Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) Bioplastic Packaging Materials

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-05-01

FINAL REPORT Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) Bioplastic Packaging Materials SERDP Project WP-1478 MAY 2010 Dr.Chris Schwier Metabolix...biopolymer, biodegradable, polyhydroxyalkanoate 16. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF: 17. LIMITATION OF ABSTRACT 18. NUMBER OF PAGES 19a. NAME OF...Acronyms and Definitions ASTM – American Society of Test Methods ISO – International Standardization Organization PHA – Polyhydroxyalkanoates

Knowledge About the Waterpipe (Hookah), a Qualitative Assessment Among Community Workers in a Major Urban Center in Canada.

PubMed

Hammal, Fadi; Wild, T Cameron; Finegan, Barry A

2016-08-01

Waterpipe (WP) use has surged in popularity since the introduction of flavoured shisha. It is now an increasingly popular form of smoking among youth in North America. Health professionals/educators knowledge about the WP may well be inadequate. This study, using qualitative methods, sought to explore the knowledge and attitude of leaders in the community toward the WP. Family physicians, pharmacists, tobacco counsellors, social workers and educators were invited to participate in a one-one interview using open-ended questions. A total of 27 interviews were conducted. Individuals from Eastern Mediterranean backgrounds raised doubt about the overemphasised cultural significance of the WP and perceived this as a marketing strategy by industry. Most felt that WP smokers believed the WP to be less harmful than cigarettes and that the use of flavoured tobacco was motivating people to smoke. Participants believed that education should be directed at the general public and healthcare professionals, suggesting school programs and the use of social media to inform young smokers. Most thought that the current practices regarding packaging and second hand smoke exposure are confusing. They identified the lack of knowledge, poor enforcement procedures, "so called cultural aspects" and the economic impact of banning the WP on small businesses as barriers to change. Despite the awareness of an increase in WP use, our participants recognized that little has been done to curb this problem. Our findings emphasize the need for further education and better legislation to regulate WP use and availability.

Waterpipe (Hookah) Smoking Among Youth and Women in Canada is New, not Traditional.

PubMed

Hammal, Fadi; Wild, T Cameron; Nykiforuk, Candace; Abdullahi, Khadija; Mussie, Dawit; Finegan, Barry A

2016-05-01

When asserting the right of individuals to be free to smoke a hookah (waterpipe [WP]) in public places, the "cultural" importance of the practice is often cited. The purpose of this study was to explore the cultural significance of WP smoking. Qualitative methods were used to elicit the views of groups of WP smokers from different cultural backgrounds. Sixteen group discussion sessions with a total of 75 WP smokers aged between 18 and 30 were conducted. A few participants saw culture as a factor supporting WP smoking initiation and maintenance. The vast majority indicated that WPs being perceived as "healthier" than cigarettes, and the availability of flavored shisha as important factors in their initiation and ongoing use. Most started smoking before the age of 18 calling it a "high school thing" and admitted that they had easy access to WP cafés. Many indicated that they did not know if they were smoking tobacco or a "herbal" substance. Peer influence, availability of flavored products and facile access to WP cafés are major factors in WP initiation. Ethno-cultural traditions play only a minor role. The assertion that cultural traditions and practice are inherent in WP smoking as implied by media and marketing was not supported by our findings. Contemporary use of WP is spreading among new non-traditional users. Lack of knowledge about the harms of WP smoking indicates a need for education and regulation to require packaging and health warning labels and restrictions on access, especially to minors. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Research on Nicotine and Tobacco. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Step 1: C3 Flight Demo Data Analysis Plan

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2005-01-01

The Data Analysis Plan (DAP) describes the data analysis that the C3 Work Package (WP) will perform in support of the Access 5 Step 1 C3 flight demonstration objectives as well as the processes that will be used by the Flight IPT to gather and distribute the data collected to satisfy those objectives. In addition to C3 requirements, this document will encompass some Human Systems Interface (HSI) requirements in performing the C3 flight demonstrations. The C3 DAP will be used as the primary interface requirements document between the C3 Work Package and Flight Test organizations (Flight IPT and Non-Access 5 Flight Programs). In addition to providing data requirements for Access 5 flight test (piggyback technology demonstration flights, dedicated C3 technology demonstration flights, and Airspace Operations Demonstration flights), the C3 DAP will be used to request flight data from Non- Access 5 flight programs for C3 related data products

Nanotechnology for the Solid Waste Reduction of Military Food Packaging

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-06-01

WP-200816) Nanotechnology for the Solid Waste Reduction of Military Food Packaging June 2016 This document has been cleared for public release...NAME OF RESPONSIBLE PERSON 19b. TELEPHONE NUMBER (Include area code) 01/06/2016 Cost and Performance Report 04/01/2008 - 01/01/2015 Nanotechnology for... nanotechnology packaging. The PIs have been dedicated to these efforts, and it is anticipated that this technology will be used someday by the Warfighter

Intact and Degraded Criticality Calculations for the Codisposal of Shippingport LWBR Spent Nuclear Fuel in a Waste Package

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

L.M. Montierth

2000-09-15

The objective of this calculation is to characterize the nuclear criticality safety concerns associated with the codisposal of the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Shippingport Light Water Breeder Reactor (SP LWBR) Spent Nuclear Fuel (SNF) in a 5-Defense High-Level Waste (5-DHLW) Waste Package (WP), which is to be placed in a Monitored Geologic Repository (MGR). The scope of this calculation is limited to the determination of the effective neutron multiplication factor (K{sub eff}) for intact- and degraded-mode internal configurations of the codisposal WP containing Shippingport LWBR seed-type assemblies. The results of this calculation will be used to evaluate criticality issuesmore » and support the analysis that is planed to be performed to demonstrate the viability of the codisposal concept for the MGR. This calculation is associated with the waste package design and was performed in accordance with the DOE SNF Analysis Plan for FY 2000 (See Ref. 22). The document has been prepared in accordance with the Administrative Procedure AP-3.12Q, Calculations (Ref. 23).« less

Realist Evaluation of the Use of Patient Experience Data to Improve the Quality of Inpatient Mental Health Care (EURIPIDES) in England: study protocol.

PubMed

Weich, Scott; Fenton, Sarah-Jane Hannah; Bhui, Kamaldeep; Staniszewska, Sophie; Madan, Jason; Larkin, Michael; Newton, Elizabeth; Crepaz-Keay, David; Canaway, Alastair; Croft, Charlotte; Griffiths, Frances

2018-06-14

Inpatient mental healthcare continues to be an area of high risk and where patients report negative experiences. To ensure the patient voice is heard, National Health Service (NHS) Trusts are required to collect feedback from patients routinely. We do not know what kinds of feedback are most important or what management processes are needed to translate this into effective action plans. Further, we do not know if this makes any difference to the patients themselves. This study seeks to explore which of the many different approaches to collecting and using patient experience data are the most useful for supporting improvements in inpatient mental healthcare. The overarching aim of the study is to arrive at recommendations for best practice in the collection and use of patient experience data in NHS England adult inpatient mental health settings. We present the protocol for Realist Evaluation of the Use of Patient Experience Data to Improve the Quality of Inpatient Mental Health Care study (EURIPIDES). The study is composed of five work packages (WPs), including a systematic review of patient experiences (WP1); a telephone survey to assist the selection of case sites (WP2); six indepth case studies involving interviews with service users, carers and staff to enable a realist evaluation of the use of patient experience to improve quality in adult inpatient mental health services (WP3); an economic evaluation of patient experience feedback activity (WP5); and a consensus conference (WP4). We discuss the methodological rationale for the five WPs. This study has received approval from West Midlands/South Birmingham NHS Research Ethics Committee. The outcome of the consensus conference meeting (WP4) will form the basis of the outputs to be disseminated to NHS providers. Dissemination will also take place through publications and presentations at relevant conferences. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Council of Europe Black Sea Area Project: International Cooperation for the Development of Activities Related to Donation and Transplantation of Organs in the Region.

PubMed

Arredondo, E; López-Fraga, M; Chatzixiros, E; Senemaud, B; Brezovsky, P; Carella, C; Ballesté, C; Aydin Mehmet, A; Tomadze, G; Codreanu, I; Sarkissian, A A; Simeonova, M; Nikonenko, A; Zota, V; Gómez, M P; Manyalich, M; Bolotinha, C; Franca, A; Costa, A N; Ott, M-O; Buchheit, K-H

2018-03-01

In 2011, the European Directorate for the Quality of Medicines & Healthcare of the Council of Europe launched a 3-year collaborative project to address the organ shortage and improve access to transplant health services in Council of Europe member states in the Black Sea area (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Georgia, Moldova, Romania, Turkey, Ukraine, and the Russian Federation) through the development of safe and ethical donation and transplantation programs. Support the development of donation and transplantation programs through close interstate cooperation between national health organizations and relevant stakeholders. Several work packages (WP) were established: WP1, project coordination (European Directorate for the Quality of Medicines & Healthcare); WP2, development and implementation of an effective legislative and financial framework (Czech Republic and France); WP3, establishment of National Transplant Authorities (Italy and Portugal); and WP4, clinical practices (DTI Foundation). Data collection, surveys, and expert visits allowed for the collection of first-hand information from each participant country at national, regional, and hospital levels. Data analysis showed the positive impact of the project represented by a tendency to increase the total donation rates (per million people) in the participant countries (2011 vs 2013): Azerbaijan, +7.3; Armenia, -0.7; Georgia, +3.3; Bulgaria, +0.9; Moldova, +2.5; Ukraine:, +0.8; Romania, +2.3; and Turkey, +2.7. Increases in total donation rates are the result of a number of initiatives in the Black Sea area, including the stepwise implementation of legislative, organizational and institutional country-specific recommendations tailored by the CoE, efforts of the respective Ministries of Health in each country and synergism with other European projects in the region. These countries should invest further in implementing the recommendations that emerged from this project to improve their organ donation and transplantation programs and progress toward self-sufficiency. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Is Word-Problem Solving a Form of Text Comprehension?

PubMed Central

Fuchs, Lynn S.; Fuchs, Douglas; Compton, Donald L.; Hamlett, Carol L.; Wang, Amber Y.

2015-01-01

This study’s hypotheses were that (a) word-problem (WP) solving is a form of text comprehension that involves language comprehension processes, working memory, and reasoning, but (b) WP solving differs from other forms of text comprehension by requiring WP-specific language comprehension as well as general language comprehension. At the start of the 2nd grade, children (n = 206; on average, 7 years, 6 months) were assessed on general language comprehension, working memory, nonlinguistic reasoning, processing speed (a control variable), and foundational skill (arithmetic for WPs; word reading for text comprehension). In spring, they were assessed on WP-specific language comprehension, WPs, and text comprehension. Path analytic mediation analysis indicated that effects of general language comprehension on text comprehension were entirely direct, whereas effects of general language comprehension on WPs were partially mediated by WP-specific language. By contrast, effects of working memory and reasoning operated in parallel ways for both outcomes. PMID:25866461

ICLEA - The Virtual Institute of Integrated Climate and Landscape Evolution Analyses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schwab, Markus; Brauer, Achim; Błaszkiewicz, Mirosław; Blume, Theresa; Raab, Thomas; Wilmking, Martin

2017-04-01

Since 2012, the partner of the virtual institute ICLEA from Germany and Poland view on past changes as natural experiments as a guidebook for better anticipation of future changes and their impacts. Since the natural evolution became increasingly superimposed by human impacts since the Neolithic we include an in-depth discussion of impacts of climate and environment change on societies and vice versa. Understanding causes and effects of present-day climate change on landscapes and the human habitat faces two main challenges, (I) too short time series of instrumental observation that do not cover the full range of variability since mechanisms of climate change and landscape evolution work on different time scales, which often not susceptible to human perception, and, (II) distinct regional differences due to the location with respect to oceanic/continental climatic influences, the geological underground, and the history and intensity of anthropogenic land-use. Both challenges are central for the ICLEA research strategy and demand a high degree of interdisciplinary. In particular, the need to link observations and measurements of ongoing changes with information from the past taken from natural archives requires joint work of scientists with very different time perspectives. On the one hand, scientists that work at geological time scales of thousands and more years and, on the other hand, those observing and investigating recent processes at short time scales. Five complementary work packages (WP) are established according to the key research aspects: WP 1 focused on monitoring mainly hydrology and soil moisture as well as meteorological parameters. WP 2 is linking present day and future monitoring data with the most recent past through analyzing satellite images. This WP will further provide larger spatial scales. WP 3-5 are focused on different natural archives to obtain a broad variety of high quality proxy data. Tree rings provide sub-seasonal data for the last centuries up to few millennia, varved lake sediments cover the entire research time interval at seasonal to decadal resolution and palaeosoils and geomorphological features also cover the entire period but not continuously and with lower resolution. Complementary information, like climate, tree ecophysiological and limnological data etc., are provided by cooperation with associated partners. In these five WP the partner focusing their research capacities and expertise in ICLEA. We offers young researchers an interdisciplinary and structured education and promote their early independence through coaching and mentoring. Postdoctoral rotation positions promote dissemination of information and expertise between disciplines. ICLEA results are published in about 80 peer reviewed scientific articles and available for the scientific community. The long-term mission of the Virtual Institute is to provide a substantiated data basis for sustained environmental maintenance based on a profound process understanding at all relevant time scales. Aim is to explore processes of climate and landscape evolution in an historical cultural landscape extending from northeastern Germany into northwestern Poland. The northern-central European lowlands is facilitated as a natural laboratory providing an ideal case for utilizing a systematic and holistic approach. Further information about ICLEA: www.iclea.de

The Virtual Institute of Integrated Climate and Landscape Evolution Analyses - ICLEA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schwab, Markus; Brauer, Achim; Błaszkiewicz, Mirosław; Raab, Thomas; Wilmking, Martin; Blume, Theresa; Iclea Team

2014-05-01

The GFZ, Greifswald University and the Brandenburg University of Technology together with their partner the Polish Academy of Sciences strive for focusing their research capacities and expertise in a Helmholtz Virtual Institute for Integrated Climate and Landscape Evolution Analyses (ICLEA). The Coordination Team is based at the GFZ in Potsdam and consists of a permanent scientific manager and administrative personnel. ICLEA offers young researchers an interdisciplinary and structured education and promote their early independence through coaching and mentoring. Postdoctoral rotation positions at the ICLEA partner institutions ensure mobility of young researchers and promote dissemination of information and expertise between disciplines. Training, Research and Analytical workshops between research partners of the ICLEA virtual institute are another important measure to qualify young researchers. The long-term mission of the Virtual Institute is to provide a substantiated data basis for sustained environmental maintenance based on a profound process understanding at all relevant time scales. Aim is to explore processes of climate and landscape evolution in an historical cultural landscape extending from northeastern Germany into northwestern Poland. The northern-central European lowlands will be facilitated as a natural laboratory providing an ideal case for utilizing a systematic and holistic approach. In ICLEA five complementary work packages (WP) are established according to the key research aspects. WP 1 focus on monitoring mainly hydrology and soil moisture as well as meteorological parameters. WP 2 is linking present day and future monitoring data with the most recent past through analysing satellite images. This WP will further provide larger spatial scales. WP 3-5 focus on different natural archives to obtain a broad variety of high quality proxy data. Tree rings provide sub-seasonal data for the last centuries up to few millennia, varved lake sediments cover the entire research time interval at seasonal to decadal resolution and palaeosoils and geomorphological features also cover the entire period but not continuously and with lower resolution. Complementary information, like climate, tree ecophysiological and limnological data etc., are provided by cooperation with associated partners. Further information about ICLEA: www.iclea.de

Erosion risk assessment along coastlines, rivers, and lakes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eidsvig, Unni; Harbitz, Carl B.; Issler, Dieter; Forsberg, Carl Fredrik; Høydal, Øyvind A.; Glimsdal, Sylfest; Frauenfelder, Regula

2017-04-01

An effect of the expected climate changes is that densely populated areas will be more exposed to natural hazards. There is a rising concern about geotechnical challenges associated with the transition zone between water and land, in particular with regard to erosion. This needs to be considered as part of the climate adaptation strategies in the society and applies to both coastal settlements and to settlements along rivers. Climate change, as reported by the IPCC, includes global warming, sea level rise as well as more precipitation, both with respect to intensity and frequency. A larger number of cities are expected to be affected by floods and with higher frequency. With large floods, the current speed in rivers and hence their erosion potential increases, leading to scouring along riverbanks, where important transport routes and other infrastructure are often located. The frequency and intensity of storm surges are expected to increase, as well as the risk of coastal erosion. In steep terrain, the likelihood of debris flows increases. The project "Multi-scale Erosion Risk under Climate Change" was initiated to prepare for such challenges as well as local climate adaptation. The project is an internal NGI strategic project funded by the Research Council of Norway for the period 2017 - 2019. The project aims to investigate relevant erosive and mass-flow processes in the coastal zone, along rivers, and in lakes. Further, the knowledge and tools to be developed within the project aim to reduce the risk associated with these processes, through appropriate land-use planning and innovative mitigation measures. The project is thematically subdivided into the following five work packages: WP1: Modelling of erosion processes in rivers, at the coast and in mass movements WP2: Floods, debris flows and sediment mobility in complex topography WP3: Coastal hydrodynamic processes WP4: Monitoring, warning and non-physical mitigation measures WP5: Dissemination and knowledge sharing In our contribution, we will give an overview of the ideas and the background of the project and present the first preliminary results.

Subsurface Contamination Control

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

Y. Yuan

There are two objectives of this report, ''Subsurface Contamination Control''. The first is to provide a technical basis for recommending limiting radioactive contamination levels (LRCL) on the external surfaces of waste packages (WP) for acceptance into the subsurface repository. The second is to provide an evaluation of the magnitude of potential releases from a defective WP and the detectability of the released contents. The technical basis for deriving LRCL has been established in ''Retrieval Equipment and Strategy for Wp on Pallet'' (CRWMS M and O 2000g, 6.3.1). This report updates the derivation by incorporating the latest design information of themore » subsurface repository for site recommendation. The derived LRCL on the external surface of WPs, therefore, supercede that described in CRWMS M and O 2000g. The derived LRCL represent the average concentrations of contamination on the external surfaces of each WP that must not be exceeded before the WP is to be transported to the subsurface facility for emplacement. The evaluation of potential releases is necessary to control the potential contamination of the subsurface repository and to detect prematurely failed WPs. The detection of failed WPs is required in order to provide reasonable assurance that the integrity of each WP is intact prior to MGR closure. An emplaced WP may become breached due to manufacturing defects or improper weld combined with failure to detect the defect, by corrosion, or by mechanical penetration due to accidents or rockfall conditions. The breached WP may release its gaseous and volatile radionuclide content to the subsurface environment and result in contaminating the subsurface facility. The scope of this analysis is limited to radioactive contaminants resulting from breached WPs during the preclosure period of the subsurface repository. This report: (1) documents a method for deriving LRCL on the external surfaces of WP for acceptance into the subsurface repository; (2) provides a table of derived LRCL for nuclides of radiological importance; (3) Provides an as low as is reasonably achievable (ALARA) evaluation of the derived LRCL by comparing potential onsite and offsite doses to documented ALARA requirements; (4) Provides a method for estimating potential releases from a defective WP; (5) Provides an evaluation of potential radioactive releases from a defective WP that may become airborne and result in contamination of the subsurface facility; and (6) Provides a preliminary analysis of the detectability of a potential WP leak to support the design of an airborne release monitoring system.« less

Calculation of the Naval Long and Short Waste Package Three-Dimensional Thermal Interface Temperatures

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

H. Marr

2006-10-25

The purpose of this calculation is to evaluate the thermal performance of the Naval Long and Naval Short spent nuclear fuel (SNF) waste packages (WP) in the repository emplacement drift. The scope of this calculation is limited to the determination of the temperature profiles upon the surfaces of the Naval Long and Short SNF waste package for up to 10,000 years of emplacement. The temperatures on the top of the outside surface of the naval canister are the thermal interfaces for the Naval Nuclear Propulsion Program (NNPP). The results of this calculation are intended to support Licensing Application design activities.

United European Gastroenterology evidence-based guidelines for the diagnosis and therapy of chronic pancreatitis (HaPanEU).

PubMed

Löhr, J Matthias; Dominguez-Munoz, Enrique; Rosendahl, Jonas; Besselink, Marc; Mayerle, Julia; Lerch, Markus M; Haas, Stephan; Akisik, Fatih; Kartalis, Nikolaos; Iglesias-Garcia, Julio; Keller, Jutta; Boermeester, Marja; Werner, Jens; Dumonceau, Jean-Marc; Fockens, Paul; Drewes, Asbjorn; Ceyhan, Gürlap; Lindkvist, Björn; Drenth, Joost; Ewald, Nils; Hardt, Philip; de Madaria, Enrique; Witt, Heiko; Schneider, Alexander; Manfredi, Riccardo; Brøndum, Frøkjer J; Rudolf, Sasa; Bollen, Thomas; Bruno, Marco

2017-03-01

There have been substantial improvements in the management of chronic pancreatitis, leading to the publication of several national guidelines during recent years. In collaboration with United European Gastroenterology, the working group on 'Harmonizing diagnosis and treatment of chronic pancreatitis across Europe' (HaPanEU) developed these European guidelines using an evidence-based approach. Twelve multidisciplinary review groups performed systematic literature reviews to answer 101 predefined clinical questions. Recommendations were graded using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation system and the answers were assessed by the entire group in a Delphi process online. The review groups presented their recommendations during the 2015 annual meeting of United European Gastroenterology. At this one-day, interactive conference, relevant remarks were voiced and overall agreement on each recommendation was quantified using plenary voting (Test and Evaluation Directorate). After a final round of adjustments based on these comments, a draft version was sent out to external reviewers. The 101 recommendations covered 12 topics related to the clinical management of chronic pancreatitis: aetiology (working party (WP)1), diagnosis of chronic pancreatitis with imaging (WP2 and WP3), diagnosis of pancreatic exocrine insufficiency (WP4), surgery in chronic pancreatitis (WP5), medical therapy (WP6), endoscopic therapy (WP7), treatment of pancreatic pseudocysts (WP8), pancreatic pain (WP9), nutrition and malnutrition (WP10), diabetes mellitus (WP11) and the natural course of the disease and quality of life (WP12). Using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation system, 70 of the 101 (70%) recommendations were rated as 'strong' and plenary voting revealed 'strong agreement' for 99 (98%) recommendations. The 2016 HaPanEU/United European Gastroenterology guidelines provide evidence-based recommendations concerning key aspects of the medical and surgical management of chronic pancreatitis based on current available evidence. These recommendations should serve as a reference standard for existing management of the disease and as a guide for future clinical research.

Plant Equipment Packages: Are they a Credible Deterrent to War

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-12-01

PEP# TYPE CONTRACTOR/FACILITY NAME LOCATION 0112 WARHEAD CHAPARRAL M250 0112 WARHEAD HELFIRE MISSILE SYSTEM 0112 WARHEAD HE M225 LAP (DRAGON) 0112...0149 GRENADE SMK SCRN RP UKL8A3 F/ M250 LAUNCHER 0149 ROCKET 66MM INCEND TPA 4RD CLIP M74 0149 WARHEAD RKT 2.75IN SMK WP M156 W/FZ PD M427 0149 ROCKET...M25A2 (COMPLETE) 0149 GRENADE HAND/RIFLE SMK WP M34 W/F M206A2. 0149 GRENADE HAND RIOT CS ABC-M7A3 W/FZ M201AI 0149 GRENADE SMK SCRN RP UKL8A3 F/ M250

Relationships between type of pain and work participation in people with long-standing spinal cord injury: results from a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Roels, Ellen H; Reneman, Michiel F; Stolwijk-Swuste, Janneke; van Laake-Geelen, Charlotte C; de Groot, Sonja; Adriaansen, Jacinthe J E; Post, Marcel W M

2018-05-01

Multicentre, cross-sectional study. To describe the relationships between the presence of (different types of) pain and participation in paid work in people with long-standing spinal cord injury (SCI). Furthermore, the associations of pain-related work limitations, age, gender, relationship, education, lesion level, and time since injury (TSI) with work participation (WP) were investigated. The Netherlands. Individuals (n = 265) with SCI for ≥ 10 years were included. Data were collected through a structured consultation with a rehabilitation physician and self-report questionnaire. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression analysis were performed. Median age of participants was 47.9 years, median time since injury was 22 years, 73% were male, 69% had complete SCI and 59% had paraplegia, 50% had paid work, 63% reported musculoskeletal pain, 49% reported neuropathic pain, and 31% reported other pain. Self-reported pain-related work limitations were significantly (V = 0.26 and V = 0.27) related to WP. In bivariable logistic regression analyses, no statistically significant relationships between type of pain and WP were observed. Younger age (OR=0.96), male gender (OR=0.52), a stable relationship (OR = 1.70), and shorter time since SCI (OR = 0.97) were significantly associated with a higher chance of being employed. Multivariable analysis confirmed these findings and in addition showed a higher level of education to be positively related with WP. Age, gender, relationship, education, TSI and self-reported work limitations showed a relationship with WP. Different types of pain were unrelated to WP. Fonds NutsOHRA through the Dutch Organization for Health Research and Development (ZonMw), Project number 89000006.

Is Word-Problem Solving a Form of Text Comprehension?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fuchs, Lynn S.; Fuchs, Douglas; Compton, Donald L.; Hamlett, Carol L.; Wang, Amber Y.

2015-01-01

This study's hypotheses were that (a) word-problem (WP) solving is a form of text comprehension that involves language comprehension processes, working memory, and reasoning, but (b) WP solving differs from other forms of text comprehension by requiring WP-specific language comprehension as well as general language comprehension. At the start of…

Text Comprehension and Oral Language as Predictors of Word-Problem Solving: Insights into Word-Problem Solving as a Form of Text Comprehension

PubMed Central

Fuchs, Lynn S.; Gilbert, Jennifer K.; Fuchs, Douglas; Seethaler, Pamela M.; Martin, BrittanyLee N.

2018-01-01

This study was designed to deepen insights on whether word-problem (WP) solving is a form of text comprehension (TC) and on the role of language in WPs. A sample of 325 second graders, representing high, average, and low reading and math performance, was assessed on (a) start-of-year TC, WP skill, language, nonlinguistic reasoning, working memory, and foundational skill (word identification, arithmetic) and (b) year-end WP solving, WP-language processing (understanding WP statements, without calculation demands), and calculations. Multivariate, multilevel path analysis, accounting for classroom and school effects, indicated that TC was a significant and comparably strong predictor of all outcomes. Start-of-year language was a significantly stronger predictor of both year-end WP outcomes than of calculations, whereas start-of-year arithmetic was a significantly stronger predictor of calculations than of either WP measure. Implications are discussed in terms of WP solving as a form of TC and a theoretically coordinated approach, focused on language, for addressing TC and WP-solving instruction. PMID:29643723

Efficient temporal and interlayer parameter prediction for weighted prediction in scalable high efficiency video coding

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tsang, Sik-Ho; Chan, Yui-Lam; Siu, Wan-Chi

2017-01-01

Weighted prediction (WP) is an efficient video coding tool that was introduced since the establishment of the H.264/AVC video coding standard, for compensating the temporal illumination change in motion estimation and compensation. WP parameters, including a multiplicative weight and an additive offset for each reference frame, are required to be estimated and transmitted to the decoder by slice header. These parameters cause extra bits in the coded video bitstream. High efficiency video coding (HEVC) provides WP parameter prediction to reduce the overhead. Therefore, WP parameter prediction is crucial to research works or applications, which are related to WP. Prior art has been suggested to further improve the WP parameter prediction by implicit prediction of image characteristics and derivation of parameters. By exploiting both temporal and interlayer redundancies, we propose three WP parameter prediction algorithms, enhanced implicit WP parameter, enhanced direct WP parameter derivation, and interlayer WP parameter, to further improve the coding efficiency of HEVC. Results show that our proposed algorithms can achieve up to 5.83% and 5.23% bitrate reduction compared to the conventional scalable HEVC in the base layer for SNR scalability and 2× spatial scalability, respectively.

ICLEA - The Virtual Institute of Integrated Climate and Landscape Evolution Analyses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schwab, Markus J.; Brauer, Achim; Błaszkiewicz, Mirosław; Blume, Theresa; Itzerott, Sibylle; Raab, Thomas; Wilmking, Martin; Iclea Team

2016-04-01

In the Virtual Institute ICLEA we view on past changes as natural experiments as a guidebook for better anticipation of future changes and their impacts. Since the natural evolution became increasingly superimposed by human impacts since the Neolithic we include an in-depth discussion of impacts of climate and environment change on societies and vice versa. The partner focusing their research capacities and expertise in ICLEA and offers young researchers an interdisciplinary and structured education and promote their early independence through coaching and mentoring. Training, Research and Analytical workshops between research partners of ICLEA are an important measure to qualify young researchers. Understanding causes and effects of present-day climate change on landscapes and the human habitat faces two main challenges, (I) too short time series of instrumental observation that do not cover the full range of variability since mechanisms of climate change and landscape evolution work on different time scales, which often not susceptible to human perception, and, (II) distinct regional differences due to the location with respect to oceanic/continental climatic influences, the geological underground, and the history and intensity of anthropogenic land-use. Both challenges are central for the ICLEA research strategy and demand a high degree of interdisciplinary. In particular, the need to link observations and measurements of ongoing changes with information from the past taken from natural archives requires joint work of scientists with very different time perspectives. On the one hand, scientists that work at geological time scales of thousands and more years and, on the other hand, those observing and investigating recent processes at short time scales. The long-term mission of the Virtual Institute is to provide a substantiated data basis for sustained environmental maintenance based on a profound process understanding at all relevant time scales. Aim is to explore processes of climate and landscape evolution in an historical cultural landscape extending from northeastern Germany into northwestern Poland. The northern-central European lowlands will be facilitated as a natural laboratory providing an ideal case for utilizing a systematic and holistic approach. Five complementary work packages (WP) are established according to the key research aspects: WP 1 focused on monitoring mainly hydrology and soil moisture as well as meteorological parameters. WP 2 is linking present day and future monitoring data with the most recent past through analyzing satellite images. This WP will further provide larger spatial scales. WP 3-5 are focused on different natural archives to obtain a broad variety of high quality proxy data. Tree rings provide sub-seasonal data for the last centuries up to few millennia, varved lake sediments cover the entire research time interval at seasonal to decadal resolution and palaeosoils and geomorphological features also cover the entire period but not continuously and with lower resolution. Complementary information, like climate, tree ecophysiological and limnological data etc., are provided by cooperation with associated partners. Further information about ICLEA: www.iclea.de

Bridging long proxy data time series and instrumental observation in the Virtual Institute of Integrated Climate and Landscape Evolution Analyses - ICLEA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schwab, Markus J.; Brauer, Achim; Błaszkiewicz, Mirosław; Raab, Thomas; Wilmking, Martin

2015-04-01

Understanding causes and effects of present-day climate change on landscapes and the human habitat faces two main challenges, (i) too short time series of instrumental observation that do not cover the full range of variability since mechanisms of climate change and landscape evolution work on different time scales, which often not susceptible to human perception, and, (ii) distinct regional differences due to the location with respect to oceanic/continental climatic influences, the geological underground, and the history and intensity of anthropogenic land-use. Both challenges are central for the ICLEA research strategy and demand a high degree of interdisciplinary. In particular, the need to link observations and measurements of ongoing changes with information from the past taken from natural archives requires joint work of scientists with very different time perspectives. On the one hand, scientists that work at geological time scales of thousands and more years and, on the other hand, those observing and investigating recent processes at short time scales. The GFZ, Greifswald University and the Brandenburg University of Technology together with their partner the Polish Academy of Sciences strive for focusing their research capacities and expertise in ICLEA. ICLEA offers young researchers an interdisciplinary and structured education and promote their early independence through coaching and mentoring. Postdoctoral rotation positions at the ICLEA partner institutions ensure mobility of young researchers and promote dissemination of information and expertise between disciplines. Training, Research and Analytical workshops between research partners of the ICLEA virtual institute are another important measure to qualify young researchers. The long-term mission of the Virtual Institute is to provide a substantiated data basis for sustained environmental maintenance based on a profound process understanding at all relevant time scales. Aim is to explore processes of climate and landscape evolution in an historical cultural landscape extending from northeastern Germany into northwestern Poland. The northern-central European lowlands will be facilitated as a natural laboratory providing an ideal case for utilizing a systematic and holistic approach. In ICLEA five complementary work packages (WP) are established according to the key research aspects. WP 1 focused on monitoring mainly hydrology and soil moisture as well as meteorological parameters. WP 2 is linking present day and future monitoring data with the most recent past through analyzing satellite images. This WP will further provide larger spatial scales. WP 3-5 focus on different natural archives to obtain a broad variety of high quality proxy data. Tree rings provide sub-seasonal data for the last centuries up to few millennia, varved lake sediments cover the entire research time interval at seasonal to decadal resolution and palaeosoils and geomorphological features also cover the entire period but not continuously and with lower resolution. Complementary information, like climate, tree ecophysiological and limnological data etc., are provided by cooperation with associated partners. Further information about ICLEA: www.iclea.de

Determinants of Work Performance in Workers with Depression and Anxiety: A Cross-Sectional Study.

PubMed

Ivandic, Ivana; Kamenov, Kaloyan; Rojas, Diego; Cerón, Gloria; Nowak, Dennis; Sabariego, Carla

2017-04-26

Depression and anxiety are highly prevalent disorders with an impact on existential aspects of person's life, including employment i.e., work performance (WP). In order to develop appropriate strategies, it is essential to identify determinants of WP. The objective of this study was to identify the built, social, attitudinal and health system-related environmental determinants of WP in workers with anxiety or depression in total ( N = 1211) and regarding the level of disability. Hierarchical binary logistic regression was performed on data obtained from implementation of the WHO Model Disability Survey (MDS) in Chile in 2015. Hindering aspects of means of transportation and workplace, and the use of personal assistance were determinants of WP for all workers with anxiety or depression. Results differed with level of disability. Hindering aspects of means of transportation and workplace, and discrimination were determinants of WP for persons with mild to moderate disability, while hindering aspects of the workplace and dwelling, and the use of personal assistance were determinants of WP for persons with severe disability. Our results emphasize the need for a broader understanding of determinants of WP and the requirement for an integrative approach in developing both universal and specific strategies that go beyond workplace settings.

Determinants of Work Performance in Workers with Depression and Anxiety: A Cross-Sectional Study

PubMed Central

Ivandic, Ivana; Kamenov, Kaloyan; Rojas, Diego; Cerón, Gloria; Nowak, Dennis; Sabariego, Carla

2017-01-01

Depression and anxiety are highly prevalent disorders with an impact on existential aspects of person’s life, including employment i.e., work performance (WP). In order to develop appropriate strategies, it is essential to identify determinants of WP. The objective of this study was to identify the built, social, attitudinal and health system-related environmental determinants of WP in workers with anxiety or depression in total (N = 1211) and regarding the level of disability. Hierarchical binary logistic regression was performed on data obtained from implementation of the WHO Model Disability Survey (MDS) in Chile in 2015. Hindering aspects of means of transportation and workplace, and the use of personal assistance were determinants of WP for all workers with anxiety or depression. Results differed with level of disability. Hindering aspects of means of transportation and workplace, and discrimination were determinants of WP for persons with mild to moderate disability, while hindering aspects of the workplace and dwelling, and the use of personal assistance were determinants of WP for persons with severe disability. Our results emphasize the need for a broader understanding of determinants of WP and the requirement for an integrative approach in developing both universal and specific strategies that go beyond workplace settings. PMID:28445433

Future development of global regulations of Chinese herbal products.

PubMed

Fan, Tai-Ping; Deal, Greer; Koo, Hoi-Lun; Rees, Daryl; Sun, He; Chen, Shaw; Dou, Jin-Hui; Makarov, Valery G; Pozharitskaya, Olga N; Shikov, Alexander N; Kim, Yeong Shik; Huang, Yi-Tsau; Chang, Yuan Shiun; Jia, William; Dias, Alberto; Wong, Vivian Chi-Woon; Chan, Kelvin

2012-04-10

GP-TCM is the first EU-funded Coordination Action consortium dedicated to traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) research. One of the key deliverables of the Work Package 7 in GP-TCM was to investigate information of the existing requirements for registration of TCM products listed by global regulatory bodies. The paper aims to collate data and draw comparison of these regulations. Case studies are also presented to illustrate the problems involved in registering TCM products in different regions worldwide. A collaborative network task force was established during the early stage of the GP-TCM project and operated through exchanges, teleconferences and focused discussions at annual meetings. The task force involved coordinators, academics who are actively involved with R&D of Chinese herbal medicines, experts on monographic standards of Chinese materia medica, representatives from regulatory agencies, experts from industries in marketing Chinese medicines/herbal medicines and natural products. The co-ordinators took turns to chair teleconferences, led discussions on specific issues at AGM discussion sessions, at joint workshops with other work-packages such as WP1 (quality issues), WP3 (toxicology issues) and WP6 (clinical trial issues). Collectively the authors were responsible for collating discussion outcomes and updating written information. A global overview of regulations on herbal registration has been compiled during the three years of the consortium. The regulatory requirements for registration of herbal products in the EU and China were compared, and this is extended to other regions/countries: Africa, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Japan, Russia, South Korea, Taiwan, and the United States. A wide variation of the regulations for the categories of herbal products exists: food (functional food, novel foods, dietary food for special medical purpose, foods for particular nutritional use, food supplement); cosmetic, traditional herbal medicine products; herbal medicines for human use and veterinary use. The regulatory issues for registration of herbal products are complicated among the countries and regions worldwide. The information summarised in the text is for reference only. Some regulations which are presented in this review are still in legislation process and may change in due course. Before taking any regulatory action, readers are advised to consult current official legislation and guidance and/or to seek appropriate professional advice. The lessons learnt from global regulation of TCM will provide valuable insights for regulation of other traditional medicine such as Ayurveda and Unani medicine, as well as other forms of indigenous medicine. The WHO is well placed to co-ordinate a consultation process with the aim of putting forward suggestions for harmonisation to key regulatory agencies. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Determinants associated with work participation in patients with established rheumatoid arthritis taking tumor necrosis factor inhibitors.

PubMed

Manders, Sofie H M; Kievit, Wietske; Braakman-Jansen, Annemarie L M A; Brus, Herman L M; Hendriks, Lidy; Fransen, Jaap; van de Laar, Mart A F J; van Riel, Piet L C M

2014-07-01

Reduced work participation (WP) is a common problem for patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and generates high costs for society. Therefore, it is important to explore determinants of WP at the start of tumor necrosis factor inhibitor (TNFi) treatment, and for changes in WP after 2 years of TNFi treatment. Within the Dutch Rheumatoid Arthritis Monitoring (DREAM) biologic register, WP data were available from 508 patients with RA younger than 65 years and without an (early) retirement pension. WP was registered at start of TNFi treatment and after 2 years of followup and was measured by single patient-reported binary questions whether they had work, paid or voluntary, or had a disability allowance or a retirement pension. Determinants measured at baseline were age, sex, disease duration, functional status [through Health Assessment Questionnaire-Disability Index (HAQ-DI)], 28-joint Disease Activity Score (DAS28), rheumatoid factor, presence of erosions, number of previous disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs, and number of comorbidities. During the 2 years of followup, HAQ-DI response and European League Against Rheumatism response were measured. Univariate analyses (excluded if p value was > 0.2) and multivariate (excluded if p value was > 0.1) logistic regression analyses were used. Determinants associated with WP at baseline were having a better HAQ-DI (OR 0.32, p = 0.000) and male sex (OR 0.65, p = 0.065). After 2 years of TNFi therapy, 11.8% (n = 60) started to work and 13.6% (n = 69) stopped working. Determinants associated with starting to work were better baseline HAQ-DI (OR 0.58), positive RF (OR 2.73), and young age (OR 0.96); and for stopping work, worse baseline HAQ-DI (OR 2.74), low HAQ-DI response (OR 0.31), and comorbidity (OR 2.67), all with p < 0.1. Young patients with RA and a high functional status without any comorbidity will have a better chance of working. This supports the main goal in the management of RA: to suppress disease activity as soon and as completely as possible to prevent irreversible destruction of the joints, and thus maintain a good functional status of the patient. Because of the low proportion of variance explained by the models in this study, other factors besides the ones studied are associated with WP.

Sviluppi di Ricevitori E di Componentistica Per Banda 3 mm Ad INAF-OA Cagliari

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Navarrini, Alessandro

2017-11-01

L'INAF-OA Cagliari (OACa) sta sviluppando un ricevitore criogenico a basso rumore basato su un mixer SSB (Single Side Band) a superconduttore SIS (Superconductor-Insulator-Superconductor) per la banda 3 mm. Il ricevitore, acquistato da IRAM, è stato fortemente modificato per essere adattato al fuoco Gregoriano di SRT (Sardinia Radio Telescope). Lo strumento è caratterizzato da una nuova criogenia a ciclo chiuso 4 K (per evitare l'uso di elio liquido in antenna), da un nuovo oscillatore locale (di tipo ALMA Banda 3) e da un nuovo sistema di controllo e di monitoraggio basato su schede Raspberry ed Arduino sviluppato ad OACa. Verranno presentati i recenti sviluppi sul ricevitore, inclusi i risultati preliminari della misura della temperatura di rumore, che raggiunge un valore pari a Trec=66 K alla frequenza di 86 GHz, nonostante la criogenia non sia ancora ottimizzata. L'INAF-OACa è coinvolto nel progetto AETHRA (Advanced European Technologies for Heterodyne Receivers for Astronomy) nel quadro del programma Radionet/Horizon2020 per il quale sta contribuendo al WP1 (Work Package 1). Lo scopo del WP1 è di sviluppare e costruire un dimostratore di un array di ricevitori a doppia polarizzazione per la banda 3 mm basato su amplificatori criogenici a basso rumore (LNA) in tecnologia a semiconduttore MMIC. Nell'ambito del WP1 l'OACa ha in carico il progetto di un OrthomodeTransducer (OMT) in guida d'onda o in tecnologia planare per la banda 72-116 GHz che sia integrabile con amplificatori MMICs ed adatto all'integrazione in un array da installare nel piano focale di un radiotelescopio. Verranno presentati i design preliminari degli OMT per AETHRA, che sono basati su prototipi sviluppati in passato da OACa.

EPOS-GNSS - Improving the infrastructure for GNSS data and products in Europe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fernandes, Rui; Bos, Machiel; Bruyninx, Carine; Crocker, Paul; Dousa, Jan; Socquet, Anne; Walpersdorf, Andrea; Avallone, Antonio; Ganas, Athanassios; Gunnar, Benedikt; Ionescu, Constantin; Kenyeres, Ambrus; Ozener, Haluk; Vergnolle, Mathilde; Lidberg, Martin; Liwosz, Tomek; Soehne, Wolfgang

2017-04-01

EPOS-IP WP10 - "GNSS Data & Products" is the Working Package 10 of the European Plate Observing System - Implementation Phase project in charge of implementing services for the geo-sciences community to access existing Pan-European Geodetic Infrastructures. WP10 is currently formed by representatives of participating European institutions but in the operational phase contributions will be solicited from the entire geodetic community. In fact, WP10 also includes members from other institutions/countries that formally are not participating in the EPOS-IP but will be key players in the future services to be provided by EPOS. Additionally, several partners are also key partners at EUREF, which is also actively collaborating with EPOS. The geodetic component of EPOS is dealing essentially with implementing an e-infrastructure to store and disseminate the continuous GNSS data from existing Research Infrastructures. Present efforts are on developing geodetic tools to support Solid Earth research by optimizing the existing resources. However, other research and technical applications (e.g., reference frames, meteorology, space weather) can also benefit in the future from the optimization of the geodetic resources in Europe. We present and discuss the status of the implementation of the thematic and core services (TCS) for GNSS data within EPOS and the related business plan. We explain the tools and web-services being developed towards the implementation of the best solutions that will permit to the end-users, and in particular geo-scientists, to access the geodetic data, derived solutions, and associated metadata using a transparent and standardized processes. We also detail the different DDSS (Data, Data-Products, Services, Software) that will be made available for the Operational Phase of EPOS, which will start to be tested and made available during 2017 and 2018.

Addressing unmet needs in understanding asthma mechanisms: From the European Asthma Research and Innovation Partnership (EARIP) Work Package (WP)2 collaborators.

PubMed

Edwards, Michael R; Saglani, Sejal; Schwarze, Jurgen; Skevaki, Chrysanthi; Smith, Jaclyn A; Ainsworth, Ben; Almond, Mark; Andreakos, Evangelos; Belvisi, Maria G; Chung, Kian Fan; Cookson, William; Cullinan, Paul; Hawrylowicz, Catherine; Lommatzsch, Marek; Jackson, David; Lutter, Rene; Marsland, Benjamin; Moffatt, Miriam; Thomas, Mike; Virchow, J Christian; Xanthou, Georgina; Edwards, Jessica; Walker, Samantha; Johnston, Sebastian L

2017-05-01

Asthma is a heterogeneous, complex disease with clinical phenotypes that incorporate persistent symptoms and acute exacerbations. It affects many millions of Europeans throughout their education and working lives and puts a heavy cost on European productivity. There is a wide spectrum of disease severity and control. Therapeutic advances have been slow despite greater understanding of basic mechanisms and the lack of satisfactory preventative and disease modifying management for asthma constitutes a significant unmet clinical need. Preventing, treating and ultimately curing asthma requires co-ordinated research and innovation across Europe. The European Asthma Research and Innovation Partnership (EARIP) is an FP7-funded programme which has taken a co-ordinated and integrated approach to analysing the future of asthma research and development. This report aims to identify the mechanistic areas in which investment is required to bring about significant improvements in asthma outcomes. Copyright ©ERS 2017.

Water Processor and Oxygen Generation Assembly

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bedard, John

1997-01-01

This report documents the results of the tasks which initiated efforts on design issues relating to the Water Processor (WP) and the Oxygen Generation Assembly (OGA) Flight Hardware for the International Space Station. This report fulfills the Statement of Work deliverables requirement for contract H-29387D. The following lists the tasks required by contract H-29387D: (1) HSSSI shall coordinate a detailed review of WP/OGA Flight Hardware program requirements with personnel from MSFC to identify requirements that can be eliminated without affecting the technical integrity of the WP/OGA Hardware; (2) HSSSI shall conduct the technical interchanges with personnel from MSFC to resolve design issues related to WP/OGA Flight Hardware; (3) HSSSI will initiate discussions with Zellwegger Analytics, Inc. to address design issues related to WP and PCWQM interfaces.

Sovereign Debt in Advanced Economies: Overview and Issues for Congress

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-10-28

the usefulness of that explanation. See Ugo Panizza , Federico Sturzenegger, and Jeromin Zettelmeyer, “The Economics and Law of Sovereign Debt and...Eduardo Borensztein and Ugo Panizza , The Costs of Sovereign Default, IMF Working Paper, WP/08/238, http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/wp/2008/wp08238...Lessons from a Decade of Crises (Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, 2007). 18 Barry Eichengreen, Ricardo Hausmann, and Ugo Panizza , Currency Mismatches, Debt

Space Station WP-2 application of LDEF MLI results

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, Charles A.; Hasegawa, Mark M.; Jones, Cherie A.

1993-01-01

The Cascaded Variable Conductance Heat Pipe Experiment, which was developed by Michael Grote of McDonnell Douglas Electronic Systems Company, was located in Tray F-9 of the Long Duration Exposure Facility (LDEF), where it received atomic oxygen almost normal to its surface. The majority of the tray was covered by aluminized Kapton polyimide multilayer insulation (MLI), which showed substantial changes from atomic oxygen erosion. Most of the outermost Kapton layer of the MLI and the polyester scrim cloth under it were lost, and there was evidence of contaminant deposition which discolored the edges of the MLI blanket. Micrometeoroid and orbital debris (MM/OD) hits caused small rips in the MLI layers, and in some cases left cloudy areas where the vapor plume caused by a hit condensed on the next layer. The MLI was bent gradually through 90 deg at the edges to enclose the experiment, and the Kapton that survived along the curved portion showed the effects of atomic oxygen erosion at oblique angles. In spite of space environment effects over the period of the LDEF mission, the MLI blanket remained functional. The results of the analysis of LDEF MLI were used in developing the standard MLI blanket for Space Station Work Package-2 (WP-2). This blanket is expected to last 30 years when exposed to the low Earth orbit (LEO) environment constituents of atomic oxygen and MM/OD, which are the most damaging to MLI materials. The WP-2 standard blanket consists of an outer cover made from Beta-cloth glass fiber fabric which is aluminized on the interior surface, and an inner cover of 0.076-mm (0.003-in) double-side-aluminized perforated Kapton. The inner reflector layers are 0.0076-mm (0.0003-in) double-side aluminized, perforated Kapton separated by layers of Dacron polyester fabric. The outer cover was selected to be resistant to the LEO environment and durable enough to survive in orbit for 30 years. This paper describes the analyses of the LDEF MLI results, and how these results contributed to the selection of the WP-2 MLI blanket materials and configuration.

Effect of Various Packaging Methods on Small-Scale Hanwoo (Korean Native Cattle) during Refrigerated Storage

PubMed Central

Yu, Hwan Hee; Song, Myung Wook; Kim, Tae-Kyung; Choi, Yun-Sang; Cho, Gyu Yong; Lee, Na-Kyoung; Paik, Hyun-Dong

2018-01-01

Abstract The objective of this study was to investigate comparison of physicochemical, microbiological, and sensory characteristics of Hanwoo eye of round by various packaging methods [wrapped packaging (WP), modified atmosphere packaging (MAP), vacuum packaging (VP) with three different vacuum films, and vacuum skin packaging (VSP)] at a small scale. Packaged Hanwoo beef samples were stored in refrigerated conditions (4±1°C) for 28 days. Packaged beef was sampled on days 0, 7, 14, 21, and 28. Physicochemical [pH, surface color, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), and volatile basic nitrogen (VBN) values], microbiological, and sensory analysis of packaged beef samples were performed. VP and VSP samples showed low TBARS and VBN values, and pH and surface color did not change substantially during the 28-day period. For VSP, total viable bacteria, psychrotrophic bacteria, lactic acid bacteria, and coliform counts were lower than those for other packaging systems. Salmonella spp. and Escherichia coli O157:H7 were not detected in any packaged beef samples. A sensory analysis showed that the scores for appearance, flavor, color, and overall acceptability did not change significantly until day 7. In total, VSP was effective with respect to significantly higher a* values, physicochemical stability, and microbial safety in Hanwoo packaging (p<0.05). PMID:29805283

An Ecosystem Model for the Simulation of Physical and Biological Oceanic Processes-IDAPAK User's Guide and Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McClain, Charles R.; Arrigo, Kevin; Murtugudde, Ragu; Signorini, Sergio R.; Tai, King-Sheng

1998-01-01

This TM describes the development, testing, and application of a 4-component (phytoplankton, zooplankton, nitrate, and ammonium) ecosystem model capable of simulating oceanic biological processes. It also reports and documents an in-house software package (Interactive Data Analysis Package - IDAPAK) for interactive data analysis of geophysical fields, including those related to the forcing, verification, and analysis of the ecosystem model. Two regions were studied in the Pacific: the Warm Pool (WP) in the Equatorial Pacific (165 deg. E at the equator) and at Ocean Weather Station P (OWS P) in the Northeast Pacific (50 deg. N, 145 deg. W). The WP results clearly indicate that the upwelling at 100 meters correlates well with surface blooms. The upwelling events in late 1987 and 1990 produced dramatic increases in the surface layer values of all 4 ecosystem components, whereas the spring-summer deep mixing events, do not seem to incur a significant response in any of the ecosystem quantities. The OWS P results show that the monthly profiles of temperature, the annual cycles of solar irradiance, and 0- to 50-m integrated nitrate accurately reproduce observed values. Annual primary production is 190 gC/m(exp 2)/yr, which is consistent with recent observations but is much greater than earlier estimates.

Pro-apoptotic activity of new analog of anthracyclines--WP 631 in advanced ovarian cancer cell line.

PubMed

Gajek, Arkadiusz; Denel, Marta; Bukowska, Barbara; Rogalska, Aneta; Marczak, Agnieszka

2014-03-01

In this work we investigated the mode of cell death induced by WP 631, a novel anthracycline antibiotic, in the ovarian cancer cell line (OV-90) derived from the malignant ascites of a patient diagnosed with advanced disease. The effects were compared with those of doxorubicin (DOX), a first generation anthracycline. The ability of WP 631 to induce apoptosis and necrosis was examined by double staining with Annexin V and propidium iodide, measurements of the level of intracellular calcium ions and cytochrome c, PARP cleavage. We also investigated the possible involvement of the caspases activation, DNA degradation (comet assay) and intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in the development of the apoptotic events and their significance for drug efficiency. The results obtained clearly demonstrate that antiproliferative capacity of WP 631 in tested cell line was a few times greater than that of DOX. Furthermore, ovarian cancer cells treated with WP 631 showed a higher mean level of basal DNA damage in comparison to DOX. In conclusion, WP 631 is able to induce caspase - dependent apoptosis in human ovarian cancer cells. Obtained results suggested that WP 631 may be a candidate for further evaluation as chemotherapeutic agents for human cancers. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Health technology assessment of medical devices: What is different? An overview of three European projects.

PubMed

Schnell-Inderst, Petra; Mayer, Julia; Lauterberg, Jörg; Hunger, Theresa; Arvandi, Marjan; Conrads-Frank, Annette; Nachtnebel, Anna; Wild, Claudia; Siebert, Uwe

2015-01-01

With the growing use and importance of health technology assessment (HTA) in decision making during recent years, health technology assessors, decision makers and stakeholders are confronted with methodological challenges due to specific characteristics of health technologies (e. g., pharmaceuticals, diagnostic tests, screening programs), their developmental environment, and their regulation process. Being aware of the necessity to use HTA as a policy instrument for sustainable health care systems in a regulatory environment of decentralized Conformité Européenne (CE) marking, the European Union (EU) is increasingly supporting the development of methods for the assessment of medical devices (MD) on different levels: within the scope of European research projects and within joint assessment activities of the member states of the European network for Health Technology Assessment (EUnetHTA). First, this article describes three projects: MedtecHTA-Methods for Health Technology Assessment of Medical Devices, a European Perspective Work Package 3 (WP3), Comparative Effectiveness of Medical Devices led by the University for Health Sciences, Medical Informatics and Technology (UMIT). Second, we discuss the experiences of the Ludwig Boltzmann Institute Health Technology Assessment (LBI HTA) with the joint production of rapid assessments of medical devices by several European HTA agencies within EUnetHTA. Third, a brief outline is given of the framework of joint methodological guideline elaboration by the EUnetHTA partner organizations because a guideline for therapeutic MD is also being developed here. We will describe aims, methods and some preliminary results of MedtecHTA and EUnetHTA Joint Action 2 Work Package 5 Strand B (WP5B) applying the HTA Core Model for Rapid Assessment for national adaptation and reporting, and give an overview of the development process of methodological guidelines within WP 7 of EUnetHTA Joint Action 2. Based on a literature review in MedtecHTA WP3 incremental development, context dependency and the physical mode of action of MD were identified as those characteristics making therapeutic MD different from drugs with regard to evaluation methods. In addition, regulation does not stipulate clinical trials. These characteristics were also identified as challenges for the production of joint assessments of MD within the HTA network EUnetHTA. Furthermore, adequate timing of assessment production, the variety of involved manufacturers, the non-transparent regulation process of MD in Europe and the often poor evidence base pose a challenge to EUnetHTA assessors. As a consequence, processes and methods for the joint production of rapid assessments must be continuously adapted and improved. Research on HTA methods for the assessment of MD tries to provide tools to deal with rapidly developing devices during evidence generation, dependence of clinical effectiveness of MD on user experience and context factors. There are also tools to integrate evidence from different sources adjusting for different levels of validity, but these methods are not established and need high epidemiological and statistical expertise. A framework for deciding whether additional evidence is needed to reduce uncertainty regarding safety, clinical effectiveness and cost-effectiveness will be adapted to MD. The whole process of evidence generation before and after market access has to be considered to provide an environment for conclusive HTA recommendations informing health care decision making. In Joint Action 2, EUnetHTA develops transparent processes for the early dialogue with stakeholders and fosters dissemination of appropriate HTA methods. In the case of MD, there are special accumulated needs for such efforts. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier GmbH.

East Asian winter temperature variation associated with the combined effects of AO and WP pattern

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Park, Hye-Jin; Ahn, Joong-Bae

2016-04-01

The combined effects of the Arctic Oscillation (AO) and Western Pacific (WP) teleconnection pattern on the East Asian winter monsoon (EAWM) over the last 56 years (1958/59-2013/2014) were investigated using NCEP/NCAR reanalysis data (Park and Ahn, 2015). The study results revealed that the effect of the AO on winter temperature in East Asia could be changed depending on the phases of the WP pattern in the North Pacific. The negative relationship between the EAWM and the AO increased when the AO and WP were in-phase with each other. Hence, when winter negative (positive) AO was accompanied by negative (positive) WP, negative (positive) temperature anomalies were dominant across the entire East Asia region. Conversely, when the AO and WP were of-of-phase, the winter temperature anomaly in East Asia did not show distinct changes. Furthermore, from the perspective of stationary planetary waves, the zonal wavenumber-2 patterns of sea level pressure and geopotential height at 500hPa circulation strengthened when the AO and WP were in-phase but were not significant for the out-of-phase condition. It explained the possible mechanism of the combined effects of the AO and WP on the circulation related to EAWM. Reference Park, H.-J., and J.-B. Ahn (2015) Combined effect of the Arctic Oscillation and the Western Pacific pattern on East Asia winter temperature, Clim. Dyn. DOI:10.1007/s00382-015-2763-2. Acknowledgements This work was funded by the Korea Meteorological Administration Research and Development Program under grant KMIPA2015-2081.

New Perspectives: Using Participatory Photography to Evaluate Widening Participation Interventions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Raven, Neil

2015-01-01

With much emphasis now placed upon determining the effectiveness of widening participation (WP) interventions, there is value in identifying evaluation methods best able to provide insights into the impact of this work. One method that has received little attention in the field of WP and yet has considerable potential in this respect is associated…

Far-Field Accumulation of Fissile Material From Waste Packages Containing Plutonium Disposition Waste Form

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

J.P. Nicot

The objective of this calculation is to estimate the quantity of fissile material that could accumulate in fractures in the rock beneath plutonium-ceramic (Pu-ceramic) and Mixed-Oxide (MOX) waste packages (WPs) as they degrade in the potential monitored geologic repository at Yucca Mountain. This calculation is to feed another calculation (Ref. 31) computing the probability of criticality in the systems described in Section 6 and then ultimately to a more general report on the impact of plutonium on the performance of the proposed repository (Ref. 32), both developed concurrently to this work. This calculation is done in accordance with the developmentmore » plan TDP-DDC-MD-000001 (Ref. 9), item 5. The original document described in item 5 has been split into two documents: this calculation and Ref. 4. The scope of the calculation is limited to only very low flow rates because they lead to the most conservative cases for Pu accumulation and more generally are consistent with the way the effluent from the WP (called source term in this calculation) was calculated (Ref. 4). Ref. 4 (''In-Drift Accumulation of Fissile Material from WPs Containing Plutonium Disposition Waste Forms'') details the evolution through time (breach time is initial time) of the chemical composition of the solution inside the WP as degradation of the fuel and other materials proceed. It is the chemical solution used as a source term in this calculation. Ref. 4 takes that same source term and reacts it with the invert; this calculation reacts it with the rock. In addition to reactions with the rock minerals (that release Si and Ca), the basic mechanisms for actinide precipitation are dilution and mixing with resident water as explained in Section 2.1.4. No other potential mechanism such as flow through a reducing zone is investigated in this calculation. No attempt was made to use the effluent water from the bottom of the invert instead of using directly the effluent water from the WP. This calculation supports disposal criticality analysis and has been prepared in accordance with AP-3.12Q, Calculations (Ref. 49). This calculation uses results from Ref. 4 on actinide accumulation in the invert and more generally does reference heavily the cited calculation. In addition to the information provided in this calculation, the reader is referred to the cited calculation for a more thorough treatment of items applying to both the invert and fracture system such as the choice of the thermodynamic database, the composition of J-13 well water, tuff composition, dissolution rate laws, Pu(OH){sub 4} solubility and also for details on the source term composition. The flow conditions (seepage rate, water velocity in fractures) in the drift and the fracture system beneath initially referred to the TSPA-VA because this work was prepared before the release of the work feeding the TSPA-SR. Some new information feeding the TSPA-SR has since been included. Similarly, the soon-to-be-qualified thermodynamic database data0.ymp has not been released yet.« less

Chemical and Biological Substances Decontamination Study for Mars Missions and Terrestrial Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pottage, Thomas; Walker, James; Bennett, Allan; Vrublevskis, John; Hovland, Scott

This study, funded by the European Space Agency (ESA) and undertaken by the Health Protec-tion Agency, UK supported by Systems Engineering and Assessment Ltd., was devised to select suitable current decontamination technologies for development for future manned missions to the Moon and Mars. There is a requirement to decontaminate the habitat module due to the concerns about astronaut ill health, microbial deterioration of materials and potential forward contamination in the case of Mars. In the case of the MIR space station, biodeterioration of components and materials occurred, and dangerous levels of airborne microorganisms were detected during air sampling procedures which lead to the introduction of microbial exposure limits (as MORD SSP 50260) to ensure the health of the crew. COSPAR planetary protection guidelines highlight the need to reduce any potential forward or backwards contamination issues that may occur through the use of Extra Vehicular Activity (EVA) suits whilst on Mars. Decontamination of the suit exterior must be completed before any EVA activity on Mars, whilst a further decontamination cycle must be completed after entry to the airlock following EVA. Technologies and techniques have also been investigated for the microbial reduction of the interior surfaces of the EVA suit to stop biodeterioration of the materials and protect the user from pathogenic microbe accumulation. The first work package reviewed the systems description and requirements as detailed in the statement of work. The requirements were broken down into 12 further requirement sections, where they were updated and expanded, resulted in Technical Note (TN) 1 which was then used as the base document for WP2 and WP3. WP2 investigated the current technologies available for the decontamination of the habitat module interior on missions of up to 6 months and missions that have durations of greater than 6 months. A comprehensive review was carried out for the different methods that could be employed singularly and in combination to decontaminate the habitat. From this review a trade off matrix was compiled scoring each technology on a determined set of parameters. The highest score indicated the most suitable technology. For missions up to 6 months surface cleaning using disinfectant wipes were recommended in combination with an air disinfection/filtration system. For missions greater than 6 months these techniques would be complemented by the addition of a gaseous decontamination system, which could be periodically used to reduce microbial load from inaccessible surfaces. WP3 reviewed the current technologies that could be used for the decontamination of the EVA suit, both external surfaces (after use on the Lunar and Martian surfaces) and internal surfaces. Trade off matrices were constructed to reflect the new parameters for these uses. Only physical decontamination of the exterior surface of the EVA suit is needed for Lunar mission, but for Martian missions this must be enhanced with a gaseous disinfection technology. The interior of the suit can be decontaminated using passive antimicrobial fabrics and active cleaning using disinfectant wipes. WP4 summarised the previous TNs, and included estimates of costs and timelines for the development, based on technology readiness levels, of technologies that need to be flight proven before use on a mission.

Theoretical aspects of stress corrosion cracking of Alloy 22

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Sang-Kwon; Macdonald, Digby D.

2018-05-01

Theoretical aspects of the stress corrosion cracking of Alloy 22 in contact with saturated NaCl solution are explored in terms of the Coupled Environment Fracture Model (CEFM), which was calibrated upon available experimental crack growth rate data. Crack growth rate (CGR) was then predicted as a function of stress intensity, electrochemical potential, solution conductivity, temperature, and electrochemical crack length (ECL). From the dependence of the CGR on the ECL and the evolution of a semi-elliptical surface crack in a planar surface under constant loading conditions it is predicted that penetration through the 2.5-cm thick Alloy 22 corrosion resistant layer of the waste package (WP) could occur 32,000 years after nucleation. Accordingly, the crack must nucleate within the first 968,000 years of storage. However, we predict that the Alloy 22 corrosion resistant layer will not be penetrated by SCC within the 10,000-year Intermediate Performance Period, even if a crack nucleates immediately upon placement of the WP in the repository.

Efficacy of Newer Molecules, Bioagents and Botanicals against Maydis Leaf Blight and Banded Leaf and Sheath Blight of Maize

PubMed Central

Malik, Vinod Kumar; Singh, Manjeet; Hooda, Karambir Singh; Yadav, Naresh Kumar; Chauhan, Prashant Kumar

2018-01-01

Maize (Zea mays L.; 2N=20) is major staple food crop grown worldwide adapted to several biotic and abiotic stresses. Maydis leaf blight (MLB) and banded leaf and sheath blight (BLSB) are serious foliar fungal diseases may cause up to 40% and 100% grain yield loss, respectively. The present studies were undertaken to work out the efficacy of chemicals, botanicals and bioagents for the management of MLB and BLSB under field condition for two seasons Kharif 2014 and 2015. Five molecules (propiconazole 25 EC, hexaconazole 25 EC, carbendazim 50 WP, mancozeb 75 WP and carbedazim 12 WP + mancozeb 63 WP), two bioagents i.e. Trichoderma harzianum and T. viridae and three botanicals namely azadirachtin, sarpagandha and bel pathar were tested for their efficacy against MLB. Eight newer fungicides viz., difenconazole 250 SC, hexaconazole 5 EC, carbendazim 50WP, validamycin 3 L, tebuconazole 250 EC, trifloxystrobin 50 WG + tebuconazole 50 WG, azoxystrobin 250 EC and pencycuron 250 SC were evaluated against BLSB. Analysis revealed significant effects of propiconazole at 0.1%, carbendazim 12 WP + mancozeb 63 WP at 0.125% and sarpagandha leaves at 10% against MLB pathogen, whereas validamycin at 0.1% and trifloxystrobin 25 WG + tebuconazole 50 WG at 0.05% were found effective against BLSB. The slow rate of disease control virtually by the bioagents might have not shown instant effect on plant response to the yield enhancing components. The identified sources of management can be used further in strengthening the plant protection in maize against MLB and BLSB. PMID:29628818

Efficacy of Newer Molecules, Bioagents and Botanicals against Maydis Leaf Blight and Banded Leaf and Sheath Blight of Maize.

PubMed

Malik, Vinod Kumar; Singh, Manjeet; Hooda, Karambir Singh; Yadav, Naresh Kumar; Chauhan, Prashant Kumar

2018-04-01

Maize ( Zea mays L.; 2N=20) is major staple food crop grown worldwide adapted to several biotic and abiotic stresses. Maydis leaf blight (MLB) and banded leaf and sheath blight (BLSB) are serious foliar fungal diseases may cause up to 40% and 100% grain yield loss, respectively. The present studies were undertaken to work out the efficacy of chemicals, botanicals and bioagents for the management of MLB and BLSB under field condition for two seasons Kharif 2014 and 2015. Five molecules (propiconazole 25 EC, hexaconazole 25 EC, carbendazim 50 WP, mancozeb 75 WP and carbedazim 12 WP + mancozeb 63 WP), two bioagents i.e. Trichoderma harzianum and T. viridae and three botanicals namely azadirachtin, sarpagandha and bel pathar were tested for their efficacy against MLB. Eight newer fungicides viz., difenconazole 250 SC, hexaconazole 5 EC, carbendazim 50WP, validamycin 3 L, tebuconazole 250 EC, trifloxystrobin 50 WG + tebuconazole 50 WG, azoxystrobin 250 EC and pencycuron 250 SC were evaluated against BLSB. Analysis revealed significant effects of propiconazole at 0.1%, carbendazim 12 WP + mancozeb 63 WP at 0.125% and sarpagandha leaves at 10% against MLB pathogen, whereas validamycin at 0.1% and trifloxystrobin 25 WG + tebuconazole 50 WG at 0.05% were found effective against BLSB. The slow rate of disease control virtually by the bioagents might have not shown instant effect on plant response to the yield enhancing components. The identified sources of management can be used further in strengthening the plant protection in maize against MLB and BLSB.

Complementary effect of Phloxine B on the insecticidal efficacy of Isaria fumosorosea SFP-198 wettable powder against greenhouse whitefly, Trialeurodes vaporariorum West.

PubMed

Kim, Jae Su; Je, Yeon Ho; Choi, Jae Young

2010-12-01

Insecticidal activities of five photoactive dyes against greenhouse whitefly (GWF), Trialeurodes vaporariorum West., in tomatoes were investigated to improve the control efficacy of an entomopathogenic fungal product, Isaria fumosorosea SFP-198 wettable powder (WP). Azorubine, Eosin B, Erythrosine, Brilliant Green and Phloxine B were used in this work, accompanying pyriproxyfen emulsifiable concentrate (EC) as a commercial standard for comparison. Phloxine B had the highest control efficacy in glasshouse conditions. The most suitable dose of Phloxine B was determined as 0.005 g L(-1) , given the dosage-dependent control efficacy and phytotoxicity of the dye, and its influence on the germination of SFP-198 conidia. In field conditions, SFP-198 WP + Phloxine B (2 + 0.005 g L(-1) ; tank mix) showed 89.1 and 95.3% control efficacy 7 and 14 days post-application, which was significantly higher than the efficacy of SFP-198 WP alone (43.5 and 64.0%), Phloxine B (47.5 and 30.7%) or pyriproxyfen EC (67.7 and 80.2%). Phloxine B cooperates with SFP-198 WP complementarily, possibly in the order of killing action (early: Phloxine B; late: SFP-198 WP). The dye can be incorporated into SFP-198 WP to improve its efficacy and applied to other Hypocrelean entomopathogenic fungal products. Copyright © 2010 Society of Chemical Industry.

The NEWMEDS rodent touchscreen test battery for cognition relevant to schizophrenia.

PubMed

Hvoslef-Eide, M; Mar, A C; Nilsson, S R O; Alsiö, J; Heath, C J; Saksida, L M; Robbins, T W; Bussey, T J

2015-11-01

The NEWMEDS initiative (Novel Methods leading to New Medications in Depression and Schizophrenia, http://www.newmeds-europe.com ) is a large industrial-academic collaborative project aimed at developing new methods for drug discovery for schizophrenia. As part of this project, Work package 2 (WP02) has developed and validated a comprehensive battery of novel touchscreen tasks for rats and mice for assessing cognitive domains relevant to schizophrenia. This article provides a review of the touchscreen battery of tasks for rats and mice for assessing cognitive domains relevant to schizophrenia and highlights validation data presented in several primary articles in this issue and elsewhere. The battery consists of the five-choice serial reaction time task and a novel rodent continuous performance task for measuring attention, a three-stimulus visual reversal and the serial visual reversal task for measuring cognitive flexibility, novel non-matching to sample-based tasks for measuring spatial working memory and paired-associates learning for measuring long-term memory. The rodent (i.e. both rats and mice) touchscreen operant chamber and battery has high translational value across species due to its emphasis on construct as well as face validity. In addition, it offers cognitive profiling of models of diseases with cognitive symptoms (not limited to schizophrenia) through a battery approach, whereby multiple cognitive constructs can be measured using the same apparatus, enabling comparisons of performance across tasks. This battery of tests constitutes an extensive tool package for both model characterisation and pre-clinical drug discovery.

Methods for landslide susceptibility modelling in Lower Austria

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bell, Rainer; Petschko, Helene; Glade, Thomas; Leopold, Philip; Heiss, Gerhard; Proske, Herwig; Granica, Klaus; Schweigl, Joachim; Pomaroli, Gilbert

2010-05-01

Landslide susceptibility modelling and implementation of the resulting maps is still a challenge for geoscientists, spatial and infrastructure planners. Particularly on a regional scale landslide processes and their dynamics are poorly understood. Furthermore, the availability of appropriate spatial data in high resolution is often a limiting factor for modelling high quality landslide susceptibility maps for large study areas. However, these maps form an important basis for preventive spatial planning measures. Thus, new methods have to be developed, especially focussing on the implementation of final maps into spatial planning processes. The main objective of the project "MoNOE" (Method development for landslide susceptibility modelling in Lower Austria) is to design a method for landslide susceptibility modelling for a large study area (about 10.200 km²) and to produce landslide susceptibility maps which are finally implemented in the spatial planning strategies of the Federal state of Lower Austria. The project focuses primarily on the landslide types fall and slide. To enable susceptibility modelling, landslide inventories for the respective landslide types must be compiled and relevant data has to be gathered, prepared and homogenized. Based on this data new methods must be developed to tackle the needs of the spatial planning strategies. Considerable efforts will also be spent on the validation of the resulting maps for each landslide type. A great challenge will be the combination of the susceptibility maps for slides and falls in just one single susceptibility map (which is requested by the government) and the definition of the final visualisation. Since numerous landslides have been favoured or even triggered by human impact, the human influence on landslides will also have to be investigated. Furthermore possibilities to integrate respective findings in regional susceptibility modelling will be explored. According to these objectives the project is structured in four work packages namely data preparation and homogenization (WP1), susceptibility modelling and validation (WP2), integrative susceptibility assessment (WP3) and human impact (WP4). The expected results are a landslide inventory map covering all endangered parts of the Federal state of Lower Austria, a land cover map of Lower Austria with high spatial resolution, processed spatial input data and an optimized integrative susceptibility map visualized at a scale of 1:25.000. The structure of the research project, research strategies as well as first results will be presented at the conference. The project is funded by the Federal state government of Lower Austria.

Text Comprehension and Oral Language as Predictors of Word-Problem Solving: Insights into Word-Problem Solving as a Form of Text Comprehension

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fuchs, Lynn S.; Gilbert, Jennifer K.; Fuchs, Douglas; Seethaler, Pamela M.; N. Martin, BrittanyLee

2018-01-01

This study was designed to deepen insights on whether word-problem (WP) solving is a form of text comprehension (TC) and on the role of language in WPs. A sample of 325 second graders, representing high, average, and low reading and math performance, was assessed on (a) start-of-year TC, WP skill, language, nonlinguistic reasoning, working memory,…

Advancements in near real time mapping of earthquake and rainfall induced landslides in the Avcilar Peninsula, Marmara Region

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Coccia, Stella

2014-05-01

Stella COCCIA (1), Fiona THEOLEYRE (1), Pascal BIGARRE(1) , Semih ERGINTAV(2), Oguz OZEL(3) and Serdar ÖZALAYBEY(4) (1) National Institute of Industrial Environment and Risks (INERIS) Nancy, France, (2) Kandilli Observatory and Earthquake Research Institute (KOERI), Istanbul, Turkey, (3) Istanbul University (IU), Istanbul, Turkey, (4) TUBITAK MAM, Istanbul, Turkey The European Project MARsite (http://marsite.eu/), started in 2012 and leaded by the KOERI, aims to improve seismic risk evaluation and preparedness to face the next dreadful large event expected for the next three decades. MARsite is thus expected to move a "step forward" the most advanced monitoring technologies, and offering promising open databases to the worldwide scientific community in the frame of other European environmental large-scale infrastructures, such as EPOS (http://www.epos-eu.org/ ). Among the 11 work packages (WP), the main aim of the WP6 is to study seismically-induced landslide hazard, by using and improving observing and monitoring systems in geological, hydrogeotechnical and seismic onshore and offshore areas. One of the WP6 specific study area is the Avcilar Peninsula, situated between Kucukcekmece and Buyukcekmece Lakes in the north-west of the region of Marmara. There, more than 400 landslides are located. According to geological and geotechnical investigations and studies, soil movements of this area are related to underground water and pore pressure changes, seismic forces arising after earthquakes and decreasing sliding strength in fissured and heavily consolidated clays. The WP6 includes various tasks and one of these works on a methodology to develop a dynamic system to create combined earthquake and rainfall induced landslides hazard maps at near real time and automatically. This innovative system could be used to improve the prevention strategy as well as in disaster management and relief operations. Base on literature review a dynamic GIS platform is used to combine theoretical models, variable on-site data (rainfall, earthquake, etc), products and results obtained by other WP6 partners' contributions. This platform is in progress, a 1D deterministic method for calculating co-seismic displacements was for the moment implemented in the GIS based on Newmark's method for mapping shallow slides. Rigid sliding block analysis is commonly adopted to predict the potential for earthquake-induced landslides. These predictions give the expected level of displacement as a function of the characteristics of the natural slopes and the characteristics of earthquake shaking. In our case the first characteristics are the results of a precise DEM data and an existent landslide inventory. The geotechnical parameters used come from the literature and will be improved thanks to a borehole geological and geotechnical campaign in progress. The static hydrogeological model in our GIS will be replaced by transient models for hill slope hydrology and time series of intense and/or prolonged precipitation (provided by Tubitak) which will be shortly accessible. Our next aim is to introduce, when ready, site effects information issued from the next IU geophysical campaign, results from numerical simulations and automatic near real time shake maps (developed by KOERI). Moreover, in the spring 2014, an observation & Early Warning System (EWS) prototype system will be set up on an active but slow landslide (pilot site) and composed of GPS devices, seismic probes, piezometers, meteorological station and inclinometers. This will improve our scientific understanding of Avcilar landslides and enable to also improve and better calibrate our GIS platform.

