A Novel Animal Model for Investigating the Neural Basis of Focal Dystonia

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-09-01

as the predisposing condition and dry eye as an environmental trigger to model blepharospasm in rodents. This reporting year we demonstrated that 7...benign essential blepharospasm, dry eye , motor plasticity, basal ganglia, deep brain stimulation, eyelids, blinking 16. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF: 17...basal ganglia create the predisposing condition and that  eye   irritation from  dry   eye   is the envi‐ ronmental trigger.  Our demonstration that

Validation and Test-Retest Reliability of New Thermographic Technique Called Thermovision Technique of Dry Needling for Gluteus Minimus Trigger Points in Sciatica Subjects and TrPs-Negative Healthy Volunteers

PubMed Central

Rychlik, Michał; Samborski, Włodzimierz

2015-01-01

The aim of this study was to assess the validity and test-retest reliability of Thermovision Technique of Dry Needling (TTDN) for the gluteus minimus muscle. TTDN is a new thermography approach used to support trigger points (TrPs) diagnostic criteria by presence of short-term vasomotor reactions occurring in the area where TrPs refer pain. Method. Thirty chronic sciatica patients (n=15 TrP-positive and n=15 TrPs-negative) and 15 healthy volunteers were evaluated by TTDN three times during two consecutive days based on TrPs of the gluteus minimus muscle confirmed additionally by referred pain presence. TTDN employs average temperature (T avr), maximum temperature (T max), low/high isothermal-area, and autonomic referred pain phenomenon (AURP) that reflects vasodilatation/vasoconstriction. Validity and test-retest reliability were assessed concurrently. Results. Two components of TTDN validity and reliability, T avr and AURP, had almost perfect agreement according to κ (e.g., thigh: 0.880 and 0.938; calf: 0.902 and 0.956, resp.). The sensitivity for T avr, T max, AURP, and high isothermal-area was 100% for everyone, but specificity of 100% was for T avr and AURP only. Conclusion. TTDN is a valid and reliable method for T avr and AURP measurement to support TrPs diagnostic criteria for the gluteus minimus muscle when digitally evoked referred pain pattern is present. PMID:26137486

Evidence for the use of dry needling and physiotherapy in the management of cervicogenic or tension-type headache: a systematic review.

PubMed

France, Stacey; Bown, Jenna; Nowosilskyj, Matthew; Mott, Megan; Rand, Stephanie; Walters, Julie

2014-10-01

There is good evidence in the literature supporting physiotherapy in the management of some forms of headache. Dry needling of myofascial trigger points is becoming an increasingly common approach despite a paucity of research evidence supporting its use. The purpose of this review was to determine the evidence supporting the use of dry needling in addition to conventional physiotherapy in the management of tension-type and cervicogenic headache. Ten databases were searched for evidence of the effect of dry needling on the severity and frequency of tension and cervicogenic headache based ICHD classifications. Three relevant studies were identified and all three showed statistically significant improvements following dry needling, but no significant differences between groups. Only one study reported on headache frequency or intensity, reporting a 45 mm improvement in VAS score following the addition of dry needling to conventional physiotherapy. Two studies showed significant improvements with dry needling over 4-5 weeks of treatment. No adverse events were reported. The literature suggests that while there is insufficient evidence to strongly advocate for the use of dry needling, it may be a useful addition to conventional physiotherapy in headache management. Further research with a stronger methodological design is required. © International Headache Society 2014 Reprints and permissions: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav.

Effectiveness of dry needling of rectus abdominis trigger points for the treatment of primary dysmenorrhoea: a randomised parallel-group trial.

PubMed

Gaubeca-Gilarranz, Alberto; Fernández-de-Las-Peñas, César; Medina-Torres, José Raúl; Seoane-Ruiz, José M; Company-Palonés, Aurelio; Cleland, Joshua A; Arias-Buría, Jose L

2018-05-02

To compare the effectiveness of trigger point dry needling (TrP-DN) versus placebo needling, relative to an untreated control group, on pain and quality of life in primary dysmenorrhoea. In this randomised, single blind, parallel-group trial, 56 females with primary dysmenorrhoea were randomly allocated to TrP-DN (n=19), placebo needling (n=18) or no treatment (n=19). Patients in both groups were asked to undertake a stretching exercise of the rectus abdominis daily. The needling group received a single session of TrP-DN to trigger points (TrPs) in the rectus abdominis, and the placebo group received placebo needling. The primary outcome was pain intensity (visual analogue scale). Secondary outcomes were quality of life, use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, the number of days with pain, and self-perceived improvement, measured using a Global Rate of Change. Outcomes were assessed at baseline, and 1 and 2 months after the treatment. Females receiving TrP-DN exhibited greater decreases (P<0.001) in pain than those receiving placebo (1 month: Δ-19.8 mm, 25.9 to -13.7; 2 months: Δ-26.0 mm, -33.1 to -18.9) or assigned to the untreated control group (1 month: Δ-26.0mm, -32.5 to -19.5; 2 months: Δ-20.1 mm, -26.4 to -13.8). Females in the TrP-DN group also exhibited a greater decrease in the amount of medications (P<0.001). No differences in the number of days with pain or quality of life were found (all P>0.1). This trial suggests that a single session of TrP-DN of the rectus abdominis combined with stretching was more effective than placebo needling and stretching alone at reducing pain and the amount of medication used in primary dysmenorrhoea. ACTRN12616000170426. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Short-term changes in neck pain, widespread pressure pain sensitivity, and cervical range of motion after the application of trigger point dry needling in patients with acute mechanical neck pain: a randomized clinical trial.

PubMed

Mejuto-Vázquez, María J; Salom-Moreno, Jaime; Ortega-Santiago, Ricardo; Truyols-Domínguez, Sebastián; Fernández-de-Las-Peñas, César

2014-04-01

Randomized clinical trial. To determine the effects of trigger point dry needling (TrPDN) on neck pain, widespread pressure pain sensitivity, and cervical range of motion in patients with acute mechanical neck pain and active trigger points in the upper trapezius muscle. TrPDN seems to be effective for decreasing pain in individuals with upper-quadrant pain syndromes. Potential effects of TrPDN for decreasing pain and sensitization in individuals with acute mechanical neck pain are needed. Methods Seventeen patients (53% female) were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 groups: a single session of TrPDN or no intervention (waiting list). Pressure pain thresholds over the C5-6 zygapophyseal joint, second metacarpal, and tibialis anterior muscle; neck pain intensity; and cervical spine range-of-motion data were collected at baseline (pretreatment) and 10 minutes and 1 week after the intervention by an assessor blinded to the treatment allocation of the patient. Mixed-model analyses of variance were used to examine the effects of treatment on each outcome variable. Patients treated with 1 session of TrPDN experienced greater decreases in neck pain, greater increases in pressure pain threshold, and higher increases in cervical range of motion than those who did not receive an intervention at both 10 minutes and 1 week after the intervention (P<.01 for all comparisons). Between-group effect sizes were medium to large immediately after the TrPDN session (standardized mean score differences greater than 0.56) and large at the 1-week follow-up (standardized mean score differences greater than 1.34). The results of the current randomized clinical trial suggest that a single session of TrPDN may decrease neck pain intensity and widespread pressure pain sensitivity, and also increase active cervical range of motion, in patients with acute mechanical neck pain. Changes in pain, pressure pain threshold, and cervical range of motion surpassed their respective minimal detectable change values, supporting clinically relevant treatment effects. Level of Evidence Therapy, level 1b-.

Lake drying and livelihood dynamics in Lake Chad: Unravelling the mechanisms, contexts and responses.

PubMed

Okpara, Uche T; Stringer, Lindsay C; Dougill, Andrew J

2016-11-01

This article examines lake drying and livelihood dynamics in the context of multiple stressors through a case study of the "Small Lake Chad" in the Republic of Chad. Livelihoods research in regions experiencing persistent lake water fluctuations has largely focused on the well-being and security of lakeshore dwellers. Little is known about the mechanisms through which lake drying shapes livelihood drawbacks and opportunities, and whether locally evolved responses are enhancing livelihoods. Here we address these gaps using empirical, mixed-methods field research couched within the framework of livelihoods and human well-being contexts. The analysis demonstrates that limited opportunities outside agriculture, the influx of mixed ethnic migrants and the increasing spate of violence all enhance livelihood challenges. Livelihood opportunities centre on the renewal effects of seasonal flood pulses on lake waters and the learning opportunities triggered by past droughts. Although drying has spurred new adaptive behaviours predicated on seasonality, traditional predictive factors and the availability of assets, responses have remained largely reactive. The article points to where lake drying fits amongst changes in the wider socio-economic landscape in which people live, and suggests that awareness of the particularities of the mechanisms that connect lake drying to livelihoods can offer insights into the ways local people might be assisted by governments and development actors.

COMPARISON OF DRY NEEDLING VS. SHAM ON THE PERFORMANCE OF VERTICAL JUMP

PubMed Central

Nelson, Russell; Beamer, Lisa

2017-01-01

Introduction Dry needling has been reported to decrease pain in subjects having myofascial trigger points, as well as pain in muscle and connective tissue. Objective The purpose of the study was to compare the effects on the ability to perform a two-legged vertical jump between a group who received one bout of dry needling and a group who received one bout of a sham treatment. Methods Thirty-five healthy students (19 males, 16 females) were recruited to participate in this study (mean age 22.7+/- 2.4 years). The subjects were randomly divided into two groups- dry needling (n=18) vs sham (n=17). The dry needling group received needling to four sites on bilateral gastrocnemius muscles; two at the medial head and two at the lateral head. The sham group had the four areas of the gastrocnemius muscle pressed with the tube housing the needle, but the needle was never inserted into the skin. Two-legged vertical jump was measured with chalk marks on the wall before and after the dry needling and sham treatments. Results Analysis with a t-test indicated that the dry needling group significantly increased vertical jump height 1.2 inches over the sham group. Conclusion One bout of dry needling showed an immediate effect at significantly increasing vertical jump height in healthy, young adults. Future research is needed to determine if dry needling has any long-term effects. Level of Evidence 2b PMID:29181252

Comparison of shoulder strength in males with and without myofascial trigger points in the upper trapezius.

PubMed

Kim, H A; Hwang, U J; Jung, S H; Ahn, S H; Kim, J H; Kwon, O Y

2017-11-01

This study was conducted in order to compare the strength of scapular elevator and shoulder abductor with and without restricted scapular elevation between male subjects with and without myofascial trigger points in the upper trapezius. In total, 15 male subjects with myofascial trigger points, and 15age- and weight-matched male subjects without myofascial trigger points in the upper trapezius. Each subject was measured in the strength of maximum isometric scapular elevation and shoulder abduction with and without restricted scapular elevation. Maximum isometric contractions were measured using the Smart KEMA strength measurement system. Independent t-tests were used to compare shoulder strength values between the myofascial trigger points and non- myofascial trigger points groups. The results showed that shoulder abductor strength in the group with myofascial trigger points (5.64kgf) was significantly lower than in the group without myofascial trigger points (11.96kgf) when scapular elevation was restricted (p<0.05). However, there was no significant difference in the strength of the scapular elevator or shoulder abductor between groups (p>0.05). These findings suggest that decreased strength in the shoulder abductor with restricted scapular elevation should be considered in evaluating and treating individuals with myofascial trigger points of the upper trapezius. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Maintenance and assessment of cell viability in formulation of non-sporulating bacterial inoculants.

PubMed

Berninger, Teresa; González López, Óscar; Bejarano, Ana; Preininger, Claudia; Sessitsch, Angela

2018-03-01

The application of beneficial, plant-associated microorganisms is a sustainable approach to improving crop performance in agriculture. However, microbial inoculants are often susceptible to prolonged periods of storage and deleterious environmental factors, which negatively impact their viability and ultimately limit efficacy in the field. This particularly concerns non-sporulating bacteria. To overcome this challenge, the availability of protective formulations is crucial. Numerous parameters influence the viability of microbial cells, with drying procedures generally being among the most critical ones. Thus, technological advances to attenuate the desiccation stress imposed on living cells are key to successful formulation development. In this review, we discuss the core aspects important to consider when aiming at high cell viability of non-sporulating bacteria to be applied as microbial inoculants in agriculture. We elaborate the suitability of commonly applied drying methods (freeze-drying, vacuum-drying, spray-drying, fluidized bed-drying, air-drying) and potential measures to prevent cell damage from desiccation (externally applied protectants, stress pre-conditioning, triggering of exopolysaccharide secretion, 'helper' strains). Furthermore, we point out methods for assessing bacterial viability, such as colony counting, spectrophotometry, microcalorimetry, flow cytometry and viability qPCR. Choosing appropriate technologies for maintenance of cell viability and evaluation thereof will render formulation development more efficient. This in turn will aid in utilizing the vast potential of promising, plant beneficial bacteria as sustainable alternatives to standard agrochemicals. © 2018 The Authors. Microbial Biotechnology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd and Society for Applied Microbiology.

Dry needling for the management of thoracic spine pain

PubMed Central

Fernández-de-las-Peñas, César; Layton, Michelle; Dommerholt, Jan

2015-01-01

Thoracic spine pain is as disabling as neck and low back pain without receiving the same level of attention in the scientific literature. Among the different structures that can refer pain to the thoracic spine, muscles often play a relevant role. Trigger points (TrPs) from neck, shoulder and spinal muscles can induce pain in the region of the thoracic spine. There is a lack of evidence reporting the presence of TrPs in the region of the thoracic spine, but clinical evidence suggests that TrPs can be a potential source of thoracic spine pain. The current paper discusses the role of TrPs in the thoracic spine and dry needling (DN) for the management of TrPs in the thoracic multifidi and longissimus thoracis. This paper also includes a brief discussion of the application of DN in other tissues such as tendons, ligaments and scars. PMID:26309385

THE USE OF TRIGGER POINT DRY NEEDLING AND INTRAMUSCULAR ELECTRICAL STIMULATION FOR A SUBJECT WITH CHRONIC LOW BACK PAIN: A CASE REPORT

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Study Design: Case Report. Background and Purpose: Myofascial trigger points (MTrPs) are widely accepted by clinicians and researchers as a primary source of regional neuromusculoskeletal pain. Trigger point dry needling (TrP‐DN) is an invasive procedure that involves stimulation of MTrPs using an monofilament needle. The purpose of this case report is to report the outcomes of TrP‐DN and intramuscular electrical stimulation (IES) as a primary treatment intervention in a subject with chronic low back pain. Case Description: The subject was a 30‐year‐old female, active duty military, who was referred to physical therapy for low back and right posterolateral hip pain. She noticed symptoms after suffering a lumbar flexion injury while picking up a barbell during weight training. Physical examination demonstrated findings that supported the diagnosis of lumbar segmental instability with a right hip stability dysfunction. Objective findings included a multi‐segmental flexion movement pattern dysfunction and MTrPs in the right gluteus maximus and gluteus medius muscles with deep palpation. The subject was treated with TrP‐DN and IES for a total of two visits. Bilateral L3 and L5 multifidus and right gluteus maximus and medius muscles were treated, along with implementing a home exercise program consisting of core stability exercises. Outcomes: The subject reported no existing pain and disability on the Numerical Pain Rating Scale and Oswestry Disability Questionnaire and a large perceived change in recovery on the Global Rating of Change at final follow‐up. Physical examination was normal, demonstrating no observed impairments or functional limitations, including normal multi‐segmental flexion and no MTrPs with deep palpation. Discussion: The subject was able to return to full military active duty without any physical limitations and resumed pre‐injury activity levels, including the ability to resume all activities without pain. There is much promise regarding the use of TrP‐DN with IES intervention for the treatment of lumbar and/or hip stability dysfunction. Future research is recommended to determine if TrP‐DN intervention, with and without IES, is effective for other body regions and long‐term subject outcomes. Level of Evidence: Level 4. PMID:23593553

Is There an Association Between Lumbosacral Radiculopathy and Painful Gluteal Trigger Points?: A Cross-sectional Study.

PubMed

Adelmanesh, Farhad; Jalali, Ali; Jazayeri Shooshtari, Seyed Mostafa; Raissi, Gholam Reza; Ketabchi, Seyed Mehdi; Shir, Yoram

2015-10-01

The objective of this study was to compare the prevalence of gluteal trigger point in patients with lumbosacral radiculopathy with that in healthy volunteers. In a cross-sectional, multistage sampling method, patients with clinical, electromyographic, and magnetic resonance imaging findings consistent with lumbosacral radiculopathy were examined for the presence of gluteal trigger point. Age- and sex-matched clusters of healthy volunteers were selected as the control group. The primary outcome of the study was the presence or absence of gluteal trigger point in the gluteal region of the patients and the control group. Of 441 screened patients, 271 met all the inclusion criteria for lumbosacral radiculopathy and were included in the study. Gluteal trigger point was identified in 207 (76.4%) of the 271 patients with radiculopathy, compared with 3 (1.9%) of 152 healthy volunteers (P < 0.001). The location of gluteal trigger point matched the side of painful radiculopathy in 74.6% of patients with a unilateral radicular pain. There was a significant correlation between the side of the gluteal trigger point and the side of patients' radicular pain (P < 0.001). Although rare in the healthy volunteers, most of the patients with lumbosacral radiculopathy had gluteal trigger point, located at the painful side. Further studies are required to test the hypothesis that specific gluteal trigger point therapy could be beneficial in these patients.

Neuroscience education in addition to trigger point dry needling for the management of patients with mechanical chronic low back pain: A preliminary clinical trial.

PubMed

Téllez-García, Mario; de-la-Llave-Rincón, Ana I; Salom-Moreno, Jaime; Palacios-Ceña, Maria; Ortega-Santiago, Ricardo; Fernández-de-Las-Peñas, César

2015-07-01

The objective of the current study was to determine the short-term effects of trigger point dry needling (TrP-DN) alone or combined with neuroscience education on pain, disability, kinesiophobia and widespread pressure sensitivity in patients with mechanical low back pain (LBP). Twelve patients with LBP were randomly assigned to receive either TrP-DN (TrP-DN) or TrP-DN plus neuroscience education (TrP-DN + EDU). Pain intensity (Numerical Pain Rating Scale, 0-10), disability (Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire-RMQ-, Oswestry Low Back Pain Disability Index-ODI), kinesiophobia (Tampa Scale of Kinesiophobia-TSK), and pressure pain thresholds (PPT) over the C5-C6 zygapophyseal joint, transverse process of L3 vertebra, second metacarpal, and tibialis anterior muscle were collected at baseline and 1-week after the intervention. Patients treated with TrP-DN + EDU experienced a significantly greater reduction of kinesiophobia (P = 0.008) and greater increases in PPT over the transverse process of L3 (P = 0.049) than those patients treated only with TrP-DN. Both groups experienced similar decreases in pain, ODI and RMQ, and similar increases in PPT over the C5/C6 joint, second metacarpal, and tibialis anterior after the intervention (all, P > 0.05). The results suggest that TrP-DN was effective for improving pain, disability, kinesiophobia and widespread pressure sensitivity in patients with mechanical LBP at short-term. The inclusion of a neuroscience educational program resulted in a greater improvement in kinesiophobia. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Therapeutic effects of dry needling in patients with upper trapezius myofascial trigger points

PubMed Central

Abbaszadeh-Amirdehi, Maryam; Ansari, Noureddin Nakhostin; Naghdi, Soofia; Olyaei, Gholamreza; Nourbakhsh, Mohammad Reza

2017-01-01

Background Active myofascial trigger points (MTrPs) are major pain generators in myofascial pain syndrome. Dry needling (DN) is an effective method for the treatment of MTrPs. Objective To assess the immediate neurophysiological and clinical effects of DN in patients with upper trapezius MTrPs. Methods This was a prospective, clinical trial study of 20 patients with upper trapezius MTrPs and 20 healthy volunteers (matched for height, weight, body mass index and age), all of whom received one session of DN. Primary outcome measures were neuromuscular junction response (NMJR) and sympathetic skin response (SSR). Secondary outcomes were pain intensity (PI) and pressure pain threshold (PPT). Data were collected at baseline and immediately post-intervention. Results At baseline, SSR amplitude was higher in patients versus healthy volunteers (p<0.003). With respect to NMJR, a clinically abnormal increment and normal reduction was observed in patients and healthy volunteers, respectively. Moreover, PPT of patients was less than healthy volunteers (p<0.0001). After DN, SSR amplitude decreased significantly in patients (p<0.01), but did not change in healthy volunteers. A clinically important reduction in the NMJR of patients and increment in healthy volunteers was demonstrated after DN. PPT increased after DN in patients, but decreased in healthy volunteers (p<0.0001). PI improved after DN in patients (p<0.001). Conclusions The results of this study showed that one session of DN targeting active MTrPs appears to reduce hyperactivity of the sympathetic nervous system and irritability of the motor endplate. DN seems effective at improving symptoms and deactivating active MTrPs, although further research is needed. Trial registration number IRCT20130316128. PMID:27697768

Therapeutic effects of dry needling in patients with upper trapezius myofascial trigger points.

PubMed

Abbaszadeh-Amirdehi, Maryam; Ansari, Noureddin Nakhostin; Naghdi, Soofia; Olyaei, Gholamreza; Nourbakhsh, Mohammad Reza

2017-04-01

Active myofascial trigger points (MTrPs) are major pain generators in myofascial pain syndrome. Dry needling (DN) is an effective method for the treatment of MTrPs. To assess the immediate neurophysiological and clinical effects of DN in patients with upper trapezius MTrPs. This was a prospective, clinical trial study of 20 patients with upper trapezius MTrPs and 20 healthy volunteers (matched for height, weight, body mass index and age), all of whom received one session of DN. Primary outcome measures were neuromuscular junction response (NMJR) and sympathetic skin response (SSR). Secondary outcomes were pain intensity (PI) and pressure pain threshold (PPT). Data were collected at baseline and immediately post-intervention. At baseline, SSR amplitude was higher in patients versus healthy volunteers (p<0.003). With respect to NMJR, a clinically abnormal increment and normal reduction was observed in patients and healthy volunteers, respectively. Moreover, PPT of patients was less than healthy volunteers (p<0.0001). After DN, SSR amplitude decreased significantly in patients (p<0.01), but did not change in healthy volunteers. A clinically important reduction in the NMJR of patients and increment in healthy volunteers was demonstrated after DN. PPT increased after DN in patients, but decreased in healthy volunteers (p<0.0001). PI improved after DN in patients (p<0.001). The results of this study showed that one session of DN targeting active MTrPs appears to reduce hyperactivity of the sympathetic nervous system and irritability of the motor endplate. DN seems effective at improving symptoms and deactivating active MTrPs, although further research is needed. IRCT20130316128. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

Reliability of physical examination for diagnosis of myofascial trigger points: a systematic review of the literature.

PubMed

Lucas, Nicholas; Macaskill, Petra; Irwig, Les; Moran, Robert; Bogduk, Nikolai

2009-01-01

Trigger points are promoted as an important cause of musculoskeletal pain. There is no accepted reference standard for the diagnosis of trigger points, and data on the reliability of physical examination for trigger points are conflicting. To systematically review the literature on the reliability of physical examination for the diagnosis of trigger points. MEDLINE, EMBASE, and other sources were searched for articles reporting the reliability of physical examination for trigger points. Included studies were evaluated for their quality and applicability, and reliability estimates were extracted and reported. Nine studies were eligible for inclusion. None satisfied all quality and applicability criteria. No study specifically reported reliability for the identification of the location of active trigger points in the muscles of symptomatic participants. Reliability estimates varied widely for each diagnostic sign, for each muscle, and across each study. Reliability estimates were generally higher for subjective signs such as tenderness (kappa range, 0.22-1.0) and pain reproduction (kappa range, 0.57-1.00), and lower for objective signs such as the taut band (kappa range, -0.08-0.75) and local twitch response (kappa range, -0.05-0.57). No study to date has reported the reliability of trigger point diagnosis according to the currently proposed criteria. On the basis of the limited number of studies available, and significant problems with their design, reporting, statistical integrity, and clinical applicability, physical examination cannot currently be recommended as a reliable test for the diagnosis of trigger points. The reliability of trigger point diagnosis needs to be further investigated with studies of high quality that use current diagnostic criteria in clinically relevant patients.

75 FR 25200 - WTO Agricultural Safeguard Trigger Levels

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-05-07

... 31, 2010. kilograms. Nonfat Dry Milk 393,499 kilograms January 1, 2010 to December 31, 2010. Dried... December 31, 2010. kilograms. Swiss Cheese with Eye 28,867,494 January 1, 2010 to December 31, 2010...

Meteorological conditions for the triggering of landslides in Asturias (NW Spain). A preliminary analysis of synoptic patterns.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Valenzuela, Pablo; Iglesias, Miguel; José Domínguez-Cuesta, María; Mora García, Manuel Antonio

2017-04-01

Asturias is one of the most landslide prone areas in the NW of Spain, where those phenomena cause every year large economic loses and sometimes personal injuries or fatalities. Most of landslides take place during intense rainfall events, which point out precipitation as the main triggering factor. Regional climate is characterized by average annual precipitation and temperature of 960 mm and 13.3°C respectively. Rainfall distribution throughout the year allows the definition of a humid period between October and May, characterized by the succession of frontal systems, and a considerable dry period between June and September, when heavy short storm episodes are usual. BAPA landslide database (http://geol.uniovi.es/BAPA) gathers more than 500 landslide records located with high temporal reliability for eight hydrological years between October 2008 and September 2016. Eight periods with a high concentration of landslides and significant precipitation records have been selected for the study within this time span. Meteorological conditions which took place during each period have been characterized by using data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration of the EEUU (NCAR/NCEP Reanalysis 1) through the free software Grid Analysis and Display System (GrADS). Seven parameters have been used to characterize each synoptic situation: (i) 500 hPa temperature, (ii) 500 hPa geopotential height, (iii) 850 hPa temperature, (iv) 850 hPa geopotential height, (v) 925hPa wind, (vi) specific humidity, and (vii) sea level pressure. The final goal is to establish a conceptual model of the most frequent synoptic meteorological patterns which generate rainfall-triggered landslide events in Asturias during the humid and dry periods.

Immediate and short-term effects of the combination of dry needling and percutaneous TENS on post-needling soreness in patients with chronic myofascial neck pain

PubMed Central

León-Hernández, Jose V.; Martín-Pintado-Zugasti, Aitor; Frutos, Laura G.; Alguacil-Diego, Isabel M.; de la Llave-Rincón, Ana I.; Fernandez-Carnero, Josue

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT Background Dry needling (DN) and percutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (PENS) are widely used techniques in the treatment of myofascial pain. Objective To investigate the immediate and short-term effects of the combination of DN and PENS compared to DN alone on the upper trapezius muscle. Method This is a 72-hour follow-up single-blinded randomized controlled trial. Sixty-two volunteer patients with chronic myofascial neck pain with active Myofascial Trigger Points (MTrPs) in the upper trapezius muscle were recruited. Randomization was performed, and 31 patients received DN treatment (DN group) and 31 received DN and PENS (DN+PENS group). The primary outcomes were neck disability index (NDI) and visual analog scale for pain for both post-needling soreness (PNS) and neck pain intensity (NPI). Pressure pain threshold (PPT) and cervical range of motion (CROM) were the secondary outcomes. Results We detected between-group differences in NPI and PNS in favor of the DN+PENS group immediately after treatment. No between-group differences in NDI were observed. Conclusion PENS application after dry needling treatment is more effective than dry needling alone for decreasing soreness in the short term and improving neck pain intensity immediately in patients with myofascial chronic neck pain. PMID:27410163

Decreased Spontaneous Electrical Activity and Acetylcholine at Myofascial Trigger Spots after Dry Needling Treatment: A Pilot Study.

PubMed

Liu, Qing-Guang; Liu, Lin; Huang, Qiang-Min; Nguyen, Thi-Tham; Ma, Yan-Tao; Zhao, Jia-Min

2017-01-01

The aims of this study are to investigate the changes in spontaneous electrical activities (SEAs) and in acetylcholine (ACh), acetylcholine receptor (AChR), and acetylcholine esterase (AChE) levels after dry needling at myofascial trigger spots in model rats. Forty-eight male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into four groups. Thirty-six rats were assigned to three model groups, which underwent MTrSs modeling intervention. Twelve rats were assigned to the blank control (BC) group. After model construction, the 36 model rats were randomly subdivided into three groups according to treatment: MTrSs model control (MC) and two dry needling groups. One dry needling group received puncturing at MTrSs (DN-M), whereas the other underwent puncturing at non-MTrSs (DN-nM). Dry needling treatment will last for two weeks, once a week. SEAs and ACh, AChR, and AChE levels were measured after one-week rest of dry needling treatment. The amplitudes and frequencies of endplate noise (EPN) and endplate spike (EPS) significantly decreased after dry needling treatment in the DN-M group. Moreover, ACh and AChR levels significantly decreased, whereas AChE significantly increased after dry needling treatment in the DN-M group. Dry needling at the exact MTrSs is more effective than dry needling at non-MTrSs.

Decreased Spontaneous Electrical Activity and Acetylcholine at Myofascial Trigger Spots after Dry Needling Treatment: A Pilot Study

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Objective The aims of this study are to investigate the changes in spontaneous electrical activities (SEAs) and in acetylcholine (ACh), acetylcholine receptor (AChR), and acetylcholine esterase (AChE) levels after dry needling at myofascial trigger spots in model rats. Materials and Methods Forty-eight male Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into four groups. Thirty-six rats were assigned to three model groups, which underwent MTrSs modeling intervention. Twelve rats were assigned to the blank control (BC) group. After model construction, the 36 model rats were randomly subdivided into three groups according to treatment: MTrSs model control (MC) and two dry needling groups. One dry needling group received puncturing at MTrSs (DN-M), whereas the other underwent puncturing at non-MTrSs (DN-nM). Dry needling treatment will last for two weeks, once a week. SEAs and ACh, AChR, and AChE levels were measured after one-week rest of dry needling treatment. Results The amplitudes and frequencies of endplate noise (EPN) and endplate spike (EPS) significantly decreased after dry needling treatment in the DN-M group. Moreover, ACh and AChR levels significantly decreased, whereas AChE significantly increased after dry needling treatment in the DN-M group. Conclusion Dry needling at the exact MTrSs is more effective than dry needling at non-MTrSs. PMID:28592980

Effects of three drying methods of post space dentin bonding used in a direct resin composite core build-up method.

PubMed

Iwashita, Taichi; Mine, Atsushi; Matsumoto, Mariko; Nakatani, Hayaki; Higashi, Mami; Kawaguchi-Uemura, Asuka; Kabetani, Tomoshige; Tajiri, Yuko; Imai, Dai; Hagino, Ryosuke; Miura, Jiro; Minamino, Takuya; Yatani, Hirofumi

2018-06-14

The purpose of this study was to evaluate drying methods for post space dentin bonding in a direct resin composite core build-up method. Experiment 1: Four root canal plastic models, having diameters of 1.0 or 1.8mm and parallel or tapered shapes, were prepared. After drying each post space using three drying methods (air drying, paper-point drying, or ethanol drying, which involves filling the space with 99.5 vol% ethanol followed by air drying), the residual liquid in the models was weighed. Experiment 2: Thirty endodontically treated single-root teeth were dried using the above-described drying methods and filled with dual-cure resin composite. The bonded specimens were sectioned into square beams of approximately 1mm 2 for microtensile bond strength (μTBS) testing. Nine teeth were observed through transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and micro computed tomography (μCT). The weight of residual liquid and μTBS were analyzed using Scheffé multiple comparison. Experiment 1: The results of air drying were significantly different from those of paper-point drying (p<0.001) and ethanol drying (p<0.001), and no significant difference was observed between paper-point drying and ethanol drying. Experiment 2: The μTBS significantly decreased in the order of ethanol drying, paper-point drying, and air drying (air drying/ethanol drying: p<0.001, air drying/paper-point drying: p=0.048, ethanol drying/paper-point drying: p=0.032). TEM and μCT observation revealed a sufficient dentin/adhesive interface in the ethanol drying group. Ethanol drying was found to be more effective for post space dentin bonding, as compared with air drying and paper-point drying. Copyright © 2018 Japan Prosthodontic Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Children with migraine: Provocation of headache via pressure to myofascial trigger points in the trapezius muscle? - A prospective controlled observational study.

PubMed

Landgraf, M N; Biebl, J T; Langhagen, T; Hannibal, I; Eggert, T; Vill, K; Gerstl, L; Albers, L; von Kries, R; Straube, A; Heinen, F

2018-02-01

The objective was to evaluate a supposed clinical interdependency of myofascial trigger points and migraine in children. Such interdependency would support an interaction of spinal and trigeminal afferences in the trigemino-cervical complex as a contributing factor in migraine. Children ≤18 years with the confirmed diagnosis of migraine were prospectively investigated. Comprehensive data on medical history, clinical neurological and psychological status were gathered. Trigger points in the trapezius muscle were identified by palpation and the threshold of pressure pain at these points was measured. Manual pressure was applied to the trigger points, and the occurrence and duration of induced headache were recorded. At a second consultation (4 weeks after the first), manual pressure with the detected pressure threshold was applied to non-trigger points within the same trapezius muscle (control). Headache and related parameters were again recorded and compared to the results of the first consultation. A total of 13 girls and 13 boys with migraine and a median age of 14.5 (Range 6.3-17.8) years took part in the study. Manual pressure to trigger points in the trapezius muscle led to lasting headache after termination of the manual pressure in 13 patients while no patient experienced headache when manual pressure was applied to non-trigger points at the control visit (p < 0.001). Headache was induced significantly more often in children ≥12 years and those with internalizing behavioural disorder. We found an association between trapezius muscle myofascial trigger points and migraine, which might underline the concept of the trigemino-cervical complex, especially in adolescents. In children with migraine headache can often be induced by pressure to myofascial trigger points, but not by pressure to non-trigger points in the trapezius muscle. This supports the hypothesis of a trigemino-cervical-complex in the pathophysiology of migraine, which might have implications for innovative therapies in children with migraine. © 2017 European Pain Federation - EFIC®.

The effect of trigger point management by positional release therapy on tension type headache.

PubMed

Ghanbari, Ali; Rahimijaberi, Abbas; Mohamadi, Marzieh; Abbasi, Leila; Sarvestani, Fahimeh Kamali

2012-01-01

The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of trigger points' management by Positional Release Therapy (PRT) and routine medical therapy in treatment of Tension Type Headache. Tension Type Headache is the most frequent headache with the basis of myofascial and trigger point disorders. PRT is an indirect technique that treats trigger points. 30 Patients with active trigger points in cervical muscles entered to the study. They were randomly assigned to PRT or medical therapy group. Headache frequency, intensity and duration and tablet count were recorded by use of a daily headache diary. Sensitivity of trigger points was assessed by numeric pain intensity and by use of a digital force gauge (FG 5020). Both groups showed significant reduction in headache frequency and duration and tablet count after treatment phase. However, the reduction of study variables was persisted only in PRT group after follow up phase. There was no significant reduction in headache intensity, neither in PRT and nor in medication group. Sensitivity of trigger points was significantly reduced. In comparison of the two study groups, there was no significant difference in headache frequency, intensity, duration and tablet count (p> 0.05). Both procedures were equally effective according to the study. Thus, PRT can be a treatment choice for patients with T.T.H.

Probable Mechanisms of Needling Therapies for Myofascial Pain Control

PubMed Central

Chou, Li-Wei; Kao, Mu-Jung; Lin, Jaung-Geng

2012-01-01

Myofascial pain syndrome (MPS) has been defined as a regional pain syndrome characterized by muscle pain caused by myofascial trigger points (MTrPs) clinically. MTrP is defined as the hyperirritable spot in a palpable taut band of skeletal muscle fibers. Appropriate treatment to MTrPs can effectively relieve the clinical pain of MPS. Needling therapies, such as MTrP injection, dry needling, or acupuncture (AcP) can effectively eliminate pain immediately. AcP is probably the first reported technique in treating MPS patients with dry needling based on the Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) theory. The possible mechanism of AcP analgesia were studied and published in recent decades. The analgesic effect of AcP is hypothesized to be related to immune, hormonal, and nervous systems. Compared to slow-acting hormonal system, nervous system acts in a faster manner. Given these complexities, AcP analgesia cannot be explained by any single mechanism. There are several principles for selection of acupoints based on the TCM principles: “Ah-Shi” point, proximal or remote acupoints on the meridian, and extra-meridian acupoints. Correlations between acupoints and MTrPs are discussed. Some clinical and animal studies of remote AcP for MTrPs and the possible mechanisms of remote effectiveness are reviewed and discussed. PMID:23346211

Postglacial Terrestrial Carbon Dynamics and Atmospheric CO2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prentice, C. I.; Harrison, S. P.; Kaplan, J. O.

2002-12-01

Combining PMIP climate model results from the last glacial maximum (LGM) with biome modelling indicates the involvement of both cold, dry climate and physiological effects of low atmospheric CO2 in reducing tree cover on the continents. Further results with the LPJ dynamic vegetation model agree with independent evidence for greatly reduced terrestrial carbon storage at LGM, and suggest that terrestrial carbon storage continued to increase during the Holocene. These results point to predominantly oceanic explanations for preindustrial changes in atmospheric CO2, although land changes after the LGM may have contributed indirectly by reducing the aeolian marine Fe source and (on a longer time scale) by triggering CaCO3 compensation in the ocean.

Possible impacts of the pre-monsoon dry line and sea breeze front on nocturnal rainfall over northeast Bangladesh

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stiller-Reeve, Mathew; Toniazzo, Thomas; Kolstad, Erik; Spengler, Thomas

2017-04-01

The northeast region of Bangladesh receives a large amount of rainfall before the large-scale monsoon circulation begins. For example, in April (a "pre-monsoon" month) 2010, 804 mm of rain fell in the regional capital Sylhet. It was the second wettest month of the entire year. From our conversations with the local people, we know that this pre-monsoon rainfall is extremely important to their livelihoods. We therefore need to understand it's triggering mechanisms. Several theories have been published, all of which are likely to be at play. However, in this work we look more closely at how the sea breeze front and prominent pre-monsoonal dry line in this region may play a role. If these mechanisms play a role in the convection, then it is likely that they trigger convection further afield, and then the resulting systems then propagate towards northeast Bangladesh. We believe this because rainfall associated with dry line/sea-breeze front convection often occurs during the late afternoon, but the rainfall over northeast Bangladesh shows a clear late-night/early-morning maxima. At present, the temporal and spatial resolution of the regional observations is inappropriate for examining these possible mechanisms. We therefore use a numerical model (WRF) to investigate the possible links between the convection and the sea breeze front and dry line. We use April 2010 as a case study since it was such a wet pre-monsoon month. The simulation shows that a sea breeze circulation often develops during the day in the coastal zone of Bangladesh and northeast India. After sunset the sea breeze front propagates inland pushing back the hot, dry air over India. On several days during the simulation, convection is triggered along the sea breeze front, which then propagates towards northeast Bangladesh and intensifies across the topography surrounding the Sylhet region. From our simulations, it appears that nocturnal convection over northeast Bangladesh is triggered by several mechanisms, but that the dry line and sea breeze front could also be an active contributor.

Epigallocatechin Gallate-Loaded Gelatin-g-Poly(N-Isopropylacrylamide) as a New Ophthalmic Pharmaceutical Formulation for Topical Use in the Treatment of Dry Eye Syndrome.

PubMed

Luo, Li-Jyuan; Lai, Jui-Yang

2017-08-24

Given that biodegradable in situ gelling delivery systems may have potential applications in the design of ophthalmic pharmaceutical formulations, this study, for the first time, aims to develop gelatin-g-poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (GN) carriers for topical epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) administration in the treatment of dry eye disease (DED). By temperature triggered sol-gel phase transition of copolymers, EGCG-loaded GN was prepared at 32 °C and characterized by FTIR, NMR, and HPLC analyses. Results of WST-1 and live/dead assays showed that GN materials have good compatibility with corneal epithelial cells. Gradual biodegradation of delivery carriers allowed sustained release of EGCG without drug toxicity. Anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activity studies also indicated effective therapeutic drug levels at each time point within 3 days of release. In a rabbit dry eye model, corneal epithelial defects was ameliorated by treatment with single-dose administration of EGCG-containing GN. Furthermore, drug molecules released from carrier materials could prevent further tear evaporation and loss of mucin-secreting goblet cells in diseased animals. Our findings suggest that GN carrier is responsible for enhanced pharmacological efficacy of topically instilled EGCG, thereby demonstrating the benefits of using biodegradable in situ gelling delivery system to overcome the drawbacks of limited dry eye relief associated with eye drop dosage form.

TREATMENT OF SUBACUTE POSTERIOR KNEE PAIN IN AN ADOLESCENT BALLET DANCER UTILIZING TRIGGER POINT DRY NEEDLING: A CASE REPORT

PubMed Central

Tansey, Kimberly A.; Westrick, Richard B.

2014-01-01

Study Design: Case Report. Background and Purpose: Dry needling (DN) is an increasingly popular intervention used by clinicians as a treatment of regional neuromusculoskeletal pain. DN is an invasive procedure that involves insertion of a thin monofilament needle directly into a muscle trigger point (MTP) with the intent of stimulating a local twitch response. Current evidence is somewhat limited, but recent literature supports the use of this intervention in specific neuromusculoskeletal conditions. The purpose of this case report is to present the outcomes of DN as a primary treatment intervention in an adolescent subject with subacute posterior knee pain. Case Description: The subject was a 16‐year‐old female competitive ballet dancer referred to physical therapy with a two month history of right posterior knee pain. Palpation identified MTPs which reproduced the patient’s primary symptoms. In addition to an exercise program promoting lower extremity flexibility and hip stability, the subject was treated with DN to the right gastrocnemius, soleus, and popliteus muscles. Outcomes: The subject reported being pain free on the Numerical Pain Scale and a +7 improvement in perceived change in recovery on the Global Rating of Change at final follow‐up. Physical examination demonstrated no observed impairments or functional limitations, including normal mobility, full strength, and unrestricted execution of dance maneuvers. Discussion: The patient was able to return to high level dance training and competition without physical limitations and resumed pre‐injury dynamic movement activities including dancing, running, jumping, and pivoting without pain. DN can be an effective and efficient intervention to assist patients in decreasing pain and returning to high intensity physical activity. Additional research is needed to determine if DN is effective for other body regions and has long‐term positive outcomes. Level of Evidence: Level 4 PMID:24567862

Kinetic Self-Assembly of DNA Tiles and Bricks

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-08-26

research, and educa- tion. This is achieved by freeze drying cell-free systems into paper and other porous substrates to create materials with the...different toehold switches on paper . Experiments were performed by freeze drying the recombinant PT7 expression system onto paper discs, along with linear...DNA encoding specific switch RNAs. The paper discs were rehy- drated with or without the complementary RNA trigger 24 hr after drying and then

Effects of Varying CDS Levels and Drying and Cooling Temperatures on Flowability Properties of DDGS

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Demand for alternative fuels and the need to reduce dependence on fossil fuels, have triggered the growth of corn-based ethanol production, and this is expected to rise in future years. Transportation of the co-product distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) from this industry occurs under vari...

A critical overview of the current myofascial pain literature - March 2016.

PubMed

Dommerholt, Jan; Hooks, Todd; Finnegan, Michelle; Grieve, Rob

2016-04-01

The worldwide interest in myofascial pain syndrome (MPS) and trigger points (TrPs) is reflected in the increasing number of publications. In this overview of the literature, we included 26 studies, case reports and review articles by authors from 18 different countries. Several research groups are exploring the characteristic of TrPs such as Chen and colleagues, who continued their work on the quantification of the taut bands. Meng and colleagues studied the relationships between TrPs and central sensitization, while Yu and colleagues examined the electrophysiological characteristics that occur as a result of active TrPs. Several researchers used objective measurements to determine clinical outcomes, such as Koppenhaver and colleagues who measured objective changes in the function and nociceptive sensitivity of lumbar multifidus muscle subjects with low back pain. Turo and colleagues quantified muscle tissue changes after dry needling in chronic myofascial pain using elastography. Multiple studies explored various treatment options for TrPs, such as dry needling, injections with lidocaine or granisetron, traditional Thai massage, self-myofascial release, kinesiotaping, and monochromatic infrared photo energy, among others. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Manual trigger point therapy of shoulder pain : Randomized controlled study of effectiveness].

PubMed

Sohns, S; Schnieder, K; Licht, G; von Piekartz, H

2016-12-01

Although chronic shoulder pain is highly prevalent and myofascial trigger points (mTrP) are thought to be found in the majority of patients with shoulder complaints, the influence on the pain mechanism remains unclear. There are only very few controlled clinical studies on the effects of manual trigger point compression therapy. This randomized controlled trial (RCT) compared the short-term effects of manual trigger point compression therapy (n = 6) with manual sham therapy (n = 6) in patients with unilateral shoulder pain due to myofascial syndrome (MFS). The measurement data were collected before and after two sessions of therapy. Pressure pain thresholds (PPT) of mTrP and symmetrically located points on the asymptomatic side were measured together with neutral points in order to detect a potential unilateral or generalized hyperalgesia. Additionally, the pain was assessed on a visual analog scale (VAS) at rest and during movement and the neck disability index (NDI) and disabilities of the arm, shoulder and hand (DASH) questionnaires were also completed and evaluated. Both treatment modalities led to a significant improvement; however, the manual trigger point compression therapy was significantly more effective in comparison to sham therapy, as measured by different parameters. The significant improvement of PPT values in the interventional group even at sites that were not directly treated, indicates central mechanisms in pain threshold modulation induced by manual compression therapy. The weaker but still measurable effects of sham therapy might be explained by the sham modality being a hands on technique or by sufficient stimulation of the trigger point region during the diagnostics and PPT measurements.

Mid-Holocene drying of the U.S. Great Basin recorded in Nevada speleothems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Steponaitis, Elena; Andrews, Alexandra; McGee, David; Quade, Jay; Hsieh, Yu-Te; Broecker, Wallace S.; Shuman, Bryan N.; Burns, Stephen J.; Cheng, Hai

2015-11-01

Lake level records point to dramatic changes in Great Basin water balance over the last 25 ka, but the timing and pace of Holocene drying in the region remains poorly documented. Here we present stable isotope and trace metal data from two Lehman Caves, NV speleothems that provide a well-dated record of latest Pleistocene to mid-Holocene hydroclimate in the U.S. Great Basin. Together the stalagmites span the interval between 16.4 ka and 3.8 ka, with a hiatus from 15.0 ka to 12.7 ka. Mg/Ca and δ13C covary throughout the records, consistent with control by the extent of degassing and prior calcite precipitation (PCP); measurements of modern cave and soil waters support PCP as the primary control on drip-water trace-element composition. We therefore interpret Mg/Ca and δ13C as reflecting infiltration rates, with higher values corresponding to drier periods. Both Mg/Ca and δ13C indicate a wet period at the beginning of the record (12.7-8.2 ka) followed by pronounced drying after 8.2 ka. This mid-Holocene drying is consistent with records from around the western United States, including a new compilation of Great Basin lake-level records. The strong temporal correspondence with the collapse of the Laurentide ice sheet over Hudson Bay suggests that this drying may have been triggered by northward movement of the winter storm track as a result of ice sheet retreat. However, we cannot rule out an alternative hypothesis that wet early Holocene conditions are related to equatorial Pacific sea-surface temperature. Regardless, our results suggest that Great Basin water balance in the early Holocene was driven by factors other than orbital changes.

PERTINENT DRY NEEDLING CONSIDERATIONS FOR MINIMIZING ADVERSE EFFECTS – PART ONE

PubMed Central

Halle, Rob J.

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT Background Dry needling is an evidence-based treatment technique that is accepted and used by physical therapists in the United States. This treatment approach focuses on releasing or inactivating muscular trigger points to decrease pain, reduce muscle tension, and assist patients with an accelerated return to active rehabilitation. Issue While commonly used, the technique has some patient risk and value of the treatment should be based on benefit compared to the potential risk. Adverse effects (AEs) with dry needling can be mild or severe, with overall incidence rates varying from zero to rates of approximately 10 percent. While mild AEs are the rule, any procedure that involves a needle insertion has the potential for an AE, with select regions and the underlying anatomy increasing the risk. Known significant AEs from small diameter needle insertion include pneumothorax, cardiac tamponade, hematoma, infection, central nervous system injury, and other complications. Purpose/Objective Underlying anatomy across individuals has variability, requiring an in-depth knowledge of anatomy prior to any needle placement. This commentary is an overview of pertinent anatomy in the region of the thorax, with a ‘part two’ that addresses the abdomen, pelvis, back, vasovagal response, informed consent and other pertinent issues. The purpose of the commentary is to minimize the risk of a dry needling AE. Conclusions/Implications Dry needling is an effective adjunct treatment procedure that is within the recognized scope of physical therapy practice. Physical therapy education and training provides practitioners with the anatomy, basic sciences, and clinical foundation to use this intervention safely and effectively. A safe and evidenced-based implementation of the procedure is based on a thorough understanding of the underlying anatomy and the potential risks, with risks coordinated with patients via informed consent. Levels of Evidence Level 5 PMID:27525188

Compensatable muon collider calorimeter with manageable backgrounds

DOEpatents

Raja, Rajendran

2015-02-17

A method and system for reducing background noise in a particle collider, comprises identifying an interaction point among a plurality of particles within a particle collider associated with a detector element, defining a trigger start time for each of the pixels as the time taken for light to travel from the interaction point to the pixel and a trigger stop time as a selected time after the trigger start time, and collecting only detections that occur between the start trigger time and the stop trigger time in order to thereafter compensate the result from the particle collider to reduce unwanted background detection.

Comparing Trigger Point Dry Needling and Manual Pressure Technique for the Management of Myofascial Neck/Shoulder Pain: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

PubMed

De Meulemeester, Kayleigh E; Castelein, Birgit; Coppieters, Iris; Barbe, Tom; Cools, Ann; Cagnie, Barbara

2017-01-01

The aim of this study was to investigate short-term and long-term treatment effects of dry needling (DN) and manual pressure (MP) technique with the primary goal of determining if DN has better effects on disability, pain, and muscle characteristics in treating myofascial neck/shoulder pain in women. In this randomized clinical trial, 42 female office workers with myofascial neck/shoulder pain were randomly allocated to either a DN or MP group and received 4 treatments. They were evaluated with the Neck Disability Index, general numeric rating scale, pressure pain threshold, and muscle characteristics before and after treatment. For each outcome parameter, a linear mixed-model analysis was applied to reveal group-by-time interaction effects or main effects for the factor "time." No significant differences were found between DN and MP. In both groups, significant improvement in the Neck Disability Index was observed after 4 treatments and 3 months (P < .001); the general numerical rating scale also significantly decreased after 3 months. After the 4-week treatment program, there was a significant improvement in pain pressure threshold, muscle elasticity, and stiffness. Both treatment techniques lead to short-term and long-term treatment effects. Dry needling was found to be no more effective than MP in the treatment of myofascial neck/shoulder pain. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Determination of end point of primary drying in freeze-drying process control.

PubMed

Patel, Sajal M; Doen, Takayuki; Pikal, Michael J

2010-03-01

Freeze-drying is a relatively expensive process requiring long processing time, and hence one of the key objectives during freeze-drying process development is to minimize the primary drying time, which is the longest of the three steps in freeze-drying. However, increasing the shelf temperature into secondary drying before all of the ice is removed from the product will likely cause collapse or eutectic melt. Thus, from product quality as well as process economics standpoint, it is very critical to detect the end of primary drying. Experiments were conducted with 5% mannitol and 5% sucrose as model systems. The apparent end point of primary drying was determined by comparative pressure measurement (i.e., Pirani vs. MKS Baratron), dew point, Lyotrack (gas plasma spectroscopy), water concentration from tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy, condenser pressure, pressure rise test (manometric temperature measurement or variations of this method), and product thermocouples. Vials were pulled out from the drying chamber using a sample thief during late primary and early secondary drying to determine percent residual moisture either gravimetrically or by Karl Fischer, and the cake structure was determined visually for melt-back, collapse, and retention of cake structure at the apparent end point of primary drying (i.e., onset, midpoint, and offset). By far, the Pirani is the best choice of the methods tested for evaluation of the end point of primary drying. Also, it is a batch technique, which is cheap, steam sterilizable, and easy to install without requiring any modification to the existing dryer.

Relation between water status and desiccation-affected genes in the lichen photobiont Trebouxia gelatinosa.

PubMed

Banchi, Elisa; Candotto Carniel, Fabio; Montagner, Alice; Petruzzellis, Francesco; Pichler, Gregor; Giarola, Valentino; Bartels, Dorothea; Pallavicini, Alberto; Tretiach, Mauro

2018-06-05

The relation between water status and expression profiles of desiccation -related genes has been studied in the desiccation tolerant (DT) aeroterrestrial green microalga Trebouxia gelatinosa, a common lichen photobiont. Algal colonies were desiccated in controlled conditions and during desiccation water content (WC) and water potential (Ψ) were measured to find the turgor loss point (Ψ tlp ). Quantitative real-time PCR was performed to measure the expression of ten genes related to photosynthesis, antioxidant defense, expansins, heat shock proteins (HSPs), and desiccation related proteins in algal colonies collected during desiccation when still at full turgor (WC > 6 g H 2 O g -1 dry weight), immediately before and after Ψ tlp (-4 MPa; WC ∼ 1 g H 2 O g -1 dry weight) and before and after complete desiccation (WC < 0.01 g H 2 O g -1 dry weight), quantifying the HSP70 protein levels by immunodetection. Our analysis showed that the expression of eight out of ten genes changed immediately before and after Ψ tlp . Interestingly, the expression of five out of ten genes changed also before complete desiccation, i.e. between 0.2 and 0.01 g H 2 O g -1 dry weight. However, the HSP70 protein levels were not affected by changes in water status. The study provides new evidences of the link between the loss of turgor and the expression of genes related to the desiccation tolerance of T. gelatinosa, suggesting the former as a signal triggering inducible mechanisms. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Comparison between newer local anesthetics for myofascial pain syndrome management.

PubMed

Zaralidou, A Th; Amaniti, E N; Maidatsi, P G; Gorgias, N K; Vasilakos, D F

2007-06-01

Myofascial pain syndromes are characterized by the presence of painful loci within muscles, tendons or ligaments, called trigger points. Infiltration of these points with local anesthetics is often used as a treatment modality. The aim of the study was to comparatively evaluate 0.25% levobupivacaine and 0.25% ropivacaine for trigger point injection regarding pain on injection, treatment efficacy and duration of symptoms remission. Sixty-eight patients, suffering from myofascial pain syndromes, were randomly assigned to two groups to receive either levobupivacaine or ropivacaine for trigger-point injection. After completion of the procedure, patients were asked to rate pain during injection and efficacy of the treatment, based on immediate relief. Two weeks later, they were asked about the duration of this relief. Statistical analysis did not reveal significant differences between groups with respect to pain during injection, efficacy of the treatment and duration of pain relief. The two local anesthetics seem to be equally effective for trigger point infiltration. (c) 2007 Prous Science. All rights reserved.

Assessment of the Short-Term Effectiveness of Kinesiotaping and Trigger Points Release Used in Functional Disorders of the Masticatory Muscles

PubMed Central

Lietz-Kijak, Danuta; Kopacz, Łukasz; Grzegocka, Marta

2018-01-01

Chronic face pain syndrome is a diagnostic and therapeutic problem for many specialists, and this proves the interdisciplinary and complex nature of this ailment. Physiotherapy is of particular importance in the treatment of pain syndrome in the course of temporomandibular joint functional disorders. In patients with long-term dysfunction of masticatory muscles, the palpation examination can localize trigger points, that is, thickening in the form of nodules in the size of rice grains or peas. Latent trigger points located in the muscles can interfere with muscular movement patterns, cause cramps, and reduce muscle strength. Because hidden trigger points can spontaneously activate, they should be found and released to prevent further escalation of the discomfort. Kinesiotaping (KT) is considered as an intervention that can be used to release latent myofascial trigger points. It is a method that involves applying specific tapes to the patient's skin in order to take advantage of the natural self-healing processes of the body. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of the kinesiotaping method and trigger points inactivation on the nonpharmacological elimination of pain in patients with temporomandibular disorders. The study was conducted in 60 patients (18 to 35 years old). The subjects were randomly divided into two subgroups of 30 people each. Group KT (15 women and 15 men) were subjected to active kinesiotaping application. Group TrP, composed of 16 women and 14 men, was subjected to physiotherapy with the release of trigger points by the ischemic compression method. The results show that the KT method and TrP inactivation brought significant therapeutic analgesic effects in the course of pain-related functional disorders of the muscles of mastication. The more beneficial outcomes of the therapy were observed after using the KT method, which increased the analgesic effect in dysfunctional patients. PMID:29861804

A Novel Animal Model for Investigating the Neural Basis of Focal Dystonia

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-09-01

basal ganglia as the predisposing condition and dry eye as an environmental trigger. Based on experiments during the 1st year of the grant, our...experiments and preliminary recordings from the superior colliculus. 15. SUBJECT TERMS Dystonia, benign essential blepharospasm, dry eye , motor...that hypersynchronized, 7 Hz neuronal oscilla‐ tions of the basal ganglia created the predisposing condition and that  eye  irritation from  dry   eye  was

Changes in blood flow and cellular metabolism at a myofascial trigger point with trigger point release (ischemic compression): a proof-of-principle pilot study

PubMed Central

Moraska, Albert F.; Hickner, Robert C.; Kohrt, Wendy M.; Brewer, Alan

2012-01-01

Objective To demonstrate proof-of-principle measurement for physiological change within an active myofascial trigger point (MTrP) undergoing trigger point release (ischemic compression). Design Interstitial fluid was sampled continuously at a trigger point before and after intervention. Setting A biomedical research clinic at a university hospital. Participants Two subjects from a pain clinic presenting with chronic headache pain. Interventions A single microdialysis catheter was inserted into an active MTrP of the upper trapezius to allow for continuous sampling of interstitial fluid before and after application of trigger point therapy by a massage therapist. Main Outcome Measures Procedural success, pain tolerance, feasibility of intervention during sample collection, determination of physiologically relevant values for local blood flow, as well as glucose and lactate concentrations. Results Both patients tolerated the microdialysis probe insertion into the MTrP and treatment intervention without complication. Glucose and lactate concentrations were measured in the physiological range. Following intervention, a sustained increase in lactate was noted for both subjects. Conclusions Identifying physiological constituents of MTrP’s following intervention is an important step toward understanding pathophysiology and resolution of myofascial pain. The present study forwards that aim by showing proof-of-concept for collection of interstitial fluid from an MTrP before and after intervention can be accomplished using microdialysis, thus providing methodological insight toward treatment mechanism and pain resolution. Of the biomarkers measured in this study, lactate may be the most relevant for detection and treatment of abnormalities in the MTrP. PMID:22975226

Anaesthetic injection versus ischemic compression for the pain relief of abdominal wall trigger points in women with chronic pelvic pain.

PubMed

Montenegro, Mary L L S; Braz, Carolina A; Rosa-e-Silva, Julio C; Candido-dos-Reis, Francisco J; Nogueira, Antonio A; Poli-Neto, Omero B

2015-12-01

Chronic pelvic pain is a common condition among women, and 10 to 30 % of causes originate from the abdominal wall, and are associated with trigger points. Although little is known about their pathophysiology, variable methods have been practiced clinically. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of local anaesthetic injections versus ischemic compression via physical therapy for pain relief of abdominal wall trigger points in women with chronic pelvic pain. We conducted a parallel group randomized trial including 30 women with chronic pelvic pain with abdominal wall trigger points. Subjects were randomly assigned to one of two intervention groups. One group received an injection of 2 mL 0.5 % lidocaine without a vasoconstrictor into a trigger point. In the other group, ischemic compression via physical therapy was administered at the trigger points three times, with each session lasting for 60 s, and a rest period of 30 s between applications. Both treatments were administered during one weekly session for four weeks. Our primary outcomes were satisfactory clinical response rates and percentages of pain relief. Our secondary outcomes are pain threshold and tolerance at the trigger points. All subjects were evaluated at baseline and 1, 4, and 12 weeks after the interventions. The study was conducted at a tertiary hospital that was associated with a university providing assistance predominantly to working class women who were treated by the public health system. Clinical response rates and pain relief were significantly better at 1, 4, and 12 weeks for those receiving local anaesthetic injections than ischemic compression via physical therapy. The pain relief of women treated with local anaesthetic injections progressively improved at 1, 4, and 12 weeks after intervention. In contrast, women treated with ischemic compression did not show considerable changes in pain relief after intervention. In the local anaesthetic injection group, pain threshold and tolerance improved with time in the absence of significant differences between groups. Lidocaine injection seems to be better for reducing the severity of chronic pelvic pain secondary to abdominal wall trigger points compared to ischemic compression via physical therapy. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00628355. Date of registration: February 25, 2008.

[Myofascial pain syndrome--frequent occurrence and often misdiagnosed].

PubMed

Pongratz, D E; Späth, M

1998-09-30

Myofascial pain syndrome (MPS) is a very common localized--sometimes also polytopic--painful musculoskeletal condition associated with trigger points, for which, however, diagnostic criteria established in well-designed studies are still lacking. These two facts form the basis for differentiating between MPS and the fibromyalgia syndrome. The difference between trigger points (MPS) and tender points (fibromyalgia) is of central importance--not merely in a linguistic sense. A knowledge of the signs and symptoms typically associated with a trigger point often obviates the need for time-consuming and expensive technical diagnostic measures. The assumption that many cases of unspecific complaints affecting the musculoskeletal system may be ascribed to MPS makes clear the scope for the saving of costs.

pH-Triggered SERS via Modulated Plasmonic Coupling in Individual Bimetallic Nanocobs

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-01-01

dry states. In contrast with previous examples of such bimetallic nano- cobs, we utilize here a responsive polyacrylic acid (PAA) nanocoating that...Moreover, placing nanoparticles inside a polymer- gel layer in close proximity to the nanowire surface effectively prevents any potential aggregation of...unexpected result even for gel materials. This expanded state allowed for observation of the molecular ordering in the swollen-dried state (Figure 3

Neuro Emotional Technique for the treatment of trigger point sensitivity in chronic neck pain sufferers: A controlled clinical trial

PubMed Central

Bablis, Peter; Pollard, Henry; Bonello, Rod

2008-01-01

Background Trigger points have been shown to be active in many myofascial pain syndromes. Treatment of trigger point pain and dysfunction may be explained through the mechanisms of central and peripheral paradigms. This study aimed to investigate whether the mind/body treatment of Neuro Emotional Technique (NET) could significantly relieve pain sensitivity of trigger points presenting in a cohort of chronic neck pain sufferers. Methods Sixty participants presenting to a private chiropractic clinic with chronic cervical pain as their primary complaint were sequentially allocated into treatment and control groups. Participants in the treatment group received a short course of Neuro Emotional Technique that consists of muscle testing, general semantics and Traditional Chinese Medicine. The control group received a sham NET protocol. Outcome measurements included pain assessment utilizing a visual analog scale and a pressure gauge algometer. Pain sensitivity was measured at four trigger point locations: suboccipital region (S); levator scapulae region (LS); sternocleidomastoid region (SCM) and temporomandibular region (TMJ). For each outcome measurement and each trigger point, we calculated the change in measurement between pre- and post- treatment. We then examined the relationships between these measurement changes and six independent variables (i.e. treatment group and the above five additional participant variables) using forward stepwise General Linear Model. Results The visual analog scale (0 to 10) had an improvement of 7.6 at S, 7.2 at LS, 7.5 at SCM and 7.1 at the TMJ in the treatment group compared with no improvement of at S, and an improvement of 0.04 at LS, 0.1 at SCM and 0.1 at the TMJ point in the control group, (P < 0.001). Conclusion After a short course of NET treatment, measurements of visual analog scale and pressure algometer recordings of four trigger point locations in a cohort of chronic neck pain sufferers were significantly improved when compared to a control group which received a sham protocol of NET. Chronic neck pain sufferers may benefit from NET treatment in the relief of trigger point sensitivity. Further research including long-term randomised controlled trials for the effect of NET on chronic neck pain, and other chronic pain syndromes are recommended. Trial Registration This trial has been registered and allocated the Australian Clinical Trials Registry (ACTR) number ACTRN012607000358448. The ACTR has met the requirements of the ICMJE's trials registration policy and is an ICMJE acceptable registry. PMID:18495042

Exercise-Induced Asthma

MedlinePlus

... as triggers include: Cold air Dry air Air pollution High pollen counts Chlorine in swimming pools Chemicals used with ice rink resurfacing equipment Respiratory infections or other lung disease Activities with extended periods of deep breathing, such ...

Tension - Type - Headache treated by Positional Release Therapy: a case report.

PubMed

Mohamadi, Marzieh; Ghanbari, Ali; Rahimi Jaberi, Abbas

2012-10-01

Tension Type Headache (T.T.H) is the most prevalent headache. Myofascial abnormalities & trigger points are important in this type of headache which can be managed by Positional Release Therapy (PRT). This is a report of a 47 years old female patient with Tension Type Headache treated by Positional Release Therapy for her trigger points. She had a constant dull headache, which continued all the day for 9 months. A physiotherapist evaluated the patient and found active trigger points in her cervical muscles. Then, she received Positional Release Therapy for her trigger points. After 3 treatment sessions, the patient's headache stopped completely. During the 8 months following the treatment she was without pain, and did not use any medication. Positional Release Therapy was effective in treating Tension Type Headache. This suggests that PRT could be an alternative treatment to medication in patients with T.T.H if the effectiveness of that can be confirmed by further studies. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

77 FR 38033 - WTO Agricultural Safeguard Trigger Levels

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-06-26

..., 2012 to December 31, 2012. Nonfat Dry Milk 461,559 kilograms...... January 1, 2012 to December 31, 2012...,048 kilograms... January 1, 2012 to December 31, 2012. Swiss Cheese with Eye Formation. 25,445,598...

A rating scale is a proper method to evaluate changes in quality of life due to dry eye symptoms.

PubMed

Xue, Wenwen; Xu, Xian; Zou, Haidong

2018-02-07

To determine which utility value assessment method is more suitable to evaluate changes in the quality of life due to dry eye symptoms. Dry eye outpatients with a presenting visual acuity of 20/25 or better in the worse-seeing eye were recruited. Presenting distance visual acuity, tear film break-up time, Schirmer I test and fluorescein were assessed. The severity of dry eye symptoms was assessed using the Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI), and utility values were measured using the time trade-off (TTO), standard gamble (SG1 and SG2) and rating scale (RS) methods. Different utility values were compared with each other. The most appropriate utility value method to evaluate quality-of-life changes solely due to dry eye symptoms is determined by calculating the correlation between the OSDI score and different utility values. A total of 104 patients were enrolled. The three sections of OSDI in the order of high to low scores were as follows: "environmental trigger," "eye discomfort" and "visual function." The utility scores measured with TTO, SG1, SG2 and RS were 0.95 ± 0.11, 0.96 ± 0.10, 0.99 ± 0.07 and 0.89 ± 0.10, respectively. The utility scores evaluated by the TTO, SG1, SG2 and RS methods were significantly different from each other (p < 0.05). Only the utility scores measured with RS were significantly correlated with the composite OSDI score, "environmental trigger" and "eye discomfort" section scores (p < 0.05). RS is more sensitive than TTO and SG for the evaluation of altered quality of life due to dry eye symptoms.

Late Lutetian Thermal Maximum—Crossing a Thermal Threshold in Earth's Climate System?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Westerhold, T.; Röhl, U.; Donner, B.; Frederichs, T.; Kordesch, W. E. C.; Bohaty, S. M.; Hodell, D. A.; Laskar, J.; Zeebe, R. E.

2018-01-01

Recognizing and deciphering transient global warming events triggered by massive release of carbon into Earth's ocean-atmosphere climate system in the past are important for understanding climate under elevated pCO2 conditions. Here we present new high-resolution geochemical records including benthic foraminiferal stable isotope data with clear evidence of a short-lived (30 kyr) warming event at 41.52 Ma. The event occurs in the late Lutetian within magnetochron C19r and is characterized by a ˜2°C warming of the deep ocean in the southern South Atlantic. The magnitudes of the carbon and oxygen isotope excursions of the Late Lutetian Thermal Maximum are comparable to the H2 event (53.6 Ma) suggesting a similar response of the climate system to carbon cycle perturbations even in an already relatively cooler climate several million years after the Early Eocene Climate Optimum. Coincidence of the event with exceptionally high insolation values in the Northern Hemisphere at 41.52 Ma might indicate that Earth's climate system has a thermal threshold. When this tipping point is crossed, rapid positive feedback mechanisms potentially trigger transient global warming. The orbital configuration in this case could have caused prolonged warm and dry season leading to a massive release of terrestrial carbon into the ocean-atmosphere system initiating environmental change.

ELECTRONIC TRIGGER CIRCUIT

DOEpatents

Russell, J.A.G.

1958-01-01

An electronic trigger circuit is described of the type where an output pulse is obtained only after an input voltage has cqualed or exceeded a selected reference voltage. In general, the invention comprises a source of direct current reference voltage in series with an impedance and a diode rectifying element. An input pulse of preselected amplitude causes the diode to conduct and develop a signal across the impedance. The signal is delivered to an amplifier where an output pulse is produced and part of the output is fed back in a positive manner to the diode so that the amplifier produces a steep wave front trigger pulsc at the output. The trigger point of the described circuit is not subject to variation due to the aging, etc., of multi-electrode tabes, since the diode circuit essentially determines the trigger point.

The Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 Point-of-Care Test in Dry Eye.

PubMed

Lanza, Nicole L; Valenzuela, Felipe; Perez, Victor L; Galor, Anat

2016-04-01

Dry eye is a common, multifactorial disease currently diagnosed by a combination of symptoms and signs. However, the subjective symptoms of dry eye poorly correlate to the current gold standard for diagnostic tests, reflecting the need to develop better objective tests for the diagnosis of dry eye. This review considers the role of ocular surface matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9) in dry eye and the implications of a novel point-of-care test that measures MMP-9 levels, InflammaDry (RPS, Sarasota, FL) on choosing appropriate therapeutic treatments. Published by Elsevier Inc.

The influence of shrinkage-cracking on the drying behaviour of White Portland cement using Single-Point Imaging (SPI).

