Impact of oral rehydration and selected public health interventions on reduction of mortality from childhood diarrhoeal diseases in Mexico.

PubMed Central

Gutiérrez, G.; Tapia-Conyer, R.; Guiscafré, H.; Reyes, H.; Martínez, H.; Kumate, J.

1996-01-01

Reported are the results of an analysis of mortality trends from diarrhoeal diseases among under-5-year-olds in Mexico between 1978 and 1993 in relation to the impact of education, basic sanitation, and selected medical care practices. The study period was divided into three stages; the first pre-dated the widespread application of oral rehydration therapy (ORT); the second, covered the implementation of a nationwide programme promoting ORT; and the third included additional measures, such as immunization and improvements in basic sanitation. Mortality rates decreased progressively, at an average of 1.8% per year in the first stage, 6.4% in the second, and 17.8% in the third. The importance of literacy campaigns for women and the promotion of ORT was confirmed. Both of these measures reduced mortality; however, a greater reduction resulted from a massive immunization campaign against measles and improvements in sanitation (expansion of the drainage and piped water systems, improved water chlorination procedure, and effective prohibition of the use of sanitary sewage for vegetable irrigation). PMID:8706235

Speckle noise reduction in quantitative optical metrology techniques by application of the discrete wavelet transformation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Furlong, Cosme; Pryputniewicz, Ryszard J.

2002-06-01

Effective suppression of speckle noise content in interferometric data images can help in improving accuracy and resolution of the results obtained with interferometric optical metrology techniques. In this paper, novel speckle noise reduction algorithms based on the discrete wavelet transformation are presented. The algorithms proceed by: (a) estimating the noise level contained in the interferograms of interest, (b) selecting wavelet families, (c) applying the wavelet transformation using the selected families, (d) wavelet thresholding, and (e) applying the inverse wavelet transformation, producing denoised interferograms. The algorithms are applied to the different stages of the processing procedures utilized for generation of quantitative speckle correlation interferometry data of fiber-optic based opto-electronic holography (FOBOEH) techniques, allowing identification of optimal processing conditions. It is shown that wavelet algorithms are effective for speckle noise reduction while preserving image features otherwise faded with other algorithms.

Role of inhibition in the specification of orientation selectivity of cells in the cat striate cortex.

PubMed

Bonds, A B

1989-01-01

Mechanisms supporting orientation selectivity of cat striate cortical cells were studied by stimulation with two superimposed sine-wave gratings of different orientations. One grating (base) generated a discharge of known amplitude which could be modified by the second grating (mask). Masks presented at nonoptimal orientations usually reduced the base-generated response, but the degree of reduction varied widely between cells. Cells with narrow orientation tuning tended to be more susceptible to mask presence than broadly tuned cells; similarly, simple cells generally showed more response reduction than did complex cells. The base and mask stimuli were drifted at different temporal frequencies which, in simple cells, permitted the identification of individual response components from each stimulus. This revealed that the reduction of the base response by the mask usually did not vary regularly with mask orientation, although response facilitation from the mask was orientation selective. In some sharply tuned simple cells, response reduction had clear local maxima near the limits of the cell's orientation-tuning function. Response reduction resulted from a nearly pure rightward shift of the response versus log contrast function. The lowest mask contrast yielding reduction was within 0.1-0.3 log unit of the lowest contrast effective for excitation. The temporal-frequency bandpass of the response-reduction mechanism resembled that of most cortical cells. The spatial-frequency bandpass was much broader than is typical for single cortical cells, spanning essentially the entire visual range of the cat. These findings are compatible with a model in which weak intrinsic orientation-selective excitation is enhanced in two stages: (1) control of threshold by nonorientation-selective inhibition that is continuously dependent on stimulus contrast; and (2) in the more narrowly tuned cells, orientation-selective inhibition that has local maxima serving to increase the slope of the orientation-tuning function.

SU-E-J-269: Tracking of Tumor Regression for Stage III Lung Cancer Using CBCT

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

Kang, K; Biswas, T; Podder, T

2015-06-15

Purpose: This study is to evaluate the tumor regression over the course of EBRT treatment and to determine the difference of tumor reduction for stage III lung squamous cell cancer (SCC) and adenocarcinoma using CBCT. Methods: Twenty three stage III lung cancer patients treated in our clinic who had daily cone beam CT (CBCT) were selected for this study (16 adenocarcinoma and 7 SCC cases). Patients received prescription dose in the range of 50Gy–71.4Gy (mean =60.3Gy, median =50Gy) at 1.8Gy or 2Gy per fraction. Treatments spanned over a minimum of five weeks. Initial mean volume of the gross tumor volumemore » (GTV) was 123cc (range = 14.7cc–353.3cc). For this study, we choose six sets of CBCTs at an interval of one week, starting from the first fraction of treatment. Daily CBCTs from treatment linac computer were transferred to MIM Software version 6.0. An experienced physician contoured the primary GTV on each slices of the CBCT for these patients. Results: A consistent regression of the GTVs was observed in all patients, except in one patient (adeno case) where GTV did not change. Weekly volumetric reduction was in the range of 11.2%–16.6%. Maximum reductions were noticed in the first two weeks of the treatment cycle; mean overall (for adeno+SCC) reductions were 16.6%, 14.2% in week-1 and week-2, respectively. Mean reduction over five weeks of treatment was 49.8% (range = 0.1%–75.5%). Higher reduction was observed in SCC patients as compare to adenocarcinoma cases (54.9% vs. 47.6%); however, the difference was not statistically significant (p-value > 0.05). Conclusion: Large regression of tumors over the course of EBRT for stage III lung cancer patients was observed. Both SCC and adenocarcinoma responded well; overall reduction for SCC cases was higher. A future study is warranted for determining the co-relation between tumor volume reduction and treatment outcome.« less

Optimizing trial design in pharmacogenetics research: comparing a fixed parallel group, group sequential, and adaptive selection design on sample size requirements.

PubMed

Boessen, Ruud; van der Baan, Frederieke; Groenwold, Rolf; Egberts, Antoine; Klungel, Olaf; Grobbee, Diederick; Knol, Mirjam; Roes, Kit

2013-01-01

Two-stage clinical trial designs may be efficient in pharmacogenetics research when there is some but inconclusive evidence of effect modification by a genomic marker. Two-stage designs allow to stop early for efficacy or futility and can offer the additional opportunity to enrich the study population to a specific patient subgroup after an interim analysis. This study compared sample size requirements for fixed parallel group, group sequential, and adaptive selection designs with equal overall power and control of the family-wise type I error rate. The designs were evaluated across scenarios that defined the effect sizes in the marker positive and marker negative subgroups and the prevalence of marker positive patients in the overall study population. Effect sizes were chosen to reflect realistic planning scenarios, where at least some effect is present in the marker negative subgroup. In addition, scenarios were considered in which the assumed 'true' subgroup effects (i.e., the postulated effects) differed from those hypothesized at the planning stage. As expected, both two-stage designs generally required fewer patients than a fixed parallel group design, and the advantage increased as the difference between subgroups increased. The adaptive selection design added little further reduction in sample size, as compared with the group sequential design, when the postulated effect sizes were equal to those hypothesized at the planning stage. However, when the postulated effects deviated strongly in favor of enrichment, the comparative advantage of the adaptive selection design increased, which precisely reflects the adaptive nature of the design. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Evaluation of Selected Model Constraints and Variables on Simulated Sustainable Yield from the Mississippi River Valley Alluvial Aquifer System in Arkansas

USGS Publications Warehouse

Czarnecki, John B.

2008-01-01

An existing conjunctive use optimization model of the Mississippi River Valley alluvial aquifer was used to evaluate the effect of selected constraints and model variables on ground-water sustainable yield. Modifications to the optimization model were made to evaluate the effects of varying (1) the upper limit of ground-water withdrawal rates, (2) the streamflow constraint associated with the White River, and (3) the specified stage of the White River. Upper limits of ground-water withdrawal rates were reduced to 75, 50, and 25 percent of the 1997 ground-water withdrawal rates. As the upper limit is reduced, the spatial distribution of sustainable pumping increases, although the total sustainable pumping from the entire model area decreases. In addition, the number of binding constraint points decreases. In a separate analysis, the streamflow constraint associated with the White River was optimized, resulting in an estimate of the maximum sustainable streamflow at DeValls Bluff, Arkansas, the site of potential surface-water withdrawals from the White River for the Grand Prairie Area Demonstration Project. The maximum sustainable streamflow, however, is less than the amount of streamflow allocated in the spring during the paddlefish spawning period. Finally, decreasing the specified stage of the White River was done to evaluate a hypothetical river stage that might result if the White River were to breach the Melinda Head Cut Structure, one of several manmade diversions that prevents the White River from permanently joining the Arkansas River. A reduction in the stage of the White River causes reductions in the sustainable yield of ground water.

Fast online generalized multiscale finite element method using constraint energy minimization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chung, Eric T.; Efendiev, Yalchin; Leung, Wing Tat

2018-02-01

Local multiscale methods often construct multiscale basis functions in the offline stage without taking into account input parameters, such as source terms, boundary conditions, and so on. These basis functions are then used in the online stage with a specific input parameter to solve the global problem at a reduced computational cost. Recently, online approaches have been introduced, where multiscale basis functions are adaptively constructed in some regions to reduce the error significantly. In multiscale methods, it is desired to have only 1-2 iterations to reduce the error to a desired threshold. Using Generalized Multiscale Finite Element Framework [10], it was shown that by choosing sufficient number of offline basis functions, the error reduction can be made independent of physical parameters, such as scales and contrast. In this paper, our goal is to improve this. Using our recently proposed approach [4] and special online basis construction in oversampled regions, we show that the error reduction can be made sufficiently large by appropriately selecting oversampling regions. Our numerical results show that one can achieve a three order of magnitude error reduction, which is better than our previous methods. We also develop an adaptive algorithm and enrich in selected regions with large residuals. In our adaptive method, we show that the convergence rate can be determined by a user-defined parameter and we confirm this by numerical simulations. The analysis of the method is presented.

Breeding drought tolerant rice for shallow rainfed ecosystem of eastern India.

PubMed

Swain, Padmini; Raman, Anitha; Singh, S P; Kumar, Arvind

2017-08-01

In shallow rainfed rice agro-ecosystems, drought stress can occur at any growth stage and can cause a significant yield reduction. During recent years, some rice varieties possessing tolerance of reproductive-stage drought stress have recently been developed. Tolerance of vegetative-stage drought stress is also required to improve rice productivity in drought-prone regions. In this study, we evaluated a set of rice breeding lines for their response to a range of different types of vegetative-stage drought stress in order to propose standardized phenotyping protocols for conducting vegetative-stage drought stress screening trials and also to identify genotypes combining tolerance of vegetative- and reproductive-stage drought stress. A soil water potential threshold of -20 kPa during the vegetative stage was identified as the target for effective selection under vegetative stage with grain yield reduction of about 50% compared to irrigated control trials. Genotypes identified as showing high yield under reproductive-stage drought stress were not necessarily the genotypes showing best performance under vegetative-stage drought stress. Genotypes IR72667-16-1-B-B-3, IR78908-126-B-2-B, and IR79970-B-47-1 showed tolerance of both vegetative-stage and reproductive-stage drought stress. For most, the genotypes that were best under vegetative stage drought or even vegetative stage + reproductive stage drought were different from the genotypes that were best under reproductive stage drought. Based on the cultivar superiority measure, IR69515-6-KKN-4-UBN-4-2-1-1-1 and IR78908-126-B-1-B were the stable genotypes (indicated by low P i ) under both irrigated control and severe vegetative stress conditions, genotypes IR83614-203-B and IR78908-80-B-3-B were stable under irrigated control conditions and moderate stress, whereas IR72667-16-1-B-B-3 was stable under both moderate and severe vegetative-stage stress conditions.

Elemental sulfur recovery process

DOEpatents

Flytzani-Stephanopoulos, M.; Zhicheng Hu.

1993-09-07

An improved catalytic reduction process for the direct recovery of elemental sulfur from various SO[sub 2]-containing industrial gas streams. The catalytic process provides combined high activity and selectivity for the reduction of SO[sub 2] to elemental sulfur product with carbon monoxide or other reducing gases. The reaction of sulfur dioxide and reducing gas takes place over certain catalyst formulations based on cerium oxide. The process is a single-stage, catalytic sulfur recovery process in conjunction with regenerators, such as those used in dry, regenerative flue gas desulfurization or other processes, involving direct reduction of the SO[sub 2] in the regenerator off gas stream to elemental sulfur in the presence of a catalyst. 4 figures.

Elemental sulfur recovery process

DOEpatents

Flytzani-Stephanopoulos, Maria; Hu, Zhicheng

1993-01-01

An improved catalytic reduction process for the direct recovery of elemental sulfur from various SO.sub.2 -containing industrial gas streams. The catalytic process provides combined high activity and selectivity for the reduction of SO.sub.2 to elemental sulfur product with carbon monoxide or other reducing gases. The reaction of sulfur dioxide and reducing gas takes place over certain catalyst formulations based on cerium oxide. The process is a single-stage, catalytic sulfur recovery process in conjunction with regenerators, such as those used in dry, regenerative flue gas desulfurization or other processes, involving direct reduction of the SO.sub.2 in the regenerator off gas stream to elemental sulfur in the presence of a catalyst.

Marker assisted pyramiding of drought yield QTLs into a popular Malaysian rice cultivar, MR219.

PubMed

Shamsudin, Noraziyah Abd Aziz; Swamy, B P Mallikarjuna; Ratnam, Wickneswari; Sta Cruz, Ma Teressa; Raman, Anitha; Kumar, Arvind

2016-01-27

Three drought yield QTLs, qDTY 2.2, qDTY 3.1, and qDTY 12.1 with consistent effect on grain yield under reproductive stage drought stress were pyramided through marker assisted breeding with the objective of improving the grain yield of the elite Malaysian rice cultivar MR219 under reproductive stage drought stress. Foreground selection using QTL specific markers, recombinant selection using flanking markers, and background selection were performed. BC1F3-derived lines with different combinations of qDTY 2.2 , qDTY 3.1, and qDTY 12.1 were evaluated under both reproductive stage drought stress and non-stress during the dry seasons of 2013 and 2014 at IRRI. The grain yield reductions in the stress trials compared to non-stress trials ranged from 79 to 93%. In the stress trials, delay in days to flowering and reduction in plant height were observed. In both seasons, MR219 did not produce any yield under stress, however it produced a yield of 5917 kg ha(-1) during the 2013 dry season and 8319 kg ha(-1) during the 2014 dry season under non-stress. Selected introgressed lines gave a yield advantage of 903 to 2500 kg ha(-1) over MR219 under reproductive stage drought stress and a yield of more than 6900 kg ha(-1) under non-stress during the 2014 dry season. Among lines with single qDTY, lines carrying qDTY 2.2 provided a higher yield advantage under reproductive stage drought stress in the MR219 background. Two-qDTY combinations (qDTY 3.1+ qDTY 2.2 and qDTY 3.1+ qDTY 12.1) performed better than lines with three qDTY combinations, indicating the absence of positive interactions between the three qDTYs. We successfully developed drought-tolerant MR219 pyramided lines with a yield advantage of more than 1500 kg ha(-1). Differential yield advantages of different combinations of the qDTYs indicate a differential synergistic relationship among qDTYs. This is the first report on the successful effect of qDTYs in increasing the yield under drought in genetic backgrounds other than those in which the qDTYs were earlier identified.

Estimating Treatment Effects from Contaminated Multi-Period Education Experiments: The Dynamic Impacts of Class Size Reductions. NBER Working Paper No. 15200

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ding, Weili; Lehrer, Steven F.

2009-01-01

This paper introduces an empirical strategy to estimate dynamic treatment effects in randomized trials that provide treatment in multiple stages and in which various noncompliance problems arise such as attrition and selective transitions between treatment and control groups. Our approach is applied to the highly influential four year randomized…

Removing oxygen from a solvent extractant in an uranium recovery process

DOEpatents

Hurst, Fred J.; Brown, Gilbert M.; Posey, Franz A.

1984-01-01

An improvement in effecting uranium recovery from phosphoric acid solutions is provided by sparging dissolved oxygen contained in solutions and solvents used in a reductive stripping stage with an effective volume of a nonoxidizing gas before the introduction of the solutions and solvents into the stage. Effective volumes of nonoxidizing gases, selected from the group consisting of argon, carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, helium, hydrogen, nitrogen, sulfur dioxide, and mixtures thereof, displace oxygen from the solutions and solvents thereby reduce deleterious effects of oxygen such as excessive consumption of elemental or ferrous and accumulation of complex iron phosphates or cruds.

Cleaner Production of Ti Powder by a Two-Stage Aluminothermic Reduction Process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Kun; Wang, Yaowu; Feng, Naixiang

2017-10-01

A two-stage aluminothermic reduction process for preparing Ti powder under vacuum conditions using Na2TiF6 was investigated. An Al-Ti master alloy and a clean cryolite were simultaneously obtained as co-products. The first-stage reduction was an exothermic process that occurred at approximately 660°C. The Al and O contents of the Ti powder product were 0.18 wt.% and 0.35 wt.%, respectively, with an average particle size <74 μm. Ti(IV), Ti(III), and metallic Ti were present in the Ti-containing cryolite produced by the first-stage reduction, at a total content of approximately 3.13 wt.%. After second-stage reduction, the Ti elemental contents of the clean cryolite were reduced to 0.002 wt.%. The Al-Ti master alloy obtained by second-stage reduction was composed of Al and TiAl3. The mechanisms involved in these reduction processes were also examined.

System and method for selective catalytic reduction of nitrogen oxides in combustion exhaust gases

DOEpatents

Sobolevskiy, Anatoly; Rossin, Joseph A

2014-04-08

A multi-stage selective catalytic reduction (SCR) unit (32) provides efficient reduction of NOx and other pollutants from about 50-550.degree. C. in a power plant (19). Hydrogen (24) and ammonia (29) are variably supplied to the SCR unit depending on temperature. An upstream portion (34) of the SCR unit catalyzes NOx+NH.sub.3 reactions above about 200.degree. C. A downstream portion (36) catalyzes NOx+H.sub.2 reactions below about 260.degree. C., and catalyzes oxidation of NH.sub.3, CO, and VOCs with oxygen in the exhaust above about 200.degree. C., efficiently removing NOx and other pollutants over a range of conditions with low slippage of NH.sub.3. An ammonia synthesis unit (28) may be connected to the SCR unit to provide NH.sub.3 as needed, avoiding transport and storage of ammonia or urea at the site. A carbonaceous gasification plant (18) on site may supply hydrogen and nitrogen to the ammonia synthesis unit, and hydrogen to the SCR unit.

Binary classification of aqueous solubility using support vector machines with reduction and recombination feature selection.

PubMed

Cheng, Tiejun; Li, Qingliang; Wang, Yanli; Bryant, Stephen H

2011-02-28

Aqueous solubility is recognized as a critical parameter in both the early- and late-stage drug discovery. Therefore, in silico modeling of solubility has attracted extensive interests in recent years. Most previous studies have been limited in using relatively small data sets with limited diversity, which in turn limits the predictability of derived models. In this work, we present a support vector machines model for the binary classification of solubility by taking advantage of the largest known public data set that contains over 46 000 compounds with experimental solubility. Our model was optimized in combination with a reduction and recombination feature selection strategy. The best model demonstrated robust performance in both cross-validation and prediction of two independent test sets, indicating it could be a practical tool to select soluble compounds for screening, purchasing, and synthesizing. Moreover, our work may be used for comparative evaluation of solubility classification studies ascribe to the use of completely public resources.

Perceptual load manipulation reveals sensitivity of the face-selective N170 to attention.

PubMed

Mohamed, Tarik N; Neumann, Markus F; Schweinberger, Stefan R

2009-05-27

It has been controversial whether the face-sensitive N170 is affected by selective attention. We manipulated attention sensu Lavie's perceptual load theory to short (200 ms) presentations of task-irrelevant unfamiliar faces or houses, while participants identified superimposed target letters 'X' versus 'N'. These targets were strings of either six identical (low load) or six different letters (high load). Under low load, we found a prominent face-selective N170 response. Under high load, however, we not only observed a dramatic reduction of the face N170 but also an unexpected enhancement of the house N170, such that face selectivity was almost completely lost. We conclude that the early stages of face processing indexed by the N170 strongly depend on selective attention.

Prognostic and predictive biomarkers post curative intent therapy

PubMed Central

Feldman, Rebecca

2017-01-01

Large-scale screening trials have demonstrated that early diagnosis of lung cancer results in a significant reduction in lung cancer mortality. Despite improvements in detecting more lung cancers at early stages, the 5-year survival rates of lung cancers diagnosed before widespread disease is only 30–50%. High rates of recurrence, despite early diagnosis, suggest the need to improve treatment strategies based on the likelihood of recurrence in patient subsets, as well as explore the role of predictive markers for therapy selection in the adjuvant setting. In the era of personalized medicine, there have been a wide array of molecular alterations and signatures studied for their potential prognostic and predictive utility, however most have failed to translate into clinical tools. This review will discuss progress made in clinical management of lung cancer, and recent progress in the development of patient selection tools for the refinement of early stage lung cancers. PMID:29057234

Plasmonic Control of Multi-Electron Transfer and C-C Coupling in Visible-Light-Driven CO2 Reduction on Au Nanoparticles.

PubMed

Yu, Sungju; Wilson, Andrew J; Heo, Jaeyoung; Jain, Prashant K

2018-04-11

Artificial photosynthesis relies on the availability of synthetic photocatalysts that can drive CO 2 reduction in the presence of water and light. From the standpoint of solar fuel production, it is desirable that these photocatalysts perform under visible light and produce energy-rich hydrocarbons from CO 2 reduction. However, the multistep nature of CO 2 -to-hydrocarbon conversion poses a significant kinetic bottleneck when compared to CO production and H 2 evolution. Here, we show that plasmonic Au nanoparticle photocatalysts can harvest visible light for multielectron, multiproton reduction of CO 2 to yield C 1 (methane) and C 2 (ethane) hydrocarbons. The light-excitation attributes influence the C 2 and C 1 selectivity. The observed trends in activity and selectivity follow Poisson statistics of electron harvesting. Higher photon energies and flux favor simultaneous harvesting of more than one electron from the photocharged Au nanoparticle catalyst, inducing the C-C coupling required for C 2 production. These findings elucidate the nature of plasmonic photocatalysis, which involves strong light-matter coupling, and set the stage for the controlled chemical bond formation by light excitation.

Using a fuzzy DEMATEL method for analyzing the factors influencing subcontractors selection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kozik, Renata

2016-06-01

Subcontracting is a long-standing practice in the construction industry. This form of project organization, if manage properly, could provide the better quality, reduction in project time and costs. Subcontractors selection is a multi-criterion problem and can be determined by many factors. Identifying the importance of each of them as well as the direction of cause-effect relations between various types of factors can improve the management process. Their values could be evaluated on the basis of the available expert opinions with the application of a fuzzy multi-stage grading scale. In this paper it is recommended to use fuzzy DEMATEL method to analyze the relationship between factors affecting subcontractors selection.

Birth of normal infants after transfer of embryos that were twice vitrified/warmed at cleavage stages: report of two cases.

PubMed

Valle, Marcello; Guimarães, Fernando; Cavagnoli, Melissa; Sampaio, Marcos; Geber, Selmo

2012-12-01

The role of cryopreservation in assisted reproductive technology programs has increased within the last years allowing the transfer of a limited number of embryos and the storage of the remaining for future use. The reduction in the number of transferred embryos decreases the frequency of multiple pregnancy rates and of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome while the cumulative pregnancy rate can be maximized. Moreover, as not all embryos will survive the warming process more cleavage stage embryos are warmed to improve selection for transfer. Therefore, surplus good quality cleavage stage embryos and/or blastocysts must be re-vitrified for further transfer to achieve pregnancy. To our knowledge, there have been no reports demonstrating that human embryos can be successfully vitrified/warmed twice at the cleavage stage. Thus we report two successful pregnancies and deliveries of healthy babies after transfer of embryos that were twice vitrified/warmed at 2-4 cells stage. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Forced guidance and distribution of practice in sequential information processing.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Decker, L. R.; Rogers, C. A., Jr.

1973-01-01

Distribution of practice and forced guidance were used in a sequential information-processing task in an attempt to increase the capacity of human information-processing mechanisms. A reaction time index of the psychological refractory period was used as the response measure. Massing of practice lengthened response times while forced guidance shortened them. Interpretation was in terms of load reduction upon the response-selection stage of the information-processing system.-

Single-source chest-abdomen-pelvis cancer staging on a third generation dual-source CT system: comparison of automated tube potential selection to second generation dual-source CT.

PubMed

Park, Clara; Gruber-Rouh, Tatjana; Leithner, Doris; Zierden, Amelie; Albrecht, Mortiz H; Wichmann, Julian L; Bodelle, Boris; Elsabaie, Mohamed; Scholtz, Jan-Erik; Kaup, Moritz; Vogl, Thomas J; Beeres, Martin

2016-10-10

Evaluation of latest generation automated attenuation-based tube potential selection (ATPS) impact on image quality and radiation dose in contrast-enhanced chest-abdomen-pelvis computed tomography examinations for gynaecologic cancer staging. This IRB approved single-centre, observer-blinded retrospective study with a waiver for informed consent included a total of 100 patients with contrast-enhanced chest-abdomen-pelvis CT for gynaecologic cancer staging. All patients were examined with activated ATPS for adaption of tube voltage to body habitus. 50 patients were scanned on a third-generation dual-source CT (DSCT), and another 50 patients on a second-generation DSCT. Predefined image quality setting remained stable between both groups at 120 kV and a current of 210 Reference mAs. Subjective image quality assessment was performed by two blinded readers independently. Attenuation and image noise were measured in several anatomic structures. Signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) was calculated. For the evaluation of radiation exposure, CT dose index (CTDI vol ) values were compared. Diagnostic image quality was obtained in all patients. The median CTDI vol (6.1 mGy, range 3.9-22 mGy) was 40 % lower when using the algorithm compared with the previous ATCM protocol (median 10.2 mGy · cm, range 5.8-22.8 mGy). A reduction in potential to 90 kV occurred in 19 cases, a reduction to 100 kV in 23 patients and a reduction to 110 kV in 3 patients of our experimental cohort. These patients received significantly lower radiation exposure compared to the former used protocol. Latest generation automated ATPS on third-generation DSCT provides good diagnostic image quality in chest-abdomen-pelvis CT while average radiation dose is reduced by 40 % compared to former ATPS protocol on second-generation DSCT.

Pollution reduction technology program for small jet aircraft engines, phase 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bruce, T. W.; Davis, F. G.; Kuhn, T. E.; Mongia, H. C.

1977-01-01

A series of combustor pressure rig screening tests was conducted on three combustor concepts applied to the TFE731-2 turbofan engine combustion system for the purpose of evaluating their relative emissions reduction potential consistent with prescribed performance, durability, and envelope contraints. The three concepts and their modifications represented increasing potential for reducing emission levels with the penalty of increased hardware complexity and operational risk. Concept 1 entailed advanced modifications to the present production TFE731-2 combustion system. Concept 2 was based on the incorporation of an axial air-assisted airblast fuel injection system. Concept 3 was a staged premix/prevaporizing combustion system. Significant emissions reductions were achieved in all three concepts, consistent with acceptable combustion system performance. Concepts 2 and 3 were identified as having the greatest achievable emissions reduction potential, and were selected to undergo refinement to prepare for ultimate incorporation within an engine.

Modelling the impact of vector control interventions on Anopheles gambiae population dynamics

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Intensive anti-malaria campaigns targeting the Anopheles population have demonstrated substantial reductions in adult mosquito density. Understanding the population dynamics of Anopheles mosquitoes throughout their whole lifecycle is important to assess the likely impact of vector control interventions alone and in combination as well as to aid the design of novel interventions. Methods An ecological model of Anopheles gambiae sensu lato populations incorporating a rainfall-dependent carrying capacity and density-dependent regulation of mosquito larvae in breeding sites is developed. The model is fitted to adult mosquito catch and rainfall data from 8 villages in the Garki District of Nigeria (the 'Garki Project') using Bayesian Markov Chain Monte Carlo methods and prior estimates of parameters derived from the literature. The model is used to compare the impact of vector control interventions directed against adult mosquito stages - long-lasting insecticide treated nets (LLIN), indoor residual spraying (IRS) - and directed against aquatic mosquito stages, alone and in combination on adult mosquito density. Results A model in which density-dependent regulation occurs in the larval stages via a linear association between larval density and larval death rates provided a good fit to seasonal adult mosquito catches. The effective mosquito reproduction number in the presence of density-dependent regulation is dependent on seasonal rainfall patterns and peaks at the start of the rainy season. In addition to killing adult mosquitoes during the extrinsic incubation period, LLINs and IRS also result in less eggs being oviposited in breeding sites leading to further reductions in adult mosquito density. Combining interventions such as the application of larvicidal or pupacidal agents that target the aquatic stages of the mosquito lifecycle with LLINs or IRS can lead to substantial reductions in adult mosquito density. Conclusions Density-dependent regulation of anopheline larvae in breeding sites ensures robust, stable mosquito populations that can persist in the face of intensive vector control interventions. Selecting combinations of interventions that target different stages in the vector's lifecycle will result in maximum reductions in mosquito density. PMID:21798055

In situ X-ray powder diffraction studies of the synthesis of graphene oxide and formation of reduced graphene oxide

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

Storm, Mie Møller, E-mail: mmst@dtu.dk; Johnsen, Rune E.; Norby, Poul

2016-08-15

Graphene oxide (GO) and reduced graphene oxide (rGO) are important materials in a wide range of fields. The modified Hummers methods, for synthesizing GO, and subsequent thermal reduction to rGO, are often employed for production of rGO. However, the mechanism behinds these syntheses methods are still unclear. We present an in situ X-ray diffraction study of the synthesis of GO and thermal reduction of GO. The X-ray diffraction revealed that the Hummers method includes an intercalation state and finally formation of additional crystalline material. The formation of GO is observed during both the intercalation and the crystallization stage. During thermalmore » reduction of GO three stages were observed: GO, a disordered stage, and the rGO stage. The appearance of these stages depends on the heating ramp. The aim of this study is to provide deeper insight into the chemical and physical processes during the syntheses. - Graphical abstract: In situ X-ray diffraction results for of the modified Hummers synthesis and the thermal reduction of graphene oxide, revealing three stages for both syntheses as well as new GO diffraction peaks and unidentified crystalline material for the Hummers synthesis and a disordered stage for the thermal reduction of graphene oxide. Display Omitted - Highlights: • Hummers synthesis consists of three stages: dissolution, intercalation and crystal. • GO is produced early on during the synthesis and display new diffraction peaks. • An unidentified triclinic phase is observed for the Hummers synthesis. • Thermal reduction of GO display three stages: GO, a disordered stage and rGO. • In situ XRD indicate reformation of rGO even for fast heated thermal reduction.« less

Single-Site Cannulation Venovenous Extracorporeal CO2 Removal as Bridge to Lung Volume Reduction Surgery in End-Stage Lung Emphysema.

PubMed

Redwan, Bassam; Ziegeler, Stephan; Semik, Michael; Fichter, Joachim; Dickgreber, Nicolas; Vieth, Volker; Ernst, Erik Christian; Fischer, Stefan

Lung volume reduction surgery (LVRS) is an important treatment option for end-stage lung emphysema in carefully selected patients. Here, we first describe the application of low-flow venovenous extracorporeal CO2 removal (LFVV-ECCO2R) as bridge to LVRS in patients with end-stage lung emphysema experiencing severe hypercapnia caused by acute failure of the breathing pump. Between March and October 2015, n = 4 patients received single-site LFVV-ECCO2R as bridge to LVRS. Indication for extracorporeal lung support was severe hypercapnia with respiratory acidosis and acute breathing pump failure. Two patients required continuous mechanical ventilation over a temporary tracheostomy and were bed ridden. The other two patients were nearly immobile because of severe dyspnea at rest. Length of preoperative ECCO2R was 14 (1-42) days. All patients underwent unilateral LVRS. Anatomical resection of the right (n = 3) or left (n = 1) upper lobe was performed. Postoperatively, both patients with previous mechanical ventilatory support were successfully weaned. ECCO2R in patients with end-stage lung emphysema experiencing severe hypercapnia caused by acute breathing pump failure is a safe and effective bridging tool to LVRS. In such patients, radical surgery leads to a significant improvement of the performance status and furthermore facilitates respiratory weaning from mechanical ventilation.

Effect of Various Material Properties on the Adhesive Stage of Fretting

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Buckley, D. H.

1974-01-01

Various properties of metals and alloys were studied with respect to their effect on the initial stage of the fretting process, namely adhesion. Crystallographic orientation, crystal structure, interfacial binding energies of dissimiliar metal, segregation of alloy constituents and the nature and structure of surface films were found to influence adhesion. High atomic density, low surface energy grain orientations exhibited lower adhesion than other orientations. Knowledge of interfacial surface binding energies assists in predicting adhesive transfer and wear. Selective surface segregation of alloy constituents accomplishes both a reduction in adhesion and improved surface oxidation characteristics. Equivalent surface coverages of various adsorbed species indicate that some are markedly more effective in inhibiting adhesion than others.

Effect of Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction on Immune Function, Quality of Life and Coping In Women Newly Diagnosed with Early Stage Breast Cancer

PubMed Central

Witek-Janusek, Linda; Albuquerque, Kevin; Chroniak, Karen Rambo; Chroniak, Christopher; Durazo, Ramon; Mathews, Herbert L.

2008-01-01

This investigation used a non-randomized controlled design to evaluate the effect and feasibility of a mindfulness based stress reduction (MBSR) program on immune function, quality of life (QOL), and coping in women recently diagnosed with breast cancer. Early stage breast cancer patients, who did not receive chemotherapy, self-selected into an 8-week MBSR program or into an assessment only, control group. Outcomes were evaluated over time. The first assessment was at least 10 days after surgery and prior to adjuvant therapy, as well as before the MBSR start-up. Further assessments were mid-MBSR, at completion of MBSR, and at 4-weeks post MBSR completion. Women with breast cancer enrolled in the control group (Non-MBSR) were assessed at similar times. At the first assessment (i.e., before MBSR start), reductions in peripheral blood mononuclear cell NK cell activity (NKCA) and IFN gamma production with increases in IL-4, IL-6, and IL-10 production and plasma cortisol levels were observed for both the MBSR and Non-MBSR groups of breast cancer patients. Over time women in the MBSR group re-established their NKCA and cytokine production levels. In contrast, breast cancer patients in the Non-MBSR group exhibited continued reductions in NKCA and IFN gamma production with increased IL-4, IL-6, and IL-10 production. Moreover, women enrolled in the MBSR program had reduced cortisol levels, improved QOL, and increased coping effectiveness compared to the Non-MBSR group. In summary, MBSR is a program that is feasible for women recently diagnosed with early stage breast cancer and the results provide preliminary evidence of beneficial effects of MBSR on immune function, QOL, and coping effectiveness. PMID:18359186

Vibration characteristics of a deployable controllable-geometry truss boom

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dorsey, J. T.

1983-01-01

An analytical study was made to evaluate changes in the fundamental frequency of a two dimensional cantilevered truss boom at various stages of deployment. The truss could be axially deployed or retracted and undergo a variety of controlled geometry changes by shortening or lengthening the telescoping diagonal members in each bay. Both untapered and tapered versions of the truss boom were modeled and analyzed by using the finite element method. Large reductions in fundamental frequency occurred for both the untapered and tapered trusses when they were uniformly retracted or maneuvered laterally from their fully deployed position. These frequency reductions can be minimized, however, if truss geometries are selected which maintain cantilever root stiffness during truss maneuvers.

Object-based assessment of burn severity in diseased forests using high-spatial and high-spectral resolution MASTER airborne imagery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Gang; Metz, Margaret R.; Rizzo, David M.; Dillon, Whalen W.; Meentemeyer, Ross K.

2015-04-01

Forest ecosystems are subject to a variety of disturbances with increasing intensities and frequencies, which may permanently change the trajectories of forest recovery and disrupt the ecosystem services provided by trees. Fire and invasive species, especially exotic disease-causing pathogens and insects, are examples of disturbances that together could pose major threats to forest health. This study examines the impacts of fire and exotic disease (sudden oak death) on forests, with an emphasis on the assessment of post-fire burn severity in a forest where trees have experienced three stages of disease progression pre-fire: early-stage (trees retaining dried foliage and fine twigs), middle-stage (trees losing fine crown fuels), and late-stage (trees falling down). The research was conducted by applying Geographic Object-Based Image Analysis (GEOBIA) to MASTER airborne images that were acquired immediately following the fire for rapid assessment and contained both high-spatial (4 m) and high-spectral (50 bands) resolutions. Although GEOBIA has gradually become a standard tool for analyzing high-spatial resolution imagery, high-spectral resolution data (dozens to hundreds of bands) can dramatically reduce computation efficiency in the process of segmentation and object-based variable extraction, leading to complicated variable selection for succeeding modeling. Hence, we also assessed two widely used band reduction algorithms, PCA (principal component analysis) and MNF (minimum noise fraction), for the delineation of image objects and the subsequent performance of burn severity models using either PCA or MNF derived variables. To increase computation efficiency, only the top 5 PCA and MNF and top 10 PCA and MNF components were evaluated, which accounted for 10% and 20% of the total number of the original 50 spectral bands, respectively. Results show that if no band reduction was applied the models developed for the three stages of disease progression had relatively similar performance, where both spectral responses and texture contributed to burn assessments. However, the application of PCA and MNF introduced much greater variation among models across the three stages. For the early-stage disease progression, neither band reduction algorithms improved or retained the accuracy of burn severity modeling (except for the use of 10 MNF components). Compared to the no-band-reduction scenario, band reduction led to a greater level of overestimation of low-degree burns and underestimation of medium-degree burns, suggesting that the spectral variation removed by PCA and MNF was vital for distinguishing between the spectral reflectance from disease-induced dried crowns (still retaining high structural complexity) and fire ash. For the middle-stage, both algorithms improved the model R2 values by 2-37%, while the late-stage models had comparable or better performance to those using the original 50 spectral bands. This could be explained by the loss of tree crowns enabling better signal penetration, thus leading to reduced spectral variation from canopies. Hence, spectral bands containing a high degree of random noise were correctly removed by the band reduction algorithms. Compared to the middle-stage, the late-stage forest stands were covered by large piles of fallen trees and branches, resulting in higher variability of MASTER imagery. The ability of band reduction to improve the model performance for these late-stage forest stands was reduced, because the valuable spectral variation representing the actual late-stage forest status was partially removed by both algorithms as noise. Our results indicate that PCA and MNF are promising for balancing computation efficiency and the performance of burn severity models in forest stands subject to the middle and late stages of sudden oak death disease progression. Compared to PCA, MNF dramatically reduced image spectral variation, generating larger image objects with less complexity of object shapes. Whereas, PCA-based models delivered superior performance in most evaluated cases suggesting that some key spectral variability contributing to the accuracy of burn severity models in diseased forests may have been removed together with true spectral noise through MNF transformations.

CT volumetry can potentially predict the local stage for gastric cancer after chemotherapy

PubMed Central

Wang, Zhi-Cong; Wang, Chen; Ding, Ying; Ji, Yuan; Zeng, Meng-Su; Rao, Sheng-Xiang

2017-01-01

PURPOSE We aimed to evaluate the value of CT tumor volumetry for predicting T and N stages of gastric cancer after chemotherapy, with pathologic results as the reference standard. METHODS This study retrospectively evaluated 42 patients diagnosed with gastric cancer, who underwent chemotherapy followed by surgery. Pre- and post-treatment CT tumor volumes (VT) were measured in portal venous phase and volume reduction ratios were calculated. Correlations between pre- and post-treatment VT, reduction ratio, and pathologic stages were analyzed. Receiver operator characteristic (ROC) analyses were also performed to assess diagnostic performance for prediction of downstaging to T0–2 stage and N0 stage. RESULTS Pretreatment VT, post-treatment VT, and VT reduction ratio were significantly correlated with T stage (rs=0.329, rs=0.546, rs= −0.422, respectively). Post-treatment VT and VT reduction ratio were significantly correlated with N stage (rs=0.442 and rs= −0.376, respectively). Pretreatment VT, post-treatment VT, and VT reduction ratio were significantly different between T0–2 and T3,4 stage tumors (P = 0.05, P < 0.001, and P = 0.002, respectively). The differences between N0 and ≥N1 groups were also statistically significant (P = 0.005 for post-treatment VT, P = 0.016 for VT reduction ratio, respectively). The area under the ROC curve (AUC) for identification of T0–2 groups was 0.70 for pretreatment VT, 0.88 for post-treatment VT, and 0.82 for VT reduction ratio, respectively. AUC was 0.78 for post-treatment VT and 0.74 for VT reduction ratio for identification of N0 groups. CONCLUSION CT tumor volumetry, particularly post-treatment measurement of VT, is potentially valuable for predicting histopathologic T and N stages after chemotherapy in patients with gastric cancer. PMID:28703101

Low-rank coal oil agglomeration product and process

DOEpatents

Knudson, Curtis L.; Timpe, Ronald C.; Potas, Todd A.; DeWall, Raymond A.; Musich, Mark A.

1992-01-01

A selectively-sized, raw, low-rank coal is processed to produce a low ash and relative water-free agglomerate with an enhanced heating value and a hardness sufficient to produce a non-decrepitating, shippable fuel. The low-rank coal is treated, under high shear conditions, in the first stage to cause ash reduction and subsequent surface modification which is necessary to facilitate agglomerate formation. In the second stage the treated low-rank coal is contacted with bridging and binding oils under low shear conditions to produce agglomerates of selected size. The bridging and binding oils may be coal or petroleum derived. The process incorporates a thermal deoiling step whereby the bridging oil may be completely or partially recovered from the agglomerate; whereas, partial recovery of the bridging oil functions to leave as an agglomerate binder, the heavy constituents of the bridging oil. The recovered oil is suitable for recycling to the agglomeration step or can serve as a value-added product.

Low-rank coal oil agglomeration product and process

DOEpatents

Knudson, C.L.; Timpe, R.C.; Potas, T.A.; DeWall, R.A.; Musich, M.A.

1992-11-10

A selectively-sized, raw, low-rank coal is processed to produce a low ash and relative water-free agglomerate with an enhanced heating value and a hardness sufficient to produce a non-degradable, shippable fuel. The low-rank coal is treated, under high shear conditions, in the first stage to cause ash reduction and subsequent surface modification which is necessary to facilitate agglomerate formation. In the second stage the treated low-rank coal is contacted with bridging and binding oils under low shear conditions to produce agglomerates of selected size. The bridging and binding oils may be coal or petroleum derived. The process incorporates a thermal deoiling step whereby the bridging oil may be completely or partially recovered from the agglomerate; whereas, partial recovery of the bridging oil functions to leave as an agglomerate binder, the heavy constituents of the bridging oil. The recovered oil is suitable for recycling to the agglomeration step or can serve as a value-added product.

A Dual-Stage Two-Phase Model of Selective Attention

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hubner, Ronald; Steinhauser, Marco; Lehle, Carola

2010-01-01

The dual-stage two-phase (DSTP) model is introduced as a formal and general model of selective attention that includes both an early and a late stage of stimulus selection. Whereas at the early stage information is selected by perceptual filters whose selectivity is relatively limited, at the late stage stimuli are selected more efficiently on a…

Sound reduction of air compressors using a systematic approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moylan, Justin Tharp

The noise emitted by portable electric air compressors can often be a nuisance or potentially hazardous to the operator or others nearby. Therefore, reducing the noise of these air compressors is desired. This research focuses on compressors with a reciprocating piston design as this is the most common type of pump design for portable compressors. An experimental setup was developed to measure the sound and vibration of the air compressors, including testing inside a semi-anechoic chamber. The design of a quiet air compressor was performed in four stages: 1) Teardown and benchmarking of air compressors, 2) Identification and isolation of noise sources, 3) Development of individual means to quiet noise sources, 4) Selection and testing of integrated solutions. The systematic approach and results for each of these stages will be discussed. Two redesigned solutions were developed and measured to be approximately 65% quieter than the previous unmodified compressor. An additional analysis was performed on the solutions selected by the participants involved in the selection process. This analysis involved determining which of the design criteria each participant considered most important when selecting solutions. The results from each participant were then compared to their educational background and experience and correlations were identified. The correlations discovered suggest that educational background and experience may be key determinants for the preference models developed.

Selective sp3 C-H alkylation via polarity-match-based cross-coupling.

PubMed

Le, Chip; Liang, Yufan; Evans, Ryan W; Li, Ximing; MacMillan, David W C

2017-07-06

The functionalization of carbon-hydrogen (C-H) bonds is one of the most attractive strategies for molecular construction in organic chemistry. The hydrogen atom is considered to be an ideal coupling handle, owing to its relative abundance in organic molecules and its availability for functionalization at almost any stage in a synthetic sequence. Although many C-H functionalization reactions involve C(sp 3 )-C(sp 2 ) coupling, there is a growing demand for C-H alkylation reactions, wherein sp 3 C-H bonds are replaced with sp 3 C-alkyl groups. Here we describe a polarity-match-based selective sp 3 C-H alkylation via the combination of photoredox, nickel and hydrogen-atom transfer catalysis. This methodology simultaneously uses three catalytic cycles to achieve hydridic C-H bond abstraction (enabled by polarity matching), alkyl halide oxidative addition, and reductive elimination to enable alkyl-alkyl fragment coupling. The sp 3 C-H alkylation is highly selective for the α-C-H of amines, ethers and sulphides, which are commonly found in pharmaceutically relevant architectures. This cross-coupling protocol should enable broad synthetic applications in de novo synthesis and late-stage functionalization chemistry.

Implementation of MCA Method for Identification of Factors for Conceptual Cost Estimation of Residential Buildings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Juszczyk, Michał; Leśniak, Agnieszka; Zima, Krzysztof

2013-06-01

Conceptual cost estimation is important for construction projects. Either underestimation or overestimation of building raising cost may lead to failure of a project. In the paper authors present application of a multicriteria comparative analysis (MCA) in order to select factors influencing residential building raising cost. The aim of the analysis is to indicate key factors useful in conceptual cost estimation in the early design stage. Key factors are being investigated on basis of the elementary information about the function, form and structure of the building, and primary assumptions of technological and organizational solutions applied in construction process. The mentioned factors are considered as variables of the model which aim is to make possible conceptual cost estimation fast and with satisfying accuracy. The whole analysis included three steps: preliminary research, choice of a set of potential variables and reduction of this set to select the final set of variables. Multicriteria comparative analysis is applied in problem solution. Performed analysis allowed to select group of factors, defined well enough at the conceptual stage of the design process, to be used as a describing variables of the model.

Selective sp3 C–H alkylation via polarity-match-based cross-coupling

PubMed Central

Le, Chip; Liang, Yufan; Evans, Ryan W.; Li, Ximing; MacMillan, David W. C.

2017-01-01

The functionalization of carbon–hydrogen (C–H) bonds is one of the most attractive strategies for molecular construction in organic chemistry. The hydrogen atom is considered to be an ideal coupling handle, owing to its relative abundance in organic molecules and its availability for functionalization at almost any stage in a synthetic sequence1. Although many C–H functionalization reactions involve C(sp3)–C(sp2) coupling, there is a growing demand for C–H alkylation reactions, wherein sp3 C–H bonds are replaced with sp3 C–alkyl groups. Here we describe a polarity-match-based selective sp3 C–H alkylation via the combination of photoredox, nickel and hydrogen-atom transfer catalysis. This methodology simultaneously uses three catalytic cycles to achieve hydridic C–H bond abstraction (enabled by polarity matching), alkyl halide oxidative addition, and reductive elimination to enable alkyl–alkyl fragment coupling. The sp3 C–H alkylation is highly selective for the α-C–H of amines, ethers and sulphides, which are commonly found in pharmaceutically relevant architectures. This cross-coupling protocol should enable broad synthetic applications in de novo synthesis and late-stage functionalization chemistry. PMID:28636596

Selective sp3 C-H alkylation via polarity-match-based cross-coupling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Le, Chip; Liang, Yufan; Evans, Ryan W.; Li, Ximing; MacMillan, David W. C.

2017-07-01

The functionalization of carbon-hydrogen (C-H) bonds is one of the most attractive strategies for molecular construction in organic chemistry. The hydrogen atom is considered to be an ideal coupling handle, owing to its relative abundance in organic molecules and its availability for functionalization at almost any stage in a synthetic sequence. Although many C-H functionalization reactions involve C(sp3)-C(sp2) coupling, there is a growing demand for C-H alkylation reactions, wherein sp3 C-H bonds are replaced with sp3 C-alkyl groups. Here we describe a polarity-match-based selective sp3 C-H alkylation via the combination of photoredox, nickel and hydrogen-atom transfer catalysis. This methodology simultaneously uses three catalytic cycles to achieve hydridic C-H bond abstraction (enabled by polarity matching), alkyl halide oxidative addition, and reductive elimination to enable alkyl-alkyl fragment coupling. The sp3 C-H alkylation is highly selective for the α-C-H of amines, ethers and sulphides, which are commonly found in pharmaceutically relevant architectures. This cross-coupling protocol should enable broad synthetic applications in de novo synthesis and late-stage functionalization chemistry.

Ultrasound - Aided ejection in micro injection molding

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Masato, D.; Sorgato, M.; Lucchetta, G.

2018-05-01

In this work, an ultrasound-aided ejection system was designed and tested for different polymers (PS, COC and POM) and mold topographies. The proposed solution aims at reducing the ejection friction by decreasing the adhesion component of the frictional force, which is controlled by the contact area developed during the filling stage of the injection molding process. The experimental results indicate a positive effect of ultrasound vibration on the friction force values, with a maximum reduction of 16. Moreover, it is demonstrated that the ultrasound effect is strictly related to both polymer selection and mold roughness. The combined effect on the ejection force of mold surface roughness, melt viscosity during filling and polymer elastic modulus at ejection was modeled to the experimental data, in order to demonstrate that the effect of ultrasound vibration on the ejection friction reduction is due to the heating of the contact interface and the consequent reduction of the polymer elastic modulus.

Use of leaning vanes in a two stage fan

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rao, G. V. R.; Digumarthi, R. V.

1975-01-01

The use of leaning vanes for tone noise reduction was examined in terms of their application in a typical two-stage high pressure ratio fan. In particular for stages designed with outlet guide vanes and zero swirl between stages, leaning the vanes of the first stage stator was studied, since increasing the number of vanes and the gap between stages do not provide the desired advantage. It was shown that noise reduction at higher harmonics of blade passing frequency can be obtained by leaning the vanes.

The reduction mechanism of chromite in the presence of a silica flux

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weber, P.; Eric, R. H.

1993-12-01

The reduction behavior of a natural chromite from the Bushveld Complex of South Africa was studied at 1300 °C to 1500 °C. Reduction was by graphite in the presence of silica. Thermo-gravimetric analysis, X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, energy-dispersive X-ray analysis (EDAX), and metallographic analysis were the experimental techniques used. Silica affected the reduction at and above 1400 °C. A two-stage reduction mechanism was established. The first stage, up to a reduction level of about 40 pct, is primarily confined to iron metallization, and zoning is observed in partially reduced chromites. In this stage, silica does not interfere with the reduction, which proceeds by an outward diffusion of Fe2+ ions and an inward diffusion of Mg2+ and Cr2+ ions. The second stage is primarily confined to chromium metallization, and formation of a silicate slag alters the reduction mechanism. The slag phase agglomerates and even embeds partially reduced chromite particles. An ion-exchange reaction between the re-ducible cations (Cr3+ and Fe2+) in the spinel and the dissolved cations (Al3+ and Mg2+) in the slag allows further reduction. Once the reducible cations are dissolved in the slag phase, they are reduced to the metallic state at sites where there is contact with the reductant.

[Compensation effect of cotton growth and development after soil salt content reduction at bud stage].

PubMed

Guo, Wen-Qi; Zhang, Pei-Tong; Li, Chun-Hong; Yin, Jian-Mei; Han, Xiao-Yong

2014-01-01

To elucidate the dynamic characteristics of cotton growth and development after soil salt content reduction (SD) at bud stage and its effect on yield formation, a pot experiment was conducted in which soil salt content was declined from 5 per thousand level to 2 per thousand level at cotton bud stage. The results showed that the plant height, biomass, total fruit branch and fruit node number, boll number, boll mass of cotton plants increased after soil salt content reduction at bud stage. The distribution proportions of biomass in root and boll decreased after soil salt content reduction, however, the distribution proportions of biomass in leaf, main stem and fruit branch were on the rise. The growth rate of cotton plant increased after soil salt content reduction. Plant dry matter accumulation rate of SD cotton exceeded CK cotton at 22 days after soil salt content reduction. The response of different organs of cotton plant were different to soil salt content reduction, the plant height was the earliest, followed by the fruit branch and fruit node formation, and the bud and boll were the latest, which indicated that the compensation effect of cotton growth and development after soil salt content reduction at bud stage firstly appeared on the formation and growth of new leaf, fruit branch and fruit node, and on this basis, gradually brought out yield compensation.

Reduction in maximum time uncertainty of paired time signals

DOEpatents

Theodosiou, G.E.; Dawson, J.W.

1983-10-04

Reduction in the maximum time uncertainty (t[sub max]--t[sub min]) of a series of paired time signals t[sub 1] and t[sub 2] varying between two input terminals and representative of a series of single events where t[sub 1][<=]t[sub 2] and t[sub 1]+t[sub 2] equals a constant, is carried out with a circuit utilizing a combination of OR and AND gates as signal selecting means and one or more time delays to increase the minimum value (t[sub min]) of the first signal t[sub 1] closer to t[sub max] and thereby reduce the difference. The circuit may utilize a plurality of stages to reduce the uncertainty by factors of 20--800. 6 figs.

Reduction in maximum time uncertainty of paired time signals

DOEpatents

Theodosiou, George E.; Dawson, John W.

1983-01-01

Reduction in the maximum time uncertainty (t.sub.max -t.sub.min) of a series of paired time signals t.sub.1 and t.sub.2 varying between two input terminals and representative of a series of single events where t.sub.1 .ltoreq.t.sub.2 and t.sub.1 +t.sub.2 equals a constant, is carried out with a circuit utilizing a combination of OR and AND gates as signal selecting means and one or more time delays to increase the minimum value (t.sub.min) of the first signal t.sub.1 closer to t.sub.max and thereby reduce the difference. The circuit may utilize a plurality of stages to reduce the uncertainty by factors of 20-800.

Factors related to reduction in the consumption of fast food: application of the theory-based approaches.

PubMed

Zeinab, Jalambadani; Gholamreza, Garmaroudi; Mehdi, Yaseri; Mahmood, Tavousi; Korush, Jafarian

2017-09-21

The Trans-Theoretical model (TTM) and Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) may be promising models for understanding and predicting reduction in the consumption of fast food. The aim of this study was to examine the applicability of the Trans-Theoretical model (TTM) and the additional predictive role of the subjective norms and perceived behavioural control in predicting reduction consumption of fast food in obese Iranian adolescent girls. A cross sectional study design was conducted among twelve randomly selected schools in Sabzevar, Iran from 2015 to 2017. Four hundred eighty five randomly selected students consented to participate in the study. Hierarchical regression models used to predict the role of important variables that can influence the reduction in the consumption of fast food among students. using SPSS version 22. Variables Perceived behavioural control (r=0.58, P<0.001), Subjective norms (r=0.51, P<0.001), self-efficacy (r=0.49, P<0.001), decisional balance (pros) (r=0.29, P<0.001), decisional balance (cons) (r=0.25, P<0.001), stage of change (r=0.38, P<0.001), were significantly and positively correlated while experiential processes of change (r=0.08, P=0.135) and behavioural processes of change (r=0.09, P=0.145), were not significant. The study demonstrated that the TTM (except the experiential and behavioural processes of change) focusing on the perceived behavioural control and subjective norms are useful models for reduction in the consumption of fast food.

Comparison of Effectiveness of the Metacognition Treatment and the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Treatment on Global and Specific Life Quality of Women with Breast Cancer

PubMed Central

Rahmani, Soheila; Talepasand, Siavash; Ghanbary-Motlagh, ALi

2014-01-01

Background This study is conducted to compare the metacognition treatment and the mindfulness-based stress reduction treatment on life quality of women with breast cancer. Methods In a quasi-experimental design, with pre-test, post-test and control group, 36 patients with diagnosis of breast cancer, among patients who referred to the Division of Oncology and Radiotherapy of Imam Hossein hospital in Tehran, were selected in accessible way and were assigned randomly to three experimental groups, the first group receiving meta-cognition treatment (n=12), the second one receiving mindfulness-based stress reduction program (n=12), and the other was the control group. Participants completed global life quality in cancer patient's questionnaire and specific quality of life in breast cancer patient's questionnaire in three stages: baseline, after intervention and two-month follow-up. Data were analyzed using the multivariate repeated measurement model. Results Findings showed both treatments were effective in improving global and specific quality of life in patients with breast cancer. The mindfulness -based stress reduction treatment excelled in functions and roles, fatigue, pain, future perspective and treatment side effects symptoms at the end of the treatment and follow-up in comparison to the metacognition treatment. Conclusion Results of this research showed the mindfulness-based stress reduction treatment can be effective in improving global and specific life quality of women with breast cancer and is a selective method for improving quality of life in patients. PMID:25628839

Survival of selected foodborne pathogens on dry cured pork loins.

PubMed

Morales-Partera, Ángela M; Cardoso-Toset, Fernando; Jurado-Martos, Francisco; Astorga, Rafael J; Huerta, Belén; Luque, Inmaculada; Tarradas, Carmen; Gómez-Laguna, Jaime

2017-10-03

The safety of ready-to-eat products such as cured pork loins must be guaranteed by the food industry. In the present study, the efficacy of the dry curing process of pork loins obtained from free-range pigs in the reduction of three of the most important foodborne pathogens is analysed. A total of 28 pork loin segments, with an average weight of 0.57±0.12kg, were divided into four groups with three being inoculated by immersion with 7logCFU/ml of either Salmonella Typhimurium, Campylobacter coli or Listeria innocua and the last one inoculated by immersion with sterile medium (control group). The loin segments were treated with a seasoning mixture of curing agents and spices, packed in a synthetic sausage casing and cured for 64days. Microbiological analysis, pH and water activity (a w ) were assessed at four stages. The values of pH and a w decreased with curing time as expected. S. Typhimurium and C. coli dropped significantly (3.28 and 2.14 log units, respectively), but limited reduction of L. innocua (0.84 log unit) was observed along the curing process. In our study, three factors were considered critical: the initial concentration of the bacteria, the progressive reduction of pH and the reduction of a w values. Our results encourage performing periodic analysis at different stages of the manufacturing of dry cured pork loins to ensure the absence of the three evaluated foodborne pathogens. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Advances in Photocatalytic CO₂ Reduction with Water: A Review.

PubMed

Nahar, Samsun; Zain, M F M; Kadhum, Abdul Amir H; Hasan, Hassimi Abu; Hasan, Md Riad

2017-06-08

In recent years, the increasing level of CO₂ in the atmosphere has not only contributed to global warming but has also triggered considerable interest in photocatalytic reduction of CO₂. The reduction of CO₂ with H₂O using sunlight is an innovative way to solve the current growing environmental challenges. This paper reviews the basic principles of photocatalysis and photocatalytic CO₂ reduction, discusses the measures of the photocatalytic efficiency and summarizes current advances in the exploration of this technology using different types of semiconductor photocatalysts, such as TiO₂ and modified TiO₂, layered-perovskite Ag/ALa₄Ti₄O 15 (A = Ca, Ba, Sr), ferroelectric LiNbO₃, and plasmonic photocatalysts. Visible light harvesting, novel plasmonic photocatalysts offer potential solutions for some of the main drawbacks in this reduction process. Effective plasmonic photocatalysts that have shown reduction activities towards CO₂ with H₂O are highlighted here. Although this technology is still at an embryonic stage, further studies with standard theoretical and comprehensive format are suggested to develop photocatalysts with high production rates and selectivity. Based on the collected results, the immense prospects and opportunities that exist in this technique are also reviewed here.

Development of a questionnaire to measure consumers' perceptions of service quality in Australian community pharmacies.

PubMed

Mirzaei, Ardalan; Carter, Stephen R; Chen, Jenny Yimin; Rittsteuer, Claudia; Schneider, Carl R

2018-06-11

Recent changes within community pharmacy have seen a shift towards some pharmacies providing "value-added" services. However, providing high levels of service is resource intensive yet revenues from dispensing are declining. Of significance therefore, is how consumers perceive service quality (SQ). However, at present there are no validated and reliable instruments to measure consumers' perceptions of SQ in Australian community pharmacies. The aim of this study was to build a theory-grounded model of service quality (SQ) in community pharmacies and to create a valid survey instrument to measure consumers' perceptions of service quality. Stage 1 dealt with item generation using theory, prior research and qualitative interviews with pharmacy consumers. Selected items were then subjected to content validity and face validity. Stages 2 and 3 included psychometric testing among English-speaking adult consumers of Australian pharmacies. Exploratory factor analysis was used for item reduction and to explain the domains of SQ. In stage 1, item generation for SQ initially generated 113 items which were then refined, through content and face validity, down to 61 items. In stage 2, after subjecting the questionnaire to psychometric testing on the data from the first pharmacy (n = 374), the use of the primary dimensions of SQ was abandoned leaving 32 items representing 5 domains of SQ. In stage 3, the questionnaire was subject to further testing and item reduction in 3 other pharmacies (n = 320). SQ was best described using 23 items representing 6 domains: 'health and medicines advice', 'relationship quality', 'technical quality', 'environmental quality', 'non-prescription service', and 'health outcomes'. This research presents a theoretically-grounded and robust measurement scale developed for consumer perceptions of SQ in a community pharmacy. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Sex-specific selection under environmental stress in seed beetles.

PubMed

Martinossi-Allibert, I; Arnqvist, G; Berger, D

2017-01-01

Sexual selection can increase rates of adaptation by imposing strong selection in males, thereby allowing efficient purging of the mutation load on population fitness at a low demographic cost. Indeed, sexual selection tends to be male-biased throughout the animal kingdom, but little empirical work has explored the ecological sensitivity of this sex difference. In this study, we generated theoretical predictions of sex-specific strengths of selection, environmental sensitivities and genotype-by-environment interactions and tested them in seed beetles by manipulating either larval host plant or rearing temperature. Using fourteen isofemale lines, we measured sex-specific reductions in fitness components, genotype-by-environment interactions and the strength of selection (variance in fitness) in the juvenile and adult stage. As predicted, variance in fitness increased with stress, was consistently greater in males than females for adult reproductive success (implying strong sexual selection), but was similar in the sexes in terms of juvenile survival across all levels of stress. Although genetic variance in fitness increased in magnitude under severe stress, heritability decreased and particularly so in males. Moreover, genotype-by-environment interactions for fitness were common but specific to the type of stress, sex and life stage, suggesting that new environments may change the relative alignment and strength of selection in males and females. Our study thus exemplifies how environmental stress can influence the relative forces of natural and sexual selection, as well as concomitant changes in genetic variance in fitness, which are predicted to have consequences for rates of adaptation in sexual populations. © 2016 European Society For Evolutionary Biology. Journal of Evolutionary Biology © 2016 European Society For Evolutionary Biology.

Knowledge mining from clinical datasets using rough sets and backpropagation neural network.

PubMed

Nahato, Kindie Biredagn; Harichandran, Khanna Nehemiah; Arputharaj, Kannan

2015-01-01

The availability of clinical datasets and knowledge mining methodologies encourages the researchers to pursue research in extracting knowledge from clinical datasets. Different data mining techniques have been used for mining rules, and mathematical models have been developed to assist the clinician in decision making. The objective of this research is to build a classifier that will predict the presence or absence of a disease by learning from the minimal set of attributes that has been extracted from the clinical dataset. In this work rough set indiscernibility relation method with backpropagation neural network (RS-BPNN) is used. This work has two stages. The first stage is handling of missing values to obtain a smooth data set and selection of appropriate attributes from the clinical dataset by indiscernibility relation method. The second stage is classification using backpropagation neural network on the selected reducts of the dataset. The classifier has been tested with hepatitis, Wisconsin breast cancer, and Statlog heart disease datasets obtained from the University of California at Irvine (UCI) machine learning repository. The accuracy obtained from the proposed method is 97.3%, 98.6%, and 90.4% for hepatitis, breast cancer, and heart disease, respectively. The proposed system provides an effective classification model for clinical datasets.

Use of non-selective beta blockers in cirrhosis: The evidence we need before closing (or not) the window

PubMed Central

La Mura, Vincenzo; Tosetti, Giulia; Primignani, Massimo; Salerno, Francesco

2015-01-01

Non selective beta blockers (NSBBs) are used in primary and secondary prophylaxis of portal hypertension-related bleeding in patients with cirrhosis. The efficacy of NSBBs treatment is predicted by hemodynamic response in term of reduction of the hepatic venous pressure gradient (HVPG) below 12 mmHg or at least 20% of the basal value. Nevertheless a relevant number of patients who do not achieve this HVPG reduction during NSBBs therapy do not bleed during follow up; this evidence suggests an additional non-hemodynamic advantage of NSBBs treatment to modify the natural history of cirrhosis. Recent studies have questioned the efficacy and safety of NSBBs in patients with advanced stage of liver disease characterized by refractory ascites and/or spontaneous bacterial peritonitis. These studies have suggested the existence of a defined and limited period to modify the natural history of cirrhosis by NSBBs: the “window hypothesis”. According with this hypothesis, patients with cirrhosis benefit from the use of NSBBs from the appearance of varices up to the development of an advanced stage of cirrhosis. Indeed, in patients with refractory ascites and/or spontaneous bacterial peritonitis the hemodynamic effects of NSBBs may expose to a high risk of further complications such as renal insufficiency and/or death. Methodological concerns and contrasting results counterbalance the evidence produced up to now on this issue and are the main topic of this editorial. PMID:25741132

Toward a Systematic Approach for Selection of NASA Technology Portfolios

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Weisbin, Charles R.; Rodriguez, Guillermo; Alberto, Elfes; Smith, Jeffrey H.

2004-01-01

There is an important need for a consistent analytical foundation supporting the selection and monitoring of R&D tasks that support new system concepts that enable future NASA missions. This capability should be applicable at various degrees of abstraction, depending upon whether one is interested in formulation, development, or operations. It should also be applicable to a single project, a program comprised of a group of projects, an enterprise typically including multiple programs, and the overall agency itself. Emphasis here is on technology selection and new initiatives, but the same approach can be generalized to other applications, dealing, for example, with new system architectures, risk reduction, and task allocation among humans and machines. The purpose of this paper is to describe one such approach, which is in its early stages of implementation within NASA programs, and to discuss several illustrative examples.

Plasma-assisted catalytic storage reduction system

DOEpatents

Penetrante, Bernardino M.; Vogtlin, George E.; Merritt, Bernard T.; Brusasco, Raymond M.

2000-01-01

A two-stage method for NO.sub.x reduction in an oxygen-rich engine exhaust comprises a plasma oxidative stage and a storage reduction stage. The first stage employs a non-thermal plasma treatment of NO.sub.x gases in an oxygen-rich exhaust and is intended to convert NO to NO.sub.2 in the presence of O.sub.2 and hydrocarbons. The second stage employs a lean NO.sub.x trap to convert such NO.sub.2 to environmentally benign gases that include N.sub.2, CO.sub.2, and H.sub.2 O. By preconverting NO to NO.sub.2 in the first stage with a plasma, the efficiency of the second stage for NO.sub.x reduction is enhanced. For example, an internal combustion engine exhaust is connected by a pipe to a first chamber in which a non-thermal plasma converts NO to NO.sub.2 in the presence of O.sub.2 and hydrocarbons, such as propene. A flow of such hydrocarbons (C.sub.x H.sub.y) is input from usually a second pipe into at least a portion of the first chamber. The NO.sub.2 from the plasma treatment proceeds to a storage reduction catalyst (lean NO.sub.x trap) that converts NO.sub.2 to N.sub.2, CO.sub.2, and H.sub.2 O, and includes a nitrate-forming catalytic site. The hydrocarbons and NO.sub.x are simultaneously reduced while passing through the lean-NO.sub.x trap catalyst. The method allows for enhanced NO.sub.x reduction in vehicular engine exhausts, particularly those having relatively high sulfur contents.

Plasma-assisted catalytic storage reduction system

DOEpatents

Penetrante, Bernardino M.; Vogtlin, George E.; Merritt, Bernard T.; Brusasco, Raymond M.

2002-01-01

A two-stage method for NO.sub.x reduction in an oxygen-rich engine exhaust comprises a plasma oxidative stage and a storage reduction stage. The first stage employs a non-thermal plasma treatment of NO.sub.x gases in an oxygen-rich exhaust and is intended to convert NO to NO.sub.2 in the presence of O.sub.2 and hydrocarbons. The second stage employs a lean NO.sub.x trap to convert such NO.sub.2 to environmentally benign gases that include N.sub.2, CO.sub.2, and H.sub.2 O. By preconverting NO to NO.sub.2 in the first stage with a plasma, the efficiency of the second stage for NO.sub.x reduction is enhanced. For example, an internal combustion engine exhaust is connected by a pipe to a first chamber in which a non-thermal plasma converts NO to NO.sub.2 in the presence of O.sub.2 and hydrocarbons, such as propene. A flow of such hydrocarbons (C.sub.x H.sub.y) is input from usually a second pipe into at least a portion of the first chamber. The NO.sub.2 from the plasma treatment proceeds to a storage reduction catalyst (lean NO.sub.x trap) that converts NO.sub.2 to N.sub.2, CO.sub.2, and H.sub.2 O, and includes a nitrate-forming catalytic site. The hydrocarbons and NO.sub.x are simultaneously reduced while passing through the lean-NO.sub.x trap catalyst. The method allows for enhanced NO.sub.x reduction in vehicular engine exhausts, particularly those having relatively high sulfur contents.

Combination of three-stage sink-float method and selective flotation technique for separation of mixed post-consumer plastic waste.

PubMed

Pongstabodee, Sangobtip; Kunachitpimol, Napatr; Damronglerd, Somsak

2008-01-01

The aim of this research was to separate the different plastics of a mixed post-consumer plastic waste by the combination of a three-stage sink-float method and selective flotation. By using the three-stage sink-float method, six mixed-plastic wastes, belonging to the 0.3-0.5 cm size class and including high density polyethylene (HDPE), polypropylene (PP), polyvinylchloride (PVC), polystyrene (PS), polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymers (ABS) were separated into two groups, i.e., a low density plastic group (HDPE and PP) and a high density plastic group (PET, PVC, PS and ABS) by tap water. Plastic whose density is less than that of the medium solution floats to the surface, while the one whose density is greater than that of the medium solution sinks to the bottom. The experimental results elucidated that complete separation of HDPE from PP was achieved by the three-stage sink-float method with 50% v/v ethyl alcohol. To succeed in the separation of a PS/ABS mixture from a PET/PVC mixture by the three-stage sink-float method, a 30% w/v calcium chloride solution was employed. To further separate post-consumer PET/PVC and PS/ABS based on plastic type, selective flotation was carried out. In order to succeed in selective flotation separation, it is necessary to render hydrophilic the surface of one or more species while the others are kept in a hydrophobic state. In flotation studies, the effects of wetting agent, frother, pH of solution and electrolyte on separation were determined. The selective flotation results showed that when using 500 mg l(-1) calcium lignosulfonate, 0.01 ppm MIBC, and 0.1 mg l(-1) CaCl2 at pH 11, PET could be separated from PVC. To separate ABS from PS, 200 mg l(-1) calcium lignosulfonate and 0.1 mg l(-1) CaCl2 at pH 7 were used as a flotation solution. Wettability of plastic increases when adding CaCl2 and corresponds to a decrease in its contact angles and to a reduction in the recovery of plastic in the floated product.

Influence of V2O5 Content on the Gas-Based Direct Reduction of Hongge Vanadium Titanomagnetite Pellets with Simulated Shaft Furnace Gases

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Wei; Fu, Guiqin; Chu, Mansheng; Zhu, Miaoyong

2018-01-01

The influence of V2O5 content on the gas-based direct reduction of Hongge vanadium titanomagnetite pellets (HVTMP) was investigated with simulated shaft furnace gases, and the content levels were selected as 0 wt.%, 2 wt.%, 4 wt.%, and 6 wt.%, respectively. The results indicated that, with the increase of V2O5 content, the reduction was accelerated at an early stage due to the increase of the original porosity of the HVTMP. However, as the reduction proceeded, a slowing down in the reduction rate was observed, which was attributed to the formation of hardly reducible Fe2VO4. Major phases of reduced HVTMP were Fe2VO4, FeTiO3, and metallic iron. The morphology showed that the size of metallic iron particles of reduced HVTMP decreased with the increase of V2O5 content, V-bearing oxides embedded into the Ti-rich phases, and further reduction was restricted. This study not only established a relationship between the V2O5 content of HVTMP and its reduction behavior but could also contribute greatly to the effective utilization of Hongge vanadium titanomagnetite in shaft furnace.

Automated system for characterization and classification of malaria-infected stages using light microscopic images of thin blood smears.

PubMed

Das, D K; Maiti, A K; Chakraborty, C

2015-03-01

In this paper, we propose a comprehensive image characterization cum classification framework for malaria-infected stage detection using microscopic images of thin blood smears. The methodology mainly includes microscopic imaging of Leishman stained blood slides, noise reduction and illumination correction, erythrocyte segmentation, feature selection followed by machine classification. Amongst three-image segmentation algorithms (namely, rule-based, Chan-Vese-based and marker-controlled watershed methods), marker-controlled watershed technique provides better boundary detection of erythrocytes specially in overlapping situations. Microscopic features at intensity, texture and morphology levels are extracted to discriminate infected and noninfected erythrocytes. In order to achieve subgroup of potential features, feature selection techniques, namely, F-statistic and information gain criteria are considered here for ranking. Finally, five different classifiers, namely, Naive Bayes, multilayer perceptron neural network, logistic regression, classification and regression tree (CART), RBF neural network have been trained and tested by 888 erythrocytes (infected and noninfected) for each features' subset. Performance evaluation of the proposed methodology shows that multilayer perceptron network provides higher accuracy for malaria-infected erythrocytes recognition and infected stage classification. Results show that top 90 features ranked by F-statistic (specificity: 98.64%, sensitivity: 100%, PPV: 99.73% and overall accuracy: 96.84%) and top 60 features ranked by information gain provides better results (specificity: 97.29%, sensitivity: 100%, PPV: 99.46% and overall accuracy: 96.73%) for malaria-infected stage classification. © 2014 The Authors Journal of Microscopy © 2014 Royal Microscopical Society.

Direct Reduction of Ferrous Oxides to form an Iron-Rich Alternative Charge Material

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ünal, H. İbrahim; Turgut, Enes; Atapek, Ş. H.; Alkan, Attila

2015-12-01

In this study, production of sponge iron by direct reduction of oxides and the effect of reductant on metallization were investigated. In the first stage of the study, scale formed during hot rolling of slabs was reduced in a rotating furnace using solid and gas reductants. Coal was used as solid reductant and hydrogen released from the combustion reaction of LNG was used as the gas one. The sponge iron produced by direct reduction was melted and solidified. In the second stage, Hematite ore in the form of pellets was reduced using solid carbon in a furnace heated up to 1,100°C for 60 and 120 minutes. Reduction degree of process was evaluated as a function of time and the ratio of Cfix/Fetotal. In the third stage, final products were examined using scanning electron microscope and microanalysis was carried out by energy dispersive x-ray spectrometer attached to the electron microscope. It is concluded that (i) direct reduction using both solid and gas reductants caused higher metallization compared to using only solid reductant, (ii) as the reduction time and ratio of Cfix/Fetotal increased %-reduction of ore increased.

Spatially resolved bimodal spectroscopy for classification/evaluation of mouse skin inflammatory and pre-cancerous stages

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Díaz-Ayil, Gilberto; Amouroux, Marine; Clanché, Fabien; Granjon, Yves; Blondel, Walter C. P. M.

2009-07-01

Spatially-resolved bimodal spectroscopy (multiple AutoFluorescence AF excitation and Diffuse Reflectance DR), was used in vivo to discriminate various healthy and precancerous skin stages in a pre-clinical model (UV-irradiated mouse): Compensatory Hyperplasia CH, Atypical Hyperplasia AH and Dysplasia D. A specific data preprocessing scheme was applied to intensity spectra (filtering, spectral correction and intensity normalization), and several sets of spectral characteristics were automatically extracted and selected based on their discrimination power, statistically tested for every pair-wise comparison of histological classes. Data reduction with Principal Components Analysis (PCA) was performed and 3 classification methods were implemented (k-NN, LDA and SVM), in order to compare diagnostic performance of each method. Diagnostic performance was studied and assessed in terms of Sensibility (Se) and Specificity (Sp) as a function of the selected features, of the combinations of 3 different inter-fibres distances and of the numbers of principal components, such that: Se and Sp ~ 100% when discriminating CH vs. others; Sp ~ 100% and Se > 95% when discriminating Healthy vs. AH or D; Sp ~ 74% and Se ~ 63% for AH vs. D.

