UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Technology is now available to allow a complete haemodynamic analysis; however this is only used in a small proportion of patients and seems to occur when the medical staff have the time and inclination....Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

IntroductionA rare side effect of antipsychotic medication is neuroleptic malignant syndrome, mainly characterized by hyperthermia, altered mental state, haemodynamic dysregulation,...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

The specificity of the hemodynamic response function (HRF) is determined spatially by the vascular architecture and temporally by the evolution of hemodynamic changes. The stimulus duration...Full Text Available

Science.gov (United States)

... number of terminals when requests ... INFORMATION RETRIEVAL, QUEUEING THEORY ... DISTRIBUTION FUNCTIONS, STOCHASTIC PROCESSES ...

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Cardiac tumours may display diverse symptoms through potential involvement of any structure of the heart. We describe a case of a highly malignant thymoma with involvement of different cardiac structures with important haemodynamic compromise. With the high sensitivity of transthoracic echocardiography for detection of intracardiac masses, computed tomography and magnetic resonance add essential structural preoperative information on the tumour and surrounding tissue as vessels, pleura, lung and mediastinum.

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Individuals with major depressive disorder (MDD) often exhibit impaired executive function, particularly in experimental tasks that involve response conflict and require adaptive behavioral...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Strategies are needed for assessing the risks of exposures to airborne toxicants that vary over concentrations and durations. The goal of this project was to describe the relationship between the concentration...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Context: Some studies suggest altered pituitary functioning and TSH production with aging.Objective: Our objective was to test the hypothesis that less TSH production...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

BackgroundTo assess the relationship between improved regional and global myocardial function in patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy in response to β-blocker therapy or...Full Text Available

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The seismic analysis of nuclear island of Daya Bay Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) was just in accordance with the approaches in RCC-G standard for the model M310 in France, in which the simplified impedance matrix method was employed for the consideration of soil's function. In this paper the more sophisticated 3D half-space continuum impedance method based on the Green functions is used to analyze the function of soil. In addition, multi-group of input time histories was used in the seismic response analysis in the existing design and their average of responses for each group was taken as the design basis. The same multi-group of input time histories was used in the seismic response analysis in this study, but the average and enveloped value of responses for each case are calculated respectively to account for the uncertainty of input motions. ...

CERN Document Server

Generalized functions

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

The phosphatidylinositol pathway is implicated in the regulation of numerous cellular functions and responses to extracellular signals. An important branching point in the pathway is the phosphorylation...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Mitochondria and peroxisomes execute some analogous, nonredundant functions including fatty acid oxidation and detoxification of reactive oxygen species, and, in response to select metabolic cues, undergo...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

MicroRNAs (miRs) can regulate many cellular functions, but their roles in regulating responses of vascular endothelial cells (ECs) to mechanical stimuli remain unexplored. We hypothesize that the physiological...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

The extensive membrane network of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is physically juxtaposed to and functionally entwined with essentially all other cellular compartments. Therefore, the ER must sense...Full Text Available

Science.gov (United States)

... Highly-Functional Materials" was launched in JFY1996 under the New Materials field. This project was ... Bio-mimetic materials" (1) Advanced stimuli responsive materials (2) Harmonized molecular materials ...

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

BackgroundLipocalin 2 (Lcn2) is a bacteriostatic factor that may also modulate cellular function, however, little is known concerning the expression or role of Lcn2 in CNS inflammation....Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Keap1 regulates Nrf2 activity in response to xenobiotic and oxidative stresses. Nrf2 is an essential regulator of cytoprotective genes. Keap1-null mice are lethal by weaning age due...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

1. This study analyzes the mechanisms involved in the responses to ouabain in cat cerebral and femoral arteries and characterizes the electrogenic Na+ pump present in these vessels. The latter was accomplished...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

B lymphocytes can function independently as efficient APCs. However, our previous studies demonstrate that both dendritic cells and macrophages are necessary to propagate immune responses initiated...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

BackgroundMost rapidly evolving gene families are involved in immune responses and reproduction, two biological functions which have been assigned to the carcinoembryonic antigen...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Mechanical forces can regulate various functions in living cells. The cytoskeleton is a crucial element for the transduction of forces in cell-internal signals and subsequent biological responses. Accordingly,...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

In many eukaryotic mRNAs one or more short ‘upstream’ open reading frames, uORFs, precede the initiator of the main coding sequence. Upstream ORFs are functionally diverse as illustrated...Full Text Available

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Central nervous system (CNS) development, homeostasis, stress responses, and plasticity are all mediated by epigenetic mechanisms that modulate gene expression and promote selective deployment of functional gene networks in response to complex profiles of interoceptive and environmental signals. Thus, not surprisingly, disruptions of these epigenetic processes are implicated in the pathogenesis of a spectrum of neurological and psychiatric diseases. Epigenetic mechanisms involve chromatin remodeling by relatively generic complexes that catalyze DNA methylation and various types of histone modifications. There is increasing evidence that these complexes are directed to their sites of action by long non-protein-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), of which there are tens if not hundreds of thousands speci...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

National Nuclear Safety Department is authorized by Infra (Iranian Nuclear Regulatory Authority) for issuing rules and regulation and conducting the licensing and supervisory process for nuclear facilities. The main responsibilities of the NNSD are conducted via five main division are, nuclear codes and standards, Nuclear Safety assessment, Authorization, Inspection and Enforcement and Technical Support. In this paper, the functions and responsibilities of TSD in enhancing nuclear safety are described. Examples of main tasks to support the Nuclear Safety assessment division regarding to technical calculations and research of safety issues in licensing documents are provided. (author)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The idle speed of an internal combustion engine is controlled in response to a variable ignition timing control signal from a microcomputer. The microcomputer derives this control signal as a function of the magnitude of engine speed variation which occurs during engine idle periods to cause the ignition timing to vary quickly in response to a transitory engine load variation. An auxiliary air delivery system may be advantageously incorporated in the idle speed control system to cooperate with the ignition timing control in response to the engine speed variation.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Response of control valves plays an important role in the dynamics of the flow system as a whole. Knowledge of its transfer function would facilitate analysis of the behaviour of the system. This paper presents the application of Levy's complex curve fitting method for determination of the transfer function of control valves used in Liquid Zone Control System of 540 MWe PHWR. (author)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Radioimmunotherapy (RIT) is a new treatment option for patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). Response to RIT currently remains difficult to predict using conventional prognostic factors and could be refined using functional imaging. The goal of this work is to evaluate the value of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) in predicting response to Yttrium 90-labeled monoclonal antibodies for patients with NHL. Thirty-five patients with NHL who had undergone 18F-FDG PET prior to RIT with either 90Y-ibritumomab tiuxetan (group A; n=17) or 90Y-epratuzumab tetraxetan (group B; n=18) were included in this retrospective study. Four functional criteria were determined for each tumour lesion in a given patient: maximum and mean standard uptake values (SUVmax and SUVmean), functional lesion volume (LVol) and total lesion glycolysis (TLG, product of the volume and ...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

To test the hypothesis that transduction of the channelrhodopsin-2 (ChR2) gene, a microbial-type rhodopsin gene, into retinal ganglion cells of genetically blind rats will restore functional vision, we recorded visually evoked potentials and tested the experimental rats for the presence of optomotor responses. The N-terminal fragment of the ChR2 gene was fused to the fluorescent protein Venus and inserted into an adeno-associated virus to make AAV2-ChR2V. AAV2-ChR2V was injected intravitreally into the eyes of 6-month-old dystrophic RCS (rdy/rdy) rats. Visual function was evaluated six weeks after the injection by recording visually evoked potentials (VEPs) and testing optomotor responses. The expression of ChR2V in the retina was investigated histologically. We found that VEPs could not b...

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Introduction: Research indicates that music can affect heart rate, blood pressure, and skin conductance. Music can stimulate central emotions in the brain and release biochemical materials that change the physiologic state. We sought to compare changes in the electrical function of the heart in response to music. Method: Subjects were asked to listen to 2 types of music, namely, sedative and arousal music, in conjunction with two 30-second periods of complete silence. The experiment was conducted in 4 segments: the first and third parts were silence, and the second and fourth parts were music. First, the response to each type of music was compared with that to the preceding period of silence. Next, the responses to both types of music were compared. Finally, the response to music regardles...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Rationale Hypothalamic?pituitary?adrenal axis dysregulation predicts poor clinical and biochemical response to antidepressants. Antiglucocorticoids have therapeutic benefits but most have a troublesome adverse event profile. Aspects of neuropsychological performance, notably working memory, are susceptible to corticosteroid modulation and are impaired in depression. Aspirin has been shown to attenuate the adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and cortisol response to physiological challenge suggesting its potential to act as an augmenting agent in depression. Objectives To examine the effect of sub-acute (300?mg daily for 7?days) aspirin pre-treatment on the cortisol awakening response and the effect of acute (600?mg) and sub-acute aspirin on the neuroendocrine and neuropsychological response...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

A simple, short and sensitive direct radio-immunoassay technique for the determination of salivary cortisol concentration was employed to assess saliva as a medium for evaluating cortisol response during endocrine testing in 9 controls and 40 patients. Results in controls suggested that an adequate salivary cortisol response to insulin hypoglycaemia was an increase of 150% above the basal value with a minimum peak of 15 nmol/l. Thirty-three patients were classified as being either good or poor responders to insulin hypoglycaemia on the basis of criteria for plasma cortisol levels. When the defined salivary cortisol response was used for assessment, all 33 patients were correctly categorized into the same response groups. The salivary cortisol response to intramuscular tetracosactin in 3 patients and an intravenous dexamethasone infusion in 4 patients confirmed the value of saliva as ...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

We review visually guided behaviors in larval zebrafish and summarise what is known about the neural processing that results in these behaviors, paying particular attention to the progress made in the last 2 years. Using the examples of the optokinetic reflex, the optomotor response, prey tracking and the visual startle response, we illustrate how the larval zebrafish presents us with a very promising model vertebrate system that allows neurocientists to integrate functional and behavioral studies and from which we can expect illuminating insights in the near future.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shewanella oneidensis MR-1 is a model environmental organism that possesses diverse respiratory capacities, including the ability to reduce soluble Cr(VI) to sparingly soluble, less toxic Cr(III). Effective bioremediation of Cr-contaminated sites requires knowledge of the molecular mechanisms and regulation of heavy metal resistance and biotransformation by dissimilatory metal-reducing bacteria. Towards this goal, our ERSP-funded work is focused on the identification and functional analysis of genes/proteins comprising the response pathways for chromate detoxification and/or reduction. Previous transcriptomic profiling and whole-cell proteomic analyses implicated the involvement of a functionally undefined DNA-binding response regulator (SO2426) and a putative azoreductase (SO3585) in the chromate stress response of MR-1. Here we describe a detailed functional ...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Immune function is critical in health and disease. The control and regulation of immune reactions is an area of intense investigation that has important implications for allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation. Immune reactions are regulated in a number of important ways. Compartmentalization of immune responses and the production of both pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines play a major role. More recently several populations of T cells that regulate immune responses termed regulatory T cells have been identified. This manuscript will focus on CD4^+CD25^+FoxP3^+ natural regulatory T cells (T"r"e"g) and @a@bTCR^+CD4^+NK1.1^+ natural killer T (NK-T) cells which both suppress graft vs host disease but appear to function by distinct mechanisms.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

A comparison is made of the response of a count ratemeter and a pulse counter using the mathematical tool of the Z transform. Transform Z is used for the solution of the convolution integral interpreting the analog output of the count ratemeter used for recording characteristic radiation, excited in the moving beam. The comparison of count rates obtained by the count ratemeter during continuous analysis and the pulse counter during discontinuous measurement gave the transfer function of the count ratemeter in the actual range of count rate. Also discussed is the use of the transfer function for localizing concentration changes in the sample. The use of the described method is demonstrated on the determination of the tin content in tungsten using continuous radionuclide X-ray fluorescence analysis. (B.S.).

Science.gov (United States)

This paper focuses on a factorial-based design strategy. The approach provides an efficient and statistically reliable means for assessing the influence of multivariable effects. It is applied to the detection and evaluation of damage in impacted composite sandwich panels. The experimental results obtained from this test strategy are utilized to form an empirical response function. The resulting polynomial relates damage area to residual compression strength at values of independent variables for which testing did not occur. The response function also identifies nonlinear interaction effects of key variabes that cannot be easily ascertained by traditional single-variable test strategies. Independent variables evaluated include core thickness, number of face sheet plys and impact energy. The methodology presented allows the designer to predict with more confidence the damage tolerance of a composite ...

