNA encoding for luciferase (Luc) and enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP), and cytotoxicity assays were performed in human AD-MSCs. The results show that transfection efficiencies of conjugated PAMAM derivatives are improved significantly compared to native PAMAM dendrimer, and that among PAMAM derivatives, cytotoxicity of PAMAM-H-K and PAMAM-H-O were very low. Also, treatment of human AD-MSCs to polyplex formation in conjugated PAMAM derivatives, their cellular uptake and localization were analyzed by flow cytometry and confocal microscopy. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Ultrasonic sludge disintegration for enhanced methane production in anaerobic digestion: effects of sludge hydrolysis efficiency and hydraulic retention time.

PubMed

Kim, Dong-Jin; Lee, Jonghak

2012-01-01

Hydrolysis of waste activated sludge (WAS) has been regarded as the rate limiting step of anaerobic sludge digestion. Therefore, in this study, the effect of ultrasound and hydraulic residence time during sludge hydrolysis was investigated with the goal of enhancing methane production from anaerobic digestion (AD). WAS was ultrasonically disintegrated for hydrolysis, and it was semi-continuously fed to an anaerobic digesters at various hydraulic retention times (HRTs). The results of these experiments showed that the solids and chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal efficiencies when using ultrasonically disintegrated sludge were higher during AD than the control sludge. The longer the HRT, the higher the removal efficiencies of solids and COD, while methane production increased with lower HRT. Sludge with 30% hydrolysis produced 7 × more methane production than the control sludge. The highest methane yields were 0.350 m(3)/kg volatile solids (VS)(add) and 0.301 m(3)/kg COD(con) for 16 and 30% hydrolyzed sludge, respectively. In addition, we found that excess ultrasound irradiation may inhibit AD since the 50% hydrolyzed sludge produced lower methane yields than 16 and 30% hydrolyzed sludge.

Enhancing efficiency of production cost on seafood process with activity based management method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tarigan, U.; Tarigan, U. P. P.

2018-02-01

The efficiency of production costs has an important impact maintaining company presence in the business world, as well as in the face of increasingly sharp global competition. It was done by identifying and reducing non-value-added activities to decrease production costs and increase profits. The study was conducted at a company engaged in the production of squid (seafood). It has a higher product price than the market as Rp 50,000 per kg while the market price of squid is only Rp 35,000 per kg. The price of the product to be more expensive compared with market price, and thereby a lot more consumers choose the lower market price. Based on the discussions conducted, the implementation of Activity Based Management was seen in the reduction of activities that are not added value in the production process. Since each activities consumers cost, the reduction of nonvalue-added activities has effects on the decline of production cost. The production’s decline costs mainly occur in the reduction of material transfer costs. The results showed that there was an increase after the improvement of 2.60%. Increased production cost efficiency causes decreased production costs and increased profits.

Energy Efficient Probabilistic Broadcasting for Mobile Ad-Hoc Network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumar, Sumit; Mehfuz, Shabana

2017-06-01

In mobile ad-hoc network (MANETs) flooding method is used for broadcasting route request (RREQ) packet from one node to another node for route discovery. This is the simplest method of broadcasting of RREQ packets but it often results in broadcast storm problem, originating collisions and congestion of packets in the network. A probabilistic broadcasting is one of the widely used broadcasting scheme for route discovery in MANETs and provides solution for broadcasting storm problem. But it does not consider limited energy of the battery of the nodes. In this paper, a new energy efficient probabilistic broadcasting (EEPB) is proposed in which probability of broadcasting RREQs is calculated with respect to remaining energy of nodes. The analysis of simulation results clearly indicate that an EEPB route discovery scheme in ad-hoc on demand distance vector (AODV) can increase the network lifetime with a decrease in the average power consumption and RREQ packet overhead. It also decreases the number of dropped packets in the network, in comparison to other EEPB schemes like energy constraint gossip (ECG), energy aware gossip (EAG), energy based gossip (EBG) and network lifetime through energy efficient broadcast gossip (NEBG).

Ex-vivo transduced autologous skin fibroblasts expressing human Lim Mineralization Protein-3 efficiently form new bone in animal models

PubMed Central

Lattanzi, Wanda; Parrilla, Claudio; Fetoni, Annarita; Logroscino, Giandomenico; Straface, Giuseppe; Pecorini, Giovanni; Stigliano, Egidio; Tampieri, Anna; Bedini, Rossella; Pecci, Raffaella; Michetti, Fabrizio; Gambotto, Andrea; Robbins, Paul D.; Pola, Enrico

2012-01-01

Local gene transfer of the human LIM Mineralization Protein (LMP), a novel intracellular positive regulator of the osteoblast differentiation program, can induce efficient bone formation in rodents. In order to develop a clinically relevant gene therapy approach to facilitate bone healing, we have used primary dermal fibroblasts transduced ex vivo with Ad.LMP3 and seeded on an hydroxyapatite/collagen matrix prior to autologous implantation. Here we demonstrate that genetically modified autologous dermal fibroblasts expressing Ad.LMP-3 are able to induce ectopic bone formation following implantation of the matrix into the mouse triceps and paravertebral muscles. Moreover, implantation of the Ad.LMP-3-modified dermal fibroblasts into a rat mandibular bone critical size defect model results in efficient healing as determined by X-ray, histology and three dimensional micro computed tomography (3DμCT). These results demonstrate the effectiveness of the non-secreted intracellular osteogenic factor LMP-3, in inducing bone formation in vivo. Moreover, the utilization of autologous dermal fibroblasts implanted on a biomaterial represents a promising approach for possible future clinical applications aimed at inducing new bone formation. PMID:18633445

Impact of co-pretreatment of calcium hydroxide and steam explosion on anaerobic digestion efficiency with corn stover.

PubMed

Ji, Jinli; Zhang, Jiyu; Yang, Liutianyi; He, Yanfeng; Zhang, Ruihong; Liu, Guangqing; Chen, Chang

2017-06-01

Anaerobic digestion (AD) is an effective way to utilize the abundant resource of corn stover (CS). In this light, Ca(OH) 2 pretreatment alone, steam explosion (SE) pretreatment alone, and co-pretreatment of Ca(OH) 2 and SE were applied to improve the digestion efficiency of CS. Results showed that AD of co-pretreated CS with 1.0% Ca(OH) 2 and SE at 1.5 MPa achieved the highest cumulative methane yield of [Formula: see text], which was 61.54% significantly higher (p < .01) than untreated CS. The biodegradability value of CS after co-pretreatment enhanced from 43.03% to 69.52%. Methane yield could be well fitted by the first-order model and the modified Gompertz model. In addition, composition and structural changes of CS after pretreatment were analyzed by a fiber analyzer, scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction. The validated results indicated that co-pretreatment of Ca(OH) 2 and SE was efficient to improve the digestion performance of CS and might be a suitable method for agricultural waste pretreatment in the future AD industry.

