Settling of a sphere through a fluid-fluid interface: influence of the Reynolds number

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pierson, Jean-Lou; Magnaudet, Jacques

2015-11-01

When a particle sediments through a horizontal fluid-fluid interface (a situation frequently encountered in oceanography as well as in coating processes), it often tows a tail of the upper fluid into the lower one. This feature is observed in both inertia- and viscosity-dominated regimes. Nevertheless the tail evolution and the particle motion are found to highly depend on the ratio of the two effects, i.e. on the Reynolds number. In this work we study numerically the settling of a sphere through a horizontal fluid-fluid interface using an Immersed Boundary Method combined with a Volume of Fluid approach. To get some more insight into the underlying physical mechanisms, we combine this computational approach with a semi-analytical description based on the concept of Darwin ''drift'' which allows us to predict the interface evolution, hence the thickness of the film encapsulating the sphere, in the two limits of Stokes flow and potential flow. This work was funded by DGA whose financial support is greatly appreciated.

Fish in the matrix: motor learning in a virtual world.

PubMed

Engert, Florian

2012-01-01

One of the large remaining challenges in the field of zebrafish neuroscience is the establishment of techniques and preparations that permit the recording and perturbation of neural activity in animals that can interact meaningfully with the environment. Since it is very difficult to do this in freely behaving zebrafish, I describe here two alternative approaches that meet this goal via tethered preparations. The first uses head-fixation in agarose in combination with online imaging and analysis of tail motion. In the second method, paralyzed fish are suspended with suction pipettes in mid-water and nerve root recordings serve as indicators for intended locomotion. In both cases, fish can be immersed into a virtual environment and allowed to interact with this virtual world via real or fictive tail motions. The specific examples given in this review focus primarily on the role of visual feedback~- but the general principles certainly extend to other modalities, including proprioception, hearing, balance, and somatosensation.

Fish in the matrix: motor learning in a virtual world

PubMed Central

Engert, Florian

2013-01-01

One of the large remaining challenges in the field of zebrafish neuroscience is the establishment of techniques and preparations that permit the recording and perturbation of neural activity in animals that can interact meaningfully with the environment. Since it is very difficult to do this in freely behaving zebrafish, I describe here two alternative approaches that meet this goal via tethered preparations. The first uses head-fixation in agarose in combination with online imaging and analysis of tail motion. In the second method, paralyzed fish are suspended with suction pipettes in mid-water and nerve root recordings serve as indicators for intended locomotion. In both cases, fish can be immersed into a virtual environment and allowed to interact with this virtual world via real or fictive tail motions. The specific examples given in this review focus primarily on the role of visual feedback~– but the general principles certainly extend to other modalities, including proprioception, hearing, balance, and somatosensation. PMID:23355810

Hydrodynamics of metachronal paddling in crustaceans

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Santhanakrishnan, A.; Lai, H. K.; Samaee, M.; Lewis, T. J.; Guy, R. D.

2016-02-01

Long-tailed crustaceans such as crayfish and krill swim by rhythmically paddling a set of four to five limbs (swimmerets) originating from their abdomen. Despite variations in limb size and stroke frequency, movements of ipsilateral limbs always maintain a tail-to-head metachronal rhythm with an approximate quarter-period inter-limb phase difference. Relatively few studies have examined the fluid dynamics of metachronal limb stroke for the range of Reynolds numbers at which crustaceans operate. The objective of this study is to investigate metachronal paddling as a function of Reynolds number (Re) for quantifying hydrodynamic scalability of this swimming mechanism, including the effect of hinges on paddles as seen in crustacean swimmerets. Our approach included experiments on a scaled physical model and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations using the immersed boundary (IB) method. The scaled robotic model of metachronal paddling consisted of a rectangular aquarium tank fitted above with four stepper motors coupled to a four-bar linkage that actuated four acrylic paddles immersed in water-glycerin fluid medium. 2D particle image velocimetry (PIV) was used for quantitative flow visualization in the experiments. The swimmerets were modeled in CFD simulations as rigid 1D rods in a 2D fluid. The inter-limb phase difference was varied from 0% (synchronous paddling) through 50% across Re range of O(10-1000). Two types of experimental limb models were tested, including a simple flat plate and a `split-paddle' structure with two flat plates connected halfway with hinges. Our results show that the natural tail-to-head metachronal rhythm with an approximate quarter-period phase difference is the most effective and efficient rhythm across a wide range of Reynolds numbers. Limb models with hinges generated increased horizontal flow compared to the simple flat plate paddles, suggesting that asymmetry between power and return stroke is important to augment thrust.

Strain of optic-fiber/giant magnetostrictive film structure in magnetic field by finite element analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hu, Jiafei; Pan, Mengchun; Xin, Jianguang; Chen, Dixiang

2008-12-01

The magnetostrictive transducer is the most important part of the optic-fiber magnetic field sensor, and the optic-fiber/giant magnetostrictive(GMS) film coupled structure is a novel coupling form of the magnetostrictive transducer. Always we analyze the coupled structure based on the entire coupled structure being sputtered GMS material without tail-fibers. In practical application, the coupled structure has tail-fibers without films at two ends. When the entire coupled structure is immersed in the detected magnetic field, the detected magnetic field causes the GMS film strain then causing optic-fiber strain. This strain transmission process is different from it in the coupled structure entirely with GMS films without tail-fibers. The strain transmission relationship can be calculated theoretically in the coupled structure without tail-fibers, but it's complicated to theoretically calculate the strain transmission relationship in the coupled structure with tail-fibers. After large numbers of calculations and analyses by ANSYS software, we figure out some relationships of the two strain transmission processes in the respective structures and the stress distribution in the tail-fibers. These results are helpful to the practical application of the optic-fiber/ GMS film coupled structure.

Evaluation of antinociceptive activity of hydromethanol extract of Cyperus rotundus in mice

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Cyperus rotundus Linn. (Cyperaceae) is used to treat inflammation, pain, fever, wounds, boils and blisters in folk medicine. This study evaluated the antinociceptive effect of the hydromethanol extract of whole plant of C. rotundus (HMCR). Methods The antinociceptive activity of HMCR was investigated in thermal-induced (hot plate and tail immersion) and chemical-induced (formalin) nociception models in mice at three different doses (50, 100 and 200 mg/kg; p.o.). Morphine sulphate (5 mg/kg, i.p.) and diclofenac sodium (10 mg/kg, i.p.) were used as reference analgesic agents. Results In the hot-plate and tail-immersion tests HMCR significantly increased the latency period to the thermal stimuli at all the tested doses (50, 100 and 200 mg/kg) (p < 0.05). The significant increase in latency is clear from the observations at 60 and 90 min. In formalin-induced paw licking test oral administration of HMCR at 100 and 200 mg/kg doses decreased the licking of paw in early phase. All the tested doses (50, 100 and 200 mg/kg) significantly decreased the licking of paw in late phase of the test (p < 0.001). The dose 200 mg/kg was most effective showing maximum percentage of inhibition of licking in both early (61.60%) and late phase (87.41%). Conclusion These results indicate the antinociceptive effect of C. rotundus and suggest that this effect is mediated by both peripheral and central mechanisms. These results support the traditional use of this plant in different painful conditions. PMID:24589067

Optimization of Plant Growth-Promoting Bacteria-Assisted Phytostabilization of Mine Tailings

PubMed Central

Grandlic, Christopher J.; Palmer, Michael W.; Maier, Raina M.

2009-01-01

Recent studies have indicated that plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) can improve revegetation of arid mine tailings as measured by increased biomass production. The goals of the present study were first to evaluate how mode of application of known PGPB affects plant growth, and second to evaluate the effect of this inoculation on rhizosphere microbial community structure. PGPB application strategies investigated include preliminary surface sterilization of seeds (a common practice in phytoremediation trials) followed by a comparison of two application methods; immersion and alginate encapsulation. Results with two native desert plant species, Atriplex lentiformis and Buchloe dactyloides, suggest that seed surface sterilization prior to inoculation is not necessary to achieve beneficial effects of introduced PGPB. Both PGPB application techniques generally enhanced plant growth although results were both plant and PGPB specific. These results demonstrate that alginate encapsulation, which allows for long-term storage and easier application to seeds, is an effective way to inoculate PGPB. In addition, the influence of PGPB application on B. dactyloides rhizosphere community structure was evaluated using PCR-DGGE (denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis) analysis of bacterial DNA extracted from rhizosphere samples collected 75 d following planting. A comparative analysis of DGGE profiles was performed using canonical correspondence analysis (CCA). DGGE-CCA showed that rhizosphere community profiles from PGPB-inoculated treatments are significantly different from both uninoculated tailings rhizosphere profiles and profiles from the compost used to amend the tailings. Further, community profiles from B. dactyloides inoculated with the best performing PGPB (Arthro mix) were significantly different from two other PGPB tested. These results suggest that introduced PGPB have the potential to influence the development of the rhizosphere community structure found in plants grown in mine tailings. PMID:20161141

Vertical Tail Buffeting Alleviation Using Piezoelectric Actuators-Some Results of the Actively Controlled Response of Buffet-Affected Tails (ACROBAT) Program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Moses, Robert W.

1997-01-01

Buffet is an aeroelastic phenomenon associated with high performance aircraft especially those with twin vertical tails. In particular, for the F/A-18 aircraft at high angles of attack, vortices emanating from wing/fuselage leading edge extensions burst, immersing the vertical tails in their wake. The resulting buffet loads on the vertical tails are a concern from fatigue and inspection points of view. Recently, a 1/6-scale F-18 wind-tunnel model was tested in the Transonic Dynamics Tunnel at the NASA Langley Research Center as part of the Actively Controlled Response Of Buffet Affected Tails (ACROBAT) Program to assess the use of active controls in reducing vertical tail buffeting. The starboard vertical tail was equipped with an active rudder and the port vertical tail was equipped with piezoelectric actuators. The tunnel conditions were atmospheric air at Mach 0.10. By using single-input-single-output control laws at gains well below the physical limits of the actuators, the power spectral density of the root strains at the frequency of the first bending mode of the vertical tail was reduced by as much as 60 percent up to angles of attack of 37 degrees. Root mean square (RMS) values of root strain were reduced by as much as 19 percent. The results herein illustrate that buffet alleviation of vertical tails can be accomplished using simple active control of the rudder or piezoelectric actuators. In fact, as demonstrated herein, a fixed gain single input single output control law that commands piezoelectric actuators may be active throughout the high angle-of-attack maneuver without requiring any changes during the maneuver. Future tests are mentioned for accentuating the international interest in this area of research.

Flutter Instability of a Fluid-Conveying Fluid-Immersed Pipe Affixed to a Rigid Body

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-01-01

rigid body, denoted by y in Fig. 4, is small. This is in addition to the Euler– Bernoulli beam assumption that the slope of the tail is small everywhere...here. These include the efficiency with which the prime mover can generate fluid momentum , pipe losses, and external drag acting on both the hull and the

Evaluation of the antinociceptive activity of extracts of Sonchus oleraceus L. in mice.

PubMed

Vilela, Fabiana Cardoso; de Mesquita Padilha, Marina; Dos Santos-E-Silva, Lucas; Alves-da-Silva, Geraldo; Giusti-Paiva, Alexandre

2009-07-15

Sonchus oleraceus L. has been used to relieve pain in Brazilian folk medicine. Sonchus oleraceus L. has been used to relieve pain in Brazilian folk medicine. This study was conducted to establish the antinociceptive properties of hydroethanolic and dichloromethane extracts from aerial parts of Sonchus oleraceus in mice using chemical and thermal models of nociception. The formalin, hot plate, and tail immersion tests as well as acetic acid-induced writhing were used to investigate the antinociceptive activity in mice. Given orally, the extracts at test doses of 30-300 mg/kg, produced significant inhibitions on chemical nociception induced by intraperitoneal acetic acid and subplantar formalin since decreased the number of writhing episodes and the time licking. Treatment with the extracts in the same doses produced a significant increase of the reaction time in tail immersion and in the hot plate test. The extracts administered at 300 mg/kg, p.o. had a stronger antinociceptive effect than indomethacin (5mg/kg, p.o.) and morphine (10mg/kg, p.o.). The extracts of Sonchus oleraceus markedly demonstrated antinociceptive action in mice, which supports previous claims of its traditional use.

Spatial Characteristics of the Unsteady Differential Pressures on 16 percent F/A-18 Vertical Tails

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Moses, Robert W.; Ashley, Holt

1998-01-01

Buffeting is an aeroelastic phenomenon which plagues high performance aircraft at high angles of attack. For the F/A-18 at high angles of attack, vortices emanating from wing/fuselage leading edge extensions burst, immersing the vertical tails in their turbulent wake. The resulting buffeting of the vertical tails is a concern from fatigue and inspection points of view. Previous flight and wind-tunnel investigations to determine the buffet loads on the tail did not provide a complete description of the spatial characteristics of the unsteady differential pressures. Consequently, the unsteady differential pressures were considered to be fully correlated in the analyses of buffet and buffeting. The use of fully correlated pressures in estimating the generalized aerodynamic forces for the analysis of buffeting yielded responses that exceeded those measured in flight and in the wind tunnel. To learn more about the spatial characteristics of the unsteady differential pressures, an available 16%, sting-mounted, F-18 wind-tunnel model was modified and tested in the Transonic Dynamics Tunnel (TDT) at the NASA Langley Research Center as part of the ACROBAT (Actively Controlled Response Of Buffet-Affected Tails) program. Surface pressures were measured at high angles of attack on flexible and rigid tails. Cross-correlation and cross-spectral analyses of the pressure time histories indicate that the unsteady differential pressures are not fully correlated. In fact, the unsteady differential pressure resemble a wave that travels along the tail. At constant angle of attack, the pressure correlation varies with flight speed.

Analgesic and Anti-Inflammatory Activities of Diethyl Ether and n-Hexane Extract of Polyalthia suberosa Leaves

PubMed Central

Yasmen, Nelufar; Tajmim, Afsana; Akter, Mst. Irin; Hazra, Amit Kumar; Rahman, S. M. Mushiur

2018-01-01

In folk medicine, Polyalthia suberosa is used as abortifacient, laxative, febrifuge analgesic, filler of tooth cavities, and anti-HIV drug and for rheumatism and various skin infections. The present study was directed to evaluate the analgesic and anti-inflammatory activities of diethyl ether and n-hexane extracts of Polyalthia suberosa leaves (PSDE and PSNH). A variety of tests including formalin-induced paw licking test, acetic acid induced writhing test, and tail immersion test were used to assess the analgesic activity. In addition, xylene-induced ear edema test was used to evaluate anti-inflammatory activity of PSDE and PSNH. PSDE and PSNH at 200 and 400 mg/kg doses expressed analgesic as well as anti-inflammatory activities in mice. In formalin-induced paw licking test, acetic acid induced writhing test, and xylene-induced ear edema test, the extracts exhibited significant inhibition (⁎P < 0.05 versus control) of pain and inflammation. Alternatively, in tail immersion test, PSDE 400 mg/kg showed significant (⁎P < 0.05 versus control) latency at 30 min but another tested sample had no significant latency. From this study, it could be shown that Polyalthia suberosa leaves may contain analgesic and anti-inflammatory agents which support its use in traditional medicine. PMID:29599807

Analgesic and Anti-Inflammatory Activities of Diethyl Ether and n-Hexane Extract of Polyalthia suberosa Leaves.

PubMed

Yasmen, Nelufar; Aziz, Md Abdullah; Tajmim, Afsana; Akter, Mst Irin; Hazra, Amit Kumar; Rahman, S M Mushiur

2018-01-01

In folk medicine, Polyalthia suberosa is used as abortifacient, laxative, febrifuge analgesic, filler of tooth cavities, and anti-HIV drug and for rheumatism and various skin infections. The present study was directed to evaluate the analgesic and anti-inflammatory activities of diethyl ether and n-hexane extracts of Polyalthia suberosa leaves (PSDE and PSNH). A variety of tests including formalin-induced paw licking test, acetic acid induced writhing test, and tail immersion test were used to assess the analgesic activity. In addition, xylene-induced ear edema test was used to evaluate anti-inflammatory activity of PSDE and PSNH. PSDE and PSNH at 200 and 400 mg/kg doses expressed analgesic as well as anti-inflammatory activities in mice. In formalin-induced paw licking test, acetic acid induced writhing test, and xylene-induced ear edema test, the extracts exhibited significant inhibition ( ⁎ P < 0.05 versus control) of pain and inflammation. Alternatively, in tail immersion test, PSDE 400 mg/kg showed significant ( ⁎ P < 0.05 versus control) latency at 30 min but another tested sample had no significant latency. From this study, it could be shown that Polyalthia suberosa leaves may contain analgesic and anti-inflammatory agents which support its use in traditional medicine.

Sedimentation of finite-size particles in quiescent and turbulent environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brandt, Luca; Fornari, Walter; Picano, Francesco

2015-11-01

Sedimentation of a dispersed solid phase is widely encountered in applications and environmental flows. We present Direct Numerical Simulations of sedimentation in quiescent and turbulent environments using an Immersed Boundary Method to study the behavior of finite-size particles in homogeneous isotropic turbulence. The particle radius is approximately 6 Komlogorov lengthscales, the volume fraction 0.5% and 1% and the density ratio 1.02. The results show that the mean settling velocity is lower in an already turbulent flow than in a quiescent fluid. The reduction with respect to a single particle in quiescent fluid is about 12% in dilute conditions. The probability density function of the particle velocity is almost Gaussian in a turbulent flow, whereas it displays large positive tails in quiescent fluid. These tails are associated to the intermittent fast sedimentation of particle pairs in drafting-kissing-tumbling motions. Using the concept of mean relative velocity we estimate the mean drag coefficient from empirical formulas and show that non stationary effects, related to vortex shedding, explain the increased reduction in mean settling velocity in a turbulent environment. This work was supported by the European Research Council Grant No. ERC-2013- CoG-616186, TRITOS.

Predicting Tail Buffet Loads of a Fighter Airplane

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Moses, Robert W.; Pototzky, Anthony S.

2006-01-01

Buffet loads on aft aerodynamic surfaces pose a recurring problem on most twin-tailed fighter airplanes: During maneuvers at high angles of attack, vortices emanating from various surfaces on the forward parts of such an airplane (engine inlets, wings, or other fuselage appendages) often burst, immersing the tails in their wakes. Although these vortices increase lift, the frequency contents of the burst vortices become so low as to cause the aft surfaces to vibrate destructively. Now, there exists a new analysis capability for predicting buffet loads during the earliest design phase of a fighter-aircraft program. In effect, buffet pressures are applied to mathematical models in the framework of a finite-element code, complete with aeroelastic properties and working knowledge of the spatiality of the buffet pressures for all flight conditions. The results of analysis performed by use of this capability illustrate those vibratory modes of a tail fin that are most likely to be affected by buffet loads. Hence, the results help in identifying the flight conditions during which to expect problems. Using this capability, an aircraft designer can make adjustments to the airframe and possibly the aerodynamics, leading to a more robust design.

Immersed boundary-simplified lattice Boltzmann method for incompressible viscous flows

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Z.; Shu, C.; Tan, D.

2018-05-01

An immersed boundary-simplified lattice Boltzmann method is developed in this paper for simulations of two-dimensional incompressible viscous flows with immersed objects. Assisted by the fractional step technique, the problem is resolved in a predictor-corrector scheme. The predictor step solves the flow field without considering immersed objects, and the corrector step imposes the effect of immersed boundaries on the velocity field. Different from the previous immersed boundary-lattice Boltzmann method which adopts the standard lattice Boltzmann method (LBM) as the flow solver in the predictor step, a recently developed simplified lattice Boltzmann method (SLBM) is applied in the present method to evaluate intermediate flow variables. Compared to the standard LBM, SLBM requires lower virtual memories, facilitates the implementation of physical boundary conditions, and shows better numerical stability. The boundary condition-enforced immersed boundary method, which accurately ensures no-slip boundary conditions, is implemented as the boundary solver in the corrector step. Four typical numerical examples are presented to demonstrate the stability, the flexibility, and the accuracy of the present method.

Antinociceptive activity of fruits extracts and "arrope" of Geoffroea decorticans (chañar).

PubMed

Reynoso, M A; Vera, N; Aristimuño, M E; Daud, A; Sánchez Riera, A

2013-01-09

Geoffroea decorticans (chañar) fruits and their derivate product (arrope) have been traditionally used as food and a folk medicine for the treatment of a wide variety of diseases including bronchopulmonary disorders and to relieve dolorous process. In order to evaluate the pharmacology action of this plant, studies were performed of antinociceptive and antioxidant activities. The aqueous and ethanolic extracts and arrope of chañar were evaluated in various established pain models, including chemical nociception induced by subplantar formalin and intraperitoneal acetic acid and thermal nociception method, such as tail immersion test in rats. To examine the possible connection of the opioid receptor to the antinociceptive activity of extracts and arrope it was performed a combination test with naloxone, a non-selective opioid receptor antagonist. The aqueous extract and arrope (1000 mg/kg) caused an inhibition of the pain in formalin test in the first phase, similar to morphine and decrease in the second phase. In a combination test using naloxone, diminished analgesic activity of aqueous extract and arrope were observed, indicating that antinociceptive activity is connected with the opioid receptor. The aqueous extract and arrope, caused an inhibition of the writhing response induced by acetic acid. Central involvement in analgesic profile was confirmed by the tail immersion test, in which the aqueous extract and arrope showed a significant analgesic activity by increasing latency time. The aqueous extract showed higher antioxidant activity than the arrope, it may be due to the cooking process. This study has shown that the aqueous extract and arrope of Geoffroea decorticans (chañar) fruits, does possess significant antinociceptive effects. It is further concluded that aqueous extract with maximum inhibition of free radical is the most potent extract amount tested extracts. At the oral doses tested the aqueous extract and arrope were non-toxic. The present results justifies their popular use and constitutes the first validation study of the antinociceptive action. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Solving Fluid Structure Interaction Problems with an Immersed Boundary Method

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barad, Michael F.; Brehm, Christoph; Kiris, Cetin C.

2016-01-01

An immersed boundary method for the compressible Navier-Stokes equations can be used for moving boundary problems as well as fully coupled fluid-structure interaction is presented. The underlying Cartesian immersed boundary method of the Launch Ascent and Vehicle Aerodynamics (LAVA) framework, based on the locally stabilized immersed boundary method previously presented by the authors, is extended to account for unsteady boundary motion and coupled to linear and geometrically nonlinear structural finite element solvers. The approach is validated for moving boundary problems with prescribed body motion and fully coupled fluid structure interaction problems. Keywords: Immersed Boundary Method, Higher-Order Finite Difference Method, Fluid Structure Interaction.

Standardizing a simpler, more sensitive and accurate tail bleeding assay in mice

PubMed Central

Liu, Yang; Jennings, Nicole L; Dart, Anthony M; Du, Xiao-Jun

2012-01-01

AIM: To optimize the experimental protocols for a simple, sensitive and accurate bleeding assay. METHODS: Bleeding assay was performed in mice by tail tip amputation, immersing the tail in saline at 37 °C, continuously monitoring bleeding patterns and measuring bleeding volume from changes in the body weight. Sensitivity and extent of variation of bleeding time and bleeding volume were compared in mice treated with the P2Y receptor inhibitor prasugrel at various doses or in mice deficient of FcRγ, a signaling protein of the glycoprotein VI receptor. RESULTS: We described details of the bleeding assay with the aim of standardizing this commonly used assay. The bleeding assay detailed here was simple to operate and permitted continuous monitoring of bleeding pattern and detection of re-bleeding. We also reported a simple and accurate way of quantifying bleeding volume from changes in the body weight, which correlated well with chemical assay of hemoglobin levels (r2 = 0.990, P < 0.0001). We determined by tail bleeding assay the dose-effect relation of the anti-platelet drug prasugrel from 0.015 to 5 mg/kg. Our results showed that the correlation of bleeding time and volume was unsatisfactory and that compared with the bleeding time, bleeding volume was more sensitive in detecting a partial inhibition of platelet’s haemostatic activity (P < 0.01). Similarly, in mice with genetic disruption of FcRγ as a signaling molecule of P-selectin glycoprotein ligand-1 leading to platelet dysfunction, both increased bleeding volume and repeated bleeding pattern defined the phenotype of the knockout mice better than that of a prolonged bleeding time. CONCLUSION: Determination of bleeding pattern and bleeding volume, in addition to bleeding time, improved the sensitivity and accuracy of this assay, particularly when platelet function is partially inhibited. PMID:24520531

High resolution beam profiling of X-ray free electron laser radiation by polymer imprint development.

PubMed

Rösner, Benedikt; Döring, Florian; Ribič, Primož R; Gauthier, David; Principi, Emiliano; Masciovecchio, Claudio; Zangrando, Marco; Vila-Comamala, Joan; De Ninno, Giovanni; David, Christian

2017-11-27

High resolution metrology of beam profiles is presently a major challenge at X-ray free electron lasers. We demonstrate a characterization method based on beam imprints in poly (methyl methacrylate). By immersing the imprints formed at 47.8 eV into organic solvents, the regions exposed to the beam are removed similar to resist development in grayscale lithography. This allows for extending the sensitivity of the method by more than an order of magnitude compared to the established analysis of imprints created solely by ablation. Applying the Beer-Lambert law for absorption, the intensity distribution in a micron-sized focus can be reconstructed from one single shot with a high dynamic range, exceeding 10 3 . The procedure described here allows for beam characterization at free electron lasers revealing even faint beam tails, which are not accessible when using ablation imprint methods. We demonstrate the greatly extended dynamic range on developed imprints taken in focus of conventional Fresnel zone plates and spiral zone plates producing beams with a topological charge.

A VERSATILE SHARP INTERFACE IMMERSED BOUNDARY METHOD FOR INCOMPRESSIBLE FLOWS WITH COMPLEX BOUNDARIES

PubMed Central

Mittal, R.; Dong, H.; Bozkurttas, M.; Najjar, F.M.; Vargas, A.; von Loebbecke, A.

2010-01-01

A sharp interface immersed boundary method for simulating incompressible viscous flow past three-dimensional immersed bodies is described. The method employs a multi-dimensional ghost-cell methodology to satisfy the boundary conditions on the immersed boundary and the method is designed to handle highly complex three-dimensional, stationary, moving and/or deforming bodies. The complex immersed surfaces are represented by grids consisting of unstructured triangular elements; while the flow is computed on non-uniform Cartesian grids. The paper describes the salient features of the methodology with special emphasis on the immersed boundary treatment for stationary and moving boundaries. Simulations of a number of canonical two- and three-dimensional flows are used to verify the accuracy and fidelity of the solver over a range of Reynolds numbers. Flow past suddenly accelerated bodies are used to validate the solver for moving boundary problems. Finally two cases inspired from biology with highly complex three-dimensional bodies are simulated in order to demonstrate the versatility of the method. PMID:20216919

Heavy-tailed distributions in the intermittent motion behaviour of the intertidal gastropod Littorina littorea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seuront, Laurent; Duponchel, Anne-Charlotte; Chapperon, Coraline

2007-11-01

The two-dimensional motion behaviour of the common intertidal gastropod Littorina littorea is investigated as a function of the immersion time from three sampling sites on an exposed rocky shore. A total of 90 individuals have been individually marked and tracked over 14 consecutive daylight low tide. Successive displacements show very intermittent behaviour, with a few localised large displacements over a wide range of small displacements. We show that successive displacements are described by flight length l d heavy-tailed distributions with P(ld)∼ld-μ. The very low values of the exponent μ ( μ≈2.22, 2.43 and 2.67) indicate that L. littorea flights fall into the category of super-diffusive processes. These exponents were significantly higher than the special value μ≈2 analytically and theoretically predicted to be the most advantageous in optimising long-term encounter statistics, especially for low-prey-density scenario. As natural selection should favour flexible behaviour, leading to different optimum searching statistics, under different conditions, our results support the idea that the differences in food concentration and distribution encountered at the different sites by L. littorea led to different heavy-tailed distributions observed for the most extreme displacements.

Analgesic and antipyretic effects of Sansevieria trifasciata leaves.

PubMed

Anbu, Jeba Sunilson J; Jayaraj, P; Varatharajan, R; Thomas, John; Jisha, James; Muthappan, M

2009-07-03

The ethanol and water extracts of Sansevieria trifasciata leaves showed dose-dependent and significant (P < 0.05) increase in pain threshold in tail-immersion test. Moreover, both the extracts (100 - 200 mg/kg) exhibited a dose-dependent inhibition of writhing and also showed a significant (P < 0.001) inhibition of both phases of the formalin pain test. The ethanol extract (200 mg/kg) significantly (P < 0.01) reversed yeast-induced fever. Preliminary phytochemical screening of the extracts showed the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, saponins, glycosides, terpenoids, tannins, proteins and carbohydrates.

Lubricated immersed boundary method in two dimensions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fai, Thomas G.; Rycroft, Chris H.

2018-03-01

Many biological examples of fluid-structure interaction, including the transit of red blood cells through the narrow slits in the spleen and the intracellular trafficking of vesicles into dendritic spines, involve the near-contact of elastic structures separated by thin layers of fluid. Motivated by such problems, we introduce an immersed boundary method that uses elements of lubrication theory to resolve thin fluid layers between immersed boundaries. We demonstrate 2nd-order accurate convergence for simple two-dimensional flows with known exact solutions to showcase the increased accuracy of this method compared to the standard immersed boundary method. Motivated by the phenomenon of wall-induced migration, we apply the lubricated immersed boundary method to simulate an elastic vesicle near a wall in shear flow. We also simulate the dynamics of a vesicle traveling through a narrow channel and observe the ability of the lubricated method to capture the vesicle motion on relatively coarse fluid grids.

Some recent developments of the immersed interface method for flow simulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Sheng

2017-11-01

The immersed interface method is a general methodology for solving PDEs subject to interfaces. In this talk, I will give an overview of some recent developments of the method toward the enhancement of its robustness for flow simulation. In particular, I will present with numerical results how to capture boundary conditions on immersed rigid objects, how to adopt interface triangulation in the method, and how to parallelize the method for flow with moving objects. With these developments, the immersed interface method can achieve accurate and efficient simulation of a flow involving multiple moving complex objects. Thanks to NSF for the support of this work under Grant NSF DMS 1320317.

Adoption of the Creative Process According to the Immersive Method

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vuk, Sonja; Tacol, Tonka; Vogrinc, Janez

2015-01-01

The immersive method is a new concept of visual education that is better suited to the needs of students in contemporary post-industrial society. The features of the immersive method are: (1) it emerges from interaction with visual culture; (2) it encourages understanding of contemporary art (as an integral part of visual culture); and (3) it…

Open Rotor Computational Aeroacoustic Analysis with an Immersed Boundary Method

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brehm, Christoph; Barad, Michael F.; Kiris, Cetin C.

2016-01-01

Reliable noise prediction capabilities are essential to enable novel fuel efficient open rotor designs that can meet the community and cabin noise standards. Toward this end, immersed boundary methods have reached a level of maturity so that they are being frequently employed for specific real world applications within NASA. This paper demonstrates that our higher-order immersed boundary method provides the ability for aeroacoustic analysis of wake-dominated flow fields generated by highly complex geometries. This is the first of a kind aeroacoustic simulation of an open rotor propulsion system employing an immersed boundary method. In addition to discussing the peculiarities of applying the immersed boundary method to this moving boundary problem, we will provide a detailed aeroacoustic analysis of the noise generation mechanisms encountered in the open rotor flow. The simulation data is compared to available experimental data and other computational results employing more conventional CFD methods. The noise generation mechanisms are analyzed employing spectral analysis, proper orthogonal decomposition and the causality method.

A High-Order Immersed Boundary Method for Acoustic Wave Scattering and Low-Mach Number Flow-Induced Sound in Complex Geometries

PubMed Central

Seo, Jung Hee; Mittal, Rajat

2010-01-01

A new sharp-interface immersed boundary method based approach for the computation of low-Mach number flow-induced sound around complex geometries is described. The underlying approach is based on a hydrodynamic/acoustic splitting technique where the incompressible flow is first computed using a second-order accurate immersed boundary solver. This is followed by the computation of sound using the linearized perturbed compressible equations (LPCE). The primary contribution of the current work is the development of a versatile, high-order accurate immersed boundary method for solving the LPCE in complex domains. This new method applies the boundary condition on the immersed boundary to a high-order by combining the ghost-cell approach with a weighted least-squares error method based on a high-order approximating polynomial. The method is validated for canonical acoustic wave scattering and flow-induced noise problems. Applications of this technique to relatively complex cases of practical interest are also presented. PMID:21318129

Head or tail: the orientation of the small bowel capsule endoscope movement in the small bowel.

PubMed

Kopylov, Uri; Papageorgiou, Neofytos P; Nadler, Moshe; Eliakim, Rami; Ben-Horin, Shomron

2012-03-01

The diagnostic accuracy of capsule endoscopy has been suggested to be influenced by the direction of the passage in the intestine. It is currently unknown if a head-first or a tail-first orientation are equally common during the descent through the small bowel. The aim of the study was to identify the orientation of the capsule along the migration through the small bowel. Thirty capsule endoscopies were reviewed by an experienced observer. The direction of the passage through the pylorus and the ileoceccal valve was recorded for all the examinations. In addition, detailed review of the passage of the capsule in different segments of the small bowel was undertaken for all the capsules. The capsule was significantly more likely to pass the pylorus head-first compared to tail-first (25 and 5 out of 30, respectively, OR 5, 95% CI 65-94%, P < 0.001). In 28/30 studies, the capsule exited the ileoceccal valve head-first (OR-14, 95% CI 77-99%, P < 0.001). In an immersion experiment, uneven distribution of weight of the capsule body was demonstrated with the head part (camera tip) being lighter than the tail part. The capsule endoscope usually passes through the pylorus and subsequent segments of the small bowel head-first. This observation suggests that the intestinal peristaltic physiology drives symmetrical bodies with their light part first. The principle of intestinal orientation by weight distribution may bear implications for capsules' design in the future.

A velocity-correction projection method based immersed boundary method for incompressible flows

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cai, Shanggui

2014-11-01

In the present work we propose a novel direct forcing immersed boundary method based on the velocity-correction projection method of [J.L. Guermond, J. Shen, Velocity-correction projection methods for incompressible flows, SIAM J. Numer. Anal., 41 (1)(2003) 112]. The principal idea of immersed boundary method is to correct the velocity in the vicinity of the immersed object by using an artificial force to mimic the presence of the physical boundaries. Therefore, velocity-correction projection method is preferred to its pressure-correction counterpart in the present work. Since the velocity-correct projection method is considered as a dual class of pressure-correction method, the proposed method here can also be interpreted in the way that first the pressure is predicted by treating the viscous term explicitly without the consideration of the immersed boundary, and the solenoidal velocity is used to determine the volume force on the Lagrangian points, then the non-slip boundary condition is enforced by correcting the velocity with the implicit viscous term. To demonstrate the efficiency and accuracy of the proposed method, several numerical simulations are performed and compared with the results in the literature. China Scholarship Council.

Hybrid finite difference/finite element immersed boundary method.

PubMed

E Griffith, Boyce; Luo, Xiaoyu

2017-12-01

The immersed boundary method is an approach to fluid-structure interaction that uses a Lagrangian description of the structural deformations, stresses, and forces along with an Eulerian description of the momentum, viscosity, and incompressibility of the fluid-structure system. The original immersed boundary methods described immersed elastic structures using systems of flexible fibers, and even now, most immersed boundary methods still require Lagrangian meshes that are finer than the Eulerian grid. This work introduces a coupling scheme for the immersed boundary method to link the Lagrangian and Eulerian variables that facilitates independent spatial discretizations for the structure and background grid. This approach uses a finite element discretization of the structure while retaining a finite difference scheme for the Eulerian variables. We apply this method to benchmark problems involving elastic, rigid, and actively contracting structures, including an idealized model of the left ventricle of the heart. Our tests include cases in which, for a fixed Eulerian grid spacing, coarser Lagrangian structural meshes yield discretization errors that are as much as several orders of magnitude smaller than errors obtained using finer structural meshes. The Lagrangian-Eulerian coupling approach developed in this work enables the effective use of these coarse structural meshes with the immersed boundary method. This work also contrasts two different weak forms of the equations, one of which is demonstrated to be more effective for the coarse structural discretizations facilitated by our coupling approach. © 2017 The Authors International  Journal  for  Numerical  Methods  in  Biomedical  Engineering Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Experimental Study on Comprehensive Performance of Full Tailings Paste Filling in Jiaojia Gold Mine.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Z. H.; Zou, Q. B.; Wang, P. Z.

2017-11-01

Filling mining method is the main method of modern underground mining. High concentration cementation is carried out using coarse tailing of +37 μm, and the mine has maturely used classified tailings paste filling technology. The gold mine studied on the performance of full tailings paste filling in order to maximize the use of tailings, reduce -37 μm fine tailings discharged into the tailing pond, reduce mining cost and eliminate security risks. The results show that: comprehensive index of full tailings paste filling is higher than that of classified tailings high concentration cementation filling, and the full tailings paste filling of 76% mass concentration has the best comprehensive index of slump, expansibility, yield stress and viscosity to meet the mining method requirements, which can effectively reduce the mining loss rate and dilution rate.

Evaluation of analgesic activity of various extracts of Sida tiagii Bhandari.

PubMed

Kumawat, Ram Kumar; Kumar, Suresh; Sharma, Sunil

2012-01-01

Sida tiagii Bhandari mostly found in India and Pakistan which belongs to family Malvaceae, is traditionally used as analgesic, anti-inflammatory, sedative, anxiolytic, anti-seizure and anti-platelet. The present study was done to explore the analgesic activity of various extracts of fruits of the plant Sida tiagii Bhandari. The grinded fruits were extracted with 90% ethanol and partitioned with n-hexane (n-hexane extract; HS) and ethyl acetate (ethyl acetate extract; EAS), successively. The residual ethanol fraction (residual ethanol extract; RES) was also prepared by drying on water bath separately. All three extracts were administered orally at a dose of 200 mg/kg and 500 mg/kg of body weight. The analgesic activity of above extracts was evaluated by using acetic acid induced writhing, tail immersion and tail flick tests in Swiss albino mice. The EAS extract was found to reduce pain and RES extract of Sida tiagii B. was found to have good analgesic activity in comparison to other extracts.

Antidepressant, anticonvulsant and antinociceptive effects of 3'-methoxy-6-methylflavone and 3'-hydroxy-6-methylflavone may involve GABAergic mechanisms.

PubMed

Karim, Nasiara; Khan, Imran; Ahmad, Naveed; Umar, Muhammad Naveed; Gavande, Navnath

2017-10-01

GABA A receptors have been implicated in the pathophysiology of depression, epilepsy and pain disorders. The purpose of this study was to investigate two novel synthetic flavones, 3'-methoxy-6-methylflavone (3'-MeO6MF) and 3'-hydroxy-6-methylflavone (3'-OH6MF), for their effect on GABA A receptors and subsequently investigate their antidepressant, anticonvulsant and antinociceptive effects. Recombinant GABA A receptor subunits were expressed in Xenopus oocytes and a two electrode voltage clamp technique was used for electrophysiological studies. The antidepressant and anticonvulsant activities were determined using forced swim (FST) and tail suspension tests (TST) and bicuculline (BIC)-induced seizures respectively. Furthermore, the antinociceptive activity was determined using tail immersion and hot plate tests. 3'-MeO6MF and 3'-OH6MF potentiated GABA-induced currents through ternary α1-2β1-3γ2L and binary α1β2 receptors indicating that the positive modulation by these flavonoids is not dependent on the γ subunit. In behavioral studies, 3'-MeO6MF and 3'-OH6MF (10-100mg/kg, ip) exerted significant antidepressant like effects in the FST and TST. 3'-MeO6MF (10-100mg/kg) and 3'-OH6MF (30 and 100mg/kg) also exhibited significant anticonvulsant effects in BIC-induced seizures, and antinociceptive activity in tail immersion and hot plate tests (*p<0.05, **p<0.01, ***p<0.001). Furthermore, the antidepressant and antinociceptive activities of 3'-MeO6MF and 3'-OH6MF were partially ameliorated by co-administration of BIC (3mg/kg) suggesting the involvement of GABAergic mechanisms. The findings of this study suggest that 3'-MeO6MF and 3'-OH6MF exhibited significant antidepressant, anticonvulsant and antinociceptive effects mediated via interactions with GABA A receptors. Copyright © 2017 Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences. Published by Elsevier Urban & Partner Sp. z o.o. All rights reserved.

Particle Swarm-Based Translation Control for Immersed Tunnel Element in the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge Project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Jun-jun; Yang, Xiao-jun; Xiao, Ying-jie; Xu, Bo-wei; Wu, Hua-feng

2018-03-01

Immersed tunnel is an important part of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge (HZMB) project. In immersed tunnel floating, translation which includes straight and transverse movements is the main working mode. To decide the magnitude and direction of the towing force for each tug, a particle swarm-based translation control method is presented for non-power immersed tunnel element. A sort of linear weighted logarithmic function is exploited to avoid weak subgoals. In simulation, the particle swarm-based control method is evaluated and compared with traditional empirical method in the case of the HZMB project. Simulation results show that the presented method delivers performance improvement in terms of the enhanced surplus towing force.

Tail-scope: Using friends to estimate heavy tails of degree distributions in large-scale complex networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eom, Young-Ho; Jo, Hang-Hyun

2015-05-01

Many complex networks in natural and social phenomena have often been characterized by heavy-tailed degree distributions. However, due to rapidly growing size of network data and concerns on privacy issues about using these data, it becomes more difficult to analyze complete data sets. Thus, it is crucial to devise effective and efficient estimation methods for heavy tails of degree distributions in large-scale networks only using local information of a small fraction of sampled nodes. Here we propose a tail-scope method based on local observational bias of the friendship paradox. We show that the tail-scope method outperforms the uniform node sampling for estimating heavy tails of degree distributions, while the opposite tendency is observed in the range of small degrees. In order to take advantages of both sampling methods, we devise the hybrid method that successfully recovers the whole range of degree distributions. Our tail-scope method shows how structural heterogeneities of large-scale complex networks can be used to effectively reveal the network structure only with limited local information.

On the Immersion Liquid Evaporation Method Based on the Dynamic Sweep of Magnitude of the Refractive Index of a Binary Liquid Mixture: A Case Study on Determining Mineral Particle Light Dispersion.

PubMed

Niskanen, Ilpo; Räty, Jukka; Peiponen, Kai-Erik

2017-07-01

This is a feasibility study of a modified immersion liquid technique for determining the refractive index of micro-sized particles. The practical challenge of the traditional liquid immersion method is to find or produce a suitable host liquid whose refractive index equals that of a solid particle. Usually, the immersion liquid method uses a set of immersion liquids with different refractive indices or continuously mixes two liquids with different refractive indices, e.g., using a pumping system. Here, the phenomenon of liquid evaporation has been utilized in defining the time-dependent refractive index variation of the host liquid. From the spectral transmittance data measured during the evaporation process, the refractive index of a solid particle in the host liquid can be determined as a function of the wavelength. The method was tested using calcium fluoride (CaF 2 ) particles with an immersion liquid mixed from diethyl ether and diffusion pump fluid. The dispersion data obtained were consistent with the literature values thus indicating the proper functioning of the proposed procedure.

Hydro-ethanolic leaf extract of Ziziphus abyssinica Hochst Ex A. Rich (Rhamnaceae) exhibits anti-nociceptive effects in murine models.

PubMed

Boakye-Gyasi, Eric; Henneh, Isaac Tabiri; Abotsi, Wonder Kofi Mensah; Ameyaw, Elvis Ofori; Woode, Eric

2017-04-26

Despite substantial advances in pain research and treatment, millions of people continue to suffer from pain and this has been attributed mainly to the unavailability of effective and safer analgesics. The use of plants as medicines is still widespread and plants constitute a large source of novel phytocompounds that might become leads for the discovery of newer, effective and safer alternatives. Various parts of Ziziphus abyssinica have been used in folk medicine in several African countries as painkillers. However, there is no report on the possible anti-nociceptive effects of this plant especially the leaves, hence the need for this current study. The possible anti-nociceptive activity of hydro-ethanolic leaf extract of Ziziphus abyssinica (EthE) was assessed in rodents using chemical (acetic acid, formalin and glutamate), thermal (tail-immersion test) and mechanical/inflammatory (carrageenan) models of nociception. EthE (30-300 mg/kg, p.o.) dose-dependently and significantly inhibited chemical-induced nociception with a maximum inhibition of 86.29 ± 2.27%, 76.34 ± 5.67%, 84.97 ± 5.35%, and 82.81 ± 5.97% respectively for acetic acid, formalin (phase 1), formalin (phase 2) and glutamate tests at its highest dose. EthE also dose-dependently and significantly increased reaction times in both tail-immersion and carrageenan-induced hypernociceptive tests. The activities of the extract in the various models were comparable with the effect of morphine hydrochloride and diclofenac sodium used as standard analgesic drugs. Oral administration of hydro-ethanolic leaf extract of Ziziphus abyssinica ameliorates nocifensive behaviours associated with chemical-, thermal- and mechanical/inflammatory - induced nociceptive pain.

Antinociceptive action of diphenyl diselenide in the nociception induced by neonatal administration of monosodium glutamate in rats.

PubMed

Rosa, Suzan G; Quines, Caroline B; da Rocha, Juliana T; Bortolatto, Cristiani F; Duarte, Thiago; Nogueira, Cristina W

2015-07-05

Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is a neuroexcitatory amino acid commonly used as flavoring of foods. MSG neonatal administration to animals leads to behavioral and physiological disorders in adulthood, including increased pain sensitivity. This study aimed to investigate the effect of diphenyl diselenide (PhSe)2, an organoselenium compound with pharmacological properties already documented, on nociception induced by MSG. Newborn Wistar rats received 10 subcutaneous injections of MSG at a dose of 4.0g/kg or saline (once daily). At the 60th day of life, the rats were daily treated with (PhSe)2 (1mg/kg) or vehicle (canola oil) by the intragastric route for 7 days. The behavioral tests (locomotor activity, hot plate, tail-immersion and mechanical allodynia) were carried out. Ex vivo assays were performed in samples of hippocampus to determine Na(+), K(+)-ATPase and Ca(2+)-ATPase activities, cytokine levels and [(3)H]glutamate uptake. The results demonstrated that MSG increased nociception in the hot plate test and in the mechanical allodynia stimulated by Von-Frey hair but did not alter the tail immersion test. (PhSe)2 reversed all nociceptive behaviors altered by MSG. MSG caused an increase in Na(+),K(+)-ATPase and Ca(2+)-ATPase activities and in pro-inflammatory cytokine levels and a decrease in the anti-inflammatory cytokine and in the [(3)H]glutamate uptake. (PhSe)2 was effective in reversing all alterations caused by MSG. The results indicate that (PhSe)2 had a potential antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory action in the MSG model. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Opiate anti-nociception is attenuated following lesion of large dopamine neurons of the periaqueductal grey: critical role for D1 (not D2) dopamine receptors.

PubMed

Flores, Juan A; El Banoua, Fadwa; Galán-Rodríguez, Beatriz; Fernandez-Espejo, Emilio

2004-07-01

The periaqueductal grey (PAG) area is involved in pain modulation as well as in opiate-induced anti-nociceptive effects. The PAG possess dopamine neurons, and it is likely that this dopaminergic network participates in anti-nociception. The objective was to further study the morphology of the PAG dopaminergic network, along with its role in nociception and opiate-induced analgesia in rats, following either dopamine depletion with the toxin 6-hydroxydopamine or local injection of dopaminergic antagonists. Nociceptive responses were studied through the tail-immersion (spinal reflex) and the hot-plate tests (integrated supraspinal response), establishing a cut-off time to further minimize animal suffering. Heroin and morphine were employed as opiates. Histological data indicated that the dopaminergic network of the PAG is composed of two types of neurons: small rounded cells, and large multipolar neurons. Following dopamine depletion of the PAG, large neurons (not small ones) were selectively affected by the toxin (61.9% dopamine cell loss, 80.7% reduction of in vitro dopaminergic peak), and opiate-induced analgesia in the hot-plate test (not the tail-immersion test) was reliably attenuated in lesioned rats (P < 0.01). After infusions of dopaminergic ligands into the PAG, D(1) (not D(2)) receptor antagonism attenuated opiate-induced analgesia in a dose-dependent manner in the hot-plate test. The present study provides evidence that large neurons of the dopaminergic network of the PAG participate in supraspinal (not spinal) nociceptive responses after opiates through the involvement of D(1) dopamine receptors. This dopaminergic system should be included as another network within the PAG involved in opiate-induced anti-nociception.

Impact of immersion oils and mounting media on the confocal imaging of dendritic spines

PubMed Central

Peterson, Brittni M.; Mermelstein, Paul G.; Meisel, Robert L.

2015-01-01

Background Structural plasticity, such as changes in dendritic spine morphology and density, reflect changes in synaptic connectivity and circuitry. Procedural variables used in different methods for labeling dendritic spines have been quantitatively evaluated for their impact on the ability to resolve individual spines in confocal microscopic analyses. In contrast, there have been discussions, though no quantitative analyses, of the potential effects of choosing specific mounting media and immersion oils on dendritic spine resolution. New Method Here we provide quantitative data measuring the impact of these variables on resolving dendritic spines in 3D confocal analyses. Medium spiny neurons from the rat striatum and nucleus accumbens are used as examples. Results Both choice of mounting media and immersion oil affected the visualization of dendritic spines, with choosing the appropriate immersion oil as being more imperative. These biologic data are supported by quantitative measures of the 3D diffraction pattern (i.e. point spread function) of a point source of light under the same mounting medium and immersion oil combinations. Comparison with Existing Method Although not a new method, this manuscript provides quantitative data demonstrating that different mounting media and immersion oils can impact the ability to resolve dendritic spines. These findings highlight the importance of reporting which mounting medium and immersion oil are used in preparations for confocal analyses, especially when comparing published results from different laboratories. Conclusion Collectively, these data suggest that choosing the appropriate immersion oil and mounting media is critical for obtaining the best resolution, and consequently more accurate measures of dendritic spine densities. PMID:25601477

COATING METHOD

DOEpatents

Townsend, R.G.

1959-08-25

A method is described for protectively coating beryllium metal by etching the metal in an acid bath, immersing the etched beryllium in a solution of sodium zincate for a brief period of time, immersing the beryllium in concentrated nitric acid, immersing the beryhlium in a second solution of sodium zincate, electroplating a thin layer of copper over the beryllium, and finally electroplating a layer of chromium over the copper layer.

Effects of short term water immersion on peripheral reflex excitability in hemiplegic and healthy individuals: A preliminary study

PubMed Central

Cronin, N.J.; Valtonen, A.M.; Waller, B.; Pöyhönen, T.; Avela, J.

2016-01-01

Background: Reflex excitability is increased in hemiplegic patients compared to healthy controls. One challenge of stroke rehabilitation is to decrease the effects of hyperreflexia, which may be possible with water immersion. Methods/Aims: The present study examined the effects of acute water immersion on electrically-evoked Hmax:Mmax ratios (a measure of reflex excitability) in 7 hyperreflexive hemiplegic patients and 7 age-matched healthy people. Hmax:Mmax ratios were measured from soleus on dry land (L1), immediately after (W1) and 5 minutes after immersion (W5), and again after five minutes on land (L5). Results: Water immersion led to an acute increase in Hmax:Mmax ratio in both groups. However, after returning to dry land, there was a non-significant decrease in the Hmax:Mmax ratio of 8% in the hemiplegic group and 10% in healthy controls compared to pre-immersion values. Interpretation: A short period of water immersion can decrease peripheral reflex excitability after returning to dry land in both healthy controls and post-stroke patients, although longer immersion periods may be required for sustainable effects. Water immersion may offer promise as a low-risk, non-invasive and non-pharmaceutical method of decreasing hyperreflexivity, and could thus support aquatic rehabilitation following stroke. PMID:26944824

Effects of short term water immersion on peripheral reflex excitability in hemiplegic and healthy individuals: A preliminary study.

PubMed

Cronin, N J; Valtonen, A M; Waller, B; Pöyhönen, T; Avela, J

2016-03-01

Reflex excitability is increased in hemiplegic patients compared to healthy controls. One challenge of stroke rehabilitation is to decrease the effects of hyperreflexia, which may be possible with water immersion. Methods/Aims: The present study examined the effects of acute water immersion on electrically-evoked Hmax:Mmax ratios (a measure of reflex excitability) in 7 hyperreflexive hemiplegic patients and 7 age-matched healthy people. Hmax:Mmax ratios were measured from soleus on dry land (L1), immediately after (W1) and 5 minutes after immersion (W5), and again after five minutes on land (L5). Water immersion led to an acute increase in Hmax:Mmax ratio in both groups. However, after returning to dry land, there was a non-significant decrease in the Hmax:Mmax ratio of 8% in the hemiplegic group and 10% in healthy controls compared to pre-immersion values. A short period of water immersion can decrease peripheral reflex excitability after returning to dry land in both healthy controls and post-stroke patients, although longer immersion periods may be required for sustainable effects. Water immersion may offer promise as a low-risk, non-invasive and non-pharmaceutical method of decreasing hyperreflexivity, and could thus support aquatic rehabilitation following stroke.

Open Rotor Computational Aeroacoustic Analysis with an Immersed Boundary Method

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brehm, Christoph; Barad, Michael F.; Kiris, Cetin C.

2016-01-01

Reliable noise prediction capabilities are essential to enable novel fuel efficient open rotor designs that can meet the community and cabin noise standards. Toward this end, immersed boundary methods have reached a level of maturity where more and more complex flow problems can be tackled with this approach. This paper demonstrates that our higher-order immersed boundary method provides the ability for aeroacoustic analysis of wake-dominated flow fields generated by a contra-rotating open rotor. This is the first of a kind aeroacoustic simulation of an open rotor propulsion system employing an immersed boundary method. In addition to discussing the methodologies of how to apply the immersed boundary method to this moving boundary problem, we will provide a detailed validation of the aeroacoustic analysis approach employing the Launch Ascent and Vehicle Aerodynamics (LAVA) solver. Two free-stream Mach numbers with M=0.2 and M=0.78 are considered in this analysis that are based on the nominally take-off and cruise flow conditions. The simulation data is compared to available experimental data and other computational results employing more conventional CFD methods. Spectral analysis is used to determine the dominant wave propagation pattern in the acoustic near-field.

Electrode immersion depth determination and control in electroslag remelting furnace

DOEpatents

Melgaard, David K [Albuquerque, NM; Beaman, Joseph J [Austin, TX; Shelmidine, Gregory J [Tijeras, NM

2007-02-20

An apparatus and method for controlling an electroslag remelting furnace comprising adjusting electrode drive speed by an amount proportional to a difference between a metric of electrode immersion and a set point, monitoring impedance or voltage, and calculating the metric of electrode immersion depth based upon a predetermined characterization of electrode immersion depth as a function of impedance or voltage.

AN IMMERSED BOUNDARY METHOD FOR COMPLEX INCOMPRESSIBLE FLOWS

EPA Science Inventory

An immersed boundary method for time-dependant, three- dimensional, incompressible flows is presented in this paper. The incompressible Navier-Stokes equations are discretized using a low-diffusion flux splitting method for the inviscid fluxes and a second order central differenc...

The new idea of transporting tailings-logs in tailings slurry pipeline and the innovation of technology of mining waste-fill method

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

Lin Yu; Wang Fuji; Tao Yan

2000-07-01

This paper introduced a new idea of transporting mine tailings-logs in mine tailings-slurry pipeline and a new technology of mine cemented filing of tailings-logs with tailings-slurry. The hydraulic principles, the compaction of tailings-logs and the mechanic function of fillbody of tailings-logs cemented by tailings-slurry have been discussed.

Physiological response to water immersion: a method for sport recovery?

PubMed

Wilcock, Ian M; Cronin, John B; Hing, Wayne A

2006-01-01

Recovery from exercise can be an important factor in performance during repeated bouts of exercise. In a tournament situation, where athletes may compete numerous times over a few days, enhancing recovery may provide a competitive advantage. One method that is gaining popularity as a means to enhance post-game or post-training recovery is immersion in water. Much of the literature on the ability of water immersion as a means to improve athletic recovery appears to be based on anecdotal information, with limited research on actual performance change. Water immersion may cause physiological changes within the body that could improve recovery from exercise. These physiological changes include intracellular-intravascular fluid shifts, reduction of muscle oedema and increased cardiac output (without increasing energy expenditure), which increases blood flow and possible nutrient and waste transportation through the body. Also, there may be a psychological benefit to athletes with a reduced cessation of fatigue during immersion. Water temperature alters the physiological response to immersion and cool to thermoneutral temperatures may provide the best range for recovery. Further performance-orientated research is required to determine whether water immersion is beneficial to athletes.

A numerical method for solving the 3D unsteady incompressible Navier Stokes equations in curvilinear domains with complex immersed boundaries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ge, Liang; Sotiropoulos, Fotis

2007-08-01

A novel numerical method is developed that integrates boundary-conforming grids with a sharp interface, immersed boundary methodology. The method is intended for simulating internal flows containing complex, moving immersed boundaries such as those encountered in several cardiovascular applications. The background domain (e.g. the empty aorta) is discretized efficiently with a curvilinear boundary-fitted mesh while the complex moving immersed boundary (say a prosthetic heart valve) is treated with the sharp-interface, hybrid Cartesian/immersed-boundary approach of Gilmanov and Sotiropoulos [A. Gilmanov, F. Sotiropoulos, A hybrid cartesian/immersed boundary method for simulating flows with 3d, geometrically complex, moving bodies, Journal of Computational Physics 207 (2005) 457-492.]. To facilitate the implementation of this novel modeling paradigm in complex flow simulations, an accurate and efficient numerical method is developed for solving the unsteady, incompressible Navier-Stokes equations in generalized curvilinear coordinates. The method employs a novel, fully-curvilinear staggered grid discretization approach, which does not require either the explicit evaluation of the Christoffel symbols or the discretization of all three momentum equations at cell interfaces as done in previous formulations. The equations are integrated in time using an efficient, second-order accurate fractional step methodology coupled with a Jacobian-free, Newton-Krylov solver for the momentum equations and a GMRES solver enhanced with multigrid as preconditioner for the Poisson equation. Several numerical experiments are carried out on fine computational meshes to demonstrate the accuracy and efficiency of the proposed method for standard benchmark problems as well as for unsteady, pulsatile flow through a curved, pipe bend. To demonstrate the ability of the method to simulate flows with complex, moving immersed boundaries we apply it to calculate pulsatile, physiological flow through a mechanical, bileaflet heart valve mounted in a model straight aorta with an anatomical-like triple sinus.

Application of a life cycle assessment to compare environmental performance in coal mine tailings management.

PubMed

Adiansyah, Joni Safaat; Haque, Nawshad; Rosano, Michele; Biswas, Wahidul

2017-09-01

This study compares coal mine tailings management strategies using life cycle assessment (LCA) and land-use area metrics methods. Hybrid methods (the Australian indicator set and the ReCiPe method) were used to assess the environmental impacts of tailings management strategies. Several strategies were considered: belt filter press (OPT 1), tailings paste (OPT 2), thickened tailings (OPT 3), and variations of OPT 1 using combinations of technology improvement and renewable energy sources (OPT 1A-D). Electrical energy was found to contribute more than 90% of the environmental impacts. The magnitude of land-use impacts associated with OPT 3 (thickened tailings) were 2.3 and 1.55 times higher than OPT 1 (tailings cake) and OPT 2 (tailings paste) respectively, while OPT 1B (tailings belt filter press with technology improvement and solar energy) and 1D (tailings belt press filter with technology improvement and wind energy) had the lowest ratio of environmental impact to land-use. Further analysis of an economic cost model and reuse opportunities is required to aid decision making on sustainable tailings management and industrial symbiosis. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

ScreenCube: A 3D Printed System for Rapid and Cost-Effective Chemical Screening in Adult Zebrafish.

PubMed

Monstad-Rios, Adrian T; Watson, Claire J; Kwon, Ronald Y

2018-02-01

Phenotype-based small molecule screens in zebrafish embryos and larvae have been successful in accelerating pathway and therapeutic discovery for diverse biological processes. Yet, the application of chemical screens to adult physiologies has been relatively limited due to additional demands on cost, space, and labor associated with screens in adult animals. In this study, we present a 3D printed system and methods for intermittent drug dosing that enable rapid and cost-effective chemical administration in adult zebrafish. Using prefilled screening plates, the system enables dosing of 96 fish in ∼3 min, with a 10-fold reduction in drug quantity compared to that used in previous chemical screens in adult zebrafish. We characterize water quality kinetics during immersion in the system and use these kinetics to rationally design intermittent dosing regimens that result in 100% fish survival. As a demonstration of system fidelity, we show the potential to identify two known chemical inhibitors of adult tail fin regeneration, cyclopamine and dorsomorphin. By developing methods for rapid and cost-effective chemical administration in adult zebrafish, this study expands the potential for small molecule discovery in postembryonic models of development, disease, and regeneration.

Comparison of different extenders on the recovery and longevity of epididymal sperm from Spix's yellow-toothed cavies (Galea spixii Wagler, 1831).

PubMed

da Silva, Andréia Maria; Sousa, Patrícia Cunha; Campos, Lívia Batista; Bezerra, José Artur Brilhante; de Araújo Lago, Arthur Emannuel; de Oliveira, Moacir Franco; Silva, Alexandre Rodrigues

2017-04-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the performance of cavy (Galea spixii) epididymal sperm following addition to TES or TRIS extenders and using a thermal resistance test (TRT), as well as fluorescence analysis as a complementary method to predict the viability of these gametes. Nine testicle-epididymis complexes were used for sperm collection using a flotation method. Epididymis tails were sliced and one was immersed in 3 ml of TRIS buffer, and the other in 3 ml of TES, for 5 min. After sperm recovery, the samples were subjected to a TRT which involved incubation in a water bath at 37°C for 3 h. During incubation, sample parameters were assessed at 0, 15, 30, 60, 90, 120, 150 or 180 min intervals. Results indicated that the TRIS diluent was more efficient than TES (P < 0.05) for the maintenance of sperm parameters in Spix's yellow-toothed cavies over the whole TRT, maintaining sperm longevity for an extended time. In conclusion, we indicate the use of TRIS diluent for recovery and maintenance of longevity of epididymal sperm from cavies (G. spixii).

Diffusion and solubility coefficients determined by permeation and immersion experiments for organic solvents in HDPE geomembrane.

PubMed

Chao, Keh-Ping; Wang, Ping; Wang, Ya-Ting

2007-04-02

The chemical resistance of eight organic solvents in high density polyethylene (HDPE) geomembrane has been investigated using the ASTM F739 permeation method and the immersion test at different temperatures. The diffusion of the experimental organic solvents in HDPE geomembrane was non-Fickian kinetic, and the solubility coefficients can be consistent with the solubility parameter theory. The diffusion coefficients and solubility coefficients determined by the ASTM F739 method were significantly correlated to the immersion tests (p<0.001). The steady state permeation rates also showed a good agreement between ASTM F739 and immersion experiments (r(2)=0.973, p<0.001). Using a one-dimensional diffusion equation based on Fick's second law, the diffusion and solubility coefficients obtained by immersion test resulted in over estimates of the ASTM F739 permeation results. The modeling results indicated that the diffusion and solubility coefficients should be obtained using ASTM F739 method which closely simulates the practical application of HDPE as barriers in the field.

Method of forming a foamed thermoplastic polymer

DOEpatents

Duchane, David V.; Cash, David L.

1986-01-01

A method of forming a foamed thermoplastic polymer. A solid thermoplastic lymer is immersed in an immersant solution comprising a compatible carrier solvent and an infusant solution containing an incompatible liquid blowing agent for a time sufficient for the immersant solution to infuse into the polymer. The carrier solvent is then selectively extracted, preferably by a solvent exchange process in which the immersant solution is gradually diluted with and replaced by the infusant solution, so as to selectively leave behind the infusant solution permanently entrapped in the polymer. The polymer is then heated to volatilize the blowing agent and expand the polymer into a foamed state.

Visualisation of insect tracheal systems by lactic acid immersion.

PubMed

Ruan, Y; Li, Y; Zhang, M; Chen, X; Liu, Z; Wang, S; Jiang, S

2018-05-15

The endeavours to reveal the tracheal system of insects and some arachnids has a long history. The traditional way to observe a tracheal system in an insect body is by utilising the glycerin immersion method. In this study, we developed the lactic acid immersion method, which reveals a more complete tracheal system. By mounting various types of live specimens or body parts directly into lactic acid, multiple intact and complex tracheal systems were clearly visualised. The lactic acid immersion contributed to revealing tracheal systems by penetrating body tissue while reserving enough time for observation before the penetration of the tracheae. Preliminary comparisons were conducted between lactic acid and other mediae, including glycerin. It turned out that lactic acid immersion provides better details and more distinct structures. In our test, the optimal time for observing the tracheal system was 10-25 min after the organism was immersed in lactic acid. © 2018 The Authors Journal of Microscopy © 2018 Royal Microscopical Society.

Structure and energetics of model amphiphilic molecules at the water liquid-vapor interface - A molecular dynamics study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pohorille, Andrew; Benjamin, Ilan

1993-01-01

A molecular dynamics study of adsorption of p-n-pentylphenol at infinite dilution at the water liquid-vapor interface is reported. The calculated free energy of adsorption is -8.8 +/- 0.7 kcal/mol, in good agreement with the experimental value of -7.3 kcal/mol. The transition between the interfacial region and the bulk solution is sharp and well-defined by energetic, conformational, and orientational criteria. At the water surface, the phenol head group is mostly immersed in aqueous solvent. The most frequent orientation of the hydrocarbon tail is parallel to the interface, due to dispersion interactions with the water surface. This arrangement of the phenol ring and the alkyl chain requires that the chain exhibits a kink. As the polar head group is being moved into the solvent, the chain length increases and the tail becomes increasingly aligned toward the surface normal, such that the nonpolar part of the molecule exposed to water is minimized. The same effect was achieved when phenol was replaced by a more polar head group, phenolate.

Comparison of the microhardness of primary and permanent teeth after immersion in two types of carbonated beverages

PubMed Central

Haghgou, Hamid R.; Haghgoo, Roza; Asdollah, Fatemah Molla

2016-01-01

Objectives: The consumption of carbonated beverages is one of the etiological factors that cause dental erosion. The purpose of this research was to compare changes in the microhardness of permanent and primary teeth after immersion in two types of carbonated beverages. Materials and Methods: This investigation was done on 30 healthy permanent molars and 30 healthy primary canines. Each group of primary and permanent teeth was subdivided into three groups of 10 teeth. The teeth was immersed in 40 ml of each of the three beverages for 5 min. One subgroup was immersed in water (as a control). The next was immersed in Lemon Delster and the last subgroup was immersed in Coca-Cola. The microhardness of enamel was measured using the Vickers method before and after immersion. Finally, the data was analyzed by paired t-test, one-way analysis of variance, and t-test. Results: Microhardness reduction in the primary teeth was significant in both the Lemon Delster and Coca-Cola groups (P < 0.05). This reduction was also statistically significant in the permanent teeth (P < 0.05). A comparison of the enamel changes in the primary teeth with permanent teeth after immersion in both beverages showed a greater microhardness reduction in the primary teeth in both the experimental groups. Conclusions: Coca-Cola and Lemon Delster caused a significant reduction of microhardness in tooth enamel. This reduction was greater in primary teeth than in permanent teeth, and was also greater after immersion in Coca-Cola than after immersion in Lemon Delster. PMID:27583223

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

Slabodchikov, Vladimir A., E-mail: dipis1991@mail.ru; Borisov, Dmitry P., E-mail: borengin@mail.ru; Kuznetsov, Vladimir M., E-mail: kuznetsov@rec.tsu.ru

The paper reports on a new method of plasma immersion ion implantation for the surface modification of medical materials using the example of nickel-titanium (NiTi) alloys much used for manufacturing medical implants. The chemical composition and surface properties of NiTi alloys doped with silicon by conventional ion implantation and by the proposed plasma immersion method are compared. It is shown that the new plasma immersion method is more efficient than conventional ion beam treatment and provides Si implantation into NiTi surface layers through a depth of a hundred nanometers at low bias voltages (400 V) and temperatures (≤150°C) of the substrate.more » The research results suggest that the chemical composition and surface properties of materials required for medicine, e.g., NiTi alloys, can be successfully attained through modification by the proposed method of plasma immersion ion implantation and by other methods based on the proposed vacuum equipment without using any conventional ion beam treatment.« less

Hybrid immersed interface-immersed boundary methods for AC dielectrophoresis

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

Hossan, Mohammad Robiul; Department of Engineering and Physics, University of Central Oklahoma, Edmond, OK 73034-5209; Dillon, Robert

2014-08-01

Dielectrophoresis, a nonlinear electrokinetic transport mechanism, has become popular in many engineering applications including manipulation, characterization and actuation of biomaterials, particles and biological cells. In this paper, we present a hybrid immersed interface–immersed boundary method to study AC dielectrophoresis where an algorithm is developed to solve the complex Poisson equation using a real variable formulation. An immersed interface method is employed to obtain the AC electric field in a fluid media with suspended particles and an immersed boundary method is used for the fluid equations and particle transport. The convergence of the proposed algorithm as well as validation of themore » hybrid scheme with experimental results is presented. In this paper, the Maxwell stress tensor is used to calculate the dielectrophoretic force acting on particles by considering the physical effect of particles in the computational domain. Thus, this study eliminates the approximations used in point dipole methods for calculating dielectrophoretic force. A comparative study between Maxwell stress tensor and point dipole methods for computing dielectrophoretic forces are presented. The hybrid method is used to investigate the physics of dielectrophoresis in microfluidic devices using an AC electric field. The numerical results show that with proper design and appropriate selection of applied potential and frequency, global electric field minima can be obtained to facilitate multiple particle trapping by exploiting the mechanism of negative dielectrophoresis. Our numerical results also show that electrically neutral particles form a chain parallel to the applied electric field irrespective of their initial orientation when an AC electric field is applied. This proposed hybrid numerical scheme will help to better understand dielectrophoresis and to design and optimize microfluidic devices.« less

A Numerical Method for Solving the 3D Unsteady Incompressible Navier-Stokes Equations in Curvilinear Domains with Complex Immersed Boundaries.