Wastenet

...Content 3a LCA Methodology - Characterisation(PDF) 3a1 BRE Response - Characterisation 3b LCA Methodology - Normalisation (PDF) 3b1 BRE Response - Normalisation 3c LCA Methodology - Weighting (PDF) 3c1 Feedback - Weighting 3c2 Weightings Exercise (PDF) 4 Specification (PDF) 4a - Functional Units Spreadsheet (Excel) 4b Specification List (Excel) 5 Energy Model (PDF) 6 Whole Life perfomance 6b Response Note To Briefing Note 6 - Whole Life Performance (PDF) 7 End-of-Life and Waste models (PDF) 7a Waste routes and rates feedback (PDF) 7b Waste Disposal Routes for Industry Consultation 7c Site Wastage Rates for Industry Consultation 8 Existing LCA ...

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For charged particle irradiations, the response of an imaging plate (IP) changes around the Bragg peak. Therefore, an appropriate compensation is necessary for the evaluation of dose distribution formed by charged particles such as protons. In this paper, the response of IPs to clinical proton beams is investigated. An experimentally-obtained depth-dose distribution (an ordinary Bragg curve) by a silicon semiconductor detector (SSD) is employed to evaluate the compensation factors as a function of proton penetrating depth, i.e. residual range. A typical dose distribution in a water phantom formed by an L-shaped bolus is measured by IPs and corrected by using the information of those compensation factors; the residual proton range is successfully calculated by the pencil beam algorithm at an arbitrary point. The results show a good agreement with the measurements by the SSD within the rms error of 3.0%.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eight patients who had received megavoltage therapy for Cushings' disease 5-12 years previously have been reviewed. The long term response to this therapy was assessed with respect to efficacy of treatment in inducing continued remission and disturbance of hypothalamic-pituitary function. One patient showed clear evidence of relapse of Cushings' disease. One patient had unequivocal hypopituitarism. Basal levels of growth hormone (GH), TSH, LH, and FSH were not statistically different from controls, but provocative testing revealed significant abnormalities of response of cortisol/ACTH, GH, prolactin and LH. Six out of eight patients had absent diurnal cortisol variation and five patients had elevated serum prolactin levels. Thus, in this group of patients normal pituitary-adrenal function has not been satisfactorily restored. It is clear that significant disturbances of hypothalamic-pituitary ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Using an ab initio pseudopotential method within a generalized gradient approximation of the density functional theory, the structural, electronic, and phonon properties of SrS in the B1 (NaCl) and B2 (CsCl) structures have been studied. The calculated lattice constants, static bulk modulus, and first-order pressure derivative of the bulk modulus are reported for both the B1 and B2 structures and compared with previous experimental and theoretical calculations. Electronic band structures and densities of states have been derived for SrS. Subsequently, a linear-response approach to the density functional theory is used to derive the phonon frequencies and densities of states.

Science.gov (United States)

The GTPases comprise a protein superfamily of highly conserved molecular switches adapted to many diverse functions. These proteins are found in all domains of life and often perform essential roles in fundamental cellular processes. Analysis of data from genome sequencing projects demonstrates that bacteria possess a core of 11 universally conserved GTPases (elongation factor G and Tu, initiation factor 2, LepA, Era, Obg, ThdF/TrmE, Ffh, FtsY, EngA and YchF). Investigations aimed at understanding the function of GTPases indicate that a second conserved feature of these proteins is that they elicit their function through interaction with RNA and/or ribosomes. An emerging concept suggests that the 11 universal GTPases are either necessary for ribosome function or transmitting information from the ribosome to downstream targets for the purpose of generating specific cellular ...

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Outline: Discuss far-side weld problem and phased array techniques applied. Describe laboratory work on flawed piping specimens using L- and S-wave arrays and provide synopsis of results. Discuss conclusions ofr capability of phased array as applied to austenitic welds. Research Approach: Evaluate phased arrays on unifornly-welded piping specimens. Apply best methods to non-uniform welds. Correlate acoustic responses as function of weld microstructures.

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

SummaryExposure to stress during prenatal or early postnatal life can dramatically impact adult behavior and neuroendocrine function. We recently began to selectively breed Sprague-Dawley...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

This study evaluates the frequency and functions of immunocompetent T cells at the clonal level in solid human lung tissue versus peripheral blood. Enzymatic digestion of slices of histologically normal...Full Text Available

Wastenet

...] Responsibility and the Big Society by Antje Bednarek [Downloadable!] Friendship Dynamics Between Emotions and Trials by Paola Rebughini [Downloadable!] On Friendship, Equality and Introductions: Comparing English and German Regimes of Manners and Emotions by Cas Wouters [Downloadable!] Fees, Funding and Overseas Study: Mobile UK Students and Educational Inequalities by Rachel Brooks & Johanna Waters [Downloadable!] The Subject of Functional Foods: Accounts of Using Foods Containing Phytosterols by Kate Weiner [Downloadable!] Paradoxes and Pitfalls in ...

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This guide is intended to provide the necessary guidance to successfully manage the NAVMED Navy Occupational Health Information Management System (NOHIMS) at NAVMED sites and the NAVSEA Occupational Safety and Health Record Keeping System (OSHRKS) at NAVSEA sites. Outlines procedures to manage system operations, procedures to resolve hardware, software and communications problems, and procedures outside the realm of system operations that are required for a successful system. This guide is intended for the System and Functional Managers use. The System Manager is the individual designated to provide overall ADP management to the entire local configuration. Usually responsible for file backup, daily operations of the CPU, security, supplies, equipment, operating software and technical ADP guidance to the local functional users.

Science.gov (United States)

Human embryonic stem (ES) cells can undergo spontaneously differentiation in standard culture conditions, demonstrating that the undifferentiated state is relatively unstable. The heterogeneous expression of SSEA3 observed within human ES colonies, provides a means to examine undifferentiated stem cell substates. Through functional testing of single cells we have shown that undifferentiated ES cells can be segregated into functionally discrete subpopulations on the basis of SSEA3 expression: SSEA3(High), SSEA(Low) and SSEA3(Negative). Human ES subpopulations were found to be interconvertible, but they possess distinct properties when challenged to differentiate along the neural lineage. These data suggest that ES cells with pluripotent/self-renewal capacities can exhibit different responses to induction of differentiation. PMID:21763622

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Upper and lower thermal limits and temperature dependent growth were determined for a number of organisms (or populations) representing various functional groups of stream ecosystems (microconsumers, producers, and macroconsumers, shredders, collectors, scrapers, and predators). Although temperature functions as an overall control parameter, organic substrate (microconsumers) and inorganic nutrients (microconsumers and producers), light (producers) and food quality (macroconsumers) can modify thermal responses. Stream microorganisms typically grow below their thermal optima, community composition being determined by those that can manage the maximum growth at a given temperature utilizing a given organic substrate. Producers in first to third order streams are generally light limited (although nutrient availability is also important). Food quality, primarily a function of microbial biomass in the case ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Full text: The maturation of chicken forebrain is protracted and occurs well after synapse formation providing a good model for studying mechanisms of brain maturation. Using microslices from immature (10 day) and adult chicken forebrain prepared after decapitation, we have examined functional properties of NMDA and AMPA receptors by measuring agonist-induced uptake of "4"5Ca"2"+ . The rate and extent of NMDA induced "4"5Ca"2"+ accumulation decreased during maturation with no change in EC_5_0. The rate and extent of the AMPA induced response also decreased with a 60-fold increase in EC_5_0. However, the total NMDA receptor content did not change as indicated by 3 H-MK801 binding and NR1 immunoreactivity in P2 fractions. Similarly, there was no change in the B_m_a_x of "3H-AMPA, though there was a two-fold increase in K_D, and little or no change in the immunoreactivity in GluR1, 2, 2/3 or 4. These results suggest that it is the regulation of ...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

In vulnerable individuals, exposure to stressors can result in chronic disorders such as generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), major depressive disorder (MDD), and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The extended amygdala is critically implicated in mediating acute and chronic stress responsivity and anxiety-like behaviors. The bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST), a subregion of the extended amygdala, serves as a relay of corticolimbic information to the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus (PVN) to directly influence the stress response. To investigate the influence of the corticosteroid milieu and housing conditions on BNST function, adult C57Bl/6J were either acutely or chronically administered corticosterone (CORT, 25mg/kg in sesame oil) or vehicle (sesame oil) or were g...

Science.gov (United States)

This paper deals with the experimental identification and the validation of a non-parametric probabilistic approach allowing model uncertainties and data uncertainties to be taken into account in the numerical model developed to predict low- and medium-frequency dynamics of structures. The analysis is performed for a composite sandwich panel representing a complex dynamical system which is sufficiently simple to be completely described and which exhibits, not only data uncertainties, but above all model uncertainties. The dynamical identification is experimentally performed for eight panels. The experimental frequency response functions are used to identify the non-parametric probabilistic approach of model uncertainties. The prediction of the low- and medium-frequency dynamical responses obtained with the stochastic system is compared with the experimental measurements.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

This paper reviews generation methods of artificial earthquake motion and proposes an improved method of generating input motions for use in vibration tests of equipment to prove aseismic performance. The improved method employs beat wave repetition characteristic that inherently appears in the component waves of recorded earthquakes decomposed by bandpass filter and algebraic function phase for the component waves. Typical motions generated by the improved method satisfies prescribed severe conditions such as target response spectrum that are defined with a wideband frequency component and a limited maximum acceleration due to shaking table performance. The motions had never been generated by the conventional method.

Science.gov (United States)

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 ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The University of Michigan (UM) is a member of a team of researchers, including the universities of Florida, Texas, and Tennessee, along with Oak Ridge National Laboratory, developing robotic for hazardous environments. The goal of this research is to develop the intelligent and capable robots which can perform useful functions in the new generation of nuclear reactors currently under development. By augmenting human capabilities through remote robotics, increased safety, functionality, and reliability can be achieved. In accordance with the established lines of research responsibilities, our primary efforts during 1991 will continue to focus on the following areas: radiation imaging; mobile robot navigation; three-dimensional vision capabilities for navigation; and machine-intelligence. This report discuss work that has been and will be done in these areas.

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The regenerative-chatter resistance of a viscoelastic cantilever beam is analyzed and compared to the common dynamic vibration absorber (DVA) system. The beam represents a tool holder for turning operation in machining. The optimum structural parameters are found by maximizing the most negative real part of the frequency response function (FRF). The FRF is found analytically by using an appropriate Greens function. Keeping the cantilever static stiffness constant, further increase in the optimal resistance is achieved by changing the ratio between the two elastic moduli in the 3-parameter solid viscoelastic material model. Three additional chatter resistance indicators are also investigated: the most positive real part of the FRF, the magnitude of the FRF and the resonant frequency. It is ...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Iron, zinc, copper and manganese are essential metals for cellular enzyme functions while cadmium, mercury and the metalloid arsenic lack any biological function. Both, essential metals, at high concentrations, and non-essential metals and metalloids are extremely reactive and toxic. Therefore, plants have acquired specialized mechanisms to sense, transport and maintain essential metals within physiological concentrations and to detoxify non-essential metals and metalloids. This review focuses on the recent identification of transporters that sequester cadmium and arsenic in vacuoles and the mechanisms mediating the partitioning of these metal(loid)s between roots and shoots. We further discuss recent models of phloem-mediated long-distance transport, seed accumulation of Cd and As and rec...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Shallow-water zooplanktivorous fish rely on their vision for foraging. In shallow water, feeding efficiency decreases in dim light and thus the fish cease foraging at crepuscular hours. Creatures living in the lower parts of their depth ranges are expected to be exposed to limited light levels for longer hours. However, observations of the zooplanktivore Dascyllus marginatus showed little change in foraging duration down to 40m deep. We asked whether the visual system's functionality changes with depth along the depth range of this damselfish; we examined eye and retina anatomy for changes in visual acuity and light sensitivity and used the optomotor response to test for spatial and temporal light summation. We found only minor changes in the anatomy of the eye that are not expected to aff...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Forced harmonic vibration of a non-uniform elastic beam with attached dynamic vibration absorbers (DVA) is studied. Analytical approximation of the solution is obtained by the functional perturbation method (FPM). The problem has application to cutting tools operations where the resistance of the tool holder against regenerative chatter can be enhanced by optimizing the real part of the frequency response function (FRF). A test case of a beam with step-like heterogeneity and single DVA at the tip shows that the FPM solution is very accurate for up to ?40 percent deviation in both stiffness and mass density. Using the analytical results and Sims approach, optimal DVA tuning is found for each set of beam heterogeneity parameters by solving a set of nonlinear algebraic equations numer...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The subfornical organ is a major receptor area for one of the principal stimuli of thirst, the octapeptide, angiotensin II. In conscious water-sated rats, the authors examined the effects of intravenous infusion of angiotensin II on the rate of glucose utilization in the subfornical organ and in structures anatomically and functionally connected with it. Angiotensin II produced pressor and drinking responses and increased glucose utilization selectively in the subfornical organ and pituitary neural lobe and in no other brain structure. Treatment with the angiotensin II antagonist, sar1-leu8-angiotensin II, before intravenous administration of angiotensin II prevented metabolic stimulation of the subfornical organ and neural lobe. Captopril, an inhibitor of angiotensin-converting enzyme, reduced subfornical organ glucose metabolism to a level similar to that found in control animals. These results demonstrate that peripheral angiotensin II ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

