Healing Voids In Interconnections In Integrated Circuits

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cuddihy, Edward F.; Lawton, Russell A.; Gavin, Thomas

1989-01-01

Unusual heat treatment heals voids in aluminum interconnections on integrated circuits (IC's). Treatment consists of heating IC to temperature between 200 degrees C and 400 degrees C, holding it at that temperature, and then plunging IC immediately into liquid nitrogen. Typical holding time at evaluated temperature is 30 minutes.

Experimental Evidence on the Effect of Childhood Investments on Postsecondary Attainment and Degree Completion. NBER Working Paper No. 17533

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dynarski, Susan; Hyman, Joshua M.; Schanzenbach, Diane Whitmore

2011-01-01

This paper examines the effect of early childhood investments on college enrollment and degree completion. We use the random assignment in the Project STAR experiment to estimate the effect of smaller classes in primary school on college entry, college choice, and degree completion. We improve on existing work in this area with unusually detailed…

Experiments with classes of stock suitable for forest planting in the northern Rocky Mountains

Treesearch

W. G. Wahlenberg

1928-01-01

Except in unusually moist years the survival of planted stock in the northern Rocky Mountains, even on favorable slopes, has not been satisfactory. On good and poor sites alike, the principal cause of the unusual degree of mortality has been the combination of dry soil and dry winds during the hot days of July and August. The results have made it clear that the most...

A Study in Child Care (Case Study from Volume II-A): "All Kinds of Love--in a Chinese Restaurant." Day Care Programs Reprint Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rowe, Mary

The West 80th Street Day Care Center represents a community effort to meet the needs of the children and parents in the New York ghetto area it serves. The heart of the program and a major reason for its success is the fact that the center is community-controlled, with an unusually high degree of parent involvement. To help improve the lives of…

Asplenic fulminant sepsis secondary to a dog bite complicated by toxic epidermal necrolysis/Stevens-Johnson syndrome.

PubMed

Teo, Ken G; Anavekar, Namrata S; Yazdabadi, Anosha; Ricketts, Sophie

2012-07-29

We report a case of asplenic fulminant sepsis in Australia following a dog bite which was complicated by toxic epidermal necrolysis/Stevens-Johnson syndrome (TENS/SJS). Capnocytophaga canimorsus, the infective organism, is a rare cause of septicaemia: a high degree of suspicion of this unusual organism and its early aggressive management is paramount. The diagnostic and management difficulties of TENS/SJS in the context of a patient with fulminant sepsis, DIC and on inotropes are also highlighted.

Unusual extension of the first branchial cleft anomaly.

PubMed

Ada, Mehmet; Korkut, Nazim; Güvenç, M Güven; Acioğlu, Engin; Yilmaz, Süleyman; Cevikbaş, Uğur

2006-03-01

First branchial cleft is the only branchial structure that persists as the external ear canal, while all other clefts are resorbed. Incomplete obliteration and the degree of closure cause the varied types of first branchial cleft anomalies. They were classified based on the anatomical and histological features. We present an unusual type of first branchial cleft anomaly involving the external auditory canal, the middle ear and the nasopharynx through the eustachian tube.

High δ56Fe values in Samoan basalts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Konter, J. G.; Pietruszka, A. J.; Hanan, B. B.; Finlayson, V.

2014-12-01

Fe isotope fractionation spans ~0-0.4 permil in igneous systems, which cannot all be attributed to variable source compositions since peridotites barely overlap these compositions. Other processes may fractionate Fe isotopes such as variations in the degree of partial melting, magmatic differentiation, fluid addition related to the final stages of melt evolution, and kinetic fractionation related to diffusion. An important observation in igneous systems is the trend of increasing Fe isotope values against an index of magmatic fractionation (e.g. SiO2; [1]). The data strongly curve from δ56Fe >0.3 permil for SiO2 >70 wt% down to values around 0.09 permil from ~65 wt% down to 40 wt% SiO2 of basalts. However, ocean island basalts (OIBs) have a slightly larger δ56Fe variability than mid ocean ridge basalts (MORBs; [e.g. 2]). We present Fe isotope data on samples from the Samoan Islands (OIB) that have unusually high δ56Fe values for their SiO2 content. We rule out alteration by using fresh samples, and further test for the effects of magmatic processes on the δ56Fe values. In order to model the largest possible fractionation, unusually small degrees of melting with extreme fractionation factors are modeled with fractional crystallization of olivine alone, but such processing fails to fractionate the Fe isotopes to the observed values. Moreover, Samoan lavas likely also fractionated clinopyroxene, and its lower fractionation factor would limit the final δ56Fe value of the melt. We therefore suggest the mantle source of Samoan lavas must have had unusually high δ56Fe. However, there is no clear correlation with the highly radiogenic isotope signatures that reflect the unique source compositions of Samoa. Instead, increasing melt extraction correlates with lower δ56Fe values in peridotites assumed to be driven by the preference for the melt phase by heavy Fe3+, while high values may be related to metasomatism [3]. The latter would be in line with metasomatized xenoliths from Samoa [4]. [1] Heimann et al., 2008, doi:10.1016/j.gca.2008.06.009 [2] Teng et al., 2013, doi:10.1016/j.gca.2012.12.027 [3] Williams et al., 2004, doi: 10.1126/science.1095679 [4] Hauri et al., 1993, doi: 10.1038/365221a0

Weakly-coupled quasi-1D helical modes in disordered 3D topological insulator quantum wires

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dufouleur, J.; Veyrat, L.; Dassonneville, B.; Xypakis, E.; Bardarson, J. H.; Nowka, C.; Hampel, S.; Schumann, J.; Eichler, B.; Schmidt, O. G.; Büchner, B.; Giraud, R.

2017-04-01

Disorder remains a key limitation in the search for robust signatures of topological superconductivity in condensed matter. Whereas clean semiconducting quantum wires gave promising results discussed in terms of Majorana bound states, disorder makes the interpretation more complex. Quantum wires of 3D topological insulators offer a serious alternative due to their perfectly-transmitted mode. An important aspect to consider is the mixing of quasi-1D surface modes due to the strong degree of disorder typical for such materials. Here, we reveal that the energy broadening γ of such modes is much smaller than their energy spacing Δ, an unusual result for highly-disordered mesoscopic nanostructures. This is evidenced by non-universal conductance fluctuations in highly-doped and disordered Bi2Se3 and Bi2Te3 nanowires. Theory shows that such a unique behavior is specific to spin-helical Dirac fermions with strong quantum confinement, which retain ballistic properties over an unusually large energy scale due to their spin texture. Our result confirms their potential to investigate topological superconductivity without ambiguity despite strong disorder.

Weakly-coupled quasi-1D helical modes in disordered 3D topological insulator quantum wires

PubMed Central

Dufouleur, J.; Veyrat, L.; Dassonneville, B.; Xypakis, E.; Bardarson, J. H.; Nowka, C.; Hampel, S.; Schumann, J.; Eichler, B.; Schmidt, O. G.; Büchner, B.; Giraud, R.

2017-01-01

Disorder remains a key limitation in the search for robust signatures of topological superconductivity in condensed matter. Whereas clean semiconducting quantum wires gave promising results discussed in terms of Majorana bound states, disorder makes the interpretation more complex. Quantum wires of 3D topological insulators offer a serious alternative due to their perfectly-transmitted mode. An important aspect to consider is the mixing of quasi-1D surface modes due to the strong degree of disorder typical for such materials. Here, we reveal that the energy broadening γ of such modes is much smaller than their energy spacing Δ, an unusual result for highly-disordered mesoscopic nanostructures. This is evidenced by non-universal conductance fluctuations in highly-doped and disordered Bi2Se3 and Bi2Te3 nanowires. Theory shows that such a unique behavior is specific to spin-helical Dirac fermions with strong quantum confinement, which retain ballistic properties over an unusually large energy scale due to their spin texture. Our result confirms their potential to investigate topological superconductivity without ambiguity despite strong disorder. PMID:28374744

Weakly-coupled quasi-1D helical modes in disordered 3D topological insulator quantum wires.

PubMed

Dufouleur, J; Veyrat, L; Dassonneville, B; Xypakis, E; Bardarson, J H; Nowka, C; Hampel, S; Schumann, J; Eichler, B; Schmidt, O G; Büchner, B; Giraud, R

2017-04-04

Disorder remains a key limitation in the search for robust signatures of topological superconductivity in condensed matter. Whereas clean semiconducting quantum wires gave promising results discussed in terms of Majorana bound states, disorder makes the interpretation more complex. Quantum wires of 3D topological insulators offer a serious alternative due to their perfectly-transmitted mode. An important aspect to consider is the mixing of quasi-1D surface modes due to the strong degree of disorder typical for such materials. Here, we reveal that the energy broadening γ of such modes is much smaller than their energy spacing Δ, an unusual result for highly-disordered mesoscopic nanostructures. This is evidenced by non-universal conductance fluctuations in highly-doped and disordered Bi2Se3 and Bi 2 Te 3 nanowires. Theory shows that such a unique behavior is specific to spin-helical Dirac fermions with strong quantum confinement, which retain ballistic properties over an unusually large energy scale due to their spin texture. Our result confirms their potential to investigate topological superconductivity without ambiguity despite strong disorder.

New Insights on Temporal Lobe Epilepsy Based on Plasticity-Related Network Changes and High-Order Statistics.

PubMed

Kinjo, Erika Reime; Rodríguez, Pedro Xavier Royero; Dos Santos, Bianca Araújo; Higa, Guilherme Shigueto Vilar; Ferraz, Mariana Sacrini Ayres; Schmeltzer, Christian; Rüdiger, Sten; Kihara, Alexandre Hiroaki

2018-05-01

Epilepsy is a disorder of the brain characterized by the predisposition to generate recurrent unprovoked seizures, which involves reshaping of neuronal circuitries based on intense neuronal activity. In this review, we first detailed the regulation of plasticity-associated genes, such as ARC, GAP-43, PSD-95, synapsin, and synaptophysin. Indeed, reshaping of neuronal connectivity after the primary, acute epileptogenesis event increases the excitability of the temporal lobe. Herein, we also discussed the heterogeneity of neuronal populations regarding the number of synaptic connections, which in the theoretical field is commonly referred as degree. Employing integrate-and-fire neuronal model, we determined that in addition to increased synaptic strength, degree correlations might play essential and unsuspected roles in the control of network activity. Indeed, assortativity, which can be described as a condition where high-degree correlations are observed, increases the excitability of neural networks. In this review, we summarized recent topics in the field, and data were discussed according to newly developed or unusual tools, as provided by mathematical graph analysis and high-order statistics. With this, we were able to present new foundations for the pathological activity observed in temporal lobe epilepsy.

Chemoselective Amination of Propargylic C(sp3)–H Bonds via Co(II)-Based Metalloradical Catalysis**

PubMed Central

Li, Chaoqun; Jiang, Huiling; Lizardi, Christopher L.

2014-01-01

Highly chemoselective intramolecular amination of propargylic C(sp3)–H bonds has been demonstrated for N-bishomopropargylic sulfamoyl azides via Co(II)-based metalloradical catalysis. Supported by D2h-symmetric amidoporphyrin ligand 3,5-DitBu-IbuPhyrin, the Co(II)-catalyzed C–H amination process can proceed effectively under neutral and nonoxidative conditions without the need of any additives, generating N2 as the only byproduct. The metalloradical amination is suitable to both secondary and tertiary propargylic C–H substrates with an unusually high degree of functional group tolerance, providing a direct method for high-yielding synthesis of functionalized propargylamine derivatives. PMID:24840605

Group-III elements under high pressure.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Simak, S. I.; Haussermann, U.; Ahuja, R.; Johansson, B.

2000-03-01

At ambient conditions the Group-III elements Ga and In attain unusual open ground-state crystal structures. Recent experiments have discovered that Ga under high pressure transforms into the face-centered (fcc) cubic close-packed structure, while such a transition for In has so far not been observed. We offer a simple explanation for such different behavior based on results from first principles calculations. We predict a so far undiscovered transition of In to the fcc structure at extreme pressures and show that the structure determining mechanism originates from the degree of s-p mixing of the valence orbitals. A unified bonding picture for the Group-III elements is discussed.

Agricultural Education Including Nature Study and School Gardens. Bulletin, 1907, No. 2. Whole Number 368

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jewell, James Ralph

1908-01-01

This monograph was originally prepared as a thesis for the degree of doctor of philosophy at Clark University, and in its original form was accepted by the faculty of that institution in partial satisfaction of the requirements for the degree. It presents an unusually comprehensive survey of the provisions for agricultural education and for…

High growth rate hydride vapor phase epitaxy at low temperature through use of uncracked hydrides

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

Schulte, Kevin L.; Braun, Anna; Simon, John

We demonstrate hydride vapor phase epitaxy (HVPE) of GaAs with unusually high growth rates (RG) at low temperature and atmospheric pressure by employing a hydride-enhanced growth mechanism. Under traditional HVPE growth conditions that involve growth from Asx species, RG exhibits a strong temperature dependence due to slow kinetics at the surface, and growth temperatures >750 degrees C are required to obtain RG > 60 um/h. We demonstrate that when the group V element reaches the surface in a hydride, the kinetic barrier is dramatically reduced and surface kinetics no longer limit RG. In this regime, RG is dependent on massmore » transport of uncracked AsH3 to the surface. By controlling the AsH3 velocity and temperature profile of the reactor, which both affect the degree of AsH3 decomposition, we demonstrate tuning of RG. We achieve RG above 60 um/h at temperatures as low as 560 degrees C and up to 110 um/h at 650 degrees C. We incorporate high-RG GaAs into solar cell devices to verify that the electronic quality does not deteriorate as RG is increased. The open circuit voltage (VOC), which is a strong function of non-radiative recombination in the bulk material, exhibits negligible variance in a series of devices grown at 650 degrees C with RG = 55-110 um/h. The implications of low temperature growth for the formation of complex heterostructure devices by HVPE are discussed.« less

High growth rate hydride vapor phase epitaxy at low temperature through use of uncracked hydrides

DOE PAGES

Schulte, Kevin L.; Braun, Anna; Simon, John; ...

2018-01-22

We demonstrate hydride vapor phase epitaxy (HVPE) of GaAs with unusually high growth rates (RG) at low temperature and atmospheric pressure by employing a hydride-enhanced growth mechanism. Under traditional HVPE growth conditions that involve growth from Asx species, RG exhibits a strong temperature dependence due to slow kinetics at the surface, and growth temperatures >750 degrees C are required to obtain RG > 60 um/h. We demonstrate that when the group V element reaches the surface in a hydride, the kinetic barrier is dramatically reduced and surface kinetics no longer limit RG. In this regime, RG is dependent on massmore » transport of uncracked AsH3 to the surface. By controlling the AsH3 velocity and temperature profile of the reactor, which both affect the degree of AsH3 decomposition, we demonstrate tuning of RG. We achieve RG above 60 um/h at temperatures as low as 560 degrees C and up to 110 um/h at 650 degrees C. We incorporate high-RG GaAs into solar cell devices to verify that the electronic quality does not deteriorate as RG is increased. The open circuit voltage (VOC), which is a strong function of non-radiative recombination in the bulk material, exhibits negligible variance in a series of devices grown at 650 degrees C with RG = 55-110 um/h. The implications of low temperature growth for the formation of complex heterostructure devices by HVPE are discussed.« less

Molecular Analysis of a Novel Methanesulfonic Acid Monooxygenase from the Methylotroph Methylosulfonomonas methylovora

PubMed Central

de Marco, Paolo; Moradas-Ferreira, Pedro; Higgins, Timothy P.; McDonald, Ian; Kenna, Elizabeth M.; Murrell, J. Colin

1999-01-01

Methylosulfonomonas methylovora M2 is an unusual gram-negative methylotrophic bacterium that can grow on methanesulfonic acid (MSA) as the sole source of carbon and energy. Oxidation of MSA by this bacterium is carried out by a multicomponent MSA monooxygenase (MSAMO). Cloning and sequencing of a 7.5-kbp SphI fragment of chromosomal DNA revealed four tightly linked genes encoding this novel monooxygenase. Analysis of the deduced MSAMO polypeptide sequences indicated that the enzyme contains a two-component hydroxylase of the mononuclear-iron-center type. The large subunit of the hydroxylase, MsmA (48 kDa), contains a typical Rieske-type [2Fe–2S] center with an unusual iron-binding motif and, together with the small subunit of the hydroxylase, MsmB (20 kDa), showed a high degree of identity with a number of dioxygenase enzymes. However, the other components of the MSAMO, MsmC, the ferredoxin component, and MsmD, the reductase, more closely resemble those found in other classes of oxygenases. MsmC has a high degree of identity to ferredoxins from toluene and methane monooxygenases, which are enzymes characterized by possessing hydroxylases containing μ-oxo bridge binuclear iron centers. MsmD is a reductase of 38 kDa with a typical chloroplast-like [2Fe–2S] center and conserved flavin adenine dinucleotide- and NAD-binding motifs and is similar to a number of mono- and dioxygenase reductase components. Preliminary analysis of the genes encoding MSAMO from a marine MSA-degrading bacterium, Marinosulfonomonas methylotropha, revealed the presence of msm genes highly related to those found in Methylosulfonomonas, suggesting that MSAMO is a novel type of oxygenase that may be conserved in all MSA-utilizing bacteria. PMID:10094704

46 CFR 170.173 - Criterion for vessels of unusual proportion and form.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... the maximum righting arm occurs at an angle of heel less than or equal to 30 degrees; or (2) Paragraph (b) of this section if the maximum righting arm occurs at an angle of heel greater than 30 degrees...); (2) A righting arm (GZ) of at least 0.66 feet (0.20 meters) at an angle of heel equal to or greater...

Identifying the Source of Large-Scale Atmospheric Variability in Jupiter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Orton, Glenn

2011-01-01

We propose to use the unique mid-infrared filtered imaging and spectroscopic capabilities of the Subaru COMICS instrument to determine the mechanisms associated with recent unusual rapid albedo and color transformations of several of Jupiter's bands, particularly its South Equatorial Belt (SEB), as a means to understand the coupling between its dynamics and chemistry. These observations will characterize the temperature, degree of cloud cover, and distribution of minor gases that serve as indirect tracers of vertical motions in regions that will be undergoing unusual large-scale changes in dynamics and chemistry: the SEB, as well as regions near the equator and Jupiter's North Temperate Belt. COMICS is ideal for this investigation because of its efficiency in doing both imaging and spectroscopy, its 24.5-mum filter that is unique to 8-meter-class telescopes, its wide field of view that allows imaging of nearly all of Jupiter's disk, coupled with a high diffraction-limited angular resolution and optimal mid-infrared atmospheric transparency.

The changing of the guard: Molecular diversity and rapid evolution of beta-defensins.

PubMed

Semple, Colin A; Gautier, Phillipe; Taylor, Karen; Dorin, Julia R

2006-11-01

Defensins are small cationic peptides involved in innate immunity and are components of the first line of defence against invading pathogens. beta-defensins are a subgroup of the defensin family that display a particular cysteine spacing and pattern of intramolecular bonding. These molecules are produced mostly by epithelia lining exposed surfaces and appear to have both antimicrobial and cell signalling functions. The unusually high degree of sequence variation in the mature peptide produced by the paralogous and in some cases orthologous genes implies extensive specialisation and species specific adaptation. Here we review recent functional data that are an important addition to our knowledge of the innate immune response and novel antibiotic design. We also consider the organisation and evolution of the genomic loci harbouring these genes where radical and rapid changes in beta-defensin sequences have been shown to result from the interplay of both positive and negative selection. Consequently these genes provide some unusually clear glimpses of the processes of duplication and specialisation that have shaped the mammalian genome.

The unusual chemical bonding and thermoelectric properties of a new type Zintl phase compounds Ba3Al2As4

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Gui; Zhang, Guangbiao; Wang, Chao; Wang, Yuanxu

2016-07-01

Ba3Al2As4 exhibits an unusual anisotropic electrical conductivity, that is, the electrical conductivity along the chain is smaller than those along other two directions. The results is conflict with previous conclusion for Ca5M2Pn6. Earlier studies on Ca5M2Pn6 showed that a higher electrical conductivity could be obtained along the chain. The band decomposed charge density is used to explain such unusual behavior. Our calculations indicate the existence of a conductive pathway near the Fermi level is responsible for the electrons transport. Further, the Ba-As bonding of Ba3Al2As4 has some degree covalency which is novel for the Zintl compounds.

Star System Bonanza Illustration

NASA Image and Video Library

2014-02-27

This illustration shows the unusual orbit of planet Kepler-413b around a close pair of orange and red dwarf stars. The planet 66-day orbit is tilted 2.5 degrees with respect to the plane of the binary stars orbit.

Wobbly Planet Orbital Schematic Illustration

NASA Image and Video Library

2014-02-04

This illustration shows the unusual orbit of planet Kepler-413b around a close pair of orange and red dwarf stars. The planet 66-day orbit is tilted 2.5 degrees with respect to the plane of the binary stars orbit.

ACHP | Community Revitalization Policy Statement Comment Period Now Open

Science.gov Websites

from consultations has led to an unusual degree of satisfaction with the outcomes in the PA, which all future renewable energy projects proposed within the DRECP area. The satisfaction with the PA is

Past and Future SOHO-Ulysses Quadratures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Suess, Steven; Poletto, G.

2006-01-01

With the launch of SOHO, it again became possible to carry out quadrature observations. In comparison with earlier observations, the new capabilities of coronal spectroscopy with UVCS and in situ ionization state and composition with Ulysses/SWICS enabled new types of studies. Results from two studies serve as examples: (i) The acceleration profile of wind from small coronal holes. (ii) A high-coronal reconnecting current sheet as the source of high ionization state Fe in a CME at Ulysses. Generally quadrature observations last only for a few days, when Ulysses is within ca. 5 degrees of the limb. This means luck is required for the phenomenon of interest to lie along the radial direction to Ulysses. However, when Ulysses is at high southern latitude in winter 2007 and high northern latitude in winter 2008, there will be unusually favorable configurations for quadrature observations with SOHO and corresponding bracketing limb observations from STEREO A/B. Specifically, Ulysses will be within 5 degrees of the limb from December 2006 to May 2007 and within 10 degrees of the limb from December 2007 to May 2008. These long-lasting quadratures and bracketing STEREO A/B observations overcome the limitations inherent in the short observation intervals of typical quadratures. Furthermore, ionization and charge state measurements like those on Ulysses will also be made on STEREO and these will be essential for identification of CME ejecta - one of the prime objectives for STEREO.

The puzzling spectrum of HD 94509. Sounding out the extremes of Be shell star spectral morphology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cowley, C. R.; Przybilla, N.; Hubrig, S.

2015-06-01

Context. The spectral features of HD 94509 are highly unusual, adding an extreme to the zoo of Be and shell stars. The shell dominates the spectrum, showing lines typical for spectral types mid-A to early-F, while the presence of a late/mid B-type central star is indicated by photospheric hydrogen line wings and helium lines. Numerous metallic absorption lines have broad wings but taper to narrow cores. They cannot be fit by Voigt profiles. Aims: We describe and illustrate unusual spectral features of this star, and make rough calculations to estimate physical conditions and abundances in the shell. Furthermore, the central star is characterized. Methods: We assume mean conditions for the shell. An electron density estimate is made from the Inglis-Teller formula. Excitation temperatures and column densities for Fe i and Fe ii are derived from curves of growth. The neutral H column density is estimated from high Paschen members. The column densities are compared with calculations made with the photoionization code Cloudy. Atmospheric parameters of the central star are constrained employing non-LTE spectrum synthesis. Results: Overall chemical abundances are close to solar. Column densities of the dominant ions of several elements, as well as excitation temperatures and the mean electron density are well accounted for by a simple model. Several features, including the degree of ionization, are less well described. Conclusions: HD 94509 is a Be star with a stable shell, close to the terminal-age main sequence. The dynamical state of the shell and the unusually shaped, but symmetric line profiles, require a separate study.

[Death in a rainwater tank--unusual death by hypothermia].

PubMed

Doberentz, Elke; Madea, Burkhard

2013-01-01

Death due to hypothermia is often accidental and associated with alcohol intoxication, diseases or previous trauma. A very rare phenomenon is suicidal hypothermia. A 74-year-old depressive woman was found dead in a rain barrel with her head above the water level in February at an outdoor temperature of 0 degrees C. Forensic autopsy did not reveal any findings typical of drowning. Likewise, there was no morphological evidence of hypothermia, but this cannot be expected in immersion hypothermia with a very short agony. Unusual situations at scene always require comprehensive police investigations and medicolegal examinations.

Highly Viscoelastic Reverse Wormlike Micellar Systems from a Mixture of Lecithin, Polyglycerol Fatty Acid Monoesters, and an Oil.

PubMed

Hashizaki, Kaname; Imai, Miko; Yako, Shuhei; Tsusaka, Hitomi; Sakanishi, Yuichi; Saito, Yoshihiro; Fujii, Makiko

2017-09-01

We report new lecithin reverse wormlike micelles with high viscoelasticity formed using lecithin/polyglycerol fatty acid monoester (PGLFA)/oil systems. In this study, the influence of the amphiphilicity (i.e., hydrophile-lipophile balance, HLB) of PGLFA on the phase behavior and rheological properties of reverse wormlike micelles was investigated in detail. PGLFAs with degrees of polymerization of polyglycerol varying between 6-40 and constituent fatty acids with chains between 6-18 carbon atoms long were used. Partial phase diagrams of the lecithin/PGLFA/n-decane systems indicated that the appropriate PGLFA could change the lecithin/oil solution into a highly viscoelastic solution comprising reverse wormlike micelles. Rheological measurements showed that all systems that formed reverse wormlike micelles exhibited an unusual phenomenon called "shear-thickening". Furthermore, reverse wormlike micelles grew as the PGLFA concentration increased and the zero-shear viscosity (η 0 ) of the solution rapidly increased. Our results indicate that the magnitude of the maximum η 0 depends on the degree of polymerization of the constituent polyglycerol in the PGLFA, while the size of the reverse micellar region and the highly viscous region in the phase diagram depends on the HLB value of the PGLFA.

Dynamic stability and handling qualities tests on a highly augmented, statically unstable airplane

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gera, Joseph; Bosworth, John T.

1987-01-01

Initial envelope clearance and subsequent flight testing of a new, fully augmented airplane with an extremely high degree of static instability can place unusual demands on the flight test approach. Previous flight test experience with these kinds of airplanes is very limited or nonexistent. The safe and efficient flight testing may be further complicated by a multiplicity of control effectors that may be present on this class of airplanes. This paper describes some novel flight test and analysis techniques in the flight dynamics and handling qualities area. These techniques were utilized during the initial flight envelope clearance of the X-29A aircraft and were largely responsible for the completion of the flight controls clearance program without any incidents or significant delays.

An unusual case of central diabetes insipidus & hyperglycemic hyperosmolar state following cardiorespiratory arrest

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background We are describing an unusual case of severe hyperglycemia and hypernatremia, resistant to treatment. Case presentation A thirty year old female with adenocarcinoma of rectum was admitted with increasing lethargy, headache and drowsiness. She deteriorated rapidly and had cardiac arrest, following which she remained comatose. Her initial serum glucose and sodium were normal, but after receiving dexamethasone and mannitol, the serum glucose progressively increased to 54.7 mmol/L and sodium to 175 mmol/L, despite receiving very high dose of intravenous (IV) insulin infusion. She was evaluated for diabetes insipidus because of continued polyuria even after correction of hyperglycemia. Her serum osmolality was 337 mmol/kg, and urine osmolality was 141 mmol/kg which rose to 382 mmol/kg, after receiving 4 mcg of IV Desmopressin. Conclusion Our patient developed central diabetes insipidus post cardiac arrest and severe dehydration because of diabetes insipidus. Stress of critical illness, dehydration, dexamethasone and IV dextrose infusion were likely responsible for this degree of severe and resistant to treatment hyperglycemia. PMID:23947429

An Unusual Hydrophobic Core Confers Extreme Flexibility to HEAT Repeat Proteins

PubMed Central

Kappel, Christian; Zachariae, Ulrich; Dölker, Nicole; Grubmüller, Helmut

2010-01-01

Alpha-solenoid proteins are suggested to constitute highly flexible macromolecules, whose structural variability and large surface area is instrumental in many important protein-protein binding processes. By equilibrium and nonequilibrium molecular dynamics simulations, we show that importin-β, an archetypical α-solenoid, displays unprecedentedly large and fully reversible elasticity. Our stretching molecular dynamics simulations reveal full elasticity over up to twofold end-to-end extensions compared to its bound state. Despite the absence of any long-range intramolecular contacts, the protein can return to its equilibrium structure to within 3 Å backbone RMSD after the release of mechanical stress. We find that this extreme degree of flexibility is based on an unusually flexible hydrophobic core that differs substantially from that of structurally similar but more rigid globular proteins. In that respect, the core of importin-β resembles molten globules. The elastic behavior is dominated by nonpolar interactions between HEAT repeats, combined with conformational entropic effects. Our results suggest that α-solenoid structures such as importin-β may bridge the molecular gap between completely structured and intrinsically disordered proteins. PMID:20816072

Jazz, guitar, and neurosurgery: the Pat Martino case report.

PubMed

Galarza, Marcelo; Isaac, Claire; Pellicer, Olga; Mayes, Andrew; Broks, Paul; Montaldi, Daniela; Denby, Christine; Simeone, Frederick

2014-01-01

We present the case of a professional jazz guitarist with temporal lobe epilepsy secondary to an arteriovenous cerebral malformation. The patient underwent a left temporal lobectomy in 1980. After surgery, he presented with severe retrograde amnesia and complete loss of musical interest and capabilities. The patient's musical abilities recovered over time, and he regained his previous virtuoso status. In 2007, his medical history, neuropsychologic functions, and structural magnetic resonance imaging study were examined and revealed a remarkable degree of recovery of memory and musical abilities in the context of extensive temporal lobe resection. The neuropsychologic findings and neuroanatomic features of the magnetic resonance imaging study were analyzed to try to understand the high degree of recovery of both long-term memory and musical processing abilities in this musician. This case reveals the possibility of an unusual degree of cerebral plasticity and reorganization. Additionally, it emphasizes the question of musical virtuosity. This report shows that the musical capabilities of professional musicians, in specific cases, can completely recover even when much of the left temporal lobe has been removed. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

An unusual strain of Venezuelan encephalitis virus existing sympatrically with subtype I-D strains in a Peruvian rain forest.

PubMed

Scherer, W F; Chin, J

1983-07-01

In 1971, an unusual strain of Venezuelan encephalitis (VE) virus (71D1252) was recovered from the same small area of a rain forest in the western Amazon basin of South America near Iquitos, Loreto, Peru, from which strains of subtype I-D were recovered. The marker characteristics of this strain resembled most closely those of VE subtype III (Mucambo) and were distinctly different from coexisting I-D strains. Thus the concurrent presence of two different VE virus subtypes in one place was a striking exception to the usual geographic allopatry of VE virus subtypes. Strain 71D1252 also contained temperature sensitive (ts) (37 degrees C versus 39 degrees C) virions in the original mosquito suspension and first suckling mouse passage brain tissue suspensions. It thus represents one of the few so-far-reported ts strains of viruses found in nature, and the only natural ts strain of VE virus.

Orbital liquid in three-dimensional mott insulator: LaTiO3

PubMed

Khaliullin; Maekawa

2000-10-30

We present a theory of spin and orbital states in Mott insulator LaTiO3. The spin-orbital superexchange interaction between d(1)(t(2g)) ions in cubic crystal suffers from a pathological degeneracy of orbital states at the classical level. Quantum effects remove this degeneracy and result in the formation of the coherent ground state, in which the orbital moment of t(2g) level is fully quenched. We find a finite gap for orbital excitations. Such a disordered state of local degrees of freedom on unfrustrated, simple cubic lattice is highly unusual. Orbital liquid state naturally explains observed anomalies of LaTiO3.

The Palomar Transient Factory: High Quality Realtime Data Processing in a Cost-Constrained Environment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Surace, J.; Laher, R.; Masci, F.; Grillmair, C.; Helou, G.

2015-09-01

The Palomar Transient Factory (PTF) is a synoptic sky survey in operation since 2009. PTF utilizes a 7.1 square degree camera on the Palomar 48-inch Schmidt telescope to survey the sky primarily at a single wavelength (R-band) at a rate of 1000-3000 square degrees a night. The data are used to detect and study transient and moving objects such as gamma ray bursts, supernovae and asteroids, as well as variable phenomena such as quasars and Galactic stars. The data processing system at IPAC handles realtime processing and detection of transients, solar system object processing, high photometric precision processing and light curve generation, and long-term archiving and curation. This was developed under an extremely limited budget profile in an unusually agile development environment. Here we discuss the mechanics of this system and our overall development approach. Although a significant scientific installation in of itself, PTF also serves as the prototype for our next generation project, the Zwicky Transient Facility (ZTF). Beginning operations in 2017, ZTF will feature a 50 square degree camera which will enable scanning of the entire northern visible sky every night. ZTF in turn will serve as a stepping stone to the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST), a major NSF facility scheduled to begin operations in the early 2020s.

Earth Observations taken by Expedition 30 crewmember

NASA Image and Video Library

2011-12-29

ISS030-E-019300 (29 Dec. 2011) --- This unusual image, photographed through the Cupola on the International Space Station by one of the Expedition 30 crew members, is centered over Turkey. The lake just above the bracket- mounted camera at center is Egirdir Golu, located at 38.05 degrees north latitude and 30.89 degrees east longitude. A Russian Soyuz spacecraft is docked to the station at lower right and part of the Permanent Multipurpose Module(PMM) can be seen just above it.

Unusual anatomy of a maxillary first molar with two palatal roots: a case report.

PubMed

Tomazinho, Flávia S F; Baratto-Filho, Flares; Zaitter, Suellen; Leonardi, Denise P; Gonzaga, Carla C

2010-03-01

The success of endodontic therapy is based on good endodontic access, correct cleaning and shaping, and adequate root canal obturation. However, endodontic treatment is also dependent on a sound knowledge of the internal anatomy of human teeth, especially when anatomical variations are present. Certain anatomical changes may be present to varying degrees, and it is important to report these to improve the understanding and expertise of endodontic specialists. With this aim in mind, this study reports an example of a maxillary first molar showing unusual anatomy (four roots and six root canals) and describes the endodontic treatment that was employed.

Origin of the northern Atlantic`s Heinrich events

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

Broecker, W.; Bond, G.; Klas, M.

1992-01-01

As first noted by Heinrich, 1988, glacial age sediments in the eastern part of the northern Atlantic contain layers with unusually high ratios of ice-rafted lithic fragments of foraminifera shells. He estimated that these layers are spaced at intervals of roughly 10000 years. In this paper we present detailed information documenting the existence of the upper five of these layers in ODP core 609 from 50{degrees}N and 24{degrees}W. Their ages are respectively 15000 radiocarbon years, 20000 radiocarbon years, 27000 radiocarbon years, about 40000 years, and about 50000 years. We also note that the high lithic fragment to foram ratio ismore » the result of a near absence of shells in these layers. Although we are not of one mind regarding the origin of these layers, we lean toward an explanation that the Heinrich layers are debris released during the melting of massive influxes of icebergs into the northern Atlantic. These sudden inputs may be the result of surges along the eastern margin of the Laurentide ice sheet. 7 refs., 3 figs., 2 tabs.« less

Novel ultrasonic real-time scanner featuring servo controlled transducers displaying a sector image.

PubMed

Matzuk, T; Skolnick, M L

1978-07-01

This paper describes a new real-time servo controlled sector scanner that produces high resolution images and has functionally programmable features similar to phased array systems, but possesses the simplicity of design and low cost best achievable in a mechanical sector scanner. The unique feature is the transducer head which contains a single moving part--the transducer--enclosed within a light-weight, hand held, and vibration free case. The frame rate, sector width, stop action angle, are all operator programmable. The frame rate can be varied from 12 to 30 frames s-1 and the sector width from 0 degrees to 60 degrees. Conversion from sector to time motion (T/M) modes are instant and two options are available, a freeze position high density T/M and a low density T/M obtainable simultaneously during sector visualization. Unusual electronic features are: automatic gain control, electronic recording of images on video tape in rf format, and ability to post-process images during video playback to extract T/M display and to change time gain control (tgc) and image size.

Comprehensive Study of the Model Mercury-Based Cuprate Superconductors

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

Greven, Martin

This is the Final Report on DE-SC0006858, which opened 15 August 2011 and closed 14 August 2017. The Principal Investigator is Martin Greven, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 555455 (email: greven@umn.edu). The Administrative Point of Contact is Patricia Jondahl, phone: 612-624-5599, email: awards@umn.edu. The DOE Program is the Office of Basic Energy Sciences, Program manager is Dr. P. Thiyagarajan, Neutron Scattering SC-22.2/ Germantown Bldg. (email: Thiyagarajan@science.doe.gov). The chief activity was the crystal growth, characterization, neutron and X-ray scattering study of the mercury-based cuprates, arguably the most desirable high-Tc superconductors for experimental study due to theirmore » record values of Tc and their relatively simple crystal structures. It is thought that the unusual magnetic and charge degrees of freedom of the copper-oxygen sheets that form the fundamental building block of all cuprate superconductors give rise to the high Tc and to many other unusual properties exhibited by the class of quantum materials. Neutron scattering experiments were performed to reveal the nature of the magnetic degrees of freedom of the copper-oxygen sheets, whereas X-ray scattering experiments and complementary charge-transport experiments were performed to reveal the nature of the charge degrees of freedom. In addition, collaborations were initiated with experts in the use of complementary experimental techniques. The primary products are (i) scientific articles published in peer-reviewed scientific journals, (ii) scientific presentations at national and international conferences, and (iii) education of postdoctoral researchers, PhD graduate students and undergraduate researchers by providing a research experience in crystal growth, characterization and scattering. Twenty scientific papers were published in peer-reviewed journals, thirty-one invited talks were presented at national or international conferences, or as colloquia or seminars, and three postdoctoral researchers, six PhD graduate students and nine undergraduate researchers were supported wholly or in part in the pursuit of the scientific topics of this award. This report summarizes the activity and productivity, lists highlights, publications and conference presentations, postdocs, students and collaborators. A balance of zero remained at the close of the grant.« less

49 CFR 236.1021 - Discontinuances, material modifications, and amendments.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... such as landslide, burned bridge, high water, high and wide load, or tunnel protection when the unusual... to provide protection against unusual contingencies such as landslide, burned bridges, high water...

49 CFR 236.1021 - Discontinuances, material modifications, and amendments.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... such as landslide, burned bridge, high water, high and wide load, or tunnel protection when the unusual... to provide protection against unusual contingencies such as landslide, burned bridges, high water...

49 CFR 235.7 - Changes not requiring filing of application.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... unusual contingencies such as landslide, burned bridge, high water, high and wide load, or tunnel... used to provide protection against unusual contingencies such as landslide, burned bridges, high water...

49 CFR 235.7 - Changes not requiring filing of application.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... unusual contingencies such as landslide, burned bridge, high water, high and wide load, or tunnel... used to provide protection against unusual contingencies such as landslide, burned bridges, high water...

49 CFR 236.1021 - Discontinuances, material modifications, and amendments.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... such as landslide, burned bridge, high water, high and wide load, or tunnel protection when the unusual... to provide protection against unusual contingencies such as landslide, burned bridges, high water...

49 CFR 236.1021 - Discontinuances, material modifications, and amendments.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... such as landslide, burned bridge, high water, high and wide load, or tunnel protection when the unusual... to provide protection against unusual contingencies such as landslide, burned bridges, high water...

49 CFR 235.7 - Changes not requiring filing of application.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... unusual contingencies such as landslide, burned bridge, high water, high and wide load, or tunnel... used to provide protection against unusual contingencies such as landslide, burned bridges, high water...

49 CFR 236.1021 - Discontinuances, material modifications, and amendments.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... such as landslide, burned bridge, high water, high and wide load, or tunnel protection when the unusual... to provide protection against unusual contingencies such as landslide, burned bridges, high water...

Human Performance in Continuous Operations: Volume 1. Human Performance Guidelines

DTIC Science & Technology

1979-12-01

seemingly capable of enduring unusual degrees of stress and fatigue when nec- essary. When a soldier is driven by the motivation to survive, by exemplary...Vulnerabilities to degradation --Artillery 470 PS4 -?--- -. Armor Task Vulnerabilit.y The pattern of vulnurabihlties Ior tank platoon personnel (tl’Fiure 8. 2

Source Evolution After Subduction Initiation as Recorded in the Izu-Bonin-Mariana Fore-arc Crust

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shervais, J. W.; Reagan, M. K.; Pearce, J. A.; Shimizu, K.

2015-12-01

Drilling in the Izu-Bonin-Mariana (IBM) fore-arc during IODP Expedition 352 and DSDP Leg 60 recovered consistent stratigraphic sequences of volcanic rocks reminiscent of those found in many ophiolites. The oldest lavas in these sections are "fore-arc basalts" (FAB) with ~51.5 Ma ages. Boninites began eruption approximately 2-3 m.y. later (Ishizuka et al., 2011, EPSL; Reagan et al., 2013, EPSL) and further from the trench. First results from IODP Expedition 352 and preliminary post-cruise data suggest that FAB at Sites U1440 and U1441 were generated by decompression melting during near-trench sea-floor spreading, and that fluids from the subducting slab were not involved in their genesis. Temperatures appear to have been unusually high and pressures of melting appear to have been unusually low compared to mid-ocean ridges. Spreading rates at this time appear to have been robust enough to maintain a stable melt lens. Incompatible trace element abundances are low in FAB compared to even depleted MORB. Nd and Hf Isotopic compositions published before the expedition suggest that FAB were derived from typical MORB source mantle. Thus, their extreme deletion resulted from unusually high degrees of melting immediately after subduction initiation. The oldest boninites from DSDP Site 458 and IODP Sites U1439 and U1442 have relatively high concentrations of fluid-soluble elements, low concentrations of REE, and light depleted REE patterns. Younger boninites, have even lower REE concentrations, but have U-shaped REE patterns. Our first major and trace element compositions for the FAB through boninite sequence suggests that melting pressures and temperatures decreased through time, mantle became more depleted though time, and spreading rates waned during boninite genesis. Subduction zone fluids involved in boninite genesis appear to have been derived from progressively higher temperatures and pressures over time as the subducting slab thermally matured.

Aqueous V(V)-peroxo-amino acid chemistry. Synthesis, structural and spectroscopic characterization of unusual ternary dinuclear tetraperoxo vanadium(V)-glycine complexes.

PubMed

Gabriel, C; Kaliva, M; Venetis, J; Baran, P; Rodriguez-Escudero, I; Voyiatzis, G; Zervou, M; Salifoglou, A

2009-01-19

Vanadium participation in cellular events entails in-depth comprehension of its soluble and bioavailable forms bearing physiological ligands in aqueous distributions of binary and ternary systems. Poised to understand the ternary V(V)-H(2)O(2)-amino acid interactions relevant to that metal ion's biological role, we have launched synthetic efforts involving the physiological ligands glycine and H(2)O(2). In a pH-specific fashion, V(2)O(5), glycine, and H(2)O(2) reacted and afforded the unusual complexes (H(3)O)(2)[V(2)(O)(2)(mu(2):eta(2):eta(1)-O(2))(2)(eta(2)-O(2))(2)(C(2)H(5)NO(2))] x 5/4 H(2)O (1) and K(2)[V(2)(O)(2)(mu(2):eta(2):eta(1)-O(2))(2)(eta(2)-O(2))(2)(C(2)H(5)NO(2))] x H(2)O (2). 1 crystallizes in the triclinic space group P1, with a = 7.805(4) A, b = 8.134(5) A, c = 12.010(7) A, alpha = 72.298(9) degrees, beta = 72.991(9) degrees, gamma = 64.111(9) degrees, V = 641.9(6) A(3), and Z = 2. 2 crystallizes in the triclinic space group P1, with a = 7.6766(9) A, b = 7.9534(9) A, c = 11.7494(13) A, alpha = 71.768(2) degrees, beta = 73.233(2) degrees, gamma = 65.660(2) degrees, V = 610.15(12) A(3), and Z = 2. Both complexes 1 and 2 were characterized by UV/visible, LC-MS, FT-IR, Raman, NMR spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry, and X-ray crystallography. The structures of 1 and 2 reveal the presence of unusual ternary dinuclear vanadium-tetraperoxo-glycine complexes containing [(V(V)=O)(O(2))(2)](-) units interacting through long V-O bonds and an effective glycinate bridge. The latter ligand is present in the dianionic assembly as a bidentate moiety spanning both V(V) centers in a zwitterionic form. The collective physicochemical properties of the two ternary species 1 and 2 project the chemical role of the low molecular mass biosubstrate glycine in binding V(V)-diperoxo units, thereby stabilizing a dinuclear V(V)-tetraperoxo dianion. Structural comparisons of the anions in 1 and 2 with other known dinuclear V(V)-tetraperoxo binary anionic species provide insight into the chemical reactivity of V(V)-diperoxo species in key cellular events such as insulin mimesis and antitumorigenicity, potentially modulated by the presence of glycinate and hydrogen peroxide.

A Case of Unusual Clitoromegaly.

PubMed

Wooi Ch'ng, Tong; Umpaichitra, Vatcharapan

2018-05-03

Mild degree of clitoromegaly can be associated with patient with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). We describe an unusually significant clitoromegaly in a patient with PCOS. An 18-year old non-obese female referred for clitoromegaly. Her genitalia exam showed significant clitoral enlargement with a well-formed glans, clitoris measured at 35 mm for length and 10 mm for width. Pelvic ultrasound showed left ovarian cyst. Testosterone level ranged from 28.8 to 64.1 ng/dl (normal: 8.4-48.1 ng/dl) with normal sex hormone binding globulin. Other ovarian hormones were in acceptable ranges. This case demonstrates the coexistence of significant clitoromegaly, PCOS, and non-functioning ovarian cyst. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Changing climate and endangered high mountain ecosystems in Colombia.

PubMed

Ruiz, Daniel; Moreno, Hernán Alonso; Gutiérrez, María Elena; Zapata, Paula Andrea

2008-07-15

High mountain ecosystems are among the most sensitive environments to changes in climatic conditions occurring on global, regional and local scales. The article describes the changing conditions observed over recent years in the high mountain basin of the Claro River, on the west flank of the Colombian Andean Central mountain range. Local ground truth data gathered at 4150 m, regional data available at nearby weather stations, and satellite info were used to analyze changes in the mean and the variance, and significant trends in climatic time series. Records included minimum, mean and maximum temperatures, relative humidity, rainfall, sunshine, and cloud characteristics. In high levels, minimum and maximum temperatures during the coldest days increased at a rate of about 0.6 degrees C/decade, whereas maximum temperatures during the warmest days increased at a rate of about 1.3 degrees C/decade. Rates of increase in maximum, mean and minimum diurnal temperature range reached 0.6, 0.7, and 0.5 degrees C/decade. Maximum, mean and minimum relative humidity records showed reductions of about 1.8, 3.9 and 6.6%/decade. The total number of sunny days per month increased in almost 2.1 days. The headwaters exhibited no changes in rainfall totals, but evidenced an increased occurrence of unusually heavy rainfall events. Reductions in the amount of all cloud types over the area reached 1.9%/decade. In low levels changes in mean monthly temperatures and monthly rainfall totals exceeded + 0.2 degrees C and - 4% per decade, respectively. These striking changes might have contributed to the retreat of glacier icecaps and to the disappearance of high altitude water bodies, as well as to the occurrence and rapid spread of natural and man-induced forest fires. Significant reductions in water supply, important disruptions of the integrity of high mountain ecosystems, and dramatic losses of biodiversity are now a steady menu of the severe climatic conditions experienced by these fragile tropical environments.

Ceramic materials with low thermal conductivity and low coefficients of thermal expansion

DOEpatents

Brown, Jesse; Hirschfeld, Deidre; Liu, Dean-Mo; Yang, Yaping; Li, Tingkai; Swanson, Robert E.; Van Aken, Steven; Kim, Jin-Min

1992-01-01

Compositions having the general formula (Ca.sub.x Mg.sub.1-x)Zr.sub.4 (PO.sub.4).sub.6 where x is between 0.5 and 0.99 are produced by solid state and sol-gel processes. In a preferred embodiment, when x is between 0.5 and 0.8, the MgCZP materials have near-zero coefficients of thermal expansion. The MgCZPs of the present invention also show unusually low thermal conductivities, and are stable at high temperatures. Macrostructures formed from MgCZP are useful in a wide variety of high-temperature applications. In a preferred process, calcium, magnesium, and zirconium nitrate solutions have their pH adjusted to between 7 and 9 either before or after the addition of ammonium dihydrogen phosphate. After dehydration to a gel, and calcination at temperatures in excess of 850.degree. C. for approximately 16 hours, single phase crystalline MgCZP powders with particle sizes ranging from approximately 20 nm to 50 nm result. The MgCZP powders are then sintered at temperatures ranging from 1200.degree. C. to 1350.degree. C. to form solid macrostructures with near-zero bulk coefficients of thermal expansion and low thermal conductivities. Porous macrostructures of the MgCZP powders of the present invention are also formed by combination with a polymeric powder and a binding agent, and sintering at high temperatures. The porosity of the resulting macrostructures can be adjusted by varying the particle size of the polymeric powder used.

Extreme degree of ionization in homogenous micro-capillary plasma columns heated by ultrafast current pulses.

PubMed

Avaria, G; Grisham, M; Li, J; Tomasel, F G; Shlyaptsev, V N; Busquet, M; Woolston, M; Rocca, J J

2015-03-06

Homogeneous plasma columns with ionization levels typical of megaampere discharges are created by rapidly heating gas-filled 520-μm-diameter channels with nanosecond rise time current pulses of 40 kA. Current densities of up to 0.3  GA cm^{-2} greatly increase Joule heating with respect to conventional capillary discharge Z pinches, reaching unprecedented degrees of ionization for a high-Z plasma column heated by a current pulse of remarkably low amplitude. Dense xenon plasmas are ionized to Xe^{28+}, while xenon impurities in hydrogen discharges reach Xe^{30+}. The unique characteristics of these hot, ∼300:1 length-to-diameter aspect ratio plasmas allow the observation of unexpected spectroscopic phenomena. Axial spectra show the unusual dominance of the intercombination line over the resonance line of He-like Al by nearly an order of magnitude, caused by differences in opacities in the axial and radial directions. These plasma columns could enable the development of sub-10-nm x-ray lasers.

Kondyor Massif, Russia

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2008-01-01

This is neither an impact crater nor a volcano. It is a perfect circular intrusion, about 10 km in diameter with a topographic ridge up to 600 m high. The Kondyor Massif is located in Eastern Siberia, Russia, north of the city of Khabarovsk. It is a rare form of igneous intrusion called alkaline-ultrabasic massif and it is full of rare minerals. The river flowing out of it forms placer mineral deposits. Last year 4 tons of platinum were mined there. A remarkable and very unusual mineralogical feature of the deposit is the presence of coarse crystals of Pt-Fe alloy, coated with gold. This 3-D perspective view was created by draping a simulated natural color ASTER composite over an ASTER-derived digital elevation model.

The image was acquired on June 10, 2006, and is located at 57.6 degrees north latitude, 134.6 degrees east longitude.

The U.S. science team is located at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. The Terra mission is part of NASA's Science Mission Directorate.

The unusual toxicity and stability properties of crude venom from isolated nematocysts of Pelagia noctiluca (Cnidaria, Scyphozoa).

PubMed

Marino, A; Crupi, R; Rizzo, G; Morabito, R; Musci, G; La Spada, G

2007-09-17

We have firstly investigated the toxicological activity by hemolytic assay of crude extract obtained by sonication of holotrichous isorhiza isolated nematocysts of the Scyphozoan Pelagia noctiluca, collected in the Strait of Messina. The hemolytic activity was both time- and dose-dependent on fish, rabbit, chicken and human red blood cells. At lowest doses rabbit and chicken erythrocytes were the most sensitive, whereas those of eel were the most resistant to the crude extract. Different storage conditions, such as -20 degrees C, -80 degrees C for up to 6 months and lyophilization, did not affect the stability of crude venom. Moreover, neither treatment at 4 degrees C, 20 degrees C and 37 degrees C for different time periods ranging between 30 min and 24 h, nor harsh thermal treatment at 80 degrees C and 100 degrees C affected the hemolytic power. The crude venom resulted even stable towards proteolysis and alkaline pH values.

Observational studies of roAp stars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sachkov, M.

2014-11-01

Rapidly oscillating Ap (roAp) stars are high-overtone, low-degree p-mode pulsators that are also chemically peculiar magnetic A stars. Until recently the classical asteroseismic analysis i.e. frequency analysis, of these stars was based on ground and space photometric observations. Significant progress was achieved through access to uninterrupted, ultra-high-precision data from MOST, COROT and Kepler satellites. Over the last ten years the study of roAp stars has been altered drastically from an observational point of view through studies of time-resolved, high-resolution spectra. Their unusual pulsational characteristics, caused by an interplay between the short vertical lengths of the pulsation waves and strong stratification of chemical elements, allow us to examine the upper roAp atmosphere in more detail than is possible for any star except the Sun. In this paper I review the results of recent studies of the pulsations of roAp stars.

Study of pulsations of chemically peculiar a stars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sachkov, M. E.

2014-01-01

Rapidly oscillating chemically peculiar A stars (roAp) pulsate in high-overtone, low degree p-modes and form a sub-group of chemically peculiar magnetic A stars (Ap). Until recently, the classical asteroseismic research, i.e., frequency analysis, of these stars was based on photometric observations both ground-based and space-based. Significant progress has been achieved by obtaining uninterrupted, ultra-high precision data from the MOST, COROT, and Kepler satellites. Over the last ten years, a real breakthrough was achieved in the study of roAp stars due to the time-resolved, high spectral resolution spectroscopic observations. Unusual pulsational characteristics of these stars, caused by the interaction between propagating pulsationwaves and strong stratification of chemical elements, provide an opportunity to study the upper roAp star atmosphere in more detail than is possible for any star but the Sun, using spectroscopic data. In this paper the results of recent pulsation studies of these stars are reviewed.

Proanthocyanidin profile of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) reveals catechin-O-glucoside as the dominant compound.

PubMed

Ojwang, Leonnard O; Yang, Liyi; Dykes, Linda; Awika, Joseph

2013-08-15

Proanthocyanidin (PA) profile and content can have important nutritional and health implications on plant foods. Six diverse cowpea phenotypes (black, red, green, white, light-brown and golden-brown) were investigated for PA composition using normal-phase HPLC and reversed-phase UPLC-TQD-MS. Catechin and (epi)afzelechin were the major flavan-3-ol units. Unusual composition was observed in all cowpea phenotypes with significant degrees of glycosylation in the monomers and dimers. The PA content of cowpea (dry basis) ranged between 2.2 and 6.3 mg/g. Monomeric flavan-3-ols were the largest group of PA (36-69%) in cowpea, with catechin-7-O-glucoside accounting for most (about 88%) of the monomers. The oligomers with degree of polymerization (DP) 2-4 ranged from 0.41 to 1.3 mg/g (15-20%), whereas DP>10 polymers accounted for only 13.5% of PA. Future studies that highlight the impact of the unusual cowpea PA profile on nutritional and bioactive properties of this important legume are warranted. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

LTR-Retrotransposons from Bdelloid Rotifers Capture Additional ORFs Shared between Highly Diverse Retroelement Types.

PubMed

Rodriguez, Fernando; Kenefick, Aubrey W; Arkhipova, Irina R

2017-04-11

Rotifers of the class Bdelloidea, microscopic freshwater invertebrates, possess a highlydiversified repertoire of transposon families, which, however, occupy less than 4% of genomic DNA in the sequenced representative Adineta vaga . We performed a comprehensive analysis of A. vaga retroelements, and found that bdelloid long terminal repeat (LTR)retrotransposons, in addition to conserved open reading frame (ORF) 1 and ORF2 corresponding to gag and pol genes, code for an unusually high variety of ORF3 sequences. Retrovirus-like LTR families in A. vaga belong to four major lineages, three of which are rotiferspecific and encode a dUTPase domain. However only one lineage contains a canonical env like fusion glycoprotein acquired from paramyxoviruses (non-segmented negative-strand RNA viruses), although smaller ORFs with transmembrane domains may perform similar roles. A different ORF3 type encodes a GDSL esterase/lipase, which was previously identified as ORF1 in several clades of non-LTR retrotransposons, and implicated in membrane targeting. Yet another ORF3 type appears in unrelated LTR-retrotransposon lineages, and displays strong homology to DEDDy-type exonucleases involved in 3'-end processing of RNA and single-stranded DNA. Unexpectedly, each of the enzymatic ORF3s is also associated with different subsets of Penelope -like Athena retroelement families. The unusual association of the same ORF types with retroelements from different classes reflects their modular structure with a high degree of flexibility, and points to gene sharing between different groups of retroelements.

Full Genome Sequencing Reveals New Southern African Territories Genotypes Bringing Us Closer to Understanding True Variability of Foot-and-Mouth Disease Virus in Africa

PubMed Central

Lasecka-Dykes, Lidia; Wright, Caroline F.; Di Nardo, Antonello; Logan, Grace; Mioulet, Valerie; Jackson, Terry; Tuthill, Tobias J.; Knowles, Nick J.; King, Donald P.

2018-01-01

Foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) causes a highly contagious disease of cloven-hooved animals that poses a constant burden on farmers in endemic regions and threatens the livestock industries in disease-free countries. Despite the increased number of publicly available whole genome sequences, FMDV data are biased by the opportunistic nature of sampling. Since whole genomic sequences of Southern African Territories (SAT) are particularly underrepresented, this study sequenced 34 isolates from eastern and southern Africa. Phylogenetic analyses revealed two novel genotypes (that comprised 8/34 of these SAT isolates) which contained unusual 5′ untranslated and non-structural encoding regions. While recombination has occurred between these sequences, phylogeny violation analyses indicated that the high degree of sequence diversity for the novel SAT genotypes has not solely arisen from recombination events. Based on estimates of the timing of ancestral divergence, these data are interpreted as being representative of un-sampled FMDV isolates that have been subjected to geographical isolation within Africa by the effects of the Great African Rinderpest Pandemic (1887–1897), which caused a mass die-out of FMDV-susceptible hosts. These findings demonstrate that further sequencing of African FMDV isolates is likely to reveal more unusual genotypes and will allow for better understanding of natural variability and evolution of FMDV. PMID:29652800

FEL (free-electron lasers) undulator technology and synchrotron radiation source requirements

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

Robinson, K.; Quimby, D.; Slater, J.

This paper describes design and construction considerations of the THUNDER undulator, for use in free-electron laser experiments at visible wavelengths. For the parameters of these experiments, an unusually high degree of optimization of the electron-photon interaction is required and, as a result, THUNDER is built to especially high mechanical and magnetic precision. Except for its narrow magnet gap, the 5-meter THUNDER undulator is quite similar to insertion devices under consideration for the proposed 6-GeV storage ring. The engineering and physics approach adopted for this FEL modulator design is directly applicable to insertion device development. The tolerance limits to THUNDER, establishedmore » by modeling and design and achieved through careful control of mechanical and magnetic errors, are essential to the next generation of insertion devices.« less

Tool use, aye-ayes, and sensorimotor intelligence.

PubMed

Sterling, E J; Povinelli, D J

1999-01-01

Humans, chimpanzees, capuchins and aye-ayes all display an unusually high degree of encephalization and diverse omnivorous extractive foraging. It has been suggested that the high degree of encephalization in aye-ayes may be the result of their diverse, omnivorous extractive foraging behaviors. In combination with certain forms of tool use, omnivorous extractive foraging has been hypothesized to be linked to higher levels of sensorimotor intelligence (stages 5 or 6). Although free-ranging aye-ayes have not been observed to use tools directly in the context of their extractive foraging activities, they have recently been reported to use lianas as tools in a manner that independently suggests that they may possess stage 5 or 6 sensorimotor intelligence. Although other primate species which display diverse, omnivorous extractive foraging have been tested for sensorimotor intelligence, aye-ayes have not. We report a test of captive aye-ayes' comprehension of tool use in a situation designed to simulate natural conditions. The results support the view that aye-ayes do not achieve stage 6 comprehension of tool use, but rather may use trial-and-error learning to develop tool-use behaviors. Other theories for aye-aye encephalization are considered.

Development of an Interdisciplinary, Intercultural Master's Program on Sustainability: Learning from the Richness of Diversity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

van Dam-Mieras, Rietje; Lansu, Angelique; Rieckmann, Marco; Michelsen, Gerd

2008-01-01

The purpose of this article is to describe a joint effort between three European and six Latin American universities to create an international Master's degree program on Sustainable Development and Management. Faculty members from these institutions are working together on this unusual and innovative project, which recognizes the importance of…

In-Situ Subsurface Coating of Corroded Steel Sheet Pile Structures: Final Report on Project F08-AR06

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-09-01

scraped the sheet pile wall with an excavator. After scraping the out-pans with a flat edge bucket, the contractor welded a blade on the bucket...unusual striations were parallel grooves running at 30 – 45 degrees from the vertical. Some patterns cross each other symmetrically. The stria- tions

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

Albrecht, Simon; Winn, Joshua N.; Marcy, Geoffrey W.

We measure the sky-projected stellar obliquities ({lambda}) in the multiple-transiting planetary systems KOI-94 and Kepler-25, using the Rossiter-McLaughlin effect. In both cases, the host stars are well aligned with the orbital planes of the planets. For KOI-94 we find {lambda} = -11 Degree-Sign {+-} 11 Degree-Sign , confirming a recent result by Hirano and coworkers. Kepler-25 was a more challenging case, because the transit depth is unusually small (0.13%). To obtain the obliquity, it was necessary to use prior knowledge of the star's projected rotation rate and apply two different analysis methods to independent wavelength regions of the spectra. Themore » two methods gave consistent results, {lambda} = 7 Degree-Sign {+-} 8 Degree-Sign and -0. Degree-Sign 5 {+-} 5. Degree-Sign 7. There are now a total of five obliquity measurements for host stars of systems of multiple-transiting planets, all of which are consistent with spin-orbit alignment. This alignment is unlikely to be the result of tidal interactions because of the relatively large orbital distances and low planetary masses in the systems. In this respect, the multiplanet host stars differ from hot-Jupiter host stars, which commonly have large spin-orbit misalignments whenever tidal interactions are weak. In particular, the weak-tide subset of hot-Jupiter hosts has obliquities consistent with an isotropic distribution (p = 0.6), but the multiplanet hosts are incompatible with such a distribution (p {approx} 10{sup -6}). This suggests that high obliquities are confined to hot-Jupiter systems, and provides further evidence that hot-Jupiter formation involves processes that tilt the planetary orbit.« less

Did Vertigo Kill America's Forgotten Astronaut?

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bendrick, Gregg A.; Merlin, Peter W.

2007-01-01

On November 15, 1967, U.S. Air Force test pilot Major Michael J. Adams was killed while flying the X-15 rocket-propelled research vehicle in a parabolic spaceflight profile. This flight was part of a joint effort with NASA. An electrical short in one of the experiments aboard the vehicle caused electrical transients, resulting in excessive workload by the pilot. At altitude Major Adams inappropriately initiated a flat spin that led to a series of unusual aircraft attitudes upon atmospheric re-entry, ultimately causing structural failure of the airframe. Major Adams was known to experience vertigo (i.e. spatial disorientation) while flying the X-15, but all X-15 pilots most likely experienced vertigo (i.e. somatogravic, or "Pitch-Up", illusion) as a normal physiologic response to the accelerative forces involved. Major Adams probably experienced vertigo to a greater degree than did others, since prior aeromedical testing for astronaut selection at Brooks AFB revealed that he had an unusually high degree of labyrinthine sensitivity. Subsequent analysis reveals that after engine burnout, and through the zenith of the flight profile, he likely experienced the oculoagravic ("Elevator") illusion. Nonetheless, painstaking investigation after the mishap revealed that spatial disorientation (Type II, Recognized) was NOT the cause, but rather, a contributing factor. The cause was in fact the misinterpretation of a dual-use flight instrument (i.e. Loss of Mode Awareness), resulting in confusion between yaw and roll indications, with subsequent flight control input that was inappropriate. Because of the altitude achieved on this flight, Major Adams was awarded Astronaut wings posthumously. Understanding the potential for spatial disorientation, particularly the oculoagravic illusion, associated with parabolic spaceflight profiles, and understanding the importance of maintaining mode awareness in the context of automated cockpit design, are two lessons that have direct application to the commercial space industry today.