PubMed

Beyea, S D; Balcom, B J; Bremner, T W; Prado, P J; Cross, A R; Armstrong, R L; Grattan-Bellew, P E

1998-11-01

The removal of water from pores in hardened cement paste smaller than 50 nm results in cracking of the cement matrix due to the tensile stresses induced by drying shrinkage. Cracks in the matrix fundamentally alter the permeability of the material, and therefore directly affect the drying behaviour. Using Single-Point Imaging (SPI), we obtain one-dimensional moisture profiles of hydrated White Portland cement cylinders as a function of drying time. The drying behaviour of White Portland cement, is distinctly different from the drying behaviour of related concrete materials containing aggregates.

Nonallergic rhinopathy

MedlinePlus

... as vasomotor rhinitis. Causes Nonallergic rhinopathy is not caused by an infection or allergy. The exact cause is unknown. Symptoms are triggered by something that irritates the nose, such as: A dry atmosphere Air pollution Alcohol Certain medicines Spicy foods, and in some ...

Impact of an Unusual Dry Spell on the Energy Balance of a Residential Neighbourhood in a Tropical City

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Velasco, E.; Harshan, S.; Roth, M.

2014-12-01

Singapore experienced an unprecedented 2-month dry spell at the beginning of 2014. A paltry 0.2 mm of rain in February, compared to the long-term monthly average of 161 mm, resulted in the driest month since 1869. Clear symptoms of water stress were observed in the evergreen vegetation of Singapore's garden city, a number of bush fires broke out in vegetated areas, water reservoirs shrank substantially in size, and the dry weather in the region triggered wildfires in neighboring countries. The fires in peninsular Malaysia combined with the prevailing north-easterly winds generated hazy conditions with subsequent deterioration of the local air quality. In response to this rare climatological event, and contrary to other countries in the region, little action was taken to preserve water in Singapore. Water consumption actually increased 5%, likely due to increased bathing for relief during the hot and hazy days and increased watering of managed green spaces. The reasons which resulted in increased water consumption are investigated in this paper from a climatological point of view. Using eddy covariance flux measurements of the different radiative and non-radiate (latent and sensible heat) fluxes conducted over a low-rise neighborhood, the changes in the components of the energy balance associated with the dry spell are investigated. An increase of 17% in net radiation and drier daytime conditions produced an increase of 45% in sensible and reduction of 14% in latent heat fluxes, respectively. The heat stored in the urban canopy increased by 3% compared to previous years. Although the projected impacts of climate change for Singapore are uncertain, an increase in frequency of dry periods like the 2014 episode are possible in Southeast Asia. A holistic approach, which includes aspects of the urban microclimate, is necessary to implement effective measures to reduce water demand and assure the water resilience of Singapore.

Familial systemic sclerosis following exposure to organic solvents and the possible implication of genetic factors.

PubMed

Calvani, N; Silvestris, F; Dammacco, F

2001-01-01

Both genetic and environmental factors are suspected to play a role in the pathogenesis of systemic sclerosis. We compare its occurrence in 3 sisters working in a dry cleaner's shop and exposed to occupational inhalation of organic solvents. Two sisters showing the human leukocyte antigens (HLA)-DR11/DQ7 haplotype were affected. The third has maintained the same job as the others for over 10 years and has no signs of the disease. The fact that she has a different HLA haplotype points to the significance of genetic factors in increasing the risk of systemic sclerosis. It is suggested that the DR11/DQ7 haplotype enhances the development of a clinical subset of systemic sclerosis associated with production of anti-topoisomerase-I antibodies, and that environmental triggers prime the disease in subjects with this genetic background.

Temporomandibular disorders. Part 2: conservative management

PubMed Central

Shaffer, Stephen M; Brismée, Jean-Michel; Sizer, Phillip S; Courtney, Carol A

2014-01-01

Appropriate management of temporomandibular disorders (TMD) requires an understanding of the underlying dysfunction associated with the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) and surrounding structures. A comprehensive examination process, as described in part 1 of this series, can reveal underlying clinical findings that assist in the delivery of comprehensive physical therapy services for patients with TMD. Part 2 of this series focuses on management strategies for TMD. Physical therapy is the preferred conservative management approach for TMD. Physical therapists are professionally well-positioned to step into the void and provide clinical services for patients with TMD. Clinicians should utilize examination findings to design rehabilitation programs that focus on addressing patient-specific impairments. Potentially appropriate plan of care components include joint and soft tissue mobilization, trigger point dry needling, friction massage, therapeutic exercise, patient education, modalities, and outside referral. Management options should address both symptom reduction and oral function. Satisfactory results can often be achieved when management focuses on patient-specific clinical variables. PMID:24976744

SiC/Si diode trigger circuit provides automatic range switching for log amplifier

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1967-01-01

SiC/Si diode pair provides automatic range change to extend the operating range of a logarithmic amplifier-conversion circuit and assures stability at or near the range switch-over point. the diode provides hysteresis for a trigger circuit that actuates a relay at the desired range extension point.

Applying threshold concepts to conservation management of dryland ecosystems: Case studies on the Colorado Plateau

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bowker, Matthew A.; Miller, Mark E.; Garman, Steven L.; Belote, Travis; Guntenspergen, Glenn R.

2014-01-01

Ecosystems may occupy functionally distinct alternative states, some of which are more or less desirable from a management standpoint. Transitions from state to state are usually associated with a particular trigger or sequence of triggers, such as the addition or subtraction of a disturbance. Transitions are often not linear, rather it is common to see an abrupt transition come about even though the trigger increases only incrementally; these are examples of threshold behaviors. An ideal monitoring program, such as the National Park Service’s Inventory and Monitoring Program, would quantify triggers, and be able to inform managers when measurements of a trigger are approaching a threshold so that management action can avoid an unwanted state transition. Unfortunately, both triggers and the threshold points at which state transitions occur are generally only partially known. Using case studies, we advance a general procedure to help identify triggers and estimate where threshold dynamics may occur. Our procedure is as follows: (1) Operationally define the ecosystem type being considered; we suggest that the ecological site concept of the Natural Resource Conservation Service is a useful system, (2) Using all available a priori knowledge to develop a state-and-transition model (STM), which defines possible ecosystem states, plausible transitions among them and likely triggers, (3) Validate the STM by verifying the existence of its states to the greatest degree possible, (4) Use the STM model to identify transitions and triggers likely to be detectable by a monitoring program, and estimate to the greatest degree possible the value of a measurable indicator of a trigger at the point that a state transition is imminent (tipping point), and values that may indicate when management intervention should be considered (assessment points). We illustrate two different methods for attaining these goals using a data-rich case study in Canyonlands National Park, and a data-poor case study in Wupatki National Monument. In the data-rich case, STMs are validated and revised, and tipping and assessment points are estimated using statistical analysis of data. In the data-poor case, we develop an iterative expert opinion survey approach to validate the degree of confidence in an STM, revise the model, identify lack of confidence in specific model components, and create reasonable first approximations of tipping and assessment points, which can later be refined when more data are available. Our goal should be to develop the best set of models possible given the level of information available to support decisions, which is often not much. The approach presented here offers a flexible means of achieving this goal, and determining specific research areas in need of study.

Friction massage versus kinesiotaping for short-term management of latent trigger points in the upper trapezius: a randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Mohamadi, Marzieh; Piroozi, Soraya; Rashidi, Iman; Hosseinifard, Saeed

2017-01-01

Latent trigger points in the upper trapezius muscle may disrupt muscle movement patterns and cause problems such as cramping and decreased muscle strength. Because latent trigger points may spontaneously become active trigger points, they should be addressed and treated to prevent further problems. In this study we compared the short-term effect of kinesiotaping versus friction massage on latent trigger points in the upper trapezius muscle. Fifty-eight male students enrolled with a stratified sampling method participated in this single-blind randomized clinical trial (Registration ID: IRCT2016080126674N3) in 2016. Pressure pain threshold was recorded with a pressure algometer and grip strength was recorded with a Collin dynamometer. The participants were randomly assigned to two different treatment groups: kinesiotape or friction massage. Friction massage was performed daily for 3 sessions and kinesiotape was used for 72 h. One hour after the last session of friction massage or removal of the kinesiotape, pressure pain threshold and grip strength were evaluated again. Pressure pain threshold decreased significantly after both friction massage (2.66 ± 0.89 to 2.25 ± 0.76; P  = 0.02) and kinesiotaping (2.00 ± 0.74 to 1.71 ± 0.65; P  = 0.01). Grip strength increased significantly after friction massage (40.78 ± 9.55 to 42.17 ± 10.68; P  = 0.03); however there was no significant change in the kinesiotape group (39.72 ± 6.42 to 40.65 ± 7.3; P  = 0.197). There were no significant differences in pressure pain threshold (2.10 ± 0.11 & 1.87 ± 0.11; P  = 0.66) or grip strength (42.17 ± 10.68 & 40.65 ± 7.3; P  = 0.53) between the two study groups. Friction massage and kinesiotaping had identical short-term effects on latent trigger points in the upper trapezius. Three sessions of either of these two interventions did not improve latent trigger points. Registration ID in IRCT: IRCT2016080126674N3.

Biggs AAF, El Paso, Texas. Revised Uniform Summary of Surface Weather Observations (RUSSWO). Parts A-F

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-01-14

wet-bulb temperature depression versus dry -bulb temperature, means and standard deviations of d-j-bulb, wet-bulb (over) SDD, 1473 UNCLASS IF I ED FC...distribution tables Dry -bulb temperature versud wet-bulb temperature Cumulative percentage frequency of distribution tables 20. and dew point...PART 5 PRECIPITATION PSYCHROMETRIC.DRY VS WET BULB SNOWFALL MEAN & STO 0EV SNOW EPTH DRY BULB, WET BULB, &DEW POINtI RELATIVE HUMIDITY PARTC SURFACE

Targeting myofascial taut bands by ultrasound.

PubMed

Thomas, Kisha; Shankar, Hariharan

2013-07-01

Myofascial pain syndrome (MPS) is a frequent diagnosis in chronic pain and is characterized by tender, taut bands known as trigger points. The trigger points are painful areas in skeletal muscle that are associated with a palpable nodule within a taut band of muscle fibers. Despite the prevalence of myofascial pain syndrome, diagnosis is based on clinical criteria alone. A growing body of evidence that suggests that taut bands are readily visualized under ultrasound-guided exam, especially when results are correlated with elastography, multidimensional imaging, and physical exam findings such as local twitch response. The actual image characteristic in B mode appears to be controversial. Ultrasonography provides an objective modality to assist with diagnosis and treatment of trigger points in the future.

Recognizing Myofascial Pelvic Pain in the Female Patient with Chronic Pelvic Pain

PubMed Central

Pastore, Elizabeth Anne; Katzman, Wendy B.

2012-01-01

Myofascial pelvic pain (MFPP) is a major component of chronic pelvic pain (CPP) and often is not properly identified by healthcare providers. The hallmark diagnostic indicator of MFPP is myofascial trigger points in the pelvic floor musculature that refer pain to adjacent sites. Effective treatments are available to reduce MFPP, including myofascial trigger point release, PMID:22862153

The effectiveness of manual versus algometer pressure release techniques for treating active myofascial trigger points of the upper trapezius.

PubMed

Abu Taleb, Walaa; Rehan Youssef, Aliaa; Saleh, Amir

2016-10-01

Manual pressure release (MPR) is a popular treatment of trigger points. Yet, treatment response may be influenced by inconsistent application of pressure. Further, it may contribute to increased risk of work-related musculoskeletal disorders of the wrist and hand in therapists. Therefore, this study aimed at introducing a novel method to apply pressure using the algometer and to compare its effectiveness to MPR. Forty-five volunteers with active trigger points of the upper trapezius received algometer pressure release (APR), MPR, or sham ultrasound (US). Pain pressure threshold (PPT) and contralateral active and passive neck side-bending ranges were assessed at baseline and immediately after a single session. Results showed no significant differences in post-treatment PPT between the study groups (p > 0.05). The APR group showed a significant increase in passive side-bending range compared with the two other groups, whereas active range improved in the APR compared with the US group (p < 0.05). Our results show that using algometer to apply pressure release to upper trapezius trigger points is more effective compared with manual release and sham US. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Freeze-drying process design by manometric temperature measurement: design of a smart freeze-dryer.

PubMed

Tang, Xiaolin Charlie; Nail, Steven L; Pikal, Michael J

2005-04-01

To develop a procedure based on manometric temperature measurement (MTM) and an expert system for good practices in freeze drying that will allow development of an optimized freeze-drying process during a single laboratory freeze-drying experiment. Freeze drying was performed with a FTS Dura-Stop/Dura-Top freeze dryer with the manometric temperature measurement software installed. Five percent solutions of glycine, sucrose, or mannitol with 2 ml to 4 ml fill in 5 ml vials were used, with all vials loaded on one shelf. Details of freezing, optimization of chamber pressure, target product temperature, and some aspects of secondary drying are determined by the expert system algorithms. MTM measurements were used to select the optimum shelf temperature, to determine drying end points, and to evaluate residual moisture content in real-time. MTM measurements were made at 1 hour or half-hour intervals during primary drying and secondary drying, with a data collection frequency of 4 points per second. The improved MTM equations were fit to pressure-time data generated by the MTM procedure using Microcal Origin software to obtain product temperature and dry layer resistance. Using heat and mass transfer theory, the MTM results were used to evaluate mass and heat transfer rates and to estimate the shelf temperature required to maintain the target product temperature. MTM product dry layer resistance is accurate until about two-thirds of total primary drying time is over, and the MTM product temperature is normally accurate almost to the end of primary drying provided that effective thermal shielding is used in the freeze-drying process. The primary drying times can be accurately estimated from mass transfer rates calculated very early in the run, and we find the target product temperature can be achieved and maintained with only a few adjustments of shelf temperature. The freeze-dryer overload conditions can be estimated by calculation of heat/mass flow at the target product temperature. It was found that the MTM results serve as an excellent indicator of the end point of primary drying. Further, we find that the rate of water desorption during secondary drying may be accurately measured by a variation of the basic MTM procedure. Thus, both the end point of secondary drying and real-time residual moisture may be obtained during secondary drying. Manometric temperature measurement and the expert system for good practices in freeze drying does allow development of an optimized freeze-drying process during a single laboratory freeze-drying experiment.

Customized Interactive Robotic Treatment for Stroke: EMG-Triggered Therapy

PubMed Central

Dipietro, Laura; Ferraro, Mark; Palazzolo, Jerome Joseph; Krebs, Hermano Igo; Volpe, Bruce T.; Hogan, Neville

2009-01-01

A system for electromyographic (EMG) triggering of robot-assisted therapy (dubbed the EMG game) for stroke patients is presented. The onset of a patient’s attempt to move is detected by monitoring EMG in selected muscles, whereupon the robot assists her or him to perform point-to-point movements in a horizontal plane. Besides delivering customized robot-assisted therapy, the system can record signals that may be useful to better understand the process of recovery from stroke. Preliminary experiments aimed at testing the proposed system and gaining insight into the potential of EMG-triggered, robot-assisted therapy are reported. PMID:16200756

Stochastically-forced Decadal Variability in Australian Rainfall

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taschetto, A.

2015-12-01

Iconic Australian dry and wet periods were driven by anomalous conditions in the tropical oceans, such as the worst short-term drought in the southeast in 1982 associated with the strong El Niño and the widespread "Big Wet" in 1974 linked with a La Niña event. The association with oceanic conditions makes droughts predictable to some extent. However, prediction can be difficult when there is no clear external forcing such as El Niños. Can dry spells be triggered and maintained with no ocean memory? In this study, we investigate the potential role of internal multi-century atmospheric variability in controlling the frequency, duration and intensity of long-term dry and wet spells over Australia. Two multi-century-scale simulations were performed with the NCAR CESM: (1) a fully-coupled simulation (CPLD) and (2) an atmospheric simulation forced by a seasonal SST climatology derived from the coupled experiment (ACGM). Results reveal that droughts and wet spells can indeed be generated by internal variability of the atmosphere. Those internally generated events are less severe than those forced by oceanic variability, however the duration of dry and wet spells longer than 3 years is comparable with and without the ocean memory. Large-scale ocean modes of variability seem to play an important role in producing continental-scale rainfall impacts over Australia. While the Pacific Decadal Oscillation plays an important role in generating droughts in the fully coupled model, perturbations of monsoonal winds seem to be the main trigger of dry spells in the AGCM case. Droughts in the mid-latitude regions such as Tasmania can be driven by perturbations in the Southern Annular Mode, not necessarily linked to oceanic conditions even in the fully-coupled model. The mechanisms behind internally-driven mega-droughts and mega-wets will be discussed.

Microbe associated molecular patterns from rhizosphere bacteria trigger germination and Papaver somniferum metabolism under greenhouse conditions.

PubMed

Bonilla, A; Sarria, A L F; Algar, E; Muñoz Ledesma, F J; Ramos Solano, B; Fernandes, J B; Gutierrez Mañero, F J

2014-01-01

Ten PGPR from different backgrounds were assayed on Papaver somniferum var. Madrigal to evaluate their potential as biotic elicitors to increase alkaloid content under the rationale that some microbe associated molecular patterns (MAMPs) are able to trigger plant metabolism. First, the 10 strains and their culture media at two different concentrations were tested for their ability to trigger seed germination. Then, the best three strains were tested for their ability to increase seedling growth and alkaloid levels under greenhouse conditions. Only three strains and their culture media enhanced germination. Then, germination enhancing capacity of these best three strains, N5.18 Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, Aur9 Chryseobacterium balustinum and N21.4 Pseudomonas fluorescens was evaluated in soil. Finally, the three strains were applied on seedlings at two time points, by soil drench or by foliar spray. Photosynthesis was measured, plant height was recorded, capsules were weighted and alkaloids analyzed by HPLC. Only N5.18 delivered by foliar spray significantly increased plant height coupled to an increase in total alkaloids and a significant increase in opium poppy straw dry weight; these increases were supported by a better photosynthetic efficiency. The relative contents of morphine, thebaine, codeine and oripavine were affected by this treatment causing a significant increase in morphine coupled to a decrease in thebaine, demonstrating the effectivity of MAMPs from N5.18 in this plant species. Considering the increase in capsule biomass and alkaloids together with the acceleration of germination, strain N5.18 appears as a good candidate to elicit plant metabolism and consequently, to increase productivity of Papaver somniferum. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Simulation on Change Law of Runoff, Sediment and Non-point Source Nitrogen and Phosphorus Discharge under Different Land uses Based on SWAT Model: A Case Study of Er hai Lake Small Watershed

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tong, Xiao Xia; Lai Cui, Yuan; Chen, Man Yu; Hu, Bo; Xu, Wen Sheng

2018-05-01

The Er yuan watershed of Er hai district is chosen as the research area, the law of runoff and sediment and non-point source nitrogen and phosphorus discharges under different land uses during 2001 to 2014 are simulated based on SWAT model. Results of simulation indicate that the order of total runoff yield of different land use type from high to low is grassland, paddy fields, dry land. Specifically, the order of surface runoff yield from high to low is paddy fields, dry land, grassland, the order of lateral runoff yield from high to low is paddy fields, dry land, grassland, the order of groundwater runoff yield from high to low is grassland, paddy fields, dry land. The orders of sediment and nitrogen and phosphorus yield per unit area of different land use type are the same, grassland> paddy fields> dry land. It can be seen, nitrogen and phosphorus discharges from paddy fields and dry land are the main sources of agricultural non-point pollution of the irrigated area. Therefore, reasonable field management measures which can decrease the discharge of nitrogen and phosphorus of paddy fields and dry land are the key to agricultural non-point source pollution prevention and control.

[Textural research on the origin and evolution of the"theory of drying dampness"and its initiator].

PubMed

Zhou, X M; Hu, J P

2016-07-28

There are two different records, namely,"vulnerability to dampness in autumn"and"dryness prevailing"in autumn, in the Neijing ( Inner Canon ). In the Jin and Yuan Dynasties, Liu Wansu supplemented the pathogenesis of dryness pathogen, whereas Wang Andao explained the contradictory records in the Neijing . In the Qing Dynasty, Yu Chang definitely challenged the theory"vulnerability to dampness in autumn"of the Neijing ,triggering a debate on the recognition of"drying dampness". In fact, Yu Guopei was the initiator of"theory of drying dampness", who discussed the nature of Yin and Yang of"drying dampness"based on the laws of correspondence between human body and natural environment, elucidating that drying dampness should be the root of both exogenous disease and internal damage, and elaborating the etiology and pathogenesis of"drying dampness", the diagnosis and the nature of the drugs for drying dampness. Shi Shoutang inherited Yu's theory and made a further development. In modern times, some scholars advocated that"drying dampness"should be consideredalong with Yin and Yang, superficies and interior, excess and deficiency, cold and heat, as the guiding principle for syndrome differentiation.

Food Intolerance vs. Food Allergy: What's the Difference?

MedlinePlus

... can cause cramping, constipation and diarrhea. Sensitivity to food additives. For example, sulfites used to preserve dried fruit, canned goods and wine can trigger asthma attacks in sensitive people. ... Sometimes the mere thought of a food may make you sick. The reason is not ...

Regional dry-season climate changes due to three decades of Amazonian deforestation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khanna, Jaya; Medvigy, David; Fueglistaler, Stephan; Walko, Robert

2017-02-01

More than 20% of the Amazon rainforest has been cleared in the past three decades, triggering important hydroclimatic changes. Small-scale (a few kilometres) deforestation in the 1980s has caused thermally triggered atmospheric circulations that increase regional cloudiness and precipitation frequency. However, these circulations are predicted to diminish as deforestation increases. Here we use multi-decadal satellite records and numerical model simulations to show a regime shift in the regional hydroclimate accompanying increasing deforestation in Rondônia, Brazil. Compared with the 1980s, present-day deforested areas in downwind western Rondônia are found to be wetter than upwind eastern deforested areas during the local dry season. The resultant precipitation change in the two regions is approximately +/-25% of the deforested area mean. Meso-resolution simulations robustly reproduce this transition when forced with increasing deforestation alone, showing that large-scale climate variability plays a negligible role. Furthermore, deforestation-induced surface roughness reduction is found to play an essential role in the present-day dry-season hydroclimate. Our study illustrates the strong scale sensitivity of the climatic response to Amazonian deforestation and suggests that deforestation is sufficiently advanced to have caused a shift from a thermally to a dynamically driven hydroclimatic regime.

Key composition optimization of meat processed protein source by vacuum freeze-drying technology.

PubMed

Ma, Yan; Wu, Xingzhuang; Zhang, Qi; Giovanni, Vigna; Meng, Xianjun

2018-05-01

Vacuum freeze-drying technology is a high technology content, a wide range of knowledge of technology in the field of drying technology is involved, it is also a method of the most complex drying equipment, the largest energy consumption, the highest cost of drying method, but due to the particularity of its dry goods: the freeze-drying food has the advantages of complex water performance is good, cooler and luster of freezing and drying food to maintain good products, less nutrient loss, light weight, easy to carry transportation, easy to long-term preservation, and on the quality is far superior to the obvious advantages of other dried food, making it become the forefront of drying technology research and development. The freeze-drying process of Chinese style ham and western Germany fruit tree tenderloin is studied in this paper, their eutectic point, melting point and collapse temperature, freeze-drying curve and its heat and mass transfer characteristics are got, then the precool temperature and the highest limiting temperature of sublimation interface are determined. The effect of system pressure on freeze-dried rate in freeze-drying process is discussed, and the method of regulating pressure circularly is determined.

40 CFR 405.100 - Applicability; description of the dry milk subcategory.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... are applicable to discharges resulting from the manufacture of dry whole milk, dry skim milk and dry... milk subcategory. 405.100 Section 405.100 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) EFFLUENT GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS DAIRY PRODUCTS PROCESSING POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Dry Milk...

Conflict-Triggered Top-Down Control: Default Mode, Last Resort, or No Such Thing?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bugg, Julie M.

2014-01-01

The conflict monitoring account posits that globally high levels of conflict trigger engagement of top-down control; however, recent findings point to the mercurial nature of top-down control in high conflict contexts. The current study examined the potential moderating effect of associative learning on conflict-triggered top-down control…

Sliding-surface-liquefaction of sand-dry ice mixture and submarine landslides

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fukuoka, H.; Tsukui, A.

2010-12-01

In the historic records of off-shore mega-earthquakes along the subduction zone offshore Japan, there are a lot of witnesses about large-scale burning of flammable gas possibly ejected from sea floor. This gas was supposed to be the dissolved methane hydrates (MH), which have been found in the soundings of IODP and other oceanology projects. Since the vast distribution of the BSR in the continental margins, a lot of papers have been published which pointed out the possibilities of that gasification of those hydrates could have triggered gigantic submarine landslides. Global warming or large earthquake or magma intrusion may trigger extremely deep gigantic landslides in continental margins that which could cause catastrophic tsunami. However, recent triaxial compression tests on artificially prepared sand-MH-mixture samples revealed that the they have slightly higher strength than the ones of only sands and MH’s endothermal characteristics may resist against accelerating shear and large-displacement landslides as well. While, the stress-controlled undrained ring shear apparatuses have been developed by Sassa and Fukuoka at Disaster Prevention Research Institute, Kyoto University to reproduce subaerial landslides induced by earthquakes and rainfalls. Using the apparatuses, they found localized liquefaction phenomenon along the deep saturated potential sliding surface due to excess pore pressure generation during the grain crushing induced bulk volume change. This phenomenon was named as “sliding surface liquefaction.” Similar sudden large pore pressure generation was observed in pore pressure control test simulating rain-induced landslides. In this paper, authors examined the shear behavior of the dry sand-dry ice mixture under constant normal stress and shear speed control tests using the latest ring shear apparatus. Sample was mixture of silica sands and dry-ice pellets (frozen carbon-dioxide). Those mixtures are often used for studying the mechanism of the methane hydrates in laboratories because no explosion protection facility is required. In order to prevent rapid gasification, the specimen was prepared without water. Applied total normal stress was 200 kPa and initial normal stress was maintained at about 70 kPa by slightly opening the drainage valve to vent pressured CO2 gas. When the sample was sheared at 30 cm/s, the stress path reached failure line of friction angle of about 37 degrees immediately. However, excess pore air pressure increased soon after and the stress path moved to the origin along the failure line. This means rapid shearing generates frictional heat and it accelerates the gasification of dry ice quickly. On the other hand, crushing of pellets may contribute to increase the total surface area of dry ice and to acceleration of gasification, to some extent. Authors are conducting to examine the velocity weakening characteristics of the samples and upcoming results will give more detail of the mechanism. But this sliding-surface-liquefaction in the mixture supports the possibility of similar accelerating displacement in the sand-MH mixture or boundaries between MH and sand layer induced by certain strong ground motion under sea floor.

Corneal pain without stain: is it real?

PubMed

Rosenthal, Perry; Baran, Inna; Jacobs, Deborah S

2009-01-01

Clinicians often encounter patients who report corneal pain suggestive of dry eye disease, yet lack equivalent signs. These patients represent a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge that is more easily dismissed than addressed. We review the physiology of pain and the pathophysiological mechanisms of neuropathic corneal pain and speculate on the mechanisms of certain etiopathogenic triggers, such as LASIK, severe dry eye disease, and Sjogren syndrome. Recognizing corneal neuropathic pain as a disease in its own right is the first step toward developing more effective treatments for these severely disabled and presently inadequately served patients.

Effectiveness and relevant factors of 2% rebamipide ophthalmic suspension treatment in dry eye.

PubMed

Ueda, Kaori; Matsumiya, Wataru; Otsuka, Keiko; Maeda, Yoshifumi; Nagai, Takayuki; Nakamura, Makoto

2015-06-06

Rebamipide with mucin secretagogue activity was recently approved for the treatment of dry eye. The efficacy and safety in the treatment of rebamipide were shown in two pivotal clinical trials. It was the aim of this study to evaluate the effect of 2% rebamipide ophthalmic suspension in patients with dry eye and analyze relevant factors for favorable effects of rebamipide in clinical practice. This was a retrospective cohort study of 48 eyes from 24 patients with dry eye treated with 2% rebamipide ophthalmic suspension. Dry eye-related symptom score, tear film break-up time (TBUT), fluorescein ocular surface staining score (FOS) and the Schirmer test were used to collect the data from patients at baseline, and at 2, 4, 8, and 12 week visits. To determine the relevant factors, multiple regression analyses were then performed. Mean dry eye-related symptom score showed a significant improvement from the baseline (14.5 points) at 2, 4, 8 and 12 weeks (9.80, 7.04, 7.04 and 7.83 points, corrected P value < 0.001, respectively). Median FOS showed a significant improvement from the baseline (3.0 points) at 2, 4, 8 and 12 weeks (2.0, 2.0, 1.0 and 1.0 points, corrected P value < 0.001, respectively). TBUT and Schirmer test values were not significantly improved after the treatment. For ocular symptoms, three parameters (foreign body sensation, dry eye sensation and ocular discomfort) showed significant improvements at all visits. The multiple regression analyses showed that the fluorescein conjunctiva staining score was significantly correlated with the changes of dry eye-related symptom score at 12 weeks (P value = 0.017) and dry eye-related symptom score was significantly correlated with independent variables for the changes of FOS at 12 weeks (P value = 0.0097). Two percent rebamipide ophthalmic suspension was an effective therapy for dry eye patients. Moreover the fluorescein conjunctiva staining score and dry eye-related symptom score might be good relevant factors for favorable effects of rebamipide.

Acupuncture in Treating Dry Mouth Caused By Radiation Therapy in Patients With Head and Neck Cancer | Division of Cancer Prevention

Cancer.gov

RATIONALE: Acupuncture may help relieve dry mouth caused by radiation therapy. PURPOSE: This randomized phase III trial is studying to see how well one set of acupuncture points work in comparison to a different set of acupuncture points or standard therapy in treating dry mouth caused by radiation therapy in patients with head and neck cancer. |

Recovery of Waste Heat from Propellant Forced-Air Dry House

DTIC Science & Technology

1978-12-01

function of bulk air side film heat transfer coefficient and diffusivity 66 15. Dry house waste heat recovery system instrumentation 67 16. Sample data...inlet condition by, maintaining the exhaust temperature above the NG dew point. The set point is adjustable to accommodate various propel- lant and...system. In dry cycle operation, an overall energy recovery effectiveness of about 40% was measured for winter operation when the exhaust temperature

Retrosternal abscess after trigger point injections in a pregnant woman: a case report.

PubMed

Usman, Faisal; Bajwa, Abubakr; Shujaat, Adil; Cury, James

2011-08-23

Although retrosternal abscess is a well known complication of sternotomy and intravenous drug abuse, to date it has not been described as a consequence of trigger point injections. There are reported cases of serious complications as a result of this procedure including epidural abscess, necrotizing fasciitis, osteomyelitis and gas gangrene. A 37-year-old African-American woman, who was 20 weeks pregnant, presented to our emergency room with complaints of progressively worsening chest pain and shortness of breath over the course of the last two months. She was undergoing trigger point injections at multiple different sites including the sternoclavicular joint for chest pain and dystonia. Two years previously she had developed a left-sided pneumothorax as a result of this procedure, requiring chest tube placement and subsequent pleurodesis. Her vital signs in our emergency room were normal except for resting tachycardia, with a pulse of 100 beats per minute. A physical examination revealed swelling and tenderness of the sternal notch with tenderness to palpation over the left sternoclavicular joint. Laboratory data was significant for a white blood count of 13.3 × 109/L with 82% granulocytes. A chest radiograph revealed left basilar scarring with blunting of the left costophrenic angle. A computed tomography angiogram showed a 4.7 cm abscess in the retrosternal region behind the manubrium with associated sclerosis and cortical irregularity of the manubrium and left clavicle. Trigger point injection is generally considered very safe. However, there are reported cases of serious complications as a result of this procedure. A computed tomography scan of the chest should strongly be considered in the evaluation of chest pain and shortness of breath of unclear etiology in patients with even a remote history of trigger point injections.

Extracorporeal shock wave therapy of gastroc-soleus trigger points in patients with plantar fasciitis: A randomized, placebo-controlled trial.

PubMed

Moghtaderi, Alireza; Khosrawi, Saeid; Dehghan, Farnaz

2014-01-01

Plantar fasciitis is the most common cause of heel pain. Extracorporeal shock wave therapy (ESWT) is an alternative treatment for refractory cases of plantar fasciitis. Studies also demonstrated that ESWT may be an appropriate treatment for myofascial trigger points. This study was designed to evaluate its effectiveness by comparing the ESWT of Gastrocnemius/Soleus (gastroc-soleus) trigger points and heel region with the ESWT of the heel region alone. The study was carried out among 40 patients with a clinical diagnosis of plantar fasciitis, divided randomly to case (n = 20) and control (n = 20) groups. The case group received ESWT for the heel region and for the gastroc-soleus trigger points. The control group received ESWT just for the heel region. The protocol was the same in both groups and they were treated for three sessions every week. The pain score (100 mm visual analog score [VAS]) and the modified Roles and Maudsley score was evaluated before the first session and eight weeks after the last session. Eight weeks after the last session, although the mean VAS had decreased significantly in both groups, this decrement was more significant in the case group. (P = 0.04). According to the modified Roles and Maudsley score, there was a significant improvement in both the case (P < 0.001) and control (P = 0.01) groups, eight weeks after treatment, but there were significantly better results in the case group. The combination of ESWT for both plantar fasciitis and gastroc-soleus trigger points in treating patients with plantar fasciitis is more effective than utilizing it solely for plantar fasciitis.

Chronic pain in a patient with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (hypermobility type): The role of myofascial trigger point injections.

PubMed

Tewari, Saipriya; Madabushi, Rajashree; Agarwal, Anil; Gautam, Sujeet K; Khuba, Sandeep

2017-01-01

Chronic widespread musculoskeletal pain is a cardinal symptom in hypermobility type of Ehler Danlos Syndrome (EDS type III). The management of pain in EDS, however, has not been studied in depth. A 30 year old female, known case of EDS, presented to the pain clinic with complaints of severe upper back pain for 6 months. Physical examination of the back revealed two myofascial trigger points over the left rhomboids and the left erector spinae. Local anaesthetic trigger point injections were given at these points, followed by stretching exercises under analgesic cover for the first week. After 1 week the patient reported 60-80% pain relief. This case highlights that we must keep a high index of suspicion for the more treatable causes of pain like myofascial pain syndrome in patients suffering from EDS, and should address it promptly and appropriately in order to maximise patient comfort. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

75 FR 34049 - Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act Provisions; Fisheries of the...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-06-16

... limits, in season possession limit triggers, and other measures to improve management of the skate... given year, the possession limit trigger (80 percent in the wing fishery, 90 percent in the bait fishery... is exceeded by more than 5 percent, the trigger point at which the possession limit is reduced would...

Triggering Factor of Strong Earthquakes and Its Prediction Verification

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ren, Z. Q.; Ren, S. H.

After 30 yearsS research, we have found that great earthquakes are triggered by tide- generation force of the moon. ItSs not the tide-generation force in classical view- points, but is a non-classical viewpoint tide-generation force. We call it as TGFR (Tide-Generation ForcesS Resonance). TGFR strongly depends on the tide-generation force at time of the strange astronomical points (SAP). The SAP mostly are when the moon and another celestial body are arranged with the earth along a straight line (with the same apparent right ascension or 180o difference), the other SAP are the turning points of the moonSs relatively motion to the earth. Moreover, TGFR have four different types effective areas. Our study indicates that a majority of earthquakes are triggering by the rare superimposition of TGFRsS effective areas. In China the great earthquakes in the plain area of Hebei Province, Taiwan, Yunnan Province and Sichuan province are trigger by the decompression TGFR; Other earthquakes are trig- gered by compression TGFR which are in Gansu Province, Ningxia Provinces and northwest direction of Beijing. The great earthquakes in Japan, California, southeast of Europe also are triggered by compression of the TGFR. and in the other part of the world like in Philippines, Central America countries, and West Asia, great earthquakes are triggered by decompression TGFR. We have carried out examinational immediate prediction cooperate TGFR method with other earthquake impending signals such as suggested by Professor Li Junzhi. The successful ratio is about 40%(from our fore- cast reports to the China Seismological Administration). Thus we could say the great earthquake can be predicted (include immediate earthquake prediction). Key words: imminent prediction; triggering factor; TGFR (Tide-Generation ForcesS Resonance); TGFR compression; TGFR compression zone; TGFR decompression; TGFR decom- pression zone

Advancements in anti-inflammatory therapy for dry eye syndrome.

PubMed

McCabe, Erin; Narayanan, Srihari

2009-10-01

The goal of this literature review is to discuss recent discoveries in the pathophysiology of dry eye and the subsequent evolution of diagnostic and management techniques. The mechanisms of various anti-inflammatory treatments are reviewed, and the efficacy of common pharmacologic agents is assessed. Anti-inflammatory therapy is evaluated in terms of its primary indications, target population, and utility within a clinical setting. The Medline PubMed database and the World Wide Web were searched for current information regarding dry eye prevalence, pathogenesis, diagnosis, and management. After an analysis of the literature, major concepts were integrated to generate an updated portrayal of the status of dry eye syndrome. Inflammation appears to play a key role in perpetuating and sustaining dry eye. Discoveries of inflammatory markers found within the corneal and conjunctival epithelium of dry eye patients have triggered recent advancements in therapy. Pharmacologic anti-inflammatory therapy for dry eye includes 2 major categories: corticosteroids and immunomodulatory agents. Fatty acid and androgen supplementation and oral antibiotics have also shown promise in dry eye therapy because of their anti-inflammatory effects. Anti-inflammatory pharmacologic agents have shown great success in patients with moderate to severe dry eye when compared with alternative treatment modalities. A deeper understanding of the link between inflammation and dry eye validates the utilization of anti-inflammatory therapy in everyday optometric practice.

Reliability of different methodologies of infrared image analysis of myofascial trigger points in the upper trapezius muscle

PubMed Central

Dibai-Filho, Almir V.; Guirro, Elaine C. O.; Ferreira, Vânia T. K.; Brandino, Hugo E.; Vaz, Maíta M. O. L. L.; Guirro, Rinaldo R. J.

2015-01-01

BACKGROUND: Infrared thermography is recognized as a viable method for evaluation of subjects with myofascial pain. OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present study was to assess the intra- and inter-rater reliability of infrared image analysis of myofascial trigger points in the upper trapezius muscle. METHOD: A reliability study was conducted with 24 volunteers of both genders (23 females) between 18 and 30 years of age (22.12±2.54), all having cervical pain and presence of active myofascial trigger point in the upper trapezius muscle. Two trained examiners performed analysis of point, line, and area of the infrared images at two different periods with a 1-week interval. The intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC2,1) was used to assess the intra- and inter-rater reliability. RESULTS: With regard to the intra-rater reliability, ICC values were between 0.591 and 0.993, with temperatures between 0.13 and 1.57 °C for values of standard error of measurement (SEM) and between 0.36 and 4.35 °C for the minimal detectable change (MDC). For the inter-rater reliability, ICC ranged from 0.615 to 0.918, with temperatures between 0.43 and 1.22 °C for the SEM and between 1.19 and 3.38 °C for the MDC. CONCLUSION: The methods of infrared image analyses of myofascial trigger points in the upper trapezius muscle employed in the present study are suitable for clinical and research practices. PMID:25993626

16. Detail, lower chord connection point on downstream side at ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

16. Detail, lower chord connection point on downstream side at end panel showing lower chord eye bars, vertical tension eye bar, original and supplemental floor beams, turnbuckled lower laterals. View to northwest. - Dry Creek Bridge, Spanning Dry Creek at Cook Road, Ione, Amador County, CA

Preservation of flavor in freeze dried green beans

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Huber, C. S.; Heidelbaugh, N. D.; Davis, D.

1973-01-01

Before freeze drying, green beans are heated to point at which their cell structure is altered. Beans freeze dried with altered cell structure have improved rehydration properties and retain color, flavor, and texture.

Militarily-Significant Properties of Atmospheric Water Vapor and Its Adsorbed Surface Layers

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-08-01

Depend- ency of Cell (Vapor) Current vs. Saturation Ratio, for Humidification by Ultrasonic Nebulizer (Solid Points) and Drying Down (Hollow Points... Humidification (Solid Points) and "Hyster- esis" Effects During Drying-Down (Hollow Points) .................... 77 42. More Data Fromi New cell (Figures 36-38...thus it is 3! heavily involved in the " greenhouse " effect. The high-powered CO2 laser operates at 10.6 jm in this window. Aside from its obvious role in

AMPLITUDE DISCRIMINATOR HAVING SEPARATE TRIGGERING AND RECOVERY CONTROLS UTILIZING AUTOMATIC TRIGGERING

DOEpatents

Chase, R.L.

1962-01-23

A transistorized amplitude discriminator circuit is described in which the initial triggering sensitivity and the recovery threshold are separately adjustable in a convenient manner. The discriminator is provided with two independent bias components, one of which is for circuit hysteresis (recovery) and one of which is for trigger threshold level. A switching circuit is provided to remove the second bias component upon activation of the trigger so that the recovery threshold is always at the point where the trailing edge of the input signal pulse goes through zero or other desired value. (AEC)

37. PWD Drawing 11,654M35 (1987), 'Dry Dock No. 4 Utility ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

37. PWD Drawing 11,654-M-35 (1987), 'Dry Dock No. 4 Utility Low Pressure Sensors-Hunters Point'; showing basic plan view at upper level of pump room. - Hunters Point Naval Shipyard, Drydock No. 4, East terminus of Palou Avenue, San Francisco, San Francisco County, CA

40 CFR 417.150 - Applicability; description of the manufacture of spray dried detergents subcategory.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... manufacture of spray dried detergents subcategory. 417.150 Section 417.150 Protection of Environment... POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Manufacture of Spray Dried Detergents Subcategory § 417.150 Applicability; description of the manufacture of spray dried detergents subcategory. The provisions of this subpart are...

40 CFR 417.180 - Applicability; description of the manufacture of drum dried detergents subcategory.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... manufacture of drum dried detergents subcategory. 417.180 Section 417.180 Protection of Environment... POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Manufacture of Drum Dried Detergents Subcategory § 417.180 Applicability; description of the manufacture of drum dried detergents subcategory. The provisions of this subpart are...

40 CFR 428.90 - Applicability; description of the pan, dry digestion, and mechanical reclaimed rubber subcategory.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

..., dry digestion, and mechanical reclaimed rubber subcategory. 428.90 Section 428.90 Protection of... MANUFACTURING POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Pan, Dry Digestion, and Mechanical Reclaimed Rubber Subcategory § 428.90 Applicability; description of the pan, dry digestion, and mechanical reclaimed rubber subcategory. The...

40 CFR 428.90 - Applicability; description of the pan, dry digestion, and mechanical reclaimed rubber subcategory.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

..., dry digestion, and mechanical reclaimed rubber subcategory. 428.90 Section 428.90 Protection of... MANUFACTURING POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Pan, Dry Digestion, and Mechanical Reclaimed Rubber Subcategory § 428.90 Applicability; description of the pan, dry digestion, and mechanical reclaimed rubber subcategory. The...

40 CFR 428.90 - Applicability; description of the pan, dry digestion, and mechanical reclaimed rubber subcategory.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

..., dry digestion, and mechanical reclaimed rubber subcategory. 428.90 Section 428.90 Protection of... POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Pan, Dry Digestion, and Mechanical Reclaimed Rubber Subcategory § 428.90 Applicability; description of the pan, dry digestion, and mechanical reclaimed rubber subcategory. The...

40 CFR 428.90 - Applicability; description of the pan, dry digestion, and mechanical reclaimed rubber subcategory.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

..., dry digestion, and mechanical reclaimed rubber subcategory. 428.90 Section 428.90 Protection of... MANUFACTURING POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Pan, Dry Digestion, and Mechanical Reclaimed Rubber Subcategory § 428.90 Applicability; description of the pan, dry digestion, and mechanical reclaimed rubber subcategory. The...

40 CFR 428.90 - Applicability; description of the pan, dry digestion, and mechanical reclaimed rubber subcategory.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

..., dry digestion, and mechanical reclaimed rubber subcategory. 428.90 Section 428.90 Protection of... POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Pan, Dry Digestion, and Mechanical Reclaimed Rubber Subcategory § 428.90 Applicability; description of the pan, dry digestion, and mechanical reclaimed rubber subcategory. The...

Developing a pulse trigger generator for a three-electrode spark-gap switch in a transversely excited atmospheric CO2 laser.

PubMed

Wang, Jingyuan; Guo, Lihong; Zhang, Xingliang

2016-04-01

To improve the probability and stability of breakdown discharge in a three-electrode spark-gap switch for a high-power transversely excited atmospheric CO2 laser and to improve the efficiency of its trigger system, we developed a high-voltage pulse trigger generator based on a two-transistor forward converter topology and a multiple-narrow-pulse trigger method. Our design uses a narrow high-voltage pulse (10 μs) to break down the hyperbaric gas between electrodes of the spark-gap switch; a dry high-voltage transformer is used as a booster; and a sampling and feedback control circuit (mainly consisting of a SG3525 and a CD4098) is designed to monitor the spark-gap switch and control the frequency and the number of output pulses. Our experimental results show that this pulse trigger generator could output high-voltage pulses (number is adjusted) with an amplitude of >38 kV and a width of 10 μs. Compared to a conventional trigger system, our design had a breakdown probability increased by 2.7%, an input power reduced by 1.5 kW, an efficiency increased by 0.12, and a loss reduced by 1.512 kW.

Triggerable electro-optic amplitude modulator bias stabilizer for integrated optical devices

DOEpatents

Conder, A.D.; Haigh, R.E.; Hugenberg, K.F.

1995-09-26

An improved Mach-Zehnder integrated optical electro-optic modulator is achieved by application and incorporation of a DC bias box containing a laser synchronized trigger circuit, a DC ramp and hold circuit, a modulator transfer function negative peak detector circuit, and an adjustable delay circuit. The DC bias box ramps the DC bias along the transfer function curve to any desired phase or point of operation at which point the RF modulation takes place. 7 figs.

Triggerable electro-optic amplitude modulator bias stabilizer for integrated optical devices

DOEpatents

Conder, Alan D.; Haigh, Ronald E.; Hugenberg, Keith F.

1995-01-01

An improved Mach-Zehnder integrated optical electro-optic modulator is achieved by application and incorporation of a DC bias box containing a laser synchronized trigger circuit, a DC ramp and hold circuit, a modulator transfer function negative peak detector circuit, and an adjustable delay circuit. The DC bias box ramps the DC bias along the transfer function curve to any desired phase or point of operation at which point the RF modulation takes place.

Air drying of softwood lumber, Fairbanks, Alaska.

Treesearch

George R Sampson; Forrest A. Ruppert

1985-01-01

Air-drying rates for two stacks of 2-inch-thick white spruce were observed in the Fairbanks area during summer 1982. The air-drying rate for the same size lumber was also observed during winter 1982-83. Very little drying occurred during the winter. Drying rates in summer were correlated with average daily temperature and average daily dew point to derive predictive...

Additional Effect of Static Ultrasound and Diadynamic Currents on Myofascial Trigger Points in a Manual Therapy Program for Patients With Chronic Neck Pain: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

PubMed

Dibai-Filho, Almir Vieira; de Oliveira, Alessandra Kelly; Girasol, Carlos Eduardo; Dias, Fabiana Rodrigues Cancio; Guirro, Rinaldo Roberto de Jesus

2017-04-01

To assess the additional effect of static ultrasound and diadynamic currents on myofascial trigger points in a manual therapy program to treat individuals with chronic neck pain. A single-blind randomized trial was conducted. Both men and women, between ages 18 and 45, with chronic neck pain and active myofascial trigger points in the upper trapezius were included in the study. Subjects were assigned to 3 different groups: group 1 (n = 20) was treated with manual therapy; group 2 (n = 20) was treated with manual therapy and static ultrasound; group 3 (n = 20) was treated with manual therapy and diadynamic currents. Individuals were assessed before the first treatment session, 48 hours after the first treatment session, 48 hours after the tenth treatment session, and 4 weeks after the last session. There was no group-versus-time interaction for Numeric Rating Scale, Neck Disability Index, Pain-Related Self-Statement Scale, pressure pain threshold, cervical range of motion, and skin temperature (F-value range, 0.089-1.961; P-value range, 0.106-0.977). Moreover, we found no differences between groups regarding electromyographic activity (P > 0.05). The use of static ultrasound or diadynamic currents on myofascial trigger points in upper trapezius associated with a manual therapy program did not generate greater benefits than manual therapy alone.

Trehalose and sorbitol alter the kinetic pattern of inactivation of glutamate dehydrogenase during drying in levitated microdroplets.

PubMed

Lorenzen, Elke; Lee, Geoffrey

2013-12-01

A single-droplet acoustic levitator was used to determine the drying rate and the kinetics of inactivation of glutamate dehydrogenase in the presence of added trehalose or sorbitol. The solution was also spray dried under the same process condition of drying gas temperature on a bench-top machine. Both trehalose and sorbitol delay the point of onset of enzyme inactivation which lies after the critical point of drying. Both carbohydrates also reduce the apparent rate constant of inactivation calculated during the subsequent inactivation phase. The carbohydrates stabilise, therefore, the enzyme during droplet drying and particle formation mainly during the falling rate drying period. There is no difference between the stabilising effects of the two carbohydrates when examined as levitated single droplets. This suggests the importance of water replacement as a stabilising mechanism in the levitated droplets/particles. On spray drying, the trehalose stabilises the enzyme better than does the sorbitol at a drying gas (outlet) temperature of 60°C. This suggests glass formation with the trehalose but not the sorbitol during the very rapid drying process of small-atomised droplets in the spray dryer. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association.

Effect of Dry Needling on Thigh Muscle Strength and Hip Flexion in Elite Soccer Players.

PubMed

Haser, Christian; Stöggl, Thomas; Kriner, Monika; Mikoleit, Jörg; Wolfahrt, Bernd; Scherr, Johannes; Halle, Martin; Pfab, Florian

2017-02-01

Increase in muscle force, endurance, and flexibility is desired in elite athletes to improve performance and to avoid injuries, but it is often hindered by the occurrence of myofascial trigger points. Dry needling (DN) has been shown effective in eliminating myofascial trigger points. This randomized controlled study in 30 elite youth soccer players of a professional soccer Bundesliga Club investigated the effects of four weekly sessions of DN plus water pressure massage on thigh muscle force and range of motion of hip flexion. A group receiving placebo laser plus water pressure massage and a group with no intervention served as controls. Data were collected at baseline (M1), treatment end (M2), and 4 wk follow-up (M3). Furthermore, a 5-month muscle injury follow-up was performed. DN showed significant improvement of muscular endurance of knee extensors at M2 (P = 0.039) and M3 (P = 0.008) compared with M1 (M1:294.6 ± 15.4 N·m·s, M2:311 ± 25 N·m·s; M3:316.0 ± 28.6 N·m·s) and knee flexors at M2 compared with M1 (M1:163.5 ± 10.9 N·m·s, M2:188.5 ± 16.3 N·m·s) as well as hip flexion (M1: 81.5° ± 3.3°, M2:89.8° ± 2.8°; M3:91.8° ± 3.8°). Compared with placebo (3.8° ± 3.8°) and control (1.4° ± 2.9°), DN (10.3° ± 3.5°) showed a significant (P = 0.01 and P = 0.0002) effect at M3 compared with M1 on hip flexion; compared with nontreatment control (-10 ± 11.9 N·m), DN (5.2 ± 10.2 N·m) also significantly (P = 0.049) improved maximum force of knee extensors at M3 compared with M1. During the rest of the season, muscle injuries were less frequent in the DN group compared with the control group. DN showed a significant effect on muscular endurance and hip flexion range of motion that persisted 4 wk posttreatment. Compared with placebo, it showed a significant effect on hip flexion that persisted 4 wk posttreatment, and compared with nonintervention control, it showed a significant effect on maximum force of knee extensors 4 wk posttreatment in elite soccer players.

Myofascial trigger points, pain, disability, and sleep quality in individuals with mechanical neck pain.

PubMed

Muñoz-Muñoz, Sonsoles; Muñoz-García, María T; Alburquerque-Sendín, Francisco; Arroyo-Morales, Manuel; Fernández-de-las-Peñas, César

2012-10-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the presence of active myofascial trigger points (MTrPs) in a greater number of muscles than previous studies and the relation between the presence of MTrPs, the intensity of pain, disability, and sleep quality in mechanical neck pain. Fifteen patients with mechanical neck pain (80% women) and 12 comparable controls participated. Myofascial trigger points were bilaterally explored in the upper trapezius, splenius capitis, semispinalis capitis, sternocleidomastoid, levator scapulae, and scalene muscles in a blinded design. Myofascial trigger points were considered active if the subject recognized the elicited referred pain as a familiar symptom. Myofascial trigger points were considered latent if the elicited referred pain was not recognized as a symptom. Pain was collected with a numerical pain rate scale (0-10); disability was assessed with Neck Disability Index; and sleep quality, with the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. Patients exhibited a greater disability and worse sleep quality than controls (P < .001). The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index score was associated with the worst intensity of pain (r = 0.589; P = .021) and disability (r = 0.552; P = .033). Patients showed a greater (P = .002) number of active MTrPs (mean, 2 ± 2) and similar number (P = .505) of latent MTrPs (1.6 ± 1.4) than controls (latent MTrPs, 1.3 ± 1.4). No significant association between the number of latent or active MTrPs and pain, disability, or sleep quality was found. The referred pain elicited by active MTrPs in the neck and shoulder muscles contributed to symptoms in mechanical neck pain. Patients exhibited higher disability and worse sleep quality than controls. Sleep quality was associated with pain intensity and disability. No association between active MTrPs and the intensity of pain, disability, or sleep quality was found. Copyright © 2012 National University of Health Sciences. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

Association of Chronic Pelvic Pain and Endometriosis With Signs of Sensitization and Myofascial Pain

PubMed Central

Stratton, Pamela; Khachikyan, Izabella; Sinaii, Ninet; Ortiz, Robin; Shah, Jay

2014-01-01

Objective To evaluate sensitization, myofascial trigger points, and quality of life in women with chronic pelvic pain with and without endometriosis. Methods A cross-sectional prospective study of women aged 18 to 50 with pain suggestive of endometriosis and healthy, pain-free volunteers without history of endometriosis. Patients underwent a physiatric neuro-musculoskeletal assessment of clinical signs of sensitization and myofascial trigger points in the abdominopelvic region. Pain symptoms, psychosocial, and quality-of-life measures were also assessed. All pain participants underwent laparoscopic excision of suspicious lesions to confirm endometriosis diagnosis by histologic evaluation. Results Patients included 18 with current, biopsy-proven endometriosis, 11 with pain only, and 20 healthy volunteers. The prevalence of sensitization as measured by regional allodynia and hyperalgesia was similar in both pain groups (83% and 82%) but much lower among healthy volunteers (15%, p<0.001). Nearly all women with pain had myofascial trigger points (94% and 91%). Adjusting for study group, those with high anxiety (OR=1.05, 95% CI:1.004–1.099; p=0.031) and depression (OR=1.06, 95% CI:1.005–1.113; p=0.032) scores were more likely to have sensitization. Pain patients with any history of endometriosis had the highest proportion of sensitization compared to the others (87% v 67% v 15%; p<0.001). Adjusting for any history of endometriosis, those with myofascial trigger points were most likely sensitized (OR=9.41, 95% CI:1.77–50.08, p=0.009). Conclusions Sensitization and myofascial trigger points were common in women with pain regardless of whether they had endometriosis at surgery. Those with any history of endometriosis were most likely to have sensitization. Traditional methods of classifying endometriosis-associated pain based on disease, duration, and anatomy are inadequate and should be replaced by a mechanism-based evaluation, as our study illustrates. PMID:25730237

Optimization of the secondary drying step in freeze drying using TDLAS technology.

PubMed

Schneid, Stefan C; Gieseler, Henning; Kessler, William J; Luthra, Suman A; Pikal, Michael J

2011-03-01

The secondary drying phase in freeze drying is mostly developed on a trial-and-error basis due to the lack of appropriate noninvasive process analyzers. This study describes for the first time the application of Tunable Diode Laser Absorption Spectroscopy, a spectroscopic and noninvasive sensor for monitoring secondary drying in laboratory-scale freeze drying with the overall purpose of targeting intermediate moisture contents in the product. Bovine serum albumin/sucrose mixtures were used as a model system to imitate high concentrated antibody formulations. First, the rate of water desorption during secondary drying at constant product temperatures (-22 °C, -10 °C, and 0 °C) was investigated for three different shelf temperatures. Residual moisture contents of sampled vials were determined by Karl Fischer titration. An equilibration step was implemented to ensure homogeneous distribution of moisture (within 1%) in all vials. The residual moisture revealed a linear relationship to the water desorption rate for different temperatures, allowing the evaluation of an anchor point from noninvasive flow rate measurements without removal of samples from the freeze dryer. The accuracy of mass flow integration from this anchor point was found to be about 0.5%. In a second step, the concept was successfully tested in a confirmation experiment. Here, good agreement was found for the initial moisture content (anchor point) and the subsequent monitoring and targeting of intermediate moisture contents. The present approach for monitoring secondary drying indicated great potential to find wider application in sterile operations on production scale in pharmaceutical freeze drying. © 2011 American Association of Pharmaceutical Scientists

40 CFR 417.170 - Applicability; description of the manufacture of detergents by dry blending subcategory.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... manufacture of detergents by dry blending subcategory. 417.170 Section 417.170 Protection of Environment... POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Manufacture of Detergents by Dry Blending Subcategory § 417.170 Applicability; description of the manufacture of detergents by dry blending subcategory. The provisions of this subpart are...

Microbial analysis and survey test of gamma-irradiated freeze-dried fruits for patient's food

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Park, Jae-Nam; Sung, Nak-Yun; Byun, Eui-Hong; Byun, Eui-Baek; Song, Beom-Seok; Kim, Jae-Hun; Lee, Kyung-A.; Son, Eun-Joo; Lyu, Eun-Soon

2015-06-01

This study examined the microbiological and organoleptic qualities of gamma-irradiated freeze-dried apples, pears, strawberries, pineapples, and grapes, and evaluated the organoleptic acceptability of the sterilized freeze-dried fruits for hospitalized patients. The freeze-dried fruits were gamma-irradiated at 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 10, 12, and 15 kGy, and their quality was evaluated. Microorganisms were not detected in apples after 1 kGy, in strawberries and pears after 4 kGy, in pineapples after 5 kGy, and in grapes after 12 kGy of gamma irradiation. The overall acceptance score, of the irradiated freeze-dried fruits on a 7-point scale at the sterilization doses was 5.5, 4.2, 4.0, 4.1, and 5.1 points for apples, strawberries, pears, pineapples, and grapes, respectively. The sensory survey of the hospitalized cancer patients (N=102) resulted in scores of 3.8, 3.7, 3.9, 3.9, and 3.7 on a 5-point scale for the gamma-irradiated freeze-dried apples, strawberries, pears, pineapples, and grapes, respectively. The results suggest that freeze-dried fruits can be sterilized with a dose of 5 kGy, except for grapes, which require a dose of 12 kGy, and that the organoleptic quality of the fruits is acceptable to immuno-compromised patients. However, to clarify the microbiological quality and safety of freeze-dried fruits should be verified by plating for both aerobic and anaerobic microorganisms.

Intermediate-Depth Subduction Earthquakes Recorded by Pseudotachylyte in Dry Eclogite-Facies Oceanic Lithosphere from the Alps

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scambelluri, M.; Pennacchioni, G.; Gilio, M.; Bestmann, M.

2016-12-01

While geophysical studies and laboratory experiments provide much information on subduction earthquakes, field studies identifying the rock types for earthquake development and the deep seismogenic environments are still scarce. To date, fluid overpressure and volume decrease during hydrous mineral breakdown the widely favoured trigger of subduction earthquakes in serpentinized lithospheric mantle and hydrated low-velocity layers atop slabs. Here we document up to 40 cm-thick pseudotachylyte (PST) in Alpine oceanic gabbro and peridotite (2-2.5 GPa-550-620°C), the analogue of a modern cold subducting oceanic lithosphere. These rocks mostly remained unaltered dry systems; only very minor domains (<1%) record partial hydration and static eclogitic metamorphism. Meta-peridotite shows high-pressure olivine + antigorite (garnet + zoisite + chlorite after mantle plagioclase); meta-gabbro develops omphacite + zoisite + talc + chloritoid + garnet. Abundant syn-eclogitic pseudotachylyte cut the dry gabbro-peridotite and the eclogitized domains. In meta-peridotite, PST shows olivine, orthopyroxene, spinel microliths and clasts of high-pressure olivine + antigorite and garnet + zoisite + chlorite aggregates. In metagabbro, microfaults in damage zones near PST cut brecciated igneous pyroxene cemented by omphacite. In unaltered gabbro, glassy PST contains micron-scale garnet replacing plagioclase microliths during, or soon after, PST cooling. In the host rock, garnet coronas between igneous olivine and plagioclase only occur near PST and between closely spaced PST veins. Absence of garnet away from PST indicates that garnet growth was triggered by mineral seeds and by heat released by PST. The above evidence shows that pseudotachylyte formed at eclogite-facies conditions. In such setting, strong, dry, metastable gabbro-peridotite concentrate stress to generate large intermediate depth subduction earthquakes without much involvement of free fluid.

Riverside East Solar Energy Zone (SEZ) - California

Science.gov Websites

Los Mogotes East Nevada Amargosa Valley Dry Lake Dry Lake Valley North Gold Point Millers New Mexico Pavement Cultural Gravel Bench I 10 Wiley Well Road South Wiley Well Rest Stop Ford Dry Lake Get Adobe there are also dry lake beds, sandy areas, and dry washes with ironwood and other trees. Some areas are

Regional Hydroclimatic Impacts of Contemporary Amazonian Deforestation and Their Spatiotemporal Variability - An Integrated Study Using Remotely Sensed Data and Numerical Tools

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Medvigy, D.; Khanna, J.

2016-12-01

The Amazon rainforest has been under deforestation for more than four decades. Recent investigation of the regional hydroclimatic impacts of the past three decades of deforestation has revealed a strong scale-dependence of the atmospheric response to land use change. Contemporary deforestation, affecting spatial scales of a few hundreds of kilometers, has resulted in a spatial redistribution of the local dry season rainfall, with downwind and upwind deforested regions receiving respectively 30% more and 30% less rainfall from the area mean. This phenomenon is attributable to a `dynamical' response of the boundary layer air to a reduction in surface roughness due to deforestation, apparent in both satellite and numerically simulated data. This response is starkly different from a spatially uniform increase in non-precipitating cloudiness triggered by small scale clearings, prevalent in the early phases of deforestation. This study investigates the `generalizability' of the dynamical mechanism to understand its impacts on a continually deforested Amazonia. In particular, we investigate the spatiotemporal variability of the dynamical mechanism. The nature of this investigation demands long time series and large spatial converge datasets of the hydroclimate. As such, satellite imagery of clouds (GridSat) and precipitation (PERSIANN and TRMM) has proven particularly useful in facilitating this analysis. The analysis is further complemented by a reanalysis product (ERA-interim) and numerical simulations (using a variable resolution GCM). Results indicate the presence of the dynamical mechanism during local dry and transition seasons effecting the mean precipitation during this period. Its effect on the transition season precipitation can be important for the local dry season length. The dynamical mechanism also occurs in atmospheric conditions which are otherwise less conducive to thermally triggered convection. Hence, this mechanism, which effects the seasons most important for regional ecology, emerges as a possibly impactful convective triggering mechanism. This study provides context for thinking about the climate of a future, more patchily deforested Amazonia that is more favorable to the dynamical mechanism.

Evaluation of point-of-care test for elevated tear matrix metalloproteinase 9 in post-LASIK dry eyes.

PubMed

Chan, Tommy C Y; Ye, Cong; Chan, Kwok Ping; Chu, Kai On; Jhanji, Vishal

2016-09-01

To evaluate the performance of a point-of-care test for detection of matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9) levels in post-laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) dry eyes. A comparative study between patients with mild to moderate post-LASIK dry eyes and age-matched normal subjects was conducted. Ocular surface disease index (OSDI), tear break-up time (TBUT), and tear film MMP-9 and total protein levels were compared between the two groups. A point-of-care test device (RPS InflammaDry, Sarasota, Florida, USA) was utilised to confirm elevated MMP-9 levels in tear film. Fourteen post-LASIK dry eyes and 34 normal eyes were included. There was no significant difference in age and gender between both groups (p>0.175). The OSDI was significantly higher (25.5±7.7 vs 7.4±2.5; p<0.001) and TBUT levels were significantly lower (5.4±0.9 vs 13.5±2.3; p<0.001) in patients with dry eye compared with normal subjects. The tear film MMP-9 levels were 52.7±32.5 ng/mL in dry eyes and 4.1±2.1 ng/mL in normal eyes (p<0.001). MMP-9 levels were >40 ng/mL in 7/14 (50.0%) post-LASIK dry eyes. The InflammaDry was positive in 8/14 (57.1%) post-LASIK eyes. All positive cases had tear film MMP-9 levels ≥38.03 ng/mL. Agreement between InflammaDry and MMP-9 was excellent with Cohen κ value of 0.857 in post-LASIK dry eyes. Only half of post-LASIK dry eyes were found to have significant inflammation associated with elevated MMP-9. The OSDI is useful to non-specifically identify patients with symptomatic dry eye while the InflammaDry determined which patients with dry eye were associated with significant inflammation that may guide therapeutic management decisions. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

Chemical and physical pretreatments of fruits and vegetables: Effects on drying characteristics and quality attributes - a comprehensive review.

PubMed

Deng, Li-Zhen; Mujumdar, Arun S; Zhang, Qian; Yang, Xu-Hai; Wang, Jun; Zheng, Zhi-An; Gao, Zhen-Jiang; Xiao, Hong-Wei

2017-12-20

Pretreatment is widely used before drying of agro-products to inactivate enzymes, enhance drying process and improve quality of dried products. In current work, the influence of various pretreatments on drying characteristics and quality attributes of fruits and vegetables is summarized. They include chemical solution (hyperosmotic, alkali, sulfite and acid, etc.) and gas (sulfur dioxide, carbon dioxide and ozone) treatments, thermal blanching (hot water, steam, super heated steam impingement, ohmic and microwave heating, etc), and non-thermal process (ultrasound, freezing, pulsed electric field, and high hydrostatic pressure, etc). Chemical pretreatments effectively enhance drying kinetics, meanwhile, it causes soluble nutrients losing, trigger food safety issues by chemical residual. Conventional hot water blanching has significant effect on inactivating various undesirable enzymatic reactions, destroying microorganisms, and softening the texture, as well as facilitating drying rate. However, it induces undesirable quality of products, e.g., loss of texture, soluble nutrients, pigment and aroma. Novel blanching treatments, such as high-humidity hot air impingement blanching, microwave and ohmic heat blanching can reduce the nutrition loss and are more efficient. Non-thermal technologies can be a better alternative to thermal blanching to overcome these drawbacks, and more fundamental researches are needed for better design and scale up.

Analysis of maizena drying system using temperature control based fuzzy logic method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arief, Ulfah Mediaty; Nugroho, Fajar; Purbawanto, Sugeng; Setyaningsih, Dyah Nurani; Suryono

2018-03-01

Corn is one of the rice subtitution food that has good potential. Corn can be processed to be a maizena, and it can be used to make type of food that has been made from maizena, viz. Brownies cake, egg roll, and other cookies. Generally, maizena obtained by drying process carried out 2-3 days under the sun. However, drying process not possible during the rainy season. This drying process can be done using an automatic drying tool. This study was to analyze the design result and manufacture of maizena drying system with temperature control based fuzzylogic method. The result show that temperature of drying system with set point 40°C - 60°C work in suitable condition. The level of water content in 15% (BSN) and temperatureat 50°C included in good drying process. Time required to reach the set point of temperature in 50°C is 7.05 minutes. Drying time for 500 gr samples with temperature 50°C and power capacity 127.6 watt was 1 hour. Based on the result, drying process using temperature control based fuzzy logic method can improve energy efficiency than the conventional method of drying using a direct sunlight source with a temperature that cannot be directly controlled by human being causing the quality of drying result of flour is erratic.

Identification of the compositional changes in Orthosiphon stamineus leaves triggered by different drying techniques using 1 H NMR metabolomics.

PubMed

Pariyani, Raghunath; Ismail, Intan Safinar; Ahmad Azam, Amalina; Abas, Faridah; Shaari, Khozirah

2017-09-01

Java tea is a well-known herbal infusion prepared from the leaves of Orthosiphon stamineus (OS). The biological properties of tea are in direct correlation with the primary and secondary metabolite composition, which in turn largely depends on the choice of drying method. Herein, the impact of three commonly used drying methods, i.e. shade, microwave and freeze drying, on the metabolite composition and antioxidant activity of OS leaves was investigated using proton nuclear magnetic resonance ( 1 H NMR) spectroscopy combined with multivariate classification and regression analysis tools. A total of 31 constituents comprising primary and secondary metabolites belonging to the chemical classes of fatty acids, amino acids, sugars, terpenoids and phenolic compounds were identified. Shade-dried leaves were identified to possess the highest concentrations of bioactive secondary metabolites such as chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid, luteolin, orthosiphol and apigenin, followed by microwave-dried samples. Freeze-dried leaves had higher concentrations of choline, amino acids leucine, alanine and glutamine and sugars such as fructose and α-glucose, but contained the lowest levels of secondary metabolites. Metabolite profiling coupled with multivariate analysis identified shade drying as the best method to prepare OS leaves as Java tea or to include in traditional medicine preparation. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

33. Drawing R268 (1916), 'Record Of Wash Borings and Test ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

33. Drawing R-268 (1916), 'Record Of Wash Borings and Test Piles Taken In Vicinity Of Hunters Point, Cal.'; showing site in 1916 with Dry Docks 1 and 2 and without Dry Dock No. 4. - Hunters Point Naval Shipyard, Drydock No. 4, East terminus of Palou Avenue, San Francisco, San Francisco County, CA

Study on the fixed point in crustal deformation before strong earthquake

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Niu, A.; Li, Y.; Yan, W. Mr

2017-12-01

Usually, scholars believe that the fault pre-sliding or expansion phenomenon will be observed near epicenter area before strong earthquake, but more and more observations show that the crust deformation nearby epicenter area is smallest(Zhou, 1997; Niu,2009,2012;Bilham, 2005; Amoruso et al., 2010). The theory of Fixed point t is a branch of mathematics that arises from the theory of topological transformation and has important applications in obvious model analysis. An important precursory was observed by two tilt-meter sets, installed at Wenchuan Observatory in the epicenter area, that the tilt changes were the smallest compared with the other 8 stations around them in one year before the Wenchuan earthquake. To subscribe the phenomenon, we proposed the minimum annual variation range that used as a topological transformation. The window length is 1 year, and the sliding length is 1 day. The convergence of points with minimum annual change in the 3 years before the Wenchuan earthquake is studied. And the results show that the points with minimum deformation amplitude basically converge to the epicenter region before the earthquake. The possible mechanism of fixed point of crustal deformation was explored. Concerning the fixed point of crust deformation, the liquidity of lithospheric medium and the isostasy theory are accepted by many scholars (Bott &Dean, 1973; Merer et al.1988; Molnar et al., 1975,1978; Tapponnier et al., 1976; Wang et al., 2001). To explain the fixed point of crust deformation before earthquakes, we study the plate bending model (Bai, et al., 2003). According to plate bending model and real deformation data, we have found that the earthquake rupture occurred around the extreme point of plate bending, where the velocities of displacement, tilt, strain, gravity and so on are close to zero, and the fixed points are located around the epicenter.The phenomenon of fixed point of crust deformation is different from former understandings about the earthquake rupture precursor. 1) The observations for crust deformation in natural conditions are different with dry and static experiments, and the former had the meaning of stress wave.2)The earthquake rupture has a special triggering mechanism that is different from the experiment with limited scale rock fracture.