This study evaluates the correlation between transplanted Asiatic clam and indigenous community responses to acid mine drainage and nutrient loading in first-to-third-order streams, by comparing the toxicological endpoints of clam survival and growth with benthic macro-invertebrate community indices as community responses to both acid mine drainage and nutrient loading. Clam survival was found to be positively correlated with water column pH and negatively correlated with conductivity and metal concentrations. There was also a positive correlation with the relative abundance of the macro-invertebrate Ephemeroptera, the most sensitive taxonomic group, to acid mine drainage in this watershed. No correlation was found between clam growth and acid mine drainage inputs, but there was evidence of positive correlation with nitrate concentrations and the relative abundance of collector-filterer functional feeding groups. These ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The aim of this paper is to present and evaluate control strategies for adjustment and preservation of air quality, thermal and visual comfort for buildings' occupants while, simultaneously, energy consumption reduction is achieved. Fuzzy PID, fuzzy PD and adaptive fuzzy PD control methods are applied. The inputs to any controller are: the PMV index affecting thermal comfort, the CO{sub 2} concentration affecting indoor air quality and the illuminance level affecting visual comfort. The adaptive fuzzy PD controller adapts the inputs and outputs scaling factors and is based on a second order reference model. More specifically, the scaling factors are modified according to a sigmoid type function, in such a way that the measured variable to be as closer as possible to the reference model. The adaptive fuzzy PD controller is compared to a non-adaptive fuzzy PD and to an ON-OFF one. The comparison criteria are the energy required and the controlled variables ...

Science.gov (United States)

A schematic of the Bench cavity receiver system is given, and the primary objectives, schedule and research plan for each of four tests are discussed. The tests are: (1) cold flow testing to functionally check all valves and their response using high pressure nitrogen gas; (2) a hot checkout to simulate both steady state and transient flux inputs to the receiver which are expected at the French facility; (3) basic performance using solar energy at the French facility; and (4) ir radiant heat testing. (LEW)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tests for the applicability of a CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) code for simulating activity transport in PNA (Pulsed Neutron Activation) fluid measurements have been performed. The CFD code was combined with a Monte Carlo code used for the calculation of the initial activity distribution. The results from the calculations show that it is possible to use CFD for calculation of the activity distribution in PNA. The mainly qualitative results in this work are encouraging and suggest further work. In the continuation of this work a response function for the gamma detector will be calculated so that a PNA time spectrum can be simulated. A more accurate comparison with experimental data can then be performed

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The post (neutron) -irradiation high-temperature tensile and creep-rupture properties, deformation and fracture characteristics of austenitic alloys, particularly solution annealed Type 316 steel, are surveyed and correlated with the damage structures developed as a function of irradiation temperature (and dose). The mechanisms proposed to explain the irradiation-induced changes in properties and behaviour are summarised. The factors responsible for the observed differences in the post-irradiation and 'in-reactor' creep-rupture properties and behaviour of an austenitic steel are discussed in terms of the helium gas and stress driven growth of small intergranular bubbles and the atom plating associated with their growth and coalescence. (author).

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mo gate Mos capacitors exhibit a negative shift of their C-V characteristic by up to 240 mV, at 125 C, in response to 1000 ppm hydrogen, in controlled nitrogen atmospheres. The experimental methods for obtaining capacitance and conductance, as a function of polarisation voltage, as well as the relevant equivalent circuits are reviewed. The single-state interface state density, at the semiconductor-dielectric interface, decreases from 2.66 x 10"1"1 cm"-"2 e-v"-"1, in pure nitrogen, to 2.5 x 10"1"1 cm"-"2 e-v"-"1 in 1000 ppm hydrogen in nitrogen mixtures, at this temperature. (Author)

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

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...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

We carried out a feeding study in rats aimed at extending our aboservations of contaminant-induced immunosuppression in harbour seals. Two herring batches were freeze-dried, supplemented and fed to female adult PVG rats for a period of 4 1/2 months. Daily contaminant intakes of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) toxic equivalents (TEQ) were estimated to be 0.3 ng/kg body weight and 1.6 ng/kg in the Atlantic and Baltic groups, respectively. At the end of the feeding experiment, no contaminant-related changes in spleen CD{sub 4}{sup +}/CD{sub 8}{sup +} cellularity, natural killer cell activity, or mitogen-induced proliferative responses of thymus or spleen cells could be detected. However, total thymocyte numbers and thymus CD{sub 4}{sup +}/CD{sub 8}{sup +} ratios were reduced in the Baltic group. A novel model was established to assess the specific T-cell response to rat cytomegalovirus (RCMV). When applied to the feeding study, no ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

To investigate mechanisms responsible for positive and negative transcriptional control, the authors have utilized two types of promoters that are diffferentially regulated by thyroid hormone (T{sub 3}) receptors. Promoters containing the palindromic T{sub 3} response element TCAGGTCA TGACCTGA are positively regulated by the T{sub 3} receptor after the administration of T{sub 3}, whereas otherwise identical promoters containing the estrogen response element TCAGGTCA CTG TGACCTGA can be regulated negatively; converse effects are observed with the estrogen receptor. They describe evidence that the transcriptional inhibitory effects of the T{sub 3} or estrogen receptors on the estrogen or T{sub 3} response elements, respectively, are imposed by amino acid sequences in the C'-terminal region that colocalize with dimerization and hormone-binding domains and that these sequences can transfer ...

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A fully implicit compositional simulator was written to predict the drawdown and buildup responses for a single well in a gas condensate reservoir. The model uses the Redlich-Kwong equation of state to compute fluid properties and to determine phase equilibrium. The accuracy of the model predictions in the two-phase flow regime is tested using the results of a steady-state theory developed here. Two new correlating functions for transient flow - the reservoir integral and the sandface integral - are presented. The reservoir integral is shown to be a good liquid analogue during transient flow (drawdown). The sandface integral correlates with the liquid solution only in the slope. These two theoretical functions are shown to reduce to a computable pseudopressure function by using the results of the steady-state theory. The usefulness of this pseudopressure function for computing the ...

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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 anticipated human-caused changes to most ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The use of entire plant communities of native species is gaining interest in the green roof industry. Plant communities must be matched with environmental conditions that mimic conditions in their original habitats. Urban built environments do not differ significantly from the rocky outcrops with poor, shallow soil that many plants colonize. This paper provided details of an experiment investigating the impact of plant community structure and species diversity on living roof performance. The aim of the experiment was to determine the impact of species diversity on precipitation interception, nutrient retention, temporal biomass constancy and roof temperature constancy. The diversity treatment included separate monocultures of 8 species in the community, randomly determined mixtures of 4 species, and a mixture of all 8. Functional groups included mosses, liverworts, colonial algae and a mycorrhizal inoculum. In a second experiment, between 1 and 4 of the ...

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

There is very little known about the long-term evolution of the MHC and MHC-like molecules. This is because both the theory (the evolutionary questions and models) and the practice (the animals systems, functional assays and reagents to identify and characterize these molecules) have been difficult to develop. There is no molecular evidence yet to decide whether vertebrate immune systems (and particularly the MHC molecules) are evolutionarily related to invertebrate allorecognition systems, and the functional evidence can be interpreted either way. Even among the vertebrates, there is great heterogeneity in the quality and quantity of the immune response. The functional evidence for T-lymphocyte function in jawless and cartilagenous fish is poor, while the bony fish seem to have many characteristics of a mammalian immune system. The organization and sequence of fish Ig genes also ...

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Breast cancer progression is characterized by inappropriate cell growth. Normal cells cease growth after a limited number of cell divisions--a process called cellular senescence-while tumor cells may acquire the ability to proliferate indefinitely (immortality). Inappropriate expression of specific oncogenes in a key cellular signaling pathway (Ras, Raf) can promote tumorigenicity in immortal cells, while causing finite lifespan cells to undergo a rapid senescence-like arrest. We have studied when in the course of transformation of cultured human mammary epithelial cells (HMEC), the response to overexpressed oncogenic Raf changes from being tumor-suppressive to tumor enhancing, and what are the molecular underpinnings of this response. Our data indicate: (1) HMEC acquire the ability to maintain growth in the presence of oncogenic Raf not simply as a consequence of overcoming senescence, but as a result of a newly discovered step in the process ...

Science.gov (United States)

Two branches of research are conducted in this thesis. The first deals with nonlinear combustion response as a mechanism for triggering combustion instabilities in solid rocket motors. A nonlinear wave equation is developed to study a wide class of combustion response functions to second-order in fluctuation amplitude. Conditions for triggering are derived from analysis of limit cycles, and regions of triggering are found in parametric space. Introduction of linear cross-coupling and quadratic self-coupling among the acoustic modes appears to be how the nonlinear combustion response produces triggering to a stable limit cycle. Regions of initial conditions corresponding to stable pulses were found, suggesting that stability depends on initial phase angle and harmonic content, as well as the composite amplitude, of the pulse. Also, dependence of nonlinear stability upon system parameters is considered. ...

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The response of MOS capacitors to low- and medium-energy x-ray irradiation is investigated as a function of gate material (TaSi or Al), oxide thickness, and electric field. Measured device response is compared with predictions based on discrete ordinates and Monte Carlo code simulations of dose enhancement effects, coupled with recent estimates of electron-hole recombination in MOS oxides. In comparisons of 10-keV x-ray and Co-60 irradiations of Al-gate MOS capacitors at an oxide electric field of 1 MV/cm, it is found that predictions and experiments agree to within better than 20 percent for oxide thicknesses ranging from 35 to 1060 nm. For capacitors having TaSi/Al gates, predictions and experiments agree to within better than 30 percent at 1 MV/cm, with the largest differences occurring for 35-nm gate oxides. At other electric fields, the disagreement between experiment and prediction increases significantly for both Al- ...

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In this study, the biosorption of Cd(II), Ni(II) and Pb(II) on Aspergillus niger in a batch system was investigated, and optimal condition determined by means of central composite design (CCD) under response surface methodology (RSM). Biomass inactivated by heat and pretreated by alkali solution was used in the determination of optimal conditions. The effect of initial solution pH, biomass dose and initial ion concentration on the removal efficiency of metal ions by A. niger was optimized using a design of experiment (DOE) method. Experimental results indicated that the optimal conditions for biosorption were 5.22 g/L, 89.93 mg/L and 6.01 for biomass dose, initial ion concentration and solution pH, respectively. Enhancement of metal biosorption capacity of the dried biomass by pretreatment with sodium hydroxide was observed. Maximal removal efficiencies for Cd(II), Ni(III) and Pb(II) ions of 98, 80 and 99% were achieved, respectively. The biosorption capacity of A. ...

Science.gov (United States)

The progress of digital audio technology enabled the familiar use of the products such as CD and DAT in the acoustic measurement. For example, a signal reproduced with CD player is inputted into a subject of measurement and DAT recorder records its response. However, the sampling cannot be synchronized completely with the input signal although both nominal sample rates are set up equally, because player and recorder work independently. It is the most popular software solution to perform the synchronous addition after converting the recorded signal into the original sampling rate. However, the rate conversion also has the error due to the windowing in the high frequency region of processed signal. This paper proposes a new method for averaging asynchronous sampling data to solve these problems. To evaluate performance, the transfer function of only measuring equipment estimated from asynchronous sampling data was compared with the measuring ...