PubMed

Ge, Liang; Sotiropoulos, Fotis

2007-08-01

A novel numerical method is developed that integrates boundary-conforming grids with a sharp interface, immersed boundary methodology. The method is intended for simulating internal flows containing complex, moving immersed boundaries such as those encountered in several cardiovascular applications. The background domain (e.g the empty aorta) is discretized efficiently with a curvilinear boundary-fitted mesh while the complex moving immersed boundary (say a prosthetic heart valve) is treated with the sharp-interface, hybrid Cartesian/immersed-boundary approach of Gilmanov and Sotiropoulos [1]. To facilitate the implementation of this novel modeling paradigm in complex flow simulations, an accurate and efficient numerical method is developed for solving the unsteady, incompressible Navier-Stokes equations in generalized curvilinear coordinates. The method employs a novel, fully-curvilinear staggered grid discretization approach, which does not require either the explicit evaluation of the Christoffel symbols or the discretization of all three momentum equations at cell interfaces as done in previous formulations. The equations are integrated in time using an efficient, second-order accurate fractional step methodology coupled with a Jacobian-free, Newton-Krylov solver for the momentum equations and a GMRES solver enhanced with multigrid as preconditioner for the Poisson equation. Several numerical experiments are carried out on fine computational meshes to demonstrate the accuracy and efficiency of the proposed method for standard benchmark problems as well as for unsteady, pulsatile flow through a curved, pipe bend. To demonstrate the ability of the method to simulate flows with complex, moving immersed boundaries we apply it to calculate pulsatile, physiological flow through a mechanical, bileaflet heart valve mounted in a model straight aorta with an anatomical-like triple sinus.

A Numerical Method for Solving the 3D Unsteady Incompressible Navier-Stokes Equations in Curvilinear Domains with Complex Immersed Boundaries

PubMed Central

Ge, Liang; Sotiropoulos, Fotis

2008-01-01

A novel numerical method is developed that integrates boundary-conforming grids with a sharp interface, immersed boundary methodology. The method is intended for simulating internal flows containing complex, moving immersed boundaries such as those encountered in several cardiovascular applications. The background domain (e.g the empty aorta) is discretized efficiently with a curvilinear boundary-fitted mesh while the complex moving immersed boundary (say a prosthetic heart valve) is treated with the sharp-interface, hybrid Cartesian/immersed-boundary approach of Gilmanov and Sotiropoulos [1]. To facilitate the implementation of this novel modeling paradigm in complex flow simulations, an accurate and efficient numerical method is developed for solving the unsteady, incompressible Navier-Stokes equations in generalized curvilinear coordinates. The method employs a novel, fully-curvilinear staggered grid discretization approach, which does not require either the explicit evaluation of the Christoffel symbols or the discretization of all three momentum equations at cell interfaces as done in previous formulations. The equations are integrated in time using an efficient, second-order accurate fractional step methodology coupled with a Jacobian-free, Newton-Krylov solver for the momentum equations and a GMRES solver enhanced with multigrid as preconditioner for the Poisson equation. Several numerical experiments are carried out on fine computational meshes to demonstrate the accuracy and efficiency of the proposed method for standard benchmark problems as well as for unsteady, pulsatile flow through a curved, pipe bend. To demonstrate the ability of the method to simulate flows with complex, moving immersed boundaries we apply it to calculate pulsatile, physiological flow through a mechanical, bileaflet heart valve mounted in a model straight aorta with an anatomical-like triple sinus. PMID:19194533

Synthetic sea water - An improved stress corrosion test medium for aluminum alloys

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Humphries, T. S.; Nelson, E. E.

1973-01-01

A major problem in evaluating the stress corrosion cracking resistance of aluminum alloys by alternate immersion in 3.5 percent salt (NaCl) water is excessive pitting corrosion. Several methods were examined to eliminate this problem and to find an improved accelerated test medium. These included the addition of chromate inhibitors, surface treatment of specimens, and immersion in synthetic sea water. The results indicate that alternate immersion in synthetic sea water is a very promising stress corrosion test medium. Neither chromate inhibitors nor surface treatment (anodize and alodine) of the aluminum specimens improved the performance of alternate immersion in 3.5 percent salt water sufficiently to be classified as an effective stress corrosion test method.

Methods of natural gas liquefaction and natural gas liquefaction plants utilizing multiple and varying gas streams

DOEpatents

Wilding, Bruce M; Turner, Terry D

2014-12-02

A method of natural gas liquefaction may include cooling a gaseous NG process stream to form a liquid NG process stream. The method may further include directing the first tail gas stream out of a plant at a first pressure and directing a second tail gas stream out of the plant at a second pressure. An additional method of natural gas liquefaction may include separating CO.sub.2 from a liquid NG process stream and processing the CO.sub.2 to provide a CO.sub.2 product stream. Another method of natural gas liquefaction may include combining a marginal gaseous NG process stream with a secondary substantially pure NG stream to provide an improved gaseous NG process stream. Additionally, a NG liquefaction plant may include a first tail gas outlet, and at least a second tail gas outlet, the at least a second tail gas outlet separate from the first tail gas outlet.

Study on the Influence of Elevation of Tailing Dam on Stability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wan, Shuai; Wang, Kun; Kong, Songtao; Zhao, Runan; Lan, Ying; Zhang, Run

2017-12-01

This paper takes Yunnan as the object of a tailing, by theoretical analysis and numerical calculation method of the effect of seismic load effect of elevation on the stability of the tailing, to analyse the stability of two point driven safety factor and liquefaction area. The Bishop method is adopted to simplify the calculation of dynamic safety factor and liquefaction area analysis using comparison method of shear stress to analyse liquefaction, so we obtained the influence of elevation on the stability of the tailing. Under the earthquake, with the elevation increased, the safety coefficient of dam body decreases, shallow tailing are susceptible to liquefy. Liquefaction area mainly concentrated in the bank below the water surface, to improve the scientific basis for the design and safety management of the tailing.

Thin film DNA-complex-based dye lasers fabricated by immersion and conventional processes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kawabe, Yutaka; Suzuki, Yuki

2017-08-01

DNA based thin film dye laser is one of promising optical devices for future technology. Laser oscillation and amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) were demonstrated by hemicyanine-doped DNA complex films prepared with `immersion method' as well as those made by a conventional way. In the immersion process, DNA-surfactant complex films were stained by immersion into an acetone solution including the dyes. In this study, three types of hemicyanines were incorporated with both methods, and laser oscillation was achieved with optically induced population grating formed in all of the complex films. The laser threshold values for six cases ranged in 0.07 - 0.18 mJ/cm2 , which was close to the best values made in DNA complex matrices. Continual pumping showed that laser oscillation persisted for 4 - 10 minutes. Immersion process gave superior laser capability especially for output efficiency over the conventional counterparts.

Development of a coupled level set and immersed boundary method for predicting dam break flows

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, C. H.; Sheu, Tony W. H.

2017-12-01

Dam-break flow over an immersed stationary object is investigated using a coupled level set (LS)/immersed boundary (IB) method developed in Cartesian grids. This approach adopts an improved interface preserving level set method which includes three solution steps and the differential-based interpolation immersed boundary method to treat fluid-fluid and solid-fluid interfaces, respectively. In the first step of this level set method, the level set function ϕ is advected by a pure advection equation. The intermediate step is performed to obtain a new level set value through a new smoothed Heaviside function. In the final solution step, a mass correction term is added to the re-initialization equation to ensure the new level set is a distance function and to conserve the mass bounded by the interface. For accurately calculating the level set value, the four-point upwinding combined compact difference (UCCD) scheme with three-point boundary combined compact difference scheme is applied to approximate the first-order derivative term shown in the level set equation. For the immersed boundary method, application of the artificial momentum forcing term at points in cells consisting of both fluid and solid allows an imposition of velocity condition to account for the presence of solid object. The incompressible Navier-Stokes solutions are calculated using the projection method. Numerical results show that the coupled LS/IB method can not only predict interface accurately but also preserve the mass conservation excellently for the dam-break flow.

Analogs of microgravity: head-down tilt and water immersion.

PubMed

Watenpaugh, Donald E

2016-04-15

This article briefly reviews the fidelity of ground-based methods used to simulate human existence in weightlessness (spaceflight). These methods include horizontal bed rest (BR), head-down tilt bed rest (HDT), head-out water immersion (WI), and head-out dry immersion (DI; immersion with an impermeable elastic cloth barrier between subject and water). Among these, HDT has become by far the most commonly used method, especially for longer studies. DI is less common but well accepted for long-duration studies. Very few studies exist that attempt to validate a specific simulation mode against actual microgravity. Many fundamental physical, and thus physiological, differences exist between microgravity and our methods to simulate it, and between the different methods. Also, although weightlessness is the salient feature of spaceflight, several ancillary factors of space travel complicate Earth-based simulation. In spite of these discrepancies and complications, the analogs duplicate many responses to 0 G reasonably well. As we learn more about responses to microgravity and spaceflight, investigators will continue to fine-tune simulation methods to optimize accuracy and applicability. Copyright © 2016 the American Physiological Society.

Method and apparatus for controlling electroslag remelting

DOEpatents

Maguire, Michael C.; Zanner, Frank J.; Damkroger, Brian K.; Miszkiel, Mark E.; Aronson, Eugene A.

1994-01-01

Method and apparatus for controlling electrode immersion depth in an electroslag remelting furnace. The phase difference of the alternating current circuit established in the furnace is calculated in real time and employed to more accurately control immersion depth than possible with voltage-swing systems.

Immersive Simulations for Smart Classrooms: Exploring Evolutionary Concepts in Secondary Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lui, Michelle; Slotta, James D.

2014-01-01

This article presents the design of an immersive simulation and inquiry activity for technology-enhanced classrooms. Using a co-design method, researchers worked with a high school biology teacher to create a rainforest simulation, distributed across several large displays in the room to immerse students in the environment. The authors created and…

Fish and robots swimming together: attraction towards the robot demands biomimetic locomotion

PubMed Central

Marras, Stefano; Porfiri, Maurizio

2012-01-01

The integration of biomimetic robots in a fish school may enable a better understanding of collective behaviour, offering a new experimental method to test group feedback in response to behavioural modulations of its ‘engineered’ member. Here, we analyse a robotic fish and individual golden shiners (Notemigonus crysoleucas) swimming together in a water tunnel at different flow velocities. We determine the positional preference of fish with respect to the robot, and we study the flow structure using a digital particle image velocimetry system. We find that biomimetic locomotion is a determinant of fish preference as fish are more attracted towards the robot when its tail is beating rather than when it is statically immersed in the water as a ‘dummy’. At specific conditions, the fish hold station behind the robot, which may be due to the hydrodynamic advantage obtained by swimming in the robot's wake. This work makes a compelling case for the need of biomimetic locomotion in promoting robot–animal interactions and it strengthens the hypothesis that biomimetic robots can be used to study and modulate collective animal behaviour. PMID:22356819

Fish and robots swimming together: attraction towards the robot demands biomimetic locomotion.

PubMed

Marras, Stefano; Porfiri, Maurizio

2012-08-07

The integration of biomimetic robots in a fish school may enable a better understanding of collective behaviour, offering a new experimental method to test group feedback in response to behavioural modulations of its 'engineered' member. Here, we analyse a robotic fish and individual golden shiners (Notemigonus crysoleucas) swimming together in a water tunnel at different flow velocities. We determine the positional preference of fish with respect to the robot, and we study the flow structure using a digital particle image velocimetry system. We find that biomimetic locomotion is a determinant of fish preference as fish are more attracted towards the robot when its tail is beating rather than when it is statically immersed in the water as a 'dummy'. At specific conditions, the fish hold station behind the robot, which may be due to the hydrodynamic advantage obtained by swimming in the robot's wake. This work makes a compelling case for the need of biomimetic locomotion in promoting robot-animal interactions and it strengthens the hypothesis that biomimetic robots can be used to study and modulate collective animal behaviour.

Determination of the refractive index of microparticles by utilizing light dispersion properties of the particle and an immersion liquid.

PubMed

Niskanen, I; Räty, J; Peiponen, K E

2013-10-15

The knowledge of the refractive index of a particle is important in sensing and imaging applications, e.g., in biology, medicine and process industry. The refractive index of tiny solid particles such as microsize particles can be determined by the so-called liquid immersion technique. This study deals with three different types of interrogation methods to get the refractive index of a particle in a liquid matrix. These methods utilize thermo-optical properties and wavelength-dependent refractive index of the particle and the immersion liquids, as well as, the classical method using a set of in advance prepared set of immersion liquids with different refractive indices. The emphasis is on a method to get especially the wavelength-dependent refractive index of microparticles and exploiting different wavelength-dependences of immersion liquid and a solid particle because identification of a particle is more reliable if the refractive index of the particle is known at several wavelengths. In this study glycerol-water mixtures served as immersion liquids to obtain the refractive index of CaF2 at several discrete wavelengths in the spectral range 200-500 nm. The idea is to find the maximum value of light transmission of suspension by scanning the wavelength of a commercial spectrophotometer. The light dispersion-based method is suggested as a relatively easy, economic and fast method to determine the refractive index of a particle by a spectrophotometer at several wavelengths of light. The accuracy of the detection of the refractive index is suggested to be better than ± 0.005 refractive index units. © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

An Immersed Boundary Method for Solving the Compressible Navier-Stokes Equations with Fluid Structure Interaction

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brehm, Christoph; Barad, Michael F.; Kiris, Cetin C.

2016-01-01

An immersed boundary method for the compressible Navier-Stokes equation and the additional infrastructure that is needed to solve moving boundary problems and fully coupled fluid-structure interaction is described. All the methods described in this paper were implemented in NASA's LAVA solver framework. The underlying immersed boundary method is based on the locally stabilized immersed boundary method that was previously introduced by the authors. In the present paper this method is extended to account for all aspects that are involved for fluid structure interaction simulations, such as fast geometry queries and stencil computations, the treatment of freshly cleared cells, and the coupling of the computational fluid dynamics solver with a linear structural finite element method. The current approach is validated for moving boundary problems with prescribed body motion and fully coupled fluid structure interaction problems in 2D and 3D. As part of the validation procedure, results from the second AIAA aeroelastic prediction workshop are also presented. The current paper is regarded as a proof of concept study, while more advanced methods for fluid structure interaction are currently being investigated, such as geometric and material nonlinearities, and advanced coupling approaches.

The optical properties of α-Fe2O3 nanostructures synthesized with different immersion time

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ahmad, W. R. W.; Mamat, M. H.; Zoolfakar, A. S.; Khusaimi, Z.; Yusof, M. M.; Ismail, A. S.; Saidi, S. A.; Rusop, M.

2018-05-01

In this study, nanostructured hematite (α-Fe2O3) thin films have been prepared successfully by sonicated immersion method on fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) coated glass substrate. The effect of the immersion time on the structural and optical properties of α-Fe2O3 nanostructure were investigated for a variation of immersion time ranging from 1 to 4 hour. From the characterization results, the surface morphology of the sample prepared in 4 hours immersion process has exhibited highest porosity, and the highest absorbance properties were found in the same sample. These results suggest that the different time duration during immersion process play important roles in optical properties of α-Fe2O3 nanostructures.

Particle velocity distribution in a three-dimensional dusty plasma under microgravity conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Bin; Goree, J.; Pustylnik, M. Y.; Thomas, H. M.; Fortov, V. E.; Lipaev, A. M.; Usachev, A. D.; Molotkov, V. I.; Petrov, O. F.; Thoma, M. H.

2018-01-01

The velocity distribution function of dust particles immersed in a plasma was investigated under microgravity conditions. A three-dimensional (3D) cloud of polymer microspheres was suspended in a neon plasma, in the PK-4 instrument onboard the International Space Station (ISS). These dust particles were tracked using video microscopy in a cross section of the 3D dust cloud. The velocity distribution function (VDF) is found to have a non-Maxwellian shape with high-energy tails; it is fit well by a combination of low-energy Maxwellian core and a high-energy non-Gaussian Kappa-distribution halo. Similar non-Maxwellian VDFs are typically observed in space plasmas.

A method for quantifying cloud immersion in a tropical mountain forest using time-lapse photography

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bassiouni, Maoya; Scholl, Martha A.; Torres-Sanchez, Angel J.; Murphy, Sheila F.

2017-01-01

Quantifying the frequency, duration, and elevation range of fog or cloud immersion is essential to estimate cloud water deposition in water budgets and to understand the ecohydrology of cloud forests. The goal of this study was to develop a low-cost and high spatial-coverage method to detect occurrence of cloud immersion within a mountain cloud forest by using time-lapse photography. Trail cameras and temperature/relative humidity sensors were deployed at five sites covering the elevation range from the assumed lifting condensation level to the mountain peaks in the Luquillo Mountains of Puerto Rico. Cloud-sensitive image characteristics (contrast, the coefficient of variation and the entropy of pixel luminance, and image colorfulness) were used with a k-means clustering approach to accurately detect cloud-immersed conditions in a time series of images from March 2014 to May 2016. Images provided hydrologically meaningful cloud-immersion information while temperature-relative humidity data were used to refine the image analysis using dew point information and provided temperature gradients along the elevation transect. Validation of the image processing method with human-judgment based classification generally indicated greater than 90% accuracy. Cloud-immersion frequency averaged 80% at sites above 900 m during nighttime hours and 49% during daytime hours, and was consistent with diurnal patterns of cloud immersion measured in a previous study. Results for the 617 m site demonstrated that cloud immersion in the Luquillo Mountains rarely occurs at the previously-reported cloud base elevation of about 600 m (11% during nighttime hours and 5% during daytime hours). The framework presented in this paper will be used to monitor at a low cost and high spatial resolution the long-term variability of cloud-immersion patterns in the Luquillo Mountains, and can be applied to ecohydrology research at other cloud-forest sites or in coastal ecosystems with advective sea fog.

The effect of immersion time to low carbon steel hardness and microstructure with hot dip galvanizing coating method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hakim, A. A.; Rajagukguk, T. O.; Sumardi, S.

2018-01-01

Along with developing necessities of metal materials, these rise demands of quality improvements and material protections especially the mechanical properties of the material. This research used hot dip galvanizing coating method. The objectives of this research were to find out Rockwell hardness (HRb), layer thickness, micro structure and observation with Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) from result of coating by using Hot Dip Galvanizing coating method with immersion time of 3, 6, 9, and 12 minutes at 460°C. The result shows that Highest Rockwell hardness test (HRb) was at 3 minutes immersion time with 76.012 HRb. Highest thickness result was 217.3 μm at 12 minutes immersion. Microstructure test result showed that coating was formed at eta, zeta, delta and gamma phases, while Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) showed Fe, Zn, Mn, Si and S elements at the specimens after coating.

Effect and mechanism of action of resveratrol: a novel melanolytic compound from the peanut skin of Arachis hypogaea.

PubMed

Galgut, Jyoti M; Ali, Sharique A

2011-10-01

The present work was carried out to determine the effects of ethanolic extracts of Arachis hypogaea and its active ingredient resveratrol on the isolated tail melanophores of the Bufo melanostictus to find the mechanism of skin lightening at the cellular level. The tail melanophores of the tadpole B. melanostictus were assayed using the mean melanophore size index and their responses were recorded in presence of various concentrations of the plant extract and its active ingredient along with specific antagonists and potentiator. Significant skin lightening activity of the extract of A. hypogaea and its active ingredient resveratrol was observed on the tail melanophores of tadpole. The pigment cells responded by distinct aggregation leading to skin lightening, this effect was reversible, as re-immersion in physiological saline made the melanophores return to their normal intermediate state. These melanin aggregating effects were completely blocked by propanolol (beta blocker) and partially blocked by prazosin (alpha blocker) and were also found to be highly potentiated by reserpine. These studies suggest that the active ingredient of A. hypogaea such as resveratrol can act as a sympathomimetic compound and induce aggregation of melanophores of tadpole B. melanostictus via the induction of beta type of the adrenoceptors. The present study opens new vistas for the use of A. hypogaea and its active ingredient, resveratrol for its clinical application as a nontoxic melanolytic compound for the treatment of hyperpigmentation.

Mean Excess Function as a method of identifying sub-exponential tails: Application to extreme daily rainfall

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nerantzaki, Sofia; Papalexiou, Simon Michael

2017-04-01

Identifying precisely the distribution tail of a geophysical variable is tough, or, even impossible. First, the tail is the part of the distribution for which we have the less empirical information available; second, a universally accepted definition of tail does not and cannot exist; and third, a tail may change over time due to long-term changes. Unfortunately, the tail is the most important part of the distribution as it dictates the estimates of exceedance probabilities or return periods. Fortunately, based on their tail behavior, probability distributions can be generally categorized into two major families, i.e., sub-exponentials (heavy-tailed) and hyper-exponentials (light-tailed). This study aims to update the Mean Excess Function (MEF), providing a useful tool in order to asses which type of tail better describes empirical data. The MEF is based on the mean value of a variable over a threshold and results in a zero slope regression line when applied for the Exponential distribution. Here, we construct slope confidence intervals for the Exponential distribution as functions of sample size. The validation of the method using Monte Carlo techniques on four theoretical distributions covering major tail cases (Pareto type II, Log-normal, Weibull and Gamma) revealed that it performs well especially for large samples. Finally, the method is used to investigate the behavior of daily rainfall extremes; thousands of rainfall records were examined, from all over the world and with sample size over 100 years, revealing that heavy-tailed distributions can describe more accurately rainfall extremes.

Alignment of the measurement scale mark during immersion hydrometer calibration using an image processing system.

PubMed

Peña-Perez, Luis Manuel; Pedraza-Ortega, Jesus Carlos; Ramos-Arreguin, Juan Manuel; Arriaga, Saul Tovar; Fernandez, Marco Antonio Aceves; Becerra, Luis Omar; Hurtado, Efren Gorrostieta; Vargas-Soto, Jose Emilio

2013-10-24

The present work presents an improved method to align the measurement scale mark in an immersion hydrometer calibration system of CENAM, the National Metrology Institute (NMI) of Mexico, The proposed method uses a vision system to align the scale mark of the hydrometer to the surface of the liquid where it is immersed by implementing image processing algorithms. This approach reduces the variability in the apparent mass determination during the hydrostatic weighing in the calibration process, therefore decreasing the relative uncertainty of calibration.

Alignment of the Measurement Scale Mark during Immersion Hydrometer Calibration Using an Image Processing System

PubMed Central

Peña-Perez, Luis Manuel; Pedraza-Ortega, Jesus Carlos; Ramos-Arreguin, Juan Manuel; Arriaga, Saul Tovar; Fernandez, Marco Antonio Aceves; Becerra, Luis Omar; Hurtado, Efren Gorrostieta; Vargas-Soto, Jose Emilio

2013-01-01

The present work presents an improved method to align the measurement scale mark in an immersion hydrometer calibration system of CENAM, the National Metrology Institute (NMI) of Mexico, The proposed method uses a vision system to align the scale mark of the hydrometer to the surface of the liquid where it is immersed by implementing image processing algorithms. This approach reduces the variability in the apparent mass determination during the hydrostatic weighing in the calibration process, therefore decreasing the relative uncertainty of calibration. PMID:24284770

Development and application of a volume penalization immersed boundary method for the computation of blood flow and shear stresses in cerebral vessels and aneurysms.

PubMed

Mikhal, Julia; Geurts, Bernard J

2013-12-01

A volume-penalizing immersed boundary method is presented for the simulation of laminar incompressible flow inside geometrically complex blood vessels in the human brain. We concentrate on cerebral aneurysms and compute flow in curved brain vessels with and without spherical aneurysm cavities attached. We approximate blood as an incompressible Newtonian fluid and simulate the flow with the use of a skew-symmetric finite-volume discretization and explicit time-stepping. A key element of the immersed boundary method is the so-called masking function. This is a binary function with which we identify at any location in the domain whether it is 'solid' or 'fluid', allowing to represent objects immersed in a Cartesian grid. We compare three definitions of the masking function for geometries that are non-aligned with the grid. In each case a 'staircase' representation is used in which a grid cell is either 'solid' or 'fluid'. Reliable findings are obtained with our immersed boundary method, even at fairly coarse meshes with about 16 grid cells across a velocity profile. The validation of the immersed boundary method is provided on the basis of classical Poiseuille flow in a cylindrical pipe. We obtain first order convergence for the velocity and the shear stress, reflecting the fact that in our approach the solid-fluid interface is localized with an accuracy on the order of a grid cell. Simulations for curved vessels and aneurysms are done for different flow regimes, characterized by different values of the Reynolds number (Re). The validation is performed for laminar flow at Re = 250, while the flow in more complex geometries is studied at Re = 100 and Re = 250, as suggested by physiological conditions pertaining to flow of blood in the circle of Willis.

Qualitative phytochemical screening and evaluation of anti-inflammatory, analgesic and antipyretic activities of Microcos paniculata barks and fruits.

PubMed

Aziz, Md Abdullah

2015-05-01

The main objectives of this study were to qualitatively evaluate the profile of phytochemical constituents present in methanolic extract of Microcos paniculata bark (BME) and fruit (FME), as well as to evaluate their anti-inflammatory, analgesic and antipyretic activities. Phytochemical constituents of BME and FME were determined by different qualitative tests such as Molisch's test, Fehling's test, alkaloid test, frothing test, FeCl3 test, alkali test, Salkowski's test and Baljet test. The anti-inflammatory, analgesic and antipyretic activities of the extracts were evaluated through proteinase-inhibitory assay, xylene-induced ear edema test, cotton pellet-induced granuloma formation in mice, formalin test, acetic acid-induced writhing test, tail immersion test and Brewer's yeast-induced pyrexia in mice. M. paniculata extracts revealed the presence of carbohydrates, alkaloids, saponins, tannins, flavonoids and triterpenoids. All of the extracts showed significant (P<0.05, vs aspirin group) proteinase-inhibitory activity, whereas the highest effect elicited by plant extracts was exhibited by the BME (75.94% proteinase inhibition activity) with a half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of 61.31 μg/mL. Each extract at the doses of 200 and 400 mg/kg body weight showed significant (P<0.05, vs control) percentage inhibition of ear edema and granuloma formation. These extracts significantly (P<0.05, vs control) reduced the paw licking and abdominal writhing of mice. In addition, BME 400 mg/kg, and FME at 200 and 400 mg/kg showed significant (P<0.05, vs control) analgesic activities at 60 min in the tail immersion test. Again, the significant (P<0.05, vs control) post-treatment antipyretic activities were found by BME 200 and 400 mg/kg and FME 400 mg/kg respectively. Study results indicate that M. paniculata may provide a source of plant compounds with anti-inflammatory, analgesic and antipyretic activities.

Arterial and intraocular pressure changes after a single-session hot-water immersion.

PubMed

Findikoglu, Gulin; Cetin, Ebru Nevin; Sarsan, Ayse; Senol, Hande; Yildirim, Cem; Ardic, Fusun

2015-01-01

The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of head-out hot-water immersion on the intraocular pressure (IOP) of healthy subjects and investigate whether this intervention alters cardiovascular and microcirculatory responses. METHODs: 16 male and 18 female healthy young adults were immersed in 39 degrees C water up to shoulder level for 20 minutes. Blood pressure (BP), heart rate (HR) and IOP were measured pre-immersion, post-immersion and five minutes after immersion on the same day. Tono-Pen was used to measure IOP. Mean arterial blood pressure (MAP), systolic pressure rate product (S-PRP), diastolic pressure rate product (D-PRP), pulse pressure (PP), mean ocular perfusion pressure (mean-OPP), systolic ocular perfusion pressure (S-OPP) and diastolic ocular perfusion pressure (D-OPP) were calculated. Systolic BP (SBP), diastolic BP (DBP), MAP, IOP, S-OPP, D-OPP and mean-OPP decreased; HR increased five minutes after immersion in the pool and post-immersion out of the pool significantly, compared to pre-immersion data (p < 0.05). HR, S-PRP and D-PRP measured five minutes after immersion were significantly higher from post-immersion (p < 0.05). PP and S-OPP were significantly different five minutes after immersion compared to pre-immersion. There was no statistically significant correlation between IOP and SBP, DBP, MAP, S-PRP, D-PRP, PP, S-OPP, D-OPP, or mean-OPP (p > 0.05). Physiological hemodynamic response to single head-out hot-water immersion caused a statistically significant decrease in IOP. Preliminary results could help to clarify vascular reactions and IOP changes during hot-water immersion that might be potentially therapeutic in glaucoma patients.

Dual Language Immersion Program Equity and Access: Is There Equity for All Students?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fernandez, Patricia Espinoza

2016-01-01

This is a mixed methods study of K-12 school administrators with dual language immersion school leadership expertise. The paramount research focus was to identify equity and access issues in dual language immersion programs serving grades K-12, as identified by school administrators who have led such programs. A total pool of 498 were invited to…

Unconventional tail configurations for transport aircraft

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sánchez-Carmona, A.; Cuerno-Rejado, C.; García-Hernández, L.

2017-06-01

This article presents the bases of a methodology in order to size unconventional tail configurations for transport aircraft. The case study of this paper is a V-tail con¦guration. Firstly, an aerodynamic study is developed for determining stability derivatives and aerodynamic forces. The objective is to size a tail such as it develops at least the same static stability derivatives than a conventional reference aircraft. The optimum is obtained minimizing its weight. The weight is estimated through two methods: adapted Farrar£s method and a statistical method. The solution reached is heavier than the reference, but it reduces the wetted area.

Polyadenylation state microarray (PASTA) analysis.

PubMed

Beilharz, Traude H; Preiss, Thomas

2011-01-01

Nearly all eukaryotic mRNAs terminate in a poly(A) tail that serves important roles in mRNA utilization. In the cytoplasm, the poly(A) tail promotes both mRNA stability and translation, and these functions are frequently regulated through changes in tail length. To identify the scope of poly(A) tail length control in a transcriptome, we developed the polyadenylation state microarray (PASTA) method. It involves the purification of mRNA based on poly(A) tail length using thermal elution from poly(U) sepharose, followed by microarray analysis of the resulting fractions. In this chapter we detail our PASTA approach and describe some methods for bulk and mRNA-specific poly(A) tail length measurements of use to monitor the procedure and independently verify the microarray data.

Deconditioning-induced exercise responses as influenced by heat acclimation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shvartz, E.; Bhattacharya, A.; Sperinde, S. J.; Brock, P. J.; Sciaraffa, D.; Haines, R. F.; Greenleaf, J. E.

1979-01-01

A study to determine the effect of heat acclimation and physical training in temperate conditions on changes in exercise tolerance following water-immersion deconditioning is presented. Five young men were tested on a bicycle ergometer before and after heat acclimation and after water immersion. The subjects and the experimental procedure, heat acclimation and exercise training, water immersion, and exercise tolerance are discussed. Heat acclimation resulted in the usual decreases in exercise heart rate and rectal temperature and an increase in sweat rate. Water immersion resulted in substantial diuresis despite water consumed. The results show that heat acclimation provides an effective method of preventing the adverse effects of water-immersion deconditioning on exercise tolerance.

Aloperine attenuated neuropathic pain induced by chronic constriction injury via anti-oxidation activity and suppression of the nuclear factor kappa B pathway

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

Xu, Ya-Qiong; Jin, Shao-Ju; Luohe Medical College, Luohe 462002, Henan Province

Highlights: • Aloperine has anti-nociceptive effects on neuropathic pain induced CCI. • Aloperine reduces ROS in neuropathic pain mice. • Aloperine down-regulates the expression of NF-κB and its downstream pro-inflammatory cytokines in neuropathic pain mice. - Abstract: Objective: To investigate whether aloperine (ALO) has antinociceptive effects on neuropathic pain induced by chronic constriction injury, whether ALO reduces ROS against neuropathic pain, and what are the mechanisms involved in ALO attenuated neuropathic pain. Methods: Mechanical and cold allodynia, thermal and mechanical hyperalgesia and spinal thermal hyperalgesia were estimated by behavior methods such as Von Frey filaments, cold-plate, radiant heat, paw pressuremore » and tail immersion on one day before surgery and days 7, 8, 10, 12 and 14 after surgery, respectively. In addition, T-AOC, GSH-PX, T-AOC and MDA in the spinal cord (L4/5) were measured to evaluate anti-oxidation activity of ALO on neuropathic pain. Expressions of NF-κB and pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1β) in the spinal cord (L4/5) were analyzed by using Western blot. Results: Administration of ALO (80 mg/kg and 40 mg/kg, i.p.) significantly increased paw withdrawal threshold, paw pressure, paw withdrawal latencies, tail-curling latencies, T-AOC, GSH-PX and T-SOD concentration, reduced the numbers of paw lifts and MDA concentration compared to CCI group. ALO attenuated CCI induced up-regulation of expressions of NF-κB, TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1β at the dose of 80 mg/kg (i.p.). Pregabalin produced similar effects serving as positive control at the dose of 10 mg/kg (i.p.). Conclusion: ALO has antinociceptive effects on neuropathic pain induced by CCI. The antinociceptive effects of ALO against neuropathic pain is related to reduction of ROS, via suppression of NF-κB pathway.« less

The Effects of Tail Docking Method on Piglets' Behavioral Responses to a Formalin Pain Test

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Routine piglet production procedures, for example teeth clipping, tail docking and castration, most likely cause pain and are under increasing scrutiny from the animal rights lobby. The objectives of this study were to assess the impact of 2 alternative methods of tail-docking on subsequent response...

Estimation of effective refractive index of birefringent particles using a combination of the immersion liquid method and light scattering.

PubMed

Niskanen, Ilpo; Räty, Jukka; Peiponen, Kai-Erik

2008-04-01

A method to detect the effective refractive index and concentration of birefringent pigments is suggested. The method is based on the utilization of the immersion liquid method and a multifunction spectrophotometer for the measurement of back scattered light. The method has applications in the measurement of the effective refractive index of pigments that are used, e.g., in the paper industry to improve the opacity of paper products.

Compensation method for obtaining accurate, sub-micrometer displacement measurements of immersed specimens using electronic speckle interferometry.

PubMed

Fazio, Massimo A; Bruno, Luigi; Reynaud, Juan F; Poggialini, Andrea; Downs, J Crawford

2012-03-01

We proposed and validated a compensation method that accounts for the optical distortion inherent in measuring displacements on specimens immersed in aqueous solution. A spherically-shaped rubber specimen was mounted and pressurized on a custom apparatus, with the resulting surface displacements recorded using electronic speckle pattern interferometry (ESPI). Point-to-point light direction computation is achieved by a ray-tracing strategy coupled with customized B-spline-based analytical representation of the specimen shape. The compensation method reduced the mean magnitude of the displacement error induced by the optical distortion from 35% to 3%, and ESPI displacement measurement repeatability showed a mean variance of 16 nm at the 95% confidence level for immersed specimens. The ESPI interferometer and numerical data analysis procedure presented herein provide reliable, accurate, and repeatable measurement of sub-micrometer deformations obtained from pressurization tests of spherically-shaped specimens immersed in aqueous salt solution. This method can be used to quantify small deformations in biological tissue samples under load, while maintaining the hydration necessary to ensure accurate material property assessment.

Comparative measurements of ambient atmospheric concentrations of ice nucleating particles using multiple immersion freezing methods and a continuous flow diffusion chamber

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

DeMott, Paul J.; Hill, Thomas C. J.; Petters, Markus D.; Bertram, Allan K.; Tobo, Yutaka; Mason, Ryan H.; Suski, Kaitlyn J.; McCluskey, Christina S.; Levin, Ezra J. T.; Schill, Gregory P.; Boose, Yvonne; Rauker, Anne Marie; Miller, Anna J.; Zaragoza, Jake; Rocci, Katherine; Rothfuss, Nicholas E.; Taylor, Hans P.; Hader, John D.; Chou, Cedric; Huffman, J. Alex; Pöschl, Ulrich; Prenni, Anthony J.; Kreidenweis, Sonia M.

2017-09-01

A number of new measurement methods for ice nucleating particles (INPs) have been introduced in recent years, and it is important to address how these methods compare. Laboratory comparisons of instruments sampling major INP types are common, but few comparisons have occurred for ambient aerosol measurements exploring the utility, consistency and complementarity of different methods to cover the large dynamic range of INP concentrations that exists in the atmosphere. In this study, we assess the comparability of four offline immersion freezing measurement methods (Colorado State University ice spectrometer, IS; North Carolina State University cold stage, CS; National Institute for Polar Research Cryogenic Refrigerator Applied to Freezing Test, CRAFT; University of British Columbia micro-orifice uniform deposit impactor-droplet freezing technique, MOUDI-DFT) and an online method (continuous flow diffusion chamber, CFDC) used in a manner deemed to promote/maximize immersion freezing, for the detection of INPs in ambient aerosols at different locations and in different sampling scenarios. We also investigated the comparability of different aerosol collection methods used with offline immersion freezing instruments. Excellent agreement between all methods could be obtained for several cases of co-sampling with perfect temporal overlap. Even for sampling periods that were not fully equivalent, the deviations between atmospheric INP number concentrations measured with different methods were mostly less than 1 order of magnitude. In some cases, however, the deviations were larger and not explicable without sampling and measurement artifacts. Overall, the immersion freezing methods seem to effectively capture INPs that activate as single particles in the modestly supercooled temperature regime (> -20 °C), although more comparisons are needed in this temperature regime that is difficult to access with online methods. Relative to the CFDC method, three immersion freezing methods that disperse particles into a bulk liquid (IS, CS, CRAFT) exhibit a positive bias in measured INP number concentrations below -20 °C, increasing with decreasing temperature. This bias was present but much less pronounced for a method that condenses separate water droplets onto limited numbers of particles prior to cooling and freezing (MOUDI-DFT). Potential reasons for the observed differences are discussed, and further investigations proposed to elucidate the role of all factors involved.

Surface interactions between silica particles and water and organic solvents

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

Douillard, J.M.; Elwafir, M.; Partyka, S.

1994-04-01

A silica sample has been studied by vapor adsorption and by microcalorimetric methods. The combination of these two methods in the case of water allows one to calculate all the thermodynamic terms related to the adhesion on this silica. Adhesion between silica and miscellaneous solvents has been studied by immersion microcalorimetry. The silica is slightly hydrophobic, but the enthalpy of immersion into water is the most energetic one of all the solvents studied. It appears a clear graduation of the enthalpies of immersion due to the presence of delocalized electrons in the studied solvents.

Theory and procedure for determining loads and motions in chine-immersed hydrodynamic impacts of prismatic bodies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schnitzer, Emanuel

1953-01-01

A theoretical method is derived for the determination of the motions and loads during chine-immersed water landings of prismatic bodies. This method makes use of a variation of two-dimensional deflected water mass over the complete range of immersion, modified by a correction for three-dimensional flow. Equations are simplified through omission of the term proportional to the acceleration of the deflected mass for use in calculation of loads on hulls having moderate and heavy beam loading. The effects of water rise at the keel are included in these equations. In order to make a direct comparison of theory with experiment, a modification of the equations was made to include the effect of finite test-carriage mass. A simple method of computation which can be applied without reading the body of this report is presented as an appendix along with the required theoretical plots for determination of loads and motions in chine-immersed landings.

A Quadtree-gridding LBM with Immersed Boundary for Two-dimension Viscous Flows

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yao, Jieke; Feng, Wenliang; Chen, Bin; Zhou, Wei; Cao, Shikun

2017-07-01

An un-uniform quadtree grids lattice Boltzmann method (LBM) with immersed boundary is presented in this paper. In overlapping for different level grids, temporal and spatial interpolation are necessary to ensure the continuity of physical quantity. In order to take advantage of the equation for temporal and spatial step in the same level grids, equal interval interpolation, which is simple to apply to any refined boundary grids in the LBM, is adopted in temporal and spatial aspects to obtain second-order accuracy. The velocity correction, which can guarantee more preferably no-slip boundary condition than the direct forcing method and the momentum exchange method in the traditional immersed-boundary LBM, is used for solid boundary to make the best of Cartesian grid. In present quadtree-gridding immersed-boundary LBM, large eddy simulation (LES) is adopted to simulate the flows over obstacle in higher Reynolds number (Re). The incompressible viscous flows over circular cylinder are carried out, and a great agreement is obtained.

A technique for fast and accurate measurement of hand volumes using Archimedes' principle.

PubMed

Hughes, S; Lau, J

2008-03-01

A new technique for measuring hand volumes using Archimedes principle is described. The technique involves the immersion of a hand in a water container placed on an electronic balance. The volume is given by the change in weight divided by the density of water. This technique was compared with the more conventional technique of immersing an object in a container with an overflow spout and collecting and weighing the volume of overflow water. The hand volume of two subjects was measured. Hand volumes were 494 +/- 6 ml and 312 +/- 7 ml for the immersion method and 476 +/- 14 ml and 302 +/- 8 ml for the overflow method for the two subjects respectively. Using plastic test objects, the mean difference between the actual and measured volume was -0.3% and 2.0% for the immersion and overflow techniques respectively. This study shows that hand volumes can be obtained more quickly than the overflow method. The technique could find an application in clinics where frequent hand volumes are required.

Apparatus and method for controlling heat transfer between a fluidized bed and tubes immersed therein

DOEpatents

Hodges, James L.; Cerkanowicz, Anthony E.

1983-01-01

In a fluidized bed of solid particles having one or more heat exchange tubes immersed therein, the rate of heat transfer between the fluidized particles and a fluid flowing through the immersed heat exchange tubes is controlled by rotating an arcuate shield apparatus about each tube to selectively expose various portions of the tube to the fluidized particles.

Apparatus and method for controlling heat transfer between a fluidized bed and tubes immersed therein

DOEpatents

Hodges, James L.; Cerkanowicz, Anthony E.

1982-01-01

In a fluidized bed of solid particles having one or more heat exchange tubes immersed therein, the rate of heat transfer between the fluidized particles and a fluid flowing through the immersed heat exchange tubes is controlled by rotating an arcuate shield apparatus about each tube to selectively expose various portions of the tube to the fluidized particles.

Impact of immersion oils and mounting media on the confocal imaging of dendritic spines.

PubMed

Peterson, Brittni M; Mermelstein, Paul G; Meisel, Robert L

2015-03-15

Structural plasticity, such as changes in dendritic spine morphology and density, reflect changes in synaptic connectivity and circuitry. Procedural variables used in different methods for labeling dendritic spines have been quantitatively evaluated for their impact on the ability to resolve individual spines in confocal microscopic analyses. In contrast, there have been discussions, though no quantitative analyses, of the potential effects of choosing specific mounting media and immersion oils on dendritic spine resolution. Here we provide quantitative data measuring the impact of these variables on resolving dendritic spines in 3D confocal analyses. Medium spiny neurons from the rat striatum and nucleus accumbens are used as examples. Both choice of mounting media and immersion oil affected the visualization of dendritic spines, with choosing the appropriate immersion oil as being more imperative. These biologic data are supported by quantitative measures of the 3D diffraction pattern (i.e. point spread function) of a point source of light under the same mounting medium and immersion oil combinations. Although not a new method, this manuscript provides quantitative data demonstrating that different mounting media and immersion oils can impact the ability to resolve dendritic spines. These findings highlight the importance of reporting which mounting medium and immersion oil are used in preparations for confocal analyses, especially when comparing published results from different laboratories. Collectively, these data suggest that choosing the appropriate immersion oil and mounting media is critical for obtaining the best resolution, and consequently more accurate measures of dendritic spine densities. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Numerical Simulations Using the Immersed Boundary Technique

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Piomelli, Ugo; Balaras, Elias

1997-01-01

The immersed-boundary method can be used to simulate flows around complex geometries within a Cartesian grid. This method has been used quite extensively in low Reynolds-number flows, and is now being applied to turbulent flows more frequently. The technique will be discussed, and three applications of the method will be presented, with increasing complexity. to illustrate the potential and limitations of the method, and some of the directions for future work.

2-D transmitral flows simulation by means of the immersed boundary method on unstructured grids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Denaro, F. M.; Sarghini, F.

2002-04-01

Interaction between computational fluid dynamics and clinical researches recently allowed a deeper understanding of the physiology of complex phenomena involving cardio-vascular mechanisms. The aim of this paper is to develop a simplified numerical model based on the Immersed Boundary Method and to perform numerical simulations in order to study the cardiac diastolic phase during which the left ventricle is filled with blood flowing from the atrium throughout the mitral valve. As one of the diagnostic problems to be faced by clinicians is the lack of a univocal definition of the diastolic performance from the velocity measurements obtained by Eco-Doppler techniques, numerical simulations are supposed to provide an insight both into the physics of the diastole and into the interpretation of experimental data. An innovative application of the Immersed Boundary Method on unstructured grids is presented, fulfilling accuracy requirements related to the development of a thin boundary layer along the moving immersed boundary. It appears that this coupling between unstructured meshes and the Immersed Boundary Method is a promising technique when a wide range of spatial scales is involved together with a moving boundary. Numerical simulations are performed in a range of physiological parameters and a qualitative comparison with experimental data is presented, in order to demonstrate that, despite the simplified model, the main physiological characteristics of the diastole are well represented. Copyright

Experiment K-7-28: Lung Morphology Study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

West, J. B.; Elliott, A. R.; Mathieu-Costello, O.; Kaplansky, A. S.

1994-01-01

There are no previous studies investigating the effect of microgravity exposure during spaceflight on lung tissue. We examined the ultrastructure of the left lungs of 5 Czechoslovakian Wistar rats flown on the 13 day, 19+ hr. Cosmos 2044 mission, and compared them to 5 vivarium and 5 synchronous controls at 1-g conditions, and 5 rats exposed to 14 days of tail-suspension. Within 10 minutes of sacrifice by decapitation, the lungs were removed and immersed in 3% glutaraldehyde in 0.1M phosphate buffer (total osmolarity of the fixative: 560 mOsm; pH = 7.4). The tissue stored at 5 C was transported to our laboratory where it was processed for light and electron microscopy. No significant perivascular cuffing caused by interstitial edema was present in the tissue samples. Some of the flight, tail-suspended, and synchronous control rats showed alveolar edema, while vivarium controls did not. The pulmonary capillaries appeared to be more congested in the flight animals than in the other groups. This could be related to the increased hematocrit due to the microgravity exposure. In all 5 flight, 4 tail-suspended, and 3 synchronous rats, red blood cells (RBC) were present in the alveolar spaces. The RBC were either suspended free in the alveoli or observed lining the alveolar wall. The frequency of RBC lining the alveolar walls appeared greater in the dorsal (gravity non-dependent) than in ventral (gravity dependent) regions of the lung in these three animal groups. In 3 of the vivarium controls, a few RBC were found in the alveolar spaces. Intra-capillary fluid-filled vesicles were observed in the flight, tail-suspended and synchronous animals, but not in the vivarium controls. The formation of intra-capillary fluid-filled vesicles has been previously associated with pulmonary hypertension induced by high altitude exposure and mitral stenosis. In conclusion, pulmonary hemorrhage and alveolar edema of unknown origin occurred to a greater extent in the flight, tail-suspended, and synchronous control animals, and in the dorsal regions of the lung when compared to the vivarium controls. The etiology of these changes, which are possibly due to an increase in pulmonary vascular pressure, requires further investigation.

Radial-based tail methods for Monte Carlo simulations of cylindrical interfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goujon, Florent; Bêche, Bruno; Malfreyt, Patrice; Ghoufi, Aziz

2018-03-01

In this work, we implement for the first time the radial-based tail methods for Monte Carlo simulations of cylindrical interfaces. The efficiency of this method is then evaluated through the calculation of surface tension and coexisting properties. We show that the inclusion of tail corrections during the course of the Monte Carlo simulation impacts the coexisting and the interfacial properties. We establish that the long range corrections to the surface tension are the same order of magnitude as those obtained from planar interface. We show that the slab-based tail method does not amend the localization of the Gibbs equimolar dividing surface. Additionally, a non-monotonic behavior of surface tension is exhibited as a function of the radius of the equimolar dividing surface.

Evaluation of the mechanical properties and surface topography of as-received, immersed and as-retrieved orthodontic archwires

PubMed Central

POP, SILVIA IZABELLA; DUDESCU, MIRCEA; MERIE, VIOLETA VALENTINA; PACURAR, MARIANA; BRATU, CRISTINA DANA

2017-01-01

Background and aims This experimental study mainly aims at comparing the most important mechanical properties of the new orthodontic archwires, those immersed in fluorinated solution, the as-retrieved ones and the intra-oral used ones. Methods A total of 270 arch wires were tested, using tensile testing and three-point bending tests. The tested archwires were made of Stainless Steel, Nickel Titanium, Beta-Titanium and physiognomic covered Nickel Titanium. The tested archwires were subjected to three types of treatments: immersion into fluorinated solution, immersion into carbonated drinks and intra-oral use. Results The immersion caused variations of the activation and deactivation forces of all arch wires. The most affected arch wires, in terms of bending characteristics, were the intra-oral used ones. Conclusions The alteration of mechanical properties of the orthodontic arch wires by their immersion into fluorinated solutions and soft drinks could not be statistically demonstrated. PMID:28781528

Method of forming a foamed thermoplastic polymer

DOEpatents

Duchane, D.V.; Cash, D.L.

1984-11-21

A solid thermoplastic polymer is immersed in an immersant solution comprising a compatible carrier solvent and an infusant solution containing an incompatible liquid blowing agent for a time sufficient for the immersant solution to infuse into the polymer. The carrier solvent is then selectively extracted, preferably by a solvent exchange process in which the immersant solution is gradually diluted with and replaced by the infusant solution, so as to selectively leave behind the infustant solution permanently entrapped in the polymer. The polymer is then heated to volatilize the blowing agent and expand the polymer into a foamed state.

The Student Experience With Varying Immersion Levels of Virtual Reality Simulation.

PubMed

Farra, Sharon L; Smith, Sherrill J; Ulrich, Deborah L

With increasing use of virtual reality simulation (VRS) in nursing education and given the vast array of technologies available, a variety of levels of immersion and experiences can be provided to students. This study explored two different levels of immersive VRS capability. Study participants included baccalaureate nursing students from three universities across four campuses. Students were trained in the skill of decontamination using traditional methods or with VRS options of mouse and keyboard or head-mounted display technology. Results of focus group interviews reflect the student experience and satisfaction with two different immersive levels of VRS.

Estimating preservative release from treated wood exposed to precipitation

Treesearch

Stan Lebow; Patricia Lebow; Daniel Foster

2008-01-01

Accelerated leaching methods are needed to better estimate emissions from treated wood used above ground or above water. In this study, we evaluated leaching methods using continuous immersion, dip immersion, and simulated rainfall approaches. Copper and/or boron emissions were measured for specimens treated with either chromated copper arsenate Type C (CCA-C) or a...

Language Learning Motivation in Early Adolescents: Using Mixed Methods Research to Explore Contradiction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wesely, Pamela M.

2010-01-01

This mixed methods study with an Explanatory Design is an exploration of students' language learning motivation as it relates to their attrition from a language immersion program. A total of 131 students who had graduated from five public elementary immersion schools responded to surveys, and 33 of those students were interviewed. Data analysis…

Computation of leaky guided waves dispersion spectrum using vibroacoustic analyses and the Matrix Pencil Method: a validation study for immersed rectangular waveguides.

PubMed

Mazzotti, M; Bartoli, I; Castellazzi, G; Marzani, A

2014-09-01

The paper aims at validating a recently proposed Semi Analytical Finite Element (SAFE) formulation coupled with a 2.5D Boundary Element Method (2.5D BEM) for the extraction of dispersion data in immersed waveguides of generic cross-section. To this end, three-dimensional vibroacoustic analyses are carried out on two waveguides of square and rectangular cross-section immersed in water using the commercial Finite Element software Abaqus/Explicit. Real wavenumber and attenuation dispersive data are extracted by means of a modified Matrix Pencil Method. It is demonstrated that the results obtained using the two techniques are in very good agreement. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Towards a Viscous Wall Model for Immersed Boundary Methods

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brehm, Christoph; Barad, Michael F.; Kiris, Cetin C.

2016-01-01

Immersed boundary methods are frequently employed for simulating flows at low Reynolds numbers or for applications where viscous boundary layer effects can be neglected. The primary shortcoming of Cartesian mesh immersed boundary methods is the inability of efficiently resolving thin turbulent boundary layers in high-Reynolds number flow application. The inefficiency of resolving the thin boundary is associated with the use of constant aspect ratio Cartesian grid cells. Conventional CFD approaches can efficiently resolve the large wall normal gradients by utilizing large aspect ratio cells near the wall. This paper presents different approaches for immersed boundary methods to account for the viscous boundary layer interaction with the flow-field away from the walls. Different wall modeling approaches proposed in previous research studies are addressed and compared to a new integral boundary layer based approach. In contrast to common wall-modeling approaches that usually only utilize local flow information, the integral boundary layer based approach keeps the streamwise history of the boundary layer. This allows the method to remain effective at much larger y+ values than local wall modeling approaches. After a theoretical discussion of the different approaches, the method is applied to increasingly more challenging flow fields including fully attached, separated, and shock-induced separated (laminar and turbulent) flows.

Sources of spurious force oscillations from an immersed boundary method for moving-body problems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Jongho; Kim, Jungwoo; Choi, Haecheon; Yang, Kyung-Soo

2011-04-01

When a discrete-forcing immersed boundary method is applied to moving-body problems, it produces spurious force oscillations on a solid body. In the present study, we identify two sources of these force oscillations. One source is from the spatial discontinuity in the pressure across the immersed boundary when a grid point located inside a solid body becomes that of fluid with a body motion. The addition of mass source/sink together with momentum forcing proposed by Kim et al. [J. Kim, D. Kim, H. Choi, An immersed-boundary finite volume method for simulations of flow in complex geometries, Journal of Computational Physics 171 (2001) 132-150] reduces the spurious force oscillations by alleviating this pressure discontinuity. The other source is from the temporal discontinuity in the velocity at the grid points where fluid becomes solid with a body motion. The magnitude of velocity discontinuity decreases with decreasing the grid spacing near the immersed boundary. Four moving-body problems are simulated by varying the grid spacing at a fixed computational time step and at a constant CFL number, respectively. It is found that the spurious force oscillations decrease with decreasing the grid spacing and increasing the computational time step size, but they depend more on the grid spacing than on the computational time step size.

Acute whole-body cooling for exercise-induced hyperthermia: a systematic review.

PubMed

McDermott, Brendon P; Casa, Douglas J; Ganio, Matthew S; Lopez, Rebecca M; Yeargin, Susan W; Armstrong, Lawrence E; Maresh, Carl M

2009-01-01

To assess existing original research addressing the efficiency of whole-body cooling modalities in the treatment of exertional hyperthermia. During April 2007, we searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, Scopus, SportDiscus, CINAHL, and Cochrane Reviews databases as well as ProQuest for theses and dissertations to identify research studies evaluating whole-body cooling treatments without limits. Key words were cooling, cryotherapy, water immersion, cold-water immersion, ice-water immersion, icing, fanning, bath, baths, cooling modality, heat illness, heat illnesses, exertional heatstroke, exertional heat stroke, heat exhaustion, hyperthermia, hyperthermic, hyperpyrexia, exercise, exertion, running, football, military, runners, marathoner, physical activity, marathoning, soccer, and tennis. Two independent reviewers graded each study on the Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro) scale. Seven of 89 research articles met all inclusion criteria and a minimum score of 4 out of 10 on the PEDro scale. After an extensive and critical review of the available research on whole-body cooling for the treatment of exertional hyperthermia, we concluded that ice-water immersion provides the most efficient cooling. Further research comparing whole-body cooling modalities is needed to identify other acceptable means. When ice-water immersion is not possible, continual dousing with water combined with fanning the patient is an alternative method until more advanced cooling means can be used. Until future investigators identify other acceptable whole-body cooling modalities for exercise-induced hyperthermia, ice-water immersion and cold-water immersion are the methods proven to have the fastest cooling rates.

Assessing Knowledge Retention of an Immersive Serious Game vs. a Traditional Education Method in Aviation Safety.

PubMed

Chittaro, Luca; Buttussi, Fabio

2015-04-01

Thanks to the increasing availability of consumer head-mounted displays, educational applications of immersive VR could now reach to the general public, especially if they include gaming elements (immersive serious games). Safety education of citizens could be a particularly promising domain for immersive serious games, because people tend not to pay attention to and benefit from current safety materials. In this paper, we propose an HMD-based immersive game for educating passengers about aviation safety that allows players to experience a serious aircraft emergency with the goal of surviving it. We compare the proposed approach to a traditional aviation safety education method (the safety card) used by airlines. Unlike most studies of VR for safety knowledge acquisition, we do not focus only on assessing learning immediately after the experience but we extend our attention to knowledge retention over a longer time span. This is a fundamental requirement, because people need to retain safety procedures in order to apply them when faced with danger. A knowledge test administered before, immediately after and one week after the experimental condition showed that the immersive serious game was superior to the safety card. Moreover, subjective as well as physiological measurements employed in the study showed that the immersive serious game was more engaging and fear-arousing than the safety card, a factor that can contribute to explain the obtained superior retention, as we discuss in the paper.

Comparing Phlebotomy by Tail Tip Amputation, Facial Vein Puncture, and Tail Vein Incision in C57BL/6 Mice by Using Physiologic and Behavioral Metrics of Pain and Distress

PubMed Central

Moore, Elizabeth S; Cleland, Thomas A; Williams, Wendy O; Peterson, Christine M; Singh, Bhupinder; Southard, Teresa L; Pasch, Bret; Labitt, Rachael N; Daugherity, Erin K

2017-01-01

Tail tip amputation with minimal restraint is not widely used for mouse phlebotomy. In part, this infrequency may reflect policies influenced by tail tip amputation procedures for genotyping, which involve greater handling and tissue removal. To assess tail tip amputation with minimal restraint as a phlebotomy technique, we compared it with 2 more common methods: scruffing with facial vein puncture and lateral tail vein incision with minimal restraint. Blood glucose levels, audible and ultrasonic vocalizations, postphlebotomy activity and grooming behavior, open field and elevated plus maze behaviors, nest-building scores, and histologic changes at the phlebotomy site were evaluated. Mice in the facial vein phlebotomy group produced more audible vocalizations, exhibited lower postphlebotomy activity in the open field, and had more severe histologic changes than did mice in the tail incision and tail tip amputation groups. Facial vein phlebotomy did not affect grooming behavior relative to sham groups, whereas tail vein incision—but not tail tip amputation—increased tail grooming compared with that in control mice. Blood glucose levels, nest-building scores, and elevated plus maze behavior did not differ between groups, and no mice in any group produced ultrasonic vocalizations. Tail tip amputation mice did not perform differently than sham mice in any metric analyzed, indicating that this technique is a potentially superior method of blood collection in mice in terms of animal wellbeing. PMID:28535866

Comparing Phlebotomy by Tail Tip Amputation, Facial Vein Puncture, and Tail Vein Incision in C57BL/6 Mice by Using Physiologic and Behavioral Metrics of Pain and Distress.

PubMed

Moore, Elizabeth S; Cleland, Thomas A; Williams, Wendy O; Peterson, Christine M; Singh, Bhupinder; Southard, Teresa L; Pasch, Bret; Labitt, Rachael N; Daugherity, Erin K

2017-05-01

Tail tip amputation with minimal restraint is not widely used for mouse phlebotomy. In part, this infrequency may reflect policies influenced by tail tip amputation procedures for genotyping, which involve greater handling and tissue removal. To assess tail tip amputation with minimal restraint as a phlebotomy technique, we compared it with 2 more common methods: scruffing with facial vein puncture and lateral tail vein incision with minimal restraint. Blood glucose levels, audible and ultrasonic vocalizations, postphlebotomy activity and grooming behavior, open field and elevated plus maze behaviors, nest-building scores, and histologic changes at the phlebotomy site were evaluated. Mice in the facial vein phlebotomy group produced more audible vocalizations, exhibited lower postphlebotomy activity in the open field, and had more severe histologic changes than did mice in the tail incision and tail tip amputation groups. Facial vein phlebotomy did not affect grooming behavior relative to sham groups, whereas tail vein incision-but not tail tip amputation-increased tail grooming compared with that in control mice. Blood glucose levels, nest-building scores, and elevated plus maze behavior did not differ between groups, and no mice in any group produced ultrasonic vocalizations. Tail tip amputation mice did not perform differently than sham mice in any metric analyzed, indicating that this technique is a potentially superior method of blood collection in mice in terms of animal wellbeing.

Diffuse interface immersed boundary method for multi-fluid flows with arbitrarily moving rigid bodies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Patel, Jitendra Kumar; Natarajan, Ganesh

2018-05-01

We present an interpolation-free diffuse interface immersed boundary method for multiphase flows with moving bodies. A single fluid formalism using the volume-of-fluid approach is adopted to handle multiple immiscible fluids which are distinguished using the volume fractions, while the rigid bodies are tracked using an analogous volume-of-solid approach that solves for the solid fractions. The solution to the fluid flow equations are carried out using a finite volume-immersed boundary method, with the latter based on a diffuse interface philosophy. In the present work, we assume that the solids are filled with a "virtual" fluid with density and viscosity equal to the largest among all fluids in the domain. The solids are assumed to be rigid and their motion is solved using Newton's second law of motion. The immersed boundary methodology constructs a modified momentum equation that reduces to the Navier-Stokes equations in the fully fluid region and recovers the no-slip boundary condition inside the solids. An implicit incremental fractional-step methodology in conjunction with a novel hybrid staggered/non-staggered approach is employed, wherein a single equation for normal momentum at the cell faces is solved everywhere in the domain, independent of the number of spatial dimensions. The scalars are all solved for at the cell centres, with the transport equations for solid and fluid volume fractions solved using a high-resolution scheme. The pressure is determined everywhere in the domain (including inside the solids) using a variable coefficient Poisson equation. The solution to momentum, pressure, solid and fluid volume fraction equations everywhere in the domain circumvents the issue of pressure and velocity interpolation, which is a source of spurious oscillations in sharp interface immersed boundary methods. A well-balanced algorithm with consistent mass/momentum transport ensures robust simulations of high density ratio flows with strong body forces. The proposed diffuse interface immersed boundary method is shown to be discretely mass-preserving while being temporally second-order accurate and exhibits nominal second-order accuracy in space. We examine the efficacy of the proposed approach through extensive numerical experiments involving one or more fluids and solids, that include two-particle sedimentation in homogeneous and stratified environment. The results from the numerical simulations show that the proposed methodology results in reduced spurious force oscillations in case of moving bodies while accurately resolving complex flow phenomena in multiphase flows with moving solids. These studies demonstrate that the proposed diffuse interface immersed boundary method, which could be related to a class of penalisation approaches, is a robust and promising alternative to computationally expensive conformal moving mesh algorithms as well as the class of sharp interface immersed boundary methods for multibody problems in multi-phase flows.

Diazepam-stress interactions in the rat: effects on autoanalgesia and a plus-maze model of anxiety.

PubMed

Taukulis, H K; Goggin, C E

1990-03-01

On six occasions spaced at least a week apart, two groups of rats were subjected to a variety of stressful conditions consisting of a restraint/bright light complex, either alone or in combination with a tail pinch, whole-body inversion, or partial immersion in cold water. One of these groups was injected with diazepam (2.0 mg/kg) 30 min prior to the stressors, while the other group experienced the drug in their home cages the following day. A third group also received the diazepam but was not exposed to the stressors. In three test sessions all animals were injected with either diazepam or saline and were then exposed to a novel stressor: a plus-maze used as a screening device for anxiolytic drugs. This was immediately followed by a tail-flick measure of analgesia. The longest tail-flick latencies, indicating stress-induced analgesia ("autoanalgesia"), were observed in the group that had not been exposed to stress prior to testing. The other two groups exhibited substantially shorter latencies but did not differ from one another, thus showing a "stress inoculation" effect that was uninfluenced by diazepam. In the plus-maze, diazepam tends to increase the amount of time rats will spend in the two exposed arms of the maze relative to the two enclosed arms. This effect was significantly attenuated in the group that had previously experienced the variety of stressors after a diazepam injection, suggesting a learned association between drug and stress that resulted in a diminution of the drug's anxiolytic property.

A tailing genome walking method suitable for genomes with high local GC content.

PubMed

Liu, Taian; Fang, Yongxiang; Yao, Wenjuan; Guan, Qisai; Bai, Gang; Jing, Zhizhong

2013-10-15

The tailing genome walking strategies are simple and efficient. However, they sometimes can be restricted due to the low stringency of homo-oligomeric primers. Here we modified their conventional tailing step by adding polythymidine and polyguanine to the target single-stranded DNA (ssDNA). The tailed ssDNA was then amplified exponentially with a specific primer in the known region and a primer comprising 5' polycytosine and 3' polyadenosine. The successful application of this novel method for identifying integration sites mediated by φC31 integrase in goat genome indicates that the method is more suitable for genomes with high complexity and local GC content. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Radiological tele-immersion for next generation networks.

PubMed

Ai, Z; Dech, F; Rasmussen, M; Silverstein, J C

2000-01-01

Since the acquisition of high-resolution three-dimensional patient images has become widespread, medical volumetric datasets (CT or MR) larger than 100 MB and encompassing more than 250 slices are common. It is important to make this patient-specific data quickly available and usable to many specialists at different geographical sites. Web-based systems have been developed to provide volume or surface rendering of medical data over networks with low fidelity, but these cannot adequately handle stereoscopic visualization or huge datasets. State-of-the-art virtual reality techniques and high speed networks have made it possible to create an environment for clinicians geographically distributed to immersively share these massive datasets in real-time. An object-oriented method for instantaneously importing medical volumetric data into Tele-Immersive environments has been developed at the Virtual Reality in Medicine Laboratory (VRMedLab) at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC). This networked-VR setup is based on LIMBO, an application framework or template that provides the basic capabilities of Tele-Immersion. We have developed a modular general purpose Tele-Immersion program that automatically combines 3D medical data with the methods for handling the data. For this purpose a DICOM loader for IRIS Performer has been developed. The loader was designed for SGI machines as a shared object, which is executed at LIMBO's runtime. The loader loads not only the selected DICOM dataset, but also methods for rendering, handling, and interacting with the data, bringing networked, real-time, stereoscopic interaction with radiological data to reality. Collaborative, interactive methods currently implemented in the loader include cutting planes and windowing. The Tele-Immersive environment has been tested on the UIC campus over an ATM network. We tested the environment with 3 nodes; one ImmersaDesk at the VRMedLab, one CAVE at the Electronic Visualization Laboratory (EVL) on east campus, and a CT scan machine in UIC Hospital. CT data was pulled directly from the scan machine to the Tele-Immersion server in our Laboratory, and then the data was synchronously distributed by our Onyx2 Rack server to all the VR setups. Instead of permitting medical volume visualization at one VR device, by combining teleconferencing, tele-presence, and virtual reality, the Tele-Immersive environment will enable geographically distributed clinicians to intuitively interact with the same medical volumetric models, point, gesture, converse, and see each other. This environment will bring together clinicians at different geographic locations to participate in Tele-Immersive consultation and collaboration.

An Application of Cartesian-Grid and Volume-of-Fluid Methods to Numerical Ship Hydrodynamics

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-10-01

water-particle ve- locity is discontinuous across the air-water interface, and where CiEA is the Levi - Civita function. rj is the moment the vertical...methods and volume-of- immersed- body and volume-of-fluid (VOF) methods. fluid methods is used to simulate breaking waves around The governing equations are...of a ship hull is used as input to automat- body -fitted grids. The sole geometric input into NFA ically generate an immersed-boundary representation of

The Promise and Potential of Two-Way Immersion in Catholic Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fraga, Luis R.

2016-01-01

Two-Way Immersion (TWI) is a method of instruction designed to facilitate the learning of a second language by non-native speakers. Unlike traditional methods of teaching a second language, TWI is grounded in the equal presence, respect, and value of the two languages and their related cultures. Moreover, the goal of TWI is the building of…

An Immersed-Boundary Method for Fluid-Structure Interaction in the Human Larynx

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luo, Haoxiang; Zheng, Xudong; Mittal, Rajat; Bielamowicz, Steven

2006-11-01

We describe a novel and accurate computational methodology for modeling the airflow and vocal fold dynamics in human larynx. The model is useful in helping us gain deeper insight into the complicated bio-physics of phonation, and may have potential clinical application in design and placement of synthetic implant in vocal fold surgery. The numerical solution of the airflow employs a previously developed immersed-boundary solver. However, in order to incorporate the vocal fold into the model, we have developed a new immersed-boundary method that can simulate the dynamics of the multi-layered, viscoelastic solids. In this method, a finite-difference scheme is used to approximate the derivatives and ghost cells are defined near the boundary. To impose the traction boundary condition, a third-order polynomial is obtained using the weighted least squares fitting to approximate the function locally. Like its analogue for the flow solver, this immersed-boundary method for the solids has the advantage of simple grid generation, and may be easily implemented on parallel computers. In the talk, we will present the simulation results on both the specified vocal fold motion and the flow-induced vocal fold vibration. Supported by NIDCD Grant R01 DC007125-01A1.