Technology development for iron Fischer-Tropsch catalysts

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

O`Brien, R.J.; Raje, A.; Keogh, R.A.

1995-12-31

The objective of this research project is to develop the technology for the production of physically robust iron-based Fischer-Tropsch catalysts that have suitable activity, selectivity and stability to be used in the slurry phase synthesis reactor development. The catalysts that are developed shall be suitable for testing in the Advanced Fuels Development Facility at LaPorte, Texas, to produce either low-or high-alpha product distributions. Previous work by the offeror has produced a catalyst formulation that is 1.5 times as active as the {open_quotes}standard-catalyst{close_quotes} developed by German workers for slurry phase synthesis. In parallel, work will be conducted to design a high-alphamore » iron catalyst this is suitable for slurry phase synthesis. Studies will be conducted to define the chemical phases present at various stages of the pretreatment and synthesis stages and to define the course of these changes. The oxidation/reduction cycles that are anticipated to occur in large, commercial reactors will be studied at the laboratory scale. Catalyst performance will be determined for catalysts synthesized in this program for activity, selectivity and aging characteristics.« less

Reduction in maximum time uncertainty of paired time signals

DOEpatents

Theodosiou, G.E.; Dawson, J.W.

1981-02-11

Reduction in the maximum time uncertainty (t/sub max/ - t/sub min/) of a series of paired time signals t/sub 1/ and t/sub 2/ varying between two input terminals and representative of a series of single events where t/sub 1/ less than or equal to t/sub 2/ and t/sub 1/ + t/sub 2/ equals a constant, is carried out with a circuit utilizing a combination of OR and AND gates as signal selecting means and one or more time delays to increase the minimum value (t/sub min/) of the first signal t/sub 1/ closer to t/sub max/ and thereby reduce the difference. The circuit may utilize a plurality of stages to reduce the uncertainty by factors of 20 to 800.

A vacuolar iron-transporter homologue acts as a detoxifier in Plasmodium

PubMed Central

Slavic, Ksenija; Krishna, Sanjeev; Lahree, Aparajita; Bouyer, Guillaume; Hanson, Kirsten K.; Vera, Iset; Pittman, Jon K.; Staines, Henry M.; Mota, Maria M.

2016-01-01

Iron is an essential micronutrient but is also highly toxic. In yeast and plant cells, a key detoxifying mechanism involves iron sequestration into intracellular storage compartments, mediated by members of the vacuolar iron-transporter (VIT) family of proteins. Here we study the VIT homologue from the malaria parasites Plasmodium falciparum (PfVIT) and Plasmodium berghei (PbVIT). PfVIT-mediated iron transport in a yeast heterologous expression system is saturable (Km∼14.7 μM), and selective for Fe2+ over other divalent cations. PbVIT-deficient P. berghei lines (Pbvit−) show a reduction in parasite load in both liver and blood stages of infection in mice. Moreover, Pbvit− parasites have higher levels of labile iron in blood stages and are more sensitive to increased iron levels in liver stages, when compared with wild-type parasites. Our data are consistent with Plasmodium VITs playing a major role in iron detoxification and, thus, normal development of malaria parasites in their mammalian host. PMID:26786069

A vacuolar iron-transporter homologue acts as a detoxifier in Plasmodium.

PubMed

Slavic, Ksenija; Krishna, Sanjeev; Lahree, Aparajita; Bouyer, Guillaume; Hanson, Kirsten K; Vera, Iset; Pittman, Jon K; Staines, Henry M; Mota, Maria M

2016-01-20

Iron is an essential micronutrient but is also highly toxic. In yeast and plant cells, a key detoxifying mechanism involves iron sequestration into intracellular storage compartments, mediated by members of the vacuolar iron-transporter (VIT) family of proteins. Here we study the VIT homologue from the malaria parasites Plasmodium falciparum (PfVIT) and Plasmodium berghei (PbVIT). PfVIT-mediated iron transport in a yeast heterologous expression system is saturable (Km ∼ 14.7 μM), and selective for Fe(2+) over other divalent cations. PbVIT-deficient P. berghei lines (Pbvit(-)) show a reduction in parasite load in both liver and blood stages of infection in mice. Moreover, Pbvit(-) parasites have higher levels of labile iron in blood stages and are more sensitive to increased iron levels in liver stages, when compared with wild-type parasites. Our data are consistent with Plasmodium VITs playing a major role in iron detoxification and, thus, normal development of malaria parasites in their mammalian host.

Feasibility study for long lifetime helium dewar

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Parmley, R. T.

1981-01-01

A feasible concept for a launchable three year lifetime helium dewar was investigted. Current helium dewar designs were examined to see where the largest potential reductions in parasitic heat loads can be made. The study was also devoted to examining support concepts. The support concept chosen, a passive orbital disconnect strut (PODS), has an orbital support conductance that is lower by more than an order of magnitude over current tension band supports. This lower support conductance cuts the total dewar weight in half for the same three year life time requirements. Effort was also concentrated on efficient wire feed through designs and vapor cooling of the multilayer insulation, supports, wire feed throughs and plumbing penetrations. A single stage helium dewar vs. dual stage dewars with a guard cryogen of nitrogen or neon was examined. The single stage dewar concept was selected. Different support concepts were analyzed from which the PODS support concepts was chosen. A preliminary design of the dewar was thermally and structurally analyzed and laid out including system weights, thermal performance and performance sensitivities.

Multi-stage pulse tube cryocooler with acoustic impedance constructed to reduce transient cool down time and thermal loss

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gedeon, David R. (Inventor); Wilson, Kyle B. (Inventor)

2008-01-01

The cool down time for a multi-stage, pulse tube cryocooler is reduced by configuring at least a portion of the acoustic impedance of a selected stage, higher than the first stage, so that it surrounds the cold head of the selected stage. The surrounding acoustic impedance of the selected stage is mounted in thermally conductive connection to the warm region of the selected stage for cooling the acoustic impedance and is fabricated of a high thermal diffusivity, low thermal radiation emissivity material, preferably aluminum.

Association analysis of salt tolerance in cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp) at germination and seedling stages.

PubMed

Ravelombola, Waltram; Shi, Ainong; Weng, Yuejin; Mou, Beiquan; Motes, Dennis; Clark, John; Chen, Pengyin; Srivastava, Vibha; Qin, Jun; Dong, Lingdi; Yang, Wei; Bhattarai, Gehendra; Sugihara, Yuichi

2018-01-01

This is the first report on association analysis of salt tolerance and identification of SNP markers associated with salt tolerance in cowpea. Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp) is one of the most important cultivated legumes in Africa. The worldwide annual production in cowpea dry seed is 5.4 million metric tons. However, cowpea is unfavorably affected by salinity stress at germination and seedling stages, which is exacerbated by the effects of climate change. The lack of knowledge on the genetic underlying salt tolerance in cowpea limits the establishment of a breeding strategy for developing salt-tolerant cowpea cultivars. The objectives of this study were to conduct association mapping for salt tolerance at germination and seedling stages and to identify SNP markers associated with salt tolerance in cowpea. We analyzed the salt tolerance index of 116 and 155 cowpea accessions at germination and seedling stages, respectively. A total of 1049 SNPs postulated from genotyping-by-sequencing were used for association analysis. Population structure was inferred using Structure 2.3.4; K optimal was determined using Structure Harvester. TASSEL 5, GAPIT, and FarmCPU involving three models such as single marker regression, general linear model, and mixed linear model were used for the association study. Substantial variation in salt tolerance index for germination rate, plant height reduction, fresh and dry shoot biomass reduction, foliar leaf injury, and inhibition of the first trifoliate leaf was observed. The cowpea accessions were structured into two subpopulations. Three SNPs, Scaffold87490_622, Scaffold87490_630, and C35017374_128 were highly associated with salt tolerance at germination stage. Seven SNPs, Scaffold93827_270, Scaffold68489_600, Scaffold87490_633, Scaffold87490_640, Scaffold82042_3387, C35069468_1916, and Scaffold93942_1089 were found to be associated with salt tolerance at seedling stage. The SNP markers were consistent across the three models and could be used as a tool to select salt-tolerant lines for breeding improved cowpea tolerance to salinity.

Decreased Nucleotide and Expression Diversity and Modified Coexpression Patterns Characterize Domestication in the Common Bean[W][OPEN

PubMed Central

Bellucci, Elisa; Bitocchi, Elena; Ferrarini, Alberto; Benazzo, Andrea; Biagetti, Eleonora; Klie, Sebastian; Minio, Andrea; Rau, Domenico; Rodriguez, Monica; Panziera, Alex; Venturini, Luca; Attene, Giovanna; Albertini, Emidio; Jackson, Scott A.; Nanni, Laura; Fernie, Alisdair R.; Nikoloski, Zoran; Bertorelle, Giorgio; Delledonne, Massimo; Papa, Roberto

2014-01-01

Using RNA sequencing technology and de novo transcriptome assembly, we compared representative sets of wild and domesticated accessions of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) from Mesoamerica. RNA was extracted at the first true-leaf stage, and de novo assembly was used to develop a reference transcriptome; the final data set consists of ∼190,000 single nucleotide polymorphisms from 27,243 contigs in expressed genomic regions. A drastic reduction in nucleotide diversity (∼60%) is evident for the domesticated form, compared with the wild form, and almost 50% of the contigs that are polymorphic were brought to fixation by domestication. In parallel, the effects of domestication decreased the diversity of gene expression (18%). While the coexpression networks for the wild and domesticated accessions demonstrate similar seminal network properties, they show distinct community structures that are enriched for different molecular functions. After simulating the demographic dynamics during domestication, we found that 9% of the genes were actively selected during domestication. We also show that selection induced a further reduction in the diversity of gene expression (26%) and was associated with 5-fold enrichment of differentially expressed genes. While there is substantial evidence of positive selection associated with domestication, in a few cases, this selection has increased the nucleotide diversity in the domesticated pool at target loci associated with abiotic stress responses, flowering time, and morphology. PMID:24850850

Prevalence of tobacco smoking in Vietnam: findings from the Global Adult Tobacco Survey 2015.

PubMed

Van Minh, Hoang; Giang, Kim Bao; Ngoc, Nguyen Bao; Hai, Phan Thi; Huyen, Doan Thi Thu; Khue, Luong Ngoc; Lam, Nguyen Tuan; Nga, Pham Thi Quynh; Quan, Nguyen The; Xuyen, Nguyen Thi

2017-02-01

We report the prevalence of tobacco smoking among adult populations in Vietnam, 2015. The Vietnam GATS 2015 was a nationally representative survey. 9513 households were selected using two-stage random systematic sampling method. Handheld computers were used for capturing data. Data collection was carried-out by National Statistics Office of Vietnam in 2015. Weight was used in all estimates. The Vietnam GATS 2015 found that the prevalence of smoking in Vietnam was 22.5% overall, 45.3% among men, and 1.1% among women. The overall 2015-2010 reduction in prevalence of any tobacco product was 5.3%. However, the reduction was not statistically significant. The significant reduction in prevalence of tobacco smoking was found for any type of cigarette (-8.4%), and especially for hand-rolled cigarettes (-38.3%). The use of cigarettes significantly decreased in urban areas (-14.7%). The reduction in the prevalence of tobacco smoking in Vietnam during the last 5 years (2010-2015) has not been as high as expected, especially in rural areas. Further efforts are needed to continue to reduce the harms caused by tobacco smoking.

Improving outcomes of first‐episode psychosis: an overview

PubMed Central

Fusar‐Poli, Paolo; McGorry, Patrick D.; Kane, John M.

2017-01-01

Outcomes of psychotic disorders are associated with high personal, familiar, societal and clinical burden. There is thus an urgent clinical and societal need for improving those outcomes. Recent advances in research knowledge have opened new opportunities for ameliorating outcomes of psychosis during its early clinical stages. This paper critically reviews these opportunities, summarizing the state‐of‐the‐art knowledge and focusing on recent discoveries and future avenues for first episode research and clinical interventions. Candidate targets for primary universal prevention of psychosis at the population level are discussed. Potentials offered by primary selective prevention in asymptomatic subgroups (stage 0) are presented. Achievements of primary selected prevention in individuals at clinical high risk for psychosis (stage 1) are summarized, along with challenges and limitations of its implementation in clinical practice. Early intervention and secondary prevention strategies at the time of a first episode of psychosis (stage 2) are critically discussed, with a particular focus on minimizing the duration of untreated psychosis, improving treatment response, increasing patients’ satisfaction with treatment, reducing illicit substance abuse and preventing relapses. Early intervention and tertiary prevention strategies at the time of an incomplete recovery (stage 3) are further discussed, in particular with respect to addressing treatment resistance, improving well‐being and social skills with reduction of burden on the family, treatment of comorbid substance use, and prevention of multiple relapses and disease progression. In conclusion, to improve outcomes of a complex, heterogeneous syndrome such as psychosis, it is necessary to globally adopt complex models integrating a clinical staging framework and coordinated specialty care programmes that offer pre‐emptive interventions to high‐risk groups identified across the early stages of the disorder. Only a systematic implementation of these models of care in the national health care systems will render these strategies accessible to the 23 million people worldwide suffering from the most severe psychiatric disorders. PMID:28941089

Reconciling Scratch Space Consumption, Exposure, and Volatility to Achieve Timely Staging of Job Input Data

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

Monti, Henri; Butt, Ali R; Vazhkudai, Sudharshan S

2010-04-01

Innovative scientific applications and emerging dense data sources are creating a data deluge for high-end computing systems. Processing such large input data typically involves copying (or staging) onto the supercomputer's specialized high-speed storage, scratch space, for sustained high I/O throughput. The current practice of conservatively staging data as early as possible makes the data vulnerable to storage failures, which may entail re-staging and consequently reduced job throughput. To address this, we present a timely staging framework that uses a combination of job startup time predictions, user-specified intermediate nodes, and decentralized data delivery to coincide input data staging with job start-up.more » By delaying staging to when it is necessary, the exposure to failures and its effects can be reduced. Evaluation using both PlanetLab and simulations based on three years of Jaguar (No. 1 in Top500) job logs show as much as 85.9% reduction in staging times compared to direct transfers, 75.2% reduction in wait time on scratch, and 2.4% reduction in usage/hour.« less

The influence of marital status on stage at diagnosis and survival of patients with colorectal cancer.

PubMed

Li, Qingguo; Gan, Lu; Liang, Lei; Li, Xinxiang; Cai, Sanjun

2015-03-30

Marital status was found to be an independent prognostic factor for survival in various cancer types, but it hasn't been fully studied in colorectal cancer (CRC). The Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results database was used to compare survival outcomes with marital status in each stage. In total, 112, 776 eligible patients were identified. Patients in the widowed group were more frequently elderly women, more common of colon cancer, and more stage I/II in tumor stage (P < 0.001), but the surgery rate was comparable to that for the married group (94.72% VS 94.10%). Married CRC patients had better 5year cause-specific survival (CSS) than those unmarried (P < 0.05). Further analysis showed that widowed patients always presented the lowest CSS compared with that of other' group. Widowed patients had 5% reduction 5-year CSS compared with married patients at stage I (94.8% vs 89.8%, P < 0.001), 9.4% reduction at stage II (85.9% vs 76.5%, P < 0.001), 16.7% reduction at stage III (70.6% vs 53.9%, P < 0.001) and 6.2% reduction at stage IV(14.4% VS 8.2%, P < 0.001). These results showed that unmarried patients were at greater risk of cancer specific mortality. Despite favorable clinicpathological characteristics, widowed patients were at highest risk of death compared with other groups.

Environmental and economic evaluation of selective non-catalytic reduction of nitrogen oxides

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Parchevskii, V. M.; Shchederkina, T. E.; Proshina, A. O.

2017-11-01

There are two groups of atmosphere protecting measures: technology (primary) and treatment (secondary). When burning high-calorie low-volatile brands of coals in the furnaces with liquid slag removal to achieve emission standards required joint use of these two methods, for example, staged combustion and selective non-catalytic reduction recovery (SNCR). For the economically intelligent combination of these two methods it is necessary to have information not only about the environmental performance of each method, but also the operating costs per unit of reduced emission. The authors of this report are made an environmental-economic analysis of SNCR on boiler Π-50P Kashirskaya power station. The obtained results about the dependence of costs from the load of the boiler and the mass emissions of nitrogen oxides then approximates into empirical formulas, is named as environmental and economic characteristics, which is suitable for downloading into controllers and other control devices for subsequent implementation of optimal control of emissions to ensure compliance with environmental regulations at the lowest cost at any load of the boiler.

Series Bosch System Development

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Abney, Morgan B.; Evans, Christopher; Mansell, Matt; Swickrath, Michael

2012-01-01

State-of-the-art (SOA) carbon dioxide (CO2) reduction technology for the International Space Station produces methane as a byproduct. This methane is subsequently vented overboard. The associated loss of hydrogen ultimately reduces the mass of oxygen that can be recovered from CO2 in a closed-loop life support system. As an alternative to SOA CO2 reduction technology, NASA is exploring a Series-Bosch system capable of reducing CO2 with hydrogen to form water and solid carbon. This results in 100% theoretical recovery of oxygen from metabolic CO2. In the past, Bosch-based technology did not trade favorably against SOA technology due to a high power demand, low reaction efficiencies, concerns with carbon containment, and large resupply requirements necessary to replace expended catalyst cartridges. An alternative approach to Bosch technology, labeled "Series-Bosch," employs a new system design with optimized multi-stage reactors and a membrane-based separation and recycle capability. Multi-physics modeling of the first stage reactor, along with chemical process modeling of the integrated system, has resulted in a design with potential to trade significantly better than previous Bosch technology. The modeling process and resulting system architecture selection are discussed.

H2O absorption tomography in a diesel aftertreatment system using a polymer film for optical access

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Ze; Sanders, Scott T.; Backhaus, Jacob A.; Munnannur, Achuth; Schmidt, Niklas M.

2017-12-01

Film-optical-access H2O absorption tomography is, for the first time, applied to a practical diesel aftertreatment system. A single rotation stage and a single translation stage are used to move a single laser beam to obtain each of the 3480 line-of-sight measurements used in the tomographic reconstruction. It takes 1 h to acquire one image in a 60-view-angle measurement. H2O images are acquired in a 292.4-mm-diameter selective catalytic reduction (SCR) can with a 5-mm spatial resolution at temperatures in the 158-185 °C range. When no liquid H2O is injected into the gas, the L1 norm-based uniformity index is 0.994, and the average mole fraction error is - 6% based on a separate FTIR measurement. When liquid water is injected through the reductant dosing system designed to inject diesel exhaust fluid, nonuniformity is observed, as evidenced by measured uniformity indices for H2O in the 0.977-0.986 range. A mixing plate installed into the system is able to improve the uniformity of the H2O mole fraction.

Dose reduction in molecular breast imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wagenaar, Douglas J.; Chowdhury, Samir; Hugg, James W.; Moats, Rex A.; Patt, Bradley E.

2011-10-01

Molecular Breast Imaging (MBI) is the imaging of radiolabeled drugs, cells, or nanoparticles for breast cancer detection, diagnosis, and treatment. Screening of broad populations of women for breast cancer with mammography has been augmented by the emergence of breast MRI in screening of women at high risk for breast cancer. Screening MBI may benefit the sub-population of women with dense breast tissue that obscures small tumors in mammography. Dedicated breast imaging equipment is necessary to enable detection of early-stage tumors less than 1 cm in size. Recent progress in the development of these instruments is reviewed. Pixellated CZT for single photon MBI imaging of 99mTc-sestamibi gives high detection sensitivity for early-stage tumors. The use of registered collimators in a near-field geometry gives significantly higher detection efficiency - a factor of 3.6-, which translates into an equivalent dose reduction factor given the same acquisition time. The radiation dose in the current MBI procedure has been reduced to the level of a four-view digital mammography study. In addition to screening of selected sub-populations, reduced MBI dose allows for dual-isotope, treatment planning, and repeated therapy assessment studies in the era of molecular medicine guided by quantitative molecular imaging.

Single-stage reduction and fixation for atlantoaxial dislocation with atlas assimilation applying occipital plate, C2 screws and rigid cantilever beam system through intraoperative distraction: A retrospective study of 25 cases

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Zhonghua; Han, Xuesong; Li, Xiaolei; Qin, Xiaofei

2018-04-01

To report the surgical technique and clinical outcomes for the treatment of AAD with atlas assimilation by single-stage posterior reduction and fixation applying intraoperative distraction between occipital and C2 screws. From April 2008 to January 2014, 25 patients underwent single-stage posterior reduction and fixation applying occipital plate, C2 screws and rigid cantilever beam system through intraoperative distraction between occipital and C2 screws. The pre- and postoperative radiologic parameters and JOA score were examined. Follow-up ranged from 6 to 17months in 25 patients. Clinical symptoms improved in 24 patients (96%) and were stable in 1 patient (4%). Radiologic assessment illustrated that complete reduction was achieved in 24 patients and partial reduction (>60%) in 1 patient. Overall, satisfactory decompression and reduction were showed on postoperative MRT and 3D-CT scans of all 25 patients. The single-stage posterior reduction and fixation applying occipital plate, C2 screws and rigid cantilever beam system through intraoperative distraction between occipital and C2 screws for AAD with atlas assimilation is simple, fast, safe and effective. C1 screws insertion for the treatment of AAD with atlas assimilation should be considered.

Mass extinctions: Ecological selectivity and primary production

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rhodes, Melissa Clark; Thayer, Charles W.

1991-09-01

If mass extinctions were caused by reduced primary productivity, then extinctions should be concentrated among animals with starvation-susceptible feeding modes, active lifestyles, and high-energy budgets. The stratigraphic ranges (by stage) of 424 genera of bivalves and 309 genera of articulate brachiopods suggest that there was an unusual reduction of primary productivity at the Cretaceous/Tertiary (K/T) boundary extinction. For bivalves at the K/T, there were (1) selective extinction of suspension feeders and other susceptible trophic categories relative to deposit feeders and other resistant categories, and (2) among suspension feed-ers, selective extinction of bivalves with active locomotion. During the Permian-Triassic (P/Tr) extinction and Jurassic background time, extinction rates among suspension feeders were greater for articulate brachiopods than for bivalves. But during the K/T event, extinction rates of articulates and suspension-feeding bivalves equalized, possibly because the low-energy budgets of articulates gave them an advantage when food was scarce.

Rationale and protocol of the Study Of diabetic Nephropathy with AtRasentan (SONAR) trial: A clinical trial design novel to diabetic nephropathy

PubMed Central

Heerspink, Hiddo J. L.; Andress, Dennis L.; Bakris, George; Brennan, John J.; Correa‐Rotter, Ricardo; Dey, Jyotirmoy; Hou, Fan Fan; Kitzman, Dalane W.; Kohan, Donald; Makino, Hirofumi; McMurray, John; Perkovic, Vlado; Tobe, Sheldon; Wigderson, Melissa; Parving, Hans‐Henrik

2018-01-01

Aims Individuals with diabetes and chronic kidney disease (CKD) are at high risk for renal events. Recent trials of novel treatments have been negative, possibly because of variability in response to treatment of the target risk factor. Atrasentan is a selective endothelin A receptor antagonist that reduces urinary albumin‐to‐creatinine ratio (UACR), with a large variability between patients. We are assessing its effect on renal outcomes in the Study Of diabetic Nephropathy with AtRasentan (SONAR; NCT01858532) with an enrichment design (>30% lowering of albuminuria) to select patients most likely to benefit. Materials and Methods SONAR is a randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled trial with approximately 3500 participants who have stage 2–4 CKD and macroalbuminuria and are receiving a maximum tolerated dose of a renin‐angiotensin system inhibitor. Results After 6 weeks of exposure to atrasentan 0.75 mg once daily (enrichment period), participants with ≥30% UACR decrease and no tolerability issues (responders) were randomly assigned to placebo or atrasentan 0.75 mg/day. The responder group will be used for primary efficacy and safety analyses. Approximately 1000 participants with <30% UACR reduction (non‐responders) were also randomized to placebo or atrasentan. The primary endpoint is a composite of a sustained doubling of serum creatinine or end‐stage renal disease. The original power calculation indicated that a total of 425 primary renal events in the responder group provides 90% power to detect a 27% reduction in relative risk (alpha level of .05). Conclusion SONAR aims to determine whether atrasentan added to guideline‐recommended therapies safely reduces the risk of CKD progression and delays the onset of end‐stage renal disease in patients with type 2 diabetes and nephropathy. SONAR also aims to establish whether the enrichment of patients based on their initial “surrogate” response to atrasentan will deliver a trial design in accord with personalized treatment of diabetic kidney disease. PMID:29405626

Advances in Photocatalytic CO2 Reduction with Water: A Review

PubMed Central

Nahar, Samsun; Zain, M. F. M.; Kadhum, Abdul Amir H.; Hasan, Hassimi Abu; Hasan, Md. Riad

2017-01-01

In recent years, the increasing level of CO2 in the atmosphere has not only contributed to global warming but has also triggered considerable interest in photocatalytic reduction of CO2. The reduction of CO2 with H2O using sunlight is an innovative way to solve the current growing environmental challenges. This paper reviews the basic principles of photocatalysis and photocatalytic CO2 reduction, discusses the measures of the photocatalytic efficiency and summarizes current advances in the exploration of this technology using different types of semiconductor photocatalysts, such as TiO2 and modified TiO2, layered-perovskite Ag/ALa4Ti4O15 (A = Ca, Ba, Sr), ferroelectric LiNbO3, and plasmonic photocatalysts. Visible light harvesting, novel plasmonic photocatalysts offer potential solutions for some of the main drawbacks in this reduction process. Effective plasmonic photocatalysts that have shown reduction activities towards CO2 with H2O are highlighted here. Although this technology is still at an embryonic stage, further studies with standard theoretical and comprehensive format are suggested to develop photocatalysts with high production rates and selectivity. Based on the collected results, the immense prospects and opportunities that exist in this technique are also reviewed here. PMID:28772988

Optimal Sensor Selection for Health Monitoring Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Santi, L. Michael; Sowers, T. Shane; Aguilar, Robert B.

2005-01-01

Sensor data are the basis for performance and health assessment of most complex systems. Careful selection and implementation of sensors is critical to enable high fidelity system health assessment. A model-based procedure that systematically selects an optimal sensor suite for overall health assessment of a designated host system is described. This procedure, termed the Systematic Sensor Selection Strategy (S4), was developed at NASA John H. Glenn Research Center in order to enhance design phase planning and preparations for in-space propulsion health management systems (HMS). Information and capabilities required to utilize the S4 approach in support of design phase development of robust health diagnostics are outlined. A merit metric that quantifies diagnostic performance and overall risk reduction potential of individual sensor suites is introduced. The conceptual foundation for this merit metric is presented and the algorithmic organization of the S4 optimization process is described. Representative results from S4 analyses of a boost stage rocket engine previously under development as part of NASA's Next Generation Launch Technology (NGLT) program are presented.

Comparison of Alternative Hydrogen Donors for Anaerobic Reductive Dechlorination of Tetrachloroethene

DTIC Science & Technology

1998-01-01

feature two - stage anaerobic reductive dechlorination of highly chlorinated compounds coupled with aerobic (sometimes co- metabolic) treatment of the...activity at some naturally attenuated sites. Fathepure and Vogel [76] used a two - stage anaerobic-aerobic reactor system to treat hexachlorobenzene, PCE...Complete removal of the chloroethenes by the two - stage system was observed using pyruvate, formate, or lactose as electron donor for the dechlorinating

Insight into the phase evolution of a NiMgAl catalyst from the reduction stage to the post-reaction stage during the dry reforming of methane [Insight into the phase evolution of NiMgAl catalyst from reduction to post-reaction for dry reforming of methane

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

Bao, Zhenghong; Zhan, Yiqiu; Street, Jason

Herein, phase evolution of a NiMgAl oxide catalyst at the reduction stage was qualitatively analysed and quantitatively determined by employing the continuous changes in its XRD intensity and TPR information. In conclusion, the stable crystallite size of both the active metal and spinel support was responsible for the long stability of the NiMgAl catalyst without carbon deposition during the DRM reaction.

Insight into the phase evolution of a NiMgAl catalyst from the reduction stage to the post-reaction stage during the dry reforming of methane [Insight into the phase evolution of NiMgAl catalyst from reduction to post-reaction for dry reforming of methane

DOE PAGES

Bao, Zhenghong; Zhan, Yiqiu; Street, Jason; ...

2017-05-04

Herein, phase evolution of a NiMgAl oxide catalyst at the reduction stage was qualitatively analysed and quantitatively determined by employing the continuous changes in its XRD intensity and TPR information. In conclusion, the stable crystallite size of both the active metal and spinel support was responsible for the long stability of the NiMgAl catalyst without carbon deposition during the DRM reaction.

Heterogeneous selenite reduction by zero valent iron steel wool.

PubMed

Li, Ziyan; Huang, Donglin; McDonald, Louis M

2017-02-01

Mine drainage from the low-sulfur surface coal mines in southern West Virginia, USA, is circumneutral (pH > 6) but contains elevated selenium (Se) concentrations. Removal of selenite ions from aqueous solutions under anoxic condition at pH 6-8.5 by zero valent iron steel wool (ZVI-SW) was investigated in bench-scale kinetic experiments using wet chemical, microscopic and spectroscopic techniques (X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy). ZVI-SW could effectively and efficiently remove Se IV from solution with pH 6-8.5. A two-step removal mechanism was identified for Se IV reduction by ZVI-SW. The proposed mechanism was electrochemical reduction of Se IV by Fe 0 in an initial lag stage, followed by a faster heterogeneous reduction, mediated by an Fe II -bearing phase (hydroxide or green rust). Solution pH was a critical factor for the kinetic rate in the lag stage (0.33 h -1 for pH > 8 and 0.10 h -1 for pH 6-8). The length of lag stage was 20-30 min as determined by the time for dissolved Fe II concentration to reach 0.30 ± 0.04 mg L -1 which was critical for induction of the faster stage. About 65% of the initial Se IV was reduced to Se 0 , the primary reductive product in both stages.

Selection occurs within linear fruit and during the early stages of reproduction in Robinia pseudoacacia

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Pollen donor compositions differ during the early stages of reproduction due to various selection mechanisms. In addition, ovules linearly ordered within a fruit have different probabilities of reaching maturity. Few attempts, however, have been made to directly examine the magnitude and timing of selection, as well as the mechanisms during early life stages and within fruit. Robinia pseudoacacia, which contains linear fruit and non-random ovule maturation and abortion patterns, has been used to study the viability of selection within fruit and during the early stages of reproduction. To examine changes in the pollen donor composition during the early stages of reproduction and of progeny originating from different positions within fruit, paternity analyses were performed for three early life stages (aborted seeds, mature seeds and seedlings) in the insect-pollinated tree R. pseudoacacia. Results Selection resulted in an overall decrease in the level of surviving selfed progeny at each life stage. The greatest change was observed between the aborted seed stage and mature seed stage, indicative of inbreeding depression (the reduced fitness of a given population that occurs when related individual breeding was responsible for early selection). A selective advantage was detected among paternal trees. Within fruits, the distal ends showed higher outcrossing rates than the basal ends, indicative of selection based on the order of seeds within the fruit. Conclusions Our results suggest that selection exists both within linear fruit and during the early stages of reproduction, and that this selection can affect male reproductive success during the early life stages. This indicates that tree species with mixed-mating systems may have evolved pollen selection mechanisms to increase the fitness of progeny and adjust the population genetic composition. The early selection that we detected suggests that inbreeding depression caused the high abortion rate and low seed set in R. pseudoacacia. PMID:24655746

Selection occurs within linear fruit and during the early stages of reproduction in Robinia pseudoacacia.

PubMed

Yuan, Cun-Quan; Sun, Yu-Han; Li, Yun-Fei; Zhao, Ke-Qi; Hu, Rui-Yang; Li, Yun

2014-03-21

Pollen donor compositions differ during the early stages of reproduction due to various selection mechanisms. In addition, ovules linearly ordered within a fruit have different probabilities of reaching maturity. Few attempts, however, have been made to directly examine the magnitude and timing of selection, as well as the mechanisms during early life stages and within fruit. Robinia pseudoacacia, which contains linear fruit and non-random ovule maturation and abortion patterns, has been used to study the viability of selection within fruit and during the early stages of reproduction. To examine changes in the pollen donor composition during the early stages of reproduction and of progeny originating from different positions within fruit, paternity analyses were performed for three early life stages (aborted seeds, mature seeds and seedlings) in the insect-pollinated tree R. pseudoacacia. Selection resulted in an overall decrease in the level of surviving selfed progeny at each life stage. The greatest change was observed between the aborted seed stage and mature seed stage, indicative of inbreeding depression (the reduced fitness of a given population that occurs when related individual breeding was responsible for early selection). A selective advantage was detected among paternal trees. Within fruits, the distal ends showed higher outcrossing rates than the basal ends, indicative of selection based on the order of seeds within the fruit. Our results suggest that selection exists both within linear fruit and during the early stages of reproduction, and that this selection can affect male reproductive success during the early life stages. This indicates that tree species with mixed-mating systems may have evolved pollen selection mechanisms to increase the fitness of progeny and adjust the population genetic composition. The early selection that we detected suggests that inbreeding depression caused the high abortion rate and low seed set in R. pseudoacacia.

NOX REMOVAL WITH COMBINED SELECTIVE CATALYTIC REDUCTION AND SELECTIVE NONCATALYTIC REDUCTION: PILOT- SCALE TEST RESULTS

EPA Science Inventory

Pilot-scale tests were conducted to develop a combined nitrogen oxide (NOx) reduction technology using both selective catalytic reduction (SCR) and selective noncatalytic reduction (SNCR). A commercially available vanadium-and titatnium-based composite honeycomb catalyst and enh...

Novel two stage bio-oxidation and chlorination process for high strength hazardous coal carbonization effluent.

PubMed

Manekar, Pravin; Biswas, Rima; Karthik, Manikavasagam; Nandy, Tapas

2011-05-15

Effluent generated from coal carbonization to coke was characterized with high organic content, phenols, ammonium nitrogen, and cyanides. A full scale effluent treatment plant (ETP) working on the principle of single stage carbon-nitrogen bio-oxidation process (SSCNBP) revealed competition between heterotrophic and autotrophic bacteria in the bio-degradation and nitrification process. The effluent was pretreated in a stripper and further combined with other streams to treat in the SSCNBP. Laboratory studies were carried on process and stripped effluents in a bench scale model of ammonia stripper and a two stage bio-oxidation process. The free ammonia removal efficiency of stripper was in the range 70-89%. Bench scale studies of the two stage bio-oxidation process achieved a carbon-nitrogen reduction at 6 days hydraulic retention time (HRT) operating in an extended aeration mode. This paper addresses the studies on selection of a treatment process for removal of organic matter, phenols, cyanide and ammonia nitrogen. The treatment scheme comprising ammonia stripping (pretreatment) followed by the two stage bio-oxidation and chlorination process met the Indian Standards for discharge into Inland Surface Waters. This treatment process package offers a techno-economically viable treatment scheme to neuter hazardous effluent generated from coal carbonization process. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Pre-converted nitric oxide gas in catalytic reduction system

DOEpatents

Hsiao, Mark C.; Merritt, Bernard T.; Penetrante, Bernardino M.; Vogtlin, George E.

1999-01-01

A two-stage catalyst comprises an oxidative first stage and a reductive second stage. The first stage is intended to convert NO to NO.sub.2 in the presence of O.sub.2. The second stage serves to convert NO.sub.2 to environmentally benign gases that include N2, CO2, and H.sub.2 O. By preconverting NO to NO.sub.2 in the first stage, the efficiency of the second stage for NO.sub.x reduction is enhanced. For example, an internal combustion engine exhaust is connected by a pipe to a first chamber. An oxidizing first catalyst converts NO to NO.sub.2 in the presence of O.sub.2 and includes platinum/alumina, e.g., Pt/Al.sub.2 O.sub.3 catalyst. A flow of hydrocarbons (C.sub.x H.sub.y) is input from a pipe into a second chamber. For example, propene can be used as a source of hydrocarbons. The NO.sub.2 from the first catalyst mixes with the hydrocarbons in the second chamber. The mixture proceeds to a second reduction catalyst that converts NO.sub.2 to N2, CO2, and H.sub.2 O, and includes a gamma-alumina .gamma.-Al.sub.2 O.sub.3. The hydrocarbons and NO.sub.x are simultaneously reduced while passing through the second catalyst.

Pre-converted nitric oxide gas in catalytic reduction system

DOEpatents

Hsiao, M.C.; Merritt, B.T.; Penetrante, B.M.; Vogtlin, G.E.

1999-04-06

A two-stage catalyst comprises an oxidative first stage and a reductive second stage. The first stage is intended to convert NO to NO{sub 2} in the presence of O{sub 2}. The second stage serves to convert NO{sub 2} to environmentally benign gases that include N{sub 2}, CO{sub 2}, and H{sub 2}O. By preconverting NO to NO{sub 2} in the first stage, the efficiency of the second stage for NO{sub x} reduction is enhanced. For example, an internal combustion engine exhaust is connected by a pipe to a first chamber. An oxidizing first catalyst converts NO to NO{sub 2} in the presence of O{sub 2} and includes platinum/alumina, e.g., Pt/Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} catalyst. A flow of hydrocarbons (C{sub x}H{sub y}) is input from a pipe into a second chamber. For example, propene can be used as a source of hydrocarbons. The NO{sub 2} from the first catalyst mixes with the hydrocarbons in the second chamber. The mixture proceeds to a second reduction catalyst that converts NO{sub 2} to N{sub 2}, CO{sub 2}, and H{sub 2}O, and includes a {gamma}-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}. The hydrocarbons and NO{sub x} are simultaneously reduced while passing through the second catalyst. 9 figs.

INDUSTRIAL BOILER RETROFIT FOR NOX CONTROL: COMBINED SELECTIVE NONCATALYTIC REDUCTION AND SELECTIVE CATALYTIC REDUCTION

EPA Science Inventory

The paper describes retrofitting and testing a 590 kW (2 MBtu/hr), oil-fired, three-pass, fire-tube package boiler with a combined selective noncatalytic reduction (SNCR) and selective catalytic reduction (SCR) system. The system demonstrated 85% nitrogen oxides (NOx) reduction w...

Multiple adaptable mechanisms early in the primate visual pathway

PubMed Central

Dhruv, Neel T.; Tailby, Chris; Sokol, Sach H.; Lennie, Peter

2011-01-01

We describe experiments that isolate and characterize multiple adaptable mechanisms that influence responses of orientation-selective neurons in primary visual cortex (V1) of anesthetized macaque (Macaca fascicularis). The results suggest that three adaptable stages of machinery shape neural responses in V1: a broadly-tuned early stage and a spatio-temporally tuned later stage, both of which provide excitatory input, and a normalization pool that is also broadly tuned. The early stage and the normalization pool are revealed by adapting gratings that themselves fail to evoke a response from the neuron: either low temporal frequency gratings at the null orientation or gratings of any orientation drifting at high temporal frequencies. When effective, adapting stimuli that altered the sensitivity of these two mechanisms caused reductions of contrast gain and often brought about a paradoxical increase in response gain due to a relatively greater desensitization of the normalization pool. The tuned mechanism is desensitized only by stimuli well-matched to a neuron’s receptive field. We could thus infer desensitization of the tuned mechanism by comparing effects obtained with adapting gratings of preferred and null orientation modulated at low temporal frequencies. PMID:22016535

Single-port one-stage bilateral thoracoscopic sympathicotomy for severe hyperhidrosis: prospective analysis of a standardized approach

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Primary palmar and/or axillary focal hyperhidrosis is a frequent disorder characterized by excessive sweating beyond physiological needs, often leading to a substantial impairment of quality of life. Over the years several minimally invasive surgical treatments have been described, however results vary, and due to a lack of uniform surgical approach, technique and nomenclature are often difficult to compare. In this prospective study we sought to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of our standardized technique of single-port, one-stage bilateral thoracoscopic sympathicotomy. Methods On a prospective basis a hundred consecutive patients with severe or intolerable primary hyperhidrosis underwent one-stage bilateral single-port thoracoscopic sympathicotomy. Primary outcome was measured in pre- vs. post-operative Hyperhidrosis Disease Severity Scale scores. Location and extend of compensatory hyperhidrosis, and satisfaction with the procedure were registered. Results A significant reduction in mean Hyperhidrosis Disease Severity Scale score (3.69 ± 0.47 preoperatively vs. 1.06 ± 0.34 postoperatively) (p < 0.001) was observed. In 97 (97%) out of the 100 enrolled patients a >80% reduction in sweat production was achieved. Compensatory hyperhidrosis was seen in 27 patients (27%). It was rated as mild by 21 patients (78%) and as moderate by 6 (22%) of these patients. No severe compensatory hyperhidrosis was reported. Major complications, such as intraoperative bleeding, infections, and Horner’s syndrome were not observed. Conclusions Highly selective sympathicotomy at well-defined levels with a one-stage bilateral single-port transaxillary thoracoscopic approach is a save procedure, with excellent and reproducible immediate results in the treatment of primary palmar and/or axillary hyperhidrosis. PMID:24279511

Restoration of a healthy intestinal microbiota normalizes portal hypertension in a rat model of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis.

PubMed

García-Lezana, Teresa; Raurell, Imma; Bravo, Miren; Torres-Arauz, Manuel; Salcedo, María Teresa; Santiago, Alba; Schoenenberger, Andreu; Manichanh, Chaysavanh; Genescà, Joan; Martell, María; Augustin, Salvador

2018-04-01

Portal hypertension (PH) drives most of the clinical complications in chronic liver diseases. However, its progression in nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and its association with the intestinal microbiota (IM) have been scarcely studied. Our aim was to investigate the role of the IM in the mechanisms leading to PH in early NASH. The experimental design was divided in two stages. In stage 1, Sprague-Dawley rats were fed for 8 weeks a high-fat, high-glucose/fructose diet (HFGFD) or a control diet/water (CD). Representative rats were selected as IM donors for stage 2. In stage 2, additional HFGFD and CD rats underwent intestinal decontamination, followed by IM transplantation with feces from opposite-diet donors (heterologous transplant) or autologous fecal transplant (as controls), generating four groups: CD-autotransplanted, CD-transplanted, HFGFD-autotransplanted, HFGFD-transplanted. After IM transplantation, the original diet was maintained for 12-14 days until death. HFGFD rats developed obesity, insulin resistance, NASH without fibrosis but with PH, intrahepatic endothelial dysfunction, and IM dysbiosis. In HFGFD rats, transplantation with feces from CD donors caused a significant reduction of PH to levels comparable to CD without significant changes in NASH histology. The reduction in PH was due to a 31% decrease of intrahepatic vascular resistance compared to the HFGFD-autotransplanted group (P < 0.05). This effect occurs through restoration of the sensitivity to insulin of the hepatic protein kinase B-dependent endothelial nitric oxide synthase signaling pathway. The IM exerts a direct influence in the development of PH in rats with diet-induced NASH and dysbiosis; PH, insulin resistance, and endothelial dysfunction revert when a healthy IM is restored. (Hepatology 2018;67:1485-1498). © 2017 by the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases.

Growth stage-based modulation in physiological and biochemical attributes of two genetically diverse wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivars grown in salinized hydroponic culture.

PubMed

Ashraf, Muhammad Arslan; Ashraf, Muhammad

2016-04-01

Hydroponic experiment was conducted to appraise variation in the salt tolerance potential of two wheat cultivars (salt tolerant, S-24, and moderately salt sensitive, MH-97) at different growth stages. These two wheat cultivars are not genetically related as evident from randomized polymorphic DNA analysis (random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD)) which revealed 28% genetic diversity. Salinity stress caused a marked reduction in grain yield of both wheat cultivars. However, cv. S-24 was superior to cv. MH-97 in maintaining grain yield under saline stress. Furthermore, salinity caused a significant variation in different physiological attributes measured at different growth stages. Salt stress caused considerable reduction in different water relation attributes of wheat plants. A significant reduction in leaf water, osmotic, and turgor potentials was recorded in both wheat cultivars at different growth stages. Maximal reduction in leaf water potential was recorded at the reproductive stage in both wheat cultivars. In contrast, maximal turgor potential was observed at the boot stage. Salt-induced adverse effects of salinity on different water relation attributes were more prominent in cv. MH-97 as compared to those in cv. S-24. Salt stress caused a substantial decrease in glycine betaine and alpha tocopherols. These biochemical attributes exhibited significant salt-induced variation at different growth stages in both wheat cultivars. For example, maximal accumulation of glycine betaine was evident at the early growth stages (vegetative and boot). However, cv. S-24 showed higher accumulation of this organic osmolyte, and this could be the reason for maintenance of higher turgor than that of cv. MH-97 under stress conditions. Salt stress significantly increased the endogenous levels of toxic ions (Na(+) and Cl(-)) and decreased essential cations (K(+) and Ca(2+)) in both wheat cultivars at different growth stages. Furthermore, K(+)/Na(+) and Ca(2+)/Na(+) ratios decreased markedly due to salt stress in both wheat cultivars at different growth stages, and this salt-induced reduction was more prominent in cv. MH-97. Moreover, higher K(+)/Na(+) and Ca(2+)/Na(+) ratios were recorded at early growth stages in both wheat cultivars. It can be inferred from the results that wheat plants are more prone to adverse effects of salinity stress at early growth stages than that at the reproductive stage.

Comparison of the fate of the top six non-O157 shiga-toxin producing Escherichia coli (STEC) and E. coli O157:H7 during the manufacture of dry fermented sausages.

PubMed

Balamurugan, S; Ahmed, Rafath; Gao, Anli; Strange, Phil

2017-10-16

The study examined the relative fate of the top six non-O157 shiga-toxin producing Escherichia coli (STEC) and E. coli O157:H7 during the manufacture of dry fermented sausages (DFS). Three separate batches of sausages containing a five-strain cocktail for each serogroup and uninoculated control were manufactured and subjected to identical fermentation, maturation and dry curing conditions. Changes in physicochemical properties and inoculated STEC numbers were enumerated during the DFS production stages and log reduction and log reduction rates were calculated. Inoculation of very high concentrations (8logCFUg -1 ) of STEC in the sausage batter did not significantly (P>0.05) affect the changes in the pH, a w , moisture, protein, fat content compared to the uninoculated DFS. There was a significant (P<0.05) reduction in counts within the 48h fermentation for all STEC serogroups inoculated by about 0.97- to 1.42-log units. However, during the sausage maturation stage, all serogroups except O121 and O45 showed a significant reduction in numbers. During the extended 34day drying stage, all STEC serogroups showed a significant reduction in counts reaching a 5-log reduction within 20 to 27days of drying. ANOVA of the log reduction rates revealed significant differences in the reduction rates among the STEC serogroups examined. During the fermentation stage, serogroup O45 had the highest reduction rate at 0.98-logCFUg -1 day -1 which was significantly higher compared to all other STEC serogroups (P<0.05), while O26 was the most tolerant to the conditions encountered during the fermentation stage with a reduction rate of 0.49-logCFUg -1 day -1 . However, during the extended 34days drying stage all STEC serogroups showed a steady reduction in population with a reduction rate ranging from 0.11- to 0.18-logCFUg -1 day -1 . The log reduction rate of E. coli O157:H7 was similar to that of serogroups O111 and O103, but was significantly lower (P<0.05) than all other STEC serogroups examined in the study. The log reduction rates of serogroups O121, O45, O145 and O26 during drying were not significantly different (P>0.05) from each other. These results indicate that the lethality of DFS production processes observed against E. coli O157:H7 would result in a similar inactivation of the top six non-O157 STEC. Crown Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

DEMONSTRATION OF POTENTIAL FOR SELECTIVE CATALYTIC REDUCTION AND DIESEL PARTICULATE FILTERS

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

McGILL,R; KHAIR, M; SHARP, C

2003-08-24

This project addresses the potential for Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) devices (using urea as reductant) together with Diesel Particulate Filters (DPF) and low-pressure loop exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) to achieve future stringent emissions standards for heavy-duty engines powering Class 8 vehicles. Two emission control systems consisting of the three technologies (EGR, SCR, and DPF) were calibrated on a Caterpillar C-12 heavy-duty diesel engine. Results of these calibrations showed good promise in meeting the 2010 heavy-duty emission standards as set forth by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). These two emission control systems were developed to evaluate a series of fuels thatmore » have similar formulations except for their sulfur content. Additionally, one fuel, code-named BP15, was also evaluated. This fuel was prepared by processing straight-run distillate stocks through a commercial, single stage hydrotreater employing high activity catalyst at maximum severity. An additional goal of this program is to provide data for an on-going EPA technology review that evaluates progress toward meeting 2007/2010 emission standards. These emissions levels were to be achieved not only on the transient test cycles but in other modes of operation such as the steady-state Euro-III style emission test known as the OICA (Organisation Internationale des Compagnies d'Automobiles) or the ESC (European Stationary Cycle). Additionally, hydrocarbon and carbon monoxide emissions standards are to be met.« less

Modified pavement cement concrete

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Botsman, L. N.; Ageeva, M. S.; Botsman, A. N.; Shapovalov, S. M.

2018-03-01

The paper suggests design principles of pavement cement concrete, which covers optimization of compositions and structures at the stage of mixture components selection due to the use of plasticizing agents and air-retaining substances that increase the viability of a concrete mixture. It also demonstrates advisability of using plasticizing agents together with air-retaining substances when developing pavement concrete compositions, which provides for the improvement of physical and mechanical properties of concrete and the reduction of cement binding agent consumption thus preserving strength indicators. The paper shows dependences of the main physical-mechanical parameters of concrete on cement consumption, a type and amount of additives.

TH-E-BRF-01: Exploiting Tumor Shrinkage in Split-Course Radiotherapy

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

Unkelbach, J; Craft, D; Hong, T

2014-06-15

Purpose: In split-course radiotherapy, a patient is treated in several stages separated by weeks or months. This regimen has been motivated by radiobiological considerations. However, using modern image-guidance, it also provides an approach to reduce normal tissue dose by exploiting tumor shrinkage. In this work, we consider the optimal design of split-course treatments, motivated by the clinical management of large liver tumors for which normal liver dose constraints prohibit the administration of an ablative radiation dose in a single treatment. Methods: We introduce a dynamic tumor model that incorporates three factors: radiation induced cell kill, tumor shrinkage, and tumor cellmore » repopulation. The design of splitcourse radiotherapy is formulated as a mathematical optimization problem in which the total dose to the liver is minimized, subject to delivering the prescribed dose to the tumor. Based on the model, we gain insight into the optimal administration of radiation over time, i.e. the optimal treatment gaps and dose levels. Results: We analyze treatments consisting of two stages in detail. The analysis confirms the intuition that the second stage should be delivered just before the tumor size reaches a minimum and repopulation overcompensates shrinking. Furthermore, it was found that, for a large range of model parameters, approximately one third of the dose should be delivered in the first stage. The projected benefit of split-course treatments in terms of liver sparing depends on model assumptions. However, the model predicts large liver dose reductions by more than a factor of two for plausible model parameters. Conclusion: The analysis of the tumor model suggests that substantial reduction in normal tissue dose can be achieved by exploiting tumor shrinkage via an optimal design of multi-stage treatments. This suggests taking a fresh look at split-course radiotherapy for selected disease sites where substantial tumor regression translates into reduced target volumes.« less

Hybrid alkali-hydrodynamic disintegration of waste-activated sludge before two-stage anaerobic digestion process.

PubMed

Grübel, Klaudiusz; Suschka, Jan

2015-05-01

The first step of anaerobic digestion, the hydrolysis, is regarded as the rate-limiting step in the degradation of complex organic compounds, such as waste-activated sludge (WAS). The aim of lab-scale experiments was to pre-hydrolyze the sludge by means of low intensive alkaline sludge conditioning before applying hydrodynamic disintegration, as the pre-treatment procedure. Application of both processes as a hybrid disintegration sludge technology resulted in a higher organic matter release (soluble chemical oxygen demand (SCOD)) to the liquid sludge phase compared with the effects of processes conducted separately. The total SCOD after alkalization at 9 pH (pH in the range of 8.96-9.10, SCOD = 600 mg O2/L) and after hydrodynamic (SCOD = 1450 mg O2/L) disintegration equaled to 2050 mg/L. However, due to the synergistic effect, the obtained SCOD value amounted to 2800 mg/L, which constitutes an additional chemical oxygen demand (COD) dissolution of about 35 %. Similarly, the synergistic effect after alkalization at 10 pH was also obtained. The applied hybrid pre-hydrolysis technology resulted in a disintegration degree of 28-35%. The experiments aimed at selection of the most appropriate procedures in terms of optimal sludge digestion results, including high organic matter degradation (removal) and high biogas production. The analyzed soft hybrid technology influenced the effectiveness of mesophilic/thermophilic anaerobic digestion in a positive way and ensured the sludge minimization. The adopted pre-treatment technology (alkalization + hydrodynamic cavitation) resulted in 22-27% higher biogas production and 13-28% higher biogas yield. After two stages of anaerobic digestion (mesophilic conditions (MAD) + thermophilic anaerobic digestion (TAD)), the highest total solids (TS) reduction amounted to 45.6% and was received for the following sample at 7 days MAD + 17 days TAD. About 7% higher TS reduction was noticed compared with the sample after 9 days MAD + 15 days TAD. Similar results were obtained for volatile solids (VS) reduction after two-stage anaerobic digestion. The highest decrease of VS was obtained when the first stage, the mesophilic digestion which lasted 7 days, was followed by thermophilic digestion for 17 days.

Experimental study of microbubble drag reduction on an axisymmetric body

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Song, Wuchao; Wang, Cong; Wei, Yingjie; Zhang, Xiaoshi; Wang, Wei

2018-01-01

Microbubble drag reduction on the axisymmetric body is experimentally investigated in the turbulent water tunnel. Microbubbles are created by injecting compressed air through the porous medium with various average pore sizes. The morphology of microbubble flow and the size distribution of microbubble are observed by the high-speed visualization system. Drag measurements are obtained by the balance which is presented as the function of void ratio. The results show that when the air injection flow rate is high, uniformly dispersed microbubble flow is coalesced into an air layer with the larger increment rate of drag reduction ratio. The diameter distributions of microbubble under various conditions are submitted to normal distribution. Microbubble drag reduction can be divided into three distinguishable regions in which the drag reduction ratio experiences increase stage, rapid increase stage and stability stage, respectively, corresponding to the various morphologies of microbubble flow. Moreover, drag reduction ratio increases with the decreasing pore sizes of porous medium at the identical void ratio in the area of low speeds, while the effect of pore sizes on drag reduction is reduced gradually until it disappears with the increasing free stream speeds, which indicates that smaller microbubbles have better efficiency in drag reduction. This research results help to improve the understanding of microbubble drag reduction and provides helpful references for practical applications.

Enhancement of the microbial community biomass and diversity during air sparging bioremediation of a soil highly contaminated with kerosene and BTEX.

PubMed

Kabelitz, Nadja; Machackova, Jirina; Imfeld, Gwenaël; Brennerova, Maria; Pieper, Dietmar H; Heipieper, Hermann J; Junca, Howard

2009-03-01

In order to obtain insights in complexity shifts taking place in natural microbial communities under strong selective pressure, soils from a former air force base in the Czech Republic, highly contaminated with jet fuel and at different stages of a bioremediation air sparging treatment, were analyzed. By tracking phospholipid fatty acids and 16S rRNA genes, a detailed monitoring of the changes in quantities and composition of the microbial communities developed at different stages of the bioventing treatment progress was performed. Depending on the length of the air sparging treatment that led to a significant reduction in the contamination level, we observed a clear shift in the soil microbial community being dominated by Pseudomonads under the harsh conditions of high aromatic contamination to a status of low aromatic concentrations, increased biomass content, and a complex composition with diverse bacterial taxonomical branches.

The impact of intervention strategies that target arterial stiffness in end-stage renal disease: a systematic review protocol.

PubMed

Rodriguez, Rosendo A; Shea, Beverley; Hae, Richard; Burns, Kevin D

2016-07-19

Vascular damage contributes to the high cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Increased aortic stiffness measured by carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cf-PWV) is a strong and independent predictor of the cardiovascular risk in ESRD patients. Recently, there has been considerable interest in developing strategies to lessen the progression of arterial stiffness in ESRD patients using cf-PWV as a tool to monitor therapeutic responses, but their benefit on the long-term cardiovascular risk is not known. Appraisal of the effects of existing stiffness-based interventions on the cf-PWV would facilitate selecting optimal therapies to be tested in randomized clinical trials. The aim of this systematic review will be to evaluate the impact of arterial stiffness-based interventions on the cf-PWV in ESRD patients. Secondarily, for each intervention, we will determine the minimal duration needed to achieve a significant reduction of cf-PWV, the minimal cf-PWV reduction threshold or effect size, and adverse events. This review will be conducted using MEDLINE, EMBASE, and EBM Reviews. We will select clinical trials and observational studies (cohort, case-control, and before/after studies and case series) that evaluated pharmacologic or non-pharmacologic interventions in which the primary effect is to improve structural and/or dynamic components of arterial stiffness in adults with stage 5 chronic kidney disease. The primary outcome of interest will be cf-PWV. Study selection and data collection will be performed by two reviewers. Validated tools will be used to assess the methodological quality and risk of bias among different study designs. We will describe all included citations according to study characteristics, methodological quality, and outcomes. Suitability for meta-analysis will be determined by the degree of clinical and statistical heterogeneity between studies. If appropriate, we will calculate effect estimates by obtaining the relative risks with 95 % confidence intervals pooled according to study design using a random effects model. This review will summarize evidence regarding effects of interventions targeting arterial stiffness in ESRD patients. Our results will inform clinicians and researchers on the type of existing arterial stiffness-based interventions for ESRD patients and their potential efficacy and safety, with a goal to guide future clinical trials aimed at reducing adverse cardiovascular events. PROSPERO CRD42016033463.

Stages and Processes of Change Utilized by Female Sex Workers Participating in an Alcohol-Reduction Intervention in Mombasa, Kenya.

PubMed

Velloza, Jennifer; L'Engle, Kelly; Mwarogo, Peter; Chokwe, Jackie; Magaria, Loice; Sinkele, William; Kingola, Nzioki

2015-01-01

According to the transtheoretical model (TTM) behavior change occurs through a series of steps when an individual becomes aware of a behavior, prepares to change, and executes those changes using certain processes. This model has not yet been used to describe alcohol-reduction behavior change processes in resource-limited settings. This qualitative analysis aimed to describe and characterize the stages and processes of change employed by female sex workers in Mombasa, Kenya during the course of their participation in a 6-month alcohol reduction intervention. In 2011-2012, clinical interviews were conducted with 45 female sex workers. One interview was conducted each month during the intervention period, resulting in a total of six transcripts per participant. During each interview, the counselor noted the participant's stage of change and recent alcohol use. The clinical notes were analyzed via qualitative coding techniques and organized into matrices to classify alcohol reduction strategies discussed by participants. Participants discussed using the stage-specific processes of change described by the TTM to reduce their alcohol use and maintain the behavior change. Participants who were HIV-positive at the start of the intervention seemed to progress to the action/maintenance stage more quickly than HIV-negative participants. Results suggest that the TTM constructs may be relevant in understanding the alcohol reduction behavior change process of an at-risk population in a resource-limited setting. Future quantitative research should seek to validate the TTM's application internationally. Alcohol interventions should consider tailoring content to participants' stages of change and HIV-status for increased effectiveness.

Racial disparities in stage-specific colorectal cancer mortality: 1960-2005.

PubMed

Soneji, Samir; Iyer, Shally Shalini; Armstrong, Katrina; Asch, David A

2010-10-01

We examined whether racial disparities in stage-specific colorectal cancer survival changed between 1960 and 2005. We used US Mortality Multiple-Cause-of-Death Data Files and intercensal estimates to calculate standardized mortality rates by gender and race from 1960 to 2005. We used Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) data to estimate stage-specific colorectal cancer survival. To account for SEER sampling uncertainty, we used a bootstrap resampling procedure and fit a Cox proportional hazards model. Between 1960-2005, patterns of decline in mortality rate as a result of colorectal cancer differed greatly by gender and race: 54% reduction for White women, 14% reduction for Black women, 39% reduction for White men, and 28% increase for Black men. Blacks consistently experienced worse rates of stage-specific survival and life expectancy than did Whites for both genders, across all age groups, and for localized, regional, and distant stages of the disease. The rates of stage-specific colorectal cancer survival differed among Blacks when compared with Whites during the 4-decade study period. Differences in stage-specific life expectancy were the result of differences in access to care or quality of care. More attention should be given to racial disparities in colorectal cancer management.

Bimodal spectroscopic evaluation of ultra violet-irradiated mouse skin inflammatory and precancerous stages: instrumentation, spectral feature extraction/selection and classification (k-NN, LDA and SVM)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Díaz-Ayil, G.; Amouroux, M.; Blondel, W. C. P. M.; Bourg-Heckly, G.; Leroux, A.; Guillemin, F.; Granjon, Y.

2009-07-01

This paper deals with the development and application of in vivo spatially-resolved bimodal spectroscopy (AutoFluorescence AF and Diffuse Reflectance DR), to discriminate various stages of skin precancer in a preclinical model (UV-irradiated mouse): Compensatory Hyperplasia CH, Atypical Hyperplasia AH and Dysplasia D. A programmable instrumentation was developed for acquiring AF emission spectra using 7 excitation wavelengths: 360, 368, 390, 400, 410, 420 and 430 nm, and DR spectra in the 390-720 nm wavelength range. After various steps of intensity spectra preprocessing (filtering, spectral correction and intensity normalization), several sets of spectral characteristics were extracted and selected based on their discrimination power statistically tested for every pair-wise comparison of histological classes. Data reduction with Principal Components Analysis (PCA) was performed and 3 classification methods were implemented (k-NN, LDA and SVM), in order to compare diagnostic performance of each method. Diagnostic performance was studied and assessed in terms of sensitivity (Se) and specificity (Sp) as a function of the selected features, of the combinations of 3 different inter-fibers distances and of the numbers of principal components, such that: Se and Sp ≈ 100% when discriminating CH vs. others; Sp ≈ 100% and Se > 95% when discriminating Healthy vs. AH or D; Sp ≈ 74% and Se ≈ 63%for AH vs. D.

New use of low-dose aspirin and risk of colorectal cancer by stage at diagnosis: a nested case-control study in UK general practice.

PubMed

García Rodríguez, Luis A; Soriano-Gabarró, Montse; Bromley, Susan; Lanas, Angel; Cea Soriano, Lucía

2017-09-07

Evidence from clinical trial populations suggests low-dose aspirin reduces the risk of colorectal cancer (CRC). Part of this reduction in risk might be due to protection against metastatic disease. We investigated the risk of CRC among new-users of low-dose aspirin (75-300 mg), including risk by stage at diagnosis. Using The Health Improvement Network, we conducted a cohort study with nested case-control analysis. Two cohorts (N = 170,336 each) aged 40-89 years from 2000 to 2009 and free of cancer were identified: i) new-users of low-dose aspirin, ii) non-users of low-dose aspirin, at start of follow-up, matched by age, sex and previous primary care practitioner visits. Patients were followed for up to 12 years to identify incident CRC. 10,000 frequency-matched controls were selected by incidence density sampling where the odds ratio is an unbiased estimator of the incidence rate ratio (RR). RRs with 95% confidence intervals were calculated. Low-dose aspirin use was classified 'as-treated' independent from baseline exposure status to account for changes in exposure during follow-up. Current users of low-dose aspirin (use on the index date or in the previous 90 days) had a significantly reduced risk of CRC, RR 0.66 (95% CI 0.60-0.74). The reduction in risk was apparent across all age groups, and was unrelated to dose, indication, gender, CRC location or case-fatality status. Reduced risks occurred throughout treatment duration and with all low-dose aspirin doses. RRs by aspirin indication were 0.71 (0·63-0·79) and 0.60 (0.53-0.68) for primary and secondary cardiovascular protection, respectively. Among cases with staging information (n = 1421), RRs for current use of low-dose aspirin were 0.94 (0.66-1.33) for Dukes Stage A CRC, 0.54 (0.42-0.68) for Dukes B, 0.71 (0.56-0.91) for Dukes C, and 0.60 (0.48-0.74) for Dukes D. After 5 years' therapy, the RR for Dukes Stage A CRC was 0.53 (0.24-1.19). Patients starting low-dose aspirin therapy have a reduced risk of Stages B-D CRC, suggesting a role for low-dose aspirin in the progression of established CRC; a substantial reduction in the risk of Dukes A CRC may occur after 5 years' therapy.

Evaluating candidate reactions to selection practices using organisational justice theory.

PubMed

Patterson, Fiona; Zibarras, Lara; Carr, Victoria; Irish, Bill; Gregory, Simon

2011-03-01

This study aimed to examine candidate reactions to selection practices in postgraduate medical training using organisational justice theory. We carried out three independent cross-sectional studies using samples from three consecutive annual recruitment rounds. Data were gathered from candidates applying for entry into UK general practice (GP) training during 2007, 2008 and 2009. Participants completed an evaluation questionnaire immediately after the short-listing stage and after the selection centre (interview) stage. Participants were doctors applying for GP training in the UK. Main outcome measures were participants' evaluations of the selection methods and perceptions of the overall fairness of each selection stage (short-listing and selection centre). A total of 23,855 evaluation questionnaires were completed (6893 in 2007, 10,497 in 2008 and 6465 in 2009). Absolute levels of perceptions of fairness of all the selection methods at both the short-listing and selection centre stages were consistently high over the 3years. Similarly, all selection methods were considered to be job-related by candidates. However, in general, candidates considered the selection centre stage to be significantly fairer than the short-listing stage. Of all the selection methods, the simulated patient consultation completed at the selection centre stage was rated as the most job-relevant. This is the first study to use a model of organisational justice theory to evaluate candidate reactions during selection into postgraduate specialty training. The high-fidelity selection methods are consistently viewed as more job-relevant and fairer by candidates. This has important implications for the design of recruitment systems for all specialties and, potentially, for medical school admissions. Using this approach, recruiters can systematically compare perceptions of the fairness and job relevance of various selection methods. © Blackwell Publishing Ltd 2011.

Oxidizing Roasting Performances of Coke Fines Bearing Brazilian Specularite Pellets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chun, Tiejun; Zhu, Deqing

2016-06-01

Oxidized pellets, consisting of Brazilian specularite fines and coke fines, were prepared by disc pelletizer using bentonite as binder. The roasting process of pellets includes preheating stage and firing stage. The compressive strength of preheated pellets and fired pellets reached the peak value at 1.5% coke fines dosage. During the initial stage of preheating, some original Fe2O3 was reduced to Fe3O4 because of partial reduction atmosphere in pellet. During the later stage of preheating and firing stage, coke fines were burnt out, and the secondary Fe2O3 (new generation Fe2O3) was generated due to the re-oxidization of Fe3O4, which improved the recrystallization of Fe2O3. Compared with the fired pellets without adding coke fines, fired pellets with 1.5% coke fines exhibited the comparable RSI (reduction swelling index) and RDI+3.15 mm (reduction degradation index), and slightly lower RI (reducibility index).

Screening of Potential Landing Gear Noise Control Devices at Virginia Tech For QTD II Flight Test

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ravetta, Patricio A.; Burdisso, Ricardo A.; Ng, Wing F.; Khorrami, Mehdi R.; Stoker, Robert W.

2007-01-01

In support of the QTD II (Quiet Technology Demonstrator) program, aeroacoustic measurements of a 26%-scale, Boeing 777 main landing gear model were conducted in the Virginia Tech Stability Tunnel. The objective of these measurements was to perform risk mitigation studies on noise control devices for a flight test performed at Glasgow, Montana in 2005. The noise control devices were designed to target the primary main gear noise sources as observed in several previous tests. To accomplish this task, devices to reduce noise were built using stereo lithography for landing gear components such as the brakes, the forward cable harness, the shock strut, the door/strut gap and the lower truck. The most promising device was down selected from test results. In subsequent stages, the initial design of the selected lower truck fairing was improved to account for all the implementation constraints encountered in the full-scale airplane. The redesigned truck fairing was then retested to assess the impact of the modifications on the noise reduction potential. From extensive acoustic measurements obtained using a 63-element microphone phased array, acoustic source maps and integrated spectra were generated in order to estimate the noise reduction achievable with each device.

Multibody model reduction by component mode synthesis and component cost analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Spanos, J. T.; Mingori, D. L.

1990-01-01

The classical assumed-modes method is widely used in modeling the dynamics of flexible multibody systems. According to the method, the elastic deformation of each component in the system is expanded in a series of spatial and temporal functions known as modes and modal coordinates, respectively. This paper focuses on the selection of component modes used in the assumed-modes expansion. A two-stage component modal reduction method is proposed combining Component Mode Synthesis (CMS) with Component Cost Analysis (CCA). First, each component model is truncated such that the contribution of the high frequency subsystem to the static response is preserved. Second, a new CMS procedure is employed to assemble the system model and CCA is used to further truncate component modes in accordance with their contribution to a quadratic cost function of the system output. The proposed method is demonstrated with a simple example of a flexible two-body system.

A Viola-Jones based hybrid face detection framework

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Murphy, Thomas M.; Broussard, Randy; Schultz, Robert; Rakvic, Ryan; Ngo, Hau

2013-12-01

Improvements in face detection performance would benefit many applications. The OpenCV library implements a standard solution, the Viola-Jones detector, with a statistically boosted rejection cascade of binary classifiers. Empirical evidence has shown that Viola-Jones underdetects in some instances. This research shows that a truncated cascade augmented by a neural network could recover these undetected faces. A hybrid framework is constructed, with a truncated Viola-Jones cascade followed by an artificial neural network, used to refine the face decision. Optimally, a truncation stage that captured all faces and allowed the neural network to remove the false alarms is selected. A feedforward backpropagation network with one hidden layer is trained to discriminate faces based upon the thresholding (detection) values of intermediate stages of the full rejection cascade. A clustering algorithm is used as a precursor to the neural network, to group significant overlappings. Evaluated on the CMU/VASC Image Database, comparison with an unmodified OpenCV approach shows: (1) a 37% increase in detection rates if constrained by the requirement of no increase in false alarms, (2) a 48% increase in detection rates if some additional false alarms are tolerated, and (3) an 82% reduction in false alarms with no reduction in detection rates. These results demonstrate improved face detection and could address the need for such improvement in various applications.

Escaping from poverty trap: a choice between government transfer payments and public services.

PubMed

Chen, Sixia; Li, Jianjun; Lu, Shengfeng; Xiong, Bo

2017-01-01

Anti-poverty has always been an important issue to be settled. What policies should be selected to help individuals escaping from the poverty trap: by directly offering transfer payments or indirectly providing public services? This paper is among the first to explore the effects of public anti-poverty programs system in China. We Using unbalanced panel data of China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS) from 1989 to 2009, we demonstrate how the individual poverty status is determined through a four-staged simultaneous model. We choose the 3SLS (Three Staged Linear Squared) methodology to do the estimation. GTPs (Government Transfer Payments) don't have positive effects on poverty reductions. The results demonstrate that GTPs increasing by 10% makes private transfer payments decrease by 3.9%. Meanwhile, GTPs increasing by 10% makes the household income decreased by 27.1%. However, public services (such as medical insurance, health services, hygiene protection etc.) have significantly positive impacts on poverty reduction. Public services share a part of living cost of the poor, and are conducive for people to gain higher household income. GTPs given by governments are not effective in reducing the poverty, as a result of "crowd-out effect" and "inductive effect". However, public services are suggested to be adopted by governments to help the poor out of the poverty trap.

Integrated process and apparatus for control of pollutants in coal-fired boilers

DOEpatents

Hunt, Terry G.; Offen, George R.

1992-01-01

A method and apparatus for reducing SO.sub.x and NO.sub.x levels in flue gases generated by the combustion of coal in a boiler in which low NO.sub.x burners and air staging ports are utilized to inhibit the amount of NO.sub.x initially produced in the combustion of the coal, a selected concentration of urea is introduced downstream of the combustion zone after the temperature has been reduced to the range of 1300.degree. F. to 2000.degree. F., and a sodium-based reagent is introduced into the flue gas stream after further reducing the temperature of the stream to the range of 200.degree. F. to 900.degree. F. Under certain conditions, calcium injection may be employed along with humidification of the flue gas stream for selective reduction of the pollutants.

Integrated process and apparatus for control of pollutants in coal-fired boilers

DOEpatents

Hunt, T.G.; Offen, G.R.

1992-11-24

A method and apparatus are described for reducing SO[sub x] and NO[sub x] levels in flue gases generated by the combustion of coal in a boiler in which low NO[sub x] burners and air staging ports are utilized to inhibit the amount of NO[sub x] initially produced in the combustion of the coal. A selected concentration of urea is introduced downstream of the combustion zone after the temperature has been reduced to the range of 1300 F to 2000 F, and a sodium-based reagent is introduced into the flue gas stream after further reducing the temperature of the stream to the range of 200 F to 900 F. Under certain conditions, calcium injection may be employed along with humidification of the flue gas stream for selective reduction of the pollutants. 7 figs.

Raytheon's next generation compact inline cryocooler architecture

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

Schaefer, B. R.; Bellis, L.; Ellis, M. J.

2014-01-29

Since the 1970s, Raytheon has developed, built, tested and integrated high performance cryocoolers. Our versatile designs for single and multi-stage cryocoolers provide reliable operation for temperatures from 10 to 200 Kelvin with power levels ranging from 50 W to nearly 600 W. These advanced cryocoolers incorporate clearance seals, flexure suspensions, hermetic housings and dynamic balancing to provide long service life and reliable operation in all relevant environments. Today, sensors face a multitude of cryocooler integration challenges such as exported disturbance, efficiency, scalability, maturity, and cost. As a result, cryocooler selection is application dependent, oftentimes requiring extensive trade studies to determinemore » the most suitable architecture. To optimally meet the needs of next generation passive IR sensors, the Compact Inline Raytheon Stirling 1-Stage (CI-RS1), Compact Inline Raytheon Single Stage Pulse Tube (CI-RP1) and Compact Inline Raytheon Hybrid Stirling/Pulse Tube 2-Stage (CI-RSP2) cryocoolers are being developed to satisfy this suite of requirements. This lightweight, compact, efficient, low vibration cryocooler combines proven 1-stage (RS1 or RP1) and 2-stage (RSP2) cold-head architectures with an inventive set of warm-end mechanisms into a single cooler module, allowing the moving mechanisms for the compressor and the Stirling displacer to be consolidated onto a common axis and in a common working volume. The CI cryocooler is a significant departure from the current Stirling cryocoolers in which the compressor mechanisms are remote from the Stirling displacer mechanism. Placing all of the mechanisms in a single volume and on a single axis provides benefits in terms of package size (30% reduction), mass (30% reduction), thermodynamic efficiency (>20% improvement) and exported vibration performance (≤25 mN peak in all three orthogonal axes at frequencies from 1 to 500 Hz). The main benefit of axial symmetry is that proven balancing techniques and hardware can be utilized to null all motion along the common axis. Low vibration translates to better sensor performance resulting in simpler, more direct mechanical mounting configurations, eliminating the need for convoluted, expensive, massive, long lead damping hardware.« less

Raytheon's next generation compact inline cryocooler architecture

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schaefer, B. R.; Bellis, L.; Ellis, M. J.; Conrad, T.

2014-01-01

Since the 1970s, Raytheon has developed, built, tested and integrated high performance cryocoolers. Our versatile designs for single and multi-stage cryocoolers provide reliable operation for temperatures from 10 to 200 Kelvin with power levels ranging from 50 W to nearly 600 W. These advanced cryocoolers incorporate clearance seals, flexure suspensions, hermetic housings and dynamic balancing to provide long service life and reliable operation in all relevant environments. Today, sensors face a multitude of cryocooler integration challenges such as exported disturbance, efficiency, scalability, maturity, and cost. As a result, cryocooler selection is application dependent, oftentimes requiring extensive trade studies to determine the most suitable architecture. To optimally meet the needs of next generation passive IR sensors, the Compact Inline Raytheon Stirling 1-Stage (CI-RS1), Compact Inline Raytheon Single Stage Pulse Tube (CI-RP1) and Compact Inline Raytheon Hybrid Stirling/Pulse Tube 2-Stage (CI-RSP2) cryocoolers are being developed to satisfy this suite of requirements. This lightweight, compact, efficient, low vibration cryocooler combines proven 1-stage (RS1 or RP1) and 2-stage (RSP2) cold-head architectures with an inventive set of warm-end mechanisms into a single cooler module, allowing the moving mechanisms for the compressor and the Stirling displacer to be consolidated onto a common axis and in a common working volume. The CI cryocooler is a significant departure from the current Stirling cryocoolers in which the compressor mechanisms are remote from the Stirling displacer mechanism. Placing all of the mechanisms in a single volume and on a single axis provides benefits in terms of package size (30% reduction), mass (30% reduction), thermodynamic efficiency (>20% improvement) and exported vibration performance (≤25 mN peak in all three orthogonal axes at frequencies from 1 to 500 Hz). The main benefit of axial symmetry is that proven balancing techniques and hardware can be utilized to null all motion along the common axis. Low vibration translates to better sensor performance resulting in simpler, more direct mechanical mounting configurations, eliminating the need for convoluted, expensive, massive, long lead damping hardware.