AdS6 solutions of type II supergravity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Apruzzi, Fabio; Fazzi, Marco; Passias, Achilleas; Rosa, Dario; Tomasiello, Alessandro

2014-11-01

Very few AdS6 × M 4 supersymmetric solutions are known: one in massive IIA, and two IIB solutions dual to it. The IIA solution is known to be unique; in this paper, we use the pure spinor approach to give a classification for IIB supergravity. We reduce the problem to two PDEs on a two-dimensional space Σ. M 4 is then a fibration of S 2 over Σ; the metric and fluxes are completely determined in terms of the solution to the PDEs. The results seem likely to accommodate near-horizon limits of ( p, q)-fivebrane webs studied in the literature as a source of CFT5's. We also show that there are no AdS6 solutions in eleven-dimensional supergravity.

Highly efficient focus formation by Rous sarcoma virus on adenovirus type 12 E1A-transformed rat 3Y1 cells.

PubMed Central

Shiroki, K; Hamaguchi, M; Kawai, S

1992-01-01

When rat 3Y1 cells were infected with Rous sarcoma virus (RSV) variant SR-RSV-D(H), many 3Y1 cells acquired a stable provirus but only few of them formed transformed foci. In contrast, 12E1AY cells (3Y1 cells expressing the adenovirus type 12 [Ad12] E1A protein) formed transformed foci upon RSV infection with the same high frequency as did chicken embryo fibroblast cells. This enhancement of focus-forming efficiency was specifically observed in 3Y1 cells expressing Ad12 E1A protein but was not observed in 3Y1 cells expressing simian virus 40 T, c-myc, p53, c-fos, or v-fos protein. This enhancement was not evident in 5E1AY cells (3Y1 cells expressing the Ad5 E1A protein). Judging from the experiment using Ad12-Ad5 hybird E1A DNAs, the N-terminal half of the Ad12 E1A protein was responsible for this enhancement. The promoter activity of the RSV long terminal repeat measured by pLTR-CAT did not correlate to the efficiency of focus formation by RSV in these 3Y1 cells. Moreover, RSV containing the neo gene instead of the src gene produced G418-resistant cells equally efficiently among 3Y1, E1AY, and chicken embryo fibroblast cells. These results suggest that the enhancement of focus formation by RSV is not due to the increased expression of the src gene by the E1A protein. src mRNA and src protein were lower in RSV-transformed E1AY (RSVE1AY) cells than in RSV-transformed 3Y1 (RSV3Y1) cells. The phosphotyrosine-containing proteins were also less abundant in RSVE1AY cells than in RSV3Y1 cells, suggesting that E1AY cells require a lower threshold dose of p60v-src for transformation than do 3Y1 cells. E1AY cells were found to be more sensitive to lysis by detergents. The results suggest that the enhancement is due to changes in membrane structures in E1AY cells. Images PMID:1310757

The nucleotide sequence and a first generation gene transfer vector of species B human adenovirus serotype 3.

PubMed

Sirena, Dominique; Ruzsics, Zsolt; Schaffner, Walter; Greber, Urs F; Hemmi, Silvio

2005-12-20

Human adenovirus (Ad) serotype 3 causes respiratory infections. It is considered highly virulent, accounting for about 13% of all Ad isolates. We report here the complete Ad3 DNA sequence of 35,343 base pairs (GenBank accession DQ086466). Ad3 shares 96.43% nucleotide identity with Ad7, another virulent subspecies B1 serotype, and 82.56 and 62.75% identity with the less virulent species B2 Ad11 and species C Ad5, respectively. The genomic organization of Ad3 is similar to the other human Ads comprising five early transcription units, E1A, E1B, E2, E3, and E4, two delayed early units IX and IVa2, and the major late unit, in total 39 putative and 7 hypothetical open reading frames. A recombinant E1-deleted Ad3 was generated on a bacterial artificial chromosome. This prototypic virus efficiently transduced CD46-positive rodent and human cells. Our results will help in clarifying the biology and pathology of adenoviruses and enhance therapeutic applications of viral vectors in clinical settings.

[Optimization Study on the Nitrogen and Phosphorus Removal of Modified Two- sludge System Under the Condition of Low Carbon Source].

PubMed

Yang, Wei-qiang; Wang, Dong-bo; Li, Xiao-ming; Yang, Qi; Xu, Qiu-xiang; Zhang, Zhi-bei; Li, Zhi-jun; Xiang, Hai-hong; Wang, Ya-li; Sun, Jian

2016-04-15

This paper explored the method of resolving insufficient carbon source in urban sewage by comparing and analyzing denitrification and phosphorus removal (NPR) effect between modified two-sludge system and traditional anaerobic-aerobic-anoxic process under the condition of low carbon source wastewater. The modified two-sludge system was the experimental reactor, which was optimized by adding two stages of micro-aeration (aeration rate 0.5 L · mm⁻¹) in the anoxic period of the original two-sludge system, and multi-stage anaerobic-aerobic-anoxic SBR was the control reactor. When the influent COD, ammonia nitrogen, SOP concentration were respectively 200, 35, 10 mg · L⁻¹, the NPR effect of the experimental reactor was hetter than that of thecontrol reactor with the removal efficiency of TN being 94.8% vs 60.9%, and TP removal being 96.5% vs 75%, respectively. The effluent SOP, ammonia, TN concentration of the experimental reactor were 0.35, 0.50, 1.82 mg · L⁻¹, respectively, which could fully meet the first class of A standard of the Pollutants Emission Standard of Urban Wastewater Treatment Firm (GB 18918-2002). Using the optimized treatment process, the largest amounts of nitrogen and phosphorus removal per unit carbon source (as COD) were 0.17 g · g⁻¹ and 0.048 g · g⁻¹ respectively, which could furthest solve the lower carbon concentration in current municipal wastewater.

Alzheimer's disease and memory-monitoring impairment: Alzheimer's patients show a monitoring deficit that is greater than their accuracy deficit.