EPOS-WP16: A coherent and collaborative network of Solid Earth Multi-scale laboratories

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Calignano, Elisa; Rosenau, Matthias; Lange, Otto; Spiers, Chris; Willingshofer, Ernst; Drury, Martyn; van Kan-Parker, Mirjam; Elger, Kirsten; Ulbricht, Damian; Funiciello, Francesca; Trippanera, Daniele; Sagnotti, Leonardo; Scarlato, Piergiorgio; Tesei, Telemaco; Winkler, Aldo

2017-04-01

Laboratory facilities are an integral part of Earth Science research. The diversity of methods employed in such infrastructures reflects the multi-scale nature of the Earth system and is essential for the understanding of its evolution, for the assessment of geo-hazards and for the sustainable exploitation of geo-resources. In the frame of EPOS (European Plate Observing System), the Working Package 16 represents a developing community of European Geoscience Multi-scale laboratories. The participant and collaborating institutions (Utrecht University, GFZ, RomaTre University, INGV, NERC, CSIC-ICTJA, CNRS, LMU, C4G-UBI, ETH, CNR*) embody several types of laboratory infrastructures, engaged in different fields of interest of Earth Science: from high temperature and pressure experimental facilities, to electron microscopy, micro-beam analysis, analogue tectonic and geodynamic modelling and paleomagnetic laboratories. The length scales encompassed by these infrastructures range from the nano- and micrometre levels (electron microscopy and micro-beam analysis) to the scale of experiments on centimetres-sized samples, and to analogue model experiments simulating the reservoir scale, the basin scale and the plate scale. The aim of WP16 is to provide two services by the year 2019: first, providing virtual access to data from laboratories (data service) and, second, providing physical access to laboratories (transnational access, TNA). Regarding the development of a data service, the current status is such that most data produced by the various laboratory centres and networks are available only in limited "final form" in publications, many data remain inaccessible and/or poorly preserved. Within EPOS the TCS Multi-scale laboratories is collecting and harmonizing available and emerging laboratory data on the properties and process controlling rock system behaviour at all relevant scales, in order to generate products accessible and interoperable through services for supporting research activities into Geo-resources and Geo-storage, Geo-hazards and Earth System Evolution. Regarding the provision of physical access to laboratories the current situation is such that access to WP16's laboratories is often based on professional relations, available budgets, shared interests and other constraints. In WP16 we aim at reducing the present diversity and non-transparency of access rules and replace ad-hoc procedures for access by a streamlined mechanisms, objective rules and a transparent policy. We work on procedures and mechanisms regulating application, negotiation, evaluation, feedback, selection, admission, approval, feasibility check, setting-up, use, monitoring and dismantling. In the end laboratories should each have a single point providing clear and transparent information on the facility itself, its services, access policy, data management policy and the legal terms and conditions for use of equipment. Through its role as an intermediary and information broker, EPOS will acquire a wealth of information from Research Infrastructures and users on the establishment of efficient collaboration agreements.

Isolation, characterization and identification of pericarp-degrading bacteria for the production of off-odour-free white pepper from fresh berries of Piper nigrum L.

PubMed

Vinod, V; Kumar, A; Zachariah, T J

2014-04-01

To isolate, fermentatively evaluate and identify black pepper (Piper nigrum L.)-associated bacteria for the microbial decortication of fresh ripened berries and dried black pepper for preparation of off-odour-free white pepper. Among 45 bacterial isolates obtained from black pepper, seven of them were found to decorticate black pepper (>60%) and fresh pepper berries (98-100%) into white pepper within 5 days of immersion in bacterial suspension. The 16S rRNA genes (1500-bp amplicon) of these bacteria were sequenced, and species identity was established by closest match in GenBank. Superior-quality white pepper was obtained with Bacillus subtilis (IISR WP 33, 34, 38), Bacillus licheniformis (IISR WP 43), Acinetobacter baumanii (IISR WP 35), Klebsiella pneumoniae (IISR WP 19) and Microbacterium barkeri (IISR WP25). The bacterial isolates were found to secrete multiple hydrolytic enzymes such as cellulase, pectinase, amylase, protease and xylanase. Bacterial cultures were deposited with International Depository Authority at Microbial Type Culture Collection, India, as patent deposits as prescribed in Budapest Treaty for microbial deposits. The white pepper, thus obtained from bacterial decortication process, was free from off-odour compound, especially skatole. Other biochemical constituents such as oleoresin, piperine and essential oils were found in the acceptable range. The bacterial decortication did not affect inherent constituents of pepper such as essential oil constituents, oleoresin and piperine content. One of the most significant findings of the work is identification of specific bacterial species for decortication of fresh berries or black pepper berries into value-added white pepper. This work paved way for developing a technological process for microbial decortication of fresh/black pepper for the production of superior-quality white pepper. © 2014 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

WAG 2 remedial investigation and site investigation site-specific work plan/health and safety checklist for the soil and sediment task. Environmental Restoration Program

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

Holt, V.L.; Burgoa, B.B.

1993-12-01

This document is a site-specific work plan/health and safety checklist (WP/HSC) for a task of the Waste Area Grouping 2 Remedial Investigation and Site Investigation (WAG 2 RI&SI). Title 29 CFR Part 1910.120 requires that a health and safety program plan that includes site- and task-specific information be completed to ensure conformance with health- and safety-related requirements. To meet this requirement, the health and safety program plan for each WAG 2 RI&SI field task must include (1) the general health and safety program plan for all WAG 2 RI&SI field activities and (2) a WP/HSC for that particular field task.more » These two components, along with all applicable referenced procedures, must be kept together at the work site and distributed to field personnel as required. The general health and safety program plan is the Health and Safety Plan for the Remedial Investigation and Site Investigation of Waste Area Grouping 2 at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee (ORNL/ER-169). The WP/HSCs are being issued as supplements to ORNL/ER-169.« less

Sorry doctor, I can't afford the root canal, I have a job: Canadian dental care policy and the working poor.

PubMed

Quiñonez, Carlos; Figueiredo, Rafael

2010-01-01

In Canada, most dental care is privately financed through employment-based insurance, with only a small amount of care supported by governments for groups deemed in social need. Recently, this low level of public financing has been linked to problems in accessing dental care, and one group that has received major attention are the working poor (WP), or those who maintain regular employment but remain in relative poverty. The WP highlight a significant gap in Canadian dental care policy, as they are generally not eligible for either public or private insurance. This is a mixed methods study, comprised of an historical review of Canadian dental care policy and a telephone interview survey of WP Canadian adults. By its very definitions, Canadian dental care policy recognizes the WP as persons with employment, yet incorrectly assumes that they will have ready access to employment-based insurance. In addition, through historically developed biases, it also fails to recognize them as persons in social need. Our telephone survey suggests that this policy approach has important impacts in that oral health and dental care outcomes are significantly mitigated by the presence of dental insurance. Canadian dental care policy should be reassessed in terms of how it determines need in order to close a gap that holds negative consequences for many Canadian families.

Engineered materials characterization report, volume 3 - corrosion data and modeling update for viability assessments

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

McCright, R D

1998-06-30

This Engineered Materials Characterization Report (EMCR), Volume 3, discusses in considerable detail the work of the past 18 months on testing the candidate materials proposed for the waste-package (WP) container and on modeling the performance of those materials in the Yucca Mountain (YM) repository setting This report was prepared as an update of information and serves as one of the supporting documents to the Viability Assessment (VA) of the Yucca Mountain Project. Previous versions of the EMCR have provided a history and background of container-materials selection and evaluation (Volume I), a compilation of physical and mechanical properties for the WPmore » design effort (Volume 2), and corrosion-test data and performance-modeling activities (Volume 3). Because the information in Volumes 1 and 2 is still largely current, those volumes are not being revised. As new information becomes available in the testing and modeling efforts, Volume 3 is periodically updated to include that information.« less

Proposed Requirements-driven User-scenario Development Protocol for the Belmont Forum E-Infrastructure and Data Management Cooperative Research Agreement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wee, B.; Car, N.; Percivall, G.; Allen, D.; Fitch, P. G.; Baumann, P.; Waldmann, H. C.

2014-12-01

The Belmont Forum E-Infrastructure and Data Management Cooperative Research Agreement (CRA) is designed to foster a global community to collaborate on e-infrastructure challenges. One of the deliverables is an implementation plan to address global data infrastructure interoperability challenges and align existing domestic and international capabilities. Work package three (WP3) of the CRA focuses on the harmonization of global data infrastructure for sharing environmental data. One of the subtasks under WP3 is the development of user scenarios that guide the development of applicable deliverables. This paper describes the proposed protocol for user scenario development. It enables the solicitation of user scenarios from a broad constituency, and exposes the mechanisms by which those solicitations are evaluated against requirements that map to the Belmont Challenge. The underlying principle of traceability forms the basis for a structured, requirements-driven approach resulting in work products amenable to trade-off analyses and objective prioritization. The protocol adopts the ISO Reference Model for Open Distributed Processing (RM-ODP) as a top level framework. User scenarios are developed within RM-ODP's "Enterprise Viewpoint". To harmonize with existing frameworks, the protocol utilizes the conceptual constructs of "scenarios", "use cases", "use case categories", and use case templates as adopted by recent GEOSS Architecture Implementation Project (AIP) deliverables and CSIRO's eReefs project. These constructs are encapsulated under the larger construct of "user scenarios". Once user scenarios are ranked by goodness-of-fit to the Belmont Challenge, secondary scoring metrics may be generated, like goodness-of-fit to FutureEarth science themes. The protocol also facilitates an assessment of the ease of implementing given user scenario using existing GEOSS AIP deliverables. In summary, the protocol results in a traceability graph that can be extended to coordinate across research programmes. If implemented using appropriate technologies and harmonized with existing ontologies, this approach enables queries, sensitivity analyses, and visualization of complex relationships.

Experimental Comparison of Efficiency of First Aid Dressings in Burning White Phosphorus on Bacon Model.

PubMed

Witkowski, Wojciech; Surowiecka-Pastewka, Agnieszka; Biesaga, Magdalena; Gierczak, Tomasz

2015-08-12

The aim of this study was to determine effectiveness of first aid dressings in extinguishing burning white phosphorous (WP), eliminating WP pieces from the surface, inhibiting re-ignition on the model (fresh bacon covered with military uniform), and preventing from late re-ignition caused by persistent WP pieces. Burning WP was extinguished with several dressings: tactical Military Dressing (WJ10), wet gauze, 2 hydrocolloids, and 3 prototypes of hydrocolloids developed by the authors. All examined dressings were effective in extinguishing WP provided that the entire area of the burning substance was completely covered. Moist gauze was especially effective in extinguishing WP, and also removed and absorbed the majority of the WP mass, preventing deeper penetration of WP particles. The immediate re-ignition was observed when all the remaining examined dressings were removed from the bacon. A stream of water was dangerous, as it splashed and transferred pieces of WP around. Moist gauze placed on burning WP for approximately 3 min was most effective in extinguishing WP and removing most of the WP pieces. We recommend moist gauze, used once or twice, as the best primary means for WP elimination and preventing tissue penetration. As a dressing used for medical evacuation (MEDEVAC), or as a second step after complete removal of visible WP, innovative hydrocolloid or hydrogel dressings should be used.

Experimental Comparison of Efficiency of First Aid Dressings in Burning White Phosphorus on Bacon Model

PubMed Central

Witkowski, Wojciech; Surowiecka-Pastewka, Agnieszka; Biesaga, Magdalena; Gierczak, Tomasz

2015-01-01

Background The aim of this study was to determine effectiveness of first aid dressings in extinguishing burning white phosphorous (WP), eliminating WP pieces from the surface, inhibiting re-ignition on the model (fresh bacon covered with military uniform), and preventing from late re-ignition caused by persistent WP pieces. Material/Methods Burning WP was extinguished with several dressings: tactical Military Dressing (WJ10), wet gauze, 2 hydrocolloids, and 3 prototypes of hydrocolloids developed by the authors. Results All examined dressings were effective in extinguishing WP provided that the entire area of the burning substance was completely covered. Moist gauze was especially effective in extinguishing WP, and also removed and absorbed the majority of the WP mass, preventing deeper penetration of WP particles. The immediate re-ignition was observed when all the remaining examined dressings were removed from the bacon. A stream of water was dangerous, as it splashed and transferred pieces of WP around. Conclusions Moist gauze placed on burning WP for approximately 3 min was most effective in extinguishing WP and removing most of the WP pieces. We recommend moist gauze, used once or twice, as the best primary means for WP elimination and preventing tissue penetration. As a dressing used for medical evacuation (MEDEVAC), or as a second step after complete removal of visible WP, innovative hydrocolloid or hydrogel dressings should be used. PMID:26264209

Mental and Emotional Impairment in Patients With Hepatitis C is Related to Lower Work Productivity.

PubMed

Younossi, Issah; Weinstein, Ali; Stepanova, Maria; Hunt, Sharon; Younossi, Zobair M

2016-01-01

Patients with Hepatitis C virus (HCV) have a higher risk of developing mental and emotional health (MEH) issues compared with the general population. Our aim was to assess the relationship between MEH and work productivity (WP) in patients with HCV. Patients with HCV enrolled in multinational clinical trials completed 4 questionnaires (Short Form 36 [SF-36], the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Fatigue [FACIT-F], Chronic Liver Disease Questionnaire-Hepatitis C Virus [CLDQ-HCV], and the WP and Activity-Specific Health Problem [WPAI:SHP]) while they were not under treatment. The emotional domain (EM) of CLDQ-HCV, the role emotional, mental health, and the mental summary score of the SF-36 were used as the MEH indicators. We compared patients with an EM score of less than 4.66 (range: 1-7), which is the lowest quartile of emotional health, and those with an EM score of more than 6.33, which is the topmost quartile. A total of 4333 patients were enrolled. Of those, 3,888 had MEH issues and WP data available. Patients were 52.3 ± 9.9 years old, 65.8% of them were male, 63.7% were treatment naïve, 19.7% were cirrhotic, 29.0% reported having a history of depression, and 18.7% had a history of anxiety. Patients at the top quartile of the EM were older, were more likely to be men, had less anxiety and depression, and were less likely to be cirrhotic and fatigued, but they were more likely to be employed as compared with the patients at the lowest quartile of the EM domain (all p < 0.0001). Furthermore, these patients had less WP impairment (0.023 ± 0.101 vs. 0.310 ± 0.288, p < 0.05). Multivariate regression analysis revealed that RE and EM were both predictive of WP scores (all p < 0.0001), presenteeism, and absenteeism (all p < 0.003). In patients with HCV, impairment in MEH is predictive of lower WP. Copyright © 2016 The Academy of Psychosomatic Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Association of work productivity with clinical and patient-reported factors in patients infected with hepatitis C virus.

PubMed

Younossi, Z M; Stepanova, M; Henry, L; Younossi, I; Weinstein, A; Nader, F; Hunt, S

2016-08-01

Patients with HCV infection have reduced work productivity (WP), in terms of both presenteeism (impairment in work productivity while working) and absenteeism (productivity loss due to absence from work). The aim of this study was to identify clinical and patient-reported factors that are predictive of WP in HCV-infected patients. HCV-infected patients enrolled in clinical trials completed 3 PRO questionnaires (CLDQ-HCV, SF-36 and FACIT-F) and one work productivity (WPAI:SHP) questionnaire. In employed subjects, work productivity and its absenteeism and presenteeism components were calculated using WPAI:SHP instrument. Of 4121 HCV-infected patients with work productivity data, 2480 (60.2%) reported to be employed, and of those, 2190 had completed all PRO questionnaires before treatment initiation. Of the study cohort, 519/2190 (23.7%) had severe work impairment. In multiple linear regression analysis, work productivity was predicted by lower scores in activity/energy domain of CLDQ-HCV, physical well-being domain of FACIT-F, worry domain of CLDQ-HCV and role physical domain of SF-36 (all P < 0.0005). Furthermore, presenteeism was independently predicted by the activity/energy of CLDQ-HCV, physical well-being of FACIT-F, worry domain of CLDQ-HCV, role physical scale of SF-36 and fatigue scale of FACIT-F (P < 0.002). Finally, absenteeism was independently predicted by physical well-being scale of FACIT-F and role physical scale of SF-36 (all P < 0.002). Clinically, work productivity impairment was predicted by the presence of cirrhosis, anxiety, depression and clinically overt fatigue (P < 0.01). Thus, the most important drivers of WP in HCV are impairment of physical aspects of PROs and clinical history of depression, anxiety, fatigue and cirrhosis. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Transfer of innovation, knowledge and competencies on the care service for people with acquired disabilities: the European Project "Care for Work".

PubMed

Barchitta, M; Fragapane, S; Consoli, M T; Pennisi, C; Agodi, A

2012-01-01

The growing needs of people with disabilities require to integrate this issue into public health in order to improve political feasibility and to ensure that disability will not be left off from any strategic table. The main aim of the "Care for Work" project was to provide training contents to help workers and unemployed people to adapt their knowledge, skills and competencies to the care services sector in order to facilitate their insertion in a new employment source. The partners participating in the project are Organizations from 5 European countries. The project has been divided into seven Work Packages (WPs): three transversal WPs and four specific WPs, each addressing specific activities necessary to achieve the final objectives of the project. The "Care for Work" learning environment contains specific information and training on the techniques for caring people with acquired physical disabilities, as text documents and short training films. The project combines e-learning (Web 2.0) and mobile learning providing a flexible training platform for workers of care services sector. The "Care for Work" project offers specific training addressed to meet the new existing needs of workers of the care services sector and/or unemployed people. All the information and results of the project are available on the web page: www.careforwork.eu, and the present article is part of the WP "Valorization".

Smart Self-Assembled Nanosystem Based on Water-Soluble Pillararene and Rare-Earth-Doped Upconversion Nanoparticles for pH-Responsive Drug Delivery.

PubMed

Li, Haihong; Wei, Ruoyan; Yan, Gui-Hua; Sun, Ji; Li, Chunju; Wang, Haifang; Shi, Liyi; Capobianco, John A; Sun, Lining

2018-02-07

Exploring novel drug delivery systems with good stability and new structure to integrate pillararene and upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) into one system continues to be an important challenge. Herein, we report a novel preparation of a supramolecular upconversion nanosystem via the host-guest complexation based on carboxylate-based pillar[5]arene (WP5) and 15-carboxy-N,N,N-trialkylpentadecan-1-ammonium bromide (1)-functionalized UCNPs to produce WP5⊃1-UCNPs that can be loaded with the chemotherapeutic drug doxorubicin (DOX). Importantly, the WP5 on the surface of the drug-loaded nanosystem can be efficiently protonated under acidic conditions, resulting in the collapse of the nanosystem and drug release. Moreover, cellular uptake confirms that the nanosystem can enter human cervical cancer (HeLa) cells, resulting in drug accumulation in the cells. More importantly, cytotoxicity experiments demonstrated the excellent biocompatibility of WP5⊃1-UCNPs without loading DOX and that the nanosystem DOX-WP5⊃1-UCNPs exhibited an ability of killing HeLa cells effectively. We also investigated magnetic resonance imaging and upconversion luminescence imaging, which may be employed as visual imaging agents in cancer diagnosis and treatment. Thus, in the present work, we show a simple yet powerful strategy to combine UCNPs and pillar[5]arene to produce a unified nanosystem for dual-mode bioimaging-guided therapeutic applications.

Chromosomal location of traits associated with wheat seedling water and phosphorus use efficiency under different water and phosphorus stresses.

PubMed

Cao, Hong-Xing; Zhang, Zheng-Bin; Sun, Cheng-Xu; Shao, Hong-Bo; Song, Wei-Yi; Xu, Ping

2009-09-18

The objective of this study was to locate chromosomes for improving water and phosphorus-deficiency tolerance of wheat at the seedling stage. A set of Chinese Spring-Egyptian Red wheat substitution lines and their parent Chinese Spring (recipient) and Egyptian Red (donor) cultivars were measured to determine the chromosomal locations of genes controlling water use efficiency (WUE) and phosphorus use efficiency (PUE) under different water and phosphorus conditions. The results underlined that chromosomes 1A, 7A, 7B, and 3A showed higher leaf water use efficiency (WUE(l) = Pn/Tr; Pn = photosynthetic rate; Tr = transpiration rate) under W-P (Hoagland solution with 1/2P), -W-P (Hoagland solution with 1/2P and 10% PEG). Chromosomes 7A, 3D, 2B, 3B, and 4B may carry genes for positive effects on individual plant water use efficiency (WUE(p) = biomass/TWC; TWC = total water consumption) under WP (Hoagland solution), W-P and -W-P treatment. Chromosomes 7A and 7D carry genes for PUE enhancement under WP, -WP (Hoagland solution with 10% PEG) and W-P treatment. Chromosome 7A possibly has genes for controlling WUE and PUE simultaneously, which indicates that WUE and PUE may share the same genetic background. Phenotypic and genetic analysis of the investigated traits showed that photosynthetic rate (Pn) and transpiration rate (Tr), Tr and WUE(l) showed significant positive and negative correlations under WP, W-P, -WP and -W-P, W-P, -WP treatments, respectively. Dry mass (DM), WUE(P), PUT (phosphorus uptake) all showed significant positive correlation under WP, W-P and -WP treatment. PUE and phosphorus uptake (PUT = P uptake per plant) showed significant negative correlation under the four treatments. The results might provide useful information for improving WUE and PUE in wheat genetics.

WOGEN. Work Order Generation Macros for Word Perfect 6.X for Windows

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

Grenz, G.

Included are three general WP macros (two independent and one multiple) and a template used at the Test Reactor Area (TRA) for the generation of the Work Orders (WO`s) used to perform corrective and preventative maintenance, as well as modifications of existing systems and installation of new systems. They incorporate facility specific requirements as well as selected federal/state orders. These macros are used to generate a WP document which is then converted into ASCII text for import to the maintenance software. Currently we are using MCRS but should be compatible with other platforms such as Passport. Reference the included filemore » Wogen.txt for installation and usage instructions.« less

Work Order Generation Macros for Word Perfect 6.X for Windows

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

Grenz, Gordon G.

Included are three general WP macros (two independent and one multiple) and a template used at the Test Reactor Area (TRA) for the generation of the Work Orders (WO's) used to perform corrective and preventative maintenance, as well as modifications of existing systems and installation of new systems. They incorporate facility specific requirements as well as selected federal/state orders. These macros are used to generate a WP document which is then converted into ASCII text for import to the maintenance software. Currently we are using MCRS but should be compatible with other platforms such as Passport. Reference the included filemore » Wogen.txt for installation and usage instructions.« less

Views and considerations on ICT-AT competences development within the ENTELIS project: The Case of Cyprus.

PubMed

Mavrou, Katerina; Meletiou-Mavrotheris, Maria

2015-01-01

This submission presents part of the EU funded project ENTELIS (European Network for Technology Enhanced Learning in an Inclusive Society), which aims to address issues of digital divide and digital equity for people with disabilities of all ages, and to increase participation and social inclusion. This paper presents the main activities and outcomes of the research work package of the project (WP3), from one of the partner countries, Cyprus. The aim of the conducted research was to identify the conceptions and beliefs of end-users, trainers, and service/technology providers and professionals, on the multifaceted relation between ICT/ICT-AT (Information Communication Technology - Assistive Technology) and learning of technology. Data collection involved the development and administration of three semi-structured interview protocols, one for each group of participants, in five different European countries. Results have been compiled to develop a State-of-Art Report on ICT and ICT-AT education and learning, highlighting the main trends, as well the main present barriers, emergent and future needs in terms of analysis, acquisition and reinforcing of digital competences bridging the worlds of education and work.

WAG 2 remedial investigation and site investigation site-specific work plan/health and safety checklist for the sediment transport modeling task

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

Holt, V.L.; Baron, L.A.

1994-05-01

This site-specific Work Plan/Health and Safety Checklist (WP/HSC) is a supplement to the general health and safety plan (HASP) for Waste Area Grouping (WAG) 2 remedial investigation and site investigation (WAG 2 RI&SI) activities [Health and Safety Plan for the Remedial Investigation and Site Investigation of Waste Area Grouping 2 at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, Tennessee (ORNL/ER-169)] and provides specific details and requirements for the WAG 2 RI&SI Sediment Transport Modeling Task. This WP/HSC identifies specific site operations, site hazards, and any recommendations by Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) health and safety organizations [i.e., Industrial Hygiene (IH),more » Health Physics (HP), and/or Industrial Safety] that would contribute to the safe completion of the WAG 2 RI&SI. Together, the general HASP for the WAG 2 RI&SI (ORNL/ER-169) and the completed site-specific WP/HSC meet the health and safety planning requirements specified by 29 CFR 1910.120 and the ORNL Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response (HAZWOPER) Program Manual. In addition to the health and safety information provided in the general HASP for the WAG 2 RI&SI, details concerning the site-specific task are elaborated in this site-specific WP/HSC, and both documents, as well as all pertinent procedures referenced therein, will be reviewed by all field personnel prior to beginning operations.« less

The Prevalence, Attitudes, and Correlates of Waterpipe Smoking Among High School Students in Iran: a Cross-Sectional Study.

PubMed

Ziaei, Reza; Mohammadi, Reza; Dastgiri, Saeed; Viitasara, Eija; Rahimi, Vahab Asl; Jeddi, Abolfazl; Soares, Joaquim

2016-12-01

The purpose of the present study was to determine the correlates of waterpipe (WP) smoking among 15-17-year-old high school students in Iran. Data were collected using the Global Youth Tobacco Survey (GYTS), a self-administrated questionnaire distributed to a representative sample of high school students aged 15-17 in the city of Tabriz. Current WP smoking was defined as past 30-day use, and ever WP smoking was defined as at least one or two lifetime puffs. Differences in WP use, knowledge, and attitudes were analyzed using chi-square and Fisher exact tests. Binary logistic regression estimated the association between relevant independent variables (e.g., age) and the dependent variables (current/ever WP smoking). Of 1517 students, 21.6 % (95 % confidence interval [CI] = 19.5, 23.8) were ever WP smokers, and 9.7 % (95 % CI = 8.2, 11.2) were current WP smokers. Of current WP smokers, 40.3 % have stated that they want to stop smoking now. Moreover, 14.1 % of non-WP smokers reported that they might enjoy smoking WP. Of current WP smokers, 49.0 % have smoked at cafés. Additionally, 95.3 % of current WP smokers reported that their age did not prevent them from being served a WP. Studying in high school third grade (adjusted odds ratios (AORs) = 1.70; 95 % CI [1.10, 2.63]), experience of cigarette smoking (AORs = 1.57; 95 % CI [1.12, 2.20]), and being prepared to accept a WP offered by close friends (AORs = 3.31; 95 % CI [2.17, 5.04]) were independently associated with ever WP smoking, and accepting a WP offered by close friends (AORs = 4.36; 95 % CI [2.69, 7.07]) and gender (female) (AORs = 0.45; 95 % CI [0.30, 0.70] were independently associated with current WP smoking. Prevalence of current and ever WP smoking is high in Tabriz. There is an urgent need to design interventions in order to increase students' and their parents' awareness regarding the harmfulness of WP, and to establish legal measures to restrict adolescents' access to WPs and tobacco in society.

Tropospheric Airborne Meteorological Data Reporting (TAMDAR) Sensor Validation and Verification on National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Lockheed WP-3D Aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tsoucalas, George; Daniels, Taumi S.; Zysko, Jan; Anderson, Mark V.; Mulally, Daniel J.

2010-01-01

As part of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Aviation Safety and Security Program, the Tropospheric Airborne Meteorological Data Reporting project (TAMDAR) developed a low-cost sensor for aircraft flying in the lower troposphere. This activity was a joint effort with support from Federal Aviation Administration, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and industry. This paper reports the TAMDAR sensor performance validation and verification, as flown on board NOAA Lockheed WP-3D aircraft. These flight tests were conducted to assess the performance of the TAMDAR sensor for measurements of temperature, relative humidity, and wind parameters. The ultimate goal was to develop a small low-cost sensor, collect useful meteorological data, downlink the data in near real time, and use the data to improve weather forecasts. The envisioned system will initially be used on regional and package carrier aircraft. The ultimate users of the data are National Centers for Environmental Prediction forecast modelers. Other users include air traffic controllers, flight service stations, and airline weather centers. NASA worked with an industry partner to develop the sensor. Prototype sensors were subjected to numerous tests in ground and flight facilities. As a result of these earlier tests, many design improvements were made to the sensor. The results of tests on a final version of the sensor are the subject of this report. The sensor is capable of measuring temperature, relative humidity, pressure, and icing. It can compute pressure altitude, indicated air speed, true air speed, ice presence, wind speed and direction, and eddy dissipation rate. Summary results from the flight test are presented along with corroborative data from aircraft instruments.

Natural stable isotopic compositions of mercury in aerosols and wet precipitations around a coal-fired power plant in Xiamen, southeast China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Shuyuan; Sun, Lumin; Zhou, Tingjin; Yuan, Dongxing; Du, Bing; Sun, Xiuwu

2018-01-01

In this study, samples of 18 wet precipitations (WPs) and 38 aerosols were collected around a coal-fired power plant (CFPP) located in Xiamen, southeast China, which was equipped with a seawater flue gas desulfurization system. Total particulate mercury (TPM) in aerosol samples, and total mercury (WP-TM), dissolved mercury (WP-DM) and particulate mercury (WP-PM) in WP samples were analyzed for the natural isotopic compositions of mercury. For the first time, both mass dependent fractionation (MDF) and mass independent fractionation of odd (odd-MIF) and even (even-MIF) isotopes of WP-DM and WP-PM were reported and discussed. Both WP-TM and TPM displayed negative MDF and slightly positive even-MIF. Negative odd-MIF was observed in TPM and WP-PM, whereas positive odd-MIF was observed in WP-TM and WP-DM. It was found that the mercury budget in WP-PM samples was mainly controlled by atmospheric particles. Potential sources of mercury in samples were identified via analysis of mercury isotopic signatures and meteorological data with the NOAA HYSPLIT model. The results showed that TPM and WP-PM in solid samples were homologous and the isotopic compositions of WP-TM depended on those of WP-DM. The ratios of Δ199Hg/Δ201Hg resulting from photochemical reactions and positive Δ200Hg values (from -0.06‰ to 0.27‰) in all samples indicated that the mercury coming from local emission of the CFPP together with long-distance transportation were the two main contributing sources.

Improving low fat meatball characteristics by adding whey powder.

PubMed

Serdaroğlu, Meltem

2006-01-01

In this study whey powder (WP) at levels of 0%, 2% and 4% was added to beef meatballs formulated with 5%, 10% and 20% fat levels. Raw and cooked meatballs were analyzed for protein, fat, moisture, ash and pH. Meatballs were evaluated for cooking characteristics, juiciness, colour parameters (L*,a*,b*) and sensory properties. Addition of WP did not affect fat and protein contents of meatballs. Addition of 2% or 4% WP significantly increased cooking yield regardless of the fat level. Both fat level and WP level significantly affected fat retention values of meatballs. Incorporating WP had no effect on meatball juiciness. Addition of WP increased fat and moisture retention of meatballs. Twenty percent fat resulted in higher L* and lower a* values. Adding WP resulted in higher L* values but WP had no effect on a* and b* values. WP had no detrimental effect on sensory properties.

Enhanced biocompatibility and osteogenic potential of mesoporous magnesium silicate/polycaprolactone/wheat protein composite scaffolds.

PubMed

Kang, Yun Gyeong; Wei, Jie; Shin, Ji Won; Wu, Yan Ru; Su, Jiacan; Park, Young Shik; Shin, Jung-Woog

2018-01-01

Successful bone tissue engineering using scaffolds is primarily dependent on the properties of the scaffold, including biocompatibility, highly interconnected porosity, and mechanical integrity. In this study, we propose new composite scaffolds consisting of mesoporous magnesium silicate (m_MS), polycaprolactone (PCL), and wheat protein (WP) manufactured by a rapid prototyping technique to provide a micro/macro porous structure. Experimental groups were set based on the component ratio: (1) WP0% (m_MS:PCL:WP =30:70:0 weight per weight; w/w); (2) WP15% (m_MS:PCL:WP =30:55:15 w/w); (3) WP30% (m_MS:PCL:WP =30:40:30 w/w). Evaluation of the properties of fabricated scaffolds indicated that increasing the amount of WP improved the surface hydrophilicity and biodegradability of m_MS/PCL/WP composites, while reducing the mechanical strength. Moreover, experiments were performed to confirm the biocompatibility and osteogenic differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) according to the component ratio of the scaffold. The results confirmed that the content of WP affects proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of MSCs. Based on the last day of the experiment, ie, the 14th day, the proliferation based on the amount of DNA was the best in the WP30% group, but all of the markers measured by PCR were the most expressed in the WP15% group. These results suggest that the m_MS/PCL/WP composite is a promising candidate for use as a scaffold in cell-based bone regeneration.

Harm perception, attitudes and predictors of waterpipe (shisha) smoking among secondary school adolescents in Al-Hassa, Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

Amin, Tarek Tawfik; Amr, Mostafa Abdel Monem; Zaza, Burhan Omar; Suleman, Wassem

2010-01-01

This study aimed to determine the prevalence and social determinants of waterpipe (WP) smoking among secondary school students in Al-Hassa, Saudi Arabia and to assess their health related knowledge and attitudes toward WP. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 1,652 Saudi secondary school students of both genders aged between 15-19 years selected by multistage sampling method. A self-administered anonymous Arabic version of Global Youth Tobacco Survey modified with items dedicated to WP smoking and to assess perception of health related hazards and attitudes towards WP was employed for data collection. Prevalence of current smokers 'all forms' was 30.3% among males (C.I= 27.5- 33.2%) and 8.5% in females (C.I= 6.6-10.9%). WP was used by 53.9% of the current tobacco users, significantly higher among older age students. Of the regular WP smokers, 20.7% smoked WP on daily basis, 23.8% weekly, 64.2% stated using flavored " Muassel " tobacco. Primary motives for WP smoking were outings with friends, company, boredom and wasting time. Of the total, 49.7% of students stated that WP smoking is less harmful than cigarettes, 60.5% believed that harmful substances were purified through water filtration, with non-addictive properties in 67.8%. Knowledge about health hazards of WP smoking was low, irrespective of student's smoking status. WP smoking is more socially acceptable than cigarettes (52.1%), represents a good opportunity for gathering of friends and family (33.8%), and smoking of WP can relieve stress and tensions (37.8%). Hierarchical regression analysis showed that socializing motives, cigarette smoking, smoking among close family and friends, male gender and increasing age were positive predictors for WP smoking. Social acceptability, poor knowledge of WP health related hazards and certain socio demographics are favoring the increasing current trend of WP use among adolescents in Al Hassa, Saudi Arabia.

Enhanced biocompatibility and osteogenic potential of mesoporous magnesium silicate/polycaprolactone/wheat protein composite scaffolds

PubMed Central

Kang, Yun Gyeong; Wei, Jie; Shin, Ji Won; Wu, Yan Ru; Su, Jiacan; Park, Young Shik; Shin, Jung-Woog

2018-01-01

Background Successful bone tissue engineering using scaffolds is primarily dependent on the properties of the scaffold, including biocompatibility, highly interconnected porosity, and mechanical integrity. Methods In this study, we propose new composite scaffolds consisting of mesoporous magnesium silicate (m_MS), polycaprolactone (PCL), and wheat protein (WP) manufactured by a rapid prototyping technique to provide a micro/macro porous structure. Experimental groups were set based on the component ratio: (1) WP0% (m_MS:PCL:WP =30:70:0 weight per weight; w/w); (2) WP15% (m_MS:PCL:WP =30:55:15 w/w); (3) WP30% (m_MS:PCL:WP =30:40:30 w/w). Results Evaluation of the properties of fabricated scaffolds indicated that increasing the amount of WP improved the surface hydrophilicity and biodegradability of m_MS/PCL/WP composites, while reducing the mechanical strength. Moreover, experiments were performed to confirm the biocompatibility and osteogenic differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) according to the component ratio of the scaffold. The results confirmed that the content of WP affects proliferation and osteogenic differentiation of MSCs. Based on the last day of the experiment, ie, the 14th day, the proliferation based on the amount of DNA was the best in the WP30% group, but all of the markers measured by PCR were the most expressed in the WP15% group. Conclusion These results suggest that the m_MS/PCL/WP composite is a promising candidate for use as a scaffold in cell-based bone regeneration. PMID:29520139

Technical Standards for the ATCCIS Architecture. ATCCIS Working Paper 25

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-08-01

doubling every 144 UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED insurance, tourism , construction). EDIFACT was developed by the UN working party on Facilitation of...EXPERTS mwe"aBetio -- SEIO CIVIL-ClDRETRAES~ EME GENCY -(MUCWGCOM G4Wp (ISG ,,* -- * PLANINWOCOMMITTEE (SCEPC) PLANNING AND PANGCOMIE ; OMMUNICATIONS

Synthesis of Zr2WP2O12/ZrO2 Composites with Adjustable Thermal Expansion.

PubMed

Zhang, Zhiping; Sun, Weikang; Liu, Hongfei; Xie, Guanhua; Chen, Xiaobing; Zeng, Xianghua

2017-01-01

Zr 2 WP 2 O 12 /ZrO 2 composites were fabricated by solid state reaction with the goal of tailoring the thermal expansion coefficient. XRD, SEM and TMA were used to investigate the composition, microstructure, and thermal expansion behavior of Zr 2 WP 2 O 12 /ZrO 2 composites with different mass ratio. Relative densities of all the resulting Zr 2 WP 2 O 12 /ZrO 2 samples were also tested by Archimedes' methods. The obtained Zr 2 WP 2 O 12 /ZrO 2 composites were comprised of orthorhombic Zr 2 WP 2 O 12 and monoclinic ZrO 2 . As the increase of the Zr 2 WP 2 O 12 , the relative densities of Zr 2 WP 2 O 12 /ZrO 2 ceramic composites increased gradually. The coefficient of thermal expansion of the Zr 2 WP 2 O 12 /ZrO 2 composites can be tailored from 4.1 × 10 -6 K -1 to -3.3 × 10 -6 K -1 by changing the content of Zr 2 WP 2 O 12 . The 2:1 Zr 2 WP 2 O 12 /ZrO 2 specimen shows close to zero thermal expansion from 25 to 700°C with an average linear thermal expansion coefficient of -0.09 × 10 -6 K -1 . These adjustable and near zero expansion ceramic composites will have great potential application in many fields.

Growth in an English population from the Industrial Revolution.

PubMed

Mays, S; Brickley, M; Ives, R

2008-05-01

The rapid urbanization of the Industrial Revolution in 18th-19th century England presented new health challenges. Our aim is to investigate using English skeletal remains whether the living conditions for an urban working class group in the Industrial Revolution negatively impacted upon their skeletal growth compared with a population from a rural agrarian parish. The Industrial Revolution skeletal material is from St Martin's Churchyard, Birmingham (SMB), West Midlands. It dates primarily from the first half of the nineteenth century when Birmingham was a major manufacturing center. The rural group is from Wharram Percy (WP), North Yorkshire, and dates from 10th-19th century AD. The methodology involves plotting diaphyseal bone lengths versus dental age for subadults. No overall difference was found between the two populations in bone length-for-age among the 2- to 18-year cohort. However the younger parts of the SMB cohort were smaller than at WP; the opposite was true of the older parts of the cohort. Growth rate, as inferred from crosssectional data, appeared greater at SMB than at WP. The only result consistent with expectations is the larger bone dimensions in young children from WP, but this likely reflects prolonged breastfeeding at WP not differences in urban and rural environments. That the deleterious health effects that we know accompanied the major transition in human society from a rural agrarian to an urban industrialized living environment should be little manifest in skeletal endochondral growth data is discouraging for those who would use such methodology to monitor health in earlier populations. (c) 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Impact of paper and cardboard suppression on OFMSW anaerobic digestion.

PubMed

Fonoll, X; Astals, S; Dosta, J; Mata-Alvarez, J

2016-10-01

Mechanical-biological treatment plants treat municipal solid waste to recover recyclable materials, nutrients and energy. Waste paper and cardboard (WP), the second main compound in municipal solid waste (∼30% in weight basis), is typically used for biogas generation. However, its recovery is gaining attention as it can be used to produce add-value products like bioethanol and residual derived fuel. Nevertheless, WP suppression or replacement will impact anaerobic digestion in terms of biogas production, process stability and digestate management. Two lab-scale reactors were used to assess the impact of WP in anaerobic digestion performance. A control reactor was only fed with biowaste (BioW), while a second reactor was fed with two different mixtures of BioW and WP, i.e. 85/15% and 70/30% (weight basis). Results indicate that either replacing half of the WP by BioW or removing half of the WP has little impact on the methane production. When removing half of the WP, methane production could be sustained by a larger waste biodegradability. The replacement of all WP by BioW increased the reactor methane production (∼37%), while removing all WP would have reduced the methane production about 15%. Finally, replacing WP loading rate by BioW led to a system less tolerant to instability periods and with poorer digestate quality. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Word Processing Curriculum Guide.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anderson, Marcia A.; Kusek, Robert W.

A combination of facts, examples, models, tools, and sources useful in developing and teaching word processing (WP) programs is provided in this guide. Eight sections are included. Sections 1 and 2 present introductory information on WP (e.g., history, five phases of WP, problems occurring in WP offices, factors of people, procedures, and…

Effects of metal-rich particulate matter exposure on exogenous and endogenous viral sequence methylation in healthy steel-workers.

PubMed

Mercorio, Roberta; Bonzini, Matteo; Angelici, Laura; Iodice, Simona; Delbue, Serena; Mariani, Jacopo; Apostoli, Pietro; Pesatori, Angela Cecilia; Bollati, Valentina

2017-11-01

Inhaled particles have been shown to produce systemic changes in DNA methylation. Global hypomethylation has been associated to viral sequence reactivation, possibly linked to the activation of pro-inflammatory pathways occurring after exposure. This observation provides a rationale to investigate viral sequence (both exogenous and endogenous) methylation in association to metal-rich particulate matter exposure. To verify this hypothesis, we chose the Wp promoter of the Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV-Wp) and the promoter of the human-endogenous-retrovirus w (HERV-w), respectively as a paradigm of an exogenous and an endogenous retroviral sequence, to be investigated by bisulfite PCR Pyrosequencing. We enrolled 63 male workers in an electric furnace steel plant, exposed to high level of metal-rich particulate matter. Comparing samples obtained in the first day of a work week (time 0-baseline, after 2 days off work) and the samples obtained after 3 days of work (time 1-post exposure), the mean methylation of EBV-Wp was significantly higher at baseline compared to post-exposure (mean baseline = 56.7%5mC; mean post-exposure = 47.9%5mC; p-value = 0.009), whereas the mean methylation of HERV-w did not significantly differ. Individual exposure to inhalable particles and metals was estimated based on measures in all working areas and time spent by the study subjects in each area. In a regression model adjusted for age, body mass index and smoking, PM and metal components had a positive association with EBV-Wp methylation (i.e. PM10: β = 5.99, p-value < 0.038; nickel: β = 17.82, p-value = 0.02; arsenic: β = 13.59, p-value < 0.015). The difference observed comparing baseline and post-exposure samples may be suggestive of a rapid change in EBV methylation induced by air particles, while correlation between EBV methylation and PM/metal exposure may represent a more stable adaptive mechanism. Future studies investigating a larger panel of viral sequences could better elucidate possible mechanisms and their role in pro-inflammatory pathways leading to systemic health effects. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The contribution of the Volcano Observations Work Package to the implementation of the European Plate Observing System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Puglisi, Giuseppe

2016-04-01

The overall aim of the implementation phase of European Plate Observing System (EPOS) is to make the integrated platform operational in order to guarantee seamless access to the data provided by the European Solid Earth communities. The Volcano Observations Work Package (WP11) contributes to this objective by implementing a Thematic Core Service (TCS) which is planned to give access to the data and services provided by the European Volcano Observatories (VO) and some Volcanological Research Institutions (VRI; such as university departments, laboratories, etc.). Both types are considered as national research infrastructures (RI) which the TCS will integrate. Currently, monitoring networks on European volcanoes consist of thousands of stations or sites where volcanological parameters are continuously or periodically measured. These sites are equipped with instruments for geophysical (seismic, geodetic, gravimetric, electromagnetic), geochemical (volcanic plumes, fumaroles, groundwater, rivers, soils), environmental observations (e.g. meteorological and air quality parameters), as well as various prototypal monitoring systems (e.g. Doppler radars, ground based SAR). Across Europe several laboratories provide sample characterization (rocks, gases, isotopes, etc.), quasi-continuous analysis of space-borne data (SAR, thermal imagery, SO2 and ash), as well as high-performance computing facilities. All these RIs provide high-quality information (observations) on the current status of European volcanoes and the geodynamic background of the surrounding areas. The implementation of the Volcano Observations TCS will address technical as well as managerial issues, both considering the current heterogeneous state-of-the-art of the volcanological research infrastructures in Europe. Indeed, the current arrangement of individual VO and VRI is considered too fragmented to be considered as a unique distributed infrastructure. Therefore, the main effort in the framework of the EPOS-IP is focused towards creating services aimed at providing an improved and more efficient access to the volcanological facilities and observations at active volcanoes. The fragmentation reflects in the heterogeneity of the technical solutions to provide the access and in the managerial issues, particularly in the data policies, governance structures and financial perspectives. Indeed, each research infrastructure currently adopts its own data policy (moreover, in some cases it is difficult to define a proper data policy), refers to different financial models and follows different organization. This is partly also due to the different formal commitments and mandates of VO and/or VRI within their own jurisdictions. Thus the main challenge of the WP11 in the framework of EPOS-IP is to overcome the current fragmentation and to strengthen the construction of the European volcanological community. Its current world-leading reputation is confirmed by the fact that three out of four Volcanic Supersites are located in Europe, are managed by European institutions and are studied by two EC-FP7 Projects (Futurevolc and MED-SUV).

ENVRI PLUS project: Developing an ethical framework for Environmental and Earth System Research Infrastructures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peppoloni, Silvia; Di Capua, Giuseppe; Haslinger, Florian

2016-04-01

ENVRI PLUS is a Horizon 2020 project bringing together Environmental and Earth System Research Infrastructures (RIs), projects and networks with technical specialist partners to create a more coherent, interdisciplinary and interoperable cluster of Environmental Research Infrastructures across Europe (http://www.envriplus.eu/). One theme of the project deals with the societal relevance and understanding, and within that theme an entire work-package (WP) aims at developing an ethical framework for RIs. Objectives of this WP are: • increase the awareness of both the scientists and the public on the importance of ethical aspects in Earth sciences; • establish a shared ethical framework of reference, to be adopted by RIs governing bodies; • increase the awareness of RIs management and operational levels and of the individual involved scientists on their social role in conducting research activities and research work environment; • assess the ethical and social aspects related to the results achieved and deliverables released within the project. The ongoing activities include: • reviewing the state of art on ethical issues useful for the goals of the project (collection and analysis of materials already existing within scientific organizations, institutions all over the world); • the creation of a questionnaire, through which to investigate how each RI participating in ENVRI PLUS faces ethical issues in relation to its activities, and so to understand the level of perception that researchers and technicians involved in the project have on the ethical implications of their scientific activities; • the definition of ethics guidelines to be used by partners for building their policies and their own codes of conduct; • the elaboration of an ethical label template to characterize each product of the project, that partners will be able to use in order to give essential information about the ethical and social implications of their products; • the dissemination of all the results of the previous activities on websites and social networks, so that they are suitable for the public. ENVRI PLUS is the first European project in which ethics applied to geosciences find space as a fundamental issue, at the base of scientific activities.

2007 Wholesale Power Rate Case Initial Proposal : Wholesale Power Rate Development Study.

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

United States. Bonneville Power Administration.

The Wholesale Power Rate Development Study (WPRDS) calculates BPA proposed rates based on information either developed in the WPRDS or supplied by the other studies that comprise the BPA rate proposal. All of these studies, and accompanying documentation, provide the details of computations and assumptions. In general, information about loads and resources is provided by the Load Resource Study (LRS), WP-07-E-BPA-01, and the LRS Documentation, WP-07-E-BPA-01A. Revenue requirements information, as well as the Planned Net Revenues for Risk (PNNR), is provided in the Revenue Requirement Study, WP-07-E-BPA-02, and its accompanying Revenue Requirement Study Documentation, WP-07-E-BPA-02A and WP-07-E-BPA-02B. The Market Pricemore » Forecast Study (MPFS), WP-07-E-BPA-03, and the MPFS Documentation, WP-07-E-BPA-03A, provide the WPRDS with information regarding seasonal and diurnal differentiation of energy rates, as well information regarding monthly market prices for Demand Rates. In addition, this study provides information for the pricing of unbundled power products. The Risk Analysis Study, WP-07-E-BPA-04, and the Risk Analysis Study Documentation, WP-07-E-BPA-04A, provide short-term balancing purchases as well as secondary energy sales and revenue. The Section 7(b)(2) Rate Test Study, WP-07-E-BPA-06, and the Section 7(b)(2) Rate Test Study Documentation, WP-07-E-BPA-06A, implement Section 7(b)(2) of the Northwest Power Act to ensure that BPA preference customers firm power rates applied to their general requirements are no higher than rates calculated using specific assumptions in the Northwest Power Act.« less

Springtime trans-Pacific transport of Asian pollutants characterized by the Western Pacific (WP) pattern

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koo, Ja-Ho; Kim, Jaemin; Kim, Jhoon; Lee, Hanlim; Noh, Young Min; Lee, Yun Gon

2016-12-01

Springtime trans-Pacific transport of Asian air pollutants has been investigated in many ways to figure out its mechanism. Based on the Western Pacific (WP) pattern, one of climate variabilities in the Northern Hemisphere known to be associated with the pattern of atmospheric circulation over the North Pacific Ocean, in this study, we characterize the pattern of springtime trans-Pacific transport using long-term satellite measurements and reanalysis datasets. A positive WP pattern is characterized by intensification of the dipole structure between the northern Aleutian Low and the southern Pacific High over the North Pacific. The TOMS/OMI Aerosol Index (AI) and MOPITT CO show the enhancement of Asian pollutant transport across the Pacific during periods of positive WP pattern, particularly between 40 and 50°N. This enhancement is confirmed by high correlations of WP index with AI and CO between 40 and 50°N. To evaluate the influence of the WP pattern, we examine several cases of trans-Pacific transport reported in previous research. Interestingly, most trans-Pacific transport cases are associated with the positive WP pattern. During the period of negative WP pattern, reinforced cyclonic wave breaking is consistently found over the western North Pacific, which obstructs zonal advection across the North Pacific. However, some cases show the trans-Pacific transport of CO in the period of negative WP pattern, implying that the WP pattern is more influential on the transport of particles mostly emitted near ∼40°N. This study reveals that the WP pattern can be utilized to diagnose the strength of air pollutant transport from East Asia to North America.

Wikipedia as a gateway to biomedical research: The relative distribution and use of citations in the English Wikipedia.

PubMed

Maggio, Lauren A; Willinsky, John M; Steinberg, Ryan M; Mietchen, Daniel; Wass, Joseph L; Dong, Ting

2017-01-01

Wikipedia is a gateway to knowledge. However, the extent to which this gateway ends at Wikipedia or continues via supporting citations is unknown. Wikipedia's gateway functionality has implications for information design and education, notably in medicine. This study aims to establish benchmarks for the relative distribution and referral (click) rate of citations-as indicated by presence of a Digital Object Identifier (DOI)-from Wikipedia, with a focus on medical citations. DOIs referred from the English Wikipedia in August 2016 were obtained from Crossref.org. Next, based on a DOI's presence on a WikiProject Medicine page, all DOIs in Wikipedia were categorized as medical (WP:MED) or non-medical (non-WP:MED). Using this categorization, referred DOIs were classified as WP:MED, non-WP:MED, or BOTH, meaning the DOI may have been referred from either category. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Out of 5.2 million Wikipedia pages, 4.42% (n = 229,857) included at least one DOI. 68,870 were identified as WP:MED, with 22.14% (n = 15,250) featuring one or more DOIs. WP:MED pages featured on average 8.88 DOI citations per page, whereas non-WP:MED pages had on average 4.28 DOI citations. For DOIs only on WP:MED pages, a DOI was referred every 2,283 pageviews and for non-WP:MED pages every 2,467 pageviews. DOIs from BOTH pages accounted for 12% (n = 58,475). The referral of DOI citations found in BOTH could not be assigned to WP:MED or non-WP:MED, as the page from which the referral was made was not provided with the data. While these results cannot provide evidence of greater citation referral from WP:MED than non-WP:MED, they do provide benchmarks to assess strategies for changing referral patterns. These changes might include editors adopting new methods for designing and presenting citations or the introduction of teaching strategies that address the value of consulting citations as a tool for extending learning.

Wikipedia as a gateway to biomedical research: The relative distribution and use of citations in the English Wikipedia

PubMed Central

Willinsky, John M.; Steinberg, Ryan M.; Mietchen, Daniel; Wass, Joseph L.; Dong, Ting

2017-01-01

Wikipedia is a gateway to knowledge. However, the extent to which this gateway ends at Wikipedia or continues via supporting citations is unknown. Wikipedia’s gateway functionality has implications for information design and education, notably in medicine. This study aims to establish benchmarks for the relative distribution and referral (click) rate of citations—as indicated by presence of a Digital Object Identifier (DOI)—from Wikipedia, with a focus on medical citations. DOIs referred from the English Wikipedia in August 2016 were obtained from Crossref.org. Next, based on a DOI’s presence on a WikiProject Medicine page, all DOIs in Wikipedia were categorized as medical (WP:MED) or non-medical (non-WP:MED). Using this categorization, referred DOIs were classified as WP:MED, non-WP:MED, or BOTH, meaning the DOI may have been referred from either category. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Out of 5.2 million Wikipedia pages, 4.42% (n = 229,857) included at least one DOI. 68,870 were identified as WP:MED, with 22.14% (n = 15,250) featuring one or more DOIs. WP:MED pages featured on average 8.88 DOI citations per page, whereas non-WP:MED pages had on average 4.28 DOI citations. For DOIs only on WP:MED pages, a DOI was referred every 2,283 pageviews and for non-WP:MED pages every 2,467 pageviews. DOIs from BOTH pages accounted for 12% (n = 58,475). The referral of DOI citations found in BOTH could not be assigned to WP:MED or non-WP:MED, as the page from which the referral was made was not provided with the data. While these results cannot provide evidence of greater citation referral from WP:MED than non-WP:MED, they do provide benchmarks to assess strategies for changing referral patterns. These changes might include editors adopting new methods for designing and presenting citations or the introduction of teaching strategies that address the value of consulting citations as a tool for extending learning. PMID:29267345

What Do Technicians Do? EQW Working Papers WP17.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barley, Stephen R.

Between 1950 and 1988, the number of professional and technical workers increased by 282% while the labor force as a whole only increased by 94%. Most persons employed as technicians work on or with reputedly complex technologies. Most work at the empirical interface between a larger production process and the materials on which the process…

A lattice Boltzmann investigation of steady-state fluid distribution, capillary pressure and relative permeability of a porous medium: Effects of fluid and geometrical properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Zi; Galindo-Torres, Sergio; Yan, Guanxi; Scheuermann, Alexander; Li, Ling

2018-06-01

Simulations of simultaneous steady-state two-phase flow in the capillary force-dominated regime were conducted using the state-of-the-art Shan-Chen multi-component lattice Boltzmann model (SCMC-LBM) based on two-dimensional porous media. We focused on analyzing the fluid distribution (i.e., WP fluid-solid, NP fluid-solid and fluid-fluid interfacial areas) as well as the capillary pressure versus saturation curve which was affected by fluid and geometrical properties (i.e., wettability, adhesive strength, pore size distribution and specific surface area). How these properties influenced the relative permeability versus saturation relation through apparent effective permeability and threshold pressure gradient was also explored. The SCMC-LBM simulations showed that, a thin WP fluid film formed around the solid surface due to the adhesive fluid-solid interaction, resulting in discrete WP fluid distributions and reduction of the WP fluid mobility. Also, the adhesive interaction provided another source of capillary pressure in addition to capillary force, which, however, did not affect the mobility of the NP fluid. The film fluid effect could be enhanced by large adhesive strength and fine pores in heterogeneous porous media. In the steady-state infiltration, not only the NP fluid but also the WP fluid were subjected to the capillary resistance. The capillary pressure effect could be alleviated by decreased wettability, large average pore radius and improved fluid connectivity in heterogeneous porous media. The present work based on the SCMC-LBM investigations elucidated the role of film fluid as well as capillary pressure in the two-phase flow system. The findings have implications for ways to improve the macroscopic flow equation based on balance of force for the steady-state infiltration.

Total and water-soluble phosphorus in broiler litter over three flocks with alum litter treatment and dietary inclusion of high available phosphorus corn and phytase supplementation.

PubMed

Miles, D M; Moore, P A; Smith, D R; Rice, D W; Stilborn, H L; Rowe, D R; Lott, B D; Branton, S L; Simmons, J D

2003-10-01

Three pen trials were conducted to determine the main effect of alum addition to litter on form of poultry litter P using a 2 x 2 factorial structure of the subunit treatments: diets including high available phosphorus/low phytate corn (HAPC) and phytase (PHYT). Male broilers (1,760 per flock) were grown to 42 d having starter diets with 0.45% available P and grower diets with 0.35% available P. In the first trial, total litter P (tP) was greatest for the yellow dent corn (YDC) diet (12 g/kg) and least for the HAPC and PHYT combination (H&P) diet (6.9 g/kg) with the individual PHYT and HAPC diets falling in between at 9.1 g/kg and 9.4 g/kg tP. Also in the first trial, the litter water-soluble P (wP) was highest for PHYT (2.8 g/kg), least for the HAPC and H&P diets (1.5 g/kg) with the YDC diet falling between (2.2 g/kg). Alum was added to the litter after the first experiment. In the second and third experiments, alum inclusion significantly reduced the wP when compared with the treatments with no alum. In the third trial, the least wP was present in the alum-HAPC treatment. Phytase, YDC, and HAPC diets with no alum litter treatment generated the most wP. Since these diets appear to have little or no difference with respect to quantity of wP, this work suggests that form of litter P generated by alternative diets should be considered as criteria when attempting to reduce P in broiler litter applied to land.

Papers and Proceedings. Syntopican VIII: "Moving Information--Concepts in Transition." (Minneapolis, MN, June 23-26, 1980).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

1980

This collection of 22 papers examines various word processing (WP) technologies, systems, and applications. The first five papers by C. Briggs, C. Taylor, G. McLean, D. Remsen, and C. Norris discuss WP applications in the Army, a WP system for an insurance firm, the organization of the International Word Processing Association, WP fundamentals,…

[The waterpipe (shisha) - indoor air quality, human biomonitoring, and health effects].

PubMed

Fromme, Hermann; Schober, Wolfgang

2016-12-01

Waterpipe (WP) smoking, also known as shisha or hookah smoking, is growing in western countries as an alternative to cigarette smoking, especially in younger age groups. A majority of smokers mistakenly believe that shisha smoking is a social entertainment practice that leads to more social behavior and relaxation and that this type of smoking is safe or less harmful and less addictive than cigarette smoking.In reality, WP smokers are exposed to hundreds of toxic substances that include well-known carcinogens. High exposures to carbon monoxide and nicotine are major health threats. There is growing evidence that WP smoke causes adverse effects on the pulmonary and cardiovascular systems and there are indications that WP smoke is associated with cancer. Persons exposed to secondhand WP smoke are also at risk.More research on the health effects of WP is urgently needed and more preventive measures for public health protection. Moreover, public WP facilities should be implemented under specific nonsmoker protection laws and consequently controlled.This review summarizes recent data on exposure to WP smoking in indoor environments, the results of biomonitoring data, and the known health effects based on currently available toxicological or epidemiological studies.

Wnt-beta-catenin pathway signals metastasis-associated tumor cell phenotypes in triple negative breast cancers.

PubMed

De, Pradip; Carlson, Jennifer H; Wu, Hui; Marcus, Adam; Leyland-Jones, Brian; Dey, Nandini

2016-07-12

Tumor cells acquire metastasis-associated (MA) phenotypes following genetic alterations in them which cause deregulation of different signaling pathways. Earlier, we reported that an upregulation of the Wnt-beta-catenin pathway (WP) is one of the genetic salient features of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), and WP signaling is associated with metastasis in TNBC. Using cBioPortal, here we found that collective % of alteration(s) in WP genes, CTNNB1, APC and DVL1 among breast-invasive-carcinomas was 21% as compared to 56% in PAM50 Basal. To understand the functional relevance of WP in the biology of heterogeneous/metastasizing TNBC cells, we undertook this comprehensive study using 15 cell lines in which we examined the role of WP in the context of integrin-dependent MA-phenotypes. Directional movement of tumor cells was observed by confocal immunofluorescence microscopy and quantitative confocal-video-microscopy while matrigel-invasion was studied by MMP7-specific casein-zymography. WntC59, XAV939, sulindac sulfide and beta-catenin siRNA (1) inhibited fibronectin-directed migration, (2) decreased podia-parameters and motility-descriptors, (3) altered filamentous-actin, (4) decreased matrigel-invasion and (5) inhibited cell proliferation as well as 3D clonogenic growth. Sulindac sulfide and beta-catenin siRNA decreased beta-catenin/active-beta-catenin and MMP7. LWnt3ACM-stimulated proliferation, clonogenicity, fibronectin-directed migration and matrigel-invasion were perturbed by WP-modulators, sulindac sulfide and GDC-0941. We studied a direct involvement of WP in metastasis by stimulating brain-metastasis-specific MDA-MB231BR cells to demonstrate that LWnt3ACM-stimulated proliferation, clonogenicity and migration were blocked following sulindac sulfide, GDC-0941 and beta-catenin knockdown. We present the first evidence showing a direct functional relationship between WP activation and integrin-dependent MA-phenotypes. By proving the functional relationship between WP activation and MA-phenotypes, our data mechanistically explains (1) why different components of WP are upregulated in TNBC, (2) how WP activation is associated with metastasis and (3) how integrin-dependent MA-phenotypes can be regulated by mitigating the WP.

Wnt-beta-catenin pathway signals metastasis-associated tumor cell phenotypes in triple negative breast cancers

PubMed Central

De, Pradip; Carlson, Jennifer H.; Wu, Hui; Marcus, Adam; Leyland-Jones, Brian; Dey, Nandini

2016-01-01

Tumor cells acquire metastasis-associated (MA) phenotypes following genetic alterations in them which cause deregulation of different signaling pathways. Earlier, we reported that an upregulation of the Wnt-beta-catenin pathway (WP) is one of the genetic salient features of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), and WP signaling is associated with metastasis in TNBC. Using cBioPortal, here we found that collective % of alteration(s) in WP genes, CTNNB1, APC and DVL1 among breast-invasive-carcinomas was 21% as compared to 56% in PAM50 Basal. To understand the functional relevance of WP in the biology of heterogeneous/metastasizing TNBC cells, we undertook this comprehensive study using 15 cell lines in which we examined the role of WP in the context of integrin-dependent MA-phenotypes. Directional movement of tumor cells was observed by confocal immunofluorescence microscopy and quantitative confocal-video-microscopy while matrigel-invasion was studied by MMP7-specific casein-zymography. WntC59, XAV939, sulindac sulfide and beta-catenin siRNA (1) inhibited fibronectin-directed migration, (2) decreased podia-parameters and motility-descriptors, (3) altered filamentous-actin, (4) decreased matrigel-invasion and (5) inhibited cell proliferation as well as 3D clonogenic growth. Sulindac sulfide and beta-catenin siRNA decreased beta-catenin/active-beta-catenin and MMP7. LWnt3ACM-stimulated proliferation, clonogenicity, fibronection-directed migration and matrigel-invasion were perturbed by WP-modulators, sulindac sulfide and GDC-0941. We studied a direct involvement of WP in metastasis by stimulating brain-metastasis-specific MDA-MB231BR cells to demonstrate that LWnt3ACM-stimulated proliferation, clonogenicity and migration were blocked following sulindac sulfide, GDC-0941 and beta-catenin knockdown. We present the first evidence showing a direct functional relationship between WP activation and integrin-dependent MA-phenotypes. By proving the functional relationship between WP activation and MA-phenotypes, our data mechanistically explains (1) why different components of WP are upregulated in TNBC, (2) how WP activation is associated with metastasis and (3) how integrin-dependent MA-phenotypes can be regulated by mitigating the WP. PMID:27281609

Task Order 22 – Engineering and Technical Support, Deep Borehole Field Test. AREVA Summary Review Report

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

Denton, Mark A.

Under Task Order 22 of the industry Advisory and Assistance Services (A&AS) Contract to the Department of Energy (DOE) DE-NE0000291, AREVA has been tasked with providing assistance with engineering, analysis, cost estimating, and design support of a system for disposal of radioactive wastes in deep boreholes (without the use of radioactive waste). As part of this task order, AREVA was requested, through a letter of technical direction, to evaluate Sandia National Laboratory’s (SNL’s) waste package borehole emplacement system concept recommendation using input from DOE and SNL. This summary review report (SRR) documents this evaluation, with its focus on the primarymore » input document titled: “Deep Borehole Field Test Specifications/M2FT-15SN0817091” Rev. 1 [1], hereafter referred to as the “M2 report.” The M2 report focuses on the conceptual design development for the Deep Borehole Field Test (DBFT), mainly the test waste packages (WPs) and the system for demonstrating emplacement and retrieval of those packages in the Field Test Borehole (FTB). This SRR follows the same outline as the M2 report, which allows for easy correlation between AREVA’s review comments, discussion, potential proposed alternatives, and path forward with information established in the M2 report. AREVA’s assessment focused on three primary elements of the M2 report: the conceptual design of the WPs proposed for deep borehole disposal (DBD), the mode of emplacement of the WP into DBD, and the conceptual design of the DBFT. AREVA concurs with the M2 report’s selection of the wireline emplacement mode specifically over the drill-string emplacement mode and generically over alternative emplacement modes. Table 5-1 of this SRR compares the pros and cons of each emplacement mode considered viable for DBD. The primary positive characteristics of the wireline emplacement mode include: (1) considered a mature technology; (2) operations are relatively simple; (3) probability of a radiological release due to off-normal events are relatively low; (4) costs are relatively low; and (5) maintenance activities are relatively simple. The primary drawback associated with the wireline emplacement mode for DBD is the number of emplacement trips-in to the borehole, which results in a relatively higher probability for a drop event. Fortunately, the WPs can be engineered with impact limiters that will minimize the likelihood of a breach of the WP due to a drop. The WP designs presented in the M2 report appear to be focused on compatibility with the drill-string emplacement mode (e.g., the threaded connections). With the recommendation that the wireline emplacement mode be utilized for the DBFT, some changes may be warranted to these WPs. For example, the development of a WP release connection that is more reliable than the currently credited connection, which is considered to have a high failure probability, and the integration of an impact limiter into its design. The M2 report states the engineering demonstration of the DBFT will occur in the FTB over a 4-year period. AREVA recommends development and testing of the WP emplacement handling equipment occur separately (but concurrently, if not earlier) from the FTB at a mock-up facility. The separation of this activity would prevent schedule interference between the science and engineering thrusts of the project. Performing tests in a mock-up facility would allow additional control and observation compared to the FTB. The mock-up facility could also be utilized as a training facility for future operations. Terminal velocity and impact limiter testing would require the FTB for testing, since these areas would be difficult to reproduce in a limited depth mock-up. Although only at the end of the conceptual stage of design development, DBD appears to be a viable solution for some waste forms produced by the nuclear industry. However, regulatory requirements have yet to be established for pre- and post-closure performance of DBD and should be established as soon as possible. Some of the main areas of focus from a regulatory perspective include: (1) establishing acceptable performance requirements for the long-term behavior of DBD; (2) determining acceptable borehole abandonment criteria; (3) establishing retrievability requirements; (4) developing a consensus on the factor of safety (FoS) for the emplacement mode and WP; and (5) establishing safety and safeguards performance requirements for DBD. Although conservative requirements have been utilized to provide the foundation for the conceptual design of DBD, regulatory requirements and feedback are necessary to confirm recommendations made herein and to ensure the long-term performance of DBD is acceptable. The combination of the M2 report and this SRR is intended to facilitate the completion of the conceptual design for DBD for the Cs and Sr capsules and calcined waste forms. Using the conceptual design, preliminary design activities (the second stage of a three-stage process described in the M2 report) can proceed and the DBFT utilized to support, demonstrate, and confirm engineering elements of this design.« less

Temporal Variations of Water Productivity in Irrigated Corn: An Analysis of Factors Influencing Yield and Water Use across Central Nebraska

PubMed Central

Carr, Tony; Yang, Haishun; Ray, Chittaranjan

2016-01-01

Water Productivity (WP) of a crop defines the relationship between the economic or physical yield of the crop and its water use. With this concept it is possible to identify disproportionate water use or water-limited yield gaps and thereby support improvements in agricultural water management. However, too often important qualitative and quantitative environmental factors are not part of a WP analysis and therefore neglect the aspect of maintaining a sustainable agricultural system. In this study, we examine both the physical and economic WP in perspective with temporally changing environmental conditions. The physical WP analysis was performed by comparing simulated maximum attainable corn yields per unit of water using the crop model Hybrid-Maize with observed data from 2005 through 2013 from 108 farm plots in the Central Platte and the Tri Basin Natural Resource Districts of Nebraska. In order to expand the WP analysis on external factors influencing yields, a second model, Maize-N, was used to estimate optimal nitrogen (N)–fertilizer rate for specific fields in the study area. Finally, a vadose zone flow and transport model, HYDRUS-1D for simulating vertical nutrient transport in the soil, was used to estimate locations of nitrogen pulses in the soil profile. The comparison of simulated and observed data revealed that WP was not on an optimal level, mainly due to large amounts of irrigation used in the study area. The further analysis illustrated year-to-year variations of WP during the nine consecutive years, as well as the need to improve fertilizer management to favor WP and environmental quality. In addition, we addressed the negative influence of groundwater depletion on the economic WP through increasing pumping costs. In summary, this study demonstrated that involving temporal variations of WP as well as associated environmental and economic issues can represent a bigger picture of WP that can help to create incentives to sustainably improve agricultural production. PMID:27575368

Comparative Toxicity and Dosimetric Profile of Whole-Pelvis Versus Prostate Bed-Only Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy After Prostatectomy

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

Deville, Curtiland, E-mail: deville@uphs.upenn.edu; Vapiwala, Neha; Hwang, Wei-Ting

2012-03-15

Purpose: To assess whether whole-pelvis (WP) intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) for prostate cancer (PCa) after prostatectomy is associated with increased toxicity compared to prostate-bed only (PB) IMRT. Methods and Materials: All patients (n = 67) undergoing postprostatectomy IMRT to 70.2 Gy at our institution from January 2006 to January 2009 with minimum 12-month follow-up were divided into WP (n = 36) and PB (n = 31) comparison groups. WP patients received initial pelvic nodal IMRT to 45 Gy. Pretreatment demographics, bladder and rectal dose-volume histograms, and maximum genitourinary (GU) and gastrointestinal (GI) toxicities were compared. Logistic regression models evaluatedmore » uni- and multivariate associations between pretreatment demographics and toxicities. Results: Pretreatment demographics including age and comorbidities were similar between groups. WP patients had higher Gleason scores, T stages, and preoperative prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels, and more WP patients underwent androgen deprivation therapy (ADT). WP minimum (Dmin) and mean bladder doses, bladder volumes receiving more than 5 Gy (V5) and V20, rectal Dmin, and PB bladder and rectal V65 were significantly increased. Maximum acute GI toxicity was Grade 2 and was increased for WP (61%) vs. PB (29%) patients (p = 0.001); there was no significant difference in acute Grade {>=}2 GU toxicity (22% WP vs. 10% PB; p = 0.193), late Grade {>=}2 GI toxicity (3% WP vs. 0% PB; p = 0.678), or late Grade {>=}2 GU toxicity (28% WP vs. 19% PB; p = 0.274) with 25-month median follow-up (range, 12-44 months). On multivariate analysis, long-term ADT use was associated with Grade {>=}2 late GU toxicity (p = 0.02). Conclusion: Despite dosimetric differences in irradiated bowel, bladder, and rectum, WP IMRT resulted only in clinically significant increased acute GI toxicity in comparison to that with PB IMRT, with no differences in GU or late GI toxicity.« less

Developments with the Commission's Longitudinal Student Data System. Working Paper WP/06-07

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

California Postsecondary Education Commission, 2006

2006-01-01

This paper summarizes the many uses of the California Postsecondary Education Commission's data system and describes work in progress on adding additional data elements. It describes how the Commission is using its Longitudinal Student Data System (LSDS) to examine the movement of students through California's public colleges and universities. The…

Factors Affecting College-Going Rates in California: A Study Prospectus. Working Paper WP/06-09

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

California Postsecondary Education Commission, 2006

2006-01-01

This working paper announces a report proposed by the California Postsecondary Education Commission to conduct a further statistical study on the factors affecting college-going rates in California. These factors would include school demographics, neighborhood characteristics, and regional labor market forces. Such a study could reveal insights…

Description of 15 DNA-positive and antibody-negative "window-period" blood donations identified during prospective screening for Babesia microti.

PubMed

Moritz, Erin D; Tonnetti, Laura; Hewins, Mary Ellen; Berardi, Victor P; Dodd, Roger Y; Stramer, Susan L

2017-07-01

Blood donation screening detecting only antibodies fails to identify donors in the earliest stage of infection, before a detectable immunologic response, that is, the "window period" (WP). We present data on WP donations identified during prospective screening for Babesia microti, a transfusion-transmissible parasite of increasing concern in the United States. Blood donations collected in Connecticut, Massachusetts, Minnesota, and Wisconsin were screened using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and arrayed fluorescence immunoassay (AFIA) to detect B. microti DNA and antibodies, respectively. Parasite loads were estimated using quantitative PCR. Red blood cell (RBC) samples were inoculated into hamsters to assess infectivity. Donors screening reactive were indefinitely deferred, tested by supplemental methods, and followed to assess DNA and antibody clearance. Demographic data from WP donors (i.e., those screening PCR positive and AFIA negative) were compared to data from other positive donors. Of 220,479 donations screened from June 2012 to August 2016, a total of 700 were positive, of which 15 (2% of positive donations or 1 per 14,699 screened donations) were confirmed WP donations. The median estimated parasite load in WP donations was 350 parasites/mL, no different than AFIA-positive and PCR-positive donors. Parasite loads in RBC samples from WP units ranged from 14 to 11,022 parasites/mL; RBC samples from three of 10 (30%) WP donations infected hamsters. The mean age of WP donors was 48 years (range, 17-75 years); three (20%) were female. WP donor demographics did not differ significantly from demographics of other donors. We report one per 15,000 B. microti WP infections in blood donors in endemic areas, demonstrating the importance of nucleic acid testing to mitigate the risk of transfusion-transmitted babesiosis. © 2017 AABB.

Whey protein hydrolysates decrease IL-8 secretion in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated respiratory epithelial cells by affecting LPS binding to Toll-like receptor 4.

PubMed

Iskandar, Michèle M; Dauletbaev, Nurlan; Kubow, Stan; Mawji, Nadir; Lands, Larry C

2013-07-14

Whey proteins (WP) exert anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. Hyperbaric pressurisation of whey increases its digestibility and changes the spectrum of peptides released during digestion. We have shown that dietary supplementation with pressurised whey improves nutritional status and systemic inflammation in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF). Both clinical indices are largely affected by airway processes, to which respiratory epithelial cells actively contribute. Here, we tested whether peptides released from the digestion of pressurised whey can attenuate the inflammatory responses of CF respiratory epithelial cells. Hydrolysates of pressurised WP (pWP) and native WP (nWP, control) were generated in vitro and tested for anti-inflammatory properties judged by the suppression of IL-8 production in CF and non-CF respiratory epithelial cell lines (CFTE29o- and 1HAEo-, respectively). We observed that, in both cell lines, pWP hydrolysate suppressed IL-8 production stimulated by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to a greater magnitude compared with nWP hydrolysate. Neither hydrolysate suppressed IL-8 production induced by TNF-α or IL-1β, suggesting an effect on the Toll-like receptor (TLR) 4 pathway, the cellular sensor for LPS. Further, neither hydrolysate affected TLR4 expression or neutralised LPS. Both pWP and nWP hydrolysates similarly reduced LPS binding to surface TLR4, while pWP tended to more potently increase extracellular antioxidant capacity. (1) anti-inflammatory properties of whey are enhanced by pressurisation; (2) suppression of IL-8 production may contribute to the clinical effects of pressurised whey supplementation on CF; (3) this effect may be partly explained by a combination of reduced LPS binding to TLR4 and enhanced extracellular antioxidant capacity.