[Aging affects early stage direction selectivity of MT cells in rhesus monkeys].

PubMed

Liang, Zhen; Chen, Yue-Ming; Meng, Xue; Wang, Yi; Zhou, Bao-Zhuo; Xie, Ying-Ying; He, Wen-Sheng

2012-10-01

The middle temporal area (MT/V5) plays an important role in motion processing. Neurons in this area have a strongly selective response to the moving direction of objects and as such, the selectivity of MT neurons was proposed to be a neural mechanism for the perception of motion. Our previous studies have found degradation in direction selectivity of MT neurons in old monkeys, but this direction selectivity was calculated during the whole response time and the results were not able to uncover the mechanism of motion perception over a time course. Furthermore, experiments have found that direction selectivity was enhanced by attention at a later stage. Therefore, the response should be excluded in experiments with anesthesia. To further characterize the neural mechanism over a time course, we investigated the age-related changes of direction selectivity in the early stage by comparing the proportions of direction selective MT cells in old and young macaque monkeys using in vivo single-cell recording techniques. Our results show that the proportion of early-stage-direction-selective cells is lower in old monkeys than in young monkeys, and that the early stage direction bias (esDB) of old MT cells decreased relative to young MT cells. Furthermore, the proportion of MT cells having strong early stage direction selectivity in old monkeys was decreased. Accordingly, the functional degradation in the early stage of MT cells may mediate perceptual declines of old primates in visual motion tasks.

Design of a Low Speed Fan Stage for Noise Suppression

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dalton, W. N.; Elliot, D. B.; Nickols, K. L.

1999-01-01

This report describes the design of a low tip speed, moderate pressure rise fan stage for demonstration of noise reduction concepts. The fan rotor is a fixed-pitch configuration delivering a design pressure ratio of 1.378 at a specific flow of 43.1 lbm/sec/sq ft. Four exit stator configurations were provided to demonstrate the effectiveness of circumferential and axial sweep in reducing rotor-stator interaction tone noise. The fan stage design was combined with an axisymmetric inlet, conical convergent nozzle, and nacelle to form a powered fan-nacelle subscale model. This model has a 22-inch cylindrical flow path and employs a rotor with a 0.30 hub-to-tip radius ratio. The design is fully compatible with an existing NASA force balance and rig drive system. The stage aerodynamic and structural design is described in detail. Three-dimensional (3-D) computational fluid dynamics (CFD) tools were used to define optimum airfoil sections for both the rotor and stators. A fan noise predictive system developed by Pratt & Whitney under contract to NASA was used to determine the acoustic characteristics of the various stator configurations. Parameters varied included rotor-to-stator spacing and vane leading edge sweep. The structural analysis of the rotor and stator are described herein. An integral blade and disk configuration was selected for the rotor. Analysis confirmed adequate low cycle fatigue life, vibratory endurance strength, and aeroelastic suitability. A unique load carrying stator arrangement was selected to minimize generation of tonal noise due to sources other than rotor-stator interaction. Analysis of all static structural components demonstrated adequate strength, fatigue life, and vibratory characteristics.

Evaluation of a biological wastewater treatment system combining an OSA process with ultrasound for sludge reduction.

PubMed

Romero-Pareja, P M; Aragon, C A; Quiroga, J M; Coello, M D

2017-05-01

Sludge production is an undesirable by-product of biological wastewater treatment. The oxic-settling-anaerobic (OSA) process constitutes one of the most promising techniques for reducing the sludge produced at the treatment plant without negative consequences for its overall performance. In the present study, the OSA process is applied in combination with ultrasound treatment, a lysis technique, in a lab-scale wastewater treatment plant to assess whether sludge reduction is enhanced as a result of mechanical treatment. Reported sludge reductions of 45.72% and 78.56% were obtained for the two regimes of combined treatment tested in this study during two respective stages: UO1 and UO2. During the UO1 stage, the general performance and nutrient removal improved, obtaining 47.28% TN removal versus 21.95% in the conventional stage. However, the performance of the system was seriously damaged during the UO2 stage. Increases in dehydrogenase and protease activities were observed during both stages. The advantages of the combined process are not necessarily economic, but operational, as US treatment acts as contributing factor in the OSA process, inducing mechanisms that lead to sludge reduction in the OSA process and improving performance parameters. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A stage model as an analysis framework for studying voluntary change in food choices - The case of beef consumption reduction in Norway.

PubMed

Klöckner, Christian A

2017-01-01

This paper studies the application of a stage-based model of consumer behavior change on describing the processes behind the reduction of beef consumption in two Norwegian samples (N = 746, N = 2967). The way to reduce beef consumption is modeled through a progression through four stages (predecision, decision, action, and postaction) with a chain of first forming goal intentions, then more concrete behavioral intentions and finally implementation intentions. The analyzes show that general goal intentions to reduce beef consumption are determined by perceived social norms and awareness of a behaviors negative consequences through the activation of personal norms. Attitudes are the main determinant of choosing the alternative behavior (reduction of portion size, substitution of beef with other meats or seafood, or vegetarian meals), but perceived difficulty of behavior also has an impact for some alternatives. Not all alternative behaviors correspond to reduced beef consumption. The pattern of means in beef consumption and intentions for consumers in different stages of change mostly matched predictions by the model, most importantly, showing beef consumption reduction only for consumers in the last stage of change. Implications for interventions are discussed. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A probabilistic damage model of stress-induced permeability anisotropy during cataclastic flow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Wenlu; MontéSi, Laurent G. J.; Wong, Teng-Fong

2007-10-01

A fundamental understanding of the effect of stress on permeability evolution is important for many fault mechanics and reservoir engineering problems. Recent laboratory measurements demonstrate that in the cataclastic flow regime, the stress-induced anisotropic reduction of permeability in porous rocks can be separated into 3 different stages. In the elastic regime (stage I), permeability and porosity reduction are solely controlled by the effective mean stress, with negligible permeability anisotropy. Stage II starts at the onset of shear-enhanced compaction, when a critical yield stress is attained. In stage II, the deviatoric stress exerts primary control over permeability and porosity evolution. The increase in deviatoric stress results in drastic permeability and porosity reduction and considerable permeability anisotropy. The transition from stage II to stage III takes place progressively during the development of pervasive cataclastic flow. In stage III, permeability and porosity reduction becomes gradual again, and permeability anisotropy diminishes. Microstructural observations on deformed samples using laser confocal microscopy reveal that stress-induced microcracking and pore collapse are the primary forms of damage during cataclastic flow. A probabilistic damage model is formulated to characterize the effects of stress on permeability and its anisotropy. In our model, the effects of both effective mean stress and differential stress on permeability evolution are calculated. By introducing stress sensitivity coefficients, we propose a first-order description of the dependence of permeability evolution on different loading paths. Built upon the micromechanisms of deformation in porous rocks, this unified model provides new insight into the coupling of stress and permeability.

Method to monitor HC-SCR catalyst NOx reduction performance for lean exhaust applications

DOEpatents

Viola, Michael B [Macomb Township, MI; Schmieg, Steven J [Troy, MI; Sloane, Thompson M [Oxford, MI; Hilden, David L [Shelby Township, MI; Mulawa, Patricia A [Clinton Township, MI; Lee, Jong H [Rochester Hills, MI; Cheng, Shi-Wai S [Troy, MI

2012-05-29

A method for initiating a regeneration mode in selective catalytic reduction device utilizing hydrocarbons as a reductant includes monitoring a temperature within the aftertreatment system, monitoring a fuel dosing rate to the selective catalytic reduction device, monitoring an initial conversion efficiency, selecting a determined equation to estimate changes in a conversion efficiency of the selective catalytic reduction device based upon the monitored temperature and the monitored fuel dosing rate, estimating changes in the conversion efficiency based upon the determined equation and the initial conversion efficiency, and initiating a regeneration mode for the selective catalytic reduction device based upon the estimated changes in conversion efficiency.

Nitrate effects on chromate reduction in a methane-based biofilm.

PubMed

Zhong, Liang; Lai, Chun-Yu; Shi, Ling-Dong; Wang, Kai-Di; Dai, Yu-Jie; Liu, Yao-Wei; Ma, Fang; Rittmann, Bruce E; Zheng, Ping; Zhao, He-Ping

2017-05-15

The effects of nitrate (NO 3 - ) on chromate (Cr(VI)) reduction in a membrane biofilm reactor (MBfR) were studied when CH 4 was the sole electron donor supplied with a non-limiting delivery capacity. A high surface loading of NO 3 - gave significant and irreversible inhibition of Cr(VI) reduction. At a surface loading of 500 mg Cr/m 2 -d, the Cr(VI)-removal percentage was 100% when NO 3 - was absent (Stage 1), but was dramatically lowered to < 25% with introduction of 280 mg N m -2 -d NO 3 - (Stage 2). After ∼50 days operation in Stage 2, the Cr(VI) reduction recovered to only ∼70% in Stage 3, when NO 3 - was removed from the influent; thus, NO 3 - had a significant long-term inhibition effect on Cr(VI) reduction. Weighted PCoA and UniFrac analyses proved that the introduction of NO 3 - had a strong impact on the microbial community in the biofilms, and the changes possibly were linked to the irreversible inhibition of Cr(VI) reduction. For example, Meiothermus, the main genus involved in Cr(VI) reduction at first, declined with introduction of NO 3 - . The denitrifier Chitinophagaceae was enriched after the addition of NO 3 - , while Pelomonas became important when nitrate was removed, suggesting its potential role as a Cr(VI) reducer. Moreover, introducing NO 3 - led to a decrease in the number of genes predicted (by PICRUSt) to be related to chromate reduction, but genes predicted to be related to denitrification, methane oxidation, and fermentation increased. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Endovascular strategy for the elective treatment of concomitant aortoiliac aneurysm and symptomatic large bowel diverticular disease.

PubMed

Illuminati, Giulio; Ricco, Jean-Baptiste; Schneider, Fabrice; Caliò, Francesco G; Ceccanei, Gianluca; Pacilè, Maria A; Pizzardi, Giulia; Palumbo, Piergaspare; Vietri, Francesco

2014-07-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the strategy for treatment of patients presenting with asymptomatic diverticular disease of the large bowel associated with an asymptomatic aortoiliac aneurysmal (AAA) disease. Sixty-nine patients were included in this retrospective study. The patients were divided into 5 groups according to the type and sequence of the surgical treatment: 32 patients (47%) underwent colectomy followed by a staged open AAA repair (group A); 10 patients (14%) were treated with open AAA repair followed by a staged colectomy (group B); 13 patients (18%) received endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) followed by a staged bowel resection (group C); 8 patients (12%) had a bowel resection followed by staged EVAR (group D); and 6 patients (9%) underwent simultaneous open AAA repair and bowel resection (group E). Primary end points were mortality and complications after any of the procedures. Secondary end point was the time interval between the staged procedures. The cumulative death rate for delayed treatment of AAA was 6.5% and 0% for delayed treatment of diverticular disease [P=0.22]. The mean time interval between the staged procedures was 11 days for EVAR/colon resection (group C and group D) and 73 days for open AAA repair/colon resection (group A and group B; P<0.01). EVAR allows a significant reduction in the time required between AAA repair and colon resection, but no definite rule can be established regarding the sequence of staged procedures. Combined procedures should be reserved for selected cases. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Radiofrequency volumetric reduction of the tongue. A porcine pilot study for the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome.

PubMed

Powell, N B; Riley, R W; Troell, R J; Blumen, M B; Guilleminault, C

1997-05-01

To investigate, in an animal model, the feasibility of radiofrequency (RF) volumetric tongue reduction for the future purpose of determining its clinical applications in obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS). The study was performed in three stages, one in vitro bovine stage and two in vivo porcine stages. The last stage was a prospective investigation with histologic and volumetric analyses to establish outcomes. Laboratory and operating room of veterinary research center. A homogeneous population of porcine animal models, including seven in stage 2 and 12 in stage 3. RF energy was delivered by a custom-fabricated needle electrode and RF generator to the tongue tissue of both the in vitro and in vivo models. Microultransonic crystals were used to measure three-dimensional changes (volumetric reduction). Lesion size correlated well with increasing RF energy delivery (Sperman correlation coefficient of 0.986; p = 0.0003). Histologic assessments done serially over time (1 h through 3 weeks) showed a well-circumscribed lesion with a normal healing progression and no peripheral damage to nerves. Volumetric analysis documented a very mild initial edematous response that promptly tapered at 24 h. At 10 days after RF, a 26.3% volume reduction was documented at the treatment site (circumscribed by the microultrasonic crystals). RF, in a porcine animal model, can safely reduce tongue volume in a precise and controlled manner. Further studies will validate the use of RF in the treatment of OSAS.

Assessing the effectiveness of chemical treatment with nanomaterials in improving the quality of different industrial effluents =

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nogueira, Veronica Ines Jesus Oliveira

Industrial activities are the major sources of pollution in all environments. Depending on the type of industry, various levels of organic and inorganic pollutants are being continuously discharged into the environment. Although, several kinds of physical, chemical, biological or the combination of methods have been proposed and applied to minimize the impact of industrial effluents, few have proved to be totally effective in terms of removal rates of several contaminants, toxicity reduction or amelioration of physical and chemical properties. Hence, it is imperative to develop new and innovative methodologies for industrial wastewater treatment. In this context nanotechnology arises announcing the offer of new possibilities for the treatment of wastewaters mainly based on the enhanced physical and chemical proprieties of nanomaterials (NMs), which can remarkably increase their adsorption and oxidation potential. Although applications of NMs may bring benefits, their widespread use will also contribute for their introduction into the environment and concerns have been raised about the intentional use of these materials. Further, the same properties that make NMs so appealing can also be responsible for producing ecotoxicological effects. In a first stage, with the objective of selecting NMs for the treatment of organic and inorganic effluents we first assessed the potential toxicity of nanoparticles of nickel oxide (NiO) with two different sizes (100 and 10-20 nm), titanium dioxide (TiO2, < 25 nm) and iron oxide (Fe2O3, ≈ 85x425 nm). The ecotoxicological assessment was performed with a battery of assays using aquatic organisms from different trophic levels. Since TiO2 and Fe2O3 were the NMs that presented lower risks to the aquatic systems, they were selected for the second stage of this work. Thus, the two NMs pre-selected were tested for the treatment of olive mill wastewater (OMW). They were used as catalyst in photodegradation systems (TiO2/UV, Fe2O3/UV, TiO2/H2O2/UV and Fe2O3/H2O2/UV). The treatments with TiO2 or Fe2O3 combined with H2O2 were the most efficient in ameliorating some chemical properties of the effluent. Regarding the toxicity to V. fischeri the highest reduction was recorded for the H2O2/UV system, without NMs. Afterwards a sequential treatment using photocatalytic oxidation with NMs and degradation with white-rot fungi was applied to OMW. This new approach increased the reduction of chemical oxygen demand, phenolic content and ecotoxicity to V. fischeri. However, no reduction in color and aromatic compounds was achieved after 21 days of biological treatment. The photodegradation systems were also applied to treat the kraft pulp mill and mining effluents. For the organic effluent the combination NMs and H2O2 had the best performances in reduction the chemical parameters as well in terms of toxicity reduction. However, for the mine effluent the best (TiO2/UV and Fe2O3/UV) were only able to significantly remove three metals (Zn, Al and Cd). Nonetheless the treatments were able of reducing the toxicity of the effluent. As a final stage, the toxicity of solid wastes formed during wastewater treatment with NMs was assessed with Chironomus riparius larvae, a representative species of the sediment compartment. Certain solid wastes showed the potential to negatively affect C. riparius survival and growth, depending on the type of effluent treated. This work also brings new insights to the use of NMs for the treatment of industrial wastewaters. Although some potential applications have been announced, many evaluations have to be performed before the upscaling of the chemical treatments with NMs.

Multi-scale textural feature extraction and particle swarm optimization based model selection for false positive reduction in mammography.

PubMed

Zyout, Imad; Czajkowska, Joanna; Grzegorzek, Marcin

2015-12-01

The high number of false positives and the resulting number of avoidable breast biopsies are the major problems faced by current mammography Computer Aided Detection (CAD) systems. False positive reduction is not only a requirement for mass but also for calcification CAD systems which are currently deployed for clinical use. This paper tackles two problems related to reducing the number of false positives in the detection of all lesions and masses, respectively. Firstly, textural patterns of breast tissue have been analyzed using several multi-scale textural descriptors based on wavelet and gray level co-occurrence matrix. The second problem addressed in this paper is the parameter selection and performance optimization. For this, we adopt a model selection procedure based on Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) for selecting the most discriminative textural features and for strengthening the generalization capacity of the supervised learning stage based on a Support Vector Machine (SVM) classifier. For evaluating the proposed methods, two sets of suspicious mammogram regions have been used. The first one, obtained from Digital Database for Screening Mammography (DDSM), contains 1494 regions (1000 normal and 494 abnormal samples). The second set of suspicious regions was obtained from database of Mammographic Image Analysis Society (mini-MIAS) and contains 315 (207 normal and 108 abnormal) samples. Results from both datasets demonstrate the efficiency of using PSO based model selection for optimizing both classifier hyper-parameters and parameters, respectively. Furthermore, the obtained results indicate the promising performance of the proposed textural features and more specifically, those based on co-occurrence matrix of wavelet image representation technique. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A hierarchical approach for online temporal lobe seizure detection in long-term intracranial EEG recordings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liang, Sheng-Fu; Chen, Yi-Chun; Wang, Yu-Lin; Chen, Pin-Tzu; Yang, Chia-Hsiang; Chiueh, Herming

2013-08-01

Objective. Around 1% of the world's population is affected by epilepsy, and nearly 25% of patients cannot be treated effectively by available therapies. The presence of closed-loop seizure-triggered stimulation provides a promising solution for these patients. Realization of fast, accurate, and energy-efficient seizure detection is the key to such implants. In this study, we propose a two-stage on-line seizure detection algorithm with low-energy consumption for temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). Approach. Multi-channel signals are processed through independent component analysis and the most representative independent component (IC) is automatically selected to eliminate artifacts. Seizure-like intracranial electroencephalogram (iEEG) segments are fast detected in the first stage of the proposed method and these seizures are confirmed in the second stage. The conditional activation of the second-stage signal processing reduces the computational effort, and hence energy, since most of the non-seizure events are filtered out in the first stage. Main results. Long-term iEEG recordings of 11 patients who suffered from TLE were analyzed via leave-one-out cross validation. The proposed method has a detection accuracy of 95.24%, a false alarm rate of 0.09/h, and an average detection delay time of 9.2 s. For the six patients with mesial TLE, a detection accuracy of 100.0%, a false alarm rate of 0.06/h, and an average detection delay time of 4.8 s can be achieved. The hierarchical approach provides a 90% energy reduction, yielding effective and energy-efficient implementation for real-time epileptic seizure detection. Significance. An on-line seizure detection method that can be applied to monitor continuous iEEG signals of patients who suffered from TLE was developed. An IC selection strategy to automatically determine the most seizure-related IC for seizure detection was also proposed. The system has advantages of (1) high detection accuracy, (2) low false alarm, (3) short detection latency, and (4) energy-efficient design for hardware implementation.

Rationale and protocol of the Study Of diabetic Nephropathy with AtRasentan (SONAR) trial: A clinical trial design novel to diabetic nephropathy.

PubMed

Heerspink, Hiddo J L; Andress, Dennis L; Bakris, George; Brennan, John J; Correa-Rotter, Ricardo; Dey, Jyotirmoy; Hou, Fan Fan; Kitzman, Dalane W; Kohan, Donald; Makino, Hirofumi; McMurray, John; Perkovic, Vlado; Tobe, Sheldon; Wigderson, Melissa; Parving, Hans-Henrik; de Zeeuw, Dick

2018-06-01

Individuals with diabetes and chronic kidney disease (CKD) are at high risk for renal events. Recent trials of novel treatments have been negative, possibly because of variability in response to treatment of the target risk factor. Atrasentan is a selective endothelin A receptor antagonist that reduces urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR), with a large variability between patients. We are assessing its effect on renal outcomes in the Study Of diabetic Nephropathy with AtRasentan (SONAR; NCT01858532) with an enrichment design (>30% lowering of albuminuria) to select patients most likely to benefit. SONAR is a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial with approximately 3500 participants who have stage 2-4 CKD and macroalbuminuria and are receiving a maximum tolerated dose of a renin-angiotensin system inhibitor. After 6 weeks of exposure to atrasentan 0.75 mg once daily (enrichment period), participants with ≥30% UACR decrease and no tolerability issues (responders) were randomly assigned to placebo or atrasentan 0.75 mg/day. The responder group will be used for primary efficacy and safety analyses. Approximately 1000 participants with <30% UACR reduction (non-responders) were also randomized to placebo or atrasentan. The primary endpoint is a composite of a sustained doubling of serum creatinine or end-stage renal disease. The original power calculation indicated that a total of 425 primary renal events in the responder group provides 90% power to detect a 27% reduction in relative risk (alpha level of .05). SONAR aims to determine whether atrasentan added to guideline-recommended therapies safely reduces the risk of CKD progression and delays the onset of end-stage renal disease in patients with type 2 diabetes and nephropathy. SONAR also aims to establish whether the enrichment of patients based on their initial "surrogate" response to atrasentan will deliver a trial design in accord with personalized treatment of diabetic kidney disease. © 2018 The Authors. Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Experimental Investigation on Reduction Kinetics of Stainless Steel-Making Slag in Iron Bath Smelting Reduction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Bo; Liu, Jienan; Yang, Yanfeng; Liu, Luming; Liu, Jiechao; Luo, Lijian; Ma, Yubao; Hong, Xin

Reduction kinetics of stainless steel slag in iron bath smelting reduction was studied at the temperature of 1500°C ˜ 1650°C. It was concluded that the reduction process consisted of two parts. That is to say smelting reduction was controlled by stainless steel slag melting initially and by interface reaction later. In order to increase smelting reaction rate, the melting point of slag should be decreased at the first stage and adjust the liquidity of slag at later stage. Smelting reaction rate will be accelerated by means of optimize the slag content. The optimal reduction result that all most all of the chromium in slag been recovered was obtained in temperature was 1500°C, basicity of slag was 1.0˜1.2, the value of Al2O3+MgO was 25%.

Evaluation of Nutrition Imbalance in Chinese Chronic Kidney Disease Children.

PubMed

Wang, Ke; Jiang, Yeping; Lai Master, Yuting; Shen, Ying

2018-06-22

Nutrition imbalance is common in chronic kidney disease (CKD) children. This study was to evaluate nutrition status of CKD children at different stages using bioimpedance analysis (BIA) compared with anthropometric measurements. Fifty-five CKD children at III, IV, V stages and 19 age and sex-matched healthy controls were recruited. Fat, protein and mineral compositions monitored by BIA were analyzed together with anthropometric measurements including height, weight and body mass index (BMI). Biochemical tests were checked in CKD children. Among the total CKD Children we recruited, 23.6%, 10.9% and 56.3% were underweight, overweight/obesity and stunting respectively. BIA showed that 52.7%, 70.9%, 14.5% and 40.0% of total CKD children had protein reduction, fat reduction, fat enhancement and mineral reduction respectively. The growth retardation and nutrition reduction became remarkable at stages IV and V. About 65% of nutrition reduction occurred in healthy-weight children. In the underweight and healthy-weight groups, fat reduction rates were higher than protein reduction rates. In overweight/obesity group, fat enhancement was most notable. Mineral reduction was less remarkable. The nutrition imbalance in CKD children assessed by BIA correlated well with anthropometric measurements and disease process, supporting BIA as a conjugated diagnosis tool. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Isothermal reduction kinetics of Panzhihua ilmenite concentrate under 30vol% CO-70vol% N2 atmosphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Ying-yi; Lü, Wei; Lü, Xue-wei; Li, Sheng-ping; Bai, Chen-guang; Song, Bing; Han, Ke-xi

2017-03-01

The reduction of ilmenite concentrate in 30vol% CO-70vol% N2 atmosphere was characterized by thermogravimetric and differential thermogravimetric (TG-DTG) analysis methods at temperatures from 1073 to 1223 K. The isothermal reduction results show that the reduction process comprised two stages; the corresponding apparent activation energy was obtained by the iso-conversional and model-fitting methods. For the first stage, the effect of temperature on the conversion degree was not obvious, the phase boundary chemical reaction was the controlling step, with an apparent activation energy of 15.55-40.71 kJ·mol-1. For the second stage, when the temperatures was greater than 1123 K, the reaction rate and the conversion degree increased sharply with increasing temperature, and random nucleation and subsequent growth were the controlling steps, with an apparent activation energy ranging from 182.33 to 195.95 kJ·mol-1. For the whole reduction process, the average activation energy and pre-exponential factor were 98.94-118.33 kJ·mol-1 and 1.820-1.816 min-1, respectively.

The Role of Stage at Diagnosis in Colorectal Cancer Black-White Survival Disparities: A Counterfactual Causal Inference Approach.

PubMed

Valeri, Linda; Chen, Jarvis T; Garcia-Albeniz, Xabier; Krieger, Nancy; VanderWeele, Tyler J; Coull, Brent A

2016-01-01

To date, a counterfactual framework has not been used to study determinants of social inequalities in cancer. Considering the case of colorectal cancer, for which racial/ethnic differences in stage at diagnosis and survival are well documented, we quantify the extent to which black versus white survival disparities would be reduced had disparities in stage at diagnosis been eliminated in a large patient population. We obtained data on colorectal cancer patients (diagnosed between 1992 and 2005 and followed until 2010) from US-SEER (Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results) cancer registries. We employed a counterfactual approach to estimate the mean survival time up to the 60th month since diagnosis for black colorectal cancer patients had black-white disparities in stage at diagnosis been eliminated. Black patients survive approximately 4.0 [confidence interval (CI), 4.6-3.2] months less than white patients within five years since diagnosis. Had disparities in stage at diagnosis been eliminated, survival disparities decrease to 2.6 (CI, 3.4-1.7) months, an approximately 35% reduction. For patients diagnosed after the age of 65 years, disparities would be halved, while reduction of approximately 30% is estimated for younger patients. Survival disparities would be reduced by approximately 44% for women and approximately 26% for men. Employing a counterfactual approach and allowing for heterogeneities in black-white disparities across patients' characteristics, we give robust evidence that elimination of disparities in stage at diagnosis contributes to a substantial reduction in survival disparities in colorectal cancer. We provide the first evidence in the SEER population that elimination of inequities in stage at diagnosis might lead to larger reductions in survival disparities among elderly and women. ©2015 American Association for Cancer Research.

Physiological and ecological consequences of sleeping-site selection by the Galapagos land iguana (Conolophus pallidus)

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

Christian, K.A.; Tracy, C.R.

1984-01-01

Field observations and biophysical models were combined to analyze sleeping-site selection by Galapagos land iguanas (Conolophus pallidus). Iguanas slept in different kinds of sleeping sites during different seasons. In the coolest season (garua), adult land iguanas were found in sleeping sites that were warmer than the coolest sites available. This may be because the garua season (cool, overcast, and foggy) is a time when environmental conditions mitigate against rapid warm-up in the mornings, so lizards may regulate nighttime body temperatures so that it is easier to warm up to preferred daytime body temperatures. In the warmest season, adult iguanas weremore » found in the coolest sleeping sites available. This observation is consistent with hypotheses of voluntary hypothermia, which can be advantageous in energy conservation and in avoiding detrimental effects associated with maintenance of constant body temperatures throughout the day and night. Juvenile iguanas were found sleeping in rock crevices regardless of the ambient thermal environments. Such sites are likely to be important as refugia for this life stage, which, unlike the adult stage, is vulnerable to predation. It was concluded that selection of sleeping sites is a process that may help in avoidance of predation, optimization of body temperature at the end of the sleeping period, and reduction of metabolic costs during sleeping. The importance of some of these factors may change with the thermal milieu (e.g., season).« less

40 CFR 60.2115 - What if I do not use a wet scrubber, fabric filter, activated carbon injection, selective...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

..., fabric filter, activated carbon injection, selective noncatalytic reduction, an electrostatic... filter, activated carbon injection, selective noncatalytic reduction, an electrostatic precipitator, or a... than a wet scrubber, activated carbon injection, selective noncatalytic reduction, fabric filter, an...

An Interactive Procedure to Preserve the Desired Edges during the Image Processing of Noise Reduction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hsu, Chih-Yu; Huang, Hsuan-Yu; Lee, Lin-Tsang

2010-12-01

The paper propose a new procedure including four stages in order to preserve the desired edges during the image processing of noise reduction. A denoised image can be obtained from a noisy image at the first stage of the procedure. At the second stage, an edge map can be obtained by the Canny edge detector to find the edges of the object contours. Manual modification of an edge map at the third stage is optional to capture all the desired edges of the object contours. At the final stage, a new method called Edge Preserved Inhomogeneous Diffusion Equation (EPIDE) is used to smooth the noisy images or the previously denoised image at the first stage for achieving the edge preservation. The Optical Character Recognition (OCR) results in the experiments show that the proposed procedure has the best recognition result because of the capability of edge preservation.

NASA Propulsion Concept Studies and Risk Reduction Activities for Resource Prospector Lander

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Trinh, Huu P.; Williams, Hunter; Burnside, Chris

2015-01-01

The Resource Prospector mission is to investigate the Moon's polar regions in search of volatiles. The government-version lander concept for the mission is composed of a braking stage and a liquid-propulsion lander stage. A propulsion trade study concluded with a solid rocket motor for the braking stage while using the 4th-stage Peacekeeper (PK) propulsion components for the lander stage. The mechanical design of the liquid propulsion system was conducted in concert with the lander structure design. A propulsion cold-flow test article was fabricated and integrated into a lander development structure, and a series of cold flow tests were conducted to characterize the fluid transient behavior and to collect data for validating analytical models. In parallel, RS-34 PK thrusters to be used on the lander stage were hot-fire tested in vacuum conditions as part of risk reduction activities.

A Fan Design that Meets the NASA Aeronautics Noise Goals

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dittmar, James; Tweedt, Daniel; Jeracki, Robert; Envia, Edmaine; Bartos, Karen; Slater, John

2003-01-01

A fan concept was previously identified that would meet the NASA aeronautics goal of a 20 EPNdB reduction in aircraft noise. This was a 2-stage fan with a pressure ratio of 1.15 and a 460 ft/sec tip speed. The 2 stages were identical so that, with the proper synchrophasing, noise from one stage could be used to cancel noise from the other stage. This paper documents the aerodynamic design of the 2-stage fan concept in a 22-in. diameter size for testing in the NASA Glenn 9- by 15-ft wind tunnel. A set of rotor and stator coordinates are listed in the report. Stress and flutter analyses were done on these blades and showed that the design was structurally viable. A noise prediction code, using the blade coordinates and fan flows, indicated that the 2-stage fan would meet the goal of a 20 dB reduction in fan noise.

Evaluation of SSME test data reduction methods

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Santi, L. Michael

1994-01-01

Accurate prediction of hardware and flow characteristics within the Space Shuttle Main Engine (SSME) during transient and main-stage operation requires a significant integration of ground test data, flight experience, and computational models. The process of integrating SSME test measurements with physical model predictions is commonly referred to as data reduction. Uncertainties within both test measurements and simplified models of the SSME flow environment compound the data integration problem. The first objective of this effort was to establish an acceptability criterion for data reduction solutions. The second objective of this effort was to investigate the data reduction potential of the ROCETS (Rocket Engine Transient Simulation) simulation platform. A simplified ROCETS model of the SSME was obtained from the MSFC Performance Analysis Branch . This model was examined and tested for physical consistency. Two modules were constructed and added to the ROCETS library to independently check the mass and energy balances of selected engine subsystems including the low pressure fuel turbopump, the high pressure fuel turbopump, the low pressure oxidizer turbopump, the high pressure oxidizer turbopump, the fuel preburner, the oxidizer preburner, the main combustion chamber coolant circuit, and the nozzle coolant circuit. A sensitivity study was then conducted to determine the individual influences of forty-two hardware characteristics on fourteen high pressure region prediction variables as returned by the SSME ROCETS model.

Structured Ordinary Least Squares: A Sufficient Dimension Reduction approach for regressions with partitioned predictors and heterogeneous units.

PubMed

Liu, Yang; Chiaromonte, Francesca; Li, Bing

2017-06-01

In many scientific and engineering fields, advanced experimental and computing technologies are producing data that are not just high dimensional, but also internally structured. For instance, statistical units may have heterogeneous origins from distinct studies or subpopulations, and features may be naturally partitioned based on experimental platforms generating them, or on information available about their roles in a given phenomenon. In a regression analysis, exploiting this known structure in the predictor dimension reduction stage that precedes modeling can be an effective way to integrate diverse data. To pursue this, we propose a novel Sufficient Dimension Reduction (SDR) approach that we call structured Ordinary Least Squares (sOLS). This combines ideas from existing SDR literature to merge reductions performed within groups of samples and/or predictors. In particular, it leads to a version of OLS for grouped predictors that requires far less computation than recently proposed groupwise SDR procedures, and provides an informal yet effective variable selection tool in these settings. We demonstrate the performance of sOLS by simulation and present a first application to genomic data. The R package "sSDR," publicly available on CRAN, includes all procedures necessary to implement the sOLS approach. © 2016, The International Biometric Society.

Selective reduction of fetuses in multiple pregnancies and the law in Australia.

PubMed

Davis, Colleen; Douglas, Heather

2014-09-01

This article considers whether it is lawful in Australia to terminate one or more fetuses in a multiple pregnancy selectively and, if so, under what circumstances. It begins by addressing the preliminary question whether selective reduction is covered by laws relating to abortion and provides a brief outline of the law of abortion in Australian jurisdictions. The article then considers selective reduction of high-order multiple pregnancies, before turning to selective reduction of twin pregnancies in a range of circumstances. The article demonstrates that the law of abortion, as applied to selective reduction of multiple pregnancies, is uncertain and that there are considerable variations from one State to another. It concludes that the law in this area is in need of reform to recognise that some reductions are not performed prima facie to prevent danger to the mother's health and to remove the need for doctors to assert symptomatology of mental illness in order to guard against criminal law consequences. Further, there is a need to clarify whether selective reduction/ termination is abortion for the purposes of the law, and to achieve greater consistency across jurisdictions.

Evaluation of a staged fuel combustor for turboprop engines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Verdouw, A. J.

1976-01-01

Proposed EPA emission regulations require emission reduction by 1979 for various gas turbine engine classes. Extensive combustion technology advancements are required to meet the proposed regulations. The T56 turboprop engine requires CO, UHC, and smoke reduction. A staged fuel combustor design was tested on a combustion rig to evaluate emission reduction potential in turboprop engines from fuel zoning. The can-type combustor has separately fueled-pilot and main combustion zones in series. The main zone fueling system was arranged for potential incorporation into the T56 with minor or no modifications to the basic engine. Three combustor variable geometry systems were incorporated to evaluate various airflow distributions. Emission results with fixed geometry operation met all proposed EPA regulations over the EPA LTO cycle. CO reduction was 82 percent, UHC reduction was 96 percent, and smoke reduction was 84 percent. NOx increased 14 percent over the LTO cycle. At high power, NOx reduction was 40 to 55 percent. This NOx reduction has potential application to stationary gas turbine powerplants which have different EPA regulations.

Visual attention spreads broadly but selects information locally.

PubMed

Shioiri, Satoshi; Honjyo, Hajime; Kashiwase, Yoshiyuki; Matsumiya, Kazumichi; Kuriki, Ichiro

2016-10-19

Visual attention spreads over a range around the focus as the spotlight metaphor describes. Spatial spread of attentional enhancement and local selection/inhibition are crucial factors determining the profile of the spatial attention. Enhancement and ignorance/suppression are opposite effects of attention, and appeared to be mutually exclusive. Yet, no unified view of the factors has been provided despite their necessity for understanding the functions of spatial attention. This report provides electroencephalographic and behavioral evidence for the attentional spread at an early stage and selection/inhibition at a later stage of visual processing. Steady state visual evoked potential showed broad spatial tuning whereas the P3 component of the event related potential showed local selection or inhibition of the adjacent areas. Based on these results, we propose a two-stage model of spatial attention with broad spread at an early stage and local selection at a later stage.

Error reduction and representation in stages (ERRIS) in hydrological modelling for ensemble streamflow forecasting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Ming; Wang, Q. J.; Bennett, James C.; Robertson, David E.

2016-09-01

This study develops a new error modelling method for ensemble short-term and real-time streamflow forecasting, called error reduction and representation in stages (ERRIS). The novelty of ERRIS is that it does not rely on a single complex error model but runs a sequence of simple error models through four stages. At each stage, an error model attempts to incrementally improve over the previous stage. Stage 1 establishes parameters of a hydrological model and parameters of a transformation function for data normalization, Stage 2 applies a bias correction, Stage 3 applies autoregressive (AR) updating, and Stage 4 applies a Gaussian mixture distribution to represent model residuals. In a case study, we apply ERRIS for one-step-ahead forecasting at a range of catchments. The forecasts at the end of Stage 4 are shown to be much more accurate than at Stage 1 and to be highly reliable in representing forecast uncertainty. Specifically, the forecasts become more accurate by applying the AR updating at Stage 3, and more reliable in uncertainty spread by using a mixture of two Gaussian distributions to represent the residuals at Stage 4. ERRIS can be applied to any existing calibrated hydrological models, including those calibrated to deterministic (e.g. least-squares) objectives.

Factors related to reduction in the consumption of fast food: application of the theory-based approaches

PubMed Central

Zeinab, Jalambadani; Gholamreza, Garmaroudi; Mehdi, Yaseri; Mahmood, Tavousi; Korush, Jafarian

2017-01-01

Background The Trans-Theoretical model (TTM) and Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) may be promising models for understanding and predicting reduction in the consumption of fast food. The aim of this study was to examine the applicability of the Trans-Theoretical model (TTM) and the additional predictive role of the subjective norms and perceived behavioural control in predicting reduction consumption of fast food in obese Iranian adolescent girls. Materials and Methods. A cross sectional study design was conducted among twelve randomly selected schools in Sabzevar, Iran from 2015 to 2017. Four hundred eighty five randomly selected students consented to participate in the study. Hierarchical regression models used to predict the role of important variables that can influence the reduction in the consumption of fast food among students. using SPSS version 22. Results Variables Perceived behavioural control (r=0.58, P<0.001), Subjective norms (r=0.51, P<0.001), self-efficacy (r=0.49, P<0.001), decisional balance (pros) (r=0.29, P<0.001), decisional balance (cons) (r=0.25, P<0.001), stage of change (r=0.38, P<0.001), were significantly and positively correlated while experiential processes of change (r=0.08, P=0.135) and behavioural processes of change (r=0.09, P=0.145), were not significant. Conclusions The study demonstrated that the TTM (except the experiential and behavioural processes of change) focusing on the perceived behavioural control and subjective norms are useful models for reduction in the consumption of fast food. Significance for public health The Ministries of Education and Public Health should cooperate in supporting the below-mentioned formal and non-formal school, family and community nutritional education and activities. Lastly, the Ministry of Public Health should conduct programmes with restaurant owners on healthy Iranian food and its hygienic presentation and promotion, to enhance their ability to compete with fast-food restaurants. PMID:29071252

Age, stage and senescence in plants

PubMed Central

Caswell, Hal; Salguero-Gómez, Roberto

2013-01-01

1. Senescence (an increase in the mortality rate or force of mortality, or a decrease in fertility, with increasing age) is a widespread phenomenon. Theories about the evolution of senescence have long focused on the age trajectories of the selection gradients on mortality and fertility. In purely age-classified models, these selection gradients are non-increasing with age, implying that traits expressed early in life have a greater impact on fitness than traits expressed later in life. This pattern leads inevitably to the evolution of senescence if there are trade-offs between early and late performance. 2. It has long been suspected that the stage- or size-dependent demography typical of plants might change these conclusions. In this paper, we develop a model that includes both stage- and age-dependence and derive the age-dependent, stage-dependent and age×stage-dependent selection gradients on mortality and fertility. 3. We applied this model to stage-classified population projection matrices for 36 species of plants, from a wide variety of growth forms (from mosses to trees) and habitats. 4. We found that the age-specific selection gradients within a life cycle stage can exhibit increases with age (we call these contra-senescent selection gradients). In later stages, often large size classes in plant demography, the duration of these contra-senescent gradients can exceed the life expectancy by several fold. 5. Synthesis. The interaction of age- and stage-dependence in plants leads to selection pressures on senescence fundamentally different from those found in previous, age-classified theories. This result may explain the observation that large plants seem less subject to senescence than most kinds of animals. The methods presented here can lead to improved analysis of both age-dependent and stage-dependent demographic properties of plant populations. PMID:23741075

Olfactory abnormalities in Huntington's disease: decreased plasticity in the primary olfactory cortex of R6/1 transgenic mice and reduced olfactory discrimination in patients.

PubMed

Lazic, Stanley E; Goodman, Anna O G; Grote, Helen E; Blakemore, Colin; Morton, A Jennifer; Hannan, Anthony J; van Dellen, Anton; Barker, Roger A

2007-06-02

Reduced neuronal plasticity in the striatum, hippocampus, and neocortex is a common feature of transgenic mouse models of Huntington's disease (HD). Doublecortin (DCX) and polysialylated neural cell adhesion molecule (PSA-NCAM) are associated with structural plasticity in the adult mammalian brain, are markers of newly formed neurons in the dentate gyrus of the adult hippocampus, and are highly expressed in primary olfactory (piriform) cortex. Animal studies have demonstrated that a reduction in plasticity in the piriform cortex is associated with a selective impairment in odour discrimination. Therefore, the number of DCX and PSA-NCAM immunoreactive cells in the piriform cortex were quantified as measures of plasticity in early stage (fifteen week old) R6/1 transgenic HD mice. The transgenic mice had a large reduction in the number of DCX and PSA-NCAM immunoreactive cells in the piriform cortex, similar to that previously reported in the R6/2 mice. We also tested whether odour discrimination, as well as identification and detection, were impaired in HD patients and found that patients (at a similar disease stage as the mice) had an impairment in odour discrimination and identification, but not odour detection. These results suggest that olfactory impairments observed in HD patients may be the result of reduced plasticity in the primary olfactory cortex.

Kinesiology Taping reduces lymphedema of the upper extremity in women after breast cancer treatment: a pilot study

PubMed Central

Rosseger, Agnieszka; Hanuszkiewicz, Justyna; Woźniewski, Marek

2014-01-01

Introduction Secondary lymphedema affects approximately 40% of women treated for breast cancer and is recognized as a major problem associated with the therapy of malignant tumors. Consequently, new therapeutic methods are constantly being sought to effectively eliminate the condition. One of the new forms of edema management, especially in the initial stages of edematous development, is Kinesiology Taping (KT). Aim of the study The aim of the study was to assess the effects of KT applications on the extent of lymphedema of the upper extremity in women post cancer treatment. Material and methods The study group consisted of 28 women after axillary lymphadenectomy due to breast cancer. All the patients were diagnosed with grade I secondary lymphedema. Kinesiology Taping was applied to a total of 14 randomly selected women. The remaining 14 patients constituted a control group. The extent of lymphedema was measured using a centimeter tape and Limb Volumes Professional 5.0 software. Results A significant reduction in the extent of lymphedema (p = 0.0009) was achieved in the KT group between baseline and post-treatment assessments. No such reduction, however, was found in the control group (p = 0.36). Conclusions Kinesiology Taping applications are an effective method of early-stage edema management. Kinesiology Taping may be a safe new therapeutic option in patients who are contraindicated for the use of other methods. PMID:26327858

European EVA decompression sickness risks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vogt, Lorenz; Wenzel, Jürgen; Skoog, A. I.; Luck, S.; Svensson, Bengt

For the first manned flight of Hermes there will be a capability of performing EVA. The European EVA Space Suit will be an anthropomorphic system with an internal pressure of 500 hPa of pure oxygen. The pressure reduction from the Hermes cabin pressure of 1013 hPa will induce a risk for Decompression Sickness (DCS) for the EVA crewmember if no adequate protective procedures are implemented. Specific decompression procedures have to be developed. From a critical review of the literature and by using knowledge gained from research conducted in the past in the fields of diving and aerospace medicine safe protective procedures are proposed for the European EVA scenario. An R factor of 1.2 and a tissue half-time ( t1/2) of 360 minutes in a single-tissue model have been identified as appropriate operational values. On the basis of an acceptable risk level of approximately 1%, oxygen prebreathing times are proposed for (a) direct pressure reduction from 1013 hPa to a suit pressure of 500 hPa, and (b) staged decompression using a 700 hPa intermediate stage in the spacecraft cabin. In addition, factors which influence individual susceptibility to DCS are identified. Recommendations are also given in the areas of crew selection and medical monitoring requirements together with therapeutic measures that can be implemented in the Hermes scenario. A method for demonstration of the validity of proposed risks and procedures is proposed.

Stage selection and restricted oviposition period improves cryopreservation of dipteran embryos.

PubMed

Rajamohan, Arun; Rinehart, Joseph P; Leopold, Roger A

2015-04-01

Embryos of two dipteran species (Musca domestica and Lucilia sericata) were assessed for an effective sampling time that would result in the highest post-cryopreservation hatch rate, with a primary goal to define species-specific egg collection periods and the effects of manual stage selection on post cryopreservation yield. The effects of the time taken to collect eggs on, (a) the proportion of embryos reaching a specific developmental stage between 17 and 20 h of development, and (b) the post-cryopreservation hatch rate were assessed. Permeabilization treatment applied at any stage of embryonic development did not significantly reduce embryo viability. Eggs collected over longer durations significantly reduced the number of embryos available in a specific developmental stage amenable to cryopreservation. Hatch percentage after cryopreservation of the embryos of M. domestica collected over a 60 min period was 10.7 ± 8.7% compared to 31 ± 5% for the eggs collected for just 15 min. Similarly, percent hatch in L. sericata resulted in 17.0 ± 3.9 and <2% for 15 and 60 min samples, respectively. Significantly higher hatching rates were obtained for cryopreservation after manual selection of specific embryonic developmental stages from the dechorionated samples. Post-cryopreservation hatching rate for stage-selected M. domestica embryos was 86.5 ± 5.5% compared to 33.3 ± 4.5% for embryos staged only by an overall visual confirmation. In the case of L. sericata, the hatching percentage was 79.0 ± 11.1 for stage-selected embryos compared to 17.0 ± 3.9% without individual selection. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Microbial catabolic activities are naturally selected by metabolic energy harvest rate.

PubMed

González-Cabaleiro, Rebeca; Ofiţeru, Irina D; Lema, Juan M; Rodríguez, Jorge

2015-12-01

The fundamental trade-off between yield and rate of energy harvest per unit of substrate has been largely discussed as a main characteristic for microbial established cooperation or competition. In this study, this point is addressed by developing a generalized model that simulates competition between existing and not experimentally reported microbial catabolic activities defined only based on well-known biochemical pathways. No specific microbial physiological adaptations are considered, growth yield is calculated coupled to catabolism energetics and a common maximum biomass-specific catabolism rate (expressed as electron transfer rate) is assumed for all microbial groups. Under this approach, successful microbial metabolisms are predicted in line with experimental observations under the hypothesis of maximum energy harvest rate. Two microbial ecosystems, typically found in wastewater treatment plants, are simulated, namely: (i) the anaerobic fermentation of glucose and (ii) the oxidation and reduction of nitrogen under aerobic autotrophic (nitrification) and anoxic heterotrophic and autotrophic (denitrification) conditions. The experimentally observed cross feeding in glucose fermentation, through multiple intermediate fermentation pathways, towards ultimately methane and carbon dioxide is predicted. Analogously, two-stage nitrification (by ammonium and nitrite oxidizers) is predicted as prevailing over nitrification in one stage. Conversely, denitrification is predicted in one stage (by denitrifiers) as well as anammox (anaerobic ammonium oxidation). The model results suggest that these observations are a direct consequence of the different energy yields per electron transferred at the different steps of the pathways. Overall, our results theoretically support the hypothesis that successful microbial catabolic activities are selected by an overall maximum energy harvest rate.

Can hedgerow management mitigate the impacts of predation on songbird nest survival?

PubMed

Dunn, Jenny C; Gruar, Derek; Stoate, Chris; Szczur, John; Peach, Will J

2016-12-15

Nest predators can have significant impacts on songbird reproductive success. These impacts may be amplified by habitat simplification and here we test whether sympathetic management of farmland hedgerows can reduce nest depredation, especially by corvids. We test whether songbirds select nest sites according to structural features of hedgerows (including nest visibility and accessibility), and whether these features influence nest predation risk. Songbirds selected nesting sites affording higher vegetation cover above the nest, increased visibility on the nest-side of the hedgerow and reduced visibility on the far side of the hedge. Nest survival was unrelated to corvid abundance and only weakly related (at the egg stage) to corvid nest proximity. Nest survival at the chick stage was higher where vegetation structure restricted access to corvid-sized predators (averaging 0.78 vs. 0.53), and at nests close to potential vantage points. Overall nest survival was sensitive to hedgerow structure (accessibility) particularly at low exposure to corvid predation, while the overall impact of corvid exposure was dependent on the relationship involving proximity to vantage points. Nest survival over the chick stage was much higher (0.67) in stock-proof, trimmed and mechanically cut hedgerows, (which tended to provide lower side visibility and accessibility) than in recently laid, remnant or leggy hedgerows (0.18). Long-term reductions in the management of British hedgerows may therefore be exposing nesting songbirds to increased predation risk. We recommend regular rotational cutting of hedgerows to maintain a dense woody structure and thereby reduce songbird nest predation. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

DC Electric Arc Furnace Application for Production of Nickel-Boron Master Alloys

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alkan, Murat; Tasyürek, Kerem Can; Bugdayci, Mehmet; Turan, Ahmet; Yücel, Onuralp

2017-09-01

In this study, nickel-boron (Ni-B) alloys were produced via a carbothermic reduction starting from boric acid (H3BO3) with high-purity nickel oxide (NiO), charcoal, and wood chips in a direct current arc furnace. In electric arc furnace experiments, different starting mixtures were used, and their effects on the chemical compositions of the final Ni-B alloys were investigated. After the reduction and melting stages, Ni-B alloys were obtained by tapping from the bottom of the furnace. The samples from the designated areas were also taken and analyzed. The chemical composition of the final alloys and selected samples were measured with wet chemical analysis. The Ni-B alloys had a composition of up to 14.82 mass% B. The phase contents of the final alloys and selected samples were measured using x-ray diffraction (XRD). The XRD data helped predict possible reactions and reaction mechanisms. The material and energy balance calculations were made via the XRD Rietveld and chemical compositions. Nickel boride phases started to form 600 mm below the surface. The targeted NiB phase was detected at the tapping zone of the crucible (850-900 mm depth). The energy consumption was 1.84-4.29 kWh/kg, and the electrode consumption was 10-12 g/kg of raw material charged.

Optically-sectioned two-shot structured illumination microscopy with Hilbert-Huang processing.

PubMed

Patorski, Krzysztof; Trusiak, Maciej; Tkaczyk, Tomasz

2014-04-21

We introduce a fast, simple, adaptive and experimentally robust method for reconstructing background-rejected optically-sectioned images using two-shot structured illumination microscopy. Our innovative data demodulation method needs two grid-illumination images mutually phase shifted by π (half a grid period) but precise phase displacement between two frames is not required. Upon frames subtraction the input pattern with increased grid modulation is obtained. The first demodulation stage comprises two-dimensional data processing based on the empirical mode decomposition for the object spatial frequency selection (noise reduction and bias term removal). The second stage consists in calculating high contrast image using the two-dimensional spiral Hilbert transform. Our algorithm effectiveness is compared with the results calculated for the same input data using structured-illumination (SIM) and HiLo microscopy methods. The input data were collected for studying highly scattering tissue samples in reflectance mode. Results of our approach compare very favorably with SIM and HiLo techniques.

Interior and exterior ballistics coupled optimization with constraints of attitude control and mechanical-thermal conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liang, Xin-xin; Zhang, Nai-min; Zhang, Yan

2016-07-01

For solid launch vehicle performance promotion, a modeling method of interior and exterior ballistics associated optimization with constraints of attitude control and mechanical-thermal condition is proposed. Firstly, the interior and external ballistic models of the solid launch vehicle are established, and the attitude control model of the high wind area and the stage of the separation is presented, and the load calculation model of the drag reduction device is presented, and thermal condition calculation model of flight is presented. Secondly, the optimization model is established to optimize the range, which has internal and external ballistic design parameters as variables selected by sensitivity analysis, and has attitude control and mechanical-thermal conditions as constraints. Finally, the method is applied to the optimal design of a three stage solid launch vehicle simulation with differential evolution algorithm. Simulation results are shown that range capability is improved by 10.8%, and both attitude control and mechanical-thermal conditions are satisfied.

Conceptual design study of an improved gas turbine powertrain

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chapman, W. I.

1980-01-01

The conceptual design for an improved gas turbine (IGT) powertrain and vehicle was investigated. Cycle parameters, rotor systems, and component technology were reviewed and a dual rotor gas turbine concept was selected and optimized for best vehicle fuel economy. The engine had a two stage centrifugal compressor with a design pressure ratio of 5.28, two axial turbine stages with advanced high temperature alloy integral wheels, variable power turbine nozzle for turbine temperature and output torque control, catalytic combustor, and annular ceramic recuperator. The engine was rated at 54.81 kW, using water injection on hot days to maintain vehicle acceleration. The estimated vehicle fuel economy was 11.9 km/l in the combined driving cycle, 43 percent over the 1976 compact automobile. The estimated IGT production vehicle selling price was 10 percent over the comparable piston engine vehicle, but the improved fuel economy and reduced maintenance and repair resulted in a 9 percent reduction in life cycle cost.

Differences in use and impact of computer-tailored dietary fat-feedback according to stage of change and education.

PubMed

Brug, J; van Assema, P

2000-06-01

Computer-tailored written nutrition education has been found to be more effective in motivating people to reduce their consumption of fat than traditional written information. The present study aimed to test whether this innovative nutrition education intervention is also suitable for people with low motivation to change and low education among a self-selected sample of 699 adults. Computer-tailored feedback proved to be more effective in motivating precontemplators to proceed towards fat reduction than general information. Higher appreciation and use of the computer-tailored fat-feedback was found among respondents in contemplation than in other stages. No difference in impact of computer-tailored fat-feedback on fat intake was found between educational groups. Respondents with low education were more positive about how interesting and how personally relevant the tailored letters were. It was concluded that printed computer-tailored fat-feedback can be applied successfully to motivate precontemplators and people with low education to (consider to) reduce their fat intake.

Mathematical model of the direct reduction of dust composite pellets containing zinc and iron

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

An, Xiu-wei; Wang, Jing-song; She, Xue-feng; Xue, Qing-guo

2013-07-01

Direct reduction of dust composite pellets containing zinc and iron was examined by simulating the conditions of actual production process of a rotary hearth furnace (RHF) in laboratory. A mathematical model was constructed to study the reduction kinetics of iron oxides and ZnO in the dust composite pellets. It was validated by comparing the calculated values with experimental results. The effects of furnace temperature, pellet radius, and pellet porosity on the reduction were investigated by the model. It is shown that furnace temperature has obvious influence on both of the reduction of iron oxides and ZnO, but the influence of pellet radius and porosity is much smaller. Model calculations suggest that both of the reduction of iron oxides and ZnO are under mixed control with interface reactions and Boudouard reaction in the early stage, but only with interface reactions in the later stage.

Inland Treatment of the Brine Generated from Reverse Osmosis Advanced Membrane Wastewater Treatment Plant Using Epuvalisation System

PubMed Central

Qurie, Mohannad; Abbadi, Jehad; Scrano, Laura; Mecca, Gennaro; Bufo, Sabino A.; Khamis, Mustafa; Karaman, Rafik

2013-01-01

The reverse osmosis (RO) brine generated from the Al-Quds University wastewater treatment plant was treated using an epuvalisation system. The advanced integrated wastewater treatment plant included an activated sludge unit, two consecutive ultrafiltration (UF) membrane filters (20 kD and 100 kD cutoffs) followed by an activated carbon filter and a reverse osmosis membrane. The epuvalisation system consisted of salt tolerant plants grown in hydroponic channels under continuous water flowing in a closed loop system, and placed in a greenhouse at Al-Quds University. Sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum) plants were selected, and underwent two consecutive hydroponic flowing stages using different brine-concentrations: an adaptation stage, in which a 1:1 mixture of brine and fresh water was used; followed by a functioning stage, with 100% brine. A control treatment using fresh water was included as well. The experiment started in April and ended in June (2012). At the end of the experiment, analysis of the effluent brine showed a remarkable decrease of electroconductivity (EC), PO43−, chemical oxygen demand (COD) and K+ with a reduction of 60%, 74%, 70%, and 60%, respectively, as compared to the influent. The effluent of the control treatment showed 50%, 63%, 46%, and 90% reduction for the same parameters as compared to the influent. Plant growth parameters (plant height, fresh and dry weight) showed no significant difference between fresh water and brine treatments. Obtained results suggest that the epuvalisation system is a promising technique for inland brine treatment with added benefits. The increasing of channel number or closed loop time is estimated for enhancing the treatment process and increasing the nutrient uptake. Nevertheless, the epuvalisation technique is considered to be simple, efficient and low cost for inland RO brine treatment. PMID:23823802

Emission Reduction of Fuel-Staged Aircraft Engine Combustor Using an Additional Premixed Fuel Nozzle.

PubMed

Yamamoto, Takeshi; Shimodaira, Kazuo; Yoshida, Seiji; Kurosawa, Yoji

2013-03-01

The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) is conducting research and development on aircraft engine technologies to reduce environmental impact for the Technology Development Project for Clean Engines (TechCLEAN). As a part of the project, combustion technologies have been developed with an aggressive target that is an 80% reduction over the NO x threshold of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Committee on Aviation Environmental Protection (CAEP)/4 standard. A staged fuel nozzle with a pilot mixer and a main mixer was developed and tested using a single-sector combustor under the target engine's landing and takeoff (LTO) cycle conditions with a rated output of 40 kN and an overall pressure ratio of 25.8. The test results showed a 77% reduction over the CAEP/4 NO x standard. However, the reduction in smoke at thrust conditions higher than the 30% MTO condition and of CO emission at thrust conditions lower than the 85% MTO condition are necessary. In the present study, an additional fuel burner was designed and tested with the staged fuel nozzle in a single-sector combustor to control emissions. The test results show that the combustor enables an 82% reduction in NO x emissions relative to the ICAO CAEP/4 standard and a drastic reduction in smoke and CO emissions.

Changing beliefs about leisure noise: using health promotion models to investigate young people's engagement with, and attitudes towards, hearing health.

PubMed

Gilliver, Megan; Beach, Elizabeth Francis; Williams, Warwick

2015-04-01

To investigate factors influencing young people's motivation to reduce their leisure noise exposure, and protect their hearing health. Questionnaires were conducted online to investigate young people's hearing health attitudes and behaviour. Items were developed using an integrated health promotion approach. The stage of change model was used to group participants in relation to their engagement with noise reduction behaviour. The health belief model was used to compare each group's perceptions of susceptibility and severity of hearing loss, as well as the benefits and barriers to noise reduction. Results are presented for 1196 young Australians aged between 18 and 35 years. Participants' engagement with noise reduction behaviour was used to assign them to stage of change groupings: Maintenance (11%), Action (28%), Contemplation (14%), or Pre-contemplation (43%). Each group's responses to health belief model items highlighted key differences across the different stages of engagement. Future hearing health promotion may benefit from tailoring intervention activities to best suit the stage of change of individuals. Different information may be useful at each stage to best support and motivate young people to look after their hearing health.

Effects of extrusion temperature and dwell time on aflatoxin levels in cottonseed.

PubMed

Buser, Michael D; Abbas, Hamed K

2002-04-24

Cottonseed is an economical source of protein and is commonly used in balancing livestock rations; however, its use is typically limited by protein, fat, gossypol, and aflatoxin contents. Whole cottonseed was extruded to determine if the temperature and dwell time (multiple stages of processing) associated with the process affected aflatoxin levels. The extrusion temperature study showed that aflatoxin levels were reduced by an additional 33% when the cottonseed was extruded at 160 degrees C as compared to 104 degrees C. Furthermore, the multiple-pass extrusion study indicated that aflatoxin levels were reduced by an additional 55% when the cottonseed was extruded four times as compared to one time. To estimate the aflatoxin reductions due to extrusion temperature and dwell time, the least mean fits obtained for the individual studies were combined. Total estimated reductions of 55% (three stages of processing at 104 degrees C), 50% (two stages of processing at 132 degrees C), and 47% (one stage of processing at 160 degrees C) were obtained from the combined equations. If the extreme conditions (four stages of processing at 160 degrees C) of the evaluation studies are applied to the combined temperature and processing equation, the resulting aflatoxin reduction would be 76%.

Computer aided detection of clusters of microcalcifications on full field digital mammograms

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

Ge Jun; Sahiner, Berkman; Hadjiiski, Lubomir M.

2006-08-15

We are developing a computer-aided detection (CAD) system to identify microcalcification clusters (MCCs) automatically on full field digital mammograms (FFDMs). The CAD system includes six stages: preprocessing; image enhancement; segmentation of microcalcification candidates; false positive (FP) reduction for individual microcalcifications; regional clustering; and FP reduction for clustered microcalcifications. At the stage of FP reduction for individual microcalcifications, a truncated sum-of-squares error function was used to improve the efficiency and robustness of the training of an artificial neural network in our CAD system for FFDMs. At the stage of FP reduction for clustered microcalcifications, morphological features and features derived from themore » artificial neural network outputs were extracted from each cluster. Stepwise linear discriminant analysis (LDA) was used to select the features. An LDA classifier was then used to differentiate clustered microcalcifications from FPs. A data set of 96 cases with 192 images was collected at the University of Michigan. This data set contained 96 MCCs, of which 28 clusters were proven by biopsy to be malignant and 68 were proven to be benign. The data set was separated into two independent data sets for training and testing of the CAD system in a cross-validation scheme. When one data set was used to train and validate the convolution neural network (CNN) in our CAD system, the other data set was used to evaluate the detection performance. With the use of a truncated error metric, the training of CNN could be accelerated and the classification performance was improved. The CNN in combination with an LDA classifier could substantially reduce FPs with a small tradeoff in sensitivity. By using the free-response receiver operating characteristic methodology, it was found that our CAD system can achieve a cluster-based sensitivity of 70, 80, and 90 % at 0.21, 0.61, and 1.49 FPs/image, respectively. For case-based performance evaluation, a sensitivity of 70, 80, and 90 % can be achieved at 0.07, 0.17, and 0.65 FPs/image, respectively. We also used a data set of 216 mammograms negative for clustered microcalcifications to further estimate the FP rate of our CAD system. The corresponding FP rates were 0.15, 0.31, and 0.86 FPs/image for cluster-based detection when negative mammograms were used for estimation of FP rates.« less

Treatment-Related Morbidity in Prostate Cancer: A Comparison of 3-Dimensional Conformal Radiation Therapy With and Without Image Guidance Using Implanted Fiducial Markers

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

Singh, Jasmeet, E-mail: drsingh.j@gmail.com; Greer, Peter B.; White, Martin A.

Purpose: To estimate the prevalence of rectal and urinary dysfunctional symptoms using image guided radiation therapy (IGRT) with fiducials and magnetic resonance planning for prostate cancer. Methods and Materials: During the implementation stages of IGRT between September 2008 and March 2010, 367 consecutive patients were treated with prostatic irradiation using 3-dimensional conformal radiation therapy with and without IGRT (non-IGRT). In November 2010, these men were asked to report their bowel and bladder symptoms using a postal questionnaire. The proportions of patients with moderate to severe symptoms in these groups were compared using logistic regression models adjusted for tumor and treatmentmore » characteristic variables. Results: Of the 282 respondents, the 154 selected for IGRT had higher stage tumors, received higher prescribed doses, and had larger volumes of rectum receiving high dosage than did the 128 selected for non-IGRT. The follow-up duration was 8 to 26 months. Compared with the non-IGRT group, improvement was noted in all dysfunctional rectal symptoms using IGRT. In multivariable analyses, IGRT improved rectal pain (odds ratio [OR] 0.07 [0.009-0.7], P=.02), urgency (OR 0.27 [0.11-0.63], P=<.01), diarrhea (OR 0.009 [0.02-0.35], P<.01), and change in bowel habits (OR 0.18 [0.06-0.52], P<.010). No correlation was observed between rectal symptom levels and dose-volume histogram data. Urinary dysfunctional symptoms were similar in both treatment groups. Conclusions: In comparison with men selected for non-IGRT, a significant reduction of bowel dysfunctional symptoms was confirmed in men selected for IGRT, even though they had larger volumes of rectum treated to higher doses.« less

Nitrogen chemistry during burnout in fuel-staged combustion

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

Kristensen, P.G.; Glarborg, P.; Dam-Johansen, K.

A parametric study of the chemistry of the burnout zone in reburning has been performed in laboratory plug flow reactors in the temperature range 800--1,350 K. Inlet mole fractions of NO, NH{sub 3}, HCN, CO, and O{sub 2} were varied, together with different temperatures and residence times to simulate reaction conditions in practical systems. Under lean conditions, a minimum in NO emission exists as a function of temperature. Both HCN and NH{sub 3} can act as either NO reductants or as sources for NO by oxidation. Reactions and selectivities for HCN and NH{sub 3} are controlled by the radical poolmore » produced by fuel (CO) oxidation. As increasing amounts of CO were added, temperatures for both ignition and the minimum in NO became lower. At 2% CO, 4% O{sub 2}, and 100 ms residence time, the minimum in NO was found at approximately 1,000 K. At low temperatures, significant amounts of N{sub 2}O were measured in the reactor outlet. This is attributed to N{sub 2}O formation by HCN/NO reactions and to the slow decomposition of N{sub 2}O at these temperatures. Large reductions in NO were seen under fuel-rich conditions and at high temperatures. The observed NO reduction was very much dependent on the inlet mole fraction of O{sub 2}. Detailed chemical kinetic modeling of the experiments showed reasonable predictions for overall fuel-lean conditions, but the model failed to predict experimental results under fuel-rich conditions. The present results provide guidelines for optimizing the conditions for the burnout process of reburning, as well as other processes for NO{sub x} reduction by staged combustion. The results also provide a test basis for verifying kinetic models for nitrogen chemistry at low temperatures (800--1,350 K).« less

Are we able to reduce the mortality and morbidity of oral cancer; Some considerations

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Oral cancer makes up 1%-2% of all cancers that may arise in the body. The majority of oral cancers consists of squamous cell carcinomas. Oral cancer carries a considerable mortality rate, being mainly dependent on the stage of the disease at admission. Worldwide some 50% of the patients with oral cancer present with advanced disease. There are several ways of trying to diagnose oral cancer in a lower tumor stage, being 1) mass screening or screening in selected patients, 2) reduction of patients’ delay, and 3) reduction of doctors’ delay. Oral cancer population-based screening (“mass screening”) programs do not meet the guidelines for a successful outcome. There may be some benefit when focusing on high-risk groups, such as heavy smokers and heavy drinkers. Reported reasons for patients’ delay range from fear of a diagnosis of cancer, limited accessibility of primary health care, to unawareness of the possibility of malignant oral diseases. Apparently, information campaigns in news programs and TV have little effect on patients’ delay. Mouth self-examination may have some value in reducing patients’ delay. Doctors’ delay includes dentists’ delay and diagnostic delay caused by other medical and dental health care professionals. Doctors’ delay may vary from almost zero days up to more than six months. Usually, morbidity of cancer treatment is measured by quality of life (QoL) questionnaires. In the past decades this topic has drawn a lot of attention worldwide. It is a challenge to decrease the morbidity that is associated with the various treatment modalities that are used in oral cancer without substantially compromising the survival rate. Smoking cessation contributes to reducing the risk of oral cancers, with a 50% reduction in risk within five years. Indeed, risk factor reduction seems to be the most effective tool in an attempt to decrease the morbidity and mortality of oral cancer. Key words:Oral cancer, early diagnosis, quality of life. PMID:23229266

SELECTIVE CATALYTIC REDUCTION MERCURY FIELD SAMPLING PROJECT

EPA Science Inventory

The report details an investigation on the effect of selective catalytic reduction (SCR), selective noncatalytic reduction (SNCR), and flue gas conditioning on the speciation and removal of mercury at power plants. If SCR and/or SNCR systems enhance mercury conversion/capture, t...

Acoustic Benefits of Stator Sweep and Lean for a High Tip Speed Fan

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Woodward, Richard P.; Gazzaniga, John A.; Bartos, Linda J.; Hughes, Christopher E.

2002-01-01

A model high-speed fan stage was acoustically tested in the NASA Glenn 9- by 15-Foot Low Speed Wind Tunnel at takeoff/approach flight conditions. The fan was designed for a corrected rotor tip speed of 442 m/s (1450 ft/s), and had a powered core, or booster stage, giving the model a nominal bypass ratio of 5. The model also had a simulated engine pylon and nozzle bifurcation contained within the bypass duct. The fan was tested with three stator sets to evaluate acoustic benefits associated with a swept and leaned stator and with a swept integral vane/frame stator which incorporated some of the swept and leaned features as well as eliminated some of the downstream support structure. The baseline fan with the wide chord rotor and baseline stator approximated a current GEAE CF6 engine. A flyover effective perceived noise level (EPNL) code was used to generate relative EPNL values for the various configurations. Flyover effective perceived noise levels (EPNL) were computed from the model data to help project noise benefits. A tone removal study was also performed. The swept and leaned stator showed a 3 EPNdB reduction at lower fan speeds relative to the baseline stator; while the swept integral vane/frame stator showed lowest noise levels at intermediate fan speeds. Removal of the bypass blade passage frequency rotor tone (BPF) showed a 4 EPNdB reduction for the baseline and swept and leaned stators, and a 6 EPNdB reduction for the swept integral vane/ frame stator. Therefore, selective tone removal techniques such as active noise control and/or tuned liner could be particularly effective in reducing noise levels for certain fan speeds.

Reductive stripping process for uranium recovery from organic extracts

DOEpatents

Hurst, F.J. Jr.

1983-06-16

In the reductive stripping of uranium from an organic extractant in a uranium recovery process, the use of phosphoric acid having a molarity in the range of 8 to 10 increases the efficiency of the reductive stripping and allows the strip step to operate with lower aqueous to organic recycle ratios and shorter retention time in the mixer stages. Under these operating conditions, less solvent is required in the process, and smaller, less expensive process equipment can be utilized. The high strength H/sub 3/PO/sub 4/ is available from the evaporator stage of the process.

Reductive stripping process for uranium recovery from organic extracts

DOEpatents

Hurst, Jr., Fred J.

1985-01-01

In the reductive stripping of uranium from an organic extractant in a uranium recovery process, the use of phosphoric acid having a molarity in the range of 8 to 10 increases the efficiency of the reductive stripping and allows the strip step to operate with lower aqueous to organic recycle ratios and shorter retention time in the mixer stages. Under these operating conditions, less solvent is required in the process, and smaller, less expensive process equipment can be utilized. The high strength H.sub.3 PO.sub.4 is available from the evaporator stage of the process.

Investigation of a para-ortho hydrogen reactor for application to spacecraft sensor cooling

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nast, T. C.

1983-01-01

The utilization of solid hydrogen in space for sensor and instrument cooling is a very efficient technique for long term cooling or for cooling at high heat rates. The solid hydrogen can provide temperatures as low as 7 to 8 K to instruments. Vapor cooling is utilized to reduce parasitic heat inputs to the 7 to 8 K stage and is effective in providing intermediate cooling for instrument components operating at higher temperatures. The use of solid hydrogen in place of helium may lead to weight reductions as large as a factor of ten and an attendent reduction in system volume. The results of an investigation of a catalytic reactor for use with a solid hydrogen cooling system is presented. Trade studies were performed on several configurations of reactor to meet the requirements of high reactor efficiency with low pressure drop. Results for the selected reactor design are presented for both liquid hydrogen systems operating at near atmospheric pressure and the solid hydrogen cooler operating as low as 1 torr.

A Hybrid Classification System for Heart Disease Diagnosis Based on the RFRS Method.

PubMed

Liu, Xiao; Wang, Xiaoli; Su, Qiang; Zhang, Mo; Zhu, Yanhong; Wang, Qiugen; Wang, Qian

2017-01-01

Heart disease is one of the most common diseases in the world. The objective of this study is to aid the diagnosis of heart disease using a hybrid classification system based on the ReliefF and Rough Set (RFRS) method. The proposed system contains two subsystems: the RFRS feature selection system and a classification system with an ensemble classifier. The first system includes three stages: (i) data discretization, (ii) feature extraction using the ReliefF algorithm, and (iii) feature reduction using the heuristic Rough Set reduction algorithm that we developed. In the second system, an ensemble classifier is proposed based on the C4.5 classifier. The Statlog (Heart) dataset, obtained from the UCI database, was used for experiments. A maximum classification accuracy of 92.59% was achieved according to a jackknife cross-validation scheme. The results demonstrate that the performance of the proposed system is superior to the performances of previously reported classification techniques.

Improving the environmental profile of wood panels via co-production of ethanol and acetic acid.

PubMed

Earles, J Mason; Halog, Anthony; Shaler, Stephen

2011-11-15

The oriented strand board (OSB) biorefinery is an emerging technology that could improve the building, transportation, and chemical sectors' environmental profiles. By adding a hot water extraction stage to conventional OSB panel manufacturing, hemicellulose polysaccharides can be extracted from wood strands and converted to renewably sourced ethanol and acetic acid. Replacing fossil-based gasoline and acetic acid has the potential to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, among other possible impacts. At the same time, hemicellulose extraction could improve the environmental profile of OSB panels by reducing the level of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted during manufacturing. In this study, the life cycle significance of such GHG, VOC, and other emission reductions was investigated. A process model was developed based on a mix of laboratory and industrial-level mass and energy flow data. Using these data a life cycle assessment (LCA) model was built. Sensitive process parameters were identified and used to develop a target production scenario for the OSB biorefinery. The findings suggest that the OSB biorefinery's deployment could substantially improve human and ecosystem health via reduction of select VOCs compared to conventionally produced OSB, gasoline, and acetic acid. Technological advancements are needed, however, to achieve desirable GHG reductions.

Multi-Rate Acquisition for Dead Time Reduction in Magnetic Resonance Receivers: Application to Imaging With Zero Echo Time.

PubMed

Marjanovic, Josip; Weiger, Markus; Reber, Jonas; Brunner, David O; Dietrich, Benjamin E; Wilm, Bertram J; Froidevaux, Romain; Pruessmann, Klaas P

2018-02-01

For magnetic resonance imaging of tissues with very short transverse relaxation times, radio-frequency excitation must be immediately followed by data acquisition with fast spatial encoding. In zero-echo-time (ZTE) imaging, excitation is performed while the readout gradient is already on, causing data loss due to an initial dead time. One major dead time contribution is the settling time of the filters involved in signal down-conversion. In this paper, a multi-rate acquisition scheme is proposed to minimize dead time due to filtering. Short filters and high output bandwidth are used initially to minimize settling time. With increasing time since the signal onset, longer filters with better frequency selectivity enable stronger signal decimation. In this way, significant dead time reduction is accomplished at only a slight increase in the overall amount of output data. Multi-rate acquisition was implemented with a two-stage filter cascade in a digital receiver based on a field-programmable gate array. In ZTE imaging in a phantom and in vivo, dead time reduction by multi-rate acquisition is shown to improve image quality and expand the feasible bandwidth while increasing the amount of data collected by only a few percent.

Correction factors for self-selection when evaluating screening programmes.

PubMed

Spix, Claudia; Berthold, Frank; Hero, Barbara; Michaelis, Jörg; Schilling, Freimut H

2016-03-01

In screening programmes there is recognized bias introduced through participant self-selection (the healthy screenee bias). Methods used to evaluate screening programmes include Intention-to-screen, per-protocol, and the "post hoc" approach in which, after introducing screening for everyone, the only evaluation option is participants versus non-participants. All methods are prone to bias through self-selection. We present an overview of approaches to correct for this bias. We considered four methods to quantify and correct for self-selection bias. Simple calculations revealed that these corrections are actually all identical, and can be converted into each other. Based on this, correction factors for further situations and measures were derived. The application of these correction factors requires a number of assumptions. Using as an example the German Neuroblastoma Screening Study, no relevant reduction in mortality or stage 4 incidence due to screening was observed. The largest bias (in favour of screening) was observed when comparing participants with non-participants. Correcting for bias is particularly necessary when using the post hoc evaluation approach, however, in this situation not all required data are available. External data or further assumptions may be required for estimation. © The Author(s) 2015.

Two-stage, low noise advanced technology fan. 5: Acoustic final report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sofrin, T. G.; Riloff, N., Jr.