PubMed

Dodson, Chad S; Spaniol, Maggie; O'Connor, Maureen K; Deason, Rebecca G; Ally, Brandon A; Budson, Andrew E

2011-07-01

We assessed the ability of two groups of patients with mild Alzheimer's disease (AD) and two groups of older adults to monitor the likely accuracy of recognition judgments and source identification judgments about who spoke something earlier. Alzheimer's patients showed worse performance on both memory judgments and were less able to monitor with confidence ratings the likely accuracy of both kinds of memory judgments, as compared to a group of older adults who experienced the identical study and test conditions. Critically, however, when memory performance was made comparable between the AD patients and the older adults (e.g., by giving AD patients extra exposures to the study materials), AD patients were still greatly impaired at monitoring the likely accuracy of their recognition and source judgments. This result indicates that the monitoring impairment in AD patients is actually worse than their memory impairment, as otherwise there would have been no differences between the two groups in monitoring performance when there were no differences in accuracy. We discuss the brain correlates of this memory-monitoring deficit and also propose a Remembrance-Evaluation model of memory-monitoring. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Microbial polychlorinated biphenyl dechlorination in sediments by electrical stimulation: The effect of adding acetate and nonionic surfactant.

PubMed

Yu, Hui; Wan, Hui; Feng, Chunhua; Yi, Xiaoyun; Liu, Xiaoping; Ren, Yuan; Wei, Chaohai

2017-02-15

The necessity for developing an efficient and cost-effective in situ bioremediation technology for sediments contaminated with polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) has prompted the application of low-voltage electrical fields to anaerobic digestion systems. Here we show that the use of a sediment-based bio-electrochemical reactor (BER) poised at a potential of -0.50V (vs. a standard calomel electrode, SCE) substantially enhanced the reduction of 2,3,4,5-tetrachlorobiphenyl (PCB 61) when acetate was added as a carbon source. The addition of surfactant Tween 80 to the BER further accelerated the PCB 61 transformation. The comparative study of closed- and open-circuit reactors demonstrated the enrichment conditions affecting the bacterial community structure, the dominant dechlorination metabolisms, and thus the extent, the rate and the products of the reduction of PCBs. The dominant bacterial dechlorinators detected in the BERs in the presence of acetate and Tween 80 are Dehalogenimonas, Dehalobacter, Sulfuricurvum, Dechloromonas and Geobacter, which should be responsible for PCB dechlorination. This study improves understanding of the key factors influencing dechlorination activity in sediment-based BERs polarized at a low potential, as well as the metabolic mechanisms dominating in the PCB dechlorination process. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Towards a next generation open-source video codec

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bankoski, Jim; Bultje, Ronald S.; Grange, Adrian; Gu, Qunshan; Han, Jingning; Koleszar, John; Mukherjee, Debargha; Wilkins, Paul; Xu, Yaowu

2013-02-01

Google has recently been developing a next generation opensource video codec called VP9, as part of the experimental branch of the libvpx repository included in the WebM project (http://www.webmproject.org/). Starting from the VP8 video codec released by Google in 2010 as the baseline, a number of enhancements and new tools have been added to improve the coding efficiency. This paper provides a technical overview of the current status of this project along with comparisons and other stateoftheart video codecs H. 264/AVC and HEVC. The new tools that have been added so far include: larger prediction block sizes up to 64x64, various forms of compound INTER prediction, more modes for INTRA prediction, ⅛pel motion vectors and 8tap switchable subpel interpolation filters, improved motion reference generation and motion vector coding, improved entropy coding and framelevel entropy adaptation for various symbols, improved loop filtering, incorporation of Asymmetric Discrete Sine Transforms and larger 16x16 and 32x32 DCTs, frame level segmentation to group similar areas together, etc. Other tools and various bitstream features are being actively worked on as well. The VP9 bitstream is expected to be finalized by earlyto mid2013. Results show VP9 to be quite competitive in performance with mainstream stateoftheart codecs.

On using multiple routing metrics with destination sequenced distance vector protocol for MultiHop wireless ad hoc networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mehic, M.; Fazio, P.; Voznak, M.; Partila, P.; Komosny, D.; Tovarek, J.; Chmelikova, Z.

2016-05-01

A mobile ad hoc network is a collection of mobile nodes which communicate without a fixed backbone or centralized infrastructure. Due to the frequent mobility of nodes, routes connecting two distant nodes may change. Therefore, it is not possible to establish a priori fixed paths for message delivery through the network. Because of its importance, routing is the most studied problem in mobile ad hoc networks. In addition, if the Quality of Service (QoS) is demanded, one must guarantee the QoS not only over a single hop but over an entire wireless multi-hop path which may not be a trivial task. In turns, this requires the propagation of QoS information within the network. The key to the support of QoS reporting is QoS routing, which provides path QoS information at each source. To support QoS for real-time traffic one needs to know not only minimum delay on the path to the destination but also the bandwidth available on it. Therefore, throughput, end-to-end delay, and routing overhead are traditional performance metrics used to evaluate the performance of routing protocol. To obtain additional information about the link, most of quality-link metrics are based on calculation of the lost probabilities of links by broadcasting probe packets. In this paper, we address the problem of including multiple routing metrics in existing routing packets that are broadcasted through the network. We evaluate the efficiency of such approach with modified version of DSDV routing protocols in ns-3 simulator.

Using a Genetic Algorithm to Model Broadband Regional Waveforms for Crustal Structure in the Western United States

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bhattacharyya, Joydeep; Sheehan, Anne F.; Tiampo, Kristy; Rundle, John

1999-01-01

In this study, we analyze regional seismograms to obtain the crustal structure in the eastern Great Basin and western Colorado plateau. Adopting a for- ward-modeling approach, we develop a genetic algorithm (GA) based parameter search technique to constrain the one-dimensional crustal structure in these regions. The data are broadband three-component seismograms recorded at the 1994-95 IRIS PASSCAL Colorado Plateau to Great Basin experiment (CPGB) stations and supplemented by data from U.S. National Seismic Network (USNSN) stations in Utah and Nevada. We use the southwestern Wyoming mine collapse event (M(sub b) = 5.2) that occurred on 3 February 1995 as the seismic source. We model the regional seismograms using a four-layer crustal model with constant layer parameters. Timing of teleseismic receiver functions at CPGB stations are added as an additional constraint in the modeling. GA allows us to efficiently search the model space. A carefully chosen fitness function and a windowing scheme are added to the algorithm to prevent search stagnation. The technique is tested with synthetic data, both with and without random Gaussian noise added to it. Several separate model searches are carried out to estimate the variability of the model parameters. The average Colorado plateau crustal structure is characterized by a 40-km-thick crust with velocity increases at depths of about 10 and 25 km and a fast lower crust while the Great Basin has approximately 35- km-thick crust and a 2.9-km-thick sedimentary layer.

An extra-virgin olive oil rich in polyphenolic compounds has antioxidant effects in meat-type broiler chickens.

