Biglycan (bgn)-deficient mice (KO) have defective osteoblasts which lead to changes in the amount and quality of bone. Altered tissue strength in C57BL6/129 (B6;129) KO mice, a property which...Full Text Available
Abstract Root exudates play a major role in the mobilization of sparingly soluble nutrients in the rhizosphere. Since the amount and composition of major metabolites in root exudates from one plant species have not yet been systematically compared under different nutrient deficiencies, relations between exudation patterns and the type of nutrient being deficient remain poorly understood. Comparing root exudates from axenically grown maize plants exposed to N, K, P, or Fe deficiency showed a higher release of glutamate, glucose, ribitol, and citrate from Fe-deficientplants, while P deficiency stimulated the release of -aminobutyric acid and carbohydrates. Potassium-starved plants released less sugars, in particular glycerol, ribitol, fructose, and maltose, while under N ...
Rhizosphere acidification by Fe-deficient bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) plants was induced by trace amounts of divalent metal ions (Zn, Mn). The induction of this Fe-efficiency reaction...Full Text Available
Antiquitin (ATQ) deficiency is the main cause of pyridoxine dependent epilepsy characterized by early onset epileptic encephalopathy responsive to large dosages of pyridoxine. Despite seizure control most patients have intellectual disability. Folinic acid responsive seizures (FARS) are genetically identical to ATQ deficiency. ATQ functions as an aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH7A1) in the lysine degradation pathway. Its deficiency results in accumulation of ?-aminoadipic semialdehyde (AASA), piperideine-6-carboxylate (P6C) and pipecolic acid, which serve as diagnostic markers in urine, plasma, and CSF. To interrupt seizures a dose of 100mg of pyridoxine-HCl is given intravenously, or orally/enterally with 30mg/kg/day. First administration may result in respiratory arrest in responders, and thus treatment should be performed with support of respiratory management. To make sure that late and masked response is not missed, ...
Previous work has provided evidence that plants may require boron to maintain adequate levels of pyrimidine nucleotides, suggesting that the state of boron deficiency may actually be one of pyrimidine...Full Text Available
Mannitol and sucrose are the main photosynthetic products and translocated carbon compounds in celery (Apium graveolens L.). Carbon partitioning was studied in greenhouse-grown celery plants supplied with a nutrient solution containing or lacking phosphate (P). P-deficientplants developed new leaves at about the same rate as control plants, but showed greatly reduced growth of leaves and petioles; root growth was apparently unaffected. P-deficient leaves contained less mannitol and more sucrose than control leaves. Starch content increased with P-deficiency only in mature (the most photosynthetically-active) leaves, and then amounted to less than 10 mg/g fresh weight. Similarly, when {sup 14}CO{sub 2} was supplied to intact plants, P-deficient leaves contained less label in mannitol and more in sucrose than did control ...
The biological accumulation of heavy metals and cesium, strontium, and uranium in plants is discussed. The role of nutrient deficiencies and foliar treatments of manganese and iron compounds is described.
Sources of manganese are identified. Uptake and distribution of manganese in plants and man are discussed, and the role of manganese in metabolism is described. The epidemiology of manganese toxicity is outlined, permissible air concentrations are listed, and the symptoms of manganese toxicity and deficiency are described. 555 references, 32 tables.
Cytokinins are hormones that regulate cell division and development. As a result of a lack of specific mutants and biochemical tools, it has not been possible to study the consequences of cytokinin...Full Text Available
Abstract Turnip (Brassica rapa L.) plants were grown at adequate (25 mmol L-1) or low (<2.5 mmol L-1) boron (B) supply in nutrient solution for 1 month. The shoot and root dry weight was inhibited by up to 77% and 45%, respectively, in response to low B supply. The results of a retranslocation experiment showed that loaded B in the mature leaves was depleted rapidly during the experimental period and that this B was retranslocated to younger leaves as judged by B depletion from mature leaves simultaneously with the appearance of B in new leaves. Up to 89% of the B content of mature leaves was lost during 4 weeks of growth under B-deficient conditions. In addition, in B-deficientplants, a greater proportion of the total plant B was allocated to young leaves compared with B-sufficient plant...
The focus of the March-April issue is on plant maintenance and plant life extension. Major articles/reports in this issue include: Spent fuel: myths and facts, by Jeffrey S. Merrifield, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission; Critical pipe replacement procedure, by Geoff Gilmore, Climax Portable Machine Tools Inc.; Improving maintenance performance, by Larry Meyer and Joe Giuffre, DC Cook Nuclear Plant, American Electric Power; Equipment deficiency intolerance index, by Douglas F. Helms, Tennessee Valley Authority; Plant profile: I and C modernization at Dukovany, by Josef Rosol, CEZ Dukovany NPP, Czech Republic; and, Report: new plant activities.
Micronutrient deficiencies in flooded rice have been recognized with increasing frequency in recent years. Zinc deficiency is the most widespread disorder, followed by Fe, Mn, and Cu deficiencies. Boron and Mo deficiencies have not been reported in field culture. The peculiar characteristics of a flooded soil are: 1) a layer of standing water; 2) absence of oxygen; 3) a soil profile largely in a reduced chemical state; 4) the presence of large biological carbon dioxide excesses; 5) the presence of high concentrations of soluble Fe"+"+ and Mn"+"+; 6) alteration of soil pH; 7) the presence of toxic substances; 8) increased soluble Na"+, K"+, Ca"+"+, Mg"+"+, NH_4"+, HCO_3"-, H_2PO_4"-, and Si(OH)_4 in the soil solution. Micronutrient availability in flooded soils is affected by: 1) increased solubility of relatively insoluble minerals due to dilution effects; 2) pH changes in relation to solubility and ...
The magnetic susceptibility chi of Cesub(x)Lasub(1-x)B_6, Cesub(x)Eusub(1-x)B_6, Smsub(x)Lasub(1-x)B_6, and Smsub(x)Cesub(1-x)B_6 is investigated for temperatures of 80 to 1000 K. chi of Cesub(x)Lasub(1-x)B_6 and Cesub(x)Eusub(1-x)B_6 obeys the Curie-Weiss law. The composition dependence of effectiv magnetic moment #mu#sub(eff) exhibits an unusual behaviour. The value of #mu#sub(eff) per cerium ion abruptly decreases on substituting the cerium ions in CeB_6 by lanthanium ions. The values of the Weiss constants agree with the conclusions of the RKKY theory of indirect exchange by conduction electrons. The temperature dependence of chi of ...
Iron deficiency anaemia is highly prevalent among rural population of Northeast Thailand. The habitual diets are plant-based. Several herbal vegetables and spices such as lead tree leaves, ivy gourd, Thai basil, chilli peppers etc are consumed in a substantial in common Northeast dishes. High contents of phytate and polyphenol compounds including tannin in these herbs and spices may profoundly influence iron bioavailability in the northeast population
Copper deficiency is associated with impaired brain development and mitochondrial dysfunction. Perinatal copper deficiency was produced in Holtzman rats. In vivo proton NMR...Full Text Available
Iron deficiency did not enhance absorption of plutonium following intragastric gavage of rats. Absorption of plutonium citrate in both control and iron-deficient rats was about 0.03% of the administered dose.
Boron (B) is an essential plant micronutrient that is toxic at higher levels. NIP5;1 is a boric acid channel required for B uptake and growth under B deficiency. Accumulation of the NIP5;1 transcript is upregulated under B deficiency in Arabidopsis thaliana roots. To elucidate the mechanism of regulation, the 5' untranslated region (UTR) of NIP5;1 was tested for its ability to confer B-dependent regulation using ?-glucuronidase and green fluorescent protein as reporters. This analysis showed that the 5' UTR was involved in NIP5;1 transcript accumulation in response to B conditions. We also found that high-B conditions trigger NIP5;1 mRNA degradation and that the sequence from +182 to +200 bp in the 5' UTR is required for this mRNA destabilization. In the nip5;1-1 mutant background, a NIP5;1 complementation construct without the 5' UTR produced high levels of mRNA accumulation, increased B concentrations in tissues, and ...
Shield measurements and four cycles of operating experience have shown the design and construction of radiation shields for the Fast Flux Test Facility (FFTF) reactor and plant to be satisfactory. A number of minor shield deficiencies were found and corrected. Most of these were associated with interfaces between components, each of which was satisfactory by itself. Preliminary evaluation of the shield measurements indicates satisfactory agreement with design calculations. Operator doses to date have been quite small, especially when compared to light water reactor experience.
Previous research utilizing the AcB/BcA recombinant congenic strains (RCS) of mice mapped provisional quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for the psychostimulant effects of nicotine to multiple regions on chromosomes 7, 11, 12, 14, 16, and 17. The current study was designed to confirm these QTLs in an A/J (A)??C57Bl/6J (B6) F2 cross and a panel of B6.A chromosome substitution strains (CSS). The panel of B6.A CSS consists of 21 strains, each carrying a different A/J chromosome on a B6 background. The A??B6 F2, CSS, A, and B6 mice were tested for sensitivity to the effects of nicotine on locomotor activity using a computerized open-field apparatus. In A??B6 F2 mice two QTLs were identified which confirm ...
A study, based on a literature review was made to examine currently recommended meteorological measurement programs and diffusion prediction methods for nuclear power plants to determine their adequacy for plants located in coastal zones. Although procedures for handling the near-worst case (stable, light-wind situation) were judged adequately conservative, deficiencies in guidelines and procedures were found with respect to the following: failure to consider the role of coastal internal boundary layers; specifications for tower locations and instrument heights; methods of classifying atmospheric stability; methods of allowing credit for plume meander, and models specified for diffusion calculations. Recommendations were made for changes in the guidelines applicable to these topics. Areas in which additional research is needed were identified.
Agrostis capillaris (Agrostis) and Calluna vulgaris (Calluna), two species with differing phenologies and widespread presence in upland areas of Britain where high Chernobyl fallout occurred, were grown in pot culture with varying concentrations of potassium in the rooting medium. Tissue content of potassium increased with increasing supply in both species. Roots, excised from these plants, were placed in a solution of "1"3"7Cs-labelled caesium chloride for 15 min to determine uptake potential. There were clear negative relationships between the rate of uptake of "1"3"7Cs by both species and (a) the concentration of potassium supplied and (b) plant issue potassium concentrations. With Agrotis, there was an approximately ten-fold difference in "1"3"7Cs uptake between potassium-deficient and optimum plants; with Calluna, it was approximately eight-fold. These results demonstrate the suppression of ...
...5 kg or less) to less than 10 percent; (c) Reduction of iron deficiency anemia in women by one-third of the 1990 levels; (d) Virtual elimination of iodine deficiency disorders; (e) Virtual elimination of vitamin A deficiency and its consequences, including blindness; (...
The FFTF reactor is described. Procedures and equipment used to protect personnel from potential hazards of oxygen deficient environments are described.
Daya Bay Nuclear Power Plant is put into commercial operation in 1994 Until 1996, there are 368 human error events in operating and maintenance area, occupying 39% of total events. These events occurred mainly in the processes of maintenance, test equipment isolation and system on-line, in particular in refuelling and maintenance. The author analyses root causes for human errorievents, which are mainly operator omission or error procedure deficiency; procedure not followed; lack of training; communication failures; work management inadequacy. The protective measures and treatment principle for human error events are also discussed, and several examples applying them are given. Finally, it is put forward that key to prevent human error event lies in the coordination and management, person in charge of work, and good work habits of staffs.
The key to improving transmission-network security is faster response to contingencies. Now a new breed of pumped-storage plant - designed for ultra-fast response - may soon provide a tool dispatchers can use to improve network security. This type of plant can also substantially increase the effective capacity of existing transmission lines and improve the performance of thermal generating units. The Mt. Hope Waterpower Project, planned for Rockaway Township, NJ, 35 miles west of New York City, lies strategically adjacent to major load centers at the eastern end of the PJM control area and near the interconnection point with the New York Power Pool (NYPP). This location also is in an area deficient in significant generating facilities. Maximum design capacity of the project is 2000 MW, provided by six reversible pump/turbines, each with a nominal 340-MW rating. The upper reservoir, with a surface area of only 60 acres, ...
We studied the mechanism of Ascophyllum nodosum (a brown macroalga) induced resistance in Arabidopsis thaliana against Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato DC3000. Root treatment of A. thaliana Col-0 plants with extracts of A. nodosum [aqueous (ANE), chloroform (C-ANE) and ethylacetate fractions, (E-ANE)] reduced the development of disease symptoms on the leaves. These extracts also induced resistance in salicylic acid deficient NahG and ics1 plants. However, the extracts did not elicit an effect on jar1 (jasmonic acid resistance 1) mutant. A. nodosum extract induced resistance to Pst DC3000 correlated with increased expression of jasmonic acid related gene transcripts PDF1.2 while PR1 and ICS1 expression were less affected. Additionally, pretreatment of Arabidopsis plants with ANE, protected t...
B6C3F1 mice chronically exposed to 3,3′,4,4′-tetrachloroazobenzene (TCAB), a contaminant of dichloroaniline-derived herbicides, developed a number of neoplastic and nonneoplastic...Full Text Available
BackgroundThe 516G > T polymorphism in exon 4 of the CYP2B6 gene has been associated with increased plasma Efavirenz (EFV) concentrations. EFV concentrations...Full Text Available
The impurity susceptibility chisub(m) of the Kondo system (Lasub(1-x)Cesub(x))B_6, x <= 0.018, has been measured for temperatures 0.03-8 K. The alloys show single impurity behavior for x < 0.006. In a wide temperature range chisub(m)(T) follows a Curie-Weiss law with theta=2.8 K and turns to a T"2 law at very low temperatures. (Auth.).
Background The objective of this study was to confirm provisional quantitative trait loci (QTL) for cocaine-induced locomotor activation, on chromosomes 1, 5, 6, 9, 12, 15, 16, 17, and 18, previously identified in the AXB/BXA recombinant inbred (RI) and AcB/BcA recombinant congenic (RC) strains of mice derived from A/J (A) and C57BL/6J (B6) progenitors. This was accomplished through a genetic analysis of cocaine-induced activity in an AxB6 F2 cross and a phenotypic survey across a panel of B6.A chromosome substitution strains (CSS) mice. Mice were tested for cocaine-induced activity, following administration of saline and cocaine (20?mg/kg), utilizing an open-field procedure. Results Among AxB6 F2 mice, differences in cocaine-induced activity were associated with loci on chromosome 1 (D1Mi...
Iodine deficiency disorders (IDD) are one of most common nutritional deficiencies in the world. The nuclear analytical methods (ENAA, SRXRF and XRF) were employed to study the effect of iodine deficiency on the metal ion changes during the stage of brain development, combined with biochemical methods. The results show that the distributions of iron, copper and zinc varied to different extent in different brain regions and subcellular fractions of the ID rat brains. These distributional changes of trace elements might be associated with the brain damage caused by the iodine deficiency. (author)
Six species having characteristics of plants with the C(4) dicarboxylic photosynthetic pathway, Echinochloa utilis L. Ohwi et Yabuno (Japanese millet), Cynodon dactylon L. (Bermuda grass), Kyllinga brevifolia Rottb., Amaranthus tricolor L. cv. Early splendour, Kochia childsii Hort., and Portulaca grandiflora Hook (rose moss), responded decisively to 0.1 milliequivalent per liter NaCl supplied to their culture solutions initially containing less than 0.08 microequivalent per liter Na. Chlorosis and necrosis occurred in leaves of plants not receiving sodium. Portulaca failed to set flower in the sodium-deficient cultures. Under similar conditions Poa pratensis L. (Kentucky blue grass) having characteristics of the C(3) photosynthetic pathway made normal growth and did not respond to the addition of sodium. It is concluded from these results and previously reported work that sodium is generally essential for species having the ...
Six species having characteristics of plants with the C4 dicarboxylic photosynthetic pathway, Echinochloa utilis L. Ohwi et Yabuno (Japanese millet), Cynodon dactylon L. (Bermuda grass), Kyllinga brevifolia Rottb., Amaranthus tricolor L. cv. Early splendour, Kochia childsii Hort., and Portulaca grandiflora Hook (rose moss), responded decisively to 0.1 milliequivalent per liter NaCl supplied to their culture solutions initially containing less than 0.08 microequivalent per liter Na. Chlorosis and necrosis occurred in leaves of plants not receiving sodium. Portulaca failed to set flower in the sodium-deficient cultures. Under similar conditions Poa pratensis L. (Kentucky blue grass) having characteristics of the C3 photosynthetic pathway made normal growth and did not respond to the addition of sodium. It is concluded from these results and previously reported work that sodium is generally essential for species having the C4 ...
The trace element selenium (Se) is required in the production of enzymes that protect mammalian cells from oxidative damage due to the byproducts of aerobic respiration. Its deficiency in livestock results in the nutritional muscular dystrophy called white muscle disease. This especially affects juveniles in the preweaning period. Symptoms have also been reported in wild herbivores on low-Se forage, and their appearance may be episodic, suggesting temporal variations in Se uptake by plants. Here, we report variations in selenium concentrations in Carex spp. sedges used as forage by bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis) on summer range in the Wyoming, Wind River Mountains, and correlate those variations with soil conditions that affect the bioavailability of selenium. Variations in available Se are explained based upon the known oxidation/reduction chemistry of the element. It is concluded that water-saturated, alpine soils provide conditions suitable ...
Hsp20, referred to as HspB6, is constitutively expressed in various tissues. Specifically, HspB6 is most highly expressed in different types of muscle including vascular, airway, colonic, bladder, and uterine smooth muscle; cardiac muscle; and skeletal muscle. It can be phosphorylated at Ser-16 by both cAMP- and cGMP-dependent protein kinases (PKA/PKG). Recently, Hsp20 and its phosphorylation have been implicated in multiple physiological and pathophysiological processes including smooth muscle relaxation, platelet aggregation, exercise training, myocardial infarction, atherosclerosis, insulin resistance and Alzheimer's disease. In the heart, key advances have been made in elucidating the significance of Hsp20 in contractile function and cardioprotection over the last decade. This mini-rev...
Toxicity and potential carcinogenicity studies of boric acid were investigated in mice to verify in a second rodent species that this was a noncarcinogenic chemical. Earlier chronic studies in rats...Full Text Available
The activity of mice in their home cage is influenced greatly by the cycle of light and dark. In addition, home-cage activity shows remarkable time-dependent changes that result in a prominent temporal...Full Text Available
Regulation of glucose isomerase synthesis was studied in Thermoanaerobacter strain B6A, which fermented a wide variety of carbohydrates including glucose, xylose, lactose, starch, and...Full Text Available
We have prepared high-quality, single crystals of SmB_6 under various conditions to improve sample quality. We have measured the resistivity and magnetic susceptibility from room to liquid-helium temperatures to sort samples. We have applied pulsed magnetic fields as high as 50 T at temperatures as low as 40 mK while measuring resistivity. Our samples are of higher quality than previously known. All solvent-grown, single-crystal samples should be etched to remove a surface conductivity. (orig.).
1. Proteolytic enzyme activities were examined in the pancreas of zinc-deficient and control rats. 2. No change was detected in trypsin-plus-chymotrypsin activity. 3. Carboxypeptidase activity was...Full Text Available
Vitamin D deficiency is a well-known comorbidity of obesity that can be exacerbated after bariatric surgery and can predispose the patient for hypocalcemia. Vitamin D and calcium doses to prevent and...Full Text Available
BackgroundCurrently used indicators of iron status have limitations. Hepcidin, a key regulator of iron metabolism, is reduced in iron deficiency. We sought to determine the properties...Full Text Available
Twenty-four male weanling rats were fed either copper-adequate or -deficient diets until 9 or 11 weeks of age. Deficient rat hearts had increased mitochondria: myofibril compared to adequate rats. Eleven week old deficient rat hearts had decreased mitochondria: myofibril as the hearts increased in weight, but the larger hearts had greater myofibril volume densities. Cardiac mitochondria of deficient rats appeared vacuolated with fragmented cristae and translucent matrix. Valves from copper deficient rats appeared to have less connective tissue and were fragmented in areas. For deficient rats, heart:body weights of 9 wk old rats were negatively correlated with bicuspid valve pathology scores, whereas tricuspid valve scores from 11 wk old rats were negatively correlated with myofibril volume densities. These data suggest that the enlargement of the ...
An organ-specific invertase deficiency affecting only the primary root system is described in the Oh 43 inbred maize (Zea mays). Invertases (acid and neutral/soluble and insoluble)...Full Text Available
Copper deficiency lowers brain copper and iron during development. The reduced iron content could be due to hypoferremia. Experiments were conducted to evaluate plasma iron and “ferroxidase”...Full Text Available
The DNA sequences were determined for the lipoprotein lipase (LPL) gene from five unrelated Japanese patients with familial LPL deficiency. The results demonstrated that all five patients are homozygotes...Full Text Available
Hemoglobin and zinc protoporphyrin (ZPP) tests are commonly used to screen for iron deficiency, but little research has been done to systematically evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of these...Full Text Available
The flacca tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) mutant displays a wilty phenotype as a result of abscisic acid (ABA) deficiency. The Mo cofactor (MoCo)-containing aldehyde...Full Text Available
B vitamins and polymorphisms in genes coding for enzymes involved in one-carbon metabolism may affect DNA synthesis and methylation and thereby be implicated in carcinogenesis. Previous data on vitamins B2 and B6 and genetic polymorphisms other than those involving MTHFR as risk factors for gastric cancer (GC) are sparse and inconsistent. In this case-control study nested within the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition cohort, cases (n = 235) and controls (n = 601) were matched for study center, age, sex, and time of blood sampling. B2 and B6 species were measured in plasma, and the sum of riboflavin and flavin mononucleotide was used as the main exposure variable for vitamin B2 status, whereas the sum of pyridoxal 5'-phosphate, pyridoxal, and 4-pyridoxic acid was used to define vitamin B6 status. In addition, we determined eight ...