Plasma-wall interaction studies within the EUROfusion consortium: progress on plasma-facing components development and qualification

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brezinsek, S.; Coenen, J. W.; Schwarz-Selinger, T.; Schmid, K.; Kirschner, A.; Hakola, A.; Tabares, F. L.; van der Meiden, H. J.; Mayoral, M.-L.; Reinhart, M.; Tsitrone, E.; Ahlgren, T.; Aints, M.; Airila, M.; Almaviva, S.; Alves, E.; Angot, T.; Anita, V.; Arredondo Parra, R.; Aumayr, F.; Balden, M.; Bauer, J.; Ben Yaala, M.; Berger, B. M.; Bisson, R.; Björkas, C.; Bogdanovic Radovic, I.; Borodin, D.; Bucalossi, J.; Butikova, J.; Butoi, B.; Čadež, I.; Caniello, R.; Caneve, L.; Cartry, G.; Catarino, N.; Čekada, M.; Ciraolo, G.; Ciupinski, L.; Colao, F.; Corre, Y.; Costin, C.; Craciunescu, T.; Cremona, A.; De Angeli, M.; de Castro, A.; Dejarnac, R.; Dellasega, D.; Dinca, P.; Dittmar, T.; Dobrea, C.; Hansen, P.; Drenik, A.; Eich, T.; Elgeti, S.; Falie, D.; Fedorczak, N.; Ferro, Y.; Fornal, T.; Fortuna-Zalesna, E.; Gao, L.; Gasior, P.; Gherendi, M.; Ghezzi, F.; Gosar, Ž.; Greuner, H.; Grigore, E.; Grisolia, C.; Groth, M.; Gruca, M.; Grzonka, J.; Gunn, J. P.; Hassouni, K.; Heinola, K.; Höschen, T.; Huber, S.; Jacob, W.; Jepu, I.; Jiang, X.; Jogi, I.; Kaiser, A.; Karhunen, J.; Kelemen, M.; Köppen, M.; Koslowski, H. R.; Kreter, A.; Kubkowska, M.; Laan, M.; Laguardia, L.; Lahtinen, A.; Lasa, A.; Lazic, V.; Lemahieu, N.; Likonen, J.; Linke, J.; Litnovsky, A.; Linsmeier, Ch.; Loewenhoff, T.; Lungu, C.; Lungu, M.; Maddaluno, G.; Maier, H.; Makkonen, T.; Manhard, A.; Marandet, Y.; Markelj, S.; Marot, L.; Martin, C.; Martin-Rojo, A. B.; Martynova, Y.; Mateus, R.; Matveev, D.; Mayer, M.; Meisl, G.; Mellet, N.; Michau, A.; Miettunen, J.; Möller, S.; Morgan, T. W.; Mougenot, J.; Mozetič, M.; Nemanič, V.; Neu, R.; Nordlund, K.; Oberkofler, M.; Oyarzabal, E.; Panjan, M.; Pardanaud, C.; Paris, P.; Passoni, M.; Pegourie, B.; Pelicon, P.; Petersson, P.; Piip, K.; Pintsuk, G.; Pompilian, G. O.; Popa, G.; Porosnicu, C.; Primc, G.; Probst, M.; Räisänen, J.; Rasinski, M.; Ratynskaia, S.; Reiser, D.; Ricci, D.; Richou, M.; Riesch, J.; Riva, G.; Rosinski, M.; Roubin, P.; Rubel, M.; Ruset, C.; Safi, E.; Sergienko, G.; Siketic, Z.; Sima, A.; Spilker, B.; Stadlmayr, R.; Steudel, I.; Ström, P.; Tadic, T.; Tafalla, D.; Tale, I.; Terentyev, D.; Terra, A.; Tiron, V.; Tiseanu, I.; Tolias, P.; Tskhakaya, D.; Uccello, A.; Unterberg, B.; Uytdenhoven, I.; Vassallo, E.; Vavpetič, P.; Veis, P.; Velicu, I. L.; Vernimmen, J. W. M.; Voitkans, A.; von Toussaint, U.; Weckmann, A.; Wirtz, M.; Založnik, A.; Zaplotnik, R.; PFC contributors, WP

2017-11-01

The provision of a particle and power exhaust solution which is compatible with first-wall components and edge-plasma conditions is a key area of present-day fusion research and mandatory for a successful operation of ITER and DEMO. The work package plasma-facing components (WP PFC) within the European fusion programme complements with laboratory experiments, i.e. in linear plasma devices, electron and ion beam loading facilities, the studies performed in toroidally confined magnetic devices, such as JET, ASDEX Upgrade, WEST etc. The connection of both groups is done via common physics and engineering studies, including the qualification and specification of plasma-facing components, and by modelling codes that simulate edge-plasma conditions and the plasma-material interaction as well as the study of fundamental processes. WP PFC addresses these critical points in order to ensure reliable and efficient use of conventional, solid PFCs in ITER (Be and W) and DEMO (W and steel) with respect to heat-load capabilities (transient and steady-state heat and particle loads), lifetime estimates (erosion, material mixing and surface morphology), and safety aspects (fuel retention, fuel removal, material migration and dust formation) particularly for quasi-steady-state conditions. Alternative scenarios and concepts (liquid Sn or Li as PFCs) for DEMO are developed and tested in the event that the conventional solution turns out to not be functional. Here, we present an overview of the activities with an emphasis on a few key results: (i) the observed synergistic effects in particle and heat loading of ITER-grade W with the available set of exposition devices on material properties such as roughness, ductility and microstructure; (ii) the progress in understanding of fuel retention, diffusion and outgassing in different W-based materials, including the impact of damage and impurities like N; and (iii), the preferential sputtering of Fe in EUROFER steel providing an in situ W surface and a potential first-wall solution for DEMO.

Plasma–wall interaction studies within the EUROfusion consortium: progress on plasma-facing components development and qualification

DOE PAGES

Brezinsek, S.; Coenen, J. W.; Schwarz-Selinger, T.; ...

2017-06-14

The provision of a particle and power exhaust solution which is compatible with first-wall components and edge-plasma conditions is a key area of present-day fusion research and mandatory for a successful operation of ITER and DEMO. The work package plasma-facing components (WP PFC) within the European fusion programme complements with laboratory experiments, i.e. in linear plasma devices, electron and ion beam loading facilities, the studies performed in toroidally confined magnetic devices, such as JET, ASDEX Upgrade, WEST etc. The connection of both groups is done via common physics and engineering studies, including the qualification and specification of plasma-facing components, andmore » by modelling codes that simulate edge-plasma conditions and the plasma–material interaction as well as the study of fundamental processes. WP PFC addresses these critical points in order to ensure reliable and efficient use of conventional, solid PFCs in ITER (Be and W) and DEMO (W and steel) with respect to heat-load capabilities (transient and steady-state heat and particle loads), lifetime estimates (erosion, material mixing and surface morphology), and safety aspects (fuel retention, fuel removal, material migration and dust formation) particularly for quasi-steady-state conditions. Alternative scenarios and concepts (liquid Sn or Li as PFCs) for DEMO are developed and tested in the event that the conventional solution turns out to not be functional. Here, we present an overview of the activities with an emphasis on a few key results: (i) the observed synergistic effects in particle and heat loading of ITER-grade W with the available set of exposition devices on material properties such as roughness, ductility and microstructure; (ii) the progress in understanding of fuel retention, diffusion and outgassing in different W-based materials, including the impact of damage and impurities like N; and (iii), the preferential sputtering of Fe in EUROFER steel providing an in situ W surface and a potential first-wall solution for DEMO.« less

Plasma–wall interaction studies within the EUROfusion consortium: progress on plasma-facing components development and qualification

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

Brezinsek, S.; Coenen, J. W.; Schwarz-Selinger, T.

The provision of a particle and power exhaust solution which is compatible with first-wall components and edge-plasma conditions is a key area of present-day fusion research and mandatory for a successful operation of ITER and DEMO. The work package plasma-facing components (WP PFC) within the European fusion programme complements with laboratory experiments, i.e. in linear plasma devices, electron and ion beam loading facilities, the studies performed in toroidally confined magnetic devices, such as JET, ASDEX Upgrade, WEST etc. The connection of both groups is done via common physics and engineering studies, including the qualification and specification of plasma-facing components, andmore » by modelling codes that simulate edge-plasma conditions and the plasma–material interaction as well as the study of fundamental processes. WP PFC addresses these critical points in order to ensure reliable and efficient use of conventional, solid PFCs in ITER (Be and W) and DEMO (W and steel) with respect to heat-load capabilities (transient and steady-state heat and particle loads), lifetime estimates (erosion, material mixing and surface morphology), and safety aspects (fuel retention, fuel removal, material migration and dust formation) particularly for quasi-steady-state conditions. Alternative scenarios and concepts (liquid Sn or Li as PFCs) for DEMO are developed and tested in the event that the conventional solution turns out to not be functional. Here, we present an overview of the activities with an emphasis on a few key results: (i) the observed synergistic effects in particle and heat loading of ITER-grade W with the available set of exposition devices on material properties such as roughness, ductility and microstructure; (ii) the progress in understanding of fuel retention, diffusion and outgassing in different W-based materials, including the impact of damage and impurities like N; and (iii), the preferential sputtering of Fe in EUROFER steel providing an in situ W surface and a potential first-wall solution for DEMO.« less

[Enhancement of functional expression of wheat peroxidase WP1 in prokaryotic system by co-transforming with hemA and hemL of Esherichia coli].

PubMed

Zhang, Chao; Shan, Liwei; Su, Shuaikun; Nan, Yanni; Guo, Zhongyu; Fan, Sanhong

2012-07-01

Wheat grain peroxidase 1 (WP1) belonged to class III plant peroxidase with cofactor heme, which not only has antifungal activity, but also influences the processing quality of flour. In order to enhance functional expression of WP1 in prokaryotic system by increasing endogenous heme synthesis, we constructed a recombinant plasmid pACYC-A-L containing hemA and hemL of Esherichia coli. Then, we co-transformed it into host strain T7 Express with secretive expression vector (pMAL-p4x-WP1) or non-secretive expression vector (pET21a-MBP-WP1), respectively. The MBP-WP1 fusion protein was further purified by amylose affinity chromatography and its peroxidase activity was assayed using 2,2'-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonate) (ABTS) as substrate. At 12 h after induction at 28 degree, the extracellular 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA) production of T7 Express/pACYC-A-L was up to 146.73 mg/L, simultaneously the extracellular porphrins also increased dramatically. The peroxidase activity of functional MBP-WP1 obtained from T7 Express/ (pACYC-A-L + pMAL-p4x-WP1) was 14.6-folds of that purified from T7 Express/ pET21a-MBP-WP1. This study not only successfully enhanced functional expression of wheat peroxidase 1 in Esherichia coli, but also provided beneficial references for other important proteins with cofactor heme.

Improved ethanol production from cheese whey, whey powder, and sugar beet molasses by "Vitreoscilla hemoglobin expressing" Escherichia coli.

PubMed

Akbas, Meltem Yesilcimen; Sar, Taner; Ozcelik, Busra

2014-01-01

This work investigated the improvement of ethanol production by engineered ethanologenic Escherichia coli to express the hemoglobin from the bacterium Vitreoscilla (VHb). Ethanologenic E. coli strain FBR5 and FBR5 transformed with the VHb gene in two constructs (strains TS3 and TS4) were grown in cheese whey (CW) medium at small and large scales, at both high and low aeration, or with whey powder (WP) or sugar beet molasses hydrolysate (SBMH) media at large scale and low aeration. Culture pH, cell growth, VHb levels, and ethanol production were evaluated after 48 h. VHb expression in TS3 and TS4 enhanced their ethanol production in CW (21-419%), in WP (17-362%), or in SBMH (48-118%) media. This work extends the findings that "VHb technology" may be useful for improving the production of ethanol from waste and byproducts of various sources.

Whey versus soy protein diets and renal status in rats.

PubMed

Aparicio, Virginia A; Nebot, Elena; Tassi, Mohamed; Camiletti-Moirón, Daniel; Sanchez-Gonzalez, Cristina; Porres, Jesús M; Aranda, Pilar

2014-09-01

Different dietary protein sources can promote different renal statuses. We examined the effects of whey protein (WP) and soy protein (SP) intake on plasma, urinary, and morphological renal parameters in rats. One hundred and twenty Wistar rats were randomly distributed into 2 experimental groups fed with either WP or SP diets over 12 weeks. These diets were based on commercial WP or SP isolates. The urinary calcium content was higher in the WP diet compared to the SP diet group (P<.001) whereas the urinary citrate level was lower (P<.001). The urinary pH was more acidic in the WP diet group compared to the SP diet group (P<.001); however, no differences were observed between the groups for any of the renal morphological parameters analyzed (all, P>.05) or other plasma renal markers such as albumin or urea concentrations. The increase of acid and urinary calcium and the lower urinary citrate level observed in the WP diet group could increase the incidence of nephrolithiasis compared to the SP diet group. Despite the WP showed poorer acid-base profile, no significant morphological renal changes were observed. These results suggest that the use of SP instead of WP appears to promote a more alkaline plasma and urinary profile, with their consequent renal advantages.

Data Services and Transnational Access for European Geosciences Multi-Scale Laboratories

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Funiciello, Francesca; Rosenau, Matthias; Sagnotti, Leonardo; Scarlato, Piergiorgio; Tesei, Telemaco; Trippanera, Daniele; Spires, Chris; Drury, Martyn; Kan-Parker, Mirjam; Lange, Otto; Willingshofer, Ernst

2016-04-01

The EC policy for research in the new millennium supports the development of european-scale research infrastructures. In this perspective, the existing research infrastructures are going to be integrated with the objective to increase their accessibility and to enhance the usability of their multidisciplinary data. Building up integrating Earth Sciences infrastructures in Europe is the mission of the Implementation Phase (IP) of the European Plate Observing System (EPOS) project (2015-2019). The integration of european multiscale laboratories - analytical, experimental petrology and volcanology, magnetic and analogue laboratories - plays a key role in this context and represents a specific task of EPOS IP. In the frame of the WP16 of EPOS IP working package 16, European geosciences multiscale laboratories aims to be linked, merging local infrastructures into a coherent and collaborative network. In particular, the EPOS IP WP16-task 4 "Data services" aims at standardize data and data products, already existing and newly produced by the participating laboratories, and made them available through a new digital platform. The following data and repositories have been selected for the purpose: 1) analytical and properties data a) on volcanic ash from explosive eruptions, of interest to the aviation industry, meteorological and government institutes, b) on magmas in the context of eruption and lava flow hazard evaluation, and c) on rock systems of key importance in mineral exploration and mining operations; 2) experimental data describing: a) rock and fault properties of importance for modelling and forecasting natural and induced subsidence, seismicity and associated hazards, b) rock and fault properties relevant for modelling the containment capacity of rock systems for CO2, energy sources and wastes, c) crustal and upper mantle rheology as needed for modelling sedimentary basin formation and crustal stress distributions, d) the composition, porosity, permeability, and frackability of reservoir rocks of interest in relation to unconventional resources and geothermal energy; 3) repository of analogue models on tectonic processes, from the plate to the reservoir scale, relevant to the understanding of Earth dynamics, geo-hazards and geo-energy; 4) paleomagnetic data, that are crucial a) for understanding the evolution of sedimentary basins and associated resources, and b) for charting geo-hazard frequency. EPOS IP WP16 - task 5 aims to create mechanisms and procedures for easy trans-national access to multiscale laboratory facilities. Moreover, the same task will coordinate all the activities in a pilot phase to test, validate and consolidate the over mentioned services and to provide a proof of concept for what will be offered beyond the completion of the EPOS IP.

Influence of Decontaminating Agents and Swipe Materials on Laboratory Simulated Working Surfaces Wet Spilled with Sodium Pertechnetate.

PubMed

Akchata, Suman; Lavanya, K; Shivanand, Bhushan

2017-01-01

Decontamination of various working surfaces with sodium pertechnetate minor spillage is essential for maintaining good radiation safety practices as well as for regulatory compliance. To observe the influences of decontaminating agents and swipe materials on different type of surfaces used in nuclear medicine laboratory work area wet spilled with 99m-technetium (99mTc) sodium pertechnetate. Lab-simulated working surface materials. Experimental study design. Direct decontamination method on dust-free lab simulated new working surfaces [stainless steel, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), Perspex, resin] using four decontaminating agents [tap water, soap water (SW), Radiacwash, and spirit] with four different swipe material [cotton, tissue paper (TP), Whatman paper (WP), adsorbent sheet (AS)] was taken 10 samples (n = 10) for each group. Parametric test two-way analysis of variance is used with significance level of 0.005, was used to evaluate statistical differences between different group of decontaminating agent and swipe material, and the results are expressed in mean ± SD. Decontamination factor is calculated after five cleaning for each group. A total of 160 samples result calculated using four decontaminating agent (tap water, SW, Radiacwash, and spirit), four swipe material (cotton, TP, WP, and AS) for commonly used surface (stainless steel, PVC, Perspex, resin) using direct method by 10 samples (n = 10) for each group. Tap water is the best decontaminating agent compared with SW, Radiac wash and spirit for the laboratory simulated stainless steel, PVC, and Perspex surface material, whereas in case of resin surface material, SW decontaminating agent is showing better effectiveness. Cotton is the best swipe material compared to WP-1, AS and TP for the stainless steel, PVC, Perspex, and resin laboratory simulated surface materials. Perspex and stainless steel are the most suitable and recommended laboratory surface material compared to PVC and resin in nuclear medicine. Radiacwash may show better result for 99mTc labelled product and other radionuclide contamination on the laboratory working surface area.

75 FR 51332 - Eleventh Meeting: RTCA Special Committee 209: In Joint Session With EUROCAE WG-49: ATCRBS/Mode S...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-08-19

... of the Minutes of Meeting 10 (SC209-WP11-02) Review of the Status of Open Action Items AI-10-11--Review of Documents for P5 Pulse Position Differences (WP11-03) AI-10-03--Issues Related to Zeroing Registers 08 16 & 20 16 (WP11-04) AI-10-02--Register 60 16 Maximum Update Interval Changes (WP11-05) AI-10...

Bis-anthracycline WP760 abrogates melanoma cell growth by transcription inhibition, p53 activation and IGF1R downregulation.

PubMed

Olbryt, Magdalena; Rusin, Aleksandra; Fokt, Izabela; Habryka, Anna; Tudrej, Patrycja; Student, Sebastian; Sochanik, Aleksander; Zieliński, Rafał; Priebe, Waldemar

2017-10-01

Anthracycline chemotherapeutics, e.g. doxorubicin and daunorubicin, are active against a broad spectrum of cancers. Their cytotoxicity is mainly attributed to DNA intercalation, interference with topoisomerase activity, and induction of double-stranded DNA breaks. Since modification of anthracyclines can profoundly affect their pharmacological properties we attempted to elucidate the mechanism of action, and identify possible molecular targets, of bis-anthracycline WP760 which previously demonstrated anti-melanoma activity at low nanomolar concentrations. We studied the effect of WP760 on several human melanoma cell lines derived from tumors in various development stages and having different genetic backgrounds. WP760 inhibited cell proliferation (IC 50  = 1-99 nM), impaired clonogenic cell survival (100 nM), and inhibited spheroid growth (≥300 nM). WP760 did not induce double-stranded DNA breaks but strongly inhibited global transcription. Moreover, WP760 caused nucleolar stress and led to activation of the p53 pathway. PCR array analysis showed that WP760 suppressed transcription of ten genes (ABCC1, MTOR, IGF1R, EGFR, GRB2, PRKCA, PRKCE, HDAC4, TXNRD1, AKT1) associated with, inter alia, cytoprotective mechanisms initiated in cancer cells during chemotherapy. Furthermore, WP760 downregulated IGF1R and upregulated PLK2 expression in most of the tested melanoma cell lines. These results suggest that WP760 exerts anti-melanoma activity by targeting global transcription and activation of the p53 pathway and could become suitable as an effective therapeutic agent.

78 FR 21191 - NHTSA Activities Under the United Nations World Forum for the Harmonization of Vehicle...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-04-09

... working group that would meet to facilitate the regular exchange of non-proprietary or otherwise non... Working Group D. Compendium of Candidate GTRs IV. Request for Comments I. Background On August 23, 2000... of WP.29, also known as GRs (Groups of Rapporteurs), assist the World Forum for Harmonization of...

Optimizing a Synthetic Signaling System, Using Mathematical Modeling to Direct Experimental Work

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-09-05

Journal of Experimental Botany 53, 1871-1877, doi:10.1093/jxb/erf050 (2002). 52 Looger, L. L., Dwyer, M. A., Smith, J. J. & Hellinga, H. W...P. F., Christie, J. M. & Terry, M. J. Many hands make light work. Journal of Experimental Botany 58, 3071-3077, doi:10.1093/jxb/erm251 (2007).

Influence of the Western Pacific teleconnection pattern on Western North Pacific tropical cyclone activity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Choi, Ki-Seon; Moon, Il-Ju

2012-09-01

This study analyzes the characteristics of Western North Pacific (WNP) tropical cyclone (TC) activity and large-scale environments according to the Western Pacific (WP) teleconnection pattern in summer. In the positive WP phase, an anomalous cyclone and an anomalous anticyclone develop in the low and middle latitudes of the East Asia area, respectively. As a result, southeasterlies are reinforced in the northeast area of East Asia (including Korea and Japan), which facilitates the movement of TC to this area, whereas northwesterlies are reinforced in the southwest area of East Asia (including southern China and the Indochina Peninsula) which blocks the movement of TC to that area. Due to the spatial distribution of this reinforced pressure system, TCs that develop during the positive WP phase move and turn more to the northeast of the WNP than TCs which develop during the negative WP phase. The characteristics of this TC activity during the positive WP phase are associated with the upper tropospheric jet being located farther to the northeast. TCs during the negative WP phase mainly move to the west from the Philippines toward southern China and the Indochina Peninsula. Due to the terrain effect caused by the passage of TCs in mainland China, the intensity of TCs during the negative WP phase is weaker than those during the positive WP phase.

Different proteins and biopeptides differently affect satiety and anorexigenic/orexigenic hormones in healthy humans.

PubMed

Diepvens, K; Häberer, D; Westerterp-Plantenga, M

2008-03-01

We investigated the effects of whey protein (WP), pea protein hydrolysate (PPH), a combination of WP+PPH and control (milk protein (MP) which consists of 80% casein and 20% WP) on appetite ratings, postprandial changes in hunger/satiety hormones and energy intake (EI). A randomized, crossover design which consisted of 2 parts (experiment 1 and 2). The peptides to be tested were provided as part of a shake (1024 kJ; en% P/F/C: 25/33/42) which contained either 15 g WP, 15 g PPH, a combination of 7.5 g WP and 7.5 g PPH (WP+PPH) or 15 g MP. 39 subjects (BMI: 27.6+/-1.7 kg m(-2); age: 42.3+/-13.8 years). In experiment 1 (duration 4 h), appetite profile was measured and blood samples were taken for analysis of hunger/satiety hormones and glucose. In experiment 2 (duration 7 h), appetite profile and EI (180 min after consumption of the shake) were measured. Some indications of lower hunger (experiment 1), desire to eat (experiment 2) and thirst (experiment 1 and 2) were shown after consumption of PPH compared to MP or WP+PPH (P<0.05). A longer intermeal interval and a higher satiety index were suggested after consumption of PPH. Both PPH and WP lead to greater satiety (experiment 2) and fullness (experiment 2) compared to MP and WP+PPH (P<0.05). For WP, a positive correlation between insulin and both cholecystokinine (CCK) and glucagon like peptide-1 (GLP-1) was observed (P<0.05). However, both CCK and GLP-1 were increased by MP (P<0.05), peptide YY (PYY) was stimulated by WP+PPH, while the decline in ghrelin was larger (P<0.05). No effect on EI was seen. There was modest evidence with respect to satiety by PPH consumption. Different exogenous biopeptides produced differences in release of endogenous peptides that had inconsistent relationships with satiety. Therefore, evidence derived from a supposed biomarker for satiety does not guarantee the highest satiety.

Glucose-lowering effect of whey protein depends upon clinical characteristics of patients with type 2 diabetes.

PubMed

Almario, Rogelio U; Buchan, Wendy M; Rocke, David M; Karakas, Sidika E

2017-01-01

Whey protein (WP) intake has been shown to reduce postprandial glycemia. Majority of WP research in type 2 diabetes (T2DM) involved acute challenge or weight loss studies. It is not known if WP supplementation can provide sustained glucose lowering. Our goal was to investigate the effects of WP on glycemia comprehensively by using continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) while avoiding the confounding effects of variable food intake through controlled feeding. This double-blinded and placebo (PL)-controlled study included 22 patients with T2DM patients (11 male, 11 female; age 57.1±12.6 years) on diet or metformin monotherapy. First, one serving (21 g) of WP was compared with PL in parallel-armed acute challenge studies. Next, in a crossover design, each patient underwent CGM twice, over 2 consecutive weeks, 3.5 days each week. Identical diets were provided by the study during both CGM periods. During the first CGM, one serving of either WP or PL was consumed before breakfast and another before dinner. During the second CGM, participants switched to the alternate supplement. Order of the supplements was randomized. During acute challenge studies, WP stimulated insulin and glucagon-like peptide (GLP)-1 secretion; suppressed ghrelin (all p<0.05), while PL had no effect. During CGM, glucose response to WP varied depending on the baseline characteristics of the patients. When evaluated using linear regression, the most predictive baseline variables were body mass index (BMI) (p=0.0006), triglycerides (p=8.3×10 -5 ) and GLP-1 (p=0.006). Lower BMI, triglyceride and GLP-1 predicted decreased glucose levels on WP. Obesity, hypertriglyceridemia and high fasting GLP-1 concentrations predicted increased glucose levels. Effects of WP supplementation on glycemia in T2DM depend on the baseline characteristics. Lower body weight, normal triglyceride and lower GLP-1 levels predict glucose lowering. In contrast, obesity, hypertriglyceridemia and high baseline GLP-1 predict increased glucose response.

The role of declining summer sea ice extent in increasing Arctic winter precipitation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hamman, J.; Roberts, A.; Cassano, J. J.; Nijssen, B.

2016-12-01

In the past three decades, the Arctic has experienced large declines in summer sea ice cover, permafrost extent, and spring snow cover, and increases in winter precipitation. This study explores the relationship between declining Arctic sea ice extent (IE) and winter precipitation (WP) across the Arctic land masses. The first part of this presentation presents the observed relationship between IE and WP. Using satellite estimates of IE and WP data based on a combination of in-situ observations and global reanalyses, we show that WP is negatively correlated with summer IE and that this relationship is strongest before the year 2000. After 2000, around the time IE minima began to decline most rapidly, the relationship between IE and WP degenerates. This indicates that other processes are driving changes in IE and WP. We hypothesize that positive anomalies in poleward moisture transport have historically driven anomalously low IE and high WP, and that since the significant decline in IE, moisture divergence from the central Arctic has been a larger contributor to WP over land. To better understand the physical mechanisms driving the observed changes in the Arctic climate system and the sensitivity of the Arctic climate system to declining sea ice, we have used the fully-coupled Regional Arctic System Model (RASM) to simulate two distinct sea ice climates. The first climate represents normal IE, while the second includes reduced summer IE. The second portion of this presentation analyzes these two RASM simulations, in conjunction with our observation-based analysis, to understand the coupled relationship between poleward moisture transport, IE, evaporation from the Arctic Ocean, and precipitation. We will present the RASM-simulated Arctic water budget and demonstrate the role of IE in driving WP anomalies. Finally, a spatial correlation analysis identifies characteristic patterns in IE, ocean evaporation, and polar cap convergence that contribute to anomalies in WP.

Wine grape pomace as antioxidant dietary fibre for enhancing nutritional value and improving storability of yogurt and salad dressing.

PubMed

Tseng, Angela; Zhao, Yanyun

2013-05-01

Wine grape pomace (WGP) as a source of antioxidant dietary fibre (ADF) was fortified in yogurt (Y), Italian (I) and Thousand Island (T) salad dressings. During the 3 weeks of storage at 4 °C, viscosity and pH of WGP-Y increased and decreased, respectively, but syneresis and lactic acid percentage of WGP-Y and pH of WGP-I and WGP-T were stable. Adding WGP resulted in 35-65% reduction of peroxide values in all samples. Dried whole pomace powder (WP) fortified products had dietary fibre content of 0.94-3.6% (w/w product), mainly insoluble fractions. Total phenolic content and DPPH radical scavenging activity were 958-1340 mg GAE/kg product and 710-936 mg AAE/kg product, respectively. The highest ADF was obtained in 3% WP-Y, 1% WP-I and 2% WP-T, while 1% WP-Y, 0.5% WP-I and 1% WP-T were mostly liked by consumers based on the sensory study. Study demonstrated that WGP may be used as a functional food ingredient for promoting human health and extending shelf-life of food products. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A Global Transnational Sunni Caliphate: Realistic or Utopian Vision?

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-04-01

sovereignty and power, and are the completion of the Bible and Torah. The Quran is God’s divine word to man on how to conduct himself in this life in...conferences/WP886/ pdfs /WP886. pdf , (accessed on 3 April 2009). 16 Notes 49 Julia Voelker McQuaid reporting on Jakarata Caliphate conference observed...http://www.wiltonpark.org.uk/documents/conferences/WP886/ pdfs /WP886. pdf (accessed on 3 April 2009), p. 5. 50 Ibid, p. 20. 51 Ibid, p. 20. 17

Secondary toxicity in raptors caused by white phosphorus

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sparling, D.W.

1995-01-01

White phosphorus (WP) has caused waterfowl die-offs in a tidal saltmarsh used by the U.S. Army for artillery practice for > 40 years. Bald (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)and golden (Aquila chrysaetos) eagles have been observed feeding on dead and dying waterfowl on the marsh and may be exposed to WP through ingestion of contaminated birds. One carcass of each eagle species has been found with measurable levels of WP in fat. To determine if raptors can become intoxicated by ingesting prey that have been exposed to WP we fed live, 10-day-old white leghorn chicks three sublethal doses of WP. Six hrs after the last dose we euthanized the chicks and separated them into two groups--one with the digestive system from gizzard anteriorly removed (NoGut) and one with the digestive system intact and a 1.1 mg pellet of WP implanted deep into the crop (Pel). A third group of same-aged chicks unexposed to WP was used for controls. Fifteen kestrels (Fa/co sparverius) were randomly assigned to each of the treatments and 10 to the control diet. By 7 d of the study 8 of the kestrels had died on the Pel and 3 on the NoGut diet. Survivors on the Pel diet had significantly lower hematocrit, hemoglobin, final body weights and greater liver/body weight ratios and weight loss than control birds. The study showed that raptors and possibly other predators are at risk both when consuming flesh of prey that have succumbed to WP poisoning and when ingesting WP pellets that are incorporated in body parts but that the risk is greater when pellets are present.

Within-prison drug injection among HIV-infected male prisoners in Indonesia: a highly constrained choice.

PubMed

Culbert, Gabriel J; Waluyo, Agung; Iriyanti, Mariska; Muchransyah, Azalia P; Kamarulzaman, Adeeba; Altice, Frederick L

2015-04-01

In Indonesia, incarceration of people who inject drugs (PWID) and access to drugs in prison potentiate within-prison drug injection (WP-DI), a preventable and extremely high-risk behavior that may contribute substantially to HIV transmission in prison and communities to which prisoners are released. This mixed method study examined the prevalence, correlates, and social context of WP-DI among HIV-infected male prisoners in Indonesia. 102 randomly selected HIV-infected male prisoners completed semi-structured voice-recorded interviews about drug use changes after arrest, drug use cues within prison, and impact of WP-DI on HIV and addiction treatment. Logistic regression identified multivariate correlates of WP-DI and thematic analysis of interview transcripts used grounded-theory. Over half (56%) of participants reported previous WP-DI. Of those, 93% shared injection equipment in prison, and 78.6% estimated sharing needles with ≥ 10 other prisoners. Multivariate analyses independently correlated WP-DI with being incarcerated for drug offenses (AOR = 3.29, 95%CI = 1.30-8.31, p = 0.011) and daily drug injection before arrest (AOR = 5.23, 95%CI = 1.42-19.25, p = 0.013). Drug availability and proximity to drug users while incarcerated were associated with frequent drug craving and escalating drug use risk behaviors after arrest. Energetic heroin marketing and stigmatizing attitudes toward methadone contribute to WP-DI and impede addiction and HIV treatment. Frequent WP-DI and needle sharing among these HIV-infected Indonesian prison inmates indicate the need for structural interventions that reduce overcrowding, drug supply, and needle sharing, and improve detection and treatment of substance use disorders upon incarceration to minimize WP-DI and associated harm. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Within-Prison Drug Injection among HIV-infected Male Prisoners in Indonesia: A Highly Constrained Choice

PubMed Central

Culbert, Gabriel J.; Waluyo, Agung; Iriyanti, Mariska; Muchransyah, Azalia P.; Kamarulzaman, Adeeba; Altice, Frederick L.

2016-01-01

Background In Indonesia, incarceration of people who inject drugs (PWID) and access to drugs in prison potentiate within-prison drug injection (WP-DI), a preventable and extremely high-risk behavior that may contribute substantially to HIV transmission in prison and communities to which prisoners are released. Aims This mixed method study examined the prevalence, correlates, and social context of WP-DI among HIV-infected male prisoners in Indonesia. Methods 102 randomly selected HIV-infected male prisoners completed semi-structured voice-recorded interviews about drug use changes after arrest, drug use cues within prison, and impact of WP-DI on HIV and addiction treatment. Logistic regression identified multivariate correlates of WP-DI and thematic analysis of interview transcripts used grounded-theory. Results Over half (56%) of participants reported previous WP-DI. Of those, 93% shared injection equipment in prison, and 78.6% estimated sharing needles with ≥10 other prisoners. Multivariate analyses independently correlated WP-DI with being incarcerated for drug offenses (AOR=3.29, 95%CI=1.30–8.31, p=0.011) and daily drug injection before arrest (AOR=5.23, 95%CI=1.42–19.25, p=0.013). Drug availability and proximity to drug users while incarcerated were associated with frequent drug craving and escalating drug use risk behaviors after arrest. Energetic heroin marketing and stigmatizing attitudes toward methadone contribute to WP-DI and impede addiction and HIV treatment. Conclusions Frequent WP-DI and needle sharing among these HIV-infected Indonesian prison inmates indicate the need for structural interventions that reduce overcrowding, drug supply, and needle sharing, and improve detection and treatment of substance use disorders upon incarceration to minimize WP-DI and associated harm. PMID:25659895

Effects of Whey, Caseinate, or Milk Protein Ingestion on Muscle Protein Synthesis after Exercise

PubMed Central

Kanda, Atsushi; Nakayama, Kyosuke; Sanbongi, Chiaki; Nagata, Masashi; Ikegami, Shuji; Itoh, Hiroyuki

2016-01-01

Whey protein (WP) is characterized as a “fast” protein and caseinate (CA) as a “slow” protein according to their digestion and absorption rates. We hypothesized that co-ingestion of milk proteins (WP and CA) may be effective for prolonging the muscle protein synthesis response compared to either protein alone. We therefore compared the effect of ingesting milk protein (MP) to either WP or CA alone on muscle protein synthesis after exercise in rats. We also compared the effects of these milk-derived proteins to a control, soy protein (SP). Male Sprague-Dawley rats swam for two hours. Immediately after exercise, one of the following four solutions was administered: WP, CA, MP, or SP. Individual rats were euthanized at designated postprandial time points and triceps muscle samples collected for measurement of the protein fractional synthesis rate (FSR). FSR tended to increase in all groups post-ingestion, although the initial peaks of FSR occurred at different times (WP, peak time = 60 min, FSR = 7.76%/day; MP, peak time = 90 min, FSR = 8.34%/day; CA, peak time = 120 min, FSR = 7.85%/day). Milk-derived proteins caused significantly greater increases (p < 0.05) in FSR compared with SP at different times (WP, 60 min; MP, 90 and 120 min; CA, 120 min). Although statistical analysis could not be performed, the calculated the area under the curve (AUC) values for FSR following this trend were: MP, 534.61; CA, 498.22; WP, 473.46; and SP, 406.18. We conclude that ingestion of MP, CA or WP causes the initial peak time in muscle protein synthesis to occur at different times (WP, fast; MP, intermediate; CA, slow) and the dairy proteins have a superior effect on muscle protein synthesis after exercise compared with SP. PMID:27271661

Effects of Whey, Caseinate, or Milk Protein Ingestion on Muscle Protein Synthesis after Exercise.

PubMed

Kanda, Atsushi; Nakayama, Kyosuke; Sanbongi, Chiaki; Nagata, Masashi; Ikegami, Shuji; Itoh, Hiroyuki

2016-06-03

Whey protein (WP) is characterized as a "fast" protein and caseinate (CA) as a "slow" protein according to their digestion and absorption rates. We hypothesized that co-ingestion of milk proteins (WP and CA) may be effective for prolonging the muscle protein synthesis response compared to either protein alone. We therefore compared the effect of ingesting milk protein (MP) to either WP or CA alone on muscle protein synthesis after exercise in rats. We also compared the effects of these milk-derived proteins to a control, soy protein (SP). Male Sprague-Dawley rats swam for two hours. Immediately after exercise, one of the following four solutions was administered: WP, CA, MP, or SP. Individual rats were euthanized at designated postprandial time points and triceps muscle samples collected for measurement of the protein fractional synthesis rate (FSR). FSR tended to increase in all groups post-ingestion, although the initial peaks of FSR occurred at different times (WP, peak time = 60 min, FSR = 7.76%/day; MP, peak time = 90 min, FSR = 8.34%/day; CA, peak time = 120 min, FSR = 7.85%/day). Milk-derived proteins caused significantly greater increases (p < 0.05) in FSR compared with SP at different times (WP, 60 min; MP, 90 and 120 min; CA, 120 min). Although statistical analysis could not be performed, the calculated the area under the curve (AUC) values for FSR following this trend were: MP, 534.61; CA, 498.22; WP, 473.46; and SP, 406.18. We conclude that ingestion of MP, CA or WP causes the initial peak time in muscle protein synthesis to occur at different times (WP, fast; MP, intermediate; CA, slow) and the dairy proteins have a superior effect on muscle protein synthesis after exercise compared with SP.

The role of Toll-like receptor-4 in pertussis vaccine-induced immunity

PubMed Central

Banus, Sander; Stenger, Rachel M; Gremmer, Eric R; Dormans, Jan AMA; Mooi, Frits R; Kimman, Tjeerd G; Vandebriel, Rob J

2008-01-01

Background The gram-negative bacterium Bordetella pertussis is an important causative agent of pertussis, an infectious disease of the respiratory tract. After introduction of whole-cell vaccines (wP) in the 1950's, pertussis incidence has decreased significantly. Because wP were found to be reactogenic, in most developed countries they have been replaced by acellular vaccines (aP). We have previously shown a role for Toll-like receptor 4 (Tlr4) in pertussis-infected mice and the pertussis toxin (Ptx)-IgG response in wP-vaccinated children, raising the issue of the relative importance of Tlr4 in wP vaccination of mice. Here we analyze the effects of wP and aP vaccination and B. pertussis challenge, in Tlr4-deficient C3H/HeJ and wild-type C3H/HeOuJ mice. aP consists of Ptx, filamentous hemagglutinin (FHA), and pertactin (Prn). Results We show an important role of Tlr4 in wP and (to a lesser extent) aP vaccination, induction of Th1 and Th17 cells by wP but not aP vaccination, and induction of Th17 cells by infection, confirming data by Higgins et al. (J Immunol 2006, 177:7980–9). Furthermore, in Tlr4-deficient mice, compared to wild-type controls (i) after vaccination only, Ptx-IgG (that was induced by aP but not wP vaccination), FHA-IgG, and Prn-IgG levels were similar, (ii) after infection (only), lung IL-1α and IL-1β expression were lower, (iii) after wP vaccination and challenge, Prn-IgG level and lung IL-5 expression were higher, while lung IL-1β, TNF-α, IFN-γ, IL-17, and IL-23 expression were lower, and lung pathology was absent, and (iv) after aP vaccination and challenge, Prn-IgG level and lung IL-5 expression were higher, while Ptx-IgG level was lower. Conclusion Tlr4 does not influence the humoral response to vaccination (without challenge), plays an important role in natural immunity, wP and aP efficacy, and induction of Th1 and Th17 responses, is critical for lung pathology and enhances pro-inflammatory cytokine production after wP vaccination and challenge, and diminishes Th2 responses after both wP and aP vaccination and challenge. wP vaccination does not induce Ptx-IgG. A role for LPS in the efficacy of wP underlines the usefulness of LPS analogs to improve bacterial subunit vaccines such as aP. PMID:18498620

Coordinated Control of Wind Turbine and Energy Storage System for Reducing Wind Power Fluctuation

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

Kim, Chunghun; Muljadi, Eduard; Chung, Chung Choo

This paper proposes a method for the coordinated control of a wind turbine and an energy storage system (ESS). Because wind power (WP) is highly dependent on wind speed, which is variable, severe stability problems can be caused in power systems, especially when the WP has a high penetration level. To solve this problem, many power generation corporations or grid operators have begun using ESSs. An ESS has very quick response and good performance for reducing the impact of WP fluctuation; however, its installation cost is high. Therefore, it is important to design the control algorithm by considering both themore » ESS capacity and WP fluctuation. Thus, we propose a control algorithm to mitigate the WP fluctuation by using the coordinated control between the wind turbine and the ESS by considering the ESS capacity and the WP fluctuation. Using de-loaded control, according to the WP fluctuation and ESS capacity, we can expand the ESS lifespan and improve grid reliability by avoiding the extreme value of state of charge (SoC) (i.e., 0 or 1 pu). The effectiveness of the proposed method was validated via MATLAB/Simulink by considering a small power system that includes both a wind turbine generator and conventional generators that react to system frequency deviation. We found that the proposed method has better performance in SoC management, thereby improving the frequency regulation by mitigating the impact of the WP fluctuation on the small power system.« less

Coordinated Control of Wind Turbine and Energy Storage System for Reducing Wind Power Fluctuation

DOE PAGES

Kim, Chunghun; Muljadi, Eduard; Chung, Chung Choo

2017-12-27

This paper proposes a method for the coordinated control of a wind turbine and an energy storage system (ESS). Because wind power (WP) is highly dependent on wind speed, which is variable, severe stability problems can be caused in power systems, especially when the WP has a high penetration level. To solve this problem, many power generation corporations or grid operators have begun using ESSs. An ESS has very quick response and good performance for reducing the impact of WP fluctuation; however, its installation cost is high. Therefore, it is important to design the control algorithm by considering both themore » ESS capacity and WP fluctuation. Thus, we propose a control algorithm to mitigate the WP fluctuation by using the coordinated control between the wind turbine and the ESS by considering the ESS capacity and the WP fluctuation. Using de-loaded control, according to the WP fluctuation and ESS capacity, we can expand the ESS lifespan and improve grid reliability by avoiding the extreme value of state of charge (SoC) (i.e., 0 or 1 pu). The effectiveness of the proposed method was validated via MATLAB/Simulink by considering a small power system that includes both a wind turbine generator and conventional generators that react to system frequency deviation. We found that the proposed method has better performance in SoC management, thereby improving the frequency regulation by mitigating the impact of the WP fluctuation on the small power system.« less

The Nexus between Postsecondary Education and Workforce Development: Status Report for Second Policy Brief. Working Paper WP/06-04

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

California Postsecondary Education Commission, 2006

2006-01-01

This working paper serves as a preview of the second in a series of four policy briefs that will explore the nexus between postsecondary education and workforce development. The completed policy brief will focus on a number of questions about California's workforce and examine economic and workforce trends in California, including projected…

Comparing School-Level to Private Higher Education: Using the Dominican Republic as a Pioneer Study. PROPHE Working Paper Series. WP No. 8

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mendoza, Ancell Scheker

2007-01-01

This working paper reviews concepts and categories developed in private higher education research, analyzing their applicability to lower levels of education. Most specifically and prominently, the paper uses the three waves of private growth identified in Latin American higher education--Catholic, elite, and demand-absorbing--and categories of…

Integrating Growth Stage Deficit Irrigation into a Process Based Crop Model

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lopez, Jose R.; Winter, Jonathan M.; Elliott, Joshua; Ruane, Alex C.; Porter, Cheryl; Hoogenboom, Gerrit

2017-01-01

Current rates of agricultural water use are unsustainable in many regions, creating an urgent need to identify improved irrigation strategies for water limited areas. Crop models can be used to quantify plant water requirements, predict the impact of water shortages on yield, and calculate water productivity (WP) to link water availability and crop yields for economic analyses. Many simulations of crop growth and development, especially in regional and global assessments, rely on automatic irrigation algorithms to estimate irrigation dates and amounts. However, these algorithms are not well suited for water limited regions because they have simplistic irrigation rules, such as a single soil-moisture based threshold, and assume unlimited water. To address this constraint, a new modeling framework to simulate agricultural production in water limited areas was developed. The framework consists of a new automatic irrigation algorithm for the simulation of growth stage based deficit irrigation under limited seasonal water availability; and optimization of growth stage specific parameters. The new automatic irrigation algorithm was used to simulate maize and soybean in Gainesville, Florida, and first used to evaluate the sensitivity of maize and soybean simulations to irrigation at different growth stages and then to test the hypothesis that water productivity calculated using simplistic irrigation rules underestimates WP. In the first experiment, the effect of irrigating at specific growth stages on yield and irrigation water use efficiency (IWUE) in maize and soybean was evaluated. In the reproductive stages, IWUE tended to be higher than in the vegetative stages (e.g. IWUE was 18% higher than the well watered treatment when irrigating only during R3 in soybean), and when rainfall events were less frequent. In the second experiment, water productivity (WP) was significantly greater with optimized irrigation schedules compared to non-optimized irrigation schedules in water restricted scenarios. For example, the mean WP across 38 years of maize production was 1.1 kg/cu m for non-optimized irrigation schedules with 50 mm of seasonal available water and 2.1 kg/cu m optimized ion schedules, a 91% improvement in WP with optimized irrigation schedules. The framework described in this work could be used to estimate WP for regional to global assessments, as well as derive location specific irrigation guidance.

Biological Control of Meloidogyne incognita by Aspergillus niger F22 Producing Oxalic Acid

PubMed Central

Jang, Ja Yeong; Choi, Yong Ho; Shin, Teak Soo; Kim, Tae Hoon; Shin, Kee-Sun; Park, Hae Woong; Kim, Young Ho; Kim, Hun; Choi, Gyung Ja; Jang, Kyoung Soo; Cha, Byeongjin; Kim, In Seon; Myung, Eul Jae

2016-01-01

Restricted usage of chemical nematicides has led to development of environmentally safe alternatives. A culture filtrate of Aspergillus niger F22 was highly active against Meloidogyne incognita with marked mortality of second-stage juveniles (J2s) and inhibition of egg hatching. The nematicidal component was identified as oxalic acid by organic acid analysis and gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GC-MS). Exposure to 2 mmol/L oxalic acid resulted in 100% juvenile mortality at 1 day after treatment and suppressed egg hatching by 95.6% at 7 days after treatment. Oxalic acid showed similar nematicidal activity against M. hapla, but was not highly toxic to Bursaphelenchus xylophilus. The fungus was incubated on solid medium and dried culture was used for preparation of a wettable powder-type (WP) formulation as an active ingredient. Two WP formulations, F22-WP10 (ai 10%) and oxalic acid-WP8 (ai 8%), were prepared using F22 solid culture and oxalic acid. In a field naturally infested with M. incognita, application of a mixture of F22-WP10 + oxalic acid-WP8 at 1,000- and 500-fold dilutions significantly reduced gall formation on the roots of watermelon plants by 58.8 and 70.7%, respectively, compared to the non-treated control. The disease control efficacy of the mixture of F22-WP10 + oxalic acid-WP8 was significantly higher than that of a chemical nematicide, Sunchungtan (ai 30% fosthiazate). These results suggest that A. niger F22 can be used as a microbial nematicide for the control of root-knot nematode disease. PMID:27258452

Biological Control of Meloidogyne incognita by Aspergillus niger F22 Producing Oxalic Acid.

PubMed

Jang, Ja Yeong; Choi, Yong Ho; Shin, Teak Soo; Kim, Tae Hoon; Shin, Kee-Sun; Park, Hae Woong; Kim, Young Ho; Kim, Hun; Choi, Gyung Ja; Jang, Kyoung Soo; Cha, Byeongjin; Kim, In Seon; Myung, Eul Jae; Kim, Jin-Cheol

2016-01-01

Restricted usage of chemical nematicides has led to development of environmentally safe alternatives. A culture filtrate of Aspergillus niger F22 was highly active against Meloidogyne incognita with marked mortality of second-stage juveniles (J2s) and inhibition of egg hatching. The nematicidal component was identified as oxalic acid by organic acid analysis and gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy (GC-MS). Exposure to 2 mmol/L oxalic acid resulted in 100% juvenile mortality at 1 day after treatment and suppressed egg hatching by 95.6% at 7 days after treatment. Oxalic acid showed similar nematicidal activity against M. hapla, but was not highly toxic to Bursaphelenchus xylophilus. The fungus was incubated on solid medium and dried culture was used for preparation of a wettable powder-type (WP) formulation as an active ingredient. Two WP formulations, F22-WP10 (ai 10%) and oxalic acid-WP8 (ai 8%), were prepared using F22 solid culture and oxalic acid. In a field naturally infested with M. incognita, application of a mixture of F22-WP10 + oxalic acid-WP8 at 1,000- and 500-fold dilutions significantly reduced gall formation on the roots of watermelon plants by 58.8 and 70.7%, respectively, compared to the non-treated control. The disease control efficacy of the mixture of F22-WP10 + oxalic acid-WP8 was significantly higher than that of a chemical nematicide, Sunchungtan (ai 30% fosthiazate). These results suggest that A. niger F22 can be used as a microbial nematicide for the control of root-knot nematode disease.

ETV REPORT: REMOVAL OF CHEMICAL CONTAMINANTS IN DRINKING WATER – WATTS PREMIER INC. WP-4V DRINKING WATER TREATMENT SYSTEM

EPA Science Inventory

The Watts Premier WP-4V POU drinking water treatment system was tested for removal of aldicarb, benzene, cadmium, carbofuran, cesium, chloroform, dichlorvos, dicrotophos, fenamiphos, mercury, mevinphos, oxamyl, strontium, and strychnine. The WP-4V employs a reverse osmosis (RO) m...

Crystal structure and functional characterization of yeast YLR011wp, an enzyme with NAD(P)H-FMN and ferric iron reductase activities.

PubMed

Liger, Dominique; Graille, Marc; Zhou, Cong-Zhao; Leulliot, Nicolas; Quevillon-Cheruel, Sophie; Blondeau, Karine; Janin, Joël; van Tilbeurgh, Herman

2004-08-13

Flavodoxins are involved in a variety of electron transfer reactions that are essential for life. Although FMN-binding proteins are well characterized in prokaryotic organisms, information is scarce for eukaryotic flavodoxins. We describe the 2.0-A resolution crystal structure of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae YLR011w gene product, a predicted flavoprotein. YLR011wp indeed adopts a flavodoxin fold, binds the FMN cofactor, and self-associates as a homodimer. Despite the absence of the flavodoxin key fingerprint motif involved in FMN binding, YLR011wp binds this cofactor in a manner very analogous to classical flavodoxins. YLR011wp closest structural homologue is the homodimeric Bacillus subtilis Yhda protein (25% sequence identity) whose homodimer perfectly superimposes onto the YLR011wp one. Yhda, whose function is not documented, has 53% sequence identity with the Bacillus sp. OY1-2 azoreductase. We show that YLR011wp has an NAD(P)H-dependent FMN reductase and a strong ferricyanide reductase activity. We further demonstrate a weak but specific reductive activity on azo dyes and nitrocompounds.

Coordinated Control of Wind Turbine and Energy Storage System for Reducing Wind Power Fluctuation

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

Muljadi, Eduard; Kim, Chunghun; Chung, Chung Choo

This paper proposes a coordinated control of wind turbine and energy storage system (ESS). Because wind power (WP) is highly dependent on variable wind speed and could induce a severe stability problem to power system especially when the WP has high penetration level. To solve this problem, many power generation corporations or grid operators recently use the ESS. It has very quick response and good performance for reducing the impact of WP fluctuation but has high cost for its installation. Therefore, it is very important to design the control algorithm considering both ESS capacity and grid reliability. Thus, we proposemore » the control algorithm to mitigate the WP fluctuation by using the coordinated control between wind turbine and ESS considering ESS state of charge (SoC) and the WP fluctuation. From deloaded control according to WP fluctuation and ESS SoC management, we can expect the ESS lifespan expansion and improved grid reliability. The effectiveness of the proposed method is validated in MATLAB/Simulink considering power system including both wind turbine generator and conventional generators which react to system frequency deviation.« less

New insights into mechanisms driving carbon allocation in tropical forests.

PubMed

Hofhansl, Florian; Schnecker, Jörg; Singer, Gabriel; Wanek, Wolfgang

2015-01-01

The proportion of carbon allocated to wood production is an important determinant of the carbon sink strength of global forest ecosystems. Understanding the mechanisms controlling wood production and its responses to environmental drivers is essential for parameterization of global vegetation models and to accurately predict future responses of tropical forests in terms of carbon sequestration. Here, we synthesize data from 105 pantropical old-growth rainforests to investigate environmental controls on the partitioning of net primary production to wood production (%WP) using structural equation modeling. Our results reveal that %WP is governed by two independent pathways of direct and indirect environmental controls. While temperature and soil phosphorus availability indirectly affected %WP via increasing productivity, precipitation and dry season length both directly increased %WP via tradeoffs along the plant economics spectrum. We provide new insights into the mechanisms driving %WP, allowing us to conclude that projected climate change could enhance %WP in less productive tropical forests, thus increasing carbon sequestration in montane forests, but adversely affecting lowland forests. © 2014 The Authors. New Phytologist © 2014 New Phytologist Trust.

Influence of Decontaminating Agents and Swipe Materials on Laboratory Simulated Working Surfaces Wet Spilled with Sodium Pertechnetate

PubMed Central

Akchata, Suman; Lavanya, K; Shivanand, Bhushan

2017-01-01

Context: Decontamination of various working surfaces with sodium pertechnetate minor spillage is essential for maintaining good radiation safety practices as well as for regulatory compliance. Aim: To observe the influences of decontaminating agents and swipe materials on different type of surfaces used in nuclear medicine laboratory work area wet spilled with 99m-technetium (99mTc) sodium pertechnetate. Settings and Design: Lab-simulated working surface materials. Experimental study design. Materials and Methods: Direct decontamination method on dust-free lab simulated new working surfaces [stainless steel, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), Perspex, resin] using four decontaminating agents [tap water, soap water (SW), Radiacwash, and spirit] with four different swipe material [cotton, tissue paper (TP), Whatman paper (WP), adsorbent sheet (AS)] was taken 10 samples (n = 10) for each group. Statistical Analysis: Parametric test two-way analysis of variance is used with significance level of 0.005, was used to evaluate statistical differences between different group of decontaminating agent and swipe material, and the results are expressed in mean ± SD. Results: Decontamination factor is calculated after five cleaning for each group. A total of 160 samples result calculated using four decontaminating agent (tap water, SW, Radiacwash, and spirit), four swipe material (cotton, TP, WP, and AS) for commonly used surface (stainless steel, PVC, Perspex, resin) using direct method by 10 samples (n = 10) for each group. Conclusions: Tap water is the best decontaminating agent compared with SW, Radiac wash and spirit for the laboratory simulated stainless steel, PVC, and Perspex surface material, whereas in case of resin surface material, SW decontaminating agent is showing better effectiveness. Cotton is the best swipe material compared to WP-1, AS and TP for the stainless steel, PVC, Perspex, and resin laboratory simulated surface materials. Perspex and stainless steel are the most suitable and recommended laboratory surface material compared to PVC and resin in nuclear medicine. Radiacwash may show better result for 99mTc labelled product and other radionuclide contamination on the laboratory working surface area. PMID:28680198

A small molecule deubiquitinase inhibitor increases localization of inducible nitric oxide synthase to the macrophage phagosome and enhances bacterial killing.

PubMed

Burkholder, Kristin M; Perry, Jeffrey W; Wobus, Christiane E; Donato, Nicholas J; Showalter, Hollis D; Kapuria, Vaibhav; O'Riordan, Mary X D

2011-12-01

Macrophages are key mediators of antimicrobial defense and innate immunity. Innate intracellular defense mechanisms can be rapidly regulated at the posttranslational level by the coordinated addition and removal of ubiquitin by ubiquitin ligases and deubiquitinases (DUBs). While ubiquitin ligases have been extensively studied, the contribution of DUBs to macrophage innate immune function is incompletely defined. We therefore employed a small molecule DUB inhibitor, WP1130, to probe the role of DUBs in the macrophage response to bacterial infection. Treatment of activated bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMM) with WP1130 significantly augmented killing of the intracellular bacterial pathogen Listeria monocytogenes. WP1130 also induced killing of phagosome-restricted bacteria, implicating a bactericidal mechanism associated with the phagosome, such as the inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS). WP1130 had a minimal antimicrobial effect in macrophages lacking iNOS, indicating that iNOS is an effector mechanism for WP1130-mediated bacterial killing. Although overall iNOS levels were not notably different, we found that WP1130 significantly increased colocalization of iNOS with the Listeria-containing phagosome during infection. Taken together, our data indicate that the deubiquitinase inhibitor WP1130 increases bacterial killing in macrophages by enhancing iNOS localization to the phagosome and suggest a potential role for ubiquitin regulation in iNOS trafficking.

RpA, an extracellular protease similar to the metalloprotease of serralysin family, is required for pathogenicity of Ralstonia pickettii.

PubMed

Chen, C-M; Liu, J-J; Chou, C-W; Lai, C-H; Wu, L-T

2015-10-01

To investigate the biochemical and functional properties of an extracellular protease, RpA, in Ralstonia pickettii WP1 isolated from water supply systems. An extracellular protease was identified and characterized from R. pickettii WP1. A mutant strain WP1M2 was created from strain WP1 by mini-Tn5 transposition. The culture filtrates from WP1M2 had a lower cytotoxic effect than the parental WP1 on several mammalian cell lines. Cloning and sequence analysis revealed the Tn5 transposon inserted at a protease gene (rpA) which is 81% homologous to prtA and aprX genes of Pseudomonas fluorescens. The rpA gene encodes a 482-residue protein showing sequence similarity to metalloproteases of the serralysin family. The RpA protein was expressed in Escherichia coli using a pET expression vector and purified as a 55 kDa molecular weight protein. Furthermore, the protease activity of RpA was inhibited by protease inhibitor and heat treatment. The in vitro cytotoxic activity of R. pickettii culture filtrates was attributed to RpA protease. An extracellular protease, RpA, was identified from R. pickettii WP1 isolated from water supply system. The RpA metalloproteases is required for the pathogenicity of R. pickettii to mammalian cell lines. © 2015 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

Striking a balance: work-health-personal life conflict in women and men with arthritis and its association with work outcomes.

PubMed

Gignac, Monique A M; Lacaille, Diane; Beaton, Dorcas E; Backman, Catherine L; Cao, Xingshan; Badley, Elizabeth M

2014-09-01

To examine men and women's perceptions of inter-role balance/imbalance in work, arthritis, and personal roles and its association with demographic, health and employment factors, including job stress, career satisfaction, job disruptions, absenteeism and perceived productivity losses. Participants were employed, aged ≥40 years and diagnosed with osteoarthritis or inflammatory arthritis. They were recruited through community advertising and rheumatology clinics in two Canadian provinces. Respondents completed a 35-45 min telephone interview and a 20-min self-administered questionnaire assessing role perceptions [(arthritis negatively impacts work (A → W); work/personal life negatively impact arthritis (W/P → A); work as a positive role (W +))], demographic, health and work context information. Analyses included exploratory factor analysis and multivariate regressions. Findings revealed similarities between men (n = 104) and women (n = 248) in health, work and role perceptions, although women reported more benefits of working with arthritis (W+) than men. Some gender differences were found in factors associated with inter-role perceptions highlighting the importance of children, fatigue, unpredictable work hours, job control, and workplace activity limitations. Role perceptions were associated with work outcomes but only one perception, W/P → A, interacted with gender. Among men, greater perceptions that work and personal demands interfered with managing arthritis were associated with more job disruptions. This study revealed negative and positive inter-role perceptions related to working with a chronic illness and associations with work outcomes. It highlights potentially modifiable factors that could assess risk and inform interventions to improve role balance and working experiences.

Phylogenetic analysis of Archaea in the deep-sea sediments of west Pacific Warm Pool.

PubMed

Wang, Peng; Xiao, Xiang; Wang, Fengping

2005-06-01

Archaea are known to play important roles in carbon cycling in marine sediments. The main compositions of archaeal community in five deep-sea sediment samples collected from west Pacific Warm Pool area (WP-0, WP-1, WP-2, WP-3, WP-4), and in five sediment layers (1 cm-, 3 cm-, 6 cm-, 10 cm-, 12 cm- layer) of the 12 cm sediment core of WP-0 were checked and compared by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis and 16 S rRNA gene sequencing. It was revealed that all the deep-sea sediment samples checked contained members of non-thermophilic marine group I crenarchaeota as the predominant archaeal group. To further detect groups of archaea possibly relating with C1 metabolism, PCR amplification was carried out using primers targeting methane-oxidizing archaea. Although no methane-oxidizing archaea was detected, a group of novel archaea (named as WPA) was instead identified from all these five WP samples by clone analysis. They could be placed in the euryarchaeota kingdom, separated into two distinct groups, the main group was peripherally related with methanogens, the other group related with Thermoplasma. The vertical distributions of WPA, archaea and bacteria along the WP-0 sediment column were determined by quantitative-PCR. It was found that bacteria dominated at all depths, the numbers of bacteria were 10-10(4) times more than those of archaea. The proportion of archaea versus bacteria had a depth related increasing tendency, it was lowest at the first layer (0.01%), reached highest at the 12 cm- layer (10%). WPA only constituted a small proportion of the archaeal community (0.05% to 5%) of west Pacific Warm Pool sediment.

Effect of whey protein supplementation on body composition changes in women: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Bergia, Robert E; Hudson, Joshua L; Campbell, Wayne W

2018-04-23

A preponderance of evidence supports the beneficial effects of whey protein (WP) supplementation on body composition in men; however, there is currently insufficient evidence to make an equivalent claim in women. This systematic review and meta-analysis assessed the effects of WP supplementation with or without energy restriction (ER) and resistance training (RT) on changes in body mass, lean mass, and fat mass in women. Pubmed, Scopus, Cochrane, and CINAHL were searched using the keywords "whey protein," "body composition," and "lean mass." Two researchers independently screened 1845 abstracts and extracted 276 articles. Thirteen randomized controlled trials with 28 groups met the inclusion criteria. Globally, WP supplementation increased lean mass (WMD, 0.37 kg; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.06 to 0.67) while not influencing changes in fat mass (-0.20 kg; 95%CI, -0.67 to 0.27) relative to non-WP control. The beneficial effect of WP on lean mass was lost when only studies with RT were included in the analysis (n = 7 comparisons; 0.23 kg; 95%CI, -0.17 to 0.63). The beneficial effect of WP on lean mass was more robust when only studies with an ER component were included (n = 6 comparisons; 0.90 kg; 95%CI, 0.31 to 1.49). There was no effect of WP on lean mass in studies without ER (n = 9 comparisons; 0.22 kg; 95%CI, -0.12 to 0.57). Whey protein supplementation improves body composition by modestly increasing lean mass without influencing changes in fat mass. Body composition improvements from WP are more robust when combined with ER .

Limiting prolonged inflammation during proliferation and remodeling phases of wound healing in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats supplemented with camel undenatured whey protein.

PubMed

Ebaid, Hossam; Ahmed, Osama M; Mahmoud, Ayman M; Ahmed, Rasha R

2013-07-25

Impaired diabetic wound healing occurs as a consequence of excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) and inflammatory cytokine production. We previously found that whey protein (WP) was able to normally regulate the ROS and inflammatory cytokines during the inflammatory phase (first day) in streptozotocin (STZ)-diabetic wound healing. This study was designed to assess the effect of WP on metabolic status, the inflammation and anti-inflammation response, oxidative stress and the antioxidant defense system during different phases of the wound healing process in diabetic rats. WP at a dosage of 100 mg/kg of body weight, dissolved in 1% CMC, was orally administered daily to wounded normal (non-diabetic) and STZ-induced diabetic rats for 8 days starting from the 1st day after wounding. The data revealed that WP enhanced wound closure and was associated with an increase in serum insulin levels in diabetic rats and an alleviation of hyperglycemic and hyperlipidemic states in diabetic animals. The increase in insulin levels as a result of WP administration is associated with a marked multiplication of β-cells in the core of islets of Langerhans. WP induced a reduction in serum TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6 levels and an increase in IL-10 levels, especially on the 4th day after wounding and treatment. WP also suppressed hepatic lipid peroxidation and stimulated the antioxidant defense system by increasing the level of glutathione and the activity of glutathione-S-transferase, glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase (SOD) in wounded diabetic rats. WP was observed to enhance wound closure by improving the diabetic condition, limiting prolonged inflammation, suppressing oxidative stress and elevating the antioxidant defense system in diabetic rats.

Effect of Surround WP on behavior and mortality of apple maggot (Diptera: Tephritidae).

PubMed

Leskey, Tracy C; Wright, Starker E; Glenn, D Michael; Puterka, Gary J

2010-04-01

Apple maggot, Rhagoletis pomonella (Walsh) (Diptera: Tephritidae), is a key pest in apple (Malus spp.) production areas located in the northeastern and midwestern United States and the eastern provinces of Canada. The development of Surround WP has offered a new approach for controlling apple maggot and other tephritid species, because this material is considered to be compatible with advanced integrated pest management and organic production systems. We conducted studies aimed at identifying the behavioral and biological effects of this material on apple maggots. Specifically, we examined the effect of Surround WP on the visual ecology of adult flies under field conditions, on tactile responses of flies in semifield trials, and on fly mortality in laboratory-based-bioassays. We demonstrated that an even coating of white particles over a fruit-mimicking sphere surface reduced visual attractiveness. We also found that spotty-coated fruit-mimicking spheres (meant to mimic ripe fruit bearing an uneven coating of Surround WP) were perceived by flies as not having the ideal round silhouette shape stimulus. Surround WP served as a tactile deterrent; the residence time of females introduced on to treated fruit was much shorter compared with untreated fruit. Surround WP also had a toxic effect on both adult apple maggot and Rhagoletis suavis (Loew); flies exposed to and forced to stand on Surround-treated surfaces died in <2 d in all trials. The combined effectiveness of Surround WP is based on a reduction in the attractiveness of fruit-based visual cues, an increase in the likelihood of flies leaving treated surfaces due to tactile deterrence, and a potential for increased mortality due to exposure to Surround WP particles.

Widespread pain following whiplash-associated disorders: incidence, course, and risk factors.

PubMed

Holm, Lena W; Carroll, Linda J; Cassidy, J David; Skillgate, Eva; Ahlbom, Anders

2007-01-01

To investigate the incidence and course of widespread pain (WP) subsequent to localized pain in subjects with whiplash-associated disorders (WAD); and to investigate the influence of depressive symptoms, neck pain intensity, number of whiplash-associated symptoms, and number of painful body areas on such conditions. From a large prospective cohort of injury claimants who reported WAD after motor vehicle collision (MVC; n = 7462), we identified a subgroup with only localized head/neck/back pain, and who responded to one or more followup questionnaires mailed at 6 weeks and 4, 6, and 12 months after the MVC (n = 266). Pain drawings were distributed at the followup, and we defined WP as having 9 or more painful areas, including posterior neck, at any of these occasions. Depressive symptoms were assessed with the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale and pain intensity with on a visual analog scale (VAS). The cumulative incidence of WP was 21%, and it occurred early after the injury. Continuous WP over the 12 months was rare. The odds for developing WP were greater in those with depressive symptoms (OR 3.2, 95% CI 1.6-6.3), VAS pain intensity 55-100 (OR 3.2, 95% CI 1.3-8.0), reporting > or = 3 pain-associated symptoms (OR 1.9, 95% CI 0.9-3.8), and those reporting 4 or 5 painful body areas (OR 2.6, 95% CI 1.3-5.4). WP occurred early in the course. Even though the cumulative incidence was 21%, continuous WP was rare. Subjects with WAD who report early depressive symptoms and more severe neck injury symptoms are at risk of developing WP after MVC.

Limiting prolonged inflammation during proliferation and remodeling phases of wound healing in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats supplemented with camel undenatured whey protein

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Impaired diabetic wound healing occurs as a consequence of excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) and inflammatory cytokine production. We previously found that whey protein (WP) was able to normally regulate the ROS and inflammatory cytokines during the inflammatory phase (first day) in streptozotocin (STZ)-diabetic wound healing. This study was designed to assess the effect of WP on metabolic status, the inflammation and anti-inflammation response, oxidative stress and the antioxidant defense system during different phases of the wound healing process in diabetic rats. WP at a dosage of 100 mg/kg of body weight, dissolved in 1% CMC, was orally administered daily to wounded normal (non-diabetic) and STZ-induced diabetic rats for 8 days starting from the 1st day after wounding. Results The data revealed that WP enhanced wound closure and was associated with an increase in serum insulin levels in diabetic rats and an alleviation of hyperglycemic and hyperlipidemic states in diabetic animals. The increase in insulin levels as a result of WP administration is associated with a marked multiplication of β-cells in the core of islets of Langerhans. WP induced a reduction in serum TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6 levels and an increase in IL-10 levels, especially on the 4th day after wounding and treatment. WP also suppressed hepatic lipid peroxidation and stimulated the antioxidant defense system by increasing the level of glutathione and the activity of glutathione-S-transferase, glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase (SOD) in wounded diabetic rats. Conclusions WP was observed to enhance wound closure by improving the diabetic condition, limiting prolonged inflammation, suppressing oxidative stress and elevating the antioxidant defense system in diabetic rats. PMID:23883360

A Novel Inhibitor of STAT3 Activation Is Efficacious Against Established Central Nervous System Melanoma and Inhibits Regulatory T Cells

PubMed Central

Kong, Ling-Yuan; Abou-Ghazal, Mohamed K.; Wei, Jun; Chakraborty, Arup; Sun, Wei; Qiao, Wei; Fuller, Gregory N.; Fokt, Izabela; Grimm, Elizabeth A.; Schmittling, Robert J.; Archer, Gary E.; Sampson, John H.; Priebe, Waldemar; Heimberger, Amy B.

2008-01-01

Purpose Activation of STAT3 has been identified as a central mediator of melanoma growth and metastasis. We hypothesized that WP1066, a novel STAT3 blockade agent, has marked antitumor activity, even against the melanoma metastasis to brain, a site typically refractory to therapies. Experimental Design The antitumor activities and related mechanisms of WP1066 were investigated both in vitro on melanoma cell lines and in vivo on mice with subcutaneously syngeneic melanoma or with intracerebral melanoma tumors. Results WP1066 achieved an IC50 of 1.6 μM, 2.3 μM, and 1.5 μM against melanoma cell line A375, B16 and B16EGFRvIII, respectively. WP1066 suppressed the phosphorylation of JAK2 and STAT3 (Tyr705) in these cells. Tumor growth in mice with subcutaneously established syngeneic melanoma was markedly inhibited by WP1066 compared with that in controls. Long-term survival (>78 days) was observed in 80% of mice with established intracerebral syngeneic melanoma treated with 40 mg/kg of WP1066 in contrast to control mice who survived for a median of 15 days. Although WP1066 did not induce immunological memory or enhance humoral responses to EGFRvIII, this compound reduced the production of immunosuppressive cytokines and chemokines (TGF-β, RANTES, MCP-1, VEGF), markedly inhibited natural and inducible Treg proliferation, and significantly increased cytotoxic immune responses of T cells. Conclusions The antitumor cytotoxic effects of WP1066 and its ability to induce antitumor immune responses suggest that this compound has potential for the effective treatment of melanoma metastatic to brain. PMID:18794085

Stable Weyl points, trivial surface states, and particle-hole compensation in WP2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Razzoli, E.; Zwartsenberg, B.; Michiardi, M.; Boschini, F.; Day, R. P.; Elfimov, I. S.; Denlinger, J. D.; Süss, V.; Felser, C.; Damascelli, A.

2018-05-01

A possible connection between extremely large magnetoresistance and the presence of Weyl points has garnered much attention in the study of topological semimetals. Exploration of these concepts in transition-metal diphosphides WP2 has been complicated by conflicting experimental reports. Here we combine angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES) and density functional theory (DFT) calculations to disentangle surface and bulk contributions to the ARPES intensity, the superposition of which has plagued the determination of the band structure in WP2. Our results show that while the hole- and electronlike Fermi surface sheets originating from surface states have different areas, the bulk-band structure of WP2 is electron-hole compensated in agreement with DFT. Furthermore, the ARPES band structure is compatible with the presence of at least four temperature-independent Weyl points, confirming the topological nature of WP2 and its stability against lattice distortions.

GeoViQua: quality-aware geospatial data discovery and evaluation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bigagli, L.; Papeschi, F.; Mazzetti, P.; Nativi, S.

2012-04-01

GeoViQua (QUAlity aware VIsualization for the Global Earth Observation System of Systems) is a recently started FP7 project aiming at complementing the Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS) with rigorous data quality specifications and quality-aware capabilities, in order to improve reliability in scientific studies and policy decision-making. GeoViQua main scientific and technical objective is to enhance the GEOSS Common Infrastructure (GCI) providing the user community with innovative quality-aware search and evaluation tools, which will be integrated in the GEO-Portal, as well as made available to other end-user interfaces. To this end, GeoViQua will promote the extension of the current standard metadata for geographic information with accurate and expressive quality indicators, also contributing to the definition of a quality label (GEOLabel). GeoViQua proposed solutions will be assessed in several pilot case studies covering the whole Earth Observation chain, from remote sensing acquisition to data processing, to applications in the main GEOSS Societal Benefit Areas. This work presents the preliminary results of GeoViQua Work Package 4 "Enhanced geo-search tools" (WP4), started in January 2012. Its major anticipated technical innovations are search and evaluation tools that communicate and exploit data quality information from the GCI. In particular, GeoViQua will investigate a graphical search interface featuring a coherent and meaningful aggregation of statistics and metadata summaries (e.g. in the form of tables, charts), thus enabling end users to leverage quality constraints for data discovery and evaluation. Preparatory work on WP4 requirements indicated that users need the "best" data for their purpose, implying a high degree of subjectivity in judgment. This suggests that the GeoViQua system should exploit a combination of provider-generated metadata (objective indicators such as summary statistics), system-generated metadata (contextual/tracking information such as provenance of data and metadata), and user-generated metadata (informal user comments, usage information, rating, etc.). Moreover, metadata should include sufficiently complete access information, to allow rich data visualization and propagation. The following main enabling components are currently identified within WP4: - Quality-aware access services, e.g. a quality-aware extension of the OGC Sensor Observation Service (SOS-Q) specification, to support quality constraints for sensor data publishing and access; - Quality-aware discovery services, namely a quality-aware extension of the OGC Catalog Service for the Web (CSW-Q), to cope with quality constrained search; - Quality-augmentation broker (GeoViQua Broker), to support the linking and combination of the existing GCI metadata with GeoViQua- and user-generated metadata required to support the users in selecting the "best" data for their intended use. We are currently developing prototypes of the above quality-enabled geo-search components, that will be assessed in a sensor-based pilot case study in the next months. In particular, the GeoViQua Broker will be integrated with the EuroGEOSS Broker, to implement CSW-Q and federate (either via distribution or harvesting schemes) quality-aware data sources, GeoViQua will constitute a valuable test-bed for advancing the current best practices and standards in geospatial quality representation and exploitation. The research leading to these results has received funding from the European Community's Seventh Framework Programme (FP7/2007-2013) under Grant Agreement n° 265178.

Schools and Labor Market Outcomes. EQW Working Papers WP33.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crawford, David L.; And Others

The relationship between school characteristics and labor market outcomes was examined through a literature review and an econometric analysis of the effects of various characteristics of the schooling experience on students' labor market performance after high school. Data from the National Center on Education Statistics' longitudinal survey of…

Report on Outcomes of Empirical Studies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Morch, Anders; Nygard, Kathrine; Andersen, Renate; Mushtaq, Shazia; Nedic, Damir; Olsen, Espen; Hauge, Trond Eiliv; Vedoy, Gunn; Norenes, Svein Olav; Moen, Anne; Nes, Sturle; Olsen, Dorothy S.; Ludvigsen, Sten; Toiviainen, Hanna; Lallimo, Jiri; Toikka, Seppo; Paavola, Sami; Pohjola, Pasi; Hakkarainen, Kai

2009-01-01

This deliverable has been produced in the context of the Knowledge-Practice Laboratory (KP-Lab) project. KP-Lab focuses on innovative practices of working with knowledge in higher education, teacher training, and workplaces. Participants of WP10 are University of Helsinki, University of Oslo and Poyry Forest Industry representing both researchers…

Genome Sequence of Thalassospira profundimaris Type Strain WP0211

PubMed Central

Lai, Qiliang

2012-01-01

Thalassospira profundimaris WP0211T was isolated from a pyrene-degrading consortium, enriched from deep-sea sediment collected from the West Pacific Ocean. Here, we present the draft genome of strain WP0211T, which contains 4,380,232 bp with a G+C content of 55.19% and contains 4,040 protein-coding genes and 45 tRNAs. PMID:23209215

Genome sequence of Thalassospira profundimaris type strain WP0211.