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GaN and Al{sub 1{minus}x}Ga{sub x}N films were grown by the method of ECR-MBE. Absorption constants as a function of wavelength were determined from transmission measurements. Photoconducting detectors were fabricated from these films and characterized in terms of their spectral response and photoconductive gain. Mobility-lifetime products were determined from the measurement of photoconductive gain. The resistivity and mobility-lifetime products of the films were varied from 10--10{sup 9} ohm-cm and 10{sup {minus}3}--10{sup {minus}8} cm{sup 2}/V respectively by changing the microwave power in the ECR discharge from 20--60 watts. The change in the mobility-lifetime product is attributed to change in the lifetimes of the photogenerated carriers. This assumption is supported by direct measurement of detector response times. Finally, the authors report for the first time, the detection of alpha particles using GaN detectors.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Various electrochemical capacitors (ultracapacitors) are being developed for hybrid vehicles as candidate power assist devices for the fast response engine. The primary functions of the ultracapacitor are to level the dynamic power loads on the primary propulsion device and recover available energy from regenerative breaking during off-peak power periods. Ultracapacitors show promise toward being able to accept high regenerative pulses while exhibiting very high cycle life. This paper will present test data from selected US Department of Energy (DOE) supported ultracapacitor projects designed to meet the fast response engine requirements. Devices containing carbon, conducting polymers, and metal oxide electrode materials in combination with aqueous or organic electrolytes are being supported by the DOE. This paper will present and discuss testing data obtained from recent prototype capacitors supplied by Maxwell Energy ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The opportunity of exposure to high-energy radiation up to GeV is increasing as in civilian aircrafts and at particle accelerators. The transport of such energetic particle is still difficult to describe precisely and thus verification by measurement using a well characterized instrument is indispensable for reliable dosimetry. However, no reference calibration field has been established for the high-energy range. We thus propose to use a facility at the summit of Mt. Fuji (3776 m in altitude; N35.36o, E138.73o), the highest place in Japan, for characterization of radiation instruments that are possibly used in high-energy radiation fields. For demonstration of the effectiveness, two moderator-type neutron monitors (NCN1 and WENDI-II) having different energy response functions were employed for cosmic-ray neutron measurements in the summer of 2009. In comparison with numerically simulated values, it was found that the extended energy neutron ...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

The paper investigates early Soviet policies regarding the institution of waqf (charitable endowment) in Turkestan, questioning the issue of the post-colonial character of the early Soviet administration. After taking into consideration practices related to waqf management in modern Muslim states and European colonial empires, the paper briefly describes the tsarist administrative approach to the issue. We then address the ambiguity inherent in Soviet policies on waqf requisition and restitution during Civil War years. In the section that follows we deal with different groups of Muslim intellectuals that attempted to use the Soviet state in their mutual struggle over authority in Central Asian society and describe the creation and functioning of the bureaucracies responsible for managing w...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The relationship between microstructure and macro properties of different cementitious materials has been investigated. This study consists of the following tasks: using NMR and IR to better characterize the amorphous and poorly crystalline phases that occur in blended cements; characterizing the microstructure of the hydration products of modified Portland cement as a function of different percentages of pozzolan replacements by ESEM, SEM, and EDS; comparing the properties of blended cement pastes with a control group of normal Portland cements; and studying the engineering aspects of blended cement that are important for identifying and characterizing fundamental phenomena that are responsible for their durability. The overall influence of the nanoscale and microscale structure of blended and Portland cement on the properties of the resultant composite will be discussed.

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

We study the spike statistics of neurons in a network with dynamically balanced excitation and inhibition. Our model, intended to represent a generic cortical column, comprises randomly connected excitatory and inhibitory leaky integrate-and-fire neurons, driven by excitatory input from an external population. The high connectivity permits a mean field description in which synaptic currents can be treated as gaussian noise, the mean and autocorrelation function of which are calculated self-consistently from the firing statistics of single model neurons. Within this description, a wide range of Fano factors is possible. We find that the irregularity of spike trains is controlled mainly by the strength of the synapses relative to the difference between the firing threshold and the postfiring reset level of the membrane potential. For moderately strong synapses, we find spike statistics very similar to those observed in primary visual cortex.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

We present a unified description of the imaginary part of the dynamical magnetic susceptibility #chi#"'"'(#omega#.T) and measurements of the static susceptibility #chi#(T) and electrical resistivity #rho#(T) in the uranium intermetallics UCu_5_-_xPd_x (x = 1.1.5). For temperatures T and excitation energies #omega# in the range 12 K < #omega#, T < 150 K, our analysis demonstrates that the dynamics of isolated uranium ions are responsible for the observed temperature and frequency scaling, although interion interactions may become important at lower temperatures and frequencies. We derive a strict criterion for single-ion scaling in the form of a universal scaling function, providing a model-independent description of the compiled experimental data. (orig.).

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

In this paper, a Kramers-Kronig (KK) analysis of infrared (IR) reflectance spectrum of quaternary In_0_._0_1Al_0_._0_6Ga_0_._9_3N film grown by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) is reported. The infrared measurement is performed in the reflection mode at an incident angle of 15 degree sign by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy at T = 300 K. The Kramers-Kronig analysis of the reflectivity data has been used to obtain the real and imaginary parts of the index of refraction (n and k), and the real and imaginary parts of the dielectric response function (#epsilon#' and #epsilon#') of the materials. Finally, the transverse optical and longitudinal optical phonons for quaternary In_xAl_yGa_1_-_x_-_yN were obtained.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Normal human foreskin keratinocytes cotransfected with the neomycin resistance gene and recombinant human papillomavirus (HPV) DNAs (types 16, 18, 31, and 33) that have a high or moderate association with cervical malignancy acquired immortality and contained integrated and transcriptionally active viral genomes. Only transcripts from the intact E6 and E7 genes were detected in at least one cell line, suggesting that one or both of these genes are responsible for immortalization. Recombinant HPV DNAs with low or no oncogenic potential for cervical cancer (HPV1a, -5, -6b, and -11) induced small G418-resistant colonies that senesced as did the nontransfected cells. These colonies contained only episomal virus DNA; therefore, integration of HPV sequences is important for immortalization of keratinocytes. This study suggests that the virus-encoded immortalization function contributes to the pathogenesis of cervical carcinoma.

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Entorhinal grid cells in mammals fire as a function of animal location, with spatially periodic response patterns. This nonlocal periodic representation of location, a local variable, is unlike other neural codes. There is no theoretical explanation for why such a code should exist. We examined how accurately the grid code with noisy neurons allows an ideal observer to estimate location and found this code to be a previously unknown type of population code with unprecedented robustness to noise. In particular, the representational accuracy attained by grid cells over the coding range was in a qualitatively different class from what is possible with observed sensory and motor population codes. We found that a simple neural network can effectively correct the grid code. To the best of our kn...

Science.gov (United States)

Generalized linear models (GLMs), as defined by J. A. Nelder and R. W. M. Wedderburn (1972), unify a class of regression models for categorical, discrete, and continuous response variables. As an extension of classical linear models, GLMs provide a common body of theory and methodology for some seemingly unrelated models and procedures, such as the logistic, Poisson, and probit models, that are increasingly used in family studies. This article provides an overview of the principle and the key components of GLMs, such as the exponential family of distributions, the linear predictor, and the link function. To illustrate the application of GLMs, this article uses Canadian national survey data to build an example focusing on the number of close friends among older adults. The article concludes with a discussion of the strengths and weaknesses of GLMs.

Science.gov (United States)

FIRESET is a PC-based computer code which calculates current as a function of time for an RLC circuit containing up to fifteen series conductors which undergo rapid heating and subsequent explosion as a consequence of an electric current which passes through them. In its original form, the code was developed to model electrical waveforms measured when a large, typically 25.4 x 25.4 x 0.051-mm, aluminum foil was exploded using a capacitor bank with tens of kilojoules of stored energy. The code proved to be useful for this purpose, and it was recognized that it could also be used for modeling the electrical response of detonator bridgewires. In view of the increasing use of slapper detonators for DOD applications, we wish to make the latest version of the code, available to DOD laboratories and contractors for use in designing firing systems which employ slapper or exploding bridgewire detonators. This document provides instructions for the code.

Science.gov (United States)

A 65-yr-old female developed cough, fever and dyspnoea following repeated exposure to a home ultrasonic humidifier. High-resolution computed tomography showed ground-glass opacity in both lung fields. Arterial blood gas analysis gave an oxygen tension of 8.38 kPa (63 Torr). Pulmonary function testing revealed restrictive ventilatory impairment with a reduction in the diffusing capacity. The diagnosis of extrinsic allergic alveolitis (EAA) was confirmed by radiographic findings, pathological evidence of alveolitis and reproductive development by a provocation test to the humidifier water. The yeast Debaryomyces Hansenii was the only microorganism cultured from the water of the humidifier. The double diffusion precipitating test and lymphocyte proliferative response was positive for an extract of D. Hansenii, providing evidence to incriminate this fungus. This is the first described case of EAA caused by D. Hansenii. PMID:12449192

Science.gov (United States)

Electric utilities have been surprised by recent opposition to the construction of very-high-voltage transmission lines, which met with little resistance in the past. Concerns over health and safety factors are associated with the increase in the number of such lines, although their presence has always been an inconvenience and a hazard for those living and working in the immediate vicinity. The new lines present additional hazards due to the continuous flow of small electric currents and the charges that build up in the area of the towers and lines. The lines are also a threat to persons wearing cardiac pacemakers. There is experimental evidence from the Soviet Union and the U.S. that electric and magnetic fields at the frequencies of such power lines can have serious biological effects on growth rates and the functioning of the central nervous system. Full disclosure that possible risks are involved and the opportunity to avoid these risks is a public ...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Summary Analyses of event runoff coefficients provide essential insight on catchment response, particularly if a range of catchments and a range of events are compared by a single indicator. In this study we examine the effect of climate, geology, land use, flood types and initial soil moisture conditions on the distribution functions of the event runoff coefficients for a set of 14 mountainous catchments located in the eastern Italian Alps, ranging in size from 7.3 to 608.4km2. Runoff coefficients were computed from hourly precipitation, runoff data and estimates of snowmelt. A total of 535 events were analysed over the period 1989-2004. We classified each basin using a "permeability index" which was inferred from a geologic map and ranged from "low" to "high permeability". A continuous s...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

To test whether the dose addition and independent action models can predict the combined toxicity of the mixtures of phenol and aniline derivatives, six phenolic and two aniline derivatives were selected as the test components. The inhibition toxicity of the derivatives and their mixtures to Vibrio qinghaiensis sp.-Q67 indicated that all dose?response relationships could be effectively described by the Weibull function with correlation coefficients greater than 0.99. The combined toxicity of two equivalent-effect concentration ratio mixtures and eight uniform design concentration ratio mixtures could be predicted successfully by the dose addition model within 95% confidence intervals. However, it was also well predicted by the independent action model, especially at lower concentrations.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

An artificial neural network (ANN), trained as an inverse of the controlled plant, to function as a power system stabilizer (PSS) is presented in this paper. In order to make the proposed ANN PSS work properly, it was trained over the full working range of the generating unit with a large variety of disturbances. Data used to train the ANN PSS consists of the control input and the synchronous machine response with an adaptive PSS (APSS) controlling the generator. During training, the ANN was required to memorize the reverse input/output mapping of the synchronous machine. After the training, the output of the synchronous machine was applied as the input of the ANN PSS and the output of the ANN PSS was used as the control signal. Simulation results show that the proposed ANN PSS can provide good damping of the power system over a wide operating range and significantly improve the system performance.