While bone metastases producing photon deficient defects on bone scintigraphy have previously been reported, this finding has not been emphasized for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Furthermore, ''filling-in'' of such photon deficient defects with 67Ga at skeletal sites of metastatic HCC has not been described. In this case report, the combination of a photon deficient defect on bone scintigraphy and avid accumulation of 67Ga in this same area was of value in confirming the diagnosis of metastatic HCC.
G6PD activity was assayed in 20 Sardinian heterozygotes for G6PD deficiency and related to that of LDH and MDH. One of these heterozygotes showed a deficient phenotype in all her follicles, while the...Full Text Available
A small break LOCA event simulation with no high pressure injection system available, known as International Atomic Energy Agency Standard Problem Exercise no. 4 (IAEA-SPE-4), was performed on the PMK-2 integral test facility in Budapest in 1993. This paper analyses the response of the PMK-2 facility, a model of VVER-440 nuclear power plant, using the latest released version MOD3.2.1.2 of the RELAP5 thermal-hydraulic code. After several years of the SPE-4 experiment analyses, many problems have emerged and been studied. Main goal of the present analyses was to study the main influencing parameters for adequate modelling of the hexagonal core channel with 19-rod bundle and phenomena during the core uncovery. Some influencing parameters have been identified, mostly on the primary side, but some also on the secondary side. This is exact simulation of main coolant pump coast down, hydro-accumulators water temperature and connections to the primary system. Some concern ...
To examine the hormonal regulation of the ATP-dependent Ca{sup 2+} pump in the kidneys, the ATP-dependent Ca{sup 2+} uptake by the basolateral membrane vesicles in the renal cortex was measured using radioactive calcium ({sup 45}Ca{sup 2+}) in rats with vitamin D deficiency or rats undergoing thyroparathyroidectomy. The V{sub max} of the Ca{sup 2+} pump activity was increased not only by administering calcitriol, but also by normalizing the serum calcium level in vitamin D-deficient rats. PTH suppressed the Ca{sup 2+} pump activity in normocalcemic vitamin D-deficient rats. Thyroparathyroidectomy did not affect the Ca{sup 2+} pump activity in the kidneys of normal rats. It was concluded that the ATP-dependent Ca{sup 2+} pump activity was depressed by secondary hyperparathyroidism in vitamin D-deficient rats. (author).
To examine the hormonal regulation of the ATP-dependent Ca"2"+ pump in the kidneys, the ATP-dependent Ca"2"+ uptake by the basolateral membrane vesicles in the renal cortex was measured using radioactive calcium ("4"5Ca"2"+) in rats with vitamin D deficiency or rats undergoing thyroparathyroidectomy. The V_m_a_x of the Ca"2"+ pump activity was increased not only by administering calcitriol, but also by normalizing the serum calcium level in vitamin D-deficient rats. PTH suppressed the Ca"2"+ pump activity in normocalcemic vitamin D-deficient rats. Thyroparathyroidectomy did not affect the Ca"2"+ pump activity in the kidneys of normal rats. It was concluded that the ATP-dependent Ca"2"+ pump activity was depressed by secondary hyperparathyroidism in vitamin D-deficient rats. (author).
Autophagy is an intracellular recycling route in eukaryotes whereby organelles and cytoplasm are sequestered in vesicles, which are subsequently delivered to the vacuole for breakdown. The process is induced by various nutrient-responsive signaling cascades converging on the Autophagy-Related1 (ATG1)/ATG13 kinase complex. Here, we describe the ATG1/13 complex in Arabidopsis thaliana and show that it is both a regulator and a target of autophagy. Plants missing ATG13 are hypersensitive to nutrient limitations and senesce prematurely similar to mutants lacking other components of the ATG system. Synthesis of the ATG12-ATG5 and ATG8-phosphatidylethanolamine adducts, which are essential for autophagy, still occurs in ATG13-deficientplants, but the biogenesis of ATG8-decorated autophagic bodies does not, indicating that the complex regulates downstream events required for autophagosome enclosure and/or vacuolar delivery. ...
Iron is an essential micronutrient. As an integral part of hemoglobin, it is essential for the transport of oxygen in blood to the tissues. It is an important component of cytochromes and other tissue enzymes that are critical for cellular respiration and of myoglobin that helps maintain oxygen reserve in the muscle. It is also involved in the normal functioning of the immune function, and in the synthesis of steroid hormones and bile acids. There are serious functional consequences to iron deficiency and iron deficiency anemia (IDA) in the human body. The deleterious effects include increased morbidity, preterm delivery, low birth weight, delayed cognitive development, lowered cellular immunity and reduced physical work capacity. However, iron deficiency and IDA remain the world's most common deficiency disease in the 21st century. Recent estimates of people affected with iron ...
We report measurements of the electrical resistivity of the amorphous alloys Fe"4"0Ni"4"0P"1"4B"6 (Metglas 2826), Fe"3"2Ni"3"6Cr"1"4Pr"1"2B"6 (Metglas 2826A) Fe"8"0B"2"0 (Metgals 2605) and Fe"7"5B"2"5 as a function of pressure and temperature. The pressure is varied between 0 and 12 GPa, the temperature between 1.2 and 380 K. At low temperatures the pressure dependence yields additional information on the scattering mechanism. (orig.).
Obesity is associated with increased susceptibility to dyslipidemia, insulin resistance, and hypertension, a combination of traits that comprise the traditional definition of the metabolic syndrome. Recent evidence suggests that obesity is also associated with the development of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Despite the high prevalence of obesity and its related conditions, their etiologies and pathophysiology remains unknown. Both genetic and environmental factors contribute to the development of obesity and NAFLD. Previous genetic analysis of high-fat, diet-induced obesity in C57BL/6J (B6) and A/J male mice using a panel of B6-ChrA/J/NaJ chromosome substitution strains (CSSs) demonstrated that 17 CSSs conferred resistance to high-fat, diet-induced obesity. One of these CSS st...
The improved facilities of the ISOLDE isotopic separator on-line with the 600 MeV synchrocyclotron at CERN opened the possibility to reach nuclei very far from stability (as far as 22 neutrons deficient in the Cs region and 27 neutrons deficient in the Hg region). Simultaneously the development of on-line spectrometry allowed the study of nuclei with very short half-lives and low counting rates. Results recently obtained in the odd-A iridium region are presented after a short summary of recent on-line devices developments and results. (Auth.).
Iron deficiency (ID) is associated with increased levels of norepinephrine (NE) in plasma and urine. They investigated the effect of 5-7 days exposure to three different environmental temperatures (10/sup 0/C, 24/sup 0/C, 30/sup 0/C) on urinary catecholamine levels to test the hypothesis that increased thermogenic activity is causal to this increased excretion in iron deficiency. Catecholamines were analyzed from acidified urine by HPLC-EC. The mean Hb in ID animals was 3.1 +/- .5 versus controls of 12.8 +/- 9. These data demonstrate that contrary to previous reports NE excretion is not normalized at a thermoneutral temperature and suggests a basic abnormality in peripheral SNS activity and NE metabolism in iron deficiency that is independent of environmental drive from thermogenesis.
Hypophosphatasia is a congenital disease characterized by deficiency of serum and tissue non-specific alkaline phosphatase activity. The disease occurs due to mutations in the liver/bone/kidney alkaline...Full Text Available
The authors have shown that toxicity of paraquat for Escherichia coli is increased over 1-fold in strains defective in the biosynthesis of spermidine compared to isogenic strains containing spermidine. The increased sensitivity of these spermidine-deficient mutants to paraquat is eliminated by growth in medium containing spermidine or by endogenous supplementation of spermidine by the use of a speE"+D"+ plasmid. No paraquat toxicity is seen in the absence of oxygen, even in amine-deficient strains, indicating that superoxide is the agent responsible for the increased toxicity. However, the specific mechanisms responsible for the increased paraquat toxicity in the spermidine-deficient mutants remain to be determined. The marked sensitivity to paraquat of E. coli deficient in spermidine is of particular interest, since such mutants have no other phenotypic properties that can be easily assayed. This ...
SYNOPSISPreterm infants are at risk for both iron deficiency and iron overload. The role of iron in multiple organ functions suggests that iron supplementation is essential for...Full Text Available
Several scientists have proposed that DNA repair deficiencies and the induction of a mutator phenotype are responsible for the generation of multiple mutagenic alterations in cancer cells. I propose...Full Text Available
The aims of investigation were to follow the Sr transport in the food chain from the flora to the fauna and humans, and its dependence on the geological origin og the plant site, industrial emissions, the age and site of plants, the part of plant used for nutrition and the strontium content in the drinking water, to determine the Sr intake of humans with the help of the duplicate method, and to estimate the apparent absorption rate and balance of strontium depending on of the form of diet (mixed or ovolactovegetarian), sex, season, age, region (geological origin of the living space) and method of intake measurement (duplicate or basket method). Strontium, an ultra trace element widespread in the earth's crust, is not essential and only mildly toxic for plants, animals and man according to current knowledge. The biological essentiality of Sr has not been investigated yet. Amoeba species living in sea ...
C57BL/6ByJ (B6) and 129P3/J (129) mice have different alleles of Tas1r3, which is thought to influence gustatory transduction of sweeteners, but studies have provided conflicting...Full Text Available
The evaluated data testing for Si, Zr, Nb and Fe materials has been performed through the analyses of the neutron leakage spectrum from spherical assemblies measured in integral benchmark experiments with (d,t) and Cf fission neutron sources. Intercomparisons of the calculated from BROND-2, ENDF/B-6 and JENDL-3 data files with experimental results are presented.
Subchronic exposure to pharmacological levels of estrogenic compounds, including 17 beta-estradiol, diethylstilbestrol, and alpha-dienestrol, significantly increased the mortality of B6C3F1 female mice...Full Text Available
The objective of this study was to determine if genistein (GEN) modulation of the immune responses might contribute to the increased host resistances to tumors. A time-course study was performed...Full Text Available
PurposeTo characterize differences in retinal ganglion cell (RGC) function in mouse strains relevant to disease models. C57BL/6J (B6) and DBA/2J (D2) are the two most common mouse...Full Text Available
... However, Hydrogen Energy is working towards establishing hydrogen-fired power generation facilities in other parts of the world (e.g. California, Abu Dhabi and elsewhere) and the synergies work carried out for the Kwinana proposal would provide a good starting basis for other proposals. ...
The b6; chain-associated 70-kDa protein (ZAP-70) of tyrosine kinase plays a critical role in T cell receptor-mediated signal transduction and the immune response. A high level of ZAP-70 expression...Full Text Available
Iodine deficiency is a risk factor for the growth and development of up to 800 million people living in iodine deficient environments throughout the world. The effects on growth and development, called the iodine deficiency disorders (IDD), comprise goiter, stillbirths and miscarriages, neonatal and juvenile thyroid deficiency, dwarfism, mental defects, deaf mutism, and spastic weakness and paralysis, as well as lesser degrees of loss of physical and mental function. All these effects are due to inadequate thyroid hormone production because iodine is an essential constituent of the thyroid hormone. In the West, IDD has been largely eliminated by the addition of iodine to the diet through iodized salt or through changes in food distribution and technology. IDD still persists in certain areas of Europe where these dietary changes have not occurred. In the Third World, IDD is a major problem in many ...
The metabolism of pentose-phosphate was investigated in Plasmodium falciparum-infected normal and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD)-deficient human red blood cells in vitro. 5'-Phosphoribosyl-1-pyrophosphate...Full Text Available
Two nitrate reductase deficient mutants of soybean (Glycine max [L.] Merr. cv Bragg) were isolated from approximately 10,000 M2 seedlings, using a direct enzymic assay in...Full Text Available
The objectives of this paper are to discuss the following aspects of physiopathology of iodine nutrition related to thyroid irradiation by nuclear accidents: (1) The cycle of iodine in nature, the dietary sources of iodine and the recommended dietary allowances for iodine. (2) The anomalies of thyroid metabolism induced by iodine deficiency. The caricatural situation as seen in endemic goitre will be used as mode. (3) The specific paediatric aspects of adaptation to iodine deficiency. (4) The present status of iodine nutrition in Europe. (author).
Mutants of Escherichia coli K-12 deficient in adenyl cyclase (cya) and catabolite activator protein (crp) have been shown to grow more slowly than their parent strains in glucose-minimal medium. Their...Full Text Available
Eribulin is a new anticancer agent currently in Phase III clinical trials for the treatment of metastatic breast cancer. In the current studies, we have investigated the effects of P-glycoprotein (P-gp) on the in vivo disposition of eribulin using CF-1 abcb1a-deficient mice, and the influence of eribulin on P-gp-mediated efflux of digoxin in Caco-2 cells. Eribulin was administered intravenously and orally in both CF-1 wild-type and CF-1 abcb1a-deficient mice. P-gp-mediated efflux of digoxin in Caco-2 cell monolayers was measured in the presence of eribulin. The plasma exposure to eribulin was higher in CF-1 abcb1a-deficient mice than that in CF-1 wild-type mice after intravenous (IV) and oral (PO) administrations. The oral bioavailability of eribulin was 62.3% in CF-1 abcb1a-deficient mice...
One set of hypotheses offered to explain the decline of red spruce (Picea rubens Sarg.) in eastern North America focuses on the effect of acidic deposition on soil chemistry changes that may affect nutrient availability and root function. Long-term soils data suggests that soil acidification has occurred in some spruce stands over the past 50 yr, with plant uptake and cation leaching both contributing to the loss of cations. Studies of tree ring chemistry also have indicated changes in Ca/Al and Mg/Al ratios in red spruce wood, suggesting increases in the ionic strength of soil solution. Irrigation studies using strong acid inputs have demonstrated accelerated displacement of base cations from upper horizons. Spruce-fir (Abies spp.) nutrient budgets indicate that current net Ca and Mg leaching loss rates are of the same order of magnitude as losses to whole tree harvest removals, spread out over a 50-yr rotation. For most cations, red spruce foliar nutrient levels ...
This is a slide-based oral presentation given to the COG/IAEA: Fifth technical committee meeting on 'Exchange of operating experience of pressurized heavy water reactors' held in Mangalia, Romania on 7-10 September 1998. Since energization of Wolsung Unit 3 station service transformer on July 12, 1996 a line of initial test program was conducted as follows: 1. ILRT/SIT; 2. Pre-operational and Hot Functional testing with a Light Water and without Fuel in Systems; 3. Load D_2O in Moderator System; 4. Initial fuel loading; 5. Load D_2O in PHT System; 6. Hot Functional Testing with Heavy Water and Fuel in Systems; 7. Criticality and Low Power Physics Testing; 8. Power Ascension Test and, then finally, phase-D test; the plant acceptance test was accomplished after having a Mini-Overhaul to prepare for Commercial Operation. These documents contain not only both overall introduction of commissioning and the first TBN rolling and Synchronization test performed in Hot ...
Measurements of the magnetic susceptibility betweeen 0.03 and 300 K and of the magnetization between 0.05 and 10 K for magnetic fields up to 60kOe have been used to investigate effects from the interaction between the conduction electrons and local magnetic moments in (Lasub(1-x)Cesub(x))B_6 alloys (0.0007<=x<=0.10). For Ce concentrations x<0.006 the data show Kondo-type single impurity behaviour at low temperatures with a transition from a magnetic to a non-magnetic regime of the Ce ions. In the magnetic regime the impurity susceptibility follows a Curie-Weiss law, and in the non-magnetic regime it varies with T"2. An external magnetic field gradually restores the free-ion behaviour of the Ce impurities. For more concentrated alloys interactions between the impurities are observed. The RKKY interaction strength derived is more than two orders of magnitude smaller than in the Kondo system CuFe. Values of the s-f exchange integral, J, ...
Aims: The present study explored the integrative effect of genes encoding methadone pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic pathways on methadone maintenance doses in Han Chinese Patients. Materials & methods: Genomic DNA was extracted from 321 opioid-dependent patients and 202 healthy controls, and realtime-PCR and PCR-RFLP were conducted to determine the genotypes. Results: Pair-wise comparisons revealed that carriers of the variants ABCB1 3435C>T or CYP2B6 516G>T alleles were more likely to require a higher methadone dose than noncarriers (both p G or 939C>T allele had a two-fold chance of requiring a lower methadone dose than noncarriers (p = 0.001). Proportional odds regression with adjustment of cofactors demonstrated that ...
The identification of genes influencing sensitivity to stimulants and opioids is important for determining their mechanism of action and may provide fundamental insights into the genetics of drug abuse. We used a panel of C57BL/6J (B6; recipient)x A/J (donor) chromosome substitution strains (CSSs) to identify quantitative trait loci (QTL) for both open field activity and sensitivity to the locomotor stimulant response to methamphetamine (MA). Mice were injected with saline (days 1 and 2) and MA (day 3; 2 mg/kg i.p.). We analyzed the total distance traveled in the open field for 30 min following each injection. CSS-8, -11 and -16 showed reduced MA-induced locomotor activity relative to B6, whereas CSS-10 and -12 showed increased MA-induced locomotor activity. Further analysis focused on CSS...
Receptor protein tyrosine phosphatase T (PTPRT/PTPρ) is frequently mutated in human cancers including colon, lung, gastric and skin cancers. More than half of the identified tumor-derived...Full Text Available
Krabbe disease (KD) is an inherited neurological disorder caused by the deficiency of galactocerebrosidase activity resulting in accumulation of psychosine, which leads to energy depletion,...Full Text Available
Angiokeratoma corporis diffusum with glycopeptiduria is a recently recognized inborn error of glycoprotein catabolism resulting from the deficient activity of human alpha-N-acetylgalactosaminidase (E.C....Full Text Available
Isokinetic training and assessment of the knee joint has been the mainstay of rehabilitation, especially in patients with anterior cruciate ligament deficiency. Besides the original shin pad used, the...Full Text Available
Background/AimsHelicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection appears to subvert the human iron regulatory mechanism and thus upregulates hepcidin, resulting...Full Text Available
Schindler disease is a recently recognized infantile neuroaxonal dystrophy resulting from the deficient activity of the lysosomal hydrolase, alpha-N-acetylgalctosaminidase (alpha-GalNAc). The recent...Full Text Available
RasGRF1 is a Ras-guanine nucleotide exchange factor implicated in a variety of physiological processes including learning and memory and glucose homeostasis. To determine the role of RASGRF1 in aging,...Full Text Available
Clinical and experimental evidence has demonstrated the potential role of probiotics in the prevention or treatment of inflammatory bowel disease. Probiotic clones with direct immunomodulatory activity...Full Text Available
Haemophilia, the commonest hereditary bleeding disorder, arises because of the absence of, decrease in, or deficient functioning of plasma coagulation factor VIII or factor IX. With rare exceptions,...Full Text Available
Phenylketonuria (PKU) is a common genetic disorder in humans that arises from deficient activity of phenylalanine hydroxylase (PAH), which catalyzes the conversion of phenylalanine to tyrosine....Full Text Available
Mutant strains of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae which lack functional Cu,Zn superoxide dismutase (SOD-1) do not grow aerobically unless supplemented with methionine. The molecular basis of this...Full Text Available
BackgroundIt is a priority to achieve an adequate nutritional status of iodine during pregnancy since iodine deficiency in this population may have repercussions on the mother during...Full Text Available
The 1985 evaluation of A = 1-1 (85B1114) has been revised. Experimental information is presented from the neutron-rich {sup 101}Sr to the neutron-deficient {sup 101}In.
The 1985 evaluation of A = 1-1 (85B1114) has been revised. Experimental information is presented from the neutron-rich "1"0"1Sr to the neutron-deficient "1"0"1In.
Forty-eight mutants unable to reduce nitrate were isolated from "cowpea" Rhizobium sp. strain 32Hl and examined for nitrogenase activity in culture. All but two of the mutants had nitrogenase activity...Full Text Available
Many mathematically gifted adolescents are characterized as being indolent, underachieving and unsuccessful despite their high cognitive ability. This is often due to difficulties with social and emotional...Full Text Available
BackgroundA deficiency of specific glycosylphosphatidyl inositol-anchored proteins in paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria may be responsible for most of the clinical features of...Full Text Available
Acylation stimulating protein (ASP, C3adesArg) is an adipose tissue derived hormone that stimulates triglyceride (TG) synthesis. ASP stimulates lipoprotein lipase (LPL) activity by relieving feedback...Full Text Available
A 30-year-old man with acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) and Kaposi's sarcoma had a palpable thyroid mass and cervical lymphadenopathy. Nuclear medicine and ultrasound scans revealed multiple thyroid nodules. Results of biopsy showed Kaposi's sarcoma metastatic to the thyroid.
