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.

Electrochemically controlled drug-mimicking protein release from iron-alginate thin-films associated with an electrode.

PubMed

Jin, Zhiyuan; Güven, Güray; Bocharova, Vera; Halámek, Jan; Tokarev, Ihor; Minko, Sergiy; Melman, Artem; Mandler, Daniel; Katz, Evgeny

2012-01-01

Novel biocompatible hybrid-material composed of iron-ion-cross-linked alginate with embedded protein molecules has been designed for the signal-triggered drug release. Electrochemically controlled oxidation of Fe(2+) ions in the presence of soluble natural alginate polymer and drug-mimicking protein (bovine serum albumin, BSA) results in the formation of an alginate-based thin-film cross-linked by Fe(3+) ions at the electrode interface with the entrapped protein. The electrochemically generated composite thin-film was characterized by electrochemistry and atomic force microscopy (AFM). Preliminary experiments demonstrated that the electrochemically controlled deposition of the protein-containing thin-film can be performed at microscale using scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM) as the deposition tool producing polymer-patterned spots potentially containing various entrapped drugs. Application of reductive potentials on the modified electrode produced Fe(2+) cations which do not keep complexation with alginate, thus resulting in the electrochemically triggered thin-film dissolution and the protein release. Different experimental parameters, such as the film-deposition time, concentrations of compounds and applied potentials, were varied in order to demonstrate that the electrodepositon and electrodissolution of the alginate composite film can be tuned to the optimum performance. A statistical modeling technique was applied to find optimal conditions for the formation of the composite thin-film for the maximal encapsulation and release of the drug-mimicking protein at the lowest possible potential. © 2011 American Chemical Society

Environmental triggers in IBD: a review of progress and evidence.

PubMed

Ananthakrishnan, Ashwin N; Bernstein, Charles N; Iliopoulos, Dimitrios; Macpherson, Andrew; Neurath, Markus F; Ali, Raja A Raja; Vavricka, Stephan R; Fiocchi, Claudio

2018-01-01

A number of environmental factors have been associated with the development of IBD. Alteration of the gut microbiota, or dysbiosis, is closely linked to initiation or progression of IBD, but whether dysbiosis is a primary or secondary event is unclear. Nevertheless, early-life events such as birth, breastfeeding and exposure to antibiotics, as well as later childhood events, are considered potential risk factors for IBD. Air pollution, a consequence of the progressive contamination of the environment by countless compounds, is another factor associated with IBD, as particulate matter or other components can alter the host's mucosal defences and trigger immune responses. Hypoxia associated with high altitude is also a factor under investigation as a potential new trigger of IBD flares. A key issue is how to translate environmental factors into mechanisms of IBD, and systems biology is increasingly recognized as a strategic tool to unravel the molecular alterations leading to IBD. Environmental factors add a substantial level of complexity to the understanding of IBD pathogenesis but also promote the fundamental notion that complex diseases such as IBD require complex therapies that go well beyond the current single-agent treatment approach. This Review describes the current conceptualization, evidence, progress and direction surrounding the association of environmental factors with IBD.

Link between surface temperature and documented rockfalls in the Mont Blanc massif rockwalls

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Magnin, Florence; Deline, Philip; Ravanel, Ludovic

2014-05-01

Recent studies show that rockfall activity has increased along the three past decades in high mountain areas, and permafrost degradation is regarded as the main triggering factor. 433 rockfalls affecting the steep rockwalls of the Mont Blanc massif have been inventoried and documented (time and precise location, topographical and geological settings, volume, conditions, etc.) from 2007 to 2011. With the aim of better understanding geomorphic processes, we address questions about the thermal state of the unstable rockwalls within this study area. A statistical model of the Mean Annual Rock Surface Temperature (MARST) for the 1961-1990 period has been implemented on a 4-m-resolution DEM of the Mont Blanc massif. The model runs with Potential Incoming Solar radiation (PISR) calculated with GIS tools and air temperature parameters computed from Chamonix Météo France's records. 87 rockfalls are located at the geographical margins of the DEM, where the PISR calculation doesn't take account of the surrounding hillshading and biased MARST simulation. Thus, only 346 rockfalls were kept and linked to a MARST value after data sorting. Preliminary results show that rockfalls occurred over a modelled MARST range of -6°C to 5°C. MARSTs ranging from -2.5°C to 2.5°C encompass about 60% of the rockfalls. The mean MARST value for the 346 rockfalls is of -0.9°C. Simulated warm permafrost areas (> -2°C) are therefore appearing as the most affected by instabilities. These first observations reinforce the hypothesis that permafrost degradation is likely the dominant triggering factor of these rockfalls. The 1961-1990 period is supposed to be representative of the conditions at depth that are not affected by the recent climate warming. This means that the here presented results are mainly valuable for rockfalls related to pluri-decadal signal. But they also suggest that MARST model is an interesting tool to explore the link between rockwall instability and permafrost state. Simulations at various time scales would allow more precise reconstruction of the bedrock temperature during each year of rockfalls. Model possibilities and the related outcomings will be also presented.

Tidal Triggering of Microearthquakes Over an Eruption Cycle at 9°50'N East Pacific Rise

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tan, Yen Joe; Tolstoy, Maya; Waldhauser, Felix; Bohnenstiehl, DelWayne R.

2018-02-01

Studies have found that earthquake timing often correlates with tides at mid-ocean ridges and some terrestrial settings. Studies have also suggested that tidal triggering may preferentially happen when a region is critically stressed, making it a potential tool to forecast earthquakes and volcanic eruptions. We examine tidal triggering of ˜100,000 microearthquakes near 9°50'N East Pacific Rise recorded between October 2003 and January 2007, which encompasses an eruption in January 2006. This allows us to look at how tidal triggering signal varies over an eruption cycle to examine its utility as a forecasting tool. We find that tidal triggering signal is strong but does not vary systematically in the 2+ years leading up to the eruption. However, tidal triggering signal disappears immediately posteruption. Our findings suggest that tidal triggering variation may not be useful for forecasting mid-ocean ridge eruptions over a 2+ year timescale but might be useful over a longer timescale.

Geomega: MEGAlib's Uniform Geometry and Detector Description Tool for Geant3, MGGPOD, and Geant4

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zoglauer, Andreas C.; Andritschke, R.; Schopper, F.; Wunderer, C. B.

2006-09-01

The Medium Energy Gamma-ray Astronomy library MEGAlib is a set of software tools for the analysis of low to medium energy gamma-ray telescopes, especially Compton telescopes. It comprises all necessary data analysis steps from simulation/measurements via event reconstruction to image reconstruction and enables detailed performance assessments. In the energy range of Compton telescopes (with energy deposits from a few keV up to hundreds of MeV), the Geant Monte-Carlo software packages (Geant3 with its MGGPOD extension as well as Geant4) are widely used. Since each tool has its unique advantages, MEGAlib contains a geometry and detector description library, called Geomega, which allows to use those tools in a uniform way. It incorporates the versatile 3D display facilities available within the ROOT libraries. The same geometry, material, trigger, and detector description can be used for all simulation tools as well as for the later event analysis in the MEGAlib framework. This is done by converting the MEGAlib geometry into the Geant3 or MGGPOD format or directly linking the Geomega library into Geant4. The geometry description can handle most (and can be extended to handle all) volumes common to Geant3, Geant4 and ROOT. In Geomega a list of features is implemented which are especially useful for optimizing detector geometries: It allows to define constants, can handle mathematical operations, enables volume scaling, checks for overlaps of detector volumes, does mass calculations, etc. Used in combination with MEGAlib, Geomega enables discretization, application of detector noise, thresholds, various trigger conditions, defective pixels, etc. The highly modular and completely object-oriented library is written in C++ and based on ROOT. It has been originally developed for the tracking Compton scattering and Pair creation telescope MEGA and has been successfully applied to a wide variety of telescopes, such as ACT, NuSTAR, or GRI.

Linking turbidity current triggers to flow power, frequency and runout distances

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hizzett, J. L.; Hughes Clarke, J. E.; Cartigny, M.; Talling, P.; Sumner, E.; Clare, M. A.

2017-12-01

Submarine turbidity currents and terrestrial river systems are the two main processes for moving sediment across our planet, and it is important to understand how they are linked. Turbidity currents form thick deposits, burying large amounts of organic carbon, and posing a hazard to seabed pipelines and cables. It is essential to understand which initial trigger mechanisms produce the most frequent, powerful and longest runout turbidity currents, as these flows pose the greatest hazard for seafloor infrastructure (Cooper et al., 2013). Here were re-analyse the most detailed time-lapse mapping of a turbidity current system, which comprises 93 near-daily surveys collected by Hughes Clarke at Squamish Delta, British Columbia. It enables us to link different trigger mechanisms to flow properties such as runout distance. Turbidity currents at Squamish Delta are either triggered by submarine landslides or by sediment settling out from the river plume. Previously it was inferred that turbidity currents were most commonly triggered at river mouths by underwater landslides, or plunging (hyperpycnal) river discharge. However, here we show that turbidity currents are most commonly triggered by what we infer to be sediment settling from surface plumes (Hughes Clarke et al., 2014). We go on to show that turbidity currents initiated by settling from surface plumes can be as erosive and travel as far as landslide-triggered flows. We also find no relationship between submarine landslide volume and turbidity current runout. This is surprising because larger volume subaerial landslides tend to runout longer distances. We therefore show that the most hazardous turbidity currents at Squamish, which have the biggest impact on the seafloor, are initiated by sediment settling out from surface plumes, and not by large landslides as was previously expected.

Disulfide cross-linked polyurethane micelles as a reduction-triggered drug delivery system for cancer therapy.

PubMed

Yu, Shuangjiang; Ding, Jianxun; He, Chaoliang; Cao, Yue; Xu, Weiguo; Chen, Xuesi

2014-05-01

Nanoscale carriers that stably load drugs in blood circulation and release the payloads in desirable sites in response to a specific trigger are of great interest for smart drug delivery systems. For this purpose, a novel type of disulfide core cross-linked micelles, which are facilely fabricated by cross-linking of poly(ethylene glycol)/polyurethane block copolymers containing cyclic disulfide moieties via a thiol-disulfide exchange reaction, are developed. A broad-spectrum anti-cancer drug, doxorubicin (DOX), is loaded into the micelles as a model drug. The drug release from the core cross-linked polyurethane micelles (CCL-PUMs) loaded with DOX is suppressed in normal phosphate buffer saline (PBS), whereas it is markedly accelerated with addition of an intracellular reducing agent, glutathione (GSH). Notably, although DOX-loaded CCL-PUMs display lower cytotoxicity in vitro compared to either free DOX or DOX-loaded uncross-linked polyurethane micelles, the drug-loaded CCL-PUMs show the highest anti-tumor efficacy with reduced toxicity in vivo. Since enhanced anti-tumor efficacy and reduced toxic side effects are key aspects of efficient cancer therapy, the novel reduction-responsive CCL-PUMs may hold great potential as a bio-triggered drug delivery system for cancer therapy. © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

FELIX: a PCIe based high-throughput approach for interfacing front-end and trigger electronics in the ATLAS Upgrade framework

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anderson, J.; Bauer, K.; Borga, A.; Boterenbrood, H.; Chen, H.; Chen, K.; Drake, G.; Dönszelmann, M.; Francis, D.; Guest, D.; Gorini, B.; Joos, M.; Lanni, F.; Lehmann Miotto, G.; Levinson, L.; Narevicius, J.; Panduro Vazquez, W.; Roich, A.; Ryu, S.; Schreuder, F.; Schumacher, J.; Vandelli, W.; Vermeulen, J.; Whiteson, D.; Wu, W.; Zhang, J.

2016-12-01

The ATLAS Phase-I upgrade (2019) requires a Trigger and Data Acquisition (TDAQ) system able to trigger and record data from up to three times the nominal LHC instantaneous luminosity. The Front-End LInk eXchange (FELIX) system provides an infrastructure to achieve this in a scalable, detector agnostic and easily upgradeable way. It is a PC-based gateway, interfacing custom radiation tolerant optical links from front-end electronics, via PCIe Gen3 cards, to a commodity switched Ethernet or InfiniBand network. FELIX enables reducing custom electronics in favour of software running on commercial servers. The FELIX system, the design of the PCIe prototype card and the integration test results are presented in this paper.

Peptidylarginine deiminase 4: a nuclear button triggering neutrophil extracellular traps in inflammatory diseases and aging.

PubMed

Wong, Siu Ling; Wagner, Denisa D

2018-06-20

Peptidylarginine deiminase 4 (PAD4) is a nuclear citrullinating enzyme that is critically involved in the release of decondensed chromatin from neutrophils as neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs). NETs, together with fibrin, are implicated in host defense against pathogens; however, the formation of NETs (NETosis) has injurious effects that may outweigh their protective role. For example, PAD4 activity produces citrullinated neoantigens that promote autoimmune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, to which PAD4 is genetically linked and where NETosis is prominent. NETs are also generated in basic sterile inflammatory responses that are induced by many inflammatory stimuli, including cytokines, hypoxia, and activated platelets. Mice that lack PAD4-deficient in NETosis-serve as an excellent tool with which to study the importance of NETs in disease models. In recent years, animal and human studies have demonstrated that NETs contribute to the etiology and propagation of many common noninfectious diseases, the focus of our review. We will discuss the role of NETs in thrombotic and cardiovascular disease, the induction of NETs by cancers and its implications for cancer progression and cancer-associated thrombosis, and elevated NETosis in diabetes and its negative impact on wound healing, and will propose a link between PAD4/NETs and age-related organ fibrosis. We identify unresolved issues and new research directions.-Wong, S. L., Wagner, D. D. Peptidylarginine deiminase 4: a nuclear button triggering neutrophil extracellular traps in inflammatory diseases and aging.

Upgraded Readout Electronics for the ATLAS Liquid Argon Calorimeters at the High Luminosity LHC

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Andeen, Timothy R.; ATLAS Liquid Argon Calorimeter Group

2012-12-01

The ATLAS liquid-argon calorimeters produce a total of 182,486 signals which are digitized and processed by the front-end and back-end electronics at every triggered event. In addition, the front-end electronics sum analog signals to provide coarsely grained energy sums, called trigger towers, to the first-level trigger system, which is optimized for nominal LHC luminosities. However, the pile-up background expected during the high luminosity phases of the LHC will be increased by factors of 3 to 7. An improved spatial granularity of the trigger primitives is therefore proposed in order to improve the identification performance for trigger signatures, like electrons or photons, at high background rejection rates. For the first upgrade phase in 2018, new Liquid Argon Trigger Digitizer Boards are being designed to receive higher granularity signals, digitize them on detector and send them via fast optical links to a new, off-detector digital processing system. The digital processing system applies digital filtering and identifies significant energy depositions. The refined trigger primitives are then transmitted to the first level trigger system to extract improved trigger signatures. The general concept of the upgraded liquid-argon calorimeter readout together with the various electronics components to be developed for such a complex system is presented. The research activities and architectural studies undertaken by the ATLAS Liquid Argon Calorimeter Group are described, particularly details of the on-going design of mixed-signal front-end electronics, of radiation tolerant optical-links, and of the high-speed off-detector digital processing system.

Use of a trigger tool to detect adverse drug reactions in an emergency department.

PubMed

de Almeida, Silvana Maria; Romualdo, Aruana; de Abreu Ferraresi, Andressa; Zelezoglo, Giovana Roberta; Marra, Alexandre R; Edmond, Michael B

2017-11-15

Although there are systems for reporting adverse drug reactions (ADR), these safety events remain under reported. The low-cost, low-tech trigger tool method is based on the detection of events through clues, and it seems to increase the detection of adverse events compared to traditional methodologies. This study seeks to estimate the prevalence of adverse reactions to drugs in patients seeking care in the emergency department. Retrospective study from January to December, 2014, applying the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) trigger tool methodology for patients treated at the emergency room of a tertiary care hospital. The estimated prevalence of adverse reactions in patients presenting to the emergency department was 2.3% [CI 95 1.3% to 3.3%]; 28.6% of cases required hospitalization at an average cost of US$ 5698.44. The most common triggers were hydrocortisone (57% of the cases), diphenhydramine (14%) and fexofenadine (14%). Anti-infectives (19%), cardiovascular agents (14%), and musculoskeletal drugs (14%) were the most common causes of adverse reactions. According to the Naranjo Scale, 71% were classified as possible and 29% as probable. There was no association between adverse reactions and age and sex in the present study. The use of the trigger tool to identify adverse reactions in the emergency department was possible to identify a prevalence of 2.3%. It showed to be a viable method that can provide a better understanding of adverse drug reactions in this patient population.

Application of Fault Management Theory to the Quantitive Selection of a Launch Vehicle Abort Trigger Suite

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lo, Yunnhon; Johnson, Stephen B.; Breckenridge, Jonathan T.

2014-01-01

SHM/FM theory has been successfully applied to the selection of the baseline set Abort Triggers for the NASA SLS center dot Quantitative assessment played a useful role in the decision process ? M&FM, which is new within NASA MSFC, required the most "new" work, as this quantitative analysis had never been done before center dot Required development of the methodology and tool to mechanize the process center dot Established new relationships to the other groups ? The process is now an accepted part of the SLS design process, and will likely be applied to similar programs in the future at NASA MSFC ? Future improvements center dot Improve technical accuracy ?Differentiate crew survivability due to an abort, vs. survivability even no immediate abort occurs (small explosion with little debris) ?Account for contingent dependence of secondary triggers on primary triggers ?Allocate "? LOC Benefit" of each trigger when added to the previously selected triggers. center dot Reduce future costs through the development of a specialized tool ? Methodology can be applied to any manned/unmanned vehicle, in space or terrestrial

Triggered MEQ Events on LBNL Permanent Seismic Array, Brady's EGS, March 2016

DOE Data Explorer

Michelle Robertson

2016-06-01

List of triggered events recorded on LBNL's permanent EGS seismic array at Brady's geothermal field. This submission also includes links to the NCEDC EGS Earthquake Catalog Search page and to the metadata for the seismic array installed at Brady's Geothermal Field.

FELIX: a PCIe based high-throughput approach for interfacing front-end and trigger electronics in the ATLAS Upgrade framework

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

Anderson, J.; Bauer, K.; Borga, A.

The ATLAS Phase-I upgrade (2019) requires a Trigger and Data Acquisition (TDAQ) system able to trigger and record data from up to three times the nominal LHC instantaneous luminosity. Furthermore, the Front-End LInk eXchange (FELIX) system provides an infrastructure to achieve this in a scalable, detector agnostic and easily upgradeable way. It is a PC-based gateway, interfacing custom radiation tolerant optical links from front-end electronics, via PCIe Gen3 cards, to a commodity switched Ethernet or InfiniBand network. FELIX enables reducing custom electronics in favour of software running on commercial servers. Here, the FELIX system, the design of the PCIe prototypemore » card and the integration test results are presented.« less

FELIX: a PCIe based high-throughput approach for interfacing front-end and trigger electronics in the ATLAS Upgrade framework

DOE PAGES

Anderson, J.; Bauer, K.; Borga, A.; ...

2016-12-13

The ATLAS Phase-I upgrade (2019) requires a Trigger and Data Acquisition (TDAQ) system able to trigger and record data from up to three times the nominal LHC instantaneous luminosity. Furthermore, the Front-End LInk eXchange (FELIX) system provides an infrastructure to achieve this in a scalable, detector agnostic and easily upgradeable way. It is a PC-based gateway, interfacing custom radiation tolerant optical links from front-end electronics, via PCIe Gen3 cards, to a commodity switched Ethernet or InfiniBand network. FELIX enables reducing custom electronics in favour of software running on commercial servers. Here, the FELIX system, the design of the PCIe prototypemore » card and the integration test results are presented.« less

Graphics Processing Units for HEP trigger systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ammendola, R.; Bauce, M.; Biagioni, A.; Chiozzi, S.; Cotta Ramusino, A.; Fantechi, R.; Fiorini, M.; Giagu, S.; Gianoli, A.; Lamanna, G.; Lonardo, A.; Messina, A.; Neri, I.; Paolucci, P. S.; Piandani, R.; Pontisso, L.; Rescigno, M.; Simula, F.; Sozzi, M.; Vicini, P.

2016-07-01

General-purpose computing on GPUs (Graphics Processing Units) is emerging as a new paradigm in several fields of science, although so far applications have been tailored to the specific strengths of such devices as accelerator in offline computation. With the steady reduction of GPU latencies, and the increase in link and memory throughput, the use of such devices for real-time applications in high-energy physics data acquisition and trigger systems is becoming ripe. We will discuss the use of online parallel computing on GPU for synchronous low level trigger, focusing on CERN NA62 experiment trigger system. The use of GPU in higher level trigger system is also briefly considered.

[Comparison of the "Trigger" tool with the minimum basic data set for detecting adverse events in general surgery].

PubMed

Pérez Zapata, A I; Gutiérrez Samaniego, M; Rodríguez Cuéllar, E; Gómez de la Cámara, A; Ruiz López, P

Surgery is a high risk for the occurrence of adverse events (AE). The main objective of this study is to compare the effectiveness of the Trigger tool with the Hospital National Health System registration of Discharges, the minimum basic data set (MBDS), in detecting adverse events in patients admitted to General Surgery and undergoing surgery. Observational and descriptive retrospective study of patients admitted to general surgery of a tertiary hospital, and undergoing surgery in 2012. The identification of adverse events was made by reviewing the medical records, using an adaptation of "Global Trigger Tool" methodology, as well as the (MBDS) registered on the same patients. Once the AE were identified, they were classified according to damage and to the extent to which these could have been avoided. The area under the curve (ROC) were used to determine the discriminatory power of the tools. The Hanley and Mcneil test was used to compare both tools. AE prevalence was 36.8%. The TT detected 89.9% of all AE, while the MBDS detected 28.48%. The TT provides more information on the nature and characteristics of the AE. The area under the curve was 0.89 for the TT and 0.66 for the MBDS. These differences were statistically significant (P<.001). The Trigger tool detects three times more adverse events than the MBDS registry. The prevalence of adverse events in General Surgery is higher than that estimated in other studies. Copyright © 2017 SECA. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Detection of adverse events in general surgery using the " Trigger Tool" methodology.

PubMed

Pérez Zapata, Ana Isabel; Gutiérrez Samaniego, María; Rodríguez Cuéllar, Elías; Andrés Esteban, Eva María; Gómez de la Cámara, Agustín; Ruiz López, Pedro

2015-02-01

Surgery is one of the high-risk areas for the occurrence of adverse events (AE). The purpose of this study is to know the percentage of hospitalisation-related AE that are detected by the «Global Trigger Tool» methodology in surgical patients, their characteristics and the tool validity. Retrospective, observational study on patients admitted to a general surgery department, who underwent a surgical operation in a third level hospital during the year 2012. The identification of AE was carried out by patient record review using an adaptation of «Global Trigger Tool» methodology. Once an AE was identified, a harm category was assigned, including the grade in which the AE could have been avoided and its relation with the surgical procedure. The prevalence of AE was 36,8%. There were 0,5 AE per patient. 56,2% were deemed preventable. 69,3% were directly related to the surgical procedure. The tool had a sensitivity of 86% and a specificity of 93,6%. The positive predictive value was 89% and the negative predictive value 92%. Prevalence of AE is greater than the estimate of other studies. In most cases the AE detected were related to the surgical procedure and more than half were also preventable. The adapted «Global Trigger Tool» methodology has demonstrated to be highly effective and efficient for detecting AE in surgical patients, identifying all the serious AE with few false negative results. Copyright © 2014 AEC. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

The cytoskeleton is disrupted by the bacterial effector HrpZ, but not by the bacterial PAMP flg22, in tobacco BY-2 cells.

PubMed

Guan, Xin; Buchholz, Günther; Nick, Peter

2013-04-01

Plant innate immunity is composed of two layers. Basal immunity is triggered by pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) such as the flagellin-peptide flg22 and is termed PAMP-triggered immunity (PTI). In addition, effector-triggered immunity (ETI) linked with programmed cell death and cytoskeletal reorganization can be induced by pathogen-derived factors, such as the Harpin proteins originating from phytopathogenic bacteria. To get insight into the link between cytoskeleton and PTI or ETI, this study followed the responses of actin filaments and microtubules to flg22 and HrpZ in vivo by spinning-disc confocal microscopy in GFP-tagged marker lines of tobacco BY-2. At a concentration that clearly impairs mitosis, flg22 can induce only subtle cytoskeletal responses. In contrast, HrpZ causes a rapid and massive bundling of actin microfilaments (completed in ~20 min, i.e. almost simultaneously with extracellular alkalinization), which is followed by progressive disintegration of actin cables and cytoplasmic microtubules, a loss of cytoplasmic structure, and vacuolar disintegration. Cytoskeletal disruption is proposed as an early event that discriminates HrpZ-triggered ETI-like defence from flg22-triggered PTI.

The cytoskeleton is disrupted by the bacterial effector HrpZ, but not by the bacterial PAMP flg22, in tobacco BY-2 cells

PubMed Central

Guan, Xin; Buchholz, Günther; Nick, Peter

2013-01-01

Plant innate immunity is composed of two layers. Basal immunity is triggered by pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) such as the flagellin-peptide flg22 and is termed PAMP-triggered immunity (PTI). In addition, effector-triggered immunity (ETI) linked with programmed cell death and cytoskeletal reorganization can be induced by pathogen-derived factors, such as the Harpin proteins originating from phytopathogenic bacteria. To get insight into the link between cytoskeleton and PTI or ETI, this study followed the responses of actin filaments and microtubules to flg22 and HrpZ in vivo by spinning-disc confocal microscopy in GFP-tagged marker lines of tobacco BY-2. At a concentration that clearly impairs mitosis, flg22 can induce only subtle cytoskeletal responses. In contrast, HrpZ causes a rapid and massive bundling of actin microfilaments (completed in ~20min, i.e. almost simultaneously with extracellular alkalinization), which is followed by progressive disintegration of actin cables and cytoplasmic microtubules, a loss of cytoplasmic structure, and vacuolar disintegration. Cytoskeletal disruption is proposed as an early event that discriminates HrpZ-triggered ETI-like defence from flg22-triggered PTI. PMID:23408828

Evaluation of accuracy of IHI Trigger Tool in identifying adverse drug events: a prospective observational study.

PubMed

das Dores Graciano Silva, Maria; Martins, Maria Auxiliadora Parreiras; de Gouvêa Viana, Luciana; Passaglia, Luiz Guilherme; de Menezes, Renata Rezende; de Queiroz Oliveira, João Antonio; da Silva, Jose Luiz Padilha; Ribeiro, Antonio Luiz Pinho

2018-06-06

Adverse drug events (ADEs) can seriously compromise the safety and quality of care provided to hospitalized patients, requiring the adoption of accurate methods to monitor them. We sought to prospectively evaluate the accuracy of the triggers proposed by the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) for identifying ADEs. A prospective study was conducted in a public university hospital, in 2015, with patients ≥18 years. Triggers proposed by IHI and clinical alterations suspected to be ADEs were searched daily. The number of days in which the patient was hospitalized was considered as unit of measure to evaluate the accuracy of each trigger. Three hundred patients were included in this study. Mean age was 56.3 years (standard deviation (SD) 16.0), and 154 (51.3%) were female. The frequency of patients with ADEs was 24.7% and with at least one trigger was 53.3%. From those patients who had at least one trigger, the most frequent triggers were antiemetics (57.5%) and "abrupt medication stop" (31.8%). Triggers' sensitivity ranged from 0.3 to11.8 % and the positive predictive value ranged from 1.2 to 27.3%. Specificity and negative predictive value were greater than 86%. Most patients identified by the presence of triggers did not have ADEs (64.4%). No triggers were identified in 40 (38.5%) ADEs. IHI Trigger Tool did not show good accuracy in detecting ADEs in this prospective study. The adoption of combined strategies could enhance effectiveness in identifying patient safety flaws. Further discussion might contribute to improve trigger usefulness in clinical practice. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Development and Pilot Testing of a Bilingual Environmental Health Assessment Tool to Promote Asthma-friendly Childcares.

PubMed

Evans-Agnew, Robin A; Postma, Julie; Camacho, Ariana Ochoa; Hershberg, Rachel M; Trujilio, Elsa; Tinajera, Maria

2018-01-01

Childhood marks the highest risk for allergic sensitization to asthma triggers. Hispanic/Latino children are at higher risk for hospitalization for asthma than non-Hispanic White children. Childcare providers lack knowledge about reducing asthma triggers. The purpose of this paper is to describe a community-based participatory research (CBPR) initiative aimed at developing and pilot testing a bilingual walk-through assessment tool for asthma-friendly childcare environments. Ten Latina mothers of children with asthma living in the Pacific Northwest collaborated with research partners to develop and pilot test a Childcare Environmental Health (CEH) assessment walk-through survey.Results and Lessons Learned: The women innovated the survey with photography and structural examinations of stress and provision of basic needs. The survey tool identified environmental threats to asthma in all three childcares surveyed. Parents are well-positioned to build trust with childcare providers, assess asthma triggers, and recommend practical mitigation strategies.

SU-C-202-03: A Tool for Automatic Calculation of Delivered Dose Variation for Off-Line Adaptive Therapy Using Cone Beam CT

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

Zhang, B; Lee, S; Chen, S

Purpose: Monitoring the delivered dose is an important task for the adaptive radiotherapy (ART) and for determining time to re-plan. A software tool which enables automatic delivered dose calculation using cone-beam CT (CBCT) has been developed and tested. Methods: The tool consists of four components: a CBCT Colleting Module (CCM), a Plan Registration Moduel (PRM), a Dose Calculation Module (DCM), and an Evaluation and Action Module (EAM). The CCM is triggered periodically (e.g. every 1:00 AM) to search for newly acquired CBCTs of patients of interest and then export the DICOM files of the images and related registrations defined inmore » ARIA followed by triggering the PRM. The PRM imports the DICOM images and registrations, links the CBCTs to the related treatment plan of the patient in the planning system (RayStation V4.5, RaySearch, Stockholm, Sweden). A pre-determined CT-to-density table is automatically generated for dose calculation. Current version of the DCM uses a rigid registration which regards the treatment isocenter of the CBCT to be the isocenter of the treatment plan. Then it starts the dose calculation automatically. The AEM evaluates the plan using pre-determined plan evaluation parameters: PTV dose-volume metrics and critical organ doses. The tool has been tested for 10 patients. Results: Automatic plans are generated and saved in the order of the treatment dates of the Adaptive Planning module of the RayStation planning system, without any manual intervention. Once the CTV dose deviates more than 3%, both email and page alerts are sent to the physician and the physicist of the patient so that one can look the case closely. Conclusion: The tool is capable to perform automatic dose tracking and to alert clinicians when an action is needed. It is clinically useful for off-line adaptive therapy to catch any gross error. Practical way of determining alarming level for OAR is under development.« less

Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR): a flow-like mental state.

PubMed

Barratt, Emma L; Davis, Nick J

2015-01-01

Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR) is a previously unstudied sensory phenomenon, in which individuals experience a tingling, static-like sensation across the scalp, back of the neck and at times further areas in response to specific triggering audio and visual stimuli. This sensation is widely reported to be accompanied by feelings of relaxation and well-being. The current study identifies several common triggers used to achieve ASMR, including whispering, personal attention, crisp sounds and slow movements. Data obtained also illustrates temporary improvements in symptoms of depression and chronic pain in those who engage in ASMR. A high prevalence of synaesthesia (5.9%) within the sample suggests a possible link between ASMR and synaesthesia, similar to that of misophonia. Links between number of effective triggers and heightened flow state suggest that flow may be necessary to achieve sensations associated with ASMR.

Optical tweezers and multiphoton microscopies integrated photonic tool for mechanical and biochemical cell processes studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Thomaz, A. A.; Faustino, W. M.; Fontes, A.; Fernandes, H. P.; Barjas-Castro, M. d. L.; Metze, K.; Giorgio, S.; Barbosa, L. C.; Cesar, C. L.

2007-09-01

The research in biomedical photonics is clearly evolving in the direction of the understanding of biological processes at the cell level. The spatial resolution to accomplish this task practically requires photonics tools. However, an integration of different photonic tools and a multimodal and functional approach will be necessary to access the mechanical and biochemical cell processes. This way we can observe mechanicaly triggered biochemical events or biochemicaly triggered mechanical events, or even observe simultaneously mechanical and biochemical events triggered by other means, e.g. electricaly. One great advantage of the photonic tools is its easiness for integration. Therefore, we developed such integrated tool by incorporating single and double Optical Tweezers with Confocal Single and Multiphoton Microscopies. This system can perform 2-photon excited fluorescence and Second Harmonic Generation microscopies together with optical manipulations. It also can acquire Fluorescence and SHG spectra of specific spots. Force, elasticity and viscosity measurements of stretched membranes can be followed by real time confocal microscopies. Also opticaly trapped living protozoas, such as leishmania amazonensis. Integration with CARS microscopy is under way. We will show several examples of the use of such integrated instrument and its potential to observe mechanical and biochemical processes at cell level.

Engineering dynamical control of cell fate switching using synthetic phospho-regulons

PubMed Central

Gordley, Russell M.; Williams, Reid E.; Bashor, Caleb J.; Toettcher, Jared E.; Yan, Shude; Lim, Wendell A.

2016-01-01

Many cells can sense and respond to time-varying stimuli, selectively triggering changes in cell fate only in response to inputs of a particular duration or frequency. A common motif in dynamically controlled cells is a dual-timescale regulatory network: although long-term fate decisions are ultimately controlled by a slow-timescale switch (e.g., gene expression), input signals are first processed by a fast-timescale signaling layer, which is hypothesized to filter what dynamic information is efficiently relayed downstream. Directly testing the design principles of how dual-timescale circuits control dynamic sensing, however, has been challenging, because most synthetic biology methods have focused solely on rewiring transcriptional circuits, which operate at a single slow timescale. Here, we report the development of a modular approach for flexibly engineering phosphorylation circuits using designed phospho-regulon motifs. By then linking rapid phospho-feedback with slower downstream transcription-based bistable switches, we can construct synthetic dual-timescale circuits in yeast in which the triggering dynamics and the end-state properties of the ON state can be selectively tuned. These phospho-regulon tools thus open up the possibility to engineer cells with customized dynamical control. PMID:27821768

The combination of decoy receptor 3 and soluble triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells-1 for the diagnosis of nosocomial bacterial meningitis.

PubMed

Liu, Yong-Juan; Shao, Li-Hua; Zhang, Jian; Fu, Shan-Ji; Wang, Gang; Chen, Feng-Zhe; Zheng, Feng; Ma, Rui-Ping; Liu, Hai-Hong; Dong, Xiao-Meng; Ma, Li-Xian

2015-03-23

Early diagnosis and appropriate antibiotic treatment can significantly reduce mortality of nosocomial bacterial meningitis. However, it is a challenge for clinicians to make an accurate and rapid diagnosis of bacterial meningitis. This study aimed at determining whether combined biomarkers can provide a useful tool for the diagnosis of bacterial meningitis. A retrospective study was carried out. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) levels of decoy receptor 3 (DcR3) and soluble triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells-1 (sTREM-1) were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The patients with bacterial meningitis had significantly elevated levels of the above mentioned biomarkers. The two biomarkers were all risk factors with bacterial meningitis. The biomarkers were constructed into a "bioscore". The discriminative performance of the bioscore was better than that of each biomarker, with an area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC) of 0.842 (95% confidence intervals (CI) 0.770-0.914; p< 0.001). Combined measurement of CSF DcR3 and sTREM-1 concentrations improved the prediction of nosocomial bacterial meningitis. The combined strategy is of interest and the validation of that improvement needs further studies.

Is detection of adverse events affected by record review methodology? an evaluation of the "Harvard Medical Practice Study" method and the "Global Trigger Tool".

PubMed

Unbeck, Maria; Schildmeijer, Kristina; Henriksson, Peter; Jürgensen, Urban; Muren, Olav; Nilsson, Lena; Pukk Härenstam, Karin

2013-04-15

There has been a theoretical debate as to which retrospective record review method is the most valid, reliable, cost efficient and feasible for detecting adverse events. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the feasibility and capability of two common retrospective record review methods, the "Harvard Medical Practice Study" method and the "Global Trigger Tool" in detecting adverse events in adult orthopaedic inpatients. We performed a three-stage structured retrospective record review process in a random sample of 350 orthopaedic admissions during 2009 at a Swedish university hospital. Two teams comprised each of a registered nurse and two physicians were assigned, one to each method. All records were primarily reviewed by registered nurses. Records containing a potential adverse event were forwarded to physicians for review in stage 2. Physicians made an independent review regarding, for example, healthcare causation, preventability and severity. In the third review stage all adverse events that were found with the two methods together were compared and all discrepancies after review stage 2 were analysed. Events that had not been identified by one of the methods in the first two review stages were reviewed by the respective physicians. Altogether, 160 different adverse events were identified in 105 (30.0%) of the 350 records with both methods combined. The "Harvard Medical Practice Study" method identified 155 of the 160 (96.9%, 95% CI: 92.9-99.0) adverse events in 104 (29.7%) records compared with 137 (85.6%, 95% CI: 79.2-90.7) adverse events in 98 (28.0%) records using the "Global Trigger Tool". Adverse events "causing harm without permanent disability" accounted for most of the observed difference. The overall positive predictive value for criteria and triggers using the "Harvard Medical Practice Study" method and the "Global Trigger Tool" was 40.3% and 30.4%, respectively. More adverse events were identified using the "Harvard Medical Practice Study" method than using the "Global Trigger Tool". Differences in review methodology, perception of less severe adverse events and context knowledge may explain the observed difference between two expert review teams in the detection of adverse events.

Using the Seismic Amplitude Decay of Low-Frequency Events to Constrain Magma Properties.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith, P. J.; Neuberg, J. W.

2007-12-01

Low-frequency events are considered a key part of volcanic monitoring, as they are one of the few tools available that can link surface observations directly to internal volcanic processes and properties. Our model for their generation on the Soufrière Hills Volcano, Montserrat, is brittle fracturing of the magma at the conduit walls, providing the seismic trigger mechanism, followed by conduit resonance. The attenuation of seismic waves in a viscous magma is highly dependent on the properties of the attenuating material, in particular the viscous friction, controlled by the melt viscosity, gas content and diffusivity. Therefore we can use the seismicity to gain information on these magma properties. This research uses a two-dimensional viscoelastic finite-difference model, with the attenuative behaviour of the magma parameterised by an array of Standard Linear Solids. By examining the relationship between the amplitude decay of the synthetic low-frequency events, the intrinsic attenuation and the elastic parameter contrast, this research aims to link observables such as amplitude decay of the coda directly to properties such as the magma viscosity.

Trigger Event Meets Culture Shock: Linking the Literature of Transformative Learning Theory and Cross-Cultural Adaptation.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lyon, Carol R.

The literature on transformative learning theory and the literature on cross-cultural adaptation were analyzed to identify links between both bodies of literature. The notion of an unexpected phenomenon that influences individuals residing in an unfamiliar culture was shown to be a common thread linking the two bodies of literature. Transformative…

Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR): a flow-like mental state

PubMed Central

Barratt, Emma L.

2015-01-01

Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR) is a previously unstudied sensory phenomenon, in which individuals experience a tingling, static-like sensation across the scalp, back of the neck and at times further areas in response to specific triggering audio and visual stimuli. This sensation is widely reported to be accompanied by feelings of relaxation and well-being. The current study identifies several common triggers used to achieve ASMR, including whispering, personal attention, crisp sounds and slow movements. Data obtained also illustrates temporary improvements in symptoms of depression and chronic pain in those who engage in ASMR. A high prevalence of synaesthesia (5.9%) within the sample suggests a possible link between ASMR and synaesthesia, similar to that of misophonia. Links between number of effective triggers and heightened flow state suggest that flow may be necessary to achieve sensations associated with ASMR. PMID:25834771

Oxygen, ecology, and the Cambrian radiation of animals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sperling, Erik A.; Frieder, Christina A.; Raman, Akkur V.; Girguis, Peter R.; Levin, Lisa A.; Knoll, Andrew H.

2013-08-01

The Proterozoic-Cambrian transition records the appearance of essentially all animal body plans (phyla), yet to date no single hypothesis adequately explains both the timing of the event and the evident increase in diversity and disparity. Ecological triggers focused on escalatory predator-prey "arms races" can explain the evolutionary pattern but not its timing, whereas environmental triggers, particularly ocean/atmosphere oxygenation, do the reverse. Using modern oxygen minimum zones as an analog for Proterozoic oceans, we explore the effect of low oxygen levels on the feeding ecology of polychaetes, the dominant macrofaunal animals in deep-sea sediments. Here we show that low oxygen is clearly linked to low proportions of carnivores in a community and low diversity of carnivorous taxa, whereas higher oxygen levels support more complex food webs. The recognition of a physiological control on carnivory therefore links environmental triggers and ecological drivers, providing an integrated explanation for both the pattern and timing of Cambrian animal radiation.

Poetry in teaching pharmacology: Exploring the possibilities.

PubMed

Kalra, Juhi; Singh, Satendra; Badyal, Dinesh; Barua, Purnima; Sharma, Taruna; Dhasmana, Dinesh Chandra; Singh, Tejinder

2016-10-01

To explore poetry as a tool for active learning in linking knowledge and affective domains and to find if correlating learning with imagination can be used in "assessment for learning." After taking a conventional lecture on Asthma, a creative writing assignment in the form of poetry writing was given to the students. Different triggers were given to the students to channelize their thought pattern in a given direction that was linked to specific areas of academic relevance. Students were asked to reflect on this learning experience and the faculty was asked to evaluate the student assignment on a 5-point Likert scale. Most student groups scored well in the "overall assessment" of creative assignments and were rated as good or fair by the faculty. Students reflections were very informative and revealed that more than 90% of the students liked the exercise and many were too exuberant and liberal with emotional reactions that breathed positive. Around 5% students found the exercise average and another 5% found it very childish. Poetry writing turned out to be like a simulation exercise that linked academic knowledge, creativity, and the affective domain in an assumed scenario, rehearsed in free locales of mind. The metaphorical transition embedded in its subtle creation helped assess deeper understanding of the subject and the logical sequence of thought pattern.

Functionality of Triggers for Epilepsy Patients Assessed by Text and Data Mining of Medical and Nursing Records.

PubMed

Kivekäs, Eija; Kinnunen, Ulla-Mari; Paananen, Pekka; Kälviäinen, Reetta; Haatainen, Kaisa; Saranto, Kaija

2016-01-01

A trigger is a powerful tool for identifying adverse events to measure the level of any kind of harm caused in patient care. Studies with epilepsy patients have illustrated that using triggers as a methodology with data mining may increase patient well-being. The purpose of this study is to test the functionality and validity of the previously defined triggers to describe the status of epilepsy patient's well-being. In both medical and nursing data, the triggers described patients' well-being comprehensively. The narratives showed that there was overlapping in triggers. The preliminary results of triggers encourage us to develop some reminders to the documentation of epilepsy patient well-being. These provide healthcare professionals with further and more detailed information when necessary.

Ecohydrological consequences of drought- and infestation-triggered tree die-off: Insights and hypotheses

Treesearch

Henry D. Adams; Charles H. Luce; David D. Breshears; Craig D. Allen; Markus Weiler; V. Cody Hale; Alistair M. S. Smith; Travis E. Huxman

2012-01-01

Widespread, rapid, drought-, and infestation-triggered tree mortality is emerging as a phenomenon affecting forests globally and may be linked to increasing temperatures and drought frequency and severity. The ecohydrological consequences of forest die-off have been little studied and remain highly uncertain. To explore this knowledge gap, we apply the extensive...

The ISIS project: Fault-tolerance in large distributed systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Birman, Kenneth P.; Marzullo, Keith

1990-01-01

The semi-annual status report covers activities of the ISIS project during the second half of 1989. The project had several independent objectives: (1) At the level of the ISIS Toolkit, ISIS release V2.0 was completed, containing bypass communication protocols. Performance of the system is greatly enhanced by this change, but the initial software release is limited in some respects. (2) The Meta project focused on the definition of the Lomita programming language for specifying rules that monitor sensors for conditions of interest and triggering appropriate reactions. This design was completed, and implementation of Lomita is underway on the Meta 2.0 platform. (3) The Deceit file system effort completed a prototype. It is planned to make Deceit available for use in two hospital information systems. (4) A long-haul communication subsystem project was completed and can be used as part of ISIS. This effort resulted in tools for linking ISIS systems on different LANs together over long-haul communications lines. (5) Magic Lantern, a graphical tool for building application monitoring and control interfaces, is included as part of the general ISIS releases.

Trifunctional lipid probes for comprehensive studies of single lipid species in living cells

PubMed Central

Nadler, André; Haberkant, Per; Kirkpatrick, Joanna; Schifferer, Martina; Stein, Frank; Hauke, Sebastian; Porter, Forbes D.; Schultz, Carsten

2017-01-01

Lipid-mediated signaling events regulate many cellular processes. Investigations of the complex underlying mechanisms are difficult because several different methods need to be used under varying conditions. Here we introduce multifunctional lipid derivatives to study lipid metabolism, lipid−protein interactions, and intracellular lipid localization with a single tool per target lipid. The probes are equipped with two photoreactive groups to allow photoliberation (uncaging) and photo–cross-linking in a sequential manner, as well as a click-handle for subsequent functionalization. We demonstrate the versatility of the design for the signaling lipids sphingosine and diacylglycerol; uncaging of the probe for these two species triggered calcium signaling and intracellular protein translocation events, respectively. We performed proteomic screens to map the lipid-interacting proteome for both lipids. Finally, we visualized a sphingosine transport deficiency in patient-derived Niemann−Pick disease type C fibroblasts by fluorescence as well as correlative light and electron microscopy, pointing toward the diagnostic potential of such tools. We envision that this type of probe will become important for analyzing and ultimately understanding lipid signaling events in a comprehensive manner. PMID:28154130

ATLAS trigger operations: Upgrades to ``Xmon'' rate prediction system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Myers, Ava; Aukerman, Andrew; Hong, Tae Min; Atlas Collaboration

2017-01-01

We present ``Xmon,'' a tool to monitor trigger rates in the Control Room of the ATLAS Experiment. We discuss Xmon's recent (1) updates, (2) upgrades, and (3) operations. (1) Xmon was updated to modify the tool written for the three-level trigger architecture in Run-1 (2009-2012) to adapt to the new two-level system for Run-2 (2015-current). The tool takes as input the beam luminosity to make a rate prediction, which is compared with incoming rates to detect anomalies that occur both globally throughout a run and locally within a run. Global offsets are more commonly caught by the predictions based upon past runs, where offline processing allows for function adjustments and fit quality through outlier rejection. (2) Xmon was upgraded to detect local offsets using on-the-fly predictions, which uses a sliding window of in-run rates to make predictions. (3) Xmon operations examples are given. Future work involves further automation of the steps to provide the predictive functions and for alerting shifters.

Epstein-Barr virus and rheumatoid arthritis: is there a link?

PubMed

Costenbader, Karen H; Karlson, Elizabeth W

2006-01-01

Rheumatoid arthritis is a systemic autoimmune disease characterized by chronic, destructive, debilitating arthritis. Its etiology is unknown; it is presumed that environmental factors trigger development in the genetically predisposed. Epstein-Barr virus, a nearly ubiquitous virus in the human population, has generated great interest as a potential trigger. This virus stimulates polyclonal lymphocyte expansion and persists within B lymphocytes for the host's life, inhibited from reactivating by the immune response. In latent and replicating forms, it has immunomodulating actions that could play a role in the development of this autoimmune disease. The evidence linking Epstein-Barr virus and rheumatoid arthritis is reviewed.

Epstein–Barr virus and rheumatoid arthritis: is there a link?

PubMed Central

Costenbader, Karen H; Karlson, Elizabeth W

2006-01-01

Rheumatoid arthritis is a systemic autoimmune disease characterized by chronic, destructive, debilitating arthritis. Its etiology is unknown; it is presumed that environmental factors trigger development in the genetically predisposed. Epstein–Barr virus, a nearly ubiquitous virus in the human population, has generated great interest as a potential trigger. This virus stimulates polyclonal lymphocyte expansion and persists within B lymphocytes for the host's life, inhibited from reactivating by the immune response. In latent and replicating forms, it has immunomodulating actions that could play a role in the development of this autoimmune disease. The evidence linking Epstein–Barr virus and rheumatoid arthritis is reviewed. PMID:16542469

The latency validation of the optical link for the ATLAS Liquid Argon Calorimeter Phase-I trigger upgrade

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deng, B.; Xiao, L.; Zhao, X.; Baker, E.; Gong, D.; Guo, D.; He, H.; Hou, S.; Liu, C.; Liu, T.; Sun, Q.; Thomas, J.; Wang, J.; Xiang, A. C.; Yang, D.; Ye, J.; Zhou, W.

2018-05-01

Two optical data link data transmission Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs), the baseline and its backup, have been designed for the ATLAS Liquid Argon (LAr) Calorimeter Phase-I trigger upgrade. The latency of each ASIC and that of its corresponding receiver implemented in a back-end Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) are critical specifications. In this paper, we present the latency measurements and simulation of two ASICs. The measurement results indicate that both ASICs achieve their design goals and meet the latency specifications. The consistency between the simulation and measurements validates the ASIC latency characterization.

Event-triggered consensus tracking of multi-agent systems with Lur'e nonlinear dynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Na; Duan, Zhisheng; Wen, Guanghui; Zhao, Yu

2016-05-01

In this paper, distributed consensus tracking problem for networked Lur'e systems is investigated based on event-triggered information interactions. An event-triggered control algorithm is designed with the advantages of reducing controller update frequency and sensor energy consumption. By using tools of ?-procedure and Lyapunov functional method, some sufficient conditions are derived to guarantee that consensus tracking is achieved under a directed communication topology. Meanwhile, it is shown that Zeno behaviour of triggering time sequences is excluded for the proposed event-triggered rule. Finally, some numerical simulations on coupled Chua's circuits are performed to illustrate the effectiveness of the theoretical algorithms.

The Run-up to Volcanic Eruption Unveiled by Forensic Petrology and Geophysical Observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rasmussen, D. J.; Plank, T. A.; Roman, D. C.

2017-12-01

Volcanoes often warn of impending eruptions. However, one of the greatest challenges in volcano research is translating precursory geophysical signals into physical magmatic processes. Petrology offers powerful tools to study eruption run-up that benefit from direct response to magmatic forcings. Developing these tools, and tying them to geophysical observations, will help us identify eruption triggers (e.g., magmatic recharge, gas build-up, tectonic events) and understand the significance of monitored signals of unrest. We present an overview of petrologic tools used for studying eruption run-up, highlighting results from our study of the 1999 eruption of Shishaldin volcano. Olivine crystals contain chemical gradients, the consequence of diffusion following magma mixing events, which is modeled to determine mixing timescales. Modeled timescales provide strong evidence for at least three mixing events, which were triggered by magmatic recharge. Petrologic barometers indicate these events occurred at very shallow depths (within the volcanic edifice). The first mixing event occurred nine months before eruption, which was signaled by a swarm of deep-long period earthquake. Minor recharge events followed over two months, which are indicated by a second deep-long period earthquake swarm and a change in the local stress orientation measured by shear-wave splitting. Following these events, the system was relatively quiet until a large mixing event occurred 45 days prior to eruption, which was heralded by a large earthquake (M5.2). Following this event, geophysical signals of unrest intensified and became continuous. The final mixing event, beginning roughly a week before eruption, represents the final perturbation to the system before eruption. Our findings point to a relatively long run-up, which was subtle at first and intensified several weeks before eruption. This study highlights the strong link between geophysical signals of volcanic unrest and magmatic events, and helps open the door for the application of forensic petrology to unmonitored eruptions.

Which Triggers Produce the Most Erosive, Frequent, and Longest Runout Turbidity Currents on Deltas?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hizzett, J. L.; Hughes Clarke, J. E.; Sumner, E. J.; Cartigny, M. J. B.; Talling, P. J.; Clare, M. A.

2018-01-01

Subaerial rivers and turbidity currents are the two most voluminous sediment transport processes on our planet, and it is important to understand how they are linked offshore from river mouths. Previously, it was thought that slope failures or direct plunging of river floodwater (hyperpycnal flow) dominated the triggering of turbidity currents on delta fronts. Here we reanalyze the most detailed time-lapse monitoring yet of a submerged delta; comprising 93 surveys of the Squamish Delta in British Columbia, Canada. We show that most turbidity currents are triggered by settling of sediment from dilute surface river plumes, rather than landslides or hyperpycnal flows. Turbidity currents triggered by settling plumes occur frequently, run out as far as landslide-triggered events, and cause the greatest changes to delta and lobe morphology. For the first time, we show that settling from surface plumes can dominate the triggering of hazardous submarine flows and offshore sediment fluxes.

Causes and Triggers

MedlinePlus

... Seborrheic Dermatitis in Children Treatment For Children Eczema & Child Development Tools for School Living Well Resources Eczema and ... Seborrheic Dermatitis in Children Treatment For Children Eczema & Child Development Tools for School Living Well Resources Eczema and ...

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.

The perfectionism model of binge eating: testing unique contributions, mediating mechanisms, and cross-cultural similarities using a daily diary methodology.

PubMed

Sherry, Simon B; Sabourin, Brigitte C; Hall, Peter A; Hewitt, Paul L; Flett, Gordon L; Gralnick, Tara M

2014-12-01

The perfectionism model of binge eating (PMOBE) is an integrative model explaining the link between perfectionism and binge eating. This model proposes socially prescribed perfectionism confers risk for binge eating by generating exposure to 4 putative binge triggers: interpersonal discrepancies, low interpersonal esteem, depressive affect, and dietary restraint. The present study addresses important gaps in knowledge by testing if these 4 binge triggers uniquely predict changes in binge eating on a daily basis and if daily variations in each binge trigger mediate the link between socially prescribed perfectionism and daily binge eating. Analyses also tested if proposed mediational models generalized across Asian and European Canadians. The PMOBE was tested in 566 undergraduate women using a 7-day daily diary methodology. Depressive affect predicted binge eating, whereas anxious affect did not. Each binge trigger uniquely contributed to binge eating on a daily basis. All binge triggers except for dietary restraint mediated the relationship between socially prescribed perfectionism and change in daily binge eating. Results suggested cross-cultural similarities, with the PMOBE applying to both Asian and European Canadian women. The present study advances understanding of the personality traits and the contextual conditions accompanying binge eating and provides an important step toward improving treatments for people suffering from eating binges and associated negative consequences.

Commissioning of the upgraded CSC Endcap Muon Port Cards at CMS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ecklund, K.; Liu, J.; Madorsky, A.; Matveev, M.; Michlin, B.; Padley, P.; Rorie, J.

2016-01-01

There are 180 1.6 Gbps optical links from 60 Muon Port Cards (MPC) to the Cathode Strip Chamber Track Finder (CSCTF) in the original system. Before the upgrade each MPC was able to provide up to three trigger primitives from a cluster of nine CSC chambers to the Level 1 CSCTF. With an LHC luminosity increase to 1035 cm-2s-1 at full energy of 7 TeV/beam, the simulation studies suggest that we can expect two or three times more trigger primitives per bunch crossing from the front-end electronics. To comply with this requirement, the MPC, CSCTF, and optical cables need to be upgraded. The upgraded MPC allows transmission of up to 18 trigger primitives from the peripheral crate. This feature would allow searches for physics signatures of muon jets that require more trigger primitives per trigger sector. At the same time, it is very desirable to preserve all the old optical links for compatibility with the older Track Finder during transition period at the beginning of Run 2. Installation of the upgraded MPC boards and the new optical cables has been completed at the CMS detector in the summer of 2014. We describe the final design of the new MPC mezzanine FPGA, its firmware, and results of tests in laboratory and in situ with the old and new CSCTF boards.

Channel CAT: A Tactical Link Analysis Tool

DTIC Science & Technology

1997-09-01

NAVAL POSTGRADUATE SCHOOL Monterey, California THESIS CHANNEL CAT : A TACTICAL LINK ANALYSIS TOOL by Michael Glenn Coleman September 1997 Thesis...REPORT TYPE AND DATES COVERED September 1997 Master’s Thesis 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE CHANNEL CAT : A TACTICAL LINK ANALYSIS TOOL 5. FUNDING NUMBERS 6...tool, the Channel Capacity Analysis Tool (Channel CAT ), designed to provide an automated tool for the anlysis of design decisions in developing client

Oxygen, ecology, and the Cambrian radiation of animals

PubMed Central

Sperling, Erik A.; Frieder, Christina A.; Raman, Akkur V.; Girguis, Peter R.; Levin, Lisa A.; Knoll, Andrew H.

2013-01-01

The Proterozoic-Cambrian transition records the appearance of essentially all animal body plans (phyla), yet to date no single hypothesis adequately explains both the timing of the event and the evident increase in diversity and disparity. Ecological triggers focused on escalatory predator–prey “arms races” can explain the evolutionary pattern but not its timing, whereas environmental triggers, particularly ocean/atmosphere oxygenation, do the reverse. Using modern oxygen minimum zones as an analog for Proterozoic oceans, we explore the effect of low oxygen levels on the feeding ecology of polychaetes, the dominant macrofaunal animals in deep-sea sediments. Here we show that low oxygen is clearly linked to low proportions of carnivores in a community and low diversity of carnivorous taxa, whereas higher oxygen levels support more complex food webs. The recognition of a physiological control on carnivory therefore links environmental triggers and ecological drivers, providing an integrated explanation for both the pattern and timing of Cambrian animal radiation. PMID:23898193

Phenotyping for patient safety: algorithm development for electronic health record based automated adverse event and medical error detection in neonatal intensive care.

PubMed

Li, Qi; Melton, Kristin; Lingren, Todd; Kirkendall, Eric S; Hall, Eric; Zhai, Haijun; Ni, Yizhao; Kaiser, Megan; Stoutenborough, Laura; Solti, Imre

2014-01-01

Although electronic health records (EHRs) have the potential to provide a foundation for quality and safety algorithms, few studies have measured their impact on automated adverse event (AE) and medical error (ME) detection within the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) environment. This paper presents two phenotyping AE and ME detection algorithms (ie, IV infiltrations, narcotic medication oversedation and dosing errors) and describes manual annotation of airway management and medication/fluid AEs from NICU EHRs. From 753 NICU patient EHRs from 2011, we developed two automatic AE/ME detection algorithms, and manually annotated 11 classes of AEs in 3263 clinical notes. Performance of the automatic AE/ME detection algorithms was compared to trigger tool and voluntary incident reporting results. AEs in clinical notes were double annotated and consensus achieved under neonatologist supervision. Sensitivity, positive predictive value (PPV), and specificity are reported. Twelve severe IV infiltrates were detected. The algorithm identified one more infiltrate than the trigger tool and eight more than incident reporting. One narcotic oversedation was detected demonstrating 100% agreement with the trigger tool. Additionally, 17 narcotic medication MEs were detected, an increase of 16 cases over voluntary incident reporting. Automated AE/ME detection algorithms provide higher sensitivity and PPV than currently used trigger tools or voluntary incident-reporting systems, including identification of potential dosing and frequency errors that current methods are unequipped to detect. 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.

A binary link tracker for the BaBar level 1 trigger system

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

Berenyi, A.; Chen, H.K.; Dao, K.

1999-08-01

The BaBar detector at PEP-II will operate in a high-luminosity e{sup +}e{sup {minus}} collider environment near the {Upsilon}(4S) resonance with the primary goal of studying CP violation in the B meson system. In this environment, typical physics events of interest involve multiple charged particles. These events are identified by counting these tracks in a fast first level (Level 1) trigger system, by reconstructing the tracks in real time. For this purpose, a Binary Link Tracker Module (BLTM) was designed and fabricated for the BaBar Level 1 Drift Chamber trigger system. The BLTM is responsible for linking track segments, constructed bymore » the Track Segment Finder Modules (TSFM), into complete tracks. A single BLTM module processes a 360 MBytes/s stream of segment hit data, corresponding to information from the entire Drift Chamber, and implements a fast and robust algorithm that tolerates high hit occupancies as well as local inefficiencies of the Drift Chamber. The algorithms and the necessary control logic of the BLTM were implemented in Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs), using the VHDL hardware description language. The finished 9U x 400 mm Euro-format board contains roughly 75,000 gates of programmable logic or about 10,000 lines of VHDL code synthesized into five FPGAs.« less

Broken Links Tools

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Some of these tools can be used on Drupal pages that are not published yet, or on non-Drupal content. Some, such as the Bookmarklet tools, can help make checking and correcting your links easier when used alongside Drupal's link reports.

Acid-triggered core cross-linked nanomicelles for targeted drug delivery and magnetic resonance imaging in liver cancer cells

PubMed Central

Li, Xian; Li, Hao; Yi, Wei; Chen, Jianyu; Liang, Biling

2013-01-01

Purpose To research the acid-triggered core cross-linked folate-poly(ethylene glycol)-b-poly[N-(N′,N′-diisopropylaminoethyl) glutamine] (folated-PEG-P[GA-DIP]) amphiphilic block copolymer for targeted drug delivery and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in liver cancer cells. Methods As an appropriate receptor of protons, the N,N-diisopropyl tertiary amine group (DIP) was chosen to conjugate with the side carboxyl groups of poly(ethylene glycol)-b-poly (L-glutamic acid) to obtain PEG-P(GA-DIP) amphiphilic block copolymers. By ultrasonic emulsification, PEG-P(GA-DIP) could be self-assembled to form nanosized micelles loading doxorubicin (DOX) and superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) in aqueous solution. When PEG-P(GA-DIP) nanomicelles were combined with folic acid, the targeted effect of folated-PEG-P(GA-DIP) nanomicelles was evident in the fluorescence and MRI results. Results To further increase the loading efficiency and the cell-uptake of encapsulated drugs (DOX and SPIONs), DIP (pKa≈6.3) groups were linked with ~50% of the side carboxyl groups of poly(L-glutamic acid) (PGA), to generate the core cross-linking under neutral or weakly acidic conditions. Under the acidic condition (eg, endosome/lysosome), the carboxyl groups were neutralized to facilitate disassembly of the P(GA-DIP) blocks’ cross-linking, for duly accelerating the encapsulated drug release. Combined with the tumor-targeting effect of folic acid, specific drug delivery to the liver cancer cells and MRI diagnosis of these cells were greatly enhanced. Conclusion Acid-triggered and folate-decorated nanomicelles encapsulating SPIONs and DOX, facilitate the targeted MRI diagnosis and therapeutic effects in tumors. PMID:23976852

LinkedIn as a Learning Tool in Business Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cooper, Brett; Naatus, Mary Kate

2014-01-01

This article summarizes the existing research on social media as a learning tool in higher education and adds to the literature on incorporating social media tools into collegiate business education by suggesting specific course content areas of business where LinkedIn exercises and training can be incorporated. LinkedIn as a classroom tool cannot…

Poetry in teaching pharmacology: Exploring the possibilities

PubMed Central

Kalra, Juhi; Singh, Satendra; Badyal, Dinesh; Barua, Purnima; Sharma, Taruna; Dhasmana, Dinesh Chandra; Singh, Tejinder

2016-01-01

Objectives: To explore poetry as a tool for active learning in linking knowledge and affective domains and to find if correlating learning with imagination can be used in “assessment for learning.” Materials and Methods: After taking a conventional lecture on Asthma, a creative writing assignment in the form of poetry writing was given to the students. Different triggers were given to the students to channelize their thought pattern in a given direction that was linked to specific areas of academic relevance. Students were asked to reflect on this learning experience and the faculty was asked to evaluate the student assignment on a 5-point Likert scale. Results: Most student groups scored well in the “overall assessment” of creative assignments and were rated as good or fair by the faculty. Students reflections were very informative and revealed that more than 90% of the students liked the exercise and many were too exuberant and liberal with emotional reactions that breathed positive. Around 5% students found the exercise average and another 5% found it very childish. Conclusion: Poetry writing turned out to be like a simulation exercise that linked academic knowledge, creativity, and the affective domain in an assumed scenario, rehearsed in free locales of mind. The metaphorical transition embedded in its subtle creation helped assess deeper understanding of the subject and the logical sequence of thought pattern. PMID:28031611

Graphical processors for HEP trigger systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ammendola, R.; Biagioni, A.; Chiozzi, S.; Cotta Ramusino, A.; Di Lorenzo, S.; Fantechi, R.; Fiorini, M.; Frezza, O.; Lamanna, G.; Lo Cicero, F.; Lonardo, A.; Martinelli, M.; Neri, I.; Paolucci, P. S.; Pastorelli, E.; Piandani, R.; Pontisso, L.; Rossetti, D.; Simula, F.; Sozzi, M.; Vicini, P.