PubMed

Lai, Qiliang; Shao, Zongze

2012-12-01

Thalassospira profundimaris WP0211(T) was isolated from a pyrene-degrading consortium, enriched from deep-sea sediment collected from the West Pacific Ocean. Here, we present the draft genome of strain WP0211(T), which contains 4,380,232 bp with a G+C content of 55.19% and contains 4,040 protein-coding genes and 45 tRNAs.

Photometric Observations of the Near-Earth Asteroids (326683) 2002 WP and 2016 LX48

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sonka, Adrian Bruno; Popescu, Marcel; Nedelcu, Dan Alin; Gherase, Radu Mihai; Vass, Gheroghe

2017-07-01

We obtained photometric results for the near-Earth asteroids (326683) 2002 WP and 2016 LX48 during their close approaches in 2016 December and October, respectively. Our analysis found a synodic period for (326683) 2002 WP of P = 6.2772 ± 0.0479 h and, for 2016 LX48, P = 5.6742 ± 0.0074 h.

[Carbon footprint of wheat-summer direct-seeding peanut planting system in Shandong Pro-vince, China].

PubMed

Ziu, Xiao Xia; Zhang, Xiao Jun; Wang, Yue Fu; Wang, Ming Lun

2018-03-01

Clarifying the carbon emissions in wheat-summer direct-seeding peanut planting (W-P) system could help realize the synergistic effects of high yield and low carbon emissions. Based on whole life cycle method, we constructed a carbon footprint model to calculate the carbon emissions of W-P system. We found that the net income of W-P system was 71.2%-88.3% higher than that of wheat-maize rotation (W-M) system. The carbon emissions per unit area under W-P system was 6977.9-8018.5 kg·hm -2 , being 6.2% higher than that of W-M system. The carbon emission of per net income under W-P system was 0.23-0.28 kg CO 2 -eq·yuan -1 , which was 37.4%-44.1% lower than that of W-M system. Combining the net income and carbon emissions of per net income, W-P system could achieve synergistic effects of high yield and low carbon emissions, which would fulfill the targets of agricultural supply-side structural reform with optimizing supply, enhancing quality and efficiency, and increasing income of peasants.

Maximum value of the pulse energy of a passively Q-switched laser as a function of the pump power.

PubMed

Li, Jianlang; Ueda, Ken-ichi; Dong, Jun; Musha, Mitsuru; Shirakawa, Akira

2006-07-20

The finite recovery time Ts of the bleached absorber is presented as one of the possible mechanisms accounting for the increase-maximum-decrease in pulse energy E with the pumping rate Wp in cw-pumped passively Q-switched solid-state lasers, by analytically evaluating the sign of the derivative partial differentialE/ partial differentialWP. The results show that, in the low pump regime (T>Ts, T is the interpulse period), the initial population density ni remains constant, the final population density nf decreases with Wp, and this results in a monotonic increase of E with Wp. In the high pump regime (T

In Situ Synthesis of Gold Nanoparticles on Wool Powder and Their Catalytic Application.

PubMed

Tang, Bin; Zhou, Xu; Zeng, Tian; Lin, Xia; Zhou, Ji; Ye, Yong; Wang, Xungai

2017-03-15

Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) were synthesized in situ on wool powder (WP) under heating conditions. Wool powder not only reduced Au ions to AuNPs, but also provided a support for as-synthesized AuNPs. WPs were treated under different concentrations of Au ions, and corresponding optical features and morphologies of the treated WPs were investigated by UV-VIS diffuse reflectance absorption spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and transmission electron microscope (TEM) were also employed to characterize the WP treated with AuNPs. The results demonstrate that AuNPs were produced in the presence of WP and distributed over the wool particles. The porous structure led to the synthesis of AuNPs in the internal parts of WP. Acid conditions and high temperature facilitated the synthesis of AuNPs by WP in aqueous solution. The reducibility of wool was improved after being converted to powder from fibers, due to exposure of more active groups. Moreover, the obtained AuNP-WP complexes showed significant catalytic activity to accelerate the reduction reaction of 4-nitrophenol (4-NP) by sodium borohydride (NaBH₄).

Multiscale Model Simulations of Temperature and Relative Humidity for the License Application of the Proposed Yucca Mountain Repository

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Buscheck, T.; Glascoe, L.; Sun, Y.; Gansemer, J.; Lee, K.

2003-12-01

For the proposed Yucca Mountain geologic repository for high-level nuclear waste, the planned method of disposal involves the emplacement of cylindrical packages containing the waste inside horizontal tunnels, called emplacement drifts, bored several hundred meters below the ground surface. The emplacement drifts reside in highly fractured, partially saturated volcanic tuff. An important phenomenological consideration for the licensing of the proposed repository at Yucca Mountain is the generation of decay heat by the emplaced waste and the consequences of this decay heat. Changes in temperature will affect the hydrologic and chemical environment at Yucca Mountain. A thermohydrologic-modeling tool is necessary to support the performance assessment of the Engineered Barrier System (EBS) of the proposed repository. This modeling tool must simultaneously account for processes occurring at a scale of a few tens of centimeters around individual waste packages, for processes occurring around the emplacement drifts themselves, and for processes occurring at the multi-kilometer scale of the mountain. Additionally, many other features must be considered including non-isothermal, multiphase-flow in fractured porous rock of variable liquid-phase saturation and thermal radiation and convection in open cavities. The Multiscale Thermohydrologic Model (MSTHM) calculates the following thermohydrologic (TH) variables: temperature, relative humidity, liquid-phase saturation, evaporation rate, air-mass fraction, gas-phase pressure, capillary pressure, and liquid- and gas-phase fluxes. The TH variables are determined as a function of position along each of the emplacement drifts in the repository and as a function of waste-package (WP) type. These variables are determined at various generic locations within the emplacement drifts, including the waste package and drip-shield surfaces and in the invert; they are also determined at various generic locations in the adjoining host rock; these variables are determined every 20 m for each emplacement drift in the repository. The MSTHM accounts for 3-D drift-scale and mountain-scale heat flow and captures the influence of the key engineering-design variables and natural-system factors affecting TH conditions in the emplacement drifts and adjoining host rock. Presented is a synopsis of recent MSTHM calculations conducted to support the Total System Performance Assessment for the License Application (TSPA-LA). This work was performed under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Energy by University of California Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory under contract No. W-7405-Eng-48.

Inhibition of deubiquitinases primes glioblastoma cells to apoptosis in vitro and in vivo

PubMed Central

Karpel-Massler, Georg; Banu, Matei A.; Shu, Chang; Halatsch, Marc-Eric; Westhoff, Mike-Andrew; Bruce, Jeffrey N.; Canoll, Peter; Siegelin, Markus D.

2016-01-01

It remains a challenge in oncology to identify novel drug regimens to efficiently tackle glioblastoma, the most common primary brain tumor in adults. Here, we target deubiquitinases for glioblastoma therapy by utilizing the small-molecule inhibitor WP1130 which has been characterized as a deubiquitinase inhibitor that interferes with the function of Usp9X. Expression analysis data confirm that Usp9X expression is increased in glioblastoma compared to normal brain tissue indicating its potential as a therapeutic. Consistently, increasing concentrations of WP1130 decrease the cellular viability of established, patient-derived xenograft (PDX) and stem cell-like glioblastoma cells. Specific down-regulation of Usp9X reduces viability in glioblastoma cells mimicking the effects of WP1130. Mechanistically, WP1130 elicits apoptosis and increases activation of caspases. Moreover, WP1130 and siRNAs targeting Usp9X reduce the expression of anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 family members and Inhibitor of Apoptosis Proteins, XIAP and Survivin. Pharmacological and genetic interference with Usp9X efficiently sensitized glioblastoma cells to intrinsic and extrinsic apoptotic stimuli. In addition, single treatment with WP1130 elicited anti-glioma activity in an orthotopic proneural murine model of glioblastoma. Finally, the combination treatment of WP1130 and ABT263 inhibited tumor growth more efficiently than each reagent by its own in vivo without detectable side effects or organ toxicity. Taken together, these results suggest that targeting deubiquitinases for glioma therapy is feasible and effective. PMID:26872380

Dried whole-plant Artemisia annua slows evolution of malaria drug resistance and overcomes resistance to artemisinin

PubMed Central

Elfawal, Mostafa A.; Towler, Melissa J.; Reich, Nicholas G.; Weathers, Pamela J.; Rich, Stephen M.

2015-01-01

Pharmaceutical monotherapies against human malaria have proven effective, although ephemeral, owing to the inevitable evolution of resistant parasites. Resistance to two or more drugs delivered in combination will evolve more slowly; hence combination therapies have become the preferred norm in the fight against malaria. At the forefront of these efforts has been the promotion of Artemisinin Combination Therapy, but despite these efforts, resistance to artemisinin has begun to emerge. In 2012, we demonstrated the efficacy of the whole plant (WP)—not a tea, not an infusion—as a malaria therapy and found it to be more effective than a comparable dose of pure artemisinin in a rodent malaria model. Here we show that WP overcomes existing resistance to pure artemisinin in the rodent malaria Plasmodium yoelii. Moreover, in a long-term artificial selection for resistance in Plasmodium chabaudi, we tested resilience of WP against drug resistance in comparison with pure artemisinin (AN). Stable resistance to WP was achieved three times more slowly than stable resistance to AN. WP treatment proved even more resilient than the double dose of AN. The resilience of WP may be attributable to the evolutionary refinement of the plant’s secondary metabolic products into a redundant, multicomponent defense system. Efficacy and resilience of WP treatment against rodent malaria provides compelling reasons to further explore the role of nonpharmaceutical forms of AN to treat human malaria. PMID:25561559

Can the GEOS CCM Simulate the Temperature Response to Warm Pool El Nino Events in the Antarctic Stratosphere?

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hurwitz, M. M.; Song, I.-S.; Oman, L. D.; Newman, P. A.; Molod, A. M.; Frith, S. M.; Nielsen, J. E.

2010-01-01

"Warm pool" (WP) El Nino events are characterized by positive sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies in the central equatorial Pacific. During austral spring. WP El Nino events are associated with an enhancement of convective activity in the South Pacific Convergence Zone, provoking a tropospheric planetary wave response and thus increasing planetary wave driving of the Southern Hemisphere stratosphere. These conditions lead to higher polar stratospheric temperatures and to a weaker polar jet during austral summer, as compared with neutral ENSO years. Furthermore, this response is sensitive to the phase of the quasi-biennial oscillation (QBO): a stronger warming is seen in WP El Nino events coincident with the easterly phase of the quasi-biennial oscillation (QBO) as compared with WP El Nino events coincident with a westerly or neutral QBO. The Goddard Earth Observing System (GEOS) chemistry-climate model (CCM) is used to further explore the atmospheric response to ENSO. Time-slice simulations are forced by composited SSTs from observed WP El Nino and neutral ENSO events. The modeled eddy heat flux, temperature and wind responses to WP El Nino events are compared with observations. A new gravity wave drag scheme has been implemented in the GEOS CCM, enabling the model to produce a realistic, internally generated QBO. By repeating the above time-slice simulations with this new model version, the sensitivity of the WP El Nino response to the phase of the quasi-biennial oscillation QBO is estimated.

Extremely large magnetoresistance in the topologically trivial semimetal α -WP2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Du, Jianhua; Lou, Zhefeng; Zhang, ShengNan; Zhou, Yuxing; Xu, Binjie; Chen, Qin; Tang, Yanqing; Chen, Shuijin; Chen, Huancheng; Zhu, Qinqing; Wang, Hangdong; Yang, Jinhu; Wu, QuanSheng; Yazyev, Oleg V.; Fang, Minghu

2018-06-01

Extremely large magnetoresistance (XMR) was recently discovered in many nonmagnetic materials, while its underlying mechanism remains poorly understood due to the complex electronic structure of these materials. Here we report an investigation of the α -phase WP2, a topologically trivial semimetal with monoclinic crystal structure (C 2 /m ), which contrasts with the recently discovered robust type-II Weyl semimetal phase in β -WP2 . We found that α -WP2 exhibits almost all the characteristics of XMR materials: the near-quadratic field dependence of MR, a field-induced up-turn in resistivity followed by a plateau at low temperature, which can be understood by the compensation effect, and high mobility of carriers confirmed by our Hall effect measurements. It was also found that the normalized MRs under different magnetic fields have the same temperature dependence in α -WP2 , the Kohler scaling law can describe the MR data in a wide temperature range, and there is no obvious change in the anisotropic parameter γ value with temperature. The resistance polar diagram has a peanut shape when the field is rotated in the a c plane, which can be understood by the anisotropy of the Fermi surface. These results indicate that both field-induced-gap and temperature-induced Lifshitz transition are not the origin of up-turn in resistivity in the α -WP2 semimetal. Our findings establish α -WP2 as a new reference material for exploring the XMR phenomena.

Wind power forecasting: IEA Wind Task 36 & future research issues

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Giebel, G.; Cline, J.; Frank, H.; Shaw, W.; Pinson, P.; Hodge, B.-M.; Kariniotakis, G.; Madsen, J.; Möhrlen, C.

2016-09-01

This paper presents the new International Energy Agency Wind Task 36 on Forecasting, and invites to collaborate within the group. Wind power forecasts have been used operatively for over 20 years. Despite this fact, there are still several possibilities to improve the forecasts, both from the weather prediction side and from the usage of the forecasts. The new International Energy Agency (IEA) Task on Forecasting for Wind Energy tries to organise international collaboration, among national meteorological centres with an interest and/or large projects on wind forecast improvements (NOAA, DWD, MetOffice, met.no, DMI,...), operational forecaster and forecast users. The Task is divided in three work packages: Firstly, a collaboration on the improvement of the scientific basis for the wind predictions themselves. This includes numerical weather prediction model physics, but also widely distributed information on accessible datasets. Secondly, we will be aiming at an international pre-standard (an IEA Recommended Practice) on benchmarking and comparing wind power forecasts, including probabilistic forecasts. This WP will also organise benchmarks, in cooperation with the IEA Task WakeBench. Thirdly, we will be engaging end users aiming at dissemination of the best practice in the usage of wind power predictions. As first results, an overview of current issues for research in short-term forecasting of wind power is presented.

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

Giebel, G.; Cline, J.; Frank, H.

Here, this paper presents the new International Energy Agency Wind Task 36 on Forecasting, and invites to collaborate within the group. Wind power forecasts have been used operatively for over 20 years. Despite this fact, there are still several possibilities to improve the forecasts, both from the weather prediction side and from the usage of the forecasts. The new International Energy Agency (IEA) Task on Forecasting for Wind Energy tries to organise international collaboration, among national meteorological centres with an interest and/or large projects on wind forecast improvements (NOAA, DWD, MetOffice, met.no, DMI,...), operational forecaster and forecast users. The Taskmore » is divided in three work packages: Firstly, a collaboration on the improvement of the scientific basis for the wind predictions themselves. This includes numerical weather prediction model physics, but also widely distributed information on accessible datasets. Secondly, we will be aiming at an international pre-standard (an IEA Recommended Practice) on benchmarking and comparing wind power forecasts, including probabilistic forecasts. This WP will also organise benchmarks, in cooperation with the IEA Task WakeBench. Thirdly, we will be engaging end users aiming at dissemination of the best practice in the usage of wind power predictions. As first results, an overview of current issues for research in short-term forecasting of wind power is presented.« less

A water-soluble pillar[5]arene as a new carrier for an old drug.

PubMed

Barbera, Lucia; Franco, Domenico; De Plano, Laura M; Gattuso, Giuseppe; Guglielmino, Salvatore P P; Lentini, Germana; Manganaro, Nadia; Marino, Nino; Pappalardo, Sebastiano; Parisi, Melchiorre F; Puntoriero, Fausto; Pisagatti, Ilenia; Notti, Anna

2017-04-11

The remarkable affinity of deca-carboxylatopillar[5]arene WP5 towards the aminoglycoside antibiotic, amikacin, in aqueous media is reported; in vitro studies on Gram-positive bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus) show that drug entrapment inside WP5 also takes place in the presence of the microrganisms, thus pointing to WP5 as an appealing carrier for amikacin targeted delivery.

Effects of leucine-enriched essential amino acid and whey protein bolus dosing upon skeletal muscle protein synthesis at rest and after exercise in older women.

PubMed

Wilkinson, Daniel J; Bukhari, Syed S I; Phillips, Bethan E; Limb, Marie C; Cegielski, Jessica; Brook, Matthew S; Rankin, Debbie; Mitchell, William K; Kobayashi, Hisamine; Williams, John P; Lund, Jonathan; Greenhaff, Paul L; Smith, Kenneth; Atherton, Philip J

2017-09-23

Impaired anabolic responses to nutrition and exercise contribute to loss of skeletal muscle mass with ageing (sarcopenia). Here, we tested responses of muscle protein synthesis (MPS), in the under represented group of older women, to leucine-enriched essential amino acids (EAA) in comparison to a large bolus of whey protein (WP). Twenty-four older women (65 ± 1 y) received (N = 8/group) 1.5 g leucine-enriched EAA supplements (LEAA_1.5), 6 g LEAA (LEAA_6) in comparison to 40 g WP. A primed constant I.V infusion of 13 C 6 -phenylalanine was used to determine MPS at baseline and in response to feeding (FED) and feeding-plus-exercise (FED-EX; 6 × 8 unilateral leg extensions; 75%1-RM). We quantified plasma insulin/AA concentrations, leg femoral blood flow (LBF)/muscle microvascular blood flow (MBF), and anabolic signalling via immunoblotting. Plasma insulineamia and EAAemia were greater and more prolonged with WP than LEAA, although LEAA_6 peaked at similar levels to WP. Neither LEAA or WP modified LBF or MBF. FED increased MPS similarly in the LEAA_1.5, LEAA_6 and WP (P < 0.05) groups over 0-2 h, with MPS significantly higher than basal in the LEAA_6 and WP groups only over 0-4 h. However, FED-EX increased MPS similarly across all the groups from 0 to 4 h (P < 0.05). Only p-p70S6K1 increased with WP at 2 h in FED (P < 0.05), and at 2/4 h in FED-EX (P < 0.05). In conclusion, LEAA_1.5, despite only providing 0.6 g of leucine, robustly (perhaps maximally) stimulated MPS, with negligible trophic advantage of greater doses of LEAA or even to 40 g WP. Highlighting that composition of EAA, in particular the presence of leucine rather than amount is most crucial for anabolism. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Early Activation of Apoptosis and Caspase-independent Cell Death Plays an Important Role in Mediating the Cytotoxic and Genotoxic Effects of WP 631 in Ovarian Cancer Cells.

PubMed

Gajek, Arkadiusz; Denel-Bobrowska, Marta; Rogalska, Aneta; Bukowska, Barbara; Maszewski, Janusz; Marczak, Agnieszka

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study was to provide a detailed explanation of the mechanism of bisanthracycline,?WP 631 in comparison to doxorubicin (DOX), a first generation anthracycline, currently the most widely used pharmaceutical in clinical oncology. Experiments were performed in SKOV-3 ovarian cancer cells which are otherwise resistant to standard drugs such as cis-platinum and adriamycin. As attention was focused on the ability of WP 631 to induce apoptosis, this was examined using a double staining method with Annexin V and propidium iodide probes, with measurement of the level of intracellular calcium ions and cytosolic cytochrome c. The western blotting technique was performed to confirm PARP cleavage. We also investigated the involvement of caspase activation and DNA degradation (comet assay and immunocytochemical detection of phosphorylated H2AX histones) in the development of apoptotic events. WP 631 demonstrated significantly higher effectiveness as a pro-apoptotic drug than DOX. This was evident in the higher levels of markers of apoptosis, such as the externalization of phosphatidylserine and the elevated level of cytochrome c. An extension of incubation time led to an increase in intracellular calcium levels after treatment with DOX. Lower changes in the calcium content were associated with the influence of WP 631. DOX led to the activation of all tested caspases, 8, 9 and 3, whereas WP 631 only induced an increase in caspase 8 activity after 24h of treatment and consequently led to the cleavage of PARP. The lack of active caspase 3 had no outcome on the single and double-stranded DNA breaks. The obtained results show that WP 631 was considerably more genotoxic towards the investigated cell line than DOX. This effect was especially visible after longer times of incubation. The above detailed studies indicate that WP 631 generates early apoptosis and cell death independent of caspase-3, detected at relatively late time points. The observed differences in the mechanisms of the action of WP631 and DOX suggest that this bisanthracycline can be an effective alternative in ovarian cancer treatment.

Geo-energy Test Beds: part of the European Plate Observing System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stephenson, Michael; Schofield, David; Luton, Christopher; Haslinger, Florian; Henninges, Jan; Giardini, Domenico

2016-04-01

For 2020, the EU has committed to cutting its greenhouse gas emissions to 20% below 1990 levels and further cuts are being decided for 2050. This commitment is one of the headline targets of the Europe 2020 growth strategy and is being implemented through binding legislation. This decarbonisation of the EU economy is one dimension of an overall EU energy and climate framework that is mutually interlinked with the need to ensure energy security, promote a fully integrated energy market, promote energy efficiency and promote research innovation and competitiveness. Power generation will have to take a particularly large part in emissions reductions (-54 to -68% by 2030 and -93 to -99% by 2050), mainly by focussing on increasing surface renewables (wind, tidal and solar) but also on carbon capture and storage on fossil fuel and biofuel power plants, shale gas, nuclear and geothermal power. All the above generation technologies share common geological challenges around containment, safety and environmental sustainability. In a densely populated continent, this means that high levels of subsurface management are needed to fully realise the energy potential. In response to this need, across Europe, public and private sector funded, experimental test and monitoring facilities and infrastructures (Geo-energy Test Beds, GETB) are being developed. These GETB investigate the processes, technology and practices that facilitate the sustainable exploitation of Geo-energy resources and are of intense interest to the public and regulators alike. The vision of EPOS IP Work Package 17 (wp17) is to promote research and innovation in Geo-energy that reflects core European energy priorities through provision of virtual access to data and protocols and trans-national access to GETB experiments. This will be achieved through provision of access to continuous strategic observations, promotion of the integrated use of data and models from European GETB, development of underpinning research services and facilitating transnational roadmap planning for Geo-energy research priorities. In the first instance the main action of wp17 will be to build a consortium, formalised by MoU, of 12-15 existing and new GETB infrastructures. The MoU will provide the framework in which access to data and services can be developed.

EPOS IP - Data, Data Products, Services and Software (DDSS Master Table)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Michalek, Jan; Atakan, Kuvvet

2017-04-01

The "European Plate Observing System - Implementation Phase" (EPOS IP, 2014-2019) project is about building a pan-European infrastructure for accessing solid Earth science data. This ambitious plan started in 2002 already with a Conception Phase and continued by an EPOS PP (Preparatory Phase, 2010-2014) where about 20 partners joined the project. The current EPOS IP project includes 47 partners plus 6 associate partners from 25 countries from all over Europe and several international organizations (ORFEUS, EMSC, EUREF). However, the community contributing to the EPOS integration plan is larger than the official partnership of EPOS IP project, because more countries are represented by the international organizations and because within each country there are several research institutions involved. The list of Data, Data Products, Services and Software (DDSS) provided by individual institutions, consortia or organizations which will become part of the EPOS system are currently collected in document called DDSS Master Table. There are 10 work packages (WP8-WP17) creating the Thematic Core Services (TCS) always grouped by a specific topic: Seismology, Near Fault Observatories, GNSS Data and Products, Volcano Observations, Satellite Data, Geomagnetic Observations, Anthropogenic Hazards, Geological Information and Modelling, Multi-scale laboratories and Geo-Energy Test Beds for Low Carbon Energy. Each of this group declared a list of DDSS elements which are about to be implemented. Currently there are about 455 DDSS elements in the DDSS Master Table. These DDSS elements are of different maturity and about 122 are declared by TCS groups to be ready for implementation which means that the data are well described with metadata, following the standards specific for their domain and, in the best case, with some services allowing their access already. The DDSS elements differ by its complexity as well. The DDSS Master Table serves as an overview of the DDSS elements and includes most of the important information needed for further implementation and is continuously updated as the project evolves. The presentation is showing statistics describing the current status of DDSS Master Table and complexity of the organizational structure at the TCS level.

Effects of brisk walking on static and dynamic balance, locomotion, body composition, and aerobic capacity in ageing healthy active men.

PubMed

Paillard, T; Lafont, C; Costes-Salon, M C; Rivière, D; Dupui, P

2004-10-01

This work analyses the short-term physiological and neurophysiological effects of a brisk walking programme in ageing, healthy, active men. Twenty-one men 63 to 72 years of age were recruited and separated into 2 groups. One group performed a walking programme (WP) (n = 11) and another served as control (C) group (n = 10). The walking programme lasted for twelve weeks and included five sessions per week. Several parameters were assessed before and after the programme for the WP group. The same tests were performed (separated by twelve weeks) in group C. During each assessment, the subjects were put through static and dynamic balance tests, spatio-temporal gait analysis, body composition measurements and determination of aerobic capacity and bone mineral density. The statistic analysis showed a significant improvement in dynamic balance performance, especially in lateral sway when the subjects kept their eyes open, an increase of VO(2) max and loss of fat mass in the WP group. However, no alterations appeared in spatiotemporal gait characteristics, static balance performance, lean mass or bone mineral density (total body and hip). According to these results, this walking programme may have positive effects on preventing ageing subjects from falling.

JPRS Report, East Europe.

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-04-12

the Polish Army Main Political Board [ GZP WP], Gen Tadeusz Szacilo, participated in the briefing. On the first day of the conference—Vice Admiral...Lud- wik Dutkowski, first deputy chief of the GZP WP, participated—participants heard many interesting JPRS-EER-88-030 12 April 1988...in these areas were presented by deputy chief of the GZP WP Brig Gen Tadeusz Kojder and Brig Gen Dr Leslaw Wojtasik. Much attention was devoted to

Demographic Trends, Policy Influences, and Economic Effects in China and India Through 2025

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-04-01

see Bardhan (2003). 42 over four children per woman. These northern states are poor and have weak infrastructure, educational systems, and...www.hsph.harvard.edu/pgda/WorkingPapers/2010/PGDA_WP_53.pdf Bardhan , Pranab, “Crouching Tiger, Lumbering Elephant: A China-India Comparison,” in Kaushik

Do Stricter High School Graduation Requirements Improve College Readiness? ACT Working Paper Series. WP-2014-1

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Buddin, Richard; Croft, Michelle

2014-01-01

In recent years, state policymakers have increased high school course requirements--particularly in mathematics and science. This research examines whether stricter requirements have been effective at improving student outcomes. Student-level evidence from a state's recent reform suggests that higher requirements had little effect on trends in…

Inside Thai Private Higher Education: Exploring Private Growth in International Context. PROPHE Working Paper Series. WP No. 12

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Praphamontripong, Prachayani

2008-01-01

This paper examines different institutional characteristics of Thai private higher education in historical-organizational perspective. The analysis applies different conceptual categories of private emergence--Catholic, elite, demand-absorbing--drawn from international literature starting with Levy (1986) to the Thai case. The societal context of…

Organizational Diversity in Chinese Private Higher Education. PROPHE Working Paper Series. WP No. 17

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cai, Yuzhuo; Yan, Fengqiao

2011-01-01

Organizational diversity has been empirically proved as a prevailing phenomenon in the global expansion of private higher education. Chinese private higher education, which surged as a response to supplement public education provision and absorb demands in the education market, demonstrates different organizational forms and operational models.…

Selected Urban Simulations and Games. IFF Working Paper WP-4.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nagelberg, Mark; Little, Dennis L.

Summary descriptions of selected urban simulations and games that have been developed outside the Institute For The Future are presented. The operating characteristics and potential applications of each model are described. These include (1) the history of development, (2) model and player requirements, (3) a description of the environment being…

A Historical and Contextual Look at Education and Workforce Development. Working Paper WP/05-02

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

California Postsecondary Education Commission, 2005

2005-01-01

The California Postsecondary Education Commission is currently producing a series of policy briefs examining the nexus between workforce development and postsecondary education. The research question "How does California's postsecondary education system contribute to the needs of the state's economy and its future?" will serve as the…

Distinctive Human Resources Are the Core Competencies of Firms. EQW Working Papers WP18.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cappelli, Peter; Crocker-Hefter, Anne

The interrelationship between people management practices and product market/competition was examined in a series of case comparisons of pairs of firms/organizations of the following types: professional sports teams, military services, retailing firms, information service firms, business schools, financial services, shipping services, and food and…

The New Institutionalism: Mismatches with Private Higher Education's Global Growth. PROPHE Working Paper Series. WP No. 3

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Levy, Daniel C.

2004-01-01

Spectacular contemporary growth in private higher education challenges the "new institutionalism" and its emphasis on "isomorphism." The growth brings great inter-organizational distinctiveness and is linked to technically rational competition. Findings about this growth and distinctiveness lead us to re-assess and revise…

Solid-state vs water-perfused catheters to measure colonic high-amplitude propagating contractions.

PubMed

Liem, O; Burgers, R E; Connor, F L; Benninga, M A; Reddy, S N; Mousa, H M; Di Lorenzo, C

2012-04-01

  Solid-state (SS) manometry catheters with portable data loggers offer many potential advantages over traditional water-perfused (WP) systems, such as prolonged recordings in a more physiologic ambulatory setting and the lack of risk for water overload. The use of SS catheters has not been evaluated in comparison with perfused catheters in children. This study aims to compare data provided by SS and WP catheters in children undergoing colonic manometry studies.   A SS catheter and a WP catheter were taped together such that their corresponding sensors were at the same location. Simultaneous recordings were obtained using the SS and WP catheters (both 8 channels, 10 cm apart) in 15 children with severe defecation disorders referred for colonic manometry. Signals were recorded for a minimum of 1 h during fasting, 1 h after ingestion of a meal, and 1 h after the administration of bisacodyl. Solid-state signals from the data logger were analyzed against the perfused signals. All high-amplitude propagated contractions (HAPCs), the most recognizable and interpreted colonic motor event, were evaluated for spatial and temporal features including their durations, amplitudes, and propagation velocities.   A total of 107 HAPCs were detected with SS and 91 with WP catheters. All WP-HAPC were also observed with SS. Linear regression analysis showed that SS catheters tended to give higher readings in the presence of amplitudes <102 mmHg and lower reading with amplitudes >102 mmHg. An opposite trend was found for the duration of contractions. No significant difference was found for HAPC velocity.   SS catheters are more sensitive in recording HAPCs in children with defecation disorders compared with the more traditional WP assembly. There is a difference in measurements of amplitude between the two systems. Solid-state catheters offer potential advantages over WP catheters in children, being portable, safer to use, and may provide data over a more prolonged period. © 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Deep-Sea Bacterium Shewanella piezotolerans WP3 Has Two Dimethyl Sulfoxide Reductases in Distinct Subcellular Locations

PubMed Central

Xiong, Lei; Jian, Huahua

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT Dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) acts as a substantial sink for dimethyl sulfide (DMS) in deep waters and is therefore considered a potential electron acceptor supporting abyssal ecosystems. Shewanella piezotolerans WP3 was isolated from west Pacific deep-sea sediments, and two functional DMSO respiratory subsystems are essential for maximum growth of WP3 under in situ conditions (4°C/20 MPa). However, the relationship between these two subsystems and the electron transport pathway underlying DMSO reduction by WP3 remain unknown. In this study, both DMSO reductases (type I and type VI) in WP3 were found to be functionally independent despite their close evolutionary relationship. Moreover, immunogold labeling of DMSO reductase subunits revealed that the type I DMSO reductase was localized on the outer leaflet of the outer membrane, whereas the type VI DMSO reductase was located within the periplasmic space. CymA, a cytoplasmic membrane-bound tetraheme c-type cytochrome, served as a preferential electron transport protein for the type I and type VI DMSO reductases, in which type VI accepted electrons from CymA in a DmsE- and DmsF-independent manner. Based on these results, we proposed a core electron transport model of DMSO reduction in the deep-sea bacterium S. piezotolerans WP3. These results collectively suggest that the possession of two sets of DMSO reductases with distinct subcellular localizations may be an adaptive strategy for WP3 to achieve maximum DMSO utilization in deep-sea environments. IMPORTANCE As the dominant methylated sulfur compound in deep oceanic water, dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) has been suggested to play an important role in the marine biogeochemical cycle of the volatile anti-greenhouse gas dimethyl sulfide (DMS). Two sets of DMSO respiratory systems in the deep-sea bacterium Shewanella piezotolerans WP3 have previously been identified to mediate DMSO reduction under in situ conditions (4°C/20 MPa). Here, we report that the two DMSO reductases (type I and type VI) in WP3 have distinct subcellular localizations, in which type I DMSO reductase is localized to the exterior surface of the outer membrane and type VI DMSO reductase resides in the periplasmic space. A core electron transport model of DMSO reduction in WP3 was constructed based on genetic and physiological data. These results will contribute to a comprehensive understanding of the adaptation mechanisms of anaerobic respiratory systems in benthic microorganisms. PMID:28687647

Enabling Lead Free Interconnects in DoD Weapon Systems

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-09-28

FINAL PRESENTATION Enabling Lead-Free Interconnects in DoD Weapon Systems ESTCP Project WP-201573-T2 SEPTEMBER 2017 Dr. Stephan Meschter BAE...Meschter 5d. PROJECT NUMBER 5e. TASK NUMBER 5f. WORK UNIT NUMBER 7. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) BAE...the results of the SERDP lead- free projects to various stake-holders and to enable standardization. The work products and transferred data must not be

Updated reduced CMB data and constraints on cosmological parameters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cai, Rong-Gen; Guo, Zong-Kuan; Tang, Bo

2015-07-01

We obtain the reduced CMB data {lA, R, z∗} from WMAP9, WMAP9+BKP, Planck+WP and Planck+WP+BKP for the ΛCDM and wCDM models with or without spatial curvature. We then use these reduced CMB data in combination with low-redshift observations to put constraints on cosmological parameters. We find that including BKP results in a higher value of the Hubble constant especially when the equation of state (EOS) of dark energy and curvature are allowed to vary. For the ΛCDM model with curvature, the estimate of the Hubble constant with Planck+WP+Lensing is inconsistent with the one derived from Planck+WP+BKP at about 1.2σ confidence level (CL).

Oral sensitization to whey proteins induces age- and sex-dependent behavioral abnormality and neuroinflammatory responses in a mouse model of food allergy: a potential role of mast cells.

PubMed

Germundson, Danielle L; Smith, Nicholas A; Vendsel, Lane P; Kelsch, Andrea V; Combs, Colin K; Nagamoto-Combs, Kumi

2018-04-23

Growing evidence has strengthened the association of food allergy with neuropsychiatric symptoms such as depression, anxiety, and autism. However, underlying mechanisms by which peripheral allergic responses lead to behavioral dysfunction are yet to be determined. Allergen-activated mast cells may serve as mediators by releasing histamine and other inflammatory factors that could adversely affect brain function. We hypothesized that eliciting food allergy in experimental animals would result in behavioral changes accompanied by mast cell accumulation in the brain. Our hypothesis was tested in a mouse model of milk allergy using bovine milk whey proteins (WP) as the allergen. Male and female C57BL/6 mice at 4 weeks (young) and 10 months (old) of age underwent 5-week WP sensitization with weekly intragastric administration of 20 mg WP and 10 μg cholera toxin as an adjuvant. Age-matched sham animals were given the vehicle containing only the adjuvant. All animals were orally challenged with 50 mg WP in week 6 and their intrinsic digging behavior was assessed the next day. Animals were sacrificed 3 days after the challenge, and WP-specific serum IgE, intestinal and brain mast cells, glial activation, and epigenetic DNA modification in the brain were examined. WP-sensitized males showed significantly less digging activity than the sham males in both age groups while no apparent difference was observed in females. Mast cells and their activities were evident in the intestines in an age- and sex-dependent manner. Brain mast cells were predominantly located in the region between the lateral midbrain and medial hippocampus, and their number increased in the WP-sensitized young, but not old, male brains. Noticeable differences in for 5-hydroxymethylcytosine immunoreactivity were observed in WP mice of both age groups in the amygdala, suggesting epigenetic regulation. Increased microglial Iba1 immunoreactivity and perivascular astrocytes hypertrophy were also observed in the WP-sensitized old male mice. Our results demonstrated that food allergy induced behavioral abnormality, increases in the number of mast cells, epigenetic DNA modification in the brain, microgliosis, and astrocyte hypertrophy in a sex- and age-dependent manner, providing a potential mechanism by which peripheral allergic responses evoke behavioral dysfunction.

Paperless Work Package Application

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

Kilgore, Jr., William R.; Morrell, Jr., Otto K.; Morrison, Dan

2014-07-31

Paperless Work Package (PWP) System is a computer program process that takes information from Asset Suite, provides a platform for other electronic inputs, Processes the inputs into an electronic package that can be downloaded onto an electronic work tablet or laptop computer, provides a platform for electronic inputs into the work tablet, and then transposes those inputs back into Asset Suite and to permanent SRS records. The PWP System will basically eliminate paper requirements from the maintenance work control system. The program electronically relays the instructions given by the planner to work on a piece of equipment which is currentlymore » relayed via a printed work package. The program does not control/approve what is done. The planner will continue to plan the work package, the package will continue to be routed, approved, and scheduled. The supervisor reviews and approves the work to be performed and assigns work to individuals or to a work group. (The supervisor conducts pre job briefings with the workers involved in the job) The Operations Manager (Work Controlling Entity) approves the work package electronically for the work that will be done in his facility prior to work starting. The PWP System will provide the package in an electronic form. All the reviews, approvals, and safety measures taken by people outside the electronic package does not change from the paper driven work packages.« less

Whole-Pelvis or Bladder-Only Chemoradiation for Lymph Node-Negative Invasive Bladder Cancer: Single-Institution Experience

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

Tunio, Mutahir A., E-mail: drmutahirtonio@hotmail.com; Hashmi, Altaf; Qayyum, Abdul

2012-03-01

Purpose: Whole-pelvis (WP) concurrent chemoradiation (CCRT) is the standard bladder preserving option for patients with invasive bladder cancer. The standard practice is to treat elective pelvic lymph nodes, so our aim was to evaluate whether bladder-only (BO) CCRT leads to results similar to those obtained by standard WP-CCRT. Methods and Materials: Patient eligibility included histopathologically proven muscle-invasive bladder cancer, lymph nodes negative (T2-T4, N-) by radiology, and maximal transurethral resection of bladder tumor with normal hematologic, renal, and liver functions. Between March 2005 and May 2006, 230 patients were accrued. Patients were randomly assigned to WP-CCRT (120 patients) and BO-CCRTmore » (110 patients). Data regarding the toxicity profile, compliance, initial complete response rates at 3 months, and occurrence of locoregional or distant failure were recorded. Results: With a median follow-up time of 5 years (range, 3-6), WP-CCRT was associated with a 5-year disease-free survival of 47.1% compared with 46.9% in patients treated with BO-CCRT (p = 0.5). The bladder preservation rates were 58.9% and 57.1% in WP-CCRT and BO-CCRT, respectively (p = 0.8), and the 5-year overall survival rates were 52.9% for WP-CCRT and 51% for BO-CCRT (p = 0.8). Conclusion: BO-CCRT showed similar rates of bladder preservation, disease-free survival, and overall survival rates as those of WP-CCRT. Smaller field sizes including bladder with 2-cm margins can be used as bladder preservation protocol for patients with muscle-invasive lymph node-negative bladder cancer to minimize the side effects of CCRT.« less

Factors associated with participation in and benefits of a worksite wellness program.

PubMed

Merrill, Ray M; Hull, John D

2013-08-01

The objective of this study was to describe employees most likely to participate in a Personal Wellness Profile (PWP) and/or in a worksite Wellness Program (WP), and to identify whether an association exists between participation and trends in number of health care services and cost of services per person. A retrospective cohort study was conducted using medical claims data from the Deseret Mutual Benefit Administrators, 2004 through 2009. The PWP and WP involved more than 30% of employee contract holders. Participation in the PWP and WP were lower in the older age group and higher among women, married people, and those with an annual income of at least $40,000. Average annual cost per person during 2004-2006 was significantly positively associated with completing the PWP in 2007-2009. Those in the highest quartile for average annual cost per person in 2004-2006 were significantly less likely to participate in the WP in 2007-2009. During 2004-2009, a significantly increasing trend in average annual cost per person was similar, but at a lower level for PWP participants. The trend line also was lower for WP participants, and increased at a lower rate. The lower rate of increase in the trends for average cost per person among those in the WP indicates that the intervention is effective at slowing escalating costs. Additional years of data should be assessed, when available, to confirm this pattern.

Culture-dependent and culture-independent analyses reveal no prokaryotic community shifts or recovery of Serratia marcescens in Acropora palmata with white pox disease.

PubMed

Lesser, Michael P; Jarett, Jessica K

2014-06-01

Recently, the etiological agent of white pox (WP) disease, also known as acroporid serratiosis, in the endangered coral Acropora palmata is the enteric bacterium Serratia marcescens with the source being localized sewage release onto coastal coral reef communities. Here, we show that both culture-dependent and culture-independent approaches could not recover this bacterium from samples of tissue and mucus from A. palmata colonies affected by WP disease in the Bahamas, or seawater collected adjacent to A. palmata colonies. Additionally, a metagenetic 16S rRNA pyrosequencing study shows no significant difference in the bacterial communities of coral tissues with and without WP lesions. As recent studies have shown for other coral diseases, S. marcescens cannot be identified in all cases of WP disease in several geographically separated populations of A. palmata with the same set of signs. As a result, its identification as the etiological agent of WP disease, and cause of a reverse zoonosis, cannot be broadly supported. However, the prevalence of WP disease associated with S. marcescens does appear to be associated with proximity to population centers, and research efforts should be broadened to examine this association, and to identify other causes of this syndrome. © 2014 Federation of European Microbiological Societies. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. All rights reserved.

Transverse Myelitis Association

MedlinePlus

... INSPIRATION What is Anti-Myelin Oligodendrocyte Glycoprotein (MOG)? https://myelitis.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/blog_research.jpg 999 1500 The TMA https://myelitis.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/TMA- ...

Interaction between casein micelles and whey protein/κ-casein complexes during renneting of heat-treated reconstituted skim milk powder and casein micelle/serum mixtures.

PubMed

Kethireddipalli, Prashanti; Hill, Arthur R; Dalgleish, Douglas G

2011-02-23

Casein micelles were separated from unheated reconstituted skim milk powder (RSMP) and were resuspended in the serum of RSMP that had been heated, with and without dialysis of this serum against unheated RSMP. Using size-exclusion chromatography, it was found that the soluble complexes of whey protein (WP) with κ-casein in the serum of the heated milk bind progressively to unheated casein micelles during renneting, even prior to the onset of clotting. Similar trends were noted when casein micelles from RSMP heated at pH values of 6.7, 7.1, or 6.3, each with different amounts of WP coating the micelles, were renneted in the presence of soluble WP/κ-casein complexes. No matter what was the initial load of micelle-bound WP complexes, all micelle types were capable of binding additional serum protein complexes during renneting. However, it is not clear that this binding of WP/κ-casein complexes to the micellar surface is a direct cause of the impaired rennet clotting of the RSMP.

Effects of pentastarch and albumin infusion on cardiorespiratory function and coagulation in patients with severe sepsis and systemic hypoperfusion.

PubMed

Rackow, E C; Mecher, C; Astiz, M E; Griffel, M; Falk, J L; Weil, M H

1989-05-01

Twenty consecutive patients with severe sepsis were randomized to fluid challenge with 5% albumin or 10% low MW hydroxyethyl starch (pentastarch) solutions. Fluid challenge was administered iv as 250 ml of test colloid every 15 min until the pulmonary artery wedge pressure (WP) was greater than or equal to 15 mm Hg or a maximum dose of 2000 ml was infused. Hemodynamic, respiratory, and coagulation profiles were measured before and after fluid infusion. The amount of colloid required to achieve a WP of 15 mm Hg was comparable between groups. Both colloid infusions resulted in similar increases in cardiac output, stroke output, and stroke work. The effect of fluid infusion with pentastarch on coagulation was not significantly different from albumin, although pentastarch was associated with a 45% decrease in factor VIII:c. We conclude that pentastarch is equivalent to albumin for fluid resuscitation of patients with severe sepsis.

Flat-plate solar array progress and plans

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Callaghan, W. T.; Henry, P. K.

1984-01-01

The Flat-Plate Solar Array Project (FSA), sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and managed by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), has achieved progress in a broad range of technical activities since that reported at the Fourth European Communities Conference. A particularly important analysis has been completed recently which confirms the adoption into practice by the U.S. Photovoltaic (PV Industry, of all the low-cost module technology elements proposed at the 16th Project Integration Meeting for a $2.80/Wp (1980 U.S. Dollars) design approach in the fall of 1980. This work presents along with a projection, using the same techniques, for what is believed to be a very credible ribbon-based module design for less that $0.55/Wp (1980 U.S. Dollars). Other areas to be reported upon include low-cost Si feedstock refinement; ribbon growth; process sequence development for cells; environmental isolation; engineering science investigations; and module testing progress.

Production and characterization of monoclonal antibodies to wall-localized peroxidases from corn seedlings

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kim, S. H.; Terry, M. E.; Hoops, P.; Dauwalder, M.; Roux, S. J.

1988-01-01

A library of 22 hybridomas, which make antibodies to soluble wall antigens from the coleoptiles and primary leaves of etiolated corn (Zea mays L.) seedlings, was raised and cloned three times by limit dilution to assure monoclonal growth and stability. Two of these hybridomas made immunoglobulin G antibodies, designated mWP3 and mWP19, which both effectively immunoprecipitated peroxidase activity from crude and partially purified preparations of wall peroxidases. Direct peroxidase-binding assays revealed that both antibodies bound enzymes with peroxidase activity. As judged by immunoblot analyses, mWP3 recognized a Mr 98,000 wall peroxidase with an isoelectric point near 4.2, and mWP19 recognized a Mr 58,000 wall peroxidase. Immunogold localization studies showed both peroxidases are predominately in cell walls.

Evaluation of the effects of mulch on optimum sowing date and irrigation management of zero till wheat in central Punjab, India using APSIM.

PubMed

Balwinder-Singh; Humphreys, E; Gaydon, D S; Eberbach, P L

2016-10-01

Machinery for sowing wheat directly into rice residues has become more common in the rice-wheat systems of the north-west Indo-Gangetic Plains of South Asia, with increasing numbers of farmers now potentially able to access the benefits of residue retention. However, surface residue retention affects soil water and temperature dynamics, thus the optimum sowing date and irrigation management for a mulched crop may vary from those of a traditional non-mulched crop. Furthermore, the effects of sowing date and irrigation management are likely to vary with soil type and seasonal conditions. Therefore, a simulation study was conducted using the APSIM model and 40 years of weather data to evaluate the effects of mulch, sowing date and irrigation management and their interactions on wheat grain yield, irrigation requirement (I) and water productivity with respect to irrigation (WP I ) and evapotranspiration (WP ET ). The results suggest that the optimum wheat sowing date in central Punjab depends on both soil type and the presence or absence of mulch. On the sandy loam, with irrigation scheduled at 50% soil water deficit (SWD), the optimum sowing date was late October to early November for maximising yield, WP I and WP ET . On the clay loam, the optimum date was about one week later. The effect of mulch on yield varied with seasonal conditions and sowing date. With irrigation at 50% SWD, mulching of wheat sown at the optimum time increased average yield by up to 0.5 t ha -1 . The beneficial effect of mulch on yield increased to averages of 1.2-1.3 t ha -1 as sowing was advanced to 15 October. With irrigation at 50% SWD and 7 November sowing, mulch reduced the number of irrigations by one in almost 50% of years, a reduction of about 50 mm on the sandy loam and 60 mm on the clay loam. The reduction in irrigation amount was mainly due to reduced soil evaporation. Mulch reduced irrigation requirement by more as sowing was delayed, more so on the sandy loam than the clay loam soil. There was little effect of mulch on irrigation requirement for late October sowings. There were large trade-offs between irrigation input, yield, WP ET and WP I on the sandy loam with regard to the optimum irrigation schedule. Maximum yield occurred with very frequent irrigation (10-20% SWD) which also had the greatest irrigation input, while WP I was highest with least frequent irrigation (70% SWD), and WP ET was highest with irrigation at 40-50% SWD. This was the case with and without mulch. On the clay loam, the trade-offs were not so pronounced, as maximum yield was reached with irrigation at 50% SWD, with and without mulch. However, both WP ET and WP I were maximum and irrigation input least at the lowest irrigation frequency (70% SWD). On both soils, maximum yield, WP ET and WP I were higher with mulch, while irrigation input was slightly lower, but mulch had very little effect on the irrigation thresholds at which each parameter was maximised.

Combined Arms Maneuver, Wide Area Security, and Dynamic Capabilities

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-03-21

Operation (COIN) had its origins in field manuals (FM’s), like FM 31-20, Operations against Guerrilla Forces (1951). The Army revised its doctrinal...work were the publication of a new counterinsurgency doctrinal manual , in December of 2006. Most of the work on this manual did not occur until 2005...October 2, 2007, http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp.dyn/content/article/2007/10/01/ ar2007100101760. htp (accessed January 15, 2012). 53 U.S

"(Un)informed College and Major Choice": Verification in an Alternate Setting. CEDR Working Paper. WP #2015-11

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Huntington-Klein, Nick

2015-01-01

The decision to pursue formal education has significant labor market implications. To approach the decision rationally, a student must consider the costs and benefits of each available option. However, mounting empirical evidence suggests that reported expectations of costs and benefits are uncertain and vary across students. Hastings et al.…

A Contextual Examination of Education and Workforce Development in California. Working Paper WP/05-04

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

California Postsecondary Education Commission, 2005

2005-01-01

The role and responsibility of postsecondary education in preparing California's workforce demand both a research-based examination and a comprehensive discussion that can bring education and workforce interests together at the state level. This policy brief and others to follow examine where and how the state's postsecondary systems fit into a…

Indian Private Higher Education in Comparative Perspective. PROPHE Working Paper Series. WP No. 13

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Levy, Daniel C.

2008-01-01

India demonstrates many features characteristic of private higher education in much of the world. Among these features are proportional size, with roughly 30 percent of total enrollment, and fast growth. Also rather typical is finance, which comes almost exclusively from non-government sources, principally tuition, while public higher education is…

Small Spacecraft Technology Initiative Education Program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1995-01-01

A NASA engineer with the Commercial Remote Sensing Program (CRSP) at Stennis Space Center works with students from W.P. Daniels High School in New Albany, Miss., through NASA's Small Spacecraft Technology Initiative Program. CRSP is teaching students to use remote sensing to locate a potential site for a water reservoir to offset a predicted water shortage in the community's future.

Superhydrophobicity of Hierarchical and ZNO Nanowire Coatings

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-01-01

AFRL-RX-WP-TP-2014-0141 SUPERHYDROPHOBICITY OF HIERARCHICAL ZNO NANOWIRE COATINGS (POSTPRINT) Shin Mou AFRL/RXAN JANUARY... SUPERHYDROPHOBICITY OF HIERARCHICAL ZNO NANOWIRE COATINGS (POSTPRINT) 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER In-house 5b. GRANT NUMBER 5c. PROGRAM ELEMENT...or disclose the work. The final publication is available at www.rsc.org/MaterialsA. 14. ABSTRACT Hierarchical superhydrophobic surfaces were

External Affiliations and Diversity: Chile's Private Universities in International Perspective. PROPHE Working Paper Series. WP No. 4

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bernasconi, Andres

2004-01-01

The expansion of private sectors of higher education has usually been regarded as a factor of diversification in higher education systems. Some of this differentiation has been associated, but without systematic study, to the affiliation of private institutions with organizations outside the field of higher education. This article reports the…

A Prospectus to Study the Effect of High School Academic Performance Index on University Eligibility. Working Paper WP/05-06

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

California Postsecondary Education Commission, 2005

2005-01-01

The California Postsecondary Education Commission periodically conducts studies of university eligibility of public high school graduates. The eligibility rates from these studies are the proportion of high school graduates who qualify for freshman admission to California public universities. Eligibility is based on completion of specific high…

Do Students' College Major Choices Respond to Changes in Wages? CEDR Working Paper. WP #2014-­6

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Long, Mark C.; Goldhaber, Dan; Huntington-Klein, Nick

2014-01-01

We find statistically significant relationships between changes in wages by occupation and subsequent changes in college majors completed in associated fields. College majors (defined at a detailed level) are most strongly related to wages observed three years earlier, when students were college freshmen. The responses to wages vary depending on…

Safety in Construction Using Virtual Reality (SAVR): A Model for Labor Safety. Working Paper Series WP-022.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hadipriono, Fabian C.; And Others

An interactive training model called SAVR (Safety in Construction Using Virtual Reality) was developed to train construction students, novice engineers, and construction workers to prevent falls from scaffolding. The model was implemented in a graphics supercomputer, the ONYX Reality Engine2. The SAVR model provides trainees with an immersive,…

Will Courts Shape Value-Added Methods for Teacher Evaluation? ACT Working Paper Series. WP-2014-2

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Croft, Michelle; Buddin, Richard

2014-01-01

As more states begin to adopt teacher evaluation systems based on value-added measures, legal challenges have been filed both seeking to limit the use of value-added measures ("Cook v. Stewart") and others seeking to require more robust evaluation systems ("Vergara v. California"). This study reviews existing teacher evaluation…

RAC1 GTP-ase signals Wnt-beta-catenin pathway mediated integrin-directed metastasis-associated tumor cell phenotypes in triple negative breast cancers.

PubMed

De, Pradip; Carlson, Jennifer H; Jepperson, Tyler; Willis, Scooter; Leyland-Jones, Brian; Dey, Nandini

2017-01-10

The acquisition of integrin-directed metastasis-associated (ID-MA) phenotypes by Triple-Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC) cells is caused by an upregulation of the Wnt-beta-catenin pathway (WP). We reported that WP is one of the salient genetic features of TNBC. RAC-GTPases, small G-proteins which transduce signals from cell surface proteins including integrins, have been implicated in tumorigenesis and metastasis by their role in essential cellular functions like motility. The collective percentage of alteration(s) in RAC1 in ER+ve BC was lower as compared to ER-ve BC (35% vs 57%) (brca/tcga/pub2015). High expression of RAC1 was associated with poor outcome for RFS with HR=1.48 [CI: 1.15-1.9] p=0.0019 in the Hungarian ER-veBC cohort. Here we examined how WP signals are transduced via RAC1 in the context of ID-MA phenotypes in TNBC. Using pharmacological agents (sulindac sulfide), genetic tools (beta-catenin siRNA), WP modulators (Wnt-C59, XAV939), RAC1 inhibitors (NSC23766, W56) and WP stimulations (LWnt3ACM, Wnt3A recombinant) in a panel of 6-7 TNBC cell lines, we studied fibronectin-directed (1) migration, (2) matrigel invasion, (3) RAC1 and Cdc42 activation, (4) actin dynamics (confocal microscopy) and (5) podia-parameters. An attenuation of WP, which (a) decreased cellular levels of beta-catenin, as well as its nuclear active-form, (b) decreased fibronectin-induced migration, (c) decreased invasion, (d) altered actin dynamics and (e) decreased podia-parameters was successful in blocking fibronectin-mediated RAC1/Cdc42 activity. Both Wnt-antagonists and RAC1 inhibitors blocked fibronectin-induced RAC1 activation and inhibited the fibronectin-induced ID-MA phenotypes following specific WP stimulation by LWnt3ACM as well as Wnt3A recombinant protein. To test a direct involvement of RAC1-activation in WP-mediated ID-MA phenotypes, we stimulated brain-metastasis specific MDA-MB231BR cells with LWnt3ACM. LWnt3ACM-stimulated fibronectin-directed migration was blocked by RAC1 inhibition in MDA-MB231BR cells. In the light of our previous report that WP upregulation causes ID-MA phenotypes in TNBC tumor cells, here we provide the first mechanism based evidence to demonstrate that WP upregulation signals ID-MA tumor cell phenotypes in a RAC1-GTPase dependent manner involving exchange-factors like TIAM1 and VAV2. Our study demonstrates for the first time that beta-catenin-RAC1 cascade signals integrin-directed metastasis-associated tumor cell phenotypes in TNBC.

A Description of the Framework of the Atmospheric Boundary Layer Environment (ABLE) Model

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-09-01

difference scheme (CDS). For the mass flux through the face e of CV, mUDSe CDS e UDS ee QQQQ )(  . (16) The superscript m again means that...PEPee xr  , zyCUQ EEE   , and the lowercase subscripts represents the advective fluxes at the corresponding faces of control volume...WP wW PE eE WP WP wPwW PE PE eEeP we we xx zyD FC xx zyD

The Establishment of a Management Information Systems Research Center at the Naval Postgraduate School

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-09-01

Project WP 88-03 GDSS Technology in Practice: A Study D. Straub R. Beauclair WP 88-04 Interaction Analysis in GDSS Research: I. Zigurs Description of an...03 GDSS Technology in Practice: A Study (D. Straub and R. Beauclair ) 4. WP 88-04 Interaction Analysis in GDSS Research: Description of an Experience...Implementing an Information Architecture," Data Base, forthcoming. 25 Straub, D. W. and R. A. Beauclair . "A New Dimension to Decision Support

JCOMM Expert Team on Sea Ice (ETSI), Third Session Steering Group for the Global Digital Sea Ice Data Bank (GDSIDB) Eleventh Session

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-03-01

SHIPPING ASSESSMENT (AMSA) - TERMS OF REFERENCE BACKGROUND In November 2004, the Arctic Council released the Arctic Climate Impact Assesment (ACIA...studied. Project Plan: In an effort to assess Arctic marine activity and the resulting social, economic, and environmental impacts , the AMSA project is...Economics) WP 4 - Environmental Impact of Today’s Arctic Marine Activity WP 5 - Environmental Impact of Arctic Marine Activity in 2020 and 2050 WP 6

Promotion of immune and glycaemic functions in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats treated with un-denatured camel milk whey proteins.

PubMed

Ebaid, Hossam

2014-01-01

T cell mediated autoimmune diabetes is characterized by immune cell infiltration of pancreatic islets and destruction of insulin-producing β-cells. This study was designed to assess the effect of whey proteins (WP) on the responsiveness of lymphocytes in rats after four months of Streptozotocin (STZ)-induced Type 1 diabetes (T1D). A diabetic group was supplemented with WP daily for five weeks at a dose of 100 mg/kg. Ribonucleic acid (RNA) was extracted from stimulated lymphocytes in order to analyse gene expressions using real time PCR and RT-PCR. PCR results were confirmed with ELISA. The proliferation capacity of lymphocytes and their homing to the spleen were studied. Antigen-activated lymphocytes showed that diabetes impaired the mRNA expression of the protein kinase B (Akt1), Cdc42, and the co-stimulatory molecule, CD28, which are important for cell survival, actin polymerization and T cell activation, respectively. Accordingly, proliferation of lymphocytes was found to be suppressed in diabetic rats, both in vivo and in vitro. WP was found to restore Akt1, Cdc42 and CD28 mRNA expression during diabetes to normal levels. WP, therefore, served to activate the proliferation of B lymphocytes in diabetic rats both in vivo and in vitro. Although WP was found to up-regulate mRNA expression of both interleukin (IL)-2 and interferon gamma (IFN-γ), it suppressed the proliferation activity of almost all T cell subsets. This was confirmed by WP normalizing the structure and function of ß cells. Meanwhile, WP was found to down regulate the mRNA expression of Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and its programmed cell death-receptor (Fas). Taken together, the results of this study provide evidence for the potential impact of WP in the treatment of immune impairment in T1D, suggesting that it serves to reverse autoimmunity by suppressing autoreactive T cells and down regulating TNF-α and Fas, resulting in improved pancreatic ß cell structure and function.

3D mapping of existing observing capabilities in the frame of GAIA-CLIM H2020 project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Emanuele, Tramutola; Madonna, Fabio; Marco, Rosoldi; Francesco, Amato

2017-04-01

The aim of the Gap Analysis for Integrated Atmospheric ECV CLImate Monitoring (GAIA-CLIM) project is to improve our ability to use ground-based and sub-orbital observations to characterise satellite observations for a number of atmospheric Essential Climate Variables (ECVs). The key outcomes will be a "Virtual Observatory" (VO) facility of co-locations and their uncertainties and a report on gaps in capabilities or understanding, which shall be used to inform subsequent Horizon 2020 activities. In particular, Work Package 1 (WP1) of the GAIA-CLIM project is devoted to the geographical mapping of existing non-satellite measurement capabilities for a number of ECVs in the atmospheric, oceanic and terrestrial domains. The work carried out within WP1 has allowed to provide the users with an up-to-date geographical identification, at the European and global scales, of current surface-based, balloon-based and oceanic (floats) observing capabilities on an ECV by ECV basis for several parameters which can be obtained using space-based observations from past, present and planned satellite missions. Having alighted on a set of metadata schema to follow, a consistent collection of discovery metadata has been provided into a common structure and will be made available to users through the GAIA-CLIM VO in 2018. Metadata can be interactively visualized through a 3D Graphical User Interface. The metadataset includes 54 plausible networks and 2 aircraft permanent infrastructures for EO Characterisation in the context of GAIA-CLIM currently operating on different spatial domains and measuring different ECVs using one or more measurement techniques. Each classified network has in addition been assessed for suitability against metrological criteria to identifyy those with a level of maturity which enables closure on a comparison with satellite measurements. The metadata GUI is based on Cesium, a virtual globe freeware and open source written in Javascript. It allows users to apply different filters to the data displayed on the globe, selecting data per ECV, network, measurements type and level of maturity. Filtering is operated with a query to GeoServer web application through the WFS interface on a data layer configured on our DB Postgres with PostGIS extension; filters set on the GUI are expressed using ECQL (Extended Common Query Language). The GUI allows to visualize in real-time the current non-satellite observing capabilities along with the satellite platforms measuring the same ECVs. Satellite ground track and footprint of the instruments on board can be also visualized. This work contributes to improve metadata and web map services and to facilitate users' experience in the spatio-temporal analysis of Earth Observation data.

Vulnerability assessment at a national level in Georgia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tsereteli, N.; Arabidze, V.; Varazanashvili, O.; Gugeshashvili, T.

2012-04-01

Vulnerability assessment at a national level in Georgia Nino Tsereteli, Vakhtang Arabidze, Otar Varazanashvili, Tengiz Gugeshashvili The risk always exists when cities are built on. Population growth in cities and urbanization in natural hazard-prone zones leads to infrastructure expansion. The goal of the society is to construct natural hazards resistant infrastructure and minimize the expected losses. This is a complicated task as there is always knowledge deficiency on real seismic hazard and vulnerability. Assessment of vulnerability is vital in risk analysis, as vulnerability is defined in many different ways. Work presented here mostly deals with assessment of infrastructure's and population vulnerability at national level in Georgia. This work was initiated by NATO SFP project "seismic Hazard and Risk Assessment for Southern Caucasus - Eastern Turkey Energy Corridors" and the two work packages WP4 (seismic risk) and WP5 (city scenarios) of risk module of EMME (Earthquake Model of the Middle East Region) project. First step was creation databases (inventory) of elements at risk in GIS. Element at risk were the buildings, population, pipelines. The inventories was studied and Created in GIS for the following categories: Building material, number of stories, number of entrances, condition of building, building period. For pipelines pipe tipe (continous or segmented), material, pipe diameter. Very important is to estimate the initial cost of building for assessment of economic losses. From this purpose the attempt was done and the algorithm of this estimation were prepared taking into account obtained the inventory. Build quality, reliability and durability are of special importance to corresponding state agencies and include different aesthetic, engineering, practical, social, technological and economical aspects. The necessity that all of these aspects satisfy existing normative requirements becomes evident as the building and structures come into exploitation. The long term usage of building is very complex. It relates to the reliability and durability of buildings. The long term usage and durability of a building is determined by the concept of depreciation. Depreciation of an entire building is calculated by summing the products of individual construction unit' depreciation rates and the corresponding value of these units within the building. This method of calculation is based on an assumption that depreciation is proportional to the building's (constructions) useful life. We used this methodology to create a matrix, which provides a way to evaluate the depreciation rates of buildings with different type and construction period and to determine their corresponding value. Finely some attempt was done to investigate how these structures were damaged by various hazards. In other words vulnerability curves were constrained on the basis on the relation between various hazard intensities and damage data.

Good practice in reviewing and publishing studies on herbal medicine, with special emphasis on traditional Chinese medicine and Chinese materia medica.

PubMed

Chan, Kelvin; Shaw, Debbie; Simmonds, Monique S J; Leon, Christine J; Xu, Qihe; Lu, Aiping; Sutherland, Ian; Ignatova, Svetlana; Zhu, You-Ping; Verpoorte, Rob; Williamson, Elizabeth M; Duez, Pierre

2012-04-10

Studies on traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), like those of other systems of traditional medicine (TM), are very variable in their quality, content and focus, resulting in issues around their acceptability to the global scientific community. In an attempt to address these issues, an European Union funded FP7 consortium, composed of both Chinese and European scientists and named "Good practice in traditional Chinese medicine" (GP-TCM), has devised a series of guidelines and technical notes to facilitate good practice in collecting, assessing and publishing TCM literature as well as highlighting the scope of information that should be in future publications on TMs. This paper summarises these guidelines, together with what has been learned through GP-TCM collaborations, focusing on some common problems and proposing solutions. The recommendations also provide a template for the evaluation of other types of traditional medicine such as Ayurveda, Kampo and Unani. GP-TCM provided a means by which experts in different areas relating to TCM were able to collaborate in forming a literature review good practice panel which operated through e-mail exchanges, teleconferences and focused discussions at annual meetings. The panel involved coordinators and representatives of each GP-TCM work package (WP) with the latter managing the testing and refining of such guidelines within the context of their respective WPs and providing feedback. A Good Practice Handbook for Scientific Publications on TCM was drafted during the three years of the consortium, showing the value of such networks. A "deliverable - central questions - labour division" model had been established to guide the literature evaluation studies of each WP. The model investigated various scoring systems and their ability to provide consistent and reliable semi-quantitative assessments of the literature, notably in respect of the botanical ingredients involved and the scientific quality of the work described. This resulted in the compilation of (i) a robust scoring system and (ii) a set of minimum standards for publishing in the herbal medicines field, based on an analysis of the main problems identified in published TCM literature. Good quality, peer-reviewed literature is crucial in maintaining the integrity and the reputation of the herbal scientific community and promoting good research in TCM. These guidelines provide a clear starting point for this important endeavour. They also provide a platform for adaptation, as appropriate, to other systems of traditional medicine. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Tourette Association Chapters

MedlinePlus

... 1 [read] => 1 [upload_files] => 1 [chapter] => 1 ) [filter] => ) Alaska Chapter View WP_User Object ( [data] => stdClass ... 1 [read] => 1 [upload_files] => 1 [chapter] => 1 ) [filter] => ) Arizona Chapter View WP_User Object ( [data] => stdClass ...

Phase-controlled synthesis of polymorphic tungsten diphosphide with hybridization of monoclinic and orthorhombic phases as a novel electrocatalyst for efficient hydrogen evolution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pi, Mingyu; Wu, Tianli; Guo, Weimeng; Wang, Xiaodeng; Zhang, Dingke; Wang, Shuxia; Chen, Shijian

2017-05-01

The design and development of high-efficiency and non-noble-metal hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) electrocatalysts for future clean and renewable energy system has excited significant research interests over the recent years. In this communication, the polymorphic tungsten diphosphide (p-WP2) nanoparticles with mixed monoclinic (α-) and orthorhombic (β-) phases are synthesized by phase-controlled phosphidation route via vacuum capsulation and explored as a novel efficient electrocatalyst towards HER. The p-WP2 catalyst delivers superior performance with excellent stability under both acidic and alkaline conditions over its single phases of α-WP2 and β-WP2. This finding demonstrates that a highly efficient hybrid electrocatalyst can be achieved via precise composition controlling and may open up exciting opportunities for their practical applications toward energy conversion.

Temperature niche shift observed in a Lepidoptera population under allochronic divergence.

PubMed

Santos, H; Paiva, M R; Tavares, C; Kerdelhué, C; Branco, M

2011-09-01

A process of adaptive divergence for tolerance to high temperatures was identified using a rare model system, consisting of two sympatric populations of a Lepidoptera (Thaumetopoea pityocampa) with different life cycle timings, a 'mutant' population with summer larval development, Leiria SP, and the founder natural population, having winter larval development, Leiria WP. A third, allopatric population (Bordeaux WP) was also studied. First and second instar larvae were experimentally exposed to daily-cycles of heat treatment reaching maximum values of 36, 38, 40 and 42 °C; control groups placed at 25 °C. A lethal temperature effect was only significant at 42 °C, for Leiria SP, whereas all temperatures tested had a significant negative effect upon Leiria WP, thus indicating an upper threshold of survival c.a. 6 °C above that of the WP. Cox regression model, for pooled heat treatments, predicted mortality hazard to increase for Leiria WP (+108%) and Bordeaux WP (+78%) in contrast to Leiria SP; to increase by 24% for each additional °C; and to decrease by 53% from first to second instar larvae. High variability among individuals was observed, a population characteristic that may favour selection and consequent adaptation. Present findings provide an example of ecological differentiation, following a process of allochronic divergence. Results further contribute to a better understanding of the implications of climate change for ecological genetics. © 2011 The Authors. Journal of Evolutionary Biology © 2011 European Society For Evolutionary Biology.

Processing of probabilistic information in weight perception and motor prediction.

PubMed

Trampenau, Leif; van Eimeren, Thilo; Kuhtz-Buschbeck, Johann

2017-02-01

We studied the effects of probabilistic cues, i.e., of information of limited certainty, in the context of an action task (GL: grip-lift) and of a perceptual task (WP: weight perception). Normal subjects (n = 22) saw four different probabilistic visual cues, each of which announced the likely weight of an object. In the GL task, the object was grasped and lifted with a pinch grip, and the peak force rates indicated that the grip and load forces were scaled predictively according to the probabilistic information. The WP task provided the expected heaviness related to each probabilistic cue; the participants gradually adjusted the object's weight until its heaviness matched the expected weight for a given cue. Subjects were randomly assigned to two groups: one started with the GL task and the other one with the WP task. The four different probabilistic cues influenced weight adjustments in the WP task and peak force rates in the GL task in a similar manner. The interpretation and utilization of the probabilistic information was critically influenced by the initial task. Participants who started with the WP task classified the four probabilistic cues into four distinct categories and applied these categories to the subsequent GL task. On the other side, participants who started with the GL task applied three distinct categories to the four cues and retained this classification in the following WP task. The initial strategy, once established, determined the way how the probabilistic information was interpreted and implemented.

Can the GEOS CCM Simulate the Temperature Response to Warm Pool El Nino Events in the Antarctic Stratosphere?

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hurwitz, M. M.; Song, I.-S.; Oman, L. D.; Newman, P. A.; Molod, A. M.; Frith, S. M.; Nielsen, J. E.

2011-01-01

"Warm pool" (WP) El Nino events are characterized by positive sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies in the central equatorial Pacific. During austral spring, WP El Nino events are associated with an enhancement of convective activity in the South Pacific Convergence Zone, provoking a tropospheric planetary wave response and thus increasing planetary wave driving of the Southern Hemisphere stratosphere. These conditions lead to higher polar stratospheric temperatures and to a weaker polar jet during austral summer, as compared with neutral ENSO years. Furthermore, this response is sensitive to the phase of the quasi-biennial oscillation (QBO): a stronger warming is seen in WP El Nino events coincident with the easterly phase of the quasi-biennial oscillation (QBO) as compared with WP El Nino events coincident with a westerly or neutral QBO. The Goddard Earth Observing System (GEOS) chemistry-climate model (CCM) is used to further explore the atmospheric response to ENSO. Time-slice simulations are forced by composited SSTs from observed NP El Nino and neutral ENSO events. The modeled eddy heat flux, temperature and wind responses to WP El Nino events are compared with observations. A new gravity wave drag scheme has been implemented in the GEOS CCM, enabling the model to produce e realistic, internally generated QBO. By repeating the above time-slice simulations with this new model version, the sensitivity of the WP El Nino response to the phase of the quasi-biennial oscillation QBO is estimated.

Impact of TiO2 on the chemical and biological transformation of formulated chiral-metalaxyl in agricultural soils.

PubMed

Huang, Junxing; Zhang, Xu; Liang, Chuanzhou; Hu, Jun

2018-04-15

The impacts of TiO 2 on the chemical and biological transformation of racemic metalaxyl wettable powder (rac-metalaxyl WP) in agricultural soils, and soil microorganisms were investigated. Under simulated solar irradiation, TiO 2 highly promoted the transformation of rac-metalaxyl WP without changing the enantiomer fraction, with the promotion amplitude (60-1280%) being dependent on TiO 2 characteristics. TiO 2 characteristics showed different influence on the transformation of rac-metalaxyl WP in soils and aqueous solutions because their characteristics changed differently in soils. The impact of the mancozeb and other co-constituents on the transformation of rac-metalaxyl WP was smaller in soil media than in aqueous solution. Autoclave sterilization changed soil properties and subsequently weakened the promotion effects of TiO 2 on the chemical transformations of rac-metalaxyl WP to 0-233%. Microorganism biomass and bacterial community were not statistically significant changed by TiO 2 exposure regardless of rac-metalaxyl WP, suggesting that the promotional effects occurred mainly through chemical processes. The results also showed TiO 2 -soil interactions may be strengthened with TiO 2 (Degussa P25) aging time in soils, which decreased its promotion amplitude from 1060% (without aging) to 880% (aging for 20 days). Intermediate formed in soil biological transformation process was different from that in TiO 2 photocatalysis process. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Studies and Analyses of Aided Adversarial Decision Making. Phase 2: Research on Human Trust in Automation

DTIC Science & Technology

1998-04-01

34AFRL-HE-WP-TR-1999-0216 UNITED STATES AIR FORCE RESEARCH LABORATORY STUDIES AND ANALYSES OF AIDED ADVERSARIAL DECISION MAKING PHASE 2: RESEARCH ON...Analyses of Aided Adversarial Decision Making . C: F41624-94-D-6000 Phase 2: Research on Human Trust in Automation PE: 62202F PR: 7184 6. AUTHOR(S) TA...Buffalo. This work focused on Aided Adversarial Decision Making (AADM) in Information Warfare (1W) environments. Previous work examined informational

Upcycling: converting waste plastics into paramagnetic, conducting, solid, pure carbon microspheres.

PubMed

Pol, Vilas Ganpat

2010-06-15

The recent tremendous increase in the volume of waste plastics (WP) will have a harmful environmental impact on the health of living beings. Hundreds of years are required to degrade WP in atmospheric conditions. Hence, in coming years, in addition to traditional recycling services, innovative "upcycling" processes are necessary. This article presents an environmentally benign, solvent-free autogenic process that converts various WP [low density polyethylene (LDPE), high density polyethylene (HDPE), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polystyrene (PS), or their mixtures] into carbon microspheres (CMSs), an industrially significant, value-added product. The thermal dissociation of these individual or mixed WP in a closed reactor under autogenic pressure ( approximately 1000 psi) produced dry, pure powder of CMSs. In this paper, the optimization of process parameters such as the effect of mixing of WP with other materials, and the role of reaction temperature and time are reported. Employing advanced analytical techniques, the atomic structure, composition, and morphology of as-obtained CMSs were analyzed. The room-temperature paramagnetism in CMSs prepared from waste LDPE, HDPE, and PS was further studied by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR). The conducting and paramagnetic nature of CMSs holds promise for their potential applications in toners, printers, paints, batteries, lubricants, and tires.

Walnut polyphenols prevent liver damage induced by carbon tetrachloride and d-galactosamine: hepatoprotective hydrolyzable tannins in the kernel pellicles of walnut.

PubMed

Shimoda, Hiroshi; Tanaka, Junji; Kikuchi, Mitsunori; Fukuda, Toshiyuji; Ito, Hideyuki; Hatano, Tsutomu; Yoshida, Takashi

2008-06-25

The polyphenol-rich fraction (WP, 45% polyphenol) prepared from the kernel pellicles of walnuts was assessed for its hepatoprotective effect in mice. A single oral administration of WP (200 mg/kg) significantly suppressed serum glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase (GOT) and glutamic pyruvic transaminase (GPT) elevation in liver injury induced by carbon tetrachloride (CCl 4), while it did not suppress d-galactosamine (GalN)-induced liver injury. In order to identify the active principles in WP, we examined individual constituents for the protective effect on cell damage induced by CCl 4 and d-GalN in primary cultured rat hepatocytes. WP was effective against both CCl 4- and d-GalN-induced hepatocyte damages. Among the constituents, only ellagitannins with a galloylated glucopyranose core, such as tellimagrandins I, II, and rugosin C, suppressed CCl 4-induced hepatocyte damage significantly. Most of the ellagitannins including tellimagrandin I and 2,3- O-hexahydroxydiphenoylglucose exhibited remarkable inhibitory effect against d-GalN-induced damage. Telliamgrandin I especially completely suppressed both CCl 4- and d-GalN-induced cell damage, and thus is likely the principal constituent for the hepatoprotective effect of WP.