Risk analysis for dry snow slab avalanche release by skier triggering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McClung, David

2013-04-01

Risk analysis is of primary importance for skier triggering of avalanches since human triggering is responsible for about 90% of deaths from slab avalanches in Europe and North America. Two key measureable quantities about dry slab avalanche release prior to initiation are the depth to the weak layer and the slope angle. Both are important in risk analysis. As the slope angle increases, the probability of avalanche release increases dramatically. As the slab depth increases, the consequences increase if an avalanche releases. Among the simplest risk definitions is (Vick, 2002): Risk = (Probability of failure) x (Consequences of failure). Here, these two components of risk are the probability or chance of avalanche release and the consequences given avalanche release. In this paper, for the first time, skier triggered avalanches were analyzed from probability theory and its relation to risk for both the D and . The data consisted of two quantities : (,D) taken from avalanche fracture line profiles after an avalanche has taken place. Two data sets from accidentally skier triggered avalanches were considered: (1) 718 for and (2) a set of 1242 values of D which represent average values along the fracture line. The values of D were both estimated (about 2/3) and measured (about 1/3) by ski guides from Canadian Mountain Holidays CMH). I also analyzed 1231 accidentally skier triggered avalanches reported by CMH ski guides for avalanche size (representing destructive potential) on the Canadian scale. The size analysis provided a second analysis of consequences to verify that using D. The results showed that there is an intermediate range of both D and with highest risk. ForD, the risk (product of consequences and probability of occurrence) is highest for D in the approximate range 0.6 m - 1.0 m. The consequences are low for lower values of D and the chance of release is low for higher values of D. Thus, the highest product is in the intermediate range. For slope angles, the risk analysis showed there are two ranges: ˜ 320; × 460for which risk is lowest. In this case, both the range of and the consequences vary by about a factor of two so the probability of release dominates the risk analysis to yield low risk at the tails of the distribution of with highest risk in the middle (330 - 450) of the expected range (250 - 550).

40 CFR 405.120 - Applicability; description of the dry whey subcategory.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... whey subcategory. 405.120 Section 405.120 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) EFFLUENT GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS DAIRY PRODUCTS PROCESSING POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Dry Whey Subcategory § 405.120 Applicability; description of the dry whey subcategory. The provisions of this subpart...

Changes in muscle activity determine progression of clinical symptoms in patients with chronic spine-related muscle pain. A complex clinical and neurophysiological approach

PubMed Central

Wytra̦żek, Marcin; Huber, Juliusz; Lisiński, Przemysław

Summary Spine-related muscle pain can affect muscle strength and motor unit activity. This study was undertaken to investigate whether surface electromyographic (sEMG) recordings performed during relaxation and maximal contraction reveal differences in the activity of muscles with or without trigger points (TRPs). We also analyzed the possible coexistence of characteristic spontaneous activity in needle electromyographic (eEMG) recordings with the presence of TRPs. Thirty patients with non-specific cervical and back pain were evaluated using clinical, neuroimaging and electroneurographic examinations. Muscle pain was measured using a visual analog scale (VAS), and strength using Lovett’s scale; trigger points were detected by palpation. EMG was used to examine motor unit activity. Trigger points were found mainly in the trapezius muscles in thirteen patients. Their presence was accompanied by increased pain intensity, decreased muscle strength, increased resting sEMG amplitude, and decreased sEMG amplitude during muscle contraction. eEMG revealed characteristic asynchronous discharges in TRPs. The results of EMG examinations point to a complexity of muscle pain that depends on progression of the myofascial syndrome PMID:22152435

To determine the end point of wet granulation by measuring powder energies and thermal properties.

PubMed

Dave, Rutesh H; Wu, Stephen H; Contractor, Labdhi D

2012-04-01

Wet granulation has been widely used in pharmaceutical industry as a tablet manufacturing process. However, end-point determination of wet granulation process has always remained a challenge. Many traditional methods are available for end-point determination, yet accuracy and reproducibility still remain a challenge. Microcrystalline cellulose, widely used as an excipient in pharmaceutical industry, was granulated using water. Wet mass was passed through sieve # 12 and dried till constant percentage loss on drying was obtained and dried granules were obtained. Wet and dried granules collected were subjected to basic flow energy, specific energy, bulk density, pressure drop, differential scanning calorimetry and effusivity measurements. Analysis of data revealed various stages of granule growth from initial seed formation by adding 200-400 g of water, granule growth was observed by adding 600-800 g of water and over wetting was observed at 1155 g of water. In this work, we have justified our work to properly identify and utilize this technique for practical purpose to correctly identify the end-point determination of microcrystalline cellulose and explain various principles underlying energies associated with powder and thermal measurements.

7 CFR 993.49 - Incoming regulation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... and Orders; Fruits, Vegetables, Nuts), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE DRIED PRUNES PRODUCED IN CALIFORNIA... dried and cured in original natural condition, without the addition of water, and are free from active... “high moisture content prunes” are dried or dehydrated to a point where they are capable of being stored...

7 CFR 993.5 - Prunes.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... Orders; Fruits, Vegetables, Nuts), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE DRIED PRUNES PRODUCED IN CALIFORNIA Order Regulating Handling Definitions § 993.5 Prunes. Prunes means and includes all sun-dried or artificially...) plums which have not been dried or dehydrated to a point where they are capable of being stored prior to...

7 CFR 993.5 - Prunes.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... Orders; Fruits, Vegetables, Nuts), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE DRIED PRUNES PRODUCED IN CALIFORNIA Order Regulating Handling Definitions § 993.5 Prunes. Prunes means and includes all sun-dried or artificially...) plums which have not been dried or dehydrated to a point where they are capable of being stored prior to...

7 CFR 993.5 - Prunes.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... ORDERS; FRUITS, VEGETABLES, NUTS), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE DRIED PRUNES PRODUCED IN CALIFORNIA Order Regulating Handling Definitions § 993.5 Prunes. Prunes means and includes all sun-dried or artificially...) plums which have not been dried or dehydrated to a point where they are capable of being stored prior to...

7 CFR 993.49 - Incoming regulation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... and Orders; Fruits, Vegetables, Nuts), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE DRIED PRUNES PRODUCED IN CALIFORNIA... dried and cured in original natural condition, without the addition of water, and are free from active... “high moisture content prunes” are dried or dehydrated to a point where they are capable of being stored...

7 CFR 993.49 - Incoming regulation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... AND ORDERS; FRUITS, VEGETABLES, NUTS), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE DRIED PRUNES PRODUCED IN CALIFORNIA... dried and cured in original natural condition, without the addition of water, and are free from active... “high moisture content prunes” are dried or dehydrated to a point where they are capable of being stored...

7 CFR 993.5 - Prunes.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... ORDERS; FRUITS, VEGETABLES, NUTS), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE DRIED PRUNES PRODUCED IN CALIFORNIA Order Regulating Handling Definitions § 993.5 Prunes. Prunes means and includes all sun-dried or artificially...) plums which have not been dried or dehydrated to a point where they are capable of being stored prior to...

7 CFR 993.49 - Incoming regulation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... AND ORDERS; FRUITS, VEGETABLES, NUTS), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE DRIED PRUNES PRODUCED IN CALIFORNIA... dried and cured in original natural condition, without the addition of water, and are free from active... “high moisture content prunes” are dried or dehydrated to a point where they are capable of being stored...

On the Transition from Reconsolidation to Extinction of Contextual Fear Memories

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cassini, Lindsey F.; Flavell, Charlotte R.; Amaral, Olavo B.; Lee, Jonathan L. C.

2017-01-01

Retrieval of an associative memory can lead to different phenomena. Brief reexposure sessions tend to trigger reconsolidation, whereas more extended ones trigger extinction. In appetitive and fear cued Pavlovian memories, an intermediate "null point" period has been observed where neither process seems to be engaged. Here we investigated…

Drying techniques for the visualisation of agarose-based chromatography media by scanning electron microscopy.

PubMed

Nweke, Mauryn C; Turmaine, Mark; McCartney, R Graham; Bracewell, Daniel G

2017-03-01

The drying of chromatography resins prior to scanning electron microscopy is critical to image resolution and hence understanding of the bead structure at sub-micron level. Achieving suitable drying conditions is especially important with agarose-based chromatography resins, as over-drying may cause artefact formation, bead damage and alterations to ultrastructural properties; and under-drying does not provide sufficient resolution for visualization under SEM. This paper compares and contrasts the effects of two drying techniques, critical point drying and freeze drying, on the morphology of two agarose based resins (MabSelect™/d w ≈85 µm and Capto™ Adhere/d w ≈75 µm) and provides a complete method for both. The results show that critical point drying provides better drying and subsequently clearer ultrastructural visualization of both resins under SEM. Under this protocol both the polymer fibers (thickness ≈20 nm) and the pore sizes (diameter ≈100 nm) are clearly visible. Freeze drying is shown to cause bead damage to both resins, but to different extents. MabSelect resin encounters extensive bead fragmentation, whilst Capto Adhere resin undergoes partial bead disintegration, corresponding with the greater extent of agarose crosslinking and strength of this resin. While freeze drying appears to be the less favorable option for ultrastructural visualization of chromatography resin, it should be noted that the extent of fracturing caused by the freeze drying process may provide some insight into the mechanical properties of agarose-based chromatography media. © 2017 The Authors. Biotechnology Journal published by WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

40 CFR 406.20 - Applicability; description of the corn dry milling subcategory.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 28 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 true Applicability; description of the corn dry milling subcategory. 406.20 Section 406.20 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) EFFLUENT GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS GRAIN MILLS POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Corn Dry Milling...

40 CFR 406.20 - Applicability; description of the corn dry milling subcategory.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 29 2011-07-01 2009-07-01 true Applicability; description of the corn... AGENCY (CONTINUED) EFFLUENT GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS GRAIN MILLS POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Corn Dry Milling Subcategory § 406.20 Applicability; description of the corn dry milling subcategory. (a) The provisions of...

The NA62 trigger system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krivda, M.; NA62 Collaboration

2013-08-01

The main aim of the NA62 experiment (NA62 Technical Design Report, [1]) is to study ultra-rare Kaon decays. In order to select rare events over the overwhelming background, central systems with high-performance, high bandwidth, flexibility and configurability are necessary, that minimize dead time while maximizing data collection reliability. The NA62 experiment consists of 12 sub-detector systems and several trigger and control systems, for a total channel count of less than 100,000. The GigaTracKer (GTK) has the largest number of channels (54,000), and the Liquid Krypton (LKr) calorimeter shares with it the largest raw data rate (19 GB/s). The NA62 trigger system works with 3 trigger levels. The first trigger level is based on a hardware central trigger unit, so-called L0 Trigger Processor (L0TP), and Local Trigger Units (LTU), which are all located in the experimental cavern. Other two trigger levels are based on software, and done with a computer farm located on surface. The L0TP receives information from triggering sub-detectors asynchronously via Ethernet; it processes the information, and then transmits a final trigger decision synchronously to each sub-detector through the Trigger and Timing Control (TTC) system. The interface between L0TP and the TTC system, which is used for trigger and clock distribution, is provided by the Local Trigger Unit board (LTU). The LTU can work in two modes: global and stand-alone. In the global mode, the LTU provides an interface between L0TP and TTC system. In the stand-alone mode, the LTU can fully emulate L0TP and so provides an independent way for each sub-detector for testing or calibration purposes. In addition to the emulation functionality, a further functionality is implemented that allows to synchronize the clock of the LTU with the L0TP and the TTC system. For testing and debugging purposes, a Snap Shot Memory (SSM) interface is implemented, that can work both in an input or an output mode. The trigger rates will be permanently monitored by reading counters at regular intervals. This paper describes the overall NA62 trigger system focusing on the setup for the dry and technical runs in 2012.

Clinical presentation and manual therapy for upper quadrant musculoskeletal conditions

PubMed Central

Isabel de-la-Llave-Rincón, Ana; Puentedura, Emilio J; Fernández-de-las-Peñas, César

2011-01-01

In recent years, increased knowledge of the pathogenesis of upper quadrant pain syndromes has translated to better management strategies. Recent studies have demonstrated evidence of peripheral and central sensitization mechanisms in different local pain syndromes of the upper quadrant such as idiopathic neck pain, lateral epicondylalgia, whiplash-associated disorders, shoulder impingement, and carpal tunnel syndrome. Therefore, a treatment-based classification approach where subjects receive matched interventions has been developed and, it has been found that these patients experience better outcomes than those receiving non-matched interventions. There is evidence suggesting that the cervical and thoracic spine is involved in upper quadrant pain. Spinal manipulation has been found to be effective for patients with elbow pain, neck pain, or cervicobrachial pain. Additionally, it is known that spinal manipulative therapy exerts neurophysiological effects that can activate pain modulation mechanisms. This paper exposes some manual therapies for upper quadrant pain syndromes, based on a nociceptive pain rationale for modulating central nervous system including trigger point therapy, dry needling, mobilization or manipulation, and cognitive pain approaches. PMID:23115473

40 CFR 428.96 - Pretreatment standards for new sources.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS RUBBER MANUFACTURING POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Pan, Dry Digestion, and Mechanical... and attributable to pan, dry digestion, and mechanical reclaimed rubber processes which are integrated...

Fluorescein eye stain

MedlinePlus

Abnormal results may point to: Abnormal tear production (dry eye) Blocked tear duct Corneal abrasion (a scratch on ... object in eye ) Infection Injury or trauma Severe dry eye associated with arthritis (keratoconjunctivitis sicca)

Hyperosmolar Tears Induce Functional and Structural Alterations of Corneal Nerves: Electrophysiological and Anatomical Evidence Toward Neurotoxicity

PubMed Central

Hirata, Harumitsu; Mizerska, Kamila; Marfurt, Carl F.; Rosenblatt, Mark I.

2015-01-01

Purpose In an effort to elucidate possible neural mechanisms underlying diminished tearing in dry eye disease, this study sought to determine if hyperosmolar tears, a ubiquitous sign of dry eye disease, produce functional changes in corneal nerve responses to drying of the cornea and if these changes correlate with alterations in corneal nerve morphology. Methods In vivo extracellular electrophysiological recordings were performed in rat trigeminal ganglion neurons that innervated the cornea before, and up to 3 hours after, the ocular application of continuous hyperosmolar tears or artificial tears. In corollary experiments, immunohistochemical staining was performed to compare corneal nerve morphology in control and in eyes treated with hyperosmolar solutions. Results Our previous studies identified a population of corneal afferents, dry-sensitive neurons that are strongly excited by corneal dessication (“dry response”), a response thought to trigger the lacrimation reflex. In the present study, we found that the dry responses of corneal dry-sensitive neurons were depressed or even completely abolished by hyperosmolar tears in a time- (30 minutes to 3 hours) and dose (450- to 1000-mOsm solutions)-dependent manner. Furthermore, eyes treated with hyperosmolar tears for 3 hours contained large numbers of morphologically abnormal (granular, fragmented, or prominently beaded) subbasal nerves that appeared to be undergoing degeneration. Conclusions These results demonstrate that tear hyperosmolarity, considered to be a “core” mechanism of dry eye disease, significantly decreases physiological sensitivity and morphologic integrity of the corneal nerves important in tear production. These alterations might contribute to the diminished tearing seen clinically in dry eye patients. PMID:26720465

Hyperosmolar Tears Induce Functional and Structural Alterations of Corneal Nerves: Electrophysiological and Anatomical Evidence Toward Neurotoxicity.

PubMed

Hirata, Harumitsu; Mizerska, Kamila; Marfurt, Carl F; Rosenblatt, Mark I

2015-12-01

In an effort to elucidate possible neural mechanisms underlying diminished tearing in dry eye disease, this study sought to determine if hyperosmolar tears, a ubiquitous sign of dry eye disease, produce functional changes in corneal nerve responses to drying of the cornea and if these changes correlate with alterations in corneal nerve morphology. In vivo extracellular electrophysiological recordings were performed in rat trigeminal ganglion neurons that innervated the cornea before, and up to 3 hours after, the ocular application of continuous hyperosmolar tears or artificial tears. In corollary experiments, immunohistochemical staining was performed to compare corneal nerve morphology in control and in eyes treated with hyperosmolar solutions. Our previous studies identified a population of corneal afferents, dry-sensitive neurons that are strongly excited by corneal dessication ("dry response"), a response thought to trigger the lacrimation reflex. In the present study, we found that the dry responses of corneal dry-sensitive neurons were depressed or even completely abolished by hyperosmolar tears in a time- (30 minutes to 3 hours) and dose (450- to 1000-mOsm solutions)-dependent manner. Furthermore, eyes treated with hyperosmolar tears for 3 hours contained large numbers of morphologically abnormal (granular, fragmented, or prominently beaded) subbasal nerves that appeared to be undergoing degeneration. These results demonstrate that tear hyperosmolarity, considered to be a "core" mechanism of dry eye disease, significantly decreases physiological sensitivity and morphologic integrity of the corneal nerves important in tear production. These alterations might contribute to the diminished tearing seen clinically in dry eye patients.

40 CFR 428.95 - Standards of performance for new sources.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

...) EFFLUENT GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS (CONTINUED) RUBBER MANUFACTURING POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Pan, Dry Digestion..., dry digestion, and mechanical reclaimed rubber processes which are integrated with a wet digestion...

40 CFR 428.95 - Standards of performance for new sources.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

...) EFFLUENT GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS (CONTINUED) RUBBER MANUFACTURING POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Pan, Dry Digestion..., dry digestion, and mechanical reclaimed rubber processes which are integrated with a wet digestion...

40 CFR 428.95 - Standards of performance for new sources.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

...) EFFLUENT GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS (CONTINUED) RUBBER MANUFACTURING POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Pan, Dry Digestion..., dry digestion, and mechanical reclaimed rubber processes which are integrated with a wet digestion...

Suppression of coffee ring: (Particle) size matters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bansal, Lalit; Seth, Pranjal; Murugappan, Bhubesh; Basu, Saptarshi

2018-05-01

Coffee ring patterns in drying sessile droplets are undesirable in various practical applications. Here, we experimentally demonstrate that on hydrophobic substrates, the coffee ring can be suppressed just by increasing the particle diameter. Particles with larger size flocculate within the evaporation timescale, leading to a significant gravimetric settling (for Pe > 1) triggering a uniform deposit. Interestingly, the transition to a uniform deposit is found to be independent of the internal flow field and substrate properties. Flocculation of particles also alters the particle packing at the nanoscale resulting in order to disorder transitions. In this letter, we exhibit a physical exposition on how particle size affects morphodynamics of the droplet drying at macro-nano length scales.

Mapping the rainfall distribution for irrigation planning in dry season at pineapple plantation, Lampung Province, Indonesia (Study case at Great Giant Pineapple Co. Ltd.)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cahyono, P.; Astuti, N. K.; Purwito; Rahmat, A.

2018-03-01

One of the problems caused by climate change is unpredictable of the dry season. Understanding when the dry season will start is very important to planning the irrigation schedule especially on large plantation. Data of rainfall for 30 years in Lampung, especially in Pineapple Plantation show that dry month occurs from June to October. If in two decadals (ten days period) rainfall less than 100 mm then it is predicted that next decadal will be dry season. Great Giant Pineapple Co. Ltd. has 32,000 hectares plantation area and located in three regencies at Lampung Province, Indonesia with varies rainfall between regions within a plantation. Therefore, monitoring the rainfall distribution by using ombrometer installed at 10 representative location points can be used to determine irrigation period at the beginning of dry season. Mapping method using the server program and data source is from 10 monitoring rainfall stations installed at the observed points. Preparation of rainfall distribution mapping is important to know the beginning of the dry season and thus planning the irrigation. The results show that 2nd decadal of April is indicated as the starting time of dry season, which is similar with Indonesian government for climate agency’s result.

Orion Exploration Flight Test-1 Contingency Drogue Deploy Velocity Trigger

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gay, Robert S.; Stochowiak, Susan; Smith, Kelly

2013-01-01

As a backup to the GPS-aided Kalman filter and the Barometric altimeter, an "adjusted" velocity trigger is used during entry to trigger the chain of events that leads to drogue chute deploy for the Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle (MPCV) Exploration Flight Test-1 (EFT-1). Even though this scenario is multiple failures deep, the Orion Guidance, Navigation, and Control (GN&C) software makes use of a clever technique that was taken from the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) program, which recently successfully landing the Curiosity rover on Mars. MSL used this technique to jettison the heat shield at the proper time during descent. Originally, Orion use the un-adjusted navigated velocity, but the removal of the Star Tracker to save costs for EFT-1, increased attitude errors which increased inertial propagation errors to the point where the un-adjusted velocity caused altitude dispersions at drogue deploy to be too large. Thus, to reduce dispersions, the velocity vector is projected onto a "reference" vector that represents the nominal "truth" vector at the desired point in the trajectory. Because the navigation errors are largely perpendicular to the truth vector, this projection significantly reduces dispersions in the velocity magnitude. This paper will detail the evolution of this trigger method for the Orion project and cover the various methods tested to determine the reference "truth" vector; and at what point in the trajectory it should be computed.

Local root abscisic acid (ABA) accumulation depends on the spatial distribution of soil moisture in potato: implications for ABA signalling under heterogeneous soil drying

PubMed Central

Puértolas, Jaime; Conesa, María R.; Ballester, Carlos; Dodd, Ian C.

2015-01-01

Patterns of root abscisic acid (ABA) accumulation ([ABA]root), root water potential (Ψroot), and root water uptake (RWU), and their impact on xylem sap ABA concentration ([X-ABA]) were measured under vertical partial root-zone drying (VPRD, upper compartment dry, lower compartment wet) and horizontal partial root-zone drying (HPRD, two lateral compartments: one dry, the other wet) of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.). When water was withheld from the dry compartment for 0–10 d, RWU and Ψroot were similarly lower in the dry compartment when soil volumetric water content dropped below 0.22cm3 cm–3 for both spatial distributions of soil moisture. However, [ABA]root increased in response to decreasing Ψroot in the dry compartment only for HPRD, resulting in much higher ABA accumulation than in VPRD. The position of the sampled roots (~4cm closer to the surface in the dry compartment of VPRD than in HPRD) might account for this difference, since older (upper) roots may accumulate less ABA in response to decreased Ψroot than younger (deeper) roots. This would explain differences in root ABA accumulation patterns under vertical and horizontal soil moisture gradients reported in the literature. In our experiment, these differences in root ABA accumulation did not influence [X-ABA], since the RWU fraction (and thus ABA export to shoots) from the dry compartment dramatically decreased simultaneously with any increase in [ABA]root. Thus, HPRD might better trigger a long-distance ABA signal than VPRD under conditions allowing simultaneous high [ABA]root and relatively high RWU fraction. PMID:25547916

Local root abscisic acid (ABA) accumulation depends on the spatial distribution of soil moisture in potato: implications for ABA signalling under heterogeneous soil drying.

PubMed

Puértolas, Jaime; Conesa, María R; Ballester, Carlos; Dodd, Ian C

2015-04-01

Patterns of root abscisic acid (ABA) accumulation ([ABA]root), root water potential (Ψroot), and root water uptake (RWU), and their impact on xylem sap ABA concentration ([X-ABA]) were measured under vertical partial root-zone drying (VPRD, upper compartment dry, lower compartment wet) and horizontal partial root-zone drying (HPRD, two lateral compartments: one dry, the other wet) of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.). When water was withheld from the dry compartment for 0-10 d, RWU and Ψroot were similarly lower in the dry compartment when soil volumetric water content dropped below 0.22cm(3) cm(-3) for both spatial distributions of soil moisture. However, [ABA]root increased in response to decreasing Ψroot in the dry compartment only for HPRD, resulting in much higher ABA accumulation than in VPRD. The position of the sampled roots (~4cm closer to the surface in the dry compartment of VPRD than in HPRD) might account for this difference, since older (upper) roots may accumulate less ABA in response to decreased Ψroot than younger (deeper) roots. This would explain differences in root ABA accumulation patterns under vertical and horizontal soil moisture gradients reported in the literature. In our experiment, these differences in root ABA accumulation did not influence [X-ABA], since the RWU fraction (and thus ABA export to shoots) from the dry compartment dramatically decreased simultaneously with any increase in [ABA]root. Thus, HPRD might better trigger a long-distance ABA signal than VPRD under conditions allowing simultaneous high [ABA]root and relatively high RWU fraction. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Experimental Biology.

Self-healing Characteristics of Collagen Coatings with Respect to Surface Abrasion

PubMed Central

Kim, Chang-Lae; Kim, Dae-Eun

2016-01-01

A coating based on collagen with self-healing properties was developed for applications in mechanical components that are prone to abrasion due to contact with a counter surface. The inherent swelling behavior of collagen in water was exploited as the fundamental mechanism behind self-healing of a wear scar formed on the surface. The effects of freeze-drying process and water treatment of the collagen coatings on their mechanical and self-healing properties were analyzed. Water was also used as the medium to trigger the self-healing effect of the collagen coatings after the wear test. It was found that collagen coatings without freeze-drying did not demonstrate any self-healing effect whereas the coatings treated by freeze-drying process showed remarkable self-healing effect. Overall, collagen coatings that were freeze-dried and water treated showed the best friction and self-healing properties. Repeated self-healing ability of these coatings with respect to wear scar was also demonstrated. It was also confirmed that the self-healing property of the collagen coating was effective over a relatively wide range of temperature. PMID:27010967

Self-healing Characteristics of Collagen Coatings with Respect to Surface Abrasion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Chang-Lae; Kim, Dae-Eun

2016-03-01

A coating based on collagen with self-healing properties was developed for applications in mechanical components that are prone to abrasion due to contact with a counter surface. The inherent swelling behavior of collagen in water was exploited as the fundamental mechanism behind self-healing of a wear scar formed on the surface. The effects of freeze-drying process and water treatment of the collagen coatings on their mechanical and self-healing properties were analyzed. Water was also used as the medium to trigger the self-healing effect of the collagen coatings after the wear test. It was found that collagen coatings without freeze-drying did not demonstrate any self-healing effect whereas the coatings treated by freeze-drying process showed remarkable self-healing effect. Overall, collagen coatings that were freeze-dried and water treated showed the best friction and self-healing properties. Repeated self-healing ability of these coatings with respect to wear scar was also demonstrated. It was also confirmed that the self-healing property of the collagen coating was effective over a relatively wide range of temperature.

Myofascial pain syndrome: a treatment review.

PubMed

Desai, Mehul J; Saini, Vikramjeet; Saini, Shawnjeet

2013-06-01

Myofascial pain syndrome (MPS) is defined as pain that originates from myofascial trigger points in skeletal muscle. It is prevalent in regional musculoskeletal pain syndromes, either alone or in combination with other pain generators. The appropriate evaluation and management of myofascial pain is an important part of musculoskeletal rehabilitation, and regional axial and limb pain syndromes. This article reviews the current hypotheses regarding the treatment modalities for myofascial trigger points and muscle pain. Through a critical evidence-based review of the pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic treatments, the authors aim to provide clinicians with a more comprehensive knowledge of the interventions for myofascial pain.

Combined Electrocardiography- and Respiratory-Triggered CT of the Lung to Reduce Respiratory Misregistration Artifacts between Imaging Slabs in Free-Breathing Children: Initial Experience.

PubMed

Goo, Hyun Woo; Allmendinger, Thomas

2017-01-01

Cardiac and respiratory motion artifacts degrade the image quality of lung CT in free-breathing children. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of combined electrocardiography (ECG) and respiratory triggering on respiratory misregistration artifacts on lung CT in free-breathing children. In total, 15 children (median age 19 months, range 6 months-8 years; 7 boys), who underwent free-breathing ECG-triggered lung CT with and without respiratory-triggering were included. A pressure-sensing belt of a respiratory gating system was used to obtain the respiratory signal. The degree of respiratory misregistration artifacts between imaging slabs was graded on a 4-point scale (1, excellent image quality) on coronal and sagittal images and compared between ECG-triggered lung CT studies with and without respiratory triggering. A p value < 0.05 was considered significant. Lung CT with combined ECG and respiratory triggering showed significantly less respiratory misregistration artifacts than lung CT with ECG triggering only (1.1 ± 0.4 vs. 2.2 ± 1.0, p = 0.003). Additional respiratory-triggering reduces respiratory misregistration artifacts on ECG-triggered lung CT in free-breathing children.

Cost-effectiveness Evaluation of the Inclusion of Dry Needling into an Exercise Program for Subacromial Pain Syndrome: Evidence from a Randomized Clinical Trial.

PubMed

Arias-Buría, José L; Martín-Saborido, Carlos; Cleland, Joshua; Koppenhaver, Shane L; Plaza-Manzano, Gustavo; Fernández-de-Las-Peñas, César

2018-02-22

To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of the inclusion of trigger point-dry needling (TrP-DN) into an exercise program for the management of subacromial pain syndrome. Fifty patients with unilateral subacromial pain syndrome were randomized with concealed allocation to exercise alone or exercise plus TrP-DN. Both groups were asked to perform an exercise program targeting the rotator cuff musculature twice daily for five weeks. Patients allocated to the exercise plus TrP-DN group also received dry needling during the second and fourth sessions. Societal costs and health-related quality of life (estimated by EuroQol-5D-5L) over a one-year follow-up were used to generate incremental cost per quality-adjusted life-year (QALY) ratios for each intervention.  Intention-to-treat analysis was possible for 48 (96%) of the participants. Those in the exercise group made more visits to medical doctors and received a greater number of other treatments (P < 0.001). The major contributor to societal costs (77%) was the absenteeism paid labor in favor of the exercise plus TrP-DN group (P = 0.03). The combination of exercise plus TrP-DN was less costly (mean difference cost/patient = €517.34, P = 0.003) than exercise alone. Incremental QALYs showed greater benefit for exercise plus TrP-DN (difference = 2.87, 95% confidence interval = 2.85-2.89). Therefore, the inclusion of TrP-DN into an exercise program was more likely to be cost-effective than an exercise program alone, with 99.5% of the iterations falling in the dominant area. The inclusion of TrP-DN into an exercise program was more cost-effective for individuals with subacromial pain syndrome than exercise alone. From a cost-benefit perspective, the inclusion of TrP-DN into multimodal management of patients with subacromial pain syndrome should be considered.

Extreme weather events in Iran under a changing climate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alizadeh-Choobari, Omid; Najafi, M. S.

2018-01-01

Observations unequivocally show that Iran has been rapidly warming over recent decades, which in sequence has triggered a wide range of climatic impacts. Meteorological records of several ground stations across Iran with daily temporal resolution for the period 1951-2013 were analyzed to investigate the climate change and its impact on some weather extremes. Iran has warmed by nearly 1.3 °C during the period 1951-2013 (+0.2 °C per decade), with an increase of the minimum temperature at a rate two times that of the maximum. Consequently, an increase in the frequency of heat extremes and a decrease in the frequency of cold extremes have been observed. The annual precipitation has decreased by 8 mm per decade, causing an expansion of Iran's dry zones. Previous studies have pointed out that warming is generally associated with more frequent heavy precipitation because a warmer air can hold more moisture. Nevertheless, warming in Iran has been associated with more frequent light precipitation, but less frequent moderate, heavy and extremely heavy precipitation. This is because in the subtropical dry zones, a longer time is required to recharge the atmosphere with water vapour in a warmer climate, causing more water vapour to be transported from the subtropics to high latitudes before precipitations forms. In addition, the altitude of the condensation level increases in a warmer climate in subtropical regions, causing an overall decrease of precipitation. We argue that changing in the frequency of heavy precipitation in response to warming varies depending on the geographical location. Warming over the dry subtropical regions is associated with a decrease in the frequency of heavy precipitation, while an increase is expected over both subpolar and tropical regions. The warmer climate has also led to the increase in the frequency of both thunderstorms (driven by convective heating) and dust events over Iran.

Antimicrobial and water-triggered release characteristics of a copper sulfate-polyvinyl acetate adhesive composite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

De Jesus, A. P. O.; Roxas-Villanueva, R. M. L.; Herrera, M. U.

2017-05-01

Water-triggered release of antimicrobial solutions is advantageous in inhibiting the growth of bacteria and fungi in moist and wet environments. In this study, we fabricated a composite, by mixing polyvinyl acetate adhesive with copper sulfate solution, which exhibits antimicrobial activities against bacteria. Polyvinyl acetate adhesive serves as the binder and water soluble substance while copper sulfate serves as the antimicrobial agent. The composite was coated in an acetate film and air-dried. To monitor the rate of release of copper ions, the composite was submerged in water and the conductivity was measured. The conductivity saturation time was determined. The composite showed antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli (Gram-negative) and Staphylococcus aureus (Gram-positive).

Introduction of oxygen vacancies and fluorine into TiO{sub 2} nanoparticles by co-milling with PTFE

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

Senna, Mamoru, E-mail: senna@applc.keio.ac.jp; Sepelak, Vladimir; Shi, Jianmin

2012-03-15

Solid-state processes of introducing oxygen vacancies and transference of fluorine to n-TiO{sub 2} nanoparticles by co-milling with poly(tetrafluoroethylene) (PTFE) powder were examined by diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS) of UV, visual, near- and mid-IR regions, thermal analyses (TG-DTA), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDXS), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The broad absorption peak at around 8800 cm{sup -1} (1140 nm) was attributed to the change in the electronic states, viz. electrons trapped at the oxygen vacancies (Vo) and d-d transitions of titanium ions. Incorporation of fluorine into n-TiO{sub 2} was concentrated at the near surfacemore » region and amounted to ca. 40 at% of the total fluorine in PTFE, after co-milling for 3 h, as confirmed by the F1s XPS spectrum. The overall atomic ratio, F/Ti, determined by EDXS was 0.294. By combining these analytical results, a mechanism of the present solid state processes at the boundary between PTFE and n-TiO{sub 2} was proposed. The entire process is triggered by the partial oxidative decomposition of PTFE. This is accompanied by the abstraction of oxygen atoms from the n-TiO{sub 2} lattices. Loss of the oxygen atoms results in the formation of the diverse states of locally distorted coordination units of titania, i.e. TiO{sub 6-n}Vo{sub n}, located at the near surface region. This leads subsequent partial ligand exchange between F and O, to incorporate fluorine preferentially to the near surface region of n-TiO{sub 2} particles, where local non-crystalline states predominate. - Graphical abstract: Scheme of the reaction processes: (a) pristine mixture, (b) oxygen abstraction from TiO{sub 2} and (c) fluorine migration from PTFE to TiO{sub 2}. Highlights: Transfer of fluorine from PTFE to n-TiO{sub 2} in a dry solid state process was confirmed. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer 40% of F in PTFE was incorporated to the near surface region of n-TiO{sub 2} nanoparticles. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The transfer process is triggered by the oxidative decomposition of PTFE. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Fluorine incorporation is mediated by the formation of oxygen vacancies. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The sequential mechanisms are verified by XPS, EDXS, HRTEM, TG and DRS.« less

Evaluation of prethroid insecticides and insect growth regulators applied to different surfaces for control of Trogoderma granarium Everts the khapra beetle

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The khapra beetle, Trogoderma granarium Everts, is a serious pest of stored products and is the only stored products pest that triggers a quarantine response when it is found in the United States. The larvae of T. granarium feed on a wide range of dry food products of plant and animal origin includi...

Dynamic Pointing Triggers Shifts of Visual Attention in Young Infants

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rohlfing, Katharina J.; Longo, Matthew R.; Bertenthal, Bennett I.

2012-01-01

Pointing, like eye gaze, is a deictic gesture that can be used to orient the attention of another person towards an object or an event. Previous research suggests that infants first begin to follow a pointing gesture between 10 and 13 months of age. We investigated whether sensitivity to pointing could be seen at younger ages employing a technique…

15. Detail, lower chord connection point on downstream side, showing ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

15. Detail, lower chord connection point on downstream side, showing pinned connection of lower chord eye bars, laced vertical compression member, diagonal eye bar tension members, turnbuckled diagonal counters, and floor beam. Note also timber floor stringers supported by floor beam, and exposed ends of timber deck members visible at left above lower chord eye bar. View to northwest. - Dry Creek Bridge, Spanning Dry Creek at Cook Road, Ione, Amador County, CA

Problem-Based Assignments as a Trigger for Developing Ethical and Reflective Competencies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Euler, Dieter; Kühner, Patrizia

2017-01-01

The following research question serves as the starting point of this research and development project: How, in the context of a didactic design, can problem-based assignments trigger learning activities for the development of ethical and reflective competencies in students in economics courses? This paper focuses on the design of problem-based…

Intensive short-term vasodilation effect in the pain area of sciatica patients--case study.

PubMed

Skorupska, Elżbieta; Rychlik, Michał; Pawelec, Wiktoria; Bednarek, Agata; Samborski, Włodzimierz

2014-09-09

Varied and complicated etiology of low back pain radiating distally to the extremities is still causing disagreement and controversy around the issue of its diagnosis and treatment. Most clinicians believe that the source of that pain is generally radicular. While some of them postulate the clinical significance of the sacroiliac joint syndrome, others demonstrate that almost one in five people with back pain experience symptoms indicative of the neuropathic pain component. To date, neuropathic involvement has not been completely understood, and different mechanisms are thought to play an important role. It has been established that muscle pain (myofascial pain) e.g. active trigger points from the gluteus minimus, can mimic pain similar to sciatica, especially in the chronic stage. This paper describes patients presenting with radicular sciatica (case one and two) and sciatica-like symptoms (case three). For the first time, intensive short-term vasodilation in the pain area following needle infiltration of the gluteus minimus trigger point was recorded. Three Caucasian, European women suffering from radicular sciatica (case one and two) and sciatica-like symptoms (case three) at the age of 57, 49 and 47 respectively underwent infrared camera observation during needle infiltration of the gluteus minimus trigger point. The patients were diagnosed by a neurologist; they underwent magnetic resonance imaging, electromyography, neurography and blood test analysis. Apart from that, the patients were diagnosed by a clinician specializing in myofascial pain diagnosis. In the examined cases, trigger points-related short-term vasodilation was recorded. Confirmation of these findings in a controlled, blinded study would indicate the existence of a link between the pain of sciatica patients (radicular or sciatica-like pain) and the activity of the autonomic nervous system. Further studies on a bigger group of patients are still needed.

[Clinical observation on therapeutic effect of cupping combined with acupuncture stimulation at trigger points for lumbar myofascial pain syndrome].

PubMed

Zhao, Hong

2014-08-01

To observe the clinical effect of cupping combined with acupuncture stimulation of trigger points on lumbar myofascial pain syndrome (MPS). Sixty MPS patients were randomly divided into acupuncture + TDP group (n = 30), and cupping + acupuncture group (n = 30). Patients in the acupuncture + TDP group were treated by acupuncture stimulation of trigger points and local TDP irradiation, and patients of the cupping + acupuncture group treated by intensive cupping applied to the myofascial band and acupuncture stimulation of the locus according to the position of muscular tension band. The therapeutic effects were assessed according to the score of the McGill pain questionnaire composing of pain rating index (PRI), visual analogue scale (VAS) and present pain intensity (PPI) before, immediately and 1 month after the treatment. After the treatment, the total effective rates of the acupuncture+ TDP and cupping + acupuncture groups were 83.3% (25/30) and 96.6% (29/30), respectively, without significant difference between the two groups (P > 0.05). One month's follow-up showed that the total effective rates of the acupuncture + TDP and cupping + acupuncture groups were 40.0% and 90.0% respectively, and the latter group was significantly better than the acupuncture + TDP group in the therapeutic effect (P < 0.05). The scores of PRI, VAS, PPI after the treatment were markedly decreased in both groups (P < 0.05). One month later, the scores of PRI, VAS and PPI in the cupping + acupuncture group were obviously lower than those of the acupuncture group (P < 0.05). Both acupuncture stimulation of trigger points plus TDP and cupping plus acupuncture can effectively relieve pain in MPS patients, while the therapeutic effect of cupping plus acupuncture treatment lasts longer analgesic effect.

Office-Based Elastographic Technique for Quantifying Mechanical Properties of Skeletal Muscle

PubMed Central

Ballyns, Jeffrey J.; Turo, Diego; Otto, Paul; Shah, Jay P.; Hammond, Jennifer; Gebreab, Tadesse; Gerber, Lynn H.; Sikdar, Siddhartha

2012-01-01

Objectives Our objectives were to develop a new, efficient, and easy-to-administer approach to ultrasound elastography and assess its ability to provide quantitative characterization of viscoelastic properties of skeletal muscle in an outpatient clinical environment. We sought to show its validity and clinical utility in assessing myofascial trigger points, which are associated with myofascial pain syndrome. Methods Ultrasound imaging was performed while the muscle was externally vibrated at frequencies in the range of 60 to 200 Hz using a handheld vibrator. The spatial gradient of the vibration phase yielded the shear wave speed, which is related to the viscoelastic properties of tissue. The method was validated using a calibrated experimental phantom, the biceps brachii muscle in healthy volunteers (n = 6), and the upper trapezius muscle in symptomatic patients with axial neck pain (n = 13) and asymptomatic (pain-free) control participants (n = 9). Results Using the experimental phantom, our method was able to quantitatively measure the shear moduli with error rates of less than 20%. The mean shear modulus ± SD in the normal biceps brachii measured 12.5 ± 3.4 kPa, within the range of published values using more sophisticated methods. Shear wave speeds in active myofascial trigger points and the surrounding muscle tissue were significantly higher than those in normal tissue at high frequency excitations (>100 Hz; P < .05). Conclusions Off-the-shelf office-based equipment can be used to quantitatively characterize skeletal muscle viscoelastic properties with estimates comparable to those using more sophisticated methods. Our preliminary results using this method indicate that patients with spontaneous neck pain and symptomatic myofascial trigger points have increased tissue heterogeneity at the trigger point site and the surrounding muscle tissue. PMID:22837285

Office-based elastographic technique for quantifying mechanical properties of skeletal muscle.

PubMed

Ballyns, Jeffrey J; Turo, Diego; Otto, Paul; Shah, Jay P; Hammond, Jennifer; Gebreab, Tadesse; Gerber, Lynn H; Sikdar, Siddhartha

2012-08-01

Our objectives were to develop a new, efficient, and easy-to-administer approach to ultrasound elastography and assess its ability to provide quantitative characterization of viscoelastic properties of skeletal muscle in an outpatient clinical environment. We sought to show its validity and clinical utility in assessing myofascial trigger points, which are associated with myofascial pain syndrome. Ultrasound imaging was performed while the muscle was externally vibrated at frequencies in the range of 60 to 200 Hz using a handheld vibrator. The spatial gradient of the vibration phase yielded the shear wave speed, which is related to the viscoelastic properties of tissue. The method was validated using a calibrated experimental phantom, the biceps brachii muscle in healthy volunteers (n = 6), and the upper trapezius muscle in symptomatic patients with axial neck pain (n = 13) and asymptomatic (pain-free) control participants (n = 9). Using the experimental phantom, our method was able to quantitatively measure the shear moduli with error rates of less than 20%. The mean shear modulus ± SD in the normal biceps brachii measured 12.5 ± 3.4 kPa, within the range of published values using more sophisticated methods. Shear wave speeds in active myofascial trigger points and the surrounding muscle tissue were significantly higher than those in normal tissue at high frequency excitations (>100 Hz; P < .05). Off-the-shelf office-based equipment can be used to quantitatively characterize skeletal muscle viscoelastic properties with estimates comparable to those using more sophisticated methods. Our preliminary results using this method indicate that patients with spontaneous neck pain and symptomatic myofascial trigger points have increased tissue heterogeneity at the trigger point site and the surrounding muscle tissue.

46 CFR 295.2 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... between two or more ports and/or points in the United States. (l) Eligible Vessel, means a vessel that... sources with a minimum speed of 12 knots. (2) Dry Cargo—All dry cargo ships, including integrated tug...

Pressure-Drop Considerations in the Characterization of Dew-Point Transfer Standards at High Temperatures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mitter, H.; Böse, N.; Benyon, R.; Vicente, T.

2012-09-01

During calibration of precision optical dew-point hygrometers (DPHs), it is usually necessary to take into account the pressure drop induced by the gas flow between the "point of reference" and the "point of use" (mirror or measuring head of the DPH) either as a correction of the reference dew-point temperature or as part of the uncertainty estimation. At dew-point temperatures in the range of ambient temperature and below, it is sufficient to determine the pressure drop for the required gas flow, and to keep the volumetric flow constant during the measurements. In this case, it is feasible to keep the dry-gas flow into the dew-point generator constant or to measure the flow downstream the DPH at ambient temperature. In normal operation, at least one DPH in addition to the monitoring DPH are used, and this operation has to be applied to each instrument. The situation is different at high dew-point temperatures up to 95 °C, the currently achievable upper limit reported in this paper. With increasing dew-point temperatures, the reference gas contains increasing amounts of water vapour and a constant dry-gas flow will lead to a significant enhanced volume flow at the conditions at the point of use, and therefore, to a significantly varying pressure drop depending on the applied dew-point temperature. At dew-point temperatures above ambient temperature, it is also necessary to heat the reference gas and the mirror head of the DPH sufficiently to avoid condensation which will additionally increase the volume flow and the pressure drop. In this paper, a method is provided to calculate the dry-gas flow rate needed to maintain a known wet-gas flow rate through a chilled mirror for a range of temperature and pressures.

Evaluation of Heat Flux Measurement as a New Process Analytical Technology Monitoring Tool in Freeze Drying.

PubMed

Vollrath, Ilona; Pauli, Victoria; Friess, Wolfgang; Freitag, Angelika; Hawe, Andrea; Winter, Gerhard

2017-05-01

This study investigates the suitability of heat flux measurement as a new technique for monitoring product temperature and critical end points during freeze drying. The heat flux sensor is tightly mounted on the shelf and measures non-invasively (no contact with the product) the heat transferred from shelf to vial. Heat flux data were compared to comparative pressure measurement, thermocouple readings, and Karl Fischer titration as current state of the art monitoring techniques. The whole freeze drying process including freezing (both by ramp freezing and controlled nucleation) and primary and secondary drying was considered. We found that direct measurement of the transferred heat enables more insights into thermodynamics of the freezing process. Furthermore, a vial heat transfer coefficient can be calculated from heat flux data, which ultimately provides a non-invasive method to monitor product temperature throughout primary drying. The end point of primary drying determined by heat flux measurements was in accordance with the one defined by thermocouples. During secondary drying, heat flux measurements could not indicate the progress of drying as monitoring the residual moisture content. In conclusion, heat flux measurements are a promising new non-invasive tool for lyophilization process monitoring and development using energy transfer as a control parameter. Copyright © 2017 American Pharmacists Association®. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Defining a procedure for predicting the duration of the approximately isothermal segments within the proposed drying regime as a function of the drying air parameters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vasić, M.; Radojević, Z.

2017-08-01

One of the main disadvantages of the recently reported method, for setting up the drying regime based on the theory of moisture migration during drying, lies in a fact that it is based on a large number of isothermal experiments. In addition each isothermal experiment requires the use of different drying air parameters. The main goal of this paper was to find a way how to reduce the number of isothermal experiments without affecting the quality of the previously proposed calculation method. The first task was to define the lower and upper inputs as well as the output of the “black box” which will be used in the Box-Wilkinson’s orthogonal multi-factorial experimental design. Three inputs (drying air temperature, humidity and velocity) were used within the experimental design. The output parameter of the model represents the time interval between any two chosen characteristic points presented on the Deff - t. The second task was to calculate the output parameter for each planed experiments. The final output of the model is the equation which can predict the time interval between any two chosen characteristic points as a function of the drying air parameters. This equation is valid for any value of the drying air parameters which are within the defined area designated with lower and upper limiting values.

Female-specific down-regulation of tissue-PMN drives impaired Treg and amplified effector T cell responses in autoimmune dry eye disease1

PubMed Central

Gao, Yuan; Min, Kyungji; Zhang, Yibing; Su, John; Greenwood, Matthew; Gronert, Karsten

2015-01-01

Immune-driven dry eye disease primarily affects women; the cause for this sex-specific prevalence is unknown. PMN have distinct phenotypes that drive inflammation but also regulate lymphocytes and are the rate-limiting cell for generating anti-inflammatory lipoxin A4 (LXA4). Estrogen regulates the LXA4 circuit to induce delayed female-specific wound healing in the cornea. However, the role of PMN in dry eye disease remains unexplored. We discovered a LXA4-producing tissue-PMN population in the corneal limbus, lacrimal glands and cervical lymph nodes of healthy male and female mice. These tissue-PMN, unlike inflammatory-PMN, expressed a highly amplified LXA4 circuit and were sex-specifically regulated during immune-driven dry eye disease. Desiccating stress in females, unlike in males, triggered a remarkable decrease in lymph node PMN and LXA4 formation that remained depressed during dry eye disease. Depressed lymph node PMN and LXA4 in females correlated with an increase in T effector cells (TH1 and TH17), a decrease in regulatory T cells (Treg) and increased dry eye pathogenesis. Antibody depletion of tissue-PMN abrogated LXA4 formation in lymph nodes, caused a marked increase in TH1 and TH17 and decrease in Treg cells. To establish an immune regulatory role for PMN-derived LXA4 in dry eye females were treated with LXA4. LXA4 treatment markedly inhibited TH1 and TH17 and amplified Treg cells in draining lymph nodes, while reducing dry eye pathogenesis. These results identify female-specific regulation of LXA4-producing tissue-PMN as a potential key factor in aberrant T effector cell activation and initiation of immune-driven dry eye disease. PMID:26324767

Twelve tips for creating trigger images for problem-based learning cases.

PubMed

Azer, Samy A

2007-03-01

A trigger is the starting point of problem-based learning (PBL) cases. It is usually in the form of 5-6 text lines that provide the key information about the main character (usually the patient), including 3-4 of patient's presenting problems. In addition to the trigger text, most programs using PBL include a visual trigger. This might be in the form of a single image, a series of images, a video clip, a cartoon, or even one of the patient's investigation results (e.g. chest X-ray, pathology report, or urine sample analysis). The main educational objectives of the trigger image are as follows: (1) to introduce the patient to the students; (2) to enhance students' observation skills; (3) to provide them with new information to add to the cues obtained from the trigger text; and (4) to stimulate students to ask questions as they develop their enquiry plan. When planned and delivered effectively, trigger images should be engaging and stimulate group discussion. Understanding the educational objectives of using trigger images and choosing appropriate images are the keys for constructing successful PBL cases. These twelve tips highlight the key steps in the successful creation of trigger images.

Stepwise drying of medicinal plants as alternative to reduce time and energy processing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cuervo-Andrade, S. P.; Hensel, O.

2016-07-01

The objective of drying medicinal plants is to extend the shelf life and conserving the fresh characteristics. This is achieved by reducing the water activity (aw) of the product to a value which will inhibit the growth and development of pathogenic and spoilage microorganisms, significantly reducing enzyme activity and the rate at which undesirable chemical reactions occur. The technical drying process requires an enormous amount of thermal and electrical energy. An improvement in the quality of the product to be dried and at the same time a decrease in the drying cost and time are achieved through the utilization of a controlled conventional drying method, which is based on a good utilization of the renewable energy or looking for other alternatives which achieve lower processing times without sacrificing the final product quality. In this work the method of stepwise drying of medicinal plants is presented as an alternative to the conventional drying that uses a constant temperature during the whole process. The objective of stepwise drying is the decrease of drying time and reduction in energy consumption. In this process, apart from observing the effects on decreases the effective drying process time and energy, the influence of the different combinations of drying phases on several characteristics of the product are considered. The tests were carried out with Melissa officinalis L. variety citronella, sowed in greenhouse. For the stepwise drying process different combinations of initial and final temperature, 40/50°C, are evaluated, with different transition points associated to different moisture contents (20, 30, 40% and 50%) of the product during the process. Final quality of dried foods is another important issue in food drying. Drying process has effect in quality attributes drying products. This study was determining the color changes and essential oil loses by reference the measurement of the color and essential oil content of the fresh product was used. Drying curves were obtained to observe the dynamics of the process for different combinations of temperature and points of change, corresponding to different conditions of moisture content of the product.

A multi-purpose open-source triggering platform for magnetic resonance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ruytenberg, T.; Webb, A. G.; Beenakker, J. W. M.

2014-10-01

Many MR scans need to be synchronised with external events such as the cardiac or respiratory cycles. For common physiological functions commercial trigger equipment exists, but for more experimental inputs these are not available. This paper describes the design of a multi-purpose open-source trigger platform for MR systems. The heart of the system is an open-source Arduino Due microcontroller. This microcontroller samples an analogue input and digitally processes these data to determine the trigger. The output of the microcontroller is programmed to mimic a physiological signal which is fed into the electrocardiogram (ECG) or pulse oximeter port of MR scanner. The microcontroller is connected to a Bluetooth dongle that allows wireless monitoring and control outside the scanner room. This device can be programmed to generate a trigger based on various types of input. As one example, this paper describes how it can be used as an acoustic cardiac triggering unit. For this, a plastic stethoscope is connected to a microphone which is used as an input for the system. This test setup was used to acquire retrospectively-triggered cardiac scans in ten volunteers. Analysis showed that this platform produces a reliable trigger (>99% triggers are correct) with a small average 8 ms variation between the exact trigger points.

A multi-purpose open-source triggering platform for magnetic resonance.

PubMed

Ruytenberg, T; Webb, A G; Beenakker, J W M

2014-10-01

Many MR scans need to be synchronised with external events such as the cardiac or respiratory cycles. For common physiological functions commercial trigger equipment exists, but for more experimental inputs these are not available. This paper describes the design of a multi-purpose open-source trigger platform for MR systems. The heart of the system is an open-source Arduino Due microcontroller. This microcontroller samples an analogue input and digitally processes these data to determine the trigger. The output of the microcontroller is programmed to mimic a physiological signal which is fed into the electrocardiogram (ECG) or pulse oximeter port of MR scanner. The microcontroller is connected to a Bluetooth dongle that allows wireless monitoring and control outside the scanner room. This device can be programmed to generate a trigger based on various types of input. As one example, this paper describes how it can be used as an acoustic cardiac triggering unit. For this, a plastic stethoscope is connected to a microphone which is used as an input for the system. This test setup was used to acquire retrospectively-triggered cardiac scans in ten volunteers. Analysis showed that this platform produces a reliable trigger (>99% triggers are correct) with a small average 8 ms variation between the exact trigger points. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Combined Electrocardiography- and Respiratory-Triggered CT of the Lung to Reduce Respiratory Misregistration Artifacts between Imaging Slabs in Free-Breathing Children: Initial Experience

PubMed Central

Allmendinger, Thomas

2017-01-01

Objective Cardiac and respiratory motion artifacts degrade the image quality of lung CT in free-breathing children. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of combined electrocardiography (ECG) and respiratory triggering on respiratory misregistration artifacts on lung CT in free-breathing children. Materials and Methods In total, 15 children (median age 19 months, range 6 months–8 years; 7 boys), who underwent free-breathing ECG-triggered lung CT with and without respiratory-triggering were included. A pressure-sensing belt of a respiratory gating system was used to obtain the respiratory signal. The degree of respiratory misregistration artifacts between imaging slabs was graded on a 4-point scale (1, excellent image quality) on coronal and sagittal images and compared between ECG-triggered lung CT studies with and without respiratory triggering. A p value < 0.05 was considered significant. Results Lung CT with combined ECG and respiratory triggering showed significantly less respiratory misregistration artifacts than lung CT with ECG triggering only (1.1 ± 0.4 vs. 2.2 ± 1.0, p = 0.003). Conclusion Additional respiratory-triggering reduces respiratory misregistration artifacts on ECG-triggered lung CT in free-breathing children. PMID:28860904

Fabrication of visible light-triggered photocatalytic materials from the coupling of n-type zinc oxide and p-type copper oxide

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gorospe, A. B.; Herrera, M. U.

2017-04-01

Coupling of copper oxide (CuO) and zinc oxide (ZnO) was done by chemical precipitation method. In this method, copper sulfate pentahydrate and zinc sulfate heptahydrate salt precursors were separately dissolved in distilled water; then were mixed together. The copper sulfate-zinc sulfate solution was then combined with a sodium hydroxide solution. The precipitates were collected and washed in distilled water and ethanol several times, then filtered and dried. The dried sample was grounded, and then undergone heat treatment. After heating, the sample was grounded again. Zinc oxide powder and copper oxide powder were also fabricated using chemical precipitation method. X-Ray Diffraction measurements of the coupled CuO/ZnO powder showed the presence of CuO and ZnO in the fabricated sample. Furthermore, other peaks shown by XRD were also identified corresponding to copper, copper (II) oxide, copper sulfate and zinc sulfate. Results of the photocatalytic activity investigation show that the sample exhibited superior photocatalytic degradation of methyl orange under visible light illumination compared to copper oxide powder and zinc oxide powder. This may be attributed to the lower energy gap at the copper oxide-zinc oxide interface, compared to zinc oxide, allowing visible light to trigger its photocatalytic activity.

Expression of GPD1 and SIP18 genes during rehydration in active dry industrial Saccharomyces cerevisiae cider-making yeast strains (ADY).

PubMed

Goncerzewicz, Anna; Kamińska-Wojteczek, Karolina; Młynarczyk, Izabella; Misiewicz, Anna

2017-01-01

In this study we determined the influence of different sugar concentration in media, time of rehydration and type of strain on relative expression level of GPD1 and SIP18 genes of active dry cider-making yeast strains, followed by the assessment of the impact of rehydration on the fermentation process. High expression of SIP18 at the beginning of rehydration was shown to be due to high transcription of the gene during the drying process. High sugar concentrations of media initiated transcription of the GPD1 gene and triggered the cellular glycerol biosynthesis pathway in examined strains. Rehydration time and type of strain showed to have no statistically significant impact on the course of the fermentation; RT qPCR results depended mainly on the time of rehydration and sugar concentration of the medium. This is the first attempt to confront rehydration time and molecular mechanisms acting upon rehydration with the course of the fermentation process.

Point-of-injury Use of Reconstituted Freeze Dried Plasma as a Resuscitative Fluid: A Special Report for Prehospital Trauma Care

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-01-01

Point-of-injury use of reconstituted freeze dried plasma as a resuscitative fluid: A special report for prehospital trauma care Elon Glassberg, MD...in- jury as part of the multidisciplinary efforts to improve trauma victims’ outcome. BACKGROUND Trauma is the leading cause of death among adults be...diabetes.1 Managing the burden of injuries from decades of wars has underscored the importance of trauma research aimed at reducing morbidity and

21 CFR 872.3830 - Endodontic paper point.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Endodontic paper point. 872.3830 Section 872.3830...) MEDICAL DEVICES DENTAL DEVICES Prosthetic Devices § 872.3830 Endodontic paper point. (a) Identification. An endodontic paper point is a device made of paper intended for use during endodontic therapy to dry...

21 CFR 872.3830 - Endodontic paper point.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Endodontic paper point. 872.3830 Section 872.3830...) MEDICAL DEVICES DENTAL DEVICES Prosthetic Devices § 872.3830 Endodontic paper point. (a) Identification. An endodontic paper point is a device made of paper intended for use during endodontic therapy to dry...

Is precipitation a trigger for the onset of xylogenesis in Juniperus przewalskii on the north-eastern Tibetan Plateau?

PubMed Central

Ren, Ping; Rossi, Sergio; Gricar, Jozica; Liang, Eryuan; Cufar, Katarina

2015-01-01

Background and Aims A series of studies have shown that temperature triggers the onset of xylogenesis of trees after winter dormancy. However, little is known about whether and how moisture availability influences xylogenesis in spring in drought-prone areas. Methods Xylogenesis was monitored in five mature Qilian junipers (Juniperus przewalskii) by microcore sampling from 2009 to 2011 in a semi-arid area of the north-eastern Tibetan Plateau. A simple physical model of xylem cell production was developed and its sensitivity was analysed. The relationship between climate and growth was then evaluated, using weekly wood production data and climatic data from the study site. Key Results Delayed onset of xylogenesis in 2010 corresponded to a negative standardized precipitation evapotranspiration index (SPEI) value and a continuous period without rainfall in early May. The main period of wood formation was in June and July, and drier conditions from May to July led to a smaller number of xylem cells. Dry conditions in July could cause early cessation of xylem differentiation. The final number of xylem cells was mainly determined by the average production rate rather than the duration of new cell production. Xylem growth showed a positive and significant response to precipitation, but not to temperature. Conclusions Precipitation in late spring and summer can play a critical role in the onset of xylogenesis and xylem cell production. The delay in the initiation of xylogenesis under extremely dry conditions seems to be a stress-avoidance strategy against hydraulic failure. These findings could thus demonstrate an evolutionary adaptation of Qilian juniper to the extremely dry conditions of the north-eastern Tibetan Plateau. PMID:25725006

Biofertilizer and biostimulant properties of the microalga Acutodesmus dimorphus.

PubMed

Garcia-Gonzalez, Jesus; Sommerfeld, Milton

Microalgae represent a potential sustainable alternative for the enhancement and protection of agricultural crops. Cellular extracts and dry biomass of the green alga Acutodesmus dimorphus were applied as a seed primer, foliar spray, and biofertilizer, to evaluate seed germination, plant growth, and fruit production in Roma tomato plants. A. dimorphus culture, culture growth medium, and different concentrations (0, 1, 5, 10, 25, 50, 75, and 100 %) of aqueous cell extracts in distilled water were used as seed primers to determine effects on germination. Seeds treated with A. dimorphus culture and with extract concentrations higher than 50 % (0.75 g mL -1 ) triggered faster seed germination-2 days earlier than the control group. The aqueous extracts were also applied as foliar fertilizers at various concentrations (0, 10, 25, 50, 75, and 100 %) on tomato plants. Extract foliar application at 50 % (3.75 g mL -1 ) concentration resulted in increased plant height and greater numbers of flowers and branches per plant. Two dry biomass treatments (50 and 100 g) were applied 22 days prior to seedling transplant and at the time of transplant to assess whether the timing of the biofertilizer application influenced the effectiveness of the biofertilizer. Biofertilizer treatments applied 22 days prior to seedling transplant enhanced plant growth, including greater numbers of branches and flowers, compared to the control group and the biofertilizer treatments applied at the time of transplant. The A. dimorphus culture, cellular extract, and dry biomass applied as a biostimulant, foliar spray, and biofertilizer, respectively, were able to trigger faster germination and enhance plant growth and floral production in Roma tomato plants.

Relationship between longitudinal stress wave transit time and moisture content of lumber during kiln-drying

Treesearch

William T. Simpson; Xiping. Wang

2001-01-01

The relationship between longitudinal stress wave transit time and wood moisture content (MC) was examined as a potential means of estimating MC control points in dry kiln schedules for lumber. A linear relationship was found between the relative transit time and the average MC of sugar maple and ponderosa pine boards dried according to typical kiln schedules.

A Topological Array Trigger for AGIS, the Advanced Gamma ray Imaging System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krennrich, F.; Anderson, J.; Buckley, J.; Byrum, K.; Dawson, J.; Drake, G.; Haberichter, W.; Imran, A.; Krawczynski, H.; Kreps, A.; Schroedter, M.; Smith, A.

2008-12-01

Next generation ground based γ-ray observatories such as AGIS1 and CTA2 are expected to cover a 1 km2 area with 50-100 imaging atmospheric Cherenkov telescopes. The stereoscopic view ol air showers using multiple view points raises the possibility to use a topological array trigger that adds substantial flexibility, new background suppression capabilities and a reduced energy threshold. In this paper we report on the concept and technical implementation of a fast topological trigger system, that makes use of real time image processing of individual camera patterns and their combination in a stereoscopic array analysis. A prototype system is currently under construction and we discuss the design and hardware of this topological array trigger system.

The Advanced Gamma-ray Imaging System (AGIS): Real Time Stereoscopic Array Trigger

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Byrum, K.; Anderson, J.; Buckley, J.; Cundiff, T.; Dawson, J.; Drake, G.; Duke, C.; Haberichter, B.; Krawzcynski, H.; Krennrich, F.; Madhavan, A.; Schroedter, M.; Smith, A.

2009-05-01

Future large arrays of Imaging Atmospheric Cherenkov telescopes (IACTs) such as AGIS and CTA are conceived to comprise of 50 - 100 individual telescopes each having a camera with 10**3 to 10**4 pixels. To maximize the capabilities of such IACT arrays with a low energy threshold, a wide field of view and a low background rate, a sophisticated array trigger is required. We describe the design of a stereoscopic array trigger that calculates image parameters and then correlates them across a subset of telescopes. Fast Field Programmable Gate Array technology allows to use lookup tables at the array trigger level to form a real-time pattern recognition trigger tht capitalizes on the multiple view points of the shower at different shower core distances. A proof of principle system is currently under construction. It is based on 400 MHz FPGAs and the goal is for camera trigger rates of up to 10 MHz and a tunable cosmic-ray background suppression at the array level.

Legacy Effect of Amazonian Drought Delays the Season Transition from Dry to Wet

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shi, M.; Liu, J.; Wong, S.; Worden, J. R.; Fisher, J.; Frankenberg, C.

2017-12-01

The long-term drought effect on forest coverage, so-called legacy effect, has been observed in ground and remote sensing measurements. Drought and forest loss may amplify each other through vegetation-atmosphere feedbacks. In this study, we investigate the impact of the reduced growth of southern Amazonian forest from the 2005 drought on dry-to-wet season transition and its variations in 2005 and 2006. We quantified the vegetation-atmosphere feedbacks with the Community Atmosphere Model version 5 (CAM5) with a control and a sensitivity experiments. We further investigate the mechanism of vegetation-atmosphere feedbacks with data-constrained evapotranspiration (ET) and HDO/H2O observations from the Scanning Imaging Absorption spectroMeter for Atmospheric CHartographY (SCIAMACHY) and from the Tropospheric Emission Spectrometer (TES). Our results show that the dry season end (DSE) in southern Amazonian forest was delayed by 15 days in 2005 and by 25 days in 2006 with drought induced leaf carbon pool reduction. The postponed DSE is triggered by the reduced evapotranspiration (ET), but amplified by change of large-scale circulation. The reduction of ET and its delaying effect on dry-wet season transition is further confirmed with SCIAMACHY and TES HDO/H2O measurements.

Daintain/AIF-1 (Allograft Inflammatory Factor-1) accelerates type 1 diabetes in NOD mice

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

Zhao, Yan-Ying, E-mail: biozyy@163.com; Huang, Xin-Yuan; Chen, Zheng-Wang

Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Daintain/AIF-1 is over-expressed in the blood of NOD mice suffering from insulitis. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Daintain/AIF-1 stimulates white blood cell proliferation in NOD mice. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Daintain/AIF-1 increases blood glucose levels and triggers type 1 diabetes. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Daintain/AIF-1 accelerates insulitis, while its antibody prevents insulitis. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Daintain/AIF-1 enhances the levels of nitric oxide in the pancreases of NOD mice. -- Abstract: A large body of experimental evidence suggests that cytokines trigger pancreatic {beta}-cell death in type 1 diabetes mellitus. Daintain/AIF-1 (Allograft Inflammatory Factor-1), a specific marker for activated macrophages, is accumulated in the pancreatic islets of pre-diabetic BB rats. In themore » present study, we demonstrate that daintain/AIF-1 is released into blood and the levels of daintain/AIF-1 in the blood of type 1 diabetes-prone non-obese diabetic (NOD) mice suffering from insulitis are significantly higher than that in healthy NOD mice. When injected intravenously into NOD mice, daintain/AIF-1 stimulates white blood cell proliferation, increases the concentrations of blood glucose, impairs insulin expression, up-regulates nitric oxide (NO) production in pancreases and accelerates diabetes in NOD mice, while the antibody against daintain/AIF-1 delays or prevents insulitis in NOD mice. These results imply daintain/AIF-1 triggers type 1 diabetes probably via arousing immune cells activation and induction of NO production in pancreas of NOD mice.« less

Acupuncture-induced haemothorax: a rare iatrogenic complication of acupuncture

PubMed Central

Karavis, Miltiades Y; Argyra, Erifili; Segredos, Venieris; Yiallouroy, Aneza; Giokas, Georgios; Theodosopoulos, Thedosios

2015-01-01

This paper reports a rare iatrogenic complication of acupuncture-induced haemothorax and comments on the importance and need for special education of physicians and physiotherapists in order to apply safe and effective acupuncture treatment. A 37-year-old healthy woman had a session of acupuncture treatments for neck and right upper thoracic non-specific musculoskeletal pain, after which she gradually developed dyspnoea and chest discomfort. After some delay while trying other treatment, she was eventually transferred to the emergency department where a chest X-ray revealed a right pneumothorax and fluid collection. She was admitted to hospital and a chest tube inserted into the right hemithorax (under ultrasound guidance) drained 800 mL of bloody fluid (haematocrit (Hct) 17.8%) in 24 h and 1200 mL over the following 3 days. Her blood Hct fell from 39.0% to 30.8% and haemoglobin from 12.7 to 10.3 g/dL. The patient recovered completely and was discharged after 9 days of hospitalisation. When dyspnoea, chest pain and discomfort occur during or after an acupuncture treatment, the possibility of secondary (traumatic) pneumo- or haemopneumothorax should be considered and the patient should remain under careful observation (watchful waiting) for at least 48 h. To maximise the safety of acupuncture, specific training should be given for the safe use of acupuncture points of the anterior and posterior thoracic wall using dry needling, trigger point acupuncture or other advanced acupuncture techniques. PMID:25791844

The cellular mechanisms of dry eye: from pathogenesis to treatment.