An ERP study of passive creative conceptual expansion using a modified alternate uses task.

PubMed

Kröger, Sören; Rutter, Barbara; Hill, Holger; Windmann, Sabine; Hermann, Christiane; Abraham, Anna

2013-08-21

A novel ERP paradigm was employed to investigate conceptual expansion, a central component of creative thinking. Participants were presented with word pairs, consisting of everyday objects and uses for these objects, which had to be judged based on the two defining criteria of creative products: unusualness and appropriateness. Three subject-determined trial types resulted from this judgement: high unusual and low appropriate (nonsensical uses), low unusual and high appropriate (common uses), and high unusual and high appropriate (creative uses). Word pairs of the creative uses type are held to passively induce conceptual expansion. The N400 component was not specifically modulated by conceptual expansion but was, instead, generally responsive as a function of unusualness or novelty of the stimuli (nonsense=creative>common). Explorative analyses in a later time window (500-900 ms) revealed that ERP activity in this phase indexes appropriateness (nonsense>creative=common). In the discussion of these findings with reference to the literature on semantic cognition, both components are proposed as indexing processes relevant to conceptual expansion as they are selectively involved in the encoding and integration of a newly established semantic connection between two previously unrelated concepts. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The nature, distribution and genesis of the coesite and stishovite associated with the pseudotachylite of the Vredefort Dome, South Africa

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martini, J. E. J.

1991-04-01

The Vredefort Dome represents the uplift centre of a well known 2.00 Ga old impact structure of unusually large magnitude. Shock features like shatter cones, planar features and high-pressure silica polymorphs are common. The present study deals with the description, mode of occurrence, field distribution and post-shock metamorphic alteration of coesite and stishovite which were poorly documented up to now. These minerals occur as unusually large crystals in the quartzite of the wall rock in contact with very thin pseudotachylite veins. In the pseudotachylite itself, which can be interpreted as a friction and/or a shock recovery melt, fine needles of kyanite are ubiquitous. It is proposed that these thin pseudotachylites (A-type) formed during the transit of the shock wave. They preceded the development of thick pseudotachylite and microbreccia veins (B-type) which formed during the tensional period which immediately followed. From comparison with the model of formation of high-pressure polymorphs in porous sandstone, it is suggested that higher pressure and stress was concentrated along the A-type veins at the arrival of the shock front. At this time the quartz was transformed into a "high-pressure phase" which was probably poorly crystalline. Behind the shock front, that is during the rarefaction, the pressure was progressively released and the polymorphs crystallized from this initial "high-pressure phase". Stishovite crystallized first, followed by coesite. The high-pressure conditions may have lasted an unusually long time due to the magnitude of the Vredefort impact. This long time, probably about one second, may account for the large size of the coesite and stishovite crystals. Most of the high-pressure silica polymorphs are corroded to a variable degree by secondary quartz and preserved only in a restricted area of the impact structure. This alteration is attributed to post-shock metamorphism due to the temperature of the rock before impact plus the heat left after shock recovery. Some of the evidence put forward by authors against the impact model is discussed according to the facts arising from this investigation. It is concluded that an origin by impact remains the simplest and most realistic model to explain the origin of the Vredefort Dome.

Disseminated tuberculosis presenting as tuberculous peritonitis and sepsis tuberculosa gravissima in a patient with cirrhosis of the liver: A diagnosis of challenge.

PubMed

Lee, Chun-Yuan; Tsai, Hung-Chin; Lee, Susan Shin-Jung; Sy, ChengLen; Chen, Yao-Shen

2016-08-01

We report the case of an 81-year-old man diagnosed with liver cirrhosis complicated by spontaneous bacterial peritonitis and septic shock. Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex was isolated from the ascites, sputum, and blood culture 1 month after the patient died. Clinicians should be aware of the unusual diagnosis of sepsis tuberculosa gravissima presenting with tuberculous peritonitis, which is easily misdiagnosed as spontaneous bacterial peritonitis and Gram-negative bacillus sepsis in patients with cirrhosis. Clinicians should cautiously evaluate the patient's sputum, gastric contents, urine, cerebrospinal fluid, and bone marrow for early diagnosis of disseminated tuberculosis in patients with a high degree of suspicion of this diagnosis. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Production and Characterization of a Polymer from Arthrobacter sp.

PubMed

Bodie, E A; Schwartz, R D; Catena, A

1985-09-01

An Arthrobacter sp. isolated from a glucose-sucrose agar plate was found to produce a neutral, extremely viscous, opalescent extracellular polymer. Growth, polymer production, and rheological properties and chemical composition of the isolated polymer were examined. The polymer was found to be substantially different from other arthrobacter polymers. Some unusual properties included irreversible loss of viscosity with high temperature and degradation of the polymer during fermentation and upon storage at 4 degrees C. Other characteristics included dependence on sucrose for polymer production, relative pH stability, increased viscosity with increased salt concentration, and pseudoplasticity. The polymer was found to be composed primarily (if not entirely) of d-fructose. The fructose content and other characteristics suggested that the polymer was a levan.

Profiles in Retention Part 1: Design Characteristics of a Graduate Synchronous Online Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aversa, Elizabeth; MacCall, Steven

2013-01-01

This paper is a case study of a Master of Library and Information Studies degree program online option that has been unusually successful in retaining and graduating students. Design characteristics of this program that has maintained a retention rate of over 90 percent over five years are described and mapped to the literature on distance…

2. GORGE HIGH DAM. UNUSUALLY HIGH WATER IN GORGE LAKE ...

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

2. GORGE HIGH DAM. UNUSUALLY HIGH WATER IN GORGE LAKE DUE TO THE COMBINATION OF UNIT 24 BEING DOWN FOR REWINDING AND TWO UNITS COMING ON LINE UNEXPECTEDLY AT ROSS POWERHOUSE LED TO WATER FLOWING OVER THE SPILLGATES. EACH GATE IF 47 FEET WIDE AND 50 FEET HIGH, 1989. - Skagit Power Development, Gorge High Dam, On Skagit River, 2.9 miles upstream from Newhalem, Newhalem, Whatcom County, WA

Flexible missile autopilot design studies with PC-MATLAB/386

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ruth, Michael J.

1989-01-01

Development of a responsive, high-bandwidth missile autopilot for airframes which have structural modes of unusually low frequency presents a challenging design task. Such systems are viable candidates for modern, state-space control design methods. The PC-MATLAB interactive software package provides an environment well-suited to the development of candidate linear control laws for flexible missile autopilots. The strengths of MATLAB include: (1) exceptionally high speed (MATLAB's version for 80386-based PC's offers benchmarks approaching minicomputer and mainframe performance); (2) ability to handle large design models of several hundred degrees of freedom, if necessary; and (3) broad extensibility through user-defined functions. To characterize MATLAB capabilities, a simplified design example is presented. This involves interactive definition of an observer-based state-space compensator for a flexible missile autopilot design task. MATLAB capabilities and limitations, in the context of this design task, are then summarized.

Social thermoregulation in redfronted lemurs (Eulemur fulvus rufus).

PubMed

Ostner, Julia

2002-01-01

Pronounced seasonality, with temperatures dropping as low as 5 degrees C during the dry season, has led to the hypothesis that Malagasy lemurs face cold stress and respond to this by inactivity and social thermoregulation, i.e. resting in tight body contact with conspecifics. Compared to anthropoids, lemur groups are comprised of an unusually high number of males, leading to an even or slightly male-biased adult sex ratio. According to one hypothesis, females may benefit from these surplus males in their groups if males huddle with females. The results of this study on redfronted lemurs (Eulemur fulvus rufus) in Kirindy Forest, Madagascar revealed that the animals indeed responded to cold ambient temperatures by increased inactivity and the formation of huddling groups. However, surplus males did not participate more frequently than expected in huddling groups with females and females do not, therefore, benefit from the high number of males in their groups by increased social thermoregulation.

Crystal structure of the Msx-1 homeodomain/DNA complex.

PubMed

Hovde, S; Abate-Shen, C; Geiger, J H

2001-10-09

The Msx-1 homeodomain protein plays a crucial role in craniofacial, limb, and nervous system development. Homeodomain DNA-binding domains are comprised of 60 amino acids that show a high degree of evolutionary conservation. We have determined the structure of the Msx-1 homeodomain complexed to DNA at 2.2 A resolution. The structure has an unusually well-ordered N-terminal arm with a unique trajectory across the minor groove of the DNA. DNA specificity conferred by bases flanking the core TAAT sequence is explained by well ordered water-mediated interactions at Q50. Most interactions seen at the TAAT sequence are typical of the interactions seen in other homeodomain structures. Comparison of the Msx-1-HD structure to all other high resolution HD-DNA complex structures indicate a remarkably well-conserved sphere of hydration between the DNA and protein in these complexes.

Persistence of an introduced mud flat community in south San Francisco Bay, California

USGS Publications Warehouse

Nichols, Frederic H.; Thompson, Janet K.

1985-01-01

The benthic invertebrate community inhabiting the extensive and sedimentologically homogeneous mudflats of South San Francisco Bay has demonstrated a high degree of constancy in both species composition and relative abundance among species throughout 10 yr of observation. The community, composed predominantly of introduced species with opportunistic lifestyles, is dominated numerically by Gemma gernma, Ampelisca abdita, and Streblospio benedicti. The key to the persistent co-occurrence of these species on the mudflats seems to lie in the combination of (1) the recurrence of minor disturbances of the mudflat habitat (e.g. sediment deposition/erosion, inundation by low-salinity water) on time scales comparable to that of life cycles; (2) opportunistic life history strategies (rapid maturity, brooding of young, multiple generations each year, ease of local dispersal of both juveniles and adults) that permit continued colonization of the mudflat surface or rapid recolonization after disturbances. Only 1 of the 3 numerically-dominant species. A. abdita, displays an annual periodicity in abundance. S. benedicti and G. gemma, through broadly flexible reproductive strategies permitted in the mild San Francisco climate, can exhibit strong recruitment at any time between spring and autumn. The most extreme community changes, involving temporary reduction or elimination of normally dominant populations, occurred as a result of anomalous disturbances such as unusual buildup and decay of an algal mat during 1 summer and prolonged periods of unusually high freshwater inflow during 2 successive winters. The introduced opportunists routinely co-occur at high densities. However, one of these, the tube-dwelling amphipod A. abdita, may control the abundance of the native mollusk Macoma balthica.

First-principles Theory of Magnetic Multipoles in Condensed Matter Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suzuki, Michi-To; Ikeda, Hiroaki; Oppeneer, Peter M.

2018-04-01

The multipole concept, which characterizes the spacial distribution of scalar and vector objects by their angular dependence, has already become widely used in various areas of physics. In recent years it has become employed to systematically classify the anisotropic distribution of electrons and magnetization around atoms in solid state materials. This has been fuelled by the discovery of several physical phenomena that exhibit unusual higher rank multipole moments, beyond that of the conventional degrees of freedom as charge and magnetic dipole moment. Moreover, the higher rank electric/magnetic multipole moments have been suggested as promising order parameters in exotic hidden order phases. While the experimental investigations of such anomalous phases have provided encouraging observations of multipolar order, theoretical approaches have developed at a slower pace. In particular, a materials' specific theory has been missing. The multipole concept has furthermore been recognized as the key quantity which characterizes the resultant configuration of magnetic moments in a cluster of atomic moments. This cluster multipole moment has then been introduced as macroscopic order parameter for a noncollinear antiferromagnetic structure in crystals that can explain unusual physical phenomena whose appearance is determined by the magnetic point group symmetry. It is the purpose of this review to discuss the recent developments in the first-principles theory investigating multipolar degrees of freedom in condensed matter systems. These recent developments exemplify that ab initio electronic structure calculations can unveil detailed insight in the mechanism of physical phenomena caused by the unconventional, multipole degree of freedom.

The Application of Scanning Electron Microscopy with Energy-Dispersive X-Ray Spectroscopy (SEM-EDX) in Ancient Dental Calculus for the Reconstruction of Human Habits.

PubMed

Fialová, Dana; Skoupý, Radim; Drozdová, Eva; Paták, Aleš; Piňos, Jakub; Šín, Lukáš; Beňuš, Radoslav; Klíma, Bohuslav

2017-12-01

The great potential of scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDX) is in detection of unusual chemical elements included in ancient human dental calculus to verify hypotheses about life and burial habits of historic populations and individuals. Elemental spectra were performed from archeological samples of three chosen individuals from different time periods. The unusual presence of magnesium, aluminum, and silicon in the first sample could confirm the hypothesis of high degree of dental abrasion caused by particles from grinding stones in flour. In the second sample, presence of copper could confirm that bronze jewelery could lie near the buried body. The elemental composition of the third sample with the presence of lead and copper confirms the origin of individual to Napoleonic Wars because the damage to his teeth could be explained by the systematic utilization of the teeth for the opening of paper cartridges (a charge with a dose of gunpowder and a bullet), which were used during the 18th and the 19th century AD. All these results contribute to the reconstruction of life (first and third individual) and burial (second individual) habits of historic populations and individuals.

Structural organisation and lipid composition of the epicuticular accessory layer of infective larvae of Trichinella spiralis.

PubMed

Gounaris, K; Smith, V P; Selkirk, M E

1996-05-22

The epicuticle of infective larvae of Trichinella spiralis represents the interface between this intracellular nematode parasite and the cytosol of mammalian skeletal muscle. The macromolecular structures that make up the epicuticle were studied by freeze-fracture electron microscopy and compositional analysis. Three fracture planes were observed: one with a typical plasma membrane-type bilayer organisation which was overlaid by two extended layers of lipid in an inverted cylindrical configuration. This overall structure remained unchanged in response to variations in temperature between 20 degrees C and 45 degrees C. The lipid cylinders were on average 6.8 nm in diameter, with randomly-associated particles that were not dissociated by high-salt treatment, indicative of hydrophobically associated proteins. The majority of the lipids were non-polar, consisting of cholesterol, cholesterol esters, mono- and tri-glycerides, and free fatty acids. Three major classes of phospholipids were identified: phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol and phosphatidylcholine. Total lipid extracts did not adopt an inverted cylindrical or micellar configuration on isolation, but formed flat sheets of lamellae as did the purified polar and non-polar fractions of the lipids. Isolated lipids did not undergo thermally-induced polymorphism between 20 degrees C and 60 degrees C and there was no pH dependency of the structures adopted. The fatty acid saturation levels of the phospholipids were compatible with the observation that they did not form polymorphic structures on isolation. We suggest that this unusual configuration is probably stabilised by the associated (glyco)proteins and may be required for selective permeation of nutrients from the host cell cytosol and/or for maintaining the high curvature of the parasite within the cell.

Evaluation of Drugs for Prevention of Hyperthermia in Rats Exposed to Microwave Irradiation.

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-03-04

is deficient in antidiuretic hormone (ADH) and has diabetes insipidus (DI). The latter condition causes unusually high water intake and urine...ADH) and consequently has diabetes ihsipidus (DI). A DI-rat, also known as Brattleboro rat, has both unusually high water intake and rate of

Observation of high-energy gamma-rays with the AMS-02 electromagnetic calorimeter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morescalchi, L.

2017-05-01

The Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS-02) is a multipurpose astroparticle physics detector installed on the International Space Station (ISS). Since more than 5 years it is measuring with an unprecedented accuracy flux and composition of primary cosmic rays, searching for primordial anti-matter and probing the nature of dark matter. Despite the fact that AMS-02 has been primarily designed as a charged-particle spectrometer, it can also perform precision observations of γ -rays from a few GeV to beyond one TeV. The key sub-detector used for the photon identification is a lead-scintillating fibers sampling calorimeter (ECAL). Its high granularity allows to reconstruct the direction of the incoming photon with a resolution better than 1 degree. The 3D shower image reconstructed by the calorimeter together with the absence of hits along the reconstructed photon direction allow to reach a very good signal over background ratio. This experimental technique offers the unusual possibility to reconstruct a sky map of the very high-energy photon sources.

Discovery of Emergent Photon and Monopoles in a Quantum Spin Liquid

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tokiwa, Yoshifumi; Yamashita, Takuya; Terazawa, Daiki; Kimura, Kenta; Kasahara, Yuichi; Onishi, Takafumi; Kato, Yasuyuki; Halim, Mario; Gegenwart, Philipp; Shibauchi, Takasada; Nakatsuji, Satoru; Moon, Eun-Gook; Matsuda, Yuji

2018-06-01

Quantum spin liquid (QSL) is an exotic quantum phase of matter whose ground state is quantum-mechanically entangled without any magnetic ordering. A central issue concerns emergent excitations that characterize QSLs, which are hypothetically associated with quasiparticle fractionalization and topological order. Here we report highly unusual heat conduction generated by the spin degrees of freedom in a QSL state of the pyrochlore magnet Pr2Zr2O7, which hosts spin-ice correlations with strong quantum fluctuations. The thermal conductivity in high temperature regime exhibits a two-gap behavior, which is consistent with the gapped excitations of magnetic (M-) and electric monopoles (E-particles). At very low temperatures below 200 mK, the thermal conductivity unexpectedly shows a dramatic enhancement, which well exceeds purely phononic conductivity, demonstrating the presence of highly mobile spin excitations. This new type of excitations can be attributed to emergent photons (ν-particle), coherent gapless spin excitations in a spin-ice manifold.

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

Plucknett, K.P.; Tiegs, T.N.; Becher, P.F.

Ductile nickel aluminide (Ni{sub 3}Al) alloys have been used as a `binder` phase for the fabrication of both titanium and tungsten carbide (TiC and WC) matrix composites. Ni{sub 3}Al alloys are also unusual in that their yield strength increases with temperature, to a maximum at 700-800{degrees}C. These properties, combined with high tensile ductilities (up to 50% strain), make Ni{sub 3}Al a potentially attractive replacement for Co in cemented carbide fabrication. Materials have been fabricated by both hot-pressing and vacuum-sintering, with Ni{sub 3}Al contents ranging from 15 to 95 vol. %. Vacuum-sintering cycles were generally similar to those used for themore » fabrication of WC/Co and TiC/Ni (i.e. T{sub sint} {approximately}1450-1600{degrees}C), resulting in sintered densities >95 % of theoretical. WC/Ni{sub 3}Al materials exhibited an order of magnitude improvement in corrosion resistance over WC/Co, during immersion tests in either sulfuric or nitric acid. These materials also demonstrated improved high temperature strength retention compared to WC/Co cermets, though the initial room temperature strengths were lower. Fracture toughness varied between 8 and 25 MPa m{sup {1/2}}, and depended primarily upon Ni{sub 3}Al content and composition.« less

An unusual cause of hemolysis in a patient with an aortic valved conduit replacement.

PubMed

Allman, Christine; Rajaratnam, Rohan; Kachwalla, Hashim; Hughes, Clifford F; Bannon, Paul; Leung, Dominic Y

2003-02-01

Hemolytic anemia is a well-known but uncommon complication in patients with prosthetic heart valves. It is most commonly a result of prosthetic valve dysfunction, periprosthetic valvular regurgitation, or both. We report a case of a 41-year-old man who had a previous aortic valve and root replacement for acute proximal aortic dissection, now presenting with hemolytic anemia. This was a result of flow obstruction at the distal anastomosis of the aortic conduit by the presence of multiple dissection flaps resulting in severe flow turbulence. Although the pathology was at the blind spot for transesophageal echocardiography, the dissection flaps, the flow turbulence, and the degree of obstruction were well-demonstrated by this technique after careful manipulation of the probe and a high index of suspicion.

[Poisoning by enterotoxin from Staphylococcus aureus associated with mocha pastry. Microbiology and epidemiology].

PubMed

Escartín, E F; Saldaña-Lozano, J; Montiel-Falcón, A

1998-01-01

A brief description of a foodborne outbreak due to S. aureus enterotoxin associated with the consumption of mocha cake in the city of Guadalajara is presented. The cake was prepared in a bakery and affected nearly 100 persons. S. aureus was isolated from the nose and skin of one of the pastry cooks. A S. aureus strain isolated from the cake involved in the outbreak was not only unable to grow in the mocha cream, but it actually decreased in numbers by 2 log after 72 h of storage at 30 degrees C. The pH of mocha cream ranged from 6.2 to 6.6, and water activity from 0.833 to 0.859, with a media of 0.841. In preparing mocha cake at the shop, one half of the dough used to be sprayed with a sucrose solution in water (20% w/v); mocha cream was spread on the other half of the dough before overlapping the two halves. When mocha cake was prepared in this manner, and stored at 30 degrees C, S. aureus increased in number by more than 4 log after 48 h. S. aureus did not grow in the cake stored at 4-7 degrees C. Contributory factors in this outbreak were an increase of water activity in the interphase of the mocha and the cake dough, storage of the cake in an unrefrigerated area, and an unusually high ambient temperature (28-32 degrees C) at that time.

The relationship of oocyte diameter and incubation temperature to incubation time in temperate freshwater fish species.

PubMed

Teletchea, F; Gardeur, J-N; Kamler, E; Fontaine, P

2009-02-01

Based on the analysis of six egg variables and incubation temperature of 65 temperate freshwater fish species, the possible relationships between oocyte diameter, incubation time and incubation temperature were reassessed and compared to the results obtained from marine fishes. Most freshwater species have eggs (mean +/-s.d. 2.19 +/- 1.52 mm) larger than marine species, that are chiefly demersal and develop stuck to various substrata, such as plants or rocks. A strong negative relationship was found between incubation time (t, days) and incubation temperature (T, degrees C): t = 186.23e(-0.197T) (r(2)= 0.87). A strong dependence of incubation time on oocyte diameter (Ø, mm) and incubation temperature was also found and was defined as: log(10)t= 3.002 + 0.599 log(10)Ø - 1.91 log(10) (T + 2), which explained 92% of the variance of the data set. Five major groups of species were defined based on the principal component analysis (PCA) of four quantitative variables. There were two distinct groups of salmonids, displaying demersal and non-adhesive eggs with a long incubation time at low temperature, the eggs of which required a high number of degree-days. There was a large group of species possessing small, mostly demersal and adhesive eggs developing at high temperature during a short period of time, and requiring a low number of degree-days. Between these two extremes, there was a fourth group displaying intermediate values and a fifth group including three species with large, adhesive and demersal eggs incubating at high temperatures during a short period of time. The burbot Lota lota displayed an unusual combination of variables compared to the remaining species in the data set.

Rheological Characterization of Unusual DWPF Slurry Samples (U)

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

Koopman, D. C.

2005-09-01

A study was undertaken to identify and clarify examples of unusual rheological behavior in Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF) simulant slurry samples. Identification was accomplished by reviewing sludge, Sludge Receipt and Adjustment Tank (SRAT) product, and Slurry Mix Evaporator (SME) product simulant rheological results from the prior year. Clarification of unusual rheological behavior was achieved by developing and implementing new measurement techniques. Development of these new methods is covered in a separate report, WSRC-TR-2004-00334. This report includes a review of recent literature on unusual rheological behavior, followed by a summary of the rheological measurement results obtained on a set ofmore » unusual simulant samples. Shifts in rheological behavior of slurries as the wt. % total solids changed have been observed in numerous systems. The main finding of the experimental work was that the various unusual DWPF simulant slurry samples exhibit some degree of time dependent behavior. When a given shear rate is applied to a sample, the apparent viscosity of the slurry changes with time rather than remaining constant. These unusual simulant samples are more rheologically complex than Newtonian liquids or more simple slurries, neither of which shows significant time dependence. The study concludes that the unusual rheological behavior that has been observed is being caused by time dependent rheological properties in the slurries being measured. Most of the changes are due to the effect of time under shear, but SB3 SME products were also changing properties while stored in sample bottles. The most likely source of this shear-related time dependence for sludge is in the simulant preparation. More than a single source of time dependence was inferred for the simulant SME product slurries based on the range of phenomena observed. Rheological property changes were observed on the time-scale of a single measurement (minutes) as well as on a time scale of hours to weeks. The unusual shape of the slurry flow curves was not an artifact of the rheometric measurement. Adjusting the user-specified parameters in the rheometer measurement jobs can alter the shape of the flow curve of these time dependent samples, but this was not causing the unusual behavior. Variations in the measurement parameters caused the time dependence of a given slurry to manifest at different rates. The premise of the controlled shear rate flow curve measurement is that the dynamic response of the sample to a change in shear rate is nearly instantaneous. When this is the case, the data can be fitted to a time independent rheological equation, such as the Bingham plastic model. In those cases where this does not happen, interpretation of the data is difficult. Fitting time dependent data to time independent rheological equations, such as the Bingham plastic model, is also not appropriate.« less

Geoscience salaries up by 10.8%

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bell, Peter M.

According to a recent salary survey of over 4000 scientists in all fields by Research and Development (March 1984) geoscientists ranked fourth place for 1984. Mathematics, aeronautical engineering, and metallurgy had higher median salaries, but the discipline of geoscience had a higher median salary than that of physics, chemical engineering, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, ceramics, chemistry, industrial engineering, biology, and other fields of research and development. The 1984 median salary for geoscientists was $40,950, up from the median value by 10.8%. In 1983, geoscience was ranked in ninth place.The geoscientist profile for 1984 was not unusual. The median age was 47.5 years, and the median years of experience was 18. Geoscientists are the best educated. Eighty-two percent of the geoscientists polled had advanced degrees beyond the bachelor's degree. Fifty-six percent of the geoscientists had the Ph.D. degree.

KSC-99pc0098

NASA Image and Video Library

1998-10-31

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- Taken during the STS-95 mission from a point over Cuba, this photo shows an oblique, foreshortened view of the Florida Peninsula, with the light blue, shallow seafloor of both the Florida Keys (curving across the bottom of the view) and the Bahama banks (right). "Popcorn" cumulus cloud covers Miami and the Southern Everglades, although the built-up area from Ft. Lauderdale to West Palm Beach can be discerned. Lake Okeechobee is the prominent waterbody in Florida. Cape Canaveral is shown well, half way up the peninsula. Orlando appears as the lighter patch West (left) of Cape Canaveral, near the middle of the peninsula. Cape Hatteras appears top right, with the North part of Chesapeake Bay also visible. This is a visibility of 16 degrees of latitude (23 degrees N over Cuba to 39 degrees at Baltimore), showing unusual atmospheric clarity.

Modulation of mechanosensitive calcium-selective cation channels by temperature

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ding, J. P.; Pickard, B. G.

1993-01-01

Gating of associations of mechanosensitive Ca(2+)-selective cation co-channels in the plasmalemma of onion epidermis has a strong and unusual temperature dependence. Tension-dependent activity rises steeply as temperature is lowered from 25 degrees C to about 6 degrees C, but drops to a low level at about 5 degrees C. Under the conditions tested (with Mg2+ and K+ at the cytosolic face of outside-out membrane patches), promotion results both from more bursting at all observed linkage levels and from longer duration of bursts of co-channels linked as quadruplets and quintuplets. Co-channel conductance decreases linearly, but only modestly, with declining temperature. It is proposed that these and related mechanosensitive channels may participate in a variety of responses to temperature, including thermonasty, thermotropism, hydrotropism, and both cold damage and cold acclimation.

An assessment of the portability of ancestry informative markers between human populations

PubMed Central

Myles, Sean; Stoneking, Mark; Timpson, Nic

2009-01-01

Background Recent work has shown that population stratification can have confounding effects on genetic association studies and statistical methods have been developed to correct for these effects. Subsets of markers that are highly-differentiated between populations, ancestry-informative markers (AIMs), have been used to correct for population stratification. Often AIMs are discovered in one set of populations and then employed in a different set of populations. The underlying assumption in these cases is that the population under study has the same substructure as the population in which the AIMs were discovered. The present study assesses this assumption and evaluates the portability between worldwide populations of 10 SNPs found to be highly-differentiated within Britain (BritAIMs). Methods We genotyped 10 BritAIMs in ~1000 individuals from 53 populations worldwide. We assessed the degree to which these 10 BritAIMs capture population stratification in other groups of populations by use of the Fst statistic. We used Fst values from 2750 random markers typed in the same set of individuals as an empirical distribution to which the Fst values of the 10 BritAIMs were compared. Results Allele frequency differences between continental groups for the BritAIMs are not unusually high. This is also the case for comparisons within continental groups distantly related to Britain. However, two BritAIMs show high Fst between European populations and two BritAIMs show high Fst between populations from the Middle East. Overall the median Fst across all BritAIMs is not unusually high compared to the empirical distribution. Conclusion We find that BritAIMs are generally not useful to distinguish between continental groups or within continental groups distantly related to Britain. Moreover, our analyses suggest that the portability of AIMs across geographical scales (e.g. between Europe and Britain) can be limited and should therefore be taken into consideration in the design and interpretation of genetic association studies. PMID:19619313

Small heat-shock proteins and leaf cooling capacity account for the unusual heat tolerance of the central spike leaves in Agave tequilana var. Weber.

PubMed

Luján, Rosario; Lledías, Fernando; Martínez, Luz María; Barreto, Rita; Cassab, Gladys I; Nieto-Sotelo, Jorge

2009-12-01

Agaves are perennial crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM) plants distributed in tropical and subtropical arid environments, features that are attractive for studying the heat-shock response. In agaves, the stress response can be analysed easily during leaf development, as they form a spirally shaped rosette, having the meristem surrounded by folded leaves in the centre (spike) and the unfolded and more mature leaves in the periphery. Here, we report that the spike of Agave tequilana is the most thermotolerant part of the rosette withstanding shocks of up to 55 degrees C. This finding was inconsistent with the patterns of heat-shock protein (Hsp) gene expression, as maximal accumulation of Hsp transcripts was at 44 degrees C in all sectors (spike, inner, middle and outer). However, levels of small HSP (sHSP)-CI and sHSP-CII proteins were conspicuously higher in spike leaves at all temperatures correlating with their thermotolerance. In addition, spike leaves showed a higher stomatal density and abated more efficiently their temperature several degrees below that of air. We propose that the greater capacity for leaf cooling during the day in response to heat stress, and the elevated levels of sHSPs, constitute part of a set of strategies that protect the SAM and folded leaves of A. tequilana from high temperatures.

Thermal resistance of Salmonella serovars isolated from raw, frozen chicken nuggets/strips, nugget meat and pelleted broiler feed.

PubMed

Bucher, Oliver; D'Aoust, J-Y; Holley, Richard A

2008-05-31

Raw, frozen chicken nuggets/strips available at retail and prepared at home before consumption have been identified as a significant risk factor in contracting food-borne salmonellosis. Cases of salmonellosis from consumption of these products may be due, in part, to Salmonella strains originating in broiler feed. In this study the thermal resistances of Salmonella strains isolated from chicken nuggets and strips, chicken nugget/strip meat and broiler feed were determined to assess whether they exhibited enhanced thermal resistance. Thermal resistances (D- and z- values) of 7 cocktails (25 isolates, 4 serovars) were determined in commercially prepared irradiation-treated chicken nugget/strip meat blend, and heated in a constant temperature waterbath. The thermal resistances found were lower than those reported for similar strains in the literature. D-values ranged from 6.93 to 0.12 min at 55 and 62 degrees C respectively, with z-values from 4.10 to 5.17 degrees C. Two strains of S. Enteritidis separately isolated from pelleted feed and chicken nugget meat blend, with indistinguishable geno- and phenotypes, had lower (and probably identical) thermal resistances than the other isolates. Results indicated that the strains of Salmonella isolated from raw, frozen chicken nuggets/strips and pelleted broiler feed did not exhibit unusually high thermal resistance, and that normal heating (71 degrees C) prior to consumption should eliminate these organisms from chicken nuggets/strips.

Why many polymers are so fragile: A new perspective

DOE PAGES

Dalle-Ferrier, C.; Kisliuk, A.; Hong, L.; ...

2016-10-21

Many polymers exhibit much steeper temperature dependence of their structural relaxation time (higher fragility) than liquids of small molecules, and the mechanism of this unusually high fragility in polymers remains a puzzle. To reveal additional hints for understanding the underlying mechanism, we analyzed correlation of many properties of polymers to their fragility on example of model polymer polystyrene with various molecular weights (MWs). Here, we demonstrate that these correlations work for short chains (oligomers), but fail progressively with increase in MW. Our surprising discovery is that the steepness of the temperature dependence (fragility) of the viscosity that is determined bymore » chain relaxation follows the correlations at all molecular weights. These results suggest that the molecular level relaxation still follows the behavior usual for small molecules even in polymers, and its fragility (chain fragility) falls in the range usual for molecular liquids. It is the segmental relaxation that has this unusually high fragility. We also speculate that many polymers cannot reach an ergodic state on the time scale of segmental dynamics due to chain connectivity and rigidity. This leads to sharper decrease in accessible configurational entropy upon cooling and results in steeper temperature dependence of segmental relaxation. Our proposed scenario provides a new important insight into the specifics of polymer dynamics: the role of ergodicity time and length scale. At the end, we suggest that a similar scenario can be applicable also to other molecular systems with slow intra-molecular degrees of freedom and to chemically complex systems where the time scale of chemical fluctuations can be longer than the time scale of structural relaxation.« less

Purification and characterization of creatine kinase isozymes from the nurse shark Ginglymostoma cirratum.

PubMed

Gray, K A; Grossman, S H; Summers, D D

1986-01-01

Creatine kinase from nurse shark brain and muscle has been purified to apparent homogeneity. In contrast to creatine kinases from most other vertebrate species, the muscle isozyme and the brain isozyme from nurse shark migrate closely in electrophoresis and, unusually, the muscle isozyme is anodal to the brain isozyme. The isoelectric points are 5.3 and 6.2 for the muscle and brain isozymes, respectively. The purified brain preparation also contains a second active protein with pI 6.0. The amino acid content of the muscle isozyme is compared with other isozymes of creatine kinase using the Metzger Difference Index as an estimation of compositional relatedness. All comparisons show a high degree of compositional similarity including arginine kinase from lobster muscle. The muscle isozyme is marginally more resistant to temperature inactivation than the brain isozyme; the muscle protein does not exhibit unusual stability towards high concentrations of urea. Kinetic analysis of the muscle isozyme reveals Michaelis constants of 1.6 mM MgATP, 12 mM creatine, 1.2 mM MgADP and 50 mM creatine phosphate. Dissociation constants for the same substrate from the binary and ternary enzyme-substrate complex do not differ significantly, indicating limited cooperatively in substrate binding. Enzyme activity is inhibited by small planar anions, most severely by nitrate. Shark muscle creatine kinase hybridizes in vitro with rabbit muscle or monkey brain creatine kinase; shark brain isozyme hybridizes with monkey brain or rabbit brain creatine kinase. Shark muscle and shark brain isozymes, under a wide range of conditions, failed to produce a detectable hybrid.

Anatomical Analysis of Saccharomyces cerevisiae Stalk-Like Structures Reveals Spatial Organization and Cell Specialization

PubMed Central

Scherz, Ruth; Shinder, Vera; Engelberg, David

2001-01-01

Recently we reported an unusual multicellular organization in yeast that we termed stalk-like structures. These structures are tall (0.5 to 3 cm long) and narrow (1 to 3 mm in diameter). They are formed in response to UV radiation of cultures spread on high agar concentrations. Here we present an anatomical analysis of the stalks. Microscopic inspection of cross sections taken from stalks revealed that stalks are composed of an inner core in which cells are dense and vital and a layer of cells (four to six rows) that surrounds the core. This outer layer is physically separated from the core and contains many dead cells. The outer layer may form a protective shell for the core cells. Through electron microscopy analysis we observed three types of cells within the stalk population: (i) cells containing many unusual vesicles, which might be undergoing some kind of cell death; (ii) cells containing spores (usually one or two spores only); and (iii) familiar rounded cells. We suggest that stalk cells are not only spatially organized but may undergo processes that induce a certain degree of cell specialization. We also show that high agar concentration alone, although not sufficient to induce stalk formation, induces dramatic changes in a colony's morphology. Most striking among the agar effects is the induction of growth into the agar, forming peg-like structures. Colonies grown on 4% agar or higher are reminiscent of stalks in some aspects. The agar concentration effects are mediated in part by the Ras pathway and are related to the invasive-growth phenomenon. PMID:11514526

Why many polymers are so fragile: A new perspective

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

Dalle-Ferrier, C.; Kisliuk, A.; Hong, L.

Many polymers exhibit much steeper temperature dependence of their structural relaxation time (higher fragility) than liquids of small molecules, and the mechanism of this unusually high fragility in polymers remains a puzzle. To reveal additional hints for understanding the underlying mechanism, we analyzed correlation of many properties of polymers to their fragility on example of model polymer polystyrene with various molecular weights (MWs). Here, we demonstrate that these correlations work for short chains (oligomers), but fail progressively with increase in MW. Our surprising discovery is that the steepness of the temperature dependence (fragility) of the viscosity that is determined bymore » chain relaxation follows the correlations at all molecular weights. These results suggest that the molecular level relaxation still follows the behavior usual for small molecules even in polymers, and its fragility (chain fragility) falls in the range usual for molecular liquids. It is the segmental relaxation that has this unusually high fragility. We also speculate that many polymers cannot reach an ergodic state on the time scale of segmental dynamics due to chain connectivity and rigidity. This leads to sharper decrease in accessible configurational entropy upon cooling and results in steeper temperature dependence of segmental relaxation. Our proposed scenario provides a new important insight into the specifics of polymer dynamics: the role of ergodicity time and length scale. At the end, we suggest that a similar scenario can be applicable also to other molecular systems with slow intra-molecular degrees of freedom and to chemically complex systems where the time scale of chemical fluctuations can be longer than the time scale of structural relaxation.« less

Biosynthetic Investigations of Lactonamycin and Lactonamycin Z: Cloning of the Biosynthetic Gene Clusters and Discovery of an Unusual Starter Unit▿ †

PubMed Central

Zhang, Xiujun; Alemany, Lawrence B.; Fiedler, Hans-Peter; Goodfellow, Michael; Parry, Ronald J.

2008-01-01

The antibiotics lactonamycin and lactonamycin Z provide attractive leads for antibacterial drug development. Both antibiotics contain a novel aglycone core called lactonamycinone. To gain insight into lactonamycinone biosynthesis, cloning and precursor incorporation experiments were undertaken. The lactonamycin gene cluster was initially cloned from Streptomyces rishiriensis. Sequencing of ca. 61 kb of S. rishiriensis DNA revealed the presence of 57 open reading frames. These included genes coding for the biosynthesis of l-rhodinose, the sugar found in lactonamycin, and genes similar to those in the tetracenomycin biosynthetic gene cluster. Since lactonamycin production by S. rishiriensis could not be sustained, additional proof for the identity of the S. rishiriensis cluster was obtained by cloning the lactonamycin Z gene cluster from Streptomyces sanglieri. Partial sequencing of the S. sanglieri cluster revealed 15 genes that exhibited a very high degree of similarity to genes within the lactonamycin cluster, as well as an identical organization. Double-crossover disruption of one gene in the S. sanglieri cluster abolished lactonamycin Z production, and production was restored by complementation. These results confirm the identity of the genetic locus cloned from S. sanglieri and indicate that the highly similar locus in S. rishiriensis encodes lactonamycin biosynthetic genes. Precursor incorporation experiments with S. sanglieri revealed that lactonamycinone is biosynthesized in an unusual manner whereby glycine or a glycine derivative serves as a starter unit that is extended by nine acetate units. Analysis of the gene clusters and of the precursor incorporation data suggested a hypothetical scheme for lactonamycinone biosynthesis. PMID:18070976

Intercostal muscle twitching: An unusual manifestation of extracardiac stimulation related to right ventricular outflow tract pacing

PubMed Central

Erdogan, Okan

2007-01-01

The present case report describes a patient who underwent successful dual-chamber pacemaker implantation with active ventricular lead fixation at a high septal region in the right ventricular outflow tract. Unexpectedly, stimulation at a high output in the right ventricular outflow tract caused an unusual extracardiac stimulation, specifically, intercostal muscle twitching. PMID:17703261

Curiosity and exploratory behaviour towards possible and impossible events in children and adults.

PubMed

Subbotsky, Eugene

2010-08-01

In four experiments with 4-, 6-, and 9-year-old children and adults, the hypothesis was tested that, all other conditions being equal, a novel and unusual event elicits stronger curiosity and exploratory behaviour if its suggested explanation involves an element of the supernatural than if it does not (the impossible over possible effect - the I/P effect). Participants were shown an unusual phenomenon (a spontaneous disintegration of a physical object in an apparently empty box) framed in the context of either a magical (the impossible event) or scientific (the possible event) explanation. In the verbal trial, participants showed a clear understanding of the difference between the effect of genuine magic and the effect of a trick. In the behavioural trial, both children and adults showed the I/P effect. They were more likely to run the risk of losing their valuable objects in order to explore the impossible event than the possible event. Follow-up experiments showed that the I/P effect couldn't be explained as an artifact of the different degrees of cost of exploratory behaviour in the possible and impossible conditions or as a result of misinterpreting magic as tricks. The I/P effect emerged when the cost of exploratory behaviour was moderate and disappeared when the cost was perceived as too high or too low.

Satellite and Ocean Model Analysis of Thermal Conditions Affecting Coral Reefs in the Western Indian Ocean

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Perez Delgado, Z.; Ummenhofer, C.; Swales, D. J.

2016-02-01

Corals are thought to be one of the smallest yet most productive ecosystems in the world. They have great economic and ecological value, but are increasingly affected by anthropogenic, biological and physical threats, such as a rise in sea surface temperature (SST) and ocean acidification due to an increase in CO2 in the atmosphere, among other factors. Here, specific events are investigated that likely exerted significant stress on corals, focusing particularly on unusual climatic conditions in the Western Indian Ocean during the 2001 to 2007 period as reflected by anomalies in degree heating weeks, hotspots and SST. Anomalous conditions in subsurface temperatures and mixed layer depth across the Indian Ocean region are also examined. We do this by using monthly, year-to-date, and annual composites of twice-weekly 50-km satellite coral bleaching monitoring products from the NOAA Coral Reef Watch and complementing it with output from a high-resolution global ocean model hindcast (1948-2007) forced with observed atmospheric forcing. Two years stand out in our analysis for the satellite data and model output: 2003 and 2005 exhibit strong warming in the Western Indian Ocean and cooling in the East. To establish the physical mechanisms giving rise to the unusual conditions and hotspot origins in 2003 and 2005 we also evaluate regional circulation changes in the Western Indian Ocean.

Shenandoah National Park, Virginia, Shaded Relief with Height as Color

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2003-01-01

Shenandoah National Park lies astride part of the Blue Ridge Mountains, which form the southeastern range of the greater Appalachian Mountains in Virginia. The park is well framed by this one-degree of latitude (38-39 north) by one-degree of longitude (78-79 west) cell of Shuttle Radar Topography Mission data, and it appears here as the most prominent ridge trending diagonally across the scene. Skyline Drive, a 169-kilometer (105-mile) road that winds along the crest of the mountains through the length the park, provides vistas of the surrounding landscape. The Shenandoah River flows through the valley to the west, with Massanutten Mountain standing between the river's north and south forks. Unusually pronounced meanders of both river forks are very evident near the top center of this scene. Massanutten Mountain itself is an unusually distinctive landform also, consisting of highly elongated looping folds of sedimentary rock. The rolling Piedmont country lies to the southeast of the park, with Charlottesville located at the bottom center of the scene.

Two visualization methods were combined to produce this image: shading and color coding of topographic height. The shade image was derived by computing topographic slope in the north-south direction. Northern slopes appear bright and southern slopes appear dark. Color coding is directly related to topographic height, with green at the lower elevations, rising through yellow, red, and magenta, to bluish-white at the highest elevations.

Elevation data used in this image were acquired by the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour, launched on February 11, 2000. The mission used the same radar instrument that comprised the Spaceborne Imaging Radar-C/X-Band Synthetic Aperture Radar that flew twice on the Space Shuttle Endeavour in 1994. The Shuttle Radar Topography Mission was designed to collect three-dimensional measurements of the Earth's surface. To collect the 3-D data, engineers added a 60-meter-long (200-foot) mast, installed additional C-band and X-band antennas, and improved tracking and navigation devices. The mission is a cooperative project between NASA, the National Imagery and Mapping Agency of the U.S. Department of Defense, and the German and Italian space agencies. It is managed by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif., for NASA's Earth Science Enterprise, Washington, DC.

Size: 111 by 87 kilometers (69 by 54 miles) Location: 38-39 degrees North latitude, 78-79 degrees West longitude Orientation: North toward the top Image Data: Shaded and colored SRTM elevation model Date Acquired: February 2000

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

Ding, Yang; Yang, Liuxiang; Chen, Cheng-Chien

The spin-orbit Mott insulator Sr 3Ir 2O 7 provides a fascinating playground to explore insulator-metal transition driven by intertwined charge, spin, and lattice degrees of freedom. Here, we report high-pressure electric resistance and resonant inelastic x-ray scattering measurements on single-crystal Sr 3Ir 2O 7 up to 63-65 GPa at 300 K. The material becomes a confined metal at 59.5 GPa, showing metallicity in the ab plane but an insulating behavior along the c axis. Such an unusual phenomenon resembles the strange metal phase in cuprate superconductors. Since there is no sign of the collapse of spin-orbit or Coulomb interactions inmore » x-ray measurements, this novel insulator-metal transition is potentially driven by a first-order structural change at nearby pressures. Our discovery points to a new approach for synthesizing functional materials.« less

Precisely cyclic sand: self-organization of periodically sheared frictional grains.

PubMed

Royer, John R; Chaikin, Paul M

2015-01-06

The disordered static structure and chaotic dynamics of frictional granular matter has occupied scientists for centuries, yet there are few organizational principles or guiding rules for this highly hysteretic, dissipative material. We show that cyclic shear of a granular material leads to dynamic self-organization into several phases with different spatial and temporal order. Using numerical simulations, we present a phase diagram in strain-friction space that shows chaotic dispersion, crystal formation, vortex patterns, and most unusually a disordered phase in which each particle precisely retraces its unique path. However, the system is not reversible. Rather, the trajectory of each particle, and the entire frictional, many-degrees-of-freedom system, organizes itself into a limit cycle absorbing state. Of particular note is that fact that the cyclic states are spatially disordered, whereas the ordered states are chaotic.

Precisely cyclic sand: Self-organization of periodically sheared frictional grains

PubMed Central

Royer, John R.; Chaikin, Paul M.

2015-01-01

The disordered static structure and chaotic dynamics of frictional granular matter has occupied scientists for centuries, yet there are few organizational principles or guiding rules for this highly hysteretic, dissipative material. We show that cyclic shear of a granular material leads to dynamic self-organization into several phases with different spatial and temporal order. Using numerical simulations, we present a phase diagram in strain–friction space that shows chaotic dispersion, crystal formation, vortex patterns, and most unusually a disordered phase in which each particle precisely retraces its unique path. However, the system is not reversible. Rather, the trajectory of each particle, and the entire frictional, many–degrees-of-freedom system, organizes itself into a limit cycle absorbing state. Of particular note is that fact that the cyclic states are spatially disordered, whereas the ordered states are chaotic. PMID:25538298

Fire test methodology for aerospace materials. 1: Thermal and smoke toxicological assessments of graphite/bismaleimide and graphite/epoxy systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kanakia, M. D.; Switzer, W. G.; Hartzell, G. E.; Kaplan, H. L.

1980-01-01

Both materials possess a high degree of thermal stability, with total heat release values being essentially identical under piloted ignition conditions over a range of 5 to 10 W/sq cm incident heat flux. The graphite/epoxy material had a tendency to auto-ignite at a lower heat flux (about 7 W/sq cm) and produced about 23 percent higher peak heat release rates, approximately 42 percent more carbon monoxide and considerably more smoke than the graphite/bismaleimide under conditions of piloted ignition. Toxicological potencies of smoke produced from the two composites were equivalent for 30 minute exposures. Potencies were also comparable to many common materials, such as wood. There was no evidence for the formation of an "unusual toxicant" nor for any short term post-exposure toxicological effects.

Labial ankyloglossia: A rare case report

PubMed Central

Bahadure, Rakesh Namdeo; Jain, Eesha; Singh, Parul; Pandey, Rameshkumar; Chuk, Rakeshkumar

2016-01-01

Tongue-tie or ankyloglossia is the congenital short thick lingual frenulum resulting in reduced mobility of the tongue. It limits the possibilities of the extension such as the protrusion and elevation of the tip of the tongue due to either the short of frenulum or genioglossus muscle or both. It can be observed at different ages with specific indications for treatment for each group and cause problems in the feeding, dental hygiene, speech, appearance, and self-esteem of affected patients. Although various degrees of the tongue-tie are mostly observed from the tip of tongue to the base of tongue, sometimes it may present unusually. The present article reports an unusual unique pattern of ankyloglossia where lingual frenum was exceptionally extended and merged with mandibular labium frenum. Reported case is one of the rarest types of ankyloglossia and emphasizes on its clinical implications, need for modifying diagnostic criteria, surgical management, and postoperative exercises. PMID:27994428

Isentropic mixing in the Artic stratosphere during the 1992-1993 and 1993-1994 winters

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

Dahlberg, S.P.; Bowman, K.P.

1995-05-15

Dynamic isolation of the winter Arctic circumpolar vortex during 1992-1993 and 1993-1994 (the second and third northern hemisphere winters of the UARS mission) is studied using quasi-horizontal isentropic trajectories. Ejection of vortex air and entrainment of mid-latitude air into the vortex are quantified and compared with climatological values obtained from the analysis of 16 Arctic winters. A number of unusual features of both winters are discussed. The most notable features are the anomalous isolation experienced by the vortex during December 1992 and the unusual degree of isolation and persistence of the vortex during February and March of both years. Themore » 1992-1993 winter season is the most consistently isolated vortex on record. Only during January 1993, when entrainment is large, is this pattern of extreme isolation broken. 14 refs., 3 tabs.« less

Contact radiator burn subsequent to spinal anaesthesia.

PubMed

Sever, C; Aysal, B K; Sahin, C; Kulahci, Y

2012-06-30

An unusual case is reported in which a patient sustained a third-degree burn of the plantar surface of the right foot as the result of contact with a heating radiator. This occurred when the patient fell asleep in his hospital bed after knee surgery. Spinal anaesthesia is easy to perform, and the risk factors, though present, are not serious. Such accidents are not infrequent and care should be taken to prevent them.

Contact radiator burn subsequent to spinal anaesthesia

PubMed Central

Sever, C.; Aysal, B.K.; Sahin, C.; Kulahci, Y.

2012-01-01

Summary An unusual case is reported in which a patient sustained a third-degree burn of the plantar surface of the right foot as the result of contact with a heating radiator. This occurred when the patient fell asleep in his hospital bed after knee surgery. Spinal anaesthesia is easy to perform, and the risk factors, though present, are not serious. Such accidents are not infrequent and care should be taken to prevent them. PMID:23233830

Gender Wage Disparities among the Highly Educated.

PubMed

Black, Dan A; Haviland, Amelia; Sanders, Seth G; Taylor, Lowell J

2008-01-01

In the U.S. college-educated women earn approximately 30 percent less than their non-Hispanic white male counterparts. We conduct an empirical examination of this wage disparity for four groups of women-non-Hispanic white, black, Hispanic, and Asian-using the National Survey of College Graduates, a large data set that provides unusually detailed information on higher-level education. Nonparametric matching analysis indicates that among men and women who speak English at home, between 44 and 73 percent of the gender wage gaps are accounted for by such pre-market factors as highest degree and major. When we restrict attention further to women who have "high labor force attachment" (i.e., work experience that is similar to male comparables) we account for 54 to 99 percent of gender wage gaps. Our nonparametric approach differs from familiar regression-based decompositions, so for the sake of comparison we conduct parametric analyses as well. Inferences drawn from these latter decompositions can be quite misleading.

Extraordinary variability and sharp transitions in a maximally frustrated dynamic network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Wenjia; Schmittmann, Beate; Zia, R. K. P.

2013-03-01

Most previous studies of complex networks have focused on single, static networks. However, in the real world, networks are dynamic and interconnected. Inspired by the presence of extroverts and introverts in the general population, we investigate a highly simplified model of a social network, involving two types of nodes: one preferring the highest degree possible, and one preferring no connections whatsoever. There are only two control parameters in the model: the number of ``introvert'' and ``extrovert'' nodes, NI and NE. Our key findings are as follows: As a function of NI and NE, the system exhibits a highly unusual transition, displaying extraordinary fluctuations (as in 2nd order transitions) and discontinuous jumps (characteristic of 1st order transitions). Most remarkably, the system can be described by an Ising-like Hamiltonian with long-range multi-spin interactions and some of its properties can be obtained analytically. This is in stark contrast with other dynamic network models which rely almost exclusively on simulations. NSF-DMR-1005417/1244666 and and ICTAS Virginia Tech

Gender Wage Disparities among the Highly Educated

PubMed Central

Black, Dan A.; Haviland, Amelia; Sanders, Seth G.; Taylor, Lowell J.

2015-01-01

In the U.S. college-educated women earn approximately 30 percent less than their non-Hispanic white male counterparts. We conduct an empirical examination of this wage disparity for four groups of women—non-Hispanic white, black, Hispanic, and Asian—using the National Survey of College Graduates, a large data set that provides unusually detailed information on higher-level education. Nonparametric matching analysis indicates that among men and women who speak English at home, between 44 and 73 percent of the gender wage gaps are accounted for by such pre-market factors as highest degree and major. When we restrict attention further to women who have “high labor force attachment” (i.e., work experience that is similar to male comparables) we account for 54 to 99 percent of gender wage gaps. Our nonparametric approach differs from familiar regression-based decompositions, so for the sake of comparison we conduct parametric analyses as well. Inferences drawn from these latter decompositions can be quite misleading. PMID:26097255

Isomorphism of dimer configurations and spanning trees on finite square lattices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brankov, J. G.

1995-09-01

One-to-one mappings of the close-packed dimer configurations on a finite square lattice with free boundaries L onto the spanning trees of a related graph (or two-graph) G are found. The graph (two-graph) G can be constructed from L by: (1) deleting all the vertices of L with arbitrarily fixed parity of the row and column numbers; (2) suppressing all the vertices of degree 2 except those of degree 2 in L; (3) merging all the vertices of degree 1 into a single vertex g. The matrix Kirchhoff theorem reduces the enumeration problem for the spanning trees on G to the eigenvalue problem for the discrete Laplacian on the square lattice L'=G g with mixed Dirichlet-Neumann boundary conditions in at least one direction. That fact explains some of the unusual finite-size properties of the dimer model.

Simultaneous observations of solar sporadic radio emission by the radio telescopes UTR-2, URAN-2 and NDA within the frequency range 8-41MHz

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Melnik, V. N.; Konovalenko, A. A.; Rucker, H. O.; Brazhenko, A. I.; Briand, C.; Dorovskyy, V. V.; Zarka, P.; Denis, L.; Bulatzen, V. G.; Frantzusenko, A. V.; Stanislavskyy, A. A.

2012-04-01

From 25 June till 12 August 2011 sporadic solar radio emission was observed simultaneously by three separate radio telescopes: UTR-2 (Kharkov, Ukraine), URAN-2 (Poltava, Ukraine) and NDA (Nancay, France). During these observations several type II bursts with double and triple harmonics were registered, as well as type II bursts with complex herringbone structure. The events of particular interest were type II bursts registered on 9 and 11 August 2011. These bursts had opposite sign of circular polarization at different parts of their dynamic spectra. In our opinion we registered the emissions, which came from the different parts of the shock propagating through the solar corona. We have observed also groups of type III bursts merged into one burst, type III bursts with triple harmonics and type III bursts with "split" polarization. In addition some unusual solar bursts were registered: storms of strange narrow-band (up to 500kHz) bursts with high polarization degree (about 80%), decameter spikes of extremely short durations (200-300ms), "tadpole-like" bursts with durations of 1-2s and polarization degree up to 60%.

High-Resolution X-Ray Structures of Two Functionally Distinct Members of the Cyclic Amide Hydrolase Family of Toblerone Fold Enzymes

PubMed Central

Peat, Thomas S.; Balotra, Sahil; Wilding, Matthew; Hartley, Carol J.; Newman, Janet

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT The Toblerone fold was discovered recently when the first structure of the cyclic amide hydrolase, AtzD (a cyanuric acid hydrolase), was elucidated. We surveyed the cyclic amide hydrolase family, finding a strong correlation between phylogenetic distribution and specificity for either cyanuric acid or barbituric acid. One of six classes (IV) could not be tested due to a lack of expression of the proteins from it, and another class (V) had neither cyanuric acid nor barbituric acid hydrolase activity. High-resolution X-ray structures were obtained for a class VI barbituric acid hydrolase (1.7 Å) from a Rhodococcus species and a class V cyclic amide hydrolase (2.4 Å) from a Frankia species for which we were unable to identify a substrate. Both structures were homologous with the tetrameric Toblerone fold enzyme AtzD, demonstrating a high degree of structural conservation within the cyclic amide hydrolase family. The barbituric acid hydrolase structure did not contain zinc, in contrast with early reports of zinc-dependent activity for this enzyme. Instead, each barbituric acid hydrolase monomer contained either Na+ or Mg2+, analogous to the structural metal found in cyanuric acid hydrolase. The Frankia cyclic amide hydrolase contained no metal but instead formed unusual, reversible, intermolecular vicinal disulfide bonds that contributed to the thermal stability of the protein. The active sites were largely conserved between the three enzymes, differing at six positions, which likely determine substrate specificity. IMPORTANCE The Toblerone fold enzymes catalyze an unusual ring-opening hydrolysis with cyclic amide substrates. A survey of these enzymes shows that there is a good correlation between physiological function and phylogenetic distribution within this family of enzymes and provide insights into the evolutionary relationships between the cyanuric acid and barbituric acid hydrolases. This family of enzymes is structurally and mechanistically distinct from other enzyme families; however, to date the structure of just two, physiologically identical, enzymes from this family has been described. We present two new structures: a barbituric acid hydrolase and an enzyme of unknown function. These structures confirm that members of the CyAH family have the unusual Toblerone fold, albeit with some significant differences. PMID:28235873

MELAS Syndrome and Kidney Disease Without Fanconi Syndrome or Proteinuria: A Case Report.

PubMed

Rudnicki, Michael; Mayr, Johannes A; Zschocke, Johannes; Antretter, Herwig; Regele, Heinz; Feichtinger, René G; Windpessl, Martin; Mayer, Gert; Pölzl, Gerhard

2016-12-01

Mitochondrial encephalomyopathy, lactic acidosis, and stroke-like episodes (MELAS syndrome) represents one of the most frequent mitochondrial disorders. The majority of MELAS cases are caused by m.3243A>G mutation in the mitochondrial MT-TL1 gene, which encodes the mitochondrial tRNA Leu(UUR) . Kidney involvement usually manifests as Fanconi syndrome or focal segmental glomerulosclerosis. We describe a patient with MELAS mutation, cardiomyopathy, and chronic kidney disease without Fanconi syndrome, proteinuria, or hematuria. While the patient was waitlisted for heart transplantation, her kidney function deteriorated from an estimated glomerular filtration rate of 33 to 20mL/min/1.73m 2 within several months. Kidney biopsy was performed to distinguish decreased kidney perfusion from intrinsic kidney pathology. Histologic examination of the biopsy specimen showed only a moderate degree of tubular atrophy and interstitial fibrosis, but quantitative analysis of the m.3243A>G mitochondrial DNA mutation revealed high heteroplasmy levels of 89% in the kidney. Functional assessment showed reduced activity of mitochondrial enzymes in kidney tissue, which was confirmed by immunohistology. In conclusion, we describe an unusual case of MELAS syndrome with chronic kidney disease without apparent proteinuria or tubular disorders associated with Fanconi syndrome, but widespread interstitial fibrosis and a high degree of heteroplasmy of the MELAS specific mutation and low mitochondrial activity in the kidney. Copyright © 2016 National Kidney Foundation, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Intraspecific variation in mitochondrial genome sequence, structure, and gene content in Silene vulgaris, an angiosperm with pervasive cytoplasmic male sterility.

PubMed

Sloan, Daniel B; Müller, Karel; McCauley, David E; Taylor, Douglas R; Storchová, Helena

2012-12-01

In angiosperms, mitochondrial-encoded genes can cause cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS), resulting in the coexistence of female and hermaphroditic individuals (gynodioecy). We compared four complete mitochondrial genomes from the gynodioecious species Silene vulgaris and found unprecedented amounts of intraspecific diversity for plant mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). Remarkably, only about half of overall sequence content is shared between any pair of genomes. The four mtDNAs range in size from 361 to 429 kb and differ in gene complement, with rpl5 and rps13 being intact in some genomes but absent or pseudogenized in others. The genomes exhibit essentially no conservation of synteny and are highly repetitive, with evidence of reciprocal recombination occurring even across short repeats (< 250 bp). Some mitochondrial genes exhibit atypically high degrees of nucleotide polymorphism, while others are invariant. The genomes also contain a variable number of small autonomously mapping chromosomes, which have only recently been identified in angiosperm mtDNA. Southern blot analysis of one of these chromosomes indicated a complex in vivo structure consisting of both monomeric circles and multimeric forms. We conclude that S. vulgaris harbors an unusually large degree of variation in mtDNA sequence and structure and discuss the extent to which this variation might be related to CMS. © 2012 The Authors. New Phytologist © 2012 New Phytologist Trust.

Pulsation in Chemically Peculiar Stars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sachkov, M.

2015-04-01

Chemically peculiar stars offer the opportunity to study the interaction of strong magnetic fields, rotation, and pulsation. The rapidly oscillating chemically peculiar A stars (roAp) are a subgroup of the chemically peculiar magnetic A stars. They are high-overtone, low-degree p-mode pulsators. Until recently, the classical asteroseismic analysis, i.e., frequency analysis, of these stars was based on ground and space photometric observations. Significant progress was achieved through the access to the uninterrupted, ultra-high-precision data from the MOST, COROT, and Kepler satellites. Over the last ten years, the studies of roAp stars have been altered drastically from the observational point of view through the usage of time-resolved, high-resolution spectra. Their unusual pulsation characteristics, caused by the interplay between short vertical lengths of pulsation waves and strong stratification of chemical elements, allow us to examine the upper roAp atmosphere in more detail than is possible for any star except the Sun. In this paper a review of the results of recent studies of the pulsations of roAp stars is presented.

Petrogenesis of high-Ti and low-Ti basalts: high-pressure and high-temperature experimental study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, J.; WANG, C.; Jin, Z.

2017-12-01

Geochemical and petrological studies have revealed the existence of high-Ti and low-Ti basalts in large igneous provinces. However, the petrogenesis of them are still under debate. Several different mechanisms have been proposed: (1) the high-Ti basalts are formed by the melting of mantle plume containing recycled oceanic crust or delaminated lower crust (Spandler et al., 2008) while low-Ti basalts are formed by the melting of subcontinental lithospheric mantle (Xiao et al., 2004); (2) both of them are from mantle plume or asthenospheric source, but the production of high-Ti basalts are associated with the thick lithosphere and relevant low degrees of melting while the low-Ti basalts are controlled by the thin lithosphere with high degrees of melting (Arndt et al., 1993; Xu et al., 2001). Almost all authors emphasize the role of partial melting but less discuss the crystallization differentiation process. The low Mg# (< 0.7) of these basalts provides that they are far away from direct melting of mantle peridotite. In addition, seismic data indicate unusually high seismic velocities bodies beneath LIPs which explained by the fractionated cumulates from picritic magmas (Farnetani et al., 1996). Therefore, we believed that the crystallization differentiation process might play a more significant role in the genesis of high-Ti and low-Ti basalts. In order to investigate the generation of these basalts, a series of high pressure and high temperature partial crystallization experiments were performed by using piston-cylinder and multi-anvil press at pressures of 1.5, 3.0 and 5.0 GPa and a temperature range of 1200-1700°. Two synthetic picrite glass with different chemical compositions were used as starting materials. Our experimental results show that Ti is preferred to be concentrated in the residual melt during crystallization differentiation. For the same melt fraction, the residual melt of higher pressure experiments has relatively higher TiO2 concentration and higher Mg#. Thus, we propose that most of the high-Ti and low-Ti basalts are inherited from picritic parental magmas which could be formed by high degree partial melting of garnet peridotite. The high-Ti basalts are generated through relatively high pressure crystallization process while the low-Ti basalts are generated at relatively low pressure.