1975-01-01

The NASA Q2S(quiet two-stage) fan is a 0.836m (32.9 in.) diameter model of the STF 433 engine fan, selected in a 1972 study for an Advanced Technology Transport (ATT) airplane. Noise-control features include: low tip speed, moderate stage pressure rise, large blade-vane spacings, no inlet guide vanes, and optimum blade and vane numbers. Tests were run on the baseline Q2S fan with standard inlet and discharge ducts. Further tests were made of a translating centerbody sonic inlet device and treated discharge ducts. Results were scaled to JT8D and JT3D engine fan size for comparison with current two-stage fans, and were also scaled to STF 433 fan size to compare calculated ATT flyover noise with FAR 36 limits. Baseline Q2S results scaled to JT8D and JT3D engine fan sizes showed substantial noise reductions. Calculated unsuppressed baseline ATT flyovers averaged about 2.5 EPNdB below FAR 36 limits. Using measured sonic inlet results, scaled baseline Q2S fan results, and calculated attenuations for a 1975 technology duct liner, projected flyover noise calculations for the ATT averaged about FAR 36 limits minus 10 EPNdB. Advances in suppression technology required to meet the 1985 goal of FAR 36 limits minus 20 EPNdB are discussed.

Farmers Prone to Drought Risk: Why Some Farmers Undertake Farm-Level Risk-Reduction Measures While Others Not?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gebrehiwot, Tagel; van der Veen, Anne

2015-03-01

This research investigates farmers' cognitive perceptions of risk and the behavioral intentions to undertake farm-level risk-reduction measures. It has been observed that people who are susceptible to natural hazards often fail to act, or do very little, to protect their assets or lives. To answer the question of why some people show adaptive behavior while others do not, a socio-psychological model of precautionary adaptation based on protection motivation theory and trans-theoretical stage model has been applied for the first time to areas of drought risk in the developing countries cultural context. The applicability of the integrated model is explored by means of a representative sample survey of smallholder farmers in northern Ethiopia. The result of the study showed that there is a statistically significant association between farmer's behavioral intention to undertake farm-level risk-reduction measures and the main important protection motivation model variables. High perceived vulnerability, severity of consequences, self-efficacy, and response efficacy lead to higher levels of behavioral intentions to undertake farm-level risk-reduction measures. For farmers in the action stage, self-efficacy and response efficacy were the main motivators of behavioral intention. For farmers in the contemplative stage, self-efficacy and cost appear to be the main motivators for them to act upon risk reduction, while perceived severity of consequences and cost of response actions were found to be important for farmers in the pre-contemplative stage.

The Ecology and Evolution of Cancer: The Ultra-Microevolutionary Process.

PubMed

Wu, Chung-I; Wang, Hurng-Yi; Ling, Shaoping; Lu, Xuemei

2016-11-23

Although tumorigenesis has been accepted as an evolutionary process ( 20 , 102 ), many forces may operate differently in cancers than in organisms, as they evolve at vastly different time scales. Among such forces, natural selection, here defined as differential cellular proliferation among distinct somatic cell genotypes, is particularly interesting because its action might be thwarted in multicellular organisms ( 20 , 29 ). In this review, selection is analyzed in two stages of cancer evolution: Stage I is the evolution between tumors and normal tissues, and Stage II is the evolution within tumors. The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) data show a low degree of convergent evolution in Stage I, where genetic changes are not extensively shared among cases. An equally important, albeit much less highlighted, discovery using TCGA data is that there is almost no net selection in cancer evolution. Both positive and negative selection are evident but they neatly cancel each other out, rendering total selection ineffective in the absence of recombination. The efficacy of selection is even lower in Stage II, where neutral (non-Darwinian) evolution is increasingly supported by high-density sampling studies ( 81 , 123 ). Because natural selection is not a strong deterministic force, cancers usually evolve divergently even in similar tissue environments.

Energy management and vehicle synthesis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Czysz, P.; Murthy, S. N. B.

The major drivers in the development of launch vehicles for the twenty-first century are reduction in cost of vehicles and operations, continuous reusability, mission abort capability with vehicle recovery, and readiness. One approach to the design of such vehicles is to emphasize energy management and propulsion as being the principal means of improvements given the available industrial capability and the required freedom in selecting configuration concept geometries. A methodology has been developed for the rational synthesis of vehicles based on the setting up and utilization of available data and projections, and a reference vehicle. The application of the methodology is illustrated for a single stage to orbit (SSTO) with various limits for the use of airbreathing propulsion.

Energy management and vehicle synthesis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Czysz, P.; Murthy, S. N. B.

1995-01-01

The major drivers in the development of launch vehicles for the twenty-first century are reduction in cost of vehicles and operations, continuous reusability, mission abort capability with vehicle recovery, and readiness. One approach to the design of such vehicles is to emphasize energy management and propulsion as being the principal means of improvements given the available industrial capability and the required freedom in selecting configuration concept geometries. A methodology has been developed for the rational synthesis of vehicles based on the setting up and utilization of available data and projections, and a reference vehicle. The application of the methodology is illustrated for a single stage to orbit (SSTO) with various limits for the use of airbreathing propulsion.

Accelerating spirocyclic polyketide synthesis using flow chemistry.

PubMed

Newton, Sean; Carter, Catherine F; Pearson, Colin M; de C Alves, Leandro; Lange, Heiko; Thansandote, Praew; Ley, Steven V

2014-05-05

Over the past decade, the integration of synthetic chemistry with flow processing has resulted in a powerful platform for molecular assembly that is making an impact throughout the chemical community. Herein, we demonstrate the extension of these tools to encompass complex natural product synthesis. We have developed a number of novel flow-through processes for reactions commonly encountered in natural product synthesis programs to achieve the first total synthesis of spirodienal A and the preparation of spirangien A methyl ester. Highlights of the synthetic route include an iridium-catalyzed hydrogenation, iterative Roush crotylations, gold-catalyzed spiroketalization and a late-stage cis-selective reduction. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Umbilical paracentesis for incarcerated umbilical hernia in patients with end-stage liver disease.

PubMed

Alonso, S; Donat, M; Carrion, L; Rodriguez, J M; Diego, L; Acin, D; Serrano, A; Perez, E; Pereira, F

2016-08-01

Patients with cirrhosis and ascites are prone to abdominal wall complications largely predominate by umbilical hernia. Elective surgery is indicated in select patients but a high morbidity and mortality rate occurs if it is performed in emergency conditions. We present a clinical case of a patient with advanced alcoholic liver disease who came to the emergency room for an acutely incarcerated umbilical hernia. Due to the high surgical risk, we had to discuss other treatment options. The use of umbilical paracentesis for incarcerated hernia reduction in cirrhotic patients with tense ascites is a safe and reproducible technique. Umbilical paracentesis could be considered as an alternative to emergency surgery in these high-risk patients.

Study of water stress effects in different growth stages on yield and yield components of different rice (Oryza sativa L.) cultivars.

PubMed

Sarvestani, Zinolabedin Tahmasebi; Pirdashti, Hemmatollah; Sanavy, Seyed Ali Mohammad Modarres; Balouchi, Hamidreza

2008-05-15

A field experiment was conducted during 2001-2003 to evaluate the effect of water stress on the yield and yield components of four rice cultivars commonly grown in Mazandaran province, Iran. In northern Iran irrigated lowland rice usually experiences water deficit during the growing season include of land preparation time, planting, tillering stage, flowering and grain filing period. Recently drought affected 20 of 28 provinces in Iran; with the southeastern, central and eastern parts of the country being most severely affected. The local and improved cultivars used were Tarom, Khazar, Fajr and Nemat. The different water stress conditions were water stress during vegetative, flowering and grain filling stages and well watered was the control. Water stress at vegetative stage significantly reduced plant height of all cultivars. Water stress at flowering stage had a greater grain yield reduction than water stress at other times. The reduction of grain yield largely resulted from the reduction in fertile panicle and filled grain percentage. Water deficit during vegetative, flowering and grain filling stages reduced mean grain yield by 21, 50 and 21% on average in comparison to control respectively. The yield advantage of two semidwarf varieties, Fajr and Nemat, were not maintained under drought stress. Total biomass, harvest index, plant height, filled grain, unfilled grain and 1000 grain weight were reduced under water stress in all cultivars. Water stress at vegetative stage effectively reduced total biomass due to decrease of photosynthesis rate and dry matter accumulation.

High-performance computer aided detection system for polyp detection in CT colonography with fluid and fecal tagging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Jiamin; Wang, Shijun; Kabadi, Suraj; Summers, Ronald M.

2009-02-01

CT colonography (CTC) is a feasible and minimally invasive method for the detection of colorectal polyps and cancer screening. Computer-aided detection (CAD) of polyps has improved consistency and sensitivity of virtual colonoscopy interpretation and reduced interpretation burden. A CAD system typically consists of four stages: (1) image preprocessing including colon segmentation; (2) initial detection generation; (3) feature selection; and (4) detection classification. In our experience, three existing problems limit the performance of our current CAD system. First, highdensity orally administered contrast agents in fecal-tagging CTC have scatter effects on neighboring tissues. The scattering manifests itself as an artificial elevation in the observed CT attenuation values of the neighboring tissues. This pseudo-enhancement phenomenon presents a problem for the application of computer-aided polyp detection, especially when polyps are submerged in the contrast agents. Second, general kernel approach for surface curvature computation in the second stage of our CAD system could yield erroneous results for thin structures such as small (6-9 mm) polyps and for touching structures such as polyps that lie on haustral folds. Those erroneous curvatures will reduce the sensitivity of polyp detection. The third problem is that more than 150 features are selected from each polyp candidate in the third stage of our CAD system. These high dimensional features make it difficult to learn a good decision boundary for detection classification and reduce the accuracy of predictions. Therefore, an improved CAD system for polyp detection in CTC data is proposed by introducing three new techniques. First, a scale-based scatter correction algorithm is applied to reduce pseudo-enhancement effects in the image pre-processing stage. Second, a cubic spline interpolation method is utilized to accurately estimate curvatures for initial detection generation. Third, a new dimensionality reduction classifier, diffusion map and local linear embedding (DMLLE), is developed for classification and false positives (FP) reduction. Performance of the improved CAD system is evaluated and compared with our existing CAD system (without applying those techniques) using CT scans of 1186 patients. These scans are divided into a training set and a test set. The sensitivity of the improved CAD system increased 18% on training data at a rate of 5 FPs per patient and 15% on test data at a rate of 5 FPs per patient. Our results indicated that the improved CAD system achieved significantly better performance on medium-sized colonic adenomas with higher sensitivity and lower FP rate in CTC.

Al Control in High Titanium Ferro with Low Oxygen Prepared by Thermite Reaction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dou, Zhi-he; Wang, Cong; Fan, Shi-gang; Shi, Guan-yong; Zhang, Ting-an

Based on the pre-works, this paper proposed a new short stage process of the intensify aluminothermy reduction by the stage to prepare high titanium ferroalloy with low O and Al contents. We investigated the effects of Al and Ca and Si combination reduction agent, slag type and step-up reduction conditions on the Al content and distribution in the alloy. The results show that the step-up reduction can not only reduce effectively the oxygen content in the alloy, but also reduce effectively Al content. For instance, the oxygen content in high titanium ferroalloy is within 1%˜4%, and the Al content is within 1%˜5%. Its quality reaches the requirement of high titanium ferroalloy prepared by remelting process.

SELECTIVE CATALYTIC REDUCTION MERCURY FIELD SAMPLING PROJECT

EPA Science Inventory

A lack of data still exists as to the effect of selective catalytic reduction (SCR), selective noncatalytic reduction (SNCR), and flue gas conditioning on the speciation and removal of mercury (Hg) at power plants. This project investigates the impact that SCR, SNCR, and flue gas...

A selected controlled trial of supplementary vitamin E for treatment of muscle cramps in hemodialysis patients.

PubMed

El-Hennawy, Adel S; Zaib, Salwat

2010-01-01

Muscle cramps are not uncommon complications of hemodialysis (HD) treatments and lead to early termination of HD sessions and are therefore a significant cause of under-dialysis. The etiology of cramps in dialysis patients remains a matter of debate. Many reports suggested that vitamin E (vit. E) may be effective for the prevention of HD-associated cramps. We decided to perform a selected controlled trial of supplementary vit. E for treatment of patients on HD who experience frequent attacks during and between HD sessions. The goal was to compare the number of attacks of muscle cramps with the patient's baseline over a specific period of time. In this study, 19 HD patients were randomly selected of different age groups and ethnicity. Patient must have had at least 60 attacks of muscle cramps during and between HD sessions over a 12-week period. All selected patients received vit. E at a dose of 400 international units daily for 12 weeks, and the number of attacks of muscle cramps was recorded. The frequency of muscle cramps decreased significantly during vit. E therapy, and, at the end of the trial, vit. E led to cramp reductions of 68.3%. The reduction in number of attacks of muscle cramps had no significant correlation with age, sex, etiology of end-stage renal disease, serum electrolytes, or HD duration, and it showed a statistically positive correlation (P = 0.0001) with vit. E therapy. No vit. E-related adverse effects were encountered during the trial. Short-term treatment with vit. E is safe and effective in reducing number of attacks of muscle cramps in HD patients, as shown in our study.

Advanced rotorcraft transmission program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bill, Robert C.

1990-01-01

The Advanced Rotorcraft Transmission (ART) program is an Army-funded, joint Army/NASA program to develop and demonstrate lightweight, quiet, durable drivetrain systems for next generation rotorcraft. ART addresses the drivetrain requirements of two distinct next generation aircraft classes: Future Air Attack Vehicle, a 10,000 to 20,000 lb. aircraft capable of undertaking tactical support and air-to-air missions; and Advanced Cargo Aircraft, a 60,000 to 80,000 lb. aircraft capable of heavy life field support operations. Both tiltrotor and more conventional helicopter configurations are included in the ART program. Specific objectives of ART include reduction of drivetrain weight by 25 percent compared to baseline state-of-the-art drive systems configured and sized for the next generation aircraft, reduction of noise level at the transmission source by 10 dB relative to a suitably sized and configured baseline, and attainment of at least a 5000 hr mean-time-between-removal. The technical approach for achieving the ART goals includes application of the latest available component, material, and lubrication technology to advanced concept drivetrains that utilize new ideas in gear configuration, transmission layout, and airframe/drivetrain integration. To date, candidate drivetrain systems were carried to a conceptual design stage, and tradeoff studies were conducted resulting in selection of an ART transmission configuration for each of the four contractors. The final selection was based on comparative weight, noise, and reliability studies. A description of each of the selected ART designs is included. Preliminary design of each of the four selected ART transmission was completed, as have mission impact studies wherein comparisons of aircraft mission performance and life cycle costs are undertaken for the next generation aircraft with ART and with the baseline transmission.

Thermal Design of Vapor Cooling of Flight Vehicle Structures Using LH2 Boil-Off

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wang, Xiao-Yen; Zoeckler, Joseph

2015-01-01

Using hydrogen boil-off vapor to cool the structure of a flight vehicle cryogenic upper stage can reduce heat loads to the stage and increase the usable propellant in the stage or extend the life of the stage. The hydrogen vapor can be used to absorb incoming heat as it increases in temperature before being vented overboard. In theory, the amount of heat leaking into the hydrogen tank from the structure will be reduced if the structure is cooled using the propellant boil-off vapor. However, the amount of boil-off vapor available to be used for cooling and the reduction in heat leak to the propellant tank are dependent to each other. The amount of heat leak reduction to the LH2 tank also depends on the total heat load on the stage and the vapor cooling configurations.

Isothermal reduction kinetics and mineral phase of chromium-bearing vanadium-titanium sinter reduced with CO gas at 873-1273 K

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Song-tao; Zhou, Mi; Jiang, Tao; Xue, Xiang-xin

2018-02-01

Reduction of chromium-bearing vanadium-titanium sinter (CVTS) was studied under simulated conditions of a blast furnace, and thermodynamics and kinetics were theoretically analyzed. Reduction kinetics of CVTS at different temperatures was evaluated using a shrinking unreacted core model. The microstructure, mineral phase, and variation of the sinter during reduction were observed by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and metallographic microscopy. Results indicate that porosity of CVTS increased with temperature. Meanwhile, the reduction degree of the sinter improved with the reduction rate. Reduction of the sinter was controlled by a chemical reaction at the initial stage and inner diffusion at the final stage. Activation energies measured 29.22-99.69 kJ/mol. Phase transformations in CVTS reduction are as follows: Fe2O3→Fe3O4→FeO→Fe; Fe2TiO5→Fe2TiO4→FeTiO3; FeO·V2O3→V2O3; FeO·Cr2O3→Cr2O3.

Effects of Cancer Stage and Treatment Differences on Racial Disparities in Survival From Colon Cancer: A United States Population-Based Study.

PubMed

Lai, Yinzhi; Wang, Chun; Civan, Jesse M; Palazzo, Juan P; Ye, Zhong; Hyslop, Terry; Lin, Jianqing; Myers, Ronald E; Li, Bingshan; Jiang, Binghua; Sama, Ashwin; Xing, Jinliang; Yang, Hushan

2016-05-01

We evaluated differences in treatment of black vs white patients with colon cancer and assessed their effects on survival, based on cancer stage. We collected data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results-Medicare database and identified 6190 black and 61,951 white patients with colon cancer diagnosed from 1998 through 2009 and followed up through 2011. Three sets of 6190 white patients were matched sequentially, using a minimum distance strategy, to the same set of 6190 black patients based on demographic (age; sex; diagnosis year; and Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results registry), tumor presentation (demographic plus comorbidities, tumor stage, grade, and size), and treatment (presentation plus therapies) variables. We conducted sensitivity analyses to explore the effects of socioeconomic status in a subcohort that included 2000 randomly selected black patients. Racial differences in treatment were assessed using a logistic regression model; their effects on racial survival disparity were evaluated using the Kaplan-Meier method and the Cox proportional hazards model. After patients were matched for demographic variables, the absolute 5-year difference in survival between black and white patients was 8.3% (white, 59.2% 5-y survival; blacks, 50.9% 5-y survival) (P < .0001); this value decreased significantly, to 5.0% (P < .0001), after patients were matched for tumor presentation, and decreased to 4.9% (P < .0001) when patients were matched for treatment. Differences in treatment therefore accounted for 0.1% of the 8.3% difference in survival between black and white patients. After patients were matched for tumor presentation, racial disparities were observed in almost all types of treatment; the disparities were most prominent for patients with advanced-stage cancer (stages III or IV, up to an 11.1% difference) vs early stage cancer (stages I or II, up to a 4.3% difference). After patients were matched for treatment, there was a greater reduction in disparity for black vs white patients with advanced-stage compared with early-stage cancer. In sensitivity analyses, the 5-year racial survival disparity was 7.7% after demographic match, which was less than the 8.3% observed in the complete cohort. This reduction likely was owing to the differences between the subcohort and the complete cohort in those variables that were not included in the demographic match. This value was reduced to 6.5% (P = .0001) after socioeconomic status was included in the demographic match. The difference decreased significantly to 2.8% (P = .090) after tumor presentation match, but was not reduced further after treatment match. We observed significant disparities in treatment and survival of black vs white patients with colon cancer. The disparity in survival appears to have been affected more strongly by tumor presentation at diagnosis than treatment. The effects of treatment differences on disparities in survival were greater for patients with advanced-stage vs early-stage cancer. Copyright © 2016 AGA Institute. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

40 CFR 60.2680 - What if I do not use a wet scrubber, fabric filter, activated carbon injection, selective...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

..., fabric filter, activated carbon injection, selective noncatalytic reduction, an electrostatic... use a wet scrubber, fabric filter, activated carbon injection, selective noncatalytic reduction, an... reduction, fabric filter, an electrostatic precipitator, or a dry scrubber or limit emissions in some other...

40 CFR 60.2680 - What if I do not use a wet scrubber, fabric filter, activated carbon injection, selective...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

..., fabric filter, activated carbon injection, selective noncatalytic reduction, an electrostatic... use a wet scrubber, fabric filter, activated carbon injection, selective noncatalytic reduction, an... reduction, fabric filter, an electrostatic precipitator, or a dry scrubber or limit emissions in some other...

Direction selectivity of blowfly motion-sensitive neurons is computed in a two-stage process.

PubMed Central

Borst, A; Egelhaaf, M

1990-01-01

Direction selectivity of motion-sensitive neurons is generally thought to result from the nonlinear interaction between the signals derived from adjacent image points. Modeling of motion-sensitive networks, however, reveals that such elements may still respond to motion in a rather poor directionally selective way. Direction selectivity can be significantly enhanced if the nonlinear interaction is followed by another processing stage in which the signals of elements with opposite preferred directions are subtracted from each other. Our electrophysiological experiments in the fly visual system suggest that here direction selectivity is acquired in such a two-stage process. Images PMID:2251278

Reduced neophobia: a potential mechanism explaining the emergence of self-medicative behavior in sheep.

PubMed

Egea, A Vanina; Hall, Jeffery O; Miller, James; Spackman, Casey; Villalba, Juan J

2014-08-01

Gastrointestinal helminths challenge ruminants in ways that reduce their fitness. In turn, ruminants have evolved physiological and behavioral adaptations that counteract this challenge. For instance, emerging behavioral evidence suggests that ruminants self-select medicinal compounds and foods that reduce parasitic burdens. However, the mechanism/s leading to self-medicative behaviors in sick animals is still unknown. We hypothesized that when homeostasis is disturbed by a parasitic infection, consumers should respond by increasing the acceptability of novel foods relative to healthy individuals. Three groups of lambs (N=10) were dosed with 0 (Control-C), 5000 (Medium-M) and 15000 (High-H) L3 stage larvae of Haemonchus contortus. When parasites had reached the adult stage, all animals were offered novel foods and flavors in pens and then novel forages at pasture. Ingestive responses by parasitized lambs were different from non-parasitized Control animals and they varied with the type of food and flavor on offer. Parasitized lambs consumed initially more novel beet pulp and less novel beet pulp mixed with tannins than Control lambs, but the pattern reversed after 9d of exposure to these foods. Parasitized lambs ingested more novel umami-flavored food and less novel bitter-flavored food than Control lambs. When offered choices of novel unflavored and bitter-flavored foods or different forage species to graze, parasitized lambs selected a more diverse array of foods than Control lambs. Reductions in food neophobia or selection of a more diverse diet may enhance the likelihood of sick herbivores encountering novel medicinal plants and nutritious forages that contribute to restore health. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Restricting Time in Bed in Early Adolescence Reduces Both NREM and REM Sleep but Does Not Increase Slow Wave EEG.

PubMed

Campbell, Ian G; Kraus, Amanda M; Burright, Christopher S; Feinberg, Irwin

2016-09-01

School night total sleep time decreases across adolescence (9-18 years) by 10 min/year. This decline is comprised entirely of a selective decrease in NREM sleep; REM sleep actually increases slightly. Decreasing sleep duration across adolescence is often attributed to insufficient time in bed. Here we tested whether sleep restriction in early adolescence produces the same sleep stage changes observed on school nights across adolescence. All-night sleep EEG was recorded in 76 children ranging in age from 9.9 to 14.0 years. Each participant kept 3 different sleep schedules that consisted of 3 nights of 8.5 h in bed followed by 4 nights of either 7, 8.5, or 10 h in bed. Sleep stage durations and NREM delta EEG activity were compared across the 3 time in bed conditions. Shortening time in bed from 10 to 7 hours reduced sleep duration by approximately 2 hours, roughly equal to the decrease in sleep duration we recorded longitudinally across adolescence. However, sleep restriction significantly reduced both NREM (by 83 min) and REM (by 47 min) sleep. Sleep restriction did not affect NREM delta EEG activity. Our findings suggest that the selective NREM reduction and the small increase in REM we observed longitudinally across 9-18 years are not produced by sleep restriction. We hypothesize that the selective NREM decline reflects adolescent brain maturation (synaptic elimination) that reduces the need for the restorative processes of NREM sleep. © 2016 Associated Professional Sleep Societies, LLC.

Current strategies with 1-stage prosthetic breast reconstruction

PubMed Central

2015-01-01

Background 1-stage prosthetic breast reconstruction is gaining traction as a preferred method of breast reconstruction in select patients who undergo mastectomy for cancer or prevention. Methods Critical elements to the procedure including patient selection, technique, surgical judgment, and postoperative care were reviewed. Results Outcomes series reveal that in properly selected patients, direct-to-implant (DTI) reconstruction has similar low rates of complications and high rates of patient satisfaction compared to traditional 2-stage reconstruction. Conclusions 1-stage prosthetic breast reconstruction may be the procedure of choice in select patients undergoing mastectomy. Advantages include the potential for the entire reconstructive process to be complete in one surgery, the quick return to normal activities, and lack of donor site morbidity. PMID:26005643

Adjuvant radiotherapy for stage I endometrial cancer.

PubMed

Kong, A; Johnson, N; Cornes, P; Simera, I; Collingwood, M; Williams, C; Kitchener, H

2007-04-18

The role of adjuvant radiotherapy (both pelvic external beam radiotherapy and vaginal intracavity brachytherapy) in stage I endometrial cancer following total abdominal hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy (TAH and BSO) remains unclear. To assess the efficacy of adjuvant radiotherapy following surgery for stage I endometrial cancer. The Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), MEDLINE, EMBASE, CancerLit, Physician Data Query (PDQ) of National Cancer Institute. Handsearching was also carried out where appropriate. Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) which compared adjuvant radiotherapy versus no radiotherapy following surgery for patients with stage I endometrial cancer were included. Quality of the studies was assessed and data collected using a predefined data collection form. The primary endpoint was overall survival. Secondary endpoints were locoregional recurrence, distant recurrence and endometrial cancer death. Data on quality of life (QOL) and morbidity were also collected. A meta-analysis on included trials was performed using the Cochrane Collaboration Review Manager Software 4.2. The meta-analysis was performed on four trials (1770 patients). The addition of pelvic external beam radiotherapy to surgery reduced locoregional recurrence, a relative risk (RR) of 0.28 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.17 to 0.44, p < 0.00001), which is a 72% reduction in the risk of pelvic relapse (95% CI 56% to 83%) and an absolute risk reduction of 6% (95% CI of 4 to 8%). The number needed to treat (NNT) to prevent one locoregional recurrence is 16.7 patients (95% CI 12.5 to 25). The reduction in the risk of locoregional recurrence did not translate into either a reduction in the risk of distant recurrence or death from all causes or endometrial cancer death. A subgroup analysis of women with multiple high risk factors (including stage 1c and grade 3) showed a trend toward the reduction in the risk of death from all causes and endometrial cancer death in patients who underwent adjuvant external beam radiotherapy. Patients with stage I endometrial carcinoma have different risks of local and distant recurrence depending on the presence of risk factors including stage 1c, grade 3, lymphovascular space invasion and age. Though external beam pelvic radiotherapy reduced locoregional recurrence by 72%, there is no evidence to suggest that it reduced the risk of death. In patients with multiple high risk factors, including stage 1c and grade 3, there was a trend towards a survival benefit and adjuvant external beam radiotherapy may be justified. For patients with only one risk factor, grade 3 or stage 1c, no definite conclusion can be made and data from ongoing studies ( ASTEC; Lukka) are awaited. External beam radiotherapy carries a risk of toxicity and should be avoided in stage 1 endometrial cancer patients with no high risk factors.

Optimization of a novel enzyme treatment process for early-stage processing of sheepskins.

PubMed

Lim, Y F; Bronlund, J E; Allsop, T F; Shilton, A N; Edmonds, R L

2010-01-01

An enzyme treatment process for early-stage processing of sheepskins has been previously reported by the Leather and Shoe Research Association of New Zealand (LASRA) as an alternative to current industry operations. The newly developed process had marked benefits over conventional processing in terms of a lowered energy usage (73%), processing time (47%) as well as water use (49%), but had been developed as a "proof of principle''. The objective of this work was to develop the process further to a stage ready for adoption by industry. Mass balancing was used to investigate potential modifications for the process based on the understanding developed from a detailed analysis of preliminary design trials. Results showed that a configuration utilising a 2 stage counter-current system for the washing stages and segregation and recycling of enzyme float prior to dilution in the neutralization stage was a significant improvement. Benefits over conventional processing include a reduction of residual TDS by 50% at the washing stages and 70% savings on water use overall. Benefits over the un-optimized LASRA process are reduction of solids in product after enzyme treatment and neutralization stages by 30%, additional water savings of 21%, as well as 10% savings of enzyme usage.

The 3 faces of clinical reasoning: Epistemological explorations of disparate error reduction strategies.

PubMed

Monteiro, Sandra; Norman, Geoff; Sherbino, Jonathan

2018-06-01

There is general consensus that clinical reasoning involves 2 stages: a rapid stage where 1 or more diagnostic hypotheses are advanced and a slower stage where these hypotheses are tested or confirmed. The rapid hypothesis generation stage is considered inaccessible for analysis or observation. Consequently, recent research on clinical reasoning has focused specifically on improving the accuracy of the slower, hypothesis confirmation stage. Three perspectives have developed in this line of research, and each proposes different error reduction strategies for clinical reasoning. This paper considers these 3 perspectives and examines the underlying assumptions. Additionally, this paper reviews the evidence, or lack of, behind each class of error reduction strategies. The first perspective takes an epidemiological stance, appealing to the benefits of incorporating population data and evidence-based medicine in every day clinical reasoning. The second builds on the heuristic and bias research programme, appealing to a special class of dual process reasoning models that theorizes a rapid error prone cognitive process for problem solving with a slower more logical cognitive process capable of correcting those errors. Finally, the third perspective borrows from an exemplar model of categorization that explicitly relates clinical knowledge and experience to diagnostic accuracy. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

The kinetics of ulvoespinel reduction - Synthetic study and applications to lunar rocks.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mccallister, R. H.; Taylor, L. A.

1973-01-01

The kinetics of Fe2TiO4 reduction to FeTiO3 + Fe were studied using CO-CO2 gas mixtures with fO2 measured by a solid ceramic (calcia-zirconia) oxygen electrolyte cell. Isothermal rate studies at 900 C suggest that the mechanism of Fe2TiO4 reduction is one of nucleation and growth, where the growth stage may be controlled by the diffusion of the reactant through the product layer or volume diffusion. The activation energy for the growth stage of the process was determined to be 46 plus or minus 4 kcal/mole.

Low energy stage study. Volume 3: Conceptual design, interface analysis, flight and ground operations. [launching space shuttle payloads

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1978-01-01

Low energy conceptual stage designs and adaptations to existing/planned shuttle upper stages were developed and their performance established. Selected propulsion modes and subsystems were used as a basis to develop airborne support equipment (ASE) design concepts. Orbiter installation and integration (both physical and electrical interfaces) were defined. Low energy stages were adapted to the orbiter and ASE interfaces. Selected low energy stages were then used to define and describe typical ground and flight operations.

Clinical and Immunoinflammatory Evaluation of One-Stage Full-Mouth Ultrasonic Debridement as a Therapeutic Approach for Smokers With Generalized Aggressive Periodontitis: A Short-Term Follow-Up Study.

PubMed

De Genaro Modanese, Danielle; Tiosso-Tamburi, Renato; Furletti de Goes, Vivian Fernandes; de Cássia Bergamaschi, Cristiane; Martinez, Elizabeth Ferreira; Napimoga, Marcelo Henrique; Peruzzo, Daiane Cristina

2016-09-01

This study aims to evaluate the effect of one-stage full-mouth ultrasonic debridement (OSFMUD) on clinical and immunoinflammatory parameters in smokers with generalized aggressive periodontitis (GAgP). Fourteen smoking and 14 non-smoking patients with GAgP were selected. After initial supragingival therapy, patients were treated by OSFMUD. Full-mouth parameters evaluated were: 1) plaque index (PI); 2) bleeding scores (BS); 3) probing depth (PD); and 4) clinical attachment level (CAL). Clinical evaluation was performed, and gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) was collected for selected sites (ss) at baseline and 1, 3, and 6 months. GCF was analyzed via enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for: 1) receptor activator of nuclear factor-κ B ligand (RANKL); 2) osteoprotegerin (OPG); 3) interleukin (IL)-6; and 4) tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, whereas secreted osteoclastogenic factor of activated T-cells (SOFAT) was evaluated by Western blotting. Significant reduction (P <0.05) was observed between baseline and 6 months for: 1) PI; 2) BS; and 3) PD, with no difference between smoking and non-smoking patients (P >0.05). Regarding CAL, only non-smoking patients showed a significant decrease (P <0.05). Significant reduction (P <0.05) was observed in both groups for: 1) PIss; 2) PDss; 3) bleeding on probing; and 4) relative CAL. Smoking and non-smoking patients presented significantly decreased levels of IL-6 and TNF-α over time (P <0.05); however, no difference was observed between groups (P >0.05). RANKL was significantly different (P <0.05) only for non-smokers at 6 months, whereas OPG was not significant (P >0.05). SOFAT expression was significantly lower (P <0.05) after OSFMUD for non-smokers only. Considering the clinical and immunoinflammatory parameters evaluated in this short-term follow-up study, it can be concluded that OSFMUD can be used as an alternative treatment for smokers with GAgP.

The Influence of Changes in Size and Proportion of Selected Facial Features (Eyes, Nose, Mouth) on Assessment of Similarity between Female Faces.

PubMed

Lewandowski, Zdzisław

2015-09-01

The project aimed at finding the answers to the following two questions: to what extent does a change in size, height or width of the selected facial features influence the assessment of likeness between an original female composite portrait and a modified one? And how does the sex of the person who judges the images have an impact on the perception of likeness of facial features? The first stage of the project consisted of creating the image of the averaged female faces. Then the basic facial features like eyes, nose and mouth were cut out of the averaged face and each of these features was transformed in three ways: its size was changed by reduction or enlargement, its height was modified through reduction or enlargement of the above-mentioned features and its width was altered through widening or narrowing. In each out of six feature alternation methods, intensity of modification reached up to 20% of the original size with changes every 2%. The features altered in such a way were again stuck onto the original faces and retouched. The third stage consisted of the assessment, performed by the judges of both sexes, of the extent of likeness between the averaged composite portrait (without any changes) and the modified portraits. The results indicate that there are significant differences in the assessment of likeness of the portraits with some features modified to the original ones. The images with changes in the size and height of the nose received the lowest scores on the likeness scale, which indicates that these changes were perceived by the subjects as the most important. The photos with changes in the height of lip vermillion thickness (the lip height), lip width and the height and width of eye slit, in turn, received high scores of likeness, in spite of big changes, which signifies that these modifications were perceived as less important when compared to the other features investigated.

Suppression of Radiation-Induced Testicular Germ Cell Apoptosis by 2,5-Hexanedione Pretreatment. III. Candidate Gene Analysis Identifies a Role for Fas in the Attenuation of X-ray–Induced Apoptosis

PubMed Central

Campion, Sarah N.; Sandrof, Moses A.; Yamasaki, Hideki; Boekelheide, Kim

2010-01-01

Germ cell apoptosis directly induced by x-radiation (x-ray) exposure is stage specific, with a higher incidence in stage II/III seminiferous tubules. A priming exposure to the Sertoli cell toxicant 2,5-hexanedione (HD) results in a marked reduction in x-ray–induced germ cell apoptosis in these affected stages. Because of the stage specificity of these responses, examination of associated gene expression in whole testis tissue has clear limitations. Laser capture microdissection (LCM) of specific cell populations in the testis is a valuable technique for investigating the responses of different cell types following toxicant exposure. LCM coupled with quantitative real-time PCR was performed to examine the expression of apoptosis-related genes at both early (3 h) and later (12 h) time points after x-ray exposure, with or without the priming exposure to HD. The mRNAs examined include Fas, FasL, caspase 3, bcl-2, p53, PUMA, and AEN, which were identified either by literature searches or microarray analysis. Group 1 seminiferous tubules (stages I–VI) exhibited the greatest changes in gene expression. Further analysis of this stage group (SG) revealed that Fas induction by x-ray is significantly attenuated by HD co-exposure. Selecting only for germ cells from seminiferous tubules of the most sensitive SG has provided further insight into the mechanisms involved in the co-exposure response. It is hypothesized that following co-exposure, germ cells adapt to the lack of Sertoli cell support by reducing the Fas response to normal FasL signals. These findings provide a better understanding and appreciation of the tissue complexity and technical difficulties associated with examining gene expression in the testis. PMID:20616204

The Effect of Carbonaceous Reductant Selection on Chromite Pre-reduction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kleynhans, E. L. J.; Beukes, J. P.; Van Zyl, P. G.; Bunt, J. R.; Nkosi, N. S. B.; Venter, M.

2017-04-01

Ferrochrome (FeCr) production is an energy-intensive process. Currently, the pelletized chromite pre-reduction process, also referred to as solid-state reduction of chromite, is most likely the FeCr production process with the lowest specific electricity consumption, i.e., MWh/t FeCr produced. In this study, the effects of carbonaceous reductant selection on chromite pre-reduction and cured pellet strength were investigated. Multiple linear regression analysis was employed to evaluate the effect of reductant characteristics on the aforementioned two parameters. This yielded mathematical solutions that can be used by FeCr producers to select reductants more optimally in future. Additionally, the results indicated that hydrogen (H)- (24 pct) and volatile content (45.8 pct) were the most significant contributors for predicting variance in pre-reduction and compressive strength, respectively. The role of H within this context is postulated to be linked to the ability of a reductant to release H that can induce reduction. Therefore, contrary to the current operational selection criteria, the authors believe that thermally untreated reductants ( e.g., anthracite, as opposed to coke or char), with volatile contents close to the currently applied specification (to ensure pellet strength), would be optimal, since it would maximize H content that would enhance pre-reduction.

Single-stage experimental evaluation of tandem-airfoil rotor and stator blading for compressors. Part 5: Analysis and design of stages D and E

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brent, J. A.; Cheatham, J. G.; Clemmons, D. R.

1972-01-01

A conventional and a tandem bladed stage were designed for a comparative experimental evaluation in a 0.8 hub/tip ratio single-stage compressor. Based on a preliminary design study, a radially constant work input distribution was selected for the rotor designs. Velocity diagrams and blade leading and trailing edge angles selected for the conventional rotor and stator were used in the design of the tandem blading. The effects of axial velocity ratio and secondary flow on turning were included in the selection of blade leading and trailing edge angles. Design values of rotor tip velocity and stage pressure ratio were 757 ft/sec and 1.26, respectively.

GIFTS SM EDU Data Processing and Algorithms

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tian, Jialin; Johnson, David G.; Reisse, Robert A.; Gazarik, Michael J.

2007-01-01

The Geosynchronous Imaging Fourier Transform Spectrometer (GIFTS) Sensor Module (SM) Engineering Demonstration Unit (EDU) is a high resolution spectral imager designed to measure infrared (IR) radiances using a Fourier transform spectrometer (FTS). The GIFTS instrument employs three Focal Plane Arrays (FPAs), which gather measurements across the long-wave IR (LWIR), short/mid-wave IR (SMWIR), and visible spectral bands. The raw interferogram measurements are radiometrically and spectrally calibrated to produce radiance spectra, which are further processed to obtain atmospheric profiles via retrieval algorithms. This paper describes the processing algorithms involved in the calibration stage. The calibration procedures can be subdivided into three stages. In the pre-calibration stage, a phase correction algorithm is applied to the decimated and filtered complex interferogram. The resulting imaginary part of the spectrum contains only the noise component of the uncorrected spectrum. Additional random noise reduction can be accomplished by applying a spectral smoothing routine to the phase-corrected blackbody reference spectra. In the radiometric calibration stage, we first compute the spectral responsivity based on the previous results, from which, the calibrated ambient blackbody (ABB), hot blackbody (HBB), and scene spectra can be obtained. During the post-processing stage, we estimate the noise equivalent spectral radiance (NESR) from the calibrated ABB and HBB spectra. We then implement a correction scheme that compensates for the effect of fore-optics offsets. Finally, for off-axis pixels, the FPA off-axis effects correction is performed. To estimate the performance of the entire FPA, we developed an efficient method of generating pixel performance assessments. In addition, a random pixel selection scheme is designed based on the pixel performance evaluation.

Transcriptome sequencing and de novo analysis of cytoplasmic male sterility and maintenance in JA-CMS cotton.

PubMed

Yang, Peng; Han, Jinfeng; Huang, Jinling

2014-01-01

Cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS) is the failure to produce functional pollen, which is inherited maternally. And it is known that anther development is modulated through complicated interactions between nuclear and mitochondrial genes in sporophytic and gametophytic tissues. However, an unbiased transcriptome sequencing analysis of CMS in cotton is currently lacking in the literature. This study compared differentially expressed (DE) genes of floral buds at the sporogenous cells stage (SS) and microsporocyte stage (MS) (the two most important stages for pollen abortion in JA-CMS) between JA-CMS and its fertile maintainer line JB cotton plants, using the Illumina HiSeq 2000 sequencing platform. A total of 709 (1.8%) DE genes including 293 up-regulated and 416 down-regulated genes were identified in JA-CMS line comparing with its maintainer line at the SS stage, and 644 (1.6%) DE genes with 263 up-regulated and 381 down-regulated genes were detected at the MS stage. By comparing the two stages in the same material, there were 8 up-regulated and 9 down-regulated DE genes in JA-CMS line and 29 up-regulated and 9 down-regulated DE genes in JB maintainer line at the MS stage. Quantitative RT-PCR was used to validate 7 randomly selected DE genes. Bioinformatics analysis revealed that genes involved in reduction-oxidation reactions and alpha-linolenic acid metabolism were down-regulated, while genes pertaining to photosynthesis and flavonoid biosynthesis were up-regulated in JA-CMS floral buds compared with their JB counterparts at the SS and/or MS stages. All these four biological processes play important roles in reactive oxygen species (ROS) homeostasis, which may be an important factor contributing to the sterile trait of JA-CMS. Further experiments are warranted to elucidate molecular mechanisms of these genes that lead to CMS.

Transcriptome Sequencing and De Novo Analysis of Cytoplasmic Male Sterility and Maintenance in JA-CMS Cotton

PubMed Central

Yang, Peng; Han, Jinfeng; Huang, Jinling

2014-01-01

Cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS) is the failure to produce functional pollen, which is inherited maternally. And it is known that anther development is modulated through complicated interactions between nuclear and mitochondrial genes in sporophytic and gametophytic tissues. However, an unbiased transcriptome sequencing analysis of CMS in cotton is currently lacking in the literature. This study compared differentially expressed (DE) genes of floral buds at the sporogenous cells stage (SS) and microsporocyte stage (MS) (the two most important stages for pollen abortion in JA-CMS) between JA-CMS and its fertile maintainer line JB cotton plants, using the Illumina HiSeq 2000 sequencing platform. A total of 709 (1.8%) DE genes including 293 up-regulated and 416 down-regulated genes were identified in JA-CMS line comparing with its maintainer line at the SS stage, and 644 (1.6%) DE genes with 263 up-regulated and 381 down-regulated genes were detected at the MS stage. By comparing the two stages in the same material, there were 8 up-regulated and 9 down-regulated DE genes in JA-CMS line and 29 up-regulated and 9 down-regulated DE genes in JB maintainer line at the MS stage. Quantitative RT-PCR was used to validate 7 randomly selected DE genes. Bioinformatics analysis revealed that genes involved in reduction-oxidation reactions and alpha-linolenic acid metabolism were down-regulated, while genes pertaining to photosynthesis and flavonoid biosynthesis were up-regulated in JA-CMS floral buds compared with their JB counterparts at the SS and/or MS stages. All these four biological processes play important roles in reactive oxygen species (ROS) homeostasis, which may be an important factor contributing to the sterile trait of JA-CMS. Further experiments are warranted to elucidate molecular mechanisms of these genes that lead to CMS. PMID:25372034

JT8D-100 turbofan engine, phase 1. [noise reduction

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1974-01-01

The JT8D turbofan engine, widely used in short and medium range transport aircraft, contributes substantially to airport community noise. The jet noise is predominant in the JT8D engine and may be reduced in a modified engine, without loss of thrust, by increasing the airflow to reduce jet velocity. A configuration study evaluated the effects of fan airflow, fan pressure ratio, and bypass ratio on noise, thrust, and fuel comsumption. The cycle selected for the modified engine was based upon an increased diameter, single-stage fan and two additional core engine compressor stages, which replace the existing two-stage fan. Modifications were also made to the low pressure turbine to provide the increased torque required by the larger diameter fan. The resultant JT8D-100 engine models have the following characteristics at take-off thrust, compared to the current JT8D engine: Airflow and bypass ratio are increased, and fan pressure ratio and engine speed are reduced. The resultant engine is also longer, larger in diameter, and heavier than the JT8D base model, but these latter changes are compensated by the increased thrust and decreased fuel comsumption of the modified engine, thus providing the capability for maintaining the performance of the current JT8D-powered aircraft.

Direct manipulation of insect reproduction by agents of parasite origin

PubMed Central

Webb, T. J.; Hurd, H.

1999-01-01

Reproductive output of female Tenebrio molitor beetles is reduced upon infection with metacestodes of the rat tapeworm, Hymenolepis diminuta. We are using this as a model to investigate the adaptive significance of parasite-induced curtailment of insect reproduction. Production of the yolk protein vitellogenin (Vg) in the insect fat body is significantly reduced both in vitro and in vivo by metacestodes. Synthesis can be measured by using [14C]L-leucine incorporation, followed by immunoprecipitation. In this paper we demonstrate that a significant decrease in [14C]Vg can be produced by an acetic acid extract of the parasite. Conclusive evidence is presented that the active component(s) originate from the metacestodes: an extract of parasites grown entirely axenically has similar deleterious effects. The developmental stage of the metacestode is important: immature (stage I to II) parasites had greater capacity to suppress Vg synthesis than mature ones (stage V to VI). Examination of the chemical nature of the effector molecule(s) revealed that acetic-acid-extractable, boiling-resistant, pronase-sensitive agents in the molecular mass range 10 to 50 kDa reduced Vg synthesis by 47.4%. These data suggest that metacestodes produce a modulator molecule that directly affects insect vitellogenesis and, therefore, that reduction of host fitness may confer a selective advantage upon the parasite.

Lymphoma diagnosis in histopathology using a multi-stage visual learning approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Codella, Noel; Moradi, Mehdi; Matasar, Matt; Sveda-Mahmood, Tanveer; Smith, John R.

2016-03-01

This work evaluates the performance of a multi-stage image enhancement, segmentation, and classification approach for lymphoma recognition in hematoxylin and eosin (H and E) stained histopathology slides of excised human lymph node tissue. In the first stage, the original histology slide undergoes various image enhancement and segmentation operations, creating an additional 5 images for every slide. These new images emphasize unique aspects of the original slide, including dominant staining, staining segmentations, non-cellular groupings, and cellular groupings. For the resulting 6 total images, a collection of visual features are extracted from 3 different spatial configurations. Visual features include the first fully connected layer (4096 dimensions) of the Caffe convolutional neural network trained from ImageNet data. In total, over 200 resultant visual descriptors are extracted for each slide. Non-linear SVMs are trained over each of the over 200 descriptors, which are then input to a forward stepwise ensemble selection that optimizes a late fusion sum of logistically normalized model outputs using local hill climbing. The approach is evaluated on a public NIH dataset containing 374 images representing 3 lymphoma conditions: chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), follicular lymphoma (FL), and mantle cell lymphoma (MCL). Results demonstrate a 38.4% reduction in residual error over the current state-of-art on this dataset.

Promising Diabetes Therapy Based on the Molecular Mechanism for Glucose Toxicity: Usefulness of SGLT2 Inhibitors as well as Incretin-Related Drugs.

PubMed

Kaneto, Hideaki; Obata, Atsushi; Shimoda, Masashi; Kimura, Tomohiko; Hirukawa, Hidenori; Okauchi, Seizo; Matsuoka, Taka-Aki; Kaku, Kohei

2016-01-01

Pancreatic β-cell dysfunction and insulin resistance are the main characteristics of type 2 diabetes. Chronic exposure of β-cells to hyperglycemia leads to the deterioration of β-cell function. Such phenomena are well known as pancreatic β-cell glucose toxicity. MafA, a strong transactivator of insulin gene, is particularly important for the maintenance of mature β-cell function, but its expression level is significantly reduced under diabetic conditions which is likely associated with β-cell failure. Reduction of incretin receptor expression level in β-cells in diabetes is also likely associated with β-cell failure. On the other hand, incretin-related drugs and sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors are promising diabetes therapy based on the mechanism for pancreatic β-cell glucose toxicity. Indeed, it was shown that incretin-related drugs exerted protective effects on β-cells through the augmentation of IRS-2 expression especially in the presence of pioglitazone. It was also shown that incretin-related drug and/or pioglitazone exerted more protective effects on β-cells at the early stage of diabetes compared to the advanced stage. SGLT2 inhibitors, new hypoglycemic agents, also exert beneficial effects for the protection of pancreatic β-cells as well as for the reduction of insulin resistance in various insulin target tissues. Taken together, it is important to select appropriate therapy based on the molecular mechanism for glucose toxicity.

GENERIC VERIFICATION PROTOCOL FOR DETERMINATION OF EMISSIONS REDUCTIONS FROM SELECTIVE CATALYTIC REDUCTIONS CONTROL TECHNOLOGIES FOR HIGHWAY, NONROAD, AND STATIONARY USE DIESEL ENGINES

EPA Science Inventory

The protocol describes the Environmental Technology Verification (ETV) Program's considerations and requirements for verification of emissions reduction provided by selective catalytic reduction (SCR) technologies. The basis of the ETV will be comparison of the emissions and perf...

Does selection on increased cold tolerance in the adult stage confer resistance throughout development?

PubMed

Dierks, A; Kölzow, N; Franke, K; Fischer, K

2012-08-01

Artificial selection is a powerful approach to unravel constraints on genetic adaptation. Although it has been frequently used to reveal genetic trade-offs among different fitness-related traits, only a few studies have targeted genetic correlations across developmental stages. Here, we test whether selection on increased cold tolerance in the adult stage increases cold resistance throughout ontogeny in the butterfly Bicyclus anynana. We used lines selected for decreased chill-coma recovery time and corresponding controls, which had originally been set up from three levels of inbreeding (outbred control, one or two full-sib matings). Four generations after having terminated selection, a response to selection was found in 1-day-old butterflies (the age at which selection took place). Older adults showed a very similar although weaker response. Nevertheless, cold resistance did not increase in either egg, larval or pupal stage in the selection lines but was even lower compared to control lines for eggs and young larvae. These findings suggest a cost of increased adult cold tolerance, presumably reducing resource availability for offspring provisioning and thereby stress tolerance during development, which may substantially affect evolutionary trajectories. © 2012 The Authors. Journal of Evolutionary Biology © 2012 European Society For Evolutionary Biology.

Biodegradation and detoxification of olive mill wastewater by selected strains of the mushroom genera Ganoderma and Pleurotus.

PubMed

Ntougias, Spyridon; Baldrian, Petr; Ehaliotis, Constantinos; Nerud, Frantisek; Antoniou, Theodoros; Merhautová, Věra; Zervakis, Georgios I

2012-07-01

Thirty-nine white-rot fungi belonging to nine species of Agaricomycotina (Basidiomycota) were initially screened for their ability to decrease olive-mill wastewater (OMW) phenolics. Four strains of Ganoderma australe, Ganoderma carnosum, Pleurotus eryngii and Pleurotus ostreatus, were selected and further examined for key-aspects of the OMW biodegradation process. Fungal growth in OMW-containing batch cultures resulted in significant decolorization (by 40-46% and 60-65% for Ganoderma and Pleurotus spp. respectively) and reduction of phenolics (by 64-67% and 74-81% for Ganoderma and Pleurotus spp. respectively). COD decrease was less pronounced (12-29%). Cress-seeds germination increased by 30-40% when OMW was treated by Pleurotus strains. Toxicity expressed as inhibition of Aliivibrio fischeri luminescence was reduced in fungal-treated OMW samples by approximately 5-15 times compared to the control. As regards the pertinent enzyme activities, laccase and Mn-independent peroxidase were detected for Ganoderma spp. during the entire incubation period. In contrast, Pleurotus spp. did not exhibit any enzyme activities at early growth stages; instead, high laccase (five times greater than those of Ganoderma spp.) and Mn peroxidases activities were determined at the end of treatment. OMW decolorization by Ganoderma strains was strongly correlated to the reduction of phenolics, whereas P. eryngii laccase activity was correlated with the effluent's decolorization. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Method and apparatus for monitoring a hydrocarbon-selective catalytic reduction device

DOEpatents

Schmieg, Steven J; Viola, Michael B; Cheng, Shi-Wai S; Mulawa, Patricia A; Hilden, David L; Sloane, Thompson M; Lee, Jong H

2014-05-06

A method for monitoring a hydrocarbon-selective catalytic reactor device of an exhaust aftertreatment system of an internal combustion engine operating lean of stoichiometry includes injecting a reductant into an exhaust gas feedstream upstream of the hydrocarbon-selective catalytic reactor device at a predetermined mass flowrate of the reductant, and determining a space velocity associated with a predetermined forward portion of the hydrocarbon-selective catalytic reactor device. When the space velocity exceeds a predetermined threshold space velocity, a temperature differential across the predetermined forward portion of the hydrocarbon-selective catalytic reactor device is determined, and a threshold temperature as a function of the space velocity and the mass flowrate of the reductant is determined. If the temperature differential across the predetermined forward portion of the hydrocarbon-selective catalytic reactor device is below the threshold temperature, operation of the engine is controlled to regenerate the hydrocarbon-selective catalytic reactor device.

Late-stage chemoselective functional-group manipulation of bioactive natural products with super-electrophilic silylium ions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bender, Trandon A.; Payne, Philippa R.; Gagné, Michel R.

2018-01-01

The selective (and controllable) modification of complex molecules with disparate functional groups (for example, natural products) is a long-standing challenge that has been addressed using catalysts tuned to perform singular transformations (for example, C-H hydroxylation). A method whereby reactions with diverse functional groups within a single natural product are feasible depending on which catalyst or reagent is chosen would widen the possible structures one could obtain. Fluoroarylborane catalysts can heterolytically split Si-H bonds to yield an oxophilic silylium (R3Si+) equivalent along with a reducing (H-) equivalent. Together, these reactive intermediates enable the reduction of multiple functional groups. Exogenous phosphine Lewis bases further modify the catalyst speciation and attenuate aggressive silylium ions for the selective modification of complex natural products. Manipulation of the catalyst, silane reagent and the reaction conditions provides experimental control over which site is modified (and how). Applying this catalytic method to complex bioactive compounds (natural products or drugs) provides a powerful tool for studying structure-activity relationships.

Environmental impact reduction through ecological planning at Bahia Magdalena, Mexico.

PubMed

Malagrino, Giovanni; Lagunas, Magdalena; Rubio, Alfredo Ortega

2008-03-01

For analyzing basic marine and coastal characteristics we selected the potential sites where shrimp culture could be developed in a large coastal zone, Bahia Magdalena, Baja California Sur, Mexico. Based on our analysis, 6 sites were preselected and field stages of work were then developed to assess the precise suitability of each site in order to develop the proposed aquaculture activities. In ranking the suitability we were able to recommend the most appropriate places to develop shrimp culture in this region. Also, knowing the exact biological, physico-chemical and social environment, we determined the best species to cultivate, the recommended total area and the methodology to be used to lessen the environmental impact and to obtain the maximum profitability Our methodology could be used not only to select appropriate sites for shrimp culture in other coastal lagoons, but it also could be applied to assess the suitability in a quick and accurate way, of any other production activity in coastal zones.

Early detection strategy and mortality reduction in severe sepsis.

PubMed

Westphal, Glauco Adrieno; Feijó, Janaína; Andrade, Patrícia Silva de; Trindade, Louise; Suchard, Cezar; Monteiro, Márcio Andrei Gil; Martins, Sheila Fonseca; Nunes, Fernanda; Caldeira Filho, Milton

2009-06-01

To evaluate the impact of implementing an institutional policy for detection of severe sepsis and septic shock. Study before (stage I), after (stage II) with prospective data collection in a 195 bed public hospital.. Stage I: Patients with severe sepsis or septic shock were included consecutively over 15 months and treated according to the Surviving Sepsis Campaign guidelines. Stage II: In the 10 subsequent months, patients with severe sepsis or septic shock were enrolled based on an active search for signs suggesting infection (SSI) in hospitalized patients. The two stages were compared for demographic variables, time needed for recognition of at least two signs suggesting infection (SSI-Δt), compliance to the bundles of 6 and 24 hours and mortality. We identified 124 patients with severe sepsis or septic shock, 68 in stage I and 56 in stage II. The demographic variables were similar in both stages. The Δt-SSI was 34 ± 54 hours in stage I and 7 ± 8.4 hours in stage II (p <0.001). There was no difference in compliance to the bundles. In parallel there was significant reduction of mortality rates at 28 days (54.4% versus 30%, p <0.02) and hospital (67.6% versus 41%, p <0.003). The strategy used helped to identify early risk of sepsis and resulted in decreased mortality associated with severe sepsis and septic shock.

Genetic selection for ovulation rate and litter size in rabbits: Estimation of genetic parameters and direct and correlated responses.

PubMed

Ziadi, C; Mocé, M L; Laborda, P; Blasco, A; Santacreu, M A

2013-07-01

The aim of this work was to estimate direct and correlated responses in survival rates in an experiment of selection for ovulation rate (OR) and litter size (LS) in a line of rabbits (OR_LS). From generation 0 to 6 (first selection period), females were selected only for second gestation OR estimated by laparoscopy. From generation 7 to 13 (second selection period), a 2-stage selection for OR and LS was performed. In stage 1, females having the greatest OR at second gestation were selected. In stage 2, selection was for the greatest average LS of the first 2 parities of the females selected in stage 1. Total selection pressure in females was about 30%. The line had approximately 17 males and 75 females per generation. Traits recorded were OR estimated as the number of corpora lutea in both ovaries, number of implanted embryos (IE) estimated as the number of implantation sites, LS estimated as total number of rabbits born recorded at each parity, embryo survival (ES) estimated as IE/OR, fetal survival (FS) estimated as LS/IE, and prenatal survival (PS) estimated as LS/OR. Data were analyzed using Bayesian methodology. The estimated heritabilities of LS, OR, IE, ES, FS, and PS were 0.07, 0.21, 0.10, 0.07, 0.12, and 0.16, respectively. Direct and correlated responses from this study were estimated in each period of selection as the difference between the average genetic values of last and first generation. In the first selection period, OR increased 1.36 ova, but no correlated response was observed in LS due to a decrease on FS. Correlated responses for IE, ES, FS, and PS in the first selection period were 1.11, 0.00, -0.04, and -0.01, respectively. After 7 generations of 2-stage selection for OR and LS, OR increased 1.0 ova and response in LS was 0.9 kits. Correlated responses for IE, ES, FS, and PS in the second selection period were 1.14, 0.02, 0.02, and 0.07, respectively. Two-stage selection for OR and LS can be a promising procedure to improve LS in rabbits.

A pixel read-out architecture implementing a two-stage token ring, zero suppression and compression

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heuvelmans, S.; Boerrigter, M.

2011-01-01

Increasing luminosity in high energy physics experiments leads to new challenges in the design of data acquisition systems for pixel detectors. With the upgrade of the LHCb experiment, the data processing will be changed; hit data from every collision will be transported off the pixel chip, without any trigger selection. A read-out architecture is proposed which is able to obtain low hit data loss on limited silicon area by using the logic beneath the pixels as a data buffer. Zero suppression and redundancy reduction ensure that the data rate off chip is minimized. A C++ model has been created for simulation of functionality and data loss, and for system development. A VHDL implementation has been derived from this model.

Preservation of organic matter in nontronite against iron redox cycling.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zeng, Q.

2015-12-01

It is generally believed that clay minerals can protect organic matter from degradation in redox active environments, but both biotic and abiotic factors can influence the redox process and thus potentially change the clay-organic associations. However, the specific mechanisms involved in this process remain poorly understood. In this study, a model organic compound, 12-Aminolauric acid (ALA) was selected to intercalate into the structural interlayer of nontronite (an iron-rich smectite, NAu-2) to form an ALA-intercalated NAu-2 composite (ALA-NAu-2). Shawanella putrefaciens CN32 and sodium dithionite were used to reduce structural Fe(III) to Fe(II) in NAu-2 and ALA-NAu-2. The bioreduced ALA-NAu-2 was subsequently re-oxidized by air. The rates and extents of bioreduction and air re-oxidation were determined with wet chemistry methods. ALA release from ALA-NAu-2 via redox process was monitored. Mineralogical changes after iron redox cycle were investigated with X-ray diffraction, infrared spectroscopy, and scanning and transmission electron microscopy. At the beginning stage of bioreduction, S. putrefaciens CN32 reduced Fe(III) from the edges of nontronite and preferentially reduced and dissolved small and poorly crystalline particles, and released ALA, resulting a positive correlation between ALA release and iron reduction extent (<12%). The subsequent bioreduction (reduction extent ranged from 12~30%) and complete air re-oxidation showed no effect on ALA release. These results suggest that released ALA was largely from small and poorly crystalline NAu-2 particles. In contrast to bioreduction, chemical reduction did not exhibit any selectivity in reducing ALA-NAu-2 particles, and a considerable amount of reductive dissolution was responsible for a large amount of ALA release (>80%). Because bacteria are the principal agent for mediating redox process in natural environments, our results demonstrated that the structural interlayer of smectite can serve as a potential shelter to protect organic matter from oxidation.

Integration of genomic information into sport horse breeding programs for optimization of accuracy of selection.

PubMed

Haberland, A M; König von Borstel, U; Simianer, H; König, S

2012-09-01

Reliable selection criteria are required for young riding horses to increase genetic gain by increasing accuracy of selection and decreasing generation intervals. In this study, selection strategies incorporating genomic breeding values (GEBVs) were evaluated. Relevant stages of selection in sport horse breeding programs were analyzed by applying selection index theory. Results in terms of accuracies of indices (r(TI) ) and relative selection response indicated that information on single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) genotypes considerably increases the accuracy of breeding values estimated for young horses without own or progeny performance. In a first scenario, the correlation between the breeding value estimated from the SNP genotype and the true breeding value (= accuracy of GEBV) was fixed to a relatively low value of r(mg) = 0.5. For a low heritability trait (h(2) = 0.15), and an index for a young horse based only on information from both parents, additional genomic information doubles r(TI) from 0.27 to 0.54. Including the conventional information source 'own performance' into the before mentioned index, additional SNP information increases r(TI) by 40%. Thus, particularly with regard to traits of low heritability, genomic information can provide a tool for well-founded selection decisions early in life. In a further approach, different sources of breeding values (e.g. GEBV and estimated breeding values (EBVs) from different countries) were combined into an overall index when altering accuracies of EBVs and correlations between traits. In summary, we showed that genomic selection strategies have the potential to contribute to a substantial reduction in generation intervals in horse breeding programs.

Reduced and Compressed Cisplatin-Based Chemotherapy in Children and Adolescents With Intermediate-Risk Extracranial Malignant Germ Cell Tumors: A Report From the Children’s Oncology Group

PubMed Central

Cullen, John W.; Olson, Thomas A.; Pashankar, Farzana; Malogolowkin, Marcio H.; Amatruda, James F.; Villaluna, Doojduen; Krailo, Mark; Billmire, Deborah F.; Rescorla, Frederick J.; Egler, Rachel A.; Dicken, Bryan J.; Ross, Jonathan H.; Schlatter, Marc; Rodriguez-Galindo, Carlos; Frazier, A. Lindsay

2017-01-01

Purpose To investigate whether event-free survival (EFS) can be maintained among children and adolescents with intermediate-risk (IR) malignant germ cell tumors (MGCT) if the administration of cisplatin, etoposide, and bleomycin (PEb) is reduced from four to three cycles and compressed from 5 to 3 days per cycle. Patients and Methods In a phase 3, single-arm trial, patients with IR MGCT (stage II-IV testicular, II-III ovarian, I-II extragonadal, or stage I gonadal tumors with subsequent recurrence) received three cycles of PEb. A parametric comparator model specified that the observed EFS rate should not be significantly < 92%. As recommended for trials that test a reduction of therapy, a one-sided P value ≤ .10 was used to indicate statistical significance. In a post hoc analysis, we also compared results to the EFS rate of comparable patients treated with four cycles of PEb in two prior studies. Results Among 210 eligible patients enrolled from 2003 to 2011, 4-year EFS (EFS4) rate was 89% (95% confidence interval, 83% to 92%), which was significantly lower than the 92% threshold of the comparison model (P = .08). Among 181 newly diagnosed patients, the EFS4 rate was 87%, compared with 92% for 92 comparable children in the historical cohort (P = .15). The EFS4 rate was significantly associated with stage (stage I, 100%; stage II, 92%; stage III, 85%; and stage IV, 54%; P < .001). Conclusion The EFS rate for children with IR MGCT observed after three cycles of PEb was less than that of a prespecified parametric model, particularly for patients with higher-stage tumors. These data do not support a reduction in the number of cycles of PEb from four to three. However, further investigation of a reduction in the number of cycles for patients with lower-stage tumors is warranted. PMID:28240974

40 CFR 761.353 - Second level of sample selection.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... reduction is to limit the amount of time required to manually cut up larger particles of the waste to pass through a 9.5 millimeter (mm) screen. (a) Selecting a portion of the subsample for particle size reduction... table to select one of these quarters. (b) Reduction of the particle size by the use of a 9.5 mm screen...

40 CFR 761.353 - Second level of sample selection.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... reduction is to limit the amount of time required to manually cut up larger particles of the waste to pass through a 9.5 millimeter (mm) screen. (a) Selecting a portion of the subsample for particle size reduction... table to select one of these quarters. (b) Reduction of the particle size by the use of a 9.5 mm screen...

40 CFR 761.353 - Second level of sample selection.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... reduction is to limit the amount of time required to manually cut up larger particles of the waste to pass through a 9.5 millimeter (mm) screen. (a) Selecting a portion of the subsample for particle size reduction... table to select one of these quarters. (b) Reduction of the particle size by the use of a 9.5 mm screen...

Selection is stronger in early-versus-late stages of divergence in a Neotropical livebearing fish.

PubMed

Ingley, Spencer J; Johnson, Jerald B

2016-03-01

How selection acts to drive trait evolution at different stages of divergence is of fundamental importance in our understanding of the origins of biodiversity. Yet, most studies have focused on a single point along an evolutionary trajectory. Here, we provide a case study evaluating the strength of divergent selection acting on life-history traits at early-versus-late stages of divergence in Brachyrhaphis fishes. We find that the difference in selection is stronger in the early-diverged population than the late-diverged population, and that trait differences acquired early are maintained over time. © 2016 The Author(s).

Aeroacoustic Analysis of Fan Noise Reduction With Increased Bypass Nozzle Area

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Woodward, Richard P.; Hughes, Christopher E.; Podboy, Gary G.

2005-01-01

An advanced model turbofan was tested in the NASA Glenn 9-by 15-Foot Low Speed Wind Tunnel (9x15 LSWT) to explore far field acoustic effects of increased bypass nozzle area. This fan stage test was part of the NASA Glenn Fan Broadband Source Diagnostic Test, second entry (SDT2) which acquired aeroacoustic results over a range of test conditions. The baseline nozzle was sized to produce maximum stage performance at cruise condition. However, the wind tunnel testing is conducted near sea level condition. Therefore, in order to simulate and obtain performance at other operating conditions, two additional nozzles were designed and tested one with +5 percent increase in weight flow (+5.4 percent increase in nozzle area compared with the baseline nozzle), sized to simulate the performance at the stage design point (takeoff) condition, and the other with a +7.5 percent increase in weight flow (+10.9 percent increase in nozzle area) sized for maximum weight flow with a fixed nozzle at sea level condition. Measured acoustic benefits with increased nozzle area were very encouraging, showing overall sound power level (OAPWL) reductions of 2 or more dB while the stage thrust actually increased by 2 to 3 percent except for the most open nozzle at takeoff rotor speed where stage performance decreased. Effective perceived noise levels for a 1500 ft engine flyover and 3.35 scale factor showed a similar noise reduction of 2 or more EPNdB. Noise reductions, principally in the level of broadband noise, were observed everywhere in the far field. Laser Doppler Velocimetry measurements taken downstream of the rotor showed that the total turbulent velocity decreased with increasing nozzle flow, which may explain the reduced rotor broadband noise levels.

Peripheral Nerve Stimulation for Painful Mononeuropathy Secondary to Leprosy: A 12-Month Follow-Up Study.

PubMed

Freitas, Tiago da Silva; Fonoff, Erich Talamoni; Marquez Neto, Oswaldo Ribeiro; Kessler, Iruena Moraes; Barros, Laura Mendes; Guimaraes, Ronan Wilk; Azevedo, Monalisa Ferreira

2018-04-01

Leprosy affects approximately 10-15 million patients worldwide and remains a relevant public health issue. Chronic pain secondary to leprosy is a primary cause of morbidity, and its treatment remains a challenge. We evaluated the feasibility and safety of peripheral nerve stimulation (PNS) for painful mononeuropathy secondary to leprosy that is refractory to pharmacological therapy and surgical intervention (decompression). Between 2011 and 2013 twenty-three patients with painful mononeuropathy secondary to leprosy were recruited to this prospective case series. All patients were considered to be refractory to optimized conservative treatment and neurosurgical decompression. Pain was evaluated over the course of the study using the neuropathic pain scale and the visual analog scale for pain. In the first stage, patients were implanted with a temporary electrode that was connected to an external stimulator, and were treated with PNS for seven days. Patients with 50% or greater pain relief received a definitive implantation in the second stage. Follow-ups in the second stage were conducted at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months. After seven days of trial in the first stage, 10 patients showed a pain reduction of 50% or greater. At 12-month follow-up in the second stage, 6 of the 10 patients who underwent permanent device implantation showed a pain reduction of 50% or greater (75% reduction on average), and two patients showed a 30% reduction in pain. Two patients presented with electrode migration that required repositioning during the 12-month follow-up period. Our data suggest that PNS might have significant long-term utility for the treatment of painful mononeuropathy secondary to leprosy. Future studies should be performed in order to corroborate our findings in a larger population and encourage the clinical implementation of this technique. © 2017 International Neuromodulation Society.

Validation of optimization strategies using the linear structured production chains

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kusiak, Jan; Morkisz, Paweł; Oprocha, Piotr; Pietrucha, Wojciech; Sztangret, Łukasz

2017-06-01

Different optimization strategies applied to sequence of several stages of production chains were validated in this paper. Two benchmark problems described by ordinary differential equations (ODEs) were considered. A water tank and a passive CR-RC filter were used as the exemplary objects described by the first and the second order differential equations, respectively. Considered in the work optimization problems serve as the validators of strategies elaborated by the Authors. However, the main goal of research is selection of the best strategy for optimization of two real metallurgical processes which will be investigated in an on-going projects. The first problem will be the oxidizing roasting process of zinc sulphide concentrate where the sulphur from the input concentrate should be eliminated and the minimal concentration of sulphide sulphur in the roasted products has to be achieved. Second problem will be the lead refining process consisting of three stages: roasting to the oxide, oxide reduction to metal and the oxidizing refining. Strategies, which appear the most effective in considered benchmark problems will be candidates for optimization of the mentioned above industrial processes.

Selectivity of photoelectrochemical CO2 reduction modulated with electron transfer from size-tunable quantized energy states of CdSe nanocrystals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cho, Hyunjin; Kim, Whi Dong; Lee, Kangha; Lee, Seokwon; Kang, Gil-Seong; Joh, Han-Ik; Lee, Doh C.

2018-01-01

We investigate the product selectivity of CO2 reduction using NiO photocathodes decorated with CdSe quantum dots (QDs) of varying size in a photoelectrochemical (PEC) cell. Size-tunable and quantized energy states of conduction band in CdSe QDs enable systematic control of electron transfer kinetics from CdSe QDs to NiO. It turns out that different size of CdSe QDs results in variation in product selectivity for CO2 reduction. The energy gap between conduction band edge and redox potential of each reduction product (e.g., CO and CH4) correlates with their production rate. The size dependence of the electron transfer rate estimated from the energy gap is in agreement with the selectivity of CO2 reduction products for all reduction products but CO. The deviation in the case of CO is attributed to sequential conversion of CO into CH4 with CO adsorbed on electrode surface. Based on a premise that the CdSe QDs would exhibit similar surface configuration regardless of QD size, it is concluded that the electron transfer kinetics proves to alter the selectivity of CO2 reduction.

Correcting for bias in the selection and validation of informative diagnostic tests.

PubMed

Robertson, David S; Prevost, A Toby; Bowden, Jack

2015-04-15

When developing a new diagnostic test for a disease, there are often multiple candidate classifiers to choose from, and it is unclear if any will offer an improvement in performance compared with current technology. A two-stage design can be used to select a promising classifier (if one exists) in stage one for definitive validation in stage two. However, estimating the true properties of the chosen classifier is complicated by the first stage selection rules. In particular, the usual maximum likelihood estimator (MLE) that combines data from both stages will be biased high. Consequently, confidence intervals and p-values flowing from the MLE will also be incorrect. Building on the results of Pepe et al. (SIM 28:762-779), we derive the most efficient conditionally unbiased estimator and exact confidence intervals for a classifier's sensitivity in a two-stage design with arbitrary selection rules; the condition being that the trial proceeds to the validation stage. We apply our estimation strategy to data from a recent family history screening tool validation study by Walter et al. (BJGP 63:393-400) and are able to identify and successfully adjust for bias in the tool's estimated sensitivity to detect those at higher risk of breast cancer. © 2015 The Authors. Statistics in Medicine published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Linear and nonlinear variable selection in competing risks data.

PubMed

Ren, Xiaowei; Li, Shanshan; Shen, Changyu; Yu, Zhangsheng

2018-06-15

Subdistribution hazard model for competing risks data has been applied extensively in clinical researches. Variable selection methods of linear effects for competing risks data have been studied in the past decade. There is no existing work on selection of potential nonlinear effects for subdistribution hazard model. We propose a two-stage procedure to select the linear and nonlinear covariate(s) simultaneously and estimate the selected covariate effect(s). We use spectral decomposition approach to distinguish the linear and nonlinear parts of each covariate and adaptive LASSO to select each of the 2 components. Extensive numerical studies are conducted to demonstrate that the proposed procedure can achieve good selection accuracy in the first stage and small estimation biases in the second stage. The proposed method is applied to analyze a cardiovascular disease data set with competing death causes. Copyright © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Machine learning approach for automated screening of malaria parasite using light microscopic images.

PubMed

Das, Dev Kumar; Ghosh, Madhumala; Pal, Mallika; Maiti, Asok K; Chakraborty, Chandan

2013-02-01

The aim of this paper is to address the development of computer assisted malaria parasite characterization and classification using machine learning approach based on light microscopic images of peripheral blood smears. In doing this, microscopic image acquisition from stained slides, illumination correction and noise reduction, erythrocyte segmentation, feature extraction, feature selection and finally classification of different stages of malaria (Plasmodium vivax and Plasmodium falciparum) have been investigated. The erythrocytes are segmented using marker controlled watershed transformation and subsequently total ninety six features describing shape-size and texture of erythrocytes are extracted in respect to the parasitemia infected versus non-infected cells. Ninety four features are found to be statistically significant in discriminating six classes. Here a feature selection-cum-classification scheme has been devised by combining F-statistic, statistical learning techniques i.e., Bayesian learning and support vector machine (SVM) in order to provide the higher classification accuracy using best set of discriminating features. Results show that Bayesian approach provides the highest accuracy i.e., 84% for malaria classification by selecting 19 most significant features while SVM provides highest accuracy i.e., 83.5% with 9 most significant features. Finally, the performance of these two classifiers under feature selection framework has been compared toward malaria parasite classification. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Life cycle assessment of biohydrogen and biomethane production and utilisation as a vehicle fuel.

PubMed

Patterson, Tim; Esteves, Sandra; Dinsdale, Richard; Guwy, Alan; Maddy, Jon

2013-03-01

Environmental burdens for the production and utilisation of biomethane vehicle fuel or a biohydrogen/biomethane blend produced from food waste or wheat feed, based on data from two different laboratory experiments, have been compared. For food waste treated by batch processes the two stage system gave high hydrogen yields (84.2l H2kg(-1) VS added) but a lower overall energy output than the single stage system. Reduction in environmental burdens compared with diesel was achieved, supported by the diversion of waste from landfill. For wheat feed, the semi continuously fed two stage process gave low hydrogen yields (7.5l H2kg(-1) VS added) but higher overall energy output. The process delivers reduction in fossil fuel burdens, and improvements in process efficiencies will lead to reduction in CO2 burdens compared with diesel. The study highlights the importance of understanding and optimising biofuel production parameters according to the feedstock utilised. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Self-reported psychological development in cosmetic breast surgery patients

PubMed Central

Pérez-San-Gregorio, María Ángeles; Martín-Rodríguez, Agustín; Arias-Moreno, María Jesús; Rincón-Fernández, María Esther; Ortega-Martínez, José Ignacio

2016-01-01

Abstract Cosmetic breast surgery is the only therapeutic alternative for psychological and physical complications associated with micromasty, breast ptosis, and macromasty. We analyzed the effects of 2 variables, time, and type of cosmetic breast surgery, on anxiety symptomatology and quality of life. Following a mixed 3 × 4 design, 3 groups of women with breast augmentation (n = 63), mastopexy (n = 42), and breast reduction (n = 30) were selected and evaluated using the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory and the 12-Item Short-Form Health Survey at 4 different times, the preoperative stage, and at 1, 6, and 12 months postoperative. Pearson's chi square, Welch's U, Games-Howell tests, mixed analysis of variance, and Cohen's d and w for effect size were calculated. Results relating to anxiety (state and trait) showed that the time factor was significant (P < 0.001) with differences between the preoperative stage (higher anxiety levels) and the 3 postoperative stages: at 1 month (P < 0.001), 6 months (P < 0.001), and 12 months (P < 0.001). In quality of life, type of surgery and time factors were found to have interactive effects on vitality (P = 0.044) and role-emotional (P = 0.023) dimensions. Compared to the other 2 groups, women who had undergone mastopexy felt worse (vitality) at 1 month since surgery than in the other stages, and better at 6 months since surgery (role-emotional). In the rest of the dimensions, and focusing on the most relevant effect sizes, the type of surgery made a difference in the physical functioning (P = 0.005) and role-physical (P = 0.020) dimensions, where women who had had breast reduction felt worse than those who had had augmentation. Time also resulted in differences in the physical functioning (P < 0.001), role-physical (P < 0.001), and bodily pain (P < 0.001) dimensions, where women felt worse at 1 month since surgery than during the rest of the stages, as well as in the social functioning dimension (P < 0.001) at 1 month, compared to 6 months postoperative. We conclude that in the long term, women who have cosmetic breast surgery recover their physical and psychological well-being. PMID:27930592

Noise and Fuel Burn Reduction Potential of an Innovative Subsonic Transport Configuration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Guo, Yueping; Nickol, Craig L.; Thomas, Russell H.