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

The amygdala, perhaps more than any other brain region, has been implicated in numerous neuropsychiatric and neurodevelopmental disorders. It is part of a system initially evolved to detect dangers in the environment and modulate subsequent responses, which can profoundly influence human behavior. If its threshold is set too low, normally benign aspects of the environment are perceived as dangers, interactions are limited, and anxiety may arise. If set too high, risk taking increases and inappropriate sociality may occur. Given that many neurodevelopmental disorders involve too little or too much anxiety or too little of too much social interaction, it is not surprising that the amygdala has been implicated in many of them. In this chapter, we begin by providing a brief overview of the phy...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Summary Background Sorafenib is an oral multikinase inhibitor that blocks cell proliferation via the ERK pathway and angiogenesis via the VEGF pathway. This phase II trial was conducted to determine the efficacy and tolerability of sorafenib for the treatment of patients with metastatic urothelial cancer (UC) who had not had prior chemotherapy for advanced disease. Patients and Methods Seventeen chemo-na?ve UC patients with adequate performance status and organ function were treated with sorafenib 400?mg twice daily on a continuous basis until progression or unacceptable toxicity. The primary endpoint was objective tumor response rate as measured by RECIST criteria. Secondary endpoints included rate of prolonged stable disease (>3?months), time to progression, median and 1?yr survival and ...

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A new semi-submersible floating structure is proposed on which three wind turbine towers are installed. This paper presents a basic characteristic of the wave-induced motion of this semi-submersible floating structure via. numerical computations and 1/150 scaled rigid model experiments in a wave tank. In the numerical computations, nonlinear damping effect due to drag forces modeled by the Morison's formula is considered in the equation of motion, where the linear hydrodynamic forces are obtained from the Green's function model. As a result, the response characteristics around the resonant frequency region were successfully improved. In addition to such basic examination, major results of feasibility studies, including the structural stability for severe wave conditions and the long-term fatigue limit state, are presented for a realistic situation.

Scientific Electronic Library Online (English)

Abstract in english Cytokines are molecules that were initially discovered in the immune system as mediators of communication between various types of immune cells. However, it soon became evident that cytokines exert profound effects on key functions of the central nervous system, such as food intake, fever, neuroendocrine regulation, long-term potentiation, and behavior. In the 80's and 90's our group and others discovered that the genes encoding various cytokines and their receptors are e (more) xpressed in vascular, glial, and neuronal structures of the adult brain. Most cytokines act through cell surface receptors that have one transmembrane domain and which transduce a signal through the JAK/STAT pathway. Of particular physiological and pathophysiological relevance is the fact that cytokines are potent regulators of hypothalamic neuropeptidergic systems that maintain neuroendocrine homeostasis and which regulate the body's response to ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

In this paper the structural and functional changes of gamma irradiated bovine hemoglobin are presented. Aqueous solutions/1%/of HbO_2 were irradiated in air with doses ranging from 1 to 4 Mrad. Isoelectric focusing indicated change of the charge of irradiated hemoglobin. The isoelectric point of hemoglobin was displaced towards more acid values with increasing doses, up from 1 Mrad. Fingerprint analysis and peptide column chromatography of irradiated hemoglobin demonstrated disturbances increasing with the dose. These changes were confirmed by amino acid analysis which showed that Cys, Met, Trp, His, Pro and Tyr residues were destroyed or modified following irradiation. At doses exceeding 1 Mrad the irradiated solutions of hemoglobin showed a decrease of heme-heme interaction and an increase of affinity for oxygen. Differences observed in oxygen-dissociation curves seem to be correlated with the radiation induced destruction of amino acid residues which are ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

An experimental and analytical study was performed to improve understanding of the dynamic impact behavior of carbon steel pipes. The test program addressed two types of pipe impact scenarios using both 2- and 4-in. Sch-80 pipes and elbows. Projectile-on-pipe tests simulated the behavior of a stationary target pipe which is impacted at its center by a larger, more rigid whipping pipe. These target pipes, which contained non-flowing water at about 290{degree}C temperature and ca 8.5 megapascals pressure, exhibited a peak deformation of up to 45% reduction in their diameter. For each test condition, the local deformation at the impact zone is a function of the peak impact force and impact velocity. Pipe-on-wall tests simulated the impact of an elbow at the free end of a cantilevered whipping pipe with a rigid barrier. The peak crush of the impact zone of the elbows was a function of peak impact force. Numerical analyses of dynamic impact tests ...

Science.gov (United States)

The effects of 0.2 and 0.5 mL/kg Innovar (a neuroleptic analgesic) on cardiovascular functions and reflexes in rabbits were measured. We recorded the effects of Innovar on arterial pressure, heart rate, respiration rate, ventricular contractility, arterial oxygen tension, as well as the drug's effects on the bradycardia and vasoconstrictor response to cigarette smoke stimulation of the nose (the so-called "nasopharyngeal reflex"). In animals given 0.2 mL/kg Innovar, all steady state cardiovascular variables had returned to pre-Innovar levels in 45 min, as had the efficacy of the nasopharyngeal reflex. In animals given 0.5 mL/kg Innovar, all steady state cardiovascular variables, except PaO2, were slightly but significantly depressed for up to 135 min after injection. The nasopharyngeal reflex returned to normal within 90 min. Because of the calmative and analgesic effects of Innovar, and its only moderate effects on cardiovascular ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Object: To control the average liquid level of each steam generator at a constant level irrespective of the flow rate of sodium thereby to decrease change in the retained amount of sodium and at the same time to improve the load response characteristic. Construction: A method for decreasing to as large an extent as possible a change in the amount of sodium retained in a steam generator due to change in the flow rate, which comprises the steps of detecting the main recirculating flow rate of liquid sodium by the use of a sodium flow rate detector, amplifying the detected flow rate signal depending upon the ratio between the flow rates respectively in a super-heater and a re-heater (distribution ratio), delivering the amplified signal to a function generator which generates a liquid level setting signal for maintaining the respective average liquid levels of the super-heater and the re-heater at constant levels irrespective of the flow rates, and ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The Drosophila hairy gene encodes a basic helix- loop-helix protein that functions in at least two steps during Drosophila development: (1) during embryogenesis, when it partakes in the establishment of segments, and (2) during the larval stage, when it functions negatively in determining the pattern of sensory bristles on the adult fly. In the rat, a structurally homologous gene (RHL) behaves as an immediate-early gene in its response to growth factors and can, like that in Drosophila, suppress neuronal differentiation events. Here, the authors report the genomic cloning of the human hairy gene homolog (HRY). The coding region of the gene is contained within four exons. The predicted amino acid sequence reveals only four amino acid differences between the human and rat genes. Analysis of the DNA sequence 5[prime] to the coding region reveals a putatitve untranslated exon. To increase the value of the HRY gene as a genetic ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

We used light confinement in optical microcavities to achieve a strong enhancement and a precise wavelength tunability of the electrical photoconductance of nanostructured porous silicon (PS). The devices consist of a periodic array of alternating PS layers, electrochemically etched to have high and low porosities - and therefore distinct dielectric functions. A central layer having a doubled thickness breaks up the symmetry of the one-dimensional photonic structure, producing a resonance in the photonic band gap that is clearly observed in the reflectance spectrum. The devices were transferred to a glass coated with a transparent SnO{sub 2} electrode, while an Al contact was evaporated on its back side. The electrical conductance was measured as a function of the photon energy. A strong enhancement of the conductance is obtained in a narrow (17nm FWHM) band peaking at the resonance. We present experimental results of the angular dependence of ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The general development of variational methods for fusion reactor blanket studies is given. Important quantities such as tritium breeding ratio and total nuclear heating are linear functionals of the solutions to the Boltzmann transport equation. To estimate a neutronic quantity by variational methods is, in general, to carry out the scalar product formulation of the Roussopoulos variational principle, or the Schwinger variational principle, with the help of the associated adjoint transport equation where the appropriate response function for the estimate is taken as the source. A multipoint interpolation method based on the above variational principles has been developed and compared to other variational approaches. The method of variational interpolation removes the need to compute both forward and adjoint solutions while the error has the characteristic of cancellation of errors between interpolation reference points. ...

Science.gov (United States)

Cardiac contractile function is dependent on the integrity and function of the sarcolemmal membrane. Swimming exercise training is known to increase cardiac contractile performance. The purpose of the present study was to examine whether a swimming exercise program would alter sarcolemmal enzyme activity, ion flux, and composition in rat hearts. After approximately 11 wk of exercise training, cardiac myosin and actomyosin Ca2+-adenosinetriphosphatase (ATPase) activity was significantly higher in exercised rat hearts than in sedentary control rat hearts. Glycogen content was increased in plantaris and gastrocnemius muscles from exercised animals as was succinic dehydrogenase activity in gastrocnemius muscle of exercised rats in comparison to sedentary rat preparations. Sarcolemmal vesicles were isolated from hearts of exercise-trained and control rats. Sarcolemmal Na+-K+-ATPase and K+-p-nitrophenylphosphatase activities, Na+-Ca2+ exchange, and ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Thirty-two asthmatic volunteers 8 to 16 yr of age, recruited through local schools and private physicians, were exposed in a chamber to clean air (control condition) and to sulfuric acid aerosol at a low concentration (46 +/- 11 micrograms/m3; mean +/- SD) and at a high concentration (127 +/- 21 micrograms/m3). Acid aerosols had mass median aerodynamic diameters near 0.5 microns with geometric standard deviations near 1.9. Temperature was 21 degrees C, and relative humidity was near 50%. Subjects were exposed with unencumbered oronasal breathing for 30 min at rest plus 10 min at moderate exercise (ventilation rate approximately 20 L/min/m2 of body surface). A subgroup (21 subjects) were exposed similarly to clean air and to high acid (134 +/- 20 micrograms/m3) with 100% oral breathing. Increased symptoms and bronchoconstriction were found after exercise under all exposure conditions. For the group, symptom and lung function responses were not ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The regional impacts of ozone on corn, wheat, soybean, and peanut crops are estimated by using dose-response functions to relate ambient maximum 7 h/d seasonal ozone concentrations to crop productivity data. Linear dose-response functions were developed from open-top field chamber studies. It was assumed that the limited number of cultivars and growing conditions available for the analysis were representative of major agricultural regions. Hourly ozone data were selected to represent rural concentrations and used to calculate maximum 7-h/d average values. Seasonal ozone averages for counties were extrapolated from approximately 300 monitoring sites. Results must be interpreted with knowledge of these assumptions and sources of uncertainty. Impacts are calculated for county units for the conterminous United States with maps showing patterns and tables summarizing the potential magnitude of ozone effects ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The effect of measurement geometry on the determination of the activity of solutions containing "1"2"5I for use in brachytherapy applications has been investigated for 5 mL plastic syringes and 2 mL conical glass dose vials as a function of filling mass. New dial settings for the syringes over a filling mass range of 1 to 3 g have been determined to be 497#+-#8 and 469#+-#8 (expanded, k=2, uncertainties) for the NIST Capintec CRC-12 and Capintec CRC-35R, respectively, with any effect due to the filling mass lying within the uncertainty in the activity calibration. A filling mass effect was observed in the dose vials, causing a 10.5% reduction in the chamber response from a 2 g filling mass to 1 g. Dial settings at 2 g were experimentally found to be 143#+-#2 and 135#+-#2 (expanded uncertainties) for the NIST Capintec CRC-12 and Capintec CRC-35R, respectively. The appropriate dial settings for the same vials with a 1 g filling mass were found to ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Before large-scale anthropogenetic emissions the environmental factors have been rather stable for thousands of years, varying yearly, seasonally and daily in rather regular manners around some mean values. In this century the emissions of CO{sub 2}, sulphur and nitrogen from society to atmosphere are changing both atmospheric and soil environment at rates not experienced before. The fluxes to soil affect the contents of plant available nutrients and solubility of toxic compounds in the forest soil. Additionally, the chemical state of soil environment is coupled to tree growth, litter production and nutrient uptake as well as to the activity of biological organisms in soil, which decompose litter and release nutrients from it. Trees have developed effective regulation systems to cope with the environment during the evolution. The resulting acclimations improve the functioning of the trees if the environmental factors remain within their range of variation during ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Success in improving treatment outcomes in childhood cancer has been achieved almost exclusively through multicenter and multidisciplinary clinical and applied research over several decades. While biologically rational as well as empirical approaches have led to combination chemotherapy and multimodality approaches to therapy, which have given rise to evidence-based practice standards, similar scientific rigor has not always been as evidently applied to modalities utilized to assess initial disease burden and, more important, response to investigational approaches to therapy. As the empirical approach to therapeutic advances has likely maximized its benefit, future progress will require translation of biologic discovery most notably from the areas of genomics and proteomics. Hence, attempts to improve efficacy of therapy will require a parallel effort to minimize collateral damage of future therapeutic approaches, and such a parallel approach will mandate the ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The receptor occupancy-biological effect relationship for muscarinic receptors in guinea pig ileal smooth muscle has been studied by comparison of radioligand binding and contractile response. Muscarinic receptors in homogenates of ileal smooth muscle were labeled with (/sub 3/H)-1-Quinuclidinyl benzilate. Treatment with propylbenzilylcholine mustard (PrBCM), to inactivate irreversibly muscarinic receptors, caused a large dose dependent rightward shift of the dose-response curve to three agonistic furtrethonium derivatives with a concomitant decrease in maximal response. Using those data, the fraction of receptors remaining unoccupied (q-values) and true affinity constants (-log K/sub A/-values) were calculated. Exposure to 20 or 60 nM PrBCM for 15 minutes resulted in a 39% and a 61% reduction in specific (/sup 3/H)-1-Quinuclidinyl benzilate binding sites respectively to be compared with a 62% and a 85% decrease expected ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Considered is a new type of generalized asymptotic functions, which are not functionals on some space of test functions as the Schwartz distributions. The definition of the generalized asymptotic functions is given. It is pointed out that in future the particular asymptotic functions will be used for solving some topics of quantum mechanics and quantum theory.