Improving the Strength of ZTA Foams with Different Strategies: Immersion Infiltration and Recoating

PubMed Central

Chen, Xiaodong; Betke, Ulf; Peters, Paul Clemens; Söffker, Gerrit Maximilian; Scheffler, Michael

2017-01-01

The combination of high strength and toughness, excellent wear resistance and moderate density makes zirconia-toughened alumina (ZTA) a favorable ceramic, and the foam version of it may also exhibit excellent properties. Here, ZTA foams were prepared by the polymer sponge replication method. We developed an immersion infiltration approach with simple equipment and operations to fill the hollow struts in as-prepared ZTA foams, and also adopted a multiple recoating method (up to four cycles) to strengthen them. The solid load of the slurry imposed a significant influence on the properties of the ZTA foams. Immersion infiltration gave ZTA foams an improvement of 1.5 MPa in compressive strength to 2.6 MPa at 87% porosity, only resulting in a moderate reduction of porosity (2–3%). The Weibull modulus of the infiltrated foams was in the range of 6–9. The recoating method generated an increase in compression strength to 3.3–11.4 MPa with the reduced porosity of 58–83%. The recoating cycle dependency of porosity and compression strength is nearly linear. The immersion infiltration strategy is comparable to the industrially-established recoating method and can be applied to other reticulated porous ceramics (RPCs). PMID:28773093

Evaluation of knowledge transfer in an immersive virtual learning environment for the transportation community.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2014-05-01

Immersive Virtual Learning Environments (IVLEs) are extensively used in training, but few rigorous scientific investigations regarding the : transfer of learning have been conducted. Measurement of learning transfer through evaluative methods is key ...

Effects of salting processes and time on the chemical composition, textural properties, and microstructure of cooked duck egg.

PubMed

Kaewmanee, Thammarat; Benjakul, Soottawat; Visessanguan, Wonnop

2011-03-01

Chemical composition, textural properties, and microstructure of cooked duck egg salted by 2 methods (coating and immersing) were determined during 4 wk of salting. As the salting time increased, moisture content increased and salt content decreased for both cooked salted egg white and yolk. Oil exudation of cooked yolk and expressible water content of cooked egg white obtained from both salting methods increased as salting proceeded (P < 0.05). After cooking, oil exudation accompanied by the solubilized pigments, especially at the outer layer of yolk, was obtained. At week 3 of salting, egg yolk from coating method had the higher egg exudation than that from immersing method. As the salting times increased, the lower hardness, springiness, gumminess, chewiness, and resilience with higher adhesiveness and cohesiveness were generally found in cooked salted egg white (P < 0.05), irrespective of salting methods. Conversely, the hardness of cooked yolk increased continuously and reached the maximum at week 2 and 2 to 3 for immersing and coating method (P < 0.05), respectively. Confocal laser scanning micrographs revealed the smaller yolk granules with more release of free lipid in salted egg after heating, compared with the fresh counterpart. As visualized by scanning electron microscope, gel of cooked salted egg white was coagulum type with larger voids. Salting methods determined oil exudation in egg yolk and texture profile of egg white gel after cooking; however, those attributes were also governed by the salting time. Salted duck egg can be made by 2 methods (coating and immersing) affecting the characteristic of salted egg white and yolk after cooking. Desirable cooked salted egg having the red yolk with hardness and high oil exudation could be obtained when salting was carried out for 3 and 4 wk for immersing and coating method, respectively.

Measurement Tools for the Immersive Visualization Environment: Steps Toward the Virtual Laboratory.

PubMed

Hagedorn, John G; Dunkers, Joy P; Satterfield, Steven G; Peskin, Adele P; Kelso, John T; Terrill, Judith E

2007-01-01

This paper describes a set of tools for performing measurements of objects in a virtual reality based immersive visualization environment. These tools enable the use of the immersive environment as an instrument for extracting quantitative information from data representations that hitherto had be used solely for qualitative examination. We provide, within the virtual environment, ways for the user to analyze and interact with the quantitative data generated. We describe results generated by these methods to obtain dimensional descriptors of tissue engineered medical products. We regard this toolbox as our first step in the implementation of a virtual measurement laboratory within an immersive visualization environment.

Radio frequency power load and associated method

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sims, III, William Herbert (Inventor); Chavers, Donald Gregory (Inventor); Richeson, James J. (Inventor)

2010-01-01

A radio frequency power load and associated method. A radio frequency power load apparatus includes a container and a fluid having an ion source therein, the fluid being contained in the container. Two conductors are immersed in the fluid. A radio frequency transmission system includes a radio frequency transmitter, a radio frequency amplifier connected to the transmitter and a radio frequency power load apparatus connected to the amplifier. The apparatus includes a fluid having an ion source therein, and two conductors immersed in the fluid. A method of dissipating power generated by a radio frequency transmission system includes the steps of: immersing two conductors of a radio frequency power load apparatus in a fluid having an ion source therein; and connecting the apparatus to an amplifier of the transmission system.

Preparation and characterization of copper telluride thin films by modified chemical bath deposition (M-CBD) method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pathan, H. M.; Lokhande, C. D.; Amalnerkar, D. P.; Seth, T.

2003-09-01

Copper telluride thin films were deposited using modified chemical method using copper(II) sulphate; pentahydrate [CuSO 4·5H 2O] and sodium tellurite [Na 2TeO 3] as cationic and anionic sources, respectively. Modified chemical method is based on the immersion of the substrate into separately placed cationic and anionic precursors. The preparative conditions such as concentration, pH, immersion time, immersion cycles, etc. were optimized to get good quality copper telluride thin films at room temperature. The films have been characterized for structural, compositional, optical and electrical transport properties by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDAX), Rutherford back scattering (RBS), optical absorption/transmission, electrical resistivity and thermoemf measurement techniques.

Determining orientation and direction of DNA sequences

DOEpatents

Goodwin, Edwin H.; Meyne, Julianne

2000-01-01

Determining orientation and direction of DNA sequences. A method by which fluorescence in situ hybridization can be made strand specific is described. Cell cultures are grown in a medium containing a halogenated nucleotide. The analog is partially incorporated in one DNA strand of each chromatid. This substitution takes place in opposite strands of the two sister chromatids. After staining with the fluorescent DNA-binding dye Hoechst 33258, cells are exposed to long-wavelength ultraviolet light which results in numerous strand nicks. These nicks enable the substituted strand to be denatured and solubilized by heat, treatment with high or low pH aqueous solutions, or by immersing the strands in 2.times.SSC (0.3M NaCl+0.03M sodium citrate), to name three procedures. It is unnecessary to enzymatically digest the strands using Exo III or another exonuclease in order to excise and solubilize nucleotides starting at the sites of the nicks. The denaturing/solubilizing process removes most of the substituted strand while leaving the prereplication strand largely intact. Hybridization of a single-stranded probe of a tandem repeat arranged in a head-to-tail orientation will result in hybridization only to the chromatid with the complementary strand present.

Optical distortion in the field of a lithotripter shock wave

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carnell, M. T.; Emmony, D. C.

1995-10-01

The schlieren observation of cavitation phenomena produced in the tail of a lithotripter shock wave has indicated the presence of some interesting features. The images produced appear to indicate that cavitation transients in the field of a shock wave propagate nonsymmetrically; this is not the case. The apparent lack of symmetry exhibited by the primary cavitation transients is due to a complex optical lensing effect, which is brought about by the change in refractive index associated with the pressure profile of the shock wave. Objects seen through or immersed in the shock-wave field of an electromagnetic acoustic transducer, such as cavitation, appear highly distorted because of the strong positive and negative lensing effects of the compression and rarefaction cycles of the shock wave. A modification of the schlieren technique called the scale method has been used to model the distortion introduced by the shock wave and consequently explain the cavitation distortion. The technique has also been used to quantitatively analyze and partially reconstruct the lithotripter shock wave. The combination of schlieren and scale imaging gives more information about the refractive index field and therefore the shock-wave structure itself.

Comparison of the microhardness of primary and permanent teeth after immersion in two types of carbonated beverages.

PubMed

Haghgou, Hamid R; Haghgoo, Roza; Asdollah, Fatemah Molla

2016-01-01

The consumption of carbonated beverages is one of the etiological factors that cause dental erosion. The purpose of this research was to compare changes in the microhardness of permanent and primary teeth after immersion in two types of carbonated beverages. This investigation was done on 30 healthy permanent molars and 30 healthy primary canines. Each group of primary and permanent teeth was subdivided into three groups of 10 teeth. The teeth was immersed in 40 ml of each of the three beverages for 5 min. One subgroup was immersed in water (as a control). The next was immersed in Lemon Delster and the last subgroup was immersed in Coca-Cola. The microhardness of enamel was measured using the Vickers method before and after immersion. Finally, the data was analyzed by paired t-test, one-way analysis of variance, and t-test. Microhardness reduction in the primary teeth was significant in both the Lemon Delster and Coca-Cola groups (P < 0.05). This reduction was also statistically significant in the permanent teeth (P < 0.05). A comparison of the enamel changes in the primary teeth with permanent teeth after immersion in both beverages showed a greater microhardness reduction in the primary teeth in both the experimental groups. Coca-Cola and Lemon Delster caused a significant reduction of microhardness in tooth enamel. This reduction was greater in primary teeth than in permanent teeth, and was also greater after immersion in Coca-Cola than after immersion in Lemon Delster.

Reconciling PM10 analyses by different sampling methods for Iron King Mine tailings dust.

PubMed

Li, Xu; Félix, Omar I; Gonzales, Patricia; Sáez, Avelino Eduardo; Ela, Wendell P

2016-03-01

The overall project objective at the Iron King Mine Superfund site is to determine the level and potential risk associated with heavy metal exposure of the proximate population emanating from the site's tailings pile. To provide sufficient size-fractioned dust for multi-discipline research studies, a dust generator was built and is now being used to generate size-fractioned dust samples for toxicity investigations using in vitro cell culture and animal exposure experiments as well as studies on geochemical characterization and bioassay solubilization with simulated lung and gastric fluid extractants. The objective of this study is to provide a robust method for source identification by comparing the tailing sample produced by dust generator and that collected by MOUDI sampler. As and Pb concentrations of the PM10 fraction in the MOUDI sample were much lower than in tailing samples produced by the dust generator, indicating a dilution of Iron King tailing dust by dust from other sources. For source apportionment purposes, single element concentration method was used based on the assumption that the PM10 fraction comes from a background source plus the Iron King tailing source. The method's conclusion that nearly all arsenic and lead in the PM10 dust fraction originated from the tailings substantiates our previous Pb and Sr isotope study conclusion. As and Pb showed a similar mass fraction from Iron King for all sites suggesting that As and Pb have the same major emission source. Further validation of this simple source apportionment method is needed based on other elements and sites.

Comparison of neural histomorphology in tail tips from pigs docked using clippers or cautery iron.

PubMed

Kells, N J; Beausoleil, N J; Johnson, C B; Sutherland, M A; Morrison, R S; Roe, W

2017-07-01

Tail docking of pigs is commonly performed to reduce the incidence of unwanted tail-biting behaviour. Two docking methods are commonly used: blunt trauma cutting (i.e. using side clippers), or cutting and concurrent cauterisation using a hot cautery iron. A potential consequence of tail amputation is the development of neuromas at the docking site. Neuromas have been linked to neuropathic pain, which can influence the longer-term welfare of affected individuals. To determine whether method of tail docking influences the extent of neuroma formation, 75 pigs were allocated to one of three treatments at birth: tail docked using clippers; tail docked using cautery iron; tail left intact. Tail docking was performed at 2 days of age and pigs were kept under conventional conditions until slaughter at 21 weeks of age. Tails were removed following slaughter and subjected to histological examination. Nerve histomorphology was scored according to the following scale: 1=discrete well-organised nerve bundles; 2=moderate neural proliferation and disorganisation affecting more than half of the circumference of the tail; 3=marked neural proliferation to form almost continuous disorganised bundles or non-continuous enlarged bundles compressing the surrounding connective tissue. Scores of 2 or 3 indicated neuroma formation. Scores were higher in docked pigs than undocked pigs (P<0.001), but did not differ between pigs docked using clippers and those docked using cautery (P=0.23). The results indicate that tail docking using either clippers or cautery results in neuroma formation, thus having the potential to affect long-term pig welfare.

A method for the computational modeling of the physics of heart murmurs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seo, Jung Hee; Bakhshaee, Hani; Garreau, Guillaume; Zhu, Chi; Andreou, Andreas; Thompson, William R.; Mittal, Rajat

2017-05-01

A computational method for direct simulation of the generation and propagation of blood flow induced sounds is proposed. This computational hemoacoustic method is based on the immersed boundary approach and employs high-order finite difference methods to resolve wave propagation and scattering accurately. The current method employs a two-step, one-way coupled approach for the sound generation and its propagation through the tissue. The blood flow is simulated by solving the incompressible Navier-Stokes equations using the sharp-interface immersed boundary method, and the equations corresponding to the generation and propagation of the three-dimensional elastic wave corresponding to the murmur are resolved with a high-order, immersed boundary based, finite-difference methods in the time-domain. The proposed method is applied to a model problem of aortic stenosis murmur and the simulation results are verified and validated by comparing with known solutions as well as experimental measurements. The murmur propagation in a realistic model of a human thorax is also simulated by using the computational method. The roles of hemodynamics and elastic wave propagation on the murmur are discussed based on the simulation results.

An Immersed Boundary-Lattice Boltzmann Method for Simulating Particulate Flows

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Baili; Cheng, Ming; Lou, Jing

2013-11-01

A two-dimensional momentum exchange-based immersed boundary-lattice Boltzmann method developed by X.D. Niu et al. (2006) has been extended in three-dimensions for solving fluid-particles interaction problems. This method combines the most desirable features of the lattice Boltzmann method and the immersed boundary method by using a regular Eulerian mesh for the flow domain and a Lagrangian mesh for the moving particles in the flow field. The non-slip boundary conditions for the fluid and the particles are enforced by adding a force density term into the lattice Boltzmann equation, and the forcing term is simply calculated by the momentum exchange of the boundary particle density distribution functions, which are interpolated by the Lagrangian polynomials from the underlying Eulerian mesh. This method preserves the advantages of lattice Boltzmann method in tracking a group of particles and, at the same time, provides an alternative approach to treat solid-fluid boundary conditions. Numerical validations show that the present method is very accurate and efficient. The present method will be further developed to simulate more complex problems with particle deformation, particle-bubble and particle-droplet interactions.

Change in surface roughness of esthetic restorative materials after exposure to different immersion regimes in a cola drink.

PubMed

Bajwa, Navroop Kaur; Pathak, Anuradha

2014-01-01

Context. An in vitro study carried out to evaluate and compare the effect of Cola drink on surface roughness of esthetic restorative materials. Purpose. To compare the effect of different immersion regimes in a Cola drink on surface roughness of esthetic restorative materials. Method. Two hundred samples were grouped into 4 equal groups of 50 samples each: Group I: conventional glass ionomer, Group II: resin modified glass ionomer, Group III: polyacid-modified resin composite, Group IV: Composite resin. Each group was further subdivided into 5 subgroups of 10 samples each. Subgroup A (Control Subgroup). Samples were kept immersed in artificial saliva. Subgroup B. Samples were immersed in Cola drink once a day. Subgroup C. Samples were immersed in Cola drink, 3 times a day. Subgroup D. Samples were immersed in Cola drink 5 times a day. Subgroup E. Samples were immersed in Cola drink 10 times a day. Each immersion lasted 5 minutes. The immersion protocol was repeated for 7 days. Results. Maximum surface roughness was seen in Group I conventional glass ionomer cement, followed by Group II resin modified glass ionomer, Group III polyacid modified resin composite, and Group IV composite resin samples. Conclusion. Resistance to change in surface roughness is more in resin based restorative materials as compared to glass ionomer based materials.

Change in Surface Roughness of Esthetic Restorative Materials after Exposure to Different Immersion Regimes in a Cola Drink

PubMed Central

Bajwa, Navroop Kaur; Pathak, Anuradha

2014-01-01

Context. An in vitro study carried out to evaluate and compare the effect of Cola drink on surface roughness of esthetic restorative materials. Purpose. To compare the effect of different immersion regimes in a Cola drink on surface roughness of esthetic restorative materials. Method. Two hundred samples were grouped into 4 equal groups of 50 samples each: Group I: conventional glass ionomer, Group II: resin modified glass ionomer, Group III: polyacid-modified resin composite, Group IV: Composite resin. Each group was further subdivided into 5 subgroups of 10 samples each. Subgroup A (Control Subgroup). Samples were kept immersed in artificial saliva. Subgroup B. Samples were immersed in Cola drink once a day. Subgroup C. Samples were immersed in Cola drink, 3 times a day. Subgroup D. Samples were immersed in Cola drink 5 times a day. Subgroup E. Samples were immersed in Cola drink 10 times a day. Each immersion lasted 5 minutes. The immersion protocol was repeated for 7 days. Results. Maximum surface roughness was seen in Group I conventional glass ionomer cement, followed by Group II resin modified glass ionomer, Group III polyacid modified resin composite, and Group IV composite resin samples. Conclusion. Resistance to change in surface roughness is more in resin based restorative materials as compared to glass ionomer based materials. PMID:25006464

Story Immersion in a Health Videogame for Childhood Obesity Prevention

PubMed Central

Thompson, Debbe; Baranowski, Janice; Buday, Richard; Baranowski, Tom

2012-01-01

Abstract Objective Stories can serve as powerful tools for health interventions. Story immersion refers to the experience of being absorbed in a story. This is among the first studies to analyze story immersion's role in health videogames among children by addressing two main questions: Will children be more immersed when the main characters are similar to them? Do increased levels of immersion relate to more positive health outcomes? Subjects and Methods Eighty-seven 10–12-year-old African-American, Caucasian, and Hispanic children from Houston, TX, played a health videogame, “Escape from Diab” (Archimage, Houston, TX), featuring a protagonist with both African-American and Hispanic phenotypic features. Children's demographic information, immersion, and health outcomes (i.e., preference, motivation, and self-efficacy) were recorded and then correlated and analyzed. Results African-American and Hispanic participants reported higher immersion scores than Caucasian participants (P=0.01). Story immersion correlated positively (P values<0.03) with an increase in Fruit and Vegetable Preference (r=0.27), Intrinsic Motivation for Water (r=0.29), Vegetable Self-Efficacy (r=0.24), and Physical Activity Self-Efficacy (r=0.32). Conclusion Ethnic similarity between videogame characters and players enhanced immersion and several health outcomes. Effectively embedding characters with similar phenotypic features to the target population in interactive health videogame narratives may be important when motivating children to adopt obesity prevention behaviors. PMID:24066276

Antigen-binding cells in the peripheral blood of sockeye salmon, Oncorhynchus nerka Walbaum, induced by immersion or intraperitoneal injection of Vibrio languilarum bacterin

USGS Publications Warehouse

1981-01-01

We used an immunocytoadherence assay to monitor the response of antigen-binding cells (ABC) in the peripheral blood of sockeye salmon, Oncorhynchus nerka, after immersion in, or intraperitoneal injection of, Vibrio anguillarum LS 1–74 bacterin. Both methods initiated an elevated ABC response in less than one day; this response persisted one week longer in the injected than in the immersed fish.

Voxel-based Immersive Environments Immersive Environments

DTIC Science & Technology

2000-05-31

3D accelerated hardware. While this method lends itself well to modem hardware, the quality of the resulting images was low due to the coarse sampling...pipes. We will use MPEG video compression when sending video over T1 line, whereas for 56K bit Internet connection, we can use one of the more...sent over the communication line. The ultimate goal is to send the immersive environment over the 56K bps Internet. Since we need to send audio and

The interplays among technology and content, immersant and VE

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Song, Meehae; Gromala, Diane; Shaw, Chris; Barnes, Steven J.

2010-01-01

The research program aims to explore and examine the fine balance necessary for maintaining the interplays between technology and the immersant, including identifying qualities that contribute to creating and maintaining a sense of "presence" and "immersion" in an immersive virtual reality (IVR) experience. Building upon and extending previous work, we compare sitting meditation with walking meditation in a virtual environment (VE). The Virtual Meditative Walk, a new work-in-progress, integrates VR and biofeedback technologies with a self-directed, uni-directional treadmill. As immersants learn how to meditate while walking, robust, real-time biofeedback technology continuously measures breathing, skin conductance and heart rate. The physiological states of the immersant will in turn affect the audio and stereoscopic visual media through shutter glasses. We plan to test the potential benefits and limitations of this physically active form of meditation with data from a sitting form of meditation. A mixed-methods approach to testing user outcomes parallels the knowledge bases of the collaborative team: a physician, computer scientists and artists.

Testing tail-mounted transmitters with Myocastor coypus (nutria)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Merino, S.; Carter, J.; Thibodeaux, G.

2007-01-01

We developed a tail-mounted radio-transmitter for Myocastor coypus (nutria) that offers a practical and efficient alternative to collar or implant methods. The mean retention time was 96 d (range 57-147 d, n = 7), making this a practical method for short-term studies. The tail-mounts were less injurious to animals than collars and easier for field researchers to implement than either collars or surgically implanted transmitters.

Immersive Learning: Using a Web-Based Learning Tool in a PhD Course to Enhance the Learning Experience

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ly, Samie Li Shang; Saadé, Raafat; Morin, Danielle

2017-01-01

Aim/Purpose: Teaching and learning is no longer the same and the paradigm shift has not settled yet. Information technology (IT) and its worldwide use impacts student learning methods and associated pedagogical models. Background: In this study we frame immersive learning as a method that we believe can be designed by pedagogical models such as…

Nonperturbative description of the butterfly diagram of energy spectra for materials immersed in a magnetic field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Higuchi, Katsuhiko; Hamal, Dipendra Bahadur; Higuchi, Masahiko

2018-05-01

We propose a nonperturbative method to calculate the butterfly diagram of energy spectra for materials immersed in a magnetic field. We apply the proposed method to a crystalline silicon immersed in a magnetic field. It is shown that the conventional Hofstadter butterfly diagram is of low accuracy not only in the high magnetic field region of the diagram but also even in the experimentally available magnetic field region. This means that the present butterfly diagram is regarded as a replacement for the Hofstadter butterfly diagram. We also show that the correction to the Hofstadter buttery diagram would be observed under the ultrahigh magnetic field that is available in experiments.

Immersion Cooling of Electronics in DoD Installations

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

Coles, Henry; Herrlin, Magnus

A considerable amount of energy is consumed to cool electronic equipment in data centers. A method for substantially reducing the energy needed for this cooling was demonstrated. The method involves immersing electronic equipment in a non-conductive liquid that changes phase from a liquid to a gas. The liquid used was 3M Novec 649. Two-phase immersion cooling using this liquid is not viable at this time. The primary obstacles are IT equipment failures and costs. However, the demonstrated technology met the performance objectives for energy efficiency and greenhouse gas reduction. Before commercialization of this technology can occur, a root cause analysismore » of the failures should be completed, and the design changes proven.« less

Employing immersive virtual environments for innovative experiments in health care communication.

PubMed

Persky, Susan

2011-03-01

This report reviews the literature for studies that employ immersive virtual environment technology methods to conduct experimental studies in health care communication. Advantages and challenges of using these tools for research in this area are also discussed. A literature search was conducted using the Scopus database. Results were hand searched to identify the body of studies, conducted since 1995, that are related to the report objective. The review identified four relevant studies that stem from two unique projects. One project focused on the impact of a clinician's characteristics and behavior on health care communication, the other focused on the characteristics of the patient. Both projects illustrate key methodological advantages conferred by immersive virtual environments, including, ability to maintain simultaneously high experimental control and realism, ability to manipulate variables in new ways, and unique behavioral measurement opportunities. Though implementation challenges exist for immersive virtual environment-based research methods, given the technology's unique capabilities, benefits can outweigh the costs in many instances. Immersive virtual environments may therefore prove an important addition to the array of tools available for advancing our understanding of communication in health care. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.

Efficiencies of Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells using Ferritin-Encapsulated Quantum Dots with Various Staining Methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Perez, Luis

Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSC) have the potential to replace traditional and cost-inefficient crystalline silicon or ruthenium solar cells. This can only be accomplished by optimizing DSSC's energy efficiency. One of the major components in a dye-sensitized solar cell is the porous layer of titanium dioxide. This layer is coated with a molecular dye that absorbs sunlight. The research conducted for this paper focuses on the different methods used to dye the porous TiO2 layer with ferritin-encapsulated quantum dots. Multiple anodes were dyed using a method known as SILAR which involves deposition through alternate immersion in two different solutions. The efficiencies of DSSCs with ferritin-encapsulated lead sulfide dye deposited using SILAR were subsequently compared against the efficiencies produced by cells using the traditional immersion method. It was concluded that both methods resulted in similar efficiencies (? .074%) however, the SILAR method dyed the TiO2 coating significantly faster than the immersion method. On a related note, our experiments concluded that conducting 2 SILAR cycles yields the highest possible efficiency for this particular binding method. National Science Foundation.

Refractive index determination using the central focal masking technique with dispersion colors.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wilcox, R.E.

1983-01-01

The procedures, precision, advantages and limitations of central focal masking ("dispersion staining'), a technique for determining the refractive indices of microfragments by the immersion method and for distinguishing between minerals in an immersion mount, are described. -J.A.Z.

A fast immersed boundary method for external incompressible viscous flows using lattice Green's functions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liska, Sebastian; Colonius, Tim

2017-02-01

A new parallel, computationally efficient immersed boundary method for solving three-dimensional, viscous, incompressible flows on unbounded domains is presented. Immersed surfaces with prescribed motions are generated using the interpolation and regularization operators obtained from the discrete delta function approach of the original (Peskin's) immersed boundary method. Unlike Peskin's method, boundary forces are regarded as Lagrange multipliers that are used to satisfy the no-slip condition. The incompressible Navier-Stokes equations are discretized on an unbounded staggered Cartesian grid and are solved in a finite number of operations using lattice Green's function techniques. These techniques are used to automatically enforce the natural free-space boundary conditions and to implement a novel block-wise adaptive grid that significantly reduces the run-time cost of solutions by limiting operations to grid cells in the immediate vicinity and near-wake region of the immersed surface. These techniques also enable the construction of practical discrete viscous integrating factors that are used in combination with specialized half-explicit Runge-Kutta schemes to accurately and efficiently solve the differential algebraic equations describing the discrete momentum equation, incompressibility constraint, and no-slip constraint. Linear systems of equations resulting from the time integration scheme are efficiently solved using an approximation-free nested projection technique. The algebraic properties of the discrete operators are used to reduce projection steps to simple discrete elliptic problems, e.g. discrete Poisson problems, that are compatible with recent parallel fast multipole methods for difference equations. Numerical experiments on low-aspect-ratio flat plates and spheres at Reynolds numbers up to 3700 are used to verify the accuracy and physical fidelity of the formulation.

A Langevin approach to multi-scale modeling

DOE PAGES

Hirvijoki, Eero

2018-04-13

In plasmas, distribution functions often demonstrate long anisotropic tails or otherwise significant deviations from local Maxwellians. The tails, especially if they are pulled out from the bulk, pose a serious challenge for numerical simulations as resolving both the bulk and the tail on the same mesh is often challenging. A multi-scale approach, providing evolution equations for the bulk and the tail individually, could offer a resolution in the sense that both populations could be treated on separate meshes or different reduction techniques applied to the bulk and the tail population. In this paper, we propose a multi-scale method which allowsmore » us to split a distribution function into a bulk and a tail so that both populations remain genuine, non-negative distribution functions and may carry density, momentum, and energy. The proposed method is based on the observation that the motion of an individual test particle in a plasma obeys a stochastic differential equation, also referred to as a Langevin equation. Finally, this allows us to define transition probabilities between the bulk and the tail and to provide evolution equations for both populations separately.« less

A Langevin approach to multi-scale modeling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hirvijoki, Eero

2018-04-01

In plasmas, distribution functions often demonstrate long anisotropic tails or otherwise significant deviations from local Maxwellians. The tails, especially if they are pulled out from the bulk, pose a serious challenge for numerical simulations as resolving both the bulk and the tail on the same mesh is often challenging. A multi-scale approach, providing evolution equations for the bulk and the tail individually, could offer a resolution in the sense that both populations could be treated on separate meshes or different reduction techniques applied to the bulk and the tail population. In this letter, we propose a multi-scale method which allows us to split a distribution function into a bulk and a tail so that both populations remain genuine, non-negative distribution functions and may carry density, momentum, and energy. The proposed method is based on the observation that the motion of an individual test particle in a plasma obeys a stochastic differential equation, also referred to as a Langevin equation. This allows us to define transition probabilities between the bulk and the tail and to provide evolution equations for both populations separately.

A Langevin approach to multi-scale modeling

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

Hirvijoki, Eero

In plasmas, distribution functions often demonstrate long anisotropic tails or otherwise significant deviations from local Maxwellians. The tails, especially if they are pulled out from the bulk, pose a serious challenge for numerical simulations as resolving both the bulk and the tail on the same mesh is often challenging. A multi-scale approach, providing evolution equations for the bulk and the tail individually, could offer a resolution in the sense that both populations could be treated on separate meshes or different reduction techniques applied to the bulk and the tail population. In this paper, we propose a multi-scale method which allowsmore » us to split a distribution function into a bulk and a tail so that both populations remain genuine, non-negative distribution functions and may carry density, momentum, and energy. The proposed method is based on the observation that the motion of an individual test particle in a plasma obeys a stochastic differential equation, also referred to as a Langevin equation. Finally, this allows us to define transition probabilities between the bulk and the tail and to provide evolution equations for both populations separately.« less

Comparison of intraocular lens power prediction using immersion ultrasound and optical biometry with and without formula optimization.

PubMed

Nemeth, Gabor; Nagy, Attila; Berta, Andras; Modis, Laszlo

2012-09-01

Comparison of postoperative refraction results using ultrasound biometry with closed immersion shell and optical biometry. Three hundred and sixty-four eyes of 306 patients (age: 70.6 ± 12.8 years) underwent cataract surgery where intraocular lenses calculated by SRK/T formula were implanted. In 159 cases immersion ultrasonic biometry, in 205 eyes optical biometry was used. Differences between predicted and actual postoperative refractions were calculated both prior to and after optimization with the SRK/T formula, after which we analysed the similar data in the case of Holladay, Haigis, and Hoffer-Q formulas. Mean absolute error (MAE) and the percentage rate of patients within ±0.5 and ±1.0 D difference in the predicted error were calculated with these four formulas. MAE was 0.5-0.7 D in cases of both methods with SRK/T, Holladay, and Hoffer-Q formula, but higher with Haigis formula. With no optimization, 60-65 % of the patients were under 0.5 D error in the immersion group (except for Haigis formula). Using the optical method, this value was slightly higher (62-67 %), however, in this case, Haigis formula also did not perform so well (45 %). Refraction results significantly improved with Holladay, Hoffer-Q, and Haigis formulas in both groups. The rate of patients under 0.5 D error increased to 65 % by the immersion technique, and up to 80 % by the optical one. According to our results, optical biometry offers only slightly better outcomes compared to those of immersion shell with no optimized formulas. However, in case of new generation formulas with both methods, the optimization of IOL-constants give significantly better results.

Spherical Panoramas for Astrophysical Data Visualization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kent, Brian R.

2017-05-01

Data immersion has advantages in astrophysical visualization. Complex multi-dimensional data and phase spaces can be explored in a seamless and interactive viewing environment. Putting the user in the data is a first step toward immersive data analysis. We present a technique for creating 360° spherical panoramas with astrophysical data. The three-dimensional software package Blender and the Google Spatial Media module are used together to immerse users in data exploration. Several examples employing these methods exhibit how the technique works using different types of astronomical data.

Effect of season on peripheral resistance to localised cold stress

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tanaka, M.; Harimura, Y.; Tochihara, Y.; Yamazaki, S.; Ohnaka, T.; Matsui, J.; Yoshida, K.

1984-03-01

This study was carried out to determine the effect that seasonal changes have on the effect of localised cold stress on peripheral temperatures using the foot immersion method with a cold water bath. The subjects were six males and four females. The data were obtained in April, July, October and January. Skin temperature of the right index finger, the forehead, the arm, the cheek, the second toe and the instep were measured before, during and after the immersion of the feet in water at 15°C for 10 mins, as well as oxygen consumption before immersion of the feet. The average finger temperature was highest during foot immersion in the summer, next highest in the winter, then spring, and the lowest during foot immersion in the autumn. The finger temperatures during the pre-immersion period in the autumn tended to be lower than in other seasons. The finger temperatures during the pre-immersion period affected the temperature change of the finger during the immersion period. The rate of increase of the toe temperature and the foot temperature during post-immersion in the summer and the spring were greater than those in the autumn and winter. Oxygen consumption during the pre-immersion period in the autumn was significantly lower than in the other seasons (p<0.001 or 0.010). Cooling the feet caused no significant changes in the temperatures the cheek, forehead or forearm. The cheek temperature in the summer and autumn was cooler than corresponding temperatures taken in the winter and spring.

Efficient degradation of Acid Orange 7 in aqueous solution by iron ore tailing Fenton-like process.

PubMed

Zheng, Jianming; Gao, Zhanqi; He, Huan; Yang, Shaogui; Sun, Cheng

2016-05-01

An effective method based on iron ore tailing Fenton-like process was studied for removing an azo dye, Acid Orange 7 (AO7) in aqueous solution. Five tailings were characterized by X-ray fluorescence spectroscope (XFS), Brunner-Emmet-Teller (BET) measurement, and Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). The result of XFS showed that Fe, Si and Ca were the most abundant elements and some toxic heavy metals were also present in the studied tailings. The result of BET analysis indicated that the studied tailings had very low surface areas (0.64-5.68 m(2) g(-1)). The degradation efficiencies of AO7 were positively correlated with the content of iron oxide and cupric oxide, and not related with the BET surface area of the tailings. The co-existing metal elements, particularly Cu, might accelerate the heterogeneous Fenton-like reaction. The effects of other parameters on heterogeneous Fenton-like degradation of AO7 by a converter slag iron tailing (tailing E) which contains highest iron oxide were also investigated. The tailing could be reused 10 times without significant decrease of the catalytic capacity. Very low amount of iron species and almost undetectable toxic elements were leached in the catalytic degradation of AO7 by the tailing E. The reaction products were identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and a possible pathway of AO7 degradation was proposed. This study not only provides an effective method for removing azo dyes in polluted water by employing waste tailings as Fenton-like catalysts, but also uses waste tailings as the secondary resource. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Separation of Main and Tail Rotor Noise Sources from Ground-Based Acoustic Measurements Using Time-Domain De-Dopplerization

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Greenwood, Eric II; Schmitz, Fredric H.

2009-01-01

A new method of separating the contributions of helicopter main and tail rotor noise sources is presented, making use of ground-based acoustic measurements. The method employs time-domain de-Dopplerization to transform the acoustic pressure time-history data collected from an array of ground-based microphones to the equivalent time-history signals observed by an array of virtual inflight microphones traveling with the helicopter. The now-stationary signals observed by the virtual microphones are then periodically averaged with the main and tail rotor once per revolution triggers. The averaging process suppresses noise which is not periodic with the respective rotor, allowing for the separation of main and tail rotor pressure time-histories. The averaged measurements are then interpolated across the range of directivity angles captured by the microphone array in order to generate separate acoustic hemispheres for the main and tail rotor noise sources. The new method is successfully applied to ground-based microphone measurements of a Bell 206B3 helicopter and demonstrates the strong directivity characteristics of harmonic noise radiation from both the main and tail rotors of that helicopter.

Immersed boundary methods for simulating fluid-structure interaction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sotiropoulos, Fotis; Yang, Xiaolei

2014-02-01

Fluid-structure interaction (FSI) problems commonly encountered in engineering and biological applications involve geometrically complex flexible or rigid bodies undergoing large deformations. Immersed boundary (IB) methods have emerged as a powerful simulation tool for tackling such flows due to their inherent ability to handle arbitrarily complex bodies without the need for expensive and cumbersome dynamic re-meshing strategies. Depending on the approach such methods adopt to satisfy boundary conditions on solid surfaces they can be broadly classified as diffused and sharp interface methods. In this review, we present an overview of the fundamentals of both classes of methods with emphasis on solution algorithms for simulating FSI problems. We summarize and juxtapose different IB approaches for imposing boundary conditions, efficient iterative algorithms for solving the incompressible Navier-Stokes equations in the presence of dynamic immersed boundaries, and strong and loose coupling FSI strategies. We also present recent results from the application of such methods to study a wide range of problems, including vortex-induced vibrations, aquatic swimming, insect flying, human walking and renewable energy. Limitations of such methods and the need for future research to mitigate them are also discussed.

21 CFR 114.80 - Processes and controls.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... food ingredients in acidified aqueous solutions. (ii) Immersion of the blanched food in acid solutions. Although immersion of food in an acid solution is a satisfactory method for acidification, care must be taken to ensure that the acid concentration is properly maintained. (iii) Direct batch acidification...

21 CFR 114.80 - Processes and controls.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... food ingredients in acidified aqueous solutions. (ii) Immersion of the blanched food in acid solutions. Although immersion of food in an acid solution is a satisfactory method for acidification, care must be taken to ensure that the acid concentration is properly maintained. (iii) Direct batch acidification...

21 CFR 114.80 - Processes and controls.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... food ingredients in acidified aqueous solutions. (ii) Immersion of the blanched food in acid solutions. Although immersion of food in an acid solution is a satisfactory method for acidification, care must be taken to ensure that the acid concentration is properly maintained. (iii) Direct batch acidification...

21 CFR 114.80 - Processes and controls.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... food ingredients in acidified aqueous solutions. (ii) Immersion of the blanched food in acid solutions. Although immersion of food in an acid solution is a satisfactory method for acidification, care must be taken to ensure that the acid concentration is properly maintained. (iii) Direct batch acidification...

Effects of water immersion to the neck on pulmonary circulation and tissue volume in man

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Begin, R.; Epstein, M.; Sackner, M. A.; Levinson, R.; Dougherty, R.; Duncan, D.

1976-01-01

A rapid noninvasive breathing method is used to obtain serial measurements of the pulmonary capillary blood flow, diffusing capacity per unit of alveolar volume, combined pulmonary tissue plus capillary volume, functional residual capacity, and oxygen consumption in five normal subjects undergoing 6 h of sitting, 4 h of sitting while immersed to the neck in thermoneutral water, and 4 h of lying in thermoneutral water to the neck. The rebreathing method employed a test gas mixture containing 0.5% C2H2, 0.3% C(18)O, 10% He, 21% O2, and balance N2. It is shown that immersion to the neck in the seated posture results in significant increases in sodium excretion cardiac output, and diffusing capacity per unit of alveolar volume. The pulmonary tissue plus capillary volume did not change, demonstrating that the central vascular engorgement induced by water immersion is not accompanied by significant extravasation of fluid into the pulmonary interstitial space.

Environmental Risk Assessment System for Phosphogypsum Tailing Dams

PubMed Central

Sun, Xin; Tang, Xiaolong; Yi, Honghong; Li, Kai; Zhou, Lianbi; Xu, Xianmang

2013-01-01

This paper may be of particular interest to the readers as it provides a new environmental risk assessment system for phosphogypsum tailing dams. In this paper, we studied the phosphogypsum tailing dams which include characteristics of the pollution source, environmental risk characteristics and evaluation requirements to identify the applicable environmental risk assessment methods. Two analytical methods, that is, the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and fuzzy logic, were used to handle the complexity of the environmental and nonquantitative data. Using our assessment method, different risk factors can be ranked according to their contributions to the environmental risk, thereby allowing the calculation of their relative priorities during decision making. Thus, environmental decision-makers can use this approach to develop alternative management strategies for proposed, ongoing, and completed PG tailing dams. PMID:24382947

Environmental risk assessment system for phosphogypsum tailing dams.

PubMed

Sun, Xin; Ning, Ping; Tang, Xiaolong; Yi, Honghong; Li, Kai; Zhou, Lianbi; Xu, Xianmang

2013-01-01

This paper may be of particular interest to the readers as it provides a new environmental risk assessment system for phosphogypsum tailing dams. In this paper, we studied the phosphogypsum tailing dams which include characteristics of the pollution source, environmental risk characteristics and evaluation requirements to identify the applicable environmental risk assessment methods. Two analytical methods, that is, the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and fuzzy logic, were used to handle the complexity of the environmental and nonquantitative data. Using our assessment method, different risk factors can be ranked according to their contributions to the environmental risk, thereby allowing the calculation of their relative priorities during decision making. Thus, environmental decision-makers can use this approach to develop alternative management strategies for proposed, ongoing, and completed PG tailing dams.

Taguchi optimization: Case study of gold recovery from amalgamation tailing by using froth flotation method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sudibyo, Aji, B. B.; Sumardi, S.; Mufakir, F. R.; Junaidi, A.; Nurjaman, F.; Karna, Aziza, Aulia

2017-01-01

Gold amalgamation process was widely used to treat gold ore. This process produces the tailing or amalgamation solid waste, which still contains gold at 8-9 ppm. Froth flotation is one of the promising methods to beneficiate gold from this tailing. However, this process requires optimal conditions which depends on the type of raw material. In this study, Taguchi method was used to optimize the optimum conditions of the froth flotation process. The Taguchi optimization shows that the gold recovery was strongly influenced by the particle size which is the best particle size at 150 mesh followed by the Potassium amyl xanthate concentration, pH and pine oil concentration at 1133.98, 4535.92 and 68.04 gr/ton amalgamation tailing, respectively.

An efficient strongly coupled immersed boundary method for deforming bodies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goza, Andres; Colonius, Tim

2016-11-01

Immersed boundary methods treat the fluid and immersed solid with separate domains. As a result, a nonlinear interface constraint must be satisfied when these methods are applied to flow-structure interaction problems. This typically results in a large nonlinear system of equations that is difficult to solve efficiently. Often, this system is solved with a block Gauss-Seidel procedure, which is easy to implement but can require many iterations to converge for small solid-to-fluid mass ratios. Alternatively, a Newton-Raphson procedure can be used to solve the nonlinear system. This typically leads to convergence in a small number of iterations for arbitrary mass ratios, but involves the use of large Jacobian matrices. We present an immersed boundary formulation that, like the Newton-Raphson approach, uses a linearization of the system to perform iterations. It therefore inherits the same favorable convergence behavior. However, we avoid large Jacobian matrices by using a block LU factorization of the linearized system. We derive our method for general deforming surfaces and perform verification on 2D test problems of flow past beams. These test problems involve large amplitude flapping and a wide range of mass ratios. This work was partially supported by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory and Air Force Office of Scientific Research.

A Huygens immersed-finite-element particle-in-cell method for modeling plasma-surface interactions with moving interface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cao, Huijun; Cao, Yong; Chu, Yuchuan; He, Xiaoming; Lin, Tao

2018-06-01

Surface evolution is an unavoidable issue in engineering plasma applications. In this article an iterative method for modeling plasma-surface interactions with moving interface is proposed and validated. In this method, the plasma dynamics is simulated by an immersed finite element particle-in-cell (IFE-PIC) method, and the surface evolution is modeled by the Huygens wavelet method which is coupled with the iteration of the IFE-PIC method. Numerical experiments, including prototypical engineering applications, such as the erosion of Hall thruster channel wall, are presented to demonstrate features of this Huygens IFE-PIC method for simulating the dynamic plasma-surface interactions.

Blended Buffet-Load-Alleviation System for Fighter Airplane

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Moses, Robert W.

2005-01-01

The capability of modern fighter airplanes to sustain flight at high angles of attack and/or moderate angles of sideslip often results in immersion of part of such an airplane in unsteady, separated, vortical flow emanating from its forebody or wings. The flows from these surfaces become turbulent and separated during flight under these conditions. These flows contain significant levels of energy over a frequency band coincident with that of low-order structural vibration modes of wings, fins, and control surfaces. The unsteady pressures applied to these lifting surfaces as a result of the turbulent flows are commonly denoted buffet loads, and the resulting vibrations of the affected structures are known as buffeting. Prolonged exposure to buffet loads has resulted in fatigue of structures on several airplanes. Damage to airplanes caused by buffeting has led to redesigns of airplane structures and increased support costs for the United States Air Force and Navy as well as the armed forces of other countries. Time spent inspecting, repairing, and replacing structures adversely affects availability of aircraft for missions. A blend of rudder-control and piezoelectric- actuator engineering concepts was selected as a basis for the design of a vertical-tail buffet-load-alleviation system for the F/A-18 airplane. In this system, the rudder actuator is used to control the response of the first tail vibrational mode (bending at a frequency near 15 Hz), while directional patch piezoelectric actuators are used to control the second tail vibrational mode (tip torsion at a frequency near 45 Hz). This blend of two types of actuator utilizes the most effective features of each. An analytical model of the aeroservoelastic behavior of the airplane equipped with this system was validated by good agreement with measured results from a full-scale ground test, flight-test measurement of buffet response, and an in-flight commanded rudder frequency sweep. The overall performance of the system was found to be characterized by reductions, ranging from 70 to 30 percent, in vertical-tail buffeting under buffet loads ranging from moderate to severe. These reductions were accomplished with a maximum commanded rudder angle of +/-2deg at 15 Hz and about 10 lb (.4.5 kg) of piezoelectric actuators attached to the vertical tail skin and operating at a peak power level of 2 kW. By meeting the design objective, this system would extend the vertical-tail fatigue life beyond two aircraft lifetimes. This system is also adaptable to other aircraft surfaces and other aircraft

An Analysis of VR Technology Used in Immersive Simulations with a Serious Game Perspective.

PubMed

Menin, Aline; Torchelsen, Rafael; Nedel, Luciana

2018-03-01

Using virtual environments (VEs) is a safer and cost-effective alternative to executing dangerous tasks, such as training firefighters and industrial operators. Immersive virtual reality (VR) combined with game aspects have the potential to improve the user experience in the VE by increasing realism, engagement, and motivation. This article investigates the impact of VR technology on 46 immersive gamified simulations with serious purposes and classifies it towards a taxonomy. Our findings suggest that immersive VR improves simulation outcomes, such as increasing learning gain and knowledge retention and improving clinical outcomes for rehabilitation. However, it also has limitations such as motion sickness and restricted access to VR hardware. Our contributions are to provide a better understanding of the benefits and limitations of using VR in immersive simulations with serious purposes, to propose a taxonomy that classifies them, and to discuss whether methods and participants profiles influence results.

STUDIES ON THE ANTIGENIC STRUCTURE OF SOME MAMMALIAN SPERMATOZOA

PubMed Central

Henle, Werner; Henle, Gertrude; Chambers, Leslie A.

1938-01-01

1. A method has been described for separation of heads and tails of mammalian spermatozoa. 2. By means of absorption technique applied to homologous spermatozoal sera, head-specific and tail-specific antigens could be demonstrated. Both are heat-labile. 3. A heat-stable antigen was found to be common to both heads and tails. This substance is species-specific. 4. Antibodies against the head- and tail-specific antigens led to two different types of agglutination as shown by the slide method. 5. Using heterologous antisera against spermatozoa three different cross-reacting antigens could be observed, two in the heads, one in the tails. 6. One of the head-antigens is not active in the native cell; it comes to action only after breaking the cell. Antibodies against this substance were not found in antisera against native bull spermatozoa but were formed when vibrated spermatozoa or heads were injected into rabbits. 7. The cross-reactions can be removed from an antiserum leaving the head- as well as the tail-specific reaction intact. PMID:19870792

Sulfide tails management within the framework of sustainable development in mineral sand mines--the case study of Sierra Rutile Ltd.

PubMed

Kallon, Senesie B; Jabati, Ansu M; Samura, Alusine

2011-01-01

The study discussed here assessed Sierra Rutile Ltd.'s (SRLs) water-cover sulfide tails management method. Monthly and quarterly water samples from SRLs Sulfide Tails Pond (STP), Total Tails Pond (TTP), and the Titan Domestic Pond (TDP) were analyzed for 15 months. Results indicated acceptable quality for the STP. From Student's t-test analysis, it was found that the mean pH of the TTP was significantly lower than that of the TDP (p < .05). Results did not indicate pollution of the TDP by SRLs tailings management. The water-cover method significantly suppressed sulfide oxidation in the STP. Concerns to be addressed, however, include potential overtopping of the pond, water level fluctuations, and the need for periodic reinforcement of the tailings embankments. A dedicated environmental monitoring campaign that includes other proximate water bodies is suggested; this should inform timely mitigation of any environmental contamination and promote sound environmental and public health outcomes.

Forensic species identification of elephant (Elephantidae) and giraffe (Giraffidae) tail hair using light microscopy.

PubMed

Yates, Bonnie C; Espinoza, Edgard O; Baker, Barry W

2010-09-01

Here we present methods for distinguishing tail hairs of African elephants (Loxodonta africana), Asian elephants (Elephas maximus), and giraffes (Giraffa camelopardalis) from forensic contexts. Such hairs are commonly used to manufacture jewelry artifacts that are often sold illegally in the international wildlife trade. Tail hairs from these three species are easily confused macroscopically, and morphological methods for distinguishing African and Asian tail hairs have not been published. We used cross section analysis and light microscopy to analyze the tail hair morphology of 18 individual African elephants, 18 Asian elephants, and 40 giraffes. We found that cross-sectional shape, pigment placement, and pigment density are useful morphological features for distinguishing the three species. These observations provide wildlife forensic scientists with an important analytical tool for enforcing legislation and international treaties regulating the trade in elephant parts.

Nuclear sensor signal processing circuit

DOEpatents

Kallenbach, Gene A [Bosque Farms, NM; Noda, Frank T [Albuquerque, NM; Mitchell, Dean J [Tijeras, NM; Etzkin, Joshua L [Albuquerque, NM

2007-02-20

An apparatus and method are disclosed for a compact and temperature-insensitive nuclear sensor that can be calibrated with a non-hazardous radioactive sample. The nuclear sensor includes a gamma ray sensor that generates tail pulses from radioactive samples. An analog conditioning circuit conditions the tail-pulse signals from the gamma ray sensor, and a tail-pulse simulator circuit generates a plurality of simulated tail-pulse signals. A computer system processes the tail pulses from the gamma ray sensor and the simulated tail pulses from the tail-pulse simulator circuit. The nuclear sensor is calibrated under the control of the computer. The offset is adjusted using the simulated tail pulses. Since the offset is set to zero or near zero, the sensor gain can be adjusted with a non-hazardous radioactive source such as, for example, naturally occurring radiation and potassium chloride.

A parallel overset-curvilinear-immersed boundary framework for simulating complex 3D incompressible flows

PubMed Central

Borazjani, Iman; Ge, Liang; Le, Trung; Sotiropoulos, Fotis

2013-01-01

We develop an overset-curvilinear immersed boundary (overset-CURVIB) method in a general non-inertial frame of reference to simulate a wide range of challenging biological flow problems. The method incorporates overset-curvilinear grids to efficiently handle multi-connected geometries and increase the resolution locally near immersed boundaries. Complex bodies undergoing arbitrarily large deformations may be embedded within the overset-curvilinear background grid and treated as sharp interfaces using the curvilinear immersed boundary (CURVIB) method (Ge and Sotiropoulos, Journal of Computational Physics, 2007). The incompressible flow equations are formulated in a general non-inertial frame of reference to enhance the overall versatility and efficiency of the numerical approach. Efficient search algorithms to identify areas requiring blanking, donor cells, and interpolation coefficients for constructing the boundary conditions at grid interfaces of the overset grid are developed and implemented using efficient parallel computing communication strategies to transfer information among sub-domains. The governing equations are discretized using a second-order accurate finite-volume approach and integrated in time via an efficient fractional-step method. Various strategies for ensuring globally conservative interpolation at grid interfaces suitable for incompressible flow fractional step methods are implemented and evaluated. The method is verified and validated against experimental data, and its capabilities are demonstrated by simulating the flow past multiple aquatic swimmers and the systolic flow in an anatomic left ventricle with a mechanical heart valve implanted in the aortic position. PMID:23833331

Ambient in-situ immersion freezing measurements - findings from the ZAMBIS 2014 field campaign for three ice nucleation techniques

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kohn, Monika; Atkinson, James D.; Lohmann, Ulrike; Kanji, Zamin A.

2015-04-01

To estimate the influence of clouds on the Earth's radiation budget, it is crucial to understand cloud formation processes in the atmosphere. A key process, which significantly affects cloud microphysical properties and the initiation of precipitation thus contributing to the hydrological cycle, is the prevailing type of ice nucleation mechanism. In mixed-phase clouds immersion freezing is the dominant ice crystal forming mechanism, whereby ice nucleating particles (INP) first act as cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) and are activated to cloud droplets followed by freezing upon supercooling. There are a number of experimental methods and techniques to investigate the ice nucleating ability in the immersion mode, however most techniques are offline for field sampling or only suitable for laboratory measurements. In-situ atmospheric studies are needed to understand the ice formation processes of 'real world' particles. Laboratory experiments simulate conditions of atmospheric processes like ageing or coating but are still idealized. Our method is able to measure ambient in-situ immersion freezing on single immersed aerosol particles. The instrumental setup consists of the recently developed portable immersion mode cooling chamber (PIMCA) as a vertical extension to the portable ice nucleation chamber (PINC, [1]), where the frozen fraction of activated aerosol particles are detected by the ice optical depolarization detector (IODE, [2]). Two additional immersion freezing techniques based on a droplet freezing array [3,4] are used to sample ambient aerosol particles either in a suspension (fraction larger ~0.6 μm) or on PM10-filters to compare different ice nucleation techniques. Here, we present ambient in-situ measurements at an urban forest site in Zurich, Switzerland held during the Zurich ambient immersion freezing study (ZAMBIS) in spring 2014. We investigated the ice nucleating ability of natural atmospheric aerosol with the PIMCA/PINC immersion freezing setup as well as a droplet freezing method on aerosol particles either collected in a suspension or on PM10-filters to obtain atmospheric IN concentrations based on the measured ambient aerosol. Investigation of physical properties (number and size distribution) and chemical composition as well as the meteorological conditions provide supplementary information that help to understand the nature of particles and air masses that contribute to immersion freezing. Acknowledgements We thank Hannes Wydler and Hansjörg Frei from ETH Zurich for their technical support. Furthermore, the authors want thank Franz Conen from the University of Basel for sharing equipment and training in the drop freezing experiment. References [1] Chou et al. (2011), Atmos. Chem. Phys., 11, 4725-4738. [2] Nicolet et al. (2010), Atmos. Chem. Phys., 10, 313-325. [3] Conen et al. (2012), Atmos. Meas. Tech., 5, 321-327. [4] Stopelli et al. (2014), Atmos. Meas. Tech., 7, 129-134.

Black-tailed and white-tailed jackrabbits in the American West: History, ecology, ecological significance, and survey methods

USGS Publications Warehouse

Simes, Matthew; Longshore, Kathleen M.; Nussear, Kenneth E.; Beatty, Greg L.; Brown, David E.; Esque, Todd C.

2015-01-01

Across the western United States, Leporidae are the most important prey item in the diet of Golden Eagles (Aquila chrysaetos). Leporids inhabiting the western United States include black-tailed (Lepus californicus) and white-tailed jackrabbits (Lepus townsendii) and various species of cottontail rabbit (Sylvilagus spp.). Jackrabbits (Lepus spp.) are particularly important components of the ecological and economic landscape of western North America because their abundance influences the reproductive success and population trends of predators such as coyotes (Canis latrans), bobcats (Lynx rufus), and a number of raptor species. Here, we review literature pertaining to black-tailed and white-tailed jackrabbits comprising over 170 published journal articles, notes, technical reports, conference proceedings, academic theses and dissertations, and other sources dating from the late 19th century to the present. Our goal is to present information to assist those in research and management, particularly with regard to protected raptor species (e.g., Golden Eagles), mammalian predators, and ecological monitoring. We classified literature sources as (1) general information on jackrabbit species, (2) black-tailed or (3) white-tailed jackrabbit ecology and natural history, or (4) survey methods. These categories, especially 2, 3, and 4, were further subdivided as appropriate. The review also produced several tables on population trends, food habits, densities within various habitats, and jackrabbit growth and development. Black-tailed and white-tailed jackrabbits are ecologically similar in general behaviors, use of forms, parasites, and food habits, and they are prey to similar predators; but they differ in their preferred habitats. While the black-tailed jackrabbit inhabits agricultural land, deserts, and shrublands, the white-tailed jackrabbit is associated with prairies, alpine tundra, and sagebrush-steppe. Frequently considered abundant, jackrabbit numbers in western North America fluctuate temporally and spatially. We also reviewed methods used to investigate jackrabbit populations, including spotlight line transects, flushing transects, drive counts, pellet plot counts, collections, roadside counts, mark-recapture studies, and radio-telemetry studies. Our review of jackrabbit literature illustrates a number of deficiencies in our understanding of jackrabbits in general. As an example, a detailed quantitative description of habitat preferences is lacking, as is a thorough understanding of sympatric jackrabbit species interactions. Even the existence of the oft-cited jackrabbit “cycle” is a matter of debate. Survey methods generally do not address efficacy or accuracy in measuring jackrabbit density or abundance. In addition, there is a paucity of information about jackrabbits in the Mojave Desert, with no real understanding of home ranges, habitat preferences, and population dynamics or demographics in this region.

Color stability of ceramic brackets immersed in potentially staining solutions

PubMed Central

Guignone, Bruna Coser; Silva, Ludimila Karsbergen; Soares, Rodrigo Villamarim; Akaki, Emilio; Goiato, Marcelo Coelho; Pithon, Matheus Melo; Oliveira, Dauro Douglas

2015-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To assess the color stability of five types of ceramic brackets after immersion in potentially staining solutions. METHODS: Ninety brackets were divided into 5 groups (n = 18) according to brackets commercial brands and the solutions in which they were immersed (coffee, red wine, coke and artificial saliva). The brackets assessed were Transcend (3M/Unitek, Monrovia, CA, USA), Radiance (American Orthodontics, Sheboygan, WI, USA), Mystique (GAC International Inc., Bohemia, NY, USA) and Luxi II (Rocky Mountain Orthodontics, Denver, CO, USA). Chromatic changes were analyzed with the aid of a reflectance spectrophotometer and by visual inspection at five specific time intervals. Assessment periods were as received from the manufacturer (T0), 24 hours (T1), 72 hours (T2), as well as 7 days (T3) and 14 days (T4) of immersion in the aforementioned solutions. Results were submitted to statistical analysis with ANOVA and Bonferroni correction, as well as to a multivariate profile analysis for independent and paired samples with significance level set at 5%. RESULTS: The duration of the immersion period influenced color alteration of all tested brackets, even though these changes could not always be visually observed. Different behaviors were observed for each immersion solution; however, brackets immersed in one solution progressed similarly despite minor variations. CONCLUSIONS: Staining became more intense over time and all brackets underwent color alterations when immersed in the aforementioned solutions. PMID:26352842

Impact of continuous positive airway pressure on the pulmonary changes promoted by immersion in water

PubMed Central

Rizzetti, Danize Aparecida; Quadros, Janayna Rodembuch Borba; Ribeiro, Bruna Esmerio; Callegaro, Letícia; Veppo, Aline Arebalo; Wiggers, Giulia Alessandra; Peçanha, Franck Maciel

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT Objective: To determine whether different levels of CPAP improve the lung volumes and capacities of healthy subjects immersed in water. Methods: This was a randomized clinical trial, conducted between April and June of 2016, involving healthy female volunteers who were using oral contraceptives. Three 20-min immersion protocols were applied: control (no CPAP); CPAP5 (CPAP at 5 cmH2O); and CPAP10 (CPAP at 10 cmH2O). We evaluated HR, SpO2, FVC, FEV1, the FEV1/FVC ratio, peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR), and FEF25-75%) at three time points: pre-immersion; 10 min after immersion; and 10 min after the end of each protocol. Results: We evaluated 13 healthy volunteers. The CPAP10 protocol reversed the restrictive pattern of lung function induced by immersion in water, maintaining pulmonary volumes and capacities for a longer period than did the CPAP5 protocol. Conclusions: When the hemodynamic change causing a persistent lung disorder, only the application of higher positive pressures is effective in maintaining long-term improvements in the pulmonary profile. PMID:29340488

Thyroxine Induced Resorption of Xenopus Laevis Tail Tissue in Vitro.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scadding, Steven R.

1984-01-01

A simple method of studying thyroxine-induced resorption of tadpole tails in vitro is described. This procedure demonstrates that resorption is dependent on thyroxine and requires protein synthesis. It introduces students to the use of tissue culture methods. (Author)

A new 3D immersed boundary method for non-Newtonian fluid-structure-interaction with application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Luoding

2017-11-01

Motivated by fluid-structure-interaction (FSI) phenomena in life sciences (e.g., motions of sperm and cytoskeleton in complex fluids), we introduce a new immersed boundary method for FSI problems involving non-Newtonian fluids in three dimensions. The non-Newtonian fluids are modelled by the FENE-P model (including the Oldroyd-B model as an especial case) and numerically solved by a lattice Boltzmann scheme (the D3Q7 model). The fluid flow is modelled by the lattice Boltzmann equations and numerically solved by the D3Q19 model. The deformable structure and the fluid-structure-interaction are handled by the immersed boundary method. As an application, we study a FSI toy problem - interaction of an elastic plate (flapped at its leading edge and restricted nowhere else) with a non-Newtonian fluid in a 3D flow. Thanks to the support of NSF-DMS support under research Grant 1522554.

Computational Investigation and Validation of Twin-Tail Buffet Response Including Dynamics and Control

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kandil, Osama A.

1998-01-01

Multidisciplinary tools for prediction of single rectangular-tail buffet are extended to single swept-back-tail buffet in transonic-speed flow, and multidisciplinary tools for prediction and control of twin-tail buffet are developed and presented. The configuration model consists of a sharp-edged delta wing with single or twin tails that are oriented normal to the wing surface. The tails are treated as cantilevered beams fixed at the root and allowed to oscillate in both bending and torsion. This complex multidisciplinary problem is solved sequentially using three sets of equations on a dynamic single or multi-block grid structure. The first set is the unsteady, compressible, Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes equations which are used for obtaining the flow field vector and the aerodynamic loads on the tails. The Navier-Stokes equations are solved accurately in time using the implicit, upwind, flux-difference splitting, finite volume scheme. The second set is the coupled bending and torsion aeroelastic equations of cantilevered beams which are used for obtaining the bending and torsion deflections of the tails. The aeroelastic equations'are solved accurately in time using, a fifth-order-accurate Runge-Kutta scheme. The third set is the grid-displacement equations and the rigid-body dynamics equations, which are used for updating the grid coordinates due to the tail deflections and rigid-body motions. The tail-buffet phenomenon is predicted for highly-swept, single vertical tail placed at the plane of geometric symmetry, and for highly-swept, vertical twin tails placed at three different spanwise separation distances. The investigation demonstrates the effects of structural inertial coupling and uncoupling of the bending and torsion modes of vibration, spanwise positions of the twin-tail, angle of attack, and pitching and rolling dynamic motions of the configuration model on the tail buffet loading and response. The fundamental issue of twin-tail buffet alleviation is addressed using two active flow-control methods. These methods are the tangential leading-edge blowing and the flow suction from the leading-edge vortex cores along their paths. Qualitative and quantitative comparisons with the available experimental data are presented. The comparisons indicate that the present multidisciplinary aeroelastic analysis tools are robust, accurate and efficient.

Heat Acclimation and Water-Immersion Deconditioning: Responses to Exercise

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shvartz, E.; Bhattacharya, A.; Sperinde, S. J.; Brock, P. J.; Sciaraffa, D.; Haines, R. F.; Greenleaf, J. E.

1977-01-01

Simulated subgravity conditions, such as bed rest and water immersion, cause a decrease in a acceleration tolerance (3, 4), tilt tolerance (3, 9, 10), work capacity (5, 7), and plasma volume (1, 8-10). Moderate exercise training performed during bed rest (4) and prior to water immersion (5) provides some protection against the adverse effects of deconditioning, but the relationship between exercise and changes due to deconditioning remains unclear. Heat acclimation increases plasma and interstitial volumes, total body water, stroke volume (11), and tilt tolerance (6) and may, therefore, be a more efficient method of ameliorating deconditioning than physical training alone. The present study was undertaken to determine the effects of heat acclimation and moderate physical training, performed in cool conditions, on water-immersion deconditioning.

Analysis of isothermal and cooling rate dependent immersion freezing by a unifying stochastic ice nucleation model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alpert, P. A.; Knopf, D. A.

2015-05-01

Immersion freezing is an important ice nucleation pathway involved in the formation of cirrus and mixed-phase clouds. Laboratory immersion freezing experiments are necessary to determine the range in temperature (T) and relative humidity (RH) at which ice nucleation occurs and to quantify the associated nucleation kinetics. Typically, isothermal (applying a constant temperature) and cooling rate dependent immersion freezing experiments are conducted. In these experiments it is usually assumed that the droplets containing ice nuclei (IN) all have the same IN surface area (ISA), however the validity of this assumption or the impact it may have on analysis and interpretation of the experimental data is rarely questioned. A stochastic immersion freezing model based on first principles of statistics is presented, which accounts for variable ISA per droplet and uses physically observable parameters including the total number of droplets (Ntot) and the heterogeneous ice nucleation rate coefficient, Jhet(T). This model is applied to address if (i) a time and ISA dependent stochastic immersion freezing process can explain laboratory immersion freezing data for different experimental methods and (ii) the assumption that all droplets contain identical ISA is a valid conjecture with subsequent consequences for analysis and interpretation of immersion freezing. The simple stochastic model can reproduce the observed time and surface area dependence in immersion freezing experiments for a variety of methods such as: droplets on a cold-stage exposed to air or surrounded by an oil matrix, wind and acoustically levitated droplets, droplets in a continuous flow diffusion chamber (CFDC), the Leipzig aerosol cloud interaction simulator (LACIS), and the aerosol interaction and dynamics in the atmosphere (AIDA) cloud chamber. Observed time dependent isothermal frozen fractions exhibiting non-exponential behavior with time can be readily explained by this model considering varying ISA. An apparent cooling rate dependence ofJhet is explained by assuming identical ISA in each droplet. When accounting for ISA variability, the cooling rate dependence of ice nucleation kinetics vanishes as expected from classical nucleation theory. The model simulations allow for a quantitative experimental uncertainty analysis for parameters Ntot, T, RH, and the ISA variability. In an idealized cloud parcel model applying variability in ISAs for each droplet, the model predicts enhanced immersion freezing temperatures and greater ice crystal production compared to a case when ISAs are uniform in each droplet. The implications of our results for experimental analysis and interpretation of the immersion freezing process are discussed.

Bonding capacity of the GFRP-S on strengthened RC beams after sea water immersion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sultan, Mufti Amir; Djamaluddin, Rudy

2017-11-01

Construction of concrete structures that located in extreme environments are such as coastal areas will result in decreased strength or even the damage of the structures. As well know, chloride contained in sea water is responsible for strength reduction or structure fail were hence maintenance and repairs on concrete structure urgently needed. One popular method of structural improvements which under investigation is to use the material Glass Fibre Reinforced Polymer which has one of the advantages such as corrosion resistance. This research will be conducted experimental studies to investigate the bonding capacity behavior of reinforced concrete beams with reinforcement GFRP-S immersed in sea water using immersion time of one month, three months, six months and twelve months. Test specimen consists of 12 pieces of reinforced concrete beams with dimensions (150x200x3000) mm that had been reinforced with GFRP-S in the area of bending, the beam without immersion (B0), immersion one month (B1), three months (B3), six months (B6) and twelve months (B12). Test specimen were cured for 28 days before the application of the GFRP sheet. Test specimen B1, B3, B6 and B12 that have been immersed in sea water pool with a immersion time each 1, 3, 6 and 12 months. The test specimen without immersion test by providing a static load until it reaches the failure, to record data during the test strain gauge mounted on the surface of the specimen and the GFRP to collect the strain value. From the research it obvious that there is a decrease bonding capacity on specimens immersed for one month, three months, six months and twelve months against the test object without immersion of 8.85%; 8.89%; 9.33% and 11.04%.

Photogrammetric Applications of Immersive Video Cameras

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kwiatek, K.; Tokarczyk, R.

2014-05-01

The paper investigates immersive videography and its application in close-range photogrammetry. Immersive video involves the capture of a live-action scene that presents a 360° field of view. It is recorded simultaneously by multiple cameras or microlenses, where the principal point of each camera is offset from the rotating axis of the device. This issue causes problems when stitching together individual frames of video separated from particular cameras, however there are ways to overcome it and applying immersive cameras in photogrammetry provides a new potential. The paper presents two applications of immersive video in photogrammetry. At first, the creation of a low-cost mobile mapping system based on Ladybug®3 and GPS device is discussed. The amount of panoramas is much too high for photogrammetric purposes as the base line between spherical panoramas is around 1 metre. More than 92 000 panoramas were recorded in one Polish region of Czarny Dunajec and the measurements from panoramas enable the user to measure the area of outdoors (adverting structures) and billboards. A new law is being created in order to limit the number of illegal advertising structures in the Polish landscape and immersive video recorded in a short period of time is a candidate for economical and flexible measurements off-site. The second approach is a generation of 3d video-based reconstructions of heritage sites based on immersive video (structure from immersive video). A mobile camera mounted on a tripod dolly was used to record the interior scene and immersive video, separated into thousands of still panoramas, was converted from video into 3d objects using Agisoft Photoscan Professional. The findings from these experiments demonstrated that immersive photogrammetry seems to be a flexible and prompt method of 3d modelling and provides promising features for mobile mapping systems.