2014-01-01

A study is presented for the noise and fuel burn reduction potential of an innovative double deck concept aircraft with two three-shaft direct-drive turbofan engines. The engines are mounted from the fuselage so that the engine inlet is over the main wing. It is shown that such an aircraft can achieve a cumulative Effective Perceived Noise Level (EPNL) about 28 dB below the current aircraft noise regulations of Stage 4. The combination of high bypass ratio engines and advanced wing design with laminar flow control technologies provide fuel burn reduction and low noise levels simultaneously. For example, the fuselage mounted engine position provides more than 4 EPNLdB of noise reduction by shielding the inlet radiated noise. To identify the potential effect of noise reduction technologies on this concept, parametric studies are presented to reveal the system level benefits of various emerging noise reduction concepts, for both engine and airframe noise reduction. These concepts are discussed both individually to show their respective incremental noise reduction potential and collectively to assess their aggregate effects on the total noise. Through these concepts approximately about 8 dB of additional noise reduction is possible, bringing the cumulative noise level of this aircraft to 36 EPNLdB below Stage 4, if the entire suite of noise reduction technologies would mature to practical application. In a final step, an estimate is made for this same aircraft concept but with higher bypass ratio, geared, turbofan engines. With this geared turbofan propulsion system, the noise is estimated to reach as low as 40-42 dB below Stage 4 with a fuel burn reduction of 43-47% below the 2005 best-in-class aircraft baseline. While just short of the NASA N+2 goals of 42 dB and 50% fuel burn reduction, for a 2025 in service timeframe, this assessment shows that this innovative concept warrants refined study. Furthermore, this design appears to be a viable potential future passenger aircraft, not only in meeting the regulatory requirements, but also in competing with aircraft of different advanced designs within this N+2 timeframe and goal framework.

Orbital Debris Environment Assessment and Mitigation for Launch Vehicles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnson, Nicholas L.

2007-01-01

This viewgraph presentation reviews the debris that is in orbit, and reduction of the orbital debris. Specifically, attention is paid to the reduction of orbital debris from launch vehicle stages after the launch.

Job optimization in ATLAS TAG-based distributed analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mambelli, M.; Cranshaw, J.; Gardner, R.; Maeno, T.; Malon, D.; Novak, M.

2010-04-01

The ATLAS experiment is projected to collect over one billion events/year during the first few years of operation. The efficient selection of events for various physics analyses across all appropriate samples presents a significant technical challenge. ATLAS computing infrastructure leverages the Grid to tackle the analysis across large samples by organizing data into a hierarchical structure and exploiting distributed computing to churn through the computations. This includes events at different stages of processing: RAW, ESD (Event Summary Data), AOD (Analysis Object Data), DPD (Derived Physics Data). Event Level Metadata Tags (TAGs) contain information about each event stored using multiple technologies accessible by POOL and various web services. This allows users to apply selection cuts on quantities of interest across the entire sample to compile a subset of events that are appropriate for their analysis. This paper describes new methods for organizing jobs using the TAGs criteria to analyze ATLAS data. It further compares different access patterns to the event data and explores ways to partition the workload for event selection and analysis. Here analysis is defined as a broader set of event processing tasks including event selection and reduction operations ("skimming", "slimming" and "thinning") as well as DPD making. Specifically it compares analysis with direct access to the events (AOD and ESD data) to access mediated by different TAG-based event selections. We then compare different ways of splitting the processing to maximize performance.

Mathematical Optimization Algorithm for Minimizing the Cost Function of GHG Emission in AS/RS Using Positive Selection Based Clonal Selection Principle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mahalakshmi; Murugesan, R.

2018-04-01

This paper regards with the minimization of total cost of Greenhouse Gas (GHG) efficiency in Automated Storage and Retrieval System (AS/RS). A mathematical model is constructed based on tax cost, penalty cost and discount cost of GHG emission of AS/RS. A two stage algorithm namely positive selection based clonal selection principle (PSBCSP) is used to find the optimal solution of the constructed model. In the first stage positive selection principle is used to reduce the search space of the optimal solution by fixing a threshold value. In the later stage clonal selection principle is used to generate best solutions. The obtained results are compared with other existing algorithms in the literature, which shows that the proposed algorithm yields a better result compared to others.

[Participation of oxygen in the reduction of methylviologen, photosensitized by chlorophyll, in an aqueous solution of detergent].

PubMed

Luganskaia, A N; Krasnovskiĭ, A A

1975-01-01

Dependence of chlorophyll "a" photosensitized reduction of methylviologene with tiourea on the temperature of reaction mixture was studied in aerobic conditions in triton X-100 aqueous solution. It was found that the reaction consisted of two stages: the light and dark ones. Photosensitized oxidation of tiourea with air oxygen proceeds at the temperatures up to -70 degrees C. Reduction of methylviologen is a dark stage for which diffusion processes are necessary. The role of hydrogen peroxide in the reaction studied has been investigated. It has been shown that hydrogen peroxide is not the "initiator" of the reaction which results in the reduction of methylviologen. Reduced glutation and the mixture of reduced and oxidized glutations were used as electron donors in photosensitized reaction in the presence of air oxygen. An increase of the depth and rate of the reduction of methylviologen under aerobic conditions as compared to anaerobic ones points to the formation of more active reducers than the initial electron donor.

Selection of Lockheed Martin's Preferred TSTO Configurations for the Space Launch Initiative

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hopkins, Joshua B.

2002-01-01

Lockheed Martin is developing concepts for safe, affordable Two Stage to Orbit (TSTO) reusable launch vehicles as part of NASA s Space Launch Initiaiive. This paper discusses the options considered for the design of the TSTO, the impact of each of these options on the vehicle configuration, the criteria used for selection of preferred configurations, and the results of the selection process. More than twenty configurations were developed in detail in order to compare optioiis such as propellant choice, serial vs. parallel burn sequence, use of propellant crossfeed between stages, bimese or optimized stage designs, and high or low staging velocities. Each configuration was analyzed not only for performance and sizing, but also for cost and reliability. The study concluded that kerosene was the superior fuel for first stages, and that bimese vehicles were not attractive.

Selection of the initial design for the two-stage continual reassessment method.

PubMed

Jia, Xiaoyu; Ivanova, Anastasia; Lee, Shing M

2017-01-01

In the two-stage continual reassessment method (CRM), model-based dose escalation is preceded by a pre-specified escalating sequence starting from the lowest dose level. This is appealing to clinicians because it allows a sufficient number of patients to be assigned to each of the lower dose levels before escalating to higher dose levels. While a theoretical framework to build the two-stage CRM has been proposed, the selection of the initial dose-escalating sequence, generally referred to as the initial design, remains arbitrary, either by specifying cohorts of three patients or by trial and error through extensive simulations. Motivated by a currently ongoing oncology dose-finding study for which clinicians explicitly stated their desire to assign at least one patient to each of the lower dose levels, we proposed a systematic approach for selecting the initial design for the two-stage CRM. The initial design obtained using the proposed algorithm yields better operating characteristics compared to using a cohort of three initial design with a calibrated CRM. The proposed algorithm simplifies the selection of initial design for the two-stage CRM. Moreover, initial designs to be used as reference for planning a two-stage CRM are provided.

Selective Mono-reduction of Pyrrole-2,5 and 2,4-Dicarboxylates.

PubMed

Yasui, Eiko; Tsuda, Jyunpei; Ohnuki, Satoshi; Nagumo, Shinji

2016-01-01

Pyrrole-2,5-dicarboxylates were rapidly and selectively reduced to the corresponding mono-alcohol using 3 eq of diisobutylaluminum hydride at 0°C. Pyrrole-2,4-dicarboxylate showed the same reactivity; however, the selectivity decreased with pyrrole-3,4-dicarboxylate. When the nitrogen atom of the pyrrole-2,5-dicarboxylate is protected with a benzyl group, selective mono-reduction does not occur. Considering that furan-2,5-dicarboxylates did not give the corresponding mono-alcohol under the same conditions, the unprotected nitrogen atom of pyrrole apparently plays an important role in this selective mono-reduction.

Nutrition intervention group program based on preaction-stage-oriented change processes of the Transtheoretical Model promotes long-term reduction in dietary fat intake.

PubMed

Finckenor, M; Byrd-Bredbenner, C

2000-03-01

To develop and evaluate the long-term effectiveness of an intervention program, based on preaction-stage-oriented change processes of the Transtheoretical Model of Behavior Change, that could be delivered in a group setting to help participants lower dietary fat intake. An enhanced version of the nonequivalent control group experimental design was used. Entire sections of an undergraduate introductory nutrition science course were assigned to an experimental, pretest/posttest control, or posttest-only control group. Daily fat intake and stage of change of the experimental and pretest/posttest control groups were determined at the pretest and posttest and 1-year later at a follow-up test. Every 1 to 2 weeks during the study, stage of change of the experimental group was assessed. Daily fat intake of the experimental group was assessed at study midpoint. Daily fat intake and stage of change of the posttest-only control group was determined at the posttest. Pretest results were used to place participants of the experimental and pretest/posttest control groups in either the preaction stage (i.e., precontemplation, contemplation, or preparation) or the action/maintenance stage. The sample consisted of 38, 30, and 42 undergraduate students who were assigned to the experimental, pretest/posttest control, and posttest-only control groups, respectively. The experimental group participated in a group-based, dietary fat intake intervention that included a series of 11 lessons taught over a 14-week period. Each lesson was based on 1 or 2 of the preaction-stage-oriented change processes of the Transtheoretical Model. Data were evaluated to determine the effects of the intervention program on long-term dietary fat reduction and stage of change progression. Analysis of variance, repeated-measures analysis of variance, and paired t tests. For pretest and posttest dietary fat intake scores, stage and time were significant, and there was a significant time-by-stage interaction. Time was significant for pretest and posttest stage scores. Subjects in the preaction-stage experimental group significantly increased their mean stage of change and reduced their fat intake between the pretest and posttest; these changes persisted for 1 year. Pretest/posttest control group participants who began in a preaction stage also significantly increased their mean stage and reduced fat intake by the posttest, but these changes did not endure until the follow-up test. This intervention program produced an enduring, significant reduction in mean dietary fat consumption and a significant progression in mean stage of change of subjects in the experimental group who were in the preaction stage. It may be appropriate to design group interventions to use preaction stage processes rather than the more traditionally used action and maintenance stages change processes.

Removal of pharmaceuticals in pre-denitrifying MBBR - Influence of organic substrate availability in single- and three-stage configurations.

PubMed

Polesel, Fabio; Torresi, Elena; Loreggian, Luca; Casas, Mònica Escolà; Christensson, Magnus; Bester, Kai; Plósz, Benedek Gy

2017-10-15

Due to the limited efficiency of conventional biological treatment, innovative solutions are being explored to improve the removal of trace organic chemicals in wastewater. Controlling biomass exposure to growth substrate represents an appealing option for process optimization, as substrate availability likely impacts microbial activity, hence organic trace chemical removal. This study investigated the elimination of pharmaceuticals in pre-denitrifying moving bed biofilm reactors (MBBRs), where biofilm exposure to different organic substrate loading and composition was controlled by reactor staging. A three-stage MBBR and a single-stage reference MBBR (with the same operating volume and filling ratio) were operated under continuous-flow conditions (18 months). Two sets of batch experiments (day 100 and 471) were performed to quantify and compare pharmaceutical removal and denitrification kinetics in the different MBBRs. Experimental results revealed the possible influence of retransformation (e.g., from conjugated metabolites) and enantioselectivity on the removal of selected pharmaceuticals. In the second set of experiments, specific trends in denitrification and biotransformation kinetics were observed, with highest and lowest rates/rate constants in the first (S1) and the last (S3) staged sub-reactors, respectively. These observations were confirmed by removal efficiency data obtained during continuous-flow operation, with limited removal (<10%) of recalcitrant pharmaceuticals and highest removal in S1 within the three-stage MBBR. Notably, biotransformation rate constants obtained for non-recalcitrant pharmaceuticals correlated with mean specific denitrification rates, maximum specific growth rates and observed growth yield values. Overall, these findings suggest that: (i) the long-term exposure to tiered substrate accessibility in the three-stage configuration shaped the denitrification and biotransformation capacity of biofilms, with significant reduction under substrate limitation; (ii) biotransformation of pharmaceuticals may have occurred as a result of cometabolism by heterotrophic denitrifying bacteria. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Divergent Selection Drives Genetic Differentiation in an R2R3-MYB Transcription Factor That Contributes to Incipient Speciation in Mimulus aurantiacus

PubMed Central

Streisfeld, Matthew A.; Young, Wambui N.; Sobel, James M.

2013-01-01

Identifying the molecular genetic basis of traits contributing to speciation is of crucial importance for understanding the ecological and evolutionary mechanisms that generate biodiversity. Despite several examples describing putative “speciation genes,” it is often uncertain to what extent these genetic changes have contributed to gene flow reductions in nature. Therefore, considerable interest lies in characterizing the molecular basis of traits that actively confer reproductive isolation during the early stages of speciation, as these loci can be attributed directly to the process of divergence. In Southern California, two ecotypes of Mimulus aurantiacus are parapatric and differ primarily in flower color, with an anthocyanic, red-flowered morph in the west and an anthocyanin-lacking, yellow-flowered morph in the east. Evidence suggests that the genetic changes responsible for this shift in flower color have been essential for divergence and have become fixed in natural populations of each ecotype due to almost complete differences in pollinator preference. In this study, we demonstrate that a cis-regulatory mutation in an R2R3-MYB transcription factor results in differential regulation of enzymes in the anthocyanin biosynthetic pathway and is the major contributor to differences in floral pigmentation. In addition, molecular population genetic data show that, despite gene flow at neutral loci, divergent selection has driven the fixation of alternate alleles at this gene between ecotypes. Therefore, by identifying the genetic basis underlying ecologically based divergent selection in flower color between these ecotypes, we have revealed the ecological and functional mechanisms involved in the evolution of pre-mating isolation at the early stages of incipient speciation. PMID:23555295

Restricting Time in Bed in Early Adolescence Reduces Both NREM and REM Sleep but Does Not Increase Slow Wave EEG

PubMed Central

Campbell, Ian G.; Kraus, Amanda M.; Burright, Christopher S.; Feinberg, Irwin

2016-01-01

Study Objectives: School night total sleep time decreases across adolescence (9–18 years) by 10 min/year. This decline is comprised entirely of a selective decrease in NREM sleep; REM sleep actually increases slightly. Decreasing sleep duration across adolescence is often attributed to insufficient time in bed. Here we tested whether sleep restriction in early adolescence produces the same sleep stage changes observed on school nights across adolescence. Methods: All-night sleep EEG was recorded in 76 children ranging in age from 9.9 to 14.0 years. Each participant kept 3 different sleep schedules that consisted of 3 nights of 8.5 h in bed followed by 4 nights of either 7, 8.5, or 10 h in bed. Sleep stage durations and NREM delta EEG activity were compared across the 3 time in bed conditions. Results: Shortening time in bed from 10 to 7 hours reduced sleep duration by approximately 2 hours, roughly equal to the decrease in sleep duration we recorded longitudinally across adolescence. However, sleep restriction significantly reduced both NREM (by 83 min) and REM (by 47 min) sleep. Sleep restriction did not affect NREM delta EEG activity. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that the selective NREM reduction and the small increase in REM we observed longitudinally across 9–18 years are not produced by sleep restriction. We hypothesize that the selective NREM decline reflects adolescent brain maturation (synaptic elimination) that reduces the need for the restorative processes of NREM sleep. Citation: Campbell IG, Kraus AM, Burright CS, Feinberg I. Restricting time in bed in early adolescence reduces both NREM and REM sleep but does not increase slow wave EEG. SLEEP 2016;39(9):1663–1670. PMID:27397569

[A comparative study on depression symptoms in Cracow primary school kids in years 1984 and 2001].

PubMed

Modrzejewska, Renata; Bomba, Jacek

2009-01-01

The study aims to find out whether or not the image of depression in children has remained related to the changing social context within a period of fifteen years. For the depression study, version AO "B1" of the Kraków Depression Inventory (KID) was used. The subject group included 10-year-old fourth-form Kraków primary school students selected in 1984 and 2001 by two-stage draw. The analysis included subjects with a screening diagnosis of depression. In 1984, this was a group of 160, and in 2001-200 persons. Statistical analysis showed significant differences between the groups of pupils under study in 1984 and 2001 as far as the scale of mood disorder is concerned (a reduction in the intensity of symptoms in girls and an increase in boys) and somatic symptoms (increase of symptoms in girls and a reduction in the intensity of symptoms in boys). On other scales, no differences of statistical significance were found between the groups. CONCLUSIONS. The changing social conditions have a relatively low effect on the symptomatic depression image in preadolescent children.

Temperature stress and plant sexual reproduction: uncovering the weakest links.

PubMed

Zinn, Kelly E; Tunc-Ozdemir, Meral; Harper, Jeffrey F

2010-04-01

The reproductive (gametophytic) phase in flowering plants is often highly sensitive to hot or cold temperature stresses, with even a single hot day or cold night sometimes being fatal to reproductive success. This review describes studies of temperature stress on several crop plants, which suggest that pollen development and fertilization may often be the most sensitive reproductive stage. Transcriptome and proteomic studies on several plant species are beginning to identify stress response pathways that function during pollen development. An example is provided here of genotypic differences in the reproductive stress tolerance between two ecotypes of Arabidopsis thaliana Columbia (Col) and Hilversum (Hi-0), when reproducing under conditions of hot days and cold nights. Hi-0 exhibited a more severe reduction in seed set, correlated with a reduction in pollen tube growth potential and tropism defects. Hi-0 thus provides an Arabidopsis model to investigate strategies for improved stress tolerance in pollen. Understanding how different plants cope with stress during reproductive development offers the potential to identify genetic traits that could be manipulated to improve temperature tolerance in selected crop species being cultivated in marginal climates.

Effect of textile waste water on tomato plant, Lycopersicon esculentum.

PubMed

Marwari, Richa; Khan, T I

2012-09-01

In this study Sanganer town, Jaipur was selected as study area. The plants of Lycopersicon esculentum var. K 21(Tomato) treated with 20 and 30% textile wastewater were analyzed for metal accumulation, growth and biochemical parameters at per, peak and post flowering stages. Findings of the study revealed that chlorophyll content was most severely affected with the increase in metal concentration. Total chlorophyll content showed a reduction of 72.44% while carbohydrate, protein and nitrogen content showed a reduction of 46.83, 71.65 and 71.65% respectively. With the increase in waste water treatment the root and shoot length, root and shoot dry weight and total dry weight were reduced to 50.55, 52.06, 69.93, 72.42, 72.10% respectively. After crop harvesting, the fruit samples of the plants treated with highest concentration of textile waste water contained 2.570 mg g(-1)d.wt. of Zn, 0.800 mg g(-1) d.wt. Cu, 1.520 mg g(-1) d.wt. Cr and 2.010 mg g(-1) d.wt. Pb.

A Mechanistic Investigation of Nitrogen Evolution and Corrosion with Oxy-Combustion

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

Dale Tree; Andrew Mackrory; Thomas Fletcher

A premixed, staged, down-fired, pulverized coal reactor and a flat flame burner were used to study the evolution of nitrogen in coal contrasting differences in air and oxy-combustion. In the premixed reactor, the oxidizer was staged to produce a fuel rich zone followed by a burnout zone. The initial nominal fuel rich zone stoichiometric ratio (S.R.) of 0.85 selected produced higher NO reductions in the fuel rich region under oxy-combustion conditions. Air was found to be capable of similar NO reductions when the fuel rich zone was at a much lower S.R. of 0.65. At a S.R. of 0.85, oxy-combustionmore » was measured to have higher CO, unburned hydrocarbons, HCN and NH{sub 3} in the fuel rich region than air at the same S.R. There was no measured difference in the initial formation of NO. The data suggest devolatilization and initial NO formation is similar for the two oxidizers when flame temperatures are the same, but the higher CO{sub 2} leads to higher concentrations of CO and nitrogen reducing intermediates at a given equivalence ratio which increases the ability of the gas phase to reduce NO. These results are supported by flat flame burner experiments which show devolatilization of nitrogen from the coal and char to be similar for air and oxy-flame conditions at a given temperature. A model of premixed combustion containing devolatilization, char oxidation and detailed kinetics captures most of the trends seen in the data. The model suggests CO is high in oxy-combustion because of dissociation of CO{sub 2}. The model also predicts a fraction (up to 20%, dependent on S.R.) of NO in air combustion can be formed via thermal processes with the source being nitrogen from the air while in oxy-combustion equilibrium drives a reduction in NO of similar magnitude. The data confirm oxy-combustion is a superior oxidizer to air for NO control because NO reduction can be achieved at higher S.R. producing better char burnout in addition to NO from recirculated flue gas being reduced as it passes back through the flame.« less

Selection of Lecanicillium Strain with High Virulence against Developmental Stages of Bemisia tabaci

PubMed Central

Park, Heeyong

2010-01-01

Selection of fungal strains with high virulence against the developmental stages of Bemisia tabaci was performed using internal transcribed spacer regions. The growth rate of hyphae was measured and bioassay of each developmental stage of B. tabaci was conducted for seven days. All of the fungal strains tested were identified as Lecanicillium spp., with strain 4078 showing the fastest mycelium growth rate (colony diameter, 16.3 ± 0.9 mm) among the strains. Compared to strain 4075, which showed the slowest growth rate, the growth rate of strain 4078 was increased almost 2-fold after seven days. Strains 4078 and Btab01 were most virulent against the egg and larva stages, respectively. The virulence of fungal strains against the adult stage was high, except for strains 41185 and 3387. Based on the growth rate of mycelium and level of virulence, strains 4078 and Btab01 were selected as the best fungal strains for application to B. tabaci, regardless of developmental stage. PMID:23956657

Dispersion-free pulse duration reduction of passively Q-switched microchip lasers.

PubMed

Lehneis, R; Steinmetz, A; Jauregui, C; Limpert, J; Tünnermann, A

2012-11-01

We present a dispersion-free method for the pulse duration reduction of passively Q-switched microchip laser (MCL) seed sources. This technique comprises two stages: one that carries out the self-phase modulation induced spectral broadening in a waveguide structure and a subsequent spectral filtering stage in order to shorten the pulses in time domain. The setup of a proof-of-principle experiment consists of a fiber-amplified passively Q-switched MCL, a passive single-mode fiber used as nonlinear element in which the spectrum is broadened, and a reflective volume-Bragg-grating acting as bandpass filter. A reduction of the pulse duration from 118 to 32 ps with high temporal quality has been achieved with this setup.

Coding of spatial attention priorities and object features in the macaque lateral intraparietal cortex.

PubMed

Levichkina, Ekaterina; Saalmann, Yuri B; Vidyasagar, Trichur R

2017-03-01

Primate posterior parietal cortex (PPC) is known to be involved in controlling spatial attention. Neurons in one part of the PPC, the lateral intraparietal area (LIP), show enhanced responses to objects at attended locations. Although many are selective for object features, such as the orientation of a visual stimulus, it is not clear how LIP circuits integrate feature-selective information when providing attentional feedback about behaviorally relevant locations to the visual cortex. We studied the relationship between object feature and spatial attention properties of LIP cells in two macaques by measuring the cells' orientation selectivity and the degree of attentional enhancement while performing a delayed match-to-sample task. Monkeys had to match both the location and orientation of two visual gratings presented separately in time. We found a wide range in orientation selectivity and degree of attentional enhancement among LIP neurons. However, cells with significant attentional enhancement had much less orientation selectivity in their response than cells which showed no significant modulation by attention. Additionally, orientation-selective cells showed working memory activity for their preferred orientation, whereas cells showing attentional enhancement also synchronized with local neuronal activity. These results are consistent with models of selective attention incorporating two stages, where an initial feature-selective process guides a second stage of focal spatial attention. We suggest that LIP contributes to both stages, where the first stage involves orientation-selective LIP cells that support working memory of the relevant feature, and the second stage involves attention-enhanced LIP cells that synchronize to provide feedback on spatial priorities. © 2017 The Authors. Physiological Reports published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of The Physiological Society and the American Physiological Society.

Rate Controlling Step in the Reduction of Iron Oxides; Kinetics and Mechanism of Wüstite-Iron Step in H2, CO and H2/CO Gas Mixtures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

El-Geassy, Abdel-Hady A.

2017-09-01

Wüstite (W1 and W2) micropellets (150-50 μm) were prepared from the reduction of pure Fe2O3 and 2.1% SiO2-doped Fe2O3 in 40%CO/CO2 gas mixture at 1000°C which were then isothermally reduced in H2, CO and H2/CO gas mixtures at 900-1100°C. The reduction reactions was followed by Thermogravimetric Analysis (TG) technique. The effect of gas composition, gas pressure and temperature on the rate of reduction was investigated. The different phases formed during the reduction were chemically and physically characterized. In SiO2-doped wüstite, fayalite (Fe2SiO3) was identified. At the initial reduction stages, the highest rate was obtained in H2 and the lowest was in CO gas. In H2/CO gas mixtures, the measured rate did not follow a simple additive equation. The addition of 5% H2 to CO led to a measurable increase in the rate of reduction compared with that in pure CO. Incubation periods were observed at the early reduction stages of W1 in CO at lower gas pressure (<0.25 atm). In SiO2-doped wüstite, reaction rate minimum was detected in H2 and H2-rich gas mixtures at 925-950°C. The influence of addition of H2 to CO or CO to H2 on the reduction reactions, nucleation and grain growth of iron was intensively studied. Unlike in pure wüstite, the presence of fayalite enhances the reduction reactions with CO and CO-rich gas mixtures. The chemical reaction equations of pure wüstite with CO are given showing the formation of carbonyl-like compound [Fem(CO2)n]*. The apparent activation energy values, at the initial stages, ranged from 53.75 to 133.97 kJ/mole indicating different reaction mechanism although the reduction was designed to proceed by the interfacial chemical reaction.

Long-Term Effects of Residual Chlorine on Pseudomonas aeruginosa in Simulated Drinking Water Fed With Low AOC Medium

PubMed Central

Mao, Guannan; Song, Yuhao; Bartlam, Mark; Wang, Yingying

2018-01-01

Residual chlorine is often required to remain present in public drinking water supplies during distribution to ensure water quality. It is essential to understand how bacteria respond to long-term chlorine exposure, especially with the presence of assimilable organic carbon (AOC). This study aimed to investigate the effects of chlorination on Pseudomonas aeruginosa in low AOC medium by both conventional plating and culture-independent methods including flow cytometry (FCM) and quantitative PCR (qPCR). In a simulated chlorinated system using a bioreactor, membrane damage and DNA damage were measured by FCM fluorescence fingerprint. The results indicated membrane permeability occurred prior to DNA damage in response to chlorination. A regrowth of P. aeruginosa was observed when the free chlorine concentration was below 0.3 mg/L. The bacterial response to long-term exposure to a constant low level of free chlorine (0.3 mg/L) was subsequently studied in detail. Both FCM and qPCR data showed a substantial reduction during initial exposure (0–16 h), followed by a plateau where the cell concentration remained stable (16–76 h), until finally all bacteria were inactivated with subsequent continuous chlorine exposure (76–124 h). The results showed three-stage inactivation kinetics for P. aeruginosa at a low chlorine level with extended exposure time: an initial fast inactivation stage, a relatively stable middle stage, and a final stage with a slower rate than the initial stage. A series of antibiotic resistance tests suggested long-term exposure to low chlorine level led to the selection of antibiotic-resistant P. aeruginosa. The combined results suggest that depletion of residual chlorine in low AOC medium systems could reactivate P. aeruginosa, leading to a possible threat to drinking water safety. PMID:29774019

Nitrogen removal from natural gas using two types of membranes

DOEpatents

Baker, Richard W.; Lokhandwala, Kaaeid A.; Wijmans, Johannes G.; Da Costa, Andre R.

2003-10-07

A process for treating natural gas or other methane-rich gas to remove excess nitrogen. The invention relies on two-stage membrane separation, using methane-selective membranes for the first stage and nitrogen-selective membranes for the second stage. The process enables the nitrogen content of the gas to be substantially reduced, without requiring the membranes to be operated at very low temperatures.

One-Step Laser Patterned Highly Uniform Reduced Graphene Oxide Thin Films for Circuit-Enabled Tattoo and Flexible Humidity Sensor Application.

PubMed

Park, Rowoon; Kim, Hyesu; Lone, Saifullah; Jeon, Sangheon; Kwon, Young Woo; Shin, Bosung; Hong, Suck Won

2018-06-06

The conversion of graphene oxide (GO) into reduced graphene oxide (rGO) is imperative for the electronic device applications of graphene-based materials. Efficient and cost-effective fabrication of highly uniform GO films and the successive reduction into rGO on a large area is still a cumbersome task through conventional protocols. Improved film casting of GO sheets on a polymeric substrate with quick and green reduction processes has a potential that may establish a path to the practical flexible electronics. Herein, we report a facile deposition process of GO on flexible polymer substrates to create highly uniform thin films over a large area by a flow-enabled self-assembly approach. The self-assembly of GO sheets was successfully performed by dragging the trapped solution of GO in confined geometry, which consisted of an upper stationary blade and a lower moving substrate on a motorized translational stage. The prepared GO thin films could be selectively reduced and facilitated from the simple laser direct writing process for programmable circuit printing with the desired configuration and less sample damage due to the non-contact mode operation without the use of photolithography, toxic chemistry, or high-temperature reduction methods. Furthermore, two different modes of the laser operating system for the reduction of GO films turned out to be valuable for the construction of novel graphene-based high-throughput electrical circuit boards compatible with integrating electronic module chips and flexible humidity sensors.

Selective disulfide reduction for labeling and enhancement of Fab antibody fragments

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

Kirley, Terence L., E-mail: terry.kirley@uc.edu; Greis, Kenneth D.; Norman, Andrew B.

Many methods have been developed for chemical labeling and enhancement of the properties of antibodies and their common fragments, including the Fab and F(ab’){sub 2} fragments. Somewhat selective reduction of some antibody disulfide bonds has been previously achieved, yielding antibodies and antibody fragments that can be labeled at defined sites, enhancing their utility and properties. Selective reduction of the two hinge disulfide bonds present in F(ab’){sub 2} fragments using mild reduction has been useful. However, such reduction is often not quantitative and results in the reduction of multiple disulfide bonds, and therefore subsequent multiple labeling or conjugation sites are neithermore » homogenous nor stoichiometric. Here, a simple and efficient selective reduction of the single disulfide bond linking the partial heavy chain and the intact light chain which compose the Fab fragment is accomplished utilizing tris(2-carboxyethyl)phosphine (TCEP) immobilized on agarose beads. The resultant reduced cysteine residues were labeled with several cysteine-selective fluorescent reagents, as well as by cysteine-directed PEGylation. These two cysteine residues can also be re-ligated by means of a bifunctional cysteine cross-linking agent, dibromobimane, thereby both restoring a covalent linkage between the heavy and light chains at this site, far removed from the antigen binding site, and also introducing a fluorescent probe. There are many other research and clinical uses for these selectively partially reduced Fab fragments, including biotinylation, toxin and drug conjugation, and incorporation of radioisotopes, and this technique enables simple generation of very useful Fab fragment derivatives with many potential applications. - Highlights: • TCEP agarose is effective for selective reduction of a single Fab disulfide bond. • This disulfide is solvent accessible and distant from the antigen binding site. • A variety of buffers of varying pHs can be used, simplifying subsequent steps. • The methods used are simple, easily verifiable, reproducible, and quantitative. • The selectively reduced Fab has many experimental and clinical applications.« less

COST OF SELECTIVE CATALYTIC REDUCTION (SCR) APPLICATION FOR NOX CONTROL ON COAL-FIRED BOILERS

EPA Science Inventory

The report provides a methodology for estimating budgetary costs associated with retrofit applications of selective catalytic reduction (SCR) technology on coal-fired boilers. SCR is a postcombustion nitrogen oxides (NOx) control technology capable of providing NOx reductions >90...

The ASK1 inhibitor selonsertib in patients with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis: A randomized, phase 2 trial

PubMed Central

Lawitz, Eric; Mantry, Parvez S.; Jayakumar, Saumya; Caldwell, Stephen H.; Arnold, Hays; Diehl, Anna Mae; Djedjos, C. Stephen; Han, Ling; Myers, Robert P.; Subramanian, G. Mani; McHutchison, John G.; Goodman, Zachary D.; Afdhal, Nezam H.; Charlton, Michael R.

2017-01-01

Inhibition of apoptosis signal–regulating kinase 1, a serine/threonine kinase, leads to improvement in inflammation and fibrosis in animal models of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis. We evaluated the safety and efficacy of selonsertib, a selective inhibitor of apoptosis signal–regulating kinase 1, alone or in combination with simtuzumab, in patients with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis and stage 2 or 3 liver fibrosis. In this multicenter phase 2 trial, 72 patients were randomized to receive 24 weeks of open‐label treatment with either 6 or 18 mg of selonsertib orally once daily with or without once‐weekly injections of 125 mg of simtuzumab or simtuzumab alone. The effect of treatment was assessed by paired pretreatment and posttreatment liver biopsies, magnetic resonance elastography, magnetic resonance imaging–estimated proton density fat fraction, quantitative collagen content, and noninvasive markers of liver injury. Due to the lack of effect of simtuzumab on histology or selonsertib pharmacokinetics, selonsertib groups with and without simtuzumab were pooled. After 24 weeks of treatment, the proportion of patients with a one or more stage reduction in fibrosis in the 18‐mg selonsertib group was 13 of 30 (43%; 95% confidence interval, 26‐63); in the 6‐mg selonsertib group, 8 of 27 (30%; 95% confidence interval, 14‐50); and in the simtuzumab‐alone group, 2 of 10 (20%; 95% confidence interval, 3‐56). Improvement in fibrosis was associated with reductions in liver stiffness on magnetic resonance elastography, collagen content and lobular inflammation on liver biopsy, as well as improvements in serum biomarkers of apoptosis and necrosis. There were no significant differences in adverse events between the treatment groups. Conclusion: These findings suggest that selonsertib may reduce liver fibrosis in patients with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis and stage 2‐3 fibrosis. (Hepatology 2018;67:549‐559). PMID:28892558

The ASK1 inhibitor selonsertib in patients with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis: A randomized, phase 2 trial.

PubMed

Loomba, Rohit; Lawitz, Eric; Mantry, Parvez S; Jayakumar, Saumya; Caldwell, Stephen H; Arnold, Hays; Diehl, Anna Mae; Djedjos, C Stephen; Han, Ling; Myers, Robert P; Subramanian, G Mani; McHutchison, John G; Goodman, Zachary D; Afdhal, Nezam H; Charlton, Michael R

2017-09-11

Inhibition of apoptosis signal-regulating kinase 1, a serine/threonine kinase, leads to improvement in inflammation and fibrosis in animal models of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis. We evaluated the safety and efficacy of selonsertib, a selective inhibitor of apoptosis signal-regulating kinase 1, alone or in combination with simtuzumab, in patients with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis and stage 2 or 3 liver fibrosis. In this multicenter phase 2 trial, 72 patients were randomized to receive 24 weeks of open-label treatment with either 6 or 18 mg of selonsertib orally once daily with or without once-weekly injections of 125 mg of simtuzumab or simtuzumab alone. The effect of treatment was assessed by paired pretreatment and posttreatment liver biopsies, magnetic resonance elastography, magnetic resonance imaging-estimated proton density fat fraction, quantitative collagen content, and noninvasive markers of liver injury. Due to the lack of effect of simtuzumab on histology or selonsertib pharmacokinetics, selonsertib groups with and without simtuzumab were pooled. After 24 weeks of treatment, the proportion of patients with a one or more stage reduction in fibrosis in the 18-mg selonsertib group was 13 of 30 (43%; 95% confidence interval, 26-63); in the 6-mg selonsertib group, 8 of 27 (30%; 95% confidence interval, 14-50); and in the simtuzumab-alone group, 2 of 10 (20%; 95% confidence interval, 3-56). Improvement in fibrosis was associated with reductions in liver stiffness on magnetic resonance elastography, collagen content and lobular inflammation on liver biopsy, as well as improvements in serum biomarkers of apoptosis and necrosis. There were no significant differences in adverse events between the treatment groups. These findings suggest that selonsertib may reduce liver fibrosis in patients with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis and stage 2-3 fibrosis. (Hepatology 2017). © 2017 The Authors. Hepatology published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc., on behalf of the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases.

Pioneers and Followers: Migrant Selectivity and the Development of U.S. Migration Streams in Latin America

PubMed Central

Lindstrom, David P.; Ramírez, Adriana López

2013-01-01

We present a method for dividing the historical development of community migration streams into an initial period and a subsequent takeoff stage with the purpose of systemically differentiating pioneer migrants from follower migrants. The analysis is organized around five basic research questions. First, can we empirically identify a juncture in the historical development of community-based migration that marks the transition from an initial stage of low levels of migration and gradual growth into a takeoff stage in which the prevalence of migration grows at a more accelerated rate? Second, does this juncture point exist at roughly similar migration prevalence levels across communities? Third, are first-time migrants in the initial stage (pioneers) different from first-time migrants in the takeoff stage (followers)? Fourth, what is the nature of this migrant selectivity? Finally, does the nature and degree of pioneer selectivity vary across country migration streams? PMID:24489382

Longitudinal testing of hippocampal plasticity reveals the onset and maintenance of endogenous human Aß-induced synaptic dysfunction in individual freely behaving pre-plaque transgenic rats: rapid reversal by anti-Aß agents.

PubMed

Qi, Yingjie; Klyubin, Igor; Harney, Sarah C; Hu, NengWei; Cullen, William K; Grant, Marianne K; Steffen, Julia; Wilson, Edward N; Do Carmo, Sonia; Remy, Stefan; Fuhrmann, Martin; Ashe, Karen H; Cuello, A Claudio; Rowan, Michael J

2014-12-24

Long before synaptic loss occurs in Alzheimer's disease significant harbingers of disease may be detected at the functional level. Here we examined if synaptic long-term potentiation is selectively disrupted prior to extracellular deposition of Aß in a very complete model of Alzheimer's disease amyloidosis, the McGill-R-Thy1-APP transgenic rat. Longitudinal studies in freely behaving animals revealed an age-dependent, relatively rapid-onset and persistent inhibition of long-term potentiation without a change in baseline synaptic transmission in the CA1 area of the hippocampus. Thus the ability of a standard 200 Hz conditioning protocol to induce significant NMDA receptor-dependent short- and long-term potentiation was lost at about 3.5 months of age and this deficit persisted for at least another 2-3 months, when plaques start to appear. Consistent with in vitro evidence for a causal role of a selective reduction in NMDA receptor-mediated synaptic currents, the deficit in synaptic plasticity in vivo was associated with a reduction in the synaptic burst response to the conditioning stimulation and was overcome using stronger 400 Hz stimulation. Moreover, intracerebroventricular treatment for 3 days with an N-terminally directed monoclonal anti- human Aß antibody, McSA1, transiently reversed the impairment of synaptic plasticity. Similar brief treatment with the BACE1 inhibitor LY2886721 or the γ-secretase inhibitor MRK-560 was found to have a comparable short-lived ameliorative effect when tracked in individual rats. These findings provide strong evidence that endogenously generated human Aß selectively disrupts the induction of long-term potentiation in a manner that enables potential therapeutic options to be assessed longitudinally at the pre-plaque stage of Alzheimer's disease amyloidosis.

Metastasis Risk Reduction Related with Beta-Blocker Treatment in Mexican Women with Breast Cancer.

PubMed

Parada-Huerta, E; Alvarez-Dominguez, Tp; Uribe-Escamilla, R; Rodriguez-Joya, Jf; Ponce-Medrano, Ja Diaz; Padron-Lucio, S; Alfaro-Rodriguez, A; Bandala, C

2016-01-01

Breast Cancer (BCa) is the most common malignant tumour in Mexican women. In BCa, several studies have linked β2-adrenergic receptor activation with increased tumour growth and progression as related with Epinephrine-NorEpinephrine (E-NE) stimulation. The aim of this study was to describe Beta-Blocker (BB) treatment related with reduction of the risk of metastasis in Mexican patients with BCa. We collected data of 120 patients seen at the High-Specialty Naval General Hospital in Mexico City (HOSGENAES), all of these with a histopathological diagnosis of BCa. Four groups of patients were divided as follows: without Systemic Arterial Hypertension (SAH); with SAH treatment with non-selective BB; with SAH treatment with selective BB, and with SAH treatment with other antihypertensive drugs. Chi-square, Mantel- Haenszel, Student t, and ANOVA tests were performed for data analysis. On average, patients were 54.8±11.8 years of age. Risk factors such as smoking and consuming alcohol exhibited a frequency of 33 and 36.5% respectively. Clinical stages III- IV were found in 50% of patients, while, 30% of patients had arterial hypertension (n=29 and N=96, respectively) and 17.5% used BB. One hundred percent of patients with arterial hypertension treated with BB for β1 - and β2 -adrenergic-receptors did not present metastasis globally, but patients treated with β1 BB presented 30% of metastasis while patients treated with no BB or without SAH had around 70% of metastasis. In Mexican patients with BCa and SAH treated with non-selective (β1- and β2-adrenergic receptors) BB, a decrease in the risk for metastasis was observed at the time of diagnosis.

Alternative mechanistic explanation for ligand-dependent selectivities in copper-catalyzed N- and O-arylation reactions.

PubMed

Yu, Hai-Zhu; Jiang, Yuan-Ye; Fu, Yao; Liu, Lei

2010-12-29

The ligand-dependent selectivities in Ullmann-type reactions of amino alcohols with iodobenzene by β-diketone- and 1,10-phenanthroline-ligated Cu(I) complexes were recently explained by the single-electron transfer and iodine atom transfer mechanisms (Jones, G. O., Liu, P., Houk, K. N., and Buchwald, S. L. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2010, 132, 6205.). The present study shows that an alternative, oxidative addition/reductive elimination mechanism may also explain the selectivities. Calculations indicate that a Cu(I) complex with a negatively charged β-diketone ligand is electronically neutral, so that oxidative addition of ArI to a β-diketone-ligated Cu(I) prefers to occur (and occur readily) in the absence of the amino alcohol. Thus, coordination of the amino alcohol in its neutral form can only occur at the Cu(III) stage where N-coordination is favored over O-coordination. The coordination step is the rate-limiting step and the outcome is that N-arylation is favored with the β-diketone ligand. On the other hand, a Cu(I) complex with a neutral 1,10-phenanthroline ligand is positively charged, so that oxidative addition of ArI to a 1,10-phenanthroline-ligated Cu(I) has to get assistance from a deprotonated amino alcohol substrate. This causes oxidative addition to become the rate-limiting step in the 1,10-phenanthroline-mediated reaction. The immediate product of the oxidative addition step is found to undergo facile reductive elimination to provide the arylation product. Because O-coordination of a deprotonated amino alcohol is favored over N-coordination in the oxidative addition transition state, O-arylation is favored with the 1,10-phenanthroline ligand.

Development of sustainable Palladium-based catalysts for removal of persistent contaminants from drinking water

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shuai, Danmeng

Pd-based catalytic reduction has emerged as an advanced treatment technology for drinking water decontamination, and a suite of persistent contaminants including oxyanions, N-nitrosoamines, and halogenated compounds are amenable to catalytic reduction. The primary goal of this study is to develop novel Pd-based catalysts with enhanced performance (i.e., activity, selectivity, and sustainability) to remove contaminants from drinking water. The effects of water quality (i.e., co-contaminants in water matrix), catalyst support, and catalyst metal were explored, and they provide insights for preparing catalysts with faster kinetics, higher selectivity, and extended lifetime. Azo dyes are wide-spread contaminants, and they are potentially co-exisiting with target contaminants amenable for catalytic removal. The probe azo dye methyl orange (MO) enhanced catalytic reduction kinetics of a suite of oxyanions (i.e., nitrate, nitrite, bromate, chlorate, and perchlorate) and diatrizoate significantly but not N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) with a variety of Pd-based catalysts. Nitrate was selected as a probe contaminant, and several different azo dyes (i.e., (methyl orange, methyl red, fast yellow AB, metanil yellow, acid orange 7, congo red, eriochrome black T, acid red 27, acid yellow 11, and acid yellow 17) were evaluated for their ability to enhance reduction. A hydrogen atom shuttling mechanism was proposed and a kinetic model was proposed based on Bronsted-Evans-Polanyi (BEP) theory, and they suggest sorbed azo dyes and reduced hydrazo dyes shuttle hydrogen atoms to oxyanions or diatrizoate to enhance their reduction kinetics. Next, vapor-grown carbon nanofiber (CNF) supports were used to explore the effects of Pd nanoparticle size and interior versus exterior loading on nitrite reduction activity and selectivity (i.e., dinitrogen over ammonia production). In order to evaluate the amount of interior versus exterior loading of Pd nanoparticles, a fast and accurate geometric model was developed based on two-dimensional transmission electron microscopy (2D TEM). Results from my method agree adequately with 3D scanning transmission electron microscopy (3D TEM), which is recognized as a convincing method to evaluate interior versus exterior loading. By using Pd CNF catalysts for nitrite reduction, results show that both activity and selectivity are not significantly impacted by Pd interior versus exterior loading. Turnover frequencies (TOFs) among all CNF catalysts are consistent, suggesting faster kinetics are achieved on catalysts with smaller Pd nanoparticles, and suggesting nitrite reduction is neither sensitive to Pd location on CNFs nor Pd structure. However selectivity to dinitrogen is more favorable on larger Pd nanoparticles. Therefore, an optimum Pd nanoparticle size on CNFs balances high reduction kinetics and selectivity to dinitrogen. CNF Pd catalysts perform better than conventional activated or alumina supported Pd catalysts in term of kinetics and selectivity for nitrite reduction, and they maintain consistent activity during multiple reduction cycles. Lastly, the structure-sensitivity of catalytic activity and selectivity for contaminant nitrite, NDMA, and diatrizoate removal were investigated on shape- and size-controlled Pd nanoparticles. Results show that TOFs for nitrite, NDMA, and diatrizoate are dependent on coordination numbers of surface Pd sites at low contaminant concentration, but TOFs for nitrite at high concentration are consistent. Selectivity to ammonia for nitrite reduction decreases with increasing surface Pd sites, i.e., decreasing Pd nanoparticle size irrespective of nitrite concentration, but NDMA reduction is neither shape- nor size-specific, and it exclusively proceeds to ammonia and dimethylamine. Diatrizoate reduction selectivity is also likely to be nonspecific to shape and size, and a series of deiodinated intermediates, 3,5-diacetamidobenzoic acid, and iodide are the produced. Hence, this study suggests that contaminant reduction kinetics and selectivity are Pd shape and size dependent, and the dependence varies by contaminant type and concentration. In summary, Pd-based catalysts can be tailored for enhanced activity, selectivity, and longevity, and catalytic treatment holds the promise for advanced drinking water treatment.

Two-stage open reduction and internal fixation versus limited internal fixation combined with external fixation: a meta-analysis of postoperative complications in patients with severe Pilon fractures.

PubMed

Cui, Xueliang; Chen, Hui; Rui, Yunfeng; Niu, Yang; Li, He

2018-01-01

Objectives Two-stage open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) and limited internal fixation combined with external fixation (LIFEF) are two widely used methods to treat Pilon injury. However, which method is superior to the other remains controversial. This meta-analysis was performed to quantitatively compare two-stage ORIF and LIFEF and clarify which method is better with respect to postoperative complications in the treatment of tibial Pilon fractures. Methods We conducted a meta-analysis to quantitatively compare the postoperative complications between two-stage ORIF and LIFEF. Eight studies involving 360 fractures in 359 patients were included in the meta-analysis. Results The two-stage ORIF group had a significantly lower risk of superficial infection, nonunion, and bone healing problems than the LIFEF group. However, no significant differences in deep infection, delayed union, malunion, arthritis symptoms, or chronic osteomyelitis were found between the two groups. Conclusion Two-stage ORIF was associated with a lower risk of postoperative complications with respect to superficial infection, nonunion, and bone healing problems than LIFEF for tibial Pilon fractures. Level of evidence 2.

Internal quality control: best practice.

PubMed

Kinns, Helen; Pitkin, Sarah; Housley, David; Freedman, Danielle B

2013-12-01

There is a wide variation in laboratory practice with regard to implementation and review of internal quality control (IQC). A poor approach can lead to a spectrum of scenarios from validation of incorrect patient results to over investigation of falsely rejected analytical runs. This article will provide a practical approach for the routine clinical biochemistry laboratory to introduce an efficient quality control system that will optimise error detection and reduce the rate of false rejection. Each stage of the IQC system is considered, from selection of IQC material to selection of IQC rules, and finally the appropriate action to follow when a rejection signal has been obtained. The main objective of IQC is to ensure day-to-day consistency of an analytical process and thus help to determine whether patient results are reliable enough to be released. The required quality and assay performance varies between analytes as does the definition of a clinically significant error. Unfortunately many laboratories currently decide what is clinically significant at the troubleshooting stage. Assay-specific IQC systems will reduce the number of inappropriate sample-run rejections compared with the blanket use of one IQC rule. In practice, only three or four different IQC rules are required for the whole of the routine biochemistry repertoire as assays are assigned into groups based on performance. The tools to categorise performance and assign IQC rules based on that performance are presented. Although significant investment of time and education is required prior to implementation, laboratories have shown that such systems achieve considerable reductions in cost and labour.

Signatures of natural selection between life cycle stages separated by metamorphosis in European eel.

PubMed

Pujolar, J M; Jacobsen, M W; Bekkevold, D; Lobón-Cervià, J; Jónsson, B; Bernatchez, L; Hansen, M M

2015-08-13

Species showing complex life cycles provide excellent opportunities to study the genetic associations between life cycle stages, as selective pressures may differ before and after metamorphosis. The European eel presents a complex life cycle with two metamorphoses, a first metamorphosis from larvae into glass eels (juvenile stage) and a second metamorphosis into silver eels (adult stage). We tested the hypothesis that different genes and gene pathways will be under selection at different life stages when comparing the genetic associations between glass eels and silver eels. We used two sets of markers to test for selection: first, we genotyped individuals using a panel of 80 coding-gene single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) developed in American eel; second, we investigated selection at the genome level using a total of 153,423 RAD-sequencing generated SNPs widely distributed across the genome. Using the RAD approach, outlier tests identified a total of 2413 (1.57%) potentially selected SNPs. Functional annotation analysis identified signal transduction pathways as the most over-represented group of genes, including MAPK/Erk signalling, calcium signalling and GnRH (gonadotropin-releasing hormone) signalling. Many of the over-represented pathways were related to growth, while others could result from the different conditions that eels inhabit during their life cycle. The observation of different genes and gene pathways under selection when comparing glass eels vs. silver eels supports the adaptive decoupling hypothesis for the benefits of metamorphosis. Partitioning the life cycle into discrete morphological phases may be overall beneficial since it allows the different life stages to respond independently to their unique selection pressures. This might translate into a more effective use of food and niche resources and/or performance of phase-specific tasks (e.g. feeding in the case of glass eels, migrating and reproducing in the case of silver eels).

Effect of Olanzapine on Clinical and Polysomnography Profiles in Patients with Schizophrenia

PubMed Central

Sarkar, Sukanto; Nizamie, S. Haque

2018-01-01

Acute and short-term administration of olanzapine has a favorable effect on sleep in schizophrenia patients. This study aimed to clarify the effect of olanzapine on polysomnographic profiles of schizophrenia patients during the acute phase of illness after controlling for previous drug exposure. Twenty-five drug-naïve or drug-free schizophrenia patients were assessed at baseline and after six weeks of olanzapine treatment on Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS), Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), and Udvalg for Kliniske Undersogelser (UKU) side-effect rating scale and a whole-night polysomnography; fifteen patients completed the study. There was a significant reduction in all psychopathological variables with maximum reduction in PANSS total, BPRS total, and PANSS positive scores. A significant increase in total sleep time (TST), sleep efficiency (SE), nonrapid eye movement (NREM) stage 1 duration, stage 3 duration, stage 4 duration, and stage 4 percentage of TST, number of rapid eye movement (REM) periods, REM duration, and REM percentage of TST was observed. REM latency at baseline inversely predicted the reduction in BPRS total and PANSS total and positive scores. In summary, short-term treatment with olanzapine produced significant improvement in clinical and polysomnography profiles of patients with schizophrenia with shorter REM latency predicting a good clinical response. PMID:29675276

Marital status independently predicts gastric cancer survival after surgical resection--an analysis of the SEER database.

PubMed

Shi, Rong-Liang; Chen, Qian; Yang, Zhen; Pan, Gaofeng; Zhang, Ziping; Wang, WeiHua; Liu, Shaoqun; Zhang, Dongbin; Jiang, Daowen; Liu, Weiyan

2016-03-15

Marital status was found to be an independent prognostic factor for survival in various cancer types, but it hasn't been studied in gastric cancer. The Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results database was used to compare survival outcomes with marital status. A total of 16,106 eligible patients were identified. Patients in the widowed group had the highest proportion of women, more common site of stomach, more prevalence of elderly patients, higher percentage of adenocarcinoma, and more tumors at localized stage (P < 0.05). Patients in married group had better 5year cause-specific survival (CSS) than those unmarried (P < 0.05). Further analysis showed that widowed patients always presented the lowest CSS compared with that of other groups. Widowed patients had 7.1% reduction in 5-year CSS compared with married patients at Localized stage (77.2% vs 70.1%, P < 0.001), 9.6% reduction at Regional stage (38.2% vs 28.6%, P < 0.001), and 4.7% reduction at Distant stage (13.3% vs 8.6%, P < 0.001). These results showed that unmarried patients were at greater risk of cancer specific mortality. Despite favorable clinicpathological characteristics, widowed patients were at highest risk of death compared with other groups.

Development of a two-stage gene selection method that incorporates a novel hybrid approach using the cuckoo optimization algorithm and harmony search for cancer classification.

PubMed

Elyasigomari, V; Lee, D A; Screen, H R C; Shaheed, M H

2017-03-01

For each cancer type, only a few genes are informative. Due to the so-called 'curse of dimensionality' problem, the gene selection task remains a challenge. To overcome this problem, we propose a two-stage gene selection method called MRMR-COA-HS. In the first stage, the minimum redundancy and maximum relevance (MRMR) feature selection is used to select a subset of relevant genes. The selected genes are then fed into a wrapper setup that combines a new algorithm, COA-HS, using the support vector machine as a classifier. The method was applied to four microarray datasets, and the performance was assessed by the leave one out cross-validation method. Comparative performance assessment of the proposed method with other evolutionary algorithms suggested that the proposed algorithm significantly outperforms other methods in selecting a fewer number of genes while maintaining the highest classification accuracy. The functions of the selected genes were further investigated, and it was confirmed that the selected genes are biologically relevant to each cancer type. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

COST OF SELECTIVE CATALYTIC REDUCTION (SCR) APPLICATION FOR NOX CONTROL ON COAL-FIRED BOILERS

EPA Science Inventory

The report provides a methodology for estimating budgetary costs associ-ated with retrofit applications of selec-tive catalytic reduction (SCR) technology on coal-fired boilers. SCR is a post-combustion nitrogen oxides (NOX) con-trol technology capable of providing NOX reductions...

Serum adiponectin is increased in advancing liver fibrosis and declines with reduction in fibrosis in chronic hepatitis B.

PubMed

Hui, Chee-Kin; Zhang, Hai-Ying; Lee, Nikki P; Chan, Weng; Yueng, Yui-Hung; Leung, Kar-Wai; Lu, Lei; Leung, Nancy; Lo, Chung-Mau; Fan, Sheung-Tat; Luk, John M; Xu, Aimin; Lam, Karen S; Kwong, Yok-Lam; Lau, George K K

2007-08-01

Despite the possible role of adiponectin in the pathogenesis of liver cirrhosis, few data have been collected from patients in different stages of liver fibrosis. We studied the role of adiponectin in 2 chronic hepatitis B (CHB)-patient cohorts. Serum adiponectin was quantified by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. One-hundred liver biopsy specimens from CHB patients with different stages of fibrosis and 38 paired liver biopsies from hepatitis B e antigen-positive patients randomized to lamivudine (n=15), pegylated interferon alfa-2a (n=15) or pegylated interferon alfa-2a plus lamivudine (n=8) therapy for 48 weeks were assessed. Serum adiponectin was detected at levels ranging over fourfold magnitude with advancing fibrosis stage and correlated positively with fibrosis stage [r=0.45, p<0.001]. CHB patients with stage 0-1 fibrosis had higher composition of high molecular weight (HMW) form of adiponectin when compared with CHB patients with liver cirrhosis [mean+/-SEM 51.2+/-2.1% vs. 40.9+/-1.7%, respectively, p=0.001]. After antiviral therapy, patients with fibrosis reduction had marked decline in serum adiponectin level and increase in HMW form of adiponectin [mean+/-SEM 43.5+/-1.2% vs. 37.0+/-3.0%, respectively, p=0.04]. Serum adiponectin may have a role in fibrosis progression in CHB infection. A marked decline in serum adiponectin after antiviral therapy is associated with fibrosis reduction.

The role of floodplain restoration in mitigating flood risk, Lower Missouri River, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Jacobson, Robert B.; Lindner, Garth; Bitner, Chance; Hudson, Paul F.; Middelkoop, Hans

2015-01-01

Recent extreme floods on the Lower Missouri River have reinvigorated public policy debate about the potential role of floodplain restoration in decreasing costs of floods and possibly increasing other ecosystem service benefits. The first step to addressing the benefits of floodplain restoration is to understand the interactions of flow, floodplain morphology, and land cover that together determine the biophysical capacity of the floodplain. In this article we address interactions between ecological restoration of floodplains and flood-risk reduction at 3 scales. At the scale of the Lower Missouri River corridor (1300 km) floodplain elevation datasets and flow models provide first-order calculations of the potential for Missouri River floodplains to store floods of varying magnitude and duration. At this same scale assessment of floodplain sand deposition from the 2011 Missouri River flood indicates the magnitude of flood damage that could potentially be limited by floodplain restoration. At the segment scale (85 km), 1-dimensional hydraulic modeling predicts substantial stage reductions with increasing area of floodplain restoration; mean stage reductions range from 0.12 to 0.66 m. This analysis also indicates that channel widening may contribute substantially to stage reductions as part of a comprehensive strategy to restore floodplain and channel habitats. Unsteady 1-dimensional flow modeling of restoration scenarios at this scale indicates that attenuation of peak discharges of an observed hydrograph from May 2007, of similar magnitude to a 10 % annual exceedance probability flood, would be minimal, ranging from 0.04 % (with 16 % floodplain restoration) to 0.13 % (with 100 % restoration). At the reach scale (15–20 km) 2-dimensional hydraulic models of alternative levee setbacks and floodplain roughness indicate complex processes and patterns of flooding including substantial variation in stage reductions across floodplains depending on topographic complexity and hydraulic roughness. Detailed flow patterns captured in the 2-dimensional model indicate that most floodplain storage occurs on the rising limb of the flood as water flows into floodplain bottoms from downstream; at a later time during the rising limb this pattern is reversed and the entire bottom conveys discharge down the valley. These results indicate that flood-risk reduction by attenuation is likely to be small on a large river like the Missouri and design strategies to optimize attenuation and ecological restoration should focus on frequent floods (20–50 % annual exceedance probability). Local stage reductions are a more certain benefit of floodplain restoration but local effects are highly dependent on magnitude of flood discharge and how floodplain vegetation communities contribute to hydraulic roughness. The most certain flood risk reduction benefit of floodplain restoration is avoidance of flood damages to crops and infrastructure.

System Complexity Reduction via Feature Selection

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Deng, Houtao

2011-01-01

This dissertation transforms a set of system complexity reduction problems to feature selection problems. Three systems are considered: classification based on association rules, network structure learning, and time series classification. Furthermore, two variable importance measures are proposed to reduce the feature selection bias in tree…

Cinacalcet: a pharmacoeconomic review of its use in secondary hyperparathyroidism in end-stage renal disease.

PubMed

Plosker, Greg L

2011-09-01

This article provides an overview of the clinical profile of the calcimimetic agent cinacalcet (Mimpara®, Sensipar®) in the treatment of patients with secondary hyperparathyroidism (SHPT) undergoing dialysis for end-stage renal disease (ESRD), followed by a comprehensive review of pharmacoeconomic analyses with cinacalcet in this patient population. Most patients with ESRD undergoing dialysis develop SHPT, which is associated with disturbances in bone mineral metabolism and the development of fractures, cardiovascular disease and other clinical events. Standard treatment of SHPT includes phosphate binders and active vitamin D derivatives. However, standard treatment alone seldom achieves recommended target plasma or serum levels of parathyroid hormone (PTH), calcium and phosphorous. The addition of cinacalcet to standard therapy in patients with SHPT undergoing dialysis for ESRD improves the likelihood of achieving target biochemical levels compared with standard therapy alone. On the basis of association studies, improvements in these intermediate endpoints are likely to reduce the risk of clinical events, such as fractures and cardiovascular disease. Therefore, part of the acquisition cost of cinacalcet is likely to be offset by reductions in other healthcare resource use, such as reductions in costs associated with a lower likelihood of clinical events, as well as potential reductions in dosages of standard treatment. A number of pharmacoeconomic analyses across various country settings indicate that cinacalcet plus standard therapy is cost effective relative to standard therapy alone if dialysis costs are excluded, or that early initiation of cinacalcet is cost effective compared with delaying cinacalcet treatment until PTH levels become very uncontrolled. However, across analyses with cinacalcet, results were variable and not always favourable. This wide range of results stems from differences in selection of data sources used to populate the models, regional differences in healthcare resource use and costs, as well as other factors. Future cost-effectiveness analyses with cinacalcet should incorporate data on hard clinical outcomes from the EVOLVE study once this information becomes available.

Subject order-independent group ICA (SOI-GICA) for functional MRI data analysis.

PubMed

Zhang, Han; Zuo, Xi-Nian; Ma, Shuang-Ye; Zang, Yu-Feng; Milham, Michael P; Zhu, Chao-Zhe

2010-07-15

Independent component analysis (ICA) is a data-driven approach to study functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data. Particularly, for group analysis on multiple subjects, temporally concatenation group ICA (TC-GICA) is intensively used. However, due to the usually limited computational capability, data reduction with principal component analysis (PCA: a standard preprocessing step of ICA decomposition) is difficult to achieve for a large dataset. To overcome this, TC-GICA employs multiple-stage PCA data reduction. Such multiple-stage PCA data reduction, however, leads to variable outputs due to different subject concatenation orders. Consequently, the ICA algorithm uses the variable multiple-stage PCA outputs and generates variable decompositions. In this study, a rigorous theoretical analysis was conducted to prove the existence of such variability. Simulated and real fMRI experiments were used to demonstrate the subject-order-induced variability of TC-GICA results using multiple PCA data reductions. To solve this problem, we propose a new subject order-independent group ICA (SOI-GICA). Both simulated and real fMRI data experiments demonstrated the high robustness and accuracy of the SOI-GICA results compared to those of traditional TC-GICA. Accordingly, we recommend SOI-GICA for group ICA-based fMRI studies, especially those with large data sets. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Frequency of second mesiobuccal canal in permanent maxillary first molars using the operating microscope and selective dentin removal: A clinical study.

PubMed

Das, Suroopa; Warhadpande, Manjusha M; Redij, Saurabh A; Jibhkate, N G; Sabir, Husain

2015-01-01

The aim of this study was to investigate whether the combination of operating microscope and selective dentin removal increased the frequency of second mesiobuccal (MB2) canal detection in permanent maxillary first molar teeth. One hundred fifty permanent maxillary first molars indicated for root canal treatment were randomly selected from patients belonging to the age group of 18-45 years irrespective of gender. After access cavity preparation and location of main canals, the MB2 canal orifice was sought in all teeth with an endodontic explorer under direct vision (Stage I), then under magnification with the aid of operating microscope (Stage II) and finally with the combined use of operating microscope and selective dentin removal (Stage III). MB2 canals were detected in 36%, 54% and 72% of the teeth in Stages I-III, respectively. This study demonstrated that dental operating microscope when used along with adjunctive aids such as selective dentin removal/troughing and good clinical knowledge will increase the ability of dental clinician to locate MB2 canals.

A comprehensive review of the SLMTA literature part 2: Measuring success.

PubMed

Luman, Elizabeth T; Yao, Katy; Nkengasong, John N

2014-01-01

Since its introduction in 2009, the Strengthening Laboratory Management Toward Accreditation (SLMTA) programme has been implemented in 617 laboratories in 47 countries. We completed a systematic review of the published literature on SLMTA. The review consists of two companion papers; this article examines quantitative evidence presented in the publications along with a meta-analysis of selected results. We identified 28 published articles with data from SLMTA implementation. The SLMTA programme was evaluated through audits based on a standard checklist, which is divided into 12 sections corresponding to the 12 Quality System Essentials (QSEs). Several basic service delivery indicators reported by programmes were also examined. Results for various components of the programme were reviewed and summarised; a meta-analysis of QSE results grouped by the three stages of the quality cycle was conducted for 126 laboratories in 12 countries. Global programme data show improved quality in SLMTA laboratories in every country, with average improvements on audit scores of 25 percentage points. Meta-analysis identified Improvement Management as the weakest stage, with internal audit (8%) and occurrence management (16%) showing the lowest scores. Studies documented 19% - 95% reductions in turn-around times, 69% - 93% reductions in specimen rejection rates, 76% - 81% increases in clinician satisfaction rates, 67% - 85% improvements in external quality assessment results, 50% - 66% decreases in nonconformities and 67% increases in staff punctuality. The wide array of results reported provides a comprehensive picture of the SLMTA programme overall, suggesting a substantive impact on provision of quality laboratory services and patient care. These comprehensive results establish a solid data-driven foundation for program improvement and further expansion.

Biomass waste gasification - Can be the two stage process suitable for tar reduction and power generation?

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

Sulc, Jindrich; Stojdl, Jiri; Richter, Miroslav

2012-04-15

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Comparison of one stage (co-current) and two stage gasification of wood pellets. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Original arrangement with grate-less reactor and upward moving bed of the pellets. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Two stage gasification leads to drastic reduction of tar content in gas. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer One stage gasification produces gas with higher LHV at lower overall ER. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Content of ammonia in gas is lower in two stage moving bed gasification. - Abstract: A pilot scale gasification unit with novel co-current, updraft arrangement in the first stage and counter-current downdraft in the second stage was developed and exploited for studying effects of two stagemore » gasification in comparison with one stage gasification of biomass (wood pellets) on fuel gas composition and attainable gas purity. Significant producer gas parameters (gas composition, heating value, content of tar compounds, content of inorganic gas impurities) were compared for the two stage and the one stage method of the gasification arrangement with only the upward moving bed (co-current updraft). The main novel features of the gasifier conception include grate-less reactor, upward moving bed of biomass particles (e.g. pellets) by means of a screw elevator with changeable rotational speed and gradual expanding diameter of the cylindrical reactor in the part above the upper end of the screw. The gasifier concept and arrangement are considered convenient for thermal power range 100-350 kW{sub th}. The second stage of the gasifier served mainly for tar compounds destruction/reforming by increased temperature (around 950 Degree-Sign C) and for gasification reaction of the fuel gas with char. The second stage used additional combustion of the fuel gas by preheated secondary air for attaining higher temperature and faster gasification of the remaining char from the first stage. The measurements of gas composition and tar compound contents confirmed superiority of the two stage gasification system, drastic decrease of aromatic compounds with two and higher number of benzene rings by 1-2 orders. On the other hand the two stage gasification (with overall ER = 0.71) led to substantial reduction of gas heating value (LHV = 3.15 MJ/Nm{sup 3}), elevation of gas volume and increase of nitrogen content in fuel gas. The increased temperature (>950 Degree-Sign C) at the entrance to the char bed caused also substantial decrease of ammonia content in fuel gas. The char with higher content of ash leaving the second stage presented only few mass% of the inlet biomass stream.« less

PCV Solid Rocket Motor: Design Status of the Motor Case Structure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mataloni, A.; Zallo, A.; Perugini, P.; Di Cosmo, A.; Pasquale, N.; Mucci, R.

2014-06-01

For the VEGA Launch system new developments are running in order to allow: a) performances increase b) cost reduction c) introduction of new technologies.In the VEGA C configuration the PCV SRM replace the P80 in the first stage.The PCV design is based on the consolidate AVIO heritage with important improvements both from the material and from the technological side.Important improvements in skirts manufacturing will be tested as well, with the development of a customized automatic tape laying machine.From the material side a top class fiber will be selected on the bases of extensive trade-off plan which is under completion.The pre-preg material is based on an in-house resin formulation tailored to the specific motor case process requirements.

A near-infrared imaging survey of interacting galaxies - The small angular-size Arp systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bushouse, Howard A.; Stanford, S. A.

1992-01-01

Near-IR images of a large sample of interacting galaxies selected from the Atlas of Peculiar Galaxies by Arp (1966) have been obtained. Approximately 180 systems have been imaged in at least two, and usually three of the standard JHK bands. The survey and the observing and data reduction procedures, are described, and contour plots and aperture photometry are presented. Future papers will analyze the imaging data by groupings based on interaction type, stage, and progenitors. The goals of the analysis are to explore the relationships between galaxy interactions, activity, and morphology by studying the structure of the near-IR luminosity distribution, where extinction effects are much reduced relative to the optical and the major stellar mass component of galaxies dominates the observed light.

Pollution reduction technology program small jet aircraft engines, phase 3

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bruce, T. W.; Davis, F. G.; Kuhn, T. E.; Mongia, H. C.

1981-01-01

A series of Model TFE731-2 engine tests were conducted with the Concept 2 variable geometry airblast fuel injector combustion system installed. The engine was tested to: (1) establish the emission levels over the selected points which comprise the Environmental Protection Agency Landing-Takeoff Cycle; (2) determine engine performance with the combustion system; and (3) evaulate the engine acceleration/deceleration characteristics. The hydrocarbon (HC), carbon monoxide (CO), and smoke goals were met. Oxides of nitrogen (NOx) were above the goal for the same configuration that met the other pollutant goals. The engine and combustor performance, as well as acceleration/deceleration characteristics, were acceptable. The Concept 3 staged combustor system was refined from earlier phase development and subjected to further rig refinement testing. The concept met all of the emissions goals.

Reduction of soil erosion on forest roads

Treesearch

Edward R. Burroughs; John G. King

1989-01-01

Presents the expected reduction in surface erosion from selected treatments applied to forest road traveledways, cutslopes, fillslopes, and ditches. Estimated erosion reduction is expressed as functions of ground cover, slope gradient, and soil properties whenever possible. A procedure is provided to select rock riprap size for protection of the road ditch.

Parenchymal and Stromal Cells Contribute to Pro-Inflammatory Myocardial Environment at Early Stages of Diabetes: Protective Role of Resveratrol.

PubMed

Savi, Monia; Bocchi, Leonardo; Sala, Roberto; Frati, Caterina; Lagrasta, Costanza; Madeddu, Denise; Falco, Angela; Pollino, Serena; Bresciani, Letizia; Miragoli, Michele; Zaniboni, Massimiliano; Quaini, Federico; Del Rio, Daniele; Stilli, Donatella

2016-11-16

Background: Little information is currently available concerning the relative contribution of cardiac parenchymal and stromal cells in the activation of the pro-inflammatory signal cascade, at the initial stages of diabetes. Similarly, the effects of early resveratrol (RSV) treatment on the negative impact of diabetes on the different myocardial cell compartments remain to be defined. Methods: In vitro challenge of neonatal cardiomyocytes and fibroblasts to high glucose and in vivo/ex vivo experiments on a rat model of Streptozotocin-induced diabetes were used to specifically address these issues. Results: In vitro data indicated that, besides cardiomyocytes, neonatal fibroblasts contribute to generating initial changes in the myocardial environment, in terms of pro-inflammatory cytokine expression. These findings were mostly confirmed at the myocardial tissue level in diabetic rats, after three weeks of hyperglycemia. Specifically, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 and Fractalkine were up-regulated and initial abnormalities in cardiomyocyte contractility occurred. At later stages of diabetes, a selective enhancement of pro-inflammatory macrophage M1 phenotype and a parallel reduction of anti-inflammatory macrophage M2 phenotype were associated with a marked disorganization of cardiomyocyte ultrastructural properties. RSV treatment inhibited pro-inflammatory cytokine production, leading to a recovery of cardiomyocyte contractile efficiency and a reduced inflammatory cell recruitment. Conclusion: Early RSV administration could inhibit the pro-inflammatory diabetic milieu sustained by different cardiac cell types.

Memory retrieval by activating engram cells in mouse models of early Alzheimer's disease.

PubMed

Roy, Dheeraj S; Arons, Autumn; Mitchell, Teryn I; Pignatelli, Michele; Ryan, Tomás J; Tonegawa, Susumu

2016-03-24

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by progressive memory decline and subsequent loss of broader cognitive functions. Memory decline in the early stages of AD is mostly limited to episodic memory, for which the hippocampus has a crucial role. However, it has been uncertain whether the observed amnesia in the early stages of AD is due to disrupted encoding and consolidation of episodic information, or an impairment in the retrieval of stored memory information. Here we show that in transgenic mouse models of early AD, direct optogenetic activation of hippocampal memory engram cells results in memory retrieval despite the fact that these mice are amnesic in long-term memory tests when natural recall cues are used, revealing a retrieval, rather than a storage impairment. Before amyloid plaque deposition, the amnesia in these mice is age-dependent, which correlates with a progressive reduction in spine density of hippocampal dentate gyrus engram cells. We show that optogenetic induction of long-term potentiation at perforant path synapses of dentate gyrus engram cells restores both spine density and long-term memory. We also demonstrate that an ablation of dentate gyrus engram cells containing restored spine density prevents the rescue of long-term memory. Thus, selective rescue of spine density in engram cells may lead to an effective strategy for treating memory loss in the early stages of AD.

Psycho-social stress, insomnia and temazepam: a sleep laboratory evaluation in a "general practice" sample.

PubMed

Beary, M D; Lacey, J H; Crutchfield, M B; Bhat, A V

1984-01-01

Taking a population of women most of whom were about to seek medication from their general practitioner for stress-induced insomnia, this sleep laboratory study examined--both electro -physiologically and psychologically--the immediate impact of temazepam, at normal prescribed dosage, on sleep. The study was double-blind, controlled with random allocation. Temazepam 20 mg, prepared as a liquid in a soft gelatin capsule, reduced sleep latency and prolonged total sleep time. A reduction in stage shifts to Stages I and II and a reduction in time spent in Stages 0 + I suggest more restful sleep. The sleep "architecture" (including REM/NREM cycling, total SWS and REM time) was relatively undisturbed. Temazepam would seem to be effective as a first-line hypnotic for short-term use in stressed patients.

Subcortical grey matter changes in untreated, early stage Parkinson's disease without dementia.

PubMed

Lee, Hye Mi; Kwon, Kyum-Yil; Kim, Min-Jik; Jang, Ji-Wan; Suh, Sang-Il; Koh, Seong-Beom; Kim, Ji Hyun

2014-06-01

Previous MRI studies have investigated cortical or subcortical grey matter changes in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD), yielding inconsistent findings between the studies. We therefore sought to determine whether focal cortical or subcortical grey matter changes may be present from the early disease stage. We recruited 49 untreated, early stage PD patients without dementia and 53 control subjects. Voxel-based morphometry was used to evaluate cortical grey matter changes, and automated volumetry and shape analysis were used to assess volume changes and shape deformation of the subcortical grey matter structures, respectively. Voxel-based morphometry showed neither reductions nor increases in grey matter volume in patients compared to controls. Compared to controls, PD patients had significant reductions in adjusted volumes of putamen, nucleus accumbens, and hippocampus (corrected p < 0.05). Vertex-based shape analysis showed regionally contracted area on the posterolateral and ventromedial putamen bilaterally in PD patients (corrected p < 0.05). No correlations were found between cortical and subcortical grey matter and clinical variables representing disease duration and severity. Our results suggest that untreated, early stage PD without dementia is associated with volume reduction and shape deformation of subcortical grey matter, but not with cortical grey matter reduction. Our findings of structural changes in the posterolateral putamen and ventromedial putamen/nucleus accumbens could provide neuroanatomical basis for the involvement of motor and limbic striatum, further implicating motor and non-motor symptoms in PD, respectively. Early hippocampal involvement might be related to the risk for developing dementia in PD patients. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

In vivo effect of single oral dose of artemether against early juvenile stages of Schistosoma mansoni Egyptian strain.