2017-02-01

General-purpose computing on GPUs is emerging as a new paradigm in several fields of science, although so far applications have been tailored to employ GPUs as accelerators in offline computations. With the steady decrease of GPU latencies and the increase in link and memory throughputs, time is ripe for real-time applications using GPUs in high-energy physics data acquisition and trigger systems. We will discuss the use of online parallel computing on GPUs for synchronous low level trigger systems, focusing on tests performed on the trigger of the CERN NA62 experiment. Latencies of all components need analysing, networking being the most critical. To keep it under control, we envisioned NaNet, an FPGA-based PCIe Network Interface Card (NIC) enabling GPUDirect connection. Moreover, we discuss how specific trigger algorithms can be parallelised and thus benefit from a GPU implementation, in terms of increased execution speed. Such improvements are particularly relevant for the foreseen LHC luminosity upgrade where highly selective algorithms will be crucial to maintain sustainable trigger rates with very high pileup.

Headaches: a Review of the Role of Dietary Factors.

PubMed

Zaeem, Zoya; Zhou, Lily; Dilli, Esma

2016-11-01

Dietary triggers are commonly reported by patients with a variety of headaches, particularly those with migraines. The presence of any specific dietary trigger in migraine patients varies from 10 to 64 % depending on study population and methodology. Some foods trigger headache within an hour while others develop within 12 h post ingestion. Alcohol (especially red wine and beer), chocolate, caffeine, dairy products such as aged cheese, food preservatives with nitrates and nitrites, monosodium glutamate (MSG), and artificial sweeteners such as aspartame have all been studied as migraine triggers in the past. This review focuses the evidence linking these compounds to headache and examines the prevalence of these triggers from prior population-based studies. Recent literature surrounding headache related to fasting and weight loss as well as elimination diets based on serum food antibody testing will also be summarized to help physicians recommend low-risk, non-pharmacological adjunctive therapies for patients with debilitating headaches.

A Cross-Layer User Centric Vertical Handover Decision Approach Based on MIH Local Triggers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rehan, Maaz; Yousaf, Muhammad; Qayyum, Amir; Malik, Shahzad

Vertical handover decision algorithm that is based on user preferences and coupled with Media Independent Handover (MIH) local triggers have not been explored much in the literature. We have developed a comprehensive cross-layer solution, called Vertical Handover Decision (VHOD) approach, which consists of three parts viz. mechanism for collecting and storing user preferences, Vertical Handover Decision (VHOD) algorithm and the MIH Function (MIHF). MIHF triggers the VHOD algorithm which operates on user preferences to issue handover commands to mobility management protocol. VHOD algorithm is an MIH User and therefore needs to subscribe events and configure thresholds for receiving triggers from MIHF. In this regard, we have performed experiments in WLAN to suggest thresholds for Link Going Down trigger. We have also critically evaluated the handover decision process, proposed Just-in-time interface activation technique, compared our proposed approach with prominent user centric approaches and analyzed our approach from different aspects.

Plant immunity: a lesson from pathogenic bacterial effector proteins.

PubMed

Cui, Haitao; Xiang, Tingting; Zhou, Jian-Min

2009-10-01

Phytopathogenic bacteria inject an array of effector proteins into host cells to alter host physiology and assist the infection process. Some of these effectors can also trigger disease resistance as a result of recognition in the plant cell by cytoplasmic immune receptors. In addition to effector-triggered immunity, plants immunity can be triggered upon the detection of Pathogen/Microbe-Associated Molecular Patterns by surface-localized immune receptors. Recent progress indicates that many bacterial effector proteins use a variety of biochemical properties to directly attack key components of PAMP-triggered immunity and effector-triggered immunity, providing new insights into the molecular basis of plant innate immunity. Emerging evidence indicate that the evolution of disease resistance in plants is intimately linked to the mechanism by which bacterial effectors promote parasitism. This review focuses on how these studies have conceptually advanced our understanding of plant-pathogen interactions.

Linking Exploration and Exploitation: How a Think Tank Triggers a Managerial Innovation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Frost, Jetta; Vogel, Rick

2008-01-01

In this article, we focus on think tanks as intermediaries between exploration and exploitation. To underpin our theoretical arguments on their linking function between both domains, we conducted a case study. The object of investigation is a think tank which has played a decisive role in the modernisation of the German public sector. The…

Cytosolic calcium rises and related events in ergosterol-treated Nicotiana cells.

PubMed

Vatsa, Parul; Chiltz, Annick; Luini, Estelle; Vandelle, Elodie; Pugin, Alain; Roblin, Gabriel

2011-07-01

The typical fungal membrane component ergosterol was previously shown to trigger defence responses and protect plants against pathogens. Most of the elicitors mobilize the second messenger calcium, to trigger plant defences. We checked the involvement of calcium in response to ergosterol using Nicotiana plumbaginifolia and Nicotiana tabacum cv Xanthi cells expressing apoaequorin in the cytosol. First, it was verified if ergosterol was efficient in these cells inducing modifications of proton fluxes and increased expression of defence-related genes. Then, it was shown that ergosterol induced a rapid and transient biphasic increase of free [Ca²⁺](cyt) which intensity depends on ergosterol concentration in the range 0.002-10 μM. Among sterols, this calcium mobilization was specific for ergosterol and, ergosterol-induced pH and [Ca²⁺](cyt) changes were specifically desensitized after two subsequent applications of ergosterol. Specific modulators allowed elucidating some events in the signalling pathway triggered by ergosterol. The action of BAPTA, LaCl₃, nifedipine, verapamil, neomycin, U73122 and ruthenium red suggested that the first phase was linked to calcium influx from external medium which subsequently triggered the second phase linked to calcium release from internal stores. The calcium influx and the [Ca²⁺](cyt) increase depended on upstream protein phosphorylation. The extracellular alkalinization and ROS production depended on calcium influx but, the ergosterol-induced MAPK activation was calcium-independent. ROS were not involved in cytosolic calcium rise as described in other models, indicating that ROS do not systematically participate in the amplification of calcium signalling. Interestingly, ergosterol-induced ROS production is not linked to cell death and ergosterol does not induce any calcium elevation in the nucleus. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Trigger readout electronics upgrade for the ATLAS Liquid Argon Calorimeters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dinkespiler, B.

2017-09-01

The upgrade of the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) scheduled for the 2019-2020 shut-down period, referred to as Phase-I upgrade, will increase the instantaneous luminosity to about three times the design value. Since the current ATLAS trigger system does not allow sufficient increase of the trigger rate, an improvement of the trigger system is required. The Liquid Argon (LAr) Calorimeter read-out will therefore be modified to deliver digital trigger signals with a higher spatial granularity in order to improve the identification efficiencies of electrons, photons, tau, jets and missing energy, at high background rejection rates at the Level-1 trigger. The new trigger signals will be arranged in 34000 so-called Super Cells which achieves 5-10 times better granularity than the trigger towers currently used and allows an improved background rejection. The readout of the trigger signals will process the signal of the Super Cells at every LHC bunch-crossing at 12-bit precision and a frequency of 40 MHz. The data will be transmitted to the Back End using a custom serializer and optical converter and 5.12 Gb/s optical links. In order to verify the full functionality of the future Liquid Argon trigger system, a demonstrator set-up has been installed on the ATLAS detector and is operated in parallel to the regular ATLAS data taking during the LHC Run-2 in 2015 and 2016. Noise level and linearity on the energy measurement have been verified to be within our requirements. In addition, we have collected data from 13 TeV proton collisions during the LHC 2015 and 2016 runs, and have observed real pulses from the detector through the demonstrator system. The talk will give an overview of the Phase-I Upgrade of the ATLAS Liquid Argon Calorimeter readout and present the custom developed hardware including their role in real-time data processing and fast data transfer. This contribution will also report on the performance of the newly developed ASICs including their radiation tolerance and on the performance of the prototype boards in the demonstrator system based on various measurements with the 13 TeV collision data. Results of the high-speed link test with the prototypes of the final electronic boards will be also reported.

Flexible trigger menu implementation on the Global Trigger for the CMS Level-1 trigger upgrade

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

MATSUSHITA, Takashi; CMS Collaboration

2017-10-01

The CMS experiment at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) has continued to explore physics at the high-energy frontier in 2016. The integrated luminosity delivered by the LHC in 2016 was 41 fb-1 with a peak luminosity of 1.5 × 1034 cm-2s-1 and peak mean pile-up of about 50, all exceeding the initial estimations for 2016. The CMS experiment has upgraded its hardware-based Level-1 trigger system to maintain its performance for new physics searches and precision measurements at high luminosities. The Global Trigger is the final step of the CMS Level-1 trigger and implements a trigger menu, a set of selection requirements applied to the final list of objects from calorimeter and muon triggers, for reducing the 40 MHz collision rate to 100 kHz. The Global Trigger has been upgraded with state-of-the-art FPGA processors on Advanced Mezzanine Cards with optical links running at 10 GHz in a MicroTCA crate. The powerful processing resources of the upgraded system enable implementation of more algorithms at a time than previously possible, allowing CMS to be more flexible in how it handles the available trigger bandwidth. Algorithms for a trigger menu, including topological requirements on multi-objects, can be realised in the Global Trigger using the newly developed trigger menu specification grammar. Analysis-like trigger algorithms can be represented in an intuitive manner and the algorithms are translated to corresponding VHDL code blocks to build a firmware. The grammar can be extended in future as the needs arise. The experience of implementing trigger menus on the upgraded Global Trigger system will be presented.

CRISPR/Cas9 Technology as an Emerging Tool for Targeting Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS).

PubMed

Kruminis-Kaszkiel, Ewa; Juranek, Judyta; Maksymowicz, Wojciech; Wojtkiewicz, Joanna

2018-03-19

The clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated protein-9 nuclease (Cas9) is a genome editing tool that has recently caught enormous attention due to its novelty, feasibility, and affordability. This system naturally functions as a defense mechanism in bacteria and has been repurposed as an RNA-guided DNA editing tool. Unlike zinc-finger nucleases (ZFNs) and transcription activator-like effector nucleases (TALENs), CRISPR/Cas9 takes advantage of an RNA-guided DNA endonuclease enzyme, Cas9, which is able to generate double-strand breaks (DSBs) at specific genomic locations. It triggers cellular endogenous DNA repair pathways, contributing to the generation of desired modifications in the genome. The ability of the system to precisely disrupt DNA sequences has opened up new avenues in our understanding of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) pathogenesis and the development of new therapeutic approaches. In this review, we discuss the current knowledge of the principles and limitations of the CRISPR/Cas9 system, as well as strategies to improve these limitations. Furthermore, we summarize novel approaches of engaging the CRISPR/Cas9 system in establishing an adequate model of neurodegenerative disease and in the treatment of SOD1-linked forms of ALS. We also highlight possible applications of this system in the therapy of ALS, both the inherited type as well as ALS of sporadic origin.

CRISPR/Cas9 Technology as an Emerging Tool for Targeting Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)

PubMed Central

Juranek, Judyta; Maksymowicz, Wojciech

2018-01-01

The clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated protein-9 nuclease (Cas9) is a genome editing tool that has recently caught enormous attention due to its novelty, feasibility, and affordability. This system naturally functions as a defense mechanism in bacteria and has been repurposed as an RNA-guided DNA editing tool. Unlike zinc-finger nucleases (ZFNs) and transcription activator-like effector nucleases (TALENs), CRISPR/Cas9 takes advantage of an RNA-guided DNA endonuclease enzyme, Cas9, which is able to generate double-strand breaks (DSBs) at specific genomic locations. It triggers cellular endogenous DNA repair pathways, contributing to the generation of desired modifications in the genome. The ability of the system to precisely disrupt DNA sequences has opened up new avenues in our understanding of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) pathogenesis and the development of new therapeutic approaches. In this review, we discuss the current knowledge of the principles and limitations of the CRISPR/Cas9 system, as well as strategies to improve these limitations. Furthermore, we summarize novel approaches of engaging the CRISPR/Cas9 system in establishing an adequate model of neurodegenerative disease and in the treatment of SOD1-linked forms of ALS. We also highlight possible applications of this system in the therapy of ALS, both the inherited type as well as ALS of sporadic origin. PMID:29562705

In vivo covalent cross-linking of photon-converted rare-earth nanostructures for tumour localization and theranostics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ai, Xiangzhao; Ho, Chris Jun Hui; Aw, Junxin; Attia, Amalina Binte Ebrahim; Mu, Jing; Wang, Yu; Wang, Xiaoyong; Wang, Yong; Liu, Xiaogang; Chen, Huabing; Gao, Mingyuan; Chen, Xiaoyuan; Yeow, Edwin K. L.; Liu, Gang; Olivo, Malini; Xing, Bengang

2016-01-01

The development of precision nanomedicines to direct nanostructure-based reagents into tumour-targeted areas remains a critical challenge in clinics. Chemical reaction-mediated localization in response to tumour environmental perturbations offers promising opportunities for rational design of effective nano-theranostics. Here, we present a unique microenvironment-sensitive strategy for localization of peptide-premodified upconversion nanocrystals (UCNs) within tumour areas. Upon tumour-specific cathepsin protease reactions, the cleavage of peptides induces covalent cross-linking between the exposed cysteine and 2-cyanobenzothiazole on neighbouring particles, thus triggering the accumulation of UCNs into tumour site. Such enzyme-triggered cross-linking of UCNs leads to enhanced upconversion emission upon 808 nm laser irradiation, and in turn amplifies the singlet oxygen generation from the photosensitizers attached on UCNs. Importantly, this design enables remarkable tumour inhibition through either intratumoral UCNs injection or intravenous injection of nanoparticles modified with the targeting ligand. Our strategy may provide a multimodality solution for effective molecular sensing and site-specific tumour treatment.

Breathing Easier.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smolkin, Rachel

2003-01-01

Describes use of Environmental Protection Agency's Tools for Schools tool kit to improve indoor air quality aimed specifically at eliminating asthma triggers such as dust mites and mold. Includes several examples of school district efforts to reduce or eliminate student health problems associated with poor indoor air quality. (PKP)

Randomized test of a brief psychological intervention to reduce and prevent emotional eating in a community sample.

PubMed

Armitage, Christopher J

2015-09-01

Emotional eating is associated with mental health problems and weight gain, but research has focussed on treatment rather than prevention. The present research tests a brief theory-based psychological intervention to reduce and prevent emotional eating in a community sample. Two hundred and forty women were randomized to a control condition in which they were asked to identify emotional eating triggers and strategies for change (a 'volitional help sheet') or to an experimental condition in which they were asked explicitly to use the volitional help sheet to link emotional eating triggers with strategies for change and so form implementation intentions. Results showed that eating in response to boredom was more common than eating in response to anxiety or depression. There was a significant condition × time interaction showing that the formation of implementation intentions resulted in significantly lower levels of emotional eating in response to boredom at follow-up (d = 0.29). The intervention shows promise in reducing and preventing emotional eating, but further research is required to refine the tool and to examine whether eating in response to anxiety or depression is more common among clinical populations. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Faculty of Public Health. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Epstein-Barr Virus as a Trigger of Autoimmune Liver Diseases

PubMed Central

Rigopoulou, Eirini I.; Smyk, Daniel S.; Matthews, Claire E.; Billinis, Charalambos; Burroughs, Andrew K.; Lenzi, Marco; Bogdanos, Dimitrios P.

2012-01-01

The pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases includes a combination of genetic factors and environmental exposures including infectious agents. Infectious triggers are commonly indicated as being involved in the induction of autoimmune disease, with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) being implicated in several autoimmune disorders. EBV is appealing in the pathogenesis of autoimmune disease, due to its high prevalence worldwide, its persistency throughout life in the host's B lymphocytes, and its ability to alter the host's immune response and to inhibit apoptosis. However, the evidence in support of EBV in the pathogenesis varies among diseases. Autoimmune liver diseases (AiLDs), including autoimmune hepatitis (AIH), primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC), and primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC), have a potential causative link with EBV. The data surrounding EBV and AiLD are scarce. The lack of evidence surrounding EBV in AiLD may also be reflective of the rarity of these conditions. EBV infection has also been linked to other autoimmune conditions, which are often found to be concomitant with AiLD. This paper will critically examine the literature surrounding the link between EBV infection and AiLD development. The current evidence is far from being conclusive of the theory of a link between EBV and AiLD. PMID:22693505

Email recruitment to use web decision support tools for pneumonia.

PubMed

Flanagan, James R; Peterson, Michael; Dayton, Charles; Strommer Pace, Lori; Plank, Andrew; Walker, Kristy; Carlson, William S

2002-01-01

Application of guidelines to improve clinical decisions for Community Acquired Pneumonia (CAP) patients depends on accurate information about specific facts of each case and on presenting guideline support at the time decisions are being made. We report here on a system designed to solicit information from physicians about their CAP patients in order to classify CAP and present appropriate guidelines for type of care, length of stay, and use of antibiotics. We used elements of three existing information systems to create a achieve these goals: professionals coding diagnoses captured by the existing clinical information system (CIS), email, and web-based decision support tools including a pneumonia severity evaluation tool (SET). The non-secure IS components (email and web) were able to link to information in the CIS using tokens that do not reveal confidential patient-identifiable information. We examined their response to this strategy and the accuracy of pneumonia classification using this approach compared to chart review as a gold standard. On average physicians responded to email solicitations 50% of the time over the 14 month study. Also using this standard, we examined various information triggers for case finding. Professional coding of the primary reason for admission as pneumonia was fairly sensitive as an indicator of CAP. Physician use of the web SET was insensitive but fairly specific. Pneumonia classification using the SET was very reliable compared to experts' chart review using the same algorithm. We examined the distribution of severity of pneumonia for cases of pneumonia found by the various information triggers and for each severity the average length of stay. The distribution found by both chart review and by SET has demonstrated a shift toward more severe cases being admitted compared to only 3 years ago. The length of stay for level of severity is above expectations published by guidelines even for cases of true CAP by chart review. We suggest that the Fine classification system may not adequately describe patients in this setting. Physicians frequently responded that the guidelines presented did not fit their patients.

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

Genetics Home Reference: myasthenia gravis

MedlinePlus

... ventilation assistance. This respiratory failure, called a myasthenic crisis, may be triggered by stresses such as infections ... be inherited? More about Inheriting Genetic Conditions Diagnosis & Management Resources Genetic Testing (2 links) Genetic Testing Registry: ...

Development of an externally powered prosthetic hook for amputees

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Karchak, A., Jr.; Allen, J. R.; Bontrager, E. L.

1973-01-01

The powered hook with trigger finger appears to be a useful adaptation of a terminal device for an amputee when performing vocational activities involving the use of a powered tool requiring a trigger control. The proportional control system includes transducers and amplifiers and appears to have widespread application for control of any external power, whether it be in the orthotic or prosthetic field.

Serendipitous discovery in mice links inflammation directly to stroke | Center for Cancer Research

Cancer.gov

In 30 percent to 40 percent of stroke cases, doctors can’t identify the biological cause. Certain risk factors for stroke, such as smoking and diabetes, cause inflammation. Scientists have long suspected that chronic inflammation can in turn trigger a stroke, but they have not made a direct link. Now, CCR researchers have reported that experiments with mice suggest

Disentangling reward anticipation with simultaneous pupillometry / fMRI.

PubMed

Schneider, Max; Leuchs, Laura; Czisch, Michael; Sämann, Philipp G; Spoormaker, Victor I

2018-05-05

The reward system may provide an interesting intermediate phenotype for anhedonia in affective disorders. Reward anticipation is characterized by an increase in arousal, and previous studies have linked the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) to arousal responses such as dilation of the pupil. Here, we examined pupil dynamics during a reward anticipation task in forty-six healthy human subjects and evaluated its neural correlates using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Pupil size showed a strong increase during monetary reward anticipation, a moderate increase during verbal reward anticipation and a decrease during control trials. For fMRI analyses, average pupil size and pupil change were computed in 1-s time bins during the anticipation phase. Activity in the ventral striatum was inversely related to the pupil size time course, indicating an early onset of activation and a role in reward prediction processing. Pupil dilations were linked to increased activity in the salience network (dorsal ACC and bilateral insula), which likely triggers an increase in arousal to enhance task performance. Finally, increased pupil size preceding the required motor response was associated with activity in the ventral attention network. In sum, pupillometry provides an effective tool for disentangling different phases of reward anticipation, with relevance for affective symptomatology. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A Guide for Industrial Mobilization

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-03-01

packages; and cient, increased production controls may be needed. These actions include: i. Releasing machine tool trigger or- ders and increasing buys...710). the Department of Defense to maintain facili- 4. The National Defense Act authorizes: ties, machine tools , production equipment, and skilled...Defense Industrial Reserve Act pro- Room 3876, U.S. Departm nt of Commerce vides for the reserve of machine tools and other Washington, D.C. 20230 or

Writing Development in Secondary/Post Secondary Language Learning: Integrating Multiple Motivating Factors, Explanatory Feedback, and Explanatory Writing Tools to Increase Competence and Confidence in Writing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jefferson, Trevina

2013-01-01

Background: This study discusses data-driven results of newly-developed writing tools that are objective, easy, and less time-consuming than standard classroom writing strategies; additionally, multiple motivation triggers and peer evaluation are evaluated together with these new, modernized writing tools. The results are explained separately and…

Replication of Psycholinguistic Experiments and the Resolution of Inconsistencies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rákosi, Csilla

2017-01-01

Non-exact replications are regarded as effective tools of problem solving in psycholinguistic research because they lead to more plausible experimental results; however, they are also ineffective tools of problem solving because they trigger cumulative contradictions among different replications of an experiment. This paper intends to resolve this…

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

Chen, K.; Chen, H.; Wu, W.

We present that in the upgrade of ATLAS experiment, the front-end electronics components are subjected to a large radiation background. Meanwhile high speed optical links are required for the data transmission between the on-detector and off-detector electronics. The GBT architecture and the Versatile Link (VL) project are designed by CERN to support the 4.8 Gbps line rate bidirectional high-speed data transmission which is called GBT link. In the ATLAS upgrade, besides the link with on-detector, the GBT link is also used between different off-detector systems. The GBTX ASIC is designed for the on-detector front-end, correspondingly for the off-detector electronics, themore » GBT architecture is implemented in Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGA). CERN launches the GBT-FPGA project to provide examples in different types of FPGA. In the ATLAS upgrade framework, the Front-End LInk eXchange (FELIX) system is used to interface the front end electronics of several ATLAS subsystems. The GBT link is used between them, to transfer the detector data and the timing, trigger, control and monitoring information. The trigger signal distributed in the down-link from FELIX to the front-end requires a fixed and low latency. In this paper, several optimizations on the GBT-FPGA IP core are introduced, to achieve a lower fixed latency. For FELIX, a common firmware will be used to interface different front-ends with support of both GBT modes: the forward error correction mode and the wide mode. The modified GBT-FPGA core has the ability to switch between the GBT modes without FPGA reprogramming. Finally, the system clock distribution of the multi-channel FELIX firmware is also discussed in this paper.« less

Optimization on fixed low latency implementation of the GBT core in FPGA

DOE PAGES

Chen, K.; Chen, H.; Wu, W.; ...

2017-07-11

We present that in the upgrade of ATLAS experiment, the front-end electronics components are subjected to a large radiation background. Meanwhile high speed optical links are required for the data transmission between the on-detector and off-detector electronics. The GBT architecture and the Versatile Link (VL) project are designed by CERN to support the 4.8 Gbps line rate bidirectional high-speed data transmission which is called GBT link. In the ATLAS upgrade, besides the link with on-detector, the GBT link is also used between different off-detector systems. The GBTX ASIC is designed for the on-detector front-end, correspondingly for the off-detector electronics, themore » GBT architecture is implemented in Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGA). CERN launches the GBT-FPGA project to provide examples in different types of FPGA. In the ATLAS upgrade framework, the Front-End LInk eXchange (FELIX) system is used to interface the front end electronics of several ATLAS subsystems. The GBT link is used between them, to transfer the detector data and the timing, trigger, control and monitoring information. The trigger signal distributed in the down-link from FELIX to the front-end requires a fixed and low latency. In this paper, several optimizations on the GBT-FPGA IP core are introduced, to achieve a lower fixed latency. For FELIX, a common firmware will be used to interface different front-ends with support of both GBT modes: the forward error correction mode and the wide mode. The modified GBT-FPGA core has the ability to switch between the GBT modes without FPGA reprogramming. Finally, the system clock distribution of the multi-channel FELIX firmware is also discussed in this paper.« less

Optimization on fixed low latency implementation of the GBT core in FPGA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, K.; Chen, H.; Wu, W.; Xu, H.; Yao, L.

2017-07-01

In the upgrade of ATLAS experiment [1], the front-end electronics components are subjected to a large radiation background. Meanwhile high speed optical links are required for the data transmission between the on-detector and off-detector electronics. The GBT architecture and the Versatile Link (VL) project are designed by CERN to support the 4.8 Gbps line rate bidirectional high-speed data transmission which is called GBT link [2]. In the ATLAS upgrade, besides the link with on-detector, the GBT link is also used between different off-detector systems. The GBTX ASIC is designed for the on-detector front-end, correspondingly for the off-detector electronics, the GBT architecture is implemented in Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGA). CERN launches the GBT-FPGA project to provide examples in different types of FPGA [3]. In the ATLAS upgrade framework, the Front-End LInk eXchange (FELIX) system [4, 5] is used to interface the front-end electronics of several ATLAS subsystems. The GBT link is used between them, to transfer the detector data and the timing, trigger, control and monitoring information. The trigger signal distributed in the down-link from FELIX to the front-end requires a fixed and low latency. In this paper, several optimizations on the GBT-FPGA IP core are introduced, to achieve a lower fixed latency. For FELIX, a common firmware will be used to interface different front-ends with support of both GBT modes: the forward error correction mode and the wide mode. The modified GBT-FPGA core has the ability to switch between the GBT modes without FPGA reprogramming. The system clock distribution of the multi-channel FELIX firmware is also discussed in this paper.

Introducing Products to DoD Using Specifications and Standards

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-08-18

to utilize the Product Introduction Tool. Search ~Favorites .S » Links ~Customize Links ~ EDS-NMCI ~Free Hotmail Product Introduction Process User...the Product Introduction Tool. Search ~Favorites .S » Links ~Customize Links ~ EDS-NMCI ~Free Hotmail Product Introduction Process User Pol icy...Links i1 EDS-NMCI ~ Free Hotmail i] I] Go ldentitify Categories/Subcategories Identify the category/subcategory that most closely covers your

Status of the Electromagnetic Calorimeter Trigger system at the Belle II experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, S. H.; Lee, I. S.; Unno, Y.; Cheon, B. G.

2017-09-01

The Belle II experiment at the SuperKEKB collider in Japan has been under the construction toward a physics run in 2018 with an ultimate target of 40 times higher instantaneous luminosity than the KEKB collider. The main physics motivation is to search for the New Physics from heavy quark/lepton flavor decays. In order to select an event of interest efficiently under much higher luminosity and beam background environment than the KEKB, we have upgraded the Electromagnetic Calorimeter (ECL) hardware trigger system. It would be realized by the improvement of ECL trigger logic based on two main triggers, the total energy and the number of clusters, with an FPGA-based flexible architecture and a high speed serial link for the data transfer. We report the current status of hardware, firmware, and software that has been achieved so far. The overall scheme of the system will be presented as well.

T-Cell Artificial Focal Triggering Tools: Linking Surface Interactions with Cell Response

PubMed Central

Carpentier, Benoît; Pierobon, Paolo; Hivroz, Claire; Henry, Nelly

2009-01-01

T-cell activation is a key event in the immune system, involving the interaction of several receptor ligand pairs in a complex intercellular contact that forms between T-cell and antigen-presenting cells. Molecular components implicated in contact formation have been identified, but the mechanism of activation and the link between molecular interactions and cell response remain poorly understood due to the complexity and dynamics exhibited by whole cell-cell conjugates. Here we demonstrate that simplified model colloids grafted so as to target appropriate cell receptors can be efficiently used to explore the relationship of receptor engagement to the T-cell response. Using immortalized Jurkat T cells, we monitored both binding and activation events, as seen by changes in the intracellular calcium concentration. Our experimental strategy used flow cytometry analysis to follow the short time scale cell response in populations of thousands of cells. We targeted both T-cell receptor CD3 (TCR/CD3) and leukocyte-function-associated antigen (LFA-1) alone or in combination. We showed that specific engagement of TCR/CD3 with a single particle induced a transient calcium signal, confirming previous results and validating our approach. By decreasing anti-CD3 particle density, we showed that contact nucleation was the most crucial and determining step in the cell-particle interaction under dynamic conditions, due to shear stress produced by hydrodynamic flow. Introduction of LFA-1 adhesion molecule ligands at the surface of the particle overcame this limitation and elucidated the low TCR/CD3 ligand density regime. Despite their simplicity, model colloids induced relevant biological responses which consistently echoed whole cell behavior. We thus concluded that this biophysical approach provides useful tools for investigating initial events in T-cell activation, and should enable the design of intelligent artificial systems for adoptive immunotherapy. PMID:19274104

[eLearning-radiology.com--sustainability for quality assurance].

PubMed

Ketelsen, D; Talanow, R; Uder, M; Grunewald, M

2009-04-01

The aim of the study was to analyze the availability of published radiological e-learning tools and to establish a solution for quality assurance. Substantial pubmed research was performed to identify radiological e-learning tools. 181 e-learning programs were selected. As examples two databases expanding their programs with external links, Compare (n = 435 external links) and TNT-Radiology (n = 1078 external links), were evaluated. A concept for quality assurance was developed by an international taskforce. At the time of assessment, 56.4 % (102 / 181) of the investigated e-learning tools were accessible at their original URL. A subgroup analysis of programs published 5 to 8 years ago showed significantly inferior availability to programs published 3 to 5 years ago (p < 0.01). The analysis of external links showed 49.2 % and 61.0 % accessible links for the programs Compare (published 2003) and TNT-Radiology (published 2006), respectively. As a consequence, the domain www.eLearning-radiology.com was developed by the taskforce and published online. This tool allows authors to present their programs and users to evaluate the e-learning tools depending on several criteria in order to remove inoperable links and to obtain information about the complexity and quality of the e-learning tools. More than 50 % of investigated radiological e-learning tools on the Internet were not accessible after a period of 5 to 8 years. As a consequence, an independent, international tool for quality assurance was designed and published online under www.eLearning-radiology.com .

Environmental insults: critical triggers for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

PubMed

Yu, Bing; Pamphlett, Roger

2017-01-01

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease characterised by a rapid loss of lower and upper motor neurons. As a complex disease, the ageing process and complicated gene-environment interactions are involved in the majority of cases. Significant advances have been made in unravelling the genetic susceptibility to ALS with massively parallel sequencing technologies, while environmental insults remain a suspected but largely unexplored source of risk. Several studies applying the strategy of Mendelian randomisation have strengthened the link between environmental insults and ALS, but none so far has proved conclusive. We propose a new ALS model which links the current knowledge of genetic factors, ageing and environmental insults. This model provides a mechanism as to how ALS is initiated, with environmental insults playing a critical role. The available evidence has suggested that inherited defect(s) could cause mitochondrial dysfunction, which would establish the primary susceptibility to ALS. Further study of the underlying mechanism may shed light on ALS pathogenesis. Environmental insults are a critical trigger for ALS, particularly in the aged individuals with other toxicant susceptible genes. The identification of ALS triggers could lead to preventive strategies for those individuals at risk.

An electronic trigger tool to optimise intravenous to oral antibiotic switch: a controlled, interrupted time series study.

PubMed

Berrevoets, Marvin A H; Pot, Johannes Hans L W; Houterman, Anne E; Dofferhoff, Anton Ton S M; Nabuurs-Franssen, Marrigje H; Fleuren, Hanneke W H A; Kullberg, Bart-Jan; Schouten, Jeroen A; Sprong, Tom

2017-01-01

Timely switch from intravenous (iv) antibiotics to oral therapy is a key component of antimicrobial stewardship programs in order to improve patient safety, promote early discharge and reduce costs. We have introduced a time-efficient and easily implementable intervention that relies on a computerized trigger tool, which identifies patients who are candidates for an iv to oral antibiotic switch. The intervention was introduced on all internal medicine wards in a teaching hospital. Patients were automatically identified by an electronic trigger tool when parenteral antibiotics were used for >48 h and clinical or pharmacological data did not preclude switch therapy. A weekly educational session was introduced to alert the physicians on the intervention wards. The intervention wards were compared with control wards, which included all other hospital wards. An interrupted time-series analysis was performed to compare the pre-intervention period with the post-intervention period using '% of i.v. prescriptions >72 h' and 'median duration of iv therapy per prescription' as outcomes. We performed a detailed prospective evaluation on a subset of 244 prescriptions to evaluate the efficacy and appropriateness of the intervention. The number of intravenous prescriptions longer than 72 h was reduced by 19% in the intervention group ( n  = 1519) ( p  < 0.01) and the median duration of iv antibiotics was reduced with 0.8 days ( p  = <0.05). Compared to the control group ( n  = 4366) the intervention was responsible for an additional decrease of 13% ( p  < 0.05) in prolonged prescriptions. The detailed prospective evaluation of a subgroup of patients showed that adherence to the electronic reminder was 72%. An electronic trigger tool combined with a weekly educational session was effective in reducing the duration of intravenous antimicrobial therapy.

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.

Using MaxCompiler for the high level synthesis of trigger algorithms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Summers, S.; Rose, A.; Sanders, P.

2017-02-01

Firmware for FPGA trigger applications at the CMS experiment is conventionally written using hardware description languages such as Verilog and VHDL. MaxCompiler is an alternative, Java based, tool for developing FPGA applications which uses a higher level of abstraction from the hardware than a hardware description language. An implementation of the jet and energy sum algorithms for the CMS Level-1 calorimeter trigger has been written using MaxCompiler to benchmark against the VHDL implementation in terms of accuracy, latency, resource usage, and code size. A Kalman Filter track fitting algorithm has been developed using MaxCompiler for a proposed CMS Level-1 track trigger for the High-Luminosity LHC upgrade. The design achieves a low resource usage, and has a latency of 187.5 ns per iteration.

Ductile cutting of silicon microstructures with surface inclination measurement and compensation by using a force sensor integrated single point diamond tool

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Yuan-Liu; Cai, Yindi; Shimizu, Yuki; Ito, So; Gao, Wei; Ju, Bing-Feng

2016-02-01

This paper presents a measurement and compensation method of surface inclination for ductile cutting of silicon microstructures by using a diamond tool with a force sensor based on a four-axis ultra-precision lathe. The X- and Y-directional inclinations of a single crystal silicon workpiece with respect to the X- and Y-motion axes of the lathe slides were measured respectively by employing the diamond tool as a touch-trigger probe, in which the tool-workpiece contact is sensitively detected by monitoring the force sensor output. Based on the measurement results, fabrication of silicon microstructures can be thus carried out directly along the tilted silicon workpiece by compensating the cutting motion axis to be parallel to the silicon surface without time-consuming pre-adjustment of the surface inclination or turning of a flat surface. A diamond tool with a negative rake angle was used in the experiment for superior ductile cutting performance. The measurement precision by using the diamond tool as a touch-trigger probe was investigated. Experiments of surface inclination measurement and ultra-precision ductile cutting of a micro-pillar array and a micro-pyramid array with inclination compensation were carried out respectively to demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed method.

Scriptwriting as a Tool for Learning Stylistic Variation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Saugera, Valerie

2011-01-01

A film script is a useful tool for allowing students to experiment with language variation. Scripts of love stories comprise a range of language contexts, each triggering a different style on a formal-neutral-informal linguistic continuum: (1) technical cinematographic language in camera directions; (2) narrative language in exposition of scenes,…

Interactive Visual Tools as Triggers of Collaborative Reasoning in Entry-Level Pathology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nivala, Markus; Rystedt, Hans; Saljo, Roger; Kronqvist, Pauliina; Lehtinen, Erno

2012-01-01

The growing importance of medical imaging in everyday diagnostic practices poses challenges for medical education. While the emergence of novel imaging technologies offers new opportunities, many pedagogical questions remain. In the present study, we explore the use of a new tool, a virtual microscope, for the instruction and the collaborative…

A simple and versatile design concept for fluorophore derivatives with intramolecular photostabilization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van der Velde, Jasper H. M.; Oelerich, Jens; Huang, Jingyi; Smit, Jochem H.; Aminian Jazi, Atieh; Galiani, Silvia; Kolmakov, Kirill; Guoridis, Giorgos; Eggeling, Christian; Herrmann, Andreas; Roelfes, Gerard; Cordes, Thorben

2016-01-01

Intramolecular photostabilization via triple-state quenching was recently revived as a tool to impart synthetic organic fluorophores with `self-healing' properties. To date, utilization of such fluorophore derivatives is rare due to their elaborate multi-step synthesis. Here we present a general strategy to covalently link a synthetic organic fluorophore simultaneously to a photostabilizer and biomolecular target via unnatural amino acids. The modular approach uses commercially available starting materials and simple chemical transformations. The resulting photostabilizer-dye conjugates are based on rhodamines, carbopyronines and cyanines with excellent photophysical properties, that is, high photostability and minimal signal fluctuations. Their versatile use is demonstrated by single-step labelling of DNA, antibodies and proteins, as well as applications in single-molecule and super-resolution fluorescence microscopy. We are convinced that the presented scaffolding strategy and the improved characteristics of the conjugates in applications will trigger the broader use of intramolecular photostabilization and help to emerge this approach as a new gold standard.

A simple and versatile design concept for fluorophore derivatives with intramolecular photostabilization

PubMed Central

van der Velde, Jasper H. M.; Oelerich, Jens; Huang, Jingyi; Smit, Jochem H.; Aminian Jazi, Atieh; Galiani, Silvia; Kolmakov, Kirill; Gouridis, Giorgos; Eggeling, Christian; Herrmann, Andreas; Roelfes, Gerard; Cordes, Thorben

2016-01-01

Intramolecular photostabilization via triple-state quenching was recently revived as a tool to impart synthetic organic fluorophores with ‘self-healing’ properties. To date, utilization of such fluorophore derivatives is rare due to their elaborate multi-step synthesis. Here we present a general strategy to covalently link a synthetic organic fluorophore simultaneously to a photostabilizer and biomolecular target via unnatural amino acids. The modular approach uses commercially available starting materials and simple chemical transformations. The resulting photostabilizer–dye conjugates are based on rhodamines, carbopyronines and cyanines with excellent photophysical properties, that is, high photostability and minimal signal fluctuations. Their versatile use is demonstrated by single-step labelling of DNA, antibodies and proteins, as well as applications in single-molecule and super-resolution fluorescence microscopy. We are convinced that the presented scaffolding strategy and the improved characteristics of the conjugates in applications will trigger the broader use of intramolecular photostabilization and help to emerge this approach as a new gold standard. PMID:26751640

Link between light-triggered Mg-banding and chamber formation in the planktic foraminifera Neogloboquadrina dutertrei

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fehrenbacher, Jennifer S.; Russell, Ann D.; Davis, Catherine V.; Gagnon, Alexander C.; Spero, Howard J.; Cliff, John B.; Zhu, Zihua; Martin, Pamela

2017-05-01

The relationship between seawater temperature and the average Mg/Ca ratios in planktic foraminifera is well established, providing an essential tool for reconstructing past ocean temperatures. However, many species display alternating high and low Mg-bands within their shell walls that cannot be explained by temperature alone. Recent experiments demonstrate that intrashell Mg variability in Orbulina universa, which forms a spherical terminal shell, is paced by the diurnal light/dark cycle. Whether Mg-heterogeneity is also diurnally paced in species with more complex shell morphologies is unknown. Here we show that high Mg/Ca-calcite forms at night in cultured specimens of the multi-chambered species Neogloboquadrina dutertrei. Our results demonstrate that N. dutertrei adds a significant amount of calcite, and nearly all Mg-bands, after the final chamber forms. These results have implications for interpreting patterns of calcification in N. dutertrei and suggest that diurnal Mg-banding is an intrinsic component of biomineralization in planktic foraminifera.

Morphological and transcriptomic evidence for ammonium induction of sexual reproduction in Thalassiosira pseudonana and other centric diatoms

PubMed Central

Moore, Eric R.; Bullington, Briana S.; Weisberg, Alexandra J.; Jiang, Yuan; Chang, Jeff

2017-01-01

The reproductive strategy of diatoms includes asexual and sexual phases, but in many species, including the model centric diatom Thalassiosira pseudonana, sexual reproduction has never been observed. Furthermore, the environmental factors that trigger sexual reproduction in diatoms are not understood. Although genome sequences of a few diatoms are available, little is known about the molecular basis for sexual reproduction. Here we show that ammonium reliably induces the key sexual morphologies, including oogonia, auxospores, and spermatogonia, in two strains of T. pseudonana, T. weissflogii, and Cyclotella cryptica. RNA sequencing revealed 1,274 genes whose expression patterns changed when T. pseudonana was induced into sexual reproduction by ammonium. Some of the induced genes are linked to meiosis or encode flagellar structures of heterokont and cryptophyte algae. The identification of ammonium as an environmental trigger suggests an unexpected link between diatom bloom dynamics and strategies for enhancing population genetic diversity. PMID:28686696

NK cells link obesity-induced adipose stress to inflammation and insulin resistance.

PubMed

Wensveen, Felix M; Jelenčić, Vedrana; Valentić, Sonja; Šestan, Marko; Wensveen, Tamara Turk; Theurich, Sebastian; Glasner, Ariella; Mendrila, Davor; Štimac, Davor; Wunderlich, F Thomas; Brüning, Jens C; Mandelboim, Ofer; Polić, Bojan

2015-04-01

An important cause of obesity-induced insulin resistance is chronic systemic inflammation originating in visceral adipose tissue (VAT). VAT inflammation is associated with the accumulation of proinflammatory macrophages in adipose tissue, but the immunological signals that trigger their accumulation remain unknown. We found that a phenotypically distinct population of tissue-resident natural killer (NK) cells represented a crucial link between obesity-induced adipose stress and VAT inflammation. Obesity drove the upregulation of ligands of the NK cell-activating receptor NCR1 on adipocytes; this stimulated NK cell proliferation and interferon-γ (IFN-γ) production, which in turn triggered the differentiation of proinflammatory macrophages and promoted insulin resistance. Deficiency of NK cells, NCR1 or IFN-γ prevented the accumulation of proinflammatory macrophages in VAT and greatly ameliorated insulin sensitivity. Thus NK cells are key regulators of macrophage polarization and insulin resistance in response to obesity-induced adipocyte stress.

Morphological and transcriptomic evidence for ammonium induction of sexual reproduction in Thalassiosira pseudonana and other centric diatoms.

PubMed

Moore, Eric R; Bullington, Briana S; Weisberg, Alexandra J; Jiang, Yuan; Chang, Jeff; Halsey, Kimberly H

2017-01-01

The reproductive strategy of diatoms includes asexual and sexual phases, but in many species, including the model centric diatom Thalassiosira pseudonana, sexual reproduction has never been observed. Furthermore, the environmental factors that trigger sexual reproduction in diatoms are not understood. Although genome sequences of a few diatoms are available, little is known about the molecular basis for sexual reproduction. Here we show that ammonium reliably induces the key sexual morphologies, including oogonia, auxospores, and spermatogonia, in two strains of T. pseudonana, T. weissflogii, and Cyclotella cryptica. RNA sequencing revealed 1,274 genes whose expression patterns changed when T. pseudonana was induced into sexual reproduction by ammonium. Some of the induced genes are linked to meiosis or encode flagellar structures of heterokont and cryptophyte algae. The identification of ammonium as an environmental trigger suggests an unexpected link between diatom bloom dynamics and strategies for enhancing population genetic diversity.

High levels of histones promote whole-genome-duplications and trigger a Swe1WEE1-dependent phosphorylation of Cdc28CDK1.

PubMed

Maya Miles, Douglas; Peñate, Xenia; Sanmartín Olmo, Trinidad; Jourquin, Frederic; Muñoz Centeno, Maria Cruz; Mendoza, Manuel; Simon, Marie-Noelle; Chavez, Sebastian; Geli, Vincent

2018-03-27

Whole-genome duplications (WGDs) have played a central role in the evolution of genomes and constitute an important source of genome instability in cancer. Here, we show in Saccharomyces cerevisiae that abnormal accumulations of histones are sufficient to induce WGDs. Our results link these WGDs to a reduced incorporation of the histone variant H2A.Z to chromatin. Moreover, we show that high levels of histones promote Swe1 WEE1 stabilisation thereby triggering the phosphorylation and inhibition of Cdc28 CDK1 through a mechanism different of the canonical DNA damage response. Our results link high levels of histones to a specific type of genome instability that is quite frequently observed in cancer and uncovers a new mechanism that might be able to respond to high levels of histones. © 2018, Maya Miles et al.

High levels of histones promote whole-genome-duplications and trigger a Swe1WEE1-dependent phosphorylation of Cdc28CDK1

PubMed Central

Peñate, Xenia; Sanmartín Olmo, Trinidad; Jourquin, Frederic; Muñoz Centeno, Maria Cruz; Mendoza, Manuel; Simon, Marie-Noelle; Chavez, Sebastian

2018-01-01

Whole-genome duplications (WGDs) have played a central role in the evolution of genomes and constitute an important source of genome instability in cancer. Here, we show in Saccharomyces cerevisiae that abnormal accumulations of histones are sufficient to induce WGDs. Our results link these WGDs to a reduced incorporation of the histone variant H2A.Z to chromatin. Moreover, we show that high levels of histones promote Swe1WEE1 stabilisation thereby triggering the phosphorylation and inhibition of Cdc28CDK1 through a mechanism different of the canonical DNA damage response. Our results link high levels of histones to a specific type of genome instability that is quite frequently observed in cancer and uncovers a new mechanism that might be able to respond to high levels of histones. PMID:29580382

Tool for use in lifting pin supported objects

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Marzek, R. A.; Read, W. S. (Inventor)

1974-01-01

A tool for use in lifting a pin-supported, electronic package mounted in juxtaposition with the surface of an electronic circuit board is described. The tool is configured to be received beneath a pin-supported package and is characterized by a manually operable linkage, including an elongated, rigid link is supported for axial reciprocation and a pivotal link pinned to the body and supported for oscillation induced in response to axial motion imparted to the rigid link. A lifting plate is pivotally coupled to the distal end of the pivotal link so that oscillatory motion imparted to the pivotal link serves to move the plate vertically for elevating the plate into lifting engagement with the electronic package positioned thereabove.

A decade of Web Server updates at the Bioinformatics Links Directory: 2003-2012.

PubMed

Brazas, Michelle D; Yim, David; Yeung, Winston; Ouellette, B F Francis

2012-07-01

The 2012 Bioinformatics Links Directory update marks the 10th special Web Server issue from Nucleic Acids Research. Beginning with content from their 2003 publication, the Bioinformatics Links Directory in collaboration with Nucleic Acids Research has compiled and published a comprehensive list of freely accessible, online tools, databases and resource materials for the bioinformatics and life science research communities. The past decade has exhibited significant growth and change in the types of tools, databases and resources being put forth, reflecting both technology changes and the nature of research over that time. With the addition of 90 web server tools and 12 updates from the July 2012 Web Server issue of Nucleic Acids Research, the Bioinformatics Links Directory at http://bioinformatics.ca/links_directory/ now contains an impressive 134 resources, 455 databases and 1205 web server tools, mirroring the continued activity and efforts of our field.

SUNREL Related Links | Buildings | NREL

Science.gov Websites

SUNREL Related Links SUNREL Related Links DOE Simulation Software Tools Directory a directory of 301 building software tools for evaluation of energy efficiency, renewable energy, and sustainability in buildings. TREAT Software Program a computer program that uses SUNREL and is designed to provide

Aptamer binding to celiac disease-triggering hydrophobic proteins: a sensitive gluten detection approach.

PubMed

Amaya-González, Sonia; de-Los-Santos-Álvarez, Noemí; Miranda-Ordieres, Arturo J; Lobo-Castañón, M Jesús

2014-03-04

Celiac disease represents a significant public health problem in large parts of the world. A major hurdle in the effective management of the disease by celiac sufferers is the sensitivity of the current available methods for assessing gluten contents in food. In response, we report a highly sensitive approach for gluten analysis using aptamers as specific receptors. Gliadins, a fraction of gluten proteins, are the main constituent responsible for triggering the disease. However, they are highly hydrophobic and large molecules, regarded as difficult targets for in vitro evolution of aptamers without nucleobase modification. We describe the successful selection of aptamers for these water insoluble prolamins that was achieved choosing the immunodominant apolar peptide from α2-gliadin as a target for selection. All aptamers evolved are able to bind the target in its native environment within the natural protein. The best nonprotein receptor is the basis for an electrochemical competitive enzyme-linked assay on magnetic particles, which allows the measurement of as low as 0.5 ppb of gliadin standard (0.5 ppm of gluten). Reference immunoassay for detecting the same target has a limit of detection of 3 ppm, 6 times less sensitive than this method. Importantly, it also displays high specificity, detecting the other three prolamins toxic for celiac patients and not showing cross-reactivity to nontoxic proteins such as maize, soya, and rice. These features make the proposed method a valuable tool for gluten detection in foods.

Recurrent episodes associated with childbearing: a matrix of associations.

PubMed

Brockington, Ian

2017-02-01

A study of several hundred recurrent puerperal psychoses shows that about half of those with known onset recur in the same phase of reproduction, and half have onsets in different phases. Onsets in the same phase are especially a feature of prepartum psychosis and are the strongest indication of a specific trigger operating during pregnancy. Onsets in different phases provide a prima facie case for links between 'puerperal psychosis' and other reproductive onsets. They suggest that the 'picture puzzle' is not just about early onset puerperal psychosis, but a group of related reproductive triggers.

Serendipitous discovery in mice links inflammation directly to stroke | Center for Cancer Research

Cancer.gov

In 30 percent to 40 percent of stroke cases, doctors can’t identify the biological cause. Certain risk factors for stroke, such as smoking and diabetes, cause inflammation. Scientists have long suspected that chronic inflammation can in turn trigger a stroke, but they have not made a direct link. Now, CCR researchers have reported that experiments with mice suggest inflammation alone can lead to stroke. Read more…

Linking spatial distribution and feeding behavior of Atlantic horse mackerel (Trachurus trachurus) in the Strait of Sicily (Central Mediterranean Sea)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rumolo, Paola; Basilone, Gualtiero; Fanelli, Emanuela; Barra, Marco; Calabrò, Monica; Genovese, Simona; Gherardi, Serena; Ferreri, Rosalia; Mazzola, Salvatore; Bonanno, Angelo

2017-03-01

The Atlantic horse mackerel (Trachurus trachurus) is a semi-pelagic fish species with a wide geographical distribution and commonly found on the continental shelf. In recent years, the species has received some attention due to its ecological role in pelagic food webs. Stable isotope of nitrogen and carbon (δ15N and δ13C) and Stomach Content Analysis (SCA) of T. trachurus were adopted as tools to provide necessary knowledge on its feeding habits in the Strait of Sicily. The strong correlation found between δ15N and δ13C values with body length, together with significant ontogenetic shift evidenced by SCA, could be associated to changes in food availability, which in turn is triggered by environmental conditions. Spatial distribution of T. trachurus in the study area, mainly for small and medium size specimens, is linked to lower temperature, salinity and Photosynthetically Active Radiation (PARsat) values with higher aggregations on the Adventure Bank (i.e., an area characterized by periodic upwelling events). Larger size specimens mostly inhabited shallower waters characterized by higher temperature, salinity and PAR values, typical of the central-eastern part of the study area. Our results support the hypothesis that feeding behavior of T. trachurus is strictly linked to environmental factors (i.e. chiefly oceanographic conditions of the water column and day duration) that in turn influences the distribution of its prey. Findings can supply knowledge needed for improving fish stock management and promoting plans able to take into account also local ecosystem analysis.

[Compliance with the surgical safety checklist and surgical events detected by the Global Trigger Tool].

PubMed

Menéndez Fraga, M D; Cueva Álvarez, M A; Franco Castellanos, M R; Fernández Moral, V; Castro Del Río, M P; Arias Pérez, J I; Fernández León, A; Vázquez Valdés, F

2016-06-01

The implementing of the WHO Surgical Safety Checklist (SSC) has helped to improve patient safety. The aim of this study was to assess the level of compliance of the SSC, and incorporating the non-compliances as «triggers» in the Global Trigger Tool (GTT). Acute Geriatric Hospital (200 beds). Retrospective study, study period: 2011-2014. The SSC formulary and the methodology of the GTT were used for the analysis of electronic medical records and the compliance with the SSC. The NCCP MERP categories were used to assess the severity of the harm. Out of all the electronic medical records (EMR), a total of 227 (23.6%) discharged patients (1.7% of interventions in the four year study period) were analysed. All (100%) of the EMR included the SSC, with 94.4% of the items being completed, and 28.2% of SSC had all items completed in the 3 phases of the process. Surgical adverse events decreased from 16.3% in 2011 to 9.4% in 2014 (P=.2838, not significant), and compliance with all items of SSC was increased from 18.6% to 39.1% (P=.0246, significant). The GTT systematises and evaluates, at low cost, the triggers and incidents/ AEs found in the EMR in order to assess the compliance with the SSC and consider non-compliance of SSC as «triggers» for further analysis. This strategy has never been referred to in the GTT or in the SCC formulary. Copyright © 2016 SECA. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

The trigger and data acquisition for the NEMO-Phase 2 tower

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

Pellegrino, C.; Biagi, S.; Fusco, L. A.

In the framework of the Phase 2 of the NEMO neutrino telescope project, a tower with 32 optical modules is being operated since march 2013. A new scalable Trigger and Data Acquisition System (TriDAS) has been developed and extensively tested with the data from this tower. Adopting the all-data-to-shore concept, the NEMO TriDAS is optimized to deal with a continuous data-stream from off-shore to on-shore with a large bandwidth. The TriDAS consists of four computing layers: (i) data aggregation of isochronal hits from all optical modules; (ii) data filtering by means of concurrent trigger algorithms; (iii) composition of the filteredmore » events into post-trigger files; (iv) persistent data storage. The TriDAS implementation is reported together with a review of dedicated on-line monitoring tools.« less

Predicting Trigger Bonds in Explosive Materials through Wiberg Bond Index Analysis.

PubMed

Harper, Lenora K; Shoaf, Ashley L; Bayse, Craig A

2015-12-21

Understanding the explosive decomposition pathways of high-energy-density materials (HEDMs) is important for developing compounds with improved properties. Rapid reaction rates make the detonation mechanisms of HEDMs difficult to understand, so computational tools are used to predict trigger bonds-weak bonds that break, leading to detonation. Wiberg bond indices (WBIs) have been used to compare bond densities in HEDMs to reference molecules to provide a relative scale for the bond strength to predict the activated bonds most likely to break to trigger an explosion. This analysis confirms that X-NO2 (X=N,C,O) bonds are trigger linkages in common HEDMs such as TNT, RDX and PETN, consistent with previous experimental and theoretical studies. Calculations on a small test set of substituted tetrazoles show that the assignment of the trigger bond depends upon the functionality of the material and that the relative weakening of the bond correlates with experimental impact sensitivities. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Real Time Global Tests of the ALICE High Level Trigger Data Transport Framework

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Becker, B.; Chattopadhyay, S.; Cicalo, C.; Cleymans, J.; de Vaux, G.; Fearick, R. W.; Lindenstruth, V.; Richter, M.; Rohrich, D.; Staley, F.; Steinbeck, T. M.; Szostak, A.; Tilsner, H.; Weis, R.; Vilakazi, Z. Z.

2008-04-01

The High Level Trigger (HLT) system of the ALICE experiment is an online event filter and trigger system designed for input bandwidths of up to 25 GB/s at event rates of up to 1 kHz. The system is designed as a scalable PC cluster, implementing several hundred nodes. The transport of data in the system is handled by an object-oriented data flow framework operating on the basis of the publisher-subscriber principle, being designed fully pipelined with lowest processing overhead and communication latency in the cluster. In this paper, we report the latest measurements where this framework has been operated on five different sites over a global north-south link extending more than 10,000 km, processing a ldquoreal-timerdquo data flow.

Can the analyte-triggered asymmetric autocatalytic Soai reaction serve as a universal analytical tool for measuring enantiopurity and assigning absolute configuration?

PubMed

Welch, Christopher J; Zawatzky, Kerstin; Makarov, Alexey A; Fujiwara, Satoshi; Matsumoto, Arimasa; Soai, Kenso

2016-12-20

An investigation is reported on the use of the autocatalytic enantioselective Soai reaction, known to be influenced by the presence of a wide variety of chiral materials, as a generic tool for measuring the enantiopurity and absolute configuration of any substance. Good generality for the reaction across a small group of test analytes was observed, consistent with literature reports suggesting a diversity of compound types that can influence the stereochemical outcome of this reaction. Some trends in the absolute sense of stereochemical enrichment were noted, suggesting the possible utility of the approach for assigning absolute configuration to unknown compounds, by analogy to closely related species with known outcomes. Considerable variation was observed in the triggering strength of different enantiopure materials, an undesirable characteristic when dealing with mixtures containing minor impurities with strong triggering strength in the presence of major components with weak triggering strength. A strong tendency of the reaction toward an 'all or none' type of behavior makes the reaction most sensitive for detecting enantioenrichment close to zero. Consequently, the ability to discern modest from excellent enantioselectivity was relatively poor. While these properties limit the ability to obtain precise enantiopurity measurements in a simple single addition experiment, prospects may exist for more complex experimental setups that may potentially offer improved performance.

Perspectives on Geometrodynamics: The Nonlinear Dynamics of Curved Spacetime

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thorne, Kip S.

2012-03-01

In the 1950s John Archibald Wheeler exhorted his students and colleagues to explore ``Geometrodynamics,'' i.e. the dynamical behavior of curved spacetime, as predicted by Einstein's general relativity theory. Unfortunately, the research tools of that era were inadequate for the task. This has changed over the past ten years and will change further in the coming decade, thanks to two new sets of tools - numerical relativity, and gravitational wave observations, coupled to theory. In this lecture, I will review the progress and prospects for geometrodynamics, focusing especially on: 1. Geometrodynamics near singularities, 2. Geometrodynamics triggered by colliding black holes, 3. Geometrodynamics triggered by black-string instabilities in four space dimensions, and 4. Preparations for observing the dynamics of curved spacetime with interferometric gravitational wave detectors: LIGO and its international partners.

Muscle Expression of SOD1G93A Triggers the Dismantlement of Neuromuscular Junction via PKC-Theta.

PubMed

Dobrowolny, Gabriella; Martini, Martina; Scicchitano, Bianca Maria; Romanello, Vanina; Boncompagni, Simona; Nicoletti, Carmine; Pietrangelo, Laura; De Panfilis, Simone; Catizone, Angela; Bouchè, Marina; Sandri, Marco; Rudolf, Rüdiger; Protasi, Feliciano; Musarò, Antonio

2018-04-20

Neuromuscular junction (NMJ) represents the morphofunctional interface between muscle and nerve. Several chronic pathologies such as aging and neurodegenerative diseases, including muscular dystrophy and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, display altered NMJ and functional denervation. However, the triggers and the molecular mechanisms underlying the dismantlement of NMJ remain unclear. Here we provide evidence that perturbation in redox signaling cascades, induced by muscle-specific accumulation of mutant SOD1 G93A in transgenic MLC/SOD1 G93A mice, is causally linked to morphological alterations of the neuromuscular presynaptic terminals, high turnover rate of acetylcholine receptor, and NMJ dismantlement. The analysis of potential molecular mechanisms that mediate the toxic activity of SOD1 G93A revealed a causal link between protein kinase Cθ (PKCθ) activation and NMJ disintegration. The study discloses the molecular mechanism that triggers functional denervation associated with the toxic activity of muscle SOD1 G93A expression and suggests the possibility of developing a new strategy to counteract age- and pathology-associated denervation based on pharmacological inhibition of PKCθ activity. Collectively, these data indicate that muscle-specific accumulation of oxidative damage can affect neuromuscular communication and induce NMJ dismantlement through a PKCθ-dependent mechanism. Antioxid. Redox Signal. 28, 1105-1119.

Is energy supply the trigger for reproductive activity in male edible dormice (Glis glis)?

PubMed

Fietz, Joanna; Kager, Timo; Schauer, Sebastian

2009-10-01

In edible dormice (Glis glis) reproduction is synchronised with the intermittent masting of the European beech (Fagus sylvatica). In years of mast failure dormouse males seem to anticipate future low food availability and fail to develop functional testes. We hypothesised that the availability of high-quality food is linked to male reproductive capacity, because of high male energetic demands during gonad maturation. We therefore evaluated the relationship between beech seed production and male reproductivity in the field between 1993 and 2005. In order to know whether the energy content of the food as such triggers sexual capacity, we supplemented high-quality food in the field for 3 years and investigated reproductive output, reproductive capacity, and body mass changes. Results revealed that male reproductive capacity was positively linked with beech seed production. Body mass changes of reference males during the high reproductive year further revealed high energetic demands of male reproduction, which were counter balanced in food-supplemented males. However, in contrast to our assumptions, artificial food supply during a year of mast failure failed to evoke high reproductivity in edible dormice. The availability of high-quality food can therefore be ruled out from being the primary trigger for sexual activity in male edible dormice.

Vitiligo-inducing phenols activate the unfolded protein response in melanocytes resulting in upregulation of IL6 and IL8.

PubMed

Toosi, Siavash; Orlow, Seth J; Manga, Prashiela

2012-11-01

Vitiligo is characterized by depigmented skin patches caused by loss of epidermal melanocytes. Oxidative stress may have a role in vitiligo onset, while autoimmunity contributes to disease progression. In this study, we sought to identify mechanisms that link disease triggers and spreading of lesions. A hallmark of melanocytes at the periphery of vitiligo lesions is dilation of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). We hypothesized that oxidative stress results in redox disruptions that extend to the ER, causing accumulation of misfolded peptides, which activates the unfolded protein response (UPR). We used 4-tertiary butyl phenol and monobenzyl ether of hydroquinone, known triggers of vitiligo. We show that expression of key UPR components, including the transcription factor X-box-binding protein 1 (XBP1), is increased following exposure of melanocytes to phenols. XBP1 activation increases production of immune mediators IL6 and IL8. Co-treatment with XBP1 inhibitors reduced IL6 and IL8 production induced by phenols, while overexpression of XBP1 alone increased their expression. Thus, melanocytes themselves produce cytokines associated with activation of an immune response following exposure to chemical triggers of vitiligo. These results expand our understanding of the mechanisms underlying melanocyte loss in vitiligo and pathways linking environmental stressors and autoimmunity.

Mapping the x-linked lymphoproliferative syndrome

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

Skare, J.C.; Milunsky, A.; Byron, K.S.

1987-04-01

The X-linked lymphoproliferative syndrome is triggered by Epstein-Barr virus infection and results in fatal mononucleosis, immunodeficiency, and lymphoproliferative disorders. This study shows that the mutation responsible for X-linked lymphoproliferative syndrome is genetically linked to a restriction fragment length polymorphism detected with the DXS42 probe (from Xq24-q27). The most likely recombination frequency between the loci is 4%, and the associated logarithm of the odds is 5.26. Haplotype analysis using flanking restriction fragment length polymorphism markers indicates that the locus for X-linked lymphoproliferative syndrome is distal to probe DXS42 but proximal to probe DXS99 (from Xq26-q27). It is now possible to predictmore » which members of a family with X-linked lymphoproliferative syndrome are carrier females and to diagnose the syndrome prenatally.« less

The calcineurin pathway links hyperpolarization (Kir2.1)-induced Ca2+ signals to human myoblast differentiation and fusion.

PubMed

Konig, Stéphane; Béguet, Anne; Bader, Charles R; Bernheim, Laurent

2006-08-01

In human myoblasts triggered to differentiate, a hyperpolarization, resulting from K+ channel (Kir2.1) activation, allows the generation of an intracellular Ca2+ signal. This signal induces an increase in expression/activity of two key transcription factors of the differentiation process, myogenin and MEF2. Blocking hyperpolarization inhibits myoblast differentiation. The link between hyperpolarization-induced Ca2+ signals and the four main regulatory pathways involved in myoblast differentiation was the object of this study. Of the calcineurin, p38-MAPK, PI3K and CaMK pathways, only the calcineurin pathway was inhibited when Kir2.1-linked hyperpolarization was blocked. The CaMK pathway, although Ca2+ dependent, is unaffected by changes in membrane potential or block of Kir2.1 channels. Concerning the p38-MAPK and PI3K pathways, their activity is present already in proliferating myoblasts and they are unaffected by hyperpolarization or Kir2.1 channel block. We conclude that the Kir2.1-induced hyperpolarization triggers human myoblast differentiation via the activation of the calcineurin pathway, which, in turn, induces expression/activity of myogenin and MEF2.