Predicting First Graders' Development of Calculation versus Word-Problem Performance: The Role of Dynamic Assessment.

PubMed

Seethaler, Pamela M; Fuchs, Lynn S; Fuchs, Douglas; Compton, Donald L

2012-02-01

The purpose of this study was to assess the value of dynamic assessment (DA; degree of scaffolding required to learn unfamiliar mathematics content) for predicting 1(st)-grade calculations (CA) and word problems (WP) development, while controlling for the role of traditional assessments. Among 184 1(st) graders, predictors (DA, Quantity Discrimination, Test of Mathematics Ability, language, and reasoning) were assessed near the start of 1(st) grade. CA and WP were assessed near the end of 1(st) grade. Planned regression and commonality analyses indicated that for forecasting CA development, Quantity Discrimination, which accounted for 8.84% of explained variance, was the single most powerful predictor, followed by Test of Mathematics Ability and DA; language and reasoning were not uniquely predictive. By contrast, for predicting WP development, DA was the single most powerful predictor, which accounted for 12.01% of explained variance, with Test of Mathematics Ability, Quantity Discrimination, and language also uniquely predictive. Results suggest that different constellations of cognitive resources are required for CA versus WP development and that DA may be useful in predicting 1(st)-grade mathematics development, especially WP.

Predicting First Graders’ Development of Calculation versus Word-Problem Performance: The Role of Dynamic Assessment

PubMed Central

Seethaler, Pamela M.; Fuchs, Lynn S.; Fuchs, Douglas; Compton, Donald L.

2012-01-01

The purpose of this study was to assess the value of dynamic assessment (DA; degree of scaffolding required to learn unfamiliar mathematics content) for predicting 1st-grade calculations (CA) and word problems (WP) development, while controlling for the role of traditional assessments. Among 184 1st graders, predictors (DA, Quantity Discrimination, Test of Mathematics Ability, language, and reasoning) were assessed near the start of 1st grade. CA and WP were assessed near the end of 1st grade. Planned regression and commonality analyses indicated that for forecasting CA development, Quantity Discrimination, which accounted for 8.84% of explained variance, was the single most powerful predictor, followed by Test of Mathematics Ability and DA; language and reasoning were not uniquely predictive. By contrast, for predicting WP development, DA was the single most powerful predictor, which accounted for 12.01% of explained variance, with Test of Mathematics Ability, Quantity Discrimination, and language also uniquely predictive. Results suggest that different constellations of cognitive resources are required for CA versus WP development and that DA may be useful in predicting 1st-grade mathematics development, especially WP. PMID:22347725

Evaluating Prospective Teachers: Testing the Predictive Validity of the edTPA. CEDR Working Paper. WP #2016-2.2

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goldhaber, Dan; Cowan, James; Theobald, Roddy

2016-01-01

We use longitudinal data from Washington State to provide estimates of the extent to which performance on the edTPA, a performance-based, subject-specific assessment of teacher candidates, is predictive of the likelihood of employment in the teacher workforce and value-added measures of teacher effectiveness. While edTPA scores are highly…

Evaluating Prospective Teachers: Testing the Predictive Validity of the edTPA. CEDR Working Paper. WP #2016-7

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goldhaber, Dan; Cowan, James; Theobald, Roddy

2016-01-01

We use longitudinal data from Washington State to provide estimates of the extent to which performance on the edTPA, a performance-based, subject-specific assessment of teacher candidates, is predictive of the likelihood of employment in the teacher workforce and value-added measures of teacher effectiveness. While edTPA scores are highly…

Proposed Changes in State Oversight of Private Postsecondary and Vocational Education. Working Paper WP/05-05

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

California Postsecondary Education Commission, 2005

2005-01-01

California has close to 2,000 privately owned schools that offer vocational programs not leading to a degree. These include schools providing training and certification for a wide variety of careers in such areas as computer technology, cosmetology, health care, and other business and technical occupations. In addition, there are over 300…

On the Distribution of Worker Productivity: The Case for Teacher Effectiveness and Student Achievement. CEDR Working Paper. WP #2016-10

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goldhaber, Dan; Startz, Richard

2016-01-01

It is common to assume that worker productivity is normally distributed, but this assumption is rarely if ever tested. We estimate the distribution of worker productivity where individual productivity is measured with error, using the productivity of elementary school teachers as an example. Proposals to improve teacher productivity often focus on…

The "Decline" of Private Higher Education. PROPHE Working Paper Series. WP No. 16

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Levy, Daniel C.

2011-01-01

No topic in private higher education study has attracted as great attention globally as has growth. This is appropriate as private growth has soared to nearly a third of the world's total higher education enrollment. But while private growth continues to be the dominant trend, important declines in private shares have emerged. These must be…

Educator and Student Diversity in Washington State: Gaps and Historical Trends. CEDR Working Paper. WP #2015-10

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goldhaber, Dan; Theobald, Roddy; Tien, Christopher

2015-01-01

It has been well documented--including in recent reports from Washington State (Professional Educator Standards Board, 2014) and several large districts across the country (Albert Shanker Institute, 2015)--that the public teaching workforce is far less racially and ethnically diverse than the student body in U.S. public schools. Washington State,…

How Much of a "Running Start" Do Dual Enrollment Programs Provide Students? CEDR Working Paper. WP #2014-­7

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cowan, James; Goldhaber, Dan

2014-01-01

We study a popular dual enrollment program in Washington State, "Running Start" using a new administrative database that links high school and postsecondary data. Conditional on prior high school performance, we find that students participating in Running Start are more likely to attend any college but less likely to attend four-year…

Inconvenient Truth? Do Collective Bargaining Agreements Help Explain the Mobility of Teachers within School Districts? CEDR Working Paper. WP #2015-­1

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goldhaber, Dan; Lavery, Lesley; Theobald, Roddy

2015-01-01

We investigate patterns of teacher mobility in districts with different collective bargaining agreement (CBA) transfer provisions. We use detailed teacher-level longitudinal data from Washington State to estimate the probability that teachers of varying experience and effectiveness levels transfer out of their schools to another school in the…

The Impact of Oregon's Pension Legacy Costs on New Teacher Turnover and Quality. CEDR Working Paper. WP #2016-5

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cahill, Kevin E.; Dyke, Andrew; Tapogna, John

2016-01-01

Pension legacy costs can restrict the amount of resources available for current public education, potentially making it more difficult to attract and retain high-quality teachers. Oregon provides a useful case study in pension legacy costs because many school districts in the state are now reallocating General Fund expenditures to cover sizeable…

Cross-State Mobility of the Teacher Workforce: A Descriptive Portrait. CEDR Working Paper. WP #2015-5

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goldhaber, Dan; Grout, Cyrus; Holden, Kristian; Brown, Nate

2015-01-01

Barriers to the cross-state mobility of the teacher workforce can have undesirable effects on the teacher workforce and student outcomes. While a large literature addresses issues related to within-state mobility, very little is known about patterns of cross-state mobility. This paper addresses that research gap. We describe features of Oregon's…

Cross-State Mobility of the Teacher Workforce: A Descriptive Portrait. CEDR Working Paper. WP #2015-­5

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goldhaber, Dan; Grout, Cyrus; Holden, Kristian; Brown, Nate

2014-01-01

Barriers to the cross-state mobility of the teacher workforce can have undesirable effects on the teacher workforce and student outcomes. While a large literature addresses issues related to within-state mobility, very little is known about patterns of cross-state mobility. This paper addresses that research gap. We describe features of Oregon's…

Public Investments in Training: Perspectives on Macro-Level Structural Issues and Micro-Level Delivery Systems. EQW Working Papers WP24.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cascio, Wayne F.

Training issues can be examined from at least two perspectives: the structural level (macro-level) and the micro-level. Structural issues in the delivery of training include the following: absent or uneven corporate commitment, inadequate expenditures by businesses, degrees awarded by schools that do not guarantee skill mastery, poaching of…

Improving Teacher Selection: The Effect of Inter-Rater Reliability in the Screening Process. CEDR Working Paper. WP #2015-7

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martinkova, Patricia; Goldhaber, Dan

2015-01-01

Inter-rater reliability, commonly assessed by intra-class correlation coefficient ICC, is an important index for describing the extent to which there is consistency amongst two or more raters in assigned measures. In organizational research, the data structure is often hierarchical and designs deviate substantially from the ideal of a balanced…

Wind power forecasting: IEA Wind Task 36 & future research issues

DOE PAGES

Giebel, G.; Cline, J.; Frank, H.; ...

2016-10-03

Here, this paper presents the new International Energy Agency Wind Task 36 on Forecasting, and invites to collaborate within the group. Wind power forecasts have been used operatively for over 20 years. Despite this fact, there are still several possibilities to improve the forecasts, both from the weather prediction side and from the usage of the forecasts. The new International Energy Agency (IEA) Task on Forecasting for Wind Energy tries to organise international collaboration, among national meteorological centres with an interest and/or large projects on wind forecast improvements (NOAA, DWD, MetOffice, met.no, DMI,...), operational forecaster and forecast users. The Taskmore » is divided in three work packages: Firstly, a collaboration on the improvement of the scientific basis for the wind predictions themselves. This includes numerical weather prediction model physics, but also widely distributed information on accessible datasets. Secondly, we will be aiming at an international pre-standard (an IEA Recommended Practice) on benchmarking and comparing wind power forecasts, including probabilistic forecasts. This WP will also organise benchmarks, in cooperation with the IEA Task WakeBench. Thirdly, we will be engaging end users aiming at dissemination of the best practice in the usage of wind power predictions. As first results, an overview of current issues for research in short-term forecasting of wind power is presented.« less

A supramolecular photosensitizer system based on the host-guest complexation between water-soluble pillar[6]arene and methylene blue for durable photodynamic therapy.

PubMed

Yang, Kui; Wen, Jia; Chao, Shuang; Liu, Jing; Yang, Ke; Pei, Yuxin; Pei, Zhichao

2018-06-05

A supramolecular photosensitizer system WP6-MB was synthesized based on water-soluble pillar[6]arene and the photosensitizer methylene blue (MB) via host-guest interaction. MB can complex with WP6 directly with a high complex constant without further modification. In particular, WP6-MB can reduce the dark toxicity of MB remarkably. Furthermore, it can efficiently overcome photobleaching and extend the time for singlet oxygen production of MB upon light irradiation, which is significant for durable photodynamic therapy.

Resistant starch and protein intake enhances fat oxidation and feelings of fullness in lean and overweight/obese women.

PubMed

Gentile, Christopher L; Ward, Emery; Holst, Jens Juul; Astrup, Arne; Ormsbee, Michael J; Connelly, Scott; Arciero, Paul J

2015-10-29

Diets high in either resistant starch or protein have been shown to aid in weight management. We examined the effects of meals high in non-resistant or resistant starch with and without elevated protein intake on substrate utilization, energy expenditure, and satiety in lean and overweight/obese women. Women of varying levels of adiposity consumed one of four pancake test meals in a single-blind, randomized crossover design: 1) waxy maize (control) starch (WMS); 2) waxy maize starch and whey protein (WMS+WP); 3) resistant starch (RS); or 4) RS and whey protein (RS+WP). Total post-prandial energy expenditure did not differ following any of the four test meals (WMS = 197.9 ± 8.9; WMS+WP = 188 ± 8.1; RS = 191.9 ± 8.9; RS+WP = 195.8 ± 8.7, kcals/180 min), although the combination of RS+WP, but not either intervention alone, significantly increased (P <0.01) fat oxidation (WMS = 89.5 ± 5.4; WMS+WP = 84.5 ± 7.2; RS = 97.4 ± 5.4; RS+WP = 107.8 ± 5.4, kcals/180 min). Measures of fullness increased (125% vs. 45%) and hunger decreased (55% vs. 16%) following WP supplemented versus non-whey conditions (WMS+WP, RS+WP vs. WMS, RS), whereas circulating hunger and satiety factors were not different among any of the test meals. However, peptide YY (PYY) was significantly elevated at 180 min following RS+WP meal. The combined consumption of dietary resistant starch and protein increases fat oxidation, PYY, and enhances feelings of satiety and fullness to levels that may be clinically relevant if maintained under chronic conditions. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT02418429.

Phase II randomized clinical trial evaluating neoadjuvant chemotherapy regimens with weekly paclitaxel or eribulin followed by doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide in women with locally advanced HER2-negative breast cancer: NSABP Foundation Study FB-9.

PubMed

Abraham, Jame; Robidoux, André; Tan, Antoinette R; Limentani, Steven; Sturtz, Keren; Shalaby, Ibrahim; Alcorn, Hope; Buyse, Marc E; Wolmark, Norman; Jacobs, Samuel A

2015-07-01

Locally advanced breast cancer (LABC) is a good setting in which to monitor response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy, to downsize the tumor (which facilitates breast-conserving surgery), and to test newer agents in untreated patients. Eribulin (E) has shown activity in patients who have undergone previous taxane, anthracycline, and capecitabine treatment. We aimed to evaluate the neoadjuvant use of E followed by doxorubicin and cyclophosphamide (AC) in patients with HER2-negative LABC, using as a control a randomized group of women who received weekly paclitaxel (WP). Fifty women with LABC were accrued January-August 2013. Patients were randomized (1:2) to receive either WP (N = 19) for 12 treatments or E (N = 31) every 3 weeks for 4 cycles followed by AC every 3 weeks for 4 cycles before surgery. 17/19 patients who took WP and 25/30 who took E completed all cycles. Patients were evaluated by clinical examination and breast MRI at baseline and after completion of E or WP. Surgical pCR in breast and lymph nodes was determined by a local pathologist following chemotherapy. Forty-nine patients received ≥1 dose of neoadjuvant chemotherapy and are included in this analysis. Forty-eight underwent surgery; one had disease that was inoperable (on E) and is included as no-pCR patient. 17/19 of these patients who took WP completed 12 doses; 28/30 on E completed 4 cycles. Six discontinued treatment on WP, E, or AC. Both treatments were well tolerated. pCR on WP = 5/19(26 %) and on E = 5/30(17 %). Both regimens were equally well tolerated with no unexpected toxicities. pCR did not suggest higher activity with E than with other standard regimens in these LABC patients.

Combined effect of the East Atlantic/West Russia and Western Pacific teleconnections on the East Asian winter monsoon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oh, Hyoeun; Jhun, Jong-Ghap; Ha, Kyung-Ja; Seo, Kyong-Hwan

2017-05-01

This study investigates the individual effects of the East Atlantic/West Russia (EATL/WRUS) and Western Pacific (WP) teleconnection patterns and their combined effect on the East Asian winter monsoon (EAWM). The contributions of the respective EATL/WRUS and WP teleconnection patterns to the EAWM are revealed by removing the dependence on the Arctic Oscillation (AO) and the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) using a linear regression, which are named as N_EATL/WRUS and N_WP, respectively. This is because the EATL/WRUS (WP) is closely linked to the Arctic (tropics) region. A significant increase (decrease) in temperature over East Asia (EA) corresponding to a weak (strong) EAWM is associated with the N_EATL/WRUS and N_WP teleconnection patterns during the positive (negative) phases. In order to examine impacts of these two teleconnections on the EAWM, three types of effects are reconstructed on the basis of ± 0.5 standard deviation: 1) Combined effect, 2) N_EATL/WRUS effect, and 3) N_WP effect. The positive N_EATL/WRUS teleconnection induces to a weakened Siberian High and a shallow EA trough at the mid-troposphere through wave propagation, leading to the weak EAWM. During the positive N_WP pattern, warm air from the tropics flows toward the EA along western flank of an anomalous anticyclone over the North Pacific that is relevant to the meridional shift of the Aleutian Low. When the two mid-latitude teleconnections have the in-phase combination, the increase in temperature over EA appears to be more pronounced than the individual effects by transporting warm air from tropics via strong southeasterly wind anomalies induced by anomalous zonal pressure gradient between the Siberian High and Aleutian Low. Therefore, the impact of the mid-latitude teleconnections on the EAWM becomes robust and linearly superimposed, unlike a nonlinear in-phase combined effect of the AO and ENSO.

Impact of weight change during the course of concurrent chemoradiation therapy on outcomes in stage IIIB non-small cell lung cancer patients: retrospective analysis of 425 patients.

PubMed

Topkan, Erkan; Parlak, Cem; Selek, Ugur

2013-11-15

We retrospectively investigated the impact of weight change (WC) during concurrent chemoradiation therapy (C-CRT) on clinical outcomes of stage 3B non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. A total of 425 patients treated with C-CRT were included. All patients received 60 to 66 Gy of thoracic radiation therapy concurrently with 1 to 3 cycles of platinum-based chemotherapy. Pre- and posttreatment weight measurements on first and last days of C-CRT were used for WC. Patients were divided into 2 groups: group 1=weight loss (WL); group 2=weight preservation/gain (WP) for comparative analyses. Following C-CRT, 252 patients (59.3%) experienced WL, while 89 patients (20.9%) and 84 patients (19.8%) showed WP or WG. At median 24.2 months of follow-up, 142 patients (33.4%) were alive (84 WP [48.6%] and 58 WL [23.0%]), and 58 (13.6%) of them were free of disease progression (41 [23.7%] for WP and 17 [6.7%] for WL). Median overall survival (OS), locoregional progression-free survival (LRPFS), progression-free survival (PFS), and distant metastases-free survival (DMFS) for the entire population were 22.8, 14.4, 10.6, and 11.7 months, respectively. Intergroup comparisons between WP and WL cohorts revealed significantly superior OS, LRPFS, PFS, and DMFS in WP patients (P<.05 for each). On multivariate analyses, only WL and advanced T stage were associated with poor prognosis (P<.05). Present results in 425 stage 3B NSCLC patients demonstrated that WL during C-CRT is strongly associated with inferior survival outcomes compared to WP. This emerging finding might be useful by forming an encouraging basis for future investigations in facilitating a way to improve the outcomes of these patients experiencing WL during C-CRT. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Protective Effect of Contemporary Pertussis Vaccines: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

PubMed

Fulton, T Roice; Phadke, Varun K; Orenstein, Walter A; Hinman, Alan R; Johnson, Wayne D; Omer, Saad B

2016-05-01

Acellular pertussis (aP) and whole-cell (wP) pertussis vaccines are presumed to have similar short-term (<3 years after completion of the primary series) efficacy. However, vaccine effect varies between individual pertussis vaccine formulations, and many originally studied formulations are now unavailable. An updated analysis of the short-term protective effect of pertussis vaccines limited to formulations currently on the market in developed countries is needed. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of published studies that evaluated pertussis vaccine efficacy or effectiveness within 3 years after completion (>3 doses) of a primary series of a currently available aP or wP vaccine formulation. The primary outcome was based on the World Health Organization (WHO) clinical case definitions for pertussis. Study quality was assessed using the approach developed by the Child Health Epidemiology Research Group. We determined overall effect sizes using random-effects meta-analyses, stratified by vaccine (aP or wP) and study (efficacy or effectiveness) type. Meta-analysis of 2 aP vaccine efficacy studies (assessing the 3-component GlaxoSmithKline and 5-component Sanofi-Pasteur formulations) yielded an overall aP vaccine efficacy of 84% (95% confidence interval [CI], 81%-87%). Meta-analysis of 3 wP vaccine effectiveness studies (assessing the Behringwerke, Pasteur/Mérieux, and SmithKline Beecham formulations) yielded an overall wP vaccine effectiveness of 94% (95% CI, 88%-97%) (bothI(2)= 0%). Although all contemporary aP and wP formulations protect against pertussis disease, in this meta-analysis the point estimate for short-term protective effect against WHO-defined pertussis in young children was lower for currently available aP vaccines than wP vaccines. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press for the Infectious Diseases Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, e-mail journals.permissions@oup.com.

Antioxidant and antimicrobial properties of wine byproducts and their potential uses in the food industry.

PubMed

García-Lomillo, Javier; González-SanJosé, M Luisa; Del Pino-García, Raquel; Rivero-Pérez, M Dolores; Muñiz-Rodríguez, Pilar

2014-12-31

Wine pomace (WP) is one of the agricultural byproducts that has received most attention from food scientists due to the wide range of interesting compounds that remain after the winemaking process. Different powdered products rich in phenolic compounds, with interesting antioxidant and antimicrobial activities, were obtained from WP by applying processes that are both environmentally friendly and economically affordable for the food industry. The products obtained showed high global antioxidant activities (ABTS assay), successfully delayed the onset of lipid oxidation in the Rancimat test, and showed different antimicrobial properties. Products derived from seed-free WP showed bactericidal effects against total aerobic mesophilic bacteria (TAMB) and lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and inhibited Enterobacteriaceae growth completely. The product derived from whole WP presented bacteriostatic activity against the three microorganism groups tested, whereas the product obtained from grape seed promoted TAMB and LAB growth but delayed Enterobacteriaceae proliferation.

D. Alan Shewmon and the PCBE's White Paper on Brain Death: are brain-dead patients dead?

PubMed

Brugger, E Christian

2013-04-01

The December 2008 White Paper (WP) on "Brain Death" published by the President's Council on Bioethics (PCBE) reaffirmed its support for the traditional neurological criteria for human death. It spends considerable time explaining and critiquing what it takes to be the most challenging recent argument opposing the neurological criteria formulated by D. Alan Shewmon, a leading critic of the "whole brain death" standard. The purpose of this essay is to evaluate and critique the PCBE's argument. The essay begins with a brief background on the history of the neurological criteria in the United States and on the preparation of the 2008 WP. After introducing the WP's contents, the essay sets forth Shewmon's challenge to the traditional neurological criteria and the PCBE's reply to Shewmon. The essay concludes by critiquing the WP's novel justification for reaffirming the traditional conclusion, a justification the essay finds wanting.

Protection of Lactobacillus acidophilus NRRL-B 4495 under in vitro gastrointestinal conditions with whey protein/pullulan microcapsules.

PubMed

Çabuk, Burcu; Tellioğlu Harsa, Şebnem

2015-12-01

In this research, whey protein/pullulan (WP/pullulan) microcapsules were developed in order to assess its protective effect on the viability of Lactobacillus acidophilus NRRL-B 4495 under in vitro gastrointestinal conditions. Results demonstrated that WP/pullulan microencapsulated cells exhibited significantly (p ≤ 0.05) higher resistance to simulated gastric acid and bile salt. Pullulan incorporation into protein wall matrix resulted in improved survival as compared to free cells after 3 h incubation in simulated gastric solution. Moreover WP/pullulan microcapsules were found to release over 70% of encapsulated L. acidophilus NRRL-B 4495 cells within 1 h. The effect of encapsulation during refrigerated storage was also studied. Free bacteria exhibited 3.96 log reduction while, WP/pullulan encapsulated bacteria showed 1.64 log reduction after 4 weeks of storage. Copyright © 2015 The Society for Biotechnology, Japan. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Physical barrier to reduce WP mortalities of foraging waterfowl

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

Pochop, P.A.; Cummings, J.L.; Yoder, C.A.

White phosphorus (WP) has been identified as the cause of mortality to certain species of water-fowl at Eagle River Flats, a tidal marsh in Alaska, used as an ordinance impact area by the US Army. A blend of calcium bentonite/organo clays, gravel, and binding polymers was tested for effectiveness as a barrier to reduce duck foraging and mortality. Following the application of the barrier to one of two contaminated ponds, the authors observed greater duck foraging and higher mortality in the untreated pond and no mortality in the treated pond after a year of tidal inundations and ice effects. Emergentmore » vegetation recovered within a year of treatment. WP levels in the barrier were less than the method limit of detection, indicating no migration of WP into the materials. Barrier thickness remained relatively stable over a period of 4 years, and vegetation was found to be important in stabilizing the barrier material.« less

Stat3 orchestrates interaction between endothelial and tumor cells and inhibition of Stat3 suppresses brain metastasis of breast cancer cells.

PubMed

Lee, Hsueh-Te; Xue, Jianfei; Chou, Ping-Chieh; Zhou, Aidong; Yang, Phillip; Conrad, Charles A; Aldape, Kenneth D; Priebe, Waldemar; Patterson, Cam; Sawaya, Raymond; Xie, Keping; Huang, Suyun

2015-04-30

Brain metastasis is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with breast cancer. Our previous studies indicated that Stat3 plays an important role in brain metastasis. Here, we present evidence that Stat3 functions at the level of the microenvironment of brain metastases. Stat3 controlled constitutive and inducible VEGFR2 expression in tumor-associated brain endothelial cells. Furthermore, inhibition of Stat3 by WP1066 decreased the incidence of brain metastases and increased survival in a preclinical model of breast cancer brain metastasis. WP1066 inhibited Stat3 activation in tumor-associated endothelial cells, reducing their infiltration and angiogenesis. WP1066 also inhibited breast cancer cell invasion. Our results indicate that WP1066 can inhibit tumor angiogenesis and brain metastasis mediated by Stat3 in endothelial and tumor cells.

From Amorphous to Defined: Balancing the Risks of Spiral Development

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-04-30

630 675 720 765 810 855 900 Time (Week) Work started and active PhIt [Requirements,Iter1] : JavelinCalibration work packages1 1 1 Work started and...active PhIt [Technology,Iter1] : JavelinCalibration work packages2 2 2 Work started and active PhIt [Design,Iter1] : JavelinCalibration work packages3 3 3 3...Work started and active PhIt [Manufacturing,Iter1] : JavelinCalibration work packages4 4 Work started and active PhIt [Use,Iter1] : JavelinCalibration

Waterpipe dependence in university students and effect of normative beliefs: a cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Salameh, P; Salamé, J; Waked, M; Barbour, B; Zeidan, N; Baldi, I

2014-02-14

The objective of this study was to measure the correlates, including normative beliefs, associated with waterpipe (WP) and cigarette smoking prevalence and dependence. A cross-sectional study was carried out using a proportionate cluster sample of Lebanese students in 17 public and private universities. Of the 4900 distributed questionnaires, 3384 (69.1%) were returned to the field worker. All available students during break times were approached, with no exclusion criteria. sociodemographic variables, detailed active and passive smoking, in addition to items of the tobacco dependence scales were all evaluated. Correlates to WP smoking were studying in a private university (adjusted OR, aOR=1.50 (1.26 to 1.79); p<0.001) and ever smoking cigarettes (aOR=1.80(1.44 to 2.26); p<0.001); friends' and societal influence were found on smoking behaviour and dependence. Although the role of parents was not visible in decreasing the risk of smoking WP, their protective influence seemed more important on WP dependence (β=-1.09(-1.79 to -0.28); p<0.001), a behaviour that is considered more deleterious for health. Parents' and friends' disagreement with smoking had a protective effect on cigarette smoking and dependence (aOR<1; p<0.01), while thinking that idols and successful people smoke increased the risk of both cigarette smoking and dependence (aOR>1; p<0.01). In conclusion, WP smoking and dependence are influenced by parents' and friends' opinions, and idols' smoking status. Future research is necessary to further improve our understanding of motives for WP smoking and dependence.

TVA's photovoltaic activities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chinery, G. T.; Wood, J. M.

1985-08-01

This paper describes the Tennessee Valley Authority's (TVA) current photovoltaic (PV) activities. These include four roof-mounted 4 kWp residential arrays (which are also Southeast Residential Station field sites) and two 5-6 kWp commercial sites, all grid connected with no battery storage. Also included are approximately 30 kWp of non-grid-connected remote sites with storage (remote lighting, weather stations, etc.). Monitoring results from the two 'online' residential systems are presented. Finally, TVA's future PV plans are discussed, both with respect to interfacing with a multitude of residential and commercial cogenerators and with regard to possible TVA PV central station plans.

Circumvention of the multidrug-resistance protein (MRP-1) by an antitumor drug through specific inhibition of gene transcription in breast tumor cells.

PubMed

Mansilla, Sylvia; Rojas, Marta; Bataller, Marc; Priebe, Waldemar; Portugal, José

2007-04-01

Multidrug-resistance protein 1 (MRP-1) confers resistance to a number of clinically important chemotherapeutic agents. The promoter of the mrp-1 gene contains an Sp1-binding site, which we targeted using the antitumor bis-anthracycline WP631. When MCF-7/VP breast cancer cells, which overexpress MRP-1 protein, were incubated with WP631 the expression of the multidrug-resistance protein gene decreased. Conversely, doxorubicin did not alter mrp-1 gene expression. The inhibition of gene expression was followed by a decrease in the activity of the MRP-1 protein. The IC(75) for WP631 (drug concentration required to inhibit cell growth by 75%) circumvented the drug-efflux pump, without addition of resistant modifiers. After treatment with WP631, MCF-7/VP cells were committed to die after entering mitosis (mitotic catastrophe), while treatment with doxorubicin did not affect cell growth. This is the first report on an antitumor drug molecule inhibiting the mrp-1 gene directly, rather than being simply a poor substrate for the transporter-mediated efflux. However, both situations appeared to coexist, thereby a superior cytotoxic effect was attained. Ours results suggest that WP631 offers great potential for the clinical treatment of tumors displaying a multidrug-resistance phenotype.

Determination of dopamine hydrochloride by host-guest interaction based on water-soluble pillar[5]arene

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xiao, Xue-Dong; Shi, Lin; Guo, Li-Hui; Wang, Jun-Wen; Zhang, Xiang

2017-02-01

The supramolecular interaction between the water-soluble pillar[5]arene (WP[5]) as host and dopamine hydrochloride (DH) as guest was studied by spectrofluorometry. The fluorescence intensity of DH gradually decreased with increasing WP[5] concentration, and the possible interaction mechanism between WP[5] and DH was confirmed by 1H NMR, 2D NOESY, and molecular modelling. Based on significant DH fluorescence, a highly sensitive and selective method for DH determination was developed for the first time. The fluorescence intensity was measured at 312 nm, with excitation at 285 nm. The effects of pH, temperature, and reaction time on the fluorescence spectra of the WP[5]-DH complex were investigated. A linear relationship between fluorescence intensity and DH concentration in the range of 0.07-6.2 μg mL- 1 was obtained. The corresponding linear regression equation is ΔF = 25.76 C + 13.56 (where C denotes the concentration in μg mL- 1), with the limit of detection equal to 0.03 μg mL- 1 and the correlation coefficient equal to 0.9996. This method can be used for the determination of dopamine in injection and urine samples. In addition, the WP[5]-DH complex has potential applications in fluorescent sensing and pharmacokinetics studies of DH.

Upcycling : converting waste plastics into paramagnetic, conducting, solid, pure carbon microspheres.

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

Pol, V.

2010-06-15

The recent tremendous increase in the volume of waste plastics (WP) will have a harmful environmental impact on the health of living beings. Hundreds of years are required to degrade WP in atmospheric conditions. Hence, in coming years, in addition to traditional recycling services, innovative 'upcycling' processes are necessary. This article presents an environmentally benign, solvent-free autogenic process that converts various WP [low density polyethylene (LDPE), high density polyethylene (HDPE), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polystyrene (PS), or their mixtures] into carbon microspheres (CMSs), an industrially significant, value-added product. The thermal dissociation of these individual or mixed WP in a closed reactormore » under autogenic pressure (1000 psi) produced dry, pure powder of CMSs. In this paper, the optimization of process parameters such as the effect of mixing of WP with other materials, and the role of reaction temperature and time are reported. Employing advanced analytical techniques, the atomic structure, composition, and morphology of as-obtained CMSs were analyzed. The room-temperature paramagnetism in CMSs prepared from waste LDPE, HDPE, and PS was further studied by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR). The conducting and paramagnetic nature of CMSs holds promise for their potential applications in toners, printers, paints, batteries, lubricants, and tires.« less

An efficient process for obtaining prebiotic oligosaccharides derived from lactulose using isomerized and purified whey permeate.

PubMed

Sabater, Carlos; Olano, Agustín; Prodanov, Marin; Montilla, Antonia; Corzo, Nieves

2017-12-01

One of the most promising uses of whey permeate (WP) is the synthesis of prebiotic oligosaccharides. Herein, commercial WP was submitted to chemical isomerization catalysed by sodium borate at an alkaline pH and subsequent purification using anion-exchange resins to remove boron. Subsequently, purified mixtures were used to synthesize prebiotic oligosaccharides using β-galactosidase from Bacillus circulans. Isomerization of concentrated WP (200 g L -1 lactose) gave rise to levels of lactulose up to 155.5 g L -1 after 30 min of reaction (molar ratio of boron/lactose, 1/1; pH 12; 70 °C). Boron was removed from the isomerized WP (IWP) using the combination of a strong acid (IR-120, H + ) and a weak base (IRA-743) anion-exchange resins, reducing its level to <1 ppm, without loss of lactulose. During the transglycosylation reaction of purified IWP (lactose/lactulose ratio, 1/2.4) maximum content of prebiotic compounds was achieved, i.e. 690 g kg -1 WP after 3 h of reaction. This study shows that combined chemical-enzymatic reactions together with the purification of IWP results in an efficient synthesis of prebiotic oligosaccharides. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

Easterly denitrification signal and nitrogen fixation feedback documented in the western Pacific sediments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jia, Guodong; Li, Zhiyang

2011-12-01

A sedimentary δ15N record in the equatorial western Pacific (WP) shows glacial-interglacial variability from 6.2 to 11.2‰ during the last two climatic cycles, similar to the denitrification record in the eastern tropical Pacific (ETP). Contrastively, a record in the South China Sea (SCS) exhibits less changes from 4.4 to 6.4‰ and is quite alike previously published results in marginal seas in the WP. By ruling out several possible causes for the δ15N variability, the δ15N record in the equatorial WP is interpreted as the source nitrate δ15N signals advected from the ETP. Comparison of several δ15N records for the last 25 ka distributed in the WP brings out a pattern of northward decrease in δ15N values and variability from the equator to off Mindano and then to marginal seas, supposed to be caused by the northward increase of local N2 fixation. Therefore, the less glacial-interglacial changes in some δ15N records in the WP could imply that the glacial decrease in subsurface δ15N due to less denitrification in source waters from the ETP would have been isotopically compensated by a synchronous decrease in local N2 fixation.

Too Little Too Soon? Modeling the Risks of Spiral Development

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-04-30

270 315 360 405 450 495 540 585 630 675 720 765 810 855 900 Time (Week) Work started and active PhIt [Requirements,Iter1] : JavelinCalibration work...packages1 1 1 Work started and active PhIt [Technology,Iter1] : JavelinCalibration work packages2 2 2 Work started and active PhIt [Design,Iter1...JavelinCalibration work packages3 3 3 3 Work started and active PhIt [Manufacturing,Iter1] : JavelinCalibration work packages4 4 Work started and active PhIt

Private and Public Choices in Public Education: An Investigation Of Trustee Effects. Working Paper Series No. WP050191.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McCormick, Robert; And Others

This study explores the effects of different methods of selecting school district trustees and the effects of expenditures per pupil on the perceived quality of education. It also examines the success of South Carolina's Education Improvement Act of 1984 (EIA). The dependent variable was the ratio of private school to public school enrollment in…

Catching up to College and Career Readiness in Kentucky. ACT Working Paper Series. WP-2014-04

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dougherty, Chrys; Hiserote, Linda; Shaw, Teresa

2014-01-01

This report focuses on the extent to which students who are academically far off track in fourth or eighth grade in Kentucky catch up by eighth or eleventh grade. We studied three recent cohorts of Kentucky students whose eighth-grade ACT Explore® scores were more than one standard deviation below the ACT Explore benchmark scores associated with…

A Foot in the Door: Exploring the Role of Student Teaching Assignments in Teachers' Initial Job Placements. CEDR Working Paper. WP #2015-2.1

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Krieg, John; Theobald, Roddy; Goldhaber, Dan

2015-01-01

We use data from Washington State to examine two distinct stages of the teacher pipeline: the placement of prospective teachers in student teaching assignments; and the hiring of prospective teachers into their first teaching positions. We find that prospective teachers are likely to complete their student teaching near their college and…

Access in U.S. Higher Education: What Does the For-Profit Sector Contribute? PROPHE Working Paper Series. WP No. 14

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kinser, Kevin

2009-01-01

The private sector's role in higher education access has received limited attention, though the expansion of the sector globally has immediate implications for the ability of the system to serve more students. In the U.S. case, the private sector includes both nonprofit and for-profit forms, with the for-profit institutions comparable in critical…

The Education and Training Nexus: Employers' Use of Academic Screens and the Provision of New-Hire Training. EQW Working Papers WP38.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zemsky, Robert; And Others

A study explored the savings and/or costs associated with employers' decisions to use school measures--grades, teacher recommendations, school reputation--to screen job applicants. Using the results of the National Center on the Educational Quality of the Workforce's National Employer Survey, the analysis focused on two questions: (1) whether…

Tailored Fitness: Culture Clash in the Quest for Combat-Fit Airmen

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-06-01

and conditioning; tobacco cessation, prevention and deglamorization; drug and alcohol abuse awareness and prevention ; general nutrition for all...ages; injury and disease risk education; and stress management and prevention .”6 AFI 36-2905 highlights three other documents that work in...Illustration taken from Center for Disease Control and Prevention Young Adult Obesity Rates Web Site: http://climatecycle.com/newsite/wp- content

What's in a Teacher Test? Assessing the Relationship between Teacher Test Scores and Student Secondary STEM Achievement. CEDR Working Paper. WP #2016-4

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goldhaber, Dan; Gratz, Trevor; Theobald, Roddy

2016-01-01

We investigate the predictive validity of teacher credential test scores for student performance in secondary STEM classrooms in Washington state. After replicating earlier findings that teacher basic skills licensure test scores are a modest and statistically significant predictor of student math test score gains in elementary grades, we focus on…

Does the Model Matter? Exploring the Relationship between Different Student Achievement-Based Teacher Assessments. CEDR Working Paper. WP #2012-6

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goldhaber, Dan; Walch, Joe; Gabele, Brian

2012-01-01

Policymakers appear increasingly inclined to utilize measures of student achievement, often state assessment results, to inform high-stakes teacher personnel decisions. This has been spurred on by the federal government's Teacher Incentive Fund (TIF) and Race to the Top (RttT) grant programs, each of which urge states and localities to tie teacher…

Workplace Innovation and Local Unions in the Building Trades: Theory, Application and Membership Reactions. Working Paper Series WP-014.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sandver, Marcus Hart; Miles, Jeffrey A.

In the spring of 1990, a study was conducted of local unions in the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) Region 9 with market recovery programs (MRPs) designed to reverse declines in union membership. Three locals were chosen for in-depth study in Las Vegas, Nevada; Oakland, California; and Portland, Oregon. The locals reflected…

The Theoretical and Empirical Arguments for Diversifying the Teacher Workforce: A Review of the Evidence. CEDR Working Paper. WP #2015-9

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goldhaber, Dan; Theobald, Roddy; Tien, Christopher

2015-01-01

Concerns about the (lack of) diversity of the U.S. teacher workforce--and, in particular, the mismatch between the demographics of the teacher workforce and the nation's students--are not new. Recruitment of minorities into teaching has long been a policy goal, particularly in districts with large percentages of minority students (Dometrius &…

Universities and Fields of Study in Argentina: A Public-Private Comparison from the Supply and Demand Side. PROPHE Working Paper Series. WP No. 15

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rabossi, Marcelo

2010-01-01

Private higher education literature recognizes large public-private differentiation in terms of field of study. Relative to public counterparts, private universities tend to offer their services in fields that require low initial investments and present at least relatively attractive internal private rates of return. Thus, the main objective of…

An Introductory Global Overview: The Private Fit to Salient Higher Education Tendencies. PROPHE Working Paper Series. WP No. 7

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Levy, Daniel C.

2006-01-01

Private higher education has surged in recent decades and now forms a major part of the world's total higher education. A fourth of total enrollment might be a reasonable guess, albeit a very rough one. Only Western Europe remains mostly marginal to the global trend. Whether new or continuing, contemporary private growth is notable, especially in…

Foreign Language Analysis and Recognition (FLARE) Progress

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-02-01

Copies may be obtained from the Defense Technical Information Center (DTIC) (http://www.dtic.mil). AFRL- RH -WP-TR-2015-0007 HAS BEEN REVIEWED AND IS... retrieval (IR). 15. SUBJECT TERMS Automatic speech recognition (ASR), information retrieval (IR). 16. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF: 17. LIMITATION OF...to the Haystack Multilingual Multimedia Information Extraction and Retrieval (MMIER) system that was initially developed under a prior work unit

ACT-CCREC Core Research Program: Study Questions and Design. ACT Working Paper Series. WP-2015-01

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cruce, Ty M.

2015-01-01

This report provides a non-technical overview of the guiding research questions and research design for the ACT-led core research program conducted on behalf of the GEAR UP College and Career Readiness Evaluation Consortium (CCREC). The core research program is a longitudinal study of the effectiveness of 14 GEAR UP state grants on the academic…

Has It Always Been This Way? Tracing the Evolution of Teacher Quality Gaps in U.S. Public Schools. CEDR Working Paper. WP #2016-8

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goldhaber, Dan; Quince, Vanessa; Theobald, Roddy

2016-01-01

There is mounting evidence of substantial "teacher quality gaps" (TQGs) between advantaged and disadvantaged students, but practically no empirical evidence about their history. We use longitudinal data on public school students, teachers, and schools from two states--North Carolina and Washington--to provide a descriptive history of the…

National Board Certification and Teacher Effectiveness: Evidence from Washington. CEDR Working Paper. WP #2015-3

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cowan, James; Goldhaber, Dan

2015-01-01

We study the effectiveness of teachers certified by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS) in Washington State, which has one of the largest populations of National Board Certified Teachers (NBCTs) in the nation. Based on value-added models in math and reading, we find that NBPTS certified teachers are about 0.01-0.05…

Incidence of Testicular Cancer in U.S. Air Force Officer Aviators: 1998-2008

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-06-01

DAVID B. RHODES, Col, USAF, MC ROBERT E. CARROLL , Col, USAF, MC, CFS This... S ) Christopher Walker 5d. PROJECT NUMBER 5e. TASK NUMBER 5f. WORK UNIT NUMBER 7. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME( S ) AND ADDRESS(ES) USAF...REPORT NUMBER AFRL-SA-WP-SR-2012-0001 9. SPONSORING / MONITORING AGENCY NAME( S ) AND ADDRESS(ES) 10. SPONSORING/MONITOR’S ACRONYM( S

Assessing the Relationship between Teacher Performance on Washington State's ProTeach Portfolio and Student Test Performance. CEDR Working Paper. WP #2014-­2

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cowan, James; Goldhaber, Dan

2014-01-01

As part of Washington State's efforts to ensure and improve the quality of the teacher workforce, the Professional Educator Standards Board (PESB), with assistance from Educational Testing Services (ETS), has recently introduced a new, evidence-based assessment of teachers called the ProTeach Portfolio. The development of ProTeach was mandated by…

Vertex Algebras W(p)Am and W(p)Dm and Constant Term Identities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adamović, Dražen; Lin, Xianzu; Milas, Antun

2015-03-01

We consider AD-type orbifolds of the triplet vertex algebras W(p) extending the well-known c=1 orbifolds of lattice vertex algebras. We study the structure of Zhu's algebras A(W(p)^{A_m}) and A(W(p)^{D_m}), where A_m and D_m are cyclic and dihedral groups, respectively. A combinatorial algorithm for classification of irreducible W(p)^Γ-modules is developed, which relies on a family of constant term identities and properties of certain polynomials based on constant terms. All these properties can be checked for small values of m and p with a computer software. As a result, we argue that if certain constant term properties hold, the irreducible modules constructed in [Commun. Contemp. Math. 15 (2013), 1350028, 30 pages; Internat. J. Math. 25 (2014), 1450001, 34 pages] provide a complete list of irreducible W(p)^{A_m} and W(p)^{D_m}-modules. This paper is a continuation of our previous work on the ADE subalgebras of the triplet vertex algebra W(p).

Development of a Finite State Machine for a Small Unmanned Aircraft System Using Experimental Design

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-03-26

54  Appendix B: Storyboard ....................................................................................................56  Bibliography...Script.ChangeParam(’WP_RADIUS’,90) Script.ChangeParam(’WP_LOITER_RAD’,90) print ’End Script’ 56 Appendix B: Storyboard 57

Effects of dry-land vs. in-water specific strength training on professional male water polo players' performance.

PubMed

de Villarreal, Eduardo Sáez; Suarez-Arrones, Luis; Requena, Bernardo; Haff, G Gregory; Ramos-Veliz, Rafael

2014-11-01

We compared the effects of 6-week dry-land and in-water specific strength training combined with a water polo (WP) program on 7 sport-specific performance parameters. Nineteen professional players were randomly assigned to 2 groups: in-water strength group (WSG) (in-water training only) and dry-land strength group (LSG). The program included 3 weekly strength training sessions and 5 days of WP training per week for 6 weeks during the preseason. Ten-meter T-agility test, 20-m maximal sprint swim, maximal dynamic strength (1 repetition maximum), bench press (BP) and full squat (FS), in-water boost, countermovement jump (CMJ), and WP throwing speed were measured. Significant improvements (p ≤ 0.05) were found in the experimental groups in some variables: CMJ in the LSG and WSG (2.35 cm, 9.07%, effect size [ES] = 0.89; and 2.6 cm, 7.6%, ES = 0.83, respectively), in-water boost increased in the WSG group (4.1 cm; 11.48%; ES = 0.70), and FS and BP increased (p ≤ 0.05) only in the LSG group (12.1 kg; 11.27%; ES = 1.15 and 8.3 kg; 9.55%; ES = 1.30, respectively). There was a decrease of performance in agility test (-0.55 seconds; 5.60%; ES = 0.74). Both dry-land and in-water specific strength training and high-intensity training in these male WP players produced medial to large effects on most WP-specific performance parameters. Therefore, we propose modifications to current training methodology for WP players in preseason to include both the training programs (dry-land and in-water specific strength training and high-intensity training) for athlete preparation in this sport.

The role of reactive oxygen species in WP 631-induced death of human ovarian cancer cells: a comparison with the effect of doxorubicin.

PubMed

Rogalska, Aneta; Gajek, Arkadiusz; Szwed, Marzena; Jóźwiak, Zofia; Marczak, Agnieszka

2011-12-01

In the present study, we investigated the anticancer activity of WP 631, a new anthracycline analog, in weakly doxorubicin-resistant SKOV-3 ovarian cancer cells. We studied the time-course of apoptotic and necrotic events: the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and changes in the mitochondrial membrane potential in human ovarian cancer cells exposed to WP 631 in the presence and absence of an antioxidant, N-acetylcysteine (NAC). The effect of WP 631 was compared with the activity of doxorubicin (DOX), the best known first-generation anthracycline. Cytotoxic activity was determined by the MTT assay. The morphological changes characteristic of apoptosis and necrosis in drug-treated cells were analyzed by double staining with Hoechst 33258 and propidium iodide (PI) using fluorescence microscopy. The production of reactive oxygen species and changes in mitochondrial membrane potential were studied using specific fluorescence probes: DCFH2-DA and JC-1, respectively. The experiments showed that WP 631 was three times more cytotoxic than DOX in the tested cell line. It was found that the new anthracycline analog induced mainly apoptosis and, marginally, necrosis. Apoptotic cell death was associated with morphological changes and a decrease in mitochondrial membrane potential. In comparison to DOX, the novel bisanthracycline induced a significantly higher level of ROS and a greater drop in the membrane potential. The results provide direct evidence that the novel anthracycline WP 631 is considerably more cytotoxic to human SKOV-3 ovarian cancer cells than doxorubicin. The drug can produce ROS, which are immediately involved in the induction of apoptotic cell death. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effects of seasonal vitamin D deficiency and respiratory acidosis on bone metabolism markers in submarine crewmembers during prolonged patrols.

PubMed

Holy, Xavier; Collombet, Jean-Marc; Labarthe, Frédéric; Granger-Veyron, Nicolas; Bégot, Laurent

2012-02-01

The aim of the study was to determine the seasonal influence of vitamin D status on bone metabolism in French submariners over a 2-mo patrol. Blood samples were collected as follows: prepatrol and patrol days 20, 41, and 58 on crewmembers from both a winter (WP; n = 20) and a summer patrol (SP; n = 20), respectively. Vitamin D status was evaluated for WP and SP. Moreover, extended parameters for acid-base balance (Pco(2), pH, and bicarbonate), bone metabolism (bone alkaline phosphatase and COOH-terminal telopeptide of type I collagen), and mineral homeostasis (parathyroid hormone, ionized calcium and phosphorus) were scrutinized. As expected, SP vitamin D status was higher than WP vitamin D status, regardless of the considered experimental time. A mild chronic respiratory acidosis (CRA) was identified in both SP and WP submariners, up to patrol day 41. Such an occurrence paired up with an altered bone remodeling coupling (decreased bone alkaline phosphatase-to-COOH-terminal telopeptide of type I collagen ratio). At the end of the patrol (day 58), a partial compensation of CRA episode, combined with a recovered normal bone remodeling coupling, was observed in SP, not, however, in WP submariners. The mild CRA episode displayed over the initial 41-day submersion period was mainly induced by a hypercapnia resulting from the submarine-enriched CO(2) level. The correlated impaired bone remodeling may imply a physiological attempt to compensate this acidosis via bone buffering. On patrol day 58, the discrepancy observed in terms of CRA compensation between SP and WP may result from the seasonal influence on vitamin D status.

Air and Water Processes Do Not Produce the Same High-Quality Pasteurization of Donor Human Milk.

PubMed

Buffin, Rachel; Pradat, Pierre; Trompette, Jocelyne; Ndiaye, Isabelle; Basson, Eliane; Jordan, Isabelle; Picaud, Jean-Charles

2017-11-01

Holder pasteurization is the most commonly used technique in milk banks worldwide, but higher temperatures and longer pasteurization time have been associated with damage to the immune components of human milk. Research aim: This study aimed to assess the detailed pattern of pasteurization temperature using two water pasteurizers (WP1 and WP2) and one air pasteurizer (AP). The milk temperature during each phase of the pasteurization cycle was recorded using 6 to 9 probes, depending on the number of bottles, in the pasteurizers. We used 90 to 200 ml bottles to assess the effect of volume on milk temperature. The time to heat the milk from room temperature to 58°C was 12.4, 12.9, and 64.5 min, respectively, for WP1, WP2, and the AP ( p < .0001). The duration of the plateau was 35.5, 35.2, and 45.8 min ( p < .0001). The duration of exposure to a temperature above 58°C was 49.6, 40.7, and 76.2 min ( p < .0001). The total duration of a full cycle was 79, 66, and 182 min ( p < .0001). The duration of exposure above 58°C for the different volumes of milk treated showed no difference when using WP1 but was significantly longer in small volumes when using WP2. Human milk treated using the air pasteurizer in our study was exposed to higher temperatures and for longer periods of time than the water pasteurizers we employed. Regular qualification of pasteurizers is requested when evaluating the effect of pasteurization on milk components and for routine treatment of human milk in milk banks.

Antioxidant properties of selected Oriental non-culinary/nutraceutical herb extracts as evaluated in raw and cooked meat.

PubMed

Han, J; Rhee, K S

2005-05-01

Ethanol extracts of white peony (WP), red peony (RP), sappanwood (SW), Moutan peony (MP), rehmania (RE) or angelica (AN) were individually added to ground goat meat at 0.5-2.0% (g dry extract/100 g final meat sample), and raw and cooked samples were aerobically refrigerated for 0, 3 or 6 days. These extracts and rosemary extract (RO) were also individually added to salted or unsalted ground beef at 0.01-0.25% and refrigerated as raw or cooked patties. WP, RP, RE, SW and MP markedly reduced (P<0.05) lipid oxidation in cooked-stored goat meat. With 0.25% of WP, RP, SW, MP or RO in beef, lipid oxidation during storage was minimal in raw and cooked patties (plain or salted); raw patty redness values at day 6 were higher (P<0.05) for SW, WP, RP or MP than RO treatment or the control. At 0.01%, SW was more antioxidative (P<0.05) than the other extracts.

A clinical evaluation of bleaching using whitening wraps and strips.

PubMed

Matis, Bruce A; Cochran, Michael; Wang, Ge; Franco, Miguel; Eckert, George J; Carlotti, Ronald J; Bryan, Christopher

2005-01-01

This study evaluated the degree of color change of teeth and the sensitivities of teeth and gums in an in vivo study. Ranir Whitening Wraps (WW2) and Crest Whitestrips Premium (WP2) were used twice a day and Ranir Whitening Wraps (WW1) were used once a day. Color evaluations occurred at baseline, after five and seven-day use of bleaching agent and 14 days post-bleaching. Color change was evaluated objectively and subjectively. Sensitivity evaluations were also accomplished. Seventy-six of the 78 subjects enrolled completed the study. All three products significantly lightened teeth. WW2 lightened more than WP2 and WW1 in L*, a*, b*, E and shade guide value. WP2 lightened more than WW1 in a*, b*, E and shade guide value. There was no difference in tooth sensitivity, but WW1 and WP2 caused less gingival sensitivity than WW2. The mean age of smokers was seven years younger than nonsmokers who qualified.

Influence of climate variability on near-surface ozone depletion events in the Arctic spring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koo, Ja-Ho; Wang, Yuhang; Jiang, Tianyu; Deng, Yi; Oltmans, Samuel J.; Solberg, Sverre

2014-04-01

Near-surface ozone depletion events (ODEs) generally occur in the Arctic spring, and the frequency shows large interannual variations. We use surface ozone measurements at Barrow, Alert, and Zeppelinfjellet to analyze if their variations are due to climate variability. In years with frequent ODEs at Barrow and Alert, the western Pacific (WP) teleconnection pattern is usually in its negative phase, during which the Pacific jet is strengthened but the storm track originated over the western Pacific is weakened. Both factors tend to reduce the transport of ozone-rich air mass from midlatitudes to the Arctic, creating a favorable environment for the ODEs. The correlation of ODE frequencies at Zeppelinfjellet with WP indices is higher in the 2000s, reflecting stronger influence of the WP pattern in recent decade to cover ODEs in broader Arctic regions. We find that the WP pattern can be used to diagnose ODE changes and subsequent environmental impacts in the Arctic spring.

Comparisons of Growth and Survival Performance Among Selected Families and Wild Populations of Fenneropenaeus chinensis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luo, Kun; Kong, Jie; Meng, Xianhong; Luan, Sheng; Cao, Baoxiang; Chen, Baolong

2018-04-01

In this study, families of selected population for growth (SP_BWT), selected population for white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) resistance (SP_RW), Bohai wild population (WP_BH) and Huanghai wild population (WP_HH) of F. chinensis were constructed through artificial insemination and with the standardized procedure of larvae rearing. Growth and survival performance were studied among four populations after a 70 days common test. The results showed that the maximum least square mean of body weight was 17.50 g in SP_BWT while the minimum was 13.03 g in WP_HH. Compared with WP_BH, body weight of SP_BWT increased by 23.41% ( P < 0.01) and that of SP_RW by 12.20% ( P > 0.05). Body weights of SP_BWT and SP_RW were significantly higher than that of WP_HH, which increased by 34.31% ( P < 0.01) and 22.10% ( P < 0.05), respectively. The mean AGR of four populations was 0.19, 0.18, 0.17 and 0.16 g d-1, respectively. Coefficient of variation of body weight among four populations was high, which ranged from 32.67% to 35.25%. Such a range showed that there was the potentiality for further improvement in selected populations. Coefficient of variation of survival rate among four populations was low, varying between 3.20% and 5.90%. The difference of survival was highly significant ( P < 0.01) between SP_BWT and WP_BH, and significant ( P < 0.05) between SP_RW and WP_BH. However, no significant difference among other populations ( P < 0.05) was observed. Different growth performances were also observed among different families in each population. The body weight of 798F family was the highest. The absolute growth rate (AGR) was 0.25 g d-1, 150% higher than that of the lowest one, 0.1 g d-1 in 807F family. Survival rate of families among four populations was different. The highest was 94.74%, and the lowest was 71.88%.

Comparison of human immunodeficiency virus assays in window phase and elite controller samples: viral load distribution and implications for transmission risk

PubMed Central

Vermeulen, Marion; Coleman, Charl; Mitchel, Josephine; Reddy, Ravi; van Drimmelen, Harry; Fickett, Tracy; Busch, Michael; Lelie, Nico

2016-01-01

BACKGROUND After 3 years of individual-donation nucleic acid test (ID-NAT) screening by the South African National Blood Service (SANBS), a repository of 73 human immunodeficiency virus antibody (anti-HIV)-negative window period (WP)-yield samples and 28 anti-HIV–positive, HIV-RNA–negative elite controllers (ECs) became available for comparison of a p24 antigen (p24 Ag) assay (Innogenetics), two viral load assays (Siemens branch DNA [bDNA] 3.0 and Abbott real-time polymerase chain reaction [RT-PCR]), and three triplex NAT assays (Novartis Diagnostics Ultrio and Ultrio-Plus and Roche TaqScreen) by replicate testing of dilutions. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS Viral loads were assessed by bDNA and RT-PCR assays and if below 100 copies (cps)/mL, by Ultrio limiting dilution probit analysis. The probability of virus transmission by WP and EC donations was estimated for different levels of the 50% minimum infectious dose (ID50) using Poisson distribution statistics. RESULTS The equal distribution of WP donations plotted by log HIV-RNA levels indicated a random appearance of donors in the ramp-up phase. The HIV p24 Ag assay detected 45% of WP samples and the cutoff crossing point was estimated at 8140 (bDNA)/ 22,710 (RT-PCR) cps/mL. On replicate retesting of 40 HIV p24 Ag–negative ID-NAT WP-yield samples Ultrio minipool (MP)8, Ultrio-Plus MP8, and TaqScreen MP6 detected 79, 81, and 78%, respectively. Modeling with an estimated ID50 of 31.6 virions/RBC indicated that 15% of p24 Ag–negative ID-NAT WP-yield donations would have transmitted HIV if MP6–8 NAT had been used. Only 2% of RBC transfusions from ECs are estimated to be infectious with a worst-case ID50 estimate of 316 virions. CONCLUSION Our analysis of viremia and infectivity of WP and EC donations enables comparison of the efficacy of NAT options in preventing HIV transmission risk. PMID:23445273

Comparison of human immunodeficiency virus assays in window phase and elite controller samples: viral load distribution and implications for transmission risk.

PubMed

Vermeulen, Marion; Coleman, Charl; Mitchel, Josephine; Reddy, Ravi; van Drimmelen, Harry; Fickett, Tracy; Busch, Michael; Lelie, Nico

2013-10-01

After 3 years of individual-donation nucleic acid test (ID-NAT) screening by the South African National Blood Service (SANBS), a repository of 73 human immunodeficiency virus antibody (anti-HIV)-negative window period (WP)-yield samples and 28 anti-HIV-positive, HIV-RNA-negative elite controllers (ECs) became available for comparison of a p24 antigen (p24 Ag) assay (Innogenetics), two viral load assays (Siemens branch DNA [bDNA] 3.0 and Abbott real-time polymerase chain reaction [RT-PCR]), and three triplex NAT assays (Novartis Diagnostics Ultrio and Ultrio-Plus and Roche TaqScreen) by replicate testing of dilutions. Viral loads were assessed by bDNA and RT-PCR assays and if below 100 copies (cps)/mL, by Ultrio limiting dilution probit analysis. The probability of virus transmission by WP and EC donations was estimated for different levels of the 50% minimum infectious dose (ID50 ) using Poisson distribution statistics. The equal distribution of WP donations plotted by log HIV-RNA levels indicated a random appearance of donors in the ramp-up phase. The HIV p24 Ag assay detected 45% of WP samples and the cutoff crossing point was estimated at 8140 (bDNA)/22,710 (RT-PCR) cps/mL. On replicate retesting of 40 HIV p24 Ag-negative ID-NAT WP-yield samples Ultrio minipool (MP)8, Ultrio-Plus MP8, and TaqScreen MP6 detected 79, 81, and 78%, respectively. Modeling with an estimated ID50 of 31.6 virions/RBC indicated that 15% of p24 Ag-negative ID-NAT WP-yield donations would have transmitted HIV if MP6-8 NAT had been used. Only 2% of RBC transfusions from ECs are estimated to be infectious with a worst-case ID50 estimate of 316 virions. Our analysis of viremia and infectivity of WP and EC donations enables comparison of the efficacy of NAT options in preventing HIV transmission risk. © 2013 American Association of Blood Banks.

Combined cannabis/methaqualone withdrawal treated with psychotropic analgesic nitrous oxide.

PubMed

Gillman, Mark A; Harker, Nadine; Lichtigfeld, Frederick J

2006-07-01

This article reports the first single-blind study using psychotropic analgesic nitrous oxide (PAN) for treating acute withdrawal states following the abuse of methaqualone combined and smoked with cannabis. Smoked methaqualone combined with cannabis is called "white pipe" (WP). South Africa is the only country in the world where WP is a major form of substance abuse. This article demonstrates in 101 consecutively treated patients given placebo (100% oxygen) followed by PAN that this therapy produced a measurable therapeutic effect (more than 50% improvement) in 87 patients. This study confirms that WP is a form of substance abuse confined mainly to young adult male subjects.

AmeriFlux CA-WP3 Alberta - Western Peatland - Rich Fen (Carex)

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

Flanagan, Lawrence B.

This is the AmeriFlux version of the carbon flux data for the site CA-WP3 Alberta - Western Peatland - Rich Fen (Carex). Site Description - Peatland (rich fen) Alberta. 54.47°N, 113.32°W Southwest of the AB-WPL site.

Behavior and milk production of buffalo cows as affected by housing system.

PubMed

De Rosa, G; Grasso, F; Braghieri, A; Bilancione, A; Di Francia, A; Napolitano, F

2009-03-01

To verify the effect of 2 housing systems (with and without a pool and an ample outdoor lot) on behavior and milk yield, 45 lactating buffalo cows were group-housed in a free stall open-sided barn with concrete floor where they received 10 m(2)/head as space allowance (group NP); 43 cows were group-housed in a similar barn, but had access to an outdoor yard (36 m(2)/head) and a concrete pool of 208 m(2) (group WP). Animals were subjected to 8 sessions of instantaneous scan sampling at approximately 10-d intervals. Behavioral variables were expressed as proportions of subjects observed in each category of posture and activity. In addition, rapid behaviors such as agonistic, social, and reproductive interactions, social licking, and self-grooming were recorded continuously. These variables were expressed as number of interactions per animal. At the end of each hour of observation, temperature and relative humidity were recorded. In WP the proportion of animals observed wallowing was 0.476 +/- 0.034, whereas lower proportions were observed standing (0.389 +/- 0.029) or lying (0.141 +/- 0.021) outside the pool. In NP the proportions of animals observed standing and lying were 0.452 +/- 0.042 and 0.548 +/- 0.042, respectively. A significant relationship between mean temperatures recorded on observation days and proportion of animals in the pool was observed (r(s) = 0.41). Fewer animals from group WP were observed idling compared with buffaloes from group NP (0.44 +/- 0.024 vs. 0.509 +/- 0.024, respectively), whereas more WP animals were involved in investigative activities than NP cows (0.099 +/- 0.009 vs. 0.042 +/- 0.009, respectively). A greater number of social interactions (sniffing and nuzzling) and social lickings were observed in group WP than in group NP (0.120 +/- 0.010 vs. 0.067 +/- 0.010, and 0.151 +/- 0.018 vs. 0.090 +/- 0.018, respectively). The WP buffalo cows had a greater milk yield than NP cows (11.73 +/- 0.31 vs. 10.78 +/- 0.28 kg/d, respectively), whereas no differences between groups were observed for protein (4.86 +/- 0.04 vs. 4.80 +/- 0.03% for WP and NP, respectively) and fat contents (8.49 +/- 0.14 vs. 8.38 +/- 0.13% for WP and NP, respectively). We conclude that the provision of a pool and an ample outdoor paddock can have beneficial effects on welfare and milk production of buffaloes.

pSW2, a Novel Low-Temperature-Inducible Gene Expression Vector Based on a Filamentous Phage of the Deep-Sea Bacterium Shewanella piezotolerans WP3.

PubMed

Yang, Xin-Wei; Jian, Hua-Hua; Wang, Feng-Ping

2015-08-15

A low-temperature-inducible protein expression vector (pSW2) based on a filamentous phage (SW1) of the deep-sea bacterium Shewanella piezotolerans WP3 was constructed. This vector replicated stably in Escherichia coli and Shewanella species, and its copy number increased at low temperatures. The pSW2 vector can be utilized as a complementation plasmid in WP3, and it can also be used for the production of complex cytochromes with multiple heme groups, which has the potential for application for metal ion recovery or bioremediation. Promoters of low-temperature-inducible genes in WP3 were fused into the vector to construct a series of vectors for enhancing protein expression at low temperature. The maximum green fluorescent protein intensity was obtained when the promoter for the hfq gene was used. The WP3/pSW2 system can efficiently produce a patatin-like protein (PLP) from a metagenomic library that tends to form inclusion bodies in E. coli. The yields of PLP in the soluble fraction were 8.3 mg/liter and 4.7 mg/liter of culture at 4°C and 20°C, respectively. Moreover, the pSW2 vector can be broadly utilized in other Shewanella species, such as S. oneidensis and S. psychrophila. Copyright © 2015, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

The pecan nut (Carya illinoinensis) and its oil and polyphenolic fractions differentially modulate lipid metabolism and the antioxidant enzyme activities in rats fed high-fat diets.

PubMed

Domínguez-Avila, Jesús A; Alvarez-Parrilla, Emilio; López-Díaz, José A; Maldonado-Mendoza, Ignacio E; Gómez-García, María Del Consuelo; de la Rosa, Laura A

2015-02-01

Tree nuts such as pecans (Carya illinoinensis) contain mostly oil but are also a source of polyphenols. Nut consumption has been linked to a reduction in serum lipid levels and oxidative stress. These effects have been attributed to the oil while overlooking the potential contribution of the polyphenols. Because the evidence regarding each fraction's bioactivity is scarce, we administered high-fat (HF) diets to male Wistar rats, supplementing them with pecan oil (HF+PO), pecan polyphenols (HF+PP) or whole pecans (HF+WP), and analysed the effects of each fraction. The HF diet increased the serum leptin and total cholesterol (TC) with respect to the control levels. The HF+WP diet prevented hyperleptinemia and decreased the TC compared with the control. The HF+WP diet upregulated the hepatic expression of apolipoprotein B and LDL receptor mRNAs with respect to the HF levels. The HF+PO diet reduced the level of triacylglycerols compared with the control. The HF+PP diet stimulated the hepatic expression of liver X receptor alpha mRNA. The HF+WP diet increased the activities of hepatic catalase, glutathione peroxidase and glutathione S transferase compared with the control, and decreased the degree of lipid peroxidation compared with the HF diet. The most bioactive diet was the WP diet. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Whey protein hydrolysate increases translocation of GLUT-4 to the plasma membrane independent of insulin in wistar rats.

PubMed

Morato, Priscila Neder; Lollo, Pablo Christiano Barboza; Moura, Carolina Soares; Batista, Thiago Martins; Camargo, Rafael Ludemann; Carneiro, Everardo Magalhães; Amaya-Farfan, Jaime

2013-01-01

Whey protein (WP) and whey protein hydrolysate (WPH) have the recognized capacity to increase glycogen stores. The objective of this study was to verify if consuming WP and WPH could also increase the concentration of the glucose transporters GLUT-1 and GLUT-4 in the plasma membrane (PM) of the muscle cells of sedentary and exercised animals. Forty-eight Wistar rats were divided into 6 groups (n = 8 per group), were treated and fed with experimental diets for 9 days as follows: a) control casein (CAS); b) WP; c) WPH; d) CAS exercised; e) WP exercised; and f) WPH exercised. After the experimental period, the animals were sacrificed, muscle GLUT-1 and GLUT-4, p85, Akt and phosphorylated Akt were analyzed by western blotting, and the glycogen, blood amino acids, insulin levels and biochemical health indicators were analyzed using standard methods. Consumption of WPH significantly increased the concentrations of GLUT-4 in the PM and glycogen, whereas the GLUT-1 and insulin levels and the health indicators showed no alterations. The physical exercise associated with consumption of WPH had favorable effects on glucose transport into muscle. These results should encourage new studies dealing with the potential of both WP and WPH for the treatment or prevention of type II diabetes, a disease in which there is reduced translocation of GLUT-4 to the plasma membrane.

Simulation of monsoon intraseasonal oscillations in a coarse-resolution aquaplanet GCM

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ajayamohan, R. S.; Khouider, Boualem; Majda, Andrew J.

2014-08-01

The skill of the global climate models (GCMs) to realistically simulate the monsoon intraseasonal oscillations (MISOs) is related to the sensitivity of their convective parameterization schemes. Here we show that by coupling a simple multicloud parameterization to a coarse-resolution aquaplanet GCM, realistic MISOs can be simulated. We conduct three different simulations with a fixed nonhomogeneous sea surface temperature mimicking the Indian Ocean/western Pacific warm pool (WP) centered at the three latitudes 5°N, 10°N, and 15°N, respectively, to replicate the seasonal migration of the Tropical Convergence Zone (TCZ). This results in the generation of mean circulation resembling the monsoonal flow pattern in boreal summer. Succession of eastward propagating Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO) disturbances with phase speed, amplitude, and structure similar to summer MJOs are simulated when the WP is at 5°N. When the WP is located over 10°N, northward and eastward propagating MISOs are simulated. This case captures the meridional seesaw of convection between continental and oceanic TCZ observed during boreal summer over South Asia. Westward propagating Rossby wave-like disturbances are simulated when the WP is over 15°N congruous with the synoptic disturbances seen over the monsoon trough. The initiation of intraseasonal oscillations in the model can occur internally through organization of convective events above the WP associated with internal dynamics.

What's in a Teacher Test? Assessing the Relationship between Teacher Licensure Test Scores and Student STEM Achievement and Course-Taking. CEDR Working Paper. WP #2016-11

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goldhaber, Dan; Gratz, Trevor; Theobald, Roddy

2016-01-01

We investigate the relationship between teacher licensure test scores and student test achievement and high school course-taking. We focus on three subject/grade combinations-- middle school math, ninth-grade algebra and geometry, and ninth-grade biology--and find evidence that a teacher's basic skills test scores are modestly predictive of…

Operational Based Vision Assessment Research: Depth Perception

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-11-01

13-072 5e. TASK NUMBER 5f. WORK UNIT NUMBER 7. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) USAF School of Aerospace Medicine...Aeromedical Research Department 2510 Fifth St. Wright-Patterson AFB, OH 45433-7913 8. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION REPORT NUMBER AFRL-SA-WP-JA-2014...tests are tests of stereopsis, such as the AFVT and AO Vectograph. Others evaluate depth perception with stereo as a contributor to performance , such

Public Disorder, Private Boons? Inter-Sectoral Dynamics Illustrated by the Kenyan Case. PROPHE Working Paper Series. WP No. 9

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Otieno, Wycliffe; Levy, Daniel

2007-01-01

Within and beyond Africa, it is the public sector much more than the private sector that is the scene of strikes and other forms of disorder, conflict and difficulty. Yet the private sector can be much affected by the public problems. Effects may be simultaneously positive for the private sector and deleterious for the public sector. Although a…

Pension Generosity in Oregon and Its Impact on Midcareer Teacher Attrition and Older Teachers' K12 Workforce Exit Decisions. CEDR Working Paper. WP #2016-5

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cahill, Kevin E.; Dyke, Andrew; Tapogna, John

2016-01-01

Oregon's Tier One Public Employees Retirement System (PERS) covered members prior to January 1, 1996. This "Issue Brief" documents the generosity of the money match provision under Oregon's Tier One plan relative to the Tier One defined-benefit formula, and relative to other plans in Oregon and Washington and to representative plans…

Who Chooses Incentivized Pay Structures? Exploring the Link between Performance and Preferences for Compensation Reform in the Teacher Labor Market. CEDR Working Paper. WP #2014-­8

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goldhaber, Dan; Bignell, Wes; Farley, Amy; Walch, Joe; Cowan, James

2014-01-01

In this paper we report on research examining the revealed preferences of teachers in Denver Public Schools who were given the opportunity to select between remaining on a traditional salary schedule or opting in to one of the nation's highest profile pay reform systems, Denver's Professional Compensation System for Teachers. The incentive…

SAFER Under Vehicle Inspection Through Video Mosaic Building

DTIC Science & Technology

2004-01-01

this work were taken using a Polaris Wp-300c Lipstick video camera mounted on a mobile platform. Infrared video was taken using a Raytheon PalmIR PRO...Tank- Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center, US Army RDECOM, Warren, Michigan, USA. Keywords Inspection, Road vehicles, State...security, Robotics Abstract The current threats to US security, both military and civilian, have led to an increased interest in the development of

Computational Study of Inlet Active Flow Control

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-05-01

AFRL-VA-WP-TR-2007-3077 COMPUTATIONAL STUDY OF INLET ACTIVE FLOW CONTROL Delivery Order 0005 Dr. Sonya T. Smith Howard University Department...NUMBER A0A2 5e. TASK NUMBER 6. AUTHOR(S) Dr. Sonya T. Smith ( Howard University ) Dr. Angela Scribben and Matthew Goettke (AFRL/VAAI) 5f...WORK UNIT NUMBER 0B 7. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME(S) AND ADDRESS(ES) 8. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION Howard University Department of Mechanical

77 FR 8818 - Publication of FY 2011 Service Contract Inventory

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-02-15

... the inventory on the Bureau's Open Government homepage at the following link: http://www.consumerfinance.gov/open/ , specifically at http://www.consumerfinance.gov/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Appendix-C-FY2011-Inventory-Data-Summary.pdf and http://www.consumerfinance.gov/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Appendix...

AmeriFlux CA-WP2 Alberta - Western Peatland - Poor Fen (Sphagnum moss)

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

Flanagan, Lawrence B.

This is the AmeriFlux version of the carbon flux data for the site CA-WP2 Alberta - Western Peatland - Poor Fen (Sphagnum moss). Site Description - Peatland (poor fen) Alberta. 55.5375°N, 112.3343°W North of the AB-WPL site.

Monitoring Conditions Leading to SCC/Corrosion of Carbon Steel in Fuel Grade Ethanol

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2011-02-11

This is the draft final report of the project on field monitoring of conditions that lead to SCC in ethanol tanks and piping. The other two aspects of the consolidated program, ethanol batching and blending effects (WP#325) and source effects (WP#323...

Environmental Assessment: General Plan-Based Environmental Impact Analysis Process, Laughlin Air Force Base

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-05-01

BASED ENVIROMENTAL IMPACT ANALYSIS PROCESS LAUGHLIN AIR FORCE BASE, TEXAS AGENCY: 47th Flying Training Wing (FTW), Laughlin Air Force Base (AFB), Texas...8217\\ \\ \\ \\ \\\\ \\ ~ >(- \\ , ~ AOC01 \\ PS018 / WP002 \\ DP008 // WP006 \\ ~ ,/ ’----- -----·-------------~--/·/ LAUGHLIN AIR FORCE BASE ENVIROMENTAL RESTORATION

Identifying Behavioral Measures of Stress in Individuals with Aphasia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Laures-Gore, Jacqueline S.; DuBay, Michaela F.; Duff, Melissa C.; Buchanan, Tony W.

2010-01-01

Purpose: To develop valid indicators of stress in individuals with aphasia (IWA) by examining the relationship between certain language variables (error frequency [EF] and word productivity [WP]) and cortisol reactivity. Method: Fourteen IWA and 10 controls participated in a speaking task. Salivary cortisol was collected pre- and posttask. WP and…

Mutagenicity of p-aminophenol in E. coli WP2uvrA/pKM101 and its relevance to oxidative DNA damage.

PubMed

Yoshida, R; Oikawa, S; Ogawa, Y; Miyakoshi, Y; Ooida, M; Asanuma, K; Shimizu, H

1998-07-08

It was recently reported that p-aminophenol (p-AP) induces DNA cleavage in mouse lymphoma cells, CHO cells and human lymphoblastoid cells. The mutagenicity of p-AP has not, however, been detected by reverse mutation assays. The purpose of this study was to assess the mutagenicity of p-AP by reverse mutation assay using Escherichia coli WP2uvrA/pKM101, which has a spectrum for detecting mutations different from those of other strains in the family with an AT base pair at the mutation site and has higher sensitivity to certain oxidative mutagens as compared to other strains. We found that p-AP was mutagenic to E. coli WP2uvrA/pKM101. The mutagenic activity of this compound was suppressed with the addition of dimethylsulfoxide or catalase, suggesting the involvement of active oxygen species in the mutagenic process induced by p-AP. To further elucidate the underlying mechanism, we used isolated DNA for the following experiments. It was revealed, by gel electrophoretic analysis, that p-AP induced DNA cleavage in the presence of Fe(III). However, p-AP alone did not induce this cleavage. Formation of 8-oxo-7,8-dihydro-2'-deoxyguanosine by p-AP in calf thymus DNA was also detected in the presence of Fe(III) by HPLC with an electrochemical detector. ESR-spin trapping experiments using DMPO detected the production of hydroxyl radical (.OH) in the solution of p-AP with Fe(III). Both p-AP mediated DNA damages and .OH production by p-AP in the presence of Fe(III) were completely inhibited by .OH scavengers (ethanol, mannitol, sodium formate, dimethylsulfoxide) and catalase. These results suggest that .OH derived from the reaction between H2O2 and Fe(III) (Fenton reaction) participates in the oxidative DNA damage. Accordingly, the same mechanism might be working in E. coli WP2uvrA/pKM101 during induction of the mutation by p-AP.