PubMed

El-Beshbishi, Samar N; Taman, Amira; El-Malky, Mohamed; Azab, Manar S; El-Hawary, Amira K; El-Tantawy, Dina A

2013-10-01

The current treatment and control of schistosomiasis, rely on a single drug, praziquantel, although, it has minor activity against juvenile stages of the parasite. Studies have shown that artemether (ART) exhibits effects against juveniles of Schistosoma mansoni Liberian and Puerto Rican strains, Schistosoma japonicum and Schistosoma haematobium. Aiming to assess the in vivo activity of single oral dose of ART against early juvenile stages of S. mansoni Egyptian strain, this study was established. Mice were treated with ART (400 mg/kg) at two time points evenly spaced over the period of larval development (7 and 21 days post-infection; pi), and a third treatment point (day 49 pi) was included to elucidate when susceptibility decreases. Administration of ART on day 7 pi reduced the total worm burden by 85.94%. The greatest reductions were seen when treatment was given on day 21 pi, with total and female worm burden reductions of 91.52% and 90.57%, respectively, and cessation of oviposition. Similar dose given on day 49 pi reduced total worm burden by 55.17% and female worm burden by 66.51%. Moreover, it induced significant reduction in the tissue egg load and significant alterations in the oogram pattern with decreased immature eggs and increased dead eggs. Antipathological activities were evident in significant reductions in granulomata count and diameter. In conclusion, ART exhibits major in vivo schistosomicidal effects against the early larval migratory stages of S. mansoni Egyptian strain, mainly the 21-day old schistosomula, hence preventing disease progression and morbidity. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A Case Study: Optimal Stage Gauge NetworkUsing Multi Objective Genetic Algorithm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Joo, H. J.; Han, D.; Jung, J.; Kim, H. S.

2017-12-01

Recently, the possibility of occurrence of localized strong heavy rainfall due to climate change is increasing and flood damage is also increasing trend in Korea. Therefore we need more precise hydrologic analysis for preparing alternatives or measures for flood reduction by considering climate conditions which we have difficulty in the prediction. To do this, obtaining reliable hydrologic data, for an example, stage data, is very important. However, the existing stage gauge stations are scattered around the country, making it difficult to maintain them in a stable manner, and subsequently hard to acquire the hydrologic data that could be used for reflecting the localized hydrologic characteristics. In order to overcome such restrictions, this paper not only aims to establish a plan to acquire the water stage data in a constant and proper manner by using limited manpower and costs, but also establishes the fundamental technology for acquiring the water level observation data or the stage data. For that, this paper identifies the current status of the stage gauge stations installed in the Chung-Ju dam in Han river, Korea and extract the factors related to the division and characteristics of basins. Then, the obtained factors are used to develop the representative unit hydrograph that shows the characteristics of flow. After that, the data are converted into the probability density function and the stations at individual basins are selected by using the entropy theory. In last step, we establish the optimized stage gauge network by the location of the stage station and grade using the Multi Objective Genetic Algorithm(MOGA) technique that takes into account for the combinations of the number of the stations. It is expected that this paper can help establish an optimal observational network of stage guages as it can be applied usefully not only for protecting against floods in a stable manner, but also for acquiring the hydrologic data in an efficient manner. Keywords : Unit Hydrograph, Entropy, Grade of Stage Gauge Station, Multi Objective Genetic Algorithm(MOGA), Optimal Stage Guage Network Acknowledgements This research was supported by Basic Science Research Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea(NRF) funded by the Ministry of Science, ICT & Future Planning(2017R1A2B3005695)

Coherent structure dynamics and identification during the multistage transitions of polymeric turbulent channel flow

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Lu; Xi, Li

2018-04-01

Drag reduction induced by polymer additives in wall-bounded turbulence has been studied for decades. A small dosage of polymer additives can drastically reduce the energy dissipation in turbulent flows and alter the flow structures at the same time. As the polymer-induced fluid elasticity increases, drag reduction goes through several stages of transition with drastically different flow statistics. While much attention in the area of polymer-turbulence interactions has been focused on the onset and the asymptotic stage of maximum drag reduction, the transition between the two intermediate stages – low-extent drag reduction (LDR) and high-extent drag reduction (HDR) – likely reflects a qualitative change in the underlying vortex dynamics according to our recent study [1]. In particular, we proposed that polymers start to suppress the lift-up and bursting of vortices at HDR, leading to the localization of turbulent structures. To test our hypothesis, a statistically robust conditional sampling algorithm, based on Jenong and Hussain [2]’s work, was adopted in this study. The comparison of conditional eddies between the Newtonian and the highly elastic turbulence shows that (i) the lifting “strength” of vortices is suppressed by polymers as reflected by the decreasing lifting angle of the conditional eddy and (ii) the curvature of vortices is also eliminated as the orientation of the head of the conditional eddy changes. In summary, the results of conditional sampling support our hypothesis of polymer-turbulence interactions during the LDR-HDR transition.

Selective hydrogenation of phenol to cyclohexanone over Pd@CN (N-doped porous carbon): Role of catalyst reduction method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hu, Shuo; Yang, Guangxin; Jiang, Hong; Liu, Yefei; Chen, Rizhi

2018-03-01

Selective phenol hydrogenation is a green and sustainable technology to produce cyclohexanone. The work focused on investigating the role of catalyst reduction method in the liquid-phase phenol hydrogenation to cyclohexanone over Pd@CN (N-doped porous carbon). A series of reduction methods including flowing hydrogen reduction, in-situ reaction reduction and liquid-phase reduction were designed and performed. The results highlighted that the reduction method significantly affected the catalytic performance of Pd@CN in the liquid-phase hydrogenation of phenol to cyclohexanone, and the liquid-phase reduction with the addition of appropriate amount of phenol was highly efficient to improve the catalytic activity of Pd@CN. The influence mechanism was explored by a series of characterizations. The results of TEM, XPS and CO chemisorption confirmed that the reduction method mainly affected the size, surface composition and dispersion of Pd in the CN material. The addition of phenol during the liquid-phase reduction could inhibit the aggregation of Pd NPs and promote the reduction of Pd (2+), and then improved the catalytic activity of Pd@CN. The work would aid the development of high-performance Pd@CN catalysts for selective phenol hydrogenation.

The effect of group psycho-education program on the burden of family caregivers with multiple sclerosis patients in Isfahan in 2013-2014.

PubMed

Pahlavanzadeh, Saeid; Dalvi-Isfahani, Fariba; Alimohammadi, Nasrollah; Chitsaz, Ahmad

2015-01-01

Lack of adequate training and support of primary caregivers of multiple sclerosis (MS) patients is the major factor in causing stress, anxiety, and increase of burden. Therefore, the treatment team members such as psychiatric nurses can help these vulnerable people overcome psychiatric pressures effectively not only through their care and referral role but also through their supportive characteristic, which helps the patients improve their clinical status, together with their social, familial, and work adaptation. Therefore, the researcher tried to identify the effect of a group psycho-education program on the burden family caregivers with MS patients. This is a two-group three-stage clinical trial. The researcher referred to the heads of neurology clinics to present the purpose of the study and to start the sampling. The neurology clinics of AL Zahra University Hospital, and also a Private Neurology Clinic were selected to collect the data of the study. The subjects were randomly selected, and then, assigned to two groups of study and control. Independent t-test showed a significant reduction in family caregivers' burden immediately after and 1-month after intervention in the study group, compared to control. Repeated measure ANOVA showed a significant reduction in caregivers' burden mean score in the study group (P < 0.001). As group psycho-education reduced family caregivers' burden, it is recommended to develop and design other programs for the family caregivers of the patients with MS.

Inactivation of a Single Copy of Crebbp Selectively Alters Pre-mRNA Processing in Mouse Hematopoietic Stem Cells

PubMed Central

Lemieux, Madeleine E.; Cheng, Ziming; Zhou, Qing; White, Ruth; Cornell, John; Kung, Andrew L.; Rebel, Vivienne I.

2011-01-01

Global expression analysis of fetal liver hematopoietic stem cells (FL HSCs) revealed the presence of unspliced pre-mRNA for a number of genes in normal FL HSCs. In a subset of these genes, Crebbp+/− FL HSCs had less unprocessed pre-mRNA without a corresponding reduction in total mRNA levels. Among the genes thus identified were the key regulators of HSC function Itga4, Msi2 and Tcf4. A similar but much weaker effect was apparent in Ep300+/− FL HSCs, indicating that, in this context as in others, the two paralogs are not interchangeable. As a group, the down-regulated intronic probe sets could discriminate adult HSCs from more mature cell types, suggesting that the underlying mechanism is regulated with differentiation stage and is active in both fetal and adult hematopoiesis. Consistent with increased myelopoiesis in Crebbp hemizygous mice, targeted reduction of CREBBP abundance by shRNA in the multipotent EML cell line triggered spontaneous myeloid differentiation in the absence of the normally required inductive signals. In addition, differences in protein levels between phenotypically distinct EML subpopulations were better predicted by taking into account not only the total mRNA signal but also the amount of unspliced message present. CREBBP thus appears to selectively influence the timing and degree of pre-mRNA processing of genes essential for HSC regulation and thereby has the potential to alter subsequent cell fate decisions in HSCs. PMID:21901164

Performance evaluation of the UV/H2O2 process on selected nitrogenous organic compounds: reductions of organic contents vs. corresponding C-, N-DBPs formations.

PubMed

Chen, Huei-Wen; Chen, Chia-Yang; Wang, Gen-Shuh

2011-10-01

The presence of various organic contaminants in water sources is of concern due to their direct threats to human health and potential to react with disinfectants to form carcinogenic byproducts including trihalomethanes, haloacetic acids and nitrosamines in finished water. This study applied both medium-pressure and low-pressure ultraviolet light coupled with hydrogen peroxide (UV/H2O2) to evaluate its efficacy for degradation of selected nitrogenous organic compounds and corresponding disinfection byproduct (DBP) formation. Six organic compounds were chosen as target precursors based on their nitrogen contents and molecular structures. The results showed that higher oxidation capacity resulted in better reduction of organic matters and DBP formation potentials (DBPFPs). However, insufficient contact time and oxidant doses could lead to a rise of DBPFPs in the early stages of UV/H2O2 reactions. A greater percentage removal was achieved for organic carbon than organic nitrogen after UV/H2O2 treatment, especially for compounds with complicated structure such as diltiazem. During the UV/H2O2 treatment, the intermediate products include tertiary amine, dimethyl amine (DMA) or DMA-like structures, which are N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) precursors after chlorination or chloramination. Furthermore, it was observed that using dissolved organic nitrogen and DMA to predict NDMAFP could lead to biased conclusions because of the complex nature of nitrogenous matters in aqueous environments. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Gold(III) biosorption and bioreduction with the brown alga Fucus vesiculosus.

PubMed

Mata, Y N; Torres, E; Blázquez, M L; Ballester, A; González, F; Muñoz, J A

2009-07-30

In this paper, the bioreduction of Au(III) to Au(0) using biomass of the brown alga Fucus vesiculosus was investigated. The recovery and reduction process took place in two stages with an optimum pH range of 4-9 with a maximum uptake obtained at pH 7. In the first stage, an induction period previous to gold reduction, the variation of pH, redox potential and gold concentration in solution was practically negligible and no color change was observed. In the second stage, the gold reduction was followed by a sharp decrease of gold concentration, pH and redox potential of solution and a color change from yellow to reddish purple. Hydroxyl groups present in the algal polysaccharides were involved in the gold bioreduction. Metallic gold was detected as microprecipitates on the biomass surface and in colloidal form as nanoparticles in the solution. Bioreduction with F. vesiculosus could be an alternative and environmentally friendly process that can be used for recovering gold from dilute hydrometallurgical solutions and leachates of electronic scraps, and for the synthesis of gold nanoparticles of different size and shape.

Restartable solid motor stage for shuttle applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rohrbaugh, D. J.

1973-01-01

The application of restartable solid motor stages to shuttle missions has been shown to provide a viable supplement to the shuttle program. Restartable solid motors in the 3000 pound class provide a small expendable transfer stage that reduces the demand on the shuttle for the lower energy missions. Shuttle operational requirements and preliminary performance data provided an input for defining design features required for restartable solid motor applications. These data provided a basis for a configuration definition that is compatible with shuttle operations. Mission by mission analysis showed the impact on a NASA supplied mission model. The results showed a 15% reduction in the number of shuttle flights required. In addition the amount of shuttle capability used to complete the mission objectives was significantly reduced. For example, in the 1979 missions there was a 62% reduction in shuttle capability used. The study also showed that the solid motor could provide a supplement to the TUG that would allow TUGS to be used in a recoverable rather than an expendable mode. The study shows a 71% reduction in the number of TUGs that would be expended.

Reduction in expression of the benign AR transcriptome is a hallmark of localised prostate cancer progression.

PubMed

Stuchbery, Ryan; Macintyre, Geoff; Cmero, Marek; Harewood, Laurence M; Peters, Justin S; Costello, Anthony J; Hovens, Christopher M; Corcoran, Niall M

2016-05-24

Despite the importance of androgen receptor (AR) signalling to prostate cancer development, little is known about how this signalling pathway changes with increasing grade and stage of the disease. To explore changes in the normal AR transcriptome in localised prostate cancer, and its relation to adverse pathological features and disease recurrence. Publically accessible human prostate cancer expression arrays as well as RNA sequencing data from the prostate TCGA. Tumour associated PSA and PSAD were calculated for a large cohort of men (n=1108) undergoing prostatectomy. We performed a meta-analysis of the expression of an androgen-regulated gene set across datasets using Oncomine. Differential expression of selected genes in the prostate TCGA database was probed using the edgeR Bioconductor package. Changes in tumour PSA density with stage and grade were assessed by Student's t-test, and its association with biochemical recurrence explored by Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox regression. Meta-analysis revealed a systematic decline in the expression of a previously identified benign prostate androgen-regulated gene set with increasing tumour grade, reaching significance in nine of 25 genes tested despite increasing AR expression. These results were confirmed in a large independent dataset from the TCGA. At the protein level, when serum PSA was corrected for tumour volume, significantly lower levels were observed with increasing tumour grade and stage, and predicted disease recurrence. Lower PSA secretion-per-tumour-volume is associated with increasing grade and stage of prostate cancer, has prognostic relevance, and reflects a systematic perturbation of androgen signalling.

Volumetric modulated arc radiotherapy sparing the thyroid gland for early-stage glottic cancer: A dosimetrical analysis.

PubMed

Kim, Eun Seok; Yeo, Seung-Gu

2014-06-01

Previous studies on advanced radiotherapy (RT) techniques for early stage glottic cancer have focused on sparing the carotid artery. However, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the dosimetric advantages of volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) in terms of sparing the thyroid gland in early-stage glottic cancer patients. In total, 15 cT1N0M0 glottic cancer patients treated with definitive RT using VMAT were selected, and for dosimetric comparison, a conventional RT plan comprising opposed-lateral wedged fields was generated for each patient. The carotid artery, thyroid gland and spinal cord were considered organs at risk. The prescription dose was 63 Gy at 2.25 Gy per fraction. For the thyroid gland and carotid artery, all compared parameters were significantly lower with VMAT compared with conventional RT. For the thyroid gland, the median reduction rates of the mean dose (D mean ), the volume receiving ≥30% of the prescription dose (V 30 ) and the V 50 were 32.6, 40.9 and 46.0%, respectively. The D mean was 14.7±2.6 Gy when using VMAT compared with 22.2±3.9 Gy when using conventional RT. The differences between the techniques in terms of planning target volume coverage and dose homogeneity were not significant. When considering a recent normal tissue complication probability model, which indicated the mean thyroid gland dose as the most significant predictor of radiation-induced hypothyroidism, the dosimetric advantage shown in this study may be valuable in reducing hypothyroidism following RT for early stage glottic cancer patients.

Strain induced grain boundary migration effects on grain growth of an austenitic stainless steel during static and metadynamic recrystallization

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

Paggi, A., E-mail: alpaggi@tenaris.com; Angella, G.; Donnini, R.

Static and metadynamic recrystallization of an AISI 304L austenitic stainless steel was investigated at 1100 °C and 10{sup −} {sup 2} s{sup −} {sup 1} strain rate. The kinetics of recrystallization was determined through double hit compression tests. Two strain levels were selected for the first compression hit: ε{sub f} = 0.15 for static recrystallization (SRX) and 0.25 for metadynamic recrystallization (MDRX). Both the as-deformed and the recrystallized microstructures were investigated through optical microscopy and electron back-scattered diffraction (EBSD) technique. During deformation, strain induced grain boundary migration appeared to be significant, producing a square-like grain boundary structure aligned along themore » directions of the maximum shear stresses in compression. EBSD analysis revealed to be as a fundamental technique that the dislocation density was distributed heterogeneously in the deformed grains. Grain growth driven by surface energy reduction was also investigated, finding that it was too slow to explain the experimental data. Based on microstructural results, it was concluded that saturation of the nucleation sites occurred in the first stages of recrystallization, while grain growth driven by strain induced grain boundary migration (SIGBM) dominated the subsequent stages. - Highlights: • Recrystallization behavior of a stainless steel was investigated at 1100 °C. • EBSD revealed that the dislocation density distribution was heterogeneous during deformation. • Saturation of nucleation sites occurred in the first stages of recrystallization. • Strain induced grain boundary migration (SIGBM) effects were significant. • Grain growth driven by SIGBM dominated the subsequent stages.« less

Fish early life stage: Developing AOPs to support targeted reduction and replacement

EPA Science Inventory

There is an interest in developing alternatives to the fish early-life stage (FELS) test (OECD test guideline 210), for predicting adverse chronic toxicity outcomes (e.g., impacts on growth and survival). Development and characterization of adverse outcome pathways (AOPs) related...

National accident sampling system sample design, phases 2 and 3 : executive summary

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1979-11-01

This report describes the Phase 2 and 3 sample design for the : National Accident Sampling System (NASS). It recommends a procedure : for the first-stage selection of Primary Sampling Units (PSU's) and : the second-stage design for the selection of a...

Outcome and toxicity associated with a dose-intensified, maintenance-free CHOP-based chemotherapy protocol in canine lymphoma: 130 cases.

PubMed

Sorenmo, Karin; Overley, B; Krick, E; Ferrara, T; LaBlanc, A; Shofer, F

2010-09-01

A dose-intensified/dose-dense chemotherapy protocol for canine lymphoma was designed and implemented at the Veterinary Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. In this study, we describe the clinical characteristics, prognostic factors, efficacy and toxicity in 130 dogs treated with this protocol. The majority of the dogs had advanced stage disease (63.1% stage V) and sub-stage b (58.5%). The median time to progression (TTP) and lymphoma-specific survival were 219 and 323 days, respectively. These results are similar to previous less dose-intense protocols. Sub-stage was a significant negative prognostic factor for survival. The incidence of toxicity was high; 53.9 and 45% of the dogs needed dose reductions and treatment delays, respectively. Dogs that required dose reductions and treatment delays had significantly longer TTP and lymphoma-specific survival times. These results suggest that dose density is important, but likely relative, and needs to be adjusted according to the individual patient's toxicity for optimal outcome.

The right place for the right job in the photovoltaic life cycle.

PubMed

Kawajiri, Kotaro; Genchi, Yutaka

2012-07-03

The potential for photovoltaic power generation (PV) to reduce primary energy consumption (PEC) and CO(2) emissions depends on the physical locations of each stage of its life cycle. When stages are optimally located, CO(2) emissions are reduced nearly ten times as much as when each stage is located in the country having the largest current market share. The usage stage contributes the most to reducing CO(2) emissions and PEC, and total CO(2) emissions actually increase when PV is installed in countries having small CO(2) emissions from electricity generation. Global maps of CO(2) reduction potential indicate that Botswana and Gobi in Mongolia are the optimal locations to install PV due to favorable conditions for PV power generation and high CO(2) emissions from current electricity generation. However, the small electricity demand in those countries limits the contribution to global CO(2) reduction. The type of PVs has a small but significant effect on life cycle PEC and CO(2) emissions.

Growth of block copolymer stabilized metal nanoparticles probed simultaneously by in situ XAS and UV-Vis spectroscopy.

PubMed

Nayak, C; Bhattacharyya, D; Jha, S N; Sahoo, N K

2016-01-01

The growth of Au and Pt nanoparticles from their respective chloride precursors using block copolymer-based reducers has been studied by simultaneous in situ measurement of XAS and UV-Vis spectroscopy at the energy-dispersive EXAFS beamline (BL-08) at INDUS-2 SRS at RRCAT, Indore, India. While the XANES spectra of the precursor give real-time information on the reduction process, the EXAFS spectra reveal the structure of the clusters formed at the intermediate stages of growth. The growth kinetics of both types of nanoparticles are found to be almost similar and are found to follow three stages, though the first stage of nucleation takes place earlier in the case of Au than in the case of Pt nanoparticles due to the difference in the reduction potential of the respective precursors. The first two stages of the growth of Au and Pt nanoparticles as obtained by in situ XAS measurements could be corroborated by simultaneous in situ measurement of UV-Vis spectroscopy also.

Adaptive Model Predictive Control of Diesel Engine Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) Systems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McKinley, Thomas L.

2009-01-01

Selective catalytic reduction or SCR is coming into worldwide use for diesel engine emissions reduction for on- and off-highway vehicles. These applications are characterized by broad operating range as well as rapid and unpredictable changes in operating conditions. Significant nonlinearity, input and output constraints, and stringent performance…

Exclusive Ni-N4 Sites Realize Near-Unity CO Selectivity for Electrochemical CO2 Reduction.

PubMed

Li, Xiaogang; Bi, Wentuan; Chen, Minglong; Sun, Yuexiang; Ju, Huanxin; Yan, Wensheng; Zhu, Junfa; Wu, Xiaojun; Chu, Wangsheng; Wu, Changzheng; Xie, Yi

2017-10-25

Electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) to value-added carbon products is a promising approach to reduce CO 2 levels and mitigate the energy crisis. However, poor product selectivity is still a major obstacle to the development of CO 2 reduction. Here we demonstrate exclusive Ni-N 4 sites through a topo-chemical transformation strategy, bringing unprecedentedly high activity and selectivity for CO 2 reduction. Topo-chemical transformation by carbon layer coating successfully ensures preservation of the Ni-N 4 structure to a maximum extent and avoids the agglomeration of Ni atoms to particles, providing abundant active sites for the catalytic reaction. The Ni-N 4 structure exhibits excellent activity for electrochemical reduction of CO 2 with particularly high selectivity, achieving high faradaic efficiency over 90% for CO in the potential range from -0.5 to -0.9 V and gives a maximum faradaic efficiency of 99% at -0.81 V with a current density of 28.6 mA cm -2 . We anticipate exclusive catalytic sites will shed new light on the design of high-efficiency electrocatalysts for CO 2 reduction.

Adventures in hepatocarcinogenesis.

PubMed

Pitot, Henry C

2007-01-01

Neoplasia is a heritably altered, relatively autonomous growth of tissue. Hepatocarcinogenesis, the pathogenesis of neoplasia in liver, as modeled in the rat exhibits three distinct, quantifiable stages: initiation, promotion, and progression. Simple mutations and/or epigenetic alterations may result in the irreversible stage of initiation. The stage of promotion results from selective enhancement of cell replication and selective inhibition of cellular apoptosis of initiated cells dependent on the genetic and/or epigenetic alterations of the latter. The irreversible stage of progression results from initial karyotypic alterations that evolve into greater degrees of genomic instability. The initial genomic alteration in the transition from promotion to progression may involve primarily epigenetic mechanisms driven by epigenetic and genetic alterations fixed during the stage of promotion.

Selective disulfide reduction for labeling and enhancement of Fab antibody fragments.

PubMed

Kirley, Terence L; Greis, Kenneth D; Norman, Andrew B

2016-11-25

Many methods have been developed for chemical labeling and enhancement of the properties of antibodies and their common fragments, including the Fab and F(ab') 2 fragments. Somewhat selective reduction of some antibody disulfide bonds has been previously achieved, yielding antibodies and antibody fragments that can be labeled at defined sites, enhancing their utility and properties. Selective reduction of the two hinge disulfide bonds present in F(ab') 2 fragments using mild reduction has been useful. However, such reduction is often not quantitative and results in the reduction of multiple disulfide bonds, and therefore subsequent multiple labeling or conjugation sites are neither homogenous nor stoichiometric. Here, a simple and efficient selective reduction of the single disulfide bond linking the partial heavy chain and the intact light chain which compose the Fab fragment is accomplished utilizing tris(2-carboxyethyl)phosphine (TCEP) immobilized on agarose beads. The resultant reduced cysteine residues were labeled with several cysteine-selective fluorescent reagents, as well as by cysteine-directed PEGylation. These two cysteine residues can also be re-ligated by means of a bifunctional cysteine cross-linking agent, dibromobimane, thereby both restoring a covalent linkage between the heavy and light chains at this site, far removed from the antigen binding site, and also introducing a fluorescent probe. There are many other research and clinical uses for these selectively partially reduced Fab fragments, including biotinylation, toxin and drug conjugation, and incorporation of radioisotopes, and this technique enables simple generation of very useful Fab fragment derivatives with many potential applications. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effect of water, sanitation and hygiene interventions on active trachoma in North and South Wollo zones of Amhara Region, Ethiopia: A Quasi-experimental study.

PubMed

Tadesse, Beselam; Worku, Alemayehu; Kumie, Abera; Yimer, Solomon Abebe

2017-11-01

Trachoma is chronic kerato conjunctivitis, which is caused by repeated infection with Chlamydia trachomatis bacterium. It is hyper endemic in many rural areas of Ethiopia. The objective of this study was to measure the effect of water, sanitation and hygiene interventions on active trachoma in selected woredas of North and South Wollo zones of Amhara Region, Ethiopia. A community based quasi-experimental study was conducted from October 2014 to December 2015 among children aged 1-8 years at baseline and among one year older same children after intervention. A four-stage random cluster-sampling technique was employed to select study participants. From each selected household, one child was clinically assessed for active trachoma. Structured questionnaire was used to collect socio demographic and behavioral data. MacNemar test was applied to compare the prevalence of active trachoma between baseline and after the intervention period at both intervention and non-intervention study areas. The prevalence of active trachoma was reduced from baseline prevalence of 26% to 18% after one-year intervention period in the intervention woredas (P≤0.001). MacNemar test result showed significant reduction of active trachoma prevalence after the intervention period in the intervention woredas compared to the non-intervention woredas (P≤0.001). Water, sanitation and hygiene related activities were significantly improved after the intervention period in the intervention woredas (P<0.05). There was a significant reduction of active trachoma prevalence between the baseline and after the intervention period in the intervention woredas, but not in the non-intervention ones. Improved water, sanitation and hygiene interventions contributed to the reduction of active trachoma. However, the magnitude of active trachoma prevalence observed after the intervention is still very high in the studied areas of North and South Wollo Zones communities. To achieve the global trachoma elimination target by the year 2020 as set by the WHO, continued WaSH interventions and periodic monitoring, evaluation and reporting of the impact of WaSH on active trachoma is warranted.

Does the "stages of change" construct predict cross-sectional and temporal variations in dietary behavior and selected indicators of diabetes risk among Norwegian-Pakistani women?

PubMed

Råberg Kjøllesdal, M K; Holmboe-Ottesen, G; Wandel, M

2013-02-01

The aim of this study is to explore the association between motivational "stage" and intake of selected foods, and risk factors for diabetes; and what degree of attendance in an intervention that was necessary to show movements across the motivational "stages of change". Participants (n = 198, aged 25-62 years) were randomly assigned into intervention and control. Interviews with a structured questionnaire, anthropometric and biochemical assessments. Intake of several food items and blood parameters at baseline differed according to motivational stage. Those who participated in at least four group sessions in the intervention were more likely to show a positive move through the "stages of change". Those in low motivational stages at baseline had benefitted just as much from the intervention as those in higher stages. Intake of several food items corresponded to the motivational "stage". High attendance in the intervention was necessary for a positive move through "stages of change".

Effectiveness comparison of cardio-selective to non-selective β-blockers and their association with mortality and morbidity in end-stage renal disease: a retrospective cohort study.

PubMed

Shireman, Theresa I; Mahnken, Jonathan D; Phadnis, Milind A; Ellerbeck, Edward F

2016-03-25

Within-class comparative effectiveness studies of β-blockers have not been performed in the chronic dialysis setting. With widespread cardiac disease in these patients and potential mechanistic differences within the class, we examined whether mortality and morbidity outcomes varied between cardio-selective and non-selective β-blockers. Retrospective observational study of within class β-blocker exposure among a national cohort of new chronic dialysis patients (N = 52,922) with hypertension and dual eligibility (Medicare-Medicaid). New β-blocker users were classified according to their exclusive use of one of the subclasses. Outcomes were all-cause mortality (ACM) and cardiovascular morbidity and mortality (CVMM). The associations of cardio-selective and non-selective agents on outcomes were adjusted for baseline characteristics using Cox proportional hazards. There were 4938 new β-blocker users included in the ACM model and 4537 in the CVMM model: 77 % on cardio-selective β-blockers. Exposure to cardio-selective and non-selective agents during the follow-up period was comparable, as measured by proportion of days covered (0.56 vs. 0.53 in the ACM model; 0.56 vs 0.54 in the CVMM model). Use of cardio-selective β-blockers was associated with lower risk for mortality (AHR = 0.84; 99 % CI = 0.72-0.97, p = 0.0026) and lower risk for CVMM events (AHR = 0.86; 99 % CI = 0.75-0.99, p = 0.0042). Among new β-blockers users on chronic dialysis, cardio-selective agents were associated with a statistically significant 16 % reduction in mortality and 14 % in cardiovascular morbidity and mortality relative to non-selective β-blocker users. A randomized clinical trial would be appropriate to more definitively answer whether cardio-selective β-blockers are superior to non-selective β-blockers in the setting of chronic dialysis.

Investigation of iron oxide reduction by TEM

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rau, Mann-Fu; Rieck, David; Evans, James W.

1987-03-01

An “environmental cell” located in a high voltage transmission electron microscope has been used to study the reduction of single crystal iron oxides by hydrogen and hydrogen-argon mixtures. The cell enables a direct observation of the solid during reaction, thus permitting the nucleation and growth of solid reaction products to be observed. Hematite was reduced at temperatures in the range 387 to 610°C with gas pressures up to 5.3 kP. Reduction with pure hydrogen was considerably faster than when argon was present. Lath magnetite which rapidly transforms to porous magnetite and thence (more slowly) to porous iron was observed. The reduction of magnetite and of wustite single crystals was observed in the temperature range 300 to 514°C using both hydrogen and hydrogen-argon mixtures at gas pressures up to 6.6 kP. Incubation periods were found for magnetite reduction; during these periods faceted pits formed in the oxide. Iron formed in the early stages was epitaxial with the host magnetite; at later stages the epitaxy was lost and fissures frequently formed in the metal. The morphology of the iron differed between the gas mixtures. Disproportionation accompanied the reduction of wustite, producing intermediate polycrystalline magnetite despite reducing conditions. The disproportionation appeared to be promoted by the reduction reaction. For both oxides, reduction in the hydrogen-argon mixture was slower than in pure hydrogen.

Selective lymphadenectomy in endometrial cancer: Retrospective analysis of morbidity and survival data at a tertiary care centre

PubMed Central

Chishti, Uzma; Aziz, Aliya B.; Akhtar, Munazza; Sheikh, Sana

2015-01-01

Objective: To compare perioperative morbidity and survival data between patients with early-stage endometrial cancer who did or did not undergo selective lymphadenectomy. Methods: Retrospective analysis of 180 patients with early-stage endometrial carcinoma treated between 1999 and 2008 was performed in Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan. Results: Data from 180 patients were analysed. The selective lymphadenectomy group contained 108 women (60%) and the no lymphadenectomy group contained 72 women (40%). The median number of lymph nodes removed was 9. The mean age and extent of disease, as assessed by staging, tumour size, myometrial invasion, and lymphovascular invasion were comparable between groups. Upstaging of the disease to stage 3 and 4 occurred in 11% of patients in the lymphadenectomy group. There were no significant differences in the medical or surgical complications between groups. At a median follow-up of 26 months, both groups had comparable survival (lymphadenectomy versus no lymphadenectomy: 34 versus 32 months). Similar survival was noted for patients who underwent the removal of more or less than 5 pelvic lymph nodes. Conclusion: Selective lymphadenectomy offers the advantage of improved surgical staging but no therapeutic benefit in terms of overall survival. PMID:26430436

Direct radiolabeling of antibody against stage specific embryonic antigen for diagnostic imaging

DOEpatents

Rhodes, Buck A.

1994-01-01

Antibody against stage specific embryonic antigen-1 is radiolabeled by direct means with a radionuclide for use in detection of occult abscess and inflammation. Radiolabeling is accomplished by partial reduction of the disulfide bonds of the antibody using Sn(II), or using other reducing agents followed by the addition of Sn(II), removal of excess reducing agent and reduction by-products, and addition of a specified amount of radionuclide reducing agent, such as stannous tartrate. The resulting product may be store frozen or lyophilized, with radiolabeling accomplished by the addition of the radionuclide.

Direct radiolabeling of antibody against stage specific embryonic antigen for diagnostic imaging

DOEpatents

Rhodes, B.A.

1994-09-13

Antibodies against stage specific embryonic antigen-1 is radiolabeled by direct means with a radionuclide for use in detection of occult abscess and inflammation. Radiolabeling is accomplished by partial reduction of the disulfide bonds of the antibody using Sn(II), or using other reducing agents followed by the addition of Sn(II), removal of excess reducing agent and reduction by-products, and addition of a specified amount of radionuclide reducing agent, such as stannous tartrate. The resulting product may be stored frozen or lyophilized, with radiolabeling accomplished by the addition of the radionuclide. No Drawings

Reduction of mixed Mn-Zr oxides: in situ XPS and XRD studies.

PubMed

Bulavchenko, O A; Vinokurov, Z S; Afonasenko, T N; Tsyrul'nikov, P G; Tsybulya, S V; Saraev, A A; Kaichev, V V

2015-09-21

A series of mixed Mn-Zr oxides with different molar ratios Mn/Zr (0.1-9) have been prepared by coprecipitation of manganese and zirconium nitrates and characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and BET methods. It has been found that at concentrations of Mn below 30 at%, the samples are single-phase solid solutions (MnxZr1-xO2-δ) based on a ZrO2 structure. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) measurements showed that manganese in these solutions exists mainly in the Mn(4+) state on the surface. An increase in Mn content mostly leads to an increase in the number of Mn cations in the structure of solid solutions; however, a part of the manganese cations form Mn2O3 and Mn3O4 in the crystalline and amorphous states. The reduction of these oxides with hydrogen was studied by a temperature-programmed reduction technique, in situ XRD, and near ambient pressure XPS in the temperature range from 100 to 650 °C. It was shown that the reduction of the solid solutions MnxZr1-xO2-δ proceeds via two stages. During the first stage, at temperatures between 100 and 500 °C, the Mn cations incorporated into the solid solutions MnxZr1-xO2-δ undergo partial reduction. During the second stage, at temperatures between 500 and 700 °C, Mn cations segregate on the surface of the solid solution. In the samples with more than 30 at% Mn, the reduction of manganese oxides was observed: Mn2O3 → Mn3O4 → MnO.

Kinetics of the solid-state carbothermic reduction of wessel manganese ores

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Akdogan, Guven; Eric, R. Hurman

1995-02-01

Reduction of manganese ores from the Wessel mine of South Africa has been investigated in the temperature range 1100 °C to 1350 °C with pure graphite as the reductant under argon atmosphere. The rate and degree of reduction were found to increase with increasing temperature and decreasing particle sizes of both the ore and the graphite. The reduction was found to occur in two stages: (1) The first stage includes the rapid reduction of higher oxides of manganese and iron to MnO and FeO. The rate control appears to be mixed, both inward diffusion of CO and outward diffusion of CO2 across the porous product layer, and the reaction of carbon monoxide on the pore walls of the oxide phase play important roles. The values of effective CO-CO2 diffusivities generated by the mathematical model are in the range from 2.15 x 10-5 to 6.17 X 10-5 cm2.s-1 for different ores at 1300 °C. Apparent activation energies range from 81. 3 to 94.6 kJ/kg/mol. (2) The second stage is slower during which MnO and FeO are reduced to mixed carbide of iron and manganese. The chemical reaction between the manganous oxide and carbon dissolved in the metal phase or metal carbide seems to be the rate-controlling process The rate constant of chemical reaction between MnO and carbide on the surface of the impervious core was found to lie in the range from 1.53 x 10-8 to 1.32 x 10-7 mol . s-1 . cm-2. Apparent activation energies calculated are in the range from 102.1 to 141.7 kJ/kg/mol.

Feature Extraction and Selection Strategies for Automated Target Recognition

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Greene, W. Nicholas; Zhang, Yuhan; Lu, Thomas T.; Chao, Tien-Hsin

2010-01-01

Several feature extraction and selection methods for an existing automatic target recognition (ATR) system using JPLs Grayscale Optical Correlator (GOC) and Optimal Trade-Off Maximum Average Correlation Height (OT-MACH) filter were tested using MATLAB. The ATR system is composed of three stages: a cursory region of-interest (ROI) search using the GOC and OT-MACH filter, a feature extraction and selection stage, and a final classification stage. Feature extraction and selection concerns transforming potential target data into more useful forms as well as selecting important subsets of that data which may aide in detection and classification. The strategies tested were built around two popular extraction methods: Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Independent Component Analysis (ICA). Performance was measured based on the classification accuracy and free-response receiver operating characteristic (FROC) output of a support vector machine(SVM) and a neural net (NN) classifier.

Feature extraction and selection strategies for automated target recognition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Greene, W. Nicholas; Zhang, Yuhan; Lu, Thomas T.; Chao, Tien-Hsin

2010-04-01

Several feature extraction and selection methods for an existing automatic target recognition (ATR) system using JPLs Grayscale Optical Correlator (GOC) and Optimal Trade-Off Maximum Average Correlation Height (OT-MACH) filter were tested using MATLAB. The ATR system is composed of three stages: a cursory regionof- interest (ROI) search using the GOC and OT-MACH filter, a feature extraction and selection stage, and a final classification stage. Feature extraction and selection concerns transforming potential target data into more useful forms as well as selecting important subsets of that data which may aide in detection and classification. The strategies tested were built around two popular extraction methods: Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Independent Component Analysis (ICA). Performance was measured based on the classification accuracy and free-response receiver operating characteristic (FROC) output of a support vector machine(SVM) and a neural net (NN) classifier.

Dual stage active magnetic regenerator and method

DOEpatents

Pecharsky, V.K.; Gschneidner, K.A. Jr.

1999-03-30

A dual stage active magnetic regenerator refrigerator as well as method using the Joule-Brayton thermodynamic cycle includes a high temperature stage refrigerant comprising DyAl{sub 2} or (Dy{sub 1{minus}x}Er{sub x})Al{sub 2} where x is selected to be greater than 0 and less than about 0.3 in combination with a low temperature stage comprising (Dy{sub 1{minus}x}Er{sub x})Al{sub 2} where x is selected to be greater than about 0.5 and less than 1 to provide significantly improved refrigeration efficiency in the liquefaction of gaseous hydrogen. 17 figs.

Dual stage active magnetic regenerator and method

DOEpatents

Pecharsky, Vitalij K.; Gschneidner, Jr., Karl A.

1999-03-30

A dual stage active magnetic regenerator refrigerator as well as method using the Joule-Brayton thermodynamic cycle includes a high temperature stage refrigerant comprising DyAl.sub.2 or (Dy.sub.1-x Er.sub.x)Al.sub.2 where x is selected to be greater than 0 and less than about 0.3 in combination with a low temperature stage comprising (Dy.sub.1-x Er.sub.x)Al.sub.2 where x is selected to be greater than about 0.5 and less than 1 to provide significantly improved refrigeration efficiency in the liquefaction of gaseous hydrogen.

78 FR 4138 - Notice of Intent To Grant Co-Exclusive Licenses

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-01-18

... brine solution.//Patent Application Serial No. 13/426294: Process and apparatus for the selective dimerization of terpenes and alpha-olefin oligomers with a single-stage reactor and a single-stage fractionation system.//Patent Application Serial No. 13/426347: Process and apparatus for the selective...

Immersion in water in labour and birth

PubMed Central

Cluett, Elizabeth R; Burns, Ethel

2014-01-01

Background Enthusiasts suggest that labouring in water and waterbirth increase maternal relaxation, reduce analgesia requirements and promote a midwifery model of care. Critics cite the risk of neonatal water inhalation and maternal/neonatal infection. Objectives To assess the evidence from randomised controlled trials about immersion in water during labour and waterbirth on maternal, fetal, neonatal and caregiver outcomes. Search methods We searched the Cochrane Pregnancy and Childbirth Group’s Trials Register (30 June 2011) and reference lists of retrieved studies. Selection criteria Randomised controlled trials comparing immersion in any bath tub/pool with no immersion, or other non-pharmacological forms of pain management during labour and/or birth, in women during labour who were considered to be at low risk of complications, as defined by the researchers. Data collection and analysis We assessed trial eligibility and quality and extracted data independently. One review author entered data and the other checked for accuracy. Main results This review includes 12 trials (3243 women): eight related to just the first stage of labour: one to early versus late immersion in the first stage of labour; two to the first and second stages; and another to the second stage only. We identified no trials evaluating different baths/pools, or the management of third stage of labour. Results for the first stage of labour showed there was a significant reduction in the epidural/spinal/paracervical analgesia/anaesthesia rate amongst women allocated to water immersion compared to controls (478/1254 versus 529/1245; risk ratio (RR) 0.90; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.82 to 0.99, six trials). There was also a reduction in duration of the first stage of labour (mean difference −32.4 minutes; 95% CI −58.7 to −6.13). There was no difference in assisted vaginal deliveries (RR 0.86; 95% CI 0.71 to 1.05, seven trials), caesarean sections (RR 1.21; 95% CI 0.87 to 1.68, eight trials), use of oxytocin infusion (RR 0.64; 95%CI 0.32 to 1.28,five trials), perineal trauma or maternal infection. There were no differences for Apgar score less than seven at five minutes (RR 1.58; 95% CI 0.63 to 3.93, five trials), neonatal unit admissions (RR 1.06; 95% CI 0.71 to 1.57, three trials), or neonatal infection rates (RR 2.00; 95% CI 0.50 to 7.94, five trials). Of the three trials that compared water immersion during the second stage with no immersion, one trial showed a significantly higher level of satisfaction with the birth experience (RR 0.24; 95% CI 0.07 to 0.80). A lack of data for some comparisons prevented robust conclusions. Further research is needed. Authors’ conclusions Evidence suggests that water immersion during the first stage of labour reduces the use of epidural/spinal analgesia and duration of the first stage of labour. There is limited information for other outcomes related to water use during the first and second stages of labour, due to intervention and outcome variability. There is no evidence of increased adverse effects to the fetus/neonate or woman from labouring in water or waterbirth. However, the studies are very variable and considerable heterogeneity was detected for some outcomes. Further research is needed. PMID:19370552

The sexual cascade and the rise of pre-ejaculatory (Darwinian) sexual selection, sex roles, and sexual conflict.

PubMed

Parker, Geoff A

2014-08-21

After brief historic overviews of sexual selection and sexual conflict, I argue that pre-ejaculatory sexual selection (the form of sexual selection discussed by Darwin) arose at a late stage in an inevitable succession of transitions flowing from the early evolution of syngamy to the evolution of copulation and sex roles. If certain conditions were met, this "sexual cascade" progressed inevitably, if not, sexual strategy remained fixed at a given stage. Prolonged evolutionary history of intense sperm competition/selection under external fertilization preceded the rise of advanced mobility, which generated pre-ejaculatory sexual selection, followed on land by internal fertilization and reduced sperm competition in the form of postcopulatory sexual selection. I develop a prospective model of the early evolution of mobility, which, as Darwin realized, was the catalyst for pre-ejaculatory sexual selection. Stages in the cascade should be regarded as consequential rather than separate phenomena and, as such, invalidate much current opposition to Darwin-Bateman sex roles. Potential for sexual conflict occurs throughout, greatly increasing later in the cascade, reaching its peak under precopulatory sexual selection when sex roles become highly differentiated. Copyright © 2014 Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press; all rights reserved.

The Sexual Cascade and the Rise of Pre-Ejaculatory (Darwinian) Sexual Selection, Sex Roles, and Sexual Conflict

PubMed Central

Parker, Geoff A.

2014-01-01

After brief historic overviews of sexual selection and sexual conflict, I argue that pre-ejaculatory sexual selection (the form of sexual selection discussed by Darwin) arose at a late stage in an inevitable succession of transitions flowing from the early evolution of syngamy to the evolution of copulation and sex roles. If certain conditions were met, this “sexual cascade” progressed inevitably, if not, sexual strategy remained fixed at a given stage. Prolonged evolutionary history of intense sperm competition/selection under external fertilization preceded the rise of advanced mobility, which generated pre-ejaculatory sexual selection, followed on land by internal fertilization and reduced sperm competition in the form of postcopulatory sexual selection. I develop a prospective model of the early evolution of mobility, which, as Darwin realized, was the catalyst for pre-ejaculatory sexual selection. Stages in the cascade should be regarded as consequential rather than separate phenomena and, as such, invalidate much current opposition to Darwin–Bateman sex roles. Potential for sexual conflict occurs throughout, greatly increasing later in the cascade, reaching its peak under precopulatory sexual selection when sex roles become highly differentiated. PMID:25147177

Salicylate inhibition of acanthamoebal attachment to contact lenses.

PubMed

Beattie, Tara K; Tomlinson, Alan; Seal, David V; McFadyen, Angus K

2011-12-01

Sodium salicylate has shown potential as a component of contact lens care solutions designed to reduce Acanthamoebal attachment to contact lenses. This study determined the minimum effective concentration required to significantly reduce amoebal attachment. Different concentrations of sodium salicylate (10, 15, and 20 mM) were applied during exposure of unworn or bacterial biofilm-coated hydrogel contact lenses to Acanthamoeba castellanii trophozoites. Salicylate was applied at stage 1 intervention during biofilm formation on lenses, at stage 2 intervention during amoebal exposure, or at both stages. A significant reduction in amoebal attachment was achieved when 10 mM salicylate was included during stage 1 alone; however, 15 mM was required for stage 2 intervention to significantly reduce attachment to clean or biofilm-coated lenses. For stages 1 and 2 combined intervention, 10 mM sodium salicylate produced a significant reduction in amoebal attachment. In situ, within a contact lens case, biofilm formation and amoebal attachment would occur concurrently; therefore, stages 1 and 2 intervention would be closest to the real-life situation, thus indicating that 10 mM of salicylate would be an effective minimum concentration for reducing amoebal attachment to hydrogel contact lenses. Inclusion of components in contact lens care solution, such as sodium salicylate, which reduce Acanthamoebal attachment, has the potential to enhance effectiveness, particularly where amoebicidal efficacy may be limited, thus reducing the risk of contact lens-associated Acanthamoebal infection.

Regional climate and vegetation response to orbital forcing within the mid-Pliocene Warm Period: A study using HadCM3

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prescott, C. L.; Dolan, A. M.; Haywood, A. M.; Hunter, S. J.; Tindall, J. C.

2018-02-01

Regional climate and environmental variability in response to orbital forcing during interglacial events within the mid-Piacenzian (Pliocene) Warm Period (mPWP; 3.264-3.025 Ma) has been rarely studied using climate and vegetation models. Here we use climate and vegetation model simulations to predict changes in regional vegetation patterns in response to orbital forcing for four different interglacial events within the mPWP (Marine Isotope Stages (MIS) G17, K1, KM3 and KM5c). The efficacy of model-predicted changes in regional vegetation is assessed by reference to selected high temporal resolution palaeobotanical studies that are theoretically capable of discerning vegetation patterns for the selected interglacial stages. Annual mean surface air temperatures for the studied interglacials are between 0.4 °C to 0.7 °C higher than a comparable Pliocene experiment using modern orbital parameters. Increased spring/summer and reduced autumn/winter insolation in the Northern Hemisphere during MIS G17, K1 and KM3 enhances seasonality in surface air temperature. The two most robust and notable regional responses to this in vegetation cover occur in North America and continental Eurasia, where forests are replaced by more open-types of vegetation (grasslands and shrubland). In these regions our model results appear to be inconsistent with local palaeobotanical data. The orbitally driven changes in seasonal temperature and precipitation lead to a 30% annual reduction in available deep soil moisture (2.0 m from surface), a critical parameter for forest growth, and subsequent reduction in the geographical coverage of forest-type vegetation; a phenomenon not seen in comparable simulations of Pliocene climate and vegetation run with a modern orbital configuration. Our results demonstrate the importance of examining model performance under a range of realistic orbital forcing scenarios within any defined time interval (e.g. mPWP). Additional orbitally resolved records of regional vegetation are needed to further examine the validity of model-predicted regional climate and vegetation responses in greater detail.

Effects of aging on neural connectivity underlying selective memory for emotional scenes

PubMed Central

Waring, Jill D.; Addis, Donna Rose; Kensinger, Elizabeth A.

2012-01-01

Older adults show age-related reductions in memory for neutral items within complex visual scenes, but just like young adults, older adults exhibit a memory advantage for emotional items within scenes compared with the background scene information. The present study examined young and older adults’ encoding-stage effective connectivity for selective memory of emotional items versus memory for both the emotional item and its background. In a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study, participants viewed scenes containing either positive or negative items within neutral backgrounds. Outside the scanner, participants completed a memory test for items and backgrounds. Irrespective of scene content being emotionally positive or negative, older adults had stronger positive connections among frontal regions and from frontal regions to medial temporal lobe structures than did young adults, especially when items and backgrounds were subsequently remembered. These results suggest there are differences between young and older adults’ connectivity accompanying the encoding of emotional scenes. Older adults may require more frontal connectivity to encode all elements of a scene rather than just encoding the emotional item. PMID:22542836

Effects of aging on neural connectivity underlying selective memory for emotional scenes.

PubMed

Waring, Jill D; Addis, Donna Rose; Kensinger, Elizabeth A

2013-02-01

Older adults show age-related reductions in memory for neutral items within complex visual scenes, but just like young adults, older adults exhibit a memory advantage for emotional items within scenes compared with the background scene information. The present study examined young and older adults' encoding-stage effective connectivity for selective memory of emotional items versus memory for both the emotional item and its background. In a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study, participants viewed scenes containing either positive or negative items within neutral backgrounds. Outside the scanner, participants completed a memory test for items and backgrounds. Irrespective of scene content being emotionally positive or negative, older adults had stronger positive connections among frontal regions and from frontal regions to medial temporal lobe structures than did young adults, especially when items and backgrounds were subsequently remembered. These results suggest there are differences between young and older adults' connectivity accompanying the encoding of emotional scenes. Older adults may require more frontal connectivity to encode all elements of a scene rather than just encoding the emotional item. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Developmental Stages in School Computer Use: Neither Marx Nor Piaget.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lengel, James G.

Karl Marx's theory of stages can be applied to computer use in the schools. The first stage, the P Stage, comprises the entry of the computer into the school. Computer use at this stage is personal and tends to center around one personality. Social studies teachers are seldom among this select few. The second stage of computer use, the D Stage, is…

Gene Selection and Cancer Classification: A Rough Sets Based Approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Lijun; Miao, Duoqian; Zhang, Hongyun

Indentification of informative gene subsets responsible for discerning between available samples of gene expression data is an important task in bioinformatics. Reducts, from rough sets theory, corresponding to a minimal set of essential genes for discerning samples, is an efficient tool for gene selection. Due to the compuational complexty of the existing reduct algoritms, feature ranking is usually used to narrow down gene space as the first step and top ranked genes are selected . In this paper,we define a novel certierion based on the expression level difference btween classes and contribution to classification of the gene for scoring genes and present a algorithm for generating all possible reduct from informative genes.The algorithm takes the whole attribute sets into account and find short reduct with a significant reduction in computational complexity. An exploration of this approach on benchmark gene expression data sets demonstrates that this approach is successful for selecting high discriminative genes and the classification accuracy is impressive.

Enhanced decoding for the Galileo low-gain antenna mission: Viterbi redecoding with four decoding stages

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dolinar, S.; Belongie, M.

1995-01-01

The Galileo low-gain antenna mission will be supported by a coding system that uses a (14,1/4) inner convolutional code concatenated with Reed-Solomon codes of four different redundancies. Decoding for this code is designed to proceed in four distinct stages of Viterbi decoding followed by Reed-Solomon decoding. In each successive stage, the Reed-Solomon decoder only tries to decode the highest redundancy codewords not yet decoded in previous stages, and the Viterbi decoder redecodes its data utilizing the known symbols from previously decoded Reed-Solomon codewords. A previous article analyzed a two-stage decoding option that was not selected by Galileo. The present article analyzes the four-stage decoding scheme and derives the near-optimum set of redundancies selected for use by Galileo. The performance improvements relative to one- and two-stage decoding systems are evaluated.

Coalescence induced dislocation reduction in selectively grown lattice-mismatched heteroepitaxy: Theoretical prediction and experimental verification

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yako, Motoki; Ishikawa, Yasuhiko; Wada, Kazumi

2018-05-01

A method for reduction of threading dislocation density (TDD) in lattice-mismatched heteroepitaxy is proposed, and the reduction is experimentally verified for Ge on Si. Flat-top epitaxial layers are formed through coalescences of non-planar selectively grown epitaxial layers, and enable the TDD reduction in terms of image force. Numerical calculations and experiments for Ge on Si verify the TDD reduction by this method. The method should be applicable to not only Ge on Si but also other lattice-mismatched heteroepitaxy such as III-V on Si.

Improvements in lake water budget computations using Landsat data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gervin, J. C.; Shih, S. F.

1979-01-01

A supervised multispectral classification was performed on Landsat data for Lake Okeechobee's extensive littoral zone to provide two types of information. First, the acreage of a given plant species as measured by satellite was combined with a more accurate transpiration rate to give a better estimate of evapotranspiration from the littoral zone. Second, the surface area coupled by plant communities was used to develop a better estimate of the water surface as a function of lake stage. Based on this information, more detailed representations of evapotranspiration and total water surface (and hence total lake volume) were provided to the water balance budget model for lake volume predictions. The model results based on information derived from satellite demonstrated a 94 percent reduction in cumulative lake stage error and a 70 percent reduction in the maximum deviation of the lake stage.

Effect of Environmental and Behavioral Interventions on Pain Intensity in Preterm Infants for Heel Prick Blood Sampling in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

PubMed

Baharlooei, Fatemeh; Marofi, Maryam; Abdeyazdan, Zahra

2017-01-01

Recent researches suggest that preterm infants understand pain and stress. Because of the wide range of effects of pain on infants, the present study was conducted on the effect of environmental and behavioral interventions on pain due to heel-prick blood sampling in preterm infants. A clinical trial was conducted among 32 infants with gestational age of 32-37 weeks in the intervention and control groups. The effects of noise reduction by earplugs, light reduction by blindfolds, reduction of nursing manipulation, and creation of intrauterine position for neonates, 30 minutes before taking blood samples until 30 minutes after it, were measured during the intervention stage. Data were collected using the Neonatal Infant Pain Scale (NIPS) in 5 stages (before intervention, 2 minutes before sampling, during the sampling, and 5 minutes and 30 minutes after the sampling). The data were analyzed using analysis of variance (ANOVA) and paired t -test in SPSS software. The paired t -test results showed no significant differences between the control and intervention stages in terms of pain scores at base time ( P = 0.42) and 2 minutes before sampling ( P = 0.12). However, at the sampling time ( P = 0.0), and 5 minutes ( P = 0.001) and 30 minutes after the sampling ( P = 0.001), mean pain score in the intervention stage was significantly less than that in the control stage. Based on the findings, environmental and behavioral interventions reduced pain and facilitated heel-prick blood sampling in preterm infants.

Hybrid maize breeding with doubled haploids: I. One-stage versus two-stage selection for testcross performance.

PubMed

Longin, C Friedrich H; Utz, H Friedrich; Reif, Jochen C; Schipprack, Wolfgang; Melchinger, Albrecht E

2006-03-01

Optimum allocation of resources is of fundamental importance for the efficiency of breeding programs. The objectives of our study were to (1) determine the optimum allocation for the number of lines and test locations in hybrid maize breeding with doubled haploids (DHs) regarding two optimization criteria, the selection gain deltaG(k) and the probability P(k) of identifying superior genotypes, (2) compare both optimization criteria including their standard deviations (SDs), and (3) investigate the influence of production costs of DHs on the optimum allocation. For different budgets, number of finally selected lines, ratios of variance components, and production costs of DHs, the optimum allocation of test resources under one- and two-stage selection for testcross performance with a given tester was determined by using Monte Carlo simulations. In one-stage selection, lines are tested in field trials in a single year. In two-stage selection, optimum allocation of resources involves evaluation of (1) a large number of lines in a small number of test locations in the first year and (2) a small number of the selected superior lines in a large number of test locations in the second year, thereby maximizing both optimization criteria. Furthermore, to have a realistic chance of identifying a superior genotype, the probability P(k) of identifying superior genotypes should be greater than 75%. For budgets between 200 and 5,000 field plot equivalents, P(k) > 75% was reached only for genotypes belonging to the best 5% of the population. As the optimum allocation for P(k)(5%) was similar to that for deltaG(k), the choice of the optimization criterion was not crucial. The production costs of DHs had only a minor effect on the optimum number of locations and on values of the optimization criteria.

The Functional Arm Scale for Throwers (FAST)-Part I: The Design and Development of an Upper Extremity Region-Specific and Population-Specific Patient-Reported Outcome Scale for Throwing Athletes.

PubMed

Sauers, Eric L; Bay, R Curtis; Snyder Valier, Alison R; Ellery, Traci; Huxel Bliven, Kellie C

2017-03-01

Upper extremity (UE) region-specific, patient-reported outcome (PRO) scales assess injuries to the UE but do not account for the demands of overhead throwing athletes or measure patient-oriented domains of health-related quality of life (HRQOL). To develop the Functional Arm Scale for Throwers (FAST), a UE region-specific and population-specific PRO scale that assesses multiple domains of disablement in throwing athletes with UE injuries. In stage I, a beta version of the scale was developed for subsequent factor identification, final item reduction, and construct validity analysis during stage II. Descriptive laboratory study. Three-stage scale development was utilized: Stage I (item generation and initial item reduction) and stage II (factor analysis, final item reduction, and construct validity) are reported herein, and stage III (establishment of measurement properties [reliability and validity]) will be reported in a companion paper. In stage I, a beta version was developed, incorporating National Center for Medical Rehabilitation Research disablement domains and ensuring a blend of sport-related and non-sport-related items. An expert panel and focus group assessed importance and interpretability of each item. During stage II, the FAST was reduced, preserving variance characteristics and factor structure of the beta version and construct validity of the final FAST scale. During stage I, a 54-item beta version and a separate 9-item pitcher module were developed. During stage II, a 22-item FAST and 9-item pitcher module were finalized. The factor solution for FAST scale items included pain (n = 6), throwing (n = 10), activities of daily living (n = 5), psychological impact (n = 4), and advancement (n = 3). The 6-item pain subscale crossed factors. The remaining subscales and pitcher module are distinctive, correlated, and internally consistent and may be interpreted individually or combined. This article describes the development of the FAST, which assesses clinical outcomes and HRQOL of throwing athletes after UE injury. The FAST encompasses multiple domains of disability and demonstrates excellent construct validity. The FAST provides a single UE region-specific and population-specific PRO scale for high-demand throwers to facilitate measurement of impact of UE injuries on HRQOL and clinical outcomes while quantifying recovery for comparative effectiveness studies.

Reduction and conversion of 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) by sulfide under simulated anaerobic conditions.

PubMed

Qiao, Hua; Wang, He-ling; Feng, Hua-jun; Yao, Jun; Shen, Dong-sheng; Tang, Zhi-jian

2010-07-15

To account for the fast disappearance of TNT in anaerobic fermentative liquid, we investigated TNT (TNT(0)=50 mg/L) reduction by Na(2)S at 30+/-1 degrees C in two types of buffer systems, a phosphate buffer (PB, system A) and a CH(3)COOH-NaHCO(3) buffer (system B). The effects of pH, sulfide concentration and buffer system on the conversion and reaction rate of TNT were investigated. The effect of different variables on the conversion of TNT decreased in the following order: Na(2)S concentration>pH>buffer system. A kinetics study showed that TNT reduction by Na(2)S occurred in two stages separated by a change point. The observed rate constants of the first stage K(obs-1) were 1 order of magnitude lower than those of the second stage. The TNT conversion rate increased and the time to reach the change point became shorter with increasing Na(2)S concentration and pH. A 5-fold increase in Na(2)S concentration above the theoretical stoichiometric concentration was optimum. Observed rate constants of the first stage K(obs-1) were proportional to the hydrosulfide ion concentration and the conversion rate of TNT was greater and faster in buffer system B than in system A. 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Metsulfuron spray drift reduces fruit yield of hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna L.).

PubMed

Kjaer, Christian; Strandberg, Morten; Erlandsen, Mogens

2006-03-01

This study was carried out to investigate whether spray drift of metsulfuron has a potential to negatively affect hawthorn (Crataegus monogyna) hedgerows near agricultural fields. For this purpose four doses of metsulfuron ranging from 5% to 40% of the field dose (4 g metsulfuron per hectare) were sprayed on trees in seven different hawthorn hedgerows. The actual deposition on the leaves was measured by means of a tracer (glycine). Spraying was conducted both at the bud stage and at early flowering. Leaves, flowers, green berries and mature berries were harvested and the number and weight of each were measured. The spraying at the bud stage caused a highly significant reduction in number and dry weight of berries, whereas it had no effects on leaf and flower production. The berry reduction was close to 100% at actual depositions relevant for spray drift under normal conditions. Spraying at early flowering also significantly reduced berries although the effect was smaller than for the spraying at bud stage. The early flower stage spraying caused no reduction in number and size of leaves. The possible ecological consequence is that metsulfuron spray drift from agricultural fields has a potential to reduce the amount of berries available for frugivorous birds in nearby hedgerows. A potential need for regulatory measures to reduce herbicide spray drift to hedgerows situated near agricultural fields with herbicide use is also indicated.

Using Economics and Genetics To Produce Leaner Pork.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Welch, Mary A., Ed.

1994-01-01

The booklet describes the STAGES (Swine Testing and Genetic Evaluation System) program developed at Purdue University (Indiana), along with the USDA, National Pork Producers Council and swine breed associations. By selecting breeding stock from a coded catalogue developed by STAGES, producers are able to select the best breeding stock for more…

Health insurance for the poor: impact on catastrophic and out-of-pocket health expenditures in Mexico

PubMed Central

Galárraga, Omar; Salinas-Rodríguez, Aarón; Sesma-Vázquez, Sergio

2009-01-01

The goal of Seguro Popular (SP) in Mexico was to improve the financial protection of the uninsured population against excessive health expenditures. This paper estimates the impact of SP on catastrophic health expenditures (CHE), as well as out-of-pocket (OOP) health expenditures, from two different sources. First, we use the SP Impact Evaluation Survey (2005–2006), and compare the instrumental variables (IV) results with the experimental benchmark. Then, we use the same IV methods with the National Health and Nutrition Survey (ENSANUT 2006). We estimate naïve models, assuming exogeneity, and contrast them with IV models that take advantage of the specific SP implementation mechanisms for identification. The IV models estimated included two-stage least squares (2SLS), bivariate probit, and two-stage residual inclusion (2SRI) models. Instrumental variables estimates resulted in comparable estimates against the “gold standard.” Instrumental variables estimates indicate a reduction of 54% in catastrophic expenditures at the national level. SP beneficiaries also had lower expenditures on outpatient and medicine expenditures. The selection-corrected protective effect is found not only in the limited experimental dataset, but also at the national level. PMID:19756796

Health insurance for the poor: impact on catastrophic and out-of-pocket health expenditures in Mexico.

PubMed

Galárraga, Omar; Sosa-Rubí, Sandra G; Salinas-Rodríguez, Aarón; Sesma-Vázquez, Sergio

2010-10-01

The goal of Seguro Popular (SP) in Mexico was to improve the financial protection of the uninsured population against excessive health expenditures. This paper estimates the impact of SP on catastrophic health expenditures (CHE), as well as out-of-pocket (OOP) health expenditures, from two different sources. First, we use the SP Impact Evaluation Survey (2005-2006), and compare the instrumental variables (IV) results with the experimental benchmark. Then, we use the same IV methods with the National Health and Nutrition Survey (ENSANUT 2006). We estimate naïve models, assuming exogeneity, and contrast them with IV models that take advantage of the specific SP implementation mechanisms for identification. The IV models estimated included two-stage least squares (2SLS), bivariate probit, and two-stage residual inclusion (2SRI) models. Instrumental variables estimates resulted in comparable estimates against the "gold standard." Instrumental variables estimates indicate a reduction of 54% in catastrophic expenditures at the national level. SP beneficiaries also had lower expenditures on outpatient and medicine expenditures. The selection-corrected protective effect is found not only in the limited experimental dataset, but also at the national level.

THE CYTOLOGY AND GENETICS OF RADIATION RESISTANCE IN BACTERIA. Progress Report for the Period of November 1, 1955 to November 1, 1956

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

None

1960-10-31

Cytogenetic procedures, applicable to microbiology, were selected and tested on a suitable organism as a basis for the valid application of these procedures to other microorganisms. Nocardia corallina was chosen as a test organism on the basis of preliminary cytological studies. The crystal violet nuclear stain, the thionin-SO/sub 2/ nuclear stain, the crystal violet-tannic acid-congo red cell wall stain, and phase microscopy, were found to be valid tools of microbial cytology if interpreted with restraint. The correlation of cytological and radiobiological findings demonstrated that, in N. corallina, a diploid coccoidal stage, gives rise to a coenocytic diploid hypbal stage whichmore » fragments through a nuclear reduction division to form haploid dinucleated bacillary cells. The bacillary cell nuclei fuse and the cell divides to form diploid coccoids. The haploid chromosome number is suggested as three for this organism. It has been demonstrated that a microbial cytogenetic approach involving the correlation and integration of cytological procedures with genetic and radiobiological methods can aid in solving basic problems of microbial cytology and genetics. (For preceding period see ORO-282.) (auth)« less

The impact of dysphagia on quality of life in ageing and Parkinson's disease as measured by the swallowing quality of life (SWAL-QOL) questionnaire.

PubMed

Leow, Li Pyn; Huckabee, Maggie-Lee; Anderson, Tim; Beckert, Lutz

2010-09-01

This prospective, cross-sectional study evaluated the impact of dysphagia on quality of life in healthy ageing and in subjects with Parkinson's disease (PD) using the Swallowing Quality of Life (SWAL-QOL) questionnaire. Sixteen healthy young adults (8 males, mean age = 25.1 years) and 16 healthy elders (8 males, mean age = 72.8 years) were recruited. Thirty-two subjects with idiopathic PD (mean age = 68.5 years) were recruited from a movement disorders clinic. The severity of PD was staged using the Hoehn and Yahr scale. Results revealed that elders experienced symptoms of dysphagia more frequently than young adults but the overall SWAL-QOL scores were not significantly different. Subjects with PD who experienced dysphagia reported greatly reduced QOL, and significant differences were found in all but one subsection of the SWAL-QOL. Disease progression detrimentally impacts QOL, with subjects in later-stage PD experiencing further reduction in the desire to eat, difficulty with food selection, and prolonged eating duration. These features, which increase with disease severity, are likely to impact negatively upon nutritional status, which is already under threat from PD-related dysphagia.

The geochemical and genetic role of organic substances in postmagmatic derivatives of alkaline plutons

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ermolaeva, V. N.; Chukanov, N. V.; Pekov, I. V.; Kogarko, L. N.

2009-12-01

Solid bituminous substances (SBS) are common components of the late hydrothermal mineral assemblages of peralkaline pegmatites. SBS are formed in a reductive setting as a result of progressive sorption of minor carbon-bearing molecules (CO, CO2, CH4, C2H6, C2H4, etc.), their polymerization, transformation into aromatic compounds (reformation), and selective oxidation on microporous zeolite-like Ti-, Nb-, and Zrsilicates serving as sorbents and catalysts. The oxygen-bearing aromatic compounds with hydrophile functional groups (-OH, -C=O, -COOH, -COO) act as complexing agents with respect to Th, REE, U, Zr, Ti, Nb, Ba, Sr, Ca, resulting in transfer of these bitumenophile elements under low-temperature hydrothermal conditions in the form of water-soluble macroassociates of the micelle type. Th, REE, and to a lesser extent, U, Zr, Ti, and Nb concentrate at the late stage of the hydrothermal process as microphases impregnating SBS or macroscopic segregations of Th and REE minerals. At the final stage, homogeneous SBS break down into organic (partly together with Ca, Sr, Ba, and Pb) and mineral (with Th, Ln, Y, Ti, Nb, Ca, Na, K, Si) microphases.

Reductive Augmentation of the Breast.

PubMed

Chasan, Paul E

2018-06-01

Although breast reduction surgery plays an invaluable role in the correction of macromastia, it almost always results in a breast lacking in upper pole fullness and/or roundness. We present a technique of breast reduction combined with augmentation termed "reductive augmentation" to solve this problem. The technique is also extremely useful for correcting breast asymmetry, as well as revising significant pseudoptosis in the patient who has previously undergone breast augmentation with or without mastopexy. An evolution of techniques has been used to create a breast with more upper pole fullness and anterior projection in those patients desiring a more round, higher-profile appearance. Reductive augmentation is a one-stage procedure in which a breast augmentation is immediately followed by a modified superomedial pedicle breast reduction. Often, the excision of breast tissue is greater than would normally be performed with breast reduction alone. Thirty-five patients underwent reductive augmentation, of which 12 were primary surgeries and 23 were revisions. There was an average tissue removal of 255 and 227 g, respectively, per breast for the primary and revision groups. Six of the reductive augmentations were performed for gross asymmetry. Fourteen patients had a previous mastopexy, and 3 patients had a previous breast reduction. The average follow-up was 26 months. Reductive augmentation is an effective one-stage method for achieving a more round-appearing breast with upper pole fullness both in primary breast reduction candidates and in revisionary breast surgery. This technique can also be applied to those patients with significant asymmetry. This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .

Results of a prospective trial of mantle irradiation alone for selected patients with early-stage Hodgkin's disease.

PubMed

Backstrand, K H; Ng, A K; Takvorian, R W; Jones, E L; Fisher, D C; Molnar-Griffin, B J; Silver, B; Tarbell, N J; Mauch, P M

2001-02-01

To determine the efficacy of mantle radiation therapy alone in selected patients with early-stage Hodgkin's disease. Between October 1988 and June 2000, 87 selected patients with pathologic stage (PS) IA to IIA or clinical stage (CS) IA Hodgkin's disease were entered onto a single-arm prospective trial of treatment with mantle irradiation alone. Eighty-three of 87 patients had > or = 1 year of follow-up after completion of mantle irradiation and were included for analysis in this study. Thirty-seven patients had PS IA, 40 had PS IIA, and six had CS IA disease. Histologic distribution was as follows: nodular sclerosis (n = 64), lymphocyte predominant (n = 15), mixed cellularity (n = 3), and unclassified (n = 1). Median follow-up time was 61 months. The 5-year actuarial rates of freedom from treatment failure (FFTF) and overall survival were 86% and 100%, respectively. Eleven of 83 patients relapsed at a median time of 27 months. Nine of the 11 relapses contained at least a component below the diaphragm. All 11 patients who developed recurrent disease were alive without evidence of Hodgkin's disease at the time of last follow-up. The 5-year FFTF in the 43 stage I patients was 92% compared with 78% in the 40 stage II patients (P =.04). Significant differences in FFTF were not seen by histology (P =.26) or by European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer H-5F eligibility (P =.25). Mantle irradiation alone in selected patients with early-stage Hodgkin's disease is associated with disease control rates comparable to those seen with extended field irradiation. The FFTF is especially favorable among stage I patients.

Fan Noise Reduction: An Overview

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Envia, Edmane

2001-01-01

Fan noise reduction technologies developed as part of the engine noise reduction element of the Advanced Subsonic Technology Program are reviewed. Developments in low-noise fan stage design, swept and leaned outlet guide vanes, active noise control, fan flow management, and scarfed inlet are discussed. In each case, a description of the method is presented and, where available, representative results and general conclusions are discussed. The review concludes with a summary of the accomplishments of the AST-sponsored fan noise reduction research and a few thoughts on future work.

40 CFR 60.2115 - What if I do not use a wet scrubber, fabric filter, activated carbon injection, selective...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

..., fabric filter, activated carbon injection, selective noncatalytic reduction, or an electrostatic... Limitations and Operating Limits § 60.2115 What if I do not use a wet scrubber, fabric filter, activated... carbon injection, selective noncatalytic reduction, fabric filter, or an electrostatic precipitator or...

A stage of change approach to reducing occupational ill health.

PubMed

Whysall, Z; Haslam, C; Haslam, R

2006-11-01

Interventions targeted by stage of change have been shown to improve the efficacy of public health promotion initiatives in areas such as smoking cessation, alcohol reduction, and mammography screening. Targeted interventions are designed to tackle the key attitudes, beliefs, and intentions that underpin an individual's health-related behavior. Work-related ill health is an increasingly serious issue, the most common cause of which in both the UK and the US is musculoskeletal disorders. This study examined whether the stage approach could be applied to workplace interventions aimed at improving occupational health. A total of 24 multi-component occupational interventions aimed at reducing musculoskeletal disorders were monitored over a period of 4-6 months. In half of these cases, approaches were targeted according to workers' stage of change. Targeted interventions were found to be significantly more effective in promoting risk awareness and desired behavior change among workers. Significant reductions were also found in self-reported musculoskeletal discomfort among workers having received targeted interventions. No significant differences were found in self-reported musculoskeletal discomfort among workers following standard interventions. Stage-matched approaches may offer scope for substantially improving the efficacy of occupational health and safety interventions by increasing the uptake, implementation, and maintenance of risk-reducing measures.

Unified reduction principle for the evolution of mutation, migration, and recombination

PubMed Central

Altenberg, Lee; Liberman, Uri; Feldman, Marcus W.

2017-01-01

Modifier-gene models for the evolution of genetic information transmission between generations of organisms exhibit the reduction principle: Selection favors reduction in the rate of variation production in populations near equilibrium under a balance of constant viability selection and variation production. Whereas this outcome has been proven for a variety of genetic models, it has not been proven in general for multiallelic genetic models of mutation, migration, and recombination modification with arbitrary linkage between the modifier and major genes under viability selection. We show that the reduction principle holds for all of these cases by developing a unifying mathematical framework that characterizes all of these evolutionary models. PMID:28265103

Single stage reduction and stabilization of basilar invagination after failed prior fusion surgery in children with Down's syndrome.

PubMed

Hedequist, Daniel; Bekelis, Kimon; Emans, John; Proctor, Mark R

2010-02-15

We describe an innovative single-stage reduction and stabilization technique using modern cervical instrumentation. We hypothesis modern instrumentation has made more aggressive surgical corrections possible and has reduced the need for transoral resection of the odontoid and traction reduction in children with basilar invagination. Craniocervical junction abnormalities, including atlantoaxial instability and progressive basilar invagination, are relatively common phenomenon in Down's syndrome patients, and can lead to chronic progressive neurologic deficits, catastrophic injury, and death. This patient population also can be a difficult one in which to perform successful stabilization and fusion. We reviewed the records and films on 2 children with Down's syndrome and atlantoaxial instability who had undergone prior occipital-cervical fusion and then presented with symptomatic progressive basilar invagination due to atlantoaxial displacement. In both cases, the children had progressive symptoms of spinal cord and brain stem compression. Multiple approaches for surgical correction, including preoperative traction and transoral odontoid resection, were considered, but ultimately it was elected to perform a single stage posterior operation. In both patients, we performed fusion takedown, intraoperative realignment with reduction of the basilar invagination, and stabilization using modern occipito-cervical instrumentation. In both children, excellent cranio-cervical realignment was achieved; along with successful fusion and improvement in clinical symptoms. In this article we will discuss the clinical cases and review the background of craniocervical junction abnormalities in Down's syndrome patients. We hypothesis modern instrumentation has made more aggressive surgical corrections possible and has reduced the need for transoral resection of the odontoid and traction reduction in children with basilar invagination.

Reduction of suicidal ideation in patients undergoing psychotherapy in the day hospital for the treatment of neurotic and behavioral disorders and their neurotic personality traits measured before the hospitalization.