PubMed

Mantelli, Flavio; Massaro-Giordano, Mina; Macchi, Ilaria; Lambiase, Alessandro; Bonini, Stefano

2013-12-01

Dry eye is a complex disease characterized by changes in the ocular surface epithelia related to reduced quality and/or quantity of tears, inflammatory reaction, and impairment of ocular surface sensitivity. It has recently been proposed that increased tear osmolarity represents a main trigger to the altered cellular mechanisms leading to epithelial damage in dry eye. However, dry eye pathogenesis is multifactorial, with cytotoxic inflammatory mediators, altered lacrimal gland secretion and nerve function, squamous metaplasia of the conjunctival epithelium and decrease of goblet cells density, all playing a role in a detrimental loop that perpetuates and worsens damage to the corneal and conjunctival epithelia. Current topical treatments for dry eye patients include the use of lubricants and anti-inflammatory drugs. However, lubricants only improve symptoms temporarily, and chronic use of topical steroids is associated to severe ocular side effects such as cataract and glaucoma. The deeper understanding of the cellular mechanisms that are altered in dry eye is opening novel perspectives for patients and physicians, who are seeking treatments capable not only of improving symptoms but also of restoring the homeostasis of the ocular surface. In this review, we will focus on novel anti-inflammatory agents and on nerve growth factor, a neurotrophin that is altered in dry eye and has been suggested as a main player in the neuroimmune cross-talk of the ocular surface as well as in the stimulation of corneal sensitivity, epithelial proliferation and differentiation, and stimulation of mucin production by goblet cells. J. Cell. Physiol. 228: 2253-2256, 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The Effects of Natural Chinese Medicine Aconite Root, Dried Ginger Rhizome, and Coptis on Rectal and Skin Temperatures at Acupuncture Points

PubMed Central

Li, Gang; Wang, Min; Jin, Yi-Xi; Zhang, Shu-Jing; Wu, Meng-Yao

2017-01-01

The 4 properties of Chinese materia medica refer to cold, hot, warm, and cool. In the present study, the effects of the Coptis, the prepared aconite root, and dried ginger rhizome were compared with regard to the rectal and skin temperature changes of the related body surface acupuncture points (Dazhui, Zhiyang, Mingmen, Zhongwan, and Shenque). The investigation aimed to explore the thermal sensitive points, which can reflect the cold and hot properties of the Chinese herbs. This study showed that the prepared aconite root and dried ginger rhizome exhibited a warming effect on the body temperature, whereas the warming sensitive points were Zhongwan, Shenque, Dazhui, and Zhiyang. Coptis exhibited both a warming and a cooling effect on the body temperature, and the cooling sensitive point was Dazhui. The concomitant effect of these three Chinese herbs on the regulation of the body temperature was reflected by Dazhui. However, there are still some limitations and one-sidedness. For instance, the cold and hot property of some herbs cannot be fully reflected through relevant acupoints on the conception and governor vessels. More detecting sites such as ears and internal organs will be selected for further exploration of Chinese herbs' cold and hot property. PMID:29259648

Regular and Random Components in Aiming-Point Trajectory During Rifle Aiming and Shooting

PubMed Central

Goodman, Simon; Haufler, Amy; Shim, Jae Kun; Hatfield, Bradley

2009-01-01

The authors examined the kinematic qualities of the aiming trajectory as related to expertise. In all, 2 phases of the trajectory were discriminated. The first phase was regular approximation to the target accompanied by substantial fluctuations obeying the Weber–Fechner law. During the first phase, shooters did not initiate the triggering despite any random closeness of the aiming point (AP) to the target. In the second phase, beginning at 0.6–0.8 s before the trigger pull, shooters applied a different control strategy: They waited until the following random fluctuation brought the AP closer to the target and then initiated triggering. This strategy is tenable when sensitivity of perception is greater than precision of the motor action, and could be considered a case of stochastic resonance. The strategies that novices and experts used distinguished only in the values of parameters. The authors present an analytical model explaining the main properties of shooting. PMID:19508963

Protecting the Amazon with protected areas

PubMed Central

Walker, Robert; Moore, Nathan J.; Arima, Eugenio; Perz, Stephen; Simmons, Cynthia; Caldas, Marcellus; Vergara, Dante; Bohrer, Claudio

2009-01-01

This article addresses climate-tipping points in the Amazon Basin resulting from deforestation. It applies a regional climate model to assess whether the system of protected areas in Brazil is able to avoid such tipping points, with massive conversion to semiarid vegetation, particularly along the south and southeastern margins of the basin. The regional climate model produces spatially distributed annual rainfall under a variety of external forcing conditions, assuming that all land outside protected areas is deforested. It translates these results into dry season impacts on resident ecosystems and shows that Amazonian dry ecosystems in the southern and southeastern basin do not desiccate appreciably and that extensive areas experience an increase in precipitation. Nor do the moist forests dry out to an excessive amount. Evidently, Brazilian environmental policy has created a sustainable core of protected areas in the Amazon that buffers against potential climate-tipping points and protects the drier ecosystems of the basin. Thus, all efforts should be made to manage them effectively. PMID:19549819

Protecting the Amazon with protected areas.

PubMed

Walker, Robert; Moore, Nathan J; Arima, Eugenio; Perz, Stephen; Simmons, Cynthia; Caldas, Marcellus; Vergara, Dante; Bohrer, Claudio

2009-06-30

This article addresses climate-tipping points in the Amazon Basin resulting from deforestation. It applies a regional climate model to assess whether the system of protected areas in Brazil is able to avoid such tipping points, with massive conversion to semiarid vegetation, particularly along the south and southeastern margins of the basin. The regional climate model produces spatially distributed annual rainfall under a variety of external forcing conditions, assuming that all land outside protected areas is deforested. It translates these results into dry season impacts on resident ecosystems and shows that Amazonian dry ecosystems in the southern and southeastern basin do not desiccate appreciably and that extensive areas experience an increase in precipitation. Nor do the moist forests dry out to an excessive amount. Evidently, Brazilian environmental policy has created a sustainable core of protected areas in the Amazon that buffers against potential climate-tipping points and protects the drier ecosystems of the basin. Thus, all efforts should be made to manage them effectively.

Surface De-Wetting Based Critical Heat Flux Model Development and Validation

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-02-05

the onset of CHF. When the process of dewetting occurs at contact line and micro region, the temperature of dry spots increases, hence dryout areas...increase and the CHF occurs. Finally, we proposed the CHF mechanism based on the surface dewetting and experimental data. 15. SUBJECT TERMS spray...determines the overall heat transfer, contact line heat transfer wall is critically important to trigger the onset of CHF. When the process of dewetting

Development of modular scalable pulsed power systems for high power magnetized plasma experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bean, I. A.; Weber, T. E.; Adams, C. S.; Henderson, B. R.; Klim, A. J.

2017-10-01

New pulsed power switches and trigger drivers are being developed in order to explore higher energy regimes in the Magnetic Shock Experiment (MSX) at Los Alamos National Laboratory. To achieve the required plasma velocities, high-power (approx. 100 kV, 100s of kA), high charge transfer (approx. 1 C), low-jitter (few ns) gas switches are needed. A study has been conducted on the effects of various electrode geometries and materials, dielectric media, and triggering strategies; resulting in the design of a low-inductance annular field-distortion switch, optimized for use with dry air at 90 psig, and triggered by a low-jitter, rapid rise-time solid-state Linear Transformer Driver. The switch geometry and electrical characteristics are designed to be compatible with Syllac style capacitors, and are intended to be deployed in modular configurations. The scalable nature of this approach will enable the rapid design and implementation of a wide variety of high-power magnetized plasma experiments. This work is supported by the U.S. Department of Energy, National Nuclear Security Administration. Approved for unlimited release, LA-UR-17-2578.

Jumping liquid metal droplet in electrolyte triggered by solid metal particles

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

Tang, Jianbo; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049; Wang, Junjie

2016-05-30

We report the electron discharge effect due to point contact between liquid metal and solid metal particles in electrolyte. Adding nickel particles induces drastic hydrogen generating and intermittent jumping of a sub-millimeter EGaIn droplet in NaOH solution. Observations from different orientations disclose that such jumping behavior is triggered by pressurized bubbles under the assistance of interfacial interactions. Hydrogen evolution around particles provides clear evidence that such electric instability originates from the varied electric potential and morphology between the two metallic materials. The point-contact-induced charge concentration significantly enhances the near-surface electric field intensity at the particle tips and thus causes electricmore » breakdown of the electrolyte.« less

Structural phase transition in deuterated benzil C14D10O2 : Neutron inelastic scattering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goossens, D. J.; Welberry, T. R.; Hagen, M. E.; Fernandez-Baca, J. A.

2006-04-01

Neutron inelastic scattering has been used to examine the structural phase transition in deuterated benzil C14D10O2 . The transition in benzil, in which the unit cell goes from a trigonal P3121 unit cell above TC to a cell doubled P21 unit cell below TC , leads to the emergence of a Bragg peak at the M -point of the high temperature Brillouin zone. It has previously been suggested that the softening of a transverse optic phonon at the Γ -point leads to the triggering of an instability at the M -point causing the transition to occur. This suggestion has been investigated by measuring the phonon spectrum at the M -point for a range of temperatures above TC and the phonon dispersion relation along the Γ-M direction just above TC . It is found that the transverse acoustic phonon at the M -point is of lower energy than the Γ -point optic mode and has a softening with temperature as T approaches TC from above that is much faster than that of the Γ -point optic mode. This behavior is inconsistent with the view that the Γ -point mode is responsible for triggering the phase transition. Rather the structural phase transition in benzil appears to be driven by a conventional soft TA mode at the M -point.

The effectiveness of dry-cupping in preventing post-operative nausea and vomiting by P6 acupoint stimulation: A randomized controlled trial.

PubMed

Farhadi, Khosro; Choubsaz, Mansour; Setayeshi, Khosro; Kameli, Mohammad; Bazargan-Hejazi, Shahrzad; Heidari Zadie, Zahra; Ahmadi, Alireza

2016-09-01

Postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) is a common complication after general anesthesia, and the prevalence ranges between 25% and 30%. The aim of this study was to determine the preventive effects of dry cupping on PONV by stimulating point P6 in the wrist. This was a randomized controlled trial conducted at the Imam Reza Hospital in Kermanshah, Iran. The final study sample included 206 patients (107 experimental and 99 controls). Inclusion criteria included the following: female sex; age>18 years; ASA Class I-II; type of surgery: laparoscopic cholecystectomy; type of anesthesia: general anesthesia. Exclusion criteria included: change in the type of surgery, that is, from laparoscopic cholecystectomy to laparotomy, and ASA-classification III or more. Interventions are as follows: pre surgery, before the induction of anesthesia, the experimental group received dry cupping on point P6 of the dominant hand's wrist with activation of intermittent negative pressure. The sham group received cupping without activation of negative pressure at the same point. Main outcome was that the visual analogue scale was used to measure the severity of PONV. The experimental group who received dry cupping had significantly lower levels of PONV severity after surgery (P < 0.001) than the control group. The differences in measure were maintained after controlling for age and ASA in regression models (P < 0.01). Traditional dry cupping delivered in an operation room setting prevented PONV in laparoscopic cholecystectomy patients.

The effectiveness of dry-cupping in preventing post-operative nausea and vomiting by P6 acupoint stimulation

PubMed Central

Farhadi, Khosro; Choubsaz, Mansour; Setayeshi, Khosro; Kameli, Mohammad; Bazargan-Hejazi, Shahrzad; Zadie, Zahra H.; Ahmadi, Alireza

2016-01-01

Abstract Background: Postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) is a common complication after general anesthesia, and the prevalence ranges between 25% and 30%. The aim of this study was to determine the preventive effects of dry cupping on PONV by stimulating point P6 in the wrist. Methods: This was a randomized controlled trial conducted at the Imam Reza Hospital in Kermanshah, Iran. The final study sample included 206 patients (107 experimental and 99 controls). Inclusion criteria included the following: female sex; age>18 years; ASA Class I-II; type of surgery: laparoscopic cholecystectomy; type of anesthesia: general anesthesia. Exclusion criteria included: change in the type of surgery, that is, from laparoscopic cholecystectomy to laparotomy, and ASA-classification III or more. Interventions are as follows: pre surgery, before the induction of anesthesia, the experimental group received dry cupping on point P6 of the dominant hand's wrist with activation of intermittent negative pressure. The sham group received cupping without activation of negative pressure at the same point. Main outcome was that the visual analogue scale was used to measure the severity of PONV. Results: The experimental group who received dry cupping had significantly lower levels of PONV severity after surgery (P < 0.001) than the control group. The differences in measure were maintained after controlling for age and ASA in regression models (P < 0.01). Conclusion: Traditional dry cupping delivered in an operation room setting prevented PONV in laparoscopic cholecystectomy patients. PMID:27661022

High-temperature kilning of southern pine poles, timbers, lumber, and thick veneer

Treesearch

Peter Koch

1973-01-01

At dry-bulb temperatures above the boiling point of water, with large wet-bulb depressions and high air velocities, southern pine prodcuts can be dried quickly. In an impingement-jet kiln at 300o F., veneer 3/8-inch to 5/8-inch thick can be brought to 10 percent moisture content in 40 to 75 minutes. Drying times for lumber arte linearly related...

Image-guided automatic triggering of a fractional CO2 laser in aesthetic procedures.

PubMed

Wilczyński, Sławomir; Koprowski, Robert; Wiernek, Barbara K; Błońska-Fajfrowska, Barbara

2016-09-01

Laser procedures in dermatology and aesthetic medicine are associated with the need for manual laser triggering. This leads to pulse overlapping and side effects. Automatic laser triggering based on image analysis can provide a secure fit to each successive doses of radiation. A fractional CO2 laser was used in the study. 500 images of the human skin of healthy subjects were acquired. Automatic triggering was initiated by an application together with a camera which tracks and analyses the skin in visible light. The tracking algorithm uses the methods of image analysis to overlap images. After locating the characteristic points in analysed adjacent areas, the correspondence of graphs is found. The point coordinates derived from the images are the vertices of graphs with respect to which isomorphism is sought. When the correspondence of graphs is found, it is possible to overlap the neighbouring parts of the image. The proposed method of laser triggering owing to the automatic image fitting method allows for 100% repeatability. To meet this requirement, there must be at least 13 graph vertices obtained from the image. For this number of vertices, the time of analysis of a single image is less than 0.5s. The proposed method, applied in practice, may help reduce the number of side effects during dermatological laser procedures resulting from laser pulse overlapping. In addition, it reduces treatment time and enables to propose new techniques of treatment through controlled, precise laser pulse overlapping. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

40 CFR 428.96 - Pretreatment standards for new sources.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS (CONTINUED) RUBBER MANUFACTURING POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Pan, Dry Digestion, and... this section and attributable to pan, dry digestion, and mechanical reclaimed rubber processes which are integrated with a wet digestion reclaimed rubber process, which may be discharged to a publicly...

40 CFR 428.96 - Pretreatment standards for new sources.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS (CONTINUED) RUBBER MANUFACTURING POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Pan, Dry Digestion, and... this section and attributable to pan, dry digestion, and mechanical reclaimed rubber processes which are integrated with a wet digestion reclaimed rubber process, which may be discharged to a publicly...

40 CFR 428.96 - Pretreatment standards for new sources.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS (CONTINUED) RUBBER MANUFACTURING POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Pan, Dry Digestion, and... this section and attributable to pan, dry digestion, and mechanical reclaimed rubber processes which are integrated with a wet digestion reclaimed rubber process, which may be discharged to a publicly...

A randomized, multicenter phase 3 study comparing 2% rebamipide (OPC-12759) with 0.1% sodium hyaluronate in the treatment of dry eye.

PubMed

Kinoshita, Shigeru; Oshiden, Kazuhide; Awamura, Saki; Suzuki, Hiroyuki; Nakamichi, Norihiro; Yokoi, Norihiko

2013-06-01

To investigate the efficacy of 2% rebamipide ophthalmic suspension compared with 0.1% sodium hyaluronate ophthalmic solution for the treatment of patients with dry eye. Randomized, multicenter, active-controlled parallel-group study. One hundred eighty-eight patients with dry eye. Following a 2-week screening period, patients were allocated randomly to receive 2% rebamipide or 0.1% sodium hyaluronate, administered as 1 drop in each eye 4 or 6 times daily, respectively, for 4 weeks. There were 2 primary end points: changes in the fluorescein corneal staining (FCS) score to determine noninferiority of 2% rebamipide and changes in the lissamine green conjunctival staining (LGCS) score to determine superiority. Secondary objective end points were Schirmer's test results and tear film breakup time (TBUT). Secondary subjective end points were dry eye-related ocular symptoms (foreign body sensation, dryness, photophobia, eye pain, and blurred vision) score and the patients' overall treatment impression score. In the primary analysis, the mean change from baseline in FCS scores verified noninferiority, indicated significant improvement, and, in LGCS scores, verified the superiority of 2% rebamipide to 0.1% sodium hyaluronate. Values for the Schirmer's test and TBUT were comparable between the 2 groups. For 2 dry eye-related ocular symptoms--foreign body sensation and eye pain--2% rebamipide showed significant improvements over 0.1% sodium hyaluronate. Patients had a significantly more favorable impression of 2% rebamipide than of 0.1% sodium hyaluronate; 64.5% rated treatment as improved or markedly improved versus 34.7%, respectively. No serious adverse events were observed. Administration of 2% rebamipide was effective in improving both the objective signs and subjective symptoms of dry eye. Those findings, in addition to the well-tolerated profile of 2% rebamipide, clearly show that it is an effective therapeutic method for dry eye. Proprietary or commercial disclosure may be found after the references. Copyright © 2013 American Academy of Ophthalmology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Scanning electron microscopic appearance of rat otocyst of the twelfth postcoital day: elaboration of a method.

PubMed

Marovitz, W F; Khan, K M

1977-01-01

A method for removal, fixation, microdissection, and drying of early rat otocyst for examination by the scanning electron microscope is elaborated. Tissues were dissected, fixed as for conventional transmission electron microscopy and dried by critical point evaporation using amylacetate as the transitional fluid and carbon dioxide as the pressure head. Otocysts were either dissected at the time of initial fixation, or subsequent to drying. The otocyst of the 12th postcoital day was used as a model system in this preliminary report. Critical point drying retained the overall configuration and the fine ultrastructural detail of the otocyst. The interior otocystic surface was visualized and cilia bearing cells of the luminal surface were identified. Most if not all of these cells had a comspicuous, but short kinocillum which terminated in an ovoid bulb. The scanning electron microscopic appearance was correlated to the transmission electron microscopic image seen in the second paper in this Supplement.

Efficacy of Several Therapeutic Agents in a Murine Model of Dry Eye Syndrome

PubMed Central

Kilic, Servet; Kulualp, Kadri

2016-01-01

In the current study, we used 56 female BALB/c mice with induced dry eye syndrome to evaluate the therapeutic effects of formal saline (FS), sodium hyaluronate (SH), diclofenac sodium (DS), olopatadine (OP), retinoic acid (RA), fluoromethanole (FML), cyclosporine A (CsA), and doxycycline hyclate (DH). All subjects were kept in an evaporative ‘dry eye cabinet’ for the assessment of blink rate, tear production, tear break-up time, and impression cytology prior to (baseline) and during weeks 2, 4, and 6 of the study. The right eyes of all subjects were treated topically with 5 µL of the test agent twice daily during weeks 2 through 6. Impression cytology and tear break-up time differed between time points in all groups and differed between groups at weeks 4 and 6. Blink rate differed by time point only in the FS, FML, and DH groups. Tear production according to the phenol red cotton thread test differed by time point for all groups except RA, CsA, and DH and differed between groups only at week 6. Among the compounds tested in the present study, DS and CsA were the most effective therapeutic agents in our mouse model of dry eye syndrome; these agents likely exert their therapeutic effect through their antiinflammatory activity. PMID:27053565

Improving understanding of trigger points and widespread pressure pain sensitivity in tension-type headache patients: clinical implications.

PubMed

Fernández-De-Las-Peñas, César; Arendt-Nielsen, Lars

2017-09-01

The underlying etiology of tension type headache (TTH) is not understood. The current paper highlights the etiologic role of muscle trigger points (TrPs) to the development and maintenance of central sensitization in TTH and its clinical repercussion for proper management of these patients. Areas covered: A literature search on Pub Med for English-language published papers between 1990 and May 2017 to provide the most updated data on the topic was conducted. Current literature suggests that the referred pain elicited by active trigger points (TrPs) contributes to the manifestations of TTH. There is also evidence supporting that TrPs represent a peripheral source of nociception and thereby a driver in the development of central sensitization. In fact, TrPs have been found to be associated with widespread pressure pain sensitivity in TTH. Temporal and spatial summation of TrP nociception suggests that inactivating TrP in the neck, head and shoulder muscles could help these patients; however, current evidence supporting the therapeutic role of TrPs in TTH is conflicting. Expert commentary: Understanding the role of TrPs in TTH in widespread pain sensitization may help to develop better management regimes and possibly prevent TTH from developing into more chronic conditions.

Oocyte-triggering day progesterone levels and endometrial appearance in normoresponders undergoing IVF/ICSI cycles: a hypothesis and a study protocol.

PubMed

Siristatidis, Charalampos; Drakopoulos, Panagiotis; Vogiatzi, Paraskevi; Karageorgiou, Vasilios; Daskalakis, George

2018-05-16

In this report, we propose a study protocol capable of improving IVF outcomes in subfertile women with expected normal ovarian response. This proposal derives from conflicting published data and observations in our daily practice, concerning the negative impact of progesterone (P4) elevation at the day of oocyte triggering on pregnancy outcomes. Our hypothesis points to the combination of two previous "suspects" of reduced success after assisted reproduction techniques (ART) - the endometrium ultrasonographic parameters and P4 elevation at the day of oocyte triggering on their impact on pregnancy outcomes. Up-to-the minute data show that, there is a different impact of elevated P4 in fresh, frozen and donor cycles, whereas there are plenty of reports pointing to a different endometrial gene expression on different P4 measurements. Gaps in the literature are linked with a variation of the measurements of P4, its cycle-to-cycle reproducibility, the different cut-off levels used, the impact of various protocols of ovarian stimulation and the limitations of systematic reviews originating from the initial studies. Our hypothesis states that the combination of P4 values and endometrial ultrasound parameters at the day of oocyte triggering can affect clinical pregnancy rates in normal responders undergoing ART.

An evaluation of the statistical significance of the association between northward turnings of the interplanetary magnetic field and substorm expansion onsets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hsu, Tung-Shin; McPherron, R. L.

2002-11-01

An outstanding problem in magnetospheric physics is deciding whether substorms are always triggered by external changes in the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) or solar wind plasma, or whether they sometimes occur spontaneously. Over the past decade, arguments have been made on both sides of this issue. In fact, there is considerable evidence that some substorms are triggered. However, equally persuasive examples of substorms with no obvious trigger have been found. Because of conflicting views on this subject, further work is required to determine whether there is a physical relation between IMF triggers and substorm onset. In the work reported here a list of substorm onsets was created using two independent substorm signatures: sudden changes in the slope of the AL index and the start of a Pi 2 pulsation burst. Possible IMF triggers were determined from ISEE-2 observations. With the ISEE spacecraft near local noon immediately upstream of the bow shock, there can be little question about propagation delay to the magnetopause or whether a particular IMF feature hits the subsolar magnetopause. Thus it eliminates the objections that the calculated arrival time is subject to a large error or that the solar wind monitor missed a potential trigger incident at the subsolar point. Using a less familiar technique, statistics of point process, we find that the time delay between substorm onsets and the propagated arrival time of IMF triggers are clustered around zero. We estimate for independent processes that the probability of this clustering by chance alone is about 10-11. If we take into account the requirement that the IMF must have been southward prior to the onset, then the probability of clustering is higher, ˜10-5, but still extremely unlikely. Thus it is not possible to ascribe the apparent relation between IMF northward turnings and substorm onset to coincidence.

A New Perspective of Neuromyopathy to Explain Intractable Pancreatic Cancer Pains; Dry Needling as an Effective Adjunct to Neurolytic Blocks

PubMed Central

Vas, Lakshmi; Phanse, Sushama; Pai, Renuka

2016-01-01

We present a new perspective of neuromyopathy in pancreatic cancer pain (PCP) referral to bodywall; proposal of new rationale to include ultrasound guided dry needling (USGDN) of body wall muscles as an effective adjunct to neurolytic coeliac plexus block (NCPB) or splanchnic nerve radiofrequency ablation (SRF) for comprehensive interventional management. Methods: PCP response to SRF in 2 patients and NCPB in 3 patients was documented on numerical rating scale (NRS) on post procedure days 3 and 15. If the residual pain was >5 NRS on day 15, USGDN of abdominal and back muscles was started on a thrice weekly basis. The response to USGDN documented on day 30 after approximately 6 sessions of DN, showed a significant pain reduction (0-2 NRS) with 50% reduction of pre-treatment opioid consumption. This was sustained at 6 months or till their demise. Convergence of visceral and somatic nerves at the dorsal horn (viscerosomatic neurons) causes referral of visceral pain to the back and abdominal muscles. This leads to formation of myofascial trigger points (MTrPs) in the muscles which sets up a parallel network of sensitized peripheral and central motor nociceptive processing (neuromyopathy). USGDN specifically addressed the MTrPs that develop as an epiphenomenon of self-perpetuating neuromyopathy while SRF/NCPB, analgesics and neuromodulators could address only visceral nociceptive afferents (pain mediated through celiac plexus) which forms a meagre 10% of the total spinal cord afferent input. Thus, we conclude that combination of neuromyopathy and viscerosomatic convergence in PCP indicate a specific role for DN as an adjunct to SRF/NCPB in our patients PMID:26962286

Dry needling in a manual physiotherapy and therapeutic exercise protocol for patients with chronic mechanical shoulder pain of unspecific origin: a protocol for a randomized control trial.

PubMed

Tejera-Falcón, Emma; Toledo-Martel, Nuria Del Carmen; Sosa-Medina, Francisco Manuel; Santana-González, Fátima; Quintana-de la Fe, Miriam Del Pino; Gallego-Izquierdo, Tomás; Pecos-Martín, Daniel

2017-09-18

Shoulder pain of musculoskeletal origin is the main cause of upper limb pain of non-traumatic origin. Despite being one of the most common reasons for consultation, there is no established protocol for treatment due to the complexity of its etiology. However, it has been shown that the presence of myofascial trigger points on the shoulder muscles is a common condition associated with patients suffering from shoulder pain. This protocol has been created which describes the design of a randomized controlled trial to evaluate the effectiveness of the inclusion of dry needling (DN) within a protocol of manual physiotherapy and therapeutic exercise in the treatment of chronic shoulder pain of unspecific origin. Thirty-six participants aged 18-65 years will be recruited having mechanical chronic shoulder pain on unspecific origin and meeting the inclusion criteria. These will be randomized to one of two interventions, (i) DN, manual physiotherapy and therapeutic exercise or (ii) sham DN, manual physiotherapy and therapeutic exercise. The protocol will cover 6 weeks of treatment, with a 6-month follow-up. Our main outcome measure will be the Visual Analogue Scale for pain. This is the first study to combine the use of DN, manual physiotherapy and an exercise program with a 6-month follow-up, thus becoming a new contribution to the treatment of chronic shoulder pain, while new lines of research may be established to help determine the effects of DN on chronic shoulder pain and the frequency and proper dosage. International Standard Randomized Controlled Trial Number Register: ISRCTN30604244 ( http://www.controlled-trials.com ) 29 June 2016.

5. Aerial view (altitude 5,000 ft.) looking southeast showing Dry ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

5. Aerial view (altitude 5,000 ft.) looking southeast showing Dry Dock No. 4. completed (top center). Note major expansion of land mass to south of Dry Dock No. 4 resulting from placement of excavated soils and rock prior to and during construction (8/3/43). Photographer: Mr. Rudnick, PHoM 2/C. - Hunters Point Naval Shipyard, Drydock No. 4, East terminus of Palou Avenue, San Francisco, San Francisco County, CA

Development towards compact nitrocellulose interferometric biochips for dry eye diagnosis based on MMP9, S100A6 and CST4 biomarkers using a Point-of-Care device

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Santamaría, Beatriz; Laguna, María. Fe; López-Romero, David; López-Hernandez, A.; Sanza, F. J.; Lavín, A.; Casquel, R.; Maigler, M.; Holgado, M.

2018-02-01

A novel compact optical biochip based on a thin layer-sensing BICELL surface of nitrocellulose is used for in-situ labelfree detection of dry eye disease (DED). In this work the development of a compact biosensor that allows obtaining quantitative diagnosis with a limited volume of sample is reported. The designed sensors can be analyzed with an optical integrated Point-of-Care read-out system based on the "Increase Relative Optical Power" principle which enhances the performance and Limit of Detection. Several proteins involved with dry eye dysfunction have been validated as biomarkers. Presented biochip analyzes three of those biomarkers: MMP9, S100A6 and CST4. BICELLs based on nitrocellulose permit to immobilize antibodies for each biomarker recognition. The optical response obtained from the biosensor through the readout platform is capable to recognize specifically the desired proteins in the concentrations range for control eye (CE) and dry eye syndrome (DES). Preliminary results obtained will allow the development of a dry eye detection device useful in the area of ophthalmology and applicable to other possible diseases related to the eye dysfunction.

The Advanced Gamma-ray Imaging System (AGIS): A Nanosecond Time Scale Stereoscopic Array Trigger System.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krennrich, Frank; Buckley, J.; Byrum, K.; Dawson, J.; Drake, G.; Horan, D.; Krawzcynski, H.; Schroedter, M.

2008-04-01

Imaging atmospheric Cherenkov telescope arrays (VERITAS, HESS) have shown unprecedented background suppression capabilities for reducing cosmic-ray induced air showers, muons and night sky background fluctuations. Next-generation arrays with on the order of 100 telescopes offer larger collection areas, provide the possibility to see the air shower from more view points on the ground, have the potential to improve the sensitivity and give additional background suppression. Here we discuss the design of a fast array trigger system that has the potential to perform a real time image analysis allowing substantially improved background rate suppression at the trigger level.

Meteorological variables associated with deep slab avalanches on persistent weak layers

USGS Publications Warehouse

Marienthal, Alex; Hendrikx, Jordy; Birkeland, Karl; Irvine, Kathryn M.

2014-01-01

Deep slab avalanches are a particularly challenging avalanche forecasting problem. These avalanches are typically difficult to trigger, yet when they are triggered they tend to propagate far and result in large and destructive avalanches. For this work we define deep slab avalanches as those that fail on persistent weak layers deeper than 0.9m (3 feet), and that occur after February 1st. We utilized a 44-year record of avalanche control and meteorological data from Bridger Bowl Ski Area to test the usefulness of meteorological variables for predicting deep slab avalanches. As in previous studies, we used data from the days preceding deep slab cycles, but we also considered meteorological metrics over the early months of the season. We utilized classification trees for our analyses. Our results showed warmer temperatures in the prior twenty-four hours and more loading over the seven days before days with deep slab avalanches on persistent weak layers. In line with previous research, extended periods of above freezing temperatures led to days with deep wet slab avalanches on persistent weak layers. Seasons with either dry or wet avalanches on deep persistent weak layers typically had drier early months, and often had some significant snow depth prior to those dry months. This paper provides insights for ski patrollers, guides, and avalanche forecasters who struggle to forecast deep slab avalanches on persistent weak layers late in the season.

Water level fluctuations in a tropical reservoir: the impact of sediment drying, aquatic macrophyte dieback, and oxygen availability on phosphorus mobilization.

PubMed

Keitel, Jonas; Zak, Dominik; Hupfer, Michael

2016-04-01

Reservoirs in semi-arid areas are subject to water level fluctuations (WLF) that alter biogeochemical processes in the sediment. We hypothesized that wet-dry cycles may cause internal eutrophication in such systems when they affect densely vegetated shallow areas. To assess the impact of WLF on phosphorus (P) mobilization and benthic P cycling of iron-rich sediments, we tested the effects of (i) sediment drying and rewetting, (ii) the impact of organic matter availability in the form of dried Brazilian Waterweed (Egeria densa), and (iii) alternating redox conditions in the surface water. In principle, drying led to increased P release after rewetting both in plant-free and in plant-amended sediments. Highest P mobilization was recorded in plant amendments under oxygen-free conditions. After re-establishment of aerobic conditions, P concentrations in surface water decreased substantially owing to P retention by sediments. In desiccated and re-inundated sediments, P retention decreased by up to 30% compared to constantly inundated sediments. We showed that WLF may trigger biochemical interactions conducive to anaerobic P release. Thereby, E. densa showed high P release and even P uptake that was redox-controlled and superimposed sedimentary P cycling. Macrophytes play an important role in the uptake of P from the water but may be also a significant source of P in wet-dry cycles. We estimated a potential for the abrupt release of soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP) by E. densa of 0.09-0.13 g SRP per m(2) after each wet-dry cycle. Released SRP may exceed critical P limits for eutrophication, provoking usage restrictions. Our results have implications for management of reservoirs in semi-arid regions affected by WLF.

On the controls of daytime precipitation in the Amazonian dry season

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

Ghate, Virendra P.; Kollias, Pavlos

The Amazon plays an important role in the global energy and hydrological budgets. The precipitation during the dry season (June–September) plays a critical role in maintaining the extent of the rain forest. The deployment of the first Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Mobile Facility (AMF-1) in the context of the Green Ocean Amazon (GOAmazon) field campaign at Manacapuru, Brazil, provided comprehensive measurements of surface, cloud, precipitation, radiation, and thermodynamic properties for two complete dry seasons (2014 and 2015). The precipitation events occurring during the nighttime were associated with propagating storm systems (nonlocal effects), while the daytime precipitation events were primarily amore » result of local land–atmosphere interactions. During the two dry seasons, precipitation was recorded at the surface on 106 days (43%) from 158 rain events with 82 daytime precipitation events occurring on 64 days (60.37%). Detailed comparisons between the diurnal cycles of surface and profile properties between days with and without daytime precipitation suggested the increased moisture at low and midlevels to be responsible for lowering the lifting condensation level, reducing convective inhibition and entrainment, and thus triggering the transition from shallow to deep convection. Although the monthly accumulated rainfall decreased during the progression of the dry season, the contribution of daytime precipitation to it increased, suggesting the decrease to be mainly due to reduction in propagating squall lines. Lastly, the control of daytime precipitation during the dry season on large-scale moisture advection above the boundary layer and the total rainfall on propagating squall lines suggests that coarse-resolution models should be able to accurately simulate the dry season precipitation over the Amazon basin.« less

On the controls of daytime precipitation in the Amazonian dry season

DOE PAGES

Ghate, Virendra P.; Kollias, Pavlos

2016-12-16

The Amazon plays an important role in the global energy and hydrological budgets. The precipitation during the dry season (June–September) plays a critical role in maintaining the extent of the rain forest. The deployment of the first Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Mobile Facility (AMF-1) in the context of the Green Ocean Amazon (GOAmazon) field campaign at Manacapuru, Brazil, provided comprehensive measurements of surface, cloud, precipitation, radiation, and thermodynamic properties for two complete dry seasons (2014 and 2015). The precipitation events occurring during the nighttime were associated with propagating storm systems (nonlocal effects), while the daytime precipitation events were primarily amore » result of local land–atmosphere interactions. During the two dry seasons, precipitation was recorded at the surface on 106 days (43%) from 158 rain events with 82 daytime precipitation events occurring on 64 days (60.37%). Detailed comparisons between the diurnal cycles of surface and profile properties between days with and without daytime precipitation suggested the increased moisture at low and midlevels to be responsible for lowering the lifting condensation level, reducing convective inhibition and entrainment, and thus triggering the transition from shallow to deep convection. Although the monthly accumulated rainfall decreased during the progression of the dry season, the contribution of daytime precipitation to it increased, suggesting the decrease to be mainly due to reduction in propagating squall lines. Lastly, the control of daytime precipitation during the dry season on large-scale moisture advection above the boundary layer and the total rainfall on propagating squall lines suggests that coarse-resolution models should be able to accurately simulate the dry season precipitation over the Amazon basin.« less

Variation of Farmer Stock Grade Factors in Semi-Drying Trailers

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Peanuts are increasingly being loaded into flat bottom semi-drying trailers in the field and transported to peanut buying points for curing, grading, and marketing. Conveyances in excess of 15 t are probed 15 times using the pneumatic sampler requiring considerable time for probing and reducing the...

38. Y&D Drawing 216455 (1942), 'Dry Dock 4 General Arrangement ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

38. Y&D Drawing 216455 (1942), 'Dry Dock 4 General Arrangement Sections F-F, G-G, H-H, I-I'; sectional views through pump room, flooding and dewatering chambers. - Hunters Point Naval Shipyard, Drydock No. 4, East terminus of Palou Avenue, San Francisco, San Francisco County, CA

Drying and control of moisture content and dimensional changes

Treesearch

Richard Bergman

2010-01-01

The discussion in this chapter is concerned with moisture content determination, recommended moisture content values, drying methods, methods of calculating dimensional changes, design factors affecting such changes in structures, and moisture content control during transit, storage, and construction. Data on green moisture content, fiber saturation point, shrinkage,...

Chemical composition, antioxidant capacity, and sensory quality of dried jujube fruits as affected by cultivar and drying method.

PubMed

Wojdyło, Aneta; Figiel, Adam; Legua, Pilar; Lech, Krzysztof; Carbonell-Barrachina, Ángel A; Hernández, Francisca

2016-09-15

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of different dying methods, such as convective drying (CD: 50, 60, 70 °C), vacuum-microwave drying (VMD: 120, 480, 480-120 W), a combination of convective pre-drying and vacuum-microwave finish drying [(CPD (60 °C)-VMFD (480-120 W)], and freeze-drying (FD) on key quality parameters of dried jujube fruits (cv. "GAL", "MSI", and "PSI"). The parameters studied included bioactive compounds (flavan-3-ols and flavonols, identified by LC-PDA-MS, and vitamin C), antioxidant capacity (ABTS and FRAP), and sensory attributes (e.g. hardness, jujube-ID, and sweetness). The best quality of the dried product (high contents of bioactive compounds and high intensity of key sensory attributes) was found in fruits treated by FD and VMD 480-120 W. The best cultivars were "PSI" and "GAL" from the point of view of bioactive content and sensory quality, respectively. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Organization of the Tropical Convective Cloud Population by Humidity and the Critical Transition to Heavy Precipitation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Igel, M.

2015-12-01

The tropical atmosphere exhibits an abrupt statistical switch between non-raining and heavily raining states as column moisture increases across a wide range of length scales. Deep convection occurs at values of column humidity above the transition point and induces drying of moist columns. With a 1km resolution, large domain cloud resolving model run in RCE, what will be made clear here for the first time is how the entire tropical convective cloud population is affected by and feeds back to the pickup in heavy precipitation. Shallow convection can act to dry the low levels through weak precipitation or vertical redistribution of moisture, or to moisten toward a transition to deep convection. It is shown that not only can deep convection dehydrate the entire column, it can also dry just the lower layer through intense rain. In the latter case, deep stratiform cloud then forms to dry the upper layer through rain with anomalously high rates for its value of column humidity until both the total column moisture falls below the critical transition point and the upper levels are cloud free. Thus, all major tropical cloud types are shown to respond strongly to the same critical phase-transition point. This mutual response represents a potentially strong organizational mechanism for convection, and the frequency of and logical rules determining physical evolutions between these convective regimes will be discussed. The precise value of the point in total column moisture at which the transition to heavy precipitation occurs is shown to result from two independent thresholds in lower-layer and upper-layer integrated humidity.

Compact dry chemistry instruments.

PubMed

Terashima, K; Tatsumi, N

1999-01-01

Compact dry chemistry instruments are designed for use in point-of-care-testing (POCT). These instruments have a number of advantages, including light weight, compactness, ease of operation, and the ability to provide accurate results in a short time with a very small sample volume. On the other hand, reagent costs are high compared to liquid method. Moreover, differences in accuracy have been found between dry chemistry and the liquid method in external quality assessment scheme. This report examines reagent costs and shows how the total running costs associated with dry chemistry are actually lower than those associated with the liquid method. This report also describes methods for minimizing differences in accuracy between dry chemistry and the liquid method. Use of these measures is expected to increase the effectiveness of compact dry chemistry instruments in POCT applications.

Sensitive detection of point mutation using exponential strand displacement amplification-based surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy.

PubMed

Huang, Si-Qiang; Hu, Juan; Zhu, Guichi; Zhang, Chun-Yang

2015-03-15

Accurate identification of point mutation is particularly imperative in the field of biomedical research and clinical diagnosis. Here, we develop a sensitive and specific method for point mutation assay using exponential strand displacement amplification (SDA)-based surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS). In this method, a discriminating probe and a hairpin probe are designed to specifically recognize the sequence of human K-ras gene. In the presence of K-ras mutant target (C→T), the 3'-terminal of discriminating probe and the 5'-terminal of hairpin probe can be ligated to form a SDA template. Subsequently, the 3'-terminal of hairpin probe can function as a primer to initiate the SDA reaction, producing a large amount of triggers. The resultant triggers can further hybridize with the discriminating probes to initiate new rounds of SDA reaction, leading to an exponential amplification reaction. With the addition of capture probe-modified gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) and the Rox-labeled reporter probes, the amplified triggers can be assembled on the surface of AuNPs through the formation of sandwich hybrids of capture probe-trigger-reporter probe, generating a strong Raman signal. While in the presence of K-ras wild-type target (C), neither ligation nor SDA reaction can be initiated and no Raman signal is observed. The proposed method exhibits high sensitivity with a detection limit of 1.4pM and can accurately discriminate as low as 1% variant frequency from the mixture of mutant target and wild-type target. Importantly, this method can be further applied to analyze the mutant target in the spiked HEK293T cell lysate, holding great potential for genetic analysis and disease prognosis. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The Structural Phase Transition in Deuterated Benzil, C 14D 10O 2

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

Goosens, D. J.; Welberry, T. R.; Hagen, Mark E

2006-01-01

Neutron inelastic scattering has been used to examine the structural phase transition in deuterated benzil C{sub 14}D{sub 10}O{sub 2}. The transition in benzil, in which the unit cell goes from a trigonal P3{sub 1}21 unit cell above T{sub c} to a cell doubled P2{sub 1} unit cell below T{sub c}, leads to the emergence of a Bragg peak at the M-point of the high temperature Brillouin zone. It has previously been suggested that the softening of a transverse optic phonon at the {lambda}-point leads to the triggering of an instability at the M-point causing the transition to occur. This suggestionmore » has been investigated by measuring the phonon spectrum at the M-point for a range of temperatures above T{sub c} and the phonon dispersion relation along the {lambda}-M direction just above T{sub c}. It is found that the transverse acoustic phonon at the M-point is of lower energy than the {lambda}-point optic mode and has a softening with temperature as T approaches T{sub c} from above that is much faster than that of the {lambda}-point optic mode. This behavior is inconsistent with the view that the {lambda}-point mode is responsible for triggering the phase transition. Rather the structural phase transition in benzil appears to be driven by a conventional soft TA mode at the M-point.« less

Structural phase transition in deuterated benzil C{sub 14}D{sub 10}O{sub 2}: Neutron inelastic scattering

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

Goossens, D. J.; Welberry, T. R.; Hagen, M. E.

2006-04-01

Neutron inelastic scattering has been used to examine the structural phase transition in deuterated benzil C{sub 14}D{sub 10}O{sub 2}. The transition in benzil, in which the unit cell goes from a trigonal P3{sub 1}21 unit cell above T{sub C} to a cell doubled P2{sub 1} unit cell below T{sub C}, leads to the emergence of a Bragg peak at the M-point of the high temperature Brillouin zone. It has previously been suggested that the softening of a transverse optic phonon at the {gamma}-point leads to the triggering of an instability at the M-point causing the transition to occur. This suggestionmore » has been investigated by measuring the phonon spectrum at the M-point for a range of temperatures above T{sub C} and the phonon dispersion relation along the {gamma}-M direction just above T{sub C}. It is found that the transverse acoustic phonon at the M-point is of lower energy than the {gamma}-point optic mode and has a softening with temperature as T approaches T{sub C} from above that is much faster than that of the {gamma}-point optic mode. This behavior is inconsistent with the view that the {gamma}-point mode is responsible for triggering the phase transition. Rather the structural phase transition in benzil appears to be driven by a conventional soft TA mode at the M-point.« less

Triggering Mechanism for Neutron Induced Single-Event Burnout in Power Devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shoji, Tomoyuki; Nishida, Shuichi; Hamada, Kimimori

2013-04-01

Cosmic ray neutrons can trigger catastrophic failures in power devices. It has been reported that parasitic transistor action causes single-event burnout (SEB) in power metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs) and insulated gate bipolar transistors (IGBTs). However, power diodes do not have an inherent parasitic transistor. In this paper, we describe the mechanism triggering SEB in power diodes for the first time using transient device simulation. Initially, generated electron-hole pairs created by incident recoil ions generate transient current, which increases the electron density in the vicinity of the n-/n+ boundary. The space charge effect of the carriers leads to an increase in the strength of the electric field at the n-/n+ boundary. Finally, the onset of impact ionization at the n-/n+ boundary can trigger SEB. Furthermore, this failure is closely related to diode secondary breakdown. It was clarified that the impact ionization at the n-/n+ boundary is a key point of the mechanism triggering SEB in power devices.

Convergent and Divergent Signaling in PAMP-Triggered Immunity and Effector-Triggered Immunity.

PubMed

Peng, Yujun; van Wersch, Rowan; Zhang, Yuelin

2018-04-01

Plants use diverse immune receptors to sense pathogen attacks. Recognition of pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) by pattern recognition receptors localized on the plasma membrane leads to PAMP-triggered immunity (PTI). Detection of pathogen effectors by intracellular or plasma membrane-localized immune receptors results in effector-triggered immunity (ETI). Despite the large variations in the magnitude and duration of immune responses triggered by different PAMPs or pathogen effectors during PTI and ETI, plasma membrane-localized immune receptors activate similar downstream molecular events such as mitogen-activated protein kinase activation, oxidative burst, ion influx, and increased biosynthesis of plant defense hormones, indicating that defense signals initiated at the plasma membrane converge at later points. On the other hand, activation of ETI by immune receptors localized to the nucleus appears to be more directly associated with transcriptional regulation of defense gene expression. Here, we review recent progress in signal transductions downstream of different groups of plant immune receptors, highlighting the converging and diverging molecular events.

Model-Based Adaptive Event-Triggered Control of Strict-Feedback Nonlinear Systems.

PubMed

Li, Yuan-Xin; Yang, Guang-Hong

2018-04-01

This paper is concerned with the adaptive event-triggered control problem of nonlinear continuous-time systems in strict-feedback form. By using the event-sampled neural network (NN) to approximate the unknown nonlinear function, an adaptive model and an associated event-triggered controller are designed by exploiting the backstepping method. In the proposed method, the feedback signals and the NN weights are aperiodically updated only when the event-triggered condition is violated. A positive lower bound on the minimum intersample time is guaranteed to avoid accumulation point. The closed-loop stability of the resulting nonlinear impulsive dynamical system is rigorously proved via Lyapunov analysis under an adaptive event sampling condition. In comparing with the traditional adaptive backstepping design with a fixed sample period, the event-triggered method samples the state and updates the NN weights only when it is necessary. Therefore, the number of transmissions can be significantly reduced. Finally, two simulation examples are presented to show the effectiveness of the proposed control method.

Environmental drivers on leaf phenology of ironstone outcrops species under seasonal climate.

PubMed

Garcia, Letícia C; Barros, Fernanda V; Lemos-Filho, José P

2017-01-01

Banded iron formations (BIF) have a particular vegetation type and provide a good model system for testing theories related to leaf phenology, due to unique stressful environmental conditions. As a consequence of the stressful conditions of BIF environment, we hypothesize that most species would retain at least some significant canopy cover, even at the end of the dry season, independently of growth form - trees, shrubs, and sub-shrubs. Considering the strong seasonality, we also hypothesize that photoperiod and rainfall act as triggers for leaf fall and leaf flushing in these environments. The majority of the fifteen studied species had a semi-deciduous behavior and shed their leaves mainly during the dry season, with a recovery at the end of this season. In general, leaf flushing increased around the spring equinox (end of the dry season and start of the rainy season). A trade-off between leaf loss and leaf maintenance is expected in a community in which most plants are naturally selected to be semi-deciduous. Our results suggest photoperiod as a dominant factor in predicting leaf phenology.

[Hyperosmolarity: Intracellular effects and implication in dry eye disease].

PubMed

Warcoin, E; Clouzeau, C; Brignole-Baudouin, F; Baudouin, C

2016-09-01

Dry eye disease is a multifactorial disease affecting the lacrimal functional unit and which has a significant impact on the quality of life of patients. This pathology works as a vicious circle at the ocular surface in which hyperosmolarity of the tear film plays a key role. This review intends to describe the different reported intracellular effects induced by hyperosmolarity in cells: alteration of cytoskeleton, cell cycle slowdown, adaptation mechanisms triggered as restoration of cell volume and accumulation of compatible osmolytes, the crucial role of the osmoprotectant factor Nuclear Factor of the Activated T cells-5 (NFAT5), apoptosis, as well as oxidative stress and inflammatory responses caused by this particular condition. Reported effects of hyperosmolarity in the experimental studies specific of dry eye disease concerning ocular surface cells will be described in parallel. Indeed, these data allow to understand a part of the pathophysiology of the disease, and specially the links between tear hyperosmolarity and inflammation of the ocular surface, the second key of the pathology phenomenon. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Hydration and dehydration cycles in polymer electrolyte fuel cells operated with wet anode and dry cathode feed: A neutron imaging and modeling study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

García-Salaberri, P. A.; Sánchez, D. G.; Boillat, P.; Vera, M.; Friedrich, K. A.

2017-08-01

Proper water management plays an essential role in the performance and durability of Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cells (PEFCs), but it is challenged by the variety of water transport phenomena that take place in these devices. Previous experimental work has shown the existence of fluctuations between low and high current density levels in PEFCs operated with wet hydrogen and dry air feed. The alternation between both performance states is accompanied by strong changes in the high frequency resistance, suggesting a cyclic hydration and dehydration of the membrane. This peculiar scenario is examined here considering liquid water distributions from neutron imaging and predictions from a 3D two-phase non-isothermal model. The results show that the hydration-dehydration cycles are triggered by the periodic condensation and shedding of liquid water at the anode inlet. The input of liquid water humidifies the anode channel and offsets the membrane dry-out induced by the dry air stream, thus leading to the high-performance state. When liquid water is flushed out of the anode channel, the dehydration process takes over, and the cell comes back to the low-performance state. The predicted amplitude of the current oscillations grows with decreasing hydrogen and increasing air flow rates, in agreement with previous experimental data.

Implementation of a process analytical technology system in a freeze-drying process using Raman spectroscopy for in-line process monitoring.

PubMed

De Beer, T R M; Allesø, M; Goethals, F; Coppens, A; Heyden, Y Vander; De Diego, H Lopez; Rantanen, J; Verpoort, F; Vervaet, C; Remon, J P; Baeyens, W R G

2007-11-01

The aim of the present study was to propose a strategy for the implementation of a Process Analytical Technology system in freeze-drying processes. Mannitol solutions, some of them supplied with NaCl, were used as models to freeze-dry. Noninvasive and in-line Raman measurements were continuously performed during lyophilization of the solutions to monitor real time the mannitol solid state, the end points of the different process steps (freezing, primary drying, secondary drying), and physical phenomena occurring during the process. At-line near-infrared (NIR) and X-ray powder diffractometry (XRPD) measurements were done to confirm the Raman conclusions and to find out additional information. The collected spectra during the processes were analyzed using principal component analysis and multivariate curve resolution. A two-level full factorial design was used to study the significant influence of process (freezing rate) and formulation variables (concentration of mannitol, concentration of NaCl, volume of freeze-dried sample) upon freeze-drying. Raman spectroscopy was able to monitor (i) the mannitol solid state (amorphous, alpha, beta, delta, and hemihydrate), (ii) several process step end points (end of mannitol crystallization during freezing, primary drying), and (iii) physical phenomena occurring during freeze-drying (onset of ice nucleation, onset of mannitol crystallization during the freezing step, onset of ice sublimation). NIR proved to be a more sensitive tool to monitor sublimation than Raman spectroscopy, while XRPD helped to unravel the mannitol hemihydrate in the samples. The experimental design results showed that several process and formulation variables significantly influence different aspects of lyophilization and that both are interrelated. Raman spectroscopy (in-line) and NIR spectroscopy and XRPD (at-line) not only allowed the real-time monitoring of mannitol freeze-drying processes but also helped (in combination with experimental design) us to understand the process.

Unique concurrent observations of whistler mode hiss, chorus, and triggered emissions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hosseini, Poorya; Gołkowski, Mark; Turner, Drew L.

2017-06-01

We present a unique 2 h ground-based observation of concurrent magnetospheric hiss, chorus, VLF triggered emissions as well as ELF/VLF signals generated locally by the High Frequency Active Auroral Research Program (HAARP) facility. Eccentricity of observed wave polarization is used as a criteria to identify magnetospheric emissions and estimate their ionospheric exit points. The observations of hiss and chorus in the unique background of coherent HAARP ELF/VLF waves and triggered emissions allow for more accurate characterization of hiss and chorus properties than in typical ground-based observations. Eccentricity and azimuth results suggest a moving ionospheric exit point associated with a single ducted path at L 5. The emissions exhibit dynamics in time suggesting an evolution of a magnetospheric source from hiss generation to chorus generation or a moving plasmapause location. We introduce a frequency band-limited autocorrelation method to quantify the relative coherency of the emissions. A range of coherency was observed from high order of coherency in local HAARP transmissions and their echoes to lower coherency in natural chorus and hiss emissions.

SU-E-J-141: Assessment of the Magnitude and Impact of Trigger Delay in Respiratory Triggered Real-Time Imaging during Radiotherapy.

PubMed

Duan, J; Shen, S; Popple, R; Wu, X; Cardan, R; Brezovich, I

2012-06-01

To assess the trigger delay in respiratory triggered real-time imaging and its impact on image guided radiotherapy (IGRT) with Varian TrueBeam System. A sinusoidal motion phantom with 2cm motion amplitude was used. The trigger delay was determined directly with video image, and indirectly by the distance between expected and actual triggering phantom positions. For the direct method, a fluorescent screen was placed on the phantom to visualize the x-ray. The motion of the screen was recorded at 60 frames/second. The number of frames between the time when the phantom reached expected triggering position and the time when the screen was illuminated by the x-ray was used to determine the trigger delay. In the indirect method, triggered kV x-ray images were acquired in real-time during 'treatment' with triggers set at 25% and 75% respiratory phases where the phantom moved at the maximum speed. 39-40 triggered images were acquired continuously in each series. The distance between the expected and actual triggering points, d, was measured on the images to determine the delay time t by d=Asin(wt), where w=2π/T, T=period and A=amplitude. Motion periods of 2s and 4s were used in the measurement. The trigger delay time determined with direct video imaging was 125ms (7.5 video frames). The average distance between the expected and actual triggering positions determined by the indirect method was 3.93±0.74mm for T=4s and 7.02±1.25mm for T=2s, yielding mean trigger delay times of 126±24ms and 120±22ms, respectively. Although the mean over-travel distance is significant at 25% and 75% phases, clinically, the target over-travel resulted from the trigger delay at the end of expiration (50% phase) is negligibly small(< 0.5mm). The trigger delay in respiration-triggered imaging is in the range of 120-126ms. This delay has negligible clinical effect on gated IGRT. © 2012 American Association of Physicists in Medicine.

Calibration of Relative Humidity Devices in Low-pressure, Low-temperature CO2 Environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Genzer, Maria; Polkko, Jouni; Nikkanen, Timo; Hieta, Maria; Harri, Ari-Matti

2017-04-01

Calibration of relative humidity devices requires in minimum two humidity points - dry (0%RH) and (near)saturation (95-100%RH) - over the expected operational temperature and pressure range of the device. In terrestrial applications these are relatively easy to achieve using for example N2 gas as dry medium, and water vapor saturation chambers for producing saturation and intermediate humidity points. But for example in applications intended for meteorological measurements on Mars there is a need to achieve at least dry and saturation points in low-temperature, low-pressure CO2 environment. We have developed a custom-made, small, relatively low-cost calibration chamber able to produce both dry points and saturation points in Martian range pressure CO2, in temperatures down to -70°C. The system utilizes a commercially available temperature chamber for temperature control, vacuum vessels and pumps. The main pressure vessel with the devices under test inside is placed inside the temperature chamber, and the pressure inside is controlled by pumps and manual valves and monitored with a commercial pressure reference with calibration traceable to national standards. Air, CO2, or if needed another gas like N2, is used for filling the vessel until the desired pressure is achieved. Another pressure vessel with a dedicated pressure pump is used as the saturation chamber. This vessel is placed in the room outside the temperature chamber, partly filled with water and used for achieving saturated water vapor in room-temperature low-pressure environment. The saturation chamber is connected to the main pressure vessel via valves. In this system dry point, low-pressure CO2 environment is achieved by filling the main pressure vessel with dry CO2 gas until the desired pressure is achieved. A constant flow of gas is maintained with the pump and valves and monitored with the pressure reference. The saturation point is then achieved by adding some water vapor from the saturation chamber to the main pressure vessel. The amount of water vapor added is also monitored with the pressure reference. For example in -70°C, very small absolute amount of water vapor corresponding to 1 Pa [1][2] pressure rise in the main chamber results in humidity saturation. As the flow of both CO2 and water vapor is kept constant, the main chamber is served with water vapor all the time, keeping the uniform saturation conditions inside the vessel even if some of the water freezes on the vessel and pipe walls. [1] Goff, J. A., and S. Gratch (1946) Low-pressure properties of water from -160 to 212 °F, Transactions of the American Society of Heating and Ventilating Engineers [2] Goff, J. A. (1957) Saturation pressure of water on the new Kelvin temperature scale, Transactions of the American Society of Heating and Ventilating Engineers

Soil-plant-atmosphere ammonia exchange associated with calluna vulgaris and deschampsia flexuosa

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schjoerring, Jan K.; Husted, Søren; Poulsen, Mette M.

Ammonia fluxes and compensation points at atmospheric NH 3 concentrations corresponding to those occurring under natural growth conditions (0-26 nmol NH 3 mol air -1) were measured for canopies of two species native to heathland in N.W. Europe, viz. Calluna vulgaris (L.) Hull and Deschampsia flexuosa (L.) Trin. The NH 3 compensation point in 2 yr-old C. vulgaris plants, in which current year's shoots had just started growing, was below the detection limit (0.1 nmol mol -1 at 8°C). Fifty days later, when current year's shoots were elongating and flowers developed, the NH 3 compensation point was approximately 6±2.0 nmol mol -1 at 22°C (0.8±0.3 nmol mol -1 at 8°C). The plants in which the shoot tips had just started growing were characterized by a low N concentration in the shoot dry matter (5.8 mg N g -1 shoot dry weight) and a low photosynthetic CO 2 assimilation compared to the flowering plants in which the average dry matter N concentration in old shoots and woody stems was 7.4 and in new shoots 9.5 mg N g -1 shoot dry weight. Plant-atmosphere NH 3 fluxes in C. vulgaris responded approximately linearly to changes in the atmospheric NH 3 concentration. The maximum net absorption rate at 26 nmol NH 3 mol -1 air was 12 nmol NH 3 m -2 ground surface s -1 (equivalent to 13.3 pmol NH 3 g -1 shoot dry matter s -1). Ammonia absorption in Deschampsia flexuosa plants increased approximately linearly with increasing NH 3 concentrations up to 20 nmol mol -1. The maximum NH 3 absorption was 8.5 nmol m -2 ground surface s -1 (30.4 pmol g -1 shoot dry weight s -1). The NH 3 compensation point at 24°C was 3.0±1.1, and at 31°C 7.5±0.6 nmol mol air -1. These values correspond to a NH 3 compensation point of 0.45±0.15 at 8°C. The soil used for cultivation of C. vulgaris (peat soil with pH 6.9) initially adsorbed NH 3 at a rate which exceeded the absorption by the plant canopy. During a 24 d period following the harvest of the plants soil NH 3 adsorption declined and the soil NH 3 compensation point increased from below the detection limit to 8.0±1.8 nmol NH 3 mol air -1 (22°C). No detectable NH 3 exchange took place between the D. flexuosa soil (sandy soil with pH 6.8) and the atmosphere.

Update on the efficacy of extracorporeal shockwave treatment for myofascial pain syndrome and fibromyalgia.

PubMed

Ramon, Silvia; Gleitz, Markus; Hernandez, Leonor; Romero, Luis David

2015-12-01

Chronic muscle pain syndrome is one of the main causes of musculoskeletal pathologies requiring treatment. Many terms have been used in the past to describe painful muscular syndromes in the absence of evident local nociception such as myogelosis, muscle hardening, myalgia, muscular rheumatism, fibrositis or myofascial trigger point with or without referred pain. If it persists over six months or more, it often becomes therapy resistant and frequently results in chronic generalized pain, characterized by a high degree of subjective suffering. Myofascial pain syndrome (MPS) is defined as a series of sensory, motor, and autonomic symptoms caused by a stiffness of the muscle, caused by hyperirritable nodules in musculoskeletal fibers, known as myofascial trigger points (MTP), and fascial constrictions. Fibromyalgia (FM) is a chronic condition that involves both central and peripheral sensitization and for which no curative treatment is available at the present time. Fibromyalgia shares some of the features of MPS, such as hyperirritability. Many treatments options have been described for muscle pain syndrome, with differing evidence of efficacy. Extracorporeal Shockwave Treatment (ESWT) offers a new and promising treatment for muscular disorders. We will review the existing bibliography on the evidence of the efficacy of ESWT for MPS, paying particular attention to MTP (Myofascial Trigger Point) and Fibromyalgia (FM). Copyright © 2015 IJS Publishing Group Limited. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

40 CFR 428.92 - Effluent limitations guidelines representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... CATEGORY Pan, Dry Digestion, and Mechanical Reclaimed Rubber Subcategory § 428.92 Effluent limitations... pan, dry digestion, and mechanical reclaimed rubber processes which are integrated with a wet digestion reclaimed process, which may be discharged by a point source subject to the provisions of this...

40 CFR 428.92 - Effluent limitations guidelines representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... CATEGORY Pan, Dry Digestion, and Mechanical Reclaimed Rubber Subcategory § 428.92 Effluent limitations... pan, dry digestion, and mechanical reclaimed rubber processes which are integrated with a wet digestion reclaimed process, which may be discharged by a point source subject to the provisions of this...

40 CFR 428.92 - Effluent limitations guidelines representing the degree of effluent reduction attainable by the...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... CATEGORY Pan, Dry Digestion, and Mechanical Reclaimed Rubber Subcategory § 428.92 Effluent limitations... pan, dry digestion, and mechanical reclaimed rubber processes which are integrated with a wet digestion reclaimed process, which may be discharged by a point source subject to the provisions of this...

The application of polyethylene glycol (PEG) to electron microscopy

PubMed Central

1980-01-01

The cytoplasm of cells from a variety of tissues has been viewed in sections (0.25-1 micrometers) devoid of any embedding resin. Glutaraldehyde- and osmium tetroxide-fixed tissues were infiltrated and embedded in a water-miscible wax, polyethylene glycol (PEG), and subsequently sectioned on dry glass or diamond knives. The PEG matrix was removed and the sections were placed on Formvarcarbon-polylysine- coated grids, dehydrated, dried by the critical-point method, and observed in either the high- or low-voltage electron microscope. Stereoscopic views of cells devoid of embedding resin present an image of cell utrastructure unobscured by electron-scattering resins similar to the image of whole, unembedded critical-point-dried or freeze-dried cultured cells observed by transmission electron microscopy. All organelles, including the cytoskeletal structures, are identified and appear not to have been damaged during processing, although membrane components appear somewhat less distinct. The absence of an embedding matrix eliminates the need for additional staining to increase contrast, unlike the situation with specimens embedded in standard electron-scattering resins. The PEG technique thus appears to be a valuable adjunct to conventional methods for ultrastructural analysis. PMID:7400222

The application of polyethylene glycol (PEG) to electron microscopy.

PubMed

Wolosewick, J J

1980-08-01

The cytoplasm of cells from a variety of tissues has been viewed in sections (0.25-1 micrometers) devoid of any embedding resin. Glutaraldehyde- and osmium tetroxide-fixed tissues were infiltrated and embedded in a water-miscible wax, polyethylene glycol (PEG), and subsequently sectioned on dry glass or diamond knives. The PEG matrix was removed and the sections were placed on Formvarcarbon-polylysine-coated grids, dehydrated, dried by the critical-point method, and observed in either the high- or low-voltage electron microscope. Stereoscopic views of cells devoid of embedding resin present an image of cell utrastructure unobscured by electron-scattering resins similar to the image of whole, unembedded critical-point-dried or freeze-dried cultured cells observed by transmission electron microscopy. All organelles, including the cytoskeletal structures, are identified and appear not to have been damaged during processing, although membrane components appear somewhat less distinct. The absence of an embedding matrix eliminates the need for additional staining to increase contrast, unlike the situation with specimens embedded in standard electron-scattering resins. The PEG technique thus appears to be a valuable adjunct to conventional methods for ultrastructural analysis.

Antiviral immune responses: triggers of or triggered by autoimmunity?

PubMed Central

Münz, Christian; Lünemann, Jan D.; Getts, Meghann Teague; Miller, Stephen D.

2010-01-01

Several common autoimmune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and multiple sclerosis, are genetically linked to distinct human MHC class II molecules and other immune modulators. However, genetic predisposition is only one risk factor for the development of these diseases, and low concordance rates in monozygotic twins as well as geographical distribution of disease risk point towards environmental factors in the genesis of these diseases. Among these environmental factors, infections have been implicated in the onset and/or promotion of autoimmunity. In this review, we outline mechanisms by which pathogens can trigger autoimmune disease, and also pathways by which infection and immune control of infectious disease might be dysregulated during autoimmunity. PMID:19319143

Surface freezing of water.

PubMed

Pérez-Díaz, J L; Álvarez-Valenzuela, M A; Rodríguez-Celis, F

2016-01-01

Freezing, melting, evaporation and condensation of water are essential ingredients for climate and eventually life on Earth. In the present work, we show how surface freezing of supercooled water in an open container is conditioned and triggered-exclusively-by humidity in air. Additionally, a change of phase is demonstrated to be triggered on the water surface forming surface ice crystals prior to freezing of bulk. The symmetry of the surface crystal, as well as the freezing point, depend on humidity, presenting at least three different types of surface crystals. Humidity triggers surface freezing as soon as it overpasses a defined value for a given temperature, generating a plurality of nucleation nodes. An evidence of simultaneous nucleation of surface ice crystals is also provided.

LHCb detector and trigger performance in Run II

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Francesca, Dordei

2017-12-01

The LHCb detector is a forward spectrometer at the LHC, designed to perform high precision studies of b- and c- hadrons. In Run II of the LHC, a new scheme for the software trigger at LHCb allows splitting the triggering of events into two stages, giving room to perform the alignment and calibration in real time. In the novel detector alignment and calibration strategy for Run II, data collected at the start of the fill are processed in a few minutes and used to update the alignment, while the calibration constants are evaluated for each run. This allows identical constants to be used in the online and offline reconstruction, thus improving the correlation between triggered and offline selected events. The required computing time constraints are met thanks to a new dedicated framework using the multi-core farm infrastructure for the trigger. The larger timing budget, available in the trigger, allows to perform the same track reconstruction online and offline. This enables LHCb to achieve the best reconstruction performance already in the trigger, and allows physics analyses to be performed directly on the data produced by the trigger reconstruction. The novel real-time processing strategy at LHCb is discussed from both the technical and operational point of view. The overall performance of the LHCb detector on the data of Run II is presented as well.