A CAF-1–PCNA-Mediated Chromatin Assembly Pathway Triggered by Sensing DNA Damage

PubMed Central

Moggs, Jonathan G.; Grandi, Paola; Quivy, Jean-Pierre; Jónsson, Zophonías O.; Hübscher, Ulrich; Becker, Peter B.; Almouzni, Geneviève

2000-01-01

Sensing DNA damage is crucial for the maintenance of genomic integrity and cell cycle progression. The participation of chromatin in these events is becoming of increasing interest. We show that the presence of single-strand breaks and gaps, formed either directly or during DNA damage processing, can trigger the propagation of nucleosomal arrays. This nucleosome assembly pathway involves the histone chaperone chromatin assembly factor 1 (CAF-1). The largest subunit (p150) of this factor interacts directly with proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), and critical regions for this interaction on both proteins have been mapped. To isolate proteins specifically recruited during DNA repair, damaged DNA linked to magnetic beads was used. The binding of both PCNA and CAF-1 to this damaged DNA was dependent on the number of DNA lesions and required ATP. Chromatin assembly linked to the repair of single-strand breaks was disrupted by depletion of PCNA from a cell-free system. This defect was rescued by complementation with recombinant PCNA, arguing for role of PCNA in mediating chromatin assembly linked to DNA repair. We discuss the importance of the PCNA–CAF-1 interaction in the context of DNA damage processing and checkpoint control. PMID:10648606

Therapeutic-Ultrasound-Triggered Shape Memory of a Melamine-Enhanced Poly(vinyl alcohol) Physical Hydrogel.

PubMed

Li, Guo; Yan, Qiang; Xia, Hesheng; Zhao, Yue

2015-06-10

Therapeutic-ultrasound-triggered shape memory was demonstrated for the first time with a melamine-enhanced poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) physical hydrogel. The addition of a small amount of melamine (up to 1.5 wt %) in PVA results in a strong hydrogel due to the multiple H-bonding between the two constituents. A temporary shape of the hydrogel can be obtained by deformation of the hydrogel (∼65 wt % water) at room temperature, followed by fixation of the deformation by freezing/thawing the hydrogel under strain, which induces crystallization of PVA. We show that the ultrasound delivered by a commercially available device designed for the patient's pain relief could trigger the shape recovery process as a result of ultrasound-induced local heating in the hydrogel that melts the crystallized PVA cross-linking. This hydrogel is thus interesting for potential applications because it combines many desirable properties, being mechanically strong, biocompatible, and self-healable and displaying the shape memory capability triggered by a physiological stimulus.

Internal transport barrier dynamics with plasma rotation in JET

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Vries, P. C.; Joffrin, E.; Brix, M.; Challis, C. D.; Crombé, K.; Esposito, B.; Hawkes, N. C.; Giroud, C.; Hobirk, J.; Lönnroth, J.; Mantica, P.; Strintzi, D.; Tala, T.; Voitsekhovitch, I.; JET-EFDA Contributors to the Work Programme

2009-07-01

At JET the dynamics of internal transport barriers (ITBs) has been explored by trying to decouple the effects of heating on the one hand and torque on the other with the ultimate objective of identifying the minimum torque required for the formation of transport barriers. The experiments shed light on the physics behind the initial trigger for ITBs, which often shows to be linked to the shape of the q profile and magnetic shear, while the further development was influenced by the strength of the rotational shear. In discharges with a small amount of rotational shear ITBs were triggered, which suggest that the overall rotational shear is not the dominant factor in the triggering process. However, the subsequent growth of the barrier was limited if the rotational shear was too low at the time of triggering. This growth phase may be highly non-linear, with several possible positive feedback loops, such as the increases in the toroidal and poloidal component of the rotational shear caused by the ITB itself.

Triggers for attempted suicide in Istanbul youth, with special reference to their socio-demographic background.

PubMed

Akkaya-Kalayci, Türkan; Kapusta, Nestor D; Winkler, Dietmar; Kothgassner, Oswald D; Popow, Christian; Özlü-Erkilic, Zeliha

2018-06-01

Suicidal behavior of young people is a topic of utmost importance because suicide is irreversible, and should be prevented. Knowing about the psychosocial background and the triggering events could help in preventing suicidal behavior. We therefore aimed at identifying psychosocial factors that may trigger suicidal behavior in youth. We analyzed retrospectively the standardized records of 2232 youths aged ≤25 years, who were treated after a suicide attempt at emergency units of public hospitals in Istanbul, Turkey during a period of 1 year. We describe this population according to sex and socio-economic conditions, like educational, occupational, relationship status and link them with their reported reasons for suicide attempts. The majority of patients were female (81.6%, N = 1822 females, 18.4%, N = 410 males). Independent of their educational and occupational background, patients indicated most frequently intra-familial problems (females 45.8%, males 30.5%), intrapersonal problems (females 19.9%, males 18.5%), and relationship problems (females 11.3%, males 23.9%) as triggering reasons. Because intra-familial problems were the most frequently reported triggers of suicide attempts, preventive measures should focus on handling intra-familial conflicts. As sex differences were observed for the second-most common trigger-reasons, prevention should also focus on differentially handling intrapersonal and relationship conflicts better.

Star Formation History In Merging Galaxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chien, Li-Hsin

2009-01-01

Interacting and merging galaxies are believed to play an important role in many aspects of galactic evolution. Their violent interactions can trigger starbursts, which lead to formation of young globular clusters. Therefore the ages of these young globular clusters can be interpreted to yield the timing of interaction-triggered events, and thus provide a key to reconstruct the star formation history in merging galaxies. The link between galaxy interaction and star formation is well established, but the triggers of star formation in interacting galaxies are still not understood. To date there are two competing formulas that describe the star formation mechanism--density-dependent and shock-induced rules. Numerical models implementing the two rules predict significantly different star formation histories in merging galaxies. My dissertation combines these two distinct areas of astrophysics, stellar evolution and galactic dynamics, to investigate the star formation history in galaxies at various merging stages. Begin with NGC 4676 as an example, I will briefly describe its model and illustrate the idea of using the ages of clusters to constrain the modeling. The ages of the clusters are derived from spectra that were taken with multi-object spectroscopy on Keck. Using NGC 7252 as a second example, I will present a state of the art dynamical model which predicts NGC7252's star formation history and other properties. I will then show a detailed comparison and analysis between the clusters and the modeling. In the end, I will address this important link as the key to answer the fundamental question of my thesis: what is the trigger of star formation in merging galaxies?

A proposed model of psychodynamic psychotherapy linked to Erik Erikson's eight stages of psychosocial development.

PubMed

Knight, Zelda Gillian

2017-09-01

Just as Freud used stages of psychosexual development to ground his model of psychoanalysis, it is possible to do the same with Erik Erikson's stages of development with regards to a model of psychodynamic psychotherapy. This paper proposes an eight-stage model of psychodynamic psychotherapy linked to Erik Erikson's eight stages of psychosocial development. Various suggestions are offered. One such suggestion is that as each of Erikson's developmental stages is triggered by a crisis, in therapy it is triggered by the client's search. The resolution of the search often leads to the development of another search, which implies that the therapy process comprises a series of searches. This idea of a series of searches and resolutions leads to the understanding that identity is developmental and therapy is a space in which a new sense of identity may emerge. The notion of hope is linked to Erikson's stage of Basic Trust and the proposed model of therapy views hope and trust as essential for the therapy process. Two clinical vignettes are offered to illustrate these ideas. Psychotherapy can be approached as an eight-stage process and linked to Erikson's eight stages model of development. Psychotherapy may be viewed as a series of searches and thus as a developmental stage resolution process, which leads to the understanding that identity is ongoing throughout the life span. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Using exposure prediction tools to link exposure and dosimetry for risk based decisions: a case study with phthalates

EPA Science Inventory

The Population Life-course Exposure to Health Effects Modeling (PLETHEM) platform being developed provides a tool that links results from emerging toxicity testing tools to exposure estimates for humans as defined by the USEPA. A reverse dosimetry case study using phthalates was ...

Systematic Detection of Remotely Triggered Seismicity in Africa Following Recent Large Earthquakes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ayorinde, A. O.; Peng, Z.; Yao, D.; Bansal, A. R.

2016-12-01

It is well known that large distant earthquakes can trigger micro-earthquakes/tectonic tremors during or immediately following their surface waves. Globally, triggered earthquakes have been mostly found in active plate boundary regions. It is not clear whether they could occur within stable intraplate regions in Africa as well as the active East African Rift Zone. In this study we conduct a systematic study of remote triggering in Africa following recent large earthquakes, including the 2004 Mw9.1 Sumatra and 2012 Mw8.6 Indian Ocean earthquakes. In particular, the 2012 Indian Ocean earthquake is the largest known strike slip earthquake and has triggered a global increase of magnitude larger than 5.5 earthquakes as well as numerous micro-earthquakes/tectonic tremors around the world. The entire Africa region was examined for possible remotely triggered seismicity using seismic data downloaded from the Incorporated Research Institutes for Seismology (IRIS) Data Management Center (DMC) and GFZ German Research Center for Geosciences. We apply a 5-Hz high-pass-filter to the continuous waveforms and visually identify high-frequency signals during and immediately after the large amplitude surface waves. Spectrograms are computed as additional tools to identify triggered seismicities and we further confirm them by statistical analysis comparing the high-frequency signals before and after the distant mainshocks. So far we have identified possible triggered seismicity in Botswana and northern Madagascar. This study could help to understand dynamic triggering in diverse tectonic settings of the African continent.

The CMS High-Level Trigger and Trigger Menus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Avetisyan, Aram

2008-04-01

The CMS experiment is one of the two general-purpose experiments due to start operation soon at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC). The LHC will collide protons at a centre of mass energy of 14 TeV, with a bunch-crossing rate of 40 MHz. The online event selection for the CMS experiment is carried out in two distinct stages. At Level-1 the trigger electronics reduces the 40 MHz collision rate to provide up to 100 kHz of interesting events, based on objects found using its calorimeter and muon subsystems. The High Level Trigger (HLT) that runs in the Filter Farm of the CMS experiment is a set of sophisticated software tools that run in a real-time environment to make a further selection and archive few hundred Hz of interesting events. The coherent tuning of the HLT algorithms to accommodate multiple physics channels is a key issue for CMS, one that literally defines the reach of the experiment's physics program. In this presentation we will discuss the strategies and trigger configuration developed for startup physics program of the CMS experiment, up to a luminosity of 10^31 s-1cm-2. Emphasis will be given to the full trigger menus, including physics and calibration triggers.

Using Online Digital Tools and Video to Support International Problem-Based Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lajoie, Susanne P.; Hmelo-Silver, Cindy; Wiseman, Jeffrey; Chan, Lap Ki; Lu, Jingyan; Khurana, Chesta; Cruz-Panesso, Ilian; Poitras, Eric; Kazemitabar, Maedeh

2014-01-01

The goal of this study is to examine how to facilitate cross-cultural groups in problem-based learning (PBL) using online digital tools and videos. The PBL consisted of two video-based cases used to trigger student-learning issues about giving bad news to HIV-positive patients. Mixed groups of medical students from Canada and Hong Kong worked with…

FLaapLUC: A pipeline for the generation of prompt alerts on transient Fermi-LAT γ-ray sources

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lenain, J.-P.

2018-01-01

The large majority of high energy sources detected with Fermi-LAT are blazars, which are known to be very variable sources. High cadence long-term monitoring simultaneously at different wavelengths being prohibitive, the study of their transient activities can help shedding light on our understanding of these objects. The early detection of such potentially fast transient events is the key for triggering follow-up observations at other wavelengths. A Python tool, FLaapLUC, built on top of the Science Tools provided by the Fermi Science Support Center and the Fermi-LAT collaboration, has been developed using a simple aperture photometry approach. This tool can effectively detect relative flux variations in a set of predefined sources and alert potential users. Such alerts can then be used to trigger target of opportunity observations with other facilities. It is shown that FLaapLUC is an efficient tool to reveal transient events in Fermi-LAT data, providing quick results which can be used to promptly organise follow-up observations. Results from this simple aperture photometry method are also compared to full likelihood analyses. The FLaapLUC package is made available on GitHub and is open to contributions by the community.

Trigger events: enviroclimatic coupling of Ebola hemorrhagic fever outbreaks

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pinzon, Jorge E.; Wilson, James M.; Tucker, Compton J.; Arthur, Ray; Jahrling, Peter B.; Formenty, Pierre

2004-01-01

We use spatially continuous satellite data as a correlate of precipitation within tropical Africa and show that the majority of documented Ebola hemorrhagic fever outbreaks were closely associated with sharply drier conditions at the end of the rainy season. We propose that these trigger events may enhance transmission of Ebola virus from its cryptic reservoir to humans. These findings suggest specific directions to help understand the sylvatic cycle of the virus and may provide early warning tools to detect possible future outbreaks of this enigmatic disease.

Social Network Analysis of Biomedical Research Collaboration Networks in a CTSA Institution

PubMed Central

Bian, Jiang; Xie, Mengjun; Topaloglu, Umit; Hudson, Teresa; Eswaran, Hari; Hogan, William

2014-01-01

BACKGROUND The popularity of social networks has triggered a number of research efforts on network analyses of research collaborations in the Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) community. Those studies mainly focus on the general understanding of collaboration networks by measuring common network metrics. More fundamental questions about collaborations still remain unanswered such as recognizing “influential” nodes and identifying potential new collaborations that are most rewarding. METHODS We analyzed biomedical research collaboration networks (RCNs) constructed from a dataset of research grants collected at a CTSA institution (i.e. University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS)) in a comprehensive and systematic manner. First, our analysis covers the full spectrum of a RCN study: from network modeling to network characteristics measurement, from key nodes recognition to potential links (collaborations) suggestion. Second, our analysis employs non-conventional model and techniques including a weighted network model for representing collaboration strength, rank aggregation for detecting important nodes, and Random Walk with Restart (RWR) for suggesting new research collaborations. RESULTS By applying our models and techniques to RCNs at UAMS prior to and after the CTSA, we have gained valuable insights that not only reveal the temporal evolution of the network dynamics but also assess the effectiveness of the CTSA and its impact on a research institution. We find that collaboration networks at UAMS are not scale-free but small-world. Quantitative measures have been obtained to evident that the RCNs at UAMS are moving towards favoring multidisciplinary research. Moreover, our link prediction model creates the basis of collaboration recommendations with an impressive accuracy (AUC: 0.990, MAP@3: 1.48 and MAP@5: 1.522). Last but not least, an open-source visual analytical tool for RCNs is being developed and released through Github. CONCLUSIONS Through this study, we have developed a set of techniques and tools for analyzing research collaboration networks and conducted a comprehensive case study focusing on a CTSA institution. Our findings demonstrate the promising future of these techniques and tools in understanding the generative mechanisms of research collaborations and helping identify beneficial collaborations to members in the research community. PMID:24560679

Large-scale deployment of the Global Trigger Tool across a large hospital system: refinements for the characterisation of adverse events to support patient safety learning opportunities.

PubMed

Good, V S; Saldaña, M; Gilder, R; Nicewander, D; Kennerly, D A

2011-01-01

The Institute for Healthcare Improvement encourages use of the Global Trigger Tool to objectively determine and monitor adverse events (AEs). Baylor Health Care System (BHCS) is an integrated healthcare delivery system in North Texas. The Global Trigger Tool was applied to BHCS's eight general acute care hospitals, two inpatient cardiovascular hospitals and two rehabilitation/long-term acute care hospitals. Data were collected from a monthly random sample of charts for each facility for patients discharged between 1 July 2006 and 30 June 2007 by external professional nurse auditors using an MS Access Tool developed for this initiative. In addition to the data elements recommended by Institute for Healthcare Improvement, BHCS developed fields to permit further characterisation of AEs to identify learning opportunities. A structured narrative description of each identified AE facilitated text mining to further characterise AEs. INITIAL FINDINGS: Based on this sample, AE rates were found to be 68.1 per 1000 patient days, or 50.8 per 100 encounters, and 39.8% of admissions were found to have ≥1 AE. Of all AEs identified, 61.2% were hospital-acquired, 10.1% of which were associated with a National Coordinating Council - Medical Error Reporting and Prevention harm score of "H or I" (near death or death). To enhance learning opportunities and guide quality improvement, BHCS collected data-such as preventability and AE source-to characterise the nature of AEs. Data are provided regularly to hospital teams to direct quality initiatives, moving from a general focus on reducing AEs to more specific programmes based on patterns of harm and preventability.

A hardware fast tracker for the ATLAS trigger

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Asbah, Nedaa

2016-09-01

The trigger system of the ATLAS experiment is designed to reduce the event rate from the LHC nominal bunch crossing at 40 MHz to about 1 kHz, at the design luminosity of 1034 cm-2 s-1. After a successful period of data taking from 2010 to early 2013, the LHC already started with much higher instantaneous luminosity. This will increase the load on High Level Trigger system, the second stage of the selection based on software algorithms. More sophisticated algorithms will be needed to achieve higher background rejection while maintaining good efficiency for interesting physics signals. The Fast TracKer (FTK) is part of the ATLAS trigger upgrade project. It is a hardware processor that will provide, at every Level-1 accepted event (100 kHz) and within 100 microseconds, full tracking information for tracks with momentum as low as 1 GeV. Providing fast, extensive access to tracking information, with resolution comparable to the offline reconstruction, FTK will help in precise detection of the primary and secondary vertices to ensure robust selections and improve the trigger performance. FTK exploits hardware technologies with massive parallelism, combining Associative Memory ASICs, FPGAs and high-speed communication links.

Utilizing Trigger Films to Enhance Communication Skills of Home Care Clinicians.

PubMed

Brennan-Cook, Jill; Molloy, Margory A

2016-01-01

The purpose of this article is to describe an innovative method to help home care clinicians better communicate with older adults experiencing normal physiologic changes that impact their ability to communicate effectively. Developmental changes such as hearing, speech, vision, and cognition profoundly impede an older adult's ability to communicate with others, potentially undermining the quality of care delivered. The use of trigger films as an educational intervention can assist home care clinicians to improve communication with their patients. Trigger films are 2- to 4-minute video clips that end abruptly, encouraging learners to analyze clinical situations in a safe environment, such as a staff conference room. Trigger films are easy to make with the use of a smart phone and two staff members portraying the role of home care clinician and patient. Allowing discussion after viewing the trigger film places clinicians in an active learning role, thus fostering the sharing of ideas and best practice. Addressing age-related barriers to communication with this modality serves to improve patient interaction and healthcare outcomes. The use of trigger films is another tool that empowers the clinician to provide improved care for patients with communication deficits.

Workshop on data acquisition and trigger system simulations for high energy physics

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

NONE

1992-12-31

This report discusses the following topics: DAQSIM: A data acquisition system simulation tool; Front end and DCC Simulations for the SDC Straw Tube System; Simulation of Non-Blocklng Data Acquisition Architectures; Simulation Studies of the SDC Data Collection Chip; Correlation Studies of the Data Collection Circuit & The Design of a Queue for this Circuit; Fast Data Compression & Transmission from a Silicon Strip Wafer; Simulation of SCI Protocols in Modsim; Visual Design with vVHDL; Stochastic Simulation of Asynchronous Buffers; SDC Trigger Simulations; Trigger Rates, DAQ & Online Processing at the SSC; Planned Enhancements to MODSEM II & SIMOBJECT -- anmore » Overview -- R.; DAGAR -- A synthesis system; Proposed Silicon Compiler for Physics Applications; Timed -- LOTOS in a PROLOG Environment: an Algebraic language for Simulation; Modeling and Simulation of an Event Builder for High Energy Physics Data Acquisition Systems; A Verilog Simulation for the CDF DAQ; Simulation to Design with Verilog; The DZero Data Acquisition System: Model and Measurements; DZero Trigger Level 1.5 Modeling; Strategies Optimizing Data Load in the DZero Triggers; Simulation of the DZero Level 2 Data Acquisition System; A Fast Method for Calculating DZero Level 1 Jet Trigger Properties and Physics Input to DAQ Studies.« less

Sirtuin 1 Mediates the Actions of Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor δ on the Oxidized Low-Density Lipoprotein-Triggered Migration and Proliferation of Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells.

PubMed

Hwang, Jung Seok; Ham, Sun Ah; Yoo, Taesik; Lee, Won Jin; Paek, Kyung Shin; Lee, Chi-Ho; Seo, Han Geuk

2016-11-01

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor δ (PPARδ) has been implicated in vascular pathophysiology. However, its functions in atherogenic changes of the vascular wall have not been fully elucidated. PPARδ activated by GW501516 (2-[2-methyl-4-[[4-methyl-2-[4-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]-1,3-thiazol-5-yl]methylsulfanyl]phenoxy]acetic acid) significantly inhibited the migration and proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) triggered by oxidized low-density lipoprotein (oxLDL). These GW501516-mediated effects were significantly reversed by PPARδ-targeting small-interfering RNA (siRNA), indicating that PPARδ is involved in the action of GW501516. The antiproliferative effect of GW501516 was directly linked to cell cycle arrest at the G 0 /G 1 to S phase transition, which was followed by the down-regulation of cyclin-dependent kinase 4 along with increased levels of p21 and p53. In VSMCs treated with GW501516, the expression of sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) mRNA and protein was time-dependently increased. This GW501516-mediated up-regulation of SIRT1 expression was also demonstrated even in the presence of oxLDL. In addition, GW501516-dependent inhibition of oxLDL-triggered migration and proliferation of VSMCs was almost completely abolished in the presence of SIRT1-targeting siRNA. These effects of GW501516 on oxLDL-triggered phenotypic changes of VSMCs were also demonstrated via activation or inhibition of SIRT1 activity by resveratrol or sirtinol, respectively. Finally, gain or loss of SIRT1 function imitated the action of PPARδ on oxLDL-triggered migration and proliferation of VSMCs. Taken together, these observations indicate that PPARδ-dependent up-regulation of SIRT1 contributes to the antiatherogenic activities of PPARδ by suppressing the migration and proliferation of VSMCs linked to vascular diseases such as restenosis and atherosclerosis. Copyright © 2016 by The American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics.

[Performance and optimisation of a trigger tool for the detection of adverse events in hospitalised adult patients].

PubMed

Guzmán Ruiz, Óscar; Pérez Lázaro, Juan José; Ruiz López, Pedro

To characterise the performance of the triggers used in the detection of adverse events (AE) of hospitalised adult patients and to define a simplified panel of triggers to facilitate the detection of AE. Cross-sectional study of charts of patients from a service of internal medicine to detect EA through systematic review of the charts and identification of triggers (clinical event often related to AE), determining if there was AE as the context in which it appeared the trigger. Once the EA was detected, we proceeded to the characterization of the triggers that detected it. Logistic regression was applied to select the triggers with greater AE detection capability. A total of 291 charts were reviewed, with a total of 562 triggers in 103 patients, of which 163 were involved in detecting an AE. The triggers that detected the most AE were "A.1. Pressure ulcer" (9.82%), "B.5. Laxative or enema" (8.59%), "A.8. Agitation" (8.59%), "A.9. Over-sedation" (7.98%), "A.7. Haemorrhage" (6.75%) and "B.4. Antipsychotic" (6.75%). A simplified model was obtained using logistic regression, and included the variable "Number of drugs" and the triggers "Over-sedation", "Urinary catheterisation", "Readmission in 30 days", "Laxative or enema" and "Abrupt medication stop". This model showed a probability of 81% to correctly classify charts with EA or without EA (p <0.001; 95% confidence interval: 0.763-0.871). A high number of triggers were associated with AE. The summary model is capable of detecting a large amount of AE, with a minimum of elements. Copyright © 2017 SESPAS. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Natural language generation of surgical procedures.

PubMed

Wagner, J C; Rogers, J E; Baud, R H; Scherrer, J R

1999-01-01

A number of compositional Medical Concept Representation systems are being developed. Although these provide for a detailed conceptual representation of the underlying information, they have to be translated back to natural language for used by end-users and applications. The GALEN programme has been developing one such representation and we report here on a tool developed to generate natural language phrases from the GALEN conceptual representations. This tool can be adapted to different source modelling schemes and to different destination languages or sublanguages of a domain. It is based on a multilingual approach to natural language generation, realised through a clean separation of the domain model from the linguistic model and their link by well defined structures. Specific knowledge structures and operations have been developed for bridging between the modelling 'style' of the conceptual representation and natural language. Using the example of the scheme developed for modelling surgical operative procedures within the GALEN-IN-USE project, we show how the generator is adapted to such a scheme. The basic characteristics of the surgical procedures scheme are presented together with the basic principles of the generation tool. Using worked examples, we discuss the transformation operations which change the initial source representation into a form which can more directly be translated to a given natural language. In particular, the linguistic knowledge which has to be introduced--such as definitions of concepts and relationships is described. We explain the overall generator strategy and how particular transformation operations are triggered by language-dependent and conceptual parameters. Results are shown for generated French phrases corresponding to surgical procedures from the urology domain.

Lectindb: a plant lectin database.

PubMed

Chandra, Nagasuma R; Kumar, Nirmal; Jeyakani, Justin; Singh, Desh Deepak; Gowda, Sharan B; Prathima, M N

2006-10-01

Lectins, a class of carbohydrate-binding proteins, are now widely recognized to play a range of crucial roles in many cell-cell recognition events triggering several important cellular processes. They encompass different members that are diverse in their sequences, structures, binding site architectures, quaternary structures, carbohydrate affinities, and specificities as well as their larger biological roles and potential applications. It is not surprising, therefore, that the vast amount of experimental data on lectins available in the literature is so diverse, that it becomes difficult and time consuming, if not impossible to comprehend the advances in various areas and obtain the maximum benefit. To achieve an effective use of all the data toward understanding the function and their possible applications, an organization of these seemingly independent data into a common framework is essential. An integrated knowledge base ( Lectindb, http://nscdb.bic.physics.iisc.ernet.in ) together with appropriate analytical tools has therefore been developed initially for plant lectins by collating and integrating diverse data. The database has been implemented using MySQL on a Linux platform and web-enabled using PERL-CGI and Java tools. Data for each lectin pertain to taxonomic, biochemical, domain architecture, molecular sequence, and structural details as well as carbohydrate and hence blood group specificities. Extensive links have also been provided for relevant bioinformatics resources and analytical tools. Availability of diverse data integrated into a common framework is expected to be of high value not only for basic studies in lectin biology but also for basic studies in pursuing several applications in biotechnology, immunology, and clinical practice, using these molecules.

High-Speed TCP Testing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brooks, David E.; Gassman, Holly; Beering, Dave R.; Welch, Arun; Hoder, Douglas J.; Ivancic, William D.

1999-01-01

Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) is the underlying protocol used within the Internet for reliable information transfer. As such, there is great interest to have all implementations of TCP efficiently interoperate. This is particularly important for links exhibiting long bandwidth-delay products. The tools exist to perform TCP analysis at low rates and low delays. However, for extremely high-rate and lone-delay links such as 622 Mbps over geosynchronous satellites, new tools and testing techniques are required. This paper describes the tools and techniques used to analyze and debug various TCP implementations over high-speed, long-delay links.

Clock and trigger distribution for CBM-TOF quality evaluation of RPC super module detector assemblies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, C.; Huang, X.; Cao, P.; Wang, J.; An, Q.

2018-03-01

RPC Super module (SM) detector assemblies are used for charged hadron identification in the Time-of-Flight (TOF) spectrometer at the Compressed Baryonic Matter (CBM) experiment. Each SM contains several multi-gap Resistive Plate Chambers (MRPCs) and provides up to 320 electronic channels in total for high-precision time measurements. Time resolution of the Time-to-Digital Converter (TDC) is required to be better than 20 ps. During mass production, the quality of each SM needs to be evaluated. In order to meet the requirements, the system clock signal as well as the trigger signal should be distributed precisely and synchronously to all electronics modules within the evaluation readout system. In this paper, a hierarchical clock and trigger distribution method is proposed for the quality evaluation of CBM-TOF SM detectors. In a first stage, the master clock and trigger module (CTM) allocated in a 6U PXI chassis distributes the clock and trigger signals to the slave CTM in the same chassis. In a second stage, the slave CTM transmits the clock and trigger signals to the TDC readout module (TRM) through one optical link. In a third stage, the TRM distributes the clock and trigger signals synchronously to 10 individual TDC boards. Laboratory test results show that the clock jitter at the third stage is less than 4 ps (RMS) and the trigger transmission latency from the master CTM to the TDC is about 272 ns with 11 ps (RMS) jitter. The overall performance complies well with the required specifications.

REDBACK: an Open-Source Highly Scalable Simulation Tool for Rock Mechanics with Dissipative Feedbacks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Poulet, T.; Veveakis, M.; Paesold, M.; Regenauer-Lieb, K.

2014-12-01

Multiphysics modelling has become an indispensable tool for geoscientists to simulate the complex behaviours observed in their various fields of study where multiple processes are involved, including thermal, hydraulic, mechanical and chemical (THMC) laws. This modelling activity involves simulations that are computationally expensive and its soaring uptake is tightly linked to the increasing availability of supercomputing power and easy access to powerful nonlinear solvers such as PETSc (http://www.mcs.anl.gov/petsc/). The Multiphysics Object-Oriented Simulation Environment (MOOSE) is a finite-element, multiphysics framework (http://mooseframework.org) that can harness such computational power and allow scientists to develop easily some tightly-coupled fully implicit multiphysics simulations that run automatically in parallel on large clusters. This open-source framework provides a powerful tool to collaborate on numerical modelling activities and we are contributing to its development with REDBACK (https://github.com/pou036/redback), a module for Rock mEchanics with Dissipative feedBACKs. REDBACK builds on the tensor mechanics finite strain implementation available in MOOSE to provide a THMC simulator where the energetic formulation highlights the importance of all dissipative terms in the coupled system of equations. We show first applications of fully coupled dehydration reactions triggering episodic fluid transfer through shear zones (Alevizos et al, 2014). The dimensionless approach used allows focusing on the critical underlying variables which are driving the resulting behaviours observed and this tool is specifically designed to study material instabilities underpinning geological features like faulting, folding, boudinage, shearing, fracturing, etc. REDBACK provides a collaborative and educational tool which captures the physical and mathematical understanding of such material instabilities and provides an easy way to apply this knowledge to realistic scenarios, where the size and complexity of the geometries considered, along with the material parameters distributions, add as many sources of different instabilities. References: Alevizos, S., T. Poulet, and E. Veveakis (2014), J. Geophys. Res., 119, 4558-4582, doi:10.1002/2013JB010070.

Analysis of Trigger Factors in Episodic Migraineurs Using a Smartphone Headache Diary Applications

PubMed Central

Park, Jeong-Wook; Chu, Min Kyung; Kim, Jae-Moon; Park, Sang-Gue; Cho, Soo-Jin

2016-01-01

Background Various stimuli can trigger migraines in susceptible individuals. We examined migraine trigger factors by using a smartphone headache diary application. Method Episodic migraineurs who agreed to participate in our study downloaded smartphone headache diary application, which was designed to capture the details regarding headache trigger factors and characteristics for 3 months. The participants were asked to access the smartphone headache diary application daily and to confirm the presence of a headache and input the types of trigger factors. Results Sixty-two participants kept diary entries until the end of the study. The diary data for 4,579 days were analyzed. In this data set, 1,099 headache days (336 migraines, 763 non-migraine headaches) were recorded; of these, 772 headache events had with trigger factors, and 327 events did not have trigger factors. The common trigger factors that were present on headache days included stress, fatigue, sleep deprivation, hormonal changes, and weather changes. The likelihood of a headache trigger was 57.7% for stress, 55.1% for sleep deprivation, 48.5% for fatigue, and 46.5% for any trigger. The headaches with trigger factors were associated with greater pain intensity (p<0.001), headache-related disability (p<0.001), abortive medication use (p = 0.02), and the proportion of migraine (p < 0.001), relative to those without trigger factors. Traveling (odd ratios [OR]: 6.4), hormonal changes (OR: 3.5), noise (OR: 2.8), alcohol (OR: 2.5), overeating (OR: 2.4), and stress (OR:1.8) were significantly associated with migraines compared to non-migraine headaches. The headaches that were associated with hormonal changes or noise were more often migraines, regardless of the preventive medication. The headaches due to stress, overeating, alcohol, and traveling were more often migraines without preventive medication, but it was not evident with preventive medication. Conclusion Smartphone headache diary application is an effective tool to assess migraine trigger factors. The headaches with trigger factors had greater severity or migraine features. The type of triggers and the presence of preventive medication influenced the headache characteristics; hence, an investigation of trigger factors would be helpful in understanding migraine occurrences. PMID:26901341

Analysis of Trigger Factors in Episodic Migraineurs Using a Smartphone Headache Diary Applications.

PubMed

Park, Jeong-Wook; Chu, Min Kyung; Kim, Jae-Moon; Park, Sang-Gue; Cho, Soo-Jin

2016-01-01

Various stimuli can trigger migraines in susceptible individuals. We examined migraine trigger factors by using a smartphone headache diary application. Episodic migraineurs who agreed to participate in our study downloaded smartphone headache diary application, which was designed to capture the details regarding headache trigger factors and characteristics for 3 months. The participants were asked to access the smartphone headache diary application daily and to confirm the presence of a headache and input the types of trigger factors. Sixty-two participants kept diary entries until the end of the study. The diary data for 4,579 days were analyzed. In this data set, 1,099 headache days (336 migraines, 763 non-migraine headaches) were recorded; of these, 772 headache events had with trigger factors, and 327 events did not have trigger factors. The common trigger factors that were present on headache days included stress, fatigue, sleep deprivation, hormonal changes, and weather changes. The likelihood of a headache trigger was 57.7% for stress, 55.1% for sleep deprivation, 48.5% for fatigue, and 46.5% for any trigger. The headaches with trigger factors were associated with greater pain intensity (p<0.001), headache-related disability (p<0.001), abortive medication use (p = 0.02), and the proportion of migraine (p < 0.001), relative to those without trigger factors. Traveling (odd ratios [OR]: 6.4), hormonal changes (OR: 3.5), noise (OR: 2.8), alcohol (OR: 2.5), overeating (OR: 2.4), and stress (OR:1.8) were significantly associated with migraines compared to non-migraine headaches. The headaches that were associated with hormonal changes or noise were more often migraines, regardless of the preventive medication. The headaches due to stress, overeating, alcohol, and traveling were more often migraines without preventive medication, but it was not evident with preventive medication. Smartphone headache diary application is an effective tool to assess migraine trigger factors. The headaches with trigger factors had greater severity or migraine features. The type of triggers and the presence of preventive medication influenced the headache characteristics; hence, an investigation of trigger factors would be helpful in understanding migraine occurrences.

Air Pollution Upregulates Endothelial Cell Procoagulant Activity Via Ultrafine Particle-Induced Oxidant Signaling and Tissue Factor Expression

EPA Science Inventory

Air pollution exposure is associated with cardiovascular events triggered by clot formation. Endothelial activation and initiation of coagulation are pathophysiological mechanisms that could link inhaled air pollutants to vascular events. Here we investigated the underlying mecha...

TummyTrials: A Feasibility Study of Using Self-Experimentation to Detect Individualized Food Triggers.

PubMed

Karkar, Ravi; Schroeder, Jessica; Epstein, Daniel A; Pina, Laura R; Scofield, Jeffrey; Fogarty, James; Kientz, Julie A; Munson, Sean A; Vilardaga, Roger; Zia, Jasmine

2017-05-02

Diagnostic self-tracking, the recording of personal information to diagnose or manage a health condition, is a common practice, especially for people with chronic conditions. Unfortunately, many who attempt diagnostic self-tracking have trouble accomplishing their goals. People often lack knowledge and skills needed to design and conduct scientifically rigorous experiments, and current tools provide little support. To address these shortcomings and explore opportunities for diagnostic self-tracking, we designed, developed, and evaluated a mobile app that applies a self-experimentation framework to support patients suffering from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) in identifying their personal food triggers. TummyTrials aids a person in designing, executing, and analyzing self-experiments to evaluate whether a specific food triggers their symptoms. We examined the feasibility of this approach in a field study with 15 IBS patients, finding that participants could use the tool to reliably undergo a self-experiment. However, we also discovered an underlying tension between scientific validity and the lived experience of self-experimentation. We discuss challenges of applying clinical research methods in everyday life, motivating a need for the design of self-experimentation systems to balance rigor with the uncertainties of everyday life.

See–saw relationship of the Holocene East Asian–Australian summer monsoon

PubMed Central

Eroglu, Deniz; McRobie, Fiona H.; Ozken, Ibrahim; Stemler, Thomas; Wyrwoll, Karl-Heinz; Breitenbach, Sebastian F. M.; Marwan, Norbert; Kurths, Jürgen

2016-01-01

The East Asian–Indonesian–Australian summer monsoon (EAIASM) links the Earth's hemispheres and provides a heat source that drives global circulation. At seasonal and inter-seasonal timescales, the summer monsoon of one hemisphere is linked via outflows from the winter monsoon of the opposing hemisphere. Long-term phase relationships between the East Asian summer monsoon (EASM) and the Indonesian–Australian summer monsoon (IASM) are poorly understood, raising questions of long-term adjustments to future greenhouse-triggered climate change and whether these changes could ‘lock in' possible IASM and EASM phase relationships in a region dependent on monsoonal rainfall. Here we show that a newly developed nonlinear time series analysis technique allows confident identification of strong versus weak monsoon phases at millennial to sub-centennial timescales. We find a see–saw relationship over the last 9,000 years—with strong and weak monsoons opposingly phased and triggered by solar variations. Our results provide insights into centennial- to millennial-scale relationships within the wider EAIASM regime. PMID:27666662

See-saw relationship of the Holocene East Asian-Australian summer monsoon.

PubMed

Eroglu, Deniz; McRobie, Fiona H; Ozken, Ibrahim; Stemler, Thomas; Wyrwoll, Karl-Heinz; Breitenbach, Sebastian F M; Marwan, Norbert; Kurths, Jürgen

2016-09-26

The East Asian-Indonesian-Australian summer monsoon (EAIASM) links the Earth's hemispheres and provides a heat source that drives global circulation. At seasonal and inter-seasonal timescales, the summer monsoon of one hemisphere is linked via outflows from the winter monsoon of the opposing hemisphere. Long-term phase relationships between the East Asian summer monsoon (EASM) and the Indonesian-Australian summer monsoon (IASM) are poorly understood, raising questions of long-term adjustments to future greenhouse-triggered climate change and whether these changes could 'lock in' possible IASM and EASM phase relationships in a region dependent on monsoonal rainfall. Here we show that a newly developed nonlinear time series analysis technique allows confident identification of strong versus weak monsoon phases at millennial to sub-centennial timescales. We find a see-saw relationship over the last 9,000 years-with strong and weak monsoons opposingly phased and triggered by solar variations. Our results provide insights into centennial- to millennial-scale relationships within the wider EAIASM regime.

Event-Triggered Fault Detection of Nonlinear Networked Systems.

PubMed

Li, Hongyi; Chen, Ziran; Wu, Ligang; Lam, Hak-Keung; Du, Haiping

2017-04-01

This paper investigates the problem of fault detection for nonlinear discrete-time networked systems under an event-triggered scheme. A polynomial fuzzy fault detection filter is designed to generate a residual signal and detect faults in the system. A novel polynomial event-triggered scheme is proposed to determine the transmission of the signal. A fault detection filter is designed to guarantee that the residual system is asymptotically stable and satisfies the desired performance. Polynomial approximated membership functions obtained by Taylor series are employed for filtering analysis. Furthermore, sufficient conditions are represented in terms of sum of squares (SOSs) and can be solved by SOS tools in MATLAB environment. A numerical example is provided to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed results.

Method for triggering an action

DOEpatents

Hall, David R.; Bartholomew, David B.; Johnson, Monte L.; Moon, Justin; Koehler, Roger O.

2006-10-17

A method for triggering an action of at least one downhole device on a downhole network integrated into a downhole tool string synchronized to an event comprises determining latency, sending a latency adjusted signal, and performing the action. The latency is determined between a control device and the at least one downhole device. The latency adjusted signal for triggering an action is sent to the downhole device. The action is performed downhole synchronized to the event. A preferred method for determining latency comprises the steps: a control device sends a first signal to the downhole device; after receiving the signal, the downhole device sends a response signal to the control device; and the control device analyzes the time from sending the signal to receiving the response signal.

Modeling cardiac action potential shortening driven by oxidative stress-induced mitochondrial oscillations in guinea pig cardiomyocytes.

PubMed

Zhou, Lufang; Cortassa, Sonia; Wei, An-Chi; Aon, Miguel A; Winslow, Raimond L; O'Rourke, Brian

2009-10-07

Ischemia-induced shortening of the cardiac action potential and its heterogeneous recovery upon reperfusion are thought to set the stage for reentrant arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death. We have recently reported that the collapse of mitochondrial membrane potential (DeltaPsi(m)) through a mechanism triggered by reactive oxygen species (ROS), coupled to the opening of sarcolemmal ATP-sensitive potassium (K(ATP)) channels, contributes to electrical dysfunction during ischemia-reperfusion. Here we present a computational model of excitation-contraction coupling linked to mitochondrial bioenergetics that incorporates mitochondrial ROS-induced ROS release with coupling between the mitochondrial energy state and electrical excitability mediated by the sarcolemmal K(ATP) current (I(K,ATP)). Whole-cell model simulations demonstrate that increasing the fraction of oxygen diverted from the respiratory chain to ROS production triggers limit-cycle oscillations of DeltaPsi(m), redox potential, and mitochondrial respiration through the activation of a ROS-sensitive inner membrane anion channel. The periods of transient mitochondrial uncoupling decrease the cytosolic ATP/ADP ratio and activate I(K,ATP), consequently shortening the cellular action potential duration and ultimately suppressing electrical excitability. The model simulates emergent behavior observed in cardiomyocytes subjected to metabolic stress and provides a new tool for examining how alterations in mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation will impact the electrophysiological, contractile, and Ca(2+) handling properties of the cardiac cell. Moreover, the model is an important step toward building multiscale models that will permit investigation of the role of spatiotemporal heterogeneity of mitochondrial metabolism in the mechanisms of arrhythmogenesis and contractile dysfunction in cardiac muscle.

Common Readout Unit (CRU) - A new readout architecture for the ALICE experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mitra, J.; Khan, S. A.; Mukherjee, S.; Paul, R.

2016-03-01

The ALICE experiment at the CERN Large Hadron Collider (LHC) is presently going for a major upgrade in order to fully exploit the scientific potential of the upcoming high luminosity run, scheduled to start in the year 2021. The high interaction rate and the large event size will result in an experimental data flow of about 1 TB/s from the detectors, which need to be processed before sending to the online computing system and data storage. This processing is done in a dedicated Common Readout Unit (CRU), proposed for data aggregation, trigger and timing distribution and control moderation. It act as common interface between sub-detector electronic systems, computing system and trigger processors. The interface links include GBT, TTC-PON and PCIe. GBT (Gigabit transceiver) is used for detector data payload transmission and fixed latency path for trigger distribution between CRU and detector readout electronics. TTC-PON (Timing, Trigger and Control via Passive Optical Network) is employed for time multiplex trigger distribution between CRU and Central Trigger Processor (CTP). PCIe (Peripheral Component Interconnect Express) is the high-speed serial computer expansion bus standard for bulk data transport between CRU boards and processors. In this article, we give an overview of CRU architecture in ALICE, discuss the different interfaces, along with the firmware design and implementation of CRU on the LHCb PCIe40 board.

Protease-sensitive, polymer-caged liposomes: a method for making highly targeted liposomes using triggered release.

PubMed

Basel, Matthew T; Shrestha, Tej B; Troyer, Deryl L; Bossmann, Stefan H

2011-03-22

Liposomes have become useful and well-known drug delivery vehicles because of their ability to entrap drugs without chemically modifying them and to deliver them somewhat selectively to tumorous tissue via the enhanced permeation and retention (EPR) effect. Although useful, liposome preparations are still less than ideal because of imperfect specificity, slow release kinetics in the tumor, and leakiness prior to reaching the tumor site. Cancer-associated proteases (CAPs), which are differentially expressed in tumors, have also gained traction recently as a method for tumor targeting and drug delivery. By combining the EPR effect with CAPs sensitivity, a much more specific liposome can be produced. The method described here creates an improved liposome system that can target more specifically, with faster release kinetics and lower general leaking, by deliberately producing a very unstable liposome (loaded with hyperosmotic vehicle) that is subsequently stabilized by a cross-linked polymer shell containing consensus sequences for cancer-associated proteases (protease-triggered, caged liposomes). A cholesterol-anchored, graft copolymer, composed of a short peptide sequence for urokinase plasminogen activator (uPA) and poly(acrylic acid), was synthesized and incorporated into liposomes prepared at high osmolarities. Upon cross-linking of the polymers, the protease-triggered, caged liposomes showed significant resistance to osmotic swelling and leaking of contents. Protease-triggered, caged liposomes also showed significant and substantial differential release of contents in the presence of uPA, while bare liposomes showed no differential effect in the presence of uPA. Thus a protease-sensitive liposome system with fast release kinetics was developed that could be used for more specific targeting to tumors.

Roads at risk - the impact of debris flows on road network reliability and vulnerability in southern Norway

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meyer, Nele Kristin; Schwanghart, Wolfgang; Korup, Oliver

2014-05-01

Norwegian's road network is frequently affected by debris flows. Both damage repair and traffic interruption generate high economic losses and necessitate a rigorous assessment of where losses are expected to be high and where preventive measures should be focused on. In recent studies, we have developed susceptibility and trigger probability maps that serve as input into a hazard calculation at the scale of first-order watersheds. Here we combine these results with graph theory to assess the impact of debris flows on the road network of southern Norway. Susceptibility and trigger probability are aggregated for individual road sections to form a reliability index that relates to the failure probability of a link that connects two network vertices, e.g., road junctions. We define link vulnerability as a function of traffic volume and additional link failure distance. Additional link failure distance is the extra length of the alternative path connecting the two associated link vertices in case the network link fails and is calculated by a shortest-path algorithm. The product of network reliability and vulnerability indices represent the risk index. High risk indices identify critical links for the Norwegian road network and are investigated in more detail. Scenarios demonstrating the impact of single or multiple debris flow events are run for the most important routes between seven large cities in southern Norway. First results show that the reliability of the road network is lowest in the central and north-western part of the study area. Road network vulnerability is highest in the mountainous regions in central southern Norway where the road density is low and in the vicinity of cities where the traffic volume is large. The scenarios indicate that city connections that have their shortest path via routes crossing the central part of the study area have the highest risk of route failure.

Making sense of (exceptional) causal relations. A cross-cultural and cross-linguistic study.

PubMed

Le Guen, Olivier; Samland, Jana; Friedrich, Thomas; Hanus, Daniel; Brown, Penelope

2015-01-01

In order to make sense of the world, humans tend to see causation almost everywhere. Although most causal relations may seem straightforward, they are not always construed in the same way cross-culturally. In this study, we investigate concepts of "chance," "coincidence," or "randomness" that refer to assumed relations between intention, action, and outcome in situations, and we ask how people from different cultures make sense of such non-law-like connections. Based on a framework proposed by Alicke (2000), we administered a task that aims to be a neutral tool for investigating causal construals cross-culturally and cross-linguistically. Members of four different cultural groups, rural Mayan Yucatec and Tseltal speakers from Mexico and urban students from Mexico and Germany, were presented with a set of scenarios involving various types of causal and non-causal relations and were asked to explain the described events. Three links varied as to whether they were present or not in the scenarios: Intention-to-Action, Action-to-Outcome, and Intention-to-Outcome. Our results show that causality is recognized in all four cultural groups. However, how causality and especially non-law-like relations are interpreted depends on the type of links, the cultural background and the language used. In all three groups, Action-to-Outcome is the decisive link for recognizing causality. Despite the fact that the two Mayan groups share similar cultural backgrounds, they display different ideologies regarding concepts of non-law-like relations. The data suggests that the concept of "chance" is not universal, but seems to be an explanation that only some cultural groups draw on to make sense of specific situations. Of particular importance is the existence of linguistic concepts in each language that trigger ideas of causality in the responses from each cultural group.

Remote Triggering of Microseismicity in Antarctica

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ji, M.; Li, C.; Peng, Z.; Walter, J. I.

2017-12-01

It is well known that large distant earthquakes can trigger microearthquakes/tectonic tremors during or immediately following their surface waves. Globally, triggered seismicity is mostly found in active plate boundary regions. Recent studies have shown that icequakes in Antartica can also be triggered by teleseismic events. However, it is still not clear how widespread this phenomenon is and whether there are any connections between large earthquakes and subsequent glacial movements. In this study, we conduct a systematic search for remotely triggered activity in Antarctica following recent large earthquakes, including the 2004 Mw9.1 Sumatra, 2011 Mw9.1 Tohoku, 2012 Mw8.6 Indian Ocean and 2014-2015 Chile earthquakes. We download seismic data recorded at the POLENET (YT) and the Argentina Antarctica Network (AI) from the Incorporated Research Institutions for Seismology (IRIS) Data Management Center (DMC). We apply a 2-8 Hz band-pass-filter to the continuous waveforms and visually identify local events during and immediately after the large amplitude surface waves. Spectrograms are computed as additional tools to identify triggered seismicity and are further confirmed by comparing the signals before and after the distant mainshocks. So far we have identified possible triggered seismicity in both networks' area following the 2010 Chile and 2011 Tohoku earthquakes. Our next step is to apply a waveform matching method to automatically detect possible triggered seismicity and check through all the available networks in Antarctica for the last decades, which should help to better understand the potential interaction between large earthquakes and icequakes in this region.

Effects of soil spatial variability at the hillslope and catchment scales on characteristics of rainfall-induced landslides

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fan, Linfeng; Lehmann, Peter; Or, Dani

2016-03-01

Spatial variations in soil properties affect key hydrological processes, yet their role in soil mechanical response to hydro-mechanical loading is rarely considered. This study aims to fill this gap by systematically quantifying effects of spatial variations in soil type and initial water content on rapid rainfall-induced shallow landslide predictions at the hillslope- and catchment-scales. We employed a physically-based landslide triggering model that considers mechanical interactions among soil columns governed by strength thresholds. At the hillslope scale, we found that the emergence of weak regions induced by spatial variations of soil type and initial water content resulted in early triggering of landslides with smaller volumes of released mass relative to a homogeneous slope. At the catchment scale, initial water content was linked to a topographic wetness index, whereas soil type varied deterministically with soil depth considering spatially correlated stochastic components. Results indicate that a strong spatial organization of initial water content delays landslide triggering, whereas spatially linked soil type with soil depth promoted landslide initiation. Increasing the standard deviation and correlation length of the stochastic component of soil type increases landslide volume and hastens onset of landslides. The study illustrates that for similar external boundary conditions and mean soil properties, landslide characteristics vary significantly with soil variability, hence it must be considered for improved landslide model predictions.

Vitiligo inducing phenols activate the unfolded protein response in melanocytes resulting in upregulation of IL6 and IL8

PubMed Central

Toosi, Siavash; Orlow, Seth J.; Manga, Prashiela

2012-01-01

Vitiligo is characterized by depigmented skin patches due to loss of epidermal melanocytes. Oxidative stress may play a role in vitiligo onset, while autoimmunity contributes to disease progression. In this study we sought to identify mechanisms that link disease triggers and spreading of lesions. A hallmark of melanocytes at the periphery of vitiligo lesions is dilation of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). We hypothesized that oxidative stress results in redox disruptions that extend to the ER, causing accumulation of misfolded peptides, which activates the unfolded protein response (UPR). We used 4-tertiary butyl phenol (4-TBP) and monobenzyl ether of hydroquinone (MBEH), known triggers of vitiligo. We show that expression of key UPR components, including the transcription factor X-box binding protein 1 (XBP1), are increased following exposure of melanocytes to phenols. XBP1 activation increases production of immune mediators interleukin-6 (IL6) and IL8. Co-treatment with XBP1 inhibitors reduced IL6 and IL8 production induced by phenols, while over-expression of XBP1 alone increased their expression. Thus, melanocytes themselves produce cytokines associated with activation of an immune response following exposure to chemical triggers of vitiligo. These results expand our understanding of the mechanisms underlying melanocyte loss in vitiligo and pathways linking environmental stressors and autoimmunity. PMID:22696056

47 CFR 24.247 - Triggering a reimbursement obligation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... PERSONAL COMMUNICATIONS SERVICES Broadband PCS Policies Governing Microwave Relocation from the 1850-1990... relocator or a voluntarily relocating microwave incumbent in accordance with the formula detailed in § 24.243: (1) All or part of the relocated microwave link was initially co-channel with the licensed PCS...

47 CFR 24.247 - Triggering a reimbursement obligation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... PERSONAL COMMUNICATIONS SERVICES Broadband PCS Policies Governing Microwave Relocation from the 1850-1990... relocator or a voluntarily relocating microwave incumbent in accordance with the formula detailed in § 24.243: (1) All or part of the relocated microwave link was initially co-channel with the licensed PCS...

47 CFR 24.247 - Triggering a reimbursement obligation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... PERSONAL COMMUNICATIONS SERVICES Broadband PCS Policies Governing Microwave Relocation from the 1850-1990... relocator or a voluntarily relocating microwave incumbent in accordance with the formula detailed in § 24.243: (1) All or part of the relocated microwave link was initially co-channel with the licensed PCS...

47 CFR 24.247 - Triggering a reimbursement obligation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... PERSONAL COMMUNICATIONS SERVICES Broadband PCS Policies Governing Microwave Relocation from the 1850-1990... relocator or a voluntarily relocating microwave incumbent in accordance with the formula detailed in § 24.243: (1) All or part of the relocated microwave link was initially co-channel with the licensed PCS...

Environmental triggers and avoidance in the management of asthma

PubMed Central

Gautier, Clarisse; Charpin, Denis

2017-01-01

Identifying asthma triggers forms the basis of environmental secondary prevention. These triggers may be allergenic or nonallergenic. Allergenic triggers include indoor allergens, such as house dust mites (HDMs), molds, pets, cockroaches, and rodents, and outdoor allergens, such as pollens and molds. Clinical observations provide support for the role of HDM exposure as a trigger, although avoidance studies provide conflicting results. Molds and their metabolic products are now considered to be triggers of asthma attacks. Pets, dogs, and especially cats can undoubtedly trigger asthmatic symptoms in sensitized subjects. Avoidance is difficult and rarely adhered to by families. Cockroach allergens contribute to asthma morbidity, and avoidance strategies can lead to clinical benefit. Mouse allergens are mostly found in inner-city dwellings, but their implication in asthma morbidity is debated. In the outdoors, pollens can induce seasonal asthma in sensitized individuals. Avoidance relies on preventing pollens from getting into the house and on minimizing seasonal outdoor exposure. Outdoor molds may lead to severe asthma exacerbations. Nonallergenic triggers include viral infections, active and passive smoking, meteorological changes, occupational exposures, and other triggers that are less commonly involved. Viral infection is the main asthma trigger in children. Active smoking is associated with higher asthma morbidity, and smoking cessation interventions should be personalized. Passive smoking is also a risk factor for asthma exacerbation. The implementation of public smoking bans has led to a reduction in the hospitalization of asthmatic children. Air pollution levels have been linked with asthmatic symptoms, a decrease in lung function, and increased emergency room visits and hospitalizations. Since avoidance is not easy to achieve, clean air policies remain the most effective strategy. Indoor air is also affected by air pollutants, such as cigarette smoke and volatile organic compounds generated by building and cleaning materials. Occupational exposures include work-exacerbated asthma and work-related asthma. PMID:28331347

Red ear syndrome precipitated by a dietary trigger: a case report

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Introduction Red ear syndrome is a rare condition characterized by episodic attacks of erythema of the ear accompanied by burning ear pain. Symptoms are brought on by touch, exertion, heat or cold, stress, neck movements and washing or brushing of hair. Diagnosis and treatment of this condition are challenging. The case we report here involves a woman whose symptoms were brought on by a dietary trigger: orange juice as well as stress, causing significant physical and psychological morbidity. Avoidance of triggers resulted in symptomatic improvement. Case presentation A 22-year-old Caucasian woman who was a student presented twice to our department with evolving symptoms, the first time with hyperacusis (abnormal sound sensitivity arising from within the auditory system to sounds of moderate volume), intermittent right tinnitus and subjective hearing difficulties. She presented five years later with highly distressing episodes of erythematous ears, which were associated with burning pain around the ear and temporal areas, and intolerance to noise. After keeping a symptom diary, she identified orange juice and stress as triggers of her symptoms. No local head and neck pathology was present. Investigations and imaging were negative. Avoidance of triggers led to great symptomatic improvement. To the best of our knowledge, dietary triggers have not previously been reported as a trigger for this syndrome. This case shows a direct temporal link to a dietary trigger and supports a primary pathogenesis. Recognition and management of primary headache disorder and simple dietary and lifestyle changes brought about symptomatic relief. Conclusion Red ear syndrome is a little-known clinical syndrome of unknown etiology and management. To the best of our knowledge, our present case report is the first to describe primary red ear syndrome triggered by orange juice. Clinical benefit derived from avoidance of this trigger, which is already known to precipitate migraines, gives some insight into the pathogenesis of red ear syndrome. PMID:25303997

Development and performance of electronic acute kidney injury triggers to identify pediatric patients at risk for nephrotoxic medication-associated harm.

PubMed

Kirkendall, E S; Spires, W L; Mottes, T A; Schaffzin, J K; Barclay, C; Goldstein, S L

2014-01-01

Nephrotoxic medication-associated acute kidney injury (NTMx-AKI) is a costly clinical phenomenon and more common than previously recognized. Prior efforts to use technology to identify AKI have focused on detection after renal injury has occurred. Describe an approach and provide a technical framework for the creation of risk-stratifying AKI triggers and the development of an application to manage the AKI trigger data. Report the performance characteristics of those triggers and the refinement process and on the challenges of implementation. Initial manual trigger screening guided design of an automated electronic trigger report. A web-based application was designed to alleviate inefficiency and serve as a user interface and central workspace for the project. Performance of the NTMx exposure trigger reports from September 2011 to September 2013 were evaluated using sensitivity (SN), specificity (SP), positive and negative predictive values (PPV, NPV). Automated reports were created to replace manual screening for NTMx-AKI. The initial performance of the NTMx exposure triggers for SN, SP, PPV, and NPV all were ≥0.78, and increased over the study, with all four measures reaching ≥0.95 consistently. A web-based application was implemented that simplifies data entry and couriering from the reports, expedites results viewing, and interfaces with an automated data visualization tool. Sociotechnical challenges were logged and reported. We have built a risk-stratifying system based on electronic triggers that detects patients at-risk for NTMx-AKI before injury occurs. The performance of the NTMx-exposed reports has neared 100% through iterative optimization. The complexity of the trigger logic and clinical workflows surrounding NTMx-AKI led to a challenging implementation, but one that has been successful from technical, clinical, and quality improvement standpoints. This report summarizes the construction of a trigger-based application, the performance of the triggers, and the challenges uncovered during the design, build, and implementation of the system.

Apolipoprotein E Is a Ligand for Triggering Receptor Expressed on Myeloid Cells 2 (TREM2)*

PubMed Central

Atagi, Yuka; Liu, Chia-Chen; Painter, Meghan M.; Chen, Xiao-Fen; Verbeeck, Christophe; Zheng, Honghua; Li, Xia; Rademakers, Rosa; Kang, Silvia S.; Xu, Huaxi; Younkin, Steven; Das, Pritam; Fryer, John D.; Bu, Guojun

2015-01-01

Several heterozygous missense mutations in the triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2 (TREM2) have recently been linked to risk for a number of neurological disorders including Alzheimer disease (AD), Parkinson disease, and frontotemporal dementia. These discoveries have re-ignited interest in the role of neuroinflammation in the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases. TREM2 is highly expressed in microglia, the resident immune cells of the central nervous system. Along with its adaptor protein, DAP12, TREM2 regulates inflammatory cytokine release and phagocytosis of apoptotic neurons. Here, we report apolipoprotein E (apoE) as a novel ligand for TREM2. Using a biochemical assay, we demonstrated high-affinity binding of apoE to human TREM2. The functional significance of this binding was highlighted by increased phagocytosis of apoE-bound apoptotic N2a cells by primary microglia in a manner that depends on TREM2 expression. Moreover, when the AD-associated TREM2-R47H mutant was used in biochemical assays, apoE binding was vastly reduced. Our data demonstrate that apoE-TREM2 interaction in microglia plays critical roles in modulating phagocytosis of apoE-bound apoptotic neurons and establish a critical link between two proteins whose genes are strongly linked to the risk for AD. PMID:26374899

Real World Experience With Ion Implant Fault Detection at Freescale Semiconductor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sing, David C.; Breeden, Terry; Fakhreddine, Hassan; Gladwin, Steven; Locke, Jason; McHugh, Jim; Rendon, Michael

2006-11-01

The Freescale automatic fault detection and classification (FDC) system has logged data from over 3.5 million implants in the past two years. The Freescale FDC system is a low cost system which collects summary implant statistics at the conclusion of each implant run. The data is collected by either downloading implant data log files from the implant tool workstation, or by exporting summary implant statistics through the tool's automation interface. Compared to the traditional FDC systems which gather trace data from sensors on the tool as the implant proceeds, the Freescale FDC system cannot prevent scrap when a fault initially occurs, since the data is collected after the implant concludes. However, the system can prevent catastrophic scrap events due to faults which are not detected for days or weeks, leading to the loss of hundreds or thousands of wafers. At the Freescale ATMC facility, the practical applications of the FD system fall into two categories: PM trigger rules which monitor tool signals such as ion gauges and charge control signals, and scrap prevention rules which are designed to detect specific failure modes that have been correlated to yield loss and scrap. PM trigger rules are designed to detect shifts in tool signals which indicate normal aging of tool systems. For example, charging parameters gradually shift as flood gun assemblies age, and when charge control rules start to fail a flood gun PM is performed. Scrap prevention rules are deployed to detect events such as particle bursts and excessive beam noise, events which have been correlated to yield loss. The FDC system does have tool log-down capability, and scrap prevention rules often use this capability to automatically log the tool into a maintenance state while simultaneously paging the sustaining technician for data review and disposition of the affected product.

Tools for Linking Research and Practice in the Helping Professions: Research Abstract Worksheets and Personal Reviews of the Literature.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burlingame, Martin

This document is comprised of four chapters that show how to use research-abstract worksheets and personal reviews of the literature as tools for linking research and practice in the helping professions. The research tools help to condense lengthy reports, place them into a consistent format, and actively involve the information seeker. Chapter 1…

Implementation gaps for asthma prevention and control.

PubMed

Tanno, Luciana K; Haahtela, Tari; Calderon, Moises A; Cruz, Alvaro; Demoly, Pascal

2017-09-01

Asthma and allergic diseases can start in childhood and persist throughout life, but could also be manifested later, at any time for still misunderstood reasons. They are major chronic multifactorial respiratory diseases, for which prevention, early diagnosis and treatment is recognized as a priority for the Europe's public health policy and the United Nations. Given that allergy triggers (including infections, rapid urbanization leading to loss in biodiversity, pollution and climate changes) are not expected to change in a foreseeable future, it is imperative that steps are taken to develop, strengthen and optimize preventive and treatment strategies. Currently there are good treatments for asthma, several risk factors are known (e.g., allergies, rhinitis, tobacco smoke) and tools to control the disease have been developed. However, we are still uncertain how to prevent patients from developing asthma and allergic diseases. In this paper, we list the positive and negative experiences in this field as well as analyze the missing links in the process. This critical analysis will be the basis of setting-up an effective program for prevention and making, a process labeled as "implementation gaps". Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

On the psychology of the recognition heuristic: retrieval primacy as a key determinant of its use.

PubMed

Pachur, Thorsten; Hertwig, Ralph

2006-09-01

The recognition heuristic is a prime example of a boundedly rational mind tool that rests on an evolved capacity, recognition, and exploits environmental structures. When originally proposed, it was conjectured that no other probabilistic cue reverses the recognition-based inference (D. G. Goldstein & G. Gigerenzer, 2002). More recent studies challenged this view and gave rise to the argument that recognition enters inferences just like any other probabilistic cue. By linking research on the heuristic with research on recognition memory, the authors argue that the retrieval of recognition information is not tantamount to the retrieval of other probabilistic cues. Specifically, the retrieval of subjective recognition precedes that of an objective probabilistic cue and occurs at little to no cognitive cost. This retrieval primacy gives rise to 2 predictions, both of which have been empirically supported: Inferences in line with the recognition heuristic (a) are made faster than inferences inconsistent with it and (b) are more prevalent under time pressure. Suspension of the heuristic, in contrast, requires additional time, and direct knowledge of the criterion variable, if available, can trigger such suspension. Copyright 2006 APA

Niche construction theory: a practical guide for ecologists.