The effect of water immersion delivery on the strength of pelvic floor muscle and pelvic floor disorders during postpartum period

PubMed Central

Zhao, Yun; Xiao, Mei; Tang, Fei; Tang, Wan; Yin, Heng; Sun, Guo-Qiang; Lin, Yin; Zhou, Yong; Luo, Yan; Li, Lu-Man; Tan, Zhi-Hua

2017-01-01

Abstract Background: Water immersion delivery is a non-pharmacological approach to ease labor pain. This paper aims to investigate the effect of water immersion delivery on increasing strength of pelvic floor muscle (PFM) and relieving pelvic floor disorders (PFDs) during postpartum period. Methods: A total of 2749 vaginal-delivery primiparas in postpartum 6-8 weeks were selected as research objects. Based on the modes of delivery, 600 patients were assigned into water immersion delivery group, 2149 were assigned into conventional delivery group. The scales of PFM strength and pelvic organ prolapsed (POP) were determined by specially trained personnel using digital palpation, and the symptoms of stress urinary incontinence (SUI) were investigated by questionnaire survey. The weak PFM strength was improved by doing Kegel exercise at home for 6-8 weeks. Results: We found that ①The rate of episiotomy in water immersion delivery group was 77.50% (465/600), which was lower than that in conventional delivery group (84.69%, 1820/2149) (P < .01); The primiparas without having an episiotomy have higher PFM strength than those having an episiotomy for both groups (P < .01). ②There was a negative correlation between the scale of PFM strength and SUI or POP, wherein the r-values were −0.135 and −0.435, respectively (P < .01). ③The rate of SUI was 6.50% (39/600) in water immersion delivery group and 6.89% (148/2149) in the conventional delivery group, wherein the intergroup difference was not significant (P > .05); ④The rates of vaginal wall prolapsed and uterus prolapsed were 29.83% (179/600) and 2.83% (17/600) in water immersion delivery group and 30.95% (665/2149) and 4.37% (94/2149) in the conventional delivery group, wherein the intergroup difference was not significant (P > .05). ⑤After Kegel exercise, the strength of PFM was promoted (P < .01). Conclusion: Water immersion delivery has been proved to a beneficial alternative method for conventional delivery method. This delivery mode is associated with fewer episiotomy rate, and avoiding episiotomy is beneficial for maintaining PFM strength of women in postpartum 6-8 weeks. The strength of PFM during postpartum period can be improved by doing Kegel exercise at home. PMID:29019880

Unconventional Consumption Methods and Enjoying Things Consumed: Recapturing the "First-Time" Experience.

PubMed

O'Brien, Ed; Smith, Robert W

2018-06-01

People commonly lament the inability to re-experience familiar things as they were first experienced. Four experiments suggest that consuming familiar things in new ways can disrupt adaptation and revitalize enjoyment. Participants better enjoyed the same familiar food (Experiment 1), drink (Experiment 2), and video (Experiments 3a-3b) simply when re-experiencing the entity via unusual means (e.g., eating popcorn using chopsticks vs. hands). This occurs because unconventional methods invite an immersive "first-time" perspective on the consumption object: boosts in enjoyment were mediated by revitalized immersion into the consumption experience and were moderated by time such that they were strongest when using unconventional methods for the first time (Experiments 1-2); likewise, unconventional methods that actively disrupted immersion did not elicit the boost, despite being novel (Experiments 3a-3b). Before abandoning once-enjoyable entities, knowing to consume old things in new ways (vs. attaining new things altogether) might temporarily restore enjoyment and postpone wasteful replacement.

SEARCH AND MAPPING OF THE OLD BURIED TAILINGS WITH RADIOACTIVE WASTES AT THE URBAN TERRITORY.

PubMed

Molchanov, O I; Soroka, Y N; Podrezov, A A; Soroka, M N

2017-11-01

The article presents results of investigation on search and mapping of the old buried tailings with radioactive wastes on the territory of Kamianske City. For solving the problem used complex of methods. These methods are as follows: soil-gas 222Rn measurement and measurement of 222Rn flux density from the ground surface, gamma-radiation survey, prospecting drilling, gamma-ray logging and laboratory analysis of radionuclides. The leading method in this complex was the method of soil-gas 222Rn measurement. Using this method location of the tailings has been precisely defined. The tailings boundaries have been contoured in the plan. Other methods permitted to define such parameters as thickness of the wastes, their volume (~330 000 m3), radionuclide and chemical composition. It was found that radioactive residues occur at a depth from 2 to 11 m and contain in its composition 226Ra, 210Pb and 210Po in the range from 8370 to 37 270 Bq kg-1. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Effects of short-term immersion and brushing with different denture cleansers on the roughness, hardness, and color of two types of acrylic resin.

PubMed

Panariello, Beatriz Helena Dias; Izumida, Fernanda Emiko; Moffa, Eduardo Buozi; Pavarina, Ana Claudia; Jorge, Janaina Habib; Giampaolo, Eunice Teresinha

2015-06-01

To investigate the cumulative effects of brushing (B) or immersion (I), using different cleansing agents, on the surface roughness, hardness and color stability of a heat-polymerized denture resin, Lucitone 550 (L), and a hard chairside reline resin, Tokuyama Rebase Fast II (T). A total of 316 specimens (10 x 2 mm) were fabricated. The specimens (n = 9) were divided into brushing or immersion groups according to the following agents: dentifrice/distilled water (D), 1% sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl), Corega Tabs (Pb), 1% chlorhexidine gluconate (Chx), and 0.2% peracetic acid (Ac). Brushing and immersion were tested independently. Assays were performed after 1, 3, 21, 45 and 90 brushing cycles or immersion of 10 seconds each. Data were evaluated statistically by repeated measures ANOVA. Tukey's honestly significant difference (HSD) post-hoc test was used to determine differences between means (α = 0.05). For L there was no statistically significant difference in roughness, except a significant decrease in roughness by brushing with D. T showed a significant effect on the roughness after 90 immersions with Ac. Hardness values decreased for L when specimens were immersed or brushed in NaOCl and Pb. The hardness of T decreased with increases in the repetitions (immersion or brushing), regardless of the cleaning method. Values of color stability for L resin showed significant color change after brushing with and immersion in Ac and Pb. Brushing with D exhibited a higher incidence of color change. For T there were no significant differences between cleaning agents and repetitions in immersion. A color change was noted after three brushings with the Ac, Chx, and D. Brushing with dentifrice decreased roughness of L. Immersion in or brushing with NaOCl and Pb decreased the hardness of L. For T, hardness decreased with increases in immersions or brushing. Color changes after the immersion in or brushing with cleaning agents were clinically acceptable according to National Bureau of Standards parameters for both resins.

Water immersion in neonatal bereavement photography.

PubMed

Duffey, Heather

2014-01-01

Water immersion in neonatal bereavement photography is a new technique intended to enhance the quality of the photographs provided to families following their loss. Water immersion appears to be most helpful following a second trimester fetal demise. This technique can be used by nurses, professional photographers and others in addition to more traditional neonatal bereavement photography. It does not require special skills or equipment and can be implemented in virtually any perinatal setting. The enhanced quality of photographs produced with this method can potentially provide a source of comfort to grieving families. © 2014 AWHONN.

Two-Dimensional Fourier Transform Analysis of Helicopter Flyover Noise

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

SantaMaria, Odilyn L.; Farassat, F.; Morris, Philip J.

1999-01-01

A method to separate main rotor and tail rotor noise from a helicopter in flight is explored. Being the sum of two periodic signals of disproportionate, or incommensurate frequencies, helicopter noise is neither periodic nor stationary. The single Fourier transform divides signal energy into frequency bins of equal size. Incommensurate frequencies are therefore not adequately represented by any one chosen data block size. A two-dimensional Fourier analysis method is used to separate main rotor and tail rotor noise. The two-dimensional spectral analysis method is first applied to simulated signals. This initial analysis gives an idea of the characteristics of the two-dimensional autocorrelations and spectra. Data from a helicopter flight test is analyzed in two dimensions. The test aircraft are a Boeing MD902 Explorer (no tail rotor) and a Sikorsky S-76 (4-bladed tail rotor). The results show that the main rotor and tail rotor signals can indeed be separated in the two-dimensional Fourier transform spectrum. The separation occurs along the diagonals associated with the frequencies of interest. These diagonals are individual spectra containing only information related to one particular frequency.

Recycling of asbestos tailings used as reinforcing fillers in polypropylene based composites.

PubMed

Zhai, Wensi; Wang, Yao; Deng, Yuan; Gao, Hongli; Lin, Zhen; Li, Mao

2014-04-15

In this work, asbestos tailings were recycled and used as reinforcing fillers to enhance the mechanical properties of polypropylene (PP). A silane coupling agent was used to chemically modify the asbestos tailings to increase the compatibility between asbestos tailings and polypropylene matrix. Both raw and chemically treated asbestos tailings with different loading levels (from 3 to 30 wt%) were utilized to fabricate composites. Mechanical properties of these composites have been investigated by dynamic mechanical analysis, tensile test and notched impact test. Results showed that hybridization of asbestos tailings in the composites enhanced the mechanical properties of neat PP evidently, and treated asbestos tailings/PP composites yielded even better mechanical properties compared with those of raw asbestos tailings/PP composites. This recycling method of asbestos tailings not only reduces disposal costs and avoids secondary pollution but also produces a new PP-based composite material with enhanced mechanical properties. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Confidence intervals for the between-study variance in random-effects meta-analysis using generalised heterogeneity statistics: should we use unequal tails?

PubMed

Jackson, Dan; Bowden, Jack

2016-09-07

Confidence intervals for the between study variance are useful in random-effects meta-analyses because they quantify the uncertainty in the corresponding point estimates. Methods for calculating these confidence intervals have been developed that are based on inverting hypothesis tests using generalised heterogeneity statistics. Whilst, under the random effects model, these new methods furnish confidence intervals with the correct coverage, the resulting intervals are usually very wide, making them uninformative. We discuss a simple strategy for obtaining 95 % confidence intervals for the between-study variance with a markedly reduced width, whilst retaining the nominal coverage probability. Specifically, we consider the possibility of using methods based on generalised heterogeneity statistics with unequal tail probabilities, where the tail probability used to compute the upper bound is greater than 2.5 %. This idea is assessed using four real examples and a variety of simulation studies. Supporting analytical results are also obtained. Our results provide evidence that using unequal tail probabilities can result in shorter 95 % confidence intervals for the between-study variance. We also show some further results for a real example that illustrates how shorter confidence intervals for the between-study variance can be useful when performing sensitivity analyses for the average effect, which is usually the parameter of primary interest. We conclude that using unequal tail probabilities when computing 95 % confidence intervals for the between-study variance, when using methods based on generalised heterogeneity statistics, can result in shorter confidence intervals. We suggest that those who find the case for using unequal tail probabilities convincing should use the '1-4 % split', where greater tail probability is allocated to the upper confidence bound. The 'width-optimal' interval that we present deserves further investigation.

Efficient Unstructured Cartesian/Immersed-Boundary Method with Local Mesh Refinement to Simulate Flows in Complex 3D Geometries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Zelicourt, Diane; Ge, Liang; Sotiropoulos, Fotis; Yoganathan, Ajit

2008-11-01

Image-guided computational fluid dynamics has recently gained attention as a tool for predicting the outcome of different surgical scenarios. Cartesian Immersed-Boundary methods constitute an attractive option to tackle the complexity of real-life anatomies. However, when such methods are applied to the branching, multi-vessel configurations typically encountered in cardiovascular anatomies the majority of the grid nodes of the background Cartesian mesh end up lying outside the computational domain, increasing the memory and computational overhead without enhancing the numerical resolution in the region of interest. To remedy this situation, the method presented here superimposes local mesh refinement onto an unstructured Cartesian grid formulation. A baseline unstructured Cartesian mesh is generated by eliminating all nodes that reside in the exterior of the flow domain from the grid structure, and is locally refined in the vicinity of the immersed-boundary. The potential of the method is demonstrated by carrying out systematic mesh refinement studies for internal flow problems ranging in complexity from a 90 deg pipe bend to an actual, patient-specific anatomy reconstructed from magnetic resonance.

Microbial communities in a porphyry copper tailings impoundment and their impact on the geochemical dynamics of the mine waste.

PubMed

Diaby, Nouhou; Dold, Bernhard; Pfeifer, Hans-Rudolf; Holliger, Christof; Johnson, D Barrie; Hallberg, Kevin B

2007-02-01

The distribution and diversity of acidophilic bacteria of a tailings impoundment at the La Andina copper mine, Chile, was examined. The tailings have low sulfide (1.7% pyrite equivalent) and carbonate (1.4% calcite equivalent) contents and are stratified into three distinct zones: a surface (0-70-80 cm) 'oxidation zone' characterized by low-pH (2.5-4), a 'neutralization zone' (70-80 to 300-400 cm) and an unaltered 'primary zone' below 400 cm. A combined cultivation-dependent and biomolecular approach (terminal restriction enzyme fragment length polymorphism and 16S rRNA clone library analysis) was used to characterize the indigenous prokaryotic communities in the mine tailings. Total cell counts showed that the microbial biomass was greatest in the top 125 cm of the tailings. The largest numbers of bacteria (10(9) g(-1) dry weight of tailings) were found at the oxidation front (the junction between the oxidation and neutralization zones), where sulfide minerals and oxygen were both present. The dominant iron-/sulfur-oxidizing bacteria identified at the oxidation front included bacteria of the genus Leptospirillum (detected by molecular methods), and Gram-positive iron-oxidizing acidophiles related to Sulfobacillus (identified both by molecular and cultivation methods). Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans was also detected, albeit in relatively small numbers. Heterotrophic acidophiles related to Acidobacterium capsulatum were found by molecular methods, while another Acidobacterium-like bacterium and an Acidiphilium sp. were isolated from oxidation zone samples. A conceptual model was developed, based on microbiological and geochemical data derived from the tailings, to account for the biogeochemical evolution of the Piuquenes tailings impoundment.

Immersed Boundary Methods for High-Resolution Simulation of Atmospheric Boundary-Layer Flow Over Complex Terrain

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

Lundquist, K A

Mesoscale models, such as the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model, are increasingly used for high resolution simulations, particularly in complex terrain, but errors associated with terrain-following coordinates degrade the accuracy of the solution. Use of an alternative Cartesian gridding technique, known as an immersed boundary method (IBM), alleviates coordinate transformation errors and eliminates restrictions on terrain slope which currently limit mesoscale models to slowly varying terrain. In this dissertation, an immersed boundary method is developed for use in numerical weather prediction. Use of the method facilitates explicit resolution of complex terrain, even urban terrain, in the WRF mesoscale model.more » First, the errors that arise in the WRF model when complex terrain is present are presented. This is accomplished using a scalar advection test case, and comparing the numerical solution to the analytical solution. Results are presented for different orders of advection schemes, grid resolutions and aspect ratios, as well as various degrees of terrain slope. For comparison, results from the same simulation are presented using the IBM. Both two-dimensional and three-dimensional immersed boundary methods are then described, along with details that are specific to the implementation of IBM in the WRF code. Our IBM is capable of imposing both Dirichlet and Neumann boundary conditions. Additionally, a method for coupling atmospheric physics parameterizations at the immersed boundary is presented, making IB methods much more functional in the context of numerical weather prediction models. The two-dimensional IB method is verified through comparisons of solutions for gentle terrain slopes when using IBM and terrain-following grids. The canonical case of flow over a Witch of Agnesi hill provides validation of the basic no-slip and zero gradient boundary conditions. Specified diurnal heating in a valley, producing anabatic winds, is used to validate the use of flux (non-zero) boundary conditions. This anabatic flow set-up is further coupled to atmospheric physics parameterizations, which calculate surface fluxes, demonstrating that the IBM can be coupled to various land-surface parameterizations in atmospheric models. Additionally, the IB method is extended to three dimensions, using both trilinear and inverse distance weighted interpolations. Results are presented for geostrophic flow over a three-dimensional hill. It is found that while the IB method using trilinear interpolation works well for simple three-dimensional geometries, a more flexible and robust method is needed for extremely complex geometries, as found in three-dimensional urban environments. A second, more flexible, immersed boundary method is devised using inverse distance weighting, and results are compared to the first IBM approach. Additionally, the functionality to nest a domain with resolved complex geometry inside of a parent domain without resolved complex geometry is described. The new IBM approach is used to model urban terrain from Oklahoma City in a one-way nested configuration, where lateral boundary conditions are provided by the parent domain. Finally, the IB method is extended to include wall model parameterizations for rough surfaces. Two possible implementations are presented, one which uses the log law to reconstruct velocities exterior to the solid domain, and one which reconstructs shear stress at the immersed boundary, rather than velocity. These methods are tested on the three-dimensional canonical case of neutral atmospheric boundary layer flow over flat terrain.« less

Liquid Chromatographic Detection of Permethrin from Filter Paper Wipes of White-tailed Deer

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

A simple, small-scale method for the determination of the presence or absence of permethrin on the hair coat of white-tailed deer, Odocoileus virginianus (Zimmermann), by high performance liquid chromatography was developed. White-tailed deer in South Texas and the northeastern U.S. are routinely tr...

Ultrasound-assisted extraction for total sulphur measurement in mine tailings.

PubMed

Khan, Adnan Hossain; Shang, Julie Q; Alam, Raquibul

2012-10-15

A sample preparation method for percentage recovery of total sulphur (%S) in reactive mine tailings based on ultrasound-assisted digestion (USAD) and inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES) was developed. The influence of various methodological factors was screened by employing a two-level and three-factor (2(3)) full factorial design and using KZK-1, a sericite schist certified reference material (CRM), to find the optimal combination of studied factors and %S. Factors such as the sonication time, temperature and acid combination were studied, with the best result identified as 20 min of sonication, 80°C temperature and 1 ml of HNO(3):1 ml of HCl, which can achieve 100% recovery for the selected CRM. Subsequently a fraction of the 2(3) full factorial design was applied to mine tailings. The percentage relative standard deviation (%RSD) for the ultrasound method is less than 3.0% for CRM and less than 6% for the mine tailings. The investigated method was verified by X-ray diffraction analysis. The USAD method compared favorably with existing methods such as hot plate assisted digestion method, X-ray fluorescence and LECO™-CNS method. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Language and Culture Immersion: A Winning Enterprise.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cormier, Raymond

A second language program developed at Wilson College (Chambersburg, Pennsylvania) with a federal grant uses the Rassias Method of theatrical, dramatic language saturation. In the first application of the program at the college, peer tutors (who would be assistant teachers in the subsequent immersion program) were trained in a three-day workshop.…

Language Immersion in the Self-Study Mode E-Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sobolev, Olga

2016-01-01

This paper assesses the efficiency of the "Language Immersion e-Course" developed at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) Language Centre. The new self-study revision e-course, promoting students' proficiency in spoken and aural Russian through autonomous learning, is based on the Michel Thomas method, and is…

Influence of Sound Immersion and Communicative Interaction on the Lombard Effect

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Garnier, Maeva; Henrich, Nathalie; Dubois, Daniele

2010-01-01

Purpose: To examine the influence of sound immersion techniques and speech production tasks on speech adaptation in noise. Method: In Experiment 1, we compared the modification of speakers' perception and speech production in noise when noise is played into headphones (with and without additional self-monitoring feedback) or over loudspeakers. We…

A Mathematician Learns the Basics of Writing Instruction: An Immersion Experience with Long-Term Benefits

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Doty, Lynne L.

2012-01-01

Initially designed to be an interdisciplinary experiment that would change attitudes about mathematics, the semester-long collaboration between a writing instructor and a mathematics instructor yielded unexpected long-term results. The collaboration served as an immersion in methods and techniques used by writing instructors. Description of…

A new activation process for a Zr-based alloy as a negative electrode for Ni/MH electric vehicle batteries

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

Yu, J.S.; Lee, H.; Lee, S.M.

1999-12-01

The effects of a combination hot-immersion and slow-charging method on the activation of a Zr-based alloy were investigated. A Zr{sub 0.7}Ti{sub 0.3}Cr{sub 0.3}Mn{sub 0.3}V{sub 0.4}Ni{sub 1.0} alloy electrode was treated with two steps: alloy electrodes were immersed at 80 C for 12 h in a KOH solution and then charged at a low current density for one cycle. It was found that the alloy electrode activation was greatly improved after this hot-immersion and slow-charging treatment, and furthermore the treated electrodes were fully activated at the first normal cycle. The effects of this treatment are discussed on the basis of resultsmore » obtained by scanning electron microscopy, Auger electron spectroscopy, and inductively coupled plasma spectroscopy. The hot-immersion and slow-charging method was successfully applied to the formation process of 80 Ah Ni/MH cells using this Zr-based alloy.« less

Effect of denture cleansers on color stability, surface roughness, and hardness of different denture base resins

PubMed Central

Porwal, Anand; Khandelwal, Meenakshi; Punia, Vikas; Sharma, Vivek

2017-01-01

Aim: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of different denture cleansers on the color stability, surface hardness, and roughness of different denture base resins. Materials and Methods: Three denture base resin materials (conventional heat cure resin, high impact resin, and polyamide denture base resin) were immersed for 180 days in commercially available two denture cleansers (sodium perborate and sodium hypochlorite). Color, surface roughness, and hardness were measured for each sample before and after immersion procedure. Statistical Analysis: One-way analysis of variance and Tukey's post hoc honestly significant difference test were used to evaluate color, surface roughness, and hardness data before and after immersion in denture cleanser (α =0.05). Results: All denture base resins tested exhibited a change in color, surface roughness, and hardness to some degree in both denture cleansers. Polyamides resin immersed in sodium perborate showed a maximum change in color after immersion for 180 days. Conventional heat cure resin immersed in sodium hypochlorite showed a maximum change in surface roughness and conventional heat cure immersed in sodium perborate showed a maximum change in hardness. Conclusion: Color changes of all denture base resins were within the clinically accepted range for color difference. Surface roughness change of conventional heat cure resin was not within the clinically accepted range of surface roughness. The choice of denture cleanser for different denture base resins should be based on the chemistry of resin and cleanser, denture cleanser concentration, and duration of immersion. PMID:28216847

KinImmerse: Macromolecular VR for NMR ensembles

PubMed Central

Block, Jeremy N; Zielinski, David J; Chen, Vincent B; Davis, Ian W; Vinson, E Claire; Brady, Rachael; Richardson, Jane S; Richardson, David C

2009-01-01

Background In molecular applications, virtual reality (VR) and immersive virtual environments have generally been used and valued for the visual and interactive experience – to enhance intuition and communicate excitement – rather than as part of the actual research process. In contrast, this work develops a software infrastructure for research use and illustrates such use on a specific case. Methods The Syzygy open-source toolkit for VR software was used to write the KinImmerse program, which translates the molecular capabilities of the kinemage graphics format into software for display and manipulation in the DiVE (Duke immersive Virtual Environment) or other VR system. KinImmerse is supported by the flexible display construction and editing features in the KiNG kinemage viewer and it implements new forms of user interaction in the DiVE. Results In addition to molecular visualizations and navigation, KinImmerse provides a set of research tools for manipulation, identification, co-centering of multiple models, free-form 3D annotation, and output of results. The molecular research test case analyzes the local neighborhood around an individual atom within an ensemble of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) models, enabling immersive visual comparison of the local conformation with the local NMR experimental data, including target curves for residual dipolar couplings (RDCs). Conclusion The promise of KinImmerse for production-level molecular research in the DiVE is shown by the locally co-centered RDC visualization developed there, which gave new insights now being pursued in wider data analysis. PMID:19222844

Virtual Reality to Train Diagnostic Skills in Eating Disorders. Comparison of two Low Cost Systems.

PubMed

Gutiérrez-Maldonado, José; Ferrer-García, Marta; Plasanjuanelo, Joana; Andrés-Pueyo, Antonio; Talarn-Caparrós, Antoni

2015-01-01

Enhancing the ability to perform differential diagnosis and psychopathological exploration is important for students who wish to work in the clinical field, as well as for professionals already working in this area. Virtual reality (VR) simulations can immerse students totally in educational experiences in a way that is not possible using other methods. Learning in a VR environment can also be more effective and motivating than usual classroom practices. Traditionally, immersion has been considered central to the quality of a VR system; immersive VR is considered a special and unique experience that cannot achieved by three-dimensional (3D) interactions on desktop PCs. However, some authors have suggested that if the content design is emotionally engaging, immersive systems are not always necessary. The main purpose of this study is to compare the efficacy and usability of two low-cost VR systems, offering different levels of immersion, in order to develop the ability to perform diagnostic interviews in eating disorders by means of simulations of psychopathological explorations.

Effect of immersion time in a modified green death solution on the rust layer of Cu-containing low-alloy steel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Seon-Hong; Kwon, Min-Seok; Kim, Jung-Gu

2017-01-01

The corrosion resistance of low-alloy steel containing 0.35 wt% copper, as a function of immersion time in a modified green death solution, was investigated using electrochemical methods and surface analysis. After 30 min of immersion, the steel surface was covered with a Cu-enriched film. Improvement of the film properties and increases in the corrosion resistance were realized for the immersion time up to 6 h due to the development of the Cu-enriched layer. However, the Cu particle was formed in the Cu-enriched layer for the immersion time beyond 6 h. Since the formation of the Cu particle generated a Cu-depletion region, micro-galvanic corrosion between the Cu particle and the Cu-depletion region lead to the localized film breakdown on the surface film. The localized film breakdown, which decreased the corrosion properties of the Cu-containing steel, was accelerated by the continuous formation of Cu particles in the rust layer.

An Immersed Boundary - Adaptive Mesh Refinement solver (IB-AMR) for high fidelity fully resolved wind turbine simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Angelidis, Dionysios; Sotiropoulos, Fotis

2015-11-01

The geometrical details of wind turbines determine the structure of the turbulence in the near and far wake and should be taken in account when performing high fidelity calculations. Multi-resolution simulations coupled with an immersed boundary method constitutes a powerful framework for high-fidelity calculations past wind farms located over complex terrains. We develop a 3D Immersed-Boundary Adaptive Mesh Refinement flow solver (IB-AMR) which enables turbine-resolving LES of wind turbines. The idea of using a hybrid staggered/non-staggered grid layout adopted in the Curvilinear Immersed Boundary Method (CURVIB) has been successfully incorporated on unstructured meshes and the fractional step method has been employed. The overall performance and robustness of the second order accurate, parallel, unstructured solver is evaluated by comparing the numerical simulations against conforming grid calculations and experimental measurements of laminar and turbulent flows over complex geometries. We also present turbine-resolving multi-scale LES considering all the details affecting the induced flow field; including the geometry of the tower, the nacelle and especially the rotor blades of a wind tunnel scale turbine. This material is based upon work supported by the Department of Energy under Award Number DE-EE0005482 and the Sandia National Laboratories.

A framework for WRF to WRF-IBM grid nesting to enable multiscale simulations

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

Wiersema, David John; Lundquist, Katherine A.; Chow, Fotini Katapodes

With advances in computational power, mesoscale models, such as the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model, are often pushed to higher resolutions. As the model’s horizontal resolution is refined, the maximum resolved terrain slope will increase. Because WRF uses a terrain-following coordinate, this increase in resolved terrain slopes introduces additional grid skewness. At high resolutions and over complex terrain, this grid skewness can introduce large numerical errors that require methods, such as the immersed boundary method, to keep the model accurate and stable. Our implementation of the immersed boundary method in the WRF model, WRF-IBM, has proven effective at microscalemore » simulations over complex terrain. WRF-IBM uses a non-conforming grid that extends beneath the model’s terrain. Boundary conditions at the immersed boundary, the terrain, are enforced by introducing a body force term to the governing equations at points directly beneath the immersed boundary. Nesting between a WRF parent grid and a WRF-IBM child grid requires a new framework for initialization and forcing of the child WRF-IBM grid. This framework will enable concurrent multi-scale simulations within the WRF model, improving the accuracy of high-resolution simulations and enabling simulations across a wide range of scales.« less

Can tail damage outbreaks in the pig be predicted by behavioural change?

PubMed

Larsen, Mona Lilian Vestbjerg; Andersen, Heidi Mai-Lis; Pedersen, Lene Juul

2016-03-01

Tail biting, resulting in outbreaks of tail damage in pigs, is a multifactorial welfare and economic problem which is usually partly prevented through tail docking. According to European Union legislation, tail docking is not allowed on a routine basis; thus there is a need for alternative preventive methods. One strategy is the surveillance of the pigs' behaviour for known preceding indicators of tail damage, which makes it possible to predict a tail damage outbreak and prevent it in proper time. This review discusses the existing literature on behavioural changes observed prior to a tail damage outbreak. Behaviours found to change prior to an outbreak include increased activity level, increased performance of enrichment object manipulation, and a changed proportion of tail posture with more tails between the legs. Monitoring these types of behaviours is also discussed for the purpose of developing an automatic warning system for tail damage outbreaks, with activity level showing promising results for being monitored automatically. Encouraging results have been found so far for the development of an automatic warning system; however, there is a need for further investigation and development, starting with the description of the temporal development of the predictive behaviour in relation to tail damage outbreaks. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

POPULATION PHARMACOKINETICS OF ENROFLOXACIN AND ITS METABOLITE CIPROFLOXACIN IN THE GREEN SEA URCHIN (STRONGYLOCENTROTUS DROEBACHIENSIS) FOLLOWING INTRACOELOMIC AND IMMERSION ADMINISTRATION.

PubMed

Phillips, Brianne E; Harms, Craig A; Lewbart, Gregory A; Lahner, Lesanna L; Haulena, Martin; Rosenberg, Justin F; Papich, Mark G

2016-03-01

Sea urchin mass mortality events have been attributed to both infectious and noninfectious etiologies. Bacteria, including Vibrio spp. and Pseudoalteromonas spp., have been isolated during specific mortality events. Aquarium collection sea urchins are also subject to bacterial infections and could benefit from antimicrobial treatment, but pharmacokinetic studies have been lacking for this invertebrate group until recently. This study evaluated the pharmacokinetics of enrofloxacin and its active metabolite ciprofloxacin in the green sea urchin (Strongylocentrotus droebachiensis) after intracoelomic injection and medicated bath immersion administration. The utility of a population pharmacokinetic method using nonlinear mixed effects modeling (NLME) was also evaluated. Thirty sea urchins were assigned to either the injection or immersion group. Twelve study animals and three untreated controls were utilized for each administration method: enrofloxacin 10 mg/kg intracoelomic injection or a 6-hr enrofloxacin 10 mg/L immersion. Each animal was sampled four times from 0 to 120 hr. Water samples were collected during immersion treatment and posttreatment time points in both groups. Hemolymph and water sample drug concentrations were analyzed using high-performance liquid chromatography, and pharmacokinetic parameters were determined using an NLME population pharmacokinetic method. Enrofloxacin concentrations were fit to a two-compartment model with first-order input for the intracoelomic injection group. The enrofloxacin elimination half-life (t½), peak hemolymph concentration (CMAX), and area under the curve (AUC) were 38.82 hr, 90.92 μg/ml, and 1,199 hr·μg/ml, respectively. Enrofloxacin was modeled to a one-compartment model with first-order input for the immersion treatment. The enrofloxacin t½, CMAX, and AUC were 33.46 hr, 0.48 μg/ml, and 32.88 hr·μg/ml, respectively. Ciprofloxacin was detected in trace concentrations in all hemolymph samples, indicating minimal production of this metabolite. The concentrations of enrofloxacin achieved far exceeded minimum inhibitory concentrations reported for teleost pathogens. No adverse effects were associated with enrofloxacin administration by either treatment method or from hemolymph sampling.

Numerical method to compute acoustic scattering effect of a moving source.

PubMed

Song, Hao; Yi, Mingxu; Huang, Jun; Pan, Yalin; Liu, Dawei

2016-01-01

In this paper, the aerodynamic characteristic of a ducted tail rotor in hover has been numerically studied using CFD method. An analytical time domain formulation based on Ffowcs Williams-Hawkings (FW-H) equation is derived for the prediction of the acoustic velocity field and used as Neumann boundary condition on a rigid scattering surface. In order to predict the aerodynamic noise, a hybrid method combing computational aeroacoustics with an acoustic thin-body boundary element method has been proposed. The aerodynamic results and the calculated sound pressure levels (SPLs) are compared with the known method for validation. Simulation results show that the duct can change the value of SPLs and the sound directivity. Compared with the isolate tail rotor, the SPLs of the ducted tail rotor are smaller at certain azimuth.

Tachykinin NK-1 and NK-3 selective agonists induce analgesia in the formalin test for tonic pain following intra-VTA or intra-accumbens microinfusions.

PubMed

Altier, N; Stewart, J

1997-12-01

Experiments were designed to examine the analgesic effects induced by selective tachykinin receptor agonists microinfused into either the ventral tegmental area (VTA) or nucleus accumbens septi (NAS). Rats were tested in the formalin test for tonic pain following an injection of 0.05 ml of 2.5% formalin into one hind paw immediately after bilateral intra-VTA infusions of either the NK-1 agonist, GR-73632 (0.005, 0.05 or 0.5 nmol/side), the NK-3 agonist, senktide (0.005, 0.5 or 1.5 nmol/side), or saline. Two weeks later, the saline-treated rats were assessed in the tail-flick test for phasic pain after infusions of the tachykinin agonists. Tail-flick latencies were recorded following immersion of the tail in 55 degrees C hot water at 10 min intervals for 1 h immediately after intra-VTA infusions of either GR-73632 (0.5 nmol/side), senktide (1.5 nmol/side) or saline. In a second group of rats, the same effects were studied after infusions into the nucleus accumbens (NAS) of GR-73632 (0.005, 0.5 or 1.5 nmol/side), senktide (0.005, 0.5 or 1.5 nmol/side), or saline. In both the VTA and NAS, the NK-1 and the NK-3 agonists caused significant analgesia in the formalin test, although the NK-1 agonist appeared to be more effective. Naltrexone (2.0 mg/kg) pretreatment failed to reverse the analgesic effects in the formalin test induced by intra-VTA infusions of the substance P (SP) analog, DiMe-C7 (3.0 microg/side), GR-73632 (0.5 nmol/side), or senktide (1.5 nmol/side). Neither compound given at either site was effective in the tail-flick test. These findings suggest that SP-dopamine (DA) interactions within the mesolimbic DA system play an important role in the inhibition of tonic pain. Furthermore, they support our earlier ideas that activation of midbrain DA systems by SP might play a role in stress- and/or pain-induced analgesia.

Determination of immersion factors for radiance sensors in marine and inland waters: a semi-analytical approach using refractive index approximation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dev, Pravin J.; Shanmugam, P.

2016-05-01

Underwater radiometers are generally calibrated in air using a standard source. The immersion factors are required for these radiometers to account for the change in the in-water measurements with respect to in-air due to the different refractive index of the medium. The immersion factors previously determined for RAMSES series of commercial radiometers manufactured by TriOS are applicable to clear oceanic waters. In typical inland and turbid productive coastal waters, these experimentally determined immersion factors yield significantly large errors in water-leaving radiances (Lw) and hence remote sensing reflectances (Rrs). To overcome this limitation, a semi-analytical method with based on the refractive index approximation is proposed in this study, with the aim of obtaining reliable Lw and Rrs from RAMSES radiometers for turbid and productive waters within coastal and inland water environments. We also briefly show the variation of pure water immersion factors (Ifw) and newly derived If on Lw and Rrs for clear and turbid waters. The remnant problems other than the immersion factor coefficients such as transmission, air-water and water-air Fresnel's reflectances are also discussed.

The direct cooling tail method for X-ray burst analysis to constrain neutron star masses and radii

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suleimanov, Valery F.; Poutanen, Juri; Nättilä, Joonas; Kajava, Jari J. E.; Revnivtsev, Mikhail G.; Werner, Klaus

2017-04-01

Determining neutron star (NS) radii and masses can help to understand the properties of matter at supra-nuclear densities. Thermal emission during thermonuclear X-ray bursts from NSs in low-mass X-ray binaries provides a unique opportunity to study NS parameters, because of the high fluxes, large luminosity variations and the related changes in the spectral properties. The standard cooling tail method uses hot NS atmosphere models to convert the observed spectral evolution during cooling stages of X-ray bursts to the Eddington flux FEdd and the stellar angular size Ω. These are then translated to the constraints on the NS mass M and radius R. Here we present the improved, direct cooling tail method that generalizes the standard approach. First, we adjust the cooling tail method to account for the bolometric correction to the flux. Then, we fit the observed dependence of the blackbody normalization on flux with a theoretical model directly on the M-R plane by interpolating theoretical dependences to a given gravity, hence ensuring only weakly informative priors for M and R instead of FEdd and Ω. The direct cooling method is demonstrated using a photospheric radius expansion burst from SAX J1810.8-2609, which has happened when the system was in the hard state. Comparing to the standard cooling tail method, the confidence regions are shifted by 1σ towards larger radii, giving R = 11.5-13.0 km at M = 1.3-1.8 M⊙ for this NS.

Polyethylene glycol assisted growth of Sn-doped ZnO nanorod arrays prepared via sol-gel immersion method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ismail, A. S.; Mamat, M. H.; Malek, M. F.; Saidi, S. A.; Yusoff, M. M.; Mohamed, R.; Sin, N. D. Md; Suriani, A. B.; Rusop, M.

2018-05-01

Tin-doped zinc oxide (SZO) nanorod films at different concentrations of polyethylene glycol (PEG) were successfully deposited on zinc oxide (ZnO) seeded layer catalyst using sol-gel immersion method. The morphology of the samples were characterized using field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), optical properties using UV-Vis spectrophotometer and electrical properties using I-V measurement system. The current-voltage (I-V) characteristics displayed that 5 wt % sample produced the highest conductivity.

Numerical simulation of h-adaptive immersed boundary method for freely falling disks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Pan; Xia, Zhenhua; Cai, Qingdong

2018-05-01

In this work, a freely falling disk with aspect ratio 1/10 is directly simulated by using an adaptive numerical model implemented on a parallel computation framework JASMIN. The adaptive numerical model is a combination of the h-adaptive mesh refinement technique and the implicit immersed boundary method (IBM). Our numerical results agree well with the experimental results in all of the six degrees of freedom of the disk. Furthermore, very similar vortex structures observed in the experiment were also obtained.

Turbulent mass flux closure modeling for variable density turbulence in the wake of an air-entraining transom stern

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hendrickson, Kelli; Yue, Dick

2016-11-01

This work presents the development and a priori testing of closure models for the incompressible highly-variable density turbulent (IHVDT) flow in the near wake region of a transom stern. This complex, three-dimensional flow includes three regions with distinctly different flow behavior: (i) the convergent corner waves that originate from the body and collide on the ship center plane; (ii) the "rooster tail" that forms from the collision; and (iii) the diverging wave train. The characteristics of these regions involve violent free-surface flows and breaking waves with significant turbulent mass flux (TMF) at Atwood number At = (ρ2 -ρ1) / (ρ2 +ρ1) 1 for which there is little guidance in turbulence closure modeling for the momentum and scalar transport along the wake. Utilizing datasets from high-resolution simulations of the near wake of a canonical three-dimensional transom stern using conservative Volume-of-Fluid (cVOF), implicit Large Eddy Simulation (iLES), and Boundary Data Immersion Method (BDIM), we develop explicit algebraic turbulent mass flux closure models that incorporate the most relevant physical processes. Performance of these models in predicting the turbulent mass flux in all three regions of the wake will be presented. Office of Naval Research.

Modeling variable density turbulence in the wake of an air-entraining transom stern

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hendrickson, Kelli; Yue, Dick

2015-11-01

This work presents a priori testing of closure models for the incompressible highly-variable density turbulent (IHVDT) flows in the near wake region of a transom stern. This three-dimensional flow is comprised of convergent corner waves that originate from the body and collide on the ship center plane forming the ``rooster tail'' that then widens to form the divergent wave train. These violent free-surface flows and breaking waves are characterized by significant turbulent mass flux (TMF) at Atwood number At = (ρ2 -ρ1) / (ρ2 +ρ1) ~ 1 for which there is little guidance in turbulence closure modeling for the momentum and scalar transport along the wake. To whit, this work utilizes high-resolution simulations of the near wake of a canonical three-dimensional transom stern using conservative Volume-of-Fluid (cVOF), implicit Large Eddy Simulation (iLES), and Boundary Data Immersion Method (BDIM) to capture the turbulence and large scale air entrainment. Analysis of the simulation results across and along the wake for the TMF budget and turbulent anisotropy provide the physical basis of the development of multiphase turbulence closure models. Performance of isotropic and anisotropic turbulent mass flux closure models will be presented. Sponsored by the Office of Naval Research.

Bacterial populations within copper mine tailings: long-term effects of amendment with Class A biosolids

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

This study evaluates the effect of surface application of dried Class A biosolids on microbial populations within copper mine tailings. Methods and Results: Mine tailing sites were established at ASARCO Mission Mine close to Sahuarita, Arizona. Site 1 (Dec. 1998) was amended with 248 tons ha-1 of C...

Method for dissolution and stabilization of silica-rich fibers

DOEpatents

Jantzen, Carol M.

1997-01-01

A method for dissolving silica-rich fibers such as borosilicate fibers, fiberglass and asbestos to stabilize them for disposal. The method comprises (1) immersing the fibers in hot, five-weight-percent sodium hydroxide solution until the concentration of dissolved silica reaches equilibrium and a only a residue is left (about 48 hours), then immersing the residue in hot, five-weight-percent nitric acid until the residue dissolves (about 96 hours). After adjusting the pH of the dissolved fibers to be caustic, the solution can then be added to a waste vitrification stream for safe disposal. The method is useful in disposing contaminated HEME and HEPA filters.

Influence of water immersion, water gymnastics and swimming on cardiac output in patients with heart failure

PubMed Central

Schmid, Jean‐Paul; Noveanu, Markus; Morger, Cyrill; Gaillet, Raymond; Capoferri, Mauro; Anderegg, Matthias; Saner, Hugo

2007-01-01

Background Whole‐body water immersion leads to a significant shift of blood from the periphery to the intrathoracic circulation, followed by an increase in central venous pressure and heart volume. In patients with severely reduced left ventricular function, this hydrostatically induced volume shift might overstrain the cardiovascular adaptive mechanisms and lead to cardiac decompensation. Aim To assess the haemodynamic response to water immersion, gymnastics and swimming in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF). Methods 10 patients with compensated CHF (62.9 (6.3) years, ejection fraction 31.5% (4.1%), peak oxygen consumption (V̇o2) 19.4 (2.8) ml/kg/min), 10 patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) but preserved left ventricular function (57.2 (5.6) years, ejection fraction 63.9% (5.5%), peak V̇o2 28 (6.3) ml/kg/min), and 10 healthy controls (32.8 (7.2) years, peak V̇o2 45.6 (6) ml/kg/min) were examined. Haemodynamic response to thermoneutral (32°C) water immersion and exercise was measured using a non‐invasive foreign gas rebreathing method during stepwise water immersion, water gymnastics and swimming. Results Water immersion up to the chest increased cardiac index by 19% in controls, by 21% in patients with CAD and by 16% in patients with CHF. Although some patients with CHF showed a decrease of stroke volume during immersion, all subjects were able to increase cardiac index (by 87% in healthy subjects, by 77% in patients with CAD and by 53% in patients with CHF). V̇o2 during swimming was 9.7 (3.3) ml/kg/min in patients with CHF, 12.4 (3.5) ml/kg/min in patients with CAD and 13.9 (4) ml/kg/min in controls. Conclusions Patients with severely reduced left ventricular function but stable clinical conditions and a minimal peak V̇o2 of at least 15 ml/kg/min during a symptom‐limited exercise stress test tolerate water immersion and swimming in thermoneutral water well. Although cardiac index and V̇o2 are lower than in patients with CAD with preserved left ventricular function and controls, these patients are able to increase cardiac index adequately during water immersion and swimming. PMID:17164483

Numerical investigation of nonlinear fluid-structure interaction dynamic behaviors under a general Immersed Boundary-Lattice Boltzmann-Finite Element method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gong, Chun-Lin; Fang, Zhe; Chen, Gang

A numerical approach based on the immersed boundary (IB), lattice Boltzmann and nonlinear finite element method (FEM) is proposed to simulate hydrodynamic interactions of very flexible objects. In the present simulation framework, the motion of fluid is obtained by solving the discrete lattice Boltzmann equations on Eulerian grid, the behaviors of flexible objects are calculated through nonlinear dynamic finite element method, and the interactive forces between them are implicitly obtained using velocity correction IB method which satisfies the no-slip conditions well at the boundary points. The efficiency and accuracy of the proposed Immersed Boundary-Lattice Boltzmann-Finite Element method is first validated by a fluid-structure interaction (F-SI) benchmark case, in which a flexible filament flaps behind a cylinder in channel flow, then the nonlinear vibration mechanism of the cylinder-filament system is investigated by altering the Reynolds number of flow and the material properties of filament. The interactions between two tandem and side-by-side identical objects in a uniform flow are also investigated, and the in-phase and out-of-phase flapping behaviors are captured by the proposed method.

Analysis of isothermal and cooling-rate-dependent immersion freezing by a unifying stochastic ice nucleation model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alpert, Peter A.; Knopf, Daniel A.

2016-02-01

Immersion freezing is an important ice nucleation pathway involved in the formation of cirrus and mixed-phase clouds. Laboratory immersion freezing experiments are necessary to determine the range in temperature, T, and relative humidity, RH, at which ice nucleation occurs and to quantify the associated nucleation kinetics. Typically, isothermal (applying a constant temperature) and cooling-rate-dependent immersion freezing experiments are conducted. In these experiments it is usually assumed that the droplets containing ice nucleating particles (INPs) all have the same INP surface area (ISA); however, the validity of this assumption or the impact it may have on analysis and interpretation of the experimental data is rarely questioned. Descriptions of ice active sites and variability of contact angles have been successfully formulated to describe ice nucleation experimental data in previous research; however, we consider the ability of a stochastic freezing model founded on classical nucleation theory to reproduce previous results and to explain experimental uncertainties and data scatter. A stochastic immersion freezing model based on first principles of statistics is presented, which accounts for variable ISA per droplet and uses parameters including the total number of droplets, Ntot, and the heterogeneous ice nucleation rate coefficient, Jhet(T). This model is applied to address if (i) a time and ISA-dependent stochastic immersion freezing process can explain laboratory immersion freezing data for different experimental methods and (ii) the assumption that all droplets contain identical ISA is a valid conjecture with subsequent consequences for analysis and interpretation of immersion freezing. The simple stochastic model can reproduce the observed time and surface area dependence in immersion freezing experiments for a variety of methods such as: droplets on a cold-stage exposed to air or surrounded by an oil matrix, wind and acoustically levitated droplets, droplets in a continuous-flow diffusion chamber (CFDC), the Leipzig aerosol cloud interaction simulator (LACIS), and the aerosol interaction and dynamics in the atmosphere (AIDA) cloud chamber. Observed time-dependent isothermal frozen fractions exhibiting non-exponential behavior can be readily explained by this model considering varying ISA. An apparent cooling-rate dependence of Jhet is explained by assuming identical ISA in each droplet. When accounting for ISA variability, the cooling-rate dependence of ice nucleation kinetics vanishes as expected from classical nucleation theory. The model simulations allow for a quantitative experimental uncertainty analysis for parameters Ntot, T, RH, and the ISA variability. The implications of our results for experimental analysis and interpretation of the immersion freezing process are discussed.

Mouse handling limits the impact of stress on metabolic endpoints.

PubMed

Ghosal, Sriparna; Nunley, Amanda; Mahbod, Parinaz; Lewis, Alfor G; Smith, Eric P; Tong, Jenny; D'Alessio, David A; Herman, James P

2015-10-15

Studies focused on end-points that are confounded by stress are best performed under minimally stressful conditions. The objective of this study was to demonstrate the impact of handling designed to reduce animal stress on measurements of glucose tolerance. A cohort of mice (CD1.C57BL/6) naïve to any specific handling was subjected to either a previously described "cup" handling method, or a "tail-picked" method in which the animals were picked up by the tail (as is common for metabolic studies). Following training, an elevated plus maze (EPM) test was performed followed by measurement of blood glucose and plasma corticosterone. A second cohort (CD1.C57BL/6) was rendered obese by exposure to a high fat diet, handled with either the tail-picked or cup method and subjected to an intraperitoneal glucose tolerance test. A third cohort of C57BL/6 mice was exposed to a cup regimen that included a component of massage and was subjected to tests of anxiety-like behavior, glucose homeostasis, and corticosterone secretion. We found that the cup mice showed reduced anxiety-like behaviors in the EPM coupled with a reduction in blood glucose levels compared to mice handled by the tail-picked method. Additionally, cup mice on the high fat diet exhibited improved glucose tolerance compared to tail-picked controls. Finally, we found that the cup/massage group showed lower glucose levels following an overnight fast, and decreased anxiety-like behaviors associated with lower stress-induced plasma corticosterone concentration compared to tail-picked controls. These data demonstrate that application of handling methods that reduce anxiety-like behaviors in mice mitigates the confounding contribution of stress to interpretation of metabolic endpoints (such as glucose tolerance). Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Mouse Handling Limits the Impact of Stress on Metabolic Endpoints

PubMed Central

Ghosal, Sriparna; Nunley, Amanda; Mahbod, Parinaz; Lewis, Alfor G.; Smith, Eric P.; Tong, Jenny; D’Alessio, David A.; Herman, James P.

2015-01-01

Studies focused on end-points that are confounded by stress are best performed under minimally stressful conditions. The objective of this study was to demonstrate the impact of handling designed to reduce animal stress on measurements of glucose tolerance. A cohort of mice (CD1.C57BL/6) naïve to any specific handling were subjected to either a previously described “cup” handling method, or a “tail-picked” method in which the animals were picked up by the tail (as is common for metabolic studies). Following training, an elevated plus maze (EPM) test was performed followed by measurement of blood glucose and plasma corticosterone. A second cohort (CD1.C57BL/6) was rendered obese by exposure to a high fat diet, handled with either the tail-picked or cup method and subjected to an intraperitoneal glucose tolerance test. A third cohort of C57BL/6 mice was exposed to a cup regimen that included a component of massage and was subjected to tests of anxiety-like behavior, glucose homeostasis, and corticosterone secretion. We found that the cup mice showed reduced anxiety-like behaviors in the EPM coupled with a reduction in blood glucose levels compared to mice handled by the tail-picked method. Additionally, cup mice on the high fat diet exhibited improved glucose tolerance compared to tail-picked controls. Finally, we found that the cup/massage group showed lower glucose levels following an overnight fast, and decreased anxiety-like behaviors associated with lower stress-induced plasma corticosterone concentration compared to tail-picked controls. These data demonstrate that application of handling methods that reduce anxiety-like behaviors in mice mitigates the confounding contribution of stress to interpretation of metabolic endpoints (such as glucose tolerance). PMID:26079207

A method for the detection of the refractive index of irregular shape solid pigments in light absorbing liquid matrix.

PubMed

Niskanen, Ilpo; Räty, Jukka; Peiponen, Kai-Erik

2010-06-15

The immersion liquid method is powerful for the measurement of the refractive index of solid particles in a liquid matrix. However, this method applies best for cases when the liquid matrix is transparent. A problem is usually how to assess the refractive index of a pigment when it is in a colored host liquid. In this article we introduce a method, and show that by combining so-called multifunction spectrophotometer, immersion liquid method and detection of light transmission and reflection we can assess the refractive index of a pigment in a colored liquid, and also the extinction or absorption coefficient of the host liquid.

Chromium(III) and chromium(VI) release from leather during 8 months of simulated use

PubMed Central

Lidén, Carola

2016-01-01

Summary Background Chromium (Cr) release from Cr‐tanned leather articles is a major cause of Cr contact dermatitis. It has been suggested that Cr(VI) release from leather is not necessarily an intrinsic property of the leather, but is strongly dependent on environmental conditions. Objectives To test this hypothesis for long‐term (8 months) simulated use. Materials and methods The release of total Cr and Cr(VI) from Cr‐tanned, unfinished leather was analysed in subsequent phosphate buffer (pH 8.0) immersions for a period of 7.5 months. The effect of combined ultraviolet treatment and alkaline solution (pH 12.1) was tested. Dry storage [20% relative humidity (RH)] was maintained between immersions. Atomic absorption spectroscopy, X‐ray fluorescence and diphenylcarbazide tests were used. Results Cr(VI) release was dependent on previous dry storage or alkaline treatment, but not on duration or number of previous immersions. Cr(III) release decreased with time. Fifty‐two percent of the total Cr released during the last immersion period was Cr(VI). Cr(VI) release exceeded 9 mg/kg in all immersion periods except in the first 10‐day immersion (2.6 mg/kg). Conclusions Cr(VI) release is primarily determined by environmental factors (RH prior to immersion, solution pH, and antioxidant content). The RH should be kept low prior to testing Cr(VI) release from leather. PMID:27144948

Efficiency, dispersion and straylight performance tests of immersed gratings for high resolution spectroscopy in the near infrared

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fernandez-Saldivar, J.; Culfaz, F.; Angli, N.; Bhatti, I.; Lobb, D.; Baister, G.; Touzet, B.; Desserouer, F.; Guldimann, B.

2017-11-01

New immersed grating technology is needed particularly for use in imaging spectrometers that will be used in sensing the atmosphere O2A spectral band (750nm - 775 nm) at spectral resolution in the order of 0.1 nm whilst ensuring a high efficiency and maintaining low stray light. In this work, the efficiency, dispersion and stray light performance of an immersed grating are tested and compared to analytical models. The grating consists of an ion-beam etched grating in a fused-silica substrate of 120 mm x 120mm immersed on to a prism of the same material. It is designed to obtain dispersions > 0.30°/nm-1 in air and >70% efficiency. The optical performance of the immersed grating is modelled and methods to measure its wavefront, efficiency, dispersion and scattered radiance are described. The optical setup allows the measurement of an 80mm beam diameter to derive the bidirectional scatter distribution function (BSDF) from the immersed grating from a minimum angle of 0.1° from the diffracted beam with angular resolution of 0.05°. Different configurations of the setup allow the efficiency and dispersion measurements using a tuneable laser in the 750nm-775nm range. The results from the tests are discussed with the suitability of the immersed gratings in mind for future space based instruments for atmospheric monitoring.

Methods for solid electrolyte interphase formation and anode pre-lithiation of lithium ion capacitors

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

Raman, Santhanam; Xi, Xiaomei; Ye, Xiang-Rong

A method of pre-doping an anode of an energy storage device can include immersing the anode and a dopant source in an electrolyte, and coupling a substantially constant current between the anode and the dopant source. A method of pre-doping an anode of an energy storage device can include immersing the anode and a dopant source in an electrolyte, and coupling a substantially constant voltage across the anode and the dopant source. An energy storage device can include an anode having a lithium ion pre-doping level of about 60% to about 90%.

A Mexico City-Based Immersion Education Program: Training Mental Health Clinicians for Practice with Latino Communities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Platt, Jason James

2012-01-01

This article describes the philosophical foundations and educational methods of a Spanish language and cultural immersion program based in Mexico City, Mexico. The program is designed to assist U.S. graduate students in marriage and family therapy and clinical psychology programs to improve clinical service delivery with Latino clients. Utilizing…

Collaborative Science Learning in Three-Dimensional Immersive Virtual Worlds: Pre-Service Teachers' Experiences in Second Life

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nussli, Natalie; Oh, Kevin; McCandless, Kevin

2014-01-01

The purpose of this mixed methods study was to help pre-service teachers experience and evaluate the potential of Second Life, a three-dimensional immersive virtual environment, for potential integration into their future teaching. By completing collaborative assignments in Second Life, nineteen pre-service general education teachers explored an…

Comparative sacral morphology and the reconstructed tail lengths of five extinct primates: Proconsul heseloni, Epipliopithecus vindobonensis, Archaeolemur edwardsi, Megaladapis grandidieri, and Palaeopropithecus kelyus.

PubMed

Russo, Gabrielle A

2016-01-01

This study evaluated the relationship between the morphology of the sacrum-the sole bony link between the tail or coccyx and the rest of the body-and tail length (including presence/absence) and function using a comparative sample of extant mammals spanning six orders (Primates, Carnivora, Rodentia, Diprotodontia, Pilosa, Scandentia; N = 472). Phylogenetically-informed regression methods were used to assess how tail length varied with respect to 11 external and internal (i.e., trabecular) bony sacral variables with known or suspected biomechanical significance across all mammals, only primates, and only non-primates. Sacral variables were also evaluated for primates assigned to tail categories ('tailless,' 'nonprehensile short-tailed,' 'nonprehensile long-tailed,' and 'prehensile-tailed'). Compared to primates with reduced tail lengths, primates with longer tails generally exhibited sacra having larger caudal neural openings than cranial neural openings, and last sacral vertebrae with more mediolaterally-expanded caudal articular surfaces than cranial articular surfaces, more laterally-expanded transverse processes, more dorsally-projecting spinous processes, and larger caudal articular surface areas. Observations were corroborated by the comparative sample, which showed that shorter-tailed (e.g., Lynx rufus [bobcat]) and longer-tailed (e.g., Acinonyx jubatus [cheetah]) non-primate mammals morphologically converge with shorter-tailed (e.g., Macaca nemestrina) and longer-tailed (e.g., Macaca fascicularis) primates, respectively. 'Prehensile-tailed' primates exhibited last sacral vertebrae with more laterally-expanded transverse processes and greater caudal articular surface areas than 'nonprehensile long-tailed' primates. Internal sacral variables performed poorly compared to external sacral variables in analyses of extant primates, and were thus deemed less useful for making inferences concerning tail length and function in extinct primates. The tails lengths of five extinct primates were reconstructed from the external sacral variables: Archaeolemur edwardsi had a 'nonprehensile long tail,' Megaladapis grandidieri, Palaeopropithecus kelyus, and Epipliopithecus vindobonensis probably had 'nonprehensile short tails,' and Proconsul heseloni was 'tailless.' Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A comprehensive laboratory study on the immersion freezing behavior of illite NX particles: a comparison of 17 ice nucleation measurement techniques

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hiranuma, N.; Augustin-Bauditz, S.; Bingemer, H.; Budke, C.; Curtius, J.; Danielczok, A.; Diehl, K.; Dreischmeier, K.; Ebert, M.; Frank, F.; Hoffmann, N.; Kandler, K.; Kiselev, A.; Koop, T.; Leisner, T.; Möhler, O.; Nillius, B.; Peckhaus, A.; Rose, D.; Weinbruch, S.; Wex, H.; Boose, Y.; DeMott, P. J.; Hader, J. D.; Hill, T. C. J.; Kanji, Z. A.; Kulkarni, G.; Levin, E. J. T.; McCluskey, C. S.; Murakami, M.; Murray, B. J.; Niedermeier, D.; Petters, M. D.; O'Sullivan, D.; Saito, A.; Schill, G. P.; Tajiri, T.; Tolbert, M. A.; Welti, A.; Whale, T. F.; Wright, T. P.; Yamashita, K.

2015-03-01

Immersion freezing is the most relevant heterogeneous ice nucleation mechanism through which ice crystals are formed in mixed-phase clouds. In recent years, an increasing number of laboratory experiments utilizing a variety of instruments have examined immersion freezing activity of atmospherically relevant ice-nucleating particles. However, an intercomparison of these laboratory results is a difficult task because investigators have used different ice nucleation (IN) measurement methods to produce these results. A remaining challenge is to explore the sensitivity and accuracy of these techniques and to understand how the IN results are potentially influenced or biased by experimental parameters associated with these techniques. Within the framework of INUIT (Ice Nuclei Research Unit), we distributed an illite-rich sample (illite NX) as a representative surrogate for atmospheric mineral dust particles to investigators to perform immersion freezing experiments using different IN measurement methods and to obtain IN data as a function of particle concentration, temperature (T), cooling rate and nucleation time. A total of 17 measurement methods were involved in the data intercomparison. Experiments with seven instruments started with the test sample pre-suspended in water before cooling, while 10 other instruments employed water vapor condensation onto dry-dispersed particles followed by immersion freezing. The resulting comprehensive immersion freezing data set was evaluated using the ice nucleation active surface-site density, ns, to develop a representative ns(T) spectrum that spans a wide temperature range (-37 °C < T < -11 °C) and covers 9 orders of magnitude in ns. In general, the 17 immersion freezing measurement techniques deviate, within a range of about 8 °C in terms of temperature, by 3 orders of magnitude with respect to ns. In addition, we show evidence that the immersion freezing efficiency expressed in ns of illite NX particles is relatively independent of droplet size, particle mass in suspension, particle size and cooling rate during freezing. A strong temperature dependence and weak time and size dependence of the immersion freezing efficiency of illite-rich clay mineral particles enabled the ns parameterization solely as a function of temperature. We also characterized the ns(T) spectra and identified a section with a steep slope between -20 and -27 °C, where a large fraction of active sites of our test dust may trigger immersion freezing. This slope was followed by a region with a gentler slope at temperatures below -27 °C. While the agreement between different instruments was reasonable below ~ -27 °C, there seemed to be a different trend in the temperature-dependent ice nucleation activity from the suspension and dry-dispersed particle measurements for this mineral dust, in particular at higher temperatures. For instance, the ice nucleation activity expressed in ns was smaller for the average of the wet suspended samples and higher for the average of the dry-dispersed aerosol samples between about -27 and -18 °C. Only instruments making measurements with wet suspended samples were able to measure ice nucleation above -18 °C. A possible explanation for the deviation between -27 and -18 °C is discussed. Multiple exponential distribution fits in both linear and log space for both specific surface area-based ns(T) and geometric surface area-based ns(T) are provided. These new fits, constrained by using identical reference samples, will help to compare IN measurement methods that are not included in the present study and IN data from future IN instruments.

A comprehensive laboratory study on the immersion freezing behavior of illite NX particles: a comparison of seventeen ice nucleation measurement techniques

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hiranuma, N.; Augustin-Bauditz, S.; Bingemer, H.; Budke, C.; Curtius, J.; Danielczok, A.; Diehl, K.; Dreischmeier, K.; Ebert, M.; Frank, F.; Hoffmann, N.; Kandler, K.; Kiselev, A.; Koop, T.; Leisner, T.; Möhler, O.; Nillius, B.; Peckhaus, A.; Rose, D.; Weinbruch, S.; Wex, H.; Boose, Y.; DeMott, P. J.; Hader, J. D.; Hill, T. C. J.; Kanji, Z. A.; Kulkarni, G.; Levin, E. J. T.; McCluskey, C. S.; Murakami, M.; Murray, B. J.; Niedermeier, D.; Petters, M. D.; O'Sullivan, D.; Saito, A.; Schill, G. P.; Tajiri, T.; Tolbert, M. A.; Welti, A.; Whale, T. F.; Wright, T. P.; Yamashita, K.

2014-08-01

Immersion freezing is the most relevant heterogeneous ice nucleation mechanism through which ice crystals are formed in mixed-phase clouds. In recent years, an increasing number of laboratory experiments utilizing a variety of instruments have examined immersion freezing activity of atmospherically relevant ice nucleating particles (INPs). However, an inter-comparison of these laboratory results is a difficult task because investigators have used different ice nucleation (IN) measurement methods to produce these results. A remaining challenge is to explore the sensitivity and accuracy of these techniques and to understand how the IN results are potentially influenced or biased by experimental parameters associated with these techniques. Within the framework of INUIT (Ice Nucleation research UnIT), we distributed an illite rich sample (illite NX) as a representative surrogate for atmospheric mineral dust particles to investigators to perform immersion freezing experiments using different IN measurement methods and to obtain IN data as a function of particle concentration, temperature (T), cooling rate and nucleation time. Seventeen measurement methods were involved in the data inter-comparison. Experiments with seven instruments started with the test sample pre-suspended in water before cooling, while ten other instruments employed water vapor condensation onto dry-dispersed particles followed by immersion freezing. The resulting comprehensive immersion freezing dataset was evaluated using the ice nucleation active surface-site density (ns) to develop a representative ns(T) spectrum that spans a wide temperature range (-37 °C < T < -11 °C) and covers nine orders of magnitude in ns. Our inter-comparison results revealed a discrepancy between suspension and dry-dispersed particle measurements for this mineral dust. While the agreement was good below ~ -26 °C, the ice nucleation activity, expressed in ns, was smaller for the wet suspended samples and higher for the dry-dispersed aerosol samples between about -26 and -18 °C. Only instruments making measurement techniques with wet suspended samples were able to measure ice nucleation above -18 °C. A possible explanation for the deviation between -26 and -18 °C is discussed. In general, the seventeen immersion freezing measurement techniques deviate, within the range of about 7 °C in terms of temperature, by three orders of magnitude with respect to ns. In addition, we show evidence that the immersion freezing efficiency (i.e., ns) of illite NX particles is relatively independent on droplet size, particle mass in suspension, particle size and cooling rate during freezing. A strong temperature-dependence and weak time- and size-dependence of immersion freezing efficiency of illite-rich clay mineral particles enabled the ns parameterization solely as a function of temperature. We also characterized the ns (T) spectra, and identified a section with a steep slope between -20 and -27 °C, where a large fraction of active sites of our test dust may trigger immersion freezing. This slope was followed by a region with a gentler slope at temperatures below -27 °C. A multiple exponential distribution fit is expressed as ns(T) = exp(23.82 × exp(-exp(0.16 × (T + 17.49))) + 1.39) based on the specific surface area and ns(T) = exp(25.75 × exp(-exp(0.13 × (T + 17.17))) + 3.34) based on the geometric area (ns and T in m-2 and °C, respectively). These new fits, constrained by using an identical reference samples, will help to compare IN measurement methods that are not included in the present study and, thereby, IN data from future IN instruments.

Homopolymer tail-mediated ligation PCR: a streamlined and highly efficient method for DNA cloning and library construction.

PubMed

Lazinski, David W; Camilli, Andrew

2013-01-01

The amplification of DNA fragments, cloned between user-defined 5' and 3' end sequences, is a prerequisite step in the use of many current applications including massively parallel sequencing (MPS). Here we describe an improved method, called homopolymer tail-mediated ligation PCR (HTML-PCR), that requires very little starting template, minimal hands-on effort, is cost-effective, and is suited for use in high-throughput and robotic methodologies. HTML-PCR starts with the addition of homopolymer tails of controlled lengths to the 3' termini of a double-stranded genomic template. The homopolymer tails enable the annealing-assisted ligation of a hybrid oligonucleotide to the template's recessed 5' ends. The hybrid oligonucleotide has a user-defined sequence at its 5' end. This primer, together with a second primer composed of a longer region complementary to the homopolymer tail and fused to a second 5' user-defined sequence, are used in a PCR reaction to generate the final product. The user-defined sequences can be varied to enable compatibility with a wide variety of downstream applications. We demonstrate our new method by constructing MPS libraries starting from nanogram and sub-nanogram quantities of Vibrio cholerae and Streptococcus pneumoniae genomic DNA.

High resolution flow field prediction for tail rotor aeroacoustics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Quackenbush, Todd R.; Bliss, Donald B.

1989-01-01

The prediction of tail rotor noise due to the impingement of the main rotor wake poses a significant challenge to current analysis methods in rotorcraft aeroacoustics. This paper describes the development of a new treatment of the tail rotor aerodynamic environment that permits highly accurate resolution of the incident flow field with modest computational effort relative to alternative models. The new approach incorporates an advanced full-span free wake model of the main rotor in a scheme which reconstructs high-resolution flow solutions from preliminary, computationally inexpensive simulations with coarse resolution. The heart of the approach is a novel method for using local velocity correction terms to capture the steep velocity gradients characteristic of the vortex-dominated incident flow. Sample calculations have been undertaken to examine the principal types of interactions between the tail rotor and the main rotor wake and to examine the performance of the new method. The results of these sample problems confirm the success of this approach in capturing the high-resolution flows necessary for analysis of rotor-wake/rotor interactions with dramatically reduced computational cost. Computations of radiated sound are also carried out that explore the role of various portions of the main rotor wake in generating tail rotor noise.

Robust approaches to quantification of margin and uncertainty for sparse data

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

Hund, Lauren; Schroeder, Benjamin B.; Rumsey, Kelin

Characterizing the tails of probability distributions plays a key role in quantification of margins and uncertainties (QMU), where the goal is characterization of low probability, high consequence events based on continuous measures of performance. When data are collected using physical experimentation, probability distributions are typically fit using statistical methods based on the collected data, and these parametric distributional assumptions are often used to extrapolate about the extreme tail behavior of the underlying probability distribution. In this project, we character- ize the risk associated with such tail extrapolation. Specifically, we conducted a scaling study to demonstrate the large magnitude of themore » risk; then, we developed new methods for communicat- ing risk associated with tail extrapolation from unvalidated statistical models; lastly, we proposed a Bayesian data-integration framework to mitigate tail extrapolation risk through integrating ad- ditional information. We conclude that decision-making using QMU is a complex process that cannot be achieved using statistical analyses alone.« less

Recovery of Manganese Ore Tailings by High-Gradient Magnetic Separation and Hydrometallurgical Method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Xiufeng; Tan, Xiumin; Yi, Yuejun; Liu, Weizao; Li, Chun

2017-11-01

With the depletion of high-grade manganese ores, Mn ore tailings are considered valuable secondary resources. In this study, a process combining high-gradient magnetic separation (HGMS) with hydrometallurgical methods is proposed to recycle fine-grained Mn tailings. The Mn tailings were treated by HGMS at 12,500 G to obtain a Mn concentrate of 30% Mn with the recovery efficiency of 64%. The Mn concentrate could be used in the ferromanganese industry. To recover Mn further, the nonmagnetic fraction was leached by SO2 in an H2SO4 solution. Hydrogen peroxide was added to the leachate to oxidize Fe2+ to Fe3+, and the solution pH was adjusted to 5.0-5.5 with ammonia to remove Al, Fe, and Si impurities. The purified solution was reacted with NH4HCO3, and a saleable product of MnCO3 with 97.9% purity was obtained. The combined process can be applied to Mn recovery from finely dispersed weakly magnetic Mn ores or tailings.