The lysosomal catabolism of sulfatide requires arylsulfatase A and a specific sphingolipid activator protein, SAP-1. While most patients with metachromatic leukodystrophy have mutations in the gene...Full Text Available
Dramatic differences in the height of lima beans (Phaseolus lunatus L.) treated with two different Rhizobium strains were studied. Lima beans were grown in Perlite...Full Text Available
ObjectivesIn 2003, the Omani Ministry of Health Child Health Care Program initiated a national Birth Defects (BD) Register. This paper reviews the magnitude and risk factors of birth...Full Text Available
Skeletal formation is an essential and intricately regulated part of vertebrate development. Humans and mice deficient in Growth and Differentiation Factor 6 (Gdf6) have numerous...Full Text Available
Two male patients with congenital cleft lip and palate first seen at ages 10.2 and 21.5 years presented with typical signs of hypothalamic-interior pituitary hormone deficiencies. They were found to...Full Text Available
Deficient wound healing in diabetic patients is very frequent, but the cellular and molecular causes are poorly defined. In this study, we evaluate the hypothesis that high glucose concentrations inhibit...Full Text Available
Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) results from mutations in the NF1 tumor suppressor gene, which encodes the protein neurofibromin. NF1 patients display diverse clinical manifestations,...Full Text Available
Here, we show that the consequences of deficient micronutrient (β-carotene) intake during larval stages of Manduca sexta are carried across metamorphosis, affecting adult behaviour....Full Text Available
Both deficiency and excess of growth hormone (GH) are associated with increased mortality and morbidity. GH replacement in otherwise healthy subjects leads to complications, whereas individuals with...Full Text Available
Mice lacking acyl-CoA:diacylglycerol acyltransferase 1 (DGAT1), an enzyme that catalyzes the terminal step in triacylglycerol synthesis, have enhanced insulin sensitivity and are protected from...Full Text Available
BackgroundSupplementation of nutritional deficiencies helps to improve immune function and resistance to infections in malnourished subjects. However, the suggested benefits of dietary...Full Text Available
BackgroundSeven genes involved in folate metabolism are located on chromosome 21. Previous studies have shown that folate deficiency may contribute to mental retardation in Down's...Full Text Available
Mutational inactivation of the RB1 tumor suppressor gene initiates retinoblastoma and other human cancers. RB1 protein (pRb) restrains cell proliferation by binding...Full Text Available
Circadian clock is implicated in the regulation of aging. The transcription factor CLOCK, a core component of the circadian system, operates in complex with another circadian clock protein BMAL1. Recently...Full Text Available
OBJECTIVEPhosphoinositide 3-kinase enhancer A (PIKE-A) is a proto-oncogene that promotes tumor growth and transformation by enhancing Akt activity. However, the physiological functions...Full Text Available
Diabetic pregnancies are characterized by chronic metabolic insults, including iron deficiency, that place the developing brain at risk and for memory impairment later in life. A behavioral...Full Text Available
Psychopathic individuals are generally unresponsive to motivational and emotional cues that facilitate behavioral regulation. A putative mechanism for this deficiency is Gray’s (1971)...Full Text Available
Mice harboring a null mutation in Abca4/Abcr serve as a model of autosomal recessive Stargardt disease. Consistent with the human retinal disorder, deficiency...Full Text Available
To determine the relative importance of different metabolites of vitamin D in bone growth and development, weanling male rat pups suckled by vitamin D-deficient mothers were given either calcitriol...Full Text Available
The neuromodulatory function of dopamine (DA) is an inherent feature of nervous systems of all animals. To learn more about the function of neural DA in Drosophila, we generated mutant...Full Text Available
Molecular chaperones protect cells from the deleterious effects of protein misfolding and aggregation. Neurotoxicity of amyloid-beta (Aβ) aggregates and their deposition in senile plaques are...Full Text Available
BackgroundOceans are iron-deficient and nutrient-poor environments. These conditions impart limitations on our understanding of and our ability to identify microorganisms from the...Full Text Available
Background. Erythropoietin deficiency and anemia occur in Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) and may be treated with Erythropoietin Stimulating Agents (ESAs). The optimal hemoglobin,...Full Text Available
Cultured mouse or human embryonic stem (ES) cells provide access to all of the genes required to elaborate the fundamental components and physiological systems of a mammalian cell. Chemical or insertional...Full Text Available
A simple and specific method has been developed for the simultaneous determination of the four major Cinchona alkaloids and their dihydroderivatives and pyridoxine hydrochloride (Vitamin B_6) by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with fluorescence detection (#lambda#_e_m=420 nm with #lambda#_e_x=330 nm). The chromatographic separation was performed on a Phenomenex Prodigy ODS column (5 #mu#m, 250 mmx3.2 mm i.d.), recommended for basic compounds, under isocratic reversed-phase conditions. The method allowed a good peak shape and an effective resolution of the tested compounds. The extraction of alkaloids from the Cinchona succirubra bark was carried out in mild and fast conditions (ambient temperature, 20 min) by ultrasonication. The procedure showed to be advantageous respect to a reference method, which involved Soxhlet extraction. The results were compared statistically by means of the Student's t-test and the variance ratio ...
Major staple crops are often deficient in some of the nutrients required in human diet. Thus, malnutrition is a major problem, especially in developing countries, where a diversified diet is not affordable for the majority. Several strategies have been adopted to improve nutrition. However, micronutrient deficiency is still widely spread. Rice is one of the most important staple foods for a large part of the world's population. Therefore, even a small improvement in nutritional content of rice seeds can have a dramatic impact on human health. Different approaches are being exploited to produce rice enhanced in nutrients with iron and provitamin A.
Neutron deficient nuclei with mass numbers A {approx} 90 and 40 {<=} Z {<=} 44 have been studied making use of the Osiris and Nordball spectrometers. The high spin states of these nuclei and their electromagnetic decay properties are compared to shell model calculations based on the core {sup 88}Sr and using different parametrizations of the residual interaction. The dependence of the mean square deviations of experimental and theoretical level energies, branching ratios, and transition probabilities on the neutron numbers N = 46-50 and the validity of seniority as a good quantum number are discussed. (orig.).
The effect of protein malnutrition on the metabolism of collagen in bone was studied in young female albino rats after a single injection of "3H-proline. Both specific and total radioactivities of hydroxyproline in the total collagen of the bone were found to decrease in the protein-deficient animals, indicating decreased rate of collagen synthesis. In the urine the amount of hydroxyproline excreted and total radioactivity of "3H-hydroxyproline were greatly decreased. The results of the present investigation therefore clearly indicate decreased synthesis and catabolism of collagen in bones of protein deficient animals compared to controls. (auth.).
A sensitive radio-assay for ferritin was developed and used to examine serum ferritin levels in 105 patients with recurrent oral ulceration (ROU), 41 patients with Behcet's syndrome (BS), 42 with other ulcerative oral lesions, 35 patients with non-ulcerative oral lesions and in 78 controls. Ferritin levels increased with age and were significantly higher in males than females. The mean ferritin concentrations in male patients with ROU, BS or with other oral ulcers were significantly reduced in comparison with controls, and in female patients were significantly reduced in those with major aphthous ulcers. The prevalence of low serum ferritin levels was about 8% in patients with ROU, 15% in BS and 9.5% in patients with other ulcerative oral lesions, compared with less than 3% in patients with non-ulcerative oral disorders and in controls. Most of the iron-deficient patients were female. Serum ferritin levels did not directly correlate with serum iron levels ...
1971 Sorbie et al. described a simple "5"7Co-excretion test (16) as an aid in the diagnosis of iron deficiency anemia. The authors found that renal excretion of a tracer dosis of 0,5 #mu#Ci "5"7CoCl_2 was significantly elevated in patients with iron deficiency anemia (31% of the adminstered dose in 24 hours' urine) as compared with the controls (18%). Between 1972-1974 we performed the "5"7Co-excretion test in 29 patients with different kind of anemia and in 10 healthy volunteers. The test was modified by measurement of the serum activity 1, 2, 3, 7, 11 and 24 hours after the oral administration of the test dosis. In all anemias as well as in the control group we found the maximum of serum activity three hours after the oral administration of the tracer. The three hours serum activity was elevated in patients with iron deficiency anemia (5.53%/l serum) as compared with the control group (1.92%/l) and renal, tumor and ...
Neuronal transcription factors play vital roles in the specification and development of neurons, including dopaminergic (DA) neurons. Mutations in the gene encoding the purine biosynthetic enzyme hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyltransferase (HPRT) cause the resulting intractable and largely untreatable neurological impairment of Lesch-Nyhan disease (LND). The disorder is associated with a defect in basal ganglia DA pathways. The mechanisms connecting the purine metabolic defect and the central nervous system (CNS) phenotype are poorly understood but have been presumed to reflect a developmental defect of DA neurons. We have examined the effect of HPRT deficiency on the differentiation of neurons in the well-established human (NT2) embryonic carcinoma neurogenesis model. We have used a retrovirus expressing a small hairpin RNA (shRNA) to knock down HPRT gene expression and have examined the expression of a number of transcription factors essential for neuronal ...
No prospective studies have evaluated the effects of correction of iron deficiency anemia on insulin resistance in non-diabetic premenopausal women with iron deficiency anemia. All patients were treated with oral iron preparations. Insulin resistance was calculated with the Homeostasis Model Assessment formula. All patients were dichotomized by the median for age and BMI to assess how the relationship between iron deficiency anemia and insulin resistance was affected by the age and BMI. Although the fasting glucose levels did not change meaningfully, statistically significant decreases were found in fasting insulin levels following anemia treatment both in the younger age (<40 years) (P=0.40) women and in the low BMI (27 kg/m) (P=0.22) subgroups but not in the older age (>= 40 years) and the high BMI (>-27Kg/m) subgroups. Post-treatment fasting insulin levels were positively correlated both with BMI (r=0.386, ...
In 10 cases of femoral neck fracture treated with prosthetic replacement, the preoperative sup(99m)Tc-MDP scintigraphs were investigated and then compared with each histological findings of the extracted femoral head. The appearances of the scintigraphs were classified into following 3 patterns; increased activity pattern of sup(99m)Tc-MDP uptake in the overall femoral head (type I) in 4 cases, deficient activity pattern at the lateral side correspond to weight-bearing area (type II) in 2 cases and considerably deficient activity pattern in the whole femoral head (type III) in remaining 4 cases. Histological examination of the extracted femoral heads revealed the narrow part of ischemic necrosis in type I. However type II showed extensive necrosis in the portion of deficient activity by scintigraphs and in type III, the femoral heads except articular cartilage were entirely necrotic. This classification of sup(99m)Tc-MDP ...
In IO cases of femoral neck fracture treated with prosthetic replacement, the preopera tive sup(99m)Tc-MDP scintigraphs were investigated and then compared with each histological findings of the extracted femoral head. The appearances of the scintigraphs were classified into following 3 patterns; increased activity pattern of sup(99m)Tc-MDP uptake in the overall femoral head (type I) in 4 cases, deficient activity pattern at the lateral side correspond to weight-bearing area (type II) in 2 cases and considerably deficient activity pattern in the whole femoral head (type III) in remaining 4 cases. Histological examination of the extracted femoral heads revealed the narrow part of ischemic necrosis in type I. However type II showed extensive necrosis in the portion of deficient activity by scintigraphs and in type III, the femoral heads except articular cartilage were entirely necrotic. This classification of sup(99m)Tc-MDP ...
Full text: Red blood cells (RBCs) labeled with "9"9"mTc are commonly used in the evaluation of cardiac function, gastrointestinal tract bleeding, red blood cell volume or splenic sequestration. Generally stannous ion is used as reducing agent. A proposed mechanism is that once the stannous ion (Sn) and the pertechnetate ("9"9"mTc) reach the interior of the RBC, the radionuclide is mainly house in the #beta#-chain of hemoglobin. The aim of this study was to determine if hemoglobin content reduction, an indicator of iron deficiency anemia, could affect the efficiency of RBC labeling and the biological distribution of this radiopharmaceutical. We studied 30 rats fed for 3 weeks after weaning with diets with iron contents of 6.5 ppm (group A), 18 ppm (group B) and 100 ppm (control). For all groups, the labeling yields were always higher than 97%; the percentage of radioactivity was mostly founded in blood with almost negligible radioactivity the rest of the studied ...
Elevation of zinc protoporphyrin (ZPP) levels in the blood has served as an indicator of lead poisoning and iron deficiency anemia for many years. We have discovered that sublethal doses of whole body irradiation with x-rays also elevates ZPP 2-3-fold over normal levels. The ZPP level does not begin to increase until days 12-14 postirradiation and peaks between days 18 and 20 before returning to normal levels between days 28 and 35. Increasing the radiation dose delays the onset of the rise in ZPP, but does not affect the magnitude of the elevation. At lethal doses, ZPP elevation is not observed. Neither of the two previously described mechanisms that cause elevations of ZPP, namely iron deficiency and inhibition of ferrochelatase, are responsible for the radiation-induced elevation of ZPP. The elevation of ZPP appears to be correlated with the recovery of the hematopoietic system from radiation injury.
Abstract Iodine concentrates in gastric tissue and may act as an antioxidant for the stomach. We previously showed that self-reported goiter was associated with significantly increased risk of gastric noncardia adenocarcinoma (GNCA) and nonsignificantly increased risks of gastric cardia adenocarcinoma (GCA) and esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) in a prospective case-cohort study in a high-risk population in China. Negatively correlated with iodine levels, serum thyroglobulin (Tg) is a more sensitive biomarker of iodine deficiency than goiter. Our study aimed to determine whether baseline serum Tg was also associated with development of GNCA, GCA and ESCC in the same cohort, the Linxian General Population Nutrition Intervention Trial. Sera from -200 subjects of each case type and 40...
The Lesch-Nyhan (LN) syndrome is a severe X chromosome-linked disease that results from a deficiency of the purine salvage enzyme hypoxanthine phosphoribosyltransferase (HPRT). The mutations leading to the disease are heterogeneous and frequently arise as de novo events. The authors have identified nucleotide alterations in 15 independently arising HPRT-deficiency cases by direct DNA sequencing of in vitro amplified HPRT cDNA. They also demonstrate that the direct DNA sequence analysis can be automated, further simplifying the detection of new mutations at this locus. The mutations include DNA base substitutions, small DNA deletions, a single DNA base insertion, and errors in RNA splicing. The application of these procedures allows DNA diagnosis and carrier identification by the direct detection of the mutant alleles within individual families affected by LN.
A major deficiency of current photon calculation methods that are based on the concept of primary and scatter separation is their inability to handle the condition of electronic disequilibrium. This deficiency is examined and it is shown that the limitation is not inherent in the algorithms themselves but is, at least in part, in the data which the algorithms use. A new concept of primary and scatter separation is developed to cover the condition of electronic disequilibrium. This new concept requires little change to the existing algorithms and only additional data are required, which are generated using Monte Carlo calculation methods. The new concept is tested using programs in the Theratronics Theraplan treatment-planning system, and two calculation examples illustrate the ability to model electron transport and also the improvement over the existing algorithms. Close analogy of the extended concept with the convolution/superposition method ...
The term 'Post-CHF' was generally used in the two-phase flow regime in tube flow occurring downstream of the CHF. It has various other names such as dispersed flow, liquid-deficient flow, mist flow and film boiling because the two-phase regime is characterized by a continuous vapor phase with discrete liquid drops and a non-wetted heated surface. The regime has been adopted in a lot of applications including nuclear power plants, fossil power plants, steam generators, refrigeration systems and spray cooling, In particular, this regime has a considerable importance in the areas of light water reactor(LWR) accident analysis (off-normal operating conditions) and design in heat exchangers operating in the once-through mode where subcooled liquid enters the exchanger and superheated vapor exits. Recently, innovative PWRs adopt very high power density increases and so require increased safety margins. For ...
The term 'Post-CHF' was generally used in the two-phase flow regime in tube flow occurring downstream of the CHF. It has various other names such as dispersed flow, liquid-deficient flow, mist flow and film boiling because the two-phase regime is characterized by a continuous vapor phase with discrete liquid drops and a non-wetted heated surface. The regime has been adopted in a lot of applications including nuclear power plants, fossil power plants, steam generators, refrigeration systems and spray cooling, In particular, this regime has a considerable importance in the areas of light water reactor(LWR) accident analysis (off-normal operating conditions) and design in heat exchangers operating in the once-through mode where subcooled liquid enters the exchanger and superheated vapor exits. Recently, innovative PWRs adopt very high power density increases and so require increased safety margins. For instance, advanced PWRs ...
Werner syndrome (WS) is a rare disorder characterized by the premature onset of several pathologies associated with aging. The gene responsible for WS codes for a RecQ-type DNA helicase and is believed...Full Text Available
Stearoyl-coenzyme A desaturase (SCD) is the rate-limiting enzyme necessary for the biosynthesis of monounsaturated fatty acids. In this study, we investigated the regulation of mouse SCD1 by liver X...Full Text Available
The neutron deficient Sr and Zr nuclei are studied in the relativistic mean-field approach. Large deformations and shape coexistence are predicted for these nuclei in the vicinity of the proton drip line. The charge radii are found to increase with the removal of neutrons from the semimagic {sup 88}Sr and {sup 90}Zr, in close agreement with the recent isotopic-shift measurements.
The relationships between severity of iron deficiency anemia, response to iron treatment, respiratory and gastrointestinal illness and weight changes were assessed before (T1) and after (T2) iron therapy. Seventy-five pre-school children from rural Guatemala received daily oral iron (ferrous sulfate 5 mg/kg/day) for eleven weeks, and were classified into one of three groups: (1) severe iron deficient (Hgb < 9.25 g/dl at T1 and > 1g/dl Hgb response (T2-T1) to Fe Rx; (2) moderately iron deficient (Hgb 9.25 g/dl to 11.5 g/dl and T2-T1 > 1g/dl); (3) normal controls (Hgb > 11.5 g/dl and T2-T1 < 1g/dl). When both severely and moderately anemic children were pooled together, there was a statistical significant difference between the number of days ill with gastrointestinal symptoms of these children and those in the control group. Children with T1 Hgb > 11.5 had more days ill than those classified as severely or ...
Background/AimsFabry disease is an X-linked recessive and progressive disease caused by α-galactosidase A (α-GaL A) deficiency. We sought to assess the prevalence...Full Text Available
A mutant strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae (D10-ER1) has been isolated after a two-step mutagenesis of strain 4059-358D (SUC 1) using ethyl methane sulfonate. Cells of this new strain produced a level...Full Text Available
An assay method is described for measurement of absolute concentrations of the molybdenum cofactor, based on complementation of the defective nitrate reductase ('apo nitrate reductase') in extracts...Full Text Available
The goal of this lecture is to give an overview of important concepts connected to organisational factors and to provide an understanding of mechanisms by which they can contribute to safe or unsafe behaviour of people. The lecture gives examples of ways to organise work, organisational deficiencies and good practices applied in safety oriented organisations. The lecture also gives an introduction to international work and Finnish national regulation connected to organisation and management. (orig.)
Chronic and adult-onset GM2 gangliosidoses are neurological disorders caused by marked deficiency of the A isoenzyme of beta-hexosaminidase; they occur in the Ashkenazi Jewish population, though less...Full Text Available
Chondroitin sulfate (CS) and dermatan sulfate (DS) containing N-acetylgalactosamine 4,6-bissulfate (GalNAc(4,6-SO4)) show various physiological activities through interacting...Full Text Available
DescriptionIron deficiency anaemia is a common problem and may be particularly important to certain groups of vegetarians. This project investigates isolating and identifying iron-binding constituents of meat digests using human Caco-2 cell lines. Stable isotope techniques used to test whether one or more of these compounds enhance iron absorpion in vivo and could therefore be added to vegetarian products to imporve iron nutrition.
Mice lacking Kv1.1 Shaker-like potassium channels encoded by the Kcna1 gene exhibit severe seizures and die prematurely. The channel is widely expressed in...Full Text Available
We study the influence of Sr substitutions on the structural counterpart of the MI transition of Formula Not Shown . When Sr content increases, the commensurate CDW modulation of pure Formula Not Shown is changed into an incommensurate short range modulation that we attribute to a charge ordering of the Formula Not Shown electrons. The same features are observed in S deficient samples.
Hematological deficiencies increase with aging leading to anemias, reduced hematopoietic stress responses and myelodysplasias. This study tested the hypothesis that side population hematopoietic...Full Text Available
A 5.76 MeV alpha-particle group has been observed in Am and Bk sources separated from a CERN W target. The data are interpreted due to the production of long-lived isomeric states in /sup 236/Am and /sup 236/Bk which decay to /sup 236/Pu. The possibility of high spin states as well as of shape isomeric states is raised.