PubMed

Odling-Smee, John; Erwin, Douglas H; Palkovacs, Eric P; Feldman, Marcus W; Laland, Kevin N

2013-03-01

Niche construction theory (NCT) explicitly recognizes environmental modication by organisms ("niche construction") and their legacy overtime ("ecological inheritance") to be evolutionary processes in their own right. Here we illustrate how niche construction theory provides usedl conceptual tools and theoretical insights for integrating ecosystem ecology and evolutionary theory. We begin by briefly describing NCT, and illustrating how it deifers from conventional evolutionary approaches. We then distinguish between two aspects ofniche construction--environment alteration and subsequent evolution in response to constructed environments--equating the first of these with "ecosystem engineering." We describe some of the ecological and evolutionary impacts on ecosystems of niche construction, ecosystem engineering and ecological inheritance, and illustrate how these processes trigger ecological and evolutionary feedbacks and leave detectable ecological signatures that are open to investigation. FIinally, we provide a practical guide to how NCT could be deployed by ecologists and evolutionary biologists to aeplore ecoeoolutionay dynamics. We suggest that, by highlighting the ecological and evolutionay ramifications of changes that organisms bring about in ecosystems, NCT helps link ecosystem ecology to evolutionary biology, potentially leading to a deeper understanding of how ecosystems change over time.

Preventability of Voluntarily Reported or Trigger Tool-Identified Medication Errors in a Pediatric Institution by Information Technology: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

PubMed

Stultz, Jeremy S; Nahata, Milap C

2015-07-01

Information technology (IT) has the potential to prevent medication errors. While many studies have analyzed specific IT technologies and preventable adverse drug events, no studies have identified risk factors for errors still occurring that are not preventable by IT. The objective of this study was to categorize reported or trigger tool-identified errors and adverse events (AEs) at a pediatric tertiary care institution. Also, we sought to identify medication errors preventable by IT, determine why IT-preventable errors occurred, and to identify risk factors for errors that were not preventable by IT. This was a retrospective analysis of voluntarily reported or trigger tool-identified errors and AEs occurring from 1 July 2011 to 30 June 2012. Medication errors reaching the patients were categorized based on the origin, severity, and location of the error, the month in which they occurred, and the age of the patient involved. Error characteristics were included in a multivariable logistic regression model to determine independent risk factors for errors occurring that were not preventable by IT. A medication error was defined as a medication-related failure of a planned action to be completed as intended or the use of a wrong plan to achieve an aim. An IT-preventable error was defined as having an IT system in place to aid in prevention of the error at the phase and location of its origin. There were 936 medication errors (identified by voluntarily reporting or a trigger tool system) included and analyzed. Drug administration errors were identified most frequently (53.4% ), but prescribing errors most frequently caused harm (47.2 % of harmful errors). There were 470 (50.2 %) errors that were IT preventable at their origin, including 155 due to IT system bypasses, 103 due to insensitivity of IT alerting systems, and 47 with IT alert overrides. Dispensing, administration, and documentation errors had higher odds than prescribing errors for being not preventable by IT [odds ratio (OR) 8.0, 95 % CI 4.4-14.6; OR 2.4, 95 % CI 1.7-3.7; and OR 6.7, 95 % CI 3.3-14.5, respectively; all p < 0.001). Errors occurring in the operating room and in the outpatient setting had higher odds than intensive care units for being not preventable by IT (OR 10.4, 95 % CI 4.0-27.2, and OR 2.6, 95 % CI 1.3-5.0, respectively; all p ≤ 0.004). Despite extensive IT implementation at the studied institution, approximately one-half of the medication errors identified by voluntarily reporting or a trigger tool system were not preventable by the utilized IT systems. Inappropriate use of IT systems was a common cause of errors. The identified risk factors represent areas where IT safety features were lacking.

Rational-q Triggered Transport Changes With Varying Toroidal Rotation in DIII-D

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Austin, M. E.; Burrell, K. H.; Waltz, R. E.; van Zeeland, M. A.; McKee, G. R.; Shafer, M. W.; Rhodes, T. L.

2007-11-01

Comparison of rational-q triggered ITBs in discharges with varying toroidal torque injection was carried out. Experiments were conducted in negative central shear discharges with different mixes of co/counter neutral beam injection (NBI) that altered the equilibrium ExB shear in conditions where transient improvements in transport occur near integer qmin values. The transport changes were seen in high and low rotation cases; however, the latter discharges did not transition to improved core confinement. Observations support the model that sufficient background ExB shear is required for barrier formation and zonal flow effects at integer qmin act as trigger in this case. The lack of TAE modes in the balanced injection cases indicates they are not linked to the transient confinement improvement. Fluctuation data obtained in co and balanced NBI show similar reductions in turbulence near integer qmin as well as poloidal velocity excursions that may be further evidence of zonal flow.

Investigations into the triggered lightning response of the F106B thunderstorm research aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rudolph, Terence H.; Perala, Rodney A.; Mckenna, Paul M.; Parker, Steven L.

1985-01-01

An investigation has been conducted into the lightning characteristics of the NASA F106B thunderstorm research aircraft. The investigation includes analysis of measured data from the aircraft in the time and frequency domains. Linear and nonlinear computer modelling has also been performed. In addition, new computer tools have been developed, including a new enhanced nonlinear air breakdown model, and a subgrid model useful for analyzing fine details of the aircraft's geometry. Comparison of measured and calculated electromagnetic responses of the aircraft to a triggered lightning environment are presented.

Virtual Reality: Therapeutic Tool or Time Bomb?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cornell, Richard; And Others

1994-01-01

Examines the connection between symptoms commonly related to severe mental illness in individuals, and compares it to the presence of potential "psychic triggers" identified as attributes found in the design and use of virtual reality. (Author/AEF)

A SERS protocol as a potential tool to access 6-mercaptopurine release accelerated by glutathione-S-transferase.

PubMed

Wang, Ying; Sun, Jie; Yang, Qingran; Lu, Wenbo; Li, Yan; Dong, Jian; Qian, Weiping

2015-11-21

The developed method for monitoring GST, an important drug metabolic enzyme, could greatly facilitate researches on relative biological fields. In this work, we have developed a SERS technique to monitor the absorbance behaviour of 6-mercaptopurine (6-MP) and its glutathione-S-transferase (GST)-accelerated glutathione (GSH)-triggered release behaviour on the surface of gold nanoflowers (GNFs), using the GNFs as excellent SERS substrates. The SERS signal was used as an indicator of absorbance or release of 6-MP on the gold surface. We found that GST can accelerate GSH-triggered release behaviour of 6-MP from the gold surface. We speculated that GST catalyzes nucleophilic GSH to competitively bind with the electrophilic substance 6-MP. Experimental results have proved that the presented SERS protocol can be utilized as an effective tool for accessing the release of anticancer drugs.

Novel Strategy to Create Hypoallergenic Peanut Protein-Polyphenol Edible Matrices for Oral Immunotherapy

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Peanut allergy is an IgE-mediated hypersensitivity. Upon peanut consumption by an allergic individual, epitopes on peanut proteins bind and cross-link peanut-specific IgE on mast cell and basophil surfaces triggering the cells to release inflammatory mediators responsible for allergic reactions. P...

Innovation Enables New Research on Mutation Linked to Many Cancers | FNLCR Staging

Cancer.gov

A scientific innovation at the Frederick National Lab has opened the way for a new line of experiments in the decades-old quest for a drug to fight cancers triggered by mutant RAS proteins – which underlie one-third of all malignancies, including t

The Sensorial Effect: Dynamics of Emotion in Pro-Environmental Behavior

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hipolito, Joana

2011-01-01

In this article, sensorial effects are introduced as emotional stimuli for shaping environmentally significant behaviors. This research provides a link between sensorial effect as ubiquitous environmental behavior feedback and the effect of sensorial stimuli on emotions that trigger individuals' pro-environment behavior. A case study of using…

Quaternary base-level drops and trigger mechanisms in a closed basin: Geomorphic and sedimentological studies of the Gastre Basin, Argentina

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bilmes, Andrés; Veiga, Gonzalo D.; Ariztegui, Daniel; Castelltort, Sébastien; D'Elia, Leandro; Franzese, Juan R.

2017-04-01

Evaluating the role of tectonics and climate as possible triggering mechanisms of landscape reconfigurations is essential for paleoenvironmental and paleoclimatic reconstructions. In this study an exceptional receptive closed Quaternary system of Patagonia (the Gastre Basin) is described, and examined in order to analyze factors triggering base-level drops. Based on a geomorphological approach, which includes new tectonic geomorphology investigations combined with sedimentological and stratigraphic analysis, three large-scale geomorphological systems were identified, described and linked to two major lake-level highstands preserved in the basin. The results indicate magnitudes of base-level drops that are several orders of magnitude greater than present-day water-level fluctuations, suggesting a triggering mechanism not observed in recent times. Direct observations indicating the occurrence of Quaternary faults were not recorded in the region. In addition, morphometric analyses that included mountain front sinuosity, valley width-height ratio, and fan apex position dismiss tectonic fault activity in the Gastre Basin during the middle Pleistocene-Holocene. Therefore, we suggest here that upper Pleistocene climate changes may have been the main triggering mechanism of base-level falls in the Gastre Basin as it is observed in other closed basins of central Patagonia (i.e., Carri Laufquen Basin).

Development of a Dmt Monitor for Statistical Tracking of Gravitational-Wave Burst Triggers Generated from the Omega Pipeline

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Jun-Wei; Cao, Jun-Wei

2010-04-01

One challenge in large-scale scientific data analysis is to monitor data in real-time in a distributed environment. For the LIGO (Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory) project, a dedicated suit of data monitoring tools (DMT) has been developed, yielding good extensibility to new data type and high flexibility to a distributed environment. Several services are provided, including visualization of data information in various forms and file output of monitoring results. In this work, a DMT monitor, OmegaMon, is developed for tracking statistics of gravitational-wave (OW) burst triggers that are generated from a specific OW burst data analysis pipeline, the Omega Pipeline. Such results can provide diagnostic information as reference of trigger post-processing and interferometer maintenance.

Exposing Compassion Fatigue and Burnout Syndrome in a Trauma Team: A Qualitative Study.

PubMed

Berg, Gina M; Harshbarger, Jenni L; Ahlers-Schmidt, Carolyn R; Lippoldt, Diana

2016-01-01

Compassion fatigue (CF) and burnout syndrome (BOS) are identified in trauma, emergency, and critical care nursing practices. The purpose of this qualitative study was to measure CF and BOS in a trauma team and allow them to share perceptions of related stress triggers and coping strategies. Surveys to measure CF and BOS and a focus group allowed a trauma team (12 practitioners) to share perceptions of related stress triggers and coping strategies. More than half scored at risk for CF and BOS. Stress triggers were described as situation (abuse, age of patient) versus injury-related. Personal coping mechanisms were most often reported. Both CF and BOS can be assessed with a simple survey tool. Strategies for developing a program culturally sensitive to CF and BOS are provided.

Timing paradox of stepping and falls in ageing: not so quick and quick(er) on the trigger

PubMed Central

Mille, Marie‐Laure

2016-01-01

Abstract Physiological and degenerative changes affecting human standing balance are major contributors to falls with ageing. During imbalance, stepping is a powerful protective action for preserving balance that may be voluntarily initiated in recognition of a balance threat, or be induced by an externally imposed mechanical or sensory perturbation. Paradoxically, with ageing and falls, initiation slowing of voluntary stepping is observed together with perturbation‐induced steps that are triggered as fast as or faster than for younger adults. While age‐associated changes in sensorimotor conduction, central neuronal processing and cognitive functions are linked to delayed voluntary stepping, alterations in the coupling of posture and locomotion may also prolong step triggering. It is less clear, however, how these factors may explain the accelerated triggering of induced stepping. We present a conceptual model that addresses this issue. For voluntary stepping, a disruption in the normal coupling between posture and locomotion may underlie step‐triggering delays through suppression of the locomotion network based on an estimation of the evolving mechanical state conditions for stability. During induced stepping, accelerated step initiation may represent an event‐triggering process whereby stepping is released according to the occurrence of a perturbation rather than to the specific sensorimotor information reflecting the evolving instability. In this case, errors in the parametric control of induced stepping and its effectiveness in stabilizing balance would be likely to occur. We further suggest that there is a residual adaptive capacity with ageing that could be exploited to improve paradoxical triggering and other changes in protective stepping to impact fall risk. PMID:26915664

Radiation Tolerant Electronics and Digital Processing for the Phase-1 Read-out Upgrade of the ATLAS Liquid Argon Calorimeters

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

Milic, A.

The ATLAS Liquid Argon calorimeters are designed and built to study proton-proton collisions produced at the LHC at centre-of-mass energies up to 14 TeV. Liquid argon (LAr) sampling calorimeters are employed for all electromagnetic calorimetry in the pseudorapidity region |η|<3.2, and for hadronic calorimetry in the region from |η|=1.5 to |η|=4.9. Although the nominal LHC experimental programme is still in progress, an upgrade of the read-out electronics is being launched to cope with luminosities of up to 3x10{sup 34} cm{sup -2}s{sup -1}, which are beyond the original design by a factor of 3. An improved spatial granularity of the triggermore » primitives is therefore proposed in order to improve the identification performance for trigger signatures, like electrons, photons, tau leptons, jets, total and missing energy, at high background rejection rates. For the upgrade Phase-1 in 2018, new LAr Trigger Digitizer Boards (LTDB) are being designed to receive higher granularity signals, digitize them on detector and send them via fast optical links to a new LAr digital processing system (LDPS). The LDPS applies a digital filtering and identifies significant energy depositions in each trigger channel. The refined trigger primitives are then transmitted to the first level trigger system to extract improved trigger signatures. The read-out of the trigger signals will process 34000 so-called Super Cells at every LHC bunch-crossing at a frequency of 40 MHz. The new LTDB on-detector electronics is designed to be radiation tolerant in order to be operated for the remaining live-time of the ATLAS detector up to a total luminosity of 3000 fb{sup -1}. For the analog-to-digital conversion (12-bit ADC at 40 MSPS), the data serialization and the fast optical link (5.44 Gb/s) custom components have been developed. They have been qualified for the expected radiation environment of a total ionization dose of 1.3 kGy and a hadron fluence of 6 x 10{sup 13} h/cm{sup 2} with energies above 20 MeV. For the digital components like the ADC, cross-sections for single event effects have been determined. This talk will present R and D results from tests of the radiation tolerant components, the fast data processing electronics and prototypes of the LTDB and LDPS boards. First experience from a Demonstrator setup will be reported, in which about 1/10 of the full Super Cell readout will be equipped with prototype versions of the LTDB and LDPS boards. The Demonstrator will be operated in parallel to the regular ATLAS trigger read-out during the upcoming LHC run. (authors)« less

FELIX: The new detector readout system for the ATLAS experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ryu, Soo; ATLAS TDAQ Collaboration

2017-10-01

After the Phase-I upgrades (2019) of the ATLAS experiment, the Front-End Link eXchange (FELIX) system will be the interface between the data acquisition system and the detector front-end and trigger electronics. FELIX will function as a router between custom serial links and a commodity switch network using standard technologies (Ethernet or Infiniband) to communicate with commercial data collecting and processing components. The system architecture of FELIX will be described and the status of the firmware implementation and hardware development currently in progress will be presented.

Photoresponsive cross-linked polymeric particles for phototriggered burst release.

PubMed

Wang, Zhen; Yu, Lili; Lv, Cong; Wang, Peng; Chen, Yedong; Tang, Xinjing

2013-01-01

We synthesized a series of cross-linked photoresponsive polymeric particles with photolabile monomers and cross-linkers through miniemulsion polymerization. These particles are quite stable in dark, while light irradiation caused the breakage of particles and the efficient release of encapsulated contents up to 95% based on Nile red fluorescence. Photoswitches of particle systems were confirmed by fluorescence spectroscopy, SEM and colorimetry. Particle uptake and triggered release in RAW264.7 cells were confirmed by fluorescein diacetate loaded particles. © 2013 The Authors. Photochemistry and Photobiology © 2013 The American Society of Photobiology.

Link Analysis in the Mission Planning Lab

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McCarthy, Jessica A.; Cervantes, Benjamin W.; Daugherty, Sarah C.; Arroyo, Felipe; Mago, Divyang

2011-01-01

The legacy communications link analysis software currently used at Wallops Flight Facility involves processes that are different for command destruct, radar, and telemetry. There is a clear advantage to developing an easy-to-use tool that combines all the processes in one application. Link Analysis in the Mission Planning Lab (MPL) uses custom software and algorithms integrated with Analytical Graphics Inc. Satellite Toolkit (AGI STK). The MPL link analysis tool uses pre/post-mission data to conduct a dynamic link analysis between ground assets and the launch vehicle. Just as the legacy methods do, the MPL link analysis tool calculates signal strength and signal- to-noise according to the accepted processes for command destruct, radar, and telemetry assets. Graphs and other custom data are generated rapidly in formats for reports and presentations. STK is used for analysis as well as to depict plume angles and antenna gain patterns in 3D. The MPL has developed two interfaces with the STK software (see figure). The first interface is an HTML utility, which was developed in Visual Basic to enhance analysis for plume modeling and to offer a more user friendly, flexible tool. A graphical user interface (GUI) written in MATLAB (see figure upper right-hand corner) is also used to quickly depict link budget information for multiple ground assets. This new method yields a dramatic decrease in the time it takes to provide launch managers with the required link budgets to make critical pre-mission decisions. The software code used for these two custom utilities is a product of NASA's MPL.

A redox-active, compact molecule for cross-linking amyloidogenic peptides into nontoxic, off-pathway aggregates: In vitro and in vivo efficacy and molecular mechanisms

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

Derrick, Jeffrey S.; Kerr, Richard A.; Nam, Younwoo

Chemical reagents targeting and controlling amyloidogenic peptides have received much attention for helping identify their roles in the pathogenesis of protein-misfolding disorders. In this paper, we report a novel strategy for redirecting amyloidogenic peptides into nontoxic, off-pathway aggregates, which utilizes redox properties of a small molecule (DMPD, N,N-dimethyl- p-phenylenediamine) to trigger covalent adduct formation with the peptide. In addition, for the first time, biochemical, biophysical, and molecular dynamics simulation studies have been performed to demonstrate a mechanistic understanding for such an interaction between a small molecule (DMPD) and amyloid-β (Aβ) and its subsequent anti-amyloidogenic activity, which, upon its transformation, generatesmore » ligand–peptide adducts via primary amine-dependent intramolecular cross-linking correlated with structural compaction. Furthermore, in vivo efficacy of DMPD toward amyloid pathology and cognitive impairment was evaluated employing 5xFAD mice of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Such a small molecule (DMPD) is indicated to noticeably reduce the overall cerebral amyloid load of soluble Aβ forms and amyloid deposits as well as significantly improve cognitive defects in the AD mouse model. Altogether our in vitro and in vivo studies of DMPD toward Aβ with the first molecular-level mechanistic investigations present the feasibility of developing new, innovative approaches that employ redox-active compounds without the structural complexity as next-generation chemical tools for amyloid management.« less

A Redox-Active, Compact Molecule for Cross-Linking Amyloidogenic Peptides into Nontoxic, Off-Pathway Aggregates: In Vitro and In Vivo Efficacy and Molecular Mechanisms

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

Derrick, Jeffrey S.; Kerr, Richard A.; Nam, Younwoo

Chemical reagents targeting and controlling amyloidogenic peptides have received much attention for helping identify their roles in the pathogenesis of protein-misfolding disorders. Herein, we report a novel strategy for redirecting amyloidogenic peptides into nontoxic, off-pathway aggregates, which utilizes redox properties of a small molecule (DMPD, N,N-dimethyl-p-phenylenediamine) to trigger covalent adduct formation with the peptide. In addition, for the first time, biochemical, biophysical, and molecular dynamics simulation studies have been performed to demonstrate a mechanistic understanding for such an interaction between a small molecule (DMPD) and amyloid-β (Aβ) and its subsequent anti-amyloidogenic activity, which, upon its transformation, generates ligand–peptide adducts viamore » primary amine-dependent intramolecular cross-linking correlated with structural compaction. Furthermore, in vivo efficacy of DMPD toward amyloid pathology and cognitive impairment was evaluated employing 5xFAD mice of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Such a small molecule (DMPD) is indicated to noticeably reduce the overall cerebral amyloid load of soluble Aβ forms and amyloid deposits as well as significantly improve cognitive defects in the AD mouse model. Overall, our in vitro and in vivo studies of DMPD toward Aβ with the first molecular-level mechanistic investigations present the feasibility of developing new, innovative approaches that employ redox-active compounds without the structural complexity as next-generation chemical tools for amyloid management.« less

Alport syndrome: impact of digenic inheritance in patients management.

PubMed

Fallerini, C; Baldassarri, M; Trevisson, E; Morbidoni, V; La Manna, A; Lazzarin, R; Pasini, A; Barbano, G; Pinciaroli, A R; Garosi, G; Frullanti, E; Pinto, A M; Mencarelli, M A; Mari, F; Renieri, A; Ariani, F

2017-07-01

Alport syndrome (ATS) is a genetically heterogeneous nephropathy with considerable phenotypic variability and different transmission patterns, including monogenic (X-linked/autosomal) and digenic inheritance (DI). Here we present a new series of families with DI and we discuss the consequences for genetic counseling and risk assessment. Out of five families harboring variants in more than one COL4 gene detected by next generation sequencing (NGS), minigene-splicing assay allowed us to identify four as true digenic. Two families showed COL4A3/A4 mutations in cis, mimicking an autosomal dominant inheritance with a more severe phenotype and one showed COL4A3/A4 mutations in trans, mimicking an autosomal recessive inheritance with a less severe phenotype. In a fourth family, a de novo mutation (COL4A5) combined with an inherited mutation (COL4A3) triggered a more severe phenotype. A fifth family, predicted digenic on the basis of silico tools, rather showed monogenic X-linked inheritance due to a hypomorphic mutation, in accordance with a milder phenotype. In conclusion, this study highlights the impact of DI in ATS and explains the associated atypical presentations. More complex inheritance should be therefore considered when reviewing prognosis and recurrence risks. On the other side, these findings emphasize the importance to accompany NGS with splicing assays in order to avoid erroneous identification of at risk members. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

A redox-active, compact molecule for cross-linking amyloidogenic peptides into nontoxic, off-pathway aggregates: In vitro and in vivo efficacy and molecular mechanisms

DOE PAGES

Derrick, Jeffrey S.; Kerr, Richard A.; Nam, Younwoo; ...

2015-11-17

Chemical reagents targeting and controlling amyloidogenic peptides have received much attention for helping identify their roles in the pathogenesis of protein-misfolding disorders. In this paper, we report a novel strategy for redirecting amyloidogenic peptides into nontoxic, off-pathway aggregates, which utilizes redox properties of a small molecule (DMPD, N,N-dimethyl- p-phenylenediamine) to trigger covalent adduct formation with the peptide. In addition, for the first time, biochemical, biophysical, and molecular dynamics simulation studies have been performed to demonstrate a mechanistic understanding for such an interaction between a small molecule (DMPD) and amyloid-β (Aβ) and its subsequent anti-amyloidogenic activity, which, upon its transformation, generatesmore » ligand–peptide adducts via primary amine-dependent intramolecular cross-linking correlated with structural compaction. Furthermore, in vivo efficacy of DMPD toward amyloid pathology and cognitive impairment was evaluated employing 5xFAD mice of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Such a small molecule (DMPD) is indicated to noticeably reduce the overall cerebral amyloid load of soluble Aβ forms and amyloid deposits as well as significantly improve cognitive defects in the AD mouse model. Altogether our in vitro and in vivo studies of DMPD toward Aβ with the first molecular-level mechanistic investigations present the feasibility of developing new, innovative approaches that employ redox-active compounds without the structural complexity as next-generation chemical tools for amyloid management.« less

ISS Mini AERCam Radio Frequency (RF) Coverage Analysis Using iCAT Development Tool

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bolen, Steve; Vazquez, Luis; Sham, Catherine; Fredrickson, Steven; Fink, Patrick; Cox, Jan; Phan, Chau; Panneton, Robert

2003-01-01

The long-term goals of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA's) Human Exploration and Development of Space (HEDS) enterprise may require the development of autonomous free-flier (FF) robotic devices to operate within the vicinity of low-Earth orbiting spacecraft to supplement human extravehicular activities (EVAs) in space. Future missions could require external visual inspection of the spacecraft that would be difficult, or dangerous, for humans to perform. Under some circumstance, it may be necessary to employ an un-tethered communications link between the FF and the users. The interactive coverage analysis tool (ICAT) is a software tool that has been developed to perform critical analysis of the communications link performance for a FF operating in the vicinity of the International Space Station (ISS) external environment. The tool allows users to interactively change multiple parameters of the communications link parameters to efficiently perform systems engineering trades on network performance. These trades can be directly translated into design and requirements specifications. This tool significantly reduces the development time in determining a communications network topology by allowing multiple parameters to be changed, and the results of link coverage to be statistically characterized and plotted interactively.

CLMSVault: A Software Suite for Protein Cross-Linking Mass-Spectrometry Data Analysis and Visualization.

PubMed

Courcelles, Mathieu; Coulombe-Huntington, Jasmin; Cossette, Émilie; Gingras, Anne-Claude; Thibault, Pierre; Tyers, Mike

2017-07-07

Protein cross-linking mass spectrometry (CL-MS) enables the sensitive detection of protein interactions and the inference of protein complex topology. The detection of chemical cross-links between protein residues can identify intra- and interprotein contact sites or provide physical constraints for molecular modeling of protein structure. Recent innovations in cross-linker design, sample preparation, mass spectrometry, and software tools have significantly improved CL-MS approaches. Although a number of algorithms now exist for the identification of cross-linked peptides from mass spectral data, a dearth of user-friendly analysis tools represent a practical bottleneck to the broad adoption of the approach. To facilitate the analysis of CL-MS data, we developed CLMSVault, a software suite designed to leverage existing CL-MS algorithms and provide intuitive and flexible tools for cross-platform data interpretation. CLMSVault stores and combines complementary information obtained from different cross-linkers and search algorithms. CLMSVault provides filtering, comparison, and visualization tools to support CL-MS analyses and includes a workflow for label-free quantification of cross-linked peptides. An embedded 3D viewer enables the visualization of quantitative data and the mapping of cross-linked sites onto PDB structural models. We demonstrate the application of CLMSVault for the analysis of a noncovalent Cdc34-ubiquitin protein complex cross-linked under different conditions. CLMSVault is open-source software (available at https://gitlab.com/courcelm/clmsvault.git ), and a live demo is available at http://democlmsvault.tyerslab.com/ .

Interpretation of earthquake-induced landslides triggered by the 12 May 2008, M7.9 Wenchuan earthquake in the Beichuan area, Sichuan Province, China using satellite imagery and Google Earth

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sato, H.P.; Harp, E.L.

2009-01-01

The 12 May 2008 M7.9 Wenchuan earthquake in the People's Republic of China represented a unique opportunity for the international community to use commonly available GIS (Geographic Information System) tools, like Google Earth (GE), to rapidly evaluate and assess landslide hazards triggered by the destructive earthquake and its aftershocks. In order to map earthquake-triggered landslides, we provide details on the applicability and limitations of publicly available 3-day-post- and pre-earthquake imagery provided by GE from the FORMOSAT-2 (formerly ROCSAT-2; Republic of China Satellite 2). We interpreted landslides on the 8-m-resolution FORMOSAT-2 image by GE; as a result, 257 large landslides were mapped with the highest concentration along the Beichuan fault. An estimated density of 0.3 landslides/km2 represents a minimum bound on density given the resolution of available imagery; higher resolution data would have identified more landslides. This is a preliminary study, and further study is needed to understand the landslide characteristics in detail. Although it is best to obtain landslide locations and measurements from satellite imagery having high resolution, it was found that GE is an effective and rapid reconnaissance tool. ?? 2009 Springer-Verlag.

A stabilized headless measles virus attachment protein stalk efficiently triggers membrane fusion.

PubMed

Brindley, Melinda A; Suter, Rolf; Schestak, Isabel; Kiss, Gabriella; Wright, Elizabeth R; Plemper, Richard K

2013-11-01

Paramyxovirus attachment and fusion (F) envelope glycoprotein complexes mediate membrane fusion required for viral entry. The measles virus (MeV) attachment (H) protein stalk domain is thought to directly engage F for fusion promotion. However, past attempts to generate truncated, fusion-triggering-competent H-stem constructs remained fruitless. In this study, we addressed the problem by testing the hypothesis that truncated MeV H stalks may require stabilizing oligomerization tags to maintain intracellular transport competence and F-triggering activity. We engineered H-stems of different lengths with added 4-helix bundle tetramerization domains and demonstrate restored cell surface expression, efficient interaction with F, and fusion promotion activity of these constructs. The stability of the 4-helix bundle tags and the relative orientations of the helical wheels of H-stems and oligomerization tags govern the kinetics of fusion promotion, revealing a balance between H stalk conformational stability and F-triggering activity. Recombinant MeV particles expressing a bioactive H-stem construct in the place of full-length H are viable, albeit severely growth impaired. Overall, we demonstrate that the MeV H stalk represents the effector domain for MeV F triggering. Fusion promotion appears linked to the conformational flexibility of the stalk, which must be tightly regulated in viral particles to ensure efficient virus entry. While the pathways toward assembly of functional fusion complexes may differ among diverse members of the paramyxovirus family, central elements of the triggering machinery emerge as highly conserved.

Enriching and improving the quality of linked data with GIS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Iwaniak, Adam; Kaczmarek, Iwona; Strzelecki, Marek; Lukowicz, Jaromar; Jankowski, Piotr

2016-06-01

Standardization of methods for data exchange in GIS has along history predating the creation of World Wide Web. The advent of World Wide Web brought the emergence of new solutions for data exchange and sharing including; more recently, standards proposed by the W3C for data exchange involving Semantic Web technologies and linked data. Despite the growing interest in integration, GIS and linked data are still two separate paradigms for describing and publishing spatial data on the Web. At the same time, both paradigms offer complementary ways of representing real world phenomena and means of analysis using different processing functions. The complementarity of linked data and GIS can be leveraged to synergize both paradigms resulting in richer data content and more powerful inferencing. The article presents an approach aimed at integrating linked data with GIS. The approach relies on the use of GIS tools for integration, verification and enrichment of linked data. The GIS tools are employed to enrich linked data by furnishing access to collection of data resources, defining relationship between data resources, and subsequently facilitating GIS data integration with linked data. The proposed approach is demonstrated with examples using data from DBpedia, OSM, and tools developed by the authors for standard GIS software.

CyberCIEGE Scenario Development Tool User’s Guide

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-04-01

also required. Play some sample scenarios and browse the CyberCIEGE Encyclopedia to learn about the game. If game behavior is relevant to the...basic structure of the tool. Then follow the tutorial within this guide to learn some of the mechanics of using the SDT. SDT Layout Reusable... machine keeps crashing. 8) Trigger player feedback You should have noticed the computer was crashing, and maybe you noticed its availability went

836: Developing a Cooperative Communication System for Safe, Effective, and Efficient Patient Care

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-01-01

since tool institution. There was an average rate of 40 positive sepsis identification tool (SIT) triggers per 1000 patient days. In a 6 month...period 28% of patients with a positive SIT had sepsis and 6% had severe sepsis. Interim review showed 67% received first fluid bolus within 20 minutes...for ulcer prevention, including changing the practice of positioning mechanically ventilated and sedated patients , rethinking the use of extended

Experimental validation of predicted cancer genes using FRET

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guala, Dimitri; Bernhem, Kristoffer; Ait Blal, Hammou; Jans, Daniel; Lundberg, Emma; Brismar, Hjalmar; Sonnhammer, Erik L. L.

2018-07-01

Huge amounts of data are generated in genome wide experiments, designed to investigate diseases with complex genetic causes. Follow up of all potential leads produced by such experiments is currently cost prohibitive and time consuming. Gene prioritization tools alleviate these constraints by directing further experimental efforts towards the most promising candidate targets. Recently a gene prioritization tool called MaxLink was shown to outperform other widely used state-of-the-art prioritization tools in a large scale in silico benchmark. An experimental validation of predictions made by MaxLink has however been lacking. In this study we used Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer, an established experimental technique for detection of protein-protein interactions, to validate potential cancer genes predicted by MaxLink. Our results provide confidence in the use of MaxLink for selection of new targets in the battle with polygenic diseases.

Optimization and resilience of complex supply-demand networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Si-Ping; Huang, Zi-Gang; Dong, Jia-Qi; Eisenberg, Daniel; Seager, Thomas P.; Lai, Ying-Cheng

2015-06-01

Supply-demand processes take place on a large variety of real-world networked systems ranging from power grids and the internet to social networking and urban systems. In a modern infrastructure, supply-demand systems are constantly expanding, leading to constant increase in load requirement for resources and consequently, to problems such as low efficiency, resource scarcity, and partial system failures. Under certain conditions global catastrophe on the scale of the whole system can occur through the dynamical process of cascading failures. We investigate optimization and resilience of time-varying supply-demand systems by constructing network models of such systems, where resources are transported from the supplier sites to users through various links. Here by optimization we mean minimization of the maximum load on links, and system resilience can be characterized using the cascading failure size of users who fail to connect with suppliers. We consider two representative classes of supply schemes: load driven supply and fix fraction supply. Our findings are: (1) optimized systems are more robust since relatively smaller cascading failures occur when triggered by external perturbation to the links; (2) a large fraction of links can be free of load if resources are directed to transport through the shortest paths; (3) redundant links in the performance of the system can help to reroute the traffic but may undesirably transmit and enlarge the failure size of the system; (4) the patterns of cascading failures depend strongly upon the capacity of links; (5) the specific location of the trigger determines the specific route of cascading failure, but has little effect on the final cascading size; (6) system expansion typically reduces the efficiency; and (7) when the locations of the suppliers are optimized over a long expanding period, fewer suppliers are required. These results hold for heterogeneous networks in general, providing insights into designing optimal and resilient complex supply-demand systems that expand constantly in time.

Increasing Access to Palliative Care Services in the Intensive Care Unit.

PubMed

McCarroll, Caitlin Marie

The Institute of Medicine's report, Dying in America, highlights the critical need for the widespread implementation of palliative care to improve end-of-life care. Approximately 20% of all deaths in America occur during or shortly after an intensive care unit (ICU) admission; therefore, it is important for critical care units to have systems in place to facilitate patient access to palliative care services. The aim of this quality improvement (QI) project was to develop and implement a palliative care screening tool using evidence-based triggers to help increase the proportion of palliative care consultations in the ICU setting. A QI project was designed and implemented in a 14-bed medical-surgical ICU in the southeastern United States using the Plan-Do-Study-Act cycle. A palliative care screening tool was developed by an interdisciplinary team of key stakeholders in the ICU using evidence-based triggers, and staff were educated on the intervention. The proportion of ICU patients who received a palliative care consultation was compared preintervention and postintervention to determine whether the QI project contributed to an increased proportion of palliative care consultations. The proportion of palliative care consultations among patients admitted to the ICU by the pulmonary critical care team increased from 1 of 10 preintervention to 3 of 10 postintervention, resulting in a promising increase in patients receiving palliative care services consistent with evidence-based recommendations. The use of an evidence-based screening tool to trigger palliative care consultation in the ICU setting can aid in increasing the proportion of critical care patients who receive a palliative care referral. The increase in the proportion of palliative care referrals by the pulmonary critical care service warrants expansion of the intervention to include additional medical subspecialists who frequently admit patients in this ICU setting. Further assessment of the intervention is warranted to determine whether the screening tool can aid in increasing palliative care consultations for more patients admitted to the hospital's ICU.

A CRTCal link between energy and life span.

PubMed

Brunet, Anne

2011-04-06

Cutting down calories prolongs life, but how this works remains largely unknown. A recent study in Nature (Mair et al., 2011) shows that life span extension triggered by the energy-sensing protein kinase AMPK is mediated by an evolutionarily conserved transcriptional circuit involving CRTC-1 and CREB. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Nonlinear dynamics in ecosystem response to climatic change: case studies and policy implications.

Treesearch

Virginia R. Burkett; Douglas A. Wilcox; Robert Stottlemeyer; Wylie Barrow; Dan Fagre; Jill Baron; Jeff Price; Jennifer L. Nielsen; Craig D. Allen; David L. Peterson; Greg Ruggerone; Thomas Doyle

2005-01-01

Many biological, hydrological, and geological processes are interactively linked in ecosystems. These ecological phenomena normally vary within bounded ranges, but rapid, nonlinear changes to markedly different conditions can be triggered by even small differences if threshold values are exceeded. Intrinsic and extrinsic ecological thresholds can lead to effects that...

Putting Neutrophils in Motion | Center for Cancer Research

Cancer.gov

During chemotaxis, immune cells such as neutrophils orient themselves and move along a chemical gradient that is induced by chemicals called chemoattractants. Chemoattractants bind to specific G-protein linked receptors to put things in motion. The binding triggers the dissociation of the Gα-subunit from the Gβγ-subunit, which activate several downstream signaling cascades.

Innovation Enables New Research on Mutation Linked to Many Cancers | Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research

Cancer.gov

A scientific innovation at the Frederick National Lab has opened the way for a new line of experiments in the decades-old quest for a drug to fight cancers triggered by mutant RAS proteins – which underlie one-third of all malignancies, including t

Well-Being and Innovativeness: Motivational Trigger Points for Mutual Enhancement

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Honkaniemi, Laura; Lehtonen, Mikko H.; Hasu, Mervi

2015-01-01

Purpose: This paper focuses on employees' motivation to participate in innovation at the workplace. The best arguments to persuade employees to renew their work were searched. According to the expectancy theory (Vroom, 1964), a plausible link must be perceived for a motivational state to arise. The paper investigated the perceptions that…

Gqalpha-linked PLCbeta and PLCgamma are essential components of the pheromone biosynthesis activating neuropeptide (PBAN) signal transduction cascade

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Sex pheromone production for most moths is regulated by pheromone biosynthesis activating neuropeptide (PBAN). In Bombyx mori, PBAN binding triggers the opening of store-operated Ca2+ channels, suggesting the involvement of a receptor-activated phospholipase C (PLC). In this study, we found that P...

Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency: not exclusively in males.

PubMed

van den Broek, Leonie; Heylen, Evelien; van den Akker, Machiel

2016-12-01

Glucose-6-phosphate (G6PD) deficiency is the most common human enzyme defect, often presenting with neonatal jaundice and/or acute hemolytic anemia, triggered by oxidizing agents. G6PD deficiency is an X-linked, hereditary disease, mainly affecting men, but should also be considered in females with an oxidative hemolysis.

Negative consequences from heavy social networking in adolescents: The mediating role of fear of missing out.

PubMed

Oberst, Ursula; Wegmann, Elisa; Stodt, Benjamin; Brand, Matthias; Chamarro, Andrés

2017-02-01

Social networking sites (SNS) are especially attractive for adolescents, but it has also been shown that these users can suffer from negative psychological consequences when using these sites excessively. We analyze the role of fear of missing out (FOMO) and intensity of SNS use for explaining the link between psychopathological symptoms and negative consequences of SNS use via mobile devices. In an online survey, 1468 Spanish-speaking Latin-American social media users between 16 and 18 years old completed the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), the Social Networking Intensity scale (SNI), the FOMO scale (FOMOs), and a questionnaire on negative consequences of using SNS via mobile device (CERM). Using structural equation modeling, it was found that both FOMO and SNI mediate the link between psychopathology and CERM, but by different mechanisms. Additionally, for girls, feeling depressed seems to trigger higher SNS involvement. For boys, anxiety triggers higher SNS involvement. Copyright © 2016 The Foundation for Professionals in Services for Adolescents. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Understanding scale dependency of climatic processes with diarrheal disease

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nasr Azadani, F.; Jutla, A.; Akanda, A. S. S.; Colwell, R. R.

2015-12-01

The issue of scales in linking climatic processes with diarrheal diseases is perhaps one of the most challenging aspect to develop any predictive algorithm for outbreaks and to understand impacts of changing climate. Majority of diarrheal diseases have shown to be strongly associated with climate modulated environmental processes where pathogens survive. Using cholera as an example of characteristic diarrheal diseases, this study will provide methodological insights on dominant scale variability in climatic processes that are linked with trigger and transmission of disease. Cholera based epidemiological models use human to human interaction as a main transmission mechanism, however, environmental conditions for creating seasonality in outbreaks is not explicitly modeled. For example, existing models cannot create seasonality, unless some of the model parameters are a-priori chosen to vary seasonally. A systems based feedback approach will be presented to understand role of climatic processes on trigger and transmission disease. In order to investigate effect of changing climate on cholera, a downscaling approach using support vector machine will be used. Our preliminary results using three climate models, ECHAM5, GFDL, and HADCM show that varying modalities in future cholera outbreaks.

Body-Related Emotions in Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Following Childhood Sexual Abuse.

PubMed

Dyer, Anne S; Feldmann, Robert E; Borgmann, Elisabeth

2015-01-01

Traumatic experiences are associated with emotions such as anxiety, shame, guilt, disgust, and anger. For patients who have experienced child sexual abuse, these emotions might be triggered by perceptions of their own body. The aim of this study was to investigate the extent of the association of the body to traumatic experiences and to discern the emotions linked to trauma-associated body areas. Ninety-seven female participants were assigned to four groups: post-traumatic stress disorder following child sexual abuse with co-occurring borderline personality disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder following child sexual abuse without co-occurring borderline personality disorder, borderline personality disorder without post-traumatic stress disorder, and healthy controls. Participants rated 26 body areas regarding their association with trauma and 7 emotions. Emotions were assessed by questionnaires. Results suggest that specific areas of the body are associated with trauma and linked to highly aversive emotions. In post-traumatic stress disorder patients, the areas associated with highly negative emotions were the pubic region and inner thighs. Thus, the patient's body may act as a trigger for traumatic memories.

Helplessness, mastery and the development of eating disorders: exploring the links between vulnerability and precipitating factors.

PubMed

Troop, N A

2012-12-01

Helplessness and mastery in childhood and in response to the events that trigger onset are implicated in the development of eating disorders. However, no studies have yet explored how these are linked and whether the effects are additive or mediated. Semi-structured interviews (Childhood Experience of Care and Abuse; Life Events and Difficulties Schedule; Coping Strategies Interview) were used to assess helplessness and mastery in childhood and in response to a provoking agent in 15 eating disordered and 19 non-eating disordered women. Helplessness and mastery in childhood were related to helplessness and mastery in response to the events and difficulties that triggered onset of the eating disorder. However, only the presence of helplessness and the lack of mastery in response to this provoking agent predicted onset. Helplessness and mastery are vulnerability and protective factors but only in those women who develop an eating disorder in the context of later life events. It is suggested that helplessness and mastery in childhood act via their influence on the adequacy of coping in response to later life events.

The muon pretrigger system of the HERA-B experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bocker, M.; Adams, M.; Bechtle, P.; Buchholz, P.; Cruse, C.; Husemann, U.; Klaus, E.; Koch, N.; Kolander, M.; Kolotaev, I.; Riege, H.; Schutt, J.; Schwenninger, B.; van Staa, R.; Wegener, D.

2001-08-01

One of the main goals of the HERA-B experiment at DESY in Hamburg, Germany, is to study the properties of B-mesons with the emphasis on CP violation. B-mesons are produced in hadronic interactions of a 920-GeV proton beam with an internal wire target. An effective bunch crossing rate of about 8.5 MHz leads to about 200 charged tracks per event. Therefore, a highly selective and efficient trigger system providing high suppression of background events is required. The HERA-B trigger system consists of four levels. A rate reduction factor of 200 is aimed at by the first-level trigger (FLT). The muon pretrigger system, as a part of the FLT, is a modular system consisting of about 100 large-size VME modules of three different types: the pretrigger link board (PLB), the pretrigger coincidence unit (PCU), and the pretrigger message generator (PMG). The data rate processed by the pretrigger system is about 19.5 GByte/s. The PLBs process digitized hit information in eight independent electronic channels in parallel. Every electronic channel handles 32 bits of hit information received from the front-end driver buffer system. Optical links operating at 800 Mb/s transmit the data after serialization to PCUs, which calculate coincidences using complex programmable logic devices. The PMGs transform this coincidence information into messages for the FLT processors. The concept and design as well as results of the muon pretrigger running at HERA-B are presented.

Combinatorial Approach for Large-scale Identification of Linked Peptides from Tandem Mass Spectrometry Spectra*

PubMed Central

Wang, Jian; Anania, Veronica G.; Knott, Jeff; Rush, John; Lill, Jennie R.; Bourne, Philip E.; Bandeira, Nuno

2014-01-01

The combination of chemical cross-linking and mass spectrometry has recently been shown to constitute a powerful tool for studying protein–protein interactions and elucidating the structure of large protein complexes. However, computational methods for interpreting the complex MS/MS spectra from linked peptides are still in their infancy, making the high-throughput application of this approach largely impractical. Because of the lack of large annotated datasets, most current approaches do not capture the specific fragmentation patterns of linked peptides and therefore are not optimal for the identification of cross-linked peptides. Here we propose a generic approach to address this problem and demonstrate it using disulfide-bridged peptide libraries to (i) efficiently generate large mass spectral reference data for linked peptides at a low cost and (ii) automatically train an algorithm that can efficiently and accurately identify linked peptides from MS/MS spectra. We show that using this approach we were able to identify thousands of MS/MS spectra from disulfide-bridged peptides through comparison with proteome-scale sequence databases and significantly improve the sensitivity of cross-linked peptide identification. This allowed us to identify 60% more direct pairwise interactions between the protein subunits in the 20S proteasome complex than existing tools on cross-linking studies of the proteasome complexes. The basic framework of this approach and the MS/MS reference dataset generated should be valuable resources for the future development of new tools for the identification of linked peptides. PMID:24493012

Automatic Implementation of Ttethernet-Based Time-Triggered Avionics Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gorcitz, Raul Adrian; Carle, Thomas; Lesens, David; Monchaux, David; Potop-Butucaruy, Dumitru; Sorel, Yves

2015-09-01

The design of safety-critical embedded systems such as those used in avionics still involves largely manual phases. But in avionics the definition of standard interfaces embodied in standards such as ARINC 653 or TTEthernet should allow the definition of fully automatic code generation flows that reduce the costs while improving the quality of the generated code, much like compilers have done when replacing manual assembly coding. In this paper, we briefly present such a fully automatic implementation tool, called Lopht, for ARINC653-based time-triggered systems, and then explain how it is currently extended to include support for TTEthernet networks.

Intuitive Tools for the Design and Analysis of Communication Payloads for Satellites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Culver, Michael R.; Soong, Christine; Warner, Joseph D.

2014-01-01

In an effort to make future communications satellite payload design more efficient and accessible, two tools were created with intuitive graphical user interfaces (GUIs). The first tool allows payload designers to graphically design their payload by using simple drag and drop of payload components onto a design area within the program. Information about each picked component is pulled from a database of common space-qualified communication components sold by commerical companies. Once a design is completed, various reports can be generated, such as the Master Equipment List. The second tool is a link budget calculator designed specifically for ease of use. Other features of this tool include being able to access a database of NASA ground based apertures for near Earth and Deep Space communication, the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System (TDRSS) base apertures, and information about the solar system relevant to link budget calculations. The link budget tool allows for over 50 different combinations of user inputs, eliminating the need for multiple spreadsheets and the user errors associated with using them. Both of the aforementioned tools increase the productivity of space communication systems designers, and have the colloquial latitude to allow non-communication experts to design preliminary communication payloads.

Timing paradox of stepping and falls in ageing: not so quick and quick(er) on the trigger.

PubMed

Rogers, Mark W; Mille, Marie-Laure

2016-08-15

Physiological and degenerative changes affecting human standing balance are major contributors to falls with ageing. During imbalance, stepping is a powerful protective action for preserving balance that may be voluntarily initiated in recognition of a balance threat, or be induced by an externally imposed mechanical or sensory perturbation. Paradoxically, with ageing and falls, initiation slowing of voluntary stepping is observed together with perturbation-induced steps that are triggered as fast as or faster than for younger adults. While age-associated changes in sensorimotor conduction, central neuronal processing and cognitive functions are linked to delayed voluntary stepping, alterations in the coupling of posture and locomotion may also prolong step triggering. It is less clear, however, how these factors may explain the accelerated triggering of induced stepping. We present a conceptual model that addresses this issue. For voluntary stepping, a disruption in the normal coupling between posture and locomotion may underlie step-triggering delays through suppression of the locomotion network based on an estimation of the evolving mechanical state conditions for stability. During induced stepping, accelerated step initiation may represent an event-triggering process whereby stepping is released according to the occurrence of a perturbation rather than to the specific sensorimotor information reflecting the evolving instability. In this case, errors in the parametric control of induced stepping and its effectiveness in stabilizing balance would be likely to occur. We further suggest that there is a residual adaptive capacity with ageing that could be exploited to improve paradoxical triggering and other changes in protective stepping to impact fall risk. © 2016 The Authors. The Journal of Physiology © 2016 The Physiological Society.

A systematic review on in vitro 3D bone metastases models: A new horizon to recapitulate the native clinical scenario?

PubMed

Salamanna, Francesca; Contartese, Deyanira; Maglio, Melania; Fini, Milena

2016-07-12

While the skeleton is not the only organ where metastasis can occur, it is one of the preferred sites, with a significant impact in patients' quality of life. With the aim of delineating the cellular and molecular mechanisms of bone metastasis, numerous studies have been employed to identify any contributing factors that trigger cancer progression. One of the major limitations of studying cancer-bone metastasis is the multifaceted nature of the native bone environment and the lack of reliable, simple, and not expensive models that strictly mimic the biological processes occurring in vivo allowing a correct translation of results. Currently, with the growing acceptance of in vitro models as effective tools for studying cancer biology, three-dimensional (3D) models have emerged as a compromise between two-dimensional cultures of isolated cancer cells and the complexity of human cancer xenografts in immunocompromised animal hosts. This descriptive systematic literature review summarizes the current status of advanced and alternative 3D in vitro bone metastases models. We have also reviewed the strategies employed by researchers to set-up these models with special reference to recent promising developments trying to better replicate the complexity and heterogeneity of a human metastasis in situ, with an outlook at their use in medicine. All these aspects will greatly contribute to the existing knowledge on bone metastases, providing a specific link to clinical scenarios and thus making 3D in vitro bone metastasis models an attractive tool for multidisciplinary experts.

Fluid management in acute kidney injury.

PubMed

Perner, Anders; Prowle, John; Joannidis, Michael; Young, Paul; Hjortrup, Peter B; Pettilä, Ville

2017-06-01

Acute kidney injury (AKI) and fluids are closely linked through oliguria, which is a marker of the former and a trigger for administration of the latter. Recent progress in this field has challenged the physiological and clinical rational of using oliguria as a trigger for the administration of fluid and brought attention to the delicate balance between benefits and harms of different aspects of fluid management in critically ill patients, in particular those with AKI. This narrative review addresses various aspects of fluid management in AKI outlining physiological aspects, the effects of crystalloids and colloids on kidney function and the effect of various resuscitation and de-resuscitation strategies on the course and outcome of AKI.

Oxidative tryptophan modification by terpene- and squalene-hydroperoxides and a possible link to cross-reactions in diagnostic tests.

PubMed

Natsch, Andreas; Emter, Roger; Badertscher, Remo P; Brunner, Gerhard; Granier, Thierry; Kern, Susanne; Ellis, Graham

2015-06-15

Hydroperoxides can act as specific haptens and oxidatively modify proteins. Terpene hydroperoxides trigger unusually high frequencies of positive skin reactions in human patients if tested at high concentrations. It is unknown whether this is due to specific hapten formation. Here, we show that both terpene hydroperoxides and the endogenous hydroperoxide formed from squalene can oxidatively modify tryptophan. Oxidative modifications of Trp were recently postulated to explain cross-sensitization between unrelated photosensitizers. Current observations may extend this hypothesis: Oxidative events triggered by endogenous hydroperoxides and hydroperoxides/oxidants derived from xenobiotics might lead to a sensitized state detected by patch tests with high concentrations of hydroperoxides.

Confessions of a baseball mom: the impact of youth sports on parents' feelings and behaviors.

PubMed

Peter, Nancy E

2011-01-01

To explore parents' emotional investment in and behaviors in response to youth sports, the author conducted a mixed-methods investigation to answer four research questions: (1)How do parents feel about their children's participation in organized youth team sports? (2) Which situations trigger which feelings? (3) How do parents' feelings influence their behaviors? (4) What parental characteristics (such as personal histories or demographics) are linked to different feelings and behaviors? The research indicated that many parents' feelings are triggered by their children's sports experiences and that adults must learn how to translate these feelings into productive behaviors. Copyright © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc., A Wiley Company.

The Role of Fungi in the Etiology of Multiple Sclerosis

PubMed Central

Benito-León, Julián; Laurence, Martin

2017-01-01

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the central nervous system. Infectious triggers of MS are being actively investigated. Substantial evidence supports the involvement of the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), though other viruses, bacteria, protists, and fungi are also being considered. Many links between fungi and diseases involving chronic inflammation have been found recently. Evidence linking MS and fungi is reviewed here. The HLA-DRB1*15 allele group is the most important genetic risk factor of MS, and is a risk factor in several other conditions linked to fungal infections. Many biomarkers of MS are consistent with fungal infections, such as IL-17, chitotriosidase, and antibodies against fungi. Dimethyl fumarate (DMF), first used as an industrial fungicide, was recently repurposed to reduce MS symptoms. Its mechanisms of action in MS have not been firmly established. The low risk of MS during childhood and its moderate association with herpes simplex virus type 2 suggest genital exposure to microbes (including fungi) should be investigated as a possible trigger. Molecular and epidemiological evidence support a role for infections such as EBV in MS. Though fungal infections have not been widely studied in MS, many lines of evidence are consistent with a fungal etiology. Future microbiome and serological studies should consider fungi as a possible risk factor for MS, and future clinical studies should consider the effect of fungicides other than DMF on MS symptoms. PMID:29085329

Linking rainfall-induced landslides with debris flows runout patterns towards catchment scale hazard assessment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fan, Linfeng; Lehmann, Peter; McArdell, Brian; Or, Dani

2017-03-01

Debris flows and landslides induced by heavy rainfall represent an ubiquitous and destructive natural hazard in steep mountainous regions. For debris flows initiated by shallow landslides, the prediction of the resulting pathways and associated hazard is often hindered by uncertainty in determining initiation locations, volumes and mechanical state of the mobilized debris (and by model parameterization). We propose a framework for linking a simplified physically-based debris flow runout model with a novel Landslide Hydro-mechanical Triggering (LHT) model to obtain a coupled landslide-debris flow susceptibility and hazard assessment. We first compared the simplified debris flow model of Perla (1980) with a state-of-the art continuum-based model (RAMMS) and with an empirical model of Rickenmann (1999) at the catchment scale. The results indicate that predicted runout distances by the Perla model are in reasonable agreement with inventory measurements and with the other models. Predictions of localized shallow landslides by LHT model provides information on water content of released mass. To incorporate effects of water content and flow viscosity as provided by LHT on debris flow runout, we adapted the Perla model. The proposed integral link between landslide triggering susceptibility quantified by LHT and subsequent debris flow runout hazard calculation using the adapted Perla model provides a spatially and temporally resolved framework for real-time hazard assessment at the catchment scale or along critical infrastructure (roads, railroad lines).

Linking climate change and fish conservation efforts using spatially explicit decision support tools

Treesearch

Douglas P. Peterson; Seth J. Wenger; Bruce E. Rieman; Daniel J. Isaak

2013-01-01

Fisheries professionals are increasingly tasked with incorporating climate change projections into their decisions. Here we demonstrate how a structured decision framework, coupled with analytical tools and spatial data sets, can help integrate climate and biological information to evaluate management alternatives. We present examples that link downscaled climate...

Reflex epilepsy and reflex seizures of the visual system: a clinical review.

PubMed

Zifkin, B G; Kasteleijn-Nolst Trenité, D

2000-09-01

Reflex epilepsy of the visual system is charecterised by seizures precipitated by visual stimuli. EEG responses to intermittent photic stimulation depend on the age and sex of the subject and on how stimulation is performed: abnormalities are commonest in children and adolescents, especially girls. Only generalised paroxysmal epileptiform discharges are clearly linked to epilepsy. Abnormal responses may occur in asymptomatic subjects, especially children. Photosensitivity has an important genetic component. Some patients are sensitive to patterns, suggesting an occipital trigger for these events. Myoclonus and generalised convulsive and nonconvulsive seizures may be triggered by visual stimuli. Partial seizures occur less often and can be confused with migraine. Although usually idiopathic, photosensitive epilepsy may occur in degenerative diseases and some patients with photosensitive partial seizures have brain lesions. Sunlight and video screens, including television, video games, and computer displays, are the commonest environmental triggers of photosensitive seizures. Outbreaks of triggered seizures have occurred when certain flashing or patterned images have been broadcast. There are regulations to prevent this in some countries only. Pure photosensitive epilepsy has a good prognosis. There is a role for treatment with and without antiepileptic drugs, but photosensitivity usually does not disappear spontaneously, and then typically in the third decade.

Plasma membrane order and fluidity are diversely triggered by elicitors of plant defence

PubMed Central

Sandor, Roman; Der, Christophe; Grosjean, Kevin; Anca, Iulia; Noirot, Elodie; Leborgne-Castel, Nathalie; Lochman, Jan; Simon-Plas, Françoise; Gerbeau-Pissot, Patricia

2016-01-01

Although plants are exposed to a great number of pathogens, they usually defend themselves by triggering mechanisms able to limit disease development. Alongside signalling events common to most such incompatible interactions, modifications of plasma membrane (PM) physical properties could be new players in the cell transduction cascade. Different pairs of elicitors (cryptogein, oligogalacturonides, and flagellin) and plant cells (tobacco and Arabidopsis) were used to address the issue of possible modifications of plant PM biophysical properties induced by elicitors and their links to other events of the defence signalling cascade. We observed an increase of PM order whatever the elicitor/plant cell pair used, provided that a signalling cascade was induced. Such membrane modification is dependent on the NADPH oxidase-mediated reactive oxygen species production. Moreover, cryptogein, which is the sole elicitor able to trap sterols, is also the only one able to trigger an increase in PM fluidity. The use of cryptogein variants with altered sterol-binding properties confirms the strong correlation between sterol removal from the PM and PM fluidity enhancement. These results propose PM dynamics as a player in early signalling processes triggered by elicitors of plant defence. PMID:27604805

User manual of the CATSS system (version 1.0) communication analysis tool for space station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tsang, C. S.; Su, Y. T.; Lindsey, W. C.

1983-01-01

The Communication Analysis Tool for the Space Station (CATSS) is a FORTRAN language software package capable of predicting the communications links performance for the Space Station (SS) communication and tracking (C & T) system. An interactive software package was currently developed to run on the DEC/VAX computers. The CATSS models and evaluates the various C & T links of the SS, which includes the modulation schemes such as Binary-Phase-Shift-Keying (BPSK), BPSK with Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum (PN/BPSK), and M-ary Frequency-Shift-Keying with Frequency Hopping (FH/MFSK). Optical Space Communication link is also included. CATSS is a C & T system engineering tool used to predict and analyze the system performance for different link environment. Identification of system weaknesses is achieved through evaluation of performance with varying system parameters. System tradeoff for different values of system parameters are made based on the performance prediction.

Electromechanical hand incorporates touch sensors and trigger function

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dane, D. H.

1970-01-01

Electromechanical hand incorporates touch sensors, concealed fingers, and a structure that allows the hand to hold a tool on a flat surface. The hands can be mounted on most types of existing manipulators either directly or by means of modified mounting brackets.

Links SU-Sex: development of a screening tool for health-risk sexual behaviours related to substance use among men who have sex with men.

PubMed

Goyette, Mathieu; Flores-Aranda, Jorge; Bertrand, Karine; Pronovost, Frédérick; Aubut, Valérie; Ortiz, Roberto; Saint-Jacques, Marianne

2018-04-01

Background Men who have sex with men (MSM) have distinctive substance use (SU), which is more often linked to a sexual context than it is for their heterosexual peers. Screening of MSM's SU, its sexual contexts and the associated risks, is of clinical and public health concern. This paper aims to describe the preliminary development of a screening tool for health-risk sexual behaviours related to SU and to make recommendations for its potential use. Community-based participatory research and transdisciplinary approaches guided the development process. The Links SU-Sex screening tool is the result of the integration of findings from a scoping review and from four meetings among SU and sexual health experts (n=19), consisting of researchers, community stakeholders, as well as substance-using MSM. The Links SU-Sex questionnaire consists of 64 items divided into 13 components that focus on the links between SU and sexual health. It addresses the contexts in which SU occurs, its frequency, its perceived influence, as well as MSM's concerns about these various links. In accordance with current knowledge, the interpretation of the instrument offers feedback that is based on the respondents' answers to the various components assessed. The Links SU-Sex represents a potential screening tool that rests on a robust development process supporting its content validity that aims to identify MSM at risk or with concerns surrounding the influence of their SU on their sexual health. The psychometric qualities and the interpretation validity both remain to be established.

Sequestration of GPI-anchored proteins in caveolae triggered by cross-linking.

PubMed

Mayor, S; Rothberg, K G; Maxfield, F R

1994-06-24

Glycosyl-phosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchored proteins have been reported to reside in clusters collected over small membrane invaginations called caveolae. The detection of different GPI-anchored proteins with fluorescently labeled monoclonal antibodies showed that these proteins are not constitutively concentrated in caveolae; they enter these structures independently after cross-linking with polyclonal secondary antibodies. Analysis of the cell surface distribution of the GPI-anchored folate receptor by electron microscopy confirms these observations. Thus, multimerization of GPI-anchored proteins regulates their sequestration in caveolae, but in the absence of agents that promote clustering they are diffusely distributed over the plasma membrane.

Influence of genes, sex, age and environment on the onset of autoimmune hepatitis

PubMed Central

Béland, Kathie; Lapierre, Pascal; Alvarez, Fernando

2009-01-01

The pathogenesis of autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) is complex. However, it is believed that a susceptible individual, owing to his genetic background, sex and age, can develop the disease following exposure to an environmental trigger. Autoimmune hepatitis does not follow a Mendelian pattern of inheritance; hence no single causative genetic locus has been identified. However, several genes, inside and outside the HLA locus, have been linked to an increased susceptibility to AIH. Epidemiological evidence also suggests that the sex and age of the patient plays a role in AIH pathogenesis as the disease onset occurs mainly in the two first decades of life and a higher disease incidence is observed in females. No environmental trigger has been identified, but several have been proposed, mainly viruses and xenobiotics. This article aims at reviewing the current knowledge on susceptibility factors leading to AIH and putative triggers, emphasizing fundamental mechanisms responsible for the break of liver immunological tolerance. PMID:19266593

Imaging enzyme-triggered self-assembly of small molecules inside live cells

PubMed Central

Gao, Yuan; Shi, Junfeng; Yuan, Dan; Xu, Bing

2012-01-01

Self-assembly of small molecules in water to form nanofibers, besides generating sophisticated biomaterials, promises a simple system inside cells for regulating cellular processes. But lack of a convenient approach for studying the self-assembly of small molecules inside cells hinders the development of such systems. Here we report a method to image enzyme-triggered self-assembly of small molecules inside live cells. After linking a fluorophore to a self-assembly motif to make a precursor, we confirmed by 31P NMR and rheology that enzyme-triggered conversion of the precursor to a hydrogelator results in the formation of a hydrogel via self-assembly. The imaging contrast conferred by the nanofibers of the hydrogelators allowed the evaluation of intracellular self-assembly; the dynamics, and the localization of the nanofibers of the hydrogelators in live cells. This approach explores supramolecular chemistry inside cells and may lead to new insights, processes, or materials at the interface of chemistry and biology. PMID:22929790

NLRP3 inflammasome: from a danger signal sensor to a regulatory node of oxidative stress and inflammatory diseases.