Postsacral vertebral morphology in relation to tail length among primates and other mammals.

PubMed

Russo, Gabrielle A

2015-02-01

Tail reduction/loss independently evolved in a number of mammalian lineages, including hominoid primates. One prerequisite to appropriately contextualizing its occurrence and understanding its significance is the ability to track evolutionary changes in tail length throughout the fossil record. However, to date, the bony correlates of tail length variation among living taxa have not been comprehensively examined. This study quantifies postsacral vertebral morphology among living primates and other mammals known to differ in relative tail length (RTL). Linear and angular measurements with known biomechanical significance were collected on the first, mid-, and transition proximal postsacral vertebrae, and their relationship with RTL was assessed using phylogenetic generalized least-squares regression methods. Compared to shorter-tailed primates, longer-tailed primates possess a greater number of postsacral vertebral features associated with increased proximal tail flexibility (e.g., craniocaudally longer vertebral bodies), increased intervertebral body joint range of motion (e.g., more circularly shaped cranial articular surfaces), and increased leverage of tail musculature (e.g., longer spinous processes). These observations are corroborated by the comparative mammalian sample, which shows that distantly related short-tailed (e.g., Phascolarctos, Lynx) and long-tailed (e.g., Dendrolagus, Acinonyx) nonprimate mammals morphologically converge with short-tailed (e.g., Macaca tonkeana) and long-tailed (e.g., Macaca fascicularis) primates, respectively. Multivariate models demonstrate that the variables examined account for 70% (all mammals) to 94% (only primates) of the variance in RTL. Results of this study may be used to infer the tail lengths of extinct primates and other mammals, thereby improving our understanding about the evolution of tail reduction/loss. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Enhancing the immersive reality of virtual simulators for easily accessible laparoscopic surgical training

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McKenna, Kyra; McMenemy, Karen; Ferguson, R. S.; Dick, Alistair; Potts, Stephen

2008-02-01

Computer simulators are a popular method of training surgeons in the techniques of laparoscopy. However, for the trainee to feel totally immersed in the process, the graphical display should be as lifelike as possible and two-handed force feedback interaction is required. This paper reports on how a compelling immersive experience can be delivered at low cost using commonly available hardware components. Three specific themes are brought together. Firstly, programmable shaders executing in standard PC graphics adapter's deliver the appearance of anatomical realism, including effects of: translucent tissue surfaces, semi-transparent membranes, multilayer image texturing and real-time shadowing. Secondly, relatively inexpensive 'off the shelf' force feedback devices contribute to a holistic immersive experience. The final element described is the custom software that brings these together with hierarchically organized and optimized polygonal models for abdominal anatomy.

Experimental evaluation of cyclic fatigue resistance of four different nickel-titanium instruments after immersion in sodium hypochlorite and/or sterilization

PubMed Central

BULEM, Üreyen Kaya; KECECI, Ayse Diljin; GULDAS, Hilmi Egemen

2013-01-01

NiTi instruments have a high risk of separation due to torsional or flexural fatigue (cyclic fatigue). Chemomechanical preparation, cleaning procedures, chemical disinfection and sterilization cause the corrosion of endodontic instruments that may weaken the fracture resistance of the instruments. Objective To assess the effects of NaOCl immersion and autoclave sterilization on the cyclic fatigue resistance of ProFile, FlexMaster, Mtwo and TwistedFiles NiTi instruments (tip size 25, 0.06 taper, n=160). Material and Methods The instruments (n=10 for each subgroup) were dynamically immersed in NaOCl; immersed in NaOCl and sterilized in one autoclave cycle; 5 cycles immersed in NaOCl and sterilized in autoclave and not immersed in NaOCl and not sterilized (control group). Dynamic cyclic fatigue resistance was tested. The number of cycles to failure (NCF) were statistically analyzed (P<0.05). Results Kruskall-Wallis test indicated significant differences among the tested instruments in terms of NCF (P=0.000). The mean NCF of Mtwo (556.75) was higher than that of the Twisted File, Flexmaster and ProFile, 483.1, 376.12, 365.25, respectively. NaOCl immersion and autoclave sterilization have no effect on the NCF values of the tested instruments (P>.05). Conclusions Cyclic fatigue resistance of the tested NiTi instruments cannot be adversely affected by NaOCl immersion and autoclave sterilization. Production process (TwistedFiles) or design (Twisted Files, FlexMaster, Mtwo and ProFile) of the instruments can influence their cyclic fatigue resistance. PMID:24473715

Electromechanical properties of polyamide/lycra fabric treated with PEDOT:PSS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tadesse, M. G.; Mengistie, D. A.; Loghin, C.; Chen, Y.; Wang, L.; Catalin, D.; Müller, C.; Nierstrasz, V.

2017-10-01

One of the challenges in smart textiles is to develop suitable multifunctional materials that can address simultaneously several characteristics such as durability, stretchability, lightweight, and conductivity. Conductive polymers which showed success in different technological fields like polymer solar cells and light emitting diodes are promising in many smart textile applications. In this work, we treated a common polyamide/lycra knitted fabric with PEDOT:PSS for stretchable e-textiles. PEDOT:PSS, with DMSO as a conductivity enhancer and different ratios of water-based polyurethane dispersions as a binder, was applied to the fabric with simple immersion and coating applications. The effect of different application methods and binder ratio on the surface resistance of the fabric was monitored with four point probe electrical surface resistance measurement systems. Samples prepared by immersion technique are more uniform and have higher conductivity than those prepared by a coating technique. SEM images showed that PEDOT:PSS is incorporated into the structure in the immersion method while in the coating it is majorly present on the surface of the fabric. The tensile measurement showed that the acidic PEDOT:PSS and polyurethane dispersion coating has no adverse effect on the tensile strength of the fabric. The coated samples can be stretched up to 700% while still reasonably conductive. The resistance increases only by a small amount when samples were stretched cyclically by stretching 100%. Generally, samples prepared by the immersion method maintained better conductivity while stretching than those by a coating method. The washing fastness of the samples was also assessed.

Hand immersion in cold water alleviating physiological strain and increasing tolerance to uncompensable heat stress.

PubMed

Khomenok, Gennadi A; Hadid, Amir; Preiss-Bloom, Orahn; Yanovich, Ran; Erlich, Tomer; Ron-Tal, Osnat; Peled, Amir; Epstein, Yoram; Moran, Daniel S

2008-09-01

The current study examines the use of hand immersion in cold water to alleviate physiological strain caused by exercising in a hot climate while wearing NBC protective garments. Seventeen heat acclimated subjects wearing a semi-permeable NBC protective garment and a light bulletproof vest were exposed to a 125 min exercise-heat stress (35 degrees C, 50% RH; 5 km/h, 5% incline). The heat stress exposure routine included 5 min rest in the chamber followed by two 50:10 min work-rest cycles. During the control trial (CO), there was no intervention, whilst in the intervention condition the subjects immersed their hands and forearms in a 10 degrees C water bath (HI). The results demonstrated that hand immersion in cold water significantly reduced physiological strain. In the CO exposure during the first and second resting periods, the average rectal temperature (T (re)) practically did not decrease. With hand immersion, the mean (SD) T (re) decreased by 0.45 (0.05 degrees C) and 0.48 degrees C (0.06 degrees C) during the first and second rest periods respectively (P < 0.005). Significant decreases in skin temperature, sweat rate, heart rate, and heat storage was also noted in the HI vs. the CO trials. Tolerance time in the HI exposure were longer than in the CO exposure (only 12 subjects in the CO trial endured the entire heat exposure session, as opposed to all 17 subjects in the HI group). It is concluded that hand immersion in cold water for 10 min is an effective method for decreasing the physiological strain caused by exercising under heat stress while wearing NBC protective garments. The method is convenient, simple, and allows longer working periods in hot or contaminated areas with shorter resting periods.

Gini estimation under infinite variance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fontanari, Andrea; Taleb, Nassim Nicholas; Cirillo, Pasquale

2018-07-01

We study the problems related to the estimation of the Gini index in presence of a fat-tailed data generating process, i.e. one in the stable distribution class with finite mean but infinite variance (i.e. with tail index α ∈(1 , 2)). We show that, in such a case, the Gini coefficient cannot be reliably estimated using conventional nonparametric methods, because of a downward bias that emerges under fat tails. This has important implications for the ongoing discussion about economic inequality. We start by discussing how the nonparametric estimator of the Gini index undergoes a phase transition in the symmetry structure of its asymptotic distribution, as the data distribution shifts from the domain of attraction of a light-tailed distribution to that of a fat-tailed one, especially in the case of infinite variance. We also show how the nonparametric Gini bias increases with lower values of α. We then prove that maximum likelihood estimation outperforms nonparametric methods, requiring a much smaller sample size to reach efficiency. Finally, for fat-tailed data, we provide a simple correction mechanism to the small sample bias of the nonparametric estimator based on the distance between the mode and the mean of its asymptotic distribution.

On the statistical properties and tail risk of violent conflicts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cirillo, Pasquale; Taleb, Nassim Nicholas

2016-06-01

We examine statistical pictures of violent conflicts over the last 2000 years, providing techniques for dealing with the unreliability of historical data. We make use of a novel approach to deal with fat-tailed random variables with a remote but nonetheless finite upper bound, by defining a corresponding unbounded dual distribution (given that potential war casualties are bounded by the world population). This approach can also be applied to other fields of science where power laws play a role in modeling, like geology, hydrology, statistical physics and finance. We apply methods from extreme value theory on the dual distribution and derive its tail properties. The dual method allows us to calculate the real tail mean of war casualties, which proves to be considerably larger than the corresponding sample mean for large thresholds, meaning severe underestimation of the tail risks of conflicts from naive observation. We analyze the robustness of our results to errors in historical reports. We study inter-arrival times between tail events and find that no particular trend can be asserted. All the statistical pictures obtained are at variance with the prevailing claims about ;long peace;, namely that violence has been declining over time.

Effects of four recovery methods on repeated maximal rock climbing performance.

PubMed

Heyman, Elsa; DE Geus, Bas; Mertens, Inge; Meeusen, Romain

2009-06-01

Considering the development of rock climbing as a competitive sport, we aimed at investigating the influence of four recovery methods on subsequent maximal climbing performance. In a randomly assigned crossover design, 13 female well-trained climbers (27.1 +/- 8.9 yr) came to the climbing center on four occasions separated by 1 wk. On each occasion, they had to perform two climbing tests (C1 and C2) until volitional exhaustion on a prepracticed route (overhanging wall, level 6b). These two tests were separated by 20 min of recovery. Four recovery methods were used in randomized order: passive recovery, active recovery (cycle ergometer, 30-40 W), electromyostimulation on the forearm muscles (bisymmetric TENS current), or cold water immersion of the forearms and arms (three periods of 5 min at 15 +/- 1 degrees C). Climbing tests' performance was reflected by the number of arm movements and climb duration. Using active recovery and cold water immersion, performance at C2 was maintained in comparison with C1, whereas C2 performance was impaired compared with C1 (P< 0.01) using electromyostimulation and passive recovery (recovery method-by-climb interaction, P < 0.05). Blood lactate decreased during recovery, with the greatest decrease occurring during active recovery (time-by-recovery method interaction, P < 0.001). Arms and forearms' skin temperatures were lower throughout the cold water immersion compared with the other three methods (P < 0.001). Active recovery and cold water immersion are two means of preserving performance when repeating acute exhausting climbing trails in female climbers. These positive effects are accompanied by a greater lactate removal and a decrease in subcutaneous tissues temperatures, respectively.

A partially penalty immersed Crouzeix-Raviart finite element method for interface problems.

PubMed

An, Na; Yu, Xijun; Chen, Huanzhen; Huang, Chaobao; Liu, Zhongyan

2017-01-01

The elliptic equations with discontinuous coefficients are often used to describe the problems of the multiple materials or fluids with different densities or conductivities or diffusivities. In this paper we develop a partially penalty immersed finite element (PIFE) method on triangular grids for anisotropic flow models, in which the diffusion coefficient is a piecewise definite-positive matrix. The standard linear Crouzeix-Raviart type finite element space is used on non-interface elements and the piecewise linear Crouzeix-Raviart type immersed finite element (IFE) space is constructed on interface elements. The piecewise linear functions satisfying the interface jump conditions are uniquely determined by the integral averages on the edges as degrees of freedom. The PIFE scheme is given based on the symmetric, nonsymmetric or incomplete interior penalty discontinuous Galerkin formulation. The solvability of the method is proved and the optimal error estimates in the energy norm are obtained. Numerical experiments are presented to confirm our theoretical analysis and show that the newly developed PIFE method has optimal-order convergence in the [Formula: see text] norm as well. In addition, numerical examples also indicate that this method is valid for both the isotropic and the anisotropic elliptic interface problems.

Thermoelectrochemical system and method

DOEpatents

Ludwig, F.A.; Townsend, C.W.; Eliash, B.M.

1995-11-28

A thermal electrochemical system is described in which an electrical current is generated between a cathode immersed in a concentrated aqueous solution of phosphoric acid and an anode immersed in a molten salt solution of ammonium phosphate and monohydric ammonium phosphate. Reactants consumed at the electrodes during the electrochemical reaction are thermochemically regenerated and recycled to the electrodes to provide continuous operation of the system. 5 figs.

High-immersion three-dimensional display of the numerical computer model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xing, Shujun; Yu, Xunbo; Zhao, Tianqi; Cai, Yuanfa; Chen, Duo; Chen, Zhidong; Sang, Xinzhu

2013-08-01

High-immersion three-dimensional (3D) displays making them valuable tools for many applications, such as designing and constructing desired building houses, industrial architecture design, aeronautics, scientific research, entertainment, media advertisement, military areas and so on. However, most technologies provide 3D display in the front of screens which are in parallel with the walls, and the sense of immersion is decreased. To get the right multi-view stereo ground image, cameras' photosensitive surface should be parallax to the public focus plane and the cameras' optical axes should be offset to the center of public focus plane both atvertical direction and horizontal direction. It is very common to use virtual cameras, which is an ideal pinhole camera to display 3D model in computer system. We can use virtual cameras to simulate the shooting method of multi-view ground based stereo image. Here, two virtual shooting methods for ground based high-immersion 3D display are presented. The position of virtual camera is determined by the people's eye position in the real world. When the observer stand in the circumcircle of 3D ground display, offset perspective projection virtual cameras is used. If the observer stands out the circumcircle of 3D ground display, offset perspective projection virtual cameras and the orthogonal projection virtual cameras are adopted. In this paper, we mainly discussed the parameter setting of virtual cameras. The Near Clip Plane parameter setting is the main point in the first method, while the rotation angle of virtual cameras is the main point in the second method. In order to validate the results, we use the D3D and OpenGL to render scenes of different viewpoints and generate a stereoscopic image. A realistic visualization system for 3D models is constructed and demonstrated for viewing horizontally, which provides high-immersion 3D visualization. The displayed 3D scenes are compared with the real objects in the real world.

Analgesic and antipyretic activities of Momordica charantia Linn. fruits

PubMed Central

Patel, Roshan; Mahobia, Naveen; Upwar, Nitin; Waseem, Naheed; Talaviya, Hetal; Patel, Zalak

2010-01-01

Plant Momordica charantia Linn. belongs to family Cucurbitaceae. It is known as bitter gourd in English and karela in Hindi. Earlier claims show that the plant is used in stomachic ailments as a carminative tonic; as an antipyretic and antidiabetic agent; and in rheumatoid arthritis and gout. The fruit has been claimed to contain charantin, steroidal saponin, momordium, carbohydrates, mineral matters, ascorbic acid, alkaloids, glucosides, etc. The ethanolic extract of the fruit showed the presence of alkaloids, tannins, glycosides, steroids, proteins, and carbohydrates. The present study was carried out using acetic acid-induced writhing and tail-immersion tests in mice, while yeast-induced pyrexia in rats. The ethanolic extracts (250 and 500 mg/kg, po.) showed an analgesic and antipyretic effect, which was significantly higher than that in the control rats. The observed pharmacological activities provide the scientific basis to support traditional claims as well as explore some new and promising leads. PMID:22247882

Analgesic and antipyretic activities of Momordica charantia Linn. fruits.

PubMed

Patel, Roshan; Mahobia, Naveen; Upwar, Nitin; Waseem, Naheed; Talaviya, Hetal; Patel, Zalak

2010-10-01

Plant Momordica charantia Linn. belongs to family Cucurbitaceae. It is known as bitter gourd in English and karela in Hindi. Earlier claims show that the plant is used in stomachic ailments as a carminative tonic; as an antipyretic and antidiabetic agent; and in rheumatoid arthritis and gout. The fruit has been claimed to contain charantin, steroidal saponin, momordium, carbohydrates, mineral matters, ascorbic acid, alkaloids, glucosides, etc. The ethanolic extract of the fruit showed the presence of alkaloids, tannins, glycosides, steroids, proteins, and carbohydrates. The present study was carried out using acetic acid-induced writhing and tail-immersion tests in mice, while yeast-induced pyrexia in rats. The ethanolic extracts (250 and 500 mg/kg, po.) showed an analgesic and antipyretic effect, which was significantly higher than that in the control rats. The observed pharmacological activities provide the scientific basis to support traditional claims as well as explore some new and promising leads.

Analgesic, anti-inflammatory, antipyretic and haematological effects of aethiopinone, an o-naphthoquinone diterpenoid from Salvia aethiopis roots and two hemisynthetic derivatives.

PubMed

Hernández-Pérez, M; Rabanal, R M; de la Torre, M C; Rodríguez, B

1995-12-01

Aethiopinone (1), an o-naphthoquinone diterpene from Salvia aethiopis L. roots and two hemisynthetic derivatives 2 and 3 have been evaluated for toxicity, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antipyretic, and haemostatic activities. The compounds tested showed low toxicity and a pharmacological profile similar to other NSAI substances on reducing the edema induced by carrageenan and contractions induced by phenyl-p-quinone; the most active compounds were 1 and 2. In the same way and as expected with these types of substances, the bleeding time increased. In the TPA-induced ear inflammation model, the three compounds showed a moderate reduction of edema, and 1 produced a significant increase in the reaction time against thermal painful stimuli in the tail immersion test. The results demonstrated strong anti-inflammatory, peripheral and central analgesic properties for 1, as well as antiedematose topical action and peripheral analgesic properties for 2 and 3.

Study of analgesic effect of earthworm extract

PubMed Central

Luo, Wei; Deng, Zhen-han; Li, Rui; Cheng, Guo; Kotian, Ronak Naveenchandra

2017-01-01

Pain represents a major clinical problem and one which has exercised generations of healthcare professionals. Earthworms are used as a traditional Chinese medicine, and have been applied pharmacologically and clinically since a long time in China. However, the analgesic effects of earthworm extract (EE) are seldom studied. Hence, we evaluated the analgesic effects of EE in mice. The obtained data showed that EE increased pain threshold and exhibited peripheral but not central analgesic effects in mice; evidenced by increased inhibition ratio in acetic acid writhing test and formalin test, whereas only slight increase in inhibition ratio in hot plate test and tail immersion test. In addition, EE decreased serum norepinephrine (NE), 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), and nitric oxide (NO) synthase (NOS) concentration, similar to other analgesic drugs like morphine and aspirin. In a nutshell, the obtained data have demonstrated that EE has peripheral analgesic properties and could be used as a promising analgesic drug. PMID:29273677

Method for dissolution and stabilization of silica-rich fibers

DOEpatents

Jantzen, C.M.

1997-11-11

A method is described for dissolving silica-rich fibers such as borosilicate fibers, fiberglass and asbestos to stabilize them for disposal. The method comprises (1) immersing the fibers in hot, five-weight-percent sodium hydroxide solution until the concentration of dissolved silica reaches equilibrium and a only a residue is left (about 48 hours), then immersing the residue in hot, five-weight-percent nitric acid until the residue dissolves (about 96 hours). After adjusting the pH of the dissolved fibers to be caustic, the solution can then be added to a waste vitrification stream for safe disposal. The method is useful in disposing contaminated HEME and HEPA filters. 1 fig.

Fast immersed interface Poisson solver for 3D unbounded problems around arbitrary geometries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gillis, T.; Winckelmans, G.; Chatelain, P.

2018-02-01

We present a fast and efficient Fourier-based solver for the Poisson problem around an arbitrary geometry in an unbounded 3D domain. This solver merges two rewarding approaches, the lattice Green's function method and the immersed interface method, using the Sherman-Morrison-Woodbury decomposition formula. The method is intended to be second order up to the boundary. This is verified on two potential flow benchmarks. We also further analyse the iterative process and the convergence behavior of the proposed algorithm. The method is applicable to a wide range of problems involving a Poisson equation around inner bodies, which goes well beyond the present validation on potential flows.

Desktop-VR system for preflight 3D navigation training

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aoki, Hirofumi; Oman, Charles M.; Buckland, Daniel A.; Natapoff, Alan

Crews who inhabit spacecraft with complex 3D architecture frequently report inflight disorientation and navigation problems. Preflight virtual reality (VR) training may reduce those risks. Although immersive VR techniques may better support spatial orientation training in a local environment, a non-immersive desktop (DT) system may be more convenient for navigation training in "building scale" spaces, especially if the two methods achieve comparable results. In this study trainees' orientation and navigation performance during simulated space station emergency egress tasks was compared while using immersive head-mounted display (HMD) and DT-VR systems. Analyses showed no differences in pointing angular-error or egress time among the groups. The HMD group was significantly faster than DT group when pointing from destination to start location and from start toward different destination. However, this may be attributed to differences in the input device used (a head-tracker for HMD group vs. a keyboard touchpad or a gamepad in the DT group). All other 3D navigation performance measures were similar using the immersive and non-immersive VR systems, suggesting that the simpler desktop VR system may be useful for astronaut 3D navigation training.

[Water immersion as an anti-g protection for pilot. Pro et contra].

PubMed

Barer, A S

2007-01-01

In the period of 1988 - 1990 the ZVEZDA Aerospace medicine Department fulfilled comprehensive physiological investigations in order to assess the prospects for water immersion as an anti-g gear for pilots of high-maneuver aircraft. Both dry and open water immersion methods were used. More than 150 centrifuge runs were conducted to define limits for the acceleration value and time of 9-g tolerance. Volunteered subjects in the pilot's posture were inclined at 35 degrees and 55 degrees to the total inertial force vector. The obvious subjective discomfort felt during acceleration and absence of clinical aftereffect were qualified as a positive outcome. The subjects were ready for repeated runs even after a very brief repose. The main impediment to the professional anti-g use of immersion is visual disorders which in this case are not predictors of coming loss of consciousness and attributed to alterations in regional hemodynamics. The authors assert that there is a good reason to continue search for implementation of the immersion principle in g-protection of pilots to reduce the rate of professional pathologies and to intensify flights.

Microsphere-assisted super-resolution imaging with enlarged numerical aperture by semi-immersion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Fengge; Yang, Songlin; Ma, Huifeng; Shen, Ping; Wei, Nan; Wang, Meng; Xia, Yang; Deng, Yun; Ye, Yong-Hong

2018-01-01

Microsphere-assisted imaging is an extraordinary simple technology that can obtain optical super-resolution under white-light illumination. Here, we introduce a method to improve the resolution of a microsphere lens by increasing its numerical aperture. In our proposed structure, BaTiO3 glass (BTG) microsphere lenses are semi-immersed in a S1805 layer with a refractive index of 1.65, and then, the semi-immersed microspheres are fully embedded in an elastomer with an index of 1.4. We experimentally demonstrate that this structure, in combination with a conventional optical microscope, can clearly resolve a two-dimensional 200-nm-diameter hexagonally close-packed (hcp) silica microsphere array. On the contrary, the widely used structure where BTG microsphere lenses are fully immersed in a liquid or elastomer cannot even resolve a 250-nm-diameter hcp silica microsphere array. The improvement in resolution through the proposed structure is due to an increase in the effective numerical aperture by semi-immersing BTG microsphere lenses in a high-refractive-index S1805 layer. Our results will inform on the design of microsphere-based high-resolution imaging systems.

Immersible solar heater for fluids

DOEpatents

Hazen, T.C.; Fliermans, C.B.

1994-01-01

An immersible solar heater is described comprising a light-absorbing panel attached to a frame for absorbing heat energy from the light and transferring the absorbed heat energy directly to the fluid in which the heater is immersed. The heater can be used to heat a swimming pool, for example, and is held in position and at a preselected angle by a system of floats, weights and tethers so that the panel can operate efficiently. A skid can be used in one embodiment to prevent lateral movement of the heater along the bottom of the pool. Alternative embodiments include different arrangements of the weights, floats and tethers and methods for making the heater.

Immersible solar heater for fluids

DOEpatents

Kronberg, James W.

1995-01-01

An immersible solar heater comprising a light-absorbing panel attached to a frame for absorbing heat energy from the light and transferring the absorbed heat energy directly to the fluid in which the heater is immersed. The heater can be used to heat a swimming pool, for example, and is held in position and at a preselected angle by a system of floats, weights and tethers so that the panel can operate efficiently. A skid can be used in one embodiment to prevent lateral movement of the heater along the bottom of the pool. Alternative embodiments include different arrangements of the weights, floats and tethers and methods for making the heater.

Opto-mechatronics issues in solid immersion lens based near-field recording

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Park, No-Cheol; Yoon, Yong-Joong; Lee, Yong-Hyun; Kim, Joong-Gon; Kim, Wan-Chin; Choi, Hyun; Lim, Seungho; Yang, Tae-Man; Choi, Moon-Ho; Yang, Hyunseok; Rhim, Yoon-Chul; Park, Young-Pil

2007-06-01

We analyzed the effects of an external shock on a collision problem in a solid immersion lens (SIL) based near-field recording (NFR) through a shock response analysis and proposed a possible solution to this problem with adopting a protector and safety mode. With this proposed method the collision between SIL and media can be avoided. We showed possible solution for contamination problem in SIL based NFR through a numerical air flow analysis. We also introduced possible solid immersion lens designs to increase the fabrication and assembly tolerances of an optical head with replicated lens. Potentially, these research results could advance NFR technology for commercial product.

Towards evidence-based emergency medicine: best BETs from the Manchester Royal Infirmary. BET 3: In patients with heatstroke is whole-body ice-water immersion the best cooling method?

PubMed

Newport, Matthew; Grayson, Alan

2012-10-01

A short cut review was carried out to establish whether whole body ice immersion was an effective way of cooling in patients presenting with heat stroke. One systematic review and three studies were directly relevant to the question. The author, date and country of publication, patient group studied, study type, relevant outcomes, results and study weaknesses of these papers are tabulated. The clinical bottom line was that immersion in ice-water was the most effective modality of lowering core body temperature in exertional heatstroke and shivering and vasoconstriction concerns were unfounded.

Cue-exposure software for the treatment of bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorder.

PubMed

Gutiérrez-Maldonado, José; Pla-Sanjuanelo, Joana; Ferrer-García, Marta

2016-11-01

Cue-exposure therapy (CET) has proven its efficacy in treating patients with bulimia nervosa and binge eating disorder who are resistant to standard treatment. Furthermore, incorporating virtual reality (VR) technology is increasingly considered a valid exposure method that may help to increase the efficacy of standard treatments in a variety of eating disorders. Although immersive displays improve the beneficial effects, expensive technology is not always necessary. We aimed to assess whether exposure to food related virtual environments could decrease food craving in a non-clinical sample. In addition, we specifically compared the effects of two VR systems (one non-immersive and one immersive) during CET. We therefore applied a one-session CET to 113 undergraduate students. Decreased food craving was found during exposure to both VR environments compared with pre-treatment levels, supporting the efficacy of VR-CET in reducing food craving. We found no significant differences in craving between immersive and non-immersive systems. Low-cost non-immersive systems applied through 3D laptops can improve the accessibility of this technique. By reducing the costs and improving the usability, VR-CET on 3D laptops may become a viable option that can be readily applied in a greater range of clinical contexts.

Immersion transmission ellipsometry (ITE): a new method for the precise determination of the 3D indicatrix of thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jung, C. C.; Stumpe, J.

2005-02-01

The new method of immersion transmission ellipsometry (ITE) [1] has been developed. It allows the highly accurate determination of the absolute three-dimensional (3D) refractive indices of anisotropic thin films. The method is combined with conventional ellipsometry in transmission and reflection, and the thickness determination of anisotropic films solely by optical methods also becomes more accurate. The method is applied to the determination of the 3D refractive indices of thin spin-coated films of an azobenzene-containing liquid-crystalline copolymer. The development of the anisotropy in these films by photo-orientation and subsequent annealing is demonstrated. Depending on the annealing temperature, oblate or prolate orders are generated.

Method of making tapered capillary tips with constant inner diameters

DOEpatents

Kelly, Ryan T [West Richland, WA; Page, Jason S [Kennewick, WA; Tang, Keqi [Richland, WA; Smith, Richard D [Richland, WA

2009-02-17

Methods of forming electrospray ionization emitter tips are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, an end portion of a capillary tube can be immersed into an etchant, wherein the etchant forms a concave meniscus on the outer surface of the capillary. Variable etching rates in the meniscus can cause an external taper to form. While etching the outer surface of the capillary wall, a fluid can be flowed through the interior of the capillary tube. Etching continues until the immersed portion of the capillary tube is completely etched away.

Method of calibrating a fluid-level measurement system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Woodard, Stanley E. (Inventor); Taylor, Bryant D. (Inventor)

2010-01-01

A method of calibrating a fluid-level measurement system is provided. A first response of the system is recorded when the system's sensor(s) is (are) not in contact with a fluid of interest. A second response of the system is recorded when the system's sensor(s) is (are) fully immersed in the fluid of interest. Using the first and second responses, a plurality of expected responses of the system's sensor(s) is (are) generated for a corresponding plurality of levels of immersion of the sensor(s) in the fluid of interest.

A critical analysis of Australian policies and guidelines for water immersion during labour and birth.

PubMed

Cooper, Megan; McCutcheon, Helen; Warland, Jane

2017-10-01

Accessibility of water immersion for labour and/or birth is often dependent on the care provider and also the policies/guidelines that underpin practice. With little high quality research about the safety and practicality of water immersion, particularly for birth, policies/guidelines informing the practice may lack the evidence necessary to ensure practitioner confidence surrounding the option thereby limiting accessibility and women's autonomy. The aims of the study were to determine how water immersion policies and/or guidelines are informed, who interprets the evidence to inform policies/guidelines and to what extent the policy/guideline facilitates the option for labour and birth. Phase one of a three-phase mixed-methods study critically analysed 25 Australian water immersion policies/guidelines using critical discourse analysis. Policies/guidelines pertaining to the practice of water immersion reflect subjective opinions and views of the current literature base in favour of the risk-focused obstetric and biomedical discursive practices. Written with hegemonic influence, policies and guidelines impact on the autonomy of both women and practitioners. Policies and guidelines pertaining to water immersion, particularly for birth reflect opinion and varied interpretations of the current literature base. A degree of hegemonic influence was noted prompting recommendations for future maternity care policy and guidelines'. The Human Research Ethics Committee of the University of South Australia approved the research. Copyright © 2017 Australian College of Midwives. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Evaluation of pyritic mine tailings as a plant growth substrate.

PubMed

Roseby, Stuart J; Kopittke, Peter M; Mulligan, David R; Menzies, Neal W

2017-10-01

At the Kidston gold mine, Australia, the direct establishment of vegetation on tailings was considered as an alternative to the use of a waste rock cover. The tailings acid/base account was used to predict plant growth limitation by acidity, and thus methods capable of identifying tailings that would acidify to pH 4.5 or lower were sought. Total S was found to be poorly correlated with acid-generating sulfide, and total C was poorly correlated with acid-neutralizing carbonate, precluding the use of readily determined total S and C as predictors of net acid generation. Therefore, the selected approach used assessment of sulfide content as a predictor of acid generation, and carbonate content as a measure of the acid-neutralizing capacity available at pH 5 and above. Using this approach, the majority of tailings (67%) were found to be non-acid generating. However, areas of potentially acid-generating tailings were randomly distributed across the dam, and could only be located by intensive sampling. The limitations imposed by the large sample numbers, and costly analysis of sulfide and carbonate, make it impractical to identify and ameliorate acid-generating areas prior to vegetation establishment. However, as only a small proportion of the tailings will acidify, a strategy of re-treating acid areas following oxidation is suggested. The findings of the present study will assist in the selection of appropriate methods for the prediction of net acid generation, particularly where more conservative measurements are required to allow vegetation to be established directly in tailings. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Mobility of as, Cu, Cr, and Zn from tailings covered with sealing materials using alkaline industrial residues: a comparison between two leaching methods.

PubMed

Jia, Yu; Maurice, Christian; Öhlander, Björn

2016-01-01

Different alkaline residue materials (fly ash, green liquor dregs, and lime mud) generated from the pulp and paper industry as sealing materials were evaluated to cover aged mine waste tailings (<1% sulfur content, primarily pyrite). The mobility of four selected trace elements (Cr, Cu, Zn, and As) was compared based on batch and column leaching studies to assess the effectiveness of these alkaline materials as sealing agents. Based on the leaching results, Cr, Cu, and Zn were immobilized by the alkaline amendments. In the amended tailings in the batch system only As dramatically exceeded the limit values at L/S 10 L/kg. The leaching results showed similar patterns to the batch results, though leached Cr, Cu, and Zn showed higher levels in the column tests than in the batch tests. However, when the columns were compared with the batches, the trend for Cu was opposite for the unamended tailings. By contrast, both batch and column results showed that the amendment caused mobilization of As compared with the unamended tailings in the ash-amended tailings. The amount of As released was greatest in the ash column and decreased from the dregs to the lime columns. The leaching of As at high levels can be a potential problem whenever alkaline materials (especially for fly ash) are used as sealing materials over tailings. The column test was considered by the authors to be a more informative method in remediation of the aged tailings with low sulfur content, since it mimics better actual situation in a field.

Advances in fish vaccine delivery.

PubMed

Plant, Karen P; Lapatra, Scott E

2011-12-01

Disease prevention is essential to the continued development of aquaculture around the world. Vaccination is the most effective method of combating disease and currently there are a number of vaccines commercially available for use in fish. The majority of aquatic vaccines are delivered by injection, which is by far the most effective method when compared to oral or immersion deliveries. However it is labor intensive, costly and not feasible for large numbers of fish under 20 g. Attempts to develop novel oral and immersion delivery methods have resulted in varying degrees of success but may have great potential for the future. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Sterilization of sea lampreys (Petromyzon marinus) by immersion in an aqueous solution of bisazir

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hanson, Lee H.

1981-01-01

Groups of sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus) eggs fertilized by males previously immersed in an aqueous solution of p,p-bis(1-aziridinyl)-N-methylphosphinothioic amide (bisazir) at concentrations of 10–100 mg/L produced fewer normal, live prolarvae after 15–17 d of incubation than did groups of eggs fertilized by normal males. Mortality of embryos or prolarvae was nearly 100% in groups of eggs fertilized by males that had been immersed in a 50 mg/L solution of bisazir for 4 h or in a 100 mg/L solution for 2 h. The immersion technique appears to be an efficient method of sterilizing large numbers of male sea lampreys for use in a proposed sterile-male-release program.Key words: sea lamprey, Petromyzon marinus; pest control, fish control, sterile-male technique, sterilization, chemosterilants, bisazir, Great Lakes

Water-Immersible MEMS scanning mirror designed for wide-field fast-scanning photoacoustic microscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yao, Junjie; Huang, Chih-Hsien; Martel, Catherine; Maslov, Konstantin I.; Wang, Lidai; Yang, Joon-Mo; Gao, Liang; Randolph, Gwendalyn; Zou, Jun; Wang, Lihong V.

2013-03-01

By offering images with high spatial resolution and unique optical absorption contrast, optical-resolution photoacoustic microscopy (OR-PAM) has gained increasing attention in biomedical research. Recent developments in OR-PAM have improved its imaging speed, but have sacrificed either the detection sensitivity or field of view or both. We have developed a wide-field fast-scanning OR-PAM by using a water-immersible MEMS scanning mirror (MEMS-ORPAM). Made of silicon with a gold coating, the MEMS mirror plate can reflect both optical and acoustic beams. Because it uses an electromagnetic driving force, the whole MEMS scanning system can be submerged in water. In MEMS-ORPAM, the optical and acoustic beams are confocally configured and simultaneously steered, which ensures uniform detection sensitivity. A B-scan imaging speed as high as 400 Hz can be achieved over a 3 mm scanning range. A diffraction-limited lateral resolution of 2.4 μm in water and a maximum imaging depth of 1.1 mm in soft tissue have been experimentally determined. Using the system, we imaged the flow dynamics of both red blood cells and carbon particles in a mouse ear in vivo. By using Evans blue dye as the contrast agent, we also imaged the flow dynamics of lymphatic vessels in a mouse tail in vivo. The results show that MEMS-OR-PAM could be a powerful tool for studying highly dynamic and time-sensitive biological phenomena.

Skin mucus of Cyprinus carpio inhibits cyprinid herpesvirus 3 binding to epidermal cells

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Cyprinid herpesvirus 3 (CyHV-3) is the aetiological agent of a mortal and highly contagious disease in common and koi carp. The skin is the major portal of entry of CyHV-3 in carp after immersion in water containing the virus. In the present study, we used in vivo bioluminescence imaging to investigate the effect of skin mucus removal and skin epidermis lesion on CyHV-3 entry. Physical treatments inducing removal of the mucus up to complete erosion of the epidermis were applied on a defined area of carp skin just before inoculation by immersion in infectious water. CyHV-3 entry in carp was drastically enhanced on the area of the skin where the mucus was removed with or without associated epidermal lesion. To investigate whether skin mucus inhibits CyHV-3 binding to epidermal cells, tail fins with an intact mucus layer or without mucus were inoculated ex vivo. While electron microscopy examination revealed numerous viral particles bound on the fins inoculated after mucus removal, no particle could be detected after infection of mucus-covered fins. Finally, anti-CyHV-3 neutralising activity of mucus extract was tested in vitro. Incubation of CyHV-3 with mucus extract reduced its infectivity in a dose dependent manner. The present study demonstrates that skin mucus removal and epidermal lesions enhance CyHV-3 entry in carp. It highlights the role of fish skin mucus as an innate immune protection against viral epidermal entry. PMID:21816061

Analysis of isothermal and cooling-rate-dependent immersion freezing by a unifying stochastic ice nucleation model

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

Alpert, Peter A.; Knopf, Daniel A.

Immersion freezing is an important ice nucleation pathway involved in the formation of cirrus and mixed-phase clouds. Laboratory immersion freezing experiments are necessary to determine the range in temperature, T, and relative humidity, RH, at which ice nucleation occurs and to quantify the associated nucleation kinetics. Typically, isothermal (applying a constant temperature) and cooling-rate-dependent immersion freezing experiments are conducted. In these experiments it is usually assumed that the droplets containing ice nucleating particles (INPs) all have the same INP surface area (ISA); however, the validity of this assumption or the impact it may have on analysis and interpretation of the experimentalmore » data is rarely questioned. Descriptions of ice active sites and variability of contact angles have been successfully formulated to describe ice nucleation experimental data in previous research; however, we consider the ability of a stochastic freezing model founded on classical nucleation theory to reproduce previous results and to explain experimental uncertainties and data scatter. A stochastic immersion freezing model based on first principles of statistics is presented, which accounts for variable ISA per droplet and uses parameters including the total number of droplets, N tot, and the heterogeneous ice nucleation rate coefficient, J het( T). This model is applied to address if (i) a time and ISA-dependent stochastic immersion freezing process can explain laboratory immersion freezing data for different experimental methods and (ii) the assumption that all droplets contain identical ISA is a valid conjecture with subsequent consequences for analysis and interpretation of immersion freezing. The simple stochastic model can reproduce the observed time and surface area dependence in immersion freezing experiments for a variety of methods such as: droplets on a cold-stage exposed to air or surrounded by an oil matrix, wind and acoustically levitated droplets, droplets in a continuous-flow diffusion chamber (CFDC), the Leipzig aerosol cloud interaction simulator (LACIS), and the aerosol interaction and dynamics in the atmosphere (AIDA) cloud chamber. Observed time-dependent isothermal frozen fractions exhibiting non-exponential behavior can be readily explained by this model considering varying ISA. An apparent cooling-rate dependence of J het is explained by assuming identical ISA in each droplet. When accounting for ISA variability, the cooling-rate dependence of ice nucleation kinetics vanishes as expected from classical nucleation theory. Finally, the model simulations allow for a quantitative experimental uncertainty analysis for parameters N tot, T, RH, and the ISA variability. We discuss the implications of our results for experimental analysis and interpretation of the immersion freezing process.« less

Analysis of isothermal and cooling-rate-dependent immersion freezing by a unifying stochastic ice nucleation model

DOE PAGES

Alpert, Peter A.; Knopf, Daniel A.

2016-02-24

Immersion freezing is an important ice nucleation pathway involved in the formation of cirrus and mixed-phase clouds. Laboratory immersion freezing experiments are necessary to determine the range in temperature, T, and relative humidity, RH, at which ice nucleation occurs and to quantify the associated nucleation kinetics. Typically, isothermal (applying a constant temperature) and cooling-rate-dependent immersion freezing experiments are conducted. In these experiments it is usually assumed that the droplets containing ice nucleating particles (INPs) all have the same INP surface area (ISA); however, the validity of this assumption or the impact it may have on analysis and interpretation of the experimentalmore » data is rarely questioned. Descriptions of ice active sites and variability of contact angles have been successfully formulated to describe ice nucleation experimental data in previous research; however, we consider the ability of a stochastic freezing model founded on classical nucleation theory to reproduce previous results and to explain experimental uncertainties and data scatter. A stochastic immersion freezing model based on first principles of statistics is presented, which accounts for variable ISA per droplet and uses parameters including the total number of droplets, N tot, and the heterogeneous ice nucleation rate coefficient, J het( T). This model is applied to address if (i) a time and ISA-dependent stochastic immersion freezing process can explain laboratory immersion freezing data for different experimental methods and (ii) the assumption that all droplets contain identical ISA is a valid conjecture with subsequent consequences for analysis and interpretation of immersion freezing. The simple stochastic model can reproduce the observed time and surface area dependence in immersion freezing experiments for a variety of methods such as: droplets on a cold-stage exposed to air or surrounded by an oil matrix, wind and acoustically levitated droplets, droplets in a continuous-flow diffusion chamber (CFDC), the Leipzig aerosol cloud interaction simulator (LACIS), and the aerosol interaction and dynamics in the atmosphere (AIDA) cloud chamber. Observed time-dependent isothermal frozen fractions exhibiting non-exponential behavior can be readily explained by this model considering varying ISA. An apparent cooling-rate dependence of J het is explained by assuming identical ISA in each droplet. When accounting for ISA variability, the cooling-rate dependence of ice nucleation kinetics vanishes as expected from classical nucleation theory. Finally, the model simulations allow for a quantitative experimental uncertainty analysis for parameters N tot, T, RH, and the ISA variability. We discuss the implications of our results for experimental analysis and interpretation of the immersion freezing process.« less

You Spin my Head Right Round: Threshold of Limited Immersion for Rotation Gains in Redirected Walking.

PubMed

Schmitz, Patric; Hildebrandt, Julian; Valdez, Andre Calero; Kobbelt, Leif; Ziefle, Martina

2018-04-01

In virtual environments, the space that can be explored by real walking is limited by the size of the tracked area. To enable unimpeded walking through large virtual spaces in small real-world surroundings, redirection techniques are used. These unnoticeably manipulate the user's virtual walking trajectory. It is important to know how strongly such techniques can be applied without the user noticing the manipulation-or getting cybersick. Previously, this was estimated by measuring a detection threshold (DT) in highly-controlled psychophysical studies, which experimentally isolate the effect but do not aim for perceived immersion in the context of VR applications. While these studies suggest that only relatively low degrees of manipulation are tolerable, we claim that, besides establishing detection thresholds, it is important to know when the user's immersion breaks. We hypothesize that the degree of unnoticed manipulation is significantly different from the detection threshold when the user is immersed in a task. We conducted three studies: a) to devise an experimental paradigm to measure the threshold of limited immersion (TLI), b) to measure the TLI for slowly decreasing and increasing rotation gains, and c) to establish a baseline of cybersickness for our experimental setup. For rotation gains greater than 1.0, we found that immersion breaks quite late after the gain is detectable. However, for gains lesser than 1.0, some users reported a break of immersion even before established detection thresholds were reached. Apparently, the developed metric measures an additional quality of user experience. This article contributes to the development of effective spatial compression methods by utilizing the break of immersion as a benchmark for redirection techniques.

Comparison of Vee-Type and Conventional Tail Surfaces in Combination with Fuselage and Wing in the Variable-Density Tunnel

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Greenberg, Harry

1941-01-01

The pitching and the yawing moments of a vee-type and a conventional type of tail surface were measured. The tests were made in the presence of a fuselage and a wing-fuselage combination in such a way as to determine the moments contributed by the tail surfaces. The results showed that the vee-type tail tested, with a dihedral angle of 35.3 deg, was about 71 percent as effective in pitch as the conventional tail and had a yawing-moment to pitching-moment ratio of 0.3. The conventional tail, the panels of which were all congruent to those of the vee-type tail, had a yawing-moment to pitching-moment ratio of 0.48. These ratios are in fair agreement with values calculated by methods shown in this and previous reports. The values of the measured moments were reduced from 15 to 25 percent of the calculated value by fuselage interference.

Homopolymer tail-mediated ligation PCR: a streamlined and highly efficient method for DNA cloning and library construction

PubMed Central

Lazinski, David W.; Camilli, Andrew

2013-01-01

The amplification of DNA fragments, cloned between user-defined 5′ and 3′ end sequences, is a prerequisite step in the use of many current applications including massively parallel sequencing (MPS). Here we describe an improved method, called homopolymer tail-mediated ligation PCR (HTML-PCR), that requires very little starting template, minimal hands-on effort, is cost-effective, and is suited for use in high-throughput and robotic methodologies. HTML-PCR starts with the addition of homopolymer tails of controlled lengths to the 3′ termini of a double-stranded genomic template. The homopolymer tails enable the annealing-assisted ligation of a hybrid oligonucleotide to the template's recessed 5′ ends. The hybrid oligonucleotide has a user-defined sequence at its 5′ end. This primer, together with a second primer composed of a longer region complementary to the homopolymer tail and fused to a second 5′ user-defined sequence, are used in a PCR reaction to generate the final product. The user-defined sequences can be varied to enable compatibility with a wide variety of downstream applications. We demonstrate our new method by constructing MPS libraries starting from nanogram and sub-nanogram quantities of Vibrio cholerae and Streptococcus pneumoniae genomic DNA. PMID:23311318

Mosaic CCD method: A new technique for observing dynamics of cometary magnetospheres

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Saito, T.; Takeuchi, H.; Kozuba, Y.; Okamura, S.; Konno, I.; Hamabe, M.; Aoki, T.; Minami, S.; Isobe, S.

1992-01-01

On April 29, 1990, the plasma tail of Comet Austin was observed with a CCD camera on the 105-cm Schmidt telescope at the Kiso Observatory of the University of Tokyo. The area of the CCD used in this observation is only about 1 sq cm. When this CCD is used on the 105-cm Schmidt telescope at the Kiso Observatory, the area corresponds to a narrow square view of 12 ft x 12 ft. By comparison with the photograph of Comet Austin taken by Numazawa (personal communication) on the same night, we see that only a small part of the plasma tail can be photographed at one time with the CCD. However, by shifting the view on the CCD after each exposure, we succeeded in imaging the entire length of the cometary magnetosphere of 1.6 x 10(exp 6) km. This new technique is called 'the mosaic CCD method'. In order to study the dynamics of cometary plasma tails, seven frames of the comet from the head to the tail region were twice imaged with the mosaic CCD method and two sets of images were obtained. Six microstructures, including arcade structures, were identified in both the images. Sketches of the plasma tail including microstructures are included.

Psychometric Assessment of Stereoscopic Head-Mounted Displays

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-06-29

Journal Article 3. DATES COVERED (From – To) Jan 2015 - Dec 2015 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE PSYCHOMETRIC ASSESSMENT OF STEREOSCOPIC HEAD- MOUNTED DISPLAYS...to render an immersive three-dimensional constructive environment. The purpose of this effort was to quantify the impact of aircrew vision on an...simulated tasks requiring precise depth discrimination. This work will provide an example validation method for future stereoscopic virtual immersive

A study of bauxite tailing quality improvement by reverse flotation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wulandari, W.; Purwasasmita, M.; Sanwani, E.; Malatsih, W.; Fadilla, F.

2018-01-01

The pre-treatment of bauxite ore from Tayan, West Kalimantan includes washing and screening fine bauxite particles (-2mm) prior as the feed to the Bayer process for producing alumina. These fine particles are believed to have high content of silica which is detrimental to the process. This washed bauxite tailing still has a significant amount of alumina content. Previous research has indicated that bauxite ore can be upgraded by applying reverse flotation method to reduce its silica content in the ore. Therefore, this study is aimed to utilize reverse flotation method to recover alumina content from washed bauxite tailing. The reverse flotation experiments were carried out at pH of 6 and 8; while the particle sizes were varied at - 140+270 mesh and -270 mesh, using a batch and circuit configuration. The result of this study shows that the batch reverse flotation can recover alumina in the tailing up to 81.4%, however the silica content is still significant. The complexity of silica-alumina minerals in the tailing prevents a complete separation of the ores by only using reverse flotation.

Study of the Effect of Molten Copper Chloride Immersion Test on Alloys with High Nickel Content with and without Surface Coatings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Siantar, Edwin

The demand for hydrogen as a clean energy carrier has increased greatly. The Cu-Cl cycle is a promising thermochemical cycle that is currently being developed to be the large-scale method of hydrogen production. The lifetime of materials for the pipes transporting molten CuCl is an important parameter for an economic design of a commercial thermochemical Cu-Cl hydrogen plant. This research is an examination of candidate materials following an immersion test in molten CuCl at 500 °C for 100 h. Two alloys, Ni based super-alloy (Inconel 625) and super austenitic stainless steel (AL6XN) were selected as the base metal. There were two types of coating applied to improve the corrosion resistance of the base metals during molten CuCl exposure. A metallic of Diamalloy 4006 and two ceramic of yttria stabilized zirconia and alumina coatings were applied to the base metal using thermal spray methods. An immersion apparatus was designed and constructed to perform an immersion test that has a condition similar to those in a hydrogen plant. After the immersion test, the materials were evaluated using an electrochemical method in combination with ex-situ surface analysis. The surface condition including elemental composition, film structure and resistivity of the materials were examined and compared. The majority of the coatings were damaged and fell off. Cracks were found in the original coated specimens indicating the sample geometry may have affected the integrity of the sprayed coating. When the coating cracked, it provided a pathway for the molten CuCl to go under the coating and react with the surface underneath the coating. Copper deposits and iron chloride that were found on the sample surfaces suggest that there were corrosion reactions that involved the metal dissolution and reduction of copper during immersion test. The results also suggest that Inconel 625 performed better than stainless steel AL6XN. Both Diamalloy 4006 and YSZ (ZrO2 18TiO2 10Y2O3) coatings seemed to provide better protection to the underlying base metal than alumina (Al2O3 3TiO2) coating.

An immersed boundary-simplified sphere function-based gas kinetic scheme for simulation of 3D incompressible flows

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, L. M.; Shu, C.; Yang, W. M.; Wang, Y.; Wu, J.

2017-08-01

In this work, an immersed boundary-simplified sphere function-based gas kinetic scheme (SGKS) is presented for the simulation of 3D incompressible flows with curved and moving boundaries. At first, the SGKS [Yang et al., "A three-dimensional explicit sphere function-based gas-kinetic flux solver for simulation of inviscid compressible flows," J. Comput. Phys. 295, 322 (2015) and Yang et al., "Development of discrete gas kinetic scheme for simulation of 3D viscous incompressible and compressible flows," J. Comput. Phys. 319, 129 (2016)], which is often applied for the simulation of compressible flows, is simplified to improve the computational efficiency for the simulation of incompressible flows. In the original SGKS, the integral domain along the spherical surface for computing conservative variables and numerical fluxes is usually not symmetric at the cell interface. This leads the expression of numerical fluxes at the cell interface to be relatively complicated. For incompressible flows, the sphere at the cell interface can be approximately considered to be symmetric as shown in this work. Besides that, the energy equation is usually not needed for the simulation of incompressible isothermal flows. With all these simplifications, the simple and explicit formulations for the conservative variables and numerical fluxes at the cell interface can be obtained. Second, to effectively implement the no-slip boundary condition for fluid flow problems with complex geometry as well as moving boundary, the implicit boundary condition-enforced immersed boundary method [Wu and Shu, "Implicit velocity correction-based immersed boundary-lattice Boltzmann method and its applications," J. Comput. Phys. 228, 1963 (2009)] is introduced into the simplified SGKS. That is, the flow field is solved by the simplified SGKS without considering the presence of an immersed body and the no-slip boundary condition is implemented by the immersed boundary method. The accuracy and efficiency of the present scheme are validated by simulating the decaying vortex flow, flow past a stationary and rotating sphere, flow past a stationary torus, and flows over dragonfly flight.

Tail Buffeting

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Abdrashitov, G.

1943-01-01

An approximate theory of buffeting is here presented, based on the assumption of harmonic disturbing forces. Two cases of buffeting are considered: namely, for a tail angle of attack greater and less than the stalling angle, respectively. On the basis of the tests conducted and the results of foreign investigators, a general analysis is given of the nature of the forced vibrations the possible load limits on the tail, and the methods of elimination of buffeting.

The effect of water immersion delivery on the strength of pelvic floor muscle and pelvic floor disorders during postpartum period: An experimental study.

PubMed

Zhao, Yun; Xiao, Mei; Tang, Fei; Tang, Wan; Yin, Heng; Sun, Guo-Qiang; Lin, Yin; Zhou, Yong; Luo, Yan; Li, Lu-Man; Tan, Zhi-Hua

2017-10-01

Water immersion delivery is a non-pharmacological approach to ease labor pain. This paper aims to investigate the effect of water immersion delivery on increasing strength of pelvic floor muscle (PFM) and relieving pelvic floor disorders (PFDs) during postpartum period. A total of 2749 vaginal-delivery primiparas in postpartum 6-8 weeks were selected as research objects. Based on the modes of delivery, 600 patients were assigned into water immersion delivery group, 2149 were assigned into conventional delivery group. The scales of PFM strength and pelvic organ prolapsed (POP) were determined by specially trained personnel using digital palpation, and the symptoms of stress urinary incontinence (SUI) were investigated by questionnaire survey. The weak PFM strength was improved by doing Kegel exercise at home for 6-8 weeks. We found that ①The rate of episiotomy in water immersion delivery group was 77.50% (465/600), which was lower than that in conventional delivery group (84.69%, 1820/2149) (P < .01); The primiparas without having an episiotomy have higher PFM strength than those having an episiotomy for both groups (P < .01). ②There was a negative correlation between the scale of PFM strength and SUI or POP, wherein the r-values were -0.135 and -0.435, respectively (P < .01). ③The rate of SUI was 6.50% (39/600) in water immersion delivery group and 6.89% (148/2149) in the conventional delivery group, wherein the intergroup difference was not significant (P > .05); ④The rates of vaginal wall prolapsed and uterus prolapsed were 29.83% (179/600) and 2.83% (17/600) in water immersion delivery group and 30.95% (665/2149) and 4.37% (94/2149) in the conventional delivery group, wherein the intergroup difference was not significant (P > .05). ⑤After Kegel exercise, the strength of PFM was promoted (P < .01). Water immersion delivery has been proved to a beneficial alternative method for conventional delivery method. This delivery mode is associated with fewer episiotomy rate, and avoiding episiotomy is beneficial for maintaining PFM strength of women in postpartum 6-8 weeks. The strength of PFM during postpartum period can be improved by doing Kegel exercise at home.

Simulation of financial market via nonlinear Ising model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ko, Bonggyun; Song, Jae Wook; Chang, Woojin

2016-09-01

In this research, we propose a practical method for simulating the financial return series whose distribution has a specific heaviness. We employ the Ising model for generating financial return series to be analogous to those of the real series. The similarity between real financial return series and simulated one is statistically verified based on their stylized facts including the power law behavior of tail distribution. We also suggest the scheme for setting the parameters in order to simulate the financial return series with specific tail behavior. The simulation method introduced in this paper is expected to be applied to the other financial products whose price return distribution is fat-tailed.

Study on peak shape fitting method in radon progeny measurement.

PubMed

Yang, Jinmin; Zhang, Lei; Abdumomin, Kadir; Tang, Yushi; Guo, Qiuju

2015-11-01

Alpha spectrum measurement is one of the most important methods to measure radon progeny concentration in environment. However, the accuracy of this method is affected by the peak tailing due to the energy losses of alpha particles. This article presents a peak shape fitting method that can overcome the peak tailing problem in most situations. On a typical measured alpha spectrum curve, consecutive peaks overlap even their energies are not close to each other, and it is difficult to calculate the exact count of each peak. The peak shape fitting method uses combination of Gaussian and exponential functions, which can depict features of those peaks, to fit the measured curve. It can provide net counts of each peak explicitly, which was used in the Kerr method of calculation procedure for radon progeny concentration measurement. The results show that the fitting curve fits well with the measured curve, and the influence of the peak tailing is reduced. The method was further validated by the agreement between radon equilibrium equivalent concentration based on this method and the measured values of some commercial radon monitors, such as EQF3220 and WLx. In addition, this method improves the accuracy of individual radon progeny concentration measurement. Especially for the (218)Po peak, after eliminating the peak tailing influence, the calculated result of (218)Po concentration has been reduced by 21 %. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Computed microtomography visualization and quantification of mouse ischemic brain lesion by nonionic radio contrast agents

PubMed Central

Dobrivojević, Marina; Bohaček, Ivan; Erjavec, Igor; Gorup, Dunja; Gajović, Srećko

2013-01-01

Aim To explore the possibility of brain imaging by microcomputed tomography (microCT) using x-ray contrasting methods to visualize mouse brain ischemic lesions after middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO). Methods Isolated brains were immersed in ionic or nonionic radio contrast agent (RCA) for 5 days and subsequently scanned using microCT scanner. To verify whether ex-vivo microCT brain images can be used to characterize ischemic lesions, they were compared to Nissl stained serial histological sections of the same brains. To verify if brains immersed in RCA may be used afterwards for other methods, subsequent immunofluorescent labeling with anti-NeuN was performed. Results Nonionic RCA showed better gray to white matter contrast in the brain, and therefore was selected for further studies. MicroCT measurement of ischemic lesion size and cerebral edema significantly correlated with the values determined by Nissl staining (ischemic lesion size: P=0.0005; cerebral edema: P=0.0002). Brain immersion in nonionic RCA did not affect subsequent immunofluorescent analysis and NeuN immunoreactivity. Conclusion MicroCT method was proven to be suitable for delineation of the ischemic lesion from the non-infarcted tissue, and quantification of lesion volume and cerebral edema. PMID:23444240

A tail like no other. The RPC-MAG view of Rosetta's tail excursion at comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Volwerk, Martin; Goetz, Charlotte; Richter, Ingo; Delva, Magda; Ostaszewski, Katharina; Schwingenschuh, Konrad; Glassmeier, Karl-Heinz

2018-06-01

Context. The Rosetta Plasma Consortium (RPC) magnetometer (MAG) data during the tail excursion in March-April 2016 are used to investigate the magnetic structure of and activity in the tail region of the weakly outgassing comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko (67P). Aims: The goal of this study is to compare the large scale (near) tail structure with that of earlier missions to strong outgassing comets, and the small scale turbulent energy cascade (un)related to the singing comet phenomenon. Methods: The usual methods of space plasma physics are used to analyse the magnetometer data, such as minimum variance analysis, spectral analysis, and power law fitting. Also the cone angle and clock angle of the magnetic field are calculated to interpret the data. Results: It is found that comet 67P does not have a classical draped magnetic field and no bi-lobal tail structure at this late stage of the mission when the comet is already at 2.7 AU distance from the Sun. The main magnetic field direction seems to be more across the tail direction, which may implicate an asymmetric pick-up cloud. During periods of singing comet activity the propagation direction of the waves is at large angles with respect to the magnetic field and to the radial direction towards the comet. Turbulent cascade of magnetic energy from large to small scales is different in the presence of singing as without it.

Maximum Likelihood Methods in Treating Outliers and Symmetrically Heavy-Tailed Distributions for Nonlinear Structural Equation Models with Missing Data

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Sik-Yum; Xia, Ye-Mao

2006-01-01

By means of more than a dozen user friendly packages, structural equation models (SEMs) are widely used in behavioral, education, social, and psychological research. As the underlying theory and methods in these packages are vulnerable to outliers and distributions with longer-than-normal tails, a fundamental problem in the field is the…

Lifting-surface-theory aspect-ratio corrections to the lift and hinge-moment parameters for full-span elevators on horizontal tail surfaces

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Swanson, Robert S; Crandall, Stewart M

1948-01-01

A limited number of lifting-surface-theory solutions for wings with chordwise loadings resulting from angle of attack, parabolic-ac camber, and flap deflection are now available. These solutions were studied with the purpose of determining methods of extrapolating the results in such a way that they could be used to determine lifting-surface-theory values of the aspect-ratio corrections to the lift and hinge-moment parameters for both angle-of-attack and flap-deflection-type loading that could be used to predict the characteristics of horizontal tail surfaces from section data with sufficient accuracy for engineering purposes. Such a method was devised for horizontal tail surfaces with full-span elevators. In spite of the fact that the theory involved is rather complex, the method is simple to apply and may be applied without any knowledge of lifting-surface theory. A comparison of experimental finite-span and section value and of the estimated values of the lift and hinge-moment parameters for three horizontal tail surfaces was made to provide an experimental verification of the method suggested. (author)

An immersed-boundary method for flow–structure interaction in biological systems with application to phonation

PubMed Central

Luo, Haoxiang; Mittal, Rajat; Zheng, Xudong; Bielamowicz, Steven A.; Walsh, Raymond J.; Hahn, James K.

2008-01-01

A new numerical approach for modeling a class of flow–structure interaction problems typically encountered in biological systems is presented. In this approach, a previously developed, sharp-interface, immersed-boundary method for incompressible flows is used to model the fluid flow and a new, sharp-interface Cartesian grid, immersed boundary method is devised to solve the equations of linear viscoelasticity that governs the solid. The two solvers are coupled to model flow–structure interaction. This coupled solver has the advantage of simple grid generation and efficient computation on simple, single-block structured grids. The accuracy of the solid-mechanics solver is examined by applying it to a canonical problem. The solution methodology is then applied to the problem of laryngeal aerodynamics and vocal fold vibration during human phonation. This includes a three-dimensional eigen analysis for a multi-layered vocal fold prototype as well as two-dimensional, flow-induced vocal fold vibration in a modeled larynx. Several salient features of the aerodynamics as well as vocal-fold dynamics are presented. PMID:19936017

Method for confining the magnetic field of the cross-tail current inside the magnetopause

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sotirelis, T.; Tsyganenko, N. A.; Stern, D. P.

1994-01-01

A method is presented for analytically representing the magnetic field due to the cross-tail current and its closure on the magnetopause. It is an extension of a method used by Tsyganenko (1989b) to confine the dipole field inside an ellipsoidal magnetopause using a scalar potential. Given a model of the cross-tail current, the implied net magnetic field is obtained by adding to the cross-tail current field a potential field B = - del gamma, which makes all field lines divide into two disjoint groups, separated by the magnetopause (i.e., the combined field is made to have zero normal component with the magnetopause). The magnetopause is assumed to be an ellipsoid of revolution (a prolate spheroid) as an approximation to observations (Sibeck et al., 1991). This assumption permits the potential gamma to be expressed in spheroidal coordinates, expanded in spheroidal harmonics and its terms evaluated by performing inversion integrals. Finally, the field outside the magnetopause is replaced by zero, resulting in a consistent current closure along the magnetopause. This procedure can also be used to confine the modeled field of any other interior magnetic source, though the model current must always flow in closed circuits. The method is demonstrated on the T87 cross-tail current, examples illustrate the effect of changing the size and shape of the prescribed magnetopause and a comparison is made to an independent numerical scheme based on the Biot-Savart equation.

Heat transfer comparison of nanofluid filled transformer and traditional oil-immersed transformer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Yunpeng; Ho, Siu-lau; Fu, Weinong

2018-05-01

Dispersing nanoparticles with high thermal conductivity into transformer oil is an innovative approach to improve the thermal performance of traditional oil-immersed transformers. This mixture, also known as nanofluid, has shown the potential in practical application through experimental measurements. This paper presents the comparisons of nanofluid filled transformer and traditional oil-immersed transformer in terms of their computational fluid dynamics (CFD) solutions from the perspective of optimal design. Thermal performance of transformers with the same parameters except coolants is compared. A further comparison on heat transfer then is made after minimizing the oil volume and maximum temperature-rise of these two transformers. Adaptive multi-objective optimization method is employed to tackle this optimization problem.

Immersible solar heater for fluids

DOEpatents

Kronberg, J.W.

1995-07-11

An immersible solar heater is described comprising a light-absorbing panel attached to a frame for absorbing heat energy from the light and transferring the absorbed heat energy directly to the fluid in which the heater is immersed. The heater can be used to heat a swimming pool, for example, and is held in position and at a preselected angle by a system of floats, weights and tethers so that the panel can operate efficiently. A skid can be used in one embodiment to prevent lateral movement of the heater along the bottom of the pool. Alternative embodiments include different arrangements of the weights, floats and tethers and methods for making the heater. 11 figs.

Assessment of refractive index of pigments by Gaussian fitting of light backscattering data in context of the liquid immersion method.

PubMed

Niskanen, Ilpo; Peiponen, Kai-Erik; Räty, Jukka

2010-05-01

Using a multifunction spectrophotometer, the refractive index of a pigment can be estimated by measuring the backscattering of light from the pigment in immersion liquids having slightly different refractive indices. A simple theoretical Gaussian function model related to the optical path distribution is introduced that makes it possible to describe quantitatively the backscattering signal from transparent pigments using a set of only a few immersion liquids. With the aid of the data fitting by a Gaussian function, the measurement time of the refractive index of the pigment can be reduced. The backscattering measurement technique is suggested to be useful in industrial measurement environments of pigments.

The application of water coupled nonlinear ultrasonics to quantify the dislocation density in aluminum 1100

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mostavi, Amir; Tehrani, N.; Kamali, N.; Ozevin, D.; Chi, S. W.; Indacochea, J. E.

2017-02-01

This article investigates water coupled nonlinear ultrasonic method to measure the dislocation density in aluminum 1100 specimens. The different levels of dislocation densities are introduced to the samples by applying different levels of plastic strains by tensile loading. The ultrasonic testing includes 2.25 MHz transducer as transmitter and 5.0 MHz transducer as receiver in an immersion tank. The results of immersion experiments are compared with oil-coupled experiments. While water has significant nonlinearity within itself, the immersion ultrasound results agree with the literature of oil coupled ultrasound results of the specimens that the nonlinearity coefficient increases with the increase of dislocation density in aluminum.

Effect of Tail Surfaces on the Base Drag of a Body of Revolution at Mach Numbers of 1.5 and 2.0

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Spahr, J Richard; Dickey, Robert R

1951-01-01

Wind-tunnel tests were performed at Mach numbers of 1.5 and 2.0 to investigate the influence of tail surfaces on the base drag of a body of revolution without boattailing and having a turbulent boundary layer. The tail surfaces were of rectangular plan form of aspect ratio 2.33 and has symmetrical, circular-arc airfoil section. The results of the investigation showed that the addition of these tail surfaces with the trailing edges at or near the body base incurred a large increase in the base-drag coefficient. For a cruciform tail having a 10-percent-thick airfoil section, this increase was about 70 percent at a Mach number of 1.5 and 35 percent at a Mach number of 2.0. As the trailing edge of the tail was moved forward or rearward of the base by about one tail-chord length, the base-drag increment was reduced to nearly zero. The increments in base-drag coefficient due to the presence of 10-percent-thick tail surfaces were generally twice those for 5-percent-thick surfaces. The base-drag increments due to the presence of a cruciform tail were less than twice those for a plane tail. An estimate of the change in base pressure due to the tail surfaces was made, based on a simple superposition of the airfoil-pressure field onto the base-pressure field behind the body. A comparison of the results with the experimental values indicated that in most cases the trend in the variation of the base-drag increment with changes in tail position could be predicted by this approximate method but that the quantitative agreement at most tail locations was poor.