Science.gov (United States)

PMID:19862292

KoreaScience (Korea)

Full Text Available

Science.gov (United States)

The quasi-static normal indentation of sandwich panels with quasi-isotropic laminated composite skins and honeycomb or foam cores, by spherical indentors, has been investigated using experiments and finite element analysis. The experimental program emphasized the effects of indentor size on the resulting load indentation responses, failure mechanisms in the skin and the core, and the measurement of contact areas between indentor and the target. The sandwich panels were indented up to the initiation of skin fracture and the resulting contact data was used to characterize contact power laws. A non-linear finite element model was developed based on the experimental observations to systematically explore the indentation behavior of diverse sandwich configurations and to investigate the contact pressure distributions. The finite element model was used as an experimental tool in the development of a simple non-dimensional semi-empirical model that was based on the ...

Science.gov (United States)

PMID:3716246

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The authors analyze the consequences of models of structure formation for higher-order (n-point) galaxy correlation functions in the mildly non-linear regime. Several variations of the standard {Omega} = 1 cold dark matter model with scale-invariant primordial perturbations have recently been introduced to obtain more power on large scales, R{sub p} {approximately}20 h{sup {minus}1} Mpc, e.g., low-matter-density (non-zero cosmological constant) models, {open_quote}tilted{close_quote} primordial spectra, and scenarios with a mixture of cold and hot dark matter. They also include models with an effective scale-dependent bias, such as the cooperative galaxy formation scenario of Bower, et al. The authors show that higher-order (n-point) galaxy correlation functions can provide a useful test of such models and can discriminate between models with true large-scale power in the density field and those where the galaxy power arises from ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Eukaryotic genomes encode a zinc finger protein (ZPR1) with tandem ZPR1 domains. In response to growth stimuli, ZPR1 assembles into complexes with eukaryotic translation elongation factor 1A (eEF1A) and the survival motor neurons protein. To gain insight into the structural mechanisms underlying the essential function of ZPR1 in diverse organisms, we determined the crystal structure of a ZPR1 domain tandem and characterized the interaction with eEF1A. The ZPR1 domain consists of an elongation initiation factor 2-like zinc finger and a double-stranded {beta} helix with a helical hairpin insertion. ZPR1 binds preferentially to GDP-bound eEF1A but does not directly influence the kinetics of nucleotide exchange or GTP hydrolysis. However, ZPR1 efficiently displaces the exchange factor eEF1B from preformed nucleotide-free complexes, suggesting that it may function as a negative regulator of eEF1A activation. Structure-based ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The rapid growth in the use of in vitro methods for nanoparticle toxicity assessment has proceeded with limited consideration of the unique kinetics of these materials in solution. Particles in general and nanoparticles specifically, diffuse, settle and agglomerate in cell culture media as a function of several systemic and particle factors: media density and viscosity, particle size, shape and density. Cellular dose then is also a function of these factors as they determine the rate of transport of nanoparticles to cells in culture. Here we develop and apply the principles of particokinetics and dosimetry in vitro and outline an approach for simulation of nanoparticle particokinetics in cell culture systems. We illustrate that where equal mass concentrations (?g/ml) imply equal doses for dissimilar materials, the corresponding particle number or surface area concentration doses differ by orders of magnitude. When rates of diffusional and ...

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in young children may provide information about the development of the visual cortex, and may have predictive value for later visual performance. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of fMRI for examining cerebral processing of vision in very young infants and in infants with brain damage. We examined 15 preterm infants, 12 children suspected of having a cerebral visual impairment and 10 children with a normal visual system, all of whom were either spontaneously asleep or sedated with chloral hydrate. Cortical response to stroboscopic light stimulation could be demonstrated in all technically acceptable data sets from children with a post-menstrual age (PMA) of > 41 weeks, but not in younger infants. Children < 60 weeks PMA showed either a blood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) signal increase or decrease, while all older children showed a signal decrease. The activated ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Purpose: Radiotherapy (RT) has been the predominant local treatment for Ewing's sarcoma of bone at the University of Florida. Twice-daily hyperfractionated RT was initiated in 1982 to improve local control and functional outcome. This retrospective review compares the results of once-daily vs. twice-daily RT in patients with primary Ewing's sarcoma of an extremity, with emphasis on functional outcome. Methods and Materials: Between June 1971 and January 1990, 37 patients were treated at the University of Florida for nonmetastatic Ewing's sarcoma of bone with a primary lesion in an extremity. Three patients underwent amputation. Of 34 patients treated with RT, 31 had RT alone and 3 had a combination of RT and local excision. Before 1982, 14 patients received once-daily RT; since 1982, 17 patients have received twice-daily RT. Doses of once-daily RT varied from 47 to 61 Gy at 1.8-2 Gy per fraction. Doses of twice-daily RT varied, depending on the ...

International Science & Technology Center (ISTC)

Multi-functional Bioactive Nano-structured Coatings for Load-Bearing Implants

Science.gov (United States)

The family of natriuretic peptides consists of the atria natriuretic peptide (ANP), the cerebral natriuretic peptide (BNP), the type C natriuretic peptide (CNP) and the peptide isolated from the dendroaspis snakes' poison (DNP), whose presence in humans has not been confirmed. The physiological function of ANP is in the control of arterial blood pressure by regulation of systemic vascular resistance of blood vessels. BNP is produced as one of the factors in the acute response to inflammatory tissue damage, mainly in coronary vessels. Increased serum concentrations of natriuretic peptides have been found in stress situations, such as trauma or major surgery, systemic hypotension, and in intrinsic myocardial dysfunction. High concentrations of natriuretic peptides were observed in severe sepsis, septic shock and in multiple organ failure, probably due to increased secretion by mediators of the inflammatory process.The highest concentrations of ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The 9/11 event in the U.S.A has increased international terror possibilities against nuclear facilities including nuclear power plants(NPPs). It is necessary to assess the performance of an existing physical protection system(PPS) at nuclear facilities based on such malevolent acts. A PPS is a complex configuration of detection, delay, and response elements. Several methods are available to analyze a PPS and evaluate its effectiveness. Sandia National Laboratory(SNL) in the USA was developed a System Analysis of Vulnerability to Intrusion (SAVI) computer code for this purpose. It is powerful software for evaluating the effectiveness of PPS against outsider threats. This study presents the performance assessment of the PPS at Wolsung NPP using SAVI code. First, the site-specific Adversary Sequence Diagrams(ASDs) of the PPS is constructed. It helps to understand the functions of the existing PPS composed of physical areas and Protection ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

This study compares the attitudes of academic and government wetlands scientists about wetlands science and policy. Analysis of one thousand seven hundred responses to Delphi-type questions posed to twenty California scientists on a wide range of issues about California coastal wetlands found significant differences between academic and government scientists about wetlands definitions, threats to wetlands, wetlands policies, wetlands health, and wetlands mitigation strategies. These differences were consistent with descriptive models of political sociology developed by D. Price and C.P. Snow and with normative models of the philosophy of science developed in the renaissance by F. Bacon and R. Descartes. Characteristics, preferences, and personality attributes consistent with group functions and roles have been described in these models. These findings have serious implications for policy. When academic and government wetlands scientists act as ...

Science.gov (United States)

Prairie (Microtus ochrogaster) and meadow voles (M. pennsylvanicus) are closely related species that differ in life strategy and social behaviors, and thus provide an excellent comparative model for the study of neuronal and hormonal mechanisms underlying behavior. In the present study using the elevated plus maze (EPM) test, we found that male prairie voles entered the open arms of the EPM more and remained there longer, and showed a higher level of overall locomotor activity than did male meadow voles. In addition, two weeks of social isolation induced an increase in open arm entries in prairie, but not meadow, voles. Prairie voles also had a higher level of circulating corticosterone compared to meadow voles, and the EPM test increased circulating corticosterone in prairie voles. Finally, social isolation coupled with the EPM test influenced Fos-immunoreactive expression in several brain areas, including the medial preoptic area, ventromedial hypothalamus, amygdala, and prefrontal ...

CERN Document Server

The DARWIN mission is an Infrared free flying interferometer mission based on the new technique of nulling interferometry. Its main objective is to detect and characterize other Earth-like planets, analyze the composition of their atmospheres and their capability to sustain life, as we know it. DARWIN is currently in definition phase. This PhD work that has been undertaken within the DARWIN team at the European Space Agency (ESA) addresses two crucial aspects of the mission. Firstly, a DARWIN target star list has been established that includes characteristics of the target star sample that will be critical for final mission design, such as, luminosity, distance, spectral classification, stellar variability, multiplicity, location and radius of the star. Constrains were applied as set by planet evolution theory and mission architecture. Secondly, a number of alternative mission architectures have been evaluated on the basis of interferometer response as a ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

During the next 100 years, the mean annual temperature is expected to be 1-6 deg C higher than at present. It is also expected to be accompanied by a lengthening of the thermal growing season and increased precipitation. Consequently, climatic change will increase the uncertainty of the management of forest ecosystems in the future. In this context, this research project aimed to outline the ecological and silvicultural implications of climatic change with regard to (1) how the expected climatic change might modify the functioning and structure of the boreal forest ecosystem, and (2) how the silvicultural management of the forest ecosystem should be modified in order to maintain sustainable forest yield under changing climatic conditions. The experimental component of the project concerned first the effect that elevating temperature and elevating concentration of atmospheric carbon have on the ontogenetic development of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L) and on the ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gonadal function was studied in two groups of children previously treated for medulloblastoma with surgery followed by postoperative craniospinal irradiation. In group 1 but not in group 2, the children also received adjuvant chemotherapy for one to two years. All children in group 1 received a nitrosourea (BCNU or CCNU), plus vincristine in four and procarbazine in three patients. The nine children in group 1 showed clinical and biochemical evidence of gonadal damage with elevated serum FSH concentrations and, in the boys, small testes for their stage of pubertal development. In group 2 (n . 8), each child had completed pubertal development normally, the boys had adult sized testes and the girls regular menses. Gonadotropin values were normal in all eight children. We conclude that nitrosoureas were responsible for the gonadal damage in the children in group 1, with procarbazine also contributing to the damage in the three children who ...