PubMed

Tufarelli, Vincenzo; Laudadio, Vito; Casalino, Elisabetta

2016-04-01

The aim of this study was to extend the knowledge on the antioxidant effect of extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO) in the liver of broiler chickens not subjected to any form of insult. A total of 120 male broiler chickens (Hubbard strain) were divided into three groups and fed ad libitum with three isoenergetic diets from hatching until slaughter age (49 days) on a completely randomized design. The dietary treatments consisted of 2.5% added oil or fat from three sources as follows: diet containing sunflower oil (SFO); diet containing lard (LRD), and diet containing extra-virgin olive oil (EVOO). The activity of the main antioxidative enzymes, superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GS-Px) and glutathione S-transferase (GST), and lipid peroxidation as thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS) content, was measured in the liver of chickens. The susceptibility to undergo lipid peroxidation was assessed by exposing liver homogenate to 30 °C or to an ascorbate/iron mixture as pro-oxidant system. Dietary oil or fat type improved significantly (P < 0.05) the body weight and gain as well as feed efficiency in birds fed EVOO compared to those fed with the other treatments. Supplementing EVOO in the diet significantly (P < 0.05) reduced lipid peroxidation by increasing antioxidant defense system. These findings, besides adding more results on the antioxidant effect of extra-virgin olive oil on liver of other experimental model other than rats and humans, could be significant for animal welfare, with consequent benefits for both producers and consumers.

Chicken feather hydrolysate as an inexpensive complex nitrogen source for PHA production by Cupriavidus necator on waste frying oils.

PubMed

Benesova, P; Kucera, D; Marova, I; Obruca, S

2017-08-01

The chicken feather hydrolysate (FH) has been tested as a potential complex nitrogen source for the production of polyhydroxyalkanoates by Cupriavidus necator H16 when waste frying oil was used as a carbon source. The addition of FH into the mineral salt media with decreased inorganic nitrogen source concentration improved the yields of biomass and polyhydrohyalkanoates. The highest yields were achieved when 10 vol.% of FH prepared by microwave-assisted alkaline hydrolysis of 60 g l -1 feather was added. In this case, the poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) yields were improved by more than about 50% as compared with control cultivation. A positive impact of FH was also observed for accumulation of copolymer poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate) when sodium propionate was used as a precursor. The copolymer has superior processing and mechanical properties in comparison with PHB homopolymer. The application of FH eliminated the inhibitory effect of propionate and resulted in altered content of 3-hydroxyvalerate (3HV) in copolymer. Therefore, the hydrolysed feather can serve as an excellent complex source of nitrogen for the polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) production. Moreover, by the combination of two inexpensive types of waste, such as waste frying oil and feather hydrolysate, it is possible to produce PHA with substantially improved efficiency and sustainability. Millions of tons of feathers, important waste product of poultry-processing industry, are disposed off annually without any further benefits. Thus, there is an inevitable need for new technologies that enable ecologically and economically sensible processing of this waste. Herein, we report that alkali-hydrolysed feathers can be used as a complex nitrogen source considerably improving polyhydroxyalkanoates production on waste frying oil employing Cupriavidus necator. © 2017 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

"Hot spots" of N and C impact nitric oxide, nitrous oxide and nitrogen gas emissions from a UK grassland soil.

PubMed

Loick, Nadine; Dixon, Elizabeth; Abalos, Diego; Vallejo, Antonio; Matthews, Peter; McGeough, Karen; Watson, Catherine; Baggs, Elizabeth M; Cardenas, Laura M

2017-11-01

Agricultural soils are a major source of nitric- (NO) and nitrous oxide (N 2 O), which are produced and consumed by biotic and abiotic soil processes. The dominant sources of NO and N 2 O are microbial nitrification and denitrification, and emissions of NO and N 2 O generally increase after fertiliser application. The present study investigated the impact of N-source distribution on emissions of NO and N 2 O from soil and the significance of denitrification, rather than nitrification, as a source of NO emissions. To eliminate spatial variability and changing environmental factors which impact processes and results, the experiment was conducted under highly controlled conditions. A laboratory incubation system (DENIS) was used, allowing simultaneous measurement of three N-gases (NO, N 2 O, N 2 ) emitted from a repacked soil core, which was combined with 15 N-enrichment isotopic techniques to determine the source of N emissions. It was found that the areal distribution of N and C significantly affected the quantity and timing of gaseous emissions and 15 N-analysis showed that N 2 O emissions resulted almost exclusively from the added amendments. Localised higher concentrations, so-called hot spots, resulted in a delay in N 2 O and N 2 emissions causing a longer residence time of the applied N-source in the soil, therefore minimising NO emissions while at the same time being potentially advantageous for plant-uptake of nutrients. If such effects are also observed for a wider range of soils and conditions, then this will have major implications for fertiliser application protocols to minimise gaseous N emissions while maintaining fertilisation efficiency.

Exact ghost-free bigravitational waves

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ayón-Beato, Eloy; Higuita-Borja, Daniel; Méndez-Zavaleta, Julio A.; Velázquez-Rodríguez, Gerardo

2018-04-01

We study the propagation of exact gravitational waves in the ghost-free bimetric theory. Our focus is on type-N spacetimes compatible with the cosmological constants provided by the bigravity interaction potential, and particularly in the single class known by allowing at least a Killing symmetry: the AdS waves. They have the advantage of being represented by a generalized Kerr-Schild transformation from AdS spacetime. This entails a notorious simplification in bigravity by allowing to straightforwardly compute any power of its interaction square root matrix, opening the door to explore physically meaningful exact configurations. For these exact gravitational waves the complex dynamical structure of bigravity decomposes into elementary exact massless or massive excitations propagating on AdS. We use a complexified formulation of the Euler-Darboux equations to provide for the first time the general solutions to the massive version of the Siklos equation which rules the resulting AdS-wave dynamics, using an integral representation originally due to Poisson. Inspired by this progress, we tackle the subtle problem of how matter couples to bigravity and, more concretely, if this occurs through a composite metric, which is hard to handle in a general setting. Surprisingly, the Kerr-Schild ansatz brings again a huge simplification in how the related energy-momentum tensors are calculated. This allows us to explicitly characterize AdS waves supported by either a massless free scalar field or a wavefront-homogeneous Maxwell field. Considering the most general allowed Maxwell source instead is a highly nontrivial task, which we accomplish by again exploiting the complexified Euler-Darboux description and taking advantage of the classical Riemann method. In fact, this eventually allows us to find the most general configurations for any matter source.

Biomass pyrolysis liquid to citric acid via 2-step bioconversion.