Droop Control of Solar PV, Grid and Critical Load using Suppressing DC Current Injection Technique without Battery Storage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dama Mr., Jayachandra; (Mrs. , Lini Mathew, Dr.; Srikanth Mr., G.

2017-08-01

This paper presents design of a sustainable solar Photo voltaic system for an Indian cities based residential/community house, integrated with grid, supporting it as supplementary sources, to meet energy demand of domestic loads. The role of renewable energy sources in Distributed Generation (DG) is increasingly being recognized as a supplement and an alternative to large conventional central power supply. Though centralized economic system that solely depends on cities is hampered due to energy deficiency, the use of solar energy in cities is never been tried widely due to technical inconvenience and high installation cost. To mitigate these problems, this paper proposes an optimized design of grid-tied PV system without storage which is suitable for Indian origin as it requires less installallation cost and supplies residential loads when the grid power is unavailable. The energy requirement is mainly fulfilled from PV energy module for critical load of a city located residential house and supplemented by grid/DG for base and peak load. The system has been developed for maximum daily household demand of 50kWp and can be scaled to any higher value as per requirement of individual/community building ranging from 50kWp to 60kWp as per the requirement. A simplified control system model has been developed to optimize and control flow of power from these sources. The simulation work, using MATLAB Simulink software for proposed energy management, has resulted in an optimal yield leading efficient power flow control of proposed system.

Youth Work Training Package Review: More of the Same or Radical Rationalisation?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Corney, Tim; Broadbent, Robyn

2007-01-01

The development of a national youth work training package in Australia began over 15 years ago. The current package sits under the umbrella of the general Community Services Industry Training Package. The first stage of a review of this package has been completed and the subsequent report not only confirms the recent trend towards the…

77 FR 37477 - Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards; Glazing Materials

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-06-21

... 4. Half Pound Ball Drop--Tempered Glass 5. Fracture Test 6. Shot Bag and Dart Drop Tests 7. Half... Rapporteurs) that assist WP.29 in researching, analyzing and developing technical regulations. One of the GRs... proposal concerning markings for GTRs in general, at the one-hundred-and- fortieth session of WP.29 in...

Interim Particulate Matter Test Method for the Determination of Particulate Matter from Gas Turbine Engines, SERDP Project WP-1538 Final Report

EPA Science Inventory

Under Project No. WP-1538 of the Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program, the U. S. Air Force's Arnold Engineering Development Center (AEDC) is developing an interim test method for non-volatile particulate matter (PM) specifically for the Joint Strike Fighter (J...

Variability in Puff Topography and Exhaled CO in Waterpipe Tobacco Smoking.

PubMed

Kim, Hyoshin; Brinkman, Marielle C; Sharma, Eva; Gordon, Sydney M; Clark, Pamela I

2016-10-01

We examined intra-individual variability in puff topography and CO measures collected during laboratory waterpipe (WP) tobacco smoking using a research-grade waterpipe (RWP). WP smoking topography and exhaled CO measures were obtained from 10 established WP smokers in a single-blind, crossover design. Using a previously validated RWP, each participant smoked "Two Apples" WP tobacco ad libitum with a single quick-light charcoal to satiation in 3 laboratory sessions spaced at least one week apart. To examine the intra-individual variability, the intraclass correlation coefficient ( ρ ) for topography and CO measures were estimated. Results: The majority of the topography and CO measures were stable. Most stable were puff frequency ( ρ = 0.88), number of puffs ( ρ = 0.86), and puff duration (ρ = 0.80). Less stable were peak flow ( ρ = 0.57) and total puff volume ( ρ = 0.52). The results provide the first set of empirical evidence that most topography and CO measurements collected using the RWP from a single laboratory smoking session are stable such that they can be representative of a smoker's puffing behaviors and reproducible among 3 sessions spread equally across 3 weeks.

Fast co-pyrolysis of waste newspaper with high-density polyethylene for high yields of alcohols and hydrocarbons.

PubMed

Chen, Weimin; Shi, Shukai; Chen, Minzhi; Zhou, Xiaoyan

2017-09-01

Waste newspaper (WP) was first co-pyrolyzed with high-density polyethylene (HDPE) using pyrolysis-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (Py-GC/MS) to enhance the yields of alcohols and hydrocarbons. The effects of WP: HDPE feed ratio (100:0, 75:25, 50:50, 25:75, 0:100) and temperature (500-800°C) on products distribution were investigated and the interaction mechanism during co-pyrolysis was also proposed. Maximum yields of alcohols and hydrocarbons reached 85.88% (feed ratio 50:50wt.%, 600°C). Hydrogen supplements and deoxidation by HDPE and subsequently fragments recombination result in the conversion of aldehydes and ketones into branched hydrocarbons. Radicals from WP degradation favor the secondary crack for HDPE products resulting in the formation of linear hydrocarbons with low carbon number. Hydrocarbons with activated radical site from HDPE degradation were interacted with hydroxyl from WP degradation promoting the formation of linear long chain alcohols. Moreover, co-pyrolysis significantly enhanced condensable oil qualities, which were close to commercial diesel No. 0. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Past- and present-day Madden-Julian Oscillation in CNRM-CM5

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Song, Eun-Ji; Seo, Kyong-Hwan

2016-04-01

Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO) in the past (nineteenth century) and present day (twentieth century) is examined using preindustrial and historical experiments of Centre National de Recherches Météorologiques-Coupled Models, version 5 (CNRM-CM5) in Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 (CMIP5). The present-day MJO is stronger than the past MJO by 33% and it is ~10% more frequent. In particular, the MJO phases 4-7 signifying deep convection situated over the Maritime continent and western Pacific (WP) are considerably enhanced. These changes are due mainly to greenhouse gas forcing with little impact from nature forcing. Dynamical mechanisms for this change are investigated. A peculiar strengthening of MJO over WP comes from increased basic-state sea surface temperature (SST) over the Central Pacific (CP) and EP. The increase in precipitation over WP results from both the response to enhanced SST over CP and the inverted Walker circulation induced by the EP and CP SST increase. The latter causes a pair of anticyclonic Rossby waves straddling the equator, leading to moisture convergence over WP.

New well pattern optimization methodology in mature low-permeability anisotropic reservoirs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qin, Jiazheng; Liu, Yuetian; Feng, Yueli; Ding, Yao; Liu, Liu; He, Youwei

2018-02-01

In China, lots of well patterns were designed before people knew the principal permeability direction in low-permeability anisotropic reservoirs. After several years’ production, it turns out that well line direction is unparallel with principal permeability direction. However, traditional well location optimization methods (in terms of the objective function such as net present value and/or ultimate recovery) are inapplicable, since wells are not free to move around in a mature oilfield. Thus, the well pattern optimization (WPO) of mature low-permeability anisotropic reservoirs is a significant but challenging task, since the original well pattern (WP) will be distorted and reconstructed due to permeability anisotropy. In this paper, we investigate the destruction and reconstruction of WP when the principal permeability direction and well line direction are unparallel. A new methodology was developed to quantitatively optimize the well locations of mature large-scale WP through a WPO algorithm on the basis of coordinate transformation (i.e. rotating and stretching). For a mature oilfield, large-scale WP has settled, so it is not economically viable to carry out further infill drilling. This paper circumvents this difficulty by combining the WPO algorithm with the well status (open or shut-in) and schedule adjustment. Finally, this methodology is applied to an example. Cumulative oil production rates of the optimized WP are higher, and water-cut is lower, which highlights the potential of the WPO methodology application in mature large-scale field development projects.

Waterpipes and e-cigarettes: Impact of alternative smoking techniques on indoor air quality and health

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fromme, Hermann; Schober, Wolfgang

2015-04-01

Waterpipe (WP) smoking is growing as an alternative to cigarette smoking, especially in younger age groups. E-cigarette use has also increased in recent years. A majority of smokers mistakenly believe that WP smoking is a social entertainment practice that leads to more social behavior and relaxation and that this type of smoking is safe or less harmful and less addictive than cigarette smoking. In reality, WP smokers are exposed to hundreds of toxic substances that include known carcinogens. High exposures to carbon monoxide and nicotine are major health threats. Persons exposed to secondhand WP smoke are also at risk. There is growing evidence that WP smoke causes adverse effects on the pulmonary and cardiovascular systems and is responsible for cancer. E-cigarettes are marketed as a smokeless and safe way to inhale nicotine without being exposed to the many toxic components of tobacco cigarettes, and as an aid to smoking cessation. In fact, consumers (vapers) and secondhand vapers can be exposed to substantial amounts of VOC, PAH or other potentially harmful substances. Of major health concern is the inhalation of fine and ultrafine particles formed from supersaturated 1,2-propanediol vapor. Such particles can be deposited in the deeper parts of the lung and may harm the respiratory system or increase the risk of acquiring asthma. More research on the safety of e-cigarettes needs to be conducted to ensure a high level of public health protection in the long-term.

Changes in soil properties and in the growth of Lolium multiflorum in an acid soil amended with a solid waste from wineries.

PubMed

Nóvoa-Muñoz, J C; Simal-Gándara, J; Fernández-Calviño, D; López-Periago, E; Arias-Estévez, M

2008-10-01

The agronomic utility of a solid waste, waste perlite (WP), from wine companies was assessed. In this sense, the natural characteristics of the waste were measured, followed by the monitoring of its effects on the chemical properties of acid soils and the growth of Lolium multiflorum. Taking into account that heavy metals associated to the waste (such as Cu, Zn and Mn) could cause problems when used as amendment, the changes in their total levels and in their soil fractionation were also studied, together with their total contents in L. multiflorum. The high content in C (214gkg(-1)), N (25gkg(-1)), P (534mgkg(-1)) and K (106gkg(-1)) of WP turned it into an appropriate amendment to increase soil fertility, solving at the same time its disposal. WP contributed to increase soil pH (in 2 pH units) and cation exchange capacity (CEC increased in 3cmolckg(-1)units), but reduced the potential Cu phytotoxicity due to a change in Cu distribution towards less soluble fractions. The growth of L. multiflorum adequately responds to the treatment with WP at addition rates below 2.5gkg(-1), whereas the imbalance between nutrients can justify the reduction in biomass production at higher WP addition rates. The levels of heavy metals analyzed in L. multiflorum biomass (8-85gkg(-1)) do not seem to cause undesirable effects on its growth.

Whey protein enhances normal inflammatory responses during cutaneous wound healing in diabetic rats

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Prolonged wound healing is a complication of diabetes that contributes to mortality. Impaired wound healing occurs as a consequence of excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. Whey protein (WP) is able to reduce the oxygen radicals and increase the levels of the antioxidant glutathione. Thus, the aim of this study was to determine whether dietary supplementation with WP could enhance normal inflammatory responses during wound healing in diabetic rats. Animals were assigned into a wounded control group (WN), a wounded diabetic group (WD) and a wounded diabetic group orally supplemented with whey protein (WDWP) at a dose of 100 mg/kg body weight. Results Whey protein was found to significantly decrease the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), nitric oxide (NO) and ROS. A significant restoration of the glutathione level was observed in WDWP rats. During the early wound healing stage, IL-1β, TNF-α, IL-6, IL-4 and neutrophil infiltration were significantly decreased in WD mice. WP supplementation was found to restore the levels of these inflammatory markers to the levels observed in control animals. In addition, the time required for wound healing was significantly prolonged in diabetic rats. WP was found to significantly decrease the time required for wound healing in WDWP rats. Conclusion In conclusion, dietary supplementation with WP enhances the normal inflammatory responses during wound healing in diabetic mice by restoring the levels of oxidative stress and inflammatory cytokines. PMID:22168406

Assessing Domestic Right-Wing Extremism Using the Theory of Collective Behavior

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-12-01

DOMESTIC RIGHT-WING EXTREMISM USING THE THEORY OF COLLECTIVE BEHAVIOR Major Arnold C. Baldoza, United States Air Force B.S., Ateneo de Manila...emerged, but these [were] expensive avocations. … Public transportation became more expensive…. Income increased for those who continued to work...September 14, 2001, http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A28620-2001Sep14 (accessed October 17, 2009). 56 roots are attributed to Alexis de

Specifications and Prototype of the Knowledge Repository (V.3.0) and the Knowledge Mediator (V.3.0)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Andreou, Dimitris; Christophides, Vassilis; Flouris, Giorgos; Kotzinos, Dimitris; Pediaditis, Panagiotis; Tsialiamanis, Petros

2009-01-01

This deliverable reports the technical and research development performed until M36 (January 2009) within tasks T5.2 and T5.4 of WP5 in the KP-Lab project, per the latest Description of Work (DoW) 3.2 [DoW3.2]. The described components are included in the KP-Lab Semantic Web Knowledge Middleware (SWKM) Prototype Release 3.0 software that takes…

Why Do Middle School Students Sign Up for Washington's College Bound Scholarship Program? A Mixed Methods Evaluation. CEDR Working Paper. WP #2016-3

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Goldhaber, Dan; Long, Mark C.; Person, Ann; Rooklyn, Jordan

2016-01-01

Why individuals choose not to sign up for social programs, particularly when the costs of sign-up are low and the benefits generous, is a crucial question for policy scholars. In this paper, we show that a substantial share of qualified middle school students fail to sign up for Washington State's College Bound Scholarship program, and this…

Women in EPOS: the role of women in a large pan-European Research Infrastructure for Solid Earth sciences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Calignano, Elisa; Freda, Carmela; Baracchi, Laura

2017-04-01

Women are outnumbered by men in geosciences senior research positions, but what is the situation if we consider large pan-European Research Infrastructures? With this contribution we want to show an analysis of the role of women in the implementation of the European Plate Observing System (EPOS): a planned research infrastructure for European Solid Earth sciences, integrating national and transnational research infrastructures to enable innovative multidisciplinary research. EPOS involves 256 national research infrastructures, 47 partners (universities and research institutes) from 25 European countries and 4 international organizations. The EPOS integrated platform demands significant coordination between diverse solid Earth disciplinary communities, national research infrastructures and the policies and initiatives they drive, geoscientists and information technologists. The EPOS architecture takes into account governance, legal, financial and technical issues and is designed so that the enterprise works as a single, but distributed, sustainable research infrastructure. A solid management structure is vital for the successful implementation and sustainability of EPOS. The internal organization relies on community-specific Working Packages (WPs), Transversal WPs in charge of the overall EPOS integration and implementation, several governing, executive and advisory bodies, a Project Management Office (PMO) and the Project Coordinator. Driven by the timely debate on gender balance and commitment of the European Commission to promote gender equality in research and innovation, we decided to conduct a mapping exercise on a project that crosses European national borders and that brings together diverse geoscience disciplines under one management structure. We present an analysis of women representation in decision-making positions in each EPOS Working Package (WP Leader, proxy, legal, financial and IT contact persons), in the Boards and Councils and in the PMO, together with statistics on women participation based on the project intranet, which counts more than 500 users. The analysis allows us not only to assess the gender balance in decision-making positions in a pan-European research infrastructure, but also to investigate how women's participation varies with different aspects of the project implementation (management, coordination, legal, financial or technical). Most of the women in EPOS are active geoscientists (academic or in national research institutes), or have a scientific background. By interviewing some of them we report also on how being involved in the project affects their careers. We believe this kind of analysis is an important starting point to promote awareness and achieve gender equality in research and innovation.

Prostate Zonal Volumetry as a Predictor of Clinical Outcomes for Prostate Artery Embolization

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

Assis, André Moreira de, E-mail: andre.assis@criep.com.br, E-mail: andre.maa@gmail.com; Maciel, Macello Sampaio, E-mail: macielmjs@gmail.com; Moreira, Airton Mota, E-mail: airton.mota@criep.com.br

PurposeTo determine prostate baseline zonal volumetry and correlate these findings with clinical outcomes for patients who underwent prostate artery embolization (PAE) for lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) due to benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).Materials and MethodsThis is a retrospective study that included patients treated by PAE from 2010 to 2014. Baseline and 6-month follow-up evaluations included prostate MRI with whole prostate (WP) and central gland (CG) volume measurements—as well as prostate zonal volumetry index (ZVi) calculation, defined as the CG/WP volumes relation—the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), and the Quality of life (QoL) index. Baseline WP, CG, and ZVi were statistical compared to IPSS andmore » QoL values at 6 months.ResultsA total of 93 consecutive patients were included, with mean age of 63.4 years (range, 51–86). Clinical failure, defined as IPSS > 7 or QoL > 2, was seen in four cases (4.3%). Mean reductions in prostate volumes after PAE were of 30.6% and 31.2% for WP and CG, respectively (p < 0.0001). Clinical parameters had mean decrease from 21 to 3.3 points for IPSS, and from 4.7 to 1.2 points for QoL (p < 0.0001). Baseline WP, CG, and ZVi correlated to the degree of clinical improvement (p < 0.05 for all). The baseline ZVi cut-off calculated for better clinical outcomes was > 0.45, with 85% sensitivity and 75% specificity.ConclusionsBaseline CG and WP volumes as well as ZVi presented strong correlation with clinical outcomes in patients undergoing PAE, and its assessment should be considered in pre-treatment evaluation whenever possible. Both patients and medical team should be aware of the possibility of less favorable outcomes when ZVi < 0.45.« less

Co-ingestion of carbohydrate and whey protein increases fasted rates of muscle protein synthesis immediately after resistance exercise in rats

PubMed Central

Wang, Wanyi; Ding, Zhenping; Solares, Geoffrey J.; Choi, Soon-Mi; Wang, Bo; Yoon, Aram; Farrar, Roger P.; Ivy, John L.

2017-01-01

The objective of the study was to investigate whether co-ingestion of carbohydrate and protein as compared with protein alone augments muscle protein synthesis (MPS) during early exercise recovery. Two months old rats performed 10 repetitions of ladder climbing with 75% of body weight attached to their tails. Placebo (PLA), whey protein (WP), or whey protein plus carbohydrate (CP) was then given to rats by gavage. An additional group of sedentary rats (SED) was used as controls. Blood samples were collected immediately and at either 1 or 2 h after exercise. The flexor hallucis longus muscle was excised at 1 or 2 h post exercise for analysis of MPS and related signaling proteins. MPS was significantly increased by CP compared with PLA (p<0.05), and approached significance compared with WP at 1 h post exercise (p = 0.08). CP yielded a greater phosphorylation of mTOR compared with SED and PLA at 1 h post exercise and SED and WP at 2 h post exercise. CP also increased phosphorylation of p70S6K compared with SED at 1 and 2 h post exercise. 4E-BP1 phosphorylation was inhibited by PLA at 1 h but elevated by WP and CP at 2 h post exercise relative to SED. The phosphorylation of AMPK was elevated by exercise at 1 h post exercise, and this elevated level was sustained only in the WP group at 2 h. The phosphorylation of Akt, GSK3, and eIF2Bε were unchanged by treatments. Plasma insulin was transiently increased by CP at 1 h post exercise. In conclusion, post-exercise CP supplementation increases MPS post exercise relative to PLA and possibly WP, which may have been mediated by greater activation of the mTOR signaling pathway. PMID:28296942

Neutrophil depletion in the early inflammatory phase delayed cutaneous wound healing in older rats: improvements due to the use of un-denatured camel whey protein

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background While it is known that advanced age alters the recruitment of neutrophils during wound healing, thereby delaying the wound healing process, little is known about prolonged wound healing in advanced ages. Thus, we investigated the correlation of neutrophil recruitment with healing events, and the impact of whey protein (WP) on neutrophil activation. Methods The animals were allocated into wounded young group, wounded older group and wounded older rats with daily treatment of WP at a dose of 100 mg/kg of body weight. Results Our results pointed to a marked deficiency in the number of neutrophils in the wounds of older rats, which was accompanied with impairment of the healing process. In the group of older rats, phagocytic activity, as tested by fluorescence microscopy, declined throughout the first 24 hours after wounding. Both the neutrophil number and the phagocytic activity recovered in older rats which received WP supplementation. Interestingly, WP was found to significantly up-regulate the MIP-1α and CINC-1 mRNA expression in old rats. On the other hand, the wound size in older rats was significantly higher than that in younger ones. Blood angiogenesis was also significantly delayed in the older group as opposed to the young rats. WP, however, was found to return these indices to normal levels in the older rats. Proliferation and epidermal migration of the keratinocytes and the collagen deposition were also returned to the normal rates. Conclusions This data confirms the critical role of neutrophil recruitment in the early inflammatory phase of wound healing in older rats. In addition, WP protein was used to improve neutrophil function in older rats, healing events returned to a more normal profile. Virtual slides The virtual slide(s) for this article can be found here: http://www.diagnosticpathology.diagnomx.eu/vs/2100966986117779. PMID:24593823

Automated work packages architecture: An initial set of human factors and instrumentation and controls requirements

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

Agarwal, Vivek; Oxstrand, Johanna H.; Le Blanc, Katya L.

The work management process in current fleets of national nuclear power plants is so highly dependent on large technical staffs and quality of work instruction, i.e., paper-based, that this puts nuclear energy at somewhat of a long-term economic disadvantage and increase the possibility of human errors. Technologies like mobile portable devices and computer-based procedures can play a key role in improving the plant work management process, thereby increasing productivity and decreasing cost. Automated work packages are a fundamentally an enabling technology for improving worker productivity and human performance in nuclear power plants work activities because virtually every plant work activitymore » is accomplished using some form of a work package. As part of this year’s research effort, automated work packages architecture is identified and an initial set of requirements identified, that are essential and necessary for implementation of automated work packages in nuclear power plants.« less

Land and water use practices intended to increase water productivity in arid and semi-arid zones. Application to Uzbekistan.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mirshadiev, Mirzokhid; Fleskens, Luuk; van Dam, Jos; Pulatov, Alim

2017-04-01

Water demand increases as more food is required to meet population growth and higher living standards. In addition, climate change is expected to further exacerbate water scarcity in already dry areas where irrigation is most needed. In the water scarce areas, the key strategy to meet demand of growing food production and water use is increase of water productivity (WP) based on best land and water use practices. A literature review will be conducted to study promising land and water use practices that increase water productivity in arid and semi-arid zones, with a special focus on Uzbekistan. In addition to literature review we will conduct interviews with local farmers and land and water management experts. However, due to time constraints and difficult to access grey literature, the review paper cannot cover all promising land and water use practices that have been used in Uzbekistan. We selected the following promising practices: a) conventional furrow irrigation; b) deficit irrigation; c) drip/sprinkle irrigation, and d) rain-fed with supplemental irrigation. The preliminary findings of the literature review show that in Uzbekistan in case of conventional furrow irrigation the WP range of cotton was 0.32-0.89, and of wheat 0.44-1.77 (kg m3). By applying deficit irrigation practices, WP values of cotton can be 0-25% higher (0.32-1.11 kg m3), and of wheat 114-400% higher (2.20-3.78 kg m3). However, deficit irrigation practices for potato's need to be managed carefully to reach higher WP, and might even negatively effect WP, showing a range of 0.85-7.04 compared to conventional furrow irrigation 4.02-4.81 (kg m3). Important to mention that drip irrigation practice can highly contribute to increase WP of cotton by 156-91 % (0.82-1.70 kg m3) compared to furrow irrigation. Also, rain-fed cultivation with supplemental irrigation result is anticipated and will be included in the presentation and full version of paper. In summary, the review of current land and water use practices shows promising increases of WP values for cotton, wheat and potato crops in case of Uzbekistan.

Aqueous Productivity: An enhanced productivity indicator for water

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ritzema, Randall S.

2014-09-01

Increasing demand for scarce water supplies is fueling competition between agricultural production and other municipal and environmental demands, and has heightened the need for effective indicators to measure water performance and support water allocation and planning processes. Water productivity (WP), defined as the ‘ratio of the net benefits from crop, forestry, fishery, livestock, and mixed agricultural systems to the amount of water required to produce those benefits', is one such indicator that has gained prominence, particularly in research-for-development efforts in the developing world. However, though WP is a framework well-suited to systems where water use is directly attributable, particularly via depletion, to definitive benefits, the suitability of the approach becomes questionable when these conditions are not met, such as in multiple use systems with high re-use and non-depleting uses. These factors furthermore make WP highly scale-dependent, complicating comparative studies across scales and systems. This research forwards ‘aqueous productivity' (AP) as an alternative indicator that addresses some inherent limitations in the WP approach and enhances productivity estimates for water in integrated systems. Like WP, AP is expressed as a ratio of benefit to water volume. However, AP uses a systems approach and is based on the concept that elements within a hydrologic system are linked via water flow interactions, and that those elements either ‘extract' value from associated water flows or ‘infuse' value into them. The AP method therefore calculates the ‘aqueous productivity', a ratio indicating the ‘dissolved' production-related economic value of all downstream uses of an individual water flow, for each inter-element and cross-boundary flow in the system. The AP conceptual framework and analytical methodology are presented. The method is then applied to two example hydroeconomic systems and compared to equivalent WP analysis. Discussion compares and contrasts the two methods, with a particular focus on how the AP approach addresses limitations in the WP method through its treatment of multiple uses of water and water re-use, seamless integration of depleting and non-depleting water uses, explicit cross-scale linkages, and incorporation of water storage and other temporal aspects in the analysis. Appropriate contexts of application for AP in decision support and in contrast to other water valuation methods are consequently considered.

Varied representation of the West Pacific pattern in multiple dynamical seasonal predictions of APCC-MME

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Yun-Young

2017-04-01

West Pacific (WP) teleconnection pattern is one of the well-known primary modes of boreal winter low-frequency variability (LFV) resolved in 500 hPa geopotential height and its phase and amplitude strongly influence regional weather conditions including temperature and rainfall extremes [Baxter and Nigam, 2015; Hsu and Wallace, 1985; Linkin and Nigam, 2008; Mo and Livezey, 1986; Thompson and Wallace, 1998; Wallace and Gutzler, 1981]. This study primary aims to evaluate individual 11 GCMs seasonal hindcasts employed as members of multi-model ensemble (MME) produced in APEC Climate Center (APCC) in representing WP. For the extensive and comprehensive evaluation, this study applied seven verification metrics in three scopes: (a) temporal representation of observed indices, (b) spatial mode separation in the Northern Hemisphere (NH), and (c) regional mode isolated in the preset longitudinal domain. Verification results display quite large inter-model spread. Some models mimic observed index variability while others display large bias of index variability compared to climatology. Basic north-south dipole pattern is mostly well reproduced in both rotated and unrotated loading modes. However, each individual seasonal forecast model exhibits slightly different behavior (e.g. amplification/weakening, zonal and meridional shift, downstream extension and so forth) in representing spatial structure of WP. When taking all 7 metrics into account, one Europe (CMCC) model, one Oceania (POAMA) model and two North America (NASA and NCEP) models are classified as relatively good performers while PNU is classified as a matchless poor performer out of 11. Least WP representing skill of PNU is sort of consistent with the largest bias of NH total variability. This study further tries to examine winter mean biases of individual models and figure out how mean bias is linked to WP representation in model world. Model bias of winter climatology is investigated focusing on six large scale phenomena: East Asian winter monsoon (EAWM), Atlantic dipole, Pacific/Atlantic jets and Pacific/Atlantic Hadley circulations. Changes in structure and amplitude of them are diagnosed in terms of root mean square error, pattern correlation, intensity bias, zonal displacement and/or downstream extension. There is consistent strengthening/downstream extension of Atlantic jet and absence of southern divergence cell of Atlantic Hadley in most seasonal prediction models. It is demonstrated that WP representation has something to do with bias of Atlantic winter climatology (Atlantic dipole and Atlantic jet) from scatter plot and regression analysis. This implies the importance of realistic simulation of winter climatology further upstream for better WP representation. A fundamental conclusion of this study is that the representation of primary WP features varies among individual models of APCC-MME and it is significantly dependent on the deficiencies of some winter mean climatological patterns.

Actionable knowledge and strategic decision making for bio- and agroterrorism threats: building a collaborative early warning culture.

PubMed

Mårtensson, Per-Åke; Hedström, Lars; Sundelius, Bengt; Skiby, Jeffrey E; Elbers, Armin; Knutsson, Rickard

2013-09-01

Current trends in biosecurity and cybersecurity include (1) the wide availability of technology and specialized knowledge that previously were available only to governments; (2) the global economic recession, which may increase the spread of radical non-state actors; and (3) recent US and EU commission reports that reflect concerns about non-state actors in asymmetric threats. The intersectoral and international nature of bioterrorism and agroterrorism threats requires collaboration across several sectors including intelligence, police, forensics, customs, and other law enforcement organizations who must work together with public and animal health organizations as well as environmental and social science organizations. This requires coordinated decision making among these organizations, based on actionable knowledge and information sharing. The risk of not sharing information among organizations compared to the benefit of sharing information can be considered in an "information sharing risk-benefit analysis" to prevent a terrorism incident from occurring and to build a rapid response capability. In the EU project AniBioThreat, early warning is the main topic in work package 3 (WP 3). A strategy has been generated based on an iterative approach to bring law enforcement agencies and human and animal health institutes together. Workshops and exercises have taken place during the first half of the project, and spin-off activities include new preparedness plans for institutes and the formation of a legal adviser network for decision making. In addition, a seminar on actionable knowledge was held in Stockholm, Sweden, in 2012, which identified the need to bring various agency cultures together to work on developing a resilient capability to identify early signs of bio- and agroterrorism threats. The seminar concluded that there are a number of challenges in building a collaborative culture, including developing an education program that supports collaboration and shared situational awareness.

76 FR 38115 - Notice of Petitions by Firms for Determination of Eligibility To Apply for Trade Adjustment...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-06-29

..., product designing, progressive dies, molds, and jig fixtures. WP Manufacturing, Inc. DBA WP 802 South... thereof, and to a decrease in sales or production of each petitioning firm. List of Petitions Received By... Avenue, 6/21/2011 The firm manufactures plated York, PA 17404. finishes, to ASTM and military...

PHYSICAL REMOVAL OF MICROBIAL CONTAMINANTS IN DRINKING WATER – WATTS PREMIER INC. WP-4V DRINKING WATER TREATMENT SYSTEM

EPA Science Inventory

The Watts Premier WP-4V four-stage POU RO system was tested for removal of bacteria and viruses at NSF’s Drinking Water Treatment Systems Laboratory. Five systems were challenged with the bacteriophage viruses fr and MS2, and the bacteria Brevundimonas diminutaEM. The ...

A Comparison of Web Page and Slide/Tape for Instruction in Periapical and Panoramic Radiographic Anatomy.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ludlow, John B.; Platin, Enrique

2000-01-01

Compared self-guided slide/tape (ST) and Web page (WP) instruction in normal radiographic anatomy of periapical and panoramic images using objective test performance and subjective preferences of 74 freshman dental students. Test performance was not different between image types or presentation technologies, but students preferred WP for…

Being Altruistically Motivated: The Postgraduate and Career Motivational Orientations of Access Students at an Irish University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Keane, Elaine

2017-01-01

The relative lack of research about postgraduate education, and especially from a widening participation (WP) perspective, is noteworthy in a context of an increasingly expanding and important postgraduate sector internationally. This paper draws on the findings of a study about the "impact" of WP initiatives at an Irish university,…

Antifungal activity from polar and non-polar extracts of some Chenopodiaceae wild species growing in Tunisia.

PubMed

Boughalleb, N; Trabelsi, L; Harzallah-Skhiri, F

2009-01-01

Nine plants belonging to Chenopodiaceae family were collected around salt marshes near Monastir, located in the east Mediterranean coast of Tunisia. They were tested for their antifungal activities against six plant pathogenic fungi: Botrytis cinerea, Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. niveum, F. solani f. sp. cucurbitae, Phytophthora cactorum, Rhizoctonia solani and Nattrassia mangiferae. Data of this study showed that the highest inhibition of Botrytis cinerea growth was observed with the petroleum ether extract of Atriplex inflata fruits (F) (24.5 mm). The in vitro growth of F. oxysporum f. sp. niveum was reduced only with A. inflata whole plant (WP) petroleum ether extract (32.3 mm). The most important inhibition zones were obtained against F. solani f. sp. cucurbitae with Atriplex semibaccata methanol and acetone extracts (34.7 and 31.0 mm, respectively). This work revealed that fungitoxic compounds were probably present in the petroleum ether extract obtained from A. portulacoides (WP), since it has suppressed the growth of F. s. cucurbitae. Our investigation proved that many Chenopodiaceae species adapted to saline soils may contain phytochemical compounds with fungicidal properties.

E-Beam-Cured Layered-Silicate and Spherical Silica Epoxy Nanocomposites (Preprint)

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-03-01

Singh, A.; Janke, C.; Wrenn, G.; Havens, S . Radiat. Phys. Chem. 1999, 56, 405-415. 27. Korenev , S . Vacuum 2001, 62, 233-236 28. Crivello, J. V...TASK NUMBER RG 6. AUTHOR( S ) Chenggang Chen David P. Anderson 5f. WORK UNIT NUMBER M03R1000 7. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME( S ) AND ADDRESS...MONITORING AGENCY NAME( S ) AND ADDRESS(ES) 10. SPONSORING/MONITORING AGENCY ACRONYM( S ) AFRL-ML-WP Materials and Manufacturing Directorate Air Force

Awakening Tiger: India’s Quest for Expanded Influence in the World

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-03-01

media.csis/pubs/sam98. pdf (accessed June 3, 2007). 2 Lisa Curtis. “India’s Expanding Role in Asia: Adapting to Rising Power Status,” Heritage Foundation...Backgrounder No. 2008 (February 20, 2007), http://www.heritage.org/Research/AsiaandthePacific/upload/bg_2008. pdf (accessed May 29, 2007). 3...Growth,” Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations, New Delhi Working Papers Number 122 (2004). http://www.icrier.org/ pdf /wp122. pdf

An exploratory study of illegal gamblers in Hong Kong.

PubMed

Tessler, Andrew; El Beyrouty, Kareen; Crapnell, Natasha

2017-01-01

This study investigates the nature and behaviour of illegal gamblers in Hong Kong. A face-to-face street survey of 512 gamblers was conducted in Hong Kong between September and December 2015 with supplementary convenience sampling allowing for analysis of a total sample of 103 illegal gamblers. 56% of illegal gamblers recorded results consistent with this study's definition of 'excessive gambling' [i.e. moderate risk and problem gamblers under the Problem Gambling Severity Index (PGSI)]. 81% of surveyed illegal gamblers were male, 77% were aged between 30 and 49 and 67% were in blue collar occupations. Illegal gamblers bet more frequently on both legal and illegal games than their legal counterparts and spent more when they did bet. While this research did not indicate the direction of causality between illegal and excessive gambling, international work (de Bruin et al. in verslingerd aan meer dan een spel: Een onderzoek naar de aard en omvang van kansspelproblematiek in Nederland, WODC/CVO, Utrecht, http://www.lexandgaming.eu/nl/wp-content/uploads/2015/01/Verslingerd-aan-meer-dan-een-spel.pdf, 2005; Binde in What are the most harmful forms of gambling? Analysing problem gambling prevalence surveys, http://www.utbildning.gu.se/digitalAssets/1327/1327132_cefos-wp12.pdf, 2011) suggests that excessive gamblers are drawn to illegal gambling. Reform could allow excessive gambling by illegal gamblers to be better addressed and initial work suggests some financial benefits to Hong Kong.

Plasma rich in growth factors (PRGF-Endoret) stimulates corneal wound healing and reduces haze formation after PRK surgery.

PubMed

Anitua, E; Muruzabal, F; Alcalde, I; Merayo-Lloves, J; Orive, G

2013-10-01

This study evaluated the efficacy of Plasma rich in growth factors (PRGF-Endoret) on the corneal wound healing process after Photorefractive keratectomy (PRK). To address this, blood from three healthy donors was collected, centrifuged and, the whole plasma column (WP) and the plasma fraction with the highest platelet concentration (F3) were collected. The effects of F3 and WP on the proliferation and migration of human corneal epithelial cells (HCE) were analyzed. PRK was performed on C57BL/6 mice. Animals were divided in three treatment groups: Control, F3, and WP. Corneal wound healing and haze formation were evaluated macroscopically. Eyes were collected at 1, 2, 3, and 7 days after surgery, and were processed for histological studies. Immunofluorescence was used to assess cellular proliferation, apoptosis and myofibroblast transformation in the mouse cornea. Results showed a significant increased on proliferation and wound healing after F3 and WP treatment when compared with control group. In vivo studies showed significant reduction on haze formation in mice treated with both PRGF-Endoret formulations (F3 and WP). Histological studies showed an increase of epithelial cell proliferation in corneas of control group, promoting an epithelial hyperplasia. The number of SMA-positive cells (corresponding to myofibroblast differentiation) was significantly lower in the PRGF-Endoret group than in the control group, correlating with the higher transparence results observed macroscopically in both PRGF-Endoret groups. According to this, it can be concluded that PRGF-Endoret accelerates corneal tissue regeneration after PRK, reducing haze formation. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

78 FR 10562 - Proposed Establishment of Area Navigation (RNAV) Routes; Washington, DC

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-02-14

... (VORTAC) aid and the OTTTO, VA, waypoint (WP). Q-72 would extend between the HACKS, WV, intersection and... HACKS intersection, thus reducing miles flown for RNAV-equipped aircraft. Q-80 would extend between the...., long. 078[deg]22'27'' W.) OTTTO, VA WP (Lat. 38[deg]51'16'' N., long. 078[deg]12'20'' W.) Q72 HACKS, WV...

Learning-Dependent Changes of Associations between Unfamiliar Words and Perceptual Features: A 15-Day Longitudinal Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kambara, Toshimune; Tsukiura, Takashi; Shigemune, Yayoi; Kanno, Akitake; Nouchi, Rui; Yomogida, Yukihito; Kawashima, Ryuta

2013-01-01

This study examined behavioral changes in 15-day learning of word-picture (WP) and word-sound (WS) associations, using meaningless stimuli. Subjects performed a learning task and two recognition tasks under the WP and WS conditions every day for 15 days. Two main findings emerged from this study. First, behavioral data of recognition accuracy and…

Genetic variation in susceptibility to fusiform rust in seedlings from a wild population of loblolly pine

Treesearch

Bohun B. Kinloch Jr.; Roy W. Stonecypher

1969-01-01

Striking genetic variation in susceptibility to fusiform rust was observed among SS controlled-pollinated (CP) and 48 wind-pollinated (WP) families from parent trees of loblolly pine selected at random in a natural forest stand in southwest Georgia. The mating design permitted statistical tests for estimating both additive and total genetic variance. WP families were...

Doppler Feature Based Classification of Wind Profiler Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sinha, Swati; Chandrasekhar Sarma, T. V.; Lourde. R, Mary

2017-01-01

Wind Profilers (WP) are coherent pulsed Doppler radars in UHF and VHF bands. They are used for vertical profiling of wind velocity and direction. This information is very useful for weather modeling, study of climatic patterns and weather prediction. Observations at different height and different wind velocities are possible by changing the operating parameters of WP. A set of Doppler power spectra is the standard form of WP data. Wind velocity, direction and wind velocity turbulence at different heights can be derived from it. Modern wind profilers operate for long duration and generate approximately 4 megabytes of data per hour. The radar data stream contains Doppler power spectra from different radar configurations with echoes from different atmospheric targets. In order to facilitate systematic study, this data needs to be segregated according the type of target. A reliable automated target classification technique is required to do this job. Classical techniques of radar target identification use pattern matching and minimization of mean squared error, Euclidean distance etc. These techniques are not effective for the classification of WP echoes, as these targets do not have well-defined signature in Doppler power spectra. This paper presents an effective target classification technique based on range-Doppler features.

[Adaptation of sensory systems of gamasid mites (Parasitiformes, Gamasina) to dwelling in different environment].

PubMed

Leonovich, S A

2008-01-01

The main complication sensory organs (the palpal organ and the tarsal sensory complex) of several species of gamasid mites were studied in scanning electron microscope. The species examined included permanent ectoparasites (Laelaps agilis, Laelaptidae), parasites of the nasal cavity and respiratory tract of birds (Sternostoma tracheocolum and Ptilonyssus reguli, Rhinonyssidae), dwellers of the sea littoral zone (Parasitus kempersi, Parasitus immanis, Parasitidae), and mites found on soil and on plants (Amblyseius barkeri, Parasitidae). Similar sensillar types, including olfactory SW-WP sensilla, contact chemo-mechanosensory (SW-UP and DW-UP) sensilla, termo-chemo-mechanosensitive (DW-WP) sensilla of two types, and tactile (NP) sensilla were found in all these species, excluding endoparasites, where some sensillar types (in particular, DW-WP sensilla with slit-like pores) are absent. It was shown that the topography of olfactory SW-WP sensilla of the tarsal complex reflects taxonomic position and phylogenetic history of mite genera, whereas the number of certain sensillar types and the degree of their development reflect ecological specialization of species. The palpal organ is characterized by rather uniform structure in mites of different families, dwellers of different environments, except for the endoparasites of the family Rhinonyssidae, where this organ is strongly reduced.

Operational experience with intermediate flat-plate photovoltaic systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Risser, V. V.; Zwibel, H. S.

Operating features, data acquisition, and fault isolation and maintenance procedures at 20 kWp and 100 kWp photovoltaic (PV) installations in Texas and New Mexico are discussed. Weather and system performance are sensed each minute, averages are calculated for each ten readings, and data is stored on magnetic tape. A total of 84 parameters, including 64 string currents, are recorded at the 20 kWp array and 84 parameters, with 42 string currents, are traced in New Mexico. The 20 kW array is coupled to a 197 MW utility power plant, which determines the voltage of the array. It produced 12 MWh in one yr of operation, functioning at 24 pct overall efficiency. The 100 kWp system is coupled to a 60 kW power conditioning unit and feeds a shopping center, producing 8 pct of the annual load with a cap factor of 25 pct and 192 MWh of dc current produced in one year. It was found that under normal conditions washing the panels is not economically justified in terms of the small power lost if washing does not occur. It is concluded that the PV arrays can be successfully used in an automated operation mode.

Cloning and heterologous expression of the entire gene clusters for PD 116740 from Streptomyces strain WP 4669 and tetrangulol and tetrangomycin from Streptomyces rimosus NRRL 3016.

PubMed Central

Hong, S T; Carney, J R; Gould, S J

1997-01-01

The genes for the complete pathways for two polycyclic aromatic polyketides of the angucyclinone class have been cloned and heterologously expressed. Genomic DNAs of Streptomyces rimosus NRRL 3016 and Streptomyces strain WP 4669 were partially digested with MboI, and libraries (ca. 40-kb fragments) in Escherichia coli XL1-Blue MR were prepared with the cosmid vector pOJ446. Hybridization with the actI probe from the actinorhodin polyketide synthase genes identified two clusters of polyketide genes from each organism. After transfer of the four clusters to Streptomyces lividans TK24, expression of one cluster from each organism was established through the identification of pathway-specific products by high-performance liquid chromatography with photodiode array detection. Peaks were identified from the S. rimosus cluster (pksRIM-1) for tetrangulol, tetrangomycin, and fridamycin E. Peaks were identified from the WP 4669 cluster (pksWP-2) for tetrangulol, 19-hydroxytetrangulol, 8-O-methyltetrangulol, 19-hydroxy-8-O-methyltetrangulol, and PD 116740. Structures were confirmed by 1H nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and high-resolution mass spectrometry. PMID:8990300

Cloning and heterologous expression of the entire gene clusters for PD 116740 from Streptomyces strain WP 4669 and tetrangulol and tetrangomycin from Streptomyces rimosus NRRL 3016.

PubMed

Hong, S T; Carney, J R; Gould, S J

1997-01-01

The genes for the complete pathways for two polycyclic aromatic polyketides of the angucyclinone class have been cloned and heterologously expressed. Genomic DNAs of Streptomyces rimosus NRRL 3016 and Streptomyces strain WP 4669 were partially digested with MboI, and libraries (ca. 40-kb fragments) in Escherichia coli XL1-Blue MR were prepared with the cosmid vector pOJ446. Hybridization with the actI probe from the actinorhodin polyketide synthase genes identified two clusters of polyketide genes from each organism. After transfer of the four clusters to Streptomyces lividans TK24, expression of one cluster from each organism was established through the identification of pathway-specific products by high-performance liquid chromatography with photodiode array detection. Peaks were identified from the S. rimosus cluster (pksRIM-1) for tetrangulol, tetrangomycin, and fridamycin E. Peaks were identified from the WP 4669 cluster (pksWP-2) for tetrangulol, 19-hydroxytetrangulol, 8-O-methyltetrangulol, 19-hydroxy-8-O-methyltetrangulol, and PD 116740. Structures were confirmed by 1H nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and high-resolution mass spectrometry.

White grape pomace extracts, obtained by a sequential enzymatic plus ethanol-based extraction, exert antioxidant, anti-tyrosinase and anti-inflammatory activities.

PubMed

Ferri, Maura; Rondini, Greta; Calabretta, Maria Maddalena; Michelini, Elisa; Vallini, Veronica; Fava, Fabio; Roda, Aldo; Minnucci, Giordano; Tassoni, Annalisa

2017-10-25

The present work aimed at optimizing a two-step enzymatic plus solvent-based process for the recovery of bioactive compounds from white grape (Vitis vinifera L., mix of Trebbiano and Verdicchio cultivars) pomace, the winemaking primary by-product. Phenolic compounds solubilised by water enzyme-assisted and ethanol-based extractions of wet (WP) and dried (DP) pomace were characterised for composition and tested for antioxidant, anti-tyrosinase and anti-inflammatory bioactivities. Ethanol treatment led to higher phenol yields than water extraction, while DP samples showed the highest capacity of releasing polyphenols, most probably as a positive consequence of the pomace drying process. Different compositions and bioactivities were observed between water and ethanol extracts and among different treatments and for the first time the anti-tyrosinase activity of V. vinifera pomace extracts, was here reported. Enzymatic treatments did not significantly improve the total amount of solubilised compounds; Celluclast in DP led to the recovery of extracts enriched in specific compounds, when compared to control. The best extracts (enzymatic plus ethanol treatment total levels) were obtained from DP showing significantly higher amounts of polyphenols, flavonoids, flavanols and tannins and exerted higher antioxidant and anti-tyrosinase activities than WP total extracts. Conversely, anti-inflammatory capacity was only detected in water (with and without enzyme) extracts, with WP samples showing on average a higher activity than DP. The present findings demonstrate that white grape pomace constitute a sustainable source for the extraction of phytochemicals that might be exploited as functional ingredients in the food, nutraceutical, pharmaceutical or cosmetic industries. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Rapid non-invasive quality control of semi-finished products for the food industry by direct injection mass spectrometry headspace analysis: the case of milk powder, whey powder and anhydrous milk fat.

PubMed

Makhoul, Salim; Yener, Sine; Khomenko, Iuliia; Capozzi, Vittorio; Cappellin, Luca; Aprea, Eugenio; Scampicchio, Matteo; Gasperi, Flavia; Biasioli, Franco

2016-09-01

In this study, we demonstrated the suitability of direct injection mass spectrometry headspace analysis for rapid non-invasive quality control of semi-finished dairy ingredients, such as skim milk powder (SMP), whole milk powder (WMP), whey powder (WP) and anhydrous milk fat (AMF), which are widely used as ingredients in the food industry. In this work, for the first time, we applied proton transfer reaction-mass spectrometry (PTR-MS) with a time-of-flight (ToF) analyzer for the rapid and non-invasive analysis of volatile compounds in different samples of SMP, WMP, WP and AMF. We selected different dairy ingredients in various concrete situations (e.g. same producer and different expiration times, different producers and same days of storage, different producers) based on their sensory evaluation. PTR-ToF-MS allowed the separation and characterization of different samples based on the volatile organic compound (VOC) profiles. Statistically significant differences in VOC content were generally coherent with differences in sensory evaluation, particularly for SMP, WMP and WP. The good separation of SMP samples from WMP samples suggested the possible application of PTR-ToF-MS to detect possible cases of adulteration of dairy ingredients for the food industry. Our findings demonstrate the efficient and rapid differentiation of dairy ingredients on the basis of the released VOCs via PTR-ToF-MS analysis and suggest this method as a versatile tool (1) for the facilitation/optimization of the selection of dairy ingredients in the food industry and (2) and for the prompt innovation in the production of dairy ingredients. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Free-standing ternary NiWP film for efficient water oxidation reaction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Yunpeng; Zhou, Kuo; Ma, Lili; Liang, Yanqin; Yang, Xianjin; Cui, Zhenduo; Zhu, Shengli; Li, Zhaoyang

2018-03-01

High-efficient catalysts for oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is of great concern in improving energy efficiency for water splitting. Here we report a high-performance OER electrocatalyst of nickel-tungsten-phosphorus (NiWP) film prepared by template method. This free-standing ternary electrocatalyst exhibits a remarkable electrocatalytic activity of OER in alkaline medium due to the synergetic effect among these elements and the good electrical conductivity. The reported NiWP composite catalyst has an overpotential of as low as 0.4 V (vs. RHE) at 30 mA cm-2, better than that of the commercial RuO2 catalyst. Moreover, a small charge transfer resistance of 4.06 Ω and a Tafel slope of 68 mV dec-1 demonstrate the outstanding catalytic activity.

Mutagenicity of benzotrichloride and related compounds.

PubMed

Yasuo, K; Fujimoto, S; Katoh, M; Kikuchi, Y; Kada, T

1978-11-01

Benzotrichloride (BTC), benzal chloride (BDC), benzyl chloride (BC) and benzoyl chloride (BOC) were surveyed for their mutagenicity in microbial systems such as rec-assay using Bacillus subtilis and reversion assays using E. coli WP2 and Ames Salmonella TA strains with or without metabolic activation in vitro. BTC and BDC required metabolic activation for their mutagenic activities in several strains of E. coli and Salmonella. The mutagenic metabolites of these compounds may not have been produced by hydrolysis. BC was weakly mutagenic without metabolic activation. Only BOC exhibited no mutagenic activity in the detection procedures used. The mutagenic metabolite of BTC might be very unstable under our experimental conditions. The strain E. coli WP2 try hcr was more sensitive than E. coli B/r WP2 try (hcr+) with regard to the mutagenicity of BTC.

Planck constraints on holographic dark energy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Miao; Li, Xiao-Dong; Ma, Yin-Zhe; Zhang, Xin; Zhang, Zhenhui

2013-09-01

We perform a detailed investigation on the cosmological constraints on the holographic dark energy (HDE) model by using the Plank data. We find that HDE can provide a good fit to the Plank high-l (l gtrsim 40) temperature power spectrum, while the discrepancy at l simeq 20-40 found in the ΛCDM model remains unsolved in the HDE model. The Plank data alone can lead to strong and reliable constraint on the HDE parameter c. At the 68% confidence level (CL), we obtain c = 0.508 ± 0.207 with Plank+WP+lensing, favoring the present phantom behavior of HDE at the more than 2σ CL. By combining Plank+WP with the external astrophysical data sets, i.e. the BAO measurements from 6dFGS+SDSS DR7(R)+BOSS DR9, the direct Hubble constant measurement result (H0 = 73.8 ± 2.4 kms-1Mpc-1) from the HST, the SNLS3 supernovae data set, and Union2.1 supernovae data set, we get the 68% CL constraint results c = 0.484 ± 0.070, 0.474 ± 0.049, 0.594 ± 0.051, and 0.642 ± 0.066, respectively. The constraints can be improved by 2%-15% if we further add the Plank lensing data into the analysis. Compared with the WMAP-9 results, the Plank results reduce the error by 30%-60%, and prefer a phantom-like HDE at higher significant level. We also investigate the tension between different data sets. We find no evident tension when we combine Plank data with BAO and HST. Especially, we find that the strong correlation between Ωmh3 and dark energy parameters is helpful in relieving the tension between the Plank and HST measurements. The residual value of χ2Plank+WP+HST-χ2Plank+WP is 7.8 in the ΛCDM model, and is reduced to 1.0 or 0.3 if we switch the dark energy to w model or the holographic model. When we introduce supernovae data sets into the analysis, some tension appears. We find that the SNLS3 data set is in tension with all other data sets; for example, for the Plank+WP, WMAP-9 and BAO+HST, the corresponding Δχ2 is equal to 6.4, 3.5 and 4.1, respectively. As a comparison, the Union2.1 data set is consistent with these three data sets, but the combination Union2.1+BAO+HST is in tension with Plank+WP+lensing, corresponding to a large Δχ2 that is equal to 8.6 (1.4% probability). Thus, combining internal inconsistent data sets (SNIa+BAO+HST with Plank+WP+lensing) can lead to ambiguous results, and it is necessary to perform the HDE data analysis for each independent data sets. Our tightest self-consistent constraint is c = 0.495 ± 0.039 obtained from Plank+WP+BAO+HST+lensing.

Space Station Freedom primary power wiring requirements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hill, Thomas J.

1994-01-01

The Space Station Freedom (SSF) Program requirements are a 30 year reliable service life in low Earth orbit in hard vacuum or pressurized module service without detrimental degradation. Specific requirements are outlined in this presentation for SSF primary power and cable insulation. The primary power cable status and the WP-4 planned cable test program are also reviewed along with Rocketdyne-WP04 prime insulation candidates.

Workshop Physics and Related Curricula: "A 25-Year History of Collaborative Learning Enhanced by Computer Tools for Observation and Analysis"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Laws, Priscilla W.; Willis, Maxine C.; Sokoloff, David R.

2015-01-01

This article describes the 25-year history of development of the activity-based Workshop Physics (WP) at Dickinson College, its adaptation for use at Gettysburg Area High School, and its synergistic influence on curricular materials developed at the University of Oregon and Tufts University and vice versa. WP and these related curricula: 1) are…

Intensity-modulated radiotherapy improves lymph node coverage and dose to critical structures compared with three-dimensional conformal radiation therapy in clinically localized prostate cancer

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

Wang-Chesebro, Alice; Xia Ping; Coleman, Joy

2006-11-01

Purpose: The aim of this study was to quantify gains in lymph node coverage and critical structure dose reduction for whole-pelvis (WP) and extended-field (EF) radiotherapy in prostate cancer using intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) compared with three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3DCRT) for the first treatment phase of 45 Gy in the concurrent treatment of lymph nodes and prostate. Methods and Materials: From January to August 2005, 35 patients with localized prostate cancer were treated with pelvic IMRT; 7 had nodes defined up to L5-S1 (Group 1), and 28 had nodes defined above L5-S1 (Group 2). Each patient had 2 plans retrospectively generated:more » 1 WP 3DCRT plan using bony landmarks, and 1 EF 3DCRT plan to cover the vascular defined volumes. Dose-volume histograms for the lymph nodes, rectum, bladder, small bowel, and penile bulb were compared by group. Results: For Group 1, WP 3DCRT missed 25% of pelvic nodes with the prescribed dose 45 Gy and missed 18% with the 95% prescribed dose 42.75 Gy, whereas WP IMRT achieved V{sub 45Gy} = 98% and V{sub 42.75Gy} = 100%. Compared with WP 3DCRT, IMRT reduced bladder V{sub 45Gy} by 78%, rectum V{sub 45Gy} by 48%, and small bowel V{sub 45Gy} by 232 cm{sup 3}. EF 3DCRT achieved 95% coverage of nodes for all patients at high cost to critical structures. For Group 2, IMRT decreased bladder V{sub 45Gy} by 90%, rectum V{sub 45Gy} by 54% and small bowel V{sub 45Gy} by 455 cm{sup 3} compared with EF 3DCRT. Conclusion: In this study WP 3DCRT missed a significant percentage of pelvic nodes. Although EF 3DCRT achieved 95% pelvic nodal coverage, it increased critical structure doses. IMRT improved pelvic nodal coverage while decreasing dose to bladder, rectum, small bowel, and penile bulb. For patients with extended node involvement, IMRT especially decreases small bowel dose.« less

Environmental species sorting dominates forest-bird community assembly across scales.

PubMed

Özkan, Korhan; Svenning, Jens-Christian; Jeppesen, Erik

2013-01-01

Environmental species sorting and dispersal are seen as key factors in community assembly, but their relative importance and scale dependence remain uncertain, as the extent to which communities are consistently assembled throughout their biomes. To address these issues, we analysed bird metacommunity structure in a 1200-km(2) forested landscape (Istranca Forests) in Turkish Thrace at the margin of the Western Palaearctic (WP) temperate-forest biome. First, we used spatial regressions and Mantel tests to assess the relative importance of environmental and spatial factors as drivers of local species richness and composition within the metacommunity. Second, we analysed species' abundance-occupancy relationship across the metacommunity and used null models to assess whether occupancy is determined by species' environmental niches. Third, we used generalized linear models to test for links between species' metacommunity-wide occupancy and their broader WP regional populations and assessed whether these links are consistent with environmental species sorting. There was strong environmental control on local species richness and composition patterns within the metacommunity, but non-environmental spatial factors had also an important joint role. Null model analyses on randomized communities showed that species' occupancy across the metacommunity was strongly determined by species' environmental niches, with occupancy being related to niche position marginality. Species' metacommunity-wide occupancy correlated with their local abundance as well as with their range size and total abundance for the whole WP, suggesting that the same assembly mechanisms act consistently across local to regional scales. A species specialization index that was estimated by bird species' habitat use across France, incorporating both niche position and breadth, was significantly related to species' occupancy and abundance at both metacommunity and WP regional scales. Hence, the same niche-related assembly mechanisms appear to act consistently across the WP region. Overall, our results suggest that the structure of the Istranca Forest' bird metacommunity was predominantly controlled by environmental species sorting in a manner consistent with the broader WP region. However, variability in local community structure was also linked to purely spatial factors, albeit more weakly. © 2012 The Authors. Journal of Animal Ecology © 2012 British Ecological Society.

High Work, High-Efficiency Turbines for Uninhabited Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) Addendum to AFRL-RQ-WP-TR-2013-0198

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-09-01

followed by an exhaust nozzle . He considered the turbojet as a hybrid of “propeller gas turbine” and “rocket” principles. In 1936, he then conceived...first bench-test of a jet engine using liquid fuel. Simultaneous with Whittle, a German scientist was making great headway into gas turbine engine...deviations, secondary flows, and similar loss producing phenomena. The results are applicable to both military and civil applications of gas turbine

Antidepressant-like effects of ecstasy in subjects with a predisposition to depression.

PubMed

Majumder, Irina; White, Jason M; Irvine, Rodney J

2012-10-01

Positive effects of ecstasy on mood and self-esteem due to increased synaptic serotonin levels may indicate a potential antidepressant-like action. This effect may be more prominent in subjects with a pre-existing mood disturbance who may use ecstasy more frequently as a 'self-medication'. This study compared depressive symptoms and the immediate effects of ecstasy on mood in subjects with (WP) and without (NP) a predisposition to depression. Current ecstasy users were assessed using the profile of mood states (POMS) and beck depression inventory (BDI) when drug-free, and during social gathering, when 20 subjects voluntarily consumed ecstasy (ecstasy group) and 20 abstained from ecstasy (control group). Predisposition to depression was determined using the Brief Symptom Inventory. During social gathering, POMS and BDI were administered 60 min after ecstasy consumption, or at matched time for controls. 3,4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) exposure was confirmed using saliva samples collected 60 min after pill ingestion. There was no difference in ecstasy use patterns between the groups. When drug-free, the WP subjects had greater mood disturbance and depressive symptoms than the NP group (POMS: NP 5.85±1.63, WP 14.5±2.81, p<0.05, BDI: NP 4.9±0.86, WP 11.2±1.65, p<0.01). During social gathering, WP subjects who consumed ecstasy reported a significant decrease in depressive symptoms (F(1,35)=5.47, p<0.05). A decrease in depressive symptoms was observed in subjects predisposed to depression. This antidepressant-like action of MDMA may contribute to its use, particularly among people with an existing or latent depressive disorder. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Identification of three wheat globulin genes by screening a Triticum aestivum BAC genomic library with cDNA from a diabetes-associated globulin

PubMed Central

Loit, Evelin; Melnyk, Charles W; MacFarlane, Amanda J; Scott, Fraser W; Altosaar, Illimar

2009-01-01

Background Exposure to dietary wheat proteins in genetically susceptible individuals has been associated with increased risk for the development of Type 1 diabetes (T1D). Recently, a wheat protein encoded by cDNA WP5212 has been shown to be antigenic in mice, rats and humans with autoimmune T1D. To investigate the genomic origin of the identified wheat protein cDNA, a hexaploid wheat genomic library from Glenlea cultivar was screened. Results Three unique wheat globulin genes, Glo-3A, Glo3-B and Glo-3C, were identified. We describe the genomic structure of these genes and their expression pattern in wheat seeds. The Glo-3A gene shared 99% identity with the cDNA of WP5212 at the nucleotide and deduced amino acid level, indicating that we have identified the gene(s) encoding wheat protein WP5212. Southern analysis revealed the presence of multiple copies of Glo-3-like sequences in all wheat samples, including hexaploid, tetraploid and diploid species wheat seed. Aleurone and embryo tissue specificity of WP5212 gene expression, suggested by promoter region analysis, which demonstrated an absence of endosperm specific cis elements, was confirmed by immunofluorescence microscopy using anti-WP5212 antibodies. Conclusion Taken together, the results indicate that a diverse group of globulins exists in wheat, some of which could be associated with the pathogenesis of T1D in some susceptible individuals. These data expand our knowledge of specific wheat globulins and will enable further elucidation of their role in wheat biology and human health. PMID:19615078

Low-volume application by mist-blower compared with conventional compression sprayer treatment of houses with residual pyrethroid to control the malaria vector Anopheles albimanus in Mexico.

PubMed

Villarreal, C; Rodriguez, M H; Bown, D N; Arredondo-Jiménez, J I

1995-04-01

Village-scale trials were carried out in southern Mexico to compare the efficacy of indoor-spraying of the pyrethroid insecticide lambda-cyhalothrin applied either as low-volume (LV) aqueous emulsion or as wettable-powder (WP) aqueous suspension for residual control of the principal coastal malaria vector Anopheles albimanus. Three indoor spray rounds were conducted at 3-month intervals using back-pack mist-blowers to apply lambda-cyhalothrin 12.5 mg a.i./m2 by LV, whereas the WP was applied by conventional compression sprayer at a mean rate of 26.5 mg a.i./m2. Both treatments caused mosquito mortality indoors and outdoors (collected inside house curtains) as a result of contact with treated surfaces before and after feeding, but had no significant impact on overall population density of An. albimanus resting indoors or assessed by human bait collections. Contact bioassays showed that WP and LV treatments with lambda-cyhalothrin were effective for 12-20 weeks (> 75% mortality) without causing excito-repellency. Compared to the WP treatment (8 houses/man/day), LV treatment (25 houses/man/day) was more than 3 times quicker per house, potentially saving 68% of labour costs. This is offset, however, by the much lower unit price of a compression sprayer (e.g. Hudson 'X-pert' at US$120) than a mist-blower (e.g. 'Super Jolly' at US$350), and higher running costs for LV applications. It was calculated, therefore, that LV becomes more economical than WP after 18.8 treatments/100 houses/10 men at equivalent rates of application, or after 7.6 spray rounds with half-rate LV applications.

Effect of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPRs) on plant growth, yield, and quality of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) under simulated seawater irrigation.

PubMed

Shen, Min; Jun Kang, Yi; Li Wang, Huan; Sheng Zhang, Xiang; Xin Zhao, Qing

2012-01-01

To determine the effects of three PGPRs on plant growth, yield, and quality of tomato under simulated seawater irrigation, a two consecutive seasons' field experiment was conducted in Yancheng Teachers University plot from April to June and August to October, 2011. The results showed that Erwinia persicinus RA2 containing ACC deaminase exhibited the best ability compared with Bacillus pumilus WP8 and Pseudomonas putida RBP1 which had no ACC deaminase activity to enhance marketable yields of fresh and dried fruits in tomato under simulated seawater irrigation especially under HS condition. B. pumilus WP8 had significant effects on improving tomato fruit quality under the conditions of irrigating with 1.0% NaCl solution (MS) and with 2.0% NaCl solution (HS). Na(+) contents were generally accumulated much more in tomato plant mid-shoot leaves than in fruits whatever the salt concentration. More sodium accumulation in leaves of E. persicinus RA2 and B. pumilus WP8 treatments under HS condition were found than in control. E. persicinus RA2 and B. pumilus WP8 can promote tomato growth, improve fruit quality more firmly than P. putida RBP1 during two consecutive seasons. Our study suggested that E. persicinus RA2 and B. pumilus WP8 are considered to be promising PGPR strains which are suited for application in salt marsh planting, ACC deaminase activity was not unique index on screening for PGPRs with the aim of salt stress tolerance, and plant growth promoting activities may be relevant to different growth indices and different stress conditions.

Comparison of copepod collection efficiencies by three commonly used plankton nets: A case study in Bohai Sea, China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Hongju; Yu, Hao; Liu, Guangxing

2016-12-01

Selection of net with a suitable mesh size is a key concern in the quantitative assessment of zooplankton, which is crucial to understand pelagic ecosystem processes. This study compared the copepod collecting efficiency of three commonly used plankton nets, namely, the China standard coarse net (505 μm mesh), the China standard fine net (77 μm), and the WP-2 net (200 μm). The experiment was performed at six stations in the Bohai Sea during the autumn of 2012. The coarse net substantially under-sampled small individuals (body widths < 672 μm) and led to the lowest species number in each tow, whereas the fine net collected all small copepod species but failed to collect rare species. The WP-2 net appeared to be a compromise of the two other nets, collecting both small copepods and rare species. The abundance of copepods collected by the coarse net (126.4 ± 86.5 ind m-3) was one to two orders of magnitude lower than that by the WP-2 net (5802.4 ± 2595.4 ind m-3), and the value of the fine net (11117.0 ± 4563.41 ind m-3) was nearly twice that of the WP-2 net. The abundance of large copepods ( i.e., adult Calanus sinicus) in the three nets showed no significant differences, but the abundance of small copepods declined with decreasing mesh size. The difference in abundance resulted from the under-sampling of small copepods with body widths < 672 μm and < 266 μm by the coarse and WP-2 nets, respectively.

Basic investigation of the laminated alginate impression technique: Setting time, permanent deformation, elastic deformation, consistency, and tensile bond strength tests.

PubMed

Kitamura, Aya; Kawai, Yasuhiko

2015-01-01

Laminated alginate impression for edentulous is simple and time efficient compared to border molding technique. The purpose of this study was to examine clinical applicability of the laminated alginate impression, by measuring the effects of different Water/Powder (W/P) and mixing methods, and different bonding methods in the secondary impression of alginate impression. Three W/P: manufacturer-designated mixing water amount (standard), 1.5-fold (1.5×) and 1.75-fold (1.75×) water amount were mixed by manual and automatic mixing methods. Initial and complete setting time, permanent and elastic deformation, and consistency of the secondary impression were investigated (n=10). Additionally, tensile bond strength between the primary and secondary impression were measured in the following surface treatment; air blow only (A), surface baking (B), and alginate impression material bonding agent (ALGI-BOND: AB) (n=12). Initial setting times significantly shortened with automatic mixing for all W/P (p<0.05). The permanent deformation decreased and elastic deformation increased as high W/P, regardless of the mixing method. Elastic deformation significantly reduced in 1.5× and 1.75× with automatic mixing (p<0.05). All of these properties resulted within JIS standards. For all W/P, AB showed a significantly high bonding strength as compared to A and B (p<0.01). The increase of mixing water, 1.5× and 1.75×, resulted within JIS standards in setting time, suggesting its applicability in clinical setting. The use of automatic mixing device decreased elastic strain and shortening of the curing time. For the secondary impression application of adhesives on the primary impression gives secure adhesion. Copyright © 2014 Japan Prosthodontic Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Impact of pharmacists assisting with prescribing and undertaking medication review on oxycodone prescribing and supply for patients discharged from surgical wards.

PubMed

Tran, T; Taylor, S E; Hardidge, A; Findakly, D; Aminian, P; Elliott, R A

2017-10-01

Overprescribing of oxycodone is a contributor to the epidemic of prescription opioid misuse and deaths. Practice models to optimize oxycodone prescribing and supply need to be evaluated. We explored the impact of pharmacist-assisted discharge prescribing and medication review on oxycodone prescribing and supply for patients discharged from surgical wards. A retrospective audit was conducted on two surgical inpatient wards following a 16-week prospective pre- and post-intervention study. During the pre-intervention period, discharge prescriptions were prepared by hospital doctors and then reviewed by a ward pharmacist (WP) before being dispensed. Post-intervention, prescriptions were prepared by a project pharmacist in consultation with hospital doctors and then reviewed by a WP and dispensed. Proportion of patients who were prescribed, and proportion supplied, oxycodone on discharge; Median amount (milligrams) of oxycodone prescribed and supplied, for patients who were prescribed and supplied at least one oxycodone-containing preparation, respectively. A total of 320 and 341 patients were evaluated pre- and post-intervention, respectively. Pre-intervention, 75.6% of patients were prescribed oxycodone; after WP review, 60.3% were supplied oxycodone (P<.01); the median amount both prescribed and supplied was 100 milligrams/patient. Post-intervention, 68.6% of patients were prescribed oxycodone; after WP review, 57.8% were supplied oxycodone (P<.01); median amount prescribed and supplied was 50 milligrams/patient (difference in amount prescribed and supplied: 50 milligrams, P<.01). WP review of doctor-prepared prescriptions reduced the proportion of patients who were supplied oxycodone but not the amount supplied/patient. Having a pharmacist assist with prescribing reduced the amount of oxycodone supplied. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Annual variability of water productivity components in the watershed of Cabeceira Comprida stream, Santa Fé do Sul, Brazil

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Coaguila, Daniel N.; Hernandez, Fernando B. T.; de C. Teixeira, Antônio H.; Neale, Christopher M.; Franco, Renato A. M.; Leivas, Janice F.

2016-10-01

The Cabeceira Comprida stream's watershed, located in Santa Fé do Sul, Brazil, is an agroecosystem with great demand of water for the population and agriculture. During the dry season the water demand exceeds the amount generated by the watershed. It is important to know the dynamics of the water above the ground to improve the water resources management. Ten Landsat 8 images were used combined with Northwestern São Paulo State Weather Network data under different thermohydrological conditions of the year 2014 to quantify actual evapotranspiration (ETa), biomass production (BIO) and water productivity (WP) based on ETa. Using the Simple Algorithm for Retrieving evapotranspiration (SAFER) for calculating ETa, the Monteith's radiation model was applied for estimating the BIO and for calculation of WP the ratio of BIO and ETa. The average pixels for ETa, BIO and WP ranged respectively from 0.38 +/- 0.35 to 2.05 +/- 0.76 mm day-1; 10.15 +/- 12.19 to 71.61 +/- 35.54 kg ha-1 day-1; 1.89 +/- 0.76 to 3.88 +/- 0.86 kg m-3. The lower values of ETa (0.38 mm day-1; DOY 220), BIO (10.15 kg ha-1 day-1; DOY 220) and WP (1.89 kg m-3; DOY 204) were obtained in winter, and highest values of ETa (2.05 mm day-1; DOY 364) and BIO (71.64 kg ha-1 day-1; DOY 364) in the summer and WP (3.88 kg m-3; DOY 92) in the autumn. The water productivity components can subsidize the monitoring of the agro-ecosystems, being a useful tool to quantify the annual variability of ETa and BIO.

Association analysis of the beta-3 adrenergic receptor Trp64Arg (rs4994) polymorphism with urate and gout.

PubMed

Fatima, Tahzeeb; Altaf, Sara; Phipps-Green, Amanda; Topless, Ruth; Flynn, Tanya J; Stamp, Lisa K; Dalbeth, Nicola; Merriman, Tony R

2016-02-01

The Arg64 allele of variant rs4994 (Trp64Arg) in the β3-adrenergic receptor gene has been associated with increased serum urate and risk of gout. Our objective was to investigate the relationship of rs4994 with serum urate and gout in New Zealand European, Māori and Pacific subjects. A total of 1730 clinically ascertained gout cases and 2145 controls were genotyped for rs4994 by Taqman(®). Māori and Pacific subjects were subdivided into Eastern Polynesian (EP) and Western Polynesian (WP) sample sets. Publicly available genotype data from the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study and the Framingham Heart Study were utilized for serum urate association analysis. Multivariate logistic and linear regression adjusted for potential confounders was carried out using R version 2.15.2. No significant association of the minor Arg64 (G) allele of rs4994 with gout was found in the combined Polynesian cohorts (OR = 0.98, P = 0.88), although there was evidence, after adjustment for renal disease, for association in both the WP (OR = 0.53, P = 0.03) and the lower Polynesian ancestry EP sample sets (OR = 1.86, P = 0.05). There was no evidence for association with gout in the European sample set (OR = 1.11, P = 0.57). However, the Arg64 allele was positively associated with urate in the WP data set (β = 0.036, P = 0.004, P Corrected = 0.032). Association of the Arg64 variant with increased urate in the WP sample set was consistent with the previous literature, although the protective effect of this variant with gout in WP was inconsistent. This association provides an etiological link between metabolic syndrome components and urate homeostasis.

Importance of a diffusion-dominant small volume to activate cell-secreted soluble factor signaling in embryonic stem cell culture in microbioreactors: a mathematical model based study.

PubMed

Chowdhury, Mohammad Mahfuz; Fujii, Teruo; Sakai, Yasuyuki

2013-07-01

In our previous studies, we observed that cell-secreted BMP4 had a prominent influence on mouse embryonic stem cell (mESC) behaviors in a membrane-based two-chambered microbioreactor (MB), but not in a macro-scale culture (6-well plate/6WP). In this study, we investigated how the physical aspects of these cultures regulated BMP4 signaling by developing mathematical models of the cultures. The models estimated signaling activity in the cultures by considering size of the undifferentiated mESC colonies and their growth, diffusion of BMP4, and BMP4 trafficking process in the colonies. The models successfully depicted measured profile of BMP4 concentration in the culture medium which was two times higher in the MB than that in the 6WP during 5-day culture. The models estimated that, owing to the small volume and the membrane, cells were exposed to a higher BMP4 concentration in the top chamber of the MB than that in the 6WP culture. The higher concentration of BMP4 induced a higher concentration of BMP4-bound receptor in the colony in the MB than in the 6WP, thereby leading to the higher activation of BMP4 signaling in the MB. The models also predicted that the size of the MB, but not that of the 6WP, was suitable for maximizing BMP4 accumulation and upregulating its signaling. This study will be helpful in analyzing culture systems, designing microfluidic devices for controlling ESC or other cell behavior. Copyright © 2013 The Society for Biotechnology, Japan. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Post-Planck constraints on interacting vacuum energy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Yuting; Wands, David; Zhao, Gong-Bo; Xu, Lixin

2014-07-01

We present improved constraints on an interacting vacuum model using updated astronomical observations including the first data release from Planck. We consider a model with one dimensionless parameter, α, describing the interaction between dark matter and vacuum energy (with fixed equation of state w=-1). The background dynamics correspond to a generalized Chaplygin gas cosmology, but the perturbations have a zero sound speed. The tension between the value of the Hubble constant, H0, determined by Planck data plus WMAP polarization (Planck +WP) and that determined by the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) can be alleviated by energy transfer from dark matter to vacuum (α>0). A positive α increases the allowed values of H0 due to parameter degeneracy within the model using only cosmic microwave background data. Combining with additional data sets of including supernova type Ia (SN Ia) and baryon acoustic oscillation (BAO), we can significantly tighten the bounds on α. Redshift-space distortions (RSD), which constrain the linear growth of structure, provide the tightest constraints on vacuum interaction when combined with Planck+WP, and prefer energy transfer from vacuum to dark matter (α<0) which suppresses the growth of structure. Using the combined data sets of Planck +WP+Union2.1+BAO+RSD, we obtain the constraint on α to be -0.083<α<-0.006 (95% C.L.), allowing low H0 consistent with the measurement from 6dF Galaxy survey. This interacting vacuum model can alleviate the tension between RSD and Planck +WP in the ΛCDM model for α <0, or between HST measurements of H0 and Planck+WP for α>0, but not both at the same time.

Streptosporangium jiaoheense sp. nov. and Streptosporangium taraxaci sp. nov., actinobacteria isolated from soil and dandelion root (Taraxacum mongolicum Hand.-Mazz.).