In normal subjects, apolipoprotein E (apo E) is present on very low density lipoproteins (VLDL) (fraction I) and on particles of a size intermediate between VLDL and low density lipoproteins (LDL) (fraction...Full Text Available
Although trefoil factor 1 (TFF1; previously named pS2) is abnormally expressed in about 50% of human breast tumors, its physiopathological role in this disease has been poorly studied. Moreover,...Full Text Available
In this study we show the effect of anti-sulfatide (RmAb) antibodies and inflammatory cytokines, TNF-α and IFN-γ in inducing myelin basic protein (MBP) degradation in myelin...Full Text Available
Cordycepin has been shown to interfere with a myriad of molecular processes from RNA elongation to kinase activity, and prevents numerous inflammatory processes in animal models. Here we show in a mouse...Full Text Available
The human causal factors for all human error licensing operational events on Daya Bay nuclear power station since 1993 to 2003 are categorized, the trend of these causal factors is analyzed. The emphasis is placed on analyzing the deficiencies on complying with and executing regulations and procedures. The results provide directional reference for nuclear power station to improve human performance. (author)
Ileal dysgenesis is an uncommon condition of unknown etiology occurring in the distal ileum in the region of the vitelline duct. The CT appearance of this lesion, although not previously described to our knowledge, is characteristic. We report a patient with ileal dysgenesis who had an abdominal CT scan to evaluate chronic iron deficiency anemia and protein-losing enteropathy. Recognition of this lesion by pediatric radiologists is important; so that surgical treatment, which is simple and effective, can be initiated quickly. (orig.)
Investigations of polymorphonuclear leukocyte (PMN) function were performed in a 5-yr-old white female with delayed umbilical cord separation, impaired pus formation, and a severe defect of PMN chemotaxis....Full Text Available
The concept of plant intelligence, as proposed by Anthony Trewavas, has raised considerable discussion. However, plant intelligence remains loosely defined; often it is either perceived as practically...Full Text Available
BackgroundSenescence is integral to the flowering plant life-cycle. Senescence-like processes occur also in non-angiosperm land plants, algae and photosynthetic prokaryotes. Increasing...Full Text Available
... Treatment of electrical systems for pumped storage plants is not covered in the manual, although much of the information is applicable to pumped ...
We hypothesized that I kappa B kinase (IKK)-mediated nuclear factor kappa B and forkhead BoxO3a phosphorylation will be associated with age-related endothelial dysfunction. Endothelium-dependent dilation and aortic protein expression/phosphorylation were determined in young and old male B6D2F1 mice and old mice treated with the IKK inhibitor, salicylate. IKK activation was greater in old mice and was associated with greater nitrotyrosine and cytokines. Endothelium-dependent dilation, nitric oxide (NO), and endothelial NO synthase phosphorylation were lower in old mice. Endothelium-dependent dilation and NO bioavailability were restored by a superoxide dismutase mimetic. Nuclear factor kappa B and forkhead BoxO3a phosphorylation were greater in old and were associated with increased express...
Susceptibility data of freshly precipitated nitroprussides TM[Fe(CN){sub 5}NO] n H{sub 2}O (TM=Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu) follow very well modified Curie-Weiss law down to T=5 K indicating paramagnetic state; nitroprusside (NP) containing Zn is diamagnetic with a sign of paramagnetic contribution. Deviation from Curie-Weiss law and magnetization measurements on MnNP, FeNP and CoNP below T=5 K can indicate ferrimagnetic ordering at low temperatures. A hysteresis behaviour in ZFC and FC magnetisation with the temperature of bifurcation T{sub b}=6 K was found for CoNP and FeNP. Moessbauer spectra taken at room temperature (besides FeNP) consist of a single symmetric quadrupole-split doublet with parameters {delta} and {delta} typical for Fe{sup II} ions in octahedral sites. A more complicated spectrum of FeNP is a consequence of different Fe environments.
An analysis of the passive films formed on amorphous alloys of the system Fe-10% Cr-5% Mo-P-metalloid and Fe-10% Cr-5% Mo-B-Si revealed that they are more markedly enriched with chromium in silicon-free alloys. In silicon-containing amorphous alloys the passive films were highly enriched with silicon, which occurred in these films in the form of a corrosion product close to SiO_2. As shown by the investigations of a study of the anodic behavior of Fe_4_0Ni_4_0P_1_4B_6 and Fe_4_0Ni_3_8Mo_4B_1_8, phosphorus facilitates the passivation of amorphous alloys by reducing the solution current in the active state and enriching the surface layers of the metal in the form of a black prepassivation film which also contains nickel and iron. The behavior of Fe-Ni amorphous alloys containing only boron as metalloid additive differs little from that of crystalline alloys of similar composition but without the boron. The authors note that in this survey they ...
Abstract Four new dimeric naphtho--pyrones, named rubasperone D (1), rubasperone E (2), rubasperone F (3), and its atropisomer rubasperone G (4), together with four known monomeric naphtho--pyrones, TMC 256 A1 (5), rubrofusarin B (6), fonsecin (7), and flavasperone (8), were isolated from the mangrove endophytic fungus Aspergillus tubingensis (GX1-5E) cultivated in solid rice medium. Their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic methods, including IR, 1D- and 2D-NMR, and MS. In the in vitro cytotoxicity assays, 5 displayed inhibitory activities against tumor cell lines of MCF-7, MDA-MB-435, Hep3B, Huh7, SNB19, and U87-MG with IC50 values between 19.92 and 47.98-M. Compounds 1, 6, and 8 also showed mild cytotoxic activity.
The paper presents the preparation, X-ray powder diffraction data as well as some magnetic and spectroscopic properties of a new uranium(III) complex bromide of the formula NH{sub 4}UBr{sub 4}.1.5CH{sub 3}CN.6H{sub 2}O. The compound crystallizes in the monoclinic system with a=11.877 A, b=6.385 A, c=6.815 A, {beta}=101.29deg and Z=2. In the 60-240 K range it follows the Curie-Weiss law with {theta}=-37.24 K and {mu}{sub eff}=3.20 B.M. The IR and UV-VIS absorption spectra were recorded in the 80-4000 cm{sup -1} and 4000-26000 cm{sup -1} spectral ranges respectively. Thermal decomposition at a non-static high vacuum enabled the conversion of the compound into pure and anhydrous UBr{sub 3}. (orig.).
This report documents the results of the Department of Energy's (DOE's) Tiger Team Assessment of the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory (LBL) conducted from January 14 through February 15, 1991. The purpose of the assessment was to provide the Secretary of Energy with the status of environment, safety, and health (ES H) programs at LBL. The Tiger Team concluded that curtailment of cessation of any operations at LBL is not warranted. However, the number and breadth of findings and concerns from this assessment reflect a serious condition at this site. In spite of its late start, LBL has recently made progress in increasing ES H awareness at all staff levels and in identifying ES H deficiencies. Corrective action plans are inadequate, however, many compensatory actions are underway. Also, LBL does not have the technical expertise or training programs nor the tracking and followup to effectively direct and control sitewide guidance and oversight by DOE of ...
The iron hormone hepcidin is inhibited by matriptase-2, a liver serine-protease encoded by TMPRSS6 gene. Cleaving the BMP-coreceptor hemojuvelin, matriptase-2 impairs the BMP/SMAD signaling pathway, downregulates hepcidin and facilitates iron absorption. TMPRSS6 inactivation causes iron-deficiency-anemia refractory to iron administration both in humans and mice. Genome wide association studies have shown that the SNP rs855791, which causes the matriptase-2 V736A amino acid substitution, is associated with variations of serum iron, transferrin saturation, hemoglobin and erythrocyte traits. Here we show that in vitro matriptase-2 736(A) inhibits hepcidin more efficiently than 736(V). Moreover, in a genotyped population, after exclusion of samples with iron deficiency and inflammation, hepcidin, hepcidin/transferrin saturation and hepcidin/ferritin ratios were significantly lower and iron parameters were consistently higher in homozygotes 736(A) ...
In this work, we query the Chlamydomonas reinhardtii copper regulon at a whole-genome level. Our RNA-Seq data simulation and analysis pipeline validated a 2-fold cutoff and 10 RPKM (reads per kilobase of mappable length per million mapped reads) (~1 mRNA per cell) to reveal 63 CRR1 targets plus another 86 copper-responsive genes. Proteomic and immunoblot analyses captured 25% of the corresponding proteins, whose abundance was also dependent on copper nutrition, validating transcriptional regulation as a major control mechanism for copper signaling in Chlamydomonas. The impact of copper deficiency on the expression of several O2-dependent enzymes included steps in lipid modification pathways. Quantitative lipid profiles indicated increased polyunsaturation of fatty acids on thylakoid membrane digalactosyldiglycerides, indicating a global impact of copper deficiency on the photosynthetic apparatus. Discovery of a putative plastid copper chaperone ...
This study evaluates the degree to which surface impoundments at licensed facilities comply with significant changes in NRC requirements initiated by enactment of EPA's final environmental standards for uranium recovery facilities (40 CFR Part 192). Impoundment liner requirements, ground-water protection standards, ground-water monitoring and corrective action programs, and site closure standards are the most significant regulatory modifications. The compliance status of 30 conventional mills and 31 in-situ mines is determined from a review of Nuclear Regulatory Commission and agreement state docket files through November, 1983. Results of this review show that a majority of conventional uranium mill tailings management systems are deficient with respect to liner requirements for new impoundments or proposed expansions to existing impoundments, as well as with respect to some aspects of ground-water monitoring and compliance programs. Furthermore, the status of ...
Compact bone makes up approximately 80% of the human skeletal mass. This study examines the effect of estrogen deficiency on compact bone turnover and associated geometrical structural adaptation over a 31-month period in a large animal model. Twenty-seven skeletally mature sheep were divided into control (n = 16) and ovariectomy group (OVX, n = 11). Animals were administered five different fluorochrome dyes to label intracortical bone turnover, and sacrificed at 31 months. Compact bone samples were analyzed for cortical geometry, intracortical turnover at five time points, resorption cavities, porosity, and compressive strength. Intracortical bone turnover was significantly increased in OVX, which demonstrated seasonal variation. Cross-sectional area in OVX was significantly greater than control and was associated with an increased section modulus. Intracortical porosity was significantly increased in OVX, however, there was no significant difference in ultimate ...
Laser spectroscopy measurements have been performed on neutron deficient iridium isotopes. The hyperfine structure and isotope shift of the optical Ir I transition 5d{sup 7}6s{sup 24}F{sub 9/2} {sup {yields}} 5d{sup 7}6s6p {sup 6}F{sub 11/2} at 351.5 nm have been studied for the {sup 182-189}Ir, {sup 186}Ir{sup 1}m and {sup 191,193}Ir isotopes. The nuclear magnetic and quadrupole moments were obtained from the HFS measurements and the changes of the mean square charge radii from the IS measurements. A large mean square charge radius change between {sup 187}Ir and {sup 186}Ir and between {sup 186}Ir{sup 1}m and {sup 186}Ir{sup 1}g has been observed.
Laser spectroscopy measurements have been performed on neutron deficient iridium isotopes. The hyperfine structure and isotope shift of the optical Ir I transition 5d"76s"2"4F_9_/_2 "#-># 5d"76s6p "6F_1_1_/_2 at 351.5 nm have been studied for the "1"8"2"-"1"8"9Ir, "1"8"6Ir"1m and "1"9"1","1"9"3Ir isotopes. The nuclear magnetic and quadrupole moments were obtained from the HFS measurements and the changes of the mean square charge radii from the IS measurements. A large mean square charge radius change between "1"8"7Ir and "1"8"6Ir and between "1"8"6Ir"1m and "1"8"6Ir"1g has been observed.
The main aims of the study were: 1) the evaluation of iron and zinc status in women of Lodz aged 18-45 years, 2) adaptation of the whole body counter to in vivo measurements absorption of iron given to the gastro-intestinal tract of volunteers and 3) in rat model estimation iron bioavailability from fortified wheat flour combined with products usually consumed in Poland. During five months investigations thirty seven women were examined each one twice in two months interval. Following variables were measured: iron and zinc in blood serum, in public and scalp hair and in food, taste acuity score, serum ferritin, hemoglobin, total iron binding capacity, red blood cells, mean corpuscular concentration and corpuscular volume. Prevalence of iron deficiency and iron deficient anemia were assessed by two models in terms of the depression of serum ferritin and hemoglobin concentrations. 64 refs, 6 figs, 23 tabs.
The first-order relativistic correction to the kinetic energy of an electron, the mass-velocity term, is not bounded from below. It can, therefore, not be used within a variational framework. To overcome this deficiency we developed a method to include the entire relativistic kinetic energy #sq root#(p"2c"2+m_0"2c"4)-m_0c"2 in a spline-augmented plane-wave band calculation. The first results for silver are quite promising, especially for d and p states: The analysis of the energies of the core states as well as of the valence band structure suggests that the energies of d bands are reproduced within 1 mRy. However, the combination of the relativistic kinetic energy with the Darwin term leads to energies which are too low for s-like valence states by 10 mRy. Therefore, the s and d valence band complex is spread out and the Fermi level is lowered by the same amount as the s states. We expect to overcome these deficiencies in future investigations ...
Eight patients, one male and seven females, with no pre-existing hypothalamic-pituitary disease, who developed symptoms of hypopituitarism following cranial irradiation for nasopharyngeal carcinoma were studied 5 years or more after radiotherapy. All were GH deficient. Four of the patients with no GH response during insulin tolerance tests (ITT) showed increased GH in response to synthetic human growth hormone releasing factor (GRF-44). Four patients had impaired cortisol responses to ITT, and gradual but diminished cortisol responses to ovine corticotrophin releasing factor (CRF-41). There was no significant difference between mean peak increments in response to ITT and those in response to CRF-41. TSH responses to TRH were delayed in five and absent in two patients; four of these had low free T4 index. Prolactin was raised in all seven women and increased further in response to TRH. Two patients had impaired gonadotrophin responses to LHRH. None of the patients ...
To assess the potential of CT in evaluating the histological severity of acute appendicitis in comparison with surgical and pathological findings. The CT images of 75 patients with surgically proven appendicitis, including 10 cases of catarrhal, 34 of phlegmonous, and 31 of gangrenous appendicitis, were retrospectively analyzed for the following five CT findings: hazy periappendiceal densities, enlarged appendix, increased enhancement of the appendiceal wall, increased enhancement of the periappendiceal intestinal wall, and deficiency of the appendiceal wall. By comparing all the CT findings and the pathological severity of appendicitis (catarrhal, phlegmonous, and gangrenous), the prevalence of the five CT findings was calculated for each pathological category. Abnormal CT findings were noted in only one case of catarrhal appendicitis. Increased enhancement of the appendiceal wall was observed in all 29 cases of phlegmonous appendicitis (100%), but in only 66.7% ...
A methodology for assessing the impact of subacute concentrations of organometallic agents on bioenergetic and oxidative damage processes in animals, cells and energy transducing subcellular organelles is being developed. Several of the assays are noninvasive and thus lend themselves to human tests. At the whole-animal level we utilize a treadmill chamber where physiological parameters of exercising animals are monitored. These include parameters of whole animals' work performance such as oxygen consumption, carbon dioxide evolution and endurance. Oxidative damage can be monitored in experiments by analyzing expired air of the animals for ethane and n-pentane. These alkanes correlate with lipid peroxidation in vivo. At the cellular and subcellular levels, respiratory activity, lipid peroxidation and free radical species are assayed. Respiratory activity is measured in muscle homogenates and isolated mitochondria using substrates which feed into different segments of the ...
Serum ferritin levels were measured in 72 normal subjects and in 214 cases with various diseases by an immunoradiometric assay. In normal subjects, the serum ferritin levels were 27-230 ng/ml. Elevated serum ferritins were observed in most cases with iron excess and acute hepatitis. Markedly elevated levels were found in the majority of cases with acute leukemia, malignant lymphoma, hepatoma, and pancreatic cancer. High ferritin levels were also found in other malignant diseases. However, the range overlapped broadly with that of nonmalignant diseases. The serum ferritin correlated significantly with serum iron in normals and in those with iron deficiency anemia. In most nonmalignant cases, the serum ferritin and iron levels distributed on a regression line obtained from levels in normals and those with iron deficiency anemia. However, 92% of the malignant cases showed a serum ferritin to iron ratio higher than that of normal subjects. The ...
The proposed ERICAM model exhibits deficiencies of a nature making it inacceptable to responsible governments. These deficiencies are: it does not provide the required financial security. The availability of insurance coverage will be dependent on the situation in the financial markets. Pricing will not be determined by the absolute probability of incidents causing damage, so that this may entail a distortion of allocations of resources. (orig./HP) [Deutsch] Das ERICAM Modell hat Konstruktionsmaengel, dass es sicher fuer verantwortliche Regierungen nicht in Frage kaeme, dessen Realisierung in Erwaegung zu ziehen. Die wichtigsten sind: Die benoetigte Sicherheit der Deckungsmittel ist nicht gegeben. Die Lage an den Finanzmaerkten dominiert die Verfuegbarkeit der Deckungsmittel. Die Preisbildung wird nicht durch die absolute Schadenswahrscheinlichkeit bestimmt, so dass eine Verfaelschung der Allokation von Ressourcen eintreten wuerde. (orig./HP)
A control group of geese (Anser anser) on a normal calcium diet for egg laying poultry was compared to egg laying geese on a calcium deficient diet. The ultimate compressive strength and modulus of elasticity of femoral cortical bone from each group were determined by compressing right circular cylinders which were 2.4 mm in height and 0.8 mm in diameter. The bending strength and bending modulus of elasticity of tibial cortical bone were determined by three point bend tests on rectangular prisms which were approximately 25 mm by 0.8 mm by 0.8 mm. Bone calcium content and eggshell calcium content were determined by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Blood samples were analyzed for free calcium ion concentration. Histological observations included studies of cross-sectional microradiographs, examinations of cross sections stained by a modified Masson's technique, and a determination of fractional area of voids by quantitative microscopy. The average compressive ...
British Columbia is rich in resources of coal but is deficient in resources of liquid petroleum. The overall objective of the B.C. Research Coal Liquefaction Program is to provide sufficient technical data to identify and evaluate coal conversion opportunities in the province. In this first quarterly report, liquefaction test systems are discussed and results from the testing of equipment, procedures and analytical methods using coal samples from Sukunka (N.E. coal) and Hat Creek (central interior) are presented. The proposed program to be undertaken over the next four years is outlined.
The debate over the privatization of electricity in the UK has been conducted across too narrow a terrain, being primarily concerned with regulation for optimality in the context of static, if uncertain, conditions of supply and demand. Insufficient account has been taken of dynamic agencies in formulating and bringing about progressive industrial change, something of great importance in the light of their weakness in the UK context. Consequently, a number of deficiencies in the UK ESI have been neglected in the debate over privatization and are not liable to be rectified by it in practice. (author).
Abstract Neurodegenerative and neurometabolic disorders may cause significant morbidity and mortality in children. Imaging is important in early diagnosis of metabolic disorders and in determining the extent of brain injury. Especially after the development of new techniques such as diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS), neuroimaging plays more important role in the diagnosis and management of these disorders. In these disorders, usually a mutation causes a clinically significant block in one or more metabolic pathways. This blockage usually results in either a deficiency of the product or in an accumulation of substrate with damage induced by either storage or toxicity. The presenting symptoms are usually nonspecific. In some of the ...
We operate a new NEC 250kV single-stage accelerator mass spectrometer (SSAMS) next to our established 5MV tandem. This permits good comparison of 14C-AMS and challenges SSAMS performance. Initial SSAMS ion-optical deficiencies have been addressed by shimming the injection magnet and 3permil 14C/13C measurement with background limited by sample chemistry is routine. Higher-precision analysis is also achievable. A problematic measurement interference remains, however. The small spectrometer was procured to add measurement capacity, and for experiments with positive ions, but is now the preferred instrument for both convenience and measurement quality.
Palladium silicide was formed on the sol-gel derived SiO2 supported Pd catalysts prepared by ion-exchange method (Pd/SiO2-SG-ion). However, the catalysts exhibited superior performances than commercial SiO2 supported ones in liquid-phase semihydrogenation of phenylacetylene. It was probably due to an inhibition of a product of styrene, which is adsorbed on the surface of Pd, more strongly on Pd/SiO2-SG in which Pd is electron-deficient as shown by larger binding energy from XPS results.
COMPLIS is an experimental facility designed to carry out spectroscopic studies on radioisotopes produced by disintegration of elements available at CERN's Booster-ISOLDE on-line isotope separator. During recent series of experimental runs, hyperfine structure measurements have yielded information on nuclear moments and deformations of platinum and iridium isotopes. For the first time, population by #alpha#-decay from Hg was exploited to investigate "1"7"8"-"1"8"1Pt--the most neutron-deficient Pt isotopes yet studied. Successful measurements have recently been carried out on "1"8"2"-"1"8"9Ir.
Malnutrition?in the form of insufficient energy intakes?affects millions of people worldwide and the negative impact of this kind of hunger is well acknowledged, not least by agronomists trying to increase yields to ensure a sufficient supply of food. This review focuses on another, more particular and ?hidden? form of malnutrition, namely mineral malnutrition. It illustrates the burden of disease that is caused by mineral deficiencies and the social and economic consequences they bring about. Mineral malnutrition has a considerable negative impact on individual well-being, social welfare and economic productivity. Agricultural scientists should keep the nutritional qualities of food in mind and?next to optimizing the agricultural properties of crops that are paramount for their adoption b...