PubMed

Rodziński, Paweł; Rutkowski, Krzysztof; Sobański, Jerzy A; Murzyn, Agnieszka; Mielimąka, Michał; Smiatek-Mazgaj, Bogna; Cyranka, Katarzyna; Dembińska, Edyta; Grządziel, Karolina; Klasa, Katarzyna; Müldner-Nieckowski, Łukasz

2015-01-01

Analysis of associations between initial neurotic personality traits and subsequent reduction of suicidal ideation (SI) - or lack of such reduction - obtained until the end of hospitalization in patients who underwent the course of intensive psychotherapy conducted in integrative approach with predominance of psychodynamic approach. Symptom Checklist KO"O", Neurotic Personality Questionnaire KON-2006 and Life Inventory completed by 461 women and 219 men hospitalized in the day-hospital due to neurotic, behavioral and personality disorders between 2005-2013. At the stage of qualification 134 women and 80 men reported SI, of whom subsequently 84.3% and 77.5% respectively improved. Women with prominent Tendency to risk-taking (p=0.002) and Impulsiveness (p=0.038) constituted subgroups with decreased chances of improvement in terms of SI, while men with prominently elevated level of Envy (p=0.041) and women who seemed to have difficulties in expressing anger adequately (p<0.05) had increased chances of SI reduction. Initially prominent Tendency to risk-taking and Impulsiveness may coexist with SI of increased resistance to psychotherapy. Thus, those subgroups require special attention and diligent selection of therapeutic methods. Also, it is probable that focusing therapy at the above-mentioned personality components may increase effectiveness of SI treatment. Reducing SI during psychotherapy appears to be highly effective especially in women with difficulties in expressing anger adequately and in men with prominently elevated level of Envy, which suggests adequacy of this treatment choice and of targeting those difficulties during psychotherapy.

Regional reductions in sleep electroencephalography power in obstructive sleep apnea: a high-density EEG study.

PubMed

Jones, Stephanie G; Riedner, Brady A; Smith, Richard F; Ferrarelli, Fabio; Tononi, Giulio; Davidson, Richard J; Benca, Ruth M

2014-02-01

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is associated with significant alterations in neuronal integrity resulting from either hypoxemia and/or sleep loss. A large body of imaging research supports reductions in gray matter volume, alterations in white matter integrity and resting state activity, and functional abnormalities in response to cognitive challenge in various brain regions in patients with OSA. In this study, we used high-density electroencephalography (hdEEG), a functional imaging tool that could potentially be used during routine clinical care, to examine the regional distribution of neural activity in a non-clinical sample of untreated men and women with moderate/severe OSA. Sleep was recorded with 256-channel EEG in relatively healthy subjects with apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) > 10, as well as age-, sex-, and body mass index-matched controls selected from a research population initially recruited for a study on sleep and meditation. Sleep laboratory. Nine subjects with AHI > 10 and nine matched controls. N/A. Topographic analysis of hdEEG data revealed a broadband reduction in EEG power in a circumscribed region overlying the parietal cortex in OSA subjects. This parietal reduction in neural activity was present, to some extent, across all frequency bands in all stages and episodes of nonrapid eye movement sleep. This investigation suggests that regional deficits in electroencephalography (EEG) power generation may be a useful clinical marker for neural disruption in obstructive sleep apnea, and that high-density EEG may have the sensitivity to detect pathological cortical changes early in the disease process.

Environmental Asthma Reduction Potential Estimates for Selected Mitigation Actions in Finland Using a Life Table Approach

PubMed Central

Rumrich, Isabell Katharina; Hänninen, Otto

2015-01-01

Aims: To quantify the reduction potential of asthma in Finland achievable by adjusting exposures to selected environmental factors. Methods: A life table model for the Finnish population for 1986–2040 was developed and Years Lived with Disability caused by asthma and attributable to the following selected exposures were estimated: tobacco smoke (smoking and second hand tobacco smoke), ambient fine particles, indoor dampness and mould, and pets. Results: At baseline (2011) about 25% of the total asthma burden was attributable to the selected exposures. Banning tobacco was the most efficient mitigation action, leading to 6% reduction of the asthma burden. A 50% reduction in exposure to dampness and mould as well as a doubling in exposure to pets lead each to a 2% reduction. Ban of urban small scale wood combustion, chosen as a mitigation action to reduce exposure to fine particles, leads to a reduction of less than 1% of the total asthma burden. Combination of the most efficient mitigation actions reduces the total asthma burden by 10%. A more feasible combination of mitigation actions leads to 6% reduction of the asthma burden. Conclusions: The adjustment of environmental exposures can reduce the asthma burden in Finland by up to 10%. PMID:26067987

CO2 Reduction Selective for C≥2 Products on Polycrystalline Copper with N-Substituted Pyridinium Additives.

PubMed

Han, Zhiji; Kortlever, Ruud; Chen, Hsiang-Yun; Peters, Jonas C; Agapie, Theodor

2017-08-23

Electrocatalytic CO 2 reduction to generate multicarbon products is of interest for applications in artificial photosynthetic schemes. This is a particularly attractive goal for CO 2 reduction by copper electrodes, where a broad range of hydrocarbon products can be generated but where selectivity for C-C coupled products relative to CH 4 and H 2 remains an impediment. Herein we report a simple yet highly selective catalytic system for CO 2 reduction to C ≥2 hydrocarbons on a polycrystalline Cu electrode in bicarbonate aqueous solution that uses N-substituted pyridinium additives. Selectivities of 70-80% for C 2 and C 3 products with a hydrocarbon ratio of C ≥2 /CH 4 significantly greater than 100 have been observed with several additives. 13 C-labeling studies verify CO 2 to be the sole carbon source in the C ≥2 hydrocarbons produced. Upon electroreduction, the N-substituted pyridinium additives lead to film deposition on the Cu electrode, identified in one case as the reductive coupling product of N -arylpyridinium. Product selectivity can also be tuned from C ≥2 species to H 2 (∼90%) while suppressing methane with certain N-heterocyclic additives.

Optimizing C–C Coupling on Oxide-Derived Copper Catalysts for Electrochemical CO 2 Reduction

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

Lum, Yanwei; Yue, Binbin; Lobaccaro, Peter

Here, copper electrodes, prepared by reduction of oxidized metallic copper, have been reported to exhibit higher activity for the electrochemical reduction of CO 2 and better selectivity toward C 2 and C 3 (C 2+) products than metallic copper that has not been preoxidized. We report here an investigation of the effects of four different preparations of oxide-derived electrocatalysts on their activity and selectivity for CO 2 reduction, with particular attention given to the selectivity to C 2+ products. All catalysts were tested for CO 2 reduction in 0.1 M KHCO 3 and 0.1 M CsHCO 3 at applied voltagesmore » in the range from –0.7 to –1.0 V vs RHE. The best performing oxide-derived catalysts show up to ~70% selectivity to C 2+ products and only ~3% selectivity to C 1 products at –1.0 V vs RHE when CsHCO 3 is used as the electrolyte. In contrast, the selectivity to C 2+ products decreases to ~56% for the same catalysts tested in KHCO 3. By studying all catalysts under identical conditions, the key factors affecting product selectivity could be discerned. These efforts reveal that the surface area of the oxide-derived layer is a critical parameter affecting selectivity. A high selectivity to C 2+ products is attained at an overpotential of –1 V vs RHE by operating at a current density sufficiently high to achieve a moderately high pH near the catalyst surface but not so high as to cause a significant reduction in the local concentration of CO 2. On the basis of recent theoretical studies, a high pH suppresses the formation of C 1 relative to C 2+ products. At the same time, however, a high local CO 2 concentration is necessary for the formation of C 2+ products.« less

Optimizing C–C Coupling on Oxide-Derived Copper Catalysts for Electrochemical CO 2 Reduction

DOE PAGES

Lum, Yanwei; Yue, Binbin; Lobaccaro, Peter; ...

2017-07-06

Here, copper electrodes, prepared by reduction of oxidized metallic copper, have been reported to exhibit higher activity for the electrochemical reduction of CO 2 and better selectivity toward C 2 and C 3 (C 2+) products than metallic copper that has not been preoxidized. We report here an investigation of the effects of four different preparations of oxide-derived electrocatalysts on their activity and selectivity for CO 2 reduction, with particular attention given to the selectivity to C 2+ products. All catalysts were tested for CO 2 reduction in 0.1 M KHCO 3 and 0.1 M CsHCO 3 at applied voltagesmore » in the range from –0.7 to –1.0 V vs RHE. The best performing oxide-derived catalysts show up to ~70% selectivity to C 2+ products and only ~3% selectivity to C 1 products at –1.0 V vs RHE when CsHCO 3 is used as the electrolyte. In contrast, the selectivity to C 2+ products decreases to ~56% for the same catalysts tested in KHCO 3. By studying all catalysts under identical conditions, the key factors affecting product selectivity could be discerned. These efforts reveal that the surface area of the oxide-derived layer is a critical parameter affecting selectivity. A high selectivity to C 2+ products is attained at an overpotential of –1 V vs RHE by operating at a current density sufficiently high to achieve a moderately high pH near the catalyst surface but not so high as to cause a significant reduction in the local concentration of CO 2. On the basis of recent theoretical studies, a high pH suppresses the formation of C 1 relative to C 2+ products. At the same time, however, a high local CO 2 concentration is necessary for the formation of C 2+ products.« less

Evapotranspiration management based on the application of SWAT for balancing water consumption: A case study in Guantao, China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Bin; Gan, Hong

2018-06-01

Rapid social and economic development results in increased demand for water resources. This can lead to the unsustainable development and exploitation of water resources which in turn causes significant environmental problems. Conventional water resource management approaches, such as supply and demand management strategies, frequently fail to restore regional water balance. This paper introduces the concept of water consumption balance, the balance between actual evapotranspiration (ET) and target ET, and establishes a framework to realize regional water balance. The framework consists of three stages: (1) determination of target ET and actual ET; (2) quantification of the water-saving requirements for the region; and (3) reduction of actual ET by implementing various water saving management strategies. Using this framework, a case study was conducted for Guantao County, China. The SWAT model was utilized to aid in the selection of the best water saving management strategy by comparing the ET of different irrigation methods and crop pattern adjustments. Simulation results revealed that determination of SWAT model parameters using remote sensing ET is feasible and that the model is a valuable tool for ET management. Irrigation was found to have a greater influence on the ET of winter wheat as compared to that of maize, indicating that reduction in winter wheat cultivation is the most effective way to reduce regional ET. However, the effect of water-saving irrigation methods on the reduction of ET was not obvious. This indicates that it would be difficult to achieve regional ET reduction using water-saving irrigation methods only. Furthermore, selecting the best water saving management strategy by relying solely on the amount of reduced ET was insufficient, because it ignored the impact of water conservation measures on the livelihood of the agricultural community. Incorporating these considerations with our findings, we recommend changing the current irrigation method to sprinkler irrigation and replacing 20% of the winter wheat-maize cultivated area with cotton, as the best strategy to achieve water balance in the study area.

Tuning of CO2 Reduction Selectivity on Metal Electrocatalysts.

PubMed

Wang, Yuhang; Liu, Junlang; Wang, Yifei; Al-Enizi, Abdullah M; Zheng, Gengfeng

2017-11-01

Climate change, caused by heavy CO 2 emissions, is driving new demands to alleviate the rising concentration of atmospheric CO 2 levels. Enlightened by the photosynthesis of green plants, photo(electro)chemical catalysis of CO 2 reduction, also known as artificial photosynthesis, is emerged as a promising candidate to address these demands and is widely investigated during the past decade. Among various artificial photosynthetic systems, solar-driven electrochemical CO 2 reduction is widely recognized to possess high efficiencies and potentials for practical application. The efficient and selective electroreduction of CO 2 is the key to the overall solar-to-chemical efficiency of artificial photosynthesis. Recent studies show that various metallic materials possess the capability to play as electrocatalysts for CO 2 reduction. In order to achieve high selectivity for CO 2 reduction products, various efforts are made including studies on electrolytes, crystal facets, oxide-derived catalysts, electronic and geometric structures, nanostructures, and mesoscale phenomena. In this Review, these methods for tuning the selectivity of CO 2 electrochemical reduction of metallic catalysts are summarized. The challenges and perspectives in this field are also discussed. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Plasma-assisted combustion technology for NOx reduction in industrial burners.

PubMed

Lee, Dae Hoon; Kim, Kwan-Tae; Kang, Hee Seok; Song, Young-Hoon; Park, Jae Eon

2013-10-01

Stronger regulations on nitrogen oxide (NOx) production have recently promoted the creation of a diverse array of technologies for NOx reduction, particularly within the combustion process, where reduction is least expensive. In this paper, we discuss a new combustion technology that can reduce NOx emissions within industrial burners to single-digit parts per million levels without employing exhaust gas recirculation or other NOx reduction mechanisms. This new technology uses a simple modification of commercial burners, such that they are able to perform plasma-assisted staged combustion without altering the outer configuration of the commercial reference burner. We embedded the first-stage combustor within the head of the commercial reference burner, where it operated as a reformer that could host a partial oxidation process, producing hydrogen-rich reformate or synthesis gas product. The resulting hydrogen-rich flow then ignited and stabilized the combustion flame apart from the burner rim. Ultimately, the enhanced mixing and removal of hot spots with a widened flame area acted as the main mechanisms of NOx reduction. Because this plasma burner acted as a low NOx burner and was able to reduce NOx by more than half compared to the commercial reference burner, this methodology offers important cost-effective possibilities for NOx reduction in industrial applications.

Effects of High-Temperature Preoxidation on the Titanomagnetite Ore Structure and Reduction Behaviors in Fluidized Bed

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Haoyan; Adetoro, Ajala Adewole; Pan, Feng; Wang, Zhen; Zhu, Qingshan

2017-06-01

The oxidation behaviors of South Africa (SA) titanomagnetite (TTM) and its effects on the gas solid reduction in the fluidized bed were investigated on the basis of the two-stage short process of direct reduction-electric arc furnace (DR-EAF) melting separation. The results showed that the oxidation phase transformations in the high-temperature range from 1073 K to 1223 K (800 °C to 950 °C) can be divided into two typical processes: with the fast generation of pseudobrookite and with the maghemite generation at the initial stage. The reduction efficiency for SA TTM was improved by the preoxidation treatment, mainly because of the dissociation of titania-ferrous oxides to the easy reducible hematite. However, at a preoxidation temperature higher than 1173 K (900 °C), the improving effect became weak, due to high-temperature sintering and the larger crystallite size of oxidation products. There is an extreme value of the preoxidation influence, and the optimum preoxidation time is different for various temperatures. The reduction metallization degree of SA TTM can be relatively improved by 14.5 and 4.5 pct for the first and second reduction steps, respectively, by 1173 K (900 °C) preoxidation with an optimum time of 30 minutes. Finally, the equilibrium relationship between the metallization degree and the gas reduction potential for TTM ore with preoxidation treatment was built.

KSC-2012-4214

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-08-03

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- This is an artist's conception of Space Exploration Technologies', or SpaceX, crewed Dragon capsule atop the company's Falcon 9 rocket under development for NASA's Commercial Crew Program, or CCP. The integrated system was selected for CCP's Commercial Crew Integrated Capability, or CCiCap, initiative to propel America's next human space transportation system to low Earth orbit forward. Operating under a funded Space Act Agreement, or SAA, SpaceX will spend the next 21 months completing its design, conducting critical risk reduction testing on its spacecraft and launch vehicle, and showcasing how it would operate and manage missions from launch through orbit and landing, setting the stage for a future demonstration mission. To learn more about CCP, which is based at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida and supported by NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, visit www.nasa.gov/commercialcrew. Image credit: SpaceX

KSC-2012-4212

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-08-03

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- This is an artist's conception of The Boeing Company's CST-100 spacecraft atop a United Launch Alliance ULA Atlas V rocket under development for NASA's Commercial Crew Program, or CCP. The integrated system was selected for CCP's Commercial Crew Integrated Capability, or CCiCap, initiative to propel America's next human space transportation system to low Earth orbit forward. Operating under a funded Space Act Agreement, or SAA, Boeing will spend the next 21 months completing its design, conducting critical risk reduction testing on its spacecraft and launch vehicle, and showcasing how it would operate and manage missions from launch through orbit and landing, setting the stage for a future demonstration mission. To learn more about CCP, which is based at NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida and supported by NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, visit www.nasa.gov/commercialcrew. Image credit: Boeing

ProSens: integrated production control by automated inspection planning and efficient multisensor metrology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Glaser, Ulf; Li, Zhichao; Bichmann, Stephan, II; Pfeifer, Tilo

2003-05-01

By China's entry into the WTO, Chinese as well as German companies are facing the question, how to minimize the risk of unfamiliar cooperation partners when developing products. The rise of customer demands concerning quality, product diversity and the reduction of expenses require flexibility and efficiency with reliable component suppliers. In order to build and strengthen sino-german cooperations, a manufacturing control using homogenized and efficient measures to assure high quality is of vital importance. Lack of unifications may cause identical measurements conducted at subcontractors or customers to be carried out with different measurement processes which leads to incomparable results. Rapidly growing company cooperations and simultaneously decreasing of manufacturing scope cause substantial difficulties when coordinating joint quality control activities. "ProSens," a sino-german project consortium consisting of industrial users, technology producers and research institutes, aims at improving selected production processes by: Creation of a homogeneous quality awareness in sino-german cooperations. Sensitization for process accompanying metrology at an early stage of product development. Increase of the process performance by the use of integrated metrology. Reduction of production time and cost. Unification of quality control of complex products by means of efficient measurement strategies and CAD-based inspection planning.

Percentage of REM Sleep is Associated with Overnight Change in Leptin

PubMed Central

Olson, Christy A.; Hamilton, Nancy A.; Somers, Virend K.

2016-01-01

Sleep contributes importantly to energy homeostasis, and may impact hormones regulating appetite, such as leptin, an adipocyte derived hormone. There is increasing evidence that sleep duration, and reduced REM sleep, are linked to obesity. Leptin has central neural effects beyond modulation of appetite alone. As sleep is not a unifrom process, interactions between leptin and sleep stages including REM sleep may play a role in the relationship between sleep and obesity. This study examined the relationship between serum leptin and REM sleep in a sample of healthy adults. Participants were 58 healthy adults who underwent polysomnography. Leptin was measured before and after sleep. We hypothesized that lower percentage of REM sleep would be related to lower leptin levels during sleep. The relationship between percentage of REM sleep and leptin was analyzed using hierarchical linear regression. Increased percentage of REM sleep was related to a greater reduction in leptin during sleep even when controlling for age, gender, percent body fat and total sleep time. A greater percentage of REM sleep was accompanied by more marked reductions in leptin. Studies examining the effects of selective REM sleep deprivation on leptin levels, and hence on energy homeostasis in humans, are needed. PMID:26919408

Partially oxidized iridium clusters within dendrimers: size-controlled synthesis and selective hydrogenation of 2-nitrobenzaldehyde

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Higaki, Tatsuya; Kitazawa, Hirokazu; Yamazoe, Seiji; Tsukuda, Tatsuya

2016-06-01

Iridium clusters nominally composed of 15, 30 or 60 atoms were size-selectively synthesized within OH-terminated poly(amidoamine) dendrimers of generation 6. Spectroscopic characterization revealed that the Ir clusters were partially oxidized. All the Ir clusters efficiently converted 2-nitrobenzaldehyde to anthranil and 2-aminobenzaldehyde under atmospheric hydrogen at room temperature in toluene via selective hydrogenation of the NO2 group. The selectivity toward 2-aminobenzaldehyde over anthranil was improved with the reduction of the cluster size. The improved selectivity is ascribed to more efficient reduction than intramolecular heterocyclization of a hydroxylamine intermediate on smaller clusters that have a higher Ir(0)-phase population on the surface.Iridium clusters nominally composed of 15, 30 or 60 atoms were size-selectively synthesized within OH-terminated poly(amidoamine) dendrimers of generation 6. Spectroscopic characterization revealed that the Ir clusters were partially oxidized. All the Ir clusters efficiently converted 2-nitrobenzaldehyde to anthranil and 2-aminobenzaldehyde under atmospheric hydrogen at room temperature in toluene via selective hydrogenation of the NO2 group. The selectivity toward 2-aminobenzaldehyde over anthranil was improved with the reduction of the cluster size. The improved selectivity is ascribed to more efficient reduction than intramolecular heterocyclization of a hydroxylamine intermediate on smaller clusters that have a higher Ir(0)-phase population on the surface. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available. See DOI: 10.1039/c6nr01460g

Urban partnership agreement and congestion reduction demonstration programs : lessons learned on congestion pricing from the Seattle and Atlanta household travel behavior surveys.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2014-04-01

This paper presents lessons learned from household traveler surveys administered in Seattle and Atlanta as part of the evaluation of the Urban Partnership Agreement and Congestion Reduction Demonstration Programs. The surveys use a two-stage panel su...

Method of operating a two-stage coal gasifier

DOEpatents

Tanca, Michael C.

1982-01-01

A method of operating an entrained flow coal gasifier (10) via a two-stage gasification process. A portion of the coal (18) to be gasified is combusted in a combustion zone (30) with near stoichiometric air to generate combustion products. The combustion products are conveyed from the combustion zone into a reduction zone (32) wherein additional coal is injected into the combustion products to react with the combustion products to form a combustible gas. The additional coal is injected into the reduction zone as a mixture (60) consisting of coal and steam, preferably with a coal-to-steam weight ratio of approximately ten to one.

Replacement of chemical rocket launchers by beamed energy propulsion.

PubMed

Fukunari, Masafumi; Arnault, Anthony; Yamaguchi, Toshikazu; Komurasaki, Kimiya

2014-11-01

Microwave Rocket is a beamed energy propulsion system that is expected to reach space at drastically lower cost. This cost reduction is estimated by replacing the first-stage engine and solid rocket boosters of the Japanese H-IIB rocket with Microwave Rocket, using a recently developed thrust model in which thrust is generated through repetitively pulsed microwave detonation with a reed-valve air-breathing system. Results show that Microwave Rocket trajectory, in terms of velocity versus altitude, can be designed similarly to the current H-IIB first stage trajectory. Moreover, the payload ratio can be increased by 450%, resulting in launch-cost reduction of 74%.

Nontangent, Developed Contour Bulkheads for a Single-Stage Launch Vehicle

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wu, K. Chauncey; Lepsch, Roger A., Jr.

2000-01-01

Dry weights for single-stage launch vehicles that incorporate nontangent, developed contour bulkheads are estimated and compared to a baseline vehicle with 1.414 aspect ratio ellipsoidal bulkheads. Weights, volumes, and heights of optimized bulkhead designs are computed using a preliminary design bulkhead analysis code. The dry weights of vehicles that incorporate the optimized bulkheads are predicted using a vehicle weights and sizing code. Two optimization approaches are employed. A structural-level method, where the vehicle's three major bulkhead regions are optimized separately and then incorporated into a model for computation of the vehicle dry weight, predicts a reduction of4365 lb (2.2 %) from the 200,679-lb baseline vehicle dry weight. In the second, vehicle-level, approach, the vehicle dry weight is the objective function for the optimization. For the vehicle-level analysis, modified bulkhead designs are analyzed and incorporated into the weights model for computation of a dry weight. The optimizer simultaneously manipulates design variables for all three bulkheads to reduce the dry weight. The vehicle-level analysis predicts a dry weight reduction of 5129 lb, a 2.6% reduction from the baseline weight. Based on these results, nontangent, developed contour bulkheads may provide substantial weight savings for single stage vehicles.

Three column intermittent simulated moving bed chromatography: 3. Cascade operation for center-cut separations.

PubMed

Jermann, Simon; Meijssen, Mattheus; Mazzotti, Marco

2015-01-23

A general design methodology for chromatographic three fraction separation by application of the three column intermittent simulated moving bed (3C-ISMB) cascade is proposed and experimentally validated by studying the purification of an intermediately retained stereoisomer of nadolol, from an equimolar mixture of its four stereoisomers. The theoretical part shows that the 3C-ISMB cascade can be easily designed by applying Triangle Theory. Moreover, a re-scaling approach for the second stage is proposed so as to account for the fact that the feed flow rates to stage 2 are generally higher as compared to stage 1 due to dilution in the latter. Scaling the columns of the second stage accordingly enables to run both stages under optimal conditions with respect to switching time and step ratio, which is an important advantage as compared to integrated ternary processes. The experimental part starts with studying the linear adsorption behavior of nadolol in heptane/ethanol/DEA on Chiralpak AD for varying ratios of heptane and ethanol. Based on that, a solvent composition of Hept/EtOH/DEA 30/70/0.3 (v/v/v) is selected and the competitive multi-component Langmuir isotherm of the quaternary mixture is determined by frontal analysis. The resulting isotherm parameters are used to design several first stage experiments aiming at removal of the most retained component. The resulting ternary intermediate product is reprocessed in several second stage experiments studying various configurations. Finally, the dilution of the intermediate product with Hept/DEA yielding a solvent composition of Hept/EtOH/DEA 60/40/0.3 (v/v/v) is examined showing that the resulting increase in retention is beneficial for final product purities. Moreover, the reduction in viscosity compensates for the dilution as it enables higher flow rates. Dilution of the intermediate product is hence the best option, yielding highest overall cascade productivity (2.10gl(-1)h(-1)) and highest product purity (97.8%) requiring a specific solvent consumption of 12l/g of product. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

NASA Propulsion Sub-System Concept Studies and Risk Reduction Activities for Resource Prospector Lander

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Trinh, Huu P.

2015-01-01

NASA's exploration roadmap is focused on developing technologies and performing precursor missions to advance the state of the art for eventual human missions to Mars. One of the key components of this roadmap is various robotic missions to Near-Earth Objects, the Moon, and Mars to fill in some of the strategic knowledge gaps. The Resource Prospector (RP) project is one of these robotic precursor activities in the roadmap. RP is a multi-center and multi-institution project to investigate the polar regions of the Moon in search of volatiles. The mission is rated Class D and is approximately 10 days, assuming a five day direct Earth to Moon transfer. Because of the mission cost constraint, a trade study of the propulsion concepts was conducted with a focus on available low-cost hardware for reducing cost in development, while technical risk, system mass, and technology advancement requirements were also taken into consideration. The propulsion system for the lander is composed of a braking stage providing a high thrust to match the lander's velocity with the lunar surface and a lander stage performing the final lunar descent. For the braking stage, liquid oxygen (LOX) and liquid methane (LCH4) propulsion systems, derived from the Morpheus experimental lander, and storable bi-propellant systems, including the 4th stage Peacekeeper (PK) propulsion components and Space Shuttle orbital maneuvering engine (OME), and a solid motor were considered for the study. For the lander stage, the trade study included miniaturized Divert Attitude Control System (DACS) thrusters (Missile Defense Agency (MDA) heritage), their enhanced thruster versions, ISE-100 and ISE-5, and commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) hardware. The lowest cost configuration of using the solid motor and the PK components while meeting the requirements was selected. The reference concept of the lander is shown in Figure 1. In the current reference configuration, the solid stage is the primary provider of delta-V. It will generate 15,000-lbf of thrust with a single burn of 80's seconds. The lander stage is a bi-propellant, pressure-regulated, pulsing liquid propulsion system to perform all other functions.

Pollution reduction technology program for class T4(JT8D) engines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Roberts, R.; Fiorentino, A. J.; Diehl, L. A.

1977-01-01

The technology required to develop commercial gas turbine engines with reduced exhaust emissions was demonstrated. Can-annular combustor systems for the JT8D engine family (EPA class T4) were investigated. The JT8D turbofan engine is an axial-flow, dual-spool, moderate-bypass-ratio design. It has a two-stage fan, a four-stage low-pressure compressor driven by a three-stage low-pressure turbine, and a seven-stage high-pressure compressor driven by a single-stage high-pressure turbine. A cross section of the JT8D-17 showing the mechanical configuration is given. Key specifications for this engine are listed.

Treatment Attrition: Associations with Negative Affect Smoking Motives and Barriers to Quitting Among Treatment-Seeking Smokers

PubMed Central

Garey, Lorra; Kauffman, Brooke Y.; Neighbors, Clayton; Schmidt, Norman B.; Zvolensky, Michael J.

2016-01-01

Introduction Pre-treatment attrition and perceived barriers for quitting are clinically important processes involved in early phases of quitting smoking. However, less is known about the constructs that may contribute to these processes such as negative affect reduction smoking motives. Method The current study sought to evaluate the relation between negative affect reduction smoking motives with pre-treatment attrition and perceived barriers for quitting in a sample of 425 treatment-seeking smokers (48.5% female; Mage = 37.69; SD = 13.61) enrolled in a smoking cessation study examining the efficacy of a transdiagnostic panic-smoking cessation treatment relative to a standard smoking cessation treatment. Results Results indicated that greater negative affect reduction smoking motives was associated with an increased likelihood of treatment initiation (Odds Ratio = 1.49, CI: 1.09, 2.04). Additionally, negative affect reduction smoking motives was associated with greater perceived barriers for cessation among pre-treatment drop-outs and treatment initiators. Conclusions This initial investigation provides evidence for the possible clinical utility in addressing negative affect reduction smoking motives during early stages of quitting. Additionally, such findings could potentially inform the development of personalized, early stages of quitting interventions for smoking cessation. PMID:27518764

Continuous Adaptive Population Reduction (CAPR) for Differential Evolution Optimization.

PubMed

Wong, Ieong; Liu, Wenjia; Ho, Chih-Ming; Ding, Xianting

2017-06-01

Differential evolution (DE) has been applied extensively in drug combination optimization studies in the past decade. It allows for identification of desired drug combinations with minimal experimental effort. This article proposes an adaptive population-sizing method for the DE algorithm. Our new method presents improvements in terms of efficiency and convergence over the original DE algorithm and constant stepwise population reduction-based DE algorithm, which would lead to a reduced number of cells and animals required to identify an optimal drug combination. The method continuously adjusts the reduction of the population size in accordance with the stage of the optimization process. Our adaptive scheme limits the population reduction to occur only at the exploitation stage. We believe that continuously adjusting for a more effective population size during the evolutionary process is the major reason for the significant improvement in the convergence speed of the DE algorithm. The performance of the method is evaluated through a set of unimodal and multimodal benchmark functions. In combining with self-adaptive schemes for mutation and crossover constants, this adaptive population reduction method can help shed light on the future direction of a completely parameter tune-free self-adaptive DE algorithm.

Effect of a fuel activation device (FAD) on particulate matter and black carbon emissions from a diesel locomotive engine.

PubMed

Park, Duckshin; Lee, Taejeong; Lee, Yongil; Jeong, Wonseog; Kwon, Soon-Bark; Kim, Dongsool; Lee, Kiyoung

2017-01-01

Emission reduction is one of the most efficient control measures in fuel-powered locomotives. The purpose of this study was to determine the reduction in particulate matter (PM) and black carbon (BC) emissions following the installation of a fuel activation device (FAD). The FAD was developed to enhance fuel combustion by atomizing fuel and to increase the surface area per unit volume of injected fuel. Emission reduction by the FAD was evaluated by installing a FAD in an operating diesel locomotive in Mongolia. The test was conducted on a train operating on a round-trip 238-km route between Ulaanbaatar and Choir stations in Mongolia. The fuel consumption rate was slightly reduced following the FAD installation. The FAD installation decreased PM and BC emissions in the diesel locomotive, especially coarse PM. The PM 10 reductions achieved after FAD installation were 58.0, 69.7, and 34.2% for the constant velocity, stopping, and acceleration stages of the train's operation, respectively. The BC reduction rates were 29.5, 52.8, and 27.4% for the constant velocity, stopping, and acceleration stages, respectively. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Romantic relationship stages and social networking sites: uncertainty reduction strategies and perceived relational norms on facebook.

PubMed

Fox, Jesse; Anderegg, Courtney

2014-11-01

Due to their pervasiveness and unique affordances, social media play a distinct role in the development of modern romantic relationships. This study examines how a social networking site is used for information seeking about a potential or current romantic partner. In a survey, Facebook users (N=517) were presented with Facebook behaviors categorized as passive (e.g., reading a partner's profile), active (e.g., "friending" a common third party), or interactive (e.g., commenting on the partner's wall) uncertainty reduction strategies. Participants reported how normative they perceived these behaviors to be during four possible stages of relationship development (before meeting face-to-face, after meeting face-to-face, casual dating, and exclusive dating). Results indicated that as relationships progress, perceived norms for these behaviors change. Sex differences were also observed, as women perceived passive and interactive strategies as more normative than men during certain relationship stages.

Diversity of terrestrial mammal seed dispersers along a lowland Amazon forest regrowth gradient

PubMed Central

Arévalo-Sandi, Alexander; Bobrowiec, Paulo Estefano D.; Rodriguez Chuma, Victor Juan Ulises

2018-01-01

There is increasing interest in the restoration/regeneration of degraded tropical habitats yet the potential role of natural regenerators remains unclear. We test the hypothesis that the richness and functional diversity of terrestrial mammals differs between forest regrowth stages. We quantified the richness and functional diversity of eight terrestrial mammal seed-disperser species across a forest regrowth gradient in the eastern Brazilian Amazon. We installed camera-traps in 15 sites within small-holder properties with forest regrowth stage classified into three groups, with five sites each of: late second-regrowth forest, early second-regrowth forest and abandoned pasture. Species richness and functional dispersion from the regrowth sites were compared with 15 paired forest control sites. Multi model selection showed that regrowth class was more important for explaining patterns in richness and functional diversity than other variables from three non-mutually exclusive hypotheses: hunting (distance to house, distance to river, distance to town, small holder residence), land cover (% forest cover within 50 meters, 1 kilometer and 5 kilometers) and land use (regrowth class, time since last use). Differences in functional diversity were most strongly explained by a loss of body mass. We found that diversity in regrowth sites could be similar to control sites even in some early-second regrowth areas. This finding suggests that when surrounded by large intact forest areas the richness and functional diversity close to human small-holdings can return to pre-degradation values. Yet we also found a significant reduction in richness and functional diversity in more intensely degraded pasture sites. This reduction in richness and functional diversity may limit the potential for regeneration and increase costs for ecological regeneration and restoration actions around more intense regrowth areas. PMID:29547648

Chlorpyrifos exposure affects fgf8, sox9, and bmp4 expression required for cranial neural crest morphogenesis and chondrogenesis in Xenopus laevis embryos.

PubMed

Tussellino, Margherita; Ronca, Raffaele; Carotenuto, Rosa; Pallotta, Maria M; Furia, Maria; Capriglione, Teresa

2016-10-01

Chlorpyrifos (CPF) is an organophosphate insecticide used primarily to control foliage and soil-borne insect pests on a variety of food and feed crops. In mammals, maternal exposure to CPF has been reported to induce dose-related abnormalities such as slower brain growth and cerebral cortex thinning. In lower vertebrates, for example, fish and amphibians, teratogenic activity of this compound is correlated with several anatomical alterations. Little is known about the effects of CPF on mRNA expression of genes involved in early development of the anatomical structures appearing abnormal in embryos. This study investigated the effects of exposure to different CPF concentrations (10, 15 and 20 mg/L) on Xenopus laevis embryos from stage 4/8 to stage 46. Some of the morphological changes we detected in CPF-exposed embryos included cranial neural crest cell (NCC)-derived structures. For this reason, we analyzed the expression of select genes involved in hindbrain patterning (egr2), cranial neural crest chondrogenesis, and craniofacial development (fgf8, bmp4, sox9, hoxa2 and hoxb2). We found that CPF exposure induced a reduction in transcription of all the genes involved in NCC-dependent chondrogenesis, with largest reductions in fgf8 and sox9; whereas, in hindbrain, we did not find any alterations in egr2 expression. Changes in the expression of fgf8, bmp4, and sox9, which are master regulators of several developmental pathways, have important implications. If these changes are confirmed to belong to a general pattern of alterations in vertebrates prenatally exposed to OP, they might be useful to assess damage during vertebrate embryo development. Environ. Mol. Mutagen. 57:589-604, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

A comprehensive review of the SLMTA literature part 2: Measuring success

PubMed Central

Yao, Katy; Nkengasong, John N.

2014-01-01

Background Since its introduction in 2009, the Strengthening Laboratory Management Toward Accreditation (SLMTA) programme has been implemented in 617 laboratories in 47 countries. Objective We completed a systematic review of the published literature on SLMTA. The review consists of two companion papers; this article examines quantitative evidence presented in the publications along with a meta-analysis of selected results. Methods We identified 28 published articles with data from SLMTA implementation. The SLMTA programme was evaluated through audits based on a standard checklist, which is divided into 12 sections corresponding to the 12 Quality System Essentials (QSEs). Several basic service delivery indicators reported by programmes were also examined. Results for various components of the programme were reviewed and summarised; a meta-analysis of QSE results grouped by the three stages of the quality cycle was conducted for 126 laboratories in 12 countries. Results Global programme data show improved quality in SLMTA laboratories in every country, with average improvements on audit scores of 25 percentage points. Meta-analysis identified Improvement Management as the weakest stage, with internal audit (8%) and occurrence management (16%) showing the lowest scores. Studies documented 19% – 95% reductions in turn-around times, 69% – 93% reductions in specimen rejection rates, 76% – 81% increases in clinician satisfaction rates, 67% – 85% improvements in external quality assessment results, 50% – 66% decreases in nonconformities and 67% increases in staff punctuality. Conclusions The wide array of results reported provides a comprehensive picture of the SLMTA programme overall, suggesting a substantive impact on provision of quality laboratory services and patient care. These comprehensive results establish a solid data-driven foundation for program improvement and further expansion. PMID:29043201

Inhibition of choline acetyltransferase as a mechanism for cholinergic dysfunction induced by amyloid-β peptide oligomers.

PubMed

Nunes-Tavares, Nilson; Santos, Luís Eduardo; Stutz, Bernardo; Brito-Moreira, Jordano; Klein, William L; Ferreira, Sérgio T; de Mello, Fernando G

2012-06-01

Dysregulated cholinergic signaling is an early hallmark of Alzheimer disease (AD), usually ascribed to degeneration of cholinergic neurons induced by the amyloid-β peptide (Aβ). It is now generally accepted that neuronal dysfunction and memory deficits in the early stages of AD are caused by the neuronal impact of soluble Aβ oligomers (AβOs). AβOs build up in AD brain and specifically attach to excitatory synapses, leading to synapse dysfunction. Here, we have investigated the possibility that AβOs could impact cholinergic signaling. The activity of choline acetyltransferase (ChAT, the enzyme that carries out ACh production) was inhibited by ~50% in cultured cholinergic neurons exposed to low nanomolar concentrations of AβOs. 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) reduction, lactate dehydrogenase release, and [(3)H]choline uptake assays showed no evidence of neuronal damage or loss of viability that could account for reduced ChAT activity under these conditions. Glutamate receptor antagonists fully blocked ChAT inhibition and oxidative stress induced by AβOs. Antioxidant polyunsaturated fatty acids had similar effects, indicating that oxidative damage may be involved in ChAT inhibition. Treatment with insulin, previously shown to down-regulate neuronal AβO binding sites, fully prevented AβO-induced inhibition of ChAT. Interestingly, we found that AβOs selectively bind to ~50% of cultured cholinergic neurons, suggesting that ChAT is fully inhibited in AβO-targeted neurons. Reduction in ChAT activity instigated by AβOs may thus be a relevant event in early stage AD pathology, preceding the loss of cholinergic neurons commonly observed in AD brains.

Convergent evolution of alternative developmental trajectories associated with diapause in African and South American killifish.

PubMed

Furness, Andrew I; Reznick, David N; Springer, Mark S; Meredith, Robert W

2015-03-07

Annual killifish adapted to life in seasonally ephemeral water-bodies exhibit desiccation resistant eggs that can undergo diapause, a period of developmental arrest, enabling them to traverse the otherwise inhospitable dry season. Environmental cues that potentially indicate the season can govern whether eggs enter a stage of diapause mid-way through development or skip this diapause and instead undergo direct development. We report, based on construction of a supermatrix phylogenetic tree of the order Cyprinodontiformes and a battery of comparative analyses, that the ability to produce diapause eggs evolved independently at least six times within African and South American killifish. We then show in species representative of these lineages that embryos entering diapause display significant reduction in development of the cranial region and circulatory system relative to direct-developing embryos. This divergence along alternative developmental pathways begins mid-way through development, well before diapause is entered, during a period of purported maximum developmental constraint (the phylotypic period). Finally, we show that entering diapause is accompanied by a dramatic reduction in metabolic rate and concomitant increase in long-term embryo survival. Morphological divergence during the phylotypic period thus allows embryos undergoing diapause to conserve energy by shunting resources away from energetically costly organs thereby increasing survival chances in an environment that necessitates remaining dormant, buried in the soil and surrounded by an eggshell for much of the year. Our results indicate that adaptation to seasonal aquatic environments in annual killifish imposes strong selection during the embryo stage leading to marked diversification during this otherwise conserved period of vertebrate development. © 2015 The Author(s) Published by the Royal Society. All rights reserved.

Improved survival with renal transplantation for end-stage renal disease due to granulomatosis with polyangiitis: data from the United States Renal Data System.

PubMed

Wallace, Zachary S; Wallwork, Rachel; Zhang, Yuqing; Lu, Na; Cortazar, Frank; Niles, John L; Heher, Eliot; Stone, John H; Choi, Hyon K

2018-05-14

Renal transplantation is the optimal treatment for selected patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). However, the survival benefit of renal transplantation among patients with ESRD attributed to granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA) is unknown. We identified patients from the United States Renal Data System with ESRD due to GPA (ESRD-GPA) between 1995 and 2014. We restricted our analysis to waitlisted subjects to evaluate the impact of transplantation on mortality. We followed patients until death or the end of follow-up. We compared the relative risk (RR) of all-cause and cause-specific mortality in patients who received a transplant versus non-transplanted patients using a pooled logistic regression model with transplantation as a time-varying exposure. During the study period, 1525 patients were waitlisted and 946 received a renal transplant. Receiving a renal transplant was associated with a 70% reduction in the risk of all-cause mortality in multivariable-adjusted analyses (RR=0.30, 95% CI 0.25 to 0.37), largely attributed to a 90% reduction in the risk of death due to cardiovascular disease (CVD) (RR=0.10, 95% 0.06-0.16). Renal transplantation is associated with a significant decrease in all-cause mortality among patients with ESRD attributed to GPA, largely due to a decrease in the risk of death to CVD. Prompt referral for transplantation is critical to optimise outcomes for this patient population. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Diversity of terrestrial mammal seed dispersers along a lowland Amazon forest regrowth gradient.

PubMed

Arévalo-Sandi, Alexander; Bobrowiec, Paulo Estefano D; Rodriguez Chuma, Victor Juan Ulises; Norris, Darren

2018-01-01

There is increasing interest in the restoration/regeneration of degraded tropical habitats yet the potential role of natural regenerators remains unclear. We test the hypothesis that the richness and functional diversity of terrestrial mammals differs between forest regrowth stages. We quantified the richness and functional diversity of eight terrestrial mammal seed-disperser species across a forest regrowth gradient in the eastern Brazilian Amazon. We installed camera-traps in 15 sites within small-holder properties with forest regrowth stage classified into three groups, with five sites each of: late second-regrowth forest, early second-regrowth forest and abandoned pasture. Species richness and functional dispersion from the regrowth sites were compared with 15 paired forest control sites. Multi model selection showed that regrowth class was more important for explaining patterns in richness and functional diversity than other variables from three non-mutually exclusive hypotheses: hunting (distance to house, distance to river, distance to town, small holder residence), land cover (% forest cover within 50 meters, 1 kilometer and 5 kilometers) and land use (regrowth class, time since last use). Differences in functional diversity were most strongly explained by a loss of body mass. We found that diversity in regrowth sites could be similar to control sites even in some early-second regrowth areas. This finding suggests that when surrounded by large intact forest areas the richness and functional diversity close to human small-holdings can return to pre-degradation values. Yet we also found a significant reduction in richness and functional diversity in more intensely degraded pasture sites. This reduction in richness and functional diversity may limit the potential for regeneration and increase costs for ecological regeneration and restoration actions around more intense regrowth areas.

Sensor-Based Vibration Signal Feature Extraction Using an Improved Composite Dictionary Matching Pursuit Algorithm

PubMed Central

Cui, Lingli; Wu, Na; Wang, Wenjing; Kang, Chenhui

2014-01-01

This paper presents a new method for a composite dictionary matching pursuit algorithm, which is applied to vibration sensor signal feature extraction and fault diagnosis of a gearbox. Three advantages are highlighted in the new method. First, the composite dictionary in the algorithm has been changed from multi-atom matching to single-atom matching. Compared to non-composite dictionary single-atom matching, the original composite dictionary multi-atom matching pursuit (CD-MaMP) algorithm can achieve noise reduction in the reconstruction stage, but it cannot dramatically reduce the computational cost and improve the efficiency in the decomposition stage. Therefore, the optimized composite dictionary single-atom matching algorithm (CD-SaMP) is proposed. Second, the termination condition of iteration based on the attenuation coefficient is put forward to improve the sparsity and efficiency of the algorithm, which adjusts the parameters of the termination condition constantly in the process of decomposition to avoid noise. Third, composite dictionaries are enriched with the modulation dictionary, which is one of the important structural characteristics of gear fault signals. Meanwhile, the termination condition of iteration settings, sub-feature dictionary selections and operation efficiency between CD-MaMP and CD-SaMP are discussed, aiming at gear simulation vibration signals with noise. The simulation sensor-based vibration signal results show that the termination condition of iteration based on the attenuation coefficient enhances decomposition sparsity greatly and achieves a good effect of noise reduction. Furthermore, the modulation dictionary achieves a better matching effect compared to the Fourier dictionary, and CD-SaMP has a great advantage of sparsity and efficiency compared with the CD-MaMP. The sensor-based vibration signals measured from practical engineering gearbox analyses have further shown that the CD-SaMP decomposition and reconstruction algorithm is feasible and effective. PMID:25207870

Sensor-based vibration signal feature extraction using an improved composite dictionary matching pursuit algorithm.

PubMed

Cui, Lingli; Wu, Na; Wang, Wenjing; Kang, Chenhui

2014-09-09

This paper presents a new method for a composite dictionary matching pursuit algorithm, which is applied to vibration sensor signal feature extraction and fault diagnosis of a gearbox. Three advantages are highlighted in the new method. First, the composite dictionary in the algorithm has been changed from multi-atom matching to single-atom matching. Compared to non-composite dictionary single-atom matching, the original composite dictionary multi-atom matching pursuit (CD-MaMP) algorithm can achieve noise reduction in the reconstruction stage, but it cannot dramatically reduce the computational cost and improve the efficiency in the decomposition stage. Therefore, the optimized composite dictionary single-atom matching algorithm (CD-SaMP) is proposed. Second, the termination condition of iteration based on the attenuation coefficient is put forward to improve the sparsity and efficiency of the algorithm, which adjusts the parameters of the termination condition constantly in the process of decomposition to avoid noise. Third, composite dictionaries are enriched with the modulation dictionary, which is one of the important structural characteristics of gear fault signals. Meanwhile, the termination condition of iteration settings, sub-feature dictionary selections and operation efficiency between CD-MaMP and CD-SaMP are discussed, aiming at gear simulation vibration signals with noise. The simulation sensor-based vibration signal results show that the termination condition of iteration based on the attenuation coefficient enhances decomposition sparsity greatly and achieves a good effect of noise reduction. Furthermore, the modulation dictionary achieves a better matching effect compared to the Fourier dictionary, and CD-SaMP has a great advantage of sparsity and efficiency compared with the CD-MaMP. The sensor-based vibration signals measured from practical engineering gearbox analyses have further shown that the CD-SaMP decomposition and reconstruction algorithm is feasible and effective.

An improved hybrid multi-criteria/multidimensional model for strategic industrial location selection: Casablanca industrial zones as a case study.

PubMed

Boutkhoum, Omar; Hanine, Mohamed; Agouti, Tarik; Tikniouine, Abdessadek

2015-01-01

In this paper, we examine the issue of strategic industrial location selection in uncertain decision making environments for implanting new industrial corporation. In fact, the industrial location issue is typically considered as a crucial factor in business research field which is related to many calculations about natural resources, distributors, suppliers, customers, and most other things. Based on the integration of environmental, economic and social decisive elements of sustainable development, this paper presents a hybrid decision making model combining fuzzy multi-criteria analysis with analytical capabilities that OLAP systems can provide for successful and optimal industrial location selection. The proposed model mainly consists in three stages. In the first stage, a decision-making committee has been established to identify the evaluation criteria impacting the location selection process. In the second stage, we develop fuzzy AHP software based on the extent analysis method to assign the importance weights to the selected criteria, which allows us to model the linguistic vagueness, ambiguity, and incomplete knowledge. In the last stage, OLAP analysis integrated with multi-criteria analysis employs these weighted criteria as inputs to evaluate, rank and select the strategic industrial location for implanting new business corporation in the region of Casablanca, Morocco. Finally, a sensitivity analysis is performed to evaluate the impact of criteria weights and the preferences given by decision makers on the final rankings of strategic industrial locations.

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

Shimo, Naoki; Matsuoka, Taka-aki, E-mail: matsuoka@endmet.med.osaka-u.ac.jp; Miyatsuka, Takeshi

Alleviation of hyperglycaemia and hyperlipidemia improves pancreatic β-cell function in type 2 diabetes. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms are still not well clarified. In this study, we aimed to elucidate how the expression alterations of key β-cell factors are altered by the short-term selective alleviation of glucotoxicity or lipotoxicity. We treated db/db mice for one week with empagliflozin and/or bezafibrate to alleviate glucotoxicity and/or liptotoxicity, respectively. The gene expression levels of Pdx1 and Mafa, and their potential targets, insulin 1, Slc2a2, and Glp1r, were higher in the islets of empagliflozin-treated mice, and levels of insulin 2 were higher in micemore » treated with both reagents, than in untreated mice. Moreover, compared to the pretreatment levels, Mafa and insulin 1 expression increased in empagliflozin-treated mice, and Slc2a2 increased in combination-treated mice. In addition, empagliflozin treatment enhanced β-cell proliferation assessed by Ki-67 immunostaining. Our date clearly demonstrated that the one-week selective alleviation of glucotoxicity led to the better expression levels of the key β-cell factors critical for β-cell function over pretreatment levels, and that the alleviation of lipotoxicity along with glucotoxicity augmented the favorable effects under diabetic conditions. - Highlights: • One-week selective reduction of gluco- and lipo-toxicity in db/db mice was performed. • Selective glucotoxicity reduction increases key pancreatic β-cell factors expression. • Selective glucotoxicity reduction improves β-cell factors over pretreatment levels. • Selective glucotoxicity reduction turns β-cell mass toward increase. • Lipotoxicity reduction has additive effects on glucotoxicity reduction.« less

NOx Emissions Characteristics and Correlation Equations of Two P and W's Axially Staged Sector Combustors Developed Under NASA Environmentally Responsible Aviation (ERA) Project

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

He, Zhuohui J.

2017-01-01

Two P&W (Pratt & Whitney)'s axially staged sector combustors have been developed under NASA's Environmentally Responsible Aviation (ERA) project. One combustor was developed under ERA Phase I, and the other was developed under ERA Phase II. Nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions characteristics and correlation equations for these two sector combustors are reported in this article. The Phase I design was to optimize the NOx emissions reduction potential, while the Phase II design was more practical and robust. Multiple injection points and fuel staging strategies are used in the combustor design. Pilot-stage injectors are located on the front dome plate of the combustor, and main-stage injectors are positioned on the top and bottom (Phase I) or on the top only (Phase II) of the combustor liners downstream. Low power configuration uses only pilot-stage injectors. Main-stage injectors are added to high power configuration to help distribute fuel more evenly and achieve lean burn throughout the combustor yielding very low NOx emissions. The ICAO (International Civil Aviation Organization) landing-takeoff NOx emissions are verified to be 88 percent (Phase I) and 76 percent (Phase II) under the ICAO CAEP/6 (Committee on Aviation Environmental Protection 6th Meeting) standard, exceeding the ERA project goal of 75 percent reduction, and the combustors proved to have stable combustion with room to maneuver on fuel flow splits for operability.

77 FR 18248 - Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry; Agency Forms Undergoing Paperwork Reduction Act...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-03-27

... Survey, Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ-I), Mullen Stages of Early Development (MSEL), Postpartum...% of all US mothers. Early and regular prenatal care is a major predicator of positive birth outcomes... endpoints. Biological sample analysis, surveys, and developmental screenings will be performed during this...

77 FR 26943 - Airworthiness Directives; Pratt & Whitney Canada Turboprop Engines

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-05-08

...) first stage sun gears and planet gears installed in the reduction gearbox. This AD was prompted by failures of certain first stage sun gears manufactured by TAATI. We are issuing this AD to prevent failure of the sun gear and planet gears which will result in an engine in-flight shut down, possible...

[Activity of the hypophyseal-thyroid gland system in relation to the funcitonal state of the sex glands. Report I].

PubMed

Babichev, V N; Samsonova, V M

1975-01-01

Experiments were conducted on intact female rats; it was revealed that the content of protein-bound iodine (PBI) in the blood depended on the stage of the estral cycle. It was decreased at the metestrus and diestrus stages. Castration produced an even greater reduction in the blood PBI content. The blood PBI content proved to elevate in administration of estradiol dipropionate (EDP) to castrated rats. The TSH content in the hypophysis increased at the metestrus and diestrus stages and decreased at the proestrus and estrus stages. The relationship was reverse in the case with the blood TTH content. Castration was followed by a marked increase in the TSH content in the hypophysis accompanied by a reduction in the blood hormone level. The TSH concentration in the hypophysis decreased and in the blood increased under the effect of EDP in castrated animals. The data obtained indicated that the interrelationship between the thyroid gland and the sex glands was realized at the level of the hypophysis, and possibly, of the hypothalamus.

Patterns of Primary Tumor Invasion and Regional Lymph Node Spread Based on Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Early-Stage Nasal NK/T-cell Lymphoma: Implications for Clinical Target Volume Definition and Prognostic Significance

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

Wu, Run-Ye; Liu, Kang; Wang, Wei-Hu

Purpose: This study aimed to determine the pathways of primary tumor invasion (PTI) and regional lymph node (LN) spread based on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in early-stage nasal NK/T-cell lymphoma (NKTCL), to improve clinical target volume (CTV) delineation and evaluate the prognostic value of locoregional extension patterns. Methods and Materials: A total of 105 patients with newly diagnosed early-stage nasal NKTCL who underwent pretreatment MRI were retrospectively reviewed. All patients received radiation therapy with or without chemotherapy. Results: The incidences of PTI and regional LN involvement were 64.7% and 25.7%, respectively. Based on the incidence of PTI, involved sites surroundingmore » the nasal cavity were classified into 3 risk subgroups: high-risk (>20%), intermediate-risk (5%-20%), and low-risk (<5%). The most frequently involved site was the nasopharynx (35.2%), followed by the maxillary (21.9%) and ethmoid (21.9%) sinuses. Local disease and regional LN spread followed an orderly pattern without LN skipping. The retropharyngeal nodes (RPNs) were most frequently involved (19.0%), followed by level II (11.4%). The 5-year overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), and locoregional control (LRC) rates for all patients were 72.8%, 65.2%, and 90.0%, respectively. The presence of PTI and regional LN involvement based on MRI significantly and negatively affected PFS and OS. Conclusions: Early-stage nasal NKTCL presents with a high incidence of PTI but a relatively low incidence of regional LN spread. Locoregional spread followed an orderly pattern, and PTI and regional LN spread are powerful prognostic factors for poorer survival outcomes. CTV reduction may be feasible for selected patients.« less

Reproductive biology of the prawn Melicertus kerathurus (Decapoda: Penaeidae) in Thermaikos Gulf (N. Aegean Sea)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kevrekidis, Kosmas; Thessalou-Legaki, Maria

2013-03-01

The reproductive biology including insemination frequency, ovarian maturation, gonadosomatic index (GSI), size at first maturity, and fecundity of Melicertus kerathurus were investigated using monthly samples from Thermaikos Gulf. Insemination was recorded by the presence of a spermatophore in the thelycum, and ovarian development was based on macroscopic ovarian staging (ST1-ST5). Inseminated females were found throughout the year with high percentages recorded from April to July. Although all ovarian stages were represented in mated females, insemination increased with size and ovarian maturation. High percentages of vitellogenic or mature ovarian stages were observed from May to July, while immature and developing ovaries were predominant mainly in winter. Spawned ovaries occurred from May to October. Carapace length at first maturity based on the presence of a spermatophore (CL50sp) was estimated at 39.20 mm, while that based on the presence of vitellogenic and mature ovaries (CL50ov) at 40.70 mm. The seasonal peak in the proportion of mature females (ST4) varied with size. Inseminated females at ST4 and GSI peaked in June-July. GSI varied in relation to insemination status and ovarian stage. In large females (>50 mm CL), the decline in mature ovaries and GSI increment with size indicates a relative reduction in the reproductive output. The number of oocytes ranged from 62,742 to 602,947 (mean ± SD: 268,000 ± 113,000). As the prawns are targeted during the spawning season, mainly by the artisanal fishery, and female size at first maturity is selected by artisanal net size, managerial measures toward artisanal fishery should be implemented.

Mechanisms of Furfural Reduction on Metal Electrodes: Distinguishing Pathways for Selective Hydrogenation of Bioderived Oxygenates.

PubMed

Chadderdon, Xiaotong H; Chadderdon, David J; Matthiesen, John E; Qiu, Yang; Carraher, Jack M; Tessonnier, Jean-Philippe; Li, Wenzhen

2017-10-11

Electrochemical reduction of biomass-derived platform molecules is an emerging route for the sustainable production of fuels and chemicals. However, understanding gaps between reaction conditions, underlying mechanisms, and product selectivity have limited the rational design of active, stable, and selective catalyst systems. In this work, the mechanisms of electrochemical reduction of furfural, an important biobased platform molecule and model for aldehyde reduction, are explored through a combination of voltammetry, preparative electrolysis, thiol-electrode modifications, and kinetic isotope studies. It is demonstrated that two distinct mechanisms are operable on metallic Cu electrodes in acidic electrolytes: (i) electrocatalytic hydrogenation (ECH) and (ii) direct electroreduction. The contributions of each mechanism to the observed product distribution are clarified by evaluating the requirement for direct chemical interactions with the electrode surface and the role of adsorbed hydrogen. Further analysis reveals that hydrogenation and hydrogenolysis products are generated by parallel ECH pathways. Understanding the underlying mechanisms enables the manipulation of furfural reduction by rationally tuning the electrode potential, electrolyte pH, and furfural concentration to promote selective formation of important biobased polymer precursors and fuels.

Mechanisms of Furfural Reduction on Metal Electrodes: Distinguishing Pathways for Selective Hydrogenation of Bioderived Oxygenates

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

Chadderdon, Xiaotong H.; Chadderdon, David J.; Matthiesen, John E.

Electrochemical reduction of biomass-derived platform molecules is an emerging route for the sustainable production of fuels and chemicals. Understanding gaps between reaction conditions, underlying mechanisms, and product selectivity have limited the rational design of active, stable, and selective catalyst systems. Here, the mechanisms of electrochemical reduction of furfural, an important biobased platform molecule and model for aldehyde reduction, are explored through a combination of voltammetry, preparative electrolysis, thiol-electrode modifications, and kinetic isotope studies. It is demonstrated that two distinct mechanisms are operable on metallic Cu electrodes in acidic electrolytes: (i) electrocatalytic hydrogenation (ECH) and (ii) direct electroreduction. The contributions ofmore » each mechanism to the observed product distribution are clarified by evaluating the requirement for direct chemical interactions with the electrode surface and the role of adsorbed hydrogen. Further analysis reveals that hydrogenation and hydrogenolysis products are generated by parallel ECH pathways. By understanding the underlying mechanisms it enables the manipulation of furfural reduction by rationally tuning the electrode potential, electrolyte pH, and furfural concentration to promote selective formation of important biobased polymer precursors and fuels.« less

Rapid evolution of troglomorphic characters suggests selection rather than neutral mutation as a driver of eye reduction in cave crabs.

PubMed

Klaus, Sebastian; Mendoza, José C E; Liew, Jia Huan; Plath, Martin; Meier, Rudolf; Yeo, Darren C J

2013-04-23

This study asked whether reductive traits in cave organisms evolve at a slower pace (suggesting neutral evolution under relaxed selection) than constructive changes, which are likely to evolve under directional selection. We investigated 11 subterranean and seven surface populations of Sundathelphusa freshwater crabs on Bohol Island, Philippines, and examined constructive traits associated with improved food finding in darkness (increased leg and setae length) and reductive traits (reduced cornea size and eyestalk length). All changes occurred rapidly, given that the age of the most recent common ancestor was estimated to be 722-271 ka based on three mitochondrial markers. In order to quantify the speed of character change, we correlated the degree of morphological change with genetic distances between surface and subterranean individuals. The temporal pattern of character change following the transition to subterranean life was indistinguishable for constructive and reductive traits, characterized by an immediate onset and rapid evolutionary change. We propose that the evolution of these reductive traits-just like constructive traits-is most likely driven by strong directional selection.

Mechanisms of Furfural Reduction on Metal Electrodes: Distinguishing Pathways for Selective Hydrogenation of Bioderived Oxygenates

DOE PAGES

Chadderdon, Xiaotong H.; Chadderdon, David J.; Matthiesen, John E.; ...

2017-09-13

Electrochemical reduction of biomass-derived platform molecules is an emerging route for the sustainable production of fuels and chemicals. Understanding gaps between reaction conditions, underlying mechanisms, and product selectivity have limited the rational design of active, stable, and selective catalyst systems. Here, the mechanisms of electrochemical reduction of furfural, an important biobased platform molecule and model for aldehyde reduction, are explored through a combination of voltammetry, preparative electrolysis, thiol-electrode modifications, and kinetic isotope studies. It is demonstrated that two distinct mechanisms are operable on metallic Cu electrodes in acidic electrolytes: (i) electrocatalytic hydrogenation (ECH) and (ii) direct electroreduction. The contributions ofmore » each mechanism to the observed product distribution are clarified by evaluating the requirement for direct chemical interactions with the electrode surface and the role of adsorbed hydrogen. Further analysis reveals that hydrogenation and hydrogenolysis products are generated by parallel ECH pathways. By understanding the underlying mechanisms it enables the manipulation of furfural reduction by rationally tuning the electrode potential, electrolyte pH, and furfural concentration to promote selective formation of important biobased polymer precursors and fuels.« less

Comparative evaluation of existing expendable upper stages for space shuttle

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Weyers, V. J.; Sagerman, G. D.; Borsody, J.; Lubick, R. J.

1974-01-01

The use of existing expendable upper stages in the space shuttle during its early years of operation is evaluated. The Burner 2, Scout, Delta, Agena, Transtage, and Centaur were each studied under contract by their respective manufacturers to determine the extent and cost of the minimum modifications necessary to integrate the stage with the shuttle orbiter. A comparative economic analysis of thirty-five different families of these stages is discussed. Results show that the overall transportation system cost differences between many of the families are quite small. However, by considering several factors in addition to cost, it is possible to select one family as being representative of the capability of the minimum modification existing stage approach. The selected family meets all of the specified mission requirements during the early years of shuttle operation.

A new pre-classification method based on associative matching method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Katsuyama, Yutaka; Minagawa, Akihiro; Hotta, Yoshinobu; Omachi, Shinichiro; Kato, Nei

2010-01-01

Reducing the time complexity of character matching is critical to the development of efficient Japanese Optical Character Recognition (OCR) systems. To shorten processing time, recognition is usually split into separate preclassification and recognition stages. For high overall recognition performance, the pre-classification stage must both have very high classification accuracy and return only a small number of putative character categories for further processing. Furthermore, for any practical system, the speed of the pre-classification stage is also critical. The associative matching (AM) method has often been used for fast pre-classification, because its use of a hash table and reliance solely on logical bit operations to select categories makes it highly efficient. However, redundant certain level of redundancy exists in the hash table because it is constructed using only the minimum and maximum values of the data on each axis and therefore does not take account of the distribution of the data. We propose a modified associative matching method that satisfies the performance criteria described above but in a fraction of the time by modifying the hash table to reflect the underlying distribution of training characters. Furthermore, we show that our approach outperforms pre-classification by clustering, ANN and conventional AM in terms of classification accuracy, discriminative power and speed. Compared to conventional associative matching, the proposed approach results in a 47% reduction in total processing time across an evaluation test set comprising 116,528 Japanese character images.

Adjuvant Therapy in Early-Stage Endometrial Cancer: A Systematic Review of the Evidence, Guidelines, and Clinical Practice in the U.S.

PubMed Central

Latif, Nawar A.; Haggerty, Ashley; Jean, Stephanie; Lin, Lilie

2014-01-01

Endometrial cancer is the most common gynecologic malignancy in the U.S., with an increasing incidence likely secondary to the obesity epidemic. Surgery is usually the primary treatment for early stage endometrial cancer, followed by adjuvant therapy in selected cases. This includes radiation therapy [RT] with or without chemotherapy, based on stratification of patients into categories dependent on their future recurrence risk. Several prospective trials (PORTEC-1, GOG#99, and PORTEC-2) have shown that the use of adjuvant RT in the intermediate risk (IR) and the high-intermediate risk (HIR) groups decreases locoregional recurrence (LRR) but has no effect on overall survival. The ad hoc analyses from these studies have shown that an even larger LRR risk reduction was seen within the HIR group compared with the IR group. Vaginal brachytherapy is as good as external beam radiotherapy in controlling vaginal relapse where the majority of recurrence occur, and with less toxicity. In the high-risk group, multimodality therapy (chemotherapy and RT) may play a significant role. Although adjuvant RT has been evaluated in many cost-effectiveness studies, high-quality data in this area are still lacking. The uptake of the above prospective trial results in the U.S. has not been promising. Factors that are driving current practices and defining quality-of-care measures for patients with early-stage disease are what future studies need to address. PMID:24821823

Memory retrieval by activating engram cells in mouse models of early Alzheimer’s disease

PubMed Central

Roy, Dheeraj S.; Arons, Autumn; Mitchell, Teryn I.; Pignatelli, Michele; Ryan, Tomás J.; Tonegawa, Susumu

2016-01-01

Summary Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by progressive memory decline and subsequent loss of broader cognitive functions1. Memory decline in early stages of Alzheimer’s is mostly limited to episodic memory, for which the hippocampus (HPC) plays a crucial role2. However, it has been uncertain whether the observed amnesia in early stages of Alzheimer’s is due to disrupted encoding and consolidation of episodic information, or an impairment in the retrieval of stored memory information. Here we show that in transgenic mouse models of early Alzheimer’s, direct optogenetic activation of hippocampal memory engram cells results in memory retrieval despite the fact that these mice are amnesic in long-term memory tests when natural recall cues are utilized, revealing a retrieval, rather than a storage impairment. Prior to amyloid plaque deposition, the amnesia in these mice is age-dependent3–5, which correlates with a progressive reduction of spine density of hippocampal dentate gyrus (DG) engram cells. We show that optogenetic induction of long-term potentiation (LTP) at perforant path (PP) synapses of DG engram cells restores both spine density and long-term memory. We also demonstrate that an ablation of DG engram cells containing restored spine density prevents the rescue of long-term memory. Thus, selective rescue of spine density in engram cells may lead to an effective strategy for treating memory loss in early stages of Alzheimer’s disease. PMID:26982728

Development of a Multiple-Stage Differential Mobility Analyzer (MDMA)

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

Chen, Da-Ren; Cheng, Mengdawn

2007-01-01

A new DMA column has been designed with the capability of simultaneously extracting monodisperse particles of different sizes in multiple stages. We call this design a multistage DMA, or MDMA. A prototype MDMA has been constructed and experimentally evaluated in this study. The new column enables the fast measurement of particles in a wide size range, while preserving the powerful particle classification function of a DMA. The prototype MDMA has three sampling stages, capable of classifying monodisperse particles of three different sizes simultaneously. The scanning voltage operation of a DMA can be applied to this new column. Each stage ofmore » MDMA column covers a fraction of the entire particle size range to be measured. The covered size fractions of two adjacent stages of the MDMA are designed somewhat overlapped. The arrangement leads to the reduction of scanning voltage range and thus the cycling time of the measurement. The modular sampling stage design of the MDMA allows the flexible configuration of desired particle classification lengths and variable number of stages in the MDMA. The design of our MDMA also permits operation at high sheath flow, enabling high-resolution particle size measurement and/or reduction of the lower sizing limit. Using the tandem DMA technique, the performance of the MDMA, i.e., sizing accuracy, resolution, and transmission efficiency, was evaluated at different ratios of aerosol and sheath flowrates. Two aerosol sampling schemes were investigated. One was to extract aerosol flows at an evenly partitioned flowrate at each stage, and the other was to extract aerosol at a rate the same as the polydisperse aerosol flowrate at each stage. We detail the prototype design of the MDMA and the evaluation result on the transfer functions of the MDMA at different particle sizes and operational conditions.« less

Comparison of fenspiride with beclomethasone as adjunctive anti-inflammatory treatment in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

PubMed

Shmelev, E I; Kunicina, Yu L

2006-01-01

This study aimed to compare the clinical efficacy of two anti-inflammatory medications (fenspiride and inhaled beclomethasone [beclomethasone dipropionate]) in patients with stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) over 6 months. DESIGN, METHODS AND PATIENTS: This was a randomised comparison of 58 patients with COPD, divided into five treatment groups: fenspiride (stages 1 and 2), beclomethasone (stage 2), and two control groups (stages 1 and 2). In addition, 64 patients with exacerbations of COPD were evaluated over a 2-week treatment period during which they received either fenspiride or prednisolone. Clinical signs and symptoms of COPD were evaluated every 2 months (aggregated numerical index of signs and symptoms), as were lung function tests (forced vital capacity [FVC], forced expiratory volume in 1 second [FEV1], FEV1/FVC) and a 6-minute walking test. Statistically significant reductions in all evaluated COPD signs and symptoms were achieved with fenspiride in stage 1 COPD. Fenspiride therapy significantly reduced the indices of sputum parameters (8-fold decrease), incidence of dry rales (6-fold decrease), dyspnoea (4-fold decrease) and cough (2.5-fold decrease). In comparison with beclomethasone, fenspiride was superior in stage 2 COPD. In patients with stage 2 COPD, reductions were less marked, but remained significantly superior in the fenspiride group in comparison with the beclomethasone group and the control groups. In patients with exacerbations of COPD, fenspiride had equivalent efficacy to that of systemic corticosteroids. Anti-inflammatory therapy with fenspiride in addition to bronchodilators significantly improved clinical signs and symptoms, external respiratory function tests and physical activity tests in patients with stage 1 COPD. Adjunctive fenspiride therapy was superior to inhaled beclomethasone in stage 2 COPD. Anti-inflammatory therapy in COPD may be more effective at an early stage of this disease.

Prolonged survival of dendritic cell-vaccinated melanoma patients correlates with tumor-specific delayed type IV hypersensitivity response and reduction of tumor growth factor beta-expressing T cells.

PubMed

López, Mercedes N; Pereda, Cristian; Segal, Gabriela; Muñoz, Leonel; Aguilera, Raquel; González, Fermín E; Escobar, Alejandro; Ginesta, Alexandra; Reyes, Diego; González, Rodrigo; Mendoza-Naranjo, Ariadna; Larrondo, Milton; Compán, Alvaro; Ferrada, Carlos; Salazar-Onfray, Flavio

2009-02-20

The aim of this work was to assess immunologic response, disease progression, and post-treatment survival of melanoma patients vaccinated with autologous dendritic cells (DCs) pulsed with a novel allogeneic cell lysate (TRIMEL) derived from three melanoma cell lines. Forty-three stage IV and seven stage III patients were vaccinated four times with TRIMEL/DC vaccine. Specific delayed type IV hypersensitivity (DTH) reaction, ex vivo cytokine production, and regulatory T-cell populations were determined. Overall survival and disease progression rates were analyzed using Kaplan-Meier curves and compared with historical records. The overall survival for stage IV patients was 15 months. More than 60% of patients showed DTH-positive reaction against the TRIMEL. Stage IV/DTH-positive patients displayed a median survival of 33 months compared with 11 months observed for DTH-negative patients (P = .0014). All stage III treated patients were DTH positive and remained alive and tumor free for a median follow-up period of 48 months (range, 33 to 64 months). DTH-positive patients showed a marked reduction in the proportion of CD4+ transforming growth factor (TGF) beta+ regulatory T cells compared to DTH-negative patients (1.54% v 5.78%; P < .0001). Our findings strongly suggest that TRIMEL-pulsed DCs provide a standardized and widely applicable source of melanoma antigens, very effective in evoking antimelanoma immune response. To our knowledge, this is the first report describing a correlation between vaccine-induced reduction of CD4+TGFbeta+ regulatory T cells and in vivo antimelanoma immune response associated to improved patient survival and disease stability.

Improved tolerance to post-anthesis drought stress by pre-drought priming at vegetative stages in drought-tolerant and -sensitive wheat cultivars.

PubMed

Abid, Muhammad; Tian, Zhongwei; Ata-Ul-Karim, Syed Tahir; Liu, Yang; Cui, Yakun; Zahoor, Rizwan; Jiang, Dong; Dai, Tingbo

2016-09-01

Wheat crop endures a considerable penalty of yield reduction to escape the drought events during post-anthesis period. Drought priming under a pre-drought stress can enhance the crop potential to tolerate the subsequent drought stress by triggering a faster and stronger defense mechanism. Towards these understandings, a set of controlled moderate drought stress at 55-60% field capacity (FC) was developed to prime the plants of two wheat cultivars namely Luhan-7 (drought tolerant) and Yangmai-16 (drought sensitive) during tillering (Feekes 2 stage) and jointing (Feekes 6 stage), respectively. The comparative response of primed and non-primed plants, cultivars and priming stages was evaluated by applying a subsequent severe drought stress at 7 days after anthesis. The results showed that primed plants of both cultivars showed higher potential to tolerate the post-anthesis drought stress through improved leaf water potential, more chlorophyll, and ribulose-1, 5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase contents, enhanced photosynthesis, better photoprotection and efficient enzymatic antioxidant system leading to less yield reductions. The primed plants of Luhan-7 showed higher capability to adapt the drought stress events than Yangmai-16. The positive effects of drought priming to sustain higher grain yield were pronounced in plants primed at tillering than those primed at jointing. In consequence, upregulated functioning of photosynthetic apparatus and efficient enzymatic antioxidant activities in primed plants indicated their superior potential to alleviate a subsequently occurring drought stress, which contributed to lower yield reductions than non-primed plants. However, genotypic and priming stages differences in response to drought stress also contributed to affect the capability of primed plants to tolerate the post-anthesis drought stress conditions in wheat. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS.

A Fan Concept to Meet the 2017 Noise Goals

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dittmar, James H.

1998-01-01

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration has established a goal of a 20 EPNdB reduction of aircraft noise by the year 2017. This paper proposes a fan concept for an engine that may meet this noise goal. The concept builds upon technology established during the Advanced Subsonic Technology Program which should show a 10 dB reduction potential. The new concept uses a two stage fan which allows low tip speed while still maintaining a reasonable total pressure rise across the two stages. The concept also incorporates many other noise reduction techniques in addition to low tip speed including a low number of exit guide vanes, swept and leaned guide vanes, a high subsonic Mach number inlet and syncrophased rotors to obtain active noise cancellation. The fan proposed in this paper is calculated to be able to achieve the 2017 noise goal.

Effect of the bread-making process on zearalenone levels.

PubMed

Heidari, Sara; Milani, Jafar; Nazari, Seyed Saman Seyed Jafar

2014-01-01

The effects of the bread-making process including fermentation with Saccharomyces cerevisiae and lactic acid bacteria (Lactobacillus casei, Lactobacillus rhamnosus, Lactobacillus acidophilus and Lactobacillus fermentum) and baking at 200°C on zearalenone (ZEA) levels were investigated. Standard solutions of ZEA were added to flour and then loaves of bread were prepared. Sourdough and three types of yeast including active dry yeast, instant dry yeast and compressed yeast were used for the fermentation of dough. ZEA levels in flour, dough and bread were determined by HPLC with fluorescence detection after extraction and clean-up on an immunoaffinity column. The highest reduction in levels of ZEA was found in the first fermentation (first proof), while the lowest reduction was observed in the baking stage. In addition, the results showed that compressed yeast had the maximum reduction potential on ZEA levels even at the baking stage.

Fast and fully-scalable synthesis of reduced graphene oxide

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abdolhosseinzadeh, Sina; Asgharzadeh, Hamed; Seop Kim, Hyoung

2015-05-01

Exfoliation of graphite is a promising approach for large-scale production of graphene. Oxidation of graphite effectively facilitates the exfoliation process, yet necessitates several lengthy washing and reduction processes to convert the exfoliated graphite oxide (graphene oxide, GO) to reduced graphene oxide (RGO). Although filtration, centrifugation and dialysis have been frequently used in the washing stage, none of them is favorable for large-scale production. Here, we report the synthesis of RGO by sonication-assisted oxidation of graphite in a solution of potassium permanganate and concentrated sulfuric acid followed by reduction with ascorbic acid prior to any washing processes. GO loses its hydrophilicity during the reduction stage which facilitates the washing step and reduces the time required for production of RGO. Furthermore, simultaneous oxidation and exfoliation significantly enhance the yield of few-layer GO. We hope this one-pot and fully-scalable protocol paves the road toward out of lab applications of graphene.