PubMed

Yang, Zhiguang; Bai, Zhihui; Sun, Hongyan; Yu, Zhisheng; Li, Xingxing; Guo, Yifei; Zhang, Hongxun

2014-12-31

The use of fossil carbon sources for fuels and petrochemicals has serious impacts on our environment and is unable to meet the demand in the future. A promising and sustainable alternative is to substitute fossil carbon sources with microbial cell factories converting lignocellulosic biomass into desirable value added products. However, such bioprocesses require tolerance to inhibitory compounds generated during pretreatment of biomass. In this study, the process of sequential two-step bio-conversion of biomass pyrolysis liquid containing levoglucosan (LG) to citric acid without chemical detoxification has been explored, which can greatly improve the utilization efficiency of lignocellulosic biomass. The sequential two-step bio-conversion of corn stover pyrolysis liquid to citric acid has been established. The first step conversion by Phanerochaete chrysosporium (P. chrysosporium) is desirable to decrease the content of other compounds except levoglucosan as a pretreatment for the second conversion. The remaining levoglucosan in solution was further converted into citric acid by Aspergillus niger (A. niger) CBX-209. Thus the conversion of cellulose to citric acid is completed by both pyrolysis and bio-conversion technology. Under experimental conditions, levoglucosan yield is 12% based on the feedstock and the citric acid yield can reach 82.1% based on the levoglucosan content in the pyrolysis liquid (namely 82.1 g of citric acid per 100 g of levoglucosan). The study shows that P. chrysosporium and A. niger have the potential to be used as production platforms for value-added products from pyrolyzed lignocellulosic biomass. Selected P. chrysosporium is able to decrease the content of other compounds except levoglucosan and levoglucosan can be further converted into citric acid in the residual liquids by A. niger. Thus the conversion of cellulose to citric acid is completed by both pyrolysis and bio-conversion technology.

Urea increased nickel and copper accumulation in the leaves of Egeria densa (Planch.) Casp. and Ceratophyllum demersum L. during short-term exposure.

PubMed

Maleva, Maria; Borisova, Galina; Chukina, Nadezhda; Kumar, Adarsh

2018-02-01

In the present study, two fresh water plant species Egeria densa (Planch.) Casp. and Ceratophyllum demersum L. were subjected to separate and combined action of urea (2mМ) and metals (Ni and Cu, 10μM) to investigate the phytoremediation potential of these two submerged macrophytes during short-term experiments (48h). Both submerged macrophytes demonstrated high accumulative potential for Ni and Cu (average bioconcentration factors were 2505 for Ni and 3778 for Cu). The urea (2 mM) was not significantly toxic for studied plant species. Futhermore, urea worked as an additional source of nitrogen and stimulated some metabolic processes such as the synthesis of photosynthetic pigments, soluble proteins, non-enzymatic antioxidants, and activated some enzymes. Adding urea to the metals increased their accumulation in both macrophytes (on average by 35% for Ni and 15% for Cu). Combined action of urea and Ni did not have a significant effect on antioxidant response, but caused a sharp increase of urease activity (4 folds on an average) in both plants. The copper exerted a stronger toxic effect on both studied macrophytes compared to nickel. Adding urea to copper in some cases diminished the toxic action of this metal. Study concludes that the responses of E. densa and C. demersum to urea and metal action (separate and combined) were depended on the type of pollutant and the activity of antioxidant defence system. Therefore, the studied aquatic macrophytes found to be potential phytoremediators of water bodies, the addition of an organic nitrogen source in the form of urea in environmentally relevant concentration will increase the efficiency of phytoextraction of metals. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Ammonia emissions from an anaerobic digestion plant estimated using atmospheric measurements and dispersion modelling.

PubMed

Bell, Michael W; Tang, Y Sim; Dragosits, Ulrike; Flechard, Chris R; Ward, Paul; Braban, Christine F

2016-10-01

Anaerobic digestion (AD) is becoming increasingly implemented within organic waste treatment operations. The storage and processing of large volumes of organic wastes through AD has been identified as a significant source of ammonia (NH3) emissions, however the totality of ammonia emissions from an AD plant have not been previously quantified. The emissions from an AD plant processing food waste were estimated through integrating ambient NH3 concentration measurements, atmospheric dispersion modelling, and comparison with published emission factors (EFs). Two dispersion models (ADMS and a backwards Lagrangian stochastic (bLS) model) were applied to calculate emission estimates. The bLS model (WindTrax) was used to back-calculate a total (top-down) emission rate for the AD plant from a point of continuous NH3 measurement downwind from the plant. The back-calculated emission rates were then input to the ADMS forward dispersion model to make predictions of air NH3 concentrations around the site, and evaluated against weekly passive sampler NH3 measurements. As an alternative approach emission rates from individual sources within the plant were initially estimated by applying literature EFs to the available site parameters concerning the chemical composition of waste materials, room air concentrations, ventilation rates, etc. The individual emission rates were input to ADMS and later tuned by fitting the simulated ambient concentrations to the observed (passive sampler) concentration field, which gave an excellent match to measurements after an iterative process. The total emission from the AD plant thus estimated by a bottom-up approach was 16.8±1.8mgs(-1), which was significantly higher than the back-calculated top-down estimate (7.4±0.78mgs(-1)). The bottom-up approach offered a more realistic treatment of the source distribution within the plant area, while the complexity of the site was not ideally suited to the bLS method, thus the bottom-up method is believed to give a better estimate of emissions. The storage of solid digestate and the aerobic treatment of liquid effluents at the site were the greatest sources of NH3 emissions. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Modular pathway engineering of Corynebacterium glutamicum to improve xylose utilization and succinate production.

PubMed

Jo, Suah; Yoon, Jinkyung; Lee, Sun-Mi; Um, Youngsoon; Han, Sung Ok; Woo, Han Min

2017-09-20

Xylose-negative Corynebacterium glutamicum has been engineered to utilize xylose as the sole carbon source via either the xylose isomerase (XI) pathway or the Weimberg pathway. Heterologous expression of xylose isomerase and overexpression of a gene encoding for xylulose kinase enabled efficient xylose utilization. In this study, we show that two functionally-redundant transcriptional regulators (GntR1 and GntR2) present on xylose repress the pentose phosphate pathway genes. For efficient xylose utilization, pentose phosphate pathway genes and a phosphoketolase gene were overexpressed with the XI pathway in C. glutamicum. Overexpression of the genes encoding for transaldolase (Tal), 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase (Gnd), or phosphoketolase (XpkA) enhanced the growth and xylose consumption rates compared to the wild-type with the XI pathway alone. However, co-expression of these genes did not have a synergetic effect on xylose utilization. For the succinate production from xylose, overexpression of the tal gene with the XI pathway in a succinate-producing strain improved xylose utilization and increased the specific succinate production rate by 2.5-fold compared to wild-type with the XI pathway alone. Thus, overexpression of the tal, gnd, or xpkA gene could be helpful for engineering C. glutamicum toward production of value-added chemicals with efficient xylose utilization. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

TU-AB-BRC-07: Efficiency of An IAEA Phase-Space Source for a Low Energy X-Ray Tube Using Egs++