Self-consistent electronic structure calculations have been performed on two compositions of scandium sulfide ScS and Sc/sub 3/S/sub 4/. The results of the calculation of ScS are similar to those obtained for other transition metal chalcogenides and are in excellent agreement with heat capacity and reflectance measurements as well as UPS experiments. The calculation of the defect structure indicates the creation of sulfur p nonbonding states in metal-deficient ScS. The valency of the metal ions remains unchanged upon the creation of vacancies.
To determine the efficacy and safety of Total Dose Infusion (TDI) of low molecular weight iron dextran for the treatment of iron deficiency anemia compared to oral iron replacement during pregnancy through improvement in hemoglobin (Hb) after intervention. Non-randomized control trial. A group of 100 pregnant women with gestational age greater than 12 weeks with confirmed diagnosis of iron deficiency anemia attending the antenatal clinics were enrolled in this study. Total dose iron infusion of low molecular iron dextran was given to these patients after calculating iron deficit, in a monitored in-patient setting. Control comprised of a second group of 50 pregnant females matched for age, parity and baseline hemoglobin, tolerant to oral iron supplementation (ferrous sulphate 200 mg three times a day) attending the antenatal clinics during the same period. Post-treatment hemoglobin levels of study group as well as the oral control group were ...
Gamma-rays and conversion electrons emitted in the "1"1"7Cs and "1"1"7Xe decays have been studied from on-line mass-separated "1"1"7Cs sources at the ISOLDE facility. A new "1"1"7Xe decay scheme has been constructed and a level scheme has been established for the "1"1"7Cs decay. The results are discussed in the frame of our recent knowledge about odd-mass neutron-deficient I and Xe systematics.
The contention of this commentary, focused on the vestibulocerebellum (particularly the flocculus), is that the great importance for our understanding of cerebellar organization in terms of climbing fiber zones, begun years ago by Voogd [1969, 2011] and Oscarsson [1969], needs to be matched by coming more to grips with the other fundamental geometrical organization of the cerebellum, the parallel fibers. The central issue is the selection of those parallel fiber signals to be transformed into Purkinje cell activity in the different zones. At present, in comparison to our knowledge of vestibulocerebellar climbing fiber inputs, the deficiencies in our knowledge of the zonal anatomy and physiology of vestibulocerebellar mossy fibers and granule cells are glaring. The recent emphasis on molecu...
Two patients with femoral neck fractures, one displaced and one undisplaced, are presented. Preoperative intravital staining with tetracycline and Tc-MDP scintimetry both showed intact femoral head circulation while Tc-MDP-scintimetry 1 week after operation showed pronounced circulatory deficiency. Sr/sup 85/-scintimetry performed at the same time was inconclusive. Segmental collapse was observed radiographically, 8 and 12 months postoperatively. The major vascular injury resulting in avascularity most probably occured during the procedure of osteosynthesis, and Tc-MDP-scintimetry was found suitable for early postoperative recognition of avascular necrosis in both fractures.
Two patients with femoral neck fractures, one displaced and one undisplaced, are presented. Preoperative intravital staining with tetracycline and Tc-MDP scintimetry both showed intact femoral head circulation while Tc-MDP-scintimetry 1 week after operation showed pronounced circulatory deficiency. SR"8"5-scintimetry performed at the same time was inconclusive. Segmental collapse was observed radiographically, 8 and 12 months postoperatively. The major vascular injury resulting in avascularity most probably occured during the procedure of osteosynthesis, and Tc-MDP-scintimetry was found suitable for early postoperative recognition of avascular necrosis in both fractures. (author).
A central feature of the endocrine pathophysiology of septic shock is thought to be the existence of adrenal dysfunction. Based on changes in glucocorticoid secretion and responsiveness, protein binding, and activity. These changes have been described by the terms "Relative Adrenal Insufficiency" (RAI), or "Critical Illness Related Corticosteroid Insufficiency" (CIRCI), and form part of the rationale for trials of glucocorticoid treatment in septic shock. Diagnostic criteria for these conditions have been based on plasma cortisol profiles and have proven notoriously difficult to establish. The uncertainty in this area arises from the inability of current tests to clearly identify who is truly glucocorticoid "deficient" at a cellular level, and hence who requires supplemental glucocorticoid...
The concentration of trace elements in brain sections was measured by synchrotron radiation X-ray fluorescence. The relative concentration was calculated by means of the normalization of Compton scattering intensity approximately 22 keV, after the normalization for collecting time of X-ray spectrum and the counting of the ion chamber, and subtracting the contribution of the polycarbonate film for supporting sample. Furthermore, the statistical evaluation of the element distribution in various regions of the brain sections of the 20-day-old rats was tested. For investigating the distribution of elements in the brain of iodine deficient rats, Wistar rats were fed with iodine deficient diet and deionized water (ID group). The rats were fed the same iodine deficient diet, but drank KIO_3 solution as control (CT group). The results showed that the contents of calcium (Ca) in thalamus (TH) and copper (Cu) and iron (Fe) in ...
Two strains of Rhizobium: Rhizobium Tropici and Mesorhizobium Ciceri nodulating respectively common bean and chickpea were treated by gamma irradiation (60Co) source. Radiosensibility analysis showed that 800 Gy was the biggest dose supported by these two strains. We isolated gamma irradiated resistant strain in order to select mutant of them which can supported salt stress and phosphorus deficiency. Salinity analysis showed that Mesorhizobium Ciceri 835 strain, can tolerate up to 18g/l (273 mM NaCl) of salt, whereas, their irradiation mutants tolerate salinity up to 33g/l (564mM. NaCl) Rhizobium Tropici CIAT899 can survive at 20g/l (342 mM) either for control strain or mutants. Analysis of phosphorus deficiency showed that either Rhizobium Tropici CIAT899, or Mesorhizobium Ciceri 835 can survive in medium without phosphore. Our results permit us to screen mutants tolerant to these stresses wide spread in Mediterranean soil. In this study, we ...
The most relevant aspects of research and service experience with environmentally-assisted cracking (EAC) of carbon (C) and low-alloy steels (LAS) in high-temperature (HT) water are reviewed, with special emphasis on the primary pressure boundary components of boiling water reactors (BWRs). The main factors controlling the susceptibility to EAC under light water reactor (LWR) conditions are discussed with respect to crack initiation and crack growth. The adequacy and conservatism of the current BWRVIP-60 stress corrosion cracking (SCC) disposition lines (DLs), ASME III fatigue design curves, and ASME XI reference fatigue crack growth curves, as well as of the GE EAC crack growth model are evaluated in the context of recent research results. The operating experience is summarized and compared to the experimental/mechanistic background knowledge. Finally, open questions and possible topics for further research are identified. Laboratory investigations revealed significant effects of ...
All power plant engineers face the problem of peak power demands. Pumped storage plants are used to generate peak load power by pumping up water utilizing off-peak energy of hydrothermal and thermonuclear plants. This is the first accessible text/reference to cover hydroelectric power generation with emphasis on engineering to meet peak power demands by means of pumped storge plants, tidal power plants, and low head power generation. Text covers hydrology, mechanical and electrical equipment, accessories such as penstocks and valves, and civil engineering considerations. Contains descriptions of several existing plants. Includes 200 diagrams and 50 photographs.
All power plant engineers face the problem of peak power demands. Pumped storage plants are used to generate peak load power by pumping up water utilizing off-peak energy of hydrothermal and thermonuclear plants. This is a reference to cover hydroelectric power generation with emphasis on engineering to meet peak power demands by means of pumped storage plants, tidal power plants, and low head power generation. Text covers hydrology, mechanical and electrical equipment, accessories such as penstocks and valves, and civil engineering considerations. Contains descriptions of several existing plants. Includes 200 diagrams and 50 photographs.
The manual presents the fundamentals of thermodynamics and fluid mechanics, the main components of steam power plants, and the power generation process. The following concepts and subjects are discussed at length: steam generator; steam turbines; turbogenerators; condensers; cooling technology; water/steam cycle and water treatment; design data of fossil-fuelled power plants; design and optimisation of nuclear power plant thermodynamics; pipelines and fittings; control systems in steam power plants; connection to the electricity grid and self-supply of thermal power plants; power plant transformer concepts and definitions. (HAG).
The rolB gene of Agrobacterium rhizogenes, whose expression stimulates the formation of roots by transformed plant tissues and other growth alterations in transgenic plants, codes for a beta-glucosidase...Full Text Available
The demand for cogeneration plants is growing worldwide. For the combination of electricity generation and heat extraction in power stations facilitates an excellent fuel exploitation and makes the operator of the plant independent from external energy suppliers. (orig.)
Plants have too long been ignored as useful screening and monitoring systems of environmental mutagens. However, there are about a dozen reliable, some even unique, plant genetic systems that can increase...Full Text Available
The gram-negative plant-pathogenic bacterium Xanthomonas campestris pv. vesicatoria is the causative agent of bacterial spot disease in pepper and tomato plants, which leads to economically...Full Text Available
The effect of plant water deficit on ethylene production by intact plants was tested in three species, beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.), cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.)...Full Text Available
BackgroundPlastid genome content and protein sequence are highly conserved across land plants and their closest algal relatives. Parasitic plants, which obtain some or all of their...Full Text Available
This paper evaluates a new power tower concept that offers significant benefits for commercialization of power tower technology. The concept uses a molten nitrate salt centralreceiver plant to supply heat, in the form of combustion air preheat, to a conventional combined-cycle power plant. The evaluation focused on first commercial plants, examined three plant capacities (31, 100, and 300 MWe), and compared these plants with a solar-only 100-MWe plant and with gas-only combined-cycle plants in the same three capacities. Results of the analysis point to several benefits relative to the solar-only plant including low energy cost for first plants, low capital cost for first plants, reduced risk with respect to business uncertainties, and the potential for new markets. In addition, ...
by American scientists, ecosystems containing a greater number of plant species, produce more biomass.This result ...to meet the increasing demand for land for farmland planted with monocultures, buildings and roads.For ...have hypothesized that greater ecological diversity (diversity of plant and animal species) leads to a greater
Originally designed exclusively for peak load covering, pumped storage plants are now faced with new challenges brought about by the deregulation of the electricity market and the substantial growth of wind power capacity. Today's pumped storage plants are started more frequently and often for shorter periods of time. The grid controlling tasks have increased the importance of the role played by this type of power plant and improved sales considerably. But the operational demands have grown substantially as well. This paper discusses the ensuing adaptation of power plant operation as well as options available to power plant operators. (orig.)
...Rolls Royce Production Plant, Goodwood Rolls Royce Production Plant, Goodwood Rolls Royce Production Plant, Goodwood Browser does not support script. Home ...Wilson Group plc »Projects »Buildings & Infrastructure »Industrial & Distribution »Rolls Royce Production Plant, Goodwood Rolls Royce Production Plant, Goodwood Project Introduction Scott Wilson was ...Robin Hood Airport Robin Hood Airport Doncaster Sheffield Rolls Royce Production Plant, Goodwood Rolls-Royce plc Rolls-Royce plc, New Manufacturing Facility Royal Arsenal Development ...
The purpose of the chapter is to explain briefly the various considerations that enter into determining the general layout or arrangement of typical hydroelectric powerplants, pumping plants, and pumped-storage plants. Some of the important factors that affect or determine the location, type, and layout of the plant and the selection of the major items of equipment included in the installation are outlined in this chapter. The first consideration in the design of a powerplant, pumping plant, or pumped-storage plant is that it adequately perform its function and be structurally safe. The structure is also designed to give a pleasing architectural appearance.
The article presents briefly the plans of the British Petroleum Oil Company for a new hydrogen power plant that includes an offshore platform in the North Sea.
OBJECTIVE--The study was performed to examine the influence of the exposure to magnetic fields in the potrooms of an electrolysis plant on the occurrence of musculoskeletal symptoms among the employees....Full Text Available
The growth and development of rice (Oryzae sativa) seedlings was shown to be regulated epigenetically by a fungal endophyte. In contrast to un-inoculated (nonsymbiotic) plants, endophyte...Full Text Available
Eighteen species of Thai rutaceous plants were investigated for their essential oil contents and compositions. Of these plants, four genera belong to the tribe Citreae. Monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes were commonly found in the essential oils of these plants species while phenylpropanoids were present only as minor components. The distribution of these monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes in each plant produce its characteristic smell. The plants of Clauseneae appeared to be rich sources of sesquiterpenes while these of Citreae were found to contain both monoterpenes and sesquiterpenes. In terms of chemical composition, one hundred and forty-three components were detected from the 18 selected rutaceous plants. The distribution and diversity of these components among the selected plants have been discussed. (author)
The Pinellas Plant has been part of the Department of Energy`s (DOE) nuclear weapons complex since the plant opened in 1957. In March 1995, the DOE sold the Pinellas Plant to the Pinellas County Industry Council (PCIC). DOE has leased back a large portion of the plant site to facilitate transition to alternate use and safe shutdown. The current mission is to achieve a safe transition of the facility from defense production and prepare the site for alternative uses as a community resource for economic development. Toward that effort, the Pinellas Plant Environmental Baseline Report (EBR) discusses the current and past environmental conditions of the plant site. Information for the EBR is obtained from plant records. Historical process and chemical usage information for each area is reviewed during area characterizations.
This report presents the results of a study on Operation and Maintenance (O M) practices in hydroelectric pumped storage plants. The objective of this project, which was sponsored by EPRI, is to record the practical knowledge on the O M of a number of the domestic and foreign pumped storage plants which has been accumulated by their operating staff. Civil, geotechnical, mechanical and electrical aspects of O M of the thirty-five plants visited are discussed, and some general conclusions, as warranted by the commonality of the problems, are drawn. These conclusions may be useful to the planners and designers of future pumped storage projects. In general, due to their layout, diversity and different modes of operation, the plants have few common problems which, in most cases, are limited to the mechanical and electrical aspects of the plants' operation. The data on ...
Data on French nuclear electricity generation sites, nuclear power plant operations personnel, operation simulators, nuclear training centers and training statistics are presented.
Many higher plants produce economically important organic compounds such as oils, resins, tannins, natural rubber, gums, waxes, dyes, flavors and fragrances, pharmaceuticals, and pesticides. However, most species of higher plants have never been described, much less surveyed for chemical or biologically active constituents, and new sources of commercially valuable materials remain to be discovered. Advances in biotechnology, particularly methods for culturing plants cells and tissues, should provide new means for the commercial processing of even rare plants and the chemicals they produce. These new technologies will extend and enhance the usefulness of plants as renewable resources of valuable chemicals. In the future, biologically active plant-derived chemicals can be expected to play an increasingly significant role in the commercial development of new ...
Sep 21, 2006 ... NASA has selected Air Products and Chemicals, Inc., Allentown, Pa., to design, furnish and install a plant to produce liquid nitrogen for ...
This paper focuses on the application and features of a unified multi-machine train condition monitoring and diagnostic system as applied to a 340 MW repowered combined cycle power plant. Modifications during repowering of the plant required the addition of gas turbines, and design changes to the boiler and steam turbine. Operational procedure during startup also had to be developed. In order to improve the economics of operation, enhancement of both plant operational efficiency and availability were required. Thus it was decided to implement an on-line plant-wide multi-machine Condition Monitoring System. In this paper, the details of the condition monitoring system and some of the design details of the power plant are presented. Requirements of a condition monitoring system applicable to a combined cycle plant are also covered. Salient system design features ...
The mutualistic interaction of plants with arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi is characterized by an exchange of nutrients. The plant provides sugars in the form of hexoses to the heterotrophic fungus...Full Text Available
Fully-fired combined cycle plants utilizing the high temperature gas turbine discharge as gas intake for a coal-fired steam generator were developed in the 1960's. Long-term experience and the excellent reliability statistics of the gas turbines of these plants have proven that the thermodynamic, economical and ecological advantages of combined cycle units over conventional units strongly suggest such plants for fossil-fuel applications. This paper describes the design and operation of these plants. Topics are Gersteinwerk Unit K combined-cycle power plant, plant design concept, design criteria and performance, gas turbines, steam generators, steam turbines, various modes of operation, typical plant start-up, environmental considerations, prototype plants and topping old steam turbine ...
Purpose Ultraviolet-B (UV-B) radiation can cause phototoxic macular injuries in young people who have been sunbathing but not sungazing and in welders. Welders have a reportedly increased risk of uveal melanoma. We analyze phakic and pseudophakic risks for solar and welding arc UV-B exposure. Design Optical radiation measurement, analysis, and perspective. Methods Spectral transmittances were measured for UV-transmitting, UV-blocking, and blue-blocking intraocular lenses (IOLs). The photoprotective performances of crystalline and intraocular lenses were analyzed using relevant epidemiologic and laboratory data and action spectra for acute retinal phototoxicity and melanoma photocarcinogenesis. Results Crystalline lens UV-B retinal protection is deficient in children and young adults, incre...
The effects of eight chemicals on the inactivation rate of ultraviolet radiation on the colony building capabilities of two strains of Saccharomyces cervisae - a wild type strain and a mutant deficient in excision repair - were studied. The insecticide methoxychlor, the herbicide 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, the fungicide pentachlorophenol and its metabolite tetrachlorohydroquinone, as well as the chemicals acrylonitrile and 2,3-dichloro-1-propene have no significant impact on the effects of UV radiation in Saccharomyces cerevisae. Depending on the concentration, trichloroethylene increases the sensitivity to UV radiation. The herbicide paraquat provides efficient protection against UV radiation at concentrations where a toxic effect cannot be observed even without UV. The results were rather similar for both strains. (orig.).
Some papers appearing in the two leading clinical journals of our specialty have fundamental defects in design, statistical analysis, and reporting. Actual publications are used to illustrate what investigators should and should not do, from initial planning through to their finished manuscript. A more detailed discussion of the most common statistical methods used in reproductive research is given as an online supplement. Some of these deficiencies illustrate the importance of registry of all study parameters for randomized clinical trials, a process covered in greater detail in an accompanying review and required for those manuscripts to be considered. Authors and reviewers need to be more aware of these requirements and common errors and pitfalls so that only quality manuscripts are pub...
The information gathered as operating manager when implementing the first photovoltaic rural electrification and technology transfer program carried out to date in the world in French Polynesia from 1978 to 1990 are detailed. The technical developments of equipment and the work in progress at the GENEC Cadarache within French, European or IEA programs in order to improve some components or appliances and make up for certain deficiencies are presented. This involves accelerated aging tests, Standardization work, development of high efficiency equipment. Non technical barriers are often emphasized. Technical barriers also exists. Considerable work in many domains of small PV systems remains to be done so as to combine all the conditions required to implement successful large programs in developed as well as in developing countries.
The paper discusses the aspects of repair and retrofitting technique adopted for a damaged reinforced concrete beam-column joint specimen under cyclic loading. A specimen designed based on Indian Standard specifications with consideration of seismic load but without adopting ductile detailing (NonDuctile) was investigated under reverse cyclic loading. Then, the damaged nonductile specimen was repaired with epoxy mortar and grouted using low viscous polymer, and retrofitted using fiber reinforced plastic (FRP) wrapping in beam and column components and steel plate jacketing in joint region. The experimental results showed that the retrofitted specimen not only regained its original strength and stiffness but also has overcome the deficiencies of nonductile detailing. The present study shows...
The newly discovered oxypnictide family of superconductors show very high critical temperatures of up to 55 K. Whilst there is growing evidence that suggests a nodal order parameter, point contact Andreev reflection spectroscopy can provide crucial information such as the gap value and possibly the number of energy gaps involved. For the oxygen deficient NdFeAsO_0_._8_5 with a T_c of 45.5 K, we show that there is clearly a gap value at 4.2 K that is of the order of 7 meV, consistent with previous studies on oxypnictides with lower T_c. In addition, taking the spectra as a function of gold tip contact pressure reveals important changes in the spectra which may be indicative of more complex physics underlying this structure. (rapid communication)
A study was conducted to determine the fitting soil moisture for the normal growth of two-year-old W. sinensis (Sims) Sweets by using gas exchange technique. Remarkable threshold values of net photosynthetic rate (Pn), transpiration rate (Tr) and water use efficiency (WUE) were observed in the W. sinensis leaves treated by various soil moisture and photosynthetic available radiation (PAR). The fitting soil moisture for maintaining a high level of Pn and WUE was in range of 15.3%?26.5% of volumetric water content (VWC), of which the optimal VWC was 23.3%. Under the condition of fitting soil moisture, the light saturation point of leaves occurred at above 800?mol?m?2?s?1, whereas under the condition of water deficiency (VWC, 11.9% and 8.2%) or oversaturation (VWC, 26.5%), the light saturatio...
Paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) is a rare, acquired disease involving multiple hematopoietic cell lines. Characteristics of PNH are intrinsic hemolytic anemia, iron deficiency anemia and venous thrombosis. We report a case of PNH with characterostoc MR and CT findings. The signal intensity of renal cortex was lower than that of medulla on both T1-and T2-weighted MR imaging. On T2 weighted MR images, the liver showed very low signal intensity but the signal intensity of the spleen was normal. On precontrast CT the attenuation of renal cortex was higher than that of renal medulla and the attenuation of liver was higher than that of the spleen. These findings of MR imaging and CT were the result from the deposition of hemosiderin in the cells of proximal convoluted tubules and transfusional hemosiderosis of liver.