PubMed

Zhao, Junwei; Guo, Lifeng; Li, Zhilei; Piao, Chenyu; Li, Yao; Li, Jiansong; Liu, Chongxi; Wang, Xiangjing; Xiang, Wensheng

2016-06-01

Two novel actinobacteria, designated strains NEAU-Jh1-4T and NEAU-Wp2-0T, were isolated from muddy soil collected from a riverbank in Jiaohe and a dandelion root collected from Harbin, respectively. A polyphasic study was carried out to establish the taxonomic positions of these two strains. The phylogenetic analysis based on the 16S rRNA gene sequences of strains NEAU-Jh1-4T and NEAU-Wp2-0T indicated that strain NEAU-Jh1-4T clustered with Streptosporangium nanhuense NEAU-NH11T (99.32 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity), Streptosporangium purpuratum CY-15110T (98.30 %) and Streptosporangium yunnanense CY-11007T (97.95 %) and strain NEAU-Wp2-0T clustered with 'Streptosporangium sonchi  ' NEAU-QS7 (99.39 %), 'Streptosporangium kronopolitis' NEAU-ML10 (99.26 %), 'Streptosporangium shengliense' NEAU-GH7 (98.85 %) and Streptosporangium longisporum DSM 43180T (98.69 %). Moreover, morphological and chemotaxonomic properties of the two isolates also confirmed their affiliation to the genus Streptosporangium. However, the low level of DNA-DNA hybridization and some phenotypic characteristics allowed the isolates to be differentiated from the most closely related species. Therefore, it is proposed that strains NEAU-Jh1-4T and NEAU-Wp2-0T represent two novel species of the genus Streptosporangium, for which the name Streptosporangium jiaoheense sp. nov. and Streptosporangium taraxaci sp. nov. are proposed. The type strains are NEAU-Jh1-4T (=CGMCC 4.7213T=JCM 30348T) and NEAU-Wp2-0T (=CGMCC 4.7217T=JCM 30349T), respectively.

Word problems: a review of linguistic and numerical factors contributing to their difficulty

PubMed Central

Daroczy, Gabriella; Wolska, Magdalena; Meurers, Walt Detmar; Nuerk, Hans-Christoph

2015-01-01

Word problems (WPs) belong to the most difficult and complex problem types that pupils encounter during their elementary-level mathematical development. In the classroom setting, they are often viewed as merely arithmetic tasks; however, recent research shows that a number of linguistic verbal components not directly related to arithmetic contribute greatly to their difficulty. In this review, we will distinguish three components of WP difficulty: (i) the linguistic complexity of the problem text itself, (ii) the numerical complexity of the arithmetic problem, and (iii) the relation between the linguistic and numerical complexity of a problem. We will discuss the impact of each of these factors on WP difficulty and motivate the need for a high degree of control in stimuli design for experiments that manipulate WP difficulty for a given age group. PMID:25883575

Identification of the Fungal Pathogen that Causes Strawberry Anthracnose in Bangladesh and Evaluation of In Vitro Fungicide Activity

PubMed Central

Akhter, Md. Shamim; Alam, Shahidul; Islam, Md. Shafiqul

2009-01-01

This study was conducted to identify the Colletotrichum species causing anthracnose disease of strawberry in Balgladesh and to evaluate in vitro activity of commercial fungicides it. Based on morphological and cultural characteristics, all 22 isolates were identified as Colletotrichum gloeosporioides. They developed white or glittery colonies with grey to dark grey reverse colony colors and they produced cylindrical conidia. The efficacy of five commercial fungicides, Bavistin DF, Dithane M-45, Sulcox 50 WP, Corzim 50 WP and Rovral 50 WP, were tested against the fungus. Bavistin inhibited radial growth completely and was followed in efficacy by Dithane M-45. In Bavistin DF treated media, the fungus did not produce conidia. The percent inhibition of radial growth of the fungus was increased with the increasing concentrations of fungicide. PMID:23983513

Systemic Approach of a Virtual Enterprise that Constructs Wireless Payment Mechanisms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Assimakopoulos, Nikitas A.; Riggas, Anastasis N.; Kotsimpos, George K.

2004-08-01

Enterprises and Organizations are realizing that there are many win-win scenarios, for their customers and business partners, using the latest technology to enact convenient and secure purchases `over the air'. Wireless Payment (W/P) is the key element of Wireless Commerce. Businesses around the world are attempting to position themselves to operate in a highly competitive global economy. A single organization is often not able to develop sufficient internal design or production capabilities to respond effectively within a short period of time. The focus of this paper will be on the development and analysis of a Virtual Enterprise Architecture for the construction of W/P Mechanisms using Systemic Methodologies. A framework for the rapid and efficient integration of the business processes of the participating companies that construct W/P Mechanisms is provided.

Pipeline active filter utilizing a booth type multiplier

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nathan, Robert (Inventor)

1987-01-01

Multiplier units of the modified Booth decoder and carry-save adder/full adder combination are used to implement a pipeline active filter wherein pixel data is processed sequentially, and each pixel need only be accessed once and multiplied by a predetermined number of weights simultaneously, one multiplier unit for each weight. Each multiplier unit uses only one row of carry-save adders, and the results are shifted to less significant multiplier positions and one row of full adders to add the carry to the sum in order to provide the correct binary number for the product Wp. The full adder is also used to add this product Wp to the sum of products .SIGMA.Wp from preceding multiply units. If m.times.m multiplier units are pipelined, the system would be capable of processing a kernel array of m.times.m weighting factors.

The "Volcano Observations" Thematic Core Service of the European Plate Observing System (EPOS): status of the implementation.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Puglisi, Giuseppe

2017-04-01

The European volcanological community contributes to implementation of European Plate Observing System (EPOS) by making operational an integrated platform to guarantee a seamless access to the data provided by the European Solid Earth communities. To achieve this objective, the Volcano Observations Work Package (WP11) will implement a Thematic Core Services (TCS) which is planned to give access to the data and services provided by the European Volcano Observatories (VO) and some Volcanological Research Institutions (VRI; as university departments, laboratories, etc.); both types are considered as national research infrastructures (RI) over which to build the TCS. Currently, the networks on European volcanoes consist of thousands of stations or sites where volcanological parameters are continuously or periodically measured. These sites are equipped with instruments for geophysical (seismic, geodetic, gravimetric, electromagnetic), geochemical (volcanic plumes, fumaroles, groundwater, rivers, soils), environmental observations (e.g. meteorological and air quality parameters), as well as various prototypal monitoring systems (e.g. Doppler radars, ground based SAR). In Europe also operate laboratories for sample analysis (rocks, gases, isotopes, etc.), and almost continuous analysis of space-borne data (SAR, thermal imagery, SO2 and ash), as well as high-performance computing centres. All these RIs provide high-quality information (observations) on the current status of European volcanoes and the geodynamic background of the surrounding areas. The implementation of the Volcano Observations TCS is addressing technical and management issues, both considering the current heterogeneous state of the art of the volcanological research infrastructures in Europe. Indeed, the frame of the VO and VRI is now too fragmented to be considered as a unique distributed infrastructure, thus the main effort planned in the frame of the EPOS-IP is focused to create services aimed at providing an improved and more efficient access to the volcanological facilities and observations on active volcanoes. The main gap to be overcame to facilitate the access to this valued information and to make this fragmented community into a unique infrastructure is concerning the heterogeneity in the technical solutions to provide the access. To tackle with this issue, WP11 launched an internal questionnaire to survey the current status of the services among the partners involved in the project. The technical heterogeneity reflects also in the management issues, and in particular in the data policies, governance structures and financial perspectives. Indeed, each research infrastructure currently adopts a own data policy (moreover, in some cases it is difficult to define a proper data policy), refers to different financial models and has different organization, also due to the different formal commitments of VO and/or VRI in own countries. Furthermore, to guarantee the sustainability of the TCS, a proper governance structure and financial model is under definition, with the twofold aim to guarantee the service provision and to represent the community. Thus the main challenging objective of the WP11 in the framework of EPOS-IP is to overcome the fragmentation and to strengthen the building of the European volcanological community which current worldwide high reputation is confirmed by the fact that three over four volcanic Supersites are located in Europe, managed by European institutions and were supported by EC through two EC-FP7 Projects (Futurevolc and MED-SUV).

Electrical power system WP-04

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nored, Donald L.

Viewgraphs on Space Station Freedom Electrical Power System (EPS) WP-40 are presented. Topics covered include: key EPS technical requirements; photovoltaic power module systems; solar array assembly; blanket containment box and box positioning subassemblies; solar cell; bypass diode assembly; Kapton with atomic oxygen resistant coating; sequential shunt unit; gimbal assembly; energy storage subsystem; thermal control subsystem; direct current switching unit; integrated equipment assembly; PV cargo element; PMAD system; and PMC and AC architecture.

Electrical power system WP-04

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nored, Donald L.

1990-01-01

Viewgraphs on Space Station Freedom Electrical Power System (EPS) WP-40 are presented. Topics covered include: key EPS technical requirements; photovoltaic power module systems; solar array assembly; blanket containment box and box positioning subassemblies; solar cell; bypass diode assembly; Kapton with atomic oxygen resistant coating; sequential shunt unit; gimbal assembly; energy storage subsystem; thermal control subsystem; direct current switching unit; integrated equipment assembly; PV cargo element; PMAD system; and PMC and AC architecture.

Characterization of Chemosynthetic Microbial Mats Associated with Intertidal Hydrothermal Sulfur Vents in White Point, San Pedro, CA, USA

PubMed Central

Miranda, Priscilla J.; McLain, Nathan K.; Hatzenpichler, Roland; Orphan, Victoria J.; Dillon, Jesse G.

2016-01-01

The shallow-sea hydrothermal vents at White Point (WP) in Palos Verdes on the southern California coast support microbial mats and provide easily accessed settings in which to study chemolithoautotrophic sulfur cycling. Previous studies have cultured sulfur-oxidizing bacteria from the WP mats; however, almost nothing is known about the in situ diversity and activity of the microorganisms in these habitats. We studied the diversity, micron-scale spatial associations and metabolic activity of the mat community via sequence analysis of 16S rRNA and aprA genes, fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) microscopy and sulfate reduction rate (SRR) measurements. Sequence analysis revealed a diverse group of bacteria, dominated by sulfur cycling gamma-, epsilon-, and deltaproteobacterial lineages such as Marithrix, Sulfurovum, and Desulfuromusa. FISH microscopy suggests a close physical association between sulfur-oxidizing and sulfur-reducing genotypes, while radiotracer studies showed low, but detectable, SRR. Comparative 16S rRNA gene sequence analyses indicate the WP sulfur vent microbial mat community is similar, but distinct from other hydrothermal vent communities representing a range of biotopes and lithologic settings. These findings suggest a complete biological sulfur cycle is operating in the WP mat ecosystem mediated by diverse bacterial lineages, with some similarity with deep-sea hydrothermal vent communities. PMID:27512390

A milk-based wolfberry preparation prevents prenatal stress-induced cognitive impairment of offspring rats, and inhibits oxidative damage and mitochondrial dysfunction in vitro.

PubMed

Feng, Zhihui; Jia, Haiqun; Li, Xuesen; Bai, Zhuanli; Liu, Zhongbo; Sun, Lijuan; Zhu, Zhongliang; Bucheli, Peter; Ballèvre, Olivier; Wang, Junkuan; Liu, Jiankang

2010-05-01

Lycium barbarum (Fructus Lycii, Wolfberry, or Gouqi) belongs to the Solanaceae. The red-colored fruits of L. barbarum have been used for a long time as an ingredient in Chinese cuisine and brewing, and also in traditional Chinese herbal medicine for improving health. However, its effects on cognitive function have not been well studied. In the present study, prevention of a milk-based wolfberry preparation (WP) on cognitive dysfunction was tested in a prenatal stress model with rats and the antioxidant mechanism was tested by in vitro experiments. We found that prenatal stress caused a significant decrease in cognitive function (Morris water maze test) in female offspring. Pretreatment of the mother rats with WP significantly prevented the prenatal stress-induced cognitive dysfunction. In vitro studies showed that WP dose-dependently scavenged hydroxyl and superoxide radicals (determined by an electron spin resonance spectrometric assay), and inhibited FeCl(2)/ascorbic acid-induced dysfunction in brain tissue and tissue mitochondria, including increases in reactive oxygen species and lipid peroxidation and decreases in the activities of complex I, complex II, and glutamate cysteine ligase. These results suggest that dietary supplementation with WP may be an effective strategy for preventing the brain oxidative mitochondrial damage and cognitive dysfunction associated with prenatal stress.

A TNF receptor loop peptide mimic blocks RANK ligand–induced signaling, bone resorption, and bone loss

PubMed Central

Aoki, Kazuhiro; Saito, Hiroaki; Itzstein, Cecile; Ishiguro, Masaji; Shibata, Tatsuya; Blanque, Roland; Mian, Anower Hussain; Takahashi, Mariko; Suzuki, Yoshifumi; Yoshimatsu, Masako; Yamaguchi, Akira; Deprez, Pierre; Mollat, Patrick; Murali, Ramachandran; Ohya, Keiichi; Horne, William C.; Baron, Roland

2006-01-01

Activating receptor activator of NF-κB (RANK) and TNF receptor (TNFR) promote osteoclast differentiation. A critical ligand contact site on the TNFR is partly conserved in RANK. Surface plasmon resonance studies showed that a peptide (WP9QY) that mimics this TNFR contact site and inhibits TNF-α–induced activity bound to RANK ligand (RANKL). Changing a single residue predicted to play an important role in the interaction reduced the binding significantly. WP9QY, but not the altered control peptide, inhibited the RANKL-induced activation of RANK-dependent signaling in RAW 264.7 cells but had no effect on M-CSF–induced activation of some of the same signaling events. WP9QY but not the control peptide also prevented RANKL-induced bone resorption and osteoclastogenesis, even when TNFRs were absent or blocked. In vivo, where both RANKL and TNF-α promote osteoclastogenesis, osteoclast activity, and bone loss, WP9QY prevented the increased osteoclastogenesis and bone loss induced in mice by ovariectomy or low dietary calcium, in the latter case in both wild-type and TNFR double-knockout mice. These results suggest that a peptide that mimics a TNFR ligand contact site blocks bone resorption by interfering with recruitment and activation of osteoclasts by both RANKL and TNF. PMID:16680194

Thermocouple psychrometer measurements of in situ water potential changes in heated welded tuff

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

Mao, Nai-hsien; Wang, H.F.

1991-10-01

Ten thermocouple psychrometers (TCPs) to measure water potential (WP) were installed in three holes in G-Tunnel at the Nevada Test Site as part of the Prototype Engineered Barrier System Field Tests. We calibrated the TCPs in NaCl solutions up to 80{degrees}C (176{degrees}F) in the laboratory. In two holes, we used rubber sleeves and packers to house TCPs, and in the third hole, we used foam. All three holes were grouted behind the TCP assemblages. The initial moisture condition indicated by TCP data was about 99.5% relative humidity or a WP of about {minus}5 bar. This corresponded to 15.4 g/m{sup 3}more » of water in the air near the borehole wall, which was much wetter than we expected. A drying and re-wetting cycle peaked at about day 140 with a WP of {minus}65 bar in borehole P3, located below the heater. A similar cycle but reduced in scale was found at about day 175 with a WP of {minus}45 bar in borehole P2, above the heater. This difference is drying behavior above and below the heater was also observed from neutron data and was explained as a gravity effect.« less

50 kWp Photovoltaic Concentrator Application Experiment, Phase I. Final report, 1 June 1978-28 February 1979

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

Maget, H.J.R.

1979-06-15

This program consists of a design study and component development for an experimental 50-kWp photovoltaic concentrator system to supply power to the San Ramon substation of the Pacific Gas and Electric Company. The photovoltaic system is optimized to produce peaking power to relieve the air conditioning load on the PG and E system during summer afternoons; and would therefore displace oil-fired power generation capacity. No electrical storage is required. The experiment would use GaAs concentrator cells with point-focus fresnel lenses operating at 400X, in independent tracking arrays of 440 cells each, generating 3.8 kWp. Fourteen arrays, each 9 feet bymore » 33 feet, are connected electrically in series to generate the 50 kWp. The high conversion efficiency possible with GaAs concentrator cells results in a projected annual average system efficiency (AC electric power output to sunlight input) of better than 15%. The capability of GaAs cells for high temperature operation made possible the design of a total energy option, whereby thermal power from selected arrays could be used to heat and cool the control center for the installation. System design and analysis, fabrication and installation, environmental assessment, and cost projections are described in detail. (WHK)« less

Evaluation of the 2013 Southeast Asian Haze on Solar Generation Performance

PubMed Central

Maghami, Mohammadreza; Hizam, Hashim; Gomes, Chandima; Hajighorbani, Shahrooz; Rezaei, Nima

2015-01-01

Pollution in Southeast Asia is a major public energy problem and the cause of energy losses. A significant problem with respect to this type of pollution is that it decreases energy yield. In this study, two types of photovoltaic (PV) solar arrays were used to evaluate the effect of air pollution. The performance of two types of solar arrays were analysed in this research, namely, two units of a 1 kWp tracking flat photovoltaic (TFP) and two units of a 1 kWp fixed flat photovoltaic arrays (FFP). Data analysis was conducted on 2,190 samples at 30 min intervals from 01st June 2013, when both arrays were washed, until 30th June 2013. The performance was evaluated by using environmental data (irradiation, temperature, dust thickness, and air pollution index), power output, and energy yield. Multiple regression models were predicted in view of the environmental data and PV array output. Results showed that the fixed flat system was more affected by air pollution than the tracking flat plate. The contribution of this work is that it considers two types of photovoltaic arrays under the Southeast Asian pollution 2013. PMID:26275303

Lack of Cross-protection against Bordetella holmesii after Pertussis Vaccination

PubMed Central

Zhang, Xuqing; Weyrich, Laura S.; Lavine, Jennie S.; Karanikas, Alexia T.

2012-01-01

Bordetella holmesii, a species closely related to B. pertussis, has been reported sporadically as a cause of whooping cough–like symptoms. To investigate whether B. pertussis–induced immunity is protective against infection with B. holmesii, we conducted an analysis using 11 human respiratory B. holmesii isolates collected during 2005–2009 from a highly B. pertussis–vaccinated population in Massachusetts. Neither whole-cell (wP) nor acellular (aP) B. pertussis vaccination conferred protection against these B. holmesii isolates in mice. Although T-cell responses induced by wP or aP cross-reacted with B. holmesii, vaccine-induced antibodies failed to efficiently bind B. holmesii. B. holmesii–specific antibodies provided in addition to wP were sufficient to rapidly reduce B. holmesii numbers in mouse lungs. Our findings suggest the established presence of B. holmesii in Massachusetts and that failure to induce cross-reactive antibodies may explain poor vaccine-induced cross-protection. PMID:23092514

Control of accidental releases of hydrogen selenide in vented storage cabinets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fthenakis, V. M.; Moskowitz, P. D.; Sproull, R. D.

1988-07-01

Highly toxic hydrogen selenide and hydrogen sulfide gases are used in the production of copper-indium-diselenide photovoltaic cells by reactive sputtering. In the event of an accident, these gases may be released to the atmosphere and pose hazards to public and occupational safety and health. This paper outlines an approach for designing systems for the control of these releases given the uncertainty in release conditions and lack of data on the chemical systems involved. Accidental releases of these gases in storage cabinets can be controlled by either a venturi and packed-bed scrubber and carbon adsorption bed, or containment scrubbing equipment followed by carbon adsorption. These systems can effectively reduce toxic gas emissions to levels needed to protect public health. The costs of these controls (˜0.012/Wp) are samll in comparison with current (˜6/Wp) and projected (˜I/Wp) production costs.

Large magnetoresistance in the type-II Weyl semimetal WP 2

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

Wang, Aifeng; Graf, D.; Liu, Yu

In this paper, we report a magnetotransport study on type-II Weyl semimetal WP 2 single crystals. Magnetoresistance exhibits a nonsaturating H n field dependence (14 300% at 2 K and 9 T), whereas systematic violation of Kohler's rule was observed. Quantum oscillations reveal a complex multiband electronic structure. The cyclotron effective mass close to the mass of free electron m e was observed in quantum oscillations along the b axis, while a reduced effective mass of about 0.5 m e was observed in α-axis quantum oscillations, suggesting Fermi surface anisotropy. The temperature dependence of the resistivity shows a large upturnmore » that cannot be explained by the multiband magnetoresistance of conventional metals. Finally, even though the crystal structure of WP 2 is not layered as in transition-metal dichalcogenides, quantum oscillations suggest partial two-dimensional character.« less

Large magnetoresistance in the type-II Weyl semimetal WP 2

DOE PAGES

Wang, Aifeng; Graf, D.; Liu, Yu; ...

2017-09-11

In this paper, we report a magnetotransport study on type-II Weyl semimetal WP 2 single crystals. Magnetoresistance exhibits a nonsaturating H n field dependence (14 300% at 2 K and 9 T), whereas systematic violation of Kohler's rule was observed. Quantum oscillations reveal a complex multiband electronic structure. The cyclotron effective mass close to the mass of free electron m e was observed in quantum oscillations along the b axis, while a reduced effective mass of about 0.5 m e was observed in α-axis quantum oscillations, suggesting Fermi surface anisotropy. The temperature dependence of the resistivity shows a large upturnmore » that cannot be explained by the multiband magnetoresistance of conventional metals. Finally, even though the crystal structure of WP 2 is not layered as in transition-metal dichalcogenides, quantum oscillations suggest partial two-dimensional character.« less

Low temperature resistivity plateau and non-saturating magnetoresistance in Type-II Weyl semimetal WP2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nagpal, V.; Kumar, P.; Sudesh, Patnaik, S.

2018-04-01

We have studied the resistivity and magnetoresistance (MR) properties of the recently predicted type-II Weyl semimetal WP2. Polycrystalline WP2 is synthesized using solid state reaction and crystallizes in an orthorhombic structure with the Cmc21 spacegroup. The temperature dependent resistivity is enhanced with the application of magnetic field and a resistivity plateau is observed at low temperatures. We find a small dip in resistivity around 30K at 5T field suggesting that there might be a metal-insulator-like transition at higher magnetic fields. A non-saturating magnetoresistance is observed at low temperatures with maximum MR ˜ 94% at 2K and 6T. The value of MR decreases with the increase in temperature. We see a deviation from Kohler's power law which implies that the system comprises of two types of charge carriers.

The inverse Wiener polarity index problem for chemical trees.

PubMed

Du, Zhibin; Ali, Akbar

2018-01-01

The Wiener polarity number (which, nowadays, known as the Wiener polarity index and usually denoted by Wp) was devised by the chemist Harold Wiener, for predicting the boiling points of alkanes. The index Wp of chemical trees (chemical graphs representing alkanes) is defined as the number of unordered pairs of vertices (carbon atoms) at distance 3. The inverse problems based on some well-known topological indices have already been addressed in the literature. The solution of such inverse problems may be helpful in speeding up the discovery of lead compounds having the desired properties. This paper is devoted to solving a stronger version of the inverse problem based on Wiener polarity index for chemical trees. More precisely, it is proved that for every integer t ∈ {n - 3, n - 2,…,3n - 16, 3n - 15}, n ≥ 6, there exists an n-vertex chemical tree T such that Wp(T) = t.

Dramatically Promoted Swelling of a Hydrogel by Pillar[6]arene-Ferrocene Complexation with Multistimuli Responsiveness.

PubMed

Ni, Mengfei; Zhang, Ning; Xia, Wei; Wu, Xuan; Yao, Chenhao; Liu, Xin; Hu, Xiao-Yu; Lin, Chen; Wang, Leyong

2016-05-25

The swelling-shrinking transition of hydrogels is crucial for their wide applications such as actuators and drug delivery. We hereby fabricated a smart hydrogel with ferrocene groups on pendant of polymer networks. While it was immersed in the water-soluble pillar[6]arene (WP6) aqueous solution, the hydrogel was dramatically swollen, which was an approximately 11-fold promotion in weight compared with that in pure water, due to the formation of the inclusion complexes between WP6 and ferrocene groups in the hydrogel. In particular, the well-swollen hydrogel exhibited good responsiveness to multistimuli including temperature, pH, redox, and competitive guests by tuning the dissociation/formation of WP6-ferrocene inclusion complexes or the strength of their charges. Meanwhile, potential application of such a smart hydrogel in pH-responsive drug release was demonstrated as well.

A new physics-based modeling approach for tsunami-ionosphere coupling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meng, X.; Komjathy, A.; Verkhoglyadova, O. P.; Yang, Y.-M.; Deng, Y.; Mannucci, A. J.

2015-06-01

Tsunamis can generate gravity waves propagating upward through the atmosphere, inducing total electron content (TEC) disturbances in the ionosphere. To capture this process, we have implemented tsunami-generated gravity waves into the Global Ionosphere-Thermosphere Model (GITM) to construct a three-dimensional physics-based model WP (Wave Perturbation)-GITM. WP-GITM takes tsunami wave properties, including the wave height, wave period, wavelength, and propagation direction, as inputs and time-dependently characterizes the responses of the upper atmosphere between 100 km and 600 km altitudes. We apply WP-GITM to simulate the ionosphere above the West Coast of the United States around the time when the tsunami associated with the March 2011 Tohuku-Oki earthquke arrived. The simulated TEC perturbations agree with Global Positioning System observations reasonably well. For the first time, a fully self-consistent and physics-based model has reproduced the GPS-observed traveling ionospheric signatures of an actual tsunami event.

2012/13 abnormal cold winter in Japan associated with Large-scale Atmospheric Circulation and Local Sea Surface Temperature over the Sea of Japan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ando, Y.; Ogi, M.; Tachibana, Y.

2013-12-01

On Japan, wintertime cold wave has social, economic, psychological and political impacts because of the lack of atomic power stations in the era of post Fukushima world. The colder winter is the more electricity is needed. Wintertime weather of Japan and its prediction has come under the world spotlight. The winter of 2012/13 in Japan was abnormally cold, and such a cold winter has persisted for 3 years. Wintertime climate of Japan is governed by some dominant modes of the large-scale atmospheric circulations. Yasunaka and Hanawa (2008) demonstrated that the two dominant modes - Arctic Oscillation (AO) and Western Pacific (WP) pattern - account for about 65% of the interannual variation of the wintertime mean surface air temperature of Japan. A negative AO brings about cold winter in Japan. In addition, a negative WP also brings about cold winter in Japan. Looking back to the winter of 2012/13, both the negative AO and negative WP continued from October through December. If the previous studies were correct, it would have been extremely very cold from October through December. In fact, in December, in accordance with previous studies, it was colder than normal. Contrary to the expectation, in October and November, it was, however, warmer than normal. This discrepancy signifies that an additional hidden circumstance that heats Japan overwhelms these large-scale atmospheric circulations that cool Japan. In this study, we therefore seek an additional cause of wintertime climate of Japan particularly focusing 2012 as well as the AO and WP. We found that anomalously warm oceanic temperature surrounding Japan overwhelmed influences of the AO or WP. Unlike the inland climate, the island climate can be strongly influenced by surrounding ocean temperature, suggesting that large-scale atmospheric patterns alone do not determine the climate of islands. (a) Time series of a 5-day running mean AO index (blue) as defined by Ogi et al., (2004), who called it the SVNAM index. For reference, the conventional AO index is shown by the gray line. (b) a 5-day running mean WP index, (c) area-averaged Surface Air Temperature anomalies in Japan, (d) Air Temperature anomalies, (e) heat flux anomalies, and (f) Sea Surface Temperature anomalies. The boxed area on the Sea of Japan indicates the area in which the (d)-(f) indexes were calculated.

Wide-field Imaging System and Rapid Direction of Optical Zoom (WOZ)

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-09-25

commercial software packages: SolidWorks, COMSOL Multiphysics, and ZEMAX optical design. SolidWorks is a computer aided design package, which as a live...interface to COMSOL. COMSOL is a finite element analysis/partial differential equation solver. ZEMAX is an optical design package. Both COMSOL and... ZEMAX have live interfaces to MatLab. Our initial investigations have enabled a model in SolidWorks to be updated in COMSOL, an FEA calculation

Parametric Optimization of Wire Electrical Discharge Machining of Powder Metallurgical Cold Worked Tool Steel using Taguchi Method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sudhakara, Dara; Prasanthi, Guvvala

2017-04-01

Wire Cut EDM is an unconventional machining process used to build components of complex shape. The current work mainly deals with optimization of surface roughness while machining P/M CW TOOL STEEL by Wire cut EDM using Taguchi method. The process parameters of the Wire Cut EDM is ON, OFF, IP, SV, WT, and WP. L27 OA is used for to design of the experiments for conducting experimentation. In order to find out the effecting parameters on the surface roughness, ANOVA analysis is engaged. The optimum levels for getting minimum surface roughness is ON = 108 µs, OFF = 63 µs, IP = 11 A, SV = 68 V and WT = 8 g.

Reducing the Footprint: Post Combat Operations, Budget Cuts, and Modern Day Sequestration

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-05-02

That Scary , in One Graph”; The Washington Post; November, 2012; http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2012/11/20/the- sequesters-defense-cuts...arent-that- scary -in-one-graph Figure 1 highlights the ebbs and flows of the DOD budget since the post World War II timeframe. Although the 2011...defense cuts aren’t that scary , in one graph”. The Washington Post, Washington: November, 2012, http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp

Environmental Fate of White Phosphorus/Felt and Red Phosphorus/Butyl Rubber Military Screening Smokes

DTIC Science & Technology

1985-04-01

Hexametaphosphate ............................. . 109 Fe Phosphite ill.. ~*** ee...*ooO* . 1 C. Biosorption . ... *.* **........ 117 H. Biotransformation Summary...x 10-3 hrŕ and the expected half-life for phosphite is 83 hr. 116 6=9W =NVJV5=*A G, Biosorption Biosorption of WP was conducted using four species...be the primary route of transformation. 117 Y17’ IM Biosorption of WP was found not to be significant for microorganisms. This result parallels the

40 CFR 1045.103 - What exhaust emission standards must my outboard and personal watercraft engines meet?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... emission standards must my outboard and personal watercraft engines meet? (a) Duty-cycle emission standards...) Pollutant Power 1 Emission standard HC + NOX P ≤ 4.3 kWP > 4.3 kW 30.0 2.1 + 0.09 × (151 + 557/P0.9) CO P ≤ 40 kWP > 40 kW 500 − 5.0 × P300 1 Power (P) = maximum engine power for the engine family, in...

Myoprotective Potential of Creatine Is Greater than Whey Protein after Chemically-Induced Damage in Rat Skeletal Muscle

PubMed Central

Cooke, Matthew B.; Stathis, Christos G.; Hayes, Alan

2018-01-01

The myoprotective effects of creatine monohydrate (CR) and whey protein (WP) are equivocal, with the use of proxy measures of muscle damage making interpretation of their effectiveness limited. The purpose of the study was to determine the effects of CR and WP supplementation on muscle damage and recovery following controlled, chemically-induced muscle damage. Degeneration of the extensor digitorum longus (EDL) muscle was induced by bupivacaine in rats supplemented with either CR, WP, or standard rat chow (CON). At day 7 and 14 post-myotoxic injury, injured EDL muscles were surgically removed and tested for isometric contractile properties, followed by the contralateral, non-injured EDL muscle. At the completion of testing, muscles were snap-frozen in liquid nitrogen and stored for later analysis. Data were analyzed using analysis of variance. Creatine-supplemented muscles displayed a greater proportion of non-damaged (intact) fibers (p = 0.002) and larger cross-sectional areas of regenerating and non-damaged fibers (p = 0.024) compared to CON muscles at day 7 post-injury. At day 14 post-injury, CR-supplemented muscles generated higher absolute forces concomitant with greater contractile protein levels compared to CON (p = 0.001, p = 0.008) and WP-supplemented muscles (p = 0.003, p = 0.006). Creatine supplementation appears to offer an element of myoprotection which was not observed following whey protein supplementation. PMID:29710855

Effect of upright tilt on ventricular/vascular coupling in chronically instrumented primates

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tran, C. C.; Latham, R. D.; Self, D. A.; Fanton, J. W.; White, C. D.; Owens, R. W.

1993-01-01

Studies of the hydraulic loading conditions on the heart in humans, especially pulsatile load, have primarily been limited to the supine state. Therefore, we have chosen a nonhuman primate model, the baboon, to assess left ventricular/vascular coupling in both supine and upright positions. Primate subjects were studied by catheterization under sedation and then after surgical implantation of transducers. This allowed the evaluation of postural stress in the chronically instrumented conscious baboon and then after light dissociative doses of ketamine. Basic hemodynamic variables were evaluated for baboons in supine and upright positions. Fourier analysis was applied to aortic pressure and flow to obtain input and characteristic impedance and the ratio of pulsatile (Wp) to total (Wt) left ventricular power (Wp/Wt). The aortic reflected, or backward, pressure was also calculated. Peripheral resistance increased (P = 0.01) and reflected pressure decreased (17.74 +/- 1.50 vs. 15.21 +/- 2 mmHg; P < 0.01) in upright subjects. Characteristic impedance and Wp/Wt were unchanged. Postoperatively, peripheral resistance increased (2,651 +/- 311 vs. 3,667 +/- 276; P < 0.05) and mean power and Wt decreased (P < 0.01) without changes in reflected pressure. All variables were unchanged after light dissociative doses of ketamine. Thus there is no significant change in efficiency of left ventricular/vascular coupling formulated in terms of Wp/Wt or input impedance with postural stress.

Nuclear structure and weak rates of heavy waiting point nuclei under rp-process conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nabi, Jameel-Un; Böyükata, Mahmut

2017-01-01

The structure and the weak interaction mediated rates of the heavy waiting point (WP) nuclei 80Zr, 84Mo, 88Ru, 92Pd and 96Cd along N = Z line were studied within the interacting boson model-1 (IBM-1) and the proton-neutron quasi-particle random phase approximation (pn-QRPA). The energy levels of the N = Z WP nuclei were calculated by fitting the essential parameters of IBM-1 Hamiltonian and their geometric shapes were predicted by plotting potential energy surfaces (PESs). Half-lives, continuum electron capture rates, positron decay rates, electron capture cross sections of WP nuclei, energy rates of β-delayed protons and their emission probabilities were later calculated using the pn-QRPA. The calculated Gamow-Teller strength distributions were compared with previous calculation. We present positron decay and continuum electron capture rates on these WP nuclei under rp-process conditions using the same model. For the rp-process conditions, the calculated total weak rates are twice the Skyrme HF+BCS+QRPA rates for 80Zr. For remaining nuclei the two calculations compare well. The electron capture rates are significant and compete well with the corresponding positron decay rates under rp-process conditions. The finding of the present study supports that electron capture rates form an integral part of the weak rates under rp-process conditions and has an important role for the nuclear model calculations.

Potential role of viruses in white plague coral disease.

PubMed

Soffer, Nitzan; Brandt, Marilyn E; Correa, Adrienne M S; Smith, Tyler B; Thurber, Rebecca Vega

2014-02-01

White plague (WP)-like diseases of tropical corals are implicated in reef decline worldwide, although their etiological cause is generally unknown. Studies thus far have focused on bacterial or eukaryotic pathogens as the source of these diseases; no studies have examined the role of viruses. Using a combination of transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and 454 pyrosequencing, we compared 24 viral metagenomes generated from Montastraea annularis corals showing signs of WP-like disease and/or bleaching, control conspecific corals, and adjacent seawater. TEM was used for visual inspection of diseased coral tissue. No bacteria were visually identified within diseased coral tissues, but viral particles and sequence similarities to eukaryotic circular Rep-encoding single-stranded DNA viruses and their associated satellites (SCSDVs) were abundant in WP diseased tissues. In contrast, sequence similarities to SCSDVs were not found in any healthy coral tissues, suggesting SCSDVs might have a role in WP disease. Furthermore, Herpesviridae gene signatures dominated healthy tissues, corroborating reports that herpes-like viruses infect all corals. Nucleocytoplasmic large DNA virus (NCLDV) sequences, similar to those recently identified in cultures of Symbiodinium (the algal symbionts of corals), were most common in bleached corals. This finding further implicates that these NCLDV viruses may have a role in bleaching, as suggested in previous studies. This study determined that a specific group of viruses is associated with diseased Caribbean corals and highlights the potential for viral disease in regional coral reef decline.

Dark side of the Universe after Planck data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cheng, Cheng; Huang, Qing-Guo

2014-02-01

Recently released Planck data imply a smaller Hubble constant H0 than that from the Hubble Space Telescope project (HST) and a larger percentage of the matter components Ωm compared to the Supernova Legacy Survey (SNLS) in the Λ cold dark matter (CDM) model. In this paper we found that even though the tension on H0 between Planck and HST can be relaxed if the dark radiation is introduced [ΔNeff=0.536-0.224+0.229 at 68% CL from the data sets of Planck+WMAP polarization (WP)+baryon acoustic oscillation (BAO)+the combination of supernova Union2.1 compilation of 580 Supernovae (Union2.1)+HST], Ωm from Planck is still not nicely compatible with that from SNLS. The tensions between Planck and other astrophysical data sets can be significantly relaxed in the wCDM model, and the combination of these data sets prefers a phantomlike dark energy at more than 95% CL: w =-1.15±0.07 and w=-1.16±0.06 at 68% CL from Planck+WP+BAO+Union2.1+HST and Planck+WP+BAO+SNLS+HST, respectively. From the statistical point of view, there is no evidence for a time-evolving equation of state (Δχ2=-0.3 compared to a constant equation of state for the combination of Planck+WP+BAO+SNLS+HST).

Impact of Reduced Graphene Oxide on MoS2 Grown by Sulfurization of Sputtered MoO3 and Mo Precursor Films (Postprint)

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-05-26

AFRL-RX-WP-JA-2017-0137 IMPACT OF REDUCED GRAPHENE OXIDE ON MOS2 GROWN BY SULFURIZATION OF SPUTTERED MOO3 AND MO PRECURSOR FILMS...OXIDE ON MOS2 GROWN BY SULFURIZATION OF SPUTTERED MOO3 AND Mo PRECURSOR FILMS (POSTPRINT) 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER FA8650-11-D-5401-0008 5b. GRANT...2016. © 2016 American Vacuum Society. The U.S. Government is joint author of the work and has the right to use, modify , reproduce, release, perform

The Impact of Environment and Occupation on the Health and Safety of Active Duty Air Force Members - Database Development and De-Identification

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-04-01

et al. Work , obesity , and occupational safety and health . Am J Public Health . 2007; 97(3):428-436. 7. Grunberg L, Moore S, Anderson-Connolly R...AFRL-SA-WP-SR-2015-0005 The Impact of Environment and Occupation on the Health and Safety of Active Duty Air Force Members – Database...TITLE AND SUBTITLE The Impact of Environment and Occupation on the Health and Safety of Active Duty Air Force Members – Database Development and De

Return of the Lost Boys to South Sudan: A Strategy to Building a Stronger South Sudan

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-12-01

country.2 It was in these Murahiliin raids that the young South Sudanese boys and girls who would become known as the “Lost Boys” were separated...visit the camp reported seeing “only naked bodies, very thin, of boys, as far as the eye could see. They did not even have tukls [huts] to live in.”4...Challenges of the Lost Boys and Girls of Sudan Community in Winnipeg” (Working Paper No. WP01-09, University of Winnipeg, 2009). 4 government of

Using System Architecture, Review Entry Criteria, and Standard Work Package Data to Enable Rapid Development of Integrated Master Schedules

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-03-01

ENTRY CRITERIA, AND STANDARD WORK PACKAGE DATA TO ENABLE RAPID DEVELOPMENT OF INTEGRATED MASTER SCHEDULES by Burton W. Porter Jr. March 2016...2. REPORT DATE March 2016 3. REPORT TYPE AND DATES COVERED Master’s Thesis 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE USING SYSTEM ARCHITECTURE, REVIEW ENTRY ... ENTRY CRITERIA, AND STANDARD WORK PACKAGE DATA TO ENABLE RAPID DEVELOPMENT OF INTEGRATED MASTER SCHEDULES Burton W. Porter Jr. Civilian

Desferrioxamine in warm reperfusion media decreases liver injury aggravated by cold storage

PubMed Central

Arthur, Peter G; Niu, Xian-Wa; Huang, Wen-Hua; DeBoer, Bastiaan; Lai, Ching Tat; Rossi, Enrico; Joseph, John; Jeffrey, Gary P

2013-01-01

AIM: To evaluate whether desferrioxamine decreases ischemia and perfusion injury aggravated by cold storage (CS) in a rat liver perfusion model. METHODS: Isolated rat livers were kept in CS in University of Wisconsin Solution for 20 h at 4 °C, then exposed to 25 min of warm ischemia (WI) at 37 °C followed by 2 h of warm perfusion (WP) at 37 °C with oxygenated (95% oxygen and 5% carbon dioxide) Krebs-Henseleit buffer. Desferrioxamine (DFO), an iron chelator, was added at different stages of storage, ischemia and perfusion: in CS only, in WI only, in WP only, in WI and perfusion, or in all stages. Effluent samples were collected after CS and after WI. Perfusate samples and bile were collected every 30 min (0, 0.5, 1, 1.5 and 2 h) during liver perfusion. Cellular injury was assessed by the determination of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) in the effluent and perfusate samples. Total iron was analysed in the perfusate samples. After WP, the liver was collected for the determination of liver swelling (wet to dry ratio) and liver morphological examination (hematoxylin and eosin staining). RESULTS: Increased CS time caused increased liver dysfunction during WP. After 2 h of WP, liver injury was indicated by increased release of AST (0.5 h CS: 9.4 ± 2.2 U/g liver vs 20 h CS: 45.9 ± 10.8 U/g liver, P < 0.05) and LDH (0.5 h CS: 59 ± 14 U/g liver vs 20 h CS: 297 ± 71 U/g liver, P < 0.05). There was an associated increase in iron release into the perfusate (0.5 h CS: 0.11 ± 0.03 μmoL/g liver vs 20 h CS: 0.58 ± 0.10 μmoL/g liver, P < 0.05) and reduction in bile flow (0.5 h CS: 194 ± 12 μL/g vs 20 h CS: 71 ± 8 μL/g liver, P < 0.05). When DFO was added during WI and WP following 20 h of CS, release of iron into the perfusate was decreased (DFO absent 0.58 ± 0.10 μmoL/g liver vs DFO present 0.31 ± 0.06 μmoL/g liver, P < 0.05), and liver function substantially improved with decreased release of AST (DFO absent 45.9 ± 10.8 U/g liver vs DFO present 8.1 ± 0.9 U/g liver, P < 0.05) and LDH (DFO absent 297 ± 71 U/g liver vs DFO present 56 ± 7 U/g liver, P < 0.05), and increased bile flow (DFO absent 71 ± 8 μL/g liver vs DFO present 237 ± 36 μL/g liver, P < 0.05). DFO was also shown to improve liver morphology after WP. Cellular injury (the release of LDH and AST) was significantly reduced with the addition of DFO in CS medium but to a lesser extent compared to the addition of DFO in WP or WI and perfusion. There was no effect on liver swelling or bile flow when DFO was only added to the CS medium. CONCLUSION: DFO added during WI and perfusion decreased liver perfusion injury aggravated by extended CS. PMID:23429835

Determination of the water retention of peat soils in the range of the permanent wilting point.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nünning, Lena; Bechtold, Michel; Dettmann, Ullrich; Piayda, Arndt; Tiemeyer, Bärbel; Durner, Wolfgang

2017-04-01

Global coverage of peatlands decreases due to the use of peat for horticulture and to the drainage of peatlands for agriculture and forestry. While alternatives for peat in horticulture exist, profitable agriculture on peatlands and climate protection are far more difficult to combine. A controlled water management that is optimized to stabilize yields while reducing peat degradation provides a promising path in this direction. For this goal, profound knowledge of hydraulic properties of organic soil is essential, for which, however, literature is scarce. This study aimed to compare different methods to determine the water retention of organic soils in the dry range (pF 3 to 4.5). Three common methods were compared: two pressure based apparatus (ceramic plate vs. membrane, Eijkelkamp) and a dew point potentiameter (WP4C, Decagon Devices), which is based on the equilibrium of soil water potential and air humidity. Two different types of organic soil samples were analyzed: i) samples wet from the field and ii) samples that were rewetted after oven-drying. Additional WP4C measurements were performed at samples from standard evaporation experiments directly after they have been finished. Results were: 1) no systematic differences between pressure apparatus and WP4C measurements, 2) however, high moisture variability of the samples from the pressure apparatus as well as high variability of the WP4C measurements at these samples when they were removed from these devices which indicated that applied pressure did not establish well in all samples, 3) rewetted oven-dried samples resulted in up to three times lower soil moistures even after long equilibrium times, i.e. there was a strong and long-lasting hysteresis effect that was highest for less degraded peat samples, 4) and highly consistent WP4C measurements at samples from the end of the evaporation experiment. Results provide useful information for deriving reliable water retention characteristics for organic soils.

Whole-pelvis, 'mini-pelvis,' or prostate-only external beam radiotherapy after neoadjuvant and concurrent hormonal therapy in patients treated in Radiation Therapy Oncology Group 9413 trial

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

Roach, Mack; De Silvio, Michelle; Valicenti, Richard

2006-11-01

Purpose: Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) 9413 trial demonstrated a better progression-free survival (PFS) with whole-pelvis (WP) radiotherapy (RT) compared with prostate-only (PO) RT. This secondary analysis was undertaken to determine whether 'mini-pelvis' (MP; defined as {>=}10 x 11 cm but <11 x 11 cm) RT resulted in progression-free survival (PFS) comparable to that of WP RT. To avoid a timing bias, this analysis was limited to patients receiving neoadjuvant and concurrent hormonal therapy (N and CHT) in Arms 1 and 2 of the study. Methods and Materials: Eligible patients had a risk of lymph node (LN) involvement >15%. Neoadjuvantmore » and concurrent hormonal therapy (N and CHT) was administered 2 months before and during RT for 4 months. From April 1, 1995, to June 1, 1999, a group of 325 patients were randomized to WP RT + N and CHT and another group of 324 patients were randomized to receive PO RT + N and CHT. Patients randomized to PO RT were dichotomized by median field size (10 x 11 cm), with the larger field considered an 'MP' field and the smaller a PO field. Results: The median PFS was 5.2, 3.7, and 2.9 years for WP, MP, and PO fields, respectively (p = 0.02). The 7-year PFS was 40%, 35%, and 27% for patients treated to WP, MP, and PO fields, respectively. There was no association between field size and late Grade 3+ genitourinary toxicity but late Grade 3+ gastrointestinal RT complications correlated with increasing field size. Conclusions: This subset analysis demonstrates that RT field size has a major impact on PFS, and the findings support comprehensive nodal treatment in patients with a risk of LN involvement of >15%.« less

Clinical Toxicities and Dosimetric Parameters After Whole-Pelvis Versus Prostate-Only Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy for Prostate Cancer

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

Deville, Curtiland, E-mail: deville@uphs.upenn.ed; Both, Stefan; Hwang, Wei-Ting

2010-11-01

Purpose: To assess whether whole-pelvis (WP) intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) is associated with increased toxicity compared with prostate-only (PO) IMRT. Methods and Materials: We retrospectively analyzed all patients with prostate cancer undergoing definitive IMRT to 79.2 Gy with concurrent androgen deprivation at our institution from November 2005 to May 2007 with a minimum follow-up of 12 months. Thirty patients received initial WP IMRT to 45 Gy in 1.8-Gy fractions, and thirty patients received PO IMRT. Study patients underwent computed tomography simulation and treatment planning by use of predefined dose constraints. Bladder and rectal dose-volume histograms, maximum genitourinary (GU) and gastrointestinalmore » (GI) Radiation Therapy Oncology Group toxicity grade, and late Grade 2 or greater toxicity-free survival curves were compared between the two groups by use of the Student t test, Fisher exact test, and Kaplan-Meier curve, respectively. Results: Bladder minimum dose, mean dose, median dose, volume receiving 5 Gy, volume receiving 20 Gy, volume receiving 40 Gy, and volume receiving 45 Gy and rectal minimum dose, median dose, and volume receiving 20 Gy were significantly increased in the WP group (all p values < 0.01). Maximum acute GI toxicity was limited to Grade 2 and was significantly increased in the WP group at 50% vs. 13% the PO group (p = 0.006). With a median follow-up of 24 months (range, 12-35 months), there was no difference in late GI toxicity (p = 0.884) or in acute or late GU toxicity. Conclusions: Despite dosimetric differences in the volume of bowel, bladder, and rectum irradiated in the low-dose and median-dose regions, WP IMRT results only in a clinically significant increase in acute GI toxicity, in comparison to PO IMRT, with no difference in GU or late GI toxicity.« less

Organization of pERK-immunoreactive cells in trigeminal spinal nucleus caudalis, upper cervical cord, NTS and Pa5 following capsaicin injection into masticatory and swallowing-related muscles in rats.

PubMed

Tsujimura, Takanori; Shinoda, Masamichi; Honda, Kuniya; Hitomi, Suzuro; Kiyomoto, Masaaki; Matsuura, Shingo; Katagiri, Ayano; Tsuji, Kojun; Inoue, Makoto; Shiga, Yoshi; Iwata, Koichi

2011-10-12

Many phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinase (pERK)-immunoreactive (IR) cells are expressed in the trigeminal spinal subnucleus caudalis (Vc), upper cervical spinal cord (C1-C2), nucleus tractus solitarii (NTS) and paratrigeminal nucleus (Pa5) after capsaicin injection into the whisker pad (WP), masseter muscle (MM), digastric muscle (DM) or sternohyoideus muscle (SM). The pERK-IR cells also showed NeuN immunoreactivity, indicating that ERK phosphorylation occurs in neurons. The pERK-IR cells were significantly reduced after intrathecal injection of MEK 1/2 inhibitor PD98059. The pERK-IR cells expressed bilaterally in the Vc and C1-C2 after capsaicin injection into the unilateral DM or SM, whereas unilaterally in the Vc and C1-C2 after unilateral WP or MM injection. After capsaicin injection into the WP or MM, the pERK-IR cell expression in the Vc was restricted rostrocaudally within a narrow area. However, the distribution of pERK-IR cells was more wide spread without a clear peak in the Vc and C1-C2 after capsaicin injection into the DM or SM. In the NTS, the unimodal pERK-IR cell expression peaked at 0-720μm rostral from the obex following capsaicin injection into WP, MM, DM or SM. In the ipsilateral Pa5, many pERK-IR cells were observed following capsaicin injection into the SM. The number of swallows elicited by distilled water administration was significantly smaller after capsaicin injection into the WP, MM or DM but not SM compared to that of vehicle-injected rats. Various noxious inputs due to the masticatory or swallowing-related muscle inflammation may be differentially involved in muscle pain and swallowing reflex activity. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Patients with Concomitant Chronic Neck Pain and Myofascial Pain in Masticatory Muscles Have More Widespread Pain and Distal Hyperalgesia than Patients with Only Chronic Neck Pain.

PubMed

Muñoz-García, Daniel; López-de-Uralde-Villanueva, Ibai; Beltrán-Alacreu, Héctor; La Touche, Roy; Fernández-Carnero, Josué

2017-03-01

Insufficient evidence exists to compare widespread pain (WP), pain sensibility, and psychological factors that occur in patients presenting with chronic neck pain (CNP) or a combination of temporomandibular disorder (TMD) and other complaints. The present study compared the pain sensibility and psychological factors of subjects with CNP with those with TMD + CNP. Cross-sectional study. Local community. A nonprobabilistic convenience sample of 86 persons with CNP or TMD was recruited into three groups: CNP, TMD with myofascial pain in masticatory muscles with cocomitant CNP (TMD + CNP), and asymptomatic control groups consisted of 27, 29, and 30 participants, respectively. Participants underwent a clinical examination to evaluate WP with computerized assessment based on the pain drawing, pressure pain thresholds (PPT), and psychological factors, which were evaluated using the pain catastrophizing scale (PCS) and the state-trait anxiety inventory (STAI). Statistically significant differences were observed between participants with CNP and TMD + CNP for WP (t = -2.80, P  < 0.01, d = -1.06). Post hoc analyses only revealed significant differences between TMD + CNP participants and asymptomatic controls for PPT at extratrigeminal areas. Pearson correlation analyses showed a moderate positive association between symptomatic groups within the WP and STAI ( P  < 0.05) and a moderate negative association between PCS and PPT ( P  < 0.05) at the right tibialis muscle. TMD + CNP participants had more areas of pain and also showed widespread pain hyperalgesia. Both groups of participants had psychological factors positively associated with STAI and WP; further, PCS and the PPT at the extratrigeminal region were negatively associated with each other in both groups, except for the left tibialis in the TMD + CNP group. © 2016 American Academy of Pain Medicine. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com

Efficacy of three formulations of diflubenzuron, an insect growth regulator, against Culex quinquefasciatus Say, the vector of Bancroftian filariasis in India

PubMed Central

Sadanandane, C.; Doss, P. S. Boopathi; Jambulingam, P.

2012-01-01

Background & objectives: Insect growth regulators (IGRs) offer alternatives to conventional chemical larvicides that pose problem of resistance and environmental safety. However, only a limited number of IGRs have been approved for use in mosquito control. In the present study, two new formulations of the IGR diflubenzuron, 2 per cent granular (GR) and 2 per cent tablet (DT) were tested for its efficacy against Culex quinquefasciatus, in comparison to its 25 per cent wettable powder (WP) formulation. Methods: The WP, GR and DT formulations were tested in cesspits, street drains and abandoned wells each at four dosages, 25, 50, 75 and 100 g ai/ha. Additionally, the DT formulation was tested at a higher dosage of 1 tablet/m2 (equal to 400 g ai/ha). Results: The WP and GR formulations yielded >80 per cent inhibition of adult emergence (IE) for 7-10 days in cesspits, 4-7 days in street drains and 7-21 days in abandoned wells at all dosages tested. The DT formulation was effective only at higher dosage 100 g ai/ha and or 1 tablet/m2 for 7-15 days at all habitats. Interpretation & conclusions: The trial showed that the dosage 25 g ai/ha of 25 per cent WP could be the field dosage for cesspits and wells, and 50 g ai/ha for drains, to be applied at weekly intervals. The dosages 25, 50 and 100 g ai/ha of 2 per cent GR could be the field dosages for application in cesspits at weekly intervals, in abandoned wells every three weeks and in drains at weekly intervals, respectively. Diflubenzuron 25 per cent WP and 2 per cent GR could be used for larval control of Cx. quinquefasciatus under integrated vector management programme. PMID:23287125

[Safety and efficacy of polyethylene glycol 3350 plus electrolytes for the treatment of functional constipation in children].

PubMed

Infante Pina, D; Miserachs Barba, M; Segarra Canton, O; Alvarez Beltrán, M; Redecillas Ferreiro, S; Vilalta Casas, R; Nieto Rey, J L

2011-08-01

Polyethylene glycol 3350 plus electrolytes (PEG+E) efficacy has been validated in some studies, but not many have evaluated its safety in children. The aim of our study was to evaluate the safety; renal, malabsorption or excessive production of gas and efficacy of PEG+E treatment in our paediatric population. Fifteen patients who suffered functional constipation (Rome III criteria) were evaluated. Median age was 6.2 years (r 2-9). All patients had normal renal function. PEG+E were administered for 4 weeks (4WP). The mean dose was 0.44 g/kg/day, titrated according to age, weight and response. Urine screens (sodium and osmolality) were performed at the beginning and 4WP. Stool sample NIRA (near-infrared reflectance analysis) and hydrogen breath test analysis samples were performed at 4WP. To analyse the efficacy of the treatment, the number of stools per week and stool form type (Bristol stool scale) were recorded. The number of stools per week was higher after 4 weeks (2.46 ± 0.71 vs 5.29 ± 1.68, P<.001), as well as the stool form score (2.47 ± 1.24 vs 4.5 ± 0.91, P<.001). No statistical differences were obtained between urine sodium and urine osmolality values at the beginning and 4WP. After 4WP the NIRA median values were normal in all patients [fat 4.45% (range (r) 3.6-7.09); nitrogen 0.78% (r 0.4-1); sugars 1.4% (r 0.47-2.35) and water 68% (r 59-74)]. Median breath hydrogen test was 7 ppm (r 2-18). No adverse effects on biochemistry values or gastrointestinal disturbances were observed. PEG+E can be recommended for the treatment of functional constipation in children. Copyright © 2010 Asociación Española de Pediatría. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

Exhibit Positive Work Attitudes. Work Skills: Work Maturity Skills Competency 2.0. Connections. School and Work Transitions.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lankard, Bettina A.

This learning module is one of a series that teaches the competencies of "Job Search Skills," part of the "Work Skills" package--a set of competency-based instructional materials written for low-level readers that prepares students with specific job search and job keeping skills. ("Work Skills" is part of the "Connections" package, which…

Final Environmental Assessment Addressing Construction, Operation, and Maintenance of a Hot Cargo Pad at Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-01-01

ground surface of the pad. The surface sludge at WP-26 is currently being removed, which would alleviate any potential adverse effects on the...removing and disposing of the top 5 inches of the ground surface , which is potentially contaminated sewage sludge, within WP-26 in a manner consistent...Construction, Operation, and Maintenance of a Hot Cargo Pad at Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico, to identifY and evaluate potential environmental effects

Radical Islam’s Western Foothold: Hugo Chavez and Hezbollah

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-04-01

drugs for Satan – America and the Jews. If we cannot kill them with guns we will kill them with drugs.”43 Iran has also been linked to similar...gruities. They were reported to contain a very obvious lack of basic knowledge of Islam, going so far as to post quotations from the Bible rather than the...wp/ 2009/wp09190. pdf >. Alsema, Adriaan. “Authorities Smash Drug Ring with Hezbollah Ties.” Colombia Reports. 21 Oct. 2008: Web. 3 Nov. 2009

Aircraft Measurements for Understanding Air-Sea Coupling and Improving Coupled Model Predictions

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-09-30

physical parameterizations of the coupled model in various large-scale forcing conditions. OBJECTIVES The NOAA WP-3D efforts of DYNAMO /LASP intend...various phases of the MJO; 3) to extend point measurements on island and ships to a broader area near the DYNAMO region; and 4) To obtain a suite of...upper ocean characteristics from a large number of AXBT/AXCTD data. In addition, as one of the unique measurement strategy of LASP/ DYNAMO WP-3D project

STAT3 inhibitor WP1066 as a novel therapeutic agent for bCCI neuropathic pain rats.

PubMed

Xue, Zhao-Jing; Shen, Le; Wang, Zhi-Yao; Hui, Shang-Yi; Huang, Yu-Guang; Ma, Chao

2014-10-02

Activation of signal transducer and activator of transcription-3 (STAT3) is suggested to be critically involved in the development of chronic pain, but the complex regulation of STAT3-dependent pathway and the functional significance of inhibiting this pathway during the development of neuropathic pain remain elusive. To evaluate the contribution of the JAK2/STAT3 pathway to neuropathic pain and the potentiality of this pathway as a novel therapeutic target, we examined the effects of the STAT3 inhibitor WP1066 by intrathecal administration in a rat model of bilateral chronic constriction injury (bCCI). The pain behavior tests were performed before the surgery and on postoperative day 3, 7, 14 and 21. L4-L6 dorsal spinal cord were harvested at each time point. Both RT-PCR and Western blot were performed to evaluate the activation of JAK2/STAT3 pathway. To observe the influence of WP1066 on neuropathic pain and its molecular mechanism, WP1066 (10 μl, 10 mmol/L in DMSO) or the same capacity of DMSO as the control were applied through the intrathecal tube on the day before bCCI surgery, and on the postoperative day 3 and 5. Behavioral tests were performed to observe the therapeutic effect on mechanical, thermal and cold hyperalgesia. L4-L6 dorsal spinal cord was harvested on postoperative day fourteen, followed by RT-PCR and Western blot evaluation of the JAK2/STAT3 pathway activation. The mechanical, thermal and cold hyperalgesia of the bCCI rats were significantly decreased when compared with the Sham or the Naïve group at each postoperative time point (P<0.05). JAK2 mRNA and STAT3 mRNA were significantly increased in the bCCI rats, accompanied by SOCS3 mRNA with a similar tendency. Western blot analysis showed that JAK2 and phosphorylated STAT3 increased significantly since 3 days after bCCI. JAK2 peaked on postoperative day 14 while phosphorylated STAT3 peaked on postoperative day 7 and gradually decreased thereafter and SOCS3׳s peak level on postoperative day 3. When WP1066 were administered intrathecally, the pain behaviors of the bCCI rats were significantly improved (P<0.05). WP1066 also inhibited the mRNA level of JAK2, STAT3 and SOCS3 in bCCI rats significantly, together with the protein level of JAK2, phosphorylated STAT3 and SOCS3 on postoperative day 14 as well. Our results found that the JAK2/STAT3 pathway in the spinal cord dorsal horn was significantly activated in the bCCI neuropathic pain rats. WP1066, which inhibited the STAT3 pathway specifically, could partially alleviate the pain behavior of the bCCI rats. So it may serve as a novel therapeutic strategy against neuropathic pain. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Aerial thermal images to assess irrigation efficiency in 'Vitis vinifera' cv. Albariño

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gonzalez, Xesús Pablo; Fandiño, María; Rey, Benjamín J.; José Cancela, Javier

2017-04-01

Canopy temperature was defined as key data to irrigation management and to detect crop water stress (Jackson, 1982). Recently, temperature camera was installed on board in a Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), thus heterogeneity within field could be determined. Pereira et al. (2012) have defined the conceptual and terminological study of crop water use indicators, mainly water use efficiency (WUE) and water productivity (WP). Actually, it is crucial achieve higher WP and WUE, where crop yield variability between years must be reduced with the smallest irrigation water, but with a correct management of crop water stress during the season. In this study, Albariño cultivar grapevine, priority in Galicia (Spain) in Designation of Origen 'Rías Baixas', was assessed in relation to water productivity index, focus on irrigation treatments aspects, during 2016. Albariño vineyard was planted in 1996 on 110-Richter at a spacing of 3 × 2 m (1667 vines ha-1) (41°57 6 N, 8°49 26 W, elevation 101 m). Vines were trained to a vertical trellis system on a Guyot oriented in the East-West direction. Three irrigation treatments were applied: irrigation from budburst to maturation (T1), from flowering to maturation (T2), and from veraison to maturation (T3), moreover a rain-fed treatment was implemented. All WP index was referred to farm yield level (kg ha-1); where the denominator applied to WP TWUfarm, introduced rainfall and irrigation depth; to WP Irrig, only irrigation depth applied; was used. Moreover, crop water stress index (CWSI) was used to determine homogenize areas within experimental plot, using an UAV with a thermal camera (ThermoMAP, senseFly, SW) to achieve a final map with 14 cm per pixel resolution. During August 11th, at the end of veraison, camera was installed in an 'eBee Ag' UAV (senseFly, SW) with a median flight altitude of 75 m over ground level. Yield per hectare were recorded and total irrigation depth per treatment during the growing season from March to harvest. Preliminary results have showed that CWSI is useful to determine heterogeneity areas within field, concretely areas with identic irrigation treatments were grouped in a similar range, a good correlation was achieved with steam water potential measured in verasion during the flight. This aspect permit establishes a tool to manage irrigation with efficiency, during the growing season, using thermal data and CWSI. Finally, WP were higher in rain-fed than irrigated treatments, where T3 treatment showed higher WP Irrig, than T1 and T2 treatments. A new step Economic aspects should be studied, taken into account benefit crop yield, and cost of pumping irrigation water. References: Jackson, RD (1982). Canopy temperature and crop water stress. Advances in irrigation, 1:43-85 Pereira LS, Cordery I, Iacovides I (2012). Improved indicators of water use performance and productivity for sustainable water conservation and saving. Agricultural Water Management, 108:39-51

Budget Period 2 Summary Report Part 3: Hywind Maine Project

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

Driscoll, Frederick; Platt, Andrew; Sirnivas, Senu

2015-08-15

This project was performed under the Work for Others—Funds in Agreement FIA-14-1793 between Statoil and the Alliance for Sustainable Energy, manager and operator of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). To support the development of a 6-MW spar-mounted offshore wind turbine, NREL performed tasks on behalf of Statoil in the following three categories: 1. Design and analysis 2. Wake modeling 3. Concept resource assessment. This document summarizes the work performed in Work Package (WP) 3, where the spatial variability and influence that relevant parameters have on levelized cost of energy (LCOE) were analyzed. The study allows Statoil to identify areasmore » of interest for floating wind technology and the Hywind concept in particular. This report describes the results of a study that NREL conducted to provide targeted insight into the United States (U.S.) offshore wind resource area that Statoil can use for taking strategic decisions about how to commercialize and market the company’s Hywind technology. The report centers on a new spatio-economic methodology that NREL has developed to assess how variability in spatial parameters can influence levelized cost of energy (LCOE) for different technologies. The method combines wind plant performance modeling, economic modeling, and national geospatial data layers to estimate the cost of potential projects using Hywind technology, considering the following parameters: • Water depth • Possible inshore assembly areas • Wind resource • Existing grid features and potential connection points • Wave regime • Environmentally sensitive areas • Seabed conditions • Competitive use areas • Prospective staging ports The scope of the study covers the major offshore regions within the contiguous United States, including the Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico, Pacific Ocean, and the Great Lakes. The spatio-economic assessment extends to 92 km (50 nm) off of the nearest land mass, consistent with the available data on wind characteristics. The study is restricted to those locations that meet the depth criteria for Hywind technology—defined as water depths between 100 m to 1,000 m—and only considered sites with net capacity factors that exceed 30%.« less

The patient-breast cancer care pathway: how could it be optimized?

PubMed

Baffert, Sandrine; Hoang, Huong Ly; Brédart, Anne; Asselain, Bernard; Alran, Séverine; Berseneff, Hélène; Huchon, Cyrille; Trichot, Caroline; Combes, Aline; Alves, Karine; Koskas, Martin; Nguyen, Thuy; Roulot, Aurélie; Rouzier, Roman; Héquet, Delphine

2015-05-12

A care pathway is defined as patient-focused global care that addresses temporal (effective and coordinated management throughout the illness) and spatial issues (treatment is provided near the health territory in or around the patient's home). Heterogeneity of the care pathways in breast cancer (BC) is presumed but not well evaluated. The OPTISOINS01 study aims to assess every aspect of the care pathway for early BC patients using a temporal and spatial scope. An observational, prospective, multicenter study in a regional health territory (Ile-de-France, France) in different types of structures: university or local hospitals and comprehensive cancer centers. We will include and follow during 1 year 1,000 patients. The study consists of 3 work-packages: - Cost of pathway The aim of this WP is to calculate the overall costs of the early BC pathway at 1 year from different perspectives (society, health insurance and patient) using a cost-of-illness analysis. Using a bottom-up method, we will assess direct costs, including medical direct costs and nonmedical direct costs (transportation, home modifications, home care services, and social services), and indirect costs (loss of production). - Patient satisfaction and work reintegration Three questionnaires will assess the patients' satisfaction and possible return to work: the occupational questionnaire for employed women; the questionnaire on the need for supportive care, SCNS-SF34 ('breast cancer' module, SCNS-BR8); and the OUTPASSAT-35 questionnaire. - Quality, coordination and access to innovation Quality will be evaluated based on visits and treatment within a set period, whether the setting offers a multidisciplinary consultative framework, the management by nurse coordinators, the use of a personalized care plan, the provision of information via documents about treatments and the provision of supportive care. The coordination between structures and caregivers will be evaluated at several levels. Day surgery, home hospitalization and one-stop breast clinic visits will be recorded to assess the patient's access to innovation. The assessment of care pathways encourages the implementation of new payment models. Our approach could help health care professionals and policymakers to establish other cost-of-illness studies and plan the allocation of resources on a patient basis rather than a visit basis.

Excimer laser annealing to fabricate low cost solar cells

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1984-01-01

The objective is to show whether or not pulsed excimer laser annealing (PELA) of ion-implanted junctions is a cost effective replacement for diffused junctions in fabricating crystalline silicon solar cells. The preliminary economic analysis completed shows that the use of PELA to fabricate both the front junction and back surface field (BSF) would cost approximately 35 cents per peak watt (Wp), compared to a cost of 15 cents/Wp for diffusion, aluminum BSF and an extra cleaning step in the baseline process. The cost advantage of the PELA process depends on improving the average cell efficiency from 14% to 16%, which would lower the overall cost of the module by about 15 cents/Wp. An optimized PELA process compatible with commercial production is to be developed, and increased cell efficiency with sufficient product for adequate statistical analysis demonstrated. An excimer laser annealing station was set-up and made operational. The first experiment used 248 nm radiation to anneal phosphorus implants in polished and texture-etched silicon.

Improvements in musculoskeletal health and computing behaviors: Effects of a macroergonomics office workplace and training intervention.

PubMed

Robertson, Michelle M; Huang, Yueng Hsiang; Lee, Jin

2017-07-01

Computer use and its association with musculoskeletal and visual symptoms is an escalating concern. Organizations are shifting to a more proactive injury prevention perspective. Accordingly, a macroergonomics intervention consisting of flexible workplace design and office ergonomics training was designed to examine the effects on worker's computing behaviors, postures, and musculoskeletal discomfort, and their relationship to psychosocial factors. Participants were assigned to either group: 1) no-intervention control 2) flexible Workplace-only (WP-only), and 3) flexible Workplace + Training (WP+T). Observational findings indicate both intervention groups experienced positive, significant changes in improved workstation arrangements and computing postures, with the WP+T intervention group exhibiting a higher, significant change of behavioral translation. Also, significant, positive relationships between observed postures and musculoskeletal discomfort/pain were found. The intervention effect was stronger when management was responsive to workers' ergonomics needs. This study suggests that a macroergonomics intervention can produce beneficial effects for office and computer workers and organizations. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Acellular Pertussis Vaccines and Pertussis Resurgence: Revise or Replace?

PubMed Central

Ausiello, Clara Maria

2014-01-01

ABSTRACT The resurgence of pertussis (whooping cough) in countries with high vaccination coverage is alarming and invites reconsideration of the use of current acellular pertussis (aP) vaccines, which have largely replaced the old, reactogenic, whole-cell pertussis (wP) vaccine. Some drawbacks of these vaccines in terms of limited antigenic composition and early waning of antibody levels could be anticipated by the results of in-trial or postlicensure human investigations of B- and T-cell responses in aP versus wP vaccine recipients or unvaccinated, infected children. Recent data in experimental models, including primates, suggest that generation of vaccines capable of a potent, though regulated, stimulation of innate immunity driving effective, persistent adaptive immune responses against Bordetella pertussis infection should be privileged. Adjuvants that skew Th1/Th17 responses or new wP (detoxified or attenuated) vaccines should be explored. Nonetheless, the high merits of the current aP vaccines in persuading people to resume vaccination against pertussis should not be forgotten. PMID:24917600

Physical properties of a resin system for filling the inter-space in the ITER TF coil casing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Evans, D.; Baynahm, E.; Canfer, S.; Foussat, A.

2014-01-01

Each of the eighteen ITER Toroidal Field (TF) coils will consist of seven double pancakes. Each double pancake will have been individually vacuum impregnated and then the seven units assembled together, over-wrapped with glass fabric based insulation and finally vacuum impregnated again to form the TF coil winding pack [1]. The winding pack (WP) will be finally assembled into the coil casing (CC) and to allow for manufacturing tolerances and final geometric definition, a nominal 10 mm gap will exist between the winding pack and the coil case but in practice, this gap may vary between 3 and 15 mm. After assembly, the final step will be to fill the gap with a material that will maintain the final position of the WP and to uniformly transfer load from WP to CC. This paper deals with the selection of materials and techniques to fill the gap and details some of the properties of the chosen material.

Production patterns of packaging waste categories generated at typical Mediterranean residential building worksites

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

González Pericot, N., E-mail: natalia.gpericot@upm.es; Villoria Sáez, P., E-mail: paola.villoria@upm.es; Del Río Merino, M., E-mail: mercedes.delrio@upm.es

2014-11-15

Highlights: • On-site segregation level: 1.80%; training and motivation strategies were not effective. • 70% Cardboard waste: from switches and sockets during the building services stage. • 40% Plastic waste: generated during structures and partition works due to palletizing. • >50% Wood packaging waste, basically pallets, generated during the envelope works. - Abstract: The construction sector is responsible for around 28% of the total waste volume generated in Europe, which exceeds the amount of household waste. This has led to an increase of different research studies focusing on construction waste quantification. However, within the research studies made, packaging waste hasmore » been analyzed to a limited extent. This article focuses on the packaging waste stream generated in the construction sector. To this purpose current on-site waste packaging management has been assessed by monitoring ten Mediterranean residential building works. The findings of the experimental data collection revealed that the incentive measures implemented by the construction company to improve on-site waste sorting failed to achieve the intended purpose, showing low segregation ratios. Subsequently, through an analytical study the generation patterns for packaging waste are established, leading to the identification of the prevailing kinds of packaging and the products responsible for their generation. Results indicate that plastic waste generation maintains a constant trend throughout the whole construction process, while cardboard becomes predominant towards the end of the construction works with switches and sockets from the electricity stage. Understanding the production patterns of packaging waste will be beneficial for adapting waste management strategies to the identified patterns for the specific nature of packaging waste within the context of construction worksites.« less

Dual photo- and pH-responsive supramolecular nanocarriers based on water-soluble pillar[6]arene and different azobenzene derivatives for intracellular anticancer drug delivery.

PubMed

Hu, Xiao-Yu; Jia, Keke; Cao, Yu; Li, Yan; Qin, Shan; Zhou, Fan; Lin, Chen; Zhang, Dongmei; Wang, Leyong

2015-01-12

Two novel types of supramolecular nanocarriers fabricated by the amphiphilic host-guest inclusion complex formed from water-soluble pillar[6]arene (WP6) and azobenzene derivatives G1 or G2 have been developed, in which G1 is structurally similar to G2 but has an extra phenoxy group in its hydrophobic region. Supramolecular micelles can be initially formed by WP6 with G1, which gradually transform into layered structures with liquid-crystalline properties, whereas stable supramolecular vesicles are obtained from WP6 and G2, which exhibit dual photo- and pH-responsiveness. Notably, the resulting WP6⊃G2 vesicles can efficiently encapsulate anticancer drug mitoxantrone (MTZ) to achieve MTZ-loaded vesicles, which maintain good stability in a simulated normal physiological environment, whereas in an acid environment similar to that of tumor cells or with external UV irradiation, the encapsulated drug is promptly released. More importantly, cytotoxicity assay indicates that such vesicles have good biocompatibility and the MTZ-loaded vesicles exhibit comparable anticancer activity to free MTZ, especially with additional UV stimulus, whereas its cytotoxicity for normal cells was remarkably reduced. Flow cytometric analysis further confirms that the cancer cell death caused by MTZ-loaded vesicles is associated with apoptosis. Therefore, the dual pH- and UV-responsive supramolecular vesicles are a potential platform for controlled release and targeted anticancer drug delivery. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Effects of Whey Protein Supplementation Associated With Resistance Training on Muscular Strength, Hypertrophy, and Muscle Quality in Preconditioned Older Women.

PubMed

Sugihara Junior, Paulo; Ribeiro, Alex S; Nabuco, Hellen C G; Fernandes, Rodrigo R; Tomeleri, Crisieli M; Cunha, Paolo M; Venturini, Danielle; Barbosa, Décio S; Schoenfeld, Brad J; Cyrino, Edilson S

2018-06-22

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of whey protein (WP) supplementation on muscular strength, hypertrophy, and muscular quality in older women preconditioned to resistance training (RT). In a randomized, double-blind, and placebo (PLA)-controlled design, 31 older women (67.4 ± 4.0 years, 62.0 ± 6.9 kg, 155.9 ± 5.7 cm, and 25.5 ± 2.4 kg/m 2 ) received either 35 g of WP (n = 15) or 35 g of PLA (n = 16) over a 12-week study period while performing an RT program three times a week. Dietary intake, one-repetition maximum test, and skeletal muscle mass by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry were assessed before and after the intervention period. Both groups showed significant (p < .05) improvements in skeletal muscle mass and total strength, and the WP group realized greater increases (p < .05) in these measures compared with PLA (skeletal muscle mass: WP = +4.8% vs. PLA = +2.3%; strength: WP = +8.7% vs. PLA = +4.9%). Muscular quality increased (p < .05) in both groups (WP = +2.9% vs. PLA = +1.5%) without statistical differences (p > .05) noted between conditions. We conclude that WP supplementation in combination with RT induces higher increases in both strength and hypertrophy in older women preconditioned to RT.

A Resource Package Training Framework for Producing Quality Graduates to Work in Rural, Regional and Remote Australia: A Global Perspective

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lynch, Timothy

2014-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to advocate the resource package for producing quality graduates to work in rural, regional and remote Australia (TERRR Network), using a global perspective. This paper argues that the resource package achieves more than the objectives of the original project; "Developing Strategies at the Pre-service Level to…

A New Technique Using Low Volumes: A New Technique to Assess the Molluscicidal Activity Using Low Volumes.

PubMed

Santos, José Augusto Albuquerque; Cavalcante, Viviane Paixão; Rangel, Leonardo da Silva; Leite, João Claudio Vitória Atico; Faria, Robson Xavier

2017-01-01

Schistosomiasis is a disease endemic in several states of Brazil. The population control of the transmitter mollusks is done with Bayluscide WP 70®, in the control programs. OMS preconize molluscicidal assays using Becker with 500 mL of final volume, restringing the number of natural products and synthetic drugs to be tested in function of high quantity of material necessary. A new technique to assess the toxic effects for Biomphalaria sp. is the purpose of this work, for developing adaptation for this aquatic organism, using a low volume of test solution in 24-well plates. We used Biomphalaria glabrata (10-12 mm size) in a static system, consisting of the following components: Becker containing 10 snails or 24-well plates where snails were individualized for a volume of 2 mL per well for 24 and 48 hours. For the assays, we added aqueous solutions of Bayluscide WP 70, at a concentration of 1-5 mg/L, distilled water, and 1% dimethyl sulfoxide. Data were evaluated using Kappa's coefficient, Z factor validation, and comparison study. This technique to assess the toxic effect has proven to be a useful tool to detect lethal and sublethal effects, which could be used as a new evaluation protocol.