Fatal fat embolism in isolated vertebral compression fracture

PubMed Central

Saldanha, Vilas; Balasubramanian, Manjula; Handal, John

2010-01-01

Fat embolism after long bone and pelvic fractures as well as orthopedic interventions is a well-documented phenomenon, but it is highly unusual after isolated vertebral fractures. We report a case of fatal fat embolism in a 78-year-old man after an isolated vertebral compression fracture with no related orthopedic intervention. A high index of suspicion is necessary for early diagnosis and successfully treating this unusual complication. PMID:20229119

Fatal fat embolism in isolated vertebral compression fracture.

PubMed

Lastra, Ricardo R; Saldanha, Vilas; Balasubramanian, Manjula; Handal, John

2010-07-01

Fat embolism after long bone and pelvic fractures as well as orthopedic interventions is a well-documented phenomenon, but it is highly unusual after isolated vertebral fractures. We report a case of fatal fat embolism in a 78-year-old man after an isolated vertebral compression fracture with no related orthopedic intervention. A high index of suspicion is necessary for early diagnosis and successfully treating this unusual complication.

Early-onset Lyme carditis with concurrent disseminated erythema migrans.

PubMed

Patel, Kinjan P; Farjo, Peter D; Juskowich, Joy J; Hama Amin, Ali; Mills, James D

2017-01-01

Lyme disease is an infection that is estimated to affect over 300,000 people in the United States annually. Typically, it presents with erythema migrans (EM), an annular rash at the site of tick attachment, within 3 to 30 days of inoculation. Untreated patients may progress to early disseminated disease. A further complication, Lyme carditis is rare but may occur several weeks later. It commonly manifests as a variable atrioventricular (AV) conduction block, with a high-grade AV block occurring in only 1% of untreated patients. This case demonstrates an unusually early presentation of Lyme carditis with complete heart block. A 21-year-old male was transferred from an outside emergency department (ED) for possible pacemaker placement due to symptomatic third-degree AV block. Four days earlier the patient presented to the outside ED with fever, chills, and unrecognized EM on his right neck. He was discharged with antipyretics, but no antibiotic therapy. On the day of transfer, he returned with persistent fevers, EM now on his trunk and upper extremities, lightheadedness, and substernal chest pressure. An electrocardiogram revealed the third-degree AV block leading to transfer. Upon arrival, the patient was promptly diagnosed with Lyme carditis. Pacemaker implantation was deferred, and intravenous (IV) ceftriaxone was initiated. Within 48 hours his third-degree AV block improved to a first-degree block. By this time, his EM had also resolved. He was discharged with oral doxycycline and a 30-day event monitor, which ultimately showed persistent first-degree AV block. This case reinforces a unique presentation of Lyme carditis. Disseminated EM and Lyme carditis may present concurrently within 2 weeks of tick attachment. Early recognition and treatment is important for preventing progression to disseminated infection. Lyme-associated AV block will reverse within 48 to 72 hours of initiating IV antibiotic therapy and will not require pacemaker implantation. Lyme carditis should be considered in patients without heart disease who present with any degree of AV block.

Ginzburg-Landau theory for skyrmions in inversion-symmetric magnets with competing interactions

DOE PAGES

Lin, Shi-Zeng; Hayami, Satoru

2016-02-01

Magnetic skyrmions have attracted considerable attention recently for their huge potential in spintronic applications. Generally skyrmions are big compared to the atomic lattice constant, which allows for the Ginzburg-Landau type description in the continuum limit. This description successfully captures the main experimental observations on skyrmions in B20 compound without inversion symmetry. Skyrmions can also exist in inversion-symmetric magnets with competing interactions. Here, we derive a general Ginzburg-Landau theory for skyrmions in these magnets valid in the long-wavelength limit. We study the unusual static and dynamical properties of skyrmions based on the derived Ginzburg-Landau theory. We show that an easy axismore » spin anisotropy is sufficient to stabilize a skyrmion lattice. Interestingly, the skyrmion in inversion-symmetric magnets has a new internal degree of freedom associated with the rotation of helicity, i.e., the “spin” of the skyrmion as a particle, in addition to the usual translational motion of skyrmions (orbital motion). The orbital and spin degree of freedoms of an individual skyrmion can couple to each other, and give rise to unusual behavior that is absent for the skyrmions stabilized by the Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction. Finally, the derived Ginzburg-Landau theory provides a convenient and general framework to discuss skyrmion physics and will facilitate the search for skyrmions in inversion-symmetric magnets.« less

Nutritional Requirements for Synthesis of Heat-Labile Enterotoxin by Enterotoxigenic Strains of Escherichia coli

PubMed Central

Gilligan, Peter H.; Robertson, Donald C.

1979-01-01

Optimal growth conditions have been established for production of heat-labile enterotoxin (LT) by both porcine and human strains of enterotoxigenic (ENT+) Escherichia coli. There were no unusual growth factor requirements, and some strains produced fairly high levels of LT in a basal salts medium containing 0.5% glucose if the pH was carefully controlled. Several amino acids markedly stimulated LT synthesis when added to the basal salts-glucose medium. Methionine and lysine were the most stimulatory for both human and porcine strains. Either aspartic acid or glutamic acid further enhanced LT synthesis in the presence of methionine and lysine, with aspartic acid being more stimulatory for porcine strains and glutamic acid more stimulatory for human strains. There were no apparent vitamin requirements and no unusual cations needed for toxin synthesis except that Fe3+ was slightly stimulatory for porcine strains. The stimulation by Fe3+ was observed only in the presence of the three amino acids, suggesting that the effect was indirect rather than on toxin synthesis. The carbon source also influenced the yield of LT. Glucose supported maximal synthesis, but other carbon sources which exhibit a high degree of catabolite repression also supported high levels of synthesis. Little or no LT was released below pH 7.0; therefore, because the pH drops during growth from 7.5 to 6.8, even in highly buffered media, it was necessary to adjust the pH to 8.0 to effect complete release of cell-associated toxin. The defined medium containing three amino acids reduced the amount of UV-absorbing material in culture supernatants about fivefold and increased LT activity for various strains from two- to fivefold over a complex Casamino Acids-yeast extract medium. Conditions found to be optimal for synthesis of LT were inhibitory for the heat-stable enterotoxin. PMID:33900

An unusual percutaneous transmitral commissurotomy: A collection of four rare occurrences!

PubMed

Shankarappa, Ravindranath K; Agrawal, Navin; Patra, Soumya; Karur, Satish; Nanjappa, Manjunath C

2013-09-01

We are presenting an interesting case of a 30-year-old patient taken for percutaneous transvenous mitral commissurotomy (PTMC) for severe rheumatic mitral stenosis in which there was a collection of four unusual occurrences during the course of a procedure. She had recurrent generalized tonic-clonic seizures immediately after femoral sheath insertion requiring the patient to be mechanically ventilated. Subsequently, the pressure tracings recorded with catheters in the aorta and the pulmonary artery showed transient unusually high supra-systemic pulmonary artery pressure. During inflation the Accura PTMC balloon which was used to dilate the mitral valve ruptured and the procedure subsequently had to be completed using another balloon catheter. During the procedure the presence of a distended stomach due to insufflations of air during positive pressure ventilation which subsided subsequently was another unusual documentation on fluoroscopy. The final outcome of the procedure was successful. This case presents an interesting collection of unusual occurrences during a PTMC procedure which started on an unusual note but ended on a successful one. Careful assessment and appropriate management of complications can lead to successful outcome of procedures as in our case.

Magnetic vortex excitation as spin torque oscillator and its unusual trajectories

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Natarajan, Kanimozhi; Muthuraj, Ponsudana; Rajamani, Amuda; Arumugam, Brinda

2018-05-01

We report an interesting observation of unusual trajectories of vortex core oscillations in a spin valve pillar. Micromagnetic simulation in the composite free layer spin valve nano-pillar shows magnetic vortex excitation under critical current density. When current density is slightly increased and wave vector is properly tuned, for the first time we observe a star like and square gyration. Surprisingly this star like and square gyration also leads to steady, coherent and sustained oscillations. Moreover, the frequency of gyration is also very high for this unusual trajectories. The power spectral analysis reveals that there is a marked increase in output power and frequency with less distortions. Our investigation explores the possibility of these unusual trajectories to exhibit spin torque oscillations.

Unusual CoS2 ellipsoids with anisotropic tube-like cavities and their application in supercapacitors.

PubMed

Zhang, Lei; Wu, Hao Bin; Lou, Xiong Wen

2012-07-14

Unusual CoS(2) ellipsoids with anisotropic tube-like cavities have been synthesized from the simultaneous thermal decomposition and sulfidation of a preformed cobalt carbonate precursor. The as-prepared CoS(2) ellipsoids show interesting supercapacitive properties with high capacitance and good cycling performance.

Engineering the production of conjugated fatty acids in Arabidopsis thaliana leaves

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The seeds of many non-domesticated plant species synthesize oils containing high amounts of a single unusual fatty acid, many of which have potential usage in industry. Despite the identification of enzymes for unusual oxidized fatty acid synthesis, the production of these fatty acids in engineered ...

What is the destiny of a threatened fish, Ptychobarbus chungtienensis, now that non-native weatherfishes have been introduced into Bita Lake, Shangri-La?

PubMed

Jiang, Wan-Sheng; Qin, Tao; Wang, Wei-Ying; Zhao, Ya-Peng; Shu, Shu-Sen; Song, Wei-Hong; Chen, Xiao-Yong; Yang, Jun-Xing

2016-09-18

Biological invasion is a pervasive negative force of global change, especially in its effects on sensitive freshwater ecosystems. Even protected areas are usually not immune. Ptychobarbus chungtienensis is a threatened freshwater fish now almost confined to Bita Lake, in the Shangri-La region of Yunnan province, China. Its existence is threatened by the introduction of non-native weatherfishes (Misgurnus anguillicaudatus and Paramisgurnus dabryanus) by an unusual method known as 'prayer animal release'. Periodic surveys revealed the ratio of invasive weatherfishes to P. chungtienensis has been increasing since the former species was first recorded from the lake in August, 2009. Ptychobarbus chungtienensis shows low genetic diversity in the relict Lake Bita population. Weatherfishes, however, have highly successful survival strategies. The degree of dietary overlap between the species is alarming and perhaps critical if food is found to be a limiting factor.

Kin Recognition in a Clonal Fish, Poecilia formosa

PubMed Central

Makowicz, Amber M.; Tiedemann, Ralph; Schlupp, Ingo

2016-01-01

Relatedness strongly influences social behaviors in a wide variety of species. For most species, the highest typical degree of relatedness is between full siblings with 50% shared genes. However, this is poorly understood in species with unusually high relatedness between individuals: clonal organisms. Although there has been some investigation into clonal invertebrates and yeast, nothing is known about kin selection in clonal vertebrates. We show that a clonal fish, the Amazon molly (Poecilia formosa), can distinguish between different clonal lineages, associating with genetically identical, sister clones, and use multiple sensory modalities. Also, they scale their aggressive behaviors according to the relatedness to other females: they are more aggressive to non-related clones. Our results demonstrate that even in species with very small genetic differences between individuals, kin recognition can be adaptive. Their discriminatory abilities and regulation of costly behaviors provides a powerful example of natural selection in species with limited genetic diversity. PMID:27483372

Unusual paired pattern of radiohaloes on a diamond crystal from Guaniamo (Venezuela)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schulze, Daniel J.; Nasdala, Lutz

2016-11-01

An octahedral diamond crystal from Guaniamo, Venezuela shows a multitude of round radiocolouration spots that indicate a remarkable formation history. Spots always occur in pairs, with similar spacing and intensity ratio between the two spots of each pair. We interpret this pattern to be the result of long-term irradiation of the stone emanating from a multitude of radioactive point sources. At some point during the irradiation, the stone must have experienced a translational movement which shifted it ca. 50 μm relative to the adjacent material [i.e., the (111) crystal face was a fault plane], after which irradiation continued. The Neoproterozoic age of the Guaniamo kimberlites and the high degree of radiation damage suggest that both of the two irradiation periods lasted over hundreds of millions of years. This interpretation is supported by results of He-irradiation experiments.

Sarcoid granulomas in the parathyroid gland - a case of dual pathology: hypercalcaemia due to a parathyroid adenoma and coexistent sarcoidosis with granulomas located within the parathyroid adenoma and thyroid gland.

PubMed

Balasanthiran, Anjali; Sandler, Belinda; Amonoo-Kuofi, Kwamena; Swamy, Rajiv; Kaniyur, Sunil; Kaplan, Felicity

2010-01-01

We present a highly unusual and interesting case of coexistent hyperparathyroidism and sarcoidosis leading to hypercalcaemia. A 70 year old female presented with weight loss, constipation and dehydration. Investigations revealed marked hypercalcaemia with a non-suppressed PTH. In view of the degree of hypercalcaemia as well as the unintentional weight loss, investigations for malignancy were conducted -these were negative. Parathyroid imaging was then requested and an adenoma was identified. Surprisingly, surgery revealed the coexistence of a parathyroid adenoma with the unexpected finding of sarcoid granulomas within the parathyroid and thyroid glands. To our knowledge, this is the first such case reported. Further imaging confirmed pulmonary sarcoidosis and a serum ACE was elevated. Serum calcium levels did not respond to parathyroidectomy but eventually fell with steroid therapy.

On the chemical composition of L-chondrites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Neal, C. W.; Dodd, R. T.; Jarosewich, E.; Lipschutz, M. E.

1980-01-01

Radiochemical neutron activation analysis of Ag, As, Au, Bi, Co, Cs, Ga, In, Rb, Sb, Te, Tl, and Zn and major element data in 14 L4-6 and 3 LL5 chondrites indicates that the L group is unusually variable and may represent at least 2 subgroups differing in formation history. Chemical trends in the S/Fe rich subgroup support textural evidence indicating late loss of a shock formed Fe-Ni-S melt; the S/Fe poor subgroup seemingly reflects nebular fractionation only. Highly mobile In and Zn apparently reflect shock induced loss from L chondrites. However, contrasting chemical trends in several L chondrite sample sets indicate that these meteorites constitute a more irregular sampling of, or more heterogeneous parent material than do carbonaceous or enstatite chondrites. Data for 15 chondrites suggest higher formation temperatures and/or degrees of shock than for LL5 chondrites.

Vocal symptoms in Parkinson disease treated with levodopa. A case report.

PubMed

Schley, W S; Fenton, E; Niimi, S

1982-01-01

This is a report of a patient with unusually severe hoarseness in the absence of vocal fold pathology demonstrating Parkinson disease as one of the neurological diseases in which vocal symptoms occur. Although it is classifiably a severe, progressive, degenerative disorder, the popularity of pharmacotherapy for Parkinson disease during the past decade has resulted in improved functionality for an undetermined course of time in most patients. The classically described deterioration of speech ad voice may develop in a variant manner difficult to distinguish as disease-related, as this case report illustrates. An explanation of the hoarseness based on dyssynchronous vocal fold motion related to the disease is suggested by the acoustic methods (spectrography, waveform analysis) used in this study, and supported by strobe light laryngoscopy. This conclusion is important because of the extremely high incidences of varying degrees of hoarseness reported in recent studies of Parkinson disease.

Electronic Structure of Small Lanthanide Containing Molecules

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kafader, Jared O.; Ray, Manisha; Topolski, Josey E.; Chick Jarrold, Caroline

2016-06-01

Lanthanide-based materials have unusual electronic properties because of the high number of electronic degrees of freedom arising from partial occupation of 4f orbitals, which make these materials optimal for their utilization in many applications including electronics and catalysis. Electronic spectroscopy of small lanthanide molecules helps us understand the role of these 4f electrons, which are generally considered core-like because of orbital contraction, but are energetically similar to valence electrons. The spectroscopy of small lanthanide-containing molecules is relatively unexplored and to broaden this understanding we have completed the characterization of small cerium, praseodymium, and europium molecules using photoelectron spectroscopy coupled with DFT calculations. The characterization of PrO, EuH, EuO/EuOH, and CexOy molecules have allowed for the determination of their electron affinity, the assignment of numerous anion to neutral state transitions, modeling of anion/neutral structures and electron orbital occupation.

Single-ion microwave near-field quantum sensor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wahnschaffe, M.; Hahn, H.; Zarantonello, G.; Dubielzig, T.; Grondkowski, S.; Bautista-Salvador, A.; Kohnen, M.; Ospelkaus, C.

2017-01-01

We develop an intuitive model of 2D microwave near-fields in the unusual regime of centimeter waves localized to tens of microns. Close to an intensity minimum, a simple effective description emerges with five parameters that characterize the strength and spatial orientation of the zero and first order terms of the near-field, as well as the field polarization. Such a field configuration is realized in a microfabricated planar structure with an integrated microwave conductor operating near 1 GHz. We use a single 9 Be+ ion as a high-resolution quantum sensor to measure the field distribution through energy shifts in its hyperfine structure. We find agreement with simulations at the sub-micron and few-degree level. Our findings give a clear and general picture of the basic properties of oscillatory 2D near-fields with applications in quantum information processing, neutral atom trapping and manipulation, chip-scale atomic clocks, and integrated microwave circuits.

On the enrichment of hydrophobic organic compounds in fog droplets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Valsaraj, K. T.; Thoma, G. J.; Reible, D. D.; Thibodeaux, L. J.

The unusual degree of enrichment of hydrophobic organics in fogwater droplets reported by several investigators can be interpreted as a result of (a) the effects of temperature correction on the reported enrichment factors, (b) the effects of colloidal organic matter (both filterable and non-filterable) in fog water and (c) the effects of the large air-water interfacial adsorption of neutral hydrophobic organics on the tiny fog droplets. The enrichment factor was directly correlated to the hydrophobicity (or the activity coefficient in water) of the compounds, as indicated by their octanol-water partition constants. Compounds with large octanol-water partition coefficients (high activity coefficients in water) showed the largest enrichment. Available experimental data on the adsorption of hydrophobic compounds at the air-water interface and on colloidal organic carbon were used to show that the large specific air-water interfacial areas of fog droplets contribute significantly to the enrichment factor.

Excitonic Instability and Pseudogap Formation in Nodal Line Semimetal ZrSiS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rudenko, A. N.; Stepanov, E. A.; Lichtenstein, A. I.; Katsnelson, M. I.

2018-05-01

Electron correlation effects are studied in ZrSiS using a combination of first-principles and model approaches. We show that basic electronic properties of ZrSiS can be described within a two-dimensional lattice model of two nested square lattices. A high degree of electron-hole symmetry characteristic for ZrSiS is one of the key features of this model. Having determined model parameters from first-principles calculations, we then explicitly take electron-electron interactions into account and show that, at moderately low temperatures, ZrSiS exhibits excitonic instability, leading to the formation of a pseudogap in the electronic spectrum. The results can be understood in terms of Coulomb-interaction-assisted pairing of electrons and holes reminiscent of that of an excitonic insulator. Our finding allows us to provide a physical interpretation of the unusual mass enhancement of charge carriers in ZrSiS recently observed experimentally.

Aneurysmal bone cyst of the scapula. A case report.

PubMed

Megas, Panagiotis; Papathanassiou, Zafiria G; Kasimatis, George; Papachristou, Dionysios J

2009-10-01

Aneurysmal bone cyst (ABC) is an uncommon, benign but locally destructive bone lesion of unknown origin. Differential diagnosis can be challenging as it shares common radiological and pathological features with other benign and malignant bone lesions. The degree of diagnostic difficulty grows even more when an unusual location has to be taken into account. We report a rare and challenging case of a large primary ABC located at the scapula of a young male, who was surgically treated with subtotal removal of the scapula.

Cosmic Blasting Zone

NASA Image and Video Library

2005-12-06

Saturn's impact-pummeled Hyperion stares back at Cassini in this six-image mosaic taken during the spacecraft’s close approach on Sept. 26, 2005. This up-close view shows a low density body blasted by impacts over the eons. Scientists originally believed that the spongy appearance of Hyperion is caused by a phenomenon called thermal erosion, in which dark materials accumulating on crater floors are warmed by sunlight and melt deeper into the surface, allowing surrounding ice to vaporize away. Cassini scientists now think that Hyperion’s unusual appearance can be attributed to the fact that it has an unusually low density for such a large object, giving it weak surface gravity and high porosity. These characteristics help preserve the original shapes of Hyperion’s craters by limiting the amount of impact ejecta coating the moon’s surface. Impactors tend to make craters by compressing the surface material, rather than blasting it out. Further, Hyperion’s weak gravity, and correspondingly low escape velocity, means that what little ejecta is produced has a good chance of escaping the moon altogether. At 280 kilometers, (174 miles) across, Hyperion’s impact-shaped morphology makes it the largest of Saturn's irregularly-shaped moons. Six, clear-filter images were combined to create this mosaic. Images were taken by the Cassini spacecraft narrow-angle camera at a mean distance of about 33,000 kilometers (20,500 miles) from Hyperion and at a sun-Hyperion-spacecraft, or phase, angle of 51 degrees. Image scale is 197 meters per pixel. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA07761

A Novel Hepacivirus with an Unusually Long and Intrinsically Disordered NS5A Protein in a Wild Old World Primate

PubMed Central

Lauck, Michael; Sibley, Samuel D.; Lara, James; Purdy, Michael A.; Khudyakov, Yury; Hyeroba, David; Tumukunde, Alex; Weny, Geoffrey; Switzer, William M.; Chapman, Colin A.; Hughes, Austin L.; Friedrich, Thomas C.; O'Connor, David H.

2013-01-01

GB virus B (GBV-B; family Flaviviridae, genus Hepacivirus) has been studied in New World primates as a model for human hepatitis C virus infection, but the distribution of GBV-B and its relatives in nature has remained obscure. Here, we report the discovery of a novel and highly divergent GBV-B-like virus in an Old World monkey, the black-and-white colobus (Colobus guereza), in Uganda. The new virus, guereza hepacivirus (GHV), clusters phylogenetically with GBV-B and recently described hepaciviruses infecting African bats and North American rodents, and it shows evidence of ancient recombination with these other hepaciviruses. Direct sequencing of reverse-transcribed RNA from blood plasma from three of nine colobus monkeys yielded near-complete GHV genomes, comprising two distinct viral variants. The viruses contain an exceptionally long nonstructural 5A (NS5A) gene, approximately half of which codes for a protein with no discernible homology to known proteins. Computational structure-based analyses indicate that the amino terminus of the GHV NS5A protein may serve a zinc-binding function, similar to the NS5A of other viruses within the family Flaviviridae. However, the 521-amino-acid carboxy terminus is intrinsically disordered, reflecting an unusual degree of structural plasticity and polyfunctionality. These findings shed new light on the natural history and evolution of the hepaciviruses and on the extent of structural variation within the Flaviviridae. PMID:23740998

A novel hepacivirus with an unusually long and intrinsically disordered NS5A protein in a wild Old World primate.

PubMed

Lauck, Michael; Sibley, Samuel D; Lara, James; Purdy, Michael A; Khudyakov, Yury; Hyeroba, David; Tumukunde, Alex; Weny, Geoffrey; Switzer, William M; Chapman, Colin A; Hughes, Austin L; Friedrich, Thomas C; O'Connor, David H; Goldberg, Tony L

2013-08-01

GB virus B (GBV-B; family Flaviviridae, genus Hepacivirus) has been studied in New World primates as a model for human hepatitis C virus infection, but the distribution of GBV-B and its relatives in nature has remained obscure. Here, we report the discovery of a novel and highly divergent GBV-B-like virus in an Old World monkey, the black-and-white colobus (Colobus guereza), in Uganda. The new virus, guereza hepacivirus (GHV), clusters phylogenetically with GBV-B and recently described hepaciviruses infecting African bats and North American rodents, and it shows evidence of ancient recombination with these other hepaciviruses. Direct sequencing of reverse-transcribed RNA from blood plasma from three of nine colobus monkeys yielded near-complete GHV genomes, comprising two distinct viral variants. The viruses contain an exceptionally long nonstructural 5A (NS5A) gene, approximately half of which codes for a protein with no discernible homology to known proteins. Computational structure-based analyses indicate that the amino terminus of the GHV NS5A protein may serve a zinc-binding function, similar to the NS5A of other viruses within the family Flaviviridae. However, the 521-amino-acid carboxy terminus is intrinsically disordered, reflecting an unusual degree of structural plasticity and polyfunctionality. These findings shed new light on the natural history and evolution of the hepaciviruses and on the extent of structural variation within the Flaviviridae.

Unusual radar echoes from the Greenland ice sheet

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rignot, E. J.; Vanzyl, J. J.; Ostro, S. J.; Jezek, K. C.

1993-01-01

In June 1991, the NASA/Jet Propulsion Laboratory airborne synthetic-aperture radar (AIRSAR) instrument collected the first calibrated data set of multifrequency, polarimetric, radar observations of the Greenland ice sheet. At the time of the AIRSAR overflight, ground teams recorded the snow and firn (old snow) stratigraphy, grain size, density, and temperature at ice camps in three of the four snow zones identified by glaciologists to characterize four different degrees of summer melting of the Greenland ice sheet. The four snow zones are: (1) the dry-snow zone, at high elevation, where melting rarely occurs; (2) the percolation zone, where summer melting generates water that percolates down through the cold, porous, dry snow and then refreezes in place to form massive layers and pipes of solid ice; (3) the soaked-snow zone where melting saturates the snow with liquid water and forms standing lakes; and (4) the ablation zone, at the lowest elevations, where melting is vigorous enough to remove the seasonal snow cover and ablate the glacier ice. There is interest in mapping the spatial extent and temporal variability of these different snow zones repeatedly by using remote sensing techniques. The objectives of the 1991 experiment were to study changes in radar scattering properties across the different melting zones of the Greenland ice sheet, and relate the radar properties of the ice sheet to the snow and firn physical properties via relevant scattering mechanisms. Here, we present an analysis of the unusual radar echoes measured from the percolation zone.

Fluoresceination of FepA during colicin B killing: effects of temperature, toxin and TonB.

PubMed

Smallwood, Chuck R; Marco, Amparo Gala; Xiao, Qiaobin; Trinh, Vy; Newton, Salete M C; Klebba, Phillip E

2009-06-01

We studied the reactivity of 35 genetically engineered Cys sulphydryl groups at different locations in Escherichia coli FepA. Modification of surface loop residues by fluorescein maleimide (FM) was strongly temperature-dependent in vivo, whereas reactivity at other sites was much less affected. Control reactions with bovine serum albumin showed that the temperature dependence of loop residue reactivity was unusually high, indicating that conformational changes in multiple loops (L2, L3, L4, L5, L7, L8, L10) transform the receptor to a more accessible form at 37 degrees C. At 0 degrees C colicin B binding impaired or blocked labelling at 8 of 10 surface loop sites, presumably by steric hindrance. Overall, colicin B adsorption decreased the reactivity of more than half of the 35 sites, in both the N- and C- domains of FepA. However, colicin B penetration into the cell at 37 degrees C did not augment the chemical modification of any residues in FepA. The FM modification patterns were similarly unaffected by the tonB locus. FepA was expressed at lower levels in a tonB host strain, but when we accounted for this decrease its FM labelling was comparable whether TonB was present or absent. Thus we did not detect TonB-dependent structural changes in FepA, either alone or when it interacted with colicin B at 37 degrees C. The only changes in chemical modification were reductions from steric hindrance when the bacteriocin bound to the receptor protein. The absence of increases in the reactivity of N-domain residues argues against the idea that the colicin B polypeptide traverses the FepA channel.

Evidence for chronic stress in captive but not free-ranging cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus) based on adrenal morphology and function.

PubMed

Terio, Karen A; Marker, Laurie; Munson, Linda

2004-04-01

The cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) is highly endangered because of loss of habitat in the wild and failure to thrive in captivity. Cheetahs in zoos reproduce poorly and have high prevalences of unusual diseases that cause morbidity and mortality. These diseases are rarely observed in free-ranging cheetahs but have been documented in cheetahs that have been captured and held in captive settings either temporarily or permanently. Because captivity may be stressful for this species and stress is suspected as contributing to poor health and reproduction, this study aimed to measure chronic stress by comparing baseline concentrations of fecal corticoid metabolites and adrenal gland morphology between captive and free-ranging cheetahs. Additionally, concentrations of estradiol and testosterone metabolites were quantified to determine whether concentrations of gonadal steroids correlated with corticoid concentration and to assure that corticosteroids in the free-ranging samples were not altered by environmental conditions. Concetntrations of fecal corticoids, estradiol, and testosterone were quantified by radioimmunoassay in 20 free-ranging and 20 captive cheetahs from samples collected between 1994 and 1999. Concentrations of baseline fecal corticoids were significantly higher (p = 0.005) in captive cheetahs (196.08 +/- 36.20 ng/g dry feces) than free-ranging cheetahs (71.40 +/- 14.35 ng/g dry feces). Testosterone concentrations were lower in captive male cheetahs (9.09 +/- 2.84 ng/g dry feces) than in free-ranging cheetahs (34.52 +/- 12.11 ng/g dry feces), which suggests suppression by elevated corticoids in the captive males. Evidence for similar sulppression of estradiol concentrations in females was not present. Adrenal corticomedullary ratios were determined on midsagittal sections of adrenal glands from 13 free-ranging and 13 captive cheetahs obtained between 1991 and 2002. The degree of vacuolation of cortical cells in the zona fasciculata was graded for each animal. Corticomedullary ratios were larger (p = 0.05) in captive cheetahs; however, there was no difference (p = 0.31) in the degree of corticocyte vacnolation between the two populations. These data proxile both mnorphologic and functional evidence suggestive of chronic stress in captive cheetahs. Further research into the role of hypercortisolemia in the pathogenesis of the reproductive abnormalities and unusual diseases of captive cheetahs is needed.

Hyperthermic fatigue precedes a rapid reduction in serum sodium in an ironman triathlete: a case report.

PubMed

Laursen, Paul B; Watson, Greig; Abbiss, Chris R; Wall, Bradley A; Nosaka, Kazunori

2009-12-01

To monitor the hydration, core temperature, and speed (pace) of a triathlete performing an Ironman triathlon. A 35-year-old experienced male triathlete participated in the Western Australian Ironman triathlon on December 1, 2006. The participant was monitored for blood Na(+) concentration before the race (PRE), at the transitions (T1 and T2), halfway through the run (R21), and after the race (POST; 2hPOST). Core body temperature (T(c); pill telemetry) was recorded continuously, and running speed (s3 stride sensor) was measured during the run. The participant completed the race in 11 h 38 min, in hot conditions (26.6 +/- 5.8 degrees C; 42 +/- 19% rel. humidity). His T(c) increased from 37.0 to 38.6 degrees C during the 57-min swim, and averaged 38.4 degrees C during the 335-min bike (33.5 km x h(-1)). After running at 12.4 km x h(-1) for 50 min in the heat (33.1 degrees C), T(c) increased to 39.4 degrees C, before slowing to 10.0 km x h(-1) for 20 min. T(c) decreased to 38.9 degrees C until he experienced severe leg cramps, after which speed diminished to 6 km x h(-1) and T(c) fell to 38.0 degrees C. The athlete's blood Na(+) was constant from PRE to T2 (139-140 mEq x L(-1), but fell to 131 mEq x L(-1) at R21, 133 mEq x L(-1) at POST, and 128 mEq x L(-1) at 2hPOST. The athlete consumed 9.25 L of fluid from PRE to T2, 6.25 L from T2 to POST, and lost 2% of his body mass, indicating sweat losses greater than 15.5 L. This athlete slowed during the run phase following attainment of a critically high T(c) and experienced an unusually rapid reduction in blood Na(+) that preceded cramping, despite presenting with signs of dehydration.

A multistep single-crystal-to-single-crystal bromodiacetylene dimerization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hoheisel, Tobias N.; Schrettl, Stephen; Marty, Roman; Todorova, Tanya K.; Corminboeuf, Clémence; Sienkiewicz, Andrzej; Scopelliti, Rosario; Schweizer, W. Bernd; Frauenrath, Holger

2013-04-01

Packing constraints and precise placement of functional groups are the reason that organic molecules in the crystalline state often display unusual physical or chemical properties not observed in solution. Here we report a single-crystal-to-single-crystal dimerization of a bromodiacetylene that involves unusually large atom displacements as well as the cleavage and formation of several bonds. Density functional theory computations support a mechanism in which the dimerization is initiated by a [2 + 1] photocycloaddition favoured by the nature of carbon-carbon short contacts in the crystal structure. The reaction proceeded up to the theoretical degree of conversion without loss of crystallinity, and it was also performed on a preparative scale with good yield. Moreover, it represents the first synthetic pathway to (E)-1,2-dibromo-1,2-diethynylethenes, which could serve as synthetic intermediates for the preparation of molecular carbon scaffolds. Our findings both extend the scope of single-crystal-to-single-crystal reactions and highlight their potential as a synthetic tool for complex transformations.

Coherence parameter measurements for neon and hydrogen

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wright, Robert; Hargreaves, Leigh; Khakoo, Murtadha; Zatsarinny, Oleg; Bartschat, Klaus; Stauffer, Al

2015-09-01

We present recent coherence parameter measurements for excitation of neon and hydrogen by 50 eV electrons. The measurements were made using a crossed electron/gas beam spectrometer, featuring a hemispherically selected electron energy analyzer for detecting scattered electrons and double-reflection VUV polarization analyzer to register fluorescence photons. Time-coincidence counting methods on the electron and photon signals were employed to determine Stokes Parameters at each scattering angle, with data measured at angles between 20 - 115 degrees. The data are compared with calculated results using the B-Spline R-Matrix (BSR) and Relativistic Distorted Wave (RDW) approaches. Measurements were made of both the linear (Plin and γ) and circular (Lperp) parameters for the lowest lying excited states in these two targets. We particularly focus on results in the Lperp parameter, which shows unusual behavior in these particular targets, including strong sign changes implying reversal of the angular momentum transfer. In the case of neon, the unusual behavior is well captured by the BSR, but not by other models.

Testing BR photocycle kinetics.

PubMed Central

Nagle, J F; Zimanyi, L; Lanyi, J K

1995-01-01

An improved K absorption spectrum in the visible is obtained from previous photocycle data for the D96N mutant of bacteriorhodopsin, and the previously obtained M absorption spectrum in the visible and the fraction cycling are confirmed at 25 degrees C. Data at lower temperatures are consistent with negligible temperature dependence in the spectra from 5 degrees C to 25 degrees C. Detailed analysis strongly indicates that there are two intermediates in addition to the first intermediate K and the last intermediate M. Assuming two of the intermediates have the same spectrum and using the L spectrum obtained previously, the best kinetic model with four intermediates that fits the time course of the intermediates is rather unusual, with two L's on a cul-de-sac. However, a previously proposed, more conventional model with five intermediates, including two L's with the same spectra and two M's with the same spectra, also fits the time course of the intermediates nearly as well. A new criterion that tests an individual proposed spectrum against data is also proposed. PMID:7787034

An unusual case of diffuse Merkel cell carcinoma successfully treated with low dose radiotherapy.

PubMed

Chatzinasiou, Foteini; Papadavid, Euaggelia; Korkolopoulou, Penelope; Levidou, Georgia; Panayiotides, Ioannis; Theodoropoulos, Konstadinos; Pogka, Vasiliki; Asimakopoulos, Charalampos; Rigopoulos, Dimitrios

2015-01-01

Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC) is a rare and highly aggressive neuroendocrine carcinoma of the skin. MCC should be included in the diagnosis of a rapidly growing infiltrating mass and histology as well as laboratory investigations such as Merkel cell polyoma virus (MCPyV) detection are valuable in its diagnosis. We present an unusual case of giant MCC-positive MCPyV in a Greek woman located on the lower leg. Our patient is very unusual in terms of her extensive MCC and her rapid and complete response to radiotherapy. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Na(23)K(9)Tl(15.3): An Unusual Zintl Compound Containing Apparent Tl(5)(7)(-), Tl(4)(8)(-), Tl(3)(7)(-), and Tl(5)(-) Anions.

PubMed

Dong, Zhen-Chao; Corbett, John D.

1996-05-22

Reaction of the neat elements in tantalum containers at 400 degrees C and then 150 degrees C gives the pure title phase. X-ray crystallography shows that the hexagonal structure (P6(3)/mmc, Z = 2, a = 11.235(1) Å, b = 30.133(5) Å) contains relatively high symmetry clusters Tl(5)(7)(-) (D(3)(h)()), Tl(4)(8)(-) (C(3)(v)(), approximately T(d)), and the new Tl(3)(7)(-) (D(infinity)(h)()) plus Tl(5)(-), the last two disordered over the same elongated site in 1:2 proportions. Cation solvation of these anions is tight and specific, providing good Coulombic trapping of weakly bound electrons on the isolated cluster anions. The observed disorder makes the compound structurally a Zintl phase with a closed shell electron count. EHMO calculations on the novel Tl(3)(7)(-) reveal some bonding similarities with the isoelectronic CO(2), with two good sigma(s,p) bonding and two weakly bonding pi MO's. The Tl-Tl bond lengths therein (3.14 Å) are evidently consistent with multiple bonding. The weak temperature-independent paramagnetism and metallic conductivity (rho(293) approximately 90 &mgr;Omega.cm) of the phase are discussed.

Non-monotonic variations of the nucleation free energy in a glass-forming ultra-soft particles fluid.

PubMed

Desgranges, Caroline; Delhommelle, Jerome

2018-06-18

Using molecular dynamics simulation, we study the impact of the degree of supercooling on the crystal nucleation of ultra-soft particles, modeled with the Gaussian core potential. Focusing on systems with a high number density, our simulations reveal dramatically different behaviors as the degree of supercooling is varied. In the moderate supercooling regime, crystal nucleation proceeds as expected from classical nucleation theory, with a decrease in the free energy of nucleation, as well as in the size of the critical nucleus, as supercooling is increased. On the other hand, in the large supercooling regime, we observe an unusual reversal of behavior with an increase in the free energy of nucleation and in the critical size, as supercooling is increased. This unexpected result is analyzed in terms of the interplay between the glass transition and the crystal nucleation process. Specifically, medium range order crystal-like domains, with structural features different from that of the crystal nucleus, are found to form throughout the system when the supercooling is very large. These, in turn, play a pivotal role in the increase in the free energy of nucleation, as well as in the critical size, as the temperature gets closer to the glass transition.

[The expression of periphery blood leucocyte CCR3 and CCR5 in the children with Epstein-Barr virus associated infectious mononucleosis].

PubMed

Qi, Tie-xiong; Gao, Guo-hua; Liu, Shi-hua

2010-10-01

To explore the expression of periphery blood leucocyte CCR3 and CCR5 and to comprehend T helper cell in the Children with Epstein-Barr virus associated infectious mononucleosis. We defined the children according to the diagnosis criterion through Paul-Bunnell test inspecting the children's periphery blood unusual lymphocyte and detecting their anti-EBV-CA-IgM, anti-EBV-CA-IgG and anti-EBV-NA-IgG by ELISA and counted the ratio of CCR3 + and CCR5 + cells in lymphocytes with flow cytometry. The ratio of unusual lymphocyte in IM was higher than that of the healthy control group (P < 0.05). The ratio of CCR3 + cells in IM group was higher than that of the healthy control group (P < 0.05). The ratio of CCR5 + cells in IM group was significantly lower than that of the healthy control group. CCR3 + had direct interrelation with fever continued time and the ratio of unusual lymphocyte. There was a negative interrelation between CCR5 and fever continued time (P < 0.05). Children infectious of IM expressed higher level of CCR3 + and lower level of CCR5 + and there was a tendency of Th2 polarization with over production of T helper cell divide imbalance. CCR3 + and CCR5 + may be important targets to judge the degree of seriousness of IM.

Complex reassortment events of unusual G9P[4] rotavirus strains in India between 2011 and 2013.

PubMed

Doan, Yen Hai; Suzuki, Yoshiyuki; Fujii, Yoshiki; Haga, Kei; Fujimoto, Akira; Takai-Todaka, Reiko; Someya, Yuichi; Nayak, Mukti K; Mukherjee, Anupam; Imamura, Daisuke; Shinoda, Sumio; Chawla-Sarkar, Mamta; Katayama, Kazuhiko

2017-10-01

Rotavirus A (RVA) is the predominant etiological agent of acute gastroenteritis in young children worldwide. Recently, unusual G9P[4] rotavirus strains emerged with high prevalence in many countries. Such intergenogroup reassortant strains highlight the ongoing spread of unusual rotavirus strains throughout Asia. This study was undertaken to determine the whole genome of eleven unusual G9P[4] strains detected in India during 2011-2013, and to compare them with other human and animal global RVAs to understand the exact origin of unusual G9P[4] circulating in India and other countries worldwide. Of these 11 RVAs, four G9P[4] strains were double-reassortants with the G9-VP7 and E6-NSP4 genes on a DS-1-like genetic backbone (G9-P[4]-I2-R2-C2-M2-A2-N2-T2-E6-H2). The other strains showed a complex genetic constellation, likely derived from triple reassortment event with the G9-VP7, N1-NSP2 and E6-NSP4 on a DS-1-like genetic backbone (G9-P[4]-I2-R2-C2-M2-A2-N1-T2-E6-H2). Presumably, these unusual G9P[4] strains were generated after several reassortment events between the contemporary co-circulating human rotavirus strains. Moreover, the point mutation S291L at the interaction site between inner and outer capsid proteins of VP6 gene may be important in the rapid spread of this unusual strain. The complex reassortment events within the G9[4] strains may be related to the high prevalence of mixed infections in India as reported in this study and other previous studies. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

The Intrinsically X-Ray-weak Quasar PHL 1811. II. Optical and UV Spectra and Analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leighly, Karen M.; Halpern, Jules P.; Jenkins, Edward B.; Casebeer, Darrin

2007-11-01

This is the second of two papers reporting observations and analysis of the unusually bright (mb=14.4), luminous (MB=-25.5), nearby (z=0.192) narrow-line quasar PHL 1811. The first paper reported that PHL 1811 is intrinsically X-ray-weak and presented a spectral energy distribution (SED). Here we present HST STIS optical and UV spectra, and ground-based optical spectra. The optical and UV line emission is very unusual. There is no evidence for forbidden or semiforbidden lines. The near-UV spectrum is dominated by very strong Fe II and Fe III, and unusual low-ionization lines such as Na I D and Ca II H and K are observed. High-ionization lines are very weak; C IV has an equivalent width of 6.6 Å, a factor of ~5 smaller than measured from quasar composite spectra. An unusual feature near 1200 Å can be deblended in terms of Lyα, N V, Si II, and C III* using the blueshifted C IV profile as a template. Photoionization modeling shows that the unusual line emission can be explained qualitatively by the unusually soft SED. Principally, a low gas temperature results in inefficient emission of collisionally excited lines, including the semiforbidden lines generally used as density diagnostics. The emission resembles that of high-density gas; in both cases this is a consequence of inefficient cooling. PHL 1811 is very unusual, but we note that quasar surveys may be biased against finding similar objects. Based on observations made with the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope, obtained at the Space Telescope Science Institute, which is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc., under NASA contract NAS5-26555. These observations are associated with proposal 9181. Based on observations obtained at Kitt Peak National Observatory, a division of the National Optical Astronomy Observatories, which is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc., under cooperative agreement with the National Science Foundation.

Factors associated with high-rise evacuation: qualitative results from the World Trade Center Evacuation Study.

PubMed

Gershon, Robyn R M; Qureshi, Kristine A; Rubin, Marcie S; Raveis, Victoria H

2007-01-01

Due to the fact that most high-rise structures (i.e., >75 feet high, or eight to ten stories) are constructed with extensive and redundant fire safety features, current fire safety procedures typically only involve limited evacuation during minor to moderate fire emergencies. Therefore, full-scale evacuation of high-rise buildings is highly unusual and consequently, little is known about how readily and rapidly high-rise structures can be evacuated fully. Factors that either facilitate or inhibit the evacuation process remain under-studied. This paper presents results from the qualitative phase of the World Trade Center Evacuation Study, a three-year, five-phase study designed to improve our understanding of the individual, organizational, and environmental factors that helped or hindered evacuation from the World Trade Center (WTC) Towers 1 and 2, on 11 September 2001. Qualitative data from semi-structured, in-depth interviews and focus groups involving WTC evacuees were collected and analyzed. On the individual level, factors that affected evacuation included perception of risk (formed largely by sensory cues), preparedness training, degree of familiarity with the building, physical condition, health status, and footwear. Individual behavior also was affected by group behavior and leadership. At the organizational level, evacuation was affected by worksite preparedness planning, including the training and education of building occupants, and risk communication. The environmental conditions affecting evacuation included smoke, flames, debris, general condition and degree of crowdedness on staircases, and communication infrastructure systems (e.g., public address, landline, cellular and fire warden's telephones). Various factors at the individual, organizational, and environmental levels were identified that affected evacuation. Interventions that address the barriers to evacuation may improve the full-scale evacuation of other high-rise buildings under extreme conditions. Further studies should focus on the development and evaluation of targeted interventions, including model emergency preparedness planning for high-rise occupancies.

Reflecting on My Progressive Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Friend, Nina

2012-01-01

At the end of the 2011-12 version of the project course Schools Across Borders, Schools Across Time (SABSAT), a high school senior wrote a series of letters reflecting on the experience of participating in an unusual course with an unusual outcome. In the letters, the student wanted to evoke what was personal and what was critical--to herself, her…

An unusual reaction of α-alkoxyphosphonium salts with Grignard reagents under an O2 atmosphere.

PubMed

Fujioka, Hiromichi; Goto, Akihiro; Otake, Kazuki; Kubo, Ozora; Sawama, Yoshinari; Maegawa, Tomohiro

2011-09-21

An unusual and novel reaction of α-alkoxyphosphonium salts, generated from O,O-acetals and Ph(3)P, with Grignard reagents under an O(2) atmosphere afforded alcohols in moderate to high yields. It was clarified by isotopic labelling experiments that the reaction proceeded via a novel radical pathway.

Copper-Catalyzed Heteroarylboration of 1,3-Dienes with 3-Bromopyridines: A cine Substitution.

PubMed

Smith, Kevin B; Huang, Yuan; Brown, M Kevin

2018-04-26

A method for the heteroarylboration of 1,3-dienes is presented. The process involves an unusual cine substitution of 3-bromopyridine derivatives to deliver highly functionalized heterocyclic products. Mechanistic studies are included that clarify the details of this unusual process. © 2018 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Unusual MR spectroscopic imaging pattern of an astrocytoma: lack of elevated choline and high myo-inositol and glycine levels.

PubMed

Londoño, Ana; Castillo, Mauricio; Armao, Diane; Kwock, Lester; Suzuki, Kinuko

2003-05-01

We present the case of a patient with an MR imaging study showing an ill-defined intra-axial mass in the right insula and frontal lobe. The mass showed high signal intensity on T2-weighted and fluid-attenuated inversion recovery images and an unusual proton MR spectroscopic imaging pattern characterized by the presence of high levels of myo-inositol/glycine, no significant elevation of choline, and mildly reduced N-acetylaspartate. The histopathologic diagnosis was of diffuse astrocytoma with oligodendroglial components (World Health Organization grade II).

Nature of the lithospheric mantle beneath the Arabian Shield and genesis of Al-spinel micropods: Evidence from the mantle xenoliths of Harrat Kishb, Western Saudi Arabia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ahmed, Ahmed H.; Moghazi, Abdel Kader M.; Moufti, Mohamed R.; Dawood, Yehia H.; Ali, Kamal A.

2016-01-01

The Harrat Kishb area of western Saudi Arabia is part of the Cenozoic volcanic fields in the western margin of the Arabian Shield. Numerous fresh ultramafic xenoliths are entrained in the basanite lava of Harrat Kishb, providing an opportunity to study the nature and petrogenetic processes involved in the evolution of the lithospheric mantle beneath the Arabian Shield. Based on the petrological characteristics and mineralogical compositions, the majority of the mantle xenoliths ( 92%) are peridotites (lherzolites and pyroxene-bearing harzburgites); the remaining xenoliths ( 8%) are unusual spinel-rich wehrlites containing black Al-spinel micropods. The two types of mantle xenoliths display magmatic protogranular texture. The peridotite xenoliths have high bulk-rock Mg#, high forsterite (Fo90-Fo92) and NiO (0.24-0.46 wt.%) contents of olivine, high clinopyroxene Mg# (0.91-0.93), variable spinel Cr# (0.10-0.49, atomic ratio), and approximately flat chondrite-normalized REE patterns. These features indicate that the peridotite xenoliths represent residues after variable degrees of melt extraction from fertile mantle. The estimated P (9-16 kbar) and T (877-1227 °C) as well as the oxidation state (ΔlogfO2 = - 3.38 to - 0.22) under which these peridotite xenoliths originated are consistent with formation conditions similar to most sub-arc abyssal-type peridotites worldwide. The spinel-rich wehrlite xenoliths have an unusual amount ( 30 vol.%) of Al-spinel as peculiar micropods with very minor Cr2O3 content (< 1 wt.%). Olivines of the spinel-rich wehrlites have low-average Fo (Fo81) and NiO (0.18 wt.%) contents, low-average cpx Mg# (0.79), high average cpx Al2O3 content (8.46 wt.%), and very low-average spinel Cr# (0.01). These features characterize early mantle cumulates from a picritic melt fraction produced by low degrees of partial melting of a garnet-bearing mantle source. The relatively high Na2O and Al2O3 contents of cpx suggest that the spinel-rich wehrlites are formed under high P (11-14 kbar), T (1090-1130 °C), and oxidation state (ΔlogfO2 FMQ = + 0.14 to + 0.37), which occurred slightly below the crust-mantle boundary. The REE patterns of spinel-rich wehrlites are almost similar to those of the associated peridotite xenoliths, which confirm at least a spatial genetic linkage between them. Regarding the formation of Al-spinel micropods in spinel-rich wehrlite cumulates, it is suggested that the melt-rock reaction mechanism is not the only process by which podiform chromitite is formed. Early fractionation of picritic melts produced by partial melting of a mantle source under high P-T conditions could be another mechanism. The cpx composition, not opx, as it was assumed, seems to be the main control of the size and composition of spinel concentrations.

Recall of false memories in individuals scoring high in schizotypy: memory distortions are scale specific.

PubMed

Saunders, Jo; Randell, Jordan; Reed, Phil

2012-06-01

Previous research has indicated abnormal semantic activation in individuals scoring higher in schizotypy. In the current experiment, semantic activation was examined by using the Deese-Roediger-McDermott paradigm of false memories. Participants were assessed for schizotypy using the Oxford-Liverpool Inventory of Feelings (OLIFE). Participants studied lists of semantically related words in which a critical and highly associated word was absent. Participants then recalled the list. Participants high in Unusual Experiences and Cognitive Disorganization recalled more critical non-presented words, weakly related studied words, and fewer studied words than participants who scored low on these measures. Previous research using the cognitive-perceptual factor of the Schizotypy Personality Questionnaire found reduced false memories, while the Unusual Experiences subscale of the OLIFE was associated with more false memories. Both scales cover similar unusual perceptual experiences and it is unclear why they led to divergent results. The findings suggest that subtypes of schizotypy are associated with abnormal semantic activation. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Low-intensity red and infrared laser effects at high fluences on Escherichia coli cultures

PubMed Central

Barboza, L.L.; Campos, V.M.A.; Magalhães, L.A.G.; Paoli, F.; Fonseca, A.S.

2015-01-01

Semiconductor laser devices are readily available and practical radiation sources providing wavelength tenability and high monochromaticity. Low-intensity red and near-infrared lasers are considered safe for use in clinical applications. However, adverse effects can occur via free radical generation, and the biological effects of these lasers from unusually high fluences or high doses have not yet been evaluated. Here, we evaluated the survival, filamentation induction and morphology of Escherichia coli cells deficient in repair of oxidative DNA lesions when exposed to low-intensity red and infrared lasers at unusually high fluences. Cultures of wild-type (AB1157), endonuclease III-deficient (JW1625-1), and endonuclease IV-deficient (JW2146-1) E. coli, in exponential and stationary growth phases, were exposed to red and infrared lasers (0, 250, 500, and 1000 J/cm2) to evaluate their survival rates, filamentation phenotype induction and cell morphologies. The results showed that low-intensity red and infrared lasers at high fluences are lethal, induce a filamentation phenotype, and alter the morphology of the E. coli cells. Low-intensity red and infrared lasers have potential to induce adverse effects on cells, whether used at unusually high fluences, or at high doses. Hence, there is a need to reinforce the importance of accurate dosimetry in therapeutic protocols. PMID:26445339

Sintering and Microstructure of BaTiO3 Nano Particles Synthesized by Molten Salt Method.

PubMed

Lee, Chang-Hyun; Shin, Hyo-Soon; Yeo, Dong-Hun; Ha, Gook-Hyun; Nahm, Sahn

2016-05-01

In order to establish thinner dielectric layers in thick film electronic components such as MLCC (Multilayer ceramic capacitor), BaTiO3 nanoparticles have been utilized. However, studies on the synthesis of nanoparticles smaller than 20 nm, the characteristics of the BaTiO3 powder, and the powder's sintering are lacking. Therefore, this paper aims to synthesize BaTiO3 particles smaller than 20 nm by using the molten salt method and evaluate the microstructure and dielectric properties by varying the sintering temperature from 750 degrees C to 1200 degrees C. Through the molten salt method and by using KOH-KCl mixed salt, 20 nm BaTiO3 powder was synthesized at a low temperature of 150 degrees C. Sintering the pellets formed from the synthesized 20 nm BaTiO3 nano powder led to the observation of an unusual phenomenon where the particles grew to approximate sizes below 850 degrees C where densification progressed. At sintering temperatures above 950 degrees C, particles that expanded into rod shapes were observed and these particles were identified to be unreacted TiO2 based on the results of the EDX (Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy) analysis and phase analysis results.

Vestibulo-ocular reflex and motion sickness in figure skaters.

PubMed

Tanguy, Sébastien; Quarck, Gaëlle; Etard, Olivier; Gauthier, Antoine; Denise, Pierre

2008-12-01

In order to determine the effect of figure skating on the functional plasticity of the vestibular system, we quantified vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) and motion sickness (MS) intensity in 11 female figure skaters and 11 matched control subjects. Vestibular stimulation consisted of three cycles of sinusoidal rotation (0.025 Hz, +/-60 degrees /s) and two velocity steps of 60 degrees /s (acceleration 60 degrees /s(2)). Nauseogenic stimulation consisted of a constant velocity (60 degrees /s) off vertical axis rotation (OVAR) using a 15 degrees tilt angle. Subjective sickness symptoms were rated immediately after OVAR with the Pensacola diagnostic index. During sinusoidal stimulations, the skaters' VOR, as compared with that of the controls, demonstrates a gain that is 27% lower (0.44 +/- 0.12 vs. 0.58 +/- 0.10; P < 0.01) and a phase advance (10 +/- 12 degrees vs. -0.3 +/- 6.4 degrees ; P < 0.05). During velocity steps, the VOR gain is 32% lower among the skaters (0.52 +/- 0.14 vs. 0.71 +/- 0.12; P < 0.01), but there is no difference in time constant (10.8 +/- 1.8 s vs. 10.5 +/- 2.7 s; P = 0.78). Nauseogenic stimulation evokes significantly less MS in figure skaters than in control subjects (2.8 +/- 2.8 vs. 16.2 +/- 13.7; P < 0.01). Quantitative alterations in VOR parameters observed in figure skaters probably result from vestibular habituation induced by repeated unusual stimulations when practicing figure skating.

With an Unusually Hands-On Role, State Feels Its Way in New Orleans

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Robelen, Erik W.

2006-01-01

This article reports how Louisiana officials take hits amid strain to start schools. A year after Hurricane Katrina wreaked havoc on New Orleans, the state of Louisiana finds itself in the highly unusual position of essentially starting from scratch--and directly operating--a batch of public schools in the city. While much attention has focused on…

Emergent Electromagnetism in Bilayer Graphene

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Winkler, Roland; Zülicke, Ulrich

2013-03-01

Recently atomically flat layers of carbon known as graphene have become the rising star in spintronics as their electrons carry not only the ordinary spin degree of freedom, but they also have a pseudospin degree of freedom tied to the electrons' orbital motion which could enable new routes for spintronics. Here we focus on bilayer graphene (BLG). Using group theory we have established a complete description of how electrons in BLG interact with electric and magnetic fields. We show that electrons in BLG experience an unusual type of matter-field interactions where magnetic and electric fields are virtually equivalent: every coupling of an electron's degrees of freedom to a magnetic field is matched by an analogous coupling of the same degrees of freedom to an electric field. This counter-intuitive duality of matter-field interactions allows novel ways to create and manipulate spin and pseudo-spin polarizations via external fields that are not available in other materials. See arXiv:1206.4761. This work was supported by Marsden Fund contract no. VUW0719, administered by the Royal Society of New Zealand. Work at Argonne was supported by DOE BES under Contract No. DE-AC02-06CH11357.

Measurement of Valley Kondo Effect in a Si/SiGe Quantum Dot

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yuan, Mingyun; Yang, Zhen; Tang, Chunyang; Rimberg, A. J.; Joynt, R.; Savage, D. E.; Lagally, M. G.; Eriksson, M. A.

2013-03-01

The Kondo effect in Si/SiGe QDs can be enriched by the valley degree of freedom in Si. We have observed resonances showing temperature dependence characteristic of the Kondo effect in two consecutive Coulomb diamonds. These resonances exhibit unusual magnetic field dependence that we interpret as arising from Kondo screening of the valley degree of freedom. In one diamond two Kondo peaks due to screening of the valley index exist at zero magnetic field, revealing a zero-field valley splitting of Δ ~ 0.28 meV. In a non-zero magnetic field the peaks broaden and coalesce due to Zeeman splitting. In the other diamond, a single resonance at zero bias persists without Zeeman splitting for non-zero magnetic field, a phenomenon characteristic of valley non-conservation in tunneling. This research is supported by the NSA and ARO.

Approaching Solar Maximum 24 with Stereo-Multipoint Observations of Solar Energetic Particle Events

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dresing, N.; Cohen, C. M. S.; Gomez-Herrero, R.; Heber, B.; Klassen, A.; Leske, R. A.; Mason, G. M.; Mewaldt, R. A.; von Rosenvinge, T. T.

2014-01-01

Since the beginning of the Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory (STEREO) mission at the end of 2006, the two spacecraft have now separated by more than 130? degrees from the Earth. A 360-degree view of the Sun has been possible since February 2011, providing multipoint in situ and remote sensing observations of unprecedented quality. Combining STEREO observations with near-Earth measurements allows the study of solar energetic particle (SEP) events over a wide longitudinal range with minimal radial gradient effects. This contribution provides an overview of recent results obtained by the STEREO/IMPACT team in combination with observations by the ACE and SOHO spacecraft. We focus especially on multi-spacecraft investigations of SEP events. The large longitudinal spread of electron and 3He-rich events as well as unusual anisotropies will be presented and discussed.

Classification and evolution of human rhinoviruses.

PubMed

Palmenberg, Ann C; Gern, James E

2015-01-01

The historical classification of human rhinoviruses (RV) by serotyping has been replaced by a logical system of comparative sequencing. Given that strains must diverge within their capsid sequenced by a reasonable degree (>12-13 % pairwise base identities) before becoming immunologically distinct, the new nomenclature system makes allowances for the addition of new, future types, without compromising historical designations. Currently, three species, the RV-A, RV-B, and RV-C, are recognized. Of these, the RV-C, discovered in 2006, are the most unusual in terms of capsid structure, receptor use, and association with severe disease in children.

Fear Extinction as a Model for Translational Neuroscience: Ten Years of Progress

PubMed Central

Milad, Mohammed R.; Quirk, Gregory J.

2016-01-01

The psychology of extinction has been studied for decades. Approximately 10 years ago, however, there began a concerted effort to understand the neural circuits of extinction of fear conditioning, in both animals and humans. Progress during this period has been facilitated by an unusual degree of coordination between rodent and human researchers examining fear extinction. This successful research program could serve as a model for translational research in other areas of behavioral neuroscience. Here we review the major advances and highlight new approaches to understanding and exploiting fear extinction. PMID:22129456

Launching "the evolution of cooperation".

PubMed

Axelrod, Robert

2012-04-21

This article describes three aspects of the author's early work on the evolution of the cooperation. First, it explains how the idea for a computer tournament for the iterated Prisoner's Dilemma was inspired by the artificial intelligence research on computer checkers and computer chess. Second, it shows how the vulnerability of simple reciprocity of misunderstanding or misimplementation can be eliminated with the addition of some degree of generosity or contrition. Third, it recounts the unusual collaboration between the author, a political scientist, and William D. Hamilton, an evolutionary biologist. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

ARC-1979-AC79-7003

NASA Image and Video Library

1979-03-04

Europa , the smallest of the Galilean satellites, or Moons , of Jupiter , is seen here as taken by Voyager 1. Range : 2 million km (1.2 million miles) is centered at about the 300 degree Meridian. The bright areas are probably ice deposits, while the dark may be rocky surface or areas of more patchy ice distribution. Most unusual features are systems of linear structures crossing the surface in various directions. Of these, some of which are over 1000 km. long , & 2 or 3 hundred km. wide, may be faults which have disrupted the surface.

Unusually high rotational temperature of the CN radical

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krełowski, J.; Galazutdinov, G.; Beletsky, Y.

2011-07-01

We analyse a high-resolution, high signal-to-noise spectrogram of the hot reddened star Trumpler 16 112 to find relationships between the physical parameters of the intervening interstellar medium (e.g., the rotational temperature of the CN radical) and the intensities of interstellar lines/bands. We report on the discovery of an interstellar cloud that shows an exceptionally high rotational temperature of CN (4.5 K) and unusually strong Ca I and Fe I interstellar lines. This rare CaFe-type cloud seemingly contains no diffuse band carriers. Based on observations collected at the European Organisation for Astronomical Research in the Southern Hemisphere, Chile. Programs 073.D-0609(A) and 082.C-0566(A).

Explanation of Europa's Unusual Polarization Properties: The Regolith is Sub-micron, Fine-Grained, High Porosity Material

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nelson, R. M.; Boryta, M. D.; Hapke, B. W.; Manatt, K. S.; Nebedum, A.; Kroner, D. O.; Shkuratov, Y.; Psarev, V.; Vanderoort, K.; Smythe, W. D.

2015-12-01

For several decades, unusual reflectance and polarization phase curves have been reported on Europa by experienced ground based astronomers (Rosenbush et al., 1997, 2015). The observed reflectance phase curve is consistent with the phase curves reported in the laboratory in fine grained particulate media (Nelson et al., 2000, 2002, Shkuratov et al., 2002). Shkuratov et al. (2002) also measured polarization properties of fine grained media showing that they relate to the coherent backscatter enhancement phenomenon and are consistent with the astronomical data. We have reconfigured a goniometric photopolarimeter (GPP) (Nelson et al., 2000, 2002) to measure in the laboratory the polarization phase curves of highly reflective particulate materials that simulate the Europa's predominately water ice regolith. We apply the Helmholtz Reciprocity Principle - we present our samples with linearly polarized light and measure the change in the intensity of the reflected component with phase angle from 0.05 to 15 degrees. This is physically equivalent to the astronomical polarization measurements. We report here the polarization phase curves for a suite of high albedo particulates of size 0.1

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

Barnes, Jason W.; Van Eyken, Julian C.; Jackson, Brian K.