PubMed

Abderrazak, Amna; Syrovets, Tatiana; Couchie, Dominique; El Hadri, Khadija; Friguet, Bertrand; Simmet, Thomas; Rouis, Mustapha

2015-01-01

IL-1β production is critically regulated by cytosolic molecular complexes, termed inflammasomes. Different inflammasome complexes have been described to date. While all inflammasomes recognize certain pathogens, it is the distinctive feature of NLRP3 inflammasome to be activated by many and diverse stimuli making NLRP3 the most versatile, and importantly also the most clinically implicated inflammasome. However, NLRP3 activation has remained the most enigmatic. It is not plausible that the intracellular NLRP3 receptor is able to detect all of its many and diverse triggers through direct interactions; instead, it is discussed that NLRP3 is responding to certain generic cellular stress-signals induced by the multitude of molecules that trigger its activation. An ever increasing number of studies link the sensing of cellular stress signals to a direct pathophysiological role of NLRP3 activation in a wide range of autoinflammatory and autoimmune disorders, and thus provide a novel mechanistic rational, on how molecules trigger and support sterile inflammatory diseases. A vast interest has created to unravel how NLRP3 becomes activated, since mechanistic insight is the prerequisite for a knowledge-based development of therapeutic intervention strategies that specifically target the NLRP3 triggered IL-1β production. In this review, we have updated knowledge on NLRP3 inflammasome assembly and activation and on the pyrin domain in NLRP3 that could represent a drug target to treat sterile inflammatory diseases. We have reported mutations in NLRP3 that were found to be associated with certain diseases. In addition, we have reviewed the functional link between NLRP3 inflammasome, the regulator of cellular redox status Trx/TXNIP complex, endoplasmic reticulum stress and the pathogenesis of diseases such as type 2 diabetes. Finally, we have provided data on NLRP3 inflammasome, as a critical regulator involved in the pathogenesis of obesity and cardiovascular diseases. Copyright © 2015 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

47 CFR 27.1174 - Termination of Cost-Sharing Obligations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... § 27.1174 Termination of Cost-Sharing Obligations. The cost-sharing plan will sunset for all AWS and... AWS band (i.e., 2110-2150 MHz, 2160-2175 MHz, or 2175-2180 MHz) in which the relocated FMS link was located terminates. AWS or MSS (including MSS/ATC) entrants that trigger a cost-sharing obligation prior...

47 CFR 27.1174 - Termination of Cost-Sharing Obligations.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... § 27.1174 Termination of Cost-Sharing Obligations. The cost-sharing plan will sunset for all AWS and... AWS band (i.e., 2110-2150 MHz, 2160-2175 MHz, or 2175-2180 MHz) in which the relocated FMS link was located terminates. AWS or MSS (including MSS/ATC) entrants that trigger a cost-sharing obligation prior...

Team Learning: Through the Relational Dynamics of Co-operation and Rivalry in Team Communities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lotz, Maja

2010-01-01

This paper explores the constructive links between cooperation, rivalry, and learning within the structure of team communities. Drawing upon social learning theory and qualitative data from case studies conducted in Danish team-based firms, the main purpose is to argue that both cooperation and rivalry are important triggers for mobilizing…

An ECG Lab Project for Teaching Signal Conditioning Systems in a Master's Degree in Mechatronic Engineering

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martín, Francisco Javier Ferrero; Martínez, Alberto López; Llopis, Marta Valledor; Rodriguez, Juan Carlos Campo; Viejo, Cecilio Blanco; Vershinin, Yuri A.

2015-01-01

Ongoing technological progress in measurement systems triggered the development of an in­novative, hands-on teaching program to help students toward a fuller understanding of recent changes in the field. This paper presents a lab project that links theoretical principles with the practical issues of signal conditioning systems. This is…

Slow magnetic monopoles search in NOvA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Antoshkin, Alexander; Frank, Martin

2018-04-01

The NOvA far detector is well suited for finding exotic particles due to its technical features (see [1]). One type of those exotic particles is a "slow" magnetic monopole. It is assumed that the energy deposition of such monopoles should be enough to be registered (see [2]). Measurement of the expected signals was performed on the NOvA test bench at JINR (see [3]). Result of this measurement allows us to perform slow monopole's research using NOvA software and hardware with high efficiency. As a whole, the research can lead to a discovery, or it can limit the existence of monopoles in a wide range of parameters, previously unreachable in other experiments (MACRO, SLIM, RICE, IceCube). Several special software tools have been developed. Slow Monopole Trigger has been created and implemented in the NOvA Data-Driven-Trigger system. Also, an online reconstruction algorithm has been developed and tested on 5% of the data. A technical description of these tools and current results of the analysis are presented in this work.

A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words

PubMed Central

Pinsky, Linda E; Wipf, Joyce E

2000-01-01

Videotapes, through vividly displayed clinical images and teaching interactions, are valuable tools for both learners and teachers. Visual images in combination with verbal instruction have been shown to significantly increase recall and retention. Many clinicians and medical teachers are aware of videotape resources, but have not had a chance to develop their use in medical education. In this paper, we discuss creative applications of videotapes in three major categories: presenting information, triggering discussion, and as a tool for direct self-observation and feedback. Videotapes may be valuable for presenting information in settings of didactic instruction; for triggering discussion during teaching workshops; and for self-observation of patient-doctor interactions and learner-teacher encounters. The article presents learner-centered approaches to review a videotaped clinical encounter in order to enhance value and comfort for the learner and teacher. Sources of tapes include on-site videotaping, published educational tapes and commercial tapes shown in accordance with fair use guidelines, examples of which are referenced. Videotapes add another dimension to traditional sources of physician education. PMID:11119173

Supporting Patient-Provider Collaboration to Identify Individual Triggers using Food and Symptom Journals

PubMed Central

Schroeder, Jessica; Hoffswell, Jane; Chung, Chia-Fang; Fogarty, James; Munson, Sean; Zia, Jasmine

2017-01-01

Patient-generated data can allow patients and providers to collaboratively develop accurate diagnoses and actionable treatment plans. Unfortunately, patients and providers often lack effective support to make use of such data. We examine patient-provider collaboration to interpret patient-generated data. We focus on irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), a chronic illness in which particular foods can exacerbate symptoms. IBS management often requires patient-provider collaboration using a patient’s food and symptom journal to identify the patient’s triggers. We contribute interactive visualizations to support exploration of such journals, as well as an examination of patient-provider collaboration in interpreting the journals. Drawing upon individual and collaborative interviews with patients and providers, we find that collaborative review helps improve data comprehension and build mutual trust. We also find a desire to use tools like our interactive visualizations within and beyond clinic appointments. We discuss these findings and present guidance for the design of future tools. PMID:28516172

The LHCb Run Control

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alessio, F.; Barandela, M. C.; Callot, O.; Duval, P.-Y.; Franek, B.; Frank, M.; Galli, D.; Gaspar, C.; Herwijnen, E. v.; Jacobsson, R.; Jost, B.; Neufeld, N.; Sambade, A.; Schwemmer, R.; Somogyi, P.

2010-04-01

LHCb has designed and implemented an integrated Experiment Control System. The Control System uses the same concepts and the same tools to control and monitor all parts of the experiment: the Data Acquisition System, the Timing and the Trigger Systems, the High Level Trigger Farm, the Detector Control System, the Experiment's Infrastructure and the interaction with the CERN Technical Services and the Accelerator. LHCb's Run Control, the main interface used by the experiment's operator, provides access in a hierarchical, coherent and homogeneous manner to all areas of the experiment and to all its sub-detectors. It allows for automated (or manual) configuration and control, including error recovery, of the full experiment in its different running modes. Different instances of the same Run Control interface are used by the various sub-detectors for their stand-alone activities: test runs, calibration runs, etc. The architecture and the tools used to build the control system, the guidelines and components provided to the developers, as well as the first experience with the usage of the Run Control will be presented

Serious Injury and Fatality Investigations Involving Pneumatic Nail Guns, 1985-2012

PubMed Central

Lowe, Brian D.; Albers, James T.; Hudock, Stephen D.; Krieg, Edward F.

2016-01-01

Background This paper examines serious and fatal pneumatic nail gun (PNG) injury investigations for workplace, tool design, and human factors relevant to causation and resulting OS&H authorities’ responses in terms of citations and penalties. Methods The U.S. OSHA database of Fatality and Catastrophe Investigation Summaries (F&CIS) were reviewed (1985 - 2012) to identify n=258 PNG accidents. Results 79.8% of investigations, and 100% of fatalities, occurred in the Construction industry. Between 53-71% of injuries appear preventable had a safer sequential trigger tool been used. Citations and monetary penalties were related to injury severity, body part injured, disabling of safety devices, and insufficient personal protective equipment (PPE). Conclusions Differences may exist between Construction and other industries in investigators interpretations of PNG injury causation and resulting citations/penalties. Violations of PPE standards were penalized most severely, yet the preventive effect of PPE would likely have been less than that of a safer sequential trigger. PMID:26725335

ELM Triggering with the New PPPL Lithium Granular Injector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mansfield, D. K.; Roquemore, A. L.; Maingi, R.; Hu, J. S.; Liang, Y.; Sun, Z.; Zhang, L.; Zou, G.

2012-10-01

A Li granular injector based on a high-speed rotating impeller has been developed at PPPL. The injector is capable of injecting spherical particles with diameters up to 1.3 mm and velocities of up to 100 m/s and has several possible applications. Primarily, the injector was developed as a tool to induce ELMs for ELM pacing experiments in plasmas operating in the H-mode. It can also operate as a real-time wall conditioning tool or as a method to resupply Li during a discharge to devices where Li is applied to the PFC's prior to a discharge. The injector is also capable of horizontally injecting small dust particles of any variety for plasma-dust transport studies. The first injector has recently been successfully installed on the EAST tokamak in Hefei, China where ELMs were induced with near 100% efficiency when 0.7mm spheres were injected at ˜ 40m/s into the midplane SOL. The injector will be described and supporting data for ELM triggering will be presented.

Development of Middle Stone Age innovation linked to rapid climate change

PubMed Central

Ziegler, Martin; Simon, Margit H.; Hall, Ian R.; Barker, Stephen; Stringer, Chris; Zahn, Rainer

2013-01-01

The development of modernity in early human populations has been linked to pulsed phases of technological and behavioural innovation within the Middle Stone Age of South Africa. However, the trigger for these intermittent pulses of technological innovation is an enigma. Here we show that, contrary to some previous studies, the occurrence of innovation was tightly linked to abrupt climate change. Major innovational pulses occurred at times when South African climate changed rapidly towards more humid conditions, while northern sub-Saharan Africa experienced widespread droughts, as the Northern Hemisphere entered phases of extreme cooling. These millennial-scale teleconnections resulted from the bipolar seesaw behaviour of the Atlantic Ocean related to changes in the ocean circulation. These conditions led to humid pulses in South Africa and potentially to the creation of favourable environmental conditions. This strongly implies that innovational pulses of early modern human behaviour were climatically influenced and linked to the adoption of refugia. PMID:23695699

Development of Middle Stone Age innovation linked to rapid climate change.

PubMed

Ziegler, Martin; Simon, Margit H; Hall, Ian R; Barker, Stephen; Stringer, Chris; Zahn, Rainer

2013-01-01

The development of modernity in early human populations has been linked to pulsed phases of technological and behavioural innovation within the Middle Stone Age of South Africa. However, the trigger for these intermittent pulses of technological innovation is an enigma. Here we show that, contrary to some previous studies, the occurrence of innovation was tightly linked to abrupt climate change. Major innovational pulses occurred at times when South African climate changed rapidly towards more humid conditions, while northern sub-Saharan Africa experienced widespread droughts, as the Northern Hemisphere entered phases of extreme cooling. These millennial-scale teleconnections resulted from the bipolar seesaw behaviour of the Atlantic Ocean related to changes in the ocean circulation. These conditions led to humid pulses in South Africa and potentially to the creation of favourable environmental conditions. This strongly implies that innovational pulses of early modern human behaviour were climatically influenced and linked to the adoption of refugia.

Liposome-Cross-Linked Hybrid Hydrogels for Glutathione-Triggered Delivery of Multiple Cargo Molecules.

PubMed

Liang, Yingkai; Kiick, Kristi L

2016-02-08

Novel, liposome-cross-linked hybrid hydrogels cross-linked by the Michael-type addition of thiols with maleimides were prepared via the use of maleimide-functionalized liposome cross-linkers and thiolated polyethylene glycol (PEG) polymers. Gelation of the materials was confirmed by oscillatory rheology experiments. These hybrid hydrogels are rendered degradable upon exposure to thiol-containing molecules such as glutathione (GSH), via the incorporation of selected thioether succinimide cross-links between the PEG polymers and liposome nanoparticles. Dynamic light scattering (DLS) characterization confirmed that intact liposomes were released upon network degradation. Owing to the hierarchical structure of the network, multiple cargo molecules relevant for chemotherapies, namely doxorubicin (DOX) and cytochrome c, were encapsulated and simultaneously released from the hybrid hydrogels, with differential release profiles that were driven by degradation-mediated release and Fickian diffusion, respectively. This work introduces a facile approach for the development of advanced, hybrid drug delivery vehicles that exhibit novel chemical degradation.

Augmenting the SCaN Link Budget Tool with Validated Atmospheric Propagation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Steinkerchner, Leo; Welch, Bryan

2017-01-01

In any Earth-Space or Space-Earth communications link, atmospheric effects cause significant signal attenuation. In order to develop a communications system that is cost effective while meeting appropriate performance requirements, it is important to accurately predict these effects for the given link parameters. This project aimed to develop a Matlab(TradeMark) (The MathWorks, Inc.) program that could augment the existing Space Communications and Navigation (SCaN) Link Budget Tool with accurate predictions of atmospheric attenuation of both optical and radio-frequency signals according to the SCaN Optical Link Assessment Model Version 5 and the International Telecommunications Union, Radiocommunications Sector (ITU-R) atmospheric propagation loss model, respectively. When compared to data collected from the Advance Communications Technology Satellite (ACTS), the radio-frequency model predicted attenuation to within 1.3 dB of loss for 95 of measurements. Ultimately, this tool will be integrated into the SCaN Center for Engineering, Networks, Integration, and Communications (SCENIC) user interface in order to support analysis of existing SCaN systems and planning capabilities for future NASA missions.

Applications of Emerging Parallel Optical Link Technology to High Energy Physics Experiments

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

Chramowicz, J.; Kwan, S.; Prosser, A.

2011-09-01

Modern particle detectors depend upon optical fiber links to deliver event data to upstream trigger and data processing systems. Future detector systems can benefit from the development of dense arrangements of high speed optical links emerging from the telecommunications and storage area network market segments. These links support data transfers in each direction at rates up to 120 Gbps in packages that minimize or even eliminate edge connector requirements. Emerging products include a class of devices known as optical engines which permit assembly of the optical transceivers in close proximity to the electrical interfaces of ASICs and FPGAs which handlemore » the data in parallel electrical format. Such assemblies will reduce required printed circuit board area and minimize electromagnetic interference and susceptibility. We will present test results of some of these parallel components and report on the development of pluggable FPGA Mezzanine Cards equipped with optical engines to provide to collaborators on the Versatile Link Common Project for the HI-LHC at CERN.« less

Exploring the kinetics of gelation and final architecture of enzymatically cross-linked chitosan/gelatin gels.

PubMed

da Silva, Marcelo A; Bode, Franziska; Grillo, Isabelle; Dreiss, Cécile A

2015-04-13

Small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) was used to characterize the nanoscale structure of enzymatically cross-linked chitosan/gelatin hydrogels obtained from two protocols: a pure chemical cross-linking process (C), which uses the natural enzyme microbial transglutaminase, and a physical-co-chemical (PC) hybrid process, where covalent cross-linking is combined with the temperature-triggered gelation of gelatin, occurring through the formation of triple-helices. SANS measurements on the final and evolving networks provide a correlation length (ξ), which reflects the average size of expanding clusters. Their growth in PC gels is restricted by the triple-helices (ξ ∼ 10s of Å), while ξ in pure chemical gels increases with cross-linker concentration (∼100s of Å). In addition, the shear elastic modulus in PC gels is higher than in pure C gels. Our results thus demonstrate that gelatin triple helices provide a template to guide the cross-linking process; overall, this work provides important structural insight to improve the design of biopolymer-based gels.

Evaluating the temporal link between Siberian Traps magmatism and the end-Permian mass extinction (Invited)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burgess, S. D.; Bowring, S. A.

2013-12-01

Interest in Large Igneous Provinces as agents for massive climatic and biological change is steadily increasing, though the temporal constraints on both are seldom precise enough to allow detailed testing of a causal relationship. The end-Permian mass extinction is one of the most biologically important and intensely studied events in Earth history and has been linked to many possible trigger mechanisms, from voluminous volcanism to bolide impact. Proposed kill mechanisms range from acidic and/or anoxic oceans to a cocktail of toxic gases, although the link between trigger and kill mechanisms is unconstrained due to the lack of a high-precision timeline. Critical to assessing the plausibility of different trigger and kill mechanisms is an accurate age model for the biotic crisis and the perturbations to the global carbon cycle and ocean chemistry. Recent work using the EARTHTIME U/Pb tracer solution has refined the timing of the onset and duration of the marine mass extinction event and the earliest Triassic recovery at the GSSP for the Permian-Triassic boundary in Meishan, China. This work constrains the mass extinction duration to less than 100 kyr and provides an accurate and precise time point for the onset of extinction, against which the timing of potential trigger mechanisms may be compared. For more than two decades, eruption and emplacement of the Siberian traps has been implicated as a potential trigger of the end-Permian extinction. In this scenario, magmatism drives the biotic crisis through mobilization of volatiles from the sedimentary rock with which intruding and erupting magmas interact. Massive volatile release is believed to trigger major changes in atmospheric chemistry and temperature, both of which have been proposed as kill mechanisms. Current temporal constrains on the timing and duration of the Siberian magmatism are an order of magnitude less precise than those for the mass extinction event and associated environmental perturbations, limiting detailed testing of a causal relationship. We present new high-precision U/Pb geochronology on zircon crystals isolated from a suite of shallowly intruded dolerites in the Noril'sk region and two welded tuffs in the Maymecha river-valley. These two sections are the most extensively studied in the magmatic province and although there are thick exposures of lava and volcaniclastic rock elsewhere, the Noril'sk and Maymecha-Kotuy sections are thought to be representative of the entire extrusive stratigraphy. Our dates suggest that intrusive and extrusive magmatism began within analytical uncertainty of the onset of mass extinction, permitting a causal connection with age precision at the ~ × 0.06 Ma level. The new dates also allow projection of the extinction interval and associated chemostratigraphy onto the Siberian trap stratigraphy, which suggests that ~300m of volcanicalstic rocks and ~1800m of lavas in the Maymecha-Kotuy section were erupted just prior to the onset of mass extinction. Comparison of a detailed eruption history to biological and chemical records over the extinction and recovery intervals allows for better evaluation of plausible kill mechanisms.

Smoking cessation: the potential role of risk assessment tools as motivational triggers.

PubMed

Young, Robert P; Hopkins, Raewyn J; Smith, Melinda; Hogarth, D Kyle

2010-01-01

Smoking is the most important and preventable cause of morbidity and premature mortality in developed and developing countries. To date, efforts to reduce the burden of smoking have focused on non-personalised strategies. Anxiety about ill health, especially lung cancer and emphysema, is the foremost concern for smokers and a major reason for quitting. Recent efforts in cessation management focus on behaviour change and pharmacotherapy. The '3 Ts' (tension, trigger, treatment) model of behaviour change proposes that at any one time a smoker experiences varying degrees of motivational tension, which in the presence of a trigger may initiate or enhance quitting. Smokers' optimistic bias (ie, denial of one's own vulnerability) sustains continued smoking, while increasing motivational tension (eg, illness) favours quitting. The 1 year quit rates achieved when smokers encounter a life threatening event, such as a heart attack or lung cancer, are as much as 50-60%. Utilising tests of lung function and/or genetic susceptibility personalises the risk and have been reported to achieve 1 year quit rates of 25%. This is comparable to quit rates achieved among healthy motivated smokers using smoking cessation drug therapy. In this paper we review existing evidence and propose that identifying those smokers at increased risk of an adverse smoking related disease may be a useful motivational tool, and enhance existing public health strategies directed at smoking cessation.

Photochemical tools to study dynamic biological processes

PubMed Central

Specht, Alexandre; Bolze, Frédéric; Omran, Ziad; Nicoud, Jean-François; Goeldner, Maurice

2009-01-01

Light-responsive biologically active compounds offer the possibility to study the dynamics of biological processes. Phototriggers and photoswitches have been designed, providing the capability to rapidly cause the initiation of wide range of dynamic biological phenomena. We will discuss, in this article, recent developments in the field of light-triggered chemical tools, specially how two-photon excitation, “caged” fluorophores, and the photoregulation of protein activities in combination with time-resolved x-ray techniques should break new grounds in the understanding of dynamic biological processes. PMID:20119482

Academic health sciences library Website navigation: an analysis of forty-one Websites and their navigation tools.

PubMed

Brower, Stewart M

2004-10-01

The analysis included forty-one academic health sciences library (HSL) Websites as captured in the first two weeks of January 2001. Home pages and persistent navigational tools (PNTs) were analyzed for layout, technology, and links, and other general site metrics were taken. Websites were selected based on rank in the National Network of Libraries of Medicine, with regional and resource libraries given preference on the basis that these libraries are recognized as leaders in their regions and would be the most reasonable source of standards for best practice. A three-page evaluation tool was developed based on previous similar studies. All forty-one sites were evaluated in four specific areas: library general information, Website aids and tools, library services, and electronic resources. Metrics taken for electronic resources included orientation of bibliographic databases alphabetically by title or by subject area and with links to specifically named databases. Based on the results, a formula for determining obligatory links was developed, listing items that should appear on all academic HSL Web home pages and PNTs. These obligatory links demonstrate a series of best practices that may be followed in the design and construction of academic HSL Websites.

Using Surface Table Computers to Promote the Well-Being of People with Dementia.

PubMed

Bejan, Alexander; Murko, Patrizia; Müller, Nadine; König, Peter; Kunze, Christophe

2017-01-01

As the demographic change progresses, dementia is going to become a prevalent condition in many countries. In order to keep the Quality of Life (QoL) of People with Dementia (PwD) on a steady level, Assistive Technologies (AT) implemented on table-sized Surface Computers (SC) that promote playful and/or reminiscence-triggering activities turn out to be valuable tools for dementia care. This article gives an overview over two similar multimedia-based AT systems implemented on Microsoft PixelSense SCs and field-tested in dementia care institutions. The observations indicate that both systems can trigger positive emotions and activities as well as memories.

Laboratory-confirmed respiratory infections as triggers for acute myocardial infarction and stroke: a self-controlled case series analysis of national linked datasets from Scotland.

PubMed

Warren-Gash, Charlotte; Blackburn, Ruth; Whitaker, Heather; McMenamin, Jim; Hayward, Andrew C

2018-03-01

While acute respiratory tract infections can trigger cardiovascular events, the differential effect of specific organisms is unknown. This is important to guide vaccine policy.Using national infection surveillance data linked to the Scottish Morbidity Record, we identified adults with a first myocardial infarction or stroke from January 1, 2004 to December 31, 2014 and a record of laboratory-confirmed respiratory infection during this period. Using self-controlled case series analysis, we generated age- and season-adjusted incidence ratios (IRs) for myocardial infarction (n=1227) or stroke (n=762) after infections compared with baseline time.We found substantially increased myocardial infarction rates in the week after Streptococcus pneumoniae and influenza virus infection: adjusted IRs for days 1-3 were 5.98 (95% CI 2.47-14.4) and 9.80 (95% CI 2.37-40.5), respectively. Rates of stroke after infection were similarly high and remained elevated to 28 days: day 1-3 adjusted IRs 12.3 (95% CI 5.48-27.7) and 7.82 (95% CI 1.07-56.9) for S. pneumoniae and influenza virus, respectively. Although other respiratory viruses were associated with raised point estimates for both outcomes, only the day 4-7 estimate for stroke reached statistical significance.We showed a marked cardiovascular triggering effect of S. pneumoniae and influenza virus, which highlights the need for adequate pneumococcal and influenza vaccine uptake. Further research is needed into vascular effects of noninfluenza respiratory viruses. Copyright ©ERS 2018.

Linked halokinesis and mud volcanism at the Mercator mud volcano, Gulf of Cadiz

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Perez-Garcia, Carolina; Berndt, Christian; Klaeschen, Dirk; Mienert, Jürgen; Haffert, Laura; Depreiter, Davy; Haeckel, Matthias

2011-05-01

Mud volcanoes are seafloor expressions of focused fluid flow that are common in compressional tectonic settings. New high-resolution 3-D seismic data from the Mercator mud volcano (MMV) and an adjacent buried mud volcano (BMV) image the internal structure of the top 800 m of sediment at both mud volcanoes, revealing that both are linked and have been active episodically. The total volumes of extruded mud range between 0.15 and 0.35 km3 and 0.02-0.05 km3 for the MMV and the BMV, respectively. The pore water composition of surface sediment samples suggests that halokinesis has played an important role in the evolution of the mud volcanoes. We propose that erosion of the top of the Vernadsky Ridge that underlies the mud volcanoes activated salt movement, triggering deep migration of fluids, dissolution of salt, and sediment liquefaction and mobilization since the end of the Pliocene. Since beginning of mud volcanism in this area, the mud volcanoes erupted four times while there was only one reactivation of salt tectonics. This implies that there are other mechanisms that trigger mud eruptions. The stratigraphic relationship of mudflows from the MMV and BMV indicates that the BMV was triggered by the MMV eruptions. This may either be caused by loading-induced hydrofracturing within the BMV or due to a common feeder system for both mud volcanoes. This study shows that the mud volcanoes in the El Arraiche mud volcano field are long-lived features that erupt with intervals of several tens of thousands of years.

Gliadin-Specific T-Cells Mobilized in the Peripheral Blood of Coeliac Patients by Short Oral Gluten Challenge: Clinical Applications

PubMed Central

Picascia, Stefania; Mandile, Roberta; Auricchio, Renata; Troncone, Riccardo; Gianfrani, Carmen

2015-01-01

Celiac disease (CD) is a common lifelong food intolerance triggered by dietary gluten affecting 1% of the general population. Gliadin-specific T-cell lines and T-cell clones obtained from intestinal biopsies have provided great support in the investigation of immuno-pathogenesis of CD. In the early 2000 a new in vivo, less invasive, approach was established aimed to evaluate the adaptive gliadin-specific T-cell response in peripheral blood of celiac patients on a gluten free diet. In fact, it has been demonstrated that three days of ingestion of wheat-containing food induces the mobilization of memory T lymphocytes reactive against gliadin from gut-associated lymphoid tissue into peripheral blood of CD patients. Such antigen-specific T-cells releasing interferon-γ can be transiently detected by using the enzyme-linked immunospot (ELISPOT) assays or by flow cytometry tetramer technology. This paper discusses the suitability of this in vivo tool to investigate the repertoire of gluten pathogenic peptides, to support CD diagnosis, and to assess the efficacy of novel therapeutic strategies. A systematic review of all potential applications of short oral gluten challenge is provided. PMID:26633487

Evaluating the Controls on Magma Ascent Rates Through Numerical Modelling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thomas, M. E.; Neuberg, J. W.

2015-12-01

The estimation of the magma ascent rate is a key factor in predicting styles of volcanic activity and relies on the understanding of how strongly the ascent rate is controlled by different magmatic parameters. The ability to link potential changes in such parameters to monitoring data is an essential step to be able to use these data as a predictive tool. We present the results of a suite of conduit flow models that assess the influence of individual model parameters such as the magmatic water content, temperature or bulk magma composition on the magma flow in the conduit during an extrusive dome eruption. By systematically varying these parameters we assess their relative importance to changes in ascent rate. The results indicate that potential changes to conduit geometry and excess pressure in the magma chamber are amongst the dominant controlling variables that effect ascent rate, but the single most important parameter is the volatile content (assumed in this case as only water). Modelling this parameter across a range of reported values causes changes in the calculated ascent velocities of up to 800%, triggering fluctuations in ascent rates that span the potential threshold between effusive and explosive eruptions.

Magnetic timing valves for fluid control in paper-based microfluidics.

PubMed

Li, Xiao; Zwanenburg, Philip; Liu, Xinyu

2013-07-07

Multi-step analytical tests, such as an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), require delivery of multiple fluids into a reaction zone and counting the incubation time at different steps. This paper presents a new type of paper-based magnetic valves that can count the time and turn on or off a fluidic flow accordingly, enabling timed fluid control in paper-based microfluidics. The timing capability of these valves is realized using a paper timing channel with an ionic resistor, which can detect the event of a solution flowing through the resistor and trigger an electromagnet (through a simple circuit) to open or close a paper cantilever valve. Based on this principle, we developed normally-open and normally-closed valves with a timing period up to 30.3 ± 2.1 min (sufficient for an ELISA on paper-based platforms). Using the normally-open valve, we performed an enzyme-based colorimetric reaction commonly used for signal readout of ELISAs, which requires a timed delivery of an enzyme substrate to a reaction zone. This design adds a new fluid-control component to the tool set for developing paper-based microfluidic devices, and has the potential to improve the user-friendliness of these devices.

Generalized pustular psoriasis triggered by Zika virus infection.

PubMed

Paniz Mondolfi, A E; Hernandez Perez, M; Blohm, G; Marquez, M; Mogollon Mendoza, A; Hernandez-Pereira, C E; Escalona, M A; Lodeiro Colatosti, A; Rothe DeArocha, J; Rodriguez Morales, A J

2018-03-01

Zika virus is an emerging arbovirus, which is expanding in epidemic proportions through tropical and subtropical areas of the world. Although Zika is linked to a number of congenital and neurological complications, there is scarce knowledge on the impact of ZIKV infection in human skin. We report the case of a 68-year old woman who presented with generalized pustular psoriasis after a preceding and otherwise uneventful episode of ZIKV infection. Based on recent experimental data on the biology of ZIKV infection in the cutaneous environment, we speculate that ZIKV may have directly triggered the development of generalized pustular psoriasis by stimulation of keratinocyte-derived mediators of inflammation and a polyfunctional T-cell driven immune reaction in the cutaneous milieu. © 2017 British Association of Dermatologists.

Intense uplift of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau triggered rapid diversification of Phyllolobium (Leguminosae) in the Late Cenozoic

Treesearch

Ming-Li Zhang; Yun Kang; Yang Zhong; Stewart C. Sanderson

2012-01-01

Phyllolobium, a recently established genus from subgenus Pogonophace of Astragalus, contains about 20 species and four sections, mostly endemic to the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (QTP). The uplift of the QTP undoubtedly affected organismic evolution in the region, but further molecular dating in a phylogenetic context is required to test whether diversification is linked...

Hippocampal Erk Mechanisms Linking Prediction Error to Fear Extinction: Roles of Shock Expectancy and Contextual Aversive Valence

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Huh, Kyu Hwan; Guzman, Yomayra F.; Tronson, Natalie C.; Guedea, Anita L.; Gao, Can; Radulovic, Jelena

2009-01-01

Extinction of fear requires learning that anticipated aversive events no longer occur. Animal models reveal that sustained phosphorylation of the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (Erk) in hippocampal CA1 neurons plays an important role in this process. However, the key signals triggering and regulating the activity of Erk are not known. By…

Limiting the immediate and subsequent hazards associated with wildfires

USGS Publications Warehouse

DeGraff, Jerome V.; Cannon, Susan H.; Parise, Mario

2013-01-01

Similarly, our capability to limit impacts from post-fire debris flows is improving. Empirical models for estimating the probability of debris-flow occurrence, the volume of such an event, and mapping the inundated area, linked with improved definitions of the rainfall conditions that trigger debris flows, can be used to provide critical information for post-fire hazard mitigation and emergency-response planning.

Effects of fire severity on plant nutrient uptake reinforce alternate pathways of succession in boreal forests

Treesearch

A. Shenoy; K. Kielland; J.F. Johnstone

2013-01-01

Fire activity in the North American boreal region is projected to increase under a warming climate and trigger changes in vegetation composition. In black spruce forests of interior Alaska, fire severity impacts residual organic layer depth which is strongly linked to the relative dominance of deciduous versus coniferous trees in early succession. These alternate...

Hydrologic system state at debris flow initiation in the Pitztal catchment, Austria

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mostbauer, Karin; Hrachowitz, Markus; Prenner, David; Kaitna, Roland

2017-04-01

Debris flows represent a severe hazard in mountain regions. Though significant effort has been made to forecast such events, the trigger conditions as well as the hydrologic disposition of a watershed at the time of debris flow occurrence are not well understood. To improve our knowledge on the connection between debris flow initiation and the hydrologic system, this study applies a semi-distributed conceptual rainfall-runoff model, linking different system state variables such as soil moisture, snowmelt, or runoff with documented debris flow events in the Pitztal watershed, western Austria. The hydrologic modelling was performed on a daily basis between 1953 and 2012. High-intensity rainfall could be identified as the dominant trigger (31 out of 43 debris flows), while triggering exclusively by low-intensity, long-lasting rainfall was only observed in one single case. The remaining events were related to snowmelt; whether all of these events where triggered by rain-on-snow, or whether some of these events were actually triggered by snowmelt only, remains unclear since the occurrence of un- resp. underrecorded rainfall was detected frequently. The usage of a conceptual hydrological model for investigating debris flow initiation constitutes a novel approach in debris flow research and was assessed as very valuable. For future studies, it is recommended to evaluate also sub-daily information. As antecedent snowmelt was found to be much more important to debris flow initiation than antecedent rainfall, it might prove beneficial to include snowmelt in the commonly used rainfall intensity-duration thresholds.

Influence of uncertain identification of triggering rainfall on the assessment of landslide early warning thresholds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peres, David J.; Cancelliere, Antonino; Greco, Roberto; Bogaard, Thom A.

2018-03-01

Uncertainty in rainfall datasets and landslide inventories is known to have negative impacts on the assessment of landslide-triggering thresholds. In this paper, we perform a quantitative analysis of the impacts of uncertain knowledge of landslide initiation instants on the assessment of rainfall intensity-duration landslide early warning thresholds. The analysis is based on a synthetic database of rainfall and landslide information, generated by coupling a stochastic rainfall generator and a physically based hydrological and slope stability model, and is therefore error-free in terms of knowledge of triggering instants. This dataset is then perturbed according to hypothetical reporting scenarios that allow simulation of possible errors in landslide-triggering instants as retrieved from historical archives. The impact of these errors is analysed jointly using different criteria to single out rainfall events from a continuous series and two typical temporal aggregations of rainfall (hourly and daily). The analysis shows that the impacts of the above uncertainty sources can be significant, especially when errors exceed 1 day or the actual instants follow the erroneous ones. Errors generally lead to underestimated thresholds, i.e. lower than those that would be obtained from an error-free dataset. Potentially, the amount of the underestimation can be enough to induce an excessive number of false positives, hence limiting possible landslide mitigation benefits. Moreover, the uncertain knowledge of triggering rainfall limits the possibility to set up links between thresholds and physio-geographical factors.

Green synthesis and anticancer potential of chalcone linked-1,2,3-triazoles.

PubMed

Yadav, Pinki; Lal, Kashmiri; Kumar, Ashwani; Guru, Santosh Kumar; Jaglan, Sundeep; Bhushan, Shashi

2017-01-27

A series of chalcone linked-1,2,3-triazoles was synthesized via cellulose supported copper nanoparticle catalyzed click reaction in water. The structures of all the compounds were analyzed by IR, NMR and Mass spectral techniques. All the synthesized products were subjected to 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazole-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) cytotoxicity assay against a panel of four human cancer cell lines (MCF-7, MIA-Pa-Ca-2, A549, HepG2) to check their anticancer potential. Compound 6h was found to be most active against all the tested cancer cell lines with IC 50 values in the range of 4-11 μM and showed better or comparable activity to the reference drug against all the tested cell lines. Cell cycle analysis revealed that compound 6h induces apoptosis and G2/S arrest in MIA-Pa-Ca-2 cells. Compound 6h triggers mitochondrial potential loss in pancreatic cancer MIA-Pa-Ca-2 cells. Further, Compound 6h also triggers caspase-3 and PARP-1 cleavage, which increases in dose dependent manner. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Interplay of signal recognition particle and trigger factor at L23 near the nascent chain exit site on the Escherichia coli ribosome

PubMed Central

Ullers, Ronald S.; Houben, Edith N.G.; Raine, Amanda; ten Hagen-Jongman, Corinne M.; Ehrenberg, Måns; Brunner, Joseph; Oudega, Bauke; Harms, Nellie; Luirink, Joen

2003-01-01

As newly synthesized polypeptides emerge from the ribosome, they interact with chaperones and targeting factors that assist in folding and targeting to the proper location in the cell. In Escherichia coli, the chaperone trigger factor (TF) binds to nascent polypeptides early in biosynthesis facilitated by its affinity for the ribosomal proteins L23 and L29 that are situated around the nascent chain exit site on the ribosome. The targeting factor signal recognition particle (SRP) interacts specifically with the signal anchor (SA) sequence in nascent inner membrane proteins (IMPs). Here, we have used photocross-linking to map interactions of the SA sequence in a short, in vitro–synthesized, nascent IMP. Both TF and SRP were found to interact with the SA with partially overlapping binding specificity. In addition, extensive contacts with L23 and L29 were detected. Both purified TF and SRP could be cross-linked to L23 on nontranslating ribosomes with a competitive advantage for SRP. The results suggest a role for L23 in the targeting of IMPs as an attachment site for TF and SRP that is close to the emerging nascent chain. PMID:12756233

The effect of various parameters of large scale radio propagation models on improving performance mobile communications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pinem, M.; Fauzi, R.

2018-02-01

One technique for ensuring continuity of wireless communication services and keeping a smooth transition on mobile communication networks is the soft handover technique. In the Soft Handover (SHO) technique the inclusion and reduction of Base Station from the set of active sets is determined by initiation triggers. One of the initiation triggers is based on the strong reception signal. In this paper we observed the influence of parameters of large-scale radio propagation models to improve the performance of mobile communications. The observation parameters for characterizing the performance of the specified mobile system are Drop Call, Radio Link Degradation Rate and Average Size of Active Set (AS). The simulated results show that the increase in altitude of Base Station (BS) Antenna and Mobile Station (MS) Antenna contributes to the improvement of signal power reception level so as to improve Radio Link quality and increase the average size of Active Set and reduce the average Drop Call rate. It was also found that Hata’s propagation model contributed significantly to improvements in system performance parameters compared to Okumura’s propagation model and Lee’s propagation model.

The E3 ubiquitin ligase and RNA-binding protein ZNF598 orchestrates ribosome quality control of premature polyadenylated mRNAs

PubMed Central

Garzia, Aitor; Jafarnejad, Seyed Mehdi; Meyer, Cindy; Chapat, Clément; Gogakos, Tasos; Morozov, Pavel; Amiri, Mehdi; Shapiro, Maayan; Molina, Henrik; Tuschl, Thomas; Sonenberg, Nahum

2017-01-01

Cryptic polyadenylation within coding sequences (CDS) triggers ribosome-associated quality control (RQC), followed by degradation of the aberrant mRNA and polypeptide, ribosome disassembly and recycling. Although ribosomal subunit dissociation and nascent peptide degradation are well-understood, the molecular sensors of aberrant mRNAs and their mechanism of action remain unknown. We studied the Zinc Finger Protein 598 (ZNF598) using PAR-CLIP and revealed that it cross-links to tRNAs, mRNAs and rRNAs, thereby placing the protein on translating ribosomes. Cross-linked reads originating from AAA-decoding tRNALys(UUU) were 10-fold enriched over its cellular abundance, and poly-lysine encoded by poly(AAA) induced RQC in a ZNF598-dependent manner. Encounter with translated polyA segments by ZNF598 triggered ubiquitination of several ribosomal proteins, requiring the E2 ubiquitin ligase UBE2D3 to initiate RQC. Considering that human CDS are devoid of >4 consecutive AAA codons, sensing of prematurely placed polyA tails by a specialized RNA-binding protein is a novel nucleic-acid-based surveillance mechanism of RQC. PMID:28685749

The E3 ubiquitin ligase and RNA-binding protein ZNF598 orchestrates ribosome quality control of premature polyadenylated mRNAs.

PubMed

Garzia, Aitor; Jafarnejad, Seyed Mehdi; Meyer, Cindy; Chapat, Clément; Gogakos, Tasos; Morozov, Pavel; Amiri, Mehdi; Shapiro, Maayan; Molina, Henrik; Tuschl, Thomas; Sonenberg, Nahum

2017-07-07

Cryptic polyadenylation within coding sequences (CDS) triggers ribosome-associated quality control (RQC), followed by degradation of the aberrant mRNA and polypeptide, ribosome disassembly and recycling. Although ribosomal subunit dissociation and nascent peptide degradation are well-understood, the molecular sensors of aberrant mRNAs and their mechanism of action remain unknown. We studied the Zinc Finger Protein 598 (ZNF598) using PAR-CLIP and revealed that it cross-links to tRNAs, mRNAs and rRNAs, thereby placing the protein on translating ribosomes. Cross-linked reads originating from AAA-decoding tRNA Lys (UUU) were 10-fold enriched over its cellular abundance, and poly-lysine encoded by poly(AAA) induced RQC in a ZNF598-dependent manner. Encounter with translated polyA segments by ZNF598 triggered ubiquitination of several ribosomal proteins, requiring the E2 ubiquitin ligase UBE2D3 to initiate RQC. Considering that human CDS are devoid of >4 consecutive AAA codons, sensing of prematurely placed polyA tails by a specialized RNA-binding protein is a novel nucleic-acid-based surveillance mechanism of RQC.

What is the link between synaesthesia and sound symbolism?

PubMed Central

Bankieris, Kaitlyn; Simner, Julia

2015-01-01

Sound symbolism is a property of certain words which have a direct link between their phonological form and their semantic meaning. In certain instances, sound symbolism can allow non-native speakers to understand the meanings of etymologically unfamiliar foreign words, although the mechanisms driving this are not well understood. We examined whether sound symbolism might be mediated by the same types of cross-modal processes that typify synaesthetic experiences. Synaesthesia is an inherited condition in which sensory or cognitive stimuli (e.g., sounds, words) cause additional, unusual cross-modal percepts (e.g., sounds trigger colours, words trigger tastes). Synaesthesia may be an exaggeration of normal cross-modal processing, and if so, there may be a link between synaesthesia and the type of cross-modality inherent in sound symbolism. To test this we predicted that synaesthetes would have superior understanding of unfamiliar (sound symbolic) foreign words. In our study, 19 grapheme-colour synaesthetes and 57 non-synaesthete controls were presented with 400 adjectives from 10 unfamiliar languages and were asked to guess the meaning of each word in a two-alternative forced-choice task. Both groups showed superior understanding compared to chance levels, but synaesthetes significantly outperformed controls. This heightened ability suggests that sound symbolism may rely on the types of cross-modal integration that drive synaesthetes’ unusual experiences. It also suggests that synaesthesia endows or co-occurs with heightened multi-modal skills, and that this can arise in domains unrelated to the specific form of synaesthesia. PMID:25498744

3 Tools to Help You Quit | NIH MedlinePlus the Magazine

MedlinePlus

... and long-term challenges, start by examining your smoking habits. Track how many cigarettes you smoke a day and what you are doing when you light up. Look for patterns. You may discover triggers you weren't aware of. Smoking at certain times or in varying circumstances may ...

On the Inclusion of Externally Controlled Actions in Action Planning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tsai, Jessica Chia-Chin; Knoblich, Gunther; Sebanz, Natalie

2011-01-01

According to ideomotor theories, perceiving action effects produced by others triggers corresponding action representations in the observer. We tested whether this principle extends to actions performed by externally controlled limbs and tools. Participants performed a go-no-go version of a spatial compatibility task in which their own actions…

A tiered approach to incorporate exposure and pharmacokinetics considerations in in vitro based safety assessment

EPA Science Inventory

Application of in vitro based safety assessment requires reconciling chemical concentrations sufficient to produce bioactivity in vitro with those that trigger a molecular initiating event at the relevant in vivo target site. To address such need, computational tools such as phy...

Open Source Tools for Seismicity Analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Powers, P.

2010-12-01

The spatio-temporal analysis of seismicity plays an important role in earthquake forecasting and is integral to research on earthquake interactions and triggering. For instance, the third version of the Uniform California Earthquake Rupture Forecast (UCERF), currently under development, will use Epidemic Type Aftershock Sequences (ETAS) as a model for earthquake triggering. UCERF will be a "living" model and therefore requires robust, tested, and well-documented ETAS algorithms to ensure transparency and reproducibility. Likewise, as earthquake aftershock sequences unfold, real-time access to high quality hypocenter data makes it possible to monitor the temporal variability of statistical properties such as the parameters of the Omori Law and the Gutenberg Richter b-value. Such statistical properties are valuable as they provide a measure of how much a particular sequence deviates from expected behavior and can be used when assigning probabilities of aftershock occurrence. To address these demands and provide public access to standard methods employed in statistical seismology, we present well-documented, open-source JavaScript and Java software libraries for the on- and off-line analysis of seismicity. The Javascript classes facilitate web-based asynchronous access to earthquake catalog data and provide a framework for in-browser display, analysis, and manipulation of catalog statistics; implementations of this framework will be made available on the USGS Earthquake Hazards website. The Java classes, in addition to providing tools for seismicity analysis, provide tools for modeling seismicity and generating synthetic catalogs. These tools are extensible and will be released as part of the open-source OpenSHA Commons library.

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.

Plasma membrane order and fluidity are diversely triggered by elicitors of plant defence.

PubMed

Sandor, Roman; Der, Christophe; Grosjean, Kevin; Anca, Iulia; Noirot, Elodie; Leborgne-Castel, Nathalie; Lochman, Jan; Simon-Plas, Françoise; Gerbeau-Pissot, Patricia

2016-09-01

Although plants are exposed to a great number of pathogens, they usually defend themselves by triggering mechanisms able to limit disease development. Alongside signalling events common to most such incompatible interactions, modifications of plasma membrane (PM) physical properties could be new players in the cell transduction cascade. Different pairs of elicitors (cryptogein, oligogalacturonides, and flagellin) and plant cells (tobacco and Arabidopsis) were used to address the issue of possible modifications of plant PM biophysical properties induced by elicitors and their links to other events of the defence signalling cascade. We observed an increase of PM order whatever the elicitor/plant cell pair used, provided that a signalling cascade was induced. Such membrane modification is dependent on the NADPH oxidase-mediated reactive oxygen species production. Moreover, cryptogein, which is the sole elicitor able to trap sterols, is also the only one able to trigger an increase in PM fluidity. The use of cryptogein variants with altered sterol-binding properties confirms the strong correlation between sterol removal from the PM and PM fluidity enhancement. These results propose PM dynamics as a player in early signalling processes triggered by elicitors of plant defence. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Experimental Biology.

Properties of the probability distribution associated with the largest event in an earthquake cluster and their implications to foreshocks.

PubMed

Zhuang, Jiancang; Ogata, Yosihiko

2006-04-01

The space-time epidemic-type aftershock sequence model is a stochastic branching process in which earthquake activity is classified into background and clustering components and each earthquake triggers other earthquakes independently according to certain rules. This paper gives the probability distributions associated with the largest event in a cluster and their properties for all three cases when the process is subcritical, critical, and supercritical. One of the direct uses of these probability distributions is to evaluate the probability of an earthquake to be a foreshock, and magnitude distributions of foreshocks and nonforeshock earthquakes. To verify these theoretical results, the Japan Meteorological Agency earthquake catalog is analyzed. The proportion of events that have 1 or more larger descendants in total events is found to be as high as about 15%. When the differences between background events and triggered event in the behavior of triggering children are considered, a background event has a probability about 8% to be a foreshock. This probability decreases when the magnitude of the background event increases. These results, obtained from a complicated clustering model, where the characteristics of background events and triggered events are different, are consistent with the results obtained in [Ogata, Geophys. J. Int. 127, 17 (1996)] by using the conventional single-linked cluster declustering method.

NREL: Renewable Resource Data Center - Biomass Resource Models and Tools

Science.gov Websites

Models and Tools The Renewable Resource Data Center (RReDC) features the following biomass models Models & Tools Publications Related Links Geothermal Resource Information Solar Resource Information

Proposal for a model to assess the effect of seismic activity on the triggering of debris flows

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vidar Vangelsten, Bjørn; Liu, Zhongqiang; Eidsvig, Unni; Luna, Byron Quan; Nadim, Farrokh

2013-04-01

Landslide triggered by earthquakes is a serious threat for many communities around the world, and in some cases is known to have caused 25-50% of the earthquake fatalities. Seismic shaking can contribute to the triggering of debris flows either during the seismic event or indirectly by increasing the susceptibility of the slope to debris flow during intense rainfall in a period after the seismic event. The paper proposes a model to quantify both these effects. The model is based on an infinite slope formulation where precipitation and earthquakes influence the slope stability as follows: (1) During the shaking, the factor of safety is reduced due to cyclic pore pressure build-up where the cyclic pore pressure is modelled as a function of earthquake duration and intensity (measured as number of equivalent shear stress cycles and cyclic shear stress magnitude) and in-situ soil conditions (measured as average normalised shear stress). The model is calibrated using cyclic triaxial and direct simple shear (DSS) test data on clay and sand. (2) After the shaking, the factor of safety is modified using a combined empirical and analytical model that links observed earthquake induced changes in rainfall thresholds for triggering of debris flow to an equivalent reduction in soil shear strength. The empirical part uses data from past earthquakes to propose a conceptual model linking a site-specific reduction factor for rainfall intensity threshold (needed to trigger debris flows) to earthquake magnitude, distance from the epicentre and time period after the earthquake. The analytical part is a hydrological model for transient rainfall infiltration into an infinite slope in order to translate the change in rainfall intensity threshold into an equivalent reduction in soil shear strength. This is generalised into a functional form giving a site-specific shear strength reduction factor as function of earthquake history and soil conditions. The model is suitable for hazard and risk assessment at local and regional scale for earthquake and rainfall induced landslide. The research leading to these results has received funding from the European Community's Seventh Framework Programme [FP7/2007-2013] under grant agreement No 265138 New Multi-HAzard and MulTi-RIsK Assessment MethodS for Europe (MATRIX).

Endotypes of pollen-food syndrome in children with seasonal allergic rhinoconjunctivitis: a molecular classification.

PubMed

Mastrorilli, C; Tripodi, S; Caffarelli, C; Perna, S; Di Rienzo-Businco, A; Sfika, I; Asero, R; Dondi, A; Bianchi, A; Povesi Dascola, C; Ricci, G; Cipriani, F; Maiello, N; Miraglia Del Giudice, M; Frediani, T; Frediani, S; Macrì, F; Pistoletti, C; Dello Iacono, I; Patria, M F; Varin, E; Peroni, D; Comberiati, P; Chini, L; Moschese, V; Lucarelli, S; Bernardini, R; Pingitore, G; Pelosi, U; Olcese, R; Moretti, M; Cirisano, A; Faggian, D; Travaglini, A; Plebani, M; Verga, M C; Calvani, M; Giordani, P; Matricardi, P M

2016-08-01

Pollen-food syndrome (PFS) is heterogeneous with regard to triggers, severity, natural history, comorbidities, and response to treatment. Our study aimed to classify different endotypes of PFS based on IgE sensitization to panallergens. We examined 1271 Italian children (age 4-18 years) with seasonal allergic rhinoconjunctivitis (SAR). Foods triggering PFS were acquired by questionnaire. Skin prick tests were performed with commercial pollen extracts. IgE to panallergens Phl p 12 (profilin), Bet v 1 (PR-10), and Pru p 3 (nsLTP) were tested by ImmunoCAP FEIA. An unsupervised hierarchical agglomerative clustering method was applied within PFS population. PFS was observed in 300/1271 children (24%). Cluster analysis identified five PFS endotypes linked to panallergen IgE sensitization: (i) cosensitization to ≥2 panallergens ('multi-panallergen PFS'); (ii-iv) sensitization to either profilin, or nsLTP, or PR-10 ('mono-panallergen PFS'); (v) no sensitization to panallergens ('no-panallergen PFS'). These endotypes showed peculiar characteristics: (i) 'multi-panallergen PFS': severe disease with frequent allergic comorbidities and multiple offending foods; (ii) 'profilin PFS': oral allergy syndrome (OAS) triggered by Cucurbitaceae; (iii) 'LTP PFS': living in Southern Italy, OAS triggered by hazelnut and peanut; (iv) 'PR-10 PFS': OAS triggered by Rosaceae; and (v) 'no-panallergen PFS': mild disease and OAS triggered by kiwifruit. In a Mediterranean country characterized by multiple pollen exposures, PFS is a complex and frequent complication of childhood SAR, with five distinct endotypes marked by peculiar profiles of IgE sensitization to panallergens. Prospective studies in cohorts of patients with PFS are now required to test whether this novel classification may be useful for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes in the clinical practice. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Making sense of (exceptional) causal relations. A cross-cultural and cross-linguistic study

PubMed Central

Le Guen, Olivier; Samland, Jana; Friedrich, Thomas; Hanus, Daniel; Brown, Penelope

2015-01-01

In order to make sense of the world, humans tend to see causation almost everywhere. Although most causal relations may seem straightforward, they are not always construed in the same way cross-culturally. In this study, we investigate concepts of “chance,” “coincidence,” or “randomness” that refer to assumed relations between intention, action, and outcome in situations, and we ask how people from different cultures make sense of such non-law-like connections. Based on a framework proposed by Alicke (2000), we administered a task that aims to be a neutral tool for investigating causal construals cross-culturally and cross-linguistically. Members of four different cultural groups, rural Mayan Yucatec and Tseltal speakers from Mexico and urban students from Mexico and Germany, were presented with a set of scenarios involving various types of causal and non-causal relations and were asked to explain the described events. Three links varied as to whether they were present or not in the scenarios: Intention-to-Action, Action-to-Outcome, and Intention-to-Outcome. Our results show that causality is recognized in all four cultural groups. However, how causality and especially non-law-like relations are interpreted depends on the type of links, the cultural background and the language used. In all three groups, Action-to-Outcome is the decisive link for recognizing causality. Despite the fact that the two Mayan groups share similar cultural backgrounds, they display different ideologies regarding concepts of non-law-like relations. The data suggests that the concept of “chance” is not universal, but seems to be an explanation that only some cultural groups draw on to make sense of specific situations. Of particular importance is the existence of linguistic concepts in each language that trigger ideas of causality in the responses from each cultural group. PMID:26579028

Outcome measurement of hand function following mirror therapy for stroke rehabilitation: A systematic review.

PubMed

Cantero-Téllez, Raquel; Naughton, Nancy; Algar, Lori; Valdes, Kristin

2018-02-28

Systematic review. Mirror therapy is a treatment used to address hand function following a stroke. Measurement of outcomes using appropriate assessment tools is crucial; however, many assessment options exist. The purpose of this study is to systematically review outcome measures that are used to assess hand function following mirror therapy after stroke and, in addition, to identify the psychometric and descriptive properties of the included measures and through the linking process determine if the outcome measures are representative of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF). Following a comprehensive literature search, outcome measures used in the included studies were linked to the ICF and analyzed based on descriptive information and psychometric properties. Eleven studies met inclusion criteria and included 24 different assessment tools to measure hand or upper limb function. Most outcome measures used in the selected studies (63%) were rated by the evaluating therapist. Thirteen outcome measures (54%) linked to the ICF body function category and 10 measures (42%) linked to activities and participation. One outcome measure was linked to not defined, and all other ICF categories were not represented. A majority of outcome measures have been assessed for validity, reliability, and responsiveness, but responsiveness was the least investigated psychometric property. Current studies on mirror therapy after stroke are not consistent in the assessment tools used to determine hand function. Understanding of study outcomes requires analysis of the assessment tools. The outcome measures used in the included studies are not representative of personal and environmental factors, but tools linking to body functions and activities and participations provide important information on functional outcome. Integrating a combination of measures that are psychometrically sound and reflective of the ICF should be considered for assessment of hand function after mirror therapy after stroke. Copyright © 2018 Hanley & Belfus. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Adverse Drug Event Collaborative: a joint venture to measure medication-related patient harm.

PubMed

Seddon, Mary E; Jackson, Aaron; Cameron, Chris; Young, Mary L; Escott, Linda; Maharaj, Ashika; Miller, Nigel

2012-01-25

To measure the extent of patient harm caused by medications (rate of Adverse Drug Events) in three DHBs, using a standardised trigger tool method. Counties Manukau, Capital and Coast and Canterbury DHBs decided to work collaboratively to implement the ADE Trigger Tool (TT). Definitions of ADE were agreed on and triggers refined. A random sample of closed charts (from March 2010 to February 2011) was obtained excluding patients who were admitted for <48 hours, children under the age of 18 and psychiatric admissions. In each DHB trained reviewers scanned these in a structured way to identify any of the 19 triggers. If triggers were identified, a more detailed, though time-limited review of the chart was done to determine whether an ADE had occurred. The severity of patient harm was categorised using the National Coordinating Council for Medication Error Reporting and Prevention Index. No attempt was made to determine preventability of harm and ADEs from acts of omission were excluded. The ADE TT was applied to 1210 charts and 353 ADE were identified, with an average rate of 28.9/100 admissions and 38/1,000 bed days. 94.5% of the ADE identified were in the lower severity scales with temporary harm, however in 5 patients it was considered that the ADE contributed to their death, 9 required an intervention to sustain life and 4 suffered permanent harm. The most commonly implicated drugs were morphine and other opioids, anticoagulants, antibiotics, Non Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs) and diuretics. Patients who suffered an ADE were more likely to be female, older with more complex medical illnesses, and have a longer length of stay. The rate of medication-related harm identified by the ADE TT is considerably higher than that identified through traditional voluntary reporting mechanisms. The ADE TT provides a standardised measure of harm over time that can be used to determine trends and the effect of medication safety improvement programmes. This study not only shows the problem of medication-related patient harm, but it also shows the utility of informal collaboratives as a mechanism for change.

CLEAR: Communications Link Expert Assistance Resource

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hull, Larry G.; Hughes, Peter M.

1987-01-01

Communications Link Expert Assistance Resource (CLEAR) is a real time, fault diagnosis expert system for the Cosmic Background Explorer (COBE) Mission Operations Room (MOR). The CLEAR expert system is an operational prototype which assists the MOR operator/analyst by isolating and diagnosing faults in the spacecraft communication link with the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite (TDRS) during periods of realtime data acquisition. The mission domain, user requirements, hardware configuration, expert system concept, tool selection, development approach, and system design were discussed. Development approach and system implementation are emphasized. Also discussed are system architecture, tool selection, operation, and future plans.

Distinguishing megathrust from intraplate earthquakes using lacustrine turbidites (Laguna Lo Encañado, Central Chile)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Van Daele, Maarten; Araya-Cornejo, Cristian; Pille, Thomas; Meyer, Inka; Kempf, Philipp; Moernaut, Jasper; Cisternas, Marco

2017-04-01

One of the main challenges in seismically active regions is differentiating paleo-earthquakes resulting from different fault systems, such as the megathrust versus intraplate faults in subductions settings. Such differentiation is, however, key for hazard assessments based on paleoseismic records. Laguna Lo Encañado (33.7°S; 70.3°W; 2492 m a.s.l.) is located in the Central Chilean Andes, 50 km east of Santiago de Chile, a metropole with about 7,000,000 inhabitants. During the last century the study area experienced 3 large megathrust earthquakes (1906, 1985 and 2010) and 2 intraplate earthquakes (1945 and 1958) (Lomnitz, 1960). While the megathrust earthquakes cause Modified Mercalli Intensities (MMIs) of VI to VII at the lake (Van Daele et al., 2015), the intraplate earthquakes cause peak MMIs up to IX (Sepúlveda et al., 2008). Here we present a turbidite record of Laguna Lo Encañado going back to 1900 AD. While geophysical data (3.5 kHz subbottom seismic profiles and side-scan sonar data) provides a bathymetry and an overview of the sedimentary environment, we study 15 short cores in order to understand the depositional processes resulting in the encountered lacustrine turbidites. All mentioned earthquakes triggered turbidites in the lake, which are all linked to slumps in proximal areas, and are thus resulting from mass wasting of the subaquatic slopes. However, turbidites linked to the intraplate earthquakes are additionally covered by turbidites of a finer-grained, more clastic nature. We link the latter to post-seismic erosion of onshore landslides, which need higher MMIs to be triggered than subaquatic mass movements (Howarth et al., 2014). While intraplate earthquakes can cause MMIs up to IX and higher, megathrust earthquakes do not cause sufficiently high MMIs at the lake to trigger voluminous onshore landslides. Hence, the presence of these post-seismic turbidites allows to distinguish turbidites triggered by intraplate earthquakes from those triggered by megathrust earthquakes. These findings are an important step forward in the interpretation of lacustrine turbidites in subduction settings, and will eventually improve hazard assessments based on such paleoseismic records in the study area, and in other subduction zones. References Howarth et al., 2014. Lake sediments record high intensity shaking that provides insight into the location and rupture length of large earthquakes on the Alpine Fault, New Zealand. Earth and Planetary Science Letters 403, 340-351. Lomnitz, 1960. A study of the Maipo Valley earthquakes of September 4, 1958, Second World Conference on Earthquake Engineering, Tokyo and Kyoto, Japan, pp. 501-520. Sepulveda et al., 2008. New Findings on the 1958 Las Melosas Earthquake Sequence, Central Chile: Implications for Seismic Hazard Related to Shallow Crustal Earthquakes in Subduction Zones. Journal of Earthquake Engineering 12, 432-455. Van Daele et al., 2015. A comparison of the sedimentary records of the 1960 and 2010 great Chilean earthquakes in 17 lakes: Implications for quantitative lacustrine palaeoseismology. Sedimentology 62, 1466-1496.

The Value Chain Approach in One Health: Conceptual Framing and Focus on Present Applications and Challenges.

PubMed

Antoine-Moussiaux, Nicolas; Peyre, Marisa; Bonnet, Pascal; Bebay, Charles; Bengoumi, Mohammed; Tripodi, Astrid

2017-01-01

The value chain (VC) is a major operational concept for socioeconomic analysis at meso level. Widely mobilized in development practice, it is still undergoing conceptual and practical refining, e.g., to take account of environmental and social sustainability. Briefly, VC refers to a system of value creation through the full set of actors, links, technical and commercial activities and flows involved in the provision of a good or service on a market. In the past decade, this concept has been promoted in the management of animal health. In particular, the emergence of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) has triggered an interdisciplinary dynamic including VC analysis as a central tool. These efforts promoted participatory investigation methods in the analysis of health systems. Using qualitative and quantitative data, these methods acknowledge the usefulness of actors' involvement and knowledge, hence facilitating the transdisciplinarity needed for effective action. They fit into adaptive and action-oriented strategies, fostering stakeholders' participation. Recent research on HPAI surveillance in South-East Asia merged VC and participatory approaches to develop innovative tools for analyzing constraints to information flow. On-going interventions for HPAI prevention and control as well as the prevention of other emerging zoonotic risks in Africa are presently building on this VC framework to develop strategies for its application at national and regional scales. Based on the latter experiences, this article proposes a field-based perspective on VC applications to animal and public health systems, within a One Health approach responding to the overall challenge of complexity.

The Value Chain Approach in One Health: Conceptual Framing and Focus on Present Applications and Challenges

PubMed Central

Antoine-Moussiaux, Nicolas; Peyre, Marisa; Bonnet, Pascal; Bebay, Charles; Bengoumi, Mohammed; Tripodi, Astrid

2017-01-01

The value chain (VC) is a major operational concept for socioeconomic analysis at meso level. Widely mobilized in development practice, it is still undergoing conceptual and practical refining, e.g., to take account of environmental and social sustainability. Briefly, VC refers to a system of value creation through the full set of actors, links, technical and commercial activities and flows involved in the provision of a good or service on a market. In the past decade, this concept has been promoted in the management of animal health. In particular, the emergence of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) has triggered an interdisciplinary dynamic including VC analysis as a central tool. These efforts promoted participatory investigation methods in the analysis of health systems. Using qualitative and quantitative data, these methods acknowledge the usefulness of actors’ involvement and knowledge, hence facilitating the transdisciplinarity needed for effective action. They fit into adaptive and action-oriented strategies, fostering stakeholders’ participation. Recent research on HPAI surveillance in South-East Asia merged VC and participatory approaches to develop innovative tools for analyzing constraints to information flow. On-going interventions for HPAI prevention and control as well as the prevention of other emerging zoonotic risks in Africa are presently building on this VC framework to develop strategies for its application at national and regional scales. Based on the latter experiences, this article proposes a field-based perspective on VC applications to animal and public health systems, within a One Health approach responding to the overall challenge of complexity. PMID:29322047

Remote Triggering of Microearthquakes in the Piton de la Fournaise and Changbaishan Volcanoes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, C.; Liu, G.; Peng, Z.; Brenguier, F.; Dufek, J.