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

Watson, PGF; Renaud, MA; Seuntjens, J

Purpose: To extend the capability of the EGSnrc C++ class library (egs++) to write and read IAEA phase-space files as a particle source, and to assess the relative efficiency gain in dose calculation using an IAEA phase-space source for modelling a miniature low energy x-ray source. Methods: We created a new ausgab object to score particles exiting a user-defined geometry and write them to an IAEA phase-space file. A new particle source was created to read from IAEA phase-space data. With these tools, a phase-space file was generated for particles exiting a miniature 50 kVp x-ray tube (The INTRABEAM System,more » Carl Zeiss). The phase-space source was validated by comparing calculated PDDs with a full electron source simulation of the INTRABEAM. The dose calculation efficiency gain of the phase-space source was determined relative to the full simulation. The efficiency gain as a function of i) depth in water, and ii) job parallelization was investigated. Results: The phase-space and electron source PDDs were found to agree to 0.5% RMS, comparable to statistical uncertainties. The use of a phase-space source for the INTRABEAM led to a relative efficiency gain of greater than 20 over the full electron source simulation, with an increase of up to a factor of 196. The efficiency gain was found to decrease with depth in water, due to the influence of scattering. Job parallelization (across 2 to 256 cores) was not found to have any detrimental effect on efficiency gain. Conclusion: A set of tools has been developed for writing and reading IAEA phase-space files, which can be used with any egs++ user code. For simulation of a low energy x-ray tube, the use of a phase-space source was found to increase the relative dose calculation efficiency by factor of up to 196. The authors acknowledge partial support by the CREATE Medical Physics Research Training Network grant of the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (Grant No. 432290).« less

Human cord blood-derived platelet lysate enhances the therapeutic activity of adipose-derived mesenchymal stromal cells isolated from Crohn's disease patients in a mouse model of colitis.

PubMed

Forte, Dorian; Ciciarello, Marilena; Valerii, Maria Chiara; De Fazio, Luigia; Cavazza, Elena; Giordano, Rosaria; Parazzi, Valentina; Lazzari, Lorenza; Laureti, Silvio; Rizzello, Fernando; Cavo, Michele; Curti, Antonio; Lemoli, Roberto M; Spisni, Enzo; Catani, Lucia

2015-09-09

Due to their immunomodulatory properties, mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) have been used for auto-immune disease treatment. Crohn disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis are two major inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs), resulting from pathological immune responses to environmental or microbial antigens. Preclinical and clinical studies have suggested that MSC-based cellular therapy hold promising potential for IBD treatment. However, open issues include the selection of the proper cell dose, the source and the optimal route of administration of MSCs for more effective results. Platelet lysate has gained clinical interest due to its efficacy in accelerating wound healing. Thus, we propose to combine the administration of MSCs with a human umbilical cord blood-derived platelet lysate (hCBPL) as a novel strategy to improve MSC-based therapy for IBD resolution. Colitis was induced in 8-week-old C57BL/6J mice by daily oral administration of dextran sulphate sodium (DSS) (1.5 % w/v in tap water) for 9 days. MSCs were isolated from adipose tissue of CD patients (adCD-MSCs), expanded in proliferation medium, resuspended in hCBPL or PBS and administrated via enema for three times (1 × 10(6) cells/mouse/time) every other day starting on day +7 from DSS induction. The colitis evolution was evaluated by daily monitoring of body weight, stool consistency and bleeding. Histopathological analysis was performed. Inflammatory cytokine plasma levels were determined. adCD-MSCs stained with lipophilic membrane dye Nile Red, were injected in DSS mice as described above. Colon section of mice sacrificed 24 hours after last cell administration, were analyzed by confocal microscopy. We found that adCD-MSCs could be easily isolated and expanded from CD patients. Upon injection, adCD-MSCs exerted a therapeutic effect on DSS-induced colitis. Moreover, hCBPL increased adCD-MSCs efficacy by significantly reducing colitis scores, extension of the colon inflamed area and plasma levels of inflammatory mediators. Finally, Nile Red staining of MSCs is very efficient, stable and does not impair their vitality and function. Nile Red-labelling was clearly detected in the colitic area of adCD-MSCs injected mice and it was significantly brighter in the colon sections of mice that had received adCD-MSCs/hCBPL. In summary, with this study we propose a novel and promising adCD-MSC/hCBPL-based therapy for refractory IBDs.

Cytotoxic T lymphocyte antigen 4 decreases humoral and cellular immunity by adenovirus to enhance target GFP gene transfer in C57BL/6 mice.

PubMed

Bai, Dou; Zhu, Wei; Zhang, Yu; Long, Ling; Zhu, Naishuo

2015-01-01

Adenoviruses (Ad) are once potential and promising vectors for gene delivery, but the immunogenicity attenuates its transfer efficiency. Cytotoxic T lymphocyte antigen 4 (CTLA-4) can inhibit T cell immunity. Thus, we aimed to study the effect of CTLA-4 in the process of Ad-mediated gene transfer. The C57BL/6 mice were injected by Ad vectors at twice, and CTLA-4 was administrated after the first Ad injection. Then, the CD3(+)CD4(+) T cells and circulating levels of IL-2, IL-4, and anti-Ad IgG were decreased by CTLA-4, while Ad generated immune responses. The green fluorescence protein (GFP) expressions of tissues were enhanced by CTLA-4 till injection of Ad at twice. Our results indicate that CTLA-4 can inhibit humoral and cellular immunity by adenovirus generation to enhance GFP delivery, and provide a potential way to assist in Ad-mediated gene transfer.

Human adenovirus serotype 12 virion precursors pMu and pVI are cleaved at amino-terminal and carboxy-terminal sites that conform to the adenovirus 2 endoproteinase cleavage consensus sequence.

PubMed

Freimuth, P; Anderson, C W

1993-03-01

The sequence of a 1158-base pair fragment of the human adenovirus serotype 12 (Ad12) genome was determined. This segment encodes the precursors for virion components Mu and VI. Both Ad12 precursors contain two sequences that conform to a consensus sequence motif for cleavage by the endoproteinase of adenovirus 2 (Ad2). Analysis of the amino terminus of VI and of the peptide fragments found in Ad12 virions demonstrated that these sites are cleaved during Ad12 maturation. This observation suggests that the recognition motif for adenovirus endoproteinases is highly conserved among human serotypes. The adenovirus 2 endoproteinase polypeptide requires additional co-factors for activity (C. W. Anderson, Protein Expression Purif., 1993, 4, 8-15). Synthetic Ad12 or Ad2 pVI carboxy-terminal peptides each permitted efficient cleavage of an artificial endoproteinase substrate by recombinant Ad2 endoproteinase polypeptide.