A Vegetal Biopolymer-Based Biostimulant Promoted Root Growth in Melon While Triggering Brassinosteroids and Stress-Related Compounds

PubMed Central

Lucini, Luigi; Rouphael, Youssef; Cardarelli, Mariateresa; Bonini, Paolo; Baffi, Claudio; Colla, Giuseppe

2018-01-01

Plant biostimulants are receiving great interest for boosting root growth during the first phenological stages of vegetable crops. The present study aimed at elucidating the morphological, physiological, and metabolomic changes occurring in greenhouse melon treated with the biopolymer-based biostimulant Quik-link, containing lateral root promoting peptides, and lignosulphonates. The vegetal-based biopolymer was applied at five rates (0, 0.06, 0.12, 0.24, or 0.48 mL plant-1) as substrate drench. The application of biopolymer-based biostimulant at 0.12 and 0.24 mL plant-1 enhanced dry weight of melon leaves and total biomass by 30.5 and 27.7%, respectively, compared to biopolymer applications at 0.06 mL plant-1 and untreated plants. The root dry biomass, total root length, and surface in biostimulant-treated plants were significantly higher at 0.24 mL plant-1 and to a lesser extent at 0.12 and 0.48 mL plant-1, in comparison to 0.06 mL plant-1 and untreated melon plants. A convoluted biochemical response to the biostimulant treatment was highlighted through UHPLC/QTOF-MS metabolomics, in which brassinosteroids and their interaction with other hormones appeared to play a pivotal role. Root metabolic profile was more markedly altered than leaves, following application of the biopolymer-based biostimulant. Brassinosteroids triggered in roots could have been involved in changes of root development observed after biostimulant application. These hormones, once transported to shoots, could have caused an hormonal imbalance. Indeed, the involvement of abscisic acid, cytokinins, and gibberellin related compounds was observed in leaves following root application of the biopolymer-based biostimulant. Nonetheless, the treatment triggered an accumulation of several metabolites involved in defense mechanisms against biotic and abiotic stresses, such as flavonoids, carotenoids, and glucosinolates, thus potentially improving resistance toward plant stresses. PMID:29692795

Exploring the likelihood and mechanism of a climate-change-induced dieback of the Amazon rainforest

PubMed Central

Malhi, Yadvinder; Aragão, Luiz E. O. C.; Galbraith, David; Huntingford, Chris; Fisher, Rosie; Zelazowski, Przemyslaw; Sitch, Stephen; McSweeney, Carol; Meir, Patrick

2009-01-01

We examine the evidence for the possibility that 21st-century climate change may cause a large-scale “dieback” or degradation of Amazonian rainforest. We employ a new framework for evaluating the rainfall regime of tropical forests and from this deduce precipitation-based boundaries for current forest viability. We then examine climate simulations by 19 global climate models (GCMs) in this context and find that most tend to underestimate current rainfall. GCMs also vary greatly in their projections of future climate change in Amazonia. We attempt to take into account the differences between GCM-simulated and observed rainfall regimes in the 20th century. Our analysis suggests that dry-season water stress is likely to increase in E. Amazonia over the 21st century, but the region tends toward a climate more appropriate to seasonal forest than to savanna. These seasonal forests may be resilient to seasonal drought but are likely to face intensified water stress caused by higher temperatures and to be vulnerable to fires, which are at present naturally rare in much of Amazonia. The spread of fire ignition associated with advancing deforestation, logging, and fragmentation may act as nucleation points that trigger the transition of these seasonal forests into fire-dominated, low biomass forests. Conversely, deliberate limitation of deforestation and fire may be an effective intervention to maintain Amazonian forest resilience in the face of imposed 21st-century climate change. Such intervention may be enough to navigate E. Amazonia away from a possible “tipping point,” beyond which extensive rainforest would become unsustainable. PMID:19218454

Acupuncture-induced haemothorax: a rare iatrogenic complication of acupuncture.

PubMed

Karavis, Miltiades Y; Argyra, Erifili; Segredos, Venieris; Yiallouroy, Aneza; Giokas, Georgios; Theodosopoulos, Thedosios

2015-06-01

This paper reports a rare iatrogenic complication of acupuncture-induced haemothorax and comments on the importance and need for special education of physicians and physiotherapists in order to apply safe and effective acupuncture treatment. A 37-year-old healthy woman had a session of acupuncture treatments for neck and right upper thoracic non-specific musculoskeletal pain, after which she gradually developed dyspnoea and chest discomfort. After some delay while trying other treatment, she was eventually transferred to the emergency department where a chest X-ray revealed a right pneumothorax and fluid collection. She was admitted to hospital and a chest tube inserted into the right hemithorax (under ultrasound guidance) drained 800 mL of bloody fluid (haematocrit (Hct) 17.8%) in 24 h and 1200 mL over the following 3 days. Her blood Hct fell from 39.0% to 30.8% and haemoglobin from 12.7 to 10.3 g/dL. The patient recovered completely and was discharged after 9 days of hospitalisation. When dyspnoea, chest pain and discomfort occur during or after an acupuncture treatment, the possibility of secondary (traumatic) pneumo- or haemopneumothorax should be considered and the patient should remain under careful observation (watchful waiting) for at least 48 h. To maximise the safety of acupuncture, specific training should be given for the safe use of acupuncture points of the anterior and posterior thoracic wall using dry needling, trigger point acupuncture or other advanced acupuncture techniques. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.

Exploring the likelihood and mechanism of a climate-change-induced dieback of the Amazon rainforest.

PubMed

Malhi, Yadvinder; Aragão, Luiz E O C; Galbraith, David; Huntingford, Chris; Fisher, Rosie; Zelazowski, Przemyslaw; Sitch, Stephen; McSweeney, Carol; Meir, Patrick

2009-12-08

We examine the evidence for the possibility that 21st-century climate change may cause a large-scale "dieback" or degradation of Amazonian rainforest. We employ a new framework for evaluating the rainfall regime of tropical forests and from this deduce precipitation-based boundaries for current forest viability. We then examine climate simulations by 19 global climate models (GCMs) in this context and find that most tend to underestimate current rainfall. GCMs also vary greatly in their projections of future climate change in Amazonia. We attempt to take into account the differences between GCM-simulated and observed rainfall regimes in the 20th century. Our analysis suggests that dry-season water stress is likely to increase in E. Amazonia over the 21st century, but the region tends toward a climate more appropriate to seasonal forest than to savanna. These seasonal forests may be resilient to seasonal drought but are likely to face intensified water stress caused by higher temperatures and to be vulnerable to fires, which are at present naturally rare in much of Amazonia. The spread of fire ignition associated with advancing deforestation, logging, and fragmentation may act as nucleation points that trigger the transition of these seasonal forests into fire-dominated, low biomass forests. Conversely, deliberate limitation of deforestation and fire may be an effective intervention to maintain Amazonian forest resilience in the face of imposed 21st-century climate change. Such intervention may be enough to navigate E. Amazonia away from a possible "tipping point," beyond which extensive rainforest would become unsustainable.

Acoustically induced slip in sheared granular layers: Application to dynamic earthquake triggering: TRIGGERED SLIP IN SHEARED GRANULAR GOUGE

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

Ferdowsi, Behrooz; Griffa, Michele; Guyer, Robert A.

A fundamental mystery in earthquake physics is “how can an earthquake be triggered by distant seismic sources?” We use discrete element method simulations of a granular layer, during stick slip, that is subject to transient vibrational excitation to gain further insight into the physics of dynamic earthquake triggering. We also observe delayed triggering of slip in the granular gouge, using Coulomb friction law for grains interaction. We find that at a critical vibrational amplitude (strain) there is an abrupt transition from negligible time-advanced slip (clock advance) to full clock advance; i.e., transient vibration and triggered slip are simultaneous. Moreover, themore » critical strain is of order 10 -6, similar to observations in the laboratory and in Earth. The transition is related to frictional weakening of the granular layer due to a dramatic decrease in coordination number and the weakening of the contact force network. Associated with this frictional weakening is a pronounced decrease in the elastic modulus of the layer. The study has important implications for mechanisms of triggered earthquakes and induced seismic events and points out the underlying processes in response of the fault gouge to dynamic transient stresses.« less

Acoustically induced slip in sheared granular layers: Application to dynamic earthquake triggering: TRIGGERED SLIP IN SHEARED GRANULAR GOUGE

DOE PAGES

Ferdowsi, Behrooz; Griffa, Michele; Guyer, Robert A.; ...

2015-11-19

A fundamental mystery in earthquake physics is “how can an earthquake be triggered by distant seismic sources?” We use discrete element method simulations of a granular layer, during stick slip, that is subject to transient vibrational excitation to gain further insight into the physics of dynamic earthquake triggering. We also observe delayed triggering of slip in the granular gouge, using Coulomb friction law for grains interaction. We find that at a critical vibrational amplitude (strain) there is an abrupt transition from negligible time-advanced slip (clock advance) to full clock advance; i.e., transient vibration and triggered slip are simultaneous. Moreover, themore » critical strain is of order 10 -6, similar to observations in the laboratory and in Earth. The transition is related to frictional weakening of the granular layer due to a dramatic decrease in coordination number and the weakening of the contact force network. Associated with this frictional weakening is a pronounced decrease in the elastic modulus of the layer. The study has important implications for mechanisms of triggered earthquakes and induced seismic events and points out the underlying processes in response of the fault gouge to dynamic transient stresses.« less

The trigger system of the JEM-EUSO Project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bertaina, M.; Ebisuzaki, T.; Hamada, T.; Ikeda, H.; Kawasai, Y.; Sawabe, T.; Takahashi, Y.; JEM-EUSO Collaboration

The trigger system of JEM-EUSO should face different major challenging points: a) cope with the limited down-link transmission rate from the ISS to Earth, by operating a severe on-board and on-time data reduction; b) use very fast, low power consuming and radiation hard electronics; c) have a high signal-over-noise performance and flexibility in order to lower as much as possible the energy threshold of the detector, adjust the system to a variable nightglow background, and trigger on different categories of events (images insisting on the same pixels or crossing huge portions of the entire focal surface). Based on the above stringent requirements, the main ingredients for the trigger logic are: the Gate Time Unit (GTU); the minimum number Nthresh of photo-electrons piling up in a GTU in a pixel to be fired; the persistency level Npers, in which fired pixels are over threshold; the localization and correlation in space and time of the fired pixels, that distinguish a real EAS from an accidental background enhancement. The core of the trigger logic is the Track Trigger Algorithm that has been specifically developed for this purpose. Its characteristics, preliminary performance and its possible implementation on FPGA or DSP will be discussed together with a general overview of the architecture of the triggering system of JEM-EUSO.

Prevalence of myofascial trigger points in fibromyalgia: the overlap of two common problems.

PubMed

Ge, Hong-You

2010-10-01

With the objective evidence of their existence, myofascial trigger points (MTrPs) contribute to an increasing number of chronic regional and widespread pain conditions. The widespread spontaneous pain pattern in fibromyalgia (FM) is a summation of multiple regional pains due to active MTrPs. A regional pain in FM is from local active MTrPs and/or referred from remote active MTrPs. Positive tender points specified in FM are MTrPs, either active or latent. Manual stimulation of active MTrPs located in the muscles in different body regions completely reproduced overall spontaneous FM pain pattern. Active MTrPs as tonic peripheral nociceptive input contribute tremendously to the initiation and maintenance of central sensitization, to the impairment of descending inhibition, to the increased excitability of motor units, and to the induction of sympathetic hyperactivity observed in FM. The considerable overlap of MTrPs and FM in pain characteristics and pathophysiology suggests that FM pain is largely due to MTrPs.

New developments in ALFT's soft x-ray point sources

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cintron, Dario F.; Guo, Xiaoming; Xu, Meisheng; Ye, Rubin; Antoshko, Yuriy; Antoshko, Yuriy; Drew, Steve; Philippe, Albert; Panarella, Emilio

2002-07-01

The new development in ALFT soft X-ray point source VSX-400 consists mainly of an improvement of the nozzle design to reduce the source size, as well as the introduction of a novel trigger system, capable of triggering the discharge hundreds of million of times without failure, and a debris removal system. Continuous operation for 8 hours at 20 kHz allows us to achieve 400 mW of useful soft X-ray radiation around 1 nm wavelength. In another regime of operation with a high energy machine, the VSX-Z, we have been able to achieve consistently 10 J of X-rays per pulse at a repetition rate that can reach 1 Hz with an input electrical energy of approximately 3 kJ and an efficiency in excess of 10-3.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and relaxation time mapping of concrete

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beyea, Steven Donald

2001-07-01

The use of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) of water in concrete is presented. This thesis will approach the problem of MR imaging of concrete by attempting to design new methods, suited to concrete materials, rather than attempting to force the material to suit the method. A number of techniques were developed, which allow the spatial observation of water in concrete in up to three dimensions, and permits the determination of space resolved moisture content, as well as local NMR relaxation times. These methods are all based on the Single-Point Imaging (SPI) method. The development of these new methods will be described, and the techniques validated using phantom studies. The study of one-dimensional moisture transport in drying concrete was performed using SPI. This work examined the effect of initial mixture proportions and hydration time on the drying behaviour of concrete, over a period of three months. Studies of drying concrete were also performed using spatial mapping of the spin-lattice (T1) and effective spin-spin (T2*) relaxation times, thereby permitting the observation of changes in the water occupied pore surface-to-volume ratio (S/V) as a function of drying. Results of this work demonstrated changes in the S/V due to drying, hydration and drying induced microcracking. Three-dimensional MRI of concrete was performed using SPRITE (Single-Point Ramped Imaging with T1 Enhancement) and turboSPI (turbo Single Point Imaging). While SPRITE allows for weighting of MR images using T 1 and T2*, turboSPI allows T2 weighting of the resulting images. Using relaxation weighting it was shown to be possible to discriminate between water contained within a hydrated cement matrix, and water in highly porous aggregates, used to produce low-density concrete. Three dimensional experiments performed using SPRITE and turboSPI examined the role of self-dessication, drying, initial aggregate saturation and initial mixture conditions on the transport of moisture between porous aggregates and the hydrated matrix. The results demonstrate that water is both added and removed from the aggregates, depending upon the physical conditions. The images also appear to show an influx of cement products into cracks in the solid aggregate. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)

The standardization of acupuncture treatment for radiation-induced xerostomia: A literature review.

PubMed

Li, Ling-Xin; Tian, Guang; He, Jing

2016-07-01

To assess the relative standardization of acupuncture protocols for radiation-induced xerostomia. A literature search was carried out up to November 10, 2012 in the databases PubMed/MEDLINE, EMBASE and China National Knowledge Infrastruction with the terms: radiation-induced xerostomia, acupuncture, acupuncture treatment, and acupuncture therapy. Five ancient Chinese classic acupuncture works were also reviewed with the keywords "dry mouth, thirst, dry tongue, dry eyes and dry lips" to search the effective acupuncture points for dry mouth-associated symptoms in ancient China. Twenty-two full-text articles relevant to acupuncture treatment for radiation-induced xerostomia were included and a total of 48 acupuncture points were searched in the 5 ancient Chinese classic acupuncture works, in which the most commonly used points were Chengjiang (CV24), Shuigou (GV 26), Duiduan (GV 27), Jinjin (EX-HN 12), and Yuye (EX-HN 13) on head and neck, Sanjian (LI 3), Shangyang (LI 1), Shaoshang (LU 11), Shaoze (SI 1), Xialian (LI 8) on hand, Fuliu (KI 7), Dazhong (KI 4), Zuqiaoyin (GB 44), Taichong (LR 3), Zhaohai (KI 6) on foot, Burong (ST 19), Zhangmen (LR 13), Tiantu (CV 22), Qimen (LR 14) on abdomen, Feishu (BL 13), Danshu (BL 19), Xiaochaogshu (BL 27), Ganshu (BL 18) on back, Shenmen (TF 4), Shen (CO10, Kidney), Yidan (CO11, Pancreas) and Pi (CO13, Spleen) on ear. There were considerable heterogeneities in the current acupuncture treatment protocols for radiation-induced xerostomia. Based on the results of the review and the personal perspectives, the authors provide a recommendation for manual acupuncture protocols in treating radiationinduced xerostomia patients with head and neck cancer.

Large scale synthesis of nanostructured zirconia-based compounds from freeze-dried precursors

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

Gomez, A.; Villanueva, R.; Vie, D.

2013-01-15

Nanocrystalline zirconia powders have been obtained at the multigram scale by thermal decomposition of precursors resulting from the freeze-drying of aqueous acetic solutions. This technique has equally made possible to synthesize a variety of nanostructured yttria or scandia doped zirconia compositions. SEM images, as well as the analysis of the XRD patterns, show the nanoparticulated character of those solids obtained at low temperature, with typical particle size in the 10-15 nm range when prepared at 673 K. The presence of the monoclinic, the tetragonal or both phases depends on the temperature of the thermal treatment, the doping concentration and themore » nature of the dopant. In addition, Rietveld refinement of the XRD profiles of selected samples allows detecting the coexistence of the tetragonal and the cubic phases for high doping concentration and high thermal treatment temperatures. Raman experiments suggest the presence of both phases also at relatively low treatment temperatures. - Graphical abstract: Zr{sub 1-x}A{sub x}O{sub 2-x/2} (A=Y, Sc; 0{<=}x{<=}0.12) solid solutions have been prepared as nanostructured powders by thermal decomposition of precursors obtained by freeze-drying, and this synthetic procedure has been scaled up to the 100 g scale. Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Zr{sub 1-x}A{sub x}O{sub 2-x/2} (A=Y, Sc; 0{<=}x{<=}0.12) solid solutions have been prepared as nanostructured powders. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The synthetic method involves the thermal decomposition of precursors obtained by freeze-drying. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The temperature of the thermal treatment controls particle sizes. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The preparation procedure has been scaled up to the 100 g scale. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer This method is appropriate for the large-scale industrial preparation of multimetallic systems.« less

Myofascial Pain Syndrome

MedlinePlus

... to develop trigger points in their muscles. One theory holds that these people may be more likely ... doctors believe myofascial pain syndrome may play a role in starting this process. By Mayo Clinic Staff . ...

The role of climate and environmental variables in structuring bird assemblages in the Seasonally Dry Tropical Forests (SDTFs).

PubMed

Gonçalves, Gabriela Silva Ribeiro; Cerqueira, Pablo Vieira; Brasil, Leandro Schlemmer; Santos, Marcos Pérsio Dantas

2017-01-01

Understanding the processes that influence species diversity is still a challenge in ecological studies. However, there are two main theories to discuss this topic, the niche theory and the neutral theory. Our objective was to understand the importance of environmental and spatial processes in structuring bird communities within the hydrological seasons in dry forest areas in northeastern Brazil. The study was conducted in two National Parks, the Serra da Capivara and Serra das Confusões National Parks, where 36 areas were sampled in different seasons (dry, dry/rainy transition, rainy, rainy/dry transition), in 2012 and 2013. We found with our results that bird species richness is higher in the rainy season and lower during the dry season, indicating a strong influence of seasonality, a pattern also found for environmental heterogeneity. Richness was explained by local environmental factors, while species composition was explained by environmental and spatial factors. The environmental factors were more important in explaining variations in composition. Climate change predictions have currently pointed out frequent drought events and a rise in global temperature by 2050, which would lead to changes in species behavior and to increasing desertification in some regions, including the Caatinga. In addition, the high deforestation rates and the low level of representativeness of the Caatinga in the conservation units negatively affects bird communities. This scenario has demonstrated how climatic factors affect individuals, and, therefore, should be the starting point for conservation initiatives to be developed in xeric environments.

The role of climate and environmental variables in structuring bird assemblages in the Seasonally Dry Tropical Forests (SDTFs)

PubMed Central

Gonçalves, Gabriela Silva Ribeiro; Cerqueira, Pablo Vieira; Brasil, Leandro Schlemmer; Santos, Marcos Pérsio Dantas

2017-01-01

Understanding the processes that influence species diversity is still a challenge in ecological studies. However, there are two main theories to discuss this topic, the niche theory and the neutral theory. Our objective was to understand the importance of environmental and spatial processes in structuring bird communities within the hydrological seasons in dry forest areas in northeastern Brazil. The study was conducted in two National Parks, the Serra da Capivara and Serra das Confusões National Parks, where 36 areas were sampled in different seasons (dry, dry/rainy transition, rainy, rainy/dry transition), in 2012 and 2013. We found with our results that bird species richness is higher in the rainy season and lower during the dry season, indicating a strong influence of seasonality, a pattern also found for environmental heterogeneity. Richness was explained by local environmental factors, while species composition was explained by environmental and spatial factors. The environmental factors were more important in explaining variations in composition. Climate change predictions have currently pointed out frequent drought events and a rise in global temperature by 2050, which would lead to changes in species behavior and to increasing desertification in some regions, including the Caatinga. In addition, the high deforestation rates and the low level of representativeness of the Caatinga in the conservation units negatively affects bird communities. This scenario has demonstrated how climatic factors affect individuals, and, therefore, should be the starting point for conservation initiatives to be developed in xeric environments. PMID:28441412

Operant licking for intragastric sugar infusions: differential reinforcing actions of glucose, sucrose and fructose in mice

PubMed Central

Sclafani, Anthony; Ackroff, Karen

2015-01-01

Intragastric (IG) flavor conditioning studies in rodents indicate that isocaloric sugar infusions differ in their reinforcing actions, with glucose and sucrose more potent than fructose. Here we determined if the sugars also differ in their ability to maintain operant self-administration by licking an empty spout for IG infusions. Food-restricted C57BL/6J mice were trained 1 h/day to lick a food-baited spout, which triggered IG infusions of 16% sucrose. In testing, the mice licked an empty spout, which triggered IG infusions of different sugars. Mice shifted from sucrose to 16% glucose increased dry licking, whereas mice shifted to 16% fructose rapidly reduced licking to low levels. Other mice shifted from sucrose to IG water reduced licking more slowly but reached the same low levels. Thus IG fructose, like water, is not reinforcing to hungry mice. The more rapid decline in licking induced by fructose may be due to the sugar's satiating effects. Further tests revealed that the Glucose mice increased their dry licking when shifted from 16% to 8% glucose, and reduced their dry licking when shifted to 32% glucose. This may reflect caloric regulation and/or differences in satiation. The Glucose mice did not maintain caloric intake when tested with different sugars. They self-infused less sugar when shifted from 16% glucose to 16% sucrose, and even more so when shifted to 16% fructose. Reduced sucrose self-administration may occur because the fructose component of the disaccharide reduces its reinforcing potency. FVB mice also reduced operant licking when tested with 16% fructose, yet learned to prefer a flavor paired with IG fructose. These data indicate that sugars differ substantially in their ability to support IG self-administration and flavor preference learning. The same post-oral reinforcement process appears to mediate operant licking and flavor learning, although flavor learning provides a more sensitive measure of sugar reinforcement. PMID:26485294

Remote Effect of Lower Limb Acupuncture on Latent Myofascial Trigger Point of Upper Trapezius Muscle: A Pilot Study

PubMed Central

Chen, Kai-Hua; Hsiao, Kuang-Yu; Lin, Chu-Hsu; Chang, Wen-Ming; Hsu, Hung-Chih; Hsieh, Wei-Chi

2013-01-01

Objectives. To demonstrate the use of acupuncture in the lower limbs to treat myofascial pain of the upper trapezius muscles via a remote effect. Methods. Five adults with latent myofascial trigger points (MTrPs) of bilateral upper trapezius muscles received acupuncture at Weizhong (UB40) and Yanglingquan (GB34) points in the lower limbs. Modified acupuncture was applied at these points on a randomly selected ipsilateral lower limb (experimental side) versus sham needling on the contralateral lower limb (control side) in each subject. Each subject received two treatments within a one-week interval. To evaluate the remote effect of acupuncture, the range of motion (ROM) upon bending the contralateral side of the cervical spine was assessed before and after each treatment. Results. There was significant improvement in cervical ROM after the second treatment (P = 0.03) in the experimental group, and the increased ROM on the modified acupuncture side was greater compared to the sham needling side (P = 0.036). Conclusions. A remote effect of acupuncture was demonstrated in this pilot study. Using modified acupuncture needling at remote acupuncture points in the ipsilateral lower limb, our treatments released tightness due to latent MTrPs of the upper trapezius muscle. PMID:23710218

40 CFR 60.284a - Monitoring of emissions and operations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... located close to the scrubber liquid discharge point. The Administrator may be consulted for approval of... record the opacity of the gases discharged into the atmosphere from any recovery furnace or lime kiln... emissions on a dry basis and the percent of oxygen by volume on a dry basis in the gases discharged into the...

KRESS INDIRECT DRY COOLING SYSTEM, BETHLEHEM STEEL'S COKE PLANT DEMONSTRATION AT SPARROWS POINT, MARYLAND - VOLUME 2. APPENDICES G-N

EPA Science Inventory

The report evaluates the Kress Indirect Dry Cooling (KIDC) process, an innovative system for handling and cooling coke produced from a slot-type by-product coke oven battery. The report is based on the test work and demonstration of the system at Bethlehem Steel Corporation's Sp...

Induced Seismicity at the UK "Hot Dry Rock" Test Site for Geothermal Energy Production

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Xun; Main, Ian; Jupe, Andrew

2018-03-01

In enhanced geothermal systems (EGS), fluid is injected at high pressure in order to stimulate fracturing and/or fluid flow through otherwise relatively impermeable underlying hot rocks to generate power and/or heat. The stimulation induces micro-earthquakes whose precise triggering mechanism and relationship to new and pre-existing fracture networks are still the subject of some debate. Here we analyse the dataset for induced micro-earthquakes at the UK "hot dry rock" experimental geothermal site (Rosemanowes, Cornwall). We quantify the evolution of several metrics used to characterise induced seismicity, including the seismic strain partition factor and the "seismogenic index". The results show a low strain partition factor of 0.01% and a low seismogenenic index indicating that aseismic processes dominate. We also analyse the spatio-temporal distribution of hypocentres, using simple models for the evolution of hydraulic diffusivity by (a) isotropic and (b) anisotropic pore-pressure relaxation. The principal axes of the diffusivity or permeability tensor inferred from the spatial distribution of earthquake foci are aligned parallel to the present-day stress field, although the maximum permeability is vertical, whereas the maximum principal stress is horizontal. Our results are consistent with a triggering mechanism that involves (a) seismic shear slip along optimally-oriented pre-existing fractures, (b) a large component of aseismic slip with creep (c) activation of tensile fractures as hydraulic conduits created by both the present-day stress field and by the induced shear slip, both exploiting pre-existing joint sets exposed in borehole data.

Hyperconcentrated Sweet Whey, a New Culture Medium That Enhances Propionibacterium freudenreichii Stress Tolerance.

PubMed

Huang, Song; Rabah, Houem; Jardin, Julien; Briard-Bion, Valérie; Parayre, Sandrine; Maillard, Marie-Bernadette; Le Loir, Yves; Chen, Xiao Dong; Schuck, Pierre; Jeantet, Romain; Jan, Gwénaël

2016-08-01

Propionibacterium freudenreichii is used as a cheese-ripening starter and as a probiotic. Its reported physiological effects at the gut level, including modulation of bifidobacteria, colon epithelial cell proliferation and apoptosis, and intestinal inflammation, rely on active metabolism in situ Survival and activity are thus key factors determining its efficacy, creating stress adaptation and tolerance bottlenecks for probiotic applications. Growth media and growth conditions determine tolerance acquisition. We investigated the possibility of using sweet whey, a dairy by-product, to sustain P. freudenreichii growth. It was used at different concentrations (dry matter) as a culture medium. Using hyperconcentrated sweet whey led to enhanced multistress tolerance acquisition, overexpression of key stress proteins, and accumulation of intracellular storage molecules and compatible solutes, as well as enhanced survival upon spray drying. A simplified process from growth to spray drying of propionibacteria was developed using sweet whey as a 2-in-1 medium to both culture P. freudenreichii and protect it from heat and osmotic injury without harvesting and washing steps. As spray drying is far cheaper and more energy efficient than freeze-drying, this work opens new perspectives for the sustainable development of new starter and probiotic preparations with enhanced robustness. In this study, we demonstrate that sweet whey, a dairy industry by-product, not only allows the growth of probiotic dairy propionibacteria, but also triggers a multitolerance response through osmoadaptation and general stress response. We also show that propionibacteria accumulate compatible solutes under these culture conditions, which might account for the limited loss of viability after spray drying. This work opens new perspectives for more energy-efficient production of dairy starters and probiotics. Copyright © 2016, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

Hyperconcentrated Sweet Whey, a New Culture Medium That Enhances Propionibacterium freudenreichii Stress Tolerance

PubMed Central

Huang, Song; Rabah, Houem; Jardin, Julien; Briard-Bion, Valérie; Parayre, Sandrine; Maillard, Marie-Bernadette; Le Loir, Yves; Schuck, Pierre; Jeantet, Romain

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT Propionibacterium freudenreichii is used as a cheese-ripening starter and as a probiotic. Its reported physiological effects at the gut level, including modulation of bifidobacteria, colon epithelial cell proliferation and apoptosis, and intestinal inflammation, rely on active metabolism in situ. Survival and activity are thus key factors determining its efficacy, creating stress adaptation and tolerance bottlenecks for probiotic applications. Growth media and growth conditions determine tolerance acquisition. We investigated the possibility of using sweet whey, a dairy by-product, to sustain P. freudenreichii growth. It was used at different concentrations (dry matter) as a culture medium. Using hyperconcentrated sweet whey led to enhanced multistress tolerance acquisition, overexpression of key stress proteins, and accumulation of intracellular storage molecules and compatible solutes, as well as enhanced survival upon spray drying. A simplified process from growth to spray drying of propionibacteria was developed using sweet whey as a 2-in-1 medium to both culture P. freudenreichii and protect it from heat and osmotic injury without harvesting and washing steps. As spray drying is far cheaper and more energy efficient than freeze-drying, this work opens new perspectives for the sustainable development of new starter and probiotic preparations with enhanced robustness. IMPORTANCE In this study, we demonstrate that sweet whey, a dairy industry by-product, not only allows the growth of probiotic dairy propionibacteria, but also triggers a multitolerance response through osmoadaptation and general stress response. We also show that propionibacteria accumulate compatible solutes under these culture conditions, which might account for the limited loss of viability after spray drying. This work opens new perspectives for more energy-efficient production of dairy starters and probiotics. PMID:27235433

Is the Pearl River basin, China, drying or wetting? Seasonal variations, causes and implications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Qiang; Li, Jianfeng; Gu, Xihui; Shi, Peijun

2018-07-01

Soil moisture plays crucial roles in the hydrological cycle and is also a critical link between land surface and atmosphere. The Pearl River basin (PRb) is climatically subtropical and tropical and is highly sensitive to climate changes. In this study, seasonal soil moisture changes across the PRb were analyzed using the Variable Infiltration Capacity (VIC) model forced by the gridded 0.5° × 0.5° climatic observations. Seasonal changes of soil moisture in both space and time were investigated using the Mann-Kendall trend test method. Potential influencing factors behind seasonal soil moisture changes such as precipitation and temperature were identified using the Maximum Covariance Analysis (MCA) technique. The results indicated that: (1) VIC model performs well in describing changing properties of soil moisture across the PRb; (2) Distinctly different seasonal features of soil moisture can be observed. Soil moisture in spring decreased from east to west parts of the PRb. In summer however, soil moisture was higher in east and west parts but was lower in central parts of the PRb; (3) A significant drying trend was identified over the PRb in autumn, while no significant drying trends can be detected in other seasons; (4) The increase/decrease in precipitation can generally explain the wetting/drying tendency of soil moisture. However, warming temperature contributed significantly to the drying trends and these drying trends were particularly evident during autumn and winter; (5) Significant decreasing precipitation and increasing temperature combined to trigger substantially decreasing soil moisture in autumn. In winter, warming temperature is the major reason behind decreased soil moisture although precipitation is in slightly decreasing tendency. Season variations of soil moisture and related implications for hydro-meteorological processes in the subtropical and tropical river basins over the globe should arouse considerable human concerns.

Electrical current nanogeneration driven by spontaneous nanofluidic oscillations.

PubMed

Gimenez, R; Mercuri, M; Berli, C L A; Bellino, M G

2018-02-15

Exploiting natural phenomena is a central route for providing electricity to sustainably drive wearable electronics. Here we report a nano-scale water-driven energy generator that produces tiny electrical currents from spontaneous wetting-drying oscillations in mesoporous thin films. The system was fabricated with a wormlike mesoporous silica film, which was packed in between Cu and silicon contacts. The nanogenerator runs autonomously when a water droplet is laid over the film close to the Cu electrode, as water infiltration into the film under the electrode produces a direct-current. Wetting-drying cycles, which are spontaneously triggered by water evaporation, are perfectly correlated to the generated electrical current. The autonomous water displacement through the film yields a sustained energy conversion until the droplet reservoir vanishes. This novel water-driven nanogenerator opens new alternatives for versatile, mobile and cost-effective self-powering of nanosystems and nanodevices.

Electrochemically triggered release of acetylcholine from scCO2 impregnated conductive polymer films evokes intracellular Ca2+ signaling in neurotypic SH-SY5Y cells.

PubMed

Löffler, Susanne; Seyock, Silke; Nybom, Rolf; Jacobson, Gunilla B; Richter-Dahlfors, Agneta

2016-12-10

Implantable devices for electronically triggered drug release are attractive to achieve spatial and temporal control over drug concentrations in patients. Realization of such devices is, however, associated with technical and biological challenges. Among these are containment of drug reservoirs, lack of precise control cues, as well as the charge and size of the drug. Here, we present a method for electronically triggered release of the quaternary ammonium cation acetylcholine (ACh) from an impregnated conductive polymer film. Using supercritical carbon dioxide (scCO 2 ), a film of PEDOT/PSS (poly(3,4)-ethylenedioxythiophene doped with poly(styrenesulfonate)) is impregnated with the neurotransmitter acetylcholine. The gentle scCO 2 process generated a dry, drug-impregnated surface, well suited for interaction with biological material, while maintaining normal electrochemical properties of the polymer. Electrochemical switching of impregnated PEDOT/PSS films stimulated release of ACh from the polymer matrix, likely due to swelling mediated by the influx and efflux of charged and solvated ions. Triggered release of ACh did not affect the biological activity of the drug. This was shown by real-time monitoring of intracellular Ca 2+ signaling in neurotypic cells growing on the impregnated polymer surface. Collectively, scCO 2 impregnation of conducting polymers offers the first one-step, dopant-independent drug impregnation process, potentially facilitating loading of both anionic and cationic drugs that can be dissolved in scCO2 on its own or by using a co-solvent. We foresee that scCO 2 -loaded devices for electronically triggered drug release will create novel opportunities when generating active bio-coatings, tunable for specific needs, in a variety of medical settings. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Red Blood Cell Agglutination for Blood Typing Within Passive Microfluidic Biochips.

PubMed

Huet, Maxime; Cubizolles, Myriam; Buhot, Arnaud

2018-04-19

Pre-transfusion bedside compatibility test is mandatory to check that the donor and the recipient present compatible groups before any transfusion is performed. Although blood typing devices are present on the market, they still suffer from various drawbacks, like results that are based on naked-eye observation or difficulties in blood handling and process automation. In this study, we addressed the development of a red blood cells (RBC) agglutination assay for point-of-care blood typing. An injection molded microfluidic chip that is designed to enhance capillary flow contained anti-A or anti-B dried reagents inside its microchannel. The only blood handling step in the assay protocol consisted in the deposit of a blood drop at the tip of the biochip, and imaging was then achieved. The embedded reagents were able to trigger RBC agglutination in situ, allowing for us to monitor in real time the whole process. An image processing algorithm was developed on diluted bloods to compute real-time agglutination indicator and was further validated on undiluted blood. Through this proof of concept, we achieved efficient, automated, real time, and quantitative measurement of agglutination inside a passive biochip for blood typing which could be further generalized to blood biomarker detection and quantification.

Temporal profile of inflammatory response to fracture and hemorrhagic shock: Proposal of a novel long-term survival murine multiple trauma model.

PubMed

Kleber, Christian; Becker, Christopher A; Malysch, Tom; Reinhold, Jens M; Tsitsilonis, Serafeim; Duda, Georg N; Schmidt-Bleek, Katharina; Schaser, Klaus D

2015-07-01

Hemorrhagic shock (hS) interacts with the posttraumatic immune response and fracture healing in multiple trauma. Due to the lack of a long-term survival multiple trauma animal models, no standardized analysis of fracture healing referring the impact of multiple trauma on fracture healing was performed. We propose a new long-term survival (21 days) murine multiple trauma model combining hS (microsurgical cannulation of carotid artery, withdrawl of blood and continuously blood pressure measurement), femoral (osteotomy/external fixation) and tibial fracture (3-point bending technique/antegrade nail). The posttraumatic immune response was measured via IL-6, sIL-6R ELISA. The hS was investigated via macrohemodynamics, blood gas analysis, wet-dry lung ration and histologic analysis of the shock organs. We proposed a new murine long-term survival (21 days) multiple trauma model mimicking clinical relevant injury patterns and previously published human posttraumatic immune response. Based on blood gas analysis and histologic analysis of shock organs we characterized and standardized our murine multiple trauma model. Furthermore, we revealed hemorrhagic shock as a causative factor that triggers sIL-6R formation underscoring the fundamental pathophysiologic role of the transsignaling mechanism in multiple trauma. © 2015 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Methods for imaging Shewanella oneidensis MR-1 nanofilaments.

PubMed

Ray, R; Lizewski, S; Fitzgerald, L A; Little, B; Ringeisen, B R

2010-08-01

Nanofilament production by Shewanella oneidensis MR-1 was evaluated as a function of lifestyle (planktonic vs. sessile) under aerobic and anaerobic conditions using different sample preparation techniques prior to imaging with scanning electron microscopy. Nanofilaments could be imaged on MR-1 cells grown in biofilms or planktonically under both aerobic and anaerobic batch culture conditions after fixation, critical point drying and coating with a conductive metal. Critical point drying was a requirement for imaging nanofilaments attached to planktonically grown MR-1 cells, but not for cells grown in a biofilm. Techniques described in this paper cannot be used to differentiate nanowires from pili or flagella.

Hysteresis of Soil Point Water Retention Functions Determined by Neutron Radiography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Perfect, E.; Kang, M.; Bilheux, H.; Willis, K. J.; Horita, J.; Warren, J.; Cheng, C.

2010-12-01

Soil point water retention functions are needed for modeling flow and transport in partially-saturated porous media. Such functions are usually determined by inverse modeling of average water retention data measured experimentally on columns of finite length. However, the resulting functions are subject to the appropriateness of the chosen model, as well as the initial and boundary condition assumptions employed. Soil point water retention functions are rarely measured directly and when they are the focus is invariably on the main drying branch. Previous direct measurement methods include time domain reflectometry and gamma beam attenuation. Here we report direct measurements of the main wetting and drying branches of the point water retention function using neutron radiography. The measurements were performed on a coarse sand (Flint #13) packed into 2.6 cm diameter x 4 cm long aluminum cylinders at the NIST BT-2 (50 μm resolution) and ORNL-HFIR CG1D (70 μm resolution) imaging beamlines. The sand columns were saturated with water and then drained and rewetted under quasi-equilibrium conditions using a hanging water column setup. 2048 x 2048 pixel images of the transmitted flux of neutrons through the column were acquired at each imposed suction (~10-15 suction values per experiment). Volumetric water contents were calculated on a pixel by pixel basis using Beer-Lambert’s law in conjunction with beam hardening and geometric corrections. The pixel rows were averaged and combined with information on the known distribution of suctions within the column to give 2048 point drying and wetting functions for each experiment. The point functions exhibited pronounced hysteresis and varied with column height, possibly due to differences in porosity caused by the packing procedure employed. Predicted point functions, extracted from the hanging water column volumetric data using the TrueCell inverse modeling procedure, showed very good agreement with the range of point functions measured within the column using neutron radiography. Extension of these experiments to 3-dimensions using neutron tomography is planned.

Dual-mode disturbance-accommodating pointing controller for Hubble Space Telescope

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Addington, Stewart I.; Johnson, C. D.

1995-03-01

Cyclic thermal expansions and mechanical stiction effects in the solar arrays on the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) are triggering repeated occurrences of damped, relaxation-type flex-body vibrations of the solar arrays. Those solar array vibrations are, in turn, causing unwanted deviations of the telescope from its specified pointing direction. In this paper we propose two strategies one can adopt in designing a telescope-pointing controller to cope with the aforementioned disturbances: 1) a total isolation (TI) control strategy whereby the HST controller torques are designed to adaptively counteract and cancel out the persistent disturbing torques that are causing the unwanted telescope motions and 2) an array damping (AD) control strategy whereby the HST controller torques are used to actively augment the natural dampening of the solar array vibrations and the attendant telescope motions, between triggerings of the stiction-related flex-body relaxation oscillations. Using the principles of disturbance accommodation control theory, a dual-mode controller for a generic, planar-motion (single-axis) model of the HST is proposed. This controller incorporates both the TI and AD modes of disturbance accommodation. Simulation studies of the closed-loop system using generic parameter values clearly indicate, qualitatively, the enhanced pointing performance such a controller can achieve.

Evolution of the methodological quality of controlled clinical trials for myofascial trigger point treatments for the period 1978-2015: A systematic review.

PubMed

Stoop, Rahel; Clijsen, Ron; Leoni, Diego; Soldini, Emiliano; Castellini, Greta; Redaelli, Valentina; Barbero, Marco

2017-08-01

The methodological quality of controlled clinical trials (CCTs) of physiotherapeutic treatment modalities for myofascial trigger points (MTrP) has not been investigated yet. To detect the methodological quality of CCTs for physiotherapy treatments of MTrPs and demonstrating the possible increase over time. Systematic review. A systematic search was conducted in two databases, Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro) and Medicine Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System online (MEDLINE), using the same keywords and selection procedure corresponding to pre-defined inclusion criteria. The methodological quality, assessed by the 11-item PEDro scale, served as outcome measure. The CCTs had to compare at least two interventions, where one intervention had to lay within the scope of physiotherapy. Participants had to be diagnosed with myofascial pain syndrome or trigger points (active or latent). A total of n = 230 studies was analysed. The cervico-thoracic region was the most frequently treated body part (n = 143). Electrophysical agent applications was the most frequent intervention. The average methodological quality reached 5.5 on the PEDro scale. A total of n = 6 studies scored the value of 9. The average PEDro score increased by 0.7 points per decade between 1978 and 2015. The average PEDro score of CCTs for MTrP treatments does not reach the cut-off of 6 proposed for moderate to high methodological quality. Nevertheless, a promising trend towards an increase of the average methodological quality of CCTs for MTrPs was recorded. More high-quality CCT studies with thorough research procedures are recommended to enhance methodological quality. Copyright © 2017 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Multi-Angle Snowflake Camera Value-Added Product

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

Shkurko, Konstantin; Garrett, T.; Gaustad, K

The Multi-Angle Snowflake Camera (MASC) addresses a need for high-resolution multi-angle imaging of hydrometeors in freefall with simultaneous measurement of fallspeed. As illustrated in Figure 1, the MASC consists of three cameras, separated by 36°, each pointing at an identical focal point approximately 10 cm away. Located immediately above each camera, a light aims directly at the center of depth of field for its corresponding camera. The focal point at which the cameras are aimed lies within a ring through which hydrometeors fall. The ring houses a system of near-infrared emitter-detector pairs, arranged in two arrays separated vertically by 32more » mm. When hydrometeors pass through the lower array, they simultaneously trigger all cameras and lights. Fallspeed is calculated from the time it takes to traverse the distance between the upper and lower triggering arrays. The trigger electronics filter out ambient light fluctuations associated with varying sunlight and shadows. The microprocessor onboard the MASC controls the camera system and communicates with the personal computer (PC). The image data is sent via FireWire 800 line, and fallspeed (and camera control) is sent via a Universal Serial Bus (USB) line that relies on RS232-over-USB serial conversion. See Table 1 for specific details on the MASC located at the Oliktok Point Mobile Facility on the North Slope of Alaska. The value-added product (VAP) detailed in this documentation analyzes the raw data (Section 2.0) using Python: images rely on OpenCV image processing library and derived aggregated statistics rely on some clever averaging. See Sections 4.1 and 4.2 for more details on what variables are computed.« less

Contribution of myofascial trigger points to migraine symptoms.

PubMed

Giamberardino, Maria Adele; Tafuri, Emmanuele; Savini, Antonella; Fabrizio, Alessandra; Affaitati, Giannapia; Lerza, Rosanna; Di Ianni, Livio; Lapenna, Domenico; Mezzetti, Andrea

2007-11-01

This study evaluated the contribution of myofascial trigger points (TrPs) to migraine pain. Seventy-eight migraine patients with cervical active TrPs whose referred areas (RAs) coincided with migraine sites (frontal/temporal) underwent electrical pain threshold measurement in skin, subcutis, and muscle in TrPs and RAs at baseline and after 3, 10, 30, and 60 days; migraine pain assessment (number and intensity of attacks) for 60 days before and 60 days after study start. Fifty-four patients (group 1) underwent TrP anesthetic infiltration on the 3rd, 10th, 30th, and 60th day (after threshold measurement); 24 (group 2) received no treatment. Twenty normal subjects underwent threshold measurements in the same sites and time points as patients. At baseline, all patients showed lower than normal thresholds in TrPs and RAs in all tissues (P < .001). During treatment in group 1, all thresholds increased progressively in TrPs and RAs (P < .0001), with sensory normalization of skin/subcutis in RAs at the end of treatment; migraine pain decreased (P < .001). Threshold increase in RAs and migraine reduction correlated linearly (.0001 < P < .006). In group 2 and normal subjects, no changes occurred. Cervical TrPs with referred areas in migraine sites thus contribute substantially to migraine symptoms, the peripheral nociceptive input from TrPs probably enhancing the sensitization level of central sensory neurons. This article shows the beneficial effects of local therapy of active myofascial trigger points (TrPs) on migraine symptoms in patients in whom migraine sites coincide with the referred areas of the TrPs. These results suggest that migraine pain is often contributed to by myofascial inputs that enhance the level of central neuronal excitability.

Emerging feed markets for ruminant production in urban and peri-urban areas of Northern Ghana.

PubMed

Konlan, S P; Ayantunde, A A; Addah, W; Dei, H K; Karbo, N

2018-01-01

Feed shortage in urban and peri-urban areas has triggered the emergence of feed markets in Northern Ghana. These markets were surveyed at three locations (Tamale, Bolgatanga, and Wa markets) to determine types and prices of feedstuffs sold across seasons; early dry (November-January), late dry (February-April), early wet (May-July), and main wet (August-October). Semi-structured questionnaire was used for data collection. Three samples of each feed type in the markets were bought from three different sellers per market in each season. The samples were oven dried to constant weight and price/kg DM of each feed determined. The total respondents were 169. Out of this number, 41% were feed sellers, 46% buyers, and 13% retailers. The feedstuffs found were crop residues (groundnut haulm and cowpea haulm), agro-industrial by-products (bran of maize, rice, and sorghum), fresh grasses (Rotteboellia cochinchinensis), and local browses (Ficus sp. and Pterocarpus erinaceous). Prices of feeds differed (P < 0.05) among markets and were higher in Bolgatanga than Tamale and Wa markets. Prices of cereal bran were not different (P > 0.05) in all seasons but that of crop residues were higher (P < 05) in early to late dry season than the wet season. Majority (90%) of respondents opined that the feed market will expand due to increasing number of livestock population in the peri-urban areas.

Review on the APP/PS1KI mouse model: intraneuronal Abeta accumulation triggers axonopathy, neuron loss and working memory impairment.

PubMed

Bayer, T A; Wirths, O

2008-02-01

Accumulating evidence points to an important role of intraneuronal Abeta as a trigger of the pathological cascade of events leading to neurodegeneration and eventually to Alzheimer's disease (AD) with its typical clinical symptoms, like memory impairment and change in personality. As a new concept, intraneuronal accumulation of Abeta instead of extracellular Abeta deposition has been introduced to be the disease-triggering event in AD. The present review compiles current knowledge on the amyloid precursor protein (APP)/PS1KI mouse model with early and massive intraneuronal Abeta42 accumulation: (1) The APP/PS1KI mouse model exhibits early robust brain and spinal cord axonal degeneration and hippocampal CA1 neuron loss. (2) At the same time-point, a dramatic, age-dependent reduced ability to perform working memory and motor tasks is observed. (3) The APP/PS1KI mice are smaller and show development of a thoracolumbar kyphosis, together with an incremental loss of body weight. (4) Onset of the observed behavioral alterations correlates well with robust axonal degeneration in brain and spinal cord and with abundant hippocampal CA1 neuron loss.

Integrated evaluation of visually induced motion sickness in terms of autonomic nervous regulation.

PubMed

Kiryu, Tohru; Tada, Gen; Toyama, Hiroshi; Iijima, Atsuhiko

2008-01-01

To evaluate visually-induced motion sickness, we integrated subjective and objective responses in terms of autonomic nervous regulation. Twenty-seven subjects viewed a 2-min-long first-person-view video section five times (total 10 min) continuously. Measured biosignals, the RR interval, respiration, and blood pressure, were used to estimate the indices related to autonomic nervous activity (ANA). Then we determined the trigger points and some sensation sections based on the time-varying behavior of ANA-related indices. We found that there was a suitable combination of biosignals to present the symptoms of visually-induced motion sickness. Based on the suitable combination, integrating trigger points and subjective scores allowed us to represent the time-distribution of subjective responses during visual exposure, and helps us to understand what types of camera motions will cause visually-induced motion sickness.

AIR TOXICS ASSESSMENT REFINEMENT IN RAPCA'S JURISDICTION - DAYTON, OH AREA

EPA Science Inventory

RAPCA has receive two grants to conduct this project. As part of the original project, RAPCA has improved and expanded their point source inventory by converting the following area sources to point sources: dry cleaners, gasoline throughput processes and halogenated solvent clea...

Pure F-actin networks are distorted and branched by steps in the critical-point drying method.

PubMed

Resch, Guenter P; Goldie, Kenneth N; Hoenger, Andreas; Small, J Victor

2002-03-01

Elucidation of the ultrastructural organization of actin networks is crucial for understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying actin-based motility. Results obtained from cytoskeletons and actin comets prepared by the critical-point procedure, followed by rotary shadowing, support recent models incorporating actin filament branching as a main feature of lamellipodia and pathogen propulsion. Since actin branches were not evident in earlier images obtained by negative staining, we explored how these differences arise. Accordingly, we have followed the structural fate of dense networks of pure actin filaments subjected to steps of the critical-point drying protocol. The filament networks have been visualized in parallel by both cryo-electron microscopy and negative staining. Our results demonstrate the selective creation of branches and other artificial structures in pure F-actin networks by the critical-point procedure and challenge the reliability of this method for preserving the detailed organization of actin assemblies that drive motility. (c) 2002 Elsevier Science (USA).

Topical steroid and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs inhibit inflammatory cytokine expression on the ocular surface in the botulinum toxin B-induced murine dry eye model.

PubMed

Zhu, Lei; Zhang, Cheng; Chuck, Roy S

2012-01-01

To evaluate the effect of the topical steroid, fluorometholone, and the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), nepafenac and ketorolac, on inflammatory cytokine expression of the ocular surface in the botulium toxin B-induced murine dry eye model. Topical artificial tears (0.5% carboxymethylcellulose sodium), 0.1% fluorometholone, 0.1% nepafenac, and 0.4% ketorolac were applied 3 times per day in a dry eye mouse model 1 week after intralacrimal botulium toxin B (BTX-B) or saline (sham) injection. Tear production and corneal fluorescein staining were evaluated in all groups before injection at baseline and at 3 time points up to 4 weeks after injection. The pro-inflammatory cytokines interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) were evaluated by immunohistochemistry. BTX-B-injected mice showed significantly decreased aqueous tear production and increased corneal fluorescein staining at the 1 and 2 week time points compared with normal control and saline-injected mice. In the BTX-B-injected mice, immunofluorescent staining for TNF-α and IL-1β in corneal and conjunctival epithelial cells increased significantly at the 2 and 4 week time points compared to that of normal and saline-injected mice, and returned to normal levels at the 4 week time point. Topical fluorometholone significantly improved corneal surface staining in the BTX-B-injected mice after 1 week of treatment, and increased the tear production within 2 weeks, but without statistical significant difference. Topical fluorometholone significantly decreased the staining of TNF-α and IL-1β in corneal and conjunctival epithelia after 1-week treatment. Topical artificial tears, 0.1% nepafenac, and 0.4% ketorolac did not show obvious effects on tear production, corneal surface staining, and levels of IL-1β and TNF-α expression in normal, and BTX-B-injected dry eye mice. Topical fluorometholone caused suppression of inflammatory cytokine expression on the ocular surface in the Botulium toxin B-induced murine dry eye model, while topical NSAIDs demonstrated no clearly beneficial effects.

KRESS INDIRECT DRY COOLING SYSTEM, BETHLEHEM STEEL'S COKE PLANT DEMONSTRATION AT SPARROWS POINT, MARYLAND - VOLUME 1. TECHNICAL REPORT AND APPENDICES A-F

EPA Science Inventory

The report evaluates the Kress Indirect Dry Cooling (KIDC) process, an innovative system for handling and cooling coke produced from a slot-type by-product coke oven battery. he report is based on the test work and demonstration of the system at Bethlehem Steel Corporation's Spar...

Reduced weight decontamination formulation for neutralization of chemical and biological warfare agents

DOEpatents

Tucker, Mark D.

2014-06-03

A reduced weight DF-200 decontamination formulation that is stable under high temperature storage conditions. The formulation can be pre-packed as an all-dry (i.e., no water) or nearly-dry (i.e., minimal water) three-part kit, with make-up water (the fourth part) being added later in the field at the point of use.

Estimating botanical composition by the dry-weight-rank method in California's annual grasslands

Treesearch

Raymond D. Ratliff; William E. Frost

1990-01-01

The dry-weight-rank method of estimating botanical composition on California's annual grasslands is a viable alternative to harvesting and sorting or methods using points. Two data sets of sorted species weights were available. One spanned nine years with quadrats harvested at peak of production. The second spanned one growing season with 20 harvest dates. Two...

Potential of yeasts isolated from dry-cured ham to control ochratoxin A production in meat models.

PubMed

Peromingo, Belén; Núñez, Félix; Rodríguez, Alicia; Alía, Alberto; Andrade, María J

2018-03-02

The environmental conditions reached during the ripening of dry-cured meat products favour the proliferation of moulds on their surface. Some of these moulds are hazardous to consumers because of their ability to produce ochratoxin A (OTA). Biocontrol using Debaryomyces hansenii could be a suitable strategy to prevent the growth of ochratoxigenic moulds and OTA accumulation in dry-cured meat products. The aim of this work was to evaluate the ability of two strains of D. hansenii to control the growth and OTA production of Penicillium verrucosum in a meat model under water activities (a w ) values commonly reached during the dry-cured meat product ripening. The presence of D. hansenii strains triggered a lengthening of the lag phase and a decrease of the growth rate of P. verrucosum in meat-based media at 0.97 and 0.92 a w . Both D. hansenii strains significantly reduced OTA production (between 85.16 and 92.63%) by P. verrucosum in the meat-based medium at 0.92 a w . Neither absorption nor detoxification of OTA by D. hansenii strains seems to be involved. However, a repression of the expression of the non-ribosomal peptide synthetase (otanpsPN) gene linked to the OTA biosynthetic pathway was observed in the presence of D. hansenii. To confirm the protective role of D. hansenii strains, they were inoculated together with P. verrucosum Pv45 in dry-fermented sausage and dry-cured ham slices. Although P. verrucosum Pv45 counts were not affected by the presence of D. hansenii in both meat matrices, a reduction of OTA amount was observed. Therefore, the effect of D. hansenii strains on OTA accumulation should be attributed to a reduction at transcriptional level. Consequently, native D. hansenii can be useful as biocontrol agent in dry-cured meat products for preventing the hazard associated with the presence of OTA. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Making the diagnosis of Sjögren's syndrome in patients with dry eye.

PubMed

Beckman, Kenneth A; Luchs, Jodi; Milner, Mark S

2016-01-01

Sjögren's syndrome (SS) is a chronic and progressive systemic autoimmune disease that often presents initially with symptoms of dry eye and dry mouth. Symptoms are often nonspecific and develop gradually, making diagnosis difficult. Patients with dry eye complaints warrant a step-wise evaluation for possible SS. Initial evaluation requires establishment of a dry eye diagnosis using a combination of patient questionnaires and objective ocular tests, including inflammatory biomarker testing. Additional work-up using the Schirmer test and tear film break-up time can differentiate between aqueous-deficient dry eye (ADDE) and evaporative dry eye. The presence of ADDE should trigger further work-up to differentiate between SS-ADDE and non-SS-ADDE. There are numerous non-ocular manifestations of SS, and monitoring for SS-related comorbid findings can aid in diagnosis, ideally in collaboration with a rheumatologist. The clinical work-up of SS can involve a variety of tests, including tear function tests, serological tests for autoantibody biomarkers, minor salivary gland and lacrimal gland biopsies. Examination of classic SS biomarkers (SS-A/Ro, SS-B/La, antinuclear antibody, and rheumatoid factor) is a convenient and non-invasive way of evaluating patients for the presence of SS, even years prior to confirmed diagnosis, although not all SS patients will test positive, particularly those with early disease. Recently, newer biomarkers have been identified, including autoantibodies to salivary gland protein-1, parotid secretory protein, and carbonic anhydrase VI, and may allow for earlier diagnosis of SS. A diagnostic test kit is commercially available (Sjö(®)), incorporating these new biomarkers along with the classic autoantibodies. This advanced test has been shown to identify SS patients who previously tested negative against traditional biomarkers only. All patients with clinically significant ADDE should be considered for serological assessment for SS, given the availability of new serological diagnostic tests and the potentially serious consequences of missing the diagnosis.

Making the diagnosis of Sjögren’s syndrome in patients with dry eye

PubMed Central

Beckman, Kenneth A; Luchs, Jodi; Milner, Mark S

2016-01-01

Sjögren’s syndrome (SS) is a chronic and progressive systemic autoimmune disease that often presents initially with symptoms of dry eye and dry mouth. Symptoms are often nonspecific and develop gradually, making diagnosis difficult. Patients with dry eye complaints warrant a step-wise evaluation for possible SS. Initial evaluation requires establishment of a dry eye diagnosis using a combination of patient questionnaires and objective ocular tests, including inflammatory biomarker testing. Additional work-up using the Schirmer test and tear film break-up time can differentiate between aqueous-deficient dry eye (ADDE) and evaporative dry eye. The presence of ADDE should trigger further work-up to differentiate between SS-ADDE and non-SS-ADDE. There are numerous non-ocular manifestations of SS, and monitoring for SS-related comorbid findings can aid in diagnosis, ideally in collaboration with a rheumatologist. The clinical work-up of SS can involve a variety of tests, including tear function tests, serological tests for autoantibody biomarkers, minor salivary gland and lacrimal gland biopsies. Examination of classic SS biomarkers (SS-A/Ro, SS-B/La, antinuclear antibody, and rheumatoid factor) is a convenient and non-invasive way of evaluating patients for the presence of SS, even years prior to confirmed diagnosis, although not all SS patients will test positive, particularly those with early disease. Recently, newer biomarkers have been identified, including autoantibodies to salivary gland protein-1, parotid secretory protein, and carbonic anhydrase VI, and may allow for earlier diagnosis of SS. A diagnostic test kit is commercially available (Sjö®), incorporating these new biomarkers along with the classic autoantibodies. This advanced test has been shown to identify SS patients who previously tested negative against traditional biomarkers only. All patients with clinically significant ADDE should be considered for serological assessment for SS, given the availability of new serological diagnostic tests and the potentially serious consequences of missing the diagnosis. PMID:26766898

Erosion waves: Transverse instabilities and fingering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Malloggi, F.; Lanuza, J.; Andreotti, B.; Clément, E.

2006-09-01

Two laboratory scale experiments of dry and underwater avalanches of non-cohesive granular materials are investigated. We trigger solitary waves and study the conditions under which the front is transversally stable. We show the existence of a linear instability followed by a coarsening dynamics and finally the onset of a fingering pattern. Due to the different operating conditions, both experiments strongly differ by the spatial and time scales involved. Nevertheless, the quantitative agreement between the stability diagram, the wavelengths selected and the avalanche morphology suggest a common scenario for an erosion/deposition process.

Retention of Structure and Function of the Cat Germinal Vesicle after Air-Drying and Storage at Suprazero Temperature1

PubMed Central

Graves-Herring, Jennifer E.; Wildt, David E.; Comizzoli, Pierre

2013-01-01

ABSTRACT The study explored a novel approach for preserving the maternal genome without the entire oocyte by air-drying the cat germinal vesicle (GV) in the presence of the disaccharide trehalose. Specifically, we examined GV structure and function after desiccation, storage at 4°C (up to 32 wk), and rehydration including the ability to resume meiosis after injection into a fresh, conspecific cytoplast. In experiment 1, DNA integrity was similar to fresh controls after 1 and 4 wk storage in the presence of trehalose, but was more fragmented at later time points (especially after 32 wk). Nuclear envelope integrity was sustained in >90% of oocytes stored for 0, 4, or 16 wk regardless of protective treatment. In experiment 2, compacted, air-dried GVs were stored for 2 or 4 wk, rehydrated, and injected into fresh cytoplasts. After culture for 24 h in vitro, up to 73% of oocytes reconstructed with desiccated GVs preserved in trehalose resumed meiosis compared to 30% of those dried in the absence of the disaccharide. At each storage time point, trehalose presence during air-drying was advantageous for resumption of meiosis, with >20% of oocytes completing nuclear maturation to metaphase II. This demonstrates a potential for preserving the female genome using the GV alone and for multiple weeks after desiccation. Trehalose enhanced the process by retaining the ability of a dried and rehydrated GV to resume communication with the surrounding cytoplasm of the recipient oocyte to permit reaching metaphase II and likely sustain subsequent embryo development. PMID:23575153

40 CFR 428.96 - Pretreatment standards for new sources.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... GUIDELINES AND STANDARDS RUBBER MANUFACTURING POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Pan, Dry Digestion, and Mechanical... pollutant properties, controlled by this section, which may be discharged to a publicly owned treatment works by a new point source subject to the provisions of this subpart: Pollutant or pollutant property...

40 CFR Table 2b to Subpart E of... - Reactivity Factors for Aliphatic Hydrocarbon Solvent Mixtures

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Hydrocarbon Solvent Mixtures 2B Table 2B to Subpart E of Part 59 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL... Hydrocarbon Solvent Mixtures Bin Averageboiling point * (degrees F) Criteria Reactivityfactor 1 80-205 Alkanes... + Dry Point) / 2 (b) Aromatic Hydrocarbon Solvents ...

40 CFR Table 2b to Subpart E of... - Reactivity Factors for Aliphatic Hydrocarbon Solvent Mixtures

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... Hydrocarbon Solvent Mixtures 2B Table 2B to Subpart E of Part 59 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL... Hydrocarbon Solvent Mixtures Bin Averageboiling point * (degrees F) Criteria Reactivityfactor 1 80-205 Alkanes... + Dry Point) / 2 (b) Aromatic Hydrocarbon Solvents ...

Trends and Bioclimatic Assessment of Extreme Indices: Emerging Insights for Rainfall Derivative Crop Microinsurance in Central-West Nigeria

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Awolala, D. O.

2015-12-01

Scientific predictions have forecasted increasing economic losses by which farming households will be forced to consider new adaptation pathways to close the food gap and be income secure. Pro-poor adaptation planning decisions therefore must rely on location-specific details from systematic assessment of extreme climate indices to provide template for most suitable financial adaptation instruments. This paper examined critical loss point to water stress in maize production and risk-averse behaviour to extreme local climate in Central West Nigeria. Trends of extreme indices and bio-climatic assessment based on RClimDex for numerical weather predictions were carried out using a 3-decade time series daily observational climate data of the sub-humid region. The study reveals that the flowering and seed formation stage was identified as the most critical loss point when seed formation is a function of per unit soil water available for uptake. The sub-humid has a bi-modal rainfall pattern but faces longer dry spell with a fast disappearing mild climate measured by budyko evaporation of 80.1%. Radiation index of dryness of 1.394 confirms the region is rapidly becoming drier at an evaporation rate of 949 mm/year and rainfall deficit of 366 mm/year. Net primary production from rainfall is fast declining by 1634 g(DM)/m2/year. These conditions influenced by monthly rainfall uncertainties are associated with losses of standing crops because farmers are uncertain of rainfall probability distribution especially during most important vegetative stage. In a simulated warmer climate, an absolute dryness of months was observed compared with 4 dry months in a normal climate which explains triggers of food deficits and income losses. Positive coefficients of tropical nights (TR20), warm nights (TN90P) and warm days (TX90P), and the negative coefficient of cold days (TX10P) with time are significant at P<0.05. The increasing gradient of warm spell indicator (WSDI), the decreasing gradients of cold nights (TN10P) and cold days (TX10P) are added evidence of aridity arising from increasing rainfall deficits. This paper recommends that the region needs rainfall-based index microinsurance adaptation financial instruments capable of sharing covariate shocks with farmers within an incentive-based risk sharing framework.

Rebamipide (OPC-12759) in the treatment of dry eye: a randomized, double-masked, multicenter, placebo-controlled phase II study.

PubMed

Kinoshita, Shigeru; Awamura, Saki; Oshiden, Kazuhide; Nakamichi, Norihiro; Suzuki, Hiroyuki; Yokoi, Norihiko

2012-12-01

To investigate the dose response for efficacy of 1% and 2% rebamipide ophthalmic suspension compared with placebo in patients with dry eye. A randomized, double-masked, multicenter, placebo-controlled, parallel-group, dose-response phase II study. A total of 308 patients with dry eye. After a 2-week screening period, patients were randomized to receive placebo or 1% rebamipide or 2% rebamipide administered as 1 drop in each eye 4 times daily for 4 weeks. The primary objective end point was change in fluorescein corneal staining (FCS) score from baseline to last observation carried forward (LOCF). Secondary objective end points were lissamine green conjunctival staining (LGCS) score, tear film break-up time (TBUT), and the Schirmer's test. Secondary subjective end points included dry eye-related ocular symptoms (foreign body sensation, dryness, photophobia, eye pain, and blurred vision) score and patients' overall treatment impression score. Rebamipide dose response was observed in FCS, LGCS, and TBUT scores. Both 1% and 2% rebamipide were significantly more effective than the placebo in terms of the change from baseline to LOCF for FCS, LGCS, and TBUT scores. There was no significant difference between the rebamipide and placebo groups from baseline to LOCF in Schirmer's test values, and dose response was not observed. In the predefined dry eye subpopulation with a baseline FCS score of 10 to 15, the mean change from baseline in the 2% rebamipide group was larger than that in the 1% rebamipide group. Change from baseline to LOCF for all 5 dry eye-related ocular symptom scores and patients' overall treatment impression showed significant improvements in the 1% and 2% rebamipide groups compared with the placebo group, except for photophobia in the 1% rebamipide group. No deaths or drug-related serious adverse events occurred in any treatment group. The incidence of ocular abnormalities was similar across the rebamipide and placebo groups. Rebamipide was effective in treating both objective signs and subjective symptoms of dry eye and were well tolerated in this 4-week study. Although 1% and 2% rebamipide were both efficacious, 2% rebamipide may be more effective than 1% rebamipide in some measures. Proprietary or commercial disclosure may be found after the references. Copyright © 2012 American Academy of Ophthalmology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Stronger seasonal adjustment in leaf turgor loss point in lianas than trees in an Amazonian forest.

PubMed

Maréchaux, Isabelle; Bartlett, Megan K; Iribar, Amaia; Sack, Lawren; Chave, Jérôme

2017-01-01

Pan-tropically, liana density increases with decreasing rainfall and increasing seasonality. This pattern has led to the hypothesis that lianas display a growth advantage over trees under dry conditions. However, the physiological mechanisms underpinning this hypothesis remain elusive. A key trait influencing leaf and plant drought tolerance is the leaf water potential at turgor loss point (π tlp ). π tlp adjusts under drier conditions and this contributes to improved leaf drought tolerance. For co-occurring Amazonian tree (n = 247) and liana (n = 57) individuals measured during the dry and the wet seasons, lianas showed a stronger osmotic adjustment than trees. Liana leaves were less drought-tolerant than trees in the wet season, but reached similar drought tolerances during the dry season. Stronger osmotic adjustment in lianas would contribute to turgor maintenance, a critical prerequisite for carbon uptake and growth, and to the success of lianas relative to trees in growth under drier conditions. © 2017 The Author(s).

LIGO-VIRGO Triggered Follow-Up with NASA High Energy Photon Survey Missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Camp, Jordan

2010-01-01

We discuss the proposed use of LIGO-VIRGO S6 triggers from comparatively loud events to search for both prompt and afterglow EM counterparts with RXTE, SWIFT and FERMI. Using a 2 or 3-fold coincident trigger from the two LIGO and one VIRGO detectors to provide sky position information, we can search the data from these missions within a limited time window and a constrained portion of their respective FOVs, allowing us to look at a level below the threshold normally used to publicly indicate an event. Since we propose to use these missions in their survey mode, no re-pointing of the missions is envisioned. The search for a coincidence between the data from LIGO-VIRGO and the EM survey missions can then be analyzed off-line; if a coincident EM signal is found it would have a significant effect in establishing the validity of the GW trigger. We discuss some relevant aspects of the NASA missions and give some preliminary estimates of thresholds and coincident background rates.

Triggering processes of microseismic events associated with water injection in Okuaizu Geothermal Field, Japan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Okamoto, Kyosuke; Yi, Li; Asanuma, Hiroshi; Okabe, Takashi; Abe, Yasuyuki; Tsuzuki, Masatoshi

2018-02-01

A continuous water injection test was conducted to halt the reduction in steam production in the Okuaizu Geothermal Field, Japan. Understanding the factors triggering microseismicity associated with water injection is essential to ensuring effective steam production. We identified possible triggering processes by applying methods based on microseismic monitoring, including a new method to determine the presence of water in local fractures using scattered P-waves. We found that the evolving microseismicity near the injection point could be explained by a diffusion process and/or water migration. We also found that local microseismicity on a remote fault was likely activated by stress fluctuations resulting from changes in the injection rate. A mediator of this fluctuation might be water remaining in the fracture zone. After the injection was terminated, microseismicity possibly associated with the phase transition of the liquid was found. We conclude that a variety of triggering processes associated with water injection may exist.[Figure not available: see fulltext.

On the conditions for nonlinear growth in magnetospheric chorus and triggered emissions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gołkowski, Mark; Gibby, Andrew R.

2017-09-01

The nonlinear whistler mode instability associated with magnetospheric chorus and VLF triggered emissions continues to be poorly understood. Following up on formulations of other authors, an analytical exploration of the stability of the phenomenon from a new vantage point is given. This exploration derives an additional requirement on the anisotropy of the energetic electron distribution relative to the linear treatment of the instability, and shows that the nonlinear instability is most favorable to increasing growth rate when electrons become initially trapped in the wave potential of a constant frequency wave. These results imply that the initiation of the nonlinear instability at the equator requires a positive frequency sweep rate, while the initiation of the instability by a constant frequency triggering wave must occur at a location downstream of the geomagnetic equator.

Forest restoration and fuels reduction in ponderosa pine and dry mixed conifer in the Southwest

Treesearch

Marlin Johnson

2008-01-01

(Please note, this is an abstract only) Most people agree that ponderosa pine and dry mixed conifer stands need to be thinned and burned to move the stands to within a normal range of variability. Unfortunately, people are in disagreement beyond that point. To some, restoration and fuels reduction means restoring stands to more open, pre-European (pre-1880) conditions...

[Microcontroller temperature regulator MPT110 for drying-sterilizing cabinets].