PTFO 8-8695b represents the first transiting exoplanet candidate orbiting a pre-main-sequence star (van Eyken et al. 2012, ApJ, 755, 42). We find that the unusual lightcurve shapes of PTFO 8-8695 can be explained by transits of a planet across an oblate, gravity-darkened stellar disk. We develop a theoretical framework for understanding precession of a planetary orbit's ascending node for the case when the stellar rotational angular momentum and the planetary orbital angular momentum are comparable in magnitude. We then implement those ideas to simultaneously and self-consistently fit two separate lightcurves observed in 2009 December and 2010 December. Our two self-consistentmore » fits yield M{sub p} = 3.0 M{sub Jup} and M{sub p} = 3.6 M{sub Jup} for assumed stellar masses of M{sub *} = 0.34 M{sub Sun} and M{sub *} = 0.44 M{sub Sun} respectively. The two fits have precession periods of 293 days and 581 days. These mass determinations (consistent with previous upper limits) along with the strength of the gravity-darkened precessing model together validate PTFO 8-8695b as just the second hot Jupiter known to orbit an M-dwarf. Our fits show a high degree of spin-orbit misalignment in the PTFO 8-8695 system: 69 Degree-Sign {+-} 2 Degree-Sign or 73. Degree-Sign 1 {+-} 0. Degree-Sign 5, in the two cases. The large misalignment is consistent with the hypothesis that planets become hot Jupiters with random orbital plane alignments early in a system's lifetime. We predict that as a result of the highly misaligned, precessing system, the transits should disappear for months at a time over the course of the system's precession period. The precessing, gravity-darkened model also predicts other observable effects: changing orbit inclination that could be detected by radial velocity observations, changing stellar inclination that would manifest as varying vsin i, changing projected spin-orbit alignment that could be seen by the Rossiter-McLaughlin effect, changing transit shapes over the course of the precession, and differing lightcurves as a function of wavelength. Our measured planet radii of 1.64 R{sub Jup} and 1.68 R{sub Jup} in each case are consistent with a young, hydrogen-dominated planet that results from a ''hot-start'' formation mechanism.« less

UNUSUAL BACTEROIDES-LIKE ORGANISM

PubMed Central

Goldberg, Herbert S.; Barnes, Ella M.; Charles, Anthony B.

1964-01-01

Goldberg, Herbert S. (University of Missouri, Columbia), Ella M. Barnes, and Anthony B. Charles. Unusual Bacteroides-like organism. J. Bacteriol. 87:737–742. 1964.—An organism is described which appears to be a new species of gram-negative, anaerobic, nonsporulating rod. It was isolated from poultry caeca at levels of 107 to 108 per g. It is primarily distinguished from related organisms by its unusual size (2.0 by 10.0 μ). It is biochemically differentiated from known species of Bacteroides, Fusobacterium, Sphaerophorous, and other accepted related genera. Its presence in large numbers in the gut of poultry, and its high metabolic activity would seem to indicate an important intestinal organism. Images PMID:14127590

An unusual case of posttrabeculectomy conjunctival granuloma.

PubMed

Choudhary, Samiksha; Sen, Swarnali; Gupta, Omprakash

2018-01-01

We report an unusual case of granulomatous inflammation that presented adjacent to bleb 3 weeks postoperatively after combined phacoemulsification and trabeculectomy surgery with mitomycin-C due to retained microfragments of methyl cellulose sponge. The commonly used antimetabolite delivery devices are made of cellulose. Methyl cellulose sponges are friable, and they are likely to leave behind microfragments in subconjunctival space. In our case, bleb integrity was maintained, unlike the earlier reported cases which presented with bleb leak. Hence, one should have high index of suspicion in unusual cases of postoperative inflammation not resolving conservatively. Although rare, retained sponge particles can be a cause of early bleb-related inflammation which can lead to bleb failure.

An unusual case of posttrabeculectomy conjunctival granuloma

PubMed Central

Choudhary, Samiksha; Sen, Swarnali; Gupta, Omprakash

2018-01-01

We report an unusual case of granulomatous inflammation that presented adjacent to bleb 3 weeks postoperatively after combined phacoemulsification and trabeculectomy surgery with mitomycin-C due to retained microfragments of methyl cellulose sponge. The commonly used antimetabolite delivery devices are made of cellulose. Methyl cellulose sponges are friable, and they are likely to leave behind microfragments in subconjunctival space. In our case, bleb integrity was maintained, unlike the earlier reported cases which presented with bleb leak. Hence, one should have high index of suspicion in unusual cases of postoperative inflammation not resolving conservatively. Although rare, retained sponge particles can be a cause of early bleb-related inflammation which can lead to bleb failure. PMID:29563697

Migration & Extra-solar Terrestrial Planets: Watering the Planets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carter-Bond, Jade C.; O'Brien, David P.; Raymond, Sean N.

2014-04-01

A diverse range of terrestrial planet compositions is believed to exist within known extrasolar planetary systems, ranging from those that are relatively Earth-like to those that are highly unusual, dominated by species such as refractory elements (Al and Ca) or C (as pure C, TiC and SiC)(Bond et al. 2010b). However, all prior simulations have ignored the impact that giant planet migration during planetary accretion may have on the final terrestrial planetary composition. Here, we combined chemical equilibrium models of the disk around five known planetary host stars (Solar, HD4203, HD19994, HD213240 and Gl777) with dynamical models of terrestrial planet formation incorporating various degrees of giant planet migration. Giant planet migration is found to drastically impact terrestrial planet composition by 1) increasing the amount of Mg-silicate species present in the final body; and 2) dramatically increasing the efficiency and amount of water delivered to the terrestrial bodies during their formation process.

A new Miocene baleen whale from the Peruvian desert

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marx, Felix G.; Kohno, Naoki

2016-10-01

The Pisco-Ica and Sacaco basins of southern Peru are renowned for their abundance of exceptionally preserved fossil cetaceans, several of which retain traces of soft tissue and occasionally even stomach contents. Previous work has mostly focused on odontocetes, with baleen whales currently being restricted to just three described taxa. Here, we report a new Late Miocene rorqual (family Balaenopteridae), Incakujira anillodefuego gen. et sp. nov., based on two exceptionally preserved specimens from the Pisco Formation exposed at Aguada de Lomas, Sacaco Basin, southern Peru. Incakujira overall closely resembles modern balaenopterids, but stands out for its unusually gracile ascending process of the maxilla, as well as a markedly twisted postglenoid process of the squamosal. The latter likely impeded lateral (omega) rotation of the mandible, in stark contrast with the highly flexible craniomandibular joint of extant lunge-feeding rorquals. Overall, Incakujira expands the still meagre Miocene record of balaenopterids and reveals a previously underappreciated degree of complexity in the evolution of their iconic lunge-feeding strategy.

An outbreak of scarlet fever in a primary school.

PubMed

Lamden, K H

2011-04-01

Scarlet fever, due to infection with an erythrogenic toxin-producing Group A streptococcus, is an uncommon and generally mild illness, although serious sequelae do occur. In March 2009, 57 of the 126 (45%) pupils in a primary school in Lancashire, UK developed scarlet fever over a 4-week period. Infection was transmitted via direct contact between pupils, particularly among the youngest pupils. A significant degree of transmission also occurred between siblings. The median number of days absent from school was 3 (range 1-10 days). No children were hospitalised. Control measures, including hygiene advice to the school and exclusion of pupils for 24h while initiating penicillin treatment, were ineffective. The outbreak occurred against a background of an unusually high incidence of invasive Group A streptococcal infection. While there are national guidelines for the control of invasive disease, none exist for the control of scarlet fever outbreaks. This prolonged outbreak of scarlet fever highlights the need for an evidence based approach to outbreak management.

Morphological Indicators of a Mascon Beneath Ceres's Largest Crater, Kerwan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bland, M. T.; Ermakov, A. I.; Raymond, C. A.; Williams, D. A.; Bowling, T. J.; Preusker, F.; Park, R. S.; Marchi, S.; Castillo-Rogez, J. C.; Fu, R. R.; Russell, C. T.

2018-02-01

Gravity data of Ceres returned by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Dawn spacecraft is consistent with a lower density crust of variable thickness overlying a higher density mantle. Crustal thickness variations can affect the long-term, postimpact modification of impact craters on Ceres. Here we show that the unusual morphology of the 280 km diameter crater Kerwan may result from viscous relaxation in an outer layer that thins substantially beneath the crater floor. We propose that such a structure is consistent with either impact-induced uplift of the high-density mantle beneath the crater or from volatile loss during the impact event. In either case, the subsurface structure inferred from the crater morphology is superisostatic, and the mass excess would result in a positive Bouguer anomaly beneath the crater, consistent with the highest-degree gravity data from Dawn. Ceres joins the Moon, Mars, and Mercury in having basin-associated gravity anomalies, although their origin may differ substantially.

Unusual and Tunable Negative Linear Compressibility in the Metal-Organic Framework MFM-133(M) (M = Zr, Hf).

PubMed

Yan, Yong; O'Connor, Alice E; Kanthasamy, Gopikkaa; Atkinson, George; Allan, David R; Blake, Alexander J; Schröder, Martin

2018-03-21

High-pressure single-crystal X-ray structural analyses of isostructural MFM-133(M) (M = Zr, Hf) of flu topology and incorporating the tetracarboxylate ligand TCHB 4- [H 4 TCHB = 3,3',5,5'-tetrakis(4-carboxyphenyl)-2,2',4,4',6,6'-hexamethyl-1,1'-biphenyl] and {M 6 (μ 3 -OH) 8 (OH) 8 (COO) 8 } clusters confirm negative linear compressibility (NLC) behavior along the c axis. This occurs via a three-dimensional wine-rack NLC mechanism leading to distortion of the octahedral cage toward a more elongated polyhedron under static compression. Despite the isomorphous nature of these two structures, MFM-133(Hf) shows a higher degree of NLC than the Zr(IV) analogue. Thus, for the first time, we demonstrate here that the NLC property can be effectively tuned in a framework material by simply varying the inorganic component of the frameworks without changing the network topology and structure.

Public Perception of Climate Change and the New Climate Dice

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hansen, James; Sato, Makiko; Ruedy, Reto

2012-01-01

"Climate dice", describing the chance of unusually warm or cool seasons, have become more and more "loaded" in the past 30 years, coincident with rapid global warming. The distribution of seasonal mean temperature anomalies has shifted toward higher temperatures and the range of anomalies has increased. An important change is the emergence of a category of summertime extremely hot outliers, more than three standard deviations (3 sigma) warmer than the climatology of the 1951-1980 base period. This hot extreme, which covered much less than 1% of Earth's surface during the base period, now typically covers about 10% of the land area. It follows that we can state, with a high degree of confidence, that extreme anomalies such as those in Texas and Oklahoma in 2011 and Moscow in 2010 were a consequence of global warming, because their likelihood in the absence of global warming was exceedingly small. We discuss practical implications of this substantial, growing, climate change.

Design of a National Retail Data Monitor for Public Health Surveillance

PubMed Central

Wagner, Michael M.; Robinson, J. Michael; Tsui, Fu-Chiang; Espino, Jeremy U.; Hogan, William R.

2003-01-01

The National Retail Data Monitor receives data daily from 10,000 stores, including pharmacies, that sell health care products. These stores belong to national chains that process sales data centrally and utilize Universal Product Codes and scanners to collect sales information at the cash register. The high degree of retail sales data automation enables the monitor to collect information from thousands of store locations in near to real time for use in public health surveillance. The monitor provides user interfaces that display summary sales data on timelines and maps. Algorithms monitor the data automatically on a daily basis to detect unusual patterns of sales. The project provides the resulting data and analyses, free of charge, to health departments nationwide. Future plans include continued enrollment and support of health departments, developing methods to make the service financially self-supporting, and further refinement of the data collection system to reduce the time latency of data receipt and analysis. PMID:12807802

Production of novel cell-associated tannase from newly isolated Serratia ficaria DTC.

PubMed

Belur, Prasanna D; Gopal, Mugeraya; Nirmala, K R; Basavaraj, N

2010-04-01

Five strains of tannic acid degrading bacteria were isolated and identified by phenotypic characterization. All the five isolates showed cell-associated activity, where as only three showed extracellular activity. Serratia ficaria DTC showing highest cell-associated activity (0.29 U/l) was selected for further shake flask studies. Tannase synthesis was growth associated and reached the peak in the late stationary phase of growth. Organic nitrogen sources enhanced the tannase production. Peak tannase production of 0.56 U/l was recorded in the medium having the initial pH of 6. The pH and temperature optima of the enzyme were found to be 8.9 and 35 degrees , respectively. This is the first report of cell-associated activity in case of bacterial tannase. Cell-associated tannase of Serratia ficaria DTC could be industrially important from the perspective of its activity at broad temperature and pH range, its unusually high activity at pH 8.9.

Temperature dependence of the anisotropy field of L10 FePt near the Curie temperature

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Richter, H. J.; Parker, G. J.

2017-06-01

Near the Curie temperature, the anisotropy field of magnetically uniaxial L10 FePt is expected to follow the scaling law (1 - T/Tc)β, where T is the temperature and Tc is the Curie temperature. In the literature, β values between 0.36 and 0.65 have been reported. Based on recording measurements and micromagnetic analysis, we show that only the values of β near the low end of the reported range are compatible with the data. We also conclude that thermally activated magnetization reversal at temperatures near Tc cannot be ignored, even at time scales smaller than 1 ns. We demonstrate that thermally activated magnetization reversal at temperatures close to Tc is well described by conventional theory with a frequency factor f0 of the order of 1012 Hz. It is reasoned that the unusually high value for f0 is a consequence of the temperature-induced reduction of the degree of alignment of the micro-spins within the grains.

Simultaneous organic nitrogen and sulfate removal in an anaerobic GAC fluidised bed reactor.

PubMed

Fdz-Polanco, F; Fdz-Polanco, M; Fernandez, N; Urueña, M A; García, P A; Villaverde, S

2001-01-01

A granular activated carbon (GAC) anaerobic fluidised bed reactor treating vinasse from an ethanol distillery of sugar beet molasses was operated for 250 days under three different organic loading rates. The reactor showed good performance in terms of organic matter removal and methane production but an anomalous behaviour in terms of unusual high concentrations of molecular nitrogen and low concentration of hydrogen sulphide in the biogas. The analysis of the different nitrogenous and sulphur compounds and the mass balances of these species in the liquid and gas phases clearly indicated an uncommon evolution of nitrogen and sulphur in the reactor. Up to 55% of the TKN and up to 80% of the sulphur disappear in the liquid phase. This is the opposite to any previously reported results in the bibliography. The new postulated anaerobic process of ammonia and sulphate removal seems to follow the mechanism: SO4 = +2 NH4+-->S + N2 + 4H2O (delta G degree = -47.8 kJ/mol).

Natural trophic variability in a large, oligotrophic, near-pristine lake

USGS Publications Warehouse

Young, Talia; Jensen, Olaf P.; Weidel, Brian C.; Chandra, Sudeep

2015-01-01

Conclusions drawn from stable isotope data can be limited by an incomplete understanding of natural isotopic variability over time and space. We quantified spatial and temporal variability in fish carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes in Lake Hövsgöl, Mongolia, a large, remote, oligotrophic lake with an unusually species-poor fish community. The fish community demonstrated a high degree of trophic level overlap. Variability in δ13C was inversely related to littoral-benthic dependence, with pelagic species demonstrating more δ13C variability than littoral-benthic species. A mixed effects model suggested that space (sampling location) had a greater impact than time (collection year) on both δ13C and δ15N variability. The observed variability in Lake Hövsgöl was generally greater than isotopic variability documented in other large, oligotrophic lakes, similar to isotopic shifts attributed to introduced species, and less than isotopic shifts attributed to anthropogenic chemical changes such as eutrophication. This work complements studies on isotopic variability and changes in other lakes around the world.

Possible Thermal Metamorphism on the C Asteroids Seen from the 3-micrometer Hydration Band in Comparison with Heated CI/CM Meteorites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hiroi, T.; Pieters, C. M.; Zolensky, M. E.; Lipschutz, M. E.

1995-09-01

Thermal metamorphism study of the C (including G, B, and F) asteroids [1] is revisited using their selected reflectance spectra (0.3-3.6 micrometers) [2]. Laboratory spectra of some carbonaceous chondrites and heated Murchison samples [3] have been also measured for comparison. Both CI1 and CM2 meteorites have a characteristic 3-micrometer hydration band [4] at various strengths, and most CM2 meteorites also have 0.7, 0.9, and 1.1-micrometer bands due to ferric/ferrous Fe in septechlorites (Fig. 1). The unusual CI/CM meteorites (Y-86720, B-7904, Y-82162, etc.) that have evidence of thermal metamorphism have no 0.7-micrometer band but still have a weak 3-micrometer band. The 3-micrometer band of heated Murchison samples is gradually reduced for samples heated up to 500 degrees C and gone around 600 degrees C. The 0.7-micrometer band is gone even before 400 degrees C. The 3-micrometer band strengths of the unusual CI/CM meteorites correspond to the heating temperature between 500 and 600 degrees C if the process was similar to the Murchison heating experiment. None of the C asteroids have both the 3-micrometer band strength and overall spectral profile comparable to the common CI/CM meteorites studied here. Among the seven selected asteroids, only two have a meteorite counterpart over this wavelength range. Asteroid 511 Davida and B-7904 are the best counterparts in both spectral shape and brightness (Fig. 1). Existence of the unusual CI/CM meteorites suggests that there were their parent bodies that contained water (ice) at appropriate temperatures over sufficient time to induce aqueous alteration and were subsequently heated up to 500-600 degrees C. It has been recently suggested that some dark inclusions of Vigarano (CV3) experienced extensive aqueous alteration followed by complete dehydration and recrystallization [5]. Since dark inclusions are common in all CV3 meteorites, aqueous alteration and late-stage heating may have been widespread on the CV3 parent bodies. Because common CI/CM meteorites are spectrally different from any of the observed asteroids, those meteorites must have come from another asteroid population, assuming the asteroid surfaces are not significantly altered by space weathering. CI/CM meteorites may have come from smaller unobservable asteroids or the lost outer portions of asteroids, which escaped extensive heating events. Acknowledgments: Antarctic meteorites were loaned from National Institute of Polar Research and Meteorite Working Group. Laboratory reflectance spectra were measured at RELAB operated under NASA grant NAGW-748. Asteroidal 3-micrometer reflectance spectra were taken from SOARD database. This research was supported in part by NASA grant NAG 9-48 to M. L. and the NASA Origins of Solar Systems Program to M. Z. References: [1] Hiroi T. et al. (1993) Science, 261, 1016-1018; Hiroi T. et al. (1994) Proc. NIPR Symp. Antarct. Meteorites, 7, 230-243. [2] Zellner B. et al. (1985) Icarus, 61, 355-416; Bell J. F. et al. (1988) LPS XIX, 57-58; Jones T. D. et al. (1990) Icarus, 88, 172-192. [3] Matza S. D. and Lipschutz M. E. (1977) Proc. LSC 8th, 161-176. [4] Miyamoto M. and Zolensky M. E. (1994) Meteoritics, 29, 849-853. [5] Kojima H. et al. (1993) Meteoritics, 28, 649-658.

Topological mechanics: from metamaterials to active matter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vitelli, Vincenzo

2015-03-01

Mechanical metamaterials are artificial structures with unusual properties, such as negative Poisson ratio, bistability or tunable acoustic response, which originate in the geometry of their unit cell. At the heart of such unusual behavior is often a mechanism: a motion that does not significantly stretch or compress the links between constituent elements. When activated by motors or external fields, these soft motions become the building blocks of robots and smart materials. In this talk, we discuss topological mechanisms that possess two key properties: (i) their existence cannot be traced to a local imbalance between degrees of freedom and constraints (ii) they are robust against a wide range of structural deformations or changes in material parameters. The continuum elasticity of these mechanical structures is captured by non-linear field theories with a topological boundary term similar to topological insulators and quantum Hall systems. We present several applications of these concepts to the design and experimental realization of 2D and 3D topological structures based on linkages, origami, buckling meta-materials and lastly active media that break time-reversal symmetry.

An unusual mortality event in Johnstone River snapping turtles Elseya irwini (Johnstone) in Far North Queensland, Australia.

PubMed

Ariel, E; Freeman, A B; Elliott, E; Wirth, W; Mashkour, N; Scott, J

2017-10-01

An unusual mortality event in Johnstone River snapping turtles (Elseya irwini) in Far North Queensland, Australia, occurred during the summer months of December 2014 and January 2015. We report the data collected during the mortality event, including counts of sick and dead animals, clinical appearance and one necropsy. Moribund animals appeared lethargic with variable degrees of necrotising dermatitis. Postmortem investigation of one freshly dead animal revealed bacterial and fungal involvement in the skin lesions as well as multifocal fibrinous hepatitis and splenitis and necrotising enteritis with vascular thrombosis. Aeromonas hydrophila was isolated from liver, spleen and skin lesions. All samples tested negative for ranavirus, and water and soil testing for environmental contaminants were negative. All affected E. irwini either died or were euthanased and no other species of animals in the river were affected. Aeromonas hydrophila is ubiquitous in the freshwater environment and although it caused septicaemia in the one individual that was submitted for laboratory diagnosis, the primary aetiology of the outbreak may not have been identified. © 2017 Australian Veterinary Association.

Column temperature programming in enantioseparation of dihydropyrimidinone compounds using derivatized cellulose and amylose chiral stationary phases.

PubMed

Wang, Fang; Yeung, David; Han, Jun; Semin, David; McElvain, James S; Cheetham, Janet

2008-03-01

We report the application of column temperature programs as a tool to examine unusual temperature-induced behaviors of polysaccharide chiral stationary phases (CSPs). Using dihydropyrimidinone (DHP) compounds as probes we observed the heating (10-50 degrees C) and cooling (50-10 degrees C) van't Hoff plots of retention factors and/or selectivities of DHP compounds were not superimposable on AD, IA, and AS-H columns solvated with ethanol (EtOH)/n-hexane (n-Hex) mobile phases. The plots were not superimposable on AD, IB, and AS-H columns solvated with 2-propanol (2-PrOH)/n-Hex mobile phases. The thermally induced path-dependant behaviors were caused by slow equilibration as evidenced by the disappearance of the hysteresis in the second heating to cooling cycle and in a cooling to heating cycle. From the step-temperature program (10-50-10 degrees C), only EtOH solvated AD and AS-H phases showed the change of retention factors and/or selectivities with time while only 2-PrOH solvated AS-H phase showed similar behaviors.

Transition from upbeat to downbeat nystagmus observed in a patient with Wernicke's encephalopathy.

PubMed

Suzuki, Yasuo; Matsuda, Taisuke; Washio, Noriaki; Ohtsuka, Kenji

2005-01-01

We report an unusual case of Wernicke's encephalopathy presenting with transient upbeat nystagmus that changed to a persistent downbeat nystagmus. A 27-year-old man presented with upbeat nystagmus. Three months earlier, he had been diagnosed with Wernicke's encephalopathy after fasting for a month. This diagnosis was supported by his symptoms (ataxia, a confused state). Clinical recovery followed thiamine therapy. His upbeat nystagmus had linear slow phases with average amplitude and frequency (+/-SD) during fixation straight ahead of 2.8 +/- 0.7 degrees and 4.6 +/- 2.2 Hz, respectively. Two months later, the primary position upbeat nystagmus had diminished and downbeat nystagmus (0.9 +/- 0.5 degrees and 3.2 +/- 0.7 Hz on average) for a 20 degrees downward gaze had developed. Then, 8 months later, he showed only downbeat nystagmus, which obeyed Alexander's law. His primary position downbeat nystagmus was completely suppressed by clonazepam, a gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) agonist. Owing to an underlying central vestibular imbalance, even after the recovery of acute neurological symptoms, Wernicke's encephalopathy can be complicated by persistent downbeat nystagmus, which can be treated by a GABA agonist.

Process for forming unusually strong joints between metals and ceramics by brazing at temperatures that do no exceed 750 degree C.

DOEpatents

Hammond, Joseph P.; David, Stan A.; Woodhouse, John J.

1986-01-01

This invention is a process for joining metals to ceramics to form very strong bonds using low brazing temperature, i.e., less than 750.degree. C., and particularly for joining nodular cast iron to partially stabilized zirconia. The process provides that the ceramic be coated with an active metal, such as titanium, that can form an intermetallic with a low melting point brazing alloy such as 60Ag-30Cu-10Sn. The nodular cast iron is coated with a noncarbon containing metal, such as copper, to prevent carbon in the nodular cast iron from dissolving in the brazing alloy. These coated surfaces can be brazed together with the brazing alloy between at less than 750.degree. C. to form a very strong joint. An even stronger bond can be formed if a transition piece is used between the metal and ceramic. It is preferred for the transition piece to have a coefficient of thermal compatible with the coefficient of thermal expansion of the ceramic, such as titanium.

Ultralow Thermal Conductivity in Diamond-Like Semiconductors: Selective Scattering of Phonons from Antisite Defects

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

Gorai, Prashun; Stevanovic, Vladan; Toberer, Eric

In this work, we discover anomalously low lattice thermal conductivity (<0.25 W/mK at 300 degrees C) in the Hg-containing quaternary diamond-like semiconductors within the Cu2IIBIVTe4 (IIB: Zn, Cd, Hg) (IV: Si, Ge, Sn) set of compositions. Using high-temperature X-ray diffraction, resonant ultrasound spectroscopy, and transport properties, we uncover the critical role of the antisite defects HgCu and CuHg on phonon transport within the Hg-containing systems. Despite the differences in chemistry between Hg and Cu, the high concentration of these antisite defects emerges from the energetic proximity of the kesterite and stannite cation motifs. Our phonon calculations reveal that heavier groupmore » IIB elements not only introduce low-lying optical modes, but the subsequent antisite defects also possess unusually strong point defect phonon scattering power. The scattering strength stems from the fundamentally different vibrational modes supported by the constituent elements (e.g., Hg and Cu). Despite the significant impact on the thermal properties, antisite defects do not negatively impact the mobility (>50 cm2/(Vs) at 300 degrees C) in Hg-containing systems, leading to predicted zT > 1.5 in Cu2HgGeTe4 and Cu2HgSnTe4 under optimized doping. In addition to introducing a potentially new p-type thermoelectric material, this work provides (1) a strategy to use the proximity of phase transitions to increase point defect phonon scattering, and (2) a means to quantify the power of a given point defect through inexpensive phonon calculations.« less

Peptide design using alpha,beta-dehydro amino acids: from beta-turns to helical hairpins.

PubMed

Mathur, Puniti; Ramakumar, S; Chauhan, V S

2004-01-01

Incorporation of alpha,beta-dehydrophenylalanine (DeltaPhe) residue in peptides induces folded conformations: beta-turns in short peptides and 3(10)-helices in larger ones. A few exceptions-namely, alpha-helix or flat beta-bend ribbon structures-have also been reported in a few cases. The most favorable conformation of DeltaPhe residues are (phi,psi) approximately (-60 degrees, -30 degrees ), (-60 degrees, 150 degrees ), (80 degrees, 0 degrees ) or their enantiomers. DeltaPhe is an achiral and planar residue. These features have been exploited in designing DeltaPhe zippers and helix-turn-helix motifs. DeltaPhe can be incorporated in both right and left-handed helices. In fact, consecutive occurrence of three or more DeltaPhe amino acids induce left-handed screw sense in peptides containing L-amino acids. Weak interactions involving the DeltaPhe residue play an important role in molecular association. The C--H.O==C hydrogen bond between the DeltaPhe side-chain and backbone carboxyl moiety, pi-pi stacking interactions between DeltaPhe side chains belonging to enantiomeric helices have shown to stabilize folding. The unusual capability of a DeltaPhe ring to form the hub of multicentered interactions namely, a donor in aromatic C--H.pi and C--H.O==C and an acceptor in a CH(3).pi interaction suggests its exploitation in introducing long-range interactions in the folding of supersecondary structures. Copyright 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Biopolymers (Pept Sci), 2004

Intramuscular Dirofilariasis Mimicking an Orbital Metastasis in a Patient with Breast Cancer

PubMed Central

Henderson, Brett M.; Hunt, Christopher H.; Eckel, Laurence J.; Schwartz, Kara M.; Diehn, Felix E.; Pritt, Bobbi S.; Schembri Wismayer, David J.; Garrity, James A.

2012-01-01

We present the unusual case of a 74 year-old female with a history of breast cancer who presented with acute painless orbital swelling and vertical diplopia. MRI revealed a focal enhancing mass within the superior rectus muscle. As the concern for metastatic disease was high, surgical biopsy was performed and revealed an unusual mimicker of metastatic disease, the parasitic infection dirofilariasis. PMID:23008795

Increased Prevalence of Unusual Sensory Behaviors in Infants at Risk For, and Teens With, Autism Spectrum Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Van Etten, Hannah M.; Kaur, Maninderjit; Srinivasan, Sudha M.; Cohen, Shereen J.; Bhat, Anjana; Dobkins, Karen R.

2017-01-01

The current study investigated the prevalence and pattern of unusual sensory behaviors (USBs) in teens with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and infants (3-36 months) at risk for ASD. From two different sites (UCSD and UConn), caregivers of infants at high (n = 32) and low risk (n = 33) for ASD, and teenagers with (n = 12) and without ASD (n = 11),…

A fluorophosphate-based inverse Keggin structure

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

Fielden, John; Quasdorf, Kyle; Cronin, Leroy

An unusual PFO(3)(2-)-templated "inverse Keggin" polyanion, [Mo(12)O(46)(PF)(4)](4-), has been isolated from the degradation reaction of an {Mo(132)}-type Keplerate to [PMo(12)O(40)](3-) by [Cu(MeCN)(4)](PF(6)) in acetonitrile. (31)P-NMR studies suggest a structure-directing role for [Cu(MeCN)(4)](+) in the formation of the highly unusual all-inorganic inverse Keggin structure.

A fluorophosphate-based inverse Keggin structure.

PubMed

Fielden, John; Quasdorf, Kyle; Cronin, Leroy; Kögerler, Paul

2012-09-07

An unusual PFO(3)(2-)-templated "inverse Keggin" polyanion, [Mo(12)O(46)(PF)(4)](4-), has been isolated from the degradation reaction of an {Mo(132)}-type Keplerate to [PMo(12)O(40)](3-) by [Cu(MeCN)(4)](PF(6)) in acetonitrile. (31)P-NMR studies suggest a structure-directing role for [Cu(MeCN)(4)](+) in the formation of the highly unusual all-inorganic inverse Keggin structure.

Transient 5-oxoprolinuria: unusually high anion gap acidosis in an infant.

PubMed

Hulley, Sarah L; Perring, Jeff; Manning, Nigel; Olpin, Simon; Yap, Sufin

2015-12-01

Transient 5-oxoprolinuria is a phenomenon that is well recognised in adults. We illustrate an unusual paediatric case of transient 5-oxoprolinuria presenting during an episode of severe sepsis with concomitant paracetamol use. The 15-month-old patient had an extremely high anion gap metabolic acidosis. Adequate resuscitation failed to correct the biochemical disturbance, and high levels of 5-oxoproline were identified. A combination of haemofiltration, replenishment of glutathione stores with N-acetylcysteine and cessation of paracetamol administration resulted in the resolution of the acidosis. Subsequent testing following treatment of the sepsis revealed no ongoing 5-oxoprolinuria. Transient 5-oxoprolinuria has been previously reported in the adult population during episodes of severe sepsis and various pharmaceutical interventions. This case illustrates that it is a phenomenon that should be considered in paediatric patients where a very high anion gap metabolic acidosis exists that cannot be explained by the biochemical indices. • 5-oxoprolinuria in the paediatric population is usually secondary to an inborn error of metabolism. • Transient 5-oxoprolinuria is well recognised in adults during episodes of severe glutathione depletion. • Transient 5-oxoprolinuria is a phenomenon rarely reported in the paediatric population. • It highlights the importance of investigating a high anion gap such that unusual diagnoses are not missed.

[Effect of 2-phenoxyethanol on potency of Sabin inactivated poliomyelitis vaccine and its safety].

PubMed

Bian, Chuan-xiu; Jiang, Shu-de; Yang, Jian-yong; Sun, Ming-bo; Xie, Ming-xue; Zhang, Xin-wen; Liao, Guo-yang; Li, Wei-dong

2007-03-01

To investigate the effect of 2-phenoxyethanol on potency of Sabin inactivated poliomyelitis vaccine (IPV). Sabin IPV samples containing 5 mg or 7 mg 2-phenoxyethanol each dosage respectively were placed separately at 4 degrees C, 37 degrees C for 2 days and 7 days. D-antigen contents were tested with ELISA method. Then neutralizing antibodies in mice and guinea pigs were detected. The safety experiment was performed according to unusual toxicity test of China requirement for biological product. After addition of 2-phenoxyethanol, the I, II, and III D-antigen contents of Sabin IPV did not change. The antibody levels in mice and guinea pigs were not different between experimental group and control group. Animals were safe during observation period. 2-Phenoxyethanol had no effect on potency and safety of Sabin IPV. It can be used as antiseptic for Sabin IPV.

Degradation chemistry of gemcitabine hydrochloride, a new antitumor agent.

PubMed

Anliker, S L; McClure, M S; Britton, T C; Stephan, E A; Maple, S R; Cooke, G G

1994-05-01

The anti-tumor agent gemcitabine hydrochloride, a beta-difluoronucleoside, is remarkably stable in the solid state. In 0.1 N HCI solution at 40 degrees C, deamination of gemcitabine occurs, yielding its uridine analogue. Approximately 86% of the initial gemcitabine remains after 4 weeks under these conditions. Cleavage of the N-glycosidic bond of gemcitabine or conversion to its alpha-anomer in 0.1 N HCI solution is not observed over a 4-week period. However, this work has shown that gemcitabine hydrochloride anomerizes in 0.1 N NaOH at 40 degrees C. Approximately 72% of the initial gemcitabine remains after 4 weeks under the basic conditions used. Uridine hydrolysis products are also formed under these conditions. The anormerization reaction, which is unusual under basic conditions, has been confirmed by characterization of the chromatographically isolated alpha-anomer by NMR and mass spectrometry. A mechanism involving an acyclic intermediate is proposed.

A special MJO event with a double Kelvin wave structure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Lili; Li, Tim

2017-04-01

The second Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO) event during the field campaign of the Dynamics of the MJO/Cooperative Indian Ocean Experiment on Intraseasonal Variability in the Year 2011 (DYNAMO/CINDY2011) exhibi ted an unusual double rainband structure. Using a wavenumber-frequency spectral filtering method, we unveil that this double rainband structure arises primarily from the Kelvin wave component. The zonal phase speed of the double rainbands is about 7.9 degree per day in the equatorial Indian Ocean, being in the range of convectively coupled Kelvin wave phase speeds. The convection and circulation anomalies associated with the Kelvin wave component are characterized by two anomalous convective cells, with low-level westerly (easterly) and high (low) pressure anomalies to the west (east) of the convective centers, and opposite wind and pressure anomalies in the upper troposphere. Such a zonal wind-pressure phase relationship is consistent with the equatorial free-wave dynamics. While the free-atmospheric circulation was dominated by the first baroclinic mode vertical structure, moisture and vertical motion in the boundary layer led the convection. The convection and circulation structures derived based on the conventional MJO filter show a different characteristic. For example, the phase speed is slower (about 5.9 degree per day), and there were no double convective branches. This suggests that MJO generally involves multi-scales and it is incomplete to extract its signals by using the conventional filtering technique.

Visual saliency detection based on modeling the spatial Gaussianity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ju, Hongbin

2015-04-01

In this paper, a novel salient object detection method based on modeling the spatial anomalies is presented. The proposed framework is inspired by the biological mechanism that human eyes are sensitive to the unusual and anomalous objects among complex background. It is supposed that a natural image can be seen as a combination of some similar or dissimilar basic patches, and there is a direct relationship between its saliency and anomaly. Some patches share high degree of similarity and have a vast number of quantity. They usually make up the background of an image. On the other hand, some patches present strong rarity and specificity. We name these patches "anomalies". Generally, anomalous patch is a reflection of the edge or some special colors and textures in an image, and these pattern cannot be well "explained" by their surroundings. Human eyes show great interests in these anomalous patterns, and will automatically pick out the anomalous parts of an image as the salient regions. To better evaluate the anomaly degree of the basic patches and exploit their nonlinear statistical characteristics, a multivariate Gaussian distribution saliency evaluation model is proposed. In this way, objects with anomalous patterns usually appear as the outliers in the Gaussian distribution, and we identify these anomalous objects as salient ones. Experiments are conducted on the well-known MSRA saliency detection dataset. Compared with other recent developed visual saliency detection methods, our method suggests significant advantages.

Structure and properties during aging of an ultra-high strength Al-Cu-Li-Ag-Mg alloy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gayle, Frank W.; Heubaum, Frank H.; Pickens, Joseph R.

1990-01-01

The structure and properties of the strengthening phases formed during aging in an Al-Cu-Li-Ag-Mg alloy (Weldalite 049) were elulcidated, by following the development of the microstructure by means of TEM. The results of observations showed that the Weldalite 049 alloy has a series of unusual and technologically useful combinations of mechanical properties in different aging conditions, such as natural aging without prior cold work to produce high strengths, a reversion temper of lower yield strength and unusually high ductility, a room temperature reaging of the reversion temper eventually leading to the original T4 hardness, and ultrahigh-strength T6 properties.

Texture related unusual phenomena in electrodeposition and vapor deposition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, D. N.; Han, H. N.

2015-04-01

The tensile strength of electrodeposits generally decreases with increasing bath temperature because the grain size increases and the dislocation density decreases with increasing bath temperature. Therefore, discontinuities observed in the tensile strength vs. bath temperature curves in electrodeposition of copper are unusual. The tensile strength of electrodeposits generally increases with increasing cathode current density because the rate of nucleation in electrodeposits increases with increasing current density, which in turn gives rise to a decrease in the grain size and in turn an increase in the strength. Therefore, a decrease in the tensile strength of copper electrodeposits at a high current density is unusual. The grain size of vapor deposits is expected to decrease with decreasing substrate temperature. However, rf sputtered Co-Cr deposits showed that deposits formed on water-cooled polyimide substrates had a larger grain size than deposits formed on polyimide substrates at 200 °C. These unusual phenomena can be explained by the preferred growth model for deposition texture evolution.

Unusual Entropy of Adsorbed Methane on Zeolite-Templated Carbon

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

Stadie, Nicholas P.; Murialdo, Maxwell; Ahn, Channing C.

2015-11-25

Methane adsorption at high pressures and across a wide range of temperatures was investigated on the surface of three porous carbon adsorbents with complementary structural properties. The measured adsorption equilibria were analyzed using a method that can accurately account for nonideal fluid properties and distinguish between absolute and excess quantities of adsorption, and that also allows the direct calculation of the thermodynamic potentials relevant to adsorption. On zeolite-templated carbon (ZTC), a material that exhibits extremely high surface area with optimal pore size and homogeneous structure, methane adsorption occurs with unusual thermodynamic properties that are greatly beneficial for deliverable gas storage:more » an enthalpy of adsorption that increases with site occupancy, and an unusually low entropy of the adsorbed phase. The origin of these properties is elucidated by comparison of the experimental results with a statistical mechanical model. The results indicate that temperature-dependent clustering (i.e., reduced configurations) of the adsorbed phase due to enhanced lateral interactions can account for the peculiarities of methane adsorbed on ZTC.« less

Childhood nodal marginal zone lymphoma with unusual clinicopathologic and cytogenetic features for the pediatric variant: a case report.

PubMed

Aqil, Barina; Merritt, Brian Y; Elghetany, M Tarek; Kamdar, Kala Y; Lu, Xinyan Y; Curry, Choladda V

2015-01-01

Nodal marginal zone lymphoma (NMZL) is a B-cell lymphoma that shares morphologic and immunophenotypic features with extranodal and splenic marginal zone lymphomas but lacks extranodal or splenic involvement at presentation. NMZL occurs mostly in adults with no sex predilection, at advanced stage (III or IV), with frequent relapses and a high incidence of tumoral genetic abnormalities including trisomies 3 and 18 and gain of 7q. Pediatric NMZL, however, is a rare but distinct variant of NMZL with characteristic features including male predominance, asymptomatic and localized (stage I) disease, low relapse rates with excellent outcomes, and a lower incidence of essentially similar genetic aberrations compared to adult NMZL. Here we describe a unique case of childhood NMZL with unusual clinicopathologic features for the pediatric variant including generalized lymphadenopathy, high-stage disease with persistence after therapy, unusual immunophenotype (CD5, CD23, and BCL6 positive), and unique chromosomal abnormalities including monosomy 20 and add(10)(p11.2).

Photographer : JPL Europa , the smallest of the Galilean satellites, or Moons , of Jupiter , is seen

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1979-01-01

Photographer : JPL Europa , the smallest of the Galilean satellites, or Moons , of Jupiter , is seen here as taken by Voyager 1. Range : 2 million km (1.2 million miles) is centered at about the 300 degree Meridian. The bright areas are probably ice deposits, while the dark may be rocky surface or areas of more patchy ice distribution. Most unusual features are systems of linear structures crossing the surface in various directions. Of these, some of which are over 1000 km. long , & 2 or 3 hundred km. wide, may be faults which have disrupted the surface.

Exotic s-wave superconductivity in alkali-doped fullerides.

PubMed

Nomura, Yusuke; Sakai, Shiro; Capone, Massimo; Arita, Ryotaro

2016-04-20

Alkali-doped fullerides (A3C60 with A = K, Rb, Cs) show a surprising phase diagram, in which a high transition-temperature (Tc) s-wave superconducting state emerges next to a Mott insulating phase as a function of the lattice spacing. This is in contrast with the common belief that Mott physics and phonon-driven s-wave superconductivity are incompatible, raising a fundamental question on the mechanism of the high-Tc superconductivity. This article reviews recent ab initio calculations, which have succeeded in reproducing comprehensively the experimental phase diagram with high accuracy and elucidated an unusual cooperation between the electron-phonon coupling and the electron-electron interactions leading to Mott localization to realize an unconventional s-wave superconductivity in the alkali-doped fullerides. A driving force behind the exotic physics is unusual intramolecular interactions, characterized by the coexistence of a strongly repulsive Coulomb interaction and a small effectively negative exchange interaction. This is realized by a subtle energy balance between the coupling with the Jahn-Teller phonons and Hund's coupling within the C60 molecule. The unusual form of the interaction leads to a formation of pairs of up- and down-spin electrons on the molecules, which enables the s-wave pairing. The emergent superconductivity crucially relies on the presence of the Jahn-Teller phonons, but surprisingly benefits from the strong correlations because the correlations suppress the kinetic energy of the electrons and help the formation of the electron pairs, in agreement with previous model calculations. This confirms that the alkali-doped fullerides are a new type of unconventional superconductors, where the unusual synergy between the phonons and Coulomb interactions drives the high-Tc superconductivity.

Chance Encounter with a Stratospheric Kerosene Rocket Plume from Russia over California

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Newman, P. A.; Wilson, J. C.; Ross, M. N.; Brock, C.; Sheridan, P.; Schoeberl, M. R.; Lait, L. R.; Bui, T. P.; Loewenstein, M.

1999-01-01

During a routine ER-2 aircraft high-altitude test flight on April 18, 1997, an unusual aerosol cloud was detected at 20 km altitude near the California coast at about 370 degrees N latitude. Not visually observed by the ER-2 pilot, the cloud was characterized bv high concentration of soot and sulfate aerosol in a region over 100 km in horizontal extent indicating that the source of the plume was a large hydrocarbon fueled vehicle, most likely a launch vehicle powered only by rocket motors burning liquid oxygen and kerosene. Two Russian Soyuz rockets could conceivably have produced the plume. The first was launched from the Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan on April 6th; the second was launched from Plesetsk, Russia on April 9. Air parcel trajectory calculations and long-lived tracer gas concentrations in the cloud indicate that the Baikonur rocket launch is the most probable source of the plume. The parcel trajectory calculations do not unambiguously trace the transport of the Soyuz plume from Asia to North America, illustrating serious flaws in the point-to-point trajectory calculations. This chance encounter represents the only measurement of the stratospheric effects of emissions from a rocket powered exclusively with hydrocarbon fuel.

Bright and durable field-emission source derived from frozen refractory-metal Taylor cones

DOE PAGES

Hirsch, Gregory

2017-02-22

A novel method for creating conical field-emission structures possessing unusual and desirable physical characteristics is described. This process is accomplished by solidification of electrostatically formed high-temperature Taylor cones created on the ends of laser melted refractory-metal wires. Extremely rapid freezing ensures that the resultant solid structures preserve the shape and surface smoothness of the flawless liquid Taylor-cones to a very high degree. The method also enables in situ and rapid restoration of the frozen cones to their initial pristine state after undergoing physical degradation during use. This permits maximum current to be delivered without excessive concern for any associated reductionmore » in field-emitter lifetime resulting from operation near or even above the damage threshold. In addition to the production of field emitters using polycrystalline wires as a substrate, the feasibility of producing monocrystalline frozen Taylor-cones having reproducible crystal orientation by growth on single-crystal wires was demonstrated. Finally, the development of the basic field-emission technology, progress to incorporate it into a pulsed electron gun employing laser-assisted field emission for ultrafast experiments, and some additional advances and opportunities are discussed.« less

Biogeochemical cycling in the Ross Sea: An introduction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marra, John

1996-08-01

Twenty or 30 years ago, interest in the Southern Ocean was largely driven by its exceptional characteristics. The Southern Ocean was such an anomaly, with extremes of productivity (thought to be high), nutrients (also high), temperatures (low), populations of krill and whales, and, of course, the presence of ice. There was also created, perhaps, an allure because of its distance and because it was so unusual, relative to the familiarity of the North Atlantic, for example. It has turned out, not surprisingly, that these exceptional characteristics illustrate the exceptional importance of the Southern Ocean to global ocean phenomena. By virtue of creating water masses the Southern Ocean may play a significant role in the ocean's nutrient distributions. Low temperatures over large areas mean that, potentially, it is a significant sink for dissolved gases such as oxygen and carbon dioxide. It is generally believed that Antarctica (as well as the Arctic) may be more susceptible to climate change than either temperate or tropical ecosystems, because these ecosystems function within a few degrees of the freezing point of water. Altogether, the processes here will tell us much about how the ocean works today and in the distant past.

Gallium--A smart metal

USGS Publications Warehouse

Foley, Nora; Jaskula, Brian W.

2013-01-01

Gallium is a soft, silvery metallic element with an atomic number of 31 and the chemical symbol Ga. The French chemist Paul-Emile Lecoq de Boisbaudran discovered gallium in sphalerite (a zinc-sulfide mineral) in 1875 using spectroscopy. He named the element "gallia" after his native land of France (formerly Gaul; in Latin, Gallia). The existence of gallium had been predicted in 1871 by Dmitri Mendeleev, the Russian chemist who published the first periodic table of the elements. Mendeleev noted a gap in his table and named the missing element "eka-aluminum" because he determined that its location was one place away from aluminum in the table. Mendeleev thought that the missing element (gallium) would be very much like aluminum in its chemical properties, and he was right. Solid gallium has a low melting temperature (~29 degrees Celsius, or °C) and an unusually high boiling point (~2,204 °C). Because of these properties, the earliest uses of gallium were in high-temperature thermometers and in designing metal alloys that melt easily. The development of a gallium-based direct band-gap semiconductor in the 1960s led to what is now one of the most well-known applications for gallium-based products--the manufacture of smartphones and data-centric networks.

Inherent flexibility of CLIC6 revealed by crystallographic and solution studies.

PubMed

Ferofontov, Alisa; Strulovich, Roi; Marom, Milit; Giladi, Moshe; Haitin, Yoni

2018-05-02

Chloride intracellular channels (CLICs) are a family of unique proteins, that were suggested to adopt both soluble and membrane-associated forms. Moreover, following this unusual metamorphic change, CLICs were shown to incorporate into membranes and mediate ion conduction in vitro, suggesting multimerization upon membrane insertion. Here, we present a 1.8 Å resolution crystal structure of the CLIC domain of mouse CLIC6 (mCLIC6). The structure reveals a monomeric arrangement and shows a high degree of structural conservation with other CLICs. Small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) analysis of mCLIC6 demonstrated that the overall solution structure is similar to the crystallographic conformation. Strikingly, further analysis of the SAXS data using ensemble optimization method unveiled additional elongated conformations, elucidating high structural plasticity as an inherent property of the protein. Moreover, structure-guided perturbation of the inter-domain interface by mutagenesis resulted in a population shift towards elongated conformations of mCLIC6. Additionally, we demonstrate that oxidative conditions induce an increase in mCLIC6 hydrophobicity along with mild oligomerization, which was enhanced by the presence of membrane mimetics. Together, these results provide mechanistic insights into the metamorphic nature of mCLIC6.

Short stature, unusual face, delta phalanx, and abnormal vertebrae and ribs in a girl born to half-siblings.

PubMed

Pogue, Robert; Marques, Felipe A; Kopacek, Cristiane; Rosa, Rosana C M; Dorfman, Luiza E; Mazzeu, Juliana F; Flores, José A M; Zen, Paulo R G; Rosa, Rafael F M

2017-05-01

Delta phalanx is a rare abnormality typically associated with additional features. We describe a patient with a phenotype resembling Catel-Manzke syndrome, but with delta phalanx and abnormal vertebrae and ribs. The patient was the only child of half siblings born with a marked prenatal growth deficiency. At 10 years of age, she had a short stature, long face, long and tubular nose with small alae nasi, high palate, short and broad thorax, and short index fingers with radial deviation. There were hyperpigmentations following Blaschko's lines. Radiology showed a proximal delta phalanx in the index finger of hands, abnormal vertebrae, and fused and small ribs. GTG-Banding karyotype and microarray analysis yielded normal results. Exome sequencing identified 25 genes that harbored homozygous variants, but none of these is assumed to be a good candidate to explain (part of) the phenotype. The here described patient may have a new condition, possibly following an autosomal recessive pattern of inheritance, although due to the high degree of consanguinity a compound etiology of the phenotype by variants in various genes may be present as well. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

SPERMIOGENESIS IN THE CRAYFISH (PROCAMBARUS CLARKII)

PubMed Central

Moses, Montrose J.

1961-01-01

The sperm of the crayfish, Procambarus clarkii, is relatively simple among decapod sperm and was described in the first paper of this series (28). The present paper details the development of this sperm as followed with the light and electron microscopes. The process is divided into six stages for purposes of description. The main points of interest discussed are the absence of mitochondria or mitochondrial derivatives in the mature sperm, the development of a complex acrosome in the absence of highly organized characteristic Golgi apparatus but in the presence of small stacks of annulate lamellae, and the changes in the nucleus. Of the latter, the elaborate convoluted sheets of membrane that are extensions of the nuclear envelope are unique. The nucleus undergoes unusual changes in size and shape that are accompanied by several phases of organization of the chromatin. In the mature sperm the nucleus is empty-appearing and notably lacking in any apparent high degree of order. The entire development of the sperm is consonant with the idea that the fate of the mitochondria and centrioles, structures that figure prominently in the elaborate architecture of flagellate sperm, is associated with the lack of a flagellum. PMID:13773055

Bright and durable field-emission source derived from frozen refractory-metal Taylor cones

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

Hirsch, Gregory

A novel method for creating conical field-emission structures possessing unusual and desirable physical characteristics is described. This process is accomplished by solidification of electrostatically formed high-temperature Taylor cones created on the ends of laser melted refractory-metal wires. Extremely rapid freezing ensures that the resultant solid structures preserve the shape and surface smoothness of the flawless liquid Taylor-cones to a very high degree. The method also enables in situ and rapid restoration of the frozen cones to their initial pristine state after undergoing physical degradation during use. This permits maximum current to be delivered without excessive concern for any associated reductionmore » in field-emitter lifetime resulting from operation near or even above the damage threshold. In addition to the production of field emitters using polycrystalline wires as a substrate, the feasibility of producing monocrystalline frozen Taylor-cones having reproducible crystal orientation by growth on single-crystal wires was demonstrated. Finally, the development of the basic field-emission technology, progress to incorporate it into a pulsed electron gun employing laser-assisted field emission for ultrafast experiments, and some additional advances and opportunities are discussed.« less

An unusual etiology in cold injury: Liquefied petroleum gas.

PubMed

Kapı, Emin; Bozkurt, Mehmet; Taylan Filinte, Gaye; Kuvat, Samet Vasfi; Alioğlu, Celal

2017-05-01

Cold injury is a condition that causes reversible and irreversible damage when tissues are exposed to cold. This injury occurs due to various etiologies, and the most commonly observed ones include contact with liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) used in households, vehicles, and industry. LPG is a type of gas stored in liquid state under high pressure within cylinders. LPG contains a mixture of propane and butane gases. Direct contact of these gases with the tissues has the potential to cause metabolic, toxic, and respiratory damage. In this study, we present the cases of four patients with cold injury in the face and upper extremity caused by a pressurized jet stream of liquid gas that escaped out of the valves of the LPG cylinders. The patients had bullous lesions in the upper extremities and the face and second- and third-degree cold injuries with fibrotic and necrotic areas. The superficial defects secondarily healed with minimal scarring, while the necrotic finger had to be amputated. Cold injury on the skin caused by high-pressure jet streams of liquid gas as in our study is a rare occurrence. Our patients are important cases due to the rare etiology of cold injury.

Impact of copper ligand mutations on a cupredoxin with a green copper center.

PubMed

Roger, Magali; Sciara, Giuliano; Biaso, Frédéric; Lojou, Elisabeth; Wang, Xie; Bauzan, Marielle; Giudici-Orticoni, Marie-Thérèse; Vila, Alejandro J; Ilbert, Marianne

2017-05-01

Mononuclear cupredoxins contain a type 1 copper center with a trigonal or tetragonal geometry usually maintained by four ligands, a cystein, two histidines and a methionine. The recent discovery of new members of this family with unusual properties demonstrates, however, the versatility of this class of proteins. Changes in their ligand set lead to drastic variation in their metal site geometry and in the resulting spectroscopic and redox features. In our work, we report the identification of the copper ligands in the recently discovered cupredoxin AcoP. We show that even though AcoP possesses a classical copper ligand set, it has a highly perturbed copper center. In depth studies of mutant's properties suggest a high degree of constraint existing in the copper center of the wild type protein and even the addition of exogenous ligands does not lead to the reconstitution of the initial copper center. Not only the chemical nature of the axial ligand but also constraints brought by its covalent binding to the protein backbone might be critical to maintain a green copper site with high redox potential. This work illustrates the importance of experimentally dissecting the molecular diversity of cupredoxins to determine the molecular determinants responsible for their copper center geometry and redox potential. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Structure and Hydration of Highly-Branched, Monodisperse Phytoglycogen Nanoparticles

DOE PAGES

Nickels, Jonathan D.; Atkinson, John; Papp-Szabo, Erzsebet; ...

2016-01-30

Phytoglycogen is a naturally occurring polysaccharide nanoparticle made up of extensively branched glucose monomers. It has a number of unusual and advantageous properties, such as high water retention, low viscosity, and high stability in water, which make this biomaterial a promising candidate for a wide variety of applications. For this paper, we have characterized the structure and hydration of aqueous dispersions of phytoglycogen nanoparticles using neutron scattering. Small angle neutron scattering results suggest that the phytoglycogen nanoparticles behave similar to hard sphere colloids and are hydrated by a large number of water molecules (each nanoparticle contains between 250% and 285%more » of its mass in water). This suggests that phytoglycogen is an ideal sample in which to study the dynamics of hydration water. To this end, we used quasielastic neutron scattering (QENS) to provide an independent and consistent measure of the hydration number, and to estimate the retardation factor (or degree of water slow-down) for hydration water translational motions. These data demonstrate a length-scale dependence in the measured retardation factors that clarifies the origin of discrepancies between retardation factor values reported for hydration water using different experimental techniques. Finally, the present approach can be generalized to other systems containing nanoconfined water.« less

Structural analysis of the tongue and hyoid apparatus in a woodpecker

PubMed Central

Jung, Jae-Young; Naleway, Steven E.; Yaraghi, Nicholas A.; Herrera, Steven; Sherman, Vincent R.; Bushong, Eric A.; Ellisman, Mark H.; Kisailus, David; McKittrick, Joanna

2016-01-01

Woodpeckers avoid brain injury while they peck at trees up to 20 Hz with speeds up to 7 m/s, undergoing decelerations up to 1200 g. Along with the head, beak and neck, the hyoid apparatus (tongue bone and associated soft tissues) is subjected to these high impact forces. The shape of the hyoid apparatus is unusual in woodpeckers and its structure and mechanical properties have not been reported in detail. High-resolution X-ray micro-computed tomography and scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy were performed and correlated with nanoindentation mapping. The hyoid apparatus has four distinct bone sections, with three joints between these sections. Nanoindentation results on cross-sectional regions of each bone reveal a previously unreported structure consisting of a stiff core and outer, more compliant shell with moduli of up to 27.4 GPa and 8.5 GPa, respectively. The bending resistance is low at the posterior section of the hyoid bones, indicating that this region has a high degree of flexibility to absorb impact. These new structural findings can be applied to further studies on the energy dissipation of the woodpecker during its drumming behavior, and may have implications for the design of engineered impact-absorbing structures. PMID:27000554

Pit Where a Scarp Exposes an Underground Deposit of Martian Ice

NASA Image and Video Library

2018-01-11

At this wedge-shaped pit on Mars, the steep slope (or scarp) at the northern edge (toward the top of the image) exposes a cross-section of a thick sheet of underground water ice. The image is from the High Resolution Imaging Stereo Experiment (HiRISE) camera on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. The gray-scale portions on left and right are from a single waveband in the red-light portion of the visible spectrum. The middle section, in enhanced color, combines data from red, near-infrared and blue-green wavebands. The scene covers an area about three miles (five kilometers) wide. Figure 1 includes a one-kilometer scale bar. One kilometer is about six-tenths of a mile. The ice-exposing scarp at the northern edge of the pit has a steepness of about 45 to 55 degrees, plunging from the relatively level ground outside the pit. The HiRISE observation ESP_022389_1230 was made on May 7, 2011, at 56.6 degrees south latitude, 114.1 degrees east longitude. In January 2018, in the journal Science, researchers reported finding and studying eight such ice-exposing scarps in the middle latitudes of Mars. The presence of vast underground ice deposits in Mars' middle latitudes was known previously. The report of unusual sites where they are exposed provides new information about their depth and layering. It also identifies potential water resources for future Mars missions and possibilities for studying Martian climate history by examining the ice layers holding a record of past climate cycles. The ice may have been deposited as snow when the tilt of Mars' rotation axis was greater than it is now. https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA22078

Systems with Many Degrees of Freedom: from Mean - Theories of Non-Fermi Liquid Behavior in Impurity Models to Implied Binomial Trees for Modeling Financial Markets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barle, Stanko

In this dissertation, two dynamical systems with many degrees of freedom are analyzed. One is the system of highly correlated electrons in the two-impurity Kondo problem. The other deals with building a realistic model of diffusion underlying financial markets. The simplest mean-field theory capable of mimicking the non-Fermi liquid behavior of the critical point in the two-impurity Kondo problem is presented. In this approach Landau's adiabaticity assumption--of a one-to-one correspondence between the low-energy excitations of the interacting and noninteracting systems--is violated through the presence of decoupled local degrees of freedom. These do not couple directly to external fields but appear indirectly in the physical properties leading, for example, to the log(T, omega) behavior of the staggered magnetic susceptibility. Also, as observed previously, the correlation function <{bf S}_1 cdot{bf S}_2> = -1/4 is a consequence of the equal weights of the singlet and triplet impurity configurations at the critical point. In the second problem, a numerical model is developed to describe the diffusion of prices in the market. Implied binomial (or multinomial) trees are constructed to enable practical pricing of derivative securities in consistency with the existing market. The method developed here is capable of accounting for both the strike price and term structure of the implied volatility. It includes the correct treatment of interest rate and dividends which proves robust even if these quantities are unusually large. The method is explained both as a set of individual innovations and, from a different prospective, as a consequence of a single plausible transformation from the tree of spot prices to the tree of futures prices.

PCR/oligonucleotide probe typing of HLA class II alleles in a Filipino population reveals an unusual distribution of HLA haplotypes

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

Bugawan, T.L.; Chang, J.D.; Erlich, H.A.

1994-02-01

The authors have analyzed the distribution of HLA class II alleles and haplotypes in a Filipino population by PCR amplification of the DRB1, DQB1, and DPB1 second-exon sequences from buccal swabs obtained from 124 family members and 53 unrelated individuals. The amplified DNA was typed by using nonradioactive sequence-specific oligonucleotide probes. Twenty-two different DRB1 alleles, including the novel Filipino *1105, and 46 different DRB1/DQB1 haplotypes, including the unusual DRB1*0405-DQB1*0503, were identified. An unusually high frequency (f = .383) of DPB1*0101, a rare allele in other Asian populations, was also observed. In addition, an unusual distribution of DRB1 alleles and haplotypesmore » was seen in this population, with DR2 (f = .415) and DRB1*1502-DQB1*0502 (f = .233) present at high frequencies. This distribution of DRB1 alleles differs from the typical HLA population distribution, in which the allele frequencies are more evenly balanced. The distribution of HLA class II alleles and haplotypes in this Filipino population is different from that of other Asian and Pacific groups: of those populations studied to date, the Indonesian population is the most similar. DRB1*1502-DQB1*0502 was in strong linkage disequilibrium (D[prime] = .41) with DPB 1*0101 (f = .126, for the extended haplotype), which is consistent with selection for this DR, DQ, DP haplotype being responsible for the high frequency of these three class II alleles in this populations. 30 refs., 2 figs., 6 tabs.« less

Rhodium(I)-catalyzed cyclization of allenynes with a carbonyl group through unusual insertion of a C-O bond into a rhodacycle intermediate.

PubMed

Oonishi, Yoshihiro; Yokoe, Takayuki; Hosotani, Akihito; Sato, Yoshihiro

2014-01-20

Rhodium(I)-catalyzed cyclization of allenynes with a tethered carbonyl group was investigated. An unusual insertion of a CO bond into the C(sp(2) )-rhodium bond of a rhodacycle intermediate occurs via a highly strained transition state. Direct reductive elimination from the obtained rhodacyle intermediate proceeds to give a tricyclic product containing an 8-oxabicyclo[3.2.1]octane skeleton, while β-hydride elimination from the same intermediate gives products that contain fused five- and seven-membered rings in high yields. Copyright © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Magnetic field drift shell splitting - Cause of unusual dayside particle pitch angle distributions during storms and substorms

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sibeck, D. G.; Mcentire, R. W.; Lui, A. T. Y.; Lopez, R. E.; Krimigis, S. M.

1987-01-01

This paper presents a magnetic field drift shell-splitting model for the unusual butterfly and head-and-shoulder energetic (E greater than 25 keV) particle pitch angle distributions (PADs) which appear deep within the dayside magnetosphere during the course of storms and substorms. Drift shell splitting separates the high and low pitch angle particles in nightside injections as they move to the dayside magnetosphere, so that the higher pitch angle particles move radially away from earth. Consequently, butterfly PADs with a surplus of low pitch angle particles form on the inner edge of the injection, but head-and-shoulder PADs with a surplus of high pitch angle particles form on the outer edge. A similar process removes high pitch angle particles from the inner dayside magnetosphere during storms, leaving the remaining lower pitch angle particles to form butterfly PADs on the inner edge of the ring current. A detailed case and statistical study of Charge Composition Explorer/Medium-energy Particle Analyzer observations, as well as a review of previous work, shows most examples of unusual PADs to be consistent with the model.

Unraveling the unusual morphology of the Cretaceous Dirck Hartog extinct mid-ocean ridge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Watson, S. J.; Whittaker, J. M.; Halpin, J.; Williams, S.; Milan, L. A.; Daczko, N. R.; Wyman, D. A.

2015-12-01

The Perth Abyssal Plain (PAP), offshore southwest Australia formed during Mesozoic East Gondwana breakup and Kerguelen plume activity. This study combines petrographic and geochemical data from the first samples ever to be dredged from the flanks of the Dirck Hartog Ridge (DHR), a prominent linear bathymetric feature in the central PAP, with new bathymetric profiles across the PAP to better constrain the formation of the early Indian Ocean floor. The DHR exhibits high relief and distinctive asymmetry that is unusual compared to most active or extinct spreading centres and likely results from compression and deformation of the recently extinct DHR during changes in relative motion of the Indian plate (110 - 100 Ma). Exhumation of gabbros in the southern DHR and an increase in seafloor roughness towards the centre of the PAP, likely result from a half spreading rate decrease from 35 mm/yr (based on magnetic reversals) to 24 mm/yr at ~114 Ma. The results support a slowdown of spreading prior to full cessation at ~102 Ma. The composition of basaltic samples varies along the DHR: from sub-alkaline dolerites with incompatible element concentrations most similar to depleted-to-normal mid-ocean ridge basalts in the south, to alkali basalts similar to ocean island basalts in the north. Therefore, magma sources and degrees of partial melting varied in space and time, a result supporting the interpretation that the DHR is an extinct spreading ridge rather than a pseudofault. The enriched alkali basalt signatures may be attributed to melting of a heterogeneous mantle or to the influence of the Kerguelen plume over distances greater than 1000 km. The results demonstrate the significance of regional tectonic plate motions on the formation and deformation of young ocean crust, and provide insight into the unique DHR morphology.