Self-Assembly of Amphiphilic Dendrimers: The Role of Generation and Alkyl Chain Length in siRNA Interaction

PubMed Central

Márquez-Miranda, Valeria; Araya-Durán, Ingrid; Camarada, María Belén; Comer, Jeffrey; Valencia-Gallegos, Jesús A.; González-Nilo, Fernando Danilo

2016-01-01

An ideal nucleic-acid transfection system should combine the physical and chemical characteristics of cationic lipids and linear polymers to decrease cytotoxicity and uptake limitations. Previous research described new types of carriers termed amphiphilic dendrimers (ADs), which are based on polyamidoamine dendrimers (PAMAM). These ADs display the cell membrane affinity advantage of lipids and preserve the high affinity for DNA possessed by cationic dendrimers. These lipid/dendrimer hybrids consist of a low-generation, hydrophilic dendron (G2, G1, or G0) bonded to a hydrophobic tail. The G2-18C AD was reported to be an efficient siRNA vector with significant gene silencing. However, shorter tail ADs (G2-15C and G2-13C) and lower generation (G0 and G1) dendrimers failed as transfection carriers. To date, the self-assembly phenomenon of this class of amphiphilic dendrimers has not been molecularly explored using molecular simulation methods. To gain insight into these systems, the present study used coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations to describe how ADs are able to self-assemble into an aggregate, and, specifically, how tail length and generation play a key role in this event. Finally, explanations are given for the better efficiency of G2/18-C as gene carrier in terms of binding of siRNA. This knowledge could be relevant for the design of novel, safer ADs with well-optimized affinity for siRNA. PMID:27377641

Practices in Code Discoverability: Astrophysics Source Code Library

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Allen, A.; Teuben, P.; Nemiroff, R. J.; Shamir, L.

2012-09-01

Here we describe the Astrophysics Source Code Library (ASCL), which takes an active approach to sharing astrophysics source code. ASCL's editor seeks out both new and old peer-reviewed papers that describe methods or experiments that involve the development or use of source code, and adds entries for the found codes to the library. This approach ensures that source codes are added without requiring authors to actively submit them, resulting in a comprehensive listing that covers a significant number of the astrophysics source codes used in peer-reviewed studies. The ASCL now has over 340 codes in it and continues to grow. In 2011, the ASCL has on average added 19 codes per month. An advisory committee has been established to provide input and guide the development and expansion of the new site, and a marketing plan has been developed and is being executed. All ASCL source codes have been used to generate results published in or submitted to a refereed journal and are freely available either via a download site or from an identified source. This paper provides the history and description of the ASCL. It lists the requirements for including codes, examines the advantages of the ASCL, and outlines some of its future plans.

Reactivity, chemoselectivity, and diastereoselectivity of the oxyfunctionalization of chiral allylic alcohols and derivatives in microemulsions: comparison of the chemical oxidation by the hydrogen peroxide/sodium molybdate system with the photooxygenation.

PubMed

Nardello, Véronique; Caron, Laurent; Aubry, Jean-Marie; Bouttemy, Sabine; Wirth, Thomas; Saha-Möller Chantu, R; Adam, Waldemar

2004-09-01

The chiral allylic alcohols 1a-d and their acetate (1e) and silyl ether (1f) derivatives have been oxidized by the H2O2/MoO4(2)- system, a convenient and efficient chemical source of singlet oxygen. This chemical peroxidation (formation of the allylic hydroperoxides 2) has been conducted in various media, which include aqueous solutions, organic solvents, and microemulsions. The reactivity, chemoselectivity, and diastereoselectivity of this chemical oxidation are compared to those of the sensitized photooxygenation, with the emphasis on preparative applications in microemulsion media. While a similar threo diastereoselectivity is observed for both modes of peroxidation, the chemoselectivity differs significantly, since in the chemical oxidation with the H2O2/MoO4(2)- system the undesirable epoxidation by the intermediary peroxomolybdate competes efficiently with the desirable peroxidation by the in situ generated singlet oxygen. A proper choice of the type of microemulsion and the reaction conditions furnishes a high chemoselectivity (up to 97%) in favor of threo-diastereoselective (up to 92%) peroxidation. Copyright 2004 American Chemical Society

Automated Web-Based Request Mechanism for Workflow Enhancement in an Academic Customer-Focused Biorepository.

PubMed

McDonald, Sandra A; Ryan, Benjamin J; Brink, Amy; Holtschlag, Victoria L

2012-02-01

Informatics systems, particularly those that provide capabilities for data storage, specimen tracking, retrieval, and order fulfillment, are critical to the success of biorepositories and other laboratories engaged in translational medical research. A crucial item-one easily overlooked-is an efficient way to receive and process investigator-initiated requests. A successful electronic ordering system should allow request processing in a maximally efficient manner, while also allowing streamlined tracking and mining of request data such as turnaround times and numerical categorizations (user groups, funding sources, protocols, and so on). Ideally, an electronic ordering system also facilitates the initial contact between the laboratory and customers, while still allowing for downstream communications and other steps toward scientific partnerships. We describe here the recently established Web-based ordering system for the biorepository at Washington University Medical Center, along with its benefits for workflow, tracking, and customer service. Because of the system's numerous value-added impacts, we think our experience can serve as a good model for other customer-focused biorepositories, especially those currently using manual or non-Web-based request systems. Our lessons learned also apply to the informatics developers who serve such biobanks.

Automated Web-Based Request Mechanism for Workflow Enhancement in an Academic Customer-Focused Biorepository

PubMed Central

Ryan, Benjamin J.; Brink, Amy; Holtschlag, Victoria L.

2012-01-01

Informatics systems, particularly those that provide capabilities for data storage, specimen tracking, retrieval, and order fulfillment, are critical to the success of biorepositories and other laboratories engaged in translational medical research. A crucial item—one easily overlooked—is an efficient way to receive and process investigator-initiated requests. A successful electronic ordering system should allow request processing in a maximally efficient manner, while also allowing streamlined tracking and mining of request data such as turnaround times and numerical categorizations (user groups, funding sources, protocols, and so on). Ideally, an electronic ordering system also facilitates the initial contact between the laboratory and customers, while still allowing for downstream communications and other steps toward scientific partnerships. We describe here the recently established Web-based ordering system for the biorepository at Washington University Medical Center, along with its benefits for workflow, tracking, and customer service. Because of the system's numerous value-added impacts, we think our experience can serve as a good model for other customer-focused biorepositories, especially those currently using manual or non-Web–based request systems. Our lessons learned also apply to the informatics developers who serve such biobanks. PMID:23386921

Review of Telemicrobiology

PubMed Central

Rhoads, Daniel D.; Mathison, Blaine A.; Bishop, Henry S.; da Silva, Alexandre J.; Pantanowitz, Liron