2015-12-01

Large earthquakes are capable of triggering seismic, aseismic and hydrological responses at long-range distances. In particular, recent studies have shown that microearthquakes are mostly triggered in volcanic/geothermal regions. However, it is still not clear how widespread the phenomenon is, and whether there are any causal links between large earthquakes and subsequent volcanic unrest/eruptions. In this study we conduct a systematic search for remotely triggered activity at the Piton de la Fournaise (PdlF) and Changbaishan (CBS) volcanoes. The PdlF is a shield volcano located on the east-southern part of the Reunion Island in Indian Ocean. It is one of the most active volcanoes around the world. The CBS volcano is an intraplate stratovolcano on the border between China and North Korea, and it was active with a major eruption around 1100 years ago and has been since dormant from AD 1903, however, it showed signals of unrest recently. We choose these regions because they are well instrumented and spatially close to recent large earthquakes, such as the 2004/12/26 Mw9.1 Sumatra, 2011/03/11 Mw9.0 Tohoku, and the 2012/04/11 Mw8.6 Indian Ocean Earthquakes. By examining continuous waveforms a few hours before and after many earthquakes since 2000, we find many cases of remote triggering around the CBS volcano. In comparison, we only identify a few cases of remotely triggered seismicity around the PdlF volcano, including the 2004 Sumatra earthquake. Notably, the 2012 Indian Ocean earthquake and its M8.2 aftershock did not trigger any clear increase of seismicity, at least during their surface waves. Our next step is to apply a waveform matching method to automatically detect volcano-seismicity in both regions, and then use them to better understand potential interactions between large earthquakes and volcanic activities.

Alcohol withdrawal syndrome: symptom-triggered versus fixed-schedule treatment in an outpatient setting.

PubMed

Elholm, Bjarne; Larsen, Klaus; Hornnes, Nete; Zierau, Finn; Becker, Ulrik

2011-01-01

To investigate whether, in the treatment with chlordiazepoxide for outpatient alcohol withdrawal, there are advantages of symptom-triggered self-medication over a fixed-schedule regimen. A randomized controlled trial in outpatient clinics for people suffering from alcohol dependence (AD) and alcohol-related problems; 165 adult patients in an outpatient setting in a specialized alcohol treatment unit were randomized 1:1 to either a symptom-triggered self-medication or tapered dose, using chlordiazepoxide. Alcohol withdrawal symptoms, amount of medication, duration of symptoms, time to relapse and patient satisfaction were measured. Patients assessed their symptoms using the Short Alcohol Withdrawal Scale (SAWS). Patient satisfaction was monitored by the Diabetes Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire. We used the Well-Being Index and the European addiction severity index for the 1-year follow-up. We found no differences in the quantity of medication consumed, time to relapse, well being or treatment satisfaction. Symptom-triggered self-medication was as safe as fixed-schedule medication in treating outpatients with AD and mild to moderate symptoms of AWS. The SAWS is a powerful monitoring tool, because it is brief and permits the subject to log the withdrawal symptoms.

Peer Review of EPA's Draft BMDS Document: Exponential ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

BMDS is one of the Agency's premier tools for estimating risk assessments, therefore the validity and reliability of its statistical models are of paramount importance. This page provides links to peer review of the BMDS applications and its models as they were developed and eventually released documenting the rigorous review process taken to provide the best science tools available for statistical modeling. This page provides links to peer review of the BMDS applications and its models as they were developed and eventually released documenting the rigorous review process taken to provide the best science tools available for statistical modeling.

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

Jarocki, John Charles; Zage, David John; Fisher, Andrew N.

LinkShop is a software tool for applying the method of Linkography to the analysis time-sequence data. LinkShop provides command line, web, and application programming interfaces (API) for input and processing of time-sequence data, abstraction models, and ontologies. The software creates graph representations of the abstraction model, ontology, and derived linkograph. Finally, the tool allows the user to perform statistical measurements of the linkograph and refine the ontology through direct manipulation of the linkograph.

Academic health sciences library Website navigation: an analysis of forty-one Websites and their navigation tools

PubMed Central

Brower, Stewart M.

2004-01-01

Background: The analysis included forty-one academic health sciences library (HSL) Websites as captured in the first two weeks of January 2001. Home pages and persistent navigational tools (PNTs) were analyzed for layout, technology, and links, and other general site metrics were taken. Methods: Websites were selected based on rank in the National Network of Libraries of Medicine, with regional and resource libraries given preference on the basis that these libraries are recognized as leaders in their regions and would be the most reasonable source of standards for best practice. A three-page evaluation tool was developed based on previous similar studies. All forty-one sites were evaluated in four specific areas: library general information, Website aids and tools, library services, and electronic resources. Metrics taken for electronic resources included orientation of bibliographic databases alphabetically by title or by subject area and with links to specifically named databases. Results: Based on the results, a formula for determining obligatory links was developed, listing items that should appear on all academic HSL Web home pages and PNTs. Conclusions: These obligatory links demonstrate a series of best practices that may be followed in the design and construction of academic HSL Websites. PMID:15494756

Fabrication of Protein Microparticles and Microcapsules with Biomolecular Tools

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cheung, Kwan Yee; Lai, Kwok Kei; Mak, Wing Cheung

2018-05-01

Microparticles have attracted much attention for medical, analytical and biological applications. Calcium carbonate (CaCO3) templating method with the advantages of having narrow size distribution, controlled morphology and good biocompatibility that has been widely used for the synthesis of various protein-based microparticles. Despite CaCO3 template is biocompatible, most of the conventional methods to create stable protein microparticles are mainly driven by chemical crosslink reagents which may induce potential harmful effect and remains undesirable especially for biomedical or clinical applications. In this article, we demonstrate the fabrication of protein microparticles and microcapsules with an innovative method using biomolecular tools such as enzymes and affinity molecules to trigger the assembling of protein molecules within a porous CaCO3 template followed by a template removal step. We demonstrated the enzyme-assisted fabrication of collagen microparticles triggered by transglutaminase, as well as the affinity-assisted fabrication of BSA-biotin avidin microcapsules triggered by biotin-avidin affinity interaction, respectively. Based on the different protein assemble mechanisms, the collagen microparticles appeared as a solid-structured particles, while the BSA-biotin avidin microcapsules appeared as hollow-structured morphology. The fabrication procedures are simple and robust that allows producing protein microparticles or microcapsules under mild conditions at physiological pH and temperature. In addition, the microparticle morphologies, protein compositions and the assemble mechanisms were studied. Our technology provides a facile approach to design and fabricate protein microparticles and microcapsules that are useful in the area of biomaterials, pharmaceuticals and analytical chemistry.

Strengths and weaknesses of working with the Global Trigger Tool method for retrospective record review: focus group interviews with team members.

PubMed

Schildmeijer, Kristina; Nilsson, Lena; Perk, Joep; Arestedt, Kristofer; Nilsson, Gunilla

2013-09-24

The aim was to describe the strengths and weaknesses, from team member perspectives, of working with the Global Trigger Tool (GTT) method of retrospective record review to identify adverse events causing patient harm. A qualitative, descriptive approach with focus group interviews using content analysis. 5 Swedish hospitals in 2011. 5 GTT teams, with 5 physicians and 11 registered nurses. 5 focus group interviews were carried out with the five teams. Interviews were taped and transcribed verbatim. 8 categories emerged relating to the strengths and weaknesses of the GTT method. The categories found were: Usefulness of the GTT, Application of the GTT, Triggers, Preventability of harm, Team composition, Team tasks, Team members' knowledge development and Documentation. Gradually, changes in the methodology were made by the teams, for example, the teams reported how the registered nurses divided up the charts into two sets, each being read respectively. The teams described the method as important and well functioning. Not only the most important, but also the most difficult, was the task of bringing the results back to the clinic. The teams found it easier to discuss findings at their own clinics. The GTT method functions well for identifying adverse events and is strengthened by its adaptability to different specialties. However, small, gradual methodological changes together with continuingly developed expertise and adaption to looking at harm from a patient's perspective may contribute to large differences in assessment over time.

Decoding the neural mechanisms of human tool use

PubMed Central

Gallivan, Jason P; McLean, D Adam; Valyear, Kenneth F; Culham, Jody C

2013-01-01

Sophisticated tool use is a defining characteristic of the primate species but how is it supported by the brain, particularly the human brain? Here we show, using functional MRI and pattern classification methods, that tool use is subserved by multiple distributed action-centred neural representations that are both shared with and distinct from those of the hand. In areas of frontoparietal cortex we found a common representation for planned hand- and tool-related actions. In contrast, in parietal and occipitotemporal regions implicated in hand actions and body perception we found that coding remained selectively linked to upcoming actions of the hand whereas in parietal and occipitotemporal regions implicated in tool-related processing the coding remained selectively linked to upcoming actions of the tool. The highly specialized and hierarchical nature of this coding suggests that hand- and tool-related actions are represented separately at earlier levels of sensorimotor processing before becoming integrated in frontoparietal cortex. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.00425.001 PMID:23741616

The structure, logic of operation and distinctive features of the system of triggers and counting signals formation for gamma-telescope GAMMA-400

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Topchiev, N. P.; Galper, A. M.; Arkhangelskiy, A. I.; Arkhangelskaja, I. V.; Kheymits, M. D.; Suchkov, S. I.; Yurkin, Y. T.

2017-01-01

Scientific project GAMMA-400 (Gamma Astronomical Multifunctional Modular Apparatus) relates to the new generation of space observatories intended to perform an indirect search for signatures of dark matter in the cosmic-ray fluxes, measurements of characteristics of diffuse gamma-ray emission and gamma-rays from the Sun during periods of solar activity, gamma-ray bursts, extended and point gamma-ray sources, electron/positron and cosmic-ray nuclei fluxes up to TeV energy region by means of the GAMMA-400 gamma-ray telescope represents the core of the scientific complex. The system of triggers and counting signals formation of the GAMMA-400 gamma-ray telescope constitutes the pipelined processor structure which collects data from the gamma-ray telescope subsystems and produces summary information used in forming the trigger decision for each event. The system design is based on the use of state-of-the-art reconfigurable logic devices and fast data links. The basic structure, logic of operation and distinctive features of the system are presented.

Observation weights unlock bulk RNA-seq tools for zero inflation and single-cell applications.

PubMed

Van den Berge, Koen; Perraudeau, Fanny; Soneson, Charlotte; Love, Michael I; Risso, Davide; Vert, Jean-Philippe; Robinson, Mark D; Dudoit, Sandrine; Clement, Lieven

2018-02-26

Dropout events in single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) cause many transcripts to go undetected and induce an excess of zero read counts, leading to power issues in differential expression (DE) analysis. This has triggered the development of bespoke scRNA-seq DE methods to cope with zero inflation. Recent evaluations, however, have shown that dedicated scRNA-seq tools provide no advantage compared to traditional bulk RNA-seq tools. We introduce a weighting strategy, based on a zero-inflated negative binomial model, that identifies excess zero counts and generates gene- and cell-specific weights to unlock bulk RNA-seq DE pipelines for zero-inflated data, boosting performance for scRNA-seq.

Simulating a Measurement of the 2nd Knee in the Cosmic Ray Spectrum with an Atmospheric Fluorescence Telescope Tower Array

PubMed Central

Liu, Jiali; Yang, Qunyu; Bai, Yunxiang; Cao, Zhen

2014-01-01

A fluorescence telescope tower array has been designed to measure cosmic rays in the energy range of 1017–1018 eV. A full Monte Carlo simulation, including air shower production, light generation and propagation, detector response, electronics, and trigger system, has been developed for that purpose. Using such a simulation tool, the detector configuration, which includes one main tower array and two side-trigger arrays, 24 telescopes in total, has been optimized. The aperture and the event rate have been estimated. Furthermore, the performance of the X max⁡ technique in measuring composition has also been studied. PMID:24737964

[Recontextualization of nursing clinical simulation based on Basil Bernstein: semiology of pedagogical practice].

PubMed

dos Santos, Mateus Casanova; Leite, Maria Cecília Lorea; Heck, Rita Maria

2010-12-01

This is an investigative case study with descriptive and participative character, based on an educational experience with the Simulation in Nursing learning trigger. It was carried out during the second semester of the first cycle of Faculdade de Enfermagem (FEN), Universidade Federal de Pelotas (UFPel). The aim is to study the recontextualization of pedagogic practice of simulation-based theories developed by Basil Bernstein, an education sociologist, and to contribute with the improvement process of education planning, and especially the evaluation of learning trigger. The research shows that Bernstein's theory is a powerful tool semiotic pedagogical of practices which contributes to the planning and analysis of curricular educational device.

Prospects for GRB science with the Fermi Large Area Telescope

DOE PAGES

Band, D. L.; Axelsson, M.; Baldini, L.; ...

2009-08-04

The Large Area Telescope (LAT) instrument on the Fermi mission will reveal the rich spectral and temporal gamma-ray burst (GRB) phenomena in the >100 MeV band. The synergy with Fermi's Gamma-ray Burst Monitor detectors will link these observations to those in the well explored 10-1000 keV range; the addition of the >100 MeV band observations will resolve theoretical uncertainties about burst emission in both the prompt and afterglow phases. Trigger algorithms will be applied to the LAT data both onboard the spacecraft and on the ground. Furthermore, the sensitivity of these triggers will differ because of the available computing resourcesmore » onboard and on the ground. Here we present the LAT's burst detection methodologies and the instrument's GRB capabilities.« less

Use of standardized multidimensional evaluation tools and the emergence of the case manager's professional identity in France.

PubMed

Nugue, Mathilde; De Stampa, Matthieu; Couturier, Yves; Somme, Dominique

2012-01-01

In France, the national public health plan proposes a group of innovations including the initiation of case management for older adults in complex situations, particularly those with cognitive disorders. In this context, public authorities asked case managers to use a standardized multidimensional evaluation tool. The results of a qualitative study on the pertinence of such a tool relative to the emergence of this new professional field are described. Early use of an evaluation tool seems to be linked to the emergence of a new professional identity for recently recruited case managers. Factors determining the strength of this link are training tool standardization, computerization, and local structure's involvement. Our results contribute to identifying one of the ways by which professional identity can be changed to become a case manager.

Optimization and throughput estimation of optical ground networks for LEO-downlinks, GEO-feeder links and GEO-relays

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fuchs, Christian; Poulenard, Sylvain; Perlot, Nicolas; Riedi, Jerome; Perdigues, Josep

2017-02-01

Optical satellite communications play an increasingly important role in a number of space applications. However, if the system concept includes optical links to the surface of the Earth, the limited availability due to clouds and other atmospheric impacts need to be considered to give a reliable estimate of the system performance. An OGS network is required for increasing the availability to acceptable figures. In order to realistically estimate the performance and achievable throughput in various scenarios, a simulation tool has been developed under ESA contract. The tool is based on a database of 5 years of cloud data with global coverage and can thus easily simulate different optical ground station network topologies for LEO- and GEO-to-ground links. Further parameters, like e.g. limited availability due to sun blinding and atmospheric turbulence, are considered as well. This paper gives an overview about the simulation tool, the cloud database, as well as the modelling behind the simulation scheme. Several scenarios have been investigated: LEO-to-ground links, GEO feeder links, and GEO relay links. The key results of the optical ground station network optimization and throughput estimations will be presented. The implications of key technical parameters, as e.g. memory size aboard the satellite, will be discussed. Finally, potential system designs for LEO- and GEO-systems will be presented.

Evaluation of a berth sedimentation control technology in the Kill Van Kull : the AirGuard (TM) pneumatic barrier system

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2001-01-01

The problems associated with dredging and disposal in the New York and New Jersey harbor area over the past ten years have triggered sedimentation avoidance as being one of many possible tools in an ever-growing arsenal of dredged material management...

IAQ Tools for Schools: Managing Asthma in the School Environment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC. Office of Radiation and Indoor Air.

This manual provides tips on improving indoor air quality within the school environment by removing the elements that trigger asthma attacks in children, and presents a list of organizations where asthma resource information can be obtained. Air quality management tips cover removing of animal and cockroach allergens, cleaning up mold and…

Incorporating Movement with Fluency Instruction: A Motivation for Struggling Readers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peebles, Jodi L.

2007-01-01

This article discusses two activities--Readers Theatre and Rhythm Walks--that encourage students to "get moving" with fluency instruction. Movement can be a motivating factor for struggling students, as well as a kinesthetic tool for conceptualizing the rhythm and flow of fluent reading while triggering brain function for optimal learning. Also…

Serious injury and fatality investigations involving pneumatic nail guns, 1985-2012.

PubMed

Lowe, Brian D; Albers, James T; Hudock, Stephen D; Krieg, Edward F

2016-02-01

This article examines serious and fatal pneumatic nail gun (PNG) injury investigations for workplace, tool design, and human factors relevant to causation and resulting OS&H authorities' responses in terms of citations and penalties. The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) database of Fatality and Catastrophe Investigation Summaries (F&CIS) were reviewed (1985-2012) to identify n = 258 PNG accidents. 79.8% of investigations, and 100% of fatalities, occurred in the construction industry. Between 53-71% of injuries appear to have been preventable had a safer sequential trigger tool been used. Citations and monetary penalties were related to injury severity, body part injured, disabling of safety devices, and insufficient personal protective equipment (PPE). Differences may exist between construction and other industries in investigators interpretations of PNG injury causation and resulting citations/penalties. Violations of PPE standards were penalized most severely, yet the preventive effect of PPE would likely have been less than that of a safer sequential trigger. Published 2016. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

Hybrid Wing Body Planform Design with Vehicle Sketch Pad

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wells, Douglas P.; Olson, Erik D.

2011-01-01

The objective of this paper was to provide an update on NASA s current tools for design and analysis of hybrid wing body (HWB) aircraft with an emphasis on Vehicle Sketch Pad (VSP). NASA started HWB analysis using the Flight Optimization System (FLOPS). That capability is enhanced using Phoenix Integration's ModelCenter(Registered TradeMark). Model Center enables multifidelity analysis tools to be linked as an integrated structure. Two major components are linked to FLOPS as an example; a planform discretization tool and VSP. The planform discretization tool ensures the planform is smooth and continuous. VSP is used to display the output geometry. This example shows that a smooth & continuous HWB planform can be displayed as a three-dimensional model and rapidly sized and analyzed.

Application of hazard and effects management tools and links to the HSE case

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

Gower-Jones, A.D.; Graaf, G.C. van der; Milne, D.J.

1996-12-31

Many tools and techniques are promoted for the analysis and management of hazards and their effects. The proliferation in the last 5-6 years of these tools has resulted in an overload on designers, engineers and operators of E&P activities and assets to the extent that they are unsure what to do when and how this fits together. This paper starts from the basic E&P business (a business model) the basic structure of any accidental event (bow tie) and maps the tools and techniques to analyze the hazards and effects for both asset and activity HSE management. The links to developingmore » an HSE case within the HSE-MS for assets and activities are given.« less

From link-prediction in brain connectomes and protein interactomes to the local-community-paradigm in complex networks

PubMed Central

Cannistraci, Carlo Vittorio; Alanis-Lobato, Gregorio; Ravasi, Timothy

2013-01-01

Growth and remodelling impact the network topology of complex systems, yet a general theory explaining how new links arise between existing nodes has been lacking, and little is known about the topological properties that facilitate link-prediction. Here we investigate the extent to which the connectivity evolution of a network might be predicted by mere topological features. We show how a link/community-based strategy triggers substantial prediction improvements because it accounts for the singular topology of several real networks organised in multiple local communities - a tendency here named local-community-paradigm (LCP). We observe that LCP networks are mainly formed by weak interactions and characterise heterogeneous and dynamic systems that use self-organisation as a major adaptation strategy. These systems seem designed for global delivery of information and processing via multiple local modules. Conversely, non-LCP networks have steady architectures formed by strong interactions, and seem designed for systems in which information/energy storage is crucial. PMID:23563395

From link-prediction in brain connectomes and protein interactomes to the local-community-paradigm in complex networks.

PubMed

Cannistraci, Carlo Vittorio; Alanis-Lobato, Gregorio; Ravasi, Timothy

2013-01-01

Growth and remodelling impact the network topology of complex systems, yet a general theory explaining how new links arise between existing nodes has been lacking, and little is known about the topological properties that facilitate link-prediction. Here we investigate the extent to which the connectivity evolution of a network might be predicted by mere topological features. We show how a link/community-based strategy triggers substantial prediction improvements because it accounts for the singular topology of several real networks organised in multiple local communities - a tendency here named local-community-paradigm (LCP). We observe that LCP networks are mainly formed by weak interactions and characterise heterogeneous and dynamic systems that use self-organisation as a major adaptation strategy. These systems seem designed for global delivery of information and processing via multiple local modules. Conversely, non-LCP networks have steady architectures formed by strong interactions, and seem designed for systems in which information/energy storage is crucial.

Air pollution upregulates endothelial cell procoagulant activity via ultrafine particle-induced oxidant signaling and tissue factor expression.

PubMed

Snow, S J; Cheng, W; Wolberg, A S; Carraway, M S

2014-07-01

Air pollution exposure is associated with cardiovascular events triggered by clot formation. Endothelial activation and initiation of coagulation are pathophysiological mechanisms that could link inhaled air pollutants to vascular events. Here we investigated the underlying mechanisms of increased endothelial cell procoagulant activity following exposure to soluble components of ultrafine particles (soluble UF). Human coronary artery endothelial cells (HCAEC) were exposed to soluble UF and assessed for their ability to trigger procoagulant activity in platelet-free plasma. Exposed HCAEC triggered earlier thrombin generation and faster fibrin clot formation, which was abolished by an anti-tissue factor (TF) antibody, indicating TF-dependent effects. Soluble UF exposure increased TF mRNA expression without compensatory increases in key anticoagulant proteins. To identify early events that regulate TF expression, we measured endothelial H2O2 production following soluble UF exposure and identified the enzymatic source. Soluble UF exposure increased endothelial H2O2 production, and antioxidants attenuated UF-induced upregulation of TF, linking the procoagulant responses to reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation. Chemical inhibitors and RNA silencing showed that NOX-4, an important endothelial source of H2O2, was involved in UF-induced upregulation of TF mRNA. These data indicate that soluble UF exposure induces endothelial cell procoagulant activity, which involves de novo TF synthesis, ROS production, and the NOX-4 enzyme. These findings provide mechanistic insight into the adverse cardiovascular effects associated with air pollution exposure. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Toxicological Sciences 2014. This work is written by (a) US Government employee(s) and is in the public domain in the US.

What makes you tic? Translational approaches to study the role of stress and contextual triggers in Tourette syndrome

PubMed Central

Godar, Sean C; Bortolato, Marco

2016-01-01

Tourette syndrome (TS) is a neurodevelopmental condition characterized by multiple, recurring motor and phonic tics. Rich empirical evidence shows that the severity of tics and associated manifestations is increased by several stressors and contextual triggers; however, the neurobiological mechanisms responsible for symptom exacerbation in TS remain poorly understood. This conceptual gap partially reflects the high phenotypic variability in tics, as well as the existing difficulties in operationalizing and standardizing stress and its effects in a clinical setting. Animal models of TS may be highly informative tools to overcome some of these limitations; these experimental preparations have already provided critical insights on key aspects of TS pathophysiology, and may prove useful to identify the neurochemical alterations induced by different stressful contingencies. In particular, emerging knowledge on the role of contextual triggers in animal models of TS may inform the development of novel pharmacological interventions to reduce tic fluctuations in this disorder. PMID:27939782

Structural analysis of glycoproteins: building N-linked glycans with Coot.

PubMed

Emsley, Paul; Crispin, Max

2018-04-01

Coot is a graphics application that is used to build or manipulate macromolecular models; its particular forte is manipulation of the model at the residue level. The model-building tools of Coot have been combined and extended to assist or automate the building of N-linked glycans. The model is built by the addition of monosaccharides, placed by variation of internal coordinates. The subsequent model is refined by real-space refinement, which is stabilized with modified and additional restraints. It is hoped that these enhanced building tools will help to reduce building errors of N-linked glycans and improve our knowledge of the structures of glycoproteins.

Subduction / exhumation dynamics: Petrochronology in the Glacier-Rafray slice (Western Alps, Italy)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burn, Marco; Lanari, Pierre; Engi, Martin

2014-05-01

Petrochronology is the combination of in situ age-dating, geothermobarometry and structural geology and aims to unravel Pressure-Temperature-deformation-time (P-T-ɛ-t) paths. To link P-T conditions to deformation stages is daily business for metamorphic petrologists, but recent micro-mapping techniques (XMapTools program) provide an additional tool to achieve this goal. Absolute age is often difficult to assess in metamorphic rocks, as it is challenging to link specific P-T conditions to most of the mineral chronometers. Allanite is a common accessory phase in high-P metamorphic rocks and is a potential target to determine Th(-U)/Pb ages. Allanite from a leucocratic gneiss of the Glacier-Rafray slice in the western Alps consists of several chemically different zones: one major zone can be linked to a first high-P phengite generation. To determine the age of this high-P growth zone we used La-ICP-MS in situ techniques, which allowed us to date an appropriate growth rim per grain. Even so particular care was required when evaluating the isotope signals laser ablation leads to the excavation of a volume, which potentially can be chemically and/or age-zoned. We have developed a new method to track changes in the plasma during the ablation. This method aims to identify discrete age zones. La-ICP-MS spectra have been modeled so as to reproduce the shape of the spectra measured. These results indicate that high-P allanite first grew in equilibrium with phengite at 84 ± 4 Ma, whereas a second growth event occurred at ~40 Ma. A final epidotic rim grew at greenschist facies conditions, but this stage could not be dated. These findings have implications for our interpretation of several units in the Western Alps: In the Sesia Zone (former Adriatic margin), the earliest high-P metamorphism occurred at 85 Ma (Regis et al., 2014), precisely as the first high-P peak we discovered in the Glacier-Rafray slice. Austroalpine klippen such as this are commonly seen as extensional allochthons; one would expect these to have entered the subduction zone together with the Piemonte oceanic units. Yet all high-P ages reported for the Piemonte oceanic units are around 40 Ma. We propose that the Glacier-Rafray slice experienced subduction together with Sesia units and may have been juxtaposed on the Piemont-Ligurian-Ocean units during Eocene exhumation. Strain associated with this juxtaposition may have triggered growth of the second allanite. Joint exhumation of the oceanic units and the Glacier-Rafray klippe followed at retrograde T.

Advancing complex explanatory conceptualizations of daily negative and positive affect: trigger and maintenance coping action patterns.

PubMed

Dunkley, David M; Ma, Denise; Lee, Ihno A; Preacher, Kristopher J; Zuroff, David C

2014-01-01

The present study addressed a fundamental gap between research and clinical work by advancing complex explanatory conceptualizations of coping action patterns that trigger and maintain daily negative affect and (low) positive affect. One hundred ninety-six community adults completed measures of perfectionism, and then 6 months later completed questionnaires at the end of the day for 14 consecutive days to provide simultaneous assessments of appraisals, coping, and affect across different stressful situations in everyday life. Multilevel structural equation modeling (MSEM) supported complex explanatory conceptualizations that demonstrated (a) disengagement trigger patterns consisting of several distinct appraisals (e.g., event stress) and coping strategies (e.g., avoidant coping) that commonly operate together across many different stressors when the typical individual experiences daily increases in negative affect and drops in positive affect; and (b) disengagement maintenance patterns composed of different appraisal and coping maintenance factors that, in combination, can explain why individuals with higher levels of self-critical perfectionism have persistent daily negative affect and low positive mood 6 months later. In parallel, engagement patterns (triggers and maintenance) composed of distinct appraisals (e.g., perceived social support) and coping strategies (e.g., problem-focused coping) were linked to compensatory experiences of daily positive affect. These findings demonstrate the promise of using daily diary methodologies and MSEM to promote a shared understanding between therapists and clients of trigger and maintenance coping action patterns that explain what precipitates and perpetuates clients' difficulties, which, in turn, can help achieve the 2 overarching therapy goals of reducing clients' distress and bolstering resilience. (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved.

Incidence of adverse events in Sweden during 2013–2016: a cohort study describing the implementation of a national trigger tool

PubMed Central

Nilsson, Lena; Borgstedt-Risberg, Madeleine; Soop, Michael; Nylén, Urban; Ålenius, Carina; Rutberg, Hans

2018-01-01

Objectives To describe the implementation of a trigger tool in Sweden and present the national incidence of adverse events (AEs) over a 4-year period during which an ongoing national patient safety initiative was terminated. Design Cohort study using retrospective record review based on a trigger tool methodology. Setting and participants Patients ≥18 years admitted to all somatic acute care hospitals in Sweden from 2013 to 2016 were randomised into the study. Primary and secondary outcome measures Primary outcome measure was the incidence of AEs, and secondary measures were type of injury, severity of harm, preventability of AEs, estimated healthcare cost of AEs and incidence of AEs in patients cared for in another type of unit than the one specialised for their medical needs (‘off-site’). Results In a review of 64 917 admissions, the average AE rates in 2014 (11.6%), 2015 (10.9%) and 2016 (11.4%) were significantly lower than in 2013 (13.1%). The decrease in the AE rates was seen in different age groups, in both genders and for preventable and non-preventable AEs. The decrease comprised only the least severe AEs. The types of AEs that decreased were hospital-acquired infections, urinary bladder distention and compromised vital signs. Patients cared for ‘off-site’ had 84% more preventable AEs than patients cared for in the appropriate units. The cost of increased length of stay associated with preventable AEs corresponded to 13%–14% of the total cost of somatic hospital care in Sweden. Conclusions The rate of AEs in Swedish somatic hospitals has decreased from 2013 to 2016. Retrospective record review can be used to monitor patient safety over time, to assess the effects of national patient safety interventions and analyse challenges to patient safety such as the increasing care of patients ‘off-site’. It was found that the economic burden of preventable AEs is high. PMID:29602858

Impact of design features upon perceived tool usability and safety

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wiker, Steven F.; Seol, Mun-Su

2005-11-01

While injuries from powered hand tools are caused by a number of factors, this study looks specifically at the impact of the tools design features on perceived tool usability and safety. The tools used in this study are circular saws, power drills and power nailers. Sixty-nine males and thirty-two females completed an anonymous web-based questionnaire that provided orthogonal view photographs of the various tools. Subjects or raters provided: 1) description of the respondents or raters, 2) description of the responses from the raters, and 3) analysis of the interrelationships among respondent ratings of tool safety and usability, physical metrics of the tool, and rater demographic information. The results of the study found that safety and usability were dependent materially upon rater history of use and experience, but not upon training in safety and usability, or quality of design features of the tools (e.g., grip diameters, trigger design, guards, etc.). Thus, positive and negative transfer of prior experience with use of powered hand tools is far more important than any expectancy that may be driven by prior safety and usability training, or from the visual cues that are provided by the engineering design of the tool.

How to Assess Vulnerabilities of Water Policies to Global Change?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kumar, A.; Haasnoot, M.; Weijs, S.

2017-12-01

Water managers are confronted with uncertainties arising from hydrological, societal, economical and political drivers. To manage these uncertainties two paradigms have been identified: top-down and bottom-up approaches. Top-down or prediction-based approaches use socio-economic scenarios together with a discrete set of GCM projections (often downscaled) to assess the expected impact of drivers and policies on water resource system through various hydrological and social systems models. Adaptation strategies to alleviate these impacts are then identified and tested against the scenarios. To address GCM and downscaling uncertainties, these approaches put more focus on climate predictions, rather than the decision problem itself. Triggered by the wish to have a more scenario-neutral approach and address downscaling uncertainties, recent analyses have been shifted towards vulnerability-based (bottom-up or decision-centric) approaches. They begin at the local scale by addressing socio-economic responses to climate, often involving stakeholder's input; identify vulnerabilities under a larger sample of plausible futures and evaluate sensitivity and robustness of possible adaptation options. Several bottom-up approaches have emerged so far and are increasingly recommended. Fundamentally they share several core ideas, however, subtle differences exist in vulnerability assessment, visualization tools for exploring vulnerabilities and computational methods used for identifying robust water policies. Through this study, we try to identify how these approaches are progressing, how the climate and non-climate uncertainties are being confronted and how to integrate existing and new tools. We find that choice of a method may depend on the number of vulnerability drivers identified and type of threshold levels (environmental conditions or policy objectives) defined. Certain approaches are suited well for assessing adaptive capacities, tipping points and sequencing of decisions. However, visualization of the vulnerability domain is still challenging if multiple drivers are present. New emerging tools are focused on generating synthetic scenarios, addressing multiple objectives, linking decision-making frameworks to adaptation pathways and communicating risks to the stakeholders.

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

Gazzola, Paola, E-mail: Paola.Gazzola@ncl.ac.uk

The issue of mainstreaming has witnessed a revival over the last few years, not least because the latest financial crisis has triggered a renewed enthusiasm and a remarkable comeback amongst policy-making and environmental appraisal (EA) communities. Traditionally, environmental mainstreaming is linked to ideas of (environmental) integration and to the ‘greening’ of public policies. Yet, more recent mainstreaming efforts are building on the idea that the achievement of economic growth and of social well-being is not only dependent upon the protection of the environment, but on the fact that the environment should be valued as a source of goods and amore » provider of services, as well. In this context and despite the many shortcomings that EA has experienced as a mainstreaming tool over the last two decades, calls for EA to engage with ecosystem services and incorporate pricing valuations in its approach to mainstreaming are emerging, raising questions about the role and purpose of EA as an environmental mainstreaming tool. This paper aims to reflect on the role of EA as a mainstreaming tool, in terms of the extent to which it is mainstreaming the environment into policies for sustainable development and changing ‘the mainstream’ by breaking down the false dichotomy of environment and (economic) development. If mainstreaming through EA was to incorporate both greening and pricing logics, could EA be more effective in reframing the environment and development as correlated variables rather than competing variables? -- Highlights: ► Mainstreaming is witnessing a revival over the last few years and a comeback amongst environmental appraisal communities. ► Mainstreaming efforts through environmental appraisal have failed to challenge the deeply rooted belief in economic growth. ► Recent mainstreaming efforts are incorporated in “green deals” following ecological modernisation discourses. ► Environmental appraisal is urged to embrace ecosystem service approaches prompting a rethink of its advocacy role and purpose.« less

Electronics for CMS Endcap Muon Level-1 Trigger System Phase-1 and HL LHC upgrades

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Madorsky, A.

2017-07-01

To accommodate high-luminosity LHC operation at a 13 TeV collision energy, the CMS Endcap Muon Level-1 Trigger system had to be significantly modified. To provide robust track reconstruction, the trigger system must now import all available trigger primitives generated by the Cathode Strip Chambers and by certain other subsystems, such as Resistive Plate Chambers (RPC). In addition to massive input bandwidth, this also required significant increase in logic and memory resources. To satisfy these requirements, a new Sector Processor unit has been designed. It consists of three modules. The Core Logic module houses the large FPGA that contains the track-finding logic and multi-gigabit serial links for data exchange. The Optical module contains optical receivers and transmitters; it communicates with the Core Logic module via a custom backplane section. The Pt Lookup table (PTLUT) module contains 1 GB of low-latency memory that is used to assign the final Pt to reconstructed muon tracks. The μ TCA architecture (adopted by CMS) was used for this design. The talk presents the details of the hardware and firmware design of the production system based on Xilinx Virtex-7 FPGA family. The next round of LHC and CMS upgrades starts in 2019, followed by a major High-Luminosity (HL) LHC upgrade starting in 2024. In the course of these upgrades, new Gas Electron Multiplier (GEM) detectors and more RPC chambers will be added to the Endcap Muon system. In order to keep up with all these changes, a new Advanced Processor unit is being designed. This device will be based on Xilinx UltraScale+ FPGAs. It will be able to accommodate up to 100 serial links with bit rates of up to 25 Gb/s, and provide up to 2.5 times more logic resources than the device used currently. The amount of PTLUT memory will be significantly increased to provide more flexibility for the Pt assignment algorithm. The talk presents preliminary details of the hardware design program.

[Focal dystonia in musicians: Phenomenology and musical triggering factors].

PubMed

Aránguiz, R; Chana-Cuevas, P; Alburquerque, D; Curinao, X

2015-06-01

Dystonias are defined as a joint sustained and involuntary contraction of agonist and antagonist muscles, which can cause torsion, repetitive abnormal involuntary movements, and/or abnormal postures. One special group of dystonias are those known as occupational, which include dystonia disorders triggered by a repetitive motor activity associated with a specific professional activity or task. Musicians are a population particularly vulnerable to these types of dystonia, which are presented as a loss of coordination and voluntary motor control movements highly trained in musical interpretation. Our aim is to describe a clinical series of focal dystonias in musicians evaluated and treated in our centre. Data is presented on a clinical series of 12 musicians with occupational dystonia. Their history and phenomenology are described, as well as well as their outcome after therapy. Demographic details: Mean age 34.8 ± 11.8 years, 10 males (83.3%) and 2 females (16.7%). History of trauma in dystonic segment, 6 patients (50%); family history of neurological diseases in first-degree relatives, 6 patients (50%); occupational history according to music category, 8 patients (66.6%) were classical musicians and 4 patients (33.3%) were popular musicians. The dystonia syndrome was characterised by having a mean age of onset of 28.2 ± 11.3 years (range 18-57 years). The segment affected was the hand (91.7%) in 11 patients. Of all the musicians seen in the clinic, 9 of them (75%) received therapy. The majority of patients appeared to have triggering factors specific to musical execution and linked to the requirement of fine motor control. It should be mentioned that 50% of the musicians treated maintained their professional activity or position in the orchestra to which they belonged. The majority of our phenomenological findings are consistent with those reported in the current literature. However, it is worth mentioning the presence of triggering factors attributed to the specific requirements of performing music, linked to the participation of fine motor control. Copyright © 2013 Sociedad Española de Neurología. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

NREL: Renewable Resource Data Center - Biomass Resource Related Links

Science.gov Websites

Biomass Resource Related Links Comprehensive biomass resource information is also available from . Printable Version RReDC Home Biomass Resource Information Biomass Data Models & Tools Publications Related Links Geothermal Resource Information Solar Resource Information Wind Resource Information Did you

Fix Broken and Redirected Links Using Group Dashboard Link Report

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Learn how to use the tools provided by Drupal in the Group Dashboard to find and correct links on your site that are broken (404 and 403 error codes), or that redirect (301 and 302), for example to a homepage rather than the originally intended content.

FPGA based data processing in the ALICE High Level Trigger in LHC Run 2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Engel, Heiko; Alt, Torsten; Kebschull, Udo; ALICE Collaboration

2017-10-01

The ALICE High Level Trigger (HLT) is a computing cluster dedicated to the online compression, reconstruction and calibration of experimental data. The HLT receives detector data via serial optical links into FPGA based readout boards that process the data on a per-link level already inside the FPGA and provide it to the host machines connected with a data transport framework. FPGA based data pre-processing is enabled for the biggest detector of ALICE, the Time Projection Chamber (TPC), with a hardware cluster finding algorithm. This algorithm was ported to the Common Read-Out Receiver Card (C-RORC) as used in the HLT for RUN 2. It was improved to handle double the input bandwidth and adjusted to the upgraded TPC Readout Control Unit (RCU2). A flexible firmware implementation in the HLT handles both the old and the new TPC data format and link rates transparently. Extended protocol and data error detection, error handling and the enhanced RCU2 data ordering scheme provide an improved physics performance of the cluster finder. The performance of the cluster finder was verified against large sets of reference data both in terms of throughput and algorithmic correctness. Comparisons with a software reference implementation confirm significant savings on CPU processing power using the hardware implementation. The C-RORC hardware with the cluster finder for RCU1 data is in use in the HLT since the start of RUN 2. The extended hardware cluster finder implementation for the RCU2 with doubled throughput is active since the upgrade of the TPC readout electronics in early 2016.

Inflammation and insulin/IGF-1 resistance as the possible link between obesity and neurodegeneration.

PubMed

Spielman, Lindsay J; Little, Jonathan P; Klegeris, Andis

2014-08-15

Obesity is a growing epidemic that contributes to several brain disorders including Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and Huntington's diseases. Obesity could promote these diseases through several different mechanisms. Here we review evidence supporting the involvement of two recently recognized factors linking obesity with neurodegeneration: the induction of pro-inflammatory cytokines and onset of insulin and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) resistance. Excess peripheral pro-inflammatory mediators, some of which can cross the blood brain barrier, may trigger neuroinflammation, which subsequently exacerbates neurodegeneration. Insulin and IGF-1 resistance leads to weakening of neuroprotective signaling by these molecules and can contribute to onset of neurodegenerative diseases. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Vascular effects of advanced glycation endproducts: Clinical effects and molecular mechanisms☆

PubMed Central

Stirban, Alin; Gawlowski, Thomas; Roden, Michael

2013-01-01

The enhanced generation and accumulation of advanced glycation endproducts (AGEs) have been linked to increased risk for macrovascular and microvascular complications associated with diabetes mellitus. AGEs result from the nonenzymatic reaction of reducing sugars with proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids, potentially altering their function by disrupting molecular conformation, promoting cross-linking, altering enzyme activity, reducing their clearance, and impairing receptor recognition. AGEs may also activate specific receptors, like the receptor for AGEs (RAGE), which is present on the surface of all cells relevant to atherosclerotic processes, triggering oxidative stress, inflammation and apoptosis. Understanding the pathogenic mechanisms of AGEs is paramount to develop strategies against diabetic and cardiovascular complications. PMID:24634815

Magnetic latch trigger for inherent shutdown assembly

DOEpatents

Sowa, Edmund S.

1976-01-01

An inherent shutdown assembly for a nuclear reactor is provided. A neutron absorber is held ready to be inserted into the reactor core by a magnetic latch. The latch includes a magnet whose lines of force are linked by a yoke of material whose Curie point is at the critical temperature of the reactor at which the neutron absorber is to be inserted into the reactor core. The yoke is in contact with the core coolant or fissionable material so that when the coolant or the fissionable material increase in temperature above the Curie point the yoke loses its magnetic susceptibility and the magnetic link is broken, thereby causing the absorber to be released into the reactor core.

Panic attack triggering myocardial ischemia documented by myocardial perfusion imaging study. A case report

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Chest pain, a key element in the investigation of coronary artery disease is often regarded as a benign prognosis when present in panic attacks. However, panic disorder has been suggested as an independent risk factor for long-term prognosis of cardiovascular diseases and a trigger of acute myocardial infarction. Objective Faced with the extreme importance in differentiate from ischemic to non-ischemic chest pain, we report a case of panic attack induced by inhalation of 35% carbon dioxide triggering myocardial ischemia, documented by myocardial perfusion imaging study. Discussion Panic attack is undoubtedly a strong component of mental stress. Patients with coronary artery disease may present myocardial ischemia in mental stress response by two ways: an increase in coronary vasomotor tone or a sympathetic hyperactivity leading to a rise in myocardial oxygen consumption. Coronary artery spasm was presumed to be present in cases of cardiac ischemia linked to panic disorder. Possibly the carbon dioxide challenge test could trigger myocardial ischemia by the same mechanisms. Conclusion The use of mental stress has been suggested as an alternative method for myocardial ischemia investigation. Based on translational medicine objectives the use of CO2 challenge followed by Sestamibi SPECT could be a useful method to allow improved application of research-based knowledge to the medical field, specifically at the interface of PD and cardiovascular disease. PMID:22999016

Panic attack triggering myocardial ischemia documented by myocardial perfusion imaging study. A case report.

PubMed

Soares-Filho, Gastão Luiz Fonseca; Mesquita, Claudio Tinoco; Mesquita, Evandro Tinoco; Arias-Carrión, Oscar; Machado, Sergio; González, Manuel Menéndez; Valença, Alexandre Martins; Nardi, Antonio Egidio

2012-09-21

Chest pain, a key element in the investigation of coronary artery disease is often regarded as a benign prognosis when present in panic attacks. However, panic disorder has been suggested as an independent risk factor for long-term prognosis of cardiovascular diseases and a trigger of acute myocardial infarction. Faced with the extreme importance in differentiate from ischemic to non-ischemic chest pain, we report a case of panic attack induced by inhalation of 35% carbon dioxide triggering myocardial ischemia, documented by myocardial perfusion imaging study. Panic attack is undoubtedly a strong component of mental stress. Patients with coronary artery disease may present myocardial ischemia in mental stress response by two ways: an increase in coronary vasomotor tone or a sympathetic hyperactivity leading to a rise in myocardial oxygen consumption. Coronary artery spasm was presumed to be present in cases of cardiac ischemia linked to panic disorder. Possibly the carbon dioxide challenge test could trigger myocardial ischemia by the same mechanisms. The use of mental stress has been suggested as an alternative method for myocardial ischemia investigation. Based on translational medicine objectives the use of CO2 challenge followed by Sestamibi SPECT could be a useful method to allow improved application of research-based knowledge to the medical field, specifically at the interface of PD and cardiovascular disease.

A flavivirus protein M-derived peptide directly permeabilizes mitochondrial membranes, triggers cell death and reduces human tumor growth in nude mice.

PubMed

Brabant, Magali; Baux, Ludwig; Casimir, Richard; Briand, Jean Paul; Chaloin, Olivier; Porceddu, Mathieu; Buron, Nelly; Chauvier, David; Lassalle, Myriam; Lecoeur, Hervé; Langonné, Alain; Dupont, Sylvie; Déas, Olivier; Brenner, Catherine; Rebouillat, Dominique; Muller, Sylviane; Borgne-Sanchez, Annie; Jacotot, Etienne

2009-10-01

Dengue viruses belong to the Flavivirus family and are responsible for hemorrhagic fever in Human. Dengue virus infection triggers apoptosis especially through the expression of the small membrane (M) protein. Using isolated mitochondria, we found that synthetic peptides containing the C-terminus part of the M ectodomain caused apoptosis-related mitochondrial membrane permeabilization (MMP) events. These events include matrix swelling and the dissipation of the mitochondrial transmembrane potential (DeltaPsi(m)). Protein M Flavivirus sequence alignments and helical wheel projections reveal a conserved distribution of charged residues. Moreover, when combined to the cell penetrating HIV-1 Tat peptide transduction domain (Tat-PTD), this sequence triggers a caspase-dependent cell death associated with DeltaPsi(m) loss and cytochrome c release. Mutational approaches coupled to functional screening on isolated mitochondria resulted in the selection of a protein M derived sequence containing nine residues with potent MMP-inducing properties on isolated mitochondria. A chimeric peptide composed of a Tat-PTD linked to the 9-mer entity triggers MMP and cell death. Finally, local administration of this chimeric peptide induces growth inhibition of xenograft prostate PC3 tumors in immuno-compromised mice, and significantly enhances animal survival. Together, these findings support the notion of using viral genomes as valuable sources to discover mitochondria-targeted sequences that may lead to the development of new anticancer compounds.

Redox-Triggered Bonding-Induced Emission of Thiol-Functionalized Gold Nanoclusters for Luminescence Turn-On Detection of Molecular Oxygen.

PubMed

Ao, Hang; Feng, Hui; Zhao, Mengting; Zhao, Meizhi; Chen, Jianrong; Qian, Zhaosheng

2017-11-22

Most optical sensors for molecular oxygen were developed based on the quenching effect of the luminescence of oxygen-sensitive probes; however, the signal turn-off mode of these probes is undesirable to quantify and visualize molecular oxygen. Herein, we report a novel luminescence turn-on detection strategy for molecular oxygen via the specific oxygen-triggered bonding-induced emission of thiol-functionalized gold nanoclusters. Thiol-functionalized gold nanoclusters were prepared by a facile one-step synthesis, and as-prepared gold nanoclusters possess significant aggregation-induced emission (AIE) property. It is the first time to discover the oxygen-triggered bonding-induced emission (BIE) behavior of gold nanoclusters, which results in disulfide-linked covalent bonding assemblies with intensely red luminescence. This specific redox-triggered BIE is capable of quantitatively detecting dissolved oxygen in aqueous solution in a light-up manner, and trace amount of dissolved oxygen at ppb level is achieved based on this detection method. A facile and convenient test strip for oxygen detection was also developed to monitor molecular oxygen in a gas matrix. Covalent bonding-induced emission is proven to be a more efficient way to attain high brightness of AIEgens than a physical aggregation-induced emission process, and provides a more convenient and desirable detection method for molecular oxygen than the previous sensors.

IL-17 and TNF-α Are Key Mediators of Moraxella catarrhalis Triggered Exacerbation of Allergic Airway Inflammation

PubMed Central

Alnahas, Safa; Hagner, Stefanie; Raifer, Hartmann; Kilic, Ayse; Gasteiger, Georg; Mutters, Reinier; Hellhund, Anne; Prinz, Immo; Pinkenburg, Olaf; Visekruna, Alexander; Garn, Holger; Steinhoff, Ulrich

2017-01-01

Alterations of the airway microbiome are often associated with pulmonary diseases. For example, detection of the bacterial pathogen Moraxella catarrhalis in the upper airways is linked with an increased risk to develop or exacerbate asthma. However, the mechanisms by which M. catarrhalis augments allergic airway inflammation (AAI) remain unclear. We here characterized the cellular and soluble mediators of M. catarrhalis triggered excacerbation of AAI in wt and IL-17 deficient as well as in animals treated with TNF-α and IL-6 neutralizing antibodies. We compared the type of inflammatory response in M. catarrhalis infected, house dust mite (HDM)-allergic and animals infected with M. catarrhalis at different time points of HDM sensitization. We found that airway infection of mice with M. catarrhalis triggers a strong inflammatory response with massive neutrophilic infiltrates, high amounts of IL-6 and TNF-α and moderate levels of CD4+ T-cell-derived IFN-γ and IL-17. If bacterial infection occurred during HDM allergen sensitization, the allergic airway response was exacerbated, particularly by the expansion of Th17 cells and increased TNF-α levels. Neutralization of IL-17 or TNF-α but not IL-6 resulted in accelerated clearance of M. catarrhalis and effectively prevented infection-induced exacerbation of AAI. Taken together, our data demonstrate an essential role for TNF-α and IL-17 in infection-triggered exacerbation of AAI. PMID:29184554

In vitro selection of shape-changing DNA nanostructures capable of binding-induced cargo release.

PubMed

Oh, Seung Soo; Plakos, Kory; Xiao, Yi; Eisenstein, Michael; Soh, H Tom

2013-11-26

Many biological systems employ allosteric regulatory mechanisms, which offer a powerful means of directly linking a specific binding event to a wide spectrum of molecular functionalities. There is considerable interest in generating synthetic allosteric regulators that can perform useful molecular functions for applications in diagnostics, imaging and targeted therapies, but generating such molecules through either rational design or directed evolution has proven exceptionally challenging. To address this need, we present an in vitro selection strategy for generating conformation-switching DNA nanostructures that selectively release a small-molecule payload in response to binding of a specific trigger molecule. As an exemplar, we have generated a DNA nanostructure that hybridizes with a separate 'cargo strand' containing an abasic site. This abasic site stably sequesters a fluorescent cargo molecule in an inactive state until the DNA nanostructure encounters an ATP trigger molecule. This ATP trigger causes the nanostructure to release the cargo strand, thereby liberating the fluorescent payload and generating a detectable fluorescent readout. Our DNA nanostructure is highly sensitive, with an EC50 of 30 μM, and highly specific, releasing its payload in response to ATP but not to other chemically similar nucleotide triphosphates. We believe that this selection approach could be generalized to generate synthetic nanostructures capable of selective and controlled release of other small-molecule cargos in response to a variety of triggers, for both research and clinical applications.

Constraining the trigger for an ancient warming episode

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schultz, Colin

2011-08-01

The Paleocene epoch (˜66-56 million years ago) was sandwiched between sudden climate shifts and mass extinctions. The boundary between the end of the Paleocene and the beginning of the Eocene (the P-E boundary) saw the global average temperature soar by 5°C over a few thousand years, leading to a pronounced reorganization of both terrestrial and oceanic plant and animal communities. The P-E boundary warming was triggered by an influx of atmospheric carbon dioxide, but the influx's ultimate trigger is still being debated. Other prominent warming events within the Paleogene (˜66-23 million years ago), the broad time span that encompasses the Paleocene and Eocene, have been linked to regularly recurring changes in the eccentricity of the Earth's orbit that take place on 100,000- and 405,000-year cycles. Proponents of this view suggest that an alignment of the two cycles could lead to the warming of deep ocean waters, melting frozen methane and triggering an increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide. However, some studies have suggested that the P-E boundary warming was instead the product of geological processes, where carbon-rich rocks were baked by injected magma, which eventually liberated the carbon to the atmosphere. Deciding between proposed explanations for the cause of the P-E warming, whether they are astronomical or geological, depends on accurately pinning the event in time. (Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems, doi:10.1029/2010GC003426, 2011)

Unemployment levels after the global financial crisis linked to increase in suicides.

PubMed

2013-10-23

The 2008 global economic crisis appears to have triggered an increase in suicides, particularly among men in Europe and America. To investigate the impact of the economic crisis on international trends in suicide, researchers conducted an analysis comparing the number of suicides in 2009 with the number that would have been expected based on trends before the crisis (2000-2007). The analysis included data from 54 countries.

On Spatially Explicit Models of Cholera Epidemics: Hydrologic controls, environmental drivers, human-mediated transmissions (Invited)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rinaldo, A.; Bertuzzo, E.; Mari, L.; Righetto, L.; Gatto, M.; Casagrandi, R.; Rodriguez-Iturbe, I.

2010-12-01

A recently proposed model for cholera epidemics is examined. The model accounts for local communities of susceptibles and infectives in a spatially explicit arrangement of nodes linked by networks having different topologies. The vehicle of infection (Vibrio cholerae) is transported through the network links which are thought of as hydrological connections among susceptible communities. The mathematical tools used are borrowed from general schemes of reactive transport on river networks acting as the environmental matrix for the circulation and mixing of water-borne pathogens. The results of a large-scale application to the Kwa Zulu (Natal) epidemics of 2001-2002 will be discussed. Useful theoretical results derived in the spatially-explicit context will also be reviewed (like e.g. the exact derivation of the speed of propagation for traveling fronts of epidemics on regular lattices endowed with uniform population density). Network effects will be discussed. The analysis of the limit case of uniformly distributed population density proves instrumental in establishing the overall conditions for the relevance of spatially explicit models. To that extent, it is shown that the ratio between spreading and disease outbreak timescales proves the crucial parameter. The relevance of our results lies in the major differences potentially arising between the predictions of spatially explicit models and traditional compartmental models of the SIR-like type. Our results suggest that in many cases of real-life epidemiological interest timescales of disease dynamics may trigger outbreaks that significantly depart from the predictions of compartmental models. Finally, a view on further developments includes: hydrologically improved aquatic reservoir models for pathogens; human mobility patterns affecting disease propagation; double-peak emergence and seasonality in the spatially explicit epidemic context.

Floral changes across the Triassic/Jurassic boundary linked to flood basalt volcanism

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van de Schootbrugge, B.; Quan, T. M.; Lindström, S.; Püttmann, W.; Heunisch, C.; Pross, J.; Fiebig, J.; Petschick, R.; Röhling, H.-G.; Richoz, S.; Rosenthal, Y.; Falkowski, P. G.

2009-08-01

One of the five largest mass extinctions of the past 600million years occurred at the boundary of the Triassic and Jurassic periods, 201.6million years ago. The loss of marine biodiversity at the time has been linked to extreme greenhouse warming, triggered by the release of carbon dioxide from flood basalt volcanism in the central Atlantic Ocean. In contrast, the biotic turnover in terrestrial ecosystems is not well understood, and cannot be readily reconciled with the effects of massive volcanism. Here we present pollen, spore and geochemical analyses across the Triassic/Jurassic boundary from three drill cores from Germany and Sweden. We show that gymnosperm forests in northwest Europe were transiently replaced by fern and fern-associated vegetation, a pioneer assemblage commonly found in disturbed ecosystems. The Triassic/Jurassic boundary is also marked by an enrichment of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which, in the absence of charcoal peaks, we interpret as an indication of incomplete combustion of organic matter by ascending flood basalt lava. We conclude that the terrestrial vegetation shift is so severe and wide ranging that it is unlikely to have been triggered by greenhouse warming alone. Instead, we suggest that the release of pollutants such as sulphur dioxide and toxic compounds such as the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons may have contributed to the extinction.

Histone H2AFX Links Meiotic Chromosome Asynapsis to Prophase I Oocyte Loss in Mammals

PubMed Central

Cloutier, Jeffrey M.; Mahadevaiah, Shantha K.; ElInati, Elias; Nussenzweig, André; Tóth, Attila; Turner, James M. A.

2015-01-01

Chromosome abnormalities are common in the human population, causing germ cell loss at meiotic prophase I and infertility. The mechanisms driving this loss are unknown, but persistent meiotic DNA damage and asynapsis may be triggers. Here we investigate the contribution of these lesions to oocyte elimination in mice with chromosome abnormalities, e.g. Turner syndrome (XO) and translocations. We show that asynapsed chromosomes trigger oocyte elimination at diplonema, which is linked to the presence of phosphorylated H2AFX (γH2AFX). We find that DNA double-strand break (DSB) foci disappear on asynapsed chromosomes during pachynema, excluding persistent DNA damage as a likely cause, and demonstrating the existence in mammalian oocytes of a repair pathway for asynapsis-associated DNA DSBs. Importantly, deletion or point mutation of H2afx restores oocyte numbers in XO females to wild type (XX) levels. Unexpectedly, we find that asynapsed supernumerary chromosomes do not elicit prophase I loss, despite being enriched for γH2AFX and other checkpoint proteins. These results suggest that oocyte loss cannot be explained simply by asynapsis checkpoint models, but is related to the gene content of asynapsed chromosomes. A similar mechanistic basis for oocyte loss may operate in humans with chromosome abnormalities. PMID:26509888

Silica nanogelling of environment-responsive PEGylated polyplexes for enhanced stability and intracellular delivery of siRNA.

PubMed

Gouda, Noha; Miyata, Kanjiro; Christie, R James; Suma, Tomoya; Kishimura, Akihiro; Fukushima, Shigeto; Nomoto, Takahiro; Liu, Xueying; Nishiyama, Nobuhiro; Kataoka, Kazunori

2013-01-01

In this study, poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG)-block-polycation/siRNA complexes (PEGylated polyplexes) were wrapped with a hydrated silica, termed "silica nanogelling", in order to enhance their stability and functionality. Silica nanogelling was achieved by polycondensation of soluble silicates onto the surface of PEGylated polyplexes comprising a disulfide cross-linked core. Formation of silica nanogel layer on the PEGylated cross-linked polyplexes was confirmed by particle size increase, surface charge reduction, and elemental analysis of transmission electron micrographs. Silica nanogelling substantially improved polyplex stability against counter polyanion-induced dissociation under non-reductive condition, without compromising the reductive environment-responsive siRNA release triggered by disulfide cleavage. Silica nanogelling significantly enhanced the sequence-specific gene silencing activity of the polyplexes in HeLa cells without associated cytotoxicity, probably due lower endosomal entrapment (or lysosomal degradation) of delivered siRNA. The lower endosomal entrapment of the silica nanogel system could be explained by an accelerated endosomal escape triggered by deprotonated silanol groups in the silica (the proton sponge hypothesis) and/or a modulated intracellular trafficking, possibly via macropinocytosis, as evidenced by the cellular uptake inhibition assay. Henceforth, silica nanogelling of PEGylated siRNA polyplexes is a promising strategy for preparation of stable and functional siRNA delivery vehicles. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Improving Power System Modeling. A Tool to Link Capacity Expansion and Production Cost Models

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

Diakov, Victor; Cole, Wesley; Sullivan, Patrick

2015-11-01

Capacity expansion models (CEM) provide a high-level long-term view at the prospects of the evolving power system. In simulating the possibilities of long-term capacity expansion, it is important to maintain the viability of power system operation in the short-term (daily, hourly and sub-hourly) scales. Production-cost models (PCM) simulate routine power system operation on these shorter time scales using detailed load, transmission and generation fleet data by minimizing production costs and following reliability requirements. When based on CEM 'predictions' about generating unit retirements and buildup, PCM provide more detailed simulation for the short-term system operation and, consequently, may confirm the validitymore » of capacity expansion predictions. Further, production cost model simulations of a system that is based on capacity expansion model solution are 'evolutionary' sound: the generator mix is the result of logical sequence of unit retirement and buildup resulting from policy and incentives. The above has motivated us to bridge CEM with PCM by building a capacity expansion - to - production cost model Linking Tool (CEPCoLT). The Linking Tool is built to onset capacity expansion model prescriptions onto production cost model inputs. NREL's ReEDS and Energy Examplar's PLEXOS are the capacity expansion and the production cost models, respectively. Via the Linking Tool, PLEXOS provides details of operation for the regionally-defined ReEDS scenarios.« less

The time of the insult/triggering event in Legg-Calvé-Perthes' disease determined by incubation period modeling and the age distribution of children with Perthes'.

PubMed

Loder, Randall T; Browne, Richard H; Millis, Andrew; Kim, Wook-Cheol; Shah, Hitesh; Cosgrove, Aidan P; Wiig, Ola

2012-01-01

The time when the insult/triggering event occurs in Legg-Calvé-Perthes' (LCPD) is unknown. the purpose of this study was to determine, using the mathematical tool of incubation period modeling, the time of such event and the incubation period for LCPD. We reviewed 2,911 children with LCPD from 10 different centers around the world. They were divided into two groups: those from India (505 children, mean age 8.1 ± 2.3 years) and those from other than India (2,406 children, mean age 5.8 ± 2.2 years). A simple distribution with an excellent fit to the data was ln(y) = a + bx + cxln(x), where y is the proportion of children with LCPD at age of diagnosis x (r(2) = 0.994 for non-Indian and 0.959 for Indian children). The age of the triggering event was 1.32 years for non-Indian and 2.77 years for Indian children; the median incubation period was 4.30 years non-Indian and 5.33 years for Indian patients. Knowing the incubation period and age of triggering event narrows the number of potential etiologies in LCPD. this study does not support a prenatal triggering event as postulated in the past. similar incubation periods with different ages at diagnosis supports a common insult which occurs at different ages in different populations dependent upon local factors such as geographic location and ethnicity.

Models, Strategies, and Tools: Theory in Implementing Evidence-Based Findings into Health Care Practice

PubMed Central

Sales, Anne; Smith, Jeffrey; Curran, Geoffrey; Kochevar, Laura

2006-01-01

This paper presents a case for careful consideration of theory in planning to implement evidence-based practices into clinical care. As described, theory should be tightly linked to strategic planning through careful choice or creation of an implementation framework. Strategies should be linked to specific interventions and/or intervention components to be implemented, and the choice of tools should match the interventions and overall strategy, linking back to the original theory and framework. The thesis advanced is that in most studies where there is an attempt to implement planned change in clinical processes, theory is used loosely. An example of linking theory to intervention design is presented from a Mental Health Quality Enhancement Research Initiative effort to increase appropriate use of antipsychotic medication among patients with schizophrenia in the Veterans Health Administration. PMID:16637960

Models, strategies, and tools. Theory in implementing evidence-based findings into health care practice.

PubMed

Sales, Anne; Smith, Jeffrey; Curran, Geoffrey; Kochevar, Laura

2006-02-01

This paper presents a case for careful consideration of theory in planning to implement evidence-based practices into clinical care. As described, theory should be tightly linked to strategic planning through careful choice or creation of an implementation framework. Strategies should be linked to specific interventions and/or intervention components to be implemented, and the choice of tools should match the interventions and overall strategy, linking back to the original theory and framework. The thesis advanced is that in most studies where there is an attempt to implement planned change in clinical processes, theory is used loosely. An example of linking theory to intervention design is presented from a Mental Health Quality Enhancement Research Initiative effort to increase appropriate use of antipsychotic medication among patients with schizophrenia in the Veterans Health Administration.

Web-based monitoring tools for Resistive Plate Chambers in the CMS experiment at CERN

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, M. S.; Ban, Y.; Cai, J.; Li, Q.; Liu, S.; Qian, S.; Wang, D.; Xu, Z.; Zhang, F.; Choi, Y.; Kim, D.; Goh, J.; Choi, S.; Hong, B.; Kang, J. W.; Kang, M.; Kwon, J. H.; Lee, K. S.; Lee, S. K.; Park, S. K.; Pant, L. M.; Mohanty, A. K.; Chudasama, R.; Singh, J. B.; Bhatnagar, V.; Mehta, A.; Kumar, R.; Cauwenbergh, S.; Costantini, S.; Cimmino, A.; Crucy, S.; Fagot, A.; Garcia, G.; Ocampo, A.; Poyraz, D.; Salva, S.; Thyssen, F.; Tytgat, M.; Zaganidis, N.; Doninck, W. V.; Cabrera, A.; Chaparro, L.; Gomez, J. P.; Gomez, B.; Sanabria, J. C.; Avila, C.; Ahmad, A.; Muhammad, S.; Shoaib, M.; Hoorani, H.; Awan, I.; Ali, I.; Ahmed, W.; Asghar, M. I.; Shahzad, H.; Sayed, A.; Ibrahim, A.; Aly, S.; Assran, Y.; Radi, A.; Elkafrawy, T.; Sharma, A.; Colafranceschi, S.; Abbrescia, M.; Calabria, C.; Colaleo, A.; Iaselli, G.; Loddo, F.; Maggi, M.; Nuzzo, S.; Pugliese, G.; Radogna, R.; Venditti, R.; Verwilligen, P.; Benussi, L.; Bianco, S.; Piccolo, D.; Paolucci, P.; Buontempo, S.; Cavallo, N.; Merola, M.; Fabozzi, F.; Iorio, O. M.; Braghieri, A.; Montagna, P.; Riccardi, C.; Salvini, P.; Vitulo, P.; Vai, I.; Magnani, A.; Dimitrov, A.; Litov, L.; Pavlov, B.; Petkov, P.; Aleksandrov, A.; Genchev, V.; Iaydjiev, P.; Rodozov, M.; Sultanov, G.; Vutova, M.; Stoykova, S.; Hadjiiska, R.; Ibargüen, H. S.; Morales, M. I. P.; Bernardino, S. C.; Bagaturia, I.; Tsamalaidze, Z.; Crotty, I.