High-spatial-resolution mapping of superhydrophobic cicada wing surface chemistry using infrared microspectroscopy and infrared imaging at two synchrotron beamlines.

PubMed

Tobin, Mark J; Puskar, Ljiljana; Hasan, Jafar; Webb, Hayden K; Hirschmugl, Carol J; Nasse, Michael J; Gervinskas, Gediminas; Juodkazis, Saulius; Watson, Gregory S; Watson, Jolanta A; Crawford, Russell J; Ivanova, Elena P

2013-05-01

The wings of some insects, such as cicadae, have been reported to possess a number of interesting and unusual qualities such as superhydrophobicity, anisotropic wetting and antibacterial properties. Here, the chemical composition of the wings of the Clanger cicada (Psaltoda claripennis) were characterized using infrared (IR) microspectroscopy. In addition, the data generated from two separate synchrotron IR facilities, the Australian Synchrotron Infrared Microspectroscopy beamline (AS-IRM) and the Synchrotron Radiation Center (SRC), University of Wisconsin-Madison, IRENI beamline, were analysed and compared. Characteristic peaks in the IR spectra of the wings were assigned primarily to aliphatic hydrocarbon and amide functionalities, which were considered to be an indication of the presence of waxy and proteinaceous components, respectively, in good agreement with the literature. Chemical distribution maps showed that, while the protein component was homogeneously distributed, a significant degree of heterogeneity was observed in the distribution of the waxy component, which may contribute to the self-cleaning and aerodynamic properties of the cicada wing. When comparing the data generated from the two beamlines, it was determined that the SRC IRENI beamline was capable of producing higher-spatial-resolution distribution images in a shorter time than was achievable at the AS-IRM beamline, but that spectral noise levels per pixel were considerably lower on the AS-IRM beamline, resulting in more favourable data where the detection of weak absorbances is required. The data generated by the two complementary synchrotron IR methods on the chemical composition of cicada wings will be immensely useful in understanding their unusual properties with a view to reproducing their characteristics in, for example, industry applications.

Transient cocaine-associated behavioral symptoms rated with a new instrument, the scale for assessment of positive symptoms for cocaine-induced psychosis (SAPS-CIP).

PubMed

Tang, Yi-lang; Kranzler, Henry R; Gelernter, Joel; Farrer, Lindsay A; Pearson, Deborah; Cubells, Joseph F

2009-01-01

Chronic use of cocaine is associated with a variety of behavioral symptoms. The current report describes the assessment of cocaine-related behavioral symptoms (CRB) using the Scale for Assessment of Positive Symptoms of Cocaine-Induced Psychosis (SAPS-CIP). The CRB section, one of the three domains in the SAPS-CIP, consists of sub-domains, including Aggressive/Agitated Behavior, Repetitive/Stereotyped Behavior, and Unusual Social or Sexual Behavior. Severity scores are assigned according to operational criteria, and range from 0 (not present) to 5 (severe). We interviewed 261 unrelated cocaine-abusing adults using the SAPS-CIP, and 243 of them met criteria for inclusion in the study. The proportion of subjects endorsing different classes of CRBs varied across categories, with 109 of 243 (44.9%) subjects reporting aggressive and agitated behaviors, 180 subjects (74.1%) repetitive/stereotyped behaviors, and 192 (79.0%) unusual social/sexual behaviors. A substantial minority of the subjects (10.3-25.1%) reported that they experienced marked-to-severe behavioral symptoms associated with cocaine use. The proportions of subjects endorsing CRB did not differ by ethnic/racial group or by sex. Correlations among the different domains of CRB were strong, but behaviors rated in the CRB section were less well correlated with psychotic symptoms, which were rated in the hallucination and delusion sections of the instrument. A variety of CRBs are common in cocaine-dependent subjects, and many of these are highly intercorrelated. CRBs also correlate with hallucinations and delusions induced by cocaine, but to a lesser degree. Our findings suggest that there may be some common vulnerability factors that contribute to both cocaine-induced psychosis and CRBs.

Rough and Tumble Hyperion Movie

NASA Image and Video Library

2006-02-03

The tumbling and irregularly shaped moon Hyperion rotates away from the Cassini spacecraft in this movie taken during a distant encounter in Dec. 2005. A shadow closes over the large crater at bottom as the movie progresses. Hyperion (280 kilometers, or 174 miles across) is covered with closely packed and deeply etched pits. The warming action of the Sun on water ice lying beneath a darkened layer of surface material apparently has deepened and exaggerated the depressions already created by impacts. Cassini scientists now think that Hyperion’s unusual appearance can be attributed to the fact that it has an unusually low density for such a large object, giving it weak surface gravity and high porosity. These characteristics help preserve the original shapes of Hyperion’s craters by limiting the amount of impact ejecta coating the moon’s surface. Impactors tend to make craters by compressing the surface material, rather than blasting it out. Further, Hyperion’s weak gravity, and correspondingly low escape velocity, means that what little ejecta is produced has a good chance of escaping the moon altogether. The images were taken in visible light with the Cassini spacecraft narrow-angle camera on Dec. 23, 2005 at distances ranging from 228,000 kilometers (142,000 miles) to 238,000 kilometers (148,000 miles) from Hyperion and at a Sun-Hyperion-spacecraft, or phase, angle ranging from 77 to 86 degrees. Resolution in the original images was about 1.4 kilometers (0.9 mile) per pixel. The images have been magnified by a factor of two and contrast-enhanced to aid visibility. An animation is available at http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA07683

Ruptured profunda femoris aneurysm secondary to neurofibromatosis: vascular involvement in an unusual location.

PubMed

Emrecan, Bilgin; Onem, Gokhan; Susam, Ibrahim

2010-01-01

Neurofibromatosis is an autosomal dominant genetic disease characterized by abnormal growth that involves tissues of mesodermal and neuroectodermal origin. Aneurysms are rarely seen in peripheral arteries. This report presents a case of ruptured arterial aneurysm secondary to neurofibromatosis; the lesion occurred in the profunda femoris artery, a highly unusual location. Treatment of patients with ruptured arterial aneurysm secondary to neurofibromatosis may be interventional or surgical. In this case, a surgical approach was successful.

Key determinants of AIDS impact in Southern sub-Saharan Africa.

PubMed

Shandera, Wayne Xavier

2007-11-01

To investigate why Southern sub-Saharan Africa is more severely impacted by HIV and AIDS than other parts of sub-Saharan Africa, I conducted a review of the literature that assessed viral, host and transmission (societal) factors. This narrative review evaluates: 1) viral factors, in particular the aggregation of subtype-C HIV infections in Southern sub-Saharan Africa; 2) host factors, including unique behaviour patterns, concomitant high prevalence of sexually transmitted diseases, circumcision patterns, average age at first marriage and immunogenetic determinants; and, 3) transmission and societal factors, including levels of poverty, degrees of literacy, migrations of people, extent of political corruption, and the usage of contaminated injecting needles in community settings. HIV prevalence data and published indices on wealth, fertility, and governmental corruption were correlated using statistical software. The high prevalence of HIV in Southern sub-Saharan Africa is not explained by the unusual prevalence of subtype-C HIV infection. Many host factors contribute to HIV prevalence, including frequency of genital ulcerating sexually transmitted infections, absence of circumcision (compiled odds ratios suggest a protective effect of between 40% and 60% from circumcision), and immunogenetic loci, but no factor alone explains the high prevalence of HIV in the region. Among transmission and societal factors, the wealthiest, most literate and most educated, but also the most income-disparate, nations of sub-Saharan Africa show the highest HIV prevalence. HIV prevalence is also highest within societies experiencing significant migration and conflict as well as in those with government systems experiencing a high degree of corruption. The interactions between poverty and HIV transmission are complex. Epidemiologic studies currently do not suggest a strong role for the community usage of contaminated injecting needles. Areas meriting additional study include clade type, host immunogenetic determinants, the complex interrelationship of HIV with poverty, and the community usage of contaminated injecting needles.

Hyperglycemia and Diabetic Ketoacidosis

MedlinePlus

... your child's age. Causes of High Blood Sugar Levels A major goal in controlling diabetes is to ... be unusually tired. Checking for High Blood Sugar Levels As part of the diabetes management plan, you' ...

The unusual mineralogy of the Hayes River rhyolite, Hayes Volcano, Cook Inlet, Alaska

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hayden, L. A.; Coombs, M. L.; McHugh, K.

2013-12-01

Hayes Volcano is an ice-covered volcanic massif located in the northern Cook Inlet region approximately 135 miles northwest of Anchorage, Alaska. The last major eruptive episode of Hayes, and the only known in any detail, occurred ~3,700 yr B.P. and produced the Hayes Tephra Set H, a series of dacitic fall deposits widespread throughout southcentral Alaska (Riehle et al., 1994, Quat. Res. 33, p. 91-108). An undated, early Holocene pyroclastic-flow deposit exposed beneath Tephra Set H in the Hayes River valley is unusual in the Aleutian-Alaska subduction zone in whole-rock composition and mineralogy. The deposit comprises rhyolite pumice (~75 wt% SiO2) that contain phenocrysts of plagioclase, sanidine, quartz, and biotite in vesicular, clear matrix glass, and <1% dense, white cognate inclusions with the same whole-rock composition and phenocryst assemblage as the pumice, but a crystalline matrix. Holocrystalline inclusions may represent portions of the magma body that rapidly quenched in the shallow subsurface as dikes or chamber rinds and were then excavated during explosive eruption. Rhyolite and inclusions are peraluminous (2-3 % normative corundum), high-K, enriched in incompatible elements, and depleted in Sr and Eu. In accord with its evolved and enriched composition the rhyolite pumice and inclusions contain an abundance of accessory phases, including apatite, monazite, xenotime, and zircon. Monazite are euhedral, as large as 500 um, ThO2-rich (up to 4 wt%) and contain significant amounts of Ag (200-500 ppm). Xenotime are generally smaller than the monazite and occur frequently as small blebs. Rhyolite pumices also contain Fe-sulfides, Cu, Sn, Ni, and barite. Sanidine phenocrysts in the pumice and inclusions are sharply zoned and highly enriched in the celsian component (up to 5 wt% BaO) and also show LREE enrichment. Inclusions contain abundant Mn-rich cordierite (~3 wt% Mn2O3) in the san-plag-qtz matrix, as well as Fe-Ti oxides that are relatively high in Mn2O3 (>1 wt%) and REE-enriched. Zircon saturation temperatures (716° C) and two-feldspar thermometry (630-700° C for phenocryst rims; 660° C for inclusion matrix microphenocrysts) suggest a cool magma that must have been volatile-rich given its relatively low phenocryst content (~25 %). A lack of crustal xenocrysts, and Pb, Sr, and Nd isotopes similar to other Cook Inlet volcanoes (McHugh et al., 2012 Fall AGU, V31A-2760) suggest that the rhyolite is not a crustal melt, and we suggest that it formed by low degrees of melting or high degree of crystallization of mafic arc-related rocks. At Hayes, concentrations of REE and metals resulted from extreme fractionation process(es), which active over extended time period may lead to the formation of mineral deposits.

Venus - Cycle 1, 2, and 3 Images of Imdr Region

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1992-01-01

This set of three Magellan images shows a small volcano, lava plains distorted into 'wrinkle ridges', and some unusual wispy-appearing surface deposits. The images were acquired during the first, second and third mapping cycles of the mission, in March 1991, November 1991 and July 1992, respectively. The area shown is about 400 kilometers by 100 kilometers (248 by 62 miles) and is centered near 47.5 degrees south latitude, 226 degrees east longitude, in the Imdr region of Venus. The middle image, from the second cycle, was acquired with the spacecraft facing toward the west (left), while the other images were acquired with an identical east-looking geometry. The differing appearance of the second image has intrigued Magellan scientists, because of the possibility that the bright patches observed in cycle 2 may have been caused by rearrangement of loose soil material between March and November, 1991. However, by duplicating the cycle 1 viewing geometry in cycle 3, the surface change theory has been tentatively ruled out. Instead, the radar brightness variations are attributed to reflections from an undulating surface, such as sand ripples or small dunes, that have an asymmetry in the east-west direction. The deposits are apparently associated with a 78 kilometers (48 miles) diameter impact crater, Stowe, which lies about 500 kilometers (310 miles) to the northeast. The fine-grained material created during the impact event may have settled out to form the unusual surface deposits observed here. Scientists are now trying to determine if the proposed ripple structures formed at the time of the impact, or are the result of ongoing wind action at the surface. Data quality during portions of cycle 3 was adversely affected by a faulty transmitter aboard the spacecraft, leading to the missing strips in the bottom image.

Hemocyanin of the molluscan Concholepas concholepas exhibits an unusual heterodecameric array of subunits.

PubMed

De Ioannes, Pablo; Moltedo, Bruno; Oliva, Harold; Pacheco, Rodrigo; Faunes, Fernando; De Ioannes, Alfredo E; Becker, María Inés

2004-06-18

We describe here the structure of the hemocyanin from the Chilean gastropod Concholepas concholepas (CCH), emphasizing some attributes that make it interesting among molluscan hemocyanins. CCH exhibits a predominant didecameric structure as revealed by electron microscopy and a size of 8 MDa by gel filtration, and, in contrast with other mollusc hemocyanins, its stabilization does not require additional Ca(2+) and/or Mg(2+) in the medium. Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis studies, analyses by a MonoQ FPLC column, and Western blots with specific monoclonal antibodies showed that CCH is made by two subunits noncovalently linked, named CCH-A and CCH-B, with molecular masses of 405 and 350 kDa, respectively. Interestingly, one of the subunits undergoes changes within the macromolecule; we demonstrated that CCH-A has an autocleavage site that under reducing conditions is cleaved to yield two polypeptides, CCH-A1 (300 kDa) and CCH-A2 (108 kDa), whereas CCH-B remains unchanged. The CCH-A nick occurs at 4 degrees C, increases at 37 degrees C, and is not inhibited by the addition of protease inhibitors and/or divalent cations. Since the CCH structure is a heterodimer, we investigated whether subunits would be either intermingled, forming heterodecamers, or assembled as two homogeneous decamers. Light scattering and electron microscope studies of the in vitro reassociation of purified CCH subunits demonstrated that the sole addition of Mg(2+) is needed for its reassembly into the native decameric molecule; no homodecamer reorganization was found with either CCH-A or CCH-B subunits alone. Our evidence showed that C. concholepas hemocyanin is an unusual example of heterodecameric organization.

Intrastrand triplex DNA repeats in bacteria: a source of genomic instability

PubMed Central

Holder, Isabelle T.; Wagner, Stefanie; Xiong, Peiwen; Sinn, Malte; Frickey, Tancred; Meyer, Axel; Hartig, Jörg S.

2015-01-01

Repetitive nucleic acid sequences are often prone to form secondary structures distinct from B-DNA. Prominent examples of such structures are DNA triplexes. We observed that certain intrastrand triplex motifs are highly conserved and abundant in prokaryotic genomes. A systematic search of 5246 different prokaryotic plasmids and genomes for intrastrand triplex motifs was conducted and the results summarized in the ITxF database available online at http://bioinformatics.uni-konstanz.de/utils/ITxF/. Next we investigated biophysical and biochemical properties of a particular G/C-rich triplex motif (TM) that occurs in many copies in more than 260 bacterial genomes by CD and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy as well as in vivo footprinting techniques. A characterization of putative properties and functions of these unusually frequent nucleic acid motifs demonstrated that the occurrence of the TM is associated with a high degree of genomic instability. TM-containing genomic loci are significantly more rearranged among closely related Escherichia coli strains compared to control sites. In addition, we found very high frequencies of TM motifs in certain Enterobacteria and Cyanobacteria that were previously described as genetically highly diverse. In conclusion we link intrastrand triplex motifs with the induction of genomic instability. We speculate that the observed instability might be an adaptive feature of these genomes that creates variation for natural selection to act upon. PMID:26450966

7 CFR 3201.41 - Metalworking fluids.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... feedstock during grinding and machining operations involving unusually high temperatures or corrosion... prevention when applied to metal feedstock during normal grinding and machining operations. (iii) High... percent. (3) High performance soluble, semi-synthetic, and synthetic oils—40 percent. (c) Preference...

7 CFR 3201.41 - Metalworking fluids.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... feedstock during grinding and machining operations involving unusually high temperatures or corrosion... prevention when applied to metal feedstock during normal grinding and machining operations. (iii) High... percent. (3) High performance soluble, semi-synthetic, and synthetic oils—40 percent. (c) Preference...

7 CFR 3201.41 - Metalworking fluids.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... feedstock during grinding and machining operations involving unusually high temperatures or corrosion... prevention when applied to metal feedstock during normal grinding and machining operations. (iii) High... percent. (3) High performance soluble, semi-synthetic, and synthetic oils—40 percent. (c) Preference...

A Diverticular ‘Pain in the Bottom’

PubMed Central

Bardhan, Suchi K; Morgan, Emma; Daniels, Ian R; Mortensen, Neil J

2006-01-01

This is the case of a 40-year-old man with a gluteal abscess as the first presentation of diverticular disease. As well as the unusual site, imaging revealed the lack of a connective tract between the abscess and the abdominal cavity or retroperitoneum. In addition, a lack of gastrointestinal symptoms made this case very unusual. Hence, this highlights the need for a high index of clinical suspicion when the usual clinical pointers that guide to the diagnosis of diverticulitis are absent. PMID:16834842

A diverticular 'pain in the bottom'.

PubMed

Bardhan, Suchi K; Morgan, Emma; Daniels, Ian R; Mortensen, Neil J

2006-07-01

This is the case of a 40-year-old man with a gluteal abscess as the first presentation of diverticular disease. As well as the unusual site, imaging revealed the lack of a connective tract between the abscess and the abdominal cavity or retroperitoneum. In addition, a lack of gastrointestinal symptoms made this case very unusual. Hence, this highlights the need for a high index of clinical suspicion when the usual clinical pointers that guide to the diagnosis of diverticulitis are absent.

Rare Orbital Infections ~ State of the Art ~ Part II

PubMed Central

Hamed-Azzam, Shirin; AlHashash, Islam; Briscoe, Daniel; Rose, Geoffrey E; Verity, David H.

2018-01-01

Infections of the orbit and periorbita are relatively frequent. Identifying unusual organisms is crucial because they can cause severe local and systemic morbidity, despite their rarity. Opportunistic infections of the orbit should be considered mainly in debilitated or immunocompromised patients. The key to successful management includes a high index of suspicion, prompt diagnosis, and addressing the underlying systemic disease. This review summarizes unusual infectious processes of the orbit, including mycobacterial, fungal, and parasitic infections, as well as their pathophysiology, symptoms, signs, and treatment. PMID:29719648

Queensland tick typhus: three cases with unusual clinical features.

PubMed

Wilson, P A; Tierney, L; Lai, K; Graves, S

2013-07-01

Queensland tick typhus (QTT), caused by Rickettsia australis, is usually a relatively mild illness but can occasionally be severe. We describe three cases of probable QTT with unusual clinical features, namely splenic infarction, fulminant myopericarditis and severe leukocytoclastic vasculitis. QTT may present with uncommon clinical features in addition to the more common manifestations. A high index of suspicion enables specific antibiotic therapy that may hasten recovery. © 2013 The Authors; Internal Medicine Journal © 2013 Royal Australasian College of Physicians.

Evaporation in the young solar nebula as the origin of 'just-right' melting of chondrules

PubMed

Cohen; Hewins; Yu

2000-08-10

Chondrules are millimetre-sized, solidified melt spherules formed in the solar nebula by an early widespread heating event of uncertain nature. They were accreted into chondritic asteroids, which formed about 4.56 billion years ago and have not experienced melting or differentiation since that time. Chondrules have diverse chemical compositions, corresponding to liquidus temperatures in the range 1,350-1,800 degrees C. Most chondrules, however, show porphyritic textures (consisting of large crystals in a distinctly finer grained or glassy matrix), indicative of melting within the narrow range 0-50 degrees C below the liquidus. This suggests an unusual heating mechanism for chondrule precursors, which would raise each individual chondrule to just the right temperature (particular to individual bulk composition) in order to form porphyritic textures. Here we report the results of isothermal melting of a chondritic composition at nebular pressures. Our results suggest that evaporation stabilizes porphyritic textures over a wider range of temperatures below the liquidus (about 200 degrees C) than previously believed, thus removing the need for individual chondrule temperature buffering. In addition, we show that evaporation explains many chondrule bulk and mineral compositions that have hitherto been difficult to understand.

Unusual transformation from strong negative to positive thermal expansion in PbTiO3-BiFeO3 perovskite.

PubMed

Chen, Jun; Fan, Longlong; Ren, Yang; Pan, Zhao; Deng, Jinxia; Yu, Ranbo; Xing, Xianran

2013-03-15

Tetragonal PbTiO(3)-BiFeO(3) exhibits a strong negative thermal expansion in the PbTiO(3)-based ferroelectrics that consist of one branch in the family of negative thermal expansion materials. Its strong negative thermal expansion is much weakened, and then unusually transforms into positive thermal expansion as the particle size is slightly reduced. This transformation is a new phenomenon in the negative termal expansion materials. The detailed structure, temperature dependence of unit cell volume, and lattice dynamics of PbTiO(3)-BiFeO(3) samples were studied by means of high-energy synchrotron powder diffraction and Raman spectroscopy. Such unusual transformation from strong negative to positive thermal expansion is highly associated with ferroelectricity weakening. An interesting zero thermal expansion is achieved in a wide temperature range (30-500 °C) by adjusting particle size due to the negative-to-positive transformation character. The present study provides a useful method to control the negative thermal expansion not only for ferroelectrics but also for those functional materials such as magnetics and superconductors.

Synthesis of sodium polyhydrides at high pressures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Struzhkin, Viktor V.; Kim, Duck Young; Stavrou, Elissaios; Muramatsu, Takaki; Mao, Ho-Kwang; Pickard, Chris J.; Needs, Richard J.; Prakapenka, Vitali B.; Goncharov, Alexander F.

2016-07-01

The only known compound of sodium and hydrogen is archetypal ionic NaH. Application of high pressure is known to promote states with higher atomic coordination, but extensive searches for polyhydrides with unusual stoichiometry have had only limited success in spite of several theoretical predictions. Here we report the first observation of the formation of polyhydrides of Na (NaH3 and NaH7) above 40 GPa and 2,000 K. We combine synchrotron X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy in a laser-heated diamond anvil cell and theoretical random structure searching, which both agree on the stable structures and compositions. Our results support the formation of multicenter bonding in a material with unusual stoichiometry. These results are applicable to the design of new energetic solids and high-temperature superconductors based on hydrogen-rich materials.

An Award Winning Design for Downtown Manhattan High School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Modern Schools, 1974

1974-01-01

New York City's downtown Commercial High School will be completely air conditioned with an unusual all-air, variable air volume system that will keep students and teachers comfortable throughout the year. (Author/MF)

Solubilization and other studies on adenylate cyclase of baker's yeast.

PubMed Central

Varimo, K; Londesborough, J

1976-01-01

1. Adenylate cyclase of Saccharomyces cerevisiae was sedimented from mechanically disintegrated preparations of yeast over an unusually wide range of centrifugal forces. 2. The enzyme was readily solubilized by Ficoll and by Lubrol PX. Lubrol caused a 2-fold activation. 3. Both particle-bound and Lubrol-solubilized enzyme had an apparent Km for ATP of 1.6 mM in the presence of 0.4 mM-cyclic AMP and 5 mM-MnCl2 at pH 6.2 and 30 degrees C. 4. The Lubrol-solubilized enzyme behaved on gel filtration as a monodisperse protein with an apparent mol.wt. of about 450000. PMID:793584

'Mass allergy': acute scombroid poisoning in a deployed Australian Defence Force health facility.

PubMed

Ward, David Ian

2011-02-01

On the last night of disaster relief operations in Sumatra, Indonesia, a mass casualty event occurred that involved deployed Australian Defence Force personnel. Symptoms of acute urticaria, angioedema, wheeze and gastrointestinal upset were experienced to varying degrees by 16% of the deployed element. The present report describes a presumed scombroid poisoning cluster and demonstrates the difficulties of operating in a deployed environment, the confusion that might be associated with evolving non-kinetic mass casualties, and provides a learning opportunity for an unusual mass casualty incident. © 2011 The Author. EMA © 2011 Australasian College for Emergency Medicine and Australasian Society for Emergency Medicine.

Severe amnesia following a unilateral temporal lobe stroke.

PubMed

Grewal, Raji P

2003-01-01

A 60 year old right-handed man developed severe amnesia following a left medial temporal stroke as documented by cerebral MRI, MRA and SPECT scans. Neuropsychological evaluation 13 weeks after the stroke showed a profound retrograde amnesia characterised by memory loss for public facts and events over the previous four decades. In addition, autobiographical memory showed selective loss of personal episodic memory with relative preservation of personal semantic memory. The development of this degree of amnesia with these features following a unilateral temporal lobe lesion is unusual. The possible neuroanatomical mechanisms underlying the amnesia and how they relate to current theories of memory loss are discussed.

Unusual expression of tension of a massless cable with application to the oscillations of a mass suspended to a cable with a variable length

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Babaz, Mathieu; Jezequel, Louis; Lamarque, Claude-Henri; Perrard, Patrick

2016-02-01

A new approach of cables' dynamics is presented in this paper. It is based on the exact expression of tension coming from continuum mechanics, while the previous elastic models of cables in open literature consider an approximation of small strain which reduces the cable to a linear spring. The equations of a mass suspended to a massless cable are derived on the basis of this new formulation. The problem is studied and numerically calculated for one and two degrees of freedom. A comparison with the classical approach and a nonlinear analysis are presented.

Sugar ester surfactants: enzymatic synthesis and applications in food industry.

PubMed

Neta, Nair S; Teixeira, José A; Rodrigues, Lígia R

2015-01-01

Sugar esters are non-ionic surfactants that can be synthesized in a single enzymatic reaction step using lipases. The stability and efficiency of lipases under unusual conditions and using non-conventional media can be significantly improved through immobilization and protein engineering. Also, the development of de novo enzymes has seen a significant increase lately under the scope of the new field of synthetic biology. Depending on the esterification degree and the nature of fatty acid and/or sugar, a range of sugar esters can be synthesized. Due to their surface activity and emulsifying capacity, sugar esters are promising for applications in food industry.

[Clinico-genealogic analysis of 2 families with an unusual syndrome combining dwarfism with dysostosis of the facial cranium and pyramido-extrapyramidal pathology].

PubMed

Khannanova, F K; Lebedev, B V; Kozlova, S I; Mirzabaeva, R Kh; Tavakalova, I Kh

1978-01-01

The presentation is concerned with a clinico-genealogical analysis of 7 patients from 2 relative famalies with inbreeding marriages. In all patients the authors observed a peculiar syndrome of combination of proportional dwarfism with dysostosis of the facial cranium and pyramidal-extrapyramidal pathology of a different degree of expressiveness. The onset of the disease was at the end of the 1st year of life with a following steady progression. The given syndrome is of great interest as a rare autosomno-recessive form of hereditary diseases which has not been described in literature.

Substantial Cd-Cd Bonding in Ca6PtCd11: A Condensed Intermetallic Phase Built of Pentagonal Cd7 and Rectangular Cd4/2Pt Pyramids

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

Gulo, Fakhili; Samal, Saroj L.; Corbett, John D.

The new trail-breaking compound Ca6PtCd11 has been synthesized and its structural and bonding properties investigated. This unusual phase features an unprecedented degree of cadmium aggregation, including linear chains, novel Cd7 PBP aggregates, and edge-shared chains of PtCd4/2 square pyramids. Manifestations of this chemistry elsewhere has evidently been precluded in earlier work by the inclusion of larger amounts of the strong d-metal bonding Au or Pt. Under the right conditions Cd seems quite effective as an open s,p-band metal.

Ultracold Heteronuclear Three-Body Systems: How Diabaticity Limits the Universality of Recombination into Shallow Dimers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Giannakeas, P.; Greene, Chris H.

2018-01-01

The mass-imbalanced three-body recombination process that forms a shallow dimer is shown to possess a rich Efimov-Stückelberg landscape, with corresponding spectra that differ fundamentally from the homonuclear case. A semianalytical treatment of the three-body recombination predicts unusual spectra with intertwined resonance peaks and minima and yields in-depth insight into the behavior of the corresponding Efimov spectra. In particular, the patterns of the Efimov-Stückelberg landscape are shown to depend inherently on the degree of diabaticity of the three-body collisions, which strongly affects the universality of the heteronuclear Efimov states.

Induction Specificity and Catabolite Repression of the Early Enzymes in Camphor Degradation by Pseudomonas putida

PubMed Central

Hartline, Richard A.; Gunsalus, I. C.

1971-01-01

The ability of bornane and substituted bornanes to induce the early enzymes for d(+)-camphor degradation and control of these enzymes by catabolite repression were studied in a strain of a Pseudomonas putida. Bornane and 20 substituted bornane compounds showed induction. Of these 21 compounds, bornane and 8 of the substituted bornanes provided induction without supporting growth. Oxygen, but not nitrogen, enhanced the inductive potency of the unsubstituted bornane ring. All bornanedione isomers caused induction, and those with substituents on each of the three consecutive carbon atoms, including the methyl group at the bridgehead carbon, showed induction without supporting growth. Although it was not possible to obtain experimental data for a case of absolute gratuitous induction by compounds not supporting growth, indirect evidence in support of gratuitous induction is presented. It is proposed that the ability of P. putida to tolerate the unusually high degree of possible gratuitous induction observed for camphor catabolism may be related to the infrequent occurrence of bicyclic ring structures in nature. Survival of an organism with a broad specificity for gratuitous induction is discussed. Glucose and succinate, but not glutamate, produced catabolite repression of the early camphor-degrading enzymes. Pathway enzymes differ in their degree of sensitivity to succinate-provoked catabolite repression. The ability of a compound to produce catabolite repression is not, however, directly related to the duration of the lag period (diauxic lag) between growth on camphor and growth on the repressing compound. PMID:5573731

Hand injuries from snow blowers: a report of an epidemic.

PubMed

Tetz, D J; Aghababian, R

1995-01-01

During a record snowfall in Worcester, Massachusetts, 11-13 December 1992, 37 male patients with hand injuries suffered during snow blower operation were seen at three area hospitals. Two previous reports describe 13 patients seen over a 3-year period and 28 patients over a 12-year period. This report describes the largest number of hand injuries from snow blowers that have occurred over a 48-hour period. The snow was unusual because of the high water density in the initial 9 inches (23 cm) that fell at an average temperature of 33 degrees F (0.6 degree C) with the final depth of 30 inches (76 cm), causing the machines to become clogged. Patients admitted to reaching into a running machine in 35/37 (95%) cases, 11/37 (30%) claimed the auger and impeller blades were disengaged, and 2/37 (5%) patients claimed their injuries occurred with the engines turned off. All injuries occurred when the patients placed their hands down the chute, contacting the impeller blades. Injuries involved 32 long, 15 ring, 13 index, and five small fingers and ranged from simple lacerations to partial phalangeal amputations. The majority, 27/37 (73%), were managed in emergency departments without interventions in the operating suites. Infection occurred in one patient who had the lesion repaired in the operating suite. As in previous studies, no differences were found for the variables of snow-blower age, type, or horsepower, or on experience level or age of the operators.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Endocrine Pancreas Development and Regeneration: Noncanonical Ideas From Neural Stem Cell Biology.

PubMed

Masjkur, Jimmy; Poser, Steven W; Nikolakopoulou, Polyxeni; Chrousos, George; McKay, Ronald D; Bornstein, Stefan R; Jones, Peter M; Androutsellis-Theotokis, Andreas

2016-02-01

Loss of insulin-producing pancreatic islet β-cells is a hallmark of type 1 diabetes. Several experimental paradigms demonstrate that these cells can, in principle, be regenerated from multiple endogenous sources using signaling pathways that are also used during pancreas development. A thorough understanding of these pathways will provide improved opportunities for therapeutic intervention. It is now appreciated that signaling pathways should not be seen as "on" or "off" but that the degree of activity may result in wildly different cellular outcomes. In addition to the degree of operation of a signaling pathway, noncanonical branches also play important roles. Thus, a pathway, once considered as "off" or "low" may actually be highly operational but may be using noncanonical branches. Such branches are only now revealing themselves as new tools to assay them are being generated. A formidable source of noncanonical signal transduction concepts is neural stem cells because these cells appear to have acquired unusual signaling interpretations to allow them to maintain their unique dual properties (self-renewal and multipotency). We discuss how such findings from the neural field can provide a blueprint for the identification of new molecular mechanisms regulating pancreatic biology, with a focus on Notch, Hes/Hey, and hedgehog pathways. © 2016 by the American Diabetes Association. Readers may use this article as long as the work is properly cited, the use is educational and not for profit, and the work is not altered.

Uptake of antibiotics by human polymorphonuclear leukocyte cytoplasts

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

Hand, W.L.; King-Thompson, N.L.

Enucleated human polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN cytoplasts), which have no nuclei and only a few granules, retain many of the functions of intact neutrophils. To better define the mechanisms and intracellular sites of antimicrobial agent accumulation in human neutrophils, we studied the antibiotic uptake process in PMN cytoplasts. Entry of eight radiolabeled antibiotics into PMN cytoplasts was determined by means of a velocity gradient centrifugation technique. Uptakes of these antibiotics by cytoplasts were compared with our findings in intact PMN. Penicillin entered both intact PMN and cytoplasts poorly. Metronidazole achieved a concentration in cytoplasts (and PMN) equal to or somewhat lessmore » than the extracellular concentration. Chloramphenicol, a lipid-soluble drug, and trimethoprim were concentrated three- to fourfold by cytoplasts. An unusual finding was that trimethroprim, unlike other tested antibiotics, was accumulated by cytoplasts more readily at 25 degrees C than at 37 degrees C. After an initial rapid association with cytoplasts, cell-associated imipenem declined progressively with time. Clindamycin and two macrolide antibiotics (roxithromycin, erythromycin) were concentrated 7- to 14-fold by cytoplasts. This indicates that cytoplasmic granules are not essential for accumulation of these drugs. Adenosine inhibited cytoplast uptake of clindamycin, which enters intact phagocytic cells by the membrane nucleoside transport system. Roxithromycin uptake by cytoplasts was inhibited by phagocytosis, which may reduce the number of cell membrane sites available for the transport of macrolides. These studies have added to our understanding of uptake mechanisms for antibiotics which are highly concentrated in phagocytes.« less

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

Bozovic, I.; Wu, J.; He, X.

Over the course of three decades of intense study, apart from the exceptionally high critical temperature, many unusual properties of cuprates have been discovered, notably including resistivity linear in temperature, electronic Raman continuum and optical absorption extending throughout the infrared region, pseudogap, hour-glass spin excitation spectrum, etc. However, each of these features have been also observed in other materials, including some that are not even superconducting at all. Here, we describe an extensive experiment in which over 2,000 films of the La 2-xSr xCuO 4 have been synthesized and studied in detail over the course of the last twelve years.more » We argue here that, uniquely, in the cuprates an unusual superconducting state, that defies the standard BCS description, develops from an unusual metallic state, in which the rotational symmetry of the electron fluid is spontaneously broken.« less

Big Jump of Record Warm Global Mean Surface Temperature in 2014-2016 Related to Unusually Large Oceanic Heat Releases

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yin, Jianjun; Overpeck, Jonathan; Peyser, Cheryl; Stouffer, Ronald

2018-01-01

A 0.24°C jump of record warm global mean surface temperature (GMST) over the past three consecutive record-breaking years (2014-2016) was highly unusual and largely a consequence of an El Niño that released unusually large amounts of ocean heat from the subsurface layer of the northwestern tropical Pacific. This heat had built up since the 1990s mainly due to greenhouse-gas (GHG) forcing and possible remote oceanic effects. Model simulations and projections suggest that the fundamental cause, and robust predictor of large record-breaking events of GMST in the 21st century, is GHG forcing rather than internal climate variability alone. Such events will increase in frequency, magnitude, and duration, as well as impact, in the future unless GHG forcing is reduced.

'Snake River (SR)-type' volcanism at the Yellowstone hotspot track: Distinctive products from unusual, high-temperature silicic super-eruptions

USGS Publications Warehouse

Branney, M.J.; Bonnichsen, B.; Andrews, G.D.M.; Ellis, B.; Barry, T.L.; McCurry, M.

2008-01-01

A new category of large-scale volcanism, here termed Snake River (SR)-type volcanism, is defined with reference to a distinctive volcanic facies association displayed by Miocene rocks in the central Snake River Plain area of southern Idaho and northern Nevada, USA. The facies association contrasts with those typical of silicic volcanism elsewhere and records unusual, voluminous and particularly environmentally devastating styles of eruption that remain poorly understood. It includes: (1) large-volume, lithic-poor rhyolitic ignimbrites with scarce pumice lapilli; (2) extensive, parallel-laminated, medium to coarse-grained ashfall deposits with large cuspate shards, crystals and a paucity of pumice lapilli; many are fused to black vitrophyre; (3) unusually extensive, large-volume rhyolite lavas; (4) unusually intense welding, rheomorphism, and widespread development of lava-like facies in the ignimbrites; (5) extensive, fines-rich ash deposits with abundant ash aggregates (pellets and accretionary lapilli); (6) the ashfall layers and ignimbrites contain abundant clasts of dense obsidian and vitrophyre; (7) a bimodal association between the rhyolitic rocks and numerous, coalescing low-profile basalt lava shields; and (8) widespread evidence of emplacement in lacustrine-alluvial environments, as revealed by intercalated lake sediments, ignimbrite peperites, rhyolitic and basaltic hyaloclastites, basalt pillow-lava deltas, rhyolitic and basaltic phreatomagmatic tuffs, alluvial sands and palaeosols. Many rhyolitic eruptions were high mass-flux, large volume and explosive (VEI 6-8), and involved H2O-poor, low-??18O, metaluminous rhyolite magmas with unusually low viscosities, partly due to high magmatic temperatures (900-1,050??C). SR-type volcanism contrasts with silicic volcanism at many other volcanic fields, where the fall deposits are typically Plinian with pumice lapilli, the ignimbrites are low to medium grade (non-welded to eutaxitic) with abundant pumice lapilli or fiamme, and the rhyolite extrusions are small volume silicic domes and coule??es. SR-type volcanism seems to have occurred at numerous times in Earth history, because elements of the facies association occur within some other volcanic fields, including Trans-Pecos Texas, Etendeka-Paran, Lebombo, the English Lake District, the Proterozoic Keewanawan volcanics of Minnesota and the Yardea Dacite of Australia. ?? Springer-Verlag 2007.

Small supernumerary chromosome marker generating complete and pure trisomy 18p, characterized by molecular cytogenetic techniques and review.

PubMed

Rodríguez, L; Liehr, T; Mrasek, K; Mansilla, E; Martínez-Fernández, M L; Garcia, A; Martínez-Frías, M L

2007-11-15

Small supernumerary marker chromosomes (sSMC) have been described from all human chromosomes with different sizes and shapes. However, it is difficult to know the clinical manifestations associated with them, because such knowledge depends on the size, presence of euchromatic material, degree of mosaicism and/or uniparental disomy (UPD). Pure trisomy of the whole arm of chromosome 18 (18p), has been described in only a few cases and the general consensus is that there is a mild phenotypic effect. Here we report on a newborn male presenting with an atrial septal defect and a club foot. The high resolution G-band karyotype (550-850 bands) and the molecular cytogenetic techniques revealed in all cells the presence of an sSMC, which was a complex derivative from the short arm of a chromosome 18 (18p) and a centromere of a chromosome 13/21. His healthy mother had the same sSMC in all analyzed cells. With the present case, we support the previous suggestion that this unusual chromosome trisomy 18p has little clinical repercussions. (c) 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Three-particle annihilation in a 2D heterostructure revealed through data-hypercubic photoresponse microscopy (Conference Presentation)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gabor, Nathaniel M.

2017-05-01

Van de Waals (vdW) heterostructures - which consist of precisely assembled atomically thin electronic materials - exhibit unusual quantum behavior. These quantum materials-by-design are of fundamental interest in basic scientific research and hold tremendous potential in advanced technological applications. Problematically, the fundamental optoelectronic response in these heterostructures is difficult to access using the standard techniques within the traditions of materials science and condensed matter physics. In the standard approach, characterization is based on the measurement of a small amount of one-dimensional data, which is used to gain a precise picture of the material properties of the sample. However, these techniques are fundamentally lacking in describing the complex interdependency of experimental degrees of freedom in vdW heterostructures. In this talk, I will present our recent experiments that utilize a highly data-intensive approach to gain deep understanding of the infrared photoresponse in vdW heterostructure photodetectors. These measurements, which combine state-of-the-art data analytics and measurement design with fundamentally new device structures and experimental parameters, give a clear picture of electron-hole pair interactions at ultrafast time scales.

Scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy of twisted trilayer graphene

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zuo, Wei-Jie; Qiao, Jia-Bin; Ma, Dong-Lin; Yin, Long-Jing; Sun, Gan; Zhang, Jun-Yang; Guan, Li-Yang; He, Lin

2018-01-01

Twist, as a simple and unique degree of freedom, could lead to enormous novel quantum phenomena in bilayer graphene. A small rotation angle introduces low-energy van Hove singularities (VHSs) approaching the Fermi level, which result in unusual correlated states in the bilayer graphene. It is reasonable to expect that the twist could also affect the electronic properties of few-layer graphene dramatically. However, such an issue has remained experimentally elusive. Here, by using scanning tunneling microscopy/spectroscopy (STM/STS), we systematically studied a twisted trilayer graphene (TTG) with two different small twist angles between adjacent layers. Two sets of VHSs, originating from the two twist angles, were observed in the TTG, indicating that the TTG could be simply regarded as a combination of two different twisted bilayers of graphene. By using high-resolution STS, we observed a split of the VHSs and directly imaged the spatial symmetry breaking of electronic states around the VHSs. These results suggest that electron-electron interactions play an important role in affecting the electronic properties of graphene systems with low-energy VHSs.

Amplification and overexpression of cyclin D1 in breast cancer detected by immunohistochemical staining.

PubMed

Gillett, C; Fantl, V; Smith, R; Fisher, C; Bartek, J; Dickson, C; Barnes, D; Peters, G

1994-04-01

Immunohistochemical staining with a monoclonal antibody against human cyclin D1 can be used to identify breast cancers that have an amplification of the q13 region of chromosome 11. In general, the intensity of staining is directly proportional to the degree of DNA amplification. In two unusual tumors, in which the CCND1 locus is highly amplified but staining is relatively weak, it appears that the DNA has undergone rearrangement and that the amplified/rearranged CCND1 allele may have reduced transcriptional activity. More significantly, the immunohistochemical technique identifies additional tumors in which the cyclin D1 gene is overexpressed with only marginal or undetectable increases in copy number, implying that other mechanisms can lead to deregulated expression. These results suggest that the frequency of overexpression is much higher than previously concluded from DNA-based analyses and that more than one-third of human breast cancers may contain excessive levels of cyclin D1. The technique we describe should facilitate the detection of this abnormality in a clinical setting and clarify its prognostic significance.

Ferromagnetic bond of Li{sub 10} cluster: An alternative approach in terms of effective ferromagnetic sites

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

Donoso, Roberto; Fuentealba, Patricio, E-mail: pfuentea@hotmail.es, E-mail: cardena@macul.ciencias.uchile.cl; Cárdenas, Carlos, E-mail: pfuentea@hotmail.es, E-mail: cardena@macul.ciencias.uchile.cl

In this work, a model to explain the unusual stability of atomic lithium clusters in their highest spin multiplicity is presented and used to describe the ferromagnetic bonding of high-spin Li{sub 10} and Li{sub 8} clusters. The model associates the (lack of-)fitness of Heisenberg Hamiltonian with the degree of (de-)localization of the valence electrons in the cluster. It is shown that a regular Heisenberg Hamiltonian with four coupling constants cannot fully explain the energy of the different spin states. However, a more simple model in which electrons are located not at the position of the nuclei but at the positionmore » of the attractors of the electron localization function succeeds in explaining the energy spectrum and, at the same time, explains the ferromagnetic bond found by Shaik using arguments of valence bond theory. In this way, two different points of view, one more often used in physics, the Heisenberg model, and the other in chemistry, valence bond, come to the same answer to explain those atypical bonds.« less

Metadisorder for designer light in random systems

PubMed Central

Yu, Sunkyu; Piao, Xianji; Hong, Jiho; Park, Namkyoo

2016-01-01

Disorder plays a critical role in signal transport by controlling the correlation of a system, as demonstrated in various complex networks. In wave physics, disordered potentials suppress wave transport, because of their localized eigenstates, from the interference between multiple scattering paths. Although the variation of localization with tunable disorder has been intensively studied as a bridge between ordered and disordered media, the general trend of disorder-enhanced localization has remained unchanged, and the existence of complete delocalization in highly disordered potentials has not been explored. We propose the concept of “metadisorder”: randomly coupled optical systems in which eigenstates can be engineered to achieve unusual localization. We demonstrate that one of the eigenstates in a randomly coupled system can always be arbitrarily molded, regardless of the degree of disorder, by adjusting the self-energy of each element. Ordered waves with the desired form are then achieved in randomly coupled systems, including plane waves and globally collective resonances. We also devise counterintuitive functionalities in disordered systems, such as “small-world–like” transport from non–Anderson-type localization, phase-conserving disorder, and phase-controlled beam steering. PMID:27757414

Dissolved oxygen content as an index of water quality in San Vicente Bay, Chile (36 degrees 45'S).

PubMed

Rudolph, Anny; Ahumada, Ramón; Pérez, Claudio

2002-08-01

The present report describes some effects of industrial and municipal effluents on the waters of San Vicente Bay. Analyses of the main substances contained in the fishing industry effluent suggest rating criteria based on the oxygen saturation of the water as an assessment of organic pollution. Six cruises were carried out throughout the Bay, from June to December 1996. Water samples were analyzed for dissolved oxygen, oil and grease content, and sediment samples for organic matter content. Water parameters (salinity, temperature) were used to characterize the Bay's hydrography, and to calculate values for oxygen saturation. The measurements demonstrated a local broad range of oxygen deficit, with a maximum of 45% in the winter to 95% in the spring. In November more than 65% of the Bay's area showed oxygen deficits greater than 40%. Organic matter was unusually high in sediments along the northern sector of the Bay. The results suggest that the oxygen depletion was a representative parameter for establishing a relative scale of water quality in this Bay.

Genomic organization and sequence of the Gus-s/sup a/ allele of the murine. beta. -glucuronidase gene

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

Funkenstein, B.; Leary, S.L.; Stein, J.C.

1988-03-01

The Gus-s/sup ..cap alpha../ allele of the mouse ..beta..-glucuronidase gene exhibits a high degree of inducibility by androgens due to its linkage with the Gus-r/sup ..cap alpha../ regulatory locus. The authors isolated Gus-s/sup ..cap alpha../ on a 28-kilobase pair fragment of mouse chromosome 5 and found that it contains 12 exons and 11 intervening sequences spanning 14 kilobase pairs of this genomic segment. The mRNA cap site was identified by ribonuclease protection and primer extension analyses which revealed an unusually short 5' noncoding sequence of 12 nucleotides. Proximal regulatory sequences in the 5'-flanking DNA and the complete sequence of themore » Gus-s/sup ..cap alpha../ mRNA transcript were also determined. Comparison of the amino acid sequence determined from the Gus-s/sup ..cap alpha../ nucleotide sequence with that of human ..beta..-glucuronidase indicated that the two human mRNA species differ due to alternate splicing of an exon homologous to exon 6 of the mouse gene.« less

Microbes in deep marine sediments viewed through amplicon sequencing and metagenomics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Biddle, J.; Leon, Z. R.; Russell, J. A., III; Martino, A. J.

2016-12-01

Nearly twenty percent of microbial biomass on Earth can be found in the marine subsurface. The majority of this is concentrated on continental margins, which have been investigated by scientific drilling. On the Costa Rica Margin, Iberian Margin and Peru Margins, sediment samples have been investigated through DNA extraction followed by amplicon and metagenomic sequencing. Overall samples show a high degree of microbial diversity, including many lineages of newly defined groups. In this talk, metagenome assembled genomes of unusual lineages will be presented, including their relationships to shallower relatives. From Costa Rica, in particular, we have retrieved deep relatives of Lokiarchaeota and Thorarchaeota, as well as other deeply branching archaeal relatives. We discuss their genome similarities to both other archaea and eukaryotes. From the Iberian Margin, relatives of Atribacteria and Aerophobetes will be discussed. Finally, we will detail the knowledge lost or gained depending on whether samples are studied via amplicon sequencing or total metagenomics, as studies in other environments have shown that up to 15% of microbial diversity is ignored when samples are studied via amplicon sequencing alone.

Multiple splenic abscesses in a rather healthy woman: a case report.

PubMed

Saber, Aly

2009-07-23

Abscess of the spleen is a rather clinical rarity with reported mortality rate up to 47%. The timely and widespread use of imaging methods facilitates early diagnosis and guides treatment, thus improving the prognosis. Most of patients were with recognized risk factors including conditions that compromise the immune system, trauma and intravenous drug abuse in addicts. The surgical treatment by splenectomy is usually the first choice of treatment. A healthy 45-year-old woman presented to the outpatient clinic with fever, 39 degrees C together with persistent upper-left-quadrant abdominal pain. Her past medical history was free from any chronic debilitating diseases or other predisposing factors. Imaging included chest and abdominal X-ray, followed by a CT scan of the upper abdomen. Splenic abscess is an unusual and potentially life-threatening disease with a diagnostic challenge due to the nonspecific clinical picture and diagnosis confirmed based mostly on imaging studies. Multiple splenic abscesses are very rarely encountered in surgical practice with a reported high mortality rate in neglected and untreated cases. Splenectomy is a safe procedure for patients with splenic abscess.

Improper ferroelectric polarization in a perovskite driven by intersite charge transfer and ordering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Wei-Tin; Wang, Chin-Wei; Wu, Hung-Cheng; Chou, Fang-Cheng; Yang, Hung-Duen; Simonov, Arkadiy; Senn, M. S.

2018-04-01

It is of great interest to design and make materials in which ferroelectric polarization is coupled to other order parameters such as lattice, magnetic, and electronic instabilities. Such materials will be invaluable in next-generation data storage devices. Recently, remarkable progress has been made in understanding improper ferroelectric coupling mechanisms that arise from lattice and magnetic instabilities. However, although theoretically predicted, a compact lattice coupling between electronic and ferroelectric (polar) instabilities has yet to be realized. Here we report detailed crystallographic studies of a perovskite HgAMn3A'Mn4BO12 that is found to exhibit a polar ground state on account of such couplings that arise from charge and orbital ordering on both the A'- and B-sites, which are themselves driven by a highly unusual MnA '-MnB intersite charge transfer. The inherent coupling of polar, charge, orbital, and hence magnetic degrees of freedom make this a system of great fundamental interest, and demonstrating ferroelectric switching in this and a host of recently reported hybrid improper ferroelectrics remains a substantial challenge.

Effects of a television drama about environmental exposure to toxic substances.

PubMed

Kennedy, May G; Turf, Elizabeth Eustis; Wilson-Genderson, Maureen; Wells, Kristen; Huang, Grace C; Beck, Vicki

2011-01-01

This study assessed short-term outcomes of viewing an episode of a prime-time television drama in which a child developed cancer after environmental exposure to an illegal pesticide. The study explored the effects among viewers of feeling transported into a narrative world. Respondents (n = 2,139) to a post-episode Internet panel survey were asked if they had seen the show and asked questions about their demographic information, their frequency of viewing the television show, the degree to which they had felt transported into a narrative world created by the drama, and their knowledge and beliefs about the health effects of environmental exposure. Conversations with key informants from federal agencies and advocacy groups were also held. Episode viewing and narrative transportation were positively associated with knowledge of toxic exposure effects, and transported viewers reported being more likely to report an unusually high number of cancer cases to authorities. The show also appeared to have prompted a clarification of federal pesticide-testing policy. Entertainment Education is a promising strategy for disseminating key points of information about environmental health.

Unusual behavior of uranium dioxide at high magnetic fields. Part I

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gofryk, K.; Jaime, M.; Zapf, V.; Harrison, N.; Saul, A.; Radtke, G.; Lashley, J. C.; Salamon, M.; Andersson, A. D.; Stanek, C.; Durakiewicz, T.; Smith, J. L.

UO2 is a Mott-Hubbard insulator with well-localized 5 f-electrons and its crystal structure is the face-centered-cubic fluorite. It experiences a first-order antiferromagnetic phase transition at 30.8 K to a non-collinear antiferromagnetic structure that remains a topic of debate. It is believed that the first order nature of the transition results from the competition between the exchange interaction and the Jahn-Teller distortion of oxygen atoms. Despite extensive experimental and theoretical efforts the nature of the competing degrees of freedom and their couplings (such as spin-phonon coupling) are still unclear. Here we present results of our extensive thermodynamic investigations, on well-characterized and oriented single crystals of UO2, focusing on magnetization M(T,H) measurements in DC and pulsed magnetic fields to up 65 T at the NHMFL. Work supported by the Department of Energy, Office of Basic Energy Sciences, Materials Sciences, and Engineering Division. The NHMFL Pulsed Field Facility is supported by the NSF, the U.S. D.O.E., and the State of Florida through NSF cooperative Grant DMR.

Effects of a Television Drama about Environmental Exposure to Toxic Substances

PubMed Central

Kennedy, May G.; Eustis Turf, Elizabeth; Wilson-Genderson, Maureen; Wells, Kristen; Huang, Grace C.; Beck, Vicki

2011-01-01

Objective. This study assessed short-term outcomes of viewing an episode of a prime-time television drama in which a child developed cancer after environmental exposure to an illegal pesticide. The study explored the effects among viewers of feeling transported into a narrative world. Methods. Respondents (n=2,139) to a post-episode Internet panel survey were asked if they had seen the show and asked questions about their demographic information, their frequency of viewing the television show, the degree to which they had felt transported into a narrative world created by the drama, and their knowledge and beliefs about the health effects of environmental exposure. Conversations with key informants from federal agencies and advocacy groups were also held. Results. Episode viewing and narrative transportation were positively associated with knowledge of toxic exposure effects, and transported viewers reported being more likely to report an unusually high number of cancer cases to authorities. The show also appeared to have prompted a clarification of federal pesticide-testing policy. Conclusions. Entertainment Education is a promising strategy for disseminating key points of information about environmental health. PMID:21563723

Glacier quakes mimicking volcanic earthquakes: The challenge of monitoring ice-clad volcanoes and some solutions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Allstadt, K.; Carmichael, J. D.; Malone, S. D.; Bodin, P.; Vidale, J. E.; Moran, S. C.

2012-12-01

Swarms of repeating earthquakes at volcanoes are often a sign of volcanic unrest. However, glaciers also can generate repeating seismic signals, so detecting unrest at glacier-covered volcanoes can be a challenge. We have found that multi-day swarms of shallow, low-frequency, repeating earthquakes occur regularly at Mount Rainier, a heavily glaciated stratovolcano in Washington, but that most swarms had escaped recognition until recently. Typically such earthquakes were too small to be routinely detected by the seismic network and were often buried in the noise on visual records, making the few swarms that had been detected seem more unusual and significant at the time they were identified. Our comprehensive search for repeating earthquakes through the past 10 years of continuous seismic data uncovered more than 30 distinct swarms of low-frequency earthquakes at Rainier, each consisting of hundreds to thousands of events. We found that these swarms locate high on the glacier-covered edifice, occur almost exclusively between late fall and early spring, and that their onset coincides with heavy snowfalls. We interpret the correlation with snowfall to indicate a seismically observable glacial response to snow loading. Efforts are underway to confirm this by monitoring glacier motion before and after a major snowfall event using ground based radar interferometry. Clearly, if the earthquakes in these swarms reflect a glacial source, then they are not directly related to volcanic activity. However, from an operational perspective they make volcano monitoring difficult because they closely resemble earthquakes that often precede and accompany volcanic eruptions. Because we now have a better sense of the background level of such swarms and know that their occurrence is seasonal and correlated with snowfall, it will now be easier to recognize if future swarms at Rainier are unusual and possibly related to volcanic activity. To methodically monitor for such unusual activity, we are implementing an automatic detection algorithm to continuously search for repeating earthquakes at Mount Rainier, an algorithm that we eventually intend to apply to other Cascade volcanoes. We propose that a comprehensive routine that characterizes background levels of repeating earthquakes and the degree of correlation with weather and seasonal forcing, combined with real-time monitoring for repeating earthquakes, will provide a means to more rapidly discriminate between glacier seismicity and seismicity related to volcanic activity on monitored glacier-clad volcanoes.

Spontaneous nystagmus in benign paroxysmal positional vertigo: is it a new sign?

PubMed

Hajiabolhassan, Fahimeh; Tavanai, Elham

2013-01-01

Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV) is a condition that indicates a benign inner ear disorder. It is generally believed that BPPV is due to the dislodged otoconial particles from otolith organs and unusual collection of them within any of semicircular canals or even in all three semicircular canals. Although the typical features of nystagmus in BPPV have been well-studied, very few studies (just four articles) have highlighted the presence of spontaneous nystagmus in BPPV recently. During the past 10 years, 2850 patients have been examined at the audiology unit of our department, and 254 patients have received diagnoses of BPPV but recently 2 patients presented with BPPV and spontaneous nystagmus, a new symptom that has been never observed in our clinical records. We herein describe this rare symptom in 2 case of BPPV. A 50-year-old woman with BPPV who showed an 18 degree spontaneous nystagmus treated with Epley maneuver and a 53-year-old man with 3 degree spontaneous nystagmus.

[Fluctuant pulmonary nodules as presentation of a MALT lymphoma].

PubMed

Dolz Aspas, R; Toyas Miazza, C; Ruiz Ruiz, F; Morales Rull, J L; Pérez Calvo, J I

2003-11-01

Mucosa associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphomas are a group of non- Hodgkin"s lymphomas of low malignancy degree. The most frequent location is the gastrointestinal tract. Its primary pulmonary presentation is unusual and heterogeneous from point of view radiological. Woman 61 years old with antecedents of vitiligo, gastric ulcus, cirrhosis by VHC, that go into the hospital by sudden disnea, thoracic paint with pleural characterises and fever of 38.5 degrees C, Her thorax radiography and thoracic TAC showed nodes that affect to different pulmonary lobes. The cytology by PAAF confirms their malignant nature. In subsequent radiological controls it was notice the nodels took away completely and returns in different pulmonary place in each recurrence. The presentation like fluctuant pulmonary nodes is exceptional in a MALT lymphoma. It was described a higher incidence of VHC infection and tumour. The evidence of chronic hepatitis by virus C disease, and local chronic inflammatory process as well as autoimmune disorders may be considerate like a factor that contribute to MALT lymphoma.

Diagnosis of systemic lupus erythematosus in an unusual presentation: what a primary care physician should know.

PubMed

Pramanik, Bimalendu

2014-01-01

Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) is a multisystem autoimmune disease affecting millions of people worldwide. It can affect any organ systems of the body. However, all systems may not be involved initially rather than they may be affected gradually, sometimes over years. Diagnosis depends on characteristic clinical features and laboratory test results. Some features such as skin rash, joint symptoms and oral ulcers are common in SLE. But initial presentation of many patients is unusual because either they do not have these common features of the disease or the presentation mimics other illnesses. As a result, delayed diagnosis and misdiagnosis are common. Therefore, high index of initial suspicion of SLE is critical. In clinical practice, SLE should be suspected in any patient presenting with an unexplained disease process involving two or more organ systems. To make a diagnosis in an unusual presentation, thorough clinical evaluation with details history of both present and past illnesses as well as laboratory tests for SLE should be performed. Usually primary-care physicians first evaluate SLE patients; but there is no single article, where all the information on when to suspect SLE in an unusual presentation, is available in an integrated form. In this article, a list of conditions, when SLE should be suspected in an unusual presentation, has been given and some relatively common areas with diagnostic challenges of SLE have been briefly described. To prepare this manuscript, most articles have been identified through 'Pubmed' search using keywords-atypical/ unusual presentation of SLE, case reports on SLE, gastrointestinal manifestations of SLE, neuropsychiatric SLE, diagnostic challenges with SLE, etc. Selected most articles are from currently medline-indexed journals.

Mars Ascent Vehicle Needs Technology Development with a Focus on High Propellant Fractions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Whitehead, J. C.

2018-04-01

Launching from Mars to orbit requires a miniature launch vehicle, beyond any known spacecraft propulsion. The Mars Ascent Vehicle (MAV) needs an unusually high propellant mass fraction. MAV mass has high leverage for the cost of Mars Sample Return.

Effects of long-term temperature acclimation on thyroid hormone deiodinase function, plasma thyroid hormone levels, growth, and reproductive status of male Atlantic cod, Gadus morhua.

PubMed

Cyr, D G; Idler, D R; Audet, C; McLeese, J M; Eales, J G

1998-01-01

The recent collapse of the Northwestern Atlantic cod fisheries has coincided with a cooling of water temperatures. During this time the condition factor of cod has been poor. The objective of the present study was to determine the effects of long-term temperature acclimation on growth reproduction and thyroid function in laboratory held Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua). One of the key parameters used to assess thyroid function is the peripheral metabolism of L-thyroxine (T4) by microsomal deiodinase enzymes. Deiodinase function has not been described for gadid fish. T4 outer-ring deiodinating activity (apparent K(m) 1-2 nM) was confined primarily to liver. Its properties resembled those for hepatic T4ORD activity of other teleosts and the mammalian type II deiodinase. The T4ORD activity of cod liver exceeded that of salmonids and could explain the high plasma T3 levels (10-18 ng/ml), which were 2-5 times greater than T4 levels. T4 and T3 inner-ring deiodination was confined mainly to brain. In order to determine the effects of long-term temperature acclimation on cod, somatic growth, reproduction, and thyroidal status were assessed monthly in 400-900-g satiation-fed male Atlantic cod captured in June from the St. Lawrence Estuary and then acclimated from August to the following June under a natural photoperiod at 2-4 degrees C (LT) or 6-10 degrees C (HT). Reproductive status was determined from the gonadosomatic index (GSI), plasma testosterone (T) and 11-ketotestosterone (11-KT) levels, and the appearance of milt; thyroidal status was determined from plasma T4 and 3,5,3'-triiodo-L-thyronine (T3) levels and hepatic T4ORD activity to produce biologically active T3. Testis maturation (high levels of 1 and 11-KT, and milt release) occurred in April and May and was uninfluenced by acclimation temperature. LT cod grew more slowly than HT cod. Differences in body weight were particularly evident from December to February. In conclusion, (i) cod possess outer- and inner-ring deiodinase activities, predominating respectively in liver and brain, and with properties resembling those of other teleosts, (ii) T4ORD activity of liver is unusually high and may account for the high plasma T3 levels in this species, (iii) T4ORD activity tends to increase during periods of increased somatic growth, and (iv) chronic acclimation of male cod to 2-4 degrees C, as opposed to 6-10 degrees C, decreases somatic growth but does alter circulating levels of thyroid hormones and androgens and it does not change the time of sexual maturation.

Shell thickness-dependent microwave absorption of core-shell Fe3O4@C composites.

PubMed

Du, Yunchen; Liu, Wenwen; Qiang, Rong; Wang, Ying; Han, Xijiang; Ma, Jun; Xu, Ping

2014-08-13

Core-shell composites, Fe3O4@C, with 500 nm Fe3O4 microspheres as cores have been successfully prepared through in situ polymerization of phenolic resin on the Fe3O4 surface and subsequent high-temperature carbonization. The thickness of carbon shell, from 20 to 70 nm, can be well controlled by modulating the weight ratio of resorcinol and Fe3O4 microspheres. Carbothermic reduction has not been triggered at present conditions, thus the crystalline phase and magnetic property of Fe3O4 micropsheres can be well preserved during the carbonization process. Although carbon shells display amorphous nature, Raman spectra reveal that the presence of Fe3O4 micropsheres can promote their graphitization degree to a certain extent. Coating Fe3O4 microspheres with carbon shells will not only increase the complex permittivity but also improve characteristic impedance, leading to multiple relaxation processes in these composites, thus the microwave absorption properties of these composites are greatly enhanced. Very interestingly, a critical thickness of carbon shells leads to an unusual dielectric behavior of the core-shell structure, which endows these composites with strong reflection loss, especially in the high frequency range. By considering good chemical homogeneity and microwave absorption, we believe the as-fabricated Fe3O4@C composites can be promising candidates as highly effective microwave absorbers.