A New Technique Using Low Volumes: A New Technique to Assess the Molluscicidal Activity Using Low Volumes

PubMed Central

Cavalcante, Viviane Paixão; Rangel, Leonardo da Silva; Leite, João Claudio Vitória Atico

2017-01-01

Schistosomiasis is a disease endemic in several states of Brazil. The population control of the transmitter mollusks is done with Bayluscide WP 70®, in the control programs. OMS preconize molluscicidal assays using Becker with 500 mL of final volume, restringing the number of natural products and synthetic drugs to be tested in function of high quantity of material necessary. A new technique to assess the toxic effects for Biomphalaria sp. is the purpose of this work, for developing adaptation for this aquatic organism, using a low volume of test solution in 24-well plates. We used Biomphalaria glabrata (10–12 mm size) in a static system, consisting of the following components: Becker containing 10 snails or 24-well plates where snails were individualized for a volume of 2 mL per well for 24 and 48 hours. For the assays, we added aqueous solutions of Bayluscide WP 70, at a concentration of 1–5 mg/L, distilled water, and 1% dimethyl sulfoxide. Data were evaluated using Kappa's coefficient, Z factor validation, and comparison study. This technique to assess the toxic effect has proven to be a useful tool to detect lethal and sublethal effects, which could be used as a new evaluation protocol. PMID:28951760

A Single LiDAR-Based Feature Fusion Indoor Localization Algorithm.

PubMed

Wang, Yun-Ting; Peng, Chao-Chung; Ravankar, Ankit A; Ravankar, Abhijeet

2018-04-23

In past years, there has been significant progress in the field of indoor robot localization. To precisely recover the position, the robots usually relies on multiple on-board sensors. Nevertheless, this affects the overall system cost and increases computation. In this research work, we considered a light detection and ranging (LiDAR) device as the only sensor for detecting surroundings and propose an efficient indoor localization algorithm. To attenuate the computation effort and preserve localization robustness, a weighted parallel iterative closed point (WP-ICP) with interpolation is presented. As compared to the traditional ICP, the point cloud is first processed to extract corners and line features before applying point registration. Later, points labeled as corners are only matched with the corner candidates. Similarly, points labeled as lines are only matched with the lines candidates. Moreover, their ICP confidence levels are also fused in the algorithm, which make the pose estimation less sensitive to environment uncertainties. The proposed WP-ICP architecture reduces the probability of mismatch and thereby reduces the ICP iterations. Finally, based on given well-constructed indoor layouts, experiment comparisons are carried out under both clean and perturbed environments. It is shown that the proposed method is effective in significantly reducing computation effort and is simultaneously able to preserve localization precision.

A Single LiDAR-Based Feature Fusion Indoor Localization Algorithm

PubMed Central

Wang, Yun-Ting; Peng, Chao-Chung; Ravankar, Ankit A.; Ravankar, Abhijeet

2018-01-01

In past years, there has been significant progress in the field of indoor robot localization. To precisely recover the position, the robots usually relies on multiple on-board sensors. Nevertheless, this affects the overall system cost and increases computation. In this research work, we considered a light detection and ranging (LiDAR) device as the only sensor for detecting surroundings and propose an efficient indoor localization algorithm. To attenuate the computation effort and preserve localization robustness, a weighted parallel iterative closed point (WP-ICP) with interpolation is presented. As compared to the traditional ICP, the point cloud is first processed to extract corners and line features before applying point registration. Later, points labeled as corners are only matched with the corner candidates. Similarly, points labeled as lines are only matched with the lines candidates. Moreover, their ICP confidence levels are also fused in the algorithm, which make the pose estimation less sensitive to environment uncertainties. The proposed WP-ICP architecture reduces the probability of mismatch and thereby reduces the ICP iterations. Finally, based on given well-constructed indoor layouts, experiment comparisons are carried out under both clean and perturbed environments. It is shown that the proposed method is effective in significantly reducing computation effort and is simultaneously able to preserve localization precision. PMID:29690624

Do Different Types of School Mathematics Development Depend on Different Constellations of Numerical versus General Cognitive Abilities?

PubMed Central

Fuchs, Lynn S.; Geary, David C.; Compton, Donald L.; Fuchs, Douglas; Hamlett, Carol L.; Seethaler, Pamela M.; Bryant, Joan D.; Schatschneider, Christopher

2010-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the interplay between basic numerical cognition and domain-general abilities (such as working memory) in explaining school mathematics learning. First graders (n=280; 5.77 years) were assessed on 2 types of basic numerical cognition, 8 domain-general abilities, procedural calculations (PCs), and word problems (WPs) in fall and then reassessed on PCs and WPs in spring. Development was indexed via latent change scores, and the interplay between numerical and domain-general abilities was analyzed via multiple regression. Results suggest that the development of different types of formal school mathematics depends on different constellations of numerical versus general cognitive abilities. When controlling for 8 domain-general abilities, both aspects of basic numerical cognition were uniquely predictive of PC and WP development. Yet, for PC development, the additional amount of variance explained by the set of domain-general abilities was not significant, and only counting span was uniquely predictive. By contrast, for WP development, the set of domain- general abilities did provide additional explanatory value, accounting for about the same amount of variance as the basic numerical cognition variables. Language, attentive behavior, nonverbal problem solving, and listening span were uniquely predictive. PMID:20822213

Enhanced thermaly managed packaging for III-nitride light emitters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kudsieh, Nicolas

In this Dissertation our work on `enhanced thermally managed packaging of high power semiconductor light sources for solid state lighting (SSL)' is presented. The motivation of this research and development is to design thermally high stable cost-efficient packaging of single and multi-chip arrays of III-nitrides wide bandgap semiconductor light sources through mathematical modeling and simulations. Major issues linked with this technology are device overheating which causes serious degradation in their illumination intensity and decrease in the lifetime. In the introduction the basics of III-nitrides WBG semiconductor light emitters are presented along with necessary thermal management of high power cingulated and multi-chip LEDs and laser diodes. This work starts at chip level followed by its extension to fully packaged lighting modules and devices. Different III-nitride structures of multi-quantum well InGaN/GaN and AlGaN/GaN based LEDs and LDs were analyzed using advanced modeling and simulation for different packaging designs and high thermal conductivity materials. Study started with basic surface mounted devices using conventional packaging strategies and was concluded with the latest thermal management of chip-on-plate (COP) method. Newly discovered high thermal conductivity materials have also been incorporated for this work. Our study also presents the new approach of 2D heat spreaders using such materials for SSL and micro LED array packaging. Most of the work has been presented in international conferences proceedings and peer review journals. Some of the latest work has also been submitted to well reputed international journals which are currently been reviewed for publication. .

Anhydrous Ammonia Training Module. Trainer's Package. Participant's Package.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beaudin, Bart; And Others

This document contains a trainer's and a participant's package for teaching employees on site safe handling procedures for working with anhydrous ammonia, especially on farms. The trainer's package includes the following: a description of the module; a competency; objectives; suggested instructional aids; a training outline (or lesson plan) for…

Smoke and Obscurants; a Health and Environmental Effects Data Base Assessment. A First-Order, Environmental Screening and Ranking of Army Smokes and Obscurants

DTIC Science & Technology

1985-02-01

SCREENING. A. Phosphorus smokes (P) 1. White phosphorus ( NP ) White phosphorus/felt wedges (WP/FW) Plasticized white phosphorus (PWP) White phosphorus...exposure. The oral LD50 value for all phosphorus smokes was estimated as that for orthophosphoric acid.22 When NP or RP are combusted. the reaction...WP and RP smoke types were of insigniflcant toxicity, see Table 8. The TLm96 values for NP and RP were values for orthophosphoric acid,22.26 and the

Selection of software for mechanical engineering undergraduates

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

Cheah, C. T.; Yin, C. S.; Halim, T.

A major problem with the undergraduate mechanical course is the limited exposure of students to software packages coupled with the long learning curve on the existing software packages. This work proposes the use of appropriate software packages for the entire mechanical engineering curriculum to ensure students get sufficient exposure real life design problems. A variety of software packages are highlighted as being suitable for undergraduate work in mechanical engineering, e.g. simultaneous non-linear equations; uncertainty analysis; 3-D modeling software with the FEA; analysis tools for the solution of problems in thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, mechanical system design, and solid mechanics.

Waste forms, packages, and seals working group summary

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

Sridhar, N.

1995-09-01

This article is a summary of the proceedings of a group discussion which took place at the Workshop on the Role of Natural Analogs in Geologic Disposal of High-Level Nuclear Waste in San Antonio, Texas on July 22-25, 1991. The working group concentrated on the subject of radioactive waste forms and packaging. Also included is a description of the use of natural analogs in waste packaging, container materials and waste forms.

The EPOS ICT Architecture

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jeffery, Keith; Harrison, Matt; Bailo, Daniele

2016-04-01

The EPOS-PP Project 2010-2014 proposed an architecture and demonstrated feasibility with a prototype. Requirements based on use cases were collected and an inventory of assets (e.g. datasets, software, users, computing resources, equipment/detectors, laboratory services) (RIDE) was developed. The architecture evolved through three stages of refinement with much consultation both with the EPOS community representing EPOS users and participants in geoscience and with the overall ICT community especially those working on research such as the RDA (Research Data Alliance) community. The architecture consists of a central ICS (Integrated Core Services) consisting of a portal and catalog, the latter providing to end-users a 'map' of all EPOS resources (datasets, software, users, computing, equipment/detectors etc.). ICS is extended to ICS-d (distributed ICS) for certain services (such as visualisation software services or Cloud computing resources) and CES (Computational Earth Science) for specific simulation or analytical processing. ICS also communicates with TCS (Thematic Core Services) which represent European-wide portals to national and local assets, resources and services in the various specific domains (e.g. seismology, volcanology, geodesy) of EPOS. The EPOS-IP project 2015-2019 started October 2015. Two work-packages cover the ICT aspects; WP6 involves interaction with the TCS while WP7 concentrates on ICS including interoperation with ICS-d and CES offerings: in short the ICT architecture. Based on the experience and results of EPOS-PP the ICT team held a pre-meeting in July 2015 and set out a project plan. The first major activity involved requirements (re-)collection with use cases and also updating the inventory of assets held by the various TCS in EPOS. The RIDE database of assets is currently being converted to CERIF (Common European Research Information Format - an EU Recommendation to Member States) to provide the basis for the EPOS-IP ICS Catalog. In parallel the ICT team is tracking developments in ICT for relevance to EPOS-IP. In particular, the potential utilisation of e-Is (e-Infrastructures) such as GEANT(network), AARC (security), EGI (GRID computing), EUDAT (data curation), PRACE (High Performance Computing), HELIX-Nebula / Open Science Cloud (Cloud computing) are being assessed. Similarly relationships to other e-RIs (e-Research Infrastructures) such as ENVRI+, EXCELERATE and other ESFRI (European Strategic Forum for Research Infrastructures) projects are developed to share experience and technology and to promote interoperability. EPOS ICT team members are also involved in VRE4EIC, a project developing a reference architecture and component software services for a Virtual Research Environment to be superimposed on EPOS-ICS. The challenge which is being tackled now is therefore to keep consistency and interoperability among the different modules, initiatives and actors which participate to the process of running the EPOS platform. It implies both a continuous update about IT aspects of mentioned initiatives and a refinement of the e-architecture designed so far. One major aspect of EPOS-IP is the ICT support for legalistic, financial and governance aspects of the EPOS ERIC to be initiated during EPOS-IP. This implies a sophisticated AAAI (Authentication, authorization, accounting infrastructure) with consistency throughout the software, communications and data stack.

Identification of distinct movement patterns in Pacific leatherback turtle populations influenced by ocean conditions.

PubMed

Bailey, Helen; Benson, Scott R; Shillinger, George L; Bograd, Steven J; Dutton, Peter H; Eckert, Scott A; Morreale, Stephen J; Paladino, Frank V; Eguchi, Tomoharu; Foley, David G; Block, Barbara A; Piedra, Rotney; Hitipeuw, Creusa; Tapilatu, Ricardo F; Spotila, James R

2012-04-01

Interactions with fisheries are believed to be a major cause of mortality for adult leatherback turtles (Dermochelys coriacea), which is of particular concern in the Pacific Ocean, where they have been rapidly declining. In order to identify where these interactions are occurring and how they may be reduced, it is essential first to understand the movements and behavior of leatherback turtles. There are two regional nesting populations in the East Pacific (EP) and West Pacific (WP), comprising multiple nesting sites. We synthesized tracking data from the two populations and compared their movement patterns. A switching state-space model was applied to 135 Argos satellite tracks to account for observation error, and to distinguish between migratory and area-restricted search behaviors. The tracking data, from the largest leatherback data set ever assembled, indicated that there was a high degree of spatial segregation between EP and WP leatherbacks. Area-restricted search behavior mainly occurred in the southeast Pacific for the EP leatherbacks, whereas the WP leatherbacks had several different search areas in the California Current, central North Pacific, South China Sea, off eastern Indonesia, and off southeastern Australia. We also extracted remotely sensed oceanographic data and applied a generalized linear mixed model to determine if leatherbacks exhibited different behavior in relation to environmental variables. For the WP population, the probability of area-restricted search behavior was positively correlated with chlorophyll-a concentration. This response was less strong in the EP population, but these turtles had a higher probability of search behavior where there was greater Ekman upwelling, which may increase the transport of nutrients and consequently prey availability. These divergent responses to oceanographic conditions have implications for leatherback vulnerability to fisheries interactions and to the effects of climate change. The occurrence of leatherback turtles within both coastal and pelagic areas means they have a high risk of exposure to many different fisheries, which may be very distant from their nesting sites. The EP leatherbacks have more limited foraging grounds than the WP leatherbacks, which could make them more susceptible to any temperature or prey changes that occur in response to climate change.

Protocol for Pertussis Immunisation and Food Allergy (PIFA): a case–control study of the association between pertussis vaccination in infancy and the risk of IgE-mediated food allergy among Australian children

PubMed Central

Marsh, Julie A; Campbell, Dianne E; Gold, Michael S; Allen, Katrina J; Richmond, Peter; Waddington, Claire S; Snelling, Thomas L

2018-01-01

Introduction Atopic diseases, including food allergy, have become a predominant cause of chronic illness among children in developed countries. In Australia, a rise in hospitalisations among infants coded as anaphylaxis to foods coincided with the replacement of whole-cell pertussis (wP) vaccine with subunit acellular pertussis (aP) vaccine on the national immunisation schedule in the late 1990s. Atopy is characterised by a tendency to mount T helper type 2 (Th2) responses to otherwise innocuous environmental antigens. Compared with infants who receive aP as their first pertussis vaccine, those who receive wP appear less likely to mount Th2 immune responses to either vaccine or extraneous antigens. We therefore speculate that removal of wP from the vaccine schedule contributed to the observed rise in IgE-mediated food allergy among Australian infants. Methods and analysis This is a retrospective individually matched case–control study among a cohort of Australian children born from 1997 to 1999, the period of transition from wP to aP vaccines; we include in the cohort children listed on Australia’s comprehensive population-based immunisation register as having received a first dose of either pertussis vaccine by 16 weeks old. 500 cohort children diagnosed as having IgE-mediated food allergy at specialist allergy clinics will be included as cases. Controls matched to each case by date and jurisdiction of birth and regional socioeconomic index will be sampled from the immunisation register. Conditional logistic regression will be used to estimate OR (±95% CI) of receipt of wP (vs aP) as the first vaccine dose among cases compared with controls. Ethics and dissemination The study is approved by all relevant human research ethics committees: Western Australia Child and Adolescent Health Services (2015052EP), Women’s and Children’s Hospital (HREC/15/WCHN/162), Royal Children’s Hospital (35230A) and Sydney Children’s Hospital Network (HREC/15/SCHN/405). Outcomes will be disseminated through publication and scientific presentation. Trial registration number NCT02490007. PMID:29391374

Combination of Pneumococcal Surface Protein A (PspA) with Whole Cell Pertussis Vaccine Increases Protection Against Pneumococcal Challenge in Mice

PubMed Central

Ferreira, Daniela M.; Moreno, Adriana T.; Ferreira, Patricia C. D.; Lima, Fernanda A.; Santos, Fernanda L.; Sakauchi, Maria Aparecida; Takata, Célia S.; Higashi, Hisako G.; Raw, Isaías; Kubrusly, Flavia S.; Ho, Paulo L.

2010-01-01

Streptococcus pneumoniae is the leading cause of respiratory acute infections around the world. In Latin America, approximately 20,000 children under 5 years of age die of pneumococcal diseases annually. Pneumococcal surface protein A (PspA) is among the best-characterized pneumococcal antigens that confer protection in animal models of pneumococcal infections and, as such, is a good alternative for the currently available conjugated vaccines. Efficient immune responses directed to PspA in animal models have already been described. Nevertheless, few low cost adjuvants for a subunit pneumococcal vaccine have been proposed to date. Here, we have tested the adjuvant properties of the whole cell Bordetella pertussis vaccine (wP) that is currently part of the DTP (diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis) vaccine administrated to children in several countries, as an adjuvant to PspA. Nasal immunization of BALB/c mice with a combination of PspA5 and wP or wPlow – a new generation vaccine that contains low levels of B. pertussis LPS – conferred protection against a respiratory lethal challenge with S. pneumoniae. Both PspA5-wP and PspA5-wPlow vaccines induced high levels of systemic and mucosal antibodies against PspA5, with similar profile, indicating no essential requirement for B. pertussis LPS in the adjuvant properties of wP. Accordingly, nasal immunization of C3H/HeJ mice with PspA5-wP conferred protection against the pneumococcal challenge, thus ruling out a role for TLR4 responses in the adjuvant activity and the protection mechanisms triggered by the vaccines. The high levels of anti-PspA5 antibodies correlated with increased cross-reactivity against PspAs from different clades and also reflected in cross-protection. In addition, passive immunization experiments indicated that antibodies played an important role in protection in this model. Finally, subcutaneous immunization with a combination of PspA5 with DTPlow protected mice against challenge with two different pneumococcal strains, opening the possibility for the development of a combined infant vaccine composed of DTP and PspA. PMID:20523738

Whole-cell or acellular pertussis vaccination in infancy determines IgG subclass profiles to DTaP booster vaccination.

PubMed

van der Lee, Saskia; Sanders, Elisabeth A M; Berbers, Guy A M; Buisman, Anne-Marie

2018-01-04

Duration of protection against pertussis is shorter in adolescents who have been immunized with acellular pertussis (aP) in infancy compared with adolescents who received whole-cell pertussis (wP) vaccines in infancy, which is related to immune responses elicited by these priming vaccines. To better understand differences in vaccine induced immunity, we determined pertussis, diphtheria, and tetanus (DTaP) vaccine antigen-specific IgG subclass responses in wP- and aP-primed children before and after two successive DTaP booster vaccinations. Blood samples were collected in a cross-sectional study from wP- or aP-primed children before and 1 month after the pre-school DTaP booster vaccination at age 4 years. Blood samples were collected from two different wP- and aP-primed groups of children before, 1 month and 1 year after an additional pre-adolescent Tdap booster at age 9 years. IgG subclass levels against the antigens included in the DTaP vaccine have been determined with fluorescent-bead-based multiplex immunoassays. At 4 years of age, the IgG4 proportion and concentration for pertussis, diphtheria and tetanus vaccine antigens were significantly higher in aP-primed children compared with wP-primed children. IgG4 concentrations further increased upon the two successive booster vaccinations at 4 and 9 years of age in both wP- and aP-primed children, but remained significantly higher in aP-primed children. The pertussis vaccinations administered in the primary series at infancy determine the vaccine antigen-specific IgG subclass profiles, not only against the pertussis vaccine antigens, but also against the co-administered diphtheria and tetanus vaccine antigens. These profiles did not change after DTaP booster vaccinations later in childhood. The different immune response with high proportions of specific IgG4 in some aP-primed children may contribute to a reduced protection against pertussis. ISRCTN65428640; ISRCTN64117538; NTR4089. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Influence of gag and RRE Sequences on HIV-1 RNA Packaging Signal Structure and Function.

PubMed

Kharytonchyk, Siarhei; Brown, Joshua D; Stilger, Krista; Yasin, Saif; Iyer, Aishwarya S; Collins, John; Summers, Michael F; Telesnitsky, Alice

2018-07-06

The packaging signal (Ψ) and Rev-responsive element (RRE) enable unspliced HIV-1 RNAs' export from the nucleus and packaging into virions. For some retroviruses, engrafting Ψ onto a heterologous RNA is sufficient to direct encapsidation. In contrast, HIV-1 RNA packaging requires 5' leader Ψ elements plus poorly defined additional features. We previously defined minimal 5' leader sequences competitive with intact Ψ for HIV-1 packaging, and here examined the potential roles of additional downstream elements. The findings confirmed that together, HIV-1 5' leader Ψ sequences plus a nuclear export element are sufficient to specify packaging. However, RNAs trafficked using a heterologous export element did not compete well with RNAs using HIV-1's RRE. Furthermore, some RNA additions to well-packaged minimal vectors rendered them packaging-defective. These defects were rescued by extending gag sequences in their native context. To understand these packaging defects' causes, in vitro dimerization properties of RNAs containing minimal packaging elements were compared to RNAs with sequence extensions that were or were not compatible with packaging. In vitro dimerization was found to correlate with packaging phenotypes, suggesting that HIV-1 evolved to prevent 5' leader residues' base pairing with downstream residues and misfolding of the packaging signal. Our findings explain why gag sequences have been implicated in packaging and show that RRE's packaging contributions appear more specific than nuclear export alone. Paired with recent work showing that sequences upstream of Ψ can dictate RNA folds, the current work explains how genetic context of minimal packaging elements contributes to HIV-1 RNA fate determination. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Motivation, values, and work design as drivers of participation in the R open source project for statistical computing

PubMed Central

Mair, Patrick; Hofmann, Eva; Gruber, Kathrin; Hatzinger, Reinhold; Zeileis, Achim; Hornik, Kurt

2015-01-01

One of the cornerstones of the R system for statistical computing is the multitude of packages contributed by numerous package authors. This amount of packages makes an extremely broad range of statistical techniques and other quantitative methods freely available. Thus far, no empirical study has investigated psychological factors that drive authors to participate in the R project. This article presents a study of R package authors, collecting data on different types of participation (number of packages, participation in mailing lists, participation in conferences), three psychological scales (types of motivation, psychological values, and work design characteristics), and various socio-demographic factors. The data are analyzed using item response models and subsequent generalized linear models, showing that the most important determinants for participation are a hybrid form of motivation and the social characteristics of the work design. Other factors are found to have less impact or influence only specific aspects of participation. PMID:26554005

Motivation, values, and work design as drivers of participation in the R open source project for statistical computing.

PubMed

Mair, Patrick; Hofmann, Eva; Gruber, Kathrin; Hatzinger, Reinhold; Zeileis, Achim; Hornik, Kurt

2015-12-01

One of the cornerstones of the R system for statistical computing is the multitude of packages contributed by numerous package authors. This amount of packages makes an extremely broad range of statistical techniques and other quantitative methods freely available. Thus far, no empirical study has investigated psychological factors that drive authors to participate in the R project. This article presents a study of R package authors, collecting data on different types of participation (number of packages, participation in mailing lists, participation in conferences), three psychological scales (types of motivation, psychological values, and work design characteristics), and various socio-demographic factors. The data are analyzed using item response models and subsequent generalized linear models, showing that the most important determinants for participation are a hybrid form of motivation and the social characteristics of the work design. Other factors are found to have less impact or influence only specific aspects of participation.

Differences in social relations between persons with type 2 diabetes and the general population.

PubMed

Hempler, Nana Folmann; Ekholm, Ola; Willaing, Ingrid

2013-06-01

Poor social support and lack of social network are well-established risk factors for morbidity and mortality in general populations. Good social relations, such as social support and network contacts, are associated with better self-management and fewer psychosocial problems in persons with type 2 diabetes. The aim of this study was to investigate whether persons with type 2 diabetes have poorer social relations than the general population. We conducted a cross-sectional survey in three settings: a specialist diabetes clinic (SDC) (n = 1084), a web panel (WP) consisting of persons with type 2 diabetes (n = 1491) and a sample from the 2010 Danish Health and Morbidity Survey, representative of the general population (n = 15,165). We compared social relations using multivariate logistic regression. Compared to the general population, persons with type 2 diabetes more often lived without a partner (SDC, OR 1.75, 95% CI 1.49-2.06; WP, OR 1.64, 95% CI 1.43-1.87), met with family less than once a month (SDC, OR 1.78, 95% CI 1.40-2.27; WP, OR 2.35, 95% CI 1.94-2.84) and were less certain they could count on help from others in case of illness (WP, OR 1.23, 95% CI 1.08-1.41). Our findings suggest that persons with type 2 diabetes have poorer social relations than the general population. From a public health point of view, special attention is needed with regards to strengthening existing networks and establishing alternative networks among persons with type 2 diabetes.

An In vitro Study of Bio-Control and Plant Growth Promotion Potential of Salicaceae Endophytes.

PubMed

Kandel, Shyam L; Firrincieli, Andrea; Joubert, Pierre M; Okubara, Patricia A; Leston, Natalie D; McGeorge, Kendra M; Mugnozza, Giuseppe S; Harfouche, Antoine; Kim, Soo-Hyung; Doty, Sharon L

2017-01-01

Microbial communities in the endosphere of Salicaceae plants, poplar ( Populus trichocarpa ) and willow ( Salix sitchensis ), have been demonstrated to be important for plant growth promotion, protection from biotic and abiotic stresses, and degradation of toxic compounds. Our study aimed to investigate bio-control activities of Salicaceae endophytes against various soil borne plant pathogens including Rhizoctonia solani AG-8, Fusarium culmorum, Gaeumannomyces graminis var. tritici , and Pythium ultimum . Additionally, different plant growth promoting traits such as biological nitrogen fixation (BNF), indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) biosynthesis, phosphate solubilization, and siderophore production were assessed in all bio-control positive strains. Burkholderia, Rahnella, Pseudomonas , and Curtobacterium were major endophyte genera that showed bio-control activities in the in-vitro assays. The bio-control activities of Burkholderia strains were stronger across all tested plant pathogens as compared to other stains. Genomes of sequenced Burkholderia strains WP40 and WP42 were surveyed to identify the putative genes involved in the bio-control activities. The ocf and hcnABC gene clusters responsible for biosynthesis of the anti-fungal metabolites, occidiofungin and hydrogen cyanide, are present in the genomes of WP40 and WP42. Nearly all endophyte strains showing the bio-control activities produced IAA, solubilized tricalcium phosphate, and synthesized siderophores in the culture medium. Moreover, some strains reduced acetylene into ethylene in the acetylene reduction assay, a common assay used for BNF. Salicaceae endophytes could be useful for bio-control of various plant pathogens, and plant growth promotion possibly through the mechanisms of BNF, IAA production, and nutrient acquisition.

The western Pacific monsoon in CMIP5 models: Model evaluation and projections

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brown, Josephine R.; Colman, Robert A.; Moise, Aurel F.; Smith, Ian N.

2013-11-01

ability of 35 models from the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 (CMIP5) to simulate the western Pacific (WP) monsoon is evaluated over four representative regions around Timor, New Guinea, the Solomon Islands and Palau. Coupled model simulations are compared with atmosphere-only model simulations (with observed sea surface temperatures, SSTs) to determine the impact of SST biases on model performance. Overall, the CMIP5 models simulate the WP monsoon better than previous-generation Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 3 (CMIP3) models, but some systematic biases remain. The atmosphere-only models are better able to simulate the seasonal cycle of zonal winds than the coupled models, but display comparable biases in the rainfall. The CMIP5 models are able to capture features of interannual variability in response to the El Niño-Southern Oscillation. In climate projections under the RCP8.5 scenario, monsoon rainfall is increased over most of the WP monsoon domain, while wind changes are small. Widespread rainfall increases at low latitudes in the summer hemisphere appear robust as a large majority of models agree on the sign of the change. There is less agreement on rainfall changes in winter. Interannual variability of monsoon wet season rainfall is increased in a warmer climate, particularly over Palau, Timor and the Solomon Islands. A subset of the models showing greatest skill in the current climate confirms the overall projections, although showing markedly smaller rainfall increases in the western equatorial Pacific. The changes found here may have large impacts on Pacific island countries influenced by the WP monsoon.

Novel technique for tracking manpower and work packages: a useful tool for the team and management

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gill, R.; Gracia, G.; Lupton, R. H.; O'Mullane, W.

2014-08-01

In these times of austerity it is becoming more and more important to justify the need for manpower to management. Additionally, with the fast pace of today's projects the need for tools that facilitate teams to not only plan, but also track their work, are essential. The practice of planning work packages and the associated manpower has been about for a while but little is done to really cross-check that planning against reality. In this paper these elements are brought together through a number of tools that make up the end to end process of planning, tracking and reporting of work package progress and manpower usage.

Effect of casein to whey protein ratios on the protein interactions and coagulation properties of low-fat yogurt.

PubMed

Zhao, L L; Wang, X L; Tian, Q; Mao, X Y

2016-10-01

In this study, we investigated the effect of casein (CN) to whey protein (WP) ratios (4:1, 3:1, 2:1, and 1:1) on gelation properties and microstructure of low-fat yogurt made with reconstituted skim milk with or without addition of whey protein concentrate. The rheological properties (storage modulus, G'; yield stress; and yield strain) of the obtained low-fat yogurt were greatly enhanced, the fermentation period was shortened, and the microstructure became more compact with smaller pores as the CN:WP ratio decreased. When CN:WP was 2:1 or 1:1, the obtained yogurt coagulum showed higher G' and greater yield stress, with more compact crosslinking and smaller pores. In addition, the more of skim milk powder was replaced by whey protein concentrate, the more disulfide bonds were formed and the greater the occurrence of hydrophobic interactions during heat treatment, which can improve the rheological properties and microstructure of low-fat yogurt. Copyright © 2016 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

General specifications for the development of a USL NASA PC R and D statistical analysis support package

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dominick, Wayne D. (Editor); Bassari, Jinous; Triantafyllopoulos, Spiros

1984-01-01

The University of Southwestern Louisiana (USL) NASA PC R and D statistical analysis support package is designed to be a three-level package to allow statistical analysis for a variety of applications within the USL Data Base Management System (DBMS) contract work. The design addresses usage of the statistical facilities as a library package, as an interactive statistical analysis system, and as a batch processing package.

Astronomical Infrastructure for Data Access (AIDA): service activities for higher education and outreach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Iafrate, G.; Ramella, M.; Boch, T.; Bonnarel, F.; Chèreau, F.; Fernique, P.; Osuna, P.

2009-04-01

We present preliminary simple interfaces developed to enable students, teachers, amateur astronomers and general public to access and use the wealth of astronomical data available in ground-based and space archives through the European Virtual Observatory (EuroVO). The development of these outreach interfaces are the aim of a workpackage of EuroVO-AIDA (Astronomical Infrastructure for Data Access), a project supported by EU in the framework of the FP7 Infrastructure Scientific Research Repositories initiative (project RI2121104). The aim of AIDA is to create an operating infrastructure enabling and stimulating new scientific usage of astronomy digital repositories. Euro VO AIDA is a collaboration between six European countries (PI Francoise Genova, CDS). The professional tools we adapt to the requirements of outreach activities are Aladin (CDS), Stellarium/VirGO (ESO) and VOSpec (ESA VO). Some initial requirements have been set a priori in order to produce a first version of the simplified interfaces, but the plan is to test the initial simplified versions with a sample of target users in order to take their feed-back into account for the development of the final outreach interface. The core of the test program consists of use cases we designed and complemented with proper multilingual documentation covering both the astrophysical context and the use of the software. In the special case of students in the age group 14-18 and their teachers, we take our use cases to schools. We work out the tests in classrooms supporting students working on PCs connected to the internet. At the current stage of the project, we are collecting the users feedback. Relevant links: Euro-VO AIDA Overview http://www.euro-vo.org/pub/aida/overview.html Euro-VO AIDA WP5 http://cds.u-strasbg.fr/twikiAIDA/bin/view/EuroVOAIDA/WP5WorkProgramme

Design of High Power FELS and the Effects of Diffraction on Detuning in an FEL Oscillator

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-12-01

nx=200, nz =101, nt=50, np=30000, Wp=8, seed=7, wbins=45, ebins=18 ao=10, a=2.6, 0=0, =0, zbins=22 F=0.23, G=0.249, =0.0103, / =0.0617, f=5.83 THEORY: G...y,0) x-4 4 y =1.1 a(x,y,0) 14.5 =1.1 -4 4x -4 4 y Thu Aug 21 14:47:56 2014 nx=200, nz =101, nt=50, np=30000, Wp=8, seed=7, wbins=45, ebins=18 ao=10, a

An Assessment of the Meteorological Conditions Leading to the NOAA WP-3D Engine Compressor Stalls of February 9, 2007, Due to Sea Salt Aerosol Particle Fouling

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-10-25

as this airborne research did. In this particular case, the WP- 3D flight track took it through the dry slot of an occluding storm system which had...just completed a period of explosive cyclogenesis. This particular sector of a storm sometimes experiences very high wind speeds and seas but little...takeoff time of 22:00 Z on February 8 (henceforth referred to as the F8 flight). The incident of February 9 (henceforth F9) was a storm that was part of

[Resistance of earthworms Lumbricus terrestris and Allolobophora turgida to the fungicide captan 50 W.P].

PubMed

Léger, R G; Millette, G J

1977-12-01

Two species of earthworms were kept in Muck, Chicot and Ste-Sophie soils treated with captan 50 W.P. solutions of 700, 1 400 and 2 800 ppm. After a 42-day treatment period, L. terrestris had a 95% survival and A. turgida 100% survival. Using a gas chromatograph method, no captan was detected in tissue extracts of exposed earthworms. Based on the survival rate and the undetected presence of captan in earthworm tissues, we concluded that soil residues of this product are unlikely to be harmful to the animal's ecology.

Dynamics and Control of a Minimally Actuated Biomimetic Vehicle: Part 1 - Aerodynamic Model (Postprint)

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-08-01

B L     LW Downstroke rcp B LWD =     xWPcp sinα+∆x B L xWPcp sinφLW cosα− y WP cp cosφLW − w 2 xWPcp cosφLW cosα + y WP cp sinφLW +∆z B L...associated with each wing and stroke are given by MBRWU = rcp B RWU × FBRWU MBRWD = rcp B RWD × FBRWD MBLWU = rcp B LWU × FBLWU MBLWD = rcp B LWD × FBLWD (14

Cost estimates for flat plate and concentrator collector arrays

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shimada, K.

1982-01-01

The current module and installation costs for the U.S. National Photovoltaic Program's grid-connected systems are significantly higher than required for economic viability of this alternative. Attention is accordingly given to the prospects for installed module cost reductions in flat plate, linear focus Fresnel concentrator, and point focus Fresnel concentrator candidate systems. Cost projections indicate that all three systems would meet near-term and midterm goals, provided that module costs of $2.80/W(p) and $0.70/W(p), respectively, are met. The point focus Fresnel system emerges as the most viable for the near term.

Factors contributing to the upsurge of water-pipe tobacco smoking among Saudi females in selected Jeddah cafés and restaurants: A mixed method study

PubMed Central

Abdulrashid, Ola A.; Balbaid, Omar; Ibrahim, Adel; Shah, Hassan B. U.

2018-01-01

BACKGROUND: Despite clear evidence indicating the health hazards of water tobacco smoking (WTS), there is a remarkable increase in the frequency of WTS in the Middle East and the Gulf region, particularly among young girls and women. The objective of this survey was to examine the prevalence of and the reasons for addiction to WTS and study in depth the factors contributing to the increased frequency of WTS among Saudi females. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study was conducted in different cafés and restaurants in Jeddah using a mixed method approach. A quantitative approach was carried out by a cross-sectional design, in which adult WTS Saudi females (n = 332) were selected from ten cafés. In addition, a qualitative approach was pursued involving five focus group discussions and three in-depth interviews of heavy smokers. Frequencies and percentages were calculated for the categorical variables, and Chi-square test and regression analysis were performed to establish association. Key themes were identified and built upon for the qualitative part. RESULTS: The mean age of female water-pipe (WP) smokers was 32.5 ± 11.9 years. Addicted to WTS were 39.6% of the women. Significant predictors of smokers’ addiction to WTS according to regression analysis (p < 0.05) were increased frequency of WTS, perception that it improved mood, and insistence on carrying one's own WP to restaurants and cafés. Smoking frequency increased in pleasant weather (p = 0.025) and better mood (p = 0.033). This study showed that students and working women were more addicted to WTS (p < 0.001). Those who smoked daily preferred to smoke at home especially when alone (p < 0.001), while the preferred place for those who smoked weekly was restaurants in the company of their friends (p < 0.001). Most of the participants in this study believed that WTS was less harmful and less addictive than cigarette smoking. The only driving force to quit WTS was the effects on their beauty/skin. CONCLUSION: WTS is a public health problem, especially among young girls. Peer pressure, view that it is a fashion symbol, carrying one's own WP and wrong belief that WP was less harmful, improved mood, and effect of the weather are main factors leading to unintentional dependency on WTS. The only driving force to stop WTS is the effect it has on beauty/skin. It is important to understand the reasons behind the upsurge of WTS in this group for appropriate policy for intervention for its prevention and cessation. PMID:29386957

Patient assessment within the context of healthcare delivery packages: A comparative analysis.

PubMed

Rossen, Camilla Blach; Buus, Niels; Stenager, Egon; Stenager, Elsebeth

2016-01-01

Due to an increased focus on productivity and cost-effectiveness, many countries across the world have implemented a variety of tools for standardizing diagnostics and treatment. In Denmark, healthcare delivery packages are increasingly used for assessment of patients. A package is a tool for creating coordination, continuity and efficient pathways; each step is pre-booked, and the package has a well-defined content within a predefined category of diseases. The aim of this study was to investigate how assessment processes took place within the context of healthcare delivery packages. The study used a constructivist Grounded Theory approach. Ethnographic fieldwork was carried out in three specialized units: a mental health unit and two multiple sclerosis clinics in Southern Denmark, which all used assessment packages. Several types of data were sampled through theoretical sampling. Participant observation was conducted for a total of 126h. Formal and informal interviews were conducted with 12 healthcare professionals and 13 patients. Furthermore, audio recordings were made of 9 final consultations between physicians and patients; 193min of recorded consultations all in all. Lastly, the medical records of 13 patients and written information about packages were collected. The comparative, abductive analysis focused on the process of assessment and the work made by all the actors involved. In this paper, we emphasized the work of healthcare professionals. We constructed five interrelated categories: 1. "Standardized assessing", 2. "Flexibility", which has two sub-categories, 2.1. "Diagnostic options" and 2.2. "Time and organization", and, finally, 3. "Resisting the frames". The process of assessment required all participants to perform the predefined work in the specified way at the specified time. Multidisciplinary teamwork was essential for the success of the process. The local organization of the packages influenced the assessment process, most notably the pre-defined scope of relevant diseases targeted by the package. The inflexible frames of the assessment package could cause resistance among clinicians. Moreover, expert knowledge was an important factor for the efficiency of the process. Some types of organizational work processes resulted in many patients being assessed, but without being diagnosed with at package-relevant disease. Limiting the grounds for using specialist knowledge in structured health care delivery may affect specialists' sense of professional autonomy and can result in professionals employing strategies to resist the frames of the packages. Finally, when organizing healthcare delivery packages, it seems important to consider how to make the optimal use of specialist knowledge. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Short communication: Effect of active food packaging materials on fluid milk quality and shelf life.

PubMed

Wong, Dana E; Goddard, Julie M

2014-01-01

Active packaging, in which active agents are embedded into or on the surface of food packaging materials, can enhance the nutritive value, economics, and stability of food, as well as enable in-package processing. In one embodiment of active food packaging, lactase was covalently immobilized onto packaging films for in-package lactose hydrolysis. In prior work, lactase was covalently bound to low-density polyethylene using polyethyleneimine and glutaraldehyde cross-linkers to form the packaging film. Because of the potential contaminants of proteases, lipases, and spoilage organisms in typical enzyme preparations, the goal of the current work was to determine the effect of immobilized-lactase active packaging technology on unanticipated side effects, such as shortened shelf-life and reduced product quality. Results suggested no evidence of lipase or protease activity on the active packaging films, indicating that such active packaging films could enable in-package lactose hydrolysis without adversely affecting product quality in terms of dairy protein or lipid stability. Storage stability studies indicated that lactase did not migrate from the film over a 49-d period, and that dry storage resulted in 13.41% retained activity, whereas wet storage conditions enabled retention of 62.52% activity. Results of a standard plate count indicated that the film modification reagents introduced minor microbial contamination; however, the microbial population remained under the 20,000 cfu/mL limit through the manufacturer's suggested 14-d storage period for all film samples. This suggests that commercially produced immobilized lactase active packaging should use purified cross-linkers and enzymes. Characterization of unanticipated effects of active packaging on food quality reported here is important in demonstrating the commercial potential of such technologies. Copyright © 2014 American Dairy Science Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Packaging Concerns and Techniques for Large Devices: Challenges for Complex Electronics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

LaBel, Kenneth A.; Sampson, Michael J.

2010-01-01

NASA is going to have to accept the use of non-hermetic packages for complex devices. There are a large number of packaging options available. Space application subjects the packages to stresses that they were probably not designed for (vacuum for instance). NASA has to find a way of having assurance in the integrity of the packages. There are manufacturers interested in qualifying non-hermetic packages to MIL-PRF-38535 Class V. Government space users are agreed that Class V should be for hermetic packages only. NASA is working on a new Class for non-hermetic packages for M38535 Appendix B, "Class Y". Testing for package integrity will be required but can be package specific as described by a Package Integrity Test Plan. The plan is developed by the manufacturer and approved by DSCC and government space.

Recent developments in intelligent packaging for enhancing food quality and safety.

PubMed

Sohail, Muhammad; Sun, Da-Wen; Zhu, Zhiwei

2018-03-07

The role of packaging cannot be denied in the life cycle of any food product. Intelligent packaging is an emerging technology in the food packaging sector. Although it still needs its full emergence in the market, its importance has been proved for the maintenance of food quality and safety. The present review describes several aspects of intelligent packaging. It first highlights different tools used in intelligent packaging and elucidates the role of these packaging devices for maintaining the quality of different food items in terms of controlling microbial growth and gas concentration, and for providing convenience and easiness to its users in the form of time temperature indication. This review also discusses other intelligent packaging solutions in supply chain management of food products to control theft and counterfeiting conducts and broaden the image of the food companies in terms of branding and marketing. Overall, intelligent packaging can ensure food quality and safety in the food industry, however there are still some concerns over this emerging technology including high cost and legal aspects, and thus future work should be performed to overcome these problems for further promoting its applications in the food industry. Moreover, work should also be carried out to combine several single intelligent packaging devices into a single one, so that most of the benefits from this emerging technology can be achieved.

A Cherenkov-emission Microwave Source*

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lai, C. H.; Yoshii, J.; Katsouleas, T.; Hairapetian1, G.; Joshi, C.; Mori, W.

1996-11-01

In an unmagnetized plasma, there is no Cherenkov emission because the phase velocity vf of light is greater than c. In a magnetized plasma, the situation is completely changed. There is a rich variety of plasma modes with phase velocities vf 2 c which can couple to a fast particle. In the magnetized plasma, a fast particle, a particle beam, or even a short laser pulse excites a Cherenkov wake that has both electrostatic and electromagnetic components. Preliminary simulations indicate that at the vacuum/plasma boundary, the wake couples to a vacuum microwave with an amplitude equal to the electromagnetic component in the plasma. For a weakly magnetized plasma, the amplitude of the out-coupled radiation is approximately wc/wp times the amplitude of the wake excited in the plasma by the beam, and the frequency is approximately wp. Since plasma wakes as high as a few GeV/m are produced in current experiments, the potential for a high-power (i.e., GWatt) coherent microwave to THz source exists. In this talk, a brief overview of the scaling laws will be presented, followed by 1-D and 2-D PIC simulations. Prospects for a tuneable microwave source experiment based on this mechanism at the UCLA plasma wakefield accelerator facility will be discussed. *Work supported by AFOSR Grant #F4 96200-95-0248 and DOE Grant # DE-FG03-92ER40745. 1Now at Hughes Research Laboratories, Malibu, CA 90265

Functional Biomaterials: Solution Electrospinning and Gelation of Whey Protein and Pullulan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sullivan, Stephanie Tolstedt

Utilizing biomaterials that are biodegradable, biocompatible and edible serve well for food products as well as biomedical applications. Biomaterials whey protein and pullulan both have these characteristics. Whey proteins (WP) have been used in food products for many years and more recently in pharmaceutical products. They have the ability to form both gels and stable foams. Pullulan (PULL) has also been used in both food and pharmaceutical products, and is a highly water soluble, non-gelling polysaccharide and has been used primarily as a film former. Herein, we investigate the ability of whey protein and pullulan to form nanofibers and gels. Combining their distinct properties allows the ability to uniquely manipulate nanofiber and gel characteristics and behavior for a variety of applications, from food to even tissue scaffolding. First, we determined the electrospinnability of aqueous whey protein solutions. Both whey protein isolate (WPI) and one of its major components beta--lactoglobulin (BLG), either in native or denatured form, yielded interesting micro and nanostructures when electrosprayed; while nanofiber production required blending with a spinnable polymer, poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO). WP:PEO solutions were also successfully electrospun at acidic pH (2≤pH≤3), which could improve shelf life. Fourier Transform Infrared Reflectance (FTIR) analysis of WP:PEO fiber mat indicated some variation in WP secondary structure with varying WPI concentration (as WPI increased, % alpha-helix increased and beta-turn decreased) and pH (as pH decreased from neutral (7.5) to acidic (2), % beta-sheet decreased and alpha-helix increased). X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) also confirmed the presence of WP on the surface of the blend fibers, augmenting the FTIR analysis. Interestingly, WP:PEO composite nanofibers maintained its fibrous morphology at temperatures as high as 100 °C, above the 60 °C PEO melting point. Further, we show that the blend mats retained a fibrous structure after the heat treatment. Our second goal was to evaluate the ability of aqueous blends of whey protein and pullulan to form gels. We first looked at WP-PULL blend solutions at room temperature, finding an increasing linear trend in low shear viscosity as the relative concentration of pullulan increased. Blend solution samples were then heated to determine the ability of the blend solutions to form a gelled network. Starting with a homogeneous WP gel, adding PULL, at native mix or alkaline pH, maintained a transparent homogeneous microstructure, but resulted in weaker gels based on its response to stress. At WP isoelectric point (IEP) pH, both protein and blend gels became opaque due to protein aggregation, forming a particulate gel. All gels at the IEP were weaker, yielding at much lower stress and corresponding strain, due to the protein aggregation. The addition of transglutaminase enzyme yielded a stronger network than the native samples, while the addition of sodium trimetaphosphate salt yielded weaker gels and also induced relevant particle and/or course stranded microstructure in both pH 8 and IEP cases. The third part of this study demonstrated the ability of pullulan to form nanofibers in the solution electrospinning process. Aqueous pullulan solutions were able to form defect-free nanofibers with a minimum concentration of 15 w/w%. Pullulan and PULL:hydroxypropyl-beta- cyclodextrin (HPBCD) blend fibers were chemically crosslinked to form insoluble fibers using ethylene glycol diglycidyl ether (EGDGE), a chemical used in food contact coating applications. Next, solution blends of pullulan with whey protein were prepared and also electrospun at varying pH and relative biomaterial concentrations at 17 total w/w%. PULL-WP blend nanofiber mats were crosslinked via heat treatment and found to be both swellable and insoluble. When dried, the mats did not return to their original fiber state and instead appear to be gelatinous fibers in nature after soaking, and thereby making them potentially useful for tissue scaffolding applications. A fourth accomplishment was to utilize Near Infrared Reflectance (NIR) Spectroscopy and Chemometrics techniques to analyze commercial whey protein powder characteristics such as protein, fat and moisture content as well as pH. NIR has been utilized in the food and pharmaceutical industries for quality control as a valuable compliment to or replacement for more expensive testing such as High Performance Liquid Chromatography. Analysis resulted in the development of quantitative, linear regression models to correlate whey protein powder characteristics to NIR data. Whey protein's ability to form gels and pullulan's electrospinnability to form nanofibers is combined herein to form blends of both that can be changed with varying concentration, pH, temperature and supplementation with food-safe additives. The study correlates mechanical properties and microstructure of blend gels and nanofibers and provides a foundation for further study of swellable network for tissue application specifically in the use of pullulan-whey protein heat treated nanofiber mats.

Efficacy of double mirrored omega pattern for skin sparing mastectomy to reduce ischemic complications.

PubMed

Santanelli di Pompeo, Fabio; Sorotos, Michail; Laporta, Rosaria; Pagnoni, Marco; Longo, Benedetto

2018-02-01

Excellent cosmetic results from skin-sparing mastectomy (SSM) are often impaired by skin flaps' necrosis (SFN), from 8%-25% or worse in smokers. This study prospectively investigated the efficacy of Double-Mirrored Omega Pattern (DMOP-SSM) compared to Wise Pattern SSM (WP-SSM) for immediate reconstruction in moderate/large-breasted smokers. From 2008-2010, DMOP-SSM was performed in 51 consecutive immediate breast reconstructions on 41 smokers (mean age = 49.8 years) with moderate/large and ptotic breasts. This active group (AG) was compared to a similar historical control group (CG) of 37 smokers (mean age = 51.1 years) who underwent WP-SSM and immediate breast reconstruction, with a mean follow-up of 37.6 months. Skin ischaemic complications, number of surgical revisions, time to wound healing, and patient satisfaction were analysed. Descriptive statistics were reported and comparison of performance endpoints was performed using Fisher's exact test and Mann-Whitney U-test. A p-value <.05 was considered significant. Patients' mean age (p = .316) and BMI (p = .215) were not statistically different between groups. Ischaemic complications occurred in 11.7% of DMOP-SSMs and in 32.4% of WP-SSMs (p = .017), and revision rates were, respectively, 5.8% and 24.3% (p = .012), both statistically significant. Mean time to wound healing was, respectively, 16.8 days and 18.4 days (p = .205). Mean patients' satisfaction scores were, respectively, 18.9 and 21.1, statistically significant (p = .022). Although tobacco use in moderate/large breasted patients can severely impair outcomes of breast reconstruction, the DMOP-SSM approach, compared to WP-SSM, allows smokers to benefit from SSM, but with statistically significant reduced skin flaps ischaemic complications, revision surgery, and better cosmetic outcomes.

Detection of occult hepatitis B and window period infection among blood donors by individual donation nucleic acid testing in a tertiary care center in South India.

PubMed

Keechilot, Cinzia S; Shenoy, Veena; Kumar, Anil; Biswas, Lalitha; Vijayrajratnam, Sukhithasri; Dinesh, Kavitha; Nair, Prem

With the introduction of highly sensitive hepatitis B surface antigen immunoassay, transfusion associated HBV infection have reduced drastically but they still tend to occur due to blood donors with occult hepatitis B infection (OBI) and window period (WP) infection. Sera from, 24338 healthy voluntary blood donors were screened for HBsAg, HIV and HCV antibody using Vitros Enhanced Chemiluminescent Immunoassay. The median age of the donor population was 30 (range 18-54) with male preponderance (98%). All serologically negative samples were screened by nucleic acid testing (NAT) for viral DNA and RNA. NAT-positive samples were subjected to discriminatory NAT for HBV, HCV, and HIV and all samples positive for HBV DNA were tested for anti-HBc, anti-HBs, HBeAg. Viral load was determined using artus HBV RG PCR Kit. Of the 24,338 donors screened, 99.81% (24292/24338) were HBsAg negative of which NAT was positive for HBV DNA in 0.0205% (5/24292) donors. Four NAT positive donors had viral load of <200 IU/ml making them true cases of OBI. One NAT positive donor was negative for all antibodies making it a case of WP infection. Among OBI donors, 75% (3/4) were immune and all were negative for HBeAg. Precise HBV viral load could not be determined in all (5/5) NAT positive donors due to viral loads below the detection limit of the artus HBV RG PCR Kit. The overall incidence of OBI and WP infections was found to be low at 1 in 6503 and 1 in 24214 donations, respectively. More studies are needed to determine the actual burden of WP infections in Indian blood donors.

Acute vascular effects of waterpipe smoking: Importance of physical activity and fitness status.

PubMed

Alomari, Mahmoud A; Khabour, Omar F; Alzoubi, Karem H; Shqair, Dana M; Stoner, Lee

2015-06-01

While new forms of tobacco, including waterpipe (WP) smoking, continue to gain popularity, limited literature has examined the vascular health consequences. The purpose of the current study was to examine: (i) the acute WP-induced changes in vascular function; (ii) whether acute changes in vascular function are modified by lifestyle behaviors (habitual physical activity, physical fitness). Fifty three (22.7 y, 36% F, 23.4 kg/m(2)) otherwise healthy WP smokers were recruited. Strain-gauge plethysmography was used to measure forearm blood flow, vascular resistance, venous capacitance, and venous outflow at rest and following occlusion. Habitual physical activity was determined using the Arabic version of short-form international physical activity questionnaire, while physical fitness was assessed using the 6 min walk test and handgrip strength. Partial correlations were used to examine the relationships between post-smoking vascular function and lifestyle behaviors, controlling for pre-smoking vascular measures. (i) WP had a small effect on forearm post-occlusion blood flow (d = -0.19), a moderate effect on venous outflow (d = 0.30), and a moderate effect on post-occlusion vascular resistance (d = 0.32). (ii) Total habitual physical activity strongly correlated with resting blood flow (r = 0.50) and moderately with vascular resistance (r = -0.40). Handgrip strength moderately correlated with venous capacitance (r = 0.30) and post-occlusion blood flow (r = 0.30), while 6 min walked distance moderately correlated with resting venous capacitance (r = 0.30). Waterpipe smoking is associated with immediate changes in vascular function, which are exacerbated in individuals with low habitual physical activity and physical fitness levels in young otherwise healthy individuals. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Monitoring of a 1 kWp Solar Photovoltaic System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Malek, M. F.; Zainuddin, H.; Rejab, S. N. M.; Shaari, S. N.; Shaari, S.; Omar, A. M.; Rusop, M.

2009-06-01

A 1 kWp `stand alone' PV system consists of 4 module (2 BP SX75U module and 2 BP 275F module), inverter, 2 thermocouple, 3 voltage sensor, 3 current sensor, 4 battery and data logger (Data Taker DT80) has been set up. This research involve nine parameters which are irradiance (Ia), ambient temperature (Tamb), module temperature (Tmod), module voltage (Vmod), battery voltage (Vbat), load voltage (Vload), module current (Imod), battery current (Ibat) and load current (Iload). All parameters were measured using the equipments and sensors that connected directly to data logger (Data Taker DT80) to interpret and show the data on computer using the Delogger sofware. The data then was transferred into the computer and analyzed using the Deview and Microsoft Excel software to determine the performance indices for the stand alone PV system. From the analysis a few performance indices were determined. The range of daily solar irradiation is between 2.20 kWhm-2 to 4.00 kWhm-2, while the range of total global irradiation is between 5.76 kWh to 10.48 kWh. For daily total energy yield, the range is between 0.23 kWh d-1 to 0.28 kWh d-1. The range for clearness index is between 0.49% to 0.89%. The range for final yield is between 0.77 kWh d-1 kWp-1 to 0.93 kWhd-1 kWp-1 while the range of array efficiency is between 2.53% to 4.65%. Lastly, the range of the performance ratio is between 22.08% to 40.58%.

Cardiac Vagal Tone and Quality of Parenting Show Concurrent and Time-Ordered Associations That Diverge in Abusive, Neglectful, and Non-Maltreating Mothers

PubMed Central

Skowron, Elizabeth A.; Cipriano-Essel, Elizabeth; Benjamin, Lorna Smith; Pincus, Aaron L.; Van Ryzin, Mark J.

2014-01-01

Concurrent and lagged maternal respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) was monitored in the context of parenting. One hundred and forty-one preschooler-mother dyads—involved with child welfare as documented perpetrators of child abuse or neglect, or non-maltreating (non-CM)—were observed completing a resting baseline and joint challenge task. Parenting behaviors were coded using SASB (Benjamin, 1996) and maternal RSA was simultaneously monitored, longitudinally-nested within-person (WP), and subjected to MLM. Abusive and neglectful mothers displayed less positive parenting and more strict/hostile control, relative to non-CM mothers. Non-CM mothers displayed greater WP heterogeneity in variance over time in their RSA scores, and greater consistency over time in their parenting behaviors, relative to abusive or neglectful mothers. CM group also moderated concurrent and lagged WP associations in RSA and positive parenting. When abusive mothers displayed lower RSA in a given epoch, relative to their task average, they showed concurrent increases in positive parenting, and higher subsequent levels of hostile control in the following epoch, suggesting that it is physiologically taxing for abusive mothers to parent in positive ways. In contrast, lagged effects for non-CM mothers were observed in which RSA decreases led to subsequent WP increases in positive parenting and decreases in control. Reversed models were significant only for neglectful mothers: Increases in positive parenting led to subsequent increases in RSA levels, and increases in strict, hostile control led to subsequent RSA decreases. These results provide new evidence that concurrent and time-ordered coupling in maternal physiology and behavior during parenting vary in theoretically meaningful ways across CM and non-CM mothers. Implications for intervention and study limitations are discussed. PMID:24729945

Protective effect of basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) against oxidative DNA damage and mutagenesis.

PubMed

Berić, Tanja; Nikolić, Biljana; Stanojević, Jasna; Vuković-Gacić, Branka; Knezević-Vukcević, Jelena

2008-02-01

Mutagenic and antimutagenic properties of essential oil (EO) of basil and its major constituent Linalool, reported to possess antioxidative properties, were examined in microbial tests. In Salmonella/microsome and Escherichia. coli WP2 reversion assays both derivatives (0.25-2.0 microl/plate) showed no mutagenic effect. Salmonella. typhimurium TA98, TA100 and TA102 strains displayed similar sensitivity to both basil derivatives as non-permeable E. coli WP2 strains IC185 and IC202 oxyR. Moreover, the toxicity of basil derivatives to WP2 strains did not depend on OxyR function. The reduction of t-BOOH-induced mutagenesis by EO and Linalool (30-60%) was obtained in repair proficient strains of the E. coli K12 assay (Nikolić, B., Stanojević, J., Mitić, D., Vuković-Gacić, B., Knezević-Vukcević, J., Simić, D., 2004. Comparative study of the antimutagenic potential of vitamin E in different E. coli strains. Mutat. Res. 564, 31-38), as well as in E. coli WP2 IC202 strain. EO and Linalool reduced spontaneous mutagenesis in mismatch repair deficient E. coli K12 strains (27-44%). In all tests, antimutagenic effect of basil derivatives was comparable with that obtained with model antioxidant vitamin E. Linalool and vitamin E induced DNA strand breaks in Comet assay on S. cerevisiae 3A cells, but at non-genotoxic concentrations (0.075 and 0.025 microg/ml, respectively) they reduced the number of H(2)O(2)-induced comets (45-70% Linalool and 80-93% vitamin E). Obtained results indicate that antigenotoxic potential of basil derivatives could be attributed to their antioxidative properties.

Direct enzyme assay evidence confirms aldehyde reductase function of Ydr541cp and Ygl039wp from Saccharomyces cerevisiae.

PubMed

Moon, Jaewoong; Liu, Z Lewis

2015-04-01

The aldehyde reductase gene ARI1 is a recently characterized member of an intermediate subfamily within the short-chain dehydrogenase/reductase (SDR) superfamily that clarified mechanisms of in situ detoxification of 2-furaldehyde and 5-hydroxymethyl-2-furaldehyde by Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Uncharacterized open reading frames (ORFs) are common among tolerant candidate genes identified for lignocellulose-to-advanced biofuels conversion. This study presents partially purified proteins of two ORFs, YDR541C and YGL039W, and direct enzyme assay evidence against aldehyde-inhibitory compounds commonly encountered during lignocellulosic biomass fermentation processes. Each of the partially purified proteins encoded by these ORFs showed a molecular mass of approximately 38 kDa, similar to Ari1p, a protein encoded by aldehyde reductase gene. Both proteins demonstrated strong aldehyde reduction activities toward 14 aldehyde substrates, with high levels of reduction activity for Ydr541cp toward both aromatic and aliphatic aldehydes. While Ydr541cp was observed to have a significantly higher specific enzyme activity at 20 U/mg using co-factor NADPH, Ygl039wp displayed a NADH preference at 25 U/mg in reduction of butylaldehyde. Amino acid sequence analysis identified a characteristic catalytic triad, Ser, Tyr and Lys; a conserved catalytic motif of Tyr-X-X-X-Lys; and a cofactor-binding sequence motif, Gly-X-X-Gly-X-X-Ala, near the N-terminus that are shared by Ydr541cp, Ygl039wp, Yol151wp/GRE2 and Ari1p. Findings of aldehyde reductase genes contribute to the yeast gene annotation and aids development of the next-generation biocatalyst for advanced biofuels production. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Effects of 18-week in-season heavy-resistance and power training on throwing velocity, strength, jumping, and maximal sprint swim performance of elite male water polo players.

PubMed

Ramos Veliz, Rafael; Requena, Bernardo; Suarez-Arrones, Luis; Newton, Robert U; Sáez de Villarreal, Eduardo

2014-04-01

We examined the effects of 18 weeks of strength and high-intensity training on key sport performance measures of elite male water polo (WP) players. Twenty-seven players were randomly assigned to 2 groups, control (in-water training only) and strength group, (strength training sessions [twice per week] + in-water training). In-water training was conducted 5 d·wk. Twenty-meter maximal sprint swim, maximal dynamic strength 1-repetition maximum (1RM) for upper bench press (BP) and lower full squat (FS) body, countermovement jump (CMJ), and throwing velocity were measured before and after the training. The training program included upper and lower body strength and high-intensity exercises (BP, FS, military press, pull-ups, CMJ loaded, and abs). Baseline-training results showed no significant differences between the groups in any of the variables tested. No improvement was found in the control group; however, meaningful improvement was found in all variables in the experimental group: CMJ (2.38 cm, 6.9%, effect size [ES] = 0.48), BP (9.06 kg, 10.53%, ES = 0.66), FS (11.06 kg, 14.21%, ES = 0.67), throwing velocity (1.76 km·h(-1), 2.76%, ES = 0.25), and 20-m maximal sprint swim (-0.26 seconds, 2.25%, ES = 0.29). Specific strength and high-intensity training in male WP players for 18 weeks produced a positive effect on performance qualities highly specific to WP. Therefore, we propose modifications to the current training methodology for WP players to include strength and high-intensity training for athlete preparation in this sport.

Water consumption increases weight loss during a hypocaloric diet intervention in middle-aged and older adults.

PubMed

Dennis, Elizabeth A; Dengo, Ana Laura; Comber, Dana L; Flack, Kyle D; Savla, Jyoti; Davy, Kevin P; Davy, Brenda M

2010-02-01

Water consumption acutely reduces meal energy intake (EI) among middle-aged and older adults. Our objectives were to determine if premeal water consumption facilitates weight loss among overweight/obese middle-aged and older adults, and to determine if the ability of premeal water consumption to reduce meal EI is sustained after a 12-week period of increased water consumption. Adults (n = 48; 55-75 years, BMI 25-40 kg/m(2)) were assigned to one of two groups: (i) hypocaloric diet + 500 ml water prior to each daily meal (water group), or (ii) hypocaloric diet alone (nonwater group). At baseline and week 12, each participant underwent two ad libitum test meals: (i) no preload (NP), and (ii) 500 ml water preload (WP). Meal EI was assessed at each test meal and body weight was assessed weekly for 12 weeks. Weight loss was ~2 kg greater in the water group than in the nonwater group, and the water group (beta = -0.87, P < 0.001) showed a 44% greater decline in weight over the 12 weeks than the nonwater group (beta = -0.60, P < 0.001). Test meal EI was lower in the WP than NP condition at baseline, but not at week 12 (baseline: WP 498 +/- 25 kcal, NP 541 +/- 27 kcal, P = 0.009; 12-week: WP 480 +/- 25 kcal, NP 506 +/- 25 kcal, P = 0.069). Thus, when combined with a hypocaloric diet, consuming 500 ml water prior to each main meal leads to greater weight loss than a hypocaloric diet alone in middle-aged and older adults. This may be due in part to an acute reduction in meal EI following water ingestion.

Water Consumption Increases Weight Loss During a Hypocaloric Diet Intervention in Middle-aged and Older adults

PubMed Central

Dennis, Elizabeth A.; Dengo, Ana Laura; Comber, Dana L.; Flack, Kyle D.; Savla, Jyoti; Davy, Kevin P.; Davy, Brenda M.

2010-01-01

Water consumption acutely reduces meal energy intake (EI) among middle-aged and older adults. Our objectives were to determine if premeal water consumption facilitates weight loss among overweight/obese middle-aged and older adults, and to determine if the ability of premeal water consumption to reduce meal EI is sustained after a 12-week period of increased water consumption. Adults (n = 48; 55–75 years, BMI 25–40 kg/m2) were assigned to one of two groups: (i) hypocaloric diet + 500 ml water prior to each daily meal (water group), or (ii) hypocaloric diet alone (nonwater group). At baseline and week 12, each participant underwent two ad libitum test meals: (i) no preload (NP), and (ii) 500 ml water preload (WP). Meal EI was assessed at each test meal and body weight was assessed weekly for 12 weeks. Weight loss was ~2 kg greater in the water group than in the nonwater group, and the water group (β = −0.87, P < 0.001) showed a 44% greater decline in weight over the 12 weeks than the nonwater group (β = −0.60, P < 0.001). Test meal EI was lower in the WP than NP condition at baseline, but not at week 12 (baseline: WP 498 ± 25 kcal, NP 541 ± 27 kcal, P = 0.009; 12-week: WP 480 ± 25 kcal, NP 506 ± 25 kcal, P = 0.069). Thus, when combined with a hypocaloric diet, consuming 500 ml water prior to each main meal leads to greater weight loss than a hypocaloric diet alone in middle-aged and older adults. This may be due in part to an acute reduction in meal EI following water ingestion. PMID:19661958

Gene molecular analysis and Adiponectin expression in professional Water Polo players.

PubMed

Nigro, Ersilia; Sangiorgio, Dino; Scudiero, Olga; Monaco, Maria Ludovica; Polito, Rita; Villone, Giovanni; Daniele, Aurora

2016-05-01

Metabolic Syndrome prevalence has reaching epidemic proportions worldwide. Adiponectin (Acrp30), and in particular its High Molecular Weight (HMW) oligomers, contributes to enhance insulin sensitivity and to reduce inflammation levels. Physical exercise improves body's biochemical balance and metabolism resulting effective in prevention of metabolic diseases. Whether improvement of metabolic features mediated by physical exercise is associated with changes in Acrp30 serum composition is not yet clarified. In the present study, we investigated total Acrp30 expression, its oligomeric status and genetic variants in adiponectin gene (ACDC) in twenty-two professional Water Polo (WP) Players and 40 age- and sex-matched controls. Anthropometric, metabolic parameters and total Acrp30 were assessed; Acrp30 oligomeric profile was characterized by Western blot as well as by FPLC analysis. ACDC gene was analyzed by direct-sequencing analysis. Significant elevated body mass index, aspartate aminotransferase and lactate dehydrogenase levels and, conversely, significantly lower concentrations of total and cholesterol low density lipoprotein were present in WP players. No significant difference was found in total Acrp30 and/or HMW oligomers. Interestingly, in WP players, a direct relationship between total Acrp30 and monocytes as well as an inverse relationship between total Acrp30 and AST levels were found. ACDC screening revealed previously described SNPs. In conclusion, our study confirms the long-term beneficial effects of high physical training on metabolism and suggests that they are not associated with Acrp30 and/or HMW oligomers changes. Moreover, the correlation of Acrp30 with monocytes in WP athletes could represent a mechanism by which Acrp30 participates in exercise-induced anti-inflammatory functions and/or cardiovascular health. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Coyote unmanned aircraft system observations in Hurricane Edouard (2014)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cione, J. J.; Kalina, E. A.; Uhlhorn, E. W.; Farber, A. M.; Damiano, B.

2016-09-01

Horizontal wind, temperature, and moisture observations are presented from two Coyote unmanned aircraft system (UAS) flights in the boundary layer of Hurricane Edouard (2014). The first flight sampled the meteorological conditions in the eye and eyewall at altitudes from 900 to 1500 m while Edouard was a major hurricane (105 kt) on 16 September 2014. The following day, a second Coyote sampled the inflow layer outside of the storm core at 760 m altitude, when Edouard had weakened to an 80-kt hurricane. These flights represent the first deployments of a UAS from an airborne manned aircraft into a tropical cyclone. Comparisons between the Coyote data and the Lockheed WP-3D Orion (WP-3D) flight-level measurements and analyses constructed from dropsonde data are also provided. On 16 September 2014, the Coyote-measured horizontal wind speeds agree, on average, to within 1 m s-1 of the wind speeds observed by the WP-3D and reproduce the shape of the radial wind profile from the WP-3D measurements. For the inflow layer experiment on 17 September, the mean wind speeds from the Coyote and the dropsonde analysis differ by only 0.5 m s-1, while the Coyote captured increased variability (σ = 3.4 m s-1) in the horizontal wind field compared to the dropsonde analysis (σ = 2.2 m s-1). Thermodynamic data from the Coyote and dropsondes agree well for both flights, with average discrepancies of 0.4°C and 0.0°C for temperature and 0.7°C and 1.3°C for dew point temperature on 16 and 17 September, respectively

Options for using Landsat and RapidEye satellite images aiming the water productivity assessments in mixed agro-ecosystems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de C. Teixeira, Antônio H.; Leivas, Janice F.; Bayma-Silva, Gustavo

2016-10-01

For water productivity (WP) assessments, the SAFER (Surface Algorithm for Evapotranspiration Retrieving) algorithm for evapotranspiration (ET) and the Monteith's light use efficiency (LUE) model for biomass production (BIO), were applied to Landsat and RapidEye satellite images, in the Brazilian semiarid region, inside the dry season of 2011, in a mixture of irrigated and rainfed agro-ecosystems. Firstly, with the Landsat image, the methodology from which the surface temperature (T0) is derived as a residue in the radiation balance was tested. Low differences were detected, being Landsat ET with the thermal band averaged 0.9 +/- 1.5 mm d-1, while without it the mean value was 0.8 +/- 1.5 mm d-1. The corresponding Landsat BIO values were respectively 28 +/- 59 and 28 +/- 58 kg ha-1 d-1, resulting in mean WP of 1.3 +/- 1.3 kg m-3, in both cases. After having confidence on the residual methodology for retrieving T0 it was applied to the RapidEye image, resulting in average pixel values for ET, BIO and WP of 0.6 +/- 1.5 mm d-1, 26 +/- 58 kg ha-1 d-1 and 0.9 +/- 1.3 kg m-3, representing 75%, 93% and 69% of the Landsat ones obtained without the thermal band. In addition, the Surface Resistance Algorithm (SUREAL) was used to classify the agro-ecosystems into irrigated crops and natural vegetation by using the RapidEye image. The incremental values for ET, BIO and WP in 2011 were 2.0 +/- 1.3 mm d-1, 88 +/- 87 kg ha d-1 and 2.5 +/- 0.6 kg m-3, respectively, as a result of the replacement of the natural species by crops.

Water productivity of different land uses in watersheds assessed from satellite imagery Landsat 5 Thematic Mapper

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Franco, Renato A. M.; Hernandez, Fernando B. T.; Teixeira, Antonio H. C.

2014-10-01

Water productivity (WP) of various classes of soil usage from watersheds was estimated using the SAFER - Simple Algorithm For Evapotranspiration Retrieving - algorithm and the Monteith equation to estimate the parameters of biomass production (BIO). Monteith's equation is used to quantify the absorbed photosynthetically active radiation (APAR) and Actual Evapotranspiration (ET) was estimated with the SAFER algorithm. The objective of the research is to analyze the spatial-temporal water productivity in watersheds with different uses and soil occupation during the period from 1996 to 2010, in conditions of drought and using the Monteith model to estimate the production of BIO and using the SAFER model for ET. Results indicated an increase of 153.2% in ET value during the period 1997-2010, showing that the irrigated areas were responsible for this increase in ET values. In September 2000, image of day of year (DOY) 210 showed high values of BIO, with averages of 80.67 kg ha-1d-1. In the year 2010 (DOY:177), the mean value of BIO was 62.90 kg ha-1d-1, with an irrigated area with a maximum value of 227.5 kg ha-1d-1. The highest incremental values of BIO is verified from the start of irrigated areas equal to the value of ET, because there is a relationship between BIO and ET. The maximum water productivity (WP) value occurred in June/2001, with 3,08 kg m-3, the second highest value was in 2010 (DOY:177), with a value of 2,97 kg m-3. Irrigated agriculture show the highest WP value, with maximum value of 6.7 kg m-3. The lowest WP was obtained for DOY 267, because of the dry season with condition of low soil moisture.

Comparison of water and air charged transducer catheter pressures in the evaluation of cystometrogram and voiding pressure studies.

PubMed

McKinney, Timothy B; Babin, Elizabeth A; Ciolfi, Veronica; McKinney, Cynthia R; Shah, Nima

2018-04-01

Air-charged (AC) and water-perfused (WP) catheters have been evaluated for differences in measuring pressures for voiding dysfunction. Typically, a two-catheter system was used. We believe that simultaneous pressure measurements with AC and WP in a single catheter will provide analogous pressures for coughs, Valsalvas, and maximum pressures in voiding pressure studies (VPS). This IRB approved prospective study included 50 women over age 21. AC dual TDOC catheters were utilized. The water-filling channel served as the bladder filler and the water pressure readings. Patients were evaluated with empty bladders and at volumes of 50-100 mL, 200 mL, and maximum capacity with cough and Valsalva maneuvers. Comparative analysis was performed on maximum stress peak pressures. At maximum bladder capacity, VPS was done and maximum voiding pressure was recorded. Comparing coughs and Valsalva maneuvers pressures, there was significant increase in variability between AC and WP measurements with less than 50 mL volume (P < 0.001). Significant correlations were observed between AC and WP measurements for coughs and Valsalvas with bladder volume over 50 mL. Visual impression showed virtually identical tracings. Cough measurements had an average difference of 0.25 cmH 2 O (±8.81) and Valsalva measurements had an average difference of 3.15 cmH 2 O (±4.72). Thirty-eight women had usable maximum voiding pressure measurements and had a strong correlation. Cystometrogram and maximum voiding pressure measurements done with either water or air charged catheters will yield similarly accurate results and are comparable. Results suggest more variability at low bladder volumes <50 mL. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Whey protein with potassium bicarbonate supplement attenuates the reduction in muscle oxidative capacity during 19 days of bed rest.

PubMed

Bosutti, Alessandra; Salanova, Michele; Blottner, Dieter; Buehlmeier, Judith; Mulder, Edwin; Rittweger, Jörn; Yap, Moi Hoon; Ganse, Bergita; Degens, Hans

2016-10-01

The effectiveness of whey protein plus potassium bicarbonate-enriched diet (WP+KHCO 3 ) in mitigating disuse-induced changes in muscle fiber oxidative capacity and capillarization was investigated in a 21-day crossover design bed rest study. Ten healthy men (31 ± 6 yr) once received WP+KHCO 3 and once received a standardized isocaloric diet. Muscle biopsies were taken 2 days before and during the 19th day of bed rest (BR) from the soleus (SOL) and vastus lateralis (VL) muscle. Whole-body aerobic power (V̇o 2 max ), muscle fatigue, and isometric strength of knee extensor and plantar flexor muscles were monitored. Muscle fiber types and capillaries were identified by immunohistochemistry. Fiber oxidative capacity was determined as the optical density (OD) at 660 nm of succinate dehydrogenase (SDH)-stained sections. The product of fiber cross-sectional area and SDH-OD (integrated SDH) indicated the maximal oxygen consumption of that fiber. The maximal oxygen consumption supported by a capillary was calculated as the integrated SDH in its supply area. BR reduced isometric strength of knee extensor muscles (P < 0.05), and the fiber oxidative capacity (P < 0.001) and V̇o 2 max (P = 0.042), but had no significant impact on muscle capillarization or fatigue resistance of thigh muscles. The maximal oxygen consumption supported by a capillary was reduced by 24% in SOL and 16% in VL (P < 0.001). WP+KHCO 3 attenuated the disuse-induced reduction in fiber oxidative capacity in both muscles (P < 0.01). In conclusion, following 19 days of bed rest, the decrement in fiber oxidative capacity is proportionally larger than the loss of capillaries. WP+KHCO 3 appears to attenuate disuse-induced reductions in fiber oxidative capacity. Copyright © 2016 the American Physiological Society.