2014-10-01

The Resistive Plate Chambers (RPC) are used in the CMS experiment at the trigger level and also in the standard offline muon reconstruction. In order to guarantee the quality of the data collected and to monitor online the detector performance, a set of tools has been developed in CMS which is heavily used in the RPC system. The Web-based monitoring (WBM) is a set of java servlets that allows users to check the performance of the hardware during data taking, providing distributions and history plots of all the parameters. The functionalities of the RPC WBM monitoring tools are presented along with studies of the detector performance as a function of growing luminosity and environmental conditions that are tracked over time.

GPR30: a seven-transmembrane-spanning estrogen receptor that triggers EGF release.

PubMed

Filardo, Edward J; Thomas, Peter

2005-10-01

Heterotrimeric G proteins and seven-transmembrane-spanning (7TM) receptors are implicated in rapid estrogen signaling. The orphan 7TM receptor GPR30 is linked to estrogen-mediated activation of adenylyl cyclase, release of epidermal growth factor (EGF)-related ligands, and specific estrogen binding. GPR30 acts independently of estrogen receptors, ERalpha and ERbeta, and probably functions as a heptahelical ER. 7TM receptors elicit signals that stimulate second messengers, and convey intracellular signals via EGF receptors. Identification of GPR30 as a Gs-coupled 7TM receptor that triggers release of heparin-binding EGF establishes its role in cell signaling cascades initiated by estrogens, and explains their capacity to activate second messengers and promote EGF-like effects. Thus, estrogen can signal by the same mechanism as various other hormones, through a specific 7TM receptor.

Food Allergy and Atopic Dermatitis: Fellow Travelers or Triggers?

PubMed

Tom, Wynnis L

2016-03-01

Many children with atopic dermatitis also have an allergy to one or more foods, but the presence of these two conditions in an individual does not necessarily indicate a causal link between them. Testing and interpretation, sometimes with specialist consultation, may be required to discern whether food allergy is present in a child with atopic dermatitis and-if it is present-whether the food is triggering or exacerbating signs and symptoms of atopic dermatitis. Recent milestone trials have demonstrated that early introduction of peanuts can reduce the development of peanut allergy in at-risk children. Parents may benefit from education about current revised guidelines that now recommend offering peanut-containing foods to most children at the time he or she is ready for solid food. Semin Cutan Med Surg 36(supp4):S95-S97. 2017 published by Frontline Medical Communications.

An improved camera trap for amphibians, reptiles, small mammals, and large invertebrates

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hobbs, Michael T.; Brehme, Cheryl S.

2017-01-01

Camera traps are valuable sampling tools commonly used to inventory and monitor wildlife communities but are challenged to reliably sample small animals. We introduce a novel active camera trap system enabling the reliable and efficient use of wildlife cameras for sampling small animals, particularly reptiles, amphibians, small mammals and large invertebrates. It surpasses the detection ability of commonly used passive infrared (PIR) cameras for this application and eliminates problems such as high rates of false triggers and high variability in detection rates among cameras and study locations. Our system, which employs a HALT trigger, is capable of coupling to digital PIR cameras and is designed for detecting small animals traversing small tunnels, narrow trails, small clearings and along walls or drift fencing.

An improved camera trap for amphibians, reptiles, small mammals, and large invertebrates.

PubMed

Hobbs, Michael T; Brehme, Cheryl S

2017-01-01

Camera traps are valuable sampling tools commonly used to inventory and monitor wildlife communities but are challenged to reliably sample small animals. We introduce a novel active camera trap system enabling the reliable and efficient use of wildlife cameras for sampling small animals, particularly reptiles, amphibians, small mammals and large invertebrates. It surpasses the detection ability of commonly used passive infrared (PIR) cameras for this application and eliminates problems such as high rates of false triggers and high variability in detection rates among cameras and study locations. Our system, which employs a HALT trigger, is capable of coupling to digital PIR cameras and is designed for detecting small animals traversing small tunnels, narrow trails, small clearings and along walls or drift fencing.

Cultural Differences in Perceptual Reorganization in US and Pirahã Adults

PubMed Central

Yoon, Jennifer M. D.; Witthoft, Nathan; Winawer, Jonathan; Frank, Michael C.; Everett, Daniel L.; Gibson, Edward

2014-01-01

Visual illusions and other perceptual phenomena can be used as tools to uncover the otherwise hidden constructive processes that give rise to perception. Although many perceptual processes are assumed to be universal, variable susceptibility to certain illusions and perceptual effects across populations suggests a role for factors that vary culturally. One striking phenomenon is seen with two-tone images—photos reduced to two tones: black and white. Deficient recognition is observed in young children under conditions that trigger automatic recognition in adults. Here we show a similar lack of cue-triggered perceptual reorganization in the Pirahã, a hunter-gatherer tribe with limited exposure to modern visual media, suggesting such recognition is experience- and culture-specific. PMID:25411970

Detecting thermally driven cyclic deformation of an exfoliation sheet with lidar and radar

USGS Publications Warehouse

Collins, Brian D.; Stock, Greg M.

2014-01-01

Rock falls from steep, exfoliating cliffs are common in many landscapes. Of the many mechanisms known to trigger rock falls, thermally driven deformation is among the least quantified, despite potentially being a prevalent trigger due to its occurrence at all times of year. Here we present the results of a field-based monitoring program using instrumentation, ground-based lidar, and ground-based radar to investigate the process of thermally driven deformation of an exfoliation sheet, and the ability of remote sensing tools to capture cyclic expansion and contraction patterns. Our results indicate that thermally driven exfoliation occurs on diurnal cycles and can be measured at the submillimeter to centimeter scale using high-resolution strain gauges, short-range (2 km) radar interfer-ometry.

Aperiodic linear networked control considering variable channel delays: application to robots coordination.

PubMed

Santos, Carlos; Espinosa, Felipe; Santiso, Enrique; Mazo, Manuel

2015-05-27

One of the main challenges in wireless cyber-physical systems is to reduce the load of the communication channel while preserving the control performance. In this way, communication resources are liberated for other applications sharing the channel bandwidth. The main contribution of this work is the design of a remote control solution based on an aperiodic and adaptive triggering mechanism considering the current network delay of multiple robotics units. Working with the actual network delay instead of the maximum one leads to abandoning this conservative assumption, since the triggering condition is fixed depending on the current state of the network. This way, the controller manages the usage of the wireless channel in order to reduce the channel delay and to improve the availability of the communication resources. The communication standard under study is the widespread IEEE 802.11g, whose channel delay is clearly uncertain. First, the adaptive self-triggered control is validated through the TrueTime simulation tool configured for the mentioned WiFi standard. Implementation results applying the aperiodic linear control laws on four P3-DX robots are also included. Both of them demonstrate the advantage of this solution in terms of network accessing and control performance with respect to periodic and non-adaptive self-triggered alternatives.

A Photo-triggered and photo-calibrated nitric oxide donor: Rational design, spectral characterizations, and biological applications.

PubMed

He, Haihong; Liu, Yuxin; Zhou, Zhongneng; Guo, Chunlei; Wang, Hong-Yin; Wang, Zhuang; Wang, Xueli; Zhang, Ziqian; Wu, Fu-Gen; Wang, Haolu; Chen, Daijie; Yang, Dahai; Liang, Xiaowen; Chen, Jinquan; Zhou, Shengmin; Liang, Xin; Qian, Xuhong; Yang, Youjun

2018-04-27

Nitric oxide (NO) donors are valuable tools to probe the profound implications of NO in health and disease. The elusive nature of NO bio-relevance has largely limited the use of spontaneous NO donors and promoted the development of next generation NO donors, whose NO release is not only stimulated by a trigger, but also readily monitored via a judiciously built-in self-calibration mechanism. Light is without a doubt the most sensitive, versatile and biocompatible method of choice for both triggering and monitoring, for applications in complex biological matrices. Herein, we designed and synthesized an N-nitroso rhodamine derivative (NOD560) as a photo-triggered and photo-calibrated NO donor to address this need. NOD560 is essentially non-fluorescent. Upon irradiation by green light (532 nm), it efficiently release NO and a rhodamine dye, the dramatic fluorescence turn-on from which could be harnessed to conveniently monitor the localization, flux, and dose of NO release. The potentials of NOD560 for in vitro biological applications were also exemplified in in vitro biological models, i.e. mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) migration suppression. NOD560 is expected to complement the existing NO donors and find widespread applications in chemical biological studies. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Linking land use change to recreational fishery valuation with a spatially explicit behavior model: A case study from Tampa Bay, FL USA

EPA Science Inventory

Drawing a link between habitat change and production and delivery of ecosystem services is a priority in coastal estuarine ecosystems. This link is needed to fully understand how human communities can influence ecosystem sustainability. Mechanistic modeling tools are highly fun...

Links between Disorganized Attachment Classification and Clinical Symptoms in School-Aged Children

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Borelli, Jessica L.; David, Daryn H.; Crowley, Michael J.; Mayes, Linda C.

2010-01-01

Research examining the links between disorganized attachment and clinical symptoms largely has neglected middle childhood due to lack of available measurement tools. The few studies that have examined these links in other developmental phases have found higher clinical symptoms in disorganized individuals. Our study extended this research by using…

Donated chemical probes for open science.

PubMed

Müller, Susanne; Ackloo, Suzanne; Arrowsmith, Cheryl H; Bauser, Marcus; Baryza, Jeremy L; Blagg, Julian; Böttcher, Jark; Bountra, Chas; Brown, Peter J; Bunnage, Mark E; Carter, Adrian J; Damerell, David; Dötsch, Volker; Drewry, David H; Edwards, Aled M; Edwards, James; Elkins, Jon M; Fischer, Christian; Frye, Stephen V; Gollner, Andreas; Grimshaw, Charles E; IJzerman, Adriaan; Hanke, Thomas; Hartung, Ingo V; Hitchcock, Steve; Howe, Trevor; Hughes, Terry V; Laufer, Stefan; Li, Volkhart Mj; Liras, Spiros; Marsden, Brian D; Matsui, Hisanori; Mathias, John; O'Hagan, Ronan C; Owen, Dafydd R; Pande, Vineet; Rauh, Daniel; Rosenberg, Saul H; Roth, Bryan L; Schneider, Natalie S; Scholten, Cora; Singh Saikatendu, Kumar; Simeonov, Anton; Takizawa, Masayuki; Tse, Chris; Thompson, Paul R; Treiber, Daniel K; Viana, Amélia Yi; Wells, Carrow I; Willson, Timothy M; Zuercher, William J; Knapp, Stefan; Mueller-Fahrnow, Anke

2018-04-20

Potent, selective and broadly characterized small molecule modulators of protein function (chemical probes) are powerful research reagents. The pharmaceutical industry has generated many high-quality chemical probes and several of these have been made available to academia. However, probe-associated data and control compounds, such as inactive structurally related molecules and their associated data, are generally not accessible. The lack of data and guidance makes it difficult for researchers to decide which chemical tools to choose. Several pharmaceutical companies (AbbVie, Bayer, Boehringer Ingelheim, Janssen, MSD, Pfizer, and Takeda) have therefore entered into a pre-competitive collaboration to make available a large number of innovative high-quality probes, including all probe-associated data, control compounds and recommendations on use (https://openscienceprobes.sgc-frankfurt.de/). Here we describe the chemical tools and target-related knowledge that have been made available, and encourage others to join the project. © 2018, Müller et al.

Design and fabrication of an end effector

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Crossley, F. R. E.; Umholtz, F. G.

1975-01-01

The construction is described of a prototype mechanical hand or 'end effector' for use on a remotely controlled robot, but with possible application as a prosthetic device. An analysis of hand motions is reported, from which it is concluded that the two most important manipulations (apart from grasps) are to be able to pick up a tool and draw it into a nested grip against the palm, and to be able to hold a pistol-grip tool such as an electric drill and pull the trigger. A model was tested and found capable of both these operations.

100 years of Drosophila research and its impact on vertebrate neuroscience: a history lesson for the future.

PubMed

Bellen, Hugo J; Tong, Chao; Tsuda, Hiroshi

2010-07-01

Discoveries in fruit flies have greatly contributed to our understanding of neuroscience. The use of an unparalleled wealth of tools, many of which originated between 1910–1960, has enabled milestone discoveries in nervous system development and function. Such findings have triggered and guided many research efforts in vertebrate neuroscience. After 100 years, fruit flies continue to be the choice model system for many neuroscientists. The combinational use of powerful research tools will ensure that this model organism will continue to lead to key discoveries that will impact vertebrate neuroscience.

100 years of Drosophila research and its impact on vertebrate neuroscience: a history lesson for the future

PubMed Central

Bellen, Hugo J; Tong, Chao; Tsuda, Hiroshi

2014-01-01

Discoveries in fruit flies have greatly contributed to our understanding of neuroscience. The use of an unparalleled wealth of tools, many of which originated between 1910–1960, has enabled milestone discoveries in nervous system development and function. Such findings have triggered and guided many research efforts in vertebrate neuroscience. After 100 years, fruit flies continue to be the choice model system for many neuroscientists. The combinational use of powerful research tools will ensure that this model organism will continue to lead to key discoveries that will impact vertebrate neuroscience. PMID:20383202

EEG analysis using wavelet-based information tools.

PubMed

Rosso, O A; Martin, M T; Figliola, A; Keller, K; Plastino, A

2006-06-15

Wavelet-based informational tools for quantitative electroencephalogram (EEG) record analysis are reviewed. Relative wavelet energies, wavelet entropies and wavelet statistical complexities are used in the characterization of scalp EEG records corresponding to secondary generalized tonic-clonic epileptic seizures. In particular, we show that the epileptic recruitment rhythm observed during seizure development is well described in terms of the relative wavelet energies. In addition, during the concomitant time-period the entropy diminishes while complexity grows. This is construed as evidence supporting the conjecture that an epileptic focus, for this kind of seizures, triggers a self-organized brain state characterized by both order and maximal complexity.

EPA EcoBox

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This tool box of ecological risk assessment (Eco-box) includes over 400+ links to tools, models, and databases found within EPA and our Government partners designed that can aid risk assessors with performing exposure assessments.

The Geoinformatica free and open source software stack

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jolma, A.

2012-04-01

The Geoinformatica free and open source software (FOSS) stack is based mainly on three established FOSS components, namely GDAL, GTK+, and Perl. GDAL provides access to a very large selection of geospatial data formats and data sources, a generic geospatial data model, and a large collection of geospatial analytical and processing functionality. GTK+ and the Cairo graphics library provide generic graphics and graphical user interface capabilities. Perl is a programming language, for which there is a very large set of FOSS modules for a wide range of purposes and which can be used as an integrative tool for building applications. In the Geoinformatica stack, data storages such as FOSS RDBMS PostgreSQL with its geospatial extension PostGIS can be used below the three above mentioned components. The top layer of Geoinformatica consists of a C library and several Perl modules. The C library comprises a general purpose raster algebra library, hydrological terrain analysis functions, and visualization code. The Perl modules define a generic visualized geospatial data layer and subclasses for raster and vector data and graphs. The hydrological terrain functions are already rather old and they suffer for example from the requirement of in-memory rasters. Newer research conducted using the platform include basic geospatial simulation modeling, visualization of ecological data, linking with a Bayesian network engine for spatial risk assessment in coastal areas, and developing standards-based distributed water resources information systems in Internet. The Geoinformatica stack constitutes a platform for geospatial research, which is targeted towards custom analytical tools, prototyping and linking with external libraries. Writing custom analytical tools is supported by the Perl language and the large collection of tools that are available especially in GDAL and Perl modules. Prototyping is supported by the GTK+ library, the GUI tools, and the support for object-oriented programming in Perl. New feature types, geospatial layer classes, and tools as extensions with specific features can be defined, used, and studied. Linking with external libraries is possible using the Perl foreign function interface tools or with generic tools such as Swig. We are interested in implementing and testing linking Geoinformatica with existing or new more specific hydrological FOSS.

Effects of Exposure to Gun Violence in Movies on Children's Interest in Real Guns.

PubMed

Dillon, Kelly P; Bushman, Brad J

2017-11-01

More US children die by accidental gun use than children in other developed countries. One factor that can influence children's interest in guns is exposure to media containing guns. To test whether children who see a movie containing guns will handle a real gun longer and will pull the trigger more times than children who see the same movie not containing guns. One hundred four children aged 8 to 12 years recruited through advertisements were randomly assigned in pairs to watch a 20-minute PG-rated movie containing or not containing guns in a university laboratory. Children then played with toys and games in a room for 20 minutes while being video recorded. A cabinet in the room contained a real (disabled) gun with a sensor counting trigger pulls. Recordings were coded for the time spent holding the gun and in aggressive play. Data were collected from July 15, 2015, through January 1, 2016, and analyzed using generalized estimating equations (Tweedie log-link for time spent holding the gun; Poisson log-link for pulling the trigger). The 2 main outcomes were time spent holding the gun and the number of trigger pulls. Control variables included sex, age, trait aggressiveness, exposure to violent media, interest in guns, and number of guns at home. Among the 104 study participants (62 boys [59.6%] and 42 girls [40.4%]; mean (SD) age, 9.9 [1.5] years), the adjusted median number of trigger pulls among children who saw the movie containing guns was 2.8 (interquartile range [IQR], 0.2-2.8) compared with 0.01 (IQR, 0.01-0.2) among children who saw the movie not containing guns (adjusted odds ratio, 22.3; 95% CI, 6.0-83.4; P < .001). The adjusted median number of seconds spent holding the gun among children who saw a movie containing guns was 53.1 (IQR, 35.5-53.1) compared with 11.1 (IQR, 10.7-16.7) among children who saw the movie not containing guns (adjusted odds ratio, 3.0; 95% CI, 0.9-9.9; P = .07). Qualitative analyses on 4 pairs from each condition found that children who saw the movie containing guns also played more aggressively and sometimes fired the gun at people (ie, self, partner, or passersby on street). Children in the United States frequently have access to unsecured firearms and frequently consume media containing guns. This experiment shows that children who see movie characters use guns are more likely to use guns themselves. clinicaltrials.gov Identifier NCT03220412.

Evaluation of a Broad-Spectrum Partially Automated Adverse Event Surveillance System: A Potential Tool for Patient Safety Improvement in Hospitals With Limited Resources.

PubMed

Saikali, Melody; Tanios, Alain; Saab, Antoine

2017-11-21

The aim of the study was to evaluate the sensitivity and resource efficiency of a partially automated adverse event (AE) surveillance system for routine patient safety efforts in hospitals with limited resources. Twenty-eight automated triggers from the hospital information system's clinical and administrative databases identified cases that were then filtered by exclusion criteria per trigger and then reviewed by an interdisciplinary team. The system, developed and implemented using in-house resources, was applied for 45 days of surveillance, for all hospital inpatient admissions (N = 1107). Each trigger was evaluated for its positive predictive value (PPV). Furthermore, the sensitivity of the surveillance system (overall and by AE category) was estimated relative to incidence ranges in the literature. The surveillance system identified a total of 123 AEs among 283 reviewed medical records, yielding an overall PPV of 52%. The tool showed variable levels of sensitivity across and within AE categories when compared with the literature, with a relatively low overall sensitivity estimated between 21% and 44%. Adverse events were detected in 23 of the 36 AE categories defined by an established harm classification system. Furthermore, none of the detected AEs were voluntarily reported. The surveillance system showed variable sensitivity levels across a broad range of AE categories with an acceptable PPV, overcoming certain limitations associated with other harm detection methods. The number of cases captured was substantial, and none had been previously detected or voluntarily reported. For hospitals with limited resources, this methodology provides valuable safety information from which interventions for quality improvement can be formulated.

Characterization of Adverse Events Detected in a Large Health Care Delivery System Using an Enhanced Global Trigger Tool over a Five-Year Interval

PubMed Central

Kennerly, Donald A; Kudyakov, Rustam; da Graca, Briget; Saldaña, Margaret; Compton, Jan; Nicewander, David; Gilder, Richard

2014-01-01

Objective To report 5 years of adverse events (AEs) identified using an enhanced Global Trigger Tool (GTT) in a large health care system. Study Setting Records from monthly random samples of adults admitted to eight acute care hospitals from 2007 to 2011 with lengths of stay ≥3 days were reviewed. Study Design We examined AE incidence overall and by presence on admission, severity, stemming from care provided versus omitted, preventability, and category; and the overlap with commonly used AE-detection systems. Data Collection Professional nurse reviewers abstracted 9,017 records using the enhanced GTT, recording triggers and AEs. Medical record/account numbers were matched to identify overlapping voluntary reports or AHRQ Patient Safety Indicators (PSIs). Principal Findings Estimated AE rates were as follows: 61.4 AEs/1,000 patient-days, 38.1 AEs/100 discharges, and 32.1 percent of patients with ≥1 AE. Of 1,300 present-on-admission AEs (37.9 percent of total), 78.5 percent showed NCC-MERP level F harm and 87.6 percent were “preventable/possibly preventable.” Of 2,129 hospital-acquired AEs, 63.3 percent had level E harm, 70.8 percent were “preventable/possibly preventable”; the most common category was “surgical/procedural” (40.5 percent). Voluntary reports and PSIs captured <5 percent of encounters with hospital-acquired AEs. Conclusions AEs are common and potentially amenable to prevention. GTT-identified AEs are seldom caught by commonly used AE-detection systems. PMID:24628436

The toxicological geochemistry of Earth materials: An overview of processes and the interdisciplinary methods used to understand them

USGS Publications Warehouse

Plumlee, Geoffrey S.; Morman, Suzette A.; Ziegler, Thomas L.

2006-01-01

A broad spectrum of earth materials have been linked to, blamed for, and/or debated as sources for disease. In some cases, the links are clear. For example, excessive exposures to mineral dusts have long been recognized for their role in diseases such as: asbestosis, mesothelioma, and lung cancers (asbestos); silicosis and lung cancer (silica dusts); and coal-workers pneumoconiosis (coal dust). Lead poisoning, particularly in toddlers and young children, has been conclusively linked to involuntary ingestion of soils or other materials contaminated with lead-rich paint particles, leaded gasoline combustion byproducts, and some types of lead-rich mine wastes or smelter particulates. Waters with naturally elevated arsenic contents are common in many regions of the globe, and consumption of these waters has been documented as the source of arsenic-related diseases affecting thousands of people in south Asia and other regions. Exposure to dusts or soils containing pathogens has been documented as the cause of regionally common diseases such as valley fever (coccidioidomycosis) and much rarer diseases such as anthrax. Links between many other earth materials and specific diseases, although suspected, are less clear or are debated. For example, it has been suggested that geographic clusters of diseases such as leukemia are related to exposures to waters or atmospheric particulates containing organic or metal contaminants; however, for many clusters the exact causal relationships between disease and environmental exposure are difficult to prove conclusively. Even for many diseases in which the causal relationship is clear, such as in asbestosis and mesothelioma triggered by asbestos exposure, the minimum exposures needed to trigger disease, the influence of genetic factors, and the exact mechanisms of toxicity are still incompletely understood and are the focus of considerable debate within the public health community. Hence, understanding the health effects resulting from occupational and environmental exposures to a wide variety of earth materials remains a very active and fruitful area of research.

Melanin-concentrating hormone directly inhibits GnRH neurons and blocks kisspeptin activation, linking energy balance to reproduction.

PubMed

Wu, Min; Dumalska, Iryna; Morozova, Elena; van den Pol, Anthony; Alreja, Meenakshi

2009-10-06

A link between energy balance and reproduction is critical for the survival of all species. Energy-consuming reproductive processes need to be aborted in the face of a negative energy balance, yet knowledge of the pathways mediating this link remains limited. Fasting and food restriction that inhibit fertility also upregulate the hypothalamic melanin-concentrating hormone (MCH) system that promotes feeding and decreases energy expenditure; MCH knockout mice are lean and have a higher metabolism but remain fertile. MCH also modulates sleep, drug abuse behavior, and mood, and MCH receptor antagonists are currently being developed as antiobesity and antidepressant drugs. Despite the clinical implications of MCH, the direct postsynaptic effects of MCH have never been reported in CNS neurons. Using patch-clamp recordings in brain slices from multiple lines of transgenic GFP mice, we demonstrate a strong inhibitory effect of MCH on an exclusive population of septal vGluT2-GnRH neurons that is activated by the puberty-triggering and preovulatory luteinizing hormone surge-mediating peptide, kisspeptin. MCH has no effect on kisspeptin-insensitive GnRH, vGluT2, cholinergic, or GABAergic neurons located within the same nucleus. The inhibitory effects of MCH are reproducible and nondesensitizing and are mediated via a direct postsynaptic Ba(2+)-sensitive K(+) channel mechanism involving the MCHR1 receptor. MCH immunoreactive fibers are in close proximity to vGluT2-GFP and GnRH-GFP neurons. Importantly, MCH blocks the excitatory effect of kisspeptin on vGluT2-GnRH neurons. Considering the role of MCH in regulating energy balance and of GnRH and kisspeptin in triggering puberty and maintaining fertility, MCH may provide a critical link between energy balance and reproduction directly at the level of the kisspeptin-activated vGluT2-GnRH neuron.

Brain imaging in the context of food perception and eating.

PubMed

Hollmann, Maurice; Pleger, Burkhard; Villringer, Arno; Horstmann, Annette

2013-02-01

Eating behavior depends heavily on brain function. In recent years, brain imaging has proved to be a powerful tool to elucidate brain function and brain structure in the context of eating. In this review, we summarize recent findings in the fast growing body of literature in the field and provide an overview of technical aspects as well as the basic brain mechanisms identified with imaging. Furthermore, we highlight findings linking neural processing of eating-related stimuli with obesity. The consumption of food is based on a complex interplay between homeostatic and hedonic mechanisms. Several hormones influence brain activity to regulate food intake and interact with the brain's reward circuitry, which is partly mediated by dopamine signaling. Additionally, it was shown that food stimuli trigger cognitive control mechanisms that incorporate internal goals into food choice. The brain mechanisms observed in this context are strongly influenced by genetic factors, sex and personality traits. Overall, a complex picture arises from brain-imaging findings, because a multitude of factors influence human food choice. Although several key mechanisms have been identified, there is no comprehensive model that is able to explain the behavioral observations to date. Especially a careful characterization of patients according to genotypes and phenotypes could help to better understand the current and future findings in neuroimaging studies.

Epidermal Growth Factor Signaling towards Proliferation: Modeling and Logic Inference Using Forward and Backward Search

PubMed Central

Riesco, Adrián; Santos-Buitrago, Beatriz; De Las Rivas, Javier; Knapp, Merrill; Talcott, Carolyn

2017-01-01

In biological systems, pathways define complex interaction networks where multiple molecular elements are involved in a series of controlled reactions producing responses to specific biomolecular signals. These biosystems are dynamic and there is a need for mathematical and computational methods able to analyze the symbolic elements and the interactions between them and produce adequate readouts of such systems. In this work, we use rewriting logic to analyze the cellular signaling of epidermal growth factor (EGF) and its cell surface receptor (EGFR) in order to induce cellular proliferation. Signaling is initiated by binding the ligand protein EGF to the membrane-bound receptor EGFR so as to trigger a reactions path which have several linked elements through the cell from the membrane till the nucleus. We present two different types of search for analyzing the EGF/proliferation system with the help of Pathway Logic tool, which provides a knowledge-based development environment to carry out the modeling of the signaling. The first one is a standard (forward) search. The second one is a novel approach based on narrowing, which allows us to trace backwards the causes of a given final state. The analysis allows the identification of critical elements that have to be activated to provoke proliferation. PMID:28191459

The Water Suitcase of Migrants: Assessing Virtual Water Fluxes Associated to Human Migration

PubMed Central

Metulini, Rodolfo; Tamea, Stefania; Laio, Francesco; Riccaboni, Massimo

2016-01-01

Disentangling the relations between human migrations and water resources is relevant for food security and trade policy in water-scarce countries. It is commonly believed that human migrations are beneficial to the water endowments of origin countries for reducing the pressure on local resources. We show here that such belief is over-simplistic. We reframe the problem by considering the international food trade and the corresponding virtual water fluxes, which quantify the water used for the production of traded agricultural commodities. By means of robust analytical tools, we show that migrants strengthen the commercial links between countries, triggering trade fluxes caused by food consumption habits persisting after migration. Thus migrants significantly increase the virtual water fluxes and the use of water in the countries of origin. The flux ascribable to each migrant, i.e. the “water suitcase”, is found to have increased from 321 m3/y in 1990 to 1367 m3/y in 2010. A comparison with the water footprint of individuals shows that where the water suitcase exceeds the water footprint of inhabitants, migrations turn out to be detrimental to the water endowments of origin countries, challenging the common perception that migrations tend to relieve the pressure on the local (water) resources of origin countries. PMID:27124488

The Water Suitcase of Migrants: Assessing Virtual Water Fluxes Associated to Human Migration.

PubMed

Metulini, Rodolfo; Tamea, Stefania; Laio, Francesco; Riccaboni, Massimo

2016-01-01

Disentangling the relations between human migrations and water resources is relevant for food security and trade policy in water-scarce countries. It is commonly believed that human migrations are beneficial to the water endowments of origin countries for reducing the pressure on local resources. We show here that such belief is over-simplistic. We reframe the problem by considering the international food trade and the corresponding virtual water fluxes, which quantify the water used for the production of traded agricultural commodities. By means of robust analytical tools, we show that migrants strengthen the commercial links between countries, triggering trade fluxes caused by food consumption habits persisting after migration. Thus migrants significantly increase the virtual water fluxes and the use of water in the countries of origin. The flux ascribable to each migrant, i.e. the "water suitcase", is found to have increased from 321 m3/y in 1990 to 1367 m3/y in 2010. A comparison with the water footprint of individuals shows that where the water suitcase exceeds the water footprint of inhabitants, migrations turn out to be detrimental to the water endowments of origin countries, challenging the common perception that migrations tend to relieve the pressure on the local (water) resources of origin countries.

A critical assessment of the ecological assumptions underpinning compensatory mitigation of salmon-derived nutrients

USGS Publications Warehouse

Collins, Scott F.; Marcarelli, Amy M.; Baxter, Colden V.; Wipfli, Mark S.

2015-01-01

We critically evaluate some of the key ecological assumptions underpinning the use of nutrient replacement as a means of recovering salmon populations and a range of other organisms thought to be linked to productive salmon runs. These assumptions include: (1) nutrient mitigation mimics the ecological roles of salmon, (2) mitigation is needed to replace salmon-derived nutrients and stimulate primary and invertebrate production in streams, and (3) food resources in rearing habitats limit populations of salmon and resident fishes. First, we call into question assumption one because an array of evidence points to the multi-faceted role played by spawning salmon, including disturbance via redd-building, nutrient recycling by live fish, and consumption by terrestrial consumers. Second, we show that assumption two may require qualification based upon a more complete understanding of nutrient cycling and productivity in streams. Third, we evaluate the empirical evidence supporting food limitation of fish populations and conclude it has been only weakly tested. On the basis of this assessment, we urge caution in the application of nutrient mitigation as a management tool. Although applications of nutrients and other materials intended to mitigate for lost or diminished runs of Pacific salmon may trigger ecological responses within treated ecosystems, contributions of these activities toward actual mitigation may be limited.

Bacteriocins and bacteriophage; a narrow-minded approach to food and gut microbiology.

PubMed

Mills, Susan; Ross, R Paul; Hill, Colin

2017-08-01

Bacteriocins and bacteriophage (phage) are biological tools which exhibit targeted microbial killing, a phenomenon which until recently was seen as a major drawback for their use as antimicrobial agents. However, in an age when the deleterious consequences of broad-spectrum antibiotics on human health have become apparent, there is an urgent need to develop narrow-spectrum substitutes. Indeed, disruption of the microbial communities which exist on and in our bodies can generate immediate and long-term negative effects and this is particularly borne out in the gut microbiota community whose disruption has been linked to a number of disorders reaching as far as the brain. Moreover, the antibiotic resistance crisis has resulted in our inability to treat many bacterial infections and has triggered the search for damage-limiting alternatives. As bacteriocins and phage are natural entities they are relatively easy to isolate and characterise and are also ideal candidates for improving food safety and quality, forfeiting the need for largely unpopular chemical preservatives. This review highlights the efficacy of both antimicrobial agents in terms of gut health and food safety and explores the body of scientific evidence supporting their effectiveness in both environments. © FEMS 2017. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Epidermal Growth Factor Signaling towards Proliferation: Modeling and Logic Inference Using Forward and Backward Search.

PubMed

Riesco, Adrián; Santos-Buitrago, Beatriz; De Las Rivas, Javier; Knapp, Merrill; Santos-García, Gustavo; Talcott, Carolyn

2017-01-01

In biological systems, pathways define complex interaction networks where multiple molecular elements are involved in a series of controlled reactions producing responses to specific biomolecular signals. These biosystems are dynamic and there is a need for mathematical and computational methods able to analyze the symbolic elements and the interactions between them and produce adequate readouts of such systems. In this work, we use rewriting logic to analyze the cellular signaling of epidermal growth factor (EGF) and its cell surface receptor (EGFR) in order to induce cellular proliferation. Signaling is initiated by binding the ligand protein EGF to the membrane-bound receptor EGFR so as to trigger a reactions path which have several linked elements through the cell from the membrane till the nucleus. We present two different types of search for analyzing the EGF/proliferation system with the help of Pathway Logic tool, which provides a knowledge-based development environment to carry out the modeling of the signaling. The first one is a standard (forward) search. The second one is a novel approach based on narrowing , which allows us to trace backwards the causes of a given final state. The analysis allows the identification of critical elements that have to be activated to provoke proliferation.

New High-Resolution Multibeam Mapping and Seismic Reflection Imaging of Mudflows on the Mississippi River Delta Front

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chaytor, J. D.; Baldwin, W. E.; Danforth, W. W.; Bentley, S. J.; Miner, M. D.; Damour, M.

2017-12-01

Mudflows (channelized and unconfined debris flows) on the Mississippi River Delta Front (MRDF) are a recognized hazard to oil and gas infrastructure in the shallow Gulf of Mexico. Preconditioning of the seafloor for failure results from high sedimentation rates coupled with slope over-steepening, under-consolidation, and abundant biogenic gas production. Cyclical loading of the seafloor by waves from passing major storms appears to be a primary trigger, but the role of smaller (more frequent) storms and background oceanographic processes are largely unconstrained. A pilot high-resolution seafloor mapping and seismic imaging study was carried out across portions of the MRDF aboard the R/V Point Sur from May 19-26, 2017, as part of a multi-agency/university effort to characterize mudflow hazards in the area. The primary objective of the cruise was to assess the suitability of seafloor mapping and shallow sub-surface imaging tools in the challenging environmental conditions found across delta fronts (e.g., variably-distributed water column stratification and wide-spread biogenic gas in the shallow sub-surface). More than 600 km of multibeam bathymetry/backscatter/water column data, 425 km of towed chirp data, and > 500 km of multi-channel seismic data (boomer/mini-sparker sources, 32-channel streamer) were collected. Varied mudflow (gully, lobe), pro-delta morphologies, and structural features, some of which have been surveyed more than once, were imaged in selected survey areas from Pass a Loutre to Southwest Pass. The present location of the SS Virginia, which has been moving with one of the mudflow lobes since it was sunk in 1942, was determined and found to be 60 m SW of its 2006 position, suggesting movement not linked to hurricane-induced wave triggering of mudflows. Preliminary versions these data were used to identify sediment sampling sites visited on a cruise in early June 2017 led by scientists from LSU and other university/agency partners.

Exposure Assessment Tools by Approaches - Exposure Reconstruction (Biomonitoring and Reverse Dosimetry)

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This page provides access to a compendium of exposure assessment and risk characterization tools that will present comprehensive step-by-step guidance and links to relevant exposure assessment data bases,

The relationship between extreme precipitation events and landslides distributions in 2009 in Lower Austria

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Katzensteiner, H.; Bell, R.; Petschko, H.; Glade, T.

2012-04-01

The prediction and forecast of widespread landsliding for a given triggering event is an open research question. Numerous studies tried to link spatial rainfall and landslide distributions. This study focuses on analysing the relationship between intensive precipitation and rainfall-triggered shallow landslides in the year 2009 in Lower Austria. Landslide distributions were gained from the building ground register, which is maintained by the Geological Survey of Lower Austria. It contains detailed information of landslides, which were registered due to damage reports. Spatially distributed rainfall estimates were extracted from INCA (Integrated Nowcasting through Comprehensive Analysis) precipitation analysis, which is a combination of station data interpolation and radar data in a spatial resolution of 1km developed by the Central Institute for Meteorology and Geodynamics (ZAMG), Vienna, Austria. The importance of the data source is shown by comparing rainfall data based on reference gauges, spatial interpolation and INCA-analysis for a certain storm period. INCA precipitation data can detect precipitating cells that do not hit a station but might trigger a landslide, which is an advantage over the application of reference stations for the definition of rainfall thresholds. Empirical thresholds at regional scale were determined based on rainfall-intensity and duration in the year 2009 and landslide information. These thresholds are dependent on the criteria which separate the landslide triggering and non-triggering precipitation events from each other. Different approaches for defining thresholds alter the shape of the threshold as well. A temporarily threshold I=8,8263*D^(-0.672) for extreme rainfall events in summer in Lower Austria was defined. A verification of the threshold with similar events of other years as well as following analyses based on a larger landslide database are in progress.

Rainfall-triggered shallow landslides at catchment scale: Threshold mechanics-based modeling for abruptness and localization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

von Ruette, J.; Lehmann, P.; Or, D.

2013-10-01

Rainfall-induced shallow landslides may occur abruptly without distinct precursors and could span a wide range of soil mass released during a triggering event. We present a rainfall-induced landslide-triggering model for steep catchments with surfaces represented as an assembly of hydrologically and mechanically interconnected soil columns. The abruptness of failure was captured by defining local strength thresholds for mechanical bonds linking soil and bedrock and adjacent columns, whereby a failure of a single bond may initiate a chain reaction of subsequent failures, culminating in local mass release (a landslide). The catchment-scale hydromechanical landslide-triggering model (CHLT) was applied to results from two event-based landslide inventories triggered by two rainfall events in 2002 and 2005 in two nearby catchments located in the Prealps in Switzerland. Rainfall radar data, surface elevation and vegetation maps, and a soil production model for soil depth distribution were used for hydromechanical modeling of failure patterns for the two rainfall events at spatial and temporal resolutions of 2.5 m and 0.02 h, respectively. The CHLT model enabled systematic evaluation of the effects of soil type, mechanical reinforcement (soil cohesion and lateral root strength), and initial soil water content on landslide characteristics. We compared various landslide metrics and spatial distribution of simulated landslides in subcatchments with observed inventory data. Model parameters were optimized for the short but intense rainfall event in 2002, and the calibrated model was then applied for the 2005 rainfall, yielding reasonable predictions of landslide events and volumes and statistically reproducing localized landslide patterns similar to inventory data. The model provides a means for identifying local hot spots and offers insights into the dynamics of locally resolved landslide hazards in mountainous regions.

When your face describes your memories: facial expressions during retrieval of autobiographical memories.

PubMed

El Haj, Mohamad; Daoudi, Mohamed; Gallouj, Karim; Moustafa, Ahmed A; Nandrino, Jean-Louis

2018-05-11

Thanks to the current advances in the software analysis of facial expressions, there is a burgeoning interest in understanding emotional facial expressions observed during the retrieval of autobiographical memories. This review describes the research on facial expressions during autobiographical retrieval showing distinct emotional facial expressions according to the characteristics of retrieved memoires. More specifically, this research demonstrates that the retrieval of emotional memories can trigger corresponding emotional facial expressions (e.g. positive memories may trigger positive facial expressions). Also, this study demonstrates the variations of facial expressions according to specificity, self-relevance, or past versus future direction of memory construction. Besides linking research on facial expressions during autobiographical retrieval to cognitive and affective characteristics of autobiographical memory in general, this review positions this research within the broader context research on the physiologic characteristics of autobiographical retrieval. We also provide several perspectives for clinical studies to investigate facial expressions in populations with deficits in autobiographical memory (e.g. whether autobiographical overgenerality in neurologic and psychiatric populations may trigger few emotional facial expressions). In sum, this review paper demonstrates how the evaluation of facial expressions during autobiographical retrieval may help understand the functioning and dysfunctioning of autobiographical memory.

Correspondence between discrete and continuous models of excitable media: trigger waves

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chernyak, Y. B.; Feldman, A. B.; Cohen, R. J.

1997-01-01

We present a theoretical framework for relating continuous partial differential equation (PDE) models of excitable media to discrete cellular automata (CA) models on a randomized lattice. These relations establish a quantitative link between the CA model and the specific physical system under study. We derive expressions for the CA model's plane wave speed, critical curvature, and effective diffusion constant in terms of the model's internal parameters (the interaction radius, excitation threshold, and time step). We then equate these expressions to the corresponding quantities obtained from solution of the PDEs (for a fixed excitability). This yields a set of coupled equations with a unique solution for the required CA parameter values. Here we restrict our analysis to "trigger" wave solutions obtained in the limiting case of a two-dimensional excitable medium with no recovery processes. We tested the correspondence between our CA model and two PDE models (the FitzHugh-Nagumo medium and a medium with a "sawtooth" nonlinear reaction source) and found good agreement with the numerical solutions of the PDEs. Our results suggest that the behavior of trigger waves is actually controlled by a small number of parameters.

Blue moon neurovirology: the merits of studying rare CNS diseases of viral origin.

PubMed

O'Donnell, Lauren A; Rall, Glenn F

2010-09-01

While measles virus (MV) continues to have a significant impact on human health, causing 150,000-200,000 deaths worldwide each year, the number of fatalities that can be attributed to MV-triggered central nervous system (CNS) diseases are on the order of a few hundred individuals annually (World Health Organization 2009). Despite this modest impact, substantial effort has been expended to understand the basis of measles-triggered neuropathogenesis. What can be gained by studying such a rare condition? Simply stated, the wealth of studies in this field have revealed core principles that are relevant to multiple neurotropic pathogens, and that inform the broader field of viral pathogenesis. In recent years, the emergence of powerful in vitro systems, novel animal models, and reverse genetics has enabled insights into the basis of MV persistence, the complexity of MV interactions with neurons and the immune system, and the role of immune and CNS development in virus-triggered disease. In this review, we highlight some key advances, link relevant measles-based studies to the broader disciplines of neurovirology and viral pathogenesis, and propose future areas of study for the field of measles-mediated neurological disease.

Coupling of pulsed electromagnetic fields (PEMF) therapy to molecular grounds of the cell

PubMed Central

Funk, Richard HW

2018-01-01

In this review we compile results cited in reliable journals that show a ratio for the use of pulsed electromagnetic fields (PEMF) in therapy, indeed. This is true especially for chronically inflamed joints. Furthermore, we try to link this therapeutic approach to the molecular background of chronic inflammation and arthritis. At first we start with the clinical outcome of PEMF therapy. Then, we look for possible triggers and an electromagnetic counterpart that is endogenously inherent in cell biology and in the tissues of interest. Finally, we want to investigate causal molecular and cellular mechanisms of possible PEMF actions. It shows that there are endogenous mechanisms, indeed, which can act as triggers for PEMF like the resting membrane potential as well as resonance mechanisms in charged moieties like membrane transporters. Especially voltage-gated calcium channels can be triggered. These may lead into specific signaling pathways and also may elicit nitric oxide as well as moderate radical reactions, which can ultimately lead to e.g. NFκB-like reactions. Concerted in the right way, these reactions can cause a kind of cell protection and ultimately lead to a dampening of inflammatory signals like interleukins. PMID:29887943

A knowledge acquisition process to analyse operational problems in solid waste management facilities.

PubMed

Dokas, Ioannis M; Panagiotakopoulos, Demetrios C

2006-08-01

The available expertise on managing and operating solid waste management (SWM) facilities varies among countries and among types of facilities. Few experts are willing to record their experience, while few researchers systematically investigate the chains of events that could trigger operational failures in a facility; expertise acquisition and dissemination, in SWM, is neither popular nor easy, despite the great need for it. This paper presents a knowledge acquisition process aimed at capturing, codifying and expanding reliable expertise and propagating it to non-experts. The knowledge engineer (KE), the person performing the acquisition, must identify the events (or causes) that could trigger a failure, determine whether a specific event could trigger more than one failure, and establish how various events are related among themselves and how they are linked to specific operational problems. The proposed process, which utilizes logic diagrams (fault trees) widely used in system safety and reliability analyses, was used for the analysis of 24 common landfill operational problems. The acquired knowledge led to the development of a web-based expert system (Landfill Operation Management Advisor, http://loma.civil.duth.gr), which estimates the occurrence possibility of operational problems, provides advice and suggests solutions.

[Linked Data as a tool in the nutrition domain].

PubMed

Míguez Pérez, R; Santos Gago, J M; Alonso Rorís, V M; Álvarez Sabucedo, L M; Mikic Fonte, F A

2012-01-01

Currently, there is a huge amount of information available on Internet that can neither be interpreted nor used by software agents. This fact poses a serious drawback to the potential of tools that deal with data on the current Web. Nevertheless, in recent times, advances in the domain of Semantic Web make possible the development of a new generation of smart applications capable of creating added-value services for the final user. This work shows the technical challenges that must be faced in the area of nutrition in order to transform one or several oldfashion sources of raw data into a web repository based on semantic technologies and linked with external and publicly available data on Internet. This approach makes possible for automatic tools to operate on the top of this information providing new functionalities highly interesting in the domain of public health, such as the automatic generation of menus for children or intelligent dietetic assistants, among others. This article explains the process to create such information support applying the guidelines of the Linked Data initiative and provides insights into the use of tools to make the most of this technology for its adoption in related use cases and environments.

Experiment and Modelling of Itb Phenomena with Eccd on Tore Supra

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Turco, F.; Giruzzi, G.; Artaud, J.-F.; Huysmans, G.; Imbeaux, F.; Maget, P.; Mazon, D.; Segui, J.-L.

2009-04-01

An extensive database of Tore Supra discharges with Internal Transport Barriers (ITBs) has been analysed. A tight correlation has been found, which links the central value of q and the creation of an ITB, while no correspondence with magnetic shear or qmin values can be inferred. In the case of incomplete transition to ITB (O-regime), modelling in presence of ECCD confirms the experimental observations about triggering/stopping and amplifying the oscillations.

EPA ExpoBox Related Links

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

EPA ExpoBox is a toolbox for exposure assessors. Its purpose is to provide a compendium of exposure assessment and risk characterization tools that will present comprehensive step-by-step guidance and links to relevant exposure assessment data bases,

In Which "Linked Data" Means "a Better Web"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chudnov, Daniel

2009-01-01

In this article, the author talks about linked data and focuses on the main point of linked data: building a better web. Even though how people build the web has changed steadily over the years (and keeps changing, as programmers switch toolkits and frameworks every few years, disposing of older languages and tools when newer, better ones come…

Assessing Students' Use of LinkedIn in a Business and Professional Communication Course

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Slone, Amanda Ruth; Gaffney, Amy L. H.

2016-01-01

This paper examined the practice of using LinkedIn as a tool for teaching students how to create a professional online presence. A descriptive analysis of student LinkedIn profiles revealed that students included some basic requirements, but many students still neglected to fully complete the profile, thereby leaving out some important information…

Reply: Comparison of slope instability screening tools following a large storm event and application to forest management and policy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Whittaker, Kara A.; McShane, Dan

2013-02-01

A large storm event in southwest Washington State triggered over 2500 landslides and provided an opportunity to assess two slope stability screening tools. The statistical analysis conducted demonstrated that both screening tools are effective at predicting where landslides were likely to take place (Whittaker and McShane, 2012). Here we reply to two discussions of this article related to the development of the slope stability screening tools and the accuracy and scale of the spatial data used. Neither of the discussions address our statistical analysis or results. We provide greater detail on our sampling criteria and also elaborate on the policy and management implications of our findings and how they complement those of a separate investigation of landslides resulting from the same storm. The conclusions made in Whittaker and McShane (2012) stand as originally published unless future analysis indicates otherwise.

Ramping and Uncertainty Prediction Tool - Analysis and Visualization of Wind Generation Impact on Electrical Grid

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

Etingov, Pavel; Makarov, PNNL Yuri; Subbarao, PNNL Kris

RUT software is designed for use by the Balancing Authorities to predict and display additional requirements caused by the variability and uncertainty in load and generation. The prediction is made for the next operating hours as well as for the next day. The tool predicts possible deficiencies in generation capability and ramping capability. This deficiency of balancing resources can cause serious risks to power system stability and also impact real-time market energy prices. The tool dynamically and adaptively correlates changing system conditions with the additional balancing needs triggered by the interplay between forecasted and actual load and output of variablemore » resources. The assessment is performed using a specially developed probabilistic algorithm incorporating multiple sources of uncertainty including wind, solar and load forecast errors. The tool evaluates required generation for a worst case scenario, with a user-specified confidence level.« less

Using a large-n nodal array to search for remote dynamic triggering in a region of induced seismicity in northern Oklahoma.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peña-Castro, A. F.; Dougherty, S. L.; Harrington, R. M.; Cochran, E. S.

2017-12-01

Oklahoma has recently experienced a large increase in seismicity that has been linked to injection of large volumes of wastewater into deep disposal wells, a by-product of oil and gas production. Recent studies have shown that areas with active fluid injection and induced seismicity, such as Oklahoma, may be susceptible to dynamic triggering during passage of seismic waves from large, remote earthquakes. In spring 2016, the 1833-station LArge-n Seismic Survey in Oklahoma (LASSO) array was deployed for 30 days to examine an area of active seismicity in Gran County, located in northern Oklahoma. Here we use the LASSO array to look for dynamic triggering caused by teleseismic earthquakes with magnitudes between Mw 6-8 that produce Peak-Ground-Velocities (PGVs) exceeding 10 μm/s at the LASSO array, consistent with PGV values seen to have triggered seismicity at other locations. We focus on examining seismicity around the shallow Mw7.8 event in Ecuador on 04/16/2016 which generated the largest PGV at LASSO (250 µm/s). To establish if earthquake rates change during or following the passage of the teleseismic surface waves, we develop a catalog of earthquakes around the time of each teleseismic event. We first create a preliminary catalogue using a Short-Term Average/Long-Term Average (STA/LTA) detection algorithm window spanning +/- 24 hours around each teleseism,requiring detection at a minimum of 110 LASSO stations to identify an event. Next, we enhance the STA/LTA catalog with manual detections for a period of +/- 1.5 hours around the time of the teleseismic P-wave arrival to explore if triggering occurs that is not detected by the automated procedure. All detected events are then located using standard location techniques. Any observed seismicity rate changes following the teleseismic arrivals will be examined compared to the short-term background rates to determine whether they are statistically significant. If triggering is observed, focal mechanisms will be determined to estimate fault plane orientations and resolve triggering stresses on receiver fault planes. Our preliminary results for the Mw 7.8 Ecuador event suggest there may be delayed triggering that starts roughly 4 hours after the teleseismic phase arrivals, with event rates increasing from 0-5 to 15-25 events per hour.

Using analytical tools for decision-making and program planning in natural resources: breaking the fear barrier

Treesearch

David L. Peterson; Daniel L. Schmoldt

1999-01-01

The National Park Service and other public agencies are increasing their emphasis on inventory and monitoring (I&M) programs to obtain the information needed to infer changes in resource conditions and trigger management responses.A few individuals on a planning team can develop I&M programs, although a focused workshop is more effective.Workshops are...

Discussing Poverty with Student Teachers: The Realities of Dialogue

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jones, Hanneke

2016-01-01

This paper is based on my own practice as a teacher educator at a university in the north-east of England and focuses on the effectiveness of dialogue as a tool for teaching the topic of socio-economic disadvantage in initial teacher education (ITE). The research was triggered by questions which had emerged within my work, about the compatibility…

Rapid HIS, RIS, PACS Integration Using Graphical CASE Tools

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taira, Ricky K.; Breant, Claudine M.; Stepczyk, Frank M.; Kho, Hwa T.; Valentino, Daniel J.; Tashima, Gregory H.; Materna, Anthony T.

1994-05-01

We describe the clinical requirements of the integrated federation of databases and present our client-mediator-server design. The main body of the paper describes five important aspects of integrating information systems: (1) global schema design, (2) establishing sessions with remote database servers, (3) development of schema translators, (4) integration of global system triggers, and (5) development of job workflow scripts.

The Development of Maritime English Learning Model Using Authentic Assessment Based Bridge Simulator in Merchant Marine Polytechnic, Makassar

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fauzi, Ahmad; Bundu, Patta; Tahmir, Suradi

2016-01-01

Bridge simulator constitutes a very fundamental and vital tool to trigger and ensure that seamen or seafarers possess the standardized competence required. By using the bridge simulator technique, a reality based study can be presented easily and delivered to the students in ongoing basis to their classroom or study place. Afterwards, the validity…

Data Flow for the TERRA-REF project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kooper, R.; Burnette, M.; Maloney, J.; LeBauer, D.

2017-12-01

The Transportation Energy Resources from Renewable Agriculture Phenotyping Reference Platform (TERRA-REF) program aims to identify crop traits that are best suited to producing high-energy sustainable biofuels and match those plant characteristics to their genes to speed the plant breeding process. One tool used to achieve this goal is a high-throughput phenotyping robot outfitted with sensors and cameras to monitor the growth of 1.25 acres of sorghum. Data types range from hyperspectral imaging to 3D reconstructions and thermal profiles, all at 1mm resolution. This system produces thousands of daily measurements with high spatiotemporal resolution. The team at NCSA processes, annotates, organizes and stores the massive amounts of data produced by this system - up to 5 TB per day. Data from the sensors is streamed to a local gantry-cache server. The standardized sensor raw data stream is automatically and securely delivered to NCSA using Globus Connect service. Once files have been successfully received by the Globus endpoint, the files are removed from the gantry-cache server. As each dataset arrives or is created the Clowder system automatically triggers different software tools to analyze each file, extract information, and convert files to a common format. Other tools can be triggered to run after all required data is uploaded. For example, a stitched image of the entire field is created after all images of the field become available. Some of these tools were developed by external collaborators based on predictive models and algorithms, others were developed as part of other projects and could be leveraged by the TERRA project. Data will be stored for the lifetime of the project and is estimated to reach 10 PB over 3 years. The Clowder system, BETY and other systems will allow users to easily find data by browsing or searching the extracted information.

Improvement of Computer Software Quality through Software Automated Tools.

DTIC Science & Technology

1986-08-30

information that are returned from the tools to the human user, and the forms in which these outputs are presented. Page 2 of 4 STAGE OF DEVELOPMENT: What... AUTOMIATED SOFTWARE TOOL MONITORING SYSTEM APPENDIX 2 2-1 INTRODUCTION This document and Automated Software Tool Monitoring Program (Appendix 1) are...t Output Output features provide links from the tool to both the human user and the target machine (where applicable). They describe the types

Sleep: A novel mechanistic pathway, biomarker, and treatment target in the pathology of Alzheimer's disease?

PubMed Central

Mander, Bryce A.; Winer, Joseph R.; Jagust, William J.; Walker, Matthew P.

2016-01-01

Sleep disruption appears to be a core component of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and its pathophysiology. Signature abnormalities of sleep emerge before clinical onset of AD. Moreover, insufficient sleep facilitates accumulation of amyloid-β (Aβ), potentially triggering earlier cognitive decline and conversion to AD. Building on such findings, this review has four goals, evaluating: (i) associations and plausible mechanisms linking NREM sleep disruption, Aβ, and AD, (ii) a role for NREM sleep disruption as a novel factor linking cortical Aβ to impaired hippocampus-dependent memory consolidation, (iii) the potential diagnostic utility of NREM sleep disruption as a new biomarker of AD, and (iv) the possibility of sleep as a new treatment target in aging, affording preventative and therapeutic benefits. PMID:27325209

Continued progress in the prevention of nail gun injuries among apprentice carpenters: what will it take to see wider spread injury reductions?

PubMed

Lipscomb, Hester J; Nolan, James; Patterson, Dennis; Dement, John M

2010-06-01

Nail guns are a common source of acute, and potentially serious, injury in residential construction. Data on nail gun injuries, hours worked and hours of tool use were collected in 2008 from union apprentice carpenters (n=464) through classroom surveys; this completed four years of serial cross-sectional data collection from apprentices. A predictive model of injury risk was constructed using Poisson regression. Injury rates declined 55% from baseline measures in 2005 with early training and increased use of tools with sequential actuation. Injury rates declined among users of tools with both actuation systems, but the rates of injury were consistently twice as high among those using tools with contact trip triggers. DISCUSSION AND IMPACT: Nail gun injuries can be reduced markedly through early training and use of tools with sequential actuation. These successful efforts need to be diffused broadly, including to the non-union sector. (c) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Analysis of Nuclear Factor-κB (NF-κB) Essential Modulator (NEMO) Binding to Linear and Lysine-linked Ubiquitin Chains and Its Role in the Activation of NF-κB*

PubMed Central

Kensche, Tobias; Tokunaga, Fuminori; Ikeda, Fumiyo; Goto, Eiji; Iwai, Kazuhiro; Dikic, Ivan

2012-01-01

Nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) essential modulator (NEMO), a component of the inhibitor of κB kinase (IKK) complex, controls NF-κB signaling by binding to ubiquitin chains. Structural studies of NEMO provided a rationale for the specific binding between the UBAN (ubiquitin binding in ABIN and NEMO) domain of NEMO and linear (Met-1-linked) di-ubiquitin chains. Full-length NEMO can also interact with Lys-11-, Lys-48-, and Lys-63-linked ubiquitin chains of varying length in cells. Here, we show that purified full-length NEMO binds preferentially to linear ubiquitin chains in competition with lysine-linked ubiquitin chains of defined length, including long Lys-63-linked deca-ubiquitins. Linear di-ubiquitins were sufficient to activate both the IKK complex in vitro and to trigger maximal NF-κB activation in cells. In TNFα-stimulated cells, NEMO chimeras engineered to bind exclusively to Lys-63-linked ubiquitin chains mediated partial NF-κB activation compared with cells expressing NEMO that binds to linear ubiquitin chains. We propose that NEMO functions as a high affinity receptor for linear ubiquitin chains and a low affinity receptor for long lysine-linked ubiquitin chains. This phenomenon could explain quantitatively distinct NF-κB activation patterns in response to numerous cell stimuli. PMID:22605335

A CXCL1 paracrine network links cancer chemoresistance and metastasis

PubMed Central

Acharyya, Swarnali; Oskarsson, Thordur; Vanharanta, Sakari; Malladi, Srinivas; Kim, Juliet; Morris, Patrick G.; Manova-Todorova, Katia; Leversha, Margaret; Hogg, Nancy; Seshan, Venkatraman E.; Norton, Larry; Brogi, Edi; Massagué, Joan

2012-01-01

Metastasis and chemoresistance in cancer are linked phenomena but the molecular basis for this link is unknown. We uncovered a network of paracrine signals between carcinoma, myeloid and endothelial cells that drives both processes in breast cancer. Cancer cells that overexpress CXCL1 and 2 by transcriptional hyperactivation or 4q21 amplification are primed for survival in metastatic sites. CXCL1/2 attract CD11b+Gr1+ myeloid cells into the tumor, which produce chemokines including S100A8/9 that enhance cancer cell survival. While chemotherapeutic agents kill cancer cells, these treatments trigger a parallel stromal reaction leading to TNF-α production by endothelial and other stromal cells. TNF-α heightens the expression of CXCL1/2 in cancer cells, thus amplifying the CXCL1/2-S100A8/9 loop and causing chemoresistance. CXCR2 blockers break this cycle, augmenting the efficacy of chemotherapy against breast tumors and particularly against metastasis. This network of endothelial-carcinoma-myeloid signaling interactions provides a mechanism linking chemoresistance and metastasis, with opportunities for intervention. PMID:22770218

Assembly and Function of Heterotypic Ubiquitin Chains in Cell-Cycle and Protein Quality Control.

PubMed

Yau, Richard G; Doerner, Kerstin; Castellanos, Erick R; Haakonsen, Diane L; Werner, Achim; Wang, Nan; Yang, X William; Martinez-Martin, Nadia; Matsumoto, Marissa L; Dixit, Vishva M; Rape, Michael

2017-11-02

Posttranslational modification with ubiquitin chains controls cell fate in all eukaryotes. Depending on the connectivity between subunits, different ubiquitin chain types trigger distinct outputs, as seen with K48- and K63-linked conjugates that drive protein degradation or complex assembly, respectively. Recent biochemical analyses also suggested roles for mixed or branched ubiquitin chains, yet without a method to monitor endogenous conjugates, the physiological significance of heterotypic polymers remained poorly understood. Here, we engineered a bispecific antibody to detect K11/K48-linked chains and identified mitotic regulators, misfolded nascent polypeptides, and pathological Huntingtin variants as their endogenous substrates. We show that K11/K48-linked chains are synthesized and processed by essential ubiquitin ligases and effectors that are mutated across neurodegenerative diseases; accordingly, these conjugates promote rapid proteasomal clearance of aggregation-prone proteins. By revealing key roles of K11/K48-linked chains in cell-cycle and quality control, we establish heterotypic ubiquitin conjugates as important carriers of biological information. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Phases of ERA - Tools

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Eco-Box is a toolbox for exposure assessors. Its purpose is to provide a compendium of exposure assessment and risk characterization tools that will present comprehensive step-by-step guidance and links to relevant exposure assessment data bases

A validation study of the CEMACH recommended modified early obstetric warning system (MEOWS).

PubMed

Singh, S; McGlennan, A; England, A; Simons, R

2012-01-01

The 2003-2005 Confidential Enquiry into Maternal and Child Health report recommended the introduction of the modified early obstetric warning system (MEOWS) in all obstetric inpatients to track maternal physiological parameters, and to aid early recognition and treatment of the acutely unwell parturient. We prospectively reviewed 676 consecutive obstetric admissions, looking at their completed MEOWS charts for triggers and their notes for evidence of morbidity. Two hundred patients (30%) triggered and 86 patients (13%) had morbidity according to our criteria, including haemorrhage (43%), hypertensive disease of pregnancy (31%) and suspected infection (20%). The MEOWS was 89% sensitive (95% CI 81-95%), 79% specific (95% CI 76-82%), with a positive predictive value 39% (95% CI 32-46%) and a negative predictive value of 98% (95% CI 96-99%). There were no admissions to the intensive care unit, cardio respiratory arrests or deaths during the study period. This study suggests that MEOWS is a useful bedside tool for predicting morbidity. Adjustment of the trigger parameters may improve positive predictive value. Anaesthesia © 2011 The Association of Anaesthetists of Great Britain and Ireland.

Non-T cell activation linker (NTAL) proteolytic cleavage as a terminator of activatory intracellular signals.

PubMed

Arbulo-Echevarria, Mikel M; Muñoz-Miranda, Juan Pedro; Caballero-García, Andrés; Poveda-Díaz, José L; Fernández-Ponce, Cecilia; Durán-Ruiz, M Carmen; Miazek, Arkadiusz; García-Cózar, Francisco; Aguado, Enrique

2016-08-01

Non-T cell activation linker is an adaptor protein that is tyrosine phosphorylated upon cross-linking of immune receptors expressed on B lymphocytes, NK cells, macrophages, basophils, or mast cells, allowing the recruitment of cytosolic mediators for downstream signaling pathways. Fas receptor acts mainly as a death receptor, and when cross-linked with Fas ligand, many proteins are proteolytically cleaved, including several signaling molecules in T and B cells. Fas receptor triggering also interferes with TCR intracellular signals, probably by means of proteolytic cleavage of several adaptor proteins. We have previously found that the adaptor linker for activation of T cells, evolutionarily related to non-T cell activation linker, is cleaved upon proapoptotic stimuli in T lymphocytes and thymocytes, in a tyrosine phosphorylation-dependent fashion. Here, we describe non-T cell activation linker proteolytic cleavage triggered in human B cells and monocytes by Fas cross-linking and staurosporine treatment. Non-T cell activation linker is cleaved, producing an N-terminal fragment of ∼22 kDa, and such cleavage is abrogated in the presence of caspase 8/granzyme B and caspase 3 inhibitors. Moreover, we have identified an aspartic acid residue at which non-T cell activation linker is cleaved, which similar to linker for activation of T cells, this aspartic acid residue is located close to tyrosine and serine residues, suggesting an interdependence of phosphorylation and proteolytic cleavage. Consistently, induction of non-T cell activation linker phosphorylation by pervanadate inhibits its cleavage. Interestingly, the truncated isoform of non-T cell activation linker, generated after cleavage, has a decreased signaling ability when compared with the full-length molecule. Altogether, our results suggest that cleavage of transmembrane adaptors constitutes a general mechanism for signal termination of immune receptors. © Society for Leukocyte Biology.