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Investigations into sexual differentiation and pheromone response in the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe are complicated by the need to first starve the cells of nitrogen. Most mating-related experiments are therefore performed on non-dividing cells. Here we overcome this problem by using two mutants that bypass the nutritional requirements and respond to the M-factor mating pheromone in rich medium. The first mutant lacks the cyr1 gene which encodes adenylate cyclase and these cells contain no measurable amounts of cAMP. When M-factor is added to a growing h+ cyr1- strain it causes a transient G1 arrest of cell division, transcription of mat1-Pm, and elongation of the cells to form shmoos. The second mutant contains the temperature-sensitive pat1-114 allele. At 30 degrees C this mutant was previously shown not only to bypass the nutritional signal but also to stop growing in a state derepressed for pheromone-controlled functions. We ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

In order to enhance the performance of CMOS transistors, embedded epitaxial layers of Si:C can be used. In the present work, Si:C layers with Carbon contents up to 1.9 at-% and in-situ Phosphorus doping up to 4 x 10{sup 20}At/cm{sup 3} have been investigated. Due to the low solubility of Carbon in Silicon (0.0004 at.-% at the melting point), all layers considered in this work are metastable and tend to relax. Since it is crucial to the application to retain the strain of those layers, the responsible mechanisms must be understood. The relaxation during thermal treatment was studied by high resolution X-ray diffraction and was found to behave differently, depending on Carbon content and Phosphorus doping concentration. In this work, we propose a relaxation mechanism based on a kick-out reaction of substitutional Carbon which is accelerated by Phosphorus content through transient enhanced diffusion. We simulate the time evolution of layer relaxation as a ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

We describe in a comprehensive fashion the Los Alamos second-generation system for passive and active neutron assays of drum-size containers. The developmental history of this 7-year project is presented with emphasis on the pulsed active neutron technique (differential dieaway), which has achieved milligram levels of assay sensitivity for both plutonium and uranium wastes. We describe in detail the matrix effects for both passive and active neutron assays. We present in a thorough fashion our novel approach to achieving comprehensive corrections for these matrix effects using measurements made during the assays. We develop a matrix correction formalism based on separate neutron absorption and moderator indices determined from these measurements. These are presented as a series of analytic functions fitted to the data. Absolute calibrations and calibration standards are discussed, as is a practical means (pink drum measurements) of achieving routine calibration ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

This document establishes the Quality Assurance (QA) Program requirements for the Hazards Waste remedial Actions Program (HASWRAP) for ensuring, with a high degree of confidence, that program objectives will be achieved as planned. The QA Program is introduced in Sect. 1. The HAZWRAP Support Contractor Office (SCO) functional organization and QA responsibilities are shown in Sect. 2. QA program requirements are contained in Sect. 3. These requiremens are pased on the American national Standard, American National Standards Institute/American Society of Mechanical Engineers NQA-1 Quality Assurance Program Requirements for Nuclear Facilities. The 18 elements defined in the standard are tailored to HAZWRAP's needs. The QA program requirements are delineated under the major headings: Quality Assurance Program, Organization, and Control of Quality;two additional program requirements, Software Quality Assurance and Problem Prevention, are included. ...

Science.gov (United States)

Using a syngeneic p53-null mouse mammary gland tumor model that closely mimics human breast cancer, we have identified, by limiting dilution transplantation and in vitro mammosphere assay, a Lin(-)CD29(H)CD24(H) subpopulation of tumor-initiating cells. Upon subsequent transplantation, this subpopulation generated heterogeneous tumors that displayed properties similar to the primary tumor. Analysis of biomarkers suggests the Lin(-)CD29(H)CD24(H) subpopulation may have arisen from a bipotent mammary progenitor. Differentially expressed genes in the Lin(-)CD29(H)CD24(H) mouse mammary gland tumor-initiating cell population include those involved in DNA damage response and repair, as well as genes involved in epigenetic regulation previously shown to be critical for stem cell self-renewal. These studies provide in vitro and in vivo data that support the cancer stem cell (CSC) hypothesis. Furthermore, this p53-null mouse mammary tumor model may allow us to identify new ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The current--density profile of a focused ion beam (FIB) has a central peak accompanied by broader ``wings`` that, while unimportant in lithographic applications, can lead to unwanted effects during an implantation operation. The origin of the wings, and hence the best way to minimize them, is not clear and needs further study. We have measured the line profiles of several of the ions available in our FIB machine as a function of a number of variables, under ultrahigh vacuum (UHV) conditions. No effects are observed from changes in emission current or deliberate defocusing of the objective lens. There are some changes with beam aperture and/or current, but the biggest differences seem to be associated with a change of source type and hence, possibly, with a change in the source/extractor configuration or in the alloy and the emission process. The wing amplitudes are appreciably lower than many previously observed, and their profiles, at least for the lighter ions ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

This paper describes the Fast Flux Test Facility (FFTF) Operations initial training program utilizing the Operator Training Simulator (OTS). The OTS is a computer-driven system that provides real time response of essential FFTF plant functions to a control room mockup. The FFTF, a 400 Megawatt, three-loop, sodium-cooled fast test reactor will test fuels, materials and equipment for the U.S. Liquid Metal Fast Breeder Reactor Program. Construction is expected to be completed in August 1978. Initial criticality is expected in early 1979. This schedule will require FFTF control room operators to be fully qualified to operate the facility by late 1979. Because FFTF is like no other U.S. nuclear reactor, existing U.S. utility plants could not be depended on to provide highly experienced people to operate FFTF. Therefore, an Operator Training Simulator has been built. The OTS will play a vital role in the formal operator qualification program.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The purpose of this study was to determine whether low doses of carbon monoxide (CO) exacerbate myocardial ischemia during a progressive exercise test. The effect of CO exposure was evaluated using the objective measure of time to development of electrocardiographic changes indicative of ischemia and the subjective measure of time to onset of angina. Sixty-three male subjects (41-75 years) with well-documented coronary artery disease, who had exertional angina pectoris and ischemic ST-segment changes in their electrocardiograms, were studied. Results from three randomized, double-blind test visits (room air, low and high CO) were compared. The effect of CO exposure was determined from the percent difference in the end points obtained on exercise tests performed before and after a 1-hr exposure to room air or CO. A significant dose-response relationship was found for the individual differences in the time to ST end point and angina for the pre-versus postexposure ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tritium, a beta emitting gas at room temperature causes a biological hazard in the locations where it is present beyond acceptable limits. The hazard can be due to inhalation, and absorption by skin. Hence is the necessity of Tritium monitoring instruments/systems for ensuring safety in the PHWRs and the nuclear research plants and laboratories. It is desirable that the instruments address satisfactorily to certain factors like the following: (i) Wide range of Tritium concentrations - 1 to 104 DAC ( Derived Air Concentration) (ii) On-line monitoring features (iii) Small response time (On-spot instantaneous measurements) (iv) Portability (v) Mitigation of memory effects. This paper presents an overview of the Online Tritium in Air Monitoring Systems manufactured by ECIL for Pressurised Heavy Water Reactors at Tarapur, Kaiga, and Rawatbhata. Significant aspects of design, function, testing, limitations of the detectors and electronics and the ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The functioning of even a simple system is much more complicated than the sum of its genes, proteins and metabolites. A premise of systems biology is that molecular profiling will lead to the discovery and characterization of important disease pathways. However, as multiple levels of effector pathway regulation appear to be the norm rather than the exception, a significant challenge presented by high-throughput genomics and proteomics technologies is to extract the biological implications of complex data. Thus, integration of heterogeneous types of data generated from diverse global technology platforms represents the first challenge in developing the necessary foundational databases needed for predictive modeling of cell and tissue responses. Given the apparent difficulty in defining the correspondence between gene expression and protein abundance measured in several systems to date, how do we make sense of these data and design the next ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

A case study is presented where an integrated, ecologically relevant exposure assessment is presented for a polluted lowland river. Using partial least squares regression of latent structures (PLS), an analysis of the impact of two effluents on physico-chemical water quality measures, macroinvertebrate and diatom communities, and in situ bioassay responses with four different test species are combined into an integrative exposure assessment. Bioassays focussed on growth and condition related endpoints, because they are key functional processes of organisms and populations. Integrating these multiple lines of evidence, we were able to discriminate among the impact of both effluents, link changes in physico-chemical water quality with bioassay endpoints and ecological quality of the ecosystem, and address the importance of integrating all information into one exposure assessment framework. The bioassays under field conditions indicated that most ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The A-15 compounds are known to favor the occurrence of high temperature superconductivity (transition temperature T/sub c/ > 15K). The origin of superconductivity in these metals is a subject of much controversy and importance. A useful approach to this problem is to study comparatively the superconducting and normal-state properties of the A-15 superconductors and their amorphous counterparts. Efforts along these lines have yielded some insight into the mechanisms responsible for high temperature superconductivity. It is interesting to note that most high-T/sub c/ A-15 compounds contain one glass-forming element such as Ge, Si or Al and are thus conducive to the formation of a non-crystalline phase. The amorphous (or higher disordered) state of the A-15 compounds can be achieved, for example, by one of the following techniques: (1) sputtering or co-evaporation onto substrates held at relatively low temperatures; (2) particle irradiation; and (3) ion-mixing. It ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Natural, formaldehyde-treated and copolymer-grafted orange peels were evaluated as adsorbents to remove lead ions from aqueous solutions. The optimum pH for lead adsorption was found to be pH 5. The adsorption process was fast, reaching 99% of sorbent capacity in 10 min for the natural and treated biomasses and 20 min for the grafted material. The treated biomass showed the highest sorption rate and capacity in the batch experiments, with the results fitting well to a pseudo-first order rate equation. In the continuous test with the treated biomass, the capacity at complete exhaustion was 46.61 mg g{sup -1} for an initial concentration of 150 mg L{sup -1}. Scanning electronic microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy indicated that the materials had a rough surface, and that the adsorption of the metal took place on the surface. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy revealed that the functional groups responsible for metallic ...

Science.gov (United States)

The plerocercoid stage of the tapeworm Spirometra mansonoides produces a functional analog of human growth hormone (hGH). Among the similarities between plerocercoid growth factor (PGF) and hGH is competition for the same receptors on rabbit liver membranes. To take advantage of this characteristic in a purification scheme for PGF, rabbit liver microsomes were solubilized in Triton X-100 and the hGH receptors were purified over an hGH affinity column. The purified receptors from six rabbit livers were coupled to Affi-Gel-10 to create a receptor affinity column which was used to purify PGF. Chromatography of crude PGF over the receptor column resulted in a 1044 fold increase in specific activity. SDS-PAGE in the presence of 2-mercaptoethanol showed that the affinity-purified PGF contained three protein bands with apparent Mrs of 27.5 K, 22 K, and 16.7 K. Injections of the partially-purified PGF into hypophysectomized rats produced a dose-dependent growth ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

This research programme has been under way since 1990 to study the long-term synergistic effects of air pollutants and changing climatic conditions on the northern forest ecosystem and to increase the knowledge of climatic change and its consequences for the fragile northern nature. Ecological, physiological, morphological and biochemical methods have been used to study the responses of forest trees, dwarf shrubs, lichens and soil biology to environmental changes. The research programme is divided into four subprojects concentrating on different ecosystem levels. The subprojects are: (1) life, growth and survival strategies of northern dwarf shrubs under the pressure of a changing environment, (2) forest trees under the impact of air pollutants, increasing CO{sub 2} and UV-B, (3) susceptibility of lichens to air pollution and climatic change and (4) impact of elevated atmospheric CO{sub 2} and O{sub 3} on soil biology with special reference to carbon allocation and ...

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

The coupling between cerebral metabolic rate of oxygen (CMRO2) and blood flow (CBF) in response to visual stimulation was evaluated by means of a model of oxygen delivery. The model predicted a nonlinear relationship between stimulus-evoked changes of oxygen consumption and blood flow. The magnitude of the CMRO2/CBF ratio index (IO2) was used to indicate the degree of flow-metabolism coupling prevailing in specific areas of the brain during physiological stimulation. Therefore, the index provided a measure of the blood oxygenation level dependent (BOLD) magnetic resonance contrast. To evaluate the changes of IO2 in response to visual stimulation, the model was applied to the effect of a changing flicker rate of a visual stimulus on the magnitudes of CBF, CMRO2, and oxygen diffusion capacity, in the human brain. Positron emission tomography (PET) was used to measure the CBF and the CMRO2 in 12 healthy volunteers who viewed a cross-hair ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

This Current Year Work Plan presents in detail a description of the activities to be performed by the Joint Integration Office/RI during FY86. It breaks down the activities into two major work areas: Program Management and Program Analysis. Program Management is performed by the JIO/RI by providing technical planning and guidance for the development of advanced TRU waste management capabilities. This includes equipment/facility design, engineering, construction, and operations. These functions are integrated to allow transition from interim storage to final disposition. JIO/RI tasks include program requirements identification, long-range technical planning, budget development, program planning document preparation, task guidance development, task monitoring, task progress information gathering and reporting to DOE, interfacing with other agencies and DOE lead programs, integrating public involvement with program efforts, and preparation of reports for DOE detailing ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

A systematic study of structure-mechanical properties relation is reported for MoSi{sub 2}-SiC nanolayer composites. Alternating layers of MoSi{sub 2} and SiC were synthesized by DC magnetron and rf-diode sputtering, respectively. Cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy was used to examine three distinct reactions in the specimens when exposed to different annealing conditions: Crystallization and phase transformation of MoSi{sub 2}, crystallization of SiC, and spheroidization of the layer structures. Nanoindentation was employed to characterize the mechanical response as a function of structural changes. As-sputtered material exhibits amorphous structures in both types of layers and has a hardness of 11 GPa and a modulus of 217GPa. Subsequent heat treatment induces crystallization of MoSi{sub 2} to form the C40 structure at 500C and SiC to form the a structure at 700C. The crystallization process is directly ...