PubMed

Kostin, N N; Gavrishchuk, V I; Zelepukin, S A; Shkulepa, V M; Zharov, E N

2002-01-01

The paper describes a MPT-110 temperature microcontroller developed by the closed joint-stock company "OPLEKS" (Orel, Russia) and the results of comparative tests performed in the @IIICC-80 drying sterilizing cabinet. The use of the MPT-110 controller is shown to improve the quality of control and to shorten the times that is taken for the cabinet to reach the preset temperature point.

4. Aerial view (altitude 2,000 ft.) looking north showing Dry ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

4. Aerial view (altitude 2,000 ft.) looking north showing Dry Dock No. 4 (upper left) under construction. Cofferdam is still in place. Note caisson sitting in caisson seat at east end of dock (2/8/43). Photographer: A. E. Weed, CPHoM. - Hunters Point Naval Shipyard, Drydock No. 4, East terminus of Palou Avenue, San Francisco, San Francisco County, CA

Reserve Compensation System Study Supporting Papers. Volume 2. Deferred Compensation and Benefits

DTIC Science & Technology

1978-06-01

management activities were affecting reserve effectiveness -- either positively or negatively. Using data gathered by the various methods , the...point accrual method , RCSS assigned the 60 point "cap" in the following priority: • membership 15 points; • inactive duty up to U5 points...system, which included a wet canteen and a dry canteen. The wet cantaen was more of a social club with a library and reading room, a game and

Occurrence of Blastocystis sp. in water catchments at Malay villages and Aboriginal settlement during wet and dry seasons in Peninsular Malaysia

PubMed Central

Noradilah, Samseh Abdullah; Lee, Ii Li; Anuar, Tengku Shahrul; Salleh, Fatmah Md; Abdul Manap, Siti Nor Azreen; Mohd Mohtar, Noor Shazleen Husnie; Azrul, Syed Muhamad; Abdullah, Wan Omar

2016-01-01

In the tropics, there are too few studies on isolation of Blastocystis sp. subtypes from water sources; in addition, there is also an absence of reported studies on the occurrence of Blastocystis sp. subtypes in water during different seasons. Therefore, this study was aimed to determine the occurrence of Blastocystis sp. subtypes in river water and other water sources that drained aboriginal vicinity of highly endemic intestinal parasitic infections during wet and dry seasons. Water samples were collected from six sampling points of Sungai Krau (K1–K6) and a point at Sungai Lompat (K7) and other water sources around the aboriginal villages. The water samples were collected during both seasons, wet and dry seasons. Filtration of the water samples were carried out using a flatbed membrane filtration system. The extracted DNA from concentrated water sediment was subjected to single round polymerase chain reaction and positive PCR products were subjected to sequencing. All samples were also subjected to filtration and cultured on membrane lactose glucuronide agar for the detection of faecal coliforms. During wet season, Blastocystis sp. ST1, ST2 and ST3 were detected in river water samples. Blastocystis sp. ST3 occurrence was sustained in the river water samples during dry season. However Blastocystis sp. ST1 and ST2 were absent during dry season. Water samples collected from various water sources showed contaminations of Blastocystis sp. ST1, ST2, ST3 and ST4, during wet season and Blastocystis sp. ST1, ST3, ST8 and ST10 during dry season. Water collected from all river sampling points during both seasons showed growth of Escherichia coli and Enterobacter aerogenes, indicating faecal contamination. In this study, Blastocystis sp. ST3 is suggested as the most robust and resistant subtype able to survive in any adverse environmental condition. Restriction and control of human and animal faecal contaminations to the river and other water sources shall prevent the transmission of Blastocystis sp. to humans and animals in this aboriginal community. PMID:27761331

Seasonality in the dung beetle community in a Brazilian tropical dry forest: Do small changes make a difference?

PubMed

Medina, Anderson Matos; Lopes, Priscila Paixão

2014-01-01

Dung beetle (Coleoptera: Scarabaeoidea: Scarabaeinae) activity is influenced by rainfall seasonality. We hypothesized that rainfall might also play a major role in regulating the community structure of this group. In this study, we describe seasonal changes in the richness, composition, and structure of the Scarabaeinae community in a Brazilian tropical dry forest. A fragment of arboreal Caatinga was sampled using baited pitfall traps during the early dry season (EDS), late dry season (LDS), early wet season (EWS), and middle wet season (MWS). We compared the dung beetle community in each season in relationship to species richness, rank-dominance, curves, and composition. We collected 1352 Scarabaeinae individuals , belonging to 15 species. Dichotomius aff. laevicollis Felsche (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) was the dominant species, representing 73.89% of the individuals. There were no seasonal changes in the rank dominance curves; all had a single dominant species and a few species with low abundance, typical for arid areas. Estimated richness was highest in MWS, followed by EWS. Dry-season samples (EDS and LDS) had lower richness, with no significant difference between the dry seasons. Although species richness increased as the habitat became wetter, the difference between the wet and dry seasons was small, which differs completely from the findings of other studies in Neotropical dry forests, where almost all species cease activities in the dry season. Species composition changes were found in non-metric multidimensional scaling and sustained by analysis of similarity. All the seasons had pairwise differences in composition, with the exception of EDS and MWS, which indicates that the dung beetle community in this fragment requires more than three months of drought to trigger changes in species composition; this is probably due to small changes in the forest canopy. There was no difference in composition between EDS and MWS. As in other tropical dry forests, although to a lesser extent, the dung beetle community of this fragment responded to rainfall seasonality with changes in species composition and reduced species richness. Such responses, even to this lesser extent, may occur because of small changes in tree cover and minor microclimate changes. This is an open access paper. We use the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 license that permits unrestricted use, provided that the paper is properly attributed.

Support afferentation in the posture and locomotion control system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grigoriev, Anatoly; Tomilovskaya, Elena; Kozlovskaya, Inesa

Mechanisms of support afferentation contribution in posture and locomotion control, which were uncertain up to now, became the point of intensive studies recently. This became possible since the space flights era started which created the conditions for simulated microgravity experiments under conditions of dry immersion and bedrest. The results of neurophysiological studies performed under the conditions of supportlessness have shown that decline or elimination of support loads is followed by deep and fast developing alterations in postural tonic system, including development of postural muscle atonia, changes of recruitment order of motoneurons innervating the shin muscles, spinal hyperreflexia development etc. (Kozlovskaya I.B. et al., 1987). It has been also shown that application of artificial support stimulation in the regimen of natural locomotion under these conditions decreases significantly or even eliminates the development of mentioned changes. The results of these studies laid down the basis for a new hypothesis on the trigger role of support afferentation in postural tonic system and its role in organization and control of postural synergies (Grigoriev A.I. et al., 2004). According to this hypothesis the muscle reception is considered to be the leading afferent input in the control of locomotion. However the data of recent studies pointed out strongly to the participation of support afferentation in definition of cognitive strategies and motor programs of locomotor movements (Chernikova L.A. et al., 2013) and, consequently, in the processes of their initiation (Gerasimenko Yu.P. et al., 2012). The cortical locomotor reflex composes apparently the basis of these processes. The receptive field of this reflex is located in the support zones of the soles and the central part is located in the posterior parietal areas (IPL) of brain cortex. The study is supported by RFBR grant N 13-04-12091 OFI-m.

Unusual Sediment Transportation Processes Under Low Pressure Environments and Implications For Gullies and Recurring Slope Lineae (RSL)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Raack, J.; Herny, C.; Conway, S. J.; Balme, M. R.; Carpy, S.; Patel, M.

2017-12-01

Recently and presently active mass wasting features such as gullies and recurring slope lineae (RSL) are common on the surface of Mars, but their origin and triggering mechanisms are under intense debate. While several active mass wasting features have been linked to sublimation of CO2ice, dry granular flows (avalanches), or a combination of both effects, others have been more closely linked to liquid water or briny outflows (e.g. for RSL). However, liquid water on the surface of Mars is unstable under present-day low pressures and surface temperatures. Nevertheless, numerical modeling and remote sensing data have shown that maximum surface temperatures can exceed the frost point of water and that liquid water could exist on the surface of actual Mars in a transient state. But to explain the observed spatial extent of RSL and recent modification of gullies, it is estimated that relatively large amounts of liquid water are necessary. It is proving challenging to generate such quantities from the atmosphere. In this contribution we explore the potential effects of boiling water (boiling occurs at martian pressures slightly above the frost point of 273 K) on sediment transport. We will present the outcomes of a series of experiments under low surface and water temperatures (between 278 and 297 K, analogous to surface temperatures observed near RSL) and low pressures (between 8 and 11 mbar). We simulate sediment transport by boiling liquid water over a sloping bed of unconsolidated sediment. Our results reveal a suite of unusual and very reactive sediment transportation processes, which are not produced under terrestrial pressures. We will discuss the impact of these unusual sediment transport processes on estimates of water budgets for active mass wasting processes.

Freeze drying for morphological control of inter-penetrating polymer networks

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hansen, Marion G.; Pater, Ruth H.

1990-01-01

The intrinsic brittleness of BMI resins can be reduced through the creation of an interpenetrating network (IPN) of BMI with a reactive-encapped thermoplastic, such as the presently considered polyimidesulfone, PISO2. The PISO2 and BMI were dissolved in a common solvent, which was then removed from the constituents by freeze drying; in an alternative method, an IPN was formed through dissolution of the constituent in a common solvent with either high or low melting point, followed by evaporative removal of the solvent. The effectiveness of the freeze-drying approach for morphological control is evaluated.

Climate drivers of the Amazon forest greening.

PubMed

Wagner, Fabien Hubert; Hérault, Bruno; Rossi, Vivien; Hilker, Thomas; Maeda, Eduardo Eiji; Sanchez, Alber; Lyapustin, Alexei I; Galvão, Lênio Soares; Wang, Yujie; Aragão, Luiz E O C

2017-01-01

Our limited understanding of the climate controls on tropical forest seasonality is one of the biggest sources of uncertainty in modeling climate change impacts on terrestrial ecosystems. Combining leaf production, litterfall and climate observations from satellite and ground data in the Amazon forest, we show that seasonal variation in leaf production is largely triggered by climate signals, specifically, insolation increase (70.4% of the total area) and precipitation increase (29.6%). Increase of insolation drives leaf growth in the absence of water limitation. For these non-water-limited forests, the simultaneous leaf flush occurs in a sufficient proportion of the trees to be observed from space. While tropical cycles are generally defined in terms of dry or wet season, we show that for a large part of Amazonia the increase in insolation triggers the visible progress of leaf growth, just like during spring in temperate forests. The dependence of leaf growth initiation on climate seasonality may result in a higher sensitivity of these ecosystems to changes in climate than previously thought.

Formation of recurring slope lineae on Mars by rarefied gas-triggered granular flows

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schmidt, F.; Andrieu, F.; Costard, F.; Kocifaj, M.; Meresescu, A. G.

2017-09-01

Recurring Slope Linae or RSL are seasonal dark features appearing when the soil reaches its maximum temperature. They appear on various slopes at the equator of Mars, in orientation depending on the season. Today, liquid water related processes have been promoted, such as deliquescence of salts. Nevertheless external atmospheric source of water is inconsistent with the observations. Internal source is also very unlikely. We take into consideration here the force occurring when the sun illuminates granular soil in rarefied gas conditions to produce a Knudsen pump. This process significantly lowers the angle of repose of sandy material. Hence, relatively low slope could start to flow. RSL seems to originate from rough terrains and boulders. We propose that the local shadows due to boulders over the soil, is the triggering phenomena. In this case, the Knudsen pump is magnified and could lead to flow. This new exotic dry process involving neither water nor CO2 and is consistent with the seasonal and facet's orientation appearance of RSL.

Research on the stability of a rabbit dry eye model induced by topical application of the preservative benzalkonium chloride.

PubMed

Li, Chaoyang; Song, Yiyue; Luan, Shaohong; Wan, Pengxia; Li, Naiyang; Tang, Jing; Han, Yu; Xiong, Cuiju; Wang, Zhichong

2012-01-01

Dry eye is a common disease worldwide, and animal models are critical for the study of it. At present, there is no research about the stability of the extant animal models, which may have negative implications for previous dry eye studies. In this study, we observed the stability of a rabbit dry eye model induced by the topical benzalkonium chloride (BAC) and determined the valid time of this model. Eighty white rabbits were randomly divided into four groups. One eye from each rabbit was randomly chosen to receive topical 0.1% BAC twice daily for 2 weeks (Group BAC-W2), 3 weeks (Group BAC-W3), 4 weeks (Group BAC-W4), or 5 weeks (Group BAC-W5). Fluorescein staining, Schirmer's tests, and conjunctival impression cytology were performed before BAC treatment (normal) and on days 0, 7, 14 and 21 after BAC removal. The eyeballs were collected at these time points for immunofluorescence staining, hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining, and electron microscopy. After removing BAC, the signs of dry eye in Group BAC-W2 lasted one week. Compared with normal, there were still significant differences in the results of Schirmer's tests and fluorescein staining in Groups BAC-W3 and BAC-W4 on day 7 (P<0.05) and in Group BAC-W5 on day 14 (P<0.05). Decreases in goblet cell density remained stable in the three experimental groups at all time points (P<0.001). Decreased levels of mucin-5 subtype AC (MUC5AC), along with histopathological and ultrastructural disorders of the cornea and conjunctiva could be observed in Group BAC-W4 and particularly in Group BAC-W5 until day 21. A stable rabbit dry eye model was induced by topical 0.1% BAC for 5 weeks, and after BAC removal, the signs of dry eye were sustained for 2 weeks (for the mixed type of dry eye) or for at least 3 weeks (for mucin-deficient dry eye).

Research on the Stability of a Rabbit Dry Eye Model Induced by Topical Application of the Preservative Benzalkonium Chloride

PubMed Central

Luan, Shaohong; Wan, Pengxia; Li, Naiyang; Tang, Jing; Han, Yu; Xiong, Cuiju; Wang, Zhichong

2012-01-01

Background Dry eye is a common disease worldwide, and animal models are critical for the study of it. At present, there is no research about the stability of the extant animal models, which may have negative implications for previous dry eye studies. In this study, we observed the stability of a rabbit dry eye model induced by the topical benzalkonium chloride (BAC) and determined the valid time of this model. Methods and Findings Eighty white rabbits were randomly divided into four groups. One eye from each rabbit was randomly chosen to receive topical 0.1% BAC twice daily for 2 weeks (Group BAC-W2), 3 weeks (Group BAC-W3), 4 weeks (Group BAC-W4), or 5 weeks (Group BAC-W5). Fluorescein staining, Schirmer's tests, and conjunctival impression cytology were performed before BAC treatment (normal) and on days 0, 7, 14 and 21 after BAC removal. The eyeballs were collected at these time points for immunofluorescence staining, hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining, and electron microscopy. After removing BAC, the signs of dry eye in Group BAC-W2 lasted one week. Compared with normal, there were still significant differences in the results of Schirmer's tests and fluorescein staining in Groups BAC-W3 and BAC-W4 on day 7 (P<0.05) and in Group BAC-W5 on day 14 (P<0.05). Decreases in goblet cell density remained stable in the three experimental groups at all time points (P<0.001). Decreased levels of mucin-5 subtype AC (MUC5AC), along with histopathological and ultrastructural disorders of the cornea and conjunctiva could be observed in Group BAC-W4 and particularly in Group BAC-W5 until day 21. Conclusions A stable rabbit dry eye model was induced by topical 0.1% BAC for 5 weeks, and after BAC removal, the signs of dry eye were sustained for 2 weeks (for the mixed type of dry eye) or for at least 3 weeks (for mucin-deficient dry eye). PMID:22438984

Simulation of rockfalls triggered by earthquakes

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kobayashi, Y.; Harp, E.L.; Kagawa, T.

1990-01-01

A computer program to simulate the downslope movement of boulders in rolling or bouncing modes has been developed and applied to actual rockfalls triggered by the Mammoth Lakes, California, earthquake sequence in 1980 and the Central Idaho earthquake in 1983. In order to reproduce a movement mode where bouncing predominated, we introduced an artificial unevenness to the slope surface by adding a small random number to the interpolated value of the mid-points between the adjacent surveyed points. Three hundred simulations were computed for each site by changing the random number series, which determined distances and bouncing intervals. The movement of the boulders was, in general, rather erratic depending on the random numbers employed, and the results could not be seen as deterministic but stochastic. The closest agreement between calculated and actual movements was obtained at the site with the most detailed and accurate topographic measurements. ?? 1990 Springer-Verlag.

EMIC triggered chorus emissions in Cluster data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grison, B.; SantolíK, O.; Cornilleau-Wehrlin, N.; Masson, A.; Engebretson, M. J.; Pickett, J. S.; Omura, Y.; Robert, P.; Nomura, R.

2013-03-01

Electromagnetic ion cyclotron (EMIC) triggered chorus emissions have recently been a subject of several experimental, theoretical and simulation case studies, noting their similarities with whistler-mode chorus. We perform a survey of 8 years of Cluster data in order to increase the database of EMIC triggered emissions. The results of this is that EMIC triggered emissions have been unambiguously observed for only three different days. These three events are studied in detail. All cases have been observed at the plasmapause between 22 and 24 magnetic local time (MLT) and between - 15° and 15° magnetic latitude (λm). Triggered emissions are also observed for the first time below the local He+ gyrofrequency (fHe+). The number of events is too low to produce statistical results, nevertheless we point out a variety of common properties of those waves. The rising tones have a high level of coherence and the waves propagate away from the equatorial region. The propagation angle and degree of polarization are related to the distance from the equator, whereas the slope and the frequency extent vary from one event to the other. From the various spacecraft separations, we determine that the triggering process is a localized phenomenon in space and time. However, we are unable to determine the occurrence rates of these waves. Small frequency extent rising tones are more common than large ones. The newly reported EMIC triggered events are generally observed during periods of large AE index values and in time periods close to solar maximum.

Induced seismicity at the UK `hot dry rock' test site for geothermal energy production

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Xun; Main, Ian; Jupe, Andrew

2018-07-01

In enhanced geothermal systems (EGS), fluid is injected at high pressure in order to stimulate fracturing and/or fluid flow through otherwise relatively impermeable underlying hot rocks to generate power and/or heat. The stimulation induces microearthquakes whose precise triggering mechanism and relationship to new and pre-existing fracture networks are still the subject of some debate. Here, we analyse the data set for induced microearthquakes at the UK `hot dry rock' experimental geothermal site (Rosemanowes, Cornwall). We quantify the evolution of several metrics used to characterise induced seismicity, including the seismic strain partition factor and the `seismogenic index'. The results show a low strain partition factor of 0.01 per cent and a low seismogenic index indicating that aseismic processes dominate. We also analyse the spatio-temporal distribution of hypocentres, using simple models for the evolution of hydraulic diffusivity by (1) isotropic and (2) anisotropic pore-pressure relaxation. The principal axes of the diffusivity or permeability tensor inferred from the spatial distribution of earthquake foci are aligned parallel to the present-day stress field, although the maximum permeability is vertical, whereas the maximum principal stress is horizontal. Our results are consistent with a triggering mechanism that involves (1) seismic shear slip along optimally oriented pre-existing fractures, (2) a large component of aseismic slip with creep and (3) activation of tensile fractures as hydraulic conduits created by both the present-day stress field and by the induced shear slip, both exploiting pre-existing joint sets exposed in borehole data.

[Effect of antecedent dry period on water quality of urban storm runoff pollution].

PubMed

Bian, Bo

2009-12-01

Identified the main factor influencing urban rainfall-runoff pollution provides a scientific basis for urban rainfall-runoff pollution control and management. Therefore, starting in May 2006, a study was conducted to characterize water quality from representative land uses types in Zhenjiang to analyse the effect of antecedent dry period on stormwater runoff quality. The results show that the beginning of rainfall, with the increase of antecedent dry periods, the percentages of less than 40 microm is increased, the correlation of the water quality parameters (TN, TP, Zn, Pb, Cu, TSS and COD) and antecedent dry period shows a significant positive correlation, dissolved pollutants in the initial period surface runoff is increased. These findings show that facilitating the recognition of antecedent dry periods is the main factor influencing the change in concentration and partitioning of pollutants to provide the scientific basis for non-point source pollution control and management.

Universal single point liquid level sensor

DOEpatents

Kronberg, J.W.

1992-10-27

A liquid level detector comprises a thermistor and circuitry for determining electrically if the thermistor is wet or dry and additionally, and continuously, if the thermistor is open or shorted. The voltage across the thermistor is filtered to remove low frequency electrical noise, then compared with a reference low voltage to determine if shorted and to a transition voltage chosen to be between the thermistor's normal wet and dry voltages to determine if the thermistor is wet or dry. The voltage is also compared to the supply voltage using a CMOS gate circuit element to determine if the thermistor is open. The gate passes both faults on to an LED to signal that a fault condition exists or indicates by another LED the wet or dry condition of the thermistor. A pump may be activated through a relay if the thermistor tests wet or dry, as desired. 1 figure.

Universal single point liquid level sensor

DOEpatents

Kronberg, James W.

1992-01-01

A liquid level detector comprises a thermistor and circuitry for determining electrically if the thermistor is wet or dry and additionally, and continuously, if the thermistor is open or shorted. The voltage across the thermistor is filtered to remove low frequency electrical noise, then compared with a reference low voltage to determine if shorted and to a transition voltage chosen to be between the thermistor's normal wet and dry voltages to determine if the thermistor is wet or dry. The voltage is also compared to the supply voltage using a CMOS gate circuit element to determine if the thermistor is open. The gate passes both faults on to an LED to signal that a fault condition exists or indicates by another LED the wet or dry condition of the thermistor. A pump may be activated through a relay if the thermistor tests wet or dry, as desired.

Temperature Control System for Mushroom Dryer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wibowo, I. A.; Indah, Nur; Sebayang, D.; Adam, N. H.

2018-03-01

The main problem in mushroom cultivation is the handling after the harvest. Drying is one technique to preserve the mushrooms. Traditionally, mushrooms are dried by sunshine which depends on the weather. This affects the quality of the dried mushrooms. Therefore, this paper proposes a system to provide an artificial drying for mushrooms in order to maintain their quality. The objective of the system is to control the mushroom drying process to be faster compared to the natural drying at an accurate and right temperature. A model of the mushroom dryer has been designed, built, and tested. The system comprises a chamber, heater, blower, temperature sensor and electronic control circuit. A microcontroller is used as the controller which is programmed to implement a bang-bang control that regulates the temperature of the chamber. A desired temperature is inputted as a set point of the control system. Temperature of 45 °C is chosen as the operational drying temperature. Several tests have been carried out to examine the performance of the system including drying speed, the effects of ambient conditions, and the effects of mushroom size. The results show that the system can satisfy the objective.

Mathematical models and qualities of shredded Thai-style instant rice under a combined gas-fired infrared and air convection drying

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nachaisin, Mali; Teeta, Suminya; Deejing, Konlayut; Pharanat, Wanida

2017-09-01

Instant food is a product produced for convenience for consumer. Qualities are an important attribute of food materials reflecting consumer acceptance. The most problem of instant rice is casehardening during drying process resulted in the longer rehydration time. The objective of this research was to study the qualities of shredded Thai-style instant rice under a combined gas-fired infrared and air convection drying. Additionally, the mathematical models for gas-fired infrared assisted thin-layer drying of shredded Thai-style rice for traditional was investigated. The thin-layer drying of shredded Thai-style rice was carried out under gas-fired infrared intensities of 1000W/m2, air temperatures of 70°C and air velocities of 1 m/s. The drying occurred in the falling rate of drying period. The Page model was found to satisfactorily describe the drying behavior of shredded Thai-style rice, providing the highest R2 (0.997) and the lowest MBE and RMSE (0.01 and 0.18) respectively. A 9 point hedonic test showed in softness and color, but odor and overall acceptance were very similar.

Immune-spaying as an alternative to surgical spaying in Iberian x Duroc females: Effect on the sensory traits and volatile organic compound profile of dry-cured shoulders and dry-cured loins.

PubMed

Gamero-Negrón, Rafael; García, Carmen; Reina, Raquel; Sánchez Del Pulgar, José

2018-09-01

The aim of this study was to assess the effect of immune-spaying on sensory characteristics and the volatile organic compound (VOC) profile of dry-cured shoulders and loins by comparing Iberian × Duroc surgically spayed females, immune-spayed females and entire females. VOC profile of dry-cured shoulders was not significantly affected by the reproductive status, probably due to the large heterogeneity of dry-cured shoulders as a product. Correspondingly, dry-cured shoulders showed little differences among treatment groups, with better scores for marbling, hardness and chewiness attributes in the immune-spayed females. Dry-cured loin sensory traits such as brightness, marbling, chewiness and juiciness, presented better scores in immune-spayed females. Moreover, dry-cured loins showed a higher homogeneity that allowed the effects of spaying to be observed, thus the Principal Component Analysis performed on VOC profile data indicated a better separation of samples among treatment groups. Consequently, immune-spaying could be a viable alternative to surgical spaying from the point of view of meat quality. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Dentin moisture conditions affect the adhesion of root canal sealers.

PubMed

Nagas, Emre; Uyanik, M Ozgur; Eymirli, Ayhan; Cehreli, Zafer C; Vallittu, Pekka K; Lassila, Lippo V J; Durmaz, Veli

2012-02-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of intraradicular moisture conditions on the push-out bond strength of root canal sealers. Eighty root canals were prepared using rotary instruments and, thereafter, were assigned to 4 groups with respect to the moisture condition tested: (1) ethanol (dry): excess distilled water was removed with paper points followed by dehydration with 95% ethanol, (2) paper points: the canals were blot dried with paper points with the last one appearing dry, (3) moist: the canals were dried with low vacuum by using a Luer adapter for 5 seconds followed by 1 paper point for 1 second, and (4) wet: the canals remained totally flooded. The roots were further divided into 4 subgroups according to the sealer used: (1) AH Plus (Dentsply-Tulsa Dental, Tulsa, OK), (2) iRoot SP (Innovative BioCeramix Inc, Vancouver, Canada), (3) MTA Fillapex (Angelus Indústria de Produtos Odontológicos S/A, Londrina, Brasil), and (4) Epiphany (Pentron Clinical Technologies, Wallingford, CT). Five 1-mm-thick slices were obtained from each root sample (n = 25 slices/group). Bond strengths of the test materials to root canal dentin were measured using a push-out test setup at a cross-head speed of 1 mm/min. The data were analyzed statistically by two-way analysis of variance and Tukey tests at P = .05. Irrespective of the moisture conditions, iRoot SP displayed the highest bond strength to root dentin. Statistical ranking of bond strength values was as follows: iRoot SP > AH Plus > Epiphany ≥ MTA Fillapex. The sealers displayed their highest and lowest bond strengths under moist (3) and wet (4) conditions, respectively. The degree of residual moisture significantly affects the adhesion of root canal sealers to radicular dentin. For the tested sealers, it may be advantageous to leave canals slightly moist before filling. Copyright © 2012 American Association of Endodontists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effects of land use and seasonality on stream water quality in a small tropical catchment: The headwater of Córrego Água Limpa, São Paulo (Brazil).

PubMed

Rodrigues, Valdemir; Estrany, Joan; Ranzini, Mauricio; de Cicco, Valdir; Martín-Benito, José Mª Tarjuelo; Hedo, Javier; Lucas-Borja, Manuel E

2018-05-01

Stream water quality is controlled by the interaction of natural and anthropogenic factors over a range of temporal and spatial scales. Among these anthropogenic factors, land cover changes at catchment scale can affect stream water quality. This work aims to evaluate the influence of land use and seasonality on stream water quality in a representative tropical headwater catchment named as Córrego Água Limpa (Sao Paulo, Brasil), which is highly influenced by intensive agricultural activities and urban areas. Two systematic sampling approach campaigns were implemented with six sampling points along the stream of the headwater catchment to evaluate water quality during the rainy and dry seasons. Three replicates were collected at each sampling point in 2011. Electrical conductivity, nitrates, nitrites, sodium superoxide, Chemical Oxygen Demand (DQO), colour, turbidity, suspended solids, soluble solids and total solids were measured. Water quality parameters differed among sampling points, being lower at the headwater sampling point (0m above sea level), and then progressively higher until the last downstream sampling point (2500m above sea level). For the dry season, the mean discharge was 39.5ls -1 (from April to September) whereas 113.0ls -1 were averaged during the rainy season (from October to March). In addition, significant temporal and spatial differences were observed (P<0.05) for the fourteen parameters during the rainy and dry period. The study enhance significant relationships among land use and water quality and its temporal effect, showing seasonal differences between the land use and water quality connection, highlighting the importance of multiple spatial and temporal scales for understanding the impacts of human activities on catchment ecosystem services. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Assessment of pelvic floor muscles in women with deep endometriosis.

PubMed

Dos Bispo, Ana Paula Santos; Ploger, Christine; Loureiro, Alessandra Fernandes; Sato, Hélio; Kolpeman, Alexander; Girão, Manoel João Batista Castello; Schor, Eduardo

2016-09-01

To assess function and prevalence of spasms and trigger points of the pelvic floor muscles in women with deep endometriosis. One hundred and four (104) patients were assessed. Group 1 (G1) was composed of 52 subjects diagnosed with deep endometriosis proven by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI); Group 2 (G2) was composed of 52 women with no signs of endometriosis. Subjects from both G1 and G2 were seen at the Division of Pelvic Pain and Endometriosis and at Center for Prevention of Sexually Transmitted Diseases, both at Federal University of São Paulo (UNIFESP), respectively. A full physical therapy evaluation was carried out, including medical history, presence of dyspareunia and physical examination, which included detailed evaluation of pelvic floor muscles and occurrence of muscle spasm, trigger point and muscle function. The average age of the subjects in the study group was 36.4 and 30.9 years in the control group (p = 0.002). A greater prevalence of deep dyspareunia was found in the subjects in the endometriosis group when compared to the control group (p = 0.010). Women in G1 had higher prevalence of muscle spasms. In this group, 53.9 % had spasms-compared to only 17.3 % of women in G2 (p < 0.001). On the other hand, no significant difference between the groups (p = 0.153) was found while searching for the presence of trigger points. Women with deep endometriosis have increased prevalence of pelvic floor muscle spasms when compared to the control group.

Objective measurement of tissue tension in myofascial trigger point areas before and during the administration of anesthesia with complete blocking of neuromuscular transmission.

PubMed

Buchmann, Johannes; Neustadt, Beate; Buchmann-Barthel, Katharina; Rudolph, Soeren; Klauer, Thomas; Reis, Olaf; Smolenski, Ulrich; Buchmann, Hella; Wagner, Klaus F; Haessler, Frank

2014-03-01

Myofascial trigger points (MTPs) are extremely frequent in the human musculoskeletal system. Despite this, little is known about their etiology. Increased muscular tension in the trigger point area could be a major factor for the development of MTPs. To investigate the impact of muscular tension in the taut band with an MTP and thereby, the spinal excitability of associated segmental neurons, we objectively measured the tissue tension in MTPs before and during the administration of anesthesia using a transducer. Three target muscles (m. temporalis, upper part of m. trapezius, and m. extensor carpi radialis longus) with an MTP and 1 control muscle without an MTP were examined in 62 patients scheduled for an operation. We found significant 2-way interactions (ANOVA, P<0.05) between the analyzed regions of the target muscles dependent on the time of measurement, that is, before and during a complete blocking of neuromuscular transmission. These effects could be demonstrated for each target muscle separately. An increased muscle tension in MTPs, and not a primary local inflammation with enhanced viscoelasticity, was the main result of our investigation. We interpret this increased muscular tension in the taut band with an MTP as increased spinal segmental excitability. In line with this, we assume a predominant, but not unique, impact of increased spinal excitability resulting in an augmented tension of segmental-associated muscle fibers for the etiology of MTP. Consequently, postisometric relaxation might be a promising therapeutic option for MTPs.

Sensor-triggered sampling to determine instantaneous airborne vapor exposure concentrations.

PubMed

Smith, Philip A; Simmons, Michael K; Toone, Phillip

2018-06-01

It is difficult to measure transient airborne exposure peaks by means of integrated sampling for organic chemical vapors, even with very short-duration sampling. Selection of an appropriate time to measure an exposure peak through integrated sampling is problematic, and short-duration time-weighted average (TWA) values obtained with integrated sampling are not likely to accurately determine actual peak concentrations attained when concentrations fluctuate rapidly. Laboratory analysis for integrated exposure samples is preferred from a certainty standpoint over results derived in the field from a sensor, as a sensor user typically must overcome specificity issues and a number of potential interfering factors to obtain similarly reliable data. However, sensors are currently needed to measure intra-exposure period concentration variations (i.e., exposure peaks). In this article, the digitized signal from a photoionization detector (PID) sensor triggered collection of whole-air samples when toluene or trichloroethylene vapors attained pre-determined levels in a laboratory atmosphere generation system. Analysis by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry of whole-air samples (with both 37 and 80% relative humidity) collected using the triggering mechanism with rapidly increasing vapor concentrations showed good agreement with the triggering set point values. Whole-air samples (80% relative humidity) in canisters demonstrated acceptable 17-day storage recoveries, and acceptable precision and bias were obtained. The ability to determine exceedance of a ceiling or peak exposure standard by laboratory analysis of an instantaneously collected sample, and to simultaneously provide a calibration point to verify the correct operation of a sensor was demonstrated. This latter detail may increase the confidence in reliability of sensor data obtained across an entire exposure period.

The last step of the ethylene biosynthesis pathway in turnip tops (Brassica rapa) seeds: Alterations related to development and germination and its inhibition during desiccation.

PubMed

Rodriguez-Gacio Md, María del Carmen; Matilla, Angel Jesús

2001-06-01

The involvement of ethylene in zygotic embryogenesis is a little known aspect of the growth and development in higher plants. In the present work, we study the alterations of the last step of the ethylene biosynthesis pathway during the formation period of turnip tops (Brassica rapa cv. Rapa) seeds and its repercussions in the germination process and post-germinative growth. For this, we chose 11 different phases of silique development, the first being the recently fertilized pistil and the last being the silique just prior to its dehiscence (ca. 2 months post-anthesis). In the 11 phases, ethylene production was detected in both whole silique (with or without seeds) and in the seeds enclosed by the silique wall. The levels of ACC, ACO and ethylene production proved high in seeds belonging to: (1) the pod in the very early phases, when the seeds were growing but without photosynthetic competence; (2) the silique at maximum growth, in which the seeds will initiate desiccation and loss of photosynthetic activity. During the phases prior to dehiscence, there was a marked inhibition in the last step of the ethylene biosynthesis pathway. In viable dry seeds, no ACO activity was detected and the ACC levels were 4-fold lower than at the onset of the silique senescence. Germination brings about a net synthesis of ACC with respect of the stores dry seed. This fact, together with other results presented in this work, point towards, as in other seeds, a dependence of ethylene synthesis for radicle emergence. The possible role played by the silique wall in the control of ethylene biosynthesis during zygotic embryogenesis, as well as the participation of ethylene as a hormonal signal in the triggering of seed desiccation in Brassica rapa cv. Rapa, are discussed in depth.

Dead Sea pollen provides new insights into the paleoenvironment of the southern Levant during MIS 6-5

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Chunzhu; Litt, Thomas

2018-05-01

The paleoclimate of the southern Levant, especially during the last interglacial (LIG), is still under debate. Reliable paleovegetation information for this period, as independent evidence to the paleoenvironment, was still missing. In this study, we present a high-resolution pollen record encompassing 147-89 ka from the Dead Sea deep drilling core 5017-1A. The sediment profile is marked by alternations of laminated marl deposits and thick massive halite, indicating lake-level fluctuations. The pollen record suggests that steppe and desert components predominated in the Dead Sea surroundings during the whole investigated interval. The late penultimate glacial (147.3-130.9 ka) and early last glacial (115.5-89.1 ka) were cool and relatively dry, with sub-humid conditions confined to the mountains that sustained moderate amounts of deciduous oaks. Prior to the LIG optimum, a prevalence of desert components and a concomitant increase in frost-sensitive pistachio trees demonstrate the occurrence of an arid initial warming phase (130.9-124.2 ka). The LIG optimum (124.2 ka-115.5 ka) was initiated by an abrupt grass expansion that was followed by a rapid spread of woodlands in the mountains due to increased moisture availability. The remarkable sclerophyllous expansion points to a strong seasonal moisture deficit. These results contradict previous Dead Sea lake-level investigations that suggested pluvial glacials and a warm, dry LIG in the southern Levant. Prominent discrepancies between vegetation and Dead Sea lake stands are also registered at 128-115 ka, and the potential causes are discussed. In particular, while the pollen spectra mirror increased effective moisture during the LIG optimum, the massive halite deposition is indicative of an extremely low lake level. Given that the climate amelioration triggered the migration of early modern humans to the southern Levant, we speculate that the diverse ecosystems in the region provided great potential for their residence. Across the eastern Mediterranean region, an analogous vegetation succession pattern is observed.

Effect of Moisture on the Thermoresponsive Properties of Binary Mixtures of Monoglycerides for Triggerable Drug Delivery Systems.

PubMed

Stonewall, Hannah D; Kessinger, Haley M; Mengesha, Abebe E

2017-10-01

The crystallization behavior and temperature-dependent phase transition of monoglycerides have been utilized to develop thermal-sensitive drug delivery systems. The presence of excess water has been reported to influence the phase transition. The present study investigates the effect of moisture on the thermal behavior of binary blends of monoglycerides. Various compositions (0-100 wt%) of glyceryl monooleate (GMO) and glyceryl monostearate (GMS) were prepared by fusion method, and exposed to varying relative humidity (RH) levels (0-100%). The moisture uptakes, sorption isotherm, and the thermal behavior of GMO-GMS samples were analyzed using differential scanning calorimeter (DSC), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The in vitro nifedipine (NF) release was studied at 37 and 42°C. Samples of GMO-GMS (25:75, 50:50, and 75:25 wt%) stored at 97%RH at 25°C for 3 weeks increased in weight by 14.0, 14.7, and 15.8%, respectively. Despite such high moisture uptake, the GMO-GMS matrices maintained crystalline structure. The melting point (T m ) and heat of fusion (ΔH f ) of the samples were reduced as the amount of moisture in the matrices increased. However, the heat of fusion calculated on dry basis remained constant at 139.4 ± 1.25, 102.7 ± 1.14, and 46.7 ± 1.16 J/g for GMO-GMS 25:75, 50:50, and 75:25 wt%, respectively. The comparison of the XRD measurements of the dry samples with those containing 30% water confirmed the preserved crystalline arrangement in the matrices. This study indicates that despite the high moisture uptakes, the GMO-GMS matrices retained their crystalline properties and provided temperature-dependent drug release indicating the potential application for thermoresponsive local drug delivery systems.

The Frustrating Lives of Climate Scientists - 45 Years of Warm, Cold, Wet and Dry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Toon, O. B.; Hartwick, V.; Urata, R. A.

2016-12-01

Mariner 9 arrived at Mars in November 1971, where it revealed giant volcanoes and dry river valleys some of which originated from rainfall or runoff. Some geologists think there were oceans, tidal waves, craters that filled to their rims and then overflowed or didn't overflow, and river deltas reaching into the ancient seas and lakes. Climate scientists have stumbled through a 45 year-long chain of failed explanations for these geologic data. CO2 in greater abundance than now is likely involved, but not sufficient. Adding CH4 , CO2 clouds, or SO2 have faltered on further study. Three ideas are still being kicked around, two of which are able to make Mars warm, but may have geologic issues. First, is the idea of adding H2 to the CO2, which warms sufficiently in climate models. However, the large quantities needed are a challenge to outgassing models. Second, is impacts, the largest of which would mobilize most of the water in the regolith. Geologists object that the water from impacts would not last long enough to carve rivers. However, no one has explored the concurrent generation of the regolith by these impacts, which would create a loose, easily erodible surface. Are the rivers all in ancient regolith? If some rivers are in bedrock it would be harder to explain by impacts. Finally, impacts may triggered water/cloud greenhouses. Such a climate state would be long lasting, requires only a modest background atmosphere of carbon dioxide, and would fade away when the carbon dioxide dropped below a few hundred mbar. However, not all climate models have been able to produce such water driven greenhouse warming. In this talk I will outline the history of these climate models, point to evidence that might discriminate between them, describe how the water greenhouse models work or don't work, and suggest some new projects that might be done to decide just how warm and wet Mars may have been.

Study of SEM preparation artefacts with correlative microscopy: Cell shrinkage of adherent cells by HMDS-drying.

PubMed

Katsen-Globa, Alisa; Puetz, Norbert; Gepp, Michael M; Neubauer, Julia C; Zimmermann, Heiko

2016-11-01

One of the often reported artefacts during cell preparation to scanning electron microscopy (SEM) is the shrinkage of cellular objects, that mostly occurs at a certain time-dependent stage of cell drying. Various methods of drying for SEM, such as critical point drying, freeze-drying, as well as hexamethyldisilazane (HMDS)-drying, were usually used. The latter becomes popular since it is a low cost and fast method. However, the correlation of drying duration and real shrinkage of objects was not investigated yet. In this paper, cell shrinkage at each stage of preparation for SEM was studied. We introduce a shrinkage coefficient using correlative light microscopy (LM) and SEM of the same human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs). The influence of HMDS-drying duration on the cell shrinkage is shown: the longer drying duration, the more shrinkage is observed. Furthermore, it was demonstrated that cell shrinkage is inversely proportional to cultivation time: the longer cultivation time, the more cell spreading area and the less cell shrinkage. Our results can be applicable for an exact SEM quantification of cell size and determination of cell spreading area in engineering of artificial cellular environments using biomaterials. SCANNING 38:625-633, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Effect of the time interval from harvesting to the pre-drying step on natural fumonisin contamination in freshly harvested corn from the State of Parana, Brazil.

PubMed

Da Silva, M; Garcia, G T; Vizoni, E; Kawamura, O; Hirooka, E Y; Ono, E Y S

2008-05-01

Natural mycoflora and fumonisins were analysed in 490 samples of freshly harvested corn (Zea mays L.) (2003 and 2004 crops) collected at three points in the producing chain from the Northern region of Parana State, Brazil, and correlated to the time interval between the harvesting and the pre-drying step. The two crops showed a similar profile concerning the fungal frequency, and Fusarium sp. was the prevalent genera (100%) for the sampling sites from both crops. Fumonisins were detected in all samples from the three points of the producing chain (2003 and 2004 crops). The levels ranged from 0.11 to 15.32 microg g(-1)in field samples, from 0.16 to 15.90 microg g(-1)in reception samples, and from 0.02 to 18.78 microg g(-1)in pre-drying samples (2003 crop). Samples from the 2004 crop showed lower contamination and fumonisin levels ranged from 0.07 to 4.78 microg g(-1)in field samples, from 0.03 to 4.09 microg g(-1)in reception samples, and from 0.11 to 11.21 microg g(-1)in pre-drying samples. The mean fumonisin level increased gradually from < or = 5.0 to 19.0 microg g(-1)as the time interval between the harvesting and the pre-drying step increased from 3.22 to 8.89 h (2003 crop). The same profile was observed for samples from the 2004 crop. Fumonisin levels and the time interval (rho = 0.96) showed positive correlation (p < or = 0.05), indicating that delay in the drying process can increase fumonisin levels.

Phylogeography of microbial phototrophs in the dry valleys of the high Himalayas and Antarctica.

PubMed

Schmidt, S K; Lynch, R C; King, A J; Karki, D; Robeson, M S; Nagy, L; Williams, M W; Mitter, M S; Freeman, K R

2011-03-07

High-elevation valleys in dry areas of the Himalayas are among the most extreme, yet least explored environments on Earth. These barren, rocky valleys are subjected to year-round temperature fluctuations across the freezing point and very low availability of water and nutrients, causing previous workers to hypothesize that no photoautotrophic life (primary producers) exists in these locations. However, there has been no work using modern biogeochemical or culture-independent molecular methods to test the hypothesis that photoautotrophs are absent from high Himalayan soil systems. Here, we show that although microbial biomass levels are as low as those of the Dry Valleys of Antarctica, there are abundant microbial photoautotrophs, displaying unexpected phylogenetic diversity, in barren soils from just below the permanent ice line of the central Himalayas. Furthermore, we discovered that one of the dominant algal clades from the high Himalayas also contains the dominant algae in culture-independent surveys of both soil and ice samples from the Dry Valleys of Antarctica, revealing an unexpected link between these environmentally similar but geographically very distant systems. Phylogenetic and biogeographic analyses demonstrated that although this algal clade is globally distributed to other high-altitude and high-latitude soils, it shows significant genetic isolation by geographical distance patterns, indicating local adaptation and perhaps speciation in each region. Our results are the first to demonstrate the remarkable similarities of microbial life of arid soils of Antarctica and the high Himalayas. Our findings are a starting point for future comparative studies of the dry valleys of the Himalayas and Antarctica that will yield new insights into the cold and dry limits to life on Earth.

Contagious Weakness in an Elderly Couple with Neurologic Emergencies

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-02-01

affected, causing asphyxiation without ventilator support. Additional findings can include dry mouth , Figure 1. Home canned and processed goods in...specifically “nausea and vomiting, dysphagia, diplopia, dry mouth , and dilated and fixed pupils,” and to administer the antitoxin in consultation with...the intensive care unit ( ICU ) for observation. At that point, we were certain of botulism, given the symptoms in both patients. We contacted the

Digital retinal imaging in a residency-based patient-centered medical home.

PubMed

Newman, Robert; Cummings, Doyle M; Doherty, Lisa; Patel, Nick R

2012-03-01

Diabetic retinopathy is the leading cause of blindness in adults in the United States, and early screening/treatment may preserve vision. This study examined the feasibility of using non-mydriatic digital retinal imaging (DRI) for retinopathy screening in a busy family medicine residency program at the point of care using a nurse-driven protocol. We compared the number of diabetics screened during a 1-year period before and after DRI protocol implementation. We also determined the prevalence of retinopathy, assessed patient satisfaction with the alternative screening process, and tracked ophthalmologic appointment compliance for patients referred because of abnormal screening results. Screening approximately doubled from 161 patients/year before the protocol to 330 patients/year after protocol implementation. However, DRI screening had no impact on ophthalmologic appointment compliance; only 58% of 153 patients referred for ophthalmologic evaluation because of positive screening findings completed their referral appointment. Seven cases needing urgent ophthalmologic treatment were identified. Satisfaction with primary care retinopathy screening was high. Use of a nurse-driven protocol for digital retinal imaging at the point of care dramatically improves rates of annual retinopathy screening in academic family medicine practice and can identify patients who require subspecialty referral. However, DRI screening does not improve visit compliance rates with ophthalmologists for evaluation and management.

CHRONIC UCL INJURY: A MULTIMODAL APPROACH TO CORRECTING ALTERED MECHANICS AND IMPROVING HEALING IN A COLLEGE ATHLETE— A CASE REPORT

PubMed Central

Patrick, Rachel; McGinty, Josh; Lucado, Ann; Collier, Beth

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT Background Ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) tears and associated Tommy Johns surgical intervention from excessive and poor quality pitching has increased immensely—with more college and professional pitchers undergoing the surgery in 2014 alone than in the 1990s as a whole.1 Faulty mechanics developed at young ages are often well-engrained by the late adolescent years and the minimal healing ability of the largely avascular UCL often leads to delayed safe return to sport.2 Purpose The purpose of this case study was to describe an innovative, multimodal approach to conservative management of a chronic UCL injury in a college-aged baseball pitcher. This innovative approach utilizes both contractile and non-contractile dry needling to enhance soft tissue healing combined with standard conservative treatment to decrease pain and improve sport performance as measured by the Disabilities of Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH), Numeric Pain Report Scale (NPRS), and return to sport. Study Design Retrospective Case Report Case Description A collegiate athlete presented to an outpatient orthopedic physical therapy clinic for treatment of UCL sprain approximately six weeks post-injury and platelet-rich plasma injection. Diagnostic testing revealed chronic ligamentous microtrauma. Impairments at evaluation included proximal stabilizing strength deficits, myofascial trigger points throughout the dominant upper extremity, improper pitching form, and inability to pitch in game conditions due to severe pain. Interventions included addressing strength deficits throughout the body, dry needling, and sport-specific biomechanical training with pitching form analysis and correction. Outcomes Conventional DASH and Sport-Specific scale on the DASH and the numeric pain rating scale improved beyond both the minimally clinically important difference and minimal detectable change over the 12 week treatment3,4 At 24-week follow up, conventional DASH scores decreased from 34.20% disability to 3.33% disability while sport-specific DASH scores decreased from 100% disability to 31.25% disability. Although initially unable to compete due to high pain levels, the subject is currently completing his pitching role full-time with 1/10 max pain. Discussion The approach used in this case study provides an innovative approach to conservative UCL partial tear treatment. Dry needling of both contractile and non-contractile tissue in combination with retraining of faulty mechanics may encourage chronically injured ligamentous tissue healing and encourage safe return to sport. Level of evidence Level 4 PMID:27525185

Efficacy and Safety of Single Botulinum Toxin Type A (Botox®) Injection for Relief of Upper Trapezius Myofascial Trigger Point: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study.

PubMed

Kwanchuay, Photsawee; Petchnumsin, Thavatchai; Yiemsiri, Pichet; Pasuk, Nakkamol; Srikanok, Wannarat; Hathaiareerug, Chanasak

2015-12-01

Botulinum toxin injection has been applied for pain relief in various chronic pain syndromes. Recently, systematic review studies reported inconclusive effects of Botulinum toxin in myofascial pain management. The present study aimed to demonstrate the efficacy and safety of Botulinum toxin type A (BTxA) (Botox®) injection for pain reduction in myofascial trigger point (MTrP) of the upper trapezius muscle. Thirty-three patients with 48 MTrP on the upper trapezius muscles over three months with moderate to severe pain intensity diagnosed at physical medicine and rehabilitation outpatient department were recruited between December 2011 and March 2012. Eligible patients were blinded and randomly injected with single 0.2 ml (20 IU) of BTxA for 24 MTrP and 0.2 ml of 0.9% NaCl solution for 24 MTrP at the most tender trigger point on the upper trapezius muscle. All patients were advised for stretching exercise and ergonomic adaptation throughout the study. At 3- and 6-week after injections, visual analogue scale (VAS), the pressure pain threshold (PPT), and reported adverse effects were measured. Both BTxA and control groups demonstrated statistically significant differences in VAS reduction and increased PPT after 3 weeks and 6 weeks compared with before treatment. There were no statistically significant differences in VAS reduction from baseline between the two groups at 3- and 6-week after treatment. A statistically significant difference in improvement of PPT from baseline and 6-week after BTxA injection compared with 0.9% NaCl group was shown (1.0 ± 0.9 and 0.5 ± 0.7, p = 0.036). There was mild degree side-effects that spontaneous resolved within one week in both groups without significant difference in percentage. No severe adverse effects were reported during the study. The efficacy in VAS reduction of a single 20 IU of Botulinum toxin type A (Botox®) injection was not different from 0.9% NaCl for myofascial trigger point at the upper trapezius muscle. However Botulinum toxin type A (Botox®) showed statistically significant more increased in pressure pain threshold at 6-week after injection without severe adverse effects.

Patterns of Use of Peripheral Nerve Blocks and Trigger Point Injections for Pediatric Headache: Results of a survey of the American Headache Society Pediatric & Adolescent Section

PubMed Central

Szperka, Christina L.; Gelfand, Amy A.; Hershey, Andrew D.

2016-01-01

Objective To describe current patterns of use of nerve blocks and trigger point injections for treatment of pediatric headache. Background Peripheral nerve blocks are often used to treat headaches in adults and children, but the available studies and practice data from adult headache specialists have shown wide variability in diagnostic indications, sites injected, and medication(s) used. The purpose of this study was to describe current practice patterns in the use of nerve blocks and trigger point injections for pediatric headache disorders. Methods A survey was created in REDCap, and sent via email to the 82 members of the Pediatric & Adolescent Section of the American Headache Society in June 2015. The survey queried about current practice and use of nerve blocks, as well as respondents’ opinions regarding gaps in the evidence for use of nerve blocks in this patient population. Results Forty-one complete, 5 incomplete, and 3 duplicate responses were submitted (response rate complete 50%). Seventy-eight percent of the respondents identified their primary specialty as Child Neurology, and 51% were certified in headache medicine. Twenty-six (63%) respondents perform nerve blocks themselves, and 7 (17%) refer patients to another provider for nerve blocks. Chronic migraine with status migrainosus was the most common indication for nerve blocks (82%), though occipital neuralgia (79%), status migrainosus (73%), chronic migraine without flare (70%), post-traumatic headache (70%), and new daily persistent headache (67%) were also common indications. The most commonly selected clinically meaningful response for status migrainosus was ≥50% reduction in severity, while for chronic migraine this was a ≥50% decrease in frequency at 4 weeks. Respondents inject the following locations: 100% inject the greater occipital nerve, 69% lesser occipital nerve, 50% supraorbital, 46% trigger point injections, 42% auriculotemporal, and 34% supratrochlear. All respondents used local anesthetic, while 12 (46%) also use corticosteroid (8 bupivacaine only, 4 each lidocaine + bupivacaine, lidocaine + corticosteroid, bupivacaine + corticosteroid, lidocaine + bupivacaine + corticosteroid, and 2 lidocaine only). Conclusion Despite limited evidence, nerve blocks are commonly used by pediatric headache specialists. There is considerable variability among clinicians as to injection site(s) and medication selection, indicating a substantial gap in the literature to guide practice, and supporting the need for further research in this area. PMID:27731894

Detection and Monitoring of Intense Pyroconvection in Western North America using Remote Sensing and Meteorological Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peterson, D. A.; Solbrig, J. E.; Hyer, E. J.; Campbell, J. R.; Fromm, M. D.

2015-12-01

Fire-triggered thunderstorms, known as pyrocumulonimbus (pyroCb), can alter fire behavior, influence smoke plume trajectory, and hinder fire suppression efforts. Intense pyroCb can also inject a significant quantity of aerosol mass into the lower stratosphere. Systematic detection and monitoring of these events is important for wildfire response and aviation applications, as well as understanding climate and air quality implications. The United States Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) recently developed a near-real-time pyroCb detection algorithm using geostationary satellite observations, currently focused on GOES-West. The algorithm is tuned to the microphysics of fire-perturbed thunderstorms over elevated terrain in western North America. By incorporating reanalysis data, NRL has also developed the first observationally-based conceptual model for pyroCb development. Results are focused on 41 large wildfires observed in the United States and Canada during 2013, which produced more than 50 intense pyroCb. The majority of these develop when a layer of increased moisture content and instability is advected over a dry, deep, and unstable mixed layer, typically along the leading edge of an approaching disturbance. The upper-tropospheric dynamics and synoptic pattern must also be conducive for vertical development of convection. Mid- and upper-tropospheric conditions similar to those that produce traditional dry thunderstorms are therefore paramount for development and maintenance of pyroCb. The amount of mid-level moisture and instability required is strongly dependent on the surface elevation of the contributing fire. Surface-based fire weather indices have limited capability for predicting pyroCb development. The intense radiant heat emitted by large wildfires can serve as a potential trigger, suggesting pyroCb may develop in the absence of traditional triggering mechanisms when an otherwise favorable meteorological environment is in place. This conceptual model suggests that pyroCb, traditionally considered a niche phenomenon, are in fact a significant and endemic feature of the regional summer climate. Results of this work will improve our ability to detect, monitor, and predict pyroCb, providing increased understanding of this phenomenon's role in the climate system.

Defining when to initiate massive transfusion: a validation study of individual massive transfusion triggers in PROMMTT patients.

PubMed

Callcut, Rachael A; Cotton, Bryan A; Muskat, Peter; Fox, Erin E; Wade, Charles E; Holcomb, John B; Schreiber, Martin A; Rahbar, Mohammad H; Cohen, Mitchell J; Knudson, M Margaret; Brasel, Karen J; Bulger, Eileen M; Del Junco, Deborah J; Myers, John G; Alarcon, Louis H; Robinson, Bryce R H

2013-01-01

Early predictors of massive transfusion (MT) would prevent undertriage of patients likely to require MT. This study validates triggers using the Prospective Observational Multicenter Major Trauma Transfusion (PROMMTT) study. All enrolled patients in PROMMTT were analyzed. The initial emergency department value for each trigger (international normalized ratio [INR], systolic blood pressure, hemoglobin, base deficit, positive result for Focused Assessment for the Sonography of Trauma examination, heart rate, temperature, and penetrating injury mechanism) was compared for patients receiving MT (≥ 10 U of packed red blood cells in 24 hours) versus no MT. Adjusted odds ratios (ORs) for MT are reported using multiple logistic regression. If all triggers were known, a Massive Transfusion Score (MTS) was created, with 1 point assigned for each met trigger. A total of 1,245 patients were prospectively enrolled with 297 receiving an MT. Data were available for all triggers in 66% of the patients including 67% of the MTs (199 of 297). INR was known in 87% (1,081 of 1,245). All triggers except penetrating injury mechanism and heart rate were valid individual predictors of MT, with INR as the most predictive (adjusted OR, 2.5; 95% confidence interval, 1.7-3.7). For those with all triggers known, a positive INR trigger was seen in 49% receiving MT. Patients with an MTS of less than 2 were unlikely to receive MT (negative predictive value, 89%). If any two triggers were present (MTS ≥ 2), sensitivity for predicting MT was 85%. MT was present in 33% with an MTS of 2 greater compared with 11% of those with MTS of less than 2 (OR, 3.9; 95% confidence interval, 2.6-5.8; p < 0.0005). Parameters that can be obtained early in the initial emergency department evaluation are valid predictors for determining the likelihood of MT. Diagnostic, level II.

Long-term persistence and fire resilience of oak shrubfields in dry conifer forests of northern New Mexico

USGS Publications Warehouse

Guiterman, Christopher H.; Margolis, Ellis; Allen, Craig D.; Falk, Donald A.; Swetnam, Thomas W.

2017-01-01

Extensive high-severity fires are creating large shrubfields in many dry conifer forests of the interior western USA, raising concerns about forest-to-shrub conversion. This study evaluates the role of disturbance in shrubfield formation, maintenance and succession in the Jemez Mountains, New Mexico. We compared the environmental conditions of extant Gambel oak (Quercus gambelii) shrubfields with adjoining dry conifer forests and used dendroecological methods to determine the multi-century fire history and successional dynamics of five of the largest shrubfields (76–340 ha). Across the study area, 349 shrubfields (5–368 ha) occur in similar topographic and climate settings as dry conifer forests. This suggests disturbance, rather than other biophysical factors, may explain their origins and persistence. Gambel oak ages and tree-ring fire scars in our sampled shrubfields indicate they historically (1664–1899) burned concurrently with adjoining conifer forests and have persisted for over 115 years in the absence of fire. Aerial imagery from 1935 confirmed almost no change in sampled shrubfield patch sizes or boundaries over the twentieth century. The largest shrubfield we identified is less than 4% the size of the largest conifer-depleted and substantially shrub-dominated area recently formed in the Jemez following extensive high-severity wildfires, indicating considerable departure from historical patterns and processes. Projected hotter droughts and increasingly large high-severity fires could trigger more forest-to-shrub transitions and maintain existing shrubfields, inhibiting conifer forest recovery. Restoration of surface fire regimes and associated historical forest structures likely could reduce the rate and patch size of dry conifer forests being converted to shrubfields.

[Anesthesia unrelated triggering of a fatal malignant hyperthermia crisis].

PubMed

Olthoff, D; Vonderlind, C

1997-12-01

For incidents of malignant hyperthermia (MH) outside the hospital, a high number of unrecorded cases must be reckoned with because of an insufficient knowledge of emergency services and poor identification and documentation that make it impossible to classify acute situations under the diagnosis of malignant hyperthermia crisis. As a result, there are no statistical data in this field, and only case reports with a broad spectrum of suspected trigger mechanisms have been published. The case described in this report is a proved example of a non-anesthesia-related triggering of MH in a 21-year-old man who had had an anesthetic-induced MH manifestation in childhood, which was confirmed with an in vitro contracture test. After visiting a restaurant, he became unconscious and convulsive after consuming a high level of alcohol (2.9/1000). The first cardiocirculatory arrest occurred directly before hospitalization. After admission, the patient showed a full-blown MH episode whose subsequent fatality was unavoidable in spite of adapted and optimal therapy. Suspected trigger mechanisms seem to be multifactoral (excessive alcohol consumption, over-heating, mental stress) as a forensic investigation did not point to any particular signs of typical trigger substances. The case demonstrates again that an MH attack might be triggered under certain non-anaesthesia-related situations. For patients with an MH disposition, additional information on their behavior outside the hospital is required.

Rate of Change in Lake Level and its Impact on Reservoir-triggered Seismicity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Simpson, D. W.

2017-12-01

With recent interest in increased seismicity related to fluid injection, it is useful to review cases of reservoir-triggered earthquakes to explore common characteristics and seek ways to mitigate the influence of anthropogenic impacts. Three reservoirs - Koyna, India; Nurek, Tajikistan; and Aswan, Egypt - are well-documented cases of triggered earthquakes with recorded time series of seismicity and water levels that extend for more than 30 years. The geological setting, regional tectonics and modes of reservoir utilization, along with the characteristics of the reservoir-seismicity interaction, are distinctly different in each of these three cases. Similarities and differences between these three cases point to regional and local geological and hydrological structures and the rate of changes in reservoir water level as important factors controlling the presence and timing of triggered seismicity. In a manner similar to the way in which the rate of fluid injection influences injection-related seismicity, the rate of change in reservoir water level is a significant factor in determining whether or not reservoir-triggered seismicity occurs. The high rate of annual water level rise may be important in sustaining the exceptionally long sequence of earthquakes at Koyna. In addition to the rate of filling being a determining factor in whether or not earthquakes are triggered, changes in the rate of filling may influence the time of occurrence of individual earthquakes.

Investigating on the Differences between Triggered and Background Seismicity in Italy and Southern California.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stallone, A.; Marzocchi, W.

2017-12-01

Earthquake occurrence may be approximated by a multidimensional Poisson clustering process, where each point of the Poisson process is replaced by a cluster of points, the latter corresponding to the well-known aftershock sequence (triggered events). Earthquake clusters and their parents are assumed to occur according to a Poisson process at a constant temporal rate proportional to the tectonic strain rate, while events within a cluster are modeled as generations of dependent events reproduced by a branching process. Although the occurrence of such space-time clusters is a general feature in different tectonic settings, seismic sequences seem to have marked differences from region to region: one example, among many others, is that seismic sequences of moderate magnitude in Italian Apennines seem to last longer than similar seismic sequences in California. In this work we investigate on the existence of possible differences in the earthquake clustering process in these two areas. At first, we separate the triggered and background components of seismicity in the Italian and Southern California seismic catalog. Then we study the space-time domain of the triggered earthquakes with the aim to identify possible variations in the triggering properties across the two regions. In the second part of the work we focus our attention on the characteristics of the background seismicity in both seismic catalogs. The assumption of time stationarity of the background seismicity (which includes both cluster parents and isolated events) is still under debate. Some authors suggest that the independent component of seismicity could undergo transient perturbations at various time scales due to different physical mechanisms, such as, for example, viscoelastic relaxation, presence of fluids, non-stationary plate motion, etc, whose impact may depend on the tectonic setting. Here we test if the background seismicity in the two regions can be satisfactorily described by the time-homogeneous Poisson process, and, in case, we characterize quantitatively possible discrepancies with this reference process, and the differences between the two regions.

Genetics Home Reference: cardiofaciocutaneous syndrome

MedlinePlus

... spaced eyes ( ocular hypertelorism ), outside corners of the eyes that point downward ... cardiofaciocutaneous syndrome . Many affected people have dry, rough skin; dark-colored moles (nevi); wrinkled palms ...

Increased hurricane frequency near Florida during Younger Dryas Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation slowdown

USGS Publications Warehouse

Toomey, Michael; Korty, Robert L.; Donnelly, Jeffrey P.; van Hengstum, Peter J.; Curry, William B.

2017-01-01

The risk posed by intensification of North Atlantic hurricane activity remains controversial, in part due to a lack of available storm proxy records that extend beyond the relatively stable climates of the late Holocene. Here we present a record of storm-triggered turbidite deposition offshore the Dry Tortugas, south Florida, USA, that spans abrupt transitions in North Atlantic sea-surface temperature and Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) during the Younger Dryas (12.9–11.7 ka). Despite potentially hostile conditions for cyclogenesis in the tropical North Atlantic at that time, our record and numerical experiments suggest that strong hurricanes may have regularly affected Florida. Less severe surface cooling at mid-latitudes (∼20°–40°N) than across much of the tropical North Atlantic (∼10°–20°N) in response to AMOC reduction may best explain strong hurricane activity during the Younger Dryas near the Dry Tortugas and possibly along the entire southeastern coast of the United States.

Future loss of Arctic sea-ice cover could drive a substantial decrease in California's rainfall.

PubMed

Cvijanovic, Ivana; Santer, Benjamin D; Bonfils, Céline; Lucas, Donald D; Chiang, John C H; Zimmerman, Susan

2017-12-05

From 2012 to 2016, California experienced one of the worst droughts since the start of observational records. As in previous dry periods, precipitation-inducing winter storms were steered away from California by a persistent atmospheric ridging system in the North Pacific. Here we identify a new link between Arctic sea-ice loss and the North Pacific geopotential ridge development. In a two-step teleconnection, sea-ice changes lead to reorganization of tropical convection that in turn triggers an anticyclonic response over the North Pacific, resulting in significant drying over California. These findings suggest that the ability of climate models to accurately estimate future precipitation changes over California is also linked to the fidelity with which future sea-ice changes are simulated. We conclude that sea-ice loss of the magnitude expected in the next decades could substantially impact California's precipitation, thus highlighting another mechanism by which human-caused climate change could exacerbate future California droughts.

An experimental test of the 'transmission-line model' of electromagnetic radiation from triggered lightning return strokes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Willett, J. C.; Idone, V. P.; Orville, R. E.; Leteinturier, C.; Eybert-Berard, A.

1988-01-01

Peak currents, two-dimensional average propagation speeds, and electric field waveforms for a number of subsequent return strikes in rocket-triggered lightning flashes were measured in order to test the 'transmission-line model' of return-stroke radiation of Uman and McLain (1970). Reasonable agreement is found between the propagation speeds measured with the streak camera and those deduced from the transmission-line model. A modification of the model is proposed in which two wave fronts travel upward and downward away from a junction point a short distance above the ground.

Readout and Trigger for the AFP Detector at the ATLAS Experiment at LHC

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Korcyl, K.; Kocian, M.; Lopez Paz, I.; Avoni, G.

2017-10-01

The ATLAS Forward Proton is a new detector system in ATLAS that allows study of events with protons scattered at very small angles. The final design assumes four stations at distances of 205 and 217 m from the ATLAS interaction point on both sides of the detector exploiting the Roman Pot technology. In 2016 two stations in one arm were installed; installation of the other two is planned for 2017. This article describes details of the installed hardware, firmware and software leading to the full integration with the ATLAS central trigger and data acquisition systems.

An experimental test of the 'transmission-line model' of electromagnetic radiation from triggered lightning return strokes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Willett, J. C.; Idone, V. P.; Orville, R. E.; Leteinturier, C.; Eybert-Berard, A.

1988-04-01

Peak currents, two-dimensional average propagation speeds, and electric field waveforms for a number of subsequent return strikes in rocket-triggered lightning flashes were measured in order to test the 'transmission-line model' of return-stroke radiation of Uman and McLain (1970). Reasonable agreement is found between the propagation speeds measured with the streak camera and those deduced from the transmission-line model. A modification of the model is proposed in which two wave fronts travel upward and downward away from a junction point a short distance above the ground.

Are tender point injections beneficial: the role of tonic nociception in fibromyalgia.

PubMed

Staud, Roland

2006-01-01

Characteristic symptoms of fibromyalgia syndrome (FM) include widespread pain, fatigue, sleep abnormalities, and distress. FM patients show psychophysical evidence for mechanical, thermal, and electrical hyperalgesia. To fulfill FM criteria, the mechanical hyperalgesia needs to be widespread and present in at least 11 out of 18 well-defined body areas (tender points). Peripheral and central abnormalities of nociception have been described in FM and these changes may be relevant for the increased pain experienced by these patients. Important nociceptor systems in the skin and muscle seem to undergo profound changes in FM patients by yet unknown mechanisms. These changes may result from the release of algesic substances after muscle or other soft tissue injury. These pain mediators can sensitize important nociceptor systems, including the transient receptor potential channel, vanilloid subfamily member 1 (TRPV1), acid sensing ion channel (ASIC) receptors, and purino-receptors (P2X3). Subsequently, tissue mediators of inflammation and nerve growth factors can excite these receptors and cause substantial changes in pain sensitivity. FM pain is widespread and does not seem to be restricted to tender points (TP). It frequently comprises multiple areas of deep tissue pain (trigger points) with adjacent much larger areas of referred pain. Analgesia of areas of extensive nociceptive input has been found to provide often long lasting local as well as general pain relief. Thus interventions aimed at reducing local FM pain seem to be effective but need to focus less on tender points but more on trigger points (TrP) and other body areas of heightened pain and inflammation.

The consecutive dry days to trigger rainfall over West Africa

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, J. H.

2018-01-01

In order to resolve contradictions in addressing a soil moisture-precipitation feedback mechanism over West Africa and to clarify the impact of antecedent soil moisture on subsequent rainfall evolution, we first validated various data sets (SMOS satellite soil moisture observations, NOAH land surface model, TRMM rainfall, CMORPH rainfall and HadGEM climate models) with the Analyses Multidisciplinaires de la Mousson Africaine (AMMA) field campaign data. Based on this analysis, it was suggested that biases of data sets might cause contradictions in studying mechanisms. Thus, by taking into account uncertainties in data, it was found that the approach of consecutive dry days (i.e. a relative comparison of time-series) showed consistency across various data sets, while the direct comparison approach for soil moisture state and rainfall did not. Thus, it was discussed that it may be difficult to directly relate rain with soil moisture as the absolute value, however, it may be reasonable to compare a temporal progress of the variables. Based upon the results consistently showing a positive relationship between the consecutive dry days and rainfall, this study supports a negative feedback often neglected by climate model structure. This approach is less sensitive to interpretation errors arising from systematic errors in data sets, as this measures a temporal gradient of soil moisture state.