Immersed boundary peridynamics (IB/PD) method to simulate aortic dissection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bhalla, Amneet Pal Singh; Griffith, Boyce

2016-11-01

Aortic dissection occurs when an intimal tear in the aortic wall propagates into the media to form a false lumen within the vessel wall. Rupture of the false lumen and collapse of the true lumen both carry a high risk of morbidity and mortality. Surgical treatment consists of either replacement of a portion of the aorta, or stent implantation to cover the affected segment. Both approaches carry significant risks: open surgical intervention is highly invasive, whereas stents can be challenging to implant and offer unclear long-term patient outcomes. It is also difficult to time optimally the intervention to ensure that the benefits of treatment outweigh its risks. In this work we develop innovative fluid-structure interaction (FSI) model combining elements from immersed boundary (IB) and peridynamics (PD) methods to simulate tears in membranes. The new approach is termed as IB/PD method. We use non-ordinary state based PD to represent material hyperelasticity. Several test problems are taken to validate peridynamics approach to model structural dynamics, with and without accounting for failure in the structures. FSI simulations using IB/PD method are compared with immersed finite element method (IB/FE) to validate the new hybrid approach. NIH Award R01HL117163 NSF Award ACI 1450327.

Two-Dimensional Fourier Transform Applied to Helicopter Flyover Noise

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Santa Maria, Odilyn L.

1999-01-01

A method to separate main rotor and tail rotor noise from a helicopter in flight is explored. Being the sum of two periodic signals of disproportionate, or incommensurate frequencies, helicopter noise is neither periodic nor stationary, but possibly harmonizable. The single Fourier transform divides signal energy into frequency bins of equal size. Incommensurate frequencies are therefore not adequately represented by any one chosen data block size. A two-dimensional Fourier analysis method is used to show helicopter noise as harmonizable. The two-dimensional spectral analysis method is first applied to simulated signals. This initial analysis gives an idea of the characteristics of the two-dimensional autocorrelations and spectra. Data from a helicopter flight test is analyzed in two dimensions. The test aircraft are a Boeing MD902 Explorer (no tail rotor) and a Sikorsky S-76 (4-bladed tail rotor). The results show that the main rotor and tail rotor signals can indeed be separated in the two-dimensional Fourier transform spectrum. The separation occurs along the diagonals associated with the frequencies of interest. These diagonals are individual spectra containing only information related to one particular frequency.

Masculinization of nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) using extract of bull testes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yustiati, A.; Bangkit, I.; Zidni, I.

2018-03-01

Tilapia males grow faster to increase the production of the fish, there is a necessity to produce all males by using extract of bull testes. The research method used in this study was the experimental Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with five treatments and three replications. The treatments were A: without immersion and without oral treatment (control); B; immersion 600 μg·L-1 without oral treatment; C: immersion 600 μg·L-1 and oral at a dose of 30 mg·kg-1 feeds, D: immersion 600 μg·L-1 and oral at a dose of 40 mg·kg-1 feeds, E: immersion 600 μg·L-1 and oral at a dose of 50 mg·kg-1 feeds. Results showed that the use of bull testicle extract mixed to media at concentration of 3 ml L-1 produced red male nile of 69.07 %. In addition, the immersion of the extract at 500 μg·L-1 resulted the male of 86.71 %. Sex reversal by dipping at 600 μg·L-1 17α-methyltestosterone combined with oral administration at 40 mg·kg-1 produced the highest male of Nile Tilapia Java carp (86.67 %) compared with dipping, which produced 65.56 % of male. These results suggested that combination of dipping and oral is more effective for sex reversal.

Numerical Investigation of Influence of Electrode Immersion Depth on Heat Transfer and Fluid Flow in Electroslag Remelting Process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Qiang; Cai, Hui; Pan, Liping; He, Zhu; Liu, Shuang; Li, Baokuan

2016-12-01

The influence of the electrode immersion depth on the electromagnetic, flow and temperature fields, as well as the solidification progress in an electroslag remelting furnace have been studied by a transient three-dimensional coupled mathematical model. Maxwell's equations were solved by the electrical potential approach. The Lorentz force and Joule heating were added into the momentum and energy conservation equations as a source term, respectively, and were updated at each time step. The volume of fluid method was invoked to track the motion of the metal droplet and slag-metal interface. The solidification was modeled by an enthalpy-porosity formulation. An experiment was carried out to validate the model. The total amount of Joule heating decreases from 2.13 × 105 W to 1.86 × 105 W when the electrode immersion depth increases from 0.01 m to 0.03 m. The variation law of the slag temperature is different from that of the Joule heating. The volume average temperature rises from 1856 K to 1880 K when the immersion depth increases from 0.01 m to 0.02 m, and then drops to 1869 K if the immersion depth continuously increases to 0.03 m. As a result, the deepest metal pool, which is around 0.03 m, is formed when the immersion depth is 0.02 m.

Development of Water-Triggered Chitosan Film Containing Glucamylase for Sustained Release of Resveratrol.

PubMed

Zhang, Dongliang; Cao, Yanfei; Ma, Chengye; Chen, Shanfeng; Li, Hongjun

2017-03-29

There is a paradox when incorporating enzyme into an edible chitosan film that chitosan is dissolved in acid solution and enzyme activity is maintained under mild conditions. A method for maintaining the pH of the chitosan solution at 4-6 to prepare a chitosan film containing β-cyclodextrin, resveratrol-β-cyclodextrin inclusion (RCI), was developed, using glucamylase and acetic acid. A considerable amount of resveratrol was released by the glucamylase-incorporated film within 15 days, and the maximum amount released was 46% of the total resveratrol content. The highest resveratrol release ratio (released resveratrol/total resveratrol) was obtained in the film with 6 mL of RCI. Scratches and spores were generated on the surface of the glucamylase-added film immersed in water (GAFW) for 7 days because of β-cyclodextrin hydrolysis during film drying and water immersion. RCI and β-cyclodextrin were extruded from the film surface and formed teardrops, which were erased by water on the GAFW surface but appeared on the glucamylase-added film without water immersion (GAF). The bubbles generated by the reaction of acetic acid and residual sodium bicarbonate were observed in both glucamylase-free films immersed in water (GFFW) for 7 days and without water immersion (GFF). The FT-IR spectra illustrated that the covalent bond was not generated during water immersion and β-cyclodextrin hydrolysis. The crystal structure of chitosan was destroyed by water immersion and β-cyclodextrin hydrolysis, resulting in the lowest chitosan crystallization peak at 22°. The increasing of water holding capacity determined by EDX presented the following order: GAF, GFFW, GFF, and GAFW.

Postmortem changes in the neuroanatomical characteristics of the primate brain: the hippocampal formation

PubMed Central

Lavenex, Pierre; Lavenex, Pamela Banta; Bennett, Jeffrey L.; Amaral, David G.

2009-01-01

Comparative studies of the structural organization of the brain are fundamental to our understanding of human brain function. However, whereas brains of experimental animals are fixed by perfusion of a fixative through the vasculature, human or ape brains are fixed by immersion after varying postmortem intervals. Although differential treatments might affect the fundamental characteristics of the tissue, this question has not been evaluated empirically in primate brains. Monkey brains were either perfused, or acquired after varying postmortem intervals before immersion-fixation in 4% paraformaldehyde. We found that the fixation method affected the neuroanatomical characteristics of the monkey hippocampal formation. Soma size was smaller in Nissl-stained, immersion-fixed tissue, although overall brain volume was larger, as compared to perfusion-fixed tissue. Non-phosphorylated high-molecular-weight neurofilament immunoreactivity was lower in CA3 pyramidal neurons, dentate mossy cells and the entorhinal cortex, whereas it was higher in the mossy fiber pathway in immersion-fixed tissue. Serotonin-immunoreactive fibers were well-stained in perfused tissue but were undetectable in immersion-fixed tissue. Although regional immunoreactivity patterns for calcium-binding proteins were not affected, intracellular staining degraded with increasing postmortem intervals. Somatostatin-immunoreactive clusters of large axonal varicosities, previously reported only in humans, were observed in immersion-fixed monkey tissue. In addition, calretinin-immunoreactive multipolar neurons, previously observed only in rodents, were found in the rostral dentate gyrus in both perfused and immersion-fixed brains. In conclusion, comparative studies of the brain must evaluate the effects of fixation on the staining pattern of each marker in every structure of interest before drawing conclusions about species differences. PMID:18972553

Postmortem changes in the neuroanatomical characteristics of the primate brain: hippocampal formation.

PubMed

Lavenex, Pierre; Lavenex, Pamela Banta; Bennett, Jeffrey L; Amaral, David G

2009-01-01

Comparative studies of the structural organization of the brain are fundamental to our understanding of human brain function. However, whereas brains of experimental animals are fixed by perfusion of a fixative through the vasculature, human or ape brains are fixed by immersion after varying postmortem intervals. Although differential treatments might affect the fundamental characteristics of the tissue, this question has not been evaluated empirically in primate brains. Monkey brains were either perfused or acquired after varying postmortem intervals before immersion-fixation in 4% paraformaldehyde. We found that the fixation method affected the neuroanatomical characteristics of the monkey hippocampal formation. Soma size was smaller in Nissl-stained, immersion-fixed tissue, although overall brain volume was larger as compared to perfusion-fixed tissue. Nonphosphorylated high-molecular-weight neurofilament immunoreactivity was lower in CA3 pyramidal neurons, dentate mossy cells, and the entorhinal cortex, whereas it was higher in the mossy fiber pathway in immersion-fixed tissue. Serotonin-immunoreactive fibers were well stained in perfused tissue but were undetectable in immersion-fixed tissue. Although regional immunoreactivity patterns for calcium-binding proteins were not affected, intracellular staining degraded with increasing postmortem intervals. Somatostatin-immunoreactive clusters of large axonal varicosities, previously reported only in humans, were observed in immersion-fixed monkey tissue. In addition, calretinin-immunoreactive multipolar neurons, previously observed only in rodents, were found in the rostral dentate gyrus in both perfused and immersion-fixed brains. In conclusion, comparative studies of the brain must evaluate the effects of fixation on the staining pattern of each marker in every structure of interest before drawing conclusions about species differences.

A numerical comparison with an exact solution for the transient response of a cylinder immersed in a fluid. [computer simulated underwater tests to determine transient response of a submerged cylindrical shell

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Giltrud, M. E.; Lucas, D. S.

1979-01-01

The transient response of an elastic cylindrical shell immersed in an acoustic media that is engulfed by a plane wave is determined numerically. The method applies to the USA-STAGS code which utilizes the finite element method for the structural analysis and the doubly asymptotic approximation for the fluid-structure interaction. The calculations are compared to an exact analysis for two separate loading cases: a plane step wave and an exponentially decaying plane wave.

Live-cell imaging of Salmonella Typhimurium interaction with zebrafish larvae after injection and immersion delivery methods.

PubMed

Varas, Macarena; Fariña, Alonso; Díaz-Pascual, Francisco; Ortíz-Severín, Javiera; Marcoleta, Andrés E; Allende, Miguel L; Santiviago, Carlos A; Chávez, Francisco P

2017-04-01

The zebrafish model has been used to determine the role of vertebrate innate immunity during bacterial infections. Here, we compare the in vivo immune response induced by GFP-tagged Salmonella Typhimurium inoculated by immersion and microinjection in transgenic zebrafish larvae. Our novel infection protocols in zebrafish allow live-cell imaging of Salmonella colonization. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Harnessing Neuroplasticity to Promote Rehabilitation: CI Therapy for TBI

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-10-01

scheduled plus 33 to be enrolled, because we assume that the proportion of withdrawals will be the same as experienced to date, i.e., 24%. This plan will...period? Victor Mark, Investigator Interactive Immersive Virtual Reality Walking for SCI Neuropathic Pain (Trost) 0.24 calendar months Kim Cerise...Direct Costs: $149,999 This project designs and test an immersive virtual reality treatment method to control neuropathic pain following traumatic spinal

The LS-STAG immersed boundary/cut-cell method for non-Newtonian flows in 3D extruded geometries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nikfarjam, F.; Cheny, Y.; Botella, O.

2018-05-01

The LS-STAG method is an immersed boundary/cut-cell method for viscous incompressible flows based on the staggered MAC arrangement for Cartesian grids, where the irregular boundary is sharply represented by its level-set function, results in a significant gain in computer resources (wall time, memory usage) compared to commercial body-fitted CFD codes. The 2D version of LS-STAG method is now well-established (Cheny and Botella, 2010), and this paper presents its extension to 3D geometries with translational symmetry in the z direction (hereinafter called 3D extruded configurations). This intermediate step towards the fully 3D implementation can be applied to a wide variety of canonical flows and will be regarded as the keystone for the full 3D solver, since both discretization and implementation issues on distributed memory machines are tackled at this stage of development. The LS-STAG method is then applied to various Newtonian and non-Newtonian flows in 3D extruded geometries (axisymmetric pipe, circular cylinder, duct with an abrupt expansion) for which benchmark results and experimental data are available. The purpose of these investigations are (a) to investigate the formal order of accuracy of the LS-STAG method, (b) to assess the versatility of method for flow applications at various regimes (Newtonian and shear-thinning fluids, steady and unsteady laminar to turbulent flows) (c) to compare its performance with well-established numerical methods (body-fitted and immersed boundary methods).

Numerical analysis of band tails in nanowires and their effects on the performance of tunneling field-effect transistors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tanaka, Takahisa; Uchida, Ken

2018-06-01

Band tails in heavily doped semiconductors are one of the important parameters that determine transfer characteristics of tunneling field-effect transistors. In this study, doping concentration and doing profile dependences of band tails in heavily doped Si nanowires were analyzed by a nonequilibrium Green function method. From the calculated band tails, transfer characteristics of nanowire tunnel field-effect transistors were numerically analyzed by Wentzel–Kramer–Brillouin approximation with exponential barriers. The calculated transfer characteristics demonstrate that the band tails induced by dopants degrade the subthreshold slopes of Si nanowires from 5 to 56 mV/dec in the worst case. On the other hand, surface doping leads to a high drain current while maintaining a small subthreshold slope.

Color stability of CAD/CAM Zirconia ceramics following exposure to acidic and staining drinks

PubMed Central

Colombo, Marco; Cavallo, Marco; Miegge, Matteo; Dagna, Alberto; Beltrami, Riccardo; Chiesa, Marco

2017-01-01

Background The aim of this in vitro study was to evaluate the color stability of CAD/CAM Zirconia ceramics following exposure to acidic drink (Coca Cola) and after exposure to staining solution (coffee). Material and Methods All the samples were immersed in different staining solutions over a 28-day test period. A colorimetric evaluation according to the CIE L*a*b* system was performed by a blind trained operator at 7, 14, 21, 28 days of the staining process. Shapiro Wilk test and Kruskal-Wallis ANOVA were applied to assess significant differences among restorative materials. Paired t-test was applied to test which CIE L*a*b* parameters significantly changed after immersion in staining solutions. Results One week immersion in acidic drink did not cause a perceivable discoloration for all restorative materials (ΔE < 3.3). Subsequent immersion in coffee affected color stability of all Zirconia samples, even if Kruskal-Wallis ANOVA found significant differences among the various restorative materials. Conclusions The ∆Es of CAD/CAM Zirconia ceramics after immersion in coffee varied among the products, but color integrity is not affected by contact with acidic drinks. Key words:CAD/CAM restorative materials, CIE Lab, Zirconia ceramics. PMID:29302281

Preliminary SEM Observations on the Surface of Elastomeric Impression Materials after Immersion or Ozone Disinfection

PubMed Central

Prombonas, Anthony; Yannikakis, Stavros; Karampotsos, Thanasis; Katsarou, Martha-Spyridoula; Drakoulis, Nikolaos

2016-01-01

Introduction Surface integrity of dental elastomeric impression materials that are subjected to disinfection is of major importance for the quality of the final prosthetic restorations. Aim The aim of this qualitative Scanning Electronic Microscopy (SEM) study was to reveal the effects of immersion or ozone disinfection on the surface of four dental elastomeric impression materials. Materials and Methods Four dental elastomeric impression material brands were used (two vinyl polysiloxane silicones, one polyether, and one vinyl polyether silicone). Total of 32 specimens were fabricated, eight from each impression material. Specimens were immersion (0.525% sodium hypochlorite solution or 0.3% benzalkonium chloride solution) or ozone disinfected or served as controls and examined with SEM. Results Surface degradation was observed on several speci-mens disinfected with 0.525% sodium hypochlorite solution. Similar wavy-wrinkling surface structures were observed in almost all specimens, when treated either with 0.3% benzalkonium chloride solution or ozone. Conclusion The SEM images obtained from this study revealed that both immersion disinfectants and ozone show similar impression material surface alterations. Ozone seems to be non-inferior as compared to immersion disinfectants, but superior as to environmental protection. PMID:28208993

Ameliorative effect of Vernonia cinerea in vincristine-induced painful neuropathy in rats.

PubMed

Thiagarajan, Venkata Rathina Kumar; Shanmugam, Palanichamy; Krishnan, Uma Maheswari; Muthuraman, Arunachalam

2014-10-01

The present study was designed to investigate the antinociceptive potential of Vernonia cinerea (VC) on vincristine-induced painful neuropathy in rats. A chemotherapeutic agent, vincristine (50 μg/kg intraperitoneally for 10 consecutive days), was administered for the induction of neuropathic pain in rats. The painful behavioral changes were assessed using hot plate, acetone drop, paw pressure, Von Frey hair and tail immersion tests to assess the degree of hyperalgesic and allodynic pain sensation in paw and tail. Tissue biomarker changes including thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARSs), reduced glutathione (GSH) and total calcium levels were estimated in sciatic nerve tissue samples to assess the degree of oxidative stress. Histopathological changes were also observed in transverse sections of rat sciatic nerve tissue. Ethanolic extract of VC leaves and pregabalin were administered for 14 consecutive days from day 0 (day of surgery). Pregabalin served as a positive control in the present study. Vincristine administration resulted in a significant reduction in painful behavioral changes along with a rise in the levels of TBARS, total calcium and decrease in GSH levels when compared with the normal control group. Furthermore, significant histopathological changes were also observed. Pretreatment with VC significantly attenuated vincristine-induced development of painful behavioral, biochemical and histological changes in a dose-dependent manner, which is similar to that of pregabalin-pretreated group. The attenuating effect of VC in vincristine-induced nociceptive painful sensation may be due to its potential of antioxidative, neuroprotective and calcium channel inhibitory action. © The Author(s) 2012.

Derivation of charts for determining the horizontal tail load variation with any elevator motion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pearson, Henry A

1943-01-01

The equations relating the wing and tail loads are derived for a unit elevator displacement. These equations are then converted into a nondimensional form and charts are given by which the wing- and tail-load-increment variation may be determined under dynamic conditions for any type of elevator motion and for various degrees of airplane stability. In order to illustrate the use of the charts, several examples are included in which the wing and tail loads are evaluated for a number of types of elevator motion. Methods are given for determining the necessary derivatives from results of wind-tunnel tests when such tests are available.

Comparison of disinfectants by immersion and spray atomization techniques on the linear dimensional stability of different interocclusal recording materials: An in vitro study

PubMed Central

Gounder, Revathy; Vikas, B. V. J.

2016-01-01

Objective: To evaluate and compare the effect of 0.5% chlorhexidine gluconate, 1% sodium hypochlorite, and 2% glutaraldehyde by immersion and spray atomization technique on the linear dimensional stability of Jet bite, Aluwax and Ramitec interocclusal recording materials. Materials and Methods: Three representative materials: Jet bite (addition silicone), Aluwax and Ramitec (polyether) were mixed according to manufacturer's instructions and then specimens were prepared according to the specifications of ISO 4823. All the specimens except the control (distilled water) were treated with disinfectant solutions (0.5% chlorhexidine gluconate, 1% sodium hypochlorite, and 2% glutaraldehyde) for 30 and 60 min (n = 10) by spray and immersion technique. Once removed from the solutions, the test samples were washed in water for 15 s, dried and measured after 24 h 3 times using a measuring microscope with an accuracy of 0.0001 mm. Two-way ANOVA and Tukey's test with significance level of 5% were used to assess the statistical data (α = 0.05). Result: All groups showed no significant difference statistically, in linear dimension when disinfected for 30 min by spray or immersion technique. Polyether had significantly higher dimensional variation when immersed in sodium hypochlorite for 60 min. Addition silicone showed the least dimensional change which ranged from 0.024% to 0.05%, followed by polyether from 0.004% to 0.171% and Aluwax from 0.146% to 0.228%. Conclusion: To preserve the dimensions and surface of the recording materials and effective microbial elimination, restrictions should be applied in the method of disinfection and time duration. However, using the disinfectants either by spray or immersion technique, the dimensional change was <0.5% which was not clinically significant according to the American Dental Association specification no. 19 criteria within the first 24 h. PMID:27011733

A comprehensive laboratory study on the immersion freezing behavior of illite NX particles. A comparison of 17 ice nucleation measurement techniques

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

Hiranuma, Naruki; Augustin-Bauditz, Stefanie; Bingemer, Heinz

Immersion freezing is the most relevant heterogeneous ice nucleation mechanism through which ice crystals are formed in mixed-phase clouds. In recent years, an increasing number of laboratory experiments utilizing a variety of instruments have examined immersion freezing activity of atmospherically relevant ice-nucleating particles. However, an intercomparison of these laboratory results is a difficult task because investigators have used different ice nucleation (IN) measurement methods to produce these results. A remaining challenge is to explore the sensitivity and accuracy of these techniques and to understand how the IN results are potentially influenced or biased by experimental parameters associated with these techniques.more » Within the framework of INUIT (Ice Nuclei Research Unit), we distributed an illite-rich sample (illite NX) as a representative surrogate for atmospheric mineral dust particles to investigators to perform immersion freezing experiments using different IN measurement methods and to obtain IN data as a function of particle concentration, temperature ( T), cooling rate and nucleation time. A total of 17 measurement methods were involved in the data intercomparison. Experiments with seven instruments started with the test sample pre-suspended in water before cooling, while 10 other instruments employed water vapor condensation onto dry-dispersed particles followed by immersion freezing. The resulting comprehensive immersion freezing data set was evaluated using the ice nucleation active surface-site density, n s, to develop a representative n s( T) spectrum that spans a wide temperature range (-37 °C < T < -11 °C) and covers 9 orders of magnitude in n s. In general, the 17 immersion freezing measurement techniques deviate, within a range of about 8 °C in terms of temperature, by 3 orders of magnitude with respect to n s. In addition, we show evidence that the immersion freezing efficiency expressed in n s of illite NX particles is relatively independent of droplet size, particle mass in suspension, particle size and cooling rate during freezing. A strong temperature dependence and weak time and size dependence of the immersion freezing efficiency of illite-rich clay mineral particles enabled the n s parameterization solely as a function of temperature. We also characterized the n s( T) spectra and identified a section with a steep slope between -20 and -27 °C, where a large fraction of active sites of our test dust may trigger immersion freezing. This slope was followed by a region with a gentler slope at temperatures below -27 °C. While the agreement between different instruments was reasonable below ~ -27 °C, there seemed to be a different trend in the temperature-dependent ice nucleation activity from the suspension and dry-dispersed particle measurements for this mineral dust, in particular at higher temperatures. For instance, the ice nucleation activity expressed in n s was smaller for the average of the wet suspended samples and higher for the average of the dry-dispersed aerosol samples between about -27 and -18 °C. Only instruments making measurements with wet suspended samples were able to measure ice nucleation above -18 °C. A possible explanation for the deviation between -27 and -18 °C is discussed. Multiple exponential distribution fits in both linear and log space for both specific surface area-based n s( T) and geometric surface area-based n s( T) are provided. These new fits, constrained by using identical reference samples, will help to compare IN measurement methods that are not included in the present study and IN data from future IN instruments.« less

A comprehensive laboratory study on the immersion freezing behavior of illite NX particles. A comparison of 17 ice nucleation measurement techniques

DOE PAGES

Hiranuma, Naruki; Augustin-Bauditz, Stefanie; Bingemer, Heinz; ...

2015-03-06

Immersion freezing is the most relevant heterogeneous ice nucleation mechanism through which ice crystals are formed in mixed-phase clouds. In recent years, an increasing number of laboratory experiments utilizing a variety of instruments have examined immersion freezing activity of atmospherically relevant ice-nucleating particles. However, an intercomparison of these laboratory results is a difficult task because investigators have used different ice nucleation (IN) measurement methods to produce these results. A remaining challenge is to explore the sensitivity and accuracy of these techniques and to understand how the IN results are potentially influenced or biased by experimental parameters associated with these techniques.more » Within the framework of INUIT (Ice Nuclei Research Unit), we distributed an illite-rich sample (illite NX) as a representative surrogate for atmospheric mineral dust particles to investigators to perform immersion freezing experiments using different IN measurement methods and to obtain IN data as a function of particle concentration, temperature ( T), cooling rate and nucleation time. A total of 17 measurement methods were involved in the data intercomparison. Experiments with seven instruments started with the test sample pre-suspended in water before cooling, while 10 other instruments employed water vapor condensation onto dry-dispersed particles followed by immersion freezing. The resulting comprehensive immersion freezing data set was evaluated using the ice nucleation active surface-site density, n s, to develop a representative n s( T) spectrum that spans a wide temperature range (-37 °C < T < -11 °C) and covers 9 orders of magnitude in n s. In general, the 17 immersion freezing measurement techniques deviate, within a range of about 8 °C in terms of temperature, by 3 orders of magnitude with respect to n s. In addition, we show evidence that the immersion freezing efficiency expressed in n s of illite NX particles is relatively independent of droplet size, particle mass in suspension, particle size and cooling rate during freezing. A strong temperature dependence and weak time and size dependence of the immersion freezing efficiency of illite-rich clay mineral particles enabled the n s parameterization solely as a function of temperature. We also characterized the n s( T) spectra and identified a section with a steep slope between -20 and -27 °C, where a large fraction of active sites of our test dust may trigger immersion freezing. This slope was followed by a region with a gentler slope at temperatures below -27 °C. While the agreement between different instruments was reasonable below ~ -27 °C, there seemed to be a different trend in the temperature-dependent ice nucleation activity from the suspension and dry-dispersed particle measurements for this mineral dust, in particular at higher temperatures. For instance, the ice nucleation activity expressed in n s was smaller for the average of the wet suspended samples and higher for the average of the dry-dispersed aerosol samples between about -27 and -18 °C. Only instruments making measurements with wet suspended samples were able to measure ice nucleation above -18 °C. A possible explanation for the deviation between -27 and -18 °C is discussed. Multiple exponential distribution fits in both linear and log space for both specific surface area-based n s( T) and geometric surface area-based n s( T) are provided. These new fits, constrained by using identical reference samples, will help to compare IN measurement methods that are not included in the present study and IN data from future IN instruments.« less

Technical note: preservation of tissues and gastrointestinal tract portions by plastic coating or plastination.

PubMed

Pond, K R; Holladay, S D; Luginbuhl, J M

1992-04-01

Two methods to preserve gastrointestinal tract (GIT) organs and tissues, plastic coating (PC) and plastination (PN), were investigated and compared. Specimens to be preserved were removed from animals within 2 h of death and immediately cleaned with water. Digesta contents were removed by flushing desired portions of GIT with water until the exiting water was clear. In the PC method, cleaned specimens were dehydrated by immersion in an isopropanol solution, dried with forced air after positioning and orientation as in situ, and finally coated on the outer and inner surfaces with a clear plastic material. In the PN procedure, specimens were filled with, and submerged in, a low-formaldehyde fixative, then dehydrated by immersion in a cold acetone solution. Dehydrated specimens were immersed in silicone and placed in a freeze drier for impregnation under low vacuum, followed by overnight gas curing with a silicone crosslinker. Finally, viewing windows were cut out with a scalpel in GIT preserved by both methods. Preserved GIT and tissues had an appearance similar to their appearance in vivo. The PC method was simple and inexpensive. Plastinated specimens were more flexible, durable, and lifelike than those preserved by the PC method. In addition, many body parts, such as muscles, nerves, bones, ligaments, and central nervous system specimens, were preserved by PN. Both methods were found to be useful tools for postmortem studies of tissues and GIT organs.

Tail Biting Trellis Representation of Codes: Decoding and Construction

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shao. Rose Y.; Lin, Shu; Fossorier, Marc

1999-01-01

This paper presents two new iterative algorithms for decoding linear codes based on their tail biting trellises, one is unidirectional and the other is bidirectional. Both algorithms are computationally efficient and achieves virtually optimum error performance with a small number of decoding iterations. They outperform all the previous suboptimal decoding algorithms. The bidirectional algorithm also reduces decoding delay. Also presented in the paper is a method for constructing tail biting trellises for linear block codes.

Method for lake restoration

DOEpatents

Dawson, Gaynor W.; Mercer, Basil W.

1979-01-01

A process for removing pollutants or minerals from lake, river or ocean sediments or from mine tailings is disclosed. Magnetically attractable collection units containing an ion exchange or sorbent media with an affinity for a chosen target substance are distributed in the sediments or tailings. After a period of time has passed sufficient for the particles to bind up the target substances, a magnet drawn through the sediments or across the tailings retrieves the units along with the target substance.

Assessing the genetic diversity of Cu resistance in mine tailings through high-throughput recovery of full-length copA genes

PubMed Central

Li, Xiaofang; Zhu, Yong-Guan; Shaban, Babak; Bruxner, Timothy J. C.; Bond, Philip L.; Huang, Longbin

2015-01-01

Characterizing the genetic diversity of microbial copper (Cu) resistance at the community level remains challenging, mainly due to the polymorphism of the core functional gene copA. In this study, a local BLASTN method using a copA database built in this study was developed to recover full-length putative copA sequences from an assembled tailings metagenome; these sequences were then screened for potentially functioning CopA using conserved metal-binding motifs, inferred by evolutionary trace analysis of CopA sequences from known Cu resistant microorganisms. In total, 99 putative copA sequences were recovered from the tailings metagenome, out of which 70 were found with high potential to be functioning in Cu resistance. Phylogenetic analysis of selected copA sequences detected in the tailings metagenome showed that topology of the copA phylogeny is largely congruent with that of the 16S-based phylogeny of the tailings microbial community obtained in our previous study, indicating that the development of copA diversity in the tailings might be mainly through vertical descent with few lateral gene transfer events. The method established here can be used to explore copA (and potentially other metal resistance genes) diversity in any metagenome and has the potential to exhaust the full-length gene sequences for downstream analyses. PMID:26286020

Long-term dentin remineralization by poly(amido amine) and rechargeable calcium phosphate nanocomposite after fluid challenges.

PubMed

Liang, Kunneng; Xiao, Shimeng; Wu, Junling; Li, Jiyao; Weir, Michael D; Cheng, Lei; Reynolds, Mark A; Zhou, Xuedong; Xu, Hockin H K

2018-04-01

Previous studies investigated short-term dentin remineralization; studies on long-term dentin remineralization after fluid challenges mimicking fluids in oral environment are lacking. The objective of this study was to develop a long-term remineralization method to via poly(amido amine) (PAMAM) and rechargeable composite containing nanoparticles of amorphous calcium phosphate (NACP) after fluid challenges for the first time. NACP composite was immersed at pH 4 to exhaust its calcium (Ca) and phosphate (P) ions, and then recharged with Ca and P ions, to test the remineralization of the exhausted and recharged NACP composite. Dentin was acid-etched with 37% phosphoric acid. Four groups were prepared: (1) dentin control, (2) dentin with PAMAM, (3) dentin with the recharged NACP composite, and (4) dentin with PAMAM plus recharged NACP composite. PAMAM-coated dentin was immersed in phosphate-buffered saline with shaking for 72 days, because there is fluid flow in the mouth which could potentially detach the PAMAM from dentin. Specimens were treated with a cyclic artificial saliva/lactic acid regimen for 35 days. After 72days of immersion plus shaking, the PAMAM still successfully fulfilled its mineralization nucleation. The recharged NACP composite still provided acid-neutralization and ion re-release, which did not decrease with increasing the number of recharge cycles. The immersed-PAMAM plus NACP achieved complete dentin remineralization and restored the hardness to that of healthy dentin. In conclusion, superior long-term remineralization of the PAMAM plus NACP method was demonstrated for the first time. The immersed-PAMAM plus recharged NACP completely remineralized the pre-demineralized dentin, even after prolonged fluid-challenge similar to that in oral environment. The novel PAMAM plus NACP composite method is promising to provide long-term tooth protection and caries inhibition. Copyright © 2018 The Academy of Dental Materials. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Ex vivo vs. in vivo antibacterial activity of two antiseptics on oral biofilm

PubMed Central

Prada-López, Isabel; Quintas, Víctor; Casares-De-Cal, Maria A.; Suárez-Quintanilla, Juan A.; Suárez-Quintanilla, David; Tomás, Inmaculada

2015-01-01

Aim: To compare the immediate antibacterial effect of two application methods (passive immersion and active mouthwash) of two antiseptic solutions on the in situ oral biofilm. Material and Methods: A randomized observer-masked crossover study was conducted. Fifteen healthy volunteers wore a specific intraoral device for 48 h to form a biofilm in three glass disks. One of these disks was used as a baseline; another one was immersed in a solution of 0.2% Chlorhexidine (0.2% CHX), remaining the third in the device, placed in the oral cavity, during the 0.2% CHX mouthwash application. After a 2-weeks washout period, the protocol was repeated using a solution of Essential Oils (EO). Samples were analyzed for bacterial viability with the confocal laser scanning microscope after previous staining with LIVE/DEAD® BacLight™. Results: The EO showed a better antibacterial effect compared to the 0.2% CHX after the mouthwash application (% of bacterial viability = 1.16 ± 1.00% vs. 5.08 ± 5.79%, respectively), and was more effective in all layers (p < 0.05). In the immersion, both antiseptics were significantly less effective (% of bacterial viability = 26.93 ± 13.11%, EO vs. 15.17 ± 6.14%, 0.2% CHX); in the case of EO immersion, there were no significant changes in the bacterial viability of the deepest layer in comparison with the baseline. Conclusions: The method of application conditioned the antibacterial activity of the 0.2% CHX and EO solutions on the in situ oral biofilm. The in vivo active mouthwash was more effective than the ex vivo passive immersion in both antiseptic solutions. There was more penetration of the antiseptic inside the biofilm with an active mouthwash, especially with the EO. Trial registered in clinicaltrials.gov with the number NCT02267239. URL: https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02267239. PMID:26191050

Screening of lipid composition for scalable fabrication of solvent free lipid microarrays

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghazanfari, Lida; Lenhert, Steven

2016-12-01

Liquid microdroplet arrays on surfaces are a promising approach to the miniaturization of laboratory processes such as high throughput screening. The fluid nature of these droplets poses unique challenges and opportunities in their fabrication and application, particularly for the scalable integration of multiple materials over large areas and immersion into cell culture solution. Here we use pin spotting and nanointaglio printing to screen a library of lipids and their mixtures for their compatibility with these fabrication processes, as well as stability upon immersion into aqueous solution. More than 200 combinations of natural and synthetic oils composed of fatty acids, triglycerides, and hydrocarbons were tested for their pin-spotting and nanointaglio print quality and their ability to contain the fluorescent compound TRITC upon immersion in water. A combination of castor oil and hexanoic acid at the ratio of 1:1 (w/w) was found optimal for producing reproducible patterns that are stable upon immersion into water. This method is capable of large scale nano-materials integration.

The graphene oxide membrane immersing in the aqueous solution studied by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Yongjing; Chen, Zhe; Yao, Lei; Wang, Xiao; Fu, Ping; Lin, Zhidong

2018-04-01

The interlayer spacing of graphene oxide (GO) is a key property for GO membrane. To probe the variation of interlayer spacing of the GO membrane immersing in KCl aqueous solution, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), x-ray diffraction (XRD) and computational calculation was utilized in this study. The XRD patterns show that soaking in KCl aqueous solution leads to an increase of interlayer spacing of GO membrane. And the EIS results indicate that during the immersing process, the charge transfer resistance of GO membrane decreases first and then increases. Computational calculation confirms that intercalated water molecules can result in an increase of interlayer spacing of GO membrane, while the permeation of K+ ions would lead to a decrease of interlayer spacing. All the results are in agreement with each other. It suggests that during the immersing process, the interlayer spacing of GO enlarges first and then decreases. EIS can be a promisingly online method for examining the interlayer spacing of GO in the aqueous solution.

Enriching acid rock drainage related microbial communities from surface-deposited oil sands tailings.

PubMed

Dean, Courtney; Xiao, Yeyuan; Roberts, Deborah J

2016-10-01

Little is known about the microbial communities native to surface-deposited pyritic oil sands tailings, an environment where acid rock drainage (ARD) could occur. The goal of this study was to enrich sulfur-oxidizing organisms from these tailings and determine whether different populations exist at pH levels 7, 4.5, and 2.5. Using growth-based methods provides model organisms for use in the future to predict potential activities and limitations of these organisms and to develop possible control methods. Thiosulfate-fed enrichment cultures were monitored for approximately 1 year. The results showed that the enrichments at pH 4.5 and 7 were established quicker than at pH 2.5. Different microbial community structures were found among the 3 pH environments. The sulfur-oxidizing microorganisms identified were most closely related to Halothiobacillus neapolitanus, Achromobacter spp., and Curtobacterium spp. While microorganisms related to Chitinophagaceae and Acidocella spp. were identified as the only possible iron-oxidizing and -reducing microbes. These results contribute to the general knowledge of the relatively understudied microbial communities that exist in pyritic oil sands tailings and indicate these communities may have a potential role in ARD generation, which may have implications for future tailings management.

ArrayVigil: a methodology for statistical comparison of gene signatures using segregated-one-tailed (SOT) Wilcoxon's signed-rank test.

PubMed

Khan, Haseeb Ahmad

2005-01-28

Due to versatile diagnostic and prognostic fidelity molecular signatures or fingerprints are anticipated as the most powerful tools for cancer management in the near future. Notwithstanding the experimental advancements in microarray technology, methods for analyzing either whole arrays or gene signatures have not been firmly established. Recently, an algorithm, ArraySolver has been reported by Khan for two-group comparison of microarray gene expression data using two-tailed Wilcoxon signed-rank test. Most of the molecular signatures are composed of two sets of genes (hybrid signatures) wherein up-regulation of one set and down-regulation of the other set collectively define the purpose of a gene signature. Since the direction of a selected gene's expression (positive or negative) with respect to a particular disease condition is known, application of one-tailed statistics could be a more relevant choice. A novel method, ArrayVigil, is described for comparing hybrid signatures using segregated-one-tailed (SOT) Wilcoxon signed-rank test and the results compared with integrated-two-tailed (ITT) procedures (SPSS and ArraySolver). ArrayVigil resulted in lower P values than those obtained from ITT statistics while comparing real data from four signatures.

Autocalibration of multiprojector CAVE-like immersive environments.

PubMed

Sajadi, Behzad; Majumder, Aditi

2012-03-01

In this paper, we present the first method for the geometric autocalibration of multiple projectors on a set of CAVE-like immersive display surfaces including truncated domes and 4 or 5-wall CAVEs (three side walls, floor, and/or ceiling). All such surfaces can be categorized as swept surfaces and multiple projectors can be registered on them using a single uncalibrated camera without using any physical markers on the surface. Our method can also handle nonlinear distortion in the projectors, common in compact setups where a short throw lens is mounted on each projector. Further, when the whole swept surface is not visible from a single camera view, we can register the projectors using multiple pan and tilted views of the same camera. Thus, our method scales well with different size and resolution of the display. Since we recover the 3D shape of the display, we can achieve registration that is correct from any arbitrary viewpoint appropriate for head-tracked single-user virtual reality systems. We can also achieve wallpapered registration, more appropriate for multiuser collaborative explorations. Though much more immersive than common surfaces like planes and cylinders, general swept surfaces are used today only for niche display environments. Even the more popular 4 or 5-wall CAVE is treated as a piecewise planar surface for calibration purposes and hence projectors are not allowed to be overlapped across the corners. Our method opens up the possibility of using such swept surfaces to create more immersive VR systems without compromising the simplicity of having a completely automatic calibration technique. Such calibration allows completely arbitrary positioning of the projectors in a 5-wall CAVE, without respecting the corners.

Polymeric waveguide array with 45 degree slopes fabricated by bottom side tilted exposure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Xiaohui; Dou, Xinyuan; Wang, Alan X.; Chen, Ray T.

2011-01-01

This paper demonstrated a practical fabrication process of polymeric waveguide array (12 channels) with 50μm(W)×50μm(H)×23mm(L) dimension and mirror embedded 45° degree slopes for vertical coupling purpose. The entire process contained three main parts: a SU8 pre-mold with 45° slope, a PDMS mold and the final waveguide array device. The key step of fabricating the pre-mold included a bottom side tilted exposure of SU8 photo resist. By placing the sample upside down, tilting by 58.7° and immersing into DI water, the ultraviolet (UV) beam that shined vertically was directed to go through from the bottom of the glass substrate into top side SU8 resist with 45° angle to form the surface. This method was able to guarantee no-gap contact between the mask pattern and the photo resist when exposing. By comparing the process complexity and achieved structure of the top and bottom side exposure, the later was proved to be a promising method for making high quality tilted structure without any tailing effect. The reversed PDMS mold was then fabricated on the SU8 pre-mold. The PDMS mold was used to imprint the cladding layer of the waveguide array. After metal deposition, core filling and top cladding layer coating, the final polymeric waveguide array device was achieved. For performance evaluation, 850nm laser beam from VCSEL was modulated to 10Gbps signals and vertically coupled into the waveguide array. The eye diagrams revealed high Q factor when transmitting signals along these waveguide array.

Evaluation of cleansing methods for previously worn prostheses.

PubMed

Glass, R Thomas; Conrad, Robert S; Bullard, James W; Goodson, Leigh B; Mehta, Naresh; Lech, Stanley J; Loewy, Zvi G

2011-04-01

Although there are many product claims that address the issue of denture sanitization, controlled scientific studies on previously worn dentures have not been performed. The purpose of this study was to evaluate procedures directed at sanitizing previously worn contaminated dentures from two regions of the United States. This study examined 51 previously worn dentures from two regions. An established method of denture retrieval, sectioning, and culturing was used, including isolation of anaerobes. Evaluation of microbial contamination posttreatment was used to determine the effects of soaking dentures in Polident (US and European formulations) for varying periods of times/temperatures, microwaving dentures with varying temperatures, sonicating dentures, and immersing the dentures while using a vacuum. A combination of analysis of variance (ANOVA) and general linear model (GLM) of the SPSS was used to analyze the data with P < .05 being considered statistically significant when using a two-tailed test. While all Polident treatments were found to significantly reduce microorganism loads in dentures, extended soaking (8 hours) and 65 degrees C (5 minutes) were the most effective. Microwaving was slightly more effective than either sonication or vacuum. Regardless the treatment, dentures underwent sanitization rather than sterilization. Denture-borne microorganisms can be significantly reduced by using a Polident solution for 8 hours at room temperature or for 5 minutes at 65 degrees C. Microwaving, sonication, and use of a vacuum were less effective. ClLINICAL IMPLICATIONS The importance of daily use of Polident solution for 8 hours or for 5 minutes at 65 degrees C to sanitize worn prostheses must be stressed.

Chronic occupational exposure to hexavalent chromium causes DNA damage in electroplating workers

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Occupational exposure to chromium compounds may result in adverse health effects. This study aims to investigate whether low-level hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) exposure can cause DNA damage in electroplating workers. Methods 157 electroplating workers and 93 control subjects with no history of occupational exposure to chromium were recruited in Hangzhou, China. Chromium levels in erythrocytes were determined by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrophotometer. DNA damage in peripheral lymphocytes was evaluated with the alkaline comet assay by three parameters: Olive tail moment, tail length and percent of DNA in the comet tail (tail DNA%). Urinary 8-OHdG levels were measured by ELISA. Results Chromium concentration in erythrocytes was about two times higher in electroplating workers (median: 4.41 μg/L) than that in control subjects (1.54 μg/L, P < 0.001). The medians (range) of Olive tail moment, tail length and tail DNA% in exposed workers were 1.13 (0.14-6.77), 11.17 (3.46-52.19) and 3.69 (0.65-16.20), and were significantly higher than those in control subjects (0.14 (0.01-0.39), 3.26 (3.00-4.00) and 0.69 (0.04-2.74), P < 0.001). Urinary 8-OHdG concentration was 13.65 (3.08-66.30) μg/g creatinine in exposed workers and 8.31 (2.94-30.83) μg/g creatinine in control subjects (P < 0.001). The differences of urinary 8-OHdG levels, Olive tail moment, tail length and tail DNA% between these two groups remained significant (P < 0.001) even after stratification by potential confounding factors such as age, gender, and smoking status. Chromium exposure was found to be positively associated with chromium levels in erythrocytes, urinary 8-OHdG levels, Olive tail moment, tail length and tail DNA%. Positive dose-response associations were also found between chromium levels in erythrocytes and Olive tail moment, tail length and tail DNA%. Conclusion The findings in this study indicated that there was detectable chromium exposure in electroplating workers. Low-level occupational chromium exposure induced DNA damage. PMID:21481275

Que hay de nuevo acerca de la inmersion? Un Breve Recorrido por sus Fundamentos y por las Investigaciones Actuales (What's New in Immersion? A Brief Overview of Its Bases and Present-Day Research).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sierra, Josu

This discussion briefly surveys the development of the immersion method of second language teaching, outlining the central program strategies and characteristics using Curtain's and Pesola's descriptions. An overview of recent research focuses on error correction and feedback studies as an example of pedagogical-methodological evolution in this…

Lionfish envenomation.

PubMed

Vetrano, Stephen J; Lebowitz, Jeffery B; Marcus, Steven

2002-11-01

Lionfish (Pterois volitans) are venomous fish most often found as aquarium pets throughout the United States. Lionfish envenomations frequently occur on the upper extremities, with pain as the predominant symptom. Immersing the injured part in warm (45 degrees C) water is considered the first and foremost important treatment as it is reported to relieve pain and inactivate the venom. Other methods of analgesia are discussed. We present a case of lionfish envenomation that failed to respond to warm water immersion.

Probability of detecting band-tailed pigeons during call-broadcast versus auditory surveys

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kirkpatrick, C.; Conway, C.J.; Hughes, K.M.; Devos, J.C.

2007-01-01

Estimates of population trend for the interior subspecies of band-tailed pigeon (Patagioenas fasciata fasciata) are not available because no standardized survey method exists for monitoring the interior subspecies. We evaluated 2 potential band-tailed pigeon survey methods (auditory and call-broadcast surveys) from 2002 to 2004 in 5 mountain ranges in southern Arizona, USA, and in mixed-conifer forest throughout the state. Both auditory and call-broadcast surveys produced low numbers of cooing pigeons detected per survey route (x?? ??? 0.67) and had relatively high temporal variance in average number of cooing pigeons detected during replicate surveys (CV ??? 161%). However, compared to auditory surveys, use of call-broadcast increased 1) the percentage of replicate surveys on which ???1 cooing pigeon was detected by an average of 16%, and 2) the number of cooing pigeons detected per survey route by an average of 29%, with this difference being greatest during the first 45 minutes of the morning survey period. Moreover, probability of detecting a cooing pigeon was 27% greater during call-broadcast (0.80) versus auditory (0.63) surveys. We found that cooing pigeons were most common in mixed-conifer forest in southern Arizona and density of male pigeons in mixed-conifer forest throughout the state averaged 0.004 (SE = 0.001) pigeons/ha. Our results are the first to show that call-broadcast increases the probability of detecting band-tailed pigeons (or any species of Columbidae) during surveys. Call-broadcast surveys may provide a useful method for monitoring populations of the interior subspecies of band-tailed pigeon in areas where other survey methods are inappropriate.

Lattice Boltzmann simulations of flapping wings: The flock effect and the lateral wind effect

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Rosis, Alessandro

2014-02-01

In this paper, numerical analysis aiming at simulating biological organisms immersed in a fluid are carried out. The fluid domain is modeled through the lattice Boltzmann (LB) method, while the immersed boundary method is used to account for the position of the organisms idealized as rigid bodies. The time discontinuous Galerkin method is employed to compute body motion. An explicit coupling strategy to combine the adopted numerical methods is proposed. The vertical take-off of a couple of butterflies is numerically simulated in different scenarios, showing the mutual interaction that a butterfly exerts on the other one. Moreover, the effect of lateral wind is investigated. A critical threshold value of the lateral wind is defined, thus corresponding to an increasing arduous take-off.

An immersed-shell method for modelling fluid–structure interactions

PubMed Central

Viré, A.; Xiang, J.; Pain, C. C.

2015-01-01

The paper presents a novel method for numerically modelling fluid–structure interactions. The method consists of solving the fluid-dynamics equations on an extended domain, where the computational mesh covers both fluid and solid structures. The fluid and solid velocities are relaxed to one another through a penalty force. The latter acts on a thin shell surrounding the solid structures. Additionally, the shell is represented on the extended domain by a non-zero shell-concentration field, which is obtained by conservatively mapping the shell mesh onto the extended mesh. The paper outlines the theory underpinning this novel method, referred to as the immersed-shell approach. It also shows how the coupling between a fluid- and a structural-dynamics solver is achieved. At this stage, results are shown for cases of fundamental interest. PMID:25583857

Immersed boundary method for Boltzmann model kinetic equations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pekardan, Cem; Chigullapalli, Sruti; Sun, Lin; Alexeenko, Alina

2012-11-01

Three different immersed boundary method formulations are presented for Boltzmann model kinetic equations such as Bhatnagar-Gross-Krook (BGK) and Ellipsoidal statistical Bhatnagar-Gross-Krook (ESBGK) model equations. 1D unsteady IBM solution for a moving piston is compared with the DSMC results and 2D quasi-steady microscale gas damping solutions are verified by a conformal finite volume method solver. Transient analysis for a sinusoidally moving beam is also carried out for the different pressure conditions (1 atm, 0.1 atm and 0.01 atm) corresponding to Kn=0.05,0.5 and 5. Interrelaxation method (Method 2) is shown to provide a faster convergence as compared to the traditional interpolation scheme used in continuum IBM formulations. Unsteady damping in rarefied regime is characterized by a significant phase-lag which is not captured by quasi-steady approximations.

A coupled sharp-interface immersed boundary-finite-element method for flow-structure interaction with application to human phonation.

PubMed

Zheng, X; Xue, Q; Mittal, R; Beilamowicz, S

2010-11-01

A new flow-structure interaction method is presented, which couples a sharp-interface immersed boundary method flow solver with a finite-element method based solid dynamics solver. The coupled method provides robust and high-fidelity solution for complex flow-structure interaction (FSI) problems such as those involving three-dimensional flow and viscoelastic solids. The FSI solver is used to simulate flow-induced vibrations of the vocal folds during phonation. Both two- and three-dimensional models have been examined and qualitative, as well as quantitative comparisons, have been made with established results in order to validate the solver. The solver is used to study the onset of phonation in a two-dimensional laryngeal model and the dynamics of the glottal jet in a three-dimensional model and results from these studies are also presented.

Quantification of applied dose in irradiated citrus fruits by DNA Comet Assay together with image analysis.

PubMed

Cetinkaya, Nurcan; Ercin, Demet; Özvatan, Sümer; Erel, Yakup

2016-02-01

The experiments were conducted for quantification of applied dose for quarantine control in irradiated citrus fruits. Citrus fruits exposed to doses of 0.1 to 1.5 kGy and analyzed by DNA Comet Assay. Observed comets were evaluated by image analysis. The tail length, tail moment and tail DNA% of comets were used for the interpretation of comets. Irradiated citrus fruits showed the separated tails from the head of the comet by increasing applied doses from 0.1 to 1.5 kGy. The mean tail length and mean tail moment% levels of irradiated citrus fruits at all doses are significantly different (p < 0.01) from control even for the lowest dose at 0.1 kGy. Thus, DNA Comet Assay may be a practical quarantine control method for irradiated citrus fruits since it has been possible to estimate the applied low doses as small as 0.1 kGy when it is combined with image analysis. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A review on in situ phytoremediation of mine tailings.

PubMed

Wang, Li; Ji, Bin; Hu, Yuehua; Liu, Runqing; Sun, Wei

2017-10-01

Mine tailings are detrimental to natural plant growth due to their physicochemical characteristics, such as high pH, high salinity, low water retention capacity, high heavy metal concentrations, and deficiencies in soil organic matter and fertility. Thus, the remediation of mine tailings has become a key issue in environmental science and engineering. Phytoremediation, an in situ cost-effective technology, is emerging as the most promising remediation method for mine tailings by introducing tolerant plant species. It is particularly effective in dealing with large-area mine tailings with shallow contamination of organic, nutrient and metal pollutants. In this review, the background, concepts and applications of phytoremediation are comprehensively discussed. Furthermore, proper amendments used to improve the physical, chemical and biological properties of mine tailings are systematically reviewed and compared. Emphasis is placed on the types and characteristics of tolerant plants and their role in phytoremediation. Moreover, the role of microorganisms and their mechanism in phytoremediation are also discussed in-depth. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Mineralogy and Geochemical Processes of Carbonate Mineral-rich Sulfide Mine Tailings, Zimapan, Mexico

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McClure, R. J.; Deng, Y.; Loeppert, R.; Herbert, B. E.; Carrillo, R.; Gonzalez, C.

2009-12-01

Mining for silver, lead, zinc, and copper in Zimapan, Hidalgo State, Mexico has been ongoing since 1576. High concentrations of heavy metals have been found in several mine tailing heaps in the Zimapan area, with concentrations of arsenic observed as high as 28,690 mg/kg and levels of Pb as high as 2772 mg/kg. Unsecured tailings heaps and associated acid mine drainage has presented tremendous problems to revegetation, water quality, and dust emission control in the Zimapan area. Although acid mine drainage problems related to weathering of sulfide minerals have been extensively studied and are well known, the weathering products of sulfides in areas with a significant presence of carbonate minerals and their effect on the mobility of heavy metals warrant further study. Carbonate minerals are expected to neutralize sulfuric acid produced from weathering of sulfide minerals, however, in the Zimapan area localized areas of pH as low as 1.8 were observed within carbonate mineral-rich tailing heaps. The objectives of this study are to characterize (1) the heavy metal-containing sulfide minerals in the initial tailing materials, (2) the intermediate oxidation products of sulfide minerals within the carbonate-rich tailings, (3) chemical species of heavy metals within pH gradients between 1.8 and 8.2, the approximate natural pH of limestone, and (4) the mobility of soluble and colloidal heavy metals and arsenic within the carbonate-rich tailings. Representative mine tailings and their intermediate oxidation products have been sampled from the Zimapan area. Mineralogical characterization will be conducted with X-ray diffraction, infrared spectroscopy, electron microscopes and microprobes, and chemical methods. Chemical species will be extracted by selective dissolution methods. Preliminary results have identified calcite as the dominant mineral in the tailing heaps with a pH of 7, suggesting non-equilibrium with the acidic weathering products. Other minerals identified in the tailings include gypsum, quartz, pyrite, mica, talc, amphiboles, and feldspars. Oxidation products identified include copiapite as well as various iron oxides. Future results are expected to reveal most of the heavy metals to be adsorbed by or coprecipitate with iron oxides, with most of the oxidized arsenic staying in the soluble form. The mobility of the colloidal form of the oxides and associated heavy metals within the carbonate mineral-rich tailings need additional study.

Dynamics of runaway tails with time-dependent sub-Dreicer dc fields in magnetized plasmas

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Moghaddam-Taaheri, E.; Vlahos, L.

1987-01-01

The evolution of runaway tails driven by sub-Dreicer time-dependent dc fields in a magnetized plasma are studied numerically using a quasi-linear code based on the Ritz-Galerkin method and finite elements. It is found that the runaway tail maintained a negative slope during the dc field increase. Depending on the values of the dc electric field at t = 0 and the electron gyrofrequency to the plasma frequency ratio the runaway tail became unstable to the anomalous Doppler resonance or remained stable before the saturation of the dc field at some maximum value. The systems that remained stable during this stage became unstable to the anomalous Doppler or the Cerenkov resonances when the dc field was kept at the saturation level or decreased. Once the instability is triggered, the runaway tail is isotropized.

Acute effects of Finnish sauna and cold-water immersion on haemodynamic variables and autonomic nervous system activity in patients with heart failure.

PubMed

Radtke, Thomas; Poerschke, Daniel; Wilhelm, Matthias; Trachsel, Lukas D; Tschanz, Hansueli; Matter, Friederike; Jauslin, Daniel; Saner, Hugo; Schmid, Jean-Paul

2016-04-01

The haemodynamic response to Finnish sauna and subsequent cold-water immersion in heart failure patients is unknown. Haemodynamic response to two consecutive Finnish sauna (80℃) exposures, followed by a final head-out cold-water immersion (12℃) was measured in 37 male participants: chronic heart failure (n = 12, 61.8 ± 9.2 years), coronary artery disease (n = 13, 61.2 ± 10.6 years) and control subjects (n = 12, 60.9 ± 8.9 years). Cardiac output was measured non-invasively with an inert gas rebreathing method prior to and immediately after the first sauna exposure and after cold-water immersion, respectively. Blood pressure was measured before, twice during and after sauna. The autonomic nervous system was assessed by power spectral analysis of heart rate variability. Total power, low-frequency and high-frequency components were evaluated. The low frequency/high frequency ratio was used as a marker of sympathovagal balance. Sauna and cold-water immersion were well tolerated by all subjects. Cardiac output and heart rate significantly increased in all groups after sauna and cold-water immersion (p < 0.05), except for coronary artery disease patients after sauna exposure. Systolic blood pressure during sauna decreased significantly in all groups with a nadir after 6 min (all p < 0.05). Cold-water immersion significantly increased systolic blood pressure in all groups (p < 0.05). No change in the low/high frequency ratio was found in chronic heart failure patients. In coronary artery disease patients and controls a prolonged increase in low frequency/high frequency ratio was observed after the first sauna exposure. Acute exposure to Finnish sauna and cold-water immersion causes haemodynamic alterations in chronic heart failure patients similarly to control subjects and in particular did not provoke an excessive increase in adrenergic activity or complex arrhythmias. © The European Society of Cardiology 2015.

Utility of capillary microsampling for rat pharmacokinetic studies: Comparison of tail-vein bleed to jugular vein cannula sampling.

PubMed

Korfmacher, Walter; Luo, Yongyi; Ho, Stacy; Sun, Wei; Shen, Liduo; Wang, Jie; Wu, Zhongtao; Guo, Yang; Snow, Gregory; O'Shea, Thomas

2015-01-01

Serial sampling methods have been used for rat pharmacokinetic (PK) studies for over 20 years. Currently, it is still common to take 200-250 μL of blood at each timepoint when performing a PK study in rats and using serial sampling. While several techniques have been employed for collecting blood samples from rats, there is only limited published data to compare these methods. Recently, microsampling (≤ 50 μL) techniques have been reported as an alternative process for collecting blood samples from rats. In this report, five compounds were dosed orally into rats. For three proprietary compounds, jugular vein cannula (JVC) sampling was used to collect whole blood and plasma samples and capillary microsampling (CMS) was used to collect blood samples from the tail vein of the same animal. For the two other compounds, marketed drugs fluoxetine and glipizide, JVC sampling was used to collect both whole blood and blood CMS samples while tail-vein sampling from the same rats was also used to collect both whole blood and blood CMS samples. For the three proprietary compounds, the blood AUC as well as the blood concentration-time profile that were obtained from the tail vein were different from those obtained via JVC sampling. For fluoxetine, the blood total exposure (AUC) was not statistically different when comparing tail-vein sampling to JVC sampling, however the blood concentration-time profile that was obtained from the tail vein was different than the one obtained from JVC sampling. For glipizide, the blood AUC and concentration-time profile were not statistically different when comparing the tail-vein sampling to the JVC sampling. For both fluoxetine and glipizide, the blood concentration profiles obtained from CMS were equivalent to the blood concentration profiles obtained from the standard whole blood sampling, collected at the same sampling site. The data in this report provide strong evidence that blood CMS is a valuable small volume blood sampling approach for rats and that it provides results for test compound concentrations that are equivalent to those obtained from traditional whole blood sampling. The data also suggest that for some compounds, the concentration-time profile that is obtained for a test compound based on sampling from a rat tail vein may be different from that obtained from rat JVC sampling. In some cases, this shift in the concentration-time profile will result in different PK parameters for the test compound. Based on these observations, it is recommended that a consistent blood sampling method should be used for serial microsampling in discovery rat PK studies when testing multiple new chemical entities. If the rat tail vein sampling method is selected for PK screening, then conducting a bridging study on the lead compound is recommended to confirm that the rat PK obtained from JVC sampling is comparable to the tail-vein sampling. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Australian midwives views and experiences of practice and politics related to water immersion for labour and birth: A web based survey.

PubMed

Cooper, Megan; Warland, Jane; McCutcheon, Helen

2018-06-01

There is little published research that has examined practitioners' views and experiences of pain relieving measures commonly used during labour and birth, particularly for non-pharmacological measures such as water immersion. Furthermore, there is minimal published research examining the process of policy and guideline development, that is, the translation of published research to usable practice guidance. The aims of phase three of a larger study were to explore midwives knowledge, experiences and support for the option of water immersion for labour and birth in practice and their involvement, if any, in development of policy and guidelines pertaining to the option. Phase three of a three phased mixed methods study included a web based survey of 234 Australian midwives who had facilitated and/or been involved in the development of policies and/or guidelines relating to the practice of water immersion. Midwives who participated in this study were supportive of both water immersion for labour and birth reiterating documented benefits of reduced pain, maternal relaxation and a positive birth experience. The most significant concerns were maternal collapse, the difficulty of estimating blood loss and postpartum haemorrhage whilst barriers included lack of accredited staff, lifting equipment and negative attitudes. Midwives indicated that policy/guideline documents limited their ability to facilitate water immersion and did not always to support women's informed choice. Midwives who participated in this study supported the practice of water immersion reiterating the benefits documented in the literature and minimal risk to the woman and baby. The Human Research Ethics Committee of the University of South Australia approved the research. Copyright © 2017 Australian College of Midwives. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Surface properties of multilayered, acrylic resin artificial teeth after immersion in staining beverages

PubMed Central

NEPPELENBROEK, Karin Hermana; KUROISHI, Eduardo; HOTTA, Juliana; MARQUES, Vinicius Rizzo; MOFFA, Eduardo Buozi; SOARES, Simone; URBAN, Vanessa Migliorini

2015-01-01

Objective To evaluate the effect of staining beverages (coffee, orange juice, and red wine) on the Vickers hardness and surface roughness of the base (BL) and enamel (EL) layers of improved artificial teeth (Vivodent and Trilux). Material and Methods Specimens (n=8) were stored in distilled water at 37°C for 24 h and then submitted to the tests. Afterwards, specimens were immersed in one of the staining solutions or distilled water (control) at 37°C, and the tests were also performed after 15 and 30 days of immersion. Data were analyzed using 3-way ANOVA and Tukey’s test (α=0.05). Results Vivodent teeth exhibited a continuous decrease (p<0.0005) in hardness of both layers for up to 30 days of immersion in all solutions. For Trilux teeth, similar results were found for the EL (p<0.004), and the BL showed a decrease in hardness after 15 days of immersion (p<0.01). At the end of 30 days, this reduction was not observed for coffee and water (p>0.15), but red wine and orange juice continuously reduced hardness values (p<0.0004). Red wine caused the most significant hardness changes, followed by orange juice, coffee, and water (p<0.006). No significant differences in roughness were observed for both layers of the teeth during the immersion period, despite the beverage (p>0.06). Conclusions Hardness of the two brands of acrylic teeth was reduced by all staining beverages, mainly for red wine. Roughness of both layers of the teeth was not affected by long-term immersion in the beverages. PMID:26398509

Effect of chlorhexidine-containing prophylactic agent on the surface characterization and frictional resistance between orthodontic brackets and archwires: an in vitro study

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background The purpose of this study was to assess the surface characterization and frictional resistance between stainless steel brackets and two types of orthodontic wires made of stainless steel and nickel-titanium alloys after immersion in a chlorhexidine-containing prophylactic agent. Methods Stainless steel orthodontic brackets with either stainless steel (SS) or heat-activated nickel-titanium (Ni-Ti) wires were immersed in a 0.2% chlorhexidine and an artificial saliva environment for 1.5 h. The frictional force was measured on a universal testing machine with a crosshead speed of 10 mm/min over a 5-mm of archwire. The surface morphology of bracket slots and surface roughness of archwires after immersion in chlorhexidine were also characterized using a scanning electron microscope (SEM) and an atomic force microscope (AFM), respectively. Results There was no significant difference in the frictional resistance values between SS and Ni-Ti wires immersed in either chlorhexidine or artificial saliva. The frictional resistance values for the SS and Ni-Ti wires immersed in 0.2% chlorhexidine solution were not significantly different from that inartificial saliva. No significant difference in the average surface roughness for both wires before (as-received) and after immersion in either chlorhexidine or artificial saliva was observed. Conclusions One-and-half-hour immersion in 0.2% chlorhexidine mouthrinse did not have significant influence on the archwires surface roughness or the frictional resistance between stainless steel orthodontic brackets and archwires made of SS and Ni-Ti. Based on these results, chlorhexidine-containing mouthrinses may be prescribed as non-destructive prophylactic agents on materials evaluated in the present study for orthodontic patients. PMID:24325758

Fictitious domain method for fully resolved reacting gas-solid flow simulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Longhui; Liu, Kai; You, Changfu

2015-10-01

Fully resolved simulation (FRS) for gas-solid multiphase flow considers solid objects as finite sized regions in flow fields and their behaviours are predicted by solving equations in both fluid and solid regions directly. Fixed mesh numerical methods, such as fictitious domain method, are preferred in solving FRS problems and have been widely researched. However, for reacting gas-solid flows no suitable fictitious domain numerical method has been developed. This work presents a new fictitious domain finite element method for FRS of reacting particulate flows. Low Mach number reacting flow governing equations are solved sequentially on a regular background mesh. Particles are immersed in the mesh and driven by their surface forces and torques integrated on immersed interfaces. Additional treatments on energy and surface reactions are developed. Several numerical test cases validated the method and a burning carbon particles array falling simulation proved the capability for solving moving reacting particle cluster problems.

Ice-Water Immersion and Cold-Water Immersion Provide Similar Cooling Rates in Runners With Exercise-Induced Hyperthermia

PubMed Central

Clements, Julie M.; Casa, Douglas J.; Knight, J. Chad; McClung, Joseph M.; Blake, Alan S.; Meenen, Paula M.; Gilmer, Allison M.; Caldwell, Kellie A.

2002-01-01

Objective: To assess whether ice-water immersion or cold-water immersion is the more effective treatment for rapidly cooling hyperthermic runners. Design and Setting: 17 heat-acclimated highly trained distance runners (age = 28 ± 2 years, height = 180 ± 2 cm, weight = 68.5 ± 2.1 kg, body fat = 11.2 ± 1.3%, training volume = 89 ± 10 km/wk) completed a hilly trail run (approximately 19 km and 86 minutes) in the heat (wet-bulb globe temperature = 27 ± 1°C) at an individually selected “comfortable” pace on 3 occasions 1 week apart. The random, crossover design included (1) distance run, then 12 minutes of ice-water immersion (5.15 ± 0.20°C), (2) distance run, then 12 minutes of cold-water immersion (14.03 ± 0.28°C), or (3) distance run, then 12 minutes of mock immersion (no water, air temperature = 28.88 ± 0.76°C). Measurements: Each subject was immersed from the shoulders to the hip joints for 12 minutes in a tub. Three minutes elapsed between the distance run and the start of immersion. Rectal temperature was recorded at the start of immersion, at each minute of immersion, and 3, 6, 10, and 15 minutes postimmersion. No rehydration occurred during any trial. Results: Length of distance run, time to complete distance run, rectal temperature, and percentage of dehydration after distance run were similar (P > .05) among all trials, as was the wet-bulb globe temperature. No differences (P > .05) for cooling rates were found when comparing ice-water immersion, cold-water immersion, and mock immersion at the start of immersion to 4 minutes, 4 to 8 minutes, and the start of immersion to 8 minutes. Ice-water immersion and cold-water immersion cooling rates were similar (P > .05) to each other and greater (P < .05) than mock immersion at 8 to 12 minutes, the start of immersion to 10 minutes, and the start of immersion to every other time point thereafter. Rectal temperatures were similar (P > .05) between ice-water immersion and cold-water immersion at the completion of immersion and 15 minutes postimmersion, but ice-water immersion rectal temperatures were less (P < .05) than cold-water immersion at 6 and 10 minutes postimmersion. Conclusions: Cooling rates were nearly identical between ice-water immersion and cold-water immersion, while both were 38% more effective in cooling after 12 minutes of immersion than the mock-immersion trial. Given the similarities in cooling rates and rectal temperatures between ice-water immersion and cold-water immersion, either mode of cooling is recommended for treating the hyperthermic individual. PMID:12937427

Structured-illumination photoacoustic Doppler flowmetry of axial flow in homogeneous scattering media

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Ruiying; Yao, Junjie; Maslov, Konstantin I.; Wang, Lihong V.

2013-08-01

We propose a method for photoacoustic flow measurement based on the Doppler effect from a flowing homogeneous medium. Excited by spatially modulated laser pulses, the flowing medium induces a Doppler frequency shift in the received photoacoustic signals. The frequency shift is proportional to the component of the flow speed projected onto the acoustic beam axis, and the sign of the shift reflects the flow direction. Unlike conventional flowmetry, this method does not rely on particle heterogeneity in the medium; thus, it can tolerate extremely high particle density. A red-ink phantom flowing in a tube immersed in water was used to validate the method in both the frequency and time domains. The phantom flow immersed in an intralipid solution was also measured.

Linear and exponential TAIL-PCR: a method for efficient and quick amplification of flanking sequences adjacent to Tn5 transposon insertion sites.