Synthesis of sodium polyhydrides at high pressures

DOE PAGES

Struzhkin, Viktor V.; Kim, Duck Young; Stavrou, Elissaios; ...

2016-07-28

Archetypal ionic NaH is the only known compound of sodium and hydrogen. Application of high pressure is known to promote states with higher atomic coordination, but extensive searches for polyhydrides with unusual stoichiometry have had only limited success in spite of several theoretical predictions. Here we report the first observation of the formation of polyhydrides of Na (NaH 3 and NaH 7) above 40 GPa and 2,000 K. Moreover, we combine synchrotron X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy in a laser-heated diamond anvil cell and theoretical random structure searching, which both agree on the stable structures and compositions. Our results supportmore » the formation of multicenter bonding in a material with unusual stoichiometry. These results are applicable to the design of new energetic solids and high-temperature superconductors based on hydrogen-rich materials.« less

Legionella feeleii: an unusual organism associated with cutaneous infection in an immunocompromised patient.

PubMed

Verykiou, S; Goodhead, C; Parry, G; Meggitt, S

2018-04-01

We report a 23-year-old immunocompromised woman who, following cardiac transplantation, presented with an unusual cutaneous eruption. She developed a widespread pustular rash, systemic symptoms and a high temperature with raised inflammatory markers. The diagnosis was reached when a skin biopsy was cultured onto Legionella agar (buffered charcoal yeast extract) and Legionella feeleii was isolated. The patient was treated with 6 weeks of moxifloxacin and her cutaneous lesions gradually resolved. Cutaneous Legionella infections are uncommon and usually affect immunocompromised patients. © 2017 British Association of Dermatologists.

Interplay of superconductivity and magnetic fluctuations in single crystals of BaFe2-xCoxAs2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bag, Biplab; Kumar, Ankit; Banerjee, S. S.; Vinod, K.; Bharathi, A.

2018-04-01

We report unusual pinning response in optimally doped and overdoped single crystals of BaFe2-xCoxAs2. Here we use magneto-optical imaging technique to measure the local magnetization response which shows an unusual transformation from low temperature diamagnetic state to high temperature positive magnetization response. Our data suggests coexistence of magnetic fluctuation along with superconductivity in the optimally doped crystal. The strength of magnetic fluctuations is the strongest in the optimally doped compound with the highest Tc.

Consequences of localized frustration for the folding mechanism of the IM7 protein

PubMed Central

Sutto, Ludovico; Lätzer, Joachim; Hegler, Joseph A.; Ferreiro, Diego U.; Wolynes, Peter G.

2007-01-01

In the laboratory, IM7 has been found to have an unusual folding mechanism in which an “on-pathway” intermediate with nonnative interactions is formed. We show that this intermediate is a consequence of an unusual cluster of highly frustrated interactions in the native structure. This cluster is involved in the binding of IM7 to its target, Colicin E7. Redesign of residues in this cluster to eliminate frustration is predicted by simulations to lead to faster folding without the population of an intermediate ensemble. PMID:18077415

Highly hydroxylated steroids of the starfish Archaster typicus from the Vietnamese waters.

PubMed

Ivanchina, Natalia V; Kicha, Alla A; Huong, Trinh T T; Kalinovsky, Anatoly I; Dmitrenok, Pavel S; Agafonova, Irina G; Long, Pham Q; Stonik, Valentin A

2010-12-01

Five new steroidal compounds, including an unusual glucoside, along with several known steroids were isolated from the starfish Archaster typicus collected in shallow waters of Quang Ninh province (Vietnam). Three new compounds are 27-nor-cholestane derivatives and the other two are 24,26-dihydroxycholestane derivatives. A biogenesis pathway for the unusual side chain of 27-nor-cholestane derivatives is proposed. Isolated compounds presented moderate toxic effects in the sperm- and 8-blastomere tests on embryonal development of the sea urchin Strongylocentrotusintermedius. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

An unusual fragmentation of oxetane-embedded tetracyclic ketal systems.

PubMed

Rao, G Hari Mangeswara; Khan, Faiz Ahmed

2013-11-01

An unusual route for the synthesis of functionalized cyclobutane derivatives starting from functionalized norbornane derivatives is reported. Base-induced fragmentation of an oxetanol-type moiety embedded in a tetracyclic norbornyl ketal leads to a cyclobutane-fused derivative as the major or exclusive product. The fragmentation reaction for bridgehead-bromine-substituted derivatives was much faster than for the corresponding chlorine-substituted substrates. The functionalized cyclobutane product was formed exclusively in high yield in the former case, while the latter furnished a minor uncyclized side product in varying yields.

An unusual presentation of primary malignant B-cell-type dural lymphoma

PubMed Central

Low, Yin Yee Sharon; Lai, Siang Hui; Ng, Wai Hoe

2014-01-01

Primary malignant B-cell-type dural lymphoma is a rare subtype of primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL). We herein report an unusual case of diffuse B-cell lymphoma that presents as a chronic subdural haematoma without extracranial involvement. The notable aspects of this case include the patient’s immunocompetence, a short clinical history of symptom onset, rapid neurological deterioration and a final diagnosis of high-grade PCNSL. This case highlights the challenges neurosurgeons face, especially in the emergency setting, when the disease manifests in varied presentations. PMID:25631982

King Tides and Climate Change

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

The highest predicted high tide of the year at a coastal location can bring unusually high water levels and can cause flooding. Learn about these tides including what they are, when they occur, and what they can mean for the future.

2:1 Charge disproportionation in perovskite-structure oxide La{sub 1/3}Ca{sub 2/3}FeO{sub 3} with unusually-high-valence Fe{sup 3.67+}

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

Guo, Haichuan; Hosaka, Yoshiteru; Seki, Hayato

La{sub 1/3}Ca{sub 2/3}FeO{sub 3} with unusually-high-valence Fe{sup 3.67+} was synthesized at a high pressure and high temperature. The compound crystallizes in a √2a×2a×√2a perovskite cell in which the La and Ca ions at the A site are disordered. At 217 K the Fe{sup 3.67+} shows charge disproportionation to Fe{sup 3+} and Fe{sup 5+} in a ratio of 2:1, and this disproportionation is accompanied by transitions in magnetic and transport properties. The charge-disproportionated Fe{sup 3+} and Fe{sup 5+} are arranged along the <111> direction of the cubic perovskite cell. The local electronic and magnetic environments of Fe in La{sub 1/3}Ca{sub 2/3}FeO{submore » 3} are quite similar to those of Fe in La{sub 1/3}Sr{sub 2/3}FeO{sub 3}, and the 2:1 charge disproportionation pattern of Fe{sup 3+} and Fe{sup 5+} in La{sub 1/3}Ca{sub 2/3}FeO{sub 3} is also the same as that in La{sub 1/3}Sr{sub 2/3}FeO{sub 3}. - Graphical abstract: The perovskite-structure oxide La{sub 1/3}Ca{sub 2/3}FeO{sub 3} with unusually-high-valence Fe{sup 3.67+} shows charge disproportionation to Fe{sup 3+} and Fe{sup 5+} in a ratio of 2:1, and the charge-disproportionated Fe{sup 3+} and Fe{sup 5+} are arranged along the <111> direction of the cubic perovskite cell. - Highlights: • La{sub 1/3}Ca{sub 2/3}FeO{sub 3} with unusually-high-valence Fe{sup 3.67+} was synthesized at a high pressure and high temperature. • At 217 K the Fe{sup 3.67+} shows charge disproportionation (CD) to Fe{sup 3+} and Fe{sup 5+} in a ratio of 2:1. • The charge-disproportionated Fe{sup 3+} and Fe{sup 5+} are arranged along the <111> direction of the cubic perovskite cell. • The disproportionation is accompanied by transitions in magnetic and transport properties.« less

Visible-to-SWIR wavelength variation of skylight polarization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dahl, Laura M.; Shaw, Joseph A.

2015-09-01

Knowledge of the polarization state of natural skylight is important to growing applications using polarimetric sensing. We previously published measurements and simulations illustrating the complex interaction between atmospheric and surface properties in determining the spectrum of skylight polarization from the visible to near-infrared (1 μm).1 Those results showed that skylight polarization can trend upward or downward, or even have unusual spectral discontinuities that arise because of sharp features in the underlying surface reflectance. The specific spectrum observed in a given case depended strongly on atmospheric and surface properties that varied with wavelength. In the previous study, the model was fed with actual measurements of highly variable aerosol and surface properties from locations around the world. Results, however, were limited to wavelengths below 1 μm from a lack in available satellite surface reflectance data at longer wavelengths. We now report measurement-driven simulations of skylight polarization from 350 nm to 2500 nm in the short-wave infrared (SWIR) using hand-held spectrometer measurements of spectral surface reflectance. The SWIR degree of linear polarization was found to be highly dependent on the aerosol size distribution and on the resulting relationship between the aerosol and Rayleigh optical depths. Unique polarization features in the modeled results were attributed to the surface reflectance and the skylight DoLP generally decreased as surface reflectance increased.

Discovery of (10 R )-7-Amino-12-fluoro-2,10,16-trimethyl-15-oxo-10,15,16,17-tetrahydro- 2H -8,4-(metheno)pyrazolo[4,3- h ][2,5,11]-benzoxadiazacyclotetradecine-3-carbonitrile (PF-06463922), a Macrocyclic Inhibitor of Anaplastic Lymphoma Kinase (ALK) and c-ros Oncogene 1 (ROS1) with Preclinical Brain Exposure and Broad-Spectrum Potency against ALK-Resistant Mutations

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

Johnson, Ted W.; Richardson, Paul F.; Bailey, Simon

2014-06-12

Although crizotinib demonstrates robust efficacy in anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)-positive non-small-cell lung carcinoma patients, progression during treatment eventually develops. Resistant patient samples revealed a variety of point mutations in the kinase domain of ALK, including the L1196M gatekeeper mutation. In addition, some patients progress due to cancer metastasis in the brain. Using structure-based drug design, lipophilic efficiency, and physical-property-based optimization, highly potent macrocyclic ALK inhibitors were prepared with good absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion (ADME), low propensity for p-glycoprotein 1-mediated efflux, and good passive permeability. These structurally unusual macrocyclic inhibitors were potent against wild-type ALK and clinically reported ALK kinasemore » domain mutations. Significant synthetic challenges were overcome, utilizing novel transformations to enable the use of these macrocycles in drug discovery paradigms. This work led to the discovery of 8k (PF-06463922), combining broad-spectrum potency, central nervous system ADME, and a high degree of kinase selectivity.« less

Solution structure of a highly stable DNA duplex conjugated to a minor groove binder.

PubMed Central

Kumar, S; Reed, M W; Gamper, H B; Gorn, V V; Lukhtanov, E A; Foti, M; West, J; Meyer, R B; Schweitzer, B I

1998-01-01

The tripeptide 1,2-dihydro-(3 H )-pyrrolo[3,2- e ]indole-7-carboxylate (CDPI3) binds to the minor groove of DNA with high affinity. When this minor groove binder is conjugated to the 5'-end of short oligonucleotides the conjugates form unusually stable hybrids with complementary DNA and thus may have useful diagnostic and/or therapeutic applications. In order to gain an understanding of the structural interactions between the CDPI3minor groove binding moiety and the DNA, we have determined and compared the solution structure of a duplex consisting of oligodeoxyribonucleotide 5'-TGATTATCTG-3' conjugated at the 5'-end to CDPI3 and its complementary strand to an unmodified control duplex of the same sequence using nuclear magnetic resonance techniques. Thermal denaturation studies indicated that the hybrid of this conjugate with its complementary strand had a melting temperature that was 30 degrees C higher compared with the unmodified control duplex. Following restrained molecular dynamics and relaxation matrix refinement, the solution structure of the CDPI3-conjugated DNA duplex demonstrated that the overall shape of the duplex was that of a straight B-type helix and that the CDPI3moiety was bound snugly in the minor groove, where it was stabilized by extensive van der Waal's interactions. PMID:9443977

Solution structure of a highly stable DNA duplex conjugated to a minor groove binder.

PubMed

Kumar, S; Reed, M W; Gamper, H B; Gorn, V V; Lukhtanov, E A; Foti, M; West, J; Meyer, R B; Schweitzer, B I

1998-02-01

The tripeptide 1,2-dihydro-(3 H )-pyrrolo[3,2- e ]indole-7-carboxylate (CDPI3) binds to the minor groove of DNA with high affinity. When this minor groove binder is conjugated to the 5'-end of short oligonucleotides the conjugates form unusually stable hybrids with complementary DNA and thus may have useful diagnostic and/or therapeutic applications. In order to gain an understanding of the structural interactions between the CDPI3minor groove binding moiety and the DNA, we have determined and compared the solution structure of a duplex consisting of oligodeoxyribonucleotide 5'-TGATTATCTG-3' conjugated at the 5'-end to CDPI3 and its complementary strand to an unmodified control duplex of the same sequence using nuclear magnetic resonance techniques. Thermal denaturation studies indicated that the hybrid of this conjugate with its complementary strand had a melting temperature that was 30 degrees C higher compared with the unmodified control duplex. Following restrained molecular dynamics and relaxation matrix refinement, the solution structure of the CDPI3-conjugated DNA duplex demonstrated that the overall shape of the duplex was that of a straight B-type helix and that the CDPI3moiety was bound snugly in the minor groove, where it was stabilized by extensive van der Waal's interactions.

Ionization of Xenon to the Nickel-Like Stage and Beyond in Micro-Capillary Plasma Columns Heated by Ultrafast Current Pulses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Avaria, G.; Grisham, M.; Li, J.; Tomasel, F. G.; Shlyapstsev, V. N.; Busquet, M.; Woolston, M.; Rocca, J. J.

Homogeneous plasma columns with ionization levels typical of MA discharges were created by rapidly heating gas-filled 520 µm diameter channels with ns rise-time current pulses of unusually low amplitude, 40 kA. These conditions allow the generation of high aspect ratio (eg. > 300:1) plasma columns with very high degrees of ionization (e.g. Ni-like Xenon) of interest for soft x-ray lasers below λ = 10 nm. Spectra and simulations of plasmas generated in 520 µm diameter alumina capillaries driven by 35-40 kA current pulses with 4 ns rise time were obtained for discharges in Xenon and Neon discharges. The first shows the presence of lines corresponding to ionization stages up to Fe-like Xe. The latter show that Al impurities from the walls are ionized to the H-like and He-like stages. He-like Al spectra containing the resonance line significantly broaden by opacity, the intercombination line, and Li-like satellites are analyzed. For Xenon discharges, the spectral lines from the Ni-like transitions the 3d94d (3/2, 3/2)J = 0 to the 3d94p(5/2, 3/2)J = 1 and to 3d94p(3/2, 1/2)J = 1 are observed.

Silencing and heterologous expression of ppo-2 indicate a specific function of a single polyphenol oxidase isoform in resistance of dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) against Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato.

PubMed

Richter, Carolin; Dirks, Mareike E; Gronover, Christian Schulze; Prüfer, Dirk; Moerschbacher, Bruno M

2012-02-01

Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) possesses an unusually high degree of disease resistance. As this plant exhibits high polyphenol oxidase (PPO) activity and PPO have been implicated in resistance against pests and pathogens, we analyzed the potential involvement of five PPO isoenzymes in the resistance of dandelion against Botrytis cinerea and Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato. Only one PPO (ppo-2) was induced during infection, and ppo-2 promoter and β-glucuronidase marker gene fusions revealed strong induction of the gene surrounding lesions induced by B. cinerea. Specific RNAi silencing reduced ppo-2 expression only, and concomitantly increased plant susceptibility to P. syringae pv. tomato. At 4 days postinoculation, P. syringae pv. tomato populations were strongly increased in the ppo-2 RNAi lines compared with wild-type plants. When the dandelion ppo-2 gene was expressed in Arabidopsis thaliana, a plant having no PPO gene, active protein was formed and protein extracts of the transgenic plants exhibited substrate-dependent antimicrobial activity against P. syringae pv. tomato. These results clearly indicate a strong contribution of a specific, single PPO isoform to disease resistance. Therefore, we propose that specific PPO isoenzymes be included in a new family of pathogenesis-related (PR) proteins.

Chemical composition of HAL, an isotopically-unusual Allende inclusion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Davis, A. M.; Tanaka, T.; Grossman, L.; Lee, T.; Wasserburg, G. J.

1982-09-01

Samples of hibonite, black rim, and portions of friable rim from an unusual Allende inclusion, named HAL, were analyzed by INAA and RNAA for 37 major, minor, and trace elements. An unusually low amount of Ce was found in HAL, although it otherwise was highly enriched in REE compared to C1 chondrites. HAL is also depleted in Sr, Ba, U, V, Ru, Os, and Ir relative to other refractory elements. It is concluded that the distribution of REE between hibonite and rims was established when hibonite and other refractory minerals were removed at slightly different temperatures from a hot, oxidizing gas in which they previously coexisted as separate grains. Possible locations for the chemical and mass dependent isotopic fractionation are considered to be in ejecta from the low temperature helium-burning zone of a supernova and in the locally oxidizing environment generated by evaporation of interstellar grains of near-chondritic chemical composition.

Chemical composition of HAL, an isotopically-unusual Allende inclusion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Davis, A. M.; Tanaka, T.; Grossman, L.; Lee, T.; Wasserburg, G. J.

1982-01-01

Samples of hibonite, black rim, and portions of friable rim from an unusual Allende inclusion, named HAL, were analyzed by INAA and RNAA for 37 major, minor, and trace elements. An unusually low amount of Ce was found in HAL, although it otherwise was highly enriched in REE compared to C1 chondrites. HAL is also depleted in Sr, Ba, U, V, Ru, Os, and Ir relative to other refractory elements. It is concluded that the distribution of REE between hibonite and rims was established when hibonite and other refractory minerals were removed at slightly different temperatures from a hot, oxidizing gas in which they previously coexisted as separate grains. Possible locations for the chemical and mass dependent isotopic fractionation are considered to be in ejecta from the low temperature helium-burning zone of a supernova and in the locally oxidizing environment generated by evaporation of interstellar grains of near-chondritic chemical composition.

What is really extraordinary in cuprate superconductors?

DOE PAGES

Bozovic, I.; Wu, J.; He, X.; ...

2018-03-07

Over the course of three decades of intense study, apart from the exceptionally high critical temperature, many unusual properties of cuprates have been discovered, notably including resistivity linear in temperature, electronic Raman continuum and optical absorption extending throughout the infrared region, pseudogap, hour-glass spin excitation spectrum, etc. However, each of these features have been also observed in other materials, including some that are not even superconducting at all. Here, we describe an extensive experiment in which over 2,000 films of the La 2-xSr xCuO 4 have been synthesized and studied in detail over the course of the last twelve years.more » We argue here that, uniquely, in the cuprates an unusual superconducting state, that defies the standard BCS description, develops from an unusual metallic state, in which the rotational symmetry of the electron fluid is spontaneously broken.« less

Synthetic Vision System Commercial Aircraft Flight Deck Display Technologies for Unusual Attitude Recovery

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Prinzel, Lawrence J., III; Ellis, Kyle E.; Arthur, Jarvis J.; Nicholas, Stephanie N.; Kiggins, Daniel

2017-01-01

A Commercial Aviation Safety Team (CAST) study of 18 worldwide loss-of-control accidents and incidents determined that the lack of external visual references was associated with a flight crew's loss of attitude awareness or energy state awareness in 17 of these events. Therefore, CAST recommended development and implementation of virtual day-Visual Meteorological Condition (VMC) display systems, such as synthetic vision systems, which can promote flight crew attitude awareness similar to a day-VMC environment. This paper describes the results of a high-fidelity, large transport aircraft simulation experiment that evaluated virtual day-VMC displays and a "background attitude indicator" concept as an aid to pilots in recovery from unusual attitudes. Twelve commercial airline pilots performed multiple unusual attitude recoveries and both quantitative and qualitative dependent measures were collected. Experimental results and future research directions under this CAST initiative and the NASA "Technologies for Airplane State Awareness" research project are described.

Unusually large Stokes shift for a near-infrared emitting DNA-stabilized silver nanocluster

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ammitzbøll Bogh, Sidsel; Carro-Temboury, Miguel R.; Cerretani, Cecilia; Swasey, Steven M.; Copp, Stacy M.; Gwinn, Elisabeth G.; Vosch, Tom

2018-04-01

In this paper we present a new near-IR emitting silver nanocluster (NIR-DNA-AgNC) with an unusually large Stokes shift between absorption and emission maximum (211 nm or 5600 cm-1). We studied the effect of viscosity and temperature on the steady state and time-resolved emission. The time-resolved results on NIR-DNA-AgNC show that the relaxation dynamics slow down significantly with increasing viscosity of the solvent. In high viscosity solution, the spectral relaxation stretches well into the nanosecond scale. As a result of this slow spectral relaxation in high viscosity solutions, a multi-exponential fluorescence decay time behavior is observed, in contrast to the more mono-exponential decay in low viscosity solution.

A Rare Dispersion of Low-Salinity, High-Gelbstoff, High-Primary Production Water in the East China Sea During the Summer of 2010: Possible Influence of the ENSO

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Siswanto, Eko; Xu, Yongjiu; Ishizaka, Joji

2018-04-01

We applied ocean color algorithms and a primary production model to a 13-year ocean color data set to assess interannual variations of Changjiang-influenced water (CIW) dispersion, with an emphasis on the unusual CIW dispersion during July 2010. The characteristics of the CIW offshore dispersion were primarily driven by alongshore winds and secondarily by the Changjiang discharge, the interannual variations of which were linked to the El Niño/La Niña. The unusual southeastward dispersion of CIW in July 2010 was attributed to a relatively weak southwesterly wind (with southwesterly wind anomalies) and high Changjiang discharge (after the El Niño peak in winter). In July 2010, the CIW, which is characterized by low-salinity, high-gelbstoff, and high-primary production, intruded into the Kuroshio Current axis to form a rare band of CIW that flowed toward an area south of Japan. The southeastward dispersion of CIW in July 2003 was also unusual, but it did not extend as far as in July 2010, perhaps because of the relatively strong southwesterly winds and low Changjiang discharge in July 2003. During La Niña events, the dispersion of CIW retreated toward the coast due to prevailing northeasterly wind anomalies. We confirmed that the CIW in July 2010 was characterized by low-salinity, abundant phytoplankton biomass, and high biological production. The fact that high biological production and the peak of Changjiang discharge occurred in the same month (July) in 2010 indicated that biogeochemical production stimulated by nutrients from the Changjiang was higher than during normal summer conditions.

High-rate nano-crystalline Li 4Ti 5O 12 attached on carbon nano-fibers for hybrid supercapacitors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Naoi, Katsuhiko; Ishimoto, Shuichi; Isobe, Yusaku; Aoyagi, Shintaro

A lithium titanate (Li 4Ti 5O 12)-based electrode which can operate at unusually high current density (300 C) was developed as negative electrode for hybrid capacitors. The high-rate Li 4Ti 5O 12 electrode has a unique nano-structure consisting of unusually small nano-crystalline Li 4Ti 5O 12 (ca. 5-20 nm) grafted onto carbon nano-fiber anchors (nc-Li 4Ti 5O 12/CNF). This nano-structured nc-Li 4Ti 5O 12/CNF composite are prepared by simple sol-gel method under ultra-centrifugal force (65,000 N) followed by instantaneous annealing at 900 °C for 3 min. A model hybrid capacitor cell consisting of a negative nc-Li 4Ti 5O 12/CNF composite electrode and a positive activated carbon electrode showed high energy density of 40 Wh L -1 and high power density of 7.5 kW L -1 comparable to conventional EDLCs.

Brief followup report: Does high-flexion total knee arthroplasty allow deep flexion safely in Asian patients?

PubMed

Han, Hyuk-Soo; Kang, Seung-Baik

2013-05-01

The long-term survivorship of TKA in Asian countries is comparable to that in Western countries. High-flexion TKA designs were introduced to improve flexion after TKA. However, several studies suggest high-flexion designs are at greater risk of femoral component loosening compared with conventional TKA designs. We previously reported a revision rate of 21% at 11 to 45 months; this report is intended as a followup to that study. Do implant survival and function decrease with time and do high-flexion activities increase the risk of premature failure? We prospectively followed 72 Nexgen LPS-flex fixed TKAs in 47 patients implanted by a single surgeon between March 2003 and September 2004. We determined the probability of survival using revision as an end point and compared survival between those who could and those who could not perform high-flexion activities. Minimum followup was 0.9 years (median, 6.5 years; range, 0.9-8.6 years). Twenty-five patients (33 knees) underwent revision for aseptic loosening of the femoral component at a mean of 4 years (range, 1-8 years). The probability of revision-free survival for aseptic loosening was 67% and 52% at 5 and 8 years, respectively. Eight-year cumulative survivorship was lower in patients capable of squatting, kneeling, or sitting crosslegged (31% compared with 78%). There were no differences in the pre- and postoperative mean Hospital for Special Surgery scores and maximum knee flexion degrees whether or not high-flexion activities could be achieved. Overall midterm high-flexion TKA survival in our Asian cohort was lower than that of conventional and other high-flexion designs. This unusually high rate of femoral component loosening was associated with postoperative high-flexion activities.

N44C nebula

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1999-01-01

Resembling the hair in Botticelli's famous portrait of the birth of Venus, an image from NASA's Hubble Space Telescope has captured softly glowing filaments streaming from hot young stars in a nearby nebula.

The image, presented by the Hubble Heritage Project, was taken in 1996 by Hubble's Wide Field and Planetary Camera 2, designed and built by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. The image is available online at

http://heritage.stsci.edu , http://oposite.stsci.edu/pubinfo/pr/2002/12 orhttp://www.jpl.nasa.gov/images/wfpc .

On the top right of the image is a source of its artistic likeness, a network of nebulous filaments surrounding the Wolf-Rayet star. This type of rare star is characterized by an exceptionally vigorous 'wind' of charged particles. The shock of the wind colliding with the surrounding gas causes the gas to glow.

The Wolf-Rayet star is part of N44C, a nebula of glowing hydrogen gas surrounding young stars in the Large Magellanic Cloud. Visible from the Southern Hemisphere, the Large Magellanic Cloud is a small companion galaxy to the Milky Way.

What makes N44C peculiar is the temperature of the star that illuminates it. The most massive stars -- those that are 10 to 50 times more massive than the Sun -- have maximum temperatures of 30,000 to 50,000 degrees Celsius (54,000 to 90,000 degrees Fahrenheit). The temperature of this star is about 75,000 degrees Celsius (135,000 degrees Fahrenheit). This unusually high temperature may be due to a neutron star or black hole that occasionally produces X-rays but is now inactive.

N44C is part of a larger complex that includes young, hot, massive stars, nebulae, and a 'superbubble' blown out by multiple supernova explosions. Part of the superbubble is seen in red at the very bottom left of the Hubble image.

The Space Telescope Science Institute is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, Inc., for NASA, under contract with the Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD. The Hubble Space Telescope is a project of international cooperation between NASA and the European Space Agency.

Multi-century cool- and warm-season rainfall reconstructions for Australia's major climatic regions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Freund, Mandy; Henley, Benjamin J.; Karoly, David J.; Allen, Kathryn J.; Baker, Patrick J.

2017-11-01

Australian seasonal rainfall is strongly affected by large-scale ocean-atmosphere climate influences. In this study, we exploit the links between these precipitation influences, regional rainfall variations, and palaeoclimate proxies in the region to reconstruct Australian regional rainfall between four and eight centuries into the past. We use an extensive network of palaeoclimate records from the Southern Hemisphere to reconstruct cool (April-September) and warm (October-March) season rainfall in eight natural resource management (NRM) regions spanning the Australian continent. Our bi-seasonal rainfall reconstruction aligns well with independent early documentary sources and existing reconstructions. Critically, this reconstruction allows us, for the first time, to place recent observations at a bi-seasonal temporal resolution into a pre-instrumental context, across the entire continent of Australia. We find that recent 30- and 50-year trends towards wetter conditions in tropical northern Australia are highly unusual in the multi-century context of our reconstruction. Recent cool-season drying trends in parts of southern Australia are very unusual, although not unprecedented, across the multi-century context. We also use our reconstruction to investigate the spatial and temporal extent of historical drought events. Our reconstruction reveals that the spatial extent and duration of the Millennium Drought (1997-2009) appears either very much below average or unprecedented in southern Australia over at least the last 400 years. Our reconstruction identifies a number of severe droughts over the past several centuries that vary widely in their spatial footprint, highlighting the high degree of diversity in historical droughts across the Australian continent. We document distinct characteristics of major droughts in terms of their spatial extent, duration, intensity, and seasonality. Compared to the three largest droughts in the instrumental period (Federation Drought, 1895-1903; World War II Drought, 1939-1945; and the Millennium Drought, 1997-2005), we find that the historically documented Settlement Drought (1790-1793), Sturt's Drought (1809-1830) and the Goyder Line Drought (1861-1866) actually had more regionalised patterns and reduced spatial extents. This seasonal rainfall reconstruction provides a new opportunity to understand Australian rainfall variability by contextualising severe droughts and recent trends in Australia.

Correlation of Resonance Charge Exchange Cross-Section Data in the Low-Energy Range

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sheldon, John W.

1962-01-01

During the course of a literature survey concerning resonance charge exchange, an unusual degree of agreement was noted between an extrapolation of the data reported by Kushnir, Palyukh, and Sena and the data reported by Ziegler. The data of Kushnir et al. are for ion-atom relative energies from 10 to 1000 ev, while the data of Ziegler are for a relative energy of about 1 ev. Extrapolation of the data of Kushnir et al. was made in accordance with Holstein's theory, 3 which is a combination of time-dependent perturbation methods and classical orbit theory. The results of this theory may be discussed in terms of a critical impact parameter b(sub c).

Experiments on tandem diffusers with boundary-layer suction applied in between

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barna, P. S.

1979-01-01

Experiments were performed on conical diffusers of various configurations with the same, but rather unusually large, 16:1 area ratio. Because available performance data on diffusers fall short of very large area ratio configurations, an unconventional design, consisting of two diffusers following each other in tandem, was proposed. Both diffusers had the same area ratio of 4:1, but had different taper angles. While for the first diffuser (called leading) the angle remained constant, for the second (called follower), the taper angle was stepped up to higher values. Boundary layer control, by way of suction, was applied between the diffusers, and a single slot suction ring was inserted between them. The leading diffuser had an enclosed nominal divergence angle 2 theta = 5 degrees, while the follower diffusers had either 10, 20, 30, or 40 degrees, respectively, giving 4 combinations. The experiments were performed at four different Reynolds numbers with various suction rates. The rates indicate a general improvement in the performance of all diffusers with boundary layer suction. It appears that the improvement of the pressure recovery depends on both the Reynolds number and the suction rate, and the largest increase, 0.075, was found at the lowest R sub e when the follower divergence was 2 theta = 40 degrees.

UNUSUAL TRENDS IN SOLAR P-MODE FREQUENCIES DURING THE CURRENT EXTENDED MINIMUM

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

Tripathy, S. C.; Jain, K.; Hill, F.

2010-03-10

We investigate the behavior of the intermediate-degree mode frequencies of the Sun during the current extended minimum phase to explore the time-varying conditions in the solar interior. Using contemporaneous helioseismic data from the Global Oscillation Network Group (GONG) and the Michelson Doppler Imager (MDI), we find that the changes in resonant mode frequencies during the activity minimum period are significantly greater than the changes in solar activity as measured by different proxies. We detect a seismic minimum in MDI p-mode frequency shifts during 2008 July-August but no such signature is seen in mean shifts computed from GONG frequencies. We alsomore » analyze the frequencies of individual oscillation modes from GONG data as a function of latitude and observe a signature of the onset of the solar cycle 24 in early 2009. Thus, the intermediate-degree modes do not confirm the onset of the cycle 24 during late 2007 as reported from the analysis of the low-degree Global Oscillations at Low Frequency frequencies. Further, both the GONG and MDI frequencies show a surprising anti-correlation between frequencies and activity proxies during the current minimum, in contrast to the behavior during the minimum between cycles 22 and 23.« less

The Dynamics of Rapidly Emplaced Terrestrial Lava Flows and Implications for Planetary Volcanism

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Baloga, Stephen; Spudis, Paul D.; Guest, John E.

1995-01-01

The Kaupulehu 1800-1801 lava flow of Hualalai volcano and the 1823 Keaiwa flow from the Great Crack of the Kilauea southwest rift zone had certain unusual and possibly unique properties for terrestrial basaltic lava flows. Both flows apparently had very low viscosities, high effusion rates, and uncommonly rapid rates of advance. Ultramafic xenolith nodules in the 1801 flow form stacks of cobbles with lava rinds of only millimeter thicknesses. The velocity of the lava stream in the 1801 flow was extremely high, at least 10 m/s (more than 40 km/h). Observations and geological evidence suggest similarly high velocities for the 1823 flow. The unusual eruption conditions that produced these lava flows suggest a floodlike mode of emplacement unlike that of most other present-day flows. Although considerable effort has gone into understanding the viscous fluid dynamics and thermal processes that often occur in basaltic flows, the unusual conditions prevalent for the Kaupulehu and Keaiwa flows necessitate different modeling considerations. We propose an elementary flood model for this type of lava emplacement and show that it produces consistent agreement with the overall dimensions of the flow, channel sizes, and other supporting field evidence. The reconstructed dynamics of these rapidly emplaced terrestrial lava flows provide significant insights about the nature of these eruptions and their analogs in planetary volcanism.

Improved high-intensity microwave discharge lamp for atomic resonance absorption and fluorescence spectrometry.

PubMed

Lifshitz, A; Skinner, G B; Wood, D R

1978-09-01

An unusually good combination of high intensity and narrow line has been achieved in a microwave discharge lamp by placing the optical window in the center of the microwave cavity. Construction details and performance characteristics are described.

Hypothyroidism and acute kidney injury: an unusual association.

PubMed

Neves, Precil Diego Miranda de Menezes; Bridi, Ramaiane Aparecida; Balbi, André Luis; Ponce, Daniela

2013-08-09

Association between severe hypothyroidism and acute kidney injury (AKI) is rare. A 40-year-old woman presented with 15 days history of generalised muscle pain, weakness, weight gain and oedema. hypertension and hypothyroidism. dry skin, peripheral/periorbital oedema, slow thought and speaking, thyroid increased. Laboratory examinations: high levels of creatine kinase , creatinine, uric acid and lactate dehydrogenase. Free T4 was very low (<0.3 ng/dL) and thyroid-stimulating hormone was high (21.7 µIU/mL). Urinalysis showed haem pigment without haematuria. We performed the diagnosis of AKI secondary to hypothyroidism-induced rhabdomyolysis. Intravenous fluids were started, urinary alkalisation and increased l-thyroxine dose replacement. On the day after admission, forced diuresis with furosemide was introduced leading to a progressive improvement of symptoms. Although hypothyroidism and AKI is unusual, it should be suspected in patients presenting decrease of renal function and high creatine kinase in the absence of other causes of rhabdomyolysis.

Acoustic Levitation Containerless Processing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Whymark, R. R.; Rey, C. A.

1985-01-01

This research program consists of the development of acoustic containerless processing systems with applications in the areas of research in material sciences, as well as the production of new materials, solid forms with novel and unusual microstructures, fusion target spheres, and improved optical fibers. Efforts have been focused on the containerless processing at high temperatures for producing new kinds of glasses. Also, some development has occurred in the areas of containerlessly supporting liquids at room temperature, with applications in studies of fluid dynamics, potential undercooling of liquids, etc. The high temperature area holds the greatest promise for producing new kinds of glasses and ceramics, new alloys, and possibly unusual structural shapes, such as very uniform hollow glass shells for fusion target applications. High temperature acoustic levitation required for containerless processing has been demonstrated in low-g environments as well as in ground-based experiments. Future activities include continued development of the signals axis acoustic levitator.

Can the fatty acid selectivity of plant lipases be predicted from the composition of the seed triglyceride?

PubMed

Hellyer, S A; Chandler, I C; Bosley, J A

1999-09-22

To address the question can the fatty acid selectivity of plant lipases be predicted from the composition of the seed triglyceride, we have characterised the selectivity of lipases from a wide range of oilseeds with diverse fatty acid compositions. For this study, a novel hydrolysis assay using a fully randomised oil, was developed. From some seed sources (e.g. Cinnamomum camphora), lipases show high preference for particular fatty acids, whilst from others (e.g. Brassica napus, Theobroma cacao80% saturated or 'unusual' fatty acids may contain lipases which exhibit selectivity. It therefore follows that since the majority of seeds are composed of unsaturated fatty acids, that highly selective lipases will be unusual in nature. However lipases from some species of the Cuphea genera show exceptionally high preference for particular fatty acids. For example, lipase from seeds of Cuphea procumbans has over 20-fold selectivity for C10:0.

Asymmetric mass acquisition in LaBi. Topological semimetal candidate

DOE PAGES

Wu, Yun; Kong, Tai; Wang, Lin-Lin; ...

2016-08-18

We use our high resolution He-lamp-based, tunable laser-based angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy measurements and density functional theory calculations to study the electronic properties of LaBi, a binary system that was proposed to be a member of a new family of topological semimetals. Both bulk and surface bands are present in the spectra. Furthermore, the dispersion of the surface state is highly unusual. It resembles a Dirac cone, but upon closer inspection we can clearly detect an energy gap. The bottom band follows roughly a parabolic dispersion. The dispersion of the top band remains very linear, “V” -shape like, with the tipmore » approaching very closely to the extrapolated location of Dirac point. Finally, such asymmetric mass acquisition is highly unusual and opens a possibility of a new topological phenomenon that has yet to be understood.« less

Exotic Light Nuclei

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cerny, Joseph; Poskanzer, Arthur M.

1978-01-01

Among the light elements, nuclei with unequal numbers of protons and neutrons are highly unstable. Some survive just long enough to be detected and exhibit unusual regimes of radioactive decay. ( Autor/MA)

Fine-needle aspiration cytology of postirradiation sarcomas, including angiosarcoma, with immunocytochemical confirmation

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

Silverman, J.F.; Lannin, D.L.; Larkin, E.W.

1989-01-01

Postirradiation sarcomas are an unusual but well-recognized late effect of cancer therapy. In this article, a fine-needle aspiration (FNA) series of four cases is presented. There were three female patients and one male patient, with an age range of 28-55 yr (mean, 41). Two of the patients were irradiated for uterine cervical carcinoma while the other two received irradiation for malignant lymphoma. The time interval to the development of the postirradiation sarcoma ranged from 10 to greater than 20 yr. There were a postirradiation synovial sarcoma of the buttock region, malignant fibrous histiocytoma of the bone (femur), and rhabdomyosarcoma andmore » angiosarcoma of the retroperitoneum. A spectrum of cytologic findings was encountered, reflecting the specific types of sarcomas. Immunocytochemical studies performed on the aspirated material from the angiosarcoma demonstrated the utility of immunoperoxidase stains for ULEX europaeus agglutinin-1 (UEA-1) and, to a lesser degree, factor VIII-related antigen antibody, confirming the vascular nature of this malignancy. The FNA findings from all four cases demonstrated cytologic features that allowed recognition of this unusual complication of irradiation treatment. This article confirms the utility of FNA cytology in following patients with previous malignancies and differentiating a postirradiation sarcoma from recurrent carcinoma.« less

Genetic variants of serum butyrylcholinesterase in Chilean Mapuche Indians.

PubMed

Acuña, M; Eaton, L; Ramírez, N R; Cifuentes, L; Llop, E

2003-05-01

We estimated the frequencies of serum butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) alleles in three tribes of Mapuche Indians from southern Chile, using enzymatic methods, and we estimated the frequency of allele BCHE*K in one tribe using primer reduced restriction analysis (PCR-PIRA). The three tribes have different degrees of European admixture, which is reflected in the observed frequencies of the atypical allele BCHE*A: 1.11% in Huilliches, 0.89% in Cuncos, and 0% in Pehuenches. This result is evidence in favor of the hypothesis that BCHE*A is absent in native Amerindians. The frequencies of BCHE*F were higher than in most reported studies (3.89%, 5.78%, and 4.41%, respectively). These results are probably due to an overestimation of the frequency of allele BCHE*F, since none of the 20 BCHE UF individuals (by the enzymatic test) individuals analyzed showed either of the two DNA base substitutions associated with this allele. Although enzymatic methods rarely detect the presence of allele BCHE*K, PCR-PIRA found the allele in an appreciable frequency (5.76%), although lower than that found in other ethnic groups. Since observed frequencies of unusual alleles correspond to estimated percentages of European admixture, it is likely that none of these unusual alleles were present in Mapuche Indians before the arrival of Europeans. Copyright 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Characterization of PM2.5 and identification of transported secondary and biomass burning contribution in Seoul, Korea.

PubMed

Kim, Yumi; Seo, Jihoon; Kim, Jin Young; Lee, Ji Yi; Kim, Hwajin; Kim, Bong Mann

2018-02-01

The chemical and seasonal characteristics of fine particulates in Seoul, Korea, were investigated based on 24-h integrated PM 2.5 measurements made over four 1-month periods in each season between October 2012 and September 2013. The four-season average concentration of PM 2.5 was 37 μg m -3 , and the major chemical components were secondary inorganic aerosol (SIA) species of sulfate, nitrate, and ammonium (49%), followed by organic matter (34%). The mass concentration and most of the chemical components of PM 2.5 showed clear seasonal variation, with a winter-high and summer-low pattern. The winter-to-summer sulfate ratio and the winter organic carbon (OC)-to-elemental carbon (EC) ratio were unusually high compared with those in previous studies. Strong correlations of both the sulfate level and the sulfur oxidation ratio with relative humidity, and between water-soluble OC (WSOC) and SIA in winter, suggest the importance of aqueous phase chemistry for secondary aerosols. A strong correlation between non-sea salt sulfate and Na + levels, a high Cl - /Na + ratio, and an unusual positive correlation between the nitrogen oxidation ratio and temperature during the winter indicate the influence of transported secondary emission sources from upwind urban areas and from China across the Yellow Sea. Despite the absence of local forest fires and the regulation of wood burning, a high levoglucosan concentration and its correlations with OC and WSOC indicate that Seoul was affected by biomass burning sources in the winter. The unusually high water-insoluble OC (WIOC)-to-EC ratio in winter implies additional transported combustion sources of WIOC. The strong correlation between WIOC and levoglucosan suggests the likely influence of transported biomass burning sources on the high WIOC/EC ratio during the winter.

A different type of 'glue ear': report of an unusual case of prominent ears.

PubMed

Purcell, Elizabeth M; O'Neill, Ann C; Regan, Padraic J

2003-09-01

Prominent ears is a condition that can cause extreme psychological distress in young people. This cosmetic deformity can be corrected by otoplasty, an outpatient surgical procedure that is associated with a high rate of patient satisfaction. We report the unusual case of a teenage boy who had repeatedly applied cyanoacrylate adhesive ("superglue") to his postauricular skin in an attempt to pin back his prominent ears. This case of "glue ear" was ultimately resolved by successful otoplasty, although the residual effects of the glue resulted in delayed healing of the surgical wound.

An unusual slowdown of fast diffusion in a room temperature

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

Chathoth,; Mamontov, Eugene; Fulvio, Pasquale F

2013-01-01

Using quasielastic neutron scattering in the temperature range from 290 to 350 K, we show that the diffusive motions in a room temperature ionic liquid [H2NC(dma)2][BETI] become faster for a fraction of cations when the liquid is confined in a mesoporous carbon. This applies to both the localized and long-range translational diffusive motions of the highly mobile cations, although the former exhibit an unusual trend of slowing-down as the temperature is increased, until the localized diffusivity is reduced to the bulk ionic liquid value at a temperature of 350 K.

Uniportal anatomic combined unusual segmentectomies.

PubMed

González-Rivas, Diego; Lirio, Francisco; Sesma, Julio

2017-01-01

Nowadays, sublobar anatomic resections are gaining momentum as a valid alternative for early stage lung cancer. Despite being technically demanding, anatomic segmentectomies can be performed by uniportal video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) approach to combine the benefits of minimally invasiveness with the maximum lung sparing. This procedure can be even more complex if a combined resection of multiple segments from different lobes has to be done. Here we report five cases of combined and unusual segmentectomies done by the same experienced surgeon in high volume institutions to show uniportal VATS is a feasible approach for these complex resections and to share an excellent educational resource.

Refractory inclusions in the Ornans C30 chondrite

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Davis, A. M.

1985-01-01

Several types of metedorites contain unusual objects 10 micrometers to 2 centimeters across that are enriched in refractory elements such as calcium, aluminum and titanium. These objects, commonly known as refractory inclusions, are most abundant in the meteorites known as carbonaceous chondrites. The refractory inclusions that have been found in the Ornans metedorite, a member of a little-studied group of carbonaceous chondrites are described. Some refractory inclusions in Ornans resemble those found in other meteorites, while others are unlike any seen before. The unusual inclusions in Ornans contain minerals with extraordinary enrichments in highly refractory elements.

Migrating foreign body in the tracheobronchial tree: an unusual case of firework penetrating neck injury.

PubMed

Khan, M Sarwar; Kirkland, P M; Kumar, R

2002-02-01

Firework injuries can manifest themselves in many different ways; usually as an explosive or burn injury. This case describes an unusual presentation of a firework penetrating injury resulting in a sharp coiled metal foreign body travelling through a small entry wound in the neck and subsequently lodging itself in the tracheobronchial tree. A foreign body such as this can potentially travel a considerable distance through the soft tissues and end up in an unsuspecting distant site. There must, therefore, be a high index of suspicion with the appropriate radiological investigations for appropriate management of such cases.

Unusually severe food poisoning from vanilla slices.

PubMed Central

Fenton, P. A.; Dobson, K. W.; Eyre, A.; McKendrick, M. W.

1984-01-01

Thirty six people suffered from severe vomiting and diarrhoea 15 min to 3 h after eating vanilla slices from the same bakery. Five patients were admitted to hospital, and one developed unusual skin lesions after admission. Staphylococcus aureus was isolated in large numbers from vanilla slices of the same batch as those giving rise to symptoms, and from five faecal specimens obtained from affected persons. Bacillus cereus and Bacillus subtilis were also isolated from the slices. Unbaked custard provides an ideal environment for bacterial multiplication, especially when (as on this occasion) the ambient temperature is persistently high. PMID:6438231

Disentangling contributions of bar attendance, drinking, and other factors to elevated acute alcohol problems on the U.S.-Mexico border.

PubMed

Mills, Britain A; Caetano, Raul; Vaeth, Patrice A C; Reingle Gonzalez, Jennifer M

2015-11-01

Levels of drinking are unusually elevated among young adults on the U.S.-Mexico border, and this elevation can be largely explained by young border residents' unusually high frequency of bar attendance. However, this explanation complicates interpretation of high alcohol problem rates that have also been observed in this group. Because bar environments can lower the threshold for many types of problems, the extent to which elevated alcohol problems among young border residents can be attributed to drinking per se-versus this common drinking context-is not clear. Data were collected from multistage cluster samples of adult Mexican Americans on and off the U.S.-Mexico border (current drinker N = 1,351). After developing structural models of acute alcohol problems, estimates were subjected to path decompositions to disentangle the common and distinct contributions of drinking and bar attendance to problem disparities on and off the border. Additionally, models were estimated under varying degrees of adjustment to gauge the sensitivity of the results to sociodemographic, social-cognitive, and environmental sources of confounding. Consistent with previous findings for both drinking and other problem measures, acute alcohol problems were particularly elevated among young adults on the border. This elevation was entirely explained by a single common pathway involving bar attendance frequency and drinking. Bar attendance did not predict acute alcohol problems independently of drinking, and its effect was not moderated by border proximity or age. The common indirect effect and its component effects (of border youth on bar attendance, of bar attendance on drinking, and of drinking on problems) were surprisingly robust to adjustment for confounding in all parts of the model (e.g., fully adjusted indirect effect: b = 0.11, SE = 0.04, p < 0.01). Bar attendance and associated increases in drinking play a key, unique role in the high levels of acute alcohol problems among the border's young adult population that cannot be entirely explained by sociodemographic or social-cognitive characteristics of young border residents, by contextual effects of bars on problems, or by broader neighborhood factors. Bar attendance in particular may represent an early modifiable risk factor that can be targeted to reduce alcohol problem disparities in the region. Copyright © 2015 by the Research Society on Alcoholism.

The Master's program in Advanced Optical Technologies: an interdisciplinary, international and individual approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Großmann, Jürgen; Schmauss, Bernhard

2017-08-01

The Master's Program in Advanced Optical Technologies (MAOT) was established at the Friedrich-Alexander Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg in 2007 as part of the Elite Network of Bavaria (ENB), an initiative by the Bavarian State Government comprising about 40 elite Master's programs and doctoral programs. MAOT can be studied after a Bachelor in physics or an engineering subject. The Master's program realizes an innovative concept combining three core elements: (1) Interdisciplinarity: The program integrates courses and researchers from five engineering subjects and from physics. The degree of interdisciplinarity goes far beyond traditional programs. (2) Internationality: The program is taught entirely in English and special support is given to international students. (3). Individuality: The course curriculum was adapted at several points based on the experience in the initial years. The same is true for the way in which international students are supported and the type of support they need. The students are given an unusually high degree of freedom to develop an individual curriculum and to pursue research projects. Crucial experience and lessons learned are: (1) Lecturers and researchers have to be coordinated and the perspectives of the different disciplines have to be integrated within one program. Students must be guided in order to deal with the demands and challenges of the different disciplines. (2) International students need support with settling in Germany and with learning and working in a German cultural environment. They need support with administrative issues. Furthermore, they need to analyze and understand cultural differences and how they impact on the cooperation between lecturers and students and on the work in research groups. (3) Students must be helped to develop their own curriculum. They must learn how to combine their first-degree qualification with the specialized qualification which they gain after completing their Master's program. They need to develop the skills to match their preferences with what is realistic and feasible.

Space Radiation Effects and Reliability Consideration for the Proposed Jupiter Europa Orbiter

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnston, Allan

2011-01-01

The proposed Jupiter Europa Orbiter (JEO) mission to explore the Jovian moon Europa poses a number of challenges. The spacecraft must operate for about seven years during the transit time to the vicinity of Jupiter, and then endure unusually high radiation levels during exploration and orbiting phases. The ability to withstand usually high total dose levels is critical for the mission, along with meeting the high reliability standards for flagship NASA missions. Reliability of new microelectronic components must be sufficiently understood to meet overall mission requirements.The proposed Jupiter Europa Orbiter (JEO) mission to explore the Jovian moon Europa poses a number of challenges. The spacecraft must operate for about seven years during the transit time to the vicinity of Jupiter, and then endure unusually high radiation levels during exploration and orbiting phases. The ability to withstand usually high total dose levels is critical for the mission, along with meeting the high reliability standards for flagship NASA missions. Reliability of new microelectronic components must be sufficiently understood to meet overall mission requirements.

Structures of class A macrophage scavenger receptors. Electron microscopic study of flexible, multidomain, fibrous proteins and determination of the disulfide bond pattern of the scavenger receptor cysteine-rich domain.

PubMed

Resnick, D; Chatterton, J E; Schwartz, K; Slayter, H; Krieger, M

1996-10-25

Structures of secreted forms of the human type I and II class A macrophage scavenger receptors were studied using biochemical and biophysical methods. Proteolytic analysis was used to determine the intramolecular disulfide bonds in the type I-specific scavenger receptor cysteine-rich (SRCR) domain: Cys2-Cys7, Cys3-Cys8, and Cys5-Cys6. This pattern is likely to be shared by the highly homologous domains in the many other members of the SRCR domain superfamily. Electron microscopy using rotary shadowing and negative staining showed that the type I and II receptors are extended molecules whose contour lengths are approximately 440 A. They comprised two adjacent fibrous segments, an alpha-helical coiled-coil ( approximately 230 A, including a contribution from the N-terminal spacer domain) and a collagenous triple helix ( approximately 210 A). The type I molecules also contained a C-terminal globular structure ( approximately 58 x 76 A) composed of three SRCR domains. The fibrous domains were joined by an extremely flexible hinge. The angle between these domains varied from 0 to 180 degrees and depended on the conditions of sample preparation. Unexpectedly, at physiologic pH, the prevalent angle seen using rotary shadowing was 0 degrees , resulting in a structure that is significantly more compact than previously suggested. The apparent juxtaposition of the fibrous domains at neutral pH provides a framework for future structure-function studies of these unusual multiligand receptors.

Orbital frustration induced unusual ordering in semiconductor alloys

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Kai; Yin, Wanjian; Chen, Shiyou; Gong, Xingao; Wei, Suhuai; Xiang, Hongjun

It is well known that ternary zinc-blende semiconductors are always more stable in the chalcopyrite (CH) structure than the Cu-Au (CA) structure because CH structure has large Coulomb interaction and reduced strain energy. Surprisingly, an experimental study showed that ZnFeSe2 alloy takes the CA order as the ground state structure, which is consistent with our density function theory (DFT) calculations showing that the CA order has lower energy than the CH order for ZnFeSe2. We reveal that the orbital degree of freedom of high-spin Fe2+ ion (d6) in the tetrahedral crystal field plays a key role in stabilizing the CA order. First, the spin-minority d electron of the Fe2+ ion tends to occupy the dx2-y 2 -like orbital instead of the d3z2 -r2 -like orbital because of its large negative Coulomb energy. Second, for a nearest-neighboring Fe2+ pair, two spin-minority d electrons with occupied dx2-y 2 -like orbitals in the plane containing the Fe-Fe bond has lower electronic kinetic energy. Both conditions can be satisfied in the CA ordered ZnFeSe2 alloy, while there is an orbital frustration in the CH structure. Our results suggest that orbital degree of freedom provides a new way to manipulate the structure and properties of alloys. Work at Fudan was supported by NSFC (11374056), the Special Funds for Major State Basic Research (2012CB921400, 2015CB921700), Program for Professor of Special Appointment (Eastern Scholar), and Fok Ying Tung Education Foundation.

Temperature regulation and metabolism of an Australian bat, Chalinolobus gouldii (Chiroptera:Vespertilionidae) when euthermic and torpid.

PubMed

Hosken, D J; Withers, P C

1997-01-01

The thermal and metabolic physiology of Chalinolobus gouldii, an Australian vespertilionid bat, was studied in the laboratory using flow-through respirometry. Chalinolobus gouldii exhibits a clear pattern of euthermic thermoregulation, typical of endotherms with respect to body temperature and rate of oxygen consumption. The basal metabolic rate of euthermic Chalinolobus gouldii is approximately 86% of that predicted for a 17.5-g mammal and falls into the range of mass-specific basal metabolic rates ascribed to vespertilionid bats. However, like most vespertilionid bats, Chalinolobus gouldii displays extreme thermolability. It is able to enter into torpor and spontaneously arouse at ambient temperatures as low as 5 degrees C. Torpid bats thermoconform at moderate ambient temperature, with body temperature approximately ambient temperature, and have a low rate of oxygen consumption determined primarily by Q10 effects. At low ambient temperature (< 10 degrees C), torpid C. gouldii begin to regulate their body temperature by increased metabolic heat production; they tend to maintain a higher body temperature at low ambient temperature than do many northern hemisphere hibernating bats. Use of torpor leads to significant energy savings. The evaporative water loss of euthermic bats is relatively high, which seems unusual for a bat whose range includes extremely arid areas of Australia, and is reduced during torpor. The thermal conductance of euthermic C. gouldii is less than that predicted for a mammal of its size. The thermal conductance is considerably lower for torpid bats at intermediate body temperature and ambient temperature, but increases to euthermic values for torpid bats when thermoregulating at low ambient temperature.

Doppler line profiles measurement of the Jovian Lyman Alpha emission with OAO-C

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barker, E. S.; Cochran, W. D.; Smith, H. J.

1982-01-01

Observation of Jupiter made with the high resolution ultraviolet spectrometer of the Orbiting Astronomical Observatory copernicus in April and May, 1980, yield a Jovian Lyman alpha emission intensity of 7 + or 2.5 RR. This indicates a decrease by about a factor of two since the Voyager ultraviolet spectrometer measurements, nearly a year earlier. An unusually high column abundance of hydrogen atoms above the methane homopause at the Voyager epoch is indicated. Since the auroral charged particle bombardment of molecular hydrogen is expected to contribute significantly to the global population of the hydrogen atoms, it is suggested that at the time of the Voyager Jupiter encounter unusually high auroral activity existed, perhaps d to the high concentration of the Io plasma torus. The temporal variation of the Saturn lyman alpha emission, when contrasted with the Jovian data, reveals that the auroral processes are not nearly as important in determining the Saturn Lyman alpha intensity in the nonauroral region.

The biosynthesis of nitrogen-, sulfur-, and high-carbon chain-containing sugars.

PubMed

Lin, Chia-I; McCarty, Reid M; Liu, Hung-wen

2013-05-21

Carbohydrates serve many structural and functional roles in biology. While the majority of monosaccharides are characterized by the chemical composition (CH2O)n, modifications including deoxygenation, C-alkylation, amination, O- and N-methylation, which are characteristic of many sugar appendages of secondary metabolites, are not uncommon. Interestingly, some sugar molecules are formed via modifications including amine oxidation, sulfur incorporation, and "high-carbon" chain attachment. Most of these unusual sugars have been identified over the past several decades as components of microbially produced natural products, although a few high-carbon sugars are also found in the lipooligosaccharides of the outer cell walls of Gram-negative bacteria. Despite their broad distribution in nature, these sugars are considered "rare" due to their relative scarcity. The biosynthetic steps that underlie their formation continue to perplex researchers to this day and many questions regarding key transformations remain unanswered. This review will focus on our current understanding of the biosynthesis of unusual sugars bearing oxidized amine substituents, thio-functional groups, and high-carbon chains.

5 CFR 337.206 - Terminations, modifications, extensions, and reporting.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... advertised under the direct-hire authority, the number of qualified applicants, the specific qualification... assessment of the effectiveness of the authority in attracting employees with unusually high qualifications...

Lyme Disease Tests

MedlinePlus

... by the laboratory that performed your test to evaluate whether your results are "within normal limits." For ... causing Lyme borreliosis with unusually high spirochaetaemia: a descriptive study. The Lancet Infectious Diseases . Available online at ...

High PRF high current switch

DOEpatents

Moran, Stuart L.; Hutcherson, R. Kenneth

1990-03-27

A triggerable, high voltage, high current, spark gap switch for use in pu power systems. The device comprises a pair of electrodes in a high pressure hydrogen environment that is triggered by introducing an arc between one electrode and a trigger pin. Unusually high repetition rates may be obtained by undervolting the switch, i.e., operating the trigger at voltages much below the self-breakdown voltage of the device.

48 CFR 1332.114 - Unusual contract financing.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 5 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Unusual contract financing... CONTRACTING REQUIREMENTS CONTRACT FINANCING Non-Commercial Item Purchase Financing 1332.114 Unusual contract financing. The designee authorized to approve unusual contract financing arrangements is set forth in CAM...

48 CFR 32.114 - Unusual contract financing.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Unusual contract financing... CONTRACTING REQUIREMENTS CONTRACT FINANCING Non-Commercial Item Purchase Financing 32.114 Unusual contract financing. Any contract financing arrangement that deviates from this part is unusual contract financing...

48 CFR 432.114 - Unusual contract financing.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 48 Federal Acquisition Regulations System 4 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Unusual contract financing... CONTRACTING REQUIREMENTS CONTRACT FINANCING Non-Commercial Item Purchase Financing 432.114 Unusual contract financing. The HCA is authorized to approve unusual contract financing. The signed determination and finding...

Typical and Unusual Properties of Magnetic Clouds during the WIND Era

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lepping, R. P.; Berdichevsky, D.; Szabo, A.; Burlaga, L. F.; Thompson, B. J.; Mariani, F.; Lazarus, A. J.; Steinberg, J. T.

1999-01-01

A list of 33 magnetic clouds as identified in WIND magnetic field and plasma data has been compiled. The intervals for these events are provided as part of NASA/GSFC, WIND-MFI's Website under the URL http://lepmfi.qsfc.nasa.gov/mfi/mag_cloud publ.html#table The period covered in this study is from early 1995 to November 1998 which primarily occurs in the quiet part of the solar cycle. A force free, cylindrically symmetric, magnetic field model has been applied to the field data in 1-hour averaged form for all of these events (except one small event where 10 min avg's were used) and the resulting fit-parameters examined. Each event was provided a semi-quantitatively determined quality factor (excellent, good or poor). A set of 28 good or better cases, spanning a surprisingly large range of values for its various properties, was used for further analysis. These properties are, for example, durations, attitudes, sizes, asymmetries, axial field strengths, speeds, and relative impact parameters. They will be displayed and analyzed, along with some related derived quantities, with emphasis on typical vs unusual properties and on the magnetic fields magnetic clouds' relationships to the Sun and to upstream interplanetary shocks, where possible. For example, it is remarkable how narrowly distributed the speeds of these clouds are, and the overall average speed (390 techniques km/s) is less than that normally quoted for the average solar wind speed (420 km/s) despite the fact that many of these clouds are d"drivers" of interplanetary shocks. On average, a cloud appears to be a little less symmetric when the spacecraft is able to pass close to the cloud's axis as compared to a farther out passage. The average longitude and latitude (in GSE) of the axes of the clouds are 85 degrees and 8 degrees, respectively, with standard deviations near 40 degrees. Also, the half=yearly averaged axial magnetic flux has approximately tripled. almost monotonically, from about 6 to 17 X 10(exp 29) Mx over the first 3.5 years of consideration, but with a large uncertainty on each of the half-year estimates, because of small sampling. If true,this finding implies an approximate tripling of the events' solar fluxes over this period as it goes into solar maximum.

Geological mysteries on Ganymede

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1997-01-01

This image shows some unusual features on the surface of Jupiter's moon, Ganymede. NASA's Galileo spacecraft imaged this region as it passed Ganymede during its second orbit through the Jovian system. The region is located at 31 degrees latitude, 186 degrees longitude in the north of Marius Regio, a region of ancient dark terrain, and is near the border of a large swathe of younger, heavily tectonised bright terrain known as Nippur Sulcus. Situated in the transitional region between these two terrain types, the area shown here contains many complex tectonic structures, and small fractures can be seen crisscrossing the image. North is to the top-left of the picture, and the sun illuminates the surface from the southeast. This image is centered on an unusual semicircular structure about 33 kilometers (20 miles) across. A 38 kilometer (24 miles) long, remarkably linear feature cuts across its northern extent, and a wide east-west fault system marks its southern boundary. The origin of these features is the subject of much debate among scientists analyzing the data. Was the arcuate structure part of a larger feature? Is the straight lineament the result of internal or external processes? Scientists continue to study this data in order to understand the surface processes occurring on this complex satellite.

The image covers an area approximately 80 kilometers (50 miles) by 52 kilometers (32 miles) across. The resolution is 189 meters (630 feet) per picture element. The images were taken on September 6, 1996 at a range of 9,971 kilometers (6,232 miles) by the solid state imaging (CCD) system on NASA's Galileo spacecraft.

The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA manages the Galileo mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, DC. JPL is an operating division of California Institute of Technology (Caltech).

This image and other images and data received from Galileo are posted on the World Wide Web, on the Galileo mission home page at URL http://galileo.jpl.nasa.gov.

Refractory inclusions from the ungrouped carbonaceous chondrites MAC 87300 and MAC 88107

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Russell, Sara S.; Davis, Andrew M.; MacPherson, Glenn J.; Guan, Yunbin; Huss, Gary R.