Structural and biochemical studies of RIG-I antiviral signaling.

PubMed

Feng, Miao; Ding, Zhanyu; Xu, Liang; Kong, Liangliang; Wang, Wenjia; Jiao, Shi; Shi, Zhubing; Greene, Mark I; Cong, Yao; Zhou, Zhaocai

2013-02-01

Retinoic acid-inducible gene I (RIG-I) is an important pattern recognition receptor that detects viral RNA and triggers the production of type-I interferons through the downstream adaptor MAVS (also called IPS-1, CARDIF, or VISA). A series of structural studies have elaborated some of the mechanisms of dsRNA recognition and activation of RIG-I. Recent studies have proposed that K63-linked ubiquitination of, or unanchored K63-linked polyubiquitin binding to RIG-I positively regulates MAVS-mediated antiviral signaling. Conversely phosphorylation of RIG-I appears to play an inhibitory role in controlling RIG-I antiviral signal transduction. Here we performed a combined structural and biochemical study to further define the regulatory features of RIG-I signaling. ATP and dsRNA binding triggered dimerization of RIG-I with conformational rearrangements of the tandem CARD domains. Full length RIG-I appeared to form a complex with dsRNA in a 2:2 molar ratio. Compared with the previously reported crystal structures of RIG-I in inactive state, our electron microscopic structure of full length RIG-I in complex with blunt-ended dsRNA, for the first time, revealed an exposed active conformation of the CARD domains. Moreover, we found that purified recombinant RIG-I proteins could bind to the CARD domain of MAVS independently of dsRNA, while S8E and T170E phosphorylation-mimicking mutants of RIG-I were defective in binding E3 ligase TRIM25, unanchored K63-linked polyubiquitin, and MAVS regardless of dsRNA. These findings suggested that phosphorylation of RIG inhibited downstream signaling by impairing RIG-I binding with polyubiquitin and its interaction with MAVS.

Magnetotelluric Studies of Fault Zones Surrounding the 2016 Pawnee, Oklahoma Earthquake

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Evans, R. L.; Key, K.; Atekwana, E. A.

2016-12-01

Since 2008, there has been a dramatic increase in earthquake activity in the central United States in association with major oil and gas operations. Oklahoma is now considered one the most seismically active states. Although seismic networks are able to detect activity and map its locus, they are unable to image the distribution of fluids in the fault responsible for triggering seismicity. Electrical geophysical methods are ideally suited to image fluid bearing faults since the injected waste-waters are highly saline and hence have a high electrical conductivity. To date, no study has imaged the fluids in the faults in Oklahoma and made a direct link to the seismicity. The 2016 M5.8 Pawnee, Oklahoma earthquake provides an unprecedented opportunity for scientists to provide that link. Several injection wells are located within a 20 km radius of the epicenter; and studies have suggested that injection of fluids in high-volume wells can trigger earthquakes as far away as 30 km. During late October to early November, 2016, we are collecting magnetotelluric (MT) data with the aim of constraining the distribution of fluids in the fault zone. The MT technique uses naturally occurring electric and magnetic fields measured at Earth's surface to measure conductivity structure. We plan to carry out a series of short two-dimensional (2D) profiles of wideband MT acquisition located through areas where the fault recently ruptured and seismic activity is concentrated and also across the faults in the vicinity that did not rupture. The integration of our results and ongoing seismic studies will lead to a better understanding of the links between fluid injection and seismicity.

Vaginal orgasm is associated with less use of immature psychological defense mechanisms.

PubMed

Brody, Stuart; Costa, Rui Miguel

2008-05-01

Freud implied a link between inability to have a vaginal orgasm and psychosexual immaturity. Since Kinsey, many sexologists have asserted that no such link exists. However, empirical testing of the issue has been lacking. The objective was to determine the relationship between different sexual behavior triggers of female orgasm and use of immature psychological defense mechanisms. Women reported their past month frequency of different sexual behaviors and corresponding orgasm rates and completed the Defense Style Questionnaire (DSQ-40). The association between ability to have vaginal intercourse orgasm (versus clitoral orgasm) and the use of DSQ-40 immature psychological defense mechanisms (associated with various psychopathologies) was examined. In a sample of 94 healthy Portuguese women, vaginal orgasm (triggered solely by penile-vaginal intercourse) was associated with less use of DSQ-40 immature defenses. Vaginal orgasm was associated with less somatization, dissociation, displacement, autistic fantasy, devaluation, and isolation of affect. Orgasm from clitoral stimulation or combined clitoral-intercourse stimulation was not associated with less use of immature defenses, and was associated with more use of some immature defenses. In one regression analysis, more masturbation and less vaginal orgasm consistency made independent contributions to the statistical prediction of immature defenses. In another regression analysis, any use of extrinsic clitoral stimulation for intercourse orgasm, and lack of any vaginal orgasm, made independent contributions to the statistical prediction of immature defenses. Vaginally anorgasmic women had immature defenses scores comparable to those of established (depression, social anxiety disorder, panic disorder, and obsessive-compulsive disorder) outpatient psychiatric groups. Results were not confounded by social desirability responding or relationship quality. The results linking penile-vaginal orgasm with less use of immature psychological defense mechanisms are consistent with both early psychoanalytic personality theory and recent advances in sexual physiology. Implications for diagnosis and sex therapy are noted.

Increased Energy Demand during Adrenergic Receptor Stimulation Contributes to Ca(2+) Wave Generation.

PubMed

Bovo, Elisa; Mazurek, Stefan R; de Tombe, Pieter P; Zima, Aleksey V

2015-10-20

While β-adrenergic receptor (β-AR) stimulation ensures adequate cardiac output during stress, it can also trigger life-threatening cardiac arrhythmias. We have previously shown that proarrhythmic Ca(2+) waves during β-AR stimulation temporally coincide with augmentation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that increased energy demand during β-AR stimulation plays an important role in mitochondrial ROS production and Ca(2+)-wave generation in rabbit ventricular myocytes. We found that β-AR stimulation with isoproterenol (0.1 μM) decreased the mitochondrial redox potential and the ratio of reduced to oxidated glutathione. As a result, β-AR stimulation increased mitochondrial ROS production. These metabolic changes induced by isoproterenol were associated with increased sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) Ca(2+) leak and frequent diastolic Ca(2+) waves. Inhibition of cell contraction with the myosin ATPase inhibitor blebbistatin attenuated oxidative stress as well as spontaneous SR Ca(2+) release events during β-AR stimulation. Furthermore, we found that oxidative stress induced by β-AR stimulation caused the formation of disulfide bonds between two ryanodine receptor (RyR) subunits, referred to as intersubunit cross-linking. Preventing RyR cross-linking with N-ethylmaleimide decreased the propensity of Ca(2+) waves induced by β-AR stimulation. These data suggest that increased energy demand during sustained β-AR stimulation weakens mitochondrial antioxidant defense, causing ROS release into the cytosol. By inducing RyR intersubunit cross-linking, ROS can increase SR Ca(2+) leak to the critical level that can trigger proarrhythmic Ca(2+) waves. Copyright © 2015 Biophysical Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

MASSIV: Mass Assembly Survey with SINFONI in VVDS. III. Evidence for positive metallicity gradients in z ~ 1.2 star-forming galaxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Queyrel, J.; Contini, T.; Kissler-Patig, M.; Epinat, B.; Amram, P.; Garilli, B.; Le Fèvre, O.; Moultaka, J.; Paioro, L.; Tasca, L.; Tresse, L.; Vergani, D.; López-Sanjuan, C.; Perez-Montero, E.

2012-03-01

Aims: The estimate of radial abundance gradients in high-redshift galaxies allows to constrain their star formation history and their interplay with the surrounding intergalactic medium. Methods: We present VLT/SINFONI integral-field spectroscopy of a first sample of 50 galaxies at z ~ 1.2 in the MASSIV survey. Using the N2 ratio between the [N ii]6584 and Hα rest-frame optical emission lines as a proxy for oxygen abundance in the interstellar medium, we measured the metallicity of the sample galaxies. We developed a tool to extract spectra in annular regions, leading to a spatially resolved estimate of the oxygen abundance in each galaxy. We were able to derive a metallicity gradient for 26 galaxies in our sample and discovered a significant fraction of galaxies with a "positive" gradient. Using a simple chemical evolution model, we derived infall rates of pristine gas onto the disks. Results: Seven galaxies display a positive gradient at a high confidence level. Four out of these are interacting, and one is a chain galaxy. We suggest that interactions might be responsible for shallowing and even inverting the abundance gradient. We also identify two interesting correlations in our sample: a) galaxies with higher gas velocity dispersion have shallower/positive gradients; and b) metal-poor galaxies tend to show a positive gradient, whereas metal-rich ones tend to show a negative one. This last observation can be explained by the infall of metal-poor gas into the center of the disks. We address the question of the origin of this infall under the influence of gas flows triggered by interactions and/or cold gas accretion. All the data published in this paper are publicly available at the time of publication following this link: http://cosmosdb.lambrate.inaf.it/VVDS-SINFONI. This work is based on observations collected at the European Southern Observatory (ESO) Very Large Telescope, Paranal, Chile, as part of the Programs 179.A-0823, 78.A-0177, and 75.A-0318. This work also benefits from data products produced at TERAPIX and the Canadian Astronomy Data Centre as part of the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope Legacy Survey, a collaborative project of NRC and the CNRS.

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Science.gov Websites

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Predictive factors of 18F-choline PET/CT positivity in patients with prostate cancer recurrence after radiation therapy: is the impact of PSA nadir underestimated?

PubMed

Johnson, Alison C; Dugué, Audrey Emmanuelle; Silva, Marlon; Moise, Laura; Tillou, Xavier; Joly, Florence; Aide, Nicolas

2016-12-01

The objective of this study is to explore the impact of PSA nadirs on detection rates of prostate cancer (PCa) recurrence with 18 F-choline (CH) PET/CT after external beam radiation therapy (EBRT). In this retrospective study, data were collected from 54 patients with suspicion of PCa biochemical recurrence after EBRT (28 patients treated initially with EBRT and 26 as salvage therapy in the absence of PSA decrease after initial treatment), who underwent 18 F-CH PET/CT between 2010 and 2015. PSA nadir and trigger PSA were collected from patient files. Relative PSA was calculated by subtracting the nadir from the trigger PSA. Median PSA nadir was 0.31 (0.01-13.31) ng/mL, trigger PSA was 7.85 (0.47-111.60) ng/mL, and relative PSA was 6.05 (0.24-104.59) ng/mL. Overall, 40 (74%) PET/CT scans were positive: recurrence was local and/or regional in 29 patients, distant in 15 and combined both in four, with no association between PSA values and sites of recurrence. In univariate analysis, trigger (p = 0.015) and relative (p = 0.0005) PSA values and PSA velocity (p = 0.01) were significantly linked to positive PET/CT, but PSA nadir was not. In subgroup analysis, these significant differences were only found in the salvage EBRT group. Akaike Information Criterion multivariate model comparison found that relative PSA was a better predictor of positive PET/CT than trigger PSA (PSAt). 18 F-CH PET/CT detection rates increased with trigger and relative PSA: 0% (0/4 patients), 71% (5/7 patients), and 81% (35/43 patients) for PSAt <2 ng/mL, 2≤ PSAt ≤4 ng/mL, and PSAt >4 ng/mL, respectively, and 14% (1/7 patients), 50% (5/10 patients), and 92% (34/37 patients) when relative PSA was taken into account instead of trigger PSA, with seven (13%) patients changing subgroups. We found a high overall detection rate and an increase in detection rates proportional to trigger and relative PSAs. Although relative PSA, taking into account PSA nadir, was a better predictive factor of PET/CT positivity in univariate analysis, this was most noticeable for high PSAs. For low PSAs, trigger PSA remains most relevant. Larger series with intermediate PSA values need to be studied to fully apprehend nadir impact.

Randomized test of an implementation intention-based tool to reduce stress-induced eating.

PubMed

O'Connor, Daryl B; Armitage, Christopher J; Ferguson, Eamonn

2015-06-01

Stress may indirectly contribute to disease (e.g. cardiovascular disease, cancer) by producing deleterious changes to diet. The purpose of this study was to test the effectiveness of a stress management support (SMS) tool to reduce stress-related unhealthy snacking and to promote stress-related healthy snacking. Participants were randomized to complete a SMS tool with instruction to link stressful situations with healthy snack alternatives (experimental) or a SMS tool without a linking instruction (control). On-line daily reports of stressors and snacking were completed for 7 days. Daily stressors were associated with unhealthy snack consumption in the control condition but not in the experimental condition. Participants highly motivated towards healthy eating consumed a greater number of healthy snacks in the experimental condition on stressful days compared to participants in the experimental condition with low and mean levels of motivation. This tool is an effective, theory driven, intervention that helps to protect against stress-induced high-calorie snack consumption.

Technology Integration in Science Classrooms: Framework, Principles, and Examples

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kim, Minchi C.; Freemyer, Sarah

2011-01-01

A great number of technologies and tools have been developed to support science learning and teaching. However, science teachers and researchers point out numerous challenges to implementing such tools in science classrooms. For instance, guidelines, lesson plans, Web links, and tools teachers can easily find through Web-based search engines often…

3D TRUMP - A GBI launch window tool

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karels, Steven N.; Hancock, John; Matchett, Gary

3D TRUMP is a novel GPS and communicatons-link software analysis tool developed for the SDIO's Ground-Based Interceptor (GBI) program. 3D TRUMP uses a computationally efficient analysis tool which provides key GPS-based performance measures for an entire GBI mission's reentry vehicle and interceptor trajectories. Algorithms and sample outputs are presented.

Triggering Descending Pain Inhibition by Observing Ourselves or a Loved-One in Pain.

PubMed

Gougeon, Véronique; Gaumond, Isabelle; Goffaux, Philippe; Potvin, Stéphane; Marchand, Serge

2016-03-01

Recent studies demonstrate that empathy-evoked brain responses include the activation of brainstem structures responsible for triggering descending pain inhibition. Unfortunately, direct evidence linking empathy for pain and descending inhibitory controls (conditioned pain modulation) is lacking. This study, therefore, aimed to determine if the observation of ourselves or a loved-one in pain could activate descending pain inhibition without exposure to a noxious stimulation; which is otherwise required. Descending pain inhibition was triggered by immersing the right arm of participants (15 heterosexual couples; mean age±SE: 28.89±2.14) in a bath of cold water. The effects of empathy on descending pain inhibition were observed by immersing the right arm of participants in a bath of lukewarm water while having them watch a video of either themselves or their spouse during a previous nociceptive immersion. Immersion of the arm in a bath of lukewarm water without empathic (video) observation was also included as a control condition. A strong inhibitory response activated by the mere observation of the video of themselves or their spouse in pain without a nociceptive conditioning stimulus. Associative statistics also showed that strong pain catastrophizing responses while watching the video resulted in stronger pain inhibition. Moreover, high levels of empathy were associated with stronger pain inhibition, but only for women. This study showed that observing someone in pain triggers descending pain inhibition. Results also demonstrate how empathy and gender are affecting pain modulation mechanisms.

Tyrosine Kinase Btk Is Required for NK Cell Activation

PubMed Central

Bao, Yan; Zheng, Jian; Han, Chaofeng; Jin, Jing; Han, Huanxing; Liu, Yinping; Lau, Yu-Lung; Tu, Wenwei; Cao, Xuetao

2012-01-01

Bruton tyrosine kinase (Btk) is not only critical for B cell development and differentiation but is also involved in the regulation of Toll-like receptor-triggered innate response of macrophages. However, whether Btk is involved in the regulation of natural killer (NK) cell innate function remains unknown. Here, we show that Btk expression is up-regulated during maturation and activation of mouse NK cells. Murine Btk−/− NK cells have decreased innate immune responses to the TLR3 ligand, with reduced expressions of IFN-γ, perforin, and granzyme-B and decreased cytotoxic activity. Furthermore, Btk is found to promote TLR3-triggered NK cell activation mainly by activating the NF-κB pathway. Poly(I:C)-induced NK cell-mediated acute hepatitis was observed to be attenuated in Btk−/− mice or the mice with in vivo administration of the Btk inhibitor. Correspondingly, liver damage was aggravated in Btk−/− mice after the adoptive transfer of Btk+/+ NK cells, further indicating that Btk-mediated NK cell activation contributes to TLR3-triggered acute liver injury. Importantly, reduced TLR3-triggered activation of human NK cells was observed in Btk-deficient patients with X-linked agammaglobulinemia, as evidenced by the reduced IFN-γ, CD69, and CD107a expression and cytotoxic activity. These results indicate that Btk is required for activation of NK cells, thus providing insight into the physiological significance of Btk in the regulation of immune cell functions and innate inflammatory response. PMID:22589540

Tyrosine kinase Btk is required for NK cell activation.

PubMed

Bao, Yan; Zheng, Jian; Han, Chaofeng; Jin, Jing; Han, Huanxing; Liu, Yinping; Lau, Yu-Lung; Tu, Wenwei; Cao, Xuetao

2012-07-06

Bruton tyrosine kinase (Btk) is not only critical for B cell development and differentiation but is also involved in the regulation of Toll-like receptor-triggered innate response of macrophages. However, whether Btk is involved in the regulation of natural killer (NK) cell innate function remains unknown. Here, we show that Btk expression is up-regulated during maturation and activation of mouse NK cells. Murine Btk(-/-) NK cells have decreased innate immune responses to the TLR3 ligand, with reduced expressions of IFN-γ, perforin, and granzyme-B and decreased cytotoxic activity. Furthermore, Btk is found to promote TLR3-triggered NK cell activation mainly by activating the NF-κB pathway. Poly(I:C)-induced NK cell-mediated acute hepatitis was observed to be attenuated in Btk(-/-) mice or the mice with in vivo administration of the Btk inhibitor. Correspondingly, liver damage was aggravated in Btk(-/-) mice after the adoptive transfer of Btk(+/+) NK cells, further indicating that Btk-mediated NK cell activation contributes to TLR3-triggered acute liver injury. Importantly, reduced TLR3-triggered activation of human NK cells was observed in Btk-deficient patients with X-linked agammaglobulinemia, as evidenced by the reduced IFN-γ, CD69, and CD107a expression and cytotoxic activity. These results indicate that Btk is required for activation of NK cells, thus providing insight into the physiological significance of Btk in the regulation of immune cell functions and innate inflammatory response.

Smart nanovehicles based on pH-triggered disassembly of supramolecular peptide-amphiphiles for efficient intracellular drug delivery.

PubMed

Xu, Xianghui; Li, Yunkun; Li, Haiping; Liu, Rong; Sheng, Mingming; He, Bin; Gu, Zhongwei

2014-03-26

A novel type of nanovehicle (NV) based on stimuli-responsive supramolecular peptide-amphiphiles (SPAs, dendritic poly (L-lysine) non-covalently linked poly (L-leucine)) is developed for intracellular drug delivery. To determine the pH-dependent mechanism, the supramolecular peptide-amphiphile system (SPAS) is investigated at different pH conditions using a variety of physical and chemical approaches. The pH-triggered disassembly of SPAS can be attributed to the disappearance of non-covalent interactions within SPAs around the isoelectric point of poly (L-leucine). SPAS is found to encapsulate guest molecules at pH 7.4 but release them at pH 6.2. In this way, SPAS is able to act as a smart NV to deliver its target to tumor cells using intracellular pH as a trigger. The DOX-loaded NVs are approximately 150 nm in size. In vitro release profiles and confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) images of HepG2 cells confirm that lower pH conditions can trigger the disassembly of NVs and so achieve pH-dependent intracellular DOX delivery. In vitro cytotoxicity of the DOX-loaded NVs to HepG2 cells demonstrate that the smart NVs enhance the efficacy of hydrophobic DOX. Fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) and CLSM results show that the NVs can enhance the endocytosis of DOX into HepG2 cells considerably and deliver DOX to the nuclei. © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Linking neocortical, cognitive, and genetic variability in autism with alterations of brain plasticity: the Trigger-Threshold-Target model.

PubMed

Mottron, Laurent; Belleville, Sylvie; Rouleau, Guy A; Collignon, Olivier

2014-11-01

The phenotype of autism involves heterogeneous adaptive traits (strengths vs. disabilities), different domains of alterations (social vs. non-social), and various associated genetic conditions (syndromic vs. nonsyndromic autism). Three observations suggest that alterations in experience-dependent plasticity are an etiological factor in autism: (1) the main cognitive domains enhanced in autism are controlled by the most plastic cortical brain regions, the multimodal association cortices; (2) autism and sensory deprivation share several features of cortical and functional reorganization; and (3) genetic mutations and/or environmental insults involved in autism all appear to affect developmental synaptic plasticity, and mostly lead to its upregulation. We present the Trigger-Threshold-Target (TTT) model of autism to organize these findings. In this model, genetic mutations trigger brain reorganization in individuals with a low plasticity threshold, mostly within regions sensitive to cortical reallocations. These changes account for the cognitive enhancements and reduced social expertise associated with autism. Enhanced but normal plasticity may underlie non-syndromic autism, whereas syndromic autism may occur when a triggering mutation or event produces an altered plastic reaction, also resulting in intellectual disability and dysmorphism in addition to autism. Differences in the target of brain reorganization (perceptual vs. language regions) account for the main autistic subgroups. In light of this model, future research should investigate how individual and sex-related differences in synaptic/regional brain plasticity influence the occurrence of autism. Copyright © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Effects of hydromechanical loading history and antecedent soil mechanical damage on shallow landslide triggering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fan, Linfeng; Lehmann, Peter; Or, Dani

2015-10-01

Evidence suggests that the sudden triggering of rainfall-induced shallow landslides is preceded by accumulation of local internal failures in the soil mantle before their abrupt coalescence into a landslide failure plane. The mechanical status of a hillslope at any given time reflects competition between local damage accumulated during antecedent rainfall events and rates of mechanical healing (e.g., rebonding of microcracks and root regrowth). This dynamic interplay between damage accumulation and healing rates determines the initial mechanical state for landslide modeling. We evaluated the roles of these dynamic processes on landslide characteristics and patterns using a hydromechanical landslide-triggering model for a sequence of rainfall scenarios. The progressive nature of soil failure was represented by the fiber bundle model formalism that considers threshold strength of mechanical bonds linking adjacent soil columns and bedrock. The antecedent damage induced by prior rainfall events was expressed by the fraction of broken fibers that gradually regain strength or mechanically heal at rates specific to soil and roots. Results indicate that antecedent damage accelerates landslide initiation relative to pristine (undamaged) hillslopes. The volumes of first triggered landslides increase with increasing antecedent damage; however, for heavily damaged hillslopes, landslide volumes tend to decrease. Elapsed time between rainfall events allows mechanical healing that reduces the effects of antecedent damage. This study proposed a quantitative framework for systematically incorporating hydromechanical loading history and information on precursor events (e.g., such as recorded by acoustic emissions) into shallow landslide hazard assessment.

Typhoon induced summer cold shock advected by Kuroshio off eastern Taiwan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuo, Yi-Chun; Zheng, Zhe-Wen; Zheng, Quanan; Gopalakrishnan, Ganesh; Lee, Chia-Ying; Chern, Shi-We; Chao, Yan-Hao

2017-01-01

In this study, we used satellite observations, in-situ measurements, and numerical modelling to investigate an extreme temperature change triggered by a typhoon in the ocean near the Kuroshio region off eastern Taiwan. With the westward passage of Typhoon Morakot in 2009 through Taiwan, a distinct cool wake was generated at the southeastern corner of Taiwan (CWSET) and moved towards the downstream Kuroshio region; it involved a precipitous cooling of at least 4 °C within 10-20 km of the coast. Rapid and drastic temperature drops triggered by the CWSET and advected by the strong conveyor belt effect of the Kuroshio Current are highly probable sources of cold shocks in summer. We clarified the mechanism that generated the CWSET through a series of sensitivity experiments using the Regional Oceanic Modeling System. The cold shock was mainly triggered by local wind stress associated with the typhoon. In addition, the Kuroshio Current was demonstrated to have played a crucial role in both the generation of upwelling off the southeastern coast of Taiwan during the passage of the typhoon and the transporting of this impact downstream. This process was verified through a systematic analysis of all typhoons moving westward through Taiwan from 2005 to 2013. Cold-shock stress is thought to be linked with naturally occurring 'fish kills', and obtaining a more thorough understanding of the CWSET will be helpful for protecting aquaculture off the eastern coast of Taiwan from the impacts of cold shocks triggered by typhoons moving westward through Taiwan in summer.

Identifying causes of adverse events detected by an automated trigger tool through in-depth analysis.

PubMed

Muething, S E; Conway, P H; Kloppenborg, E; Lesko, A; Schoettker, P J; Seid, M; Kotagal, U

2010-10-01

To describe how in-depth analysis of adverse events can reveal underlying causes. Triggers for adverse events were developed using the hospital's computerised medical record (naloxone for opiate-related oversedation and administration of a glucose bolus while on insulin for insulin-related hypoglycaemia). Triggers were identified daily. Based on information from the medical record and interviews, a subject expert determined if an adverse drug event had occurred and then conducted a real-time analysis to identify event characteristics. Expert groups, consisting of frontline staff and specialist physicians, examined event characteristics and determined the apparent cause. 30 insulin-related hypoglycaemia events and 34 opiate-related oversedation events were identified by the triggers over 16 and 21 months, respectively. In the opinion of the experts, patients receiving continuous-infusion insulin and those receiving dextrose only via parenteral nutrition were at increased risk for insulin-related hypoglycaemia. Lack of standardisation in insulin-dosing decisions and variation regarding when and how much to adjust insulin doses in response to changing glucose levels were identified as common causes of the adverse events. Opiate-related oversedation events often occurred within 48 h of surgery. Variation in pain management in the operating room and post-anaesthesia care unit was identified by the experts as potential causes. Variations in practice, multiple services writing orders, multidrug regimens and variations in interpretation of patient assessments were also noted as potential contributing causes. Identification of adverse drug events through an automated trigger system, supplemented by in-depth analysis, can help identify targets for intervention and improvement.

Path to health asthma study: A survey of pediatric asthma in an urban community.

PubMed

Alicea-Alvarez, Norma; Foppiano Palacios, Carlo; Ortiz, Melanie; Huang, Diana; Reeves, Kathleen

2017-04-01

Minority children with asthma who live in low-income urban communities bear a disproportionate burden of the disease. This study explores the perceived health care needs related to asthma care, identifies asthma triggers, potential barriers to care, and assesses the need for additional community resources. We conducted a cross-sectional survey of Hispanic and African American adults (n = 53) who take care of a child with asthma and live in an urban community of North Philadelphia. Input from community leaders was obtained in the development the survey tool resulting in a unique 'community-centric' questionnaire. The survey was also available in Spanish. All surveys were conducted in the community setting. Variables were used to measure asthma severity and triggers. Children were categorized with intermittent (n = 24, 45.3%), mild persistent (n = 13, 24.5%), or moderate-to-severe persistent asthma (n = 16, 30.2%). Most children with persistent asthma were enrolled under Medicaid or CHIP (n = 24, p = 0.011) and reflected a low-income socioeconomic status. Persistent asthma was found to be associated with most triggers: pets, dust mites, mice, mold, and cockroaches. There was no significant association between environmental tobacco smoke and persistent asthma. Children with persistent asthma and 2 or more triggers were more likely to be hospitalized and go to the Emergency Department. Urban minority children living in low-income communities face neighborhood-specific asthma triggers and challenges to care. Studies conducted in urban neighborhoods, with collaboration from community members, will highlight the need of comprehensive services to account for community-centric social determinants.

Electronic Detection of Delayed Test Result Follow-Up in Patients with Hypothyroidism.

PubMed

Meyer, Ashley N D; Murphy, Daniel R; Al-Mutairi, Aymer; Sittig, Dean F; Wei, Li; Russo, Elise; Singh, Hardeep

2017-07-01

Delays in following up abnormal test results are a common problem in outpatient settings. Surveillance systems that use trigger tools to identify delayed follow-up can help reduce missed opportunities in care. To develop and test an electronic health record (EHR)-based trigger algorithm to identify instances of delayed follow-up of abnormal thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) results in patients being treated for hypothyroidism. We developed an algorithm using structured EHR data to identify patients with hypothyroidism who had delayed follow-up (>60 days) after an abnormal TSH. We then retrospectively applied the algorithm to a large EHR data warehouse within the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), on patient records from two large VA networks for the period from January 1, 2011, to December 31, 2011. Identified records were reviewed to confirm the presence of delays in follow-up. During the study period, 645,555 patients were seen in the outpatient setting within the two networks. Of 293,554 patients with at least one TSH test result, the trigger identified 1250 patients on treatment for hypothyroidism with elevated TSH. Of these patients, 271 were flagged as potentially having delayed follow-up of their test result. Chart reviews confirmed delays in 163 of the 271 flagged patients (PPV = 60.1%). An automated trigger algorithm applied to records in a large EHR data warehouse identified patients with hypothyroidism with potential delays in thyroid function test results follow-up. Future prospective application of the TSH trigger algorithm can be used by clinical teams as a surveillance and quality improvement technique to monitor and improve follow-up.

Zika Virus in Ontario: Evaluating a Rapid Risk Assessment Tool for Emerging Infectious Disease Threats.

PubMed

Van Meer, Ryan; Hohenadel, Karin; Fitzgerald-Husek, Alanna; Warshawsky, Bryna; Sider, Doug; Schwartz, Brian; Nelder, Mark P

To determine the Ontario-specific risk of local and travel-related Zika virus transmission in the context of a public health emergency of international concern, Public Health Ontario (PHO) completed a rapid risk assessment (RRA) on January 29, 2016, using a newly developed RRA guidance tool. The RRA concluded that risk of local mosquito-borne transmission was low, with a high risk of imported cases through travel. The RRA was updated 3 times based on predetermined triggers. An independent evaluation assessed both the application of the RRA guidance tool (process evaluation) and the usefulness of the RRA (outcome evaluation). We conducted face-to-face, semi-structured interviews with 7 individuals who participated in the creation or review of the Zika virus RRA and 4 end-users at PHO and the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care. An inductive thematic analysis of responses was undertaken, whereby themes were directly informed by the data. The process evaluation determined that most steps outlined in the RRA guidance tool were adhered to, including forming a cross-functional writing team, clarifying the scope and describing context, completing the RRA summary report, and updating the RRA based on predefined triggers. The outcome evaluation found that end-users judged the Zika virus RRA as evidence-informed, useful, consistent, and timely. The evaluation established that the locally tailored guidance tool, adapted from national and international approaches to RRAs, facilitated a systematic, evidence-informed, and timely formal RRA process at PHO for the Zika virus RRA, which met the needs of end-users. Based on the evaluation, PHO will modify future RRAs by incorporating some flexibility into the literature review process to support timeliness of the RRA, explicitly describing the limitations of studies used to inform the RRA, and refining risk algorithms to better suit emerging infectious disease threats. It is anticipated that these refinements will improve upon the timely assessment of novel or reemerging infectious diseases.

Migraine and triggers: Post hoc ergo propter hoc?

PubMed Central

Hoffmann, Jan; Recober, Ana

2013-01-01

The influence of environmental factors on the clinical manifestation of migraine has been a matter of extensive debate over the past decades. Migraineurs commonly report foods, alcohol, meteorologic or atmospheric changes, exposure to light, sounds, or odors, as factors that trigger or aggravate their migraine attacks. In the same way, physicians frequently follow this belief in their recommendations in how migraineurs may reduce their attack frequency, especially with regard to the consumption of certain food components. Interestingly, despite being such a common belief, most of the clinical studies have shown conflicting results. The aim of the review is to critically analyze clinical and pathophysiological facts that support or refute a correlation between certain environmental stimuli and the occurrence of migraine attacks. Given the substantial discrepancy between patients' reports and objective clinical data, the methodological difficulties of investigating the link between environmental factors and migraine are highlighted. PMID:23996725

New insights in the pathogenesis of atopic disease.

PubMed

Ionescu, John G

2009-01-01

A causal link between the increasing environmental pollution and the fast spreading of allergic diseases is currently discussed. The exogenic and endogenic noxious agents contributing to the total environmental load are primarily acting through immunotoxic, sensitizing and neurotoxic mechanisms in animal experiments and in humans. Beside classic allergic-triggering factors (allergen potency, intermittent exposure to different allergen concentrations, presence of microbial bodies and sensitizing phenols), the adjuvant role of environmental pollutants gains increasing importance in allergy induction. Our therapy experience with more than 18.000 atopic eczema patients shows that beside allergic reactions pseudoallergic mechanisms through toxic environmental agents (formaldehyde, industrial and traffic smog, wood preservatives, microbial toxins, additive-rich food, nicotine, alcohol, pesticides, solvents, amalgam-heavy metals) are increasingly incriminated as causal factors for the complex symptomatology. The avoidance and elimination of such triggering factors before and during pregnancy and in early childhood may result in a significant decrease of the incidence of atopic diseases.

Stress and Primary Headache: Review of the Research and Clinical Management.

PubMed

Martin, Paul R

2016-07-01

This review begins with a discussion of the nature of stress and then presents the functional model of primary headache as a framework for conceptualizing the complex relationship between stress and headaches. Research is reviewed on stress as a trigger of headaches and how stress can play a role in the developmental and psychosocial context of headaches. Clinical management of headaches from a stress perspective is considered both at the level of trials of behavioral interventions that broadly fit into the stress management category and the additional strategies that might be useful for individual cases based on the research demonstrating associations between stress and headaches. The review concludes by suggesting that although some researchers have questioned whether stress can trigger headaches, overall, the literature is still supportive of such a link. Advances in methodology are discussed, the recent emphasis on protective factors is welcomed, and directions for future research suggested.

A vertical handoff decision algorithm based on ARMA prediction model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Ru; Shen, Jiao; Chen, Jun; Liu, Qiuhuan

2012-01-01

With the development of computer technology and the increasing demand for mobile communications, the next generation wireless networks will be composed of various wireless networks (e.g., WiMAX and WiFi). Vertical handoff is a key technology of next generation wireless networks. During the vertical handoff procedure, handoff decision is a crucial issue for an efficient mobility. Based on auto regression moving average (ARMA) prediction model, we propose a vertical handoff decision algorithm, which aims to improve the performance of vertical handoff and avoid unnecessary handoff. Based on the current received signal strength (RSS) and the previous RSS, the proposed approach adopt ARMA model to predict the next RSS. And then according to the predicted RSS to determine whether trigger the link layer triggering event and complete vertical handoff. The simulation results indicate that the proposed algorithm outperforms the RSS-based scheme with a threshold in the performance of handoff and the number of handoff.

Modulation of tissue repair by regeneration enhancer elements.

PubMed

Kang, Junsu; Hu, Jianxin; Karra, Ravi; Dickson, Amy L; Tornini, Valerie A; Nachtrab, Gregory; Gemberling, Matthew; Goldman, Joseph A; Black, Brian L; Poss, Kenneth D

2016-04-14

How tissue regeneration programs are triggered by injury has received limited research attention. Here we investigate the existence of enhancer regulatory elements that are activated in regenerating tissue. Transcriptomic analyses reveal that leptin b (lepb) is highly induced in regenerating hearts and fins of zebrafish. Epigenetic profiling identified a short DNA sequence element upstream and distal to lepb that acquires open chromatin marks during regeneration and enables injury-dependent expression from minimal promoters. This element could activate expression in injured neonatal mouse tissues and was divisible into tissue-specific modules sufficient for expression in regenerating zebrafish fins or hearts. Simple enhancer-effector transgenes employing lepb-linked sequences upstream of pro- or anti-regenerative factors controlled the efficacy of regeneration in zebrafish. Our findings provide evidence for 'tissue regeneration enhancer elements' (TREEs) that trigger gene expression in injury sites and can be engineered to modulate the regenerative potential of vertebrate organs.

Spatial signals link exit from mitosis to spindle position.

PubMed

Falk, Jill Elaine; Tsuchiya, Dai; Verdaasdonk, Jolien; Lacefield, Soni; Bloom, Kerry; Amon, Angelika

2016-05-11

In budding yeast, if the spindle becomes mispositioned, cells prevent exit from mitosis by inhibiting the mitotic exit network (MEN). The MEN is a signaling cascade that localizes to spindle pole bodies (SPBs) and activates the phosphatase Cdc14. There are two competing models that explain MEN regulation by spindle position. In the 'zone model', exit from mitosis occurs when a MEN-bearing SPB enters the bud. The 'cMT-bud neck model' posits that cytoplasmic microtubule (cMT)-bud neck interactions prevent MEN activity. Here we find that 1) eliminating cMT- bud neck interactions does not trigger exit from mitosis and 2) loss of these interactions does not precede Cdc14 activation. Furthermore, using binucleate cells, we show that exit from mitosis occurs when one SPB enters the bud despite the presence of a mispositioned spindle. We conclude that exit from mitosis is triggered by a correctly positioned spindle rather than inhibited by improper spindle position.

New Insights in the Pathogenesis of Atopic Disease

PubMed Central

Ionescu, GJ

2009-01-01

A causal link between the increasing environmental pollution and the fast spreading of allergic diseases is currently discussed. The exogenic and endogenic noxious agents contributing to the total environmental load are primarily acting through immunotoxic, sensitizing and neurotoxic mechanisms in animal experiments and in humans. Beside classic allergic–triggering factors (allergen potency, intermittent exposure to different allergen concentrations, presence of microbial bodies and sensitizing phenols), the adjuvant role of environmental pollutants gains increasing importance in allergy induction. Our therapy experience with more than 18.000 atopic eczema patients shows that beside allergic reactions pseudoallergic mechanisms through toxic environmental agents (formaldehyde, industrial and traffic smog, wood preservatives, microbial toxins, additive–rich food, nicotine, alcohol, pesticides, solvents, amalgam–heavy metals) are increasingly incriminated as causal factors for the complex symptomatology. The avoidance and elimination of such triggering factors before and during pregnancy and in early childhood may result in a significant decrease of the incidence of atopic diseases.

New Insights in the Pathogenesis of Atopic Disease

PubMed Central

John G., Ionescu

2009-01-01

A causal link between the increasing environmental pollution and the fast spreading of allergic diseases is currently discussed. The exogenic and endogenic noxious agents contributing to the total environmental load are primarily acting through immunotoxic, sensitizing and neurotoxic mechanisms in animal experiments and in humans. Beside classic allergic-triggering factors (allergen potency, intermittent exposure to different allergen concentrations, presence of microbial bodies and sensitizing phenols), the adjuvant role of environmental pollutants gains increasing importance in allergy induction. Our therapy experience with more than 18.000 atopic eczema patients shows that beside allergic reactions pseudoallergic mechanisms through toxic environmental agents (formaldehyde, industrial and traffic smog, wood preservatives, microbial toxins, additive-rich food, nicotine, alcohol, pesticides, solvents, amalgam-heavy metals) are increasingly incriminated as causal factors for the complex symptomatology. The avoidance and elimination of such triggering factors before and during pregnancy and in early childhood may result in a significant decrease of the incidence of atopic diseases. PMID:20108533

Refractory Genital HPV Infection and Adult-Onset Still Disease: A Case Report and Literature Review.

PubMed

Yu, Xin; Zheng, Heyi

2016-04-01

Adult-onset Still disease (AOSD) is a systemic autoimmune disease (AIID) that can develop after exposure to infectious agents. Genital human papillomavirus (HPV) infection has been reported to induce or exacerbate AIIDs, such as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). No guidelines are available for the management of genital warts in AOSD. Case report and literature review. We report a patient who was diagnosed AOSD in the setting of refractory and recurrent genital HPV infection, demonstrating a possible link between HPV infection and AOSD. In addition, we also discuss the management of genital warts in patients with AOSD. To the best of our knowledge, no previous cases of AOSD with genital HPV infection have been reported in literature. We then conclude that the patient AOSD may be triggered by primary HPV infection. Larger number of patient samples is needed to confirm whether HPV could trigger AOSD.

A PCIe Gen3 based readout for the LHCb upgrade

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bellato, M.; Collazuol, G.; D'Antone, I.; Durante, P.; Galli, D.; Jost, B.; Lax, I.; Liu, G.; Marconi, U.; Neufeld, N.; Schwemmer, R.; Vagnoni, V.

2014-06-01

The architecture of the data acquisition system foreseen for the LHCb upgrade, to be installed by 2018, is devised to readout events trigger-less, synchronously with the LHC bunch crossing rate at 40 MHz. Within this approach the readout boards act as a bridge between the front-end electronics and the High Level Trigger (HLT) computing farm. The baseline design for the LHCb readout is an ATCA board requiring dedicated crates. A local area standard network protocol is implemented in the on-board FPGAs to read out the data. The alternative solution proposed here consists in building the readout boards as PCIe peripherals of the event-builder servers. The main architectural advantage is that protocol and link-technology of the event-builder can be left open until very late, to profit from the most cost-effective industry technology available at the time of the LHC LS2.

Chronic stress triggers social aversion via glucocorticoid receptor in dopaminoceptive neurons.

PubMed

Barik, Jacques; Marti, Fabio; Morel, Carole; Fernandez, Sebastian P; Lanteri, Christophe; Godeheu, Gérard; Tassin, Jean-Pol; Mombereau, Cédric; Faure, Philippe; Tronche, François

2013-01-18

Repeated traumatic events induce long-lasting behavioral changes that are key to organism adaptation and that affect cognitive, emotional, and social behaviors. Rodents subjected to repeated instances of aggression develop enduring social aversion and increased anxiety. Such repeated aggressions trigger a stress response, resulting in glucocorticoid release and activation of the ascending dopamine (DA) system. We bred mice with selective inactivation of the gene encoding the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) along the DA pathway, and exposed them to repeated aggressions. GR in dopaminoceptive but not DA-releasing neurons specifically promoted social aversion as well as dopaminergic neurochemical and electrophysiological neuroadaptations. Anxiety and fear memories remained unaffected. Acute inhibition of the activity of DA-releasing neurons fully restored social interaction in socially defeated wild-type mice. Our data suggest a GR-dependent neuronal dichotomy for the regulation of emotional and social behaviors, and clearly implicate GR as a link between stress resiliency and dopaminergic tone.

An improved camera trap for amphibians, reptiles, small mammals, and large invertebrates

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Camera traps are valuable sampling tools commonly used to inventory and monitor wildlife communities but are challenged to reliably sample small animals. We introduce a novel active camera trap system enabling the reliable and efficient use of wildlife cameras for sampling small animals, particularly reptiles, amphibians, small mammals and large invertebrates. It surpasses the detection ability of commonly used passive infrared (PIR) cameras for this application and eliminates problems such as high rates of false triggers and high variability in detection rates among cameras and study locations. Our system, which employs a HALT trigger, is capable of coupling to digital PIR cameras and is designed for detecting small animals traversing small tunnels, narrow trails, small clearings and along walls or drift fencing. PMID:28981533

New tools for linking human and earth system models: The Toolbox for Human-Earth System Interaction & Scaling (THESIS)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

O'Neill, B. C.; Kauffman, B.; Lawrence, P.

2016-12-01

Integrated analysis of questions regarding land, water, and energy resources often requires integration of models of different types. One type of integration is between human and earth system models, since both societal and physical processes influence these resources. For example, human processes such as changes in population, economic conditions, and policies govern the demand for land, water and energy, while the interactions of these resources with physical systems determine their availability and environmental consequences. We have begun to develop and use a toolkit for linking human and earth system models called the Toolbox for Human-Earth System Integration and Scaling (THESIS). THESIS consists of models and software tools to translate, scale, and synthesize information from and between human system models and earth system models (ESMs), with initial application to linking the NCAR integrated assessment model, iPETS, with the NCAR earth system model, CESM. Initial development is focused on urban areas and agriculture, sectors that are both explicitly represented in both CESM and iPETS. Tools are being made available to the community as they are completed (see https://www2.cgd.ucar.edu/sections/tss/iam/THESIS_tools). We discuss four general types of functions that THESIS tools serve (Spatial Distribution, Spatial Properties, Consistency, and Outcome Evaluation). Tools are designed to be modular and can be combined in order to carry out more complex analyses. We illustrate their application to both the exposure of population to climate extremes and to the evaluation of climate impacts on the agriculture sector. For example, projecting exposure to climate extremes involves use of THESIS tools for spatial population, spatial urban land cover, the characteristics of both, and a tool to bring urban climate information together with spatial population information. Development of THESIS tools is continuing and open to the research community.

Exposure Assessment Tools by Media - Air

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

EPA ExpoBox is a toolbox for exposure assessors. Its purpose is to provide a compendium of exposure assessment and risk characterization tools that will present comprehensive step-by-step guidance and links to relevant exposure assessment data bases

Exposure Assessment Tools by Routes - Inhalation

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

EPA ExpoBox is a toolbox for exposure assessors. Its purpose is to provide a compendium of exposure assessment and risk characterization tools that will present comprehensive step-by-step guidance and links to relevant exposure assessment data bases

Exposure Assessment Tools by Chemical Classes

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

EPA ExpoBox is a toolbox for exposure assessors. Its purpose is to provide a compendium of exposure assessment and risk characterization tools that will present comprehensive step-by-step guidance and links to relevant exposure assessment data bases

Exposure Assessment Tools by Routes

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

EPA ExpoBox is a toolbox for exposure assessors. Its purpose is to provide a compendium of exposure assessment and risk characterization tools that will present comprehensive step-by-step guidance and links to relevant exposure assessment data bases

Exposure Assessment Tools by Media - Food

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

EPA ExpoBox is a toolbox for exposure assessors. Its purpose is to provide a compendium of exposure assessment and risk characterization tools that will present comprehensive step-by-step guidance and links to relevant exposure assessment data bases

Exposure Assessment Tools by Media

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

EPA ExpoBox is a toolbox for exposure assessors. Its purpose is to provide a compendium of exposure assessment and risk characterization tools that will present comprehensive step-by-step guidance and links to relevant exposure assessment data bases

Exposure Assessment Tools by Routes - Ingestion

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

EPA ExpoBox is a toolbox for exposure assessors. Its purpose is to provide a compendium of exposure assessment and risk characterization tools that will present comprehensive step-by-step guidance and links to relevant exposure assessment data bases

Exposure Assessment Tools by Approaches

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

EPA ExpoBox is a toolbox for exposure assessors. Its purpose is to provide a compendium of exposure assessment and risk characterization tools that will present comprehensive step-by-step guidance and links to relevant exposure assessment data bases

Links | Efficient Windows Collaborative

Science.gov Websites

Foundry Foundry New Construction Windows Window Selection Tool Selection Process Design Guidance Installation Replacement Windows Window Selection Tool Assessing Options Selection Process Design Guidance Installation Understanding Windows Benefits Design Considerations Measuring Performance Performance Standards

EPA EcoBox Tools by Stressors - Biological

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Eco-Box is a toolbox for exposure assessors. Its purpose is to provide a compendium of exposure assessment and risk characterization tools that will present comprehensive step-by-step guidance and links to relevant exposure assessment data bases

Exposure Assessment Tools by Routes - Dermal

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

EPA ExpoBox is a toolbox for exposure assessors. Its purpose is to provide a compendium of exposure assessment and risk characterization tools that will present comprehensive step-by-step guidance and links to relevant exposure assessment data bases

EPA EcoBox Tools by Stressors - Physical

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Eco-Box is a toolbox for exposure assessors. Its purpose is to provide a compendium of exposure assessment and risk characterization tools that will present comprehensive step-by-step guidance and links to relevant exposure assessment data bases

EPA EcoBox Tools by Stressors

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Eco-Box is a toolbox for exposure assessors. Its purpose is to provide a compendium of exposure assessment and risk characterization tools that will present comprehensive step-by-step guidance and links to relevant exposure assessment data bases

EPA EcoBox Tools by Effects - Aquatic

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Eco-Box is a toolbox for exposure assessors. Its purpose is to provide a compendium of exposure assessment and risk characterization tools that will present comprehensive step-by-step guidance and links to relevant exposure assessment data bases

EPA EcoBox Tools by Exposure Pathways

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Eco-Box is a toolbox for exposure assessors. Its purpose is to provide a compendium of exposure assessment and risk characterization tools that will present comprehensive step-by-step guidance and links to relevant exposure assessment data bases

EPA EcoBox Tools by Effects - References

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Eco-Box is a toolbox for exposure assessors. Its purpose is to provide a compendium of exposure assessment and risk characterization tools that will present comprehensive step-by-step guidance and links to relevant exposure assessment data bases

EPA EcoBox Tools by Stressors - References

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Eco-Box is a toolbox for exposure assessors. Its purpose is to provide a compendium of exposure assessment and risk characterization tools that will present comprehensive step-by-step guidance and links to relevant exposure assessment data bases

EPA EcoBox Tools by Stressors - Chemical

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Eco-Box is a toolbox for exposure assessors. Its purpose is to provide a compendium of exposure assessment and risk characterization tools that will present comprehensive step-by-step guidance and links to relevant exposure assessment data bases

EPA EcoBox Tools by Effects

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Eco-Box is a toolbox for exposure assessors. Its purpose is to provide a compendium of exposure assessment and risk characterization tools that will present comprehensive step-by-step guidance and links to relevant exposure assessment data bases

EPA EcoBox Tools by Receptors - Biota

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Eco-Box is a toolbox for exposure assessors. Its purpose is to provide a compendium of exposure assessment and risk characterization tools that will present comprehensive step-by-step guidance and links to relevant exposure assessment data bases

EPA EcoBox Tools by Receptors

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Eco-Box is a toolbox for exposure assessors. Its purpose is to provide a compendium of exposure assessment and risk characterization tools that will present comprehensive step-by-step guidance and links to relevant exposure assessment data bases

EPA EcoBox Tools by Receptors - References

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Eco-Box is a toolbox for exposure assessors. Its purpose is to provide a compendium of exposure assessment and risk characterization tools that will present comprehensive step-by-step guidance and links to relevant exposure assessment data bases

EPA EcoBox Tools by Effects - Terrestrial

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Eco-Box is a toolbox for exposure assessors. Its purpose is to provide a compendium of exposure assessment and risk characterization tools that will present comprehensive step-by-step guidance and links to relevant exposure assessment data bases

Hekate: Software Suite for the Mass Spectrometric Analysis and Three-Dimensional Visualization of Cross-Linked Protein Samples

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Chemical cross-linking of proteins combined with mass spectrometry provides an attractive and novel method for the analysis of native protein structures and protein complexes. Analysis of the data however is complex. Only a small number of cross-linked peptides are produced during sample preparation and must be identified against a background of more abundant native peptides. To facilitate the search and identification of cross-linked peptides, we have developed a novel software suite, named Hekate. Hekate is a suite of tools that address the challenges involved in analyzing protein cross-linking experiments when combined with mass spectrometry. The software is an integrated pipeline for the automation of the data analysis workflow and provides a novel scoring system based on principles of linear peptide analysis. In addition, it provides a tool for the visualization of identified cross-links using three-dimensional models, which is particularly useful when combining chemical cross-linking with other structural techniques. Hekate was validated by the comparative analysis of cytochrome c (bovine heart) against previously reported data.1 Further validation was carried out on known structural elements of DNA polymerase III, the catalytic α-subunit of the Escherichia coli DNA replisome along with new insight into the previously uncharacterized C-terminal domain of the protein. PMID:24010795

Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Organization

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-01-01

searches increased exponentially. Palantir . Developed to provide C-IED network analysts with a collaborative link analysis tool, Palantir is used for...share data between teams and between other link analysis applications. Palantir outputs portray linked nodal networks, histogram data, and timeline...views. During FY 2008, the Palantir system was accessed by over 160 people investigating IED networks. Analyses by these people supported over

Creative Exercises (CEs) in the Biochemistry Domain: An Analysis of Students' Linking of Chemical and Biochemical Concepts

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Warfa, Abdi-Rizak M.; Odowa, N.

2015-01-01

Creative exercises (CEs), a specific form of open-ended assessment tools, have been shown to promote students' linking of prior and newly learned concepts within a course. In this study, we examined how often students in an upper-division undergraduate biochemistry course linked prior chemical concepts to biochemical ones in response to CE…

Peer Review Documents Related to the Evaluation of ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

BMDS is one of the Agency's premier tools for estimating risk assessments, therefore the validity and reliability of its statistical models are of paramount importance. This page provides links to peer review and expert summaries of the BMDS application and its models as they were developed and eventually released documenting the rigorous review process taken to provide the best science tools available for statistical modeling. This page provides links to peer reviews and expert summaries of the BMDS applications and its models as they were developed and eventually released.

Design of an optical PPM communication link in the presence of component tolerances

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chen, C.-C.

1988-01-01

A systematic approach is described for estimating the performance of an optical direct detection pulse position modulation (PPM) communication link in the presence of parameter tolerances. This approach was incorporated into the JPL optical link analysis program to provide a useful tool for optical link design. Given a set of system parameters and their tolerance specifications, the program will calculate the nominal performance margin and its standard deviation. Through use of these values, the optical link can be designed to perform adequately even under adverse operating conditions.

[Public and private in times of the pest].

PubMed

Caponi, S

1999-01-01

The paper explores how Hannah Arendt's oppositions public-private and intimate-social can be used as an analytical tool to better understand a very concrete, extreme situation: the state of emergency triggered when an epidemiological outbreak hits a city, totally altering its inhabitants lives. Studied observation of what specific individuals (be they imagined or real) feel and think during times of epidemic is an underutilized tool that may prove helpful in studying epidemics themselves. Focusing on Camus' "The pest" and events in the city of Oran, the article looks at how victims of the plague felt about their public or private lives and their intimate and social ties.

Distributed Cognition (DCOG): Foundations for a Computational Associative Memory Model

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-08-01

retrieved through context and attention . Instead of looking up an old exemplar in memory, we simulate it by activating the same (or almost the same) set of...association, regardless of current activation. We restrict our attention here to immediate links; although the algorithm can be generalized to include...recognition. A shift in attention may, by creating a new context, trigger the recognition of a concept. A detailed example of the use of attention in

Visual Confirmation of Voice Takeoff Clearance (VICON) Operational Evaluation. Volume 2. Operations and Maintenance Manual

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-02-01

cabinet and the field. The momentary contacts from the switches of the control panel trigger the respective circuits in module I. This circuit then... module (approximately 40 milliamperes at 70-100 detector, filter, threshold circuit and alarm relay. A block volts) Into microwave energy at X-band...advantageous to use different N.C. Terminals. NOTE: If open circuit tamper switch is modulation frequencies on links operating within close prox

Physically based modeling of rainfall-triggered landslides: a case study in the Luquillo forest, Puerto Rico

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lepore, C.; Arnone, E.; Noto, L. V.; Sivandran, G.; Bras, R. L.

2013-09-01

This paper presents the development of a rainfall-triggered landslide module within an existing physically based spatially distributed ecohydrologic model. The model, tRIBS-VEGGIE (Triangulated Irregular Networks-based Real-time Integrated Basin Simulator and Vegetation Generator for Interactive Evolution), is capable of a sophisticated description of many hydrological processes; in particular, the soil moisture dynamics are resolved at a temporal and spatial resolution required to examine the triggering mechanisms of rainfall-induced landslides. The validity of the tRIBS-VEGGIE model to a tropical environment is shown with an evaluation of its performance against direct observations made within the study area of Luquillo Forest. The newly developed landslide module builds upon the previous version of the tRIBS landslide component. This new module utilizes a numerical solution to the Richards' equation (present in tRIBS-VEGGIE but not in tRIBS), which better represents the time evolution of soil moisture transport through the soil column. Moreover, the new landslide module utilizes an extended formulation of the factor of safety (FS) to correctly quantify the role of matric suction in slope stability and to account for unsaturated conditions in the evaluation of FS. The new modeling framework couples the capabilities of the detailed hydrologic model to describe soil moisture dynamics with the infinite slope model, creating a powerful tool for the assessment of rainfall-triggered landslide risk.

The outdoor air quality flag program in central California: a school-based educational intervention to potentially help reduce children's exposure to environmental asthma triggers.

PubMed

Shendell, Derek G; Rawling, Mary-Michal; Foster, Christine; Bohlke, Alicia; Edwards, Bobbie; Rico, Susie A; Felix, Justina; Eaton, Sandra; Moen, Stephanie; Roberts, Eric M; Love, Mary Beth

2007-10-01

This paper describes a novel school-based, visual environmental public health educational intervention intended to help reduce the exposure of children-and adults-to outdoor air pollution, including known environmental asthma triggers like ozone and particles. The overarching goal was to enhance the learning, recreational, and work environments of students and staff. The specific purpose of the Asthma-Friendly Outdoor (Ambient) Air Quality Flag Program was to establish an education and communication tool for Central California communities that would accomplish two things: (1) Establish permanent local policy change to existing operating procedures in school districts and schools to help reduce the exposure of students, teachers, staff, and nearby communities to outdoor environmental asthma triggers and (2) provide education on air quality and potential health effects of exposure to air pollutants. Data on the program from its initial years are presented. To date, the following important lessons have been learned: (1) Science-based, simple, visual, low-cost school-based educational interventions to help reduce human exposure to outdoor environmental asthma triggers (i.e., ozone, particles, and pollens) can work in socioeconomically and ethnically diverse urban and rural or agricultural communities, and (2) local health and environmental justice groups such as asthma coalitions can successfully lead school-based environmental interventions to help improve children's quality of life.

CLL Cells Respond to B-Cell Receptor Stimulation with a MicroRNA/mRNA Signature Associated with MYC Activation and Cell Cycle Progression

PubMed Central

Pede, Valerie; Rombout, Ans; Vermeire, Jolien; Naessens, Evelien; Mestdagh, Pieter; Robberecht, Nore; Vanderstraeten, Hanne; Van Roy, Nadine; Vandesompele, Jo; Speleman, Frank; Philippé, Jan; Verhasselt, Bruno

2013-01-01

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is a disease with variable clinical outcome. Several prognostic factors such as the immunoglobulin heavy chain variable genes (IGHV) mutation status are linked to the B-cell receptor (BCR) complex, supporting a role for triggering the BCR in vivo in the pathogenesis. The miRNA profile upon stimulation and correlation with IGHV mutation status is however unknown. To evaluate the transcriptional response of peripheral blood CLL cells upon BCR stimulation in vitro, miRNA and mRNA expression was measured using hybridization arrays and qPCR. We found both IGHV mutated and unmutated CLL cells to respond with increased expression of MYC and other genes associated with BCR activation, and a phenotype of cell cycle progression. Genome-wide expression studies showed hsa-miR-132-3p/hsa-miR-212 miRNA cluster induction associated with a set of downregulated genes, enriched for genes modulated by BCR activation and amplified by Myc. We conclude that BCR triggering of CLL cells induces a transcriptional response of genes associated with BCR activation, enhanced cell cycle entry and progression and suggest that part of the transcriptional profiles linked to IGHV mutation status observed in isolated peripheral blood are not cell intrinsic but rather secondary to in vivo BCR stimulation. PMID:23560086

A forced damped oscillation framework for undulatory swimming provides new insights into how propulsion arises in active and passive swimming.

PubMed

Bhalla, Amneet Pal Singh; Griffith, Boyce E; Patankar, Neelesh A

2013-01-01

A fundamental issue in locomotion is to understand how muscle forcing produces apparently complex deformation kinematics leading to movement of animals like undulatory swimmers. The question of whether complicated muscle forcing is required to create the observed deformation kinematics is central to the understanding of how animals control movement. In this work, a forced damped oscillation framework is applied to a chain-link model for undulatory swimming to understand how forcing leads to deformation and movement. A unified understanding of swimming, caused by muscle contractions ("active" swimming) or by forces imparted by the surrounding fluid ("passive" swimming), is obtained. We show that the forcing triggers the first few deformation modes of the body, which in turn cause the translational motion. We show that relatively simple forcing patterns can trigger seemingly complex deformation kinematics that lead to movement. For given muscle activation, the forcing frequency relative to the natural frequency of the damped oscillator is important for the emergent deformation characteristics of the body. The proposed approach also leads to a qualitative understanding of optimal deformation kinematics for fast swimming. These results, based on a chain-link model of swimming, are confirmed by fully resolved computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations. Prior results from the literature on the optimal value of stiffness for maximum speed are explained.

Humanitarian information systems and emergencies in the Greater Horn of Africa: logical components and logical linkages.

PubMed

Maxwell, Daniel; Watkins, Ben

2003-03-01

Natural and man-made emergencies are regular occurrences in the Greater Horn of Africa region. The underlying impoverishment of whole populations is increasing, making it more difficult to distinguish between humanitarian crises triggered by shocks and those resulting from chronic poverty. Shocks and hazards can no longer be seen as one-off events that trigger a one-time response. In countries that are both poor and exposed to frequent episodes of debilitating drought or chronic conflict, information needs tend to be different from the straightforward early warning/commodity accounting models of information systems that have proven reliable in past emergencies. This paper describes the interdependent components of a humanitarian information system appropriate for this kind of complex environment, noting the analytical links between the components and operational links to programme and policy. By examining a series of case studies from the Greater Horn region, the paper demonstrates that systems lacking one or more of these components will fail to provide adequate information--and thus incur humanitarian costs. While information always comes with a cost, the price of poor information--or none--is higher. And in situations of chronic vulnerability, in which development interventions are likely to be interspersed with both safety nets and emergency interventions on a recurrent basis, investment in improved information is a good investment from both a humanitarian and a financial viewpoint.

A Forced Damped Oscillation Framework for Undulatory Swimming Provides New Insights into How Propulsion Arises in Active and Passive Swimming

PubMed Central

Bhalla, Amneet Pal Singh; Griffith, Boyce E.; Patankar, Neelesh A.

2013-01-01

A fundamental issue in locomotion is to understand how muscle forcing produces apparently complex deformation kinematics leading to movement of animals like undulatory swimmers. The question of whether complicated muscle forcing is required to create the observed deformation kinematics is central to the understanding of how animals control movement. In this work, a forced damped oscillation framework is applied to a chain-link model for undulatory swimming to understand how forcing leads to deformation and movement. A unified understanding of swimming, caused by muscle contractions (“active” swimming) or by forces imparted by the surrounding fluid (“passive” swimming), is obtained. We show that the forcing triggers the first few deformation modes of the body, which in turn cause the translational motion. We show that relatively simple forcing patterns can trigger seemingly complex deformation kinematics that lead to movement. For given muscle activation, the forcing frequency relative to the natural frequency of the damped oscillator is important for the emergent deformation characteristics of the body. The proposed approach also leads to a qualitative understanding of optimal deformation kinematics for fast swimming. These results, based on a chain-link model of swimming, are confirmed by fully resolved computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations. Prior results from the literature on the optimal value of stiffness for maximum speed are explained. PMID:23785272

Smurf2 negatively modulates RIG-I-dependent antiviral response by targeting VISA/MAVS for ubiquitination and degradation.

PubMed

Pan, Yu; Li, Rui; Meng, Jun-Ling; Mao, He-Ting; Zhang, Yu; Zhang, Jun

2014-05-15

VISA (also known as MAVS, Cardif, IPS-1) is the essential adaptor protein for virus-induced activation of IFN regulatory factors 3 and 7 and production of type I IFNs. Understanding the regulatory mechanisms for VISA will provide detailed insights into the positive or negative regulation of innate immune responses. In this study, we identified Smad ubiquitin regulatory factor (Smurf) 2, one of the Smad ubiquitin regulator factor proteins, as an important negative regulator of virus-triggered type I IFN signaling, which targets at the VISA level. Overexpression of Smurf2 inhibits virus-induced IFN-β and IFN-stimulated response element activation. The E3 ligase defective mutant Smurf2/C716A loses the ability to suppress virus-induced type I IFN signaling, suggesting that the negative regulation is dependent on the ubiquitin E3 ligase activity of Smurf2. Further studies demonstrated that Smurf2 interacted with VISA and targeted VISA for K48-linked ubiquitination, which promoted the degradation of VISA. Consistently, knockout or knockdown of Smurf2 expression therefore promoted antiviral signaling, which was correlated with the increase in protein stability of VISA. Our findings suggest that Smurf2 is an important nonredundant negative regulator of virus-triggered type I IFN signaling by targeting VISA for K48-linked ubiquitination and degradation.