PubMed

Jia, Xianbo; Lin, Xinjian; Chen, Jichen

2017-11-02

Current genome walking methods are very time consuming, and many produce non-specific amplification products. To amplify the flanking sequences that are adjacent to Tn5 transposon insertion sites in Serratia marcescens FZSF02, we developed a genome walking method based on TAIL-PCR. This PCR method added a 20-cycle linear amplification step before the exponential amplification step to increase the concentration of the target sequences. Products of the linear amplification and the exponential amplification were diluted 100-fold to decrease the concentration of the templates that cause non-specific amplification. Fast DNA polymerase with a high extension speed was used in this method, and an amplification program was used to rapidly amplify long specific sequences. With this linear and exponential TAIL-PCR (LETAIL-PCR), we successfully obtained products larger than 2 kb from Tn5 transposon insertion mutant strains within 3 h. This method can be widely used in genome walking studies to amplify unknown sequences that are adjacent to known sequences.

Preventive effect of theanine intake on stress-induced impairments of hippocamapal long-term potentiation and recognition memory.

PubMed

Tamano, Haruna; Fukura, Kotaro; Suzuki, Miki; Sakamoto, Kazuhiro; Yokogoshi, Hidehiko; Takeda, Atsushi

2013-06-01

Theanine, γ-glutamylethylamide, is one of the major amino acid components in green tea. On the basis of the preventive effect of theanine intake after birth on mild stress-induced attenuation of hippocamapal CA1 long-term potentiation (LTP), the present study evaluated the effect of theanine intake after weaning on stress-induced impairments of LTP and recognition memory. Young rats were fed water containing 0.3% theanine for 3 weeks after weaning and subjected to water immersion stress for 30min, which was more severe than tail suspension stress for 30s used previously. Serum corticosterone levels were lower in theanine-administered rats than in the control rats even after exposure to stress. CA1 LTP induced by a 100-Hz tetanus for 1s was inhibited in the presence of 2-amino-5-phosphonovalerate (APV), an N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist, in hippocampal slices from the control rats and was attenuated by water immersion stress. In contrast, CA1 LTP was not significantly inhibited in the presence of APV in hippocampal slices from theanine-administered rats and was not attenuated by the stress. Furthermore, object recognition memory was impaired in the control rats, but not in theanine-administered rats. The present study indicates the preventive effect of theanine intake after weaning on stress-induced impairments of hippocampal LTP and recognition memory. It is likely that the modification of corticosterone secretion after theanine intake is involved in the preventive effect. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Emergency treatment of exertional heatstroke and comparison of whole body cooling techniques.

PubMed

Costrini, A

1990-02-01

This manuscript compares the whole body cooling techniques in the emergency treatment of heatstroke. Historically, the use of cold water immersion with skin massage has been quite successful in rapidly lowering body temperature and in avoiding severe complications or death. Recent studies have suggested alternative therapies, including the use of a warm air spray, the use of helicopter downdraft, and pharmacological agents. While evidence exists to support these methods, they have not been shown to reduce fatalities as effectively as ice water immersion. Although several cooling methods may have clinical use, all techniques rely on the prompt recognition of symptoms and immediate action in the field.

Evaluation and Refinement of Euthanasia Methods for Xenopus laevis

PubMed Central

Torreilles, Stéphanie L; McClure, Diane E; Green, Sherril L

2009-01-01

The most common method of euthanasia for Xenopus species is by immersion in tricaine methane sulfonate solution (MS222). A wide range of doses of MS222 (0.5 to 5 g/L) have been recommended, but few reports describe dose–response testing, the time to loss of consciousness, or the reliability of euthanasia. The objective of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of immersing individual and groups of frogs in MS222 at concentrations ranging from 1 to 5 g/L for euthanasia and of 3 less-common methods: intracoelomic injection of MS222, intracoelomic injection of sodium pentobarbital with phenytoin, and ventral cutaneous application of benzocaine gel. Our results indicate that immersion for at least 1 h in a 5-g/L buffered solution of MS222, intracoelomic injection of 1100 mg/kg sodium pentobarbital with sodium phenytoin (equivalent to 0.3 mL solution per frog), or ventral cutaneous application of 182 mg/kg benzocaine (equivalent to a 2 cm × 1 mm of 20% benzocaine gel) is necessary to euthanize adult X. laevis and ensure complete cessation of the heartbeat without recovery. These doses are considerably higher than those previously recommended for this species. PMID:19807972

Computed microtomography visualization and quantification of mouse ischemic brain lesion by nonionic radio contrast agents.

PubMed

Dobrivojević, Marina; Bohaček, Ivan; Erjavec, Igor; Gorup, Dunja; Gajović, Srećko

2013-02-01

To explore the possibility of brain imaging by microcomputed tomography (microCT) using x-ray contrasting methods to visualize mouse brain ischemic lesions after middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO). Isolated brains were immersed in ionic or nonionic radio contrast agent (RCA) for 5 days and subsequently scanned using microCT scanner. To verify whether ex-vivo microCT brain images can be used to characterize ischemic lesions, they were compared to Nissl stained serial histological sections of the same brains. To verify if brains immersed in RCA may be used afterwards for other methods, subsequent immunofluorescent labeling with anti-NeuN was performed. Nonionic RCA showed better gray to white matter contrast in the brain, and therefore was selected for further studies. MicroCT measurement of ischemic lesion size and cerebral edema significantly correlated with the values determined by Nissl staining (ischemic lesion size: P=0.0005; cerebral edema: P=0.0002). Brain immersion in nonionic RCA did not affect subsequent immunofluorescent analysis and NeuN immunoreactivity. MicroCT method was proven to be suitable for delineation of the ischemic lesion from the non-infarcted tissue, and quantification of lesion volume and cerebral edema.

UV photofunctionalization promotes nano-biomimetic apatite deposition on titanium

PubMed Central

Saita, Makiko; Ikeda, Takayuki; Yamada, Masahiro; Kimoto, Katsuhiko; Lee, Masaichi Chang-Il; Ogawa, Takahiro

2016-01-01

Background Although biomimetic apatite coating is a promising way to provide titanium with osteoconductivity, the efficiency and quality of deposition is often poor. Most titanium implants have microscale surface morphology, and an addition of nanoscale features while preserving the micromorphology may provide further biological benefit. Here, we examined the effect of ultraviolet (UV) light treatment of titanium, or photofunctionalization, on the efficacy of biomimetic apatite deposition on titanium and its biological capability. Methods and results Micro-roughed titanium disks were prepared by acid-etching with sulfuric acid. Micro-roughened disks with or without photofunctionalization (20-minute exposure to UV light) were immersed in simulated body fluid (SBF) for 1 or 5 days. Photofunctionalized titanium disks were superhydrophilic and did not form surface air bubbles when immersed in SBF, whereas non-photofunctionalized disks were hydrophobic and largely covered with air bubbles during immersion. An apatite-related signal was observed by X-ray diffraction on photofunctionalized titanium after 1 day of SBF immersion, which was equivalent to the one observed after 5 days of immersion of control titanium. Scanning electron microscopy revealed nodular apatite deposition in the valleys and at the inclines of micro-roughened structures without affecting the existing micro-configuration. Micro-roughened titanium and apatite-deposited titanium surfaces had similar roughness values. The attachment, spreading, settling, proliferation, and alkaline phosphate activity of bone marrow-derived osteoblasts were promoted on apatite-coated titanium with photofunctionalization. Conclusion UV-photofunctionalization of titanium enabled faster deposition of nanoscale biomimetic apatite, resulting in the improved biological capability compared to the similarly prepared apatite-deposited titanium without photofunctionalization. Photofunctionalization-assisted biomimetic apatite deposition may be a novel method to effectively enhance micro-roughened titanium surfaces without altering their microscale morphology. PMID:26834469

Acute upper thermal limits of three aquatic invasive invertebrates: hot water treatment to prevent upstream transport of invasive species.

PubMed

Beyer, Jessica; Moy, Philip; De Stasio, Bart

2011-01-01

Transport of aquatic invasive species (AIS) by boats traveling up rivers and streams is an important mechanism of secondary spread of AIS into watersheds. Because physical barriers to AIS movement also prevent navigation, alternate methods for preventing spread are necessary while allowing upstream navigation. One promising approach is to lift boats over physical barriers and then use hot water immersion to kill AIS attached to the hull, motor, or fishing gear. However, few data have been published on the acute upper thermal tolerance limits of potential invaders treated in this manner. To test the potential effectiveness of this approach for a planned boat lift on the Fox River of northeastern WI, USA, acute upper thermal limits were determined for three AIS, adult zebra mussels (Dreissena polymorpha), quagga mussels (Dreissena rostriformis bugensis), and spiny water fleas (Bythotrephes longimanus) from the local area employing temperatures from 32 to 54°C and immersion times from 1 to 20 min. Mortality was determined after immersion followed by a 20-min recovery period. Immersion at 43°C for at least 5 min was required to ensure 100% mortality for all three species, but due to variability in the response by Bythotrephes a 10 min immersion would be more reliable. Overall there were no significant differences between the three species in acute upper thermal limits. Heated water can be an efficient, environmentally sound, and cost effective method of controlling AIS potentially transferred by boats, and our results should have both specific and wide-ranging applications in the prevention of the spread of aquatic invasive species.

The immersion freezing behavior of ash particles from wood and brown coal burning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grawe, Sarah; Augustin-Bauditz, Stefanie; Hartmann, Susan; Hellner, Lisa; Pettersson, Jan B. C.; Prager, Andrea; Stratmann, Frank; Wex, Heike

2016-11-01

It is generally known that ash particles from coal combustion can trigger ice nucleation when they interact with water vapor and/or supercooled droplets. However, data on the ice nucleation of ash particles from different sources, including both anthropogenic and natural combustion processes, are still scarce. As fossil energy sources still fuel the largest proportion of electric power production worldwide, and biomass burning contributes significantly to the global aerosol loading, further data are needed to better assess the ice nucleating efficiency of ash particles. In the framework of this study, we found that ash particles from brown coal (i.e., lignite) burning are up to 2 orders of magnitude more ice active in the immersion mode below -32 °C than those from wood burning. Fly ash from a coal-fired power plant was shown to be the most efficient at nucleating ice. Furthermore, the influence of various particle generation methods on the freezing behavior was studied. For instance, particles were generated either by dispersion of dry sample material, or by atomization of ash-water suspensions, and then led into the Leipzig Aerosol Cloud Interaction Simulator (LACIS) where the immersion freezing behavior was examined. Whereas the immersion freezing behavior of ashes from wood burning was not affected by the particle generation method, it depended on the type of particle generation for ash from brown coal. It was also found that the common practice of treating prepared suspensions in an ultrasonic bath to avoid aggregation of particles led to an enhanced ice nucleation activity. The findings of this study suggest (a) that ash from brown coal burning may influence immersion freezing in clouds close to the source and (b) that the freezing behavior of ash particles may be altered by a change in sample preparation and/or particle generation.

The evaluation of xenotransplantation of feline ovarian tissue vitrified by needle immersed vitrification technique into male immunodeficient mice.

PubMed

Demirel, Mürşide Ayşe; Acar, Duygu Baki; Ekim, Burcu; Çelikkan, Ferda Topal; Alkan, Kübra Karakaş; Salar, Seçkin; Erdemli, Esra Atabenli; Özkavukçu, Sinan; Yar, Seda Sağlam; Kanca, Halit; Baştan, Ayhan

2018-03-01

In this study, the efficiency of the "Needle Immersed Vitrification" technique was tested on cryopreserved feline ovarian tissue. For vitrification, ovarian fragments (0.5-1.5 mm 2 ) from each ovary were collected; the grafts were exposed to 7.5-15% ethylene glycol and 7.5-15% dimethyl sulfoxide at room temperature and stored in liquid nitrogen at least 1 week. Morphologic examinations, expression of genes such as B cell lymphoma 2, B-cell lymphoma-2-associated X protein, Bone morphogenetic protein 15, zone of polarizing activity, zona pellucida C protein and DNA (cytosine-5)-methyltransferase 1, ultrastructural analysis and viability tests were carried out from collected grafts. Light microscopy examinations revealed the percentage of morphologically normal primordial follicles in a fresh group which was significantly higher than the treatment groups (p < 0.001). Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling and anti-caspase-3 staining observed in oocytes, follicle cells, interstitial tissue showed higher rates of apoptosis for post-vitrification and -transplantation groups than freshly grafted ovarian tissues. Furthermore, we observed significant downregulation of zone of polarizing activity and zona pellucida C protein gene expression in vitrified ovarian tissue grafts than in the fresh grafts (p < 0.05). In conclusion, we suggest that the needle immersed vitrification method is a convenient, cheap, and feasible vitrification method for cat ovarian tissues. However, further studies need to be performed to determine more optimal vitrification solutions and equilibration times for the needle immersed vitrification method in order to adapt it for cat ovaries.

L-moments and TL-moments of the generalized lambda distribution

USGS Publications Warehouse

Asquith, W.H.

2007-01-01

The 4-parameter generalized lambda distribution (GLD) is a flexible distribution capable of mimicking the shapes of many distributions and data samples including those with heavy tails. The method of L-moments and the recently developed method of trimmed L-moments (TL-moments) are attractive techniques for parameter estimation for heavy-tailed distributions for which the L- and TL-moments have been defined. Analytical solutions for the first five L- and TL-moments in terms of GLD parameters are derived. Unfortunately, numerical methods are needed to compute the parameters from the L- or TL-moments. Algorithms are suggested for parameter estimation. Application of the GLD using both L- and TL-moment parameter estimates from example data is demonstrated, and comparison of the L-moment fit of the 4-parameter kappa distribution is made. A small simulation study of the 98th percentile (far-right tail) is conducted for a heavy-tail GLD with high-outlier contamination. The simulations show, with respect to estimation of the 98th-percent quantile, that TL-moments are less biased (more robost) in the presence of high-outlier contamination. However, the robustness comes at the expense of considerably more sampling variability. ?? 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Assessing Risks of Mine Tailing Dam Failures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Concha Larrauri, P.; Lall, U.

2017-12-01

The consequences of tailings dam failures can be catastrophic for communities and ecosystems in the vicinity of the dams. The failure of the Fundão tailings dam at the Samarco mine in 2015 killed 19 people with severe consequences for the environment. The financial and legal consequences of a tailings dam failure can also be significant for the mining companies. For the Fundão tailings dam, the company had to pay 6 billion dollars in fines and twenty-one executives were charged with qualified murder. There are tenths of thousands of active, inactive, and abandoned tailings dams in the world and there is a need to better understand the hazards posed by these structures to downstream populations and ecosystems. A challenge to assess the risks of tailings dams in a large scale is that many of them are not registered in publicly available databases and there is little information about their current physical state. Additionally, hazard classifications of tailings dams - common in many countries- tend to be subjective, include vague parameter definitions, and are not always updated over time. Here we present a simple methodology to assess and rank the exposure to tailings dams using ArcGIS that removes subjective interpretations. The method uses basic information such as current dam height, storage volume, topography, population, land use, and hydrological data. A hazard rating risk was developed to compare the potential extent of the damage across dams. This assessment provides a general overview of what in the vicinity of the tailings dams could be affected in case of a failure and a way to rank tailings dams that is directly linked to the exposure at any given time. One hundred tailings dams in Minas Gerais, Brazil were used for the test case. This ranking approach could inform the risk management strategy of the tailings dams within a company, and when disclosed, it could enable shareholders and the communities to make decisions on the risks they are taking.

A direct immersion solid-phase microextraction gas chromatography/mass spectrometry method for the simultaneous detection of levamisole and minor cocaine congeners in hair samples from chronic abusers.

PubMed

Fucci, Nadia; Gambelunghe, Cristiana; Aroni, Kyriaki; Rossi, Riccardo

2014-12-01

Because levamisole has been increasingly found as a component of illicit drugs, a robust method to detect its presence in hair samples is needed. However, no systematic research on the detection of levamisole in hair samples has been published. The method presented here uses direct immersion solid-phase microextraction coupled with gas chromatography and mass spectrometry (DI-SPME-GC/MS) to detect levamisole and minor cocaine congeners in hair samples using a single-extraction method. Fifty hair samples taken in the last 4 years were obtained from cocaine abusers, along with controls taken from drug-free volunteers. Sampling was performed using direct immersion with a 30-μm polydimethylsiloxane fused silica/stainless steel fiber. Calibration curves were prepared by adding known amounts of analytes and deuterated internal standards to the hair samples taken from drug-free volunteers. This study focused on the adulterant levamisole and some minor cocaine congeners (tropococaine, norcocaine, and cocaethylene). Levamisole was detected in 38% of the hair samples analyzed; its concentration ranged from 0.2 to 0.8 ng/mg. The limit of quantification and limit of detection for levamisole, tropococaine, norcocaine, and cocaine were 0.2 and 0.1 ng/mg, respectively. DI-SPME-GC/MS is a sensitive and specific method to detect the presence of levamisole and cocaine congeners in hair samples.

A moving control volume method for smooth computation of hydrodynamic forces and torques on immersed bodies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nangia, Nishant; Patankar, Neelesh A.; Bhalla, Amneet P. S.

2017-11-01

Fictitious domain methods for simulating fluid-structure interaction (FSI) have been gaining popularity in the past few decades because of their robustness in handling arbitrarily moving bodies. Often the transient net hydrodynamic forces and torques on the body are desired quantities for these types of simulations. In past studies using immersed boundary (IB) methods, force measurements are contaminated with spurious oscillations due to evaluation of possibly discontinuous spatial velocity of pressure gradients within or on the surface of the body. Based on an application of the Reynolds transport theorem, we present a moving control volume (CV) approach to computing the net forces and torques on a moving body immersed in a fluid. The approach is shown to be accurate for a wide array of FSI problems, including flow past stationary and moving objects, Stokes flow, and high Reynolds number free-swimming. The approach only requires far-field (smooth) velocity and pressure information, thereby suppressing spurious force oscillations and eliminating the need for any filtering. The proposed moving CV method is not limited to a specific IB method and is straightforward to implement within an existing parallel FSI simulation software. This work is supported by NSF (Award Numbers SI2-SSI-1450374, SI2-SSI-1450327, and DGE-1324585), the US Department of Energy, Office of Science, ASCR (Award Number DE-AC02-05CH11231), and NIH (Award Number HL117163).

Leachability of Arsenic and Heavy Metals from Mine Tailings of Abandoned Metal Mines

PubMed Central

Lim, Mihee; Han, Gi-Chun; Ahn, Ji-Whan; You, Kwang-Suk; Kim, Hyung-Seok

2009-01-01

Mine tailings from an abandoned metal mine in Korea contained high concentrations of arsenic (As) and heavy metals [e.g., As: 67,336, Fe: 137,180, Cu: 764, Pb: 3,572, and Zn: 12,420 (mg/kg)]. US EPA method 6010 was an effective method for analyzing total arsenic and heavy metals concentrations. Arsenic in the mine tailings showed a high residual fraction of 89% by a sequential extraction. In Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure (TCLP) and Korean Standard Leaching Test (KSLT), leaching concentrations of arsenic and heavy metals were very low [e.g., As (mg/L): 0.4 for TCLP and 0.2 for KSLT; cf. As criteria (mg/L): 5.0 for TCLP and 1.5 for KSLT]. PMID:20049231

Heavy Tail Behavior of Rainfall Extremes across Germany

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Castellarin, A.; Kreibich, H.; Vorogushyn, S.; Merz, B.

2017-12-01

Distributions are termed heavy-tailed if extreme values are more likely than would be predicted by probability distributions that have exponential asymptotic behavior. Heavy-tail behavior often leads to surprise, because historical observations can be a poor guide for the future. Heavy-tail behavior seems to be widespread for hydro-meteorological extremes, such as extreme rainfall and flood events. To date there have been only vague hints to explain under which conditions these extremes show heavy-tail behavior. We use an observational data set consisting of 11 climate variables at 1440 stations across Germany. This homogenized, gap-free data set covers 110 years (1901-2010) at daily resolution. We estimate the upper tail behavior, including its uncertainty interval, of daily precipitation extremes for the 1,440 stations at the annual and seasonal time scales. Different tail indicators are tested, including the shape parameter of the Generalized Extreme Value distribution, the upper tail ratio and the obesity index. In a further step, we explore to which extent the tail behavior can be explained by geographical and climate factors. A large number of characteristics is derived, such as station elevation, degree of continentality, aridity, measures for quantifying the variability of humidity and wind velocity, or event-triggering large-scale atmospheric situation. The link between the upper tail behavior and these characteristics is investigated via data mining methods capable of detecting non-linear relationships in large data sets. This exceptionally rich observational data set, in terms of number of stations, length of time series and number of explaining variables, allows insights into the upper tail behavior which is rarely possible given the typical observational data sets available.

On deformation of complex continuum immersed in a plane space

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kovalev, V. A.; Murashkin, E. V.; Radayev, Y. N.

2018-05-01

The present paper is devoted to mathematical modelling of complex continua deformations considered as immersed in an external plane space. The complex continuum is defined as a differential manifold supplied with metrics induced by the external space. A systematic derivation of strain tensors by notion of isometric immersion of the complex continuum into a plane space of a higher dimension is proposed. Problem of establishing complete systems of irreducible objective strain and extrastrain tensors for complex continuum immersed in an external plane space is resolved. The solution to the problem is obtained by methods of the field theory and the theory of rational algebraic invariants. Strain tensors of the complex continuum are derived as irreducible algebraic invariants of contravariant vectors of the external space emerging as functional arguments in the complex continuum action density. Present analysis is restricted to rational algebraic invariants. Completeness of the considered systems of rational algebraic invariants is established for micropolar elastic continua. Rational syzygies for non-quadratic invariants are discussed. Objective strain tensors (indifferent to frame rotations in the external plane space) for micropolar continuum are alternatively obtained by properly combining multipliers of polar decompositions of deformation and extra-deformation gradients. The latter is realized only for continua immersed in a plane space of the equal mathematical dimension.

Comparisons of ice packs, hot water immersion, and analgesia injection for the treatment of centipede envenomations in Taiwan.

PubMed

Chaou, Chung-Hsien; Chen, Chian-Kuang; Chen, Jih-Chang; Chiu, Te-Fa; Lin, Chih-Chuan

2009-08-01

To compare the effectiveness of ice packs and hot water immersion for the treatment of centipede envenomations. Sixty patients envenomated by centipedes were randomized into three groups and were treated with ice packs, hot water immersion, or analgesia injection. The visual analog score (VAS) for pain was measured before the treatment and 15 min afterward. Demographic data and data on local and systemic effects after centipede bites were collected. The VAS scores and the pain decrease (DeltaVAS) were compared between the three groups. All patients suffered from pain at the affected sites; other local effects included redness (n = 49, 81.7%), swelling (n = 32, 53.3%), heat (n = 14, 23.3%), itchiness (n = 5, 8.3), and bullae formation (n = 3, 5.0%). Rare systemic effects were reported. All three groups had similar VAS scores before and after treatment. They also had similar effectiveness in reducing pain caused by centipedes bites (DeltaVAS = 2.55 +/- 1.88, 2.33 +/- 1.78, and 1.55 +/- 1.68, with ice packs, analgesia, and hot water immersion, respectively, p = 0.165). Ice packs, hot water immersion, and analgesics all improved the pain from centipede envenomation. Ice pack treatment is a safe, inexpensive, and non-invasive method for pre-hospital management in patients with centipede envenomation.

Novel Safranin-Tinted Candida rugosa Lipase Nanoconjugates Reagent for Visualizing Latent Fingerprints on Stainless Steel Knives Immersed in a Natural Outdoor Pond.

PubMed

Azman, Aida Rasyidah; Mahat, Naji Arafat; Abdul Wahab, Roswanira; Abdul Razak, Fazira Ilyana; Hamzah, Hafezul Helmi

2018-05-25

Waterways are popular locations for the disposition of criminal evidence because the recovery of latent fingerprints from such evidence is difficult. Currently, small particle reagent is a method often used to visualize latent fingerprints containing carcinogenic and hazardous compounds. This study proposes an eco-friendly, safranin-tinted Candida rugosa lipase (triacylglycerol ester hydrolysis EC 3.1.1.3) with functionalized carbon nanotubes (CRL-MWCNTS/GA/SAF) as an alternative reagent to the small particle reagent. The CRL-MWCNTS/GA/SAF reagent was compared with the small particle reagent to visualize groomed, full fingerprints deposited on stainless steel knives which were immersed in a natural outdoor pond for 30 days. The quality of visualized fingerprints using the new reagent was similar (modified-Centre for Applied Science and Technology grade: 4; p > 0.05) to small particle reagent, even after 15 days of immersion. Despite the slight decrease in quality of visualized fingerprints using the CRL-MWCNTS/GA/SAF on the last three immersion periods, the fingerprints remained forensically identifiable (modified-Centre for Applied Science and Technology grade: 3). The possible chemical interactions that enabled successful visualization is also discussed. Thus, this novel reagent may provide a relatively greener alternative for the visualization of latent fingerprints on immersed non-porous objects.

Resonant-cavity antenna for plasma heating

DOEpatents

Perkins, F.W. Jr.; Chiu, S.C.; Parks, P.; Rawls, J.M.

1984-01-10

This invention relates generally to a method and apparatus for transferring energy to a plasma immersed in a magnetic field, and relates particularly to an apparatus for heating a plasma of low atomic number ions to high temperatures by transfer of energy to plasma resonances, particularly the fundamental and harmonics of the ion cyclotron frequency of the plasma ions. This invention transfers energy from an oscillating radio-frequency field to a plasma resonance of a plasma immersed in a magnetic field.

Physiologic responses to water immersion in man: A compendium of research

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kollias, J.; Vanderveer, D.; Dorchak, K. J.; Greenleaf, J. E.

1976-01-01

A total of 221 reports published through December 1973 in the area of physiologic responses to water immersion in man were summarized. The author's abstract or summary was used whenever possible. Otherwise, a detailed annotation was provided under the subheadings: (1) purpose, (2) procedures and methods, (3) results, and (4) conclusions. The annotations are in alphabetical order by first author; author and subject indexes are included. Additional references are provided in the selected bibliography.

40 CFR 61.251 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... following specific meanings: (a) Area means the vertical projection of the pile upon the earth's surface. (b...) Dewatered means to remove the water from recently produced tailings by mechanical or evaporative methods such that the water content of the tailings does not exceed 30 percent by weight. (d) Existing...

40 CFR 61.251 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... following specific meanings: (a) Area means the vertical projection of the pile upon the earth's surface. (b...) Dewatered means to remove the water from recently produced tailings by mechanical or evaporative methods such that the water content of the tailings does not exceed 30 percent by weight. (d) Existing...

40 CFR 61.251 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... following specific meanings: (a) Area means the vertical projection of the pile upon the earth's surface. (b...) Dewatered means to remove the water from recently produced tailings by mechanical or evaporative methods such that the water content of the tailings does not exceed 30 percent by weight. (d) Existing...

40 CFR 61.251 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... following specific meanings: (a) Area means the vertical projection of the pile upon the earth's surface. (b...) Dewatered means to remove the water from recently produced tailings by mechanical or evaporative methods such that the water content of the tailings does not exceed 30 percent by weight. (d) Existing...

40 CFR 61.251 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... following specific meanings: (a) Area means the vertical projection of the pile upon the earth's surface. (b...) Dewatered means to remove the water from recently produced tailings by mechanical or evaporative methods such that the water content of the tailings does not exceed 30 percent by weight. (d) Existing...

Domain Immersion Technique And Free Surface Computations Applied To Extrusion And Mixing Processes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Valette, Rudy; Vergnes, Bruno; Basset, Olivier; Coupez, Thierry

2007-04-01

This work focuses on the development of numerical techniques devoted to the simulation of mixing processes of complex fluids such as twin-screw extrusion or batch mixing. In mixing process simulation, the absence of symmetry of the moving boundaries (the screws or the rotors) implies that their rigid body motion has to be taken into account by using a special treatment. We therefore use a mesh immersion technique (MIT), which consists in using a P1+/P1-based (MINI-element) mixed finite element method for solving the velocity-pressure problem and then solving the problem in the whole barrel cavity by imposing a rigid motion (rotation) to nodes found located inside the so called immersed domain, each subdomain (screw, rotor) being represented by a surface CAD mesh (or its mathematical equation in simple cases). The independent meshes are immersed into a unique backgound computational mesh by computing the distance function to their boundaries. Intersections of meshes are accounted for, allowing to compute a fill factor usable as for the VOF methodology. This technique, combined with the use of parallel computing, allows to compute the time-dependent flow of generalized Newtonian fluids including yield stress fluids in a complex system such as a twin screw extruder, including moving free surfaces, which are treated by a "level set" and Hamilton-Jacobi method.

The axenic treatments for Kappaphycus alvarezii (Rhodophyta) seedling in laboratory culture

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adharini, R. I.; Setyawan, A. R.; Jayanti, A. D.; Suadi; Suyono, E. A.

2018-03-01

Obtaining an algae axenic culture in the culture medium are challenging. This study aims to determine the effectiveness of the application of several methods to reduce bacterial contamination in culture medium. The study was conducted using a complete randomized design in 3 stages, stage 1 using iodine immersion method with 4 treatments, stage 2 using immersion of antibiotics mixture with 3 different concentrations, stage 3 using mixture of antibiotic and medium with 3 concentration. The results showed that in stage 1, the lowest bacteria density was in treatment 4 (15 % betadine with 60’) (675.27 idv·mm-2), stage 2 showed that treatment 1 (50 mg·L-1) had the lowest bacteria density (265.62 idv·mm-2). Stage 3 showed that treatment 3 (10 mg·L-1) had the lowest density of bacteria (24.78 idv·mm-2). Based on the ANOVA test, stage 1 has no significant difference (> 0.05), in stage 2 there was a significant difference with treatment 1 was the best treatment, in stage 3 there was a significant difference and treatment 4 was the best result. Iodine 15 % with 60' immersion time; immersion with 50 mg·L-1 antibiotic, and mixture of medium with 10 mg·L-1 antibiotic gave the best results in reducing bacterial contamination.

Effect of Cyclic Precalcification of Nanotubular TiO2 Layer on the Bioactivity of Titanium Implant

PubMed Central

Park, Il Song; Yang, Eun Jin; Bae, Tae Sung

2013-01-01

The objective of this study is to investigate the effect of cyclic precalcification treatment to impart bioactive properties for titanium implants. Before precalcification, the titanium implants were subjected to blasting using hydroxyapatite (HAp), a resorbable blasting medium (RBM treated), and anodized using an electrolyte containing glycerol, H2O, and NH4F. Precalcification treatment was performed by two different methods, namely, continuous immersion treatment (CIT) and alternate immersion treatment (AIT). In CIT, the RBM treated and anodized titanium implants were immersed in 0.05 M NaH2PO4 solution at 80°C and saturated Ca(OH)2 solution at 100°C for 20 min, whereas during AIT, they were immersed alternatively in both solutions for 1 min for 20 cycles. Anodizing of the titanium implants enables the formation of self-organized TiO2 nanotubes. Cyclic precalcification treatment imparts a better bioactive property and enables an increase in activation level of the titanium implants. The removal torque values of the RBM treated, CIT treated, and AIT treated titanium implants are 10.8 ± 3.7 Ncm, 17.5 ± 3.5 Ncm, and 28.1 ± 2.4 Ncm, respectively. The findings of the study indicate the cyclic precalcification in an effective surface treatment method that would help accelerate osseointegration and impart bioactive property of titanium implants. PMID:24069596

Eye Movement Analysis and Cognitive Assessment. The Use of Comparative Visual Search Tasks in a Non-immersive VR Application.

PubMed

Rosa, Pedro J; Gamito, Pedro; Oliveira, Jorge; Morais, Diogo; Pavlovic, Matthew; Smyth, Olivia; Maia, Inês; Gomes, Tiago

2017-03-23

An adequate behavioral response depends on attentional and mnesic processes. When these basic cognitive functions are impaired, the use of non-immersive Virtual Reality Applications (VRAs) can be a reliable technique for assessing the level of impairment. However, most non-immersive VRAs use indirect measures to make inferences about visual attention and mnesic processes (e.g., time to task completion, error rate). To examine whether the eye movement analysis through eye tracking (ET) can be a reliable method to probe more effectively where and how attention is deployed and how it is linked with visual working memory during comparative visual search tasks (CVSTs) in non-immersive VRAs. The eye movements of 50 healthy participants were continuously recorded while CVSTs, selected from a set of cognitive tasks in the Systemic Lisbon Battery (SLB). Then a VRA designed to assess of cognitive impairments were randomly presented. The total fixation duration, the number of visits in the areas of interest and in the interstimulus space, along with the total execution time was significantly different as a function of the Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE) scores. The present study demonstrates that CVSTs in SLB, when combined with ET, can be a reliable and unobtrusive method for assessing cognitive abilities in healthy individuals, opening it to potential use in clinical samples.

The identification of helicopter noise using a neural network

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cabell, Randolph H.; Fuller, Chris R.; O'Brien, Walter F.

1990-01-01

Experiments were carried out to demonstrate the ability of an artificial neural network (ANN) system to distinguish between the noise of two helicopters. The ANN is taught to identify helicopters by using two types of features: one that is associated with the ratio of the main-rotor to tail-rotor blade passage frequency (BPF), and the ohter that describes the distribution of peaks in the main-rotor spectrum, which is independent of the tail-rotor. It is shown that the ability of the ANN to identify helicopters is comparable to that of a conventional recognition system using the ratio of the main-rotor BPF to the tail-rotor BPF (when both the main- and the tail-rotor noise are present), but the performoance of ANN exceeds the conventional-method performance when the tail-rotor noise is absent. In addition, the results of ANN can be obtained as a function of propagation distance.

Adaptive mesh refinement techniques for the immersed interface method applied to flow problems

PubMed Central

Li, Zhilin; Song, Peng

2013-01-01

In this paper, we develop an adaptive mesh refinement strategy of the Immersed Interface Method for flow problems with a moving interface. The work is built on the AMR method developed for two-dimensional elliptic interface problems in the paper [12] (CiCP, 12(2012), 515–527). The interface is captured by the zero level set of a Lipschitz continuous function φ(x, y, t). Our adaptive mesh refinement is built within a small band of |φ(x, y, t)| ≤ δ with finer Cartesian meshes. The AMR-IIM is validated for Stokes and Navier-Stokes equations with exact solutions, moving interfaces driven by the surface tension, and classical bubble deformation problems. A new simple area preserving strategy is also proposed in this paper for the level set method. PMID:23794763

Investigation for methods of anesthesia and euthanasia for rat fetuses in developmental toxicity studies.

PubMed

Kato, Hirohito; Dokai, Momoko; Katagiri, Ryuichi; Arima, Akihiro; Ooshima, Yojiro

2013-03-01

Japan Association for Laboratory Animal Medicine (JALAM) recommends humane handling of rat fetuses. However, it is a challenge to accept proposed euthanizing methods such as cervical dislocation, decapitation and/or intracardiac injection of potassium chloride, because these methods would damage fetal specimens for skeletal and visceral examinations in developmental toxicity studies. The present study aimed at seeking better methodologies for fetal euthanasia and anesthesia. We were unable to accomplish fetal euthanasia directly, but instead, we could euthanize fetuses under pain-controlled anesthesia. It is recommended that hypothermia by immersion in cold physiological saline is an appropriate method for anesthesia. Moreover, we recommend that the anesthetized fetuses should be euthanized immediately by removal of the vital organs or immersion in appropriate fixatives. © 2012 The Authors. Congenital Anomalies © 2012 Japanese Teratology Society.

New Finite Difference Methods Based on IIM for Inextensible Interfaces in Incompressible Flows

PubMed Central

Li, Zhilin; Lai, Ming-Chih

2012-01-01

In this paper, new finite difference methods based on the augmented immersed interface method (IIM) are proposed for simulating an inextensible moving interface in an incompressible two-dimensional flow. The mathematical models arise from studying the deformation of red blood cells in mathematical biology. The governing equations are incompressible Stokes or Navier-Stokes equations with an unknown surface tension, which should be determined in such a way that the surface divergence of the velocity is zero along the interface. Thus, the area enclosed by the interface and the total length of the interface should be conserved during the evolution process. Because of the nonlinear and coupling nature of the problem, direct discretization by applying the immersed boundary or immersed interface method yields complex nonlinear systems to be solved. In our new methods, we treat the unknown surface tension as an augmented variable so that the augmented IIM can be applied. Since finding the unknown surface tension is essentially an inverse problem that is sensitive to perturbations, our regularization strategy is to introduce a controlled tangential force along the interface, which leads to a least squares problem. For Stokes equations, the forward solver at one time level involves solving three Poisson equations with an interface. For Navier-Stokes equations, we propose a modified projection method that can enforce the pressure jump condition corresponding directly to the unknown surface tension. Several numerical experiments show good agreement with other results in the literature and reveal some interesting phenomena. PMID:23795308

Removal of heavy metals from Missouri lead mill tailings by froth flotation

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

Benn, F.W.; Cornell, W.L.

Froth flotation techniques to remove heavy metals (Pb, Cu, and Zn) from southeast Missouri lead mill tailings were investigated. It has been estimated that southeast Missouri contains between 200 and 300 million st of Pb tailings stored above ground. The tailings were classified as two distinct types: (1) pre-1968 tailings from the Old Lead Belt (some more than 100 years old) and (2) post-1968 tailings from the New Lead Belt. The objectives of the investigation were to reduce the Pb remaining in the tailings to < 500 ppm (< 0.05 pct Pb) and to attempt to recover a marketable concentratemore » to offset a portion of the remediation costs. The remaining dolomite-limestone would then be used as mining backfill or agricultural limestone. Bench-scale froth flotation removed, in percent, 95 Pb, 84 Cu, and 54 Zn, leaving 94 pct of the original weight containing, in parts per million, 400 Pb, 40 Cu, and 300 Zn from the Old Lead Belt tailings. Separate flotation tests also removed, in percent, 85 Pb, 84 Cu, and 80 Zn, leaving 75 pct of the original weight containing, in parts per million, 400 Pb, 200 Cu, and 500 Zn from the New Lead Belt tailings. Concentrates recovered from the Old Lead Belt were retreated to produce a final Pb concentrate containing 72 pct Pb with a cleaner flotation recovery of 79 pct. Froth flotation proved to be a viable method to remove the heavy metals.« less

Effect of growth time to the properties of Al-doped ZnO nanorod arrays

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ismail, A. S.; Mamat, M. H.; Malek, M. F.; Saidi, S. A.; Yusoff, M. M.; Mohamed, R.; Sin, N. D. Md; Suriani, A. B.; Rusop, M.

2018-05-01

Aluminum (Al)-doped zinc oxide (ZnO) nanorod array films were successfully deposited at different growth time on zinc oxide (ZnO) seed layer coated glass substrate using sol-gel immersion method. The morphology images of the films showed that the thicknesses of the films were increased parallel with the increment of growth period. The surface topology of the films displayed an increment of roughness as the growth period increased. Optical properties of the samples exposed that the percentage of transmittances reduced at higher growth time. Besides, the Urbach energy of the films slightly increased as the immersion time increased. The current-voltage (I-V) measurement indicated that the resistance increased as the immersion time increased owing to the appearance of intrinsic layer on top of the nanorods.

Driving imaging and overlay performance to the limits with advanced lithography optimization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mulkens, Jan; Finders, Jo; van der Laan, Hans; Hinnen, Paul; Kubis, Michael; Beems, Marcel

2012-03-01

Immersion lithography is being extended to 22-nm and even below. Next to generic scanner system improvements, application specific solutions are needed to follow the requirements for CD control and overlay. Starting from the performance budgets, this paper discusses how to improve (in volume manufacturing environment) CDU towards 1-nm and overlay towards 3-nm. The improvements are based on deploying the actuator capabilities of the immersion scanner. The latest generation immersion scanners have extended the correction capabilities for overlay and imaging, offering freeform adjustments of lens, illuminator and wafer grid. In order to determine the needed adjustments the recipe generation per user application is based on a combination wafer metrology data and computational lithography methods. For overlay, focus and CD metrology we use an angle resolved optical scatterometer.

Molecular modeling of the process of reversible dissolution of the collagen protein under the action of tissue-clearing agents

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dvoretsky, K. N.; Berezin, K. V.; Chernavina, M. L.; Likhter, A. M.; Shagautdinova, I. T.; Antonova, E. M.; Rybakov, A. V.; Grechukhina, O. N.; Tuchin, V. V.

2018-04-01

The interaction of glycerol immersion agent with collagen mimetic peptide ((GPH)9)3 and a fragment of the microfibril 5((GPH)12)3 was studied by the classical molecular dynamics method using the GROMACS software. The change in geometric parameters of collagen α-chains at various concentrations of an aqueous solution of glycerol is analyzed. It is shown that these changes nonlinearly depend on the concentration and are limited to a certain level, which correlates with the experimental data on optical clearing efficiency of human skin. A hypothesis on the cause of the decreased efficiency of optical skin clearing at high immersion agent concentrations is put forward. The molecular mechanism of immersion optical clearing of biological tissues is discussed.

Image Information Obtained Using a Charge-Coupled Device (CCD) Camera During an Immersion Liquid Evaporation Process for Measuring the Refractive Index of Solid Particles.

PubMed

Niskanen, Ilpo; Sutinen, Veijo; Thungström, Göran; Räty, Jukka

2018-06-01

The refractive index is a fundamental physical property of a medium, which can be used for the identification and purity issues of all media. Here we describe a refractive index measurement technique to determine simultaneously the refractive index of different solid particles by monitoring the transmittance of light from a suspension using a charge-coupled device (CCD) camera. An important feature of the measurement is the liquid evaporation process for the refractive index matching of the solid particle and the immersion liquid; this was realized by using a pair of volatile and non-volatile immersion liquids. In this study, refractive indices of calcium fluoride (CaF 2 ) and barium fluoride (BaF 2 ) were determined using the proposed method.

Comparative daily activity patterns of Nilgai, Boselaphus tragocamelus and white-tailed deer, Odocoileus virginianus in South Texas

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Nilgai antelope, Boselaphus tragocamelus, and white-tailed deer (WTD), Odocoileus virginianus, are hosts of the cattle fever ticks, Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus, and R. (B.) annulatus in south Texas. Daily activity patterns were studied to develop optimum timing for field treatment methods fo...

DETERMINATION OF GENETIC DIVERSITY AND PATERNITY IN THE GRAY-TAILED VOLE (MICROTUS CANICAUDUS) BY RAPD-PCR

EPA Science Inventory

Genetic relatedness of gray-tailed voles (Microtus canicaudus) was determined by random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD). This work is the first reported use of the RAPD method for pedigree analysis of M. canicaudus and demonstrates the feasibility of RAPD for assessing paternity...

Comparison of methods to estimate population densities of black-tailed prairie dogs

Treesearch

Kieth E. Severson; Glenn E. Plumb

1999-01-01

Recent reintroduction of the black-footed ferret (Mustela nigripes) in west-central South Dakota has focused new attention on black-tailed prairie dogs (Cynomys ludovicanus), because prairie dog colonies provide essential habitat for ferrets. Currently, management agencies are assessing prairie dog populations by counting active...

Assessment of local variability by high-throughput e-beam metrology for prediction of patterning defect probabilities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Fuming; Hunsche, Stefan; Anunciado, Roy; Corradi, Antonio; Tien, Hung Yu; Tang, Peng; Wei, Junwei; Wang, Yongjun; Fang, Wei; Wong, Patrick; van Oosten, Anton; van Ingen Schenau, Koen; Slachter, Bram

2018-03-01

We present an experimental study of pattern variability and defectivity, based on a large data set with more than 112 million SEM measurements from an HMI high-throughput e-beam tool. The test case is a 10nm node SRAM via array patterned with a DUV immersion LELE process, where we see a variation in mean size and litho sensitivities between different unique via patterns that leads to a seemingly qualitative differences in defectivity. The large available data volume enables further analysis to reliably distinguish global and local CDU variations, including a breakdown into local systematics and stochastics. A closer inspection of the tail end of the distributions and estimation of defect probabilities concludes that there is a common defect mechanism and defect threshold despite the observed differences of specific pattern characteristics. We expect that the analysis methodology can be applied for defect probability modeling as well as general process qualification in the future.

Cartesian-Grid Simulations of a Canard-Controlled Missile with a Free-Spinning Tail

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Murman, Scott M.; Aftosmis, Michael J.; Kwak, Dochan (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

The proposed paper presents a series of simulations of a geometrically complex, canard-controlled, supersonic missile with free-spinning tail fins. Time-dependent simulations were performed using an inviscid Cartesian-grid-based method with results compared to both experimental data and high-resolution Navier-Stokes computations. At fixed free stream conditions and canard deflections, the tail spin rate was iteratively determined such that the net rolling moment on the empennage is zero. This rate corresponds to the time-asymptotic rate of the free-to-spin fin system. After obtaining spin-averaged aerodynamic coefficients for the missile, the investigation seeks a fixed-tail approximation to the spin-averaged aerodynamic coefficients, and examines the validity of this approximation over a variety of freestream conditions.

Research on simulation technology of full-path infrared tail flame tracking of photoelectric theodolite in complicated environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Hai-ying; Zhang, San-xi; Liu, Biao; Yue, Peng; Weng, Ying-hui

2018-02-01

The photoelectric theodolite is an important scheme to realize the tracking, detection, quantitative measurement and performance evaluation of weapon systems in ordnance test range. With the improvement of stability requirements for target tracking in complex environment, infrared scene simulation with high sense of reality and complex interference has become an indispensable technical way to evaluate the track performance of photoelectric theodolite. And the tail flame is the most important infrared radiation source of the weapon system. The dynamic tail flame with high reality is a key element for the photoelectric theodolite infrared scene simulation and imaging tracking test. In this paper, an infrared simulation method for the full-path tracking of tail flame by photoelectric theodolite is proposed aiming at the faint boundary, irregular, multi-regulated points. In this work, real tail images are employed. Simultaneously, infrared texture conversion technology is used to generate DDS texture for a particle system map. Thus, dynamic real-time tail flame simulation results with high fidelity from the theodolite perspective can be gained in the tracking process.

The effect of intact talin and talin tail fragment on actin filament dynamics and structure depends on pH and ionic strength.

PubMed

Goldmann, W H; Hess, D; Isenberg, G

1999-03-01

We employed quasi-elastic light scattering and electron microscopy to investigate the influence of intact talin and talin tail fragment on actin filament dynamics and network structure. Using these methods, we confirm previous reports that intact talin induces cross-linking as well as filament shortening on actin networks. We now show that the effect of intact talin as well as talin tail fragment on actin networks is controlled by pH and ionic strength. At pH 7.5, actin filament dynamics in the presence of intact talin and talin tail fragment are characterized by a rapid decay of the dynamic structure factor and by a square root power law for the stretched exponential decay which is in contrast with the theory for pure actin solutions. At pH 6 and low ionic strength, intact talin cross-links actin filaments more tightly than talin tail fragment. Talin head fragment showed no effect on actin networks, indicating that the actin binding sites reside probably exclusively within the tail domain.

Accidental Water Pollution Risk Analysis of Mine Tailings Ponds in Guanting Reservoir Watershed, Zhangjiakou City, China.

PubMed

Liu, Renzhi; Liu, Jing; Zhang, Zhijiao; Borthwick, Alistair; Zhang, Ke

2015-12-02

Over the past half century, a surprising number of major pollution incidents occurred due to tailings dam failures. Most previous studies of such incidents comprised forensic analyses of environmental impacts after a tailings dam failure, with few considering the combined pollution risk before incidents occur at a watershed-scale. We therefore propose Watershed-scale Tailings-pond Pollution Risk Analysis (WTPRA), designed for multiple mine tailings ponds, stemming from previous watershed-scale accidental pollution risk assessments. Transferred and combined risk is embedded using risk rankings of multiple routes of the "source-pathway-target" in the WTPRA. The previous approach is modified using multi-criteria analysis, dam failure models, and instantaneous water quality models, which are modified for application to multiple tailings ponds. The study area covers the basin of Gutanting Reservoir (the largest backup drinking water source for Beijing) in Zhangjiakou City, where many mine tailings ponds are located. The resultant map shows that risk is higher downstream of Gutanting Reservoir and in its two tributary basins (i.e., Qingshui River and Longyang River). Conversely, risk is lower in the midstream and upstream reaches. The analysis also indicates that the most hazardous mine tailings ponds are located in Chongli and Xuanhua, and that Guanting Reservoir is the most vulnerable receptor. Sensitivity and uncertainty analyses are performed to validate the robustness of the WTPRA method.

Accidental Water Pollution Risk Analysis of Mine Tailings Ponds in Guanting Reservoir Watershed, Zhangjiakou City, China

PubMed Central

Liu, Renzhi; Liu, Jing; Zhang, Zhijiao; Borthwick, Alistair; Zhang, Ke

2015-01-01

Over the past half century, a surprising number of major pollution incidents occurred due to tailings dam failures. Most previous studies of such incidents comprised forensic analyses of environmental impacts after a tailings dam failure, with few considering the combined pollution risk before incidents occur at a watershed-scale. We therefore propose Watershed-scale Tailings-pond Pollution Risk Analysis (WTPRA), designed for multiple mine tailings ponds, stemming from previous watershed-scale accidental pollution risk assessments. Transferred and combined risk is embedded using risk rankings of multiple routes of the “source-pathway-target” in the WTPRA. The previous approach is modified using multi-criteria analysis, dam failure models, and instantaneous water quality models, which are modified for application to multiple tailings ponds. The study area covers the basin of Gutanting Reservoir (the largest backup drinking water source for Beijing) in Zhangjiakou City, where many mine tailings ponds are located. The resultant map shows that risk is higher downstream of Gutanting Reservoir and in its two tributary basins (i.e., Qingshui River and Longyang River). Conversely, risk is lower in the midstream and upstream reaches. The analysis also indicates that the most hazardous mine tailings ponds are located in Chongli and Xuanhua, and that Guanting Reservoir is the most vulnerable receptor. Sensitivity and uncertainty analyses are performed to validate the robustness of the WTPRA method. PMID:26633450

A semi-automated vascular access system for preclinical models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Berry-Pusey, B. N.; Chang, Y. C.; Prince, S. W.; Chu, K.; David, J.; Taschereau, R.; Silverman, R. W.; Williams, D.; Ladno, W.; Stout, D.; Tsao, T. C.; Chatziioannou, A.

2013-08-01

Murine models are used extensively in biological and translational research. For many of these studies it is necessary to access the vasculature for the injection of biologically active agents. Among the possible methods for accessing the mouse vasculature, tail vein injections are a routine but critical step for many experimental protocols. To perform successful tail vein injections, a high skill set and experience is required, leaving most scientists ill-suited to perform this task. This can lead to a high variability between injections, which can impact experimental results. To allow more scientists to perform tail vein injections and to decrease the variability between injections, a vascular access system (VAS) that semi-automatically inserts a needle into the tail vein of a mouse was developed. The VAS uses near infrared light, image processing techniques, computer controlled motors, and a pressure feedback system to insert the needle and to validate its proper placement within the vein. The VAS was tested by injecting a commonly used radiolabeled probe (FDG) into the tail veins of five mice. These mice were then imaged using micro-positron emission tomography to measure the percentage of the injected probe remaining in the tail. These studies showed that, on average, the VAS leaves 3.4% of the injected probe in the tail. With these preliminary results, the VAS system demonstrates the potential for improving the accuracy of tail vein injections in mice.

Method of making a non-lead hollow point bullet

DOEpatents

Vaughn, Norman L.; Lowden, Richard A.

2003-10-07

The method of making a non-lead hollow point bullet has the steps of a) compressing an unsintered powdered metal composite core into a jacket, b) punching a hollow cavity tip portion into the core, c) seating an insert, the insert having a hollow point tip and a tail protrusion, on top of the core such that the tail protrusion couples with the hollow cavity tip portion, and d) swaging the open tip of the jacket.

Application Of Holographic Interferometry For Investigation Of Microroughness Of Engineering Surfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lech, Marek; Mruk, Irena; Stupnicki, Jacek

1985-01-01

The paper describes an improved immersion method of holographic interferometry /IMHI/ adjusted for studies of roughness of engineering surfaces. Special optical arrangement, with two types of immersion cells and adequate technique of preparing transparent replicas reproducting with high fidelity details of differently machined surfaces was elaborated. It permits to obtain the contour maps of the surface asperities with intervals between the planes of succesive contour lines within a range of 1 μm. The results obtained for some engineering surfaces are given.

An Immersed Boundary method with divergence-free velocity interpolation and force spreading

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bao, Yuanxun; Donev, Aleksandar; Griffith, Boyce E.; McQueen, David M.; Peskin, Charles S.

2017-10-01

The Immersed Boundary (IB) method is a mathematical framework for constructing robust numerical methods to study fluid-structure interaction in problems involving an elastic structure immersed in a viscous fluid. The IB formulation uses an Eulerian representation of the fluid and a Lagrangian representation of the structure. The Lagrangian and Eulerian frames are coupled by integral transforms with delta function kernels. The discretized IB equations use approximations to these transforms with regularized delta function kernels to interpolate the fluid velocity to the structure, and to spread structural forces to the fluid. It is well-known that the conventional IB method can suffer from poor volume conservation since the interpolated Lagrangian velocity field is not generally divergence-free, and so this can cause spurious volume changes. In practice, the lack of volume conservation is especially pronounced for cases where there are large pressure differences across thin structural boundaries. The aim of this paper is to greatly reduce the volume error of the IB method by introducing velocity-interpolation and force-spreading schemes with the properties that the interpolated velocity field in which the structure moves is at least C1 and satisfies a continuous divergence-free condition, and that the force-spreading operator is the adjoint of the velocity-interpolation operator. We confirm through numerical experiments in two and three spatial dimensions that this new IB method is able to achieve substantial improvement in volume conservation compared to other existing IB methods, at the expense of a modest increase in the computational cost. Further, the new method provides smoother Lagrangian forces (tractions) than traditional IB methods. The method presented here is restricted to periodic computational domains. Its generalization to non-periodic domains is important future work.

The penalty immersed boundary method and its application to aerodynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Yongsam

The Immersed Boundary (IB) method has been widely applied to problems involving a moving elastic boundary that is immersed in fluid and interacting with it. But most applications of the IB method have involved a massless elastic boundary. Extending the method to cover the case of a massive boundary has required spreading the boundary mass out onto the fluid grid and then solving the Navier-Stokes equations with a variable mass density. The variable mass density makes Fourier transform methods inapplicable, and requires a multigrid solver. Here we propose a new and simple way to give mass to the elastic boundary. The key idea of the method is to introduce two representations of each boundary: one is a massive boundary which does not interact with the fluid, and the other is messless and plays the same role as the boundary of the IB method with the massless assumption. Although they are almost the same, we allow these two representations of the boundary to be different as long as the gap between them is small. This can be ensured by connecting them with a stiff spring with a zero rest length which generates force acting on both boundaries and pulling them together. We call this the 'Penalty IB method'. It does not spread mass to the fluid grid, retains the use of Fourier transform methodology, and is easy to implement in the context of an existing IB method code for the massless case. This thesis introduces the Penalty IB method and applies it to several problems in which the mass of the boundary is important. These problems are filaments in a flowing soap film, flows past a cylinder, windsocks, flags, and parachutes.

Optical properties of InGaN grown by MOCVD on sapphire and on bulk GaN

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Osinski, Marek; Eliseev, Petr G.; Lee, Jinhyun; Smagley, Vladimir A.; Sugahara, Tamoya; Sakai, Shiro

1999-11-01

Experimental data on photoluminescence of various bulk and quantum-well epitaxial InGaN/GaN structures grown by MOCVD are interpreted in terms of a band-tail model of inhomogeneously broadened radiative recombination. The anomalous temperature-induced blue spectral is shown to result from band-tail recombination under non-degenerate conditions. Significant differences are observed between epilayers grown on sapphire substrates and on GaN substrates prepared by the sublimination method, with no apparent evidence of band tails in homoepitaxial structures, indicating their higher crystalline quality.

Lift and center of pressure of wing-body-tail combinations at subsonic, transonic, and supersonic speeds

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pitts, William C; Nielsen, Jack N; Kaattari, George E

1957-01-01

A method is presented for calculating the lift and centers of pressure of wing-body and wing-body-tail combinations at subsonic, transonic, and supersonic speeds. A set of design charts and a computing table are presented which reduce the computations to routine operations. Comparison between the estimated and experimental characteristics for a number of wing-body and wing-body-tail combinations shows correlation to within + or - 10 percent on lift and to within about + or - 0.02 of the body length on center of pressure.

Rambutan Seed (Nephelium Lappaceum L.) Optimization as Raw Material of High Nutrition Value Processed Food

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wahini, M.; Miranti, M. G.; Lukitasari, F.; Novela, L.

2018-02-01

Rambutan (Nephelium Lappaceum L.) is a plant that identical with Southeast Asian countries, in some areas of Indonesia no exception, but rambutan seed is considered as a waste. Therefore, it needs to be optimized into raw materials of food and processed with high nutritional value and has economic value. The purpose of this research were: 1) to find the best rambutan seed immersion formula; 2) to know the nutritional value of the best immersed rambutan seed; 3) to produce raw material and various processed of rambutan seed product. The research method was quasi experiment with 6 treatments and 2 factorial design, materials for immersion was NaCl and Ca(OH)2. The results showed that: 1) the best rambutan seed immersion formula was using Ca(OH)2; 2) the best rambutan seed contains 1,6 ash, 31,2 protein, 26,9 fat; 3) the best rambutan seed produce flour and processed of seasoned nuts. This research indicates that rambutan seed is very potential to be an alternative high-value raw materials.

Interactive Molecular Graphics for Augmented Reality Using HoloLens.

PubMed

Müller, Christoph; Krone, Michael; Huber, Markus; Biener, Verena; Herr, Dominik; Koch, Steffen; Reina, Guido; Weiskopf, Daniel; Ertl, Thomas

2018-06-13

Immersive technologies like stereo rendering, virtual reality, or augmented reality (AR) are often used in the field of molecular visualisation. Modern, comparably lightweight and affordable AR headsets like Microsoft's HoloLens open up new possibilities for immersive analytics in molecular visualisation. A crucial factor for a comprehensive analysis of molecular data in AR is the rendering speed. HoloLens, however, has limited hardware capabilities due to requirements like battery life, fanless cooling and weight. Consequently, insights from best practises for powerful desktop hardware may not be transferable. Therefore, we evaluate the capabilities of the HoloLens hardware for modern, GPU-enabled, high-quality rendering methods for the space-filling model commonly used in molecular visualisation. We also assess the scalability for large molecular data sets. Based on the results, we discuss ideas and possibilities for immersive molecular analytics. Besides more obvious benefits like the stereoscopic rendering offered by the device, this specifically includes natural user interfaces that use physical navigation instead of the traditional virtual one. Furthermore, we consider different scenarios for such an immersive system, ranging from educational use to collaborative scenarios.

Experimental study on the influence of slickwater on shale permeability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Zhonghua; Bai, Baojun; Zhang, Zheyu; Tang, Jing; Zeng, Shunpeng; Li, Xiaogang

2018-02-01

There are two diametrically opposite views of the influence of slickwater on shale permeability among scholars at home and abroad. We used the shale outcrops rock samples from the Lower Silurian Longmaxi Formation in Sichuan Basin. The permeability of these dry samples before and after immersion in different solution systems were tested by pulse attenuation method. The experimental results show that the impregnation of different slickwater components and standard salt solution can promote the increase of the permeability of shale samples. The stress sensitivity of shale samples after liquid immersion is medium weak to weak. The sample stress sensitivity is weak after soaked by the synergist solution and Drag reducing agent solution, and the sensitivity of the sample stress is medium weak after immersed by the standard saline solution, defoamer solution and antiswelling solution; The Ki/K0 of the shale sample after liquid immersion on σi/σ0 is consistent with the exponential stress sensitive evaluation model. With the increase of soaking time, the increase of sample permeability increases first and then decreases.

Innovating Training through Immersive Environments: Generation Y, Exploratory Learning, and Serious Games

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gendron, Gerald

2012-01-01

Over the next decade, those entering Service and Joint Staff positions within the military will come from a different generation than the current leadership. They will come from Generation Y and have differing preferences for learning. Immersive learning environments like serious games and virtual world initiatives can complement traditional training methods to provide a better overall training program for staffs. Generation Y members desire learning methods which are relevant and interactive, regardless of whether they are delivered over the internet or in person. This paper focuses on a project undertaken to assess alternative training methods to teach special operations staffs. It provides a summary of the needs analysis used to consider alternatives and to better posture the Department of Defense for future training development.

SERS activity studies of Ag/Au bimetallic films prepared by galvanic replacement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Chaonan; Fang, Jinghuai; Jin, Yonglong

2012-10-01

Ag films on Si substrates were fabricated by immersion plating, which served as sacrificial materials for preparation of Ag/Au bimetallic films by galvanic replacement method. SEM images displayed that the sacrificial Ag films presenting island morphology experienced interesting structural evolution process during galvanic replacement reaction, and nano-scaled holes were formed in the resultant bimetallic films. SERS measurements using crystal violet as an analyte showed that SERS intensities of bimetallic films were enhanced significantly compared with that of pure Ag films and related mechanisms were discussed. Immersion plating experiment carried out on Ag films on PEN substrates fabricated by photoinduced reduction method further confirmed that galvanic replacement is an easy method to fabricate Ag/Au bimetallic and a potential approach to improve the SERS performance of Ag films.

Reducing statistical uncertainties in simulated organ doses of phantoms immersed in water

DOE PAGES

Hiller, Mauritius M.; Veinot, Kenneth G.; Easterly, Clay E.; ...

2016-08-13

In this study, methods are addressed to reduce the computational time to compute organ-dose rate coefficients using Monte Carlo techniques. Several variance reduction techniques are compared including the reciprocity method, importance sampling, weight windows and the use of the ADVANTG software package. For low-energy photons, the runtime was reduced by a factor of 10 5 when using the reciprocity method for kerma computation for immersion of a phantom in contaminated water. This is particularly significant since impractically long simulation times are required to achieve reasonable statistical uncertainties in organ dose for low-energy photons in this source medium and geometry. Althoughmore » the MCNP Monte Carlo code is used in this paper, the reciprocity technique can be used equally well with other Monte Carlo codes.« less

Radio Frequency Power Load and Associated Method

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Srinivasan, V. Karthik (Inventor); Freestone, Todd M. (Inventor); Sims, William Herbert, III (Inventor)

2014-01-01

A radio frequency power load and associated method. A radio frequency power load apparatus may include a container with an ionized fluid therein. The apparatus may include one conductor immersed in a fluid and another conductor electrically connected to the container. A radio frequency transmission system may include a radio frequency transmitter, a radio frequency amplifier connected to the transmitter and a radio frequency power load apparatus connected to the amplifier. The apparatus may include a fluid having an ion source therein, one conductor immersed in a fluid, and another conductor electrically connected to the container. A method of dissipating power generated by a radio frequency transmission system may include constructing a waveguide with ionized fluid in a container and connecting the waveguide to an amplifier of the transmission system.

The Effects of Hydrotherapy on Anxiety, Pain, Neuroendocrine Responses, and Contraction Dynamics During Labor

PubMed Central

Benfield, Rebecca D.; Hortobágyi, Tibor; Tanner, Charles J.; Swanson, Melvin; Heitkemper, Margaret M.; Newton, Edward R.

2013-01-01

Background Hydrotherapy (immersion, or bathing) is used worldwide to promote relaxation and decrease parturient anxiety and pain in labor, but the psychophysiological effects of this intervention remain obscure. Design A pre-test post-test design with repeated measures was used to examine the effects of hydrotherapy on maternal anxiety and pain, neuroendocrine responses, plasma volume shift and uterine contractions during labor. Correlations among variables were examined at three time points (pre-immersion and twice during hydrotherapy). Methods Eleven term women (mean age 24.5 years) in spontaneous labor were immersed to the xiphoid in 37°C water for 1 hr. Blood samples and measures of anxiety and pain were obtained under dry baseline conditions and repeated at 15 and 45 min of hydrotherapy. Uterine contractions were monitored telemetrically. Results Hydrotherapy was associated with decreases in anxiety, vasopressin and oxytocin levels at 15 and 45 min (all p < .05). There were no significant differences between pre-immersion and immersion pain or cortisol levels. Pain decreased more for women with high baseline pain than for women with low baseline levels at 15 and 45 min. Cortisol levels decreased twice as much at 15 min of hydrotherapy for women with high baseline pain as for those with low baseline pain. Beta-endorphin levels increased at 15 min but did not differ between baseline and 45 min. During immersion, uterine-contraction frequency decreased. A positive plasma volume shift at 15 min was correlated with contraction duration. Conclusions Hydrotherapy during labor affects neuroendocrine responses that modify psychophysiological processes. PMID:20453024

Fast spacecraft adaptive attitude tracking control through immersion and invariance design

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wen, Haowei; Yue, Xiaokui; Li, Peng; Yuan, Jianping

2017-10-01

This paper presents a novel non-certainty-equivalence adaptive control method for the attitude tracking control problem of spacecraft with inertia uncertainties. The proposed immersion and invariance (I&I) based adaptation law provides a more direct and flexible approach to circumvent the limitations of the basic I&I method without employing any filter signal. By virtue of the adaptation high-gain equivalence property derived from the proposed adaptive method, the closed-loop adaptive system with a low adaptation gain could recover the high adaptation gain performance of the filter-based I&I method, and the resulting control torque demands during the initial transient has been significantly reduced. A special feature of this method is that the convergence of the parameter estimation error has been observably improved by utilizing an adaptation gain matrix instead of a single adaptation gain value. Numerical simulations are presented to highlight the various benefits of the proposed method compared with the certainty-equivalence-based control method and filter-based I&I control schemes.

An adaptive reconstruction for Lagrangian, direct-forcing, immersed-boundary methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Posa, Antonio; Vanella, Marcos; Balaras, Elias

2017-12-01

Lagrangian, direct-forcing, immersed boundary (IB) methods have been receiving increased attention due to their robustness in complex fluid-structure interaction problems. They are very sensitive, however, on the selection of the Lagrangian grid, which is typically used to define a solid or flexible body immersed in a fluid flow. In the present work we propose a cost-efficient solution to this problem without compromising accuracy. Central to our approach is the use of isoparametric mapping to bridge the relative resolution requirements of Lagrangian IB, and Eulerian grids. With this approach, the density of surface Lagrangian markers, which is essential to properly enforce boundary conditions, is adapted dynamically based on the characteristics of the underlying Eulerian grid. The markers are not stored and the Lagrangian data-structure is not modified. The proposed scheme is implemented in the framework of a moving least squares reconstruction formulation, but it can be adapted to any Lagrangian, direct-forcing formulation. The accuracy and robustness of the approach is demonstrated in a variety of test cases of increasing complexity.

Structural, optical, and electrical properties of Ni-doped ZnO nanorod arrays prepared via sonicated sol-gel immersion method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ismail, A. S.; Mamat, M. H.; Malek, M. F.; Saidi, S. A.; Yusoff, M. M.; Mohamed, R.; Sin, N. D. Md; Suriani, A. B.; Rusop, M.

2018-05-01

Nickel (Ni)-doped zinc oxide (ZnO) nanorod array films were synthesised using sonicated sol-gel immersion method. The FESEM images showed that the Ni-doped ZnO nanorod arrays possess hexagonal shape with average diameter about 120 nm and thickness about 1.10 µm. The Ni-doped ZnO nanorod arrays possess better transmittance properties with 3.27 eV of optical band gap energy and 40 meV of urbach energy. The current-voltage (I-V) measurement indicated that the conductivity of ZnO film slightly improved with Ni-doping. The doped film displayed good humidity sensing performance with sensitivity of 1.21.

Ethanol Reversal of Tolerance to the Antinociceptive Effects of Oxycodone and Hydrocodone.

PubMed

Jacob, Joanna C; Poklis, Justin L; Akbarali, Hamid I; Henderson, Graeme; Dewey, William L

2017-07-01

This study compared the development of tolerance to two orally bioavailable prescription opioids, oxycodone and hydrocodone, to that of morphine, and the reversal of this tolerance by ethanol. Oxycodone (s.c.) was significantly more potent in the mouse tail-withdrawal assay than either morphine or hydrocodone. Oxycodone was also significantly more potent in this assay than hydrocodone when administered orally. Tolerance was seen following chronic subcutaneous administration of each of the three drugs and by the chronic administration of oral oxycodone, but not following the chronic oral administration of hydrocodone. Ethanol (1 g/kg i.p.) significantly reversed the tolerance to the subcutaneous administration of each of the three opioids that developed when given 30 minutes prior to challenge doses. It took twice as much ethanol, when given orally, to reverse the tolerance to oxycodone. We investigated whether the observed tolerance to oxycodone and its reversal by ethanol were due to biodispositional changes or reflected a true neuronal tolerance. As expected, a relationship between brain oxycodone concentrations and activity in the tail-immersion test existed following administration of acute oral oxycodone. Following chronic treatment, brain oxycodone concentrations were significantly lower than acute concentrations. Oral ethanol (2 g/kg) reversed the tolerance to chronic oxycodone, but did not alter brain concentrations of either acute or chronic oxycodone. These studies show that there is a metabolic component of tolerance to oxycodone; however, the reversal of that tolerance by ethanol is not due to an alteration of the biodisposition of oxycodone, but rather is neuronal in nature. Copyright © 2017 by The American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics.

Discovering new methods of data fusion, visualization, and analysis in 3D immersive environments for hyperspectral and laser altimetry data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moore, C. A.; Gertman, V.; Olsoy, P.; Mitchell, J.; Glenn, N. F.; Joshi, A.; Norpchen, D.; Shrestha, R.; Pernice, M.; Spaete, L.; Grover, S.; Whiting, E.; Lee, R.