Dependence of drivers affects risks associated with compound events

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zscheischler, Jakob; Seneviratne, Sonia I.

2017-04-01

Compound climate extremes are receiving increasing attention because of their disproportionate impacts on humans and ecosystems. Risks assessments, however, generally focus on univariate statistics even when multiple stressors are considered. Concurrent extreme droughts and heatwaves have been observed to cause a suite of extreme impacts on natural and human systems alike. For example, they can substantially affect vegetation health, prompting tree mortality, and thereby facilitating insect outbreaks and fires. In addition, hot droughts have the potential to trigger and intensify fires and can cause severe economical damage. By promoting disease spread, extremely hot and dry conditions also strongly affect human health. We analyse the co-occurrence of dry and hot summers and show that these are strongly correlated for many regions, inducing a much higher frequency of concurrent hot and dry summers than what would be assumed from the independent combination of the univariate statistics. Our results demonstrate how the dependence structure between variables affects the occurrence frequency of multivariate extremes. Assessments based on univariate statistics can thus strongly underestimate risks associated with given extremes, if impacts depend on multiple (dependent) variables. We conclude that a multivariate perspective is necessary in order to appropriately assess changes in climate extremes and their impacts, and to design adaptation strategies.

Production of bio-jet fuel from microalgae

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Elmoraghy, Marian

The increase in petroleum-based aviation fuel consumption, the decrease in petroleum resources, the fluctuation of the crude oil price, the increase in greenhouse gas emission and the need for energy security are motivating the development of an alternate jet fuel. Bio-jet fuel has to be a drop in fuel, technically and economically feasible, environmentally friendly, greener than jet fuel, produced locally and low gallon per Btu. Bic jet fuel has been produced by blending petro-based jet fuel with microalgae biodiesel (Fatty Acid Methyl Ester, or simply FAME). Indoor microalgae growth, lipids extraction and transetrification to biodiesel are energy and fresh water intensive and time consuming. In addition, the quality of the biodiesel product and the physical properties of the bio-jet fuel blends are unknown. This work addressed these challenges. Minimizing the energy requirements and making microalgae growth process greener were accomplished by replacing fluorescent lights with light emitting diodes (LEDs). Reducing fresh water footprint in algae growth was accomplished by waste water use. Microalgae biodiesel production time was reduced using the one-step (in-situ transestrification) process. Yields up to 56.82 mg FAME/g dry algae were obtained. Predicted physical properties of in-situ FAME satisfied European and American standards confirming its quality. Lipid triggering by nitrogen deprivation was accomplished in order to increase the FAME production. Bio-jet fuel freezing points and heating values were measured for different jet fuel to biodiesel blend ratios.

Real-time monitoring of fragrance release from cotton towels by low thermal mass gas chromatography using a longitudinally modulating cryogenic system for headspace sampling and injection.

PubMed

Haefliger, Olivier P; Jeckelmann, Nicolas; Ouali, Lahoussine; León, Géraldine

2010-01-15

An innovative headspace sampling and injection system for gas chromatography was designed using a longitudinally modulating cryogenic system mounted around the sampling loop of a two-position loop injector. The setup was hyphenated to a fast low thermal mass gas chromatograph, allowing transient concentrations of semivolatile analytes to be monitored in real time with a time resolution of 4.5 min. The performance of the instrument, and in particular its cryotrapping efficiency, was characterized using a mixture of long-chain alkanes, methyl esters, ethyl esters, and alcohols of different volatilities. The device was found to be ideally suited to the analysis of semivolatile compounds with boiling points ranging between 190 and 320 degrees C, which are typical for a majority of perfumery raw materials. The new instrument was successfully used to monitor the release of eight odorant compounds from cotton towels to which fabric softener had been applied that alternatively contained the fragrance in free form or in microencapsulated form. The analytical results, unprecedented in their level of precision and time resolution for such an application, evidenced the major impact of microencapsulation technology on the kinetics of fragrance release during the drying of the towels and on the triggering of additional fragrance release by applying mechanical stress to the fabric to rupture the microcapsule walls.

Mutations in the Parainfluenza Virus 5 Fusion Protein Reveal Domains Important for Fusion Triggering and Metastability

PubMed Central

Bose, Sayantan; Heath, Carissa M.; Shah, Priya A.; Alayyoubi, Maher; Jardetzky, Theodore S.

2013-01-01

Paramyxovirus membrane glycoproteins F (fusion protein) and HN, H, or G (attachment protein) are critical for virus entry, which occurs through fusion of viral and cellular envelopes. The F protein folds into a homotrimeric, metastable prefusion form that can be triggered by the attachment protein to undergo a series of structural rearrangements, ultimately folding into a stable postfusion form. In paramyxovirus-infected cells, the F protein is activated in the Golgi apparatus by cleavage adjacent to a hydrophobic fusion peptide that inserts into the target membrane, eventually bringing the membranes together by F refolding. However, it is not clear how the attachment protein, known as HN in parainfluenza virus 5 (PIV5), interacts with F and triggers F to initiate fusion. To understand the roles of various F protein domains in fusion triggering and metastability, single point mutations were introduced into the PIV5 F protein. By extensive study of F protein cleavage activation, surface expression, and energetics of fusion triggering, we found a role for an immunoglobulin-like (Ig-like) domain, where multiple hydrophobic residues on the PIV5 F protein may mediate F-HN interactions. Additionally, destabilizing mutations of PIV5 F that resulted in HN trigger-independent mutant F proteins were identified in a region along the border of F trimer subunits. The positions of the potential HN-interacting region and the region important for F stability in the lower part of the PIV5 F prefusion structure provide clues to the receptor-binding initiated, HN-mediated F trigger. PMID:24089572

Care during freeze-drying of bovine pericardium tissue to be used as a biomaterial: a comparative study.

PubMed

Polak, Roberta; Pitombo, Ronaldo N M

2011-10-01

Bovine pericardium (BP) tissue is widely used in the manufacture of bioprosthetics. The effects of freeze-drying on the BP tissue have been studied by some researchers in order to decrease their cytotoxicity due to preservation in formaldehyde solution, and to increase the lifetime of the product in storage. This study was undertaken in order to study the effect of freeze-drying in the structure of BP. To perform this study BP samples were freeze-dried in two different types of freeze-dryers available in our laboratory: a laboratory freeze-dryer, in which it was not possible to control parameters and a pilot freeze-dryer, wherein all parameters during freezing and drying were controlled. After freeze-drying processes, samples were analyzed by SEM, Raman spectroscopy, tensile strength, water uptake tests and TEM. In summary, it has been demonstrated that damages occur in collagen fibers by the loss of bulk water of collagen structure implicating in a drastic decreasing of BP mechanical properties due to its structural alterations. Moreover, it was proven that the collagen fibrils suffered breakage at some points, which can be attributed to the uncontrolled parameters during drying. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Sewage sludge open-air drying affects on keratinolytic, keratinophilic and actidione-resistant fungi.

PubMed

Ulfig, Krzysztof; Płaza, Grazyna; Terakowskip, Maciej; Janda-Ulfig, Katarzyna

2006-01-01

The study was to demonstrate the effect of sewage sludge open-air drying on the quantitative and qualitative composition of keratinolytic/keratinophilic and actidione-resistant fungi. The sludge was being dried for up to thirty days (on average fourteen days) at 25-30'C. The composition of these fungi was determined with the hair baiting method along with the dilution method, using the Wiegand medium supplemented with chloramphenicol (100 mgiL) and actidione (500 mg/L). The open-air drying altered the composition of keratinolytic fungi and considerably increased the population of keratinophilic and actidione-resistant fungi in the sludge. This phenomenon can be explained with that the drying process was associated with slow sludge moisture decrease, sludge laceration due to crumbling and the subsequent improvement of sludge aeration and organic matter biodegradation conditions. A considerable increase of fungal populations can be expected in sludges being dried in drying beds at wastewater treatment plants and in sludge-amended soils. Two sludge opportunistic fungi, i.e. Microsporum gypseum and Pseudallescheria boydii, require special attention from the epidemiological point of view. Sludge land applications may increase the number of these fungi in the environment and the subsequent risk to public health posed by them.

The trigger mechanism of low-frequency earthquakes on Montserrat

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Neuberg, J. W.; Tuffen, H.; Collier, L.; Green, D.; Powell, T.; Dingwell, D.

2006-05-01

A careful analysis of low-frequency seismic events on Soufrièere Hills volcano, Montserrat, points to a source mechanism that is non-destructive, repetitive, and has a stationary source location. By combining these seismological clues with new field evidence and numerical magma flow modelling, we propose a seismic trigger model which is based on brittle failure of magma in the glass transition. Loss of heat and gas from the magma results in a strong viscosity gradient across a dyke or conduit. This leads to a build-up of shear stress near the conduit wall where magma can rupture in a brittle manner, as field evidence from a rhyolitic dyke demonstrates. This brittle failure provides seismic energy, the majority of which is trapped in the conduit or dyke forming the low-frequency coda of the observed seismic signal. The trigger source location marks the transition from ductile conduit flow to friction-controlled magma ascent. As the trigger mechanism is governed by the depth-dependent magma parameters, the source location remains fixed at a depth where the conditions allow brittle failure. This is reflected in the fixed seismic source locations.

Assessing accuracy of point fire intervals across landscapes with simulation modelling

Treesearch

Russell A. Parsons; Emily K. Heyerdahl; Robert E. Keane; Brigitte Dorner; Joseph Fall

2007-01-01

We assessed accuracy in point fire intervals using a simulation model that sampled four spatially explicit simulated fire histories. These histories varied in fire frequency and size and were simulated on a flat landscape with two forest types (dry versus mesic). We used three sampling designs (random, systematic grids, and stratified). We assessed the sensitivity of...

VIEW OF FACILITY NO. S 20 NEAR THE POINT WHERE ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

VIEW OF FACILITY NO. S 20 NEAR THE POINT WHERE IT JOINS FACILITY NO. S 21. NOTE THE ASPHALT-FILLED NARROW-GAUGE TRACKWAY WITH SOME AREAS OF STEEL TRACK SHOWING. VIEW FACING NORTHEAST - U.S. Naval Base, Pearl Harbor, Floating Dry Dock Quay, Hurt Avenue at northwest side of Magazine Loch, Pearl City, Honolulu County, HI

Design and development of a solar array drive. [a direct drive solar array pointing mechanism

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rees, T.; Standing, J. M.

1977-01-01

The design and development of a dry lubricated direct drive solar array pointing mechanism is discussed for use on the Orbital Test Satellite (OTS), MAROTS, European Communication Satellite (ECS), and others. Results of life testing the original prototype and the OTS mechanism are presented together with an appraisal of expected future development.

Noncontact Infrared-Mediated Heat Transfer During Continuous Freeze-Drying of Unit Doses.

PubMed

Van Bockstal, Pieter-Jan; De Meyer, Laurens; Corver, Jos; Vervaet, Chris; De Beer, Thomas

2017-01-01

Recently, an innovative continuous freeze-drying concept for unit doses was proposed, based on spinning the vials during freezing. An efficient heat transfer during drying is essential to continuously process these spin frozen vials. Therefore, the applicability of noncontact infrared (IR) radiation was examined. The impact of several process and formulation variables on the mass of sublimed ice after 15 min of primary drying (i.e., sublimation rate) and the total drying time was examined. Two experimental designs were performed in which electrical power to the IR heaters, distance between the IR heaters and the spin frozen vial, chamber pressure, product layer thickness, and 5 model formulations were included as factors. A near-infrared spectroscopy method was developed to determine the end point of primary and secondary drying. The sublimation rate was mainly influenced by the electrical power to the IR heaters and the distance between the IR heaters and the vial. The layer thickness had the largest effect on total drying time. The chamber pressure and the 5 model formulations had no significant impact on sublimation rate and total drying time, respectively. This study shows that IR radiation is suitable to provide the energy during the continuous processing of spin frozen vials. Copyright © 2016 American Pharmacists Association®. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Generation of 1:1 Carbamazepine:Nicotinamide cocrystals by spray drying.

PubMed

Patil, Shashank P; Modi, Sameer R; Bansal, Arvind K

2014-10-01

The present study investigates the potential of spray drying as a technique for generation of pharmaceutical cocrystals. Carbamazepine-Nicotinamide cocrystal (CNC) was chosen as model cocrystal system for this study. Firstly, CNC was generated using liquid assisted grinding and used for generation of phase solubility diagram (PSD) and ternary phase diagram (TPD). Both PSD and TPD were carefully evaluated for phase behavior of CNC when equilibrated with solvent. The undersaturated region with respect to CNC, as depicted by TPD, was selected as target region to initiate cocrystallization experiments. Various points in this region, representative of different compositions of Carbamazepine, Nicotinamide and CNC, were selected and spray drying was carried out. The spray dried product was characterized for solid state properties and was compared with CNC generated by liquid assisted grinding. Spray drying successfully generated CNC of similar quality as those generated by liquid assisted grinding. Moreover, there was no significant impact of process variables on formation of CNC. Spray drying, owing to its simplicity and industrial scalability, can be a promising method for large scale cocrystal generation. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Vitrification of waste with conitnuous filling and sequential melting

DOEpatents

Powell, James R.; Reich, Morris

2001-09-04

A method of filling a canister with vitrified waste starting with a waste, such as high-level radioactive waste, that is cooler than its melting point. Waste is added incrementally to a canister forming a column of waste capable of being separated into an upper zone and a lower zone. The minimum height of the column is defined such that the waste in the lower zone can be dried and melted while maintaining the waste in the upper zone below its melting point. The maximum height of the column is such that the upper zone remains porous enough to permit evolved gases from the lower zone to flow through the upper zone and out of the canister. Heat is applied to the waste in the lower zone to first dry then to raise and maintain its temperature to a target temperature above the melting point of the waste. Then the heat is applied to a new lower zone above the melted waste and the process of adding, drying and melting the waste continues upward in the canister until the entire canister is filled and the entire contents are melted and maintained at the target temperature for the desired period. Cooling of the melted waste takes place incrementally from the bottom of the canister to the top, or across the entire canister surface area, forming a vitrified product.

Functional Interrupts and Destructive Failures from Single Event Effect Testing of Point-Of-Load Devices

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chen, Dakai; Phan, Anthony; Kim, Hak; Swonger, James; Musil, Paul; LaBel, Kenneth

2013-01-01

We show examples of single event functional interrupt and destructive failure in modern POL devices. The increasing complexity and diversity of the design and process introduce hard SEE modes that are triggered by various mechanisms.

40 CFR 415.231 - Specialized definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... AND STANDARDS INORGANIC CHEMICALS MANUFACTURING POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Aluminum Fluoride Production... shall apply to this subpart. (b) The term product means aluminum fluoride produced by the dry process in...

40 CFR 415.231 - Specialized definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... AND STANDARDS INORGANIC CHEMICALS MANUFACTURING POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Aluminum Fluoride Production... shall apply to this subpart. (b) The term product means aluminum fluoride produced by the dry process in...

Light-sensitive Lipid-based Nanoparticles for Drug Delivery: Design Principles and Future Considerations for Biological Applications

PubMed Central

Yavlovich, Amichai; Smith, Brandon; Gupta, Kshitij; Blumenthal, Robert; Puri, Anu

2011-01-01

Radiation-based therapies aided by nanoparticles have been developed since decades, and can be primarily categorized into two main platforms. First, delivery of payload of photo-reactive drugs (photosensitizers) using the conventional nanoparticles, and second, design and development of photo-triggerable nanoparticles (primarily liposomes) to attain light-assisted on-demand drug delivery. The main focus of this review is to provide an update of the history, current status and future applications of photo-triggerable lipid-based nanoparticles (light-sensitive liposomes). We will begin with a brief overview on the applications of liposomes for delivery of photosensitizers, including the choice of photosensitizers for photodynamic therapy, as well as the currently available light sources (lasers) used for these applications. The main segment of this review will encompass the details on the strategies to develop photo-triggerable designer liposomes for their drug delivery function. The principles underlying the assembly of photoreactive lipids into nanoparticles (liposomes) and photo-triggering mechanisms will be presented. We will also discuss factors that limit the applications of these liposomes for in vivo triggered drug delivery and emerging concepts that may lead to the biologically viable photo-activation strategies. We will conclude with our view point on the future perspectives of light-sensitive liposomes in the clinic. PMID:20939770

Effect of 95% Ethanol as a Final Irrigant before Root Canal Obturation in Primary Teeth: An in vitro Study.

PubMed

Thiruvenkadam, G; Asokan, Sharath; John, Baby; Priya, Pr Geetha

2016-01-01

Successful obturation in the primary teeth demands complete dryness of the root canal system. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of 95% ethanol as the final irrigant before root canal obturation in primary teeth. A total of 20 extracted primary mandibular canines were biomechanically prepared and pre-obturated volume of each tooth was assessed using spiral computed tomography (CT). The specimens were divided into two groups (n = 10): group 1, Metapex group; group 2, zinc oxide eugenol group. Each group was further divided randomly into two subgroups (n = 5): subgroup 1, canals were dried with 95% ethanol; subgroup 2, canals were blot dried with paper points with the last one appearing dry. All canals were obturated and the postobturated volume of each tooth was measured. The percentage of obturated volume (POV) was calculated using the formula: (postobturated volume/preobturated volume) × 100. The POV between the groups was statistically analyzed using Mann-Whitney test and Wilcoxon Signed rank test appropriately. Root canals that were dried with ethanol showed better obturation than using paper points alone and the difference was statistically significant in both group 1 (p < 0.001) and group 2 (p < 0.002). Drying of the root canal system with 95% ethanol can result in better obturation in the primary teeth. How to cite this article: Thiruvenkadam G, Asokan S, John B, Geetha Priya PR. Effect of 95% Ethanol as a Final Irrigant before Root Canal Obturation in Primary Teeth: An in vitro Study. Int J Clin Pediatr Dent 2016;9(1):21-24.

A randomized clinical trial of an intervention to relieve thirst and dry mouth in intensive care unit patients.

PubMed

Puntillo, Kathleen; Arai, Shoshana R; Cooper, Bruce A; Stotts, Nancy A; Nelson, Judith E

2014-09-01

To test an intervention bundle for thirst intensity, thirst distress, and dry mouth, which are among the most pervasive, intense, distressful, unrecognized, and undertreated symptoms in ICU patients, but for which data-based interventions are lacking. This was a single-blinded randomized clinical trial in three ICUs in a tertiary medical center in urban California. A total of 252 cognitively intact patients reporting thirst intensity (TI) and/or thirst distress (TD) scores ≥3 on 0-10 numeric rating scales (NRS) were randomized to intervention or usual care groups. A research team nurse (RTN#1) obtained patients' pre-procedure TI and TD scores and reports of dry mouth. She then administered a thirst bundle to the intervention group: oral swab wipes, sterile ice-cold water sprays, and a lip moisturizer, or observed patients in the usual care group. RTN#2, blinded to group assignment, obtained post-procedure TI and TD scores. Up to six sessions per patient were conducted across 2 days. Multilevel linear regression determined that the average decreases in TI and TD scores from pre-procedure to post-procedure were significantly greater in the intervention group (2.3 and 1.8 NRS points, respectively) versus the usual care group (0.6 and 0.4 points, respectively) (p < 0.05). The usual care group was 1.9 times more likely than the intervention group to report dry mouth for each additional session on day 1. This simple, inexpensive thirst bundle significantly decreased ICU patients' thirst and dry mouth and can be considered a practice intervention for patients experiencing thirst.

Infrared Thermography for Monitoring of Freeze-Drying Processes: Instrumental Developments and Preliminary Results

PubMed Central

Emteborg, Håkan; Zeleny, Reinhard; Charoud-Got, Jean; Martos, Gustavo; Lüddeke, Jörg; Schellin, Holger; Teipel, Katharina

2014-01-01

Coupling an infrared (IR) camera to a freeze dryer for on-line monitoring of freeze-drying cycles is described for the first time. Normally, product temperature is measured using a few invasive Pt-100 probes, resulting in poor spatial resolution. To overcome this, an IR camera was placed on a process-scale freeze dryer. Imaging took place every 120 s through a Germanium window comprising 30,000 measurement points obtained contact-free from −40°C to 25°C. Results are presented for an empty system, bulk drying of cheese slurry, and drying of 1 mL human serum in 150 vials. During freezing of the empty system, differences of more than 5°C were measured on the shelf. Adding a tray to the empty system, a difference of more than 8°C was observed. These temperature differences probably cause different ice structures affecting the drying speed during sublimation. A temperature difference of maximum 13°C was observed in bulk mode during sublimation. When drying in vials, differences of more than 10°C were observed. Gradually, the large temperature differences disappeared during secondary drying and products were transformed into uniformly dry cakes. The experimental data show that the IR camera is a highly versatile on-line monitoring tool for different kinds of freeze-drying processes. © 2014 European Union 103:2088–2097, 2014 PMID:24902839

Infrared thermography for monitoring of freeze-drying processes: instrumental developments and preliminary results.

PubMed

Emteborg, Håkan; Zeleny, Reinhard; Charoud-Got, Jean; Martos, Gustavo; Lüddeke, Jörg; Schellin, Holger; Teipel, Katharina

2014-07-01

Coupling an infrared (IR) camera to a freeze dryer for on-line monitoring of freeze-drying cycles is described for the first time. Normally, product temperature is measured using a few invasive Pt-100 probes, resulting in poor spatial resolution. To overcome this, an IR camera was placed on a process-scale freeze dryer. Imaging took place every 120 s through a Germanium window comprising 30,000 measurement points obtained contact-free from -40 °C to 25 °C. Results are presented for an empty system, bulk drying of cheese slurry, and drying of 1 mL human serum in 150 vials. During freezing of the empty system, differences of more than 5 °C were measured on the shelf. Adding a tray to the empty system, a difference of more than 8 °C was observed. These temperature differences probably cause different ice structures affecting the drying speed during sublimation. A temperature difference of maximum 13 °C was observed in bulk mode during sublimation. When drying in vials, differences of more than 10 °C were observed. Gradually, the large temperature differences disappeared during secondary drying and products were transformed into uniformly dry cakes. The experimental data show that the IR camera is a highly versatile on-line monitoring tool for different kinds of freeze-drying processes. © 2014 European Union.

Repeatability of Central Corneal Thickness Measurement Using Rotating Scheimpflug Camera in Dry and Normal Eyes.

PubMed

Lee, Jong-Hyuck; Kim, Jae Hyuck; Kim, Sun Woong

2017-02-27

To compare the repeatability of central corneal thickness (CCT) measurement using the Pentacam between dry eyes and healthy eyes, as well as to investigate the effect of artificial tears on CCT measurement. The corneal thicknesses of 34 patients with dry eye and 28 healthy subjects were measured using the Pentacam. One eye from each subject was assigned randomly to a repeatability test, wherein a single operator performed three successive CCT measurements time points-before and 5 min after instillation of one artificial teardrop. The repeatability of measurements was assessed using the coefficient of repeatability and the intraclass correlation coefficient. The coefficient of repeatability values of the CCT measurements in dry and healthy eyes were 24.36 and 10.69 μm before instillation, and 16.85 and 9.72 μm after instillation, respectively. The intraclass correlation coefficient was higher in healthy eyes than that of in dry eyes (0.987 vs. 0.891), and it had improved significantly in dry eyes (0.948) after instillation of one artificial teardrop. The CCT measurement fluctuated in dry eyes (repeated-measures analysis of variance, P<0.001), whereas no significant changes were detected in healthy eyes, either before or after artificial tear instillation. Central corneal thickness measurement is less repeatable in dry eyes than in healthy eyes. Artificial tears improve the repeatability of CCT measurements obtained using the Pentacam in dry eyes.

Endotracheal suction in intensive care: A point prevalence study of current practice in New Zealand and Australia.

PubMed

Gilder, Eileen; Parke, Rachael L; Jull, Andrew

2018-04-14

Despite the evidence and available guidelines about endotracheal suction (ETS), a discrepancy between published guidelines and clinical practice persists. To date, ETS practice in the adult intensive care unit (ICU) population across New Zealand and Australia has not been described. To describe ICU nurses' ETS practice in New Zealand and Australia including the triggers for performing endotracheal suction. A single day, prospective observational, binational, multicentre point prevalence study in New Zealand and Australian ICUs. All adult patients admitted at 10:00 on the study day were included. In addition to patient demographic data, we assessed triggers for ETS, suction canister pressures, use of preoxygenation, measures of oxygenation, and ETS at extubation. There were 682 patients in the ICUs on the study day, and 230 were included in the study. Three of 230 patients were excluded for missing data. A total of 1891 ETS events were performed on 227 patients during the study day, a mean of eight interventions per patient. The main triggers reported were audible (n = 385, 63%) and visible (n = 239, 39%) secretions. Less frequent triggers included following auscultation (n = 142, 23%), reduced oxygen saturations (n = 140, 22%), and ventilator waveforms (n = 53, 9%). Mean suction canister pressure was -337 mmHg (standard deviation = 189), 67% of patients received preoxygenation (n = 413), and ETS at extubation was performed by 84% of nurses. Some practices were inconsistent with international guidelines, in particular concerning patient assessment for ETS and suction canister pressure. Copyright © 2018 Australian College of Critical Care Nurses Ltd. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Hydrogen peroxide induced by the fungicide prothioconazole triggers deoxynivalenol (DON) production by Fusarium graminearum

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background Fusarium head blight is a very important disease of small grain cereals with F. graminearum as one of the most important causal agents. It not only causes reduction in yield and quality but from a human and animal healthcare point of view, it produces mycotoxins such as deoxynivalenol (DON) which can accumulate to toxic levels. Little is known about external triggers influencing DON production. Results In the present work, a combined in vivo/in vitro approach was used to test the effect of sub lethal fungicide treatments on DON production. Using a dilution series of prothioconazole, azoxystrobin and prothioconazole + fluoxastrobin, we demonstrated that sub lethal doses of prothioconazole coincide with an increase in DON production 48 h after fungicide treatment. In an artificial infection trial using wheat plants, the in vitro results of increased DON levels upon sub lethal prothioconazole application were confirmed illustrating the significance of these results from a practical point of view. In addition, further in vitro experiments revealed a timely hyperinduction of H2O2 production as fast as 4 h after amending cultures with prothioconazole. When applying H2O2 directly to germinating conidia, a similar induction of DON-production by F. graminearum was observed. The effect of sub lethal prothioconazole concentrations on DON production completely disappeared when applying catalase together with the fungicide. Conclusions These cumulative results suggest that H2O2 induced by sub lethal doses of the triazole fungicide prothioconazole acts as a trigger of DON biosynthesis. In a broader framework, this work clearly shows that DON production by the plant pathogen F. graminearum is the result of the interaction of fungal genomics and external environmental triggers. PMID:20398299

Botox combined with myofascial release physical therapy as a treatment for myofascial pelvic pain

PubMed Central

Scott, Lauren; Wyman, Allison; Mora, Nelsi; Miladinovic, Branko; Bassaly, Renee; Hoyte, Lennox

2017-01-01

Purpose To report the effects of combined onabotulinumtoxinA (Botox) injections and myofascial release physical therapy on myofascial pelvic pain (MFPP) by comparing pre- and posttreatment average pelvic pain scores, trigger points, and patient self-reported pelvic pain. Secondary outcomes were to examine posttreatment complications and determine demographic differences between patients with/without an improvement in pain. Materials and Methods This was an Institutional Review Board approved retrospective case series on women over 18 years with MFPP who received Botox and physical therapy between July 2006 and November 2014. Presence of trigger points and pelvic pain scores were determined by digital palpation of the iliococcygeus, puborectalis, obturator internus, and rectus muscles. Average pelvic pain scores (0–10) reflected an average of the scores obtained from palpation of each muscle. Self-reported improvement in pain was recorded as yes/no. Results Fifty women met the inclusion/exclusion criteria. Posttreatment, patients had lower average pelvic pain scores (3.7±4.0 vs. 6.4±1.8, p=0.005), and fewer trigger points (44% vs. 100%, p<0.001). Fifty-eight percent of patients (95% confidence interval, 44–72) noted an improvement in self-reported pain. Patients most likely to report no improvement in pain had chronic bowel disorders, while those most likely to report an improvement in pain had a history of past incontinence sling (p=0.03). Posttreatment complications included: constipation (8%), worsening urinary retention (2%), and urinary tract infection (4%). Conclusions Botox combined with soft tissue myofascial release physical therapy under anesthesia can be effective in treating women with chronic pelvic pain secondary to MFPP. PMID:28261683

Myofascial trigger point-focused head and neck massage for recurrent tension-type headache: A randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial

PubMed Central

Moraska, Albert F.; Stenerson, Lea; Butryn, Nathan; Krutsch, Jason P.; Schmiege, Sarah J.; Mann, J. Douglas

2014-01-01

Objective Myofascial trigger points (MTrPs) are focal disruptions in skeletal muscle that can refer pain to the head and reproduce the pain patterns of tension-type headache (TTH). The present study applied massage focused on MTrPs of subjects with TTH in a placebo-controlled, clinical trial to assess efficacy on reducing headache pain. Methods Fifty-six subjects with TTH were randomized to receive 12 massage or placebo (detuned ultrasound) sessions over six weeks, or to wait-list. Trigger point release (TPR) massage focused on MTrPs in cervical musculature. Headache pain (frequency, intensity and duration) was recorded in a daily headache diary. Additional outcome measures included self-report of perceived clinical change in headache pain and pressure-pain threshold (PPT) at MTrPs in the upper trapezius and sub-occipital muscles. Results From diary recordings, group differences across time were detected in headache frequency (p=0.026), but not for intensity or duration. Post hoc analysis indicated headache frequency decreased from baseline for both massage (p<0.0003) and placebo (p=0.013), but no difference was detected between massage and placebo. Subject report of perceived clinical change was a greater reduction in headache pain for massage than placebo or wait-list groups (p=0.002). PPT improved in all muscles tested for massage only (all p's<0.002). Discussion Two findings from this study are apparent: 1) MTrPs are important components in the treatment of TTH, and 2) TTH, like other chronic conditions, is responsive to placebo. Clinical trials on headache that do not include a placebo group are at risk for overestimating the specific contribution from the active intervention. PMID:25329141

Myofascial trigger point-focused head and neck massage for recurrent tension-type headache: a randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial.

PubMed

Moraska, Albert F; Stenerson, Lea; Butryn, Nathan; Krutsch, Jason P; Schmiege, Sarah J; Mann, John D

2015-02-01

Myofascial trigger points (MTrPs) are focal disruptions in the skeletal muscle that can refer pain to the head and reproduce the pain patterns of tension-type HA (TTH). The present study applied massage focused on MTrPs of patients with TTH in a placebo-controlled, clinical trial to assess efficacy on reducing headache (HA) pain. Fifty-six patients with TTH were randomized to receive 12 massage or placebo (detuned ultrasound) sessions over 6 weeks, or to wait-list. Trigger point release massage focused on MTrPs in cervical musculature. HA pain (frequency, intensity, and duration) was recorded in a daily HA diary. Additional outcome measures included self-report of perceived clinical change in HA pain and pressure-pain threshold at MTrPs in the upper trapezius and suboccipital muscles. From diary recordings, group differences across time were detected in HA frequency (P=0.026), but not for intensity or duration. Post hoc analysis indicated that HA frequency decreased from baseline for both massage (P<0.0003) and placebo (P=0.013), but no difference was detected between massage and placebo. Patient report of perceived clinical change was greater reduction in HA pain for massage than placebo or wait-list groups (P=0.002). Pressure-pain threshold improved in all muscles tested for massage only (all P's<0.002). Two findings from this study are apparent: (1) MTrPs are important components in the treatment of TTH, and (2) TTH, like other chronic conditions, is responsive to placebo. Clinical trials on HA that do not include a placebo group are at risk for overestimating the specific contribution from the active intervention.

An Investigation of Alternate Synthesis for 2,2’ -BIS(Phenylethynyl)-5, 5’ -Diaminobenzidine

DTIC Science & Technology

1985-05-01

essentially complete reaction of starting material to give cleanly the biphenyl tetraacetamide compound VIla. After work-up, the product melting point ...of compound llh in ethanolic potassium hydroxide with and without diethanolamine catalysis iReference 34) gave a product with a high melting point ...After cooling, aqueous work-up gave a precipitate, which after drying, displayed a low melting point (110-130 0 C). The crude compound was purified by

Cranial sutures and craniometric points detected on MRI.

PubMed

Cotton, François; Rozzi, Fernando Ramirez; Vallee, Bernard; Pachai, Chahin; Hermier, Marc; Guihard-Costa, Anne-Marie; Froment, Jean-Claude

2005-03-01

The main goal of the study was to determine on MRI the cranial sutures, the craniometric points and craniometric measurements, and to correlate these results with classical anthropometric measurements. For this purpose, we reviewed 150 cerebral MRI examinations considered as normal (Caucasian population aged 20-49 years). For each examination we individualized 11 craniometric landmarks (Glabella, Bregma, Lambda, Opisthocranion, Opisthion, Basion, Inion, Porion, Infra-orbital, Eurion) and three measurements. Measurements were also calculated independently on 498 dry crania (Microscribe 3-DX digitizer). To validate the MRI procedure, we measured four dry crania by MRI and with compass or digital caliper gauges. Cranial sutures always appeared without signal (black), whatever the MRI sequence used, and they are better visualized with a 5 mm slice thickness (compact bone overlapping). Slice dynamic analysis and multiplanar reformatting allowed the detection of all craniometric points, some of these being more difficult to detect than others (Porion, Infra-orbital). The measurements determined by these points were as follows: Vertex-Basion height=135.66+/-6.56 mm; Eurion-Eurion width=141.17+/-5.19 mm; Glabella-Opisthocranion length=181.94+/-6.40 mm. On the midline T1-weighted sagittal image, all median craniometric landmarks can be individualized and the Glabella-Opisthocranion length, Vertex-Basion height and parenchyma indices can be calculated. Craniometric points and measurements between these points can be estimated with a standard cerebral MRI examination, with results that are similar to anthropometric data.

Ultrasonography of the hand, wrist, and elbow.

PubMed

Bodor, Marko; Fullerton, Brad

2010-08-01

High-frequency diagnostic ultrasonography of the hand, wrist and elbow has significant potential to improve the quality of diagnosis and care provided by neuromuscular and musculoskeletal specialists. In patients referred for weakness, pain and numbness of the hand, wrist or elbow, diagnostic ultrasonography can be an adjunct to electrodiagnosis and help in identifying ruptured tendons and treating conditions such as carpal tunnel syndrome or trigger finger. Use of a small high-frequency (>10-15 MHz) transducer, an instrument with a blunt pointed tip to enhance sonopalpation and a model of the hand, wrist and elbow is advised to enhance visualization of small anatomical structures and complex bony contours. A range of conditions, including tendon and ligament ruptures, trigger finger, de Quervain tenosynovitis, intersection syndrome, lateral epicondylitis, and osteoarthritis, is described along with detailed ultrasonography-guided injection techniques for carpal tunnel syndrome and trigger finger. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Generating functions and stability study of multivariate self-excited epidemic processes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saichev, A. I.; Sornette, D.

2011-09-01

We present a stability study of the class of multivariate self-excited Hawkes point processes, that can model natural and social systems, including earthquakes, epileptic seizures and the dynamics of neuron assemblies, bursts of exchanges in social communities, interactions between Internet bloggers, bank network fragility and cascading of failures, national sovereign default contagion, and so on. We present the general theory of multivariate generating functions to derive the number of events over all generations of various types that are triggered by a mother event of a given type. We obtain the stability domains of various systems, as a function of the topological structure of the mutual excitations across different event types. We find that mutual triggering tends to provide a significant extension of the stability (or subcritical) domain compared with the case where event types are decoupled, that is, when an event of a given type can only trigger events of the same type.

Effect of whey protein agglomeration on spray dried microcapsules containing Saccharomyces boulardii.

PubMed

Duongthingoc, Diep; George, Paul; Katopo, Lita; Gorczyca, Elizabeth; Kasapis, Stefan

2013-12-01

This work investigates the effect of whey protein agglomeration on the survivability of Saccharomyces boulardii within spray dried microcapsules. It attempts to go beyond phenomenological observations by establishing a relationship between physicochemical characteristics of the polymeric matrix and its effect on probiotic endurance upon spray drying. It is well known that this type of thermal shock has lethal consequences on the yeast cells. To avoid such undesirable outcome, we take advantage of the early agglomeration phenomenon observed for whey protein by adjusting the pH value of preparations close to isoelectric point (pH 4-5). During the subsequent process of spray drying, development of whey protein agglomerates induces formation of an early crust, and the protein in this molten globular state creates a cohesive network encapsulating the yeast cells. It appears that the early crust formation at a given sample pH and temperature regime during spray drying benefits the survivability of S. boulardii within microcapsules. Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Assessment of the sustainability of dual-purpose farms by the IDEA method in the subtropical area of central Mexico.

PubMed

Salas-Reyes, Isela Guadalupe; Arriaga-Jordán, Carlos Manuel; Rebollar-Rebollar, Samuel; García-Martínez, Anastacio; Albarrán-Portillo, Benito

2015-08-01

The objective of this study was to assess the sustainability of 10 dual-purpose cattle farms in a subtropical area of central Mexico. The IDEA method (Indicateurs de Durabilité des Exploitations Agricoles) was applied, which includes the agroecological, socio-territorial and economic scales (scores from 0 to 100 points per scale). A sample of 47 farms from a total of 91 registered in the local livestock growers association was analysed with principal component analysis and cluster analysis. From results, 10 farms were selected for the in-depth study herein reported, being the selection criterion continuous milk production throughout the year. Farms had a score of 88 and 86 points for the agroecological scale in the rainy and dry seasons. In the socio-territorial scale, scores were 73 points for both seasons, being the component of employment and services the strongest. Scores for the economic scale were 64 and 56 points for the rainy and dry seasons, respectively, when no economic cost for family labour is charged, which decreases to 59 and 45 points when an opportunity cost for family labour is considered. Dual-purpose farms in the subtropical area of central Mexico have a medium sustainability, with the economic scale being the limiting factor, and an area of opportunity.

Studies on the current state of water quality in the Segamat River

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Razelan, Faridah Mohd; Tahir, Wardah; E. M Yahaya, Nasehir Khan

2018-04-01

Nowadays, pollution has become a major concern in developed and developing countries. In a study on the current state of Segamat River water quality; on-site data collection and observation and also laboratory data analysis have been implemented. Studies showed that the downstream of the Segamat River has recorded a significant reduction in quality of water during the dry season compared to the wet season. The deterioration of water quality is caused by the activities along the river such as palm oil plantation, municipal waste and waste from settlements. It was also recorded that the point sources were dominating the pollution at Segamat River during the dry season. However, during the wet season, the water quality was impaired by the non-point sources which originated from the upstream of the river.

Hypertension management: rationale for triple therapy based on mechanisms of action.

PubMed

Neutel, Joel M; Smith, David H G

2013-10-01

An estimated 25% of patients will require 3 antihypertensive agents to achieve blood pressure (BP) control; combination therapy is thus an important strategy in hypertension treatment. This review discusses the triple-therapy combination of an angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB) or direct renin antagonist (DRI) with a calcium channel blocker (CCB) and a diuretic, with a focus on mechanisms of action. Multiple physiologic pathways contribute to hypertension. Combining antihypertensive agents not only better targets the underlying pathways, but also helps blunt compensatory responses that may be triggered by single-agent therapy. DRIs and ARBs target the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) at the initial and final steps, respectively, and both classes lower BP by reducing the effects of angiotensin-2; however, ARBs may trigger a compensatory increase in renin activity. Dihydropyridine CCBs target L-type calcium channels and lower BP through potent vasodilation, but can trigger compensatory activation of the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) and RAAS. Thiazide diuretics lower BP initially through sodium depletion and plasma volume reduction, followed by total peripheral resistance reduction, but can also trigger compensatory activation of the SNS and RAAS. The combination of an agent targeting the RAAS with a CCB and diuretic is rational, and triple combinations of valsartan/amlodipine/hydrochlorothiazide, olmesartan/amlodipine/hydrochlorothiazide, and aliskiren/amlodipine/hydrochlorothiazide have demonstrated greater effectiveness compared with their respective dual-component combinations. In addition, single-pill, fixed-dose combinations can address barriers to BP control including clinical inertia and poor adherence. Fixed-dose antihypertensive combination products capitalize on complementary mechanisms of action and have been shown to result in improved BP control. © 2012 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Is consolidation drainage an indirect mechanism for increased abundance of cattail in northern prairie wetlands?

USGS Publications Warehouse

Wiltermuth, Mark T.; Anteau, Michael J.

2016-01-01

In the Prairie Pothole Region of North America, disturbances to wetlands that disrupt water-level fluctuations in response to wet–dry climatic conditions have the potential to alter natural vegetative communities in favor of species that proliferate in stable environments, such as cattail (Typha spp.). We evaluated the effect of water-level dynamics during a recent fluctuation in wet–dry conditions on cattail coverage within semipermanently and permanently ponded wetlands situated in watersheds with different land use and amounts of wetland drainage. We found that ponded water depth increase was significantly greater in wetlands where water levels were not near the spill point of the topographic basin, where banks were steeper, and in larger wetlands where past dry conditions had less influence on change in pond area. Proportion of the wetland covered by cattail was negatively correlated with increased water depth, bank slope and pond area. Our observations provide evidence that cattail coverage in prairie wetlands is regulated by water-level fluctuations and that land use surrounding the wetland might have an indirect effect on cattail coverage by altering water-level response to wet–dry climate conditions. For example, drainage of smaller wetlands into larger wetlands that are characterized by more permanent hydroperiods, leads to stabilized water levels near their spill point and is therefore a potential mechanism for increased cattail abundance in the northern prairie region.

Early warning of climate tipping points

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lenton, Timothy M.

2011-07-01

A climate 'tipping point' occurs when a small change in forcing triggers a strongly nonlinear response in the internal dynamics of part of the climate system, qualitatively changing its future state. Human-induced climate change could push several large-scale 'tipping elements' past a tipping point. Candidates include irreversible melt of the Greenland ice sheet, dieback of the Amazon rainforest and shift of the West African monsoon. Recent assessments give an increased probability of future tipping events, and the corresponding impacts are estimated to be large, making them significant risks. Recent work shows that early warning of an approaching climate tipping point is possible in principle, and could have considerable value in reducing the risk that they pose.

Design of a new high-performance pointing controller for the Hubble Space Telescope

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnson, C. D.

1993-01-01

A new form of high-performance, disturbance-adaptive pointing controller for the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) is proposed. This new controller is all linear (constant gains) and can maintain accurate 'pointing' of the HST in the face of persistent randomly triggered uncertain, unmeasurable 'flapping' motions of the large attached solar array panels. Similar disturbances associated with antennas and other flexible appendages can also be accommodated. The effectiveness and practicality of the proposed new controller is demonstrated by a detailed design and simulation testing of one such controller for a planar-motion, fully nonlinear model of HST. The simulation results show a high degree of disturbance isolation and pointing stability.

Land Use Induced Hydroclimatic Variability Over Large Deforested Areas in Southern Amazon Rainforest

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khanna, J.; Medvigy, D.

2017-12-01

Contemporary Amazonian deforestation, which occurs at scales of a few hundreds of kilometers, has been found to induce systematic changes in the regional dry season precipitation. The replacement of rough forest with smooth pasture induces a low level atmospheric convergence and uplift in the downwind and divergence and subsidence in the upwind deforested areas. The resulting precipitation change is about ±30% of the deforested area mean in the two regions respectively. Compared with the increase in non-precipitating cloudiness triggered by small scale clearings prevalent in the early phases of deforestation, this `dynamical mesoscale circulation' can have regional ecological impacts by altering precipitation seasonality and in turn ecosystem dynamics. However, the seasonality and variability of this phenomenon hasn't been studied. Using observations and numerical simulations this study investigates the relationships between the dynamical mechanism and the local- and continental-scale atmospheric conditions to understand the physical controls on this phenomenon on the inter-annual, inter-seasonal and daily time scales. We find that the strength of the dynamical mechanism is controlled mostly by regional scale thermal and dynamical conditions of the boundary layer and not the continental and global scale atmospheric state. The lifting condensation level (thermodynamic control) and wind speed (dynamic control) within the boundary layer have the largest and positive correlations with the dipole strength, which is true although not always significant across time scales. Due to this dependence it is found to be strongest during parts of the year when the atmosphere is relatively stable. Hence, overall this phenomenon is found to be the prevalent convective triggering mechanism during the dry and parts of transition seasons (especially spring), significantly affecting the hydroclimate during this period.

RNA polymerase II trigger loop residues stabilize and position the incoming nucleotide triphosphate in transcription

PubMed Central

Huang, Xuhui; Wang, Dong; Weiss, Dahlia R.; Bushnell, David A.; Kornberg, Roger D.; Levitt, Michael

2010-01-01

A structurally conserved element, the trigger loop, has been suggested to play a key role in substrate selection and catalysis of RNA polymerase II (pol II) transcription elongation. Recently resolved X-ray structures showed that the trigger loop forms direct interactions with the β-phosphate and base of the matched nucleotide triphosphate (NTP) through residues His1085 and Leu1081, respectively. In order to understand the role of these two critical residues in stabilizing active site conformation in the dynamic complex, we performed all-atom molecular dynamics simulations of the wild-type pol II elongation complex and its mutants in explicit solvent. In the wild-type complex, we found that the trigger loop is stabilized in the “closed” conformation, and His1085 forms a stable interaction with the NTP. Simulations of point mutations of His1085 are shown to affect this interaction; simulations of alternative protonation states, which are inaccessible through experiment, indicate that only the protonated form is able to stabilize the His1085-NTP interaction. Another trigger loop residue, Leu1081, stabilizes the incoming nucleotide position through interaction with the nucleotide base. Our simulations of this Leu mutant suggest a three-component mechanism for correctly positioning the incoming NTP in which (i) hydrophobic contact through Leu1081, (ii) base stacking, and (iii) base pairing work together to minimize the motion of the incoming NTP base. These results complement experimental observations and provide insight into the role of the trigger loop on transcription fidelity. PMID:20798057

A Trigger Mechanism for Volcanic Low-Frequency Seismic Events on Montserrat

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Neuberg, J. W.; Tuffen, H.; Jolly, A.; Green, D.

2003-12-01

Seismic observations of low-frequency earthquake swarms on Montserrat point to a non-destructive, repeatable source mechanism in a confined area inside or near the conduit. While the seismic wave propagation pattern of the subsequent resonance in and around the conduit is well studied, the trigger mechanism has remained elusive. In this contribution we suggest a trigger mechanism based on new field evidence for fracture and healing of magma in volcanic conduits, together with seismic observations from Montserrat and finite element modelling of magma deformation during conduit flow. As a seismic trigger we suggest a stick-slip motion of highly-viscous magma in the glass transition, that periodically generates networks of seismogenic shear fractures a few metres in length. These fractures are rapidly filled by fine-grained material [cataclasite] that is generated by friction processes on the fracture surfaces, such as corner abrasion, and is locally redeposited by gas flowing within the fracture system. Filled fractures are then swiftly healed as reloading leads to annealing and a return to cohesive viscous deformation. Such a fast healing process, probably on the order of tens of seconds, leads to a repeatable trigger mechanism. Due to a strong lateral viscosity gradient in the conduit, highly-viscous magma near the conduit walls, which can exhibit brittle behaviour, co-exists with low-viscosity, fluid magma in the conduit centre; such that brittle failure provides the seismic trigger mechanism while the fluid part can still act as a seismic resonator.

Kinesio taping and manual pressure release: Short-term effects in subjects with myofasical trigger point.

PubMed

Chao, Yu Wen; Lin, Jiu Jenq; Yang, Jing Lan; Wang, Wendy Tzyy-Jiuan

2016-01-01

Randomized controlled trial. Myofascial pain syndrome is characterized by myofascial trigger points (MTrPs) and fascia tenderness. We investigated the effects of manual pressure release (MPR) alone or in combination with taping (MPR/MKT) in subjects with MTrPs. Fifteen and 16 subjects received MPR and MPR/MKT respectively. Outcomes including Pressure pain threshold, muscle stiffness, mechanomyography were assessed at baseline, post-intervention and 7-days later. Pressure pain threshold improved significantly (d = 1.79, p < 0.005) in both groups. Significant improvement in muscle stiffness in the MPR/MKT group (0.27-0.49 mm) as compared to the MPR group (-0.02-0.23 mm). Mechanomyography amplitude in the MPR/MKT group was significantly higher than that of the MPR group (p < 0.05). MPR and MPR/MKT are effective in reducing pain in these subjects. MPR/MKT has a greater effect on muscle stiffness and contraction amplitude. IV. Copyright © 2016 Hanley & Belfus. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Muscle trigger point therapy in tension-type headache.

PubMed

Alonso-Blanco, Cristina; de-la-Llave-Rincón, Ana Isabel; Fernández-de-las-Peñas, César

2012-03-01

Recent evidence suggests that active trigger points (TrPs) in neck and shoulder muscles contribute to tension-type headache. Active TrPs within the suboccipital, upper trapezius, sternocleidomastoid, temporalis, superior oblique and lateral rectus muscles have been associated with chronic and episodic tension-type headache forms. It seems that the pain profile of this headache may be provoked by referred pain from active TrPs in the posterior cervical, head and shoulder muscles. In fact, the presence of active TrPs has been related to a higher degree of sensitization in tension-type headache. Different therapeutic approaches are proposed for proper TrP management. Preliminary evidence indicates that inactivation of TrPs may be effective for the management of tension-type headache, particularly in a subgroup of patients who may respond positively to this approach. Different treatment approaches targeted to TrP inactivation are discussed in the current paper, focusing on tension-type headache. New studies are needed to further delineate the relationship between muscle TrP inactivation and tension-type headache.

A GRASS GIS Semi-Stochastic Model for Evaluating the Probability of Landslides Impacting Road Networks in Collazzone, Central Italy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taylor, Faith E.; Santangelo, Michele; Marchesini, Ivan; Malamud, Bruce D.

2013-04-01

During a landslide triggering event, the tens to thousands of landslides resulting from the trigger (e.g., earthquake, heavy rainfall) may block a number of sections of the road network, posing a risk to rescue efforts, logistics and accessibility to a region. Here, we present initial results from a semi-stochastic model we are developing to evaluate the probability of landslides intersecting a road network and the network-accessibility implications of this across a region. This was performed in the open source GRASS GIS software, where we took 'model' landslides and dropped them on a 79 km2 test area region in Collazzone, Umbria, Central Italy, with a given road network (major and minor roads, 404 km in length) and already determined landslide susceptibilities. Landslide areas (AL) were randomly selected from a three-parameter inverse gamma probability density function, consisting of a power-law decay of about -2.4 for medium and large values of AL and an exponential rollover for small values of AL; the rollover (maximum probability) occurs at about AL = 400 m.2 The number of landslide areas selected for each triggered event iteration was chosen to have an average density of 1 landslide km-2, i.e. 79 landslide areas chosen randomly for each iteration. Landslides were then 'dropped' over the region semi-stochastically: (i) random points were generated across the study region; (ii) based on the landslide susceptibility map, points were accepted/rejected based on the probability of a landslide occurring at that location. After a point was accepted, it was assigned a landslide area (AL) and length to width ratio. Landslide intersections with roads were then assessed and indices such as the location, number and size of road blockage recorded. The GRASS-GIS model was performed 1000 times in a Monte-Carlo type simulation. Initial results show that for a landslide triggering event of 1 landslide km-2 over a 79 km2 region with 404 km of road, the number of road blockages ranges from 6 to 17, resulting in one road blockage every 24-67 km of roads. The average length of road blocked was 33 m. As we progress with model development and more sophisticated network analysis, we believe this semi-stochastic modelling approach will aid civil protection agencies to get a rough idea for the probability of road network potential damage (road block number and extent) as the result of different magnitude landslide triggering event scenarios.

Variational analysis of temperature and moisture advection in a severe storm environment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mcfarland, M. J.; Sasaki, Y. K.

1977-01-01

Horizontal wind components, potential temperature, and mixing ratio fields associated with a severe storm environment in the south central United States were objectively analyzed from synoptic upper air observations with a nonhomogeneous anisotropic weighting function. The particular case study discussed here is the tornado producting squall line which moved through eastern Oklahoma 26 May 1973. The synoptic situation which preceded squall line development was cyclogenesis and frontogenesis in the lee-of-mountain trough, which produced a well-defined surface dry line (or dew point front) and a pronounced mid-level dry air intrusion. It is shown that the intrusion was also characterized by warm air, with a lapse rate approaching the dry adiabatic.

Physiological and gene expression responses of sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) plants differ according to irrigation placement.

PubMed

Aguado, Ana; Capote, Nieves; Romero, Fernando; Dodd, Ian C; Colmenero-Flores, José M

2014-10-01

To investigate effects of soil moisture heterogeneity on plant physiology and gene expression in roots and leaves, three treatments were implemented in sunflower plants growing with roots split between two compartments: a control (C) treatment supplying 100% of plant evapotranspiration, and two treatments receiving 50% of plant evapotranspiration, either evenly distributed to both compartments (deficit irrigation - DI) or unevenly distributed to ensure distinct wet and dry compartments (partial rootzone drying - PRD). Plants receiving the same amount of water responded differently under the two irrigation systems. After 3 days, evapotranspiration was similar in C and DI, but 20% less in PRD, concomitant with decreased leaf water potential (Ψleaf) and increased leaf xylem ABA concentration. Six water-stress responsive genes were highly induced in roots growing in the drying soil compartment of PRD plants, and their expression was best correlated with local soil water content. On the other hand, foliar gene expression differed significantly from that of the root and correlated better with xylem ABA concentration and Ψleaf. While the PRD irrigation strategy triggered stronger physiological and molecular responses, suggesting a more intense and systemic stress reaction due to local dehydration of the dry compartment of PRD plants, the DI strategy resulted in similar water savings without strongly inducing these responses. Correlating physiological and molecular responses in PRD/DI plants may provide insights into the severity and location of water deficits and may enable a better understanding of long-distance signalling mechanisms. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Estimation of speciated and total mercury dry deposition at monitoring locations in eastern and central North America

USGS Publications Warehouse

Zhang, L.; Blanchard, P.; Gay, D.A.; Prestbo, E.M.; Risch, M.R.; Johnson, D.; Narayan, J.; Zsolway, R.; Holsen, T.M.; Miller, E.K.; Castro, M.S.; Graydon, J.A.; St. Louis, V.L.; Dalziel, J.

2012-01-01

Dry deposition of speciated mercury, i.e., gaseous oxidized mercury (GOM), particulate-bound mercury (PBM), and gaseous elemental mercury (GEM), was estimated for the year 2008–2009 at 19 monitoring locations in eastern and central North America. Dry deposition estimates were obtained by combining monitored two- to four-hourly speciated ambient concentrations with modeled hourly dry deposition velocities (Vd) calculated using forecasted meteorology. Annual dry deposition of GOM+PBM was estimated to be in the range of 0.4 to 8.1 μg m−2 at these locations with GOM deposition being mostly five to ten times higher than PBM deposition, due to their different modeled Vd values. Net annual GEM dry deposition was estimated to be in the range of 5 to 26 μg m−2 at 18 sites and 33 μg m−2 at one site. The estimated dry deposition agrees very well with limited surrogate-surface dry deposition measurements of GOM and PBM, and also agrees with litterfall mercury measurements conducted at multiple locations in eastern and central North America. This study suggests that GEM contributes much more than GOM+PBM to the total dry deposition at the majority of the sites considered here; the only exception is at locations close to significant point sources where GEM and GOM+PBM contribute equally to the total dry deposition. The relative magnitude of the speciated dry deposition and their good comparisons with litterfall deposition suggest that mercury in litterfall originates primarily from GEM, which is consistent with the limited number of previous field studies. The study also supports previous analyses suggesting that total dry deposition of mercury is equal to, if not more important than, wet deposition of mercury on a regional scale in eastern North America.

Gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist trigger in oocyte donors co-treated with a gonadotropin-releasing hormone antagonist: a dose-finding study.

PubMed

Vuong, Thi Ngoc Lan; Ho, Manh Tuong; Ha, Tan Duc; Phung, Huy Tuan; Huynh, Gia Bao; Humaidan, Peter

2016-02-01

To determine the optimal GnRH agonist dose for triggering of oocyte maturation in oocyte donors. Single-center, randomized, parallel, investigator-blinded trial. IVFMD, My Duc Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. One hundred sixty-five oocyte donors (aged 18-35 years, body mass index [BMI] <28 kg/m(2), antimüllerian hormone level >1.25 ng/mL, and antral follicle count ≥6). Ovulation trigger with 0.2, 0.3, or 0.4 mg triptorelin in a GnRH antagonist cycle. The primary end point was number of metaphase II oocytes. Secondary end points were fertilization and cleavage rates, number of embryos and top-quality embryos, steroid levels, ovarian volume, and ongoing pregnancy rate (PR) in recipients. There were no significant differences between the triptorelin 0.2, 0.3, and 0.4 mg trigger groups with respect to number of metaphase II oocytes (16.0 ± 8.5, 15.9 ± 7.8, and 14.7 ± 8.4, respectively), embryos (13.2 ± 7.8, 11.7 ± 6.9, 11.8 ± 7.0), and number of top-quality embryos (3.8 ± 2.9, 3.6 ± 3.0, 4.1 ± 3.0). Luteinizing hormone levels at 24 hours and 36 hours after trigger was significantly higher with triptorelin 0.4 mg versus 0.2 mg and 0.3 mg (9.8 ± 7.1 IU/L vs. 7.3 ± 4.1 IU/L and 7.2 ± 3.7 IU/L, respectively; 4.6 ± 3.2 IU/L vs. 3.2 ± 2.3 IU/L and 3.3 ± 2.1 IU/L, respectively. Progesterone level at oocyte pick-up +6 days was significantly higher in the 0.4-mg group (2.2 ± 3.7 ng/ml) versus 0.2 mg (1.1 ± 1.0 ng/ml) and 0.3 mg (1.2 ± 1.6 ng/ml). One patient developed early-onset severe ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS). No significant differences between triptorelin doses of 0.2, 0.3, and 0.4 mg used for ovulation trigger in oocyte donors were seen with regard to the number of mature oocytes and top-quality embryos. NCT02208986. Copyright © 2016 American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Managing Pain Caused By Neurological Disease

PubMed Central

Tunks, Eldon

1985-01-01

Stabbing paroxysmal pain due to neurological disease can often be controlled by anticonvulsants, whereas steady burning pain is often responsive to tricyclic antidepressants, and to neuroleptics. Overuse of opiates may actually aggravate the pain, necessitating detoxification. Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation is helpful for conditions in which pain is localized, especially if there is a ‘trigger area’ or neuroma, or if paresthesias can be stimulated within the painful area. Local anesthetic injection, possibly with corticosteroid, relieves painful scars and neuromas, neuritis, and tender trigger points. Sympathetic blocks are used for post-herpetic neuralgia and sympathetic dystrophies. Relaxation therapy is a very useful psychological treatment. PMID:21274032

Tharsis-triggered Flood Inundations of the Lowlands of Mars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fairen, Alberto G.; Dohm, James M.; Baker, Victor R.; dePablo, Miguel A.

2003-01-01

Throughout the recorded history of Mars, liquid water has distinctly shaped its landscape, including the prominent circum-Chryse and the northwestern slope valleys outflow channel systems [1], and the extremely flat northern plains topography at the distal reaches of these outflow channel systems.Basing on the ideas of episodic greenhouse atmosphere and water stability on the lowlands of Mars [3], a conceptual scheme for water evolution and associated geomorphologic features on the northern plains can be proposed. This model highlights Tharsis-triggered flood inundations and their direct impact on shaping the northern plains, as well as making possible the existence of fossil and/or extant life.Possible biologic evolution throughout the resulting different climatic and hydrologic conditions would account for very distinct metabolic pathways for hypothesized organisms capable of surviving and perhaps evolving in each aqueous environment, those that existed in the dry and cold periods between the flood inundations, and those organisms that could survive both extremes. Terrestrial microbiota, chemolithotrophic and heterotrophic bacteria, provide exciting analogues for such potential extremophile existence in Mars, especially where long-lived, magmatic-driven hydrothermal activity is indicated [14].

Sedentary nestlings of Wood Stork as monitors of mercury contamination in the gold mining region of the Brazilian Pantanal

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

Nassif Del Lama, Silvia, E-mail: dsdl@ufscar.br; Dosualdo Rocha, Cristiano; Figueiredo Jardim, Wilson

Sedentary organisms that are at top trophic levels allow inference about the level of local mercury contamination. We evaluated mercury contamination in feather tissue of nestling Wood Storks (Mycteria americana), sampled in different parts of the Brazilian Pantanal that were variably polluted by mercury releases from gold mining activities. Levels of mercury in feathers sampled in seven breeding colonies were determined by atomic absorption spectroscopy, and the mean value of mercury concentration was 0.557 {mu}g/g, dry weight (n=124), range 0.024-4.423 {mu}g/g. From this total sample, 21 feathers that represent 30% of nestlings collected in Porto da Fazenda and Tucum colonies,more » in the northern region, ranged from 1.0 to 4.43 {mu}g/g, dry weight (median value=1.87 {mu}g/g). We found significant differences among regions (H=57.342; p=0<0.05). Results suggest that permanently flooded areas, or along mainstream rivers are more contaminated by mercury than dry areas, regardless of the distance from the gold mining center, which is located in the northern Pantanal. Highest values found in nestlings feathers were similar to those found in feathers of adult birds and in tissues of adult mammals that are less sedentary and were captured in the same region of Pantanal. These findings indicate that mercury released has been biomagnified and it is present in high concentrations in tissues of top consumers. We suggest a program to monitor mercury availability in this ecosystem using sedentary life forms of top predators like Wood Storks or other piscivorous birds. - Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Sedentary stork nestlings were used for the first time to show local mercury contamination of Pantanal. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Differences were found among regions but they are not explained only by distance from the gold mining. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Permanently flooded areas and areas along mainstream rivers are more contaminated than dry areas. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Mercury has been biomagnified in Pantanal and it is found in high concentrations in top consumers.« less

Fundamental Studies on Reactive Oligomers

DTIC Science & Technology

1974-04-01

filtered off, washed well with water and vacuum-dried at 50 0 C to afford 7.031 g of unreacted 4-chlorophenyl sulfone, identified by its melting point ...hours. The melting point was l00-130*C; the infrared spectrum was virtually identical with that of 4-chlorophenyl sulfone. 13. Preparation of Bis[4-(3...excess of 550°C. On a Fisher-Johns melting point apparatus BTPN-l melted over the range 255-285°C and did not harden in 10 minutes at 3000 C. BTPN-l was

40 CFR 405.101 - Specialized definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... AND STANDARDS DAIRY PRODUCTS PROCESSING POINT SOURCE CATEGORY Dry Milk Subcategory § 405.101... subpart. (b) The term “BOD5 input” shall mean the biochemical oxygen demand of the materials entered into...

Demonstration of Regenerable, Large-Scale Ion Exchange System Using WBA Resin in Rialto, CA

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-12-01

requirements. The system also has the flexibility to manually modify system parameters such as flow rates, pH set points, time cycles, etc. The system... flexibility to produce soda ash solutions that vary in concentration from 1 to 10% dry soda ash. The packaged soda ash system was engineered and...The dry soda ash was conveyed to a storage hopper (39.5 ft3) using a flexible screw conveyer. Soda ash solutions were prepared in a 100 gallon

Performance advantages of dynamically tuned gyroscopes in high accuracy spacecraft pointing and stabilization applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Irvine, R.; Van Alstine, R.

1979-01-01

The paper compares and describes the advantages of dry tuned gyros over floated gyros for space applications. Attention is given to describing the Teledyne SDG-5 gyro and the second-generation NASA Standard Dry Rotor Inertial Reference Unit (DRIRU II). Certain tests which were conducted to evaluate the SDG-5 and DRIRU II for specific mission requirements are outlined, and their results are compared with published test results on other gyro types. Performance advantages are highlighted.

Scalable and continuous fabrication of bio-inspired dry adhesives with a thermosetting polymer.

PubMed

Lee, Sung Ho; Kim, Sung Woo; Kang, Bong Su; Chang, Pahn-Shick; Kwak, Moon Kyu

2018-04-04

Many research groups have developed unique micro/nano-structured dry adhesives by mimicking the foot of the gecko with the use of molding methods. Through these previous works, polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) has been developed and become the most commonly used material for making artificial dry adhesives. The material properties of PDMS are well suited for making dry adhesives, such as conformal contacts with almost zero preload, low elastic moduli for stickiness, and easy cleaning with low surface energy. From a performance point of view, dry adhesives made with PDMS can be highly advantageous but are limited by its low productivity, as production takes an average of approximately two hours. Given the low productivity of PDMS, some research groups have developed dry adhesives using UV-curable materials, which are capable of continuous roll-to-roll production processes. However, UV-curable materials were too rigid to produce good adhesion. Thus, we established a PDMS continuous-production system to achieve good productivity and adhesion performance. We designed a thermal roll-imprinting lithography (TRL) system for the continuous production of PDMS microstructures by shortening the curing time by controlling the curing temperature (the production speed is up to 150 mm min-1). Dry adhesives composed of PDMS were fabricated continuously via the TRL system.

Comparison of Proteins in Whole Blood and Dried Blood Spot Samples by LC/MS/MS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chambers, Andrew G.; Percy, Andrew J.; Hardie, Darryl B.; Borchers, Christoph H.

2013-09-01

Dried blood spot (DBS) sampling methods are desirable for population-wide biomarker screening programs because of their ease of collection, transportation, and storage. Immunoassays are traditionally used to quantify endogenous proteins in these samples but require a separate assay for each protein. Recently, targeted mass spectrometry (MS) has been proposed for generating highly-multiplexed assays for biomarker proteins in DBS samples. In this work, we report the first comparison of proteins in whole blood and DBS samples using an untargeted MS approach. The average number of proteins identified in undepleted whole blood and DBS samples by liquid chromatography (LC)/MS/MS was 223 and 253, respectively. Protein identification repeatability was between 77 %-92 % within replicates and the majority of these repeated proteins (70 %) were observed in both sample formats. Proteins exclusively identified in the liquid or dried fluid spot format were unbiased based on their molecular weight, isoelectric point, aliphatic index, and grand average hydrophobicity. In addition, we extended this comparison to include proteins in matching plasma and serum samples with their dried fluid spot equivalents, dried plasma spot (DPS), and dried serum spot (DSS). This work begins to define the accessibility of endogenous proteins in dried fluid spot samples for analysis by MS and is useful in evaluating the scope of this new approach.

Identification of independent storm events: Seasonal and spatial variability of times between storms in Alpine area

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Iadanzaa, Carla; Rianna, Maura; Orlando, Dario; Ubertini, Lucio; Napolitano, Francesco

2013-10-01

The aim of the paper is the identification of rain events that trigger landslides through the use of an exponential method to separate stochastic independent events. This activity is carried out within the definition of empirical rainfall thresholds for debris flows and shallow landslides. The study area is the Trento district, which is located in the northeast zone of an Alpine area. The work evaluates the factors that affect the variability in space and time of the critical duration of each rain gauge, defined as the minimum dry period duration that separates two rainy periods that are stochastically independent.

SiC/GaN Based Optically Triggered MESFET for High Power Efficiency and High Radiation Resistance Solid State Switch Application for Actuator System

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-06-23

somnath.chattopadhyay@csun.edu 1-818-677-7197 clean/etch. Excessively hard- baked photoresist can usually be dissolved in piranha etching solution. 48 hours of...coated onto the freshly cleaned and dried wafer at 3000RPM, then soft- baked at 180ºC for 120 seconds. This gives a PMGI layer of about 0.4µm. Then the...PR is spin coated onto the wafer at about 4000RPM and soft baked at 115ºC for 90seconds, resulting in a PR layer about 1.3µm thick. The wafer is

Anaphylaxis triggered by prick test with latex extract: a case report.

PubMed

Mendonça, Leonardo Oliveira; de Lima, Cynthia Mafra Fonseca; Macedo, Priscilla Rios Cordeiro; Cunha, Victor do Espirito Santo; Hahnstadt, Ruppert Ludwig; Kalil, Jorge; Galvão, Clóvis Eduardo Santos

2018-06-11

Adverse reactions associated with prick tests are rare but may be present as serious systemic reactions. A 38-year-old female nursing technician complained of three episodes of anaphylaxis in one year, all in the workplace. To investigate latex allergy, the patient underwent the prick test with latex, and immediately developed a rash, itchy skin, hoarseness, dyspnea and dry cough. Her condition improved promptly after appropriate measures were established for controlling her anaphylaxis. The skin test must be performed under medical supervision, since complications that can lead to life-threatening reactions, if support measures are not readily implemented, have been attributed to this test.

The relief of dry eye signs and symptoms using a combination of lubricants, lid hygiene and ocular nutraceuticals.

PubMed

Ngo, William; Srinivasan, Sruthi; Houtman, Diane; Jones, Lyndon

To determine the combined effect of TheraTears ® Lubricant Eye Drops, TheraTears ® SteriLid Eyelid Cleanser, and TheraTears ® Nutrition on dry eye signs and symptoms. This prospective study enrolled 28 dry eye participants. Participants were instructed to use the Lubricant Eye Drops at least 2-4× a day, SteriLid 1-2× a day, and Nutrition 3 gel caps once a day. Participants were followed up at baseline, 1 month and 3 months. Outcome variables were the Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI), Symptom Assessment iN Dry Eye (SANDE) questionnaire, non-invasive tear break-up time (NIBUT), osmolarity, number of meibomian glands blocked (#MG blocked), meibum quality, eyelid margin features, Schirmer's test, tear film lipid layer thickness (LLT), meniscus height, corneal and conjunctival staining. Twenty participants (mean age=43, from 23 to 66, 17F, 3M) completed the study. Participants reported having used, on average, the Lubricant Eye Drop 2.4×/day, the SteriLid 1.1×/day, and the Nutrition 3 gel caps 1×/day. There was a significant change over time (p<0.05) for OSDI (-21.2 points), SANDE (-32.4 points), NIBUT (+0.43s), eyelid margin features (-1.1 grade), meibum quality (-1.0 grade), and #MG blocked (-4.0 glands). By using a combination of TheraTears ® Lubricant Eye Drop, SteriLid, and Nutrition, patients experience significant relief in both dry eye symptoms and signs. Copyright © 2016 Spanish General Council of Optometry. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Recent drought-induced decline of forests along a water-balance tipping point for ecosystems in western Canada

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hess, N. J.; Tfaily, M. M.; Heredia-Langnar, A.; Rodriguez, L.; Purvine, E.; Todd-Brown, K. E.