The goal of this study is to determine whether physicists at the Russian Nuclear Weapons Institute can profitably service the need for computer aided drug design (CADD) programs. The Russian physicists` primary competitive advantage is their ability to write particularly efficient code able to work with limited computing power; a history of working with very large, complex modeling systems; an extensive knowledge of physics and mathematics, and price competitiveness. Their primary competitive disadvantage is their lack of biology, and cultural and geographic issues. The first phase of the study focused on defining the competitive landscape, primarily through interviews with and literature searches on the key providers of CADD software. The second phase focused on users of CADD technology to determine deficiencies in the current product offerings, to understand what product they most desired, and to define the potential demand for such a product.
The purpose of this paper is to relate some of the commonly encountered problems with operational procedures in the nuclear industry and offer practical suggestions for their elimination. The paper is based on recent consultant experience in assisting industry clients with human performance related design and assessment initiatives. Operational procedures are a key part of an integrated system design. Procedures provide the specified instructions for actions people are to undertake in operating a facility to achieve production and safety goals. While organizations continue to make substantial investments in procedure development and maintenance, problems with procedures continue to occur, as evidenced through operating inefficiencies, errors, and events. The paper reviews the role procedures play in facility operations, comments on current development and maintenance practices, discusses the extent of human performance related problems attributed to procedure ...
This article reviews the principal evidences about aluminum neurotoxicity in vitro, and some evidences in brain tissues of Alzheimer patients; and also show some studies realized with human that suffer renal deficiencies, dealing whit the principal osteodystrophy. The problem of analyzing low aluminum concentration in human fluids is overcome with very sensitive analytical methods as electrothermal atomic absorption spectrometry (ETAS) and voltammetric methods as Anodic Striping Voltammetry with complexing agents that easing adsorption over solid electrodes or mercury hanging drops. Is a vital question to know with accuracy the aluminum concentration in water used in hemodialysis or in fluids used in ambulatory peritoneal dialysis, as a first stage to prevent contamination by aluminum. So the prevention of contamination during sapling storage and analysis of biological fluids should be the first need and the sources of water used in renal dialysis keep be as clean ...
Since August 1984, the MITRE Corporation has been supporting the Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) and the Naval Medical Command (NAVMEDCOM) in their joint efforts to enhance the Navy Occupational Health Information Management System (NOHIMS). The goal of the enhancement effort was to create a comprehensive occupational health and safety system for Navy industrial facilities by expanding upon the original NOHIMS functions and adding modules for hazard deficiency abatement, hazardous-material control, injury claims and compensation, and safety and health training. To meet this goal, MITRE developed an enhanced industrial subsystem, referred to as the Occupational Safety and Health Record Keeping System (OSHRKS), using a prototyping approach and a public-domain data base-management software package, the Veterans Administration's (VA's) FileManager (FileMan).
The systematic behavior of excited nuclear levels was studied with Lu (Z = 71), Ta (Z = 73), and Re (Z = 75) activities produced in the ORNL proton cyclotron. Conversion-electron data are presented for electron-capture decay of Lu/sup 170.174m/, Ta/sup 173-178/, and Re/sup 179.181/. Level schemes are proposed based on these and on previously published up 173.175-179/, tulated. The proper ties of odd-A nuclei in the strongly deformed region of odd-N numbers 95-107 are discussed in connection with predictions of Mottelson and Nilsson. Two activities, Lu/sup 174m/ and Re/sup 179/ ( es sufficiert t 20 min), are previously unreported. (auth)
We describe the analysis of forward mutations induced in the tetracycline resistance gene of the plasmid pBR322 by directing the reaction of the carcinogen N-acetoxy-N-2-acetylaminofluorene (N-AcO-AAF) to a small restriction fragment (BamHI, SalI) that is located in the proximal part of the antibiotic-resistance gene. Mutant plasmids obtained both in wild type and excision repair deficient (uvrA) bacterial cells are compared. Preliminary data showing the distribution of the -AAF adducts along this restriction fragments are discussed in relation to the observed spectrum of mutations. 20 references, 4 figures.
Bariatric surgical procedures have become important therapeutic options for treatment of morbid obesity in both adults and adolescents co-morbidities of obesity such as glucose intolerance, type 2 diabetes (T2DM), metabolic syndrome, steatohepatitis, hyperlipidemia and cardiovascular disease. These co-morbidities of obesity have significant impacts on the overall quality of life of the individual and our society at large. Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) and the relatively newer procedures of gastric banding (GB) and vertical sleeve gastrectomy (VSG) have proven to be efficacious in achieving rapid weight loss and reversing the comorbidities of obesity. Unfortunately, bariatric procedures are not without risks including micronutrient deficiency, failure to maintain lost weight, and mortalit...
The 50th anniversary of Mary Lyon?s 1961 Nature paper, proposing random inactivation in early embryonic life of one of the two X chromosomes in the cells of mammalian females, provides an opportunity to remember and celebrate the work of those involved. While the hypothesis was initially put forward by Lyon based on findings in the mouse, it was founded on earlier studies, notably the work of Susumu Ohno; it was also suggested independently by Beutler and colleagues using experimental evidence from a human X-linked disorder, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency, and has proved to be of as great importance for human and medical genetics as it has for general mammalian genetics. Alongside the hypothesis itself, previous cytological studies of mouse and human chromosomes, and the obse...
Abstract A Pseudomonas sp. isolate MSB1 efficiently inhibited the growth of Flavobacterium psychrophilum of different serotypes on agar medium. A significant difference in the inhibition was observed between isolates of the less virulent FpT serotype compared to the Fd and Th serotypes. In broth coculture experiments, a low number of cells of MSB1 inhibited and outcompeted the F.psychrophilum cells. Also cell-free culture supernatant of MSB1 clearly repressed the growth of F.psychrophilum. A chromoazurol S assay suggested that MSB1 produced efficient siderophores, which most probably were responsible for the iron deficiency in the supernatant. The limited growth of F.psychrophilum in the supernatant was found to be partly because of the lack of available iron, but the results also indicate...
This research aims to develop reliable, advanced system thermal-hydraulic computer code and to quantify the uncertainties of code to introduce the best estimate methodology of ECCS for LBLOCA. Although the one of best estimate code, RELAP5/MOD3.1 was introduced from USNRC, several deficiencies in its reflood model and some improvements have been made. The improvements consist of modification of reflood wall heat transfer package and adjusting the drop size in dispersed flow regime. The tome smoothing of wall vaporization and level tracking model are also added to eliminate the pressure spike and level oscillation. For the verification of improved model and quantification of associated uncertainty, the FLECHT-SEASET data were used and upper limit of uncertainty at 95% confidence level is evaluated. (Author) 30 refs., 49 figs., 2 tabs.
Astrocytes have important immune functions in CNS, and astrocytes stimulated by interferon-g were showed to have direct antimicrobial function. However whether astrocytes without the stimulation of cytokines have antibacterial function, and how this function is regulated are still largely unknown. In this study, we found that primary cultured astrocytes inhibited the growth of both gram-negative and gram-positive bacteria. Further more, we showed that interleukin-1b (IL-1b) enhanced the antibacterial effect in a dose-dependent manner, and the antibacterial effect of astrocytes from IL-1b receptor-deficient mice failed to be enhanced by IL-1b. IL-1b stimulated IkBa degradation, NF-kB nuclear translocation, and transactivation in astrocytes. NF-kB inhibitors blocked NF-kB activation and the ...
Cytoreductive conditioning regimes designed to allow for successful allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) paradoxically are also detrimental to recovery of the immune system in general but lymphopoiesis in particular. Post-transplant immune depletion is particularly striking within the T cell compartment which is exquisitely sensitive to negative regulation, evidenced by the profound decline in thymic function with age. As a consequence, regeneration of the immune system remains a significant unmet clinical need. Over the past decade studies have revealed several promising therapeutic strategies to address ineffective lymphopoiesis and post-transplant immune deficiency. These include the use of cytokines such as IL-7, IL-12 and IL-15; growth factors and hormones li...
In Haiti, and other semiarid regions of the world, the need for fuelwood and forage is critical. The report summarizes research conducted over a ten year period on developing replicable plantations of leguminous trees in semiarid lands, especially in areas near seawater salinity levels. Research included greenhouse and laboratory work followed by field trials in Haiti and focused on two species: Prosopis and Leucaena. (Acacia is mentioned in the report's title but not in the report itself.) Results were as follows. (1) Greenhouse experiments identified leaf diagnostic criteria indicating mineral nutrient deficiencies in field trees. It also established the importance of micronutrients, especially zinc, in permitting growth in high pH (9.0) soils.
Dispersed flow film boiling is the heat transfer regime that occurs at high void fractions in a heated channel. The way this transfer mode is modelled in the NRC computer codes (RELAP5 and TRAC) and the validity of the assumption and empirical correlations used is discussed. An extensive review of the theoretical and experimental work related with heat transfer to highly dispersed mixtures reveals the basic deficiencies of these models: the investigation refers mostly to the typical conditions of low rate bottom reflooding, since the simulation of this physical situation by the computer codes has often showed poor results. The alternative models that are available in the literature are reviewed, and their merits and limits are highlighted. The modification that could improve the physics of the models implemented in the codes are identified. (author) 13 figs., 123 refs.
Sulfur pollution can lead to serious problems in freshwater wetlands, including phosphorus eutrophication and sulfide toxicity. We tested the effects of anaerobic iron-rich groundwater discharge in fens, simulated by iron injection, on two characteristic species (Juncus effusus and Caltha palustris) in a sulfidic environment. Biomass production of C. palustris roots showed an optimum response to the combined addition of iron and sulfide, with highest values at intermediate concentrations of both substances. Iron deficiency apparently occurred at low iron concentrations, while at high iron concentrations, growth was decreased. For J. effusus, in contrast, no toxic effects were found of both iron and sulfide. This could be explained by larger radial oxygen loss (ROL) of J. effusus and could ...
Exposure to urban air pollution is an independent risk factor for increased cardiovascular diseases. Heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) has been implicated in the pathogenesis of vascular dysfunction and cardiovascular diseases. This study has been designed to determine whether inhalation of urban air induces HSP70 expression in the lung and blood as well as the association of HSP70 and air pollution-induced vascular dysfunction. Apolipoprotein E (Apo-E) deficient mice were exposed to diesel exhaust (DE) either acutely (3 days, 200 or 400 g/m3 for 6 h/day) or chronically (7 weeks, 200 or 400 g/m3 for 6 h/day). HSP70 was measured in the lung using immunohistochemistry, and in the plasma by ELISA. Abdominal aorta rings were used to determine vascular functional responses. Chronic DE-exposure incr...
Pro-inflammatory cytokines may directly influence the viability and metabolic function of colonic epithelial cells (CEC) as an early event in the development of inflammatory bowel disease. We report here that TNF-alpha+IFN-gamma induced a synergistic, concentration-dependent decline in butyrate oxidation, an essential energy supply, in HT-29 and DLD-1 cells. TNF-alpha+IFN-gamma induced a parallel profound decline in cell viability in HT-29 cells, but not in DLD-1 cells, where impairment of butyrate oxidation seemed to precede later occurrence of cell damage. TNF-alpha+INF-gamma induced CEC damage was independent on NO formation and involved the IFN-gamma signalling pathway as well as induction of apoptosis. If cytokines have similar effects in vivo, these may lead to energy deficiency and thus contribute to CEC damage and disturbance of the epithelial integrity.
Sorghum is a good candidate crop for breeding to increase provitamin A, i.e., biofortification. Yellow endosperm sorghums contain carotenoids, including precursors of vitamin A, and sorghum is a major staple crop in areas of Asia and Africa where vitamin A deficiency is prevalent. Our objective was to collect and characterize yellow endosperm sorghums as a potential new source of genetic diversity to increase provitamin A content. A set of 164 landraces were collected from southern Niger and northern Nigeria. The most important use of these cultivars was as food. The endosperm exhibited a significant variation in yellow intensity. Lutein, zeaxanthin and ?-carotene were the most abundant carotenoids in the ten landraces with the most intense yellow color. Cluster analysis, principal coordin...
In the autonomous unmanned helicopter landing problem, the position of the unmanned helicopter relative to the landmark is very important. A camera carried on the unmanned helicopter can capture an image of the landmark. In earlier research, it was reported that the camera position could be estimated by features extracted from the landmark image. However, it is necessary that the landmark image should be complete, or with only slight deficiencies, in order for this estimation process to be possible. In this article, we report on an innovative design for an estimation made from a camera position giving an incomplete single image of the landmark. An adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS) is used to construct the mapping relation between the features of complete and incomplete landmark...
Abstract Alcoa World Alumina Australia mines bauxite under lease agreements with the Government of Western Australia. The leases lie in the Darling Range to the east of Perth, the capital and major population center. In addition to bauxite and other mineral ores, the Darling Range is a major potable water source and harbors a species-rich forest dominated by Jarrah (Eucalyptus marginata), a significant commercial timber. Conservation and recreation are important land uses in the region. Social and political pressures have led to stringent governmental requirements for restoration. In addition, a summer drought period, a soil deficient in most nutrients, water management challenges, an introduced disease, caused by Phytophthora cinnamomi Rands, and a post-mining ecosystem that must be condu...
We have performed ab initio calculations on a wide range of small molecules, demonstrating the accuracy and flexibility of an alternative method for calculating the electronic structure of molecules, solids, and surfaces. It is based on the local-density approximation (LDA) for exchange and correlation and the nonlinear augmented-plane-wave method. Very accurate atomic forces are obtained directly. This allows for implementation of Car-Parrinello-like techniques to determine simultaneously the self-consistent electron wave functions and the equilibrium atomic positions within an iterative scheme. We find excellent agreement with the best existing LDA-based calculations and remarkable agreement with experiment for the equilibrium geometries, vibrational frequencies, and dipole moments of a wide variety of molecules, including strongly bound homopolar and polar molecules, hydrogen-bound and electron-deficient molecules, and weakly bound alkali and noble-metal dimers, ...
The report presents details of the distributions of air pollution in the Berlin area and the developments of the past 20 years. Highly polluted areas are indicated in which air pollution reduction measures are particularly urgent. The report therefore intends not only to inform but also to point out the deficiencies of air pollution abatement measures, so that political consequences can be derived and measures can be taken. In all, data were recorded by 39 measuring stations in West Berlin, 16 in East Berlin, and 7 in Potsdam and Frankfurt/Oder. In most stations, sulphur dioxide and airborne dust were measured; 14 stations in West Berlin and one in East Berlin measured carbon monoxide and nitric oxides; 8 stations in West Berlin recorded ozone concentrations. (orig./KW).
Abstract Micronutrient deficiencies are a public health concern among young children in low-income countries, and novel strategies are needed to improve the nutritional status of children at risk. One promising approach is the use of lipid-based nutrient supplements (LNS), which can be added to complementary food at the time of consumption. The optimal amount of zinc to include in LNS is uncertain, and concerns have been expressed about possible adverse effects of zinc on sensory characteristics of LNS. We conducted a series of acceptability studies of LNS containing either 0 or 10-mg of zinc per daily 20-g LNS dose among Burkinabe children 9-15 months old and their mothers. These acceptability studies included observations of children's consumption, maternal and child sensory reaction to ...
Measurements are made of the isomeric ratio for the (n,2n) and (#betta#,n) reactions on the neutron-deficient nuclei _9_2Mo, _9_0Zr, _8_6Sr and _7_4Se. A method is developed for calculating the isomeric ratio for a low excitation energy of the residual nucleus. The good agreement found between experimental results and calculations for the (#betta#,n) reaction confirms the choices of residual nucleus characteristics, transmission coefficients of neutrons emitted etc. used in the calculations. The results of a study of the (n,2n) reaction were used to find the spin dependences of nuclear level density in the excitation energy region approx. 14 MeV. (author).
Nuclear options for electricity generations are assessed in this paper. Probabilistic (stochastic) method is used for economic comparison of nuclear power plants, wind plants and natural gas fired plants. Optimal nuclear power plant size is also discussed. IRIS is presented as a representative of small and medium reactors
Some general topical information (generating capacity and electric power generation, development and structure of electric power consumption, frequency and peak load, exchange of electricity) is followed by an account of the situation of coal-fired power plants, hydroelectric power plants and nuclear power plants, and a brief discussion of the environmental situation (emissions and wastes, immissions, and air pollution abatement measures for power plants). (orig./UA).
Technetium transfer from soil to edible parts of various agricultural plants is studied with application of the "9"5"mTc radioactive tracer. The samples of agricultural plants were grown on andesol typical for Japan soil. The technetium transfer factor to edible parts of cultivated lettuce was higher as compared to non foliate cultures. Relative low transfer factor were observed for fruit and pod like plants. the transfer factors for root crops were of intermediate value
In Hungary, legislation for nuclear power plants was developed at the end of the 1970s, among which is the quality assurance code for nuclear power plants. Hungarian practice is presented, including discussion of the requirements for quality assurance, qualification of the suppliers and inspection practices. The general requirements of quality assurance in the course of construction of a nuclear power plant are presented: quality assurance of technological equipment, fuel, electrical equipment, automatic instrumentations, building structures and technology.
The general requirements applicable to the quality assurance of the Finnish nuclear power plants are presented in the Council of State Decision (395/91) and in the guide YVL 1.4. This guide specifies the quality assurance requirements to be applied during the operation of the nuclear power plants as well as of the other nuclear facilities. Quality assurance applies to all the activities and organizations with a bearing on the safe operation of the nuclear power plants. (5 refs.).
Experience and technical innovations in power plant engineering have resulted in continuous improvements of operation control, availability and safety of pumped storage plants. Process control is constantly improved as new developments are made in equipment and systems engineering. Plant control concepts with increasingly complex automation hierarchy are described by which pumped storage processes can be controlled optimally, reliably, and automatically.
...Assemblages of plants and invertebrate animals of tumulus (organic mound) springs of the Swan Coastal Plain Assemblages of plants and invertebrate animals of tumulus ...organic mound) springs of the Swan Coastal Plain [Skip navigation links] About us | Contact us | Publications |...ecological communities Assemblages of plants and invertebrate animals of tumulus (organic mound) springs of the Swan Coastal Plain Advice to the Minister for the ...of the 'Assemblages of plants and invertebrate animals of tumulus (organic mound) springs of the Swan Coastal Plain' community sufficient to distinguish it from ...
This is a manuscript for a lecture contents: 1. Steam power and fundamentals of the steam power process, 2. conventional, nuclear and other steam generation processes, 3. cooling systems for steam power plants, 4. gas turbine power plants and combined-cycle power plants, 5. cogeneration, 6. development of thermal power plants and environmental effects. (orig.).
This is a manuscript for a lecture contents: 1) Steam power and fundamentals of the steam power process, 3) conventional, nuclear and other steam generation processes, 4) cooling systems for steam power plants, 5) gas turbine power plants and combined-cycle power plants, 6) cogeneration, 7) development of thermal power plants and environmental effects. (GL).
In the paper, a potential of solar energy for drying of medicinal plants in Polish conditions is estimated and development of solar drying technologies is presented. The results of economic assessment of flat-plate solar collectors applied for drying of medicinal plants on a farm are promising. In some specific conditions, e.g. drying of wild grown medicinal plants in remote areas, even application of photovoltaic modules for driving of a fan of a solar dryer is a profitable option and enables easy control of the drying air temperature.
The operating histories and performance of a large (180 MWsub(e)) central condensing plant and five small (5 MWsub(e)) wellhead backpressure power plants are presented. The thermodynamic performance of the central plant is compared with an estimated possible performance based upon the work of Michaelides. Both types of plant have been shown to be reliable despite some problems due to the contaminants which are associated with geothermal steam.
This standard provides requirements and guidelines for installation, inspection and testing activities that assure the quality of important mechanical parts of a nuclear power plant not covered by the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code, Section III, during construction. These parts include those mechanical systems and components whose satisfactory performance is required: for the plant to operate reliably; to prevent accidents that could cause undue risk to the health and safety of the public; or to mitigate the consequences of such accidents if they were to occur. The requirements of this standard deal with the protection and control necessary to assure that the requisite quality of those important parts of the plant are preserved from the time items are removed from storage or receiving until they are incorporated into the plant up to but not including fuel loading for PWR ...
Adding capacity to coal-fired plants in small increments of an overall integrated program may be the solution to the 10-year lead time required for the construction of a new plant. A preliminary study evaluates the technical and economic feasibility of a modular natural gas and coal-fired combined-cycle power plant which can be installed in three distinct phases. The plant sizes are suitable for large industrial and utility applications. The Modular Block Power Plant (MBPP) concept offers the advantages of phase construction, lower capital cost, lower cost electricity, lower air emissions, lower water requirements, and reduced solid waste discharge. Other advantages include part load availability, reduced coal inventory requirements, and easier plant siting. 11 figures, 4 tables.