2016-01-01

Context Microbiology laboratories are continually pursuing means to improve quality, rapidity, and efficiency of specimen analysis in the face of limited resources. One means by which to achieve these improvements is through the remote analysis of digital images. Telemicrobiology enables the remote interpretation of images of microbiology specimens. To date, the practice of clinical telemicrobiology has not been thoroughly reviewed. Objective Identify the various methods that can be employed for telemicrobiology, including emerging technologies that may provide value to the clinical laboratory. Data Sources Peer-reviewed literature, conference proceedings, meeting presentations, and expert opinions pertaining to telemicrobiology have been evaluated. Results A number of modalities have been employed for telemicroscopy including static capture techniques, whole slide imaging, video telemicroscopy, mobile devices, and hybrid systems. Telemicrobiology has been successfully implemented for applications including routine primary diagnois, expert teleconsultation, and proficiency testing. Emerging areas include digital culture plate reading, mobile health applications and computer-augmented analysis of digital images. Conclusions Static image capture techniques to date have been the most widely used modality for telemicrobiology, despite the fact that other newer technologies are available and may produce better quality interpretations. Increased adoption of telemicrobiology offers added value, quality, and efficiency to the clinical microbiology laboratory. PMID:26317376

A Lightweight Protocol for Secure Video Streaming

PubMed Central

Morkevicius, Nerijus; Bagdonas, Kazimieras

2018-01-01

The Internet of Things (IoT) introduces many new challenges which cannot be solved using traditional cloud and host computing models. A new architecture known as fog computing is emerging to address these technological and security gaps. Traditional security paradigms focused on providing perimeter-based protections and client/server point to point protocols (e.g., Transport Layer Security (TLS)) are no longer the best choices for addressing new security challenges in fog computing end devices, where energy and computational resources are limited. In this paper, we present a lightweight secure streaming protocol for the fog computing “Fog Node-End Device” layer. This protocol is lightweight, connectionless, supports broadcast and multicast operations, and is able to provide data source authentication, data integrity, and confidentiality. The protocol is based on simple and energy efficient cryptographic methods, such as Hash Message Authentication Codes (HMAC) and symmetrical ciphers, and uses modified User Datagram Protocol (UDP) packets to embed authentication data into streaming data. Data redundancy could be added to improve reliability in lossy networks. The experimental results summarized in this paper confirm that the proposed method efficiently uses energy and computational resources and at the same time provides security properties on par with the Datagram TLS (DTLS) standard. PMID:29757988

Area-Efficient 60 GHz +18.9 dBm Power Amplifier with On-Chip Four-Way Parallel Power Combiner in 65-nm CMOS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Farahabadi, Payam Masoumi; Basaligheh, Ali; Saffari, Parvaneh; Moez, Kambiz

2017-06-01

This paper presents a compact 60-GHz power amplifier utilizing a four-way on-chip parallel power combiner and splitter. The proposed topology provides the capability of combining the output power of four individual power amplifier cores in a compact die area. Each power amplifier core consists of a three-stage common-source amplifier with transformer-coupled impedance matching networks. Fabricated in 65-nm CMOS process, the measured gain of the 0.19-mm2 power amplifier at 60 GHz is 18.8 and 15 dB utilizing 1.4 and 1.0 V supply. Three-decibel band width of 4 GHz and P1dB of 16.9 dBm is measured while consuming 424 mW from a 1.4-V supply. A maximum saturated output power of 18.3 dBm is measured with the 15.9% peak power added efficiency at 60 GHz. The measured insertion loss is 1.9 dB at 60 GHz. The proposed power amplifier achieves the highest power density (power/area) compared to the reported 60-GHz CMOS power amplifiers in 65 nm or older CMOS technologies.

A Lightweight Protocol for Secure Video Streaming.

PubMed

Venčkauskas, Algimantas; Morkevicius, Nerijus; Bagdonas, Kazimieras; Damaševičius, Robertas; Maskeliūnas, Rytis

2018-05-14

The Internet of Things (IoT) introduces many new challenges which cannot be solved using traditional cloud and host computing models. A new architecture known as fog computing is emerging to address these technological and security gaps. Traditional security paradigms focused on providing perimeter-based protections and client/server point to point protocols (e.g., Transport Layer Security (TLS)) are no longer the best choices for addressing new security challenges in fog computing end devices, where energy and computational resources are limited. In this paper, we present a lightweight secure streaming protocol for the fog computing "Fog Node-End Device" layer. This protocol is lightweight, connectionless, supports broadcast and multicast operations, and is able to provide data source authentication, data integrity, and confidentiality. The protocol is based on simple and energy efficient cryptographic methods, such as Hash Message Authentication Codes (HMAC) and symmetrical ciphers, and uses modified User Datagram Protocol (UDP) packets to embed authentication data into streaming data. Data redundancy could be added to improve reliability in lossy networks. The experimental results summarized in this paper confirm that the proposed method efficiently uses energy and computational resources and at the same time provides security properties on par with the Datagram TLS (DTLS) standard.

77 FR 60096 - Adding International Energy Efficiency (IEE) Certificate to List of Certificates a Recognized...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-10-02

... Efficiency IMO International Maritime Organization MARPOL Protocol International Convention for the... rule. On July 15, 2011, in resolution MEPC.203(62), the International Maritime Organization's (IMO... think that your business, organization, or governmental jurisdiction qualifies as a small entity and...

78 FR 60800 - Airworthiness Directives; Bombardier Inc., Airplanes

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-10-02

... from fuel system reviews conducted by the manufacturer. This proposed AD would require accomplishing modifications to the fuel system. We are proposing this AD to prevent the potential of ignition sources inside... regulations, and existing maintenance practices for fuel tank systems. As a result of those findings, we...

77 FR 12506 - Airworthiness Directives; The Boeing Company Airplanes

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-03-01

... (AD) for certain The Boeing Company Model 757 airplanes. This proposed AD was prompted by fuel system... indication system (FQIS) wiring or fuel tank systems to prevent development of an ignition source inside the... systems. As a result of those findings, we issued a regulation titled ``Transport Airplane Fuel Tank...

40 CFR 63.1303 - Monitoring requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

...) National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants for Flexible Polyurethane Foam Production § 63...) Monitoring for HAP ABA and polyol added to the foam production line at the mixhead. (1) The owner or operator... slabstock affected sources shall continuously monitor the amount of polyol added at the mixhead when foam is...

40 CFR 63.1303 - Monitoring requirements.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

...) National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants for Flexible Polyurethane Foam Production § 63...) Monitoring for HAP ABA and polyol added to the foam production line at the mixhead. (1) The owner or operator... slabstock affected sources shall continuously monitor the amount of polyol added at the mixhead when foam is...