Fukunaga-Koontz transform based dimensionality reduction for hyperspectral imagery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ochilov, S.; Alam, M. S.; Bal, A.

2006-05-01

Fukunaga-Koontz Transform based technique offers some attractive properties for desired class oriented dimensionality reduction in hyperspectral imagery. In FKT, feature selection is performed by transforming into a new space where feature classes have complimentary eigenvectors. Dimensionality reduction technique based on these complimentary eigenvector analysis can be described under two classes, desired class and background clutter, such that each basis function best represent one class while carrying the least amount of information from the second class. By selecting a few eigenvectors which are most relevant to desired class, one can reduce the dimension of hyperspectral cube. Since the FKT based technique reduces data size, it provides significant advantages for near real time detection applications in hyperspectral imagery. Furthermore, the eigenvector selection approach significantly reduces computation burden via the dimensionality reduction processes. The performance of the proposed dimensionality reduction algorithm has been tested using real-world hyperspectral dataset.

Variation in plasma amino acid concentrations during a cycling competition.

PubMed

Medelli, J; Lounana, J; Hill, D

2003-06-01

The variations in plasma concentrations of 24 amino acids (AAs) were measured, taking into account modifications in plasma volume, in 7 male subjects, professional cyclists, during the first 2 stages (EI and EII) of the competition "4 Days of Dunkirk 1999". Blood samples were taken before the start and at the end of each stage. At the end of EI a significant reduction (p<0.02) in alpha-aminobutyric acid was observed (-38%) and a significant increase (Wilcoxon 0.01

Plasma regenerated particulate trap and NO.sub.x reduction system

DOEpatents

Penetrante, Bernardino M.; Vogtlin, George E.; Merritt, Bernard T.; Brusasco, Raymond M.

2000-01-01

A non-catalytic two-stage process for removal of NO.sub.x and particulates from engine exhaust comprises a first stage that plasma converts NO to NO.sub.2 in the presence of O.sub.2 and hydrocarbons, and a second stage, which preferably occurs simultaneously with the first stage, that converts NO.sub.2 and carbon soot particles to respective environmentally benign gases that include N.sub.2 and CO.sub.2. By preconverting NO to NO.sub.2 in the first stage, the efficiency of the second stage for NO.sub.x reduction is enhanced while carbon soot from trapped particulates is simultaneously converted to CO.sub.2 when reacting with the NO.sub.2 (that converts to N.sub.2). For example, an internal combustion engine exhaust is connected by a pipe to a chamber where carbon-containing particulates are electrostatically trapped or filtered and a non-thermal plasma converts NO to NO.sub.2 in the presence of O.sub.2 and hydrocarbons. Volatile hydrocarbons (C.sub.x H.sub.y) from the trapped particulates are oxidized in the plasma and the remaining soot from the particulates reacts with the NO.sub.2 to convert NO.sub.2 to N.sub.2, and the soot to CO.sub.2. The nitrogen exhaust components remain in the gas phase throughout the process, with no accompanying adsorption.

Optimization of heat transfer during the directional solidification process of 1600 kg silicon feedstock

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hu, Chieh; Chen, Jyh Chen; Nguyen, Thi Hoai Thu; Hou, Zhi Zhong; Chen, Chun Hung; Huang, Yen Hao; Yang, Michael

2018-02-01

In this study, the power ratio between the top and side heaters and the moving velocity of the side insulation are designed to control the shape of the crystal-melt interface during the growth process of a 1600 kg multi-crystalline silicon ingot. The power ratio and insulation gap are adjusted to ensure solidification of the melt. To ensure that the crystal-melt interface is slightly convex in relation to the melt during the entire solidification process, the power ratio should be augmented gradually in the initial stages while being held to a constant value in the middle stages. Initially the gap between the side and the bottom insulation is kept small to reduce thermal stress inside the seed crystals. However, the growth rate will be slow in the early stages of the solidification process. Therefore, the movement of the side insulation is fast in the initial stages but slower in the middle stages. In the later stages, the side insulation gap is fixed. With these modifications, the convexity of the crystal-melt interface in relation to the melt can be maintained during the growth process with an approximately 41% reduction in the thermal stress inside the growing ingot and an 80% reduction in dislocation density along the center line of the ingot compared with the original case.

A two-stage linear discriminant analysis via QR-decomposition.

PubMed

Ye, Jieping; Li, Qi

2005-06-01

Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA) is a well-known method for feature extraction and dimension reduction. It has been used widely in many applications involving high-dimensional data, such as image and text classification. An intrinsic limitation of classical LDA is the so-called singularity problems; that is, it fails when all scatter matrices are singular. Many LDA extensions were proposed in the past to overcome the singularity problems. Among these extensions, PCA+LDA, a two-stage method, received relatively more attention. In PCA+LDA, the LDA stage is preceded by an intermediate dimension reduction stage using Principal Component Analysis (PCA). Most previous LDA extensions are computationally expensive, and not scalable, due to the use of Singular Value Decomposition or Generalized Singular Value Decomposition. In this paper, we propose a two-stage LDA method, namely LDA/QR, which aims to overcome the singularity problems of classical LDA, while achieving efficiency and scalability simultaneously. The key difference between LDA/QR and PCA+LDA lies in the first stage, where LDA/QR applies QR decomposition to a small matrix involving the class centroids, while PCA+LDA applies PCA to the total scatter matrix involving all training data points. We further justify the proposed algorithm by showing the relationship among LDA/QR and previous LDA methods. Extensive experiments on face images and text documents are presented to show the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm.

A Multi-Stage Model for Fundamental Functional Properties in Primary Visual Cortex

PubMed Central

Hesam Shariati, Nastaran; Freeman, Alan W.

2012-01-01

Many neurons in mammalian primary visual cortex have properties such as sharp tuning for contour orientation, strong selectivity for motion direction, and insensitivity to stimulus polarity, that are not shared with their sub-cortical counterparts. Successful models have been developed for a number of these properties but in one case, direction selectivity, there is no consensus about underlying mechanisms. We here define a model that accounts for many of the empirical observations concerning direction selectivity. The model describes a single column of cat primary visual cortex and comprises a series of processing stages. Each neuron in the first cortical stage receives input from a small number of on-centre and off-centre relay cells in the lateral geniculate nucleus. Consistent with recent physiological evidence, the off-centre inputs to cortex precede the on-centre inputs by a small (∼4 ms) interval, and it is this difference that confers direction selectivity on model neurons. We show that the resulting model successfully matches the following empirical data: the proportion of cells that are direction selective; tilted spatiotemporal receptive fields; phase advance in the response to a stationary contrast-reversing grating stepped across the receptive field. The model also accounts for several other fundamental properties. Receptive fields have elongated subregions, orientation selectivity is strong, and the distribution of orientation tuning bandwidth across neurons is similar to that seen in the laboratory. Finally, neurons in the first stage have properties corresponding to simple cells, and more complex-like cells emerge in later stages. The results therefore show that a simple feed-forward model can account for a number of the fundamental properties of primary visual cortex. PMID:22496811

Method of selective reduction of halodisilanes with alkyltin hydrides

DOEpatents

D'Errico, John J.; Sharp, Kenneth G.

1989-01-01

The invention relates to the selective and sequential reduction of halodisilanes by reacting these compounds at room temperature or below with trialkyltin hydrides or dialkyltin dihydrides without the use of free radical intermediates. The alkyltin hydrides selectively and sequentially reduce the Si-Cl, Si-Br or Si-I bonds while leaving intact the Si-Si and Si-F bonds present.

Understanding activity and selectivity of metal-nitrogen-doped carbon catalysts for electrochemical reduction of CO2.

PubMed

Ju, Wen; Bagger, Alexander; Hao, Guang-Ping; Varela, Ana Sofia; Sinev, Ilya; Bon, Volodymyr; Roldan Cuenya, Beatriz; Kaskel, Stefan; Rossmeisl, Jan; Strasser, Peter

2017-10-16

Direct electrochemical reduction of CO 2 to fuels and chemicals using renewable electricity has attracted significant attention partly due to the fundamental challenges related to reactivity and selectivity, and partly due to its importance for industrial CO 2 -consuming gas diffusion cathodes. Here, we present advances in the understanding of trends in the CO 2 to CO electrocatalysis of metal- and nitrogen-doped porous carbons containing catalytically active M-N x moieties (M = Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu). We investigate their intrinsic catalytic reactivity, CO turnover frequencies, CO faradaic efficiencies and demonstrate that Fe-N-C and especially Ni-N-C catalysts rival Au- and Ag-based catalysts. We model the catalytically active M-N x moieties using density functional theory and correlate the theoretical binding energies with the experiments to give reactivity-selectivity descriptors. This gives an atomic-scale mechanistic understanding of potential-dependent CO and hydrocarbon selectivity from the M-N x moieties and it provides predictive guidelines for the rational design of selective carbon-based CO 2 reduction catalysts.Inexpensive and selective electrocatalysts for CO 2 reduction hold promise for sustainable fuel production. Here, the authors report N-coordinated, non-noble metal-doped porous carbons as efficient and selective electrocatalysts for CO 2 to CO conversion.

Two-stages of chiral selectivity in the molecular self-assembly of tryptophan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guisinger, Nathan

Both chirality and molecular assembly are essential and key components to life. In this study we explore the molecular assembly of the amino acid tryptophan (both L- and D- chiralities) on Cu(111). Our investigation utilizes low temperature scanning tunneling microscopy to observe resulting assemblies at the molecular scale. We find that depositing a racemic mixture of both L- and D- tryptophan results in the assembly of basic 6 molecule ``Lego'' structures that are enantiopure. These enantiopure ``Legos'' further assemble into 1-dimensional chains one block at a time. These resulting chains are also enantiopure with chiral selectivity occurring at two stages of assembly. Utilizing scanning tunneling spectroscopy we are able to probe the electronic structure of the chiral Legos that give insight into the root of the observed selectivity. Two-stages of chiral selectivity in the molecular self-assembly of tryptophan.

Highly Selective TiN-Supported Highly Dispersed Pt Catalyst: Ultra Active toward Hydrogen Oxidation and Inactive toward Oxygen Reduction.

PubMed

Luo, Junming; Tang, Haibo; Tian, Xinlong; Hou, Sanying; Li, Xiuhua; Du, Li; Liao, Shijun

2018-01-31

The severe dissolution of the cathode catalyst, caused by an undesired oxygen reduction reaction at the anode during startup and shutdown, is a fatal challenge to practical applications of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells. To address this important issue, according to the distinct structure-sensitivity between the σ-type bond in H 2 and the π-type bond in O 2 , we design a HD-Pt/TiN material by highly dispersing Pt on the TiN surface to inhibit the unwanted oxygen reduction reaction. The highly dispersed Pt/TiN catalyst exhibits excellent selectivity toward hydrogen oxidation and oxygen reduction reactions. With a Pt loading of 0.88 wt %, our catalyst shows excellent hydrogen oxidation reaction activity, close to that of commercial 20 wt % Pt/C catalyst, and much lower oxygen reduction reaction activity than the commercial 20 wt % Pt/C catalyst. The lack of well-ordered Pt facets is responsible for the excellent selectivity of the HD-Pt/TiN materials toward hydrogen oxidation and oxygen reduction reactions. Our work provides a new and cost-effective solution to design selective catalysts toward hydrogen oxidation and oxygen reduction reactions, making the strategy of using oxygen-tolerant anode catalyst to improve the stability of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells during startup and shutdown more affordable and practical.

Selective Attention Deficits Associated with Mild Cognitive Impairment and Early Stage Alzheimer's Disease in Adults with Down Syndrome

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Krinsky-McHale, Sharon J.; Devenny, Darlynne A.; Kittler, Phyllis; Silverman, Wayne

2008-01-01

Adults with Down syndrome and early stage Alzheimer's disease showed decline in their ability to selectively attend to stimuli in a multitrial cancellation task. They also showed variability in their performance over the test trials, whereas healthy participants showed stability. These changes in performance were observed approximately 2 years…

Pleistocene reduction of polar ice caps: Evidence from Cariaco Basin marine sediments

USGS Publications Warehouse

Poore, R.Z.; Dowsett, H.J.

2001-01-01

Sea level is projected to rise between 13 and 94 cm over the next 100 yr due to continued climate warming. The sea-level projections assume that polar ice sheets will remain stable or even increase on time scales of centuries, but controversial geologic evidence suggests that current polar ice sheets have been eliminated or greatly reduced during previous Pleistocene interglacials indicating that modern polar ice sheets have become unstable within the natural range of interglacial climates. Sea level may have been more than 20 m higher than today during a presumably very warm interglacial about 400 ka during marine isotope stage 11. Because of the implications for future sea level rise, additional study of the conflicting evidence for warmer conditions and higher sea level during marine isotope stage 11 is needed. Here we present microfossil and isotopic data from marine sediments of the Cariaco Basin supporting the interpretation that global sea level was 10-20 m higher than today during marine isotope stage 11. The increased sea level requires reduction in modern polar ice sheets and is consistent with the interpretation that the West Antarctic ice sheet and the Greenland ice sheet were absent or greatly reduced during marine isotope stage 11. Our results show a warm marine isotope stage 11 interglacial climate with sea level as high as or above modern sea level that lasted for 25 to 30 k.y. Variations in Earth's orbit around the sun (Milankovitch cycles) are considered to be a primary external force driving glacial-interglacial cycles. Current and marine isotope stage 11 Milankovitch forcing are very similar, suggesting that the present interglacial (Holocene) that began ca. 10 ka will continue for another 15 to 20 k.y. Therefore any anthropogenic climate warming will accelerate the natural process toward reduction in polar ice sheets. The potential for increased rates of sea level rise related to polar ice sheet decay should be considered as a potential natural hazard on centennial time scales.

Upper Airway Collapsibility (Pcrit) and Pharyngeal Dilator Muscle Activity are Sleep Stage Dependent

PubMed Central

Carberry, Jayne C.; Jordan, Amy S.; White, David P.; Wellman, Andrew; Eckert, Danny J.

2016-01-01

Study Objectives: An anatomically narrow/highly collapsible upper airway is the main cause of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Upper airway muscle activity contributes to airway patency and, like apnea severity, can be sleep stage dependent. Conversely, existing data derived from a small number of participants suggest that upper airway collapsibility, measured by the passive pharyngeal critical closing pressure (Pcrit) technique, is not sleep stage dependent. This study aimed to determine the effect of sleep stage on Pcrit and upper airway muscle activity in a larger cohort than previously tested. Methods: Pcrit and/or muscle data were obtained from 72 adults aged 20–64 y with and without OSA.Pcrit was determined via transient reductions in continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) during N2, slow wave sleep (SWS) and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep. Genioglossus and tensor palatini muscle activities were measured: (1) awake with and without CPAP, (2) during stable sleep on CPAP, and (3) in response to the CPAP reductions used to quantify Pcrit. Results: Pcrit was 4.9 ± 1.4 cmH2O higher (more collapsible) during REM versus SWS (P = 0.012), 2.3 ± 0.6 cmH2O higher during REM versus N2 (P < 0.001), and 1.6 ± 0.7 cmH2O higher in N2 versus SWS (P = 0.048). Muscle activity decreased from wakefulness to sleep and from SWS to N2 to REM sleep for genioglossus but not for tensor palatini. Pharyngeal muscle activity increased by ∼50% by breath 5 following CPAP reductions. Conclusions: Upper airway collapsibility measured via the Pcrit technique and genioglossus muscle activity vary with sleep stage. These findings should be taken into account when performing and interpreting “passive” Pcrit measurements. Citation: Carberry JC, Jordan AS, White DP, Wellman A, Eckert DJ. Upper airway collapsibility (Pcrit) and pharyngeal dilator muscle activity are sleep stage dependent. SLEEP 2016;39(3):511–521. PMID:26612386

[Psychophysiological selection: status and prospects].

PubMed

Gurovskiĭ, N N; Novikov, M A

1981-01-01

The major stages in the development of psychophysiological selection of cosmonauts in the USSR are discussed. The psychophysiological selection was originally based on the data of psychoneurological expertise of the flight personnel and achievements of aviation psychology in the USSR. This was followed by the development of psychophysiological research, using instrumentation and simulation flights. Further complication of flight programs and participation of non-pilot cosmonauts (engineers, scientists) necessitated detailed study of personality properties and application of personality tests. At the present stage in the development of psychophysiological selection great importance is attached to the biorhythmological selection and methods for studying man's capabilities to control his own emotional, behavioral and autonomic reactions as well as environmental parameters. The review also discusses in detail methods of group selection and problems of rational selection of space crews.

Technique for Reduction of Environmental Pollution from Construction Wastes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bakaeva, N. V.; Klimenko, M. Y.

2017-11-01

The results of the research on the negative impact construction wastes have on the urban environment and construction ecological safety are described. The research results are based on the statistical data and indicators calculated with the use of environmental pollution assessment in the restoration system of urban buildings technical conditions. The technique for the reduction of environmental pollution from construction wastes is scientifically based on the analytic summary of scientific and practical results for ecological safety ensuring at major overhaul and current repairs (reconstruction) of the buildings and structures. It is also based on the practical application of the probability theory method, system analysis and disperse system theory. It is necessary to execute some stages implementing the developed technique to reduce environmental pollution from construction wastes. The stages include various steps starting from information collection to the system formation with optimum performance characteristics which are more resource saving and energy efficient for the accumulation of construction wastes from urban construction units. The following tasks are solved under certain studies: basic data collection about construction wastes accumulation; definition and comparison of technological combinations at each system functional stage intended for the reduction of construction wastes discharge into the environment; assessment criteria calculation of resource saving and energy efficiency; optimum working parameters of each implementation stage are created. The urban construction technique implementation shows that the resource saving criteria are from 55.22% to 88.84%; potential of construction wastes recycling is 450 million tons of construction damaged elements (parts).

Phase II trial of CoQ10 for ALS finds insufficient evidence to justify Phase III

PubMed Central

Kaufmann, Petra; Thompson, John L.P.; Levy, Gilberto; Buchsbaum, Richard; Shefner, Jeremy; Krivickas, Lisa S.; Katz, Jonathan; Rollins, Yvonne; Barohn, Richard J.; Jackson, Carlayne E.; Tiryaki, Ezgi; Lomen-Hoerth, Catherine; Armon, Carmel; Tandan, Rup; Rudnicki, Stacy A.; Rezania, Kourosh; Sufit, Robert; Pestronk, Alan; Novella, Steven P.; Heiman-Patterson, Terry; Kasarskis, Edward J.; Pioro, Erik P.; Montes, Jacqueline; Arbing, Rachel; Vecchio, Darleen; Barsdorf, Alexandra; Mitsumoto, Hiroshi; Levin, Bruce

2010-01-01

Objective Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a devastating, and currently incurable, neuromuscular disease in which oxidative stress and mitochondrial impairment are contributing to neuronal loss. Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10), an antioxidant and mitochondrial cofactor, has shown promise in ALS transgenic mice, and in clinical trials for neurodegenerative diseases other than ALS. Our aims were to choose between two high doses of CoQ10 for ALS, and to determine if it merits testing in a Phase III clinical trial. Methods We designed and implemented a multi-center trial with an adaptive, two-stage, bias-adjusted, randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, Phase II design (n=185). The primary outcome in both stages was decline in the ALS Functional Rating Scale-revised (ALSFRSr) score over 9 months. Stage 1 (dose selection, 35 participants per group) compared CoQ10 doses of 1,800 and 2,700 mg/day. Stage 2 (futility test, 75 patients per group) compared the dose selected in Stage 1 against placebo. Results Stage 1 selected the 2,700 mg dose. In Stage 2, the pre-specified primary null hypothesis that this dose is superior to placebo was not rejected. It was rejected, however, in an accompanying pre-specified sensitivity test, and further supplementary analyses. Pre-specified secondary analyses showed no significant differences between CoQ10 at 2,700 mg/day and placebo. There were no safety concerns. Interpretation CoQ10 at 2,700 mg daily for 9 months shows insufficient promise to warrant Phase III testing. Given this outcome, the adaptive Phase II design incorporating a dose selection and a futility test avoided the need for a much larger conventional Phase III trial. PMID:19743457

Method and apparatus to selectively reduce NO.sub.x in an exhaust gas feedstream

DOEpatents

Schmieg, Steven J [Troy, MI; Blint, Richard J [Shelby Township, MI; Den, Ling [Sterling Heights, MI; Viola, Michael B [Macomb Township, MI; Lee, Jong-Hwan [Rochester Hills, MI

2011-08-30

A method and apparatus are described to selectively reduce NO.sub.x emissions of an internal combustion engine. An exhaust aftertreatment system includes an injection device operative to dispense a hydrocarbon reductant upstream of a silver-alumina catalytic reactor device. A control system determines a NO.sub.x concentration and hydrocarbon/NOx ratio based upon selected parameters of the exhaust gas feedstream and dispenses hydrocarbon reductant during lean engine operation. Included is a method to control elements of the feedstream during lean operation. The hydrocarbon reductant may include engine fuel.

2nd Generation RLV Risk Reduction Definition Program: Pratt & Whitney Propulsion Risk Reduction Requirements Program (TA-3 & TA-4)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Matlock, Steve

2001-01-01

This is the final report and addresses all of the work performed on this program. Specifically, it covers vehicle architecture background, definition of six baseline engine cycles, reliability baseline (space shuttle main engine QRAS), and component level reliability/performance/cost for the six baseline cycles, and selection of 3 cycles for further study. This report further addresses technology improvement selection and component level reliability/performance/cost for the three cycles selected for further study, as well as risk reduction plans, and recommendation for future studies.

A PdAg bimetallic nanocatalyst for selective reductive amination of nitroarenes.

PubMed

Li, Linsen; Niu, Zhiqiang; Cai, Shuangfei; Zhi, Yun; Li, Hao; Rong, Hongpan; Liu, Lichen; Liu, Lei; He, Wei; Li, Yadong

2013-08-07

Herein we have identified an optimal catalyst, Pd1Ag1.7, for the tandem reductive amination between nitroarenes and aldehydes (selectivity > 93%). Key to the success is the ability to control the compositions of the investigational Pd1-xAgx (x = 0-1) catalysts, as well as the clear composition dependent activity/selectivity trend observed in this study. This catalyst features a wide substrate scope, excellent recyclability, activity and selectivity under ambient conditions.

CO 2 Reduction Selective for C ≥2 Products on Polycrystalline Copper with N-Substituted Pyridinium Additives

DOE PAGES

Han, Zhiji; Kortlever, Ruud; Chen, Hsiang -Yun; ...

2017-07-21

Electrocatalytic CO 2 reduction to generate multicarbon products is of interest for applications in artificial photosynthetic schemes. This is a particularly attractive goal for CO 2 reduction by copper electrodes, where a broad range of hydrocarbon products can be generated but where selectivity for C–C coupled products relative to CH 4 and H 2 remains an impediment. Herein we report a simple yet highly selective catalytic system for CO 2 reduction to C ≥2 hydrocarbons on a polycrystalline Cu electrode in bicarbonate aqueous solution that uses N-substituted pyridinium additives. Selectivities of 70–80% for C 2 and C 3 products withmore » a hydrocarbon ratio of C ≥2/CH 4 significantly greater than 100 have been observed with several additives. 13C-labeling studies verify CO 2 to be the sole carbon source in the C ≥2 hydrocarbons produced. Upon electroreduction, the N-substituted pyridinium additives lead to film deposition on the Cu electrode, identified in one case as the reductive coupling product of N-arylpyridinium. As a result, product selectivity can also be tuned from C ≥2 species to H 2 (~90%) while suppressing methane with certain N-heterocyclic additives.« less

CO 2 Reduction Selective for C ≥2 Products on Polycrystalline Copper with N-Substituted Pyridinium Additives

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

Han, Zhiji; Kortlever, Ruud; Chen, Hsiang -Yun

Electrocatalytic CO 2 reduction to generate multicarbon products is of interest for applications in artificial photosynthetic schemes. This is a particularly attractive goal for CO 2 reduction by copper electrodes, where a broad range of hydrocarbon products can be generated but where selectivity for C–C coupled products relative to CH 4 and H 2 remains an impediment. Herein we report a simple yet highly selective catalytic system for CO 2 reduction to C ≥2 hydrocarbons on a polycrystalline Cu electrode in bicarbonate aqueous solution that uses N-substituted pyridinium additives. Selectivities of 70–80% for C 2 and C 3 products withmore » a hydrocarbon ratio of C ≥2/CH 4 significantly greater than 100 have been observed with several additives. 13C-labeling studies verify CO 2 to be the sole carbon source in the C ≥2 hydrocarbons produced. Upon electroreduction, the N-substituted pyridinium additives lead to film deposition on the Cu electrode, identified in one case as the reductive coupling product of N-arylpyridinium. As a result, product selectivity can also be tuned from C ≥2 species to H 2 (~90%) while suppressing methane with certain N-heterocyclic additives.« less

Toward an Understanding of the Emotional Nature of Stage Fright: A Three Factor Theory.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cahn, Dudley D.

A comprehensive understanding of stage fright will better enable teachers and researchers to select the most appropriate "cure" and to determine those cases in which speech training will help reduce stage fright or other states of communication apprehension. Attempts to understand stage fright have focused on three psychological theories…

Lunar lander and return propulsion system trade study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hurlbert, Eric A.; Moreland, Robert; Sanders, Gerald B.; Robertson, Edward A.; Amidei, David; Mulholland, John

1993-01-01

This trade study was initiated at NASA/JSC in May 1992 to develop and evaluate main propulsion system alternatives to the reference First Lunar Outpost (FLO) lander and return-stage transportation system concept. Thirteen alternative configurations were developed to explore the impacts of various combinations of return stage propellants, using either pressure or pump-fed propulsion systems and various staging options. Besides two-stage vehicle concepts, the merits of single-stage and stage-and-a-half options were also assessed in combination with high-performance liquid oxygen and liquid hydrogen propellants. Configurations using an integrated modular cryogenic engine were developed to assess potential improvements in packaging efficiency, mass performance, and system reliability compared to non-modular cryogenic designs. The selection process to evaluate the various designs was the analytic hierarchy process. The trade study showed that a pressure-fed MMH/N2O4 return stage and RL10-based lander stage is the best option for a 1999 launch. While results of this study are tailored to FLO needs, the design date, criteria, and selection methodology are applicable to the design of other crewed lunar landing and return vehicles.

Offset Compound Gear Drive

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stevens, Mark A.; Handschuh, Robert F.; Lewicki, David G.

2010-01-01

The Offset Compound Gear Drive is an in-line, discrete, two-speed device utilizing a special offset compound gear that has both an internal tooth configuration on the input end and external tooth configuration on the output end, thus allowing it to mesh in series, simultaneously, with both a smaller external tooth input gear and a larger internal tooth output gear. This unique geometry and offset axis permits the compound gear to mesh with the smaller diameter input gear and the larger diameter output gear, both of which are on the same central, or primary, centerline. This configuration results in a compact in-line reduction gear set consisting of fewer gears and bearings than a conventional planetary gear train. Switching between the two output ratios is accomplished through a main control clutch and sprag. Power flow to the above is transmitted through concentric power paths. Low-speed operation is accomplished in two meshes. For the purpose of illustrating the low-speed output operation, the following example pitch diameters are given. A 5.0 pitch diameter (PD) input gear to 7.50 PD (internal tooth) intermediate gear (0.667 reduction mesh), and a 7.50 PD (external tooth) intermediate gear to a 10.00 PD output gear (0.750 reduction mesh). Note that it is not required that the intermediate gears on the offset axis be of the same diameter. For this example, the resultant low-speed ratio is 2:1 (output speed = 0.500; product of stage one 0.667 reduction and stage two 0.750 stage reduction). The design is not restricted to the example pitch diameters, or output ratio. From the output gear, power is transmitted through a hollow drive shaft, which, in turn, drives a sprag during which time the main clutch is disengaged.

Study on Production of Silicon Nanoparticles from Quartz Sand for Hybrid Solar Cell Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arunmetha, S.; Vinoth, M.; Srither, S. R.; Karthik, A.; Sridharpanday, M.; Suriyaprabha, R.; Manivasakan, P.; Rajendran, V.

2018-01-01

Nano silicon (nano Si) particles were directly prepared from natural mineral quartz sand and thereafter used to fabricate the hybrid silicon solar cells. Here, in this preparation technique, two process stages were involved. In the first stage, the alkaline extraction and acid precipitation processes were applied on quartz sand to fetch silica nanoparticles. In the second stage, magnesiothermic and modified magnesiothermic reduction reactions were applied on nano silica particles to prepare nano Si particles. The effect of two distinct reduction methodologies on nano Si particle preparation was compared. The magnesiothermic and modified magnesiothermic reductions in the silica to silicon conversion process were studied with the help of x-ray diffraction (XRD) with intent to study the phase changes during the reduction reaction as well as its crystalline nature in the pure silicon phase. The particles consist of a combination of fine particles with spherical morphology. In addition to this, the optical study indicated an increase in visible light absorption and also increases the performance of the solar cell. The obtained nano Si particles were used as an active layer to fabricate the hybrid solar cells (HSCs). The obtained results confirmed that the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of the magnesiothermically modified nano Si cells (1.06%) is much higher as compared to the nano Si cells that underwent magnesiothermic reduction (1.02%). Thus, this confirms the increased PCE of the investigated nano Si solar cell up to 1.06%. It also revealed that nano Si behaved as an electron acceptor and transport material. The present study provided valuable insights and direction for the preparation of nano Si particles from quartz sand, including the influence of process methods. The prepared nano Si particles can be utilized for HSCs and an array of portable electronic devices.

Impact of Dose Reductions, Delays Between Chemotherapy Cycles, and/or Shorter Courses of Adjuvant Chemotherapy in Stage II and III Colorectal Cancer Patients: a Single-Center Retrospective Study.

PubMed

Sgouros, Joseph; Aravantinos, Gerasimos; Kouvatseas, George; Rapti, Anna; Stamoulis, George; Bisvikis, Anastasios; Res, Helen; Samantas, Epameinondas

2015-12-01

Most stage II or III colorectal cancer patients are receiving nowadays a 4 to 6-month course of adjuvant chemotherapy. However, delays between cycles, reductions in the doses of chemotherapy drugs, or even permanent omissions of chemotherapy cycles might take place due to side effects or patient's preference. We examined the impact of these treatment modifications on recurrence-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS). We retrospectively collected data from colorectal cancer patients who had received adjuvant chemotherapy in our Department. Patients were categorized in five groups based on whether they had or not delays between chemotherapy cycles, dose reductions, and permanent omissions of chemotherapy cycles. Three-year RFS and OS of the five different groups were compared using the log-rank test and the Sidak approach. Five hundred and eight patients received treatment. Twenty seven percent of the patients had the full course of chemotherapy; the others had delays, dose reductions, or early termination of the treatment. No statistically significant differences were observed in 3-year RFS and OS between the five groups. A trend for worse RFS was noticed with early termination of treatment. A similar trend was also noticed for OS but only for stage II patients. In colorectal cancer patients, receiving adjuvant chemotherapy, delays between chemotherapy cycles, dose reductions of chemotherapy drugs, or even early termination of the treatment course do not seem to have a negative impact in 3-year RFS and OS; however, due to the trend of worse RFS in patients receiving shorter courses of chemotherapy, further studies are needed.

[Treatment of open tile type C pelvic fractures by open reduction and internal fixation through anterior and posterior approaches at early stage].

PubMed

Li, Baichuan

2014-05-01

To explore the effectiveness of open reduction and internal fixation through anterior and posterior approaches in treatment of open Tile type C pelvic fractures at early stage. Between January 2009 and April 2012, 12 patients with open Tile C pelvic fractures were treated. There were 7 males and 5 females, aged 6-53 years (median, 31 years). Of 12 cases, 4 were classified as Tile type C1, 6 as Tile type C2, and 2 as Tile type C3; 5 were rated as Gustilo type II and 7 as Gustilo type III. The injury severity score was 18-57 (mean, 37.2). The interval of injury and admission ranged from 15 minutes to 3 days (median, 50 minutes). The debridement and external fixation were performed at first stage; then open reduction and internal fixation were used through anterior approach (reconstruction plate) and posterior approach (cannulated lag screws). The vacuum sealing drainage was performed during treatment until the wounds healed. Delayed healing of incison was obtained in 12 cases because of wound infection. Anatomical reduction or approximate anatomical reduction was achieved in all 12 cases. The patients were followed up 3-39 months (median, 18 months). No loosening of internal fixation or fracture displacement was observed during follow-up. The fracture healing time was 7-13 weeks (mean, 9.7 weeks). At last follow-up, according to the Matta standard, the outcome was excellent in 10 cases and good in 2 cases; according to Majeed score, the results were excellent in 9 cases, good in 1, and poor in 2. Early internal fixation operation of open Tile type C pelvic fractures can effectively restore the pelvic anatomical structure and stability, reduce the complication, and achieve satisfactory effectiveness.

Cryogenic Boil-Off Reduction System Testing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Plachta, David W.; Johnson, Wesley L.; Feller, Jeffery

2014-01-01

The Cryogenic Boil-Off Reduction System was tested with LH2 and LOX in a vacuum chamber to simulate space vacuum and the temperatures of low Earth orbit. Testing was successful and results validated the scaling study model that predicts active cooling reduces upper stage cryogenic propulsion mass for loiter periods greater than 2 weeks.

78 FR 50060 - Agency Information Collection Activities; Proposed Collection; Comment Request

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-08-16

..., Attention: Document Identifier/OMB Control Number --------, Room C4-26-05, 7500 Security Boulevard... Deficit Reduction Act (DRA) of 2005 CMS-R-52 Conditions for Coverage of Suppliers of End Stage Renal... 6083, 6036, 6041, 6042, 6043, and 6044 of the Deficit Reduction Act (DRA) of 2005; Use: State Medicaid...

Variation in Susceptibility to Wheat dwarf virus among Wild and Domesticated Wheat

PubMed Central

Nygren, Jim; Shad, Nadeem; Kvarnheden, Anders; Westerbergh, Anna

2015-01-01

We investigated the variation in plant response in host-pathogen interactions between wild (Aegilops spp., Triticum spp.) and domesticated wheat (Triticum spp.) and Wheat dwarf virus (WDV). The distribution of WDV and its wild host species overlaps in Western Asia in the Fertile Crescent, suggesting a coevolutionary relationship. Bread wheat originates from a natural hybridization between wild emmer wheat (carrying the A and B genomes) and the wild D genome donor Aegilops tauschii, followed by polyploidization and domestication. We studied whether the strong selection during these evolutionary processes, leading to genetic bottlenecks, may have resulted in a loss of resistance in domesticated wheat. In addition, we investigated whether putative fluctuations in intensity of selection imposed on the host-pathogen interactions have resulted in a variation in susceptibility to WDV. To test our hypotheses we evaluated eighteen wild and domesticated wheat taxa, directly or indirectly involved in wheat evolution, for traits associated with WDV disease such as leaf chlorosis, different growth traits and WDV content. The plants were exposed to viruliferous leafhoppers (Psammotettix alienus) in a greenhouse trial and evaluated at two time points. We found three different plant response patterns: i) continuous reduction in growth over time, ii) weak response at an early stage of plant development but a much stronger response at a later stage, and iii) remission of symptoms over time. Variation in susceptibility may be explained by differences in the intensity of natural selection, shaping the coevolutionary interaction between WDV and the wild relatives. However, genetic bottlenecks during wheat evolution have not had a strong impact on WDV resistance. Further, this study indicates that the variation in susceptibility may be associated with the genome type and that the ancestor Ae. tauschii may be useful as genetic resource for the improvement of WDV resistance in wheat. PMID:25837893

Does breast screening offer a survival benefit? A retrospective comparative study of oncological outcomes of screen-detected and symptomatic early stage breast cancer cases.

PubMed

Újhelyi, M; Pukancsik, D; Kelemen, P; Kovács, E; Kenessey, I; Udvarhelyi, N; Bak, M; Kovács, T; Mátrai, Z

2016-12-01

Mammography screening reduces breast cancer mortality by up to 32%. However, some recent studies have questioned the impact of non-palpable breast cancer detection on mortality reduction. The aim of this study was to analyse the clinicopathological and long-term follow-up data of early stage screened and symptomatic breast cancer patients. The institutional prospectively led database was systematically analysed for breast cancer cases diagnosed via the mammography screening program from 2002 to 2009. As a control group, symptomatic early stage breast cancer patients were collected randomly from the same database and matched for age and follow-up period. All medical records were reviewed retrospectively. Data from 298 breast cancer patients were collected from 47,718 mammography screenings. In addition, 331 symptomatic breast cancer patients were randomly selected. The screened group presented a significantly lower median tumour size (P < 0.00001). The incidence of negative regional lymph nodes was significantly higher in the screened group (P < 0.0006). The incidence of chemotherapy was 17% higher in the symptomatic group (P = 4*10 -5 ). At the median follow-up of 65 and 80 months, the screened group did not exhibit better overall (P = 0.717) or disease-free survival (P = 0.081) compared to the symptomatic group. Our results do not suggest that mammography screening does not reduce breast cancer mortality but the mammography screening did not bring any significant improvement in patient overall or disease-free survival for the early stage breast cancer patients compared to the symptomatic group. The drawback of symptomatic early stage tumours compared to non-palpable tumours could be equalized by modern multimodality oncology treatments. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd, BASO ~ the Association for Cancer Surgery, and the European Society of Surgical Oncology. All rights reserved.

Experimental Investigation of Inlet Distortion in a Multistage Axial Compressor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rusu, Razvan

The primary objective of this research is to present results and methodologies used to study total pressure inlet distortion in a multi-stage axial compressor environment. The study was performed at the Purdue 3-Stage Axial Compressor Facility (P3S) which models the final three stages of a production turbofan engine's high-pressure compressor (HPC). The goal of this study was twofold; first, to design, implement, and validate a circumferentially traversable total pressure inlet distortion generation system, and second, to demonstrate data acquisition methods to characterize the inter-stage total pressure flow fields to study the propagation and attenuation of a one-per-rev total pressure distortion. The datasets acquired for this study are intended to support the development and validation of novel computational tools and flow physics models for turbomachinery flow analysis. Total pressure inlet distortion was generated using a series of low-porosity wire gauze screens placed upstream of the compressor in the inlet duct. The screens are mounted to a rotatable duct section that can be precisely controlled. The P3S compressor features fixed instrumentation stations located at the aerodynamic interface plane (AIP) and downstream and upstream of each vane row. Furthermore, the compressor features individually indexable stator vanes which can be traverse by up to two vane passages. Using a series of coordinated distortion and vane traverses, the total pressure flow field at the AIP and subsequent inter-stage stations was characterized with a high circumferential resolution. The uniformity of the honeycomb carrier was demonstrated by characterizing the flow field at the AIP while no distortion screens where installed. Next, the distortion screen used for this study was selected following three iterations of porosity reduction. The selected screen consisted of a series of layered screens with a 100% radial extent and a 120° circumferential extent. A detailed total pressure flow field characterization of the AIP was performed using the selected screen at nominal, low, and high compressor loading. Thermal anemometry was used to characterize the spatial variation in turbulence intensity at the AIP in an effort to further define inlet boundary conditions for future computational investigations. Two data acquisition methods for the study of distortion propagation and attenuation were utilized in this study. The first method approximated the bulk flow through each vane passage using a single rake measurement positioned near the center of the passage. All vane passages were measured virtually by rotating the distortion upstream by an increment equal to one vane passage. This method proved successful in tracking the distortion propagation and attenuation from the AIP up until the compressor exit. A second, more detailed, inter-stage flow field characterization method was used that generated a total pressure field with a circumferential resolution of 880 increments, or one every 0.41°. The resulting fields demonstrated the importance of secondary flows in the propagation of a total pressure distortion at the different loading conditions investigated. A second objective of this research was to document proposals and design efforts to outfit the existing P3S research compressor with a strain gage telemetry system. The purpose of this system is to validate and supplement existing blade tip timing data on the embedded rotor stage to support the development and validation of novel aeromechanical analysis tools. Integration strategies and telemetry considerations are discussed based on proposals and consultation provided by suppliers.

Hierarchical group testing for multiple infections.

PubMed

Hou, Peijie; Tebbs, Joshua M; Bilder, Christopher R; McMahan, Christopher S

2017-06-01

Group testing, where individuals are tested initially in pools, is widely used to screen a large number of individuals for rare diseases. Triggered by the recent development of assays that detect multiple infections at once, screening programs now involve testing individuals in pools for multiple infections simultaneously. Tebbs, McMahan, and Bilder (2013, Biometrics) recently evaluated the performance of a two-stage hierarchical algorithm used to screen for chlamydia and gonorrhea as part of the Infertility Prevention Project in the United States. In this article, we generalize this work to accommodate a larger number of stages. To derive the operating characteristics of higher-stage hierarchical algorithms with more than one infection, we view the pool decoding process as a time-inhomogeneous, finite-state Markov chain. Taking this conceptualization enables us to derive closed-form expressions for the expected number of tests and classification accuracy rates in terms of transition probability matrices. When applied to chlamydia and gonorrhea testing data from four states (Region X of the United States Department of Health and Human Services), higher-stage hierarchical algorithms provide, on average, an estimated 11% reduction in the number of tests when compared to two-stage algorithms. For applications with rarer infections, we show theoretically that this percentage reduction can be much larger. © 2016, The International Biometric Society.

Hierarchical group testing for multiple infections

PubMed Central

Hou, Peijie; Tebbs, Joshua M.; Bilder, Christopher R.; McMahan, Christopher S.

2016-01-01

Summary Group testing, where individuals are tested initially in pools, is widely used to screen a large number of individuals for rare diseases. Triggered by the recent development of assays that detect multiple infections at once, screening programs now involve testing individuals in pools for multiple infections simultaneously. Tebbs, McMahan, and Bilder (2013, Biometrics) recently evaluated the performance of a two-stage hierarchical algorithm used to screen for chlamydia and gonorrhea as part of the Infertility Prevention Project in the United States. In this article, we generalize this work to accommodate a larger number of stages. To derive the operating characteristics of higher-stage hierarchical algorithms with more than one infection, we view the pool decoding process as a time-inhomogeneous, finite-state Markov chain. Taking this conceptualization enables us to derive closed-form expressions for the expected number of tests and classification accuracy rates in terms of transition probability matrices. When applied to chlamydia and gonorrhea testing data from four states (Region X of the United States Department of Health and Human Services), higher-stage hierarchical algorithms provide, on average, an estimated 11 percent reduction in the number of tests when compared to two-stage algorithms. For applications with rarer infections, we show theoretically that this percentage reduction can be much larger. PMID:27657666

Infection of some cayenne pepper varieties (Capsicum frustescens L.) by Tobacco mosaic virus at different growth stages

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Damiri, N.; Sofita, I. S.; Effend, T. A.; Rahim, S. E.

2017-09-01

This research aimed to study the infection of three varieties of cayenne pepper (Capsicum frustescens L.) by Tobacco Mosaic Virus when they were inoculated at 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 weeks old after planting. This experiment was conducted in a green house, at the Plant pests and diseases department, Agriculture Faculty, Sriwijaya University, Indralaya, South Sumatra Indonesia from March to October 2014. The study was arranged in factorial completely randomized design with three replicates. First factor was varieties of cayenne pepper namely green, white and small. Second factor was growth stage. Results of the study showed that TMV inoculated at different growth stages of three cayenne pepper varieties affected the incubation period of TMV symptom, time for flowering and productions. The infection of TMV on various ages affected the disease severity on cayenne pepper variety. The highest disease severity was taking place on small cayenne pepper variety that was inoculated at the early stages of age namely 2 weeks after planting. Inoculation of TMV at younger stages of all Cayenne peppers varieties caused a significant reduction in the number of fruits and its weights. TMV has caused a reduction of more than 50% in weight of cayenne pepper fruits regardless of the variety.

Composting of sewage sludge with solid fraction of digested pulp from agricultural biogas plant

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Czekała, Wojciech; Dach, Jacek; Przybył, Jacek; Mazurwiekiwcz, Jakub; Janczak, Damian; Lewicki, Andrzej; Smurzyńska, Anna; Kozłowski, Kamil

2018-02-01

Sewage sludge management is an important element of environmental protection. Composting and anaerobic digestion are the biological conversion methods for sewage sludge management. Mass and volume reduction is a result of a properly composted process. Solid fraction of digested pulp can be use as co-substrate, because it is good structural material. The aim of the study was to determine the possibility of composting sewage sludge with a solid fraction of digestate. The compost mix consisted of 25 kilograms of sewage sludge and 20 kilograms solid fraction of digestate in fresh mass. The experiment was carried out in laboratory conditions. Bioreactors of 165 dm3 volume were used. The experiment included two stages. Stage I took place in bioreactors and lasted until the cooling phase of the compost was complete. Stage II included compost maturation for a period of eight months (to 287 day of composting). The reduction of mass obtained at the end of Stage I amounted 30.2%. At the end of Stage II, it was 86.7% relative to the initial weight of the compost. The maximum value of temperature was 75.1°C. Studies have shown that sludge with a solid fraction of digestate can be a suitable substrate for composting with sewage sludge.

Enhancement of Efficiency and Reduction of Grid Thickness Variation on Casting Process with Lean Six Sigma Method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Witantyo; Setyawan, David

2018-03-01

In a lead acid battery industry, grid casting is a process that has high defect and thickness variation level. DMAIC (Define-Measure-Analyse-Improve-Control) method and its tools will be used to improve the casting process. In the Define stage, it is used project charter and SIPOC (Supplier Input Process Output Customer) method to map the existent problem. In the Measure stage, it is conducted a data retrieval related to the types of defect and the amount of it, also the grid thickness variation that happened. And then the retrieved data is processed and analyzed by using 5 Why’s and FMEA method. In the Analyze stage, it is conducted a grid observation that experience fragile and crack type of defect by using microscope showing the amount of oxide Pb inclusion in the grid. Analysis that is used in grid casting process shows the difference of temperature that is too high between the metal fluid and mold temperature, also the corking process that doesn’t have standard. The Improve stage is conducted a fixing process which generates the reduction of grid variation thickness level and defect/unit level from 9,184% to 0,492%. In Control stage, it is conducted a new working standard determination and already fixed control process.

Experiencing cancer treatment decision-making in managed care.

PubMed

Wenzel, Jennifer; Shaha, Maya

2008-09-01

This paper is a report of a study to explore women's perceptions of and experiences with breast cancer treatment decision-making in managed care organizations (MCOs). Managed care organizations are the predominant form of employer-sponsored healthcare insurance in the United States of America. These healthcare financing entities minimize cost by streamlining healthcare delivery and may impose choice restrictions. The extent of these restrictions has not previously been studied from an in-depth patient perspective. A qualitative descriptive approach was adopted using interviews with a purposive sample of 14 managed care enrollees diagnosed with breast cancer at all stages. The data were collected between 2003 and 2005. Data analysis involved a reflexive process of transcript reading, categorization, data reduction and interpretation. The findings are presented as a single theme: 'decisional conflict in managed care', with two distinct categories: decisions regarding (1) the MCOs and (2) treatment. MCO selection was perceived to be limited by employer constraints, cost issues or healthcare plan providers. For study participants, selecting a MCO was less difficult than issues surrounding treatment decision-making. Women reported that their most important treatment-related decisions surrounded diagnosis and involved selecting a treatment facility and provider. Once a satisfactory facility and provider were selected, these women preferred to defer treatment decisions to their healthcare providers. Decision interventions should be focused on assisting women with provider and treatment facility selection early in diagnosis. Our findings might also serve as a basis for policy/practice changes to address healthcare financing limitations and to expand cancer treatment-related choices while providing desired treatment decision-making support.

Number of pins in two-stage stratified sampling for estimating herbage yield

Treesearch

William G. O' Regan; C. Eugene Conrad

1975-01-01

In a two-stage stratified procedure for sampling herbage yield, plots are stratified by a pin frame in stage one, and clipped. In stage two, clippings from selected plots are sorted, dried, and weighed. Sample size and distribution of plots between the two stages are determined by equations. A way to compute the effect of number of pins on the variance of estimated...

Does Visuomotor Adaptation Proceed in Stages? An Examination of the Learning Model by Chein and Schneider (2012).

PubMed

Simon, Anja; Bock, Otmar

2015-01-01

A new 3-stage model based on neuroimaging evidence is proposed by Chein and Schneider (2012). Each stage is associated with different brain regions, and draws on cognitive abilities: the first stage on creativity, the second on selective attention, and the third on automatic processing. The purpose of the present study was to scrutinize the validity of this model for 1 popular learning paradigm, visuomotor adaptation. Participants completed tests for creativity, selective attention and automated processing before attending in a pointing task with adaptation to a 60° rotation of visual feedback. To examine the relationship between cognitive abilities and motor learning at different times of practice, associations between cognitive and adaptation scores were calculated repeatedly throughout adaptation. The authors found no benefit of high creativity for adaptive performance. High levels of selective attention were positively associated with early adaptation, but hardly with late adaptation and de-adaptation. High levels of automated execution were beneficial for late adaptation, but hardly for early and de-adaptation. From this we conclude that Chein and Schneider's first learning stage is difficult to confirm by research on visuomotor adaptation, and that the other 2 learning stages rather relate to workaround strategies than to actual adaptive recalibration.

The effect of febuxostat to prevent a further reduction in renal function of patients with hyperuricemia who have never had gout and are complicated by chronic kidney disease stage 3: study protocol for a multicenter randomized controlled study

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Hyperuricemia is a risk factor for the onset of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and is significantly associated with the progression of CKD. However, there is no sufficient evidence by interventional research supporting a cause-effect relationship. Hyperuricemic patients without gouty arthritis, whose serum urate (SUA) concentration is ≥8.0 mg/dL and who have a complication, are treated by pharmacotherapy in addition to lifestyle guidance. Nevertheless, there is no evidence that rationalizes pharmacotherapy for patients with hyperuricemia who have no complication and whose SUA concentration is below 9.0 mg/dL. Methods/Design The FEATHER (FEbuxostat versus placebo rAndomized controlled Trial regarding reduced renal function in patients with Hyperuricemia complicated by chRonic kidney disease stage 3) study is a prospective, multicenter, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial of febuxostat—a novel, nonpurine, selective, xanthine oxidase inhibitor. The present study will enroll, at 64 medical institutions in Japan, 400 Japanese patients aged 20 years or older who have hyperuricemia without gouty arthritis, who present CKD stage 3, and whose SUA concentration is 7.1-10.0 mg/dL. Patients are randomly assigned to either the febuxostat or the control group, in which febuxostat tablets and placebo are administered orally, respectively. The dosage of the study drugs should be one 10-mg tablet/day at weeks 1 to 4 after study initiation, increased to one 20-mg tablet/day at weeks 5 to 8, and elevated to one 40-mg tablet/day at week 9 and then maintained until week 108. The primary endpoint is estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) slope. The secondary endpoints include the amount and percent rate of change in eGFR from baseline to week 108, the amount and percent rate of change in SUA concentration from baseline to week 108, the proportion of patients who achieved an SUA concentration ≤6.0 mg/dL, and the incidence of renal function deterioration. Discussion The present study aims to examine whether febuxostat prevents a further reduction in renal function as assessed with eGFR in subjects and will (1) provide evidence to indicate the inverse association between a reduction in SUA concentration and an improvement in renal function and (2) rationalize pharmacotherapy for subjects and clarify its clinical relevance. Trial registration UMIN Identifier: UMIN000008343 PMID:24433285

High Bypass Ratio Jet Noise Reduction and Installation Effects Including Shielding Effectiveness

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thomas, Russell H.; Czech, Michael J.; Doty, Michael J.

2013-01-01

An experimental investigation was performed to study the propulsion airframe aeroacoustic installation effects of a separate flow jet nozzle with a Hybrid Wing Body aircraft configuration where the engine is installed above the wing. Prior understanding of the jet noise shielding effectiveness was extended to a bypass ratio ten application as a function of nozzle configuration, chevron type, axial spacing, and installation effects from additional airframe components. Chevron types included fan chevrons that are uniform circumferentially around the fan nozzle and T-fan type chevrons that are asymmetrical circumferentially. In isolated testing without a pylon, uniform chevrons compared to T-fan chevrons showed slightly more low frequency reduction offset by more high frequency increase. Phased array localization shows that at this bypass ratio chevrons still move peak jet noise source locations upstream but not to nearly the extent, as a function of frequency, as for lower bypass ratio jets. For baseline nozzles without chevrons, the basic pylon effect has been greatly reduced compared to that seen for lower bypass ratio jets. Compared to Tfan chevrons without a pylon, the combination with a standard pylon results in more high frequency noise increase and an overall higher noise level. Shielded by an airframe surface 2.17 fan diameters from nozzle to airframe trailing edge, the T-fan chevron nozzle can produce reductions in jet noise of as much as 8 dB at high frequencies and upstream angles. Noise reduction from shielding decreases with decreasing frequency and with increasing angle from the jet inlet. Beyond an angle of 130 degrees there is almost no noise reduction from shielding. Increasing chevron immersion more than what is already an aggressive design is not advantageous for noise reduction. The addition of airframe control surfaces, including vertical stabilizers and elevon deflection, showed only a small overall impact. Based on the test results, the best overall nozzle configuration design was selected for application to the N2A Hybrid Wing Body concept that will be the subject of the NASA Langley 14 by 22 Foot Subsonic Tunnel high fidelity aeroacoustic characterization experiment. The best overall nozzle selected includes T-fan type chevrons, uniform chevrons on the core nozzle, and no additional pylon of the type that created a strong acoustic effect at lower bypass ratios. The T-fan chevrons are oriented azimuthally away from the ground observer locations. This best overall nozzle compared to the baseline nozzle was assessed, at equal thrust, to produce sufficient installed noise reduction of the jet noise component to enable the N2A HWB to meet NASA s noise goal of 42 dB cumulative below Stage 4.

SLS Test Stand Site Selection

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Crowe, Kathryn; Williams, Michael

2015-01-01

Test site selection is a critical element of the design, development and production of a new system. With the advent of the new Space Launch System (SLS), the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) had a number of test site selection decisions that needed to be made early enough in the Program to support the planned Launch Readiness Date (LRD). This case study focuses on decisions that needed to be made in 2011 and 2012 in preparation for the April 2013 DPMC decision about where to execute the Main Propulsion Test that is commonly referred to as "Green Run." Those decisions relied upon cooperative analysis between the Program, the Test Lab and Center Operations. The SLS is a human spaceflight vehicle designed to carry a crew farther into space than humans have previously flown. The vehicle consists of four parts: the crew capsule, the upper stage, the core stage, and the first stage solid rocket boosters. The crew capsule carries the astronauts, while the upper stage, the core stage, and solid rocket boosters provide thrust for the vehicle. In other words, the stages provide the "lift" part of the lift vehicle. In conjunction with the solid rocket boosters, the core stage provides the initial "get-off-the-ground" thrust to the vehicle. The ignition of the four core stage engines and two solid rocket boosters is the first step in the launch portion of the mission. The solid rocket boosters burn out after about 2 minutes of flight, and are then jettisoned. The core stage provides thrust until the vehicle reaches a specific altitude and speed, at which point the core stage is shut off and jettisoned, and the upper stage provides vehicle thrust for subsequent mission trajectories. The integrated core stage primarily consists of a liquid oxygen tank, a liquid hydrogen tank, and the four core stage engines. For the SLS program, four RS-25 engines were selected as the four core stage engines. The RS-25 engine is the same engine that was used for Space Shuttle. The test plan for the integrated core stage was broken down into several segments: Component testing, system level testing, and element level testing. In this context, components are items such as valves, controllers, sensors, etc. Systems are items such as an entire engine, a tank, or the outer stage body. The core stage itself is considered to be an element. The rocket engines are also considered an element. At the program level, it was decided to perform a single green run test on the integrated core stage prior to shipment of it to Kennedy Space Center (KSC) for use in the EM-1 test flight of the SLS vehicle. A green run test is the first live fire of the new integrated core stage and engine elements - without boosters of course. The SLS Program had to decide where to perform SLS green run testing.

Efficacy of doramectin injectable against Oestrus ovis and gastrointestinal nematodes in sheep in the southwestern region of France.

PubMed

Dorchies, P; Jacquiet, P; Bergeaud, J P; Duranton, C; Prévot, F; Alzieu, J P; Gossellin, J

2001-03-20

A study was conducted to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of doramectin administered intramuscularly at a dose rate of 200 microg/kg to sheep harbouring naturally acquired infections of gastrointestinal nematodes and Oestrus ovis in the southwestern region of France. On day 0, 24 sheep were selected on the basis of positive faecal egg counts (>100 EPG) and positive assessment of O. ovis infection (including positive O. ovis antibody level and positive clinical score). The sheep were randomly allocated to a non-medicated control group (T1) or a doramectin-treated group (T2) of 12 animals each. On day 0, sheep in group T2 received a single intramuscular injection of doramectin (200 microg/kg), whereas those in group T1 received an intramuscular injection of saline solution (sodium chloride, 0.02ml/kg). Individual faecal egg counts were performed on days 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 14. Between days 14 and 16, all sheep were slaughtered, and worm and O. ovis burdens were determined. In doramectin-treated sheep, faecal egg counts had decreased to zero by day 4 for all recovered types of nematode eggs: strongyles, Nematodirus sp., Trichuris sp., and Rhabditidae sp. For strongyles, Nematodirus sp., and Rhabditidae, the percentage reductions in faecal egg counts (geometric means) of doramectin-treated sheep, compared to the non-medicated control sheep were 100% from days 4-7. For Trichuris sp., they were 100, 99.7, 99.9, and 100% on days 4, 5, 6, and 7, respectively. On day 14, percentage reductions were 100% for Nematodirus sp. and Rhabditidae, and 99.8 and 99.1% for strongyles and Trichuris sp., respectively. At necropsy, only adult nematodes and mainly first-stage O. ovis larvae were recovered. Doramectin was highly efficacious against the adult stages of Teladorsagia circumcincta (100%), Nematodirus battus (100%), Nematodirus filicollis (99.9%), Oesophagostomum venulosum (99.8%), and Trichuris sp. (99.3%). It was also 100% efficacious against first-stage larvae of O. ovis. No abnormal clinical signs or adverse reactions in any of the sheep treated with doramectin were observed.

Selective CO2 conversion to formate in water using a CZTS photocathode modified with a ruthenium complex polymer.

PubMed

Arai, Takeo; Tajima, Shin; Sato, Shunsuke; Uemura, Keiko; Morikawa, Takeshi; Kajino, Tsutomu

2011-12-21

Highly selective photoelectrochemical CO(2) reduction (>80% selectivity) in water was successfully achieved by combining Cu(2)ZnSnS(4) (CZTS) with a metal-complex electrocatalyst. CZTS, a sulfide semiconductor that possesses a narrow band gap and consists of earth-abundant elements, is demonstrated to be a candidate photoabsorber for a CO(2) reduction hybrid photocatalyst.

Rapid Generation of Marker-Free P. falciparum Fluorescent Reporter Lines Using Modified CRISPR/Cas9 Constructs and Selection Protocol.

PubMed

Mogollon, Catherin Marin; van Pul, Fiona J A; Imai, Takashi; Ramesar, Jai; Chevalley-Maurel, Séverine; de Roo, Guido M; Veld, Sabrina A J; Kroeze, Hans; Franke-Fayard, Blandine M D; Janse, Chris J; Khan, Shahid M

2016-01-01

The CRISPR/Cas9 system is a powerful genome editing technique employed in a wide variety of organisms including recently the human malaria parasite, P. falciparum. Here we report on further improvements to the CRISPR/Cas9 transfection constructs and selection protocol to more rapidly modify the P. falciparum genome and to introduce transgenes into the parasite genome without the inclusion of drug-selectable marker genes. This method was used to stably integrate the gene encoding GFP into the P. falciparum genome under the control of promoters of three different Plasmodium genes (calmodulin, gapdh and hsp70). These genes were selected as they are highly transcribed in blood stages. We show that the three reporter parasite lines generated in this study (GFP@cam, GFP@gapdh and GFP@hsp70) have in vitro blood stage growth kinetics and drug-sensitivity profiles comparable to the parental P. falciparum (NF54) wild-type line. Both asexual and sexual blood stages of the three reporter lines expressed GFP-fluorescence with GFP@hsp70 having the highest fluorescent intensity in schizont stages as shown by flow cytometry analysis of GFP-fluorescence intensity. The improved CRISPR/Cas9 constructs/protocol will aid in the rapid generation of transgenic and modified P. falciparum parasites, including those expressing different reporters proteins under different (stage specific) promoters.

Rapid Generation of Marker-Free P. falciparum Fluorescent Reporter Lines Using Modified CRISPR/Cas9 Constructs and Selection Protocol

PubMed Central

Mogollon, Catherin Marin; van Pul, Fiona J. A.; Imai, Takashi; Ramesar, Jai; Chevalley-Maurel, Séverine; de Roo, Guido M.; Veld, Sabrina A. J.; Kroeze, Hans; Franke-Fayard, Blandine M. D.; Janse, Chris J.

2016-01-01

The CRISPR/Cas9 system is a powerful genome editing technique employed in a wide variety of organisms including recently the human malaria parasite, P. falciparum. Here we report on further improvements to the CRISPR/Cas9 transfection constructs and selection protocol to more rapidly modify the P. falciparum genome and to introduce transgenes into the parasite genome without the inclusion of drug-selectable marker genes. This method was used to stably integrate the gene encoding GFP into the P. falciparum genome under the control of promoters of three different Plasmodium genes (calmodulin, gapdh and hsp70). These genes were selected as they are highly transcribed in blood stages. We show that the three reporter parasite lines generated in this study (GFP@cam, GFP@gapdh and GFP@hsp70) have in vitro blood stage growth kinetics and drug-sensitivity profiles comparable to the parental P. falciparum (NF54) wild-type line. Both asexual and sexual blood stages of the three reporter lines expressed GFP-fluorescence with GFP@hsp70 having the highest fluorescent intensity in schizont stages as shown by flow cytometry analysis of GFP-fluorescence intensity. The improved CRISPR/Cas9 constructs/protocol will aid in the rapid generation of transgenic and modified P. falciparum parasites, including those expressing different reporters proteins under different (stage specific) promoters. PMID:27997583

Metering Self-Reported Adherence to Clinical Outcomes in Malaysian Patients With Hypertension: Applying the Stages of Change Model to Healthful Behaviors in the CORFIS Study.

PubMed

Karupaiah, Tilakavati; Wong, Kimberly; Chinna, Karuthan; Arasu, Kanimolli; Chee, Winnie Siew Swee

2015-06-01

The CORFIS (Community-Based Cardiovascular Risk Factors Intervention Strategies) program was piloted in community clinics in Malaysia to address the lack of health education in chronic disease management. The stages of change model was applied in a multicenter quasi-experimental design to evaluate adherence to advocated behaviors in CORFIS patients with hypertension. Based on submitted diet and exercise records (n = 209), adherence to sodium reduction, regular exercise, and increasing fruit and vegetable intake behaviors were quantified against weight, waist circumference (WC), systolic blood pressure (SBP), and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) changes. Patients were categorized at 6 months into nonadherent/N-A (Precontemplation, Contemplation, and Preparation), newly adherent/NA (Action) and totally adherent/TA (Maintenance) groups. Self-reported adherence records did not meet recommended targets for healthful behaviors, but clinical benefits were achieved by adherent groups as indicated by effect size (Cohen's d) comparisons. SBP reduction was associated with adherence to sodium reduction in NA (d = 0.60, p < .001) and TA (d = 0.45, p < .001) compared to N-A (d = 0.13, p > .05). Marginally increasing fruit and vegetable consumption (Δ = 0.41 servings) resulted in sizeable reductions in weight for NA (d = 0.81, p < .001) > TA (d = 0.54, p < .001) > N-A (d = 0.21, p > .05) and in WC for NA (d = 0.68, p < .00) > TA (d = 0.53, p < .001) > N-A (d = 0.52, p > .05). Exercise behavior was least successful as pedometer counting was below 10,000 steps but sizeable weight and WC reductions were largest for NA (d = 0.71 and 0.79, respectively) > TA (d = 0.60 and 0.53, respectively) > N-A (d = 0.33 and 0.35, respectively). Patients reporting a shift to positive stages of change behaviors enjoyed clinically beneficial reductions in SBP, DBP, weight, and WC. © 2014 Society for Public Health Education.

Supersonic Transport Noise Reduction Technology Program - Phase 2, Volume 2

DTIC Science & Technology

1975-09-01

a J85 is shown on Figure 350. The J85 turbojet engine has an eight-stage compressor (with an air bleed system) and a two-stage turbine . Blade ...investigated in this program using a YJ85 engine . Both turbine second-stage spacing ( blade - vane ) and exhaust duct treatment were determined to be...using a J85 engine with massive Inlet suppressor and open nozzle to unmask the turbine . Second-stag« turbine blade /nozzle spacing and exhaust

Floods in south-central Oklahoma and north-central Texas, October 1981

USGS Publications Warehouse

Buckner, Harold D.; Kurklin, Joanne K.

1984-01-01

Substantial reductions in peak stages and discharges on the West Fork Trinity River downstream from Eagle Mountain Reservoir were attained as a result of reservoir storage. All floodwater on the Elm Fork Trinity River was contained by reservoir storage thus preventing a potentially devastating flood downstream on the Trinity River. Maximum stages and discharges and/or contents were recorded during and after this major flood at 83 gaging stations, crest-stage stations, reservoir stations, and a miscellaneous site.

Selective catalyst reduction light-off strategy

DOEpatents

Gonze, Eugene V [Pinckney, MI

2011-10-18

An emissions control system includes a temperature determination module and an emissions control module. The temperature determination module determines a first temperature of a heater element of a diesel particulate filter (DPF) assembly in an exhaust system and determines a second temperature of a catalyst of the DPF assembly. The emissions control module selectively activates the heater element, selectively initiates a predefined combustion process in an engine based upon the first temperature, and selectively starts a reductant injection process based upon the second temperature.

Selection of Soybean Pods by the Stink Bugs, Nezara viridula and Piezodorus guildinii

PubMed Central

Molina, Gonzalo A. R.; Trumper, Eduardo V.

2012-01-01

Different biological parameters of the stink bugs, Nezara viridula L. and Piezodorus guildinii Westwood (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae), are affected by the developmental stage of the soybean (Glycine max Merrill) pods they feed on. These effects of the soybean on the stink bugs could represent a selection pressure leading to the ability of these species to discriminate the phenological stage of soybean pods, and, therefore, to exhibit feeding preferences. We designed three studies: (1) Distant detection of soybean pods through an olfactometer; (2) Free choice tests to evaluate preferences for soybean pods of different developmental stages; (3) No choice tests to study effects of soybean pod development on feeding time and number of probes. Stink bugs showed no differential response to olfactometer arms with or without soybean pods, suggesting an inability to detect soybean volatiles. Free choice tests showed no species effects on pods selection, but significant differences among fifth instar nymphs, adult male, and adult females. Fifth instar nymphs fed more frequently on soybean pods of advanced development stages compared to female adults, despite previous evidence showing poor development of stink bugs fed pods of the same stage. No choice tests showed significant effects of stink bug species, stink bug stage and sex, and soybean pod phenology. N. viridula expressed shorter feeding times and higher numbers of probes than P. guildinii. The highest numbers of probes of both species were observed when they were fed soybean pods in early phenological stages. When placed in direct contact with food, fifth instar nymphs prefered to feed on more developed pods, despite these pods being suboptimal food items. These results suggest that for the ecological time framework of soybean-stink bugs coexistence, around thirty-five years in Argentina, the selection pressure was not enough for stink bugs to evolve food preferences that match their performance on soybean pods of different development stages. PMID:23437991

Inevitable Relative Age Effects in Different Stages of the Selection Process among Male and Female Youth Soccer Players.

PubMed

Lagestad, Pål; Steen, Ingebrigt; Dalen, Terje

2018-03-31

The relative age effect (RAE) in the selection of young soccer players is a well-known phenomenon. The purpose of this study was to examine the relative age effect existing despite strategies that have been implemented to avoid its presence in the selection process. We also aimed to investigate the RAE during the three different selection stages for B13, B14 (boys), and G13, G14 (girls), and gender differences in the RAE. This was achieved by collecting data from everyone who played soccer in Troendelag, and data that would illuminate the RAE during the three stages of selection for the regional teams of the 2015/2016 season. Mann⁻Whitney U-tests and Chi-square tests were used as statistical methods. The main finding of this study is that, despite the intention to reduce RAE in the selection process according to the criterion that at least 40% of the players should be born in the second half of the year, both the early-born boys and girls are more likely to be selected. The results also show that the RAE occurs gradually, and the longer the players are in the selection process the more prominent it is. This study highlights the importance of being aware of the RAE when selecting young players.

Testing of Selective Laser Melting Turbomachinery Applicable to Exploration Upper Stage

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Calvert, Marty; Turpin, Jason; Nettles, Mindy

2015-01-01

This task is to design, fabricate, and spin test to failure a Ti6-4 hydrogen turbopump impeller that was built using the selective laser melting (SLM) fabrication process (fig. 1). The impeller is sized around upper stage engine requirements. In addition to the spin burst test, material testing will be performed on coupons that are built with the impeller.

Accounting for selection and correlation in the analysis of two-stage genome-wide association studies.

PubMed

Robertson, David S; Prevost, A Toby; Bowden, Jack

2016-10-01

The problem of selection bias has long been recognized in the analysis of two-stage trials, where promising candidates are selected in stage 1 for confirmatory analysis in stage 2. To efficiently correct for bias, uniformly minimum variance conditionally unbiased estimators (UMVCUEs) have been proposed for a wide variety of trial settings, but where the population parameter estimates are assumed to be independent. We relax this assumption and derive the UMVCUE in the multivariate normal setting with an arbitrary known covariance structure. One area of application is the estimation of odds ratios (ORs) when combining a genome-wide scan with a replication study. Our framework explicitly accounts for correlated single nucleotide polymorphisms, as might occur due to linkage disequilibrium. We illustrate our approach on the measurement of the association between 11 genetic variants and the risk of Crohn's disease, as reported in Parkes and others (2007. Sequence variants in the autophagy gene IRGM and multiple other replicating loci contribute to Crohn's disease susceptibility. Nat. Gen. 39: (7), 830-832.), and show that the estimated ORs can vary substantially if both selection and correlation are taken into account. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press.

Cryopreservation of Mexican fruit flies by vitrification: stage selection and avoidance of thermal stress.

PubMed

Rajamohan, A; Leopold, R A

2007-02-01

This report presents details of a vitrification methodology for the cryopreservation of embryos of the Mexican fruit fly, Anastrepha ludens. The overall summary of the data indicates that selecting the correct developmental stage for cryopreservation is the most important criterion. The key aspect in selection of the correct stage is to balance depletion of the gut yolk content against development of the embryonic cuticle. Embryogenesis was divided into four stages between 90 and 120 h after incubation at 21.7 degrees C. The classification was based on the intestinal yolk content and the initial development of mandibular-maxillary complex. Stages having low mid-gut yolk content and the appearance of mouth hooks were found to be the most suitable for cryopreservation. Embryos developing at 30 degrees C had premature cuticle formation relative to gut development and significantly lower hatching after cryopreservation. Vitrification of embryos by direct quenching in liquid nitrogen was less effective than quenching after annealing the samples in liquid nitrogen vapor. Quenched samples of vitrification solutions containing 1,2-ethanediol as the major component exhibited fractures. Fracturing occurred less frequently when the solutions were annealed and when containing polyethylene glycol. Hatching of vitrified embryos stored in liquid nitrogen for over 12 months was not statistically different from those held for only 15 min. Our protocol yielded normalized hatching rates that ranged as high as 61%. Selecting the exact stage for cryopreservation from a population of embryos obtained by collection from ovipositing females during a span of just 30 min resulted in nearly 80% of the embryos hatching into larvae.

Developmental stage related patterns of codon usage and genomic GC content: searching for evolutionary fingerprints with models of stem cell differentiation

PubMed Central

2007-01-01

Background The usage of synonymous codons shows considerable variation among mammalian genes. How and why this usage is non-random are fundamental biological questions and remain controversial. It is also important to explore whether mammalian genes that are selectively expressed at different developmental stages bear different molecular features. Results In two models of mouse stem cell differentiation, we established correlations between codon usage and the patterns of gene expression. We found that the optimal codons exhibited variation (AT- or GC-ending codons) in different cell types within the developmental hierarchy. We also found that genes that were enriched (developmental-pivotal genes) or specifically expressed (developmental-specific genes) at different developmental stages had different patterns of codon usage and local genomic GC (GCg) content. Moreover, at the same developmental stage, developmental-specific genes generally used more GC-ending codons and had higher GCg content compared with developmental-pivotal genes. Further analyses suggest that the model of translational selection might be consistent with the developmental stage-related patterns of codon usage, especially for the AT-ending optimal codons. In addition, our data show that after human-mouse divergence, the influence of selective constraints is still detectable. Conclusion Our findings suggest that developmental stage-related patterns of gene expression are correlated with codon usage (GC3) and GCg content in stem cell hierarchies. Moreover, this paper provides evidence for the influence of natural selection at synonymous sites in the mouse genome and novel clues for linking the molecular features of genes to their patterns of expression during mammalian ontogenesis. PMID:17349061

Habitat selection of a declining white-tailed deer herd in the central Black Hills, South Dakota and Wyoming

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deperno, Christopher Shannon

Habitat selection, survival rates, the Black Hills National Forest Habitat Capability Model (HABCAP), and the USDA Forest Service Geographic Information System (GIS) data base were evaluated for a declining white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus dacotensis) herd in the central Black Hills of South Dakota and Wyoming. From July 1993 through July 1996, 73 adult and yearling female and 12 adult and yearling male white-tailed deer were radiocollared and visually monitored. Habitat information was collected at 4,662 white-tailed deer locations and 1,087 random locations. Natural mortality (71%) was the primary cause of female mortality, followed by harvest (22.5%) and accidental causes (6.5%). More females died in spring (53.2%) than in fall (22.6%), winter (14.5%), or summer (9.7%). Male mortality resulted from hunting in fall (66.7%) and natural causes in spring (33.3%). Survival rates for all deer by year were 62.1% in 1993, 51.1% in 1994, 56.4% in 1995, and 53.9% in 1996 and were similar (P = 0.691) across years. During winter, white-tailed deer selected ponderosa pine- (Pinus ponderosa ) deciduous and burned pine cover types. Overstory-understory habitats selected included pine/grass-forb, pine/bearberry (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi), pine/snowberry (Symphoricarpos albus), burned pine/grass-forb, and pine/shrub habitats. Structural stages selected included sapling-pole pine stands with >70% canopy cover, burned pine sapling-pole and saw-timber stands with <40% canopy cover. Bedding locations were represented by saw-timber pine structural stages with >40% canopy cover and all sapling-pole pine structural stages; sapling-pole stands with >70% canopy cover received the greatest use. White-tailed deer primarily fed in pine saw-timber structural stage with less than 40% canopy cover. Overall, selected habitats contained lower amounts of grass/forb, shrubs, and litter than random locations. Male and female deer generally bedded in areas that were characterized by greater horizontal cover than feeding and random sites. When feeding and bedding sites were combined males selected areas that were characterized by greater levels of horizontal cover than females. During summer, white-tailed deer selected pine-deciduous, aspen (Populus tremuloides), aspen-coniferous, spruce (Picea glauca), and spruce-deciduous cover types. Overstory-understory habitats selected included pine/juniper (Juniperus communis), aspen/shrubs, spruce/juniper, and spruce/shrub habitats. Structural stages selected included pine, aspen, and spruce sapling pole stands with all levels (0--40%, 41--70%, 71--100%) of canopy cover. All habitat types (i.e., pine, aspen, and spruce) were used as bedding locations with pine sapling-pole structural stages with >70% canopy cover used most, whereas pine saw-timber structural stage with less than 40% canopy cover was primarily used for feeding. Females bedded in areas that were characterized by greater horizontal cover than feeding and random sites, whereas male feeding sites had greater horizontal cover characteristics than bedding or random locations.

Clinical and dosimetric implications of intensity-modulated radiotherapy for early-stage glottic carcinoma

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

Ward, Matthew Christopher, E-mail: wardm3@ccf.org; Pham, Yvonne D.; Kotecha, Rupesh

2016-04-01

Conventional parallel-opposed radiotherapy (PORT) is the established standard technique for early-stage glottic carcinoma. However, case reports have reported the utility of intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) and volumetric-modulated arc therapy (VMAT) with or without image guidance (image-guided radiotherapy, IGRT) in select patients. The proposed advantages of IMRT/VMAT include sparing of the carotid artery, thyroid gland, and the remaining functional larynx, although these benefits remain unclear. The following case study presents a patient with multiple vascular comorbidities treated with VMAT for early-stage glottic carcinoma. A detailed explanation of the corresponding treatment details, dose-volume histogram (DVH) analysis, and a review of the relevant literaturemore » are provided. Conventional PORT remains the standard of care for early-stage glottic carcinoma. IMRT or VMAT may be beneficial for select patients, although great care is necessary to avoid a geographical miss. Clinical data supporting the benefit of CRT are lacking. Therefore, these techniques should be used with caution and only in selected patients.« less