Polysomaty analysis of the succulent portulaca (Portulaca grandiflora Hook.) plant was carried out using flow cytometry. For both diploid and tetraploid plants, mature leaf tissue was found to have a higher level of polysomaty than young leaf tissue. Mesophyll (MP), bundle sheath (BSP) and water storage protoplasts (WSP) were isolated from leaf tissues of diploid portulaca plants. WSP had a higher degree of endopolyploidization than MP and BSP. The ploidy distribution was also variable in different floral organs. Tetraploid plants artificially induced by colchicine treatment showed a decline in the degree of polysomaty compared to diploid plants. Tetraploid plants had more spherical leaves, a larger number of petals and lower pollen fertility than diploid plants. PMID:10936528
Optimum plant operation can often be achieved by means of constraint control instead of model- based on-line optimization. This is because optimum operation is seldom at the top of the hill but usually at the intersection of constraints. This article describes the development of a constraint control system for a plant producing ethylbenzene (EB) by the Mobil/Badger Ethylbenzene Process. Plant optimization can be defined as the maximization of a profit function describing the economics of the plant. This function contains terms with product values, feedstock prices and operational costs. Maximization of the profit function can be obtained by varying relevant degrees of freedom in the plant, such as a column operating pressure or a reactor temperature. These degrees of freedom can be varied within the available operating margins of the plant.
The design, construction and operation of a pilot plant are often important stages in the development of a project for the production of uranium concentrates. Since building and operating a pilot plant is very costly and may not always be required, it is important that such a plant be built only after several prerequisites have been met. The main purpose of this guidebook is to discuss the objectives of a pilot plant and its proper role in the overall project. Given the wide range of conditions under which a pilot plant may be designed and operated, it is not possible to provide specific details. Instead, this book discusses the rationale for a pilot plant and provides guidelines with suggested solutions for a variety of problems that may be encountered. This guidebook is part of a series of Technical Reports on uranium ore processing being prepared by the ...
A pipeless batch plant is a batch processing production system using mobile vessels. The plant performances depend on both hardware of equipment and software of operation. So the plant includes many design factors such as number of vessels, stations and AGVS, layout of stations, vessel moving rules, job scheduling and so on. In this paper, the characteristics of pipeless batch plant design are considered to handle the problem by the systems engineering approach. Then, a practical design method known as design-by-analysis is applied to solve such a complex design problem. Based on this concept, a design support system composed of modeling, simulation and evaluation subsystems is developed. This system enables rational decision making through performance evaluation for proposed design of a pipeless batch plant. The usefulness of the system is illustrated by industrial examples. 12 ...
Research in concentrated thermal solar power plants of all types and, in particular, those based on central receiver, namely solar tower plants, has experienced great impetus in the last decade, reaching full commercial operation with the PS10 plant in Spain. In spite of previous demonstration plants testing different receivers and power cycle layouts, this first commercial power plant adopted a cavity receiver generating saturated steam and therefore penalising cycle efficiency in order to gain plant reliability. According to the experience gained, if a competitive Levelised Cost of Electricity is to be reached, capital and maintenance costs must be reduced and efficiencies must be increased. To achieve these goals, modifying the power cycle is deemed essential, whether using superheated ...
The present investigation was conducted at Ismaillia Research Station-Agricultural Research Center, Ismaillia Governorate, during the two successive seasons of 2000 and 2001. Two varieties of peanut (Arachis hypogaea L) namely Giza 4 and Giza 5 were treated with gamma ray doses; 10,15, 20, 25 Kr in order to induce genetic variability and to study the importance of the relative contribution of peanut yield components by employing some statistical procedures, i.e. simple correlation, multiple linear regression and stepwise regression analysis. The results showed that, there was significant positive correlation between seed yield/plant and no. of pods/plant, 100 seed weight, shelling percentage and pod yield/plant, and there was significant positive correlation between pod yield/plant and no of seed/plant,100 pod weight and 100 seed weight. The multiple linear regression analysis ...
Binary geothermal plants were investigated for providing electrical power for MX missile bases. A number of pure hydrocarbons and hydrocarbon mixtures were evaluated as working fluids for geothermal resource temperatures of 365, 400, and 450/sup 0/F. Cycle thermodynamic analyses were conducted for pure geothermal plants and for two types of coal-geothermal hybrid plants. Cycle performance results were presented as net geofluid effectiveness (net plant output in watts per geofluid flow in 1 bm/hr) and cooling water makeup effectiveness (net plant output in watts per makeup water flow in 1 bm/hr). A working fluid containing 90% (mass) isobutane/10% hexane was selected, and plant statepoints and energy balances were determined for 20MW(e) geothermal plants at each of the three resource temperatures. Working fluid heaters and condensers were ...
Due to changed operational conditions and because of the increasing age of several hydro power plant components, there is an increasing risk of damages and the control of degradation mechanisms is of increasing significance. Therefore lifetime considerations for safety relevant components in pumped-storage plants become more and more important. The development of a lifetime management system, in conjunction with monitoring systems and specific surveillance for a group of pumped-storage power plants of different ages and in a wide range of power output is presented. The special focus is on the impact of fatigue strength considerations within this framework. The applied procedure will be described for typical mechanical components in pumped-storage plants exemplarily. (orig.)
A case study of a small-scale hydroelectric plant to identify implementation problems is presented. The Montello hydroelectric plant is described including the background and history of the plant, the physical characteristics, the financial history and costs, operation, regulatory agencies, and the problems encountered in its operation. The analyses of the energy and capacity (demand) credits for the Montello hydroelectric plant when it is added to the Wisconsin Power and Light Company generating system is described. The WP and L base case and the results of the analyses are discussed. (WHK)
Outage is a specific period of time for radiation protection in a nuclear power plant, in which the radiation risk and collective dose are both at the highest level. In this article, the practice and experience of occupational exposure control in the outages of Daya Bay Nuclear Power Plant are introduced through following aspects: early involvement in outage preparation by radiation protection service, control of source term, radiation protection and safety management in the outage implementation processes, the effectiveness of the plant's safety management network and overall involvement of all staffs of the plant, experience feedback and continuous improvement in radiation protection management, etc
The elemental analysis of some plant samples have been carried out in Trabzon region (Turkey) using energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF) spectrometry. We have analyzed plant samples for nine stations using 1.85 GBq 55Fe radioactive sources. We have found that potassium and calcium within 0.3-1.4% and 0.3-2.8% were present in concentration in plants for every station, respectively. The concentration of Cl and Ti generally changed according to the plant species and the sampling station.
Kawasaki Heavy Industries, Ltd. has developed a gas turbine combined cycle and cogeneration plant computer aided engineering (CAE) system, which creates cycle heat balance automatically on given configurations of gas turbines, heat recovery boilers, steam turbines and auxiliaries. The system can predict the performance of the plant as a function of control set points, loads, process steam requirements and ambient conditions, which enables accurate and fast design of gas turbine combined cycle and cogeneration plants. (author)
Despite the fact that there is still a potential to improve the efficiency of classic brown coal power plants by various measures from 36% to approx. 40-41%, the essential big increase of the efficiency to values of approx. 46% can only be achieved by the transition to combined gas and steam turbine processes. This means for the solid fuel brown coal that a gasification is integrated into the power plant process. The combined cycle power plant with an integrated brown coal gasification represents this new power plant concept. The applied High Temperature Winkler method (HTW-method) is an advancement of the Winkler method that works at environmental pressure and was developed by the Rheinbraun AG. (orig./DG).
The paper deals with the exploitation of the pumped storage plants for the control of the Slovak power system. For that purpose current utilization of pumped storage plants currently in operation was analyzed from the point of view of their part in the operation control of the Slovak power system. The aim of this analysis was to exploit knowledge gained so far for the future outlook up to the year 2010, including the evaluation of the need to construct pumped storage plant Ipel with a weekly storage cycle. (author).
A semiquantitative assay was developed and used to measure the effects of immune responses against 16 independent non-H-2 antigenic loci on erythropoietic stem cells. The assay compares repopulation in genetically anemic WBB6F1-W/Wv recipients that have normal immune responses, and in lethally irradiated WBB6F1 +/+ mice whose immune responses are suppressed by the irradiation. The differences in repopulating ability between these two types of recipients measure how immune responses affect erythropoietic stem cells. Stem cell repopulating abilities for the cells with antigens specified by the Thy-1, H-1, H-24, Ly-1, H-37, and H-17 loci were affected slightly, if at all. Repopulating abilities were moderately reduced by responses against antigens specified by H-15, 16, Ea-2, and Ly-2, 3 loci, and against the differences between the B6 and B10 genotypes, although marrow of these types cured W/Wv recipients. A surprising result occurred for the ...
Metabolism of benzene is thought to be necessary to produce the toxic effects, including carcinogenicity, associated with benzene exposure. To extrapolate from the results of rodent studies to potential health risks in man, one must know how benzene metabolism is affected by species, dose, dose rate, and repeated versus single exposures. The purpose of our studies was to determine the effect of repeated inhalation exposures on the metabolism of [14C]benzene by rodents. Benzene metabolism was assessed by characterizing and quantitating urinary metabolites, and by quantitating 14C bound to hemoglobin and micronuclei induction. F344/N rats and B6C3F1 mice were exposed, nose-only, to 600 ppm benzene or to air (control) for 6 hr/day, 5 days/week for 3 weeks. On the last day, both benzene-pretreated and control animals were exposed to 600 ppm, 14C-labeled benzene for 6 hr. Individual benzene metabolites in urine collected for 24 hr after the exposure ...
Laser excited luminescence and site selective excitation spectra of trivalent terbium (Tb"3"+) in two rare earth oxyfluoride (ROF) matrices, LaOF and GdOF, were detected at temperatures down to liquid helium. From the analyses of spectra, the crystal field (c.f.) fine structure of the "7F_J (J=0-6) ground multiplet was obtained for the 4f"8 electron configuration. The energy level schemes comprising 26 c.f. sublevels out of 33 allowed for the C_3_v point symmetry of the R"3"+ site were simulated according to a phenomenological model taking into account only the c.f. effect. The simulation including six c.f. parameters (B_0"2, B_0"4, B_3"4, B_0"6, B_3"6, and B_6"6) reproduced the experimental energy level schemes in a satisfactory manner with rms deviations of 5 and 6 cm"-"1 for the LaOF and GdOF hosts, respectively. The c.f. parameter sets are characterized by B_0"2 values close to zero while the fourth and sixth rank parameters assumed rather ...
Statements about the dynamic processes of uptake, transport, and deposition of Ca and Mg in norway spruce and Scots pine are made in this paper. Concerning the storage of these elements it is shown that there are great differences in their functional importance in cell metabolism. There is evidence that the role of Mg in enzyme and protein metabolism is of far greater significance for the understanding of Mg-deficiency symptoms than its function as the central atom of the chlorophyll complexes. In regard to the transport and especially to the incorporation of Ca into the needles differences between species were evident, expressing the special status of pine among the gymnosperms. With increasing needle age an accumulation of Ca-oxalate crystals, which are physiologically inert, could be proved for the studied conifers. This was interpreted as a 'detoxication' from surplus Ca to hold constant the level of the physiologically active fraction. Accordingly, the low ...
S100A4, a member of the Ca(2+)-activated S100 protein family, regulates the motility and invasiveness of cancer cells. Moreover, high S100A4 expression levels correlate with poor patient survival in several cancers. Although biochemical, biophysical, and structural data indicate that S100A4 is a noncovalent dimer, it is unknown if two functional S100A4 monomers are required for the productive recognition of protein targets and the promotion of cell invasion. To address this question, we created covalently linked S100A4 dimers using a glycine rich flexible linker. The single-chain S100A4 (sc-S100A4) proteins exhibited wild-type affinities for calcium and nonmuscle myosin-IIA, retained the ability to regulate nonmuscle myosin-IIA assembly, and promoted tumor cell invasion when expressed in S100A4-deficient colon carcinoma cells. Mutation of the two calcium-binding EF-hands in one monomer, while leaving the other monomer intact, caused a 30-60-fold reduction in ...
The objective of this research is to determine the role of DNA repair in mutagenesis and carcinogenesis in mammalian cells. Use of the host-cell reactivation viral suicide enrichment procedure was initiated in the isolation of repair-deficient mutants. Lightly mutagenized BHK cells were infected with irradiated Herpes simplex virus (HSV); several radiation-sensitive strains were isolated among the survivors of the infection. The characterization of these strains is progressing and the enrichments are continuing. That alterations in the frequency of mutation of C3H/10T 1/2 cells, occurring as a result of holding the cells in a confluent state following treatment with ethylmethane sulfonate, parallel the alterations in the frequency of neoplastic transformation was found. The repair capabilities of BHK cells were found to be intermediate in comparison to repair-proficient and -deficient human cells with regard to the reactivation of HSV treated ...
To assess the utility of magnetic resonance (MR) imaging in the study of pediatric patients with clinical suspicion of pituitary disease. We studied 18 patients aged 7 to 18 years.Fifteen had hormonal disturbances, two presented amenorrhea and 1 complained of headache, fever and symptoms of polyuria and polydipsia. All the patients were examined using a Siemens SP 42 1-Tesla MRI scanner. Sagittal and coronal T1-weighted spin-echo images were obtained; in addition T2-weighted spin-echo or fast spin-echo imaging was performed in ten cases and intravenous gadolinium was administered in nine. We found 9 patients with hypothalamic-pituitary dysgenesis, 2 with germinoma, 2 cases of pituitary hemosiderosis in patients with thalassemia, 2 cases of microadenoma, one abscess, one case of idiopathic central diabetes insipidus and one of Langerhans cell histiocytosis. MR enabled us to assess pituitary structural alterations in children with hypothalamic-pituitary hormone ...
Iron deficiency anaemia is an important health problem in Peru, which affects approximately 25% of the population. The most vulnerable groups are children below 5 years of age and pregnant women, of whom 64% and 53% respectively are anemic. The main reason for this deficiency is inadequate iron intake. Heme iron consumption is very low, and non-heme iron is virtually the only source of iron in the diet. Despite regional differences in food consumption, wheat, salt and sugar are widely consumed in all areas. Wheat is likely to be the most suitable food vehicle for iron fortification due to the processing required. Based on the recent food consumption surveys conducted in Lima by the IIN, we selected examples of typical main meals and measured iron bioavailability in the diet using an extrinsic tag method with 1.5 #mu#Ci of "5"9Fe and 5 #mu#Ci of "5"5Fe as markers. Coffee with bread and butter for breakfast, noodle soup with vegetables, rice with ...
The neutron data required to completely analyze fission reactors includes many isotopes and covers a broad energy range. In both fast and thermal reactors, the neutron inventory is a fine balance determined by the fission properties of "2"3"5U, "2"3"9Pu and "2"3"8U and by the capture cross sections of "2"3"8U, fuel materials, structural materials and coolant materials. In fast reactors, the spectrum of neutrons ranges from 1 keV to 3 MeV and is influenced by the elastic and inelastic scattering properties of "2"3"8U and the structural and coolant materials. For neutron shielding applications, the important neutron data include the total cross sections of structural and coolant materials in the MeV range. The impact of these basic nuclear data in fission reactor applications is most suitably described by sensitivity analysis. For example, sensitivity coefficients computed for a typical large plutonium fueled fast reactor indicate that a percent increase in the "2"3"9Pu(n,f) cross ...
Radiation chimeras in the early phase after bone marrow transplantation are a good model to study the efficiency of the body's nonspecific defense system represented by macrophages (M phi), polymorphonuclear cells (PMN), and NK cells. These cell types are present in large numbers in spleen and liver at that time, whereas the specific immune system represented by T and B cells is functionally deficient. We previously reported enhanced activities in vitro of M phi (and PMN) from recipient animals in an early phase after allogeneic bone marrow transfer. We here demonstrate that these activities result in enhanced spontaneous resistance against Listeria monocytogenes in vivo: CFU of L. monocytogenes in spleen and liver 48 h after infection were about 1 or 2 to 4 log steps less than in untreated control mice of donor or host haplotype. This enhanced resistance decreased over the 4-mo period after marrow transfer. Preactivated M phi were identified as the most important ...
The present guidelines supplement the 'VGB guidelines for the reduction of noise in thermal power plants' with indications for the ordering and quality assurance of the individual noise-producing machines and equipment of power plant operation. These guides are to simplify the commissioning and delivering for the orderer and deliverer. In addition, these guidelines are to lead to a successful cooperation of all parties in the reduction of the sound radiation. A precondition for this is an explanation of the sound technical demands which must be made on the single machines or mechanical equipment in power plant systems. A protection of the neighbourhood as well as operational personnel against noise according to the state of technology is to be achieved by a clear form of ordering and quality assurance. The ordering and assurance procedure for all aggregates in the region of the grounds of a power plant ...
Separate comprehensive final reports on the status of the SRC-II Demonstration Plant Design and on operating experiences at the Ft. Lewis and P-99 SRC pilot plants were prepared after the termination of those projects. However, time constraints made it impossible to consolidate all of the pilot plant data and operating experiences and relate these to the Demonstration Plant or future plant design. Most of the experimental programs during the later stages of pilot plant operation were in direct support of specific technical uncertainties identified in design work. The results of these programs would have been of substantial use in verifying or modifying design philosophy had the project proceeded. This technical data analysis project was undertaken to consolidate the pilot plant results presented in numerous reports under DOE Contract ...
This Maintenance Implementation Plan (MIP) has been developed for maintenance functions associated with the B Plant/WESF (Waste Encapsulation Storage Facility) complex. The objective of this plan is to provide baseline information for establishing and identifying WHC conformance programs and policies applicable to implementation of DOE order 4330.4B guidelines. In addition, this maintenance plan identifies the actions necessary to develop a cost-effective and efficient maintenance program at B Plant/WESF. The B Plant WESF facility complex consists of three main facilities and several support structures located in the 200 East Area of the Hanford site. B Plant is a transition facility that is required to ensure safe storage and management of WESF (operating facility) cesium and strontium capsules. B Plant/WESF also contains substantial radiological inventory from previous campaigns. ...
Deregulation and restructuring changes in the electric power industry have provided opportunities to build new power plants. These power plants, however, will not enjoy long-term power purchase agreements with the utilities they serve, but will have to respond to the market. This is where the term `merchant plant` originates. Calpine Corp. presented its reasons for believing that now is the best time to be building new merchant plants based on modern natural gas-fired, combined-cycle power plants. Among those reasons are: (1) construction of new nuclear power plants has been rejected by people on both sides of the border, (2) attempts to promote alternative energy sources such as solar, wind and biomass have not added significant generation capacity and are not likely to do so in the near future because of their high cost, and (3) coal-fired ...
The competitiveness of a new nuclear plant vs. a new oil or gas fired combined cycle plant or a coal fired plant in East-Asia, is reviewed in the paper. Both the nuclear and the fossil fired plants are evaluated as either utility financed or independent power producer (IPP) financed. Two types of advanced light water reactors (ALWRs) are considered in this paper, namely evolutionary ALWRs (1200 MWe size) and passive ALWRs (600 MWe class). A range of capital and total generation costs for each plant type is reported here. The comparison centers on three elements of overall competitiveness: generation costs, hard currency requirements, and employment requirements. Each of these aspects is considered perspective. Year-by-Year generation cost history over the plant lifetime is shown in some cases. It is found here that a utility financed evolutionary and passive ...
A brief FFTF project description is provided which includes general plant siting information, general layout, plant design parameters, description of principal systems and components, and description of support facilities. The current status of the FFTF project is provided, including status of plant construction, overall status of the plant checkout and test program, status of operating authorization and plant operating procedures and personnel, and status of reactor core components and experiments. Specific information on the acceptance test program and early program results is discussed. The role of FFTF in the future breeder program is described, including its objectives for verification of plant system and components designs and operability and use as an irradiation test facility.
The world's fleet of nuclear power plants is, on average, more than 20 years old. Even though the design life of a nuclear power plant is typically 30-40 years, it is quite feasible that many plants will be able to operate in excess of their design lives, provided that nuclear power plant engineers demonstrate by analysis, trending, equipment and system upgrades, increased vigilance, testing and ageing management that the plant will operate safely. In the operation of nuclear power plants, safety should be always the prime consideration. Plant operators and regulators must always ensure that plant safety is maintained, and where possible enhanced, during a plant's operating lifetime. Nuclear power plant life management (PLiM) has gained increased attention over the past decade, ...
The Electric Power Research Institute has published a report for planners, designers, owners, and operators of hydroelectric pumped-storage plants that records the operation and maintenance knowledge of 35 domestic and foreign pumped-storage projects. The report provides a comprehensive record of practices that have reduced forced outages and shortened scheduled repairs. As time passes and experienced staff retire at pumped-storage plants, many O M lessons are lost. To remedy that situation, EPRI commissioned Morrison-Knudsen Engineers Inc. to prepare a special report. The 348-page publication records the accumulated civil, geotechnical, mechanical, and electrical O M knowledge and experiences of pumped-storage plant staff. It also includes recommendations to planners and designers of future pumped-storage plants and concludes with descriptions of O M experiences reported by plant ...
This engineering report compiles information on types and quantities of liquid waste discharged from B-Plant directly to cribs, ditches, reverse wells, etc., that are associated with B-Plant. Waste discharges to these cribs via overflow form 241-B, 241-BX, and 241-BY tank farms, and waste discharged to these cribs from sources other than B-Plant are discussed.Discharges from B-Plant to other cribs, unplanned releases, or waste remaining in tanks are not included in the report. Waste stream composition information is used to predict quantities of individual chemicals sent to cribs. This provides an accurate mass balance of waste streams from B-Plant to these cribs. These predictions are compared with known crib inventories as a verification of the process.