2000-09-01

MAC 87300 and MAC 88107 are two unusual carbonaceous chondrites that are intermediate in chemical composition between the CO3 and CM2 meteorite groups. Calcium-aluminum-rich inclusions (CAIs) from these two meteorites are mostly spinel-pyroxene and melilite-rich (Type A) varieties. Spinel-pyroxene inclusions have either a banded or nodular texture, with aluminous diopside rimming iron-poor spinel. Melilite-rich inclusions (4-42) are irregular in shape and contain minor spinel (FeO <1 wt%), perovskite and, more rarely, hibonite. The CAIs in MAC 88107 and MAC 87300 are similar in primary mineralogy to CAIs from low petrologic grade CO3 meteorites, but differ in that they commonly contain phyllosilicates. The two meteorites also differ somewhat from each other: melilite is more abundant and slightly more aluminum-rich in inclusions from MAC 88107 than in those from MAC 87300, and phyllosilicate is more abundant and magnesium-poor in MAC 87300 CAIs relative to that in MAC 88107. These differences suggest that the two meteorites are not paired. CAI sizes and the abundance of melilite-rich CAIs in MAC 88107 and MAC 87300 suggests a genetic relationship to CO3 meteorites, but the CAIs in both have suffered a greater degree of aqueous alteration than is observed in COs. Al-rich melilite in CAIs from both meteorites generally contains excess 26Mg, presumably from the in situ decay of 26Al. Although well-defined isochrons are not observed, the 26Mg excesses are consistent with initial 26Al/27Al ~3-5 ( 10-5. An unusual hibonite-bearing inclusion is isotopically heterogeneous, with two large and abutting hibonite crystals showing significant differences in their degrees of mass-dependent fractionation of 25Mg/24Mg. The two crystals also show differences in their inferred initial 26Al/27Al, 1 ( 10-5 vs. 3 ( 10-6.

Red Arcs on Tethys

NASA Image and Video Library

2015-07-29

Unusual arc-shaped, reddish streaks cut across the surface of Saturn's ice-rich moon Tethys in this enhanced-color mosaic. The red streaks are narrow, curved lines on the moon's surface, only a few miles (or kilometers) wide but several hundred miles (or kilometers) long. The red streaks are among the most unusual color features on Saturn's moons to be revealed by Cassini's cameras. A few of the red arcs can be faintly seen in Cassini imaging observations made earlier in the mission, but the color images for this observation, which were obtained in April 2015, were the first to show large northern areas of Tethys under the illumination and viewing conditions necessary to see the features clearly. As the Saturn system moved into its northern hemisphere summer over the past few years, northern latitudes have become increasingly well illuminated. As a result, the red arc features have become clearly visible for the first time. The origin of the features and their reddish color is currently a mystery to Cassini scientists. Possibilities being studied include ideas that the reddish material is exposed ice with chemical impurities, or the result of outgassing from inside Tethys. The streaks could also be associated with features like fractures that are below the resolution of the available images. Except for a few small craters on Dione, reddish tinted features are rare on other moons of Saturn. However, many reddish features are observed on the geologically young surface of Jupiter's moon Europa. Images taken using clear, green, infrared and ultraviolet spectral filters were combined to create the view, which highlights subtle color differences across Tethys' surface at wavelengths not visible to human eyes. The moon's surface is fairly uniform in natural color. The yellowish tones on the left side of the view are a result of alteration of the moon's surface by high-energy particles from Saturn's magnetosphere. This particle radiation slams into the moon's trailing hemisphere, modifying it chemically and changing its appearance in enhanced-color views like this one. The area of Tethys shown here is centered on 30 degrees north latitude, 187 degrees west longitude, and measures 305 by 258 miles (490 by 415 kilometers) across. The original color images were obtained at a resolution of about 2,300 feet (700 meters) per pixel on April 11, 2015. This is a cropped close-up of an area visible in PIA19636. This is a mosaic of images that have been photometrically calibrated and map-projected. http://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA19637

Unusually high genetic diversity in COI sequences of Chimarra obscura (Trichoptera: Philopotamidae)

EPA Science Inventory

Chimarra obscura (Walker 1852) is a philopotamid caddisfly found throughout much of North America. Using the COI DNA barcode locus, we have found unexpectedly high amounts of genetic diversity and distances within C. obscura. Of the approximately 150 specimens sampled, we have fo...

77 FR 54951 - Disadvantaged Business Enterprise: Program Implementation Modifications

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-09-06

... tension with one another, particularly when information collection can be viewed as burdensome to... payments, this approach could smooth out statistical anomalies (e.g., years with unusually high or... (particularly high valued assets), and more stringent guidelines for deposits of funds used to acquire the...

Immunocytochemistry of mucosal changes in patients infected with the intestinal nematode Strongyloides stercoralis.

PubMed Central

Coutinho, H B; Robalinho, T I; Coutinho, V B; Almeida, J R; Filho, J T; King, G; Jenkins, D; Mahida, Y; Sewell, H F; Wakelin, D

1996-01-01

AIM: To investigate the immunopathological changes in duodenal tissues induced by strongyloidiasis and to relate these to degrees of clinical severity. METHODS: Tissues taken from 21 patients showing mild, moderate or severe symptoms of strongyloidiasis, and from non-infected controls, were sectioned and stained immunocytochemically for IgA, secretory component (SC) and HLA-DR. Immunopathology was assessed by changes in numbers, intensity and distribution of stained cells. RESULTS: Parasitised individuals showed villous atrophy and crypt hyperplasia. There was notable infiltration of the lamina propria by IgA positive plasma cells and of the epithelium by intraepithelial lymphocytes. Infection was also associated with increased expression of SC and decreased expression of HLA-DR in epithelial cells. Changes in all parameters correlated with degree of clinical severity. CONCLUSIONS: Profound mucosal changes are induced by strongyloidiasis. Some are analogous to those seen in coeliac disease, but others seem quite unusual. It is likely that these changes are functionally related to the immunopathophysiological consequences of infection seen in patients with severe disease. Images PMID:9038754

NMR crystallography of oxybuprocaine hydrochloride, Modification II degrees.

PubMed

Harris, Robin K; Cadars, Sylvian; Emsley, Lyndon; Yates, Jonathan R; Pickard, Chris J; Jetti, Ram K R; Griesser, Ulrich J

2007-01-21

The (13)C CPMAS spectrum is presented for the polymorph of oxybuprocaine hydrochloride which is stable at room temperature, i.e. Mod. II degrees . It shows crystallographic splittings arising from the fact that there are two molecules, with substantially different conformations, in the asymmetric unit. An INADEQUATE two-dimensional experiment was used to link signals for the same independent molecule. The chemical shifts are discussed in relation to the crystal structure. Of the four ethyl groups attached to NH(+) nitrogens, one gives rise to unusually low chemical shifts, very different from those of the other three ethyl groups. This is attributed empirically to gamma-gauche conformational effects, as is confirmed by shielding computations. These considerations allow (13)C signals to be assigned to specific carbons in the two crystallographically inequivalent molecules in the crystal structure. Indeed, information about the conformations is inherent in the NMR spectrum, which thus provides data of crystallographic significance. A (13)C/(1)H HETCOR experiment enabled resolution to be obtained in the (1)H dimension and allowed (1)H and (13)C signals for the same independent molecule to be linked.

Hoberman-sphere-inspired lattice metamaterials with tunable negative thermal expansion

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

Li, Yangbo; Chen, Yanyu; Li, Tiantian

Materials with engineered thermal expansion coefficients, capable of avoiding failure or irreversible destruction of structures and devices, are important for aerospace, civil, biomedical, optics, and semiconductor applications. In natural materials, thermal expansion usually cannot be adjusted easily and a negative thermal expansion coefficient is still uncommon. Here we propose a novel architected lattice bi-material system, inspired by the Hoberman sphere, showing a wide range of tunable thermal expansion coefficient from negative to positive, -1.04 x 10 -3 degrees C-1 to 1.0 x 10 -5 degrees C-1. Numerical simulations and analytical formulations are implemented to quantify the evolution of the thermalmore » expansion coefficients and reveal the underlying mechanisms responsible for this unusual behavior. We show that the thermal expansion coefficient of the proposed metamaterials depends on the thermal expansion coefficient ratio and the axial stiffness ratio of the constituent materials, as well as the bending stiffness and the topological arrangement of the constitutive elements. The finding reported here provides a new routine to design architected metamaterial systems with tunable negative thermal expansion for a wide range of potential applications.« less

Hoberman-sphere-inspired lattice metamaterials with tunable negative thermal expansion

DOE PAGES

Li, Yangbo; Chen, Yanyu; Li, Tiantian; ...

2018-02-02

Materials with engineered thermal expansion coefficients, capable of avoiding failure or irreversible destruction of structures and devices, are important for aerospace, civil, biomedical, optics, and semiconductor applications. In natural materials, thermal expansion usually cannot be adjusted easily and a negative thermal expansion coefficient is still uncommon. Here we propose a novel architected lattice bi-material system, inspired by the Hoberman sphere, showing a wide range of tunable thermal expansion coefficient from negative to positive, -1.04 x 10 -3 degrees C-1 to 1.0 x 10 -5 degrees C-1. Numerical simulations and analytical formulations are implemented to quantify the evolution of the thermalmore » expansion coefficients and reveal the underlying mechanisms responsible for this unusual behavior. We show that the thermal expansion coefficient of the proposed metamaterials depends on the thermal expansion coefficient ratio and the axial stiffness ratio of the constituent materials, as well as the bending stiffness and the topological arrangement of the constitutive elements. The finding reported here provides a new routine to design architected metamaterial systems with tunable negative thermal expansion for a wide range of potential applications.« less

The role of macromolecular crowding in the evolution of lens crystallins with high molecular refractive index.

PubMed

Zhao, Huaying; Magone, M Teresa; Schuck, Peter

2011-08-01

Crystallins are present in the lens at extremely high concentrations in order to provide transparency and generate a high refractive power of the lens. The crystallin families prevalent in the highest density lens tissues are γ-crystallins in vertebrates and S-crystallins in cephalopods. As shown elsewhere, in parallel evolution, both have evolved molecular refractive index increments 5-10% above those of most proteins. Although this is a small increase, it is statistically very significant and can be achieved only by very unusual amino acid compositions. In contrast, such a molecular adaptation to aid in the refractive function of the lens did not occur in crystallins that are preferentially located in lower density lens tissues, such as vertebrate α-crystallin and taxon-specific crystallins. In the current work, we apply a model of non-interacting hard spheres to examine the thermodynamic contributions of volume exclusion at lenticular protein concentrations. We show that the small concentration decrease afforded by the higher molecular refractive index increment of crystallins can amplify nonlinearly to produce order of magnitude differences in chemical activities, and lead to reduced osmotic pressure and the reduced propensity for protein aggregation. Quantitatively, this amplification sets in only at protein concentrations as high as those found in hard lenses or the nucleus of soft lenses, in good correspondence to the observed crystallin properties in different tissues and different species. This suggests that volume exclusion effects provide the evolutionary driving force for the unusual refractive properties and the unusual amino acid compositions of γ-crystallins and S-crystallins.

The role of macromolecular crowding in the evolution of lens crystallins with high molecular refractive index

PubMed Central

Zhao, Huaying; Magone, M. Teresa; Schuck, Peter

2011-01-01

Crystallins are present in the lens at extremely high concentrations in order to provide transparency and generate a high refractive power of the lens. The crystallin families prevalent in the highest density lens tissues are γ crystallins in vertebrates and S crystallins in cephalopods. In parallel evolution, both have evolved molecular refractive index increments 5 – 10 % above those of most proteins. Although this is a small increase, it is statistically very significant and can be achieved only by very unusual amino acid compositions. In contrast, such a molecular adaptation to aid in the refractive function of the lens did not occur in crystallins that are preferentially located in lower density lens tissues, such as vertebrate α crystallin and taxon specific crystallins. In the current work, we apply a model of non-interacting hard spheres to examine the thermodynamic contributions of volume exclusion at lenticular protein concentrations. We show that the small concentration decrease afforded by the higher molecular refractive index increment of crystallins can amplify nonlinearly to produce order of magnitude differences in chemical activities, and lead to reduced osmotic pressure and the reduced propensity for protein aggregation. Quantitatively, this amplification sets in only at protein concentrations as high as those found in hard lenses or the nucleus of soft lenses, in good correspondence to the observed crystalline properties in different tissues and different species. This suggests that volume exclusion effects provide the evolutionary driving force for the unusual refractive properties and the unusual amino acid compositions of γ crystallins and S crystallins. PMID:21566271

3D Simulations of Supernova Remnants from Type Ia Supernova Models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Johnson, Heather; Reynolds, S. P.; Frohlich, C.; Blondin, J. M.

2014-01-01

Type Ia supernovae (SNe) originate from thermonuclear explosions of white dwarfs. A great deal is still unknown about the explosion mechanisms, particularly the degree of asymmetry. However, Type Ia supernova remnants (SNRs) can bear the imprint of asymmetry long after the explosion. A SNR of interest is G1.9+0.3, the youngest Galactic SNR, which demonstrates an unusual spatial distribution of elements in the ejecta. While its X-ray spectrum is dominated by synchrotron emission, spectral lines of highly ionized Si, S, and Fe are seen in a few locations, with Fe near the edge of the remnant and with strongly varying Fe/Si ratios. An asymmetric explosion within the white dwarf progenitor may be necessary to explain these unusual features of G1.9+0.3, in particular the shocked Fe at large radii. We use the VH-1 hydrodynamics code to evolve initial Type Ia explosion models in 1, 2, and 3 dimensions at an age of 100 seconds provided by other researchers to study asymmetry, the ignition properties, and the nucleosynthesis resulting from these explosions. We follow the evolution of these models interacting with a uniform external medium to a few hundred years in age. We find the abundance and location of ejecta elements from our models to be inconsistent with the observations of G1.9+0.3; while our models show asymmetric element distributions, we find no tendency for iron-group elements to be found beyond intermediate-mass elements, or for significant iron to be reverse-shocked at all at the age of G1.9+0.3. We compare the amounts of shocked iron-group and intermediate-mass elements as a function of time in the different models. Some new kind of explosion asymmetry may be required to explain G1.9+0.3. This work was performed as part of NC State University's Undergraduate Research in Computational Astrophysics (URCA) program, an REU program supported by the National Science Foundation through award AST-1032736.

Thondhjemite of the Talkeetna Mountains: An unusually large low-K pluton in Alaska's Peninsular terrane

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

Ford, A.B.; Arth, J.G.; Csejtey, B.

1993-04-01

An unusually large, elongate Jurassic pluton of trondhjemite, about 120- by 10--15 km in dimensions, intruded Jurassic plutonic and metamorphic rocks of the Peninsular terrane in the central Talkeetna Mountains of south-central Alaska. Muscovite and biotite yield minimum ages of 150--145 Ma. The N40[degree]E-trending body is concordant with regional structures. It is the youngest member of a subduction-related Jurassic plutonic suite in the Peninsular terrane that, along with Wrangellia, was accreted to the North American continent in the middle Cretaceous. Rocks, commonly sheared, are medium to coarse grained and leucocratic (CI = 3--9). Biotite is the chief mafic mineral. Minormore » muscovite and garnet are common and green hornblende rare. Samples (n = 27) from the body's entire length have an average Mg[number sign] of 45 and an SiO[sub 2] continuum of 67--74% (avg. 70.7%). High Al[sub 2]O[sub 3] (14.4--17.9%, avg. 16.5%) is typical of continental trondhjemite. Averages for Zr (109 ppm) and Nb (3.5 ppm) and the ratios K/Rb (491) and Zr/Nb (34) are typical of orogenic igneous rocks of subduction origin. Four samples analyzed have low ([sup 87]Sr/[sup 86]Sr)[sub i] (avg. 0.7036). Very low Rb/Sr (avg. 0.027) is similar to Idaho batholith trondhjemites. REE patterns with low to moderate LREE and HREE with flat patterns and low contents suggest residual garnet or hornblende during partial melting or fractionation. The pluton appears homogeneous in outcrop. However, some geographic variations in chemistry, as in SiO[sub 2] contents and especially in Eu/Eu[sup *], suggest existence of perhaps three regionally separate plumbing systems, or chambers in which different processes such as plagioclase accumulation or hornblende fractionation were active.« less

The effect of the osmolality of sugar-containing media, the type of sugar, and the mass and molar concentration of sugar on the survival of frozen-thawed mouse sperm.

PubMed

Koshimoto, Chihiro; Mazur, Peter

2002-08-01

Several factors have contributed to problems in mouse sperm cryopreservation, and we and others have found ways to ameliorate them. These include high sensitivity to several types of mechanical stresses and to oxygen-derived free radicals, low tolerance to osmotic cell volume changes, and rather rigorous requirements for cooling and warming rates. Another important factor is the cryoprotective agent. Mouse sperm are unusual in that our best results have been obtained in media containing the nonpermeating sugar raffinose (18% w/v) and lacking glycerol. This paper deals with questions about the basis of the protective action of sugars, and whether raffinose is unusual or unique in its ability to confer protection. More specifically, we investigated whether protection was more related to the total osmolality of the freezing solution, to the mass concentration of sugar, or to the molarity of the sugar, and we looked to see whether there are effects attributable to specific sugars. To investigate these questions, mouse sperm were frozen at the optimal rate of 25 degrees C/min in solutions prepared with different proportions of three sugars-raffinose, sucrose, and glucose-dissolved in 1/4x PBS. In the first experimental series, the total osmolality and the total sugar molarity were varied from 400 to 700 mOsm and from 300 to 530 mM, respectively, while holding the mass concentration of sugar constant at 18% (w/v). In the second experimental series, the mass concentration of sugars was varied from 10 to 18% while the sugar molarity and solution osmolality remained constant at 300 mM and 420 mOsm, respectively. The results suggest that protection against freezing and thawing depends more on the mass concentration of the sugar than on its molar concentration, a conclusion that has mechanistic implications.

Rise and Persistence of Global M1T1 Clone of Streptococcus pyogenes

PubMed Central

Kotb, Malak

2008-01-01

The resurgence of severe invasive group A streptococcal infections in the 1980s is a typical example of the reemergence of an infectious disease. We found that this resurgence is a consequence of the diversification of particular strains of the bacteria. Among these strains is a highly virulent subclone of serotype M1T1 that has exhibited unusual epidemiologic features and virulence, unlike all other streptococcal strains. This clonal strain, commonly isolated from both noninvasive and invasive infection cases, is most frequently associated with severe invasive diseases. Because of its unusual prevalence, global spread, and increased virulence, we investigated the unique features that likely confer its unusual properties. In doing so, we found that the increased virulence of this clonal strain can be attributed to its diversification through phage mobilization and its ability to sense and adapt to different host environments; accordingly, the fittest members of this diverse bacterial community are selected to survive and invade host tissue. PMID:18826812

Unusual target site disruption by the rare-cutting HNH restriction endonuclease PacI

PubMed Central

Shen, Betty; Heiter, Daniel F.; Chan, Siu-Hong; Wang, Hua; Xu, Shuang-Yong; Morgan, Richard D.; Wilson, Geoffrey G.; Stoddard, Barry L.

2010-01-01

The crystal structure of the rare-cutting HNH restriction endonuclease PacI in complex with its eight base pair target recognition sequence 5'-TTAATTAA-3' has been determined to 1.9 Å resolution. The enzyme forms an extended homodimer, with each subunit containing two zinc-bound motifs surrounding a ββα-metal catalytic site. The latter is unusual in that a tyrosine residue likely initiates strand-cleavage. PacI dramatically distorts its target sequence from Watson-Crick duplex DNA basepairing, with every base separated from its original partner. Two bases on each strand are unpaired, four are engaged in non-canonical A:A and T:T base pairs, and the remaining two bases are matched with new Watson-Crick partners. This represents a highly unusual DNA binding mechanism for a restriction endonuclease, and implies that initial recognition of the target site might involve significantly different contacts from those visualized in the DNA-bound cocrystal structures. PMID:20541511

Unusual fentanyl patch administration.

PubMed

Thomas, Sandra; Winecker, Ruth; Pestaner, Joseph P

2008-06-01

Fentanyl is an extremely potent narcotic analgesic that is becoming more popular as a drug of abuse. Because of the unique way in which the drug is packaged and delivered, the potential for unusual methods of abuse exists. We report the first case of true fentanyl patch ingestion in the medical literature. Initially, though unusual, cases of fentanyl ingestion were thought to have been reported, but further investigation of the literature revealed that in other case reports the patches had been held in the mouth and chewed. Because no reports of swallowing the patch had been published, suicide was initially a strong consideration in this case; however, further investigation showed that the decedent and his brother enjoyed swallowing the patches for quick "highs." Cases such as these serve to remind medical examiners and law enforcement officials of the value of performing thorough death investigations by performing complete autopsies with toxicological testing and correlating with investigation information to form an opinion with regard to the cause and manner of death.

Unusual magnetoelectric memory and polarization reversal in the kagome staircase compound N i3V2O8

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Y. J.; Wang, J. F.; He, Z. Z.; Lu, C. L.; Xia, Z. C.; Ouyang, Z. W.; Liu, C. B.; Chen, R.; Matsuo, A.; Kohama, Y.; Kindo, K.; Tokunaga, M.

2018-05-01

We study the electric polarization of the kagome staircase N i3V2O8 in magnetic fields up to 30 T and report a magnetoelectric memory effect controlled by bias electric fields. The explored ferroelectric phase in 19 -24 T is electrically controlled, whereas the ferroelectric phase in 2 -11 T exhibits unusual memory effects. We determine a characteristic critical magnetic field H3=11 T , below which strong memory exists and the polarization is frozen even in opposite bias fields. But when magnetic fields exceed H3, the frozen polarization is released and polarization reversal appears by tuning bias electric fields. We ascribe these phenomena to the pinning-depinning mechanism: nucleation and the accompanying pinning of chiral domain walls cooperatively induce the frozen behavior; the polarization reversal results from the depinning through the ferroelectrtic-to-paraelectric phase transition in high magnetic fields. Our experimental results reveal that the first-order phase transition plays an important role in these unusual memory effects.

Weird planets and odd relations: Atmospheric Circulation on Hot Jupiters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Michael; Knutson, Heather; Kataria, Tiffany; Burrows, Adam; Fortney, Jonathan

2018-01-01

We extract phase curves from Spitzer photometry for the highly irradiated hot Jupiter WASP-33b and the unusually dense Saturn-mass planet HD 149026b. To do so, we develop a new variant of Pixel Level Decorrelation that is effective at removing intrapixel sensitivity variations for long observations (> 10 hours) where the position of the star can vary by a significant fraction of a pixel. Using this algorithm, we derive eclipse depths, phase amplitudes, and phase offsets for both planets at 3.6 um and 4.5 um. We use a simple toy model to show that WASP-33b's phase offset, albedo, and heat recirculation efficiency are largely similar to those of other hot Jupiters despite its very high irradiation. On the other hand, our fits for HD 149026b prefer a very high albedo and an unusually high recirculation efficiency. We also compare our results to predictions from GCM models, and find that while neither provide a good match to the data, the discrepancies for HD 149026b are unusually large. We speculate that this may be related to its high bulk metallicity, which could lead to enhanced atmospheric opacities and the formation of reflective cloud layers in localized regions of the atmosphere. We then place these two planets in a broader context by exploring relationships between the temperatures, albedos, efficiencies, and phase offsets of all planets with published thermal phase curves. We find a striking relationship between phase offset and irradiation temperature--the former dips with temperature until around 3300 K, and rises thereafter. Although some aspects of this trend are mirrored in GCM models, there are notable differences that provide important clues for future modeling efforts.

The Hydrothermal System at Home Plate in Gusev Crater, Mars: Formation of High Silica Material by Acid-Sulfate Alteration of Basalt

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Morris, R. V.; Ming, D. W.; Gellert, R.; Yen, A.; Clark, B. C.; Gnaff, T. G.; Arvidson, R. E.; Squyres, S. W.

2008-01-01

The Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer (APXS) instrument on the Mars Exploration Rover (MER) Spirit measured three targets on or adjacent to Home Plate in Gusev Crater that have unusually high SiO2 concentrations (68% to 91%), unusually low FeO concentrations (1% to 7%, with total Fe as FeO), and unusually high TiO2/FeO ratios (0.2 to 1.2 by weight) [1]. Two targets (Kenosha Comets and Lefty Ganote) are located on high albedo soil (Gertrude Weise) that was exposed by the rover wheels, and one target is a float rock called Fuzzy Smith. Kenosha Comets has the highest SiO2 concentration, lowest FeO concentration, and highest TiO2/FeO ratio. Mineralogical evidence from the MER Miniature Thermal Emission Spectrometer (Mini-TES) suggests that the SiO2 is present as amorphous (noncrystalline) SiO2 at Gertrude Weise and nearby targets [2,3]. Mini-TES data were not acquired for Fuzzy Smith. Home Plate is considered to have an explosive volcanic origin, resulting when basaltic magma came into contact with ground water or ice [4]. Within 50 m to 1 km of Home Plate are sulfate rich soil deposits (Paso Robles class soils with 22-35% SO3) which are considered to be probable fumarolic and/or hydrothermal deposits associated with the volcanism [5]. We develop the model here, suggested by [5], that the high-silica materials are another manifestation of acid-sulfate processes associated with fumarolic and hydrothermal activity at Home Plate. This is done by analogy with basaltic materials altered by acid sulfate processes on the Island of Hawaii.

A Cesium Rare-Earth Silicate Cs3 RESi6 O15 (RE=Dy-Lu, Y, In): The Parent of an Unusual Structural Class Featuring a Remarkable 57 Å Unit Cell Axis.

PubMed

Terry, Rylan; Vinton, Daniel; McMillen, Colin D; Kolis, Joseph W

2018-02-19

The structure of Cs 3 RESi 6 O 15 , where RE=Dy-Lu, Y, In, is unusual in that it contains octahedrally coordinated rare-earth ions; their relative orientation dictates the structure, as they rotate about the c-axis supported by the cyclic Si 6 O 15 framework. The repeat unit of the rotation is eight units generating a very long (ca. 57 Å) unit cell axis. This unusual repeat unit is created by the structural flexibility of the hexasilicate ring, which is in turn affected by the size of the rare earth ion as well as the size of alkali ion residing within the silicate layers. Previous work showed for the smaller Sc 3+ ion, the rotation of the octahedra is not sufficient to achieve closure at an integral repeat unit and an incommensurate structure results. The products are prepared as large, high quality single crystals using a high-temperature (650 °C) hydrothermal method with CsOH and F - mineralizers. The presence of fluoride is essential to the formation of the product. © 2018 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

High School Mathematics Teaching in the USA

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sherman, Brian

2010-01-01

The United States of America is a large and diverse country; nevertheless, high schools have a lot in common across the nation. In particular, mathematics teaching in American high schools, while not stereotyped, has some accepted norms which would be seen as unusual here in Australia. In order for the Australians to learn from the Americans, as…

Warm tropical ocean surface and global anoxia during the mid-Cretaceous period.

PubMed

Wilson, P A; Norris, R D

2001-07-26

The middle of the Cretaceous period (about 120 to 80 Myr ago) was a time of unusually warm polar temperatures, repeated reef-drowning in the tropics and a series of oceanic anoxic events (OAEs) that promoted both the widespread deposition of organic-carbon-rich marine sediments and high biological turnover. The cause of the warm temperatures is unproven but widely attributed to high levels of atmospheric greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide. In contrast, there is no consensus on the climatic causes and effects of the OAEs, with both high biological productivity and ocean 'stagnation' being invoked as the cause of ocean anoxia. Here we show, using stable isotope records from multiple species of well-preserved foraminifera, that the thermal structure of surface waters in the western tropical Atlantic Ocean underwent pronounced variability about 100 Myr ago, with maximum sea surface temperatures 3-5 degrees C warmer than today. This variability culminated in a collapse of upper-ocean stratification during OAE-1d (the 'Breistroffer' event), a globally significant period of organic-carbon burial that we show to have fundamental, stratigraphically valuable, geochemical similarities to the main OAEs of the Mesozoic era. Our records are consistent with greenhouse forcing being responsible for the warm temperatures, but are inconsistent both with explanations for OAEs based on ocean stagnation, and with the traditional view (reviewed in ref. 12) that past warm periods were more stable than today's climate.

Keratin pattern of acanthosis nigricans in syndromelike association with polythelia, polycystic kidneys, and syndactyly.

PubMed

Bonnekoh, B; Wevers, A; Spangenberger, H; Mahrle, G; Krieg, T

1993-09-01

Acanthosis nigricans (AN) comprises a broad spectrum of etiologic subtypes. The underlying pathomechanisms have not yet been completely clarified. We present a patient affected with a syndromelike AN subtype including disturbed epidermopoiesis as evidenced by immunohistologic findings and in situ hybridization. A 54-year-old white man contracted AN during childhood. There were connate malformations consisting of webbed toes II/III on the right side and a supernumerary left mammilla. As an adult he developed psoriasis vulgaris, obesity, and latent diabetes mellitus, polycystic kidney and liver disease. With regard to keratin 6 mRNA, and the protein expression of keratin 6/16, KI-67, and proliferating cell nuclear antigen, the AN lesion showed moderate hyperproliferation. A much higher degree of hyperproliferation was evident in psoriatic areas of the patient's skin. In contrast to psoriatic tissue, basal keratinocytes of the AN showed an unusually high expression of keratin 18 and 19 protein. The observation thus deals with a unique, syndromelike constellation of AN characterized by a particular epidermal pattern of moderate hyperproliferation. A further dysregulation of protein expression in the epidermis is indicated by the demonstration of the rare keratins 18 and 19 in basal keratinocytes of the AN lesion.

Age-dependent mycorrhizal specificity in an invasive orchid, Oeceoclades maculata.

PubMed

Bayman, Paul; Mosquera-Espinosa, Ana T; Saladini-Aponte, Carla M; Hurtado-Guevara, Nilbeth C; Viera-Ruiz, Naida L

2016-11-01

Oeceoclades maculata is a naturalized, invasive, terrestrial orchid in Puerto Rico and elsewhere in the neotropics. We asked whether its success might be partly explained by its mycorrhizal associations, hypothesizing a relationship with many fungal partners or with one widely distributed partner. Oeceoclades maculata roots were collected throughout Puerto Rico, and the degree of mycorrhizal colonization was measured. For identification of fungi, the ITS region was sequenced from pure cultures and directly from roots. Representative fungi were used for symbiotic seed germination experiments. Colonization of O. maculata roots was very variable. The most common fungus identified by BLAST searches was Psathyrella cf. candolleana, but typical orchid mycorrhizal fungi (Ceratobasidium and Tulasnella) were also found, as were a range of saprotrophs. Seeds germinated in vitro only in the presence of Psathyrella. These results are surprising in two respects. First, O. maculata appears to be highly specific for fungi during seed germination, but unusually promiscuous as adult plants. Second, mycorrhizal associations with Psathyrella and with other saprotrophic fungi have been previously reported, but only from mycoheterotrophic (i.e., nonphotosynthetic) orchids, not from green orchids like Oeceoclades. This combination may partly explain the success of Oeceoclades. © 2016 Botanical Society of America.

Geochemistry of zircons from basic rocks of the Korosten anorthosite-mangerite-charnockite-granite complex, north-western region of the Ukrainian Shield

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shumlyanskyy, Leonid; Belousova, Elena; Petrenko, Oksana

2017-09-01

The concentrations of 26 trace elements have been determined by laser ablation ICP-MS in zircons from four samples of basic rocks of the Korosten anorthosite-mangerite-charnockite-granite plutonic complex, the Ukrainian Shield. Zircons from the Fedorivka and Torchyn gabbroic intrusions and Volynsky anorthosite massif have distinctive abundances of many trace elements (REE, Sr, Y, Mn, Th). Zircons from the gabbroic massifs are unusually enriched in trace elements, while zircons from pegmatites in anorthosite are relatively depleted in trace elements. High concentrations of trace elements in zircons from gabbroic intrusions can be explained by their crystallization from residual interstitial melts enriched in incompatible elements. The zircons studied demonstrate a wide range of Ti concentrations, which reflects their temperature of crystallization: the zircons most enriched in Ti, from mafic pegmatites of the Horbuliv quarry (20-40 ppm), have the highest temperature of crystallization (845 ± 40 °C). Lower (720-770 °C) temperatures of zircon crystallization in gabbroic rocks are explained by its crystallization from the latest portions of the interstitial melt or by simultaneous crystallization of ilmenite. The Ce anomaly in zircons correlates with the degree of oxidation of the coexisting ilmenite.

Lactobacillus iners: Friend or Foe?

PubMed

Petrova, Mariya I; Reid, Gregor; Vaneechoutte, Mario; Lebeer, Sarah

2017-03-01

The vaginal microbial community is typically characterized by abundant lactobacilli. Lactobacillus iners, a fairly recently detected species, is frequently present in the vaginal niche. However, the role of this species in vaginal health is unclear, since it can be detected in normal conditions as well as during vaginal dysbiosis, such as bacterial vaginosis, a condition characterized by an abnormal increase in bacterial diversity and lack of typical lactobacilli. Compared to other Lactobacillus species, L. iners has more complex nutritional requirements and a Gram-variable morphology. L. iners has an unusually small genome (ca. 1 Mbp), indicative of a symbiotic or parasitic lifestyle, in contrast to other lactobacilli that show niche flexibility and genomes of up to 3-4 Mbp. The presence of specific L. iners genes, such as those encoding iron-sulfur proteins and unique σ-factors, reflects a high degree of niche specification. The genome of L. iners strains also encodes inerolysin, a pore-forming toxin related to vaginolysin of Gardnerella vaginalis. Possibly, this organism may have clonal variants that in some cases promote a healthy vagina, and in other cases are associated with dysbiosis and disease. Future research should examine this friend or foe relationship with the host. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Molecular Population Genetics of Sex Determination Genes: The Transformer Gene of Drosophila Melanogaster

PubMed Central

Walthour, C. S.; Schaeffer, S. W.

1994-01-01

The transformer locus (tra) produces an RNA processing protein that alternatively splices the doublesex pre-mRNA in the sex determination hierarchy of Drosophila melanogaster. Comparisons of the tra coding region among Drosophila species have revealed an unusually high degree of divergence in synonymous and nonsynonymous sites. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that the tra gene will be polymorphic in synonymous and nonsynonymous sites within species by investigating nucleotide sequence variation in eleven tra alleles within D. melanogaster. Of the 1063 nucleotides examined, two synonymous sites were polymorphic and no amino acid variation was detected. Three statistical tests were used to detect departures from an equilibrium neutral model. Two tests failed to reject a neutral model of molecular evolution because of low statisitical power associated with low levels of genetic variation (Tajima/Fu and Li). The Hudson, Kreitman, and Aguade test rejected a neutral model when the tra region was compared to the 5'-flanking region of alcohol dehydrogenase (Adh). The lack of variability in the tra gene is consistent with a recent selective sweep of a beneficial allele in or near the tra locus. PMID:8013913

Dolphin sonar detection and discrimination capabilities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Au, Whitlow W. L.

2004-05-01

Dolphins have a very sophisticated short range sonar that surpasses all technological sonar in its capabilities to perform complex target discrimination and recognition tasks. The system that the U.S. Navy has for detecting mines buried under ocean sediment is one that uses Atlantic bottlenose dolphins. However, close examination of the dolphin sonar system will reveal that the dolphin acoustic hardware is fairly ordinary and not very special. The transmitted signals have peak-to-peak amplitudes as high as 225-228 dB re 1 μPa which translates to an rms value of approximately 210-213 dB. The transmit beamwidth is fairly broad at about 10o in both the horizontal and vertical planes and the receiving beamwidth is slightly broader by several degrees. The auditory filters are not very narrow with Q values of about 8.4. Despite these fairly ordinary features of the acoustic system, these animals still demonstrate very unusual and astonishing capabilities. Some of the capabilities of the dolphin sonar system will be presented and the reasons for their keen sonar capabilities will be discussed. Important features of their sonar include the broadband clicklike signals used, adaptive sonar search capabilities and large dynamic range of its auditory system.

Inhibition of phorbol ester-induced tumor promotion in mice by vitamin A analog and anti-inflammatory steroid

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

Weeks, C.E.; Slaga, T.J.; Hennings, H.

1979-08-01

The effects of a vitamin A analog, TMMP ethyl retinoate (abbreviated Ro 10-9359), and an anti-inflammatory steroid, fluocinoione acetonide (abbreviated FA), given alone or together were studied in a two-stage carcinogenesis system. the phorbol ester 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) was used as the tumor promoter in a DMBA-initiated mouse skin system. Two stocks of female mice, which differ in their degrees of sensitivity to skin carcinogenesis, were used. A dose-dependent inhibition of carcinogenic expression, as determined by a decreased number of papillomas per animal, was observed in each mouse stock with the use of both FA and Ro 10-9359 were given alone.more » When FA and RO 10-9359 were given together, an enhanced effect on the lowering of tumor incidence was noted. FA effectively inhibited tumor formation in the sensitive mouse stock even when the steroid was given 1 day prior to TPA treatment under conditions of unusually high doses of initiator (DMBA) and/or promoter (TPA). These results suggest that both anti-inflammatory steroids and retinoids inhibit tumor promotion and can be effectively used as a combination regimen for increased chemopreventive response.« less

Hydrothermal activity, functional diversity and chemoautotrophy are major drivers of seafloor carbon cycling.

PubMed

Bell, James B; Woulds, Clare; Oevelen, Dick van

2017-09-20

Hydrothermal vents are highly dynamic ecosystems and are unusually energy rich in the deep-sea. In situ hydrothermal-based productivity combined with sinking photosynthetic organic matter in a soft-sediment setting creates geochemically diverse environments, which remain poorly studied. Here, we use comprehensive set of new and existing field observations to develop a quantitative ecosystem model of a deep-sea chemosynthetic ecosystem from the most southerly hydrothermal vent system known. We find evidence of chemosynthetic production supplementing the metazoan food web both at vent sites and elsewhere in the Bransfield Strait. Endosymbiont-bearing fauna were very important in supporting the transfer of chemosynthetic carbon into the food web, particularly to higher trophic levels. Chemosynthetic production occurred at all sites to varying degrees but was generally only a small component of the total organic matter inputs to the food web, even in the most hydrothermally active areas, owing in part to a low and patchy density of vent-endemic fauna. Differences between relative abundance of faunal functional groups, resulting from environmental variability, were clear drivers of differences in biogeochemical cycling and resulted in substantially different carbon processing patterns between habitats.

Thermosensitive behavior of poly(ethylene glycol)-based block copolymer (PEG-b-PADMO) controlled via self-assembled microstructure.

PubMed

Cui, Qianling; Wu, Feipeng; Wang, Erjian

2011-05-19

Stimuli-responsive, well-defined diblock copolymers (PEG-b-PADMO) comprising poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG, DP (degree of polymerization)=45) as the hydrophilic and temperature-sensitive part and poly(N-acryloyl-2,2-dimethyl-1,3-oxazolidine) (PADMO, DP=18-47) as the hydrophobic and acid-labile part self-assembled in water into spherical micelles with high aggregation number. The micellar structures and thermally induced phase transitions of the copolymers were investigated with (1)H NMR spectroscopy, light scattering, microscopy, turbidimetry, and fluorescence techniques. Thermoresponsive phase transitions of the copolymers in water were controlled via formation of core-shell-type micelles with densely compact PEG corona. Their lower critical solution temperatures (LCSTs) were modulated within the range 40-72 °C by varying PADMO block length. This unusually low LCST was attributed to the densely packed PEG structure in the polymer micelles, which resulted in strong n-clustering attractive interactions and insufficient hydration of PEG chains in the shell and greatly enhanced the thermosensitivity. The LCST behavior can also be modulated by partial acid hydrolysis of PADMO segments through the resulting change of hydrophobicity. © 2011 American Chemical Society

Mendelian Diseases and Conditions in Croatian Island Populations: Historic Records and New Insights

PubMed Central

Saftić, Vanja; Rudan, Diana; Zgaga, Lina

2006-01-01

Among Croatian islands, there are several which are known for unusual autochthonous diseases and specific medical conditions that result from the reproductive isolation and specific population genetic structure. These populations are characterized by high degree of genetic isolation, consanguinity, and inbreeding. The reported diseases include Mal de Meleda on Mljet island, hereditary dwarfism on Krk island, familial learning disability on Susak island, familial ovarian cancer on Lastovo island, and several other rare diseases and conditions inherited in Mendelian fashion. We present a historical perspective on how these conditions were first described, interpreted, and assessed. We reviewed the information obtained through genetic research in the past several years, when the genetic etiology of some of these conditions was explained. The disease gene causing Mal de Meleda was first localized at 8q chromosome, and mutations in the ARS (component B) gene encoding SLURP-1 (secreted mammalian Ly-6/uPAR-related protein 1) protein were identified subsequently. The genetic etiology of dwarfism on the island of Krk is explained by a mutation in the PROP1 gene, responsible for the short stature. The search for mutations underlying other monogenic diseases in Croatian islands is under way. PMID:16909451

An Alignment/Transfer Experiment with Low Socioeconomic Level Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Elia, June Isaacs

1994-01-01

This study examined the amount of variance explained by alignment of testing to instruction among low socioeconomic level fourth graders, proposing two instructional alignment hypotheses. Results indicated that alignment had an unusually high effect. Low performing low socioeconomic level students achieved high success levels when conditions of…

Visual Neuroscience: A Retinal Ganglion Cell to Report Image Focus?

PubMed

Baden, Tom; Schaeffel, Frank; Berens, Philipp

2017-02-20

A recent study describes a mouse neuron projecting from the retina to the brain that exhibits exquisitely high sensitivity to high spatial frequency patterns presented over an unusually large receptive field: could this cell be a (de)focus detector? Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A non-multimacrocyclic heteroditopic receptor that cooperatively binds and effectively extracts KAcO salt.

PubMed

Zakrzewski, Maciej; Kwietniewska, Natalia; Walczak, Wojciech; Piątek, Piotr

2018-06-06

Prepared in only three synthetic steps, a non-multimacrocyclic heteroditopic receptor binds potassium salts of halides and carboxylates with unusually high cooperativity, suggesting salt binding as associated ion-pairs. Unprecedented extraction of highly hydrophilic KAcO salt from water to organic solution is also demonstrated.

Using High-Precision Specific Gravity Measurements to Study Minerals in Undergraduate Geoscience Courses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brandriss, Mark E.

2010-01-01

This article describes ways to incorporate high-precision measurements of the specific gravities of minerals into undergraduate courses in mineralogy and physical geology. Most traditional undergraduate laboratory methods of measuring specific gravity are suitable only for unusually large samples, which severely limits their usefulness for student…

Textures in Utopia Planitia

NASA Image and Video Library

2002-12-20

In this image from NASA Mars Odyssey spacecraft, bizarre textures cover the surface of eastern Utopia Planitia, where there is a high probability that ground ice has played a role in the formation of this unusual landscape.

Gas-separation process

DOEpatents

Toy, Lora G.; Pinnau, Ingo; Baker, Richard W.

1994-01-01

A process for separating condensable organic components from gas streams. The process makes use of a membrane made from a polymer material that is glassy and that has an unusually high free volume within the polymer material.

High-pressure phase transitions of nitinol NiTi to a semiconductor with an unusual topological structure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Guangtao; Liu, Hanyu; Feng, Xiaolei; Redfern, Simon A. T.

2018-04-01

Systematic ab initio structure simulations have been used to explore the high-pressure behavior of nitinol (NiTi) at zero temperature. Our crystal structure prediction and first-principles calculations reveal that the known B 19 phase is dynamically unstable, and an orthorhombic structure (Pbcm) and a face-centered-cubic B 32 structure (F d 3 ¯m ) become stable above ˜4 and 29 GPa, respectively. The predicted, highest-pressure, B 32 phase is composed of two interpenetrating diamond structures, with a structural topology that is quite distinct from that of the other phases of NiTi. Interestingly, the B 32 phase shows an unusual semiconducting characteristic as a result of its unique band structure and the nature of 3 d orbitals localization, whose expected synthesis pressure is accessible to current experimental techniques.

Reconstructing the prevailing meteorological and optical environment during the time of the Titanic disaster

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Basu, Sukanta; Nunalee, Christopher G.; He, Ping; Fiorino, Steven T.; Vorontsov, Mikhail A.

2014-10-01

In this paper, we reconstruct the meteorological and optical environment during the time of Titanic's disaster utilizing a state-of-the-art meteorological model, a ray-tracing code, and a unique public-domain dataset called the Twentieth Century Global Reanalysis. With high fidelity, our simulation captured the occurrence of an unusually high Arctic pressure system over the disaster site with calm wind. It also reproduced the movement of a polar cold front through the region bringing a rapid drop in air temperature. The simulated results also suggest that unusual meteorological conditions persisted several hours prior to the Titanic disaster which contributed to super-refraction and intermittent optical turbulence. However, according to the simulations, such anomalous conditions were not present at the time of the collision of Titanic with an iceberg.

An extreme anomaly in stratospheric ozone over Europe in 1940-1942

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brönnimann, S.; Luterbacher, J.; Staehelin, J.; Svendby, T. M.

2004-04-01

Reevaluated historical total ozone data reveal extraordinarily high values over several European sites in 1940-1942, concurrent with extreme climatic anomalies at the Earth's surface. Using historical radiosonde data, reconstructed upper-level fields, and total ozone data from Arosa (Switzerland), Dombås, and Tromsø (Norway), this unusual case of stratosphere-troposphere coupling is analyzed. At Arosa, numerous strong total ozone peaks in all seasons were due to unusually frequent upper troughs over central Europe and related ozone redistribution in the lower stratosphere. At the Norwegian sites, high winter total ozone was most likely caused by major stratospheric warmings in Jan./Feb. 1940, Feb./Mar. 1941, and Feb. 1942. Results demonstrate that the dynamically driven interannual variability of total ozone can be much larger than that estimated based on the past 25-40 years.

Highly deformable bones: unusual deformation mechanisms of seahorse armor.

PubMed

Porter, Michael M; Novitskaya, Ekaterina; Castro-Ceseña, Ana Bertha; Meyers, Marc A; McKittrick, Joanna

2013-06-01

Multifunctional materials and devices found in nature serve as inspiration for advanced synthetic materials, structures and robotics. Here, we elucidate the architecture and unusual deformation mechanisms of seahorse tails that provide prehension as well as protection against predators. The seahorse tail is composed of subdermal bony plates arranged in articulating ring-like segments that overlap for controlled ventral bending and twisting. The bony plates are highly deformable materials designed to slide past one another and buckle when compressed. This complex plate and segment motion, along with the unique hardness distribution and structural hierarchy of each plate, provide seahorses with joint flexibility while shielding them against impact and crushing. Mimicking seahorse armor may lead to novel bio-inspired technologies, such as flexible armor, fracture-resistant structures or prehensile robotics. Copyright © 2013 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Aspiration cytology of mammary analogue secretory carcinoma of the salivary gland.

PubMed

Jung, Min Jung; Kim, Sang Yoon; Nam, Soon Yuhl; Roh, Jong-Lyel; Choi, Seung-Ho; Lee, Jeong Hyun; Baek, Jung Hwan; Cho, Kyung-Ja

2015-04-01

Aspiration cytologic findings of mammary analogue secretory carcinoma (MASC), a newly established salivary gland neoplasm defined by a t(12;15)(p13;q25) ETV6-NTRK3 translocation, are not fully characterized to date. We report cytologic descriptions of nine cases of molecularly confirmed MASC, including two with unusual findings. Aspiration smears from nine MASCs of the salivary glands were retrospectively reviewed and analyzed according to the cellular and structural features of the corresponding surgical specimens. Aspiration smears of MASC generally reflected the histologic diversity of the tumors. Among usual histologic findings, a micropapillary pattern was associated with a predominance of vacuolated individual cells on aspiration smears, a papillary-cystic pattern with a predominance of thin branching papillary structures, and a microcystic pattern with a predominance of irregular sheets of eosinophilic cells. There were two unusual cases, one with three-dimensional groups of high-grade atypical cells, and one with epithelial clusters floating in a notably mucinous background. These cases represented MASC with high-grade transformation and MASC with cystadenocarcinoma-like features, respectively. The secretory activity of MASC was not prominent in the aspiration specimens. Although unusual cases were present, most MASC cases showed characteristic cytologic findings, which could aid the cytologic diagnosis of MASC. And knowledge of the histologic spectrum of MASC, including high-grade transformation, could be valuable for cytological differential diagnoses of salivary gland tumors, and the management of patients with MASC. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Uniportal anatomic combined unusual segmentectomies

PubMed Central

Lirio, Francisco; Sesma, Julio

2017-01-01

Nowadays, sublobar anatomic resections are gaining momentum as a valid alternative for early stage lung cancer. Despite being technically demanding, anatomic segmentectomies can be performed by uniportal video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) approach to combine the benefits of minimally invasiveness with the maximum lung sparing. This procedure can be even more complex if a combined resection of multiple segments from different lobes has to be done. Here we report five cases of combined and unusual segmentectomies done by the same experienced surgeon in high volume institutions to show uniportal VATS is a feasible approach for these complex resections and to share an excellent educational resource. PMID:29078653

Thyroid tuberculosis: presenting symptom of mediastinal tuberculous lymphadenitis--an unusual case.

PubMed

Chandanwale, Shirish S; Buch, Archana C; Vimal, Shruti S; Sachdeva, Punita

2014-01-01

Tuberculosis of thyroid gland is extremely rare. It spreads to thyroid by lymphogenous or heamatogenous route or from adjacent focus, either from larynx or cervical and mediastinal adenitis. We report an unusual case of a 33-year-old male with thyroid swelling. Fine needle aspiration (FNA) smears showed epithelioid cells without necrosis and acid fast bacilli (AFB). Subsequent investigation revealed mediastinal tuberculous lymphadenitis on Computerized Tomography (CT) scan. FNA confirmed the diagnosis of mediastinal tuberculous lymphadenitis. We conclude, when epithelioid cells are seen on FNA thyroid, tuberculosis must be ruled out especially in regions where there is high prevalence of tuberculosis.

A painful pulsatile abdominal mass in a young man with elevated blood pressures: an unusual presentation of phaeochromocytoma.

PubMed

Lee, B M K; Ti, L K

2002-08-01

We report an unusual presentation of phaeochromocytoma in a young man with a painful, pulsatile abdominal mass and elevated blood pressures. This led to a delay in diagnosis and resulted in the administration of triggers of catecholamine release, possibly causing a catecholamine surge. This caused the development of catecholamine-induced cardiomyopathy and multiple organ failure, requiring inotropic and ventilatory support, intra-aortic balloon pump and dialysis. Fortunately, his condition reversed with supportive treatment and alpha-adrenergic blockade. This illustrates the importance of having a high index of suspicion of phaeochromocytoma, especially in young patients with elevated blood pressures.

myBlackBox: Blackbox Mobile Cloud Systems for Personalized Unusual Event Detection.

PubMed

Ahn, Junho; Han, Richard

2016-05-23

We demonstrate the feasibility of constructing a novel and practical real-world mobile cloud system, called myBlackBox, that efficiently fuses multimodal smartphone sensor data to identify and log unusual personal events in mobile users' daily lives. The system incorporates a hybrid architectural design that combines unsupervised classification of audio, accelerometer and location data with supervised joint fusion classification to achieve high accuracy, customization, convenience and scalability. We show the feasibility of myBlackBox by implementing and evaluating this end-to-end system that combines Android smartphones with cloud servers, deployed for 15 users over a one-month period.

myBlackBox: Blackbox Mobile Cloud Systems for Personalized Unusual Event Detection

PubMed Central

Ahn, Junho; Han, Richard

2016-01-01

We demonstrate the feasibility of constructing a novel and practical real-world mobile cloud system, called myBlackBox, that efficiently fuses multimodal smartphone sensor data to identify and log unusual personal events in mobile users’ daily lives. The system incorporates a hybrid architectural design that combines unsupervised classification of audio, accelerometer and location data with supervised joint fusion classification to achieve high accuracy, customization, convenience and scalability. We show the feasibility of myBlackBox by implementing and evaluating this end-to-end system that combines Android smartphones with cloud servers, deployed for 15 users over a one-month period. PMID:27223292

An unusual case of intraorbital foreign body and its management

PubMed Central

Mukherjee, Bipasha; Goel, Shubhra; Subramanian, Nirmala

2011-01-01

Intraorbital foreign bodies are usually the result of accidental trauma and can lead to considerable morbidity. We report an unusual case of an industrial injury in a plastic manufacuring unit wherein hot molten plastic splashed and solidified inside the orbit. The resultant increased intraorbital pressure led to loss of vision in that eye. The extreme temperature of the foreign body caused extensive thermal damage to the surrounding adnexal structures. Staged reconstructive surgery was undertaken to repair the damage, with an acceptable final cosmetic outcome. Employment of protective eye wear to prevent such accidents in high-risk occupations should be made mandatory. PMID:21157077

Unusual Carrier Thermalization in a Dilute GaAs1-xNx Alloy

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

Tan, P. H.; Xu, Z. Y.; Luo, X. D.

2007-01-01

Photoluminescence (PL) properties of the E{sub 0}, E{sub 0} + {Delta}{sub 0}, and E{sub +} bands in an x=0.62% GaAs{sub 1-x}N{sub x} alloy were investigated in detail, including their peak position, linewidth, and line shape dependences on the excitation energy, excitation power, and temperature, using micro-PL. The hot electrons within the E{sub +} band are found to exhibit highly unusual thermalization, which results in a large blueshift in its PL peak energy by >2k{sub B}T, suggesting peculiar density of states and carrier dynamics of the E{sub +} band.

Neuroanatomy of the killer whale (Orcinus orca) from magnetic resonance images.

PubMed

Marino, Lori; Sherwood, Chet C; Delman, Bradley N; Tang, Cheuk Y; Naidich, Thomas P; Hof, Patrick R

2004-12-01

This article presents the first series of MRI-based anatomically labeled sectioned images of the brain of the killer whale (Orcinus orca). Magnetic resonance images of the brain of an adult killer whale were acquired in the coronal and axial planes. The gross morphology of the killer whale brain is comparable in some respects to that of other odontocete brains, including the unusual spatial arrangement of midbrain structures. There are also intriguing differences. Cerebral hemispheres appear extremely convoluted and, in contrast to smaller cetacean species, the killer whale brain possesses an exceptional degree of cortical elaboration in the insular cortex, temporal operculum, and the cortical limbic lobe. The functional and evolutionary implications of these features are discussed. (c) 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Hodgkin's lymphoma coexisting with liver failure secondary to acute on chronic hepatitis B.

PubMed

Palta, Renee; McClune, Amy; Esrason, Karl

2013-04-16

Acute on chronic liver failure (ACLF) is rarely the initial manifestation of a malignant process or precipitated by the initiation of anti-viral treatment with a nucleoside or nucleotide agent. We report an unusual case of ACLF temporally associated with initiation of Entecavir for treatment of chronic hepatitis B. Early Hodgkin's lymphoma (HL) was unmasked with initiation of the anti-viral treatment which may have exacerbated ACLF. To the best of our knowledge, this has not been described in the literature. In reviewing our patients clinical course and liver autopsy, he developed a severe acute exacerbation of his chronic hepatitis B virus coinciding with the institution of antiviral therapy and the underlying HL perhaps modulating the overall degree of hepatic injury.

The Department of Energy (DOE) research program in structural analysis of vertical-axis wind turbines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sullivan, W. N.

The Darrieus-type Vertical Axis Wind Turbine (VAWT) presents a variety of unusual structural problems to designers. The level of understanding of these structural problems governs, to a large degree, the success or failure of today's rotor designs. A survey is presented of the technology available for rotor structural design with emphasis on the DOE research program now underway. Itemizations are included of the major structural issues unique to the VAWT along with discussion of available analysis techniques for each problem area. It is concluded that tools are available to at least approximately address the most important problems. However, experimental data for confirmation is rather limited in terms of volume and the range of rotor configurations tested.

Effect of Fuel-Air Ratio, Inlet Temperature, and Exhaust Pressure on Detonation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Taylor, E S; Leary, W A; Diver, J R

1940-01-01

An accurate determination of the end-gas condition was attempted by applying a refined method of analysis to experimental results. The results are compared with those obtained in Technical Report no. 655. The experimental technique employed afforded excellent control over the engine variables and unusual cyclic reproducibility. This, in conjunction with the new analysis, made possible the determination of the state of the end-gas at any instant to a fair degree of precision. Results showed that for any given maximum pressure the maximum permissible end-gas temperature increased as the fuel-air ratio was increased. The tendency to detonate was slightly reduced by an increase in residual gas content resulting from an increase in exhaust backpressure with inlet pressure constant.

Refractory inclusions with unusual chemical compositions from the Vigarano carbonaceous chondrite

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sylvester, Paul J.; Grossman, Lawrence; Macpherson, Glenn J.

1992-01-01

Neutron activation was used to test ten inclusions, nine Vigarano and one from Leoville, for major and trace elements. Six Vigarano refractory inclusions have refractory element fractionations that are rare or absent in Allende inclusions. Vig 1623-11 has Th/La and Ir/Mo ratios that are lower than those of any Allende Group I or modified Group I inclusions, and Os/La, Ir/La, and Zr/Hf ratios that are among the lowest in those inclusions. The low Os/La, Ir/La, and Ir/Mo ratios seem to require nonrepresentative sampling of condensate phase in the nebula to a degree that is usual for Allende Group I and modified group I inclusions. The nature and origins of the different inclusions are discussed.

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

Peters, T. B.

Strip Effluent Hold Tank (SEHT) and Decontaminated Salt Solution Hold Tank (DSSHT) samples from several of the “microbatches” of Integrated Salt Disposition Project (ISDP) Salt Batch (“Macrobatch”) 9 have been analyzed for 238Pu, 90Sr, 137Cs, cations (Inductively Coupled Plasma Emission Spectroscopy - ICPES), and anions (Ion Chromatography Anions - IC-A). The analytical results from the current microbatch samples are similar to those from previous macrobatch samples. The Cs removal continues to be acceptable, with decontamination factors (DF) averaging 25700 (107% RSD). The bulk chemistry of the DSSHT and SEHT samples do not show any signs of unusual behavior, other thanmore » lacking the anticipated degree of dilution that is calculated to occur during Modular Caustic-Side Solvent Extraction Unit (MCU) processing.« less

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

Peters, T. B.

Strip Effluent Hold Tank (SEHT) and Decontaminated Salt Solution Hold Tank (DSSHT) samples from several of the “microbatches” of Integrated Salt Disposition Project (ISDP) Salt Batch (“Macrobatch”) 8B have been analyzed for 238Pu, 90Sr, 137Cs, cations (Inductively Coupled Plasma Emission Spectroscopy - ICPES), and anions (Ion Chromatography Anions - IC-A). The analytical results from the current microbatch samples are similar to those from previous macrobatch samples. The Cs removal continues to be excellent, with decontamination factors (DF) averaging 22,100 (114% RSD). The bulk chemistry of the DSSHT and SEHT samples does not show any signs of unusual behavior, other thanmore » lacking the anticipated degree of dilution that is calculated to occur during Modular Caustic-Side Solvent Extraction Unit (MCU) processing.« less

Resonant electron tunneling spectroscopy of antibonding states in a Dirac semimetal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marques, Y.; Yudin, D.; Shelykh, I. A.; Seridonio, A. C.

2018-06-01

Recently, it was shown both theoretically and experimentally that certain three-dimensional (3D) materials have Dirac points in the Brillouin zone, thus being 3D analogs of graphene. Moreover, it was suggested that under specific conditions a pair of localized impurities placed inside a three-dimensional Dirac semimetal may lead to the formation of an unusual antibonding state. In the meantime, the effect of vibrational degrees of freedom which are present in any realistic system has avoided attention. In this work, we address the influence of phonons on characteristic features of (anti)bonding state, and discuss how these results can be tested experimentally via local probing, namely, inelastic electron tunneling spectroscopy curve obtained in STM measurements.

Sexual selection for indicators of intelligence.

PubMed

Miller, G

2000-01-01

Many traits in many species have evolved through sexual selection specifically to function as 'fitness indicators' that reveal good genes and good health. Sexually selected fitness indicators typically show (1) higher coefficients of phenotypic and genetic variation than survival traits, (2) at least moderate genetic heritabilities and (3) positive correlations with many aspects of an animal's general condition, including body size, body symmetry, parasite resistance, longevity and freedom from deleterious mutations. These diagnostic criteria also appear to describe human intelligence (the g factor). This paper argues that during human evolution, mate choice by both sexes focused increasingly on intelligence as a major heritable component of biological fitness. Many human-specific behaviours (such as conversation, music production, artistic ability and humour) may have evolved principally to advertise intelligence during courtship. Though these mental adaptations may be modular at the level of psychological functioning, their efficiencies may be tightly intercorrelated because they still tap into common genetic and neurophysiological variables associated with fitness itself. Although the g factor (like the superordinate factor of fitness itself) probably exists in all animal species, humans evolved an unusually high degree of interest in assessing each other's intelligence during courtship and other social interactions--and, consequently, a unique suite of highly g-loaded mental adaptations for advertising their intelligence to one another through linguistic and cultural interaction. This paper includes nine novel, testable predictions about human intelligence derived from sexual selection theory.

Tunable nonequilibrium dynamics of field quenches in spin ice

PubMed Central

Mostame, Sarah; Castelnovo, Claudio; Moessner, Roderich; Sondhi, Shivaji L.

2014-01-01

We present nonequilibrium physics in spin ice as a unique setting that combines kinematic constraints, emergent topological defects, and magnetic long-range Coulomb interactions. In spin ice, magnetic frustration leads to highly degenerate yet locally constrained ground states. Together, they form a highly unusual magnetic state—a “Coulomb phase”—whose excitations are point-like defects—magnetic monopoles—in the absence of which effectively no dynamics is possible. Hence, when they are sparse at low temperature, dynamics becomes very sluggish. When quenching the system from a monopole-rich to a monopole-poor state, a wealth of dynamical phenomena occur, the exposition of which is the subject of this article. Most notably, we find reaction diffusion behavior, slow dynamics owing to kinematic constraints, as well as a regime corresponding to the deposition of interacting dimers on a honeycomb lattice. We also identify potential avenues for detecting the magnetic monopoles in a regime of slow-moving monopoles. The interest in this model system is further enhanced by its large degree of tunability and the ease of probing it in experiment: With varying magnetic fields at different temperatures, geometric properties—including even the effective dimensionality of the system—can be varied. By monitoring magnetization, spin correlations or zero-field NMR, the dynamical properties of the system can be extracted in considerable detail. This establishes spin ice as a laboratory of choice for the study of tunable, slow dynamics. PMID:24379372

The Relationship between Clinical Presentation and Unusual Sensory Interests in Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Preliminary Investigation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zachor, Ditza A.; Ben-Itzchak, Esther

2014-01-01

Unusual responses to sensory stimuli have been described in autism spectrum disorder (ASD).The study examined the frequencies of "unusual sensory interests" and "negative sensory responses" and their relation to functioning in a large ASD population (n = 679). Having "unusual sensory interests" was reported in 70.4%…

Counterfactual Reasoning in Non-psychotic First-Degree Relatives of People with Schizophrenia

PubMed Central

Albacete, Auria; Contreras, Fernando; Bosque, Clara; Gilabert, Ester; Albiach, Ángela; Menchón, José M.; Crespo-Facorro, Benedicto; Ayesa-Arriola, Rosa

2016-01-01

Counterfactual thinking (CFT) is a type of conditional reasoning that enables the generation of mental simulations of alternatives to past factual events. Previous research has found this cognitive feature to be disrupted in schizophrenia (Hooker et al., 2000; Contreras et al., 2016). At the same time, the study of cognitive deficits in unaffected relatives of people with schizophrenia has significantly increased, supporting its potential endophenotypic role in this disorder. Using an exploratory approach, the current study examined CFT for the first time in a sample of non-psychotic first-degree relatives of schizophrenia patients (N = 43), in comparison with schizophrenia patients (N = 54) and healthy controls (N = 44). A series of tests that assessed the “causal order effect” in CFT and the ability to generate counterfactual thoughts and counterfactually derive inferences using the Counterfactual Inference Test was completed. Associations with variables of basic and social cognition, levels of schizotypy and psychotic-like experiences in addition to clinical and socio-demographic characteristics were also explored. Findings showed that first-degree relatives generated a lower number of counterfactual thoughts than controls, and were more adept at counterfactually deriving inferences, specifically in the scenarios related to regret and to judgments of avoidance in an unusual situation. No other significant results were found. These preliminary findings suggest that non-psychotic first-degree relatives of schizophrenia patients show a subtle disruption of global counterfactual thinking compared with what is normally expected in the general population. Due to the potential impact of such deficits, new treatments targeting CFT improvement might be considered in future management strategies. PMID:27242583

Counterfactual Reasoning in Non-psychotic First-Degree Relatives of People with Schizophrenia.