2011-12-01

Immersive virtual reality environments such as the IQ-Station or CAVE° (Cave Automated Virtual Environment) offer new and exciting ways to visualize and explore scientific data and are powerful research and educational tools. Combining remote sensing data from a range of sensor platforms in immersive 3D environments can enhance the spectral, textural, spatial, and temporal attributes of the data, which enables scientists to interact and analyze the data in ways never before possible. Visualization and analysis of large remote sensing datasets in immersive environments requires software customization for integrating LiDAR point cloud data with hyperspectral raster imagery, the generation of quantitative tools for multidimensional analysis, and the development of methods to capture 3D visualizations for stereographic playback. This study uses hyperspectral and LiDAR data acquired over the China Hat geologic study area near Soda Springs, Idaho, USA. The data are fused into a 3D image cube for interactive data exploration and several methods of recording and playback are investigated that include: 1) creating and implementing a Virtual Reality User Interface (VRUI) patch configuration file to enable recording and playback of VRUI interactive sessions within the CAVE and 2) using the LiDAR and hyperspectral remote sensing data and GIS data to create an ArcScene 3D animated flyover, where left- and right-eye visuals are captured from two independent monitors for playback in a stereoscopic player. These visualizations can be used as outreach tools to demonstrate how integrated data and geotechnology techniques can help scientists see, explore, and more adequately comprehend scientific phenomena, both real and abstract.

An immersed boundary method for simulating vesicle dynamics in three dimensions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seol, Yunchang; Hu, Wei-Fan; Kim, Yongsam; Lai, Ming-Chih

2016-10-01

We extend our previous immersed boundary (IB) method for 3D axisymmetric inextensible vesicle in Navier-Stokes flows (Hu et al., 2014 [17]) to general three dimensions. Despite a similar spirit in numerical algorithms to the axisymmetric case, the fully 3D numerical implementation is much more complicated and is far from straightforward. A vesicle membrane surface is known to be incompressible and exhibits bending resistance. As in 3D axisymmetric case, instead of keeping the vesicle locally incompressible, we adopt a modified elastic tension energy to make the vesicle surface patch nearly incompressible so that solving the unknown tension (Lagrange multiplier for the incompressible constraint) can be avoided. Nevertheless, the new elastic force derived from the modified tension energy has exactly the same mathematical form as the original one except the different definitions of tension. The vesicle surface is discretized on a triangular mesh where the elastic tension and bending force are calculated on each vertex (Lagrangian marker in the IB method) of the triangulation. A series of numerical tests on the present scheme are conducted to illustrate the robustness and applicability of the method. We perform the convergence study for the immersed boundary forces and the fluid velocity field. We then study the vesicle dynamics in various flows such as quiescent, simple shear, and gravitational flows. Our numerical results show good agreements with those obtained in previous theoretical, experimental and numerical studies.

Acute Anxiety Predicts Components of the Cold Shock Response on Cold Water Immersion: Toward an Integrated Psychophysiological Model of Acute Cold Water Survival

PubMed Central

Barwood, Martin J.; Corbett, Jo; Massey, Heather; McMorris, Terry; Tipton, Mike; Wagstaff, Christopher R. D.

2018-01-01

Introduction: Drowning is a leading cause of accidental death. In cold-water, sudden skin cooling triggers the life-threatening cold shock response (CSR). The CSR comprises tachycardia, peripheral vasoconstriction, hypertension, inspiratory gasp, and hyperventilation with the hyperventilatory component inducing hypocapnia and increasing risk of aspirating water to the lungs. Some CSR components can be reduced by habituation (i.e., reduced response to stimulus of same magnitude) induced by 3–5 short cold-water immersions (CWI). However, high levels of acute anxiety, a plausible emotion on CWI: magnifies the CSR in unhabituated participants, reverses habituated components of the CSR and prevents/delays habituation when high levels of anxiety are experienced concurrent to immersions suggesting anxiety is integral to the CSR. Purpose: To examine the predictive relationship that prior ratings of acute anxiety have with the CSR. Secondly, to examine whether anxiety ratings correlated with components of the CSR during immersion before and after induction of habituation. Methods: Forty-eight unhabituated participants completed one (CON1) 7-min immersion in to cold water (15°C). Of that cohort, twenty-five completed four further CWIs that would ordinarily induce CSR habituation. They then completed two counter-balanced immersions where anxiety levels were increased (CWI-ANX) or were not manipulated (CON2). Acute anxiety and the cardiorespiratory responses (cardiac frequency [fc], respiratory frequency [fR], tidal volume [VT], minute ventilation [E]) were measured. Multiple regression was used to identify components of the CSR from the most life-threatening period of immersion (1st minute) predicted by the anxiety rating prior to immersion. Relationships between anxiety rating and CSR components during immersion were assessed by correlation. Results: Anxiety rating predicted the fc component of the CSR in unhabituated participants (CON1; p < 0.05, r = 0.536, r2= 0.190). After habituation immersions (i.e., cohort 2), anxiety rating predicted the fR component of the CSR when anxiety levels were lowered (CON2; p < 0.05, r = 0.566, r2= 0.320) but predicted the fc component of the CSR (p < 0.05, r = 0.518, r2= 0.197) when anxiety was increased suggesting different drivers of the CSR when anxiety levels were manipulated; correlation data supported these relationships. Discussion: Acute anxiety is integral to the CSR before and after habituation. We offer a new integrated model including neuroanatomical, perceptual and attentional components of the CSR to explain these data. PMID:29695988

Acute Anxiety Predicts Components of the Cold Shock Response on Cold Water Immersion: Toward an Integrated Psychophysiological Model of Acute Cold Water Survival.

PubMed

Barwood, Martin J; Corbett, Jo; Massey, Heather; McMorris, Terry; Tipton, Mike; Wagstaff, Christopher R D

2018-01-01

Introduction: Drowning is a leading cause of accidental death. In cold-water, sudden skin cooling triggers the life-threatening cold shock response (CSR). The CSR comprises tachycardia, peripheral vasoconstriction, hypertension, inspiratory gasp, and hyperventilation with the hyperventilatory component inducing hypocapnia and increasing risk of aspirating water to the lungs. Some CSR components can be reduced by habituation (i.e., reduced response to stimulus of same magnitude) induced by 3-5 short cold-water immersions (CWI). However, high levels of acute anxiety, a plausible emotion on CWI: magnifies the CSR in unhabituated participants, reverses habituated components of the CSR and prevents/delays habituation when high levels of anxiety are experienced concurrent to immersions suggesting anxiety is integral to the CSR. Purpose: To examine the predictive relationship that prior ratings of acute anxiety have with the CSR. Secondly, to examine whether anxiety ratings correlated with components of the CSR during immersion before and after induction of habituation. Methods: Forty-eight unhabituated participants completed one (CON1) 7-min immersion in to cold water (15°C). Of that cohort, twenty-five completed four further CWIs that would ordinarily induce CSR habituation. They then completed two counter-balanced immersions where anxiety levels were increased (CWI-ANX) or were not manipulated (CON2). Acute anxiety and the cardiorespiratory responses (cardiac frequency [ f c ], respiratory frequency [ f R ], tidal volume [ V T ], minute ventilation [ E ]) were measured. Multiple regression was used to identify components of the CSR from the most life-threatening period of immersion (1 st minute) predicted by the anxiety rating prior to immersion. Relationships between anxiety rating and CSR components during immersion were assessed by correlation. Results: Anxiety rating predicted the f c component of the CSR in unhabituated participants (CON1; p < 0.05, r = 0.536, r 2 = 0.190). After habituation immersions (i.e., cohort 2), anxiety rating predicted the f R component of the CSR when anxiety levels were lowered (CON2; p < 0.05, r = 0.566, r 2 = 0.320) but predicted the f c component of the CSR ( p < 0.05, r = 0.518, r 2 = 0.197) when anxiety was increased suggesting different drivers of the CSR when anxiety levels were manipulated; correlation data supported these relationships. Discussion: Acute anxiety is integral to the CSR before and after habituation. We offer a new integrated model including neuroanatomical, perceptual and attentional components of the CSR to explain these data.

A novel polymer inclusion membrane based method for continuous clean-up of thiocyanate from gold mine tailings water.

PubMed

Cho, Youngsoo; Cattrall, Robert W; Kolev, Spas D

2018-01-05

Thiocyanate is present in gold mine tailings waters in concentrations up to 1000mgL -1 and this has a serious environmental impact by not allowing water reuse in the flotation of gold ore. This significantly increases the consumption of fresh water and the amount of wastewater discharged in tailings dams. At the same time thiocyanate in tailings waters often leads to groundwater contamination. A novel continuous membrane-based method for the complete clean-up of thiocyanate in concentrations as high as 1000mgL -1 from its aqueous solutions has been developed. It employs a flat sheet polymer inclusion membrane (PIM) of composition 70wt% PVC, 20wt% Aliquat 336 and 10wt% 1-tetradecanol which separates counter-current streams of a feed thiocyanate solution and a 1M NaNO 3 receiving solution. The PIM-based system has been operated continuously for 45days with 99% separation efficiency. The volume of the receiving solution has been drastically reduced by recirculating it and continuously removing thiocyanate by precipitating it with in-situ generated Cu(I). The newly developed PIM-based thiocyanate clean-up method is environmentally friendly in terms of reagent use and inexpensive with respect to both equipment and running costs. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The Method of Immersion the Problem of Comparing Technical Objects in an Expert Shell in the Class of Artificial Intelligence Algorithms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sergey Vasilievich, Buharin; Aleksandr Vladimirovich, Melnikov; Svetlana Nikolaevna, Chernyaeva; Lyudmila Anatolievna, Korobova

2017-08-01

The method of dip of the underlying computational problem of comparing technical object in an expert shell in the class of data mining methods is examined. An example of using the proposed method is given.

Method and apparatus for determining return stroke polarity of distant lightning

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Blakeslee, Richard J. (Inventor); Brook, Marx (Inventor)

1992-01-01

A method is described for determining the return stroke polarity of distant lightning for distances beyond 600 km by detecting the electric field associated with a return stroke of distant lightning, and processing the electric field signal to determine the polarity of the slow tail of the VLF waveform signal associated with the detected electric field. The polarity of the return stroke of distant lightning is determined based upon the polarity of the slow tail portion of the waveform.

Determining Polarities Of Distant Lightning Strokes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Blakeslee, Richard J.; Brook, Marx

1990-01-01

Method for determining polarities of lightning strokes more than 400 km away. Two features of signal from each stroke correlated. New method based on fact each stroke observed thus far for which polarity determined unambiguously, initial polarity of tail same as polarity of initial deflection before initial-deflection signal altered by propagation effects. Receiving station equipped with electric-field-change antenna coupled to charge amplifier having time constant of order of 1 to 10 seconds. Output of amplifier fed to signal-processing circuitry, which determines initial polarity of tail.

Method and apparatus for determining return stroke polarity of distant lightning

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Blakeslee, Richard J. (Inventor); Brook, Marx (Inventor)

1990-01-01

A method is described for determining the return stroke polarity of distant lightning for distances beyond 600 km by detecting the electric field associated with a return stroke of distant lightning, and processing the electric field signal to determine the polarity of the slow tail of the VLF waveform signal associated with the detected electric field. The polarity of the return stroke of distant lightning is determined based upon the polarity of the slow tail portion of the waveform.

A universal constraint-based formulation for freely moving immersed bodies in fluids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Patankar, Neelesh A.

2012-11-01

Numerical simulation of moving immersed bodies in fluids is now practiced routinely. A variety of variants of these approaches have been published, most of which rely on using a background mesh for the fluid equations and tracking the body using Lagrangian points. In this talk, generalized constraint-based governing equations will be presented that provide a unified framework for various immersed body techniques. The key idea that is common to these methods is to assume that the entire fluid-body domain is a ``fluid'' and then to constrain the body domain to move in accordance with its governing equations. The immersed body can be rigid or deforming. The governing equations are developed so that they are independent of the nature of temporal or spatial discretization schemes. Specific choices of time stepping and spatial discretization then lead to techniques developed in prior literature ranging from freely moving rigid to elastic self-propelling bodies. To simulate Brownian systems, thermal fluctuations can be included in the fluid equations via additional random stress terms. Solving the fluctuating hydrodynamic equations coupled with the immersed body results in the Brownian motion of that body. The constraint-based formulation leads to fractional time stepping algorithms a la Chorin-type schemes that are suitable for fast computations of rigid or self-propelling bodies whose deformation kinematics are known. Support from NSF is gratefully acknowledged.

Effects of the peracetic acid and sodium hypochlorite on the colour stability and surface roughness of the denture base acrylic resins polymerised by microwave and water bath methods.

PubMed

Fernandes, Flavio H C N; Orsi, Iara A; Villabona, Camilo A

2013-03-01

This study evaluated the surface roughness (Ra) and color stability of acrylic resin colors (Lucitone 550, QC-20 and Vipi-Wave) used for fabricating bases for complete, removable dentures, overdentures and prosthetic protocol after immersion in chemical disinfectants (1% sodium hypochlorite and 2% peracetic acid) for 30 and 60 minutes. Sixty specimens were made of each commercial brand of resin composite, and divided into 2 groups according to the chemical disinfectants. Specimens had undergone the finishing and polishing procedures, the initial color and roughness measurements were taken (t=0), and after this, ten test specimens of each commercial brand of resin composite were immersed in sodium hypochlorite and ten in peracetic acid, for 30 and 60 minutes, with measurements being taken after each immersion period. These data were submitted to statistical analysis. There was evidence of an increase in Ra after 30 minutes immersion in the disinfectants in all the resins, with QC-20 presenting the highest Ra values, and Vipi-Wave the lowest. After 60 minutes immersion in the disinfectants all the resins presented statistically significant color alteration. Disinfection with 1% sodium hypochlorite and peracetic acid altered the properties of roughness and color of the resins. © 2012 The Gerodontology Society and John Wiley & Sons A/S.

Probability of survival during accidental immersion in cold water.

PubMed

Wissler, Eugene H

2003-01-01

Estimating the probability of survival during accidental immersion in cold water presents formidable challenges for both theoreticians and empirics. A number of theoretical models have been developed assuming that death occurs when the central body temperature, computed using a mathematical model, falls to a certain level. This paper describes a different theoretical approach to estimating the probability of survival. The human thermal model developed by Wissler is used to compute the central temperature during immersion in cold water. Simultaneously, a survival probability function is computed by solving a differential equation that defines how the probability of survival decreases with increasing time. The survival equation assumes that the probability of occurrence of a fatal event increases as the victim's central temperature decreases. Generally accepted views of the medical consequences of hypothermia and published reports of various accidents provide information useful for defining a "fatality function" that increases exponentially with decreasing central temperature. The particular function suggested in this paper yields a relationship between immersion time for 10% probability of survival and water temperature that agrees very well with Molnar's empirical observations based on World War II data. The method presented in this paper circumvents a serious difficulty with most previous models--that one's ability to survive immersion in cold water is determined almost exclusively by the ability to maintain a high level of shivering metabolism.

The use of warmed water treatment to induce protective immunity against the bacterial cold-water disease pathogen Flavobacterium psychrophilum in ayu (Plecoglossus altivelis).

PubMed

Sugahara, K; Eguchi, M

2012-03-01

We investigated the induction of protective immunity against bacterial cold-water disease (BCWD) caused by Flavobacterium psychrophilum by warmed water treatment in ayu (Plecoglossus altivelis). Fish were immersed in a live bacterial suspension (10⁷ CFU mL⁻¹) for 30 min and placed in 700 L concrete tanks. The 28 °C warmed water treatment lasted 3 days and began 1, 6, and 24 h after immersion in the live bacterial suspension. A naïve control fish group was immersed in a sterilized modified Cytophaga (MCY) broth instead of the bacterial suspension. Fourteen days after the immersion, agglutination antibody titers against F. psychrophilum were measured by using micro-titer methods. Fish were then exposed to a bacterial bath to infect them with live F. psychrophilum, and cumulative mortality was monitored. Fish treated with warmed water at 1, 6, and 24 h after immersion in the live bacterial suspension had cumulative mortalities of 36%, 30%, and 18%, respectively, all of which were significantly lower than the cumulative mortality of the naïve control fish (90%). Treated fish also showed high antibody titers against F. psychrophilum in agglutination tests. These results demonstrate that warmed water treatment could not only cure BCWD but also immunize the fish against the causative agent F. psychrophilum. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Do drowning and anoxia kill head lice?

PubMed

Candy, Kerdalidec; Brun, Sophie; Nicolas, Patrick; Durand, Rémy; Charrel, Remi N; Izri, Arezki

2018-01-01

Chemical, physical, and mechanical methods are used to control human lice. Attempts have been made to eradicate head lice Pediculus humanus capitis by hot air, soaking in various fluids or asphyxiation using occlusive treatments. In this study, we assessed the maximum time that head lice can survive anoxia (oxygen deprivation) and their ability to survive prolonged water immersion. We also observed the ingress of fluids across louse tracheae and spiracle characteristics contrasting with those described in the literature. We showed that 100% of lice can withstand 8 h of anoxia and 12.2% survived 14 h of anoxia; survival was 48.9% in the untreated control group at 14 h. However, all lice had died following 16 h of anoxia. In contrast, the survival rate of water-immersed lice was significantly higher when compared with non-immersed lice after 6 h (100% vs. 76.6%, p = 0.0037), and 24 h (50.9% vs. 15.9%, p = 0.0003). Although water-immersed lice did not close their spiracles, water did not penetrate into the respiratory system. In contrast, immersion in colored dimeticone/cyclomethicone or colored ethanol resulted in penetration through the spiracles and spreading to the entire respiratory system within 30 min, leading to death in 100% of the lice. © K. Candy et al., published by EDP Sciences, 2018.

Hybrid method for moving interface problems with application to the Hele-Shaw flow

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

Hou, T.Y.; Li, Zhilin; Osher, S.

In this paper, a hybrid approach which combines the immersed interface method with the level set approach is presented. The fast version of the immersed interface method is used to solve the differential equations whose solutions and their derivatives may be discontinuous across the interfaces due to the discontinuity of the coefficients or/and singular sources along the interfaces. The moving interfaces then are updated using the newly developed fast level set formulation which involves computation only inside some small tubes containing the interfaces. This method combines the advantage of the two approaches and gives a second-order Eulerian discretization for interfacemore » problems. Several key steps in the implementation are addressed in detail. This new approach is then applied to Hele-Shaw flow, an unstable flow involving two fluids with very different viscosity. 40 refs., 10 figs., 3 tabs.« less

An immersed boundary method for modeling a dirty geometry data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Onishi, Keiji; Tsubokura, Makoto

2017-11-01

We present a robust, fast, and low preparation cost immersed boundary method (IBM) for simulating an incompressible high Re flow around highly complex geometries. The method is achieved by the dispersion of the momentum by the axial linear projection and the approximate domain assumption satisfying the mass conservation around the wall including cells. This methodology has been verified against an analytical theory and wind tunnel experiment data. Next, we simulate the problem of flow around a rotating object and demonstrate the ability of this methodology to the moving geometry problem. This methodology provides the possibility as a method for obtaining a quick solution at a next large scale supercomputer. This research was supported by MEXT as ``Priority Issue on Post-K computer'' (Development of innovative design and production processes) and used computational resources of the K computer provided by the RIKEN Advanced Institute for Computational Science.

A matrix-free implicit unstructured multigrid finite volume method for simulating structural dynamics and fluid structure interaction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lv, X.; Zhao, Y.; Huang, X. Y.; Xia, G. H.; Su, X. H.

2007-07-01

A new three-dimensional (3D) matrix-free implicit unstructured multigrid finite volume (FV) solver for structural dynamics is presented in this paper. The solver is first validated using classical 2D and 3D cantilever problems. It is shown that very accurate predictions of the fundamental natural frequencies of the problems can be obtained by the solver with fast convergence rates. This method has been integrated into our existing FV compressible solver [X. Lv, Y. Zhao, et al., An efficient parallel/unstructured-multigrid preconditioned implicit method for simulating 3d unsteady compressible flows with moving objects, Journal of Computational Physics 215(2) (2006) 661-690] based on the immersed membrane method (IMM) [X. Lv, Y. Zhao, et al., as mentioned above]. Results for the interaction between the fluid and an immersed fixed-free cantilever are also presented to demonstrate the potential of this integrated fluid-structure interaction approach.

Evaluation of Euthanasia Techniques for an Invertebrate Species, Land Snails (Succinea putris).

PubMed

Gilbertson, Cody R; Wyatt, Jeffrey D

2016-01-01

The euthanasia of invertebrates used in scientific investigations poses unanswered questions regarding the rapid induction of unconsciousness with minimal distress and pain. Relative to vertebrates, invertebrates' sensory experience of pain, nociception, and physiologic response to aversive stimuli are poorly characterized. The scientific communities in the European Union, Canada, United States, Australia, and New Zealand join in consensus regarding the need to address alleviation of pain and distress in cephalopods (octopus, squid, and so forth), which have the best-characterized nervous system among invertebrates. In the current study, we evaluated various euthanasia techniques in a terrestrial gastropod species, with priority on animal wellbeing, scientific variability, feasibility in both field and laboratory settings, and acceptability by personnel. In addition, we demonstrated that the 2-step method of euthanasia described in the AVMA Guidelines as acceptable for aquatic invertebrates is effective for terrestrial snails and meets all welfare and scientific requirements. This 2-step method first induces anesthesia by immersion in 5% ethanol (laboratory-grade ethanol or beer) followed by immersion in a euthanizing and tissue-preserving solution of 70% to 95% ethanol or 10% neutral buffered formalin. Furthermore, alternative methods of euthanasia for terrestrial snails commonly used in field research, such as live immersion in concentrated ethanol or formalin, were shown to be unacceptable.

Evaluation of Euthanasia Techniques for an Invertebrate Species, Land Snails (Succinea putris)

PubMed Central

Gilbertson, Cody R; Wyatt, Jeffrey D

2016-01-01

The euthanasia of invertebrates used in scientific investigations poses unanswered questions regarding the rapid induction of unconsciousness with minimal distress and pain. Relative to vertebrates, invertebrates’ sensory experience of pain, nociception, and physiologic response to aversive stimuli are poorly characterized. The scientific communities in the European Union, Canada, United States, Australia, and New Zealand join in consensus regarding the need to address alleviation of pain and distress in cephalopods (octopus, squid, and so forth), which have the best-characterized nervous system among invertebrates. In the current study, we evaluated various euthanasia techniques in a terrestrial gastropod species, with priority on animal wellbeing, scientific variability, feasibility in both field and laboratory settings, and acceptability by personnel. In addition, we demonstrated that the 2-step method of euthanasia described in the AVMA Guidelines as acceptable for aquatic invertebrates is effective for terrestrial snails and meets all welfare and scientific requirements. This 2-step method first induces anesthesia by immersion in 5% ethanol (laboratory-grade ethanol or beer) followed by immersion in a euthanizing and tissue-preserving solution of 70% to 95% ethanol or 10% neutral buffered formalin. Furthermore, alternative methods of euthanasia for terrestrial snails commonly used in field research, such as live immersion in concentrated ethanol or formalin, were shown to be unacceptable. PMID:27657713

The impact of contextualization on immersion in healthcare simulation.

PubMed

Engström, Henrik; Andersson Hagiwara, Magnus; Backlund, Per; Lebram, Mikael; Lundberg, Lars; Johannesson, Mikael; Sterner, Anders; Maurin Söderholm, Hanna

2016-01-01

The aim of this paper is to explore how contextualization of a healthcare simulation scenarios impacts immersion, by using a novel objective instrument, the Immersion Score Rating Instrument. This instrument consists of 10 triggers that indicate reduced or enhanced immersion among participants in a simulation scenario. Triggers refer to events such as jumps in time or space (sign of reduced immersion) and natural interaction with the manikin (sign of enhanced immersion) and can be used to calculate an immersion score. An experiment using a randomized controlled crossover design was conducted to compare immersion between two simulation training conditions for prehospital care: one basic and one contextualized. The Immersion Score Rating Instrument was used to compare the total immersion score for the whole scenario, the immersion score for individual mission phases, and to analyze differences in trigger occurrences. A paired t test was used to test for significance. The comparison shows that the overall immersion score for the simulation was higher in the contextualized condition. The average immersion score was 2.17 (sd = 1.67) in the contextualized condition and -0.77 (sd = 2.01) in the basic condition ( p  < .001). The immersion score was significantly higher in the contextualized condition in five out of six mission phases. Events that might be disruptive for the simulation participants' immersion, such as interventions of the instructor and illogical jumps in time or space, are present to a higher degree in the basic scenario condition; while events that signal enhanced immersion, such as natural interaction with the manikin, are more frequently observed in the contextualized condition. The results suggest that contextualization of simulation training with respect to increased equipment and environmental fidelity as well as functional task alignment might affect immersion positively and thus contribute to an improved training experience.

Solid immersion terahertz imaging with sub-wavelength resolution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chernomyrdin, Nikita V.; Schadko, Aleksander O.; Lebedev, Sergey P.; Tolstoguzov, Viktor L.; Kurlov, Vladimir N.; Reshetov, Igor V.; Spektor, Igor E.; Skorobogatiy, Maksim; Yurchenko, Stanislav O.; Zaytsev, Kirill I.

2017-05-01

We have developed a method of solid immersion THz imaging—a non-contact technique employing the THz beam focused into evanescent-field volume and allowing strong reduction in the dimensions of THz caustic. We have combined numerical simulations and experimental studies to demonstrate a sub-wavelength 0.35λ0-resolution of the solid immersion THz imaging system compared to 0.85λ0-resolution of a standard imaging system, employing only an aspherical singlet. We have discussed the prospective of using the developed technique in various branches of THz science and technology, namely, for THz measurements of solid-state materials featuring sub-wavelength variations of physical properties, for highly accurate mapping of healthy and pathological tissues in THz medical diagnosis, for detection of sub-wavelength defects in THz non-destructive sensing, and for enhancement of THz nonlinear effects.

Immersive volume rendering of blood vessels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Long, Gregory; Kim, Han Suk; Marsden, Alison; Bazilevs, Yuri; Schulze, Jürgen P.

2012-03-01

In this paper, we present a novel method of visualizing flow in blood vessels. Our approach reads unstructured tetrahedral data, resamples it, and uses slice based 3D texture volume rendering. Due to the sparse structure of blood vessels, we utilize an octree to efficiently store the resampled data by discarding empty regions of the volume. We use animation to convey time series data, wireframe surface to give structure, and utilize the StarCAVE, a 3D virtual reality environment, to add a fully immersive element to the visualization. Our tool has great value in interdisciplinary work, helping scientists collaborate with clinicians, by improving the understanding of blood flow simulations. Full immersion in the flow field allows for a more intuitive understanding of the flow phenomena, and can be a great help to medical experts for treatment planning.

Immersed Boundary Simulations of Active Fluid Droplets

PubMed Central

Hawkins, Rhoda J.

2016-01-01

We present numerical simulations of active fluid droplets immersed in an external fluid in 2-dimensions using an Immersed Boundary method to simulate the fluid droplet interface as a Lagrangian mesh. We present results from two example systems, firstly an active isotropic fluid boundary consisting of particles that can bind and unbind from the interface and generate surface tension gradients through active contractility. Secondly, a droplet filled with an active polar fluid with homeotropic anchoring at the droplet interface. These two systems demonstrate spontaneous symmetry breaking and steady state dynamics resembling cell motility and division and show complex feedback mechanisms with minimal degrees of freedom. The simulations outlined here will be useful for quantifying the wide range of dynamics observable in these active systems and modelling the effects of confinement in a consistent and adaptable way. PMID:27606609

Formation of Wear Resistant Steel Surfaces by Plasma Immersion Ion Implantation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mändl, S.; Rauschenbach, B.

2003-08-01

Plasma immersion ion implantation (PIII) is a versatile and fast method for implanting energetic ions into large and complex shaped three-dimensional objects where the ions are accelerated by applying negative high voltage pulses to a substrate immersed in a plasma. As the line-of-sight restrictions of conventional implanters are circumvented, it results in a fast and cost-effective technology. Implantation of nitrogen at 30 - 40 keV at moderate temperatures of 200 - 400 °C into steel circumvents the diminishing thermal nitrogen activation encountered, e.g., in plasma nitriding in this temperature regime, thus enabling nitriding of additional steel grades. Nitride formation and improvement of the mechanical properties after PIII are presented for several steel grades, including AISI 316Ti (food industry), AISI D2 (used for bending tools) and AISI 1095 (with applications in the textile industry).

Chemical tapering of polymer optical fiber

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rashid, Affa Rozana Abdul; Afiqah Nasution, Amna; Hanim Suranin, Aisyah; Athirah Taib, Nur; Maisarah Mukhtar, Wan; Dasuki, Karsono Ahmad; Annuar Ehsan, Abang

2017-11-01

Polymer optical fibers (POFs) have significant advantages over numerous sensing applications. The key element in developing sensor is by removing the cladding of the fiber. The use of organic solvent is one of the methods to create tapered POF in order to expose the core region. In this study, the etching chemicals involved is acetone, methyl isobutyl ketone (MIBK), and acetone-methanol mixture. The POF is immersed in 100%, 80%, and 50% of acetone and MIBK dilution. In addition, the mixture of acetone and methanol is also used for POF etching by the ratio 2:1 of the volume. Acetone has shown to be the most reactive solvent towards POF due to its fastest etching rate compared to MIBK and acetone-methanol mixture. The POF is immersed and lifted from the solution for a specific time, depending on the power loss properties for the purpose of producing unclad POF. In comparison to silica fiber optic, the advantages of POF in terms of its simple technique and easy handling enable it to produce unclad POF without damaging the core region. The surface roughness of the POF is investigated under the microscope after being immersed into different solvent. This method of chemical tapering of POF can be used as the fundamental technique for sensor development. Next, the unclad fiber is immersed into ethanol solutions in order to determine the reaction of unclad POF towards its surrounding. The findings show that this particular sensor is sensitive towards concentration changes ranging between 10 wt% to 50 wt%.

An immersed boundary method for fluid-structure interaction with compressible multiphase flows

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Li; Currao, Gaetano M. D.; Han, Feng; Neely, Andrew J.; Young, John; Tian, Fang-Bao

2017-10-01

This paper presents a two-dimensional immersed boundary method for fluid-structure interaction with compressible multiphase flows involving large structure deformations. This method involves three important parts: flow solver, structure solver and fluid-structure interaction coupling. In the flow solver, the compressible multiphase Navier-Stokes equations for ideal gases are solved by a finite difference method based on a staggered Cartesian mesh, where a fifth-order accuracy Weighted Essentially Non-Oscillation (WENO) scheme is used to handle spatial discretization of the convective term, a fourth-order central difference scheme is employed to discretize the viscous term, the third-order TVD Runge-Kutta scheme is used to discretize the temporal term, and the level-set method is adopted to capture the multi-material interface. In this work, the structure considered is a geometrically non-linear beam which is solved by using a finite element method based on the absolute nodal coordinate formulation (ANCF). The fluid dynamics and the structure motion are coupled in a partitioned iterative manner with a feedback penalty immersed boundary method where the flow dynamics is defined on a fixed Lagrangian grid and the structure dynamics is described on a global coordinate. We perform several validation cases (including fluid over a cylinder, structure dynamics, flow induced vibration of a flexible plate, deformation of a flexible panel induced by shock waves in a shock tube, an inclined flexible plate in a hypersonic flow, and shock-induced collapse of a cylindrical helium cavity in the air), and compare the results with experimental and other numerical data. The present results agree well with the published data and the current experiment. Finally, we further demonstrate the versatility of the present method by applying it to a flexible plate interacting with multiphase flows.

Into hot water head first: distribution of intentional and unintentional immersion burns.

PubMed

Daria, Sonya; Sugar, Naomi F; Feldman, Kenneth W; Boos, Stephen C; Benton, Scott A; Ornstein, Amy

2004-05-01

Experience with several, previously unreported, intentional face-first immersion burns led us to evaluate the distribution of inflicted and unintentional immersion scald burns in a hospital series. (1) Authors' clinical and legal practices; (2) Burn center at regional Level 1 trauma hospital. : (1) Case series of face-first, inflicted immersion burn victims; (2) Consecutive hospitalized scald burn victims younger than 5 years old, 1/3/1996 to 3/25/2000. (1) Individual case reports; (2) Retrospective records review. Simple descriptive statistics, Fisher Exact test and t test. (1) Six cases of inflicted head and neck immersion injury are described. Four were tap water and 2 food/drink scalds. (2) 22/195 hospitalized victims had sustained immersion burns, 13 from tap water and 9 from other fluids. Six (46%) tap water immersions and no (0%) other immersions had inflicted injuries (P = 0.05). Two of the tap water immersions and one other source immersion included burning of the head and neck. Of these, one tap water immersion, but no other immersion, was inflicted. In no patients were head and neck injuries the sole or predominant site of scalding. In all, 9 children sustained inflicted scalds. Bilateral lower extremity tap water immersion scalds occurred in 100% (6/6) of abusive and 29% (2/7) of unintentional injuries (P = 0.02). Buttock and perineal injuries occurred in 67% (4/6) inflicted versus 29% (2/7) unintentional tap water immersion scalds (P = 0.28). Other fluids caused bilateral lower extremity immersion burns in 3/9 (33 %) unintentionally injured patients, but no abused children (NS). Craniofacial immersion injury, although seen by the authors in legal cases, is infrequent. It was present incidentally in one inflicted tap water burn in the consecutive hospital series. This series affirms the predominance of bilateral lower extremity burns in inflicted tap water immersions. Buttock/perineal immersions were more common with abuse than with unintentional injury.

Effect of hydration on plasma volume and endocrine responses to water immersion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Harrison, M. H.; Keil, L. C.; Wade, C. A.; Silver, J. E.; Geelen, G.

1986-01-01

The effect of hydration status on early endocrine responses and on osmotic and intravascular volume changes during immersion was determined in humans undergoing successive periods of dehydration, immersion, rehydration, and immersion. Immersion caused an isotonic expansion of plasma volume, as well as suppression of plasma renin activity and aldosterone, which all occurred independently of hydration status. On the other hand, the concentration of plasma vasopressin (PVP) was found to decrease during dehydrated immersion, but not during rehydrated immersion. It is concluded that plasma tonicity is not a factor influencing PVP suppression during water immersion.

The Use of Immersive Virtual Reality (VR) to Predict the Occurrence 6 Months Later of Paranoid Thinking and Posttraumatic Stress Symptoms Assessed by Self-Report and Interviewer Methods: A Study of Individuals Who Have Been Physically Assaulted

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Presentation of social situations via immersive virtual reality (VR) has the potential to be an ecologically valid way of assessing psychiatric symptoms. In this study we assess the occurrence of paranoid thinking and of symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in response to a single neutral VR social environment as predictors of later psychiatric symptoms assessed by standard methods. One hundred six people entered an immersive VR social environment (a train ride), presented via a head-mounted display, 4 weeks after having attended hospital because of a physical assault. Paranoid thinking about the neutral computer-generated characters and the occurrence of PTSD symptoms in VR were assessed. Reactions in VR were then used to predict the occurrence 6 months later of symptoms of paranoia and PTSD, as assessed by standard interviewer and self-report methods. Responses to VR predicted the severity of paranoia and PTSD symptoms as assessed by standard measures 6 months later. The VR assessments also added predictive value to the baseline interviewer methods, especially for paranoia. Brief exposure to environments presented via virtual reality provides a symptom assessment with predictive ability over many months. VR assessment may be of particular benefit for difficult to assess problems, such as paranoia, that have no gold standard assessment method. In the future, VR environments may be used in the clinic to complement standard self-report and clinical interview methods. PMID:24708073

The use of immersive virtual reality (VR) to predict the occurrence 6 months later of paranoid thinking and posttraumatic stress symptoms assessed by self-report and interviewer methods: a study of individuals who have been physically assaulted.

PubMed

Freeman, Daniel; Antley, Angus; Ehlers, Anke; Dunn, Graham; Thompson, Claire; Vorontsova, Natasha; Garety, Philippa; Kuipers, Elizabeth; Glucksman, Edward; Slater, Mel

2014-09-01

Presentation of social situations via immersive virtual reality (VR) has the potential to be an ecologically valid way of assessing psychiatric symptoms. In this study we assess the occurrence of paranoid thinking and of symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in response to a single neutral VR social environment as predictors of later psychiatric symptoms assessed by standard methods. One hundred six people entered an immersive VR social environment (a train ride), presented via a head-mounted display, 4 weeks after having attended hospital because of a physical assault. Paranoid thinking about the neutral computer-generated characters and the occurrence of PTSD symptoms in VR were assessed. Reactions in VR were then used to predict the occurrence 6 months later of symptoms of paranoia and PTSD, as assessed by standard interviewer and self-report methods. Responses to VR predicted the severity of paranoia and PTSD symptoms as assessed by standard measures 6 months later. The VR assessments also added predictive value to the baseline interviewer methods, especially for paranoia. Brief exposure to environments presented via virtual reality provides a symptom assessment with predictive ability over many months. VR assessment may be of particular benefit for difficult to assess problems, such as paranoia, that have no gold standard assessment method. In the future, VR environments may be used in the clinic to complement standard self-report and clinical interview methods. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved.

Does climate have heavy tails?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bermejo, Miguel; Mudelsee, Manfred

2013-04-01

When we speak about a distribution with heavy tails, we are referring to the probability of the existence of extreme values will be relatively large. Several heavy-tail models are constructed from Poisson processes, which are the most tractable models. Among such processes, one of the most important are the Lévy processes, which are those process with independent, stationary increments and stochastic continuity. If the random component of a climate process that generates the data exhibits a heavy-tail distribution, and if that fact is ignored by assuming a finite-variance distribution, then there would be serious consequences (in the form, e.g., of bias) for the analysis of extreme values. Yet, it appears that it is an open question to what extent and degree climate data exhibit heavy-tail phenomena. We present a study about the statistical inference in the presence of heavy-tail distribution. In particular, we explore (1) the estimation of tail index of the marginal distribution using several estimation techniques (e.g., Hill estimator, Pickands estimator) and (2) the power of hypothesis tests. The performance of the different methods are compared using artificial time-series by means of Monte Carlo experiments. We systematically apply the heavy tail inference to observed climate data, in particular we focus on time series data. We study several proxy and directly observed climate variables from the instrumental period, the Holocene and the Pleistocene. This work receives financial support from the European Commission (Marie Curie Initial Training Network LINC, No. 289447, within the 7th Framework Programme).

Fractal and Chaos Analysis for Dynamics of Radon Exhalation from Uranium Mill Tailings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Yongmei; Tan, Wanyu; Tan, Kaixuan; Liu, Zehua; Xie, Yanshi

2016-08-01

Tailings from mining and milling of uranium ores potentially are large volumes of low-level radioactive materials. A typical environmental problem associated with uranium tailings is radon exhalation, which can significantly pose risks to environment and human health. In order to reduce these risks, it is essential to study the dynamical nature and underlying mechanism of radon exhalation from uranium mill tailings. This motivates the conduction of this study, which is based on the fractal and chaotic methods (e.g. calculating the Hurst exponent, Lyapunov exponent and correlation dimension) and laboratory experiments of the radon exhalation rates. The experimental results show that the radon exhalation rate from uranium mill tailings is highly oscillated. In addition, the nonlinear analyses of the time series of radon exhalation rate demonstrate the following points: (1) the value of Hurst exponent much larger than 0.5 indicates non-random behavior of the radon time series; (2) the positive Lyapunov exponent and non-integer correlation dimension of the time series imply that the radon exhalation from uranium tailings is a chaotic dynamical process; (3) the required minimum number of variables should be five to describe the time evolution of radon exhalation. Therefore, it can be concluded that the internal factors, including heterogeneous distribution of radium, and randomness of radium decay, as well as the fractal characteristics of the tailings, can result in the chaotic evolution of radon exhalation from the tailings.

Aerodynamic interference effects on tilting proprotor aircraft. [using the Green function method

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Soohoo, P.; Morino, L.; Noll, R. B.; Ham, N. D.

1977-01-01

The Green's function method was used to study tilting proprotor aircraft aerodynamics with particular application to the problem of the mutual interference of the wing-fuselage-tail-rotor wake configuration. While the formulation is valid for fully unsteady rotor aerodynamics, attention was directed to steady state aerodynamics, which was achieved by replacing the rotor with the actuator disk approximation. The use of an actuator disk analysis introduced a mathematical singularity into the formulation; this problem was studied and resolved. The pressure distribution, lift, and pitching moment were obtained for an XV-15 wing-fuselage-tail rotor configuration at various flight conditions. For the flight configurations explored, the effects of the rotor wake interference on the XV-15 tilt rotor aircraft yielded a reduction in the total lift and an increase in the nose-down pitching moment. This method provides an analytical capability that is simple to apply and can be used to investigate fuselage-tail rotor wake interference as well as to explore other rotor design problem areas.

Determination of the proton-to-helium ratio in cosmic rays at ultra-high energies from the tail of the Xmax distribution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yushkov, A.; Risse, M.; Werner, M.; Krieg, J.

2016-12-01

We present a method to determine the proton-to-helium ratio in cosmic rays at ultra-high energies. It makes use of the exponential slope, Λ, of the tail of the Xmax distribution measured by an air shower experiment. The method is quite robust with respect to uncertainties from modeling hadronic interactions and to systematic errors on Xmax and energy, and to the possible presence of primary nuclei heavier than helium. Obtaining the proton-to-helium ratio with air shower experiments would be a remarkable achievement. To quantify the applicability of a particular mass-sensitive variable for mass composition analysis despite hadronic uncertainties we introduce as a metric the 'analysis indicator' and find an improved performance of the Λ method compared to other variables currently used in the literature. The fraction of events in the tail of the Xmax distribution can provide additional information on the presence of nuclei heavier than helium in the primary beam.

The complete mitochondrial genome of the tiger tail seahorse, Hippocampus comes (Teleostei, Syngnathidae).

PubMed

Chang, Chia-Hao; Lin, Han-Yang; Jang-Liaw, Nian-Hong; Shao, Kwang-Tsao; Lin, Yeong-Shin; Ho, Hsuan-Ching

2013-06-01

The complete mitochondrial genome of the tiger tail seahorse was sequenced using a polymerase chain reaction-based method. The total length of mitochondrial DNA is 16,525 bp and includes 13 protein-coding genes, 2 ribosomal RNA, 22 transfer RNA genes, and a control region. The mitochondrial gene arrangement of the tiger tail seahorse is also matching the one observed in the most vertebrate creatures. Base composition of the genome is A (32.8%), T (29.8%), C (23.0%), and G (14.4%) with an A+T-rich hallmark as that of other vertebrate mitochondrial genomes.

Necrosis of the tail of pancreas following proximal splenic artery embolization

PubMed Central

Talving, Peep; Rauk, Mariliis; Vipp, Liisa; Isand, Karl-Gunnar; Šamarin, Aleksandr; Põder, Kalle; Rätsep, Indrek; Saar, Sten

2016-01-01

The current case report presents a rare complication of a significant pancreatic tail necrosis following proximal splenic artery embolization in a 32-year-old male patient involved in a motorcycle accident. Proximal angiographic embolization of the splenic injury after trauma is a widely accepted method with excellent success rate; however, possible complications may occur and has been described in the literature. Nevertheless, only a few case reports pertinent to clinically significant pancreatic tail necrosis after the SAE has been reported. Thus, we add a case report to the scarce literature pertinent to this detrimental and rare complication. PMID:27177891

Solitons with Gaussian tails in dispersion-managed communication systems using gratings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mezentsev, Vladimir K.; Turitsyn, Sergei K.

1997-02-01

We examine the transmission of optical pulses in fibre communication systems with dispersion management. It is shown that solitons with Gaussian tails may be formed by the adoption of gratings to periodically compensate a pulse chirp. Fast decaying Gaussian tails allow us to provide denser information packing in comparison with sech-type soliton transmission. The discovered pulse is an attractive candidate for use as information carrier in optical transmission systems with an ultra-large capacity of around 100 Gbit/s. It is shown that a variational method can be effectively used to describe the dynamics of the breathing soliton.

Construction of super - hydrophobic copper alloy surface by one - step mixed solution immersion method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gu, Qiang; Chen, Ying; Chen, Dong; Zhang, Zeting

2018-01-01

This paper presents a method for preparing a super hydrophobic surface with a fast, simple, low-cost, one-step reaction by immersing copper alloy in an ethanol solution containing silver nitrate and myristic acid. The effects of reaction time, reaction temperature, reactant concentration and reaction time on the wettability of the material were studied. The surface wettability, appearance, chemical composition, durability and chemical stability of the prepared samples was measured by water contact angle (CA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The results show that when the reaction time is only 10min, the surface WCA of the prepared material can reach 154.9. This study provides an effective method for the rapid preparation of stable super hydrophobic surfaces.

9 CFR 72.25 - Dipping methods.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... 9 Animals and Animal Products 1 2014-01-01 2014-01-01 false Dipping methods. 72.25 Section 72.25 Animals and Animal Products ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH INSPECTION SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE... Dipping methods. Dipping is accomplished by thoroughly wetting the entire skin by either immersion in a...

Head space analysis to non-invasively distinguish between vaccinated and bovine tuberculosis-infected white-tailed deer

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

White-tailed deer (WTD; Odocoileus virginianus) can act as a reservoir for bovine tuberculosis (bTB), caused by Mycobacterium bovis, and can be a source of infection in cattle. Presently, no method exists to noninvasively monitor the presence of bTB in wildlife. In addition, due to similarities betw...

Wettability changes in polyether impression materials subjected to immersion disinfection

PubMed Central

Shetty, Shweta; Kamat, Giridhar; Shetty, Rajesh

2013-01-01

Background: Disinfection of impression materials prevents cross-contamination; however, the disinfectants may alter the wettability property. The purpose of this investigation was to evaluate the wettability changes of polyether impression material after immersing in four different chemical disinfectant solutions for a period of 10 min and 30 min, respectively. Materials and Methods: A total of 45 samples of polyether dental impression material (Impregum soft, 3MESPE, St. Paul, MN, USA) were randomly divided into nine groups with five specimens each. Each specimen was disc shaped, flat of 32 mm diameter and 3 mm thickness. The samples were immersed in four disinfectant solutions: 2% Glutaraldehyde, 5% sodium hypochlorite, 0.05% iodophor, and 5.25% phenol for 10 min and 30 min, respectively. The control was without disinfection. Wettability of the samples was assessed by measuring the contact angle by using the Telescopic Goniometer. Data were subjected to analysis of variance (Fisher's test) and Tukey's post hoc test for multiple comparisons at 5% level of significance. Results: The contact angle of 20.21° ± 0.22° were recorded in the control samples. After 10 min, the samples that were immersed in 5% sodium hypochlorite and 5.25% phenol showed significant statistical increase in the contact angle as compared to the control (P < 0.001). After 30 min of disinfection, only the samples immersed in 0.05% iodophor showed there were no significant changes in the contact angle, whereas the other disinfectants significantly increased the contact angle and decreased the wettability of the polyether material. Conclusion: Within the limitations of the study, 2% glutaraldehyde proved safe for 10 min of immersion disinfection while 0.05% iodophor holds promise as an effective disinfectant without affecting the wettability of the material. PMID:24130593

Effects of postexercise ice-water and room-temperature water immersion on the sensory organization of balance control and lower limb proprioception in amateur rugby players

PubMed Central

Chow, Gary C.C.; Yam, Timothy T.T.; Chung, Joanne W.Y.; Fong, Shirley S.M.

2017-01-01

Abstract Background: This single-blinded, three-armed randomized controlled trial aimed to compare the effects of postexercise ice-water immersion (IWI), room-temperature water immersion (RWI), and no water immersion on the balance performance and knee joint proprioception of amateur rugby players. Methods: Fifty-three eligible amateur rugby players (mean age ± standard deviation: 21.6 ± 2.9 years) were randomly assigned to the IWI group (5.3 °C), RWI group (25.0 °C), or the no immersion control group. The participants in each group underwent the same fatigue protocol followed by their allocated recovery intervention, which lasted for 1 minute. Measurements were taken before and after the fatigue-recovery intervention. The primary outcomes were the sensory organization test (SOT) composite equilibrium score (ES) and the condition-specific ES, which were measured using a computerized dynamic posturography machine. The secondary outcome was the knee joint repositioning error. Two-way repeated measures analysis of variance was used to test the effect of water immersion on each outcome variable. Results: There were no significant within- and between-group differences in the SOT composite ESs or the condition-specific ESs. However, there was a group-by-time interaction effect on the knee joint repositioning error. It seems that participants in the RWI group had lower errors over time, but those in the IWI and control groups had increased errors over time. The RWI group had significantly lower error score than the IWI group at postintervention. Conclusion: One minute of postexercise IWI or RWI did not impair rugby players’ sensory organization of balance control. RWI had a less detrimental effect on knee joint proprioception to IWI at postintervention. PMID:28207546

Effect of cold-water immersion on skeletal muscle contractile properties in soccer players.

PubMed

García-Manso, Juan Manuel; Rodríguez-Matoso, Darío; Rodríguez-Ruiz, David; Sarmiento, Samuel; de Saa, Yves; Calderón, Javier

2011-05-01

This study was designed to analyze changes in muscle response after cold-water immersion. The vastus lateralis of the dominant leg was analyzed in 12 professional soccer players from the Spanish 2nd Division B using tensiomyography, before and after four cold-water immersions at 4°C lasting 4 mins each. Core temperature, skin temperature, and heart rate were monitored. A significant interaction (P ≤ 0.05) was found in muscle deformation between control conditions (5.12 ± 2.27 mm) and (1) immersion 3 (3.64 ± 2.27 mm) and (2) immersion 4 (3.38 ± 1.34 mm). A steady decrease was also observed in response velocity (immersion 1, -7.3%; immersion 2, -25.9%; immersion 3, -30.0%; immersion 4, -36.6%) and contraction velocity (immersion 1, -11.5%; immersion 2, -22.1%; immersion 3, -35.0%; immersion 4, -41.9%), with statistically significant differences (P ≤ 0.05) in relation to the reference values commencing with the third immersion. No significant differences were found between control conditions in subsequent exposures to cold water for the values of response time and contraction time. Sustained time and reaction time showed an increase during repeated exposures and with longer exposure time, although the increase was not statistically significant. This study shows that repeated cold-water immersions (4 × 4 mins at 4°C) cause considerable alterations to muscle behavior. These alterations significantly affect the state of muscles and their response capacity, particularly in relation to muscle stiffness and muscle contraction velocity.

Impact of commercial garden growth substratum and NPK-fertilizer on copper fractionation in a copper-mine tailing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Charles, A.; Karam, A.; Jaouich, A.

2009-04-01

Organic amendment and NPK-fertilizer could affect the distribution of copper (Cu) among Cu-mine tailing compounds and hence the availability or phytotoxicity of Cu to plants. A laboratory incubation experiment was conducted to investigate the forms of Cu in a Cu-mine tailing (pH 7.70) amended with a commercial garden growth substratum (GGS) containing peat moss and natural mycorrhizae (Glomus intraradices) in combination with a commercial NPK-fertilizer (20-20-20), by a sequential extraction method. There were eight treatments after the combination of four rates of GGS (0, 12.4, 50 and 100 g/kg tailing) and two rates of fertilizer (0 and 20 g/kg tailing). At the end of a 52-week incubation period, tailing Cu was sequentially extracted to fractionate Cu into five operationally defined geochemical forms, namely ‘water-soluble' (Cu-sol), ‘exchangeable' (Cu-exc), ‘specifically adsorbed on carbonates or carbonate-bound' (Cu-car), ‘organic-bound' (Cu-org) and ‘residual' (Cu-res) fractions. After treatments, the most labile Cu pool (Cu-sol + Cu-exc) represented about 0.94 % of the total Cu, the Cu-car and Cu-org accounted for 22.7 and 5.0% of total Cu, and the residual Cu accounted for nearly 71.3% of total Cu. Compared with the control, the application of GGS decreased Cu-car and increased CuORG whereas the addition of fertilizer increased Cu-sol + Cu-exc and decreased Cu-carb. Fertilizer-treated tailings had the highest amount of Cu-sol + Cu-exc. High rates of GGS resulted in Cu-org levels in GGS-treated tailings which were more than 2.0-2.8 times those obtained in the untreated tailing (control). The partition of Cu in GGS-treated tailings followed the order: Cu-sol + Cu-exc < Cu-car < Cu-org < Cu-res. This study suggests that NPK-fertilizer promotes the formation of labile Cu forms in the calcite-containing Cu-mine tailing. GGS in the tailing matrix acts as effective sorbent for Cu.

High-Density Near-Field Readout over 50 GB Capacity Using Solid Immersion Lens with High Refractive Index

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shinoda, Masataka; Saito, Kimihiro; Kondo, Takao; Ishimoto, Tsutomu; Nakaoki, Ariyoshi

2003-02-01

We have investigated high-density near-field readout using a solid immersion lens with a high refractive index. By using a glass material with a high refractive index of 2.08, we developed an optical pick-up with the effective numerical aperture of 1.8. We could observe a clear eye pattern for a 50 GB capacity disc in 120 mm diameter. We confirmed that the near-field readout system is promising method of realizing a high-density optical disc system.

Effects of Low- Versus High-Fidelity Simulations on the Cognitive Burden and Performance of Entry-Level Paramedicine Students: A Mixed-Methods Comparison Trial Using Eye-Tracking, Continuous Heart Rate, Difficulty Rating Scales, Video Observation and Interviews.

PubMed

Mills, Brennen W; Carter, Owen B-J; Rudd, Cobie J; Claxton, Louise A; Ross, Nathan P; Strobel, Natalie A

2016-02-01

High-fidelity simulation-based training is often avoided for early-stage students because of the assumption that while practicing newly learned skills, they are ill suited to processing multiple demands, which can lead to "cognitive overload" and poorer learning outcomes. We tested this assumption using a mixed-methods experimental design manipulating psychological immersion. Thirty-nine randomly assigned first-year paramedicine students completed low- or high-environmental fidelity simulations [low-environmental fidelity simulations (LF(en)S) vs. high-environmental fidelity simulation (HF(en)S)] involving a manikin with obstructed airway (SimMan3G). Psychological immersion and cognitive burden were determined via continuous heart rate, eye tracking, self-report questionnaire (National Aeronautics and Space Administration Task Load Index), independent observation, and postsimulation interviews. Performance was assessed by successful location of obstruction and time-to-termination. Eye tracking confirmed that students attended to multiple, concurrent stimuli in HF(en)S and interviews consistently suggested that they experienced greater psychological immersion and cognitive burden than their LF(en)S counterparts. This was confirmed by significantly higher mean heart rate (P < 0.001) and National Aeronautics and Space Administration Task Load Index mental demand (P < 0.05). Although group allocation did not influence the proportion of students who ultimately revived the patient (58% vs. 30%, P < 0.10), the HF(en)S students did so significantly more quickly (P < 0.01). The LF(en)S students had low immersion resulting in greater assessment anxiety. High-environmental fidelity simulation engendered immersion and a sense of urgency in students, whereas LF(en)S created assessment anxiety and slower performance. We conclude that once early-stage students have learned the basics of a clinical skill, throwing them in the "deep end" of high-fidelity simulation creates significant additional cognitive burden but this has considerable educational merit.

Study on Surface Permeability of Concrete under Immersion

PubMed Central

Liu, Jun; Xing, Feng; Dong, Biqin; Ma, Hongyan; Pan, Dong

2014-01-01

In this paper, concrete specimens are immersed in ultrapure water, to study the evolutions of surface permeability, pore structure and paste microstructure following the prolonging of immersion period. According to the results, after 30-day immersion, the surface permeability of concrete becomes higher as compared with the value before immersion. However, further immersion makes the surface permeability decrease, so that the value measured after 150-day immersion is only half that measured after 30-day immersion. The early increase in surface permeability should be mainly attributed to the leaching of calcium hydroxide, while the later decrease to the refinement of pore structure due to hydration. The two effects work simultaneously and compete throughout the immersion period. The proposed mechanisms get support from microscopic measurements and observations. PMID:28788490

Aqueous sodium chloride induced intergranular corrosion of Al-Li-Cu alloys

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pizzo, P. P.; Daeschner, D. L.

1986-01-01

Two methods have been explored to assess the susceptibility of Al-Li-Cu alloys to intergranular corrosion in aqueous sodium chloride solution. They are: (1) constant extension rate testing with and without alternate-immersion preexposure and (2) metallographic examination after exposure to a NaCl-H2O2 corrosive solution per Mil-H-6088F. Intergranular corrosion was found to occur in both powder and ingot metallurgy alloys of similar composition, using both methods. Underaging rendered the alloys most susceptible. The results correlate to stress-corrosion data generated in conventional time-to-failure and crack growth-rate tests. Alternate-immersion preexposure may be a reliable means to assess stress corrosion susceptibility of Al-Li-Cu alloys.

Design and development of physics simulations in the field of oscillations and waves suitable for k-12 and undergraduate instruction using video game technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tomesh, Trevor; Price, Colin

2011-03-01

Using the scripting language for the Unreal Tournament 2004 Engine, Unreal Script, demonstrations in the field of oscillations and waves were designed and developed. Variations on Euler's method and the Runge-Kutta method were used to numerically solve the equations of motion for seven different physical systems which were visually represented in the immersive environment of Unreal Tournament 2004. Data from each system was written to an output file, plotted and analyzed. The over-arching goal of this research is to successfully design and develop useful teaching tools for the k-12 and undergraduate classroom which, presented in the form of a video game, is immersive, engaging and educational.

Distortion of calculated whole-body hematocrit during lower-body immersion in water.

PubMed

Knight, D R; Santoro, T; Bondi, K R

1986-11-01

We found a difference between the venous hematocrits of immersed and nonimmersed arms during immersion of the lower body in cold water but not during a comparable exposure to warm water. Fourteen healthy men were exposed to three different experimental conditions: arm immersion, body immersion, and control. The men always sat upright while both upper extremities hung vertically at their sides. During arm immersion, one forearm was completely immersed for 30 min in either cold water (28 degrees C, n = 7) or warm water (38 degrees C, n = 7). This cold-warm water protocol was repeated on separate days for exposure to the remaining conditions of body immersion (immersion of 1 forearm and all tissues below the xiphoid process) and control (no immersion). Blood samples were simultaneously drawn from cannulated veins in both antecubital fossae. Hematocrit difference (Hct diff) was measured by subtracting the nonimmersed forearm's hematocrit (Hct dry) from the immersed forearm's hematocrit (Hct wet). Hct diff was approximately zero when the men were exposed to the control condition and body immersion in warm water. In the remaining conditions, Hct wet dropped below Hct dry (P less than 0.01, 3-way analysis of variance). The decrements of Hct diff showed there were differences between venous hematocrits in immersed and nonimmersed regions of the body, indicating that changes of the whole-body hematocrit cannot be calculated from a large-vessel hematocrit soon after immersing the lower body in cold water.

Removal of infused water predominantly during insertion (water exchange) is consistently associated with an increase in adenoma detection rate - review of data in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of water-related methods

PubMed Central

Harker, JO; Leung, JW; Siao-Salera, RM; Mann, SK; Ramirez, FC; Friedland, S; Amato, A; Radaelli, F; Paggi, S; Terruzzi, V; Hsieh, YH

2011-01-01

Introduction Variation in outcomes in RcTs comparing water-related methods and air insufflation raises challenging questions regarding the new approach. This report reviews impact of water exchange - simultaneous infusion and removal of infused water during insertion on adenoma detection rate (ADR) defined as proportion of patients with a least one adenoma of any size. Methods Medline (2008–2011) searches, abstract of 2011 Digestive Disease Week (DDW) meeting and personal communications were considered to identify RcTs that compared water-related methods and air insufflation to aid insertion of colonoscope. Results Since 2008, eleven reports of RcTs (6 published, 1 submitted and 4 abstracts, n=1728) described ADR in patients randomized to be examined by air and water-related methods. The water-related methods differed in timing of removal of the infused water -predominantly during insertion (water exchange) (n=825) or predominantly during withdrawal (water immersion) (n=903). Water immersion was associated with both increases and decreases in ADR compared to respective air method patients and the net overall change (-7%) was significant. On the other hand water exchange was associated with increases in ADR consistently and the net changes (overall, 8%; proximal overall, 11%; and proximal <10 mm, 12%) were all significant. Conclusion Comparative data generated the hypothesis that significantly larger increases in overall and proximal colon ADRs were associated with water exchange than water immersion or air insufflation during insertion. The hypothesis should be evaluated by RCTs to elucidate the mechanism of water exchange on adenoma detection. PMID:22163082

But Do They Speak French? A Comparison of French Immersion Programs in Immersion Only and English/Immersion Settings. Research Report 79-01.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Parkin, Michael

Students' use of French in unsupervised classroom situations and outside the classroom was investigated in immersion center schools (all students are involved in French immersion programs) and dual track schools (French immersion programs co-exist with regular English language programs). A total of 414 students in grades 3 and 4 were observed…

Determination of Meteorite Porosity Using Liquid Nitrogen

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kohout, T.; Kletetschka, G.; Pesonen, L. J.; Wasilewski, P. J.

2005-01-01

We introduce a new harmless method for porosity measurement suitable for meteorite samples. The method is a modification of the traditional Archimedean method based on immersion of the samples in a liquid medium like water or organic liquids. In our case we used liquid nitrogen for its chemically inert characteristics.

Productive confusions: learning from simulations of pandemic virus outbreaks in Second Life

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cárdenas, Micha; Greci, Laura S.; Hurst, Samantha; Garman, Karen; Hoffman, Helene; Huang, Ricky; Gates, Michael; Kho, Kristen; Mehrmand, Elle; Porteous, Todd; Calvitti, Alan; Higginbotham, Erin; Agha, Zia

2011-03-01

Users of immersive virtual reality environments have reported a wide variety of side and after effects including the confusion of characteristics of the real and virtual worlds. Perhaps this side effect of confusing the virtual and real can be turned around to explore the possibilities for immersion with minimal technological support in virtual world group training simulations. This paper will describe observations from my time working as an artist/researcher with the UCSD School of Medicine (SoM) and Veterans Administration San Diego Healthcare System (VASDHS) to develop trainings for nurses, doctors and Hospital Incident Command staff that simulate pandemic virus outbreaks. By examining moments of slippage between realities, both into and out of the virtual environment, moments of the confusion of boundaries between real and virtual, we can better understand methods for creating immersion. I will use the mixing of realities as a transversal line of inquiry, borrowing from virtual reality studies, game studies, and anthropological studies to better understand the mechanisms of immersion in virtual worlds. Focusing on drills conducted in Second Life, I will examine moments of training to learn the software interface, moments within the drill and interviews after the drill.

Novel method for early investigation of bioactivity in different borate bio-glasses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abdelghany, A. M.

Some ternary borate glasses were prepared and corrosion behavior of such ternary borate glasses after immersion in aqueous dilute phosphate solution was studied using different immersion times. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) absorption spectral measurements were done before and after immersion in the mentioned solution for extended times up to 2 days to justify the appearance of the characteristic FTIR bands due to calcium phosphate (hydroxyapatite (HA)) which is considered as the potential indication of bioactivity. Experimental IR data confirm the beginning of the appearance of FTIR bands at about 580 and 620 cm-1 after 3 days and the complete resolution with its characteristic split form after 1 week and more. Deconvolution analysis technique (DAT) of the FTIR spectrum was employed to investigate the bioactivity of such ternary borate system after a short period of immersion. The corrosion behavior of such glasses is explained in relation to a suggested hydrolysis followed by direct dissolution mechanism. The ease of dissolution of all the borate glasses constituents explains the formation of calcium phosphate and conversion to crystalline hydroxyapatite within the borate glass matrix. X-ray diffraction may be used to retrace the structural changes and degree of crystallinity of the prepared glasses.

The effect of different beverages on surface hardness of nanohybrid resin composite and giomer

PubMed Central

Tanthanuch, Saijai; Kukiattrakoon, Boonlert; Siriporananon, Chantima; Ornprasert, Nawanda; Mettasitthikorn, Wathu; Likhitpreeda, Salinla; Waewsanga, Sulawan

2014-01-01

Aims: To investigate the effects of five beverages (apple cider, orange juice, Coca-Cola, coffee, and beer) on microhardness and surface characteristic changes of nanohybrid resin composite and giomer. Materials and Methods: Ninety-three specimens of each resin composite and giomer were prepared. Before immersion, baseline data of Vicker's microhardness was recorded and surface characteristics were examined using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Five groups of discs (n = 18) were alternately immersed in 25 mL of each beverage for 5 s and in 25 mL of artificial saliva for 5 s for 10 cycles. Specimens were then stored in artificial saliva for 24 h. This process was repeated for 28 days. After immersion, specimens were evaluated and data were analyzed by two-way repeated analysis of variance (ANOVA), Tukey's honestly significant difference (HSD), and a t-test (α = 0.05). Results: Microhardness of all groups significantly decreased after being immersed in the tested beverages (P < 0.05). SEM photomicrographs presented surface degradation of all groups. Conclusions: The effect of these beverages on the surface of both restorative materials also depended upon the exposure time and chemical composition of the restorative materials and beverages. PMID:24944451

Native Language Immersion.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reyhner, Jon

This paper describes the benefits of indigenous mother tongue immersion programs, examining the Total Physical Response approach to immersion for beginning learners and focusing on the development of Maori and Hawaiian mother tongue language immersion programs. The paper discusses the importance of immersing students in a language-risk…

Noxious heat threshold temperature and pronociceptive effects of allyl isothiocyanate (mustard oil) in TRPV1 or TRPA1 gene-deleted mice.

PubMed

Tékus, Valéria; Horváth, Ádám; Hajna, Zsófia; Borbély, Éva; Bölcskei, Kata; Boros, Melinda; Pintér, Erika; Helyes, Zsuzsanna; Pethő, Gábor; Szolcsányi, János

2016-06-01

To investigate the roles of TRPV1 and TRPA1 channels in baseline and allyl isothiocyanate (AITC)-evoked nociceptive responses by comparing wild-type and gene-deficient mice. In contrast to conventional methods of thermonociception measuring reflex latencies, we used our novel methods to determine the noxious heat threshold. It was revealed that the heat threshold of the tail measured by an increasing-temperature water bath is significantly higher in TRPV1(-/-), but not TRPA1(-/-), mice compared to respective wild-types. There was no difference between the noxious heat thresholds of the hind paw as measured by an increasing-temperature hot plate in TRPV1(-/-), TRPA1(-/-) and the corresponding wild-type mice. The withdrawal latency of the tail from 0°C water was prolonged in TRPA1(-/-), but not TRPV1(-/-), mice compared to respective wild-types. In wild-type animals, dipping the tail or paw into 1% AITC induced an 8-14°C drop of the noxious heat threshold (heat allodynia) of both the tail and paw, and 40-50% drop of the mechanonociceptive threshold (mechanical allodynia) of the paw measured by dynamic plantar esthesiometry. These AITC-evoked responses were diminished in TRPV1(-/-), but not TRPA1(-/-), mice. Tail withdrawal latency to 1% AITC was significantly prolonged in both gene-deleted strains. Different heat sensors determine the noxious heat threshold in distinct areas: a pivotal role for TRPV1 on the tail is contrasted with no involvement of either TRPV1 or TRPA1 on the hind paw. Noxious heat threshold measurement appears appropriate for preclinical screening of TRP channel ligands as novel analgesics. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

In vivo evaluation method of the effect of nattokinase on carrageenan-induced tail thrombosis in a rat model.

PubMed

Kamiya, Seitaro; Hagimori, Masayori; Ogasawara, Masayoshi; Arakawa, Masayuki

2010-01-01

Thrombosis is characterized by congenital and acquired procatarxis. Nattokinase inhibits thrombus formation in vitro. However, in vivo evaluation of the therapeutic efficacy of nattokinase against thrombosis remains to be conducted. Subcutaneous nattokinase injections of 1 or 2 mg/ml were administered to the tails of rats. Subsequently, κ-carrageenan was intravenously administered to the tails at 12 h after nattokinase injections. The mean length of the infarcted regions in the tails of rats was significantly shorter in rats administered 2 mg/ml of nattokinase than those in control rats. Nattokinase exhibited significant prophylactic antithrombotic effects. Previously, the in vitro efficacy of nattokinase against thrombosis had been reported; now our study has revealed the in vivo efficacy of nattokinase against thrombosis. Copyright © 2010 S. Karger AG, Basel.

[HEART RHYTHM VARIABILITY ANALYSIS AND ASSESSMENT OF THE SPINAL PAIN SYNDROME DURING DRY IMMERSION].

PubMed

Sun, I; Voronkov, Yu I; Ardashev, V N; Glukhova, S I

2015-01-01

The spinal pain syndrome appears in cosmonauts on both short and long-duration missions. This untoward factor may affect body systems functioning and complicate the successful accomplishment of space mission. Purpose of the investigation was to examine the lumbar spine and to elucidate whether its condition relates to the spinal pain development and changes in heart rate variability (HRV) in the microgravity environment. The experiment was conducted in dry immersion as a method of microgravity effects simulation. It was shown that in dry immersion locomotion reproduces the patterns peculiar for significant gravitational unloading. Spinal pain intensity, angles and heights of the lumbar intervertebral discs and HRV were measured in 19 selected volunteers. During the experiment, all the volunteers developed pains in the back that abated gradually. Pain dependence on the height of intervertebral discs and cardiac regulatory mechanisms were investigated.