2016-12-01

In western Canada, the forest-prairie boundary corresponds to a hydrologically-defined ecosystem "tipping point" where long-term precipitation is barely sufficient to meet the water use requirements of healthy, closed-canopy forests. In the province of Alberta, the severe subcontinental drought of 2001-2002 heralded the beginning of a 15-year dry period, representing a northward incursion of prairie-like climates into boreal and cordilleran forests. This poses a significant concern for ecosystem functioning of these forests, given GCM projections for continued warming and drying under anthropogenic climate change during this century. Through a multi-scale monitoring approach, we have examined the regional-scale impacts of recent droughts and associated climatic drying on the productivity and health of two important boreal tree species: aspen (Populus tremuloides) and white spruce (Picea glauca). For aspen, the 2016 re-measurement of a regional network of 150 ground plots revealed that tree mortality has escalated, especially in stands exposed to the combined impacts of multi-year drought and insect defoliation. On average, mortality losses exceeded growth gains during 2000-2016 for the 54 aspen plots in Alberta, leading to a net multi-year decline in the aboveground biomass of these stands. For white spruce, tree-ring analysis of 40 stands across Alberta revealed that the prolonged dry period led to a 38% decline in average, tree-level growth in aboveground biomass. In both species, stand age was not a significant factor affecting forest sensitivity to drought and climatic drying, suggesting that these forests are at risk if the trend toward more frequent, severe drought continues in the region.

Recent drought-induced decline of forests along a water-balance tipping point for ecosystems in western Canada

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hogg, E. H.; Michaelian, M.

2017-12-01

In western Canada, the forest-prairie boundary corresponds to a hydrologically-defined ecosystem "tipping point" where long-term precipitation is barely sufficient to meet the water use requirements of healthy, closed-canopy forests. In the province of Alberta, the severe subcontinental drought of 2001-2002 heralded the beginning of a 15-year dry period, representing a northward incursion of prairie-like climates into boreal and cordilleran forests. This poses a significant concern for ecosystem functioning of these forests, given GCM projections for continued warming and drying under anthropogenic climate change during this century. Through a multi-scale monitoring approach, we have examined the regional-scale impacts of recent droughts and associated climatic drying on the productivity and health of two important boreal tree species: aspen (Populus tremuloides) and white spruce (Picea glauca). For aspen, the 2016 re-measurement of a regional network of 150 ground plots revealed that tree mortality has escalated, especially in stands exposed to the combined impacts of multi-year drought and insect defoliation. On average, mortality losses exceeded growth gains during 2000-2016 for the 54 aspen plots in Alberta, leading to a net multi-year decline in the aboveground biomass of these stands. For white spruce, tree-ring analysis of 40 stands across Alberta revealed that the prolonged dry period led to a 38% decline in average, tree-level growth in aboveground biomass. In both species, stand age was not a significant factor affecting forest sensitivity to drought and climatic drying, suggesting that these forests are at risk if the trend toward more frequent, severe drought continues in the region.

Associations between ozone and morbidity using the Spatial Synoptic Classification system

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Synoptic circulation patterns (large-scale tropospheric motion systems) affect air pollution and, potentially, air-pollution-morbidity associations. We evaluated the effect of synoptic circulation patterns (air masses) on the association between ozone and hospital admissions for asthma and myocardial infarction (MI) among adults in North Carolina. Methods Daily surface meteorology data (including precipitation, wind speed, and dew point) for five selected cities in North Carolina were obtained from the U.S. EPA Air Quality System (AQS), which were in turn based on data from the National Climatic Data Center of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. We used the Spatial Synoptic Classification system to classify each day of the 9-year period from 1996 through 2004 into one of seven different air mass types: dry polar, dry moderate, dry tropical, moist polar, moist moderate, moist tropical, or transitional. Daily 24-hour maximum 1-hour ambient concentrations of ozone were obtained from the AQS. Asthma and MI hospital admissions data for the 9-year period were obtained from the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services. Generalized linear models were used to assess the association of the hospitalizations with ozone concentrations and specific air mass types, using pollutant lags of 0 to 5 days. We examined the effect across cities on days with the same air mass type. In all models we adjusted for dew point and day-of-the-week effects related to hospital admissions. Results Ozone was associated with asthma under dry tropical (1- to 5-day lags), transitional (3- and 4-day lags), and extreme moist tropical (0-day lag) air masses. Ozone was associated with MI only under the extreme moist tropical (5-day lag) air masses. Conclusions Elevated ozone levels are associated with dry tropical, dry moderate, and moist tropical air masses, with the highest ozone levels being associated with the dry tropical air mass. Certain synoptic circulation patterns/air masses in conjunction with ambient ozone levels were associated with increased asthma and MI hospitalizations. PMID:21609456

Preservation of EDTA-expanded grid-mounted chromosomes and nuclei for electron microscopy using a specially designed freeze-dryer.

PubMed

Woods, P S; Ledbetter, M C; Tempel, N

1991-06-01

We describe methods for freezing and drying EDTA-expanded, fixed metaphase chromosomes and nuclei, attached to grids as whole-mounts, for transmission electron microscopy. These methods use a special apparatus that is simple to construct. While separate freezers and dryers are commercially available, one for freezing blocks of tissue by slamming them against a cold metal surface, and the other for vacuum drying the frozen tissue, our apparatus is designed for gentler, cryogenic liquid plunge freezing and drying, sequentially, in the same apparatus, thus avoiding any compression or damage to the specimen. Use of a cryoprotectant is not essential; however, good results are obtained more often when 20% ethanol is used. Freezing is accomplished by rapid propulsion of the grid, with specimens attached, into slushy N2 (-210 degrees C) within the drying chamber; drying is automatic, by either sublimation under vacuum or by solvent substitution using absolute ethanol followed by acetone, which, in turn, is removed with a critical-point dryer. The apparatus offers a means of drying chromosomes and nuclei in an expanded state, and avoids the shrinkage of these structures that occurs during stepwise passage through increasing concentrations of ethanol or acetone.

Improved outcomes for lap-banding using the Insuflow device compared with heated-only gas.

PubMed

Benavides, Richard; Wong, Alvin; Nguyen, Hoang

2009-01-01

Preconditioning gas by humidification and warming the pneumoperitoneum improves laparoscopic outcomes. This prevents peritoneal desiccation and detrimental events related to traditional cold-dry gas. Few comparisons have been done comparing traditional cold-dry, heated-only, and humidified-warmed carbon dioxide. A prospective, controlled, randomized, double-blind study of laparoscopic gastric banding included 113 patients and compared traditional dry-cold (n=35) versus dry-heated (n=40), versus humidified-warm gas (n=38). Pain medications were standardized for all groups. Endpoints were recovery room length of stay, pain location, pain intensity, and total pain medications used postoperatively for up to 10 days. The humidified-warmed group had statistically significant differences from the other 2 groups with improvement in all end points. The dry-heated group had significantly more pain medication use and increased shoulder and chest pain than the other 2 groups had. Using warm-humidified gas for laparoscopic gastric banding reduces shoulder pain, shortens recovery room length of stay, and decreases pain medication requirements for up to 10 days postoperatively. Dry-heated gas may cause additional complications as is indicated by the increase in pain medication use and pain intensity.

Optimization on drying conditions of a solar electrohydrodynamic drying system based on desirability concept

PubMed Central

Dalvand, Mohammad Jafar; Mohtasebi, Seyed Saeid; Rafiee, Shahin

2014-01-01

The purpose of this article was to present a new drying method for agricultural products. Electrohydrodynamic (EHD) has been applied for drying of agricultural materials due to several advantages such as energy saving, low cost equipment, low drying temperatures, and superior material quality. To evaluate this method, an EHD dryer based on solar (photovoltaic) energy was designed and fabricated. Moreover, the optimum condition for the EHD drying of kiwi fruit was studied by applying the Box–Behnken design of response surface methodology. The desirability function was applied for optimization in case of single objective and multiobjective functions. By using the multiobjective optimization method, maximum desirability value of 0.865 was obtained based on the following: applied voltage of 15 kV, field strength of 5.2 kV cm−1, without forced air stream, and finally a combination of 17 discharge electrodes (needles). The results indicated that increasing the applied voltage from 6 to 15 kV, moisture ratio (MR) decreased, though energy efficiency and energy consumption were increasing. On the other hand, field strength of 5.2 kV cm−1 was the optimal point in terms of MR. PMID:25493195

Optimization on drying conditions of a solar electrohydrodynamic drying system based on desirability concept.

PubMed

Dalvand, Mohammad Jafar; Mohtasebi, Seyed Saeid; Rafiee, Shahin

2014-11-01

The purpose of this article was to present a new drying method for agricultural products. Electrohydrodynamic (EHD) has been applied for drying of agricultural materials due to several advantages such as energy saving, low cost equipment, low drying temperatures, and superior material quality. To evaluate this method, an EHD dryer based on solar (photovoltaic) energy was designed and fabricated. Moreover, the optimum condition for the EHD drying of kiwi fruit was studied by applying the Box-Behnken design of response surface methodology. The desirability function was applied for optimization in case of single objective and multiobjective functions. By using the multiobjective optimization method, maximum desirability value of 0.865 was obtained based on the following: applied voltage of 15 kV, field strength of 5.2 kV cm(-1), without forced air stream, and finally a combination of 17 discharge electrodes (needles). The results indicated that increasing the applied voltage from 6 to 15 kV, moisture ratio (MR) decreased, though energy efficiency and energy consumption were increasing. On the other hand, field strength of 5.2 kV cm(-1) was the optimal point in terms of MR.

Modeling elephant-mediated cascading effects of water point closure.

PubMed

Hilbers, Jelle P; Van Langevelde, Frank; Prins, Herbert H T; Grant, C C; Peel, Mike J S; Coughenour, Michael B; De Knegt, Henrik J; Slotow, Rob; Smit, Izak P J; Kiker, Greg A; De Boer, Willem F

2015-03-01

Wildlife management to reduce the impact of wildlife on their habitat can be done in several ways, among which removing animals (by either culling or translocation) is most often used. There are, however, alternative ways to control wildlife densities, such as opening or closing water points. The effects of these alternatives are poorly studied. In this paper, we focus on manipulating large herbivores through the closure of water points (WPs). Removal of artificial WPs has been suggested in order to change the distribution of African elephants, which occur in high densities in national parks in Southern Africa and are thought to have a destructive effect on the vegetation. Here, we modeled the long-term effects of different scenarios of WP closure on the spatial distribution of elephants, and consequential effects on the vegetation and other herbivores in Kruger National Park, South Africa. Using a dynamic ecosystem model, SAVANNA, scenarios were evaluated that varied in availability of artificial WPs; levels of natural water; and elephant densities. Our modeling results showed that elephants can indirectly negatively affect the distributions of meso-mixed feeders, meso-browsers, and some meso-grazers under wet conditions. The closure of artificial WPs hardly had any effect during these natural wet conditions. Under dry conditions, the spatial distribution of both elephant bulls and cows changed when the availability of artificial water was severely reduced in the model. These changes in spatial distribution triggered changes in the spatial availability of woody biomass over the simulation period of 80 years, and this led to changes in the rest of the herbivore community, resulting in increased densities of all herbivores, except for giraffe and steenbok, in areas close to rivers. The spatial distributions of elephant bulls and cows showed to be less affected by the closure of WPs than most of the other herbivore species. Our study contributes to ecologically informed decisions in wildlife management. The results from this modeling exercise imply that long-term effects of this intervention strategy should always be investigated at an ecosystem scale.

What Triggers Anger in Everyday Life? Links to the Intensity, Control, and Regulation of These Emotions, and Personality Traits.

PubMed

Kashdan, Todd B; Goodman, Fallon R; Mallard, Travis T; DeWall, C Nathan

2016-12-01

Why do people experience anger? Most of our knowledge on anger-triggering events is based on the study of reactions at a single time point in a person's life. Little research has examined how people experience anger in their daily life over time. In this study, we conducted a comprehensive examination of the situational determinants of anger over the course of 3 weeks. Using daily diary methodology, people (N = 173; 2,342 anger episodes) reported their most intense daily anger and, with an open-ended format, described the trigger. Participants also answered questions on anger intensity, control, and regulatory strategies, along with baseline personality trait measures. Using an iterative coding system, five anger trigger categories emerged: other people, psychological and physical distress, intrapersonal demands, environment, and diffuse/undifferentiated/unknown. Compared with other triggers, when anger was provoked by other people or when the source was unknown, there was a stronger positive association with anger intensity and lack of control. Personality traits (i.e., anger, mindfulness, psychological need satisfaction, the Big Five) showed few links to the experience and regulation of daily anger. Although aversive events often spur anger, the correlates and consequences of anger differ depending on the source of aversion; personality traits offer minimal value in predicting anger in daily life. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Buyer beware: personnel selling nail guns know little about dangerous tools.

PubMed

Lipscomb, Hester J; Nolan, James; Patterson, Dennis; Fullen, Mark; Takacs, Brandon C; Pompeii, Lisa A

2011-08-01

Nail gun use is ubiquitous in wood frame construction. Accessibility and decreasing costs have extended associated occupational hazards to consumers. Compelling evidence documents decreased injury risk among trained users and those with tools with sequential triggers. To prevent inadvertent discharge of nails, this safer trigger requires the nose be depressed before the trigger is pulled to fire. The sequential trigger is not required by the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) or the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) nor are there any guidelines for training. We collected data from personnel at 217 points of sale/rental of framing nail guns in four areas of the country. Sales personnel had little understanding of risks associated with use of framing nail guns. Individuals who had used the tool and those working in construction outlets were more likely to be knowledgeable; even so, less than half understood differences in trigger/actuation systems. Consumers, including contractors purchasing for workers, cannot count on receiving accurate information from sales personnel regarding risks associated with use of these tools. The attitudes and limited knowledge of some sales personnel regarding these potentially deadly tools likely contributes to a culture accepting of injury. The findings demonstrate how influences on the culture of construction are not limited to workers, employers, or the places construction gets done. Copyright © 2011 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

40 CFR 63.2164 - If I monitor brew ethanol, what are my monitoring installation, operation, and maintenance...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... batch averages computed from two or more data points over each 1-hour period, except during periods when... performed. During these periods, a valid hour of data shall consist of at least one data point representing... volumetric flask and place the flask on a balance. Tare the balance. Weigh 2.3670 grams of the dry (anhydrous...

The spatial-temporal variations of water quality in controlling points of the main rivers flowing into the Miyun Reservoir from 1991 to 2011.

PubMed

Li, Dongqing; Liang, Ji; Di, Yanming; Gong, Huili; Guo, Xiaoyu

2016-01-01

Cluster analysis (CA), discriminant analysis (DA), and principal component analysis/factor analysis (PCA/FA) were used to analyze the interannual, seasonal, and spatial variations of water quality from 1991 to 2011 in controlling points (Xinzhuang Bridge, Daguan Bridge) of the main rivers (Chaohe River, Baihe River) flowing into the Miyun Reservoir. The results demonstrated that total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) exceeded China National Standard II for surface water separately 5.08 times and 1 time. CA showed that the water quality could be divided into three interannual (IA) groups: IAI (1991-1995, 1998), IAII (1996-1997, 1999-2000, 2002-2006), and IAIII (2001, 2007-2011) and two seasonal clusters: dry season 1 (December), dry season 2 (January-February), and non-dry season (March-November). At interannual scale, the higher concentration of SO4 (2-) from industrial activities, atmospheric sedimentation, and fertilizer use in IAIII accelerated dissolution of carbonate, which increased Ca(2+), Mg(2+), total hardness (T-Hard), and total alkalinity (T-Alk). The decreasing trend of CODMn contributed to the establishment of sewage treatment plants and water and soil conservation in the Miyun upstream. The changing trend of NO3 (-)-N indicated increasing non-point pollution load of IAII and effective non-point pollution controlling of IAIII. Only one parameter T in the seasonal scale verified improved non-point pollution controlling. The major pollution in two controlling points was NO3 (-)-N, T-Hard, TN, and other ion pollution (SO4 (2-), F(-), Ca(2+), Mg(2+), T-Hard, T-Alk). Higher concentration of NO3 (-)-N in Xinzhuang and CODMn in Daguan indicated different controlling measures, especially controlling agriculture intensification in Chaohe River to decrease N pollution and decreasing water and soil loss and cage culture in Baihe River to weaken organic pollution. Controlling SO4 (2-) from industrial activity, atmospheric sedimentation and fertilizer use in watershed can effectively control Ca(2+), Mg(2+), T-Hard, and T-Alk.

The Relationship between Branding and Organisational Change

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stensaker, Bjorn

2007-01-01

Increased national and international competition within higher education has triggered an interest in branding within the sector. Higher education institutions are, as a consequence, currently re-examining their profile and image. This article addresses the problems higher education institutions face in this process, and points to the benefits and…

A Search Technique for Weak and Long-Duration Gamma-Ray Bursts from Background Model Residuals

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Skelton, R. T.; Mahoney, W. A.

1993-01-01

We report on a planned search technique for Gamma-Ray Bursts too weak to trigger the on-board threshold. The technique is to search residuals from a physically based background model used for analysis of point sources by the Earth occultation method.

Elements of Defense Transformation

DTIC Science & Technology

2004-10-01

the events of September 11th triggered a “system perturbation”— a systemic shock to the stability of the international system—profound change was...the international security order and the transition from the industrial age to the information age. And while we might point to a beginning of...15 Search for Sustained Competitive Advantage

Biological Motion Cues Trigger Reflexive Attentional Orienting

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shi, Jinfu; Weng, Xuchu; He, Sheng; Jiang, Yi

2010-01-01

The human visual system is extremely sensitive to biological signals around us. In the current study, we demonstrate that biological motion walking direction can induce robust reflexive attentional orienting. Following a brief presentation of a central point-light walker walking towards either the left or right direction, observers' performance…

Ultra-thin resin embedding method for scanning electron microscopy of individual cells on high and low aspect ratio 3D nanostructures.

PubMed

Belu, A; Schnitker, J; Bertazzo, S; Neumann, E; Mayer, D; Offenhäusser, A; Santoro, F

2016-07-01

The preparation of biological cells for either scanning or transmission electron microscopy requires a complex process of fixation, dehydration and drying. Critical point drying is commonly used for samples investigated with a scanning electron beam, whereas resin-infiltration is typically used for transmission electron microscopy. Critical point drying may cause cracks at the cellular surface and a sponge-like morphology of nondistinguishable intracellular compartments. Resin-infiltrated biological samples result in a solid block of resin, which can be further processed by mechanical sectioning, however that does not allow a top view examination of small cell-cell and cell-surface contacts. Here, we propose a method for removing resin excess on biological samples before effective polymerization. In this way the cells result to be embedded in an ultra-thin layer of epoxy resin. This novel method highlights in contrast to standard methods the imaging of individual cells not only on nanostructured planar surfaces but also on topologically challenging substrates with high aspect ratio three-dimensional features by scanning electron microscopy. © 2016 The Authors Journal of Microscopy © 2016 Royal Microscopical Society.

Remote sensing of the lightning heating effect duration with ground-based microwave radiometer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jiang, Sulin; Pan, Yun; Lei, Lianfa; Ma, Lina; Li, Qing; Wang, Zhenhui

2018-06-01

Artificially triggered lightning events from May 26, 2017 to July 16, 2017 in Guangzhou Field Experiment Site for Lightning Research and Test (GFESL) were intentionally remotely sensed with a ground-based microwave radiometer for the first time in order to obtain the features of lightning heating effect. The microwave radiometer antenna was adjusted to point at a certain elevation angle towards the expected artificially triggered lightning discharging path. Eight of the 16 successfully artificially triggered lightning events were captured and the brightness temperature data at four frequencies in K and V bands were obtained. The results from data time series analysis show that artificially triggered lightning can make the radiometer generate brightness temperature pulses, and the amplitudes of these pulses are in the range of 2.0 K to 73.8 K. The brightness temperature pulses associated with 7 events can be used to estimate the duration of lightning heating effect through accounting the number of the pulses in the continuous pulse sequence and the sampling interval between four frequencies. The maximum duration of the lightning heating effect is 1.13 s, the minimum is 0.172 s, and the average is 0.63 s.

Development of a new scintillation-trigger detector for the MTV experiment using aluminum-metallized film tape

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sakamoto, Yuko; Ozaki, Sachi; Tanaka, Saki; Tanuma, Ryosuke; Yoshida, Tatsuru; Murata, Jiro

2014-09-01

A new type of trigger-scintillation counter array designed for the MTV experiment at TRIUMF-ISAC has been developed, using aluminum-metallized film tape for wrapping. The MTV experiment aims to perform the finest precision test of time reversal symmetry in nuclear beta decay. In that purpose, we search non-zero T-Violating transverse polarization of electrons emitted from polarized Li-8 nuclei. It uses a cylindrical drift chamber (CDC) as the main electron-tracking detector. The trigger-scintillation counter consists of 12-segmented 1 mm thick 300 mm long thin plastic scintillation counters. This counter is placed inside the CDC to generate a trigger signal. The required assembling precision of +-0.5 mm was a tricky point when we tried to use conventional total reflection mode. Indeed, produce an air-layer surrounding the scintillating bar to keep good light transmission was the main issue. For this reason, we tried to use a new wrapping material made of metallized-aluminum tape, which has a good mirror-like reflecting surface on both sides of the tape. Through this report, we will compare detection efficiency and light attenuation between conventional and new wrapping materials.

The 2008 M7.9 Wenchuan earthquake - a human-caused event

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Klose, C. D.

2013-12-01

A catalog of global human-caused earthquakes shows statistical evidence that the triggering of earthquakes by large-scale geoengineering activities depends on geological and tectonic constrains (in Klose 2013). Such geoengineering activities also include the filling of water reservoirs. This presentation illuminates mechanical and statistical aspects of the 2008 M7.9 Wenchuan earthquake in light of the hypothesis of being NOT human-caused. However, available data suggest that the Wenchuan earthquake was triggered by the filling of the Zipungpu water reservoir 30 months prior to the mainshock. The reservoir spatially extended parallel and near to the main Beichuan fault zone in a highly stressed reverse fault regime. It is mechanically evident that reverse faults tend to be very trigger-sensitive due to mass shifts (static loads) that occur on the surface of the Earth's crust. These circumstances made a triggering of a seismic event of this magnitude at this location possible (in Klose 2008, 2012). The data show that the Wenchuan earthquake is not an outlier. From a statistical view point, the earthquake falls into the upper range of the family of reverse fault earthquakes that were caused by humans worldwide.

Effect of n = 3 perturbation field amplitudes below the ELM triggering threshold on edge and SOL transport in NSTX

DOE PAGES

J. M. Canik; Lore, J. D.; Ahn, J. -W.; ...

2013-01-12

Here, the pulsed application of n = 3 magnetic perturbation fields with amplitudes below that which triggers ELMs results in distinct, transient responses observable on several edge and divertor diagnostics in NSTX. We refer to these responses as Sub-Threshold Edge Perturbations (STEPs). An analysis of edge measurements suggests that STEPs result in increased transport in the plasma edge and scrape-off layer, which leads to augmentation of the intrinsic strike point splitting due to error fields, i.e., an intensification of the helical divertor footprint flux pattern. These effects are much smaller in magnitude than those of triggered ELMs, and are observedmore » for the duration of the field perturbation measured internal to the vacuum vessel. In addition, STEPs are correlated with changes to the MHD activity, along with transient reductions in the neutron production rate. Ideally the STEPs could be used to provide density control and prevent impurity accumulation, in the same manner that on-demand ELM triggering is used on NSTX, without the impulsive divertor fluxes and potential for damage to plasma facing components associated with ELMs.« less

Stabilizing nanocellulose-nonionic surfactant composite foams by delayed Ca-induced gelation.

PubMed

Gordeyeva, Korneliya S; Fall, Andreas B; Hall, Stephen; Wicklein, Bernd; Bergström, Lennart

2016-06-15

Aggregation of dispersed rod-like particles like nanocellulose can improve the strength and rigidity of percolated networks but may also have a detrimental effect on the foamability. However, it should be possible to improve the strength of nanocellulose foams by multivalent ion-induced aggregation if the aggregation occurs after the foam has been formed. Lightweight and highly porous foams based on TEMPO-mediated oxidized cellulose nanofibrils (CNF) were formulated with the addition of a non-ionic surfactant, pluronic P123, and CaCO3 nanoparticles. Foam volume measurements show that addition of the non-ionic surfactant generates wet CNF/P123 foams with a high foamability. Foam bubble size studies show that delayed Ca-induced aggregation of CNF by gluconic acid-triggered dissolution of the CaCO3 nanoparticles significantly improves the long-term stability of the wet composite foams. Drying the Ca-reinforced foam at 60 °C results in a moderate shrinkage and electron microscopy and X-ray tomography studies show that the pores became slightly oblate after drying but the overall microstructure and pore/foam bubble size distribution is preserved after drying. The elastic modulus (0.9-1.4 MPa) of Ca-reinforced composite foams with a density of 9-15 kg/m(3) is significantly higher than commercially available polyurethane foams used for thermal insulation. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Hydrologic processes in China and their association with summer precipitation anomalies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, M.; Pollard, D.; Barron, E. J.

2005-01-01

A climate version of MM5 is applied to study hydrologic processes in China and their association with precipitation anomalies in 1980 and 1985, which are two anomalous years with opposite signs of summer precipitation anomalies. The study reveals that anomalous atmospheric moisture transport due to synoptic scale circulation was primarily responsible for initiating the anomalous wet (dry) summer in south-central China and dry (wet) summer in northeastern China in 1980 (1985). The recycling ratio (defined as contribution of local evaporation to total precipitation) ranges from less than 4% in northwestern China to more than 30% in south-central China at 1000 km space scale. Higher (lower) values of recycling ratio correspond to drier (wetter) summers in south-central China and northeastern China. However, the opposite is true in northwestern China. The recycling ratio reflects feedback among hydrologic components over both land and atmosphere. In northwestern China, these feedbacks will further sustain drought events that are triggered by anomalous synoptic scale disturbances, and turn them into prolonged and possibly perpetual phenomenon. However, in south-central China and northeastern China, these feedbacks help reducing severity of drought. The large differences in recycling ratio between the dry and wet years of 1980 and 1985 are indicative of powerful feedback between hydrologic and climatic processes, and imply that surface-atmosphere interaction in China is highly sensitive to climatic perturbation.

A palaeo-ecological assessment of the resilience of south-east Asian dry forests to monsoon extremes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hamilton, R. J.; Penny, D.; Maxwell, A.

2014-12-01

Predictions that the frequency and intensity of monsoon extremes will rise in coming decades are being made with increasing confidence. There is concern that these climatic changes may drive tropical monsoon forests across critical thresholds, triggering ecological regime shifts. The global consequences of such shifts, coupled with knowledge gaps around the nature and intensity of drivers needed to instigate ecosystem reorganization, highlights the need for research that analyses the resilience of these seasonal forest to future climatic change. While work has indicated that these forests may be susceptible to reorganization to savanna under changing precipitation regimes, the interactions between climatic drivers and ecosystem response is still poorly understood, particularly in the seasonal forests outside of the neo- and afro-tropics. This study presents results on the threshold dynamics of the extensive south-east Asian seasonally dry tropical forest ecoregion (SASDTF) through analysis of plant microfossils and charcoal archived in sediment cores extracted from two tropical crater lakes in Cambodia. These data are compared with regional paleoclimatic reconstructions to gauge past forest response to monsoon extremes, and provide insight into the magnitude and duration of climatic events most likely to result in the breaching of critical thresholds. Our results suggest that, at a biome level, the SASDTF appears resilient to low-amplitude climatic variations over millennia, despite instrumental observations of strong precipitation-tree cover coupling in global dry forest resilience models.

More than carbon sequestration: Biophysical climate benefits of restored savanna woodlands.

PubMed

Syktus, Jozef I; McAlpine, Clive A

2016-07-04

Deforestation and climate change are interconnected and represent major environmental challenges. Here, we explore the capacity of regional-scale restoration of marginal agricultural lands to savanna woodlands in Australia to reduce warming and drying resulting from increased concentration of greenhouse gases. We show that restoration triggers a positive feedback loop between the land surface and the atmosphere, characterised by increased evaporative fraction, eddy dissipation and turbulent mixing in the boundary-layer resulting in enhanced cloud formation and precipitation over the restored regions. The increased evapotranspiration results from the capacity deep-rooted woody vegetation to access soil moisture. As a consequence, the increase in precipitation provides additional moisture to soil and trees, thus reinforcing the positive feedback loop. Restoration reduced the rate of warming and drying under the transient increase in the radiative forcing of greenhouse gas emissions (RCP8.5). At the continental scale, average summer warming for all land areas was reduced by 0.18 (o)C from 4.1 (o)C for the period 2056-2075 compared to 1986-2005. For the restored regions (representing 20% of Australia), the averaged surface temperature increase was 3.2 °C which is 0.82 °C cooler compared to agricultural landscapes. Further, there was reduction of 12% in the summer drying of the near-surface soil for the restored regions.

The McMurdo Dry Valleys: A landscape on the threshold of change

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fountain, Andrew G.; Levy, Joseph S.; Gooseff, Michael N.; Van Horn, David

2014-11-01

Field observations of coastal and lowland regions in the McMurdo Dry Valleys suggest they are on the threshold of rapid topographic change, in contrast to the high elevation upland landscape that represents some of the lowest rates of surface change on Earth. A number of landscapes have undergone dramatic and unprecedented landscape changes over the past decade including, the Wright Lower Glacier (Wright Valley) - ablated several tens of meters, the Garwood River (Garwood Valley) has incised > 3 m into massive ice permafrost, smaller streams in Taylor Valley (Crescent, Lawson, and Lost Seal Streams) have experienced extensive down-cutting and/or bank undercutting, and Canada Glacier (Taylor Valley) has formed sheer, > 4 meter deep canyons. The commonality between all these landscape changes appears to be sediment on ice acting as a catalyst for melting, including ice-cement permafrost thaw. We attribute these changes to increasing solar radiation over the past decade despite no significant trend in summer air temperature. To infer possible future landscape changes in the McMurdo Dry Valleys, due to anticipated climate warming, we map ‘at risk’ landscapes defined as those with buried massive ice in relative warm regions of the valleys. Results show that large regions of the valley bottoms are ‘at risk’. Changes in surface topography will trigger important responses in hydrology, geochemistry, and biological community structure and function.

Proteins evolve on the edge of supramolecular self-assembly.

PubMed

Garcia-Seisdedos, Hector; Empereur-Mot, Charly; Elad, Nadav; Levy, Emmanuel D

2017-08-10

The self-association of proteins into symmetric complexes is ubiquitous in all kingdoms of life. Symmetric complexes possess unique geometric and functional properties, but their internal symmetry can pose a risk. In sickle-cell disease, the symmetry of haemoglobin exacerbates the effect of a mutation, triggering assembly into harmful fibrils. Here we examine the universality of this mechanism and its relation to protein structure geometry. We introduced point mutations solely designed to increase surface hydrophobicity among 12 distinct symmetric complexes from Escherichia coli. Notably, all responded by forming supramolecular assemblies in vitro, as well as in vivo upon heterologous expression in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Remarkably, in four cases, micrometre-long fibrils formed in vivo in response to a single point mutation. Biophysical measurements and electron microscopy revealed that mutants self-assembled in their folded states and so were not amyloid-like. Structural examination of 73 mutants identified supramolecular assembly hot spots predictable by geometry. A subsequent structural analysis of 7,471 symmetric complexes showed that geometric hot spots were buffered chemically by hydrophilic residues, suggesting a mechanism preventing mis-assembly of these regions. Thus, point mutations can frequently trigger folded proteins to self-assemble into higher-order structures. This potential is counterbalanced by negative selection and can be exploited to design nanomaterials in living cells.

Proteins evolve on the edge of supramolecular self-assembly

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garcia-Seisdedos, Hector; Empereur-Mot, Charly; Elad, Nadav; Levy, Emmanuel D.

2017-08-01

The self-association of proteins into symmetric complexes is ubiquitous in all kingdoms of life. Symmetric complexes possess unique geometric and functional properties, but their internal symmetry can pose a risk. In sickle-cell disease, the symmetry of haemoglobin exacerbates the effect of a mutation, triggering assembly into harmful fibrils. Here we examine the universality of this mechanism and its relation to protein structure geometry. We introduced point mutations solely designed to increase surface hydrophobicity among 12 distinct symmetric complexes from Escherichia coli. Notably, all responded by forming supramolecular assemblies in vitro, as well as in vivo upon heterologous expression in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Remarkably, in four cases, micrometre-long fibrils formed in vivo in response to a single point mutation. Biophysical measurements and electron microscopy revealed that mutants self-assembled in their folded states and so were not amyloid-like. Structural examination of 73 mutants identified supramolecular assembly hot spots predictable by geometry. A subsequent structural analysis of 7,471 symmetric complexes showed that geometric hot spots were buffered chemically by hydrophilic residues, suggesting a mechanism preventing mis-assembly of these regions. Thus, point mutations can frequently trigger folded proteins to self-assemble into higher-order structures. This potential is counterbalanced by negative selection and can be exploited to design nanomaterials in living cells.

A dual-mode disturbance-accommodating controller for the Hubble Space Telescope

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Addington, Stewart; Johnson, C. D.

Cyclic thermal expansions and mechanical stiction effects in the Solar Arrays on the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) are triggering repeated occurrences of damped, relaxation-type flex-body vibrations of the solar arrays. Those solar array vibrations are, in turn, causing unwanted, oscillating disturbance torques on the HST main body, which cause unwanted deviations of the telescope from its specified pointing direction. In this paper we propose two strategies one can adopt in designing a telescope-pointing controller to cope with the aforementioned disturbances: (1) a `total isolation' (TI) control strategy whereby the HST controller torques are designed to adaptively counteract and cancel-out the persistent disturbing torques that are causing the unwanted telescope motions, and (2) an `array damping' (AD) control strategy whereby the HST controller torques are used to actively augment the natural dampening of the solar array vibrations and the attendant telescope motions, between triggerings of the stiction-related flex-body relaxation oscillations. Using the principles of Disturbance-Accommodating Control (DAC) Theory a dual-mode controller for a generic, planar-motion (single-axis) model of the HST is proposed. This controller incorporates both the TI and AD modes of disturbance-accommodation. Simulation studies of the closed-loop system using generic parameter values clearly indicate, qualitatively, the enhanced pointing-performance such a controller can achieve.

Three-dimensional characterization of pigment dispersion in dried paint films using focused ion beam-scanning electron microscopy.

PubMed

Lin, Jui-Ching; Heeschen, William; Reffner, John; Hook, John

2012-04-01

The combination of integrated focused ion beam-scanning electron microscope (FIB-SEM) serial sectioning and imaging techniques with image analysis provided quantitative characterization of three-dimensional (3D) pigment dispersion in dried paint films. The focused ion beam in a FIB-SEM dual beam system enables great control in slicing paints, and the sectioning process can be synchronized with SEM imaging providing high quality serial cross-section images for 3D reconstruction. Application of Euclidean distance map and ultimate eroded points image analysis methods can provide quantitative characterization of 3D particle distribution. It is concluded that 3D measurement of binder distribution in paints is effective to characterize the order of pigment dispersion in dried paint films.

Freeze-dried plasma at the point of injury: from concept to doctrine.

PubMed

Glassberg, Elon; Nadler, Roy; Gendler, Sami; Abramovich, Amir; Spinella, Philip C; Gerhardt, Robert T; Holcomb, John B; Kreiss, Yitshak

2013-12-01

While early plasma transfusion for the treatment of patients with ongoing major hemorrhage is widely accepted as part of the standard of care in the hospital setting, logistic constraints have limited its use in the out-of-hospital setting. Freeze-dried plasma (FDP), which can be stored at ambient temperatures, enables early treatment in the out-of-hospital setting. Point-of-injury plasma transfusion entails several significant advantages over currently used resuscitation fluids, including the avoidance of dilutional coagulopathy, by minimizing the need for crystalloid infusion, beneficial effects on endothelial function, physiological pH level, and better maintenance of intravascular volume compared with crystalloid-based solutions. The Israel Defense Forces Medical Corps policy is that plasma is the resuscitation fluid of choice for selected, severely wounded patients and has thus included FDP as part of its armamentarium for use at the point of injury by advanced life savers, across the entire military. We describe the clinical rationale behind the use of FDP at the point-of-injury, the drafting of the administration protocol now being used by Israel Defense Forces advanced life support providers, the process of procurement and distribution, and preliminary data describing the first casualties treated with FDP at the point of injury. It is our hope that others will be able to learn from our experience, thus improving trauma casualty care around the world.

Shifted energy fluxes, increased Bowen ratios, and reduced thaw depths linked with drainage-induced changes in permafrost ecosystem structure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Göckede, Mathias; Kittler, Fanny; Kwon, Min Jung; Burjack, Ina; Heimann, Martin; Kolle, Olaf; Zimov, Nikita; Zimov, Sergey

2017-12-01

Hydrologic conditions are a key factor in Arctic ecosystems, with strong influences on ecosystem structure and related effects on biogeophysical and biogeochemical processes. With systematic changes in water availability expected for large parts of the northern high-latitude region in the coming centuries, knowledge on shifts in ecosystem functionality triggered by altered water levels is crucial for reducing uncertainties in climate change predictions. Here, we present findings from paired ecosystem observations in northeast Siberia comprising a drained and a control site. At the drainage site, the water table has been artificially lowered by up to 30 cm in summer for more than a decade. This sustained primary disturbance in hydrologic conditions has triggered a suite of secondary shifts in ecosystem properties, including vegetation community structure, snow cover dynamics, and radiation budget, all of which influence the net effects of drainage. Reduced thermal conductivity in dry organic soils was identified as the dominating drainage effect on energy budget and soil thermal regime. Through this effect, reduced heat transfer into deeper soil layers leads to shallower thaw depths, initially leading to a stabilization of organic permafrost soils, while the long-term effects on permafrost temperature trends still need to be assessed. At the same time, more energy is transferred back into the atmosphere as sensible heat in the drained area, which may trigger a warming of the lower atmospheric surface layer.

Seismic multiplet response triggered by melt at Blood Falls, Taylor Glacier, Antarctica

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carmichael, Joshua D.; Pettit, Erin C.; Hoffman, Matt; Fountain, Andrew; Hallet, Bernard

2012-09-01

Meltwater input often triggers a seismic response from glaciers and ice sheets. It is difficult, however, to measure melt production on glaciers directly, while subglacial water storage is not directly observable. Therefore, we document temporal changes in seismicity from a dry-based polar glacier (Taylor Glacier, Antarctica) during a melt season using a synthesis of seismic observation and melt modeling. We record icequakes using a dense six-receiver network of three-component geophones and compare this with melt input generated from a calibrated surface energy balance model. In the absence of modeled surface melt, we find that seismicity is well-described by a diurnal signal composed of microseismic events in lake and glacial ice. During melt events, the diurnal signal is suppressed and seismicity is instead characterized by large glacial icequakes. We perform network-based correlation and clustering analyses of seismic record sections and determine that 18% of melt-season icequakes are repetitive (multiplets). The epicentral locations for these multiplets suggest that they are triggered by meltwater produced near a brine seep known as Blood Falls. Our observations of the correspondingp-wave first motions are consistent with volumetric source mechanisms. We suggest that surface melt enables a persistent pathway through this cold ice to an englacial fracture system that is responsible for brine release episodes from the Blood Falls seep. The scalar moments for these events suggest that the volumetric increase at the source region can be explained by melt input.

A method to improve data transmission efficiency of non-cabled seismographs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zheng, F.; Lin, J.; Huaizhu, Z.; Yang, H.

2012-12-01

The non-cable self-locating seismograph developed by College of Instrumentation and Electrical Engineering, Jilin University integrates in-built battery, storage, WIFI, GPS and precision data acquisition. It is suitable for complex terrains which are typically not well addressed by cabled telemetric seismic instruments, such as mountains, swamps, and rivers. Moreover, it provides strong support for core functions such as long-term observation, wired and wireless data transmission, self-positioning and precision clock synchronization. The non-cable seismograph supports time window and continuous data acquisition. When the sampling time is long and sampling rate is high, a huge amount of original seismic data will be stored in the non-cable seismograph. As a result, it usually takes a long time—sometimes too long to be acceptable—to recover data in quasi real-time using wireless technology in resource exploration, especially in complex terrains. Furthermore, a large part of the recovered data is useless noise and only a small percentage is useful. For example, during the exploration experiment of a Chinese mine on July 12 and 14, 2012, we used 20 non-cable seismographs, each of them has 4 tracts. With a total of 80 tracts, 36GB data is collected over two data collecting sessions. 80 shot points were laid, each point lasting 4 seconds. As such the volume of valid data was about 100MB. That means only 0.3% of the total data was valid. At a wired data recovery rate of 200Mbps, 0.4 hours was needed to transmit all data completely. It takes even longer if one wish to review data on the spot by relying on a wireless data transmission rate of 10Mbps.A storage-type non-cable seismograph can store the collected data into several data files, and if one knows the source trigger time and vibration duration, it would be faster to collect data, thus improving data transmission efficiency. To this end, a triggering station is developed. It is one type of non-cable seismograph having the functions of a regular non-cable seismograph such as collecting, storing and transmitting, and on top of that, the abilities to acquire, record and transmit source triggering time. GPS is built into the non-cable seismograph to ensure accurate clock synchronization for all working non-cable seismographs. The source-triggered station can obtain the source trigger time accurately and store it in a file, send it to the server or portable terminal using wireless technology. The management system in the server checks clock synchronization information of each non-cable seismograph against the trigger time, determines the exact sampling location of the trigger time, extracts the corresponding data according to predetermined triggering length. It then sequences data according to the survey line, and integrate it into the seismic data file in appropriate format, thus completing the extraction of single-shot data. For off-site data recovery, one can extract all trigger time from the triggered station and recover data in the above-mentioned method post-experimental. The method can rapidly extract valid data from recovered data. Many field experiments have shown that the method can effectively improve data transmission efficiency of non-cabled seismographs and save data storage spaces in the servers.

Spontaneous Droplet Motion on a Periodically Compliant Substrate.

PubMed

Liu, Tianshu; Nadermann, Nichole; He, Zhenping; Strogatz, Steven H; Hui, Chung-Yuen; Jagota, Anand

2017-05-23

Droplet motion arises in many natural phenomena, ranging from the familiar gravity-driven slip and arrest of raindrops on windows to the directed transport of droplets for water harvesting by plants and animals under dry conditions. Deliberate transportation and manipulation of droplets are also important in many technological applications, including droplet-based microfluidic chemical reactors and for thermal management. Droplet motion usually requires gradients of surface energy or temperature or external vibration to overcome contact angle hysteresis. Here, we report a new phenomenon in which a drying droplet placed on a periodically compliant surface undergoes spontaneous, erratic motion in the absence of surface energy gradients and external stimuli such as vibration. By modeling the droplet as a mass-spring system on a substrate with periodically varying compliance, we show that the stability of equilibrium depends on the size of the droplet. Specifically, if the center of mass of the drop lies at a stable equilibrium point of the system, it will stay there until evaporation reduces its size and this fixed point becomes unstable; with any small perturbation, the droplet then moves to one of its neighboring fixed points.

Understanding cathode flooding and dry-out for water management in air breathing PEM fuel cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Paquin, Mathieu; Fréchette, Luc G.

An analysis of water management in air breathing small polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) is presented. Comprehensive understanding of flooding and dry-out limiting phenomena is presented through a combination of analytical modeling and experimental investigations using a small PEMFC prototype. Configurations of the fuel cell with different heat and mass transfer properties are experimentally evaluated to assess the impact of thermal resistance and mass transport resistance on water balance. Manifestation of dry-out and flooding problems, as limiting phenomena, are explained through a ratio between these two resistances. Main conclusions are that decreasing the ratio between thermal and mass transport resistance under a certain point leads to flooding problems in air breathing PEMFC. Increasing this ratio leads to dry-out of the polymer electrolyte membrane. However, too high thermal resistance or too low mass transport resistance reduces the limiting current by pushing forward the dry-out problem. This work provides a framework to achieve the proper balance between thermal rejection and mass transport to optimize the maximum current density of free convection fuel cells.

Enhanced hydrogen production from glucose using ldh- and frd-inactivated Escherichia coli strains.

PubMed

Yoshida, Akihito; Nishimura, Taku; Kawaguchi, Hideo; Inui, Masayuki; Yukawa, Hideaki

2006-11-01

We improved the hydrogen yield from glucose using a genetically modified Escherichia coli. E. coli strain SR15 (DeltaldhA, DeltafrdBC), in which glucose metabolism was directed to pyruvate formate lyase (PFL), was constructed. The hydrogen yield of wild-type strain of 1.08 mol/mol glucose, was enhanced to 1.82 mol/mol glucose in strain SR15. This figure is greater than 90 % of the theoretical hydrogen yield of facultative anaerobes (2.0 mol/mol glucose). Moreover, the specific hydrogen production rate of strain SR15 (13.4 mmol h(-1) g(-1) dry cell) was 1.4-fold higher than that of wild-type strain. In addition, the volumetric hydrogen production rate increased using the process where cells behaved as an effective catalyst. At 94.3 g dry cell/l, a productivity of 793 mmol h(-1) l(-1) (20.2 l h(-1) l(-1) at 37 degrees C) was achieved using SR15. The reported productivity substantially surpasses that of conventional biological hydrogen production processes and can be a trigger for practical applications.

Timely topics on spent fuel storage

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

Selin, I.

1994-12-31

The history of spent fuel management in this country has taken several turns, with a final resolution still out of reach. Several repository programs started, stalled ans stopped. The latest effort at Yucca Mountain is progressing but, at best, is years from the early phases of licensing, much less the actual underground disposal of spent fuel. A monitored retrieval storage [MRS] facility was expected to start accepting commercial spent fuel beginning in 1998, but no such facility is clearly on the horizon. All of these recent developments changed the circumstances that we face in spent fuel management. The obvious conclusionmore » is that an increasing number of plants, both operating and permanently shut-down reactors, will have to provide for additional spent fuel storage on-site for a longer period than originally planned, and even after plant decommissioning, prudence requires that provision be made for continual, stand-alone, on-site storage. After pool capacity is reached, most utilities opt for some sort of dry storage. But the dry storage option has triggered an unprecedented amount of local opposition at many sites, further taxing NRC and industry resources.« less

Age-related Defects in Ocular and Nasal Mucosal Immune System and the Immunopathology of Dry Eye Disease

PubMed Central

Farid, Marjan; Agrawal, Anshu; Fremgen, Daniel; Tao, Jeremiah; Chuyi, He; Nesburn, Anthony B.; BenMohamed, Lbachir

2014-01-01

Dry eye disease (DED) is a prevalent public health concern that affects up to 30% of adults and is particularly chronic and severe in the elderly. Two interconnected mechanisms cause DED: (1) an age-related dysfunction of lacrimal and meibomian glands, which leads to decreased tear production and/or an increase in tear evaporation; and (2) an age-related uncontrolled inflammation of the surface of the eye triggered by yet-to-be-determined internal immunopathological mechanisms, independent of tear deficiency and evaporation. In this review we summarize current knowledge on animal models that mimic both the severity and chronicity of inflammatory DED and that have been reliably used to provide insights into the immunopathological mechanisms of DED, and we provide an overview of the opportunities and limitations of the rabbit model in investigating the role of both ocular and nasal mucosal immune systems in the immunopathology of inflammatory DED and in testing novel immunotherapies aimed at delaying or reversing the uncontrolled age-related inflammatory DED. PMID:25535823

Dose-Response Effect of Sunlight on Vitamin D2 Production in Agaricus bisporus Mushrooms.

PubMed

Urbain, Paul; Jakobsen, Jette

2015-09-23

The dose response effect of UV-B irradiation from sunlight on vitamin D2 content of sliced Agaricus bisporus (white button mushroom) during the process of sun-drying was investigated.Real-time UV-B and UV-A data were obtained using a high-performance spectroradiometer. During the first hour of sunlight exposure, the vitamin D2 content of the mushrooms increased in a linear manner, with concentrations increasing from 0.1 μg/g up to 3.9 ± 0.8 μg/g dry weight (DW). At the subsequent two measurements one and 3 h later, respectively, a plateau was reached. Two hours of additional exposure triggered a significant decline in vitamin D2 content. After just 15 min of sun exposure and an UV-B dose of 0.13 J/cm(2), the vitamin D2 content increased significantly to 2.2 ± 0.5 μg/g DW (P < 0.0001), which is equivalent to 17.6 μg (704 IU) vitamin D2 per 100 g of fresh mushrooms and comparable to levels found in fatty fish like the Atlantic salmon.

Leaf Photosynthesis and Respiration of High CO2-Grown Tobacco Plants Selected for Survival under CO2 Compensation Point Conditions 1

PubMed Central

Delgado, Esteban; Azcón-Bieto, Joaquim; Aranda, Xavier; Palazón, Javier; Medrano, Hipólito

1992-01-01

Four self-pollinated, doubled-haploid tobacco, (Nicotiana tabacum L.) lines (SP422, SP432, SP435, and SP451), selected as haploids by survival in a low CO2 atmosphere, and the parental cv Wisconsin-38 were grown from seed in a growth room kept at high CO2 levels (600-700 parts per million). The selected plants were much larger (especially SP422, SP432, and SP451) than Wisconsin-38 nine weeks after planting. The specific leaf dry weight and the carbon (but not nitrogen and sulfur) content per unit area were also higher in the selected plants. However, the chlorophyll, carotenoid, and alkaloid contents and the chlorophyll a/b ratio varied little. The net CO2 assimilation rate per unit area measured in the growth room at high CO2 was not higher in the selected plants. The CO2 assimilation rate versus intercellular CO2 curve and the CO2 compensation point showed no substantial differences among the different lines, even though these plants were selected for survival under CO2 compensation point conditions. Adult leaf respiration rates were similar when expressed per unit area but were lower in the selected lines when expressed per unit dry weight. Leaf respiration rates were negatively correlated with specific leaf dry weight and with the carbon content per unit area and were positively correlated with nitrogen and sulfur content of the dry matter. The alternative pathway was not involved in respiration in the dark in these leaves. The better carbon economy of tobacco lines selected for low CO2 survival was not apparently related to an improvement of photosynthesis rate but could be related, at least partially, to a significantly reduced respiration (mainly cytochrome pathway) rate per unit carbon. ImagesFigure 1 PMID:16668769

Marginal adaptation of mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) compared with amalgam as a root-end filling material: a low-vacuum (LV) versus high-vacuum (HV) SEM study.

PubMed

Shipper, G; Grossman, E S; Botha, A J; Cleaton-Jones, P E

2004-05-01

To compare the marginal adaptation of mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) or amalgam root-end fillings in extracted teeth under low-vacuum (LV) versus high-vacuum (HV) scanning electron microscope (SEM) viewing conditions. Root-end fillings were placed in 20 extracted single-rooted maxillary teeth. Ten root ends were filled with MTA and the other 10 root ends were filled with amalgam. Two 1 mm thick transverse sections of each root-end filling were cut 0.50 mm (top) and 1.50 mm (bottom) from the apex. Gap size was recorded at eight fixed points along the dentine-filling material interface on each section when uncoated wet (LV wet (LVW)) and dry under LV (0.3 Torr) in a JEOL JSM-5800 SEM and backscatter emission (LV dry uncoated (LVDU)). The sections were then air-dried, gold-coated and gap size was recorded once again at the fixed points under HV (10(-6) Torr; HV dry coated (HVDC)). Specimen cracking, and the size and extent of the crack were noted. Gap sizes at fixed points were smallest under LVW and largest under HVDC SEM conditions. Gaps were smallest in MTA root-end fillings. A General Linear Models Analysis, with gap size as the dependent variable, showed significant effects for extent of crack in dentine, material and viewing condition (P = 0.0001). This study showed that MTA produced a superior marginal adaptation to amalgam, and that LVW conditions showed the lowest gap size. Gap size was influenced by the method of SEM viewing. If only HV SEM viewing conditions are used for MTA and amalgam root-end fillings, a correction factor of 3.5 and 2.2, respectively, may be used to enable relative comparisons of gap size to LVW conditions.

Arctic climate tipping points.

PubMed

Lenton, Timothy M

2012-02-01

There is widespread concern that anthropogenic global warming will trigger Arctic climate tipping points. The Arctic has a long history of natural, abrupt climate changes, which together with current observations and model projections, can help us to identify which parts of the Arctic climate system might pass future tipping points. Here the climate tipping points are defined, noting that not all of them involve bifurcations leading to irreversible change. Past abrupt climate changes in the Arctic are briefly reviewed. Then, the current behaviour of a range of Arctic systems is summarised. Looking ahead, a range of potential tipping phenomena are described. This leads to a revised and expanded list of potential Arctic climate tipping elements, whose likelihood is assessed, in terms of how much warming will be required to tip them. Finally, the available responses are considered, especially the prospects for avoiding Arctic climate tipping points.

FPGA Based Adaptive Rate and Manifold Pattern Projection for Structured Light 3D Camera System †

PubMed Central

Lee, Sukhan

2018-01-01

The quality of the captured point cloud and the scanning speed of a structured light 3D camera system depend upon their capability of handling the object surface of a large reflectance variation in the trade-off of the required number of patterns to be projected. In this paper, we propose and implement a flexible embedded framework that is capable of triggering the camera single or multiple times for capturing single or multiple projections within a single camera exposure setting. This allows the 3D camera system to synchronize the camera and projector even for miss-matched frame rates such that the system is capable of projecting different types of patterns for different scan speed applications. This makes the system capturing a high quality of 3D point cloud even for the surface of a large reflectance variation while achieving a high scan speed. The proposed framework is implemented on the Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA), where the camera trigger is adaptively generated in such a way that the position and the number of triggers are automatically determined according to camera exposure settings. In other words, the projection frequency is adaptive to different scanning applications without altering the architecture. In addition, the proposed framework is unique as it does not require any external memory for storage because pattern pixels are generated in real-time, which minimizes the complexity and size of the application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) design and implementation. PMID:29642506

ASSESSMENT of POTENTIAL CARBON DIOXIDE-BASED DEMAND CONTROL VENTILATION SYSTEM PERFORMANCE in SINGLE ZONE SYSTEMS

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-03-21

and timers use a time-based estimate to predict how many people are in a facility at a given point in the day. CO2-based DCV systems measure CO2...energy and latent energy from the outside air when the coils’ surface temperature is below the dew point of the air passing over the coils (ASHRAE...model assumes that the dew point water saturation pressure is the same as the dry-bulb water vapor pressure, consistent with a typical ASHRAE

Land surface energy budget during dry spells: global CMIP5 AMIP simulations vs. satellite observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gallego-Elvira, Belen; Taylor, Christopher M.; Harris, Phil P.; Ghent, Darren; Folwell, Sonja S.

2015-04-01

During extended periods without rain (dry spells), the soil can dry out due to vegetation transpiration and soil evaporation. At some point in this drying cycle, land surface conditions change from energy-limited to water-limited evapotranspiration, and this is accompanied by an increase of the ground and overlying air temperatures. Regionally, the characteristics of this transition determine the influence of soil moisture on air temperature and rainfall. Global Climate Models (GCMs) disagree on where and how strongly the surface energy budget is limited by soil moisture. Flux tower observations are improving our understanding of these dry down processes, but typical heterogeneous landscapes are too sparsely sampled to ascertain a representative regional response. Alternatively, satellite observations of land surface temperature (LST) provide indirect information about the surface energy partition at 1km resolution globally. In our study, we analyse how well the dry spell dynamics of LST are represented by GCMs across the globe. We use a spatially and temporally aggregated diagnostic to describe the composite response of LST during surface dry down in rain-free periods in distinct climatic regions. The diagnostic is derived from daytime MODIS-Terra LST observations and bias-corrected meteorological re-analyses, and compared against the outputs of historical climate simulations of seven models running the CMIP5 AMIP experiment. Dry spell events are stratified by antecedent precipitation, land cover type and geographic regions to assess the sensitivity of surface warming rates to soil moisture levels at the onset of a dry spell for different surface and climatic zones. In a number of drought-prone hot spot regions, we find important differences in simulated dry spell behaviour, both between models, and compared to observations. These model biases are likely to compromise seasonal forecasts and future climate projections.

Performance analysis of phase-change material storage unit for both heating and cooling of buildings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Waqas, Adeel; Ali, Majid; Ud Din, Zia

2017-04-01

Utilisation of solar energy and the night ambient (cool) temperatures are the passive ways of heating and cooling of buildings. Intermittent and time-dependent nature of these sources makes thermal energy storage vital for efficient and continuous operation of these heating and cooling techniques. Latent heat thermal energy storage by phase-change materials (PCMs) is preferred over other storage techniques due to its high-energy storage density and isothermal storage process. The current study was aimed to evaluate the performance of the air-based PCM storage unit utilising solar energy and cool ambient night temperatures for comfort heating and cooling of a building in dry-cold and dry-hot climates. The performance of the studied PCM storage unit was maximised when the melting point of the PCM was ∼29°C in summer and 21°C during winter season. The appropriate melting point was ∼27.5°C for all-the-year-round performance. At lower melting points than 27.5°C, declination in the cooling capacity of the storage unit was more profound as compared to the improvement in the heating capacity. Also, it was concluded that the melting point of the PCM that provided maximum cooling during summer season could be used for winter heating also but not vice versa.

The use of oxygen isotopes of diatom silica in a decadal to centennial palaeonvironmental reconstruction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hernández, A.; Giralt, S.; Bao, R.; Sáez, A.; Leng, M. J.; Barker, P. A.

2009-04-01

The Lateglacial-early Holocene transition from the Lago Chungará record (northern Chilean Altiplano) is made up of laminated sediments composed by light and dark pluriannual couplets of diatomaceous ooze. Light sediment laminae accumulated during short-term diatom blooms whereas dark sediment laminae represent the baseline limnological conditions during several years of deposition. Diatom oxygen isotope data (_18Odiatom) of dark diatom laminae from Lago Chungará show evidence that the Lateglacial-early Holocene transition (11,990-11,475 cal years BP) occurred in a series of decadal-to-centennial wet-dry oscillations. Dry periods are marked by relatively high isotope values whereas wet episodes are indicated by lower isotope values. This fact is supported by data on allochtonous inputs and water availability curves from Lago Chungará previously published (Giralt et al. 2008). They highlight the sedimentological and environmental processes that occurred during these wet and dry episodes. The delta_18Odiatom record documents at least two episodes of increased effective moisture at a centennial-scale (ca.11,800 and 11,550 cal years BP) and only one important period of increasing aridity (between ca. 11,990 and 11,800 cal years BP). However, up to seven wet episodes and at least six dry events at a decadal scale are superimposed to the normal conditions. The spectral analyses of the delta_18Odiatom values suggest that these changes could be triggered by both El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and solar activity. Time-frequency analysis shows that the activity of these two forcings was more intense during Lateglacial than during the onset of the Holocene. This last period could be governed by La Niña-like conditions that correspond to wet conditions over the Andean Altiplano.

Investigation of Helicobacter pylori in tonsillary tissue with Pronto Dry test and pathologic examination.

PubMed

Aslan, Sundus; Yilmaz, Ismail; Bal, Nebil; Sener, Mesut; Butros, Reha; Demirhan, Beyhan; Ozluoglu, Levent N

2007-09-01

The objectives of this clinical study were to identify, by means of the Pronto Dry test and pathologic examination, Helicobacter pylori (HP) in tonsillary tissue and to establish the role of HP in tonsillary microbiology by identifying that bacterium in the tonsillary mucosa or within the tonsil core. The subjects consisted of 52 patients (25 men and 27 women; age range, 3-65 years; mean age, 15.1+/-14.5 years) who were scheduled to undergo tonsillectomy for the treatment of chronic tonsillitis and who had not been treated with an antibiotic or a bismuth-containing compound for 6 months before the initiation of the study. In each patient, two specimens (one 4 mm x 4 mm tissue sample from the nonmucosal tonsil core and one 4 mm x 4 mm sample of mucosal tissue) were excised from both tonsils immediately after tonsillectomy. The specimens were placed in the Pronto Dry test kit, and the test results were obtained 1 h later. The remaining tonsillary tissues were submitted for pathologic analysis via hematoxylin-eosin stain, Giemsa stain, Warthin-Starry silver stain, and staining for inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS). The results of the Pronto Dry test were positive for HP in 42% (n=22) of the excised mucosal tissue and in 47% (n=24) of the excised core tissue. In 27% (n=14) of the patients, both the core and the mucosal tissues tested positive for HP. There was no significant difference between the positive Pronto Dry test ratios of the biopsies obtained from the mucosa and those obtained from the core (P=0.693). iNOS staining showed that macrophage iNOS activity was significantly higher (P=0.025) in biopsied mucosal tissues with a positive Pronto Dry test result than in those with a negative result. Light microscopy revealed no HP in samples stained with hematoxylin-eosin stain, Giemsa stain, or Warthin-Starry silver stain. Positive Pronto Dry test results and the results of iNOS staining showed that HP contributes to chronic tonsillitis, especially at the mucosal layer. Although HP does not colonize, it contributes to the chronic tonsillary inflammatory process as a triggering agent by affecting macrophages in the tonsil and thus increasing iNOS expression.

Enhancing the quality of life in elderly women through a programme to improve the condition of salivary hypofunction.

PubMed

Cho, Eun-Pyol; Hwang, Soo-Jeong; Clovis, Joanne B; Lee, Tae-Yong; Paik, Dai-Il; Hwang, Yoon-Sook

2012-06-01

The purposes of this study were to examine the effects of oral exercise intended to improve the function of the oral cavity in the elderly and their quality of life to pave the way for the development of oral-health promotion programmes geared towards the elderly. The subjects were 78 female Koreans who resided in Seoul and were aged 65 years and older. During a 3-month period, an oral function promotion programme was conducted twice a week, between 10.00 am and 12.00 pm, applying oral exercise suggested by a Japanese public health centre. A survey was conducted by interviewing the selected women to determine the state of their subjective dry mouth, quality of life related to oral health and jaw functional limitation. Their opening, unstimulated whole saliva and pronunciation speed were measured before and after the oral function exercise programme. The subjects showed a significant improvement in subjective dry mouth symptoms, relevant behaviour, the level of discomfort caused by dry mouth and subjective jaw functional limitation during mastication and swallowing and emotional expression after receiving the oral exercise. After the oral exercise, there was a significant increase in mouth opening, unstimulated whole saliva and speaking speed ('patakala' pronunciation) after oral exercise. There was also significant progress in their quality of life related to oral health. Overall improvement in subjective dry mouth symptoms and relevant behaviour over time after oral exercise had a positive correlation with the level of improvement in discomfort triggered by dry mouth and mastication. The level of improvement in OHIP-14 had a positive correlation with the level of overall improvement in dry mouth symptoms and behaviour, the level of improvement in discomfort by dry mouth and that in mastication and swallowing. This study showed the effects of the oral function promotion programme and correlation of oral condition and oral health-related quality of life. It is suggested that this oral function promotion programme has positive effects on both objective and subjective oral conditions. It is strongly recommended that this programme, along with other oral health promotion programmes, be implemented to improve oral function and oral health-related quality of life for the elderly. © 2011 The Gerodontology Society and John Wiley & Sons A/S.

Comparison of Freshwater Mollusc Assemblages between Dry and Rainy Season in Situ Gede System, Bogor, Indonesia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Priawandiputra, W.; Nasution, D. J.; Prawasti, T. S.

2017-03-01

Anthropogenic activities, which reduced and damaged natural situ (freshwater ponds), also reduced fauna diversity in its aquatic ecosystem. Freshwater molluscs in the situ, one of the largest numbers of animals group with documented extinction, may also be impacted. The aims of this study were to record and to compare the abundance and species composition of freshwater molluscs between dry and rainy season in three situ. The freshwater molluscs were determined by twelve sampling points in Situ Gede (SG), Situ Panjang (SP) and Situ Burung (SB). Samplings were conducted once during dry season (August 2015) and rainy season (February 2016). Total abundance of molluscs encountered was 4321 individuals, which was comprised of 76 bivalve individuals (1.75 %) and 4245 gastropods individuals (98.44%). The abundance of molluscs were generally higher in rainy season than in dry season in all situ, while species richness showed the contrary. The species composition was significantly different between dry and rainy season in SP and SB but no significant differences was found in SG. From eight dominant species, there were six dominant species such as Filopaludina javanica, Melanoides tuberculata, Thiara scabra, Sermyla requeti, Pila scutata (gastropods) and Pilsbryoconcha exilis (bivalve) which were found in high numbers during dry season while two gastropod species (Pomacea canaliculata and Wattebledia crosseana) was numbered higher in rainy season than dry season.

Effect of the use of a commercial phosphate mixture on selected quality characteristics of 2 Spanish-style dry-ripened sausages.

PubMed

Fonseca, Beatriz; Kuri, Victor; Zumalacárregui, José M; Fernández-Diez, Ana; Salvá, Bettit K; Caro, Irma; Osorio, M Teresa; Mateo, Javier

2011-01-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of the addition of a commercial phosphate mixture in 2 dry-ripened Spanish-style sausages: "salchichón" and "chorizo." Three batches of each of those sausages were prepared with low and high levels of phosphates, and selected quality variables (moisture, pH, a(w) , lactic and acetic acid, α-amino nitrogen, total free fatty acids, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances, microbial counts, color, and texture analysis) were compared against controls. Furthermore, phosphate-added and control sausages were ranked by consumers in order of preference. In "salchichón," phosphate addition resulted in a significant (P < 0.05) increase in drying rate, and tendencies (not significant) toward a decrease in lipid oxidation and an increase in hardness and chewiness. In "chorizo," the addition of phosphates resulted in higher hardness, elasticity and chewiness, and lower yellowness (P < 0.05). In the manufacture process of dry-ripened sausages, phosphates can be considered as additives with potential enhancement effect in drying and eating quality. The main outcome from the present study is to find evidence on which points of reference could be drawn for the technological application of phosphates in dry-ripened sausages. It has been observed that the drying rate and several eating quality characteristics can be enhanced with the use of phosphates. © 2011 Institute of Food Technologists®

A comparative structural study of wet and dried ettringite

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

Renaudin, G.; CNRS, UMR 6002, LMI, F-63177 Aubiere; Filinchuk, Y.

2010-03-15

Two different techniques were used to compare structural characteristics of 'wet' ettringite (stored in the synthesis mother liquid) and 'dried' ettringite (dried to 35% relative humidity over saturated CaCl{sub 2} solution). Lattice parameters and the water content in the channel region of the structure (site occupancy factor of the water molecule not bonded to cations) as well as microstructure parameters (size and strain) were determined from a Rietveld refinement on synchrotron powder diffraction data. Local environment of sulphate anions and of the hydrogen bonding network was characterized by Raman spectroscopy. Both techniques led to the same conclusion: the 'wet' ettringitemore » sample immersed in the mother solution from the synthesis presents similar structural features as ettringite dried to 35% relative humidity. An increase of the a lattice parameter combined with a decrease of the c lattice parameter occurs on drying. The amount of structural water, the point symmetry of sulphate and the hydrogen bond network are unchanged when passing from the wet to the dried ettringite powder. Ettringite does not form a high-hydrate polymorph in equilibrium with alkaline solution, in contrast to the AFm phases that lose water molecules on drying. According to these results we conclude that ettringite precipitated in aqueous solution at the early hydration stages is of the same chemical composition as ettringite present in the hardening concrete.« less

Freeze-dried, mucoadhesive system for vaginal delivery of the HIV microbicide, dapivirine: optimisation by an artificial neural network.

PubMed

Woolfson, A David; Umrethia, Manish L; Kett, Victoria L; Malcolm, R Karl

2010-03-30

Dapivirine mucoadhesive gels and freeze-dried tablets were prepared using a 3x3x2 factorial design. An artificial neural network (ANN) with multi-layer perception was used to investigate the effect of hydroxypropyl-methylcellulose (HPMC): polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) ratio (X1), mucoadhesive concentration (X2) and delivery system (gel or freeze-dried mucoadhesive tablet, X3) on response variables; cumulative release of dapivirine at 24h (Q(24)), mucoadhesive force (F(max)) and zero-rate viscosity. Optimisation was performed by minimising the error between the experimental and predicted values of responses by ANN. The method was validated using check point analysis by preparing six formulations of gels and their corresponding freeze-dried tablets randomly selected from within the design space of contour plots. Experimental and predicted values of response variables were not significantly different (p>0.05, two-sided paired t-test). For gels, Q(24) values were higher than their corresponding freeze-dried tablets. F(max) values for freeze-dried tablets were significantly different (2-4 times greater, p>0.05, two-sided paired t-test) compared to equivalent gels. Freeze-dried tablets having lower values for X1 and higher values for X2 components offered the best compromise between effective dapivirine release, mucoadhesion and viscosity such that increased vaginal residence time was likely to be achieved. Copyright (c) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

29 CFR 1910.264 - Laundry machinery and operations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... of operation of laundry machines. This section does not apply to dry-cleaning operations. (c) Point... against touching the eyes, mouth, or any part of the body on which the skin has been broken by a scratch...

29 CFR 1910.264 - Laundry machinery and operations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... of operation of laundry machines. This section does not apply to dry-cleaning operations. (c) Point... against touching the eyes, mouth, or any part of the body on which the skin has been broken by a scratch...

29 CFR 1910.264 - Laundry machinery and operations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... of operation of laundry machines. This section does not apply to dry-cleaning operations. (c) Point... against touching the eyes, mouth, or any part of the body on which the skin has been broken by a scratch...

29 CFR 1910.264 - Laundry machinery and operations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... of operation of laundry machines. This section does not apply to dry-cleaning operations. (c) Point... against touching the eyes, mouth, or any part of the body on which the skin has been broken by a scratch...

29 CFR 1910.264 - Laundry machinery and operations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... of operation of laundry machines. This section does not apply to dry-cleaning operations. (c) Point... against touching the eyes, mouth, or any part of the body on which the skin has been broken by a scratch...