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

We previously reported the identification of a new family of plant methyltransferases (MTs), named the SABATH family, that use S-adenosyl-l-methionine (SAM) to methylate a carboxyl moiety or a nitrogen-containing functional group on a diverse array of plant compounds. The Arabidopsis genome alone contains 24 distinct SABATH genes. To identify the catalytic specificities of members of this protein family in Arabidopsis, we screened recombinantly expressed and purified enzymes with a large number of potential substrates. Here, we report that the Arabidopsis thaliana gene At3g44860 encodes a protein with high catalytic specificity towards farnesoic acid (FA). Under steady-state conditions, this farnesoic acid carboxyl methyltransferase (FAMT) exhibits K{sub M} values of 41 and 71 {mu}M for FA and SAM, respectively. A three-dimensional model of FAMT constructed based upon similarity to the experimentally determined structure of Clarkia breweri salicylic acid ...

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

We quantified antibody responses to the HCV proteome that are associated with sustained virologic response (SVR) in HIV/HCV co-infected patients treated with pegylated interferon and ribavirin....Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Plant roots exhibit remarkable developmental plasticity in response to local soil conditions. It is shown here that mild salt stress stimulates a stress-induced morphogenic response (SIMR) in Arabidopsis...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

The dielectrophoretic (DEP) crossover method has been applied to the detection of cell responses to toxicants. Time and dose responses of the human cultured leukemia (HL-60) line were measured...Full Text Available

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Behavioral responses to labellar stimulation with 19 L-amino acids were predicted on the basis of electrophysiological responses of largest labellar hairs. With the exceptions alanine, aspartic...Full Text Available

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

The asymptotic functions are a new type of generalized functions. But they are not functionals on some space of test-functions as the distributions of Schwartz. They are mappings of the set denoted by A into A, where A is the set of the asymptotic numbers introduced by Christov. On its part A is a totally-ordered set of generalized numbers including the system of real numbers R as well as infinitesimals and infinitely large numbers. Every two asymptotic functions can be multiplied. On the other hand, the distributions have realizations as asymptotic functions in a certain sense. (author).

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

The functional interaction between the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor {gamma} (PPAR{gamma}) and its coactivator PGC-1{alpha} is crucial for the normal physiology of PPAR{gamma} and its pharmacological response to antidiabetic treatment with rosiglitazone. Here we report the crystal structure of the PPAR{gamma} ligand-binding domain bound to rosiglitazone and to a large PGC-1{alpha} fragment that contains two LXXLL-related motifs. The structure reveals critical contacts mediated through the first LXXLL motif of PGC-1{alpha} and the PPAR{gamma} coactivator binding site. Through a combination of biochemical and structural studies, we demonstrate that the first LXXLL motif is the most potent among all nuclear receptor coactivator motifs tested, and only this motif of the two LXXLL-related motifs in PGC-1{alpha} is capable of binding to PPAR{gamma}. Our studies reveal that the strong interaction of PGC-1{alpha} and PPAR{gamma} is ...

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In response to a request from the International Chemical Workers Union, Akron, Ohio, an investigation was made into possible hazardous working conditions at two American Smelting and Refining Company (SIC-1031) zinc mines (New Market and Young) in Mascot, Tennessee. Specifically, exposures to asbestos (1332214), silica (14808607), and diesel emissions were determined. At both mines overexposures were found to nitrogen-dioxide (10102440) (NO2) and coal-tar pitch volatiles. Twenty-four percent of the NO2 measurements taken were above the NIOSH recommended ceiling of 1 part per million (ppm), but none exceeded the Mine Safety and Health Administration's (MSHA) ceiling of 5ppm. Exposure to diesel particulates ranged from 0.24 to 1.06mg/cu m. None of the 52 respirable dust samples collected exceeded the calculated MSHA limits for free silica exposure. A medical evaluation was offered and 83 of the 400 current employees and one retired employee participated. ...

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

Senescence is regarded as a physiological response of cells to stress, including telomere dysfunction, aberrant oncogenic activation, DNA damage, and oxidative stress. This stress response has an antagonistically...Full Text Available

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Accidents Accident Preparedness, Accident Prevention, Chemical Accidents, Radiation Accidents Characterization Contingency Plans National Contingency Plan (NCP), Oil Removal...

UK PubMed Central (United Kingdom)

We present a technique for identifying the amino acids responsible for a loss of immunoreactivity in response to treating an antigen with a chemical modifier. This is of particular interest...Full Text Available

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

With an objective to perform three-dimensional analysis with high accuracy in using the electromagnetic exploration method, characteristics in electromagnetic response were analyzed, and conditions for acquiring necessary data were discussed. The discussion defined a parameter called `response anomaly` which uses response from media to standardize response only from substances with abnormal resistivity. The receivers were located uniformly on the same plane, and the response anomaly was derived from electromagnetic response from each of the three horizontal and vertical components at each receiving point, which was expressed as a contour map. The parameter for the abnormal body was consisted of location and resistivity contrast with media. Discussions using the contour map were given on the response when these factors for the parameter were ...

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The wave function of the Bianchi type-IX universe with small anisotropy is calculated using the Hartle-Hawking prescription.

CERN Document Server

Overview on some functional issues related to the uninterrupible power systems design

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vibration Isolation system for the camera. ... to further define the response of the camera vibration isolation system. These ...

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British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

Electrostatic torsional micro-mirrors have wide spread use in different industries for diverse purposes. This paper investigates the development of superharmonics and chaotic responses in electrostatic torsional micro-mirrors near the pull-in condition. Appearance of nonlinear phenomena is investigated in models accounting for and disregarding the coupling of torsional and flexural deflections. Analysis of the system response to step and harmonic excitation reveals the appearance of DC and AC symmetry breaking. Increasing the amplitude of harmonic excitation, the response in the form of distinct superharmonics changes to a broad band response, where there is loss of periodicity and the response becomes chaotic. Accounting for flexural deflections in coupled model reduces the voltage thresh...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

It is becoming increasingly evident that a linkage needs to exist between the siting of emergency response units and the routing of high level radioactive waste shipments. It is important to position the response teams so that the most efficient and effective emergency response can be provided. But the data needed to solve the siting problem are fragmented. This paper identifies the weak points in the data already available and suggests ways in which the data can be strengthened in a cost-effective manner. Among the weakest areas are estimates of the time required for various response events to occur, such as notification time, mobilization time, travel time, and containment time.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

We have previously reported that FSH stimulates flux of 45Ca2+ into cultured Sertoli cells from immature rats via voltage-sensitive and voltage-independent calcium channels. In the present study, we show that this effect of FSH does not require cholera toxin (CT)- or pertussis toxin (PT)-sensitive guanine nucleotide binding (G) protein or activation of adenylate cyclase (AC). Significant stimulation of 45Ca2+ influx was observed within 1 min, and maximal response (3.2-fold over basal levels) was achieved within 2 min after exposure to FSH. FSH-stimulated elevations in cellular cAMP paralleled increases in 45Ca2+ uptake, suggesting a possible coupling of AC activation to 45Ca2+ influx. (Bu)2cAMP, however, was not able to enhance 45Ca2+ uptake over basal levels at a final concentration of 1000 microM, although a concentration-related increase in androstenedione conversion to estradiol was evident. Exposure of Sertoli cells to CT (10 ng/ml) consistently stimulated ...

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The performance of conjugate gradient schemes for minimizing unconstrained energy functionals in the context of electronic structure calculations is studied. The unconstrained functionals allow a straightforward application of conjugate gradients by removing the explicit orthonormality constraints on the quantum-mechanical wave functions. However, the removal of the constraints can lead to slow convergence, in particular when preconditioning is used. The convergence properties of two previously suggested energy functionals are analyzed, and a new functional is proposed, which unifies some of the advantages of the other functionals. A numerical example confirms the analysis.

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High energy piping systems are operated with either or both conditions of maximum operating temperature exceeding 200 .deg. F(93.3 .deg. C) or maximum operating pressure exceeding 275 psig(19.3kg/cm{sup 2}) during normal operating conditions in nuclear power plants. A high energy pipe failure is postulated in branches or piping that runs larger than one inch nominal diameter. The resultant consequences of these postulated pipe breaks must be analyzed for the effect on maintenance of plant safe shutdown capability, containment integrity. And the analyzed results must be applied to the system design so that a pipe failure can not damage essential systems to an extent of impairing design function nor affect necessary component operability. The considerable effects of pipe break are as follows; dynamic effects such as pipe whip, jet impingement and environmental impact by release of system contents. Two types of forces are occurred by the pipe whip. The one is pipe ...

CERN Document Server

This contribution reviews a selection of findings on atomic density functions and discusses ways for reading chemical information from them. First an expression for the density function for atoms in the multi-configuration Hartree--Fock scheme is established. The spherical harmonic content of the density function and ways to restore the spherical symmetry in a general open-shell case are treated. The evaluation of the density function is illustrated in a few examples. In the second part of the paper, atomic density functions are analyzed using quantum similarity measures. The comparison of atomic density functions is shown to be useful to obtain physical and chemical information. Finally, concepts from information theory are introduced and adopted for the comparison of density functions. In particular, based on the Kullback--Leibler form, a ...

British Library Electronic Table of Contents (United Kingdom)

An operator of FE-closure is introduced on the set of functions of a multivalued logic based on the systems of functional equations. It is proved that, for every k ? 2, the FE-closure operator generates a finite classification on the set P k of functions of k-valued logic. The least class in this classification is shown to be the class H k of all homogeneous functions. Also a series of corollaries are obtained concerning the finite FE-generating sets in the FE-closed classes.

Science.gov (United States)

Although the p53 tumor suppressor is relatively well characterized, much less is known about the functions of other members of the p53 family, p73 and p63. Here, we present evidence that in specific pathological conditions caused by exposure of normal cells to bile acids in acidic conditions, p73 protein plays the predominant role in the DNA damage response. These pathological conditions frequently occur during gastric reflux in the human esophagus and are associated with progression to esophageal adenocarcinoma. We found that despite strong DNA damage induced by bile acid exposure, only p73 (but not p53 and p63) is selectively activated in a c-Abl kinase-dependent manner. The activated p73 protein induces DNA damage repair. Using a human DNA repair PCR array, we identified multiple DNA repair genes affected by p73. Two glycosylases involved in base excision repair, SMUG1 and MUTYH, were characterized and found to be transcriptionally regulated ...

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One such agent is the widely used anesthetic, halothane. To study the toxicity of u.v. decomposed halothane, mice were exposed to anesthetic concentrations (1.3%) of non- and u.v.-irradiated halothane in oxygen for 90 min. Halothane sleeping times increased from 14.3 min to 72.5 min. Microsomal mixed function oxidase activity decreased, as shown by prolonged pentobarbital sleeping times 1 day after exposure to halothane and irradiated halothane (54.6 min and 149.1 min, respectively, as compared to a 34.6-min control). Quantitative and qualitative differences were found in the amount of (/sup 14/C)-pentobarbital metabolites excreted by u.v. irradiated halothane-exposed mice compared to either oxygen or non-irradiated halothane-exposed groups. In addition, serum glutamic-oxalacetic transaminase (SGOT) of irradiated halothane-exposed mice increased to 233% of the control values, and serum glutamic-pyruvic transaminase (SGPT) were 377% of control values. No significant ...

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Colerectal cancer (CRC) is the second commonest cancer in the Western World. Successful treatment relies significantly on accurate detection and staging of primary disease as well as the early identification of the presence and extent of recurrence. Morphological imaging techniques, particularly computed tomography (CT), are well established and widely available to carry out these tasks in addition to predicting and monitoring response to therapy. This review analyses the current inadequacies for imaging CRC and critically assesses the potential role of functional imaging with positron emission tomography (PET). It was reviewed the current literature, to use the experience from the firs 1000 PET studies carried out at the institution and the perspective of surgical colleagues. It was found little evidence for the use of 2-["1"8F]fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose (FDG)-PET for screening asymptomatic individuals and current modalities appear better suited ...