The Hanford Waste Vitrification Plant Project has been established to convert the high-level radioactive waste associated with nuclear defense production at the Hanford Site into a waste form suitable for disposal in a deep geologic repository. The Hanford Waste Vitrification Plant will mix processed radioactive waste with borosilicate material, then heat the mixture to its melting point (vitrification) to forin a glass-like substance that traps the radionuclides in the glass matrix upon cooling. The Hanford Waste Vitrification Plant Quality Assurance Program has been established to support the mission of the Hanford Waste Vitrification Plant. This Quality Assurance Program Description has been written to document the Hanford Waste Vitrification Plant Quality Assurance Program.
Summary 1. Plants express multiple defensive traits, but little is known about the genetic stability and phenotypic plasticity of these traits in nature. To investigate sources of variation and their potential ecological consequences for herbivores, we combined field observations of cyanogenic lima bean with laboratory experiments. 2. Field studies in South Mexico revealed a distinct variability of cyanogenic traits within and among wild lima bean populations. To differentiate among genetic variation and the impact of ambient conditions on plant phenotypes, we used seed grown plants as well as clones propagated from high (HC) and low cyanogenic (LC) wild type plants. 3. In growth chamber experiments, we cultivated plants under three intensities each of drought and salt stress, nutrient sup...
Ethnopharmacological relevance: For thousands of years, medicinal plants have played an important role throughout the world in treating and preventing a variety of diseases. Kani tribal people in Tirunelveli hills still depend on medicinal plants and most of them have a general knowledge of medicinal plants which are used for first aid remedies, to treat cough, cold, fever, headache, poisonous bites and some simple ailments. Aim of the study: The present study was initiated with an aim to identify traditional healers who are practicing herbal medicine among the Kani tribals in Tirunelveli hills of Western Ghats, India and quantitatively document their indigenous knowledge on the utilization of medicinal plants particularly most common ethnomedicinal plants. Methods: Field study was carried...
In order to determine the viability of any Liquids from Coal (LFC) commercial venture, TEK-KOL and its partner, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI), have put together a technical and economic feasibility study for a commercial-size LFC Plant located at Zeigler Coal Holding Company`s North Rochelle Mine site. This resulting document, the ENCOAL Mild Coal Gasification Plant: Commercial Plant Feasibility Study, includes basic plant design, capital estimates, market assessment for coproducts, operating cost assessments, and overall financial evaluation for a generic Powder River Basin based plant. This document and format closely resembles a typical Phase II study as assembled by the TEK-KOL Partnership to evaluate potential sites for LFC commercial facilities around the world.
Electric utility plants, for which construction commenced after September 18, 1978, must install and operate continuous emission monitoring (CEM) systems to demonstrate compliance with SO_2 and NO_x emission standards. Furthermore, effective December 4, 1987, each plant must develop and implement a CEM quality assurance (QA) program. This paper reviews the CEM and QA requirements set forth by new source performance standards (NSPS) promulgated by the Environmental Protection Agency. The paper summarizes operating characteristics of the 32 power plants currently subject to NSPS and describes the types of CEM systems used by these plants. Also, to the extent available, the paper presents the results of initial (i.e., first quarter 1988) QA activities (e.g., audits and calibration drift assessments) conducted by these plants.
This paper develops optimal bidding strategies for a pumped-storage plant in a pool-based electricity market. In the competitive regime, when compared to simple hydroelectric generator, profit of the pumped-storage plant is maximized by operating it as a generator when market clearing price is high and as a pump when the price is low. Based on forecasted hourly market clearing price, a multistage looping algorithm to maximize the profit of a pumped-storage plant is developed, considering both the spinning and non-spinning reserve bids and meeting the technical operating constraints of the plant. The proposed model is adaptive for the nonlinear three-dimensional relationship between the power produced, the energy stored, and the head of the associated reservoir. Different operating cycles for a realistic pumped-storage plant are considered and simulation results are reported and ...
The T Plant facilities in the 200-West Area of the Hanford site were constructed in the early 1940s to produce nuclear materials in support of national defense activities. T Plant includes the 271-T facility, the 221-T facility, and several support facilities (eg, 2706-T), utilities, and tanks/piping systems. T Plant has been recommended as the primary interim decontamination facility for the Hanford site. Project W-259 will provide capital upgrades to the T Plant facilities to comply with Federal and State of Washington environmental regulations for secondary containment and leak detection. This document provides an advanced conceptual design concept that complies with functional requirements for the T Plant Secondary Containment and Leak Detection upgrades.
Abstract Steam generation is an integral part of most chemical process plants; however, the steam plant often is or can be overlooked in the area of hazard analysis. The reasons for this oversight are obvious: steam generation is considered to be an old and well-understood process, and steam boiler systems are often not considered to pose the same hazards as other plant units. However, modern steam boiler systems are fueled with natural gas, pulverized coal, and/or fuel oil; each of which poses significant fire and explosion hazards. For example, a moderately sized chemical plant's boiler house may have two or three boilers operating at 240 MMBTU/hr, with each using approximately 11 ton/hr of subbituminous pulverized coal feed. Chemical plants rely on equipment design and installation, mai...
This document is the final report on the workshop on stems and trunks in plant form and function relating to DOE grant DE-FG06-93ER20128 which took place at Oregon State University in February 1994. The resulting book is organized into four sections and a synthesis: roles of stem architecture in plant performance, roles of stems in transport and storage of water, roles of live stem cells in plant performance, and the roles of stems in preventing or reacting to response to plant injury. The synthesis stemmed from debated and discussion by the authors and a few dozen other workshop participants. The authors cover many stem functions, although the list is not exhaustive, and the focus is on terrestrial woody tree stems, primarily of temperate and boreal zones. More research on trunks, branches and twigs is important for a baseline understanding of plant biology. In the face of ...
The Wolsung-1 CANDU 600 MWe plant is now in operation. This paper provides an update on the design, construction and commissioning progress reported at last year's conference. The accomplishments of the past year are highlighted with emphasis on how the s...
This appendix provides a listing of the BNW-I optimization code, MFCIRI, for a metal finned tube dry-cooled heat rejection system for power plants. (LCL)
For terrestrial animals and plants, a fundamental cost of living is water vapor lost to the atmosphere during exchange of metabolic gases. Here, by bringing together previously developed models for...Full Text Available
Nastic responses in bean plants (Phaseolus vulgaris L. var. Black Valentine) occur rapidly when very low concentrations of picloram (4-amino-3,5,6-trichloropicolinic acid) are applied...Full Text Available
Several years of research on seven different plants (five terrestrial and two aquatic species) suggest that the beneficial effects of atmospheric CO2 enrichment may be divided into three...Full Text Available
The rolC gene of Agrobacterium rhizogenes, which drastically affects growth and development of transgenic plants, codes for a cytokinin-beta-glucosidase. Indeed, rolC protein expressed in Escherichia...Full Text Available
Japan has upwards of 40 pumped storage plants in operation and new river sites are becoming scarce, but peak demand is still rising. A plant under construction in Okinawa offers a solution: make use of the head between the coastal cliffs and sea level, using seawater as the medium. (author)
Intended to be used in conjunction with ANSI N45.2 and addresses the quality assurance requirements related to subsurface investigations performed prior to the construction of safety related structures of nuclear power plants.
Requirements for the installation, inspection, and testing that assure the quality of important components of a nuclear power plant during construction are presented.
Gas exchange between the plant and the environment is severely hampered when plants are submerged, leading to oxygen and energy deficits. A straightforward way to reduce these shortages of oxygen and...Full Text Available
Digestion of plant chromatin from Brassica pekinensis and Matthiola incana with staphylococcus nuclease leads to a DNA repeat of 175 plus or minus 8 and a core size of 140 base pairs. DNase I digestion...Full Text Available
In this paper, the compulsory site requirements and the site design assumptions which are being used for the present ITER plant are briefly described. A set of different parameters from the site design assumptions is also described, which was adopted as an additional exercise for cost sensitivity analysis of the ITER plant for these parameters. (orig.) 1 refs.
In this paper, the compulsory site requirements and the site design assumptions which are being used for the present ITER plant are briefly described. A set of different parameters from the site design assumptions is also described, which was adopted as an additional exercise for cost sensitivity analysis of the ITER plant for these parameters. (orig.)
This guide has been written to introduce growers of Short Rotation Coppice (SRC) to the principles and need for cold storage of planting material. The main types of cold store are described. It also provides assistance in the selection of suitable stores and how these are located nationally. (author)
In this study, sensitivity analysis of 100 MWth chemical looping combustion combined cycle (CLC-CC) plant based on fuel cost were performed. By performance analysis, net efficiency of natural gas/syngas fueled CLC-CC plant was 53-54%, corresponding to previous research. We used Chemical Engineering Plant Cost Index and Guthrie method to evaluate plant cost. For syngas fueled CLC-CC plant, the plant cost was higher since lower heating value (LHV) of syngas was lower than that of natural gas and cost of electricity (COE) was also higher since the cost of syngas was higher than that of natural gas. By sensitivity analysis, it was shown that the cost of syngas should be less than 5.3 $/GJ in order to make COE lower than 5.8 c/kWh which was COE of natural gas CLC-CC plant. 15 refs., 2 figs., 5 tabs.
Green leaf C6-volatiles are among the most important herbivore-induced plant volatiles (HIPVs). They play important roles in mediating the behavior of herbivores and their natural enemies, and in triggering...Full Text Available
A procedure was developed to isolate polyribosomes from plant cell cultures. Tobacco callus extracted in 10 mm MgCl2, 80 mm KCl, 250 mm sucrose, and 140 mm...Full Text Available
This guide describes an acceptable method of complying with the Commission's regulations with regard to the quality assurance requirements for the packaging, shipping, receiving, storage, and handling of items for water-cooled nuclear power plants.
The osmoprotectant Pro betaine is the main betaine identified in alfalfa (Medicago sativa). We have investigated the long-term responses of nodulated alfalfa plants to salt stress,...Full Text Available
A new method is described for continuously measuring cell turgor pressure (P), hydraulic conductivity (Lp), and volumetric elastic modulus (ε) in higher plant cells, using a pressure...Full Text Available
Several commonly occurring freshwater and marine plants and algae were screened for beta-D-galactosidase and beta-D-glucuronidase activities by using a 60-min enzyme assay based on the hydrolysis by...Full Text Available
This article puts the case for coal fired combined cycle gas turbine (CCGT) power plants. The need to gasify the coal for the CCGT, use of fluidised bed combustors or gasification systems, the difference in prices of coal and natural gas, and coal and natural gas reserves are discussed. (UK)
The installation procedure, the fabrication, fitting up, positioning, adjustment and welding of piping, examinations, hydrostatics testing and insulation of piping for reactor primary circuit piping of Daya Bay Nuclear power Plant are briefly described.
The article describes control and monitoring concepts in which the delegation of responsibility is becoming more decisive than ever (automation hierarchy), and which are capable of optimized, automatic control of process events in pumped storage plants. 8 refs.
The possible contribution to urinary mutagenicity of occupational exposures in the rubber industry was studied by assaying the urine concentrates of 72 workmen (44 smokers) employed in a tyre plant....Full Text Available
Pumped storage plants 20 are a relatively common type.They use a dam to create an upper reservoir ...Some pumped storage plants use the same water turbine and electric generator for both operating periods.That is,
Pumped storage plants are a relatively common type.They use a dam to create an upper reservoir ...Some pumped storage plants use the same water turbine and electric generator for both operating periods.
Auxin modulates diverse plant developmental pathways through direct transcriptional regulation and cooperative signaling with other plant hormones. Genetic and biochemical approaches have clarified...Full Text Available
Chrysomelid leaf beetles use chemical defenses to overcome predatory attack and microbial infestation. Larvae of Chrysomela lapponica that feed on willow sequester plant-derived salicin...Full Text Available
The American Natural Resources System has been attempting to obtain the financing commitments and regulatory approvals necessary to construct the nation's first commercial-scale coal-gasification plant. It would employ the same technology as Sasol plants of South Africa and much of the same hardware as the Sasol II plant now approaching completion. But instead of converting the gas that comes out of the gasifier vessels into liquid hydrocarbons, the proposed plant would upgrade the gas to a Btu-content equivalent to that of natural gas. It could be mixed, transported, and utilized as a constituent part of the natural gas stream. The plant would be located in North Dakota and would utilize coal as the feedstock. North Dakota lignite gasifies very efficiently and, since the plant would be located at the mine mouth, the low-Btu quality of the coal is not a ...
This standard provides the general requirements used in the design, construction, testing, and commissioning of concrete containment structures for CANDU nuclear power plants designated as class containment and is directed to the owners, designers, manufacturers, fabricators, and constructors of the concrete components and parts.
Progress is reported in the following subject areas: (1) chemistry of the arogenate molecule; (2) plant enzymology at the organismal level; (3) isolation of regulatory mutants in tobacco; and (4) stability of the haploid state in Nicotiana sylvestris.
The various steps of gas treatment in the Sasol II coal liquefaction plant are discussed: CO/sub 2/ removal, separation of the hydrocarbon fractions and the recirculated hydrogen by low-temperature decomposition, production of pure hydrogen by alternating pressure absorption.
Scaling relations among plant traits are both cause and consequence of processes at organ-to-ecosystem scales. The relationship between leaf nitrogen and phosphorus is of particular interest, as both...Full Text Available
Traditional plant use in Nepal has been documented for millennia. The importance of plants as medicine has not diminished in any way in recent times, and traditional medicines are still the most important...Full Text Available
BackgroundA previous study showed for Anopheles gambiae s.s. a gradation of feeding preference on common plant species growing in a malaria holoendemic area in western...Full Text Available
We investigated the effects of wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) discharge on the ecology of bacterial communities in the sediment of a small, low-gradient stream in South Australia. The quantification...Full Text Available
This paper describes the advent of energy pumped storage plants in France, in connection with nuclear power reactors development and gives detailed specifications of different components (pump turbines, alternators, valves ...). 5 figs., 3 tabs.
We discuss the relationship between the dynamically changing tension gradients required to move water rapidly through the xylem conduits of plants and the proportion of conduits lost through embolism...Full Text Available
The plant-parasitic nematode Heterodera schachtii stimulates plant root cells to form syncytial feeding structures which synthesize all nutrients required for successful nematode development....Full Text Available
Nuclear Fuel Plant (FCN) is a facility that produces fuel bundles of CANDU-6 type for the CANDU nuclear power plant. Only natural and depleted uranium in bulk and itemized form are present as nuclear materials in this facility. Uranium and wastes from the plant are handled, processed, treated and stored throughout the entire facility. The nuclear materials with natural and depleted uranium are entirely under nuclear safeguards. The amount of uranium present in the plant in different forms and activities together with zircaloy, beryllium and other hazardous substances, wastes, explosive materials at high temperatures, etc. lead to special measures undertaken by Nuclear Safety Department (DNS) to ensure nuclear safety. Different aspects of safety are continuously monitored in the plant: operational safety, industrial safety, radiological safety, labour safety, informational safety. ...
PCR was used with the primer pair VANS1-NS21 to detect the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus Glomus intraradices (commercial inoculum source) on roots of lettuce, zinnia, leek, pepper, and endive plants....Full Text Available
The biological and radiobiological peculiarities of seeds and seedlings of the Rumex confertus and Lupinus polycolor plants, which grown during several generations in plots with different level of radionuclide pollution of the Chernobyl exclusive zone have been investigated.
Light- and CO2-saturated photosynthetic rates of the submersed aquatic plants Hydrilla verticillata, Ceratophyllum demersum, and Myriophyllum spicatum were...Full Text Available
Pesticide chemicals are an important component of modern agriculture. Through their use, plants and animals are exposed to pesticides directly and indirectly from transport through soil, water, and...Full Text Available
At the St. Joe Minerals Corp.'s zinc smelter powerplant, an SO2 emission control program evolved into a cooperative program with the Bureau of Mines for installation and initial operation of a citrate process flue gas desulfurization demonstration plant. ...
A balanced application of chemiosmosis to plant mitochondria is presented. Electron transport carriers are sequenced to achieve proton translocation across the inner membrane. The processes of proton translocation, use, and release are integrated to yield a description of the effective proton gradient available for metabolite transport and ATP synthesis. 27 references, 6 figures.
Different tombusviruses were able to support the replication of either homologous or heterologous defective interfering (DI) RNAs, and those infected plants usually developed typical attenuated symptoms....Full Text Available
The protein kinase CK2 (formerly casein kinase II) is thought to be involved in light-regulated gene expression in plants because...Full Text Available
The chlorophyll fluorescence characteristics of mesophyll and bundle-sheath thylakoids from plant species with the C4 dicarboxylic acid pathway of photosynthesis were investigated using flow cytometry....Full Text Available
Background and AimsPlants from the family Lemnaceae are widely used in ecological engineering projects to purify wastewater and eutrophic water bodies. However, the biology of nutrient...Full Text Available
Leaves of terrestrial plants are aerobic organs, and are not usually considered to possess the enzymes necessary for biosynthesis of ethanol, a product of anaerobic fermentation. We examined the ability...Full Text Available
Cells of the terrestrial plant species bromegrass (Bromus inermis L.) are not naturally adapted to withstand the hydrostatic pressures encountered in aquatic environments. However,...Full Text Available
We offer a plausible interpretation of some experiments on the reversal of neoplastic transformations in plants. We suggest that normal cells and tumorous cells represent multiple stable-steady states...Full Text Available
Gas-fired combined cycle plant may be the norm when it comes to new plant but it comes in a variety of shapes and sizes. Samarinda uses aero-derivatives with the famous Rolls-Royce RB211 gas generator. (author)
Assessment of the regulation of plant metabolism by the calcium ion requires a knowledge of its intracellular levels and dynamics. Technical problems have prevented direct measurement of the concentration...Full Text Available
The reduction of emission from power plants of the public power industry inevitably leads to more and more residual products being obtained which require utilization. Traditionally, the building and building materials industry as well as, for a number of years, the gypsum industry have been the main customers processing these residual materials. To avoid having to tip them at landfills that are in short supply already, further uses are sought; so, for instance, in farming to ameliorate soil and fertilize plants. Relative to this subject, proposals are already available which are presented as lectures at the conference and discussed, together with practical knowledge and new investigation results. (BBR).
Discusses the resolution of the 2. Congress of the Polish Nuclear Society on the energy situation in Poland and recommendations for energy policy. Recommendations for use of nuclear power plants in Poland are made considering environmental pollution from coal combustion (air pollution by sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides and carbon dioxide as well as water pollution by salt from mine water discharged to rivers), development of the Polish economy, forecast increase in energy consumption and the role of nuclear energy in other European countries. Research on nuclear power plants, safety and environmental aspects as well as comparative efficiency of coal-fired power plants and nuclear power plants is evaluated.
Project management mode plays a key role in project construction, especially in nuclear power field. From the aspects of right, responsibility and benefit, this paper discussed the differences among the common used project management modes. Also the main kinds of the construction management modes used in China's nuclear power plants were summarized. At last, considering the experience of Ningde nuclear power plant, this paper put forward several perspectives about the selection of project management mode in nuclear power plant construction. (authors)
Due to development of electric power system and considering an increase of electrical energy consumption, needs for larger units in new power plants are obvious. Connection of large nuclear power plants to the grid, depending on their power and location, usually requires significant investments in transmission network development and construction. Considering the capacity of the 400 kV transmission network in Croatia, this problem is evident. This paper deals with the possibilities of nuclear power plants construction, as one possible option in electric power system development, and their interconnection to the electricity grid. (author).
(B204)Probabilistic risk assessment (PRA) insights are now used by the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission (USNRC) to confirm the level of safety for plant operations and to justify changes in nuclear power plant operating requirements, both on an exception basis and as changeds to a plant's licensing basis. This report examines qualitative and quantitative risk assessments during shutdown plant states, providing feedback to utilities in the use of qualitative models for outage risk management, and also providing input to the development of the American Nuclear Society (ANS) Low Power and Shutdown PRA Standard.
(B204)Probabilistic risk assessment (PRA) insights are now used by the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission (USNRC) to confirm the level of safety for plant operations and to justify changes in nuclear power plant operating requirements, both on an exception basis and as changeds to a plant's licensing basis. This report examines qualitative and quantitative risk assessments during shutdown plant states, providing feedback to utilities in the use of qualitative models for outage risk management, and also providing input to the development of the American Nuclear Society (ANS) Low Power and Shutdown PRA Standard.
This report briefly describes the background to colliery engineering maintenance, past experience in machine condition monitoring within coal preparation and the introduction of condition-based maintenance. A role model scheme has been developed for the introduction of condition-based maintenance into coal preparation plants. The report describes the instrumentation and monitoring methods suitable for application to most mineral processing plants, the use of specialist companies to monitor, gather, process and analyse the information and the actions taken by the colliery. Examples of the benefits of operating such a scheme are given in terms of safety, performance and finance. Other problematical aspects of coal processing are examined which have a direct effect on plant condition and availability.