PubMed

Albacete, Auria; Contreras, Fernando; Bosque, Clara; Gilabert, Ester; Albiach, Ángela; Menchón, José M; Crespo-Facorro, Benedicto; Ayesa-Arriola, Rosa

2016-01-01

Counterfactual thinking (CFT) is a type of conditional reasoning that enables the generation of mental simulations of alternatives to past factual events. Previous research has found this cognitive feature to be disrupted in schizophrenia (Hooker et al., 2000; Contreras et al., 2016). At the same time, the study of cognitive deficits in unaffected relatives of people with schizophrenia has significantly increased, supporting its potential endophenotypic role in this disorder. Using an exploratory approach, the current study examined CFT for the first time in a sample of non-psychotic first-degree relatives of schizophrenia patients (N = 43), in comparison with schizophrenia patients (N = 54) and healthy controls (N = 44). A series of tests that assessed the "causal order effect" in CFT and the ability to generate counterfactual thoughts and counterfactually derive inferences using the Counterfactual Inference Test was completed. Associations with variables of basic and social cognition, levels of schizotypy and psychotic-like experiences in addition to clinical and socio-demographic characteristics were also explored. Findings showed that first-degree relatives generated a lower number of counterfactual thoughts than controls, and were more adept at counterfactually deriving inferences, specifically in the scenarios related to regret and to judgments of avoidance in an unusual situation. No other significant results were found. These preliminary findings suggest that non-psychotic first-degree relatives of schizophrenia patients show a subtle disruption of global counterfactual thinking compared with what is normally expected in the general population. Due to the potential impact of such deficits, new treatments targeting CFT improvement might be considered in future management strategies.

44 CFR 9.4 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... subject to high velocity waters including but not limited to hurricane wave wash or tsunamis. On a Flood... normally dry land areas from the overflow of inland and/or tidal waters, and/or the unusual and rapid...

44 CFR 9.4 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... subject to high velocity waters including but not limited to hurricane wave wash or tsunamis. On a Flood... normally dry land areas from the overflow of inland and/or tidal waters, and/or the unusual and rapid...

44 CFR 9.4 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... subject to high velocity waters including but not limited to hurricane wave wash or tsunamis. On a Flood... normally dry land areas from the overflow of inland and/or tidal waters, and/or the unusual and rapid...

44 CFR 9.4 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... subject to high velocity waters including but not limited to hurricane wave wash or tsunamis. On a Flood... normally dry land areas from the overflow of inland and/or tidal waters, and/or the unusual and rapid...

On the Influence of North Pacific Sea Surface Temperature on the Arctic Winter Climate

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hurwitz, Margaret M.; Newman, P. A.; Garfinkel, C. I.

2012-01-01

Differences between two ensembles of Goddard Earth Observing System Chemistry-Climate Model simulations isolate the impact of North Pacific sea surface temperatures (SSTs) on the Arctic winter climate. One ensemble of extended winter season forecasts is forced by unusually high SSTs in the North Pacific, while in the second ensemble SSTs in the North Pacific are unusually low. High Low differences are consistent with a weakened Western Pacific atmospheric teleconnection pattern, and in particular, a weakening of the Aleutian low. This relative change in tropospheric circulation inhibits planetary wave propagation into the stratosphere, in turn reducing polar stratospheric temperature in mid- and late winter. The number of winters with sudden stratospheric warmings is approximately tripled in the Low ensemble as compared with the High ensemble. Enhanced North Pacific SSTs, and thus a more stable and persistent Arctic vortex, lead to a relative decrease in lower stratospheric ozone in late winter, affecting the April clear-sky UV index at Northern Hemisphere mid-latitudes.

[Unusually high level of chromosome variability in cultured human peripheral blood lymphocytes].

PubMed

Bochkov, N P; Popova, N A; Katosova, L D; Iakovleva, Iu S; Nazarenko, S A; Vasil'eva, E O; Platonova, V I; Chebotarev, A N

1999-06-01

A cytogenetic examination carried out in the inhabitants of Seversk (Tomsk oblast) and workers of the Siberian chemical industrial complex (a complex of nuclear-chemical and fuel plants), living in the same town, revealed unusually high level of spontaneous chromosomal variability both in control and industrial groups (total irradiation doses 1.8 to 3.7 and 9.3 to 15.7 Gy, respectively). The frequencies of cells with chromosomal aberrations (estimated per 100 cells) in control and industrial groups were 4.69, 6.04, and 6.64, respectively, and the total number of aberrations constituted 6.93, 8.47 and 12.06, respectively. These frequencies were several times higher compared to the summarized literature data on the control levels. The high average aberration level was caused by the elevated proportion of chromatid-type aberrations and paired fragments. The reasons for this are unclear. The levels of radioactive background and chemical air pollution in the town were not increased.

Unusual high B{sub s} for Fe-based amorphous powders produced by a gas-atomization technique

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

Yoshida, K.; Bito, M.; Kageyama, J.

2016-05-15

Fe-based alloy powders with a high Fe content of about 81 at.% were produced by a gas-atomization technique. Powders of Fe{sub 81}Si{sub 1.9}B{sub 5.7}P{sub 11.4} (at.%) alloy showed a good glass forming ability and exhibited unusual high saturation magnetic flux density of 1.57 T. The core-loss property at a frequency of 100 kHz for the compacted core made of the Fe{sub 81}Si{sub 1.9}B{sub 5.7}P{sub 11.4} powder is evaluated to be less than 500 kW/m{sup 3} under a maximum induction of 100 mT. Moreover, good DC-superposition characteristic of the core was also confirmed. These results suggest that the present Fe-based alloymore » powder is promising for low-loss magnetic-core materials and expected to contribute in miniaturization of electric parts in the near future.« less

Unusual multiscale mechanics of biomimetic nanoparticle hydrogels

DOE PAGES

Zhou, Yunlong; Damasceno, Pablo F.; Somashekar, Bagganahalli S.; ...

2018-01-12

Viscoelastic properties are central for gels and other materials. Simultaneously, high storage and loss moduli are difficult to attain due to their contrarian requirements to chemical structure. Biomimetic inorganic nanoparticles offer a promising toolbox for multiscale engineering of gel mechanics, but a conceptual framework for their molecular, nanoscale, mesoscale, and microscale engineering as viscoelastic materials is absent. Here we show nanoparticle gels with simultaneously high storage and loss moduli from CdTe nanoparticles. Viscoelastic figure of merit reaches 1.83 MPa exceeding that of comparable gels by 100–1000 times for glutathione-stabilized nanoparticles. The gels made from the smallest nanoparticles display the highestmore » stiffness, which was attributed to the drastic change of GSH configurations when nanoparticles decrease in size. A computational model accounting for the difference in nanoparticle interactions for variable GSH configurations describes the unusual trends of nanoparticle gel viscoelasticity. These observations are generalizable to other NP gels interconnected by supramolecular interactions and lead to materials with high-load bearing abilities and energy dissipation needed for multiple technologies.« less

Deep melting reveals liquid structural memory and anomalous ferromagnetism in bismuth.

PubMed

Shu, Yu; Yu, Dongli; Hu, Wentao; Wang, Yanbin; Shen, Guoyin; Kono, Yoshio; Xu, Bo; He, Julong; Liu, Zhongyuan; Tian, Yongjun

2017-03-28

As an archetypal semimetal with complex and anisotropic Fermi surface and unusual electric properties (e.g., high electrical resistance, large magnetoresistance, and giant Hall effect), bismuth (Bi) has played a critical role in metal physics. In general, Bi displays diamagnetism with a high volumetric susceptibility ([Formula: see text]10 -4 ). Here, we report unusual ferromagnetism in bulk Bi samples recovered from a molten state at pressures of 1.4-2.5 GPa and temperatures above [Formula: see text]1,250 K. The ferromagnetism is associated with a surprising structural memory effect in the molten state. On heating, low-temperature Bi liquid (L) transforms to a more randomly disordered high-temperature liquid (L') around 1,250 K. By cooling from above 1,250 K, certain structural characteristics of liquid L' are preserved in L. Bi clusters with characteristics of the liquid L' motifs are further preserved through solidification into the Bi-II phase across the pressure-independent melting curve, which may be responsible for the observed ferromagnetism.

Unusual multiscale mechanics of biomimetic nanoparticle hydrogels

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

Zhou, Yunlong; Damasceno, Pablo F.; Somashekar, Bagganahalli S.

Viscoelastic properties are central for gels and other materials. Simultaneously, high storage and loss moduli are difficult to attain due to their contrarian requirements to chemical structure. Biomimetic inorganic nanoparticles offer a promising toolbox for multiscale engineering of gel mechanics, but a conceptual framework for their molecular, nanoscale, mesoscale, and microscale engineering as viscoelastic materials is absent. Here we show nanoparticle gels with simultaneously high storage and loss moduli from CdTe nanoparticles. Viscoelastic figure of merit reaches 1.83 MPa exceeding that of comparable gels by 100–1000 times for glutathione-stabilized nanoparticles. The gels made from the smallest nanoparticles display the highestmore » stiffness, which was attributed to the drastic change of GSH configurations when nanoparticles decrease in size. A computational model accounting for the difference in nanoparticle interactions for variable GSH configurations describes the unusual trends of nanoparticle gel viscoelasticity. These observations are generalizable to other NP gels interconnected by supramolecular interactions and lead to materials with high-load bearing abilities and energy dissipation needed for multiple technologies.« less

Formation of the world's largest REE deposit through protracted fluxing of carbonatite by subduction-derived fluids

PubMed Central

Ling, Ming-Xing; Liu, Yu-Long; Williams, Ian S.; Teng, Fang-Zhen; Yang, Xiao-Yong; Ding, Xing; Wei, Gang-Jian; Xie, Lu-Hua; Deng, Wen-Feng; Sun, Wei-Dong

2013-01-01

Rare Earth Elements (REE) are essential to modern society but the origins of many large REE deposits remain unclear. The U-Th-Pb ages, chemical compositions and C, O and Mg isotopic compositions of Bayan Obo, the world's largest REE deposit, indicate a protracted mineralisation history with unusual chemical and isotopic features. Coexisting calcite and dolomite are in O isotope disequilibrium; some calcitic carbonatite samples show highly varied δ26Mg which increases with increasing Si and Mg; and ankerite crystals show decreases in Fe and REE from rim to centre, with highly varied REE patterns. These and many other observations are consistent with an unusual mineralisation process not previously considered; protracted fluxing of calcitic carbonatite by subduction-released high-Si fluids during the closure of the Palaeo-Asian Ocean. The fluids leached Fe and Mg from the mantle wedge and scavenged REE, Nb and Th from carbonatite, forming the deposit through metasomatism of overlying sedimentary carbonate.

Deep melting reveals liquid structural memory and anomalous ferromagnetism in bismuth

PubMed Central

Shu, Yu; Yu, Dongli; Hu, Wentao; Wang, Yanbin; Shen, Guoyin; Kono, Yoshio; Xu, Bo; He, Julong; Liu, Zhongyuan; Tian, Yongjun

2017-01-01

As an archetypal semimetal with complex and anisotropic Fermi surface and unusual electric properties (e.g., high electrical resistance, large magnetoresistance, and giant Hall effect), bismuth (Bi) has played a critical role in metal physics. In general, Bi displays diamagnetism with a high volumetric susceptibility (∼10−4). Here, we report unusual ferromagnetism in bulk Bi samples recovered from a molten state at pressures of 1.4–2.5 GPa and temperatures above ∼1,250 K. The ferromagnetism is associated with a surprising structural memory effect in the molten state. On heating, low-temperature Bi liquid (L) transforms to a more randomly disordered high-temperature liquid (L′) around 1,250 K. By cooling from above 1,250 K, certain structural characteristics of liquid L′ are preserved in L. Bi clusters with characteristics of the liquid L′ motifs are further preserved through solidification into the Bi-II phase across the pressure-independent melting curve, which may be responsible for the observed ferromagnetism. PMID:28289195

Hit to lead account of the discovery of a new class of inhibitors of Pim kinases and crystallographic studies revealing an unusual kinase binding mode.

PubMed

Qian, Kevin; Wang, Lian; Cywin, Charles L; Farmer, Bennett T; Hickey, Eugene; Homon, Carol; Jakes, Scott; Kashem, Mohammed A; Lee, George; Leonard, Scott; Li, Jun; Magboo, Ronald; Mao, Wang; Pack, Edward; Peng, Charlene; Prokopowicz, Anthony; Welzel, Morgan; Wolak, John; Morwick, Tina

2009-04-09

A series of inhibitors of Pim-2 kinase identified by high-throughput screening is described. Details of the hit validation and lead generation process and structure-activity relationship (SAR) studies are presented. Disclosure of an unconventional binding mode for 1, as revealed by X-ray crystallography using the highly homologous Pim-1 protein, is also presented, and observed binding features are shown to correlate with the Pim-2 SAR. While highly selective within the kinase family, the series shows similar potency for both Pim-1 and Pim-2, which was expected on the basis of homology, but unusual in light of reports in the literature documenting a bias for Pim-1. A rationale for these observations based on Pim-1 and Pim-2 K(M(ATP)) values is suggested. Some interesting cross reactivity with casein kinase-2 was also identified, and structural features which may contribute to the association are discussed.

Transitional geomagnetic impulse hypothesis: Geomagnetic fact or rock-magnetic artifact?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Camps, Pierre; Coe, Robert S.; PréVot, Michel

1999-08-01

A striking feature of the Steens Mountain (Oregon) geomagnetic polarity reversal is the two (maybe three) extremely rapid field directional changes (6 degrees per day) proposed to account for unusual behavior in direction of remanent magnetization in a single lava flow. Each of these very fast field changes, or impulses, is associated with a large directional gap (some 90°) in the record. In order to check the spatial reproducibility of the paleomagnetic signal over distances up to several kilometers, we have carried out a paleomagnetic investigation of two new sections (B and F) in the Steens summit region which cover the second and the third directional gap. The main result is the description of two new directions, which are located between the pre second and post second impulse directions. These findings weigh against the hypothesis that the geomagnetic field cause the unusual intraflow fluctuations, which now appears to be more ad hoc as an explanation of the paleomagnetic data. However, the alternative baking hypothesis remains also ad hoc since we have to assume variable rock magnetic properties that we have not yet been able to detect within the flows at the original section Steens A and D 1.5 km to the north. In addition, new results for 22 transitional and normal lava flows in section B are presented that correlate well with earlier results from section A.

"Helicobacter Pylori" Infection in Five Inpatient Units for People with Intellectual Disability and Psychiatric Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clarke, David; Vemuri, Murali; Gunatilake, Deepthi; Tewari, Sidhartha

2008-01-01

Background: A high prevalence of "Helicobacter pylori" infection has been reported among people with intellectual disability, especially those residing in hospital and similar settings. Surveys of inpatients have found unusually high rates of gastrointestinal malignancy, to which "H. pylori" infection predisposes. Methods: "Helicobacter pylori"…

High Prevalence of Obesity in Ambulatory Children and Adolescents with Intellectual Disability

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stewart, L.; Van de Ven, L.; Katsarou, V.; Rentziou, E.; Doran, M.; Jackson, P.; Reilly, J. J.; Wilson, D.

2009-01-01

Background: Obesity prevalence is unusually high among adults with intellectual disability (ID). There is limited and conflicting evidence on obesity prevalence among ambulatory children and adolescents with ID. The present study aimed to estimate obesity prevalence in this group and to compare with population prevalence. Methods: Survey of nine…

The Biosynthesis of Nitrogen-, Sulfur-, and High-carbon Chain-containing Sugars†

PubMed Central

Lin, Chia-I; McCarty, Reid M.; Liu, Hung-wen

2013-01-01

Carbohydrates serve many structural and functional roles in biology. While the majority of monosaccharides are characterized by the chemical composition: (CH2O)n, modifications including deoxygenation, C-alkylation, amination, O- and N-methylation, which are characteristic of many sugar appendages of secondary metabolites, are not uncommon. Interestingly, some sugar molecules are formed via modifications including amine oxidation, sulfur incorporation, and “high-carbon” chain attachment. Most of these unusual sugars have been identified over the past several decades as components of microbially produced natural products, although a few high-carbon sugars are also found in the lipooligosaccharides of the outer cell walls of Gram-negative bacteria. Despite their broad distribution in nature, these sugars are considered “rare” due to their relative scarcity. The biosynthetic steps that underlie their formation continue to perplex researchers to this day and many questions regarding key transformations remain unanswered. This review will focus on our current understanding of the biosynthesis of unusual sugars bearing oxidized amine substituents, thio-functional groups, and high-carbon chains. PMID:23348524

(MnH9)2- salts with high hydrogen contents and unusual bonding: Density functional calculations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gupta, Michèle; Gupta, Raju P.; Singh, D. J.

2009-12-01

The compounds BaReH9 and K2ReH9 are the prototypical members of a family of hydrides described as salts of (ReH9)2- anions. The structures reflect highly unusual chemistry with short H-H distances and at the same time very high ninefold coordination of Re by hydrogen atoms. This is of interest because of the resulting high hydrogen-to-metal ratios, 4.5 in BaReH9 and 3 in K2ReH9 . Here we use density functional calculations to investigate possible new members of this family including both Re and Mn compounds. We find that although SrReH9 and CaReH9 have not been synthesized these are very likely to be stable compounds that may be prepared in a similar manner as the Ba analog. We also find that the manganese counterparts, including K2MnH9 , are also likely to be stable and have thermodynamic properties consistent with requirements for hydrogen storage.

Genetics Home Reference: D-bifunctional protein deficiency

MedlinePlus

... between the nose and mouth (philtrum), and a high arch of the hard palate at the roof of the mouth. Affected infants may also have an unusually large space between the bones of the skull (fontanelle). An ...

Gas-separation process

DOEpatents

Toy, L.G.; Pinnau, I.; Baker, R.W.

1994-01-25

A process is described for separating condensable organic components from gas streams. The process makes use of a membrane made from a polymer material that is glassy and that has an unusually high free volume within the polymer material. 6 figures.

Biological Studies in Art

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Karan, Theodora

1978-01-01

The Biological Studies in Art program offers students at the high school level an unusual opportunity to prepare for a career in biological illustration. This field offers opportunities for employment in museums, publishing houses, and other similar settings. (Author/BB)

High Field Remagnetization of Hematite Concretions from Utah, USA and Czech Republic

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adachi, T.; Kletetschka, G.; Chan, M.; Mikula, V.; Adamovic, J.; Pruner, P.; Schnabl, P.; Wasilewski, P.

2007-03-01

Terrestrial hematite concretions of the Navajo Sandstone have been discussed as analogues to the blueberries on Mars. Magnetic investigation of terrestrial concretions showed unusual behavior of antiferromagnetic hematite-goethite composition that may mem

Prostate Cancer Screening: MedlinePlus Health Topic

MedlinePlus

... unusual. Another test is the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test. Your PSA level may be high if you have prostate ... Research) Prostate Cancer Screening: Should You Get a PSA Test? (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research) ...

A Two-Way Spinoff.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Aviation/Space, 1982

1982-01-01

A unusual technology transfer, involving sailboats and commercial wind energy systems, highlights space-related spinoffs for home, consumer, and recreational use. These include clothing for cooling athletes, high-intensity lighting, an advanced welding tool, and a water filter. (Author/JN)

Spreading like wildfire

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

2017-11-01

The 2017 wildfire season has seen unusually high fire levels in many parts of the world, with extensive and severe fires occurring in Chile, the Mediterranean, Russia, the US, Canada and even Greenland. Is this a sign of things to come?

MAMMALIAN DNA IN PCR REAGENTS

EPA Science Inventory

Ancient DNA analysis is becoming widespread. These studies use polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to amplify minute quantities of heavily damaged template. Unusual steps are taken to achieve the sensitivity necessary to detect ancient DNA, including high- cycle PCR amplification t...

Dying Star Creates Fantasy-like Sculpture of Gas and Dust

NASA Image and Video Library

2004-09-09

This detailed view of NGC 6543, the Cat Eye Nebula, from NASA Hubble Space Telescope includes intricate structures, including concentric gas shells, jets of high-speed gas, and unusual shock-induced knots of gas.

Geochemical, mineralogical, and volcanological constraints on the petrogenesis of komatiites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lesher, C. M.

2003-04-01

Komatiites are ultramafic volcanic rocks that occur primarily in Archean greenstone belts and that are inferred to have had very high liquidus temperatures (1640-1360oC), a very large interval between the liquidus and solidus (460-180oC), very low viscosities (0.1-1.0 Pa s), high densities (2800-2700 g m-3), and high specific heats (1800-1700 J kg-1 oC-1). Because of these unusual geochemical, thermal, and physical characteristics they are interpreted to have erupted very rapidly and superheated, formed very voluminous and very mobile flows that may have traveled great distances from their eruptive sites, become channelized within seafloor depressions, and cooled and solidified slowly. Depending on the degree of channelization, they may have also thermomechanically eroded wall rocks and/or substrates. As such, they provide critical information regarding the composition and structure of the Archean mantle and the nature of volcanism on the young Earth. The high MgO contents (up to 30%) of least-altered aphyric and fine random spinifex-textured komatiites and the high Fo contents (up to 94) of relict igneous olivines require derivation from a mantle source. Very low abundances of HILE relative to MILE and positive eNd values in most komatiites worldwide indicate derivation from depleted sources. Although it has been suggested that komatiites were water-rich (up to 4%) and were generated by hydrous melting, this is inconsistent with the lack of enrichment of HILE in most komatiites, suggesting that the rare komatiites that do contain igneous amphibole or abundant vesicles incorporated water during emplacement. Low abundances of MILE in most komatiites suggest moderate to high degrees of partial melting, depending on the composition of the source and the degree of prior melt extraction. Individual komatiite sequences commonly grade upwards from massive or differentiated cumulate units derived from high-Mg komatiites to massive or differentiated non-cumulate units derived from low-Mg komatiites, suggesting that the lava pile evolved by fractional crystallization during emplacement in a regressive lava flow field. Crustal contamination occurred on large scales during ascent through the crust, typically in the late stages of eruptive cycles, or on very localized scales during emplacement, typically in the early stages of eruptive cycles. Although crystallization of spinifex zones and accumulation of olivine has been proposed to have occurred during inflation, textural, mineralogical, whole-rock geochemical, and mineral chemical variations indicate that inflation must have occurred early, that the excess olivine in the cumulate zones crystallized during emplacement, and that the spinifex zones crystallized after the flows ponded. Because of their unique thermal and physical characteristics and propensity to fractionate and crystallize olivine ± chromite and to assimilate country rocks, the emplacement and crystallization history of komatiites must be carefully evaluated prior to making any inferences about magma generation processes.

Atmospheric Fragmentation of the Canyon Diablo Meteoroid

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pierazzo, E.; Artemieva, N. A.

2005-01-01

About 50 kyr ago the impact of an iron meteoroid excavated Meteor Crater, Arizona, the first terrestrial structure widely recognized as a meteorite impact crater. Recent studies of ballistically dispersed impact melts from Meteor Crater indicate a compositionally unusually heterogeneous impact melt with high SiO2 and exceptionally high (10 to 25% on average) levels of projectile contamination. These are observations that must be explained by any theoretical modeling of the impact event. Simple atmospheric entry models for an iron meteorite similar to Canyon Diablo indicate that the surface impact speed should have been around 12 km/s [Melosh, personal comm.], not the 15-20 km/s generally assumed in previous impact models. This may help explaining the unusual characteristics of the impact melt at Meteor Crater. We present alternative initial estimates of the motion in the atmosphere of an iron projectile similar to Canyon Diablo, to constraint the initial conditions of the impact event that generated Meteor Crater.

Detection of the supercycle in V4140 Sagittarii: First eclipsing ER Ursae Majoris-like object

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kato, Taichi; Hambsch, Franz-Josef; Cook, Lewis M.

2018-05-01

We observed the deeply eclipsing SU UMa-type dwarf nova V4140 Sgr and established the very short supercycle of 69.7(3) d. There were several short outbursts between superoutbursts. These values, together with the short orbital period (0.06143 d), were similar to, but not as extreme as, those of ER UMa-type dwarf novae. The object is thus the first, long sought, eclipsing ER UMa-like object. This ER UMa-like nature can naturally explain the high (apparent) quiescent viscosity and unusual temperature profile in quiescence, which were claimed observational features against the thermal-tidal instability model. The apparently unusual outburst behavior can be reasonably explained by a combination of this ER UMa-like nature and the high orbital inclination, and there is no need to introduce mass transfer bursts from its donor star.

Detection of the supercycle in V4140 Sagittarii: First eclipsing ER Ursae Majoris-like object

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kato, Taichi; Hambsch, Franz-Josef; Cook, Lewis M.

2018-06-01

We observed the deeply eclipsing SU UMa-type dwarf nova V4140 Sgr and established the very short supercycle of 69.7(3) d. There were several short outbursts between superoutbursts. These values, together with the short orbital period (0.06143 d), were similar to, but not as extreme as, those of ER UMa-type dwarf novae. The object is thus the first, long sought, eclipsing ER UMa-like object. This ER UMa-like nature can naturally explain the high (apparent) quiescent viscosity and unusual temperature profile in quiescence, which were claimed observational features against the thermal-tidal instability model. The apparently unusual outburst behavior can be reasonably explained by a combination of this ER UMa-like nature and the high orbital inclination, and there is no need to introduce mass transfer bursts from its donor star.

Rapid onset aggressive vertebral haemangioma.

PubMed

Cheung, Nicholas K; Doorenbosch, Xenia; Christie, John G

2011-03-01

Vertebral haemangiomas are generally benign asymptomatic vascular tumours seen commonly in the adult population. Presentations in paediatric populations are extremely rare, which can result in rapid onset of neurological symptoms. We present a highly unusual case of an aggressive paediatric vertebral haemangioma causing significant cord compression. A 13-year-old boy presented with only 2 weeks duration of progressive gait disturbance, truncal ataxia and loss of bladder control. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the spine revealed a large vascular epidural mass extending between T6 and T8 vertebral bodies. Associated displacement and compression of the spinal cord was present. A highly vascular bony lesion was found during surgery. Histopathology identified this tumour to be a vertebral haemangioma. We present an extremely unusual acute presentation of a paediatric vertebral haemangioma. This study highlights the need for early diagnosis, MRI for investigation and urgent surgical management. © Springer-Verlag 2011

On the occurrence and origin of anthropogenic radionuclides found in a fragment of the Chelyabinsk (LL5) meteorite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Querfeld, Rebecca; Tanha, Mohammad R.; Heyer, Lars; Renz, Franz; Guggenberger, Georg; Brandstätter, Franz; Ferrière, Ludovic; Koeberl, Christian; Steinhauser, Georg

2017-06-01

A piece of the 2013 Chelyabinsk meteorite was investigated for its content of anthropogenic radionuclides. In addition to traces of cesium-137 that had been previously reported for this particular fragment, we found an unusually high amount of strontium-90, which indicates that the source of this contamination was the Kyshtym accident (1957). A high Sr-90/Cs-137 activity ratio is characteristic for Kyshtym-derived contaminations. Based on the cesium-137 content in the soil from the finding site, it is estimated that the fragment was contaminated with soil particles in the milligram range upon impact. Investigation of the soil revealed very unusual ferromagnetic characteristics and an iron-rich chemical composition. Mössbauer spectroscopy indicated the presence of steel components in this soil, suggesting that the investigated meteorite fragment was found in an industrial dumping site rather than natural soil.

Properties of an unusual DNA primase from an archaeal plasmid

PubMed Central

Beck, Kirsten; Lipps, Georg

2007-01-01

Primases are specialized DNA-dependent RNA polymerases that synthesize a short oligoribonucleotide complementary to single-stranded template DNA. In the context of cellular DNA replication, primases are indispensable since DNA polymerases are not able to start DNA polymerization de novo. The primase activity of the replication protein from the archaeal plasmid pRN1 synthesizes a rather unusual mixed primer consisting of a single ribonucleotide at the 5′ end followed by seven deoxynucleotides. Ribonucleotides and deoxynucleotides are strictly required at the respective positions within the primer. Furthermore, in contrast to other archaeo-eukaryotic primases, the primase activity is highly sequence-specific and requires the trinucleotide motif GTG in the template. Primer synthesis starts outside of the recognition motif, immediately 5′ to the recognition motif. The fidelity of the primase synthesis is high, as non-complementary bases are not incorporated into the primer. PMID:17709343

Unusual Passivation Ability of Superconcentrated Electrolytes toward Hard Carbon Negative Electrodes in Sodium-Ion Batteries.

PubMed

Takada, Koji; Yamada, Yuki; Watanabe, Eriko; Wang, Jianhui; Sodeyama, Keitaro; Tateyama, Yoshitaka; Hirata, Kazuhisa; Kawase, Takeo; Yamada, Atsuo

2017-10-04

The passivation of negative electrodes is key to achieving prolonged charge-discharge cycling with Na-ion batteries. Here, we report the unusual passivation ability of superconcentrated Na-salt electrolytes. For example, a 50 mol % sodium bis(fluorosulfonyl)amide (NaFSA)/succinonitrile (SN) electrolyte enables highly reversible Na + insertion into a hard carbon negative electrode without any electrolyte additive, functional binder, or electrode pretreatment. Importantly, an anion-derived passivation film is formed via preferential reduction of the anion upon charging, which can effectively suppress further electrolyte reduction. As a structural characteristic of the electrolyte, most anions are coordinated to multiple Na + cations at high concentration, which shifts the lowest unoccupied molecular orbitals of the anions downward, resulting in preferential anion reduction. The present work provides a new understanding of the passivation mechanism with respect to the coordination state of the anion.

A chromatographic estimate of the degree of heterogeneity of RPLC packing materials. 1. Non-endcapped polymeric C30-bonded stationary phase

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

Gritti, Fabrice; Guiochon, Georges A

2006-01-01

A new chromatographic method estimating the degree of heterogeneity of RPLC packing materials is based on the results of systematic measurements of the adsorption data in a wide concentration range for selected probe compounds. These data are acquired by frontal analysis (FA), modeled, and used for the calculation of the adsorption energy distribution (AED). Four compounds were used, two neutral compounds of different molecular sizes (caffeine and phenol) and two ionizable compounds of opposite charges, 2-naphthalene sulfonate, an anion, and propranololium, a cation. This work was done on a C{sub 30}-bonded silica stationary phase (Prontosil-C{sub 30}), using the same aqueousmore » mobile phase (30% methanol, v/v) for all compounds, except that sodium chloride (25 mM) was added to elute the ionizable compounds. All four adsorption isotherms have Langmuirian behavior. The AEDs are tri-modal for phenol, quadri-modal for caffeine. The total saturation capacity of the stationary phase is four-fold lower for caffeine than for phenol, due in part to its larger molecular size. The equilibrium constants on the low-energy sites of types 1 and 2 are eight-fold larger. These two types of sites characterize the heterogeneity of the bonded layer itself. The density of the high-energy sites of types 3 and 4 is higher for caffeine, suggesting that caffeine molecules can be accommodated in some hydrophobic cages into which smaller molecules like phenol cannot. These high-energy types of sites characterize the heterogeneity of the whole stationary phase (silica support included). The ionizable compounds have larger molecules than the neutral ones and, accordingly, a lower relative density of sites of type 2 to sites of type 1. A tri-modal and a quadri-modal energy distributions were observed for the 2-naphthalene sulfonate anion and the propranololium cation, respectively. The fourth types of sites measured and its unusually high equilibrium constant are most probably due to ion-exchange interactions between the non-endcapped ionized silanols and the propranololium ion. No such strong interactions are observed with the anionic compound.« less

Characterization of Oxygen Storage and Structural Properties of Oxygen-Loaded Hexagonal R MnO 3+δ ( R = Ho, Er, and Y)

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

Abughayada, C.; Dabrowski, B.; Kolesnik, S.

2015-09-22

Single-phase polycrystalline samples of stoichiometric RMnO3+delta (R = Er, Y, and Ho) were achieved in the hexagonal P6(3)cm structure through solid state reaction at, similar to 1300 degrees C. Thermogravimetric measurements in oxygen atmospheres demonstrated that samples with the larger Ho and Y show rapid and reversible incorporation of large amounts of excess oxygen (0.3 > delta> 0) at an unusually low temperature range of similar to 190-325 degrees C, indicating the industrial usefulness of RMnO3+delta materials for lower cost thermal swing adsorption processes for oxygen separation from air. Further increase of the excess oxygen intake to delta similar tomore » 0.38 was achieved for all the investigated materials when annealed under high pressures of oxygen. The formation of three oxygen stable phases with 6 = 0, 0.28, and 0.38 was confirmed by thermogravimetric measurements, synchrotron X-rays, and neutron diffraction. In situ synchrotron diffraction proved the thermal stability of these single phases and the regions of their creation and coexistence, and demonstrated that the stability of the delta = 0.28 phase increases with the ionic size of the R ion. Structural modeling using neutron powder diffraction for oxygen excess phases describes the formation and details of a large R3c superstructure observed for HoMnO3.28 by tripling the c-axis of the original parent unit cell. Modeling of the RMnO3.38 (R = Y and Er) oxygen-loaded phase converged on a structural model consistent with the symmetry of Pca2(1).« less

ETO cloud studies for FIRE 2, part 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sassen, Kenneth

1992-01-01

This research program in support of Project FIRE (First ISCCP Regional Experiment) involved two efforts. The results of the first effort, which were in direct support of the Extended Time Observations (ETO) component, are described here. Over the period from June 1990 through May 1991, our remote sensing systems were applied to providing ground-truth cirrus cloud observations for a total of 71 NOAA polar orbiting satellite overpasses. (Chronological tables of this effort are provided.) The primary remote sensor was a dual-polarization ruby (0.694 microns wavelength) lidar, although mid-way through the program we added a number of radiometers to assess the surface radiation budget and cirrus cloud infrared emittance, and some supplemental observations from a Ka-band (8.6 mm) radar were also collected. These studies were conducted from the Facility for Atmospheric Remote Sensing (FARS) at 40 degrees 46 minutes 00 seconds north latitude and 111 degrees 49 minutes 38 seconds east longitude. We also investigated the unusual characteristics of a subset of ETO case studies involving cirrus that generated solar and lunar corona displays. As we reported recently (reprint attached), these cirrus were atypically high and cold in relation to our total midlatitude cloud sample, and were comprised of unexpectedly small ice crystals from 10 to 30 microns in dimension. This finding lends some credence to the so-called cirrus small particle radiative anomaly, but only for very cold (less than -60 C) cirrus clouds. In a supplement, we will describe the design and testing of a prototype cirrus cloud polar nephelometer, which we constructed as part of our second research effort, to allow scattering phase functions to be obtained in future in situ cirrus research.

Underground Martian Ice Deposit Exposed at Scarp

NASA Image and Video Library

2018-01-11

Click on the image for larger version A cross-section of a thick sheet of underground ice is exposed at the steep slope (or scarp) that appears bright blue in this enhanced-color view from the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. The view covers an area about 550 yards (500 meters) wide. Figure 1 includes a 100-meter (109-yard) scale bar. North is toward the top. The upper third of the image shows level ground that is about 140 yards (130 meters) higher in elevation than the ground in the bottom third. In between, the scarp descends sharply, exposing about 260 vertical feet (80 vertical meters) of water ice. Color is exaggerated to make differences in surface materials easier to see. The presence of exposed water ice at this site was confirmed by observation with the same orbiter's Compact Reconnaissance Imaging Spectrometer for Mars (CRISM). In January 2018, in the journal Science, researchers reported finding and studying eight such ice-exposing scarps in the middle latitudes of Mars. The presence of vast underground ice deposits in Mars' middle latitudes was known previously. The report of unusual sites where they are exposed provides new information about their depth and layering. It also identifies potential water resources for future Mars missions and possibilities for studying Martian climate history by examining the ice layers holding a record of past climate cycles. The ice may have been deposited as snow when the tilt of Mars' rotation axis was greater than it is now. HiRISE observation ESP_022389_1230 was made on May 7, 2011, at 56.6 degrees south latitude, 114.1 degrees east longitude. https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/catalog/PIA22077

Hydrophilic absorbable copolyester exhibiting zero-order drug release.

PubMed

Andjelić, Sasa; Yuan, Jenny; Jamiolkowski, Dennis D; Diluccio, Robert; Bezwada, Rao; Zhang, Hua; Mijović, Jovan

2006-04-01

A novel absorbable hydrophilic copolyester developed in our laboratory, amorphous 40/60 poly(ethylene diglycolate-co-glycolide), exhibits outstanding physical properties. Films made from this material appear fully transparent, colorless, soft and slightly elastic, but relatively strong and durable materials so that they can be potentially used as stand-alone devices in various in-vivo medical applications. In this study, in-vitro drug release characteristics of this copolyester were examined. High Performance Liquid Chromatography was used to generate release profiles on selected non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents, NSAIDs. In addition, dielectric relaxation spectroscopy, as well as mid- and near infrared spectroscopy, were used to study specific polymer chain interactions in water and buffer solution as a function of aging time at 37 degrees C. This copolyester, compression molded into a film, exhibited nearly constant in-vitro release of various hydrophilic and hydrophobic drugs. The release profile showed minimal or, in most cases, no burst effect. The effect was observed with the three NSAIDs that were tested as model compounds; however, this system may prove generally useful for other drug entities. In-vitro hydrolysis conducted at 37 degrees C on this hydrophilic copolyester revealed an unusually long induction period (no hydrolysis for up to 6 days), followed by the relatively rapid hydrolysis. Data from dipole relaxation spectroscopy indicated that the water molecules do not structurally associate with the polymer chains in phosphate buffer during initial hydrolysis period. The results suggest unique dynamics of water diffusion through the polymer matrix that may play a critical role in achieving controlled release properties. Furthermore, we suspect that the molecular interactions associated with this new synthetic absorbable material may find a critical utility in important medical applications.

Performance of the Broadband Golay 3x6 Array Associated with the 2016 IRIS Community Wavefields Experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bolarinwa, O. J.; Langston, C. A.; Sweet, J. R.; Anderson, K. R.; Woodward, R.

2017-12-01

A 6 km aperture regional array in the Golay 3x6 configuration was fielded as part of the IRIS Community Wavefields Experiment near Enid, Oklahoma from June 26 through November 12, 2016. The array consisted of 18 broadband CMG-3T seismometers deployed using a PASSCAL insulated vault design and RT130 data recorders. The Golay geometry is unusual in that it features 6 tripartite arrays in an open arrangement. Spacing and orientation of each tripartite array is such that the array uniformly samples the wavefield in space as determined from the co-array diagram even though the interior of the array configuration contains no seismic stations. The short wavelength performance of this array requires a high degree of phase correlation across its entire aperture, a characteristic that has been difficult to achieve for other regional array designs because of velocity heterogeneity in the earth. Located within an area of high regional seismicity, the IRIS experiment offered an opportunity to examine the slowness-frequency performance of a real-world Golay 3x6 array that was subject to constraints on land usage during deployment. Individual tripartite arrays fit well within a land survey quarter section but it proved difficult to match the ideal spacing between each subarray because of permitting problems. Nevertheless, these unavoidable geometry perturbations caused only minor changes to the theoretical array response. More surprisingly, observations of high frequency regional P and S phases show very high correlation over the array aperture that gives rise to precise array responses that are close to theoretical. Both the array geometry and relatively homogeneous structure under the array produces an exceptional facility that can be used for high-resolution studies of regional seismic waves.

Antipsychotic polypharmacy prescribing patterns and costs in the Florida adult and child Medicaid populations.

PubMed

Becker, Edmund R; Constantine, Robert J; McPherson, Marie A; Jones, Mary Elizabeth

2013-01-01

The rapid growth in the use of antipsychotic medications and their related costs have resulted in states developing programs to measure, monitor, and insure their beneficial relevance to public program populations. One such program developed in the state of Florida has adopted an evidence-based approach to identify prescribers with unusual psychotherapeutic prescription patterns and track their utilization and costs among Florida Medicaid patients. This study reports on the prescriber prescription and cost patterns for adults and children using three measures of unusual antipsychotic prescribing patterns: (1) two antipsychotics for 60 days (2AP60), (2) three antipsychotics for 60 days (3AP60), and (2) two antipsychotics for 90 or more days (2AP90). We find that over the four-year study period there were substantial increases in several aspects of the Florida Medicaid behavioral drug program. Overall, for adults and children, patient participation increased by 29 percent, the number of prescriptions grew by 30 percent, and the number of prescribers that wrote at least one prescription grew 48.5 percent, while Medicaid costs for behavioral drugs increased by 32 percent. But the results are highly skewed. We find that a relatively small number of prescribers account for a disproportionately large share of prescriptions and costs of the unusual antipsychotic prescriptions. In general, the top 350 Medicaid prescribers accounted for more than 70 percent of the unusual antipsychotic prescriptions, and we find that this disparity in unusual prescribing patterns appears to be substantially more pronounced in adults than in children prescribers. For just the top 13 adult and children prescribers, their practice patterns accounted for 11 percent to 21 percent of the unusual prescribing activity and, overall, these 13 top prescribers accounted for 13 percent of the total spent on antipsychotics by the Florida Medicaid program and 9.3 percent of the total expenditure by the state for all drugs. Our findings suggest that a strategy to monitor and ensure patient safety and prescribing patterns that targets a relatively small number of Medicaid providers could have a substantial benefit and prove to be cost effective.

Unusually large oilbodies are highly correlated with lower oil content in Brassica napus.

PubMed

Hu, Zhiyong; Wang, Xinfa; Zhan, Gaomiao; Liu, Guihua; Hua, Wei; Wang, Hanzhong

2009-04-01

Rapeseed cultivars exhibit a wide range of oil content in the mature seeds. Little is known about the relationship between the oilbody structures and the differences in oil contents of Brassica napus cultivars. In the present study, the oilbody morphology and its fate during the embryo development and seedling growth in several cultivars with oil contents ranging from 33.4 to 49.8% were studied. Cultivars with low oil contents (LO), some of the oilbodies were in similar size to those in cultivars with high oil content (HO), while some oilbodies in the LO cultivars were several times bigger (over 5.0 microm). These are much larger than the average size of B. napus seed oilbodies that were previously reported (Mantese et al. Ann Bot 97:999-1010, 2006). The oleosin protein levels and oleosin1 gene transcript abundances in the HO cultivars were clearly higher than in the LO cultivars. The shapes of oilbodies were similar during early stages of embryo development in both HO and LO cultivars, while as the embryos matured, the unusually large oilbodies were generated in the LO cells. After germination, the oilbodies in LO cultivars were consumed more slowly than in HO, and the seed germination rates of LO cultivars were less than those of HO cultivars. The low accumulation of oleosins results in the forming of unusually large oilbodies in LO cultivars.

Fat tissue is not a reservoir for radiocesium in wild boars.

PubMed

Steinhauser, Georg; Knecht, Christian; Sipos, Wolfgang

2017-01-01

Meat of wild boars is not only known for high 137 Cs activity concentrations but also for the remarkable constancy of these levels. Even decades after the Chernobyl accident, the 137 Cs levels in wild boar meat in Central Europe have not declined but even partly increased. In the present study, we investigated an unusual hypothesis for this very unusual phenomenon: may the boars' fat tissue act as a reservoir for radiocesium? We investigated fat and muscle tissues of four wild boars in Western Germany and found that the 137 Cs concentrations in fat were in the range of 10-30% of the respective activities in muscle tissue. Hence, the hypothesis was refuted.

Myxomatosis on the Western Plains of Victoria.

PubMed Central

Tighe, F. G.; Edmonds, J. W.; Nolan, I. F.; Shepherd, R. C.; Gocs, A.

1977-01-01

Myxomatosis on the Western Plains is an enzootic disease in contrast with the epizootic pattern which is general in eastern Australia. The most unusual aspects are the presence of significant numbers of diseased rabbits throughout the winter and the continuously low percentage of rabbits with antibodies to myxoma virus. Climatic and topographic conditions are unsuited to the production of the high densities of mosquitoes necessary for widespread epizootics. Under these conditions the effects of less efficient methods of myxomatosis transmission are apparent. The unusual epidemiology of myxomatosis has resulted in selection for virulence of the virus similar to that which has occurred under summer epizootic conditions. All field strains are now in the mid range of virulence. PMID:20473

Myxomatosis on the Western Plains of Victoria.

PubMed

Tighe, F G; Edmonds, J W; Nolan, I F; Shepherd, R C; Gocs, A

1977-10-01

Myxomatosis on the Western Plains is an enzootic disease in contrast with the epizootic pattern which is general in eastern Australia. The most unusual aspects are the presence of significant numbers of diseased rabbits throughout the winter and the continuously low percentage of rabbits with antibodies to myxoma virus. Climatic and topographic conditions are unsuited to the production of the high densities of mosquitoes necessary for widespread epizootics. Under these conditions the effects of less efficient methods of myxomatosis transmission are apparent. The unusual epidemiology of myxomatosis has resulted in selection for virulence of the virus similar to that which has occurred under summer epizootic conditions. All field strains are now in the mid range of virulence.

Streptococcus anginosus endocarditis and multiple liver abscesses in a splenectomised patient.

PubMed

Finn, Talya; Schattner, Ami; Dubin, Ina; Cohen, Regev

2018-04-27

An unusual case of infective endocarditis and concurrent multiple liver abscesses both caused by Streptococcus anginosus in a splenectomised patient is reported. The microorganism is a very rare cause of endocarditis and its presentation with multiple liver abscesses is highly unusual. It was initially misdiagnosed as Streptococcus sanguinis and issues relating to the different clinical presentations of S. anginosus including the rare cases of endocarditis, the role of the patient's splenectomy and problems that may contribute to its potential laboratory misidentifications are discussed. © BMJ Publishing Group Ltd (unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Myxotyrosides A and B, Unusual rhamnosides from Myxococcus sp.

PubMed

Ohlendorf, Birgit; Lorenzen, Wolfram; Kehraus, Stefan; Krick, Anja; Bode, Helge B; König, Gabriele M

2009-01-01

Myxobacteria are gliding bacteria of the delta-subdivision of the Proteobacteria and known for their unique biosynthetic capabilities. Two examples of a new class of metabolites, myxotyrosides A (1) and B (2), were isolated from a Myxococcus sp. The myxotyrosides have a tyrosine-derived core structure glycosylated with rhamnose and acylated with unusual fatty acids such as (Z)-15-methyl-2-hexadecenoic and (Z)-2-hexadecenoic acid. The fatty acid profile of the investigated Myxococcus sp. (strain 131) is that of a typical myxobacterium with a high similarity to those described for M. fulvus and M. xanthus, with significant concentrations of neither 15-methyl-2-hexadecenoic acid nor 2-hexadecenoic acid being detected.

Unusual Characteristics of the DNA Binding Domain of Epigenetic Regulatory Protein MeCP2 Determine Its Binding Specificity

PubMed Central

2015-01-01

The protein MeCP2 mediates epigenetic regulation by binding methyl-CpG (mCpG) sites on chromatin. MeCP2 consists of six domains of which one, the methyl binding domain (MBD), binds mCpG sites in duplex DNA. We show that solution conditions with physiological or greater salt concentrations or the presence of nonspecific competitor DNA is necessary for the MBD to discriminate mCpG from CpG with high specificity. The specificity for mCpG over CpG is >100-fold under these solution conditions. In contrast, the MBD does not discriminate hydroxymethyl-CpG from CpG. The MBD is unusual among site-specific DNA binding proteins in that (i) specificity is not conferred by the enhanced affinity for the specific site but rather by suppression of its affinity for generic DNA, (ii) its specific binding to mCpG is highly electrostatic, and (iii) it takes up as well as displaces monovalent cations upon DNA binding. The MBD displays an unusually high affinity for single-stranded DNA independent of modification or sequence. In addition, the MBD forms a discrete dimer on DNA via a noncooperative binding pathway. Because the affinity of the second monomer is 1 order of magnitude greater than that of nonspecific binding, the MBD dimer is a unique molecular complex. The significance of these results in the context of neuronal function and development and MeCP2-related developmental disorders such as Rett syndrome is discussed. PMID:24828757

Strain accumulation in southern California, 1973-1980.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Savage, J.C.; Prescott, W.H.; Lisowski, M.; King, N.E.

1981-01-01

Frequent surveys of seven trilateration networks in southern California over the interval 1973-1980 suggest that a regional increment in strain may have occurred in 1978-1979. Prior to 1978 and after late 1979 the strain accumulation has been predominantly a uniaxial north-south compression. This secular trend was interrupted sometime in 1978-1979 by an increment in both north-south and east-west extension in five of the seven networks. The onset of this change appears to have occurred first in the networks farthest south. The changes occurred without any unusual seismicity within the networks, but the overall seismicity in southern California was unusually low prior to and has been unusually high since the occurrence. The average principal strain rates for the seven networks in the 1973-1980 interval are 0.17 mu strain/yr north- south contraction and 0.08 mu strain/yr east-west extension. Although the observed increment in strain could be related to unidentified systematic error in the measuring system, a careful review of the measurements and comparisons with three other measuring systems reveal no appreciable cumulative systematic error. -Authors

A pediatric intramedullary spinal cord tumor with unusual solid-cystic and papillary features: a case report.

PubMed

Iwasaki, Takeshi; Kato, Masako; Horie, Yasushi; Kato, Shinsuke; Akatsuka, Keiichi; Watanabe, Takashi; Kuwamoto, Satoshi; Murakami, Ichiro; Hayashi, Kazuhiko

2011-12-01

Spinal cord tumors are rare in children. We report a novel case of pediatric intramedullary spinal cord tumor with unusual solid-cystic and papillary features. Clinically, the patient presented at the age of 3 years with motor deficit and urinary incontinence, and MRI demonstrated multilocular cystic lesions in the thoracic spine. Histologically the tumor consisted of solid, sheet-like components and branching papillary structures, and immunohistochemistry demonstrated positive reactivity for epithelial membrane antigen, cytokeratins (7, AE1/3, CAM5.2), E-cadherin and transthyretin, and negativity for GFAP, S-100 protein, synaptophysin and neurofilament. These histological and immunohistochemical findings appeared to be unique, and were not compatible with the features of classical ependymoma or choroid plexus papilloma. The clinical behavior, characterized by relatively rapid tumor regrowth after surgical resection and a relatively high MIB-1 labeling index, suggest that this tumor might have had moderate malignant potential. This pediatric case appears to be particularly informative with regard to the tumor biology or tumorigenesis of intramedullary spinal cord tumor with unusual solid-cystic and papillary features. © 2011 Japanese Society of Neuropathology.

Pressure Sore at an Unusual Site- the Bilateral Popliteal Fossa: A Case report

PubMed Central

Kataria, Kamal; Sagar, Sushma; Singhal, Manish; Yadav, Rajni

2012-01-01

Pressure sore is tissue ulceration due to unrelieved pressure, altered sensory perception, and exposure to moisture. Geriatric patients with organic problems and patients with spinal cord injuries are the high-risk groups. Soft tissues over bony prominences are the common sites for ulcer development. About 95% of pressure ulcers occur in the lower part of the body. Ischial tuberosity, greater trochanter, sacrum and heel are common sites. In addition to these, pressure sores at unusual sites like nasal alae, malar eminences, cervical region and medial side of knee have also been described. Only 1.6% of the patients present with sores in areas outside the pelvis and lower extremity. In a paraplegic patient, pressure sores are usually over extensor surface of knee and heel but pressure ulcer over popliteal fossa are extremely rare. We herein report a case of a 36-years-old diabetic and paraplegic male, who presented with multiple bed sores involving the sacral area, heels and bilateral popliteal fossa. Popliteal fossa is an unusual site for pressure sores. Only one similar case has been previously reported in the literature. PMID:29181131

Optical Emission Associated with the Galactic Supernova Remnant G179.0+2.6

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

How, Thomas G.; Fesen, Robert A.; Neustadt, Jack M. M.; Black, Christine S.; Outters, Nicolas

2018-04-01

Narrow passband optical images of the large Galactic supernova remnant G179.0+2.6 reveal a faint but nearly complete emission shell dominated by strong [O 3] 4959,5007 Å line emission. The remnant's optical emission, which consists of both diffuse and filamentary features, is brightest along its southern and northeastern limbs. Deep Hα images detect little coincidence emission indicating an unusually high [O 3]/Hα emission ratio for such a large and apparently old remnant. Low-dispersion optical spectra of several regions confirm large [O 3]/Hα line ratios with typical values around 10. The dominance of [O 3] emission for the majority of the remnant's optical filaments suggests shock velocities above 100 km s-1 are present throughout most of the remnant, likely reflecting a relatively low density ambient ISM. The remnant's unusually strong [O 3] emission adds to the remnant's interesting set of properties which include a thick radio emission shell, radial polarization of its radio emission like that typically seen in young supernova remnants, and an unusually slow-rotating gamma-ray pulsar with a characteristic spin-down age ≃ 50 kyr.

An unusual case of vaginal myiasis

PubMed Central

Jones, Brian L.; Coyne, Michael

2016-01-01

Introduction: Myiasis, a term used to describe the infestation of a live animal by fly larvae, is rarely reported in human subjects. The adult fly lays its eggs on living tissue that progresses to become larvae that feed on living tissue having gone through three developmental stages known as the first, second and third instar. The larvae become pupae before finally developing into adults. Case presentation: We describe an unusual case of a 79-year-old female who collapsed in her garden and lay there for several days before presenting to her local hospital Accident and Emergency department with an infestation of larvae in her vagina labia, identified as those from the Protophormia species northern blowfly. After complete removal of the larvae using tweezers followed by cleansing of the affected area and a course of antibiotics, the patient’s condition improved. A follow-up review by the local gynaecology team revealed no evidence of further infestation. Conclusion: It is our understanding that this is the first highly unusual case of a blowfly larvae infestation to be reported in a human within the UK. PMID:28348792

In vitro activity of daptomycin against clinical isolates of Gram-positive bacteria.

PubMed

Piper, Kerryl E; Steckelberg, James M; Patel, Robin

2005-08-01

We determined the activity of daptomycin, a recently FDA-approved antimicrobial agent, against clinical isolates of Gram-positive bacteria, including viridans group streptococci (16 Streptococcus mitis species group, 12 S. mutans species group, 9 S. anginosus species group, 8 S. sanguinis species group, 5 S. salivarius species group) from patients with infective endocarditis, 32 methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, 32 high-level penicillin-resistant Streptococcus pneumoniae, 38 vancomycin-resistant enterococci (including 1 linezolid-resistant isolate), and the following unusual Gram-positive bacteria: 3 Listeria monocytogenes, 4 Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae, 9 Corynebacterium species, 10 Abiotrophia/Granulicatella species, 2 Rothia (Stomatococcus) mucilaginosus, and 4 Gemella morbillorum. Daptomycin minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC)(90) values for the viridans group streptococci, methicillin-resistant S. aureus, penicillin-resistant S. pneumoniae, and Enterococcus species were 0.5, 0.5, < or =0.125, and 4 microg/ml, respectively. The daptomycin MIC range for the unusual Gram-positive bacteria was < or =0.125-2 microg/ml. We conclude that daptomycin has in vitro activity against viridans group streptococci associated with endocarditis as well as against several types of unusual Gram-positive bacteria that can cause endocarditis.

Abnormal pelvic morphology and high cervical length are responsible for high-risk pregnancies in women displaying achondroplasia.

PubMed

Vivanti, Alexandre J; Cordier, Anne-Gael; Baujat, Geneviève; Benachi, Alexandra

2016-12-05

Pregnancies of women displaying achondroplasia are at high risk of adverse events. Early sonographic assessment of affected women can indicate an unusually long cervical length. It is the consequence of pathological anatomy of the pelvis. Thus, there is a foreseeable dystocia owing to cephalopelvic disproportion. Furthermore, this situation could also complicate cervical ripening prior to fetal extraction.

The phosphoric acid leak from the wreck of the MV Ece in the English Channel in 2006: Assessment with a ship of opportunity, an operational ecosystem model and historical data.

PubMed

Kelly-Gerreyn, Boris A; Hydes, David J; Hartman, Mark C; Siddorn, John; Hyder, Patrick; Holt, Martin W

2007-07-01

This study evaluates the ship of opportunity (Ferrybox) concept for both sustained monitoring of UK shelf sea waters and numerical model validation. Release of phosphate from the wreck of a chemical tanker (MV Ece) in the western English Channel (49.73 degrees N, 3.25 degrees W) in March 2006 is used to demonstrate the importance of sustained observations in decision support systems and policy development. The Ferrybox system continuously collects sea surface (5m) data from a suite of autonomous electronic sensors installed on a passenger ferry operating year-round between Portsmouth (UK) and Bilbao (Spain). The detection of anomalously high concentrations of phosphate (1.54mmolm(-3), four times the usual level) and onset of phytoplankton growth close to the wreck site in March 2006 was placed in the context of multiple years of measurements (phosphate, nitrate, silicate and chlorophyll) collected from the Ferrybox system (2003-2006) and the long-term time series station E1 (50.03 degrees N, 4.65 degrees W, 1930-1987) in the English Channel. With regard to decision support, release of phosphate from the tanker is unlikely to pose a threat as phytoplankton growth at the end of winter is not unusual in this region and dissolved inorganic nitrogen rather than phosphate (DIN:DIP=10-18) is likely to ultimately limit algal growth in spring 2006. With regard to policy development, the Oslo and Paris (OSPAR) commissions recommendation of sampling every three years in "non-problem areas" is likely to provide statistically inadequate data, given the interannual and decadal variability identified in the Ferrybox and E1 data: the Ferrybox data show that oceanic winter nutrient concentrations varied by 35-50% between 2003/2004 and 2005/2006 due to deeper mixing of water off-shelf in early 2005/2006 and comparisons between the Ferrybox and E1 years show that the western English Channel is currently experiencing a low in phosphate concentrations similar to those in the 1960s. The importance of Ferrybox data in evaluating the reliability of predictive operational models needed in decision support is also demonstrated, by highlighting both strengths and weaknesses in a state-of-the-art ecosystem model designed for UK shelf waters.

ERAST Program Proteus Aircraft in Flight

NASA Image and Video Library

1999-07-26

The unusual design of the Proteus high-altitude aircraft, incorporating a gull-wing shape for its main wing and a long, slender forward canard, is clearly visible in this view of the aircraft in flight over the Mojave Desert in California.

Unusual spacecraft materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Post, Jonathan V.

1990-01-01

For particularly innovative space exploration missions, unusual requirements are levied on the structural components of the spacecraft. In many cases, the preferred solution is the utilization of unusual materials. This trend is forecast to continue. Several hypothetic examples are discussed.

Simulation analysis of a wildfire suppression system

Treesearch

Abílio Pereira Pacheco; João Claro; Tiago Oliveira

2013-01-01

Rekindles and false alarms are unusually high in the Portuguese wildfire management system, representing a high burden on suppression resources in particular, and fire management resources in general. In 20,049 occurrences that the suppression system handled in the summer of 2010, 12.5% were false alarms and 15.0% were rekindles. We present a discreteevent simulation...

Change in Unusually Hot and Cold Temperatures in the Contiguous 48 States, 1948-2015

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This map shows trends in unusually hot and cold temperatures at individual weather stations that have operated consistently since 1948. In this case, the term ??unusually hot?? refers to a daily maximum temperature that is hotter than the 95th percentile temperature during the 1948??2015 period. Thus, the maximum temperature on a particular day at a particular station would be considered ??unusually hot?? if it falls within the warmest 5 percent of measurements at that station during the 1948??2015 period. The map shows changes in the total number of days per year that were hotter than the 95th percentile. Red upward-pointing symbols show where these unusually hot days are becoming more common. Blue downward-pointing symbols show where unusually hot days are becoming less common. For more information: www.epa.gov/climatechange/science/indicators

NEUTRON CAPTURE THERAPY OF A CEREBELLAR HEMANGIOSARCOMA AFTER SURGICAL AND RADIATION TREATMENT

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

Farr, L.E.; Yamamoto, L.Y.

1961-10-01

A patient with a hioghly maliognant vascular sarcoma of the cerebellum was treated hv neutron capture therapy. Almost complete elimination of the neoplasm was attained. Other than the skin, normal tissues about and within the neoplastioc mass did not appear to be adversely affected. An unusual and unexpected bulbar conjunctivitis was observed as a complication. The degree of control attained by this experimental procedure was more positive than that previously attained by surgery or conventional x-ray therapy. This is the first attempt to control an intracranial tumor other than glioblastoma multiforme by this procedure. The patient is noteworthy for themore » extreme retention of carbon dioxiode, 60 milli-equivalents per liter in the blood, apparently resulting from functional disturbances of the respiratory center. (auth)« less

Hodgkin’s lymphoma coexisting with liver failure secondary to acute on chronic hepatitis B

PubMed Central

Palta, Renee; McClune, Amy; Esrason, Karl

2013-01-01

Acute on chronic liver failure (ACLF) is rarely the initial manifestation of a malignant process or precipitated by the initiation of anti-viral treatment with a nucleoside or nucleotide agent. We report an unusual case of ACLF temporally associated with initiation of Entecavir for treatment of chronic hepatitis B. Early Hodgkin’s lymphoma (HL) was unmasked with initiation of the anti-viral treatment which may have exacerbated ACLF. To the best of our knowledge, this has not been described in the literature. In reviewing our patients clinical course and liver autopsy, he developed a severe acute exacerbation of his chronic hepatitis B virus coinciding with the institution of antiviral therapy and the underlying HL perhaps modulating the overall degree of hepatic injury. PMID:24303460

Transforming data into usable knowledge: the CIRC experience

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mote, P.; Lach, D.; Hartmann, H.; Abatzoglou, J. T.; Stevenson, J.

2017-12-01

NOAA's northwest RISA, the Climate Impacts Research Consortium, emphasizes the transformation of data into usable knowledge. This effort involves physical scientists (e.g., Abatzoglou) building web-based tools with climate and hydrologic data and model output, a team performing data mining to link crop loss claims to droughts, social scientists (eg., Lach, Hartmann) evaluating the effectiveness of such tools at communicating with end users, and two-way engagement with a wide variety of audiences who are interested in using and improving the tools. Unusual in this effort is the seamless integration across timescales past, present, and future; data mining; and the level of effort in evaluating the tools. We provide examples of agriculturally relevant climate variables (e.g. growing degree days, day of first fall freeze) and describe the iterative process of incorporating user feedback.

Electron-electron interactions in doped graphene sheets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Polini, Marco

2012-02-01

In this talk I will review some of the most important electronic properties of graphene. I will first discuss the appearance of plasmaron satellite bands in both angle-resolved photoemission [1] and STM spectra [2,3], emphasizing the important role of the sublattice pseudospin degree of freedom. I will then illustrate some unusual features, which appear only beyond the widely used Random Phase Approximation, characterizing plasmons and Drude weight of the electron gas in this material [4].[4pt] [1] A. Bostwick et al., Science 328, 999 (2010).[0pt] [2] V.W. Brar et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 104, 036805 (2010).[0pt] [3] A. Principi, M. Polini, and A.H. MacDonald, to be submitted[0pt] [4] S.H. Abedinpour et al., Phys. Rev. B 84, 045429 (2011).

Study of the recrystallization in coated pellets - effect of coating on API crystallinity.

PubMed

Nikowitz, Krisztina; Pintye-Hódi, Klára; Regdon, Géza

2013-02-14

Coated diltiazem hydrochloride-containing pellets were prepared using the solution layering technique. Unusual thermal behavior was detected with differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and its source was determined using thermogravimetry (TG), X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD) and hot-stage microscopy. The coated pellets contained diltiazem hydrochloride both in crystalline and amorphous form. Crystallization occurs on heat treatment causing an exothermic peak on the DSC curves that only appears in pellets containing both diltiazem hydrochloride and the coating. Results indicate that the amorphous fraction is situated in the coating layer. The migration of drugs into the coating layer can cause changes in its degree of crystallinity. Polymeric coating materials should therefore be investigated as possible crystallization inhibitors. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.